I Won't Be a Loser

Haruto instinctively scanned the classroom, his gaze sweeping across his surroundings before settling back on his desk. From the current situation alone, he had no way of identifying who was behind this—or why they had done it.

The best course of action would likely be to discreetly dispose of the soft pink fabric before anyone noticed, ensuring his innocence remained intact.

However, without knowing the culprit, he couldn't shake the concern that this might not be a one-time occurrence.

Frowning, Haruto sat silently at his desk, his mind racing through potential suspects. He had only just arrived at Toyosaki, and nothing like this had ever happened to him before.

Logically, most people wouldn't have any motive or reason to pull a stunt like this. The male students could be ruled out immediately—at least among the ones he knew, none seemed like the type to wear pink lace underwear.

As for the girls...

His gaze instinctively shifted toward Nakano Ichika's seat. She hadn't arrived yet, and the empty desk made it unlikely she was involved.

That left...

His eyes landed on a blonde girl with twin tails, quietly seated since the moment she entered the classroom.

"..."

After a moment of silence, he dismissed the thought. Eriri didn't seem like the type to pull something like this, nor was it in her nature to play such pranks. With that consideration, Haruto withdrew his gaze.

Tightly gripping the soft pink fabric in his hand, he cautiously picked up his school bag. Without drawing any attention, he swiftly stuffed the underwear inside.

This wasn't something he could openly address. Asking around would only make things worse, and handing it over to a teacher wasn't an ideal solution either. A female teacher might be a safe option, but his homeroom teacher, Mr. Fukuhara, was a middle-aged man—bringing it to him carried its own risks.

Throughout the entire class, Haruto remained visibly distracted, enough that a few classmates took notice.

"Yo!"

As the lesson ended and Haruto continued contemplating his next move, a sudden weight on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning around, he found himself face-to-face with a smiling Ichika Nakano.

"You look like you're deep in thought. I noticed you spacing out all through class. Something on your mind?"

Haruto, still lost in his own concerns, closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them again, he looked directly at Ichika.

"Do you like me?"

"I don't dislike you."

After a brief moment of thought, Ichika replied with a small smile, already guessing what Haruto was getting at.

Nodding slightly, Haruto continued, "You're a girl. Let me ask you something."

"What is it?"

Looking at Haruto's serious expression, Ichika couldn't help but feel curious. What exactly was he about to ask? And was this question the reason for his heavy mood?

"What do you think is the most precious gift a girl can give to a boy?"

"Eh? Jumping straight into such a sensitive question? Isn't this progressing a bit too fast? Even if you wanted that… shouldn't it be something to consider only after we start dating?"

Ichika teased, her expression unchanged as she pretended to be bashful beside him. However, Haruto merely watched her performance with a calm gaze, making her feel like she was entertaining herself. With a chuckle, she gave her answer.

"The most precious gift a girl can give to a boy… probably her youth, right?"

"That's a bit too deep. I meant something more material."

"Could it be that a charming older woman wants to give you a present, and you're struggling to decide what to ask for?"

Haruto rubbed his temples and let out a slow sigh.

"I haven't done any 'mama-katsu,' but I wouldn't mind giving it a try. If you have connections, Ichika, feel free to introduce me."

"Eh? Are you serious?"

Ichika's eyes widened as she scanned him up and down. A delicate yet mature-looking young man like Haruto … he actually seemed quite suited for something like that. If he simply posted a selfie online, there'd probably be no shortage of lonely women eager to become his personal wallet.

Seeing Ichika's surprised expression, Haruto found himself lost in thought. His living expenses were tight until next month… if it was just meeting up for tea…

"You're not actually considering it, are you?"

"No, I'm just weighing the risks and potential gains. If it could bring in a million yen a month, I might seriously consider it."

"..."

Ichika fell silent, and Haruto chuckled.

"Just kidding. For now, school is more important. If I fail my entrance exams and end up having to join the workforce, I'll reconsider. By then, I might need your financial support, Ichika."

"I'd be more than happy to support you. Keeping a handsome guy like you all to myself at home doesn't sound too bad."

"..."

As Haruto fell quiet, Ichika grinned.

"Just kidding~"

"Oh, so it was a joke? Haha."

The two exchanged knowing smiles, a hint of something unspoken lingering in their narrowed eyes.

Just as their conversation drifted into territory a bit too advanced for high schoolers, another figure approached and stopped beside Haruto's desk, drawing both his and Ichika's attention.

"Sawamura-san?"

Ichika didn't even need to see her face. The moment she spotted the distinctive blonde twin-tails—practically a registered trademark—she knew exactly who it was.

That golden hair stood out far too much. Even before she looked at the girl's face, Ichika's gaze was already drawn to those eye-catching locks.

As she admired the natural blonde, a trace of envy flickered in her eyes. But it was just a fleeting thought, and she soon shifted her focus to Eriri's face, curious about her reason for approaching them.

"Eri… Sawamura-san, is there something you need?"

He had instinctively started to call her by her first name but quickly corrected herself, as if remembering something. This small slip didn't escape Ichika's notice—her eyes lit up slightly, as if she had just stumbled upon something interesting.

But Eriri, preoccupied with her own thoughts, didn't catch it. Instead, she focused on Haruto and got straight to the point.

"About last time… thanks. Um… I know it's kind of late to say this, but I wasn't in the right state back then, so… yeah. Thank you, Haru— I mean, Miyamizu-kun."

Noticing the subtle tension in the air between the two, Ichika's curiosity grew. Without saying a word, she took a couple of quiet steps back.

"...Nozaki-san?"

She turned her attention to Umetarou Nozaki, who sat behind Haruto, and casually started a conversation with him. Her goal was simple: to give Haruto and Eriri some space while making herself less of a third wheel.

Haruto glanced at Ichika before shifting his focus back to Eriri. He had no idea why she was approaching him now.

If she really wanted to thank him, she could have done so on Saturday or even yesterday. There had been plenty of opportunities, so why now?

His gaze lingered on her familiar face, and a flicker of recollection crossed his mind before he quietly lowered his head.

"No, it's nothing. It was just something anyone would have done."

Lifting his head again, he flashed his usual gentle smile.

"If a classmate is in trouble, lending a hand is the obvious thing to do, right?"

"But that day… you were the only one who helped me and brought me to the infirmary. So, no matter what, I wanted to say thank you… Miyamizu-kun. Also… do you have time after school today?"

The way Eriri kept hesitating over his name only heightened Haruto's strange sense of déjà vu. He studied her carefully, blinking. He had no idea what she wanted, but instinctively, he replied—

"I don't. I have things to do and need to head home early. Is there something you needed, Sawamura-san?"

"You haven't joined any school clubs, right?"

"No."

"...I see. Never mind, then."

Her disappointment was plain to see as she bit her lip, her sharp canine tooth pressing against the corner of her mouth. Without another word, she turned back to her seat.

Once she sat down, she leaned forward slightly, looking somewhat dejected.

Meanwhile, Ichika had been chatting with Umetarou Nozaki, quickly realizing that he was more interesting than she had originally thought. But as soon as Eriri left Haruto's desk, Ichika wrapped up the conversation and returned to Haruto's side.

"Could it be that what Yoshii and Sakamoto told me is true? That you already have a girlfriend?"

"Hm?"

"Otherwise, why would you turn down Sawamura-san like that? You're not in a club, and it wasn't your turn for cleaning duty. Normally, if a beautiful girl like her all but directly invited a guy to hang out after school, no sane high school boy would refuse, right?"

Haruto looked at Ichika's face for a moment before nodding.

"Sorry to disappoint, but Sawamura-san isn't my type. You, on the other hand, Ichika, are much more to my liking. How about coming over to my place tonight?"

"Fufu, that depends on your sincerity."

As class started, Ichika returned to her seat, but not before shooting Haruto a playful wink.

Ichika's easygoing personality meant that even risqué jokes didn't faze her. Unlike most girls, she didn't get flustered, which made Haruto feel like their personalities were quite compatible.

In fact, her lighthearted banter reminded him of the drinking buddies he used to have at an izakaya.

{T/N: dine-in sake shop}

Shaking off the nostalgia, he turned his attention to the teacher. As the lecture began, his gaze drifted slightly downward—toward his desk and the bag hanging beside it.

That thing… who did it belong to?

"Haruto, are you going to the cafeteria at noon today?"

"No"

At lunchtime, Haruto was relieved that he had brought his own bento, meaning he wouldn't have to leave the classroom. He quietly pulled the lunchbox out from his desk.

"A bento, huh? You made it yourself?" Akihisa peered over at him.

"Mm…"

Haruto hesitated, recalling the incident last time when he misspoke and caused a commotion. He decided against mentioning that the bento was made by Setsuna and simply opened the box.

"...…"

Luckily, at least there wasn't some heart shape crudely assembled with red sauce in the bento. Seeing the ordinary lunch, Haruto let out a small sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Yoshi Akihisa carried his own bento over, pushed his desk next to Haruto's, and sat down.

"Let's eat together."

"What about Yuuji?"

"He went to buy some bread."

By the time Yuuji returned, the three of them gathered and had their lunch together.

The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully. Haruto, who had been glancing at his school bag from time to time, finally felt a little more at ease.

"Haruto, want to come over to my place after school today?"

"I have something to take care of."

Faced with Akihisa's invitation, Haruto politely declined. There was still some trouble in his bag—he really didn't have time for a casual visit.

"Oh? Alright then, Yuuji and I will head out first."

"Yeah."

After saying goodbye to Akihisa and Sakamoto Yuuji, Haruto watched as they left the classroom. He remained seated for a moment, observing the few people still lingering inside before silently getting up and walking out.

Yet, he didn't leave the school immediately. Instead, he waited at the stairwell for a while. Estimating that most students had already left, he slowly made his way back toward the classroom…