Friend

Kikyou-chan, do you want to stop by a cafe on the way home?

Un, lets go! Ah, but wait a bit. I want to ask one more person.

After inviting one of her female friends, Kushida walked towards Horikita while putting a book in her bag.

Horikita-san. Im going to the cafe with my friendif youd like, would you like to join?

Im not interested.

Horikita swiftly cut down Kushidas invitation with a few words.

Cant you just lie that youre planning on shopping or that youre meeting with someone else? Horikita bluntly rejected her invitation. However, Kushida was still smiling.

This sight wasnt anything new. Ever since the entrance ceremony, Kushida has periodically tried to invite Horikita. I thought it would be fine for Horikita to accept once in awhile, but that might be the perspective of a bystander. Nevertheless, no one has been able to invite Horikita successfully. .

Is that so. Well, Ill invite you some other time.

Wait a second, Kushida-san.

For some reason, Horikita called out Kushida. By any chance, did she give into Kushidas invitation?

Please dont invite me again. Its a bother.

She said with a cold tone.

However, Kushida wasnt affected and continued to smile.

Ill invite you some other time.

Kushida ran back to her friends, and they exited the hallway.

Kikyou-chan, please stop inviting Horikita-san. I hate her (T/N Not sure if this is a mistake on the authors partpretty sure I didnt mistranslate here. Names are hard to mistranslate.)

As the door was closing, the girls voices could be faintly heard.

The words should have been heard by the nearby Horikita, but there was no indication that she heard them.

You dont say unnecessary things like that, do you?

Yea. I understand you well enough. Its pointless.

Thats good.

Horikita, who finished packing up, walked out of the classroom at her own pace.

I was lingering around the classroom for a bit, but I got bored and stood up from my seat. Time to go home.

Ayanokouji-kun, do you have time?

I ran into Hirata, who was still at school. In a small voice, I replied to Hirata. Its strange to see Hirata speak up to someone first.

Its about HorikitaI was wondering if something is wrong. The girls were talking about her earlier. Shes always alone, after all.

Rejecting Kushidas invitations, she was always alone.

Cant you tell her to get along with the others more?

Isnt that up to the person themselves? Also, shes not troubling anyone else.

Of course I understand. However, there are also other people that are worried. I dont want any problems about bullying to arise in the class.

Bullying? He did talk to me out of the blue, but with those words, it sounds like a bad omen. So were you warning me? Hirata was looking at me with pure intentions.

I think its better for you to say it directly to her, rather than saying it through me.

Yea, I guess. Sorry for saying something strange.

Horikita is always alone every day. If that continues, in a month, shell probably become the tumor of the class.

However, since this is Horikitas own personal problem, its not something I should involve myself with.