…Let’s eavesdrop on Yumeko’s secret. Shall we?
It’s December. Christmas is approaching ever closer.
The student council confiscated Tsukinoki-senpai’s real-life BL fanfiction!
Teiara-san angrily demanded the novel be submitted to the teacher’s conference. The Literature Club will be in big trouble if this goes on.
At this time, Shikiya-san suggested we cooperate with her…?
“Try to…conquer…Teiara-chan?” “What!?”
Ignoring the method, I feel like, as the new president, I’m the only one who can save the situation.
Yanami warned me not to get a headstart on her. As for Shikiya-san, I think she’s definitely up to something-
This is the 4th edition of the ever-getting more popular losing heroine rom-com!
Prologue
The sky is clear without any clouds. The glass-like blue announces the official arrival of winter.
Tsuwabuki Fest is over. Once I snapped out of it, it was already mid-December.
I’m waiting for the traffic lights on the crosswalk near the school’s east gate. This place is full of Tsuwabuki students going to school.
An awkward yet wonderful sensation fills my heart when I realize I’m part of them.
The days without the third-year students are enshrouded in a haze for us. The final exam followed soon. Then, I finally got used to only having first-year students in the Literature Club after the exam results were released.
Emotions such as melancholy seem powerless before the great wheel of our daily lives.
The light turned green. I took a step forward half a beat slower than the rest.
I quickly chased the stream of students as I observed the liriodendron tree with falling leaves over the school’s walls.
The short autumn tangled with the memories of Tsuwabuki Fest will be gone forever once all of the yellow liriodendron leaves have fallen.
I watched the tree as I walked and nearly bumped into a student before me.
It looks like there’s a crowd before the school gate.
Passing around the student in front of me, I saw a familiar person before the school entrance.
It’s the vice president of Tsuwabuki High School’s student council- Teiara Basori.
She greeted the Tsuwabuki students going to school. Her face is devoid of a smile.
Some students are standing around her as well. My class’s committee member seems to be there too.
…What on Earth are they doing?
Upon further observation, everyone opens their school bags when passing by. They seem to be showing what’s inside to the students at the gate.
Right, I think the teacher said they would check our belongings during homeroom.
Alright, I have nothing indecent, anyway. I opened my school bag and showed what was inside before making my way to the school gate.
“Excuse me. Please wait for a moment.”
A familiar voice stopped me.
Teiara-san gave me a displeased look as she stared at my bag.
“Me? Is there any problem?”
“I don’t know if there’s any problem if I don’t check yours.”
She’s right.
But other students just passed by without a hitch. Why am I the only one getting stopped?
Teiara-san mumbled, “Excuse me.” She suddenly reached her hand into my bag.
“Eh, wait. What are you doing?”
“I told you I’m checking your belongings. The Literature Club will bring obscene books to the school if I don’t pay attention-”
After that, Teiara-san took out a novel from my bag. She briefly reviewed the colored illustrations on the first few pages without changing her expression.
“Alright, you’re the second one today. Please come to the student council room after school.”
“You misunderstood. This is just a normal light novel. Wait, don’t take off the book cover here. Hey?”
“This is- a normal novel?”
Teiara-san gazed at the light novel’s cover earnestly.
The title is <If The Two of Us Added Together Are 20 Years Old, We Can Get Married Immediately, Right?>.
On the cover, two girls open their arms toward us with nothing but ribbons on their bodies.
“Covers like this are very common in these so-called light novels (bias). It’s nothing out of the ordinary. Also, please put the book cover back, will you?”
“Two 10-year-old children can’t get married, right? What does this title mean?”
“I told you. The story takes place in a world where this has been legalized- do I have to explain the synopsis in front of the school gate? Like, are you serious?”
The passerby Tsuwabuki students looked toward us. They want to know what’s happening.
Teiara-san seemed to have understood something. She nodded exaggeratedly.
“In other words, this is science fiction, right? However, since the cover has half-naked girls, it’s hard for me to determine whether this should be confiscated. Can you go more in-depth about the content?”
“...Please confiscate it.”
“Ha?”
“I’m begging you. Please confiscate it. I’m about to be late. See you!”
This is my limit. I ran away from that place. Teiara-san raised the book toward me.
“Hey, you, hold on! You’re just leaving your book here!?”
…Is this person a hitman trying to kill me socially?
I planned to ignore her. However, I suddenly remembered what she had said and stopped.
-I’m the second one. That’s what she said.
Am I simply the second one having his belongings checked? Or…
I turned around in curiosity. This time, Komari is arrested by Teiara-san.
I thought about it for a second- before quickly walking toward my shoe shelf.
Chapter 1: Despite My Looks, I’m Also an OO
Club room, after school. The kettle on the kerosene stove is steaming.
I loosened my tie and opened my book.
It’s been a hectic day since morning.
The shame play resulted in confiscating my recently purchased light novel.
I was trying to forget this disgusting memory and focus on the book.
“Hey, Nukumizu-kun. I’m bored.”
The girl sitting before the table spoke to me lazily.
Anna Yanami. She’s also a first-year Literature Club member. She’s the losing heroine rejected by her childhood friend this summer.
Aside from that, she’s an ordinary girl, …I guess? I won’t dig deep into that. The only thing I’m sure of is that the mood isn’t awkward and vague at all, even when it’s only the two of us in this room.
Yanami leaned onto the table. She’s eating something and making these weird “mokyu mokyu” noises.
“...Hey, something purple is coming out of your mouth.”
“They are gummies. The book says eating something chewy makes you thinner.”
Yanami handed me an empty bag of gummies.
Rock Paper Scissors Gummies. It’s a kind of snack made in Toyohashi. There are rock, paper, and scissor-shaped tips above the slender gummies.
“This has been trending for a long time, right? Nukumizu-kun, are you the type who doesn’t eat dagashi?”
I do, but you’re eating this from the shaped side. What’s the difference between this and eating regular long gummy candies, then?
Yanami slurped the gummies as if she was eating noodles.
“I feel really bored. Eating is all I can do. I bought a dozen, but they probably won’t last 3 days.”
“Why don’t you just do your homework if you’re bored? We have a lot today as well.”
Yanami shot me displeased glances.
“Nukumizu-kun, don’t you think you’re pretty cold? Hey, the female friend you’re slightly interested in is bored right now, you know?”
Yanami slammed the table with her palm. Her lips curled down in dissatisfaction.
“...Yanami-san, can you stop adding weird settings to me?”
I couldn’t focus at all. So, I decided to close the novel that had avoided being confiscated, <Since My Childhood Friend Is Living on the Attic, I Bought Fumigant Insecticides>, abbreviated as <Osabaru>.
<Osabaru> is a battle of wits between the MC and the heroine trying live off him. It’s the <Home Alone> of the light novel world. Also, the heroine finally registered the resident certificate to the MC’s house in the latest volume.
Yanami keeps slamming the table to protest about my half-heartedness.
“Nukumizu-kun, you’re the president of the Literature Club, right? I think the president is responsible for making the club members happy, you know?”
No.
“Yanami-san, you still haven’t finished the draft for the club magazine, right? Why don’t you work on that if you have time?”
“I’ll write that later. I already have an idea. I have an idea, alright?”
“That’s what people who can’t write anything say, right?”
Instead of retorting, Yanami carried a melancholy expression. She seems to be pondering something.
Then, she sometimes glances at me.
“...Did something happen, Yanami-san?”
I’m sincerely not interested, but I still ask her. I’m the president, after all.
“Well, didn’t someone suggest we can go to the class party after school on the closing ceremony day?”
Class party? I have no business in that, but-
“The closing ceremony is on the 25th, right?”
I spoke calmly. However, my reply was a voice so low that it seemed to be crawling on the ground.
“...It’s Christmas.”
Black flames raged in Yanami’s pupils. She suddenly stood up.
“Also, Sosuke and Karen-chan are responsible for organizing the party.”
“Eh, but those two-”
I went silent in the middle. Yanami glared at me.
“Couples usually flirt and be all lovey-dovey on Christmas Eve. That’s why I don’t need to worry about the 25th. Karen-chan’s parents are working in England, so she lives alone.”
I see. We indeed don’t need to worry about that.
“I’m still hesitating whether I should participate despite the invitation. What about you, Nukumizu-kun?”
“What can I do? I wasn’t invited.”
“...Hmm, well, let’s put Nukumizu-kun aside first.”
I was put aside.
“Even though it’s okay for me to reject it, won’t that seem like I’m conscious of something? Look at me. What should I do when there are couples everywhere? Sosuke and Karen-chan will be living together on Christmas Eve. What should I do if I bump into those two the following day? Should I pretend I don’t know anything? It will be strange if I say no. But if Nukumizu-kun joins too, instead of saying that you work as a safety charm, it feels more like you’re just accompanying me.”
That’s a long excuse.
“It’s my birthday that day. I won’t be going since my little sister will be celebrating for me.”
“Eh? Nukumizu-kun’s birthday is on Christmas?”
“Hmm, yeah.”
“I see. This year’s Christmas is suspended…”
No, that’s not what’s happening here.
Yanami’s eyes brightened up. She clapped her hands.
“Very well. Now’s not the time to celebrate a dead person. Let’s hold a birthday party for Nukumizu-kun, hmm!?”
Eh, she’s celebrating my birthday?
I’m pretty startled since this is my first time encountering such a situation. Yanami smiled.
“Let’s organize a girls’ meeting to celebrate Nukumizu-kun’s birthday! If it’s Remon-chan and Komari-chan, I bet they will come since they don’t have boyfriends, right?”
A girls’ meeting. That celebration seems to have excluded me even though I’m still alive.
“Yakishio will probably go to the Christmas party, too, right?”
“Ah, no, no, no, Nukumizu-kun. I won’t let my friend visit such a dangerous place.”
Yanami took out another pack of gummies from her shirt pocket. She unwrapped the package.
“They aren’t pointing a gun at your head and forcing you to join. Why don’t you outright say no if you don’t like it? You don’t need to force yourself.”
“Perhaps, but it’s very lonely not to have anything to do on Christmas. If I pretend I’m busy-”
Yanami threw the scissor-shaped gummy into her mouth. Her eyes are devoid of emotions.
“It feels empty, to be honest.”
Mokyu, mokyu, mokyu, mokyu. The chewing sound echoed in the club room.
“...Yanami-san, I think you should still go to the Christmas party. I bet there are other single people as well. Also, why don’t you just invite Yakishio and protect her yourself?”
Even though I don’t know what she’s protecting.
“Oh, pairing up- ah, no, I should say I’m accompanying her. Let me ask if Remon-chan will go.”
Yanami started clicking her phone.
I sighed in relief due to the silence’s return. “Ding, ding.” A phone’s ringtone played.
-From a bag in the corner of the room.
“That’s Yakishio’s bag, right? Where did she go after leaving it here?”
“Remon-chan should be in her tutorial class, right? She failed the final exam.”
Come to think of it, Yakishio kept practicing rolling the pencil before the exam.
Eh, if that’s the case…
“Yanami-san, are you sure it’s fine not to go?”
“Go? Go where?”
Yanami tilted her head.
“The tutorial class for failed students. It has already begun, right?”
“Ha!? I didn’t fail!”
I see. I had a feeling that she wouldn’t pass.
“Despite my look, my grades are actually quite decent, okay!? I’ll prove it to you right now!”
Yanami took out a thin and long slip from her school bag and shoved it before me.
This must be her final exam grade sheet. Well, …she ranks 135 out of 228 people?
Even though it’s not that bad, is a grade like this really worthy of showing off with such confidence…? I really don’t understand…
I had trouble coming up with a proper reaction. Then, the club room’s door opened.
The person sneaking in from the half-opened door is the Literature Club vice president, Chika Komari.
Her petite body contains an equally little courage. However, she’s just a cheeky little lady in my eyes.
Komari closed the door with the back of her hand. She looked around the club room worriedly.
“What’s wrong, Komari-chan? How about I kick Nukumizu-kun out if you’re afraid of him?”
“I-I’ll bear with him-”
Komari turned around and checked the door in the middle. She trembled in fear.
“T-Tell her I’m not here!”
“Eh, hey, Komari.”
Komari hid below the table. The door was opened again.
The bottom of her white coat is swaying in the wind. The person entering the club room is the Literature Club’s advisor, Sayo Konuki.
Despite being a school nurse, her body is full of erotic elements. What a waste. She rarely visits the club room and often remains in the nurse’s office.
“Thanks for the work, sensei. What’s wrong?”
“Ara, thanks for the work, you two. Did Komari-san come here before me? I think she’s heading toward this place.”
Sensei looked around the club room.
Yanami and I exchanged glances before shaking our heads.
“We haven’t seen her today. What happened?”
Sensei sat on the chair. She crossed her legs with pantyhose exaggeratedly.
“That girl immediately ran away once I chased after her. I wonder why?”
“I think it’s because you’re going after her. Why did you do that?”
“It’s because she’s adorable when she freaks out. I was driven by desire subconsciously. Yet another new door opens after living for 27 years.”
I understand your feelings, but shutting off that door is better.
Yanami tilted her head in confusion.
“Chase? Are you looking for Komari-chan?”
“Didn’t the children in the student council check your belongings this morning?”
Sensei took out a book from her white coat’s pocket.
“Vice president Basori-san gave me this book. It was confiscated, but she wished to return this to Komari-san after knowing there weren’t any issues with the content.”
Come to think of it, Teiara-san caught Komari as well.
The title is <A Book That Makes a Person Who Won’t Go A Step Beyond Being Your Friend Cares About You Hopelessly>.
Is this…a love manual? That girl is reading some unexpected stuff.
I subconsciously tried to take it. Then, Komari stopped hiding and jumped out. She nearly flipped the table.
“T-Thank you very much!”
Komari robbed the book and curled up in the corner of the room.
“Komari-san, you are here?”
Sensei is surprised. Komari shivered and nodded.
Sensei turned to me confusedly.
“...Prez-san, did I say anything weird? Is she alright?”
“Well, it’s just as usual, but I’m not sure whether she’s alright.”
Konuki-sensei thought for a moment. However, she clearly decided not to investigate any further in the end.
She stood up formally and waved her hands calmly.
“Well, sensei should go back. You guys should also come to the nurse’s office occasionally.”
“Oh, sure. Next time.”
After sensei left, Komari trembled as she came out from the corner of the room.
“W-Well, t-that teacher won’t come back again, right?”
“Konuki-sensei is busy. She probably won’t come back.”
Komari looked at the door worriedly. She’s holding the love manual from before on her chest.
As a person writing rom-coms, I’m a bit curious about the content.
“Komari, that book is a reference for your novels, right? Can I take a look as well?”
“Wha!? N-No! I-I wrote something inside-”
This seems to be Komari’s first time to freak out that much. Her limbs flailed around as she hid the book inside her jacket.
“Oh, you’re paying quite the attention to the book. I won’t copy your idea. Please relax.”
I was genuinely amazed. Komari’s face is as red as a tomato. She’s shivering.
“...Komari?”
“I-I’m going home! A-Also, Nukumizu- go die!”
Komari spurted all of that and charged out of the club room.
Ehh, …why am I getting scolded?
I’m shocked. “My my.” Yanami shrugged.
“That’s why I don’t like this part of you, Nukumizu-kun. You still don’t understand a girl’s heart.”
“Eh, then, does Yanami-san know how Komari feels?”
“Hmm- nope.”
Then why are you dissing me?
I tolerated this woman’s unreasonable tantrums as I remembered what had happened this morning.
…Teiara-san’s target was undoubtedly me when she checked our belongings in the morning.
I thought it was a personal matter. However, I didn’t expect Komari to be under her watchful eyes. Her book was confiscated despite having no issues. Me, Komari, the next would be-
I looked at Yanami, who hesitated to open the next pack of gummies.
“Yanami-san, did your pass the belongings check?”
“I go to school by bicycle. I just charged through the barricade empty-headedly since I thought it would be a pain.”
That’s rad.
“Actually, my book also got confiscated. Even though the others only receive symbolic checking, only Komari and I-”
Wait, come to think of it, Teiara-san said I was the second one, right?
Was there another Literature Club member that suffered from the confiscation treatment before Komari and me?
At this point, I noticed that the club room’s door opened without noise.
I thought Komari had returned. However, unexpectedly, it’s a girl with glasses and a scarf on her head. She sneaked into the room.
It’s the ex-vice president of the Literature Club, the third-year Koto Tsukinoki.
We haven’t seen each other for a while since she retired from the Literature Club after Tsuwabuki Fest.
I sensed trouble before the nostalgia even kicked in. I’m afraid that I’m not just imagining things.
“It’s been a long time. Can I ask what’s with your outfit?”
Tsukinoki-senpai closed the door quietly. She fell to the chair.
“...It’s been a while. Are you two doing okay?”
Yanami smiled and answered.
“Yes, Nukumizu-kun is just the same. Is senpai doing alright with your exam revisions?”
“Not very good. Listen, there’s something even more troublesome than that.”
There’s something even worse than the entrance examination for this person…?
How much trouble will this bring us? Yanami and I secretly exchanged looks.
“Uh, well, that seems like a mess. Senpai, how about a cup of tea?”
“Let me prepare that. Nukumizu-kun, you’re drinking, too, right?”
Tsukinoki-senpai stopped us when we were about to stand up.
“Wait, don’t leave me alone. Please just pretend you two are tricked by me and hear me out.”
Regrettably, I’m afraid that we can’t run away. Without any other options left, Yanami and I sat back down.
“Sure, I’ll let you trick us. Go on.”
Tsukinoki-senpai spoke up solemnly.
“Long story short. My own BL novel got confiscated this morning.”
She really tricked us.
“The exam is right around the corner. Why did you write something like that?”
Tsukinoki-senpai put her hand on her forehead. She’s doing that on purpose.
“It’s the exact opposite. I did that because of the stress from revisions. I can confidently say without exaggeration that I’m a poor sacrifice for this competitive society. Ugh.”
“Then please pick yourself up and aim to be a better person. How about you write an apology letter and ask for forgiveness?”
Despite my nonchalant answer, I can feel a subtle sense of unusualness in senpai’s behavior.
Why did she sneak into the club room when it was just her BL novel getting confiscated…?
“This is a common occurrence for BL novels, right? Is there something bad about this?”
My question is reasonable. However, senpai hesitated to answer. She continued reluctantly.
“That’s because- the novel that got confiscated was a real-life doujin. It’s guaranteed to be a problem, right?”
“...Real-life doujin?”
Yanami repeated out of her inability to understand the term.
It looks like proper explanations are required for the normal Yanami.
“Well, it’s a story with characters based on real-life figures. This is a common term in the BL world.”
This may indeed become a problem.
“Wait, did you make someone in our school one of your characters?”
Tsukinoki-senpai nodded.
“You two know about the student council president, Hokobaru, right? It’s that girl’s genderswap BL novel.”
“That’s absolutely senpai’s fault. Please reflect on it.”
-Tsuwabuki High School’s student council president, Hibari Hokobaru.
She’s a perfect and all-rounded beauty, even though she’s probably a little weird inside.
At this point, Yanami gently raised her hand.
“Uh, what does…genderswap mean?”
Indeed, some explanations are required for this as well. This time, Tsukinoki-senpai spoke up.
“Hokobaru is a guy in my novel. There are no special reasons, but that’s the case anyway.”
She said that without hesitation.
Anyway, there’s no helping it if this is the case. In contrast to my 100% understanding, Yanami’s face looked like she ate a caterpillar, thinking it was a gummy candy.
“Uh, what’s the purpose…? Ah, no, save the explanations.”
It seemed that Yanami had accepted it, so I continued.
“Prez was your kouhai when you were still in the student council, right? Why don’t you just give her a sincere apology and ask her to return it to you?”
Tck, tck, tck. Tsukinoki-senpai shook her finger toward me.
“Doujins like this must be kept a secret from the person in question. Only allowing like-minded people to enjoy it is the rule of the universe. She doesn’t seem to know the existence of the doujinshi yet. That’s why I want to solve this secretly. I was supposed to keep Nukumizu-kun in the dark too, but I had to make a prompt decision at the right moment.”
“Well, I guess. You can’t let her see things like this-”
…Hmm? What did this person just say?”
“Wait. did you just say I’m involved as well? Don’t tell me I’m in your novel too.”
“It’s okay. Nukumizu-kun is a beginner. I went easy on you and let you be the top. The cold, aggressive type suits you unexpectedly well. Onee-san is relieved.”
Have you considered how I feel then?
“Where is the doujinshi now? Don’t tell me it’s already in a teacher’s hand-”
“Basori-san from the student council is still keeping that thing. Although I apologized to her, that girl hated me. That’s why she rejected my request coldly. She even threatened to submit it to the teachers’ meeting during the closing ceremony.”
So, she means the teachers will be reading a BL fanfic about the student council president and me during the teachers’ meeting, right?
Tsukinoki-senpai clapped her hands together.
“Please! Please take the book back from that girl for the Literature Club!”
Uhh, …why should I do that?
“But isn’t senpai retired already? You brought it onto yourself. This has nothing to do with the Literature Club, right?”
Indeed, if I’m the president now, I sometimes have to make cold-hearted decisions to protect the club. Or I should say I don’t want to get dragged into this at all.
I hesitated to end our conversation. Then, I realized senpai’s glances floated around quite awkwardly.
“...Is there something else?”
“The copyright page of the BL novel has the Literature Club on it. Moreover, the issuer is Prez Nukumizu-kun.”
…Ha? What did this person just do!?
“If people are getting called to the teachers’ meeting, Nukumizu-kun and I will definitely be one of them since you’re the president. So- you will help me, right?”
I dropped my jaws. Yanami handed me a small pack of gummies.
I threw the rock-shaped gummy into my mouth and chewed it brutally.
*
After Tsukinoki-senpai left, Yanami and I strolled shoulder to shoulder in the external corridor along the atrium.
Yanami followed me when I headed to the vending machines to get drinks.
“Well, Tsukinoki-senpai hasn’t changed in a sense. That’s quite relieving.”
Yanami is still chewing gummy candies.
“I do want her to change more or less, though…”
I just got hit by a truck out of nowhere this time. I’m not responsible for this. At all.
“Compared to us, shouldn’t this be better off in Tamaki-senpai’s hands? First-year students like us shouldn’t get involved in this, right?”
Shintaro Tamaki. He’s the ex-president of the Literature Club and Tsukinoki-senpai’s boyfriend. A boyfriend is supposed to wipe his girlfriend’s ass clean, right?
“Didn’t Tsukinoki-senpai mention this before? She doesn’t want Tamaki-senpai to know about this.”
Yanami reached into her pockets and showed a depressed look. She seems to have eaten all of the gummies already.
“...Well, this is awkward timing in every sense, after all.”
Tsukinoki-senpai is heading in a different direction than Tamaki-senpai, who’s trying to enroll in a national university.
Despite her looks, she must be nervous about her imminent graduation. Please don’t write things like that if this is the case.
“Nukumizu-kun, this is a request from a senpai who has shown great generosity to you, alright? It’s normal to help her out, right?”
Yanami waved the free lunch tickets she got from senpai. It’s making swishing noises.
“Also, we can’t cut off any responsibilities if the book is in the name of the Literature Club, right? The senpais didn’t file a request for quitting. So, symbolically, they are still part of us.”
Even though this girl was bribed by lunch tickets, her reasoning was sound. I nodded silently.
It’s not mandatory to quit clubs. It’s possible to continue until graduation. However, this is still a transfer of positions in a sense.
“Tsukinoki-senpai was in the student council in her second year, right? The current president was still her kouhai at the time. I think she has been covering senpai’s scandals since that point.”
“We can’t tell Prez this time, so asking for her help is out of the question. Should we ask vice president Basori-san instead?”
“Today’s belongings checking is clearly aiming for the Literature Club. Tsukinoki-senpai isn’t the only one who has received their attention. The whole Literature Club is under their watch.”
The Literature Club made the real-life BL doujinshi. If this is revealed to everyone-
“The Bird Watching Club has suspended a few days ago. Perhaps the Literature Club will end up the same as them.”
“Birds? It sounds like a peaceful club activity. How did that happen?”
“According to the president meeting’s report, they took secret shots of Tsuwabuki girls instead of birds. Even though there weren’t any obscene parts, they sold photos of popular girls.”
I’m keeping this a secret from her, but 8 people have bought Yanami’s photos. Half of Yakishio’s and a quarter of Himemiya-san’s sales. Be confident in yourself.
“It will be troublesome if our club is suspended. There won’t be a place to eat snacks and do homework after school.”
“These have nothing to do with the Literature Club, right?”
I stopped before the vending machines. I tidied my thoughts as I browsed the beverages.
We’re talking about Teiara-san here. She probably won’t accept my excuse even if I say Tsukinoki-senpai did that alone. First of all, senpai is still a Literature Club member. We can’t deny any responsibilities.
Is the Literature Club really heading toward its doom here…?
“Hey, that’s Shikiya-senpai from the student council, right?”
Yanami’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked in her direction. A familiar person is sitting on the bench inside the freezing atrium.
-It’s the secretary of the student council, the second-year Yumeko Shikiya. She’s a zombie gal senpai.
“What is she doing there in this cold weather? Nukumizu-kun, should we say hi to her?”
“Please wait. It’s dangerous to approach her carelessly.”
I took out a notebook from the inner pocket of my uniform jacket.
“What’s this?”
“These are notes of my observation of Shikiya-senpai in her natural habitat. I’ve seen this situation before.”
“...Uh, there we go. It’s long been since I’ve seen Nukumizu-kun’s disgusting side.”
“Ah, no, no, no, this isn’t disgusting, okay? It’s just like an observation diary for wild birds.”
The not-disgusting me opened the notebook.
“Shikiya-senpai’s movement turns slow when the temperature is lower than 12 degrees Celsius. This behavior is becoming more apparent this month.”
“...Heh.”
Yanami remained emotionless. I ignored her and flipped to another page.
“On windless days like this, her habit is to raise her body temperature by showering in sunlight. She’s an exothermic animal. This is especially common in reptiles.”
Yanami made another “...heh” again. She looked to the sky.
“But it’s evening right now. The area around the bench has turned shady and cold.”
“Her body temperature drops when left in the shady area due to lack of caution. This will render her immobile. In other words, Shikiya-senpai is suffering from hypothermia right now, and her consciousness is slowly fading away.”
I put my notebook back and put a coin into the vending machine.
Well, should we just get some cold juice here and return to the warm club room?
“Eh, are you sure we can just leave her alone? Isn’t she about to die?”
“...I feel the same.”
I pressed the button for hot milk tea, took the plastic bottle, and ran toward Shikiya-senpai.
*
We’re at the cafe closest to the station. Yanami and I are sitting before Shikiya-san across the table.
Coffee, cakes, and a mysterious board game are put before us.
This seems to be a so-called board game cafe. Shikiya-san brought us here to show appreciation when we saved her in the atrium.
“No worries. …My family…is quite rich…”
“We are sorry for making you pay for us.”
“Alright! Let’s eat!”
Yanami immediately shoved the cake into her mouth after saying that.
This store’s original baked cheesecake seems to be handmade. I took a bite. The balanced sweetness and sourness radiated in my mouth.
Yanami already stabbed her fork into the last bite. Her face is shining.
“Senpai, this cake is delicious!”
“No worries. …You can order another one…if you like it…”
Are you sure? This girl will really go full throttle.
I poured sugar into my coffee as I observed the store. Guests are having fun with board games. They seem to be university students. This place is lively despite not being the weekend.
Shikiya-san started handing out the pieces in the board game skillfully.
“What is this game?”
“Fjords. …Area control board game…”
Shikiya-san continued distributing the tiny pieces quietly after mumbling. Even though I don’t really understand, I shouldn’t bother her.
For some reason, Yanami glared at my cake and mumbled quietly.
“Hey, Nukumizu-kun. How about we discuss that with her?”
“That?”
“About Tsukinoki-senpai getting her doujinshi confiscated. Shikiya-senpai’s in the student council, right? Perhaps she can pull some strings for us, you know?”
Maybe she’s right. However, in a sense, Shikiya-san’s in the enemy camp.
We whispered to each other. Shikiya-san tilted her head.
“Tsukinoki…senpai…?”
Shikiya-san stopped distributing the pieces after hearing us.
“Did…something happen?”
Shikiya-san’s white pupils turned toward me. Scary.
How much should I tell this person? Indeed, she cares a lot about the Literature Club but is her relationship with Tsukinoki-senpai cordial or tenuous? It feels awkward…
I winked at Yanami. She nodded gently.
“Well, actually-”
I made up my mind and started explaining.
Shikiya-san sighed gently after hearing that.
“Teiara-chan…hates…Tsukinoki-senpai.”
She spoke up determinedly without attempting the conceal the truth. Then, her hands moved again.
“Those two weren’t working in the student council at the same time, right? What’s with her hatred then?”
After handing out the pieces, Shikiya-san took out a tiny hexagonal terrain plate.
“The three of us…place…in order…”
“Eh? Ah, sure.”
Shikiya-san seems determined to push the game’s progress forward.
We gradually understood the rules as the game went on.
At first, a camp is created using terrain plates and pieces. Then, the players will place the Viking pieces in order and occupy the land. It’s similar to Go.
“Uh, there isn’t anywhere left to place pieces.”
“It’s over then. …Whoever has the most land…wins…”
Shikiya-san achieved an overwhelming victory in the first round. I ranked third after Yanami, which is in last place, to be honest.
…I hate this sense of defeat. I just couldn’t focus because I was thinking about the discussion. This shouldn’t be the case if I’m serious.
During this time, Yanami poked me with her elbow.
“Hey, Nukumizu-kun. Are you sure this is fine?”
“Hold on, Yanami-san. I’ve already grasped the technique. Next time, I’ll definitely…”
“Get your head off the game. Focus on the discussion, Nukumizu-kun.”
Right. I faced Shikiya-san again.
“Sorry, can we continue our previous topic? We need a way to get the doujinshi-”
“Put it…here…”
“Eh? Ah, sure. It’s my time.”
The second round quickly started.
Of course, we aren’t just playing. Instead, it’s just a tactic for a successful discussion. Yanami was nagging initially, but she slowly became invested in the game.
“Nukumizu-kun, I can’t put mine there if you block it, you know!?”
“No shit. That’s the point of the game.”
I blocked and attacked the constantly complaining Yanami. Shikiya-san seemed to have realized something and mumbled to herself.
“I…understand, …but…”
Shikiya-san placed a black Viking piece with her slim fingers.
“Teiara-chan…is getting too emotional…about Tsukinoki-senpai.”
The Q&A part of our troubleshooting discussion suddenly began.
“Also, it’s not just about Tsukinoki-senpai. The student council president’s reputation is on the line here as well. I want to solve this peacefully if it’s possible.”
Shikiya-san nodded.
“You’re right. …The young man Sakurai…will have holes in his stomach…”
-The young man Sakurai? Even though I don’t know who he is, that person’s about to have holes in his stomach.
I feel a subtle sense of intimacy toward this unfamiliar Sakurai-kun. Yanami reached her hand toward my piece on the board.
“Hey, Nukumizu-kun, can you move your piece?”
“No, we’re talking about something serious now.”
My stomach is about to have holes as well. I took a sip of coffee and restarted the conversation.
“So, we hope Shikiya-senpai can intervene. You are very close to Basori-san, right?”
Very close. Shikiya-san blinked after hearing that.
“Yeah, …I’m quite close…to Teiara-chan…”
Shikiya-san’s holding the cup with both of her hands. Her white pupils looked into the distance dazedly.
An unknown amount of time has passed. Shikiya-san’s lips moved slightly.
“Take down…Teiara-chan, …how about that?”
“Ha? Take down what?”
I’m confused. Shikiya-san continued.
“Make that girl…yours.”
“Ha!?”
Yanami choked next to me. Hey, this girl just ate my cake without permission, by the way.
I ignored Yanami and shook my head forcefully.
“No, no, no, no, that’s impossible, right!? I only know her name, and you’re telling me we should go out…?”
Yanami smacked my back while I was saying that.
“Hey, Nukumizu-kun, senpai didn’t say you two would be dating, right…?”
Yanami covered her mouth with a handkerchief as she coughed. Her teary eyes glared at me.
“The so-called ‘take down’ means…that, right? Don’t act foolishly and be steady. This won’t be solved so easily, anyway-”
We were blabbing nonsense. For some reason, Shikiya-san made a heart with her fingers.
“It’s fine. …Teiara-chan…is very easy…”
Is that person very easy? Is that how she feels?
“But it’s impossible for me to take down Basori-san.”
“You’re overthinking, Nukumizu-kun. You just need to stay on good terms with Basori-san and ask her to return the doujinshi to us. Right, senpai?”
“Also, isn’t Yanami-san better suited for this task in every sense?”
“That person is a bit terrifying, so no.”
I’m afraid of her too. Also, Shikiya-san is very scary as well.
“Senpai, I don’t think I can get along with Basori-san.”
“It’s easy….as long as you’re a bit nicer to…Teiara-chan…”
Teiara Basori, is she a tutorial character in a dating sim or what?
“Ah, no, but-”
“Grasp her weak points, …sell her a favor, …use her guilt…to block off her escape.”
Shikiya-san mumbled as she gently put a black piece on the board.
“Let’s…cooperate, shall we?”
I’m slightly worried. Is this person really close to Teiara-san?
Should I reject her? Shikiya-san gazed at me. She seems to have seen through my dazed feelings.
“You want to…take back…the novel, …right…?”
“Well, yes.”
I stuttered. Yanami looked at me dumbfoundedly.
“It’s not easy to get senpai to help us. You should just prepare yourself, hmm?”
“In the end, I’m not good at dealing with girls. I don’t really talk when we’re face-to-face.”
“Nukumizu-kun, you should sometimes be aware that I’m also a girl, right?”
Yanami handed me an empty cake plate. She clapped her hands to show her appreciation. This girl really just stole my cake.
“This seems strange to you only because of your impure thoughts, Nukumizu-kun. Look, aren’t you very close to Imouto-chan? Why don’t you just treat Basori-san like your little sister? This seems better, right?”
Treating Teiara-san as my little sister…?
Not that I can’t. A nagging tsundere little sister is a classic in light novels. Perhaps I can reluctantly accept it this way. Is it better for her to call me “onii-chan” or “baka aniki”...?
I turned to Shikiya-san after completing a year’s worth of simulation in my head.
“Please let me confirm something again. Based on my observation, Basori-san is hostile to the Literature Club. The Literature Club was undoubtedly under their attention when they checked our belongings. This is without question.”
Shikiya-san listened to me both emotionlessly and motionlessly.
“As the president of the Literature Club, I’m solely responsible for this issue. You can say that I’m in the opposite camp as Basori-san. Is senpai okay with that?”
Shikiya-san nodded gently and wobbly.
“Sure, …perhaps Teiara-chan…went…overboard.”
“Got it. Please help me out then. Of course, I’ll try my best to solve this peacefully.”
After all, in my fantasy story, Teiara-san (little sister) even gave me a handmade scarf on my birthday. I don’t want to be too rude to her.
I made up my mind and nodded determinedly.
“Yeah, …I’ll…help…as much as I can…”
Suddenly, a notification sound played on my phone. I glanced at the screen. The text is from Yanami.
<Yana-Chan: Your goal isn’t dating her. Getting a headstart is banned, okay?>
Why did she text me despite sitting right next to me…?
Yanami calmly placed her piece at the final square- and guaranteed my last place.
*
I’m exhausted.
After going home, I didn’t even have the strength to go to the second floor. I just collapsed onto the sofa in the living room.
My plan was to spend the winter holiday peacefully. I didn’t expect to be dragged into this mess.
How on Earth did I get here? I thought about that. Then, I noticed a handwritten banner on the wall.
<Kazuhiko Nukumizu’s Birthday Is in 8 Days.>
The number can be taken off. It’s a countdown design.
…Haha, this must be Kaju’s masterpiece, right? She’s improving every year.
I’m deeply throbbed with my little sister’s growth. During this time, the door to the living room opened.
“Onii-sama, I’m back!”
Kaju walked into the living room with her hands full of ingredients.
“You’re back. It’s a bit late.”
I stood up and took the ingredients.
“Thank you. Hehe, we’re like newlyweds.”
I ignored Kaju’s joke and put the ingredients into the fridge.
“This is a lot. Are these for making desserts?”
“Indeed, onii-sama’s birthday eve, the eve of birthday eve, the eve of the eve of birthday eve- yes, I think I’m baking a cake every day starting now.”
“Please just save the cake for my birthday. Yanami-san isn’t here. I can’t finish them if you bake one every day.”
“Well, why don’t we invite her on the weekend? Should Kaju say hi to her?”
It will be a pain to meet Yanami on the weekend. If only I could put it at the entrance and let her take it away at midnight…
“It’s time for Yanami-san to enter her weight-losing phase based on my observations. Let’s leave it at that. Dad and Mom will be late. I’ll make dinner tonight.”
“Are you sure? Well, then Kaju wants onii-sama’s waterless curry.”
“Alright, got it. There’s still minced meat in the fridge, right?”
Then, Kaju’s smile suddenly disappeared.
“What’s wrong, Kaju?”
“Onii-sama, where did you go today?”
“Ah, something happened, and I went to a cafe-”
Sniff, sniff, sniff. Kaju buried her face in my chest and started sniffing.
“Coffee and cheesecake. Also- a woman’s scent.”
“Uh, woman?”
Kaju picked up her smile again. She raised her head and looked at me.
“Indeed, there’s makeup powder on the collar of your jacket. Yanami-san doesn’t use foundation at school, right? Did you see another girl?”
Even though I don’t know about Yanami’s makeup, this should be Shikiya-senpai’s, right? I bet some of it stuck on me when I held her in the atrium.
“Eh, well, I was just discussing something with an acquaintance.”
“That’s why there is makeup? Onii-sama, how exactly did you discuss with her?”
Kaju’s smile was highly unsettling as she questioned. What’s with this pressure?
“I just held her because her physique wasn’t good. Yanami-san was there when we went to the cafe too.”
“Ara, Yanami-san was there too! Sorry, Kaju seems to have heard something unexpected.”
I think she got something unexpected out of me.
“Well, let’s wash away the makeup on the jacket right now. Alright, please take it off.”
Kaju suddenly got into an overjoyed mood. She forcefully took off my jacket and stared at it.
“Is it that dirty?”
“...No, don’t worry about it. Kaju shall remove it properly.”
Kaju hugged my uniform jacket. Her face is brimming with a smile.
*
The next day, I watched the student council room from the corner of the corridor after school.
According to the intelligence from Shikiya-san, the student council room is about to be empty.
…Of course, this isn’t just a coincidence. Instead, Shikiya-san arranged this for us beforehand. This is based on our tacit agreement that we shall not contact each other.
Yanami poked her head out slightly beneath my arms.
“Hey, how long do we have to wait?”
“Please be quiet, Yanami-san. Those two are about to head out-”
Ka-chak. The door to the student council room opened. Vice president Teiara Basori came out.
Then, Shikiya-san is the next one to appear. She glanced at us before following her.
…Alright, the student council room is empty now. Yanami and I exchanged looks.
We slipped into the student council room while ensuring no one saw us.
I looked around the room after closing the door with the back of my hand.
The president’s desk should be at the back of the room behind the long tables. It’s an old and glamorous wooden table and a big chair. The shelf and lockers are next to the walls.
Yanami dashed to the middle of the room thrillingly.
“It’s literally like we’re doing bad things. It feels exciting.”
“Oh, no, we are actually doing bad things.”
-Here’s our plan.
Shikiya-san brings away Teiara-san at the right time, and then we sneak into the student council room. Then, we should investigate Teiara-san’s locker.
The best scenario is that the doujinshi is there. Even if we can’t find it, we may know Teiara-san's hobbies and secrets. This will be a staging ground for further attacks.
“The second uppermost one from the right. …So, this one?”
I mumbled to myself to cover my guilt as I reached my hand toward the locker.
“Nukumizu-kun, we don’t really need to go out of our way to bring that girl outside. Why don’t we just come when Shikiya-senpai’s here alone?”
“Rumor has it that Basori-san locks her locker before going home. According to Shikiya-senpai, she’s probably hiding something in there.”
Despite my emotions, I must finish the investigation before those two return.
There seems to be a treasurer in the student council besides the president. He appears to be patrolling around the sports clubs now. This is a rare opportunity. I can’t afford to miss it.
It’s definitely not because I want to peek into a girl’s locker. Absolutely not. Please believe me.
I opened the locker quietly. Books and documents are kept tidily inside.
Magazines, a girl’s makeup bag, etc. None of the stuff associated with “entertainment” are found.
Yanami peeked into the locker next to me.
“Oh, this locker is radiating self-discipline. Perhaps Basori-san is unexpectedly similar to me.”
“In what ways?”
“Now you don’t get it, Nukumizu-kun. I’ll eat up all the snacks if I place them in my locker. That’s why I never stock up.”
Is there nothing else for this girl to put into her locker aside from snacks?
“Fine, got it. Help me take a look. It’s not good for me to touch a girl’s belongings.”
“It’s okay. This seems more like a teacher’s locker than a girl’s. Nukumizu-kun, what’s in that paper bag over there?”
There’s a bookstore paper bag between rows of books and documents. This seems familiar. Is there something important inside?
I hesitated, but I eventually took a look inside. It’s filled with exam papers.
“Are these…all of the exams and grades since April…?”
This is an invasion of privacy. I put the bag back where it was.
We checked again. What was left seemed to be paperwork for the student council only.
At least we know Teiara-san is a serious person. We have no other clues.
I sighed in relief and closed the locker.
“Nukumizu-kun, something fell off.”
Yanami bent down and picked up a small piece of paper.
What is it now? This slip seems familiar-
During this time, the door to the student council room suddenly opened. A student came in before we could even prepare.
Yanami shoved the paper into my pocket and quickly turned around.
“...Eh, what are you two doing here?”
The person swept his bangs around as he showed a calm smile.
Looking at the tie and his uniform, he seems to be a boy, …right?
No wonder I was confused at first. This boy has a pleasant and neutral appearance along with a petite body.
Also, his movements radiate with gentleness. If anything, he seems more like a girl than Yanami.
“Uh, well…”
I stuttered. Yanami pushed me away and stepped up.
“Shikiya-senpai told us to come here. So, we’re waiting for her.”
Yanami answered with a refreshing smile.
“I see. Hey, Hiba-nee. Do you know where Yumeko-san is?”
“I don’t know. Shikiya has always been a free spirit. You two should sit down and wait for her, hmm?”
After this boy, another tall girl walks into the room.
It’s the student council president, Hibari Hokobaru. In contrast to her strong-willed appearance, she’s a rather peculiar second-year student.
We’ll raise suspicions if we just go back like this. That’s why we listened to her and sat down.
The boy took out teacups from the shelf as he smiled at us.
“I’ll go make some tea for you two. Please wait.”
“Sorry, there’s no need for pleasantries. Well-”
…Who is this person again? I didn’t see him at the president’s meeting.
He seems to have noticed my glances. A shy smile appeared on his face.
“I’m the treasurer, Hiroto Sakurai. I didn’t attend the meeting because I’m not good with crowds. Nice to meet you.”
“Ah, hello. …I’m Nukumizu from the Literature Club.”
This person seems to be the “young man Sakurai” Shikiya-san has mentioned.
His body seems to be filled with exhaustion. Somehow, this makes him appear a little lewd.
…Of course, I don’t mean it weirdly. I’m just telling the truth.
Prez reached her hand out next to Sakurai-kun while he was preparing the tea.
“Alright, let me make the tea sometimes too. Just sit tight, Hiroto.”
“Hiba-nee, you flipped the can of tea leaves upside down-”
Ah, Prez just spilled what was inside the can everywhere.
After that, Sakurai-kun kept suffering from stomach aches caused by various incidents.
“I’ll clean them up later. Let’s make the tea first.”
“Hiroto, I didn’t do anything, and then the teapot handle broke.”
“...This is bad. Indeed, please leave it to me here. Slow down, Hiba-nee.”
“The teacup broke as well, even though I didn’t do anything.”
We bid farewell to them and left the student council room when the third teacup broke.
*
We returned to the club room. I put my elbows on the table and crossed my fingers before my face.
“That was dangerous. We would have no excuse if we were caught opening Basori-san’s locker.”
Yanami nodded. She crossed her legs on the chair.
“Indeed, even though we managed to pull through sneaking into the student council room thanks to me, this normally would be a big problem, right?”
…Alright, that’s all from the last episode. Yanami and I looked at the corner of the club room.
Komari’s sitting on the chair before us. She’s looking between Yanami and my face worriedly.
“W-What? W-Why did you two sound like you were explaining something to me…?”
“We’re dragging you in, of course.”
“Come here, Komari-chan.”
“Ehh, …I-I don’t want to.”
Komari’s fear rendered her immobile. Yanami and I decided to move our chairs near her.
“So, we didn’t get much out of this investigation.”
“Indeed, it’s time for us to consider the next step.”
I nodded deeply at Yanami’s words.
“Absolutely. Well, what does Komari think?”
“T-Think about what!? W-What are you two going to do, a-anyway!?”
We thought we could force her to join, but I guess not.
I changed to a serious tone and explained again.
“People were checking our belongings yesterday at the school gate, right? It’s not just us. Even Tsukinoki-senpai’s book was confiscated as well. …It’s that real-life BL doujinshi.”
“Wha!?”
Komari’s overreacting.
I glared at her. Komari hastily hid her face behind a book.
“Come to think of it, why did she bring such a thing to school?”
“W-Who knows…?”
“Senpai mentioned that doujin is for like-minded people to enjoy only. In other words-”
I paused. Komari peeked her head out from her book tremblingly. We looked at each other.
“There are like-minded people lurking in this school. Isn’t that right?”
Komari shook her head like her life depended on it.
“W-We aren’t like-minded at all! Nukumizu being on the top is a-absolutely wrong!”
I don’t want to know your preference.
“That’s right. Senpai brought it for Komari, right? Then this can’t be helped.”
Yanami crossed her arms and nodded.
“Indeed, this is an accomplice among accomplices. There’s no running away from responsibilities. Komari-chan, you have to redeem yourself.”
“Ugh, …s-so, what should I do…?”
“In summary, Komari is already involved in this now. That’s all.”
Clack. …A noise came from the club room’s door.
On the other side of the door, a pair of white pupils is glowing faintly in the darkness.
Komari hugged her legs on the chair and shivered like a hamster.
Well, it’s time for today’s strategy conference-
*
It’s already dark outside when the strategy conference is over.
I took the train at the nearest station as I remembered my conversation with Shikiya-san.
-Shikiya-san says that Teiara-san doesn’t have any particular hobbies or interests.
She has never been seen doing anything outside of student council work and studying. Her relationship with her friends is unknown. It’s pretty unsettling. However, if anything, Shikiya-san is even more unsettling.
“Well, it’s not like I have a reason to worry about her, anyway…”
I walked around in the carriage, wondering where to sit.
“Eh, Nukkun’s taking the train this late. Did you stay for that long in the Literature Club?”
I can never get bored of this voice. It’s as refreshing as sunlight in the summer.
The girl sitting in the middle of the chain of seats and waving at me is Remon Yakishio.
Also a first-year student, she’s a Literature Club and Track and Field Club member.
A pleased expression appeared on her tanned face. She patted the seat next to her.
I thought for a moment and sat down a seat away from her.
“Yeah, we talked about a lot of things. The same goes for you, Yakishio. Did you get off your tutorial class this late?”
Yakishio bitterly smiled as she moved to the seat next to mine.
“Hiya, that was rough. It was very serious. The teachers even threatened I would be held back a year.”
Perhaps that wasn’t a threat.
“It’s good if you can pass the tutorial classes. So, which subject did you fail?”
Yakishio showed a puzzled look.
“Eh? Are there fails for each subject?”
Did she fail everything? Sensei, the threats are far from enough.
The train passed the river and stopped at the next station. Our conversation stopped for some reason as we watched the flow of commuters.
Clack. The train wobbled and moved again.
“By the way, why does Yakishio usually take the train in and out of school? You could’ve just run such a short distance easily, right?”
I didn’t really expect her to answer. Yet, Yakishio looks pretty interested.
“Hear me out! I used to go to school on my bicycle, but Mom banned it after I took a detour once. She made me sit on a train instead. Ugh.”
“Can’t you take detours with trains as well?”
“It was when I just got into this school. One time, I rode to visit Lake Hamana after class. Mom was furious when I got home late. She said it would be safer to take trains since they have a fixed schedule. Don’t you think she’s pretty strict?”
Lake Hamana is the famous brackish lagoon in Shizuoka Prefecture next door. A one-way trip from Tsuwabuki High School is 20 kilometers.
Did this girl go there to have a taste of the famous unagi pie?
“Listen to your mother, alright? That’s better.”
“Heh, Nukkun says the same thing as my Track and Field Club senpai did.”
I’m so glad there’s a proper senpai in the Track and Field Club.
“By the way, is everything okay with the training in the Track and Field Club? You can’t go when you have tutorial classes, right?”
“Yeah, I’m banned from participating in club activities for a while since I failed.”
Yakishio seemed to have sighed on purpose.
“Even though I can train myself, my body goes sluggish if I just keep running.”
Your body turns sluggish when running…?
I hesitated to complain about this. Then, Yakishio showed a mature smile I had seen some time ago.
“Well, but I do need some time to think about stuff. Perhaps this is right.”
“Did something happen to your club?”
“The Track and Field Club, …no, it should be my own problem.”
The announcement for arriving at the next station has already played before I can even ask her.
The train slowed down and slid into the platform.
Yakishio wore her school bag on her shoulder and stood up before the train stopped completely.
“Well, I’ll be leaving. Don’t be too bothered as well, Nukkun.”
“Eh? Thanks. I’ll pay attention to it.”
The door opened. Yakishio waved her hand and jumped out.
Do I look like I’m bothered by something? Well, I guess the BL doujinshi with me starring in it is a source of trouble…
I bitterly smiled as I walked away from the platform.
I tried to take out my phone from my pocket. Then, my fingertip touched a small piece of paper.
…Right.
I remembered Yanami shoving something into my pocket when Prez returned to the student council room.
I took it out subconsciously. It’s a grade sheet from the final exam.
The name printed on it is- Class 1B, Teiara Basori.
*
The next day, at lunchtime. I’m standing with a plate in Tsuwabuki High School’s canteen.
“...No empty seats.”
Even though I successfully bought a Set A Lunch like the ones before, the canteen’s seats are full of students happily chatting with their friends.
Should I just eat while standing up…?
I looked around as I made up my mind. Then, I discovered a gloomy corner at the periphery of the canteen.
Upon a glance, Shikiya-san is sitting on a 4-person circular table alone.
I passed through the crowd of students and sat on the seat before her.
“Sorry to make you wait.”
“I…just got here…”
Yesterday night, I texted Shikiya-san and said I would like a chat with her. She said we should go to the canteen.
This is my first time coming to the canteen during lunch.
Ultimately, going to the canteen alone during lunch is a bad choice. This place is like an online game. You can’t play without teammates.
“You aren’t…eating?”
“Ah, sure. Let’s eat.”
I pierced through the lunch croquette with my chopsticks. Then, laughter suddenly erupted from the next table. I couldn’t help but look away.
I’m having lunch with a female senpai in a packed canteen. Even though I’m slowly getting used to girls thanks to Yanami (?), I still have a hard time swallowing food.
Shikiya-san’s face remained emotionless. She’s breaking the grilled mackerel with her chopsticks.
“You have…something to say, right…?”
“Uh, ah, yes.”
I took a sip of tea.
“I picked this up in the student council room yesterday.”
I put the final exam grade sheet Yanami had shoved me on the table.
It says- she ranks 202 out of 228 people.
Shikiya-san just glanced at it. She’s not surprised. Instead, she just continued breaking the mackerel apart.
“Teiara-chan…has bad grades…”
“Senpai, you know that as well.”
“That girl…isn’t good…at keeping secrets.”
I nodded and pushed the paper on the table to her.
“Can you please return it to Basori-san for me? Just say she accidentally dropped it.”
“Grades…are that girl’s…secret…”
Shikiya-san skillfully picked up the mackerel’s bones and lifted them.
“So, …I have to pretend I don’t know…”
“Well, then, I guess I can’t have senpai return it.”
“Yes, …how about you…use this opportunity and get along with her?”
I was about to take back the grade sheet. Shikiya-san’s words stopped me.
A thorn has been stuck in my heart since yesterday.
Then, Shikiya-san’s words right now finally enabled me to grasp it.
“-Senpai, you have predicted this since the beginning, right?”
“Why…do you think that?”
Shikiya-san tilted her head.
“It was the same when we sneaked into the student council room. We searched the locker like what senpai said. Then, the grade sheet dropped. Isn’t this too much of a coincidence? Aren’t you aiming to let us pick this up in the first place?”
Silence ensued for a while.
“I hope Teiara-chan…can get along with…Tsukinoki-senpai.”
After separating the grilled mackerel perfectly, Shikiya-san quietly put down her chopsticks.
“That’s all, …okay?”
I assume she’s hiding something.
Perhaps she’s not lying. However, what I want to know isn’t the situation between Teiara-san and Tsukinoki-senpai. Instead…
“What happened between Tsukinoki-senpai and you last year?”
“............”
Shikiya-san’s pupils shivered slightly beneath her white contact lenses.
I attempted to continue. Then, suddenly, two energetic voices blew away the heavy atmosphere.
“Hey, isn’t this Yumeko? Didn’t you say you have something to do? Hey, we can sit down too, right?”
“Hello. Sorry to interrupt you two!”
“Huh!?”
These girls have a brilliant gold tint on their fingernails. Their uniforms are very messy.
Before I even answered, the two girls dressing like gals sat left and right to me.
From the school badge, they seem to be second-year students. So, they are Shikiya-san’s friends, right?
“It’s fine. …Let’s eat together.”
Shikiya-san seems slightly relieved. She picked up her chopsticks.
“Hey, first-year-kun.”
Gal Senpai A spoke to me. She seems intrigued.
“...Eh, well, are you talking about me?”
“There isn’t anyone else!”
The clumsy answer made Gal Senpai B chuckle joyfully.
“What’s your relationship with Yumeko? Are you her boyfriend?”
“Ha!?”
I quickly shook my head.
“No, no! Well, should I say she’s just my senpai’s acquaintance? Or…”
Looking at my reaction, the two girls laughed at the same time.
“Eh, our lunch invitation got rejected by an acquaintance’s acquaintance. I’m shocked.”
“That’s not right. Even though he said that, perhaps they were flirting before we were here. Yumeko betrayed us too.”
“No…! Say something, senpai.”
I searched for her help. Shikiya-san held her chopsticks and tilted confusedly.
“You’re…going out with me, …you know?”
“Ah, wait, wait, wait, we aren’t dating, right!?”
No way. There’s no way a gloomy character like me can break out three gal senpais’ encirclement.
I completely abandoned thinking. Gal Senpai A then put a sausage on my plate.
“Sorry for scaring you. Here’s an apology.”
“Replacement boyfriend-kun, lunch will be over if you don’t speed up, you know?”
“Yes…”
Right, Shikiya-san has been breaking her mackerel apart since then. How’s this person’s lunch going?
I secretly took a glance. Everything on her plate has already disappeared. When did she eat all of that?
Shikiya-can holds the cup of tea in her hands. We look at each other.
“What’s wrong…?”
“N-Nothing!”
I chugged the cold miso soup at once to avoid her pair of white pupils.
*
I approached the student council room that day after school.
I confirmed the grade sheet was in my pocket with my fingertip as I simulated in my mind.
-First, I’ll pretend I picked up something in front of the student council room.
Lines like “Eh, why is there something like this on the ground?” is necessary.
“...Seamless.”
Even I think this is a foolproof and perfect plan. This shall be a superb act when I increase its credibility by mumbling to myself beforehand.
Well, the only thing left is whether my throat will listen to me when I haven’t spoken anything since lunch-
-I had to change my plan immediately once I turned the corner to the student council room.
Teiara Basori, the owner of the grade sheet, is walking around the corridor with a stern face.
Teiara-san stumbled before me. She finally noticed my presence and raised her head suddenly.
“Sorry. …Tck, you’re that president of the Literature Club.”
I’m so sorry for being in the Literature Club.
Even so, I’m not here to start a fight.
“Are you searching for something?”
“Yes, but don’t mind it.”
Teiara-san seems uninterested. She wanted to get past me. However, her face immediately went pale upon seeing the paper I took out.
“Ah!? Where did you find it?”
“Well, I just picked it up there. Of course, this is a total coincidence.”
Alright, things are still progressing naturally at this point. I can still remain calm should there be accidents.
Teiara-san reached her hand out and took the grade sheet- I thought that was the case. Yet, unexpectedly, she grabbed my arms and pulled me over.
“Come over here for a second!”
“Eh? What!?”
She brought me to a dark corner beneath the stairs.
I have my back against the wall here. Teiara-san raised her head and glared at me.
“...Did you see the content?”
“Well, I just took a look-”
“You saw it!”
Teiara-san’s face suddenly got closer. There’s a faint scent of deodorant.
“I did see it, but you don’t need to mind me that much.”
“I care about it a lot! A student council committee member is supposed to be a role model for everyone, yet I barely passed the exam. How can I let anyone know about this!?”
“Uh, yeah. I know, so please calm down. Here. Take a deep breath-”
“Eh? Ah, sure.”
Teiara-san put her hand on her flat chest and took a deep breath.
“...I’ve calmed down now. All of the student council members have good grades except for me. That’s why I’ve been working hard to try and be like them more. However, I don’t want others to know this process.”
Eh, those people are that good at studying? But wait.
“Our school posts the top 50’s exam results on the notice board. Everyone will know your grades aren’t good if you aren’t on the list.”
Teiara-san’s expression froze after hearing that.
“...Teiara-san, are you okay?”
“Please don’t call me by my first name! In other words, …everyone actually knows I have bad grades!?”
“Uh, well, I guess.”
“Also, does everyone just pretend they don’t understand those elite student topics since they don’t want to hurt my feelings…?”
I have no idea.
I handed the grade sheet to the depressed Teiara-san.
“No one really cares about other people’s grades that much. Well, I’ll be leaving.”
I tried to end the conversation and run away. Then, Teiara-san went around me as if she wanted to block my escape.
“...Please wait. Does anyone else know about this?”
Teiara-san glared at me. I would be dead if her eyes could murder someone.
Uh, I’ll get a bad ending if I answer incorrectly here, right…?
“No, uh, no one.”
I replied earnestly and tremblingly. Teiara-san stared at me in silence.
“Well, …Basori-san?”
“-Tell me your condition.”
“Eh?”
What is she talking about? I’m confused. Teiara-san spoke up coldly.
“You brought me to such a dark place when you knew I was alone. Aren’t you going to make me do something in exchange for keeping my secret?”
Girl, you’re the one who pulled me here.
I wanted to diss her. Then, the unseen doujinshi’s cover suddenly flashed across my mind.
Perhaps this would be an excellent opportunity to take the book back.
I cleared my throat.
“Well, it’s not really an exchange, but-”
I was about to say something. Next, Teiara-san’s worried look as she bit her lips came into view.
…Asking for the book back here isn’t a fair exchange. Instead, it’s a one-sided threat.
To be honest, she’s the one who started the fight with the Literature Club. However, I don’t want to threaten her simply because of that.
“But what?”
“Ah, no, it’s a bit…”
Teiara-san hastily wrapped her hands around herself when I stuttered.
“D-Don’t tell me you’re trying to do some indecent things in exchange for the secret!?”
I won’t.
“I didn’t give you the grade sheet back just so I can get something. If anything, I think I have some ideas for you if you’re troubled by academics.”
Perhaps I said that out of the guilt of making things up.
Teiara-san gave me a suspicious look at my sudden suggestion.
“You mean I can inquire you about studying?”
“Not me, but my friend is the top kid in the previous exam.”
“You don’t seem like you have a friend who got no.1 on the exam.”
Alright, now I don’t feel bad at all.
“I do, and that’s a fact. I can ask that person for Teiara-san if you want.”
Teiara-san pondered it for a while. She nodded slightly after that.
“Well, can you introduce that person to me? Also-”
Teiara-san took out her flip phone and spoke up displeasedly.
“Please don’t call me by my first name.”
*
The next day, after school.
I’m at the flagship Seibunkan Bookstore before the station- no, the fast food chain next to it.
I looked around the seats on the second floor with a plate of fried chicken and cola. A Tsuwabuki couple is sitting with each other on the chairs next to the window.
They are Mitsuki Ayano and Chihaya Asagumo.
Even though a lot has happened between them and Yakishio, they are now intimate lovers.
Ayano noticed me and raised his head. I replied with the same gesture and sat before them.
“Sorry to bring you two here. Is everything fine with cram school?”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s rare for Nukumizu to need our help, anyway.”
The 6th place in the final exam, Ayano smiled cheerfully.
“But did something sudden happen? You said one of your acquaintances would like some advice.”
Asagumo-san’s sitting next to him. Her squirrel-like eyes rolled around.
She’s holding an apple pie with both hands and munching on it. With such a look, it’s hard to imagine that she’s the 1st place in the final exam. Both of them are perfect elite students.
I took a sip of cola and spoke up solemnly.
“Yes, a person I know is having trouble with her studies. She’ll be here soon. I mentioned you two, and she wanted a meeting-”
I temporarily stopped.
I have a feeling. I shouldn’t lie or hide the truth from these two.
“Nukumizu? Why did you stop?”
Ayano handed a piece of fries over with a confused look. Asagumo-san ate it in one bite.
Why are these two flirting off now?
“Well, it’s a long story. Can you hear me out?”
They nodded. After that, I explained what had happened ever since I got my belongings checked. Despite not mentioning Teiara-san’s ranking, I think this is enough to qualify as not hiding the truth.
Asagumo-san’s forehead sparkled after hearing the story.
“I understood. Nukumizu-san tried to seek out Basori-san’s weak points to take back the doujinshi. …I see. It’s my time to shine!”
Yes, but also no.
“Well, I won’t deny that my goal is to take back the doujinshi. However, can you two simply talk about studying with Basori-san on my behalf today?”
“Are you sure? It’ll be bad if you can’t take it back, right?”
I shook my head toward Ayano.
“I’m not trying to grasp her weak points. Instead, I hope she can trust us. Things will go a lot smoother if she can even just understand the Literature Club a little bit. Well, even though that’s the best scenario.”
That BL doujinshi sort of counts as Tsukinoki-senpai’s creative writing.
Even though something that’s supposed to be enjoyed by individual circles getting shown in public is a problem, it should have passed the belongings checking if Teiara-san isn’t so fixated on the Literature Club.
…Come to think of it, why does she hate the Literature Club and Tsukinoki-senpai so much?
I became lost in thought. For some reason, Ayano handed me a piece of fries.
I ate it on reflex. Ayano gave me a refreshing smile.
“Sure. Of course, I’ll help you.”
“Indeed, I’m the same as Mitsuki-san. No objection.”
Asagumo-san said that. She raised her head and glanced at Ayano trustingly.
“On the surface, I’ll be discussing with you two. She’s supposed to be a partner who’s going to take references. That person doesn’t seem too keen on others knowing her grades.”
I checked my watch. It’s the promised time.
Teiara-san seems to have grasped the moment. She came up from the stairs with a plate in her hands.
She headed straight toward our table and bowed deeply.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Basori from Class B. It’s my pleasure to be with you all today.”
Eh, has this person been so formal? She’s very clumsy every time I see her.
“The pleasure’s on us. Nice to meet you. I’m Ayano from Class D. This girl is-”
“I’m Asagumo from Class F. Please take a seat, Basori-san.”
Teiara-san sat next to me.
After some chit-chatting, I brought up the topic under Teiara-san’s urge with her eyes.
“This is sudden, but how do you two study?”
“There’s not a particular way. I don’t know if it’s any use for reference either.”
Asagumo-san cleared her throat cutely.
Actually, I’m also very curious about how Asagumo-san studies. Despite not sharing the same brain, perhaps there are techniques worthy of learning.
“Hmm, first of all, recite all of the textbooks and supplementary books.”
Fighting the final boss at the start, yeah?
“For all subjects? Every single page?”
I couldn’t help but question back. Asagumo-san smiled and nodded.
“Indeed, remember all of that in your head. The rest is the same as everyone. Don’t miss the teacher’s every single word during class and revise after school.”
It looks like I’m not part of “everyone”.
Teiara-san is also excluded from “everyone” as well. She dropped her jaw dazedly.
“Well, is this of any use to Basori-san?”
“............”
Teiara-san just stared at me quietly. Brutally as well.
“W-Well, how does Ayano study then?”
This is terrifying. Let’s change the topic.
“I didn’t do anything special either since I have cram school. School lessons are more like extra revision sessions for me. Like today’s English class, for example.”
Ayano took out his notebook.
“I made a notebook for revisions to not waste too much time copying what was on the blackboard. I’ve written the teacher’s explanation on it.”
“Without copying the blackboard?”
“I just jotted down the key points. I can ask my friends if I still need help.”
I see. He has friends who allow him to ask about this easily. Hmm, I see.
I sipped the cola with a heart full of emotions. Teiara-san raised her head after jotting notes down passionately.
“This is very useful. Well, what does Ayano-san learn in cram school, then?”
“Well, in cram school-”
Asagumo-san blocked Ayano’s mouth with her tiny hands as he was about to speak.
“Mitsuki-san mainly focuses on English and Japanese. He has implemented a series of learning systems based on foundations and balanced applications. If necessary, I can tell you Mitsuki-san’s schedule from last month.”
Why is Asagumo-san doing the explanation?
Ayano bitterly smiled as she held her hand.
“Why is Chihaya answering?”
“It’s because I understand Mitsuki-san the most.”
“More than myself?”
“Of course. Mitsuki-san, you always forget about your website passwords after setting them. I’m the one who keeps telling you that.”
“Yeah, but why does Chihaya know my passwords?”
Asagumo-san smiled silently. Ayano followed soon.
…Did Asagumo-san do something terrible again? Also, it’s time for you two to stop holding hands.
The couple is flirting. Teiara-san glared at me brutally again.
You’re scary. Please stop. I understand how you feel.
*
After bidding farewell to Ayano and Asagumo-san, I stood before the archway entrance of Tokiwa-Dori. It’s right next to Seibunkan Bookstore.
Let’s get some coffee beans at the store in front. Kaju asked me to do that, after all.
Our conversation with Ayano and Asagumo-san lasted less than 20 minutes. Actually, I’m interested in how elite students study. However, I feel like half of the time, I’m just watching them flirting.
Teiara-san’s next to me. She stared at her notebook and mumbled.
“Those two spend a similar amount of time studying as I do. Perhaps I should go to cram school as well…”
“Hmm, maybe you’re right. There’s a cram school near Tsuwabuki.”
I prepared to leave after giving a half-hearted answer. Teiara-san stepped forward at the same time.
…? Is this person trying to follow me?
I tried to think of a way to ditch her. Guu, …someone’s stomach rumbled.
It wasn’t mine, of course. Next to me, Teiara-san blushed and lowered her head.
“Uh, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. …It’s because I haven’t eaten anything since morning. Sorry.”
“Why didn’t you eat anything before if you’re hungry?”
“Please review Chapter 3 of our school rules. Paragraph 3 of Article 4 states students should not visit cafes or entertainment facilities after school. It’s clearly listed on there.”
Ha, I see.
My reaction was flat. Teiara-san sighed dumbfoundedly.
“I’ve heard that we’re meeting at a fast food chain today. That’s why I didn’t eat lunch and controlled my water intake. Taking detours was banned initially, too-”
Teiara-san took out her student handbook. She opened it and showed me.
“As for Appendix 3, added in Reiwa 1, it allows proper water intake. I was about to die from thirst at the time. In other words, it counts as an emergency consumption. That’s why getting drinks there doesn’t count as taking detours.”
“Eh…”
I have no idea what this girl is talking about. There’s a rule like that? Also, someone’s following it as well?
“Basori-san, do you have friends? Are you alright?”
“I do, of course! What are you suddenly worried about!?”
“It’s because you won’t take detours with your friends, right? Won’t you look strange that way?”
“Strange in what sense!? I’ll go home, change, and meet up with them!”
That’s what makes you strange.
Teiara-san put her hands on her waist and glared at me.
“So, Nukumizu-san, are you still following me? I’m going back.”
Eh? Since when I’m following you?”
“There’s a cafe called Waltz ahead. I’m getting some coffee beans there.”
“............”
Teiara-san lowered her head again. She remained silent.
Indeed, misunderstandings like this are awkward.
“Well, if you don’t mind, how about you come with me, Basori-san? I think you can eat something inside.”
Even though it only happens once, she’s my imaginary little sister, after all. I had already formulated my words carefully, yet she still shook her head.
“I-It’s fine! Thank you very much for today!”
Teiara-san lowered her head and tried to run away- Bam, she ended up hitting her head on the archway’s pillar.
“Basori-san!? Are you okay?”
Teiara-san bent down while covering her head.
She remained in such a pose for a while. She then slowly stood up while moaning gently.
“I-I’m sorry. It’s because I was a little nervous. …I’m okay now.”
But seeing you go back like this makes me worry a lot. Well, it’s not like she wants me to walk her home, anyway.
“Basori-san, can I take some time of yours?”
I brought Teiara-san to a crepe store I frequently visit.
“How about you eat something if your stomach’s empty?”
“But this is the school rule, so-”
“You haven’t eaten anything since morning, right? The rules say that emergency water intake is allowed. The same goes for nutrients, right?”
“...Makes sense.”
She accepted it. This girl is quite easy.
I ordered a fresh strawberry crepe. Teiara-san hesitated for a while and ordered a custard chocolate banana crepe.
I took a bite. The sweetness of the cream radiates throughout the tip of my tongue. It’s an elegant duet with the refreshing sourness of the strawberry.
Indeed, this store’s crepes are the best. The bread’s crunchiness is fantastic as well.
“Hmm? Basori-san, aren’t you going to eat?”
Teiara-san held the crepe in both of her hands. She looked at me for some reason.
“...You’re so used to it.”
“What?”
“Is that how you ask girls to hang out with you?”
“I can’t even talk to girls properly, not to mention hang out with them.”
“I find your speech subtly unacceptable.”
Teiara-san took a bite of her crepe. Her face immediately softened.
“How is it? This place’s crepe is good, right?”
“This is just supplementing nutrients to me- but it’s good. This is my first time eating crepes.”
Teiara-san took another bite as she said that.
“I see. I thought girls always liked eating crepes.”
“What do you think girls are?”
It’s because that’s how they are in light novels and anime. Please don’t ruin my fantasy.
The crepe store is already getting a long line over the road. Unexpectedly, there are many adults and guys as well.
Kaju always brings me here too. However, this is my first time eating with someone other than my family. I feel a little nervous…
I secretly glanced at her. Teiara-san and I looked at each other.
“Thank you very much for today. I’ve heard something precious from them.”
“No problem. I don’t know if it’s of use to you either.”
“Yeah, perhaps it won’t work. Our difference is too great.”
Basori-san stared at her half-finished crepe and continued calmly.
“...I was still an elite student in middle school. I thought I would be competing with similar people after getting into Tsuwabuki.”
She continued self-mockingly.
“I was wrong. Passing the same entrance exam doesn’t mean standing on the same starting line. There are already differences between our capabilities at the start. Giving efforts like I used to will just make me fall behind more and more.”
Teiara-san looked into the distance. Her body suddenly shivered.
“Sorry, I said something weird. I normally won’t say stuff like that.”
“Oh, it’s fine. I understand how you feel too.”
Tsuwabuki High School is one of the best schools in the Mikawa region.
Elites in middle school will be separated into castes when clumped together.
It’s easy to understand that exam results aren’t everything. However, when facing the future upon graduation, finding another metric to measure yourself is hard.
I pondered about it to the point where I forgot about my crepe. During this time, I noticed Teiara-san’s eyes were fixed on me.
“...What’s wrong?”
“Come to think of it, how did you do in the exam a few days ago?”
“Eh, why do you ask?”
“It’s not fair for you to know my rank only. Relax. You’re not going to be worse than me, right?”
Teiara-san laughed jokingly. I’d never seen her smile before.
“I think- I’m in 47th place.”
“...Ah, that’s nice.”
Teiara-san’s smile quickly disappeared.
“Uh, it’s worse than the first term. Compared to Ayano-”
“There aren’t many Tsuwabuki students who can come close to them, right?”
Teiara-san finished the last bite of her crepe and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
“Well, I’ll be leaving. Thanks for today.”
“Eh, sure. Me too.”
Teiara-san turned around and left after throwing the crepe packaging into the trash bin.
Although I don’t feel like we’re getting any closer, in summary, I don’t feel guilty anymore.
We still need a new plan for getting back the doujinshi. Let’s finish the crepe and-
Then, Teiara-san quickly came back.
“Did you forget anything?”
“Hey, you aren’t lying about your rank, right?”
“Yeah, it’s on the noticeboard.”
“I’m not suspecting you. I just think you’re on the perfect level for me.”
I’m not sure, but she’s dissing me, right?
Teiara-san’s expression seems to be between a smile and a threatening look.
“In other words, I’ll consult again, but it’s with you this time.”
“Me? Why?”
“My embarrassing secret isn’t that cheap, you know?”
Teiara-san departed for real after saying that.
I sighed deeply as she disappeared.
Honestly, this is a pain. However, I can’t just break off our relationship…
I quickly thought about future development as I looked around dazedly.
Next to the crepe store is the west entrance of Seibunkan Bookstore. A petite Tsuwabuki student stands behind that glass door like a security guard. Ah, that’s Komari.
Komari’s in her bloated jacket. She’s giving me cold gazes behind the glass.
…What is she doing?
“What’s wrong? Did you freeze after hitting the glass?”
Komari stepped out with a cautious expression after I opened the door.
“I-I’m here to buy stuff. N-Nukumizu, stop messing around and go write your draft.”
“I have an idea already. I’ll write that later.”
“N-Nukumizu, p-please stop saying things that Yanami has been saying lately…”
Alright, I copied the exact same thing Yanami said a few days ago.
“Komari hasn’t finished your draft either, right? We’re planning to upload it before the end of the year. Can we make it?”
“I-I’m done with it. I-I’ll send it to you later.”
…Come to think of it, this girl writes very fast.
“I see. Well, I should go back and work on my draft too.”
The tide is turning against me. I plan to leave. Komari grabbed my shirt.
“Y-You were t-together with the vice president from the student council, right? A-Are you two going out?”
“That’s not true. All of this is because of that doujinshi. Help me out too, Komari.”
“Y-You two w-were eating crepes, e-even though you two aren’t dating.”
We did. Crepes carry too much of my fantasy.
“Eating crepes is normal, right? You can have one too, Komari.”
“...C-Can I?”
“Hmm? What’s stopping you?”
Why does she need my permission to eat crepes?
I was dumbfounded. Then, Komari suddenly approached me- and bit my crepe.
“I-It’s a little crunchy.”
Komari’s eyes bulged. Her cheeks are full of crepes. She’s chewing it joyfully.
“...Ah, did I sound like I was letting you eat mine?”
I blurted that out subconsciously.
“!?”
Komari’s face flared up. She quickly distanced herself.
“Ugh!? Ah, …I-I messed up…!”
Crap, Komari’s emotions are going haywire.
Not wanting to push her further to the edge, I smiled and slowly handed out my crepe.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind it. Look, crepes are tasty, right? The strawberry is sweet.”
“S-Strawberry? …The red one…?”
“Well, yeah. Strawberries are red. How is it? Do you want another bite?”
Komari shook her head furiously.
“W-Well, I-I-I’m going home!”
Komari prepared to leave. A palm-sized paper bag dropped from her pocket.
“Komari, you dropped something.”
I picked it up. There’s a red ribbon sticker on the green packaging.
“T-That! M-Mine!”
Komari freaked out. She took it from my hands.
“Stay calm. I’m not going to steal it.”
“U-Uh, ..N-Nukumizu, I’ve heard your birthday is on Christmas. I-Is that true?”
That’s a sudden question.
“Ahh, yeah. What’s wrong with that?”
“Uh, well, this…”
She still went silent in the end. Komari put her paper bag before her chest and froze.
What’s up with her…?
“Are you okay? There’s more crepe if you’re hungry.”
Komari suddenly glared at me.
“D-Don’t get so carried a-away!”
She ran away after saying that.
Ehh, …why am I getting scolded again?
I looked at my crepe dumbfoundedly. There’s a tiny bite mark at the edge.
I hesitated for a while- In the end, I closed my eyes and shoved the entire thing into my mouth.
*
Literature Club Report - Winter Edition
<Everyone Has to Know the Engagement Is Voided!> Chapter 6
By Chika Komari
The duchy is greeted by winter.
The year’s first snow is already reaching our ankles.
The heavy cold air is silently advancing toward the mansion’s corridor. With a stack of documents on my chest, I also begin to pick up the pace.
I’m the former daughter of a baron, Sylvia Luczel.
Recently, I’ve turned from being a free rider to the financial officer of the duchy.
I pushed open the heavy door to the office and asked the man sitting behind the table.
“Philip, can I borrow some time of yours?”
“What’s wrong, Sylvia? I already got the required information yesterday.”
Philip, the handsome young man sitting behind the table, raised his head and smiled faintly.
People who don’t understand him may think his smile is freezing due to his frigid and collected appearance.
I can barely hold myself back. After that, I put a thick stack of documents on his table.
“Reports say our collected tax is less than expected due to cuts in land rent. I have implemented corresponding policies in that regard. First of all, road infrastructure is fundamental-”
Philip raised one of his hands confusedly. He interrupted.
“We have already discussed this last time, right? Both sides have reached an agreement with the contract.”
“Even so, I still don’t agree to hand off the monopoly on minerals and salt to merchants. Please reconsider it.”
“I know you’re very worried, but this contract lasts only 3 years. Also, I have already thought of the worst-case scenario.”
I took the document. It’s the draft of the contract.
“As you know, this place has always been isolated. Didn’t you agree to use her powers to open up new trade routes?”
“That’s right, but…”
Indeed, the conditions offered by the contract are not bad. The shopowners benefit from new trade routes, and we have an emergency food stockpile and temporary income.
Restrictions on the effects on the peasants’ life are also in place, so we don’t need to worry about that.
It’s- too convenient.
I’m worried. Philip showed a smile.
“Relax. Even though Elisa is a businesswoman, she’s not a deceiver. I’m an old friend of hers.”
…That’s precisely what I’m worried about.
I mumbled in my heart.
The contract is offered by a businesswoman from Nazart, a trading metropolis in the south, Elisa Volta. She’s also a baron’s daughter.
The youngest daughter of the baron. She was Philip’s classmate.
I have seen her once only. She’s a beauty with bright red hair. Her talking to Philip as if they are best buddies has left a deep impression on me.
“Anyway, can you take a look at the report from the Suvia region? The toll of the port has decreased a lot. There are also rumors of Leviathans appearing on the voyage routes-”
In contrast to her, all Philip and I have been talking about is work recently.
Even though I’m glad I can be of use to him, I’m just his friend and employee in public.
I’ve heard that Elisa is quite rich. The wealth of Count Volta is comparable to the duke, First Prince Philip. If it’s Elisa, I guess she’ll be a good fiancee for Philip-
…No, I should stop thinking about it now.
Using the opportunity of the end of our work conversation, I spoke up.
“Philip, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“What’s wrong? Tell me.”
“I want to have a party this weekend. So, can I use the reception room?”
Philip frowned in confusion.
“The room is fine, but we can’t arrange a banquet and musicians this late, right? We also don’t have invitation letters as well.”
Despite having the best duchy in the kingdom, Philip isn’t a man of luxury, especially this year. We just barely made it through the food shortage caused by unusual weather patterns.
I smiled to ease his worries.
“Even though it’s a party, my plan is just to have tea, snacks, and chat with our friends. No need for all that effort.”
“That’s not all. December is ending soon. I don’t like having extra work in such a swamped period.”
Servants get holidays in Philip's house before and after the end of the year. I know that. This is a reminder of his care for his servants.
“Please don’t worry about it. I’ll give overtime pay to everyone. It’s more like so many people want to participate that it’s bleeding my wallet dry.”
“...Overtime pay? You say some unbelievable things sometimes.”
Perhaps he knows I’m winning the debate. Philip smiled.
“Alright, alright, you win. It’s fine if it’s for our friends. Have fun, okay?”
“Hmph, hmph, you’re joining too, of course.”
“I’m not suited to tea parties, right?”
“In my country- no, based on past literature, the 25th of this month is an important date for spending time with your family or important ones. I hope Philip can participate as well.”
“But…”
I smiled charmingly- at least, I planned to do that. However, an invisible sense of worry blurred my smile.
Did he notice it? A gentle smile appeared on Philip’s face. It was the same one when we met for the first time.
“Sure. Let’s arrange a time.”
Right now, I’m in a garden entirely covered by snow. I’m throwing them away with a shovel.
“Phew, …I guess that’s enough.”
I wiped the sweat on my forehead and put the shovel on the ground. The snow on the path has finally been cleared.
The best way to disperse the depression lingering in my heart is by moving my body.
…It’s been a few months since I was kicked out of my old house and started taking residence here.
I’ve kept this “more than friends, less than lovers” relationship with Philip.
One day, he’ll meet my promise and be my fiancee. It’s just a verbal promise, though.
“...Getting my engagement voided for the second time would be terrible.”
My exhaustion has caught up. I stretched my back relaxedly. Then, I noticed someone approaching me from behind.
“Sylvia, did you do all of this alone?”
“Elisa-san!”
The sweet voice reminds me of velvet. Her bright and tidy red hair is carefully adorned with golden ornaments. Also, there’s her overwhelming beauty.
A gentle smile appeared on the count’s daughter’s face.
“You never let yourself relax, right? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, Elisa seems very energetic too. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see Philip. He’s going to give me more opportunities to earn money.”
Elisa winked sharply. She wrapped her arms around my waist and walked toward the mansion.
“Please bring me to Philip. How’s that guy doing?”
“Come to think of it, something weird happened a few days ago. There are rumors about Philip having an illegal child in Granburg.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle after thinking about Philip freaking out as he tried to explain.
“...Then, what happened after that?”
“It’s just a rumor. It’s because Philip was still studying in the magic school when that child was born. There’s no way he would’ve been in Granburg.”
I laughed and turned around. For some reason, Elisa’s smile disappeared.
“Hey, Elisa-san?”
“...Yeah, Philip wasn’t there indeed.”
She mumbled as if it was to convince herself. Elisa wrapped her arms around herself and stood still.
“...No, never mind. Right, I’ve brought the small Bergson tree you want. Is it okay if I send it to your room?”
“Ara, it’s here! I want to use it at the tea party tomorrow.”
Bergson. It’s a circular coniferous tree I saw on the index. It looks the same as cedar trees.
I asked her whether she could get it one last time. She didn’t seem to forget.
“Are you using this tree at the tea party?”
“Yeah, I’m decorating the tree, and we’ll have desserts. Some gifts for people who have taken care of us.”
“Oh, that’s literally like Christmas.”
Elisa mumbled calmly before moving again.
I casually answered. Then, I stopped when I was about to pick up the pace.
Eh? Did Elisa…just say Christmas?
“What’s wrong, Sylvia?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
…I must be imagining things, right? I quickly followed Elisa.
Whether it’s Christmas or the illegitimate child, all of those- must be my misunderstanding.
Alright, the Christmas party is right around the corner. I should get to the preparations-
*
The next day, after school. Yanami and I walked toward the club room.
Shikiya-san asked us to be there for a strategy conference.
After Yanami got a rough idea of what happened yesterday, she displeasedly threw a red cube into her mouth.
“I look away for one second, and you give me this, Nukumizu-kun. Don’t tell me you’re interested in Basori-san?”
“No, I’m not. Also, in the end, isn’t this because you pushed all of this on me?”
“But crepes are different. They are going into another stomach. I want that too.”
Leave me alone.
Also, why did Komari share information about what food I bought with Yanami?
Despite the ever-increasing number of questions, I cannot help but notice what Yanami is eating.
“Anyway, Yanami-san, what are you eating? Eraser?”
“Even I won’t eat erasers, alright? It doesn’t taste good.”
Yanami seems well-versed in the taste of erasers.
“It’s a jelly. I’m completely addicted to it after trying one in Grandma’s house. It matches very well with hot tea.”
Yanami took out a bag. It’s saying “mixed jelly”.
Adding sugar to jelly cubes is a dessert originating from the Mikawa region. It’s indeed a little addicting.
“But Yanami-san, didn’t you say you would lose weight at the end and the start of the year?”
“I did. That’s why I’m eating this.”
…She said something weird again.
Seeing my look, Yanami shook her finger chicly.
“Nukumizu-kun, we’ve learned about this in Biology classes, right? Our organs secret something whenever our blood sugar level rises. It’s supposed to make you feel good, right?”
Even though we did, was the content this suspicious and vague?
Yanami swept her hair upward joyfully.
“That’s why I have noticed something. Eating snacks while walking effectively burns out the absorbed sugar while increasing my primary metabolism- In other words, I’ll get thinner easily.”
“Are you sure? Did you even listen to the teacher?”
“Of course. Believe in the textbook, Nukumizu-kun.”
That can’t be helped, then. Let the weight scale next week be the judge.
We arrived at the club room and opened the door. Then, I saw Shikiya-san and- Komari froze on her lap.
What’s happening here?
Komari’s face is pale. Her lips are trembling.
“Thanks for waiting. Senpai, you’re here early.”
“Yes, …I’m playing with Komari-chan…”
“I see. Komari, I’m glad that you’re having fun with senpai.”
“-G-Go die.”
I’m so glad she’s energetic. I sat on the opposite chair and immediately started our discussion.
“Actually, I met with Basori-san yesterday.”
Shikiya-san nodded.
“I’ve heard from Teiara-chan, …an after-school date…”
“Ah, so you’ve heard about it. However, it’s not a date.”
It feels embarrassing when someone’s talking about me behind my back.
“Hey, Nukumizu-kun. How did you get so close to Basori-san?”
Yanami kept two jellies in her mouth. She poked me with her elbow.
Hmm, …how much should I reveal? I carefully formulated my words as I answered.
“It’s because that person is wondering whether she should go to cram school. So, I introduced her to Ayano and Asagumo-san.”
“Hmph, hmph, and then you two went to get crepes.”
Yanami gave me a dissatisfied look. This girl. Can you don’t mind it that much?
“Compared to me, the most important thing right now is getting back the doujinshi, right? From my perspective, instead of blindly opposing her, she should understand that we have learned our lesson-”
“Young man, …are you getting closer to Teiara-chan…?”
Shikiya-san ignored what I said and questioned.
“Perhaps she doesn’t hate me anymore, yet we aren’t on excellent terms.”
“Give it another push, okay? …Teiara-chan…will be easy from this point onward…”
Indeed, I can’t deny Teiara-san seems relatively easy.
“Well, let me confirm something first.”
I cleared my throat to divert our conversation back to the topic.
“Basori-san is hostile toward Tsukinoki-senpai. I do know that. Even though it’s hard to accept it, I understand why the Literature Club is under attention.”
Shikiya-san stared at me as if she had forgotten to blink.
I withstood her glance and continued.
“Honestly, I wanted to get the book back no matter the cost in the beginning. However, I felt different after speaking to her.”
“Is that…because of…guilt…?”
“Maybe. That person is someone who can be fooled with a poorly-made lie. Hmm, for example, you have seen chihuahuas, right?”
“Eh? Nukumizu-kun, what are you going on about suddenly?”
Yanami interrupted. My my, this girl must find this concept quite hard to comprehend.
“I’m talking about Basori-san. Please imagine tricking the chihuahua Basori-san by taking away her favorite toy. Don’t you feel guilty?”
“Uwah, that’s bad. Nukumizu-kun, your sin can only be atoned with 10,000 deaths.”
“Y-Yeah, i-it’s best for you to g-go die.”
How much do you girls want me to die?
I cheered myself up and turned to Shikiya-san.
“In the end, this is Tsukinoki-senpai’s fault, right? So, taking the book back from Basori-san by fooling her doesn’t seem right.”
“If you…think this works…”
Shikiya-san suddenly hugged Komari from behind. Komari let out a quiet moan.
“Of course, I don’t mean to blame Tsukinoki-senpai. I know she wrote it as part of her creative writing. As for whether it’s right or wrong, I believe that should be decided by the characters involved.”
I pieced together my scattered thoughts as I looked at Shikiya-san’s white pupils.
“Prez doesn’t know about this yet, right? What would she think if she knew?”
“If it’s her, …she’ll probably just laugh it off, I guess…”
Shikiya-san played with Komari’s hair as she spoke.
Indeed, Prez and Tsukinoki-senpai definitely have a good relationship. She should be well aware of her constantly-over-the-line BL hobby. In a sense, there isn’t an actual victim in this incident.
“So, you…will be the bridge…for improving their relationship.”
“Even so, I feel like I’m lying to that person.”
There’s still one more thing. In my eyes, Teiara-san is Prez’s fan.
Will such a girl really want to submit a book about Prez to the teacher’s meeting, not to mention something as complicated as a genderswap BL doujin?
This time, Shikiya-san started stroking Komari’s ears.
I looked at Komari shivering as I summarized my thoughts. Then, someone knocked on the door.
Hmm, who will knock on the door?
“Please come in. The door isn’t locked.”
The door slowly opened as if the person had waited for my answer.
“Excuse me. Did Yumeko-san come here?”
The person entering the club room is- the treasurer of the student council, Hiroto Sakurai.
He showed a relieved look upon seeing Shikiya-san.
“Young man Sakurai, …what’s wrong…?”
“You didn’t check your phone, right? The Broadcast Club said they wanted to talk to you.”
“Broadcast Club…?”
Shikiya-san’s head tilted in surprise while Sakurai-kun sighed.
“Hiba-nee and Yumeko-san are in charge of the graduation ceremony arrangement, right? Hiba-nee already went to the gymnasium. Can you meet up with her?”
“But I…”
Shikiya-san seems unwilling. She remained on the spot. I gave her a reassuring smile.
“Please don’t worry about us. Go. The student council is more important.”
“Yes, …sorry…”
Shikiya-san was about to stand up. She whispered next to Komari’s ears.
“Let’s go…together…?”
“Fueh!? I-I’m not going!”
“Sure, …well, …I’ll be leaving…”
After putting down Komari, Shikiya-san wobbled as she left the room.
..Eh, is Sakurai-kun not going with her? Why is he still standing here?
“Hey, you sure you don’t want to leave with her?”
“I want to talk to everyone in the Literature Club. Can you spare me some time?”
An unexpected suggestion. Yanami stood up and pulled a chair.
“No problem. Have a seat.”
Well, what does a person from the student council want from us, then?
I observed the situation. Then, Yanami took out a bag of chips. It’s seaweed salt flavored.
“Does Sakurai-kun want snacks?”
“Thank you, but I don’t really eat them.”
“Oh, I see.”
Yanami nodded as she opened the chips like it was a party. How come she just opened it on her own?
“...Yanami-san, are you sure about your weight loss program?”
“Look. There are 4 people in the room, right? In other words, the calorie will be distributed into 4 servings. In a sense, this is losing weight as well.”
Is her theory correct? How come I think it’s false?
“Well, what do you want to talk about with us?”
Upon my question, a shy smile appeared on Sakurai-kun’s face.
“Yumeko-san has been visiting here a lot, right? Hiba-nee, I mean, Prez is very worried about her.”
Yanami chewed the chips as sparkles of curiosity flashed in her eyes.
“Sakurai-kun, you call Prez ‘Hiba-nee’, right? What’s the relationship between you two?”
“Prez and I are cousins. I’ve always been calling her that way.”
Sakurai-kun smiled. His eyes squinted slightly.
“Did Yumeko-san cause any trouble?”
“Hmm, well, …I won’t say she’s causing us trouble. It’s because we asked her for help first. Saying she’s a troublemaker is a little cold-”
My words clearly aren’t coherent. Sakurai-kun sighed deeply.
“...That’s what we are worried about. That person is a loose cannon.”
“Does Shikiya-senpai have that many previous convictions?”
Sakurai-kun shook his head.
“Please don’t misunderstand. She’s very capable at student council work. The same goes for Hiba-nee and Basori-chan. The follow-up work aside from those is the worst- Ugh, but everyone didn’t mean it.”
Sakurai-kun smiled helplessly. Things seem tough…
“Well, I hope you can ease your worries about Shikiya-san. Compared to that, how’s Basori-san doing?”
“...Did something happen to Basori-chan too?”
“Ah, no, that’s not it-”
Yanami licked her finger full of seaweed powder as she interrupted.
“It’s because of that. They were checking our belongings a few days ago, right? The old senpai in the Literature Club is pretty upset with her self-made doujinshi getting confiscated by Basori-san.”
Also, Yanami ate up all of the chips. Didn’t she say she would share them with the 4 of us?
After Yanami said that, Sakurai-kun’s head tilted in confusion.
“The confiscated items have already been printed into a list and submitted to the teachers, but the doujinshi isn’t among them.”
Is it not on the list? So, in other words-
“Did Prez or Shikiya-san stop her?”
“First-year students in the council have been handling the belonging checkings for the past couple of years. The senpais aren’t involved.”
That’s why we didn’t see Prez and Shikiya-san there.
Sakurai-kun continued with a calm demeanor.
“The checking is a practice meant cooperating with outsiders without relying on the senpais. They even have to give orders to senior students upon finding problems.”
Sakurai-kun sighed for a long while as if it was to empty his lungs.
“Then, Basori-chan seems a little too enthusiastic. Things are tough in every sense.”
“Ha…”
According to what he said, Teiara-san seems to be dealing with the doujinshi alone.
Is she trying to prevent Prez from covering this up, or is she not planning to let everyone know from the start?
“I can convince her if she’s causing you trouble.”
I scratched my head as I stood up.
“No, I should talk to Basori-san instead. She’s in the student council room, right?”
“Yes, she was asked to tidy up the materials. So, I think she’s alone in the room now.”
Teiara-san is alone in the student council room.
Despite my lack of motivation, I guess we need to have a nice chat.
…I really don’t feel like it.
*
Tsuwabuki High School Student Council Room. I took a deep breath as I fixed my tie.
…First, I need to apologize for sneaking around to gather intelligence. Then, I need to ask her to return the doujinshi to us.
Indeed, I should have used a frontal assault in the beginning. Based on how I felt talking to her yesterday, she doesn’t seem that unreasonable of a person- I guess.
I knocked on the student council room door.
I opened the door after a while. Teiara-san raised her head and glanced at me. She seemed to be reading something.
“Ara, thanks for yesterday. Can I do anything for you today?”
“I want to talk about something. Can you spare me some time?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Teiara-san is the only one in the student council room now. This is my only chance to speak to her.
Teiara-san ignored me and continued working. I took a step toward her.
“Actually, I have an apology and a request…”
“It’s about the book confiscated from Tsukinoki-senpai a few days ago, right?”
“Eh?”
Teiara-san continued reading as she spoke calmly.
“Shikiya-san has shown great care toward the Literature Club during this period. I do know that. Bumping into me in the corridor a few days ago was meant to be an opportunity to talk to me alone, right?”
“Uh, no, hmm…”
She’s not correct, but she’s close. Seeing her in the corridor was a coincidence. However, picking up her grade sheet wasn’t.
I stuttered. Teiara-san pressed her forehead and sighed.
“It’s my failure for you to have picked up my dropped grade sheet. You have grasped my weak point because of that.”
“Eh?”
Does this person still believe I picked up her grade sheet by accident…?
Teiara-san raised her head. She looked at me dumbfoundedly.
“What are you surprised about? Grades are more important to me than you have thought. Please don’t spread the word.”
“Ah, yeah, of course. So, about the doujinshi…”
Teiara-san stopped jotting notes in her notebook.
“...That obscene book using Prez as the model.”
Clang. She stood up and nearly kicked over the chair.
“She made something like that and dared to bring it to the school. Even though she’s my senpai, she deserves proper complaints and punishments. Isn’t that right?”
Correct. I have the same opinion as you, alright…
I cheered myself up and nodded forcefully.
“I think Basori-san is correct, but that person has learned her lesson. Moreover, what does Prez herself think? Will she be mad even if she knows?”
Teiara-san’s expression relaxed as if someone had sprayed a bucket of cold water on her.
“Prez is very kind. …Yeah, she will definitely forgive her.”
Good, the mood is perfect.
“Exactly. Prez and Tsukinoki-senpai are on good terms, right? Let’s just solve this peacefully and ask her to write a reflection letter or-”
…I was too hasty.
Teiara-san’s face changed immediately the moment I said “good terms”.
“Koto Tsukinoki was the student council vice president last year.”
Tsukinoki-senpai used to be the vice president?
That’s strange. Right now, Teiara-san is also standing before me over the table as the vice president.
“That person had a feud with Shikiya-senpai during the second term of the second year. She left the student council.”
“Feud. Did something happen?”
“I don’t know, nor do I want to know the details. However, that person gave up her duties in the student council and ran away. That alone makes her deserve to be looked down upon.”
“But Prez doesn’t seem angry. Instead, Shikiya-senpai seems quite worried-”
Teiara-san didn’t speak. She suddenly got her face real close.
I fell silent due to the overwhelming pressure. Teiara-san was about to say something, yet her shoulders suddenly dropped powerlessly.
“...You’re exactly right. The senpais are always on Koto Tsukinoki’s side. No matter how often that person has caused problems, the two always help her out. Instead, I’m the stubborn girl whenever I try to scold her sternly.”
Teiara-san turned around and slowly walked out.
“Shikiya-senpai invited me to the student council. She went out of her way to recommend me to the vice president position, even though she was supposed to be the one to do it.”
I see. I thought this girl joined the student council due to her admiration of Prez.
“Since Sakurai-kun is in charge of taking care of Prez, I spend a lot of time with Shikiya-senpai. Senpai spoils me a lot. Everything went well in the beginning.”
…This person starts talking about something.
I immediately sensed the upcoming trouble. I looked at my watch on purpose.
“Well, it’s already this late. It’s time for me-”
I was about to run away. Teiara-san turned around and approached me suddenly.
“Did you know what Shikiya-senpai had done to me when I was unconscious!?”
“Eh, no. What did she do?”
“I couldn’t believe she said this suited me better, so she tied two ponytails behind my head! I also got a pair of optical glasses, you know!?”
Ponytails with glasses…? Is that outfit-
“Isn’t that like Tsukinoki-senpai-”
“Indeed, it is, alright!? What’s the point of dressing me up like that person!?”
I can’t do anything about it, even if you ask me. I mean it.
“Also, Shikiya-senpai is constantly touching me. Can you believe it? That person can untie my bra over my clothes, alright!?”
“Uh, even if you tell me the details of the play, I can’t…”
“Who’s talking about plays with you!?”
I think we’re precisely talking about that.
Teiara-san blushed and trembled. She cleared her throat to cover her embarrassment.
“A-Anyway, I hope Shikiya-senpai and Prez can acknowledge that problematic child’s issues!”
I think Prez is already well aware of her issues, right…?
“I understand how you feel, really. In other words, you want to showcase Tsukinoki-senpai’s novel and make everyone realizes her mistake, right?”
“Well, …that’s right.”
I see. I’ve understood everything up to this point. However, there’s still something else.
“But that novel’s protagonist is based on Prez, right? Are you sure you want to publish it?”
“Of course, I plan to black out the obscene parts.”
What’s the point if you do that?
Teiara-san walked to the wall. She tiptoed and took out a thin book above the shelf.
“Is this the-”
Teiara-san frowned and nodded. That BL doujinshi is at a place like that?
Teiara-san pinched the book with the tip of her fingers as if it was something dirty.
“In the end, as a woman myself, I can’t understand a book about the sexual exploitation of women. A high school student should behave like one-”
…Hmm? This person just said something weird.
The unusualness in my heart slowly materialized.
“Teiara-san, can I ask something?”
“Please don’t call me by my first name! Also, what are you asking? I’m not returning the book.”
“That’s not it. That novel doesn’t have any women.”
“...What are you talking about? Didn’t she star in the novel? The student council president Hibari Hokobaru-”
“Ah, hmm, that’s a real-life doujin.”
“Real-life?”
Ah, where should I start explaining?
“Let me check again. If you know Prez is in it, this means that you have read the book, right?”
Teiara-san shivered.
“I just read a little to check the content! T-The lewd illustrations, well, I have just taken a look- sheesh, what are you making me say!?”
“Ah, no, that’s why I said there are only men in this novel. Probably.”
“No women…? Isn’t Prez in it?”
“Well, that’s genderswap. …Anyway, the Prez in this novel is a guy.”
“Genderswap…? Sorry, what’s the point of that?”
Hmm, good question. I don’t know, either.
“In other words, this is a so-called BL novel. Prez turns into a guy and has sex with another man. It’s mainly about love between males-”
“Ha…”
Teiara-san’s sight froze mid-air for a while. Then, she seems to have realized something suddenly.
“Ha!? Prez!? He’s a guy!?”
Flap. She quickly opened the book.
“H-Hold on. Then, this illustration, eh?”
Teiara-san mumbled as she stared at the novel.
“Hey, Basori-san?”
“Then, here’s also, …uwah, like that.”
Teiara-san flipped through the pages hastily.
“Uwah, …uwah-”
“Hey, excuse me, alright?”
“Eh, I can’t believe a place like this-”
…C-Can I go back?
Teiara-san sighed as she closed the book.
“This…is indeed something bad.”
I see, but you look very satisfied.
“Basori-san, now you understand, right? You can’t publish a book like that. How about we solve this peacefully to defend Prez’s reputation?”
Did she understand? Teiara-san’s cheeks grew a faint red. She looked at me listlessly.
“President of the Literature Club. What’s your name?”
Uh, …this girl managed to talk to me this long without knowing my name.
“I’m Nukumizu.”
“Nuku-mizu!?”
Flap. Teiara-san opened the book again.
“T-Then, the Nukumizu who have conquered the Magic Academy in this book is…?”
Holy shit. Is that my character? It’s also an isekai novel.
“Ah, no, I’m one of the characters. You can also say I’m the victim.”
“Eh, then this scene has you…? Eh, uwah, …that’s too much…”
Teiara-san looked between me and the book. She mumbled “uwah” from time to time.
Can you imagine a girl using 100% of her brain power to read a BL fanfic of you in front of you? Even though this is a good experience, my heart can’t take it anymore.
I started approaching Teiara-san again. She’s still fully invested in the novel.
“Well, now that you understand, can you return the book to me?”
“...Ha!?”
Did she only notice I’m in front of her now? Teiara-san hugged the book before her chest and jumped.
“W-W-Wait, what are you doing!? What are you trying to do to me!?”
“Eh? No, no, no, no, that’s not it! Don’t be so loud. People will misunderstand.”
My high school life would be over if people saw this, right?
I reached my hand out nervously. Teiara-san backed to the wall.
“Hey, I’m not going to-”
“P-Please wait! I’m a girl!”
What are you trying to declare?
“I told you I won’t do anything. I’m different than the Nukumizu in that book, right?”
Teiara-san is glaring at me cautiously. She must have finally understood, right? Her body ran out of strength. She bent down on the spot.
“...Y-Yeah, I was freaking out, but you were at fault too.”
Eh, no way. Am I at fault too?
Teiara-san slowly stood up. She looked at the book cover carefully.
“Indeed, this novel is complicated. It’s not just something obscene…”
“Right? So, let’s just-”
Teiara-san shook her head. She gazed into my eyes.
“I changed my mind. Nukumizu-san, let’s make a trade.”
Trade. Is she trying to make me do something in return for giving me the book?
I’m scared the plot will go down the same as the BL novel. Teiara-san spoke up formally.
“Be on my side. I’ll give you back the book then.”
…Eh? This means-
“You have enemies too?”
“In a sense, everyone is an enemy to me. I’m just doing my job as the committee member of the student council, and you think of me as a bad person, right?”
Well, I can’t deny that.
Teiara-san glanced at Prez’s table.
“Prez is kind and forgives everything. As for Shikiya-senpai, she just ignores everything I say. She always touches my neck whenever she has the chance-”
“Uh, please discuss the content of the play with her beforehand.”
“I told you it’s not a play!”
Her emotions are going up and down like an escalator. She must be exhausted, right? Teiara-san put her hand on her forehead and sat down.
…Alright, this is getting even worse.
I spoke up to the exhausted Teiara-san.
“I’m okay with being on your side, but can you decide the actual conditions and expiration date? It’s not fair for me to listen to you forever just because of the book.”
“I see. You’re right.”
Teiara-san thought for a while and clapped her hands.
“Shikiya-senpai and Koto Tsukinoki. Please put an end to their mess before the graduation ceremony, alright?”
“Eh? Why should I do that?”
“I already have had enough of those two’s past. Tsuwabuki High School Student Council only has Prez Hokobaru and her three underlings. Let the ghosts from the past move on.”
“What if I…can’t do it?”
Teiara-san hugged the BL fanfic to her chest dearly.
“Then, I’ll read everything in this novel- and submit it to the teacher’s meeting at the graduation ceremony.”
There are 8 days until the graduation ceremony.
As a person who only goes with the flow, I finally realized the murky waves were swallowing me.
Intermission: Sincerely Hoping That You Can Show Your Skills
Municipal Momozono Middle School. A boy and a girl are facing each other behind the school.
“Sorry, I can’t go out with you.”
The petite girl with black hair lowered her head slightly.
A moment of silence ensued. The male student asked quietly.
“...Kaju-kun, is your brother that important?”
“Yes, Kaju won’t go out with anyone until onii-sama finds happiness.”
Her big eyes are filled with determination. The boy realized it and nodded.
“I understand your feelings. Sorry for suddenly bringing you here.”
“I’m pleased about Prez’s feelings. I shall put what happened today in the bottom of my heart. May Prez guide me as usual.”
The boy can only give a bitter smile at Kaju’s gentleness.
“...No one can tell who’s the senpai here if you say that. Can I confess again, should I outperform your brother one day?”
Unwilling to admit defeat. Isn’t this pretty tragic?
Kaju’s eyes glistened at the boy’s words, full of regret.
“...No, that’s impossible.”
“Ah? No, this is-”
Kaju approached the startled boy.
“From the past to the future, no one is better than onii-sama! It’s because onii-sama’s attractiveness is absolutely legitimate. Instead, it’s the light of his soul-”
A female student suddenly appeared and grabbed Kaju’s arm as she tried to continue.
“Alright, Nuku-chan, stop! Come over here!”
“Eh, Gon-chan? Eh, why are you pulling me?”
Asami Gondou, also known as Gon-chan, used every ounce of strength she had to bring Kaju away.
Gon-chan sighed in relief after bringing her to an empty place.
“Nuku-chan, you always can’t stop once you start talking.”
“But…”
“No but.”
Gon-chan knocked Kaju’s head.
“He’s the 8th guy this year, right? You don’t really reject them properly.”
“That would be bad. Kaju has onii-sama, you know?”
Kaju stroked her head as she showed a stubborn look.
“You can have a boyfriend and a brother, right? No need to stay single.”
“Not just anyone will do. Does Kaju look that easy?”
Kaju puffed up her flat chest. Gon-chan shrugged. “Ara.”
“Alright, what kind of person does Nuku-chan want to go out with?”
Kaju put her finger on her chin. She tilted her head adorably.
“Hmm, …even though this person isn’t as great as onii-sama, the least he can do is be as sincere.”
“Yes, yes, yes, yes.”
“He needs to be as gentle as Kaju and treasures Kaju. If an honest person is in trouble, he won’t leave them alone. He needs to look as reassuring as onii-sama. Kaju will help him if he oversleeps and is late for school. He will silently sneak into his blanket alone at midnight and sleep like a baby. He’s afraid of loneliness. He loves to eat white potato cake. He would be born on December 25 with blood type A. If he’s someone 2 years older than me- Kaju can give my body to him at any time.”
“Hmm…”
Kaju didn’t notice Gon-chan’s half-hearted reply. She looked toward the sky with sparkling eyes.
“I wonder where I can find such a person? I think he’s unexpectedly close to me. What do you think, Gon-chan?”
“A person like this. Who else can he be other than Nuku-chan’s ‘onii-sama’?”
“What should I do? …If only we could meet each other…”
Gon-chan stared at the sky with Kaju half-heartedly.
The breezes from Mikawa Bay blow from the west. There isn’t any cloud in the sky.
The main show in the winter is right around the corner-
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