My Childhood Friend Rejected Me Before I Could Even Confess, and I Was Even Deceived With a False Confession, but I Got a Cute Girlfriend in the End

y.”

Surprised to see him up that early, I greeted him back.

“Oh,” he started.
“Wanna come visit my house this Saturday?”

“Sure, I don’t have anything planned that day.
Thanks,” it was a simple exchange, but that’s just how he is.
Whatever comes to mind, he says.

After that, more and more students flowed inside.
The guys who went with me to the karaoke greeted me as each one appeared.
I felt, once again, that I’d always been hiding behind that murkiness I called myself.
I’ve always looked away from my surroundings, and I’m starting to see that.

However, as minutes passed and as I looked around, I noticed an awkward atmosphere permeating the classroom.
In particular, the guys weren’t talking to the girls and vice-versa.

Could it be the boys are all pretty much on my side due to the prank fiasco from yesterday? If that’s the case, I’m sorry… Well, I can’t just bring the issue back.

With that thought, before I even knew it, all of today’s classes went by.
I didn’t say a word to Maika all day, but I found myself not particularly concerned about it.

Ah well, I’ll just go home.

After browsing through a variety of electronics at a store, ranging from PC parts to peripherals, I realized a 4K monitor wouldn’t do me well since my PC wouldn’t be able to run the games at that resolution.
My walk back home was filled with thoughts of my framerate and how I’d be able to improve it.
Maybe I need to add some more RAM, or even upgrade my GPU… Damn, I need money for that.

Oh, and Maika was in front of my house.
Again.

“Welcome home.”

“Mhm,” she’s been weird since yesterday, I noted.

“Hey, let’s go shopping Saturday!” She said without warning.
What the hell is she on about?

“Why?”

“C’mon, I know you’re not busy!”

“No, I am.
Even if I wasn’t, I have no reason to go there with you.
Why are you even asking me out in the first place, huh?”

“Why? I mean, we’re childhood friends! We’ve known each other since before we came to! We can at least go shopping together…”

“Yup.
We’re just friends like you said before.
So why don’t you call up your boyfriend to do that with you, hm?”

“You know I don’t have one.”

“Then get one! It’s none of my business, right? There are zero reasons for me to go with you.”

“What is wrong with you? I’ve never said that before!”

Are you crazy? You told me to stop acting like your boyfriend, that you’d never date me, and that I have nothing to do with what you do!

“No, no, no.
You said, and I quote, ‘Stop acting like you’re my boyfriend!’ and ‘Where I go to has nothing to do with you.’”

“T, that’s…”

“Actually, what are you on about, huh? You and all the girls laughed at me like I was some sort of clown, didn’t you?”

“N, no, that’s not what I…”

“It doesn’t matter now.
Just leave me alone already!”

Hearing me scream just at the front door, my mom walked out.
“Is something wrong, you’ve been shouting a lot.
Oh, Maika, how are you?”

“It’s nothing, mom.
I just got a bit carried away.
See you then.”

That situation was already too much for me, so I waved them off and went inside.
For the rest of the day, I played and talked with Kenji about the goofiest things imaginable, which only made me feel better.

After that, Maika always stood by my front door, but I’d already said my piece.
Though before I knew it, Saturday came around.