School is a boring place.

We’re supposed to spend half the day studying, and if someone says that’s a student’s duty, then sure, that’s the end of it… but since most students hate studying to begin with, feeling bored is only natural.

The time I find most boring is the short breaks wedged between classes. There are plenty of ways to kill time—reviewing, prepping for the next lesson, chatting with friends—but I usually just spend them pretending to sleep.

However, I’m not actually sleepy. I’m just pretending to sleep because there’s nothing else to do… Well, since even that pretending has gotten boring now, I rest my chin on my hand and vaguely look around the classroom.

The boys are yelling and messing around like always, the girls are shrieking and laughing like it’s the greatest thing ever…

The same unchanging daily life plays out in front of me.

In the center of that classroom, a group that stands out even more than others. If I were to use an old-fashioned term, they’re the ones ruling over the school caste hierarchy.

First, there are the beautiful gyaru girls, led by Sakurada Nagisa-san, who holds the central spot in the gyaru group.

Blonde hair, brown hair, accessories from who-knows-what brands jingling everywhere, loosened uniforms—every one of them has a flashy appearance and an overwhelming need to stand out.

However, among all of them, the one who stands out the most is actually a single girl wearing her uniform in the completely ordinary, unaltered way, without trying to make any statement at all.

That is Fuyunagi Shizuku-san.

She’s a black-haired girl with a calm, composed demeanor and a mature air about her—someone who gives off the kind of impression where a word like “pure,” which you’d normally only hear in fiction, fits her perfectly.

Plus, she has large breasts and a good figure.

It sounds like I’m just repeating the exact same description I used earlier, but I can’t think of any wording more fitting than this, so please forgive me for that.

Her captivating beauty draws many confessions from boys, and apparently, the number has already reached a point where even both hands can’t count them all. However, there’s someone who finally succeeded in confessing and became her boyfriend. That is Sado Kengo-kun, the handsome guy sitting next to her now.

He’s tall, good-looking, part of the soccer club, and his grades are above average. He’s a refreshing, handsome guy without any complaints.

Plus, he has exceptional communication skills and doesn’t draw lines between extroverts and introverts.

A truly impeccable person.

Everyone is praising them as an ideal couple.

“Oh? Staring at Fuyunagi-san again? Cut it out, cut it out! She’s way too much of an unattainable flower for you, y’know?”

“I’m not looking at her or anything.”

“Don’t act tough! Don’t act tough, man! I already know!!”

“Know what…?”

It was Kato, one of my classmates, who approached me with the kind of energy you’d expect from a textbook “protagonist’s best friend” character.

He’s the annoying type who went and formed some “Unpopular Men’s Club” without asking, acting all buddy-buddy with me like we’re comrades in misery.

“Fuyunagi-san really is insanely beautiful… Man, I’m jealous of Sado, that bastard.”

“If you’re gonna say that much, then go confess to her yourself.”

“I’m just a useless background character. If I confessed, she’d probably politely decline. I’m the type who doesn’t chase dreams.”

“Are you sure? Maybe she would accept you?”

“Ha! There’s no way Fuyunagi-san—who’s practically the human embodiment of the word pure—would ever do something that dishonest!”

“…Yeah… well… it’d be nice if that were true…”

“Ughhh, I want a girlfriend too—someone stupidly gorgeous, like from another dimension!”

“Then what about the class rep? She’s pretty too, right?”

“Ah, Natsume-san? She seems kinda scary…”

Natsume Kano.

She is our class president and while not as beautiful as Fuyunagi-san, she is definitely a beauty.

However, due to her efficiency-oriented nature, she has a rigid mindset that doesn’t allow for flexibility, which results in her not being very popular among boys.

“I’d take a calm, pure, and composed beauty like Fuyunagi-san over a scary girl like the class rep any day!! I wanna be her boyfriend and fool around all lovey-dovey with a girl like that!!”

He’s dreaming up something so convenient it makes me jealous…

Well, people are free to dream whatever they want.

I used to be able to play along with his stupid fantasies without a care… at least until I saw her true nature.

Reality is cruel.

Anyway, the one thing I really can’t let happen is this guy finding out that Fuyunagi-san and I are secretly dating.

Considering both of our social circles, her suggestion that we keep our relationship secret at school is something I can’t deny makes sense.

Thinking about such things, we look towards Fuyunagi-san.

“Geez, Shizuku! Snagging such a high-spec guy as your boyfriend—aren’t you sneaky!”

“Seriously! You really went for it!”

“Come on, that’s not true. I was simply moved by Sado-kun’s sincerity and honesty, that’s all.”

“Ugh! Shizuku is too cute~”

“Please don’t tease me anymore!”

“I’m really happy to hear you say that, Fuyunagi-san!”

“I-I’m just saying what I honestly think, that’s all.”

“F-Fuyunagi-san… I really… really like you!”

“You two are way too lovey-dovey! Right, Nagisa?”

“…Yeah… definitely lovey-dovey…”

“Man, they’re really showing off! This steamy couple, seriously!”

“It’s way too hot just around those two! For real!”

“……”

“Facts.”

“Facts~!”

The loud, high-energy top-of-the-social-ladder crowd kept hyping each other up.

Seriously, their energy is always way too high.

“Damn it~ If I were in the soccer club and handsome with good grades, there would’ve been a chance, right? What do you think?”

“You’re too loud. Even if you’ve got a good-looking face, that desperate attitude of yours ruins everything, y’know?”

“That’s cruel… I’m hurt! You’re treating me to snacks after school now!”

“Why would I? I’ve got plans today.”

“We members of the Unpopular Alliance don’t have plans, remember?”

“Having plans has nothing to do with being unpopular.”

While we were wasting time on pointless chatter, the warning bell rang, and my annoying friend headed back to his seat.

Sigh…

He’s not a bad guy, just a bit of a hassle.

And if he ever found out about my secret relationship with Fuyunagi Shizuku-san, I can already see my life becoming even more of a disaster.

Homeroom began as our teacher walked into the classroom. I barely listened to his pointless talk and got ready for the next class.

Then the phone in my desk vibrated softly.

When I checked it, there was a LINE message from Fuyunagi-san.

“I’m going on a quick date with Sado-kun after school today! I’ll stop by Taku-chan’s house afterward, so wait for me, okay?”

That’s what it said.

After going on a date with her handsome boyfriend, what does she even want from someone like me?

I’ll probably never understand what she really thinks… now or ever.

Probably… forever… surely…