Lately, I’ve been feeling someone’s gaze on me.
I started feeling this gaze since last Thursday, when Eri-san and I decided where to place our stall.
That day, we decided to use the classroom we usually use for club activities as the location for our stall.
If we can’t use the outside, this was the only option.
Let’s make the deserted club building overflow with people again.
We made a promise like in a youth movie that this would be our small, sports festival-exclusive goal
To achieve this, we need to attract a lot of people and prepare a lot of products, but for some reason, the student council allocated a special budget, and the school will take care of securing the products.
This was a decision by the student council, and I just nodded when Eri-san reported it to me.
Why are they being so kind to our club…
I found this special treatment, which could be considered an exception, to be eerie.
Ah… I feel that gaze again.
On Tuesday, after attending the Home Economics Club, I was heading straight home, but I felt like someone was following me from behind.
However, when I stop and turn around, there’s no one there. Just a lonely utility pole standing in the quiet residential area.
It felt like there was someone’s presence… Could it be a stalker?
No, but what reason would anyone have to stalk a guy like me!?
Even if I say so myself, there’s no value in stalking someone like me.
Thinking this, I can only conclude that being stalked was just a misunderstanding, a figment of my imagination.
However, after walking for a while, that presence seems to follow me again.
As I thought, I’m being followed…
What should I do… Should I turn around?
I considered ignoring it and going home, but I really want to prevent my address from being discovered.
No, maybe I should try talking to them?
Fortunately, there’s no one else around but me and the stalker.
Even if the stalker was just my imagination and I end up talking to myself, I won’t have to endure puzzled looks from people passing by, wondering, “What’s up with this guy?”
So, I quickly turn around.
As expected, or rather predictably, no one was there.
Well, it’s a residential area, so if they wanted to hide, they could do so anywhere.
Especially that shadowy area by the garbage collection point that looks suspicious.
「Is anyone there??」
I try calling out.
But there’s no response.
Of course, if they answered, it would defeat the purpose of being a stalker.
But it would be wrong to conclude that it was just my imagination.
There are still plenty of suspicious obstacles around.
First, the shadow by the garbage collection point. It looks just big enough for one person to hide, making it very suspicious.
「You’re in the shadow of the garbage collection point, aren’t you…? I know you’re there.」
Well, there’s no way they’d be in such an obvious spot──
「W-Why was I found out??」
So you are there!
I recognized the person who peeked out.
「Student council president…」
Samejima Rina, Eri-san’s older sister and the student council president, was there.
「Damn… How was I found out? It should have been perfect…」
And she looked really frustrated.
「Um… student council president… were you perhaps following me?」
「N-N-N-No way! I-I-I wasn’t following you???」
She’s terrible at lying.
「Then why are you here??」
「M-M-My home is this way too!!」
「Ha? Your house is in the opposite direction, isn’t it??」
「Gikuh…」
Previously, when I ran into Eri-san at a supermarket near Hoshino’s house, she went home in the opposite direction from where I’m currently heading.
Moreover, Hoshino’s house is quite far from the school, and you need to commute by train to get there.
Since Eri-san used a supermarket in such a location, the Samejima family must live somewhere that also requires commuting by train.
Yet, she claims her house is in the same direction as mine, who commutes by bicycle (walking today).
It’s full of contradictions.
「Is your house really in the direction of my house?」
As I stared at her, Rina realized she couldn’t keep up the charade and, with a sigh, began to explain the situation.
「Recently, I’ve been hearing more about club activities from Eri… So I got curious about what kind of person you were…」
I see… So she wanted to know what kind of person the newcomer was…?
Perhaps she was checking if any weird bugs were sticking to her sister?
Is this the overprotective sister pattern?
「But how did you know I was the newcomer in the Home Economics Club??」
We don’t have any personal acquaintance. The student council president is a celebrity at school, so while I might know her, there’s no way she would know me.
…How on earth??
「Ahh… About that, I had seen a photo of you from Eri before.」
「Ha?? A photo??」
I don’t remember taking any photos together though??
When she asked, “Want to see?” I decided to take a look.
Ahh… this is from last Thursday.
When I looked, there was a photo of me in the home economics classroom, seriously arranging cut fruits on a plate.
Actually, last week, when we could finally use the home economics classroom, after deciding on the location and products for the stall, I did a bit of cooking.
Though calling it cooking is an exaggeration, I just tried cutting some fruits we plan to use for the sports festival.
After that, we even had a contest to see who could arrange them more beautifully, but that was really it.
I didn’t realize I was being photographed then…
──Light Novels──
──Read Here──
I thought it was just the plates with the arranged fruits…
「There are more…」
As she scrolled further, there were tons of photos from Thursday…
Ehh… why so many…?
If it were just the fruits, I’d understand, but do I really need to be in them?
The fruits were beautifully arranged…
But with me in the picture, it loses all its charm…
「That’s how I knew your face. I waited for you at the entrance, and when you successfully came out, I followed you. And that’s how we got here…」
「I see…」
I understood the sequence of events.
But can you stop referring to me like I’m some kind of prey?
Successfully… It’s like I fell into a trap.
It makes me feel like such a pathetic guy…
Also, I still haven’t heard the most important reason why she followed me.
Did she think I was some kind of weird bug??
「C-Can I ask why you stalked me??」
「Let me correct you. It wasn’t stalking, it was tailing.」
「I think they’re the same thing though…」
I wonder if it’s about that. The impression the words give or something like that…?
「They’re not the same. Stalking is what perverts do! I was merely following behind you without any impure thoughts!」
「In general terms, following behind someone relentlessly is called stalking.」
「T-That may be so, but my intentions were definitely different!」
「If that’s the case, I think you should avoid using phrases like “following behind” that sound like something a pervert would say…」
Of course, I don’t think the student council president has any impure thoughts.
But those words could be easily misunderstood.
「…Is “following behind” not okay?」
「Yes, it’s better to avoid it. For the sake of your reputation as president.」
「U-Understood… If you say so, I’ll be careful.」
And she’s oddly receptive.
Well, she probably became the student council president because she has a broad mind and listens even to a guy like me.
This is what you call the essence of being a student council president.
「So, after quite a detour, can I ask why you followed me this far??」
「Ahh, sorry. That was the main topic, wasn’t it?」
Seriously, there were so many points to address that the conversation didn’t progress at all.
「To put it bluntly, I’m simply jealous of you.」
「Ehh? Why?」
I don’t understand why the president would be jealous of me.
Intelligent, athletic, beautiful. The words of praise for her at school are endless.
And she’s jealous of me?
There’s nothing about me to be jealous of, right?
「I’ve never seen the expression Eri has when she talks about you. It’s the first time I’ve seen her talk about school with such joy. So I’m a bit envious of you who can make her have that face.」
Ahh, that’s probably because she’s happy to have a companion.
Eri-san said it at first.
That in the club, there were only ghost members who didn’t participate, and she was always alone during club time…
Then I joined, and she had someone to talk to.
That’s probably why she’s finding club activities enjoyable now.
At first, when I said I’d join, she looked displeased, so seeing this change makes me feel deeply moved.
I’m glad… that I’m no longer an unpleasant presence to be with.
「I think Eri-san is happy to have more members. She said at first that she didn’t like being alone.」
「Is that so…? I thought there might be more to it than that, though?」
「You’re probably overthinking it.」
「Is that so…?」
「Yes, it is.」
「I see…」
The president seemed somewhat unconvinced, but,
「It’s getting dark soon, so shall we head back? If you’re okay with me, I’ll be your partner to talk to anytime.」
She probably wants information about Eri-san, being the sister complex person she is.
「Ahh, right. Let’s call it a day.」
「It’s dangerous to be alone, so I’ll walk you to the station.」
「No, no, I was the one following you, so you don’t need to do that.」
「You’re a woman, and there’s always a chance something could happen. I don’t want to regret it if you get attacked right after we part ways…」
The sun is already setting.
Moreover, the president is here because she followed me, not because she’s familiar with this area.
I can’t leave a high school girl in such a deserted place when it’s about to get dark.
「I-I see… If you put it that way.」
Perhaps she was anxious herself, as the president readily accepted my offer.
「But, I’m sorry…」
「As someone with a younger sister, I completely understand your concern for your sister. It’s natural to want to find out what kind of person is involved with her.」
「Is that so…? When it comes to my sister, I tend to be overly meddlesome.」
「I understand. I’m the same way. You could have even said, “I came to check if you’re a weirdo!” instead of using a considerate word like jealousy, and I would have been totally fine with it…」
「Hahaha… So you saw right through me…」
「If there were a strange guy around my little sister, I’d investigate him thoroughly too. It’s like a duty for the eldest sibling.」
「Y-You understand!?」
「Of course.」
I felt a sense of sympathy for the president, whose eyes were sparkling.
Maybe I’ve found the perfect understanding ally.