Chapter 17: What’s Wrong With This Guy?!

To prevent unnecessary rumors from spreading, Ishikawa Yuka decided that the return gift should be given as soon as possible, and so she resolved to give it to Noyama Hiroki the very next day.

She brought two sets of chocolates to Oka Academy one as a return gift for Noyama Hiroki, and another to share with Matsuyama Shoko and Anmiya Marina.

A normal class break was far too short, so Yuka impatiently waited for lunchtime to arrive.

If they were close friends, gathering somewhere during break to eat snacks together would have been normal, but given their current relationship, that still felt unrealistic.

Shoko and Marina did not seem to get along very well with each other.

On top of that, Shoko still treated Yuka with a certain distance, which could hardly be called closeness.

Marina was comparatively easier to get along with, but things never quite went as smoothly as hoped.

While absentmindedly working through Chika-kai practice problems to pass the time, Yuka finally reached lunchtime.

At Oka Academy, there was no school lunch system even from the elementary division, and instead the academy used a cafeteria system.

Students could bring their own lunchboxes, have meals delivered from home, or simply eat in the cafeteria if they preferred.

From what Yuka had observed the previous day, both Shoko and Marina had eaten in the cafeteria.

Although it could have been a coincidence, Yuka assumed today would be the same and headed there as well.

She scanned the cafeteria after entering.

Found them.

“Marina.”

“Yuka?”

Hearing her name, Marina turned around with a slightly surprised expression.

Yuka felt a bit puzzled, wondering if she had done something so unexpected.

She decided not to dwell on it and focus on the matter at hand.

“May I sit with you?”

“…Yes, please.”

The atmosphere did not feel very welcoming.

That was strange.

Yuka had thought she and Marina were getting along fairly well by now.

Still, she would not be discouraged.

She refused to give up on her goal of enjoying a happy school life together with Shoko and Marina.

She had already confirmed that Shoko was sitting farther away with her followers.

Although she was fully aware of the situation, she knew she could not rush things yet.

For now, she would simply have lunch normally with Marina.

The decisive moment would come with dessert.

“Yuka… your table manners…”

“Huh?”

What was wrong?

Had she made a mistake?

Had her lack of noble upbringing finally shown through?

All of her etiquette had been taught by Master Tora—no, by her martial arts master, who had insisted she learn everything from seemingly meaningless habits to tea ceremony and flower arrangement, despite them having nothing to do with combat.

She had always followed those teachings faithfully, but could it be that her master’s lessons were actually strange?

She had never learned etiquette from anyone else, so she truly did not know.

“They’re very elegant.”

“I-Is that so…? Thank you…?”

What did that mean?

Was this a roundabout way of saying she was odd because there was no better way to put it?

Should she finally take formal etiquette lessons after all?

She had always refused when her mother suggested them.

But now she deeply felt that in this environment, she needed to at least resemble a proper young lady.

If she had known, she should have listened to her mother back then.

Since she had to eat at school, and would inevitably be forced to attend social gatherings in the future, she would eventually need to participate whether she liked it or not.

Even if it was late, she should at least learn the basics to avoid embarrassing herself.

It was only now that she realized something so obvious.

“…Marina, your manners are wonderful as well. Where did you learn them?”

She asked cautiously, wondering where someone like her should even go to learn these things.

“…Thank you. A private instructor comes to our house.”

“I see.”

As expected of a prestigious family like the Anmiya household, they had familiar tutors come directly to teach at home.

Even if it was late, perhaps she should seriously think about learning too.

If things continued like this, she would only embarrass herself more in the future.

“By the way, Yuka, did you need something from me?”

“Huh?”

Caught off guard by the question, Yuka froze.

Her purpose?

Ah, right.

She had wanted to invite Shoko and Marina to share the chocolates she bought from her favorite dessert shop.

She had not forgotten, just temporarily set it aside while eating and thinking about etiquette.

She definitely had not forgotten.

“Well, actually, I brought something to eat after lunch today. Would you like to try it together?”

She pointed in the direction where Shoko and her group were seated and extended the invitation.

“…Alright. Let’s go.”

Oh?

She had successfully invited Marina.

All that was left was to go over to Shoko’s table and invite them to share the chocolates she bought yesterday.

“Then let’s go.”

Yuka and Marina walked together toward Shoko’s table.

Shoko and her group seemed to have just finished eating and were leisurely drinking tea.

The timing was perfect.

“What do you want?”

However, the moment Yuka and Marina stopped beside the table, one of Shoko’s followers, Kiyoku Riki, immediately stood up and glared at them fiercely.

She was definitely glaring.

Although she lacked presence, Riki was the type to act first.

In the game Love Percentage 100, she was one of the heroine’s followers and, like Shoko, not someone to mess with.

Even now, as Shoko’s follower, her personality had not changed.

“Would you like to have some tea together? I bought some chocolates. Let’s share.”

As she spoke, Yuka took out the package she had brought.

To make it easier to carry, she had chosen a bag rather than a box.

The boxed chocolates for Noyama Hiroki were bulky, but these were perfect for sharing without being cumbersome.

“Are you kidding me? Didn’t I tell you not to get carried away?!”

“Ah…”

Riki strode toward Yuka and raised her hand.

That hand swung toward the bag of chocolates Yuka was holding.

“Heave-ho.”

“Ah…”

Perhaps she intended to knock the bag out of her hand, but her movement was too slow and Yuka dodged it easily.

Riki’s hand swung through empty air, and she lost her balance, wobbling with a clumsy “whoa.”

“Hey, why are you dodging?! You—!”

Riki raised her hand again.

Was this a joke?

Her movements were full of openings and painfully slow.

It was hard not to dodge.

She probably had not intended to actually hit her.

What was she supposed to do in this situation?

Should she pretend to get hit to go along with it?

“Stop it, Riki!”

“!!! …But—”

Shoko suddenly shouted, freezing Riki in place.

Yuka, unsure how to react, could only watch.

“Riki, those two are also members of the Oka Association.”

“You understand what that means, don’t you?”

“!?”

At Shoko’s words, Riki’s face turned pale as she covered her mouth.

Had she not known until now?

In the game, merely hearing the phrase “the Ishikawa family’s daughter” was enough to inspire fear.

Was that because Yuka had already been famous before entering the upper division?

Now that they had only just entered the elementary division, perhaps she was still unknown.

“Step back.”

“But—”

“That’s enough.”

“…Yes.”

At Shoko’s command, Riki reluctantly returned to her seat.

Yuka had expected Shoko to be more aggressive, but perhaps that was not the case after all.

“Weren’t you going to have tea? Please, sit here.”

“Ah… thank you. Marina too.”

“Then we’ll accept.”

Shoko invited them to sit opposite her, and Yuka and Marina sat down side by side.

Shoko’s followers hurriedly rearranged their seats, resulting in a layout where Shoko’s group and Yuka’s group faced each other.

This was not at all what Yuka had imagined.

She had pictured everyone sitting around one table, chatting cheerfully.

Instead, it felt more like two opposing armies.

“Ah, then everyone, please try this. It’s really delicious.”

Trying to lighten the mood, Yuka took out the chocolates she had brought.

The cute bag was tied with a ribbon.

She untied it, opened the package, and offered it to everyone.

“I’ve never heard of this shop.”

“A place kids like that probably isn’t very good.”

“Hahaha.”

While talking, Shoko’s followers each took a piece and put it in their mouths.

Marina also tried one.

Shoko watched from the side.

“Huh?! What is this?”

“It’s good…”

Heh.

See?

This shop might not be famous, but the taste was absolutely top-tier.

Even though she had not made them herself, having her favorite shop praised made her very happy.

“Mm… it really is delicious… Yuka, could you tell me where this shop is?”

“Of course.”

Yuka told them the shop’s name and address.

The location was easy to find and in a good area.

It was strange that the shop was not more famous.

It was far better than those overrated chain stores.

“Hmph…”

Shoko, as if reluctantly, picked up a piece as well.

“Delicious.”

Yes!

Shoko liked it too.

Although she had not intended to promote it, she had ended up doing just that.

“Go ahead, everyone, don’t hold back.”

Yuka enthusiastically urged them on, forgetting to eat any herself.

By the time she noticed, all the chocolates she brought had been eaten, and she had not had a single piece.

The pleasant lunch break ended, and the depressing after-school hours arrived.

Yuka honestly wanted to skip Oka Association activities altogether.

But today, she had to give Noyama Hiroki his return gift.

She could not be absent.

She had to settle it quickly and clear the debt.

If people thought she owed him something, it would only cause trouble later.

Just thinking about Noyama Hiroki put her in a bad mood.

She decided to think about something happy instead.

Like… the scene from lunchtime, when everyone drank tea together.

That counted as a proper girls’ get-together, right?

Yes.

Absolutely.

Girls sitting together, chatting and laughing over tea was definitely a friendly gathering.

Since she believed it was, then in her heart, that made it the truth.

Even if the atmosphere had been a bit tense, it did not matter.

Alright!

Her mood lifted!

“Excuse me.”

“Yo!”

In high spirits, Yuka cheerfully pushed open the door to the Oka Association salon.

Noyama Hiroki was already standing in the center of the room.

For some reason, he was facing the door with his arms crossed, clearly waiting.

“…Um?”

“……”

Noyama Hiroki continued to stare at her without moving.

Yuka thought his nostrils looked slightly flared, twitching faintly.

What was wrong with this guy?

Had his brain finally broken?

Well… maybe it had not been normal to begin with.

“Hey, Ishikawa. You’ve got business with Hiroki, right?”

“Kurohara-senpai?”

Kurohara Masahira was saying something strange.

She did not have business with Noyama Hiroki at all.

If anything, she wanted nothing to do with him.

She had just managed to recover her good mood from lunchtime, only to be bothered by strange people the moment she entered the salon.

She really wanted to go home.

“I don’t have any particular business with anyone.”

“Huh?”

“…Huh?”

Masahira tilted his head.

Yuka tilted her head as well.

Why did he think she had business with Noyama Hiroki?

“Yuka… you do have business with Hiroki, right?”

“Brother?”

Even Ishikawa Yota stepped in.

Yuka had expected her brother to support her, but instead he sided with Masahira.

What was going on?

She definitely had not—

“Ah! That’s right!”

She remembered.

She had completely forgotten.

She had come here today specifically to give Noyama Hiroki his return gift.

Realizing this crucial point, Yuka stepped forward and stood in front of Noyama Hiroki under everyone’s gaze.