Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 3 - Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2: Thanks for Waiting - Karen Himemiya

It’s been a week since we had an advisor for the Literature Club.

In contrast to my worries at first, Konuki-sensei is actually unexpectedly good at taking care of people.

We can discuss anything with her. Even if she doesn’t understand it, she always helps us to investigate passionately.

Even though she will compare a girl in the club and me to stamen and pistil or something, this should be a relatively minor problem.

It’s Monday after school right now. Tsuwabuki Fest will be opening on Saturday this week. You can say that it’s right around the corner.

I’m returning to my classroom from the nurse’s office. People wearing pumpkin heads keep bumping into me too.

“I think pumpkins have separate male and female flowers on the same plant…”

I couldn’t help but mumble what I heard from Konuki-sensei.

The purpose seems to be avoiding self-pollination. Why does sensei keep talking about pumpkins whenever the conversation is about Kaju…?

“Excuse me. Please make space for us!”

With that, the path is separated. This time, a bunch of girls in witch cosplays ran past me with giant brooms in their hands. A lot of students are dressing up for this Tsuwabuki Fest. It seems like the entire school is having a Halloween party.

As Tsuwabuki Fest approaches on the weekend, the school is filled with more hustle and bustle. The school building usually is tranquil after school. It’s as lively as during the day right now.

Also, I’m going to a conference about our class’s plan. I need to go to the club room after that as well. That’s a lot of work.

A gentle flowery scent suddenly floated toward me when I passed through the stairs.

…Where did it come from?

I couldn’t help but stop walking. The scent seems to be coming from upstairs.

I raised my head subconsciously. Then, I saw a girl with her hands full of stuff dashing down the stairs clumsily.

“Awawawa! Excuse me!”

Ah, that’s a pretty common line in light novels.

I was immersed in surprise. Then, I was crushed by a tremendous amount of stuff the next second.

…What happened?

I think I was unconscious for a moment there. I could feel that I fell to the ground with my face upward, yet I couldn’t see anything.

I tried recalling the memory before I went into a coma.

I was strolling through the corridor, and a girl and some stuff fell from the stairs.

Something soft and heavy pushed me onto the ground-

“Ah!”

“Huh!?”

My sight immediately widened. The first thing I saw was the 4 straight bowties.

Then, a familiar and tidy face is above the bowties…

“...Himemiya-san?”

Karen Himemiya. She’s Sosuke Hakamada’s girlfriend. Hakamada is Yanami’s childhood friend.

I’m confused.

Why is Himemiya-san riding on top of me while covering her chest? Her cheeks are flaring up too.

Wait, don’t tell me the soft and spongy thing that blocked my view was…?

I couldn’t help but look at Himemiya-san’s bowties.

With that, she blushed even harder. Her right hand started waving exaggeratedly-

*

“Sorry! I’m really sorry!”

With a clap, Himemiya-san lowered her head deeply.

I gently pressed my cheeks with sizzling pain and plopped my head down as well.

“Oh, no, well, the same goes for me. Thank you for your hospitality.”

What am I even saying?

By the way, bumping into a girl in the corridor and getting slapped by her, such accidental events-

Are we in a rom-com right now?

“Nukumizu-kun, does your face still hurt? Is it swelling?”

“Eh, yeah, I’m fine…”

“Glad to hear that! I’m really worried about you since you weren’t moving for a while.”

The moment Himemiya-san smiled-

-How dazzling. Bright lights seem to be dancing around Himemiya-san. Perhaps a BGM exclusive to her is already playing too. It’s just that I can’t hear it.

I was dazed, yet Himemiya-san looked to the sky.

“Hiya, I almost forgot.”

After that, she quickly collected the black clothes scattered on the ground.

I think those fell to the ground when we bumped into each other.

“Uh, let me help you. Half of this was my fault too.”

I reached my hand out and started picking up the black clothes on the ground too. These massive clothes are used for stage curtains, right?

All of these stacked together are pretty heavy. Are they making her carry that alone?

“Thank you! Well, please take half of this.”

Himemiya-san pushed a pile of clothes onto me. I took them.

Her entire body seems to be sparkling with her smile.

“Eh? Well…”

“Nukumizu-kun just said half of it was your fault, right? So, please help me take half of these to the classroom.”

After that, Himemiya-san used her big watery eyes to wink at me while I was still confused. I would’ve died there if I didn’t already have my eyes squinted because of her dazzling smile. That was dangerous.

…Wait, in other words, we’re going to go to the classroom together. Honestly, I really want to avoid such an awkward situation.

I answered her with an “ah” before marching out quickly.

“Hey, hey! Please wait, Nukumizu-kun!”

“Oh, …what’s wrong?”

“Let’s go together if we’re both heading to the classroom. I also want to talk to Nukumizu-kun once too.”

Even if she wants to speak to me, the only connection between Himemiya-san and me is that we both know Yanami. Did she hear something about me from Yanami…?

I grew restless, yet Himemiya-san showed me an apologetic look.

“Uh, Nukumizu-kun, is it better for me not to talk to you?”

“Oh, no, if you say that…”

…Not that she’s wrong. Right now, I’m kind of embarrassed when Karen Himemiya is next to me.

Her elegant main heroine aura is in a completely different dimension than Yanami’s.

Let’s use TVs as an example. Even though 4K is already impressive, she’s like an 8K TV with OLEDs. Also, I don’t think I need to say where it is, but her size is also in the 100-inch class.

“Hey, this is my first time talking to Nukumizu-kun, right?”

“Come to think of it, …yeah, you’re right.”

Karen Himemiya avoided the boys heading toward us. She naturally closed our distance.

“Nukumizu-kun, you’re really close to Sosuke and Anna. I somehow grew fond of you since I always hear the two of them talking about you.”

“Well, even though I talk to Hakamada sometimes, we aren’t actually friends…”

“Hmm, I see. Well, how about you become friends with Sosuke and me right now?”

She said that generously. Lights are still coming off her.

Eh, is that how you make friends? Also, even though I’m her boyfriend’s acquaintance, isn’t this a bit too casual…?

“Ah, no, well, that’s too sudden…”

“Am I bothering you?”

“Not necessarily…”

“It’s decided then. Nice to meet you, Nukumizu-kun.”

I feel like Himemiya has an overwhelmingly holy aura. …She’s a little different from Yanami, but I can’t tell which is.

Then, Himemiya-san looked around and leaned forward slightly.

Her long hair is swaying in the wind. I can smell a perfume-like scent right away.

“Well, since Nukumizu-kun is already my friend, do you feel Anna has been weird lately?”

“...Weird? Do you mean Yanami-san?”

Even though that girl is always weird, something must have happened when she says this, right?

Himemiya nodded and answered adorably. “Yes.”

“It’s because Anna only bought 12 instead of 15 takoyaki at the station recently.”

Isn’t that still a lot?

But I remained silent instead of complaining. Himemiya-san continued in a worrisome tone.

“Anna has been rejecting free extra serves when we’re eating with her, you know? Isn’t this very strange? She’s definitely lacking energy.”

That’s probably because the Yanami-style weight loss method she proposed in the summer failed, right? But Yanami’s appetite has been the same as usual when she’s with me…

I thought about Yanami’s eating habits. Himemiya-san lowered her head depressedly.

“...Ugh, I feel like I’m the only one talking non-stop.”

“Ah, …well…”

Glad you’re aware of it.

Forget about that. She seems to have said something that I mind.

“Have you been hanging out a lot with Yanami-san recently?”

“We’ve been hanging out tons after entering the second semester, you know? Does Nukumizu-kun want to join too?”

“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant.”

Himemiya-san’s eyes bulged after hearing my answer.

“Eh, it’s because Anna and Nukumizu-kun are in the same club. So, I thought you two were very close.”

I don’t know whether we’re close, but you two will definitely bring other friends when hanging out. Throwing myself in there is absolutely not a good decision. I’m staunchly against standing in the way of yuri.

“I think it’ll be awkward if I go…”

“Hey, don’t worry about that.”

Himemiya-san chuckled.

“In contrast, I’m more worried about how Anna is doing now. I think Anna will be pleased if Nukumizu-kun can come too.”

She would be more pleased with meat rolls or rice balls than me, right?

“I think Yanami-san should be thinking about herself a lot too. Why not just treat her as usual?”

With that, I subtly turned my head toward Himemiya-san and observed her.

…This person is indeed adorable.

Not just taller than Yanami, but every part of her body is very slim and delicate. A certain part is much more massive than Yanami’s. The others look brighter and more charming too.

At this moment, Himemiya-san also turned around and stared at me.

“W-What’s wrong…?”

“Hoho, you’re indeed very observant about Anna.”

“Should I say it’s observation or simply the fact that she enters my sight a lot?”

“Nukumizu-kun, I’ve heard from Anna that you’re very kind. It looks like I’m right.”

After that, Himemiya-san chuckled.

We are already in front of the classroom. I sighed in relief for some reason.

A girl is blocking the door when we’re about to head inside.

“Ah, the 4K-”

Nope, it’s Yanami. I accidentally spurted that out. Yanami turned around and raised her eyebrows.

“4K?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

“You’re with Karen-chan. What a rare combination.”

Yanami said that as I handed her the stage curtains.

“Hoho, he helped me carry these after a coincidence, right?”

Himemiya-san closed one of her eyes and winked at me.

Yanami doesn’t understand the mood shared by the two of us only. She seems bewildered.

“Ugh, whatever. By the way, Nonomura-san is looking for you, Nukumizu-kun. I guess it’s about your task, right?”

Nonomura-san…? She should be a girl in the same small gadget group as I do, right?

I looked around the classroom. Nonomura-san is yelling in her deep voice from afar.

“...Nukumizu-kun, we’re about to start the discussion.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Nonomura-san turned around before I even answered.

Even though she’s the tallest girl and stands out the most in our class, no one seems to notice her. I can feel a resonance between us.

“Thanks for helping me again!”

“Well, bye bye, Nukumizu-kun.”

After the “12K in total” group left. I followed Nonomura-san to the corner of the classroom. The gadget group gathered around in chairs.

There are 4 people, including me. Even though the other two are also boys, they aren’t standing out, just as I thought.

Nonomura-san looked at the info in her hand and started explaining listlessly.

“...Let’s start the explanation since everyone is here. These are the small gadgets we need for Street Halloween. Please tape the printed illustrations onto the cardboard and crop them off with knives. Here is the list of things we need to make and the materials. Please complete the tasks on Friday morning.

She finished that in one go. Nonomura-san soon took her share of materials and stood up. The other two also took their stuff silently and returned to their seats.

The rationalism is overflowing here. After experiencing the Himemiya Realm, I feel relieved, as if I’m in my home right now.

I also returned to my seat and checked the list.

We need 5 spider and bat nests and 10 pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns.

“So many pumpkins…”

I guess Yanami’s suggestion has been accepted. It has to be.

I tried making one. In the end, I think my pumpkin is quite cute.

Alright, let’s finish the rest back home. Komari will get feisty if I don’t go to the club room now.

I loaded the materials into my bag and stood up.

I peeked at the small gadget group when I headed out of the classroom. Everyone is working on their seat silently.

…This group is so quiet.