You Always Use That to Bully Me

Imai Keita let out a silent sigh in his heart.

To be honest, watching someone fail in real time like this never brought him any joy, no matter how many times he witnessed it.

Especially when the girl who lost… looked almost exactly like the one standing beside him, as if they came from the same mold.

He glanced at Yanaimi Anna and found her staring at the defeated figure in the classroom with a mixture of sympathy and schadenfreude.

Then, on Anna’s pretty face, a gentle, benevolent smile appeared—
The kind that said: “As your senior in losing, allow me to guide you.”

The moment Keita saw that smile, his heart gave a heavy thud.

A bad feeling washed over him.

Sure enough—

The next second, Anna took a step forward and started walking straight toward Shiozome Lemon.

Her posture practically radiated:
“Ah, you poor thing. Let your senior comfort you.”

“Hey, wait!”

Keita grabbed her wrist before she could take a second step.

He pulled her back beside him and only then released her.

“What are you doing, Imai?!”

Anna spun around, glaring at him in protest.

“Didn’t you see? Lemon, she—”

“I saw.”

Keita cut her off, his voice calm as he asked:

“So, what exactly are you planning to do if you go over there now?”

“That’s a question!”

Anna puffed up proudly, chest out.

“Lemon is also a loser now!
As someone of the same kind, of course I have to go talk to her about feelings!
And maybe share some tips on being a loser!”

Listening to this grand “Defeated Girl Declaration,” Keita felt a dull throb growing at his temples.

He pressed a hand against his forehead and looked at Anna as if she were an idiot.

“You’d better not go over there and make things worse.”

“Make things worse?! I’m trying to care about her!”

“Then should I remind you—”

Keita’s voice remained calm.

“When you got dumped at the family restaurant, what kind of state were you in?”

“I…”

All of Anna’s momentum deflated instantly.

“At that time, imagine some ‘senior loser’ suddenly running over to you, patting your shoulder saying ‘I understand, I was like that too,’ then lecturing you about their own tragic past…”

Keita looked at her and asked slowly:

“Would you have felt comforted?
Or would you have wanted her to shut up and get lost?”

Anna froze completely.

Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

She couldn’t deny it.

Back then, all she wanted was someone unrelated to dump her emotions onto—
Not someone to lecture her about ‘life lessons’.

“…Fine.”

Anna finally gave in reluctantly.

But she muttered one last protest under her breath:

“Then I’ll just go… gently check on her? That’s okay, right?”

“Let it go.”

Keita rejected the idea without hesitation.

He stepped aside and motioned down the hallway.

“Come on. Let’s go to the Literature Club.”

He paused.

Then, with a teasing tone, added:

“Or do you want me to ‘gently’ remind you how you ‘checked on’ me at the family restaurant?”

“W–we’re going! We’re going now!”

Anna puffed up like a deflated balloon and shuffled after him, grumbling.

“Stupid Imai… always using that to bully me…”

…

When the two of them arrived at the Literature Club room, the door was unlocked.

Keita pushed it open, and a familiar scent of old books mixed with tea drifted toward them.

Inside, Vice President Tsukinogi Koto was holding a cup of tea, smiling warmly as she chatted with Komari Chika.

Seeing them enter, Koto looked up with her usual gentle smile.

“Oh, Imai-kun, Yanaimi-san, welcome.”

Koto greeted them naturally.

Komari stiffened reflexively but quickly lowered her head and nodded timidly in greeting.

“Hello, senpai. Hi, Komari-chan.”

Anna responded cheerfully, setting her bag down and accepting the tea Koto handed her.

“By the way, Yanaimi-san,”

Koto turned to her with a tone full of anticipation.

“How was yesterday’s visit? Interested in joining our Literature Club?”

“Mm.
I think it’s pretty nice.”

Anna nodded, then grinned playfully.

“If you can guarantee free tea and snacks every day, I might consider it.”

“Of course that’s no problem!”

Koto slapped her chest confidently.

“As long as we still have club funds, tea and snacks will never run out!”

“By the way, the president isn’t here yet?”

Anna looked around curiously.

Just as she finished speaking—

The clubroom door, which hadn’t been fully closed, was suddenly pulled open.

A tall boy with a gentle air appeared at the doorway.

“Oh? Sure is lively today.”

It was Tamaki Shintarou, the club president, a third-year student.

He looked pleasantly surprised at the number of people present.

“Yo, Imai, Koto, Komari—everyone’s here.”

He greeted everyone naturally before turning his gaze toward Anna, the unfamiliar face.

“So you’re the Yanaimi-san Koto mentioned? Welcome, welcome.”

“Nice to meet you, president.”

Anna greeted politely.

“I heard you’re thinking of joining?”

Tamaki’s eyes lit up with joy.

“Yes, that’s the plan.”

“That’s wonderful!”

He reacted even more excitedly than Koto.

He hurried to a cabinet in the corner, pulled it open, and rummaged around.

Finally, he lifted something out—

A paper crown made from colorful cardboard.

“This is the Literature Club’s traditional welcome item!”

He held the slightly shabby crown reverently and presented it to Anna.

“Welcome to the club!”

“…Eh?!”

Anna stared at the crown, expression a mix of surprise and disbelief.

“Joining a club… comes with this?”

“Wait a second,” Keita interjected.

“Last time I came, why didn’t I get this treatment?”

“Oh, that’s because…”

Tamaki rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

“The crown was broken back then. I only finished repairing it recently.”

That explanation contained so many problems that Keita didn’t even know where to start.

Anna tried not to laugh as she accepted the crown, placed it on her head briefly, then gently put it down.

“By the way, President.”

Keita remembered the favor.

“Ayano Koki from Class D wants to borrow the complete works of Abe Kōbō. Is that okay?”

“Ayano?
Ah, that smart glasses kid.”

Koto answered in Tamaki’s place.

“No problem. As long as he returns it on time.”

“Got it. I’ll let him know.”

Just as Tamaki was about to discuss club activities—

Komari, who had been silently sitting in the corner, suddenly stood up with uncharacteristic resolve.

She rushed in front of him.

“P–President!”

Her voice trembled from nervousness, but her eyes were filled with determination.

“T-the book…
the one you recommended before…
I—I finished reading it!
It was… really, really good!”

Her face immediately turned bright red as she bowed her head, clutching her sleeves tightly.

Tamaki smiled warmly, touched by her earnest effort.

“Is that so?
I’m glad you liked it.
You really do have great taste, Komari.”

“The author has several other good works.
I’ll recommend them to you next time.”

“Mm!”

Komari nodded vigorously, face glowing with joy.

Keita looked at the scene—
Then at Koto, whose gentle smile never wavered while her eyes subtly observed the two.

He quietly leaned closer to Anna and whispered in a voice only she could hear:

“I finally understand.”

“Understand what?”

Anna whispered back.

Keita let out a long, defeated sigh.

“The same story…
is about to play out right in front of me for the third time.
Three times!
Three!”