Soon after that, we went back to the cla.s.sroom and again became the target for multiple gazes from our cla.s.smates . I won’t dare to speak of what happened after that .

… . Rather, I don’t want to remember what happened .

Just talking about that would make me die out of shame . Also revealing it won’t benefit anyone either .

However, let me say just this one thing . When I was able to return to my seat, Misono Ren, who was about to finish his croquette bread, tapped on my shoulder and said so,

「Aren’t you a killer?」

He just spoke that, then went back to his seat .

Ren is an idiot .

That said, there’s no mistake he is my best friend .

Well, with this and that the cla.s.ses were over and it’s now after school .

That is the long awaited after school .

Sato-san and I left the cla.s.sroom while getting rained by gazes .

「This is such a great line as usual… . 」

A line that couldn’t be contained inside the store had to be extended so it stretched on the sidewalk . It was such a snake-like line that it made me let out a voice .

I didn’t expect that I will be joining this line which I had been looking at from afar while going home .

The name of the store is “Tea Pearl . ”

This is the sole tapioca milk tea store in this area, and there’s a queue everyday .

「O, Os.h.i.+o-kun!? It’s tapioca milk tea! That! That thing that everyone talks about!」

「Sato-san let’s calm down . 」

She seemed to be completely excited while lining up . She shouted so while her eyes were sparkling with excitement .

… . She looks like a kid that has been brought to a toy store .

This really makes you question who is it that they call “Salty Sato-san . ”

「… . . That said, the line is really long . Will you be okay?」

「Okay! I won’t go back since we’re already here!」

Sato-san was shouting while puffing her face .

But she suddenly stopped as if she remembered something .

「……Ah, I’m sorry…… I guess you don’t want to line up with me right?」

Sato-san said so while making a face that was about to cry .

… . She’s really stiff in some weird places .  1

I exhaled once and turned to her quickly .

「Let’s line up together . 」

After that, I went to the back of the line .

Sato-san’s eyes went round as if she was really surprised, thereafter she hurriedly went behind me .

「I, is it okay Os.h.i.+o-kun!? This is such a long line!?」

「That’s what I said earlier, don’t worry about it, I won’t go back since we’re already here . 」

「But… . . 」

「I would like to drink one cup myself, that rumored tapioca milk tea — Also, this is for your sake as well, Sato-san . 」

The footsteps of each of us were audible before, but suddenly one of them stopped .

Wondering what happened I looked back, and what I saw was Sato-san with a blank look on her face .

「……? What happened Sato-san?」

「Eh, I mean, just now, Os.h.i.+o-kun, you said it was for my sake…」

「Yup, I said it . 」

「Eh, but, then that means… . . 」

Her voice started to tremble and her cheeks were reddening .

Though I didn’t know what caused that reaction, but this is what I said next .

「Yup, I know that this is something Sato-san needs to become a Minstagramer, right?」2

「Eh?」

「Eh?」

This time, both of us had that same surprised face .

Hmm . . ? Looks like we’re not on the same page or something .

「Eh? Sato-san, didn’t you want to take a picture of tapioca milk tea for Minsta?」

… . . Hm? Sato-san leaned her head to the side like a squirrel .

「I mean, isn’t this a plan to make your Minsta account popular by posting pictures of this rumored tapioca milk tea?」

「… . . Ah . 」3

I wonder what was that “Ah”, since it sounded as if she realized something .

At least I came here with her thinking that this is what her intention was .

However, soon after that Sato-san looked as if her body lost strength, became depressed and started to turn red . After that change she said so with her mood at the lowest .

「yesyoureright . 」4

Sato-san confirmed with a very low voice .

… . . ?

Why is she making such depressed face? 5

But well, since she confirmed it herself, I guess what I thought was correct .  6

Ahh, that was close, I almost thought that “Sato-san was trying to invite me for an after school date with her . ” 7

This is only a part of her “The road to popular Minstagramer plan . ”

Don’t be full of yourself, don’t be full of yourself .

「Well, let’s line up for now, Sato-san」

「letslineup」8

Sato-san? Where did your energy go? 9

Anyway, Sato-san, who had her energy mysteriously vanish 10 and I lined up… . .

「Isn’t it hot?」

「itshot . 」11

Even if you say it’s afternoon, it’s still summer time .

The sun which is still up high, with its heat rays bouncing off the asphalt, is burning us alive while we wait .

Lining up under this intense heat to get a cold drink, this sounds like a very good marketing strategy .

Of course, I can’t go back now, I can’t just go away… . But a problem came up .

—I will say it again,tapioca milk tea is something popular amongst high school girls .

It’s no joke to say that this is almost always mentioned on the daily news or some random SNS . It can be said that this is the number one drink for them right now .

Therefore, nearly 90% of the people lining for the tapioca milk tea are, high school girls… . .

That means… . .

「OwEmGii, It’s soo hooot . I think my brain will meelt~~」12

「Heeey, look at thiiis . 」

「Ahahahahahaaa, so funny . 」13

In front of Sato-san and I was a trio of high school girls, who were shamelessly flapping their skirts and fanning the gap at the chest area of their uniforms .

Is this what you call “High school fads?”

Well, that’s what is happening in front of me right now .

「… . . Os.h.i.+o-kun . 」

While I was having difficulty deciding where to place my eye sight . Sato-san muttered my name .

「Hm? What is wrong?」

When I looked at her, she was staring at me .

「I just wanted to call you . 」

「… . Just wanted… So is there nothing wrong?」

「Oh I know, why don’t we try making each other laugh?」

「Why?」

I always thought that she was such a confusing child, but this time, it’s ten-fold confusing .

And this is the first time I get invited to something like this by someone who looks so serious that some wrinkles were forming on her forehead .

「I am really strong at this kind of games」

「This would be my first time getting invited to by a high school girl . 」

「L E T S D O I T」

「Ahhh . kawsibneibnaeinbg!」

I lost to the pressure and made a funny face .

On the other hand, the professional at this game, Sato-san was… . .

「……」

I don’t know what her motive behind this is, but she just keeps on staring at me like before .

It was something like ” I WON’T MISS ANY OF YOUR MOVES . ” kind of stare down .

… . What is this? Is this a game that I don’t know of?

For this one particular person, this was the moment when that person started to feel shame .

By the way, one of the previous trio of high school girls was… . .

「AHAHAH! Miiko’s bra is getting seen through!」

— A man is such a pitiful creature .  14

Regardless of the other party being met for the first time, or that your first love is right beside you, this is something that’s been engraved into a man’s instincts .  15

I instinctively tried to take a glimpse at the high school girl trio— 16

「—No you are not allowed!!!!!」

「Ouch!?」

However, as I was trying to look at the trio in front of us, Sato-san’s right hand went past my line of sight and got my nose . Because of that short period of pain, my sight went black .

Pas.h.i.+n! It made such a good noise needlessly .

「Ah, ahhhhh… . Why Sato-san?」

I asked while I was starting to tear up, but Sato-san said so while her shoulders are trembling,

「No!! Because you’re not allowed!!!」

I didn’t know what was not allowed, but she looked really angry .

TL: Tepteptept

ED: Filip