With an onigiri in hand, I head to the empty classroom on the third floor.
The third floor are home to the science and home economics rooms; it only sees traffic if classes are scheduled.
(Huh, but I think empty classrooms such as this one are usually locked…)
Despite my doubts, I slide the door open easily.
The classroom has only about six desks and chairs at the front, with nothing else inside.
"You're late, Ryota."
When I entered, Miyama was already having lunch.
"S-sorry."
I apologize and sit on the seat next to her holding my onigiri.
"Is that all you're having for lunch again, Ryota?"
"Y-yeah."
Like yesterday, Miyama looks worried, seeing I only have an onigiri. While being broke is part of the reason, I'm generally a light eater.
Meanwhile, Miyama is devouring a takeout katsu curry like she did yesterday.
(How much does she like katsu curry?)
"You went to the arcade yesterday, right?"
"Yeah, I had to go since you told me about it."
"Even so, if you didn't want to, most people would have blown it off."
"R-really?"
"You're so serious, Ryota."
Miyama says this while stuffing her mouth with katsu curry.
(I wonder if she's praising or making fun of me.)
"Hey, Ryota, do you like Yuria?"
"W-what? No, no way!"
Someone like me liking Ichinose would be unthinkable.
"Really? I thought you liked Yuria because you always glance at her."
N-no way… there were other witnesses to the thigh-gazing incident besides Ichinose herself?
From now on, I need to be more discreet when looking (at her thighs and chest) …
"I thought you liked Yuria, so I was trying to help."
"H-help?"
"Yeah. I was planning to check out the neighboring town's arcade yesterday. But when I heard from you that Yuria might be there, I gave that task to you. I was trying to play Cupid."
What kind of Cupid is she? She's got to be kidding. If Miyama had gone instead of me, it could have been a crisis for the pretty girls' group…
"By the way, who told you that Ichinose was at that arcade?"
"A friend from another class. She's from the neighboring town and saw Yuria going into the arcade at the station. Another friend also told me the same thing, so I was curious."
"Wow, you have a lot of friends. Miyama, you're well-connected."
"What? I have a small face! I use a facial roller a lot! See, see?"
Miyama strikes a cutesy pose, showing off.
That's not what I meant…
"But Yuria wasn't there, right? Maybe my friends were mistaken?"
"I-I guess so…" I had to agree.
"Even if we asked Yuria directly if she goes to the arcade, she wouldn't admit it, right?"
"Probably not."
No way she would. Ichinose Yuria admitting that she's been frequenting the arcade to win a big-breasted anime figure? Not a chance.
"By the way, Ryota, didn't you talk with Rui before Airi and Yuria came this morning?"
"Huh…?"
"I was curious about that. What were you talking about with Rui?"
Could it be that Miyama invited me to lunch to find this out?
And not in the cafeteria, but in a private, empty classroom…
(Of course, from Miyama's perspective, I'm the only person who knows her secret. She would be curious to see me talk with her friend Kuroki.)
So, she doesn't fully trust me yet… I expected as much.
"I wouldn't spill your secret, Miyama. Are you doubting me?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Miyama had a blank, clueless expression as she licked her spoon.
…Huh?
"N-no, I thought you were trying to discover if I leaked any secrets by questioning me."
"Huh… Ryota, you don't get me! I'm not smart enough to do something that complicated! If I suspected you, I'd ask you directly!"
"Is that so?"
"What Airi wants to know is not about you, but why Rui was in such a good mood!"
Rui was in a good mood…? What does she mean?
I recall the situation when I was talking with Kuroki.
(She didn't seem particularly cheerful…)
"Rui-chan always has a super serious face when talking to boys."
"A serious face?"
"Yeah, it's like she's saying, 'I'm not interested in your conversation' with her eyes."
"Does that mean she's like Ichinose, who dislikes boys?"
"Not exactly. It's not like Yuria who hates boys, but more like she looks down on them?"
Looks down on boys…?
Kuroki is a perfect superhuman, excelling in academics and sports more than most boys… Could it be that she sees boys as inferior because she's such a perfect girl?
"So, Kuroki doesn't hate boys but thinks of them as an 'inferior species' compared to her…?"
"That might be it! Airi's not smart enough to fully get it, but that's the difference from her and Yuria!
Yuria Ichinose dislikes mingling with boys, preferring to stay with her female friends. On the other hand, Kuroki might have a distorted view where she doesn't see boys as being on the same level as her…?
Is that what Miyama is trying to say?
(If that's true, Kuroki has a pretty nasty personality…)
"But when talking to you, she seemed to be having fun…"
"R-really?"
"Even on the day we changed seats when Rui-chan introduced you, she was in a good mood."
Now that she mentions it, Kuroki was cheerful when she explained that we went to the same middle school.
"That's it! Rui-chan must like you, Ryota!"
"Huh?"
What is this busty airhead talking about?
"That's why her expression was softer when she talked to you! It has to be that!"
"That's too simple… Kuroki and I had zero connection before the seating change."
"But you went to the same middle school, right?! She must have fallen for you without you knowing! Kyah!"
This busty airhead is excitedly squealing, holding her cheeks with both hands.
This is hopeless…
"Oh… Airi just thought of something great!"
I have a bad feeling about this…