I’ve Seen This Plot Before

The next day, the bell signaling the end of afternoon classes rang.

The classroom instantly filled with various kinds of chatter, but Imai Keita was already used to it and calmly packed his bag at his usual pace.

For him, waiting until most students had cleared out before leaving had long become a habit.

That way, he could avoid the congestion created by the “sunny-type social creatures” gathering around the shoe lockers.

Even though he now had some form of connection with Yanaimi Anna, he had no intention of changing this habit for the time being.

Just as he zipped up his bag, ready to head to the literature clubroom in the west building, a figure suddenly appeared at the front door of the classroom and walked straight toward him.

“Hey, Imai, if I remember correctly, you’re a member of the Literature Club, right?”

Imai Keita looked up to see a boy wearing black-rimmed glasses and sporting a clean, short gray haircut.

The boy looked at him with an inquisitive expression.

This boy was Ayano Koki from Class D next door—someone who attended the same middle school and even the same cram school as him.

“Yeah, what’s up, Ayano?”

Keita nodded, wondering what he wanted.

“That’s perfect!”

Ayano Koki showed a bright, polite smile as he explained his reason for coming.

“I heard from the teacher that your Literature Club seems to have the complete works of Abe Kōbō.
Could I borrow them sometime?”

Abe Kōbō?

Keita’s mind flashed to the ceiling-high bookshelf in the literature clubroom.

He hadn’t examined the pure literature section closely, but if the teacher said so, it was probably true.

Although he doubted the club president and vice president would care much about lending books, Keita didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble.

“I think it should be okay, but I’ll ask the president or vice president for confirmation first.”

“Of course.”

Ayano nodded understandingly.

“Thanks for helping me check. Really appreciate it.”

He thanked him politely and turned to leave.

However—

Just as he turned around, another energetic figure seemingly materialized out of nowhere and blocked his path perfectly.

“Koki! Wait a second!”

The newcomer was none other than the athletic girl, Shiozome Lemon.

She seemed to have just finished track club practice, still carrying the mixed scent of sweat and deodorant spray.

“Our track practice ended early today!
Wanna go try that new crepe place near the station?”

Her eyes sparkled with undisguised excitement.

Keita leaned back in his chair and watched this classic “after-school invitation” unfold.

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

These so-called “sunny-types” always unleashed incredible momentum when approaching someone they liked.

But at the same time, they almost always ignored the feelings of people around them.

Yanaimi Anna was like that.

Shiozome Lemon was like that.

The difference was—
After being “trained” by Anna’s antics recently, he had developed some resistance to this type of trouble.

He could even faintly smell the familiar scent of… defeat radiating from Shiozome.

“Sorry, Lemon.”

Koki looked apologetic at her enthusiastic invitation and pressed his palms together apologetically.

“I have cram school tonight. I have to head out now.”

“Ehhh—”

Shiozome’s cheeks puffed up instantly, like a squirrel whose nut had been stolen.

“We’re only in our first year! You don’t have to work so hard! If you study too much your brain gets stupid, you know.”

“I think you’re the one who needs more studying.”

Koki teased with a smile.

“At this rate, you really might get held back during finals.”

“Uuugh… So annoying!”

The two continued their playful banter, showing no signs of wrapping up.

Meanwhile, Keita — stuck behind them with no way out — exhaled silently, completely out of patience.

If he waited for these two to finish flirting, Komari Chika might finish her book, close the clubroom and go home before he even arrived.

They left too quickly yesterday — he totally forgot to ask Komari for a spare clubroom key…

Keita stood up, casually lifting his bag with one hand, and spoke in a deadpan tone:

“Um… excuse me, can I get through?”

His voice wasn’t loud, but in the small bubble created by their flirting, it sounded unexpectedly clear.

“Ah!”

Shiozome suddenly snapped out of her excitement and turned around.

When she saw Keita, her expression instantly became one of “Oops, I totally forgot you existed.”

“Sorry sorry, Imai-kun!
Didn’t notice you at all!
I’ll move!”

She hurriedly shuffled aside, opening a narrow passageway.

Keita stepped out from his desk, and while passing through the room, he subtly waved toward another corner.

Yanaimi Anna—
Who had already packed her bag and was chatting casually with a friend—noticed the signal.

She blinked in surprise, then immediately showed an expression that said, “Ah, I get it.”

From the moment Shiozome appeared, half her attention had already drifted toward them.

She continued to chat with her friend absentmindedly while using the corner of her eye to observe her “boyfriend” being blocked by the sporty girl.

After successfully pushing her friend to leave, Anna grabbed her bag and hurried to catch up with Keita.

“Let’s go.”

With perfect timing, the two slipped past the still-bickering Lemon and Koki and exited through the back door.

But just as they stepped out—

Another slim girl in the Shirotsuyu High uniform appeared before them.

“Good afternoon, Imai-kun.”

She, too, seemed surprised to encounter him here.

Keita nodded politely.

“Asagumo-san, afternoon.”

Back when they attended the same cram school, Asagumo Chihaya and Ayano Koki were star students in the advanced class, often seen discussing problems together.

“Mm.”

Chihaya responded with a gentle smile, not engaging in small talk, and stepped aside to make room for them.

Then her gaze went past Keita and Anna toward the classroom, where Koki and Lemon were still talking.

With a warm, affectionate tone, she called out:

“Koki, if you don’t leave now, you’ll be late for cram school.”

“Ah, Chihaya!
Coming!”

Koki sighed helplessly when he heard her voice, told Lemon goodbye, and quickly joined Chihaya.

“Sorry for the wait, Chihaya.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go.”

She naturally took the bag from his hand, and the two walked toward the stairs side by side.

At the classroom door, Shiozome Lemon stood there blankly, watching their backs fade into the distance.

Her expression slowly shifted from excitement… to disappointment.

Keita took in the entire scene from the hallway.

He looked at the gloomy aura surrounding the athletic girl…

Then glanced at Anna, whose face clearly read: “Ah. I think… I understand now.”

Same scene.

Same overconfident childhood-friend romance.

Same oblivious girl losing her crush to a stronger “fall-from-the-sky” type.

Ah.

I literally just saw this storyline recently.

Seriously, who’s writing the script for Earth Online?

Can’t they at least change the template?