Taiwan Edition Specials
Intermission: Please Don’t Talk in the Store
Seibunkan Bookstore Shiotabashi Branch.
This store isn’t on my way to school. The only reason I went out of my way to come here after school is because-
I’ve heard this store still has the limited edition of my recent favorite rom-com, <How About A Woman Who Lost to Her Stepmom?> in stock.
I noticed a petite Tsuwabuki girl reading the free samples in the magazine area just as I hummed a song as I walked toward the light novel area.
There’s a pigtail on her short hair- is that Komari?
Komari is a first-year student and a Literature Club member, just like me. She likes BL, and she has a communication disorder. Aside from her almighty attitude toward me, she’s a very plain student. Come to think of it, Komari goes by this store while on her way home.
She’s in the area full of books about cosmetics and trending fashion.
I’ve never seen Komari without her messy hair, nor has she ever put on makeup. I didn’t know she was interested in these things.
…No, the Komari I know is probably just taking references for her novel.
I wanted to pass behind her. However, I stopped and peeked at the book Komari’s reading.
I’ll ask my little sister Kaju to get one for me if the content feels nice.
Hmm, it seems to be an article about makeup. Upgrading to angelic skin that others can never tell…?
Can never tell…? Shouldn’t you want others to see you if you’re putting on makeup?
I leaned forward out of curiosity. Komari immediately noticed someone was approaching and trembled.
“Uwah!? W-W-When did you get here!?”
“Just a moment ago. It’s because you seemed to be paying full attention to it. That’s why I wanted to ask whether you found good material for your novel.”
“Y-Yes! I-It’s just material!”
Komari said that as she hid the book behind her.
I see. Knowledge of makeup is essential to writing a story about a villainess, right?
Komari stared at me ferociously despite my admiration.
“W-Why are you here then? T-This isn’t your way h-home, right?”
“I’ve heard this store still has the limited edition of the light novel I want. I went out of my way to come here, you know?”
“I-I see. That’s great. G-Go now before it’s sold out.”
“Eh? Hey, Komari.”
Komari pushed my back forcefully.
She’s being her usual self. Weird. Anyway, I won’t trigger her. Let’s do what she said.
…For a moment, the cover of Komari’s book came to my eyes just as I was about to leave.
The title is-
<Transform Your Plain Look Before Everyone Knew It - 60-Day Makeup Lesson>
This is perhaps- not material for her novel.
I think I saw something I wasn’t supposed to. The guilt made me beeline away.
Intermission: Sing Along, Losing Heroine
*This story contains spoilers. Please read it after the main story.
It’s an afternoon during a holiday.
I’m participating in Yanami-san’s karaoke seminar inside the karaoke room.
I’m jotting down notes on my phone since I’m very passionate about learning. Yanami put an onion ring into her mouth and pointed at the screen chicly.
“The part you should pay the most attention to is your chosen songs. You can even say it’s the only part that matters.”
“Choosing songs? Can’t you just pick your favorites?”
I asked without thinking. Yanami shrugged helplessly.
“Too naive. Karaoke is a battlefield, Nukumizu-kun.”
“Am I in a battlefield right now?”
Yanami nodded solemnly.
“Indeed, can you imagine your slow and unpopular song playing the moment when everyone is partying? Everyone would go to the toilets or start inputting the song they are singing next as politely as possible. It would be hell if you got unlucky and were left with only one other person, you know? They could only clap the beats for you even though they wanted to stare at their phone. No one would be happy that way, okay?”
…Eh? There is so much to consider about karaoke?
Even though I can’t imagine it due to lack of experience, Yanami must have a lot of scars already, right?
I’m sitting before a veteran who has lived through a hundred battles. I couldn’t help but sit straight.
“Then how should we choose the songs?”
“There’s a ranking, right? Sing from the top one.”
That’s easier than expected.
“...Are you sure? What about your dignity as a veteran?”
“Nukumizu-kun, we aren’t talking about dignity right now. We need a common language to hang out with people with different interests and hobbies. That’s why beginners are banned from singing slow-paced romantic and anime songs.”
“But didn’t Yanami-san say Himemiya-san and Hakamada go for a <Frozen> duet-”
I realized my mistake before I finished my sentence.
Yanami’s killer stare interrupted me.
“...It wasn’t me. Sosuke and Karen-chan sang that, okay?”
I shut my mouth sheepishly. Yanami gave up as her expression softened.
“Disney songs are okay. Ghibli is fine as long as the mood is right. Some anime songs can disguise themselves as normal ones, but there might be anime clips on the screen. Don’t forget to double-check beforehand.”
Why does she hate anime songs so much? Was Yanami’s soul that devastated from the <Frozen> event back in July…?
Yanami ignored my worries and took the last onion ring.
“By the way, are you not eating them, Nukumizu-kun? This is pretty good, you know?”
“I think you ate all of them before I could.”
Yanami looked at my face as she opened her mouth. She smiled.
“I see. Just say the word if you want it. Here, ah…”
“...Eh?”
Yanami handed me the onion ring with a familiar line.
Even though there wasn’t anyone else in the room, I still looked around before opening my mouth.
…The taste of oil and salt spreads on the tip of my tongue.
“Is it good? How does it feel for me to feed you?”
“Uh, well, the ring itself is good.”
I looked away out of embarrassment. Yanami moved her mischievous smile toward me.
“-Then how much do you think it’s worth? I can lower the price, you know?”
Intermission: Family-Acknowledged Relationship
I came to the newly-opened Toyokawa Branch of the Sanyodo Bookstore during the winter holiday.
My family is heading out of the prefecture, so we paid a visit to this bookstore near Toyokawa’s interchange.
The rule of the Nukumizu family is that you can ask Dad and Mom to buy a book for you during an outing. However, I’m in the stationary area right now. This store is very stacked in the stationary department too.
I grabbed the ballpoint pen from the display box.
“This pen is a bit expensive, but it looks nice…”
It sounds cool to spend money on stationery you don’t use often.
Suddenly, the scent of dirt and sunshine entered my nose just as I stared at the yellow pen.
“...Eh, isn’t this Nukkun? What are you doing here?”
Someone bumped into me forcefully as a familiar voice came to my ears.
I turned around in shock. Then, I saw the Track and Field Club and Literature Club member, Remon Yakishio, standing before me.
“I was just looking at this ballpoint pen. By the way, what are you doing here?”
“I forgot the Track and Field Club was on break today, so I ran to school. Then, I thought I should visit the Toyokawa Inari Shrine since I had nothing to do. That’s why I ran here.”
Ran here…? This spot is at least 10 kilometers away from school, you know?
“Even so, it’s too far to go to Toyokawa Inari, right? Why not just go to the Yoshida Shrine?”
“I still didn’t thank the gods for getting into high school. That’s why I wanted to make the trip before the new year.”
“You just barely made it before the end of the year. Did you come back from the shrine?”
Yakishio took the ballpoint pen from me and drew a flower on the papers for test writing.
“No, I didn’t go. I forgot I ran out of pencil lead and saw Sanyodo, so I thought I could just come here.”
“...This isn’t a shrine or a temple.”
“This store is quite close to Toyokawa Inari, right? Buying stuff from this store is like visiting Toyokawa Inari, right?”
I don’t think they are the same.
“It’s better to make the trip if you want to appreciate the gods, you know? It would be awkward during the New Year’s visit if you don’t go this time, right?”
“Awkward…? I didn’t know that was a thing.”
Yakishio nodded in admiration before smacking my back. It hurts.
“Well, why doesn’t Nukkun go with me then? You have nothing to do, anyway.”
“I have to join a ritual with my family. I’m busy.”
“Nukkun’s family is here! Is that uncle your father? Hello!”
“Wait, that’s a stranger. No, not that one. Stop waving.”
This is bad. Yakishio plans to strike up a conversation with every customer. The number one thing a boy in puberty wants to avoid is being seen with a female classmate by his parents.
I saw Kaju, Dad, and Mom beelining out of the store when I tried my best to stop Yakishio.
…Great, I’m saved. I just need to meet up with my family before Yakishio notices.
I took out my phone to text Kaju and was bombarded by messages.
<Good luck, onii-sama.> <Be a man> <Be prepared, okay?>
…I thought it was just Kaju. What are my parents doing? Wait, doesn’t this mean-
I had a bad feeling and looked outside. I saw a familiar car going out of the parking lot.
Eh!? I was left behind!? Are you serious?
Yakishio leaned forward and looked at my screen. A charming smile appeared on her face.
“Nukkun got abandoned by his family. That’s perfect. Let’s go together.”
“Nothing about this is perfect! No, I don’t have time for you. I have to go!”
Yakishio grabbed my arm tightly when I tried to leave.
“It’s okay. We can run back home after the visit. My my, they want you to be a man. Your family is so understanding. Unlike your house, my mom told me not to run to wherever I wanted-”
“Don’t pull me. I need to catch up with my family-”
“Have some common sense. How can a human catch up to a car? Alright, prepare yourself!”
What…? Yakishio told me to have some common sense.
She dragged me away from the bookstore as I was devastated by an indescribable sense of defeat-
*Today’s bookstore: Sanyodo Bookstore - Toyokawa Branch
It’s close to the Toyokawa Inari Shrine. The rumor in the losing heroine world says buying stuff from that place gives you good luck. It’s perfect to pick a book you like to go on with your journey due to its proximity to Toyokawa’s interchange.
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