Chapter 54: Loser

Loser

“Eh…? Y-Yuu-kun…?”

Hiyori stared at me, eyes wide in shock.

“Yuuta, hurry up and get on!”

“Yeah.”

Hatsune tugged at my arm, pulling me onto the bus—at least, that’s what I thought.

“W-Wait! Yuu-kun, it’s me!”

Haa… She even ran after me. What does she want now?

There’s nothing I want to say to Hiyori. Not a single thing.

“Hey, Yuuta, do you know her?”

Hatsune leaned against me, asking the question in a deliberately casual tone.

Almost as if she were flaunting something.

“Hm? …Ah, just a former high school classmate. That’s all.”

“Yeah… a childhood friend… and a former classmate, right?”

Haha… Why go out of her way to emphasize that we were childhood friends?

She’s the one who threw that relationship away.

Even so… that look in her eyes—it’s unpleasant.

“Ahaha, is she planning to get back on the bus after getting off once? What an inefficient former classmate…”

“Haha, maybe.”

She was caught cheating with Kazuki right in front of me—guess she really is just that clueless.

“More importantly, could you not look at my… Hatsune like that, Kasuga-san?”

“…!?”

The moment I spoke in a flat, emotionless tone, Hiyori gasped.

“Ahaha… Yuuta, thanks. I was wondering about that too. I mean, why is some stranger… glaring at me?”

Hatsune giggled as she said that, her tone dripping with amusement.

As if she were mocking Hiyori.

“…Yuu-kun, your taste… has gotten worse, hasn’t it?”

…Hah?

What the hell did she just say?

My mind went completely blank with rage.

What right do you have to insult my Hatsune!?

Just as I was about to snap, Hatsune gently squeezed my hand and smiled at me.

“Ahaha, a loser… is barking about something.”

Her words caught me off guard, and before I knew it—

“Pfft… ahahahaha!”

I burst into laughter.

That’s right! Hiyori really did lose.

In my heart, Hatsune had completely, overwhelmingly surpassed her.

[We will be departing shortly.]

The announcement echoed through the bus.

“Kasuga-san… so you’re just going to turn back now?”

“Hmm, who cares? But wow, Yuuta, in your hometown, even losers can ride the bus, huh?”

Saying that, Hatsune leaned into my chest in an exaggerated display, rubbing her cheek against me.

Haha, she’s really going all out.

“…”

Hiyori shot Hatsune a death glare before reluctantly stepping off the bus.

“Ahaha, what was even the point of her coming over to us?”

“Who knows?”

Hatsune and I exchanged glances and shrugged.

“Haha! You two are seriously hilarious!”

“Yeah, yeah!”

“…The way she acted toward my Hatsune-senpai—I won’t forgive her if we ever meet again. Also, Naoe-kun, you’re getting way too full of yourself.”

While the two senpais were laughing uncontrollably, only Mushakoji-san was glaring at me intensely…

“Yuuta…”

“Hatsune… mm…”

We laced our fingers together, pressed our foreheads together, and laughed.

Ignoring Hiyori, who was still glaring at us from outside the bus.

“Mmm~ these dango are delicious!”

After finishing our tour of the castle, we took a break at a teashop, enjoying some dango.

For reference, I got mitarashi dango, while Hatsune chose sanshoku dango.

“Hmm… Eii!”

“Ah!”

Just as I caught her staring at my mitarashi dango, she suddenly popped one into her mouth.

Haha, she could’ve just asked—I would’ve given her some.

Well, not that I mind these little moments at all.

“Seriously, Yuuta and Hatsune-chan’s lovey-dovey act is getting even worse…”

“Well, with these two, it can’t be helped, right?”

Sasaki-senpai and Kinoshita-senpai both shrugged.

“My Hatsune-senpai… my Hatsune-senpai…”

Mushakoji-san was mumbling something under her breath… Yeah, I’ll just ignore her.

“Oh yeah! So about tomorrow—I managed to borrow my dad’s car. Let’s all go on a drive! If we head to the beach, we can get some great food!”

“Waaaah…! Yuuta, the beach!”

“Haha, sounds great. Let’s go!”

Hatsune’s deep blue eyes sparkled as she looked at me, and I nodded with a smile.

But… knowing her, she’s probably thinking more about seafood than the sea itself…

“Hmm… Yuuta, you’re not thinking something rude, are you?”

“N-No, not at all!”

“Ah! You totally are! I can tell right away—it’s written all over your face!”

“S-Sorry, sorry!”

Puffing up her cheeks, Hatsune started lightly smacking me, and I held my head in defeat.

Ugh… I need to acquire some poker face skills…

“Haha… But seriously, you two laugh so much now.”

“Yeah…”

“…The fact that Naoe-kun is the one bringing out Hatsune-senpai’s smile… is kind of annoying.”

Sasaki-senpai, Kinoshita-senpai, and even the grumbling Mushakoji-san all watched us with soft expressions.

“Haha… But honestly, we’re only like this because of all of you.”

“Yes… truly, thank you so much!”

Hatsune and I bowed deeply.

To these… precious people of ours.