After the introductions, discussions, and interviews, it was time to take a break. Natsume is preparing snacks, Souta and Makoto are on the PC, Hikaru is reading a book, and Sachiko and Toda are talking.
"You know, " Toda says as he plays with his hair, "I really like Natsume."
Sachiko is shaken.
"Eh, really?" She asks.
"Yes, but I can't tell her ever, or anyone in our circle because Souta likes her, too."
Now, that was an even bigger bummer for Sachiko. Her eyes were burning, her chest was painful. She felt a lump on her neck, she was jealous of Natsume.
"It can't be, I mean, I thought he isn't interested in girls."
"Souta doesn't have any interest in any girl because of Natsume," Toda confesses.
"He asked her out but got rejected."
Sachiko tried to show a strong front but underneath she was boiling.
"She must be an angel in human form, right?" Sachiko gives a fake smile.
"You're right. Natsume is a sweet, cheerful, and very kind-hearted person. She is so selfless and helps everyone out. She's really something, you know? But it will always remain an unrequited love."
"You can't give up on her, " Sachiko says.
She could feel the blood mount to her face, giving her a terrible feeling of suffocation.
"Thanks for the encouraging words, " Toda smiles.
"Wait, then, what about Tachibana-san? Does he, too, have feelings for her?" Sachiko was praying that the answer would be no.
"Hikaru never talks about his feelings. Words rarely come out of his mouth. But I do have a feeling that he does. Natsume is a vibranium head, dense as ever, so she'll never get it. But I can read Hikaru like an open book, he surely likes her. And if you've noticed it, he looks like he's carrying guilt. The guilt of being in love with his best friend's love."
'No, no, no! Why her?' Sachiko thought to herself.
She felt odious, of course. She was able to hold her countenance. However, it was killing her inside. Then she realized something. The Natsume story seemed familiar. An average-looking girl coveted by the hot guys in her school. A Shoujo manga reverse harem! Sachiko realized that the role she was auditioning for, already went to Natsume.
"So basically, only I know that I like Natsume, only Hikaru and I know that he likes Natsume and everyone in our circle knows that Souta likes Natsume. But she doesn't have a crush on anyone, " Toda says.
"Include me, I know everything now that you've told me," Sachiko says.
"Haha, nice one!"
It was time for everybody to head home but Sachiko had to inform Souta about something first.
"President?"
"Yes?" Souta answers.
"I had to tell you something important. The thing is, I won't be able to attend any club until July arrives, " Sachiko says.
"Eh, why so?" Souta asks.
"The thing is that I've been attending cram school and my aunt told me to attend the cram school for at least two months before quitting. I'm really sorry for my insolence towards the club, " Sachiko apologizes, hoping Souta won't shout at her.
No, she was lying. The truth was that she was new to the gaming world so, of course, she needed to refine her skills before officially gaming in the club.
"I can understand your trouble, it's not easy to be a student, " says he.
Souta was slowly warming up. He wasn't like that before.
Sachiko realized that he isn't such a bad person when someone breaks the ice between him and the person.
"Thank you so much, president!"
"Although, you do play online games, right?" Souta asks.
Her instinct was telling her that something wasn't good.
"Well, you see, in my last year at middle school, I had deleted all my games. After my exams got over, I started playing offline games again. Then just last week when I decided to start up with online games again, I came to know that I lost all my accounts. I even had to renew my Steam account. But recently I got an online game from a friend of mine. So right now that's the only one I'm playing, " Sachiko says.
She's a great liar indeed. The game was given to her by Hanako and she only opened a Steam account with Hanako's help. Her PC, which was once bought to watch YouTube videos and K-dramas, became a platform for her to become a gamer. Oof, the things that girls do to win a man over.
"Which game to be precise?" Souta asks.
"'Borderlands 3', " Sachiko replies.
"That is good to hear because I happen to play it, too. I'll text you my IGN, we'll play tonight at 11:30 pm. You better send me a request, " Souta orders her.
"A-Ah, yes," Sachiko was dreading this.
She was in a crisis and there was only one person she could rely on— Hanako.
She wished the club members goodbye and ran back to class 1-5. She was hoping to find Hanako inside the class. She missed Hanako's presence, she felt lonely without her. She looks around all over the empty classroom and finds Hanako on her seat, ready to go home.
"Hanako-chan!" She calls her name.
"Eh?" She gets Hanako's attention.
Sachiko rushes towards Hanako.
"I was in a room amidst a bunch of total strangers. On top of that, all the bad things happened to me!" Sachiko was crying her heart out.
"C-Calm down, Sachiko. Tell me about it, " Hanako says.
Sachiko first told her about the members and how she found out that everyone is in love with Natsume.
"She's a really good person, unlike me. How can I compete with someone like that?" Sachiko says.
"You mean she's a good-two-shoes who selflessly help people? I dislike people like them, " Hanako says.
Sachiko was surprised. Anyone would like someone like Natsume. The fact that Hanako wasn't impressed by Natsume baffled her.
"You might be thinking why right? Well, I think that it's okay to be selfish."
"Why?" Sachiko says.
"When people are being selfless, people exploit you. They build their expectations on you and if you don't live up to those expectations, they'll be disappointed, " Hanako says.
"Wait, aren't you being selfless by helping me as well?" Sachiko asks.
"That's because I'm gaining something in return, remember?"
"Oh, yes. That's right."
"Moreover, you're the only one that I'm being helpful to. I'm selfish to the rest of them. But my kind of selfish is different."
"How so?" Sachiko asks.
"I'm selfish in a way that I only want to be in my own world, without helping someone or letting someone help me. That way, neither party gets hurt. Bu the kind of selfish that where one party uses the other to gain something they want, irks me the most, " Hanako shares her deepest philosophy.
"Now that you say this it does make sense, " Sachiko says.
"And that is why, Sachiko, you never know. Sometimes selflessness is used as a disguise to cover the real motive. Even if Natsume appears to be an angel, she might be doing selfless acts because she wants something in return."
"I never thought so that way, " Sachiko says.
"So you were thinking that Natsume is the actual heroine of the Shoujo romance you were looking for, huh? Idiot. She might be the heroine of her own story but no one can replace you from your own story. So don't give up on Souta yet, " Hanako's words encourage Sachiko.
And then Sachiko tells her about the interviews that took place and how a pro gamer became a member of their club.
"Makoto?" Hanako looked surprised.
"Huh? You know him?" Sachiko asks.
"He's from my middle school. We are gaming buddies," Hanako answers.
"Eh? You guys are acquaintances? Why don't I see you guys together though?" Sachiko asks.
"Both of us don't like social interactions and we don't even see each other at school. I just came to know that he, too, attends this school after you told me about him, " Hanako says.
"Oh, I remembered! I am in a huge crisis, Hanako."
"What is it?"
"Honda-kun demanded that I play a match with him at 11:30 p.m. tonight. He said he'll text me his IGN later. Who stays up that late? And he'll find out that I was lying!"
"11:30 p.m. is quite early and I guess I can play for you tonight. Text me your account details and his IGN, "Hanako promises to help her out.
"Really? Hanako, I know that I've told you this a lot of times but, you're a real angel!"
Hanako was Sachiko's angel. Hanako's solace was what she needed as of that moment. For the rest of the world, Natsume may have been the angel but for Sachiko, Hanako was her angel. Her imperfect angel.
"Geez, you're welcome, " Hanako laughs.
"Are you two girls gonna stay up all night in here? I'll lock you girls up!" The janitor shouts at them.
"We're sorry! We will head out now!"
And off went the two.