CH 20

“H-Hey…I heard a rumor that you and Ichikawa san are dating. Is it true?”

Before homeroom begins.

Tohno san, who arrived late, asked me about this morning.

I almost spit out the tea in my mouth. Some spilled.

“W-Where did you hear about that?”

“Um, people are talking about it….”

Tohno san looks at me somewhat uneasily. I wonder what’s wrong.

They say the rumors have not yet stopped.

I cannot tell the truth only to Tohno san before it has been settled by Sakino san’s mouth earlier.

I feel a little guilty about denying it so clearly, but I guess it’s inevitable.

“It’s impossible. It’s only a rumor okay”

“….! thank god”

“???”

Thank god? What ? Eh? Are you saying you’re glad I’m not dating Ichikawa san?　

“Are you perhaps…”

“Ah n-no you’re wrong, look, Ichikawa san is quite popular, so if that’s what you are dating, Komiya kun is going to be in trouble!”

“A-ah so that’s what you meant”

It was just a normal concern.

What the heck? I thought I was …….

“Y-Yeah that’s right ! No way ! that’s not it !”

“A-Ahaha…”

You don’t have to deny it so much.

I was even more heartbroken.

“B-By the way, sensei is late today.”

she bluntly went off topic.

Well, That helped because I couldn’t tell her anything about the rumors about me and Ichikawa san in depth.

“Yeah it seems so. I wonder what’s going on.”

Just as we were talking about this, sensei came in.

“I’m sorry. I’m late.”

Sasaki sensei wipes her sweat lightly and takes her place at the teaching table.

I feel that the situation is somehow different from usual.

“Sensei ! What’s going on ?”

Perhaps sensing the teacher’s state of mind, one of her classmates asked her a question.

“Ahh, In fact, today I’d like to introduce you to a new student.”

It was a shock to the ears. My classmates, who had been talking about me and Ichikawa san in the morning, were all excited by sensei’s words.

And at the same time, I remembered a fact I had forgotten.

[[I’m going to the same school next week.]]

An exchange with a blonde girl I met at my parents’ house last week.

Too many things were pushing it to the back of my mind.

“Okay, please come in”

“Excuse me”

A cold sweat breaks out at once at the high-pitched voice I have heard before.

With a steady thump of her footsteps, the figure stood next to the teacher.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Suzu Shinozuka.”

She winked lightly at me and laughed happily.

“Hahaha….”

◆

[[I’ll keep it quiet from your girlfriend]]

I can’t face her..

That’s what she said, but I’m not sure how much I can trust that statement.

I should talk to Ichikawa san before that.

At the moment, I’ve been completely freaked out and avoiding talking about it, but the bill is coming due.

The appearance of Suzu creates an uproar in the classroom.

This is because Suzu is a beautiful girl whose appearance is as good as Ichikawa san’s.

“Then, will you sit behind Komiya kun? The boy in the very back seat over there.”

“Okay.”

It seems the heavens have given up on me everywhere.

I think there was a seat in the back that I didn’t know about

The boys look at me again with resentment.

It was Nagano who was giving me the strongest look with his gaze.

…… Give me a break.

“Nice to meet you. Suzu is fine”

Suzu, who had taken a seat behind me, suddenly spoke to me.

“Aah…Nice to meet you”

Seeing my stiffened face, Suzu smiles with satisfaction.

She’s definitely enjoying this situation. She is somewhat more friendly than before, but her inner thoughts are unknown.

“My name is Tohno Hitomi. Nice to meet you. Can I call you Suzu chan?”

“That’s fine. I’ll call you Hitomi, too. Nice to meet you.”

Then Tohno san, who was standing next to me, introduced herself.

If possible, I don’t want anyone but my girlfriend, Ichikawa san, to know about my relationship with Suzu.

As for me, I can say that it’s made the situation more difficult because it’s just more secrecy.

“What’s wrong? Komiya kun.”

“N-no…Nothing, Tohno san”

“……..”

But how do we separate Tohno san from Suzu? It is physically impossible in this seat.

Moreover, due to Tohno san’s gentle nature, there is even a possibility of her meddling with Suzu, who is unfamiliar with the school.

“Hey Hitomi. I want to ask you, are you close with that guy there …… Komiya? Are you dating him by any chance?”

This girl? What kind of question is that?

And you said you’d keep it quiet from her, but you’re trying to make her notice right now!

“N-no !! Me and Tohno san aren’t dating! Right, Tohno san?”

“Eh, Y-yeah…”

I rush to get between them and deny it.

And Tohno san, perhaps sensing my desperate appeal, nodded in tune.

“Hmmm? I see. I was wrong…”

Did I manage to fool her off?

I don’t think I had to deny it in such a hurry because it’s true that we are not dating …….

This makes it sound as if I don’t like Tohno san.

“Uu…”

“Eh?! Tohno san ?!”

This is bad !!

Tohno san was next to me, teary-eyed.

I think I hurt her by denying it so strongly.

W-What should I do?!

“But I think you two would make a good match.”

“EH !?”

“Haa?!”

But then, Suzu makes an outrageous statement.

“You two are actually dating, aren’t you?”

“D-Don’t be silly. How can a guy like me go out with Tohno san?”

“I-it’s not like that….”

Tohno san’s face, which had been gloomy until a moment ago, suddenly turns red at Suzu’s words.

Huh? Seems like Tohno san is not fully…N-no ! It shouldn’t be. She has a beloved childhood friend.

She is simply not used to this kind of teasing.

“Well, it looks like you really aren’t.”

“Hey…”

Apparently, Suzu said that to confirm the relationship between me and Tohno san.

It’s a good nuisance.

“(Ehehe. Me and Komiya kun….Ehehe)”

Tohno san?

Tohno san was in her own world, mumbling something.

And Suzu leaves Tohno san like that and gives me an earful.

“Hey, what’s that?

“Hmm?”

Behind Suzu’s gaze…

“——–Tsss?!”

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A terrifyingly deadly gaze shot through me.

“……………”

“Why is she staring at me like that?” Did you do something?”

“No…….”

I am at a loss for words.

Needless to say, the current situation is not good.

“Somehow, I don’t like it.”

Such Suzu also glared lightly back at Ichikawa san and pulled her face away from my ear.

“(Ehe. Ehe. dating…Ehehe)”

Tohno san was immersed in her own world during this time.

What is going to happen to this?