My Short-term Goals

"Excuse me," I said, picking Tsugumi up in a princess carry.

"Nhn...?" Tsugumi still dazed, judging by her reaction.

I walked to the entrance alley. "We'll get out of here first before calling the authorities."

Tsugumi didn't respond. After I went out, I notified the authorities of the situation via phone. Walking to the nearest police station would take longer.

I stashed my phone in my pocket after finishing, then turned back to Tsugumi. She had regained some of her composure. "We'll wait for them to arrive, that shouldn't take long. Your wound needs further treatment."

"That's..." she didn't seem thrilled, shaking her head. "...I'm sorry, I couldn't. I must get back to school as soon as possible."

"Why?"

"...It's none of your business."

"They'll just do the same thing when they see your condition, you realize?"

Tsugumi groaned. She couldn't deny it.

She didn't say anything again. I assumed that means she would wait along.

I took a quick look at her clothes. "While we're waiting for them to arrive, I have something to ask... Why are you wearing a man's uniform?"

"What?" She didn't look like she expected that question.

I squinted my eyes. "I know this sounds rude, but even though you hide your two... mountains very well, your clothes doesn't seem to be able to support them that much. They're too constricted. Besides, even though you also act and try to look like a man, you're not very good at it, since you're cute and all."

"C-C-Cute?!" She yelped, blushing violently. "D-Did you just pull my leg...?!"

"Pull your leg...?" I reflexively looked at her leg. "You want me to?"

"It's a metaphor...!"

"Oh... right," I understood immediately, breaking into a smile. "No, I don't do that. I genuinely think you're cute."

"...C-Cute," Tsugumi dropped her head. "T-That's... W-W-What are you—"

I turned my head away from her.

[...She's too easy to tease.]

***

The police had arrived before long, questioning the two of us several questions, with me giving them the possessions I had taken from the group. The group in question were taken to the office for trial.

"—Tsugumi! What happened to you?!"

"This is..."

Kirisaki and Claude—Tsugumi's bodyguard and Tsugumi's superior—also showed up following the incident.

"I-I was negligent, I'm sorry, Claude-sama, Ojou," Tsugumi bowed in shame.

"Who cares about that?!" Kirisaki approached her, launching her hand into Tsugumi's. I know she's worried about Tsugumi, so I stopped her attempt at once. She was surprised. "—huh?! Who are you?!"

"You brat."

Claude looked like he was about to kill me, so I released the grip on her hand as quickly as I had grabbed it, keeping my composure all the while. I responded calmly. "I'm just concerned you'll irritate her bleeding when you do that. We can't shook the wound."

"...What's your part in this?" Claude ordered me for an answer.

I smiled. "I just happened to find her in a secluded area near the main road. I helped her because she seemed to be in trouble— and I could."

Claude glanced at Tsugumi, who nodded stiffly. "Yoshikawa-kun was right. If he hadn't been around, my injuries would probably be much worse than this."

"...That so?" He turned at me again. "I'll take care of the rest here. You may leave."

"But—"

"Leave."

I smiled dryly, looking at Tsugumi. "Then I'll go first."

"Y-Yes. See you soon, Yoshikawa-kun," she smiled faintly, waving her left hand a little sheepishly.

[...That's so cute.]

I'll probably get her Heroine Diary. I'll definitely try to get close to her if that happens.

Anyway, I went to school at once.

I had to keep my composure during the school interrogation as well.

(Congratulations!)

Those texts appeared yet again.

(You've raised Tsugumi Seishirou's flag! You obtained Tsugumi Seishirou's Heroine Diary as a result!)

A diary popped out of nowhere and plopped into my hand. It had a mostly purplish-blue color, with a wildly sophisticated pattern, and frankly, this would be my depiction of Tsugumi's diary. Are there any other gifts besides the Heroine's Diary? It's too ordinary now.

The System responded positively.

(There is. If you earn 10 Heroine's Diary, you will be rewarded with 100,000 Yen.)

Why money?

(To spend them!)

That's natural... What I'm asking is, isn't that too normal?

(It is for Heroine's Diary sake)

I was confused briefly.

[—no.]

I would constantly acquiring Heroine's Diaries, I think that much is certain. 

I didn't bring any to school since I was too afraid that someone would find them. That said, being left in the apartment didn't make me get rid of that anxiety entirely. Although I didn't know exactly how, but somehow, I thought someone would enter my room and read them when I left the house. Not to mention if I were to invite an acquaintance, friend, family, or whoever inside, and they accidentally saw the contents. It's pretty scary to think about.

I'm being paranoid, I know. But can you blame me?

If I could, I'd like to have a separate building, where the inside are exclusively for them, and someone wouldn't be able to easily, if at all possible, break in. [However, would that amount of money be enough?]

(No)

[Then don't say it.] I clicked my tongue.

No, I don't even know if finding a building of that type would be easy, and I don't think small size means little money, at least for my standard. Also, the money sent from the orphanage to me per month was only enough to eat, drink, and, well, have some fun. I intended to find a part-time job to earn some extra money. 

Back to the topic, even if I found such a building, I didn't think I'd be able to immediately claim it for mine by lending money, keeping all my illicit items in it after I'd filled it up with things. I couldn't convince myself that the process would be so straightforward.

This was a choice, in any case. [The other option is to burn all the diaries.] That way, I wouldn't have to worry anymore. [Can I do it?]

(...)

...This thing is annoying.

At the moment, I'll focus myself on building a relationship with Hoshi— no, Ai—gaining Kirisaki family connections, along the way thinking of something to do with the diaries in my apartment. 

As long as I did nothing major, I could progress to the next process with Ai today. As for Kirisaki, I don't think I will have to immediately check her diary right now, though I should check it later after school, after which think of the next plan to establish a better connection with her. I'm hesitant about this prospect myself, but I hope that, by doing so, I will be able to protect Ai more. That, or myself. [I don't want Ai's fanatical fans to suddenly attack me from random places.]

***

The time within the school was during break, 9:14 AM to be exact. It lasted until 9:30 AM.

[This is suck,] I thought, holding myself back from throwinf the canned drink in my hand as I checked my phone screen.

There was a vending machine near the sports field, and it was empty when I bought one of the drinks. I could see students eagerly playing a quick sport on the field, others walking in the immediate vicinity while conversing with their friends, or just walking alone with their own interests in mind. It's strange to say this, but I'm confident I can make myself inconspicuous if I want to, depending on the circumstances. Right now, no one particularly bothered about me. Usually it's the other way around.

On my phone screen, a social media app was running, and I was seeing a post of a man—namely me—surrounded by four beautiful girls in a hallway full of students—namely Ai, Mami, Chisato, and Gundou. A caption above the photo: "Who's the handsome guy here? He's talking to Ai Hoshino, and the other three beauties. Lucky him, eh?"

It seems to be a girl from my own school. I recognize her name. 

I didn't really care about the caption. What I was focused on was the comment section:

"It should've been me, not him...!"

"He looks like a model. Is he really fifteen years old?"

"Lucky bastard."

"Ahh, I want him. Hirosha Yoshikawa, isn't he? Anyone knew his Insta?"

"Geh, he's just a playboy. I'm sure he'll toy with their hearts and just dump them when he gets bored."

I could tell right away that the girls were praising while the guys were blaspheming. I had no intention of scrolling through the hundreds to thousands of comments to read every one of them. [I better ignore this.]

"You... there..."

"Huh?"

I looked back. There was a girl, a senpai, I believe, who was standing behind me.

She had long blond hair, and an appearance worthy of what you would typically call a gyaru, but didn't seem to act like one. To begin with, her posture reminded me of a zombie, in contrast to the upbeat nature of gyaru (which I thought they were). She lacked vitality, with her eyes somehow seemed almost lifeless, and her voice held true to her appearance, lackluster.

"...Can you... get me... a peach drink...?" As she wobbled towards me with her somehow broken speech, I got creeps. [...She's kinda scary.]

I checked her name badge on the shirt, Yumeko Shikiya, smiling faintly. "Of course, Shikiya-senpai."

"Thank... you..."

"Don't worry about it."

"Please... open it too... after that..."

"Sure...?"

While I quickly bought the drink she ordered, Shikiya-senpai went to sit on the bench beside the vending machine, looking like someone actually died as soon as she sat down.

I opened the lid of the canned drink and went towards her. "Do you want me to give you the drink?" I joked.

To my surprise, she nodded. "...I...want to."

"...Then open your mouth," I shrugged.

Shikiya-senpai did as I asked. I gently put the tip of the drink into her mouth.

She finished it all quickly. 

"Thank ... you ..." she mouthed.

"No problem," I replied calmly. "Have you had breakfast?"

"No... Why...?"

"Figured. It's break time, why not now?"

"Will... you accompany me... then...?"

"..."

I didn't quite expect the invitation.

I don't like the aspect being a playboy (even though it was already late), and make it worse by taking a senpai as beautiful as her out to eat together in the cafeteria.

"You... don't want... to...?" Shikiya-senpai tilted her head.

I smiled. "If you don't mind, I guess."

[She's my favorite in "Too Many Losing Heroines!", so there's that.]