“I just had a thought, Yamato-kun, you don’t express your love towards me at all.” Yuzu suddenly muttered inside the literature club room that we occupied without authorization, as usual. Her semi-long hair was slightly dyed just to a point that won’t be reprimanded by the teachers. Her big double-lidded eyes made her facial features look younger. To put it mildly, she is a pretty girl, and due to some circumstances, we are currently dating. “There’s no need for something like that. We’re not even dating for real after all.” Well, just like what I said, our relationship was a fake one. I just ignored the nonsense Yuzu muttered and focused on the video game in front of me. “Eh. Although I like Yamato-kun so much, don’t say such a sad thing.” Yuzu who was sitting next to me was poking my waist as if seeking more attention. Truly annoying. If I took that seriously, I couldn’t make it as her (fake) boyfriend. “Besides, Yamato-kun is spending time alone with such a pretty girl, certainly you must’ve felt something? It’s better for you to just be honest about your feelings. Oh, if you’re scared to be rejected, there’s no need to be. I’ll be really happy, you know.” Her face was just perfect, yet this narcissistic part of her was her only deadly flaw. If I just let her be, her annoyingness would only escalate through the roof; yes, that’s exactly Yuzu’s specialty. “I’m being totally honest as of now, just how much more are you expecting me to be?” “Hmmmm….. Then, try saying what you like about me one by one.” I considered for a while, and I decided this should be the point where I should compromise, so I nodded. If I just randomly say her merits and compliment her, she should be satisfied. “There’s no choice…Alright.” When I stopped playing the video game and responded to her, Yuzu’s face sparkled on the spot. “Yeay, yeay. Finally, you’re being honest. Then, say it! The ranking of what you like about Yuzu-chan! Let’s start from the 100th!” “100th?! The digit is greater than what I expected!” “What are you saying? Sharp brain, excellent athletic ability, perfect looks, and remarkable communication abilities are all my merits. If you love me, surely you can easily say 100 things you like about me.” “Are you a monster who sought people’s acknowledgment! I couldn’t possibly work them all out!” When I protested, Yuzu deeply sighed and hung her shoulders low. “Hah….. Really, what a lamentable thing that you can’t even praise someone as you like. Because you’re like that, Yamato-kun, you can never make a friend in the class forever. You’re even called a gloomy person, a loner, someone with communication problems, and someone who is bad at dating.” “Did I do something bad to deserve being talked badly like that… But one of those things was actually what you think, isn’t it?” I wanted to say that she shouldn’t include her complaint in the bunch of others’ opinions towards me. And also, ‘isn’t bad at dating also applies to you. “If you say it like that, can you even say 100 of my merits?” I answered curtly, Yuzu stupefied, tilted her head. “Eh, impossible. In the first place, you’re not someone who has 100 merits.” “What a sad thing that I can’t even deny that! This is the worst rebuttal.” “Isn’t that true? Even I, who loves Yamato-kun the most in this world, could think up two or three things at most.” “Just how did you even like that person the best in this world?! On the contrary, I want to know just how such a deep love comes about!” “Oh, you wanna know? Then, let’s do it, the ranking of things I like about Yamato-kun! The third one, ‘You do neither good nor harm, basically harmless’.” “That ranks third?! For such a forcefully squeezed out remark to receive the bronze medal, just how null is my merit!” “Second, ‘I don’t need to be so considerate when we’re together, in other words, harmless’.” “Isn’t that the same as the third?! There’s some fraud being conducted in front of my eyes.” ‘Doesn’t that mean my merits are only two? Just what kind of person am I?’ “And here is the glorious number one! ‘You have an extremely cute girlfriend! ’ “In the end, isn’t it just your self-praise! When that’s my number one merit, my sole merit is only my harmlessness, isn’t it!?” ‘I’m pretty much the same as the scarecrows in the rice fields. Wait, the scarecrows scare out the crows, so they’re above me?’ “How is it? Did you understand the reason for my love?” “It only serves to deepen the mystery….” In the end, the only information I got was that Yuzu loves herself. I felt like I just made a complete waste of time. “It’s okay now….” While I was enveloped in inexplicable fatigue, I released a very deep sigh and intended to return to my game. “Well, don’t be so mad.” There, Yuzu smiled contentedly as if she thought of something and leaned on my shoulder. “…..What is it?” I became self-conscious, so I quickly shifted my gaze from Yuzu’s face, which was next to mine, and asked her. She then looked up at me from a very close distance. “Just like this, I enjoy it the most when we talk about trivial stuff with just you and me. That ranks number one in what I like about Yamato-kun. Is that bad?” The words she said came as a surprise, unknowingly, I ‘thumped’ inwardly. “No, not bad…..” Yuzu’s warm touch on my shoulder, her sweet scent that wafted about. In the literature club room after academic hours. In the space where there was no one else but the two of us. It reminded me, I haven’t told her anything I like about her. I should at least reply with one. I took one deep breath and opened my mouth. “Urm, for me…” “Ah, I think the number one is ‘you have a girlfriend who knows how to say considerate things like this’! My attractiveness is never-ending”. “You spoil it!” At once, I lost my energy, and I just wouldn’t bother with Yuzu anymore and quickly resumed my game. So, just how exactly did such an unrivaled narcissist and I end up dating? I’ll explain a bit of the particulars from now on…..