Chapter Two: Promises and Secrets
Our victory conditions were threefold:
Successfully holding the summer festival.
Ensuring the festival was a hit.
And keeping Eva from discovering Nagi’s true identity.
“…Is the third one necessary?”
In the student council room the day after the competition was decided, I tilted my head at the third condition I’d written on the whiteboard at Nagi’s insistence.
“Absolutely necessary. It’s arguably the most important,” Nagi declared with rare intensity.
With that kind of conviction, I couldn’t argue.
I circled the third condition in red and set the marker down.
By the way, my role in the student council is secretary.
That’s why I’m diligently writing on the board—not because I’m caving to Nagi-chan’s intensity and taking on grunt work. Really. Probably. Like, eighty percent sure.
“But you two were close, right? Are you sure you don’t want to tell her?”
Knowing Nagi, she probably hasn’t contacted Eva since retiring.
It’s a rare reunion—don’t they have a lot to catch up on?
“I absolutely don’t want to,” Nagi said, stubbornly shaking her head.
“Hey, you know, like she said herself, Eva became an idol because she admired me… Mea. How would you feel if the person you looked up to turned out like this?”
Nagi gave a self-deprecating smile, glancing down at her own body as if to emphasize her current state.
I observed her closely, nodded once, and shared my honest thoughts.
“I think I’d fall for you all over again ‘cause you’re insanely cute.”
“M-Myua!?”
“Whoa, that’s a new weird noise.”
Flirting out of the blue seemed to catch her off guard, as her face turned bright red in an instant.
She froze for a moment, then rebooted and glared at me.
“S-Seriously, don’t say stuff like that when we’re having a serious conversation!”
“I was answering seriously, though.”
“F-Funyuu…! F-Fine, let’s just drop it.”
Apparently realizing she wasn’t getting anywhere with my dead-serious response, Nagi decided to move on.
“Anyway… If Eva found out I’m Mea, she’d probably be disillusioned. Or even if it’s not that bad, she might lose her goal as an idol.”
I see.
So it’s not just about her embarrassment at an old acquaintance discovering her identity—it’s also about considering Eva’s feelings.
The more someone idealizes something, the harder it is to face the gap between that and reality. That’s a common story.
In that sense, the gap between Nagi’s ideal and reality is massive. I love both, though.
But for Eva, it might sap her motivation as an idol.
“Got it. Then let’s avoid her finding out your identity as much as possible.”
I nodded in agreement.
But even though I understood, for some reason, Nagi didn’t look happy. Instead, she fidgeted uncomfortably, her gaze wandering.
“…Do you think it’s cruel to keep it from her?”
“Given the circumstances, it can’t be helped.”
If it’s for Eva’s sake, I can’t just blurt out something careless.
This is a very sensitive issue.
“And, if I can be super personal about it, it’s better if you don’t reveal your identity here.”
“Huh? Why?”
Nagi blinked at my words.
I grinned at her, with just a hint of mischief.
“Well, you know, I was kept in the dark for two whole months after we reunited, right? But if you went and told Eva the truth the day after meeting her, my jealousy would be off the charts.”
“J-Jealousy…?”
Nagi’s face turned red again.
But for me, this was a very serious matter.
“No, seriously, if you’d told Eva yesterday, I might’ve thrown everything away and holed up at home for the entire summer break.”
“There was a game-over flag there!?”
Realizing she’d narrowly avoided stepping on a landmine, Nagi’s face twitched.
“Exactly. How much you love me, Nagi-chan, is a really important thing to me.”
“E-Enough with that! Let’s focus on what we’re going to do next!”
Nagi’s voice cracked as she forcibly changed the subject.
I didn’t mind discussing concrete plans either.
I straightened up, adopting a serious tone.
“Of course, I’ve been thinking about it. First, let’s assess the situation. Based on yesterday’s vibe, our support rate versus Eva’s is about fifty-fifty.”
We’d gotten to know a few committee members while preparing for the summer festival.
But at the same time, Eva had apparently met some of them while preparing for her live performance.
Apparently, only Sugiura-san knew about both plans, and the committee members didn’t realize their respective projects were double-booked.
Still, even factoring in potential supporters, the situation was roughly even.
“So, if we play it straight, we should go for a safe strategy. After all, we’ve got two people on our side. If we both do our part, our numbers will give us the edge.”
“I get that… but you’re phrasing it like something unusual might happen.”
“I mean, I can’t imagine Mea’s junior fighting us normally.”
If she were normal, we’d have settled this with a discussion. Instead, she challenged us to a duel for the sake of entertainment—she’s an entertainment berserker.
“Ugh… fair point.”
Nagi nodded, her face twitching in agreement.
“Even setting that aside, there’s a chance her side could outnumber us. She’s with an entertainment agency, after all. Who knows how much backup she’ll get?”
“I don’t think that’ll happen.”
Nagi immediately shot down my concern.
“Oh? What’s your basis?”
Surprised by her quick response, I asked, and Nagi pouted slightly, looking a bit displeased.
“That agency barely gets involved with talent-initiated projects. When Eva and I planned a triumphant return live here before, they didn’t help at all. I can’t imagine they’d step in now.”
“I see…” That was incredibly useful and convincing information. “So they didn’t say anything when I bought a full set of chuunibyou furniture for my home streams, or when I tried to take out a loan to buy a European castle… Aaaagh! Why did I waste money on that stuff!?”
“Useful info just turned into useless black history! Wait, you tried to buy a castle!?”
“No, no. I was underage, and being an idol is an unstable job, so I didn’t pass the loan screening… It was a close call.”
Looks like the world’s common sense managed to thwart Mea’s ambitions. Maybe the world isn’t such a bad place.
Anyway, we got sidetracked by this sudden black history reveal, so let’s get back to the point.
“To sum up, Eva’s likely fighting this alone. But, hmm… that actually makes me more uneasy. If she’s alone, there’s no one to rein her in, so who knows what she’ll do.”
“Y-Yeah, true…”
It was hard to tell if this was good or bad.
In times like this, it’s best to stick to a straightforward approach instead of floundering.
“Looks like our best bet is to steadily gain more allies. So, Nagi-chan, it’s time for some super fun work with me!”
“Fun work? What’s that?”
Nagi tilted her head, and I nodded emphatically.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? —Miscellaneous tasks!”
It goes without saying, but most adults don’t get long summer breaks like students.
They have to juggle their regular jobs, community association duties, and now preparations for both a live performance and a summer festival.
Inevitably, some tasks fall through the cracks.
And if there’s a gap like that, it’s only natural for us to step in to boost our support rate.
“Hey! Hurry up, Nagi!”
I called out, having changed into swim trunks and holding a deck brush.
“Ugh… I-I’m not mentally ready yet.”
Even as she said that, Nagi, who’d been hiding behind the building by the poolside, reluctantly walked over.
She was wearing a flashy red bikini, a far cry from her usual image.
The contrast between Nagi’s refined, elegant features, her slender pale limbs, and the skimpy swimsuit was striking.
“Wow… looks really good.”
I couldn’t help but clap in formal respect at her stunning swimsuit look.
“D-Don’t stare too much.”
Clearly embarrassed, Nagi squirmed, trying to cover herself with her arms, unaware that the gesture only emphasized her cleavage.
“It suits you, so there’s no need to be shy.”
Despite my wholehearted praise, Nagi didn’t seem proud—she just gritted her teeth.
“Ugh…! If I’d known, I would’ve bought a more normal swimsuit…!”
Since she’d been swamped with student council work this year, Nagi hadn’t bought a new swimsuit.
So when we were tasked with cleaning the local pool, her only options were her school-issued swimsuit or a personal one she’d bought last year but never worn.
Yes, last year—when she was in full chuunibyou mode and loved flashy things.
School swimsuit or bright red bikini.
After much deliberation, Nagi chose the bikini.
“If it’s that embarrassing, you could’ve thrown on a rash guard.”
Seeing how shy she was, I couldn’t help but ask.
“I thought about that! I even bought a rash guard when I got this swimsuit. But…”
Nagi let out a hollow laugh.
“It was so chuunibyou! Black and red, covered in frills, with gold embroidery! And it had roses on it! Wearing that would’ve been even more embarrassing!”
As expected of Mea. She’d acquired a chuunibyou rash guard as a weapon.
To be fair, we only had three hours between our student council meeting and assembling at the pool—a scramble with no time to buy something new. It was a tough call. Thanks to that, I got to see something great, though.
“By the way, why are we suddenly cleaning the pool? This is related to the festival, right?”
Since it was such a rushed job, Nagi hadn’t gotten a proper explanation and was now asking for one.
“Yeah. I looked into it, and apparently, in past summer festivals, this pool was used as one of the venues. It stays open until night on the festival day, with food stalls lining the poolside.”
The pool’s operator is also a member of the community association.
Because of that, the pool sometimes gets roped into association events.
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
Nagi, a local, tilted her head curiously.
“Yeah. This place gets booked for all sorts of events, so it was only used for the summer festival one year. It’s not surprising you didn’t know. But since it’s such a cool idea, we should make use of it, right?”
I glanced around the pool again as I explained.
The vast grounds and lavish attractions seemed almost too grand for a local city like this—it felt more like a water amusement park than a pool.
It was apparently a rare success story from the town revitalization boom.
“I get that, but… why are we doing a cleaning job?”
“Well, when I tried to pitch the festival idea to the committee member who runs this place, they were like, ‘I’d help, but it’s peak season, and we’re short on staff.’ So to get them on board, we offered our labor.”
To be honest, I’m not sure how much of that was their true reasoning.
It felt more like, If I’m going to deal with the hassle of a summer festival, I need some benefit out of it.
But since they mentioned working in swimsuits, I happily agreed!
“Hm… then we definitely should do it. Plus, it seems like we’re getting paid.”
Nagi seemed to accept my proposal, trying to suppress her embarrassment with rationality.
Our high school, being a prestigious one, generally prohibits part-time jobs.
But exceptions can be made if it’s deemed necessary for student council activities.
“Right? We can make the summer festival bigger, earn date money for me and Nagi, and I get to see you in a swimsuit. Three birds, one stone.”
“The last one only benefits you—wait, date money!?”
“You know, for our summer festival date?”
I blinked innocently, but Nagi’s eyes widened in shock.
“We’re not doing that! Why are you acting like it’s already planned!?”
“What… then what am I reviving the summer festival for…?”
“For your reputation as student council president!”
Nagi tried to snap me out of my stunned state.
Tch, I thought I could sneak in a date invitation with the momentum, but no luck.
“Hey, high schoolers! Stop chatting and get to work!”
As we bantered, a voice called out from the pool.
Turning around, I saw a college-aged cleaning staff member pointing at us with her deck brush.
She was the senior part-timer who’d briefed us on the job when we arrived.
Looks like we’d goofed off too much. Time to work.
“Sorry! We’ll start right away.”
We headed into the pool and began cleaning.
We scrubbed off the slime accumulated at the bottom with detergent and brushes, making it sparkling clean.
I don’t mind this kind of repetitive work, actually.
“Hey, having a guy’s strength is a big help. Do you play any sports?”
Looking up, I realized I’d cleaned my way near the senior part-timer.
“Nah, I’m a scrawny culture club member. So if I get a bit tired, please cut me some slack.”
My self-deprecation made her chuckle.
“Really? A culture club guy doing this kind of physical work? Well, the pay’s good, right? Got something you want to buy? Or is it for a date with that girl?”
Her gaze shifted to Nagi, who was cleaning a bit farther away.
“Sadly, I just got rejected. But I’m earning money for the summer festival nearby. It’s happening on the fourth Saturday of August, by the way.”
I casually slipped in some festival promotion.
The senior part-timer’s eyes widened in surprise.
“A summer festival? I heard it was just a live performance this summer.”
Her words made me twitch instinctively.
“…A live performance? Haven’t heard of it. Whose?”
I asked, feigning ignorance, and got the expected answer.
“Some kid named Fushima Evangeline, I think.”
Looks like word of the live performance has spread quite a bit.
“Really? First I’m hearing of it. Is it being advertised somewhere?”
“Yeah. Fushima Evangeline’s been mentioning it on SNS. No specific date yet, but she’s planning it for this summer around here.”
“…I see. Is it pretty well-known?”
“Kind of. Some of my college friends are looking forward to it, and my middle school-aged sister said a lot of her classmates know about it.”
Hm… this is an unexpected development. This might be a bit bad.
“Kurusu-kun, what’s wrong?”
I must’ve been making a pretty serious face, because Nagi, who’d come closer, peered at me with concern.
“Just… hold on.”
We stepped away from the senior part-timer, and I pulled out my phone from my pocket.
“Here it is.”
After a few taps, I showed Nagi the screen.
It was Eva’s official SNS account.
“This summer, I’m planning a concert in my hometown! I’ll share more details once the schedule’s set, so stay tuned!!”
The post featured a smiling photo of a smiling Eva, along with that text.
There were other posts about collaborating with a famous Tokyo restaurant for a food stall and partnering with a major company for original merchandise.
“This is Eva’s? She’s already promoting it.”
“It’s not finalized, so she hasn’t have a specific date yet. But… this is kind of bad.”
“Why? I get that Eva’s got more promotional power, but… doesn’t that matter less for this competition?”
Nagi tilted her head.
Normally, that’d be the case. No matter how much she promotes or does whatever, it wouldn’t necessarily make Eva’s plan itself any better.
So, it shouldn’t affect the competition—at least, that’s what I’d like to say, but it’s not that simple.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the community association members have middle or high school-aged grandkids.”
Nagi’s side had won over the hearts of the committee members by getting the preschool kids on board, but naturally, there are also members with teenage grandchildren.
If those grandkids support Eva, the support rate could easily tip in her favor.
“Ugh… that’s definitely a serious issue.”
Nagi, grasping the situation, grimaced.
“So, how do we counter it?”
“For now, we should probably probe the community association.”
We need to figure out how deeply Eva’s strategy has penetrated the hearts of the committee members.
If she’s been wildly successful, no matter how great our plan is, we could lose outright.
“Got it. Then that’s our next move.”
“Yep. But first, we’ve gotta wrap this up successfully.”
Looking a bit farther off, I saw the senior part-timer giving us a damp, disapproving stare for slacking again.
Catching her gaze, Nagi and I hurriedly started scrubbing with our deck brushes.
We kept brushing the pool, rinsing off detergent, and picking up trash.
Repeating that process, it wasn’t until evening that we finally finished all the work.
“Good job, everyone! Just a final check, and we’re done.”
The senior part-timer announced, and Nagi and I stretched our stiff, aching backs from a day of physical labor.
“Finally done…”
“So… tired…”
Both Nagi and I collapsed in exhaustion.
The senior part-timer watched us with a satisfied expression.
“Not bad for your first time. Though you lose points for flirting now and then.”
“Haha, sorry. My love just overflowed.”
“It did not.”
I cracked a joke, and Nagi instantly shot it down.
The senior part-timer shrugged and shook her head at our exchange.
“Alright, alright, thanks for the show. Now, you two, go check over there.”
She pointed to the water slide, where water had just started flowing.
“Slide down once to make sure it’s fine. If there’s no issue, it’s all good. Both of you, please.”
“Roger that!”
I gave a sharp salute and climbed the water slide stairs with Nagi.
“Now that I think about it, this is my first time at a pool with you, Nagi.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Back then, I only had normal swimsuits, so I didn’t want to come… Now it’s the opposite.”
Nagi’s face twisted slightly, as if her black history had stabbed her heart again.
I gave her a wry smile as we reached the top of the stairs.
From the high platform overlooking the pool, the setting sun’s crimson glow reflected softly off the water just starting to fill the pool.
“Wow… looking at it now, the pool at this time is kinda beautiful.”
“Yeah. With fewer people, you can really see the scenery.”
Nagi nodded in agreement, gazing at the view as if drawn into it.
“Even with people, if we lit it up… no, wait.”
I stopped mid-sentence.
Nagi, picking up on what I meant, furrowed her brow with a troubled look.
“…This is probably gonna attract people climbing up during the festival, right?”
“Yeah. And the drunker they are, the more they’ll want to climb. Then they’ll have accidents.”
I nodded deeply, and Nagi mirrored me with a serious expression.
“Right. Should we block it off?”
“It’s a shame with a view this nice, but yeah, no general access. Maybe make it paid or reserve it for VIPs… We should minimize people coming up here.”
Still, looking down from this height, I could really see how well-suited this pool is for events.
It has the capacity for a large crowd, lighting for a night pool setup, and space for additional equipment.
There’s some risk, but it’s worth considering as a venue for the summer festival.
“Got it. Either way, we’ll need to figure out how to prevent people from falling.”
As she spoke, Nagi looked around the water slide area.
Then, I spotted a detergent bottle—likely left behind by another cleaner—rolling near her feet.
“Hey, Nagi, watch out—”
“Huh?”
I tried to warn her—but it was too late.
Nagi stepped right on the bottle, losing her balance and teetering toward the slide.
“Nagi!”
“Kyaa!?”
Instinctively, I grabbed her hand.
But my grip wasn’t steady enough, and both Nagi and I tumbled down the slide together.
The world spun.
Pushed by the water’s force, we slid down in a chaotic tumble, like clothes in a washing machine.
After a few seconds, we were spat out from the slide.
“Ugh!”
“Wap!?”
We hit the water with a loud splash.
“Ouch… Who left detergent there like that?”
Apparently, I’d landed on top of Nagi in the shallow pool water.
Sighing, I put my hands on the floor to get up, but Nagi froze beneath me.
“W-Wait! Hold on!?”
The next moment, completely caught off guard, Nagi hugged me from below.
“W-What!?”
Her arms wrapped around my neck, and I panicked at the sudden situation.
With her skimpy outfit, I could feel Nagi’s warmth and softness directly against me.
I couldn’t see her face due to our closeness, but I could tell she was blushing up to her neck.
“N-Nagi-san?”
Calling her name for an explanation, she hesitated for a moment before whispering faintly in my ear.
“Um… my bikini string… might’ve come undone.”
The closeness of her whisper, the boldness of her swimsuit, and the fact that we were pressed together in that state sent my confusion into overdrive.
“Uh, w-what do I do?”
Pathetic as it was, I fumbled for instructions.
But I couldn’t help it—my brain was completely offline in this panic!
“Ugh… if you move now, the fabric might slip and… you know. So, could you, um, tie the string back for me, Kurusu-kun?”
Her words made me hyper-aware of the part that might “slip” pressed tightly against me.
Nagi’s delicate, soft body—especially the, uh, softest parts.
“D-Don’t think weird things…!”
Nagi, sensing my thoughts, trembled.
…Snap out of it!
As a gentleman, I had to handle this properly.
“Leave it to me. I’ll tie it so tight it’ll never come undone…!”
“That’d be a problem, just tie it normally!”
I took a small deep breath, lifted my hands from the floor, and grabbed the string.
As my support vanished, Nagi clung tighter to my neck, making my position even more unstable.
…Focus. I need to focus on the task.
“Here I go, okay?”
“O-Okay.”
I wasn’t sure what I was confirming, but I did anyway and started tying the string.
Ugh… my hands were shaking. The simple bow I could usually tie blindfolded was suddenly impossible.
“S-Still not done?”
“J-Just a bit more.”
Nagi urged me on as her embarrassment hit its limit, and I finally managed to tie it properly.
“Alright… done!”
I announced, pulling away, and Nagi cautiously let go.
Confirming the string stayed in place, we both let out deep sighs.
“Ugh… that was awful.”
“Seriously…”
The tension was insane… One slip of rationality, and it could’ve been a disaster. Well done, my self-control.
As the relief hit, my eyes met Nagi’s.
But we both quickly looked away.
This was bad. The lingering sensation and everything else made it impossible to know what face to make.
Nagi seemed the same, sneaking glances at me.
What now? I had to break this awkwardness somehow.
“…Wanna go buy a safer swimsuit together next time?”
“Ugh…!”
Nagi collapsed onto the pool floor, groaning.
Oh no, I accidentally dealt the finishing blow!
“This is the worst…! Why did past me think this swimsuit was okay…!?”
Nagi’s anguished voice echoed through the empty pool.
─ This time, I want to do a task where absolutely no embarrassing incidents occur.
The day after the pool cleaning, I decided to kick off a new strategy to boost our approval ratings, spurred by Nagi’s heartfelt plea.
“Sign our petition for a summer festival, please!”
Yes, it’s a signature campaign.
Exactly what it sounds like: asking passersby to sign a petition.
“P-Please, sign here…”
Approaching strangers on the street is a daunting task, but Nagi was somehow enduring and continuing the effort.
You might find it odd that Nagi, who had always triggered some kind of disaster during grassroots activities like handing out flyers or putting up posters, was managing to hold her own in this signature campaign.
But to me, it was all according to plan.
Why? Because the dark underworld was under the perfect rule of the charismatic queen, “The Nightmare Calamity.”
As such, there was no room for something like a petition campaign to arise.
This task was one of the rare safe zones, free of buried landmines from her dark past.
“Ugh… I’m barely getting any signatures. Time’s running out, so is this pace really okay?”
Even so, Nagi seemed anxious about the sparse signatures on the sheet she held.
“Don’t rush it. These things are all about steady effort,” I reassured her.
The location: the station square during summer break.
Plenty of people passed by, but few stopped to sign.
“That might be true, but… don’t we just not have the time to take it slow?”
“Well, yeah. Honestly, we probably won’t gather enough signatures to make a real impact.”
“Eh?”
Nagi froze at my blunt honesty.
“Then why are we doing this? In this scorching heat, for hours on end?”
“Exactly, that’s the point.”
I pointed at Nagi with a snap, praising her for hitting the nail on the head.
“High schoolers sweating it out in this blistering heat, desperately collecting signatures—how do you think that looks to adults? Earnest, dedicated, and downright moving, right?”
And around this station square, several of the committee members owned shops, meaning they couldn’t help but notice our efforts.
“When they see young people like us working so hard, they’ll feel compelled to support us out of sheer empathy.”
They say effort is always noticed by someone, somewhere, but I believe it’s crucial to make sure that effort is seen.
The effort to show effort—that’s what we’re doing right now.
“You were thinking that far ahead? You’re reliable, but way more cunning than I imagined…!”
Nagi, my supposed ally, looked a bit put off by my strategy. Why, though?
Just as I was feeling a bit miffed by her reaction, someone called out to us.
“Hey, is that… the Suihou duo over there?”
Turning around, I saw our rival, Evangeline Fushima.
With her fluffy blonde hair and a classic white dress, she approached us with a light jog.
“Yo, Eva,” I greeted casually.
“H-Hello…” Nagi responded, as tense as ever.
“Hey there, you two! Collecting signatures, huh? That’s tough work in this heat!”
“You’re one to talk. Sounds like you’ve been making some flashy moves yourself. Rumors are reaching even us,” I said, glancing at her SNS promotions.
She nodded with a proud expression.
“When you make a move, make it big—that’s what Mea-senpai taught me! I can’t pull off something like Mea-senpai’s guerrilla live show thirty minutes after coming up with the idea, but I’m doing my best in my own way!”
At her words, I noticed Nagi’s shoulders twitch. Probably reliving some dark memories. She was keeping her face expressionless, a testament to her pride as a senior.
“Sounds like you’re pretty confident, huh?”
“Fufufu, of course! No matter what strategies you two come up with, I’m ready to crush them! So go ahead and struggle—I’ll enjoy watching!”
Eva pointed at us dramatically, striking a triumphant pose.
It was a villainous move, not quite fitting her cheerful idol persona.
A bit surprised, I quickly realized why.
“Copying Mea, huh?”
“Yep! Mea-senpai said to act high and mighty when you’ve got the upper hand in a competition. If you win, you look like a big shot, and if you lose, you play the villain—either way, it builds your character!”
What is she teaching this pure junior…?
I glanced at Nagi, who was trembling with her eyes closed, barely holding back the pressure of her dark past threatening to explode.
“I see… but that doesn’t really suit you, Eva. It worked for Mea because it’s her.”
Feeling a bit bad for her, I gently suggested a course correction. Eva frowned thoughtfully.
“Hmm… doesn’t suit me, huh? I kinda had a feeling about that.”
She nodded once, sighing, as if she’d suspected it herself.
“I guess there’s a limit to figuring things out on my own. Looks like it’s time to bring in the strategist I’ve been thinking about!”
Her offhand remark caught my attention.
“Strategist?”
When I asked, Eva flashed a sly grin.
“Wanna know? Alright, I’ll tell you! There’s this incredible producer in town with amazing idol-nurturing skills! Someone who can fully bring out an idol’s charm, create projects tailored to it, and skyrocket their popularity!”
“Someone like that… Nagi, ever heard of them?”
Surprised, I turned to Nagi, who shook her head with a stiff expression.
“I don’t know… There aren’t even many entertainment industry people in this town to begin with.”
If even Nagi didn’t know, they probably weren’t with an agency.
“No wonder you don’t know! But they definitely exist. With their help, my plans will level up, and victory will be mine!”
Eva’s enthusiastic talk about this person made me increasingly wary.
She was already a formidable opponent as an active idol, but with a genius producer on her side, this could get seriously troublesome.
“So… who is this person?”
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I asked cautiously.
With a dramatic pause, Eva opened her mouth slowly.
“Their real name’s unknown. But in certain circles, they’re called… ‘The Ally’.”
“…Huh?”
Wait, that nickname sounds familiar.
As we froze with awkward expressions, Eva, misreading our reaction, continued with sparkling eyes.
“Here’s the scoop: this person was like a partner to Mea-senpai before her debut! They played a huge role in establishing Mea-senpai as an absolute influencer and helping her explode as an idol!”
Yeah… I know. I know really well.
“So, your plan is to track down this ‘Ally’ and get them on your side?”
“Yep! Fufufu, scary plan, right?”
“Scary, yeah.”
Scary for sure—except it’s already doomed to fail.
An awkward silence hung between me and Nagi, but Eva, oblivious, nodded happily.
“Right? Mea-senpai called them the one she trusted most!”
“Oh? Tell me more. What did Mea say about this ‘Ally’?”
“Kurusu-kun!?”
I latched onto the intriguing detail, and Nagi’s eyes widened in panic.
“More details? Sure thing! Mea-senpai said, ‘The Ally always thinks about me, understands me, and treasures what I treasure.’ And also—”
“W-Wait! Stop! We’re getting off track!”
Nagi, who’d been mostly silent, suddenly shouted, cutting Eva off.
Eva looked briefly surprised but, true to her earnest nature, quickly nodded.
“You’re right, we got sidetracked. Anyway, I’m off to recruit the Ally!”
She declared boldly.
In response, I gave her a sly grin.
“That’s not happening. Your plan’s gonna fail, Eva.”
“Huh? Why? I’m Mea-senpai’s junior, so the Ally will definitely help me!”
She looked suspicious at my confident claim, so I decided to spill the beans.
“Because I’m Mea’s Ally.”
“Eh?”
The revelation was so unexpected that Eva froze.
“No surprise you’re shocked. But this’ll prove it.”
I pulled out my phone and showed her the screen.
It displayed the SNS account I used with Mea.
Eva’s face turned to one of pure shock.
“No way…! The real Ally!? What’re you doing in a place like this!?”
“Scheming to beat you, obviously.”
“Can I, like, shake your hand!? I’ve seen your photos! They’re amazing!”
“Thanks for the support.”
When I offered my hand, Eva grabbed it with both of hers, shaking it enthusiastically.
Feels like the roles are reversed here, but oh well. Perks of the job.
“…Kurusu-kun?”
Nagi’s icy voice sent a chill down my spine. Did she pick up on my ulterior motives?
“Whoa, that’s enough. Our handshake rule is three seconds per person.”
Feeling the cold sweat, I let go of Eva’s hand.
“Aw, bummer… Oh, wait! How about becoming my strategist!?”
“Nah, I’m the enemy team’s leader.”
She was so hyped she forgot the situation and tried to recruit me.
When I declined, Eva turned to Nagi with a thoughtful look.
“Hmm… You’re working under this lady, right? To have the Ally on your side, you must be quite the idol candidate!”
“N-No, I’m just the student council president…”
Nagi, sweating nervously, denied Eva’s assumption.
But I threw an arm around her shoulder and nodded deeply.
“Exactly. I see her as on par with Mea.”
“What!?”
Nagi’s eyes widened at my declaration.
“No way! On par with Mea-senpai!? That’s a huge hurdle…!”
“N-No, that’s not…”
“But it’s gotta be a trial to catch up to Mea-senpai! If I surpass you, I’ll be on her level!”
Man, this girl’s something else.
She’s hitting the truth without even realizing it. Is this the power of natural talent?
“So, I won’t lose! I’ve got plans to make, so I’m off!”
With that, Eva left.
“I’m… exhausted…”
As her figure disappeared, Nagi muttered, her voice dripping with fatigue from the mental onslaught.
“She’s got Mea’s storm-like energy, alright,” I said.
“Ugh…”
Nagi could only groan, clearly aware of the impact she’d left.
“By the way, I was surprised you claimed the ‘Ally’ title,” Nagi said suddenly.
“Huh? Why?”
I raised an eyebrow, and she gave me a probing look.
“Because the usual Kurusu-kun would’ve let it slide. It’s more advantageous to let her waste effort searching for an ally who’d never join her.”
“What kind of awful guy am I in your head, Nagi-chan…?”
I protested, but she pouted and looked away.
“That’s just how you usually are. Plus, if you’re the Ally, I’m worried she’ll figure out my true identity.”
“Yeah, that’s true… Hmm.”
She was unusually grumpy.
Even though we’re rivals, Eva’s a cute junior to Nagi. Getting mad here felt a bit off… Wait a sec.
“Nagi, are you jealous?”
“W-What!?”
She visibly flinched at my question.
“I mean, it feels like you think I claimed to be the Ally to get Eva’s attention or something.”
“N-N-No way that’s true!”
Her face turned bright red as she denied it.
“Oh, I hit the mark. Nagi-chan, you’re adorable.”
“I’m not jealous!”
“Sure, sure. I’m happy you’re jealous, though.”
I nodded magnanimously, but Nagi just glared, her face still red.
“Ugh, enough. I don’t like this mean Kurusu-kun.”
Oops, she’s sulking now.
“Sorry, my bad. Anyway, Eva’s got her plans, so we need to think about our next move.”
“…You’re changing the subject,” Nagi said, her expression softening into a pitiful pout.
“What, want to keep talking about your jealousy?”
“Please change the subject!”
Her desperate plea was oddly endearing.
“Alright, as you wish. Time to make our move. It’s about time we start securing the must-have items for the summer festival.”
“Must-have items? Like what?”
Nagi tilted her head, and I smirked knowingly.
“Why, festival-appropriate outfits, of course.”
And so, we arrived at the trusty Clothing Club.
“I get the situation… but ordering yukata? And this number… a thousand!? Is this a typo?”
The brown-haired girl, the club president, rubbed her eyes as she checked the order form I’d handed her during their club activities.
I’d recently learned her name—Muroma-senpai
“No typo here. The more yukata, the better. Why? Because girls in yukata are adorable.”
I answered confidently, but she seemed to give up on arguing with me and turned to Nagi.
“President-san, are you serious? This is tight on time, and what do you even plan to do with so many?”
“W-Well… I had my doubts too, but Kurusu-kun says this is the minimum we need,” Nagi said, glancing at me uncertainly.
I stepped in to elaborate.
“It’s all about supply and demand. The last summer festival in this town was five years ago. After that long, people have likely gotten rid of their old yukata or outgrown them.”
“Sure, that makes sense. But do we need to provide them? Won’t people just buy new ones?”
“You think stores in a town that hasn’t had a summer festival in five years have yukata in stock?”
“…Probably not.”
The president nodded, convinced.
“Exactly. And since the festival isn’t confirmed yet, local shops won’t stock up. Even if they do once it’s official, they won’t have time to get enough. If we make them now, we’ll have a monopoly.”
Of course, if the festival doesn’t happen, it’s all for nothing. High risk, high reward.
“I get it, but selling this many is impossible.”
“We’re not selling them all—most will be rentals. We should be able to move this number. Better to have too many than too few.”
“Why?”
The president frowned, puzzled, and I grinned slyly.
“We’re ordering these with the student council’s budget. We can’t let extras go to waste. So, it gives us a perfect excuse to create a school event where everyone wears yukata!”
What a brilliant two-pronged strategy!
“That’s ridiculously self-serving,” the president said, clutching her head as if my plan was absurdly petty. How rude.
“No, no. Most people can’t put on a yukata themselves, right? Learning to wear traditional clothing is highly meaningful.”
“That’s annoyingly hard to argue with…”
I could feel her opinion of me plummeting.
Ugh, fine, I’ll give a more serious reason.
“Also, if we lose the competition, we’ll need to host other events to build our track record. This is insurance for that.”
Sure, just teaching yukata-wearing won’t get us invited to the alumni association, but quantity over quality is the game plan then.
The more event hooks, the better.
Explaining my calculations, the president dropped her exasperated look and straightened up.
“I heard it’s for the student council’s track record, but going this far… It’s that important, huh? The alumni association must be worth it for your future.”
She didn’t know the full details of our—well, Nagi’s—situation, but I’d told her the alumni association was our goal.
She probably figured that even if it cost money now, securing our future was worth it.
“That said, we’d like some benefits to match our labor,” she said, her smile masking her emotions like a seasoned merchant.
“Oh? We’re planning to give you half the sales profits. Not enough?”
“Sales, huh? I’m not much for gambling. I want compensation for our effort, even if they don’t sell.”
Fair point, and I’d planned for this.
“If you take this on, we’ll hold a yukata dress-up photoshoot with Nagi-chan!”
“Kurusu-kun!?”
Nagi, who hadn’t been told, gaped at me.
But the effect was immediate.
For the Clothing Club, always seeking models for their designs, a photoshoot with Nagi-chan, who had plenty of modeling experience, was a goldmine.
“Not bad. Tempting, but… still not quite enough.”
“Ha, you drive a hard bargain. Fine, we’ll also let you make any costume you want with the student council’s budget.”
Her stern expression softened at the added incentive.
“Ooh, nice. I was thinking about making some pricey Halloween costumes this fall.”
“Deal. We’ll even handle the prep for that photoshoot.”
“Who’s wearing those costumes!? Not me, right!?”
Nagi piped up as I sweetened the deal, but both the president and I ignored her.
“Alright, we’re in.”
“Deal sealed.”
We shook hands firmly.
“Hey, Tsumugi!”
Snap!
At the president’s signal, Miyahara appeared out of nowhere, holding a yukata.
“So, Nagi-chan, ready to change for the shoot?”
“Right now!? Why’s the yukata already ready!?”
Nagi voiced my own confusion, and Miyahara grinned proudly.
“Not ‘ready’—I just made it. I knew it’d come to this.”
No wonder I hadn’t seen her while we were negotiating.
“What craftsmanship…”
Nagi, half-impressed, half-dazed, stumbled toward the clothing prep room.
As she left, I pulled out a DSLR from my bag—equipment bought with the photography club’s budget.
“Wow, Reo-kun, you’re prepared,” Miyahara said, suddenly right beside me.
“Of course. I come to negotiations with every card I can play.”
Unlike Mea, who acts on inspiration, I’m the type to prepare meticulously and build results step by step.
Maybe that’s why we worked so well together—our opposites complemented each other.
Though, to be fair, I probably became this way to keep up with Mea’s chaos.
“I see. Well, Fushima-chan’s a tough opponent too. I saw her livestream the other day—she’s promoting her live show hard. Sounds like she’s got some big plans.”
“Sharp ears, huh?”
“Well, I’m a fan of ‘The Nightmare Calamity’! Of course I’m keeping tabs on Fushima-chan!”
Right, I forgot… Wait, isn’t that dangerous?
“Don’t go joining her side, okay?”
I half-joked, but Miyahara gave a wry smile.
“Relax, I’m loyal. Friendship comes first.”
“Good. She’s already a handful. If you turned on us, I’d have a real headache.”
I said it honestly, and Miyahara looked surprised.
“Wow, that’s rare from you, Reo-kun. Already thinking about losing?”
“Nah, I’m thinking about winning too.”
“……?”
She looked puzzled, but before I could explain, the prep room door opened.
“I-I’m done changing…”
Nagi emerged in a white yukata with a red goldfish pattern, her hair tied up, exuding a refined beauty with her pale nape exposed.
“Wow, you look amazing, Nagi-chan! So pretty! Look this way!”
Overwhelmed by the perfect subject, I raised the camera and went into full photographer mode.
I knew Nagi would look stunning in a yukata, and I’d been dying to shoot this!
“…Wait. Isn’t this supposed to be their reward? Why’s Kurusu-kun getting the most out of it? Did we get played?”
The president muttered something as I got carried away, but I naturally ignored her.
The next day, we printed posters featuring Nagi in the yukata and started pitching them to shops to sell the yukata.
“Here’s a sample poster. Please consider displaying it in your store.”
“Yukata, huh… They haven’t sold much since the summer festival stopped, but I could put out a few. The poster’s well-made.”
The shop owner seemed hesitant at first but warmed up after seeing the poster’s quality.
“T-Thank you…”
Nagi bowed shyly, softening the atmosphere.
“And here’s the festival proposal. It outlines the planned attractions, so please take a look when you have time.”
Seizing the warm moment, I handed over the real goal.
“Hmm, lots of stuff here. You’ve even lined up stall vendors.”
The owner started reading it on the spot, intrigued.
“If you have any requests beyond what’s listed, we’ll consider them as much as possible.”
“Haha, that’s nice. I don’t know much about what Fushima-san’s planning.”
Score. We’ve gained a slight edge.
Eva’s been promoting on livestreams, but that doesn’t reach older generations as well. This strategy was paying off.
Just as I mentally fist-pumped, a cheerful voice rang out.
“Hold it! No problem there!”
Turning around, there was Eva, our nemesis.
Speak of the devil, as they say, but I’m not naive enough to believe in such coincidences.
“Eva, huh. Convenient timing.”
“Yep! I spotted you guys outside and was waiting for the right moment to jump in! How’s that for entertainment?”
Her honest nod to my skeptical question was almost blindingly pure.
“Not bad timing. Work on your entrance line, though, and it’ll be even better.”
“Thanks for the tip!”
She nodded earnestly at my advice. Keep refining, kid.
“…Kurusu-kun, you’re getting off track,” Nagi whispered.
Oh, right.
“So, what’s this about ‘no problem’?”
“Yep! We’ve got our own proper materials too! It’s just a summary of what I said on my stream, but I came to hand these out today. Here!”
Eva pulled a stack of papers from her tote bag and handed them to the owner.
“Thanks. I’ll look through it later.”
The owner, charmed by her enthusiasm, accepted the materials with a relaxed smile.
“Tch, not bad,” I muttered.
“Fufufu, I knew the Ally would be tough. I’ve been thorough with my groundwork!”
Looks like we’d get the same result at other shops.
“Fine. At least we accomplished our main goal of distributing posters.”
I glanced at the wall, where a freshly hung yukata-Nagi poster glowed.
Eva finally noticed it, her eyes widening.
“Wow… such a stunning Japanese beauty! You look amazing in a yukata, Onee-san!”
“T-Thanks…”
Nagi, flustered by Eva’s intense approach, wore a deeply troubled expression.
“And you shot this, Ally-san? Incredible! It’s a different person, but it’s got a vibe close to Mea-senpai’s!”
Is she really not catching on?
I eyed her suspiciously, but her sparkling gaze at the poster showed no ulterior motive.
Nagi, meanwhile, was trembling and sweating profusely.
“Like a Yamato Nadeshiko, right? I can’t pull off that look, so I’m kinda jealous.”
Eva toyed with her silky blonde hair, which was undeniably beautiful but a different style from Nagi’s.
“I think it’s pretty as is. I like it. Makes me wanna shoot it.”
I tossed in a casual compliment, not quite consoling her.
“……Kurusu-kun?”
Nagi, who’d been silently shaking, shot me a cold glare. It’s not like I was flirting!
“Hehe, thanks! I like it too, so no worries. Just get a little envious sometimes.”
Eva laughed, unbothered, and I felt a bit relieved.
Then, she suddenly clapped her hands as if struck by an idea.
“Oh, but if you want to take photos, I’ve got a request!”
“A request?”
Nagi and I tilted our heads, and Eva nodded.
“Yep. Actually—”
The sunset’s crimson hue bathed the playground equipment in a soft glow.
Twilight, the boundary between day and night, carried a faintly lonely air after the kids had gone home.
I’d brought Eva to a nearby park.
“Wow, so this is where you shot photos with Mea-senpai!”
Her request: take her to the park where I photographed Mea.
“Sorry to drag you away. You still had work, right?”
“Nah, I left that to our president.”
By the way, Nagi bolted the moment she heard the destination, probably sensing something ominous about this park and this trio.
“Then please thank Onee-san for me! This is all thanks to her!”
As soon as we entered the park, Eva looked around curiously.
“Is it that interesting? You’re local, right?”
I asked, implying she must’ve been here before, but she flashed a smug grin.
“Fufufu, actually, this is my first time here. Why? Because back then, I was so shy I had no friends, so I never played at parks!”
Her cheerful tone dropped a heavy backstory. How do I even respond to that?
“Uh… that’s surprising. You don’t seem like that now. How’d a shy kid become an idol?”
I scrambled for a response, and she smiled bashfully.
“I think so too. Honestly, I just went with the flow. I hated the idea of being an idol right up to my debut day.”
Her eyes drifted far away as she spoke.
“Mea-senpai changed me. Seeing her on my debut stage, I thought, I want to be like that. From the bottom of my heart.”
She clutched her chest tightly.
“I was scared and anxious, but more than that, I felt this burning urgency. I had to catch up to Mea-senpai, or I couldn’t stand still. Before I knew it, my shyness was gone.”
…I see.
No wonder Nagi couldn’t reveal herself.
Eva overcame her shyness and became an idol because she admired Nagi.
But Nagi quit being an idol, taking a completely opposite path.
It makes sense she couldn’t bear to tarnish that admiration.
“So, Ally-san! Can you take a picture now?”
Eva’s eager request snapped me back, and I pulled out my phone, turning on the camera.
“Leave it to me. Strike a pose wherever you want.”
“Hmm… here!”
She chose the spot with the clearest view of the sky, no obstructions.
The exact spot Mea loved most.
“…Of course you’d pick there.”
“Yep, felt like it had to be here.”
The predictable choice made me smile.
My days with Mea are over, but knowing someone else treasures them as special…
It’s strange, fun, and a little pride-inducing.
“Alright, here we go.”
“Please!”
I snapped the shutter as Eva posed.
Looking at the photo, my eyes widened slightly.
Mea’s photos at this time always carried a hint of night’s arrival.
In the ambiguous twilight, her alluring smile had a captivating charisma.
But Eva was different.
Her golden hair gleamed, catching the sunset’s glow, and her doll-like face beamed with pure joy.
There was no trace of night—just a declaration that the world was still bright.
“…Wow. The model really changes everything.”
I showed her the screen, and her eyes widened before she broke into a delighted grin.
“Hehe, you really know how to bring out a model’s charm, Ally-san. You capture them so honestly, like you sync with them perfectly.”
“…I’m just bland.”
Every photographer’s style comes through in their work—their “vision” or desire to create something specific.
But not me.
I see what the model wants to express and match it.
That’s all. There’s no “me” in the photos.
Growing up in a family that moved constantly, I got good at blending in. That trait shows up here too.
“No need to be humble! Ever thought about becoming a pro photographer? Maybe we could work together someday!”
I shrugged at her cheerful suggestion.
“Nah. I don’t love photography—I loved shooting Mea.”
So this isn’t my dream. Maybe it was once, but when Mea vanished like a shooting star, that dream ended too.
A fragment of those “special” days, tucked away in a treasure box.
“That’s a cool way to think about it,” Eva said, smiling sincerely.
She stared at the fresh photo.
“…Honestly, I’m a little mad at Mea-senpai.”
She murmured suddenly.
“She disappeared without a word. If she was struggling, I wish she’d told me.”
I understood that feeling.
I’d felt the same.
“She’s stubborn like that. Probably couldn’t bring herself to say it. Shocked me too.”
“You didn’t know either, Ally-san?”
Eva looked up from the photo, surprised.
“Nope. Total blindside.”
“…Even you. Then I guess it’s no surprise I didn’t know.”
She gave a weak, resigned smile.
“We were supposed to do a hometown live show together, get introduced to you, and take a group photo… but it all fell apart. She’s still my idol, someone I want to catch up to, but it feels like she got away with a win.”
Her bright voice carried a hollow undertone, and her regret hit me hard, leaving me silent.
“I’m starting to lose sight of what I’m aiming for. That’s why I’m doing a live show here—to feel like I’m keeping that promise, moving forward.”
She lowered her brow apologetically.
“But… it feels like I’m interfering with you two for my own satisfaction. Kinda pointless, huh?”
Her vulnerability was painful to watch, and before I knew it, I was speaking.
“Take those feelings and throw them at me.”
Ugh—I’m saying something unnecessary.
To win, I should let Eva stay lost and discouraged.
But that would hurt Nagi the most.
“Ally-san…?”
“That’s right, I’m the Ally. The one ‘The Nightmare Calamity’ saw as an equal. So all the feelings you wanted to throw at Mea, throw them at me. This vote battle is about capturing hearts, right? Mea would never lose at that. I know her better than anyone, so I’ll judge if you’ve caught up to her.”
Eva’s eyes widened, wavering with confusion.
“Why go that far? We just met.”
Her obvious question made me chuckle.
“Didn’t Mea say? The Ally treasures what she treasures. Being your goal was probably huge for her—so I’ll take it on for her.”
Eva gasped, then exhaled slowly, her face lighting up with a fiery smile.
“You said it. No regrets, okay? I’m going all out now.”
…Damn.
This girl’s not holding back anymore.
I really screwed up.
Yet, I don’t regret it one bit—what’s wrong with me?
“Of course. If you can’t go all out here, you’ll never catch Mea. Bring it on, every trick you’ve got. I’ll crush you.”
─ And so, our real battle began.
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