6 I am Legend

This was the story of a normal high school boy, who opted to help his friend to chase the feeling of love(?).

He was determined to help him out of kindness (definitely not money) and bring them together as a couple.

However...

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Mendou: [That said, even I don't know what to do.]

Najimi: [Very reliable. I have a very nice friend.]

Mendou: [Your tone will not fool anyone, you bastard——]

It was the next day and everyone in the class had already acquainted themselves with everyone.

The teacher hasn't arrived yet, and so we all continued to chat as the first minute of the supposed class went by.

I had to talk to Najimi about my experiences with relationships being zero.

It wasn't that I didn't have the chance to, but it was given to me many times before but I refused.

Mendou: [All I could just tell you to do is to invite her to the back of the school, just like what you did with me, and confess your love for her. It's that simple!]

Najimi: [You sounded like someone with a lot of experience in that aspect. Was I wrong?]

Mendou: [W-Wait, really?!]

Najimi: [Yes. You said you do read a lot of romcom comics and those things you call your——]

Mendou: [ALRIGHT! THAT'S ENOUGH!]

I quickly covered the idiot's mouth with a notebook, safely avoiding a topic that I wouldn't want to be discussed.

I'm a man, and so of course I have those desires, unlike this uncultured bastard!

Mendou: [Ehem... Anyways! I might not be able to help you by giving out advice derived from experiences, but I can give you plausible suggestions you can try.]

Opening the same notebook that I had slammed his face with before, I drew three boxes with each suggestion inside of it.

One was [Confess and experience it yourself.]

Two was [I can make a love potion and make her fall in love with you.]

And three was [Give up.]

Najimi: [Number two is unethical. Why did you even think of it? You're a terrible person. Terrible.]

Mendou: [H-Hey! That was just suggestions!]

Najimi's words hit like a truck, training my image as the kind young boy who's helping with his love.

Yet, I'm not even sure if this guy is in love, so I specifically made these suggestions to see what he would choose.

At first, he refused to confess to her when we talked before, but now that's going to be his most sane answer in this selection.

If he gives up, that means his love is shallow, and if he even considers the love potion, that's not good.

So, in reality, this isn't about actually knowing his intentions, but I'm forcing him to do it!

Mendou: [So, what will it be? Hurry up, or the teacher might come!]

I'm not giving him any time to think! Just say that you will confess instead!

Though, I can recall that his brother told him to not associate himself with Hoshoujo, when did I even listen to his family?

Najimi: [Hmm. I'll answer it later.]

Mendou: [Haaa?! Are you kidding me?!]

Najimi just straightened his seat up and acted properly. This idiot thinks he just outsmarted me.

Heh. I'll try to budge him in.

Mendou: [Oh? So, you're chickening out now, huh? Don't worry.]

Najimi: [...]

Mendou: [The old geezer for a teacher won't come anytime sooner! So, tell me your answer or I'll—Wait, did the room just get a lot quieter or...]

Slowly, there was a shadow that was cast on me. This silhouette was familiar to me, and somehow, I knew who it was immediately.

I turned slowly to face the figure behind me.

It was a well-built body of an old man, his biceps and triceps were building bulging as if ready to explode.

He was holding a folded fan paper in one hand as his extreme aura overwhelmed me.

Teacher: [Old geezer, huh?]

Mendou: [T-That was just a joke. Right, Najimi?]

I turned to ask Najimi for help, but he stared right into my eyes and displayed a thumbs up.

This bastard is enjoying this.

Teacher: [Are you prepared for what is next?]

Mendou: [...For what?]

I looked at the right part of the classroom, but as I saw everyone's faces. They were all looking at me and saluted.

Teacher: [——This.]

The teacher raised his large arm, arming the folded paper fan.

Mendou: [OWWWWWWW!]

Just like a decapitation, my head was slammed on by it like a decapitation.

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Mendou: [Aw. My scalp feels like falling. I can't believe that's corporal punishment. That's abuse!]

Najimi: [If you didn't call him an old geezer, things might have been a little different.]

Once again, we were at the cafeteria. Najimi deliberately didn't bring his school lunch again, and when he was asked before by our classmates back in the room, he lied about forgetting it.

It was the first time I saw him lie naturally. Maybe it was just me, or I felt like I saw my son growing up to do bad things.

Mendou: [So. I'm still waiting for that answer.]

Najimi: [...]

I asked him again. I was still holding the notebook and opened it up for him to see.

My food was already halfway finished while he wasn't even touched the slightest. He was just sitting there, looking somewhere else.

Mendou: [Where are you looking...?]

I turned to face where he was looking, but as I noticed everyone, they were looking in the same direction.

Mendou: [Oh? It's Hoshoujo-san.]

It was Hoshoujo, standing in the middle of the cafeteria, looking lost as she reluctantly looked at the corridors.

Hoshoujo wouldn't be here for lunch since she would always have a packed lunch since day one, and with people speaking of rumors about her family being strict, I doubt that she forgot hers.

Mendou: [Looks like she's lost.]

It was just my observation as she was reluctant on asking for a fellow student or teacher that passed her by.

It was an opportunity for Najimi.

Mendou: [Hey. You should——]

However, as I turned, Najimi was already nowhere to be found. He was gone like a bubble, but as I turned again to look at Hoshoujo, Najimi was already there.

I should be proud of him for taking the initiative, but I'm also annoyed that he didn't even at least hear me out for advice.

Mendou: [That guy! Always doing what he wants!]

In any case, this was a good progression. I didn't have to do anything.

Najimi: [Are you lost?]

Hoshoujo: [O-Oh. Yes. I'm trying to find my way to the library.]

Hoshoujo smiled at Najimi naturally. I didn't see Najimi show any reaction to that but he had always been like that.

He's very good at suppressing his face to have a neutral expression.

Najimi: [I see. Then, let me lead the way.]

Everyone was looking at their interactions, and gossip and whispers went around the cafeteria, but somehow, I remembered that Najimi's brother strictly told him not to associate himself with Hoshoujo.

I just remembered, and I don't usually do this but...

Mendou: [It's time everyone forgot that.]

I pulled a nerdy square glasses and a book out of my magic pocket, wearing them and fixing my hair to look like an otaku.

I went above my table and pulled out my phone.

I had the most attention-seeking thing to shout to lure their attention away from them.

Mendou: [I FINALLY GOT CHARIZARD!]

I raised my phone and screamed as loud as I can, gaining everyone's attention. They all exploded into laughter after that but I was able to slip out and follow the two afterward.

It was at the school library, and with Najimi leading her inside, he was also explaining everything about it, from the aisle and the categories it had.

It was a first for me to see him actively speak and it was all the more surprising that he knew everything about this library when we haven't been in this school for a week.

Maybe he just knows the pattern, but for him to act like this library was his home was something I didn't know.

It's fine that he's the only one speaking but, if it's only about the library...

Mendou: [YOU'RE NOT A DAMN TOUR GUIDE!]

[——SHHH!]

Oops. I accidentally let out my thoughts. The readers from the tables hushed me out of my hat.

Finally, they both stopped at a table and sat. However, they both just pulled out books and began to read.

They weren't engaging in a conversation but, as one's eyes went to read, the other looked at the other. It was a cycle between them.

This is boring for me to watch from behind the library shelves.

Mendou: [Huh? What's this?]

However, I noticed a book that was covered in a case that had a keyhole. It was like one of those things you see in mystery treasure hunting movies.

Mendou: [Heh. There's nothing my safety pin cannot unlock!]

With my not-suspicious pick locking skill, I easily unlocked the book.

However, instead of a normal book, inside of it was a photo album of a girl.

Mendou: [What the... why is this here?]

I flipped the pages more and more, but as I did the background in the pictures of the girl became familiar.

It was the school grounds. It seems like these images were taken from around here.

However, the pages became closer and closer to the library, and then most of them were taken in the library.

I skipped everything and went to the last photo, but as soon as I saw it, I immediately saw another kid who was a boy.

There was no mistake.

Mendou: [Najimi?]

It was Najimi when he was young, and beside him was a girl. They were both on a table beside a window in the library.

This felt like deja vu for me, but as realized it, I began to compare the image to what was happening right now.

This image was taken at the same spot where Hoshoujo and Najimi were sitting.

Everything was making sense now. It all adds up!

Najimi has always been in this place before since he was a kid, that's why he knows a lot about this place!

And for Hoshoujo...

It could only mean that they had already met before.

This was a discovery that I found by myself. A mystery solved within seconds.

I'm amazing, aren't I?

Mendou: [WAAAAAAAAA——!]

Librarian: [...Please, curb your fetishes inside the library.]

I accidentally let out a weird noise while looking at the picture. I wasn't admiring the kids in it, but I was trying to admire myself for deducing things that quick.

I wanted to explain that to the librarian, but her face tells me she wouldn't believe it anyways.

Mendou: [I-I'm sorry.]

It was the day when rumors of a four-eyes lolicon otaku were roaming the school grounds of Yamamori Academy.