Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e - Volume 4.5 - Chapter SS4

Swimsuit SS: Kushida Kikyo

That girl was getting a lot of attention from everyone. 
“Kikyo-chan, since you still don’t have a boyfriend, what do you think about dating me?” 
A male student approached the young lady and told her sweet words. 
It’ looked exactly like a scene of hitting on someone in the beach during summer. 
“Ahaha, I might not have a boyfriend yet… but I’m not the type of person who’s that popular.” 
Even though she answered using socially polite words, the truth is, she is very popular among the guys. No matter who they are, she always treats them brightly and gently. This is the speciality of the girl called Kushida Kikyo. 
“I’m sorry, Ayanokouji-kun. These situations where I get talked are happening a lot.” 
Kushida told me this with a bitter smile while looking bewildered. 
I was spending with this popular person –Kushida, the last day of the summer vacation. More precisely, we weren’t just 2 people, but the group included Ike and Horikita and the others, who had come to play to the swimming pool. 
It was just that when I acted alone, I got the opportunity to spend time alone with Kushida by chance. Kushida came at the corner of the pool and sat down. She only introduced her feet in the pool. 
“Ayanokouji-kun, do you also want to copy me?” 
“No, it’s okay.” 
“It’s going to be the 2nd term soon~.” 
“…Yeah.” 
My answer to these commonly used lines in conversations were extremely short, totally in the line of someone with bad social skills like me.  
If my vocabulary were richer, then I could brighten the atmosphere… 
Among the girls I’m acquainted with in the school, I’m constantly unable to get rid of my nervousness with Kushida. 
Kushida not only hates Horikita, but she also hates me. 
Even so, I’m still unable to get rid of the feeling of nervousness. It’s probably as simple as I treat her as someone of the opposite sex. 
As for whether I like her romantically, I’m unable to deny that this situation isn’t one step away from that feeling. 
If I were to be confessed by her, I would certainly accept her confession –even though it’s not very likely to happen. 

“In fact, Kushida, you are very popular.” 
I didn’t intend to say it, but I inadvertently did it. 
Although I said it with a low voice, but it still reached Kushida’s ears. She looked at me with an incredible expression. 
“I’m not popular. Not at all.” 
“No, you have just been confessed a moment ago.” 
“That wasn’t much a confession as… it was sort of an extension of the greeting?” 
So recently, youngsters sneak confessions in their extended greetings. I totally believe I will never be able to say those words with an indifferent face, until the day I die. 
“Ayanokouji-kun, you are placed very high in the secret rankings, you must’ve been confessed, right?” 
“There has never been any indication of that.” 
Who has ranked me so high? I can’t imagine it. 
“For example, like Horikita.” 
“Eh?” 
“No, I was thinking if you have received Horikita-san’s confession.” 
I believe I had revealed an incredible and difficult to understand expression that came from the bottom of my heart. 
“That’s impossible. Whether it’s her confessing to me, or me confessing to her.” 
I denied it bluntly. Why would Kushida ask me that? 
Sometimes, I don’t really understand this Kushida girl. 
Kushida immediately detected the changing atmosphere and said this while shaking her head a bit. 
“Forget about my previous words. I’m sorry.” 
“It’s not a big deal.” 
I didn’t know why but I was unable to keep looking at Kushida’s face when I talked to her. 
Until the rest of my friends came to talk to me, Kushida and I watched silently the waving surface of the swimming pool.