Translated by: Seiryuu

Revised by: Chocolala

“With much reluctance, I’m asking you to please go out with me.” A cheerful girl’s voice echoed in the back of the gym after school.

Nanamine Yuzu.

She was the type who stood out from the rest of the class, the one who was at the top of the school caste, the one who had never spoken to me in the six months since I entered this high school.

I was suddenly called out by a letter from this kind of person, only to receive this confession.. I hope you can understand my confusion. I’m confused as to whether I could call the previous words a confession.

“……Nanamine, right? Is this some sort of punishment game?”

The first thing that comes to mind is a punishment game between Riaju1 people. While they are hidden in the shadows ready to take videos of me making a fool of myself as I say ‘OK’ to the confession—a nasty game of theirs.

As I lightly looked around, Nanamine smiled at me with no apparent real intention.

“No way. I’m not the kind of person who would do such a childish thing.” Although she said so, I couldn’t believe it.

I was not proud of it, but I didn’t have the kind of face that people fall in love with at first sight, and it was odd to think that she fell in love, at first sight, six months after we were in the same class.

“So, what, you got the wrong guy?”

“I think you’re the right one. You, Izumi Yamato-kun, right? We are in the same class, and sometimes when our eyes meet, we would perfunctorily smile at each other. I don’t think we’ve ever talked one-on-one yet.”

“……That’s right.”

So, even more so, I couldn’t see the purpose of this confession. I was still wondering, but she smiled and repeated her excuse.

“It seems you don’t believe me. But it’s true. This inexplicable confession is something I’m doing of my own free will.”

“I don’t think I’m hearing any love at all.” I could understand if you were embarrassed or nervous, but ‘inexplicable’?

Well. It was almost certain that this wasn’t a sweet and sour youth event anyway.

“There’s something going on, isn’t there? I don’t have a good feeling about it, but I at least want to know what I’m getting myself into. Talk to me.”

‘If the talk is going nowhere, I’ll just cut the conversation short and go home.’ I made up my mind to do so, and when I questioned her, Nanamine spoke up surprisingly easily.

“Yamato-kun, do you have any friends in your class?”

“No.”

“What an immediate answer.” Nanamine looked a little dumbfounded.

I was the complete opposite to the Riaju people like her, in other words, I was the gloomy loner. That was why I couldn’t accept such a confession.

“I see. It may be difficult to understand, but…Yamato-kun, what kind of person do you think is disliked by people around them?”

“Isn’t it annoying people? Those who can’t read the room, and can’t follow the flow of the conversation.”

“That might be the case among guys. But for girls, there’s another type that they dislike”

Nanamine held up her index proudly.

“Huh? What kind?”

She was a little intrigued and urged to continue, and for some reason, she laughed proudly.

“The answer is a cute girl.”

“……Cute girl?”

“Yes. To be more precise, a girl who is cute, has a good personality, is good at sports, has many friends and is impeccable. In other words, a girl like me.”

“Do you say it yourself?” she was so confident that I was amazed.

“I’m obedient to the facts.” Nanamine smiled without being ashamed.

However, she immediately lowered her eyebrows as if she was troubled.

“But when you’re that good, people get jealous. You know, the sun is bright and convenient, but if it’s too close, it’s painful, isn’t it? It’s like that.”

At last, she started using the sun as a metaphor for herself. It’s amazing.

“…… I see. I understand now you’re a narcissist.” Even though I know I won’t get through, I interjected sarcasm.

However, it didn’t seem to be effective and Nanamine nodded.

“Well, I haven’t been taking it seriously, but …… I’ve been having a little trouble, and I’ve had to find a way to lower the Riaju level.”

“Huh”

“And I think the easiest way to lower my Riaju level as a girl is to have a lame boyfriend.”

“So, you want to use me for that? Am I like a cursed item that lowers your level if you equip it?”

The reason for using me was slightly annoying. Maybe because I was stumped there, she put her hands out to appease me.

”I’m not trying to make fun of you. I just thought it would be mutually beneficial.”

“What’s in it for me? Are you going to do something erotic for me?”

“Oh, no, none of that. What more, touching is prohibited. I’m a very tight-fisted woman.” She rejected me outright.

I knew that would be the case.

“Then what are the benefits?”

“You see, if her boyfriend is dorky, the Riaju level of a girl will go down, but on the other hand, if a boy has a cute girlfriend, his Riaju level as a boy will go up.”

“Well, I suppose it could.” Dating a cute girl you can show off to others may be a kind of status2.

“Right? So you see, if you go out with a cute and perfect girlfriend like me, Yamato-kun might get noticed by everyone, right? You’ll make friends, your days will be fulfilling, and your life will be rosy!”

“It looks like a suspicious mail-order product…”

A combination of a cursed item and a suspicious mail product. In a sense, that’s a big couple.

“You know? It’s mutually beneficial. So I’m asking you again, please go out with me!”

“I don’t want to.” This time I was not confused and refused.

“Why not?” Nanamine puffed out her cheeks as if she hadn’t expected to be rejected.

If it’s just about her ‘looks’, she’s really cute. She was aware that she was cute, that was why she was able to make such a gesture.

“Well,  you don’t even like me, right?”

“Of course, if you ask me, rather than liking you, I like ‘me’ that you like. Something like, ‘I’m such a cool girl to endure a purgatory’.”

“You really love yourself…but I am sorry I don’t even want to raise my Riaju level. Just leave me alone” I turned my heels back and started walking to get home quickly.

“Wah, honestly I didn’t expect to be refused. A boy your age surely would say yes as they would aim for a chance after forming the fake relationship? You see, isn’t this a chance for you to get close to me?”

“I politely decline” I declined without looking back and increased my walking speed.

“Mmm…by the way, may I ask the reason why?” I stopped when she asked me that.

I thought about what I should do, but then I realized that she had confessed her feelings to me, and I should at least show her some courtesy by turning her down. I turned around and honestly told her why.

“The RPG I’m doing right now is in full swing.. I can’t help but want to do it quickly.”

“R…PG?” Nanamine repeated his words in a puzzled manner, maybe because she didn’t understand.

Well, I didn’t feel like explaining it in a long way. I had done my duty and I just wanted to go home.

“See you later, Nanamine. If I may say so, you’ll find a replacement soon.” With a fluttering wave of a hand, I started walking again.

Seiryuu: I hope you like my translation! More parts will be posted soon! Liven up the comments and don’t forget to read The SS (Side Stories) Translated by chocolala, they are super cute and fun!

If you like my translation, consider sending Kofis to foxaholic including my name~