Chapter 2 - Youth

Profile Character:

Kamihate Shuuta

Hair colour: Dark Brown

Eyes colour: Dark Brown

Height: 168 cm

Date of Birth: 9 December 20XX

Shimotsuki Kurohime

Hair colour: Black

Eyes colour: Light Brown

Height: 168 cm

BWH: XX-54-85 cm

Date of Birth: 21 March 20XX

17th of June

A week after that incident—or wait, can we even call it an accident? It seems like nothing happened afterward. Futaba-san never spoke to me again; she just pretended that nothing had occurred. Meanwhile, I was teased a lot by senpai.

"Yo, Yukito, can you help me out?" Shuuta's voice called out to me. I turned around and asked, "What's up?"

Shuuta then signaled for me to come closer, and he whispered something to me. "Could you swing by the back of the school building after classes?"

"Again? I've got basketball practice, man."

"You're the only one I can count on for this."

"...Well, it's not like I don't have other plans."

"I'll treat you to a cola during break. And Yakisoba Bread, too."

"Deal!" We shook hands in agreement.

Time flew by after that.

*RING-RING*

The bell signaling the end of the school day rang. I packed my books into my bag and prepared to head to the back of the school building.

As I walked towards the back of the school building, my phone started ringing. I checked it and it appeared that Kurohime-senpai wanted me at the basketball court immediately.

[Sorry, something urgent came up]

[Could you please hurry? We have a new member and we really need our ACE]

"Ace, huh..." I could feel a smirk forming on my face as I thought about it.

I shook off all the feelings and quickened my pace towards the back of the school building.

There, I spotted a familiar figure of a girl.…

She is…

"Sup' Se – n – pai" She said with a tone.

"Su- Suzune?!"

"What, surprised?" she teased.

Wait... why am I the one who got surprised?

"Um, sorry, Suzune. My friend Shuuta said that he—"

"Wait a second, Senpai," Suzune interrupted me with a hand gesture.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I have something to tell you, Senpai."

"Yes...?" I replied, curious.

"The reason I gave Kamihate-senpai a love letter was that so I can meet you alone," she confessed.

"Huh?... Wait, what?!" I stuttered in disbelief.

Suzune then approached me slowly, like a predator stalking its prey.

I back down a little until my back felt the wall.

She then slapped her hand agains a wall.

ISN'T THIS A KABEDON?!

"Su- Suzune-san?"

"Senpai…"

"YES?"

"Will you…"

*Badump* *Badump*

*Gulp*

"Will you be Hinata-senpai blind date this Saturday?!"

"Huh?"

Is she for real?

Wait, I thought that she's going to…

"Will you senpai?"

I put my normal expression and said, "You broke me girl…"

"EH, What did I do wrong?!" She said.

*Sigh*

As expected of a Gyaru... She didn't even feel embarrassed when she's doing that kabedon to me.

"And then?"

"Last Saturday, I made plans with my friend for a group outing, and I mentioned that I would invite Hinata senpai along."

"…Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you ask for my help?"

"Well, because it's Yukito-senpai?"

"Because it's me?"

"Yes, you know Suzune thinks that Yukito-senpai and Hinata-senpai seem to be quite fond of each other, so—"

"Wait! Why do you think that Futaba and I are close?"

"Eh, am I mistaken? I noticed that Hinata-senpai often steals glances at you in the cafeteria."

"...She does?"

"Yeah, even though she brings her own bento, she still eats in the cafeteria just to see you."

"Y-you're joking, right?"

Is she telling the truth? Or am I falling into her game?

"And with that, may I ask for your Lime?"

I took out my phone and she added me on Lime.

*Notification*

"Hmm?"

I checked the message, and it was her sending me a cat sticker.

"You're going to help me, right, senpai?"

"…Alright… but you need to let Futaba know that I'll be the one accompanying her."

"Got it, you're the best senpai!"

"Okay then, see you later," I turned around after that, intending to walk away...

!!

"Huh?"

I felt warmth on my back. Suzune was hugging me.

"Thank you, Senpai," she said before backing away and running off.

What an unexpected turn of events…

After school ended, I headed to my part-time job. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by my Senpai, Yamamoto Mizuha-senpai, a college girl with short dark grey hair covering one of her eyes.

"There you are, hurry up and get changed. We have a lot of things to do tonight." she said.

"On it. I'll start prepping the bar." I replied as I headed to the changing room. After putting on my suit, I went to the bar.

Oh right, I work at the bar near my house. It's a bar owned by my father's friend. Well, it is work, but I'm just a part-timer here.

One by one, customers went into the bar and ordered a drink; most of them ordered a beer or a coffee. Mizuha-senpai was in charge of making beer, and I was the one who always brewed coffee for the customers.

"One coffee latte with fries, please," one of the customers ordered.

"Alright, coming right up, Yukito," I replied.

"Got it, senpai," I said as I brewed the coffee, while Senpai was frying the fries in the back.

After I finished brewing the coffee, Senpai gave me the fries, and I delivered the orders to the customer.

~After a moment~

"Whew, that's a lot of people," I remarked.

"It is more than usual," Senpai agreed.

~After Two Hours~

"Good work today," Senpai praised.

I didn't know how we managed this every Monday; thank goodness I survived.

"I'm going to clean the tables now, senpai," I informed.

"Alright, I'll do the dishes," Senpai replied.

We then cleaned up the bar and prepared to close the shop.

"I'm going to change first," Senpai said.

"Alright," I exclaimed.

After Senpai finished changing, I went to the changing room and put on my usual outfit.

"Ah, right. Wait a minute Yukito"

"Senpai called as soon as I was about to leave."

"What is it, senpai?"

"Here, it's for you." Senpai handed me a bag.

"This is…?" I accepted the bag and looked at what was inside of it.

"Keep up the good work. You're in the second year, right?"

"Y-yeah…um, thank you, Senpai."

"Don't mention it. You're being a good colleague and a good student," she said.

"…Senpai, you sound like my mother, haha."

"Ara, I don't have that motherly vibe, ya know?" she said.

"Once again, thank you very much Senpai" I said.

"Now, let's go home… I can't wait to dip in a bathtub" She said while stretching her arms.

After that we went on our own. I went straight to my home, after arriving at home, I took a bath and went straight to my bed, Ending the day.

19th of June

On the day when I had multiple dates with Suzune's friends and also went out with Futaba, I found myself waiting in front of the station at 9 AM. I was dressed in my usual attire: just a simple shirt with a jacket and sneakers.

"Senpaiii!!!" Suzune's voice rang out from a distance, and I turned to see both Suzune and Futaba approaching me.

"Yaho! Good morning, senpai!" Suzune greeted enthusiastically.

"Morning," Futaba added more calmly.

"Um, yeah, good morning, you two…" I replied, taking a moment to admire their outfits.

Futaba wore a cute ensemble that effortlessly combined chic elements with comfort. Her fitted blouse in a soft color complemented her skin tone, exuding a touch of elegance alongside her slim, ankle-length jeans. 'As expected from a Gyaru,' I thought to myself.

Meanwhile, Suzune sported a stylish jacket, envisioning her in a knee-length A-line dress in pastel colors like blush pink or sky blue. The simplicity of the dress was accented by delicate floral patterns, adding a charming touch to her elegant appearance.

"Oho, senpai, don't you have something to tell us?" Suzune teased, nudging me.

"Um, you both look cute today," I complimented them.

"Yey, did you hear that, Hinata-senpai? Yukito-senpai said we're cute!" Suzune exclaimed, nudging Futaba.

"D-don't you have something better to do?" Futaba replied, avoiding eye contact with me.

Suzune then turned her attention to me, inspecting my outfit with a curious expression.

"W-what?" I asked, feeling a bit self-conscious under her scrutiny.

"It's the first time I've seen senpai in his usual clothes… Senpai, you look handsome," Suzune complimented.

"Th-thank you…?" I replied, a bit flustered.

"Hinata-senpai, do you have something to tell him?" Suzune asked Futaba.

"No, I don't. Thank you," Futaba responded curtly, her tone slightly cold.

After waiting for a moment, a couple of girls approached us.

"Yaho there, Suzu-chi," said one of them.

"Oha, Momo-chan, Yo Ikumi-chi," Suzune replied.

"So, what are we going to do today?" one of the girls asked.

"How about we go to the mall? I saw something interesting there yesterday," said the girl called Ikumi-chi.

"Ah, right. So, this is my senior, Aki Yukito Senpai," Suzune said as she introduced me to them.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mimari Momomi, a first-year. Nice to meet you, Senpai," Momo said.

"I'm Shinomiya Ikumi, the same year as both of them," Ikumi said.

"I'm Aki Yukito, nice to meet you both," I said.

I felt like they were both inspecting me closely.

"I never expected that Hinata-senpai's boyfriend would be Yukito-senpai," Ikumi remarked.

"What?!" I was taken aback.

"Wait… what did you say?" I asked again.

"Huh? Aren't you two dating?" Ikumi looked confused.

I glanced at Futaba, and Suzune, who was winking at me from across the group.

"Yeah, we're dating," I stammered, trying to keep up with the unexpected turn of events.

I couldn't imagine what expression I was wearing, but I could clearly see that Futaba-san was angry; her face was flushed red.

"By the way, where are your dates?" Ikumi inquired.

"Our dates?" I echoed, feeling a bit lost.

"Oh, come on, senpai. Are you teasing us? We don't have dates right now, you know," Momo chimed in.

"Huh?" I was completely caught off guard.

Did I just hear that correctly?

I turned to Suzune, who was avoiding eye contact with me.

THIS GIRL…

"Um, sorry, guys, but can I talk to Suzune privately?" I asked, feeling the need to sort things out.

"Sure, go ahead."

"..." Futaba remained silent.

Suzune and I moved away from the group, finding a more secluded spot.

"Did you lie about the date? And what's this about me being a couple with Futaba?" I confronted her.

"I'm sorry, senpai. I didn't mean to lie to you, but... um... you see, the day before, I asked for your help... um... how do I say this…"

"What is it?" I pressed on.

"Hinata-senpai was bragging to Momo and Ikumi about having a boyfriend."

"…And?" I prompted her to continue.

"I knew she was lying, and she asked for my help to find a date for her. Well, it's just pretended, though… Can you help us, senpai?" Suzune explained nervously.

"You don't have anything more to say?" I asked, feeling a mix of annoyance and sympathy.

"No, that's all," Suzune replied sheepishly.

"Okay, I'm going to help you both, but please clear this mess up later, okay?" I sighed.

"Got it," she nodded.

After that, we returned to the group.

"Sorry for the wait, let's go!"

"Let's goo"

The three of them then walked first while me and Futaba are walking behind them.

Both of us walked at our own paces, not synchronized; it's as if there's a tension between us.

"Why..." she murmured softly.

"Why did you agree?"

"Suzune asked me, I couldn't ignore my Kouhai."

"And what about me?"

"What about it?"

"Aren't you angry about pretending to be my... my boyfriend?"

"Well... it's a rare once-in-a-lifetime event. I can't say it's bad; it just... I'd be in trouble if someone found out."

"In trouble?"

"Many people would be jealous of me."

"Oh... really?"

"And you?"

"W-what?"

"Are you sure it's best that you chose me?"

"It's not like I wanted to choose you!"

...

REJECTED.

"Haha, yeah..."

"Aki-kun..."

!!!

"Thank you..."

This is the first time that I heard her saying my name. normally she would just called me by 'you' 'he' 'him'. It's like…wow…

"Thanks, um... I hope we have a good day together, Futaba-san."

She remained silent.

Am I playing the role of a good boyfriend correctly now? I mean, pretending to be one.

"Hey."

"What?"

"Would you… like to hold hands?" I asked.

"Huh? Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry... I thought it might look more convincing if we held hands, you know… to keep up appearances..."

Futaba took my hand suddenly. Her hand felt tiny and warm, and I could feel the warmth of her palm against mine as our hands intertwined.

"This is the best option, right?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"Yeah, it's for the best," I replied.

After we spend our time shopping in the mall, I learn a new side of hers. It's like we're a real couple.

After shopping, we went to the nearest café.

"Wow, that was fun," Momo exclaimed.

"It's enjoyable to do once in a while. Also, thank you, Yukito-senpai, for joining us today," said another person.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks for having me today," I replied.

Everything seemed normal until...

"Right, Yukito-senpai…"

"What's up?" I asked.

"Momo is wondering, why does Yukito-senpai call Hinata-senpai by her family name?"

Now everything started going wrong.

"Ah, um..." I hesitated.

"Momo-chan, shh. It's none of our business, you know," Suzune interjected smoothly.

"But, doesn't that just sound wrong?" Momo persisted.

"We call each other by our first names when no one else is around," I explained.

"Yeah, we're a couple," Futaba added.

"Momo wants to hear it, right, Ikumi-chan?" someone asked.

"Umu, I want to hear it too," Ikumi agreed.

"Eh..." Yukito hesitated, looking at Futaba for support, and finally said, "Hinata..." *gulp*

"What is it, Yukito-kun?" Hinata responded, surprised.

My face turned red instantly.

"KYAAA, that's couple for ya!!" Momo said excitingly.

"Hey, hey, why don't we take a picture for today?"

"That's a good idea" Suzune said.

"Umu, let's take it"

We just play along.

"Yukito-senpai, Hinata-senpai. can you both move closer?"

I then move closer to Hinata, our shoulder was touching"

"Alright, take a pose….Cheese!"

*SNAP*

"Thank you for today, Suzu-chi, Hinata-senpai, Yukito-senpai" Momo said.

"That was fun, see ya guys on Monday"

After that both of them went off, leaving the three of us here.

"FYIUH That worked well" Suzune said.

"…"

"…"

"Yukito-senpai? Hinata-senpai?"

"Let's go home"

"Yeah"

Both of us then walked away, leaving Suzune.

"W-wait, Hinata-senpai!!!"

*Notification*

I took out my phone and saw a message from Shuuta.

[ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME? YOU AND HINATA IS A THING NOW?!]

[What are you talking about dude?]

[Sending a photo]

!!

It was a photo of us back then at café, it must be the one that Momo's upload on her UnstaGram.

[BECAREFUL DUDE, I SEE YOU AROUND]

[Hey, that's a misunderstanding!]

No answer…

AHHHHH

AM I LUCKY OR AM I UNLUCKY???