Love Trials of the Introverted

Chapter 11

"Do you want to stop by a café on your way home, Kikyo-chan?"

"All right, un! Let's go!" But wait a minute. "I'd like to ask one more person."

Kushida approached Horikita while placing a book in her purse after inviting one of her female friends.

"Horikita-san. I'm heading to the café with a friend; would you want to join me?"

"I'm not willing to engage in such activities whatsoever."

'And just like that Kushida gets brutally shot down once again.'

This has been a rather common occurrence for the past couple of weeks at school. Kushida would without any hesitation go to invite Horikita and would get rebuked.

'She sure is shameless. She doesn't even lie and say that she has plans for the day.'

"Is that so... Maybe next time then?"

Despite the quick rejection Kushida still had a smile on her face that didn't waver even in the face of the callous words coming from Horikita. She turned from facing Horikita's desk to mine before addressing me.

"What about you Ayanokouji-kun? Do you want to come to the café with me?"

"No it's fine, besides I'd feel out of place with there being an extra person there especially since I don't know who they are."

"Well if you come with us and you get to know her then that wouldn't be a problem anymore now would it? What do you think of that Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Sorry but I should've just opened up with this but I already have plans later today."

"Oh? What are they if you don't mind me asking?"

Despite wearing the same friendly smile I could feel a little bit of pressure behind her words as she was trying to glean some information on me.

'I should be careful with what I say next.'

"I was going to exchange some library books with a friend. They were going to let me borrow the books they checked out."

"Well that shouldn't take too long. You could easily come with me to the café afterwards couldn't you?"

"I usually spend my time with my friend and read books together with them. I'd rather not cancel our plans since we don't meet too often. It'd be pretty cruel to just cancel on them like that out of nowhere."

"Yeah you're right I'd feel pretty bad if I did that to one of my friends too. So who is this mystery friend you have, Ayanokouji-kun? Maybe we could all go to the café together and you two can just sit and read together."

"Sorry they're pretty shy so I don't think that'll work. They're shyer than me if you can believe it. While I'd be uncomfortable with the situation I'd be afraid they'd pass out."

"Is that so? Hm...what is the name of your friend Ayanokouji-kun? Actually you've kept their gender a mystery too. Oh! Don't tell me! Is this a secret girlfriend that you're trying to keep secret! Who is it? Who is it? You gotta tell me!"

Kushida's excitement began to build to a crescendo in front of me as she misinterpreted my carefulness in not revealing my friend's identity as me trying to hide a significant other.

'How did she even come to that conclusion anyway? Who'd want to date someone like me? Even I can see my flaws with how anti-social I am. The only person I could ask would be Horikita but if I did that I expect either a verbal lashing to last a lifetime that she would somehow manage to condense into 20 minutes or me eating a right hook of hers. Either option seemed just as equally likely.'