NTR Kousuke

Chapter 68

"Hey, Yukaricchi? You're not doing anything you can't tell people about, right?"

Yukari "Of course not! I'm just a plain, unpopular girl!"

After the cultural festival ended and the substitute holiday, I found photos of Kuzu-kun and Yukaricchi entering and leaving a love hotel in my desk.

They even politely included both entering and exiting shots. Huh? What are you doing?

"So, what's this supposed to mean?"

I quietly pass the photos to Yukaricchi.

You're totally going into a love hotel, aren't you?

As soon as I hide the photos, Yukaricchi panics and,

Yukari "Does it look like we were going in...?"

Trying to brush it off with just words won't fool anyone, you know?

Yukaricchi, you're so shallow. To put it nicely, you're honest, but you don't think deeply and you're too lenient with yourself.

I'm already tired of getting angry.

"...There's also a photo of you coming out, you know?"

Yukaricchi hurriedly hides the second photo too.

She's thinking about something, but it's probably just an excuse, right...?

Yukari "Kuzu-kun and I are destined! A prince and princess!"

I'm already fed up with dealing with this,

"There are no princes or princesses in Japan. Is your head a Happy Meal or something? Why do you think these photos ended up with me?"

Yukaricchi seems to be thinking hard, but... it's like the saying, 'a fool's thoughts are as good as rest,' right?

"Yukaricchi? Are you being targeted by someone, or does someone hold a grudge against you? If there's any scandal, you better spill it now, okay? ...I won't be able to protect you otherwise."

Yukari "...? Well? I'm pretty popular... someone holding a grudge...?"

Her eyes are totally darting around, aren't they?

Yukaricchi, this is your final warning, okay?

"Hey, you? Until recently? Weren't you dieting with Saito-kun from Class 4? But I heard it's being said that Kuzu-kun has been supporting you all along. Also? The film club is quite an influential group in this high school, but they play by the rules, right?"

Yukari "..."

Yukaricchi doesn't even respond...

This is the final warning, so I'll say it all.

"Last week at Round2? I made an opportunity for us to talk, but? Are you seriously dating Kuzu-kun, or rather, already doing it? It's only been a week, right?"

I blush a little saying out loud that they're doing it.

Because I'm a girl? I don't want to say things like this out loud, and?

If he hears me... it'll be embarrassing.

Yukari "...Isn't love supposed to be free...? Even if it's you, Osada-san, please don't interfere in my relationships!"

"Huh?"

Yukari "Eek!"

When I glare at her, Yukaricchi gets scared and shuts up.

If you're going to shut up, don't defy me in the first place, okay?

Sigh, this is the final warning.

"Yukaricchi? I helped you because it benefits the class. Of course, since you're part of the class too? I'll help if something happens. But if you cause trouble for the class, I won't be able to protect you, you know?"

That's the honest truth. Because that's how it is, right?

The class came together as one, and the maid café at the cultural festival was a huge success!

We probably achieved sales high enough to aim for the top award.

At the very least, an excellence award is guaranteed.

Of course, Yukaricchi's efforts and contributions were significant.

But, Yukaricchi, you stood out too much.

That's a good thing, but on the flip side, a scandal could be fatal.

Especially in the world of girls, harassment like what happened recently due to jealousy or resentment is an everyday occurrence, isn't it?

That's why I kept telling you to sell yourself as 'humble and earnest' until my mouth went sour...

Probably, Yukaricchi got carried away after winning Miss Hokusho.

She's on a high and looking down on everyone around her.

As someone from the same class and the same group, I gave her a warning.

And yet... you know?

If, because of this scandal? The top award for Class 6 at the cultural festival gets revoked or bad rumors spread, that fame will pile up and become a huge nuisance, right?

This is different from confessing to Kuzu-kun in the summer...

"I've warned you, okay?"

Yukari "...!"

Yukaricchi...

You think you're invincible now that you've become pretty, but being pretty also makes enemies, you know?

If you don't use it wisely, it can be dangerous instead.

Yukaricchi, who became beautiful so suddenly, probably doesn't understand that.

During lunch break, I asked a girl with connections to the student council to tell me about the student council's situation.

Since the beauty contest is under the student council's jurisdiction, any complaints or issues would be reported to them.

...As of now, there doesn't seem to be any particularly big reports.

If anything, there are a few complaints that the film club's documentary is just a personal commercial for Yukari Tomonaga, so it's unfair... Mishima apparently submitted one too (lol).

Ugh, I need to educate Mishima as well.

During lunch break, I move around gathering information.

Maybe because it's still hectic right after the cultural festival, there doesn't seem to be anything special.

...Some girls from our class reported that Yukaricchi is up to something.

The girls around me, well, commonly called? The top clique girls are whispering that Osada-san is a bit too overbearing, aren't they?

I thank the girl who reported this to me.

Yeah? I'm not doing anything special, okay?

And just before after school, I managed to meet another person with connections to the student council, and from her story, I learned there was some movement.

Ah, so that's how it is?

After school, intending to talk to Yukaricchi about it, I approach her with, "Hey, got a minute?"

The boys... since this is kind of an internal girls' talk? Please excuse us?

Sorry, but I kick them out of the classroom.

Now, only girls are here. Except for a few who rushed off to club activities, the girls are all here.

"Yukaricchi? Come over here for a bit."

Yukari "Enough already! You're always intimidating, looking down on people! If you think everything will go your way, you're gravely mistaken!"

Yukaricchi, though scared, snaps back at me...?

Huh? Now?

"Now's not the time for that, okay? Listen to me? The student council..."

Yukari "Enough! That's my line to you!"

Getting interrupted like this is so irritating...

Seriously, just listen.

Yukaricchi, annoyed that I'm not fazed, declares loudly.

Yukari "Enough, enough! No one in this class listens to what Osada-san says anymore!"

"""Fufu...!"""

All of my entourage move behind Yukaricchi.

The other girls, seeing this, seem unsure of what to do...?

Yukari "Osada-san got too full of herself, you know? The top clique girls are saying NO to Osada-san!"

Yukaricchi says this smugly. I don't want to hear that from you.

Well, I did hear the report during lunch break.

"So, listen, the student council..."

Yukari "Osada-san, you listen! Enough! I'm the top in this class now!"

Huh?

"Huh? Is that so?"

I ask genuinely.

I'm surprised. You're ready to go with just that preparation?

I see, you can't see that far ahead, huh? That's funny!

With full intimidation, I say.

It's a side of me I can't show to my boyfriend,

"So, which side are you on? Me or Yukaricchi?"

With a "bwoosh!" sound, the second-tier and below crowd moves behind me.

Yukari "Huh? Huh?"

Yukaricchi, flustered as the kids who had been neutral all suddenly support me, looks at the top clique girls behind her,

Yukari "I'll support you, so about Osada-san... about Osada-san's tyranny..."

she calls out.

"Ah, that was hilarious!"

"Ai! This girl is seriously getting full of herself!"

"Osada, unforgivable! That's my real opinion, though, right?"

"Yukaricchi, to stand at the top of the class, you lacked leadership, strength, intelligence, political savvy, and charm, huh?"

"All of it!"

The top clique girls come back to my side, laughing hysterically.

Yukari "Huh? Why? Huh? Who's Ai?"

Don't latch onto that part!

Gal "Osada Ai, this girl, her name is written as 'Koi' but read as 'Ai,' it's seriously hilarious! Makes no sense!"

"Don't mock someone's name! Koi becomes Ai, right?"

Gal "Then Koi for Koi or Ren. Ai for Ai, isn't that fine?"

These girls... were they just playing with me and Yukaricchi as toys?

Yukari "Huh? Huh? During lunch break, didn't you all badmouth and complain about Osada-san so much...!"

Gal "We say badmouthing and complaints to the person's face too! How naive!"

Gahaha! I stop the entourage laughing.

It's funny, but you did something you shouldn't have.

I declare, if you've gone this far, there's no helping it, right?

"Well, Tomonaga, you're expelled. You're banned from our group."

Tomonaga, finally grasping the situation, turns pale,

Yukari "Me, Miss Hokusho...?"

With regret, almost groaning, Tomonaga says,

That's the thing, right there.

I relay the information I heard earlier.

"Ah, yeah, about that conversation I interrupted earlier? Your 'Miss Hokusho' title, there are complaints about it.

...At worst, it might even be revoked, huh?"

Yukari Tomonaga froze with a face like a free stock illustration, even though I told her to listen...