Chapter 38: Irl School Festival Event 2

"O-Okay. You stay here. I'll be right back once I take care of the orders from the other table." Izumi says, having guided me to a solo table. Her cheeks are still faintly red from the kiss I gave her.

"Okay!" I say with a cheeky smile on my face, fully leaning into the "teasing boyfriend" role I created for myself. 'Not that this isn't how I normally am~'

After casting me another glance, Izumi turned coat and began walking to the curtained-off section of the room. 'I wonder what it's like back there. Maybe some chairs the students can rest on. Oh, and definitely containers where they store the food and drinks in.'  I thought. Staring curiously at the aforementioned area.

But my peace didn't last for long.

"Onii-san~ Can I take your order?"  A playful, unfamiliar voice called out. I turn to the source and see a girl with long blonde hair, ear piercings, and dressed in a maid outfit that looks a size too big for her. 'Did she buy it off the rack?'  I wondered.

But more importantly, the way she looks at me isn't one a server should have towards a customer.

It's the same look I receive when I get approached alone in public.

"~♥"

The look of a playgirl who has spotted prey.

'I made it openly obvious I'm Izumi's boyfriend, yet she still came up to me without any hesitation whatsoever. Even if polygamy is common here, she should still have some tact...'

Just like how I made my relationship with Izumi clear earlier, I'll be making my displeasure evident too. "No. I appreciate the service, but I'll wait for my girlfriend to return, and have her take my order."  I say with a slight, but visible frown on my face. Accompanied with a disinterested tone.

"-!?"  The playgirl flinched. Her features contorting into one of surprise, and of annoyance. Though she quickly masked it with a smile like the one before.

"Come on~ Don't be like that, nii-san. Here, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Emi Ishikawa. Ah, but you can just call me by my first name like you do with Sato."  Ishikawa says in that cliché playgirl tone I've heard several times before. Like all the playgirls in this world unanimously agreed to talk this way.

'Tsk... She's the persistent type, huh? Well then, let's see how your pride takes this.'  With that, I take out my phone and put on a show of ignoring her. Doing it with a bored expression makes it even more effective.

"?? H-Hey, onii-san, it's your turn to introduce yourself, no?"  she says, her confident facade already showing cracks.

I don't even bat an eye. The artworks on my Twitter timeline is a hundred times more interesting than her, after all. 'Oo~ This one looks amazing. I should give the artist a follow. Oh, wait. I already follow them.'

"Hey, come on. Don't be like that. I'm talking to you."  

'Wow~ This girl got 4 SSRs in one ten pull? How lucky.'

"....."  The playgirl seemingly fell silent. 'That was quick. I expected more out of her. Or maybe she finally remembered she's on the clock.'  I thought.

However, as if to call my bluff, a hand suddenly slammed down on the table. The impact sent the cutlery bouncing up.

Coming out of nowhere, I naturally flinch in response. Quickly, I turn to where it came from. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"  An enraged Ishikawa yelled. 'Perhaps it was too effective...'

Naturally, the whole room turned to us as a result of her outburst. 'Is she just straight up stupid? Doesn't she know she's making a scene?'  I look in shock at the girl before me. Her features contorted in ugly rage.

"What's so good about Sato, huh?! She's short, she's a wimp, and she's a damn otaku!"  Ishikawa yelled. It didn't take much for her ugly nature to come out.

'When you say it like that, Izumi really is similar to Isami.'  I thought. 

Wham!

Ishikawa slammed the table again. "Stop ignoring me!"  she growled. Staring down at me with a gaze that refuses to accept rejection. "Dump Sato. I'm way better than that otaku." she says. Her tone carries not a speck of respect for Izumi.

I quickly glance around. 'Is nobody going to step up?'  I wondered. And it was then that I locked eyes with Izumi. Standing from afar, holding a tray with both hands. "-?!"  Izumi flinched  when we made eye contact.

I didn't say anything, didn't open my mouth, but I signaled with my gaze. 'Help me.'  

Seeming to understand my intention, Izumi went wide-eyed.

Following my gaze, Ishikawa turned to Izumi. "Hah? What you looking at?" she said. "?!?" Izumi flinched again.

As if changing targets, Ishikawa approached Izumi. Each step bringing her closer. Until she stood right in front of her. 'Is she... trembling?'  I look closer. Giving Izumi the benefit of the doubt.

'She's really trembling...'  My eyes didn't betray me. Izumi really is trembling because of Ishikawa's presence. Even though she's wearing a maid dress, it doesn't change the fact that she's a head taller than Izumi.

With an intense glare, Ishikawa looks down at Izumi. Intimidating her. "Oi." she calls out, yet Izumi keeps her head down. Refusing to look up. "I don't know what you did to bag a hottie like that, but he's way out of your league, you damn otaku." she says, openly insulting Izumi.

And what does Izumi do?

"........."

Absolutely nothing.

'Unbelievable...'  I thought, watching this unfold from my seat. 'I know we're not actually dating, but is she really going to let herself be walked all over?'

Ishikawa raises her hand. "-!!" And Izumi flinched from the mere motion of it. 

Pat

She placed it on Izumi's shoulder. The cowardly girl stared at the hand, and still she did nothing. Ishikawa brings her face closer, and whispers in her ear. "Break up with him. You don't deserve to reproduce, you waste of space." she says with utter disdain in her voice.

Izumi's eyes blew wide open. Her pupils shaking. She opens her mouth, intending to say something, but nothing comes out.

'I can't watch this anymore. I have to do something.'  But shortly after that thought, I pick up the sound of several footsteps entering the room. I turn around and see 3 girls wearing highschool uniforms, except they each had a red armband.

"We received a report of someone causing trouble."  The girl at the forefront said. Black hair tied into a ponytail, and an air of authority that naturally surrounds her.

She scans the room and locks on to Ishikawa standing in front of Izumi. "It's you again, Ishikawa? You're really causing trouble during the school festival of all times?" she says, her expression one of disappointment and annoyance. 'Seems she's a repeat offender."

"Whaaatt? I don't know what you're talking about, pres." Ishikawa says, putting on a fake smile. She looks at Izumi and casually pats her shoulder. "Me and Sato were just... acting a scene out. It's part of our cafe experience." she says, pulling a lie out of her ass.

The black ponytail girl, who I assume is the student council president, narrowed her gaze. "I will not tolerate you causing problems today of all days, Ishikawa. Come with us. Now."

"Tsk!"  Ishikawa loudly clicked her tongue. She looks at Izumi once more. "Don't forget what I said." she says.

She turns around and strolls over to where the student council is. Shooting a smile at me as she passed my table.

Once she got close, the student council surrounded her as they escorted the troublemaker out. With that, the disturbance has finally been dealt with.

".... What a mess."  I mutter. I rise from my seat and approach Izumi. "H-Hiroshi..." she says meekly. I reach out and take the tray she's holding. Placing it on the table she was tending to before.

Without a word, I take her hand and drag her out of the room. Not caring if there's still time before her break. "Um- Hiroshi, where are we going??"  Izumi asks, trailing behind me. "Someplace quiet."  I respond bluntly, a hint of disappointment came out when I did.

The crowded hallway surrounds us as I weave us through. Looking for a place I can be alone with Izumi. 'If I'm right, schools like this one have a back area that people rarely go to.'  With that in mind, I head to the back of the school building.

And just as I hoped, there really is nothing here. Not a single soul besides us. "Alright. This should be enough." I mutter, letting go of Izumi's hand. "Ah..."  A quiet echo of disappointment came out of Izumi. 'A guy's hand... It felt soft, and nice...'

"Izumi."  I call out.

"! Y-Yes, Hiroshi- Ehweeheh?!"  As Izumi perked up, I reached out and started pinching her cheeks. Pulling them up, down, and apart randomly. "Heerohshiii!!"  Izumi managed to say through despite her cheeks being pulled apart.

"Why didn't you speak up earlier, huh?!"

"I'm sorrreee!"

"Hmph!"

"Uweh-"

Having accepted her apology, I release her cheeks from any more torment. The moment I let them go, Izumi reached up and began rubbing her swollen cheeks. "Owwie..."

'... Looking at her like this, she really doesn't look like someone you can depend on.'

"... Izumi, why did you let that happen?" I start. Izumi stops rubbing her cheeks, and looks me in the eye. "Oh, that? That was just... me avoiding conflict. Hahah..."  her laugh rings hollow, and I'd have to be deaf not to catch it.

"What if the guy she was trying to steal was your real boyfriend?"  I ask, taking on a serious tone this time. "-!! W-Well, I'd tell her to buzz off of course!"  she says, putting on a tough facade.

"... Would you really? Because what I saw earlier was anything but that."

"Huh? N-No! I really would have! I just, didn't need to. Since... I know you won't go with her. Because I've rented you out, after all."

"Is that what you told yourself?"  

"-! Well, yeah, but what does it matter?"

I look at Izumi. Her expression tells me she's not following. ".... Izumi, you were literally shaking in fear. It didn't look like you could tell her to "buzz off" even if you wanted to." I say. And I seem to have hit the mark. As when I said that, Izumi flinched again.

'I know I'm overstepping my place as a rental boyfriend, but I have to do this. For her sake.'

"......"  But Izumi stayed quiet. She didn't retort, didn't respond, nothing. She simply hanged her head, and kept her mouth shut. Just like when she was faced with Ishikawa earlier.

"... I might not be the best person to tell you this, but you need to be more confident, Izumi. If you keep shying away, people like Ishikawa will keep looking down on you."

"....."

"They'll insult you, belittle you, hurt you, and take things from you. Are you really okay with that? Will you live your life, your whole life letting others take advantage of you?"

"!!" Izumi looks up, her black eyes meeting mine. Her lips, they're shaking. "I don't..."  Her eyes begin to water. "I don't want that... I, I want to chance, Hiroshi... I don't want to be weak-willed forever." 

Izumi looks at me through teary eyes. Yet, I can see a spark in them. The desire to change, and seeing that, I can't help but smile. 'That's the spirit.'

I reach out, taking Izumi's hand in mine. "Then imagine I'm you boyfriend. Your real boyfriend. Because for the next hour, I'll be showing you what you're missing out on!"  I say, a wide smile etched across my face as I take Izumi to enjoy the festival.

=========================