Kaiwa mo shinai tsurekko no imouto ga, naganen issho ni baka yatte-kita Netoge no friend datta

I found myself eating alone with a beautiful girl that everyone envied… But for some reason, I felt uncomfortable in that particular situation. Furthermore, the lack of conversation made things even worse.

Fortunately, I was accustomed to the silence itself because of Shiyori, who was never much of a talker. I found myself waiting for Nanjo Rin, who looked like she was trying to think of a subject to talk about. Before we knew it, our bentos were empty.

“How do you make friends?” With her eyes to the ground, Nanjo Rin muttered in a dark and gloomy voice all of a sudden.

That was a tough question. I didn’t even know how to go about answering such a question. 

“Who knows?”

“Fufu, Kurai doesn’t have many friends after all. Probably only Koutora-kun is your friend?”

“Say whatever you want.”

 “But you’re still better than me, who hasn’t even gotten one.”

… I couldn’t get my words out.

― Didn’t you have plenty of choices given the number of people around you? Those words came to my mind, but I swallowed them before they could escape out of my mouth.

Now was not the time to voice such a thing. Also, for some reason… there was a part of me who actually agreed with her.

“… Why?”

But still feeling rather confused, those were the only words that could spill out of my mouth right then.

I had a lot of questions. However, out of all of them, only one bothered me deeply.

“Why Shi—- … Why Yoshida Shiyori?

“Also, there must be many other classmates as well. Those who are sociable and also who were willing to become your best friend, with whom you could talk about anything you want to as well. On the other hand, Shiyori is an introvert and a poor talker and I don’t even think she’s a good partner to gossip with.”

“That kid is pretty clumsy.”

“Eh?”

“She would go and actually trip at a place where there is absolutely nothing and she also appears oblivious and sloppy in many places as well… I have to ask, are you surprised?”

“… That is…”

I was stunned. Certainly, just as Nanjo Rin said, Shiyori had this calm demeanor that came from her quiet and honorable personality, but she also had this side where she was quite clumsy and sloppy.

However, these were the parts that you wouldn’t notice unless you looked at her closely. And seeing how Nanjo Rin actually cared enough for Shiyori to notice this about her, I could hardly hide my shock.

“Moreover, she has that type of personality that when I first met her, she was kind of isolated… that’s why I approached her thinking that if I’d help her out. I could also use her as a base to raise my likability overall as well.”

“… You’re quite a calculating b—h, aren’t you?”

“I am indeed a terrible girl, aren’t I? Well, there are many types of girls out there after all.”

However, the fact that Shiyori was saved still remained out in the open. That was why Shiyori said that she admired Nanjo Rin. Honestly, I had mixed feelings about that. But then, why were they still best friends?

“It was only Yoshida-san, you know, who didn’t say anything bad about me behind my back… No, it wasn’t just me, she didn’t say bad things about anyone behind their back. So I started thinking, maybe she’s different.”

“I see…”

 “Since we’re talking about the same person. Maybe even Yoshida-san is troubled to have me talk to her all the time as well.”

“Yeah, that’s impossible.”

“… Hue?”

“Yeah, that is absolutely impossible.”

I confirmed my statement to Nanjo Rin who was busy lamenting and mocking herself. I couldn’t help but feel weird, even though I couldn’t actually say as to why yet.

“Then what should we—”

“Let’s ask Philia.”

“Eh?”

“No, umm, just like Nanjo said, rather than asking me, or yourself, who doesn’t have many friends to begin with, if it’s Philia-san, she might be more knowledgeable about these things unlike the two of us are.”

Before I knew it, the words were already coming out of my mouth. Given that I was going to ask someone else to do my bidding for me, I even started to sound like I was ridiculing myself. However, nevertheless, it all should turn out in a good direction by the end of it all. Since both of them were——

“Also well, since it’s a game where we don’t know each other very well, there are things we can talk freely about, right?”

“… *Kusu. True, maybe so.”

Even I thought that I had spoken rather passionately which was quite unlike my usual self.

When I came to my senses, I realized that my face was burning with shame. However, due to that, perhaps because my enthusiasm had also gotten to her, Nanjo Rin’s gloomy face gradually brightened up.

“Thank you, Kurai.”

“Oh, ou…”

I told myself that the redness of my face wasn’t because of seeing Nanjo Rin’s brightened smile in any way whatsoever. However, I couldn’t help feeling pleased at the same time.

*** 

And as time went on, the school day ended.

I went to the next class to see how Shiyori was doing, but she was not there. Did that mean she already left?

… Well, I knew for a fact that her running speed was at the same pace as someone carefully folding origami after all, so I had a feeling she must’ve left early.

“Subaru? Haha, unfortunately, the moon has already left the horizon.”

“… That’s such a pity.”

I shrugged my shoulders and replied to Koutora who spoke to me with a wide grin on his face.

 “Are you going home already, Rin-chan?”

“I’m sorry, I have some work to do today.”

I watched as Nanjo Rin quickly packed up her luggage and was heading out.

At that time, my eyes met hers.

“…”

“…”