Preview

Too Many Losing Heroines 8 ½ MTL

Table of Content

The Target is Tan-Skinned

Yanami’s Ramen Food Crawl

Friendship is Greater than the Number of Worldly Desires

Thank You For Your Help Back Then

Nukumizu Kaju Birthday Festival 20XX

Keep Secrets in Moderation

Let Memories Remain Beautiful

Tanaka-san of the Shiratama Household

How Many Light-Years is the Distance to You?

The Budding Season

A Toast to Days Gone By

Naughty! ☆ Karen-sensei

Neckties and French Fries

The Wind of Changing Affections

The Close Sisters Early Afternoon

I Dedicate This Drink (and Refill) to You

Let’s Be Friends.

The Town Where Anemones Sleep

A Pajama Party Full of Mistakes

Afterword and Bonus Story

FUCKING USE THE TABS IN THE LEFT SIDE TO READ THE REST. IT IS NOT THAT HARD.

Sample Reading

The sports festival had ended, and the final big event of the first term-final exams-was fast approaching next week.

After school, I was lost in thought as I headed toward the West Building.

My continuously dropping grades, Yanami being kind of harsh lately, Komari sneaking around contacting someone, Kaju crawling into my futon while half-asleep-there were just too many things on my mind recently.

And then there’s the matter of Tiara-san’s confession. Isn't this what the general public would call "keeping someone on the hook"?

...No, wait. She was the one who postponed it, so I'm not the bad guy here. Yeah.

My worries were endless, but I shelved them in the back of my mind for now and quickened my pace.

I had promised to study for tests with Yanami and Komari in the Literature Club room.

"Nukumizu-san, heading to the Literature Club?"

The one speaking to me in a somewhat restless tone was Tsuwabuki High School's Student Council President, Basori Tiara.

She trotted up to line up next to me, then matched my pace as we walked.

I was shaken for a moment by the appearance of the very person I was thinking about, but I pretended to be calm and spoke.

"Yeah, I was thinking of studying for the test in the club room. Are you heading to the Student Council, Basori-san?"

"Today, Houkobaru-senpai and Shikiya-senpai are going to help me study."

Tiara-san said this happily, hugging her bag against her chest.

"You're in safe hands with those two. They seem much more reliable than me."

"True. Unlike someone , they won't make me wear cat ears."

That was something she did on her own accord, and if it were Shikiya-san, she wouldn't stop at just cat ears.

I was about to retort, but I fell silent for some reason when a student approached from the front.

"What's wrong? You suddenly went quiet."

"Well, you know, there was another student."

At my  words, Tiara-san slightly moistened her lips.

"-Did you intend to say something that couldn't be heard by others?"

"...Basori-san, isn't what you just said also something you shouldn't let people hear?"

Listening to Tiara-san's laughter, I stopped walking.

To get to the West Building where the club room is, I needed to head out to the connecting corridor from here.

"Well then, I split off here."

"If you'd like, why don't you join us, Nukumizu-san?"

Studying with the third-year combo from the former Student Council, huh? Honestly, it's tempting.

"Um, I have a prior engagement."

"Oh my, I've been rejected."

Saying it jokingly, Tiara-san suddenly brought her face close to mine.

"...By the way, you haven't been calling me by my first name lately."

"Eh?"

She giggled right by my ear as I was at a loss for words, then spun around.

"Well then, I'll be going too. Let's both do our best on the tests."

"Ah, yeah."

Tiara-san gave a small wave and turned on her heel.

As I waved back at her retreating figure, I thought about the recent changes in my state of mind.

-The confession.

Even though it was put on hold, an event had occurred that significantly shook the relationship between Tiara-san and me.

Since then, she has started talking to me frequently as a friend, but even in our usual interactions, I feel a slight change in my own state of mind.

-She has feelings for me.

Just that fact alone forces me to admit that the emotional distance between us is shrinking.

Well, simply put:

Talking to someone who likes you is actually pretty enjoyable-that's what it comes down to.

**

Opening my notebook in the Literature Club room, I took a deep breath to psyche myself up.

I’m personally against the inefficient system known as "study groups," but I couldn't let them think I was running away.

Especially since Komari ranked higher than me on the last proficiency test. I needed the excuse that I did  study properly, just in case I lost two times in a row...

Not long after we started studying, Komari called out to me while rummaging through her bag.

"Nu-Nukumizu, do you have a World History reference book?"

"Yeah, I've got one right here. But isn't World History in the second half of the exam schedule?"

Komari snatched my reference book while giving me an exasperated look.

"Th-the scope of the exam this time is no joke. If you try to cram the night before, you're doomed."

"Eh? Is it really that bad?"

When I tried to nonchalantly take the reference book back, Komari quickly pulled it away.

"Yanami-san, do you have a World History reference book?"

Since I had no choice, I turned to ask her, but Yanami wasn't in the seat she was occupying just a moment ago.

She had opened the door to the refrigerator in the corner of the club room and was staring intently inside.

"Yanami-san. Don't leave the fridge door open."

"...Pudding."

Yanami froze again as soon as she muttered the word.

Her successful weight loss during the Shiratama incident was now a glory of the past, and Yanami had entered her umpteenth diet phase of the year.

Her theory for this diet is that by looking at food, she can trick her body and boost her metabolism. I can sense some growth in the fact that she's no longer saying she can lose weight by eating.

"Since I've been looking at it this long, maybe my body won't notice if I actually eat it, and I won't gain weight."

"You will definitely gain weight. Come on, get back here."

Yanami hadn't grown at all.

Sighing, Yanami closed the fridge door.

"Nukumizu-kun, isn't the scope for this test way too broad? Since we studied so hard in our first year, don't you think they should reuse the same material at least one more time?"

"If they did that, wouldn't it mean we're repeating the year?"

Maybe I really should have gone to the Student Council room after all.

It's no use crying over spilled milk, but it’s true that the test scope has gotten wider since we became second-years. I can understand how Yanami feels staring at that pudding.

"Come to think of it, you didn't invite Shiratama-san."

"Apparently, she's having a study group in the Student Council room."

Yanami glared at me intensely.

"...Did you actually want to study with Shiratama-chan?"

"It's not that, but Shiratama-san actually picks up my eraser for me."

"Please stop mixing business with pleasure. You just wanted to tutor a cute underclassman and show off your cool side, didn't you?"

"Oh? Does teaching someone make you look cool?"

"...Nukumizu-kun, haven't you been lacking self-awareness as the club president lately?"

Flump.  Yanami sat down in the chair opposite me.

"Listen here. Fawning over junior girls, getting surrounded by girls in the Student Council room and acting all flirty... as the representative of the Literature Club, that's a 'comp-something' violation. It's scandalous."

"Both of those are related to Shiratama-san. Taking care of a junior member of the club is a senior's job."

"Well, maybe you're right, but..."

Tap, tap, tap.  Yanami started tapping the desk with her fingertips.

After hesitating for a moment, Yanami looked away and spoke.

"Hey... Nukumizu-kun. What's the deal with you and Basori-san lately?"

"Eh? What do you mean, 'what's the deal'?"

Why bring that up now...?

No one should know that Tiara-san confessed to me. Mukaiyama Oike is way outside the territory of even Kaju and Asagumo-san, so there’s no way Yanami would know.

"The Student Council election is over, so we just chat in passing occasionally, yeah."

I masked my nervousness while drinking my cold tea.

"Besides, I haven't been calling Basori-san by her first name lately, right?"

"Well, I wouldn't know. So you see her often enough to notice that?"

Tap, tap, tap, tap.  The speed of her fingertips hitting the desk increased.

Why am I being harassed by Yanami, and why am I acting so timid?

When I looked up to confront this injustice, I was met with Yanami’s displeased gaze.

"What?"

"No, uh, just thinking this tea is tasty."

...Crap, she’s completely cowed me.

As I stared at my empty teacup, I heard the thud  of a book closing.

"Y-You guys... study."

" "...Yes." "

We instinctively responded in unison to Komari’s valid point.

True, this isn't the time for this.

Just as we resumed studying, trying to escape Komari’s gaze, the club room door flew open.

"Is Lemon here?!"

Bursting in along with the shout was a female student with a short ponytail.

Uh, this person is... Captain Kurata from the Girls' Track and Field Club, right?

Captain Kurata scanned the club room, then slumped her shoulders in disappointment.

"Huuuh? I was sure she was here. That's straaange ."

" " "......" " "

Captain Kurata stole glances at our silent group while holding a hand to her forehead and looking up at the ceiling.

"Oh deaaar, where could she have gone?"

Glance, glance.  Captain Kurata looked at us theatrically.

...This is one of those situations that won't progress unless I select the 'Talk' command.

"Um, did something happen?"

When I spoke up on everyone's behalf, Captain Kurata gave a dramatic shrug.

"The final exams are coming up, right? The entire Girls' Track Team was mobilizing to help Lemon study for them, but..."

"...Did she run away?"

Captain Kurata nodded firmly.

"Well, Yakishio is always like that. Even if she gets failing grades, there are make-up classes, right?"

"True, if her grades stay as they are, special remedial classes are scheduled-jam-packed throughout summer vacation."

That sounds fine then. Now Yakishio can safely get failing grades...

"...Wait, isn't Yakishio's Inter-High..."

"During summer vacation."

In other words, Yakishio won't be able to participate in the Inter-High...?

Captain Kurata, this isn't the time to look so smug.

"I understand the situation, but are you asking us ...?"

"Right! Won't you guys help me catch Lemon?"

Clap.  Captain Kurata pressed her palms together.

"We found her a few times, but she managed to outrun us. Since it's the Literature Club, she might let her guard down-you guys have a shot at it, right?"

I wish she wouldn't talk about her like we're catching a stray cat.

"Um, I need to ask the other members' opinions first..."

"If you help, I'll give you yokan . The Kinuyo  brand. If you catch her, I'll give you another bar."

"Yes, we'll do it!"

Yanami raised her hand energetically. There was no stopping her now.

Just as Komari and I sighed in unison, something flashed in the corner of my vision.

Beyond the open door, shining suspiciously in the hallway was a forehead-it was the woman banned from the Literature Club, Asagumo Chihaya.

"...Asagumo-san, were you listening?"

"Yes, I happened to hear."

From outside the door, Asagumo-san held out a business card toward Captain Kurata.

"You are Captain Kurata of the Girls' Track and Field Club, correct? I am this sort of person."

"Solving any problem with a flash, Tsuwabuki Investigation Advisor...?"

It was no wonder she was confused. A stranger with curiosity shining in both her eyes and her forehead had suddenly handed her a bizarre business card.

I cleared my throat and stood between Captain Kurata and Asagumo-san.

"Captain Kurata, surely getting an outsider involved in a private matter is a bit..."

"But isn't this girl related to the Literature Club?"

Eh, where did she hear such a dark rumor?

As I stood there in surprise, Captain Kurata showed me the business card.

"Look, it says right here: 'Major Clients: Student Council and Literature Club'."

...Technically, it's not a lie. Once you get involved with an anti-social organization, the scars follow you forever.

Seeing me at a loss for words, Asagumo-san stepped her right foot into the club room.

"Lemon-san is a dear friend of mine as well. I will not charge a fee."

"That's great, but how do you intend to find her?"

Upon hearing that, Asagumo-san smiled sweetly and dragged her left foot into the club room as well.

"I have a plan. First, please look at this screen."

The smartphone Asagumo-san pulled out displayed a floor map of Tsuwabuki High School.

Yanami, who had been pretending to be uninvolved until now, peeked at the screen with great interest.

"Asagumo-san, can you tell where Lemon-chan is with this?"

"Yes, I can calculate the probability using AI."

Asagumo-san began to explain excitedly.

"Everyone has a different rhythm and wavelength to their footsteps. Based on that, I can deduce where in the school building Lemon-san is located."

I had questions about why she was able to listen to sounds throughout the entire school, but I didn't voice them. I value my own life, after all.

"The areas on the map with darker red indicate places where there is a high probability of Lemon-san's presence."

"Doesn't this mean there are five Lemon-chans? Did she multiply?"

At Yanami's question, Asagumo-san placed a fingertip on her chin and tilted her head cutely.

"It is true that with sound information alone, the accuracy does not quite improve. Therefore..."

Asagumo-san turned to face Captain Kurata, whose mouth was hanging open.

"I would like the members of the Girls' Track Team to register sighting information regarding Lemon-san."

"We just have to register it?"

"Yes. By doing so, the probabilities will converge, and we can deduce Lemon-san's location with high accuracy. Furthermore, since it is possible to analyze the sound prints via AI in real-time to improve precision, we should be able to narrow the net and capture Lemon-san."

Captain Kurata widened her eyes in admiration.

"Heh, that's amazing! How do we do this registration?"

At Captain Kurata's reaction, Asagumo-san's forehead flashed sharply.

"First, I will need all members of the Girls' Track Team to install this app!"

"Got it!"

You really shouldn't. Seriously.

That’s what I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. Also, Yanami, don't pull out your phone.

Even while Komari and I were trying to stop Yanami, the victims were falling into the trap.

"Hey, it's saying something like 'The safety of this app cannot be confirmed'..."

"Don't worry about it, just press 'Yes'."

"It's asking for permission to link with a bunch of other apps..."

"Don't worry about it, just press 'Yes'."

"Ah, so that does it ? I'll let everyone on the Girls' Track Team know, too."

I could only watch helplessly as the Girls' Track Team was compromised.

That said, the Literature Club had been successfully defended. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, Yanami showed me her smartphone, looking impressed.

"Nukumizu-kun, look at this, it's amazing. Apparently, we can see where Lemon-chan is in real-time."

"Yanami-san, you installed the app?!"

"I-I tried to stop her!"

Asagumo-san smiled sweetly at our panic.

"Now then, let's all catch Lemon-san together!"

**

With Asagumo-san brought on as our strategist, the Girls' Track Team's offensive began.

Sighting reports of Yakishio from the team members popped up on the app one after another, narrowing down her location.

Meanwhile, I was walking down the hallway of the West Building, peering at a smartphone screen with Yanami.

Strategist Asagumo-san's orders for us were to act separately from the Track Team. We were to feign a chance encounter, get her to lower her guard, and then secure the target.

By the way, Komari is back in the club room studying for exams. She really pulled a fast one.

"This virus-I mean, app-really seems to be able to pinpoint Yakishio's location."

"You're so suspicious. You really have no faith in humanity, Nukumizu-kun."

You're  the one who stole that faith from me.

Pulling myself together, I looked at the map on the app; the location with the highest probability of Yakishio being there was the courtyard.

"Alright, let's go catch us a Lemon-chan."

"Isn't that impossible? Even the Track Team members can't catch her."

At my valid point, Yanami gave an exasperated shrug.

"Kura-something-senpai said it, right? Lemon-chan will let her guard down around us. Besides, I have a proper plan."

-Here is Yanami's plan:

First, Yanami will find Yakishio and strike up a conversation. Since Yakishio won't suspect Yanami is an assassin sent to get her, she'll definitely let her guard down.

Once she closes the distance a bit, I'll sneak up from behind, and we'll catch her in a pincer attack. It probably won't work.

"Shouldn't we rethink the plan a little? Yakishio is basically a wild animal."

"We can do this. My knees have been feeling great lately."

Yanami started doing deep knee bends right there.

"Your knees are popping, though."

"It's just them trembling with excitement. Now, let's get that yokan !"

Wearing a fearless smile, Yanami flashed me a thumbs-up.

**

Yanami leaned limply against the vending machine, her legs wobbling.

"J-...Just a second..."

"Yeah, sure. Take your time."

Results are in: As expected, it didn't work.

We spotted Yakishio twice, but getting anywhere near her while she was moving at high speed was impossible.

Yanami had given up completely and was, for some reason, drinking a cola.

"Weren't you on a diet?"

"Nukumizu-kun, there is a theory that consuming a moderate amount of calories during exercise actually helps burn fat. In other words, this sip is the path to a killer body."

Saying that, she gulped down the cola. I see. Well, it is the age of diversity, so definitions of a "killer body" may vary.

As I nodded to myself in understanding, a wheat-colored wind raced past my eyes. It was Yakishio in her uniform.

"Wait-!" "She went that way!" "First-years, stop her with your lives!"

The elite members of the Girls' Track Team chased after her.

...So fast. There's no way us Literature Club members can compete with that.

"Yanami-san, maybe we really should lie in wait somewhere..."

"...Pudding."

Yanami abruptly uttered the mysterious word.

"What's wrong? Seeing hallucinations?"

"I am not. I was just thinking that now might be the perfect time to eat that pudding in the club room."

"Definitely not now, right? You've had enough sugar."

Yanami tossed the empty cola can into the trash.

"Right after running is the 'Golden Time' when your metabolism spikes. If I eat it now, I won't gain weight; in fact, the momentum might even make me lose a little."

"Huh..."

I don't think Yanami ran even 50 meters, but personal motivation is key when it comes to dieting.

Having graciously sent Yanami off, I pondered the situation while gazing at the courtyard.

I had borrowed Yanami's virus-infected smartphone, but it seemed Yakishio had managed to shake off the Girls' Track Team's pursuit.

On the map, Yakishio had once again dissolved into a fog of probability, scattered across about three locations within the school.

"I guess I'll wait and see for a bit..."

"Oh, Nukumizu. What's the deal with those kids running around everywhere?"

The one speaking to me with a puzzled look was Amanatsu-sensei.

I'd been accosted by someone troublesome, but she is  my homeroom teacher, for better or worse. I couldn't just brush her off.

"Um, apparently Yakishio escaped from her study session. The Girls' Track Team is chasing her."

"So that explains the commotion. That Yakishio, she never changes."

Amanatsu-sensei sighed in exasperation as she watched the female students running about.

"Sensei, can't you at least exempt her from remedial classes on the days of the Inter-High?"

"...Hoh. Nukumizu. What are you all?"

What kind of question is that? Has she missed the boat on marriage and fallen into some philosophical funk?

"Um, are we talking about 'man is a thinking reed' or something?"

"Wrong. You guys are students, aren't you? Do you understand that a student's primary duty is to study?"

A rare valid point from her. Amanatsu-sensei waved her hand dismissively.

"If we go easy on her now and she ends up repeating the year, that would be a complete disaster. To begin with, it was a miracle she even advanced to the second year."

"Then Sensei, won't you help Yakishio with her studies?"

"Yakishio's studies... studies, huh..."

Amanatsu-sensei suddenly got a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yeah, well, if the opportunity arises. Now then, I'm busy, so..."

Amanatsu-sensei tried to scurry away from the scene.

"Eh, you aren't going to help her?"

"Well, look-she's not in my class."

That is absolutely correct, but is this what adults are like...?

Perhaps noticing my inner thoughts, Amanatsu-sensei frantically shook her head.

"Because last year was incredibly difficult, you know?! She thought the Roman Empire still existed!"

I see. I can understand why Sensei is reluctant.

It can't be helped. I put on a grave expression and nodded slowly.

"-Just as I suspected. Apparently, her World History is particularly bad this time."

"Eh? Is that so?"

"Yes. Even if she passes her other subjects, if World History affects her Inter-High participation... it would look bad for the school's reputation, wouldn't it?"

"H-Hey, don't threaten me."

Ignoring Amanatsu-sensei's anxious face, I continued.

"Come to think of it, Tsuwabuki's alumni association is quite powerful, isn't it? Wasn't there supposed to be a report meeting for the Inter-High in September?"

"......"

After thinking it over for a while, Amanatsu-sensei suddenly pointed at some male students hanging out in the courtyard.

"Hey, you Table Tennis Club members over there! Gather your team! We're gonna catch Yakishio!"

Amanatsu-sensei ran off, waving her arms wildly.

This wasn't exactly the development I expected, but at any rate, the Yakishio encirclement net has been strengthened.

But it's the Boys' Table Tennis Club. Male students catching Yakishio... Guys...

"...Maybe I should help out a little, too."

Feeling somewhat uneasy, I took out Yanami's smartphone and headed toward the latest sighting location.

Full Vol 8.5

Table of Contents

The Target is Tan-Skinned

Yanami’s Ramen Food Crawl

Friendship is Greater than the Number of Worldly Desires

Thank You For Your Help Back Then

Nukumizu Kaju Birthday Festival 20XX

Keep Secrets in Moderation

Let Memories Remain Beautiful

Tanaka-san of the Shiratama Household

How Many Light-Years is the Distance to You?

The Budding Season

A Toast to Days Gone By

Naughty! ☆ Karen-sensei

Neckties and French Fries

The Wind of Changing Affections

The Close Sisters Early Afternoon

I Dedicate This Drink (and Refill) to You

Let’s Be Friends.

The Town Where Anemones Sleep

A Pajama Party Full of Mistakes

Afterword and Bonus Story

Original thread: https://tieba.baidu.com/p/10420898745  (thread deleted)

Editor's note: highlights indicate lines that may be revised after being compared to the original text

The doc is due for a retranslation

The target is tanned-skin

The sports festival had ended, and the final big event of the first term-final exams-was fast approaching next week.

After school, I was lost in thought as I headed toward the West Building.

My continuously dropping grades, Yanami being kind of harsh lately, Komari sneaking around contacting someone, Kaju crawling into my futon while half-asleep-there were just too many things on my mind recently.

And then there’s the matter of Tiara-san’s confession. Isn't this what the general public would call "keeping someone on the hook"?

...No, wait. She was the one who postponed it, so I'm not the bad guy here. Yeah.

My worries were endless, but I shelved them in the back of my mind for now and quickened my pace.

I had promised to study for tests with Yanami and Komari in the Literature Club room.

"Nukumizu-san, heading to the Literature Club?"

The one speaking to me in a somewhat restless tone was Tsuwabuki High School's Student Council President, Basori Tiara.

She trotted up to line up next to me, then matched my pace as we walked.

I was shaken for a moment by the appearance of the very person I was thinking about, but I pretended to be calm and spoke.

"Yeah, I was thinking of studying for the test in the club room. Are you heading to the Student Council, Basori-san?"

"Today, Houkobaru-senpai and Shikiya-senpai are going to help me study."

Tiara-san said this happily, hugging her bag against her chest.

"You're in safe hands with those two. They seem much more reliable than me."

"True. Unlike someone , they won't make me wear cat ears."

That was something she did on her own accord, and if it were Shikiya-san, she wouldn't stop at just cat ears.

I was about to retort, but I fell silent for some reason when a student approached from the front.

"What's wrong? You suddenly went quiet."

"Well, you know, there was another student."

At my  words, Tiara-san slightly moistened her lips.

"-Did you intend to say something that couldn't be heard by others?"

"...Basori-san, isn't what you just said also something you shouldn't let people hear?"

Listening to Tiara-san's laughter, I stopped walking.

To get to the West Building where the club room is, I needed to head out to the connecting corridor from here.

"Well then, I split off here."

"If you'd like, why don't you join us, Nukumizu-san?"

Studying with the third-year combo from the former Student Council, huh? Honestly, it's tempting.

"Um, I have a prior engagement."

"Oh my, I've been rejected."

Saying it jokingly, Tiara-san suddenly brought her face close to mine.

"...By the way, you haven't been calling me by my first name lately."

"Eh?"

She giggled right by my ear as I was at a loss for words, then spun around.

"Well then, I'll be going too. Let's both do our best on the tests."

"Ah, yeah."

Tiara-san gave a small wave and turned on her heel.

As I waved back at her retreating figure, I thought about the recent changes in my state of mind.

-The confession.

Even though it was put on hold, an event had occurred that significantly shook the relationship between Tiara-san and me.

Since then, she has started talking to me frequently as a friend, but even in our usual interactions, I feel a slight change in my own state of mind.

-She has feelings for me.

Just that fact alone forces me to admit that the emotional distance between us is shrinking.

Well, simply put:

Talking to someone who likes you is actually pretty enjoyable-that’s all there is to it.

◇

Opening my notebook in the Literature Club room, I took a deep breath to psyche myself up.

I’m personally against the inefficient system known as "study groups," but I couldn't let them think I was running away.

Especially since Komari ranked higher than me on the last proficiency test. I needed the excuse that I did  study properly, just in case I lost two times in a row...

Not long after we started studying, Komari called out to me while rummaging through her bag.

"Nu-Nukumizu, do you have a World History reference book?"

"Yeah, I've got one right here. But isn't World History in the second half of the exam schedule?"

Komari snatched my reference book while giving me an exasperated look.

"Th-the scope of the exam this time is no joke. If you try to cram the night before, you're doomed."

"Eh? Is it really that bad?"

When I tried to nonchalantly take the reference book back, Komari quickly pulled it away.

"Yanami-san, do you have a World History reference book?"

Since I had no choice, I turned to ask her, but Yanami wasn't in the seat she was occupying just a moment ago.

She had opened the door to the refrigerator in the corner of the club room and was staring intently inside.

"Yanami-san. Don't leave the fridge door open."

"...Pudding."

Yanami froze again as soon as she muttered the word.

Her successful weight loss during the Shiratama incident was now a glory of the past, and Yanami had entered her umpteenth diet phase of the year.

Her theory for this diet is that by looking at food, she can trick her body and boost her metabolism. I can sense some growth in the fact that she's no longer saying she can lose weight by eating.

"Since I've been looking at it this long, maybe my body won't notice if I actually eat it, and I won't gain weight."

"You will definitely gain weight. Come on, get back here."

Yanami hadn't grown at all.

Sighing, Yanami closed the fridge door.

"Nukumizu-kun, isn't the scope for this test way too broad? Since we studied so hard in our first year, don't you think they should reuse the same material at least one more time?"

"If they did that, wouldn't it mean we're repeating the year?"

Maybe I really should have gone to the Student Council room after all.

It's no use crying over spilled milk, but it’s true that the test scope has gotten wider since we became second-years. I can understand how Yanami feels staring at that pudding.

"Come to think of it, you didn't invite Shiratama-san."

"Apparently, she's having a study group in the Student Council room."

Yanami glared at me intensely.

"...Did you actually want to study with Shiratama-chan?"

"It's not that, but Shiratama-san actually picks up my eraser for me."

"Please stop mixing business with pleasure. You just wanted to tutor a cute underclassman and show off your cool side, didn't you?"

"Oh? Does teaching someone make you look cool?"

"...Nukumizu-kun, haven't you been lacking self-awareness as the club president lately?"

Flump.  Yanami sat down in the chair opposite me.

"Listen here. Fawning over junior girls, getting surrounded by girls in the Student Council room and acting all flirty... as the representative of the Literature Club, that's a 'comp-something' violation. It's scandalous."

"Both of those are related to Shiratama-san. Taking care of a junior member of the club is a senior's job."

"Well, maybe you're right, but..."

Tap, tap, tap.  Yanami started tapping the desk with her fingertips.

After hesitating for a moment, Yanami looked away and spoke.

"Hey... Nukumizu-kun. What's the deal with you and Basori-san lately?"

"Eh? What do you mean, 'what's the deal'?"

Why bring that up now...?

No one should know that Tiara-san confessed to me. Mukaiyama Oike is way outside the territory of even Kaju and Asagumo-san, so there’s no way Yanami would know.

"The Student Council election is over, so we just chat in passing occasionally, yeah."

I masked my nervousness while drinking my cold tea.

"Besides, I haven't been calling Basori-san by her first name lately, right?"

"Well, I wouldn't know. So you see her often enough to notice that?"

Tap, tap, tap, tap.  The speed of her fingertips hitting the desk increased.

Why am I being harassed by Yanami, and why am I acting so timid?

When I looked up to confront this injustice, I was met with Yanami’s displeased gaze.

"What?"

"No, uh, just thinking this tea is tasty."

...Crap, she’s completely cowed me.

As I stared at my empty teacup, I heard the thud  of a book closing.

"Y-You guys... study."

" "...Yes." "

We instinctively responded in unison to Komari’s valid point.

True, this isn't the time for this.

Just as we resumed studying, trying to escape Komari’s gaze, the club room door flew open.

"Is Lemon here?!"

Bursting in along with the shout was a female student with a short ponytail.

Uh, this person is... Captain Kurata from the Girls' Track and Field Club, right?

Captain Kurata scanned the club room, then slumped her shoulders in disappointment.

"Huuuh? I was sure she was here. That's straaange ."

" " "......" " "

Captain Kurata stole glances at our silent group while holding a hand to her forehead and looking up at the ceiling.

"Oh deaaar , where could she have gone?"

Glance, glance.  Captain Kurata looked at us theatrically.

...This is one of those situations that won't progress unless I select the 'Talk' command.

"Um, did something happen?"

When I spoke up on everyone's behalf, Captain Kurata gave a dramatic shrug.

"The final exams are coming up, right? The entire Girls' Track Team was mobilizing to help Lemon study for them, but..."

"...Did she run away?"

Captain Kurata nodded firmly.

"Well, Yakishio is always like that. Even if she gets failing grades, there are make-up classes, right?"

"True, if her grades stay as they are, special remedial classes are scheduled-jam-packed throughout summer vacation."

That sounds fine then. Now Yakishio can safely get failing grades...

"...Wait, isn't Yakishio's Inter-High..."

"During summer vacation."

In other words, Yakishio won't be able to participate in the Inter-High...?

Captain Kurata, this isn't the time to look so smug.

"I understand the situation, but are you asking us ...?"

"Right! Won't you guys help me catch Lemon?"

Clap.  Captain Kurata pressed her palms together.

"We found her a few times, but she managed to outrun us. Since it's the Literature Club, she might let her guard down—you guys have a shot at it, right?"

I wish she wouldn't talk about her like we're catching a stray cat.

"Um, I need to ask the other members' opinions first..."

"If you help, I'll give you yokan . The Kinuyo  brand. If you catch her, I'll give you another bar."

"Yes, we'll do it!"

Yanami raised her hand energetically. There was no stopping her now.

Just as Komari and I sighed in unison, something flashed in the corner of my vision.

Beyond the open door, shining suspiciously in the hallway was a forehead—it was the woman banned from the Literature Club, Asagumo Chihaya.

"...Asagumo-san, were you listening?"

"Yes, I happened to hear."

From outside the door, Asagumo-san held out a business card toward Captain Kurata.

"You are Captain Kurata of the Girls' Track and Field Club, correct? I am this sort of person."

"Solving any problem with a flash, Tsuwabuki Investigation Advisor...?"

It was no wonder she was confused. A stranger with curiosity shining in both her eyes and her forehead had suddenly handed her a bizarre business card.

I cleared my throat and stood between Captain Kurata and Asagumo-san.

"Captain Kurata, surely getting an outsider involved in a private matter is a bit..."

"But isn't this girl related to the Literature Club?"

Eh, where did she hear such a dark rumor?

As I stood there in surprise, Captain Kurata showed me the business card.

"Look, it says right here: 'Major Clients: Student Council and Literature Club'."

...Technically, it's not a lie. Once you get involved with an anti-social organization, the scars follow you forever.

Seeing me at a loss for words, Asagumo-san stepped her right foot into the club room.

"Lemon-san is a dear friend of mine as well. I will not charge a fee."

"That's great, but how do you intend to find her?"

Upon hearing that, Asagumo-san smiled sweetly and dragged her left foot into the club room as well.

"I have a plan. First, please look at this screen."

The smartphone Asagumo-san pulled out displayed a floor map of Tsuwabuki High School.

Yanami, who had been pretending to be uninvolved until now, peeked at the screen with great interest.

"Asagumo-san, can you tell where Lemon-chan is with this?"

"Yes, I can calculate the probability using AI."

Asagumo-san began to explain excitedly.

"Everyone has a different rhythm and wavelength to their footsteps. Based on that, I can deduce where in the school building Lemon-san is located."

I had questions about why she was able to listen to sounds throughout the entire school, but I didn't voice them. I value my own life, after all.

"The areas on the map with darker red indicate places where there is a high probability of Lemon-san's presence."

"Doesn't this mean there are five Lemon-chans? Did she multiply?"

At Yanami's question, Asagumo-san placed a fingertip on her chin and tilted her head cutely.

"It is true that with sound information alone, the accuracy does not quite improve. Therefore..."

Asagumo-san turned to face Captain Kurata, whose mouth was hanging open.

"I would like the members of the Girls' Track Team to register sighting information regarding Lemon-san."

"We just have to register it?"

"Yes. By doing so, the probabilities will converge, and we can deduce Lemon-san's location with high accuracy. Furthermore, since it is possible to analyze the sound prints via AI in real-time to improve precision, we should be able to narrow the net and capture Lemon-san."

Captain Kurata widened her eyes in admiration.

"Heh, that's amazing! How do we do this registration?"

At Captain Kurata's reaction, Asagumo-san's forehead flashed sharply.

"First, I will need all members of the Girls' Track Team to install this app!"

"Got it!"

You really shouldn't. Seriously.

That’s what I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. Also, Yanami, don't pull out your phone.

Even while Komari and I were trying to stop Yanami, the victims were falling into the trap.

"Hey, it's saying something like 'The safety of this app cannot be confirmed'..."

"Don't worry about it, just press 'Yes'."

"It's asking for permission to link with a bunch of other apps..."

"Don't worry about it, just press 'Yes'."

"Ah, so that does it ? I'll let everyone on the Girls' Track Team know, too."

I could only watch helplessly as the Girls' Track Team was compromised.

That said, the Literature Club had been successfully defended. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, Yanami showed me her smartphone, looking impressed.

"Nukumizu-kun, look at this, it's amazing. Apparently, we can see where Lemon-chan is in real-time."

"Yanami-san, you installed the app?!"

"I-I tried to stop her!"

Asagumo-san smiled sweetly at our panic.

"Now then, let's all catch Lemon-san together!"

◇

With Asagumo-san brought on as our strategist, the Girls' Track Team's offensive began.

Sighting reports of Yakishio from the team members popped up on the app one after another, narrowing down her location.

Meanwhile, I was walking down the hallway of the West Building, peering at a smartphone screen with Yanami.

Strategist Asagumo-san's orders for us were to act separately from the Track Team. We were to feign a chance encounter, get her to lower her guard, and then secure the target.

By the way, Komari is back in the club room studying for exams. She really pulled a fast one.

"This virus-I mean, app-really seems to be able to pinpoint Yakishio's location."

"You're so suspicious. You really have no faith in humanity, Nukumizu-kun."

You're  the one who stole that faith from me.

Pulling myself together, I looked at the map on the app; the location with the highest probability of Yakishio being there was the courtyard.

"Alright, let's go catch us a Lemon-chan."

"Isn't that impossible? Even the Track Team members can't catch her."

At my valid point, Yanami gave an exasperated shrug.

"Kura-something-senpai said it, right? Lemon-chan will let her guard down around us. Besides, I have a proper plan."

-Here is Yanami's plan:

First, Yanami will find Yakishio and strike up a conversation. Since Yakishio won't suspect Yanami is an assassin sent to get her, she'll definitely let her guard down.

Once she closes the distance a bit, I'll sneak up from behind, and we'll catch her in a pincer attack. It probably won't work.

"Shouldn't we rethink the plan a little? Yakishio is basically a wild animal."

"We can do this. My knees have been feeling great lately."

Yanami started doing deep knee bends right there.

"Your knees are popping, though."

"It's just them trembling with excitement. Now, let's get that yokan !"

Wearing a fearless smile, Yanami flashed me a thumbs-up.

◇

Yanami leaned limply against the vending machine, her legs wobbling.

"J-...Just a second..."

"Yeah, sure. Take your time."

Results are in: As expected, it didn't work.

We spotted Yakishio twice, but getting anywhere near her while she was moving at high speed was impossible.

Yanami had given up completely and was, for some reason, drinking a cola.

"Weren't you on a diet?"

"Nukumizu-kun, there is a theory that consuming a moderate amount of calories during exercise actually helps burn fat. In other words, this sip is the path to a killer body."

Saying that, she gulped down the cola. I see. Well, it is the age of diversity, so definitions of a "killer body" may vary.

As I nodded to myself in understanding, a wheat-colored wind raced past my eyes. It was Yakishio in her uniform.

"Wait-!" "She went that way!" "First-years, stop her with your lives!"

The elite members of the Girls' Track Team chased after her.

...So fast. There's no way us Literature Club members can compete with that.

"Yanami-san, maybe we really should lie in wait somewhere..."

"...Pudding."

Yanami abruptly uttered the mysterious word.

"What's wrong? Seeing hallucinations?"

"I am not. I was just thinking that now might be the perfect time to eat that pudding in the club room."

"Definitely not now, right? You've had enough sugar."

Yanami tossed the empty cola can into the trash.

"Right after running is the 'Golden Time' when your metabolism spikes. If I eat it now, I won't gain weight; in fact, the momentum might even make me lose a little."

"Huh..."

I don't think Yanami ran even 50 meters, but personal motivation is key when it comes to dieting.

Having graciously sent Yanami off, I pondered the situation while gazing at the courtyard.

I had borrowed Yanami's virus-infected smartphone, but it seemed Yakishio had managed to shake off the Girls' Track Team's pursuit.

On the map, Yakishio had once again dissolved into a fog of probability, scattered across about three locations within the school.

"I guess I'll wait and see for a bit..."

"Oh, Nukumizu. What's the deal with those kids running around everywhere?"

The one speaking to me with a puzzled look was Amanatsu-sensei.

I'd been accosted by someone troublesome, but she is  my homeroom teacher, for better or worse. I couldn't just brush her off.

"Um, apparently Yakishio escaped from her study session. The Girls' Track Team is chasing her."

"So that explains the commotion. That Yakishio, she never changes."

Amanatsu-sensei sighed in exasperation as she watched the female students running about.

"Sensei, can't you at least exempt her from remedial classes on the days of the Inter-High?"

"...Hoh. Nukumizu. What are you all?"

What kind of question is that? Has she missed the boat on marriage and fallen into some philosophical funk?

"Um, are we talking about 'man is a thinking reed' or something?"

"Wrong. You guys are students, aren't you? Do you understand that a student's primary duty is to study?"

A rare valid point from her. Amanatsu-sensei waved her hand dismissively.

"If we go easy on her now and she ends up repeating the year, that would be a complete disaster. To begin with, it was a miracle she even advanced to the second year."

"Then Sensei, won't you help Yakishio with her studies?"

"Yakishio's studies... studies, huh..."

Amanatsu-sensei suddenly got a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yeah, well, if the opportunity arises. Now then, I'm busy, so..."

Amanatsu-sensei tried to scurry away from the scene.

"Eh, you aren't going to help her?"

"Well, look—she's not in my class."

That is absolutely correct, but is this what adults are like...?

Perhaps noticing my inner thoughts, Amanatsu-sensei frantically shook her head.

"Because last year was incredibly difficult, you know?! She thought the Roman Empire still existed!"

I see. I can understand why Sensei is reluctant.

It can't be helped. I put on a grave expression and nodded slowly.

"-Just as I suspected. Apparently, her World History is particularly bad this time."

"Eh? Is that so?"

"Yes. Even if she passes her other subjects, if World History affects her Inter-High participation... it would look bad for the school's reputation, wouldn't it?"

"H-Hey, don't threaten me."

Ignoring Amanatsu-sensei's anxious face, I continued.

"Come to think of it, Tsuwabuki's alumni association is quite powerful, isn't it? Wasn't there supposed to be a report meeting for the Inter-High in September?"

"......"

After thinking it over for a while, Amanatsu-sensei suddenly pointed at some male students hanging out in the courtyard.

"Hey, you Table Tennis Club members over there! Gather your team! We're gonna catch Yakishio!"

Amanatsu-sensei ran off, waving her arms wildly.

This wasn't exactly the development I expected, but at any rate, the Yakishio encirclement net has been strengthened.

But it's the Boys' Table Tennis Club. Male students catching Yakishio... Guys...

"...Maybe I should help out a little, too."

Feeling somewhat uneasy, I took out Yanami's smartphone and headed toward the latest sighting location.

◇

On the first floor of the new school building, the Girls' Track Team was gradually completing their encirclement of Yakishio.

Under President Kurata's instructions, two-person teams were deployed at every strategic point.

Yakishio appeared to be on the top floor. The strategy was for the Boys' Table Tennis Club to drive her down to the lower floors, where the Girls' Track Team waiting on the first floor would capture her. Simply put, it was "drive-in fishing."

(Note: The traditional "drive-in fishing" method began in the Meiji era. Specifically, about ten people set up bag-shaped nets and wing nets in the sea, spreading them out in a fan shape. Finally, a rope about 300 meters long is released from the tip of the wing net to herd the fish. Fishermen strike rocks on the seabed to drive the fish into the bag-shaped nets.)

If female students were the ones doing the capturing, there was nothing to worry about; if anything, it was quite a treat for the eyes.

As I absentmindedly watched the Girls' Track Team members loudly confirming their positions, President Kurata walked up to me.

"Oh, Nukumizu-kun, you're here too."

President Kurata wasn't wearing her uniform, but her track jersey.

Somehow, she looked a lot more reliable than usual.

"Hello. Dressed like that, are you planning to run for real?"

"Yeah, because I'm the last line of defense. I absolutely have to catch Lemon ."

But this person is slower than Yakishio, isn't she...

Just as I was debating whether to say that out loud, President Kurata wagged her finger at me with a "tsk-tsk-tsk."

"Lemon is wearing her uniform and indoor shoes, you know? Plus, she's been running for an hour, so she's exhausted. Sorry, but this won't even be a contest."

President Kurata was brimming with confidence.

It seemed she had accepted the fact that Yakishio had switched to becoming a middle-distance runner and had made a fresh start.

"Senpai, how have club activities been lately?"

"I entered the 800 meters for the National Tournament. Well, at Tsuwabuki, aside from Lemon, I don't think I'd lose to anyone."

Seeing her cloudless smile, the corners of my mouth naturally relaxed too.

"Is that so? I didn't see you at the Tokai tournament, so I was wondering what happened."

"...Because I lost in the Higashi-Mikawa preliminaries."

Crap, I stepped on a landmine.

While I fell silent due to the awkward atmosphere, it became noisy at the top of the stairs.

"President! Lemon is coming down!"

President Kurata slapped her cheeks.

"Alright, let's settle this here!"

"""Ohhhhh-!"""

The shouts of the Girls' Track Team echoed through the hallway.

This meaningless battle was finally about to draw to a close-

◇

The first floor of the new school building was silent.

The only ones left here were me and President Kurata, who was curled up hugging her knees in the shadow of a pillar.

"My foot slipped... It's the truth..."

"Right. The floors were just waxed recently, after all."

Yakishio easily evaded the Girls' Track Team's waves of encirclement and fled all the way to the first floor.

Then, she effortlessly slipped past President Kurata, who was waiting there, and vanished once again.

Simply put, it was an instant kill.

"Spikes aren't really suitable for the hallway... I really let my guard down..."

"Right. Would you like a Black Thunder?"

I handed over the snack from Yanami's private stash, and President Kurata accepted it with her head down.

"Thanks. You're kind, Nukumizu-kun."

It had been a while since I'd seen someone lose so decisively. I had no choice but to be gentle with her.

As I watched over President Kurata, who was eating the Black Thunder while hugging her knees, a female student ran over without making a sound. It was Asagumo-san.

"Oh my, Nukumizu-kun is here too? That works out perfectly."

"What is it? Yakishio isn't here, you know."

Asagumo-san approached while hiding something behind her back.

"No, I was anticipating that she might escape even that encirclement net-"

"Cough, cough!"

President Kurata choked.

"So I devised the next operation. Here, Nukumizu-kun, please take this."

What Asagumo-san handed me was a very small insect cage. Inside was-

"...A stag beetle?"

"Yes, it is an 80mm class giant stag beetle. It took quite an effort to procure it."

Indeed, inside the cage sat a majestic stag beetle, gleaming black. So cool.

"Uh, what do you want me to do with this?"

"Please use this as bait to lure Lemon-san to the back of the school building. Then we will capture her there."

Even Yakishio wouldn't just jump at a stag beetle right aw... actually, I feel like she'd show up immediately. Yeah, good idea.

Just as I agreed, Asagumo-san patted President Kurata on the shoulder.

"Now then, Kurata-senpai, onto the next strategy."

"But I can't keep up with Lemon's speed at all... And I lost in the Higashi-Mikawa preliminaries for the Nationals..."

President Kurata hung her head and kept drawing circles on the floor with her finger. She looked completely like a defeated underdog.

"That's not true. It is precisely because of your charisma, Senpai, that the Girls' Track Team is united. That is a role no one else can fulfill."

"Eh... Is that so?"

President Kurata slowly raised her head. This person was so easy to handle, it was actually worrying.

Just then, several girls from the Track Team ran over.

"President, you're sulking here!" "Cheer up!" "Kura-chan, come on, time to move to the next spot!"

The girls of the Track Team forcibly lifted the squatting President Kurata.

"Everyone... Are you really okay with a president like me? Really?"

"Of course we are-though we don't really get what's going on." "Yeah, yeah, we don't get it, but let's go-!"

President Kurata was dragged away amidst the noise.

Asagumo-san pulled the smartphone out of my pocket, gave a sweet smile, and turned the screen toward me.

"Now then, please lure Lemon-san out."

If only the Girls' Track Team could have taken Asagumo-san away with them too.

Thinking that to myself, I unlocked the phone in front of Asagumo-san.

◇

Further in than the old school building, behind the archery dojo, was a somewhat dim corner surrounded by trees.

I stood there, holding the insect cage containing the stag beetle.

I didn't mind luring Yakishio here, but would she really come?

In the surrounding shade of the trees, members of the Girls' Track and Field Club and the Boys' Table Tennis Club were lying in wait for Yakishio. This operation wasn't just an encirclement; they had even borrowed a net from the Volleyball Club to cut off any retreat.

It reminded me of the footage of capturing Japanese macaques I saw on TV recently...

By the way, aren't those guys from the Girls' Track Team and Boys' Table Tennis Club chatting a little too happily in the dark? There's absolutely no tension; it's honestly shameful. Over there, they've even started exchanging contact information.

And here I thought the Table Tennis Club was on the Literature Club's side. I really feel a sense of betrayal...

Just as my prejudice against athletic clubs was deepening, a rustling sound came from the bushes behind me.

"...Nukkun, don't move."

"!"

-Before I knew it, Yakishio had circled behind me.

How did she get here? The people responsible for the encirclement didn't seem to notice her at all.

"Don't look this way. Or my presence here will be exposed."

Hmm? Does that mean Yakishio doesn't know the reason I'm here?

"I'm on the side of capturing you, you know."

"Is that so? Nukkun, you're selling me out."

Ugh... Hearing her say that, my conscience did ache a little.

The athletic club members who were supposed to be capturing Yakishio were currently chatting excitedly like they were at a mini-mixer. I felt more and more like an idiot for cooperating with these guys...

"But is it really okay not to study? Don’t complain if you can’t go to Nationals."

"No matter how much I study, I don't get it at all. Plus, everyone in the Girls' Track Team is super hardcore."

Well, they are athletic types. They probably want to solve problems with endless stamina and guts (prejudice).

"By hardcore, did they force you to do something?"

"They said I have to learn it no matter how many times I study."

Isn't that normal?

"And they said I have to learn everything that’s going to be on the exam."

That's also only natural, isn't it? Maybe it really would be better to hand her over to the Track Team quickly.

Just as I was hesitating, Yakishio mumbled in a low voice.

"...What should I do after this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I barely managed to get into Tsuwabuki, but I can't keep up with the studies at all. And now I've caused such a huge ruckus, just causing trouble for everyone."

Sigh.

While hesitating, I chose words with a bit of a thorn.

"...Do you plan to keep running around and having people chase you every time from now on?"

"I know that's no good. But when studying for entrance exams-"

Yakishio stopped speaking and fell silent.

-When she was working hard to get into Tsuwabuki, Ayano was by her side. At this point, she can't ask Ayano to teach her anymore. Although Asagumo-san would probably allow it, Yakishio surely wouldn't accept it.

That was Yakishio's last bit of pride.

"...Nukkun. For this exam, I'll try to manage it on my own."

"Are you sure? It's rare for everyone in the Track Team to be helping you."

"I don't want to disturb everyone's studying. After all, the President's grades aren't that great either."

Is that so? I did have a vague feeling about that.

"So what will you do? Surrender, then explain you'll study for the exams?"

"Hmm-but since so many people have gathered. If I just surrender directly-isn't that boring?"

"...What are you thinking?"

"It's a secret. Nukkun, you'll play along, right?"

Faced with Yakishio's mischievous child-like tone, I gave up all resistance and sighed.

◇

"Nobody move ! I have a hostage!"

Yakishio choked my neck with her arm from behind and glared sharply at the approaching athletic alliance. I didn't quite get it, but she seemed to want to use me as a hostage to break through the encirclement.

Faced with this mysterious development, everyone in the encirclement looked at each other. As I was feeling confused along with them, Yakishio suddenly tightened her arm.

"Hurry up, Nukkun, say something a hostage would say."

Don’t just put me on the spot like this. Maybe something like…

"Heeelp-meeee-"

"Nukkun, your acting sucks, huh?"

No no no, I think it was pretty good.

The proof is that President Kurata had already stepped out of the encirclement.

"Taking a hostage is useless. Nukumizu-kun would give up his life to make Lemon study."

"I value my life, okay?"

I immediately denied it. Sorry, I don't have that kind of resolve. Yakishio chuckled.

"If you try anything, the hostage will meet a terrible fate."

"Eh... A terrible fate? Specifically what will happen?"

"Senpai, could you please not add fuel to the fire?"

This person really only says unnecessary things. Yakishio cleared her throat and announced to everyone:

"If you try anything, I'll snap Nukkun’s neck!"

Give me a break. Don't snap it.

Even if it was surely a threat, since it was Yakishio, she might actually fold me in half.

Seeing my fearful expression, President Kurata finally backed down.

Under President Kurata's instructions, the crowd opened a path.

Yakishio walked through the encirclement still holding my neck, left a "Thanks, Nukkun.", snatched the insect cage from my hand, and ran off.

Leaving behind only sweat, and the faint scent of perfume.

◇

The library at Tsuwabuki High School was packed with students reviewing for their exams.

A female student carrying a school bag and an insect cage entered, sat down in an empty seat, and stretched out exaggeratedly.

"Alright, time to buckle down."

Just as she was rummaging through her bag for supplies, someone sat down next to her.

It was Komari.

"!"

As Yakishio hurriedly tried to stand up, Komari grabbed her by her clothes.

"S-Sit down."

"...Okay."

Yakishio sat back down obediently and spoke timidly.

"...Did you come to catch me too, Komari?"

"I-I was indeed looking for you, but I didn't come to catch you."

Komari silently began fiddling with her phone. Yakishio awkwardly stole glances at Komari's face out of the corner of her eye.

"You see, I was planning to study properly for the exams this time. I am reflecting on my actions, okay?"

"I-I know."

With a ding , a notification sounded on Yakishio's phone.

"I-I sent you the review materials for this exam."

"Eh? Did you make these for me, Komari?"

"I-I originally wanted to. But I'm not good enough to teach others yet. So..."

This time, it was Komari's turn to awkwardly look away.

"I asked Ayano Mitsuki."

"-Mitsuki?"

Yakishio grabbed Komari by the shoulders as she looked away and nodded, forcibly bringing her face close to stare at her.

"Komari, are you friends with Mitsuki? Since when?"

"N-No, we only talked for the first time today."

To think the socially anxious Komari actually went to ask a male student she only knew by sight.

Facing Yakishio, who was speechless with surprise, Komari continued in a low voice.

"T-That guy used to help you with your studies, right?"

"...Yeah."

Although they were difficult times, they were incredibly precious days.

Yakishio fell silent and checked the exam review materials she had just received on her phone.

The materials included everything, organized from comprehension checklists and progress schedules to step-by-step study methods.

"You only asked Mitsuki today, right? Why are there such detailed materials?"

"H-He said he thought 'a day like this might come,' so he prepared them in advance."

Komari furrowed her brow and whispered softly.

"Is... is there something wrong with that guy's head?"

Seeing Komari's genuinely worried expression, Yakishio couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Mitsuki... he's just that kind of guy."

-Yeah, Ayano Mitsuki was exactly that kind of man.

Nosy, a bit of a klutz, but a genuinely good person through and through.

And, once - he liked me.

Beside Yakishio, who was deep in thought staring at her phone screen, Komari opened her textbook.

"I-If there's anything you don't understand, I can teach you."

"Is that okay? You have to prepare for exams too, right, Komari?"

Komari looked away shyly and spoke.

"After all... I-I'm also looking forward to seeing you run at the Nationals."

"...Thank you, Komari."

After being helped this much, if I didn't give it my all now, I wouldn't be much of a woman.

Yakishio slapped her cheeks to psych herself up, then opened her textbook.

Yanami’s Ramen Food Crawl

Not far from Toyohashi Park lies the ramen shop-Kadowara. At first glance, its stylish appearance resembles a cafe, with a white noren  curtain fluttering in the wind.

Just past the lunch peak, two young women sat at the counter seats. Wearing different uniforms, they were likely students from different schools. They accepted the wet towels and began ordering with practiced movements.

"Yanamin, speaking of which, we haven't been here in a while, huh-"

Wiping her face vigorously with the wet towel was the Vice President of the Kiriki High School Drama Club-Sanae Niina. She was Anna Yanami’s close friend from middle school and a fellow 'foodie' partner in their gourmet hunts.

"A lot has happened. Listen to me, Niina."

Yanami slammed her empty glass onto the counter with a thud .

"I'm listening-it's about that Warmwater-kun again, isn't it?" (Note: Niina uses a nickname synonymous with Nukumizu, meaning 'tepid water'.)

She had heard this countless times. Niina swallowed the phrase "Just get together already" that almost escaped her lips and reached for the condiments on the table.

"No, no, this time it's not just my personal grudge. After all, it was Nukumizu-kun who took the initiative to invite me for ramen."

Niina, who was examining the ingredients of the condiments, froze instantly.

"Ho-, did he finally ask you out on a date?"

"I wouldn't call it a date or anything. It was more like social etiquette, just going with the flow of conversation."

Yanami twirled the tips of her hair around her finger.

"...Well, I don't know what Nukumizu-kun is thinking, though."

"Are you bragging about your love life right now? Then you're treating me today!"

Niina toyed with the Tabasco bottle with her fingertips.

"I haven't finished talking yet. The thing is, even though he invited me, he hasn't brought it up again at all. He said 'Let's go after this matter is settled'-but it's already been over a month, you know?!"

Yanami downed a second glass of water and continued:

"So I've been being considerate and dropping him hints, okay? Like showing him ramen articles in magazines, or saying 'I'm interested in the ramen at this shop.' Normally, shouldn't the conversation naturally flow into 'Then let's go try that shop next time'? Just how uninterested in me is Nukumizu-kun?!"

"Oho, so Yanamin really wants Warmwater-kun to be interested in you."

"I didn't say that!"

Seeming to have cooled down a bit after venting, Yanami poured water into her glass.

"...Well, oh well. Nukumizu-kun is just that kind of person, so it can't be helped. But he could at least show some appreciation for my hard work in looking after him."

"Oho, Warmwater-kun is quite a sinful man too!"

"I told you it's not that kind of relationship!"

Just then, the energetic female shop assistant placed plates in front of the two.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, here are two orders of karaage!"

Whoosh-

Yanami's expression instantly switched to warrior mode.

"Niina, let's do this."

"Roger."

They picked up their chopsticks and clasped their hands together in front of their faces, a gesture resembling a requiem for the lives lost.

This shop's karaage was famous for its crispy texture and succulent meat.

Yanami's style was: First, take a bite directly without dipping anything.

In that instant, a violently delicious flavor swept through her brain.

The corners of her lips, glistening with grease, involuntarily curled up.

After fully enjoying the savory batter and meat, she dipped it into the special spices on the plate and took another bite.

The aroma rushed straight into her nasal cavity, creating a synergy with the deliciousness that made her consciousness waver for a moment.

Yanami resisted the temptation to drown in the flavor and reached for the condiments.

"...Yanamin, are you using that already?"

Niina asked with a dazed look.

Yanami silently tapped the small bottle, sprinkling its contents onto the second piece of karaage.

The label on the small bottle clearly read 'LEMOSCO'.

LEMOSCO-a seasoning made from a base of lemon juice mixed with vinegar, chili peppers, and other ingredients.

The thin, chewy batter of the karaage intertwined with the acidity of the LEMOSCO, pulling Yanami's fading consciousness back to reality.

Yanami swallowed the chicken and set her chopsticks down with a clack . The karaage was finished.

Beside Yanami, who let out a satisfied sigh, Niina picked up a small bottle labeled 'YUZUSCO'.

"Ah, I forgot to try that one."

"Hehe, I'm not sharing-"

Niina moved her plate away, avoiding Yanami's gaze, and sprinkled the contents of the small bottle onto her karaage.

After ignoring Yanami's stare and finishing her meal, she too set her chopsticks down with a clack .

"Ah-where were we? It's because Warmwater-kun didn't ask you on a date that Yanamin is sulking, right?"

"No, no, he did  invite me. Although it wasn't a date."

Niina looked at the stubborn Yanami with a mischievous grin, then her expression suddenly turned serious.

"But, it's great to see you've got your energy back lately-"

Yanami intended to return a wry smile but quickly gave up and relaxed her expression.

"...I made you worry for a while there."

"I mean, there was a period when you didn't even order large portions or extra noodles. I was super worried back then, you know-"

-That was because I was on a diet.

Yanami swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue and simply smiled silently. A good woman knows when to stop.

"This is all thanks to Warmwater-kun too, right-"

"Ah-maybe there's a little bit of a connection."

Yanami's reaction seemed to surprise Niina a bit.

"Ho-you're quite honest."

" With Nukumizu-kun, I’d say… It's like I had no choice but to watch over him. There was no time to be down about my own problems because there were constantly others that had it even worse.”

"Oh... Oh... Hmm?"

If I say any more...

Just as Niina was battling with the words about to escape her mouth, a gentleman wearing a black hat-the shop owner-placed the ramen bowls onto the counter with a thud .

"Sorry for the wait. One large Meat Shio Ramen, and one large Tomato Noodles with cheese."

""...!""

"Two small bowls of rice, served from this side!"

""............!!""

Faced with the shop assistant's follow-up attack, the two instantly entered combat mode.

They swiftly tied their hair back and simultaneously clapped their hands together with a clap .

-From here on, words were unnecessary.

Placed before Yanami was the Meat Shio Ramen.

In the clear soup sat stewed daikon radish and pork cartilage.

Yanami suppressed her impatience and took a sip of the soup with her spoon.

-Infinite flavor. A silent whisper escaped from Yanami's lips.

The umami of the dashi and the richness of the collagen wrapped around her tongue, filling her throat with pleasure.

Although the taste wasn't greasy at all, for a 16-year-old girl in her growth period, there was absolutely no sense of insufficiency.

-I'm completely being played in the palm of its hand. Even though she realized this, she didn't hate it at all.

Although she wanted to drink the soup all at once, she suppressed the urge, picked up the noodles, and slurp .

The thin noodles coated in soup rushed down her throat. Joy.

...Not yet. It's too early to fall.

Yanami put a cube of radish into her mouth. The daikon, soaked in soup, burst with savory juice in her mouth.

Immediately following that, she put the stewed pork into her mouth, and the violence of the flavor instantly dominated Yanami's brain.

............Completely fallen.

She had to admit it.

She just kept picking up noodles, slurping, and chewing on radish and meat.

She blindly repeated these actions until the tips of her chopsticks touched the bottom of the bowl. Clean sweep.

"...Yanamin, done already?"

Yanami smiled back at her comrade, who was sweating from her forehead and struggling with the Tomato Noodles, then raised her hand sharply. "-One 'Kirikae-dama', please." (Note: "Kirikae-dama" is a type of extra noodle order at Kadowara that changes the flavor of the remaining soup by adding toppings like tantan sauce, effectively "switching" the taste.)

Kirikae-dama. This was a special type of extra noodle serving that the shop took pride in.

In addition to noodles, it included tantan noodle sauce and toppings.

In other words, through the Kirikae-dama, the Shio Ramen would transform magnificently into Shio Tantan Noodles.

For Yanami, who had turned into a fallen angel, clearing a second bowl of ramen was a piece of cake.

Finishing the extra noodles in the blink of an eye, she then poured the small bowl of rice she had saved for last into the remaining soup.

After wiping out every last bit of edible substance in the bowl, Yanami let out a long sigh of relief.

...Total victory.

She had given it her all and enjoyed it greedily.

As Yanami immersed herself in a blissful sense of lethargy, her gaze caught her comrade busy beside her.

Niina was pouring the soup from the Tomato Noodles over her rice and carefully layering the cheese topping on it.

The small universe born in the tea bowl made Yanami's throat gurgle.

"...That looks delicious."

"I'm not sharing-"

"No, no, when have I ever snatched food from others?"

"It happens all the time, okay?"

Niina refused flatly, then shoveled the rice from the bowl into her mouth and slurped the noodles.

Perhaps out of habit, she moved the bowl away from Yanami while continuing to eat as if no one else was around.

A few minutes later than Yanami, Niina also cleared her bowl and clapped her hands together.

"Thanks for the meal-"

"...Thanks for the meal."

Yanami, clearly still wanting more, also put her hands together with lingering attachment.

Niina wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, stood up, and looked down at Yanami with a provocative gaze.

"Yanamin, you can still eat more, right?"

"...Who do you think I am?"

With a grain of rice still stuck to her cheek, Yanami stood up quietly.

"By the way, Marugen Ramen sent a coupon. What do you say, Yanamin?"

"...I'm ordering the Meat Soba and the Iron Plate Egg Fried Rice."

Yanami adopted a stance that said 'Do you even have to ask?'.

"Large portion?"

"Of course-large portion."

…

On a certain weekend afternoon.

Yanami Anna and Niina Sanae, their gourmet hunt had only just begun.

Friendship is Greater Than the Number of Worldly Desires

In a city apartment bedroom, a woman in the prime of her life had been curled up under the covers since daybreak.

According to the TV news, tonight was set to be the coldest night of the winter.

She reached out from the quilt and changed the channel with the remote. The screen showed a group of young entertainers, half-naked, being pushed into a freezing pond. Although she didn't quite get the rules, it seemed that whoever survived until the end would get to appear on the New Year's Day special.

The woman turned off the TV and stared at the ceiling.

"...It's New Year's Eve, and what am I doing?"

The woman was prefectural Tsuwabuki High School teacher, Amanatsu Konami.

A one-two punch of a cold and food poisoning had left her bedridden at the end of the year.

Just as the desolate haiku "Even as I cough, I am alone"  circled in her mind, a brown tabby tomcat approached her pillow.
TL Note: The haiku “Even as I cough, I am alone” (Seki wo shite mo hitori) is a famous haiku, which does not follow the typically known syllable structure. It is about someone dying, which is how Amanatsu feels here.

There he stood, sniffing and snorting, seemingly checking on Amanatsu's condition.

"Oh, are you worried about me? Oh Tamakichi, I knew you were the only one who ca-Ouch!"

Reality wasn't so sweet. Tamakichi the Tomcat was unleashing a flurry of little pawnches right at Amanatsu's eyes.

Amanatsu, having survived her beloved cat's fierce assault, glanced at the clock and propped herself up. It was long past dinner time-the cat's dinner time, that is.

"I know, I know, just wait a second..."

Stumbling into the kitchen, Amanatsu opened the cupboard, only to slump her shoulders. She was out of his usual canned food.

"Tamakichi, we’re settling for dry food today-Ah, okay, okay, I get it."

Faced with her beloved cat's noisy protests, Amanatsu sighed.

She had no choice but to go find a shop that was still open...

As she clutched her stomach and looked for her car keys, the doorbell rang.

Who would be coming over on New Year's Eve? Could it be her worried parents rushing back from their hot spring trip?

Looking at the monitor on the wall, an unexpected figure appeared.

"Hi, Konami. I'm here."

Standing right there was Tsuwabuki High School Nurse, Konuki Sayo. The two of them had an inseparable, ill-fated bond that began in high school which continued on to this very moment.

◇

Konuki placed a large tote bag on the kotatsu and looked around the room.

Seeing the mountain of dirty dishes in the sink, she gave a wry smile and rolled up her sleeves.

"I'll clean this up. Konami, you go lie down."

Perhaps not fully grasping the situation yet, Amanatsu scratched her messy hair.

"Konuki, it's New Year's Eve. Is it okay to leave your boyfriend alone?"

"It's fine. I already fed him his fill before the New Year. He should be a useless husk for the first three days of January, so he'd just be bored anyway."

As Konuki washed the dishes, Tamakichi meowed coquettishly and winded himself around Konuki's legs.

"Oh my, are you hungry?"

"We ran out of his usual cans. Right-you're hungry, aren't you?"

Amanatsu tried to pick him up, but Tamakichi slipped away fluidly.

"I bought some cat food on the way here too. Let's get Tamakichi's dinner ready first."

As if understanding her words, Tamakichi meowed excitedly and jumped onto Konuki's shoulder.

"Yes, yes, I'll get it ready right away."

"...Is it just my imagination, or does this guy like you more than me?"

"Cats and men are the same; they spoil if you pamper them too much. Here, dig in."

Konuki stroked the back of Tamakichi, who was diving into the canned food, and then turned a gentle gaze toward Amanatsu.

"Alright, leave this to me. Are you hungry?"

"Hungry, yes... but my stomach hurts."

"Oh my, an upset stomach, too? This year's cold really is nasty."

Although the upset stomach was actually from eating an expired Christmas cake this morning, Amanatsu silently nodded.

"I'll make something easy to digest then. Now go on, Konami, go get some sleep."

"Mmm..."

Amanatsu crawled into her futon, hazily watching Konuki standing in the kitchen, and gradually drifted off to sleep.

◇

...How long had she slept?

The gentle, appetite-stimulating aroma of dashi stock made her eyes flutter open. Konuki was reading a book at the kotatsu.

When Amanatsu tried to get up, she felt a weight atop her. Tamakichi was sleeping on top of the duvet.

Being careful not to awaken him, Amanatsu moved the cat and crawled out of bed.

"Did you sleep well?"

Amanatsu rubbed her eyes and nodded. Seeing this, Konuki closed her book and stood up.

"Think you can eat some porridge? I'll heat it up right now."

Amanatsu, still half-asleep, crawled under the kotatsu and turned on the TV.

A variety show where celebrities were guessing the values of expensive wines was on TV. Soon, a small steaming earthenware pot was placed in front of her.

It was egg porridge with fluffy eggs. Finely chopped ingredients dotted the dish, making her hungry just from looking at it.

"Oh... this looks pretty legit."

Amanatsu scooped up some porridge with a wooden spoon and brought it to her mouth. A savory flavor instantly spread across her tongue.

"What is this? It's way too delicious."

"I made the dashi stock rich so it wouldn't taste bland. I chopped the vegetables and meat very finely, so it should be easy to digest."

After confirming that Amanatsu had started eating, Konuki placed an appetizer platter in front of herself-

Crack.  She pulled the tab of a beer can.

"Konuki, you're drinking?"

"It's New Year's Eve, after all. I have to enjoy myself a little."

Konuki took a large swig directly from the can and let out a happy sigh.

Staring at this scene, Amanatsu gulped audibly.

"...I bet this porridge would go pretty well with some sake."

"Oh my, you're still sick. Are you okay to drink?"

"The fever is gone, and I’ve got something in my stomach now. Besides, sake is made from rice."

Amanatsu grinned and pointed to the fridge.

"I prepared some good sake for the New Year countdown. Shall we, Konuki?"

"Okay, but you only get one cup, Konami."

But once she started, there was no stopping her-the New Year's Eve drinking party officially began.

Amanatsu, who had just barely recovered, held her third cup of sake, watching the National Broadcaster's Kohaku Uta Gassen with drunken eyes.

"Say, Konuki... why were you willing to come keep me company today of all days?"

"If our positions were reversed, you would do the same, wouldn't you, Konami?"

Konuki swirled her glass with her slender fingers.

"Eh-I'm not that nosy."

"You were like that in our second year of university."

-Second year of university. Hearing that keyword, Amanatsu smiled bitterly.

"That was when you got 'stabbed' at the Coming of Age Ceremony, right? I'd rather forget about that."

"You were the one who cleaned up that mess afterwards, remember?"

"Ah-did I?"

"You even confronted the people who were spreading rumors about it. I heard you got pretty reckless about it, after the fact."

Amanatsu turned her face away, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"And as it turns out, a surprising amount of the rumors were true, I had a pretty hard time with that, you know."

Amanatsu held out the sake bottle, and Konuki smiled as she raised her cup.

"Then let’s toast-to surviving to see the new year."

"You were lucky you didn't die... you get that?"

"I almost paid too high a price for a 'prank'."

In front of the exasperated Amanatsu, Konuki lifted the hem of her clothes.

"The scar has pretty much faded. Want to see?"

"I don’t wanna see-Ah! I said I don’t wanna see it!"

While sipping her sake, Amanatsu stole a glance at Konuki's lower abdomen.

Not a trace of excess fat could be seen on her porcelain white skin.

If anything-.

"Konuki, you've got abs now? You must really be working out."

"A woman needs to train her body too. It comes in handy when dragging a drunk man to bed."

Faced with a statement that sounded half joke, half serious, Amanatsu let out a helpless, bitter laugh.

"...You're going to get 'stabbed' again."

Konuki replied with a fearless smile:

"-That’s a woman's badge of honor."

Thank You for Your Help Back Then

Children's Future Center NIKONIKO. This is a public facility for children located about a 10-minute walk from Toyohashi Station. In addition to hosting various events and hands-on workshops, it also features spaces for small children to play.

Walking through the entrance hall was the Student Council President of Tsuwabuki High School-Tiara Basori. Tiara walked straight to the reception desk and greeted the staff member.

"Excuse me. I am Basori from the Tsuwabuki High Student Council, who contacted you earlier."

"Ah, the student from Tsuwabuki High. I heard about it."

The woman behind the reception desk looked down at the documents at hand.

"Let me see, Basori..."

"Yes, Basori! I brought the flyers for next month's reading event!"

I absolutely cannot let her say my first name. Tiara quickly cut to the chase and placed the flyers on the counter.

"Thank you for coming all this way to deliver them. I'll put them out right away-"

Just as things were wrapping up smoothly, a petite young girl dashed up to the counter. Appearing was Komari Chika of the Tsuwabuki High Literature Club.

"E-Excuse me! My little sister, is, is  l-lost!"

Before finishing her sentence, she began coughing violently.

"F-Four years old, same hairstyle as me. Here is a ph-photo-"

Komari, trying to take out her phone, dropped it on the floor in her panic. Extending a hand to pick it up faster than Komari was Tiara.

"Komari-san. If something happened, let me help."

"U-Ueh..."

As Komari froze in surprise at seeing a familiar face, Tiara handed over the retrieved phone. ........................No reaction.

"Um, Komari-san? I am Basori from the Tsuwabuki High Student Council. If you don't mind, please let me help."

It was only natural for Komari to feel scared. The two had some friction during last year's Club Presidents' Meeting. Thorns of guilt churned within Tiara's chest.

"...Sorry for talking to you so suddenly. I'll go check the surrounding area too."

Tiara placed Komari's phone on the reception counter and turned to leave. If a 4-year-old sister is lost, and she has the same hairstyle as her older sister, she should be recognizable immediately upon sight.

Just as she was about to leave, someone grabbed the hem of her clothes.

"...Komari-san?"

"P-Please help me!"

Komari's voice cracked, and the fingers gripping the clothes were trembling. Seeing this, Tiara gently held Komari's hand.

"Okay, let me help. Any clues?"

"W-When I came back from the restroom, she was gone."

Komari took a deep breath and continued.

"I-I looked through the b-building once, but she's n-nowhere to be found."

"In that case, Komari-san, please explain your sister's features to the staff. I'll go make a round outside."

"O-Outside?"

Komari looked anxiously outside through the glass wall.

"The most dangerous scenario is if she went outside the facility grounds. To leave from here, one must pass through the main entrance or go down the stairs to the parking lot. Komari-san, please stay here in the entrance hall and watch the main entrance. I will search the parking lot and the perimeter."

Seeing Komari nod, Tiara ran quickly toward the stairs.

"W-Wait!!"

Called to a halt, Tiara turned around; Komari was holding her phone up towards her. Displayed on the screen was a cute girl with her hair tied up on one side.

"T-This is Hina. P-Please."

"Got it. She's a very cute child."

Tiara showed a reassuring smile and ran down the stairs in one breath.

◇

Seeing Tiara return with beads of sweat on her forehead, Komari trotted up to meet her.

"H-How was it?"

"She wasn't in the parking lot or around the building. I asked passersby, but there were no sightings."

Tiara placed her hand on the pale Komari's back while looking up at the atrium.

"Did you check the second floor?"

"I-I did check, but..."

Komari followed Tiara's gaze, looking up at the second-floor corridor built along the atrium. An event had just ended, and several parent-child pairs were walking along the corridor.

"Inside the t-training rooms, I didn't look."

"Understood. I'll go check."

Behind Tiara, who was heading for the stairs, Komari tried to follow.

"I-I'll go look too..."

"But Komari-san, you need to stay here-"

As Tiara hesitated, the staff member at the reception spoke up.

"If it's just for a short while, I'll keep an eye out to see if your sister passes by. Go look quickly."

"T-Thank you very much!"

Just as she finished thanking her, Komari ran toward the stairs. Tiara, startled by her unexpected momentum, hurriedly chased after her.

Although she managed to catch up and they searched the training rooms thoroughly together, they still couldn't find Hina. Facing Komari, who was teary-eyed in the center of the room, Tiara took out the facility's pamphlet.

"Calm down and let's check one more time. Have you checked the paid area on the 1st floor? Maybe she wandered in there by mistake."

"C-Checked. Not there."

"Then what's left is-how about this place called the Childcare Plaza?"

"T-That is a place for children under 3 to play, so we don't really go there anymore..."

"Did she play there all the time until she was three?"

"Y-Yeah. Hina used to love that place-"

Before her voice even faded, Komari started running again. Tiara wiped the sweat from her forehead that had just stopped, took a deep breath, and followed closely behind Komari.

◇

Childcare Plaza. An interaction space for infants and toddlers under three years old and their guardians. Featuring athletic facilities and play equipment suitable for toddlers, it is equipped with amenities that allow young children to play all day long.

In the picture book corner of the plaza, Hina Komari was sleeping face-down on an open book. Flanking Hina on the left and right, Komari Chika and Tiara Basori slumped onto the floor, completely drained of strength.

"Thank goodness. We found her safe and sound."

"Y-Yeah, thank goodness."

As she spoke, Komari stroked Hina's head gently. After maintaining this action for a while, Komari timidly turned her gaze toward Tiara.

"W-Why did you help me?"

"Well, naturally, seeing a student from Tsuwabuki in trouble-"

Mid-sentence, Tiara lowered her head in embarrassment. At this point, putting on airs in a place like this was useless. She spoke frankly.

"...I'm sorry. I think it was likely to alleviate my own sense of guilt."

Faced with this unexpected answer, Komari's face was filled with confusion.

"The Club Presidents' Meeting last year-do you remember it?"

"Uh, that..."

Komari searched for words for a moment, then nodded silently.

"I've always wanted to apologize to you for what happened back then."

As if laying down a heavy burden, Tiara continued.

"I was too rigid back then, my head filled only with thoughts of punctuality. I realize now that what I did to you, Komari-san, was terrible. I am truly, very sorry."

Tiara bowed her head deeply in apology. Seeing this, Komari waved her hands in a panic.

"T-That time, it was my own fault for not grasping the situation around me. Basori-san, you weren't wrong."

-The one who couldn't see the situation clearly was actually me.

Tiara wanted to say those words, but after seeing Komari's expression, she swallowed them. The Komari before her now was different from back then. Her face wore the expression of a woman who believed in something, whose heart had found a pillar of support…

"...Is it Nukumizu-kun?"

The one most surprised by this sudden question was Tiara herself. Why bring up Nukumizu's name here?

In contrast to the confused Tiara, Komari stood up with an expression that didn't twitch an inch.

"It-It's about time we leave. Hina shouldn't be here."

"There are very few people today; shall we try asking the staff to let you stay a little longer?"

At Tiara's suggestion, Komari slowly shook her head.

"T-This place is no longer this child's territory."

Komari picked up the sleeping Hina.

"Hi-Hina may still be a child, but once you grow up, you can't go back."

"...Yes, that is certainly true."

From the time they left the Childcare Plaza until they reached the entrance hall, Hina continued to sleep soundly in Komari's arms. Seeing the gentle look in Komari's eyes as she gazed at her sister, the corners of Tiara's mouth relaxed.

"-Komari-san."

"Ueh... W-What?"

Seeing Tiara suddenly turn solemn, Komari took half a step back.

Past mistakes, and present forgiveness. Tiara thought that perhaps she and Komari were similar in some ways. Equally timid, covered in thorns to protect themselves. But after touching the kindness of those around them, they finally learned to reach out their hands on their own initiative.

And, surely-they were gazing at the same person.

Tiara smiled and extended her hand.

"Next time, please let me visit the Literature Club room. Would you like to chat together?"

"U-Um, I'll pass."

-An immediate answer. Facing the frozen Tiara, Komari bowed her head.

"T-Thank you very much for today. W-Well then, goodbye."

"...Ah, yes. Take care."

Komari walked out of the building just like that, carrying her sister. Watching this scene, Tiara let out a deep sigh.

-Life rarely goes the way you want it to.

With a strangely refreshed feeling coming from nowhere, Tiara murmured to the retreating figures of the Komari sisters.

"...Rejected again, eh."

Nukumizu Kaju Birthday Festival 20〇〇

One night close to the Student Council election. I was buried in my room, preparing for tomorrow's classes.

Opening my math notebook, Kaju, who was sitting on my lap looking at flashcards, raised her head.

"Onii-sama, your prep time has increased since you became a second-year."

"Yeah, if I don't prepare properly, I won't be able to keep up with the lessons."

Checking the formulas in the textbook, I took notes in my notebook. Just then, Kaju leaned in to look at the textbook, blocking my view.

"Come on Kaju, I can't see the book. Move over a bit."

As I moved Kaju's head to the side, I noticed something. Judging by the position of Kaju's body sitting on my lap and the distance between her feet and the floor-

"Kaju, did you get taller?"

"Yes, I've grown 1 centimeter since the start of this year."

Kaju straightened her back. Moved, I placed my palm on Kaju's head. My sister, who had always been petite, was growing bit by bit like this. Unlike Yanami's horizontal growth, this was genuinely delightful.

"By the way, are you sure you just want a dictionary for your birthday present?"

"Yes, while studying for exams, I can feel Onii-sama's presence. There is no better gift than this."

Kaju declared decisively.

-This weekend is Kaju's 15th birthday. Although she specifically asked for an English-Japanese dictionary, maybe I should get her something else too...

While stroking Kaju's head, I continued writing in my notebook absentmindedly.

◇

After school the next day, an emergency club meeting was held in the Literature Club room. Exercising my authority as president, I had gathered everyone urgently.

"Thank you all for coming!"

Yanami, Komari, and Shiratama-san nodded seriously. Shiratama-san raised her hand cutely.

"President, did something happen?"

I nodded solemnly and informed the three.

"Well, this weekend-is Kaju's birthday."

For some reason, the girls had absolutely no reaction. I pulled myself together and continued explaining.

"So I plan to bake a cake as a surprise, but I'm torn on what flavor to choose."

Still no reaction. Ignoring this, I distributed the prepared handouts.

"Strawberry shortcake and chocolate cream are nice, fruit tart or tea chiffon are also options. Kaju often makes cheesecakes, but that's because they're convenient for freezing-"

"...Wait a second, Nukumizu-kun."

This time, Yanami raised her hand with a suspicious look on her face.

"Go ahead, Yanami-san."

"We were called out just to discuss which birthday cake to choose for your sister? Just for this? No cake for us?"

"That's about it. Can I continue?"

"Is… is your brain made of sponge cake?"

For some reason, Komari also snapped at me. Oh well, it seems a little explanation is needed.

"Listen to me. This is Kaju's 15th birthday. In the past in Japan, a boy was considered an adult at 15. In this modern era of gender equality, wouldn't it be fair to say this year is Kaju's coming-of-age ceremony?"

Clearing my throat, I looked around at everyone's faces.

"In other words, this is a truly 'auspicious' occasion. You understand, right?"

"I don't understand. I only understand that Nukumizu-kun is indeed quite 'auspicious' (simple-minded), and that there's no cake to eat."

Yanami waved the handout I made.

"Speaking of which, Nukumizu-kun, can you bake a cake? I've never been treated to one by you."

"It's my first attempt, so I'm a little anxious."

Besides, why do I have to make one for Yanami? Just then, Shiratama-san clasped her hands in front of her chest.

"If it's cake, I've made them before. If it's to celebrate Kaju-chan, please let me help."

"Eh, ah. Thank you..."

Feeling an unexplained pressure, I was momentarily at a loss for words. Actually, precisely because this was about Kaju, I had decided to exclude Shiratama-san from the discussion. That's why I deliberately chose a day when Shiratama-san was on Student Council duty and wasn't supposed to be here, so why was she here... why...

Whether she sensed my inner turmoil or not, Shiratama-san tilted her head cutely.

"Then, how about making it at my house? My family won't be home on the weekend."

"But I plan to make the cake at my own house."

Komari showed a puzzled expression.

"Even though it's a s-surprise, you're making it at home?"

"Yeah. Since Kaju has an outing scheduled in the afternoon, I wanted to make it then."

"...Nukumizu-kun, you're still sharing your schedule with your sister."

Yanami cast a meaningful look. But I don't know how to stop sharing it. At this moment, Shiratama-san, who had stood up, sat down next to me again for some reason.

"If it's your first time, it might not go smoothly, so it's better to have plenty of time. Come to my house; it'll just be the two of us, so don't be shy!"

"I-Is that so..."

Facing the increasing pressure, Shiratama-san leaned further forward.

"That's right. Can I help with the President's first time?"

Indeed, I might fail on my first try. And Shiratama-san smells nice. Plus, no one's home... not that it has anything to do with the cake.

"Um... Since I'm a guy, going to a girl's house when no one is home doesn't feel right. Your family would worry too."

Shiratama-san placed her index finger on her chin and tilted her head cutely.

"But we're dating, so it should be fine, right?"

""!!!""

Hah?! What are you saying, Shiratama-san? Feeling the murderous gazes from Yanami and Komari, I shook my head with all my might.

"Wait! We're not dating at all, are we?!"

"Oh my, I remembered wrong. I only introduced the President to my sister and the others as my boyfriend."

Shiratama-san stuck out her tongue. So cute. Right, that was all. Just lying to the Tanaka couple at the Aeon Mall in Toyokawa that we were dating-

"You haven't told them the truth yet?!"

"But on the day of the wedding, the President said to me that you would always stay by my-"

Shiratama-san glanced at Yanami and Komari, then covered her mouth with both hands as if flustered.

"I'm sorry, that's a secret between just the two of us."

"That's going to cause a misunderstanding, please clarify the subject!"

Crap, if I'm treated as a bad guy who makes moves on new junior members, I'm in big trouble. I took a deep breath and turned to face the two senior members.

"Um, may I explain?"

"If it's a will, I'll listen."

"D-Die."

Okay, both are in their normal state.

"During that revenge operation, in order to fool Tanaka-sensei and her sister, Shiratama-san and I lied about dating."

Explanation complete. Now the two should be relieved-not at all, their expressions showed no sign of acceptance. Yanami-san stared at me with dead fish eyes.

"Oho... Why tell that kind of lie?"

"If you ask why-"

Why was it? I don't even really know. The other girl with dead fish eyes, Komari, was also glaring at me.

"Y-You actually said... something like you'd always stay by her side?"

"I told you that it was about Shiratama-san and Tanaka-sensei, it has nothing to do with me, right?"

I didn't do anything wrong, so why am I being blamed like this? Just as I was enduring this unreasonableness, Shiratama-san quietly placed her hand on my arm.

"President, I caused you trouble, I'm sorry. Being misunderstood as dating me is hateful, isn't it?"

"Um, it's not that I hate it..."

Hearing this, Shiratama-san revealed a smile as bright as a blooming flower.

"Great! Then let's make the cake together at my house-"

"...Wouldn't it be hard to transport the cake from Shiratama-chan’s house?"

Yanami interjected abruptly. Resting her chin on one hand with a self-abandoning attitude, she started looking for her hair clip.

"If you ride a bike, the cake will collapse, and taking buses and trains takes time. Besides, isn't it the same as making it at Nukumizu-kun's house?"

Shiratama-san froze for a moment, then nodded with a smile as if pulling herself together.

"True. If only there was a suitable place near the President's house."

"If only there was-"

Yanami twirled the tips of her hair with her finger.

...What is going on, this inexplicable tension. Komari, who was glaring at me just now, is staring at her phone while trembling; what on earth happened...?

Just then, as if to dispel this atmosphere, the clubroom door was thrown open with force.

"Hey everyone! Heard there's an emergency meeting today?"

Entering the room was Yakishio in her training wear. Wiping her sweat with the towel handed by Komari, Yakishio looked around the clubroom in wonder.

"What's wrong with everyone?"

No one spoke. Left with no choice, I explained.

"Um... We're planning a surprise birthday cake for Kaju, and we're looking for a place. If we do it at my house, Kaju might find out."

"Hmm-mm."

Yakishio drank some water from her bottle, wiped her mouth, and sat on a chair.

"Then come to my house. My mom is good at baking cakes."

◇

June 6th-Kaju's birthday, a day worth celebrating worldwide.

Keeping it a secret from Kaju, I arrived at Yakishio's house.

To avoid any inexplicably tense atmosphere, the location for making the cake was ultimately decided to be Yakishio's house. Yakishio's house was within walking distance of mine, making it the perfect venue. And also-

"Nukumizu-kun, welcome, welcome! Come on, make yourself at home, please come in!"

"Excuse me for the intrusion, and I'm sorry for the sudden visit."

It was a delight that Yakishio's mother was going to teach us the recipe. The living room of the Yakishio house I was led into had a faint, pleasant scent, and the dining kitchen had cooking utensils neatly arranged. Placing the bought ingredients on the counter, Yakimama handed me a folded cloth.

"Here, you can use this apron."

"Thank you... By the way, where is Lemon-san?"

I looked around, but Yakishio was nowhere to be seen in the living room. As she put on her own apron, Yakimama casually mentioned:

"Lemon went to club activities. That child is full of motivation since a competition is coming up."

"Eh?"

Wait, does that mean currently, it's just me and Yakimama alone in this house? No, wait, since she's a married woman, her husband should be somewhere-.

"My husband is currently on a business trip, so you don't need to be too formal."

"Ah, okay!"

Husband on a business trip-daughter at club activities-a housewife full of active charm- Isn't this a development I've seen in certain manga? Of course, nothing strange would actually happen, but how should I put it about Yakimama... being near her makes me feel a bit restless inside.

Yeah, restless.

As I was distractedly trying to tie the apron, Yakimama went behind me to help tie the strings.

"Um, I can do it myself."

"It's fine, it's fine. My house only has girls, so I'm happy to have a boy come over to play."

Yes, I am also happy. ...No, this isn't the time to be playing around with a friend's mother. My goal today is to make a birthday cake for Kaju, not to have a rendezvous with a married woman. Just as I was tightening my expression with rare mental fortitude- click . The living room door opened.

Rubbing her eyes as she entered was a girl wearing glasses and pajamas, dragging a large rabbit plushie with a drooping head. Yaki-imo-that is, Yakishio Nagi.

Startled, Yakimama quickly moved away from me.

"Nagi-chan, why haven't you changed yet?"

"Mmm... I was reading too late yesterday and accidentally fell back asleep."

She padded over to the fridge, took out some milk, and sat at the dining table. Yaki-imo, drinking milk sleepily, finally noticed my presence after a while, and her movements stopped abruptly. In the next second-

"Pfft-!!"

She spectacularly sprayed the milk. Yakimama ran to the choking Yaki-imo. Seems I did something bad... Avoiding the gaze of the teary-eyed, coughing Yaki-imo, I tightened the apron strings firmly.

Under Yakimama's guidance, the cake making officially began. While sifting the cake flour, I observed the living room out of the corner of my eye and saw Yaki-imo, who had changed clothes, staring at me unblinkingly. ...I feel like I can't settle down.

Although I'm not doing anything shady, I can't say the thought never crossed my mind. Being a second-year high school student is such a delicate and restless age. While making excuses for myself and continuing with the task at hand, the doorbell rang. Yakimama left the living room, and Yaki-imo, seemingly seizing this timing, spoke up:

"Um, what are you to my sister?"

...Eh? What does that mean? I tried to read the true meaning from her expression, but the eyes behind those glasses were filled with wariness.

"Um, we're in the Literature Club together... that kind of relationship, I guess."

I managed to give a safe answer, but Yaki-imo's glasses reflected a sharp light.

"Sister has never brought a boy from the Track Team home until now."

"Oh."

She had someone she liked before, so naturally, she wouldn't casually bring other boys home.

"Are you really... just a simple club member?"

"Yes, absolutely true."

Despite my sincere answer, the younger Yakishio sister continued to stare at me suspiciously. Eh... did I say something strange? Amidst this awkward atmosphere, the living room door opened.

"-I thought it was Yakishio-senpai's sister!"

"Oh my, you flatter me, I'm Lemon's mother, her mother!"

Walking into the living room with a delighted face was Yakimama, and behind her were-Shiratama-san and Yanami. Why are they here?! Facing a dumbfounded me, Yanami revealed a slightly mischievous smirk:

"Nukumizu-kun, we came to help you out."

-I don't need it . I think I'm amazing for swallowing those words. While tying her apron strings, Yanami deliberately bumped my shoulder with hers.

"Why so quiet? If you're happy, just say it."

"We're making a birthday cake next, so there won't be a portion for you, Yanami-san, okay?"

"Of course, I brought my own share properly."

What Yanami took out was a loaf of sliced bread. ...Sliced bread? Hmm, Yanami's share being sliced bread mean?

"Don't tell me, Yanami-san, your family celebrates birthdays by sticking candles in sliced bread?"

"We don't stick them in. Nukumizu-kun, what exactly do you think of my family?"

Yanami shrugged as if saying 'I can't deal with you'.

"Listen, when whipping cream, doesn't a little bit always get left in the bowl or on the whisk? At high school age, you can't just lick it directly, so you use bread to dip the remaining cream in and eat it."

"I get the logic, but why are you eating bread already?"

"Because there are 6 slices in a bag, eating 1 slice is fine. Want some too, Shiratama-chan?"

Shiratama-san, wearing a cute frilly apron, shook her head.

"I'll pass, I've had breakfast."

"I've eaten too, you know?"

Leaving Shiratama-san for Yanami to deal with, I distanced myself and hid to the side. At that moment, Yakimama stood next to me, beaming.

"Oh my, Nukumizu-kun is quite popular."

"No, I just get teased by them all the time."

Eh? Yakimama... her eyes don't seem to be smiling, is it just my imagination...

And so, with two helpers added, the cake making resumed. Yanami fumbled around in the bag full of ingredients, searching back and forth.

"Nukumizu-kun, where's the butter?"

"Are you going to eat it?"

"I won't! I'm talking about measuring the ingredients."

Anyway, I feel like you're going to eat it eventually, so remember to account for the portion you eat.

"Uh, I remember it was in that bag over there-"

Just as I was about to look for the butter, Shiratama-san handed me a package from the side.

"If you don't mind, would you like to use this? I happened to have some delicious butter at home, so I brought it along."

Seeing that packaging, Yakimama looked surprised.

"Oh my, that's Échiré butter (Note: High-quality French butter). Are you sure we can use something so expensive?"

"Yes, please use it generously. After all, it's for my favorite Kaju-chan’s birthday."

Shiratama-san said this while staring at me for some reason. Since you like Kaju so much, I wish you two would get along better normally.

◇

A corner of a quiet residential area. In Gondou Asami's room, Kaju and Gon-chan were hanging out together.

"Nuku-chan, ahhh-"

"Mmm, ahhh-"

Kaju opened her mouth and accepted the spoon Gon-chan offered. Licking a bit of egg crumb from the corner of her mouth, she nodded repeatedly.

"Gon-chan, your cooking skills have improved. Even Kaju can't achieve this fluffiness."

"I can't always have you cooking for me, after all. Here, Nuku-chan, ahhh-"

Gon-chan scooped another spoonful from the omurice plate and brought the spoon to Kaju's mouth.

"Aren't you eating, Gon-chan?"

"Today is a day to spoil Nuku-chan to the fullest. Have some more?"

"Mmm, I feel like I'm going to get spoiled rotten."

Munch.  Watching Kaju chewing happily, Gon-chan also took a bite of the omurice. The fluffy omurice she practiced in secret was a huge success. With this, she wouldn't be embarrassed no matter who she cooked for. Looking at Gon-chan who was smiling gently, Kaju cast a meaningful glance.

"Oh my? Could it be that this meal was practice for cooking for someone ?"

"............"

Without saying a word, Gon-chan reached out, pinched both of Kaju's cheeks, and pulled them hard to the left and right.

"Gon-chan, you just said you were going to spoil me-"

"There's a limit to spoiling."

Gon-chan enjoyed Kaju's cheeks for a while longer before laughing and letting go.

"Even though it's your birthday, do we really not need to buy a cake?"

"Hehe, today Onii-sama is going to bake a cake for Kaju personally. So I'm saving that anticipation for the very end."

"Hmm, Onii-sama is quite thoughtful."

Gon-chan examined Kaju's face, which was overflowing with happiness. In the past, Onii-sama spending the whole day with her was the gift for Kaju's birthday. But this year, the two were acting separately, and Onii-sama was even challenging himself with making sweets, which was Kaju's domain.

Nukumizu Kaju, 15 years old. The friend in front of her, whose heart was filled with her brother, was changing little by little. Perhaps it was Onii-sama who changed first, and Kaju just had to change along with him. But Kaju showed absolutely no sign of that...

"Hey, hey, Onii-sama was so clumsy trying to fish for information about what kind of cake Kaju likes, that look was really so cute. Although I figured out the surprise ages ago just by looking through Onii-sama's search history and schedule, Kaju has been thinking since yesterday about how to act surprised when the time comes-"

Watching Kaju chirping excitedly there, Gon-chan could only shake her head slightly in resignation.

-I really hope the current Nuku-chan can stay like this for just a little bit longer.

Gon-chan scooped up some omurice with a spoon and stuffed it into the mouth of the endlessly talking Kaju.

◇

Gripping the mold filled with sponge cake batter with thick oven mitts, I placed it into the oven preheated to 170°C. After closing the door and setting the timer, all that was left was to wait. She peeked through the oven window and then turned to us.

"Alright, let's prepare the cream while we wait."

Yakimama efficiently assigned tasks. While feeling that uniquely reassuring aura of a housewife, I noticed Yanami staring intently at the fresh cream carton.

"We're going to use that, so don't drink it, okay?"

"I'm not drinking it. I was just thinking, "this is genuine fresh cream."

Eh, is there fake cream? Could it be that what I always thought was fresh cream was actually white sea urchin or some kind of animal juice...

As I trembled in fear of the unknown, Shiratama-san picked up the rag I had dropped on the floor.

"There is a type of margarine made from vegetable oil. It costs about half as much as fresh cream and is very convenient to use."

"Oh, I see. Thanks for the rag."

"Exactly. Heave-ho, let me wipe your hands clean, President."

Rub, rub, rub.  For some reason, Shiratama-san was wiping my hands.

"...You two, get to work. Come on, we're going to whip the cream."

"Yanami-san, why is there only one slice of bread left?"

"Because the expiration date is today, so I have to eat it quickly."

"Aren't you usually indifferent to that?"

Yanami wagged her finger at me with a tsk-tsk-tsk  to educate me.

"Nukumizu-kun, the 'best before' date and the 'use by' date are different. The 'use by' date, how should I put it, is very strict!"

Is that so? It's pointless to argue with Yanami about this, let's just do my own thing... While I was preparing the strawberries, Yakishio's mother, who was washing dishes, looked at the clock on the wall.

"Oh my, look at the time. Everyone is having lunch, right?"

"No, you don't need to trouble yourself so much-"

"Yes, thank you for the meal!"

Yanami beat me to the punch with an energetic reply. This scene feels strangely familiar. Oh well, as long as I don't get pushed down in the momentum, I should be thankful. Yakimama wiped her hands on a towel while laughing.

"Don't stand on ceremony. I happen to have some soumen noodles I received as a gift, I'll boil them."

"Soumen-"

Yanami's smile froze instantly. It's been a year since that incident , but it seems the wounds in her heart haven't healed yet. Beside Yakimama , who was busy preparing lunch, Yanami was stirring the fresh cream with dead fish eyes.

...Yanami, feel free to lick the fresh cream all you want.

◇

By the time Yanami finished her 6th bundle of soumen, the sponge cake base was finally baked. Applying the cream and placing the final strawberries, it was a great success. I stepped back a bit to check the overall balance and gently adjusted the angle of the strawberries.

"Alright-this should be about it."

The cake was finally complete. As I nodded in satisfaction, Yanami and Shiratama-san burst into applause.

"Amazing, it looks super delicious!"

"President, as expected of you."

"Ah, it's really well done."

The rise of the sponge, the stiffness of the whipped cream, and the decoration. The level of completion didn't look like a first attempt at all. This was undoubtedly thanks to the housewife's guidance too.

"It's made so well... it really looks delicious..."

"Right? But Yanami-san can't eat it, okay?"

While holding back Yanami, whose body was unconsciously drifting toward the cake, I watched Yakimama begin to organize the leftover ingredients.

"There's quite a lot left. Do you want me to wrap it up for you to take home?"

"These were spare ingredients, so if you don't mind, please accept them."

"Is that okay? Then let's bake another cake. Everyone will eat it, right?"

"Yes, of course!"

Yanami gave the best possible answer and started preparing to make a second cake with Shiratama-san. Glancing sideways at them, I packed the finished cake into a box.

"It would be wonderful if your sister likes it."

Yakimama, who had come to my side at some point, spoke gently.

"Yes, she's always taking care of me, so I want to repay her occasionally."

"Your sister goes to Momozono Middle School just like Nagi, right? Is Nukumizu-kun the older brother?"

"Ah, yes. That's correct."

"That's nice. I really wish I could find a big brother like Nukumizu-kun for my child. What do your parents do? Do they get transferred nationwide?"

Yakimama felt like she was closing in step by step. Although I don't understand why, this is probably what they call housewife small talk.

"My parents are just ordinary company employees, and even if there are transfers, they should be limited to within the prefecture..."

"Is that so. It's gotten hot lately, and my husband's blood pressure is a bit high, so I've been worried. Is Nukumizu-kun's family in good health recently? Any chronic illnesses or anything?"

"Ah, everyone in my family is ridiculously healthy."

"Oh my, that's wonderful."

...What kind of chat is this? Why is Yakimama asking so much about my family? -After I honestly divulged the basic data of the Nukumizu clan, the living room door was pushed open energetically.

"I'm home! Something smells good-"

The eldest daughter of the Yakishio family had returned. Wiping away dripping sweat, she peeked into the kitchen.

"Eh, you're just starting to make it now?"

Yanami, holding butter in her hand, smiled slightly.

"Lemon, what we're making next is the refill round, all-you-can-eat!"

"Senpai, why don't you join us?"

Faced with Shiratama-san's invitation, Yakishio showed a happy expression.

"Yay, I want to make it too!"

Just as Yakishio was about to reach out, Yakimama draped a towel over her head.

"Lemon, dry your sweat properly and go change your clothes."

"Okaaay. Nukkun, wait for me."

"No, I'm going home now."

"Eh-stay a little longer."

Yakishio winked at me for some reason, then walked out of the living room. She's as energetic as ever. Sighing in admiration, I put the cake box into a bag. At that moment, Yakimama leaned in and whispered softly in my ear:

"Sorry about that. That child is actually quite proper usually. Despite how she looks, she's very family-oriented, and I think she'll definitely make a good bride in the future."

"Hah, is that so?"

I could only answer like that. Speaking of which, can Yakishio cook? I remember hearing from someone that during last year's training camp, she caused the barbecue charcoal fire to spread everywhere and almost caused a disaster...

While listening to Yakimama desperately praising her daughter for some reason, I vaguely fantasized about a life as a part of the Yakishio family.

On the way back from Yakishio's house. I wondered how many times I had done this, staring at the cake box I was carrying. In my mind, Kaju's surprised expression upon seeing the handmade cake floated up. As I was walking carefully so as not to shake the box, the sound of running footsteps approached from behind. These footsteps were-

"Onii-sama. Are you going home?"

It was Kaju. Kaju walked up beside me, leaning in to peek at the cake box.

"Did you buy a cake? Which shop is it from?"

"It's a secret. Who did you go out with just now, Kaju?"

"Then Kaju will keep it a secret too."

Saying that, she laughed happily. Is it my imagination, or does that innocent smile seem a bit more mature? I looked down at Kaju; a flower-shaped hair ornament was pinned to her black hair.

"That hair ornament, it's quite cute."

I complimented it casually, and Kaju immediately looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

"Yes, this is a birthday present from Gon-chan! Onii-sama, as expected, you know everything about Kaju!"

"Heh, so you went to play with Gondou-san."

Kaju, having her secret exposed, deliberately puffed out her cheeks in a feigned display of displeasure.

"Onii-sama, you're too mean."

"Sorry, sorry."

I apologized with a smile, and Kaju extended her hand to me.

"Then, if you hold Kaju's hand, Kaju will forgive you."

At this point, I really couldn't refuse. I obediently held her hand, and Kaju let out a 'hehe' laugh.

"I forgive you, Onii-sama."

"Okay, thank you."

Hand in hand, we walked the path home amidst laughter.

Recently, times like this have indeed decreased a lot. After all, Kaju is an examinee, and the number of times I come home late because of the Literature Club has increased.

Someday, we won't celebrate birthdays together like this anymore. Although she went to play at Gondou-san's house today, sooner or later-

Looking at Kaju humming a song beside me, I whispered secretly in my heart: As I thought, it's still too early for Kaju to get a boyfriend. At least wait until high school- Wait, even for high schoolers, the deviation value for romance varies from person to person.

............This has got to be 5 years, no, 10 years from now.

Keep Secrets in Moderation

Early morning at Tsuwabuki High School.

In the storage room of the deserted old school building, the figure of a female student appeared-Chihaya Asagumo of Class 2-E.

Guided by the morning sun streaming through the window and the light reflecting off her forehead, she was peering at the wiring extending behind the peeling wall.

This was a common occurrence in older buildings. Due to repeated renovations to the old school building, the routing of the wiring had become obscure.

Things that were supposed to be on the blueprints didn't exist, and lines not marked on the drawings ran wildly all over the place. Moreover, since the old school building was often used for extracurricular activities or students' personal use, for her, a mundane high school student, this place was simply the best playground to exercise her curiosity.

Just then, the shine on Asagumo's forehead increased as she stared behind the wall.

"...Found it!"

Unable to suppress her excitement, her voice leaked out. She had finally found the specific line she had been searching for.

By using this line, she could tap into the audio equipment of the entire old school building.

Although repeated renovations and additional construction made it uncertain whether this line even existed anymore, it was indeed still remaining there. The remaining work was to confirm to what extent the line was still alive and to bridge the damaged parts with new circuits.

Just as Asagumo was formulating the subsequent plan in her mind, she sensed footsteps approaching the storage room.

...Closer than expected. To only notice it now, she could only say she had been too careless.

Asagumo quickly stuffed the tools she was holding into the shadows and turned to face the door. Her prayer that the person would just pass by went unanswered; the door was thrown open.

"...Oh my, it's Asagumo-kun."

The second person to appear was the former Student Council President, Hibari Hokobaru.

"Good morning. Do you have business here at this hour?"

Houkobaru clearly hadn't expected someone to beat her here either. Facing the surprised Houkobaru, Asagumo smiled and took the initiative to speak.

"I'm holding an English conversation study group with some like-minded friends. I remembered there was an unused whiteboard here, so I thought I'd come borrow it."

"Oh, is it this one?"

Asagumo pointed to the whiteboard leaning against the wall. In the shadow of a pile of stacked cardboard boxes stood an old whiteboard on a stand.

"Ah, that's the one. It looks like it'll be quite a struggle to get it out."

"I'll help you, please don't be polite."

"Sorry about that. I'll handle the heavy lifting-"

"Please don't be polite! Senpai, I leave the luggage in the back to you!"

Asagumo casually used her body to block the hole in the wall while using her momentum to stack cardboard boxes in front of it. Overwhelmed by her intensity, Houkobaru nodded and began clearing the clutter in the back.

"This side is cleared. How is it over there, Senpai?"

"Ah, this side is fine too. Alright, looks like we can move it."

Hokobaru reached out to hold the whiteboard, then cast a gaze filled with doubt.

"Speaking of which, Asagumo-kun-what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"That is-"

The opponent was Hibari Houkobaru . She wasn't fishing for information, nor did she have malicious intent. After judging her, Asagumo carefully chose her words before speaking.

"I was also thinking of holding a study group with friends, so I came to see if there was anything usable..."

"You too, Asagumo-kun? If there's anything you need, just ask me-"

However, Houkobaru suddenly stopped moving the whiteboard. Because as the luggage was moved, a pile of tools originally hidden in the shadows was exposed.

"Asagumo-kun, what are these?"

"...Indeed, what are they?"

Houkobaru picked up a small board that looked like a shoehorn.

"This is a panel remover, right? Why is something like this here?"

"Oh my, you actually recognize it?"

"My relative likes tinkering with cars, so I've had the privilege of watching them operate before."

Houkobaru examined the tools piled up in a mess.

"A multimeter and crimping pliers, huh... there are quite a few things I haven't seen before."

"You are quite knowledgeable."

"My parents hold electrician licenses, so I've been familiar with these things since I was little."

Suddenly, Houkobaru's gaze landed on Asagumo. Accurately speaking, it was directed behind Asagumo-at a hole in the wall faintly visible through the gaps in the stacked cardboard boxes.

"Asagumo-kun, what is with that wall behind you?"

"Oh my, to think there's a hole in a place like this."

Asagumo pretended to have just discovered it, acting very surprised. Hokobaru then moved the cardboard boxes aside and peered into the hole.

"A hole like this, who on earth made it-"

"It must be the construction crew."

Asagumo asserted decisively.

"It's likely unfinished work. Since the tools are also left scattered here, this explanation makes sense."

Faced with Asagumo's confident defense, Houkobaru nodded frankly.

"I see. But some of these tools look quite expensive; it's too careless to just leave them like this. I'll take them to the admin office-"

"Please leave it to me to handle!"

Asagumo shouted, almost snatching the conversation away. Seeing this, Hokobaru revealed a slight bitter smile and nodded in agreement.

"Ah, then I'll leave it to you. I'll be going ahead then."

"Yes, thank you for your hard work!"

Houkobaru was pushing the whiteboard out the door, but she stopped with her back to Asagumo.

"...However, it feels a bit strange."

These suggestive words caused Asagumo to hesitate briefly. But curiosity ultimately won over caution. Asagumo asked back.

"What do you mean by strange?"

"In my first year of high school, the distribution board in the old school building was burned out due to a lightning strike. Because repairs were difficult, the wiring for the old school building was connected directly to the west school building."

"..."

Asagumo fell silent. As if responding to that silence, Hokobaru continued:

"The wiring in that area should theoretically be out of service by now. Just what kind of work was the construction crew doing?"

"...Uh, I wouldn't know either."

Facing Asagumo's guarded tone, Houkobaru waved her hand without turning around.

"Ah, don't let it bother you. Just rambling to myself."

"No, it was a very interesting story."

Even after the door closed, Asagumo continued to stare at the spot unblinkingly. As expected, there really are many interesting people in this school.

-Houkobaru Hibari. She is definitely not just a soft-hearted person; she is the former Student Council President of Tsuwabuki High, after all.

"...That makes me want to get to the bottom of it even more."

Asagumo gripped the crimping pliers in her hand tightly and turned to face the hole in the wall once again.

Let Memories Remain Beautiful

A 20-minute bus ride from the West Station brings you to the exhibition facility at Mikawa Port-Kamomeria.

For elementary school students in Toyohashi, this place, along with the Underground Resources Center, is a staple destination for social studies field trips.

In that exhibition room, the figure of a second-year student from Tsuwabuki High School -Yakishio Lemon- appeared. She was staring blankly, mouth agape, at the enormous lifeboat that stood out prominently in the exhibition room.

Approaching from behind her was a girl with twin tails and glasses-Yakishio Nagi, a first-year student at Momozono Junior High. As soon as Nagi saw her sister, she closed the notebook she had been writing in.

"Onee-chan, it's about time to go to the next spot."

"Nagi, did you see this? It's that thing that can dive into the sea!"

Lemon turned around with sparkling eyes. Faced with her innocent sister, Nagi sighed helplessly.

"That's not a submarine, it's a lifeboat."

"Wow~ so it dives down to save people."

Nagi probably gave up on explaining. She silently walked to Lemon's side and looked up at the lifeboat alongside her.

"Onee-chan, you came here when you were in fifth grade, right? Didn't you listen to the teacher's explanation back then?"

"Nope-I remember getting scolded by the teacher though."

Lemon spoke in a cheerful tone, leaning in to peek at Nagi's open notebook.

"You came all this way just to study?"

"I told you, it's for my independent research project for social studies, investigating Mikawa Bay."

Ignoring her sister's exasperated expression, Lemon crossed her arms and nodded deeply in agreement.

"So that's why you came here. Alright, ask Onee-chan anything you don't understand!"

"Uh... I'm good."

Nagi desperately shook her head in refusal.

"Oh come on, don't be shy. Look, there's a cool car over there. It's a Toyota, right?"

"It says Volkswagen on it..."

"In Aichi Prefecture, all cars are Toyota! Did you write that down properly in your notebook?"

Nagi nodded and pretended to write a couple of things in her notebook. It seems her 12 years as a younger sister weren't for nothing.

"Onee-chan, we're done with the first floor. Can we go to the observation deck now?"

"Yay! Come on, let's race to see who gets there first, elevator vs. stairs!"

Nagi watched her overly excited sister with a calm gaze through her glasses.

"Please behave and take the elevator. You got scolded by Mom just the other day, didn't you?"

"...Yes."

Lemon responded meekly and obediently followed Nagi toward the elevator.

Nagi Yakishio, 12 years old. She hadn't been Lemon's sister for all these years for nothing.

◇

The elevator rose to the top, opening into an observation room where a panoramic view of Mikawa Port could be seen from the fourth floor. Glancing at her sister happily rushing to the window, Nagi began reading the explanation panels on the wall.

"Hey, look! So many cars are lined up neatly. Are there lots of people really good at driving gathered here at the port?"

Nagi glanced sideways at her sister who had dashed to the window, gave Lemon a look, and then returned her gaze to the display panel.

"...That's a motor pool. It's for parking cars waiting to be exported overseas."

"Wow~ so, those are imported cars?"

"...In the destination country, they will indeed become imported cars."

Nagi's pencil, which had been flying across the notebook, stopped.

"Doesn't that mean they're all foreign cars then-that's amazing-"

Prefectural Tsuwabuki High School. That was the best prep school in the area, Nagi's target school, and the school her sister Lemon was currently attending. Although several extremely rude thoughts crossed her mind, Nagi forcibly shook her head to drive them out.

"Nagi, aren't you going to look at the scenery? Reading just text is boring, isn't it?"

"I want  to read this."

Nagi pushed up her glasses with a finger and sighed deeply.

"Although I appreciate you bringing me here, Onee-chan, if you're bored, you don't have to force yourself."

"But Nagi, you've wanted to come here for a long time, right?"

Seeing Nagi about to retort but then falling silent, Lemon continued.

"After all, you caught a cold in fifth grade and couldn't go on the school field trip."

"Onee-chan, you remembered."

Lemon walked up to Nagi and wrapped her arm around her shoulders from behind.

"Back then, I felt like... saying 'I was looking forward to the field trip' was a bit embarrassing."

"But you were totally looking forward to it. If you had just told Dad, he would have brought you here right away."

Nagi closed her notebook stiffly.

"Back then, it was you who took care of me, Onee-chan."

"Ah-I think that happened."

"You made a huge mess in the kitchen trying to cook for me. Did you forget all about it?"

"Oh my... did that really happen?"

Lemon scratched her cheek with a wry smile.

"I remember now. I made porridge, right?"

"It tasted awful."

Nagi laughed as she said this, and Lemon laughed along with her. After laughing for a while, Nagi took off her glasses and wiped the corner of her eyes.

"Onee-chan, thank y-"

"Ah, there are binoculars! Hey, Nagi, come look too!"

"...I'll pass."

Responding to her boisterous sister, Nagi opened her notebook again.

Sister history: 12 years. She had been dealing with a sister like this all her life. Cheerful, fast runner, beautiful, and popular. Just being Lemon's sister always attracted attention from those around her.

But this same sister would release a swarm of caught cicadas in her room in summer, and build a snowman right in the middle of the house in winter-spring, summer, autumn, winter; she always found ways to turn the Yakishio household upside down.

...It feels like such a sister has settled down a bit recently. She stopped climbing trees in public, and doesn't walk around the house wrapped in only a towel after a bath anymore.

Could it be that she has someone she likes?

But that boy who came to the house the other day looked unreliable no matter how you looked at him, and he was surrounded by girls; that kind of guy is better left alone-

While Nagi was thinking about these things, Lemon let out a scream behind her.

"Onee-chan, you're too loud. Did you see a crime scene or something?"

"...I found a dead body."

"...Eh?"

Is this another joke? Nagi turned around to see Lemon, binoculars in hand, pale and trembling.

"...Onee-chan, what do you mean by a dead body?"

Just as Nagi timidly began to ask, Lemon sprang into action as if suddenly jolted awake.

"Onee-chan is going to check, Nagi, stay here!"

Shoving the binoculars at Nagi, Lemon dashed into the stairwell in one breath.

◇

Perhaps because there were no events today, there was hardly anyone around. This was the concert hall-Life Port Toyohashi-a few minutes' walk from Kamomeria.

Lemon ran through the empty parking lot, sprinting towards the building. In front of the building was a shallow pool with a fountain, and right in front of that pool-lay a young woman.

Lemon gulped and approached slowly. The scene before her was exactly the same as what she had seen through the binoculars from the observation room, and cold sweat ran down Lemon's spine. The woman lying on the ground had long, light brown hair, and her clothes with a wide-open neckline conveyed a premonition-

"Is this person from the Student Council...?"

Because it was so unexpected, Lemon blurted it out, simultaneously awakening the memory in her brain.

Lying there was that third-year student who had clashed with Tsukinoki-senpai. Shikiya-senpai, was it? Just then, Shikiya's fingers moved slightly. Lemon hurriedly rushed forward and lifted Shikiya's body.

"Are you okay?!"

Hearing the call, Shikiya's long eyelashes fluttered a few times.

"You are... that child from the Track Team...?"

"I'm Yakishio from the Track Team. Did something happen?"

"Hotter... than I imagined... ran out of energy..."

Shikiya raised a hand weakly and pointed into the distance.

" Wanted  to go... to the vending machine over there..."

"Vending machine? Okay, leave it to me!"

Relying on her superior physical strength, Lemon picked Shikiya up and trotted to the bench next to the vending machine.

"Senpai, please sit here. I'll buy it for you!"

"Water... peach flavor..."

"Got it! Here you go!"

"Feed me..."

"Got it! Open up!"

Yakishio Lemon, entering athletic club junior mode. As she brought the plastic bottle to Shikiya's lips to let her drink, the beverage spilled from the corner of her mouth onto her exposed chest.

"Sorry, I spilled it."

Just as Lemon was about to offer a handkerchief, her hand was grabbed by Shikiya's slender fingers.

"Wipe it... for me...?"

"Understoo-uh, can you wipe that  place yourself?"

It was probably her wild instinct. Lemon avoided danger by a hair's breadth and observed Shikiya's face.

"Do you have a headache? Heatstroke is scary."

"I'm fine... much better..."

Shikiya stood up unsteadily and began to walk with a gait that definitely didn't say she was 'much better'.

"Where are you going?"

"Go... home..."

Hearing this, Lemon circled in front of Shikiya and squatted with her back to her.

"Then I'll carry you back!"

"Is it... okay...?"

"I'm used to it, so it's fine!"

For Lemon, who had run kilometers carrying Komari, this was nothing. Thinking that, the moment she took Shikiya onto her back-Lemon was enveloped in a cold aura. As she froze, Shikiya buried her nose into the nape of Lemon's neck.

"Eep?!"

"Smells... good..."

"Your hands are so cold-Senpai, are you dead?"

"Then... warm me up...?"

Shikiya's hands reached toward the chest of Lemon's shirt.

"Even if you're cold, you can't put your hands inside my clothes, okay?!"

"Touching for the first time... doesn't feel real..."

"It's my first time being touched there too!"

Just then, someone came running up to the two. It was Yakishio Nagi. She pressed her hand to her chest to catch her breath and pushed up her glasses with a look of displeasure.

"Onee-chan, I finally found you. Don't run off... suddenly...?"

It was only natural for Nagi to be at a loss for words. She had finally caught up to her sister who dashed off, only to see her carrying a strange woman on her back, and that woman's hands were groping her sister- For Nagi, who was still in compulsory education, it was a bit of an information overload.

"Nagi?! Uh, this is a Senpai from school!"

"What are you doing with a school Senpai?"

Shikiya noticed the confused Nagi and murmured softly:

"Bad for... education..."

She got off Lemon's back and started walking unsteadily.

"It's okay... I called a taxi..."

"Senpai, are you really okay by yourself?"

Shikiya looked back and waved once as she left the scene.

"See you... later...?"

"Ah, yes."

While Lemon waved back blankly, Nagi hugged her tightly as if crashing into her.

"Onee-chan, who on earth was that person?"

"Yeah... who was she?"

Tsuwabuki High School third year, Yumeko Shikiya. With a faint scent of perfume wafting from her neck, Lemon watched her retreating figure while feeling an inexplicable sense of deja vu.

Tanaka-sensei of the Shiratama Household

The school building after school. I re-tied my tie in front of the Student Council room door.

...I could sense someone's presence inside.

Since I was just here to submit documents, that should have been enough, but the problem was who was sitting inside.

Currently, the Student Council has three members: President Tiara-san, Vice President Sakurai-kun, and Secretary Shiratama-san.

If Tiara-san is alone inside, the atmosphere always gets a bit weird, so I want to avoid that if possible.

Please, let me pull the SSR Sakurai Gacha...

I pushed open the door to the Student Council room, and a female student was standing there. It was Riko Shiratama.

"...Excuse me."

SR Shiratama-san retracted the hand she was reaching toward the bookshelf and smiled at me. So cute.

"President, what brings you here?"

"Um, I came to submit last month's financial report."

"What, and here I thought you came specifically to see me."

Shiratama-san walked up to me with light steps and naturally held the hand holding the documents.

"Hey, hurry up and say you actually came to see me!"

Hey now, don't tease your senpai.

Just because my hand is being held, there's no way I'd say something like that-.

"Yes, I came to see you."

?! The words came out of my mouth automatically... What is this...?

Just as I was trembling in fear of Shiratama-san's terrifying teasing skills, she gripped my hand tighter.

"Then, President, would you like to come visit your beloved girlfriend's house this weekend?"

Girlfriend? Ah, speaking of which, is that lie about us dating still ongoing?

Why do the people around me all love pretending to have boyfriends so much...?

"Um, about that. Don't you think it's better to clear up the misunderstanding soon?"

"But, my older sister said she wants to meet my boyfriend."

Eh, Shiratama-nee wants to see me? No, she's Tanaka-nee now.

"Sorry, that's really impossible. That kind of lie won't hold up forever, let's just tell the truth."

"If I go back to being single, I won't be able to spoil my onii-chan like before. Wasn't it you, President, who told me to aim for onii-chan?"

"That is-"

Seeing me at a loss for words, Shiratama-san closed the distance, leaning her body in until her ribbon bow almost touched me.

"-You have to take responsibility properly, okay?"

◇

...How did it come to this?

Three days later. Sunday.

I got off at a station on the Atsumi Line, three stops away from Tsuwabuki High, walked for another ten minutes, and arrived in this unfamiliar residential area.

"Uh, this should be the place..."

…Why on earth did it turn out like this?

I looked up from the map on my phone, and what entered my vision was a two-story detached house that was old but well-maintained. The nameplate read 'Shiratama', so there was no mistake.

My finger stopped a second before pressing the doorbell.

-This time, I was visiting under the setting of being Shiratama-san's boyfriend.

Can someone like me, who doesn't even know the real her that well, really play the boyfriend role and fool her own sister?

In light novels or manga, this situation often turns into: getting suspected by the other party, and finally being told, 'Since you're dating, show me a kiss right here.' I've read that kind of plot about three times in books.

............Forget it, being late is bad anyway. Yeah.

Just as I pulled myself together to ring the doorbell, a voice came from behind:

"Oh, Nukumizu. You're quite on time."

"Sensei?"

It was only natural for me to be shocked. Standing there was none other than our Amanatsu-sensei.

Ignoring the stunned me, Amanatsu-sensei went ahead and rang the doorbell.

'Coming, please wait a moment-'

The voice from the intercom was that of an exceptionally bewitching and mature woman.

That voice sounded so familiar. I had a bad feeling...

Peeking her face out from the opened front door was none other than the School Nurse of Tsuwabuki High-Konuki Sayo.

Konuki-sensei winked at me and grabbed my arm in one smooth motion.

"Welcome. Minori and Riko-chan are waiting for you."

"Why is Sensei here..."

"Nukumizu, now that you're here, you're not allowed to run away."

Wanting to give up, I was forcibly dragged into the house by the two teachers.

Just like that, I was taken to the guest room of the Shiratama household. Sitting across the low table in the Japanese-style room were two women.

Seeing me enter, both stood up simultaneously.

"Kazuhiko-san, welcome!"

One was my (fake) girlfriend, Shiratama Riko. And the other was-

"Welcome, Nukumizu-kun. Thank you for always taking care of Riko."

Shiratama Minori-now having changed her name to Tanaka Minori. I timidly grasped the hand she extended.

◇

"Here, Kazuhiko-san, have some tea."

"Ah, thanks..."

I sipped the tea served by Shiratama-san while secretly observing the teacher lineup sitting opposite me.

In the center sat Riko's sister-Tanaka Minori, flanked by Konuki-sensei and Amanatsu-sensei on the left and right. Just as I was cringing from this pins-and-needles atmosphere, Shiratama-san, sitting beside me, quietly placed her hand on my thigh.

"A little nervous?"

"No, well..."

Seeing me stammer, Riko's sister smiled apologetically:

"Sorry for calling you over so suddenly. You must have had your own plans, right?"

-No, I didn't. Having grown accustomed to being forcibly dragged into scenarios, my mood finally calmed down a bit, and I set down the teacup I had been clutching.

"Um... may I ask what this is about today... why was I called here?"

"Because you're Riko's first boyfriend, so I wanted to have a chat with you no matter what."

"Onee-chan has been looking forward to meeting Kazuhiko-san for a long time."

Hearing her sister's assist, Riko's sister showed an easygoing smile.

"Sorry to you too, Riko, on a precious weekend."

"It's fine. Being able to have a home date with Kazuhiko-san makes me feel like I gained something."

-I see, so this is what they call a home date. If I were really dating Shiratama-san, we could have dates at home like this... I see...

As I started drinking tea again, Riko's sister suddenly threw out a question:

"Say, Nukumizu-kun, what do you like about Riko?"

"Eh?"

Asking me to name what I like about someone who isn't my girlfriend...?

Shiratama-san stared at me with an amused look, while the Tsuwabuki teacher team wore serious expressions as if appraising me, waiting for my answer. I absolutely cannot say anything careless here.

"Um... she's gentle... good at housework... and..."

Gulp.  Four gazes pierced me all at once.

"She picks up any erasers I drop... and she always makes my heart race and I can't look away, I guess."

I managed to squeeze out those words and secretly observed Riko-nee's reaction.

Observing her directly for the first time today, she looked very much like Shiratama-san, with very refined features. Her hair was slightly longer than her sister's, and that beauty which combined maturity with innocence would definitely attract attention if she appeared on a podium. If not for this complicated relationship, I would even want the school to replace our homeroom teacher with her.

Riko-nee looked at her sister with a teasing gaze.

"Hehe, is that so. Riko, your thoughts?"

"Hmm, I'd like to hear a bit more. You can continue, right, Kazuhiko-san?"

Eh, do I have to keep spinning lies? Amanatsu-sensei cast a suspicious glance, and Konuki-sensei winked at me for some reason. This feeling is unbearable. Simply the worst.

-In the end, before being let off, I was forced to list 10 things I liked. By the time the sisters got up to prepare coffee, I was slumped over the low table, completely drained.

"...Hey, Nukumizu."

"Yes... what is it..."

Looking up, Amanatsu-sensei, resting her cheek on one hand, waved her hand slap-slap .

"What exactly is your relationship with Basori from Class F?"

"Just... just normal friends."

"Oh? And do you normally  go to a normal friend's house like that? She's a girl, you know."

If you’re so worried about that kind of thing, how about you help me with the problem of my house becoming a hangout spot? The girls even bookmark stuff in my web browser without permission.

While I was being vague, Konuki-sensei interjected.

"Well, it's not like you can't  go visit if you're not dating. If anything, that sense of immorality makes it more exciting."

I appreciate the support, but could you please not say things that could be so easily misunderstood? Amanatsu-sensei glared fiercely at Konuki-sensei, then turned back to me.

"Alright, so what's up with you and Yakishio? You haven't forgotten the gym storage incident last year, have you?"

Of course I haven't forgotten. That sensation-er, that life-threatening crisis, was definitely unforgettable.

"Um, that was a complete misunderstanding. Besides, Yakishio and I aren't in that kind of relationship."

"That’s no problem, am I right? When you’re not in that kind of relationship, those sparks fly so easily."

Konuki-sensei, you’re not helping, could you please be quiet? Amanatsu-sensei's expression became increasingly severe. Even though I did nothing wrong.

"Listen, Nukumizu. It's okay to break up and date someone else. But I don't think it's good for you to change girlfriends constantly like this."

"I haven't done anything like that."

...Why am I misunderstood like this?

True, last summer I was seen hugging a half-naked Yakishio in the gym storage room; people found out about me going to Tiara-san’s house; and now I'm lying about dating Shiratama-san. Plus last winter, I got dragged into a suspected love triangle with Shikiya-senpai and Tiara-san in the gym. But even so, there's no reason for me to shoulder this misunderstanding for nothing.

As I struggled with how to clear this all up, Konuki-sensei spoke.

"We've known Riko-chan since she was small, so we're really worried. Just when her suspension ended and she hadn't fully integrated into the class, she suddenly started dating you, Nukumizu-kun."

She placed a hand on Amanatsu-sensei's shoulder as if comforting her.

"Having a girlfriend but still being entangled with an ex, or cosplaying with Basori-san, Sensei thinks that's fine, mind you."

"How is that fine!?"

Amanatsu-sensei immediately retorted. I completely agree, but this is a total misunderstanding. Konuki-sensei stared at me directly with slightly serious eyes.

"But you know, I still hope you put your girlfriend, Riko-chan, first. That girl is more sensitive than you might imagine."

"Sensei..."

I understand very well that Konuki-sensei and the others genuinely care for Shiratama-san. The problem is that all of this is built on a misunderstanding. However, the atmosphere has gotten a bit saccharine, so I feel it's better to remain silent...

Perhaps thinking I had taken it to heart, Konuki-sensei relaxed her expression and held up her index finger:

"Just in case, can I give you a piece of advice?"

"No, I'm good."

Despite my firm refusal, Konuki-sensei continued on her own accord.

"If you get stabbed, the most important thing is to prevent the blade from twisting inside the body."

That advice came out of nowhere.

"...Uh, what does that mean?"

"If the blade gets twisted inside your body, blood vessels and nerves will suffer massive damage. You must try to hold the blade steady to keep it from moving, and be careful not to let your assailant mount you and pin you down."

"Huh..."

Well, I learned something. And from the sound of it, I am destined to be stabbed in the near future.

"Also, if there are no witnesses, the pattern of defensive wounds is crucial for proving the opponent's intent to kill. You don't want to dodge forcibly; instead grab the blade tightly with your hand."

"Is this advice based on the premise that I will die? Am I going to be killed?"

Konuki-sensei smiled silently. I don't want to die. Looking for help, Amanatsu-sensei said with the gentlest smile I've seen today.

"...Want me to introduce a good insurance policy?"

◇

Shiratama-san placed a cute pink cushion down and patted it twice.

"Here, Kazuhiko-san, please sit."

"Ah, okay. Excuse me..."

The home date entered its second half, and I was invited into Shiratama Riko's room.

"Sorry my sister talks so much. You must be exhausted, right?"

"Yes, exhausted."

I answered honestly and sat down on the cushion.

Entering a girl's room, besides Komari's, this should be the second time after Tiara-san's.

Shiratama-san's room had wood flooring with a white base tone, and a dresser stood by the wall. A faint, pleasant scent of perfume drifted in the room; every time Shiratama-san moved, the air in the room rippled along, soothing the heart.

-This is a real girl's room.

Although being invited in is a good thing, is it really okay for me, a fake boyfriend, to stay here...

As I was flustered by a sense of immorality, Shiratama-san placed a cushion next to me and sat down.

"Eh, why sit next to me?"

"Since I'm Kazuhiko-san's girlfriend, isn't sitting like this normal?"

Ah, I see. Since Shiratama-san is my girlfriend, sitting together isn't really a problem-

"No no, this is just acting! Besides, since it's just the two of us in the room, there's no need to call me by my first name, right?"

"Hmm-but what if someone hears us. And it's rare for just the two of us to be alone-"

Shiratama-san leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Do you want to... try playing the boyfriend for a little longer?"

"Huh?"

A boy and a girl alone in a room. If the action a boyfriend should take at a time like this is...

Wait, this is bad. I am a guy after all. If I act on impulse and accidentally touch something like the back of her knee, that would be a huge problem.

"Shiratama-san, let's stop with this kind of joke."

"Is it not allowed even if it's just acting as a joke?"

"It's not that it's absolutely not allowed..."

"...Because it's just acting, you can forget about it tomorrow."

Leaning on my shoulder, the weight of Shiratama-san's head seemed to increase just a little bit. This is probably one of her jokes. Since it's a joke, I shouldn't take it seriously, but she smells sweet and nice, and I feel like staying like this for a little longer wouldn't be-

Just as I was stiff with uneasiness, footsteps approaching the room could be heard from the hallway. The slightly heavy footsteps stopped in front of the door, followed by a hesitant knock.

"Is now a good time for you two?"

""Wah!!""

That voice was Tanaka-sensei. Shiratama-san jumped up in a panic and yanked the door open.

"Onii-chan, what's wrong?"

"I heard from Minori that Nukumizu-kun was here, so I thought I'd come say hello-"

Before Tanaka-sensei could finish, his gaze stopped on the two cushions placed side by side. He immediately looked away, a gentle and composed smile appearing on his face.

"Also, I bought cake. Want to eat together downstairs?"

Shiratama-san stood in front of the door as if blocking Tanaka-sensei's view and clapped her hands happily.

"Wow, thanks Onii-chan! Kazuhiko-san, let's go downstairs too?"

"Ah, yeah... okay."

I nodded stiffly and left the room side-by-side with Shiratama-san. Tanaka-sensei looked awkward... and I was awkward too.

◇

-The stomach-ulcer-inducing home date finally ended.

After firmly refusing a send-off, I bowed to the teachers at the entrance of the Shiratama household.

"Thank you for having me today."

"I was happy we could talk so much. See you at school."

As I shook hands with Tanaka-sensei, Amanatsu-sensei patted my shoulder vigorously.

"Oh, Nukumizu, hang in there. If anything happens, talk to Konuki."

"Yes, you are very welcome. The infirmary bed is always empty."

While nodding with a smile, I swore in my heart not to go near the infirmary for a while. Just as I was about to leave, Riko's sister approached nonchalantly and whispered in my ear.

.

"-Please take care of Riko, Club President ."

Faced with me freezing in place, she smiled gently, lightly patted my back, and turned away.

...This person really is Shiratama Riko's biological sister. While worrying about Mr. Tanaka's future in my heart, I quickened my pace and left the Shiratama house.

◇

I walked along a single-lane road with no sidewalk, heading toward the nearest station. Since cars were passing, I waited on the side of the road for them to go by while looking up at the setting sun.

...I managed to get through it this time, but it will be trouble if this kind of thing keeps continuing. I really need to find an opportunity to talk properly and tell the truth.

Although Shiratama-san is soft and smells nice, I'm not the type of guy to be led astray by that sort of thing.

............Yeah, I'm not the type to be led astray.

"Kazuhiko-san-please wait!"

Hearing that voice, I turned around to see Shiratama-san running from behind. After catching up to me, she pressed her hand to her chest to catch her breath.

"What's wrong? Did I forget something?"

"As your girlfriend, I wanted to walk Kazuhiko-san to the station."

Shiratama-san flashed a perfect smile at me, but I won't be misled anymore.

"The teachers aren't here this time, so there's no need to act anymore."

"Until you get home, I am your girlfriend, okay?"

She dropped that line mischievously and made a move to walk in front of me to lead the way.

...Fine. Since I am completely not being misled, I'll walk with her for a bit longer.

"Wait, not that way."

"Aren't we going to the station?"

"There's a lot of traffic on this road, it's too dangerous, so let's take a detour."

It's fine if I'm walking alone, but I can't be careless when I have Shiratama-san with me. As we walked along the detour, Shiratama-san suddenly stopped and bowed solemnly to thank me.

"Kazuhiko-san, thank you so much for everything. You really saved me today."

"No problem, I may have gotten a bit carried away– this kind of thing seems to happen a lot lately."

"Oh really? I guess my boyfriend is pretty popular."

Listening to Shiratama-san's half-joking tone, the corners of my mouth couldn't help but relax too.

Really, it wasn’t all a deception. I was meeting a friend’s family. Just like when I baked a cake with Yakishio's mom, or got sprayed with milk by Yaki-imo, went out shopping with Komari and the shrimps, or was caught by Tiara's little brother during cat ear-play.

"Then, let me thank you in some way for today. Is there anything you want?"

"Walking me to the station is enough."

To be honest, I don't want any more owing or lending of favors. I answered half-jokingly, but Shiratama-san fell silent. Huh, was she put off by my comment just now? I feel like she might have been.

"Um, there wasn't any deep meaning behind that-"

"To be honest, I would be bombarded with questions at home, so I escaped."

After saying that, Shiratama-san fell silent again. ...Well, I figured as much. We continued walking side by side in silence. When we stopped at a traffic light at an intersection, Shiratama-san watched the passing cars with distant eyes.

"Always playing the 'good girl' in front of my sister and onii-chan... I'm a little tired of it."

"...Is that so?"

This expression that Shiratama-san occasionally shows reminds me that she is just a girl of her age who gets hurt easily. I couldn't say anything, so I just stood quietly by her side. The light turned green, and we started walking silently again. Walking along the footpath by the fields, I voiced what had been bothering me just now.

"Did your sister already realize we aren't actually dating?"

"...What makes you think that?"

I was momentarily taken aback by Shiratama-san's serious tone.

"When I left, she called me 'Club President'."

"Club President…"

Hearing that, Shiratama-san thought for a moment before speaking.

"-Did you let something slip?"

"Huh?"

I responded dumbly, and Shiratama-san revealed a competitive smile.

"She was probing. Onee-chan was waiting for your mask to slip, Kazuhiko-san."

"She saw through me?"

Shiratama-san faced forward and shook her head.

"No, if onee-chan was sure, she wouldn't have been trying to rattle you like that. She’d use it against you to her advantage."

"R-Really?"

...These sisters live in a different dimension from me. I decided this visit to the Shiratama house would be the first and last. I’m better suited to the Nukumizu house spending time with Kaju, petting fluffy things and such. I unconsciously quickened my pace, but Shiratama-san grabbed my arm.

"Kazuhiko-san, please walk a bit slower."

"Ah, sorry."

After I stopped, Shiratama-san took the opportunity to forcibly link her arm with mine.

"Hehe, now you can't escape, right?"

"W-Wait, even for acting, this is going too far."

Ignoring my confusion completely, Shiratama-san continued walking while clinging to my arm. I started walking as if being dragged along.

"Um, Shiratama-san. If people from school see us..."

"If we are suspected-then turning the fake into real isn't bad either."

"Hah? What does that mean?"

In response to my dumbfounded question, Shiratama-san looked up at me with her cutest smile.

"-If the President becomes my real  boyfriend, I wonder if Onee-chan would be surprised."

Hah, real boyfriend? That means Shiratama-san and I wouldn't be pretending, but actually dating. Indeed, if we did that, her sister's doubts would clear up, and we wouldn't need to lie-

"Hah?! No no, you should cherish yourself more, shouldn't you?!"

"Just kidding, Kazuhiko-san."

At my incoherent reaction, Shiratama-san giggled and released my arm.

"-At least for now, that is."

How Many Light Years is the Distance Between Us

Third period ended, and the students of Class 2-C stood up one after another. The next class required moving to a different classroom.

Komari waited until she confirmed that the majority of the class had walked out before she started preparing her things for the next lesson.

Just as Komari was sluggishly organizing her textbooks, a sparkling and bright light began to flutter around her.

It was Himemiya Karen.

Karen stood beside Komari's desk, revealing a smile without a single cloud.

"Is Komari all alone? Where did Anna go?"

"Ugh... eh, um..."

Seeing Komari's nervousness, Karen slightly dimmed her brightness.

"I see, Anna is on day duty today, so she probably went ahead. Then it's just the two of us now."

"Ueh... th-that..."

Clatter.  Komari hugged her textbooks and stood up abruptly.

"Then I'll go with-eh, wait wait wait! Komari, let's walk together!"

Karen trotted to catch up with Komari, who was planning to dash out of the classroom alone.

"Since we have this rare chance, shall we chat?"

Komari quickly typed a line on her phone and turned the screen toward Karen.

But, I must go to the audio-visual room next

"I'm going too, you know."

Even the mighty 8K Himemiya Karen was using all her strength just to retort to Komari's attitude of keeping people at a thousand miles' distance. Karen placed her hand on her ample chest and took a deep breath.

"Well then, question time! What is my full name?"

"...?"

Confused by the sudden question, Komari tapped away on her phone.

Himemiya Karen

"Yes, correct. My name is Himemiya Karen. Komari's full name is Komari Chika."

Cough, cough , Karen cleared her throat.

"What does Komari like to eat?"

"U-Um-"

Confused by the sudden question, Komari tapped on her phone.

Egg tofu

Faced with this extremely plain answer, Karen clapped her hands together and leaned in excitedly.

"If it's egg tofu, I eat it often too! The one I bought at Seijo Ishii (Note: High-end supermarket) the other day was super delicious. Which brand do you like, Komari?"

Komari hesitated for a while before typing an answer on her phone.

I've only eaten the cheap ones sold in packs of three at drugstores.

"...Uh, yeah. Something like egg tofu really is delicious no matter where it's from."

Karen dimmed the light around her body by another degree.

...As expected, the conversation couldn't get as lively as she had hoped.

Facing the troubled 8K heroine Himemiya Karen, Komari timidly presented her phone screen.

It's 85 seconds from here to the audio-visual room. You don't have to force yourself to find a topic.

After confirming Karen had read the screen, Komari left Karen behind and quickened her pace.

However, Karen shortened the distance without hesitation and walked side-by-side with Komari again.

"You know, I find chatting with Komari really fun."

Komari couldn't hide the wariness in her eyes. Karen embraced that guard with a smile and continued in a gentle voice:

"I wasn't forcing myself to find topics either. I just thought that if I could get to know Komari little by little like this, we could become closer day by day, right?"

The light around Karen began to intensify little by little again, as if her own BGM was playing from somewhere in the distance.

"But if I made you feel forced, I'm sorry. I'm often told that my sense of distance is too close."

Karen tapped her own head lightly and made a cute face.

Komari, who had remained silent, started to reach for her phone but stopped-she stuffed the phone back into her pocket.

"I-I also... don't hate... talking to you."

After saying this in a mosquito-like voice, Komari lowered her head, her face flushing red.

...So cute.  Karen swallowed the words that were about to leak from her mouth.

Just as the intro to Karen's self-generated BGM was about to pour out, a carefree voice interrupted.

"Eh, where are you two going? Class is starting soon."

The owner of the voice was Yanami Anna. She made her entrance while eating a red bean bun bought at the school store.

"Anna-chan, the next class is in the audio-visual room. What about your textbooks?"

"Hah? I guess you're right..."

Saying that, she took another bite of the red bean bun.

"A-And, aren't you on day duty? Is it really okay not to hurry over?"

"Ah, that's right! You guys explain it to the teacher for me!"

Yanami stuffed the rest of the bun into her mouth and ran toward the classroom.

Watching her retreating figure, the two shrugged and looked at each other.

"Anna hasn't changed a bit. I'll have to explain it properly to the teacher."

"I-I'll leave that to you."

"Roger. Himemiya Karen, mission accepted!"

Karen let out a bell-like laugh, and Komari responded with a stiff smile-

The Budding Season

Thirty minutes by train and on foot from Toyohashi Station. Nukumizu Kaju and Asami Gondou stood in front of a gardening shop on the outskirts of the city.

This was a large store with grounds covering thousands of tsubo , dealing not only in plants but also a wide range of gardening supplies. The two had come here for their school's workplace experience activity and were wearing their junior high gym uniforms.

Kaju shook her long black hair and looked toward the station.

"Tachibana-kun is late; it's almost meeting time."

The third participant was their classmate, Tachibana Satoshi. He was the brave soul who had confessed to Amanatsu-sensei during the open campus at Tsuwabuki High, and also the object of Gon-chan's affections.

"This guy, always showing up at the last second."

Gon-chan muttered in a stiff tone, then somewhat restlessly began fiddling with her hair.

Gon-chan had decided not to confess. They were supposed to remain just fellow members of the Gardening Club, as they had been until now.

"Gon-chan, is something wrong?"

"Nothing."

Perhaps realizing her tone had become stiff, Gon-chan switched to a softer tone.

"...Just thinking that he’s been acting a little cool lately."

"Tachibana-kun has?"

Kaju tilted her head in thought, but she hadn't heard any rumors like that. As the president of the Gardening Club, he was theoretically looked up to by the juniors.

"You mean he's become reliable, right? The other day, Gon-chan, you said something like that too-"

"I didn't say that."

Gon-chan reverted to her stiff tone. Feeling the corners of her mouth twitching upwards, Kaju poked Gon-chan's arm.

"Are you really okay with that? Tachibana-kun is actually quite popular, you know?"

"...Nuku-chan, I'm going to give you 'uppies' again, you know."

Kaju stuck out her tongue playfully and hopped away from Gon-chan. Just as the two were playfully bickering, Tachibana-kun leisurely appeared from inside the gardening shop.

"Satoshi, you were inside the shop?"

"Ah, I was curious so I took a look first. Seedlings raised by professionals really are different."

Tachibana-kun looked back into the store with sparkling eyes.

"Is the soil mixture different? I really want to hear them explain starting from seed selection..."

Looking at Tachibana-kun muttering to himself, Gon-chan made a face that said,  'I can't deal with you.'

"You two, it's exactly the appointed time."

The moment Kaju looked up from the clock, a chill shot up her spine.

...She recognized this aura.

Just then, a woman walked unsteadily out of the shop. With light brown long hair tied back and wearing an apron with a logo, the female clerk bowed unsteadily to Kaju and the others.

"Young people... welcome..."

"Shikiya-senpai?! Why are you here?!"

To the surprised Kaju, Shikiya tilted her head with a click .

"Here... my family's shop... come..."

As if the explanation was complete, she turned her back on the three and started walking. Kaju hurriedly followed, and Tachibana-kun walked up beside her.

"Nukumizu-san, is that clerk perhaps..."

"Yes. She's a former member of the Tsuwabuki High Student Council, and she usually takes good care of me."

Kaju caught up to Shikiya and threw out another question.

"Um, Shikiya-senpai, are you working part-time here?"

"Parents' company... doing... many other things too..."

As Shikiya walked past piles of fertilizer, a young female clerk called out to her.

"Yumeko-chan, we got new colors of Clematis in."

"Thanks... later... go... see..."

Rows of garden trees, about the height of an adult, were lined up there, a mix of ground-planted and potted ones. Shikiya stopped in the garden tree section.

"Before it gets hot... need... to... water..."

"Can I try?"

Shikiya handed the hose to Tachibana-kun, who had volunteered.

"Water at the roots... sun shines... leaves will burn..."

"Understood. Can I give them plenty?"

"Yeah... plenty..."

Seeing Tachibana-kun's skilled handling, she seemingly judged it safe to entrust the task to him. She pulled over another hose and handed it to Gon-chan.

"This half... you do..."

"Ah, okay. I understand."

"After finishing... let that boy check..."

After giving instructions to the two, Shikiya beckoned to Kaju.

"Kaju-chan... come here..."

"Yes, Shikiya-senpai."

Shikiya walked forward with an unerring stride, and Kaju walked alongside her.

"I didn't expect Shikiya-senpai to be the one teaching us for this workplace experience; I was surprised."

"I was... surprised too..."

Kaju stole a glance at Shikiya's profile. Realizing she wasn't just expressionless as usual, Kaju tentatively asked:

"Shikiya-senpai, you met Onii-sama before at the wedding hall tour, right? How have things been since then?"

Clomp.  Shikiya stopped walking and tilted her head with a sway .

"How... meaning?"

Stared at by those white pupils, Kaju instinctively took a step back.

"Kaju was wondering if you interact at Tsuwabuki High... Onii-sama and you shouldn't have much interaction, right? I'm sorry for saying something strange."

Shikiya froze for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"With your brother... play often..."

"Is that so?!"

Kaju couldn't help but cry out. To Kaju, Shikiya Yumeko was a top-tier beauty filled with mystery, a flower on a high peak. It wasn't that she thought she was a mismatch for Onii-sama, but she hadn't expected someone older like her to have so much interaction with her brother.

"Yeah... board game cafe... go occasionally..."

"That's wonderful! Then, where else have you gone besides that?"

Shikiya swayed unsteadily as if searching her memory.

"The other day... flowers for a friend... had him help me choose..."

Kaju leaned forward excitedly.

"Then, then! Shikiya-senpai goes on dates with Onii-sama often?"

"Date...?"

Shikiya's gaze wandered vacantly. She didn't meet Kaju's eyes, muttering as if whispering low.

"Nukumizu-kun... regarding me... did he say anything...?"

Kaju was momentarily at a loss for words. She had never heard her brother mention Shikiya. That was exactly why she hadn't put her on the watchlist until now, but knowing they had a relationship where they met privately multiple times, she had to re-evaluate. As Kaju's brain spun at high speed, Shikiya started walking again.

"Over here... new seeds... arrange them..."

"Ah, yes!"

Following behind Shikiya, Kaju became increasingly certain. The chart of Onii-sama's future bride candidates needed a major update.

◇

Watering, arranging products, serving customers-by the time they experienced this series of tasks, it was already past 1:00 PM. While Kaju and Gon-chan were having a late lunch in the backroom, Tachibana-kun, ignoring his food, was launching a barrage of questions at Shikiya.

"I planted eggplant seeds recently, but they didn't really grow. Could you give me some advice?"

"How... did you... do it...?"

"Could you please look at this photo?"

Shikiya and Tachibana-kun huddled together staring at the same phone screen, continuing their exchange. Gon-chan watched that scene from a distance, aggressively biting into her rice ball. Munch, munch.

"Aren't you going to join the conversation, Gon-chan?"

"I'll pass."

Chew, chew.  Gon-chan continued to bury her face in her rice ball.

"Soil is fine... temperature and moisture... scratch it a bit finer... will get better..."

"I do measure temperature and moisture every day, but-"

"Moisture meter... which one do you use?"

Catching the two chatting animatedly about vegetables in her peripheral vision, Gon-chan downed a large gulp of tea from her flask. Kaju moved her chair closer to Gon-chan and placed a small, wrapped chocolate in front of her.

"I understand your worry. Shikiya-senpai indeed has a very mature charm and is beautiful."

"...But I'm still taller."

With a flick of her fingertip, Gon-chan snapped the chocolate back to Kaju. Kaju unwrapped the chocolate and fed it directly into Gon-chan's mouth.

- I want to be left alone.  She had said that once. I don't want to date Tachibana-kun.  She had said that too.

But as the seasons turned, Gon-chan was changing little by little. Both Tachibana-kun and the various relationships surrounding him. Even Kaju herself was no longer the same as she was on Valentine's Day. Feeling an inexplicable sense of cuteness from her friend, Kaju poked Gon-chan's cheek.

"Gon-chan, it might be better to be a little more honest, you know?"

"Right back at you."

Gon-chan retorted with a feigned look of displeasure, then lightly pinched Kaju's cheek in return.

-Things that change, and things that don't. For girls who hadn't yet spent many years together, there were still many things they didn't understand. However, even if just a little, both hoped that there would be at least some things between them that would remain unchanged.

A Toast to the Days Gone By

The chirping of sparrows came from outside the window. The morning sun streaming through the gaps in the curtains was slowly filling the bedroom with the atmosphere of early morning. Faint conversations from outside the room, and the sounds of bicycles passing in front of the house-

The deepening morning atmosphere tried to gently call Sosuke Hakamada back from his slumber.

But the gentle air of May didn't let him off that easily.

Just as Sousuke wrapped the blanket tightly around himself, the sound of unreserved footsteps climbing the stairs rang out from outside the door. The owner of the footsteps stopped in front of his room, and immediately after, threw the door open without a shred of hesitation.

"Sosuke-! Wake up quickly, or breakfast is going to be all gone!"

Walking into the room was a girl wearing the Tsuwabuki High School uniform- Yanami Anna.

Yanami walked straight to the window and threw the curtains open in one motion. Amidst the sunlight filling the room, Sousuke pulled the blanket over his face while groaning.

"Come on, please get up. The bread is already toasted."

After the blanket was forcibly pulled off, Sosuke seemed to finally accept his fate, sitting up while stifling a yawn.

"Anna, let me sleep a little longer. I went to bed really late yesterday."

"Did something happen? It's still early for exams, right?"

Yanami said as she opened the window to let in fresh air.

"I was watching soccer until midnight; that match was super exciting."

"You could have just recorded that kind of thing to watch later."

"That was the championship match at the end of the season; of course I wanted to watch it live."

Yanami gave a half-hearted response and re-hung the uniform that had been casually draped over the chair back onto the wall hanger.

"The uniform will get wrinkled; you have to hang it on the hanger properly."

"I know, I know. Anna, you're becoming more and more like my mom lately."

"I'm only a first-year high school student, okay?"

Sousuke climbed out of bed with a wry smile and reached to unbutton his pajamas.

.........

"...Anna, I can't really settle down to change with you staring at me like that."

"Eh? Sorry, I'll go downstairs first!"

Yanami dashed out of the room with a flustered look. Sosuke sighed as if somewhat exasperated, and unbuttoned his shirt-

Yanami Anna and Sosuke Hakamada . Their families lived next door to each other, and starting this April, they were attending Tsuwabuki High School together. Their friendship spanned twelve years-yes, they were genuine childhood friends.

◇

"Anna-chan do you want another slice of toast?"

"Okay! I'll have some!"

When Sousuke walked down the stairs, his mom and Yanami were already sitting at the Hakamada family dining table.

Yanami was eating breakfast there just like usual. Although she had definitely already eaten at her own house, Sousuke didn't bother to point it out.

Sousuke greeted his mom stiffly, then sat opposite Yanami and poured milk into his cup. Yanami spread a thick layer of marmalade on the toast she just received, then held it out in front of Sousuke:

"This is super delicious. Here, open up-"

"I can eat by myself."

Sousuke took the toast and took a bite.

"This is really delicious. Did you bring this, Anna?"

"Yeah, Dad brought it back as a sample from work."

"Oh, your dad..."

Sousuke muttered vaguely while examining the jar of marmalade.

"What has your dad been working on recently?"

"He was saying something about the era of British cuisine coming next, and he seems to be messing around with all sorts of things."

A fleeting tension passed through the Hakamada dining table at those words. Although they were neighbors, they couldn't bear to watch someone willingly jump into an abyss of misfortune.

Completely oblivious to the atmosphere, Yanami took a bite of her toast slathered with marmalade.

"Mmm, pretty good. The deliciousness is second only to strawberry jam, maybe."

Seeing the satisfied look on Yanami's face, the Hakamada mother and son decided to stop worrying unnecessarily. Indeed, worrying in the face of such a smile was simply too tactless.

"Anna, your cup is empty. Want some more milk?"

"By the way, Anna-chan, want some apples?"

"Is it okay? Then I won't be polite!"

Just as Yanami was being pampered by the Hakamada family, a woman walked down the stairs.

Straight long hair, and slender limbs like a fashion model. Appearing while scratching her hair sleepily was the eldest daughter of the Hakamada family-Mikoto.

"Anna-chan, morning-"

"Good morning. Mikoto-nee, you're up early today."

Mikoto took a carton of tomato juice from the fridge and let out a big yawn.

"I have a first period class today. If I skip again, it'll be really dangerous-"

As she spoke, she used her back to close the fridge door.

"Mikoto, that's bad manners. How many slices of toast do you want?"

"I'll pass on the toast. I'll just have this."

Mikoto sat next to Yanami and stuck a straw into the tomato juice carton.

"Mikoto-nee, is that enough for breakfast?"

"I plan to lose a little weight for the summer."

"Eh, lose weight? You want to lose more?"

The apple on Yanami's fork fell with a plop . She compared Mikoto's figure with her own back and forth, then slowly touched her own stomach.

"Anna-chan is fine just the way you are. Eat my share too."

Mikoto laughed happily and patted Yanami's head affectionately.

"After all, Mikoto-nee really has a great figure. I'm envious."

Sousuke waved his hand exasperatedly.

"Nee-san, you're too thin. Anna, don't you dare imitate her."

"So, Sosuke's preference is the Anna-chan type?"

Hearing this, Yanami gulped down her apple audibly.

"Eh, is that what you think, Sousuke?"

"Hah? That's not what I'm talking about."

Realizing the target was now on his back, Sosuke washed down the remaining bread with milk and stood up.

"I'm going to school. Anna, you're going to be late too."

"Ah, wait a sec. I'll finish this apple right now."

Yanami ate the remaining apple in one go and stood up following Sousuke.

"Auntie, I'm full, thank you for the meal!"

"You're welcome. Sousuke, you forgot your bento!"

"Ah, I'll get it-"

Just as Yanami was about to take the bento, Sosuke hurriedly came back.

"Mom, thanks! Anna, you've got jam on your mouth."

"Eh, really? Is it gone?"

The women of the Hakamada family watched the two leave noisily, then began chatting with emotion.

"Mikoto, what do you think of those two?"

"Hmm-Sosuke is really too indecisive."

Faced with her daughter's honest opinion, Hakamama  sighed deeply.

"Even though Anna-chan looks so happy when she eats, and she's such a good girl..."

"Sosuke, he has too many fantasies about romance."

Hearing Mikoto's words, Hakamama cast a meaningful glance at her.

"What about you? Have you met anyone suitable?"

"I'm too popular, so choosing is hard work."

After finishing the tomato juice, Mikoto crushed the paper carton while praying in her heart for that struggling imouto .

◇

During lunch break that day. Yanami Anna let out a heavy sigh while eating her bento on a bench in the courtyard with her friends.

"Ko-chan, Negi-chan, listen to me!"

Faced with Yanami's complaining mode, the two friends looked at each other with expressions that said, "Here we go again."

"Is it about that handsome guy again? You guys still aren't together?"

Giving a wry smile while munching on a sandwich was Ko-chan, Kureha Sumi.

"Isn't it fine? This period before officially dating is the most fun part."

"But that 'period' has lasted for 12 years already."

Yanami picked up a piece of tamagoyaki with her chopsticks, her tone carrying a hint of complaint.

"You wouldn’t get it, Ko-chan. You already have a boyfriend. As expected, only Negi-chan understands me."

The girl called Negi-chan raised her right hand somewhat reservedly.

"-I, Negishi Kanako, finally got a boyfriend."

""Eh!!""

Facing the surprised duo, Negi-chan spoke shyly.

"Remember I said an old acquaintance asked me out? Then suddenly..."

"Did he confess?"

Facing Yanami's pressing question, Negi-chan nodded vigorously with a bright red face. Ko-chan took Negi-chan's hand and shook it non-stop.

"Congratulations! Want to hang out with our boyfriends next time? I'll bring mine too!"

"Mmm, sure. Let's all bring our boyfriends-"

The two, getting carried away with the conversation, finally remembered Yanami's existence.

"Sorry, Yanami, we didn't mean to leave you out..."

"We wanted to invite you too-"

"Hey, Negi-chan!"

Yanami smiled and held up a cherry tomato with her chopsticks in front of her eyes.

"It's okay, I don't mind, you know? Negi-chan, congratulations. Here, take this."

Yanami put the cherry tomato into Negi-chan's bento box. Yes, Yanami Anna is a woman who can genuinely be happy for other people's happiness. Ko-chan continued the topic while observing Yanami's expression.

"You’ve known your boyfriend for a long time, right?"

"Yeah. We used to walk to and from school together and talked a lot when we were kids."

Hearing this, Yanami's chopsticks stopped.

"Does that mean... he's a childhood friend?"

"Well, if you put it that way... I guess so."

Yanami added a piece of fried chicken to Negi-chan's bento box.

"Really, congratulations! I wish you happiness from the bottom of my heart!"

"U-Um, thanks."

Seeing Negi-chan shrinking back a bit from her intensity, Ko-chan interjected:

"Yanami, you do your best too. Haven’t you known Hakamada since you were little too?"

"...I am trying, you know."

Yanami's eyes instantly became deep.

"I feel like every time I make a move, he skillfully deflects it."

""Ah-""

The two friends harmonized involuntarily. After exchanging glances, Ko-chan spoke on everyone's behalf.

"Maybe you should create some atmosphere? Yanami, you lack romance-no, to be precise, because you've spent too much time together, you first need to make him conscious of you."

"Atmosphere, huh... do you have any good ideas?"

At Yanami's question, Negi-chan timidly raised her hand.

"Okay, go ahead, Negi-chan."

"...Somewhere dark is good."

""Huh?""

This time it was Yanami and Ko-chan's turn to speak in unison. Negi-chan continued bashfully.

"Holding hands in the dark makes your heart race, and because you can't see, that feeling of not knowing what might be done to you is also great... or, maybe even blindfolding-"

Faced with the sudden revelation of their friend's fetish, the remaining two were completely dumbfounded. Negi-chan, who was single from birth until recently, had grown to this extent... Ko-chan ignored the frozen Yanami and spoke up to change the subject:

"Speaking of which, there's going to be a night pedestrian paradise in front of the station soon. Yanami, why don't you try asking Hakamada?" (Note: Pedestrian paradise refers to streets usually open to vehicles being closed to traffic during specific times, typically weekends or holidays, allowing pedestrians to walk freely.)

"Night, huh..."

A lot of times you don’t get seen as a member of the opposite sex if you’re too close with someone. Going on the attack in the late-night streets with a different atmosphere from usual might just work. Yanami nodded vigorously while crunching on a sausage.

◇

Night Pedestrian Paradise. Its official name is the Toyohashi Street Pedestrian Paradise event.

Centered around Hirokoji Street, where the main branch of Seibunkan Bookstore is located, the road is opened up as a pedestrian zone at night. Lined with stalls offering shooting games and miscellaneous goods, it also links up with Tokiwa Street and the Suijo Building, making it a locally-driven event.

-The sunset sky, illuminated by the city lights, was dyed a pale deep blue.

Yanami and Sosuke walked side-by-side right in the middle of the main street, which was usually bustling with traffic.

"Sosuke, thanks for coming out with me today."

"Well, I can't let Anna wander around outside alone late at night, can I?"

Sousuke answered stiffly, naturally dodging a family of three walking from the opposite direction. Although there were people coming and going, it was just within the range of being pleasantly lively.

Yanami poked Sousuke lightly while browsing the goods at a roadside stall.

"The atmosphere in the city feels different from usual, doesn't it?"

"Usually at this time, there's no one here but drunks."

The two looked at each other and laughed. To prepare for today's event, Yanami had carefully devised a battle plan with Ko-chan and Negi-chan.

-The theme is "The Extraordinary."

Based on this plan, Yanami's outfit today was a skirt above the knees paired with a sleeveless shirt. She had braided part of her hair and even applied perfume, which she usually never wore. This was an operation aimed at forcing Sousuke to recognize her as a member of the opposite sex through a mature atmosphere different from school.

Furthermore, those two had specifically warned her-"Absolutely do not ask to eat anything yourself." If it was to keep the other person company, that was fine, but she absolutely could not show that she wanted to eat herself-

"Hey, want to play that shooting game? I'm actually pretty good at it."

"Oh, looks kind of fun."

-And, she had to take the initiative to enjoy things that boys would like. While creating a sense of the extraordinary, she would subliminally make him feel that being with her was fun. As Yanami wandered through the stalls with a smile, her gaze stopped at a small stall on the side of the road.

"Anna, are you interested in that?"

"Uh-"

Without waiting for her answer, Sosuke walked her over. Various accessories were neatly arranged on that stall. As Yanami stared entranced at the earrings, Sousuke showed a look of surprise.

"Anna, so you're interested in earrings."

"I am interested, but I feel a bit scared. I'm still kind of resistant to making holes in my body..."

...Fear of change. But if she didn't take this step, would she be stuck in the status quo forever? That possibility was equally terrifying to her. Yanami reached out toward the earrings.

.

"-I don't think you need to force yourself."

Hearing those words, her hand stopped.

"...Is that so?"

"We're still just high schoolers, after all. Even without forcing it, the time when you can naturally accept those things will come eventually."

Perhaps feeling he had said too much, Sosuke turned his head away shyly.

"Besides, I think Anna is popular enough even without wearing accessories like these."

Faced with these unexpected words, a smile that couldn't be hidden blossomed on Yanami's face.

"...Heh-so that's how Sosuke sees me."

"It's a fact that you're popular. Come on, if you're not buying, let's go to the next one."

Seeing Sousuke walk away as if trying to escape, Yanami deliberately bumped into his shoulder as she chased after him, teasing him.

"What a shame, I was thinking I could become even more popular if I put on earrings-"

"Ah-geez, forget about that. More importantly, Anna."

Sousuke cast a serious look at Yanami walking beside him.

"Just now, when I went to the restroom, someone asked you for directions, right?"

"Yeah, they asked me how to get to the station. It's right in front of us, so I wondered why they didn't know."

Looking at Yanami, who was genuinely puzzled, Sosuke showed an exasperated expression.

"That was a pick-up attempt."

"Ah... so that was a pick-up."

"Anna, you're already a high schooler, you know-"

Mid-sentence, Sosuke couldn't help but give a wry smile. Saying she's still  a high schooler one moment, and already  a high schooler the next. He realized he was switching his logic to suit his convenience.

"...Sosuke?"

"Ah, no. I was just thinking that surprisingly, you haven't eaten anything today."

"Hey, hey, Sosuke, do you think all I have on my mind is food?"

Faced with Yanami's protest, Sosuke suppressed his laughter. Memories of the past 12 years flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

"Is that so? They're selling frankfurters over there. Let's eat together."

"Frankfurters... I'll eat!"

-If it's to keep the other person company, it's not a violation. This was guaranteed by the stamp of approval from those two friends who had boyfriends. Watching Yanami run forward with a joyful face, Sousuke followed with a smile on his lips.

◇

Monday morning. Dressed in a freshly laundered uniform, Yanami pushed open the front door of the Hakamada house.

"Good morning-!!"

As she greeted with her usual cheerful voice, Hakamama trotted out from the entrance hall.

"Anna-chan, perfect timing! Sousuke left his bento at home; could I trouble you to bring it to him?"

"Sure, no problem. Did Sousuke go to school already?"

Yanami took the bento and subconsciously weighed it in her hand.

"He said something about forgetting he had day duty or something and left in a huge hurry."

I see, that  scatterbrained nature is very much like him.  After chatting with Sousuke's mother for a while, Yanami set off for school.

The weather is so nice today!

The May sky was boundlessly blue, and the breeze blowing from the west gently ruffled Yanami's hair. Riding her bicycle, Yanami noticed a scent drifting into her nose.

"The scent of flowers...?"

It was the sweet fragrance of flowers drifting from who knows where. It even created the illusion that magnificent music was playing in the distance.

Yanami involuntarily put a little more strength into her legs pedaling the bike.

That night, she felt she had stepped just a little closer to Sousuke's heart. Their relationship might change.

A new chapter, completely different from the past, is about to begin-she thought.

Naughty ☆ Karen-sensei

"Sosuke, welcome!"

Accompanying her cheerful voice, Karen pushed the front door open. Today was the day for a pre-exam study session with her boyfriend, Sosuke Hakamada.

"Sorry for intruding. I'll be in your care today."

Sousuke placed his heavy-looking bag on the floor.

"I should be the one saying that. That bag-"

That black, gleaming Boston bag seemed to be stuffed full. Gulp.  Karen swallowed.

"...You brought quite a lot of various  things over, didn't you?"

"Yeah, just the textbooks and reference books needed for exam review ended up being this much weight."

Sosuke, having taken off his shoes, smiled refreshingly.

"Ah, is that so?"

"...Karen, is something wrong?"

"N-Nothing! Come, please come in!"

That's right, today is a wholesome study session. We absolutely cannot get carried away before exams. Karen warned herself repeatedly in her heart as she walked into the living room, where a cool breeze blew in from the open window.

"Come in."

"Thanks. Karen's place is on the top floor, so it really is cool."

The apartment building where Himemiya Karen lived alone was nine stories high. Directly across the street was a park, and it was within walking distance of Tsuwabuki High.

As Sousuke gazed out the window, Karen stood next to him, close enough that their shoulders could touch.

"It is a bit hot today. Do you want to use the shower?"

"Sorry, do I smell sweaty?"

"Eh? I don't mind it, though-"

Sousuke took out body wipes from his bag and started wiping his body. Just that was already... Sosuke looked back strangely at Karen, who was staring at him.

"What's wrong? You're staring at me."

"N-Nothing! I'll go get some tea."

Karen ran to the refrigerator, placed her hand on her ample chest, and took a deep breath. Right, today is ultimately just a study session. We absolutely cannot do anything out of line-

◇

"Okay, correct!"

Karen gently patted Sosuke's head, while making notes in the reference book with her other hand.

"Because the first half modifies the word 'temptation', the context here is that Lilith invited him into her home."

"I see, as expected, Karen-sensei's teaching is easy to understand."

Sosuke said jokingly, and Karen extended a finger to poke Sosuke's cheek lightly.

"Maybe it's because the student is too excellent? Should I give you a little reward?"

"Then, can you lend me the continuation of that original foreign novel you lent me last time?"

"You finished reading it already?"

Facing a surprised Karen, Sousuke scratched his nose shyly.

"Although there were parts I didn't fully understand, I wanted to build up my reading volume first. Do foreigners really speak with dialogue like that in real life?"

"Hmm... wording changes depending on the place and era. For example, that part just now-"

Karen pointed at the reference book.

"If it were me, I'd probably use the word 'seduce'. Though it's just a subtle difference in nuance."

The study session with just the two of them was proceeding smoothly. When the clock hand passed 16:00, Karen thrust out her ample chest and stretched. Sosuke seemed to be concentrating on his studies, comparing the reference book and notes with a serious face.

"Sousuke, are you thirsty? Want me to make some tea?"

"I still have this, so I'm fine."

Sosuke shook the bottled tea in his hand, but Karen ignored him and stood up straight away.

"I want to drink something hot. I'm going to make black tea."

Standing in the kitchen, Karen put on a cute pink apron.

"You're putting on an apron just to make tea?"

"Because you like aprons, right, Sosuke?"

Sosuke probably thought this was a joke and laughed happily.

"What kind of talk is that? Is that the impression I have in your mind?"

"Because you, Sousuke, whenever I stand in the kitchen, you immediately come over to pull pranks."

Karen said as she began preparing the tea. She added water to the kettle while casting a glance, finding that Sousuke was indeed still focused on studying.

"Sosuke, I'm going to use hot water, so don't come over and mess around, okay?"

"Ah, I know."

Sosuke continued studying without raising his head, seemingly fully immersed in it.

"You can't do that!"

"............"

Sosuke silently flipped through the English-Japanese dictionary; it looked like his concentration wasn't broken at all.

That's right, today is an important weekend before finals, there's no time to play around. Karen pulled herself together, brewed the tea, and placed the teacup in front of Sosuke.

"Here, it's hot, so be careful."

"Thanks. You made some for me too?"

Karen unconsciously stared at Sosuke's lips as he drank the tea, then suddenly snapped out of it and slapped her cheeks.

"Right, today is for reviewing schoolwork!"

"Of course. Karen, is something wrong with you today?"

Facing this declaration that came so late in the game, Sousuke widened his eyes.

"N-No, nothing! Alright, let's knock this out easily!"

"Ah, yeah."

Although Sousuke was a bit confused, he returned to his studies.

Seeing him like that, Karen also braced herself. As a girlfriend, she had to show an attitude that wouldn't make Sousuke feel ashamed. First, she had to banish distracting thoughts and study with single-minded devotion. She worked up her motivation again and took a sip of tea, when she noticed a notification on her phone. When she checked it, it was a message from Yanami.

<Do you want to study for exams together tomorrow?>

Facing an invitation from her best friend, Karen couldn't help but smile.

<Tomorrow morning is fine!>

Karen was just about to press the send button when she stopped her finger at the last moment and cast her gaze toward Sosuke.

...Sousuke was facing the reference book with a serious expression. The slowly moving Adam's apple. Those masculine arms with prominent veins flipping through the dictionary-

"...Sousuke, will you stay for dinner today?"

Faced with this sudden proposal, Sosuke looked up as if surprised.

"Is that okay? You're busy too, right, Karen?"

"I have the ingredients, and I wanted a change of pace anyway."

"Thanks. Then I'll let my family know not to save dinner for me."

"Yeah, after all, it might get late . Well then, let's do our best studying!"

Karen clenched her fists and psyched herself up again. Sosuke watched this scene from the side with a smile.

"Karen, you're pretty motivated."

"Yes, I feel especially motivated today."

A flower-like smile appeared on Karen's face, and she then revised her reply to Yanami.

<Tomorrow afternoon is fine!>

Neckties and French Fries

I was inside a burger shop next to the Seibunkan Bookstore, near Toyohashi Station.

Sitting around the same table were Ayano Mitsuki and Sakurai Hiroto.

Ayano raised his paper cup, looking back and forth between Sakurai-kun and me.

"Well then, to celebrate the safe conclusion of the student council election-cheers!"

"Chee-ers!"

At the signal, we clinked our paper cups together.

This mysterious gathering was proposed by Ayano, dubbed a "Student Council Election Celebration Party."

I wasn't sure if we were enemies or allies before, but now that Sakurai-kun has joined the Student Council, I suppose this counts as a post-match handshake.

"You both worked hard on the election."

For some reason, Ayano pinched a french fry and held it out in front of me.

Sakurai-kun smiled wryly while stuffing fries into his own mouth.

I resigned myself to eating the fry. As the taste of salt and grease spread across my tongue, Yanami's face forcibly flashed through my mind.

"We really got beaten by Nukumizu-kun and Basori this time. That support speech was just overwhelming."

"Shikiya-senpai stole all my screen time, though."

Ayano and Sakurai-kun laughed in unison.

"Yumeko-senpai was really worried about Basori, too. I never thought she'd pull a stunt like that."

For some reason, even Sakurai-kun pinched a fry and held it out to me. I just went with the flow and took it in my mouth.

I ordered my own fries, so why are these two insisting on feeding me?

Taking advantage of a lull in the conversation, Ayano asked out of the blue.

"By the way, why did Yanami-san act as Sakurai's recommender?"

...That’s actually something I’ve been wondering about, too.

"I'm not really sure myself. She suddenly came up and said she wanted to make Nukumizu-kun understand something, so she insisted on being my recommender."

Sakurai-kun looked a bit troubled as he let go of the straw he was holding.

She told me it was so she could become Vice President and misuse the budget, but apparently, she acts like a proper lady in front of Sakurai-kun. Hearing this, a sharp light flashed across Ayano’s glasses.

"...I see. Nukumizu, you really aren't to be underestimated, as always."

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Aside from that, what is your relationship with Basori-san?"

Why bring up Tiara-san here? I instantly went on guard, but then I realized we were just talking about the election, so there probably wasn't any deep meaning behind it. I feigned calmness and reached for a fry.

"If you're asking about our relationship, we're just normal friends. That's all."

"You've been seen walking together at school a lot lately. Are you two dating?"

...For a guy who usually plays the "dense character," he's surprisingly observant about these things.

To hide my internal panic, I took a sip of cola.

"A first-year from the Literature Club joined the Student Council, so I was just hearing her out on various things. You know, this year's council only has three members, so I wonder if it'll run smoothly."

I sent a signal to gloss over the topic, and Sakurai-kun nodded.

"Basori and I are second years, and Shiratama-san has been a huge help. Since that girl joined, the guys in the department have become incredibly cooperative."

Uh... did she make them pick up a lot of stuff or something? ...Sounds kind of scary.

Sakurai looked into the distance while talking about Shiratama-san.

"On the flip side, all the complaints from the girls are being funneled to me, though."

Sakurai-kun really is destined to be a workhorse. As I comforted him, I asked around and found out that Shiratama-san and Tiara-san are actually getting along well. Those two don't seem to have anything in common, so that’s surprising.

I breathed a small sigh of relief, but Sakurai shot me a meaningful look.

"Though, it would be nice if we could get one more person before the Tsuwabuki Festival."

"Can't you find someone else?"

Seeing the genuine look of annoyance on my face, Sakurai-kun smiled as if he’d given up.

"For this year's Tsuwabuki Festival, we plan to operate with the Executive Committee at the center, so I think we'll manage."

The Tsuwabuki Festival, huh. Last year, Komari did everything for the exhibit by herself. What should we do this year?

Setting Yanami aside, Komari has been in a slump lately, Yanami doesn't do anything but eat, and Shiratama-san is cute and smells nice-

Just as I was dazing off into my thoughts, Sakurai-kun’s phone suddenly rang.

Sakurai-kun looked at the screen, smiled bitterly, and stood up.

"Sorry, excuse me for a moment."

He took the phone to the corner of the floor, seemingly talking to someone.

"...I told you, I'm with friends today-Yeah, I know. Okay then, see you."

Sakurai-kun hung up, sighed, and returned to his seat.

"Sorry to interrupt."

"It's fine. Was it Houkobaru-senpai?"

"Ah, no, not Hibari-san. It was my girlfriend. Even though I told her I had plans today."

Heh, a girlfriend. Calling him even when he has plans, that's kind of cute-

"Wait, you have a girlfriend?!"

My voice cracked involuntarily. Sakurai-kun scratched his cheek, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Yeah, well..."

"It's Koharu-san, right? What's with you, Nukumizu? You didn't know?"

Ayano said it as if it were obvious, shaking the ice in his cup.

Eh, even Ayano knew? Am I the only one who didn't? I feel kind of sad.

"This is the first I've heard of it..."

"I wasn't trying to hide it. We go to different schools, so the topic just never came up..."

"Oh... How long have you been dating?"

"We've been together since elementary school. It's kind of an inseparable bond, I guess."

Ehh?! Dating since elementary school?

I was stunned by the massive gap between a "normie who's been in love since elementary school" and "me, who still gets a racing heart from light novel illustrations." Then, a thought crossed my mind.

-So it wasn't Houkobaru-senpai.

Of course, I knew they weren't in that kind of relationship.

But there was no doubt they viewed each other as special existences.

Ayano looked at us as the conversation stalled and said:

"Sakurai always mumbles when talking about his girlfriend. Is there a reason?"

"Because we've been dating so long, there's not much to talk about. It's not that things are bad..."

Sakurai-kun’s eyes wandered uneasily, as if searching for the right words.

"After all, being in love isn't just about the good things."

At those words, even that dense guy fell silent.

"Sorry, I made the mood weird. I'll introduce her to you guys next time."

"Ah, my bad. Let's go on a triple date sometime."

Ayano said apologetically. By the way, would I be attending this triple date alone?

Come to think of it, is romance in high school really such a matter of course...?

I chewed on the paper straw, which was starting to get soggy, and sank into thought.

-Girlfriend. Regarding Tiara-san's confession, I have to give an answer in the near future.

Although Tiara-san was the one who suggested postponing the answer, that doesn't mean maintaining the status quo is correct. I am definitely clinging to the comfort brought by her words.

No, wait. If I keep being ambiguous, maybe Tiara-san will be the one to reject me.

If that happens, would that count as me getting dumped...?

Thinking about such trivial things, I shoved the remaining cold fries into my mouth all at once.

The Wind of Changing Affections

I stepped off the Shinkansen onto the platform and looked up at the blue sky peeking through the Tsuyu rainy season clouds, visible through the overhead wires. About twenty minutes after departing from Toyohashi Station, our group of four second-years from the Tsuwabuki High School Literature Club arrived at Nagoya Station.

We were here on an overnight trip to visit Tsukinoki-senpai and Tamaki-senpai, who had been attending university in Nagoya since spring.

"Ah~ my shoulders are so stiff from sitting so long. Which way is the ticket gate?"

Yakishio stretched and looked around.

"We should get there if we follow the crowd. Is everyone here?"

Komari peeked out from behind Yakishio.

"I-I'm here. What about Yanami, where did she go?"

"Yanami-san is right over there-"

Strange, she's gone. Could she have missed the stop? If that were the case, we'd just have to let Yanami eat takoyaki alone in Osaka.

I scanned the platform and spotted Yanami's back in front of a standing udon shop.

"So you were here. Let's head to the ticket gate."

Yanami slowly turned around, apologetically holding up a small piece of paper.

"I accidentally... bought a meal ticket..."

I see, you accidentally bought it... Probably noticing the exasperated expressions on our three faces, Yanami hurriedly waved her hands.

"Because, when you think of Nagoya, you think of kishimen, right?! There's a shop right in front of you when you get off the Shinkansen?! Of course I'd buy a ticket!"

"No one bought one except you, Yanami-san."

After my calm retort, Yanami spread her palms.

"Five minutes... no, three minutes! I'll finish eating immediately!"

Leaving those words behind, she walked into the standing noodle shop.

Yanami walked out of the shop with sauce on her lips-two minutes and fifty seconds after entering. For some reason, Yanami looked triumphant, so we gave her a round of applause for now.

◇

In front of the department store attached to the Meitetsu station, there was the biggest meeting spot in Nagoya.

-Nana-chan Mannequin.

It was a giant mannequin standing over 6 meters tall, with an impact that anyone who saw it once would never forget.

Yanami stared up at Nana-chan, her mouth agape.

"It's been a while since I've seen it; it really is huge."

"I heard it weighs 600 kilograms."

"Oh~ that's about 20 times my weight."

Oh, 20 times Yanami. 600 divided by 20 is-

"...Isn't that an exaggeration no matter how you look at it? Does your conscience not hurt?"

"Not at all. Mood-wise, it's about right."

While we were having this pointless conversation, Yakishio was looking at the clock nearby.

"The meeting time with the Senpais has already passed."

Although we were five minutes past the agreed time, it was Tsukinoki-senpai we were dealing with. It would probably be fine. As I looked up at the snow-white body of Nana-chan Mannequin, Komari waved her hand vigorously.

"Se-Senpai! Over here!"

"Oh~ sorry, sorry. I'm late."

Appearing with a leisurely smile was the Literature Club OG, Tsukinoki Koto. Senpai high-fived Komari as she ran up to her. I glanced sideways at them, looking for the figure of the OB.

"That's strange, isn't Tamaki-senpai coming?"

The female members were staying at Tsukinoki-senpai's place, while I was staying at Tamaki-senpai's. If he wasn't here, I might have to take the last train back alone...

Tsukinoki-senpai ruffled Komari's hair and smiled.

"He said he hasn't finished his practicum report yet, so he'll meet up with us later. Sigh, university students are actually quite busy."

"Senpai, have you been going to classes?"

While thinking about the hardships of her boyfriend, I watched Yanami and Yakishio taking pictures with Nana-chan Mannequin.

-Nagoya, the largest city in Aichi Prefecture. With this guy here, even a mysterious giant doll becomes a tourist attraction. Although I think the streetscape of Toyohashi is no less charming, the fact that the Nozomi Shinkansen doesn't stop there is a heavy blow.

"Everyone wants to go to the shopping street in Osu next, right? Then let's take the subway."

Having thoroughly enjoyed Komari, Tsukinoki-senpai addressed the group. The subway. A mode of transport found only in big cities. But Toyohashi has streetcars... Feeling a sense of rivalry burning in my heart, I followed Senpai to the subway station.

◇

We transferred to the subway at Fushimi Station and got off at Kamimaezu Station. There are several shopping streets from here to Osu Kannon, making this area a sightseeing spot as well.

First, we arrived at the entrance of Banshoji-dori, and Yanami immediately let out a huge sigh.

"Sigh, honestly, give me a break..."

"Uh, give you a break with what?"

I asked out of a sense of duty, and Yanami lowered her head slightly, pressing her fingertips to her forehead and shaking her head helplessly.

"Look, Nukumizu-kun. At the entrance of the path-there's that , right?"

"Oh. There's a grilled rice ball shop and a chestnut shop."

"It's almost summer, please stop this."

Yanami brushed her hair back and walked quickly past the shop fronts.

"Ah, as expected, Yanami-san gained wei... uh no, is on a diet."

"...Did you just not finish the first half of that sentence?"

"No, I didn't say anything."

But recently, most of Yanami's casual clothes hid her figure, so maybe that was the case... While I was enduring Yanami's low pressure, Yakishio waved from a distance.

"There's something Yana-chan would like over there! Whole roasted chicken. I heard it's an Osu specialty!"

"What is that, can you eat it while walking?!"

Whole roasted chicken is an Osu specialty...? I didn't quite get it, but since this is Nagoya, I guess that's how it is. Accepting all comers, unconcerned with details. That is Nagoya.

"Ya-Yakishio, don't run around everywhere..."

Komari chased after the two unsteadily. While watching that scene with a smile, Tsukinoki-senpai stood next to me holding a bottle of tea.

"How is it, my second hometown?"

"At first, I thought the chaotic feel was similar to Osaka, but it's a bit different."

"Oh? How so?"

Tsukinoki-senpai asked in a joking tone.

"For some reason, they sell kebabs, and there are Brazilian restaurants; there's absolutely no sense of unity."

I looked around the street.

"That okonomiyaki place says 'Nagoya Style', but I don't really know what that means. It feels like everywhere is just doing whatever they want, or should I say-"

I scanned the streets. My brain cells worked at full speed, searching for the most appropriate vocabulary.

"...It really is very Nagoya."

I gave up. Nagoya, as expected, I don't really get it.

"I feel the same. Although I just got here, I'm in no position to talk big. But there's a certain momentum and inexplicable persuasiveness."

I casually looked at a maid cafe alongside the main street. Is the setting for the maids at this shop maid robots from the future...? Eehee ...

"Once you live here, you realize Nagoya is actually pretty nice. Nukumizu-kun, want to take the entrance exams for here the year after next?"

"Haha, Nagoya, huh."

I answered half-heartedly because my attention was drawn to the maids, but Senpai suddenly put on a serious expression.

"Nukumizu-kun, you'll be a third-year student next year, right? You have to start thinking about your future path early."

Although being lectured by this  Senpai felt vaguely unconvincing, she had a point. Considering exam preparations, I should decide on a general direction while still in my second year.

"True. But my parents told me to move out immediately after graduation."

"Oh, you're already talking about that?"

"Yes. They told me to be prepared not to return home and to go as far away as possible."

Hearing my words, Tsukinoki-senpai's glasses suddenly flashed.

"Oh? The BL manga about feudal customs I read the other day had a development like that. The parents tried to help the protagonist's youth escape from the village that devoured old traditions."

"What happened to the protagonist after that?"

"He was caught and brought back, and then had all sorts of terrible things happen with the handsome village chief. Interested?"

"Not interested. And why are you taking out your phone? Please don't launch that app."

This person hasn't changed a bit even after becoming a university student. If anything, she's gotten worse... Enduring sexual harassment from an OG is also part of a Club President's job. While I was trying to empty my mind and brush her off, Yakishio rushed back again.

"That's weird, isn't Komari here?"

"She's not. Wasn't she chasing after you just now?"

"But before I knew it, she was gone. Could she be around here?"

Yakishio anxiously peeked under a cart in front of a shop. She's not a cat, she wouldn't be in a place like that-no, maybe it is  possible.

"If we got separated, shouldn't we just contact her?"

I took out my phone, but Tsukinoki-senpai looked troubled.

"That child doesn't have her phone right now. She said she left it in her bag which she put in a coin locker."

That's way too unlucky. While I was thinking about what to do, Yanami appeared, chewing on something.

"Fwoah~ Fwuii? Fwah fwooh fweh oh fwoh fwoo ah."

Finish eating before you speak.

"Don't tell me you really ate a whole roasted chicken?"

Yanami swallowed what was in her mouth and shrugged in protest.

"How rude. I wouldn't even eat a whole one. I just ate some Brazilian dish whose name I don't know."

Right, since you don't know the name, it counts as nothing happened in the diet plan. I reached a conclusion using this Yanami-logic and explained the current situation to her.

"Ah~ speaking of which, the last time I saw Komari, she was chasing a stray cat."

"Stray cat?"

We obtained eyewitness testimony. Simply put, no one knows where Komari went.

South of Osu, on Higashi-Niomon-dori, a petite girl was walking alone.

"Ueh... wh-where is this...?"

Trembling slightly, Komari Chika hunched her back and looked around anxiously through her thick bangs. While chasing the stray cat, she had accidentally gotten lost and wandered into an unfamiliar place. The Osu area has several shopping streets intersecting, making it easy to get lost if one isn't careful. And of all times, she didn't have her phone on hand, so she didn't know which way to go.

After walking past a sign that said "Natural Taiyaki," suddenly, a giant Maneki-neko (beckoning cat) appeared before her eyes. This abruptness was also a characteristic of Nagoya, but Komari currently had no spare capacity to think about such things. For the time being, she put her hands together and prayed to the Maneki-neko.

"...Komari?"

Just then, a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Ueh?! Ta-Tamaki-senpai?!"

Standing before her was Tamaki Shintarou. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he walked toward Komari.

"Are you alone? Where did Koto and the others go?"

"Uh, um... I didn't have my phone, and got separated."

Understanding the situation, Tamaki took out his own phone and saw a message from Koto.

"Oh, it seems everyone split up to look for you. Don't worry, I'll let them know I found you."

Stifling a yawn, Tamaki typed a reply and stuffed his phone into his pocket.

"We were supposed to go visit Osu Kannon next, right? Let's head over together."

"U-Um, is it okay not to meet up with everyone first?"

"It's fine, I told them to meet at the destination. The goal is the same anyway."

Tamaki beckoned, and Komari trotted closer. Walking side by side, they updated each other on their recent situations.

"Ta-Tamaki-senpai, how is university life?"

"Practicums and reports have been tough right from the start; I'm already worried if I can graduate smoothly."

"U-University students have it so tough..."

Komari looked up, stole a glance at Tamaki's face, and then shyly looked away.

"I heard you're working hard too, Komari. The student council election last time must have been tough, right?"

"Th-That was because Nukumizu went and did whatever he-"

Mid-sentence, Komari changed her tone as if sulking.

"Nu-Nukumizu, that guy has no sense of boundaries with women, always trying to be helpful at the drop of a hat, and likes to show off. Se-Senpai, you should scold him too."

Komari pursed her lips in protest, and Tamaki suppressed a laugh. As expected, these cute juniors remained as cute as ever.

"Maybe that's just Nukumizu-kun's good point. Komari, you really had a hard time."

"Ueh?! I-I didn't really... I'm just the Vice President, after all."

Komari blushed and fiddled with her bangs. Oh my, maybe the teasing went a bit too far. Tamaki looked up at the mysterious large golden ball hanging from the arcade ceiling and decided to change the subject.

"Komari, you're a second-year now too. Not just club activities, but schoolwork must be tough as well."

"Ueh... classes move fast, it's a struggle."

"I didn't study seriously before, so I suffered quite a bit in my third year. But Komari should be fine, if you've already decided on your target school-"

"I-I want to!"

Komari suddenly raised her voice. Facing Tamaki, who had stopped in surprise, Komari spoke with a trembling voice.

"A-After graduation-I want to leave, and go to Tokyo."

"You want to go to a university in Tokyo?"

Komari nodded vigorously.

"M-My family can't afford a private university, so I'm looking into scholarships and dorms."

Saying all this in one breath, Komari let out a huge sigh.

"I-I just wanted to tell someone. But, I haven't fully thought it through yet. So, this is just a whisper, here and now."

After spilling everything in her heart, Komari exhaled deeply. Having said it, she shyly lowered her head again. ...Why did she suddenly say such a thing? Komari herself didn't understand. But Komari, no matter what, wanted to tell the senior in front of her right now. To tell the person-she once liked.

Faced with this sudden confession of feelings, although surprised, Tamaki gently patted Komari's head.

"Got it. This is a secret just between me and Komari."

Komari nodded repeatedly, blushing as she walked quickly ahead. Walking behind her, Tamaki thought once again, -Komari really is a cute junior.

◇

After receiving the message that Komari had been found safely, I headed to the meeting point, Osu Kannon. Walking alone in an unfamiliar shopping street had a travel vibe to it, which felt nice. Thinking about this as I walked, I spotted Tsukinoki-senpai's back ahead of me. I approached to talk to her, when Senpai pushed up her glasses and murmured.

.

"The wind-is a bit boisterous."

.

Already a university student, what on earth is this person saying? As I hesitated whether to call out to her, Senpai seemed to notice me and turned around sharply.

"Oh my, Nukumizu-kun, what is it?"

"That's my line. What were you muttering to yourself just now?"

"Although I don't know why, for some reason, my heart just feels restless..."

She must be worried about Komari getting lost after all. Even this person has a human heart.

"If it's Komari, she's with Tamaki-senpai. Don't worry."

"True, if they're together then it's reassuring-"

Tsukinoki-senpai cut herself off mid-sentence, crossed her arms, and fell into deep thought.

"What's wrong?"

"...I'm not reassured, I'd better go meet up with those two first. See you later!"

Tsukinoki-senpai ran off while making a phone call. I see, is this the crisis management awareness of a winning heroine? I wish everyone could learn from her. However, the people you want to find are nowhere to be seen, while the ones who are fine are easily encountered. Following this development, the next person I'll meet is-

"Eh~ isn't this Nukumizu-kun?"

In the line for the dango shop, Yanami waved vigorously. Ignoring her would be troublesome, so I walked up to her side, and Yanami pointed to the very end of the line.

"Nukumizu-kun, if you want to buy, line up properly~"

"I'm not buying. Yanami-san, aren't you on a diet?"

Faced with my casual teasing, Yanami wagged her finger with a tsk-tsk-tsk .

"Doesn't it say 'Osu Specialty Soy Sauce Dango' over there? As a citizen of Toyohashi, how can I sit idly by when I hear something like that?"

Toyohashi's soy sauce dango is indeed famous for its sweet and spicy taste using long-brewed soy sauce. For the carb-brained Yanami, she probably couldn't ignore it.

"By the way, this is research, so the calories are negligible."

"No, they aren't."

While we were engaging in idle chatter, the line reached the front.

"Excuse me! Please give me one soy sauce dango and one kinako dango!"

"Is there a need to research kinako dango?"

"Because it looks delicious. Alright, thank you, boss-!"

Yanami held a dango in each hand, in a great mood. Already a high school student, obtaining this level of happiness from just two skewers of dango is simply a talent.

"What's wrong, staring at me like that. Want a bite?"

"I just thought, Yanami-san seems exceptionally excited today."

Hearing my simple question, Yanami sighed with an attitude of 'I can't deal with you'.

"Listen, every time I go out with Nukumizu-kun, don't we end up getting dragged into troublesome things?"

"Does that happen?"

Come to think of it, if we don't count those troublesome things, have I ever simply gone out to play with Yanami...? Yanami waved the bamboo skewer of the dango and began listing past events.

"Getting dragged into Asagumo-san's drama, going to karaoke with Basori-san-and stalking your little sister at Toyokawa Inari, those all count, right?"

"So that counts as playing."

Yanami finished the dango quickly and threw the skewer into the recycling bin in front of the shop.

"I feel like at least for this Nagoya trip, I can play to my heart's content without worrying about anything. Even eating two skewers of dango can be forgiven."

"Yeah, I get it, it's about time to go."

I casually brushed Yanami off and walked into the street marked Osu Kannon Street.

"By the way, why did we come to Osu Kannon?"

"Lemon said she wanted to come here. She said she wanted to pray to the god that makes people smart."

The god that makes people smart. Sounds really stupid. I walked side by side with Yanami, repeating her words in my mind.

-Going out purely for fun, with nothing to worry about and no special purpose.

Thinking about it carefully, there really hadn't been an opportunity like this until now...

"Nukumizu-kun, they're selling baked sweet potatoes! What should we do?"

"We do nothing. Come on, everyone is waiting, let's go quickly."

This isn't bad either-I hurriedly erased the thought that inadvertently floated into my mind.

◇

Osu Kannon seems to be one of the Three Great Kannons of Japan, and also enshrines Tenjin-sama as the god of learning. I generously threw a 500-yen coin into the offertory box at the main hall, praying for Kaju to successfully pass her high school entrance exams. Although Kaju has excellent grades, the high school entrance exam is a one-time opportunity. I hope both gods and Buddhas will help Kaju. I opened my eyes after praying, and Yakishio was standing next to me before I knew it.

"Nukkun, how many times do we clap our hands?"

"This is a temple, so you don't clap. That's more like greeting the gods at a shrine."

"Tenjin is the god Sugawara no Michizane, right? Why don't we need to clap at a temple?"

Yeah, why is that? As I tilted my head in thought, Yakishio put her hands together and bowed deeply.

"Alright, now the next exam will be flawless."

"You still need to study properly, right?"

Yakishio and I walked down the stairs of the main hall, and I glanced at her. Yakishio didn't look particularly nervous, just her usual self.

"But it's surprising. Doesn't Yakishio dislike praying to gods?"

"That's true. But since I decided to do it, I thought I'd borrow power from anywhere I can."

After skipping down the last few steps, Yakishio blinked repeatedly.

"That's weird, where did Komari go?"

"Missing again?"

I looked around the temple grounds; Yanami was staring at pigeon feed, and the Tsukinoki couple was writing Ema plaques. And in one corner of the temple grounds, a flock of pigeons was clustered into a ball, wriggling incessantly.

"I feel like screams are coming from that clump..."

"That's great, Komari looks energetic."

Yeah, that's great. Let's go save her when the screams stop.

"Nukkun, where are we going next?"

"Um, first lunch, then to Tsukinoki-senpai's house. The plan is to prepare dinner together."

"Ah, right."

Yakishio had an attitude as if she wanted to say something but stopped.

"What's wrong, is there somewhere you want to go?"

"Hmm~ It should be fine for now."

Yakishio said meaningfully, then suddenly opened her mouth wide.

"Ah, I can't hear Komari's voice anymore."

"Looks like it's about time to go save her."

Yakishio and I looked at each other and dashed toward the clump of pigeons.

◇

Tsukinoki-senpai lifted the inner pot of the rice cooker and poured the freshly cooked white rice into a wooden tub. Then, she poured vinegar over the steaming rice while quickly mixing it with a rice paddle- She was making sushi rice for tonight's hand-rolled sushi (Temaki-zushi) dinner.

Senpai's apartment was a spacious 1LDK. While marveling at the achievement of finally entering a female university student's room, I listened to Senpai's instructions and gazed at the numerous BL posters hanging on the walls. (Note: 1LDK consists of a Living room + Dining room + Kitchen) Tamaki-senpai must hang out here often; these posters are intense...

"Nukumizu-kun, we need to cook five more cups of rice. Can you help wash it?"

"Okay. But is it okay to cook this much? That's one sho  (approx. 1.8 liters) in total."

"Well, Yanami-san is here, after all."

What a persuasive argument. As I obediently washed the rice, Tsukinoki-senpai asked curiously.

"Was Sugakiya really okay for lunch? There's a branch in Toyohashi too, right?"

"Eating it in its birthplace, Nagoya, gives it a special feeling. Even if it's the same as the ramen in Toyohashi, history becomes a special spice-that's what Yanami-san said."

"Yanami-san again."

Yanami again. When it comes to food, Yanami is always involved. By the way, Tsukinoki-senpai's movements are really efficient.

"I'm surprised you have a sushi tub, Senpai?"

"There are plenty of these back at my parents' house. Yakishio, carry this to the table."

"Okaaay~"

Yakishio carried the wooden tub filled with vinegared rice over to Yanami, who was waiting eagerly with a paper fan. They needed to cool the rice down a bit to remove excess moisture.

"Thanks for washing the rice. I'll adjust the water level, so I'll handle the rest."

"Ah, okay. I'll leave it to you, Senpai."

Suddenly finding myself with nothing to do, I started observing Komari, who was making rolled omelets. As expected, her movements were also quite skilled.

"Wh-Why are you looking at me with that grin..."

"I just thought you were impressive. You must cook for the little ones at home all the time, right?"

"R-Rolled omelets are my specialty. O-Omurice, too, I'm strong at."

With a triumphant smile, she rolled the egg into a cylinder. Looking at it this way, both Tsukinoki-senpai and Komari are good cooks and very domestic. Tamaki-senpai might be popular with women, or maybe not. As I wavered between these two contradictory evaluations, I noticed Tamaki-senpai looking gloomy on the balcony. I should listen to him brag about his love life occasionally to balance things out...

I went out onto the balcony and stood next to Tamaki-senpai. This room was on the eighth floor of the apartment building, in a residential area near the university. Aside from a few apartment buildings lining the road, there were no other tall buildings, so the view was open.

"Senpai, you look down. What's wrong?"

"A guy in my practicum group caught a cold, so my report workload suddenly increased..."

My condolences. Was he born to suffer?

"University is tough, huh. I thought you guys played around all day."

"That depends on the person. Some people-"

Tamaki-senpai's gaze quietly shifted toward his girlfriend in the kitchen. The predetermined toil awaited him there. Tamaki-senpai smiled wryly and turned his gaze back to the scenery outside the window.

"Sigh, although it's tough, it's also fun. I guess having a goal gives you the motivation to work hard?"

At the end of Senpai's gaze, the university building could be glimpsed among the cluster of buildings. I asked somewhat hesitantly.

"In the future, will you inherit Tsukinoki-senpai's family brewery?"

"I don't know yet. But Koto's parents and I have known each other for a long time. Should I say they are proactive? Or should I say they put pressure on me..."

Leaving aside how Tsukinoki-senpai's parents raised their daughter, they at least have a good eye for men.

"They said after graduation, they'll introduce me to an acquaintance's brewery, so go train there first."

"Eh? Not working at Tsukinoki-senpai's family business?"

"I have to know the outside world first and become a capable person on my own. If an amateur enters the company through marriage, the people around won't feel comfortable, right?"

Have they already talked that deeply? Tamaki-senpai, how decisive. ............Decisive indeed. Is it okay not to think about it a little more? Although it wasn't my business, I broke out in a cold sweat. Just then, Tamaki-senpai squatted in front of a potted plant on the balcony. It was a small foliage plant. Senpai touched the soil with his fingertip, went back into the room, and returned with a cup of water.

"That Koto, she didn't water it. It'll wither at this rate."

Tamaki-senpai muttered as he watered it. Being this familiar with his girlfriend's house made my heart race... Watching Tamaki-senpai skillfully tend to the plant, I repeated that phrase in my mind. Is it really okay not to think about it a little more?

◇

As the sun began to set, the Hand-Rolled Sushi Tournament began. The wooden tub contained a large amount of vinegared rice, along with plenty of nori seaweed and fillings. As a key player responsible for consuming a large amount of food, Yanami had already piled up a mountain of rice and fillings on the nori, immediately abandoning the essence of 'rolling' in hand-rolled sushi.

"Yanami-san, it's hand-rolled sushi after all, can't you at least pretend to roll it a little?"

"Nukumizu-kun, you're too rigid. Hand-rolled sushi is a symbol of freedom; of course, you should stuff as much as you can!"

Yanami said, taking a heroic bite. Not even dipping it in soy sauce, way too casual. That said, just watching Yanami eat won't fill my stomach. So what should I roll next... The prepared ingredients included tuna, salmon, cucumber, rolled omelet, tuna mayo, crab stick, fish sausage-all the common varieties were present.

"...Fish sausage?"

As I muttered involuntarily, Yanami stared straight at me.

"Nukumizu-kun, when speaking of hand-rolled sushi, fish sausage is a must. Its compatibility with tuna mayo is the best, you know."

Since this is the rule in the Yanami household, it can't be helped. Resistance is futile.

"Then, is corn mayo also a taste of the Yanami household?"

"M-Mayo is essential, right?"

Mayonnaise, Komari's family style. Is mayonnaise really indispensable for hand-rolled sushi? The proof is that white sauce was also added to Yakishio's hand-rolled sushi-

"Strange? That's not mayonnaise, is it?"

"It's cream cheese. My family always adds this."

Yanami and Komari's families use mayonnaise, but Yakishio's uses cream cheese. While feeling the disparity of a class society, I placed tuna on the rice. Next is-

"Here, I recommend this too."

Yanami scooped up tempura scraps with a spoon and sprinkled them on my hand-rolled sushi.

"Don't add things to my sushi without asking."

"No matter what it is, it becomes tempura flavored, so it's a great deal."

"No matter what it is, becoming tempura flavored is troubling."

My first move was decided as tuna, cucumber, and rolled omelet. Although the tempura scraps were in the way, I gave up resisting.

"Shintarou, don't play with your phone while eating."

"Wait a sec, it seems another person is dropping out of the practicum group."

This person remains the same, born to suffer. ...Eating hand-rolled sushi together with everyone like this reminds me of relatives' gatherings. I remember Kaju worrying about me because I couldn't fit in with the other kids back then. Even I, who couldn't get along with relatives, am now eating hand-rolled sushi with outsiders like this. Feeling like I was in a dream, I stared blankly at everyone sitting around the table. Yanami was devouring open-style sushi that wasn't rolled at all, while Yakishio and Komari were putting recommended ingredients on each other's sushi. Tamaki-senpai was rolling salmon sushi while being comforted by Tsukinoki-senpai. Everyone lives different lives, yet now we are gathered around the same table.

-Although I'm still not used to it, nights like this aren't bad.

I placed fish sausage, corn mayo, and cream cheese, and rolled it up with nori.

◇

The Hand-Rolled Sushi Party was nearing its end. Five cups of vinegared rice had bottomed out, and the second tub was significantly depleted. The cause was obvious; the rice was disappearing so fast...

"Ah, we're out of nori."

"Oh my, you're right. There's more left, wait a moment."

Tsukinoki-senpai stood up to get new nori. Probably unable to wait, Yanami put the vinegared rice directly onto her plate and started arranging ingredients on top.

"Yanami-san, can't you wait for the nori? Have a little patience."

"...Nukumizu-kun, I've thought about it carefully. Does hand-rolled sushi really need nori?"

"Huh?"

What's going on? Did eating too much mess up her head?

"Uh, without nori, you can't roll it, right?"

"Isn't there a saying about seasoning in the mouth? In other words, as long as it's rolled in the mouth-no, as long as it's rolled in the stomach, it's fine."

Sad news-Yanami's head is indeed messed up. I put on a gentle smile and went along with Yanami's words.

"Yeah, maybe that's true."

"Going a step further, I think hand-rolled sushi can exist even without ingredients. If you pursue it to the end, the ultimate hand-rolled sushi is just white rice."

"Isn't that just vinegared rice?"

Crap, I couldn't help but retort. Yanami shoveled the hand-rolled sushi (?) on her plate into her mouth and nodded with a serious expression.

"Mmm, this is totally hand-rolled sushi. Nukumizu-kun, try it too."

"I don't want to. I told you not to put things on my plate without asking."

While Yanami and I were pushing back and forth, Tsukinoki-senpai placed a plate with nori on the table.

"Here, everyone, extra nori is here~"

"Thank you, Senpai!"

Yanami immediately picked up the nori and placed a mountain of vinegared rice on it.

"So you still use nori after all. What was that speech just now?"

"Since there is nori, of course I'll eat it. Senpai, this nori is delicious."

"Oh my, you can tell? This is good stuff harvested from Mikawa Bay."

Glancing at the two chatting animatedly about dried foods, I exchanged a look with Tamaki-senpai. ...Both of us have it tough.

◇

Phew, because Yanami kept recommending things, I accidentally ate too much... I walked out of the toilet and passed Yakishio, who was heading to the entrance.

"You're going out?"

"I forgot my toothbrush, going to the convenience store to buy one."

"Oh, I see."

Just as I was about to head back to the living room, Yakishio looked at me with half-closed eyes.

"Listen, a girl is going out at night. Don't you have anything to say?"

"Ah, yes. Be careful on the night road."

Despite my answer being perfect, Yakishio let out a huge sigh.

"Sigh, isn't this the time you should act as a bodyguard and go with me?"

Bodyguard...? Can I, who is weaker than Yakishio, really fulfill that role? Although I had doubts, the atmosphere seemed to forbid refusal.

"Uh, then let me get my phone-"

Just as I was about to return to the living room, Yakishio grabbed my hand.

"Let's go quickly. Just tell everyone later."

"Eh? But..."

"Come on, come on, let's go before we get caught."

I had no choice but to obediently shove my feet into my shoes.

...Do not defy the strong. That is my way.

◇

Yakishio and I walked side-by-side on the sidewalk along a wide four-lane road. The sun had set, and streetlights and headlights from passing cars illuminated the sidewalk. The road was lined with apartment buildings and gas stations, and the pedestrians passing by seemed to be residents rushing home. They all seemed somewhat busy.

"It feels so nice after the sun goes down~"

"It might be a little cold in short sleeves."

Yakishio was in a particularly good mood. She skipped ahead of me and spun around.

"Hey, want to race to the convenience store?"

"No thanks. Hey, walking backward is dangerous."

"Okaaay. Nuku, you're just like my mom."

Yakishio said sulkily and strode off, leaving me behind. I followed her at a distance, absentmindedly gazing at her back.

-Yakishio Lemon. Tanned limbs, toned body. She had her hands clasped behind her back, and looking at her retreating figure, it felt like she wanted me to talk to her. Was I being presumptuous?

"Um... about today's track team practice, was it okay?"

Although I thought the line was boring myself, please remember that it's me  here. Yakishio's back swayed slightly; she didn't turn around and continued walking forward.

"Today's practice was already over, and the coach said we have the whole day off tomorrow."

"Oh, is that so?"

Strangely, the conversation ended. Did I say something wrong... While holding a reflection meeting in my head as I walked, I realized we were quite a distance from the apartment.

"Is the convenience store not here yet?"

"Hmm~ a little further."

Yakishio replied flatly and quickened her pace. I followed silently behind her and arrived at a large intersection. On the other side of the intersection were several large buildings with a different atmosphere from the apartments. That was the university Tamaki-senpai attended.

"There doesn't seem to be a convenience store around here. Shouldn't we head back?"

Yakishio didn't answer and took out her smartphone.

"...Yeah, we'll make it."

"Make it for what?"

"Look, the light is changing."

Yakishio started walking toward the crosswalk. Although I didn't quite get it, the destination convenience store seemed to be ahead. I chased after her, and after crossing the intersection, Yakishio stopped in front of a bus stop.

"Uh, we're going to a convenience store, right?"

"Wait a sec."

Yakishio looked at the bus timetable. Behind the bus stop was a building that looked like an apartment; I didn't think this was the destination. Just then, a street bus rattled up and stopped in front of us. Oh my, we aren't passengers. Just as I was about to take a step back, Yakishio grabbed my hand.

"Nukkun, we're taking this bus."

Eh, taking a bus to go to a convenience store? This is the metropolis of Nagoya. Ignoring my confusion completely, Yakishio dragged me onto the bus. The bus started moving the moment we sat down in a two-seater.

"We're probably not going to a convenience store, right? Where are you going?"

Faced with this sudden development, I froze. Yakishio sat next to me in the narrow seat, revealing a mischievous smile.

"-Secret."

◇

After shaking on the bus for 30 minutes, we arrived at Nagoya's largest shopping district, Sakae. (Note: The core commercial district in downtown Nagoya) Hisaya Odori Park, which runs north to south through the center of the district, was brightly lit, and crowds were streaming through. Stylish cafes and restaurants lined the walkways, and after sunset, the air was filled with a mature atmosphere belonging to adults.

"Ooh-so pretty! Look, there's a tower over there!"

"Yakishio, it's dangerous not to watch where you're going."

In the center of the park stood a giant TV tower resembling the Eiffel Tower, also a landmark of the city. I chased after Yakishio, who was waving excitedly, while fiddling with the collar of my T-shirt. Because a citrus scent was wafting from my body. ...Although I didn't do anything guilty, let me explain. The bus seats were definitely not spacious. Sitting side-by-side, physical contact was unavoidable. Every time the bus swayed, our bodies inevitably pressed together. Entering July, Yakishio's clothes were thin, and feeling her body curve against my arm was completely force majeure. Explanation over.

"Nukkun, over here, over here! Let's take a picture together!"

"Oh, okay..."

Following Yakishio's call, I came to her side. Before my eyes was a water surface glittering with the reflection of the night view. It looked like a huge rectangular pool, but it wasn't actually a pond. It was just a shallow layer of water formed on the tiled surface of the plaza. At the end of the water mirror stretching for dozens of meters, the illuminated TV tower stood majestically. Night view-lights-sparkling water surface- The light reflected from the water illuminated Yakishio's face from below. Faced with so many eye-catching elements, even I, known for my cynical attitude, couldn't help but waver.

"Come on, Nuku, look at the camera. Here, come closer or you won't fit."

"Uh, ah, okay."

Moreover, taking a selfie with a cute girl against the night view. Faced with such a fact, personal creeds or principles all became trivial matters.

"It came out beautifully. Let's send this to everyone."

"No no no, isn't that bad?! It'll totally be misunderstood."

Yakishio's dark brown eyes looked at the anxious me.

"Misunderstood-misunderstood as what?"

"Well..."

Seeing me hem  and haw, Yakishio laughed happily.

"Just kidding. Since we're here, want to climb the TV tower?"

"It's already this late?"

"It's Saturday, so they're open late."

Oh, is that so? Yakishio really knows her stuff. Since we're already here, I might as well go along with it to the end. We wove through the lively open-air cafe seats toward the TV tower. By the way, didn't Yakishio leave the room with the excuse of going to a convenience store? Wouldn't everyone be worried if we stayed out this late in a place like this? I glanced at Yakishio, whose eyes seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

"Hmm~ what's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing..."

Her tone sounded like a provocation, and I was overwhelmed by her momentum and looked away.

...Maybe letting everyone worry a little isn't such a bad thing. Though I couldn't think of a reason why I should do that.

◇

Stepping out of the elevator, the night view of Nagoya spread out before our eyes. On the other side of the observation deck's glass window, the park we walked through just now looked tiny below us.

"Wow-! Super pretty! Look, Nukkun!"

Yakishio cheered innocently and beckoned to me. You're prettier than the night view-that phrase popped into my mind, but since it's a cliché from an anime I watched recently, of course I wouldn't say it out loud. I gazed at the night view alongside her and brought up another topic.

"Speaking of which, Yanami-san said she was tricked by her dad when she was little, told that this was Tokyo Tower. And then-"

"Okay, Nukkun loses one life point."

Yakishio suddenly said unhappily. Even though it's not a date, am I not allowed to bring up other girls...?

"By the way, what happens when my life points hit zero?"

"At that time, Nukkun will be eaten."

That would be trouble. Although I'm a high school boy, Yanami could eat me up in just a few days- ...Oops, no, I just got scolded for mentioning another girl, and I turned around and thought about her again.

"Uh, I'll be careful from now on."

"Good, I forgive you."

Yakishio laughed happily and turned her gaze back to the night view. That profile was slightly more mature than the Yakishio I knew well. I involuntarily felt shy and also turned my gaze to the night view. Nagoya's city center doesn't have many skyscrapers, and the streetlights stretch on endlessly.

"...Yakishio, this is what you wanted to see, right?"

Hearing my casually spoken words, Yakishio gave an ambiguous answer.

"Hmm, I guess you're half right."

"Half?"

"Because there haven't been many chances to chat alone with Nukkun recently, I thought occasionally like this is nice too."

Saying that, Yakishio leaned toward the glass window.

"Don't you come to my house often? You know... to borrow the bath."

"That's lent by your sister. I wouldn't borrow it when only Nukkun is home, right?"

That may be so, but the fact that a female classmate uses my bath doesn't change. It makes me very restless, so I wish she would exercise some self-restraint. Though I won't ask her to stop.

"But you slept in my bed before, right? It was good that Kaju was home then, otherwise it would have been bad."

"Sorry about that time. I was a bit tired-"

Mid-sentence, Yakishio looked at me with a surprised expression.

"You said it was okay because Kaju was home, so what would have happened if she wasn't?"

"Because, sleeping in a guy's room in a house with no one else-"

"Sleeping? What would happen?"

...Wait, this is a very sensitive topic. Answering poorly might sow the seeds of trouble for the future. I cleared my throat heavily.

"Yakishio, listen carefully. Sleeping in a guy's room dressed in something no different from underwear is way too careless. Also, if there were only the two of us in the house at that time, bad rumors would spread among the neighbors."

-Neighbors. A tactic of using social pressure to gloss over sensitive topics. However, it seemed exceptionally effective on Yakishio. She blushed and hung her head shyly.

"Uh, do you understand?"

"...Nukkun. At that time, you saw what I looked like."

Because I did see.

"No, because your body was sticking out of the blanket. You were wearing clothes properly, right?"

"Y-Yeah. I was wearing them properly so it was safe-"

Mid-sentence, Yakishio covered her face with both hands and squatted down.

"...Just kidding. It was actually underwear."

Eh? So it was  underwear. But this girl wanders around in similar outfits all the time anyway...

"Isn't there something called 'underwear meant to be seen'?"

"How could such a thing exist?"

Is that so, such a thing doesn't exist? Then wear your clothes properly.

"It's not like I was staring or anything though..."

"Can we drop this topic now?"

Yeah, that might be better. Yakishio took a deep breath and stood up.

"...Where was I?"

"Uh, you said you had something to tell me. What is it?"

"Hmm-... I just felt that around Nukkun, things seem to be lively in various ways recently."

I feel like it's been lively all year round, though. Wait, speaking of recent major events-

"...Yakishio, how much do you know?"

I couldn't help but ask in a serious tone, and Yakishio glared at me.

"So it is  true. You are an enemy of women."

"Like I said, what are you talking about?"

"Ask your own conscience."

Could it be that Yakishio knows about Tiara's confession...? No, wait. Maybe she means me pretending to date Shiratama-san, or when she saw me with Shikiya-senpai at the florist. Or perhaps, she found out about me accidentally meeting President Kurata in front of the station last week and being taken to the cafe next to the police box-

I can't answer wrong here. I spoke cautiously.

"Uh-which incident are you referring to?"

"You really are  an enemy of women."

Crap, picked the wrong option. Yakishio let out a long sigh as if squeezing all the air out of her lungs.

"It's fine. After all, Nukkun will eventually-run off to a place I can't catch up to, right?"

...Yakishio can't catch up to me? Uh~ I must have heard wrong. It's always Yakishio running ahead of me, shining in a distance I can't reach. And that Yakishio, right now, was looking at me with eyes as if watching a hopeless younger brother.

"By the way, you talked to Tsukinoki-senpai about career paths, right?"

How does she know? That person really has a loose mouth.

"Sigh... I plan to go on to higher education and leave home after graduation."

"So Nukkun is leaving too."

Since she said 'too', that means Yakishio is also leaving. While observing her reaction, I spoke.

"Where are you going, Yakishio?"

"Well, after the Tokai prelims, several schools with strong long-distance running programs scouted me."

Oh, scouted already, that's fast. Until now, Yakishio was just an obscure athlete who hadn't even participated in the Nationals. And this status quo changed completely just because of one brilliant performance.

"Going to higher education is also connected to employment. Although I want to keep running forever, if I want to make it a job, I have to start thinking about the future now."

Yakishio's body swayed uneasily as she gazed at her own reflection in the glass window.

"Not long ago I was a junior high student, just a kid. Even now I feel like a brat, yet I have to decide on my future."

Yakishio inhaled, then exhaled slowly.

"Are we-already considered adults?"

"...How should I put it?"

Whether we are already adults or not. We all have to mimic the maturity we have never experienced. Perhaps in the process of constantly mimicking adults, we unknowingly grow into actual adults.

Yakishio leaned slightly toward me and murmured.

.

"I want to stay-a child for just a little while longer."

.

The meaning of those words, and Yakishio's true feelings. I couldn't fully understand her words, and Yakishio must have known that too. Whether it was the deep meaning behind those words or Yakishio's true heart. Here was me who couldn't understand, and her who couldn't be understood. We let our feelings dissolve into the shimmering night view, standing silently in place for a long time.

◇

Walking up from the observation deck to the upper deck, a wind mixed with night dew blew against my face. Yakishio held down her bangs, which were messed up by the wind, and cheered.

"Wow-! The wind feels so good!"

Her sunny appearance made the gloomy atmosphere just now seem like a lie. The height of the deck was about the same as the observation room, but it was filled with the scent of the sky and the night. Suppressing an inexplicable excitement, I gazed at the night view over the railing. The same scene as before, but just without a pane of glass, the impression was vastly different.

-Under every single light, there are people, each with their own meaning.

From a distance, we must have long since faded into the brilliant lights, impossible to find. Although indistinguishable, here stood an ordinary high school girl worrying about her future. And me, whose future was so invisible I couldn't even worry about it. While smiling back at the frolicking Yakishio, I let my thoughts wander with the night wind.

...Suddenly, I stopped in front of a small stone plaque. The plaque read 'Lover's Sanctuary', and behind it, numerous heart-shaped message cards hung on the railing. Curious, I looked at the cards; names of couples and messages were written on them. Sweet and lovey-dovey people are everywhere. Good thing I didn't bring Yanami here... Sigh, generally speaking, men and women who aren't dating wouldn't come to the TV tower to see the night view; caring too much about such things is just being tactless. Ending my self-deprecating thoughts, I looked for Yakishio and found her lingering suspiciously in front of the railing a little further away.

...? Could she have been hit by the lovey-dovey messages of couples too?

"Yakishio, any interesting messages?"

"! Nothing~ It's getting cold, let's go down."

Really? I feel like the air-conditioned observation room down there is colder than here.

"Before that, can I borrow your phone? I want to take a picture of the night view."

"Yeah, sure-hey, why are you coming over here!?"

I walked toward where Yakishio was acting suspiciously, but for some reason, she blocked me with all her might.

"Why, you ask... I want to take a picture of the night view from there."

"If you want to take pictures of the night view, it's clearer from the observation room below! Come on, let's go down!"

"But down there, the glass reflects-"

"Okay, okay, Nukkun, let's go~"

Yakishio pushed my back forcefully. Eh eh eh... why keep me away from the railing to this extent? Just like that, I was pushed down the stairs leading to the observation room in confusion.

◇

Getting off the bus, I confirmed the feel of the ground.

-Just going to the convenience store. That was the original plan, but it turned into watching the night view with Yakishio alone.

It felt like I spent quite some time in a dream, and that fluffy feeling lingered and wouldn't dissipate.

"Will everyone be worried?"

"I explained it properly, so it's fine. I said I was going for a walk with Nukkun."

Although called a walk, wasn't it a bit too long? It was already past 9 PM; Yanami and Komari would definitely nag us when we got back... Leaving my worries behind, Yakishio walked happily, hopping along the curb.

"Yakishio, it's dangerous, don't walk there."

"Nukkun, you worry too much~"

Although she said that, Yakishio stepped down from the curb and stood next to me. Walking on the night road toward Tsukinoki-senpai's apartment, I recalled the time just now. Opening up to someone in a place different from usual. Yakishio probably needed a time like this. However, there was one thing I couldn't understand-

"Nukkun, what's wrong?"

I stopped and stared into Yakishio's eyes.

"Yakishio, why did you bring me out?"

"Didn't I say just now? There haven't been chances to talk alone recently."

"That's true, but..."

Yakishio circled in front of me, wearing her usual bright smile.

"Nukkun is the President, so you have to take care of Yana-chan, Komari, and Tama-chan now, right? That's why I wanted to take Nukkun like this-"

This time it was Yakishio who was at a loss for words.

"Take me... and do what?"

"-Who knows."

Yakishio laughed shyly, poked the tip of my nose with her finger, and turned her back to me.

-There is definitely some kind of affection between Yakishio and me.

That said, I wouldn't be so conceited as to think this girl likes me romantically. To Yakishio, I am a relatively special friend. That's exactly why she chose me as a companion for this strange night journey.

Walking in the quiet street, Yakishio muttered in a low voice as if whispering.

.

"After all, Nukkun has Komari and Yana-chan by his side~"

.

Komari and Yanami? Why mention their names now...? Before I could make up my mind to ask, Yakishio's phone rang. Yakishio looked at the screen, smiled wryly, and put the phone to her ear.

"Hello hello, what is it, Yana-chan?"

Woah, Yanami finally called. Judging from Yakishio's smiling demeanor, Yanami seemed to be in a good mood-no, judging from Yanami's voice coming from the phone, that didn't seem to be the case. Yanami and Komari, those two get angry whenever I show a little kindness to Yakishio. Although I understand their worry for Yakishio, it's impossible for me to pursue her... At last year's Tsuwabuki Festival, a boy misunderstood Yakishio's friendly attitude and confessed, only to be rejected. I don't want to repeat that mistake.

"I~ told~ you~, I just borrowed Nukkun for a bit."

The volume of Yakishio's voice on the phone increased. ...What are Yanami and Yakishio talking about? As I listened nervously, I noticed one thing. Yakishio held the smartphone to her ear and was staring intently at me. Eh... what is it...? Maintaining this posture, staring straight at me, Yakishio said.

.

"----This is cheating, you know."

.

Leaving those words behind, Yakishio ended the call. ...Eh? Cheating? What were she and Yanami talking about? Seeing my confusion, Yakishio giggled.

"Nukkun, it's late, let's go back."

"Eh? Oh, right."

Yakishio walked toward the apartment where Yanami and the others were waiting, humming a tune for some reason.

-Cheating. That dangerous word made my heart race inexplicably. Yanami will definitely nag again when we get back; maybe I should just go directly to Tamaki-senpai's place where I'm staying tonight... Walking distractedly, I arrived in front of Tsukinoki-senpai's apartment before I knew it. I called out to Yakishio, who was about to walk straight into the apartment.

"Yakishio, aren't you going to the convenience store?"

"Nah, it's already late."

...Strange, wasn't she going to buy a toothbrush? Following Yakishio into the entrance hall, I observed her reaction sideways. From the very beginning when she invited me to the convenience store, was it all Yakishio's calculation...?

"What's wrong, Nukkun?"

"Ah, no, nothing."

...No, better not overthink it. Faced with Yakishio's innocent smile, being calculative about these things-is just too tactless.

The Close Sisters' Early Afternoon

One weekend afternoon. Nukumizu Kaju tightly tied her apron strings in her kitchen. She wanted to finish making a 3 PM snack before her brother returned from shopping.

It’s been getting warmer recently, so how about making coffee jelly?

Just as she was checking the ice in the refrigerator, the doorbell rang. Kaju peered at the intercom monitor, and the screen displayed the figure of a cute girl wearing animal ear headbands.

"Shiratama Tanuki has come to bewitch the President-"

Click.  Kaju swiftly turned off the intercom and returned to the kitchen.

Alright, I'll make the jelly with espresso and decorate it with vanilla ice cream. Onii-sama will definitely be satisfied.

While she was selecting coffee beans in the pantry, the doorbell rang again. Holding back a sigh, she went to the monitor, only to see Shiratama Riko smiling broadly at the camera.

"Could it be Kaju-chan? I promised the President I'd come over to play, you know?"

-Promise. Hearing this word, Kaju's finger reaching for the switch stopped. If there was a promise with Onii-sama, she couldn't turn her away. Rather, it would be better to have them meet under her own eyes than to let them have a date alone. After making a painful decision, Kaju pressed the talk button.

"Welcome, Shiratama-senpai. I'll open the door right away."

◇

Sitting properly on the living room sofa, Shiratama Riko clasped her hands cutely toward Kaju.

"Sorry, Kaju. On a rare Sunday."

"If it's a guest, Kaju welcomes them anytime, you know? If  it's a guest."

Kaju's face was full of smiles as she placed the tea cup in front of Shiratama.

...Even in Kaju's eyes, she was very cute. The refreshing light blue dress fit her perfectly; most people passing by would likely look back.

That said, she couldn't entrust Onii-sama to her just because she was cute. It is said that Shiratama Riko has been clinging to her own brother-in-law. Such immoral behavior is not allowed; just based on this, she is unworthy of Onii-sama.

"I'm sorry, Onii-sama actually forgot the promise and went out. If it were a promise with Kaju, he would never do that."

While expressing apologies, Kaju sat down on the sofa. Shiratama shook her head as if she didn't mind.

"No no, it was bad of me to come without calling."

"Eh, didn't you make a promise with Onii-sama?!"

Facing the surprised Kaju, Shiratama nonchalantly took a package from her bag and handed it over.

"The promise I made with the President was that I'd give him cookies next time I made them."

"What?"

...She'd been had. The "promise" was to hand over cookies, not to come over to play. Watching Kaju, who was calculating how to send her away, Shiratama stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Ehehe, I couldn't wait until Monday, so I came straight to your house."

"...You came."

"I came."

Shiratama smiled and untied the ribbon on the package.

"Since I'm here, I wanted Kaju-chan to taste them too. I put a little effort into them, you know?"

"Oh."

Answering dejectedly, Kaju picked up a cookie. It was a small cookie mixed with sliced almonds, looking quite professional. Smelling it lightly then putting it in her mouth, an elegant butter aroma spread, followed by an almond flavor wafting through her nose.

...Why is that? This butter aroma was familiar. Although she hadn't used it herself, she felt like she had eaten it somewhere recently.

"This, what butter did you use?"

"Hmm-I think it's French Échiré. It's a bit expensive, but I took the plunge to make the President happy."

"Took the plunge, huh."

"Took the plunge. Here, Kaju, don't be shy, eat up."

Kaju picked up a second cookie as told and stared at the surface. These cookies weren't just about the butter. The flour and almonds used were worlds apart from the ingredients Kaju had used until now.

"Um, where is the flour from...?"

"I ordered it from an overseas manufacturer; they say professional pastry chefs use it too. I'm the type who values form over substance."

Shiratama cast a meaningful glance at the silent Kaju.

"-Maybe love is like that too."

"Form comes first? Even in love?"

"Yes. I'm the type who dates first, then slowly falls in love."

"D-Date?! Date someone you don't like?"

Facing Kaju, who involuntarily raised her voice, Shiratama revealed a mature smile.

"It's just that the order of falling in love is different, you know?"

Ignoring the dumbfounded Kaju, Shiratama picked up her tea cup.

"I'm a slow-heating herbivore type, so a gentle older person suits me better-what do you think, Kaju-chan?"

"Shiratama-senpai is so good at making sweets, how about someone younger!? It will definitely go well!"

Shiratama looked up at the ceiling with a cute, thoughtful expression.

"Younger ones aren't my type-but if we date, maybe I'd like them?"

"Yes-there are many good people among the younger ones!"

"True. Older or younger, excellent people are excellent-like the President."

Pretending not to notice Kaju freezing again, Shiratama picked up a cookie.

"It's so fun to talk about love with Kaju-chan. Are the cookies tasty?"

"Y-Yes..."

Honestly, even to Kaju, they were made exceptionally well. Above all, the ingredients were different. Facing the silent Kaju, Shiratama smiled gently.

"If you want, you can eat them all, okay?"

"Kaju will help herself!"

Countermeasures can come later. First, eliminate this demonic food from Onii-sama's presence-

Washing it down with tea, Kaju desperately ate every last cookie.

"Wow, I'm happy. Kaju-chan can eat so much."

"...It-It was too delicious, I accidentally ate too much."

With a stiff smile, Kaju stared dead at the now-empty box.

"Sorry, Onii-sama's share is gone."

"No no, don't worry!"

Shiratama kept smiling and took a new package from her bag.

"-There's another pack."

"..............."

This time Kaju froze in place.

…How much time passed?

Shiratama sat next to Kaju again.

"Hey, Kaju-chan. I think we can become good friends."

"...Indeed."

Shiratama maintained a perfect smile and took out her phone.

"Can we exchange contact info?"

"...!"

-Shiratama Riko. Cannot leave this woman unchecked.

Nukumizu Kaju, 15 years old. Woman's intuition.

"...Yes, with pleasure."

Kaju also showed a perfect smile and held out her phone.

As the two silently exchanged contacts, achieving a memorable reconciliation (?), the sound of the door opening came from the entrance. The older brother, Nukumizu Kazuhiko, came home. The two quickly stood up and ran to the entrance.

"Welcome home-"

"-Onii-sama." "-President."

I Dedicate This Cup (and a Refill) to You

-Dieting.

For me, this is an activity I have no connection with.

Generally speaking, dieting refers to the act of reducing body weight through controlling diet and exercise; but if substituted into my daily life, it would probably equate to restricting my light novel reading and anime watching.

That pain would be indescribable.

Unless I had considerable resolve, it would be an absolutely impossible mission.

I've digressed a bit. In short, during the recent "Shiratama Riko Revenge Operation," Yanami successfully went on a diet. Although she has already rebounded so we can pretend it never happened, during that process, I made a promise to Yanami.

-My treat, want to go eat ramen or something?

It was completely a casual remark. You could also call it a moment of impulse. Inviting a girl to a meal doesn't seem like something I would do while in my right mind.

Of course, this was a consolation for Yanami who dedicated herself to the Literature Club, absolutely not an invitation for a date.

Besides, doesn't Yanami call me out casually all the time? So it doesn't count.

She wouldn't agree thinking it was a date either; it's just a normal get-together or a treat. Having concluded this, I looked at the digital display on my watch.

-11:45. The appointed time has arrived. The meeting place is here, the first floor of the Seibunkan Bookstore Main Branch, but where is Yanami...

I scanned the area near the entrance, and my gaze stopped on a familiar back.

"Yana-"

It was excusable that I stopped mid-sentence. Yanami wasn't looking at the bookshelves, but staring intently at the hamburger shop next door.

The parent and child queuing at the register looked frightened.

Just as I was struggling with whether to just leave the money and go home, seeing Yanami's outfit today made me banish that thought. Yanami was wearing a short-sleeved blouse paired with a knee-length pleated skirt.

Although I don't know much about fashion, I could vaguely understand that this was a 'stylish' look. It seems she is quite looking forward to eating ramen. Leaving her here would be too unconscionable.

...Can't be helped. Just as I was about to circle around to greet her, I considered going back again. Because I saw Yanami staring at the burgers while wiping drool with a handkerchief.

◇

On the way to the shop, Yanami cast a resentful look at me.

"Nukumizu-kun, why didn't you call out to me?"

"You looked like you were concentrating, so I thought it would be bad to disturb you."

Faced with my euphemistic phrasing, Yanami pouted in protest.

"I was just looking for a bit. Staring at other people's burgers all the time would make me look like an idiot, wouldn't it?"

Yeah, indeed like an idiot. I didn't say that out loud, just gave a vague response, and Yanami's mood gradually improved.

"Today Nukumizu-kun is treating me to your favorite ramen, right?"

Yanami said this while looking around.

"Is there a ramen shop nearby?"

"Not a ramen shop; today I want to eat here."

I stopped in front of a shop. It was a few minutes' walk from Seibunkan Bookstore, a long-established udon noodle shop. Although there are several branches in the city, this historic storefront is the main branch. Yanami tilted her head in puzzlement.

"...Here? Are we having curry udon as an appetizer first?"

"We're not. Come on, let's line up."

After writing our names on the waiting list, we were quickly led to a table. After sitting down, Yanami looked around the shop with curiosity.

"Yanami-san, first time here?"

"First time at the main branch. I go to the Tsutsujigaoka shop with my family often."

Yanami opened the menu, humming a tune as she flipped the pages. Then, Yanami's gaze stopped at a certain spot.

"Ah, could it be this? Chinese Soba."

"Yeah, I've liked it since way back. Since we're here, let's order this."

My casual words for some reason made Yanami smirk.

"Eh, what is it?"

"Heh-so you want me to eat your  favorite flavor. Heh-"

Hehehe,  a malicious smile spread across her face.

"No, didn't you ask me to choose my favorite noodles?"

"Don't be shy, don't be shy. Excuse me-Two large bowls of Chinese Soba!"

"Excuse me, one regular bowl for me!"

How many times have we had this conversation? As I drank my tea wearily, Yanami stared at me, resting her chin on both hands with a smirk.

...I really should have left this girl at Seibunkan.

◇

The Chinese Soba placed before us had a simple soy sauce flavor. Orthodox toppings like menma with boiled egg, and fish cake with char siu, all accented by green onions. Yanami nodded with satisfaction and snapped the disposable chopsticks apart.

"Ah, this is it. This feeling is the best."

I don't know from what standpoint she was speaking, but she seemed satisfied. After taking a sip of soup with the spoon, she slurped the yellow medium-thick noodles into her mouth in one go.

What Yanami reached for next with her chopsticks was the char siu. Picking it up with the tips of her chopsticks, she stared at it intently.

"The char siu here really feels like roasted meat."

"Yeah, this goes well with the slightly sweet soup."

Yanami paused after biting off half the char siu.

"Eh, so tasty-"

I didn't miss that moment-Yanami's gaze drifted to the menu again.

"Do you want to order rice?"

Nod nod nod.  Yanami nodded repeatedly. I raised my hand to call the staff.

"Please give us a large amount of rice, and a side order of char siu."

Clatter.  Yanami stood up abruptly.

"Is a side order okay?! Did you find a wallet on the street, Nukumizu-kun?"

I didn't find one, and even if I did, I'd turn it in to the police box.

"Look, consider this a treat-no, consider it a consolation party for Yanami-san. Eat quickly before the noodles get soggy."

"...Mmm."

Yanami sat back down on the chair thud  and started slurping the Chinese Soba. What's with this sudden obedience? It's kind of scary...

While slurping my noodles in fear, the side of char siu and the rice (large) were placed on the table. The green parsley and lemon slice garnishing the plate contrasted with the brown char siu, looking very appetizing.

"Yanami-san, aren't you going to eat?"

"Eh, it looks so delicious... Eh."

Faced with the char siu and rice (large), Yanami was acting strangely for some reason. Is this not enough...?

Toward the anxious me, Yanami slowly raised her head and said.

"Nukumizu-kun, do you like me...?"

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?!"

What on earth is this girl saying? Facing a shocked me, Yanami leaned her body toward the table.

"Because look, char siu and  rice?! You wouldn't do this unless you liked me, right?!"

"That's not it at all?!"

After desperately denying it, I finally managed to convince her. Yanami stared at the char siu and rice again.

"Really...? Can I eat it without holding back?"

"Yeah, don't be polite, just dig in. You can even have seconds."

"Then, thanks for the food!"

With a beaming smile, Yanami began to devour the food. Feeling my heart beating violently for some reason, I started eating the rest of my Chinese Soba.

...To mistake meat and rice for a confession of love, isn't Yanami a bit too easy? Of course, from my position, I should wish for Yanami to get a boyfriend, but if she gets tangled up with some weird guy and comes crying to me about it later, I'd rather pass. As the person in charge of Yanami, should I be a bit more involved-

Feeling my throat suddenly go dry, I grabbed my cup and downed a large gulp of water. Glancing over casually, I saw Yanami with a grain of rice stuck to her cheek, holding the large bowl of Chinese Soba with one hand and heroically chugging the remaining broth like it was miso soup.

"...Hm? Nukumizu-kun, what's wrong?"

"Ah, you have a grain of rice on your cheek."

I smiled wryly and tossed a piece of menma  into my mouth. It will probably be a long while before Yanami gets a boyfriend.

Let's Be Friends

The West Building of Tsuwabuki High School.

In the corner of a narrow storage room, a female student was facing a laptop. This student was Koikawa Tsukushi, a second-year member of the Journalism Club.

The room had no windows and was dimly lit, her face hazily illuminated by the glow of the screen. After finishing all the updates for the school news, she looked up from the computer and stretched widely. There was still one interview waiting for her.

"...Alright, let's earn some more."

After muttering to herself as if to confirm her resolve, Koikawa picked up her DSLR camera and stood up. Just a little more to reach the target amount. Once achieved, she would buy the necessary equipment and make a fresh start.

Koikawa walked over to the nameplate rack on the wall and gazed at it. Long, rectangular nameplates hung there, with small dials above the names to indicate attendance status. Although several nameplates were lined up, only one showed "Present."

Koikawa changed the status on the plate bearing her own name to "Away" and walked out of the room. With the sound of the lock clicking, the unmanned storage room returned to silence. Students occasionally passed by the room, but no one stopped.

-Lying on a wooden sign fallen in the corner of the room were the words: "Bird Watching Society."

◇

After school, a female student sat in the broadcasting room. There seemed to be no Broadcasting Club activities today, and no other students were in sight. The dim light emitted by the surrounding equipment reflected brightly off the female student's forehead.

-Asagumo Chihaya.

She stared straight ahead with composure. It was as if she knew exactly what was about to happen. Perhaps a few minutes passed like this. The door to the broadcasting room opened, and a girl with a camera hanging from her neck peeked in.

"Yo, thanks for today!"

Entering the room with a casual greeting was Koikawa Tsukushi from Class 2-A. Her short skirt fluttered as a business smile appeared on her face.

"Oh my-I'm so happy. To think the top student of the grade, Asagumo-san, would agree to an interview."

"I hope I can be of help. Here, please sit."

After confirming Koikawa had sat opposite her, a smile appeared on Asagumo's lips.

"The school news seems quite popular recently."

"Yeah, gotta take the chance to raise awareness and build a track record. Alright, let's hear it."

Koikawa took out a notepad and ballpoint pen, leaning forward excitedly.

"But is my study method really useful? The reviews from those around me aren't very good."

"Different writing styles yield different results. If the response is good, there's an honorarium, and once we have enough articles, we can make a special edition."

"Eh, you collect money from readers?"

Facing Asagumo's innocent question, Koikawa smiled wryly.

"Look, the Journalism Club is technically a hobby group, so we have no budget, right? We have to earn our own activity funds."

"True, the Journalism Club effectively only has one person."

At Asagumo's words, Koikawa's smile froze.

"...Well, yeah. But once we get promoted back to a full club, everyone will return."

The predecessor of the Journalism Club was the Bird Watching Society. Due to causing problems, the club was suspended indefinitely, and the Journalism Club was allowed to exist only as a hobby group to continue its activities.

"Did the teachers not say anything? I heard there were quite a few dangerous articles."

"That's why we tear them down before the teachers get mad, and then let people see the paid version later. Thanks to the Student Council election, it sold quite well, you know?"

Koikawa made a circle with her index finger and thumb, mimicking the sign for money.

"That article was a masterpiece. The election analysis was also brilliant."

"Because I interviewed properly. Well, I did mix in a little speculation regarding interpersonal relationships, but that's within the scope of editorial license."

Facing Koikawa, who was smiling meaningfully, Asagumo tilted her head.

"Is it okay for a reporter to do that?"

"This is what you call freedom of the press. It's only natural for the writer's subjectivity to mix into the article."

"There is also the phrase 'freedom not  to report'. Though I don't particularly like that term."

Perhaps starting to sense an ominous atmosphere in the conversation, Koikawa showed an uneasy expression.

"Hey, can we start the interview soon?"

"Don't you think so too… Kaju-san?"

A third person suddenly appeared. Koikawa turned around in surprise to see a girl with long fluttering hair, wearing a uniform from another school, standing there.

"Yes, Asagumo-senpai. There are some things in this world that shouldn't be touched."

Gulp.  Koikawa involuntarily swallowed.

...She hadn't sensed her presence at all. No, even now, if she let her guard down for a second, the girl's figure seemed ready to vanish into the shadows of the broadcasting room. In the darkness, the long hair swayed airily-

Just as Koikawa was enveloped by a dreamlike sensation, Kaju slowly raised a hand.

"By the way, Senpai, you dropped this."

On Kaju's fingertip was an SD card. Koikawa abruptly looked at her camera; the slot cover was open.

"That's mine!"

She hurriedly snatched the SD card and inserted it into the camera slot. Realizing she was being watched by the two, a stiff smile floated onto Koikawa's face.

"Oh my-that saved me. The photos I took recently are there."

Asagumo clasped her hands together happily.

"Oh my, that's great. So that SD card is  yours, Koikawa-san?"

"Uh, yes! I don't know how it fell out of the camera-"

Her words cut off mid-sentence, as if dissolving on her tongue.

The cluster of monitors set up around the broadcasting room lit up simultaneously, projecting countless images.

Displayed were photos of female students from Tsuwabuki High.

The angles of these photos were extremely tricky, all skillfully avoiding the subjects' line of sight. In other words, the female students in the photos were completely unaware of the camera's existence.

The slideshow on the screens continued to cycle through the images. The moment a photo of Yakishio appeared, a sharp light flashed across Asagumo's forehead.

"...Kaju-san, what are these images?"

"Ah, currently displaying the contents of the SD card."

Kaju flashed a brilliant smile at Koikawa, who was frozen in place. Illuminated by the monitors, Kaju's long black hair shimmered with a dark glint, swaying eerily.

"I see, I see. By the way, this SD card is yours, right, Koikawa-san?"

Asagumo asked while playing with a small remote control in her hand.

"Eh, uh... i-it is...?"

"Did you know? The footage from the broadcasting room can be projected onto the monitors in the staff room. Look, just by pressing this switch-"

"W-Wait!"

Asagumo stared expressionlessly at Koikawa, who had stood up.

"Do the members of the Journalism Club-no, the Bird Watching Society, know about this?"

"No... that's..."

Sweat slid down Koikawa's cheek. Asagumo pressed her index finger to her chin, looking at the monitors with wonder.

"The President of the Bird Watching Society... I suppose he's the former President now. I didn't expect him to have this kind of hobby. He looks so serious in the classroom."

The moment the President was mentioned, Koikawa's face changed color instantly.

"It has nothing to do with him! I did this alone!"

Seeing Asagumo staring back silently, Koikawa slumped weakly into her chair.

"...What exactly is your goal? If it's money, I can give you a little..."

"We don't need money."

Asagumo smiled soundlessly and quietly stood up.

.

"-We simply want to become friends with you, Koikawa-san."

Saying this, Asagumo slowly extended her right hand.

A brief, dead silence fell over the room. Asagumo's forehead flashed with a cold light, while Kaju's black hair swayed in the darkness like a ghost...

Koikawa Tsukushi gulped hard-then reached out a trembling hand and grasped the hand Asagumo offered.

The Town Where Anemones Sleep

The post-rain twilight dyed the surrounding vegetation a madder red. As if unable to wait for the break in the rainy season, the chirping of insects began to clamor all around. Sakurai Hiroto parked his bicycle next to the entrance of his home and lifted his school bag from the front basket.

"Hiroto, perfect timing."

"It's Hibanee. What's up?"

Appearing before him was his cousin, Houkobaru Hibari. She handed the paper bag she was holding to Sakurai; her long hair, illuminated by the setting sun, swayed gently with the motion.

"These are okra and cucumbers picked from my garden. I thought your family might be running out soon, so I brought some over."

"Thanks, Mom will definitely be happy."

Hokobaru looked past Sakurai's shoulder to check the light in the window.

"Also, is Auntie in? I wanted to thank her for the memorial service the other day."

"The car is here, so she should be back. Speaking of which, Mom mentioned she wanted to talk to you about the summer festival too."

"In that case, I'll intrude for a moment now."

Sakurai nodded and was about to open the front door, but suddenly stopped as if remembering something.

"What's wrong, Hiroto?"

"...Um, Koharu is coming over to hang out later."

-Koharu. Hearing that name, Hokobaru smiled wryly.

"Since Koharu-chan is coming, it wouldn't be right for me to stay. I'll come back another day."

Hokobaru patted Sakurai on the shoulder and turned to leave. Sakurai hesitated for a moment but called out to stop her.

"Koharu also said she hasn't seen Hibanee in a while and wants to see you. If you don't mind-"

"Don't make me say something so boorish. I have no desire to be a third wheel.

"Hibanee-I'm sorry."

Houkobaru waved with a smile and left the spot. Looking up, the madder red of the sky was slowly being swallowed by indigo. On her way home, Houkobaru recalled Sakurai's voice, filled with apology.

"...It seems I've been subjected to something for which 'he has to apologize'."

◇

On the way from the Sakurai household to the Hokobaru household lies a vast cabbage field. Nothing seemed to be planted during this season, leaving only the neatly arranged ridges.

Hokobaru originally intended to pass by, but stopped as if she had changed her mind. After hesitating for a moment and confirming no one was around, she followed the small path beside the field deeper inside.

At the end of the muddy, narrow path was a grove of trees, the inside of which was hidden from the outside. Upon entering the woods, she quickly arrived at an open space.

A sunken, rectangular clearing was branded abruptly in the center of the modest woodland. Perhaps a house had once stood quietly here.

Hokobaru simply stood there in silence. Her expression was as still as a deep pool, allowing some invisible atmosphere to wash over her. The breeze filtering through the leaves tousled her hair. She raised a hand to tuck back the stray locks, a self-deprecating whisper escaping her lips.

"...I'm not yet at an age where I need to be nostalgic about the past, am I?"

For her, who was about to pursue higher education, there was only the "road ahead." Past thoughts and feelings had to be left here. If she did so, one day, everything would fade into vague memories. These were words she had told herself countless times.

Hokobaru returned from the woods to the field, retracing her steps along the muddy path soaked by heavy rain. A familiar voice reached the ears of Hokobaru, who was walking with her head down.

"Hibari, what are you doing?"

The owner of the voice was Hokobaru's mother. Seeing the figure of her mother standing on the road, looking at her anxiously, Houkobaru revealed a reassuring smile.

"Just going for a little walk. What about you, Mom? Why are you here?"

"Your uncle said he saw you walk in here."

Hokobaru wanted to hide her wry smile, but eventually gave up and let it show on her face. Avoiding prying eyes really wasn't that easy.

"It's nothing. Come on, let's go back."

Houkobaru stepped out of the muddy path and onto the paved road.

"You're going to teach me how to cook today, right? I'm looking forward to it."

"That's right. Since you're a girl, Hibari, it won't do if you can't cook a little."

Cooking had nothing to do with gender. But Hokobaru didn't want to use that as an excuse to run away from the fact that she "couldn't cook." Saying nothing, Hibari walked side-by-side with her mother.

The chirping of insects. The sound of a television drifting from a house they passed.

From the distance came the crying voice of a child being scolded.

"...I'm sorry, Hibari."

Her mother suddenly said such a thing. Faced with this ambiguous apology, Hokobaru gave an equally ambiguous answer that her mother wasn't at fault.

Neither Hiroto nor her mother had done anything that required an apology. Nor had anything been done to her that required an apology.

She simply wished they would stop projecting that sense of guilt or the sediment in their hearts onto her, that was all.

Perhaps unconsciously disliking the prolonged silence, her mother looked at Houkobaru's feet and spoke in a sorrowful tone.

"Those shoes, they're covered in mud."

It was probably because she had walked on the muddy path. The brand-new shoes were already completely soiled. Keeping her gaze forward, Hokobaru spoke.

"-It doesn't matter; they were bound to get dirty sooner or later anyway."

The humid south wind tangled in her hair. As if to shake off the scent of the tide carried by the wind, Hokobaru brushed up her long hair with force.

A Pajama Party Full of Mistakes

The Nukumizu household was suddenly facing a difficult problem.

Because our parents had to attend a relative's wedding, only Kaju and I were left at home for the night. Perhaps overly worried about leaving the kids alone, our parents actually suggested we invite friends over for a sleepover party.

I felt that this would simply increase the number of children and do nothing for safety, but for some reason, our parents stubbornly insisted on having a third party present.

Kaju initially showed strong resistance to the sleepover idea, but when our parents proposed that she take time off school to attend the wedding with them instead, she finally gave in.

And so, the Literature Club Girls' Pajama Party, hosted by Kaju, was decided to be held.

By the way, I suggested inviting Gon-chan, aka Gondou Asami, instead of the Literature Club girls, but apparently, she refused on the grounds that "the burden is too heavy"...

◇

-Pajama Party. An indispensable event in light novels and anime.

Incidentally, it ranks a dignified third in my "Things I've Seen in Light Novels but Don't Know If They Exist in Reality" ranking.

On the day of the party, I glanced sideways at Kaju preparing dinner in the kitchen while checking the clock on the wall. It was past 17:00, less than an hour before the meeting time.

I walked from the living room to the hallway, feigning nonchalance. The plan was to leave the house before the Literature Club girls arrived and return after they were asleep.

...A pajama party is a feast permitted only for 2D beautiful girls.

Leaving aside the physical thickness of the Literature Club girls, at least I, as a guy, should not participate. Rather, I would definitely get dragged into something troublesome.

With firm conviction, I quietly opened the front door, only to see a small creature frozen with its hand reaching for the doorbell.

"Ueh!? U-Um..."

"Komari, you're here already?"

The plan went awry immediately. Anyway, let Komari in first, then disappear while her guard is down-

"Eh, what are Nukkun and Komari doing? Not going in?"

Immediately after, Yakishio, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, looked over while wiping sweat from her forehead. The escape plan is bankrupt...

"Uh, I sensed someone coming, so I came out to welcome you. Please come in, you two."

I lied fluently and led the two into the living room. Seeing the visitors, Kaju stopped cooking and ran over.

"Welcome! Please take care of us today!"

Kaju handed barley tea to Yakishio with fluid movements and naturally fixed Komari's messy hair. Since it's come to this, there's no helping it. For now, let them forget my existence, then find a chance to slip away.

As I sat on the sofa holding my breath, Komari sat down next to me.

"What's wrong, Komari?"

Komari silently lifted her chin. Following her gaze, Yakishio, who had received a towel from Kaju, was waving her hand unsteadily.

"Nukkun, I'm sweaty so I'm gonna take a shower first."

"Ah, yeah..."

Yakishio hummed a tune as she walked out of the living room. Just as I was trying hard to break the wings of "imagination" in my mind, Komari secretly kicked me.

"W-Why does Yakishio always take a bath at your house?"

"You've taken a bath at my house before too, right?"

Squish.  Komari stepped on my foot.

"Th-That was force majeure!"

Isn't sweating and taking a shower also force majeure? Well, I admit I should express some objection, like you should bathe at your own home or restrain yourself a bit.

But inadvertently noticing the lingering scent of shampoo drifting from the bathroom is a moment filled with literary sentiment. As a member of the Literature Club, I don't want to forget that fleeting emotion. That's all-

"W-What's wrong, suddenly making a disgusting face and mumbling."

Oops, did I say that out loud?

"By the way, why did you come so early, Komari?"

"U-Um... wanted to help Kaju-chan cook."

Saying that, Komari scratched her cheek a little shyly.

"That's great. Then go help her quickly. Go on, don't be shy."

"W-What? Is there a problem with me staying here?"

Komari cast a disgruntled look. My intention to drive her away was seen through. My expression involuntarily tightened.

"No, not at all. Time spent sitting side-by-side on the sofa like this is... right. It's what you call healing time, yeah."

"Ueh... I-Is that so?"

Komari lowered her head bashfully.

Eh, the reaction is different from expected. I intended to hand her over to Kaju after receiving the usual abuse, but Komari showed no sign of moving from here.

The clock hand had passed 17:30. I have to leave the house before Yanami and Shiratama-san arrive...

Helpless, I glanced at Komari's profile, looking for an innocuous topic.

"Speaking of which, today is a sleepover party, right? Will Komari wear pajamas too?"

This topic feels innocuous. Just as I prepared myself to be scolded, Komari muttered softly while fiddling with her bangs.

"I-I will. Want to see...?"

"Eh?"

Being told that, it's not like I'm uninterested. During the Literature Club training camp, it was tracksuits; the intimate feeling of pajamas is unique.

...But I've already seen her pajamas once before when I visited her house. They had a very 'homey' feel.

"By the way, is it that star-patterned one?"

"B-Bought a new one."

I see, a new work. But wearing pajamas is for after dinner and bath, when only sleep remains. Staying here just to see a female member's pajamas is too risky...

While weighing the pros and cons in my mind, my nose suddenly caught the scent of shampoo.

"Why did you two stop talking?"

Yakishio, fresh from the bath, sat on the other side of the sofa, sandwiching Komari in the middle. Yakishio was wearing cute pajamas with a yellow-green base, and her legs exposed under the summery shorts were dazzling.

"Changed into pajamas already?"

"Because only eating and sleeping are left."

Yakishio turned on the TV, and the screen showed the scenery of the Suijo Building.

"Oh hey, check this place out. Have you ever been there, Komari-chan?"

"I w-went once for research. Had some sweets."

"Sounds nice-let's all go together sometime."

"S-Sure thing."

This conversation with no punchline feels like the opening of a moe 4-panel manga. Maybe being reincarnated as a club room chair in the next life wouldn't be bad...

While I was immersed in the grand future plan in my head, before I knew it, it was less than 10 minutes to 18:00. No time to hesitate.

I stood up quietly while the two were chatting excitedly and left the living room just like that.

...Good, I left the seat without anyone noticing. Now I just have to leave the house. Putting on shoes while paying attention to the movement behind me, just open the front door silently-

"Oh my, President, did you come to welcome me?"

...Shiratama Riko was right there. She held my surprised hand and smiled slightly.

"No, um, I was just about to go out for a bit..."

"Then, this must be fate."

I see, maybe it is. Shiratama-san's hand was smooth. Immediately after, Yanami appeared from behind and slapped my hand away.

"Alright-physical contact is prohibited in the Literature Club."

"Ah, Yanami-san is here too."

"Yana-chan is here, you know!"

For some reason unhappy, Yanami shoved a paper bag at me.

"Here, I bought Obanyaki. Nukumizu-kun, please make tea."

Just like that, I completely missed my chance to escape.

◇

The dinner party ended in a harmonious atmosphere. Kaju's Japanese cuisine was well received by the ladies.

In Yanami's opinion, "Japanese food doesn't make you fat," so she cheerfully had four servings of rice.

The most worrying pair, Kaju and Shiratama-san, also praised each other from start to finish. They must have established a friendship somewhere unbeknownst to me. Please let it be so. While drinking after-dinner tea, I eavesdropped on the conversation between the two who were clearing the table.

"Kaju-chan, today's meal was very delicious."

"This level is normal, not worth praising."

Hearing Kaju's humble words, Shiratama-san shook her head.

"No no, the chawanmushi was just like what you'd eat at a restaurant. Is there a trick?"

"No, I just made it carefully. Putting on airs with expensive ingredients alone is unsustainable, you know."

Kaju replied indifferently while wiping plates. The smile on Shiratama-san's face didn't twitch an inch as she continued scrubbing with the sponge.

"I also liked the chicken breast with plum meat and mitsuba. How do you get that richness?"

"Yes, adding a little white miso is the trick."

"Eh-so that has a trick."

Shiratama-san chuckled lightly and continued washing dishes. Kaju remained silent, but the smile on her face deepened.

...Yeah, they get along well.

"By the way, Kaju-chan is amazing. You could get married anytime like this."

"Kaju has no intention of getting married."

Kaju stacked the dried plates. Shiratama-san placed the rinsed plates into the empty spaces of the draining rack.

"But, you might suddenly meet someone good, you know? The President would be relieved then too, right?"

"Who knows. Kaju cannot imagine anyone better than Onii-sama."

"The President is great. I also want to be the bride of someone like him."

Clack.  Kaju stacked the plate in her hand heavily.

"I hope you find someone like that. After all, there is only one Onii-sama."

"One is enough, right?"

"......"

Kaju started stuffing dishes into the cupboard somewhat impatiently, while Shiratama-san continued to throw words slowly.

"But the person who becomes the President's bride will have it tough. Being compared to Kaju will be stressful, right?"

"No need to worry. Kaju will properly teach the taste of the Nukumizu family."

"Then I'm relieved. Though the President will surely get used to his bride's taste soon too-"

Shiratama-san finished washing the last plate with a smile. Kaju tilted her head and looked at her.

"Ah, Shiratama-senpai. That way of washing dishes-"

"Kaju-chan, is something wrong?"

"No, if Shiratama-senpai thinks it's fine, then it's fine. I just thought, so you've always done it that way."

"Is that so, as long as it's fine. Hehe."

Ufufufufu , the two looked at each other and laughed.

...Feeling like the conversation warmed up with topics about me, they really must get along well.

After carefully storing my unease in the storage rack of my heart, I began to observe the former club member trio drinking tea at the table. Girls are probably used to this kind of situation-acting as if they didn't see the scene in the kitchen, each spending their own time.

Yakishio and Komari were watching videos on a phone together, while Yanami was steadily piling up summer orange peels.

...No, she's eating too many summer oranges. And she's eating the thin white skin too. As I involuntarily stared, Yanami cast a fierce glare at me.

"Alright, Nukumizu-kun. If you have something to say, say it."

"Uh, setting aside the quantity, you're eating the pith too? Are you that hungry?"

Yanami shrugged helplessly.

"Nukumizu-kun. Do you know the bird called the Shoebill?"

"That big bird that doesn't move, right?"

Why bring that up suddenly. Yanami nodded and reached for her fourth summer orange.

"Yes, the Shoebill stays motionless by the water, catching fish when they come up to breathe."

"Fish breathe?"

Faced with this natural question, Yanami made a proud face, "Hmph."

"There is a fish called the lungfish that breathes with lungs. The Shoebill swallows it whole. In other words, this is-"

Yanami threw a segment of summer orange, thin skin and all, into her mouth.

"A diet method utilizing the ecology of the Shoebill, called the Shoebill Diet."

I don't understand the logic at all, and the abbreviation sounds extremely awkward. Uh, so the point is...

"Swallowing raw fish whole? Even for Yanami-san, I think cooking it is better."

"Not swallowing raw. Listen, the Shoebill that swallows a lungfish whole uses 40% of the calorie intake for digestion."

Eh, is that so. Facing an impressed me, Yanami showed a triumphant expression.

"In other words, just by eating hard-to-digest things, calories are consumed. So by eating the thin skin of the summer orange too, the calories become zero."

Eh-is that so. Next, Yanami is going to say eating the outer peel too makes you lose weight or something.

"And if you eat the outer peel too, you'll actually lose weight."

As expected. I feel like I can understand what Yanami says recently even without listening. If this were an isekai genre, this 'weakest skill' would definitely get me kicked out of the party.

"Right, if you wrap rice in summer orange peel, the plus and minus cancel out so you won't get fat. You can register this diet as a patent or something."

"Ah yes, maybe so."

Listening to Yanami rambling on in one ear and out the other, I took the summer orange she handed me and slowly started peeling it.

◇

Kaju, having finished cleaning up the kitchen, untied her apron and addressed everyone.

"Well then everyone, guests please take a bath first."

...Here it comes. The prelude to the pajama party, the bath segment.

In light novels, this is supposed to be an anticipated fan service event, but in reality, such things don't happen. Rather, if it did happen, the situation would become extremely awkward.

Yakishio, you better remember this well.

"Then Senpais, please go ahead."

Shiratama-san addressed the group, and Yanami stood up while stretching.

"Lemon-chan already washed, right? Then Komari, let's wash together."

"Ueh?! T-Together?"

Bathing with a friend is too high a difficulty level for the communication-impaired Komari.

...Wait, hold on. Just as I was about to stop Yanami, I swallowed my words.

Considering it as a light novel illustration, the combination of Yanami and Komari does feel incongruous. If I were the editor, I wouldn't pair them up like this.

Komari should appear solo, while Yanami should be paired with Yakishio or Shiratama-san to look natural.

Because Komari's flat figure is a complete form in itself. Rather, items like camisoles should be used to show off that healthy sexiness, emphasizing the flatness.

But anyway, what I want to say is, precisely because this is reality, this 'Yanami x Komari' combination that wouldn't be chosen in fiction might be the true 'correct answer'-

"Nukkun, what's up, why’re you staring at the ceiling?"

"...Uh, it’s nothing. Just letting my soul swim in the ocean of creation for a bit."

"Oh-that sounds cool."

Although I wasn't looking at the Literature Club girls with dirty eyes, the fact that school girls were entering my home's bathroom made my heart feel cluttered. I hope everyone understands this anxiety.

Ignoring my restlessness, Yanami played with Komari's hair and spoke.

"Ah-but two people might be a bit crowded."

Yanami said, completely unnecessarily.

Just as I was thinking 'I hope she gains weight’, Kaju clapped her hands. Clap.

"Our bathroom is relatively spacious, so two people washing together is no problem."

"Ah, is that so? A spacious bath is nice-"

Facing a happy Yanami, Kaju smiled.

"Yes, it's more than enough for Onii-sama and Kaju to wash together."

"""Eh!?"""

The trio let out murky sounds. Crap, that statement is misleading.

"That was when we were little! When we were little!"

Phew, managed to avert the crisis in the nick of time.

...Did I avert it? Everyone, please stop looking at me with those eyes.

"Um, I'll go in 'alone' last, so everyone please relax and take your time."

I looked down at my phone to escape the surrounding gazes. To dispel the unique atmosphere filling the living room, Yakishio spoke up.

"Nukkun's bathroom is spacious."

"The b-bathtub is quite spacious, two people are no problem."

"Then let's wash together next time?"

"W-Why together...?"

Listening to Yakishio and Komari's lighthearted conversation, Yanami muttered.

"...So you two have both taken a bath here."

Yakishio and Komari nodded. For some reason, Yanami shot me a fierce glare, then pulled Komari up.

"Alright, Komari, time for you to spill your secrets in the bath!"

"Ueh? I-I don't have secrets like that!"

I quietly watched Komari being forcibly taken away without any say. This event definitely felt a bit different than expected, probably due to this being reality. As I filtered the recent events through my brain's light novel lens, Shiratama-san smiled and said to Kaju.

"Then Kaju-chan, wash with me."

"No, Kaju refuses. Onii-sama, wash with Kaju."

"No way-I absolutely won't bathe with Kaju!"

I deliberately spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. Since Kaju entered middle school, bathing together has been strictly prohibited in the Nukumizu household.

Just as I was about to add an explanation-I stopped at the last moment.

No reason. Just what you call wild intuition.

With the frolicking voices of our feminine guests as BGM, I turned my gaze to my phone again.

◇

Pat, pat, pat.  The sound of freshly bathed women patting their cheeks mindlessly echoed around the table. Yanami looked up while pouring contents from a bottle onto her palm.

"Nukumizu-kun, what's with the staring?"

"Uh, wondering what you're doing."

"Applying lotion to the face. Girls work hard on skin care."

Yanami started patting again. Next to her, Komari was also patting shyly, and Shiratama-san, fresh from the bath, was patting dexterously.

I stayed in the living room intending to check the girls' pajamas, but the atmosphere feels a bit different from what I imagined...

Pretending to look at my phone, I stole glances at the girls.

Yanami's pajamas were a fluffy white two-piece set, designed with a ribbon fixing the chest area. This straightforward girlish design made me involuntarily look away.

In contrast, Komari wore a one-piece pajama; it gave off a pure feeling which harmonized perfectly with her flat figure. I felt like she should appear in a meadow weaving a flower crown or something.

And Shiratama-san's pajamas were a sleeveless camisole type. Her slender shoulders peeking through the gaps of the cardigan she threw on were very cute. During my observation, their skin care had entered phase 2. Next, they started applying some white liquid to their skin seriously.

"Girls really have it tough in high school..."

As I muttered involuntarily, Kaju, distributing iced barley tea, brought her face close.

"Kaju does skin care usually too, you know?"

"Eh, really? I’ve never noticed."

"Girls put on a front before boys."

I see, as expected, I'm not seen as a boy by the girls. While trying to accept this reality, Kaju flipped her freshly washed hair. Swoosh.

"Kaju has finished bathing too, so Onii-sama please go ahead."

"Ah, then I'm off."

Alright, the girls' pajamas have been confirmed; there's no use staying here anymore. Let's wash up quickly and go back to my room to clear daily missions in mobile games- Leaving the cheek-rubbing ladies behind, I left the living room.

◇

Bathing last means-using the water the girls had already soaked in. Of course, I don't mean anything weird by that.

Be that as it may, as an adolescent boy, I can’t help it if certain emotions bubble up. Steeling myself, I opened the bathroom door, only to be faced with a bathtub that had been scrubbed clean and filled with fresh hot water.

I thank Kaju for her thoughtfulness. She probably did this so neither I nor the Literature Club girls would feel awkward. I washed my body dispassionately and soaked in the fresh bath.

...So she even cleaned the bathroom and changed the water... I see...

While feeling Kaju's consideration, I stared blankly at the rising steam.

◇

By the time I finished my bath, the lights in the living room were already off. They must have moved to the party venue, i.e., Kaju's room.

Just as I was about to go upstairs to hide in my own room, bursts of laughter could be heard from Kaju's room. A pajama party is currently underway in my house...

Feeling a bit tired today, I decided to sleep early before getting dragged into anything. I entered my room and crawled into the futon without turning on the lights.

... .........Huh. There's a Kaju in the futon.

It's understandable. Preparing food for six people and hosting a sleepover must have been tough. She probably got sleepy waiting for the party to start and took a nap in my bed.

However, being seen like this would cause misunderstandings, so I should move her to our parents' room…

 I lifted the blanket and picked Kaju up in one go-in that instant, a sensation shot through my arms and caused my mind to go blank for a second.

This body isn't Kaju's. It was taller, and the frame was covered with supple muscles. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, what came into view were long eyelashes trembling slightly.

"...Nukkun?"

"Yakishio?!"

Yes, sleeping in the bed was Yakishio. She looked at me with sleepy eyes.

"Mmm... is this a dream..."

Closing her eyes again, she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Hey? This isn't a dream! Why are you in my bed-"

Click.  With a crisp sound, the room lights turned on. Sweat ran down my back. I sensed people behind me. Turning around fearfully, I saw four women standing there with arms crossed: Yanami and the others.

"...Nukumizu-kun, what are you doing?"

Yanami asked in a voice laced with killing intent.

"No, um, Yakishio was in here... I was just trying to move her..."

"Move her where?!"

"D-Die!"

Everyone, please don't speak so loudly; the neighbors will hear. Finally waking up amidst the commotion, Yakishio looked around blankly.

"...Huh? What's wrong with you all?"

"Lemon-chan, did Nukumizu-kun do anything to you?!"

Hearing Yanami's shout, Yakishio tightened her arms around my neck.

"...Nukkun, did you do something to me?"

"I didn't do anything?!"

Right, I did nothing. But why are Yanami and Komari looking at me like I'm a criminal? Kaju's eyes were sparkling, her body bouncing up and down like a spring in excitement, while the gentle Shiratama-san watched over us with a smile.

...Wait, Shiratama-san's eyes aren't smiling. Why does even Shiratama-san have that look? Facing a terrified me, Shiratama-san spoke without changing the smile on her lips.

.

"-President, how long do you intend to princess-carry her?"

◇

Nukumizu Kaju Presents: The 1st Nukumizu Household Pajama Party

Thud

Sitting on the futon wearing matching pajamas with her brother, Kaju bowed to the Literature Club girls.

"Well then everyone, thank you for your hard work today. From here on, it's time for women only!"

The Literature Club girls applauded the opening declaration in unison.

Kaju's room was about ten tatami mats in size, furnished with a semi-double bed, and today, three sets of futons for the party were laid out on the floor. While clapping, Kaju vigilantly surveyed the room.

The women here were undoubtedly bride candidates for Onii-sama (with the exception of one (1) person), so this was a good opportunity to see their true characters-

First, she cast her gaze toward the bed; sitting there were Yakishio and Komari.

The two would be sleeping together on the bed, but Komari didn't know that yet. She was surely wondering why there was one less set of bedding. Yakishio, combing Komari's hair, showed an expression as if she noticed something.

"Komari's hair is prettier than before?"

"U-Um, I've been taking care of it recently..."

Seeing Komari bow her head shyly, Kaju added 1 point to her mental scorecard. Hair is a woman's life. After all, Onii-sama loves Kaju's long hair.

"Komari-senpai, would you like to try the hair oil I use?"

Shiratama took out a small spray bottle.

"O-Oil?"

"Yes, it relieves hair damage."

I see, hair oil might be good for Komari's easily damaged hair. That said, making unsolicited comments about a senpai’s hair quality is rude.

Mental scorecard: Shiratama Riko, minus 1 point.

Before long, everyone gathered around Komari and began attending to her hair. Kaju stepped back slightly to observe the Literature Club girls. Yakishio was getting a lap pillow from Komari, teasing her from below.

This innocent behavior, like an elementary schooler, showed her unpretentious and honest character. Plus 1 point.

Of course, Komari providing the lap pillow also gets plus 1 point.

Shiratama applying oil to Komari's hair tips gets a provisional minus 3 points.

Kaju shifted her gaze to Yanami and found her munching on something on top of the futon. Although she had many thoughts about it, she didn't spill anything, so plus/minus 0-

As Kaju was tallying the scores in her head, Yakishio let out a big yawn.

"Yakishio-senpai, are you sleepy already?"

"Yeah, woke up too early today. I fell asleep in Nuku's room just now, and woke up being held by him."

As Yakishio said this while rubbing her eyes, Yanami spoke up hesitantly.

"Ah... Lemon-chan, you can’t just do things like that. Even though he doesn’t seem like it, Nukumizu-kun is a boy, you know?"

"Eh-Nukkun is a gentleman so it's fine."

Yakishio answered lightly while checking the comfort of the lap pillow.

"W-Why Nukumizu's room?"

"Because I use Nukkun’s bed occasionally. Kind of got used to it."

Warning lights seemed to flash above Yanami and the others' heads, but they eventually decided to pretend they didn't hear that. The Literature Club girls exchanged glances and nodded.

"...Well, Nukumizu-kun doesn't have the guts anyway."

"G-Gutless guy."

"Yes, the President is a gentleman."

Just as the Literature Club girls were about to be convinced, Kaju couldn't help but speak up.

"No, everyone! Onii-sama is a man too. When it counts, he turns into a beast!"

-Beast. Hearing that word, Yanami leaned forward, her face turning pale.

"Eh, don't tell me, imouto-chan! Did Nukumizu-kun do something to you?"

"No, regrettably, nothing."

The Literature Club girls breathed a sigh of relief.

"But recently, regarding Onii-sama-Kaju feels a premonition of love."

At Kaju's words, the tension among the pajama-clad girls rose quietly. Sitting up from the lap pillow, Yakishio asked Kaju.

"Premonition of love? Has Nukkun changed somehow?"

"Yes. Recently, Onii-sama has been frequently searching online about dating men and women-one could assume he is simulating a relationship with someone ."

"Nukumizu-kun...?"

Yanami cast a searching look at the others. Yakishio's eyes twinkled with curiosity, while Komari hung her head in fear- Shiratama showed a delighted expression and clapped her hands together. Clap.

"Then, next is Love Talk time, right?"

-Love Talk. They are adolescents too. Hearing about romance inevitably raises their spirits. Yanami smirked and pulled out a bag of potato chips.

"Alright, we're talking all night tonight!"

...A potato chip party unfolding on the futons. Kaju thought for a moment and decided to accept it all.

The Onii-sama Bride Selection Exam had only just begun-with one exception.

◇

Wrapped in a sweet fragrance, I was pulled back to reality from the abyss of sleep.

I stared blankly at the ceiling, realizing it was Yakishio's scent lingering in the futon.

The pajama party in the next room seemed to have ended, and the house was enveloped in silence. It was still pitch black outside the window. I strained my eyes to look at the wall clock; the hands had already passed 2:00 AM.

...I'm thirsty.

I reluctantly climbed out of the futon and went down to the first floor, treading softly.

What did they talk about at the pajama party? Through the wall, I faintly heard my name mentioned several times; I hope I was hearing things...
With a haze of sleepiness clouding my head, I downed a cup of tap water in the kitchen in one go. The soft water, easy to drink, gently permeated my sleepy body.

"Eh, Nukumizu-kun is still up?"

A voice suddenly came from the dark living room. A silhouette sitting on the sofa beckoned to me.

"My throat was a little dry. What about you, Yanami-san? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I just didn't feel very sleepy."

As I approached, Yanami patted the spot next to her on the sofa. Pat, pat.  After a moment's consideration, I sat down, leaving a gap of about half a person between us.

"It kind of reminds me of that time."

Yanami said this while hugging her right knee.

-That time. That was the night Yakishio ran away, and we went to the mountains in Shinshiro to bring her back. The night when moonlight filtered through the sunroof, and Yanami smiled at me.

"...It's been almost a year since then."

It was a memory that felt almost nostalgic. Since then, various things had happened between me, Yanami, Komari, and many others. Just as I was immersing myself in memories, Yanami spoke somewhat hesitantly.

"...Um, Nukumizu-kun, you've been close to Basori-san recently, right?"

"Well... we've talked a bit."

How many times have I been questioned about my relationship with Tiara-san? In the darkness, time passed in a silence filled with probing.

"Yanami-san, did something happen with Basori-san?"

When I asked in return, Yanami replied with an ambiguous tone, "Nothing really."

Shiratama-san is in the Student Council, and it's true that someone has been constantly informing me about her situation. But other than that, there aren't many points of contact between the Student Council and the Literature Club. So Tiara-san clinging to me isn't as the Student Council President, but-

"Nukumizu-kun-how do you see Basori-san?"

Faced with a question that stepped further in, I held my breath.

-How do I see Tiara-san? That was exactly the problem I was facing right now. I wanted to reach an answer, but it wasn't going smoothly.

"Why do you care about that?"

Faced with my evasive response, Yanami hesitated for a long time before speaking.

"...If that's how you feel, Nukumizu-kun,  then we can't get in your way."

Saying that, Yanami hugged her knees somewhat uneasily.

"Get in my way means-"

"So, it would be better if you told me your feelings regarding that first, right?"

Yanami kept her head down, so I couldn't see her expression.

...Did I somehow make her worry about me? I was still struggling inside with Tiara-san’s confession. Maybe my indecision spread to those around me.

-If I like Tiara-san, they won't get in the way.

That's what Yanami was saying. And not getting in the way meant... well, it probably means that .

To shake off the tangled emotions in my heart, I spoke up.

"-Basori-san is a friend."

Yes, a friend. Tiara-san is a friend, and Yanami is a friend too. But Tiara-san and I can't go on like this forever.

"We definitely got along well during the election, and she even invited me to join the Student Council."

"...Are you going to join?"

I shook my head.

"I won't. I have the Literature Club."

"Mmm..."

Yanami kept her head down and fell silent. In the dim living room, only the sound of our breathing and the ticking of the clock marking time remained.

"...You said you are friends with Basori-san, right?"

It was Yanami who broke the long silence. On her slowly raised face, her usual expression–looking like she was about to eat someone–appeared.

"Well, uh... yes."

"The old Nukumizu-kun would make a huge fuss just over becoming friends with me. You've certainly changed."

"No, that was–"

Back then, I didn't even really understand what a friend was. I could only desperately reach out and try to touch. As I got lost in how to explain it, Yanami poked me with a smirk.

"That was? What was it?"

"So, um, I was young back then; it was like youthful indiscretion..."

"What does that mean?!"

"No, like I said-"

Before I knew it, the light poking had turned into slapping. As I worked to lift Yanami’s spirit again, I realized that deep down, it was I who felt relieved.

◇

Sunday morning. Kaju placed specially made toast in the center of the table.

"Well then everyone, please enjoy!"

The breakfast menu consisted of ham and eggs, salad, minestrone, and cut melon and grapefruit for dessert.

"Alright, itadakimasu!"

The loudest response naturally came from Yanami. She spread a thick layer of handmade apricot jam on the freshly cut toast. As I watched her eating with an excellent appetite, Yanami suddenly glared at me.

"What is it? If you want some, I'll share."

"Don't hand me your leftovers, okay?"

Spreading the marmalade Yanami handed me onto my bread, I took a sip of hot coffee. Komari was gulping down milk, and Yakishio, having already finished her morning jog, was pouring sugar-free yogurt over fruit. Shiratama-san, eating salad, covered her mouth in surprise.

"Kaju-chan, this radish is delicious. Is it home-grown?"

"Yes, Mom grew it herself. Does it suit your taste?"

"Yes, very delicious. I feel like I could become good friends with Kaju-chan’s mom."

"Oh my, I hope there's an opportunity for that."

Smile.  When these two talk, they are always full of smiles. Feeling the atmosphere was somewhat scary, I subconsciously looked away, only to meet Komari's gaze.

"Wh-What is it, you've been looking back and forth since just now."

"Ah-can you pass me the dressing over there?"

Taking the dressing bottle, I looked at everyone gathered around the table.

Club members, friends, juniors-and a sister.

Bearing various labels, everyone sat around the same dining table. The five girls were chatting animatedly. In their eyes, what kind of labels were their companions bearing?

"Nukkun, aren't you eating?"

Yakishio, my friend, asked me with some puzzlement. It seems I had been lost in thought for a long time while holding my bread. Silently, I stuffed a large mouthful of bread coated with marmalade into my mouth, and that bittersweet flavor spread throughout.

[Main Text End]

Afterword

Sorry to have kept you all waiting. This time, I present to you the first collection of original short stories. I hope you enjoy these stories that couldn't be depicted in the main series.

To think that Gon-chan would actually grace the cover one day-I'm truly filled with emotion. A huge thank you to Imigimuru-sensei; once again, your magnificent illustrations have struck a chord in my heart.

Additionally, regarding the creation of this volume, I am indebted to my editor, Iwaasa-san, for his great support. Your valuable advice, despite your busy schedule, was a huge help to me this time as well.

Also, I hope you all definitely get your hands on Imigimuru-sensei's Makeine  artbook. I'm going to buy it too. Eh? You ask, "Don't you get a sample copy?" That's not important. I'm buying it.

.

Between Volume 8 and this volume, various things have happened both professionally and privately, including attending OTAKON in the US. Nukumizu-kun and the others' high school lives have reached the middle of their second year, and they will soon be entering the second half. To convey their youthful daily lives to all you readers, I will continue to attempt various challenges.

Collaborations, events, merchandise... Thanks to everyone's support, the world of Makeine  is constantly expanding. The team is giving their all for the next volume and the second season of the anime, so please continue to support Makeine  in the future.

.

Well then, I present to you the customary bonus Short Story at the end of the volume. Please enjoy the various goings-on of Yanami after school one day.

Stuffing Secrets into Pockets

The periodic exams were approaching day by day. One day after school, two female members were present in the Literature Clubroom.

One was Yanami Anna from Class 2-C. She was gnawing on smoked squid while writing something in her math textbook. She brushed off the falling squid crumbs with truly superb technique.

The other was Yakishio Lemon from Class 2-E. She was looking back and forth between her phone and her textbook, deep in thought.

"Hey, Yana-chan. Do you have the answer sheet for the math quiz? The one from the other day."

"Quiz?"

Yanami handed over the test paper clipped in her notebook.

"Although the classes are different, it should be this one, right?"

"Ah, this is it. Takahashi-sensei takes half the questions from here, so if I master this, I can avoid failing."

"Eh-"

Yanami munched loudly on the squid, shifting her gaze back to her textbook.

She continued studying for a while, then, reaching her hand into the squid packaging, she spoke:

"Where did you hear that info about the exam? Asagumo-san?"

"Hmm, something like that."

Yakishio mumbled vaguely while continuing to write in her notebook. Yanami cast a glance as if she had something to say, and Yakishio spoke while staring at her notebook.

"Yana-chan, the Nagoya trip the other day was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was fun. Nagoya's food is all brown; it really feels healing."

Chew, chew.  Yanami looked at Yakishio again while eating squid.

"...Listen, that night, you went out with Nukumizu-kun, right?"

"Yeah, because I wanted to see the TV Tower illumination."

Yakishio answered readily, then continued moving her mechanical pencil. Yakishio seemed determined to not say more, so Yanami continued in a nonchalant tone.

"That's nice-I wish you had invited me too."

"It was late, and everyone was eating. So, I thought it wouldn't be good to disturb you all."

Yakishio's tone was even more nonchalant than Yanami's.

"Ah-but you don’t have to worry about that if it’s Nukumizu-kun, is that it?"

"Right, Nukkun’s such a nice guy."

"I guess-"

Click click click.  Yanami pressed her mechanical pencil. In the ensuing silence, Yanami stopped moving and spoke suddenly.

"...Well, Nukumizu-kun is a boy too, you know?"

"Hmm?"

Yakishio looked up in puzzlement. Yanami added as if trying to cover up.

"How should I put it, walking on night roads is dangerous without a boy to escort you, right?"

"Ah-there is that reason too; I hadn’t thought of that."

Yakishio quietly smiled and continued studying. The conversation was cut off. For a while, only the sound of mechanical pencils scratching paper and pages turning remained in the room. The long hand of the clock passed several numbers like that. Snap , the sound of a mechanical pencil lead breaking rang out.

.

"-Yana-chan, If it bothers you, why don't you just ask him out too?"

.

Faced with these sudden words, Yanami looked up, hiding her surprise as best she could.

"Uh... that's not what I meant. I mean, asking him out specifically is a little weird."

Click click click.  Yakishio smiled while clicking her mechanical pencil.

"Eh-what does it matter? Do you dislike him?"

"I wouldn't say that, but we see each other every day in class."

"But since I’m in a different class, I can ask him out, right?"

Lemon spoke in a cheerful tone and flipped open her notebook.

Seeing Yanami left speechless, Lemon threw out another topic:

"There's a fireworks festival after the exams, right? I want to go this year."

Last year, the Literature Club's training camp schedule had conflicted with the fireworks festival.

Thinking this played right into her hands, Yanami said:

"Then, let's go with the Literature Club-"

"I plan to ask Nukkun to go with me."

"Ah..."

Yanami froze completely

"No, um... are you not going with the track team, Lemon-chan?"

"If I go with the track team, the boys will tag along too, it’s kind of a hassle."

Yakishio finally raised her head and smiled slightly at Yanami.

"Ah, come to think of it, Nukkun is a boy too."

"I... guess so."

Yanami managed a stiff smile in return. Seeing this, Yakishio seemed satisfied and resumed her studying.

"Well, practice is busy around the time of the fireworks festival, so I won't be going anyway."

"Eh, is that so?"

"...So I won’t care if you panic when the time comes, okay?"

The conversation ended there. Only the sound of Yakishio's pen moving across her notebook echoed in the quiet clubroom. Yanami's hands remained still on the desk. Just as she was about to say something, the clubroom door opened.

"Y-You two… you’re still here?"

Entering the clubroom while speaking was Komari Chika. Noticing the atmosphere, her expression changed to that of unease.

"D-Did something happen?"

Yakishio smiled and patted the chair next to her. Pat, pat.

"Exam prep is tough-what about you, Komari? Still haven't gone home?"

"L-Library duty. Yakishio, this."

Komari sat next to Yakishio and placed a toothbrush set on the desk.

"F-Forgot it at Tsukinoki-senpai's house, right?"

"You brought it all the way here?"

"B-Because she sent me a lot of books, so I brought it along."

An unconcealable wicked grin. As for what kind of books they were, it went without saying. While Yakishio started teasing Komari, Yanami stood up silently.

"I'm going to buy a drink. Do you guys want anything?"

After confirming the two shook their heads, Yanami left the clubroom. It was almost as if she was fleeing.

◇

Arriving at the vending machine near the courtyard, Yanami rested her forehead against the panel with a thud .

"What am I even doing..."

The words slipped out of her mouth involuntarily. Just as she was about to sigh, a voice came from behind.

"Oh, Yanami-san. What are you doing here?"

"Ugh!"

The person greeting her was none other than Nukumizu Kazuhiko. The proud enemy of women of Tsuwabuki High. Seeing Yanami momentarily at a loss for words, Nukumizu gave a knowing nod.

"Ah, ran out of money?"

"I have money!"

Yanami let out the sigh she had been holding back and inserted a coin into the vending machine.

"Nukumizu-kun, do you think I'm a woman who spends money recklessly?"

Nukumizu didn't answer that, showing an ambiguous smile instead. He must be thinking something rude. Yanami pressed the button for milk tea and bumped Nukumizu's shoulder lightly.

"Nukumizu-kun, are you heading to the clubroom?"

"Yeah, the library is getting crowded, so I wanted to study for exams in the clubroom."

Nukumizu bought a low-sugar coffee and murmured something as he turned to leave.

"Wait, I’ll go with you!"

Yanami walked side-by-side with Nukumizu toward the clubroom.

"Uh, Yanami-san. The scope of this exam is pretty broad; is your studying going well?"

Hearing this casual topic, Yanami hummed smugly and puffed out her chest with confidence.

"Nukumizu-kun, the scope is just as broad for everyone."

"Oh."

"In other words, if I just do what I usually do, my score will be about the same as always."

"I see..."

Nukumizu Kazuhiko-his reaction was as lukewarm as ever.

Yanami looked like she was about to complain, but instead, she glanced around restlessly.

"Yanami-san, what's wrong?"

"...So hey, about that night we spent in Nagoya..."

-Nagoya. The moment he heard that word, Nukumizu flinched visibly.

"That night in Nagoya-right, what about it?"

He was obviously acting suspiciously. Yanami stopped in her tracks.

"...You went out with Lemon-chan to see the night view, right?"

"Eh, ah, yes."

Yanami circled in front of the frozen Nukumizu, looking up and glaring at his face.

"This is a critical time right before Nationals, you know? It’d be your fault if something happened to her."

"Yes, you're absolutely right."

...He was too honest.

Yanami Anna knew that when Nukumizu acted like this, he was definitely hiding something.

As Nukumizu averted his gaze, Yanami stared harder into his eyes.

"You and Lemon-chan-did something happen?"

"Nothing happened..."

Yanami silently observed the shaken Nukumizu. This-she decided-was the reaction of someone for whom nothing really happened, after going in a full circle.

If something had  happened, he would have slipped up trying to hide it.

That's the kind of man Nukumizu Kazuhiko is.

Feeling strangely relieved, Yanami started walking side-by-side with Nukumizu again.

"Nukumizu-kun, you really need to be careful. You are  the Literature Club President, after all."

"Oh, right. Really, nothing happened, so let's drop this topic."

...No, maybe it was a half-circle, and something actually did  happen.

As she recalled the events of that night again, something brushed against Yanami's hand. Touching her hand was Nukumizu, who was looking down awkwardly.

"?"

...Hand? Did he seriously just try to hold her hand? Yanami quickly looked at Nukumizu's face.

"Nukumizu-kun? What’s with you all of the sudden?"

"Well... the others are in the clubroom, so..."

"Huh!?"

She was certain. Yanami Anna, 16 years old, was about to have something big happen to her. She looked around while restlessly tidying her hair.

"Look... we’re at school, so maybe consider the mood a little..."

"You don’t really care about that kind of stuff, do you, Yanami-san?"

"Of course I care?! Also, shouldn't we establish some sort of mutual consent first?"

Faced with Yanami's assertion, Nukumizu looked slightly confused.

"I had a taste of it in Nagoya, and it was delicious. I thought you might like to try it, too..."

"Eh...?"

Did he just admit to something unthinkable? Yanami’s mind swirled with strange thoughts.

"Nukumizu-kun, what are you talking about...?"

"I’m saying I want to give you this Monaka."

"...Monaka."

What Nukumizu handed over was a Monaka. A Nagoya specialty shaped like a mythical tiger-carp.

They had eaten them with black tea at Tsukinoki-senpai's house.

"Why bring up Monaka all of a sudden...?"

"You wanted to buy some when we were coming back from Nagoya, but you couldn't because you ran out of money, right?"

"Yeah."

"I bought these as souvenirs for my family, and I thought I'd share one with you..."

"......Oh."

Yanami slowly compared the Golden Shachihoko Monaka  with Nukumizu's face.

"Yanami-san, what is it?"

"No, no, no, why did you have to slip it into my hand so sneakily? I thought for sure you were going to-"

"Going to what?"

Thud.  Yanami stood motionless as if time had stopped.

"Uh, Yanami-san...?"

"That's exactly your problem! Nukumizu-kun!"

After saying that, Yanami quickly stepped away, leaving Nukumizu on his own.

This time it was Nukumizu's turn to be confused. Completely failing to understand the situation, he chased after Yanami.

"Hey, I only brought one, so I thought it would look bad if the other saw..."

Even so, there was no need to give it to her like  that .

It was almost as if-he did it like that because he was shy-

Thinking this, Yanami suddenly stopped in her tracks.

When picking out souvenirs to bring home, Nukumizu had deliberately chosen the snack Yanami hadn’t been able to buy, and had set one aside just for her.

Still averting her gaze, Yanami held out her hand toward Nukumizu.

"......Give it here."

"Huh? Oh, sure."

Yanami took the monaka  she was handed and shoved it straight into her pocket.

"Oh? You aren't going to eat it?"

"We have to keep it a secret from everyone else, right?"

As if she had completely forgotten her bad mood from just moments ago, Yanami started walking with a spring in her step.

.

[Volume 8.5 End]

Artworks Extras

[Leave Being Photogenic to Me] (Yanami Bonus)

In today's homeroom, Amanatsu-sensei was full of energy as usual. Having had my meager remaining MP sucked dry, I exhaustedly pushed open the door to the clubroom. At that very moment-

Click , the sound of a phone shutter rang out. It was Yanami, using the self-timer on her phone placed on the shelf. She was even striking a freeze-frame pose.

"What are you doing?"

Checking the photo she just took, she nodded with a "Mhm, mhm."

"Now, now, Nukumizu-kun. I'll explain, so please sit down."

"Ah, okay. I'll sit."

Feeling my remaining MP being whittled down further, I sat in the chair. Yanami sat down carelessly across from me and brushed back her hair with a smug look.

"Listen, the era of SNS has finally begun."

"Oh."

Rather, hasn't it already begun?

"And when it comes to SNS-the profile picture determines everything."

"Oh oh..."

Facing my half-hearted response, Yanami glared at me fiercely.

"Listen up, SNS is a symbol of happiness. So as long as you use a photogenic photo as your icon, people around you will think you're living a fulfilling and happy life every day."

I see, so that means she isn't happy right now? Deeply understanding this, I cast a gentle gaze at Yanami.

"Is it because reality is too cruel, so you want to at least pretend to be happy online?"

"...I'm living quite happily, okay?"

For some reason, Yanami became displeased. I hurriedly changed the subject.

"But isn't it dangerous to upload your own photo to SNS?"

"Only acquaintances can see it so it's fine. Plus, my friends have all set their own photos as their icons too."

Yanami handed me her phone. I see, as expected of Yanami's friends, they all seem to be living sparkling youthful lives. Going to karaoke with high-spirited companions, amusement parks, or eating yakiniku. It certainly feels youthful. Ah, this photo at the pool, it looks amazing...

"...Where have you been looking since just now?"

"Uh, is the phone frozen?"

As if dodging Yanami's disdainful gaze, I swiped the screen. Indeed, not just their posts, but even their profile photos looked gorgeous and happy. Specifically-they were all couple photos with their boyfriends.

"...Yanami-san, I think it's better if you don't look at SNS for a while."

"Why?"

"No, look, research shows that when people whose lives aren't going well see the happiness of others, it can lead to mental illness-"

"I am doing well, okay?!"

Would someone whose life is going well react like that? I was skeptical.

"Rather, aren't you embarrassed trying so hard just for a profile picture? Was that photo just now okay?"

"It's fine. I'm going to show everyone the figure of Yanami-chan living a sparkling youth at Tsuwabuki High."

They'll probably end up witnessing something terrible instead. Just as I was feeling uneasy inside, Yanami snatched the phone back from my hand.

"Ah-alright, alright, I get it. Nukumizu-kun, you don't have to say it all."

"Eh, what? Don't go interpreting things on your own!"

Despite my protest, Yanami continued nodding to herself in agreement.

"You're interested in my selfie, right. Can't be helped then, I'll send it to you."

"No, I'm not particularly interested."

As if to drown out my protest, a crisp notification chime rang from my phone.

"Uwah."

"What do you mean by 'Uwah'?!"

Crap, Yanami got mad.

"No, look, it's just because I suddenly received a photo of you, Yanami-san."

"That's because you wanted it, Nukumizu-kun, so I sent it, right?!"

I didn't want it. Yanami sighed and returned her gaze to her phone.

"This is a treasured photo of the cute Yanami, you know. Please accept it with a little gratitude-"

"Ah, okay. Much appreciated."

I brushed it off like an adult and scrutinized the sent photo. Although it was a close-up pose like a gravure magazine model, what on earth am I supposed to do with this...? Just as I was planning to throw it into the trash immediately, my finger on the icon stopped. If Yanami found out I deleted the photo, it feels like it would be troublesome... After a moment's hesitation, I moved the photo to the "Pending" folder. Indeed, as the President of the Literature Club, it is only right to nip future sources of trouble in the bud-.

[A Girl's Bashfulness] (Lemon Bonus)

The release day of the new game I've been looking forward to for so long. After picking up the pre-ordered copy, I headed straight home. Kaju would be coming home late today, so first, I’ll use the character creator to make a beautiful girl to my liking...

As I excitedly took off my shoes in the entryway, the doorbell rang as if chasing after me. Huh? Is it the neighborhood circular or something?

"Coming-just a moment."

I casually opened the door to find Yakishio standing there in her uniform.

"Nukkun, I'm home-"

"This isn't your house."

She shoved her school bag into my hands and began taking off her shoes with practiced familiarity.

"Yakishio, no club activities today?"

"Exams are coming up, so I have to study, you know. Isn't it the same for you, Nukkun?"

"Uh... Ah, yeah... I guess..."

I was stabbed by the naked reality. That's right, just as Yakishio said, the club activities suspension period before exams started today. As for my plan to play video games just now, please turn a blind eye to that for the moment.

"You need to study for exams too, right, Yakishio? Why are you here?"

"Because I saw your bike, Nukkun, and I just instinctively chased after it."

Are you a puppy? Since she's here, it can't be helped. She looked like she had sweated quite a bit, so I should pour her some barley tea... As I was preparing a glass in the living room, Yakishio was looking around the room restlessly.

"Huh? Where's Kaju-chan?"

"She's not back yet today. Here, barley tea."

"Eh, um... thanks."

For some reason, Yakishio suddenly became meek. Turning her back to me, she gulped down the tea.

"What's wrong?"

I asked. Yakishio gently placed the glass on the table.

"How should I put it? Since Kaju isn't here, I just feel like... right now, we're alone together-"

"Eh, no, now that you mention it... that is true."

Alone together. Although I only just realized it, having it pointed out explicitly made me suddenly self-conscious... With her back to me, Yakishio asked in a probing tone.

"Roughly when will Kaju-chan be back...?"

"I remember she said she'd be late because of Student Council business."

"Is that so..."

Yakishio silently fiddled with her bangs. I have to change this strange atmosphere. Alright, first, let's buy some time to regroup. I fetched a bath towel and handed it to Yakishio.

"...Nukkun?"

"Yakishio, you can go take a shower first, you know."

"Nukkun?!"

Hmm? Why is she so surprised? Being alone in the house as an adolescent boy and girl is awkward, so I just suggested a bath-

"Ugh?! No no no, I didn't mean it like that ! Since you were sweating, I just thought you might want to take a bath like you usually do!"

"R-Right! I might have gotten sweaty chasing after you, Nukkun!"

Right, Yakishio has a high metabolism, so she's all sweaty. Look, her shirt is even translucent-

"Ugh!"

I hurriedly averted my gaze.

"Nukkun, what's wrong?"

"Um... there's a lot of sweat..."

"Eh?!"

Yakishio hurriedly covered her face with both hands. Wrong. You should be covering your chest.

"No, not your face; it'd be better to cover your body," I said awkwardly.

Yakishio, not to be outdone in awkwardness, replied hesitantly.

"Because... I had a friend do my makeup at school. It would be embarrassing if it ran."

"Don't run if you're wearing makeup," I remarked casually.

Yakishio whispered a reply.

"Because... I wanted you to see it, Nukkun."

Eh, what does that mea-. Just as I froze at those meaningful words,

"I'm going to take a bath! No peeking!"

Yakishio snatched the bath towel from my hands and ran out of the living room. Feeling my heart beat faster for some reason, I stood alone in the center of the living room. Surrounded by a faint scent-a mixture of sweat and cosmetics.

[Please Use with a Plan] (Komari Bonus)

The clubroom after school was enveloped in a peaceful atmosphere for the first time in a while. Listening to the chirping of birds from outside the window, I leisurely flipped through a light novel. This is great. Komari was also looking at her phone, displaying a somewhat creepy smile. She was probably concocting some dangerous BL delusion in her brain.

...How peaceful. Just because Yanami isn't here, time flows so quietly. Ah, but speaking of which, Yanami seemed to have consulted me about something the other day... I closed the light novel I was reading halfway.

"Speaking of which, Komari."

"Wh-What do you want?"

Komari swiped her phone screen while giggling.

"You-do you use SNS?"

"Ueh!?"

Komari let out a strange cry from who knows where.

"N-N-N-No... Hmph!"

This reaction-she definitely does. I stared at her intently, and Komari hid her eyes with her bangs.

"-TikT〇k."

"............"

No reaction. Komari remained motionless as if frozen.

"-Instag〇am."

"............"

Still no reaction. Komari stood rigidly in place without even blinking. I took a shallow breath and spoke.

"-X."

"Ueh!?"

Another strange cry. Komari lowered her head as if to escape my gaze. As expected, it's this. I leaned forward abruptly.

"X-formerly Twitt〇r. In this day and age, I don't think otakus like us can survive without it."

"I-I said I don't use it!"

I didn't plan to let up on the pursuit, staring straight at Komari who looked like she was about to cry.

"W-Why ask something like that...?"

"Eh? No, nothing. Just asking casually."

"J-Just for that...?"

"Yeah, I just thought it was kind of fun halfway through."

"...D-Die!"

Yeah. I, indeed, deserve to die.

"Anyway, back to the topic. Yanami-san proposed that we should release some Literature Club info via SNS."

"L-Let Yanami do it then?"

"It's fine to leave it to her, but Yanami-san will just keep increasing the trouble and finally dump it all on us to deal with, right?"

"T-True-that does happen."

Indeed, it does happen. I nodded in deep agreement.

"Since she'll get bored soon anyway, I thought we should just do as she says for the start."

"I-I see. So what do I do?"

"Yanami-san said that to stand out on SNS, we need a very photogenic profile picture."

I took out my phone and pointed it at Komari.

"The result of the discussion is that we plan to use a photo of a female member as the icon. Come on, let me take a photo that will go viral!"

"D-Don't take me, take Yanami!"

Komari showed an expression of genuine disgust. I understand her feelings, but taking Yanami's photo is troublesome. Because she'll get carried away. However, the reason for choosing Komari doesn't stop there. I looked at Komari straight on with a serious face.

"Hey, Komari."

"W-What...?"

"The first one has to be Komari. No-it must  be Komari."

"Ueh!?"

Komari turned bright red and her body shook incessantly. This is unavoidable. For a gloomy loner like Komari, serving as the icon representing the club is indeed too heavy a burden. However, if we go too hard from the start, we'll run out of steam, so as the President's judgment, choosing Komari for the startup phase is just the right level. Though I didn't say that out loud.

"U-Uh, if it's like that..."

Komari nodded while fiddling with her bangs. It seems she understood.

"Then let's shoot quickly. Here, stand over there."

I made Komari stand against the wall and pointed my phone at her. Komari in the frame was fidgeting and looking down.

"Komari, I can't see your face like that, you know?"

"B-But somehow, it's so embarrassing..."

"But-"

...No, the sense of shyness is the supreme seasoning. Rather, this is just right. This feeling of covering the face out of shyness, I feel a somewhat erotic atmosphere, which isn't bad.

"However, if you cover both eyes and mouth, we really won't know who it is. Come on, at least show your eyes. Here, put your left hand on your shoulder like this."

"Ueh... R-Right hand like this, is it okay?"

"You can cover it, but bring it a little closer to your cheek... Right, that's more ero-uh, more emotional. Okay, look here."

Click click click.  Continuous shutter sounds echoed in the clubroom.

"... Is, is  it okay?"

"Yeah, I took a good photo. It's great!"

"Ueh!? Uh, um..."

Komari was squirming with suspicious behavior. It can't be helped that gloomy people like us get like this when photographed. To reassure Komari, I showed her the best shot from the reserves.

"Look at this. While covering the mouth, a glancing look back with a tendency to turn away-definitely a photogenic shot!"

"I-Is that so..."

Komari glanced at me while blushing. Alright, one more push.

"Yes, it perfectly meets the special needs of a segment of enthusiasts! There are many niche otakus like us on Old Twitt〇r, so it will definitely be a big hit!"

Great, this is a perfect explanation that soothed her strange behavior and salvaged her self-esteem. With this, Komari's mood should also be-eh, why do I feel like she's glaring at me.

"What's wrong, Komari?"

"H-Hurry up and die!"

Leaving those words, Komari turned her back to me as if sulking. Sigh... a girl's heart is hard to understand. Tilting my head in puzzlement inside, I reopened the light novel I was reading halfway.

[Rest Assured, the Door is Open] (Asagumo Bonus)

One day after school. I pushed open the door to the clubroom and found that someone had already beaten me there.

Class 2-F, Asagumo Chihaya. For some reason, she was facing the window with her eyes closed and palms pressed together, her head bowed as if in prayer.

Her broad forehead reflected the setting sun, radiating a divine glow—

Of course, Asagumo-san is not a member of the Literature Club. I had no idea why she was here; in the first place, she was currently banned from entering the clubroom. Although she was allowed in during the previous "Capture Yakishio" operation due to the chaos, the formal ban had not been lifted.

"Um, Asagumo-san. What are you doing...?"

I asked with trepidation, and Asagumo-san spoke slowly.

"Oh my, Nukumizu-san. Pardon the intrusion."

"Ah, okay. But this is the Literature Club room—"

As I spoke, I realized the situation I was in.

In an empty clubroom, I was alone with a criminal who had multiple prior offenses.

Although a girl's arms are slender, her grip strength is probably not much different from mine.

And I've heard that when it comes to crunch time, hesitation in one's heart is the greatest enemy of survival—

Perhaps seeing through my fear, Asagumo-san smiled, her forehead shining brightly.

"Yes, since the weather has been bad recently, I thought I'd get a little sun. Sunlight is indispensable for synthesizing Vitamin D."

"Ah—it is the rainy season, so it has been raining constantly."

If it's for vitamins, then it can't be helped. Deciding not to probe further, I suppressed my agitation and sat down.

"At this time of day, the lighting in part of the West Building is excellent. It just so happens that the Literature Club room is positioned right in a break in the clouds."

Asagumo-san sat opposite me. Does she not plan on leaving yet...?

Come to think of it, the clubroom door should have been locked. But when I arrived, it was unlocked.

"Asagumo-san, how did you get into the clubroom?"

"Through that door, of course."

Asagumo chuckled.

"Nukumizu-san, you make jokes like that too? How unexpected."

Is that so? I'm glad you find it amusing.

Then, let me rephrase...

"Uh, what I meant to ask is, was the door unlocked?"

"Since I was able to enter the room, consequentially speaking, it was unlocked. It was too careless, so I stayed behind to keep watch."

I see, thanks for watching the door. While I appreciate it, none of my questions have been answered.

"Um, when you arrived, Asagumo-san, the door was definitely  unlocked, right...?"

I asked probingly. Asagumo-san pressed her index finger to her chin and tilted her head slightly.

"Which came first, the chicken or the egg—there is such a thought experiment, correct?"

"Ah, yes."

"From an evolutionary perspective, the egg came first. Since the genes are fixed the moment the egg is created, it stands to reason the egg was first. However, since the egg is formed inside the chicken's body, there is also the argument that the chicken came first."

"In other words—what does that mean?"

Faced with my natural confusion, Asagumo-san smiled, her forehead glistening.

"At the exact moment I entered the clubroom, the door was indeed open. That is a matter of course."

I see, of course. Alright, time to change tactics.

"I'm grateful you watched the door this time, but how should I put it... it's not really appropriate for non-members to be coming and going so frequently. The Literature Club already stands out enough as it is, so..."

I finished speaking vaguely, and Asagumo-san nodded with a serious expression.

"I see. My apologies. It is indeed problematic for non-members to come and go."

It seemed she finally understood. Just as I was feeling relieved, Asagumo-san spoke up.

"As I thought, if I want to come and go, I must become a Literature Club member—"

"No need to go that far!"

Asagumo-san looked surprised at my interruption.

"Oh my, but?"

"We've been indebted to you until now, so, um, don't worry about it! Just keep things as they were!"

Facing me, who had involuntarily leaned forward, Asagumo-san revealed a brilliant, treasured smile.

.

"Then, I look forward to our continued association, Nukumizu-san."

[It’s Fine With Me if We’re Alone Together]
(Imigimuru Artworks BOOK☆WALKER Exclusive Short Story)

The after-school hours of the Literature Club president are long.

In the clubroom, I give Yanami some sugar, then act as a listening partner for Komari’s BL fantasies. When I finally manage to escape the clubroom, I run into Yakishio running down the hallway because of the rain, and for some reason I end up getting scolded by Amanatsu-sensei—.

For someone like me, the time spent in the student council room with beautiful upperclassmen was healing.

…Or rather, it was . Yes—past tense.

The student council has gone through a generational change, and it is now a three-person system consisting of Student Council President Tiara, Vice President Sakurai, and Secretary Shiratama.

I have no hard feelings toward any of the three, and you could even say we get along quite well.

However, because I share a private secret with Tiara-san, I can’t help but be extra careful around her—.

“Excuse me.”

When I opened the door to the student council room, there were three Tsuwabuki students inside.

Basori Tiara—and the two who were supposed to have retired, Hokobaru Hibari and Shikiya Yumeko.

“Huh? What are you two doing here?”

As I asked while holding some documents, former president Hokobaru swept her hair back with a flourish.

“Ah, we were thinking of taking a commemorative photo with the three of us. Tiara-kun brought a camera, but—”

In Tiara-san’s hand, where Hokobaru had directed her gaze, was a single-lens reflex camera fitted with a lens that looked like a club.

“Nukumizu-san, we’re in a bit of trouble. If I take the picture, I can photograph the two of them, but we can’t get a commemorative photo with all three of us together.”

“Um, couldn’t you use a timer or something?”

At my suggestion, Tiara-san slowly shook her head.

“—It’s about the moment.”

“The moment?”

“Yes. The overflowing aura of Hokobaru-senpai cannot be captured with something like a timer. Only by looking through the viewfinder with one’s own eyes and pressing the shutter with one’s own finger can you seize that moment with your own hands—ah, Shikiya-senpai, please don’t keep touching my body like that.”

“It’s been a while…… need to recharge……”

“Hey—wait—Nukumizu-san is watching, you know?!”

Shikiya-san is the same as ever. Please, recharge to your heart’s content.

While being “recharged” by Shikiya-senpai, Tiara-san held out the camera toward me.

“So, th-that’s why…… p-please take the p-photo, N-Nukumizu-san—!”

“Huh? Is it really okay for me to take it after all this?”

At my perfectly reasonable question, Tiara-san nodded with her face flushed.

“Y-yes…… well, if it’s you, Nukumizu-san—b-but please don’t photograph this  scene, okay?!”

Oh, so this part’s no good. As I slumped in disappointment, Hokobaru-senpai chopped Shikiya-san on the head with a thwack .

“Shikiya, that’s enough.”

“The rest…… later……”

“Mm, that would be best.”

“It would not  be best, okay?!”

Feeling nostalgic at the usual antics of the trio, I examined the SLR camera.

Let’s see, there’s the shutter, the LCD screen, the little hole you look through…… what are all these other buttons? Oh, the flash popped up.

“The image quality settings are already done, so please turn the lens here to adjust the focus.”

Huh. Even though it looks expensive, you still have to focus it yourself.

“I’ve only ever used a smartphone camera.”

“What matters is your feelings. Your feelings toward the subject appear in the photograph.”

That escalated into a sudden spiritual argument. Very Tiara-san.

“Okay, everyone, please line up there. All right, I’m taking it.”

Click.
 I frame the three of them in the viewfinder and press the shutter.

…Hmm. Not bad at all.

“How about this? Something like this.”

When I turned the camera’s LCD toward them, the three leaned in to look.

“It’s not bad. Though I’d say it’s merely ‘not bad.’”

“I can’t…… feel the love……”

They were brutal. Hokobaru-senpai spoke up as if to smooth things over.

“Nukumizu-kun is probably serious by nature. Is it really right to demand humor from him?”

Senpai, please smooth it over properly.

Hokobaru-senpai seemed to think of something and flicked her hair.

“That’s it—why don’t you take the next one using your own sense, Nukumizu-kun? That would make it more memorable for us as well.”

“I agree. The previous photo looked less like ‘sense’ and more like an ID picture.”

“Show us…… your that ……”

I thought I was showing my own sense, but the world is harsh…….

“Got it. Then I’ll take it however I like.”

“Then maybe undo Tiara-chan’s buttons……?”

An extremely tempting offer, but things are complicated with Tiara-san right now. With great pain in my heart, I shook my head.

“Um, then please line up with Basori-san in the center. I’ll shoot from an angle—ah, and feel free to look wherever you like.”

If I’m told to show my sense, then I have no choice but to shoot from an angle I like.

With depth now in their positioning, I carefully adjust the focus.

…Shikiya-san’s neckline is as loose as ever. Yeah, this is going to be a good photo.

I press the shutter several times while slightly changing the angle. All right—nice, relaxed shots.

“So, how about this?”

When I handed the camera to Tiara-san, the upperclassmen peered at the screen.

“Oho, this is quite good.”

“I feel…… the love……”

The response from the seniors was very positive.

However, Tiara-san was frowning, her brows drawn together.

“Was something strange?”

“…In the first photo, isn’t the focus on Shikiya-senpai’s chest?”

Ah, sharp eye.
That thing called “feelings” I learned from Tiara-san.

“Of course that was just a coincidence. Yes, a coincidence.”

I said it calmly and firmly, which only made the space between Tiara-san’s eyebrows narrow further.

“In the second one, the focus is on Hokobaru-senpai’s face.”

“That was also a coincidence.”

It can’t be helped. Even the focus has the right to land on what it likes.

As I tried to escape Tiara-san’s suspicious stare, the camera was pushed back into my hands.

“…Please take one more photo.”

“Huh?”

I’d already captured peak looseness—what more was I supposed to photograph?

Tiara-san’s chest is modest and leaves no openings…….

Without thinking, I stared intently. Tiara-san gasped and covered her chest.

“Nukumizu-san, where are you looking?!”

“No, no, that’s a misunderstanding—”

…Actually, no. Yeah. I was looking.

Without a word, I raised the camera and this time pressed the shutter using autofocus.

That’s right—if I let the camera decide where to focus, there’s no problem.

“…How about this photo? I think it turned out pretty well.”

“Don’t I look angry in this one?”

Well, you were  angry.

Tiara-san suddenly looked up.

“By the way, Nukumizu-san, didn’t you have business in the student council room?”

“Oh, right. I came to submit this month’s activity report.”

When I handed her the papers, Tiara-san glanced briefly at the two seniors before accepting them.

“Oh, excuse me. I’ll check this, so please come over here.”

As I stepped in front of the desk, Tiara-san spoke in a low voice.

“…Nukumizu-san, when you look at my chest in front of other people, it’s a bit…”

“Ah, sorry. You didn’t like that, did you?”

When I apologized honestly, Tiara-san whispered so that only I could hear.

“Please keep things like that to when it’s just the two of us.”

[We Await Your Pure and Honorable Vote]
(Volume 8.5 BOOK☆WALKER Exclusive Short Story)

In the student council room of Tsuwabuki High School, two female students stood facing one another.

“———I believe I already stated that this proposal is rejected.”

One of them was the student council president, Basori Tiara.
She thrust the paper she was holding back toward the girl opposite her.

“To begin with, trying to revive something as outdated as a beauty contest is highly questionable.”

Facing the clearly irritated Tiara, the other girl waved cheerfully.

A short skirt, a camera hanging from her neck. She was Koikawa Tsukushi from the Newspaper Club.

“No, no, that’s why I revised the plan. Look—read this part carefully.”

She tapped the proposal Tiara was holding with her pen.

“Back in the day, during the Tsuwabuki Festival, they used to choose Miss Tsuwabuki and Mr. Tsuwabuki, right? So—”

“So this is a proposal to revive that,” Tiara cut in. “I fail to see how that fits with the current era.”

“Ahhh, that part.”

Unbothered by Tiara’s blunt response, Koikawa nodded repeatedly.

“That’s why this time it’s called the Tsuwabuki General Election . Regardless of gender, students vote to choose someone who best represents Tsuwabuki.”

“…And what purpose does that serve?”

Tilting her head, Tiara looked unconvinced.

“We want cooperation for coverage and publicity. We’re just a club, so our position’s kinda weak. Interview requests get turned down all the time.”

At Koikawa’s self-deprecating appeal, Tiara finally looked a little sympathetic.

This is the moment.
 Certain of that, Koikawa put on a lonely smile designed to draw pity.

“See? If Newspaper Club activities liven up, maybe the old members will come back. I don’t want to be alone forever…”

“…I understand what you’re saying.”

Pressing her fingers to her brow, Tiara glanced back down at the proposal.

“So how exactly do you plan to proceed?”

“That’s the spirit!”

Koikawa pulled out a vibrating chair, flipped it around, and sat on it backward.

“First, we gather candidates through self-nomination or recommendations, publish interview articles in the school paper, build hype for a while, and then hold the vote.”

“Well… that seems acceptable. Also, I can practically see up your skirt.”

“A skirt peek is just service. Anyway, I’ll start interviewing candidates right away.”

Tiara frowned suspiciously.

“Shouldn’t you gather candidates first?”

“We already finished the preliminary vote. Here—this is the candidate list.”

Tiara’s eyebrow twitched.

“…My name is on here.”

“Anyone who got even one preliminary vote is listed. Shiratama from the student council is here too, right?”

“There are only female names. Is that intentional?”

“Probably just biased voting. The real election allows free entries, so it’s fine.”

“However—”

Still rubbing her brow, Tiara scanned the list… then stopped.

“…There are two middle school students listed.”

She pointed to the names Nukumizu Kaju and Gondo Asami.

“That’s not acceptable, is it?”

 “They were a hit for being cute at the school orientation, and they’re aiming to enroll here, so I figured—”

“No. Remove these two from the candidates.”

“Got it, got it.”

Once voting starts, it’s already a win.

Koikawa nodded obediently.

After reading to the end, Tiara returned the list.

“Tsukinoki Koto is listed too. She already graduated.”

“She’s got hidden female fans. A curveball like that works.”

“Well, teachers are listed too, so as long as there’s consent…”

Half-exasperated, Tiara shook her head.

“Please ensure fair reporting and avoid going against the candidates’ wishes. I’ll speak with the teachers myself—hyah?!”

Suddenly, a camera shutter clicked. Tiara twisted in surprise.

“Nice expression. Want me to take another?”

“What are you doing?! Don’t take pictures without permission!”

“But I have to write candidate articles.”

Koikawa pointed the lens at her.

“You don’t need my photo!”

“Fair reporting, right? Could you shorten the skirt a bit more?”

“Eh—my skirt? Is that really necessary?!”

“Yep, yep. Perfect. Fair reporting needs this. Now try taking off your jacket—nice, nice!”

“E-eh…?!”

Click click click.
 The shutter echoed through the student council room.

The photo shoot continued until Tiara finally came back to her senses—after having obediently removed her jacket.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 1 – Basori Tiara

Koikawa Tsukushi bowed lightly.

“Okay, let’s start the interview.”

“…Please don’t do anything like earlier.”

“Alright, alright—relax.”

Lightly brushing off Tiara’s stern tone, Koikawa pulled out her notebook and pen.

“First, your name and age.”

“Basori Tiara, 16. You already know my name, don’t you?”

“That’s how interviews work. Next—height, weight, and measurements.”

“My height is—wait, do we really need this?!”

“There, there,” Koikawa soothed her.
“Specific numbers make readers feel closer. Basic journalism.”

“…Is that so?”

Satisfied, Koikawa continued.

“Do you have a boyfriend? If yes, when did you last meet him?”

“…I don’t. Is this really  necessary?”

“Romance sells with girls. You’re the student council president—relatability matters.”

Spinning her pen, Koikawa ignored Tiara’s suspicious glare.

“I suppose…”

“Oh, you can put your ribbons back on now.”

“…Did I need to take it off?”

Koikawa just smiled and continued.

“That uniform’s Tsuwabuki, right? Can I see your student handbook?”

“What kind of interview is  this?!”

Shrugging, Koikawa replied:

“We write what readers want. You’re the ‘sexy slot,’ Basori-san—expectations matter.”

“No one expects that!”

Tiara’s shout echoed through the room.

And thus, the Tsuwabuki General Election quietly began.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 2 – Yanami Anna

“Eh? Me?”

Yanami Anna said that, then gulped down the ogura sandwich she’d been eating. (Note: Ogura sandwich, a Nagoya specialty with butter and red bean paste on toast)

“That’s right. You’re pretty popular, Yanami-san. You’re a strong contender.”

In the Literature Club room, Koikawa Tsukushi crossed her legs and opened her notebook.

“I’d like to write an article, so I was hoping you’d let me interview you—”

“Hey, Nukumizu-kun, see? If I get serious, I can be this popular.”

The male student Yanami called out to lifted his face from the book he was reading.

“…Huh? What are you talking about?”

Answering with complete disinterest was Nukumizu Kazuhiko, also known as “the enemy of women.”

How this harmless-looking boy managed to rack up such a reputation was… fascinating.

As Koikawa watched with interest, Yanami started smacking Nukumizu lightly.

“I’m number one in the popularity vote!”

“Uh, voting hasn’t actually started yet.”

Koikawa corrected her, but the two continued bickering noisily.

“Um… can I start the interview now?”

“Oh, sorry. So what was it again? If you want bread recommendations, I’ve got a ranking.”

“I don’t need that.”

So this was Yanami Anna.

With her looks and cheerful personality, she once dominated male popularity—until a mysterious transfer student overtook her in one swoop.

Nodding along to Yanami’s one-sided chatter, Koikawa muttered quietly:

“…Yeah. I get it.”

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 3 – Komari Chika

Having finally finished Yanami’s interview, Koikawa turned her gaze to a small creature staring at her smartphone in the corner of the room.

“Alright, next—Komari-san, could you—”

“Eek!”

Clutching her phone, Komari let out a strange cry as Koikawa edged closer.

“This is our first time meeting, right, Komari-san?”

“N-n-n—I—”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Komari tried typing on her phone, but her fingers trembled too much.

Then Nukumizu stepped between them.

“She’s saying, ‘Why am I being interviewed?’”

Momentarily startled, Koikawa smiled again and opened her notebook.

“You got several votes in the preliminary poll. Could you tell me your enthusiasm for the Tsuwabuki General Election?”

“S-s-so, th-th-that’s—”

“She says she doesn’t really understand what she’s supposed to say.”

Komari nodded rapidly at Nukumizu’s translation.

“I see, I see. By the way, the votes for Komari-san came with some… very passionate messages. Any idea who they might be from?”

“Who is it?”

Nukumizu leaned forward aggressively.

“Huh? They were anonymous, so I don’t know…”

“If we check access logs, we could probably find out. I know someone good with that.”

Komari kicked Nukumizu lightly.

“Hey! Nukumizu, why are you  getting so worked up?!”

“Hey, Komari appeals to niche tastes—you should have some awareness.”

“D-die!”

Watching them scuffle, Koikawa nodded deeply to herself.

“…Yeah. Komari Chika definitely has demand in certain circles.”

Feeling the stirrings of monetization potential, Koikawa’s heart trembled.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 4 – Yakishio Lemon

“Eh? Me?”

During a break in club activities, Yakishio Lemon blinked her round eyes beside the track.

“That’s right. You ranked high in the preliminary vote. I’d love to write an intro article.”

Waving with an awkward smile, Yakishio replied:

“Mm, I’m not great with stuff like that. A meet’s coming up, and I don’t want distractions.”

“I won’t interfere! Just a few photos—”

A girl stepped in front of the camera.

“If you’re interviewing the track team, go through me.”

Protectively appearing was Kurata Ritsuko, captain of the girls’ track team.

Koikawa lowered her camera with a strained smile.

“Sorry to interrupt practice. This is actually for the Tsuwabuki General Election—an individual interview.”

“…General Election?”

After hearing the explanation, Kurata nodded repeatedly.

“Ohhh, I see… photos, huh…”

She started fiddling nervously with her bangs.

“…You can take them here?”

“Um… you’re not actually nominated—”

Kurata froze.

“…Oh. I see.”

“We do accept self-nominations though—”

Face bright red, Kurata waved her hands.

“N-no thanks! I’m not interested! I’m going back to practice!”

“I will too! Sorry, Koikawa-san!”

The two sprinted off, leaving Koikawa behind.

“…Well, photos are photos.”

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 5 – Asagumo Chihaya

…Got a good shot.

While checking her camera screen and heading back toward the school building, something glittered at the edge of Koikawa’s vision.

Watching her from the shadows—

Asagumo Chihaya.

She trotted over.

“Were you interviewing Lemon-san?”

“Yes! I was!”

Koikawa straightened instinctively, making Asagumo laugh softly.

“We’re friends—relax. Here.”

She held out both hands.

“Huh?”

“May I see the camera?”

After reviewing the photos, Asagumo returned it with a smile.

“They’re lovely. Is this for the school paper?”

“Well, actually, it’s for the Tsuwabuki General Election—”

After hearing everything, Asagumo nodded.

“Please be careful not to inconvenience Lemon-san. It’s an important time.”

“Of course. Um… actually…”

Koikawa raised her camera hesitantly.

“Could I write an article about you too?”

“…Me?”

“You’re pretty popular. I’ll let you review it first.”

Blinking in surprise, Asagumo agreed.

As the camera pointed at her, she shifted uncomfortably.

“…Being photographed myself is unsettling.”

“You’re cute, it’s fine!”

Click click click.

“…Are you still taking photos?”

“These could sell for—”

“Please don’t.”

“Yes, ma’am…”

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 6 – Hokobaru Hibari

In the audiovisual room of Tsuwabuki High School, Hokobaru Hibari brushed back her long hair.

“I understand the situation. However, I wonder if it is appropriate for a third-year like myself to run in this election.”

Facing her serious expression, Koikawa forced a tired smile.

“Teachers and alumni are also included as candidates, so please don’t worry about that.”

“I see. That makes sense. Still, Koikawa-kun, you look rather pale.”

“I was threatened earlier— I mean, not threatened, just… various things happened, and my stomach’s acting up.”

“That won’t do. For stomach pain—cabbage works wonders.”

“…Excuse me?”

This wasn’t a joke. Hokobaru looked completely serious.

“My family grows cabbage. I’ll have some delivered. How many do you need?”

“Um… I live alone, so one head should be fine.”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

She took out her phone and made a call.

“Dad, I’d like you to deliver cabbage to a junior from school. Yes, one box will be fine.”

“Wait, I said one head—”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Ending the call, Hokobaru smiled refreshingly.

“They’ll deliver it tonight. If you run out, just let me know.”

“Ah… thank you. Then, may I proceed with the interview?”

“Of course. Cabbage contains abundant Vitamin U, which protects the stomach. The enzyme diastase also aids digestion—”

“No, I meant… about you , senpai.”

“My story may not be very interesting, but feel free to ask anything.”

“…Yes.”

…This person is intense in a different way.

Feeling her stomach grow even heavier, Koikawa opened her notebook.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 7 – Shikiya Yumeko

“So that experience is what sparked your interest in Tsuwabuki.”

Hokobaru nodded, brushing her hair aside.

“I may have spoken too much. Was this sufficient for the interview?”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

Koikawa closed her notebook and bowed from her chair.

“Articles about former student council presidents are always popular—hyah!!”

Her scream was unavoidable.

Cold fingers suddenly traced along her neck.

“…Who… are you…?”

Leaning in from behind was the former student council secretary, Shikiya Yumeko.

As Koikawa tried to stand, Shikiya’s arms slid around her neck from behind.

“Um—I’m Koikawa from the Newspaper Club! I’m here today to interview Hokobaru-senpai—”

“Newspaper Club…?”

Shikiya tightened her arms.

“I’m not doing anything bad! See, I came for club activities!”

“…Bird-watching club… bad… child…”

Koikawa managed to slip free and put some distance between them.

Her body felt frozen to the core.

“Actually, Shikiya-senpai, you’re also a candidate, so I’d like to interview you too—”

At that, Shikiya stared silently at Koikawa’s thigh with pale eyes.

“…What?”

Instinctively holding down her skirt, Koikawa watched as Shikiya tilted her head.

“…Skirt… short…”

“Ah—short skirts are cuter, right? Yours is short too, senpai.”

“…Yes… cute…”

The childlike nod finally let Koikawa breathe again.

“You’re fashionable, Shikiya-senpai. May I ask about your makeup today?”

“…I’ll do your makeup…”

“I meant the interview—hyah!”

She’d completely let her guard down. Despite her slow movements, Shikiya firmly grabbed Koikawa’s shoulders.

“I think I’ll be heading home now. Shikiya, could you lock up?”

“Eh?! Hokobaru-senpai, you’re leaving now?! W-wait, take me with—”

Shikiya covered Koikawa’s mouth with her palm.

“I’ll take care of it… no one… will enter…”

“I’m counting on you.”

Hokobaru left the room.

“Mmph! Mmm—!”

Shikiya’s arms wrapped around Koikawa.

“…Shall we… begin the interview…?”

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 8 – Amanatsu Konami

Sitting on a round stool in the infirmary, Amanatsu Konami looked up at Koikawa suspiciously.

“You’re interviewing me ?”

“Yes. We’re holding the Tsuwabuki General Election, and you received votes in the preliminary poll.”

“Me…?”

“Konami, stay still a bit longer.”

Konuki Sayo wiped Amanatsu’s knee with disinfectant-soaked cotton.

Amanatsu had scraped her knee after falling.

Once the bandage was applied, Amanatsu spun around to face Koikawa.

“Alright! Ask me anything!”

“You’re a Tsuwabuki graduate, right? I’d love to hear about back then.”

“Oh, old stories, huh? The uniforms changed starting with my year. At first, we really stood out in town.”

“That’s great—more of that! Any photos from back then?”

“Might have some at home. I’ll bring a few.”

Mid-sentence, Amanatsu’s gaze fixed on Koikawa’s neck.

“…Hey. Did a bug bite you?”

“Huh? Is there a mark?”

“Konuki-chan, take a look.”

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 9 – Konuki Sayo

Konuki stared at Koikawa’s neck.

“…That’s a hickey.”

“—?!”

Putting a gentle hand on Koikawa’s shoulder, Konuki smiled warmly.

“Oh my. So energetic, even at school. Brings back memories.”

“No, that’s not it! This was… unavoidable—forced—!”

“It’s fine. Sensei supports you. Want to hear my old stories too?”

“I do want to interview you, but really, it’s not like that! It was another woman and—”

“Oh? That’s fine too. Sensei approves.”

…No. This is all wrong.

Seeing Koikawa at a loss, Amanatsu cut in.

“Hey, Konuki-chan. Don’t encourage her.”

“Sharing love is wonderful. Feel free to use the infirmary anytime.”

“…Yes. I’ll remember that.”

Having given up on everything, Koikawa nodded with a tired smile.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 10 – Nukumizu Kaju

In the student council room of Momozono Municipal Middle School.

Vice president Nukumizu Kaju tilted her head cutely at the business card she’d received.

“Tsuwabuki General Election…?”

“You ranked high in the preliminary vote. I really want to write an article.”

Though hesitant, Kaju looked at Koikawa’s camera.

“But I’m not a Tsuwabuki student…”

“Your brother is. That counts.”

At the word brother , Kaju’s eyes sparkled.

“My brother is a candidate too?! Do I get a vote?”

“Um… not in the preliminary poll, but nominations are open.”

“Then I nominate my brother! And I’ll vote!”

Overwhelmed, Koikawa nodded.

“Okay, okay. Let’s start the interview.”

“Yes!”

Kaju sat neatly.

“My brother loves white hanpen! (fish cake) He says my coffee is the best! Once he falls asleep, he won’t wake until morning—”

“Easy, easy.”

“Well, all my stories tend to become about my brother.”

“That’s fine.”

“…Since I know his sleep cycle, even if someone gets into his bed—”

“Oh, interesting. Let me take a photo.”

…This kid’s photos probably won’t sell anyway.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 11 – Gondo Asami

“Nuku-chan, please submit your supply purchase request to the teacher—”

Opening the student council room door, Gondo Asami froze.

“Oh, you’ve got a guest. I’ll come back later.”

“Wait—are you Gondo-san?”

“…Yes. Are you from Tsuwabuki?”

“I’m Koikawa from the Newspaper Club. You’re a candidate, too.”

“Election…?”

Kaju nodded enthusiastically.

“That’s two votes for my brother!”

“…What?”

“Anyway—let’s take a photo together. Big smiles!”

“…Eh…”

Knowing resistance was futile, Gondo smiled beside Kaju.

Tsuwabuki General Election

Candidate No. 12 – Tsukinoki Koto

Not far from Tsuwabuki High School stood a sake brewery.

Tsukinoki Koto poured tea for Koikawa, who was seated in the reception area of the office.

“Thank you for agreeing to this on such short notice.”

“It’s good timing—I happened to be back in Toyohashi. But why are you interviewing a graduate like me?”

“Well, that is—”

After hearing the full explanation, Koto nodded with an impressed look, holding her teacup.

“You’re doing something interesting. If there’s anything an alum like me can talk about, feel free to ask.”

Hearing that, Koikawa lowered her voice slightly.

“Then… would it be okay to ask about your time on the student council…?”

“…If you’re asking that, you must know at least a little.”

Koto shrugged as if resigned.

“No point hiding it now. Do whatever you like.”

Koikawa nodded and opened her notebook.

———

About thirty minutes later, Koikawa snapped shut the notebook, now filled with a mix of truths and dubious anecdotes that had flowed from Koto’s mouth.

“By the way, college summer vacation starts pretty early, doesn’t it?”

“Huh? Summer vacation hasn’t started yet.”

Oh? Then why was she in Toyohashi on a weekday?

“So… do you commute to university from here?”

She glanced briefly toward a figure working in the office, then muttered in a low voice.

“…………Yes.”

…………It seemed best not to ask any further.

Tsukinoki Koto was exactly the kind of person Koikawa had heard about.

Feeling a vague sense of familiarity, Koikawa took a sip of the tea, which had gone completely cold.

Tsuwabuki General Election
Candidate No. 13 – Shiratama Riko

Once again, the Tsuwabuki High School student council room.

With a flawless smile on her face, Shiratama Riko silently took a seat across from Koikawa.

“It’s an honor. I never imagined I’d be nominated for the Tsuwabuki General Election.”

“You’re incredibly popular with the boys, Shiratama-san. You must get hit on a lot, right?”

Shiratama returned the straight-on question with a practiced smile.

“Not really. I think the boys don’t even treat me like a girl.”

“That’s not true. Girls like cute girls too. Your female friends tell you you’re cute as well, don’t they?”

“Hmm… I actually have very few female friends. I guess it’s easier to talk with guys.”

Shiratama stuck out her tongue playfully.

“Maybe I’m actually a guy on the inside.”

“Ah… I see…”

——This woman is sly. Far too sly.

Still, Koikawa couldn’t afford to be completely swept up in the Shiratama show.

Maintaining an easygoing smile, she tossed out another question.

“So, what kind of person is your type, Shiratama-san?”

“I don’t really have one. I guess the person I like becomes my type.”

“Ah… yeah, that makes sense.”

…It might be impossible to peel off this woman’s mask.

Just as Koikawa was about to give up, Shiratama quietly added:

“—But I do admire dependable older people.”

“Oh? I see. Dependable people are nice.”

——At last, a glimpse of Shiratama Riko’s true face.

As Koikawa searched for her next question while holding back her excitement, Shiratama spoke again.

“Someone like my grandpa, I think. I’m really close to my grandfather.”

Having the wind completely taken out of her sails, Koikawa fell silent. Shiratama Riko stood up.

“Oh, that kind of dependable…”

“I have some delicious herbal tea. Would you like some? I’ve been really into it lately.”

“Then… I guess I’ll have some.”

Koikawa closed her notebook as if raising the white flag.

As expected, Shiratama Riko was—without question—the number one girl disliked by Tsuwabuki’s girls.

Tsuwabuki General Election
Candidate No. 14 – Himemiya Karen

In an empty classroom after school, Koikawa Tsukushi rubbed her eyes vigorously.

“What’s wrong, Koikawa-san?”

“I don’t know… everything in front of me feels kind of dazzling…”

“That’s worrying. Want to go to the infirmary together?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Maybe my eyes are just tired. Let’s get started with the interview.”

The final candidate was Himemiya Karen.

A Tsuwabuki beauty—kind-hearted, an honor student, and bilingual—a celebrity blessed with everything by heaven itself.

Compared to the eccentrics Koikawa had interviewed so far, she was a complete angel.

Feeling the weight lift from her shoulders, Koikawa opened her already well-worn notebook.

“You transferred here last May, right? And there were rumors you’d transfer again in July.”

“Yeah. My dad got assigned to the UK, but I insisted and got permission to stay here by myself.”

“Oh, I see.”

And the reason for that “insistence” was surely that handsome boyfriend.

Now then—how to bring up the topic of her boyfriend…

“Karen, so this is where you were.”

A tall male student entered the classroom. Himemiya’s boyfriend, Hakamada Sosuke.

Seeing the two together, he raised one hand apologetically in front of his face.

“Sorry—was I interrupting?”

“Sorry, Sosuke. Could you wait just a little longer?”

As Hakamada started to leave, Koikawa hurriedly called out to him.

“Sorry for stealing your girlfriend. If you’d like, you can join us too.”

“So she says. Sosuke, come over here.”

Invited by Himemiya as well, Hakamada sat down beside her, looking slightly awkward.

“This is some kind of interview, right? Won’t I get in the way?”

“No, no. It’s an honor to talk to the famous couple. Can I put a photo of you two in the school newspaper?”

When Koikawa picked up her camera, Himemiya shyly covered her face.

“Photos are a bit embarrassing. They’ll be in the school paper, right?”

“You’d look amazing, Himemiya-san. It’d be a waste not to make use of that beauty.”

“Oh, stop it. Nothing’s going to come of flattering me.”

As Himemiya blushed, Hakamada smiled at her.

“I’d like to see Karen in the school paper.”

“Oh? So you don’t mind everyone looking at me?”

Hakamada poked Himemiya’s exaggerated pout.

“I might get a little jealous. I want to keep Karen all to myself.”

“Fufu, Sosuke…”

The two entwined their fingers and began flirting.

“Um… you two?”

“Oh, sorry! The interview, right! Where were we?”

“Uh… we were talking about last year’s transfer, I think. If it’s okay, could you tell me how you two met?”

“Our first meeting—was when Karen fell from the heavens.”

Suppressing laughter, Sosuke took Karen’s hand.

“That’s only because you were standing in such a weird place, Sosuke.”

“Come on, Sosuke.”

“I was blinded by an angel’s light and couldn’t move.”

Flirt flirt flirt. The two went right back to flirting.

“Um… hello…?”

Even right in front of Koikawa, the flirting didn’t stop.

…There really are far too many people with strong personalities connected to Tsuwabuki High School.

Guess I’ll check the photos I’ve taken so far and wait until they’re satisfied…

A small bird perched on the window frame.

Feeling a breeze, Koikawa glanced over to see the curtain swaying as wind blew in through the open window.

“Oh—a pygmy woodpecker…”

Koikawa Tsukushi swiftly captured the bird’s silhouette in her viewfinder and pressed the shutter.

BW Illustrations Gallery

Artbook Interview

Original Source: https://tieba.baidu.com/p/10425053583  

Author Takibi Amamori  and Illustrator Imigimuru  have come together for a commemorative first dialogue. We learned fully about Imigimuru-sensei's dedication to character design, as well as what Amamori-sensei felt from the illustrations.

Imigimuru  Manga Artist. Currently serializing This Art Club Has a Problem!  (Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru!). Active in various fields, including serving as the character designer for the anime Lycoris Recoil  and designing characters like Osakabehime for the game Fate/Grand Order .

Takibi Amamori  Writer. Won the Gagaga Award at the 15th Shogakukan Light Novel Awards in 2020 with this work. Debuted after the winning work was retitled Too Many Losing Heroines!  (Make Heroine ga Oosugiru!). The work has been adapted into an anime, and a second season has been confirmed.

The Balance Always Kept in Mind

--Please tell us your impressions when you first read Makeine .

Imigimuru:  Many people might have already said this, but my first impression was that it was "easy to read." I'm the type who doesn't read novels very often, yet I was able to read through it smoothly in one go, thinking about what a wonderful work it was. I thought, "With this, maybe I can even draw the illustrations." The manuscript I received at the time was the submission draft, right?

Amamori:  Yes. Although I mentioned there would be revisions, I asked you to read that version first.

Imigimuru:  Even so, I immediately felt it was easy to read, so I thought Amamori-sensei was amazing.

Amamori:  Thank you very much.

--This work focuses on "Losing Heroines," which I think is a rare setting. What did you think when reading it, Imigimuru-sensei?

Imigimuru:  Since I don't read novels often, I didn't have a strong sense of how novel the "Losing Heroine" theme was. I simply enjoyed it as a piece of reading material and found it interesting.

Amamori:  I'm happy to hear you say that.

--What was your reaction, Amamori-sensei, when it was decided that Imigimuru-sensei would be the illustrator?

Amamori:  I heard Imigimuru-sensei's name from my editor, Iwaasa (Kentaro)-san. We had a remote meeting for about an hour discussing the choice of illustrator. After the direction was settled, he confessed, "Actually, I've already sent an offer to an illustrator I really wanted to invite." I was like, "Eh? Then what was that discussion just now for?" (Laughs).

Imigimuru:  So that's what happened.

Amamori:  Yes. When I asked, "Who is it?", he said, "It's Imigimuru-sensei from Bijutsubu  ( This Art Club Has a Problem! )." When I heard the name, I thought a big-name artist like that would surely never accept my request. Even so, I thought it would be great if you could draw for it. When Iwaasa-san contacted me saying "He accepted," I was truly grateful. After it was confirmed that Imigimuru-sensei would be in charge, I understood the direction Iwaasa-san was considering, and the image of what Makeine  should be gradually surfaced in my mind.

--The heroines possess the "Losing Heroine" attribute. Did you consciously consider the "losing" part when designing them?

Imigimuru:  Although I didn't consciously force it, I did intend for them not to be too "sparkling" in a good way. While ensuring the designs were charming, I wanted them to feel a bit "disappointing" (regrettable) in some aspects. However, that sense of "disappointment" might have been facilitated by Amamori-sensei's writing. So, the coordination with Amamori-sensei went very smoothly.

Amamori:  That makes me happy.

Imigimuru:  Amamori-sensei's writing, how should I put it, really carries a feeling of "Well, it can't be helped even if she loses." After reading the novel and then looking at the illustrations, it feels that way too.

--When creating the character designs, which character did you draw first, Imigimuru-sensei?

Imigimuru:  It was probably Yanami and Nukumizu. Since this was my first time handling character design for a light novel, I didn't know specifically what was needed. So, I produced various drafts, proceeding with a feeling of "How about this? And this?". Nukumizu has the setting of being "plain/mediocre," so I designed him with the mindset of "I'm not going to draw you as a handsome guy ( ikemen ), okay?" (Laughs). However, Nukumizu is popular with fans, so I'd like to put him on the cover someday.

Amamori:  That sounds good. Maybe for Volume 2 of the SSS (Short Story Series).

--Was the ribbon decided in the novel's setting?

Amamori:  No, it was present in Imigimuru-sensei's initial drafts.

Imigimuru:  Come to think of it, she was wearing multiple ribbons back then.

Amamori:  At that time, the colors weren't separated by character yet.

"I was surprised by the richness of Imigimuru-sensei's 'drawers' (ideas)." (Amamori)

--Why did you design it with multiple ribbons?

Imigimuru:  I hoped it would become a sort of icon. The story takes place in summer, so there are few parts of the uniform where individuality can be displayed. However, I wanted some kind of item that readers would remember, so I thought, "Let's just put a lot of them on" (Laughs). I feel that light novel readers look at illustrations less frequently than manga readers. Precisely because the frequency is low, I wanted them to remember it, so I wanted to add some novel accessories.

Amamori:  To be honest, when I saw the initial setting, I thought it was cool. Personally, I also liked the brown shirt. That's not very common in other light novels either; if used in a supernatural battle light novel, I feel it would be fantastic.

Imigimuru:  There was a split between the Brown Faction and the White Faction back then.

Amamori:  Yes. And from there, it was improved upon to become very stylish. Also, speaking of Imigimuru-sensei, I had the impression of the very cute art style from Bijutsubu . Seeing the character designs for Makeine , I discovered there was also a cool side. The protagonists of Bijutsubu  are middle schoolers, while Makeine  features high schoolers, so it's more mature overall. I was surprised by the richness of Imigimuru-sensei's "drawers" (creative repertoire).

--In Komari's initial draft, her hair color was different from now, right?

Imigimuru:  Yes. I was definitely worried about whether Komari and Lemon would look too similar in silhouette. Both have short hair, so I was concerned they might look alike when reduced to silhouettes. I also tried a white hair draft different from Lemon's, but I felt that it looked too much like a "winner" (laughs).

Amamori:  That's true (laughs).

Imigimuru:  In terms of order, Yanami and Lemon were decided first, and then came Komari. With blue and brown already present, I was exploring what hair color would balance best.

Amamori:  I remember thinking that if we considered the "Losing Heroine" image, a reddish tone would fit better.

--What about Kaju?

Imigimuru:  For Kaju, I asked, "How about this?" and the very first draft submitted was approved almost as is, right?

Amamori:  Exactly. Because she was just too cute (laughs).

Imigimuru:  However, I was the one who changed the ribbon part. Since the ribbons are a feature of Yanami and the others' uniforms, I didn't want Kaju to wear one too. Other than that, she is basically exactly as I first submitted her.

Amamori:  When I saw the design draft, I couldn't help but voice out, "Amazing!" Her standing pose and everything were outstanding. The angle of her arms and such-it's practically the golden ratio.

Imigimuru:  (Laughs). Kaju is a character I drew with my habitual touch, packed with my personal preferences. I also designed the silhouette of her skirt to be clearly distinguishable from the high school group.

--What about Shiratama Riko, who joined midway?

Imigimuru:  I recall there were some specifications for Riko.

Amamori:  I conveyed an impression of "something like this." I didn't specify hair style or color, just that it wasn't very long. I don't think I specified the cardigan either.

Imigimuru:  Since the vibe was "Losing but strong," I went with a pale/white hair color scheme. To distinguish her from the other characters, I added the cardigan. I made quite a few color variation drafts. There was also a version with short socks.

Amamori:  We debated the cardigan color between pink and white until the very end. Pink is cute, but I worried it might look too calculated (too "on the nose").

Imigimuru:  Right. That's why we held back and chose white. Also, if it were pink, it would clash with Shikiya's color image.

--Did you pay special attention to avoid repetition?

Imigimuru:  I am the type who cares a lot about avoiding overlap with other characters. So, although the initial members started with Yanami and Nukumizu, I was proceeding with Lemon and Komari's designs simultaneously. I wanted to find a balance where they didn't overlap. For the added characters as well, I designed them while lining them up against the existing characters.

Amamori:  Did you do that for the Student Council members too?

Imigimuru:  Yes. Among the Student Council members, Shikiya was designed first, so I placed her aside and proceeded with the designs for the President (Houkobaru Hibari) and Tiara simultaneously.

--Did you plan for Tiara to play an active role when she first appeared, Amamori-sensei?

Amamori:  I didn't think she would be this  active. However, she was set as a sub-main character from the beginning.

Imigimuru:  I can say this now, but actually, from the time I designed her, I hoped she would become active. Tiara is a character I like. Being plain and having a slightly unhappy vibe-isn't that great? (Laughs).

Amamori:  (Laughs). The fan response was good too. Since the Student Council gets involved in the plot from Volume 4 onwards, and Tiara happened to be available at the time, the plot developed that way partly by chance.

--Houkobaru Hibari will likely be active later on too.

Amamori:  The President turned out that way completely under the influence of her design.

Imigimuru:  I see.

Amamori:  And precisely because of that design, Nanami Hiroki-san was cast as the President's voice actor.

--Were Hakamada Sousuke and Himemiya Karen designed to look the way they do considering the balance with Nukumizu and Yanami?

Imigimuru:  Those two were designed with the feeling of a "Typical Royal Road Winning Couple."

Amamori:  If this were a bishoujo  game (galge), these two would be the protagonists.

Imigimuru:  Because of that, I gave Karen that specific hairstyle often seen in bishoujo  games where the center of the bangs is lifted up-the "Airy Bangs" (Intake) style. Actually, I really, really  didn't want to draw that (laughs).

Amamori:  Is that so?! I was happy with it. It gave a feeling of "This is a Heroine!" And she's cute.

Imigimuru:  It's because when you look at it from the side or an angle, you can't figure out the structure. But I thought Karen wouldn't be drawn that often, so I decided on it. Itachi-sensei, who handles the manga adaptation, and the anime staff might be having a hard time. I'm sorry!! I remember there was initially an ahoge  (cowlick) too, but it looked too much like Yanami, so I removed it.

--Did Amamori-sensei make requests for Ayano Mitsuki and Asagumo Chihaya?

Amamori:  For Asagumo, I requested the forehead. Because I wanted to see a forehead character drawn by Imigimuru-sensei (laughs).

Imigimuru:  I pondered, "How should I express the forehead?" These two were also designed considering a good balance when they appear as a pair. I quite like designing in pairs (laughs). However, Shintaro and Koto weren't a pair.

Amamori:  Because Koto appeared from Volume 1.

Imigimuru:  Yes. Shintaro was designed later.

--Did Amamori-sensei make requests for those two?

Amamori:  For Koto, I requested glasses and black hair. The rest of the design was left to Imigimuru-sensei and Iwaasa-san to decide.

Imigimuru:  I recall that in the initial drafts, besides black, there was a green hair color option. However, green would clash with the color of Nukumizu's tie, so we avoided it. Thinking "What color haven't we used yet?", we went with a black that has a hint of purple.

Illustrations Infused with the Worldview

--So, who is your favorite character?

Amamori:  Of course, I support everyone (All-push). But from a design perspective, it's Komari. Although I convey "She's this kind of character" to Imigimuru-sensei when asking him to draw, he always greatly exceeds my imagination. The one who exceeded my imagination the most was Komari.

Imigimuru:  I'm happy to hear you say that (laughs). Mine is Shikiya. She is super easy to draw. That expressionlessness is like 100% my purity. She might be the character whose expression I can draw most naturally. That's why drawing her smiling expression in Volume 4 was difficult (laughs).

Amamori:  It's a wonderful design. Her chest also got bigger little by little.

Imigimuru:  I remember the setting was that she's slender but has good proportions. I held back at first, but gradually added more (laughs).

--Even with her shirt open, she still wears the ribbon.

Imigimuru:  For that part, I drew it with the feeling of "No matter what, wear it!"

Wanting to Draw Manga-Style Illustrations (Imigimuru)

--When drawing cover illustrations for manga versus light novels, do you pay special attention to any differences?

Imigimuru:  I personally don't make a distinction. In both cases, I focus on the character's expression and pose, hoping to create a composition that brings out their charm. In that respect, manga and light novels are about the same.

--For Makeine  Volume 1, you drew quite a few rough drafts.

Imigimuru:  Since it was Volume 1, it also served as a confirmation of what direction would be best. Looking back, there are some drafts I don't remember (laughs). Like the draft with the disjointed heart hand sign.

--Was the rough draft for the cover also decided through discussion with Amamori-sensei?

Amamori:  I only saw it after Imigimuru-sensei and Mr. Iwaasa had advanced it to a certain degree. There are actually some rough sketches in this artbook that I'm seeing for the first time. I recall Mr. Iwaasa narrowed it down to three options, and then the three of us voted to decide.

Imigimuru:  We chose the current cover together with Amamori-sensei, and that settled it.

Amamori:  Even though she's a losing heroine, she's making a double peace sign-I felt that was really good. It was used in the anime, too.

Imigimuru:  The rough sketches that weren't selected later became bonus illustrations (benefits).

--When drawing illustrations, are there any differences in what you pay attention to compared to manga?

Imigimuru:  Of course, the time spent is definitely different, but in my mind, they are the same. The difference is just like that between a single illustration and one panel of a manga. It's a matter of personal preference, but I don't really like taking a color illustration and converting it to grayscale to serve as an [interior] illustration. Instead, I wanted to draw illustrations in a manga style. To convey that "this is how I want to do it," I drew the illustration of Yanami eating french fries in Volume 1 as carefully as a rough draft. I also confirmed that I wanted the balance of the solid blacks ( beta ) to be like that.

Amamori:  When I saw that, honestly, I felt it was already complete. Yanami's smile struck a chord in my heart. When I saw that rough sketch, I was still in the process of revising the manuscript, but the atmosphere of "this is how this series will proceed" was established right there. A single image expressed the entire worldview.

--Please tell us your favorite illustrations.

Amamori:  It's the illustration of Komari in Volume 4. You can really feel the winter air; it's truly a wonderful illustration. For color pages, it's the two illustrations in Volume 3 where everyone is in costume.

Imigimuru:  I remember Mr. Iwaasa also told me he wanted me to draw that one properly (laughs).

Amamori:  The backgrounds, too-the contrast between the upward slant to the right and the upward slant to the left-was also very good.

--Seeing the illustration of the Student Council in costume, I felt the relationship between Tiara and Shikiya became much clearer.

Imigimuru:  Indeed. That way of interacting between the two was used in the anime as well.

Amamori:  Episode 11 of the anime used the exact interaction style from that illustration. Also, while Tiara with cat ears in Volume 8 of the novel was great, that final illustration of Tiara was the best.

Imigimuru:  Indeed (laughs). I personally think that one turned out well too. If we're talking about black-and-white illustrations, that one is my favorite as well. Also, the one before that where Tiara is shouting. I like those two Tiara illustrations the most.

Amamori:  After Volume 8, the number of Tiara fans increased dramatically.

Imigimuru:  That's true. Because she wore cat ears, after all.

Amamori:  While writing it, I was thinking, "Nukumizu, what kind of reaction is that?" (Laughs).

Imigimuru:  (Laughs). As for color illustrations, it would be the covers of Volume 2 and Volume 4. Volume 4 used a pose that didn't overlap with existing works, and it really expressed Shikiya's characteristics. For color inserts, it's the karaoke scene in Volume 4.

Amamori:  Why is that?

Imigimuru:  The color coordination turned out very well. It's just that-whether it's Yanami or Nukumizu-the shadow colors based on skin tone, the shadow colors based on the clothes' base colors, and the shadows of the background... all the parts fit together perfectly.

Amamori:  I see. So that's how it is.

Imigimuru:  Actually, after that, I sometimes color-pick (sample colors) from that illustration (laughs). The color insert of Nukumizu and Shikiya in Volume 7 was also drawn well.

Amamori:  That is simply art.

Imigimuru:  I'm happy to hear that. Thank you (laughs). Also, the pancakes in Volume 2 were a struggle. I went to a cafe to take reference photos of pancakes, and when I got home, I bought canned peaches, arranged them, and took photos.

Amamori:  You spent more time drawing that than drawing Kaju, didn't you?

Imigimuru:  Yes (laughs). Because I drew it through that process, I have a strong attachment to it.

--Is there any scene you'd like to draw in the future, Imigimuru-sensei?

Imigimuru:  That would be a scene where everyone goes to Europe together.

Amamori:  Since you even went to research the pancakes, if you were to draw that scene, location research would be mandatory, right? (Laughs).

Imigimuru:  It's necessary for realism (laughs). I'll leave the reason why the Literature Club goes up to you, Amamori-sensei, but let's all go for research. How about London?

Amamori:  Because we have to know the atmosphere of the place. Whether we can go for research depends on Mr. Iwaasa (laughs).

--Do you ever actively ask Imigimuru-sensei, "I'd like you to draw this scene," Amamori-sensei?

Amamori:  As for that, I try not to as much as possible. Mr. Iwaasa sometimes asks me, "Do you have any requests for scenes you want illustrated?", but I don't want to mix my will into Imigimuru-sensei's world. I want to see Imigimuru-sensei's 100% pure illustrations, so I try not to add my own requests. I'm more of a fan than the author (laughs). An enthusiastic fan. I also don't want to write scenes in the novel just for the sake of illustrations. If I did that, I feel I wouldn't be able to stop myself from making various requests to Imigimuru-sensei. So, I try to write the novel without thinking about the illustrations.

--Is there anything Imigimuru-sensei wants to ask Amamori-sensei, or anything Amamori-sensei wants to ask Imigimuru-sensei?

Imigimuru:  There's nothing formal I want to ask. I've asked everything when we went out drinking (laughs).

Amamori:  I have something I want to ask. Imigimuru-sensei, your drawing skills have been super high since your debut, right?

Imigimuru:  No, not at all.

Amamori:  Someone like that is still constantly improving. What is your motivation to aim even higher when you're already that good? I really want to ask that.

Imigimuru:  In that sense, it might be related to the fact that you don't make requests for the illustrations, Amamori-sensei. Being allowed to draw what I want to draw boosts my motivation. When I'm entrusted with something important, I want to do it well, so perhaps that's why you say I've improved.

--With the anime adaptation and regional collaborations realized, the world of Makeine  continues to expand.

Amamori:  I'm truly very happy. The day before this interview, a signed book handover event was held in Toyohashi. The locals were happy that their city became the setting for the story, and that made me happy too.

Imigimuru:  It really makes me happy. Unlike with Lycoris Recoil  or Bijutsubu , when producing the Makeine  anime, I only had to prepare the setting sheets for Sakurai from the Student Council and do supervision, so the workload was completely different. That's why I'm watching the Makeine  anime as a fan. Even though I wasn't heavily involved in the work, they created such a wonderful anime, and I've felt happy the whole time.

--Finally, please say a few words to the fans.

Amamori:  This book is filled with Imigimuru-sensei's worldview, so please enjoy that world to your heart's content.

Imigimuru:  This contains five years of Too Many Losing Heroines!  condensed. Including the changes in art style, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you very much for purchasing this book.