TL: GIN
TLC: learning2tl
ED: Relicaa

Right . With that said, I have to get my proposal accepted at least two times no matter what happens . So, this isn’t the time to be doing anything unnecessary like observing and guessing what’s going on between Hinami and Mizusawa .

After leaving Beams, we walked around while thinking about where to go next . Looking forward, Izumi, Hinami, and Mizusawa were lined up from left to right in that order with Izumi trailing slightly behind them . Mizusawa and Hinami were having fun chatting as always . Izumi joins them occasionally── sometimes glancing towards me like she’s minding something .

Huh? Wait, could this be… Am I being given consideration?

Ah, this is bad . Being lost in my own thoughts is fine and all, but worrying other people and being bothersome isn’t good, right? I hadn’t bothered anyone up until now . So it wasn’t a problem even if I didn’t get involved with other people . That’s why, when faced with this situation, I’m feeling something like a sense of responsibility…… Is this the 『responsibility』 that Hinami told me about? It’s true that this is a sensation that you’d never be able to taste when you’re alone……!

With that, I have to do my best so they’re not too mindful of me . I moved forward to line up next to Izumi .

「……Man, this is pretty hard huh?」

「Seriously! Have you decided Tomozaki?」

While I did my best keeping a composed expression when talking with Izumi, she cheerfully replied . Oh, right . I now have to get something too, huh? There’s a lot I need to do regarding the gift and a.s.signment .

「Nah not yet…… . You？」

「Noo . I tried asking Hiro earlier, but…… Ah, I meant Mizusawa ok?」

「Ah, right . 」

She seemed worried that I wouldn’t get that Hiro was Mizusawa . I already knew though . How thoughtful of her!

「He told me to get that ointment since Shuuji’s been bothered by pimples recently . He’s absolutely going to be p.i.s.sed if he gets handed something like thaaat!」

「Hahahaha . 」I got a laugh mainly out of him being concerned about pimples . 「But something like that might pa.s.s? It kind of seems like something he’s always wanted . 」

「Yeah . That might be so, but…… we don’t know if there’s anything that he would want, right? Do you know any… I suppose not . 」

「Hey, don’t give up before asking . 」

I’ve become a lot better at retorting disses about me not having friends since Hinami has dissed me so many times .

「Ahaha! But you don’t know, right?」

「Naah……」

I took occasional glances toward Hinami and Mizusawa while I was thinking . They seemed to be having fun as usual .

「The things that I know about him are… that he likes AtaFami, that he’s strong, that he’s an ikemen, that he has a riajuu hairstyle……」

「Hm? That’s……」Izumi thought of something .

「Eh, what’s wrong? Riajuu hairstyle…… Ah!」

I also just realized . Speaking of riajuus and hairstyles . That’s right, that might work .

Izumi and I faced each other and spoke at the same time .

「Hair wax!」

「The thing that makes your bangs stand up!」

「──Eh？」

Izumi looked back waiting for me to repeat what I just said . I replied,「n-nothing」in a fl.u.s.ter .

「What did you just say Tomozaki?」

I don’t really get it, but what I do know is that if I say it directly, she’ll think I’m weird . D-don’t look .

「It’s nothing……」

「You called it the thing that makes your bangs stand up, right?」

So, you really did hear that? Izumi was heartily laughing .

「No, well, don’t Riajuu have the image of holding their hair up with a pin or whatever……?」

「Shuuji… has short hair, y’know?」

「Shuuji… has short hair, y’know?」

「That’s true . 」

I saw a beautiful reb.u.t.tal here .

Still, with being able to say things in unison, I might’ve improved my conversation skills somewhat .

「……Ahahaha! But wouldn’t hair wax be ok!?」

「I-it’s okay, I think!」

If I had to choose between good or bad, I’d probably say good . If I had to choose between good, bad, or I don’t know, I’d say I don’t know .

「Hey Hiro! How about hair wax?」

「Hey! That sounds pretty good! That guy collects all sorts!」

「Ah……but what if I get him something that he already has?」

「Nah, I probably know what kind of wax he doesn’t have yet . 」

「Eh, really!? That’s Hiro for you!」

「Well, I was the one that taught him about hair wax after all . 」

「I-Is that so!? Oh, right, you want to become a hairdresser!」

「I-Is that so!? Oh, right, you want to become a hairdresser!」

「Yeah . There’s probably a slightly more expensive series of hair wax that I don’t expect him to own yet . He’s the kind who buys a bunch of cheap ones to try them out . 」

「Eeeh! He’s unexpectedly cheap! Even though he has a big att.i.tude!」

「That’s wrong, Yuzu . Expensive doesn’t mean good when it comes to wax . Compatibility is more important . Just like girlfriends . 」

「Eww! Of course a playboy like you would say something like that!」

「This might be surprising, but nah, I’m not a playboy!」

「Surprising!?」

「Though, I do have a playboy’s hairstyle . 」

「So you’re aware of it!?」

「I suppose . At the hair salon, I get asked about how I’d like my hair, and I tell them please turn me into a playboy . 」

「Ahaha! That’s definitely a lie!」

「I’m serious, I’m serious!」

The two of them laughed heartily . As I was watching their exchange, I pondered .

Why did I think that I had improved my conversation skills? No, it was all thanks to Izumi’s amazing ability to turn my awkward phrasings into actual conversations . I’m still like a child when it comes to this .