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Join the ServerHowever, to truly resolve the issue, I knew I had to press on.
“True, she could have sought assistance from students in Class One, but as I explained before, she desired to keep the circle of those aware as small as possible. Having observed Class One previously, I noted that during lunch breaks, the ‘bread faction’ and ‘bento faction’ students constituted well over half the class. This implied that any attempt to enlist help there would inevitably attract significant attention. Our class, conversely, not only has a minuscule ‘bread faction’ but entirely lacks a ‘bento faction.’ Therefore, by simply involving our small ‘bread faction’ group, she could guarantee the fewest possible witnesses, all while easily dismissing it as ‘merely helping to pass something along.'”
This was a detail that had struck me as peculiar during my earlier, more thorough recollection.
Upon discovering the love letter, my mind had been racing, and Nina’s sudden appearance had startled me, preventing me from recalling a crucial detail. Prior to that incident, due to the usual atmosphere in the clubroom, I had, of course, returned to the classroom early as well. There hadn’t been a significant time difference, and every day around that time, I would see our class’s small ‘bread faction’ group gathered around a table, chatting and laughing merrily.
Yet, on that particular day, the classroom had been utterly deserted.
The possibility of them having spontaneously decided to go outside for a change of scenery wasn’t entirely dismissible.
However, that day was a Friday, and this particular ‘bread faction’ clique, known for being quite the social butterflies, had never once missed such a prime opportunity—a chance to not only plan their after-school activities but also to discuss their weekend itineraries.
This led to the conclusion that Lin Shurou must have enlisted a member of this group to deliver the love letter, and in their desire to establish an alibi, they had opted to hide outside.
“As for the misdelivery, I surmised it wasn’t merely due to some hidden circumstance, but also a result of Lin Shurou’s own misjudgment.”
At this juncture, I paused to consider the matter with even greater scrutiny.
“The most plausible scenario, I reasoned, was that Lin Shurou had only communicated three crucial pieces of information: ‘the class,’ ‘the window seat,’ and ‘the otaku characteristic.’ Simultaneously, while offering an excuse, the well-meaning individual assisting her, perhaps privy to some undisclosed detail, had not only mistaken the class but had also, influenced by the charm on my schoolbag, delivered the love letter to the wrong person.”
While this theory contained numerous uncertainties, it began to solidify when I connected several observations: Lin Shurou’s sudden confession to Nina today; her unwavering determination to ‘join the Attack Club’ when speaking with Lan Xinyue; and her repeated stolen glances at Su Yuanyi—in the infirmary previously, last Saturday, and even moments ago in the clubroom.
Integrating all these elements, and then incorporating a hypothesis that, while incredibly bold, was also remarkably logical, the general outline of the entire affair coincidentally coalesced into a coherent narrative.
Therefore, the initial conclusion I drew was that her true intention in joining the club was to find a way to approach Su Yuanyi.
Regardless of how she learned the club’s admission requirements, merely wishing to join wouldn’t necessitate such an elaborate scheme. She could have simply confessed to a boy who would unequivocally reject her, ensuring Lan Xinyue witnessed the refusal. Given her attractive appearance, this approach should have posed no difficulty.
From this, I could also deduce the primary reason for her going to such elaborate lengths, and why she felt compelled to do so: ‘Lin Shurou is a lesbian.’
Consequently, choosing to confess to a boy would naturally be an arduous task for her. Her decision to approach Nina, even if Lan Xinyue wasn’t physically present, stemmed from the fact that as Nina’s close friend, a mere mention would suffice to relay the predetermined outcome, making it the optimal choice.
Such matters, I presumed, anyone would endeavor to conceal until a favorable outcome was secured, especially from her sister, Lin Shujuan, known for her rather unyielding demeanor.
What Lin Shurou seemed to have entirely overlooked, however, was the potential awkwardness that would inevitably pervade the clubroom atmosphere, even if she successfully joined. She would be forced to interact regularly with Nina, who often frequented the club.
Her considerations, it seemed, were not only rather superficial but also imbued with a palpable sense of haste.
“Oh… it truly is… quite convoluted, isn’t it…?”
“…Is that your sole impression?”
Su Yuanyi’s voice, brimming solely with astonishment, left me momentarily exasperated.
After all the mental gymnastics I performed, don’t you feel even a flicker of alarm?
“But… what… should I do, then?”
She appeared somewhat flustered, genuinely perplexed by the situation.
“Therefore, if that love letter was indeed intended for you, it logically follows that the person she truly harbors feelings for… is you.”
“…Ah.”
Only then, it seemed, did the full realization dawn upon her. Overwhelmed by surprise, she stood utterly frozen, her mouth slightly agape.
Had it not been for this underlying reason, Lin Shurou likely wouldn’t have mistakenly attributed ‘chuunibyou (TL Note: A Japanese slang term, ‘chūnibyō,’ meaning ‘eighth-grade syndrome,’ describing adolescents who imagine themselves possessing special powers or hidden knowledge.)‘ to Su Yuanyi.
When feelings are involved, one naturally views the object of affection through a ‘filter,’ rendering them incapable of accepting negative appraisals from others, which are then deliberately ignored.
Of the remaining observations, aside from her appearance, which was objectively attractive and thus hard to distort, only three ambiguously positive or negative descriptors—’adorable airhead,’ ‘endearingly clumsy,’ and ‘chuunibyou’—could perhaps be grudgingly accepted by Lin Shurou.
Among these, only ‘chuunibyou’ lent itself to being a relatively easy choice for either capturing the other person’s attention or for bridging the gap between them.
Yet, this particular interpretation, too, proved to be nothing more than Lin Shurou’s unilateral misconception.
After all, the most accurate description should have been ‘social anxiety,’ oh, no… actually, ‘inexpressive.’
That would suffice.
Indeed, it wasn’t until I waved a hand cautiously before her eyes that she jolted back to reality, seizing my sleeve with both hands and asking in a flurry of panic.
“Th-then, wh-what-what am I-I-I s-supposed t-to d-do?! A-although I-I d-do watch th-these kinds of s-stories, b-but I-I never-never imagined b-becoming th-that k-kind of r-relationship with o-other g-girls!”
Good heavens, she sounded even more flustered than before. What was I to do?
And she had entirely missed the crucial point, hadn’t she?
“To that, I could only advise, ‘Simply refuse her with unwavering clarity.'”
After all, her orientation was conventional, and she hadn’t yet fully emerged from the depths of her heartbreak. Prolonging this situation would, undoubtedly, only prove detrimental to both parties involved.
“B-but, but… I-I… I have absolutely… no experience with this…”
“Ah…”
That, I conceded, was indeed rather troublesome.
At that moment, I found myself intensely wishing she would resort to communicating via her phone.
As if sensing my unspoken thoughts, Su Yuanyi instinctively retrieved her phone.
[Seriously, what am I supposed to do now?! (Flustered bear) (Flustered bear) (Flustered bear)]
[Don’t panic. Your eyes are practically spinning, like this (Yalin’s dizzy eyes)]
[My eyes don’t actually spin like that in real life! Don’t tease me at a moment like this! (Furious bear)]
[Perhaps you could consult Nana and Lan Xinyue for some advice on the matter?]
They were the only ‘experts’ I could recall at that particular moment.
[But]
After two brief words, she paused, as if lost in thought, before resuming her typing.
And it took her a rather long time.
[What if, after I reject her, she ‘goes dark’ out of resentment, finds a chance to drag me into a dark room, first ●●●●●●, then ◆◆◆◆◆◆, followed by ■■■■■■■■■■, or perhaps ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲, or even ★★★★★★★★★★★★, and ultimately ◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎◎? What would I do then?!]
“There’s far too much alarming content in there! You’re not one of those who consumes absolutely any genre, are you!?”
I had been curious what she would say, but this made it truly difficult to suppress the urge to retort.
To my utter astonishment, she actually nodded.
“Mm…”
And with a subtle hint of shyness, no less.
“Mm, my foot! Can’t you ever watch anything normal?”
[Oh? So you’re part of the ‘pure romance’ faction?]
“…Sigh.”
It was so exasperating that it completely extinguished any desire I had to retort.
[I’m genuinely just worried it might come to that… (Wounded bear)]
I perused her message, contemplating it for a brief moment.
[In any case, first follow my advice: seek wisdom from Nana and Lan Xinyue, then reject her unequivocally.]
[How cruel… (Crying bear)]
[I haven’t finished yet]
[Don’t leave me hanging like that!]
[But I type slower!]
[And don’t imply things about me!]
How had this person suddenly become so utterly exasperating?
One could only wonder who had influenced her so profoundly.
[Setting aside the extremely low probability of such an event occurring—]
“Hey, what are you doing?”
I had only just typed that much when, seemingly unable to wait, she leaned directly over, her gaze fixed on my screen. To any observer, it would have appeared as though she were nestled intimately in my embrace.
[To receive the latest updates without delay, pay me no mind.]
“Oh, come on!~ Can’t I just tell you directly?”
Are you oblivious to how suddenly leaning in like that might ignite the gossip-mongering souls of others?
“Hmph~ you’re bullying me…”
Oh, dear… what kind of individuals have I truly entangled myself with?
[Moreover]
“Could you please not lean in so closely first? Just a little more patience, alright?”
“…Oh.”
As if sensing my growing impatience, she settled back obediently, a hint of dejection clouding her expression.
“Don’t look so downcast; I’m not actually angry. It’s just that your eagerness makes me feel quite nervous myself.”
I endeavored to soften my tone, simultaneously multitasking to send the message to her.
[Besides, you always commute to and from school with us, so there’s truly no need to worry.]
Yet, upon reading the message, she merely sat there, utterly blank-faced.
“…Yuanyi?”
She couldn’t genuinely be angry, could she? Still, that display just now, witnessed by others, truly wouldn’t have looked good.
“But… we… don’t… alight… at the same station.”
Only then, as she slowly finished speaking, did I finally understand.
“Oh, right, you alight in District Six…”
“So… I’m still… scared…”
She spoke, shielding her mouth and nose with her phone, her eyes fixed on me with hopeful expectation.
Ah… I understood now. That’s what she meant, right? Sigh…
“Alright, if you don’t mind, I’ll be responsible for escorting you home until this matter is completely resolved.”
“Really… is that alright?”
She was clearly delighted, so why did she feel the need to confirm it so specifically?
“Yes, of course it’s alright. It’ll also be good exercise.”
The monthly pass from District Six to District Seven wasn’t expensive anyway, and the club benefits Lan Xinyue provided alone would easily cover the corresponding cost. On closer thought, it truly was killing two birds with one stone.
She had also mentioned last week wanting to visit my new part-time job, but due to an unforeseen event, I hadn’t had the chance to tell her that the convenience store was conveniently located near the District Six station, which was why the hourly wage was quite good.
Calculating it this way, on Fridays, it would even become three birds with one stone.
However, I should inform Lan Xinyue about this, as going home together had become a daily routine for us.
Hmm, getting used to it so easily, might that also be a bit problematic?
[Hmph!~ 50 points!]
Eh? Why was she suddenly grading me?
And had I not even reached the passing mark?
I was still habitually complaining when I quickly froze.
Su Yuanyi’s expression softened as she displayed a captivating smile, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at me.
“What a shame. If you hadn’t added that last sentence, you could have gotten a perfect score.”
This girl, when she truly smiled, she was actually this beautiful.
Damn it, the contrast was too stark… my face felt overly flushed.
“Alright! Let’s head back first, or Nana will probably come rushing up.”
I quickly rose, speaking as I walked towards the entrance, simultaneously glancing back to confirm Su Yuanyi was following. Her expression, however, had reverted to its previous state, and she herself seemed quite surprised, her eyes holding a trace of confusion as she gently rubbed her cheek with her left hand.
Honestly, this person was incredibly skilled at being mischievous. Suddenly flashing such a smile, accompanied by perfectly fluid words—who wouldn’t be bewildered?
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