Melonbooks Special
Komari's Cat Playtime
One day during lunch break, I'm aimlessly walking behind the old school building.
The weather is warm and pleasant today. It might be nice to find a sunny spot to eat lunch.
As I was thinking that, I noticed a girl crouched in front of some bushes.
Hair tied in a small side knot, Chika Komari.
What is she doing in a place like this? Curious, I quietly crept closer. In front of Komari is a tabby cat lying on its back, showing its belly.
"C-Come here, kitty-kitty. C-Come on over."
Komari is playing with the cat using a piece of catnip.
The cat, belly up in the most relaxed pose imaginable, stayed on its back and batted lazily at the swaying grass.
Komari skillfully manipulated the cat teaser, pulling it away just before the cat's paw could hit it.
…She's actually pretty good at this.
I had underestimated this as just a lunchtime cat diversion, but getting a wary stray cat to feel satisfied isn't as easy as it looks.
The cat, sluggish at first, now had its eyes gleaming as it launched punches with both paws.
"E-Ehehe… kitty-kitty, hey, w-what's wrong?"
…So this is how Komari talks to cats, huh? Not sure if this is standard practice, though.
Komari lifted the catnip high, and the cat pounced with full force, batting it down.
Then, letting out a satisfied meow, it raised its tail and strutted off like royalty.
"Bye-bye, kitty-kitty…"
Komari waved her hand gently.
"You're pretty good at playing with cats, huh?"
"Ueh!?"
Komari leapt up in surprise.
"N-Nukumizu… y-you were watching the whole time?"
"If I said anything, the cat might have run away. It can't be helped, right?"
"D-Don't look at all then."
But I wanted to watch the cat, too.
"That was a stray cat, right? It seemed really used to people."
"T-That coat was too well kept for a s-stray. A-And its eyes were n-nice and clear, too."
Huh. No wonder it was so fluffy.
"So, do you think I could play with it too?"
Komari gave a sharp snort and shot me a condescending look.
"A-Amateur. I-I'll have you know, h-house cats are even h-harder to entertain."
"Seriously? I figured house cats would be more used to people."
"F-Figuring out how to s-satisfy a cat that has e-experienced every kind of play with just a single catnip is impossible for a n-newbie."
I see. Like a pampered lady of leisure. Sounds like the world of cat amusement runs deep.
"Come to think of it, you call cats 'kitty-kitty', huh?"
"Una!? Y-You heard that?"
"Yeah. But it makes sense, right? Baby talk puts cats at ease. You're doing it on purpose, right?"
Surely that's common knowledge among seasoned cat players. Still, baby talk in high school is a bit much… As I pondered this, Komari fidgeted beside me, nervously fiddling with her fingers.
"Y-You don't have to use baby talk. I-It's not required."
"Huh? Why did you call it 'kitty-kitty' then?"
"B-Because, you know, w-when I talk to cats, it just kinda c-comes out like that…"
Komari trailed off mid-sentence as her face turned bright red before my eyes.
"Hey, Komari, you okay?"
"Um, well, g-go die!"
"Huh!?"
Leaving only those explosive words behind, Komari dashed off at full speed, leaving me alone behind the old school building.
Ehh… What the hell was that? Forget the cat. Komari's way harder to understand…
Animate Special
The Two Are Supposed to be Best Friends
After school, in the classroom. Two girls sat across from each other with a desk between them, peering into a catalog.
They are looking at a costume rental booklet and selecting outfits for their class's costume event at Tsuwabuki Fest.
One of them, Anna Yanami, tapped her fingertip on a photo in the catalog.
"Isn't this one nice? It has kind of a mature vibe."
What she pointed to is a traditional Japanese white burial outfit. It even comes with the triangle headband worn on the forehead.
"Oh, a ghost. Like Oiwa-san or something." [TL: One of the most famous ghost stories in Japan about betrayal, murder, and revenge.]
The one who replied is Karen Himemiya. Though there's no wind, her long hair sways gracefully, and even though it's cloudy outside, glittering particles of light seem to float around her alone.
"Starting this fall, I was thinking of leaning more into a grown-up kind of vibe. You know, really putting it out there."
"Since you're usually so cheerful, going for contrast could totally work. Oh, what about this one? Isn't it cute?"
Karen pointed to a devil costume. A miniskirt and a headband with wing-shaped decorations.
"Oh, that's super cute! But it shows the shoulders and has an open chest. Are you okay with that?"
"This much is fine. The top kind has a wedding dress silhouette, so it's really pre-"
Karen trailed off and mumbled the end of her sentence.
"…W-Well, something like that. It's got a lot of exposure, but it's cute, I think."
"Y-Yeah, totally! Karen-chan, you have such nice skin too, so you can totally pull it off!"
Yanami forced a cheerful voice as she flipped the page.
"Look, Karen-chan! A special feature page!"
"You're right! Let's see. Oh, it should be a Halloween special-"
The two leaned in together to read the catalog.
<Don't wait until after the proposal! Hurry, wedding dress special!>
"............"
"............"
Yanami and Karen stared silently at the page for a moment before one of them, without saying a word, gently closed the catalog.
"Um… Anna, I think I'll go with the devil costume. Yeah, it was cute."
"Then I guess I'll be the ghost. It's like… my grown-up debut, kind of."
Sharing a weary laugh, the two girls began writing on the sheets in front of them, filling out the costume request forms to hand over to the costume team.
Then, Karen reached for the catalog.
"Oh, we need to write our sizes. You too, right, Anna?"
Saying that, she carefully opened the pages.
…They have to avoid opening that special feature page by mistake.
With slightly trembling fingers, Karen flipped the pages and, just as intended, landed on the Halloween costume section.
Relieved, Yanami and Karen let out a breath and exchanged a smile, giggling together.
"Karen-chan, why are you so tense?"
"Same to you, Anna. Anyway, let's pick our sizes. Um…"
As she scanned the catalog, Karen's brows furrowed.
"What's wrong? You're super slim at the waist, so it should be an easy pick for you."
"Well… even the largest size might not fit around the chest."
"Eh?"
Yanami roughly snatched the catalog and glared at the size chart.
"Karen-chan, just out of curiosity, what's your measurement?"
After checking that no one else was around, Karen discreetly traced three numbers onto the desk with her finger.
Yanami instinctively looked up to the heavens.
…They say the heavens don't grant two gifts, but Karen Himemiya had looks, kindness, and now an Ultimate-Class chest size.
Watching Karen flush red with embarrassment, Yanami muttered to herself.
"That chest alone is two gifts already…"
Toranoana Special
The Student Council Is Peaceful as Always
The morning of Tsuwabuki Fest.
In front of the mirror hanging on the wall of the student council room stood two female students.
One of them is the student council vice president, Tiara Basori, a first-year student.
She held a frilly maid outfit up to her chest, trembling slightly with tiny shivers.
"S-Shikiya-senpai! Am I really wearing this outfit!?"
"Prez's… orders…"
From behind Tiara, who was staring at her reflection in the mirror, second-year student council secretary Yumeko Shikiya slowly leaned in and peeked into the mirror.
"But, to wear something like this in front of people-"
Shikiya unfastened the chest of her own nurse uniform and pressed it against Tiara's arm.
"Then… wear… this… instead…?"
"Eek!? I-I'll gladly wear the maid one!"
Having accepted her fate, Tiara began changing clothes, removing the third ribbon as she turned back toward Shikiya, looking thoroughly bewildered.
"Senpai, it's hard to stay calm when you're staring like that."
"We're both girls… Don't worry about it…"
Without a sound, Shikiya reached out and unclasped Tiara's bra through her blazer.
"Hya!? W-Why did you undo the clasp!?"
"If I don't… it will chafe… a lot…"
"Wouldn't it chafe more if you take it off!? I won't say what exactly, but something will!"
"It's fine… this outfit… is made for that kind of thing…"
"What kind of thing!? Please don't just slip your hand inside!"
After a fierce and silent struggle, Tiara somehow managed to finish changing. She adjusted the frills of her apron and gazed intently into the mirror.
"W-Well, it doesn't show that much skin, so this isn't exactly a public decency issue. And Prez is really going to dress up as a prince-"
"You forgot something…"
Plop. Shikiya gently placed a cat ear headband on top of Tiara's head.
With that single accessory, the costume's symbolism skyrocketed. Tiara froze in place, overwhelmed, as Shikiya hugged her from behind.
"Tsuwabuki Fest… can't wait…"
The faint expression on Shikiya's face, just maybe, could be called a smile.
Seibunkan Special
The Handy Boy and the Girl Who Wants to Meet Him
One weekend, I was called out by Yanami.
The meeting spot is the manga floor on the 3rd level of Seibunkan Bookstore, Toyohashi Main Branch.
As I looked around for her, Yanami popped out from behind one of the shelves and waved.
"Nukumizu-kun, over here. You're early."
I raised a hand in return and walked over to her.
"So, what's up? You said it was something important."
Yanami nodded with a serious expression.
"There's this manga I'm looking for. I figured you would know more about this stuff, so I thought I would have you help me look."
"…Wait, that's what this was about? You called me out on the weekend? The weekend?"
"Why did you say it twice? I'll let you borrow it once I'm done reading, so come on."
Well, I didn't really have plans anyway… I pulled myself together and scanned the rows of manga-filled shelves.
"What kind of manga are you looking for?"
"I don't remember the title, but apparently the protagonist gets a childhood friend and things get all fluffy between them."
"…That's it? That's all you have got to go on?"
"Why did you say it twice again?"
Also, what does "gets a childhood friend" even mean?
"So even Nukumizu-kun doesn't know… Oh, this one looks fun!"
Yanami picked up a completely unrelated manga. You help too, girl.
"Why are you even trying to read a childhood friend manga in the first place?"
Yanami crossed her arms and, for some reason, flashed a smug look.
"Because Sosuke and I are childhood friends, right? So if he reads a manga full of that charm, he'll suddenly realize how amazing the childhood friend next to him is. And then guess what happens?"
"Probably nothing at all…"
Yanami sighed and shrugged.
"That's why I don't like this part of you, Nukumizu-kun. If something does happen between two people whose childhood friend stats have maxed out, don't act all surprised."
Don't worry. At this point, very little surprises me.
"Also, doesn't Hakamada already have a girlfriend? And isn't that girlfriend your best friend?"
"I'm not trying to make him cheat or anything. I just want Sosuke to re-appreciate the greatness of his childhood friend, and maybe bump me up a little in his internal ranking. That's all."
Is her ranking currently so low that it needs to be bumped?
Feeling a little bad for her, I started looking through the shelves seriously, but with how vague her info is, this is going to be tough…
"Yanami-san, can't you give me anything else? Like, what magazine did it run in, or when did it come out?"
"That's all I know. If even Nukumizu-kun can't find it, I guess I'll just ask the staff."
Wait, she's really gonna ask the staff with that little to go on?
While I stood there stunned, Yanami ran up to a store clerk stocking shelves.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for this manga."
…Oh wow, she actually went and did it.
As I pretended I didn't know her, Yanami came back holding a book.
"Found it. They had it in stock, too."
Seriously? Shout-out to the staff at Seibunkan Bookstore.
The title of the book she's holding is <Starting from Today, We're Childhood Friends>...?
"…Can you even start being childhood friends? What does that even mean?"
"If you read it, I'm sure it will make sense. I'm actually really good at mystery stuff, you know. I'll totally guess who the culprit is in this one."
I don't think there even is a culprit.
As I followed behind her, humming on the way to the register, I tilted my head again.
Starting a childhood friendship… what does that mean?
Sanyodo Special
A Bookstore Urban Legend
It's a sunny weekend. On the way during a family trip, I found myself inside a bookstore.
The Nishio Branch of Sanyodo Bookstore.
It's my first time visiting, but the way the manga and light novel sections are set up is seriously impressive.
While admiring the recommended books display, Kaju appeared beside me.
"Onii-sama, is there a specific book you're looking for?"
"Kaju, bookstores aren't just places to buy books. They are sacred spaces where you listen to the voices of the staff through shelf layouts and handwritten pop cards, and seek serendipitous encounters with new stories."
Especially the light novel corner, the staff's passion really came through.
I picked up one of the staff-recommended titles. Kaju peeked over curiously at the book in my hand.
"<Stepsister Club>...? Onii-sama, what kind of story is it?"
"It's a romantic story about a high schooler who suddenly gains a stepsister and ends up living with her. It looks like a slice-of-life on the surface, but apparently there's a heated death game twist."
"How delightful. May Kaju see it for a moment?"
As I handed over the book, Kaju promptly returned it to the shelf.
"Huh? Hey, Kaju-"
"Onii-sama, perhaps this one would be better. Kaju can sense an unusually strong recommendation from the staff."
Kaju forcefully suggested a different light novel. The title is:
<Onii-chan, If We Get Married, I Won't be Your Little Sister, I'll be Your Wife, Okay?>
The author is famous for sister-themed series.
She claims it's a staff pick, but where's the pop display…?
Looking around, I noticed hand-crafted signs, a slide model, and all sorts of decorations surrounding the book.
"This store really goes all-in with its displays, huh?"
"Indeed. But onii-sama, why is there a pigeon mask hanging over there?"
Kaju asked timidly, pointing at a pigeon mask dangling nearby.
"Not sure. But apparently, there's a staff member who wears that pigeon mask."
"Sheesh, onii-sama, always joking around. As if such a staff member actually exists."
"...You're right. No way that's real."
A staff member in a pigeon mask? Must be an urban legend.
Chuckling to myself, I took the sister-themed light novel Kaju handed me and headed to the register.
I'm not entirely sure, but it's supposedly the staff's top recommendation. Let's see what they have got…
Featured store: Nishio Branch, Sanyodo Bookstore
A general bookstore located in Nishio, Aichi Prefecture. Rumor has it that a staff member wearing a pigeon mask occasionally appears there.
Bookwalker Special
If It's Tasty, That's All That Matters
On a day off, I stood in the kitchen at home, side by side with Kaju.
Matching aprons. Arms folded. We nodded at each other in sync.
"I'm counting on you, Kaju. You're my only hope."
"Yes, onii-sama. Leave everything to Kaju!"
Yes, today, we're testing sweets for Tsuwabuki Fest.
We would start with small batches of each item, gather feedback from everyone involved, and then work toward the final version. Ingredients aren't cheap, so it's important to have a plan.
I picked up the prepared recipe sheet.
"Let's see. For today, we're making cookies, pound cake, and sugar-coated peanuts. You think we can handle three kinds at once?"
"Of course. Every year for your birthday celebration, onii-sama, Kaju handles several times more work than this without sleep. This is a piece of cake!"
Kaju answered with a smile.
"Make sure you get some sleep this year. Okay, so what should I help with first?"
"Then, onii-sama, please pat Kaju's head."
...Not quite what I had in mind when I offered to help, but I did as asked.
"Ehehe, now Kaju is all fired up!"
Kaju started working with a cheerful hum.
"What should I do next?"
"Then, please massage Kaju's shoulders."
"Right, baking's hard work. Makes sense your shoulders would get sore."
I kneaded Kaju's slender shoulders gently.
"No, Kaju just wants to be spoiled by you, onii-sama."
This isn't quite what I meant either.
Kaju began sifting flour with practiced hands.
"If possible, is there anything I can do that's, you know, more related to baking...?"
"Let's see. Kaju will be working at the counter now, so could you come up behind me, hug me gently, and ask, 'What's for dinner tonight?', onii-sama?"
"...What even is that?"
Kaju jumped excitedly.
"So, so! After that, Kaju says, 'That's dangerous, I'm holding a knife,' and then onii-sama replies, 'Then let's hold it together,' and takes Kaju's hands from behind-"
"Okay, stop right there. What is the purpose of this whole play?"
"It's newlywed roleplay, of course. If Kaju fully charges her energy doing that, Kaju won't need sleep for two days!"
"Just go to sleep already. No staying up late."
"Kaju will go to bed like a good girl if onii-sama sings me a lullaby~"
While opening a can of cherries, Kaju looked up at me teasingly.
"Well, I guess something like that is fine."
"Really? It's been a while since Kaju has slept in onii-sama's bed, so Kaju is a little nervous!"
"Sleep in your own bed. I'll go back to my room after you fall asleep."
"Sheesh, you're so cold, onii-sama."
Pouting adorably, Kaju started removing the seeds from the cherries.
"Then, Kaju hereby assigns the very mean onii-sama to peanut shelling duty. One full bag. All of it."
Finally getting a proper job, I immediately got to work.
…After silently shelling peanuts for a while, Kaju peeked over at my hands.
"Please peel the thin skins carefully, too. Try not to break the peanuts."
"Leave it to me. I may not look like it, but I'm good with delicate-"
I snapped one in half the moment I said that.
Kaju spotted it instantly and held one half up to my lips.
"Onii-sama, take responsibility. Say ahh~"
I reluctantly ate it, only for Kaju to hand me the other half next.
"Kaju will take responsibility, too. Ahh~"
Kaju closed her eyes and opened her mouth wide.
After feeding it to her, she gave me a dazzling smile like a blooming flower.
"Energy fully charged!"
She struck a guts pose with both arms, then energetically began mixing the contents of a bowl.
Big bro here can't afford to fall behind now.
Refocusing, I resumed shelling peanuts. I'm starting to get the hang of it-
"…Ah, I broke another one."
Just when I started getting cocky.
Beside me, Kaju had already shut her eyes and opened her mouth again.
I sighed and popped all the broken peanut pieces into her mouth.
*
Monday, after school. The three first-year girls of the Literature Club are sitting around a table in the clubroom.
In the center, Yanami solemnly placed a tote bag on the table.
"...This is a bag."
Yakishio leaned forward and peeked inside the tote bag.
"What's this? There's sweets inside."
"Yes, that's correct, Lemon-chan. And since they are handmade sweets, that means they are a treat for us."
Declaring that, Yanami gently placed the now-empty bag next to the tote.
"And the taste was quite something."
"Y-You already ate them…?"
Komari muttered unintentionally, and Yanami shook her head with a smile.
"Just one pack before you two got here. There are two more left, so let's share them nicely among the three of us."
Yakishio took one of the wrapped sweets out of the bag.
"These two have different fillings. The one Yana-chan ate was different, too?"
"F-Feels like it. W-What was inside again…?"
Tilting her head, Yanami started to open one of the packs.
Komari hurriedly stopped her.
"U-Um… y-you probably shouldn't e-eat those without a-asking."
"Didn't Nukumizu-kun bring these? If anything, it's kind of unfair for him to be the only one who knows how good they are. We'll have to make him reflect on this."
"I-I see…?"
While Komari tilted her head in confusion, Yanami opened both remaining packs and began eating.
Prompted, Yakishio took a bite and immediately widened her eyes.
"Ah, this one's good. It's kind of crumbly, but moist and fluffy."
"Really? Let me have a bit too."
"Eh? Hey, but-"
As the sweets rapidly disappeared, Komari started to freak out.
"It's fine. Nukumizu-kun is surprisingly head over heels for us, so if Komari-chan smiles at him, he'll totally forgive us."
"W-Why me…?"
"Because Nukumizu-kun is soft on you, Komari-chan. He never shares snacks with me."
"T-That's because you s-started eating before we could d-divide them, right?"
Komari's entirely reasonable point didn't seem to register, as Yanami continued munching on the sweets with a sulky look.
Yakishio, who had been brewing tea, turned around with a smug expression.
"But you know, when I was changing in the clubroom, Nukkun looked kinda restless. Maybe he's a little conscious of me or something."
She said it jokingly, and Yanami shrugged in response.
"Well, if a cute girl like Lemon-chan was changing in front of him- wait, in front of him!? Don't tell me, Lemon-chan and Nukumizu-kun, are you two like that!?"
"Hmm…? I'm not really sure what you mean by 'like that', but maybe something like that. It's Nukkun, after all."
Speaking lightly, Yakishio began handing out the tea.
Yanami, who had looked surprised, breathed a small sigh of relief at her response.
…It doesn't seem like the two of them are actually "like that".
"Well, it's Nukumizu-kun, so yeah."
"I-If it's Nukumizu, I-I guess it c-can't be helped..."
"I don't really get it, but it's Nukkun, so yeah."
The three of them all took a sip of their tea together.
As they continued chatting about Nukumizu, the sweets were soon all gone.
Yanami cleaned up the trash and clapped her hands together.
"Alright, all traces erased."
It seems she's at least a little aware that what they have done is bad.
Just then, with a click, the door opened and Nukumizu poked his head in.
"Oh, you're all here already. So, about what I wanted to…"
Before he could finish, the three girls burst out laughing.
"...Huh? What? Why are you laughing?"
Looking bewildered, Nukumizu stared at them, and Yanami waved at him with a grin.
"It's nothing at all~"
Seeing Nukumizu flustered in confusion, the three girls laughed again-
Melonbooks x GAGAGA 15th Anniversary Special
The Black Bag Is a Sign of Trust
A weekend afternoon. I have been called out by my fellow Literature Club member, Anna Yanami.
The meeting place is the Melonbooks Toyohashi store.
She asked me to come along to buy books together.
As we passed through the entrance security gate, I looked back at Yanami walking behind me.
"Why did you invite me? It's close to the station. You could have come by yourself, right?"
"Places like this are called specialty stores, aren't they? I have never been to one before."
"They are just regular stores with a focused selection. I come here a lot too, so don't worry."
"Even if you come here often, that doesn't make it reassuring."
Yanami looked around the store while saying something rude.
"It's pretty bright and spacious. Where do they sell the manga?"
"Manga are on the front shelves. Beyond that is the doujinshi section."
"Behind the curtain over there- ah, sorry, forget it."
Yeah, let's not bring that up. We're still high schoolers.
Looking curiously at the wall posters and flyers, Yanami headed toward the new release section.
"Ah, this is it! Thank goodness, it was sold out everywhere else."
What she picked up is the latest volume of <All My Coworkers Are Obsessed with Me>, a hit among weary adult women.
A bit of a heavy choice for a high school girl, but considering Yanami has just been dumped by her childhood friend, she's probably just as emotionally drained.
I stood next to the humming Yanami and browsed the new releases.
...Oh, the manga adaptation of the light novel I have been reading is out. And it's the last copy.
After quickly heading to the register and finishing checkout, Yanami showed me the cover of her book.
"Look, isn't this great? It comes with a bonus illustration card. What did you buy, Nukumizu-kun?"
"The manga version of a light novel I have been reading. It's actually pretty good."
When I raised the black plastic bag with my book inside, Yanami gave me a deadpan stare.
"A black bag…? Did you buy something you can't show people?"
"Eh? No, no, it's not like that. At Melonbooks, when you buy something, they put it in a black plastic bag. It's a privacy measure so people can't see what's inside, not because I bought something I can't show others. That's important."
"You're talking really fast, Nukumizu-kun. So, what's the title of the book you bought?"
"Were you even listening to me? It's not a weird book, so the title doesn't matter, right?"
"That's true. So, what's the title of the book you bought?"
"...<Since Depending on My Little Sister Doesn't Sound So Bad, I've Started a Life of Being Pampered>."
Yanami nodded with an indescribable expression.
"Ohh, so that's the title. Nukumizu-kun, you have a little sister, right…?"
"I do, but two-dimensional little sisters and real-life ones are completely different. The younger sisters in manga and anime are a concept that's separate from reality-"
To avoid misunderstanding, I firmly declared:
"My little sister is cute, but that and this are different matters."
"That's already sounding like a light novel title. Anyway, got it. I'll go buy my book now."
Yanami quickly headed toward the register.
Glad she gets it.
Kaju, my little sister, and I just get along well, it's not like I'm-
"...A siscon."
As I watched Yanami fumble for coins at the register, I muttered to myself as if trying to convince someone.
No comments:
Post a Comment