Chapter 25: One Love Flag Has Been Broken!

One Love Flag Has Been Broken!

During lunch break, I felt stares everywhere I walked.

"That person, the one in the rumors..."

"The Master..."

"Saotome Otome..."

Have I been put on the wanted list?

Too many people know my face and name.

I had gone to meet Nagumo who was waiting for me on the rooftop first, as his master, no, as his errand boy, to get some drinks, but on the way there I had taken such mental damage.

Not only that, Ijuin and Onizuka had falsely accused me of having a boyfriend and even pushed me against the wall...

If they found out about the whole master thingy, I wonder what they would do to me next.

Opened the door leading to the roof and went around to the back of the water tower.

"It's nice weather."

If it were the backyard instead of the rooftop, it would be so sunny that there would probably be a gathering of cats enjoying sunbathing.

The person who created the problem looked up at me, who was still standing there cross-legged.

"Too slow"

As usual, Nagumo was nonchalantly complaining.

It's not late or anything, it should be the same time every time.

The only thing to do was to ignore Nagumo's nagging.

I handed him the bottle of tea and sat down next to Nagumo.

"...Alright, let's say this is the world of a shoujo manga."

As he accepted the tea, Nagumo began to speak.

"If Otome-chan is the main character and heroine, was there no rival heroine?"

Rival heroine...?

"A girl who interferes with the romance between the student council president and a delinquent boy, or who competes with Otome-chan for the student council president or the delinquent boy."

There was only one person that came to mind.

"Ayanokoji!"

I forgot!

Because I had simply grown to like Ayanokoji as a person, it had completely slipped my mind.

Because she was an old acquaintance of the two men, she's the very person I'm trying to become friends with.

Ayanokoji was the rival heroine in a shoujo manga!

However, the more I get to know Ayanokoji's personality, the more confused I become.

A beautiful girl with such a kind personality and gentle manners is my rival...?

Or rather, the main heroine's rival...?

Nagumo nodded with a straight face in response to the answer "Ayanokoji."

It seems he has a hunch.

"...It seems that the student council president used to like Ayanokoji-san."

Eh?

Did Ijuin like Ayanokoji?

I wanted to press him and ask where he got that information, but what Nagumo brought me was just a rumor.

The premise was that there was no evidence or proof.

Whether it's true or false, let's cling to this information for now.

In the first place, there's no way to confirm something as vague as someone's feelings.

If you can come up with a different strategy to defuse the romance flag, that would be best.

You could never have too many Plan Bs.

Nagumo continued without changing his serious expression.

"So, if you can get Ijuin-kun to fall in love with Ayanokoji-san again, and at the same time get the delinquent boy to notice Ayanokoji-san too..."

"Maybe I can break the love flag!"

Is this a plan to turn the rival heroine, Ayanokoji, into the real main heroine?

By the way, let's make Ijuin and Onizuka make up as originally planned!

...Yeah, that might be pretty good!

"So, I just have to recommend Ayanokoji to Ijuin and Onizuka, or cheer them on, right!?"

In my previous life, I had the experience of encouraging a couple who seemed to have a good relationship by saying things like, "You guys make a good match"

I don't know what happened to them in the end though.

Anyway, it was surprisingly simple to do.

A simple but not bad solution.

I was full of enthusiasm, but Nagumo started eating his lunch.

"I hope that makes you feel that way right away."

It was a surprisingly realistic comment, saying that it might not be that easy.

"I'll never know unless I try!"

To recommend Ayanokoji, I really need to know her well.

Well, what I do remains the same.

Organizing the actions I should take from now on:

Step one: Become friends with Ayanokoji!

Step two: Make Ijuin and Onizuka reconcile!

Step three: Make Ayanokoji the main heroine!

–It's a perfect plan!

Now I could become invincible and not let anyone raise any romantic flags!

"By the way, Nagumo, what do you think about Ayanokouji?"

"Huh? Me?"

"I think Nagumo and Ayanokoji are a good match."

In fact, they wouldn't be good at all.

I could see Ayanokoji having a very tough time in the future.　

Nagumo sighed as he read my shallow intentions.

"...Don't practice recommending things on me. ...But, you see, I don't really think anything of Ayanokoji-san."

"Eh!?"

Surprising!?

Ayanokoji is the very image of the ideal woman that men desire!

Nagumo seemed completely uninterested as he shoved the lump of rice into his mouth.

"Why?!"

"Otome-chan, Ayanokoji-san is your type."

That's right!?

If I were still a guy, I would probably end up being one of those creepy classmates who just watches from afar as eye candy, unable to even say hello, let alone converse with her.

Being able to talk to Ayanokoji so easily was one of the good things about having a female body.

"...If I had to choose, I prefer Otome-chan."

"Huh? Me?"

"Yeah."

If he liked me even though he knew I was a man, did that mean it's just a matter of appearance?

Did Nagumo prefer pink hair to blonde?

...Or maybe he liked masculine, mischievous types.

Yes, there are people like that.

"That's quite a niche item."

I was nodding along, convinced of this, when...

"...It seems you don't understand at all."

Nagumo muttered softly.

What do you mean?

"Hey, Otome-chan. I believe everything you say and I'll cooperate, but don't complain if I ask for a reward."

Nagumo put his chopsticks and bento aside and moved in front of me.

"Reward? What's that? You know I don't have a part-time job and I don't have any money."

"No, for example--"

Nagumo's slender fingers pinched my chin.

Just like that, Nagumo's face came closer.

"Oh, the rooftop is pretty nice!"

"Yeah! I just found out it's open."

The girls' cheers made Nagumo stop moving.

We were so close that we could feel each other's breath on our faces, and his light-pigmented, bushy eyelashes fluttered up and down.

"...Just kidding."

After laughing softly, Nagumo left.

"Tomorrow during lunch break, let's invite Ayanokoji here too. We can talk about the fact that we're not dating, and about those two, and all that."

"It's a gamble as to how much she'll tell us though," Nagumo said, as he began poking at his lunch again.

As if nothing had happened.

"You, just now..."

Didn't you try to kiss me?

"Hmm? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

He gave me his usual smile, one that made it impossible to read what he's thinking.

...Just pretending not to understand.

He didn't answer any of my questions, and instead tried to act like it never happened.　

If that's what you wanted to do, that's better for me too.

"...No, it's nothing."

I somehow managed to reply and started eating my chopsticks.

Mom's special lunch box, which is always delicious, had no taste for some reason.

It felt like there was one more love flag standing, but I pretended I hadn't seen it - pretending it never existed, and the day ended without incident.