CH 236

Episode 236: Beyond expectations (Third Party Perspective)

"What's wrong, you suddenly called me."

"Haa ... You really don't understand?"

"Yeah ... I don't remember doing anything in particular to be summoned."

A woman and a man are facing each other in a futuristic room.

The woman has curly, semi-long hair and a loose atmosphere, and the man has a sultry appearance with tanned skin.

Hojou Tokine, Student Council President of Shinomiya Academy, and Saotome Shinji, head of the Dungeon Exploration Club. The two are childhood friends and have a relationship where they can frankly exchange opinions with each other. This time Shinji called Tokine.

However, Tokine can't think of a reason for it, so when Shinji asks her about it, she crosses her arms and tries to think about it, but nothing comes up.

"I never thought it would turn out like this."

Shinji shrugs his shoulders when he sees Tokine not understanding anything.

Shinji is the same as Tokine in that he has no idea why this happened.

"What exactly are you talking about?"

"Haa ... Can you hear me? You're making Fuhito extremely wary of you, aren't you?"

"Eh?"

Shinji tells her what he unintentionally discovered this time, while being amazed at Tokine who doesn't seem to notice it at all. Tokine opens her mouth with an expression that makes it seem like she never thought he'd say something like that.

"Eh? No way. What exactly are you doing?"

"I followed Saotome-kun's advice, and tried to have my existence recognized by having contact, by greeting and talking to him, right? We eat lunch together and talk about topics that Satou-kun might be interested in ..."

"If what you're saying is correct, then I wouldn't have said anything either, and there's no reason for Fuhito to be wary ..."

When Shinji asks Tokine in a reproachful manner, Tokine answers while remembering what Shinji has said.

What Tokine says should have been completely normal, but the reality is abnormal.

Shinji looks into the distance while remembering the time when he listened to what Fuhito had said.

"Did Satou-kun say something?"

Seeing Shinji's condition, Tokine asks, convinced that something happened.

"Yeah. First of all, why are you meeting Fuhito everywhere he goes, as if you were waiting for him?"

"Of course, that's because I meet Satou-kun by chance and have lunch together and talk with him?"

It isn't a coincidence when you lie in ambush, but Tokine seems to think that it is a coincidence if the other party thinks it's a coincidence.

At that point, it's very strange.

"Haa ... No, if you were found out, it's no longer a coincidence."

"No way, the ambush was discovered ... then?"

Seeing Tokine, who doesn't understand the abnormalities in her actions, Shinji replies while being amazed. In response to that, Tokine timidly asks back as if confirming the unbelievable reality.

"Of course it was. He's stronger than me, you know? He should be able to sense Tokine's presence."

" ~~ !?"

Faced with reality, Tokine turns red and looks down.

"Ha, it's embarrassing ..."

And those are the words that come out.

"No, why are you being shy ..."

As expected of Shinji, he can't help but be perplexed.

Because it would be embarrassing if he found out that it wasn't all a coincidence ..."

"That's right, but you should turn your thoughts elsewhere."

Tokine looks up at Shinji shyly. If someone who doesn't know anything sees it, it's cute enough to fall in love, but Shinji, a childhood friend, cuts her off.

"Where is this other place?"

"You are up to the task with your work, so why is this kind of unfortunate ..."

"Oh, that's what Fuhito-kun said too!! That's terrible!!"

She tilts her head with an expression that says she has no idea.

Shinji is stunned by Tokine, who can completely finish her work as Student Council President and housework, but when she is involved in love affairs, she becomes a wreck.

Tokine covers Shinji's words by bringing up Fuhito and puffs out her cheeks in anger. She is perfect for the onomatopoeia of 'Pun pun'.

"Hey you, think about it for a moment. Suppose there's a man who's just acquainted with you, who doesn't get along very well."

"Yes."

Shinji puts himself in the shoes of Tokine so that Tokine can easily understand him and begins talking.

"What if that man happens to show up wherever you go? And not just a few times, but over and over again."

" ... I think it's a coincidence a few times, but if he keeps doing it, I might feel a little suspicious."

When you replace Tokine with a man and make her recognize what she's doing objectively, she may have gradually realized that what she was doing was strange, and she replies a bit depressedly.

"You know? What if you know it wasn't a coincidence but an ambush?"

"It's very suspicious ..."

Tokine answers Shinji with an even more dejected answer.

"Then, what are you doing differently?"

"Different ... it's not ... right. It certainly wouldn't be strange to be wary of that."

"You finally understand ... What you're doing is close to what is called a stalking act, even though it's limited to school."

And finally, by making her compare the man's actions with her actions, Tokine finally admits that her actions were enough to make Fuhito wary.

"Also, it's strange that just because he kissed another woman, he has to do it for you as well, right?"

This time the subject changes and moves on to the kiss.

"Eh!?"

Tokine looks surprised at Shinji's words.

"That's why, right!? It isn't. Even if you kiss someone, how would you feel if a guy you didn't get along with told you that you should kiss him as well?"

While wondering why she doesn't understand such a thing, Shinji explains to Tokine again using replacement speech and asks.

"Feel ... it's bad."

"That's how it is."

Tokine answers depressedly as if she has accepted about the matter of the kiss.

"So, from now on, unless it's really a coincidence, don't do that."

"Yes ... That's right."

When Shinji warns Tokine, who finally understands that she was acting strangely, Tokine nods with a sigh.

"No way, he was being wary of me ... It was completely unexpected ..."

"For me, everything you did was completely unexpected."

Tokine mutters when she realizes what she had done, and Shinji responds in amazement.

"Haa ..."

Shinji sighs, wondering if he should have given more specific advice.

"Then, how can we get along better in the future?"

If she can't pretend to meet by chance, she will have fewer points of contact. As Tokine, who wants to get hold of Fuhito, she wants to somehow get along peacefully.

"Hmm, that's right. How about having a conversation on 'LINNE'?"

After thinking about it for a while, Shinji recommends a conversation on 'LINNE', where she could feel free to contact him so that she wouldn't make any mistakes.

" 'LINNE' ... is it."

"Oh, then there's no problem just sending it, right?"

"Yes, I will try."

Tokine is a little lost in thought, but after listening to Shinji's words, she decides to try 'LINNE'.

Without knowing that this will create another tragedy.