Too Many Losing Heroines! V1 Chapter 2 & Intermission

Chapter 2: The Name of the Failed “Excalibruh” – Remon Yakishio

Translator: Pingas

Editor: Suu

The cicadas are screaming non-stop.

The second day’s second lesson is PE until the scorching sun. I wiped my sweat off after putting the last hurdle inside the storage at the end of the lesson.

I’ve always thought about this. The rule of letting the student with the same number as the date pack up things is going too easy on no. 30.

“I refuse to accept this.”

I complained as I swept away the dust on me.

I should just go change. I just can’t handle being the only one in PE clothes after everyone’s done changing.

Click. I can hear the storage door getting locked. The surroundings got dark as well.

…Eh, the door’s closed? Bullying? Is someone trying to bully me?

I hastily turned around.

In the gloomy storage, Remon Yakishio is standing there embarrassed. I can see her curves clearly under her PE clothes that are soaked with sweat.

“…Yakishio-san?”

Hey, I’ve seen this in anime. I gulped unconsciously.

Yakishio lowered her head and looked at the ground. She swept the hair sticking on her face and walked to me.

“Nukumizu, there’s something I want to tell you.”

“Ha?”

A normal person would probably look forward to the upcoming fan-service. However, regrettably, I’m not that naïve.

It’s because from a romance novel’s perspective, there’s not enough development between Yakishio and me for that to happen.

“Let me ask you this. What happened to the thing I asked you before?”

“Eh, what?”

In other words, this isn’t a romance event. Instead, I’m just being an idiot for misunderstanding this whole thing. I wouldn’t be so nervous if I knew.

“Mitsuki asked you to borrow books from the Literature Club, right? Did he borrow it already?”

I see. She’s talking about that. No, not yet. I haven’t told him, after all.

Yakishio put her hands behind her back and kicked the floor with her legs shyly.

“I-If it’s okay, …can I be the one to give him those?”

“It’s a whole series, after all. You can’t take them all at once, right? If he just comes to borrow-“

Yakishio looked like she wanted to say something else as her body moved restlessly. Even I can tell what she wants.

“Well, sure, go ahead, Yakishio-san. You can tell him he can come whenever he wants.”

“Alright, leave it to me! I’ll make sure to tell him!”

Yakishio’s smile is as charming as the sun inside the gloomy storage.

The dust is reflecting the sunlight, which makes her very shiny.

“Okay, I’ll tell him after school!”

“Wait, this is just an example.”

“What?”

Yakishio smiled and tilted her head.

This girl is in the same middle school as I am. I guess I can do a little bit more for her.

“Yakishio-san should tell him when you don’t have club activities.”

Indeed, she can say something nice first, as long as she can get him to the club. Then, with the opportunity, I can let you two hang out alone for 2 hours in the Literature Club’s room-

“My club activities? Why?”

Yakishio immediately bulged her eyes. She’s looking at me in disbelief.

“How should I say it? It’ll be great for Yakishio-san to visit the Literature Club once in a while, right?”

“You should understand what I’m trying to say here, right?”

“Visit, …me?”

Good lord, seriously? Are you this dense?

“In other words, you’ll have nothing to do after you said it to Ayano, right? If Yakishio-san doesn’t have club activities, you can use this as an excuse to be with him. Even if you fail to invite him, you can see him there as long as you’re in the club room.”

Yakishio is shocked. Her eyes bulged even more, and then she clapped her hands.

“I see. You’re really smart, Nukumizu.”

Yakishio’s expression immediately changed into a cheerful smile. She patted my shoulder. It really hurts.

“Nukumizu, you’re a nice guy. I misunderstood you.”

This class’s misunderstanding of me is already spreading.

“Oh, but please don’t get the wrong picture! Well, Mitsuki and I aren’t like that. He’s just my friend-“

“Seriously? Are you still saying he’s just your friend at this point? Isn’t it too late?”

She’s a high-class and energetic beauty. However, she’s still like a child whenever it involves love. Yakishio curled her lips as if she’s covering up her embarrassment.

“By the way, it’s hot. Let’s get out. How long are you planning to stay here?”

Yakishio pulled on her PE shirt as she said that. Why don’t you think about why I am stuck here in the first place?

Yakishio reached her hand to the door.

“Ugh, what?”

“What’s wrong?”

The two of us tried to open the door, yet it’s not bulging. Yakishio turned to me in confusion.

“Don’t tell me…the door is locked from the outside?”

“Eh!? Hey, anyone!? Someone’s still here-“

“Nukumizu! Don’t yell so loudly!”

Yakishio choked my neck with her arms from behind. Uwah, I can feel something soft with my back- no, her sticky sweat is really disgusting. This girl sweats way too much.

“Hey, I-I can’t breathe.”

Even though I want to escape, …her strength is too much. I can’t get her off me at all.

“B-Breathe…”

I kept hitting Yakishio’s hands.

“Oh, sorry. Are you okay?”

“Are you trying to kill me? …Why are you stopping me from calling for help?”

“It’s because our PE lessons are with Mitsuki’s class too.”

“Oh, so you want me to call Mitsuki here?”

“N-Not at all! I don’t want Mitsuki seeing me in the store with another guy.”

Yakishio twirled her fingers sheepishly.

Huh, she’s suddenly quite cute, but now’s not the time for that.

“Everyone will be back in the classroom if we don’t hurry.”

“People from the next lesson will help us. Just hold it.”

“Won’t that expose the fact that we’re alone in here?”

“Well, …Nukumizu should dress as a girl.”

“Isn’t it faster for Yakishio-san to dress as a guy instead?”

This conversation is meaningless. I think everyone went back when we were talking. Only cicadas can be heard from outside.

Yakishio gripped the window near the ceiling and lifted herself up.

“Eh, why is no one coming?”

“…Yakishio-san. Is everyone having PE lessons in the swimming pool instead?”

“Eh?”

The bell rang.

“By the way, why weren’t we in the swimming pool!?”

“Didn’t sensei say this before? Year 2’s swimming competition wouldn’t be done until the 2nd lesson. That’s why the pool is closed.”

“Oh, right, that’s why the 3rd lesson is swimming. No wonder why no one is on the playground…”

The cicadas are singing happily.

“Hey! We’re still in here!”

“Anyone out there!?”

We sat down exhausted after yelling for a while.

I think the weather forecast said that today’s highest is 35 degrees Celsius. It’s the first hot day of the summer.

The temperature inside the storage is rising mercilessly. My sweat is slowly drying up. Is it because my body’s getting used to it? …I don’t think so. It’s because there’s no sweat left.

“Crap, when will people come to help us?”

“The Track and Field Club will come during lunch…”

Uwah, there’s a puddle of sweat around Yakishio. This girl has a strong metabolism.

“Are you okay, Yakishio?”

“I’m okay. I’m more of an impala than a Thompson’s gazelle.”

“Eh, Yakishio-san’s an impala?”

…Wait, what is she even talking about?

“That’s why I said it’s faster when you run on all fours. In other words, it’s better than just flinging water at spotted hyenas…”

“Hey.”

I don’t think she’s okay.

I have to do something. The window near the ceiling is blocked with steel bars. It looks like we can’t go out from here.

Let’s find something that can make a huge noise. Hmm, there are no whistles or loudspeakers in the storage.

I found a sports bag covered in dust as I was searching the shelves. After I opened it, there are some girls’ clothing, a towel, and used bottles.

Even though it immediately gave me hope, the mouth of the bottle is filled with mold. I gave up and put the stuff back into the bag. However, I found a cooling spray at the bottom.

“Look, Yakishio-san! Cooling spray!”

Yakishio’s dazed eyes immediately brightened after seeing the spray.

“Nice one, Nukkun! Spray it onto me!”

Nukkun means me?

Yakishio turned around and took off her shirt that’s utterly soaked with sweat. Something inside her sports bra and her silky skin look really clear to me now.

“Ah, please wait!”

“Quick!”

I’ve never expected a girl to beg me forcefully.

I sprayed it onto her back with trembling hands. Yakishio immediately moaned. I don’t know whether it’s a painful one or a happy one.

“It’s my front next.”

Yakishio turned around. Eh, wait, is this really okay? I can see your stomach. Her tan is quite lewd.

Her stomach is slowly vibrating as I sprayed it onto her. At the same time, weird noises slipped out of her mouth. Anyway, it’s not my fault that the mood turned like this.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“A bit…better.”

Yakishio sat on the floor dazedly as she reached her hands toward her bra.

“W-Wait, wait, wait! Don’t take that off!”

“Eh, sheesh, Nukkun, what’s with the embarrassment? We’re both girls. Also, the sweat is really sticky. Please get me a towel.”

You think we’re in a girls’ changing room!? This person lost her damn mind.

I took the towel out of the bag. Then, I looked away as I handed it to Yakishio, who took off her bra.

“G-Get your clothes back on after wiping it!”

“…Oh, this is the bag I lost here. This is where it is.”

Yakishio wiped her body as she looked inside the sports bag.

“Hey! Yakishio-san, clothes! Clothes!”

“Oh, there’s some left!”

Left? Don’t tell me she’s talking about the bottle?

I cautiously looked over there, and Yakishio’s about to put the bottle filled with mold into her mouth.

“Idiot! Don’t drink that!”

“Hey! What are you doing, Nukkun!?”

Yakishio pressed her body against me after I took away the bottle.

“Woah, I didn’t see! I didn’t see anything!”

“That’s mine!”

Uwah, something’s pressing against me! Something is really pressing against me this time!

“Hey, is somebody in here?”

A familiar voice can be heard from the outside. It’s my class teacher, Konami Amanatsu-sensei.

“Sensei, someone’s in here! Open the door!”

The door was opened forcefully.

Thank god, we’re saved. Amanatsu-sensei dropped her jaws after seeing what’s happening in here.

“What are you two doing?”

Perhaps we aren’t saved.

Yakishio, who’s half-naked, by the way, pushed me over. …No, we’re totally wiped out already.

“…Sensei will wait after you two are done.”

“No, don’t close it! Please help, sensei!”

“Even though things were quite open in my generation, we wouldn’t do things like this during class.”

“Sensei, I don’t care about that! Please just help me out!”

Yakishio finally collapsed onto the ground from exhaustion after I pushed her away.

…I’ll say this twice since it’s important. I didn’t see anything.

*

Rehydration solution, saltwater, and glucose solution are all emergency measures for dehydration.

Of course, these are always present in our school’s nurse room.

“Wow, …OS-1 tastes really nice.” [TL: OS-1 rehydration solution]

“Ah, thank you so much…”

These things are granted to idiots like us without hesitation.

Amanatsu-sensei crossed her arms and looked at us dumbfoundedly.

“Don’t go back to class and rest here, you two. The boy over there, I’ll contact your class teacher. What’s your teacher’s name? Which class are you in?”

“I’m Nukumizu from your class, sensei.”

I already lost hope that she can remember me.

“You’re in my class? Whatever, I’ll leave the rest to Konuki.”

Amanatsu-sensei walked out of the classroom after saying that.

The school nurse sitting in front of us, Konuki-sensei, waved at Amanatsu-sensei.

Usually, a young and lewd school nurse only exists in urban legends. However, Konuki-sensei’s crossing her legs as if she’s purposely showing me her urban legend-level body. At the same time, she smiled mischievously.

“How do you two feel now?”

“Yeah, much better.”

My heart’s beating faster. Konuki-sensei is radiating a really lewd aura.

“Sensei, one more, please.”

Yakishio still looked wobbly as she handed out an empty bottle.

“Here, take your time.”

“Okay!”

Yakishio laughed like a child and started drinking the second OS-1.

After that, Konuki-sensei’s expression turned serious.

“Heat strokes are scary. It’s a life-and-death matter, and it can cause permanent damage too.”

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Young people have a lot of frustrations. A sudden surge of horniness or something, or getting even more excited because of the restraints.”

“…Ha? What are you talking about?”

“Hiya, no need to pretend in front of sensei. If you know it, you know it.”

Konuki-sensei put her finger on my lips and smiled.

“Whatever you two did in that storage…is a secret between us.”

I think she misunderstood us completely. Solving it would be too troublesome, so I changed the topic.

“Are Konuki-sensei and Amanatsu-sensei close?”

“Yes, we were in the same class at this school.”

“Oh, you’re our Senpai. What was Amanatsu-sensei like back then?”

“I bet you can’t imagine how she looks nowadays at all. She’s actually a very clumsy and dangerous person.”

Well, it’s actually pretty easy to imagine it.

“I used to bring her to the nurse’s room all the time. You know, cause she trips over all the time.”

Sensei laughed as she took a trip down memory lane.

Konuki-sensei’s wearing pantyhose. She switched her legs’ position and looked at the ceiling nostalgically.

“Sensei, is there someone on the ceiling?”

“The stains on the ceiling are still the same.”

“You can remember that?”

This must be the case, right? She always had to rest in the nurse’s room due to her weak body. Then, after she grew up, she returned here as a school nurse. What a beautiful story.

“It’s because of our sex position- …no, it’s because of my body posture. I naturally looked at the ceiling.”

…Correction. This person is insane.

“Alright, you should take a nap after drinking it.”

Sensei pulled the curtain that separated the bed.

Konuki-sensei let Yakishio, who looked exhausted, sleep on the bed. After that, she took away the empty bottle from my hand.

“You should rest and recover too. Your body is worse than you think.”

“Thanks, sensei. I’ll take a break.”

After I got in bed, the stains on the ceiling entered my sight too. My brain can’t help but imagine Konuki-sensei in her school uniform. I covered my head with the blanket to remove the lively imagination inside my head.

…Sensei, I don’t need you to tell me that.

*

The ring of the bell is still lingering in my ears. I turned around dazedly.

How long did I sleep? From the noises in the corridor, I guess it’s around lunch break now.

I can see Yakishio deep in sleep from the gap of the curtain. Even though I’m a little worried about her getting a cold with her exposed stomach, I can’t just go in and pull up her blanket.

“Ah, eating lunch’s annoying.”

After I said it out loud, I realized, yeah, it’s indeed really annoying. I don’t have an appetite today. Let’s just sleep until lunch’s over.

“Nukumizu-kun, you have a guest.”

Yanami waved at me behind Konuki-sensei.

“Ah, why is Yanami-san here?”

“I heard that Nukumizu-kun and Remon-chan are in the nurse room. Are you two okay?”

“Oh, thanks, I’m okay. Yakishio-san’s sleeping soundly too.”

I got out of bed. For some reason, Konuki-sensei looked at me with hopeful eyes.

“Yanami-san brought Nukumizu-kun a bento. Ara ara, you’re surely having it hard.”

“Sensei, I think you misunderstood all kinds of things.”

Konuki-sensei nodded with her seemingly all-knowing look.

“I guess so. It looks like sensei’s being a nuisance. Yanami-san, I’ll leave for a while. You can use the room however you want.”

“Thank you, sensei. Nukumizu-kun, let’s eat.”

Yanami said cheerfully before handing me a bag with the bento.

“You can lock the door from the inside. Well, enjoy yourselves.”

Konuki-sensei’s not even trying to cover up her mischievous smile anymore. Seriously, the same goes for Amanatsu-sensei. How did you two manage to become teachers?

“Hmm? What’s that?”

A phone camera is facing us under the pile of books on sensei’s table.

…What the hell are you trying to record? I turned off the recording.

“What’s wrong, Nukumizu-kun?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s eat.”

We sat down face-to-face. Yanami took out a really large plastic box. Yeah, it looks like she gave up trying to shove two servings into one bento.

Something yellow is inside the plastic box.

“Omurice?”

“Yes, I’m pretty confident this time. The rice is all rolled up round and good-looking.”

Yanami split the omelet rice cleanly with her spoon.

Well, how should we eat it? Don’t tell me we’re taking turns? That’s not possible, right?

Just as I was thinking, Yanami handed me a white plate.

“I borrowed it from the homeroom. Here, hold the plate.”

She casually poured the omurice onto the plate. Uh, isn’t there a better way?

“Alright, close your hands. Let’s eat.”

“Ah, right. Let’s eat.”

It’s been a long time since I’ve last eaten omurice. A familiar taste spread inside my mouth after I took a bite. That’s how omurice tastes.

“It’s good, right? Well, how much do you think this is worth?”

“Hmm, 400 yen.”

“400 yen. Well, it works.”

Yanami held her spoon and nodded in agreement.

It’s close, right? That’s how much it costs in the nearby supermarket.

“This must be ‘sontaku’, right?” 

I think Yanami threw out a pretty annoying term.

“What’s that?”

“It upsets the creator if the price is too low. Moreover, you don’t want people to call you stingy. However, you can’t accept a high price since you’d end up losing.”

You’re right. Yanami looked at me, who didn’t and didn’t need to answer, with a chic face. She continued.

“So, the compromise is 400 yen, …right? Yes?”

Yeah, I was considerate of your feelings, but are you supposed to be the one to say it?

“Nukumizu-kun. I want to ask you a question. Are you sure that it’s 400 yen?”

I see. Well, I shall respond to your passionate speech.

“Well, sure. 300-“

“No, no! That’s not what I meant!”

Eh, isn’t this what she wanted?

“Ah, you scared me. This is what I want to say, Nukumizu-kun.”

About what, Yanami-san?

“I’ll break the 400-yen wall with this.”

Bam. Yanami took out a thermos.

“I see. You want to get a better price with soup.”

However, it’s not guaranteed that soup will work. At this point, all soups during lunchtime in the catering industry are free. I mean, even cafes offer you a piece of jam toast when you order a cup of coffee in the morning.

Yanami opened the lid of the thermos and added the content to the omurice.

“Since when did you think that this is soup?”

“This is…white sauce?”

Oh, that’s why she didn’t add tomato sauce. Even though I like tomato sauce more, this girl did put in effort and promotion. Of course, I have to increase the price to pretend that I know a lot.

“450-“

No, from this girl’s method, I bet she’ll make me add more with another set of side dish hell. Now’s not the time to bring up the price tag yet.

“Eh? What did you say?”

I won’t fall into your trap. I silently put the spoon inside my mouth.

“Hmm!? What’s this!? It tastes super good!”

“Hmph hmph, …I used my precious end-of-the-year present, Emperor Hotel White Sauce. Say it. How much is this worth? This taste is from the Emperor Hotel!”

…Tck, she still got me. After hearing the Emperor Hotel’s name, I knew I can’t just randomly throw out a price tag anymore. Although I’m unsure of the taste, I can predict humiliating scenes like, “This broke-ass dude doesn’t even know what Emperor Hotel is”.

“5-500 yen.”

“500 yen, got it.”

Yanami smiled.

She got me completely. However, I have to reduce my loss to a minimum-

“I feel like you two are doing something interesting.”

Yakishio stretched her body and appeared on the other side of the curtain.

“Ah, Remon-chan. Good afternoon. Is your body okay?”

“I’m fine. I feel much better after taking a nap.”

“Thank god, Yakishio-san. I was freaking out back then-“

I can’t help but remember how miserable she was in the storage room. Yakishio looked at me in disbelief as she sat on the chair.

“Hey, Nukkun. I have lost my memories since the middle part. What happened?”

“Eh? No, well! Amanatsu-sensei came to help us!”

“I see. I had no idea. Did Amanatsu-sensei change my clothes too?”

She pinched her PE shirt from the chest. My brain flashed Yakishio’s silky skin again.

‘Yes! Amanatsu-sensei changed it for you! So, I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anything!”

“Of course, no one will watch girls changing clothes.”

“Nukumizu-kun, you’re a bit disgusting.”

The two girls looked at me with cold and suspicious eyes. Can you two please don’t say I’m disgusting? I’ll die from this.

“Well, forget about that. What is this? This feels tasty.”

“Right, I made it. Here, open your mouth.”

Yakishio put the spoon that Yanami handed over in her mouth.

“Wow, this tastes really good! What is this sauce? It’s too tasty!”

“See? This is the taste of the Emperor Hotel. Sigh, regrettably, Nukumizu-kun didn’t seem to understand its true value and gave a half-baked price.”

Yanami chuckled and looked at me as she fed another spoonful to Yakishio. Why are you feeding her from my plate?

“Here, another one.”

“Excuse me. Is Remon here?”

The door was opened. Mitsuki Ayano suddenly appeared. Yakishio slowly closed her mouth.

“Mitsuki!?”

Yakishio immediately sat upright. Her wheat-colored skin can’t cover her gradually blushing face.

“I heard you collapsed from a stroke, but you look really energetic now.”

“No, no, no, I’m about to fall down again! Mitsuki, are you here to take care of me?”

“Here’s your prize. You can still eat these, right?”

The bag has jelly and apple juice inside.

“Is it for me?”

“But you look quite energetic now. I guess you don’t need it.”

“I need it! I don’t have an appetite because I’m not feeling well. Thank you.”

“You’re right.”

Ayano reached his hand to Yakishio’s face.

“M-Mitsuki…!?”

“Your face can’t eat, you know?”

Ayano smiled and took a rice grain off Yakishio's face.

“T-Thank you.”

“Well, I’ll be leaving.”

“Mitsuki, you want to eat here too? Yanami-chan’s omurice is really good.”

Yakishio said that just as Ayano’s about to leave.

“Oh, omurice.”

“Ah, Mitsuki-san, you’re here.”

An adorable face suddenly appeared next to the door. She’s Chihaya Asagumo, Ayano’s classmate in cram school.

“What’s wrong, Chihaya?”

“I’m going to the library since there’s no cram school today. You want to go together?”

“Sorry, I have to go home early today. See you at cram school tomorrow.”

“Sure, I’ll message you at night then.”

Chihaya Asagumo left in a flash. Ayano smiled bitterly.

“Sheesh, didn’t I tell her that we’ll see each other tomorrow?”

He looked like he was complaining, but I think it’s more about embarrassment.

…Wait, how come the aura between these two is different than when they were still in cram school with me?

“Well, I’ll be heading back to the classroom. Don’t push yourself too much, Remon.”

“Sure, thanks!”

Yakishio watched Ayano leave. Her expression is completely a girl who fell in love.

“…Look, Remon-chan’s love aura is going all over the place.”

Yanami came next to me and poked me with her elbow.

“Uh, I think Yakishio-san likes Ayano.”

“I see. What an unexpected couple?”

“I was in the same middle school as they were, but I think those two knew each other since elementary.”

“In other words, they are childhood friends, right?”

Childhood friends, …that’s how Yanami sees them.

Yanami shrugged at me, who’s not resonating at all.

“Nukumizu-kun, there are two types of girls. They are either childhood friends or a cheating cat.”

I see. What a bold statement. Yanami looked at me sternly.

“So, who’s that person?”

“Asagumo-san. I think she's been in the same cram school since year 3 of middle school.”

Yakishio finally snapped out of her dreams and leaned forward. The plates went flying for a moment.

“Let me ask you this. How do you two think about Ayano and Asagumo-san!?”

“I feel like they have a good relationship. They just recently met each other, right? They just look like normal friends to me.”

“Right!? They are just friends, right!?”

“…But, from their mood just then, I think they already started going out, right?”

“Ha?”

The two’s aura made me recoil. It’s scary.

“Eh, what did you say?”

“Nukumizu-kun, do you seriously think that a single year can beat the long journey started in elementary school?”

“Yes, yes! Yanami-chan knows better.”

I think I remember seeing a 10-year candidate losing to a 2-month girl not long ago.

"I feel like I'm also responsible for Remon-chan's love. I'll support you."

“Thanks, I feel much better now!”

It’s good that you’re cheered up. While that’s good-

“Yakishio-san, that’s my lunch.”

“Oh, really? It tastes really good. Why don’t Nukkun just join us?”

“That’s my spoon you’re using too, Yakishio-san.”

“Hmm? It’s fine, here.”

Yakishio moved the spoon around while holding the top part with her mouth.

Uwah, I reluctantly took out the spoon from her mouth. The slimy feeling is very erotic- no, sorry, my bad. It’s filled with her saliva.

I shoved the spoon back into her mouth depressedly again.

“Ugh!?”

“I don’t have an appetite. You should eat more.”

Come to think of it, I really hate taking turns eating things. I forgot about it since I rarely encounter situations like this.

“No, that’s not good, right? I should leave a little bit for you.”

Thanks for only leaving a little bit for me.

“Right, Nukumizu-kun. Komari-chan asked me to tell you something. She wants you to show up in the club after school.”

Yanami said that as she ate. What is it? Did the student council scold Komari again?

I can’t help but look at the two girls eating.

Even though both Yanami and Yakishio look very cute, their personalities are less than pleasing.

Also, Yakishio has the same losing heroine vibe as Yanami.

“Thanks for the food.”

Just as I’m thinking about these very impolite things, a warm spoon is shoved into my mouth. The taste of egg and sauce is spreading on my tongue.

“!?”

“I told you that I’m leaving you a little bit.”

Yakishio gently said that and stood up.

“Alright, I’ll be going back. Tell sensei I said hi.”

How can you just put a spoon into other people’s mouths? Especially when it was in yours. Do you think you’re pretty cute- well, she is cute, but that doesn’t mean she should do that.

Yakishio walked outside. As for Yanami, she glanced at me while chuckling.

“Ara, isn’t your face red?”

“T-That’s impossible!”

“It’s an indirect kiss, after all. This isn’t good. You shouldn’t think about weird things in school.”

“I-I told you that’s not the case.”

I took the plate and quickly finished the remaining omurice.

“Oh, right, I remembered. I’m going shopping with my friends, so I won’t be in the Literature Club.”

“I see. Got it.”

By the way, are you seriously joining the Literature Club? You don’t even know what the club is doing.

“Can you go to the club alone? Will you break down in tears from loneliness?”

What was that? Are you messing with me again? I immediately raised my head, and Yanami looked genuinely worried about me.

Eh, is she really worried about me?

“I can go alone.”

“Really? That’s great. Well, give it your all.”

Yanami’s expression immediately turned to relief. Then, she scooped up the remaining rice with her spoon skillfully.

…Right now, what is my character in Yanami’s eyes?

*

After school, Tsukinoki-senpai is looking at Komari and me with serious eyes in the clubroom.

Komari twirled her fingers nervously. She hid her hands under the table after noticing that I’m looking at her.

“There’s only one reason that I called you all here. It’s something about the Literature Club’s future.”

Senpai raised her index fingers pretendingly.

“Something troublesome and something more troublesome, which one do you two want to hear first?”

“Is there something that’s not troublesome?”

“Well, there’s something very annoying and time-wasting, if I have to say.”

“I’m sorry. Please say the troublesome thing first.”

Senpai quickly nodded and put down her hands.

“The days of just reading are coming to an end. We have to shift gears to writing.”

“Eh, even though the Literature Club wrote nothing before?”

“No, no, we were writing. Once upon a time, the Literature Club wrote club journals. There’s also a member praised by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. I wonder if we have a member like that or not. Yeah, I don’t think we do.”

Which means we don’t, right?

“Why did we stop now?”

“You don’t understand at all.”

Tck, tck, tck. Tsukinoki-senpai swung her finger and smiled confidently.

“Because we all talk with no action.”

Komari nodded in agreement. Huh, is this an inside joke of the Literature Club?

“To be honest, it’s because the student council came to the presidents’ meeting. They questioned our lack of writing despite having it on our club activities content.”

“Ha?”

“We used to be able to cover our tracks cleverly. But, it suddenly got out for some reason.”

Eh, don’t tell me that…? A horrifying student council member’s face appeared in my mind.

…No, I have to change the topic.

“So, does that mean we have to start making journals again?”

“No, we don’t have the budget for paper nor printing. Also, there’s no way for us to publish them. So.”

Tsukinoki-senpai raised her phone smugly.

“We’ll be raising our sails in the digital ocean. In other words, we’ll be submitting drafts to <Let’s Become an Author>!.” [TL: A reference to Shosetsuka ni Naro, Let’s Become a Novelist.]

Clap, clap, clap. Komari clapped her hands for some reason. Senpai raised her hand to signal Komari to be quiet. I’m confused by the sudden request.

“First of all, whether it’s chapter 1 or short stories, it’s okay as long as we upload something.”

Indeed, you can skip printing if you upload it online. There’s no need to think of a way to publish it. It’s very good for club activities.”

“Well, it’s time for the more troublesome thing.”

Right, there’s a second one. I can’t help but straighten my back.

“The Literature Club will have a training camp this weekend.”

“What?”

“I booked two empty rooms in a hostel in Tahara this weekend.”

“Eh, wait, isn’t this weekend the day after tomorrow?”

“The recent publishing industry is all about speed, you know? I’m just as passionate as you young people, alright? Can you two keep up!?”

Komari clapped her hands again. Then, she pulled out her phone after pondering it for a moment.

<Honestly, I want to stay home this weekend.>

Yeah, honestly, I don’t feel like it either.

“Hoho, …it looks like you two don’t understand at all. Can you still say that after hearing this?”

Tsukinoki-senpai smiled confidently. For some reason, her glasses suddenly flashed.

“…Canned session.”

What? She’s not talking about canned tuna, right? It must be that thing where the author locks himself up in a hotel or something when the deadline is near. So, what are you trying to say?

“O-Oh…”

Komari looked like her soul was out of her body. Woah, what’s with this reaction?

“You two are looking forward to it, right? Excited?”

“Y-Y-Yes, canned sessions are awesome!”

Komari nodded rapidly. Is that really true? I don’t understand.

“You can write on paper or your phone. Prez will bring a laptop. Let’s use it to upload our stuff.”

“But we haven’t decided what to write yet.”

“You can do it during the weekend. The minimum is to have an outline ready before that.”

Even though I do have something I want to write, honestly, this is a bit too sudden.

“Does Senpai have an idea already?”

“It’s <Let’s Become an Author>, after all. I’ll write an isekai novel.”

Huh, that’s unexpected. I didn’t know Senpai liked trendy things.

“First of all, Mishima committed seppuku and got reincarnated into another world. Then, Dazai followed him by jumping into the Tamagawa Aqueduct. That’s the prologue.”

Senpai, can’t you write something a bit more trendy?

“Isn’t the order reversed? Dazai died first.”

“I know, but you can ignore trivial things like that during writing. The most important part is their mutual love for each other.”

“Komari-san, is that true?”

I can’t help but ask Komari.

<Indeed, Nukumizu, you don’t understand at all. Literature is all about writing a person’s feelings.>

Komari didn’t even bother to look at me as she typed that on her phone.

“Anyway, in my settings, you can recover in a spa even after getting hit by a Yamanote Line train. It’s just that this is R-18. So, regrettably, I can’t show you.”

Isn’t this supposed to be a club activity?

“R-18…isn’t good.”

Yeah, tell her that- wait, who’s voice is that?

“Uwah!”

The person standing in the shadow of the bookshelf is the secretary of the student council, Shikiya-san. In contrast to my fear, Tsukinoki-senpai calmly glanced at her.

“Shikiya, since when are you here?”

“I’m not sure. …I was waiting for people, …and then I fell asleep.”

Shikiya-san tilted her head lazily and stared at me.

“You guys…are taking your club activities seriously. …That’s worthy of praise.”

Just like before, she’s writing something in her notebook without even looking at it. Then, she collapsed onto the seat next to her.

“Tsukinoki-senpai, …if you want a training camp, please…submit a request.”

“I got it. Prez’ll give it to you before school ends.”

“The student council…will always be…watching you all.”

I don’t mind someone watching me, but I hope they only do it for a moment. Look, Komari hid inside the shadow of the bookshelf.

“Shikiya, does the student council hate us?”

“No, all clubs…are under our watch. …Budget, …reduce, …closure, …eradicate.”

The things that she’s saying are a bit horrifying.

After a while, Shikiya-san departed the room silently.

What happened? I still don’t understand how I should talk to her.

“Senpai, do you and Shikiya-san know each other?”

“Yes, I had something to do with her a while ago. Usually, she would be a bit more honest. She rarely moves or goes outside.”

“Is her high school life really okay?”

“Also, despite her looks, she has really good grades. I think she ranked in the top 10 in the last exam.”

Seriously? Her grades are good despite being a gal. Her character setting is really meeting a lot of my standards. It would be perfect if she can hide her terrifying side.

“I feel like Senpai should have good grades too, right?”

Komari kicked my chair right after I said that.

“N-Nukumizu! T-Talking about Tsukinoki-senpai’s grades is banned in this club!”

“Eh, Tsukinoki-senpai doesn’t do well in exams?”

Even though she’s wearing glasses. I hid that sentence inside my brain.

“Please call this a hopeful grade. Well, all that talk. What’s your grade, then? Didn’t we just have an exam recently?”

“37th out of the whole year.”

The two dropped their jaws shockingly. Do I look like a guy who can’t study?

“How should I say this? …I can’t feel the possibilities.”

“Y-Yes, average-san. You should reflect on yourself.”

What? What’s with the rash judgment?

“I guess so. It’s like an elite and cold boy in glasses fighting with the no.1 in class or a completely opposite character. Something like being forced to accept a masochist class president’s secret education to avoid being held back a year. I don’t feel these kinds of possibilities with Nukumizu-kun at all.”

I don’t need these kinds of possibilities at all.

“I-In this sense, it’s…better for you to be like Senpai and get 222nd.”

“Yeah, I guess you can say I’m a person with possibilities.”

Out of all the things, this is the one you’re not embarrassed about?

There are 6 classes in our high school. Each class has 38 people. …So, a grade has 228 people.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Senpai? The entrance exam’s this year.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m determined about it. I’ll choose my unis seriously.”

“No, the unis are choosing you, no matter how you think about it.”

I was tricked by her glasses and pretty face. This person is quite ridiculous.

“S-Senpai, what about Saturday?”

After Komari said that, Senpai seemed to have remembered something and started searching for stuff on her phone.

“Let’s see. Take the Atsumi Line and- head south. Then, we’ll find a good chance to drop off. I bet there’ll be buses after we get off. Yeah, there must be.”

Are you sure we’ll be fine?

“Well, I guess we’ll see each other at 7 or 8 AM on Saturday. Let’s meet at the gates of Aichidaigaku-Mae Station.”

Tsukinoki-senpai smiled.

…I’m pretty sure we won’t be fine.

*

I took a detour to Toyohashi Station before going home. It’s because I have to investigate new releases in Seibunkan’s flagship store. [TL: Seibunkan Bookstore]

Of course, I have to investigate the latest trend for my draft at <Let’s Become an Author>.

I’ve already checked out the hot web novels and jargon. However, most web novels are in large format. Since they are different from actual books, I’m not sure what those really look like. I scanned through the pile.

“Yeah, isekai is still mainstream…”

The isekai genre is sometimes used as comedy or jidaigeki. I don’t hate authors scrambling for ideas while merging them into the same worldview to create something fresh.

“Yeah, I guess this has to be it.”

“Nukumizu, m-move.”

A short girl suddenly pushed me away.

“Eh, why are you here, Komari-san?”

“I-Investigation. It’s because I-I don’t really understand light novels. I-I’m here to learn.”

Komari looked at all kinds of covers with interest.

“T-The size of novels is really large recently…”

“Yeah, those are mostly serialized web novels. These types of fantasy isekai books are called the ‘become type’.”

“O-Oh, i-it’s like reincarnation?”

“Yes, adding OP MCs or slice-of-life elements to the decade-old isekai genre. While the two don’t look relevant on the surface, their source is yearned for by people tired of the cruelty of modern society.”

“S-Source?”

“The source is an indiscriminate sense of acknowledgment. Elements that may harm the readers are non-existent. It’s a world that’s kind to everyone.”

“Doesn’t slice-of-life heal people too?”

“While slice-of-life is nice, OP powers are pretty much a requirement. It’s because the main audience is adults. They yearn for something that poor people can’t get, even if they got isekai’d.”

“A-Adults’ lives are really tough…”

Komari can’t help but sigh.

“The praises after the victory in battle and the long-lasting love in slice-of-life are the same. If I have to say it, it’s just that they are presented in different ways. Recently, there are sub-genres like unlucky heroines or MCs who gave up on promised marriages and got exiled-“

“…I-It’s too long. W-Well, are there any rules for these similar titles?”

Isekai, OP powers, and then a super long, self-explanatory book title. I’ve already answered this a dozen times in my mind.

“Book titles are the explanation of a commodity concept targeting readers. Things like ‘you’ll get full from one of our bread with fried ham alone’. In other words, book titles naturally turned into something a bit more summarizing.”

“I-I see. Well, did Nukumizu…come up with a book title?”

“Of course, the best solution I’ve come up with is <An Isekai Sage Uses His OP Powers and Aims for a Self-Sufficient Slow Life>. First of all, let’s set a small goal-“

“T-The novel’s already here.”

“Eh?”

Oh, she’s right, and it’s already on volume 5.

Ah, someone already wrote it? Even though the MC in my book already got his 6th wife.

“H-Haha…”

Komari can’t hide her laughter anymore.

“A-After all that talk, someone already wrote it.”

Tck, I can’t talk back.

“Well, how about you, Komari-san? Did you come up with anything?”

“W-Well, I’m not really interested in isekai. F-Follow me.”

She brought me to the normal books area. These are the originals that got a TV or movie adaptation. They are at the center between romance and occult novels.

“I-In reality, I’ve always been writing stuff like that…”

“Eh, really?”

Shit, she’s getting ahead.

“W-Well, you thought of a title already?”

I pretended nothing’s wrong and asked her. Remember, I can’t despise her even if there’s plagiarism.

Komari pulled her phone embarrassedly.

“<The Warm Chronicles of Youkai Café>.”

From the looks of the title, I think it’s either a short story or sotchi-kei. Regrettably, I’m not talented on that side at all. I casually scanned the bookshelf to see what’s trending in this genre. [TL: Sotchi-kei, “that” type. A subtle way of saying BL-type.]

“Hey, there’s one with the exact same name.”

I can’t help but reach out to that novel.

“N-No, look closely. This is ‘records’. Mine is ‘chronicles’.”

“This counts as a different title?”

“Of. Course.”

Komari puffed up her chest smugly.

“In other words, you’re saying that we don’t really need to mind having the same titles?”

“I-I’m not 100% copying it like Nukumizu.”

“Aren’t you the same, Komari?”

“Y-You’re calling my name directly!?”

Komari glared at me. Woah, hold on.

“You’re the one to call me directly first. Also, adding a -san every time is annoying.”

“Ah, uh, I-I guess.”

Komari reluctantly agreed. She complained while pinching the bottom of her uniform. Sigh, she’s always giving me a handful.

“Well, I’ll go back after buying a book.”

“W-Wait! I-Is Y-Y-Yanami here?”

“Eh? No, I’m alone today.”

“T-That’s not what I meant! D-Did Yanami join the Literature Club?”

“It’s hard to say. I think she’s joining. Are you worried?”

Indeed, Komari probably thinks that it’s better to have a girl at her age.

“Yanami’s pretty cute, a-after all.”

“Yanami is cute, so what?”

“T-The Literature Club isn’t for adorable girls.”

Stop right there. You better apologize to all of the Literature Club girls in Japan. Right. Now.

“No, that’s not the case, right? Look, isn’t Tsukinoki-senpai beautiful?”

Okay, perhaps I should calm down first. There are only two girls in the Literature Club. I wonder what the other’s reaction is when I praise one of them only.

“S-She’s different. I-I’m way less charming than her…”

“No, that’s not true.”

Yep, I already expected troublesome lines like this. Alright, let’s search for her good points.

…I secretly glanced at Komari’s face. Her slightly trembling lips are plain. One of her eyes is covered by her hair. Her big eyes are mundane under her double eyelids.

“Komari’s face looks pretty too. There’s no need to go so hard on yourself.”

“Wha!?”

Komari threw her schoolbag onto the ground and immediately distanced herself away from me. She squeezed this sentence out with her face as red as tomatoes.

“#-#MeToo…”

“What!? No! I said that in a normal tone. I didn’t say anything weird!”

Look, do you have to say that to me when I’m just trying to praise you?

Komari trembled as she glared at me. I sighed. Fine, whatever. I can’t do anything if you hate me so much.

“Indeed, I shouldn’t just judge a girl’s face, even if I want to praise her. I’m sorry.”

“Ah, o-oh, i-it’s good that you understand.”

You know, why even bother to drag me into the club if you hate me so much? What do you want?

“I’ll tell Yanami-san to come to the club. I guess I’ll show up less frequently.”

“E-Eh? Hey, …p-please wait.”

I’ve had enough. She’s getting increasingly annoying. Let’s just randomly pick one and go home.

Just as I’m about to turn around, Komari hits the back of my head.

“Ouch! What are you doing!?”

“W-Well, no! That’s not what I meant!”

Komari approached me furiously.

Uwah, I have no idea why she’s mad. I should be the one in #MeToo, right?

“S-Senpai will get mad at me! S-So, you must show up in the club!”

“What do you even want from me? Alright, I’ll be there tomorrow. Calm down.”

Can you just calm down already? Komari typed something on her phone and handed it to me.

<It’s not just tomorrow. Always.>

“…Always?”

“Yes!”

Komari ran away after saying that.

What just happened…? I don’t understand. Her saliva is all over my face now.

I wiped it off helplessly.

*

It’s really late now.

Even though summer’s reaching the end, the sunset still stains the streets with a faint red glow.

The sky will turn deep blue in just a little bit. Then, the remnants of the day will be swallowed by darkness.

The unknown insecurities inside my chest made me speed up.

A familiar person in a school uniform appeared in front of me. She’s my little sister, Kaju. The red sunset between the buildings is shining next to her feet. She’s holding a shopping bag that looks really heavy. For some reason, this calmed me down. I went behind her and took the bag.

“That scared me! Onii-sama, did you just get here?”

“Yeah, Kaju’s going home late too.”

“Dad and mom will be home a bit later, so Kaju chatted with my friends for a while.”

I looked inside the bag. There is raw udon, onions, quail eggs, and yams. …I guess she’s trying to make our house’s classic dish, Toyohashi curry udon.

Suddenly, I noticed Kaju looking at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Onii-sama, there’s no one in the house during the weekend. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“I’m fine. Why did you ask?”

“It’s because Kaju thinks that you may get lonely. Won’t you bathe in tears alone?”

Okay, first of all, why does everyone think I get lonely very easily?

“I’ll be okay. Also, I’ll be going on a trip with my club this weekend.”

“Eh!? In other words, onii-sama finally has friends!?”

“Well, no, that’s not-“

Kaju ignored me and dashed cheerfully. Then, she came across a store.

“Shopkeeper, can I have some good red beans!? I want to make red bean rice!”

“Oh, Kaju-chan. Did something good happen?”

The shopkeeper wiped his hand with his apron as he walked out. Huh, I guess Kaju knows a lot of people.

“My onii-san finally got a friend for the first time! I want to make red bean rice as a celebration.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You must be Kaju-chan’s onii-san, right? Everyone in the shopping district is really worried about you.”

Wait, when the hell did that happen? I don’t want to come to this shopping district anymore.

“I was going to invite you as the checkpoint person of our shopping district’s stamp race. It looks like that’s out of the question now.”

Don’t. Please don’t. I’m serious.

“But, congrats. Kaju-chan, here’s some rice crackers too.”

“Thank you, shopkeeper! Well, what does onii-sama’s friend look like? I bet he must be just as elite as onii-sama.”

Kaju got close to me with bright eyes.

“Eh, no, how should I put it?”

“Don’t tell me it’s a girl!? What should I do now? Kaju has to be responsible for the interview-“

“Hey, …they aren’t actually my friends, okay?”

“Oh.”

The store immediately went quiet. The sound-controlled lights turned off after making a clean noise. It’s dark.

“…Shopkeeper, I’ll have some soybeans instead. I’m making a seaweed stew.”

“Yeah, right. …I’ll put in some wheat for you too.”

How did this turn from a celebration to a funeral? Did I do something wrong?

“W-Well, I’ll try my best too.”

“Okay, …but don’t push yourself too hard.”

We started making our way home.

“By the way, onii-sama’s going on a trip with the club? This must be a first-time for you, right?”

“The last time was when I got dragged into boy’s scout in 5th grade.”

That summer has forever traumatized me.

“Clubs and trips. Onii-sama is always making progress little by little.”

“Wait, this counts? I feel like I’m just living with the flow.”

“Isn’t this nice too? Onii-sama’s following a good flow.”

Kaju gently smiled as she patted my head.

“Onii-sama is working hard. Good boy.”

Then, Kaju took the shopping bag from my hand.

“What? Are we splitting?”

“Yes, I’ll spoil onii-sama a lot today.”

Kaju’s smile is shining under the sunset.

I gave her a bitter smile. After that, I slowed down my pace for Kaju.

By the way, I don’t know whether I should feel embarrassed or sorry when my little sister’s spoiling me.

…Anyway, as her onii-san, I guess I’ll work a bit harder.

<Today’s remaining debt: 2367 yen>

*

Literature Club Report

<Is It More Painful to Wait or to Sleep Alone?> by Koto Tsukinoki.

 

[TL: BL warning.]

 

The corridor is echoing with sounds of someone putting pieces on the board.

The man in a military uniform pulled the door open. A man wearing kasuri clothing is sitting in front of the chessboard. He stroked his long and messy mustache without paying any attention to the surroundings as usual.

The man in a military uniform yelled loudly.

“Why are you here?”

To the sudden intruder, the man in kasuri clothing raised his head with fear for a moment. After seeing his military uniform, his eyes returned to the board.

“It’s you, Mishima-kun.”

He lazily fiddled the pieces with his hand as he continued.

“My wish finally came true. I’m here now. That’s good. However, I still don’t understand how I’m supposed to win this match.”

He moved another piece again as if he’s saying half of his reason here is to play chess.

“Those elves have some exquisite craftsmanship. They can make something they have never seen with such details, whether it’s clothes or chess.”

Mishima glanced at him.

“Also, elf girls are really good at taking ‘care’ of people.”

He laughed self-mockingly before moving yet another piece.

Mishima sat down opposite him respectfully.

“Dazai-san, do you know where we are?”

“Even though I wanted to say we’re somewhere in another world, it’s not that different from Tsugaru. The Master of the Forest is just as imposing.”

“You already met with the Master of the Forest?”

“Yeah, he ended up sending me a blonde girl as my servant. I guess humans never change wherever we are.”

The pieces in his hand are knocking each other as he smiles.

“You’re always making excuses like this. There’s no way you should be rotting your life away in here. Please visit the Master of the Forest again and acquire a way to keep living.”

“You’re always talking about the Master. What, aren’t you here to see me?”

He got really close to Mishima with his long and messy mustache. The latter fell silent.

“I heard this before. You committed seppuku. So, does it hurt?”

Mishima didn’t answer. Instead, he moved the king a step forward on the board.

“…My mind hasn’t changed. I still can’t fall in love with Dazai-san.”

“That’s just what you said. You still came here to see me, right? Doesn’t this mean you’re in love with me?”

Dazai pushed the chessboard away. His hands are now tightly holding Mishima’s instead of the pieces.

“Dazai-san, I’m-“

“See? You love me, don’t you?”

Despite having pneumonia, his strength is still strong enough to press Mishima’s masculine body onto the tatami with ease-

The following content requires Prez’s permission.

*

The second day is Friday. I can sense restlessness from the morning classroom.

The classmates are greeting their friends. At the same time, they must be talking about hanging out this weekend, right? Even though phones are everywhere, face-to-face conversation is the foundation of all interpersonal relationships.

This is how healthy people should be. However, their freedom is slightly restricted.

“…Freedom, right?”

I crossed my fingers on the table and mumbled to myself.

People always say freedom comes along with being alone. A guy like me doesn’t need to adjust my weekend schedule at all.

…That should’ve been the case.

Yesterday, I took the unreliable Tsukinoki-senpai’s place and checked the trains and buses for tomorrow’s trip.

Incidentally, I also checked out the tourist’s hotspots too, and I say incidentally. This is definitely not because I’m looking forward to the trip.

“Good morning, Nukkun!”

“Eh, good…morning.”

Why is she greeting me? Yakishio sat down in front of me.

“Yakishio-san? Eh, why?”

“What do you mean by why? It’s morning, right? I came here to say hi.”

That’s true, but are we close enough to chat with each other after saying good morning?

Yakishio ignored my confusion. She tilted her head and said this.

“Hey, I remembered what happened in the storage room yesterday. Let’s not dilly-dally around. After school-“

“What!? Y-You remembered it!?”

This girl remembered how lewd she was. How can she be so calm?

“I didn’t see anything! I didn’t see anything!”

Even though I didn’t, the touch over her PE shirts certainly left a long-lasting mark on me. It’s soft, …or not, but I can feel how bouncy she was. I can’t help but look away from her.

“Hmm? What are you saying? I’m talking about Ayano coming to borrow books.”

“Eh? Books?”

“Didn’t you say he can come? Did Nukkun get a heat stroke too?”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I remember now. Okay, sure.”

“Well, see you after school.”

Yakishio waved her hands and quickly returned to her seat. I pressed my chest in relief.

…Wait, what’s happening? Everyone in the class is looking at me. Most of them are boys.

Why are all the guys staring at a background character like me? Also, these are definitely menacing glares. They are hostile and jealous…

*

“-and then that happened. Why?”

I’m at the emergency stairs right now. It’s lunch break. Yanami took out a basket as she answered my question calmly.

“It’s because Remon-chan is pretty popular. I bet it’s because Nukumizu-chan is chatting with her intimately, right?”

“Yeah, she’s very popular. I see.”

I see. She’s very popular.

“…Who’s popular?”

“Ha? I told you it’s Remon-chan. Are you okay?”

Seriously? She’s popular? Even though she’s indeed energetic and adorable, her personality is like that, you know?

“Remon-chan’s cheerful and cute. Although she’s a bit handful sometimes, also, how she passed the entrance exam remains one of the Seven Wonders of Tsuwabuki High School.”

Yanami nodded in agreement.

“Cheerful and cute.”

I see. Well, I don’t have anything else to say. She’s cheerful and adorable, after all.

I took a look at today’s bento. The basket has two servings of lunch. Aside from rice balls, it’s filled with sausages, karaage, broccoli, and some others. It’s all easy food with toothpicks on it.

I see. It’s more convenient to eat them separately. By the way.

“…Why didn’t you just make this at the start?”

“You’re right. This should’ve been the case.”

Yanami mumbled to herself in disbelief.

“Yeah, this is the correct answer.”

I took a rice ball. Images of the bento box made of leaflets, disintegrating rice piles, omurice that has been in another person’s mouth flashed inside my mind like I’m about to die. Oh, the last part has nothing to do with the bento.

“Forget about that. Nukumizu-kun, the trip you just mentioned sounds kind of interesting.”

“Who knows. It’s supposed to be an author’s lockdown session. I’m not sure whether it’s interesting.”

I tasted the filling rice balls calmly. The sharp chewing sound from my teeth made me look down. The rice ball has Mikawa’s famous pickled cucumbers.

“It’s a single night, right? The girls are only Tsukinoki-senpai and Komari-chan, right?”

“Yeah, Shintaro-senpai and I are the boys.”

Yanami started looking up something on her phone.

“There’s a sea bath nearby. I wonder whether my swimsuit from last year still fits.”

“Wait, you have to change swimsuits every year?”

Or actually, you’re planning to come?

“It’s not like I have to change every year, but don’t you want to see me in a new swimsuit?”

“It’s not about whether I want to see or not. Didn’t we just buy new swimsuits this year?”

“Eh? I didn’t. Nukumizu-kun, what are you talking about?”

Yanami’s face twitched as she distanced herself from me.

“You’re a bit disgusting, …no, you’re pretty disgusting.”

This girl just said disgusting twice. Not once, but twice.

“Didn’t we buy them? All first-years bought the same swimsuits as a group, right?”

“…Oh, that’s what you’re talking about?”

Yanami’s face immediately cooled down. She shook her head in regret.

“It’s a bit too much to wear school swimsuits in a sea bath. That’s even worse than just underwear alone.”

“Ha, is it that bad?”

In other words, have all these people been wearing such embarrassing clothing during swimming lessons?

“Of course, also, you can’t say that, Nukumizu-kun. Even though I know I just misunderstood, that’s an ungodly amount of disgusting.”

That was her third disgusting. I should change the topic before she completes a tally.

“It takes the whole weekend. Are you sure your schedule allows it?”

“Well, …I bumped into Auntie when I was going home yesterday.”

Yanami suddenly plopped her head down. Her tone turned a bit gloomy too.

“Auntie?”

“Souske’s mom. Our families are very close since we’re childhood friends.”

Yeah, I can tell she’s going to say something troublesome again.

“Auntie asked me why I didn’t pick up Sosuke in the morning recently. She wondered if something happened. Haha, it’s funny, right? He already has a girlfriend, and I still have to wake him up in the morning. Isn’t this weird?”

“Ah, well, you’re right.”

“Then, Auntie asked me whether I had a fight with Sosuke. We used to argue about all kinds of small things, after all.”

Yanami looked at the clouds afar.

“…We would’ve made up long ago if this was just a fight.”

Please don’t say things that are hard for me to respond to.

“After that, both families misunderstood that I’m fighting with Sosuke. So, they are now planning to have a BBQ this weekend- and it’s supposed to be a surprise.”

Yanami suddenly leaned forward.

“So, please! Bring me to the ocean!”

Her line is straight out of a 20th century TV drama.

“No, why didn’t you just say you’ll be playing outside? It’s not as bad as you think, right?”

“Are you underestimating how much of a BBQ fan my dad is!? He’ll stay there and keep grilling until I’m back!”

“Well, just say you’ll sleep at a friend’s house.”

“If I’m in a friend’s house, we have to talk about romance or the mood will get worse, okay? Unlike you, I don’t want to lose my friends.”

How impolite. Also, I won’t lose friends because I don’t have any to start with.

Just as I’m racking my brain to come up with a way to reject her, Yanami glared at me.

“Hey, are you thinking about how to stop me from coming?”

“No, I’m not. Right, why don’t you explain this whole thing to your friends and ask them for help?”

After I said that, Yanami looked pretty upset.

“…Well, I don’t want my friends to be involved in something about Sosuke.”

“Wait, so you didn’t tell anyone about this?”

“I didn’t go out of my way to say it. My friends won’t get themselves involved even if I told them, so I just kept my usual appearance.”

Yanami squinted her eyes as if it’s too bright.

“Despite my looks, I’m very considerate of other people’s feelings, you know?”

“If only you could be considerate to me too.”

Yanami mumbled quietly to my complaint.

“After all, ..Nukumizu-kun is the only person I can say these things to.”

“Sigh, …alright, sure.”

I think she already said something like this before.

I guess I’ll let her go. I took out my phone in defeat.

“I’ll ask Tsukinoki-senpai, alright? Yanami-san isn’t a club member yet, after all.”

“I’ll join! I’ll join right now! Can you give me Tsukinoki-senpai’s info? I’ll ask her.”

“You can see her ID in Line, but even if I want to tell you, I don’t know your ID, Yanami-san.”

Yanami looked at me dazedly.

“You can just click on my profile in the class group.”

Oh, our class’s group. The class-

“Wait, there’s a class group?”

“…Huh?”

Yanami seems to have remembered something after going silent for a moment. She looked at her phone in embarrassment.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I should say.”

Yanami’s moving her eyes.

“But, this feels like Nukumizu-kun. I guess it’s your character, right.”

Can you at least comfort me properly? The word “character” isn’t that all-powerful, alright?

“It’s fine. I don’t really care since I didn’t start using Line until recently.”

“I-I see. Yeah, it’s your character. Well, let’s exchange IDs. Do you know how to add me?”

“Leave it to me. We just shake our phones, right?”

I gave my phone to Tsukinoki-senpai since I didn’t know how it worked when joining the Literature Club’s group. After that, I also looked it up online.

“What’s that? That doesn’t exist, right?”

“Eh?”

No? There’s no shaky-shaky? Where did it go?

“Here, give me your QR code.”

How…does this work? Yanami handed her phone to me just as I’m still confused.

“Alright, I added you. Accept it.”

“Oh, I see. That’s how you add people.”

“Yes, and then Nukumizu-kun should add me to the club’s group.”

Yanami nodded in satisfaction after I clicked on my phone multiple times.

“By the way, since when did Remon-chan and Nukumizu-kun get so close?”

Yanami counted the karaage with a toothpick as she asked.

“Do we look like we’re close?”

“Didn’t she give you a nickname?”

Nukkun. I think she just spewed that out when she was half-unconscious in the storage room. The name kept, I guess. Also, if I have to talk about the contact point between Yakishio and me-

“Well, the one you also met in the nurse room. Mitsuki Ayano from class D.”

“Oh, the guy who received Remon-chan’s love beam. He’s quite handsome.”

“Ayano said he’ll be coming to the Literature Club to borrow books, and then she injected herself into the situation.”

Hmph. Yanami hmphed before putting the karaage and broccoli in her mouth.

“How about I call you Nukkun too?”

Eh, that’s sudden.

“50 yen per day.”

I averted Yanami’s sparkling eyes.

“No, I’m good.”

…Kaju, I know how to reject salesman calls now.

*

The 5th lesson is over. I avoided people as I crossed the corridor to kill time.

I have to discuss the trip in the club after the next lesson. I think Ayano and Yakishio are coming too. It suddenly got really busy. Ah, last week’s peaceful days look pretty nostalgic now.

I walked outside the school building. The taps next to the playground are always full of people after PE lessons are over.

That’s under normal circumstances. I slowly turned the tap. However, when the swimming pool’s open, this place turns into a quiet paradise. It’s not too far or close to the classrooms. The most important part is that it’s outside, which gives me a sense of accomplishment. This is different from other taps.

Water that has a scent of dirt is pleasing in its own way too. I took a sip of the warm water, wiped my lips, and raised my head.

…Then, a familiar face appeared in front of me. She’s wiping her mouth too.

“N-Nukumizu, why are you here?”

Chika Komari’s tasting the water of the tap opposite to mine. Also, she showed an explicitly annoyed look.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Y-You went all the way out here?”

Komari’s straight-up looking down on me now. What’s wrong with her? She pisses me off.

“Aren’t you the same? You’re here because you don’t feel like staying in the classroom, right?”

“N-None of your business. I-I came here to investigate tap water.”

Oh ho, an investigation, huh? I’m pretty excited. Who do you think the man in front of you is?

“Komari, I know a lot about our school’s water too. If you said that, this means that you must have conducted a lot of research, right?”

“W-Well, let me ask you then. Where did you go in the morning?”

Komari looked at me seriously. The tap water game. Starts.

“East side of the 4th floor, next to year 3’s classrooms. I often go there before the 2nd lesson starts.”

“R-Reason?”

“It’s because the water from this period is the one left in the water pipe yesterday. In other words, there’s less smell of bleaching powder, and it’s colder because of the summer. Water turns stale in the morning. So, the water on the 4th floor satisfied all of the conditions, making it the best.”

Komari sighed.

“Yeah, water is better the closer it is to the tank. However, the freshness comes from the bleaching powder. So, the water on the 4th floor is perfectly balanced between freshness and the smell of bleaching powder.”

After that, I swept up my bangs smugly. Literal perfection.

However, Komari laughed out loud as she looked at me, who believed my victory was absolute.

“H-Ho, h-how shallow.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“T-The water on the 4th floor should be tasted r-right before lunch.”

Lunch? Water on the higher floors shouldn’t be consumed at such a late time.

“Why? It’s full of the smell of bleaching powder at noon. The water turns stale too.”

“T-That’s why I said you’re shallow. W-Warm water has the least burden on your stomach.”

Komari’s face looked like she won already. I kept up the pressure despite the worsening fight.

“What!? But the bleaching powder is so intense that you can’t drink it-“

“W-Why don’t you just get used to the smell of the powder with your nose?”

“Get used to it?”

Is it really necessary to smell bleaching powder before lunch? …Wait, don’t tell me.

“T-The smell of the toilet covers the bleaching powder…”

“!?”

Ah, I should’ve never asked that.

“At least go inside the clubroom!”

“Y-You can’t use clubrooms during lunch because people always skip lessons there.”

A tragedy like this is born from someone’s laziness.

“Komari, do you want to have lunch at my place?”

“Eh!?”

What kind of reaction is that? You’re just as impolite.

“I didn’t say we’re eating together. There’s no one at the emergency stairs in the old building. Just don’t sit next to me, okay?”

“I-I’ll consider it.”

Komari quickly left without looking at me. Even though she’s like this now, I already got used to her. Well, at least she doesn’t need her phone to talk to me now.

…Oh, shit, the next lesson’s starting.

I followed Komari and dashed inside.

[TL: If you’re wondering about all of this water talk, the name Nukumizu literally means “warm water”.]

*

After school, the Literature Club.

Mitsuki Ayano visited the club with Yakishio. He’s holding the final volume of Kobo Abe’s series.

“Wow, it’s really amazing when I look at it. Which one should I borrow?”

Tsukinoki-senpai looked at him crossing his arms in satisfaction. Yanami joined the club. Yakishio and Ayano are visiting now. Senpai is in a very good mood.

“No need to be polite. You can borrow as many as you like.”

“Did Senpai read this already?”

Ayano looked at the index as he stroked the books.

“I’ve only read <The Woman in the Dunes> and <The Box Man>. That <S. Karma> on the side isn’t interesting to me, so I stopped after the beginning.”

“Isn’t that the beginning of the entire series?”

Ayano laughed at Tsukinoki-senpai’s joke as he took out a book.

“Well, I’ll borrow Volume 12 today.”

Yakishio stood behind me. She looked at Ayano’s book in disbelief.

“Ayano, won’t you miss something if you start from the middle? Shouldn’t you start from Volume 1?”

She said that.

“Eh? Oh, I got it. Relax, I won’t miss anything. The stories aren’t connected.”

“I see. It’s different from One Piece.”

“Yes, it’s a bit different. This volume has the script I want to read.”

This guy’s really good at dealing with Yakishio. Even though Chihaya’s there, these two suit each other unexpectedly.

I turned to Yanami. A crown that said “new member” is on her head. She’s humming songs as she’s eating pocky. It looks like the reception’s going well.

“By the way, Ayano-kun. Are you interested in the Literature Club?”

Senpai took the opportunity and started persuading Ayano.

“I’m interested, but cram school is too busy. I may cause trouble for you guys if I don’t partake in any club activities.”

“No worries. There’s none. You can borrow books whenever you like. Leave it to Nukumizu-kun for club activities. You can read all the books on this shelf. Also-“

Tsukinoki-senpai’s glasses flashed eerily.

“A librarian is bound to be in the Literature Club every year. So, you can take a shortcut when there are new books in the library.”

“Eh, really?”

“Yes.”

Although I’m not sure what Ayano’s thinking, I think he’s interested, judging from the conversation. Ayano took the registration handbook and started reading it.

“Why doesn’t that cute girlfriend over there join as well?”

You want all of them? Tsukinoki-senpai targeted Yakishio this time.

“Eh!? M-Me? I’m the girlfriend you’re talking about? Ah, sheesh-“

Yakishio took the handbook cheerfully.

“But I’m already in the Track and Field Club. I don’t think it works.”

“Multiple clubs are welcomed here. By the way, all of our members are in multiple clubs.”

Really? Which club did I join as well?

“You can use the Literature Club as a shield when you want to skip the Track and Field Club. You know, just say our Prez asked you to do something.”

This must be a devil’s whisper. Tsukinoki-senpai’s expression is that of an antagonist completely.

“You have to use everything you can to create a joyful school life, alright? The boyfriend over there, you’ll be happier when you can spend more time with your girlfriend, right?”

“Eh? Will Mitsuki be happy too?”

Yakishio leaned forward with bright eyes. No, I mean, shouldn’t you at least deny being his girlfriend?

“Haha, you shouldn’t say that to Remon. We’re not dating.”

Ayano carefully put the borrowed book in his schoolbag.

“Ah, really?”

“This girl has always been really popular. I don’t really fit with her.”

Ayano took his schoolbag after saying that.

“Well, I’ll be borrowing this one. Let’s see each other again when I don’t have cram school-“

“I don’t have a boyfriend! Being popular doesn’t mean I can just go out with anyone!”

Yakishio grabbed Ayano’s shirt and approached him. Ayano blinked in surprise as he looked at Yakishio’s wheat-colored cheeks confusedly.

“I-I see. …Sorry, did I say something weird?”

“It’s not like that. Well, I’m…sorry.”

Tsukinoki-senpai noticed the unusual atmosphere between those two. She looked at them worriedly.

“Wait, you two aren’t dating? Even though you two are flirting with each other so much.”

“Eh, no, no, no, we aren’t flirting at all!”

“I told you that’s not the case. I already have a girlfriend.”

Ayano said that calmly, while Yakishio’s embarrassed smile solidified.

“Hey, what? Are you guys okay?”

Ayano is totally confused.

Click. The door of the clubroom is opened.

“H-Hello.”

Komari took a look at the club-

Bam. She slammed the door shut and escaped.

“Remon, did I say something weird again?”

“Hey, Mitsuki, you said you…have a girlfriend?”

Yakishio finally rebooted and squeezed that sentence out.

“Yeah, I just started going out with her. I didn’t get to tell Remon yet. Let me introduce her to you when we have time.”

Mitsuki Ayano lowered his head in embarrassment.

“Sorry, I keep talking about myself. Well, I’ll be leaving.”

“Wait, Ayano. Is your girlfriend Chihaya-san?”

Let’s investigate a bit.

“You got me. Yeah, I’ll introduce her to Nukumizu too.”

His refreshing smile remained as he turned to Yakishio.

“Well, let’s go, Remon.”

“Eh?”

“Didn’t you want me to go shopping with you? There’s some time before cram school.”

His eyes aren’t a single bit malicious. I didn’t expect Ayano to be denser than a black hole.

“U-Uh, I suddenly have something to do. Yes, right, I’m planning to join the Literature Club, so I have to stay for a while.”

“I see. Well, I’ll be leaving.”

Ayano greeted us and left. …Well, what should we do about this mood?

A silence that felt like an eternity ensued. I quickly handed Yakishio a chair before she collapsed.

Yakishio reached her hand out to me when she barely made it to the chair.

“Eh, what?”

“Club registration form, give me.”

Yakishio wrote her name on the form as she mumbled.

“Sigh, …Mitsuki…already has a girlfriend. …Ahaha, …what am I…even doing…?”

I guess it’s because she worked hard for nothing, but I won’t say it.

Yanami reacted by putting the new member’s crown on her head.

“Anyway, thanks for the work.”

“…Yeah, I’m already tired.”

Yakishio wrapped her hands around Yanami and buried her face in her stomach deeply.

Tsukinoki-senpai pulled me away from the room before I could hear her cry.

“Can I ask…whether I messed up?”

Tsukinoki-senpai’s brain finally caught up. She turned around and glanced at the room tremblingly.

“Yeah, you goofed up. Don’t do that next time.”

I took out my phone and checked the notes as I complained.

“Hey, about the trip tomorrow. I already checked the train and bus schedules. I’ll upload them to the group later. We’ll be meeting in front of the gates of Aichidaigaku-Mae Station, right?”

“Yes, but please wait, Nukumizu-kun.”

“Let’s send the list of necessary items to everyone one more time. Also, Prez didn’t give us a reply. Can you please check up on him just in case?”

“Wait, Nukumizu-kun. Didn’t a lot of things just happen inside the room? Shouldn’t we talk about the trip later?”

“We could’ve landed softly, but isn’t Senpai the one to charge straight into the landmine?”

“Uwah, …you surely don’t pick your words.”

It can’t be helped. After all, I don’t think this person will understand if I don’t be blunt with her.

“I’ll take care of them. Senpai, you should go somewhere-“

Oh, I think half of Komari’s face is poking out of the shadow of the corridor. Is she paying attention to us?

“Sorry, Senpai. Can you do something about Komari?”

“Alright, I’m good at that. Leave it to me.”

Tsukinoki-senpai twirled her fingers as she walked toward Komari, who immediately ran away. Senpai quickly chased after her.

Ah, a bunch of troubles. It’s not all bad to be alone. Sometimes, it’s better to distance yourself from annoying things.

Yanami sent me a message just as I’m leaning on the wall and checking my phone.

She asked whether I wanted to eat something. Whatever, girl. Why are you inviting me?

I would reject her, but I stared at the screen again after seeing the following message.

The restaurant she invited me to is quite far away from school- yeah, the one where she was rejected.

*

“Welcome! Please choose a seat you like!”

With a cheerful voice, the waiter greeted us as usual. The three of us spent 20 minutes getting to this family restaurant in another town from school.

Yanami sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to her.

“Remon-chan, sit next to me.”

“Yes, thanks.”

Yakishio sat down obediently. Perhaps she would’ve had a chance to get Ayano if she’s always like this.

“Yanami-chan, I didn’t know there’s a restaurant in such a place.”

“Right? Also, unexpectedly, very few Tsuwabuki students will come here. It’s a nice restaurant.”

I can’t help but look at Yanami, who’s looking at the dessert menu happily.

…This is where you got rejected by Sosuke Hakamada, you know? What’s with this girl’s ultra psychological resistance? Normally, no one will bring their dumped friend to a place where she got dumped herself.

“What’s wrong, Nukumizu-kun? You’re not even looking at the menu.”

“It’s because this restaurant-“

“Hmm? What’s with this restaurant?”

Yanami tilted her head in confusion.

“No, it’s nothing. We’re splitting the bill, by the way.”

“Of course, Nukumizu-kun.”

Everything’s fine if she’s fine. Yanami pressed the order bell.

“How inconsiderate of you to talk about money in front of a rejected girl. Remon-chan, we’ll be paying for you today.”

It’s kind of unacceptable to be called inconsiderate by Yanami. Also, she just shoved the “we” in the last part without hesitation.

“Alright, we’ll pay for Yakishio-san.”

“This isn’t good, right?”

“You can think of it as a celebration of joining the Literature Club. Order whatever you like.”

“Remon-chan, we’ll spoil you a lot today.”

Yanami tilted her head in disbelief after that.

“…By the way, I joined the club today too.”

“We’ll talk about this later, Yanami-san. Ah, we’re ordering.

Nothing good can happen if I keep spoiling this girl. Even though she’s holding the dessert menu, the girl ordered a hamburger steak for some reason.

“Right, I’ll have a medium bowl of rice.”

“Yanami-san, are you sure you want to eat that much before dinner?”

“Don’t you know this? Sweets are the greatest enemy to losing weight.”

So hamburger steaks are the greatest ally to losing weight?

Yakishio pointed at something on the menu.

“Well, I’ll have this Black Thunder Parfait.”

“What is that!? I’ll order that afterward, too!”

Yanami immediately followed the order. Didn’t you just say sweets are your enemy?

“3 cups of drinks and large fries, please. Pay for your own meal, Yanami-san.”

I’ll keep saying that because it’s very important.

“Alright, alright. That’s why Nukumizu-kun doesn’t have any friends.”

I looked at those two from the drink bar.

Yanami’s being her normal self. I’m relieved but slightly disappointed at the same time.

In the end, I just listened to those two complaining about their lives. It took Yanami nearly an hour to finish her hamburger steak.

Finally, Yakishio also smiled from time to time. I guess that’s good.

“Yakishio-san, we’ll pay up. You should go outside and wait.”

We let Yakishio go out first before lining up for the bill. Yanami looked at me surprisedly.

“Yo, Nukumizu-kun’s quite smart.”

“Isn’t this normal? Be gentle to the losing heroines-“

“-losing?”

…Shit, I think I said something I’m not supposed to. I was too careless.

“Well, uh, …lose…”

“What are you trying to say? Tell me.”

Yanami looked at me suspiciously. I turned my head away like an owl.

“Well, uh, …m, …Mc, …McCain, that’s a real person, right?” [TL: Losing heroine - Make hiroin. McCain - Makein. The first two sounds are the same.]

“Who? Your friend?”

Why would I have a friend?

“I think he’s an amazing U.S. politician.”

“Why did you bring that up?”

That’s a very good question.

I looked at the surroundings for help. There’s an “American Hamburger Festival” leaflet on the wall. Yanami looked at that and clapped her hands.

“I see. You want to eat hamburgers next time, right? Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

So, you mean I have to pay for you next time? But, at least I managed to minimize my loss.

The waiter handed me the bill when it’s our turn.

“Nukumizu-kun, you haven’t given my bento a price tag, right?”

“Right. Hmm, 500 yen? It’s good.”

“Thanks for your 500 yen!”

Yanami clapped cheerfully.

Hmm, she owes me 2367 yen. After that 500-yen lunch, …there’s 1867 yen left.

Also, the bill easily exceeded the amount she owes me.

“Seriously, I don’t think we should pay for her. You’re still owing me money, Yanami-san.”

“Shut up, I told you this is why Nukumizu-kun doesn’t have any friends. Ah, I have a points card.”

“Here’s half of Yakishio-san’s money and mine.”

I put the money onto the plate.

“Got it. There’s-“

Yanami suddenly stopped when she opened her wallet.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Please don’t tell me you don’t have enough money. That’s impossible, even for Yanami, right? She’s really an idiot if that’s the case.

Yanami’s hands are shivering.

“I don’t have enough.”

Yanami raised her head and looked at me with her watery eyes.

“Hey, …Nukimizu-kun…”

Is this girl…an honest-to-good…idiot?

I took out a 1000-yen bill silently.

<Today’s remaining debt: 2867 yen>

 

 

Intermission – Sensei Will Tell You Why You Are So Nervous

 

“…But, from their mood just then, I think they already started going out, right?”

“Ha?”

The scene is in the nurse's room at midnight. The school nurse Sayo Konuki is listening to the voices in her headphones as she jotted notes.

“I feel like I’m also responsible for Remon-chan’s love. I’ll support you.”

“Thank you, I feel much better now!”

Nukimizu’s name is circled in the center of the paper. His left and right are Yakishio’s and Yanami’s names. The three of them are connected with lines.

“A love triangle, …right.”

Even though the phone was found, the recording device wasn’t.

Well, what should I make up from this conversation?

The two girls are pretty close despite being in a love triangle. Some parts of the conversation are hard to understand. However, these two aren’t giving that tense, tied feeling.

If that’s the case, here are the only possibilities.

1. Nukumizu and Yakishio are doing those extreme plays under Yanami’s eyes.

2. Yanami agreed to let Yakishio join the play.

Konuki spun her pen as she wrote another one.

3. Yanami pretends that she doesn’t know they are cheating, and she’s enjoying it.

Konuki-sensei’s body shivered after writing them all.

(What’s with this 200 IQ play!?)

That Nukumizu boy has such clever strategies despite being a background character.

At my height, I was dating three guys at the same time when I was a student. I didn’t expect him to enter this world in year 1 of high school.

“I’m getting old…”

The room’s echoing with the AC’s noise. Konuki leaned on the chair as she looked at the ceiling. Then, she heard someone kicking the sand gently.

Such a quiet noise would be covered by others if it was during the day. Konuki stood up and immediately switched to her teacher mode. After all, she has to urge students to go home if they are still here at such a late time.

Konuki looked outside the window. A girl in school uniform stepped on the starting block before dashing out into the dark playground. Konuki-sensei immediately becomes attracted to the girl seemingly fused into the night.

“Hey, what are you doing here this late?”

Konuki’s wearing flops because she was in a hurry. She’s very shocked after seeing the girl’s face. Is this coincidence too?

“Oh, you’re the one from before.”

“Eh, sensei, what are you doing here this late?”

The girl asked the same question before continuing cheerfully.

“It’s already Friday night.”

“…Sensei has her reasons.”

As the teacher, she can’t possibly say she’s listening to her secret recordings during a weekend night.

“Also, this is sensei’s line. It’s already 9 PM.”

“I just suddenly wanted to run. Also, I’m not in a club today.”

She took out a bottle of sports drink and chugged it.

“Go back, or you want me to drive you home?”

“Sensei, can I run 100m for the last time?”

“You’re still running?”

Konuki smiled bitterly. The girl only answered her with a charming smile.

“I feel like I can do better next time.”

She forgot to wipe her sweat. The girl stared at the darkness ahead of her. Her eyes are fixed at the finishing line.

“I feel like I’ll be able to grasp something.”

Konuki thought that if she was so passionate about something at her age, her youthful days could’ve been completely different.

“Sure, go for it.”

Of course, Konuki didn’t have any regrets.

“But, give it everything you got.”

It’s just that she thinks that the girl is too charming for her.

The girl with wheat-colored skin answered her with the brightest smile of the day.

“Of course!”

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