Chapter 2. Tak-kun, Back from the Warzone: Just Trying to Earn Some Good Grades
1
“Sorry, Sumire-chan, for dragging you into this.”
“No biggie! If it’s for Karin, I’d tag along any day of the week!”
Lunch break. Sumire-chan and I were striding toward the first-year classrooms.
The whole reason we were crossing school buildings? One simple goal: to squash the nasty rumors swirling around Tak-kun.
When I first caught wind of those rumors this morning, I couldn’t believe my ears.
Tak-kun, keeping a foreign beauty as a sex slave? Tak-kun? That Tak-kun!? No way in hell!
Making me his sex slave—cough, cough! Spreading baseless gossip like that? Unforgivable!
I should’ve ignored Mom and Dad’s lectures and grilled Tak-kun about his school life last night.
If I had, I’d have caught on to this mess from the start.
Mom was all, “Fix that rotten attitude of yours first!”—ugh, seriously…
“Talk about a shitty deal! He’s fresh off the war, and they’re pulling this crap? I’m gonna set ‘em straight, no holds barred!”
Sumire-chan, stomping beside me, was practically roaring.
With her flashy pink hair, heavy makeup, and a ton of piercings, her pissed-off vibe was downright intimidating.
“Uh… Sumire-chan! I forgot to mention, but my brother’s keeping the whole war vet thing under wraps. Can you not spill that part?”
“For real? Why’s he hiding it?”
“Says he doesn’t wanna stand out.”
“He’s already standing out.”
“Well… yeah… I guess…”
Her logic was so spot-on, I couldn’t help but nod. Girl’s got a razor-sharp tongue.
Noticing my cheek twitching, Sumire-chan flashed a reassuring grin.
“Well, if that’s what Karin says, I’ll keep my trap shut! As the older one, I’ll stick to giving ‘em a piece of my mind!”
“Yeah… go for it…”
Sumire-chan was huffing and puffing, all fired up.
She hasn’t changed a bit…
We’ve been tight since I started at this school.
She’s a model at the same agency as Rinko-chan, and despite her looks, she’s got a fierce sense of justice. Her bright energy’s pulled me out of some dark places. When Tak-kun got drafted and I was a wreck, she was there to cheer me up. Even stood up to Amagawa-kun for me. All sorts of stuff.
Even when I dropped out, Sumire-chan was the only one who kept checking in, texting me every day.
She’s, like, super cool.
Since she’s into hot guys, maybe I should introduce her to Renji-kun sometime?
Nah, scratch that… Renji-kun’s younger. And she’s all about older, loaded dudes anyway.
But that’s exactly why I can trust her around Tak-kun. No way I’m letting another gorgeous rival into the mix.
While I was mulling that over, Sumire-chan piped up, like she’d just remembered something.
“Oh, I never asked—what’s your brother’s name?”
“Huh? Didn’t I tell you? It’s Takashi. Shibuzaki Takashi.”
“…Takashi?”
Sumire-chan froze, her face blank as she muttered his name.
“Sumire-chan? What’s up?”
“Takashi… Takashi-kun…”
“Sumire-chan?”
Her usual bold aura was fading fast, replaced by this… sultry vibe.
She started freaking out, flustered.
“No way… N-no! It’s not him, it’s not! Just the same name… same name, that’s all! Don’t get your hopes up… don’t do it, girl!”
“Sumire-chan? What’s wrong? Your face is red!”
“If I get my hopes up and it’s not him… it’ll hurt again… my chest’ll ache again…”
“Huh? What… what’s going on?”
“But… if… if it’s that Takashi-kun… then… then I…”
Clutching her chest like she was in pain, Sumire-chan squeezed her eyes shut, fighting something.
What the hell?
I could only stare, totally thrown by my best friend’s transformation.
We reached Class 1-D.
Peeking into the classroom from the entrance, we saw it was still packed—lunch break had just started.
Perfect timing to get to the bottom of those rumors.
Here I go!
I rolled up my sleeves, ready to barge in, but Sumire-chan grabbed me in a panic.
“W-wait, Karin! I’m not ready yet…”
“Sumire-chan, what’s with you? You’ve been acting weird. Scared to face the crowd all of a sudden?”
“N-no… it’s not that, I’m fine with that…”
“Then let’s go!”
“Wait! At least tell me first! Where’s your brother sitting!?”
“Tak-kun’s spot? He’s…”
I glanced away from her, scanning the classroom, and spotted Tak-kun standing pretty close by.
He was rubbing his temple, locking a silver-haired bob-cut girl in a playful headlock.
Is that Sherry-chan? Why’s she here…?
As I puzzled over it, Tak-kun’s exasperated voice cut through.
“Okay, let’s get this straight. You’re here because—”
“Of course! I enrolled!”
“But you haven’t done any paperwork, so why are you—”
“Simple! I bribed a teacher!”
“And the money for that—”
“Got a deposit from Commander Garnet this morning, so I used that!”
“My head’s killing me…”
Tak-kun let out a deep sigh, but Natalie-chan jumped in, her usual cackle replaced by a sour grimace.
“Sherry… didn’t Takasī just chew you out for blowing cash? What the hell are you doing…?”
“It’s not a waste! This way, I get to live the high school life!”
“What about food…?”
“As long as I get enough calories to function, food’s whatever. I swiped a ton of calorie blocks, and worst case, I’ll just eat cheap, high-calorie stuff. Saving money’s easy!”
“Look… the war’s over. Can’t we eat something decent for once…?”
Sounds like Sherry-chan, in her usual impulsive glory, muscled her way into Suirenji High.
From the sound of it, she threw around some serious cash to make it happen.
Bribing someone to enroll in half a day? What kind of strings did she pull…?
“Listen, I’ve told you a million times—handle money carefully. Why do you always spend it like it’s nothing…?”
“Money’s meant to circulate, darling! You gotta spend it to make it count!”
“Depends on how you spend it, dumbass. Bribing? That’s not exactly noble, and it’s basically backdoor enrollment!”
“How rude! I’ll have you know, I’m taking the entrance exam the day after tomorrow. If I don’t pass, I’m out. So it’s not backdoor—it’s more like… early-bird enrollment!”
“You and your damn motor mouth…”
Releasing the headlock, Tak-kun started chopping Sherry-chan’s head with quick slaps.
She didn’t look sorry in the slightest.
“Say what you want, but deep down, you’re both thrilled I’m here, aren’t you?”
She even puffed out her modest chest, smirking smugly.
Tak-kun just sighed again, deeper this time.
“Whatever… Anyway, that uniform you’re wearing—it’s too big, isn’t it? The shirt’s all baggy.”
“They couldn’t get a uniform ready in time, so I borrowed Natalie-san’s. It is a bit big…”
“Sherry’s got no boobs, huh~?”
“Shut it.”
The three of them started chatting away, all lively. Guess they sorted it out.
I stopped peeking and turned back to Sumire-chan.
“That’s my brother, Tak-kun, surrounded by girls over there.”
“…”
“Sumire-chan?”
She didn’t react.
Staring straight at Tak-kun, her eyes shimmered like a maiden’s, brimming with emotion.
It hit me then, finally.
I’d figured out what was off about her.
Sumire-chan… could she actually be crushing on Tak-kun…?
2
“Karin… so you’re that guy’s big sister, huh…?”
Muttering softly, Sumire-chan’s expression shifted from shock to outright glee.
“Wow! What a crazy coincidence! I’m, like, totally floored!”
“…Huh?”
“No, seriously! This is, like, a fateful encounter, right?! I never dreamed I’d run into Takashi-kun like this! It’s fate! A red string of destiny!”
“…What?”
“Ehehe… Rinko, you idiot… no matter how much you mess with me, you can’t tear apart the bond between me and Takashi-kun… idiot, idiot!”
Sumire-chan babbled excitedly, practically bouncing with joy.
Her usual gal-like slang was gone, replaced by the giddy chatter of an ordinary girl.
Where’d her “a-shi” go…? Her whole vibe’s falling apart…
“Hey, Karin! I’ve got a huge favor to ask!”
She closed in on me, a sly vixen pouncing on her prey, while I stood there, totally left behind.
“…What?”
“Um, well! So, like!”
“…Spit it out already.”
“S-so, um! Could you maybe introduce me to your little brother!? I’d love it if you could, like, subtly let him know that even though I look like this, I’m actually super pure and sweet!”
“…”
“And, um! I-I’d maybe like to exchange contact info too! Ehehe~… maybe~…”
She squirmed, blushing like a thief caught red-handed.
What the hell is she even saying?
Her demands were so brazen, I was stunned. Not a single part of me wanted to agree.
I shot her down coldly, watching her gleeful grin fade.
“No way.”
“Huh?”
“No introductions. I’ve got to clear up Tak-kun’s bad rumors, so I don’t have time for this. Give it up, Sumire-chan.”
Her smile vanished completely.
She hadn’t expected rejection, and panic crept into her expression.
“N-no, wait… come on, you could at least spare a little time…”
“No waiting. No time. Today’s about clearing those rumors, nothing else. Give it up, Sumire-chan.”
“Wait a sec! L-look, if I just barge in, Takashi-kun might think some weird girl’s crashing his life, right? That’d be bad… so maybe just a quick meet-up first…”
“Who cares what he thinks? That was the plan anyway, wasn’t it? Let him think you’re some weird girl. Done, conversation over.”
“Don’t just end it!! It’s not fine!!”
Screaming, Sumire-chan latched onto my waist.
She rubbed her face against me desperately, her expression downright demonic as she begged.
“Please! I’m begging you, my one wish in life! Introduce me to your brother!”
“H-hey!? Stop it, Sumire-chan! Why Tak-kun, anyway!? Didn’t you always say you only go for older, hot guys!?”
“I changed my mind! Younger guys are better now! I want plain, honest Takashi-kun!”
“If you’re so into younger guys, I’ll hook you up with a super hot one! I’ve got someone in mind! Just give up on Tak-kun!!”
“I want Takashi-kun… don’t be so mean, Karin-nee-cha~n…”
“Don’t call me nee-chan! It gives me goosebumps!!”
“Waaah… please introduce me~… I’m begging you…”
Half-sobbing, she kept grinding her face into me.
Her foundation… it’s smearing all over my uniform… damn it, I just got this cleaned, and now I’ve gotta send it back to the cleaners…
As we bickered like this, someone tapped my shoulder.
I turned to find Tak-kun standing there, his face twitching awkwardly.
His sudden appearance froze both me and Sumire-chan.
“Nee-san… what’re you doing, making a scene like this…?”
I panicked. Sumire-chan panicked.
Our whole mission to squash Tak-kun’s bad rumors was turning into a total mess.
“Let’s, uh, calm down for now… we’re drawing a lot of attention…”
“…”
“…”
Looking around, I saw he was right—students were whispering, staring at us.
“Another one of his people?” “And another gorgeous girl…” “Are they being blackmailed too?” “Amano-kun! You gotta save those girls!” “W-what, me?” The murmurs drifted over.
I’d been so caught up trying to stop Sumire-chan, I hadn’t noticed the crowd.
What do we do…?
“This is all your fault, Karin, for being so mean! Now it’s all a mess…”
“W-what!? It’s not my fault! If you hadn’t said such ridiculous stuff, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”
“I’m not joking… I’m serious…”
“Argh!! You’re still going!?”
“Whoa, whoa, Nee-san, calm down…”
Tak-kun tried to soothe me, clearly sensing the tense vibe.
He changed the subject.
“A-anyway, why’d you come all the way to the first-year classrooms? Second-years are in a different building, right? Something up?”
“Oh, uh, well—”
“It’s ‘cause I wanted to see you!”
Cutting me off, Sumire-chan practically pounced, grabbing Tak-kun’s hand and clasping it between hers.
“Uh… you’re, um… from Rinko’s agency, right…?”
“You remembered me!? I’m so happy!”
“Well… you’re the first person I’ve seen with pink hair, so…”
Tak-kun mumbled, shooting glances my way.
What’s that look…?
It’s like he’s begging for help… wait, what!?
That idiot Sumire-chan’s pressing Tak-kun’s hand against her chest! That’s disgusting!!
“Takashi-kun… I’ve been dying to see you…”
“Huh? R-really?”
“Totally… and, like, proof? Feel my chest—it’s pounding, right? All because of you…”
“Uh… I-I don’t really get it, but…”
“So dense~… Okay, open your hand like this… grip a little harder… come on, come on…”
“Come on!? What the hell are you doing to my brother!?”
I slammed a serious hand-chop onto Sumire-chan’s arm.
She let out a groan like some old geezer—“Aghna!?”
“That hurt! What’s your deal!? We were having a moment!”
“What kind of friend seduces her buddy’s brother right in front of her!? Cut it out!”
“It was just a little fanservice! Takashi-kun was into it, right!?”
“He was not! Tak-kun’s all about my chest, and I’m gonna prove it right now!!”
“Both of you, seriously, stop… everyone’s staring…”
Ignoring Tak-kun’s pleas, Sumire-chan and I kept squawking at each other.
Our fight didn’t stop until the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.
By the way.
A rumor started that day about Tak-kun being a pervert who loves groping girls’ chests at random… or so I heard.
◇◇◇
While Takashi was tangled up with his sister and her friend, Natalie and Sherry were caught in Tomoe-chan’s clutches.
Both of them had planned to head to Karin with Takashi, but Tomoe-chan, ever the curious one, wasn’t about to let that happen.
To her, Natalie and Sherry were living legends.
She had a mountain of questions she was dying to ask.
“So, Takashi-san was saying earlier that you two, Natalie-san and Sherry-san, have higher combat skills than him!? Which one of you’s stronger!?”
For Tomoe-chan, plagued by a severe case of chuunibyou, the debate over who’s the strongest was non-negotiable.
She’s the type to spend entire weekends online, locked in heated arguments about which manga character reigns supreme.
When it came to Natalie versus Sherry, her curiosity was insatiable.
“We’re stronger in combat…? Did Takasī say that~?”
“Yeah, he said something like he’d lose nine out of ten fights against you guys.”
“Ugh, that guy’s spouting nonsense again~… No way that’s true…”
Natalie rolled her eyes at Tomoe-chan’s words, exasperated.
“Huh? It’s not true? But that’s what Takashi-san said.”
“I don’t know what Takasī was thinking when he said that, but if we’re talking a real fight to the death, I wouldn’t stand a chance~ No way I’d win~”
“What? Really…?”
“Yup~ I’m built for close-quarters combat, so if someone keeps their distance, I’m totally screwed~”
“W-what?”
As Tomoe-chan floundered, Sherry jumped into the conversation.
“Knowing Takashi-kun, he probably didn’t mean a fight to the death. He’s too soft for that.”
“So, like, just a straight-up brawl? If he’s giving that much of a handicap, maybe I could win~”
“What does that even mean!?”
Confused by the back-and-forth, Tomoe-chan got an explanation from Natalie and Sherry.
“As Natalie-san mentioned, in terms of pure combat, we’re stronger. But in an actual life-or-death fight, neither of us could beat Takashi-kun.”
“For example~ You felt Lucca earlier, right~? If Takasī’s order had been ‘Open the window and jump,’ what do you think would’ve happened~?”
“…Oh.”
“Get it~? No matter how strong you are, that’s why you can’t beat Takasī~”
“I… I see…”
Tomoe-chan couldn’t help but nod, convinced.
She hadn’t thought too deeply about it before, but now that she did, it was terrifying.
A single word from him could kill. It was a cheat. An insane cheat.
“Lucca has its downsides, but Takashi-kun’s abilities go way beyond that…”
Sherry paused, offering a small smile as she murmured.
“There’s no way to beat humanity’s ultimate weapon.”
3
That afternoon, after school.
Renji Ōtsuka had been summoned to a nearby family restaurant by the carnivorous maidens, Fumika and Rinko.
They’d insisted they desperately needed his advice, practically dragging him along.
He’d planned to hit up the batting cages with Takashi today, but Fumika and Rinko were dear friends too.
So, he changed his plans and headed to the meeting spot.
When Renji arrived at the diner and scanned the room, he spotted Fumika and Rinko seated at a table in the back.
Both looked deadly serious, heads bowed in silence.
They seemed so troubled that even their complexions were pale.
He hurried over and called out brightly.
“What’s with the grim faces? You’re gonna make your precious Takashi worry.”
He tossed out the quip as he plopped into a seat.
Neither Fumika nor Rinko reacted to his words, keeping their heads down, unmoving.
“Hey, seriously, what’s up with you two? Something happen?”
“Renji-kun… we’re in serious trouble right now… I didn’t want to drag you into this, but we’re past the point of being picky…”
Rinko muttered, her expression grave.
The word “trouble” made Renji frown.
“What’s going on? Someone threatening you?”
“No… it’s not like we’re being threatened or anything…”
“Then what is it?”
“…Will you hear us out?”
“If I wasn’t gonna listen, I wouldn’t be here. Come on, spit it out.”
At that, Rinko’s gloomy face began to light up with a smile.
“As expected of our resident heartthrob! That’s our childhood friend for you!”
“Enough with that, just tell me already.”
“I want to jump Takashi’s bones. Lend us your wisdom.”
“Huh?”
Renji froze, unable to process what he’d just heard.
“S-sorry… I didn’t catch that. Can you say it again?”
“I want to get all hot and heavy with Takashi. Help us out.”
“No mistake there, huh…?”
Pressing his temples and staring at the ceiling, Renji thought to himself.
Is this chick’s brain infested with maggots or what?
Thoroughly creeped out, he watched as Fumika spoke up next.
“By the way, Renji-kun, you don’t get a say in this. You’re helping us with everything you’ve got.”
“Why the hell should I… Why do I have to—”
“Because of you, Taka-chan thinks I’m into you, Renji-kun. The least you can do is help out.”
“…”
Renji clammed up, stumbling over his rebuttal.
“N-no, that… that wasn’t my fault… The class just got the wrong idea…”
“Sure, the classmates spread the rumor, so you’re not to blame, right? But who started it?”
“…”
“That’s right. You, Renji-kun.”
Her icy glare pinned him down.
Renji had no comeback.
It all started about two years ago, when Takashi was conscripted. Back when Renji was still in elementary school.
He and Takashi had hit it off big time.
Hanging out together was a blast, and Renji didn’t care if Fumika was around—he’d call Takashi up constantly.
Of course, that didn’t sit well with Taka-chan-obsessed Fumika-chan.
Every time they crossed paths, they’d bicker over Takashi.
That was probably what sparked it.
The classmates, seeing them clash daily, started spreading a rumor.
Fumika and Renji were tsundere for each other.
They fought because they secretly liked each other.
They were, in fact, head over heels.
“Honestly, I didn’t care what the class thought. As long as I had Taka-chan, nothing else mattered.”
“Y-yeah…”
“But then Taka-chan believed that stupid rumor… Can you imagine how I felt, Renji…?”
“Okay, okay, I get it… I’ll help, just let me help…”
Sensing Fumika’s tone growing harsher, Renji agreed in a small voice.
Takashi’s conscription had left the issue unresolved, but Renji had always felt pretty guilty about it.
“But, like… jumping his bones? Let’s not go there. I can’t help with that…”
“Of course it’s a joke. We wouldn’t actually do that.”
“Bullshit.”
I know you two were scheming to pounce on Takashi… Renji grumbled to himself.
Forging a fake marriage certificate, sneaking around with high-tech cameras for candid shots.
“Anyway, we’ve gotta do something about all these gorgeous girls piling up around Takashi!”
“Just today, there’s Ciel-san, Hibari-sama, and Ashibara-senpai… It’s turning into a huge rumor…”
“And why was Sumire-san even in the first-year classrooms…? We should’ve done something about her… Damn it…”
“Ugh… Taka-chan’s all I have… We’ve been together since we were born…”
The carnivorous maidens muttered curses under their breath, their obsession with Takashi as intense as ever.
“So, what do I need to do to help?”
Sick of soaking in their negative vibes, Renji steered the conversation back on track.
“Right… No matter how you slice it, childhood friends are the best, right? Any way to make Takashi see that? Like, make him rethink how awesome we are!”
“If possible, I’d love an event that makes Taka-chan go all kyuun for me. I wanna make his heart race!”
“Childhood friends are the best, and something to make Takashi go kyuun…”
Renji crossed his arms, mulling it over with a low “Hmmm…”
After a few minutes of thinking, he spoke up.
“How about… the beach? Takashi’s always loved swimming.”
“The beach? Would that make Taka-chan go kyuun?”
Tilting her head, Fumika prompted Renji to continue.
“No, I was just thinking yesterday, watching Takashi… doesn’t he seem kinda desperate to have fun?”
“Desperate to have fun… It’s more like Taka-chan’s acting like he can’t waste a single second of school life. Even with making friends. He said, dead serious, that the more friends he makes, the more fun it’ll be.”
“Come to think of it, he got night game tickets for the entire class, didn’t he? Is he seriously planning to befriend everyone?”
“God, he’s so bad at making friends…” Rinko said with a faint smile.
A gentle smile, one she only showed for Takashi.
“So, friends aside, if we make things fun for Takashi, he’ll be thrilled, right? We know the kind of stuff he’s into, so if we plan something like that, he might think, ‘Hanging with my childhood friends is the best.’”
“So the beach, huh… I see…”
“And at the beach, you guys can wear swimsuits. Show off those killer curves, and even Takashi’s bound to get a little kyuun. Probably.”
At Renji’s words, the maidens’ expressions shifted.
Their figures were leagues beyond the average schoolgirl’s—deadly weapons in their own right.
They could flaunt them boldly, without being crass, and make a real impact.
A brilliant idea.
This could hold its own against Natalie or Sherry.
“Plus, I bet Takashi doesn’t even own a swimsuit, so you could use shopping as an excuse to drag him on a date. Totally natural.”
“…”
“…”
“Save up some cash, and we could even make it an overnight trip. Jumping his bones is a no-go, but who knows, maybe Takashi’ll get in the mood himself.”
“This guy’s a genius…”
“As expected of our heartthrob… popping off ideas like popcorn…”
Rinko and Fumika were shaking in their boots.
For two hopeless romantics with zero love experience aside from Takashi, Renji’s idea was something they’d never have come up with, not even if they stood on their heads.
“Renji-kun’s plan is a go! Let’s start strategizing which beach to hit! Ehehe~… Taka-chan… just you wait~…”
“Leave the money to me! I may not look it, but I’m raking it in! We’re not skimping on expenses!”
With a clear direction set, Fumika and Rinko’s voices regained their spark.
“You’re helping us plan, Renji-kun! No bailing yet!”
“Yeah! You’re sticking with us for the long haul!”
“Yeah, yeah… By the way, I’ve been wondering—when did you two start teaming up?”
At Renji’s question, Fumika and Rinko exchanged a glance.
Rinko muttered, No choice, right? before answering.
“I mean… Takashi and Natalie-san are, like, insanely close… Seeing that, how could we not panic…?”
“Yeah… those two are super tight, huh?”
“We can’t afford to be fighting each other… We’ve gotta work together to turn Takashi’s attention back to his childhood friends…”
Rinko growled, Tch!
Even to Renji, Takashi and Natalie seemed completely at ease with each other.
Whether it was romantic or not was hard to say, but their trust was undeniable.
“Well, if anything comes up, talk to me. If anyone’s gonna end up with him, I’m rooting for you two.”
Despite everything, the three of them went way back.
Having watched Fumika and Rinko pine for years, Renji was Team Childhood Friends.
“As expected of Renji-kun… Are you a saint or something?”
“You’re such a good guy… Alright, it’s decided! Invite your girlfriend to the beach too, Renji-kun! My treat, as a thank-you!”
“Huh? For real?”
“Totally! I haven’t seen Chie-san in forever, so it’s perfect timing!”
Rinko pointed at him sharply, her face saying, No backing out.
“Chie’s gonna be thrilled… She loves you guys.”
“Why don’t we call Chie-chan here now? We can plan together.”
“Good idea.”
With that, Renji pulled out his phone and started tapping.
4
A week had passed since Tomoe-chan’s meltdown and Sherry’s chaotic intrusion.
No major incidents cropped up, and life settled into a calm routine.
After a week, the classroom vibe started to stabilize, and my place in it became clearer.
A gloomy, rotten scoundrel. That’s where I stood.
“Heyy! Takasī! Check this out~ Rinko-chan did these for me~”
Natalie spread her palms, showing off the backs of her hands.
Her nails were adorned with vibrant, cute polish and sparkly accents.
“Whoa! Those are super cute. What’s with the shiny stones? Gems?”
“They’re called stones, like nail accessories~ Pretty cute, huh~?”
Flashing her glossy nails, Natalie grinned ear to ear.
She looked ecstatic. Seeing her this happy made me happy too.
“Takashi-kun! I jumped on the bandwagon too! Feast your eyes! Bam!”
Sherry spread her hands like Natalie.
Her nails were painted in gorgeous colors, dotted with adorable stones.
“Damn… Sherry, yours are crazy cute too…”
“Right!? With the nail job and the uniform vibe, I’m, like, insanely cute now, aren’t I!?”
Beaming, Sherry bounced up and down.
She was having a blast with her makeover, practically glowing with joy.
Man, she’s laughing a lot these days… The ultra-grumpy Sherry from the battlefield? Nowhere to be found.
Lately, I’ve been thinking—don’t these two just shine?
They look like total extroverts.
I wanna be an extrovert too.
“Maybe I should get Rinko to do my nails… Something super cute and pretty to outshine you guys…”
“What are you saying…? A battle-hardened hero getting a manicure? Please, don’t…”
Tomoe-chan’s face twitched.
Hero, schmero. I just wanna be an extrovert.
“But, like… I’m apparently a total introvert, so maybe if I get a cute makeover with some nails, I could turn into an extrovert? You think so too, right, Tomoe-chan?”
“No. Way. It’ll ruin your cool image, so absolutely stop it!”
Tomoe-chan furrowed her brows behind her glasses, pursing her lips.
No nails, huh… Thought it was a solid plan…
“Takasī~ What’s an introvert~?”
“introvert’s slang for someone with no friends. extrovert’s the opposite.”
“Hmm~ First time hearing that~…”
“Me too. Just learned it the other day.”
When Amano-kun told me.
I thought it was short for incandescent lamp at first.
“introvert, extrovert, who cares, Takasī~? I mean, I’ve barely made any real friends besides Tomoe-chan~”
“Same here, to be honest. I guess I’m an introvert too.”
“Me too. You guys are my first real friends, you know? Borrowing Takashi-san’s words, I’m an introvert too, huh?”
The three of them cackled, embracing their introvert status.
Come to think of it… I haven’t seen them chatting with other classmates lately.
They talk fine with Renji and the others, so I figured they had more friends.
That’s surprising.
“Well, introvert or not, let’s just have fun as a group of four~ Weyy~”
“Guess we’re renaming Pointers to introvert, huh? Weyy!”
“Uh… wey… weyy…”
Natalie and Sherry exchanged a fiery fist bump.
Tomoe-chan joined in late, looking shy but jumping into the circle.
Is this how introvert roll? Tomoe-chan looks totally lost.
“Come on, Takasī, join in~ Weyy!”
“Exactly! Get in here, Takashi-kun! Weyy!”
“I-I did it too, you know! You better do it right, Takashi-san!”
“Alright, alright… weyy.”
Not really getting it, I stuck out my fist as told.
No clue if I’ll ever be an extrovert, but this? Kinda fun in its own way.
Next up was gym class.
The guys stayed in the classroom, changing into their gym clothes.
I followed suit, getting ready.
It was my first gym class since transferring.
Since our transfers haven’t done the fitness tests, we’re starting individual assessments today.
Gotta sync up with Natalie and Sherry later… If we go in blind, it’ll only cause trouble…
As I changed, lost in thought, a group of guys surrounded me.
All of them had grim looks.
Amano-kun was there too.
“Hey, Shibuzaki… got a sec…?”
Amano-kun’s voice was sharp as he spoke.
What’s up with him…? He hasn’t talked to me since my first day.
“I’m fine. Something wrong?”
“Something wrong? Don’t play dumb, you cocky bastard!!”
A buzzcut guy next to Amano-kun bellowed.
He glared up at me with intense eyes.
“Why’re you so pissed…? I keep saying this, but have I done something to you guys? I haven’t, right?”
“You have, that’s why we’re pissed! You got no self-awareness!? I’ll kill you!”
“Whoa, whoa, chill, Shimura…”
Amano-kun calmed down the guy called Shimura.
Even hyped-up Shimura seemed to defer to Amano-kun, gradually cooling off.
Man, what a heartthrob. I wanna be a heartthrob too.
“So, uh, Shibuzaki… Did you say something to Natalie-san and the others?”
I was still marveling when Amano-kun brought the conversation back.
“Hm? Say what?”
“Like… ‘Stay away from those guys’ or ‘Ignore them if they talk to you.’”
“Huh?”
What’s he talking about?
“I don’t get what you mean.”
“Don’t play dumb, you jerk!! You said something stupid, and that’s why Natalie-san and the others changed!!”
“Changed? Changed how?”
“You’re still acting clueless, huh!?! I’ll murder you!!”
Shimura grabbed my collar, losing it.
Answer the question instead of yelling, dude… Geez.
I poked his nose with my finger, flashing the cutest upward glance.
“Shimura-kyun♡ Yelling all the time won’t make you popular, y’know? C-a-l-m d-o-w-n♡”
“Gahhh!?”
Even after my adorable warning, Shimura got more pissed.
Amano-kun scrambled to hold him back.
“Shimura, stop! This isn’t getting us anywhere, so back off!”
“But this introvert—!!”
“Just let me handle this! Please!”
“F-fine… Damn it!!”
Shimura kicked my desk, glaring as he stormed off.
No need to get that mad… Wasn’t I cute enough?
Glancing between Amano-kun and Shimura, a pang of sadness hit me.
“Natalie and the others are ignoring people…?”
“Yeah… And it’s not just us guys. The girls are getting ignored too…”
Apparently, Natalie, Sherry, and Tomoe-chan have been giving the entire class the cold shoulder.
No matter who tries talking to them, they just get a blatant glare in return.
“So we figured you told Natalie-san and the others to ignore us…”
“I didn’t say anything like that…”
Can they stop pinning everything on me? I haven’t done anything.
“Tch, then… why are we getting ignored?”
“Dunno. No clue.”
I tilted my head, continuing to change.
Stripped to the waist, I pulled my gym clothes from my bag.
“Shibuzaki… you know something, don’t you? Spill it…”
“Nah, I’m serious, I’ve got no idea. Maybe they’re just in a bad mood?”
“But they talk to you just fine… That’s weird, right…?”
“…Now that you mention it.”
Amano-kun, who’d been looking down, lifted his head and froze, staring at my chest.
His eyes widened, locked in place.
“W-w-what the…!? H-huge…!!”
“Don’t stare so hard… It’s embarrassing! Pervert!”
Amano-kun’s words slurred, and the other guys around me were fixated on my pecs too.
Aren’t they staring a bit much? Bunch of creeps. Hopeless dudes!
“Man… If I stick around here, these horndogs might jump me…”
“We’re not jumping you!! Stop saying dumb shit!!”
“Then quit staring at my pecs!”
“Tch, that’s…”
Amano-kun and the others faltered, at a loss for words.
They glared at me, frustration boiling over as one of them forced out a response.
“Your body… it’s insane… How much do you have to train to get like that…?”
Amano-kun pointed at my abs.
He muttered a single word, trembling with awe.
5
“Minami-cha~n. You’re the English teacher, right~? Why’re you out here~?”
Gym class. Off in a corner of the schoolyard, away from the other classmates.
Our homeroom teacher, Minami-chan, stood before us in her gym clothes.
“Well, um… There’s a rule that the homeroom teacher handles fitness tests for transfer students… So, I’m taking your measurements today…”
“Hmm~ Got it~ Let’s do this~”
“Um… Uh, by the way, why is Hibari-sama here…?”
Minami-chan’s gaze shifted to Tomoe-chan, who was casually lingering like it was no big deal.
She looked terrified of her.
“H-Hibari-sama, you’re supposed to be in the gym for table tennis this period… This is only for transfer students—”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“N-no, um… With all due respect… If you stay here… it’ll count as an absence from gym class… And I’ll be held responsible, and my evaluation—”
“I said, don’t worry about me. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Eep… Y-Yes… S-Sorry…”
Minami-chan bowed her head, letting out a groveling Heh… hehehe…
Still weak to authority, huh? Love that about her, though.
“A-Anyway! Let’s start with the fifty-meter dash!”
Acting like nothing happened, she clapped her hands to grab our attention.
“The distance is from here to there! I’ll be at the finish line, so run when I say ‘Ready, go!’”
“Sorry to interrupt, but may I ask a question?”
Sherry raised her hand daintily.
“Hm? What is it, Aisuran-san?”
“For the fifty-meter dash, what time do I need to score a perfect ten?”
“A perfect score? Let’s see…”
She flipped through her binder, scanning the pages.
After a quick read, she answered Sherry’s question.
“For girls, 7.7 seconds gets you a ten.”
“And for boys?”
“For boys… um… 6.6 seconds, I think.”
6.6 seconds, huh…
Natalie leaned in close, whispering in my ear.
“Takasī… So, like, aim for five seconds~?”
“I looked it up earlier, but that’d break a world record, so we gotta dial it back. Ideally, hit 7.7 seconds exactly.”
“7.7 seconds, huh~ Got it~”
Sherry joined our hushed huddle.
“Instead of exactly 7.7 seconds, shouldn’t we aim for around 7.5? There’s the lag from Minami-san pressing the stopwatch.”
“Yeah, if she’s slow to click and we end up at 7.8, we’re screwed… Let’s aim for minus 0.2 seconds or so.”
“So 7.5 seconds~ Roger that~”
We kept our voices low, strategizing.
Tomoe-chan, watching us, raised a suspicious eyebrow.
“What’re you guys whispering about? Let me in on it.”
“Just a strategy meeting, nothing major.”
“Strategy meeting? For what?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
I shrugged and answered her question.
“To rack up good grades without standing out too much.”
Back on the battlefield, slaughtering those damn Debris that crawled out like maggots every single day, I swore one thing to myself: I’d survive, no matter what, and live happier than anyone else.
Forced to carry the fate of the world, my body beaten to a pulp, enduring hellish days—I only held onto my humanity because of that vow.
Now that I’ve made it back, I’m not compromising. Not one bit.
I’m gonna savor this high school life to the fullest, nail my grades, get into a top university, land a great job, become a high earner, and sip wine in a penthouse tower.
This test is the first step toward that dream.
Scoring high here is the shortcut to becoming a big-time taxpayer.
“Shibuzaki-kun~ Ready~? Here we go~! On your mark…”
I crouched into a starting position, dropping my hips, projecting I’m going all out to Minami-chan.
The key is to keep it natural.
If we went full throttle, Natalie, Sherry, and I could clear fifty meters in under a second.
But blasting through for a perfect ten would just get us labeled as freaks. Pointless.
No way can Minami-chan catch on.
We’re holding back hard!
“Ready, go!”
At her signal, I started counting in my head.
I timed 6.4 seconds on my internal clock, adjusting my speed to match.
If my timing’s off, I might overshoot 6.4 seconds. If I try to hit it exactly, my pace might look unnatural.
Either way, if the timing’s not perfect, Minami-chan might get suspicious.
For the first time in a while, I focused like hell and tore down the track.
“Alright, goal~! Let’s see the time…”
Minami-chan checked her stopwatch and let out a surprised gasp.
“Whoa! Amazing, Shibuzaki-kun! 6.3! 6.3 seconds! That’s incredible!”
“Hah… hah… Heh… heh… Nailed it…”
I panted heavily, playing up how exhausted I was.
Perfect… Minami-chan doesn’t suspect a thing.
She’s scribbling in her binder, all Wow, wow, without a hint of doubt on her face.
Nailed it.
Keep this up for the other events, and my gym grades will be solid.
Now it’s up to Natalie and Sherry.
Knowing them, they’ve got this in the bag.
“Goal~! Pinkstar-san and Aisuran-san’s times are…”
While I was lost in thought, Natalie and Sherry finished their runs.
I zoned out and missed them running. What’d they get?
“Whoa! Both of you tied at 7.5 seconds! Fast, fast!”
“Pfft, piece of cake.”
“Too easy~”
Natalie and Sherry grinned at each other, totally relaxed.
Hitting a precise time like that is tough… They’re unreal.
“Exactly the time you aimed for. You guys are nuts.”
“Right~? Praise me more, please~!”
“Yeah, yeah~! Come on, come on~!! Pet my head~!!”
They smirked, shoving their heads toward me like Pet me now.
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“Fine, fine… There, there, there, there, there.”
I ruffled their heads haphazardly.
Their sleek, glossy hair got all messed up, but they just giggled, “Ehehe~,” looking thrilled.
What are they, puppies?
“Let’s keep this up for the rest of the events. Heh heh heh… My dream of being a big-time taxpayer’s getting closer…”
“God, Takashi-kun, you’re such a normie… Like, a total petit bourgeois or whatever…”
“No way a hero thinks like that~ But, y’know, I kinda love that about you~”
They just don’t get it…
Real happiness is always found in the everyday moments… Guess I’ve gotta make them understand (cue mission vibes).
I smirked at the oblivious duo, but then Tomoe-chan, who’d been staring at the ground, started muttering under her breath.
“W-Wait a sec… No, that’s not… That’s not right…”
“Hm? What’s up, Tomoe-chan?”
“What’s up?! What the hell are you guys doing?! This isn’t what I wanted to see!”
She stomped her feet, brows furrowed, and let out a loud wail.
“Get hyped! Why’re you playing it so small?!”
6
Hibari Family Guard Unit, Report No. 4
Natalie Turquoise Pinkstar: A special bio-soldier of the United Nations Joint Special Command, Second Ground Forces.
Known by the moniker Endpoint, she’s quite the celebrity.
The only soldier in the military to receive over a hundred doses of Type-A Aria cells, she possesses exceptional combat skills and superhuman physical abilities.
Her knack for tearing Debris apart with her bare hands apparently evokes comparisons to a gorilla.
Along with Aisuran (detailed below), her excessive combat prowess and problematic personality have earned her a spot as one of the military’s four high-risk individuals.
Ciel Aisuran: A special bio-soldier of the United Nations Joint Special Command, Third Reconnaissance Unit.
Also known as Turning Point, she’s just as renowned as Pinkstar.
A woman infused with eleven types of Debris cells, one of only three individuals with over ten cell types.
Her high regenerative abilities allow her to recover even if half her body is blown away, leading some soldiers to whisper she’s a “zombie reincarnate.”
All her infused cells seem tailored for combat, giving her exceptional fighting capabilities, on par with Pinkstar.
Takashi Shibuzaki: A special bio-soldier of the United Nations Joint Special Command, First Support Unit.
Nicknamed Arrival Point, humanity’s ultimate destination.
The only one in the military capable of keeping Pinkstar and Aisuran in check, suggesting combat abilities comparable to theirs.
This concludes the newly obtained information.
As expected, information on Takashi Shibuzaki remains abnormally difficult to acquire.
Details about the extent of his enhancements or specific abilities are still entirely unknown.
It’s likely his data is classified as the military’s highest level of secrecy.
Three days ago, when Tomoe-chan got her hands on this report, she’d been buzzing with anticipation.
She couldn’t wait for the moment they’d unleash their full superhuman potential.
Superhuman physical abilities? Combat skills to match?
For a chuunibyou like Tomoe-chan, it was more than enough to set her curiosity ablaze.
Maybe Takashi and the others could recreate those epic scenes from manga and anime she’d seen a million times.
In her fantasies, she’d replayed lines like, “Huh? Why’re you so shocked over something like this?” or “What? Did I do something again?”
Just imagining it made her heart race.
She lived for those cocky, over-the-top anime moments.
So, this situation? Unacceptable.
“What are you doing?! Get serious!”
“We are serious! This is the most serious I’ve been in six months!”
Here we go again with this kid… Takashi’s face screamed annoyance.
Seeing that look, Tomoe-chan barked even louder.
“What’s with that face?! I’m the one who should be making that face! You’re not getting away with this!”
“Why’re you so pissed…? I don’t get it…”
“Your ball throw, your long jump—all average results! And just barely above the cutoff for top scores! Get serious!”
“…That was our full effort. Can’t do better than that.”
“Don’t play dumb!! I know you’re holding back!!”
Tomoe-chan swung her fists wildly, protesting at Takashi.
He looked even more annoyed, clearly stung by her dead-on accusation.
“H-Hey, keep it down, Tomoe-chan… What if Minami-chan overhears…?”
“Then get serious! Break world records left and right, blow everyone’s minds, and go, ‘Why’re you so shocked? My time’s too slow or something?’ with all the swagger! Come on!”
“No way.”
“Why not?!”
Tomoe-chan collapsed to her knees, pounding the ground in frustration.
“Get serious… Show off already… Waaah…”
And then she started sobbing quietly.
Even Natalie and Sherry could only manage awkward smiles at this.
“H-Hibari-sama?! What’s wrong?! Hibari-sama?!”
Minami-chan rushed over, frantic.
Ignoring her desperate attempts to calm her, Tomoe-chan kept crying like a kid.
“Idiot… sniff… Takashi-san, you jerk…”
After finishing the outdoor tests, Takashi and the others moved to the gym.
They had to switch locations for grip strength and back strength tests.
“You stole my fun… sniff… Takashi-san, you jerk…”
“Don’t sound like you’re cursing me to death… Give me a break…”
“Fine, I’ll give you a break if you show off now! Go, ‘Did I do something again?’ and act all cocky!”
“I said no… Everyone’s staring, so pull yourself together already…”
Thanks to Tomoe-chan’s half-sobbing, the Class D kids playing table tennis were all gawking.
The Hibari heiress crying was more than enough to draw a crowd.
“Gonna spark another weird misunderstanding… They’re glaring at me like demons… Sigh…”
“Don’t get so down, Takasī~ Later, this lovely Natalie-chan’ll give you a smooch to cheer you up~ Chin up~”
“No choice, huh~ Tonight, I’ll comfort you with my dynamite bust. Cry your heart out~”
“Woo! Awesome! Can’t wait!”
Takashi replied in a flat, monotone voice.
Brushing off their half-hearted consolations, they started the grip and back strength tests.
Then, as if remembering something, Takashi changed the subject.
“Oh, yeah, I meant to ask you guys.”
“Hm~? What’s up~?”
“What is it?”
“Why’re you ignoring the class?”
Natalie, grinning as she squeezed the grip strength tester; Sherry, straddling the back strength machine; Tomoe-chan, sitting cross-legged and sniffling.
All three froze.
“Takasī. Who’d you hear that from~?”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re not denying it, so you are ignoring them, huh?”
“It’s not like we’re ignoring them~ Just… not in the mood to chat, y’know~”
“That’s the same thing. Everyone wants to get close to you, Natalie, so why shut them out?”
“I don’t really wanna get close to them~”
Natalie’s face went blank as she gripped the tester tighter.
Her expression made it clear she was in a foul mood.
“You too, Sherry?”
“Yes. I’m with Natalie-san on this.”
“Any reason?”
“Of course. But I’m not telling you, Takashi-kun.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean? Tell me. We’re finally living the high school life—”
Takashi cut himself off, words catching in his throat.
Sherry was pissed. Like, military-level pissed.
“Well, it’s no wonder Natalie-san and Sherry-san are mad. I’m pretty ticked at them too.”
“The way they’re sniffing around for answers through Takashi-kun pisses me off. Total garbage.”
“Once or twice, I could let it slide as a joke, but this whole week? It’s getting on my nerves~”
The three grumbled, muttering complaints.
The grip and back strength testers started creaking ominously under their grip.
“H-Hey! The equipment! You’re gonna break it!”
Before he could stop them, a loud BANG echoed through the gym.
Unconsciously pouring in too much strength, Natalie crushed the grip tester’s handle, and Sherry snapped the back strength machine’s chain.
Both went pale.
“W-What do we do, Takashi?! We broke it!”
“Cover it up! Tell Minami-chan it broke when you dropped it!”
“T-Takashi-kun! The back strength machine’s showing a max reading! What do we do?!”
“I’ll tell Minami-chan I’ll pay for it to buy time—just smash the display! Don’t let her find out!”
“Amazing, you guys! So cool! Now say it! ‘What? Did I do something?’ and swagger like crazy!”
“Tomoe-chan, shut it for a sec! Please!”
The three scrambled in a panic while the chuunibyou beamed with glee.
One of Tomoe-chan’s dreams came true.
7
At a café, four foreigners sat together.
A rare sight for a small-town café—stunningly gorgeous foreigners, no less.
Sipping tea with elegance, they looked like a scene straight out of a movie. Anyone would think so; they were that beautiful.
“Almost time, huh…?”
“Almost time, big sis…”
Two women, identical except for their hairstyles, murmured.
Despite the early summer heat, they wore long black dresses, covering every inch of skin.
Unfazed by the warmth, they whispered with cool expressions.
"It's almost four o'clock, innit? ... Shouldn't we get started soon, like?”
A boy with a slightly off-key Kansai accent joined their conversation.
Unlike the women, he was dressed for summer in short sleeves and shorts.
But despite his casual look, he was strikingly beautiful, with an air far too mature for his appearance—probably no older than an early elementary schooler, yet exuding a grown-up vibe.
The tall man responded to the boy’s words.
“Yeah… Let’s get started. Everyone ready? Got your resolve?”
A mystical man, like a prince straight out of a shoujo manga.
His captivating voice drew nods from the two women and the boy.
““We’re good.””
"I'm all set, y'know. Had a ton of time to toughen up proper.”
“Alright…”
The tall man stood, his voice ringing with resolve.
“Then let’s go. Time to bring back Endpoint and Turning Point.”
◇◇◇
It was surprisingly easy to cover up.
Maybe Minami-chan didn’t even consider that flashy Natalie and Sherry could break the equipment with raw strength, because she bought my excuse without a second thought.
If Minami-chan was the suspicious type, we’d have been toast. Her good nature saved us.
By the way, Tomoe-chan covered the cost of the broken grip and back strength testers.
She handed Minami-chan a stack of cash, saying it was thanks for the “good show” or something, practically forcing her to take it.
What was so fun about that…? I don’t get what modern heiresses are thinking…
On another note, there’s something I need to think about.
Natalie, Sherry, and Tomoe-chan are ignoring Amano-kun and the others.
From what they said, it sounds like the classmates did something to them… but I’m not quite sure what.
This past week, I’ve been with those three almost constantly. I’ve spent more time with them than apart.
That’s why I know—the classmates haven’t done anything to harass them.
If anything, they’ve been nothing but friendly.
Everyone’s been fawning over them… so why are they pissed?
Since I don’t know the reason, I can’t exactly tell them to stop ignoring people either… What do I do?
I thought about it the whole rest of class. Racked my brain hard.
In the end, I came up empty.
After school.
The moment the final bell rang, the classroom door flew open with a BAM.
“Takashi! You in here?! Your childhood friends are calling!”
“Taka-cha~n! You there~?”
Rinko and Fumika barged in like they owned the place.
They didn’t give a damn about the classmates’ stares. Their bold swagger was downright impressive.
Manly as hell.
“Right here. Just packing up, so give me a sec.”
“No need to stop, just tell us—you free this weekend?”
“This weekend?”
“We’re going shopping for swimsuits. You don’t have one, right, Takashi?”
“Swimsuit…”
I think I bought one three years ago… Nah, no good. I’ve grown a lot since then; it probably doesn’t fit anymore.
“Don’t have one.”
“Then we’re going shopping! I, the pro, will pick out the perfect swimsuit for you!”
“Ohh… Thanks. But why swimsuits?”
Fumika jumped in to answer my question.
“So! We’re planning to hit the beach when summer break starts! You love the beach, right, Taka-chan?”
“Yeah.”
“So we thought we’d prep for it! What do you think?”
“The beach…”
Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen the beach in three years except for troop movements or naval battles.
I’d totally forgotten, but I swore I’d hit the beach once I got back to Japan.
It’s happening.
That dream from back then is actually happening!
“Hell yeah, I’m in! It’s been forever since I’ve been to the beach, so I’m legit pumped!”
“It’s settled then. Let’s go buy swimsuits! You pick out ones for us too, Taka-chan!”
“Leave it to me! Manly Takashi’s gonna give it his all!”
As I declared that, Fumika and Rinko exchanged a glance, smirking slyly.
Operation successful—that’s the vibe they were giving off.
“Fumika-cha~n! Did you just say the beach~?”
Natalie cut in, throwing her arms around Fumika.
Rinko and Fumika’s sly smirks froze.
“Uh, w-what? N-No, um… w-well…”
“Lemme help pick out swimsuits too~ Take me with you, pretty ple~ase~?”
“Uh… well…”
Why are they side-eyeing each other?
Their Operation successful faces flipped to Oh crap, we’re screwed!
“U-Um, Natalie-san… the beach is… kinda… just for us…”
“I’ll pick out a swimsuit for Rinko-chan too~ You both have killer figures, so anything’ll look great on you~”
“…Uh… w-well…”
“Ehehe~ It’s been forever since I’ve been to the beach~ So excited~”
“…Uh, um…”
Rinko’s face soured as she watched Natalie practically skip with joy.
Muttering Tch… and Ugh… under her breath, she eventually steeled herself, crossed her arms, and let out a bold shout.
“Of course, Natalie-san! You’re coming with us! Keep up!”
“Yayy~!”
“Wha—!? Rinko-chan!?”
Fumika closed in on Rinko at her declaration.
“If Natalie-chan tags along, our whole plan…”
“Plans change, Fumika-san! I can’t say no to a Natalie-san this happy!”
“Well… I can’t say no either…”
“Our main goal is to make sure Takashi has fun, so we can figure out the rest later!”
“Haha… True…”
Fumika smiled at that.
I don’t totally get it, but it seems like they worked it out. The vibe between Fumika and Rinko softened.
“U-Um… I’d like to go to the beach too…”
“Of course, Sherry-chan! Let’s go together!”
“C-Can I come too…?”
“Absolutely, Hibari-sama! Let’s all have a blast!”
“J-Just call me Tomoe… No need for formalities or ‘-sama’…”
The self-proclaimed introvert chatted happily with my childhood friends.
They might be at odds with the classmates, but they’re getting along great with Fumika and Rinko. Seeing them laugh together puts me at ease.
Good thing I introduced them. My childhood friends really are good people.
I gave a wry smile as Sherry gestured wildly with excitement, when—
A signal pinged in my brain.
‘Testing, testing…’
A man’s voice echoed in my head.
Not through my ears, but directly in my mind. Like telepathy or something.
This is Type-T Tina, right? I left the military, thought I’d never deal with this again… Who’s using it?
‘Alright… Can you hear me, Takashi-kun? If you can, respond.’
A familiar male voice. But I couldn’t quite place who it was.
Maybe because it’s in Japanese instead of English? The vibe’s throwing me off.
‘Who is this? Give me your model and name.’
‘Huh…? W-Wait, you forgot my voice? That’s… kinda sad…’
‘…’
‘C-Come on, don’t go quiet… I’ve been by your side all this time, haven’t I…?’
A smooth voice with a clingy tone… One guy came to mind.
‘Ohhh… You’re talking in Japanese, so I couldn’t tell who it was. Speak in English, you squid.’
‘Geez, that’s harsh… I worked hard to learn it…’
It’s been two months since I left the military.
Not that long, but hearing a war buddy’s voice after all this time made me a little happy.
‘Yo, Portman. You doing alright?’
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