115) Chapter 18. No? (1)
I can’t say I suddenly became popular after the recent incident.
But it is true that the gazes directed at me have become more favorable.
My classmates had already been warming up to me little by little, but after that incident, even kids from other classes seemed to look at me more kindly.
Well, if I think about it, the kids from other classes didn’t exactly look at me with hostility before either.
If anything, it was more like indifference. And even indifference can be divided into true emotional neutrality and a kind of one‑sided disregard, but unless I can crawl into their heads, there’s no way to tell the difference.
In reality, this kind of atmosphere isn’t something every student collectively decides on. It’s usually determined by a few kids who take the lead.
The early atmosphere in our class felt the way it did because of those delinquents—
“Hey, Rua!”
—And the atmosphere now was largely because of this one girl.
Well, thinking about it, Soi and Chae‑yi used to be the type to influence the mood like this too. They only became sharper when it came to things involving me after what happened back in middle school. Originally, they were lively kids who liked making friends.
……So in a way, the fact that they became a bit darker is also my fault.
“Going to eat?”
Seeing the girl approaching with her usual group behind her, the arms linked around mine tightened.
Just like I have my own traumas, maybe Soi and Chae‑yi were also traumatized by that time.
They had seen how kids who treated me like a friend could suddenly turn on me like I was their enemy after just one incident.
Of course, Soi and Chae‑yi said they got along fine after I quit school. According to them, they made friends and lived normally.
They don’t seem to keep in touch with anyone from middle school now, but thinking about it, I also have plenty of people I never contacted again after graduation.
……So this reaction isn’t because they don’t trust people. It’s probably just because I am the problem.
“Uh, uh, yeah.”
Soi and Chae‑yi didn’t seem inclined to answer first, and the girl asked me if I was going to eat before even greeting me, so I ended up answering.
Ah.
The real problem is—I don’t know her name.
This is one of the mysteries I’ve felt since my previous life: how do kids I’m talking to for the first time always know my name?
In this world, I’m somewhat famous, so that’s understandable. But in my previous life, I had no reason to be famous, yet kids somehow already knew my name. Sure, we wore name tags on our uniforms, but not on shirts or anything.
So how am I supposed to interpret situations like this, where I don’t know their names but they call mine like it’s obvious?
Am I just too oblivious?
“Wow, you’re popular today too.”
“R‑really?”
Aren’t there way more girls following her?
“Well, of course you look popular when you walk around like that.”
“Uh, uh?”
“You’ve got girls on both sides of you. And they’re really pretty too.”
I can admit Soi and Chae‑yi are pretty.
Maybe because this world is similar to a web novel, the baseline for looks seems high, but even then, the especially pretty or well‑built ones stand out.
Soi and Chae‑yi are like that, and honestly, so is Hyeonji. They all have that “heroine” tier aura.
Even though Hyeonji isn’t very social, that delinquent kept bringing her up while trying to bully me—probably because he wanted her attention.
And the girl standing in front of me now, whose name I still don’t know—
From experience, good looks give people confidence. Sure, some people have charisma regardless of appearance, but looks alone can give someone a foundation for confidence, something that convinces both themselves and others.
“And you’re even walking around with the famous disciplinary committee member behind you, plus a pretty boy too. That’s definitely popular.”
“R‑really? B‑but they’re just friends.”
“Is that so?”
She giggled teasingly.
“……I don’t think I’m that famous.”
Hyeonji muttered, sounding uncomfortable.
“Huh? Really? You really think that? Well, you don’t go around scolding people these days, but before you became a disciplinary committee member, you used to call out other kids a lot, right? That’s why you were famous. People called you the ice queen. You’ve mellowed out since becoming a committee member though. ……Hmm?”
The girl suddenly paused, as if realizing something.
“Wait, wait—did our Rua seduce the disciplinary committee member too? Hm?”
“N‑no, that’s not it. W‑we’re just friends.”
“Really? If you say so.”
Honestly, she didn’t look serious from the moment she started teasing.
We haven’t known each other long, but she’s the type whose emotions show clearly on her face.
If she were serious, she’d have the same expression she had when she stood up to that witch.
“Well, maybe so, but if you walk around with girls clinging to you like that, people are definitely going to think things. Not that it matters if you’re all fine with it.”
“……D‑do you really think so?”
“Huh? Of course.”
“B‑but isn’t this normal?”
“……Huh? Normal?”
Her head tilted.
As if she’d heard something completely unexpected, her eyes slowly moved—first to Soi, then to Chae‑yi, then to Hyeonji and Nam Jinwoo behind me.
“No, that’s not normal.”
“……Huh?”
“People don’t usually cling that close.”
“……Friends don’t link arms?”
“Huh? Well, they do.”
“W‑we did that in the hallway too.”
Well, she had been linking arms with another girl before coming over to us.
“That’s true, but—”
“H‑holding hands too.”
“Yeah, people do that. They do, but—”
“Hugging too, right?”
“Well, yeah?”
“See?”
I stared at her, and she suddenly looked flustered.
“Wait, huh? I mean, yeah, that’s true. But—”
“……?”
I tilted my head, and she hesitated before saying:
“I mean, it’s just… how do I put it. It looks clingy. Even if the actions are the same, the vibe is different.”
“Hm?”
“Sorry.”
No need to apologize.
I guess it could be misunderstood.
Even I feel weird sometimes when I hug Soi, Chae‑yi, or Hyeonji. Probably because of my previous life.
I turned to look at Soi.
Soi stared up at me with a completely clueless expression.
I turned to Chae‑yi—same thing. She blinked up at me with innocent eyes.
Their arms were still tightly wrapped around mine.
Then I looked at Hyeonji—she had her hand pressed to her forehead, sighing deeply.
“……Huh?”
And Nam Jinwoo—
Her expression was different from the others.
She was staring at me with a dazed look.
Or maybe staring at Soi and Chae‑yi.
Why does she look different from everyone else?
I tilted my head again and looked back at the girl.
“……Anyway.”
The girl, who had thrown out a joke and gotten nothing back, made a vague expression—
Then suddenly looked determined.
“Enjoy your lunch, Miss Casanova.”
“Eh.”
With that, she spun around and returned to her friends.
Her friends, who had been watching, giggled, waved at me, and headed into the cafeteria.
Unfortunately, both my hands were occupied, so I couldn’t wave back.
At some point, Soi and Chae‑yi had interlocked their fingers with mine, holding on tightly so I couldn’t pull away even for a moment.
As if they thought my hand might slip away if they didn’t hold on that tightly.
“…….”
Well, whatever.
Even if they’re just clinging as friends, their jealousy is pretty intense.
Not that I mind.
If anything, it makes my chest feel warm and ticklish.
Since I’ve become a girl and romance is now even further out of reach than before, feeling this kind of friendly jealousy is… fine, isn’t it?
Still—Casanova? What kind of ancient comparison is that?