Chapter 417: This is the last time
"Yahallo!" Ebina Hina smiled as she greeted Shishio. "Are you going to stop becoming a scumbag and becoming a homo, Shishio-kun?"
"....." Usa.
"Watch your mouth, or I'll wash them with soap," Shishio said coldly.
Ebina pursed her lips and said, "I was just joking. You don't need to get angry." She knew she had said too much, but even so, his reaction was too much!
Ebina was still a beautiful girl!
Ebina felt she should be treated gently, right?
"That joke isn't fun." Shishio looked at Ebina and said, "If you have nothing to do, just go back to your class."
"You're so cold!"
"My mood isn't good. You know my head is hurt, yet you teased me with such an unfunny joke." Shishio moved closer and whispered, "If it is someone else, they'll think that joke is disgusting." While he often said same-gender relationships were more tolerated today, that didn't mean it would be easily accepted.
"Sorry..." Ebina stopped joking and apologized with a downcast expression.
"It's okay. I am not angry. It's just don't do this kind of joke again, alright?" Shishio patted Ebina's head gently.
"...."
Ebina stared at Shishio for a moment and wondered whether he gave her a stick and carrot deliberately. "...While it feels nice, aren't you the rude one for patting my head?"
"You don't like it?"
Ebina didn't say anything since there was no way for her to admit that his head pat felt good, so she quickly changed the topic of conversation. "It's quite rare to see you be with a male classmate, so I just can't help but feel curious, and so you know..."
"....."
Shishio and Usa were in silence since they realized Ebina was right.
It is rare for him to be with a male classmate, especially when he has always been surrounded by his harem.
"It isn't something special, you know? He just needs advice," Shishio said as he patted the free space on the bench right beside him.
"Advice?" Ebina sat next to Shishio before she looked at Usa for a moment, then looked at Shishio. "It's about love, right?"
"Ugh!" Usa wasn't sure why, but he felt he was being treated as a simple guy.
"Is it so obvious?" Shishio asked curiously.
Ebina only laughed and didn't answer his question since the answer was obvious.
"Well, you're not wrong. He is asking for love advice." Shishio nodded.
"Oga!" Usa was embarrassed!
Usa had taken Shishio somewhere, so no one would hear their conversation since he was embarrassed!
However, who would expect Shishio would blabber his mouth to a stranger that he didn't know?!
"Usa, you just like someone." Shishio looked at Usa calmly and said, "What's so embarrassing about it?"
"....." Usa was in a daze.
"There's nothing embarrassing about it. It isn't like you do a crime, right?"
"We-Well..."
"Look." Shishio pointed at Ebina and said, "This girl also loves something, yet she doesn't feel embarrassed to express it."
Somehow Ebina felt smug and said, "That's right! There's nothing wrong with liking something! It's like me who likes BL (Boys Love)! You can also love other guys too!"
"...Er." Usa was troubled and shook his head. "I - I am normal..."
"I see..." Ebina slumped and felt depressed.
"Let's ignore this girl for a while."
"...Yes."
"How cruel!" Ebina complained, then asked, "Who is she falling for?"
"Oga, don't tell her!" Usa wanted to close Shishio's mouth, but Shishio pressed his head.
"Who is going to tell her? Don't you believe me? If you don't believe me, then I'll just go back now."
"No! No! No! Don't go back!" Usa begged as he cried.
Ebina looked at Usa and whispered to Shishio. "Is he so desperate?"
"Well, yeah." Shishio nodded, then looked at Ebina and asked, "Ebina-senpai, can I ask you something?"
"What?" Ebina looked at Shishio curiously.
"If, for example, there's a guy who is in love with a girl, but that girl doesn't know you well and only treats you similar to the other guys in the school, do you think she'll agree to that confession?" Shishio asked.
Usa was startled, then quickly looked at Ebina. While it was good to listen to Shishio's advice, it also wasn't bad to listen to a girl's opinion.
Ebina didn't answer his question for a while and said, "No."
"...." Usa felt everything was crumbling, but he still didn't want to give up and asked, "Why?"
"It's like when someone who is gay confesses to someone who isn't gay, do you think the other party will agree?" Hina said calmly.
"..."
While the example was quite weird, Usa must admit Hina's words weren't wrong since there was no way for someone normal to receive a confession from a gay.
"While her example is quite problematic, it isn't wrong." Shishio looked at Usa and said, "You need to know her better, and she also needs to know you better, so either of you will regret when you date each other. Still, while I have said this, you need your crush to have an interest in you."
"Interest?"
"Yes." Shishio nodded and said, "The most simple one is like someone handsome. The girls will be attracted to you with your face alone, right?"
"I see..." Usa nodded then asked, "If so, why isn't she interested in me?" He thought his face wasn't bad, so why didn't his crush have an interest in him?
"..."
Shishio and Ebina looked at each other wrily and didn't expect this guy would have such confidence in his appearance.
'Because you're not handsome enough.' 2x
While it might be cruel, this was the fact.
However, Shishio and Ebina weren't cruel enough to remind this poor boy.
"Falling someone for their appearance is a shallow thing, and such a relationship won't last long," Shishio said while shaking his head.
"I see..." Usa nodded and wrote those words in his note.
"..."
Shishio looked at Usa in silence, wondering whether this boy didn't realize his sarcasm since Usa also fell for Ritsu because of her appearance too.
"Still, the reality isn't a manga where you can find the heroine in a crisis, and you help her during that time. This country is peaceful, and you need to take a slow approach, trying to get close to her as you present yourself to her."
"Present?" Usa was looking at Shishio in doubt.
Shishio nodded and said, "You need to show the part of yourself that can make her love you."
Usa somehow got excited and asked, "Wh-What is that part?"
"I don't know."
"....You don't know?" Usa was dumbfounded.
"Each person has a different part, and as I have said to you, I am not your babysitter or cupid. While I give you advice on whether your endeavor can be successful or not, it all depends on yourself. Still, if you can show her that you're dependable, gentle, tolerant, and tough, that's the key." Shishio looked at Usa and said, "However, the problem is, can you show that part of yourself to your crush?"
"....."
Usa was silent.
While Usa knew the key for a girl to fall for a boy, and he even made a note, remembering it deep into his head, he didn't have a chance to show it to that girl, which made him desperate.
On the other hand, Ebina looked at Shishio with interest, carefully listening to his every word.
"Th-Then how am I going to show that part of myself?" Usa asked expectantly.
Shishio was silent and thought that this had become so troublesome. He knew that Usa had become dependent on him, and the more he thought about this, the more troublesome it was, so he made his decision and said, "Usa, before I tell you, this will be the last time I give you advice."
"Wh-What?!" Usa was dumbfounded and asked, "Why?" He showed disbelief and showed an expression that he had abandoned.
"It's troublesome."
"...." Usa.
"So this will be the last time. I'll give you a chance for you to appeal that part of yourself, and as for the rest, you'll do it on your own," Shishio said.
"Wh-Why? I -I can give you more money!" Usa was desperate since Shishio's advice was right on the spot. Still, he also knew how troublesome he was, and he could give Shishio money for every bit of his advice.
"It's not about money." Shishio shook his head and said, "And it's not like I lack money after all."
"..." Usa.
"The reason why I have decided to help you is that you're my friend, but frankly, I have realized it has become quite troublesome for me to manage, so this will be the last time. I'll give you a chance to show that part of yourself to your crush."
Usa wanted to say something, but Shishio's threat stopped him from saying anything. "If you don't agree, I'll steal that crush and date her."
Usa's mouth closed tightly after he heard Shishio's threat. He thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, I-I agree." With a heavy heart, he agreed since if he didn't agree, his crush would disappear!
As for whether Shishio could date Ritsu or not, Usa wasn't sure, considering how difficult Ritsu was, but he didn't want to bet on it.
"Okay." Shishio nodded and said, "Free your schedule on the Weekend."
Usa was in doubt and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Let's go to the theme park."
"Theme park?"
While Usa didn't know what Shishio planned, he agreed without hesitation.
"Also, this is my last piece of advice."
"What?"
"Don't be in a hurry. Instead, slowly learn more about her, and let her learn more about you, so you two won't regret the relationship."
Hearing that advice, Usa could see how sincere Shishio was to teach him and to answer him. He nodded vigorously. "Yes, Oga-sensei!"
"......."
Shishio decided to ignore the last part and felt relief since the trouble had disappeared. He decided to go to the literature club where everyone was waiting, but Ebina came with him and walked by his side. He looked at this girl and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I just understand why you can have a harem now," Ebina said with a smile.
Shishio only patted Ebina's head a few times and said, "Even if you fell for me, it won't work."
"How narcissistic! Who is going to fall with a scumbag like you?!"
They looked at each other before they smiled and laughed.
Ebina looked at Shishio for a moment and wanted to invite him again to the Ikebukuro, but suddenly someone called his name.
"Shishio!"
"Shi--, Hiratsuka-sensei, what's wrong?" Shishio asked calmly.
Hiratsuka looked at the gauze on his head for a moment and pulled him. "Come with me!" As for Ebina, she ignored her and didn't care at all.
Shishio was helpless, but he didn't fight back. Instead, he only turned and looked at Ebina, then said, "See you."
"See you."
Waving her hand, Ebina somehow felt quite lonely.