Want to take a peek at Yumeko's secret…?
It's December, right before Christmas.
Tsukinoki-senpai's BL doujin featuring real people got confiscated by the student council!
Tiara-san is fired up, saying she's going to bring it up at the faculty meeting, and at this rate, the Literature Club won't get off scot-free either.
And then Shikiya-san offers her help!?
"How about you… take down Tiara-chan…?" "Huh!?"
Setting aside the method, it looks like it's up to me, the new club president, to take it back.
Yanami warned me not to make a move on my own, and I can't shake the feeling that Shikiya-san might have some other motive too-
The wildly popular guaranteed-to-lose romantic comedy, now at full throttle, Volume 4!
Prologue
The sky I looked up at is clear without a single cloud, and its glass-like blue hue signals that true winter had arrived.
After Tsuwabuki Fest ended, before I knew it, the season had reached mid-December.
As I waited at the crosswalk near the school's east gate, students from Tsuwabuki High lined up around me on their way to school.
The fact that I was just one of them gave me a ticklish, almost surreal feeling.
While I was still feeling unsettled by the absence of the third-years, the final exams had begun. And by the time the rankings were posted, I had somehow grown used to the Literature Club being made up of only first-years.
Sentimental feelings are laughably powerless in the face of everyday life.
The light changed. I began to walk, a half-step behind the others.
As I picked up my pace to rejoin the flow of students, I glanced over the school wall at the tulip tree, now bare of leaves.
By the time the yellowed leaves of the tulip tree had finished falling, the brief autumn had already blended into the memories of Tsuwabuki Fest and passed by.
As I was walking while looking around, I nearly bumped into a student in front of me.
There's a bottleneck forming near the school gate.
Looking past the students ahead, I spotted a familiar figure at the gate.
The vice president of Tsuwabuki High School's student council, Tiara Basori.
Without a smile, she's calling out to the students arriving at school.
Several other students are standing there as well, and among them I recognize our class president.
...What are they even doing?
As I observed, it looked like everyone was opening their bags and showing the contents to the students stationed at the gate.
Come to think of it, sensei did mention during homeroom that there would be a bag inspection today.
Well, I have nothing to hide. I opened my bag and tried to pass through the gate while showing the inside.
"Excuse me, please hold on a moment."
A familiar voice made me stop in my tracks.
Tiara-san's displeased-looking eyes glared at my bag.
"Me? Is there some kind of problem?"
"The purpose of an inspection is to find out if there's a problem."
Can't argue with that.
But still, why was I the only one being stopped when all the other students were waved through?
After muttering "excuse me", Tiara-san stuck her hand into my bag without warning.
"Wait, hey. What are you doing?"
"As I said, this is a bag inspection. If we take our eyes off the Literature Club, you people will bring obscene literature into school-"
Without changing her expression, Tiara-san pulled a light novel out of my bag and flipped through the color illustrations.
"Alright, you're the second one. Please report to the student council room after school."
"No, you got it wrong, that's just a regular novel. Hold on, don't take the book cover off here."
"This is... a regular novel?"
Tiara-san stared intently at the light novel cover.
The title reads: <We're 20 Years Old Added Together, So We Can Get Married Right Now, Okay?>
On the cover, two girls with nothing on but ribbons are reaching toward the viewer with open arms.
"Light novels usually have covers like this (probably), so it's normal. And please put the book cover back on."
"Even if you have two 10-year-olds, they still can't get married. What exactly does this title mean?"
"Like I said, it's set in a world where that's legal- do we really have to talk about this here? Like, are you serious?"
Students from Tsuwabuki High walking past peeked over, curious about the commotion.
Tiara-san gave a big nod, as if something had just clicked for her.
"So it's a science fiction novel. However, since the cover features half-naked girls, I'm still unsure whether to confiscate it. Could you explain the contents a bit more in detail?"
"...Please confiscate it."
"Sorry?"
"Please just confiscate it. I'm going to be late, so!"
That was my limit. As I turned to flee, Tiara-san held the book up behind me.
"Hey, wait! Are you okay with me taking this!?"
...Is she some kind of hitman trying to kill me socially?
As I tried to ignore her and walk away, I remembered something she said.
She said I was the second one.
Did she just mean I was the second person caught in the bag check, or...?
Turning back out of curiosity, I saw that this time, Komari was the one being stopped by Tiara-san.
I thought for a moment, then quickened my pace toward the shoe lockers.
Chapter 1: I May Not Look Like It, But I'm Actually OO
After school, in the clubroom. A kettle placed on the oil heater is letting off steam.
I loosened my necktie and flipped through the pages of a light novel.
Today has been rough since morning.
After a public humiliation, the light novel I had just bought was confiscated.
Trying to shake off the bad memories and focus on reading-
"Hey, Nukumizu-kun. I'm bored."
A girl sitting across the table spoke to me in a sluggish tone.
Anna Yanami. A fellow first-year student and member of the Literature Club. This summer, she got dumped by her childhood friend and became a losing heroine.
Other than that, she's just an ordinary girl- or whether she is, is beside the point, but one thing's for sure: even when it's just the two of us in the clubroom, there's never any kind of sweet atmosphere.
Yanami slouched over the desk, munching on something with a mokyu mokyu sound.
"...There's a purple string coming out of your mouth."
"It's gummy candy. I read in a book that chewing tough stuff properly helps you lose weight."
Yanami held out the empty candy wrapper.
Maken Gummy, a candy made by a company in Toyohashi. It's a long gummy with a rock-paper-scissors hand shape at one end.
"This has been around forever, right? Nukumizu-kun, are you the type who doesn't eat sweets?"
I do eat them. But if you start from the rock-paper-scissors part, isn't it just a long gummy?
Yanami slurped up the gummy like she was eating noodles.
"When I'm bored, I feel like I could eat these forever. I bought a dozen, but they probably won't last three days."
"If you're that bored, maybe do your homework. We got a mountain of it today, too."
Yanami gave me a flat-eyed glare.
"Nukumizu-kun, aren't you being kinda cold? Hello? There's a certain girl friend who's been on your mind lately, and she's feeling bored, just so you know~"
She slapped the table lightly with her palm and pouted in protest.
"...Yanami-san, could you not add weird character traits like that?"
Having completely lost my focus, I shut the book I had been reading, <My Childhood Friend Moved Into the Attic, So I Bought Bug Bombs>, commonly known as <Osabaru>.
It's a popular series centered on psychological warfare with a freeloading heroine, often called the <Home Alone> of the light novel world. In the latest volume, the heroine finally transferred her residency to the MC's house.
Still slapping the table with both hands, Yanami continued her protest.
"You're the Literature Club president, right? I believe the president has a duty to entertain their club members~"
No.
"Yanami-san, you haven't submitted your piece for the club magazine yet, right? Why not write it if you have time?"
"I'll write it eventually. I've got the idea, okay? I've got the idea."
"That's exactly how people talk when they are not going to write anything."
Yanami didn't respond. Instead, she wore a vaguely melancholic look, as if deep in thought.
And every so often, she would glance over at me.
"...Did something happen, Yanami-san?"
I really didn't want to ask, but I had no choice. I'm the club president, after all.
"Um, so, on the day of the closing ceremony, there's talk about holding a class party afterward."
A class party, huh. Not something that concerns me, but yeah-
"The closing ceremony's on the 25th, right?"
To my offhand comment came a voice like something dragging across the floor.
"...It's Christmas."
With black flames flickering in her eyes, Yanami slowly straightened up.
"Not to mention, Sosuke and Karen-chan are part of the planning committee."
"Eh? But those two-"
I started to say something but fell silent, and Yanami shot me a sharp glare.
"Couples get all cozy on Christmas Eve, so there's nothing to worry about on the 25th. Karen-chan's parents are stationed in the UK, so she lives alone."
I see. That really does eliminate any need to worry.
"They invited me, but I'm still undecided. What about you, Nukumizu-kun?"
"There's nothing to decide. I wasn't invited."
"...Uhh, let's just set you aside for now."
I got set aside.
"I mean, I could just turn them down, but wouldn't that make it seem like I'm overthinking things? You know, like I'm not totally thinking about what if it's full of couples, or what if Sosuke and Karen-chan stayed over the night before since it's Christmas, or what if I ran into them that morning. All of which I'm definitely not thinking about, obviously. So if I say no, it might sound like it means something. But if you're going, I thought maybe I would tag along, like a lucky charm or something."
That's a lot of justification.
"That day's my birthday. Sounds like my sister wants to celebrate with me, so I'll pass."
"Huh? Your birthday's on Christmas?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"I see. Then Christmas is canceled this year...!"
No, it's not canceled.
Yanami's eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together.
"Alright! No time to be mourning the dead. We're throwing a birthday party for Nukumizu-kun!"
Wait, she's actually going to celebrate my birthday?
As I stood there, bewildered by the first-time experience, Yanami beamed at me.
"We'll hold a girls' night to celebrate Nukumizu-kun's birth. Lemon-chan and Komari-chan don't have boyfriends, so we're good."
A girls' night. I'm apparently not invited to the celebration, even though I'm alive.
"Yakishio might end up going to the Christmas party too, you know."
"No way, Nukumizu-kun. I can't possibly let a friend walk into that kind of danger."
Yanami took out her next gummy from her jacket pocket and began unwrapping it.
"It's not mandatory or anything. If you don't feel like going, just turn them down. You don't have to force yourself to come up with an excuse."
"Yeah, maybe. But still, having no plans on Christmas feels kind of lonely, and pretending to have plans is just-"
With vacant eyes, Yanami tossed a "scissors" gummy into her mouth.
"So empty. Seriously."
Mokyu mokyu mokyu. The sound of her chewing echoed through the clubroom.
"...Yanami-san, you should just go to the Christmas party after all. There will be other single people there too. Invite Yakishio, and you can protect her or something."
Not sure from what, though.
"Ah, so I should drag her down with- I mean, support her. I'll check if Lemon-chan's going too."
Yanami started fiddling with her phone.
Relieved that she had finally quieted down, I leaned back- until the alert sound of an incoming message rang out.
It came from the bag sitting in the corner of the clubroom.
"That's Yakishio's bag, isn't it? She just left it there. Where did she go?"
"Lemon-chan's probably in remedial class. She said she failed one of the finals."
Now that I think about it, right before the tests, Yakishio kept practicing rolling pencils more than anything else.
Wait, if that's the case…
"Yanami-san, aren't you supposed to be there too?"
"Be where? What are you talking about?"
Yanami tilted her head.
"You know, the remedial class for failed subjects. Isn't it already started?"
"Excuse me! I did not fail anything, okay!?"
Is that so? I just sort of assumed.
"I may not look like it, but my grades aren't that bad! I'll show you proof!"
Yanami pulled a small, horizontally long slip of paper from her bag and shoved it at me.
Her final exam score report. Let's see... out of 228 students, she's ranked 135th.
Not bad, but is that really something to show off with such pride...? I'm not sure…
As I struggled to find the right reaction, the clubroom door opened at just the right time.
Sliding in through the half-open door is Chika Komari, the Literature Club's vice president.
A tiny girl with a heart as timid as a flea. But she's strangely bold when it comes to me.
Closing the door behind her with both hands, Komari glanced fearfully around the clubroom.
"What's wrong, Komari-chan? If Nukumizu-kun's scaring you, I can make him leave, you know?"
"I-I'll put up with him-"
Just as she started to speak, Komari looked back at the door and flinched.
"P-Please tell her I-I'm not here!"
"Eh? Hey, Komari."
Just as Komari dove under the table, the door opened again.
With the hem of her lab coat fluttering, the one who stepped into the clubroom was Sayo Konuki, the Literature Club's advisor.
A needlessly sexy school nurse. She's usually in the infirmary, so her showing up here is rare.
"Good work today, sensei. Is something the matter?"
"Ara, good work to you both. Did Komari-san not come by here? I thought she headed this way."
Sensei glanced around the clubroom.
I exchanged a look with Yanami, then shook my head.
"Haven't seen her today. Did something happen?"
Sensei sat down and crossed her stocking-clad legs in a wide, elegant motion.
"I tried chasing after her, but she ran away. I wonder why."
"Probably because you chased her. Why would you do that?"
"She looked so adorably frightened, I got carried away by desire. I didn't think I would open a new door after living for 27 years."
I get the sentiment, but please shut that door.
Yanami tilted her head curiously.
"You chased after her, so did you need something from Komari-chan?"
"This morning, the student council was doing a bag inspection, right?"
Sensei pulled a book from the pocket of her lab coat.
"Vice President Basori-san gave this to me. It was confiscated, but since there was nothing wrong with the contents, she asked me to return it to Komari-san."
Come to think of it, Komari was being grilled by Tiara-san, too.
The title read: <A Book to Make That Guy Who Only Sees You as a Friend Think About You So Much It Kills Him>.
This is... a dating guide? I didn't expect her to be reading something like that.
Just as I casually reached out to take it, Komari burst out from under the table with enough force to flip it over.
"T-Thank you very much!"
Snatching the book away with intense energy, Komari crouched down in the corner of the room.
"You were here, Komari-san?"
Startled, sensei turned to her. Komari nodded over and over, trembling.
She looked over at me, slightly bewildered.
"...Prez, I didn't say anything weird just now, did I? Is she good?"
"Uh, it was the usual. I don't know if that counts as good, though."
Konuki-sensei seemed to think for a moment, but then appeared to decide not to worry about it.
With a composed expression, she stood up and waved her hand lightly.
"Well then, I'll head back. You all should drop by the infirmary sometime, too."
"Ah, okay. I'll stop by next time."
Once sensei left, Komari timidly emerged from the corner of the room.
"S-She's not coming back, right…?"
"Konuki-sensei is busy. I doubt she will be back."
Pressed against her chest was the love advice book from earlier as she stared at the door nervously.
As someone who writes rom-coms, I'm kind of curious about its contents.
"Komari. That book's research for your novel, right? Mind if I take a look too?"
"Una!? N-No! I-I wrote notes in it-"
Flustered more than at any point today, Komari hastily shoved the book into her jacket.
"Wow, you have really read it thoroughly. Don't worry, I won't steal any of your material."
As I said that with some admiration, Komari trembled in front of me, her face bright red.
"...Komari?"
"I-I'm going home! A-And go die, Nukumizu!"
All at once she blurted it out and stormed out of the clubroom.
...Wait, why did I just get cursed at?
As I stood there dumbfounded, Yanami gave a shrug and let out a sigh.
"That's why I don't like this part of you, Nukumizu-kun. You still don't get how girls think."
"Wait, so you understood how Komari was feeling just now?"
"Nope, not a clue."
Then why throw me under the bus?
Enduring the double dose of irrationality, I thought back on what happened this morning.
…At the bag inspection, Tiara-san clearly targeted me.
At the time, I thought it was something personal, but now Komari had also been singled out and even had a completely harmless book confiscated. If it were me and Komari, then next would be-
I glanced over at Yanami, who was debating whether or not to open her next gummy.
"Yanami-san, did you get stopped at the inspection?"
"I ride my bike to school, remember? It all looked like a hassle, so I just barreled through without giving them a chance to say anything."
Power move.
"Actually, I had one of my books confiscated. They only did a token inspection for most people, but Komari and I-"
Wait a second. Now that I think about it, Tiara-san did say I was the second.
So, before Komari and I, was there already another Literature Club member who had fallen victim to confiscation...?
At that moment, I noticed the door to the room silently opening.
I thought maybe Komari had come back, but instead, a girl wearing glasses and a scarf over her head slipped into the room as if avoiding attention.
It's Koto Tsukinoki, the former vice president of the Literature Club and a third-year student.
She retired from the club during the recent Tsuwabuki Fest, so it had been a while since we last saw her.
The fact that I sensed trouble before any feeling of nostalgia kicked in probably wasn't just my imagination.
"Long time no see. What's with the getup?"
Tsukinoki-senpai quietly shut the door, crouched down, and took a seat.
"...It's been a while. Have you two been doing well?"
Yanami answered with a smile.
"Yes, though Nukumizu-kun hasn't changed one bit. What about you, senpai? How's your exam prep going?"
"It's not going well. More importantly, listen, I'm in serious trouble."
Something more serious than her university exams...?
What kind of mess is she about to drag us into? Yanami and I exchanged a wary glance.
"Uh, that sounds rough. Senpai, would you like some tea?"
"I'll make it. You want some too, Nukumizu-kun?"
Just as we both started to get up, Tsukinoki-senpai held out her hand to stop us.
"Wait, don't brush me off. Just listen to me. Even if you think it's stupid."
Looks like we're not escaping this. Yanami and I had no choice but to sit back down.
"Alright. I'll listen, even if it turns out to be something dumb."
With a serious expression, Tsukinoki-senpai began to speak.
"I'll keep it short. My self-published BL novel got confiscated in the bag inspection this morning."
We have been bamboozled for real.
"Your exams are coming up, and you were still making stuff like that?"
With a theatrical gesture, she placed a hand on her forehead.
"Exactly. It's because my exams are near. The stress of studying drove me to it. I'm nothing more than a tragic victim of a hypercompetitive society."
"Then take this as a chance to reflect and do better next time. Maybe they will let you off with a written apology or something."
I offered a light reply, though I couldn't shake the sense that something was off about her attitude.
Even if they confiscated a BL book, why would she sneak around to visit the clubroom...?
"A BL book's nothing new for you, right? Is that really all there is to this serious trouble?"
To my perfectly reasonable question, senpai continued with clear reluctance.
"Well, the thing is, the one they confiscated was a real-person doujin, so it might actually cause some problems."
"...A real-person doujin?"
Yanami echoed the phrase back, looking puzzled.
A little explanation might be necessary for the straight-laced Yanami.
"Uh, it's a story that uses real people as characters. You hear it a lot in the BL scene."
If that's what's causing the problem, then-
"Don't tell me you used someone from this school as a character?"
Tsukinoki-senpai gave a small nod.
"You know the student council president, Hokobaru? It's a genderbent BL book about her."
"That's entirely your fault, senpai. Please reflect on your actions."
Hibari Hokobaru, the student council president of Tsuwabuki High.
An honor student who excels in both academics and athletics, with a sharp, beautiful appearance. Though, internally, something's probably a little off.
Then Yanami quietly raised her hand.
"Um, genderbent... means what, exactly?"
Yeah, that one needs an explanation, too. This time, Tsukinoki-senpai took the lead.
"In my novel, Hokobaru is a guy. No special reason. It's just the way it is."
She declared it with absolute confidence.
Well, if that's how it is, then fair enough. While I nodded in deep understanding, Yanami looked like she had accidentally eaten a bug instead of a gummy.
"Uhh, what's the point of that...? No, never mind. I don't need it explained."
Since Yanami seemed satisfied with that, I continued the conversation.
"Prez was your junior in the student council, right? Let's just apologize honestly and ask for it back."
Tsk tsk tsk. Tsukinoki-senpai wagged her finger at me.
"Real-person doujin should never, ever be seen by the actual people involved. The rule is to enjoy it only among fellow fans. Apparently, the student council president doesn't know the book is about her, so I want to resolve this quietly. Honestly, I wanted to keep it secret from you as well, Nukumizu-kun, since you're the other person involved, but desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Well, yeah, I guess it would be bad if she found out-"
...Wait. What did she just say?
"Hold on, did you just say I'm involved too? Don't tell me I'm in it as well?"
"It's fine. I was thoughtful and made you the top, since you're a beginner. It turns out that the cool, assertive role suits you surprisingly well. It reassured your senior a lot."
What about reassuring me then?
"Where is that doujinshi now? Don't tell me it's already in the teachers' hands-"
"The physical copy is with Basori from the student council. I went to apologize, but that girl hates me, so she completely shut me down. She's fired up and says she's going to submit it at the faculty meeting on the day of the closing ceremony-"
So, the teachers are going to read a BL book about the student council president and me at the faculty meeting?
Tsukinoki-senpai pressed her hands together with a loud clap.
"Please! Do it for the sake of the Literature Club. Get that book back from her before the meeting!"
Seriously...? Why me?
"But you're technically an alum now, aren't you, senpai? So this is really your personal issue. How about we say the Literature Club has nothing to do with this?"
Yes. As the president, I must sometimes make cold, pragmatic decisions to protect the club. Or rather, please don't drag us into this.
As I pondered how to end the conversation, I noticed senpai awkwardly shifting her gaze around.
"...Is there something else?"
"I included the Literature Club's name in the colophon. And the listed publisher is Nukumizu-kun, the club president."
...Excuse me? What the hell did this person do!?
"If anyone's going to get called into the faculty meeting, it will probably be you and me. You'll help me... won't you?"
Speechless, I could only sit there while Yanami silently handed me a small packet of gummies.
I popped a "rock" Maken Gummy into my mouth and bit down with all my strength.
*
After Tsukinoki-senpai left, I walked alongside Yanami along the outdoor corridor by the courtyard.
I went out to buy a drink from the vending machine, and Yanami tagged along.
"I mean, in a way, it's kind of reassuring that Tsukinoki-senpai hasn't changed at all, huh?"
Yanami munched on her gummy with a mokyu mokyu sound.
"If anything, I wish she had changed a little…"
This time, I was completely hit by a stray bullet. I bear no responsibility. Not even a little.
"Wouldn't it be better to just leave this to Tamaki-senpai? I mean, do first-years really need to be involved?"
Shintaro Tamaki. The former president of the Literature Club and Tsukinoki-senpai's boyfriend. If anyone's going to clean up this mess, shouldn't it be him?
"But didn't Tsukinoki-senpai say she didn't want Tamaki-senpai to know?"
Yanami searched her pocket and looked sorrowful. It seemed she had finished off her gummies.
"...Well, I guess it is a delicate time for them."
Tsukinoki-senpai's aiming for a different university than Tamaki-senpai, who's applying to a national university.
She might act like that, but with graduation approaching, she's probably feeling a little nervous. Then don't go writing stuff like that in the first place.
"Nukumizu-kun, this is a favor from a senior who has done a lot for us. Isn't it the decent thing to at least hear her out?"
Yanami waved the lunch voucher that senpai gave her.
"And besides, if she published the book under the Literature Club's name, it's not like we can say we're uninvolved, right? The seniors never officially submitted withdrawal forms, so technically they are still members."
Bribed with a lunch ticket, yet she's making a solid argument. I nodded silently.
Retiring from a club isn't something you're forced to do. It's more of a formality. If they wanted to, they could stay active in the club until graduation.
"Tsukinoki-senpai was in the student council back in second year, right? The current student council president was her junior back then and apparently covered up a lot of her scandals."
"But this time she can't go to the president, so we can't expect any help from that direction. Should we try talking to Vice President Basori-san?"
"Today's bag inspection clearly targeted the Literature Club. It's not just Tsukinoki-senpai they are after. It's the club itself."
The fact is that the real-person BL doujin was published under the Literature Club's name. If this goes public-
"...The other day, the Bird Watching Club got suspended. If we mess this up, the Literature Club could end up the same way."
"Birds? That sounds so peaceful. What did they do?"
"According to the club presidents' meeting report, it wasn't birds they were watching. They were secretly photographing Tsuwabuki girls. Not peeping, but apparently they were selling photos of the popular ones."
Not that she knows, but Yanami herself had eight sales. That's half of Yakishio's and a quarter of Himemiya-san's numbers. Honestly, she should be proud.
"It would really suck if we got suspended. We wouldn't have anywhere to eat snacks or do homework after school."
"That has nothing to do with the Literature Club's activities."
I stopped in front of the vending machine and stared at the samples while organizing my thoughts.
The opponent here is Tiara-san. Even if I try to explain that Tsukinoki-senpai acted on her own, I doubt she will buy it. Besides, senpai is still technically a club member, so it's not like we can say she's uninvolved.
...This might actually be a real crisis for the Literature Club.
"Hey, isn't that Shikiya-senpai from the student council?"
Yanami's voice cut into my train of thought.
Following her gaze, I saw a familiar figure sitting on a bench in the cold, barren courtyard.
Yumeko Shikiya, a second-year student and the student council secretary. A zombie gal senior.
"What's she doing out there in this cold? Nukumizu-kun, should we say something to her?"
"Hold on. Approaching her carelessly can be dangerous."
I pulled a notebook from the inner pocket of my blazer.
"What's that?"
"I've been observing Shikiya-senpai's behavior recently. I've seen this scenario before."
"...Okay, I think it's been a while since I've seen your creepy side, Nukumizu-kun."
"No, no, it's not creepy. It's like a birdwatching journal or something."
The not-creepy me opened my notebook.
"When the temperature drops below 12°C, Shikiya-senpai's movements noticeably slow down. This pattern became especially clear starting this month."
"...Oh."
Glancing at the expressionless Yanami, I flipped to another page.
"On windless days like today, she tends to sunbathe like that to raise her body temperature. It's a common behavior among ectothermic animals, especially reptiles."
Yanami looked up at the sky after another "oh".
"But it's already evening. The area around the bench is in the shade."
"If she gets careless and ends up in the shade, her body temperature drops, and she becomes unable to move. Meaning, Shikiya-senpai is now likely experiencing symptoms of hypothermia with reduced consciousness."
I closed the notebook and inserted coins into the vending machine.
Alright, maybe I'll just buy a cold drink and head back to the warm clubroom.
"Are you sure we should leave her like that? Isn't that, like, dying?"
"...You might be right."
I pressed the button for hot milk tea, grabbed the bottle, and ran toward Shikiya-san.
*
At a cafe near the closest station, Yanami and I are now sitting across from Shikiya-san at a table.
In front of us: coffee, cake, and a mysterious board game.
Apparently, this is what's known as a board game cafe. Shikiya-san has brought us here to thank us for rescuing her from the courtyard.
"Don't hold back… My family is… rich…"
"Sorry for imposing, and thank you for the treat."
"Okay! Let's eat then!"
The moment she finished speaking, Yanami shoved a forkful of cake into her mouth.
The simple baked cheesecake is apparently handmade by the cafe. With just one bite, a well-balanced sweetness and tang spread across my tongue.
As she pierced the final bite with her fork, Yanami's face lit up.
"Senpai, this cake is amazing!"
"Don't hold back... seconds... as much as you want..."
Are you sure about that? She's gonna eat a whole cake if you let her.
While stirring sugar into my coffee, I glanced around the cafe. Despite it being a weekday, the place is lively, with what looks like college students playing board games.
Shikiya-san began distributing game pieces with practiced hands.
"What's this game?"
"Fjords... territory control..."
That was all she muttered before quietly continuing to hand out small pieces. I have no idea what it is, but it feels like I had better not interrupt.
Staring longingly at my cake for some reason, Yanami leaned in and whispered:
"...Hey, Nukumizu-kun. Why not talk to her about it?"
"Talk about what?"
"Tsukinoki-senpai's doujin that got confiscated. Shikiya-senpai is in the student council. Maybe she could put in a word for you."
She might, sure. But in a way, Shikiya-san's on the enemy side.
As we whispered, Shikiya-san tilted her head.
"Tsukinoki... senpai...?"
Her sharp ears caught the name, and she paused mid-distribution.
"What happened... with her?"
Shikiya-san's pale eyes turned toward me. Terrifying.
How much should I even tell her? She definitely keeps an eye on the Literature Club, but it's hard to know if she's on good terms with Tsukinoki-senpai or not…
I glanced at Yanami, who gave a small, encouraging nod.
"Um, well-"
Resolving myself, I began to explain.
After listening to the whole story, Shikiya-san let out a small sigh.
"Tiara-chan... really doesn't... like Tsukinoki-senpai."
Shikiya-san stated it bluntly, with no sugarcoating, and resumed moving her hands.
"They weren't even in the student council at the same time, right? Why does she hate her that much?"
After finishing distributing the pieces, Shikiya-san pulled out a set of small, hexagonal terrain tiles.
"We take turns... placing them... one by one..."
"Uh? Oh, right."
It seems she's determined to keep the game going.
As we played, I gradually got a sense of the rules.
We would lay down terrain tiles and house tokens to form a field, then take turns placing Viking pieces to claim territory. It's kind of like Go.
"Um... I don't have anywhere left to place my piece."
"Then it's over... the one who placed the most... wins..."
Round one ended in a landslide victory for Shikiya-san. I placed third, which was to say, dead last, behind even Yanami.
...That was frustrating. I couldn't focus because the matter at hand was on my mind. If I were playing seriously, it wouldn't have gone like this.
Just then, Yanami nudged me with her elbow.
"Hey, Nukumizu-kun. Are you sure it's okay to be doing this right now?"
"Wait a minute, Yanami-san. I have got the hang of it now. Next time I'll-"
"I meant the consultation, not the game, Nukumizu-kun."
Right. That. I turned to face Shikiya-san directly.
"Sorry, about what we were talking about earlier. I'm wondering if there's any way we could get that doujinshi-"
"Place this... here..."
"Eh? Oh, right. It's my turn."
Just like that, round two began.
Of course, it's not like we are just messing around. You could say this is part of easing the conversation forward. Even Yanami, who had been grumbling at first, gradually got absorbed in the game.
"Nukumizu-kun, if you block there, I won't have anywhere to place mine!"
"That's the whole point of the game."
While I focused on targeting the ever-complaining Yanami, Shikiya-san muttered under her breath as if something had just come back to her.
"I get... the situation... but..."
With her slender fingers, she placed a black Viking piece on the board.
"Tiara-chan... when it comes to Tsukinoki-senpai... gets really stubborn..."
And just like that, the second round of our consultation began, this time with actual advice.
"But still, it's not just about Tsukinoki-senpai. This also involves the student council president's reputation. We would really prefer to handle it quietly, if possible."
Shikiya-san gave a firm nod.
"Yeah… Sakurai boy… ulcer…"
Sakurai boy? I have no idea who that is, but apparently, he's getting an ulcer over this.
For some reason, I suddenly felt a kinship with this Sakurai-kun I had never met. Yanami then reached for one of my pieces on the board.
"Hey, can I move your piece, Nukumizu-kun?"
"No, and we're having a serious conversation right now."
It felt like my own stomach was on the verge of developing a hole. I took a sip of coffee to reset my focus.
"So, I'm hoping you could step in for us. You're close with Basori-san, right?"
Shikiya-san blinked slowly and repeatedly at the word "close".
"Yeah... Tiara-chan... we're close..."
Cradling her cup in both hands, Shikiya-san froze up, her pale eyes staring into an indeterminate void.
How much time had passed? I wasn't sure. But finally, she moved her lips just slightly.
"How about you… take down Tiara-chan…?"
"Huh? Take her down how?"
I tilted my head in confusion. Shikiya-san continued.
"You… could make her yours…"
"Ha!?"
Beside me, Yanami started choking, and she also stole my cake.
Ignoring the coughing Yanami, I shook my head vigorously.
"No, no, no, there's no way! I barely even know her name, dating her is-"
Before I could finish, Yanami gave my back a firm smack.
"N-Nukumizu-kun, senpai didn't say anything about dating her..."
Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, eyes watery from coughing, Yanami glared at me.
"But still, if she says 'take her down', doesn't that imply... you know, that? We shouldn't take this lightly, and besides, she's not someone who could be easily-"
As I stumbled through my words, Shikiya-san made a heart shape with her fingers for some reason.
"It's okay... Tiara-chan... is easy..."
Wait, she's easy? I do have the same feeling, though.
"But even so, taking down Basori-san is way beyond me."
"You're overthinking it, Nukumizu-kun. You just need to get friendly with her and ask her to return the doujinshi, that's all. Right, senpai?"
"Wouldn't it make way more sense for you to be the one doing this, Yanami-san?"
"She's kind of scary, so no thanks."
She's scary to me, too. And while we're at it, so is Shikiya-san.
"Senpai, I honestly don't think I can get close to Basori-san."
"If you're kind to her... Tiara-chan... is easy..."
Is Tiara Basori a tutorial character in a dating sim or something?
"No, but still-"
"Find her weakness... do her a favor... then guilt-trip her... block her escape..."
Shikiya-san murmured as she placed another small black piece on the board.
"I'll... help you."
This is starting to sound kind of shady. Is she really friends with Tiara-san?
Should I go along with this or not...? As if reading my hesitation, Shikiya-san looked at me.
"You... want the book back... don't you...?"
"Well, I guess."
As I trailed off, Yanami gave me a flat stare.
"Come on, senpai even offered to help. Just make up your mind already."
"I'm telling you, I'm bad with girls. When I talk to them face-to-face, it never comes out right."
"Nukumizu-kun, try remembering that I am also a girl sometimes?"
Yanami returned my now-empty dessert plate, put her hands together, and said, "Thanks for the meal". She seriously ate the whole thing without asking.
"Besides, it's only awkward because you're thinking weird stuff. You're fine talking to Imouto-chan, right? Just treat Basori-san like a little sister. Be nice to her like that."
Treating Tiara-san like a little sister…?
Well, now that I think about it, a strict tsundere little sister is a staple in light novels. If I frame it that way, maybe I can just barely manage. Should I go with "onii-chan" or "you idiot brother" for the mental simulation...?
After running through a full year's worth of internal scenarios, I turned back to Shikiya-san.
"One thing I want to confirm. From what I've seen, Basori-san is somewhat hostile toward the Literature Club. The bag inspection today clearly shows that we're being targeted."
Shikiya-san listened to me intently, without changing her expression.
"I'm going to approach this as the club president. Which means, effectively, I'll be opposing her. Are you okay with that, senpai?"
Shikiya-san gave a slow, swaying nod.
"It's fine... I was kind of thinking... Tiara-chan went too far..."
"I understand. I'll accept your help. And of course, I'll do my best to resolve this peacefully."
After all, in my imagined scenario, Tiara (little sister ver.) even gave me a hand-knit scarf for my birthday. I don't want to be too rough with her.
Resolving myself, I gave a firm nod.
"Yeah... I'm just... helping, that's all..."
Just then, a ping sounded from my phone. I glanced at the notification out of the corner of my eye. It's a text from Yanami.
<Yana-chan: You're not supposed to be seducing her, okay? No sneaking ahead.>
Why did she send a message when she's sitting right next to me?
Acting like nothing happened, Yanami placed her final piece on the board, securing my last-place finish.
*
…I'm exhausted.
After getting home, I didn't even have the energy to head upstairs. I dropped down heavily onto the living room couch.
I have planned to spend the days until winter break in peace, and now I'm caught up in all this.
As I turned my head, lost in thought, I noticed a handmade banner taped to the wall.
<8 Days Until Kazuhiko Nukumizu's Birthday Festival>
The number part is detachable, a countdown-style decoration.
…Hah, this has to be Kaju's doing. Each year, the quality just keeps getting higher.
As I gazed fondly at my sister's craftsmanship, the living room door opened.
"Onii-sama, Kaju's home!"
Kaju entered, her arms full of groceries.
"Welcome back. You're late."
I stood and took the bags from her.
"Thank you very much. Ehehe, we're just like a newlywed couple, aren't we?"
Ignoring Kaju's teasing remark, I started putting the groceries into the fridge.
"There's a lot here. Is this all baking ingredients?"
"Yes! Kaju thought we could have a pre-birthday, pre-pre-birthday, pre-pre-pre-birthday celebration for you. So Kaju is thinking of baking a cake every day starting today!"
"One cake on the day itself is plenty. It's not like Yanami-san is coming over. We won't be able to finish that many."
"Then why not invite Yanami-san over this weekend? If you would like, Kaju can extend the invitation myself."
Meeting up with Yanami even on the weekend sounds exhausting. If I could just leave the cake on the porch and she would sneak over to eat it in the middle of the night, that would be ideal…
"Based on my observation, Yanami-san should be entering her dieting phase soon, so let's not. More importantly, Dad and Mom said they will be home late. Want me to make dinner tonight?"
"Really? Then Kaju would love your dry curry, onii-sama."
"Got it. Pretty sure there's some ground meat in the freezer."
Suddenly, the smile that had been on Kaju's face vanished.
"What's wrong, Kaju?"
"Onii-sama, where did you go today?"
"Oh, I just had something to do at a cafe-"
Sniff, sniff, sniff. Kaju buried her face in my chest and started sniffing.
"Coffee and cheesecake. Also… there's a woman's scent."
"Wait, a woman?"
Kaju smiled again and looked up at me.
"Yes. There's makeup on the collar of your jacket. Yanami-san doesn't wear foundation at school, so were you meeting with another girl, onii-sama?"
I have no idea what Yanami's makeup habits are, but it must have been Shikiya-san. Probably got on me when I was helping her in the courtyard.
"Uh, I just met an acquaintance to talk about something."
"And that left makeup on your jacket? Onii-sama, what kind of talk was that, exactly?"
Kaju was grinning way too much as she asked. What is with this pressure?
"She wasn't feeling well, so I helped her stand up, that's all. Besides, Yanami-san was there too."
"Ara, so Yanami-san was with you! I'm sorry. Kaju asked something strange, didn't I?"
Apparently, I had just been asked something strange.
"Well then, let me clean the makeup off your jacket. Go ahead, take it off."
Suddenly cheerful again, Kaju forcibly removed my blazer and stared at it intently.
"Is it that badly stained?"
"...No, don't worry. Kaju will be sure to clean it thoroughly."
With a radiant smile, Kaju hugged my blazer tightly.
*
The next day, after school. I watched the student council room from around the hallway corner.
According to the intel I got from Shikiya-san, the room would soon be empty.
...Of course, this isn't a coincidence. Shikiya-san has arranged it behind the scenes, but acknowledging that out loud is a silent no-go between us.
Popping her head up beside me from under my arm, Yanami peeked around the corner.
"Hey, how long do we have to wait?"
"Quiet, Yanami-san. They should be coming out soon-"
Click. The door to the student council room opened. The one who stepped out is the student council vice president, Tiara Basori.
Trailing behind her was Shikiya-san, who glanced briefly in our direction before following after.
...Alright, the room's clear. I exchanged a glance with Yanami.
Careful not to be seen, we slipped into the student council room.
Once inside, I quietly shut the door behind us and looked around the room.
At the back of the room, where several long desks are arranged, stood what is probably the president's seat, a well-worn but stately wooden desk, and a large chair. Along the wall are shelves and lockers.
Yanami stepped into the center of the room, looking oddly excited.
"It kinda feels like we're doing something bad, doesn't it? Isn't it a little thrilling?"
"No, we're actually doing something bad."
…This is our plan:
At the right moment, Shikiya-san would lead Tiara-san away from the room, giving us the chance to sneak into the student council room. We would then search through the locker Tiara-san uses.
If we found the doujinshi, perfect. If not, even learning about her preferences or secrets would give us a starting point for approaching her.
"Second from the right, upper row... must be this one."
I muttered to myself, as if trying to bury the guilt, and reached for the locker.
"Nukumizu-kun, wouldn't it have been easier to come here when Shikiya-senpai was alone, without bothering to lead that girl away?"
"Apparently, Basori-san locks her locker before she leaves. According to Shikiya-senpai, that's suspicious in itself, like she's hiding something."
I feel bad about it, but we have to finish our search before they return.
The student council has one other member, the treasurer, but he's currently out visiting sports clubs. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. We can't afford to waste it.
And for the record, I'm not doing this because I want to peek into a girl's locker. I swear. Believe me.
I quietly opened the locker. Inside, everything is neatly organized, books and files, all arranged with precision.
There are no magazines, no pouches girls tend to carry, and no signs of "play" or casual items.
Yanami peeked into the locker from the side.
"Whoa, pretty Spartan. Basori-san might actually be kind of like me."
"How?"
"You don't get it, Nukumizu-kun. If you stock snacks, you'll end up eating all of them, right? So this is a strategic no-stock setup."
Does she have nothing in her life but snacks?
"Fine, help me look through this. Me going through a girl's stuff alone might get me in trouble."
"It's fine. It doesn't even feel like a girl's locker. It's more like a teacher's desk. Hey, Nukumizu-kun, what's in that paper bag?"
"...Paper bag?"
Among the neatly lined files and books is a paper bag from a bookstore. From its worn look, is it just some kind of document?
I hesitated, then reached into the bag and found it stuffed full of test answer sheets.
"Wait, are these all the test results since April...?"
That's definitely a violation of privacy. I put the bag back exactly where I found it.
We finished checking everything, but aside from books and files related to student council work, there didn't seem to be anything else.
At least now we know Tiara-san is serious about her duties, but in terms of usable intel, we came up empty.
Letting out a half-relieved sigh, I closed the locker.
"Nukumizu-kun, you dropped something."
Yanami crouched down and picked up a small slip of paper.
What is it? This strip of paper looks oddly familiar-
And just then, the student council room door swung open. Before we could react, a student stepped into the room.
Yanami stuffed the slip of paper into my pocket and quickly turned around.
"...Huh? Excuse me, what are you two doing here?"
Brushing the bangs from his forehead, the student spoke with a gentle smile.
The tie and pants indicated a male student, probably.
And I could hardly blame myself for hesitating. He has a soft, androgynous face and a petite frame. Even the way he moves is more graceful than Yanami's.
"Um, uh…"
As I struggled for words, Yanami smoothly stepped forward in my place.
"Shikiya-senpai told us to meet her here, but she wasn't around, so we decided to wait."
She replied with a bright smile.
"I see. Hey, Hiba-nee, do you know where Yumeko-san went?"
"No idea. Shikiya does whatever she wants. You two just sit and wait."
A tall girl entered the room after him.
Hibari Hokobaru, the second-year student council president. Despite her imposing presence, she's rumored to be a bit of an airhead.
If we left now, it would only make things more suspicious. We quietly sat down as instructed.
The boy took a teacup from the cabinet and turned to us with a smile.
"I'll make some tea for you both. Just sit tight, okay?"
"No, it's alright, really. Uh-"
...Who is this person again? I don't remember seeing him at the club president meetings.
Noticing my stare, he gave a shy, slightly embarrassed smile.
"I'm Hiroto Sakurai, the treasurer. I don't do well in front of people, so I don't attend meetings. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, hello… I'm Nukumizu from the Literature Club."
So this is the Sakurai boy Shikiya-san mentioned.
Something about his world-weary air feels oddly alluring.
…Of course, I didn't mean that in a weird way. I was just stating the facts as I saw them.
While Sakurai-kun was preparing tea, Prez reached out beside him.
"Alright, once in a while, I'll be the one to make the tea. Hiroto, you sit down and relax."
"Hiba-nee, the tea canister's upside d-"
Ah. Prez just dumped out the entire contents of the tea canister.
And the stomachache-inducing events for Sakurai-kun continued.
"I'll clean up later. Let's just make the tea first."
"Hiroto, the teapot handle broke. I wasn't even doing anything."
"…That's a problem. I really think you should let me handle this, Hiba-nee. You just take it easy."
"The teacup broke too. Again, I wasn't doing anything."
By the time the third teacup broke, we politely excused ourselves and left the student council room.
*
Back in the clubroom with Yanami, I leaned my elbows on the desk and laced my fingers in front of my face.
"That was a close one. If they had seen us opening Basori-san's locker, there would be no talking our way out of it."
Yanami nodded, crossing her legs on the chair.
"Seriously. Sneaking into the student council room might have been covered by my smooth excuse, but normally that would be a huge scandal."
…Alright, with that, the debrief is complete. Yanami and I turned our gazes toward the corner of the clubroom.
There, sitting in a chair, Komari anxiously looked back and forth between us.
"W-What? W-Why are you e-explaining all like that t-to me…?"
"Because we're dragging you into this, of course."
"Come here, Komari-chan."
"U-Ueh…? N-No way."
Since Komari looked too scared to move, Yanami and I simply brought our chairs over to her.
"Well then, it turns out this investigation yielded no useful results."
"Yeah. We'll have to figure out our next move."
"Right. So, Komari, what do you think?"
"A-About what!? I-I don't even know w-what you are t-talking about!"
I tried to steamroll her with momentum, but no dice.
I cleared my throat and began explaining formally.
"Yesterday, they were doing a bag inspection at the school gate, right? Turns out it wasn't just us. Tsukinoki-senpai had something confiscated, too. A real-person BL doujinshi."
"Una!?"
Komari's reaction was suspiciously sharp.
When I stared at her, she quickly raised her book to cover her face.
"Come to think of it, why would someone even bring that kind of thing to school?"
"W-Who knows…"
"According to senpai, real-person doujins are meant to be enjoyed only among fellow enthusiasts. In other words-"
I paused dramatically. Komari slowly peeked over her book, and our eyes met.
"There must be another fellow enthusiast at this school. That's the implication, right?"
Komari shook her head furiously.
"I-I'm not a fellow e-enthusiast! N-Nukumizu being the top j-just isn't right!"
I didn't ask about your preferences.
"So, senpai brought it intending to lend it to Komari. That would explain it."
Yanami folded her arms and gave a nod.
"Yep. That makes her not just an accomplice, but a co-conspirator. A serious offense. Komari-chan, you have got responsibilities to fulfill."
"Ueh…? W-What does that mean?"
"In short: you're already involved, Komari."
The clubroom door creaked open.
Beyond it, a pair of pale eyes gleamed dully in the darkness.
Komari curled up on her chair like a trembling hamster.
And so, once again, our operation meeting began.
*
By the time our strategy meeting ended, it was completely dark outside.
As I rode the train from the nearest station, I found myself reflecting on what Shikiya-san had said.
According to her, Tiara-san doesn't seem to have any particular hobbies. She has never seen her do anything besides student council work and studying, and she's worried Tiara-san doesn't have many close friends. Honestly, I would say Shikiya-san's the one we should be worried about.
"Well, not like it's any of my business…"
As I wandered the train car looking for a seat-
"Oh, Nukkun, didn't know you were on board. Were you at the Literature Club this late?"
A bright, summery voice called out, full of energy with no sign of fatigue.
Sitting in the middle of the long train bench and waving me over is Lemon Yakishio.
She's a fellow first-year and a member of both the Literature Club and the Field and Track Club.
Her sun-kissed face lit up with a cheerful expression as she patted the seat next to her.
After a moment's thought, I sat down, leaving one space between us.
"Ah, just had a consultation that ran long. What about you, Yakishio? Were you stuck in make-up classes this whole time?"
With a wry smile, Yakishio scooted over to fill the gap.
"Man, it was rough. The vibe was super intense. The teachers were straight-up threatening me with repeating the year."
That's probably not a threat.
"Still, if all you needed were extra classes, you got off easy. So, which subject did you fail?"
Yakishio gave me a puzzled look.
"Eh? There's a 'which subject' to failing?"
No way, was she failing everything? The teachers really need to threaten her more.
The train crossed a river and stopped at the next station. As we watched passengers board and alight, the conversation naturally quieted.
Clunk. The car jolted as the train started moving again.
"By the way, Yakishio, why do you always take the train to school? You could easily run this distance, couldn't you?"
I casually shifted the topic, and Yakishio picked it up with enthusiasm.
"Right? So get this. Originally, I was commuting by bike. But I kept stopping everywhere, so Mama made me switch to the train."
"You can still stop at places with a train pass, though."
"Well, back when school first started, I biked all the way out to Lake Hamana after school just to see it. Got back super late and got so yelled at. But she says if I'm on the train, I'll stay within my commuter pass zone, and she feels safer. Isn't that unfair?"
Lake Hamana, our neighboring prefecture's brackish lake in Shizuoka. That's almost 20 kilometers from Tsuwabuki High.
What, did she go out there just to eat one of those famous eel pies?
"Just listen to your mom, okay? Yeah. That's the right call."
"Ehh, you sound just like one of the girls' track seniors, Nukkun."
Good to know the Field and Track Club has some sensible people.
"By the way, how's track practice going? You can't go if you're in make-up classes, right?"
"Exactly, because of the failing grades, I'm banned from club activities for a while."
Yakishio let out a dramatic sigh.
"I've been training on my own, but just running isn't enough, you know? My body's getting all sluggish."
Your body gets sluggish even when you're running…?
I wasn't sure if I should respond with a quip or not when Yakishio suddenly gave me a mature smile, something she has been doing now and then lately.
"Well, I kinda wanted some time to think, you know? So in a way, this worked out."
"Did something happen with the Field and Track Club?"
"The track team- or maybe, it's just me and my own stuff."
Before I could ask her to elaborate, an announcement came over the speakers: the train is approaching its final stop.
The train coasted into the station, gradually slowing down.
Before it came to a full stop, Yakishio slung her bag over her shoulder and stood up.
"Alright, I'm off. Don't stress yourself out too much, okay, Nukkun?"
"Huh? Uh, thanks, I'll try."
The doors opened, and she waved once before darting out.
...Do I really look like I'm worried about something? Well, I guess you could say I have been somewhat bothered by the whole BL doujinshi featuring me situation…
I stepped off the train with a wry smile.
As I reached into my jacket pocket for my phone, my fingers brushed against a small piece of paper.
...Oh, right.
Back in the student council room, when Prez and Sakurai-kun returned, Yanami had shoved something into my pocket.
I pulled it out without thinking. It's a grade sheet.
The name printed at the top is "Class 1-B, Tiara Basori".
*
The next day at lunch, I stood frozen in place in Tsuwabuki's canteen, still holding my tray.
"...There's not a single seat open."
I have managed to mimic the person in front of me and snag a Set A meal, but the canteen is packed with students laughing and chatting with their friends.
Am I going to have to eat this standing…?
Resigned to my fate, I looked around and spotted an oddly dim corner of the canteen.
There, seated alone at a round table meant for four, is Shikiya-san.
I weaved between the other students and made my way to her, then sat down across from her.
"Sorry, you were already here?"
"I just... got here myself..."
Last night, I messaged Shikiya-san saying I wanted to talk with her one-on-one, and she told me to meet her here.
It's actually my first time coming to the canteen for lunch.
To begin with, eating in the canteen isn't really an option when you're by yourself. It's like a multiplayer-only online game. You need to form a party before you can even play.
"You're not... eating...?"
"Ah, right. I'll start now."
As I split the minced meat cutlet with my chopsticks, a loud burst of laughter erupted from the next table. I instinctively looked away.
Lunch with an older girl in a packed canteen. Thanks to Yanami (?), I thought I had gotten a little more used to talking to girls, but now the food just wouldn't go down.
Shikiya-san, expressionless as always, silently dismantled her grilled mackerel with her chopsticks.
"You... wanted to talk... right...?"
"Ah, yes."
I took a sip of tea.
"Yesterday, I happened to find this in the student council room."
I placed the end-of-term grade report, stuffed into my pocket by Yanami, on the table.
Printed at the top: 202nd out of 228 students.
Shikiya-san gave it only a glance, no surprise on her face, as she continued pulling apart the fish.
"Tiara-chan... bad grades..."
"You already knew?"
"That girl... can't keep secrets..."
I nodded and slid the slip of paper across the table toward Shikiya-san.
"Could you give this back to Basori-san, and say she dropped it?"
"Her grades... she's hiding them..."
Carefully picking up a fishbone with the tips of her chopsticks, Shikiya-san held it up to eye level.
"So... we have to pretend... we don't know..."
"Then I guess it's no good for you to be the one to return it, senpai."
"Right... you should use it... and grow closer... okay?"
My hand, just about to tuck the grade sheet back into my pocket, stopped mid-motion.
It has been bothering me since yesterday like a small bone stuck in my throat.
And now, Shikiya-san's words gave that discomfort a clear shape.
"...Senpai. Did you predict this whole sequence from the beginning?"
"Why... do you think that?"
Shikiya-san tilted her head slightly.
"I mean, sneaking into the student council room, following your suggestion, we happened to check the locker, and that just happens to be where we found this? Isn't that a bit too convenient? Isn't it possible your goal from the start… was for us to find this and pick it up?"
A long silence followed.
"Tiara-chan and... Tsukinoki-senpai... I just want them to… get along."
Having finished picking apart the mackerel cleanly, Shikiya-san quietly set down her chopsticks.
"That's all... really."
I don't think she's telling the truth.
She might not be lying, but whatever happened between Tiara-san and Tsukinoki-senpai- that's not something I should pry too much into.
"What happened between you and Tsukinoki-senpai last year?"
"............"
Behind the pale contact lenses, I thought I saw Shikiya-san's eyes waver, just for a moment.
I was about to press further. But before I could, a burst of loud, cheerful voices blew away the heavy atmosphere in an instant.
"Huh, Yumeko. Didn't you say you had something to do? Hey, can we sit here too?"
"Hellooo~ Sorry to butt in!"
"Eek!?"
Glittery makeup, flashy nail art, loose-fitting uniforms.
Two girls in full-on gal fashion sat down beside us without even waiting for a reply.
Judging by their school crests, they are second-years, so probably Shikiya-san's friends.
"Sure... let's eat together."
Shikiya-san, looking a bit relieved, picked up her chopsticks again.
"Hey, you, first year."
Gal Senpai A looked at me curiously and spoke up.
"...Huh? Um, me?"
"Well, yeah, who else!"
As I awkwardly responded, Gal Senpai B burst into giggles.
"So what's your relationship with Yumeko? Boyfriend?"
"Ha!?"
I shook my head frantically.
"No! I mean, she's a friend of my senior, I mean, kind of an acquaintance, or…"
My flustered reply only made the two laugh even more.
"Whaaat? So we lost our lunch invite to a friend of a friend? I'm so hurt~"
"Nah, this is totally that kind of classic setup, right? Yumeko's gonna betray us!"
"That's not it…! Senpai, say something."
I turned to her for help, and Shikiya-san tilted her head slightly, still holding her chopsticks.
"You and me… are we dating?"
"No, no, we're not dating! Right!?"
This is bad. There's no way a gloomy guy like me can win against three gal seniors surrounding me.
While I sat there frozen in place, Gal Senpai A placed a red sausage on my tray.
"Sorry for scaring you~ Here, a peace offering."
"Better eat up soon, Mr. Boyfie Candidate, or lunch break's gonna end~"
"...Ha."
Come to think of it, I haven't actually seen Shikiya-san eat. She has just been breaking apart the mackerel the whole time. Do people like her even eat?
I glanced over discreetly, and her plate was completely clean. When did she even finish all that?
Just then, our eyes met, her hands gently cradling a teacup.
"What's wrong...?"
"N-No, it's nothing!"
As if trying to flee from her pale eyes, I downed my lukewarm miso soup in one gulp.
*
That afternoon, after school, I headed toward the student council room.
As I walked, I felt for the grade report in my pocket and began my internal simulation.
First, I would pretend to find something on the floor in front of the student council room.
At that moment, I would say something like, "Huh? What's this doing here?"
Then, if someone came out of the room, I would hand over the grade slip and say I just picked it up.
"...Literal perfection."
It's a solid plan even by my standards. The added detail of audibly muttering to myself beforehand would boost credibility, a touch of genius.
Now, all that's left is to hope my throat, which has been silent since lunch, would actually cooperate when the time comes-
But the moment I rounded the corner toward the student council room, I was already forced to revise the plan.
Tiara Basori, the very owner of the grade report, is pacing the hallway with a serious expression.
As I stood there, frozen in place, she finally noticed me and lifted her head in surprise.
"Excuse me, oh, you're the Literature Club president."
Sorry for being from the Literature Club.
That said, I didn't come here to pick a fight.
"Are you looking for something, by any chance?"
"Yes, but you don't need to concern yourself."
Tiara-san, maintaining her composed expression, started to walk past me, but the moment she saw the slip of paper I pulled out, her face went pale.
"Eek!? Where did you get that!?"
"Uh, I just found it right over there. Totally by accident, of course."
Good. Everything's flowing naturally so far. Even this curveball, I handled it perfectly.
Tiara-san reached out, or so I thought- but instead of taking the paper, she suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me forward.
"Come with me, now!"
"Huh? What's wrong!?"
She dragged me to the dim space under the staircase.
Cornering me against the wall, she looked up and glared.
"...Did you read it?"
"Uh, I mean, I glanced at it-"
"So you did read it!"
Tiara-san leaned in closer, her face now inches away. I caught a faint scent of deodorant.
"Well, yeah, I saw it, but you don't have to worry about it that much."
"I do have to worry! A student council member is supposed to set an example. If people found out I was barely passing, it would be catastrophic!"
"Right, yeah. Okay. Just calm down, alright? Deep breath in, and exhale."
"Huh? Oh, um, okay."
Tiara-san placed a hand over her flat chest and took a deep breath.
"...That helped a little. The other members of the student council all have excellent grades. And since people assume I do too, I work hard to meet that expectation. But I don't want anyone seeing me while I'm still struggling."
Huh. So the others really are that smart, huh? But wait a second.
"Doesn't our school post the top 50's names on the bulletin board after each exam? If your name's not on there, wouldn't people already know you're not top-ranked?"
At that, Tiara-san's expression froze solid.
"...Tiara-san, are you okay?"
"Don't call me by my first name! And that means… everyone already knows I'm not among the top students!?"
"Um, yeah, I guess that's how it is..."
"So when I played along with that honor-student talk, everyone was just pretending not to know and being considerate, weren't they…"
Wouldn't know about that.
I placed the grade slip into Tiara-san's slumped hand.
"People don't really care that much about other people's grades, honestly. Anyway, I'll be going now."
I tried to end the conversation and make my escape, but Tiara-san quickly stepped around to block my path.
"...Please wait. Is there anyone else who knows about this?"
Her eyes, brimming with tension, locked onto mine like a threat.
Wait, is this one of those moments where I get a bad ending if I say the wrong thing?
"Uh, not really. Just me."
I answered hesitantly. She kept glaring at me in silence.
"Um, Basori-san…?"
"State your conditions."
"Huh?"
What is she talking about? As I blinked in confusion, her voice turned icy.
"You intentionally caught me alone and brought me into this dark corner. You plan to demand something in exchange for keeping my secret, don't you?"
No, you were the one who dragged me here.
As I opened my mouth to object, the image of that real-person BL doujinshi flashed across my mind.
Could this be my chance to retrieve the book?
I cleared my throat.
"Well, it's not like I'm asking for anything in exchange, but-"
And then I saw it, Tiara-san, biting her lip with a nervous expression.
...No. If I asked for the book now, it wouldn't be a negotiation. It would be blackmail.
Sure, she was the one who started picking on the Literature Club. But that doesn't mean it's okay to turn around and threaten her.
As I wallowed in self-loathing, Tiara-san frowned in displeasure.
"So? What is it you want in return?"
"Eh, no, I just..."
While I fumbled for words, Tiara-san suddenly hugged herself and sprang backward.
"Y-You couldn't possibly be thinking of something indecent in exchange for my silence!?"
Absolutely not.
"I didn't return this because I wanted something. But if you're struggling with your studies, I would be willing to help you out."
It's probably guilt for lying.
When I made the suggestion on impulse, Tiara-san gave me a suspicious look.
"You're offering to help with my studying?"
"Not me. One of my friends got ranked first on the last exam."
"You don't exactly look like someone who would have a friend at the top of the class."
Welp, looks like the guilt has completely vanished.
"Well, tough. I do have one. If you're okay with it, I can ask them for you, Tiara-san."
Tiara-san spent a moment thinking, then gave a slight nod.
"Then, would you introduce me to this person? And also-"
She pulled out a flip phone and muttered with clear irritation.
"Please don't call me by my first name."
*
The next day after school.
Rather than the main Seibunkan Bookstore by the station, I'm sitting in the adjacent hamburger shop.
With a tray carrying nuggets and a cola in hand, I looked around the second-floor seating area and spotted a pair of Tsuwabuki students, one boy and one girl, sitting side-by-side by the window.
Mitsuki Ayano and Chihaya Asagumo.
There has been some drama over summer break, with Yakishio in the mix too, but now they looked every bit the cozy couple.
Ayano raised a hand when he spotted me. I returned the gesture and sat across from them.
"Sorry for dragging you out here. What about cram school?"
"Don't sweat it. Not every day you come asking for help, Nukumizu."
6th place in the grade- Ayano grinned, clearly pleased.
"But what happened, all of a sudden? You said you wanted us to meet someone and give them advice?"
Seated beside him, Asagumo-san looked over with round eyes like a chipmunk's.
She nibbled at an apple pie, holding it with both hands. You would never guess from the way she ate, but she was ranked #1 on the last exam. A perfect honor student pair.
I took a sip of cola and began explaining carefully.
"Uh, the person who's coming has been struggling with school lately. I mentioned you two, and she said she would like to meet-"
I paused.
With these two, I don't feel right playing word games or hiding anything. I want to be honest.
"Nukumizu? Why did you go all quiet all of a sudden?"
Ayano, looking a bit puzzled, held out a fry. Asagumo-san leaned in and took a bite.
Why are these two flirting all of a sudden?
"Uh, well, it's kind of a long story, but would you mind hearing me out?"
Once they both nodded, I told them everything from the bag checks to what had happened since. I didn't mention Tiara-san's exact ranking, but I had left nothing else out.
Asagumo-san, having listened through the end, gave a confident gleam off her forehead.
"Understood. So, you're trying to retrieve a doujinshi and using Basori-san's weakness to do it... Got it. Sounds like it's time for my turn!"
That's true, but that's not the point.
"I mean, I am trying to get the book back, yes, but today I just would like you two to talk to her. Maybe help her out."
"You sure? I thought getting the book back was urgent."
I shook my head at Ayano.
"Instead of digging for leverage, maybe if she starts to trust us, even just a little, and understands the Literature Club better, we'll have a shot. It's an idealistic take, but still."
Even that real-person BL doujinshi is Tsukinoki-senpai's own creative work.
It being exposed to the public is definitely a problem, but if Tiara-san hadn't been so fixated on the Literature Club, the bag inspections probably would have skipped us altogether.
...Now that I think about it, why does she dislike Tsukinoki-senpai and the Literature Club so much?
While I mulled that over, Ayano unexpectedly held out a fry to me.
I ate it without thinking, and he gave me one of his usual bright smiles.
"Alright. Of course I'll help."
"Yes, same here. I have no objections."
Asagumo-san said that while looking up at Ayano with a dependable smile.
"Officially, I'll act like I'm asking the two of you for advice, and she will just happen to be there for reference. She doesn't want people knowing about her grades, so let's keep that off the table."
I checked my watch. It's just about the agreed-upon meeting time.
Almost as if she had been watching for the cue, Tiara-san came up the stairs with her tray.
She walked straight toward our table and gave a deep, polite bow.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Basori from Class B. Thank you for letting me join you today."
...Wait, is this the same person? She's acting so proper, even though she's always yelling at me.
"Pleasure's ours. I'm Ayano, Class D. And this is-"
"I'm Asagumo, Class F. Basori-san, please, have a seat."
Tiara-san took the seat next to me.
After a bit of casual small talk, Tiara-san gave me a prompting glance, and I took the cue to start the conversation.
"Getting right to it, but would you two mind sharing how you usually study?"
"I don't do anything special, so I'm not sure how helpful it will be."
Asagumo-san gave a cute little cough.
Honestly, I'm curious about her study methods as well. Sure, she's just naturally gifted, but there still might be something I could learn from.
"Well then, to start with, I memorize everything in the textbooks and supplementary materials."
She lost me immediately.
"Everything? Like, every page?"
I couldn't help asking, and she nodded with a cheerful smile.
"Yes. All the way to the colophon. After that, it's the same as everyone else, paying attention in class and remembering everything the teacher says word for word, followed by review and prep work."
Apparently, I don't count as "everyone else".
Tiara-san, who was likewise excluded from "everyone else", stared with her mouth slightly open.
"Uh, did that help at all, Basori-san?"
"............"
Tiara-san just looked at me. Hard.
"S-So, how about you, Ayano? What's your approach?"
"Nothing fancy on my end either. I go to cram school, but when it comes to schoolwork, I focus on prep before class and treat the lesson itself as review. Take today's English class, for example."
Ayano pulled out his notebook.
"I try not to spend too much time copying the board. I prepare a separate notebook in advance, and during class, I just write down the teacher's explanations."
"So you don't copy the blackboard notes at all?"
"Only the key parts. If I need anything else, I can just borrow a classmate's."
Huh, so he has classmates he can casually ask for that kind of thing. Right, got it.
As I quietly sipped my cola, lost in reflection, Tiara-san, who had been diligently jotting down notes, suddenly looked up.
"That's helpful. Ayano-san, what kind of studying do you do at cram school?"
"Well, let's see-"
"Mitsuki-san focuses on English and Japanese. His curriculum strikes a balance between strengthening fundamentals and applying them in practice. If you would like, I can show you last month's schedule."
Why is Asagumo-san the one explaining?
Ayano let out a wry smile and gripped the hand that was covering his mouth.
"Why are you the one answering, Chihaya?"
"Because when it comes to Mitsuki-san, I know the most about you."
"More than I do?"
"Of course, you just set passwords on websites randomly and forget them, right? I'm always the one who reminds you."
"That's true. But why do you even know my passwords, Chihaya?"
Asagumo-san smiled silently. Ayano followed suit with a grin.
...Asagumo-san, you're not up to something shady again, are you? Also, it's about time you let go of that hand you're holding.
Right in front of the flirting couple, Tiara-san stared at me once again.
Please don't look at me like that. It's scary. I get how you feel, but still.
*
After parting ways with Ayano and the others, I'm at the entrance of Tokiwa Street, the arcade next to Seibunkan Bookstore.
Kaju asked me to buy coffee beans at a shop ahead.
The conversation with Ayano and Asagumo-san didn't even last 20 minutes. Still, the honor student's study method was surprisingly interesting. Though I spent about half that time just watching the two flirt.
And right now, Tiara-san is standing next to me, glaring at her planner and muttering to herself.
"Those two didn't study any longer than I do. Perhaps I really should start going to cram school too..."
"Yeah, that might be a good idea. There are some near Tsuwabuki as well."
I replied half-heartedly and started walking, and Tiara-san began walking at the exact same time.
…Hm? Is she planning to tag along?
Just as I was trying to figure out how to tell her I was busy, I suddenly heard a gurgle from someone's stomach.
"Um, are you okay?"
"Well... I haven't eaten anything since this morning. I apologize."
"If you were hungry, you should have eaten something earlier."
"Please refer to Chapter 3, Article 4, Section 3 of the school rules, 'Off-campus Activities'. It clearly states: Upon dismissal, one must not loiter at cafes or entertainment establishments without cause."
Huh, so that's a thing.
Seeing my underwhelmed response, Tiara-san let out an exasperated sigh.
"Since I heard we were meeting at a fast-food place today, I skipped lunch and even refrained from drinking fluids. Normally, making detours is prohibited, but-"
Tiara-san took out her student handbook, opened it, and thrust it toward me.
"In the supplementary rules added in the first year of Reiwa, Clause 3 states: This does not preclude appropriate hydration, etc. I was in a near-death state from thirst. Therefore, that tea I had earlier qualifies as emergency hydration and does not count as a detour."
"Huh…"
I don't really get what this person is saying, but apparently that rule actually exists, and she's actually following it.
"Basori-san, do you have any friends? Are you okay?"
"I do! What kind of question is that all of a sudden!?"
"But you don't hang out or make detours with friends, right? Isn't that kind of isolating?"
"It's not! I go home first, change clothes properly, and then meet up!"
That sounds pretty isolating to me.
Then, Tiara-san put her hands on her hips and glared at me.
"So, how far are you planning to follow me? I'm going home now."
Huh? I'm not following you anywhere.
"There's a coffee shop called Waltz just up ahead. I'm going there to buy some beans."
"............"
Tiara-san lowered her head and fell silent again.
Yeah, misunderstandings like this are definitely embarrassing.
"Um, if you would like, would you like to come with me, Basori-san? I think you can eat something inside too."
She was once, even if just in my imagination, my little sister. I was trying to be considerate, but she shook her head.
"I-I'm fine! Thank you for today!"
Tiara-san bowed her head and tried to trot off, only to walk straight into one of the arcade pillars.
"Basori-san, are you okay!?"
Tiara-san crouched down, pressing her face with both hands.
She stayed like that for a while, then slowly got up, groaning softly.
"S-Sorry, I just panicked a little. I'm okay now…"
That's what she said, but I would feel uneasy letting her go like this. She would probably be uncomfortable if I offered to walk her home, too.
"Basori-san, could you come with me for a bit?"
I led Tiara-san to the crepe stand near the entrance to Tokiwa Street.
"It's empty right now. Do you want to get something to eat?"
"But detouring is, according to the school rules-"
"You haven't eaten anything since morning, right? The school rule says hydration 'etcetera', so I think emergency nutritional intake should be fine too."
"...You have a point."
She was convinced. This girl is really easy.
I ordered the fresh strawberry, and after much hesitation, Tiara-san chose the custard chocolate banana.
When I bit into the crepe I received, the sweetness of the cream spread across my tongue. The refreshing tartness of the strawberry added a nice accent.
Yep, crepes from this place really are the best. The crispy texture of the crepe skin is also perfect.
"Hmm? Basori-san, aren't you going to eat?"
Tiara-san held her crepe with both hands, looking up at me with a glum stare for some reason.
"...You're awfully used to this."
"Huh?"
"Don't tell me you always invite girls like this."
"Far from it. I'm actually bad at talking to girls."
"That's not entirely convincing either."
Tiara-san took a bite of her crepe, and her expression instantly softened.
"See? The crepes here are good, right?"
"For me, this is purely nutritional supplementation, but yes, it's delicious. It's my first time eating a crepe."
With that, she took another bite.
"Really? I always thought girls were constantly eating crepes."
"What kind of view of women is that?"
I mean, that's how it is in anime and light novels. Please don't ruin the dream.
Looking across the street at the crepe stand, I saw a line forming. Surprisingly, there are quite a few adults and guys, too.
I often come here with Kaju, but this is my first time eating with someone other than family. Somehow, I'm getting nervous…
I sneaked a glance, and my eyes met with Tiara-san's.
"Thank you for today. I was able to hear something valuable from those two."
"You're welcome. Not sure if it was actually helpful though."
"True, it probably wasn't helpful. The level difference is too great."
Tiara-san looked down at her half-eaten crepe and began speaking quietly.
"...Back in middle school, I was an honor student. When I entered Tsuwabuki, I thought I would be working hard and growing alongside people of a similar level."
She continued, somewhat self-deprecatingly.
"I misunderstood. Just because we passed the same entrance exam doesn't mean we all start from the same line. There's already a difference in ability from the moment we enter, and if I just keep working the way I always have, the gap will only keep growing."
With a distant look in her eyes, Tiara-san suddenly snapped back and gave a little shudder.
"Sorry, that was kind of a weird thing to say. I usually don't talk like this."
"Ah, no. I get how you feel."
Tsuwabuki High is one of the top schools in the Mikawa region.
Even if you were an honor student in middle school, once you're here, rankings form among the students.
Of course, test scores aren't everything. But when it comes to thinking about your future after graduation, it's not easy to find another way to measure yourself.
While I was lost in thought, having forgotten all about the crepe in my hand, I noticed Tiara-san was staring at me.
"...What's wrong?"
"Come to think of it, what rank were you on the last test?"
"Huh? Why are you asking that?"
"It's not fair if only my ranking gets revealed. Don't worry, you couldn't have done worse than I did, right?"
Tiara-san joked with a smile. It's the first time I have seen her smile like that.
"I think... I was 47th?"
"...Ah, that's actually kind of decent."
And just like that, Tiara-san's smile vanished.
"Uh, well, my scores did drop compared to the first semester. And compared to Ayano and the others..."
"Very few students at Tsuwabuki are on par with those two."
Tiara-san ate the last bite of her crepe and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
"Well then, I'll be going. Thank you for today."
"Oh, yeah. Thank you, too."
After throwing the crepe wrapper into the trash, Tiara-san turned her back on me.
I don't feel like the distance between us has really shortened, but at least I have repaid one of my debts.
As for the doujinshi incident, I'll need to come up with a new plan later. For now, I should finish the rest of my crepe-
Just then, Tiara-san quickly came walking back.
"Did you forget something?"
"Um, the grade you mentioned earlier. That wasn't a lie, was it?"
"Yeah, it's posted on the bulletin board."
"I'm not saying I don't believe you. I just thought maybe someone like you would be just right for someone like me."
Tiara-san shot me an expression somewhere between a smile and a threat.
"In other words, I'm asking you to hear me out next time. You yourself."
"Me? Why?"
"My embarrassing secret... doesn't come that cheap."
Declaring that flatly, Tiara-san finally walked off for good.
Watching her shrinking figure in the distance, I let out a big sigh.
Honestly, it's a pain, but I can't exactly cut ties now…
As I vaguely stared around, thinking about what's to come-
I noticed the west entrance of Seibunkan Bookstore next to the crepe stand. Behind its glass doors, a petite Tsuwabuki girl stands like a gatekeeper- and yep, that's Komari.
Wrapped up in a fluffy coat, Komari is glaring at me through the glass.
…What is she even doing?
"What's wrong? Did you bump into the glass and freeze up or something?"
When I opened the door, Komari stepped out with visible wariness.
"I-I was just out shopping. A-And you, Nukumizu, s-stop fooling around and g-get back to writing."
"I already have the idea. I just need to write it now."
"N-Nukumizu, you have been t-talking like Y-Yanami lately..."
Sharp of her to notice. Yanami said the exact same thing the other day.
"You haven't finished your manuscript either, right? You're supposed to upload it before the year's over. Will you make it?"
"I-I already wrote it. I-I'll send it later."
...Come to think of it, this girl is real fast at writing.
"Is that so? Then I'll head home and get to writing mine."
Sensing the tide turning against me, I tried to leave, but Komari grabbed onto my coat.
"T-That's the student council v-vice president you were with, r-right? A-Are you two dating?"
"Of course not. There's just a lot going on with the doujinshi stuff. You should help out a little as well, Komari."
"Y-You don't eat c-crepes together unless you're dating."
Sure, you do. She has way too many dreams tied to crepes.
"Crepes are normal. You can eat it too, Komari."
"...I-I can?"
"Hmm? I don't see why not."
Why do I need to grant permission just to eat a crepe?
While I was puzzled, Komari suddenly stepped in close- and took a bite out of my crepe.
"It's k-kind of crispy."
Komari stared wide-eyed as she chewed on the crepe, her mouth full.
"...Ah, so you were going for mine?"
I said it without thinking-
"Eek!?"
Komari jumped back, her face turning bright red.
"Ueh!? Ah… t-that was a m-mistake…!"
Shoot, Komari's having some kind of emotional overload.
I smiled gently so as not to startle her further, and slowly held the crepe out toward her.
"It's fine, really. I don't mind. See? It's good. The strawberry's sweet."
"S-Strawberry... it's red...?"
"Yeah, that's right. Strawberries are red. Want another bite?"
Komari shook her head vigorously.
"Um, I-I'm going home now!"
Just as she turned to leave, something small, about the size of a palm, fell out of her pocket.
"Komari, you dropped something."
I picked it up without thinking. It's a small package wrapped in green paper with a red ribbon sticker.
"T-That's mine!"
Komari frantically snatched it from my hand.
"Calm down. I wasn't gonna steal it or anything."
"U-Um… N-Nukumizu, I heard your b-birthday's on Christmas, i-is that true?"
What's with the sudden question?
"Yeah, it is. Why?"
"U-Um, well, that's... uh..."
Eventually falling silent, Komari clutched the little paper-wrapped package to her chest and froze.
Seriously, what's going on with her...?
"You okay? If you're hungry, there's still some crepe left-"
Komari glared sharply at me.
"D-Don't get carried away!"
She shouted that and bolted off.
...Huh? Why did I just get yelled at?
Staring blankly, I glanced down at the crepe. On the edge, a tiny bite mark remains.
After a long internal struggle, I shut my eyes and shoved the whole crepe into my mouth.
*
Literature Club Report - Winter Edition
<A High and Proud Annulment! - Ch.6> by Chika Komari
Winter has come to the duchy.
The season's first snow has already accumulated to ankle depth.
The heavy cold crept even through the halls of the manor, making my steps hasten as I carried a stack of papers.
I am Sylvia Luxeed, a former duke's daughter.
Recently, I have gone from being a house guest to the new fiscal officer of the duchy.
I pushed open the heavy door to the office and called out to the man seated at the desk inside.
"Philip, do you have a moment?"
"What is it, Sylvia? If it's the documents I asked for, I received them yesterday."
Philip, a handsome young man working at the desk, looked up and allowed a faint smile to form.
To those unfamiliar with him, that smile might seem like a sneer, but that's just due to how sharply handsome his features are.
Suppressing the grin that threatened to break across my face, I placed a thick file of documents on his desk.
"I already reported that the tax revenue dropped more than expected due to the exemption on land rents, didn't I? I have put together a proposal to address that. First, we can't cut road maintenance, so-"
Philip raised one hand with a troubled look and stopped me mid-sentence.
"That issue was settled when we agreed to that arrangement. Both sides have accepted the contract terms."
"Still, handing over the exclusive rights to ore and salt to the merchants isn't something I can support. Please reconsider."
"I understand your concerns, but it's only a three-year contract. We have also prepared for the worst-case scenario."
I took the document he handed me, a draft of the contract.
"As you know, this region has always been closed off. Opening up trade routes with her help is something you supported as well, Sylvia."
"I know that, but…"
Admittedly, the contract terms aren't bad. The merchant side would handle opening the trade route, while we would gain emergency food supplies and a temporary boost in income.
There are clauses to ensure the citizens' lives wouldn't be affected, and nothing seems wrong on the surface.
That's exactly what made it feel too convenient.
Seeing the worry on my face, Philip gave me a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. Elisa may be a merchant, but she's not the type to cheat people. I have known her for a long time."
That's what makes me uneasy.
The other party in the contract is a lady merchant from the southern trade city-state of Nazalt, Elisa Volta, daughter of Count Volta.
She's the youngest daughter of the count's family and an old classmate of Philip's.
I have met her only once, but she left a strong impression as a cheerful redhead who talked with Philip like an old buddy.
"More importantly, could you take a look at the report from the Svea region? Port fees have dropped significantly. There are even rumors that a Leviathan has been spotted along the route-"
Compared to that, these days, all I seem to do is talk business with Philip.
I'm glad I can be useful, but officially, I'm just a subordinate, though I'm also supposed to be his friend.
Elisa comes from a distinguished family, and I've heard the Volta family's wealth rivals that of Philip's own, even though he's a duke and the first prince. If it's Elisa, she would be a fitting fiancée for Philip…
No, I shouldn't be thinking about this right now.
I waited for a pause in the work to bring up my request.
"Philip, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it? Go ahead."
"I would like to host a party this weekend. Could I use the reception room?"
Philip frowned slightly in confusion.
"The room is fine, but you won't have time to arrange food or musicians at this point. You haven't even made invitations."
Even as the man in charge of one of the kingdom's most prominent duchies, Philip doesn't care much for extravagance. Especially this year, when we barely made it through a food shortage caused by irregular weather.
I smiled to reassure him.
"It's just a small gathering, tea, some sweets, and a bit of conversation among close friends. Nothing that elaborate."
"That's not all. December is nearly over. It's a busy time, and I don't appreciate adding extra work unnecessarily."
At Philip's estate, the staff are given time off during the New Year. He doesn't say it outright, but I could tell he was being considerate of the servants.
"That's taken care of, too. I'll be paying the staff overtime from my own pocket. In fact, there were so many volunteers, my wallet is already crying."
"...Overtime pay? You use such strange words sometimes."
Philip, perhaps having given in, let a smile slip at the corner of his mouth.
"Fine, you win. If it's just a tea party among family, I suppose it's no problem. Enjoy it."
"Ara, but you're attending too, of course."
"A tea party's not really my thing, is it?"
"In my country- or rather, according to a book I read, on the 25th of this month, people spend the day with their families and those dearest to them. I would really like you to attend, Philip."
"Still…"
I meant to smile cheerfully. But a vague, formless unease dimmed it before it could fully bloom.
Noticing this, Philip showed the same gentle smile he had when we first met.
"All right. I'll make time."
In the garden, now completely covered in snow, I shoveled up a mound and flung it aside.
"Phew… that should do it."
Wiping the sweat from my brow, I stabbed the shovel into the ground. I have finally finished clearing the walkway.
When it comes to clearing away the fog in your heart, physical labor works best.
...It's been several months since I was cast out of my family home and came to live here.
My relationship with Philip remains more than friends, but not quite lovers.
Even the promise that he would one day welcome me as his official fiancée was just words.
"...I would really prefer not to go through another broken engagement."
As I stretched my back, enjoying the pleasant fatigue, I noticed a presence approaching from behind.
"Sylvia, did you do all this by yourself?"
"Elisa-san!"
Her sweet voice reminded me of velvet. Her red hair shimmered in the light, intricately braided and adorned with golden ornaments. And above all else, there is her stunning beauty.
Countess Elisa wore a friendly smile.
"Still such a tomboy, I see. How have you been?"
"I'm well, thank you. You look as lively as ever yourself. But what brings you here?"
"I came to see Philip. Heard he's about to make me some more money again."
With a playful wink, Elisa slipped her arm around my waist and began walking toward the manor.
"Be a dear and take me to Philip, won't you? How has he been lately?"
"Now that you mention it, something strange happened the other day. A rumor spread that Philip had an illegitimate child in Granburg."
I couldn't help but chuckle as I recalled the flustered look on Philip's face as he tried to explain.
"...So? What happened?"
"It was just a baseless rumor. When that child was supposedly born, Philip was attending the Magic Academy. He wasn't even in Granburg."
I turned to her, still laughing, but for some reason, the smile had vanished from Elisa's face.
"Um, Elisa-san?"
"...Yeah, you're right. Philip wasn't there at the time."
As if explaining it to herself, Elisa murmured the words, then folded her arms and came to a stop.
"Is there something bothering you?"
"...No, don't worry about it. Oh, that's right, I brought that young Bergmats tree you wanted. I had it delivered to your estate. Hope that's okay?"
"Ara, you found one! I was thinking of using it for tomorrow's tea party."
Bergmats. A coniferous tree shaped like a cone. It looks just like a fir tree from the picture book I have seen.
I asked her about it the last time we met, and it seems she remembered.
"You're using a tree for a tea party?"
"Yes, we'll decorate the tree, eat sweets, and give presents to the people we're grateful to."
"Ara, that sounds just like Christmas."
Elisa said it offhandedly as she began walking again.
I was about to nod in agreement and follow her, but stopped in my tracks.
Huh? Did Elisa just say... Christmas?
"Sylvia? What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing."
...It must have just been my imagination. I followed after Elisa.
The thing about Christmas, and the hidden child, too, is surely just my misunderstanding.
Now then, the Christmas party is right around the corner. There's still so much to prepare-
*
The next day after school, I walked toward the clubroom with Yanami.
We have been summoned by Shikiya-san under the pretense of a strategy meeting.
After hearing a rough summary of yesterday's events, Yanami popped a red cube into her mouth with a sullen look.
"This is what happens when I take my eyes off you for one second. Nukumizu-kun, don't tell me you've got a thing for Basori-san?"
"No, that's not it. I mean, you were the one who pushed me into it in the first place."
"That doesn't mean crepes are fair game. I wanted one too."
Why am I the one being blamed here?
Also, why did Komari share that crepe-buying info with Yanami of all people?
My confusion only grew, but what I was equally curious about was the mysterious object Yanami kept munching on.
"More importantly, Yanami-san, what have you been eating this whole time? Is that an eraser?"
"Even I wouldn't eat an eraser. They don't taste good."
Yanami seems well-versed in the taste of erasers.
"It's agar jelly. I had it at my grandma's recently and got hooked. Goes great with hot tea."
She pulled out the bag, which had "Mixed Jelly" printed on it.
It's a local treat from the Mikawa region: sugar-coated, cube-shaped jelly candies. Definitely the kind that grows on you.
"But didn't you say you were starting a diet for the New Year?"
"Exactly. That's why I'm eating this."
...There she goes again, saying weird things.
Yanami caught my expression and waved a finger at me. Tck, tck, tck.
"Nukumizu-kun, we just covered this in bio class the other day, remember? When your blood sugar rises, your organs secrete something, and it makes your body work better or something."
We did learn that, but it wasn't that vague, right?
With a smug look, Yanami brushed her hair back.
"So then I realized, if I snack while walking, I'll be burning off the sugar I'm absorbing as I go, and my basal metabolism will increase. In other words, I'll become the kind of person who burns fat easily."
"Will you? Were you really listening to that lesson?"
"Of course I'm right. Trust the textbook, Nukumizu-kun."
If it does work, then fair enough. I'll leave the judgment to next week's scale.
When we arrived at the clubroom and opened the door, there was Shikiya-san- and sitting stiffly on her lap was Komari.
...What happened?
Komari's face was pale, her mouth opening and closing silently.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Senpai, you got here early."
"Yeah... I was playing with Komari-chan..."
"I see. That's good, Komari. Glad you had fun."
"G-Go die."
Good, she seems well. I sat down on the chair across from them and decided to get to the main topic.
"Actually, I ran into Basori-san yesterday."
Shikiya-san gave a small nod.
"I heard from Tiara-chan... after-school date..."
"Ah, so she told you. And it wasn't a date."
Knowing people were talking about me behind my back was oddly ticklish.
"Hey, Nukumizu-kun. How did you get so close with Basori-san?"
Mouth full of two agar jellies at once, Yanami elbowed me.
Uh... how much can I say here? I chose my words carefully and began.
"She said she was thinking of joining a cram school, so I introduced her to Ayano and Asagumo-san."
"Hmm, and then you two went and ate crepes together."
Yanami gave me a flat stare. She's unusually fixated on this.
"More importantly, we need to focus on getting the doujinshi back. I think instead of escalating things, showing we're sincerely reflecting on-"
"Boy... did you grow closer with Tiara-chan...?"
Ignoring me completely, Shikiya-san asked her question.
"I don't think she hates me, but I wouldn't say we're close either."
"Just one more push... from here on, Tiara-chan is easy..."
I won't deny that she does give off that particular kind of easiness…
"Uh, let me just clarify something real quick."
I cleared my throat to reset the mood.
"I understand that Basori-san is hostile toward Tsukinoki-senpai. And while I disagree with it, I get why she would turn her sights on the Literature Club as well."
Shikiya-san stared at me, completely unblinking.
Though a bit overwhelmed, I continued speaking.
"Honestly, at first I thought I would just do whatever it took to get the book back. But after talking to her, I don't know, it started to feel like that wasn't quite right either."
"Is that... guilt...?"
"Maybe. It's like, she seems like the kind of person you could easily trick- but, um, okay, you know Chihuahuas, right?"
"Huh? Nukumizu-kun, where are you going with this?"
Yanami cut in. My my, this might be a bit too abstract for her.
"I'm talking about Basori-san. Imagine you trick a Chihuahua-like Tiara-chan and snatch away her favorite toy. Wouldn't you feel really guilty?"
"Ugh, yeah, no. That's a big no-no, Nukumizu-kun. You would deserve to die."
"Y-Yeah, you should d-die."
Why do they want me dead so badly?
I composed myself and turned back to Shikiya-san.
"I mean, this whole thing started because of Tsukinoki-senpai, right? So tricking Basori-san or trying to play games to get the book back just doesn't sit right with me."
"If... you're okay with that..."
Suddenly, Shikiya-san hugged Komari from behind. Komari let out a small yelp.
"Of course, I'm not trying to blame Tsukinoki-senpai either. I understand that she writes those things as part of her creative work, and I think the right to judge it lies with the person it was modeled after."
While piecing together my scattered thoughts, I met Shikiya-san's pale eyes.
"Prez doesn't know about this yet, right? But if she did find out, what do you think she would do?"
"If it were her... she would probably just laugh it off..."
Shikiya-san played with Komari's hair as she said this.
Yeah, Prez and Tsukinoki-senpai actually get along. She probably already knows about her over-the-top BL hobby, and in this case, you could argue there's no real victim at all.
"So you... get close to her... and bridge the gap..."
"I get that, but it still feels like I'm deceiving her somehow."
There's one more thing that has been bothering me. From what I've seen, Tiara-san practically worships Prez.
Would someone like her seriously try to bring a real-person BL doujin, complete with gender-swapped characters, into a faculty meeting as a formal complaint?
Now, Shikiya-san is playing with Komari's earlobe.
As I watched the trembling Komari and tried to collect my thoughts, I heard someone knocking on the door.
Hmm, who knocks on the door these days?
"Come in, it's open."
As if waiting for those words, the door slowly opened.
"Sorry, is Yumeko-san in here?"
The one who stepped into the clubroom is the student council treasurer, Hiroto Sakurai.
When he spotted Shikiya-san, his expression relaxed with relief.
"Sakurai boy… is something wrong?"
"You haven't checked your phone, have you? The Broadcasting Club sent a message. They want to go over something with you."
"The Broadcasting Club…?"
Shikiya-san tilted her head in confusion. Sakurai-kun let out a sigh.
"You and Hiba-nee are in charge of running the closing ceremony, right? Hiba-nee has already headed to the gym, so can you go meet her?"
"But I..."
Shikiya-san froze, looking troubled, so I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Please, don't worry about us. Student council work is important."
"Okay... sorry..."
As she tried to stand, she leaned down and whispered into Komari's ear.
"Want... to come... with me...?"
"Ueh!? I-I'm not going!"
"Got it... I'll go then..."
Gently setting Komari down from her lap, Shikiya-san swayed slightly as she left the room.
...Wait, isn't Sakurai-kun going with her? He's just standing there, not moving.
"Um, are you not going with her?"
"I actually wanted to talk to the Literature Club. Mind if I take a few minutes?"
That was unexpected. Yanami stood up and pulled out a chair.
"Sure, take a seat."
So, what does the student council want with us?
As we waited, Yanami pulled out a bag of potato chips. Seaweed and salt flavor.
"Sakurai-kun, want some snacks?"
"Thanks, but I don't really snack much."
"Huh, really?"
Nodding, Yanami opened the chips party-style. Why did she even open them?
"...Yanami-san, how's your diet going?"
"You see, there are four people in this room. Which means the calories get divided four ways. So in a sense, this is also part of my diet."
Is that logic even sound? I'm pretty sure it's not.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
I asked, and Sakurai-kun gave a sheepish smile.
"Yumeko-san has been coming around here a lot lately, hasn't she? Hiba-nee- Prez is a little worried."
As she munched through the chips, Yanami's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Sakurai-kun, you call Prez 'Hiba-nee', don't you? What's your relationship?"
"We're cousins. I have always called her that since we were kids."
Still smiling gently, Sakurai-kun's eyes narrowed just a little.
"Anyway, about Yumeko-san, she hasn't been causing you any trouble, has she?"
"Uh, well... I wouldn't say it's been trouble, exactly. I mean, we did ask for her help, so it would be rude to-"
As I fumbled through my words, Sakurai-kun let out a deep sigh.
"...Just as I thought. That girl is kind of free-spirited."
"Has Shikiya-senpai done a lot of outrageous stuff before?"
Sakurai-kun shook his head.
"Let me be clear. When it comes to student council work, she's incredibly competent. Same goes for Hiba-nee and Basori-chan. But… covering for them outside of that is exhausting. Still, no one means any harm."
He gave a weary smile. Yeah, sounds like he has it rough.
"Um, if it's about Shikiya-san, you don't need to worry. But more importantly, how's Basori-san doing?"
"...Did something happen with Basori-chan too?"
"Ah, no, not exactly, but-"
Yanami chimed in while licking the seaweed bits off her fingers.
"Something did. It's about that recent bag check. One of our club's OGs had her self-made doujinshi confiscated by Basori-san, and now she's in a bind."
Incidentally, Yanami has eaten the entire bag of chips, so much for dividing it four ways.
At her words, Sakurai-kun tilted his head, puzzled.
"We submitted a list of all confiscated items to the teachers, but I don't remember any doujinshi being on it."
It's not on the list? That means…
"Did Prez or Shikiya-senpai stop it?"
"Bag inspections are handled by first-year student council members. The seniors don't get involved."
So that's why neither Prez nor Shikiya-san was there that day.
Sakurai-kun continued explaining in a calm tone.
"Bag inspections are meant to be an exercise in cooperating with people outside the student council, without relying on the seniors. During school events, we have to be able to give directions even to second and third-year students."
Sakurai-kun let out a sigh so deep it might have emptied his lungs.
"And Basori-chan, well, she got a little too fired up. It was kind of a mess."
"I see..."
From what he just said, it sounds like Tiara-san acted alone on the doujinshi matter.
Is it because she didn't want Prez and others to sweep it under the rug? Or is she never planning to make it public in the first place-
"If she has caused any trouble, I can talk to her on your behalf."
I scratched my head and stood up.
"No, I'll go speak with her myself. Is she in the student council room?"
"Yeah, I asked her to sort some documents, so she should be there alone."
Tiara-san is alone in the student council room.
I really don't feel like doing this, but now's the only chance I'll have to talk to her.
...Really, I don't feel like doing this.
*
In front of the Tsuwabuki High School student council room, I took a deep breath and straightened my tie.
First, I'll apologize for poking around. Then, I'll ask her to return the doujinshi.
I should have gone with the straightforward approach from the start. Based on our conversation yesterday, she doesn't seem like someone completely unreasonable- probably.
I knocked on the student council room door.
After a short pause, I opened it. Tiara-san, who seemed to be researching something, glanced up at me.
"Ara, thanks for yesterday. What brings you here today?"
"I wanted to talk. Do you have a minute?"
"Yes, I don't mind."
She's really alone in the room. If I'm going to talk to her, now's the time.
Without interrupting her work, I took a step forward toward her.
"Actually, I came to apologize and ask for a favor-"
"You mean about the book I confiscated from Tsukinoki-san the other day, correct?"
"Eh?"
As if it were nothing, Tiara-san flipped another page of her documents.
"I'm aware that Shikiya-senpai has been spending time with the Literature Club lately. When I ran into you in the hallway the other day, the two of you were likely coordinating a chance to talk, weren't you?"
"Uh, well, yeah..."
Not exactly, but not wrong either. Meeting in the hallway was a coincidence, but picking up her grade report wasn't.
While I struggled for a reply, Tiara-san pressed her fingers to her brow and sighed.
"Letting you pick up my dropped grade report was a mistake. Thanks to that, you have gained a weakness on me."
"Huh?"
She actually thinks I accidentally found that grade report...?
Tiara-san looked up at me, puzzled.
"What are you so surprised about? My grades are more important to me than you probably realize. Please, don't speak of this to anyone."
"Y-Yeah. Of course. So, about the doujinshi..."
The pen in Tiara-san's hand froze mid-note.
"...That obscene book, modeled after Prez."
With a clatter, she stood up, practically kicking her chair back.
"To create something like that and bring it into school. Even if she is a senior, she should be properly disciplined, don't you think?"
She's not wrong. Honestly, I kind of agree…
I took a breath and gave a firm nod.
"I think you're right, Basori-san. But she's really reflecting on it now. And what about Prez herself? If she knew about it, do you think she would be angry?"
At that, Tiara-san's stern expression softened, as if the wind had been knocked from her sails.
"Prez is a kind person... You're right. She would probably forgive her."
Good, the mood's improving.
"Exactly. And she gets along with Tsukinoki-senpai too, right? Maybe something like a written apology would be enough-"
...I rushed it.
The moment I said "gets along with", Tiara-san's expression changed.
"-Koto Tsukinoki was the former student council vice president."
Tsukinoki-senpai was vice president?
Matching her predecessor's role, Tiara-san circled the desk and stood before me.
"In the second term of her second year, she had a falling out with Shikiya-senpai and left the student council."
"A falling out? What happened?"
"I don't know the details, and I don't care to. But what I do know is that she abandoned her duties and ran away from the student council. That alone is enough to warrant contempt."
"But Prez doesn't seem angry. If anything, Shikiya-senpai seems like she still cares-"
Without a word, Tiara-san leaned in, her face suddenly much closer.
I clammed up under the pressure, and just as she was about to say something, her shoulders sagged, as if all the strength had drained from her.
"...Just like you said, the seniors always take Koto Tsukinoki's side. No matter how many problems she caused, those two always covered for her. In the end, I'm the one who gets treated like the unreasonable one for calling her out."
Tiara-san turned her back to me and slowly began to walk.
"It was Shikiya-senpai who invited me to the student council. She even pushed hard to make me the vice president when she was originally supposed to take the position herself."
Huh. I thought she was just a die-hard fan of Prez or something.
"Prez always has Sakurai-kun looking after her, so I spent a lot of time with Shikiya-senpai. She doted on me a lot, and at first, everything was going smoothly..."
…Alright, she has started monologuing.
Sensing trouble, I exaggeratedly glanced at my watch.
"Oh wow, is it that late already? I should probably-"
As I tried to flee, Tiara-san spun around and closed the distance all at once.
"Back when I didn't know any better, do you know what Shikiya-senpai did to me!?"
"Uh, no, what?"
"She tied my hair into twin tails because she said it suited me better! And she even gave me fake glasses as a present!"
Twin tails and glasses…? Wait a minute. That outfit is just-
"Isn't that the same as Tsukinoki-senpai's-"
"So you do see it too, right!? What was she trying to accomplish, making me dress exactly like that woman!?"
I don't know. Don't look at me. I really don't know.
"And another thing, Shikiya-senpai is way too touchy-feely! Can you believe it? She can unhook a bra through your clothes!"
"Uhh, I don't think I need to hear the details of you two's play here."
"Who said anything about that kind of play!?"
It definitely sounded like that kind of play.
Face flushed bright red and trembling, Tiara-san let out a cough in an obvious attempt to hide her embarrassment.
"A-Anyway! I just want Shikiya-senpai and Prez to properly recognize what kind of problem child that woman is!"
Honestly, I think Prez already does recognize it pretty accurately…
"I get how you feel, Basori-san. So basically, you want to take the book Tsukinoki-senpai wrote and bring it out into the open, have her take full responsibility, right?"
"Well... something like that."
I see. That much makes sense. But there's still something bothering me.
"But that book uses Prez as the protagonist, doesn't it? Are you sure it's okay to make it public?"
"Of course. I intend to black out all portions that violate public decency."
That's censorship.
Tiara-san walked over to the wall and stretched up on her tiptoes to retrieve a thin book from on top of a locker.
"Is that the book?"
She gave a stiff nod, frowning. So that's where the infamous BL doujinshi had been hiding.
Tiara-san pinched it by the corner, like she was handling something filthy.
"Honestly. For someone to write a book that sexually exploits women like this, as a fellow woman, I can't even begin to understand. High schoolers should act like high schoolers-"
...Huh? That was weird.
The sense of discomfort I had been feeling slowly took shape.
"Tiara-san. Can I ask you something?"
"Please don't call me by my first name! And if you're going to ask about the book, I'm not giving it back."
"That's not it. It's just, that book doesn't have any women in it."
"...What are you talking about? It clearly features a woman. The student council president, Hibari Hokobaru."
"Ah, yeah. That's because it's a real-person doujin."
"Real… person?"
Okay, where do I even begin?
"Let me just confirm something. You realized Prez was in it, so that means you actually read the book?"
Tiara-san twitched, her whole body flinching.
"I only read a little, just for verification! A-And the obscene illustrations, I-I only glanced at them- Don't make me say it out loud!"
"No, what I'm saying is, there are only guys in that book. Probably."
"No women...? But Prez is in it."
"Right, but it's in a genre called genderbending… Basically, in that book, Prez is a guy."
"Genderbending...? I'm sorry, and what exactly is the point of that?"
Yeah, fair question. I don't really know either.
"Basically, it's what you'd call a BL doujin. Prez becomes a guy, and then he's pursued by another guy. The whole thing is mostly... steamy scenes between guys."
"Oh…"
Tiara-san stared off into space for a while, then suddenly seemed to realize something.
"Ha!? Prez!? He's a guy!?"
Fwip. She practically dove onto the book and opened it.
"W-Wait, then this illustration is- huh?"
Murmuring under her breath, Tiara-san stared intently at the pages.
"Um, Basori-san?"
"Then this is... oh no, this is..."
Flip. She turned another page.
"Uwaah… ugh…"
"Excuse me, may I just-"
"Eh? How could they do it there…"
…I'm going home.
With a sigh, Tiara-san snapped the book shut.
"This is... truly depraved material."
That so? You sure seemed to be studying it very thoroughly, though.
"Basori-san, so you understand now, right? There's no way we can bring this out into the open. For the sake of Prez's honor, let's just resolve this quietly."
I'm not even sure she heard me. Slightly flushed, Tiara-san cast a languid look my way.
"Literature Club president, what was your name again?"
"It's Nukumizu."
"Nuku… mizu!?"
Fwip. She opened the book again.
"T-Then this character called Nukumizu, who secretly controls the magic academy from the shadows-"
Wait, that's my character? And it's an isekai as well?
"Well, I mean, I'm kind of a party to this, too. More like a victim, really."
"Wait, then this scene... that's you...? Uh, wha... ugh... that's... awful..."
Tiara-san kept glancing between the book and me, muttering "uwaa..." every so often.
Having a girl read a BL doujin where you are the main character is certainly a new experience. But my heart isn't going to survive much more of this.
I stepped closer to Tiara-san, who was once again absorbed in the book.
"Um, now that you understand the situation, could you return the book?"
"...Heh!?"
She only just now seemed to realize I had gotten close. Tiara-san clutched the book to her chest and jumped back.
"W-W-Wait, what are you doing!? What do you intend to do to me!?"
"Huh? No, no, you've got it all wrong! Don't raise your voice. People might get the wrong idea."
If someone saw us like this right now, my high school life would be over.
Panicking, I reached toward her. Tiara-san backed all the way to the wall.
"Listen, I'm not trying to-"
"P-Please wait! I'm a girl!"
What kind of declaration is that?
"That's not the issue. I'm saying I'm not going to do anything. The Nukumizu in that book and the real me are two completely different people, you know?"
Tiara-san, who had been glaring at me with open suspicion, finally seemed to understand. Her body lost tension, and she sank down to the floor.
"...R-Right. I overreacted. But you're still partly to blame, okay?"
Wait, what? I'm in the wrong, too?
Tiara-san slowly stood back up and stared intently at the book's cover.
"There's no denying it. Calling this indecent would be putting it mildly..."
"Right? So with that in mind, can we just-"
She shook her head, eyes locking with mine.
"I have changed my mind. Nukumizu-san, let's make a deal."
A deal. So she is going to make me do something in exchange for the book.
I tensed up, dreading some BL-style scenario, only for Tiara-san to say, perfectly composed.
"Become my ally. If you do, I'll return the book."
…Huh? Be her ally?
"Do you have enemies or something?"
"In a sense, it feels like everyone except me is the enemy. I'm just fulfilling my duties as a student council member, and yet even you treat me like the villain."
Yeah, well, I won't deny it.
Tiara-san glanced sideways at Prez's desk.
"Prez is so kind, she ends up forgiving everything. And as for Shikiya-senpai, no matter what I say, it just goes in one ear and out the other, you know? If she gets the chance, she'll try to touch the back of my neck-"
"Uh, please communicate directly with your partner about the kind of play."
"I told you, it's not that kind of play!"
Maybe the emotional rollercoaster had finally worn her out. Tiara-san placed a hand to her forehead and sank into a chair.
…This is turning into a real mess.
I turned to the visibly drained Tiara-san and spoke up.
"I'm okay with being your ally, but could we lay out some clear terms? Like, a specific goal and a deadline. It's not fair if you keep using the book to make me do whatever you want forever."
"That makes sense. Very well."
After thinking for a moment, Tiara-san clapped her hands together.
"Shikiya-senpai and Koto Tsukinoki. By the closing ceremony, I want you to settle things between those two."
"Huh? Why that?"
"I'm tired of being dragged around by their past. The Tsuwabuki High School student council consists of President Hokobaru and her three members. It's time the ghosts of the past took their leave."
"...And if I can't do it?"
Tiara-san held the BL book close to her chest, as if it were something precious.
"Then I will thoroughly examine every page of this book- and submit it to the faculty meeting on the day of the closing ceremony."
There are 8 days left until the closing ceremony.
Up to now, I had just been drifting along with the current, but now, I'm finally starting to realize that I'm being swept into a full-blown torrent.
Intermission: Wishing You the Best in Your Future Endeavors
Muncipal Momozono Middle School.
Behind the school building, a boy and a girl stood facing each other.
"Sorry. Kaju cannot go out with you."
A petite girl with black hair gave a quick bow.
Silence followed. The boy standing in front of her asked quietly.
"...Kaju-kun, is your brother really that important to you?"
"Yes. Kaju can't date anyone until onii-sama finds happiness."
In her large eyes burned a fierce determination.
Seeing it, the boy could only nod in resignation.
"I understand how you feel. Sorry for calling you out so suddenly."
"Kaju is happy you feel that way, Prez. Kaju shall treasure today's memory deep in my heart and hope you'll continue guiding me at the student council as always."
Faced with Kaju's gentle smile, the boy could only return a wry one.
"...At this point, I don't even know who's the senior here. If I ever become a better man than your brother, can I try confessing again?"
Calling it sour grapes might be too harsh.
At that final, lingering remark, a glint flashed in Kaju's eyes.
"...No. That will never happen."
"Eh? Wait, I didn't mean it like-"
Kaju closed the distance on the flustered boy.
"Not in a million years could anyone surpass onii-sama! His charm isn't some shallow trick. It's a radiant brilliance of the soul-"
Just as Kaju was about to launch into a full speech, a girl suddenly appeared and grabbed her arm with force.
"Okay, Nuku-chan, stop right there! Let's go."
"Huh? Gon-chan? What are you doing here? Wait, why are you pulling me?"
"Alright then, senpai, I'll be taking Nuku-chan with me now~"
Gon-chan, also known as Asami Gondou, dragged Kaju off by sheer strength.
Once they had reached a spot with no one else around, Gon-chan let out a relieved sigh.
"Nuku-chan, that was your limit back there."
"But, but-"
Gon-chan gave Kaju a light bop on the head.
"That's the eighth one this year, right? You should learn how to turn them down a little better."
"But it's hard! Kaju already has onii-sama, you know?"
Kaju rubbed her head and put on a sulky face.
"You can still have a boyfriend even with your brother around. Just hurry up and get one already."
"It's not like anyone will do. Kaju may not look it, but Kaju is pretty picky."
Puffing out a very flat chest, Kaju made a show of pride. Gon-chan just shrugged with an exhausted expression.
"Alright then, what kind of person would you date, Nuku-chan?"
Kaju tapped a finger to her chin and tilted her head cutely.
"Let's see. There's no one more wonderful than onii-sama, so at the very least, someone just as sincere."
"Mm-hmm. Go on."
"Someone just as kind, who treasures Kaju, who's a bit of a softie and can't ignore people in need, who has the same comforting aura as onii-sama, and who sometimes tries to go to school without noticing his bedhead so Kaju has to fix it for him, and who, when Kaju sneaks into his bed because Kaju is lonely at night, sleepily hugs Kaju tight, and whose favorite food is white hanpen, and who was born on December 25th, and is an A blood type, and maybe two grades above Kaju- if it's someone like that, Kaju would gladly offer up this body anytime."
"Huh, I see..."
Gon-chan gave a half-hearted reply, which Kaju didn't seem to notice. She looked up at the sky, her eyes sparkling.
"Do you think someone like that exists somewhere? Kaju has a feeling he might be closer than I think. What do you think, Gon-chan?"
Where in the world would you find someone like that who isn't your 'onii-sama'?
"Who knows, really... Hope you meet him soon though..."
Still sounding completely disinterested, Gon-chan looked up at the sky beside Kaju.
Blown by a west wind coming off Mikawa Bay, the sky above them is completely clear.
Ah, looks like winter's finally on its way-
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