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

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31, The Usual Ponkotsu (Below)


"Tomoki-san, didn't you think it was strange! Earlier, kaichou admitted defeat to me, didn't he!?"

"That's not ... strange, is it?"

"That part isn't strange, it's what comes after that that's strange!"

　Tatsumiya's face turns red and she says in desperation, ... but I still don't think there was anything strange about it.
　Perhaps annoyed by my silent thinking, Tatsumiya took a deep breath and then opened her mouth.


"Why didn't kaicho ... confess to me?!?!? It's strange, right!!!"


　...Hearing Tatsumiya’s words, I was convinced that it was her head that was strange.

"What are you talking about? Is your head okay?"

　I get worried and ask.
　However, Tatsumiya does not seem to have a proper grasp of what is strange.
　When I was thinking about how to explain, she suddenly showed a surprised expression.
　

　Has she realized now that she is losing her mind and what she is saying and doing?

"...As expected, it was embarrassing to confess my feelings to him in front of Tomoki-san... I guess?"

　My faint hopes were shattered in an instant by those words.

　Maybe she was happy to win against Ike, but the current tension in Tatsumiya is the strangest ever.
　First, she needs to start by calming down.

"Listen, Tatsumiya. Sure, if you win a game against Ike, you may get a better response from that guy."

　Actually, I was a bit skeptical, but I am sure that is the case, because Ike seemed to be enjoying himself immensely when he was taken down by Tatsumiya.

"I'm sure you're right. ... I don't think it's like the very popular romantic comedy manga that's about to be made into an anime, where people think "there are a clear winner and loser in love, and the one who falls in love loses"."

　Tatsumiya with teary eyes said so.
　This girl really likes manga... I thought, and continued.

"There are two possibilities. One is the possibility that Ike was afraid that Tatsumiya would dump him."
 
"There is no way I would dump kaichou!"

"The other one is simply not enough favorability."

　Tatsumiya heard the second statement,

"Haa"

　As if I was saying something off the mark, she sighed in amazement.
　I open my mouth and think, "If you're so confident that he likes you, why don't you just confess it to him?".

"Anyway, if Ike doesn't confess to Tatsumiya, the only way to go out with him is for Tatsumiya to confess to Ike. If Tatsumiya doesn't confess to Ike, then there is no way you can go out with that guy. Right?"

"You're right, but..."

"What, does Tatsumiya think that "the one who confesses loses"?"

"Not exactly. ...But"

"But?"

　Tatsumiya fell silent after that.
　I wait patiently for her to say something.
　After a moment, she takes a deep breath and replies, with a look of embarrassment on her face.


"Wanting to be confessed to by someone you like. I think it's a natural thing for a girl."


　After saying that, Tatsumiya lowered her head shyly.
　For once, I forgot about her usual ponkotsu and honestly thought she was cute.

"... I don't know much about girls, but that's probably true."

　Tatsumiya nodded her head.
　But she can't go out with Ike if things stay as they are.
　Nothing will start.

　I thought so, so I face her and tell her.

"I understand that Tatsumiya wants to get a confession from him, but the most important thing for Tatsumiya is... not to be confessed to by Ike, but to become lovers with him. Right?"

　Tatsumiya tightened her mouth, then nodded.

"Then I guess you'll just have to confess, right."

　She did not respond to my words.
　It's probably because it doesn't need to be said, it's something he already knew long ago.

"... Have you ever confessed?"

"No"

　When I said it outright, Tatsumiya openly sighed "Haa" and then,

"That's easy for you to say."

　She said resentfully.

"It's easy, right?"

　When I said it, she stared at me, not even hiding her dubious expression.

"What does that mean?"

　Her voice is firm, even angry.
　Don't talk like you know when you don't know anything.
　I guess that's what she thinks.

　I know how much Tatsumiya loves Ike.
　I also want to support her.

　So I tell her a few words that give her a little push.


"Tatsumiya won against that perfect superhuman Ike. So it should be as easy for you to confess, right?"
 
　
　Tatsumiya's mouth dropped open as if she had been poisoned by my words.
　Then, after making an angry, embarrassed expression,

"Do you know how irresponsible you are?"

　Then, this time with a soft smile,

"Thanks for everything so far"

With an unusually praiseworthy attitude, she bows her head to me.

"... What happened to you?"

　I was alarmed and asked that.

"If I confess my feelings to kaichou, we are already going to start dating, aren't we?"

"Yeah... Hn?"

　It's too obvious, so I can't help but nod my head.

"If that were the case, there would be no need to have secret meetings like this with Tomoki-san. In the first place, kaichou would be jealous."

　Tatsumiya, with a confident expression on her face, is filled with delusions.
　...I thought she was a bit of a wimp, but still, this girl is unshakable.

　Seeing her attitude, I was about to tell her that Ike wouldn't surely have said OK in the first place...

"I hope so, too."

　I stopped.
　It would be best not to say anything that would discourage her momentum.

　As the responsibility for igniting the fire, when Tatsumiya is dumped, I'll at least go along with the complaining.
　When she successfully gets together with him, let me celebrate with all my might.

　That's what I thought as I watched her smile, which was just a maiden (ponkotsu) in love.