Taiwan Release Special
Intermission: The Student Council Is Just as Peaceful Today
*The following short story contains spoilers. Please read it after the main one.
The morning of Tsuwabuki Fest.
Two girls are standing before the mirror on the wall in the student council room.
One of them is the vice president, Teiara Basori. She’s a first-year student.
She’s pressing a lotus leaf-lined maid uniform on her body as she trembles.
“S-Shikiya-senpai! Am I really going to wear this?”
“This is…Prez’s…order, you know?”
Teiara gazed into the mirror. Then, the second-year secretary Yumeko Shikiya peeked out from behind and looked at the mirror.
“But approaching people in this costume…”
Shikiya unbuttoned the shirt on her nurse costume and pressed it against Teiara’s arm.
“Then, …do you want to…wear this instead?”
“Eek!? I-I’m good with this one!”
Teiara-san gave up struggling and started changing. She untied the third bowtie before turning to Shikiya in confusion.
“Senpai, I don’t feel comfortable when you’re staring at me like this.”
“Both girls, …don’t worry about it…”
Shikiya reached her hand toward Teiara’s back quietly. She managed to untie her bra over the jacket.
“Eek!? W-Why did you untie my bra!?”
“If you don’t take it off, …you’ll be rubbing… a lot of places…”
“That’s what happens if I take it off, right!? I won’t say what places, though!”
“No worries, …this costume…is used for this exact purpose…”
“What purpose!? Senpai, don’t reach your hand inside!”
-After an intense siege, Teiara finally got into her maid costume. She adjusted the bottom of her skirt and gazed at herself in the mirror.
“Uh, well, the exposure isn’t that high, anyway. This isn’t against the code of morality, right? By the way, will Prez really dress up as a prince-”
“You forgot about this…”
Shoo. Shikiya put a cat ear headband on Teiara.
An intense hallmark of culture has been added. Shikiya tightly hugged her from behind as Teiara recoiled from the shock.
“I look forward to…Tsuwabuki Fest…”
The subtle expression on Shikiya’s face is, perhaps, a smile.
Intermission: Komari’s Cat Playtime
Lunch break. I’m chilling behind the old building.
It’s warm and sunny today. I should find a place with sunlight to eat.
Then, as I thought about that, I noticed a girl squatting before the bush.
There’s a tiny pigtail on her hair. It’s Chika Komari.
What is she doing here? I approached out of curiosity. Then, I discovered a tabby cat showing its stomach to Komari while lying on the ground.
“L-Look over here, kitty-kitty. H-Here.”
Komari took out a green foxtail. It looks like she’s playing with the cat.
The cat’s lying on the ground lazily with its tummy exposed. It started punching the foxtail.
Komari skillfully controlled the foxtail and avoided the cat's paws.
…This girl’s technique must not be underestimated.
I thought she was just playing with cats out of boredom. However, it’s not easy to lower a stray cat’s guard.
The initially despondent cat’s eyes bulged as well. It started sending out punches.
“E-Ehehe, k-kitty-kitty. See? You can’t catch it, right?”
…This girl. I don’t know Komari is like this when she’s talking to cats. Even though I don’t know whether ordinary people talk to cats.
Komari lifted the foxtail up high. The cat quickly jumped and snatched the grass.
So, the cat meowed in satisfaction. Its tailed straightened as it left the scene.
“See you, k-kitty-kitty.”
Komari waved gently.
“Oh, you’re good with cats.”
“Fueh!?”
Komari stood up. She seemed like she was struck by lightning.
“N-Nukumizu, …h-have you been watching?”
“The cat will run away if I just talk to you. You can’t blame me, right?”
“Y-You shouldn’t be watching in the first place.”
I want to look at the cat too, you know?
“That’s a stray cat, right? It seems to get along well with people.”
“I-It’s a pet. Its fur and eyes are so beautiful.”
I see. No wonder the cat looks extra fluffy.
“Then can I play with it too?”
Komari hmphed. Her eyes are full of contempt.
“H-How shallow. P-Pets are harder to please, you know?”
“Is that so? But house cats are more used to people, right?”
“H-House cats have played all sorts of games. A-A beginner can’t satisfy it with a foxtail alone.”
I see. They are like those rich people with much free time, right? There’s a lot to learn about playing with cats too.
“By the way, I didn’t know Komari addressed cats as kitty-kitty.”
“Wha!? Y-You heard that?”
“Yeah, it must be because you don’t want to startle the cat, right? That’s why you use baby language.”
This must be common knowledge within the world of cat entertainment. This must be common knowledge within the world of cat entertainment.
“T-Talking like a baby isn’t n-necessary.”
“Eh? Then why did you call it a kitty-kitty?”
“T-That’s because a-as long as I’m talking to a cat, I-I can’t help but speak in that way-”
Komari’s cheeks are blushing harder and harder as she continues.
“Hey, Komari. What’s wrong?”
“Uh, well, -g-go die!”
“!?”
Komari ran away after dropping that. I’m the only one left behind in the school building.
Uh, …what just happened? Komari is several times harder to understand than a kitty, okay…
Intermission: A Certain Bookstore’s Urban Legend
It’s a sunny weekend. I went to a bookstore during a family trip.
This is Sanyodo Bookstore’s Nishio branch.
It’s my first time coming here. However, this bookstore's light novel and manga section has superb quality.
I’m amazed. At the same time, I scanned through the staff member’s recommendation. During this time, Kaju stood next to me.
“Onii-sama, are there any books you want?”
“Kaju, you don’t just buy books in a bookstore, you know? It’s a place to understand the staff’s feelings through the bookshelves or ad banners and seek a new encounter of novels.”
Especially the light novel area. I can feel the staff member’s intense feelings.
I picked one of the staff recommendations. Kaju looked at it curiously…
“<Step-Sister Club>. …Onii-sama, what is this about?”
“It’s a love story with a high school older step-sister who appears out of nowhere. The biggest selling point seems to be the dangerous battle royale hidden under the slice-of-life plot.”
“That sounds interesting. Can Kaju check it out too?”
I handed her the book. Kaju shoved the book back into the shelf.
“Uh, hey, Kaju-”
“Onii-sama, why don’t you check out this one instead? I can feel the staff member’s unusual enthusiasm.”
Kaju forcefully recommended another light novel to me. The title is:
<Onii-Chan, You Should Call Me Your Wife Instead of Little Sister After We Are Married, Okay?>
The author is renowned for writing little sister-themed novels.
Kaju said the people here really recommend this, but where are the ad banners or synopsis…?
I looked around and saw a handmade sign with a playground slide model next to it. There are all kinds of decorations next to the books.
“This store puts a lot of effort into ornaments.”
“Indeed. Onii-sama, why is there a pigeon mask?”
Kaju seems a bit startled. She’s pointing at the pigeon mask over there.
“I’m not sure. It seems that there’s a staff member who puts on a pigeon mask all the time.”
“Sheesh, onii-sama sure likes joking around. There’s no one like that.”
“...I guess you’re right. No way that person is real.”
A staff member with a pigeon mask must be an urban legend only.
I smiled wryly, took Kaju’s recommended novel, and walked toward the cashier.
Even though I’m not entirely sure, this is the staff’s recommendation. I should check it out…
Nishio Branch, Sanyodo Bookstore
An integrated bookstore located in Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture. Recently, there have been rumors about a staff member wearing a pigeon mask going around.
Intermission: The Girl Who Wants to See a Convenient Boy
Yanami asked me out on a certain weekend.
We’re meeting at the flagship Toyohashi Seibukan Bookstore, the manga room on the third floor.
Yanami appeared from behind the bookshelf when I was searching for her.
“Here, Nukumizu-kun. You’re fast.”
I raised my hand and came to Yanami.
“What’s wrong? You said it’s something important.”
Yanami nodded earnestly.
“I want to look for a manga. Nukumizu-kun must be familar with it, right? I want you to search for it with me together.”
“...Eh? That’s why you brought me out during the holiday? During the holiday?”
“Why did you say it twice? I’ll lend it to you after I’m done reading. As thanks.”
Well, it’s not like I’m busy. It’s whatever. …I cheered myself up and scanned through the bookshelf full of manga.
“What are you looking for?”
“I don’t know the title. The content is about an MC hanging out and eventually dating his childhood friend.”
“...That’s all? That’s all the information you have?”
“Again, why did you say it twice?”
By the way, what do you mean by hanging out with a childhood friend?
“Nukumizu-kun doesn’t get it too? Ah, this one seems interesting.”
Yanami grabbed an unrelated manga. Do your job and search for it, girl.
“Why would you want to read a childhood friend manga?”
Yanami crossed her arms and spoke up chicly for some reason.
“Sosuke and I are childhood friends, right? After reading a manga filled with a childhood friend’s attractiveness, what if Sosuke suddenly realizes how great I am? Isn’t that beautiful? What do you think will happen next?”
“I don’t think anything will happen…?”
Yanami shrugged. She seems to be teasing my lack of knowledge.
“That’s why I don’t like this part of you, Nukumizu-kun. When the childhood friend force between two people rises, anything can happen to the point that it’s not surprising anymore.”
Relax. At this point, I won’t freak out as long as it’s not too ridiculous.
“By the way, Hakamada has a girlfriend, right? Also, his girlfriend is Yanami’s BFF, right?”
“It’s not like I’m going to cheat. I just want Sosuke to acknowledge the preciousness of childhood friends and improve his image of me.”
So, you mean you have stooped so low that you need an improvement?
That sounds miserable. I should just help her look for that manga, but it’s tough with such vague information from Yanami…
“Yanami-san, are there any other clues? At least which magazine is it on, or when was it released?”
“That’s all I know. I’ll just ask the staff member if Nukumizu-kun can’t find it.”
Eh? You dare to talk to the staff with such little information?
I’m puzzled. Yanami already ran toward the staff member unloading the books.
“Excuse me. I want to find a manga!”
…Ah, she really did it.
I pretended that I didn’t know her. After a while, Yanami came back with a book.
“I know which one it is. It’s still not sold out yet. Nice.”
Seriously? The staff of Seibunkan is impressive.
The title of Yanami’s book is- <Starting to be a Childhood Freind Today>...?
“...Starting to be a childhood friend today? What’s going on?”
“You’ll figure out the riddle as you keep reading. Despite my look, I’m really good at detective novels. I can guess the criminal behind this book as well.”
I don’t think there are any criminals in this manga.
Yanami hummed a song as she went to the cashier. I followed her and tilted my head again.
Starting to be a childhood friend today, …what does this mean?
No comments:
Post a Comment