Is It Permissible To Abandon a Childhood Friend Who Has Become a School Idol and Be Happy

10

When there’s a problem, most of the time will solve it.

I remember seeing somewhere that even if something distressing or sad happens, if time passes you’ll eventually be able to talk about it with a smile.

…Is that really true?

Will this worry I have now also be solved by time on its own?

I didn’t think so at all.

Rather, I feel like it’s getting worse and worse, and that pent-up feeling is just building up in the pit of my stomach.

Every day is depressing, and I don’t want to go to school.

The fact that I’m starting to think that way means that I’m definitely nearing my limit.

After all, the environment surrounding Misori and me has definitely been changing rapidly over time.

A month has already passed since Misori appeared on TV.

The season is also approaching autumn, and the sound of winter’s footsteps is definitely getting closer.

For us third-year junior high school students, now is the most important time, and most people who haven’t already decided on a recommendation are probably deciding on their desired schools and starting to study accordingly.

I’m one of those people, and I’m aiming for an advanced high school entrance exam close to home, so even during break time I’m looking through reference books like this.

I can see several other classmates besides me who are also opening books in the same way, and it seems like they’re also starting to prepare for the entrance exams.

I don’t talk to them, but I like serious people.

They don’t bother anyone, and they’re quiet and harmless.

At the very least, I think they’re much better as people than the ones who are continuing to fool around in the center of the classroom right now.

Look, I can hear their noisy voices again.

“Misaka-chan. Do you want to stop by somewhere on the way home today?”

“Oh, then let’s go to a family restaurant! I want you to help me with my studies.”

“In that case, I want to go too. Misaka-san is smart, right?”

“Oh, can I go too? It’s more fun with a lot of people!”

“If you come, we won’t be able to study. You just want to make a fuss, right?”

Yada yada.

As usual, they were noisy today too.

The conversation between the group around Kishima, who’s sitting in the center, and the class’s popular kids is noisy, an annoying noise that makes it hard to concentrate.

Every break time, the same kind of racket happens, and I’m thoroughly sick of it.

(Seriously… Are those people thinking about their future at all?)

I curse them in my head, but I don’t say it out loud.

If they heard me, they’d definitely glare at me.

Those guys have had their eyes on me for a while now.

I don’t want to give them any more reason to pick on me.

“Ahahahaha… Well, I think I can help you with your studies. Within the limits of my knowledge, of course.”

As I try to ignore them and force myself to focus on my textbook, I hear a different girl’s voice.

She sounds cheerful, but her voice isn’t particularly loud.

I could hear her clearly because the group that was talking before her shut up as soon as she started speaking.

They stopped talking to listen to what she had to say.

That showed me that she was the leader of that group.

And it goes without saying who she is.

“Really!? Thank you, Mi-orin! I owe you one!”

“Kyaaah!? W-wait, that’s not okay…”

Mi-ori lets out a small scream as someone hugs her.

But is it just me, or does she not seem that bothered by it?

“…”

Time will tell, I guess.

But there’s no guarantee that things will turn out for the best.

“I’m so jealous… I want a hug too.”

“That’s s*xual harassment, Mihara.”

I can hear some vulgar laughter.

It’s really grating on my nerves. I want to stick my fingers in my ears so I don’t have to listen to them.

“This is just my way of showing my gratitude. Is that okay, Mi-orin?”

“No, it’s not! You… You can’t do this. If you do it again, I won’t help you with your studies anymore.”

I’m disgusted by it, but Mi-ori doesn’t seem to be.

She can just brush off those quasi-s*xual remarks as if they were nothing.

(…I didn’t know.)

I never knew Mi-ori was this adaptable.

We’ve been together for so long, but I didn’t know.

“Awww. That’s mean.”

“It’s not mean. Even physical contact has its limits.”

Even now, Mi-ori is laughing lightly, brushing off her friend’s complaints.

I have to admit, I’m impressed.

This is a change I never would have expected from the Mi-ori I knew before.

Has she adapted?

Maybe Mi-ori has learned to behave in a way that matches her new status in the class.

If that’s the case, then Mi-ori is a much more amazing person than I thought.

Cute. Good personality. Smart. And she’s caring, too.

I see, she’s perfect. You could say she’s the ideal girl.

No wonder she rose the school popularity ranks in a month.

Or maybe it was because this was the time when stress started to build up and it just added fuel to the fire.

Maybe everyone was just drunk on the sensation of carrying around a beautiful girl who had even been on TV.

Right now, Mio is the center of the class. No, more than that.

It’s no exaggeration to say that she’s the school idol.

“Basically…”

—That’s why I beg you to stop.

Please don’t say any more. I think it with all my heart.

“I have a boyfriend. Kou-kun isn’t really my type, so I’d rather not have him do that.”

But in the end, if you just pray and don’t say it out loud, it won’t reach her.

My wish was in vain, and Mio uttered my name without hesitation.

—I don’t want her to understand.

But I wanted her to notice.

Even if Mio can handle it, I’m not the kind of person who can.

Even if I know it’s a selfish wish, I just wanted her to be aware of that.