Shimotsuki-san Likes the Mob

“Kirari Onee-chan… too, could it be?”

“Kirari-san, is that true? Eh, what is that reaction…!”

As soon as Kirari came back to us, she crumpled and cowered.

“Do you guys … think we’ll still be friends even if we have separate high schools?”

Azusa and Yuzuki’s faces were even scrunched up at the statement, which reeked of the worst possible outcome.

“But, Kirari Onee-chan, you got really good grades!? You’re wearing glasses, there’s no way you could fail.”

“That’s right! She also wears braids, so I’m sure she’ll pass the exam.”

“… Glasses and braids have anything to do with intelligence?”

In fact, up until middle school, Kirari was basically an honor student.

She was in the top 10 in the grade, though not as high as Yuzuki, and could have gone to a higher-level high school.

However, she decided to take the entrance examination for a high school that was a little lower level for her.

Unfortunately, I do not know the true reason for this. I have never heard of it.

But maybe it was because … I, Azusa, and Yuzuki took that entrance exam?

I will never know the answer to that question.

Back on topic.

“So there must be some mistake if Kirari Onee-chan didn’t pass the exam. Here, hand me your examination form. Azusa will make sure it’s correct!”

“It is true that Kirari-san is a bit of a goofball, isn’t she? Oh, by the way, I’m going to check Kotaro-san’s, so may I have your examination form?”

“Okay.”

“Eh? I don’t think I’m a goofball… Are you two making fun of me a little?”

When Kirari tilted her head and handed Azusa the examination form, the two immediately went to the bulletin board.

As I watched them, Kirari, who had been cowering, stood up with a nonchalant expression on her face.

“I’m just lying. The two of you are really funny… I never once told them that they failed, but they were so upset.”

Apparently, she had been acting earlier.

Did she want to surprise them? If so, judging from the expressions on Azusa and Yuzuki’s faces, I think it was a great success.

“You passed the exam. Congratulations.”

At any rate, we sent them our congratulations.

But Kirari looked at me with a slightly unsatisfied face.

“…Ko-kun didn’t seem too upset when I told you that I didn’t pass. Are you not that interested in me?”

“That’s not true.”

That was totally your misunderstanding. It’s not that I wasn’t interested …, it’s just that my reactions were weaker…

I was much less expressive back then than I am now. Because of that, I didn’t act the way Kirari wanted me to.

“Hmm? Well, it doesn’t matter …Ko-kun was below my expectations, but the two of them were above my expectations.”

Kirari smiled softly as she said that.

She had been alone all her life until she met me, but thanks to meeting Azusa and Yuzuki, her expression softened.

“I wonder if Azu-chan and Yuzu-chan consider me a friend.”

“That’s…, of course.”

For two people who are gentle at heart, but a bit quiet, the aggressive Kirari was a good match. That’s why they seem to get along so well and their relationship can definitely be described as ‘friends’.

I liked seeing the three of them like that.

Even though I was not at the center of it, I was happy just to be around the three of them, who seemed to be enjoying themselves.

That is why I made no effort to overcome my own shortcomings.

I had abandoned the idea of confronting them, and was content to leave things as they were.

It was a shameful thing to do.

Now I realize that I was just being ‘arrogant’…