You like me, don’t you?

Chapter 2

“My my, your sense of danger is most lacking, Ann-Ann. There’s no telling when someone will show up and come after your spot in the Four Heavenly Beauties!”

“If literally anybody walked up to me and asked for this trash title, I’d give it up in a heartbeat.”

“...Are you really so sure about that? It won’t be long before “she” returns from her time abroad. You know, the fabled original fifth member who once led us with such overwhelming charisma and beauty—”

“Who the heck are you talking about?! Our group never had any “original members” to begin with!”

“Wahahaha! Bullseye! The truth is we’ve always been our little tight-knit group of four friends since we first debuted here!” Rino cackled in response to Ann’s comeback. It appears their group never actually had that fabled original fifth member.

Dammit, cursed Soukichi in his mind, For a second there, you actually have me believing you there! Having a group called the “Four Heavenly X.” followed by a huge reveal of a hidden “fifth member.” or a mysterious “Member Zero.” was an often used cliche, after all. Can you really blame someone for buying into it?

“Sigh... Hey, Kasumi. Back me up here already, please,” Ann said, an exhausted look on her face.

In response, the girl nicknamed “Cougar” replied, “Huh? Me? Hmm... Sure, yeah...”

Kasumi Shiramori, aka “Cougar.” was tall and had a nice figure with curves in all the right places. A third-year student like her fellow group members, she boasted a more mature side of beauty and could more aptly be described as a “beautiful woman” than a “beautiful girl.” In addition to her incredibly distasteful title of “Cougar.” she also possessed another title: the “Art and Literature Circle President.” That meant she belonged to the same circle where Soukichi happened to be the Vice President.

“Well, I’m with Ann on the point about not really liking that weird label people use when talking about us. However, I do understand where Rino is coming from here,” Kasumi said while smiling placatingly. “Besides, isn’t it normal to want to reward the person who tells you they like you?”

A teasing look now spread across her face, Kasumi looked around the cafeteria. It wasn’t long before she found Soukichi sitting in one of the corners of the cafeteria.

“...!”

Soukichi, upon meeting eyes with Kasumi, felt his entire body stiffen. Kasumi, her smile exuding pure confidence, shot a playful wink at Soukichi. It was a simple action; nothing more than the closing of a single eyelid eyelid. Yet in spite of that, Soukichi felt himself quickly losing control of his emotions.

Hey, hold up! What the heck is that dang girl doing now?! Who knows how many people are watching us right now! Why would she make such a conspicuous gesture toward me right now of all times? Soukichi began to spiral

She mentioned “rewarding” someone. Was that supposed to be a reward? Thinking about it, she also said something about “someone who tells you they like you”... I’m gonna guess she was referring to me there, Soukichi thought. That means that Kasumi must have known that I was sneakily observing her and listening in on what she was saying when she sent that dastardly wink at me! That’s gotta be it, right?! Ahhh jeez!! I really can’t beat that girl at all. The feeling of defeat is swallowing me whole!

“Pffft,” Tokiya, who was sitting across the table, laughed at the obvious anguish that Soukichi was currently wrestling with. Based on Tokiya’s expression, it was obvious that he too was witness to that devastating wink.

“I’m so jealous of you two! So lovey-dovey!”

“Shaddup and leave me alone,” Soukichi responded wearily to his friend’s jeers.