17. Promise to Help


Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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"...Let's forget about Kana for now."

　Ike muttered with a distant look in his eyes.

"Oh, oh"

　I was a little worried about Hasaki, but I decided to let it go if Ike said so.
　And Touka was doing her best to ignore Ike's words while she bit into the sandwich in her hand.

"Next, I'd like you to listen to what I have to say."

"Oh, that’s right, Ike also said you have something to talk."

　He nodded at my words and then opened his mouth.

"I was hoping you could help me with the upcoming study session."

"Study session? What's that?"

　Touka asked at Ike's words.

"On the first day of Golden Week, the student council organized a study session for voluntary freshmen. The purpose of the event is to deepen understanding of learning and friendship by teaching study from seniors to juniors or classmates to each other."

"Uwwa, that is so boring. I definitely don't want to go."

　To Touka, who says expressionlessly, Ike smiles and distorts his mouth and continues to say.

"...This is a pretext for the student council to distribute past year's test questions to new students. After informing the students about test trends and lesson plans, the students were invited to use the gymnasium for a mini live performance by the light music club and to eat food prepared by the cooking club.... It's like a little festival to welcome the new students. "

　Ike was proud of it.

"Eeh~. Sounds like a pain in the ass. I mean, you're not supposed to talk to me at school."

　Touka's response was harsh.
　After listening to all the explanations, she said so ruthlessly.

　......That's not okay. Ike, too, was blithely depressed.

"Sure, I'll help"

　When I answered, Ike smiled softly.

"I see, as always, I am sorry. You’re a lifesaver. I'd appreciate it if you could keep free time after school for a week."

"Ha~a!? Of course, you can't! We're lovers, so we have to flirt after school, because of that we don't have time to help!"

　Of course, it was Touka who expressed her anger.
　She was very unhappy that I was helping out Ike without her permission.

"My bad, Touka. I can't refuse Ike's request."

"What is that... Is aniki's request more important than me, your lover?"

　Touka asks me with an uneasy expression.
　I was about to say, "We're not lovers, to begin with," but Ike was here.
　I have to refrain from making any careless comments.

"That and this are a different story."

　I continued to say to Touka, who had a regretful expression on her face.

"Besides, you've been spending most of your lunch break and after-school time with me since you started school, right? Why don't you spend some time with your classmates to deepen your friendship?"

"It's okay, such thing. I'm cute, I can study well, and I have good communication skills, so I've already established myself as the most popular girl in my grade. I mean, if I do that, I'm going to get a lot of runaway boys telling me off?"

　Touka responded with full confidence.
　The world she lives in is so different from mine, I can't even imagine it.

"I think it's awesome that you said that to yourself..."

"It's a fact."

　Hmph, Touka snorted.
　I was in trouble, I looked at Ike as if to ask for help.

　Ike, with a puzzled smile on his face, also spoke to Touka.

"I'm sorry, Touka. I'll borrow Yuuji."

"Ha~a? Shit brother, you don't have any reason to apologize? ... I mean, senpai. Are you really going to help him?"

"Yeah, I plan to. So I won't be able to hang out with you after school in the meantime like I used to..... I'm sorry."

　At my words, Touka let out a deep sigh.
　Then, with a disgusted look on her face,

"Mou, I understand! It's a huge pain in the ass, but I'll help you with that!"

　She said.

"Eh?"
"Ha?"

　Ike and I were surprised by her words and muttering at the same time.

"Are you sure? It's supposed to be a welcome event for new students, so you don't need to be involved in running it at all, okay?"

　Ike explained to Touka,

"What? You make senpai who isn't on the student council to help but you don't want me to help you?"

　Touka asked with a stern look at Ike.
　Ike thought about it and then answered.

"It's not bad.... If Touka is okay with it, please help us."

"But are you sure you want to do this?"

　After Ike's words, I ask Touka.
　Is there any benefit in helping out? I didn't understand at all.

"Because if I don't do that, I won't be able to stay with senpai. Besides, senpai who is my lover helped the event, and I didn't participate, isn't it kind of unnatural?"

"...You don't have to stay with me that long, do you? It's not like I am going to be tied down when lunch break. And if you just join in on the day, it's not particularly unnatural."

　I was not satisfied with Touka's explanation, so I asked her again.
　At best, I would not be able to appeal to my fake girlfriend after school for a week.

　When Touka heard my words, she looked a little angry, and then took a deep breath.
　And then, with a big smile on her face,

"Mou, Yuuji-senpai! Yo~ur cute girlfriend wants to help with the study group with you, is it really so bad? I'm so sad~."

　She said in a sweet cat-like voice.
　By the way, she had a cute smile on her face, but her eyes were not smiling at all, which gave her a mysterious power.

"... Okay, I'm flattered. It's an honor to be your boyfriend. Let's help each other out then."

"Thank you, Touka, I will count on you."

　At Ike's words, Touka cowered in boredom.

"It’s nothing? It's not like I'm helping out shit brother. Don't get me wrong."

　Touka spat out an easy-to-understand tsundere line.
　However, her expression and tone of voice were far from the expression of the tsundere character I imagined and gave me a very cold impression.

"Well, I'll do my best to help. I look forward to working with you, Se~npai."

　I finally realized it when I saw Touka looking up at me and saying happily.

　Certainly, it's easier to show off that she is with me if she is helping out.
　...... I see that it would certainly be possible to make Ike jealous, is what I thought.

"Likewise.... Take it easy!"

　When I replied that, Touka gave me a puzzled look and tilted her head.

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