Chapter 6: Connections Are Surprisingly Close at Hand
Several days had passed since the shoot at Shinomiya-san’s house.
Though the session ended with an unexpected run-in with her older sister, I’d say the shoot itself was a success. The proof was in how Shinomiya-san’s poses and expressions while stripping off her uniform piece by piece had become so polished by her fourth time that it hardly seemed believable. She was at a level where, if she debuted as a model right now, she could shoot straight to the top.
I reviewed the footage I’d taken of the entire process from inside her closet, but it left me with a guilty feeling—like I’d peeked at something I shouldn’t have. So, I told Shinomiya-san, “It didn’t turn out well,” and buried the file deep in my data storage. The reason I couldn’t bring myself to delete it entirely was my own weakness.
“Good morning, Anno-kun.”
“Good morning, Shinomiya-san.”
Even after witnessing the tension between Shinomiya-san and her sister firsthand, Shinomiya-san herself didn’t seem any different from before. She greeted me as usual when we got to school, and she chatted happily with our classmates.
The only change was that she no longer rushed to schedule the next shoot right after one ended, as she used to.
The fact that a fourth shoot hadn’t been planned might have been a relief, a sign that the blackmail dynamic was over. But still—
“Please… don’t take anything more precious from me!”
Shinomiya-san’s anguished cry and the look on her face wouldn’t leave my mind. Why had she said that to her sister with such intensity? For the past few days, I’d been wrestling with that unanswerable question.
“Takumi, come with me for a sec.”
After school, as I was packing up to head home, Shin approached me with an unusually serious expression and an even rarer tone that brooked no argument.
“…If this is about Shinomiya-san again, I’m out.”
“It is. So just shut up and follow me.”
Shin’s dead-serious look left me no room to protest, so I quietly trailed him out of the classroom as he’d instructed.
By the way, the girl who sits next to me had bolted home the moment homeroom ended, without so much as a word. Ever since the shoot at her house, she’d limited our interactions to brief morning and after-school greetings—nothing more. Naturally, the teasing had stopped too.
“Hey, Takumi. I’ll cut to the chase: something happened between you and Shinomiya-san, right?”
He’d brought me to the rooftop, the spot where we’d secretly met during lunch breaks. It was a shame that the person I was watching this cloudless, beautiful orange sunset with wasn’t Shinomiya-san.
“How many times are we going to do this? Aren’t you tired of it yet? There’s nothing between me and Shinomiya-san like you guys keep imagining.”
“Are you seriously saying that? Everyone knows you and Shinomiya-san are close. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice?”
“…No comment.”
I averted my gaze as I answered, and Shin let out an exaggerated sigh, his shoulders slumping dramatically.
“Did you really think no one saw you and Shinomiya-san sneaking off to the rooftop during lunch sometimes? Did you think no one noticed you two whispering in class? Did you and Shinomiya-san—”
“Okay! I get it, stop already!”
I threw up the white flag under my best friend’s barrage. Even with all the care I’d taken, it was inevitable that rumors would spread if we kept interacting at school.
“Maybe you didn’t notice, but Shinomiya-san stands out. Especially when she’s skipping up the stairs with a big smile—it’s impossible not to.”
“Well… yeah, fair point.”
I clutched my head, picturing that adorable scene all too clearly. Couldn’t she at least try to hide her emotions a little, Shinomiya-san?
“And then when people see you creeping up to the rooftop after her, looking all paranoid, anyone would put two and two together.”
Shin went on, bringing up our classroom exchanges too. No matter how careful we were, with classmates sitting right in front or beside us, it was a miracle if they didn’t catch on.
“So, what’s the deal? Why’d you drag me out here after school? What do you want to ask me?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’d love to ask if you and Shinomiya-san are dating! But that’s not it. Anyone who’s seen Shinomiya-san can tell that’s not the case.”
I was stunned. I’d been so sure that’s what he was after. If not that, then why had he gone to the trouble of calling me out?
“What I—what we—want to know is why Shinomiya-san’s been so down lately.”
“…”
“Hey, Takumi. You’ve got some idea, don’t you? You’re closer to her than anyone else in this school.”
Shin wasn’t angry. If anything, he seemed more bewildered. And this wasn’t just his sentiment—it was probably the collective feeling of all the Shinomiya Rinoa fans in the school.
“Do you remember when I mentioned a while back that Shinomiya-san seemed different? Well, someone asked her about it directly.”
“You mean the stuff about her smile getting cuter or her vibe getting sexier? Whoever asked her that has some guts.”
“No kidding,” Shin said with a wry smile. It took real courage to ask her something she’d brushed off before—curiosity really does kill the cat.
“And what do you think she said? ‘Lately, I’ve been learning all sorts of things about myself I didn’t know, and it’s made every day so much fun.’ She smiled when she said it—apparently, it was the cutest smile they’d ever seen.”
“…I see. That’s good to hear.”
I felt a wave of relief. She’d gotten her wish—to “learn about the parts of herself she didn’t know.” I’d actually helped make that happen.
“Hey, Takumi. Do you realize what kind of face you’re making right now? I’ve never seen you look so happy.”
Shin sighed again, shaking his head in exasperation. Was I really grinning that much? Without a mirror, I couldn’t tell.
“Forget about me. I’m guessing someone asked her about why she’s been down too, right?”
“Sharp as ever. Yep, they did. Guess what she said?”
I had no clue. Why Shinomiya-san was feeling low was a complete mystery to me. Seeing me grit my teeth, Shin didn’t drag it out and gave me the answer straight.
“She said, ‘I know that person doesn’t mean any harm… but I got my hopes up that they’d see me as I am, no matter how I looked, and then I got upset on my own… I’m pretty awful, aren’t I?’”
“She said it with a teary smile. You’d understand what she meant, right?”
“…Yeah. I do.”
There’d been no lie in the comments I’d made about the clothes Shinomiya-san wore. But I hadn’t realized they’d ended up hurting her. She should’ve told me—I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
“Hey, Shin. Do you know anything about Shinomiya-san’s older sister?”
“You mean Alice Shinomiya, the top model? Of course I do. Though… it doesn’t seem like the sisters get along too well.”
“I figured as much…”
“I don’t remember when it was, but some idiot brought a magazine to school once. Shinomiya-san was chatting and smiling until then, but her face clouded over the second she saw it. She said, ‘Don’t talk about my sister,’ or so I heard.”
Still, it didn’t feel like she hated her sister. It seemed more like a complex. Could that be why Shinomiya-san wanted to “know the parts of herself she didn’t know”—because of this?
“Well, whatever the case, you’re the only one who can cheer her up, Takumi! As the president of the Shinomiya Rinoa Fan Club, it pisses me off to admit it, but… I’m counting on you!”
“…Since when did you become such a big shot?”
“Since the beginning, obviously. I’m the one who founded the fan club, after all.”
I was speechless at this unexpected revelation about my best friend’s status—not out of awe, but sheer exasperation.
“Even this whole mess? I pulled strings behind the scenes to keep it under control. If I hadn’t stepped in, who knows what would’ve happened by now…”
“Haha… Thanks, Mr. President.”
“So go make up with her or whatever already! Bring back that bright smile of hers! Got it!?”
“Thanks for everything, Shin.”
I genuinely meant it—being friends with Shin was a blessing. With that thought, I started brainstorming how to mend things with Shinomiya-san.
---
How to fix things with Shinomiya-san? The answer was simple—really, there was only one option—so all I had to do was contact her and set a date. But aside from that, there was something else I’d already committed to that I couldn’t back out of.
“Hello…”
“Welcome!! I’ve been waiting for you, Takumi!”
The moment I opened the door, a woman launched herself at me with a beaming smile. It was a total surprise attack, but I was used to it by now. I’d braced myself for this, planting my feet firmly to catch her.
“Hehe, thanks for catching me so nicely, Takumi.”
“I keep telling you, please stop throwing yourself at me like that, Yuzuha-san. It’s way too hard on my heart in every sense.”
“And I keep telling you it’s your fault for being so cute! When are you finally going to move in with me?”
A gorgeous woman pressed herself against me, rubbing her cheek on mine while proposing cohabitation to a perfectly innocent high school boy for the umpteenth time.
If you only saw this moment, you’d think she was some kind of hopeless weirdo. But this was none other than Yuzuha—the cosplayer so famous in the community that no one didn’t know her name.
Her total SNS followers exceeded half a million. Recently, she’d even sung an anime ending theme, leveraging her childhood piano and vocal training. She was a star in her world.
Her cosplay alias was “Yuzuha,” but her real name was Hazuki Yuzuriha.
Her flaxen hair, neatly trimmed at the shoulders, shimmered brilliantly. Her sharp, vertically long eyes held both strength and charm. With a refined nose and features so exquisite they seemed otherworldly, you could call her a living goddess without exaggeration. Her waist was slim, yet her curves were perfectly proportioned—it was almost unfair.
Being hugged by someone like her, with the fresh scent of citrus wafting up close, would’ve blown my rationality to bits if I weren’t already used to it.
“By the way, Takumi, this is something I always bring up,” Yuzuha-san said. “When we’re not shooting, I’ve told you to call me ‘Yuki-san’ with all the respect, affection, and passion I deserve instead of just ‘Yuzuha,’ right?”
She placed both hands on my shoulders, her expression serious as she asked something utterly ridiculous: “Why won’t you call me that?”
“It’s part of a photographer’s job to manage a cosplayer’s mental state, isn’t it? Come on, hurry up! ASAP! If you don’t call me that, today’s shoot will be a total flop. Are you okay with that?”
I mentally retorted that no such duty exists for a photographer, but I couldn’t just leave Yuzuha-san like this once she got into this state. Soon she’d start stomping her feet, and eventually, she’d sulk on the sofa. This wasn’t a guess—it was a guaranteed future based on experience.
“Sigh… Like I’ve said a million times, I can’t live with you, Yuki-san. At the very least, not until I graduate high school…”
“What!? Don’t sweat the small stuff! You’re practically living on your own already, and your parents would feel better if you had someone with you! If you want, I can call your mom and dad right now and—”
Oh no. Yuzuha-san’s eyes were bloodshot, her breathing heavy. If this kept up, who knows what she’d do. Somebody, help me.
“—Hold it right there, Yuki-chan! You’re getting way too excited just because your precious Takumi-kun is finally shooting you again,” came a voice.
With a stern “Behave yourself,” a merciless hand chop landed on Yuzuha-san’s head. Grabbing her by the scruff of the neck, the manager of Emocion, Uezu-san, peeled her off me.
“…What are you doing, Uezu-san? I was in the middle of an important conversation with Takumi. Could you not interrupt?”
“Too bad! As long as I’m around, I won’t tolerate any impure fraternizing in my shop. If you’re still planning to flirt with Takumi-kun, be ready to get banned.”
Uezu-san puffed up proudly as he declared this, while Yuzuha-san gnashed her teeth in frustration, letting out a low growl.
“You’ve had enough of your ‘Takumi-kun recharge’ from that hug, right? Then go change and get ready for the shoot already.”
“Sigh… Fine. Okay, Takumi, I’ll be right back, so wait for me.”
“Have a good one. I’ll set up in the meantime.”
“…Can I get one more hug before I go?”
“…Yuki-chan?”
The menacing aura of the manager looming behind her shut down the second hug attempt, preserving my purity. I let out a sigh and started unpacking the gear I’d brought in my suitcase to prep for the shoot.
For context, I was at the photography studio run by Uezu-san. Unlike the simple setup on the second floor of the shop, this place had full-fledged sets, making it perfect for capturing any scene I could imagine.
Today’s goal was to shoot for a photo book to be sold at a massive summer doujin event. Yuzuha-san apparently planned to release two new books—one featuring licensed cosplay and another with original creations. Given her popularity, she was in high demand at various events, so she wanted to get the shooting done whenever possible. For me, it meant avoiding last-minute all-nighters editing, which I was grateful for.
“Sorry for the wait, Takumi!”
Yuzuha-san emerged from the changing room with a confident grin. She was dressed as the foreign heroine from a hugely popular light novel turned anime, wearing the character’s school uniform. Her flaxen hair contrasted with the wig’s color, and combined with her makeup, she looked like she’d stepped straight out of a 2D world. The accuracy was so flawless I couldn’t help but catch my breath.
“It’s been a while since I last cosplayed a high school girl character. What do you think?”
“Well… I think it suits you perfectly. Honestly, I’m glad we don’t go to the same school.”
“Hmm? What’s that supposed to mean? Care to elaborate?”
Apparently dissatisfied with my response, Yuzuha-san leaned in close, pressing for more details. Her pouty, puffed-up cheeks were so cute I could barely look at her.
“I-I mean exactly what I said! If someone this pretty was in my class or school, I don’t think I’d be able to focus on lessons.”
I mentally added that it’d probably make school life a lot more fun, though. Being classmates with a beauty who could claim both “peerless” and “super” as titles would be something else entirely. If she sat next to me, I’d probably earn the resentment of guys and girls alike.
“So you’re saying I’d be so captivating you’d be in trouble? Oh, Takumi, you really do love me! How about we start living together today?”
With a serious gaze, Yuzuha-san clasped my hand tightly between both of hers. It felt almost like a marriage proposal, making my heart leap in my chest.
“I may not look it, but I earn more than enough to support you, Takumi. You don’t have to worry about a thing!”
“N-No, that’s not what I’m worried about…”
“Oh! Could it be you want to become an independent adult? I think you’re already plenty independent, Takumi. Or maybe you want to provide for someone important with your own strength? Ugh… you’re just too cool!”
Yuzuha-san wriggled her body with a dreamy expression. Needless to say, I hadn’t said a word. This was all her imagination—I’m not that impressive of a guy.
“Seriously, I take my eyes off you for a second, and this happens… Isn’t it a bit much to dote on Takumi-kun like that?”
Once again, Uezu-san, the shop manager, came to my rescue, her tone shifting from concern to exasperation. Thank goodness—I could escape now.
“What are you saying, Manager? You don’t just stumble across a guy like Takumi every day, you know!”
“Well… I suppose there’s some truth to that.”
Please deny it more forcefully, Manager! I’m not that big a deal. Also, Yuzuha-san had somehow wrapped me in a tight hug again while I wasn’t paying attention, so stop talking and help me already!
“You never know when some hawk might swoop in and snatch him away. That’s why I have to protect him…!”
“But, Yuki-chan, too much of anything isn’t good, you know? You’ve got to let him out of the cage sometimes. Besides, shouldn’t Takumi-kun’s talent be shared with more people?”
“That’s true, but it’s still too soon! At least not until he starts dating me with marriage in mind…!”
“…This is a serious case.”
Uezu-san let out a dramatic sigh. Don’t give up on me! If you throw in the towel, who’s going to fix this mess? At this rate, we’ll never get to the shoot.
“Well, no helping it then. I’ve got some top-secret info for you, Yuki-chan. Takumi-kun’s been doing private shoots with someone else—a really cute girl, too.”
“Manager—!? Didn’t I tell you to keep that a secret from Yuzuha-san!? Why’d you spill it!?”
“…What’s that supposed to mean, Takumi?”
The color drained from Yuzuha-san’s face. I’d have preferred if she got mad or radiated killing intent—her lack of emotion was far scarier.
“Her name’s Rinoa Shinomiya. She’s got beauty that rivals even yours, Yuki-chan. When you’re alone with a cute classmate like that for a shoot, it wouldn’t be surprising if something happened, right?”
Uezu-san grinned mischievously as she spoke, clearly enjoying this. Yuzuha-san’s mood plummeted at an alarming rate. If this kept up, I’d be strangled.
“Let me be clear: nothing happened between me and Shinomiya-san! Please believe me, Yuki-san!”
“I was careless. I always thought a day like this might come, but I didn’t expect it so soon…! I should’ve locked him up in my house, even if it meant being a little forceful.”
Sadly, my words didn’t reach her. Yuzuha-san bit her lip in frustration, muttering dangerous things under her breath. I mentally noted that what she was describing sounded an awful lot like confinement.
“If something had happened with Shinomiya-san, my chastity would’ve been yours long ago, Yuki-san…”
“Hahaha! Takumi-kun’s right! If he were going to mess around with Rinoa-chan, he’d already be in a steamy affair with Yuki-chan!”
“Sorry, but could you shut up for a sec, Manager!?”
The ally I’d counted on turned out to be my greatest enemy. Friendly fire—please stop.
“It’s not too late, right? Takumi’s first time can still be mine—wait, hold on. Who did you say he’s shooting with?”
“Rinoa Shinomiya. We’re not dating or anything like that, okay? She’s just a classmate who sits next to me.”
“…Hey, Takumi. This Rinoa-chan—could she be Alice Shinomiya’s little sister?”
Yuzuha-san’s tone suddenly turned serious. Oh, right—she’d mentioned being Alice’s senior in college. The world’s smaller than I thought.
“Yeah, that’s her. She’s really pretty and cute, just like her sister. Yuki-san, you knew Alice Shinomiya from college, right?”
Yuzuha-san frowned slightly but answered.
“Yes, that’s right. We even cosplayed together a few times. I never imagined you’d know Alice’s little sister, Takumi. What an interesting twist of fate.”
“You know Shinomiya-san?”
“Not that well, no. Back in college, Alice used to say she adored her little sister but couldn’t go back home often, so she missed her.”
“She couldn’t go home? To her own house?”
So that encounter the other day must’ve been when she visited while their parents were out. But judging by Shinomiya-san’s reaction, she didn’t seem too fond of her sister. Yet her sister loved her dearly but couldn’t come home. Huh, I can’t make sense of this.
“It’s a sensitive topic, so she didn’t go into details. Anyway! Enough chit-chat—let’s get to shooting! Time’s finite, so don’t forget that, okay?”
“Right. We can talk more after we’re done. Takumi, I’m counting on you today, as always.”
“…Got it. Leave it to me.”
I took a deep breath to refocus. The Shinomiya sisters intrigued me, but for now, I needed to pour all my attention into Yuzuha-san in front of me.
---
“Phew… There’s really no one like you as a photographer, Takumi. Private shoots are the best—so few people involved, and I can relax while we work.”
After wrapping up the shoot, Yuzuha-san, now in casual pants-style clothes, sprawled on the sofa like a melted cat.
“Good work, Yuki-chan. Shooting four outfits in one day was pretty intense.”
“If I take it slow, summer will be here before I know it, so I’ve got to get it done when I can. Sorry for the trouble, Manager, Takumi.”
“I don’t mind at all. Getting to photograph so many sides of you, Yuzuha-san, is something I’m actually grateful for.”
There were countless photographers in this scene who’d kill to shoot Yuzuha-san. At events, she drew massive crowds, and getting a slot at her photo sessions was a fierce competition.
To shoot with her privately so often and even be entrusted with making her photo books—it’s a photographer’s dream come true.
“Should I take that as a roundabout love confession?”
“Absolutely not.”
Before I knew it, Yuzuha-san had revived and hugged me from behind. I wish she’d stop seizing every chance to cling and propose. It’s seriously holding up work.
“Wow, these are all amazing shots as usual. Doesn’t that make picking the best ones tough, Takumi-kun?”
“True, every version of Yuzuha-san is great. But… I love this part—finding the perfect shot from all these.”
Capturing a fleeting moment of beauty and preserving it forever. The joy of discovering that one gem among a sea of photos is irreplaceable. It’s like finding your soulmate, in a way.
“Sigh… Takumi-kun, you’re such a sinful man. You can’t just show that face in public—it’ll only create more victims like Yuki-chan.”
“She’s right, Takumi. You’re not allowed to make that face for anyone but me. Not even if it’s Alice-chan’s little sister.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. What did Alice-san say about Shinomiya-san—Rinoa-san?”
“Oh, her little sister? She absolutely adored her. Alice said she finally understood what it meant to love someone so much it wouldn’t hurt to put them in your eye.”
According to Yuzuha-san, she met Alice five years ago in a college seminar. They hit it off after Alice struck up a conversation.
“Alice was so carefree and full of energy—like freedom personified, or maybe a human sun.”
At school, Shinomiya-san was always at the center of the group but never truly opened up. There was a quiet stillness behind her bright smile. If her sister was the sun, then she was the moon.
“She dragged me all over the place, and it was exhausting. But thanks to her, I started cosplaying.”
“Wait, Alice-san was the reason you got into cosplay, Yuzuha-san?”
“Yep. I was interested but too shy—or maybe just bad with people—to take the plunge. Alice was the one who pulled me in.”
She even guided her through SNS posting and more, Yuzuha-san said. After a photo went viral, she shot up to top-tier cosplayer status—that’s when I met her.
Meanwhile, Alice was scouted as a model during college and steadily climbed her way to stardom.
“So, in a way, I owe meeting you to Alice.”
“Really…?”
I was stunned by this unexpected connection. So I’m able to shoot Yuzuha-san now because of Alice? You never know where fate will tie its threads.
“As for her sister, she said she loved Rinoa-chan to death. They were so close they slept together until Alice started college.”
“…Seriously?”
Her tone had been harsh toward her sister, shouting “Get out of my room!”—yet they used to be that close?
“She said the reason was her fault but wouldn’t tell me more. That’s all I know about the Shinomiya sisters! Did that help?”
“…Yes, thank you.”
Her desire to see a side of herself only she didn’t know. The reason she wore the clothes her sister modeled in a magazine. I felt like I was starting to understand.
“It’s a delicate matter, so if you dig deeper, be prepared for the consequences.”
“I know. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.”
“Responsibility!? Wait, Takumi, what are you planning!?”
Yuzuha-san grabbed my shoulders and shook me. Just when I’d started to see her as reliable, she ruined it in an instant.
“N-No way! I’m not going to do anything weird! Anyway, Yuzuha-san, can I ask you one last thing?”
“If you can swear to me—absolutely swear—that you won’t do anything naughty, I’ll answer anything except my three sizes.”
“I swear, but that’s not what I’m asking about. What I want to know is… what made you keep cosplaying? You said you didn’t like interacting with people, yet now you’ve made it your job, which is the complete opposite. Why?”
Even with Alice-san as the trigger, wasn’t it tough to keep going?
“I’ve never really thought about it that deeply… but if I had to say, it’s because this job lets me express myself the most.”
Yuzuha-san explained that on days without shoots, she’s an indoor type who loves lazing around at home. But when she’s “Yuzuha,” acting bright and cheerful, that’s her too. Both are undeniably her, yet the moment the camera’s on her, she can forget everything and just be herself.
“How I look through the lens to you, Takumi—that’s probably the answer, right?”
Her words hit me like a revelation. Shinomiya-san’s true feelings—her heart—could be heard through the lens. Realizing this, I felt a deep gratitude toward Yuzuha-san.
“By the way, Takumi, are you free after this? If you want, why not come over for dinner? Though it’d just be takeout.”
“No, I can’t let you go that far… Plus, I need to edit the photos.”
I’d love to join the post-shoot hangout, and as a teenage boy, it’s a tempting offer, but I politely declined. Going to her place would cross the line of appropriate distance between a cosplayer and photographer. Plus, if someone posted on SNS about the famous Yuzuha-san bringing a guy home, it’d be a 120% guaranteed scandal. I absolutely had to avoid that.
“You’re so cold… I’m offering to keep you company, you know. Don’t you ever get lonely living alone?”
“I’m fine. I’ve always been on my own, so it’s not like I’m lonely.”
“…If you say so, I won’t push it. But if anything comes up, you can always rely on your big sis! I’ll spoil you rotten!”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll call you if that happens.”
If I ever let myself rely on Yuzuha-san even once, I’d turn into a total wreck—no doubt about it. She’d corrupt me in a completely different way from Shinomiya-san.
And so, our private shoot ended with this lighthearted banter.
As I got home and started thinking about how to message Shinomiya-san, my phone suddenly rang with an unfamiliar number. Wondering who it could be, I picked up, and the voice on the other end said—
“Hello? Is this Takumi Anno? I’m Alice Shinomiya.”
“I’d like to meet up and talk, just the two of us… Is that okay?”
It was Shinomiya-san’s older sister, Alice-san.
＊＊＊＊＊
“Sorry for calling you out so suddenly, Anno-kun. It’s nighttime—did I catch you at a bad time?”
It was just past 9 p.m. I’d been summoned by Alice-san to a café near the station.
“It’s fine. My parents are overseas for work, so I’m the only one at home.”
As I spoke, I ordered an iced coffee.
Honestly, the fatigue from a full day of shooting was more of an issue than the time, but saying that would’ve been tactless. Besides, I’d wanted to talk to Alice-san myself, so I dragged my exhausted body here.
“I see. Yuki-chan mentioned it, but you really are living alone. You’re so put-together for a high schooler.”
Alice-san smiled as she said this, her usual bubbly energy subdued, replaced by a quiet calm reminiscent of Shinomiya-san at school. Trying not to get lost in that vibe, I took a deep breath and got to the point.
“So, Shinomiya-san, why’d you call me out here?”
“Just call me Alice. ‘Shinomiya-san’ could mean Rinoa too, and that’d get confusing, right?”
Since Shinomiya-san wasn’t here, I almost said it didn’t matter, but her silent, smiling pressure made me swallow my words.
“I asked you to come because I wanted to hear about Rinoa—how she’s doing at school and stuff. I begged Yuki-chan to give me your contact info!”
“…Huh?”
What the heck, Yuzuha-san? Don’t just hand out my personal info without my consent!
“No, but listen, hear me out! Ever since I left home, I’ve barely had a chance to talk to Rinoa! She hates me so much she’s blocked me on every possible channel…”
Alice-san’s eyes welled up as her shoulders slumped. If she cared that much about her sister, she should just meet her directly, I thought—while also marveling at how thoroughly Shinomiya-san had shut her out.
“So the only way I have left to hear about high school Rinoa is through you, Anno-kun!”
“Okay! I get it, so please don’t cry! I’ll tell you what I can about Shinomiya-san, just calm down first!”
“Sniff… Thanks, Anno-kun. Can I call you ‘Tak-kun’ from now on? I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“…Do whatever you want.”
Scratch that. She’s only like Shinomiya-san in vibe—her personality’s about 540 degrees different. I was starting to regret coming here, letting out a sigh to vent the feeling.
“To sum up Shinomiya-san at school in one word… she’s so insanely popular she’s got her own fan club.”
“A fan club!? Well, of course my adorable Rinoa would have one! Oh, but doesn’t that mean a ton of creepy guys are hitting on her…!?”
“Don’t worry. She’s got a bunch of guys around her—self-proclaimed knights or wannabe attendants. Thanks to them, the creeps can’t get close.”
“Attendants and knights… Well, with Rinoa being drop-dead gorgeous, it’s no surprise she’d have her own guard squad!”
I mentally tipped my hat to Alice-san’s sharp intuition.
“And now with Tak-kun around, I feel even better about it!”
“Thanks, I guess…”
“But I was pretty shocked when we ran into each other in Rinoa’s room. She’d never once brought a boy home before. Why were you there?”
Here it comes. Dodging this would be a bad move—better to be upfront.
“She asked me to. She wanted me to photograph her.”
“Rinoa asked you that!? She was never into photos—why…?”
“She said it’s because she wants to ‘know the parts of herself she doesn’t know.’ I took the job because I wanted to capture a side of Rinoa Shinomiya even she hasn’t seen.”
I added that it was, of course, a secret from Yuzuha-san, and Alice-san’s eyes widened in surprise. Even without the leverage from my own mess-up, I’d have probably said yes if she’d asked.
“The parts of herself she doesn’t know… It might be partly my fault she’s saying stuff like that…”
“Why would it be your fault? Also, Yuzuha-san told me you two used to be close. So why’s it like this now…?”
“I told you she hates me, right? The reason is… I couldn’t handle our parents’ expectations and pressure, so I ran away from home.”
Lowering her brows with a guilty look—though it wasn’t clear who she felt bad for—Alice-san slowly explained why their sisterly bond was beyond repair. By the time she finished, the ice in my iced coffee had completely melted.
“—So that’s how it is. I don’t think Rinoa will ever forgive me for running away. Because I couldn’t take it and escaped from them, she ended up shouldering everything.”
Her final words lacked strength. Her beloved sister might be suffering because of her, but she didn’t feel she had the right to encourage her while living freely after escaping, she said.
“This is just my guess, but… I don’t think Shinomiya-san actually hates you, Alice-san.”
“…Why do you think that?”
“If she really hated you, she wouldn’t collect magazines you’re in or try wearing the same clothes as you.”
Why had Shinomiya-san chosen that outfit for the third shoot? If I could uncover her true intentions, it might not fix everything, but it could bridge the gap a little.
“Really…? That’d make me so happy if it’s true…”
A faint brightness returned to her clouded expression. Seeing that, I felt relieved and resolved anew to do what I could.
“I can’t irresponsibly say ‘leave it to me.’ But I’m going to shoot Shinomiya-san again.”
I’d draw out what she’s hiding inside. That’d surely help her find the “self she doesn’t know” that she’s searching for.
“Thank you… I’ll leave it to you, Tak-kun. Please take care of Rinoa.”
Right after my secret meeting with Alice-san ended, I sent Shinomiya-san a single message.
“How about one more shoot?”
Her reply came instantly.
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