Chapter 32 — Surpassed!
In the shadowy hallway corner, cluttered with desks, cleaning tools, and other miscellaneous items, three people somehow squeezed into the cramped space. This made the already extremely crowd-averse Gotoh-san wear a face like she was on the brink of passing out.
Kazami Haru sat calmly between them, holding his bento box with a serene expression.
Having a beautiful girl on each side eating lunch with him, this kind of scenario was usually only seen in light novels.
Yet here it was, happening to him in real life.
All he did was break tradition and bring a homemade bento today, and somehow, this situation unfolded—
"Sorry, Gotoh. I took your usual spot again."
"N-n-n-no problem… I don't mind at all. It's not like this place belongs to me or anything."
Despite her words, her body was visibly stiff, like a mouse caught between two large predatory cats. She didn't dare move, as if even the slightest motion from Takamatsu beside her would scare her off completely.
Being alone with Haru was usually okay. Since he was also a bit reclusive, Bocchi didn't feel as afraid around him.
But now, with the sudden appearance of a new "normie"—classmate Takamatsu—Bocchi was completely thrown off.
"I'm sorry, Gotoh-san."
Takamatsu Tomori, lacking social intuition, didn't fully understand how to empathize with others.
But since she saw Kazami Haru apologize first, she copied him and apologized as well.
If Haru's doing it, it must be the right move, right?
"I-I-I should be the one apologizing! I'm the one interrupting you two…"
The mutual apologies between the two girls created a rather awkward atmosphere.
It all began with Takamatsu's sudden and decisive move.
She'd grabbed Haru so suddenly, she was like Akemi Homura seizing Madoka, it nearly made Haru think his very humanity was about to be ripped from him.
"Tomori-san gave me quite the shock just now…"
"She just suddenly rushed over and grabbed Kazami."
Gotoh Hitori let out a slow breath. After that successful conversation (in her mind), she got the impression that the somewhat odd Takamatsu might actually be easy to talk to.
"I wanted to start a conversation."
Tomori furrowed her delicate brows and obediently sat beside Haru.
She had told herself she couldn't let the opportunity slip by, and before she even realized it, her body moved on its own and reached out to grab him.
"Is that so?"
Sensing her sincerity, Haru gave a small nod and calmly opened his bento box.
Tomori's sudden grab had startled him, but thinking it over, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
After their brief conversation the previous day, perhaps Tomori had come to see him as one of the few people who could understand her 'weird' personality. Wanting to become friends with him wasn't strange at all.
Sure, she rejected his confession in the simulation, leaving a bit of trauma, but that was just a simulation.
It's not real!
"Tomori, do you want to be friends with me?"
"I want to be friends with you, Haru!"
Tomori's amber eyes widened slightly as she looked up and met Haru's gaze directly.
This time, she really managed to voice her true feelings.
No matter what pain she'd experienced in that 'parallel world' of her dreams, this time she was a different person.
No matter the difficulties ahead, she wanted to face them together with him.
[Eh?! She's already calling him by name?!]
Bocchi's face twisted in shock. Tomori just casually did something that had been one of her own dreams:
Calling friends by name!
Her social skills were terrifying!
But Bocchi never imagined there'd be a day when a lowly creature like herself would be able to chat with these two—
Wait a second! Doesn't this mean she's slowly evolving out of her social-anxiety-ridden character and into a full-fledged normie?!
Suddenly struck by this realization, Gotoh Hitori's gaze darted between Haru and Tomori.
After all, these two were some of the most popular "normies" in Haneoka High (at least in Bocchi's eyes)!
And now she was part of a trio with them, even having lunch together!?
Invincible!!!
Without realizing it, Bocchi had already surpassed the class's ultra-popular beauty Kita Ikuyo, becoming a hidden popularity queen!
The rest of the road ahead would be a smooth ride to success!
As long as she gradually gained the favor of the entire student body, she'd finally live her dream of dancing like a goddess on stage while showing off her super awesome, insanely cool guitar skills that she'd been secretly honing for years!
Lost in this fantasy, Bocchi sat curled in the corner, giggling like an idiot. Haru even nudged her a few times without getting a response.
"Haru, want to trade lunches?"
What?! Lunch swap?!
Startled out of her dream, Bocchi shouted in her head: I'm in!
Swapping lunches with friends was number eight on her "normie goals" list!
In her mind, Bocchi had imagined this scenario 1,145 times. She knew every detail of the process!
"H-How about you, Gotoh? Want to try some of mine?"
She asked for my opinion?! I—I'm so happy!
Super happy!
Waaah, I can't believe I, a simple single-celled Euglena, was graciously invited to participate in such a normie of normie activities! Even if I died now, I'd die with no regrets!
Haru-san, LOVE~
"Hmph, I—I don't mind or anything."
Though in her head she was dancing with joy and mentally ascending to another dimension, Bocchi kept a calm face.
Blending into normie life naturally like this was key to not standing out!
But the corners of her mouth almost reached the sun, she couldn't hide it!
"I made the bento myself today. Try some, both of you."
Haru, trying out Anon's cooking skill for the first time, wasn't confident in the results since he didn't usually cook.
"You made it yourself?"
Takamatsu looked surprised, none of her memory fragments indicated that Haru could cook.
Could her dream memories be incomplete?
Bocchi was even more stunned. She had spent nearly all her youth practicing guitar and posting videos on YouTube. In other areas, she was totally clueless.
Cooking? A total disaster!
She relied entirely on her mom, who lovingly prepared all her meals. Bocchi couldn't even fry an egg without risking an oil-related casualty.
How was it that Haru seemed more like the girl here?
I've been outshined!