Chapter 21 : Huh? You Little Rascal!

Hikaru’s logic is straightforward. You’re asking if I like someone? → Huh? You care about me? → Oh! You like me! It’s not 100% wrong. But it’s definitely not universal. At least, not here.

“…Huh?” Miki’s mouth hangs open, her face screaming CONFUSED in all caps. What is this girl even saying? She’s baffled, stunned, frozen. Even with Miki’s agile mind, it takes effort to decode Hikaru’s thought process. Noticing stares gathering around, Miki decides to clear the air fast.

“Suzuki-san…” She starts to explain.

“Yamazaki-san, it really won’t work.” Hikaru seems ultra-conservative, her tolerance for LGBT topics near zero. “Anyway, yuri’s no good. Yuri’s banned. NO yuri!”

“Uh? I need to explain—”

“!” Hikaru’s guard maxes out. She even crosses her arms like it’s a shield.

“First off, I’m not a lesbian.” Miki sighs, rubbing her forehead.

“…” Hikaru’s wariness doesn’t drop. The big bad wolf pretends to be grandma before eating Little Red Riding Hood. Would a sneaky lesbian hide her orientation to “straighten” someone? Maybe honest ones exist. But better safe than sorry. Wait—acting this defensive… isn’t that kinda narcissistic? If she’s overthinking… haha.

“Second, even if I were into girls—which I’m not—you’re not my type.” Worried it’s too blunt, Miki adds, “I mean as a life partner. As a friend? Totally cool, even welcome!”

“Ah… huh… ha…” Hikaru nods, half-understanding.

“If you get it, drop the ready-to-bounce pose.” Miki smirks. “We’re drawing eyes in the cafeteria—you hate that, right?”

Prompted, Hikaru notices the attention. She’s been under spotlights before, but this is different. Sitting properly, she glances at her half-stirred oyakodon, then shyly at Miki, eyes asking, Can I keep eating?

Miki, unsure if Hikaru’s overly sensitive or thick-skinned, sighs. “Eat. I’ll talk. Answer when you’re done.”

“…” Hikaru quietly scoops rice.

“So, I have a friend…”

“Huh?” Hikaru pauses mid-bite—classic excuse.

“To avoid weird misunderstandings, he’s a guy… at least biologically.” Miki’s never been this careful with words. “He’s really into you. If you’re single and open to dating, I could set you two up?”

“…” Hikaru sets down her chopsticks. Maybe she organized her thoughts while eating—she’s calm now.

“Done?” Miki smiles at the empty bowl. “How was it?”

“The oyakodon was great. Even better with shichimi and soy sauce.” Hikaru nods deeply.

“Awesome.” Miki beams, steering back. “So, Suzuki-san, any plans to date? Trust me, and I’ll arrange a meet-up.”

“Dating? Uh… I don’t know.” Hikaru shakes her head, pausing before answering cautiously. “Feels weird with a third party setting it up? Not bad, just… my feeling.”

“Haha, I get it!” As a girl, Miki relates. “We’re young, vibrant high schoolers—rejecting ‘arranged’ stuff is normal. Not rejecting it would be weird for our age! But listen—”

“?”

“If you just wait passively, you’ll never meet true love.” Miki’s tone is earnest. “I’m not saying cast a wide net or stock a fish pond. True love’s like a pie from the sky—possible, but rare. If you want romance, a little initiative boosts your chances way more than waiting…”

She pauses, then adds, “Not all encounters are perfect, but nothing’s smooth sailing. You only deepen bonds after meeting. Relying on fate alone? You’ll stay strangers. And if you miss your soulmate just for lacking a bit of courage? Huge loss, right, Suzuki-san?”

“Ah, uh, oh…” Hikaru nods blankly. “Didn’t fully get it, but Yamazaki-san, you’re amazing. Your love philosophy’s so mature—like a college student… no, a working adult!”

“Haha, nah, just magazine stuff.” Miki scratches her head sheepishly. “Basically, it’s like supermarket samples. Unsure if it’s good? Try it first. Tasty? Buy. Not? Skip. Buying blind’s risky—if it sucks, you waste money or gross yourself out… So, I’m just saying don’t skip the sample.”

“I see…” Hikaru nods thoughtfully, seemingly convinced. “So, Yamazaki-san, who’s your friend? Same class?”

“Yup.” Miki smiles. She’d narrowed it to classmates—Hikaru guessing isn’t surprising.

“Shangguan-san?”

“Bingo!” Miki nods, sensing potential. “You’re into him too, right?”

“…” Hikaru doesn’t answer immediately, giving Miki an odd look. After a beat, she counters, puzzled.

“Yamazaki-san, don’t you like him? Why introduce him to me?”

“?”