Tsuwabuki Festival: Will the flower of love bloom or fall?
It's October, and for us first-year students, the school's cultural festival, Tsuwabuki Festival, is just around the corner.
The third-year students will retire after this, and it will be up to us to carry on the club.
Between preparing our Literature Club exhibit, finishing the latest club publication, and helping out with our class project, things are busier than ever.
But for some reason, Komari, who's been named the next club president, has been acting… strange.
Throw in some meddling from the student council and Karen Himemiya, and the quiet, background character lifestyle I've carefully maintained is starting to fall apart.
…Oh, and Yanami is still full of energy. And food. There's something comforting about that.
The Guaranteed-to-Lose Rom-Com, Volume 3. A love letter filled with gratitude… and farewell.
Prologue
Mid-October, after school. I stood at the entrance of the courtyard cafeteria, waiting for the moment.
As I watched the back of a contractor peeling off masking tape, I pulled out a piece of paper.
Tsuwabuki High School's <Faint Echoes> Autumn Issue. It's the school newspaper, put together by the Journalism Club.
But I wasn't here for the club match results or the culture festival preview. What I was interested in was tucked in a corner of the page "Notices from the Office".
"Due to renovations, the cafeteria's hand-washing station will be out of service until the afternoon of October 14."
…Exactly. The sink at the cafeteria entrance had been under full renovation due to aging infrastructure. And today, the work is finally wrapping up.
Once the contractors finished and cleared out, I stuffed the newspaper into the pocket of my blazer.
"Alright, let's see what the new tap has got."
Just as I was about to take a step, I heard the sound of someone running up behind me. I know that light, awkward cadence well.
I turned around, and sure enough, Chika Komari.
A fellow first-year and Literature Club member, she's someone I have come to respect for her knowledge of the school's plumbing systems.
Komari bent over, hands on her knees, gasping as she looked up at me.
"T-There you are, N-Nukumizu."
"Yeah, you caught the scent too, huh?"
I can't blame her for that.
In a large school like this, water is usually supplied by rooftop tanks. But this time, they have gone with a direct water supply system, tapping straight into the mains. There's no way Komari would miss a chance to test the performance of Tsuwabuki High's upgraded tap water.
"There's more than one faucet. Alright, let's test it together-"
"F-Forget the water. C-Come with me."
Komari grabbed my blazer sleeve and started pulling me toward the school building.
"Wait, hold on. Weren't you here to try the water too?"
"I-I already drank some s-secretly during b-break."
That's cheating.
"C-Come on, we're g-going to the c-clubroom."
"Fine, just stop pulling on my clothes."
Sheesh, if I resist, she'll wrinkle the fabric.
I sighed and let myself be dragged along by Komari-
Chapter 1: Yumeko Shikiya Will Take Care of You
West building, in front of the Literature Club room.
As I grabbed the doorknob, an ominous premonition passed through my mind.
"…Hey, Komari. What exactly is in the clubroom?"
Just as I started to ask, Komari shoved me from behind.
"J-Just open the d-door already."
"Okay, okay, stop pushing me."
There was no point arguing any further. I gave in and opened the door to the clubroom. For some reason, it's unusually dim inside.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed a silhouette of a girl with long hair sitting in one of the chairs.
"…Who is that? Wait, is that Yanami-san?"
"You're… the Literature Club boy…"
"Eek!?"
The one who slowly stood up is a girl in a nurse uniform. It's Shikiya-san, the student council's zombie gal.
I bolted out of the clubroom on instinct, slamming the door shut behind me.
…Why is she in there? And more importantly, what the hell is that outfit?
As I leaned against the door, trying to catch my breath, a loud pounding echoed from the other side.
Shoot, the zombie nurse Shikiya-senpai is trying to get out. I heard the doorknob rattle violently.
"O-Open up! I-I'm still in h-here!"
…I forgot about Komari.
I stepped away from the door, and Komari came tumbling out of the room.
"Y-You! Y-You left me in t-there!"
"No, I didn't. I just… forgot."
Totally different from abandoning her. Worlds apart, really. In other words, I'm not the bad guy here.
As I tried to calm down the outraged Komari, a cold shiver ran up my spine. Two slender arms suddenly looped around both our necks from behind.
Shikiya-san caught us in a double hold. Her pale-colored contact lenses hovered right in front of my face.
"You two… why are you running…?"
"Uh, because…"
You're kinda terrifying?
Still shaking, Komari clutched both hands around my tie.
"Komari, stop pulling on my tie. And senpai, your hands are cold, so could you let go for a- uh, what's wrong?"
"My strength... is gone..."
Shikiya-san, still gripping both our collars, collapsed onto the floor with a dragging motion.
"Wait, seriously? Komari, support her! Hurry!"
"I-I don't want to... Nukumizu, y-you hold her."
Hold her? You mean a girl's body? Me?
Shikiya-san's body is about to slump completely to the floor.
There's no time to hesitate. I braced myself and wrapped my arms around Shikiya-san's cold body.
*
"Alright, please sit up straight now. I'll go make some tea."
I finally managed to get Shikiya-san seated in a chair.
As I prepared the tea, I recalled the sensation of holding her.
...She was kind of soft.
There was this sort of limp, fish fillet-like texture to her, but I guess that's what an adult woman's body feels like. Definitely different from Kaju's…
I shook off the thought and glanced over. Komari's in the corner of the clubroom, pale-faced and fiddling with her phone. The usual sight.
Relieved, I set the steaming teacups down on the desk.
"Senpai, what brings you here today?"
Saying that, I sat across from Shikiya-san.
…I tried to stay calm, but her outfit kept bothering me. A nurse costume with a miniskirt and an unnecessarily low-cut chest.
I made a conscious effort not to look as Shikiya-san pulled out a sheet of paper from her cleavage.
"Tsuwabuki Festival... classroom... reservation... application form..."
-The Tsuwabuki Festival. It's basically our school festival. Usually, the cultural festival and sports day are held back to back, but this year, due to scheduling, only the cultural festival will take place at the end of the month.
The Literature Club also plans to have a first-year-led exhibition, but the theme hasn't been finalized yet.
Even with the event only half a month away, all we have settled on is that we'll make a club magazine and "do some kind of club-related exhibit". Komari had rewritten this application form several times and barely submitted it before the deadline.
"Was there something wrong with it?"
"The exhibition details... and... layout map… are missing..."
Just then, Shikiya-san suddenly turned her head toward Komari. Komari flinched.
"I tried... to teach her... how to fill it out... but that girl over there... ran away."
I can't blame her for wanting to escape.
"There are… a lot of applicants... if you don't do it properly... it won't get approved..."
"So you came all the way here just for that? Uh, it was the details and the layout map, right?"
I reached out to take the application form, then stopped myself. Come to think of it, this paper was tucked in Shikiya-san's cleavage. Is it really okay to touch it with my bare hands...?
"Komari, you take it. Come on, over here."
"Ueh? U-Um…"
Komari shrank her small body even smaller. I beckoned her over with a smile.
"It's fine. Shikiya-senpai's a good person. She won't bite."
"S-She's not s-scary?"
"Yeah, she's gentle. Like, the kind of person who would pick up a stray kitten without thinking."
"K-Kitten?"
Komari began slowly approaching. Alright, this is going well.
Just then, Shikiya-san muttered quietly.
"I... prefer dogs..."
Komari retreated to the corner of the room again.
...We're back to square one. I looked up at the ceiling, trying to think of my next move.
*
The "How to Fill Out an Application" seminar began.
Shikiya-san started marking corrections on the form with a red pencil.
Komari stood, peeking over my shoulder to look.
"T-Then, um, I should put numbers i-inside the diagram. And the m-movement flow, d-do I draw that too?"
"Yes... the review... how you write it... is important..."
Komari placed both hands on my right shoulder and leaned in closer.
"N-Nukumizu. D-Don't move. I can't s-see."
"Then stop leaning on me. You're not heavy, but you're still kind of heavy."
Even while grumbling at me, Komari is earnestly listening to Shikiya-senpai's explanation, and honestly, it made me a little emotional.
Getting her to this point had taken a lot of effort. Twenty minutes of coaxing a terrified Komari with candy and smartphone videos. Only then did she finally come out of her corner.
"A-And is there anything else we s-should fix?"
"The explanation... too many blanks... leaves a bad impression... fill out... everything."
After finally drawing a little graveyard illustration in the empty space, Shikiya-san tucked the red pencil back into her cleavage.
"This should... be fine... submit it... by lunchtime... after the weekend..."
Still expressionless as ever, Shikiya-san sipped her now completely cold tea. Komari picked up the corrected application form and stared at it like she was trying to burn a hole through it.
I took a sip of tea, all while carefully observing Shikiya-san.
"Why are you going so far for the Literature Club? I thought the student council was..."
-Trying to shut us down.
I trailed off without saying the rest, but Shikiya-san tilted her head as if she didn't understand the question.
"Because... Tsukinoki-senpai... is fond of... you all... I guess?"
Koto Tsukinoki. Third-year and vice president of the Literature Club.
Right, she used to be part of the student council. It looks like she and Shikiya-san know each other, but what kind of relationship do they have…?
I shook my head slightly. It's not good to pry just because I’m curious. Not good, but-
"So, what's with that outfit, senpai?"
I couldn't completely ignore the nurse costume.
"Tsuwabuki Festival costume trial... we aim to be... a student council... that feels approachable..."
With that, she stood up in one smooth motion. I guess Komari still found the moving Shikiya-san scary, because she hid behind my back again.
After Shikiya-san left the room, Komari finally relaxed and sat down in a chair.
"T-Then, I'll g-go home and r-rewrite it. I-I really have to do my b-best for this T-Tsuwabuki Festival- eek!?"
Her expression froze mid-sentence.
Following her gaze, I saw a pair of pale eyes peeking through the slightly ajar door.
"Whoa, what's wrong, senpai?"
"I forgot... without a club advisor... you can't participate..."
Advisor? Before I could ask, the door closed again. Looks like she really left this time.
"Uh... hey, Komari, do we not have a club advisor? Hey, Komari?"
...Komari stayed frozen, still staring at the door, and it took another ten minutes to thaw her out again.
*
Not long after Shikiya-san's surprise visit.
I sat on a bench in the courtyard where I had been called out, absentmindedly gazing up at the evening sky.
This year's Tsuwabuki Festival falls on October 31st. Right on Halloween.
Because of that, many classes are planning Halloween-themed events.
According to Shikiya-san, even the student council will be wearing costumes to match the occasion.
...A sudden gust of wind made me shiver.
By mid-October, evenings get pretty chilly. Before I knew it, summer had been entirely replaced by autumn, and the rapidly darkening sky overhead gave me a faint sense of loneliness.
Just then, I got offered a can of coffee.
"Nukumizu, you always go for mildly sweet, right? Hot's okay?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much."
The person who sat down beside me is Shintaro Tamaki, a third-year student and president of the Literature Club.
The canned coffee I received was a little too hot, and I gently moved it back and forth between my hands.
"Sorry for calling you out so suddenly. You probably had something to do, right?"
"No, I've finished everything. Shikiya-senpai from the student council came to the clubroom earlier."
"Ahh, her. Guess it was a good call I didn't stop by the clubroom then..."
Muttering to himself with a knowing tone, Prez opened his can of black coffee.
Seeing the usually composed Prez looking this uncharacteristically troubled piqued my curiosity.
"Did something happen between you and Shikiya-senpai?"
"Well, sort of. Anyway, sorry to dump the Tsuwabuki Festival prep on you."
"It's no problem. If anything, Komari's way more fired up than I am."
That's right. Komari has been unusually enthusiastic about the Literature Club's exhibition for this Tsuwabuki Fest.
And yet, we still haven't settled on a theme, and these past few days she has been muttering to herself with an intensity that's a little unsettling.
"Yeah, Komari-chan's definitely giving it her all... So, about what I wanted to talk to you-"
Prez paused, taking a sip of his canned coffee.
"You know how third-years retire from club activities at the end of October, right?"
"Yeah, more or less."
I had heard as much. Tsuwabuki High is a college-prep school, and retiring to focus on entrance exams makes sense. If anything, they are retiring late.
"The Literature Club isn't that strict about it, but we still need to draw a line somewhere. Both Koto and I are heading into exam season, so I'm planning to step down after the Tsuwabuki Fest."
Back when Prez told us at the start of the second term that the first-years would be leading the Tsuwabuki Fest preparations, I had already braced myself.
It has only been six months since I started high school. But for the third-years, their high school life is already nearing its end.
Prez continued speaking, his tone serious.
"Naturally, we'll also be choosing a new club president. That's actually what I wanted to ask you about."
...I see, so that's what this talk was about. I straightened my posture.
Being president isn't really my thing. Not at all. But if he's truly insistent-
"I'm planning to ask Komari-chan to be the next president."
"Eh?"
I half-rose to my feet, and Prez gave me a puzzled look.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, no, I think that's a good idea."
In a way, it's the obvious choice. Komari's the most senior of the first-years, and she has a strong attachment to the club. If there's a problem, it's the fact that it's Komari.
"So I would like you, Nukumizu, to support her as the vice president. Will you take the job?"
"I don't mind. But since it's between girls, wouldn't someone like Yanami-san be a better fit?"
Prez looked conflicted.
"I considered that. But if that girl gets a boyfriend or something, won't she turn into a ghost member?"
"...Yeah, no doubt about it."
In that regard, Komari and I are safe. What a reliable sense of stability.
"I'm worried about Komari-chan after we graduate. I want her to gain some confidence by becoming president while we're still around to support her."
Makes sense. Komari becomes president, and we help her out. Starting with Tsuwabuki Fest, she builds up experience until the third-years graduate.
"Have you told Komari about this future presidency?"
"Yeah, I asked her last week. Last night, she gave me her answer and said she would do it, but..."
Seeing Prez's uncertain expression, I couldn't help but smile.
"You're really worried about Komari, huh?"
"Yes! I'm extremely worried!"
"Eek!"
A girl's voice rained down from above us on the bench.
Tsukinoki-senpai suddenly appeared behind us and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me with all her strength.
"Whoa, what was that for?"
"Because I'm worried sick about leaving Komari-chan behind after graduation! Maybe I should just stay another year at school!"
"...Koto, that's not even a joke anymore, okay?"
Prez's tone was deadly serious. It must be tough for him.
Tsukinoki-senpai let that comment slide and sat down on the other side of the bench, with me in the middle.
"I'm also in favor of letting Komari-chan be the next president. But as she is now, it's still a bit worrying. I'm hoping Tsuwabuki Fest will help her gain some confidence."
Giving Komari confidence. So that's why the first-years were put in charge of the preparations.
I could totally understand being worried about Komari, who can't even properly talk to people outside the club.
"Nukumizu-kun. We'll be staying in the background for this year's Tsuwabuki Fest, so I'm counting on you to take care of Komari-chan. Be gentle with her, okay?"
"Uh, sure, within reason."
"She likes pudding more than ice cream. She can't drink coffee, so be careful about that. And the green part of long green onions, she's not good with those, so chop it up really small for her, okay?"
"Long green onions... I'll keep that in mind if I ever make pork miso soup."
Not that I know when I'll be making that.
Tsukinoki-senpai laced her fingers together, looked up at the sky with tears brimming in her eyes.
"...Shintaro. Maybe I shouldn't retire from the club after all. If I just try harder, I think I could balance it with exam prep."
"You haven't even started your exam prep, let alone balanced anything..."
This is bad. Any more of this and Prez's stomach might burst open. I decided to steer the conversation away forcefully.
"For now, let's focus on making sure the festival goes smoothly."
"Right. The week after the festival, the first club president meeting will take place under the new management. We have got to report on our activities for the first half of the year too, so can I count on you to help her out?"
"Got it. As long as it's something I can do."
The club president's meeting. It's held once a month with representatives from every club.
Just imagining Komari sitting there among a group of second-years is already nerve-wracking.
"I'll leave it to you then. Of course, if anything happens, don't hesitate to contact me."
"Ah, wait a second."
I stopped Prez as he tried to stand up.
"The Literature Club doesn't have an advisor, right? I heard that without one, we won't be allowed to participate in the festival."
"Ah, the advisor thing. Yeah, there was a bit of drama a while back."
...So it's not just Shikiya-san. Something happened with the advisor, too?
Tsukinoki-senpai exchanged glances with Prez before speaking.
"Let's leave the past in the past. From here on, it's the first-years who will be sticking around, so how about asking a teacher you're close to to become the advisor?"
-A teacher I'm close to.
Even my homeroom teacher doesn't remember my face. I don't have one of those.
That said, having a teacher I have never even spoken to become our advisor would be kind of awkward…
"Yeah. I'll think about it."
I gave that answer and downed the rest of my now-cooled canned coffee.
For the time being, I decided to shelve the issue.
*
That evening, I'm at my desk in my room.
Since the second term started, the teachers at Tsuwabuki High seem to have kicked things into high gear. The amount of homework has been steadily increasing.
As I worked through my English workbook after finishing a math assignment for Math I, my mind wandered back to the conversation I had with the Prez and Tsukinoki-senpai.
Komari as the next president. No doubt, the Literature Club means a lot to her. If she's determined to do her best, then I have to do what I can to support her too-
My thoughts were suddenly interrupted as my little sister, Kaju, arched her back and looked up at me from my lap.
"By the way, onii-sama, how have things been lately?"
"Lately?"
I have no idea why my sister is sitting on my lap, or why she's reading a book there.
I doubt even Kaju herself knows.
"Let's see. The sinks in the cafeteria got renovated, and the plumbing was changed."
"...The sinks, huh."
Kaju made a somewhat delicate expression.
"Yeah. So I checked to see how the taste of the water changed."
"And how was it?"
"It tasted like tap water."
Sensing Kaju's lackluster reaction, I added some explanation.
"Still, that doesn't mean it was a wasted trip. The tap water at Tsuwabuki High comes from a different source than ours at home. The taste also depends on rainfall. Soon, I'll start noticing more subtle differences in flavor."
"Right. That sounds wonderful. Anyway, changing the subject-"
Kaju shifted to sit sideways and looked up at me with a serious expression.
"Yanami-san, the one who visited during summer break. How has she been lately?"
…Anna Yanami. After being rejected by our childhood friend, Sosuke Hakamada, she kind of naturally drifted into joining the Literature Club.
Even though she got rejected, she's cheerful in class, always laughing and hanging out with friends. Lately, she's even been talking with Hakamada and the reigning heroine, Karen Himemiya, more often.
"How, huh... I keep telling her to get a boyfriend or something, but there's no sign of that happening. She still drops by the Literature Club now and then. Pretty much the same as always."
Yanami comes to the Literature Club maybe once or twice a week. Most of the time, she's just killing time with a three-piece set of complaints, snacks, and homework.
"You told her to get a boyfriend...? Onii-sama, that's no good."
Kaju, not even trying to hide her exasperation, pinched my earlobe.
"Onii-sama, Kaju is very concerned about your progress with Yanami-san. According to Kaju's assessment, it's about time she starts going a little crazy over your charm."
No argument from me about Yanami already being a little crazy.
"I've said it a bunch of times, but there's nothing going on between me and Yanami-san. Anyway, maybe it's time you got off my lap?"
"Why?"
Kaju looked genuinely puzzled.
"It's got to be hard to read sitting like that."
"Not at all. It's actually quite calming. Onii-sama, by the way, you misspelled the word 'immoral' here."
Wait, did I?
As I rewrote the word, Kaju handed me my smartphone.
"Also, Yanami-san sent you a LINE message earlier. It seems like an invitation for lunch."
"An invitation?"
But there's no notification on the screen. When I opened the app, I found an unfamiliar message in the chat history with Yanami.
<Yana-chan: Emergency stairs during lunch tomorrow.>
...I let out a long sigh and flipped the phone over.
This is the third time this semester Yanami has summoned me.
Of course, it's not some secret romantic meeting between a boy and a girl. It's just Yanami calling me whenever she feels like venting her frustrations.
It's a pain, and if I had a decent excuse to skip-
"Hm? Why did it show up as read just now?"
"Because Kaju saw it first."
Right, if Kaju opened it before me, it would've been marked as read. Makes sense.
"...Kaju, why are you reading my messages without my permission?"
"Because, onii-sama, you're always so cold towards Yanami-san. As your little sister, it's Kaju's duty to manage your progress."
Manage my progress...? I had a bad feeling and looked back at the phone. A reply has already been sent to Yanami.
<Nukumizu: Gladly. I'm looking forward to it.>
I couldn't help but clutch my head.
No, before worrying about tomorrow's depressing lunch, I need to say something to Kaju as her older brother.
"Kaju, listen to me. You shouldn't mess with other people's phones without permission."
"But, but, onii-sama, your relationship with Yanami-san-"
"No buts. You wouldn't like it if I looked through your phone without asking, would you?"
"Kaju doesn't mind at all, okay? In fact, please go ahead. The password is your birthday, onii-sama, and the cloud storage is already synced with yours, so it's super convenient."
Wait, hold up, what did she do? If our storage is synced, that means…
"Kaju, just how much did you see? You didn't touch the folder labeled 'Class Materials', right?"
Cold sweat began trickling down my forehead.
Kaju wiped it off with a handkerchief and looked up at me with a radiant smile.
"Looks like progress is coming along nicely."
*
The next day at lunch, I'm already sitting on the emergency stairwell ahead of time.
As the autumn breeze brushed past, I opened my bento box. I usually just have bread for lunch, but today Kaju insisted on packing lunch for me.
Inside are three-colored rice balls, quail egg Scotch eggs, kinpira made with lotus root and edamame, and broccoli and corn with mustard dressing. [TL: Kinpira, sauteed and simmered root vegetables.]
And for dessert: homemade jelly, frozen and used in place of an ice pack so it would be perfectly ready to eat by lunchtime.
Now then, what should I start with? While I was deliberating, I heard a familiar voice from above.
"Whoa, that's a beautiful lunch. Did you make it yourself, Nukumizu-kun?"
Yanami came down the stairs and sat one step above me.
"My little sister made it. I'm not that good at cooking myself."
"Your sister's a great cook. I wonder what it all tastes like..."
Her eyes were fixed on my lunch a little too intently, but I chose to ignore it.
Yanami opened her own lunchbox and held it up, showing off a container filled with white noodles.
"Look, I made somen champuru. It actually turned out pretty good." [TL: Somen stir-fry mixed with tuna/pork/beef.]
Yanami carelessly jabbed her chopsticks into her lunch. She lifted a tangled clump of champuru, hesitated for a moment, then took a big bite.
Watching her eat so heartily, I decided to bring up the main topic.
"Anyway, Yanami-san, what happened today?"
"Nothing has to happen, right? Can't I just eat and talk a little?"
She mumbled through a mouthful of champuru.
Still, it's probably about Hakamada and Himemiya-san. Maybe she picked up on my silence, Yanami's expression turned a bit sour.
"Nukumizu-kun, just so you know, this isn't about my personal grudges this time. I'm speaking up as a friend- no, as a representative of humanity."
If she's humanity's representative, that makes Yanami my spokesperson. That's depressing.
"...So what is humanity here to complain about?"
"You know our class's Tsuwabuki Fest project? Preparations started recently, right?"
"Yeah, it was <Street Halloween>, wasn't it?"
Despite the name sounding like street-slashing, it's not a dangerous event.
Costumed students walk around campus performing little skits, handing out candy to kids, and generally entertaining the public. Speaking of which-
"Didn't you say they were doing costume fittings yesterday?"
This Street Halloween only features the best-looking students in class for the costume roles. Naturally, that includes Yanami, Yakishio, Sosuke Hakamada, and Karen Himemiya.
"Yeah, we took the measurements in the nurse's office."
"In the infirmary?"
"You know how there are curtains around the beds in there? We measured inside those. The costume team was helping out."
Yanami began roughly breaking apart a clump of champuru with her chopsticks.
"Let's put aside the part where they had to modify the outfit because nothing off-the-rack fit Karen-chan's chest."
"Nothing off-the-rack fits her...?"
Honestly, that was the part I wanted to hear more about.
"So, Sosuke got measured first. Karen-chan was chatting with him inside the curtain at the time."
She was present during his measurements? That's like two strikes already.
"But the costume staff were there too, right? It's not like guys don't just change in random spots anyway."
"...And then, after that, they started measuring Karen-chan."
"...Wait. No way."
Yanami gave a grim nod.
"Karen-chan just started undressing like it was nothing. The costume girl realized and managed to get Sosuke out of there, but then he said this."
Clack. The sound of chopsticks tapping the edge of a bento box.
"Sorry. Force of habit..."
...A heavy silence settled over the emergency stairwell, filled only by the distant shouts of boys playing on the field.
After some time, I gently slid my bento box toward Yanami.
"Yanami-san, want something? Help yourself."
"Really? Anything?"
"Yeah, don't hold back. Here. The Scotch egg's a masterpiece, if I do say so myself."
Yanami reached her hand out.
"Then, I'll take this one."
"...Didn't expect someone to go for the rice ball in a moment like this."
"...You said I could take anything."
Yanami gave me a sulky side-eye as she bit into the rice ball.
Right. I did say that. That one's on me. I'll reflect.
"Um, anyway, do you have any ideas for the Literature Club's event?"
"Last year, the club did some research display in the hallway, right? Something about trends in a specific field of subculture from the Showa to Heisei eras? What was it really about?"
As she spoke, Yanami's chopsticks reached for my Scotch egg.
Huh? I thought the food offer had expired…
"It was... a study of a very specific genre of creative works dealing with romantic affection between same-sex individuals, I think."
Since it was Tsukinoki-senpai's project, the theme was exactly what you would expect. There were complications, and it got taken down the same day.
"Hmm. So this year's going to be another research presentation?"
Yanami's eyes were locked onto a second rice ball. The moment I nodded in resignation, it vanished.
"But Komari says, if we're doing it, she wants people to actually come. She wants the Literature Club's event to be a real success. She even submitted a classroom reservation request."
"Hmm... Komari-chan's definitely a girl, huh."
"...A girl?"
Yanami clacked her chopsticks together rhythmically.
"Because the third-years are retiring after this, right? Even if her feelings don't get through, she just wants to give the person she likes a proper send-off... Komari-chan's so earnest. She's a true maiden."
"Is that really how it is?"
"That's exactly how it is, Nukumizu-kun. I'm totally rooting for her."
Saying that, she took a bite out of the wakame rice ball.
"And hey, Komari-chan's going to be the next president, right?"
"Oh, so you already know."
I grabbed the last rice ball before it could be taken too.
"Tsukinoki-senpai messaged me, told me to look out for Komari-chan. So I've been thinking a lot about it too. Wanna hear?"
An idea from Yanami, huh. I could probably guess, but I'll hear her out just in case.
"Food. That's how you get people. I thought it over from every angle and landed on this conclusion."
She said this with a serious face while a grain of rice stuck to her cheek.
"Sure, food does attract people, but that's got nothing to do with the Literature Club. We don't even have enough people."
"Then just tie the exhibit theme into food. Make it literature-related but food-based."
"So it still stays within club activities, huh?"
Yanami nodded while casually licking her fingers.
"You can't just display whatever you want and expect people to care. First, you need something to hook them. Only then will they even bother looking at the content."
...Yanami, what happened to you? Is her blood sugar directly linked to her IQ or something?
"If I invite my friends, sure, we could pull a decent crowd. But that's not what Komari-chan wants, is it?"
That's true. The goal is to make the Literature Club's exhibit a success. Just packing the place with Yanami's friends wouldn't mean anything.
"Still, food-themed exhibits could go in all sorts of directions."
"Then let's invite Komari-chan too and go do some research for ideas. You're free after school, right?"
"I'm not always free, you know. Like, uh..."
"Like how?"
"Like when it's a light novel release day or a big event in a mobile game, then I'm busy."
Yanami shut her now-empty bento box.
"So you're free today, right?"
"...Yeah."
I chewed the sad remains of my lunch and gave a defeated nod.
*
After school, I walked over from Toyohashi Station, scanning the area for Yanami and Komari. Since the two of them commute by bike, we had agreed to meet up at the site.
"I don't really come around here much..."
The Mizukami Building. This retro complex near the station is apparently named that because it's built over a covered canal.
The first floor of the building forms an arcade lined with small retail shops.
Many have their shutters down, but in between old-fashioned produce stands and snack bars, there are also sleek, modern cafes. It makes for an oddly charming scene.
Just then, in front of one closed storefront, a petite girl was staring closely at the shutter.
"Komari, what are you doing?"
"L-Looking at this o-old poster..."
Why that, of all things? I stepped beside her and looked up at the faded poster.
"So Nonhoi Park held an anime event, huh? Wait, this is from three years ago."
At my muttering, Komari shot me a glare.
"T-This is 2.5 d-dimension. I-It's not the same as anime."
It's not? Now that I think about it, I once called 2.5D stuff cosplay and got the death stare from Tsukinoki-senpai.
"Oooh... T-The person playing Y-Yakuoji Sukeji... i-it's someone else now..."
Still mumbling, Komari took out her phone and snapped a photo.
"Oh hey, the host was Chikapyon's voice actress. Man, I wish I had gone to this."
"Y-Yeah. Me too."
While we stood there, lost in wistful nostalgia, a voice called out behind us.
"What are you two doing staring at a shutter?"
Turning around, we saw Yanami with her hands on her hips, looking exasperated.
"Oh, Yanami-san. We were just reminiscing about an anime event from three years ago."
"...Nukumizu-kun, you do realize you're still a teenager, right?"
"Three years go by in a flash. According to my dad, the real game starts when you start miscounting in decades."
"What kind of game is that? Come on, let's go."
Yanami gave a half-hearted jab and started walking, motioning for us to follow.
"We didn't come here to play, you know. You two better take this research seriously."
As I followed behind Yanami, I glanced around at our surroundings.
"I get that this is research, but why here? Shouldn't we be checking materials at the library, or going to the station mall if we're looking for something in the city?"
"You just don't get it, huh. This place is a fusion of old and new. It's still active as a hub for art, too."
Yanami pushed back her hair with a smug expression.
"And what exactly does that mean?"
"It's like this scenery will inspire us and something good will come out of it, or... you know. That kind of thing."
So there was no deeper thought behind it.
Still, unfamiliar scenery really is refreshing. Even without going far, just walking a street you don't normally use can lead to new discoveries.
"This area has a lot of new sweet shops. Ah!"
Yanami dashed toward a storefront.
"This place is famous for its fruit parfaits. They are supposed to be amazing. Want to try one?"
"We didn't come here to research desserts, remember?"
"Experiencing things is important too. Right, Komari-chan?"
Komari, peeking nervously at the menu by the entrance, winced.
"I-I don't have money."
The photo of the peach parfait does look delicious, though the price is on the high side. Maybe I'll bring Kaju here sometime…
"A little pricey for high school students just stopping by. And you don't have a part-time job either, Yanami-san. You probably don't have that much to spare, right?"
Staring at the sign, Yanami muttered under her breath.
"If I don't think about the consequences... I can do it..."
Think about them.
"Yanami-san, this is supposed to be research, remember? Let's keep moving. Look, there's a miso ramen place over there."
"Why ramen- wait, miso's good too. I usually go for tonkotsu, though."
As I was fed more unnecessary Yanami trivia, I followed her quickening pace.
Then, Komari stepped up beside me, just half a step behind.
"N-Nukumizu. W-Why did you c-call me?"
Peeking up at me from beneath her bangs, her gaze was suspicious.
"You were having trouble deciding on the Tsuwabuki Festival theme, right? I thought this might help spark something."
"T-That's true, b-but I..."
"We have only got half a month until the event. It's about time to settle on something."
"T-The club president meeting. I a-also have to prepare the a-activity report for the first h-half of the year-"
Komari trailed off, quickly clamming up in a fluster.
"About you becoming president, both Yanami-san and I have already heard it from the seniors. Want me to talk to Yakishio about it too?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"We'll worry about the president meeting after the Tsuwabuki Fest. Talk to Prez Tamaki about it then. For now, let's just focus on what's in front of us."
We're also supposed to make a club magazine based on the exhibition theme. I'm taking over from Prez as the editor-in-chief, but without a theme, we can't even begin writing.
Right now, what we need is someone like Yanami, someone who doesn't overthink everything- or rather, someone with a flexible mindset.
"Still, I think a food-related theme isn't a bad idea. We don't need to overthink it today. Just walking around a bit might help spark something."
"B-But won't I just g-get in the way?"
...In the way? It's literally a Literature Club activity. How would that even make sense?
Komari frowned, watching my expression closely.
"B-Because you're going o-out with Y-Yanami, right?"
"No, I'm not. Why would you think that?"
Komari, seriously, still as rude as ever.
"Y-You two are a-always together."
She has said that before, but are Yanami and I really together that often?
In class, I hardly talk to Yanami. During club, Komari's there too. And lately, the one spending more time on the emergency stairs during lunch is her-
"If anything, I spend more time with you than with Yanami."
"Nua!?"
Komari yelped and jumped back. What was that reaction?
"Alright, listen up, Komari. Otters are cute, right?"
"O-Otters...? L-Like the ones in the s-sea?"
"Yeah, those otters. They are super cute, but did you know they eat over 20% of their body weight in food every day?"
If it were a certain girl, that would be over 10 kilograms daily.
"Adorable and a heavy eater. But just because they are cute, doesn't mean you fall in love with an otter, right? That's what I mean."
"I-I see...?"
Looks like she got it. Komari had her arms crossed and her head tilted, but I'm pretty sure I got my point across.
Yanami, who had gone ahead on her own, came jogging back toward us.
"Hey, come quick! I found something great."
She was grinning from ear to ear. I followed, already certain it was food-related, and sure enough, what awaited us was a cafe.
"This place does takeout. What flavors do you two want?"
Yanami leaned over the counter. So eating is just a given now, huh?
"What do they even have?"
"They are selling Western-style dorayaki. I figured everyone's probably a little hungry, so it's perfect."
I'm not hungry at all, but I guess this counts as socializing.
Peering over Yanami's shoulder, I scanned the menu.
"Excuse me! I'll have the blueberry cream cheese!"
"I'll keep it simple with the original, since it's my first time. What about you, Komari?"
"U-Um, wait a s-second..."
Komari, counting out coins from her wallet, quickly shut it with a snap.
"I-I'll pass…"
...Guess she didn't have enough.
Yanami took her dorayaki from the clerk and bit in with sparkling eyes.
"Whoa, this is so good! Komari-chan, want a bite?"
"N-No, I'm fine..."
Komari shook her head, looking down.
Yeah, I get it. Being offered a bite of something is a high hurdle for someone with social anxiety. I know the feeling.
I tore my dorayaki in half and offered one piece to her.
"Ueh? W-What?"
"It doesn't look great, but I didn't bite it or anything."
I gently pressed the piece into Komari's frozen hand.
"A-Are you sure?"
"We're doing research, right? Better to eat together."
"U-Um... uh..."
Ah. Maybe she really didn't want a piece from me. Wait, could this technically count as harassment...?
As I panicked, Komari gave a slight nod in front of me.
"O-Okay, I'll t-take it."
Still facing down, she began munching quietly.
"I-It's good…"
Komari munched on her dorayaki with a little grin. For some reason, Yanami is giving me a flat, unimpressed stare.
"...What is it, Yanami-san?"
"I mean, you're treating someone who didn't have money very differently compared to when it was me, don't you think?"
"If that's true, do you want me to explain why?"
Yanami silently kicked my shoe.
What was that? If she's got something to say, she should just say it.
I bit into the Western-style dorayaki.
…Oh, this is delicious.
*
After parting ways with the two of them-
I headed north along the streetcar track to my usual spot: the main branch of Seibunkan Bookstore.
Even if I don't buy anything, just browsing book spines seems to help me organize my thoughts.
Suddenly, a certain title caught my eye: <A Simple Life Through Humble Meals>.
Yanami's birthday is coming up, apparently. Would this make a good gift...?
"Excuse me, are you here alone?"
"Huh...?"
The one who suddenly spoke to me is a petite girl with doll-like features.
Chihaya Asagumo.
She's Mitsuki Ayano's girlfriend, the same Ayano whom Yakishio used to have a crush on. Her middle-parted hair revealed a shiny forehead beneath it.
Ever since I got caught up in the summer drama involving her and Yakishio, she's been popping up more and more.
"Yeah, I'm alone. Are you by yourself too, Asagumo-san?"
"Mitsuki-san's with me. When he comes here, he plants himself in front of the shelves and won't move. It's quite the problem."
She smiled brightly, though there wasn't a trace of trouble in her expression. That smile alone told me these two are doing just fine. Asagumo-san peered at the shelf in front of me.
"Are you looking for something in particular, Nukumizu-san?"
"Not really, but we're thinking of doing an exhibit for Tsuwabuki Fest on the theme of food and literature. I'm just seeing if anything might help."
"Ara, that sounds fascinating."
Asagumo-san pressed her index finger to her chin and tilted her head adorably.
"Food and literature, hmm? There are books that address that theme directly, but it might be better to narrow your focus first."
"Narrow it?"
"Yes. If you're aiming for a more general exploration, it might be effective to pick a specific era or country, and then analyze the way food is portrayed or treated in the literature of that period, tying it into the history and customs of the time. I think it could become a very solid research piece."
"I see. General exploration... Um, that might be a bit much for me."
Asagumo-san clasped both hands in front of her chest and looked up at me with wide, squirrel-like eyes.
"Don't worry. I'll pick out about 30 reference books for you to browse through lightly, and then you can just dive deeper into whatever catches your interest. If you let me know, I'll help you dig up as many sources as you need."
"Uh, wait, hang on. I don't really have that kind of time. We are thinking of doing a lighter, more casual exhibit..."
Something I said must have flipped a switch in her. Eyes sparkling, she closed in on me. I instinctively backed up, bumping into the bookshelf behind me.
"It's because you have a strong foundation that you can create something light and accessible. Let's buy what we can here, then head to the nearby library. Now, please take out your wallet."
"Uh, yes, ma'am..."
Asagumo-san had definitely entered some kind of mysterious hyper-mode. Overwhelmed, I timidly reached for my wallet-
"Then, how about focusing on famous authors or literary works and highlighting interesting anecdotes or food-related episodes? For a school festival, that might be more broadly enjoyable."
A calm voice drifted from behind.
Turning around, I saw Mitsuki Ayano smiling at us through his glasses.
"Hey, Nukumizu. Long time no see."
"Ara, Mitsuki-san. Done already?"
Asagumo-san hurried over to him, gently placing a hand on his arm.
"It's almost time for cram school. So, Nukumizu, you're researching for the school festival?"
"Yeah, kind of. We've been having trouble deciding on a theme."
"Don't overthink it. Taking time not to think at all is important too."
Maybe he's right.
As I stood there pondering, Ayano gave me a mature, easygoing smile and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"And if you're still stuck, just let me know. I'll help out anytime."
"Ah, yeah. If it comes to that, I'll count on you."
I answered with an ambiguous smile.
As if seeing through the wall in my heart, Asagumo-san gazed at me with clear eyes.
"Nukumizu-san. Do you think Mitsuki-san's words were just lip service?"
"Is that how it is? That's kind of sad."
Ayano shrugged with a smirk.
"It's not like that, but if you're thinking of what happened over summer break as a debt, it just feels off, you know?"
Once you start thinking in terms of debts and favors, it becomes hard to even open your mouth.
"We certainly do feel indebted to you, Nukumizu-san. But that's a separate matter."
Asagumo-san pressed in on me with quiet intensity.
"This summer, why did you care so much about Lemon-san? You had nothing to gain from it, Nukumizu-san."
"That's... I just couldn't leave her alone. Well, she's a friend, after all."
As I said it while feeling a bit embarrassed, Asagumo-san smiled gently.
"It's the same for us. We're friends, so it's not about gain or loss. If I had to say, it's selfishness, because it makes me happy if I can be of help to you, Nukumizu-san."
"...Got it. If I ever need help, I won't hesitate to ask. Thanks."
"Yes, leave it to me."
Standing silently behind her, Ayano gave me a wink, like he's saying, See? My girlfriend's the best, right?
Sensing that, Asagumo-san leaned back against him with a bright smile.
...I see. Yeah, that's definitely selfishness. Feel free to flirt using me as the excuse all you want.
*
The next day, after school. Yanami, Komari, and I are sitting face-to-face in the clubroom.
"Last night, Komari and I had a discussion and came up with a simple summary. I want to hear your thoughts again."
When I handed them a printed-out sheet, Yanami gave me a puzzled look.
"We learned about the shared document function in IT class, remember? We used that and chatted through it. It actually worked surprisingly well."
"Huh. I wasn't included in that discussion, though?"
…So she noticed, huh. It was a hassle, so I went ahead without including Yanami.
After exchanging a quick nod with Komari, I turned to face Yanami again, this time with a more formal tone.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you to handle a different kind of job. Or rather, there's a role only you can fill, Yanami-san."
"...Only I can? What kind of role is that?"
Yanami asked back with a serious look on her face.
"In short... something like a consultant. We need a third-party, bird's-eye perspective, right? I thought it would suit you perfectly, Yanami-san."
"A consultant… You mean like a consul, right?"
"I don't know why you shortened it, but yeah, basically that."
Looking satisfied, Yanami pushed her hair back.
"I see. If that's what it is, then I get it. I feel like I would be good at that kind of thing."
So she feels like she would. Huh…
"Anyway, back to the topic. With Yanami-san's idea in mind, I was thinking we could go with a theme of food and literature. Like, introducing foods that famous authors liked or foods that appear in books."
"I get it! So we'll actually have food there!"
Yanami's eyes sparkled.
"Right. I was thinking of including vintage recipes or recreation photos."
"Recreation photos...? We're not actually serving the food?"
Yanami's face immediately darkened.
"Huh? But we're not opening a restaurant."
"...Alright, attention. You two, listen to what I'm saying."
She cleared her throat deliberately.
"Okay? When I said we should go with a food theme, I didn't mean it that way."
So that wasn't what she meant. Yanami-speak is hard.
"Then what did you mean?"
"You know how authors from the Showa era always give off that image of eating things like beef hotpot or eel? Since we're in the Literature Club, I thought we should become more like literary figures."
Is this girl seriously planning to open a beef hotpot stall at the festival...?
"First off, cooking indoors is banned. And the application deadline for food booths is already past."
"I just gave you the idea, so working out the logistics is your job, Nukumizu-kun. Come on now, do your best."
Ugh... this consultant's defective. I'm canceling the contract next season.
Trying to avoid the chaos, Komari, who had been quietly reading something, slowly raised her head.
"B-Baked sweets t-that are heat-treated s-should be okay."
Komari handed over the cultural festival exhibit manual. Sure enough, right where she pointed, it's written just like she said. However, I have no idea how we are supposed to connect sweets with a literary display.
"The first step is to get moving. Let's just try making something for now."
Yanami said, her face barely able to contain her excitement.
"Even if you say 'make', we don't have a place or ingredients. Plus, we should figure out how it ties into the theme first-"
"Nukumizu-kun, overthinking is the enemy. Leave it all to your charismatic consultant Yanami-chan."
With an exaggerated flair, Yanami crossed her legs and started making a phone call.
"Ah, hello, Kana-chan? You don't have club today?"
While Komari and I stood in silence for no particular reason, Yanami, having finished her call with Kana-chan, put away her phone.
"Yanami-san, do you have plans with a friend? You don't need to force yourself to stay, you know."
"...Nukumizu-kun, are you trying to get rid of me by any chance? Or is it just my imagination?"
"It's your imagination. The Literature Club values work-life balance."
Yanami gave me a flat stare as I said that with a straight face.
"Well, fine. Let's go, you two."
"Go where?"
"If we have a place and ingredients, we can make something, right? Just follow me."
Striking a smug pose, Yanami stood up confidently.
...Well, fine. Until the contract expires, I'll stick with this consultant.
*
Where she brought us is the Home Economics room on the first floor of the new building.
"My friend in the Cooking Club said we can use it freely as long as we clean up afterwards. Oh, and she gave us some ingredients too."
Yanami plopped a bag of flour and sugar onto the counter.
"...Is this all we have got?"
She nodded with absolute confidence.
"Yup. So, Nukumizu-kun, what do we do now?"
Unbelievable. She just tossed the whole thing at me. I've never made sweets in my life.
"Uh... maybe we could just alternate licking flour and sugar or something?"
"You'll get a stomach ache from raw flour, so no. And it doesn't even taste that good."
Makes sense. Experience makes wise.
"Then let's cook it somehow. Yanami-san, do you know any recipes?"
"Umm, well, I can make flour pancakes, I guess."
"What even is that?"
Yanami pulled out a frying pan and held it up in front of her face.
"You just mix flour with water and fry it. The key is to empty your mind when eating it."
I don't want to eat something that sounds so depressing.
As the conversation began to stall, Komari, who had been silent until now, quietly raised her hand.
"U-Um, I can m-make some c-cookies."
"Are these ingredients enough?"
"U-Uh, I would need b-butter or m-margarine."
Hearing that, Yanami dashed to the pantry and came back holding something.
"Is salad oil okay?"
Komari stared at the bottle of oil for a moment, then let out a small sigh.
"I-It's fine. D-Do you have a p-plastic wrap and b-bowl?"
"Yup. There's a whole pile left over from class practice. We can use as much as we want."
Komari began mixing the ingredients in a bowl with practiced hands.
"F-Finally, add the f-flour. M-Make the d-dough and bake it."
As I watched in admiration, the powder turned into dough before my eyes.
Komari paused her mixing and took out a tea bag from the clubroom stash.
"Komari-chan, what are you doing?"
Yanami leaned in close, peering over.
"Ueh? Ah, t-this is tea."
Not good. Komari still isn't used to Yanami's aggressive energy.
I pulled out some candy and waved it in front of Yanami to divert her attention.
"You're making tea cookies? Just regular tea leaves from the tea bag are fine?"
Komari nodded firmly as she folded the tea leaves into the dough.
Finally, she wrapped the finished dough in plastic wrap.
'A-After this, it needs to r-rest in the fridge for a-about an hour."
"An hour…?"
Yanami muttered while crunching loudly on the candy. Komari flinched in fear.
"U-Um, t-then we can bake it o-once the oven is p-preheated."
"Okay!"
Yanami cheerfully skipped over to turn on the oven.
As I washed the used bowls, Komari came back after putting the dough in the fridge.
"You're pretty used to this stuff, huh, Komari?"
"W-Well, I always m-make snacks for the l-little ones at home."
"How come you can do that, but you still always have a butter roll for lunch?"
"B-Because it's cheap. And easy. O-Obviously."
Komari said bluntly, then tossed the washed whisk into the drying rack.
*
Through the steam rising from our teacups, freshly baked cookies are lined up before us.
Seated around the plate, we said "let's eat" and reached for one.
"T-They are still a l-little soft, but t-they are b-baked."
Komari bit into the edge of a cookie, looking visibly relieved.
"I like soft cookies too. Oh, they even smell like tea!"
Yanami, clearly in a great mood, downed her second cookie and sipped from her teacup.
The cookies have a good texture and taste. If we did it right, they would be perfectly respectable even if we sold them.
Now then, the problem is how to tie them in with the exhibition theme. Would there be demand for, like, Dazai Osamu face cookies…?
"We're doing the exhibit, selling sweets, and making a club magazine too, right? Think we can handle all that ourselves?"
While pouring herself more tea, Yanami wagged her finger and said, "Tsk tsk tsk."
"No one's saying we have to do everything perfectly. Just make as many cookies as we reasonably can, and for the magazine, we can throw in some old stuff we wrote. It's not like anyone coming to Tsuwabuki Fest has read our novels before."
"...Well, that's true."
How far we take things is up to us, and in that sense, I get what Yanami's saying.
Just as Komari opened her mouth to speak, she silently stood up and brought another teacup from the cupboard.
"Komari? Is someone coming?"
"I-I can sense Yakishio."
What does that even mean? Did Komari awaken some chuuni ability or something?
At that moment, a flock of sparrows outside the window all flew off at once.
Startled, we turned to look right as a tanned girl flung open the home ec room window.
Lemon Yakishio. A member of the Literature Club who also runs the Field and Track Club.
"Nice work. Heard you made some sweets?"
"Lemon-chan, the cookies just finished baking."
"Awesome! Thanks for the heads-up, Yana-chan!"
Before the words had even fully left her mouth, Yakishio hopped nimbly over the window frame.
"Don't come in with your shoes on. Change into-"
With a grin, Yakishio swung her sneakers, hooked by the fingers, onto her shoulder.
"I told you I took them off. Nukkun, you're such a worrywart."
…When did she even take them off? She's gradually becoming less and less human.
That said, bringing your shoes into the home ec room isn't exactly admirable. I take a plastic bag out of my pocket.
"Here, sand's going to fall everywhere, so put them in this properly. And wash your hands before eating."
"Nukkun, you're like a mother. Want me to call you Mommy?"
That might open a weird door, so let's not.
Yakishio must have just finished track practice. Her tank top is rolled up to under her chest, and her belly button is completely exposed.
After washing her hands, Yakishio reached for a plate while still standing.
"Yakishio, you're gonna catch a chill. Cover up."
"It's fine. I've been like this the whole time during practice anyway."
Yakishio took a bite of a cookie and widened her eyes.
"Whoa, this is the good kind. It's got leaves in it."
"Well, yeah, if I try, I can kinda manage."
Why is Yanami acting all smug about it?
"Komari made them. And they are tea cookies, by the way."
"Heh, Komari-chan's got some real girl power going on."
Yakishio sat next to Komari and gave her a gentle pat on the head.
…It was around the end of summer break. Yakishio's long-held first love came to an end.
It's not something we'll ever talk about, her and I. But every now and then, I see her walking to school with Asagumo-san. There's no reason for me to stick my nose any further into it.
Maybe she noticed me watching, because Yakishio flashed me a bright, toothy smile.
"Sorry, I couldn't help out at all with the festival."
"Don't worry about it. I know you have got a lot going on."
"F-Field and T-Track Club. It can't be h-helped."
As Yakishio apologized, Komari handed her some tea.
For the Tsuwabuki Festival, Yakishio's not only part of the track team's event but also plays a major role in our class's costume event. Popular kids are busy in their own way.
"Lemon-chan, did you hear the class event schedule? Sounds kinda rough."
The other star of the class, Yanami, counted the cookies with her fingertips, then stuffed all but three into her mouth.
"Foh feh fih fo fon's fevenf feh's fo fo foh feh"
"Yeah. We still need to find a teacher advisor, too, huh."
Yakishio nodded enthusiastically. Wait, she understood that just now?
"Should I try asking the girls' track coach if she can be our advisor? Or better yet, why don't you all just join the Field and Track Club?"
"That's just the Literature Club getting absorbed. Do you know any teachers who aren't already supervising a club?"
Reaching for a cookie, Yakishio blinked her big eyes.
"Most of the teachers I know are club-related. Maybe Amanatsu-chan, I guess."
"Her, huh…"
Amanatsu-chan, a.k.a. Konami Amanatsu. She's the homeroom teacher of Class 1-C.
She's so small and cute she could be mistaken for a student, but she doesn't remember my face or name. It's already the second semester.
As I hesitated, Yakishio clapped her hands and stood up.
"No use overthinking it. Nukkun, let's go see her."
"Right now? Wouldn't Yanami-san be better for-"
I glanced over, only to see Yanami choking hard on a cookie.
"…Alright. Let's go together."
Leaving behind Komari anxiously patting Yanami on the back, I exited the home ec room with Yakishio.
*
Apparently, Amanatsu-sensei is in the Social Studies resource room at this hour.
We're heading there after asking in the staff room. Yakishio then poked my shoulder.
"Hey, once Tsuwabuki Fest ends, do the third-years retire from the Literature Club too?"
"Yeah, that's when they step down. Same for the track team?"
Yakishio nodded, her face slightly less tanned than usual.
"Uh-huh. They have already decided on the next captain. She's a senior I get along with, but she's strict, so I probably won't be able to slack off anymore-"
She clasped her hands behind her head and let out an exaggerated sigh.
"You like running, Yakishio. Why would you slack off?"
"I'm a sprinter, you know. I have a special training menu and all, but sometimes, you just wanna ignore that and run however you like."
…? Does that mean-
"Wait, you're skipping practice just to run on your own?"
"Sometimes you just really wanna run forever, you know?"
Yakishio flashed a meaningful smile and bumped her shoulder against mine. Ouch.
"You could just do middle or long distance in the club, then."
"Nah, I kinda messed up with that back in middle school. Learned my lesson."
She said that cheerfully and stopped in her tracks. We have arrived at the resource room.
Now, I wonder if Amanatsu-sensei is inside. Just as I reached for the door, there was a loud crashing noise of something heavy falling, along with a woman's scream.
…Yep, she's definitely in there.
When I opened the door, we found Amanatsu-sensei buried under a pile of books and teaching materials. Yakishio rushed over in a panic.
"Amanatsu-chan, are you okay?"
"Owww…"
While I glanced sideways at Yakishio pulling sensei out, I walked over to open a window. It's way too dusty in here.
"Yakishio, huh. You saved me... wait, what are you wearing? Your belly button's showing!"
"I just finished practicing."
Yakishio pouted a little as she said that.
Amanatsu-sensei patted down her skirt with quick, fluttering motions, giving us both a puzzled look.
"So, what are you two doing here?"
Gradually, Amanatsu-sensei's expression grew more serious.
…Yakishio and I showing up together. It's the first time in front of her since that thing in the P.E. storage room last semester.
Suddenly, Amanatsu-sensei smacked her handkerchief against the floor.
"Ahh geez, do that kind of stuff at home! At least go to the infirmary! Konuki-chan's there!"
And what exactly would that solve?
"Wait, no, hold on. It's not like that. We came to consult you about something."
"You two… consulting me?"
Tilting her head, Amanatsu-sensei stared at Yakishio's exposed stomach. Then her face rapidly turned pale.
"Hey! No, seriously, go to the infirmary! Konuki-chan's there!"
"It's not like that, and it's probably not what you're thinking about right now either, sensei."
What a restless teacher.
Yakishio gave me an unsure look as I wondered what to do.
"Nukkun, what is she even talking about?"
"Uh… that adults are always assuming the worst-case scenario, I guess."
"Hmm...? I don't really get it, but I'll do the asking."
Yakishio cleared her throat with an exaggerated "ahem".
"Hey, Amanatsu-chan, become the Literature Club advisor!"
"Whoa, that came out of nowhere."
Yeah, that really was sudden. I took over and started explaining.
"Excuse me, our Literature Club doesn't have an advisor right now. We're looking for a teacher who can take that role before Tsuwabuki Fest."
Amanatsu-sensei lets out a thoughtful hum and crosses her arms.
"I would love to help, but I'm already the advisor for the Table Tennis Club, you know~"
She fell silent for a moment, clearly thinking it over, then suddenly opened her eyes wide.
"Alright, leave it to me! I'll figure something out!"
"Really, Amanatsu-chan?"
"In my 5 years of teaching, this is the first time a student has come to me for advice. I'll show you what I'm made of."
"Wait, you have never got asked before…?"
The words slipped out of my mouth without thinking, and Amanatsu-sensei puffed out her cheeks.
"I am… you know. A stern adult figure who values the right distance between teacher and student. Of course, they would find it hard to approach me."
"But Amanatsu-chan, you went to a photo booth with us the other day."
"That was part of student guidance. It's not like I thought it looked fun and was jealous or anything."
She said, turning away with a pout. Is she a kid?
"Uh, anyway, thank you very much. So we can leave the search for an advisor in your hands, right?"
"Yeah, leave it to me. Yakishio and, uh, you are-"
…Good grief, she really doesn't remember my name after all.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, she thrust her palm toward my face.
"Say no more. You're from my class… Nukumizu, right?"
"Huh!? You finally remembered my name?"
As I stared at her, stunned, Amanatsu-sensei puffed out her chest proudly.
"Well, yeah, I used the process of elimination. If I link the faces I haven't memorized yet with the names-"
"Sensei, you don't need to finish that sentence."
…A small part of me regretted getting happy about it.
*
Saturday, the next day. I came to the Toyohashi Roadside Station with my family.
"<Lemon of a Grown-Up's First Love>... huh."
I muttered to myself, holding a bottle of lemonade in my hand.
Yakishio's slightly grown-up smile and the bitterness of lemon peel- images I couldn't quite put into words drift through my mind as I returned the lemonade bottle to the shelf.
This place sells local sweets and ingredients.
Wanting to brainstorm ideas for the sweets we'll sell at the Tsuwabuki Festival, I asked my parents to drive me here.
"Here you go, onii-sama. Say ahh~"
A spoon was suddenly held out from the side. I reflexively opened my mouth, and a clear, cold sweetness spread across my tongue.
Looking over, I see Kaju standing next to me, holding an ice cream cone.
"Oh, this is actually pretty good."
"Mom bought Kaju some gelato. They say it's made with locally raised quail eggs."
Kaju said, popping the spoon back into her mouth.
Come to think of it, quails are migratory birds. As I pictured their round little bodies flying through the sky, my gaze shifted to a shelf of quail-shaped sable cookies.
"Onii-sama, what brings you here today? You suddenly said you wanted to come to the rest stop."
"We're planning to sell sweets connected to the Literature Club's display at Tsuwabuki Fest. I would also like to set up a small resting space for people to relax. I thought this place might give us some ideas."
"In a way, it's like a school festival version of a roadside station, isn't it? What kind of sweets are you planning to offer?"
Once again, a spoon was offered, and I obediently took it into my mouth.
"There's this well-known story, apparently, Natsume Soseki liked nankinmame."
"Nankinmame… so peanuts, right?"
"Yeah. I thought we could put peanuts in small packets, add a short explanation, and sell them cheap."
"Just plain peanuts?"
Kaju tilted her head, spoon still in her mouth.
"I think Natsume Soseki had a sweet tooth. I heard he liked candied peanuts and used to sneak them behind his wife's back. You don't have to sneak them, though. Kaju will feed them to you. Here, say ahh~"
Is that right? I let her feed me the spoon without thinking.
"But we don't really have a budget to buy sweets, and making fancy stuff would be tough too."
"What about the overall plan?"
"Let's see…"
We're setting up an exhibition on writers and food, and we'll give out or sell snacks related to the works on display.
It's not ideal to lure people in with food, but if that gets them to take a look, then fine. That's the plan we first-years came up with after school yesterday.
After listening to my explanation, Kaju straightened her back and put on a serious expression.
"In that case, onii-sama, you have Kaju."
"...Hmm?"
What does that mean? When I looked over, I saw Kaju gazing up at me with dewy eyes.
"The time has finally come for Kaju to be of use to you, onii-sama. Leave the sweets-making to me."
"You sure?"
"Absolutely! And about the resting space, how about we lay down some tatami mats? Kaju might know a place."
"Tatami, huh…? That could actually be really helpful."
"Then Kaju shall ask the Judo Club for it."
Our alma mater, Momozono Middle School, doesn't have a proper martial arts hall, so the Judo Club lays out tatami mats in the gym for practice.
"I appreciate that, but won't it interfere with their training?"
"Kaju will just tweak the gym's rotation schedule a little using the student council privileges."
Wait, that's allowed? As I stared in disbelief, Kaju flashed me a mischievous smile.
"For onii-sama, Kaju will do anything."
…Dear sister, please show some restraint.
*
Monday. The new week begins. It's break time after the first period.
The deadline to submit the classroom reservation request is noon today.
I printed out the digital form we received, but I still need our representative Komari's signature.
I headed to Class 1-A to get it, but she wasn't there.
Now, where could she have gone?
At this time, Komari is usually either in the girls' restroom or at the hand-washing station in the west building.
Since it's just the first break, people generally aren't that thirsty yet. That means she would want to minimize the time standing by the sink, which increases the chances she went to the west building where it's closer, but-
It's been chilly since morning. So instead, I headed up to the fourth floor of the new building, to the central hand-washing station.
At the end of the hallway past the stairs, a petite girl stands motionless in front of the sinks.
Bingo.
The sunlit top floor of the new building, she probably figured the water would be at least a little warmer here.
Komari stood in front of the running tap, staring fixedly at the stream of water.
…There's something about the atmosphere that makes her feel a little hard to approach, but I step toward her anyway.
Noticing me, Komari flinched and quickly turned off the faucet.
"What are you doing freezing up in a place like this?"
"W-What…?"
"Ah, I was looking for you, Komari. I needed to talk to you about something."
"Y-You need me…?"
Komari peeked up at me from beneath her bangs, her eyes looking slightly frightened.
I held out a sheet of paper.
"It's the classroom reservation form. We need the representative's signature. I'm submitting it during lunch, so I was hoping I could get yours."
Komari took the form and blinked in surprise.
"R-Representative? Me?"
"Yeah. You have been the one organizing things from the start, right? I figured it should go out under your name."
Komari stared at the form for a while, then gave a slight nod. She signed her name with the mechanical pencil I handed her and silently returned the form.
…Komari's acting weird today.
Not that she's ever not weird, but something feels off, like she's off in a different direction than usual.
"You okay? You don't look too good."
"Ueh…? I-I'm fine."
"Is this about the festival preparations?"
Komari lowered her head and clenched her small hands.
The Literature Club's exhibition plan had finally taken shape by the end of last week. Komari took the lead on a research display, but even just hearing her outline made it sound like a serious undertaking.
"Don't overwork yourself. We have got the seniors too. Just do what you can."
"B-But!"
Maybe startled by her own voice, Komari quickly averted her gaze in embarrassment.
"...I-I have to be the o-one to do it."
And then she fell silent.
…Did I say something wrong?
"Sorry if I got in your way. Well, see you after school."
"Eh? Uh-"
Komari let out a wordless little groan. I stopped in my tracks.
Just then, a group of second-years poured out of a classroom and began walking down the hall.
I stepped aside toward the wall to get out of their path, and Komari shifted behind me as if to hide against my back.
…Looks like this flow of people won't clear up anytime soon. Maybe there's a year-level assembly or something.
With no choice, I started to walk slowly along the wall, but something tugged at my jacket.
I turned around and saw Komari holding the hem of my blazer with her fingertips.
"Komari, is something wrong?"
"Uh, um… I-I finished writing it. T-The manuscript for the club m-magazine. The villainess one… the c-continuation."
…Huh? Why go out of her way to stop me just to say that?
"Got it. I'm in charge of the club magazine this time, so just send me the file."
"Y-Yeah…"
That should have been the end of it. But Komari doesn't let go of my clothes.
"Break's almost over. I'm heading back to class."
"M-Me too. We're g-going the same way, a-anyway."
Contrary to her words, Komari didn't move at all.
…Could it be that she's scared of the second-year crowd?
No helping it. I glanced at the unbroken flow of students, then raised my digital watch.
"Komari, look at this watch."
"I-It's so lame…"
Hey, come on. This thing's solar-powered with radio-sync. Pretty cool if you ask me.
"According to my calculations, it takes 85 seconds to get to class from here. Even if we leave in a minute, we'll still make it before the bell."
"Ueh…? W-What kind of c-calculation is that…?"
"It means let's wait a little longer, until the crowd thins out."
Komari sulkily tugged on the hem of my blazer again.
"M-My class is different… s-so it's a bit farther."
"Then let's walk a little faster."
Students from Tsuwabuki I don't know by face or name pass in front of us.
Amid that flow, the two loners of break time are somehow standing side by side.
Maybe this is what people call a coincidence, or just something that happens.
And when the next coincidence with Komari comes, I wonder if she will hide behind my back just like now.
As Komari kept her head lowered, still holding onto my blazer hem, I watched the passing stream of students.
*
Literature Club Report - Autumn Edition
<A High and Proud Annulment! - Ch.4> by Chika Komari
My name is Sylvia Luxeed, formerly a duke's daughter.
And if you go back even further, I'm formerly a high school girl from the real world.
After being reborn into the world of my favorite otome game and working hard, I finally entered the extra route where the villainess, a.k.a. myself, finds happiness.
My sweet life of being utterly adored was supposed to begin… but it seems things won't be quite that easy-
"Philip! I heard you haven't even been eating properly!"
I pushed open the heavy door to his office, lifted my skirt slightly, and stepped into the room.
"Sylvia, huh. Don't raise your voice so much."
Letting out a sigh, Prince Philip pulled his hand away from the slide rule.
…It's been a month since we met.
He had, half-forcefully, taken me to the neighboring country after my engagement was broken off at that party.
My gaze fell on the meal set beside his desk.
Just some salted meat, potato soup, and bread. Nothing more than a servant's fare.
"You don't have to eat the same things the servants do, you know."
"Food isn't worth wasting my precious time on. As long as it fills me up, that's enough."
He scoffed and flashed a mocking smile at the corner of his lips.
This year, a drought has persisted since summer, and even though it's harvest season, there's a severe shortage of food. If nothing is done, there's no doubt that many will starve.
"Even so, there's no reason you have to manage the rationing plan personally. If there's no one suitable, why not summon an administrator from the royal capital?"
Philip furrowed his brow.
"The central bureaucrats are all under Duke Gold's influence. If they gain control over funds and supplies within the duchy, we'll lose all room to maneuver."
"But you have hardly slept lately, have you?"
"I'm a feudal lord before I'm a crown prince. It's my duty to protect my people's lives-"
Maybe noticing my gaze, Prince Philip shrugged his shoulders.
"…Just something I heard from someone else. Keeping up the good-guy act to avoid giving the Duke an opening is exhausting."
"How dreadful. But still, Philip, I won't allow you to skip meals."
Really now, with this stubborn, unyielding man, there's no choice but to take matters into my own hands.
I snapped my fingers, and a maid brought in a new meal.
"Sylvia, this dish is…?"
"Let's see. It's something like stuffed cabbage. Leftover bits of meat and vegetables, finely chopped and wrapped in northern selri leaves, simmered until tender in a light broth."
"Cabbage...? I disapprove. This year's drought ruined the vegetable crops. Importing food from the north wastes precious magic."
"I'm aware. I heard Duke Gold has been using an excess of freezing magic to bring in rare ingredients."
Indeed, in this world, where magic is built into the very structure of society, mana is as valuable as currency or resources.
With the mana used for luxury foods, one could produce many times more staple food instead.
"Cooler… box?"
Prince Philip tilted his head at the unfamiliar term.
"Yes. I made a double-layered box and filled the space in between with wind cotton from the Torso region."
"Wind cotton…? I've heard that stuff's a nuisance that piles up in the fields during winter."
"It actually works well as insulation. The men of this country have a bad habit of trying to solve everything by throwing a ton of magic at it. If we can control mana consumption efficiently, importing food becomes a viable option."
"…I see. If that's the case, I suppose I'll humor your little tea party. You called it stuffed cabbage, was it?"
"Yes, and it would be best if you ran your mouth before you eat."
Prince Philip's expression shifted the moment he took a bite.
"You made this yourself…?"
"I did. I'll be preparing your meals for a while. You need to take care of your health."
"And you, look at those bags under your eyes. Have you not been sleeping?"
…Huh!? Flustered, I cover my eyes with my hand.
"Um… I thought I might be able to help with your work, too. I was preparing for that."
"I appreciate the thought, but this is my job. I don't intend to hand it over to someone else."
"Of course. You will still do the actual work. I'll just be assisting."
I activated my specialty: illusion magic. Even though it's been called a useless magical affinity, I have polished this skill over time.
Magical lines of light formed a grid across an entire wall.
"This magic is…?"
"This is Excel- I mean, the illusion spell <Equicell>! If you write numbers into these columns using light magic, you'll instantly get totals and summaries."
It's the fruit of my IT classes back in my high school days.
I grabbed one of the documents and input a number, and an instant total appeared.
"It's correct. How does this work?"
Prince Philip approached the projected chart on the wall and hesitantly reached out to touch it.
"Each cell- each square has a magical calculating rule embedded into it. It was quite the challenge. SUM functions went smoothly, but VLOOKUP and SUMIF gave me a bit of trouble."
"…Unbelievable. With this, I could plan food distribution throughout the domain in no time. No, this could let us precisely monitor the nation's finances too. But how much mana does such a spell require?"
"Ara, it's just Excel. It hardly uses any memory… I mean, mana."
"I see. Illusion magic really is something. I have never seen a formula like this before-"
Prince Philip suddenly swayed just as he was completely engrossed in deciphering the spell's structure.
I rushed to catch him, and we collapsed together onto the sofa.
"Philip! Are you okay!?"
"Yeah, I just got a little dizzy from lack of sleep. Let me rest like this for a bit."
"I don't mind. Feel free to lean on me as much as you like."
Prince Philip, who some call cold-blooded.
In truth, he's a tsundere lord who cares deeply for his people. And in front of me, he's just a little needy-
"My instincts weren't wrong after all."
"Ara? So you're admitting I'm a capable woman now?"
"I've never thought of your worth in terms of gain or loss."
Philip toyed with my hair between his fingers.
"…You really are an interesting woman."
"...Am I just 'interesting' to you?"
As if to hide my blushing cheeks, I put on a brave front. He looked at me with eyes far kinder than the rumors would have you believe.
"Just wait. I'll make my father acknowledge you as my bride, no matter what-"
Next time, Chapter 5: Philip Has a Secret Child!?
*
Lunchtime. I was on my way to the student council room with the reservation form in hand.
"Komari was acting weird…"
I can't get the image of Komari, frozen like background scenery, out of my head.
She's got the Tsuwabuki Festival preparations, the appointment of the next club president, and after that, the club activity report for the president's council.
Maybe she's taking on too much and starting to freeze up under the weight. I should probably keep an eye on her for a bit. Thinking that, I found myself already at the door.
Aside from the sign that reads Student Council Room, it looks like any ordinary room.
I cleared my throat lightly to test my voice, then knocked.
"Uh, excuse me."
I found a single girl chewing on a cereal bar at her desk inside after opening the door.
Noticing me, she quickly covered her mouth and looked up.
"Yes, what business do you have with the student council?"
Her hair is neatly tied back, and she gives off a serious vibe.
Without even smiling, she stood up and walked toward me briskly.
"Sorry to bother you during lunch. I just wanted to submit a form."
She glanced at the application I offered, then, without taking it, shook her head.
"I'm sorry, but the deadline for Tsuwabuki Festival-related submissions has already passed."
"Uh, no, it's just, Shikiya-senpai told me to fix it and bring it back…"
"Shikiya-senpai… Wait, are you part of the Literature Club?"
Ah, good. She figured it out. I let out a breath of relief, only for her expression to immediately turn sharp.
"Uh, is there some sort of problem?"
"I've heard the rumors about the Literature Club from the seniors. That you're a group that spends all day tucked in a corner of the school, writing obscene material."
"Huh!? No, no, no, the Literature Club is a serious club! We don't write dirty novels-"
…Okay, one person does. I trailed off, and the girl narrowed her eyes at me.
"So there is something you're trying to hide?"
"It's just a misunderstanding. Uh, sorry, you are…?"
What is her name again? I glanced down. There's a name tag on her chest. Right, those were handed out at the entrance ceremony. No one actually wears them, though.
According to the nametag, this person is uh… Basori-san? But how do I read her first name?
And just then, she quickly covered her chest with both hands.
"W-Why are you staring at my chest!? J-Just because we're alone, don't get any weird ideas!"
"No, no, no! That's not it! I was just reading your name tag! I was wondering how to pronounce it."
"It's Ba-so-ri… I'm the student council vice president, Basori."
Judging from her school crest, she's a first-year student. And yet she's the vice president? Still, more importantly-
"And your first name?"
"...T-Tiara."
She muttered, barely audible.
"Huh? What was that?"
"Ti-a-ra! My name is Tiara! Is that a problem!? Has my name personally offended you in some way!?"
And just like that, Tiara-san flipped another switch and barreled toward me.
"N-No, I mean, it's not that your name is a problem or anything. It's just rare to see someone actually wearing their name tag, so-"
"It's in the school rules! Of course, I wear it! Honestly! The moment I saw you trying to pull strings to get that form revised, I knew I didn't like you! As long as I'm alive and well, I won't allow such things!"
"So, does that mean you won't accept the application?"
"I will accept it!"
So you will accept it.
"Then, can you take the form now-"
"Ah! It's already this late!? Hold on! Prez will be here soon!"
Tiara-san ran over to the mirror on the wall and began carefully adjusting the angle of her ribbon.
"Uh, about the application-"
"I told you, I'll accept it later! As the vice president, I must not be improperly dressed in front of the president-"
"Ugh, why does this uniform have four ribbons!? Honestly!"
Don't complain to me about it.
Tiara-san is giving off a very familiar chaotic energy. It kind of reminds me of the Literature Club girls. Or wait, what if that's just how all girls are, and I just didn't know it...?
As I froze up under this horrifying thought, the door to the student council room opened.
"Oh? It's quite lively in here today."
Tiara-san straightened up like a snapped string. A tall girl has just stepped into the room.
The student council president, Hibari Hokobaru. Even I at least know her face and name.
Prez walked in, her long hair swaying, and gave me a gentle smile.
"Welcome to the student council room. What brings you here today?"
"Um, I'm here to submit the festival documents…"
Hearing that, Prez took the application form from my hands.
"Ah, so you're in the Literature Club. Is Koto-senpai doing well?"
"She's… well. Same as always."
"Same as always, huh? That sounds like her."
Prez gave a small chuckle, glanced through the form, and slipped it into the document box on her desk.
"Well written. Don't worry, your application has been accepted."
Hmm, she's much nicer than I expected. I had heard the student council had it in for the Literature Club, but maybe that was just needless worrying.
"Thank you very much. Then, I'll be going-"
"You had Shikiya help revise the form, didn't you?"
Her tone dropped ever so slightly. The room seems just a bit colder now.
"Uh, well, she pointed out some things, but the one who actually wrote it was one of our members…"
"I'm not scolding you. Asking for guidance is important too."
Prez stepped forward with a sharp click of her shoes and stood in front of me.
In the faint blue of her eyes behind that smile, my reflection wavered.
"The third-years are retiring soon. Because of Shikiya, I have turned a blind eye to certain things, but from here on out, that won't be the case."
She flicked my bangs with a finger, then turned away as if to say the conversation is over.
"Conduct yourself in a way that won't bring shame to a Tsuwabuki student."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
I bowed and quickly fled the student council room.
Hibari Hokobaru, the student council president of Tsuwabuki High School. I don't know what it is, but she has this intense presence.
Her cool eyes cut like blades, and the finger she used to flick my hair… had these little bandages stuck all over it.
And not just any bandages. They were oddly cute ones, printed with little cartoon bears.
Come to think of it, I heard footsteps echoing through the hall, even though we're indoors. Why wasn't she wearing her indoor shoes…?
Curious, I stopped in my tracks. Voices from the student council room carried out into the hallway.
"Prez, why are you wearing your outdoor shoes?"
"I had business near the field- oh? Where did my indoor shoes go? Tiara-kun, have you seen them?"
"N-No! Then I'll go look for them!"
…What are they even talking about?
I'm not sure, but if she's wearing her outdoor shoes, wouldn't her indoor shoes just be in the shoe locker…?
Well, I probably won't have much to do with the student council going forward. Best to stay out of it altogether.
I quickened my pace and left the student council room behind-
*
That afternoon, after school.
Yanami, Yakishio, Komari, and me. The four first-years gathered in the clubroom are all seated around the table with serious expressions.
I handed out materials to everyone, then looked around again.
"Okay, the Literature Club's exhibition for the Tsuwabuki Festival has been finalized. Please take a look at the document in front of you."
At my words, everyone turned their attention to the handout.
"The official theme is <Reading You Can Eat>. We'll be introducing famous authors and literary works with a focus on food. Alongside that, we'll sell or give away snacks that relate to the displays, each with a short explanation."
Yanami tilted her head, puzzledly.
"So we're both handing them out and selling them?"
"L-Little kids… We'll g-give it to them."
Komari answered in my place. I nodded and continued.
"If you look at last year's Tsuwabuki Festival photos, you'll see a lot of visitors came with young kids. I thought it would be nice if families could stop by and take a break. We're also thinking of laying out some tatami mats to create a rest area."
Yakishio, who had given up on reading early on, leaned back against her pipe chair.
"Then why not just hand out snacks to everyone? We have got the club budget to cover ingredients, right?"
"If we give them to everyone, they will run out fast with people who just come for the free food. So for elementary school kids and younger, we're giving them stamp cards, and they will get snacks after they have seen all the displays."
There are four research displays in total. Each will have about a one-meter sheet of poster paper hung up, with a stamp station beside it. Kids will go around the exhibits with their stamp cards, collecting stamps at each one.
Yanami fidgeted with her hair while peering at the materials, her expression thoughtful.
"But don't you think some kids might just get the stamps and go straight for the snacks? If I were in elementary school, I would totally do that."
Yeah, you totally would.
"That's fine too. It's a festival. What matters is that they enjoy themselves. Really young kids won't even be able to read the displays. As long as the atmosphere gets across, that's enough."
"If we're going that far, why even bother selling them at all?"
"If all we do is hand out sweets and draw a crowd, it doesn't make for much of a track record, right? Officially, this is a Literature Club project centered on literary exhibits and selling themed snacks. Even if the snacks don't sell, we can still claim people came to see the displays, not just for the food. Plus, giving snacks only to small kids means they will usually be accompanied by a parent, which helps us boost attendance numbers."
Everyone lifted their heads to look at me.
"Whoa… Nukumizu-kun, you're kind of evil."
"Nukkun's got a dark side~"
"R-Repent…"
The Literature Club girls showered me with what I guess is praise. And Komari, why are you scolding me?
"Anyway, we'll work out the details later. Komari's in charge of the research displays. I'll handle the snacks and venue setup. As for the club magazine, the seniors will help, so I'll coordinate that with them."
Yakishio raised her hand with a casual "yes".
"What do I do? If it's physical work, leave it to me!"
"You have your class and the Field and Track Club's events, right? If you could help out with setup the day before, that'd be a big help. We have got to copy the exhibit content onto big sheets of paper."
"Got it. I'll see if I can get excused. What about you, Yana-chan?"
"My class only has one project. But what about you, Nukumizu-kun? Don't you have something in class too?"
"...Do I?"
Now that she mentioned it, I think I was put in charge of props for our class exhibit. Totally forgot.
"Komari, what about your class? You good?"
"M-Me? I-I haven't been t-told anything, so I-I think I'm fine."
Her wording is mildly concerning, but I'll take her word for it.
"Also, I brought some prototype snacks. I wanted to get your opinions."
I went over to the shelf to grab the paper bag-
"Huh? I left the paper bag right here. Did someone see it?"
Yakishio and Komari both turned their eyes toward Yanami. Yanami looked away with a quick glance.
"Yanami-san, don't tell me…"
"…Those were the samples?"
I nodded, and then she flashed me a shameless smile.
"It's fine. They were really good."
Well, that's good. That wraps things up for today.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood up, but none of the girls moved.
"Yakishio, don't you have track practice? You sure it's okay not to go?"
"That's the thing. Amanatsu-chan told me to stay in the clubroom after school. So I've just been waiting."
Amanatsu-sensei told Yakishio? Yanami also nodded, her big eyes rolling playfully.
"She told me too. Didn't she say anything to you, Nukumizu-kun?"
She didn't. Well, it's not like she has to have business with me.
But if Amanatsu-sensei gathered Yanami and the others in the Literature Club room, then…
Just then, I heard voices coming from the hallway.
The approaching chatter stopped in front of the door, and then the door swung open with force.
"Ohh, everyone's here."
The lively entrance belonged to our homeroom teacher, Konami Amanatsu. She's more energetic than usual.
"Sensei, what brings you all the way to the clubroom?"
"Oh, come on, you're the ones who came to me for help, remember?"
Help…? Oh, she means the advisor thing.
While we were caught off guard by her momentum, Amanatsu-sensei waved her hand toward the hallway.
"Alright, come on in~"
"Excuse me for intruding."
When the voice's owner stepped into the clubroom, the air completely changed.
A graceful figure, legs wrapped in stockings extending from beneath a skirt-
The faint scent of perfume and makeup tickled my nose, making my head go momentarily numb.
"Nice to meet you. Though I have probably seen some of you in the infirmary already."
The woman sat down in an open chair, crossing her legs with confidence as she met our gaze.
"I'm Sayo Konuki, your new Literature Club advisor. Let's enjoy some lovely time together from now on, alright?"
Yanami and Yakishio both shout a loud "ohh" while Komari shrank into the corner of the room, clearly terrified.
…Yeah, that makes sense.
If she's the school nurse, it's not strange that she doesn't already have a club to supervise.
And since we asked Amanatsu-sensei to find someone, this outcome is inevitable.
"Um… likewise, thank you for being here."
I bowed awkwardly, already feeling a tinge of regret.
Maybe I shouldn't have asked Amanatsu-sensei after all…
Intermission: The Secret Path Lined with Trees
The tulip tree-lined path stretching from Tsuwabuki High's east gate.
Beneath one particularly large tree, two girls stood back-to-back, separated by the trunk.
"…Senpai, preparations for the Tsuwabuki Festival are going smoothly. The Literature Club's event has been decided, and the classroom reservation has been approved. That girl is doing well."
Judging by her school crest, one of the girls is a first-year student.
Her hair falls in soft waves just past her shoulders, and her figure has that boy-pleasing sort of charm.
While munching on a Black Thunder bar, she showed a photo on her phone to the other girl.
The second girl, wearing glasses and tied-back twin ponytails, appears to be a third-year. She swayed slightly as she handed over a palm-sized snack bag over her shoulder.
"That's a relief. Here, take this."
Potato fries, fried chicken flavor. A beloved old-fashioned snack from Toyohashi.
The first-year girl ripped it open without hesitation and began munching crisply.
"And one more thing. I spoke with a classmate of hers to find out how she's been in class."
The glasses-wearing girl silently handed over another snack bag. This one's grilled ribs-flavored.
"During breaks, she leaves the classroom immediately, only to return right before the bell. No one has seen her talking with anyone in class, and apparently, she has never paired up with anyone during PE."
"Oof… I expected as much, but hearing it out loud hits harder."
"But apparently, there has been one change since the second semester started."
"A change?"
The girl handed over a third snack bag. This time, it's butter-salt flavor.
Having already finished the grilled ribs, the first-year girl opened this one without pause.
"She still disappears during lunch, but lately… she seems a little happier, they say."
How should she take this information?
The girl with glasses fell silent, pondering for a moment. Then slowly nodded.
"Thank you. You can look forward to your next reward."
"I'll be waiting. Well then, I'll take my leave."
Leaving those words behind, the first-year girl slipped away from view.
At the feet of the girl left behind, a tulip tree leaf, shaped like an open palm, drifted down.
She picked it up, and through its thin veins, looked up toward the clear blue sky.
Less than 10 days remain until Tsuwabuki Fest.
She would believe in that girl's strength just a little longer…
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