TL: Kagefij

TLC: learning2tl

ED: N/A

Like that, I’ve arrived at the cla.s.sroom. Today, I have to invite Izumi, but──

Before that, the first obstacle is that I have the responsibility of 『telling Mizusawa that I will invite Izumi』.

If I don’t do that, then it would be me arbitrary deciding the person. Also, Mizusawa might have already invited a different person. In other words, this is a common courtesy. Or so I was told by Hinami. She said「Hey, isn’t this something that even an unpopular person would be able normally realize?」totally fed up. But I won’t lose just with this, as I’ve already got used to being abused by her. I am reflecting on this.

With that feeling in mind, before the morning home room, I called

out to Mizusawa who had just arrived. Mizusawa usually comes earlier than Nakamura, so I aimed for that timing.

「Mizusawa」

I waited for his response while being surprised at my ability to say 『Mizusawa』smoothly without stuttering. Before, it would definitely have been like 「Mi, Mizusawa」. Ain’t I great?

「Hn? Oh, it’s Tomozaki! What’s with that serious face!」

「Eh, se, serious」

「Well, rather, it’s that. It kinds of feels like you’re being nervous? Relax! Relax!」

Mizusawa said that laughing and tapped on my shoulder.

It seems like I’m being so nervous that it shows on my face. I’m not that great after all.

Anyway, it’s fine, this is just how I am! Next, next!

「So, you know, about the meal you’ve mentioned yesterday.」

「Ah! Yes, yes, what about that?」

「You said that it’d be me, you, Hinami and another person, right?」

「Yeah」

「About that, I’m thinking that it might be good to invite Izumi.

Izumi. Wh, what do you think?」

Towards my cautious tone of voice, Mizusawa looked as if he’s observing my eyes. Maybe I should have said that with slightly more confidence in my decision.

「……well, I don’t really mind」

「Really? Th, then I’ll invite her later.」

I wasn’t sure if he was waiting for me to finish or not, but he starting speaking.

「Hey」he smilingly laughed「You’re doing something, right?」

「Eh?」

Mizusawa snappedly pointed at my head.

「Well, I thought it was definitely strange! That hairstyle, it’s obvious that you’ve recently switched to getting haircuts at hair salons instead. It’s a such waste that you’re not setting it.」

I was abruptly hit with that unforeseen words.

「Err… you, you realized?」

「Isn’t it natural!?」While saying that, Mizusawa touched my hairs.「……Furthermore, this is pretty good. You see, I’m aiming to be a hairdresser in the future, so I can be quite noisy about this kind of

kind of stuff.」

「R-Really?」

So it’s like that. Is not being able to say anything apart from that the reason I am a hiriajuu? Without thinking, I averted my eyes.

Mizusawa continued to fiddle with my hairs not minding my bewilderment.

「Why have you, who used to be the gloomy type, gotten to this point and went to a hair salon! Just while I was thinking that, you got closer to Aoi, Izumi and Mimimi! Your way of speaking also got brighter! Then, to top it off, you’re even going to invite Izumi by yourself? Of course there’s no way that this is just a coincidence, right?」

「Err……」

On one hand, I was bewildered at his remarks. .h.i.tting bullseye, but on the other hand, I was also kind of happy about him saying『Your way of speaking also got brighter』.

「Well, to put it simply, it’s your grand plan to

grand plan to quit being gloomy? But well, how should I put it, like you’re being so aggressive that it’s hard to think that you’ve thought of all this by yourself. So, there’s something going on, right?」

「W, well, not really.」

Speaking and gesturing his hands like a public speaker, Mizusawa keeps. .h.i.tting the bullseye consecutively. While I was thoroughly impressed by his reasoning and speaking skills, I was panicking on the inside. In this kind of situation, the worse case would be if the thing with Hinami was exposed.

「So it’s like that. To conclude……」

I remained quiet while waiting for Mizusawa to continue speaking. This time, instead of my head, the pointed straight at my face.

「──You’ve read a Escape Otaku-ism book, right!?」

So it became another Escape Otaku-ism book suspicion (second time in two weeks). An injustice I had last suffered at the hands of my sister.