Chapter 2 More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers
The following day.
“...”
I left the house at the usual time and headed for school, just like any other morning.
I transferred trains and walked down the path to the campus I knew by heart.
『—Please, go out with me.』
“...”
My feet came to a sudden halt.
I still couldn’t believe it. Actually, more than that, I had no idea how I was supposed to talk to her.
I wasn’t Renji. I didn’t have a clue how to handle a girl who’d just confessed to me.
As I let out a heavy sigh, a voice called out.
“—Ah, Amano-kun.”
My body went rigid.
I knew who it was from the voice alone.
“G-Good morning, Amano-kun.”
I turned around to find exactly who I expected: a beautiful girl with shoulder-length brown hair.
“...Yeah. Morning,” I managed to reply.
My greeting was a beat late, my voice cracking slightly. I knew I was acting suspicious as hell, but I wanted to plead my case—I wasn’t experienced enough to play it cool here.
I took another look at the girl standing before me.
She had soft, fluffy brown hair, large eyes, and the kind of figure that would catch any guy’s attention.
She really is popular... I thought, realized all over again. I stood there, frozen, wondering what the hell to do next.
“...”
“Ow! Ow, ow, ow!”
I let out a yelp as someone suddenly reached out and pinched my cheek.
Kashiwagi Kotoha stood in front of me, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.
“I hate it when you act like that,” she muttered.
“Huh?”
“I-I mean, I know! Maybe I went a bit overboard yesterday, or maybe it wasn’t supposed to go like that, or maybe I went home and spent three hours writhing around on my bed and couldn’t sleep a wink...!”
“Okay, okay. Just breathe,” I said, trying to calm her down.
She was rattling words off like a machine gun. Looking closer, her eyes were a little bloodshot.
“But I told you, didn’t I? That you have to treat me normally—as a friend,” she said, peering up at me with an upturned gaze.
I’m 173 centimeters tall. Kashiwagi is... 158, I think (according to her). They say fifteen centimeters is the ideal height difference for a couple. Not that it matters right now.
“...Right. Sorry. I’ll pull it together.”
“Good. Because if you give me the cold shoulder again, I’m going to link arms with you the whole way to the classroom.”
“...”
I will return to normal if it kills me.
I made a silent vow. I had a year and a half of high school left. The last thing I wanted was to spend it surrounded by murderous intent.
I shivered, imagining every guy in class looking at me with dead eyes.
“Shall we go, then?” Kotoha asked.
“...Lead the way.”
I’m just a friend. I’m just a friend. I kept repeating the mantra to myself as we passed through the school gates.
But even without our arms linked, having Kotoha walk right beside me drew a flood of glares... mostly from the boys.
I stole a glance at her and saw she looked rather pleased with herself.
“Hm? Something wrong?”
Apparently, she was completely oblivious to the daggers being stared into us.
(How can you not notice?!)
Just look at the rugby club over there! They look like they’re about to cry tears of blood! It’s terrifying!
“...Kashiwagi, I think you should pay a little more attention to your surroundings.”
“Eh? What do you mean?” she asked, tilting her head with a puzzled look.
It was cute, sure, but she was a bit slow. I suppose that was part of her charm, but I really wished she’d be more careful about our distance in public. I was still sighing to myself as we reached the entrance when—
“—Yu-Yukimura-san!”
A desperate, strained voice rang out from behind us.
“...?”
I turned toward the courtyard to see a female student clutching her hands as if in prayer—standing before Mizuki.
“U-Um... could we... talk for a second?”
“Hold it.”
As the girl tried to step closer to Mizuki, one of the girls from her "Imperial Guard" immediately stepped in her way.
It was a sharp-eyed, high-strung girl. I knew her. She was the leader of Mizuki’s fan club—one of the "extremists."
“Ugh...”
The girl froze under the harsh glare. To be honest, I was impressed she’d even tried to speak to Mizuki; even the guys rarely dared to approach her.
Yet, the girl didn’t run. She looked up at Mizuki with a soul-crushing, clinging expression.
(What’s going on?)
Something felt off. Just as a sense of unease took hold of me from the sheer desperation in that girl’s eyes—
“—It’s fine.”
A familiar voice drifted out from the center of the crowd.
The girls in the Guard turned around at the sound.
“Eh? Yu-Yukimura-san?”
“If you want to talk, I’ll listen,” Mizuki said.
The girl’s head snapped up at the words. The Guard reluctantly stepped back, looking annoyed.
“A-Actually! I wanted to ask for your advice again!”
“I see.”
“It’s about... my family. So, if possible... just the two of us.”
“Understood.”
Mizuki nodded, and the girl’s face lit up as if she’d just been granted salvation.
However, Mizuki’s expression remained entirely flat as she spoke.
“After school, then. We’ll talk privately.”
“...! Y-Yes!! Thank you!”
The girl nodded with overwhelming emotion. Her face was practically melting with relief, and tears welled in her eyes.
It wasn’t the way you looked at a classmate.
There were many girls like her who relied on Mizuki. Most of the fans surrounding her had supposedly become her devotees after Mizuki had looked after them in some way.
But...
(...Mizuki?)
As Mizuki looked back at the girl, her eyes held absolutely nothing.
Expressionless. Emotionless.
I suppose that was "normal" for her, but still...
“...Yukimura-san really is amazing, isn’t she?”
The voice beside me snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“The way everyone relies on her like that,” Kotoha said. “One of my friends said she got some advice from Yukimura-san, too.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. She’s been a total fan ever since. When I invited her to hang out the other day, she actually turned me down because there was a meeting for the Yukimura-san Fan Club.”
Kotoha gave a lonely little smile. I could only offer a vague, non-committal grin in return.
Being relied on. Being adored.
It was a sight I’d grown used to. To her, it was just the way things were.
“...Man, I really don't want to be compared to her,” Kotoha muttered under her breath.
“Kashiwagi?”
“Eh? Ah, no! It’s nothing!” She waved her hands frantically when I asked her to repeat herself. “I just thought... she really has that ‘charisma,’ you know?”
“Let’s go,” she said, tugging on my sleeve.
I nodded and finally made it to the shoe lockers.
(Charisma, huh?)
I wondered if it was really that simple.
The look in that girl’s eyes... that dazed, feverish glow. It wasn't just admiration or respect. It was something more dire, like someone clinging for dear life.
Faith.
The ridiculous word popped into my head.
She’s a classmate. Someone our own age. I wanted to believe I was being dramatic. But the more I thought about it, the more certain I was that the girl was genuinely intoxicated by Mizuki’s presence.
“Amano-kun?”
“Right, sorry.”
I shook my head to clear the thoughts and headed for the classroom.
◇
“—Career paths, huh?”
Later that day, after school.
Renji leaned back in a booth at a family restaurant, popping a french fry into his mouth as he let out a bored mumble.
During the afternoon homeroom, our teacher had given us a stern lecture.
『—Half of your sophomore year is already over. You need to start thinking about your future. Stop playing around so much.』
Most of the class, myself included, had grimaced at the reminder.
(My future... I mean, I plan on going to college.)
Getting into the best university possible was my current goal. But as for what lay beyond that... I had no idea.
I didn't have any special talents. I figured I’d just get a normal job somewhere.
(...I wonder about Mizuki.)
I thought of my childhood friend. What kind of future did she envision? Even if I asked, she probably wouldn't give me a straight answer.
“You have anything decided, Renji?” I asked.
“Nah, not a damn thing. I guess I’ll just aim for one of the top private schools. It’ll make me popular with the ladies.”
“...”
“I guess I’ll just aim for it,” he says.
As if he could just stroll into a top-tier university like that. He needed to apologize to every hardworking student in the country. And yet, the worst part was that he’d probably pull it off. That was just the kind of guy he was. Truly infuriating.
“Ahaha. Same as ever, I see,” Kotoha chimed in.
She was sitting right next to me, happily digging into a bowl of cream anmitsu with a bright smile.
Before exams, the three of us would occasionally have study sessions like this, so the situation wasn't exactly rare.
Well, it wasn't, but...
“...Say, aren't you two sitting a little close?” Renji asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
“Eh.”
“Uh.”
We both froze.
This was bad. Actually, I’d been thinking the same thing. Kotoha was definitely sitting a bit closer to me than usual. And there was no way this eagle-eyed bastard was going to miss a change like that.
Renji stared intently at me, then at Kotoha, back and forth. When we both looked away at the same time, his eyes went wide.
“I-Iori... don’t tell me, you...!”
My heart skipped a beat.
Renji pointed a trembling finger at me.
“...Did you score?!”
“No, we didn't!” I shouted.
The other customers in the restaurant jumped, staring at us, and I quickly hunched over to hide.
I stole a glance at the seat next to me. Kotoha was beet-red, all the way down to her neck. I’m so sorry, I thought.
“I mean, look at you two! ...Wait. Hold on. I can still smell the virginity on Iori... What’s going on here?”
“I’m actually going to punch you.”
Beside me, Kotoha’s hand was slowly reaching for a table knife.
Seeing that, Renji’s face twitched, and he threw his hands up in surrender.
“O-Okay, okay! My bad! My bad! Look, I think I get the gist of the situation. Congrats.”
“Huh?”
Renji was nodding to himself as if he’d reached some grand epiphany. I tilted my head, wondering what the hell he was talking about.
“You’re dating, right? There’s no way Iori could ever confess to someone, so Kashiwagi-chan finally decided to take the plunge, eh?”
“Ugh...”
Kotoha flinched at his words. She looked away from Renji and stole a shy glance at me.
(Guh...)
That look in her eyes—as if she were pleading for something—hit me with a wave of guilt.
“Man, this is great! My best friend finally has a girlfriend! And it’s the number two beauty in school, Kashiwagi-chan! You dog, you!”
Renji laughed heartily, clearly enjoying himself. In contrast, our expressions grew darker by the second.
Eventually, realizing we weren't laughing along, Renji stopped.
“Hm? What’s with the long faces?”
“...”
“...”
Neither of us answered.
Finally, it seemed to register that something was genuinely wrong.
“H-Hey? Why are you guys so quiet...? You are dating, right?”
Renji’s eyes darted between the two of us. Under his gaze, I found myself at a loss for words.
What should I do? Even if it was Renji, this wasn't something I could just blurt out.
But as I agonized over the decision—
“It’s okay, Amano-kun.”
“Eh?”
“You can tell Miyama-kun. He’s our friend, and I trust him... mostly.”
Kotoha gave a resigned smile. I was surprised. I didn't think she actually trusted him that much, considering how she usually treated him like a nuisance.
I guess they really were friends. And I knew Renji wasn't the type to go around gossiping.
(I guess I just have to own it.)
He’d find out eventually anyway. I couldn't make Kotoha be the one to say it.
Steeling my resolve, I opened my mouth.
—And then, I told him everything.
That Kotoha had confessed to me. That I had turned her down.
And that, despite that, we had decided to stay friends for now.
By the time I finished, Renji was wearing the stupidest expression I’d ever seen in my life.
“...Wait. Hang on. Just a second.”
He called for a timeout with a trembling voice. I stayed quiet, letting him process.
“Look, Iori? Did I hear you right? I thought I heard you say you turned down Kashiwagi-chan’s confession.”
“...”
I nodded silently. Renji looked at me like I was an alien from another galaxy.
“Why, though?”
It was a simple question. But that one word contained the entirety of Renji’s shock.
“I mean, you... what? It’s Kashiwagi-chan! Do you have any idea how many guys in this school would kill to go out with her?”
Believe me, I know. I looked up at the ceiling. He was absolutely right. There wasn't a single guy in this school who would turn down Kashiwagi Kotoha.
She was incredibly popular, with tons of guys seriously pursuing her. And yet...
“K-Kashiwagi-chan? Hey, is this for real?”
Renji turned to her, practically begging for a different answer.
Kotoha gave a small, wry smile.
“Yes... I got dumped.”
“...”
Renji looked up at the ceiling and let out a long, pained breath. He started muttering to himself. “Why? How? Makes no sense.”
I didn't have anything to say to that. If our positions were reversed, I knew I’d have the exact same reaction.
It was like winning the lottery and then setting the ticket on fire. You’d have to be insane.
(I really am an idiot, aren't I?)
I looked out the window. A couple had just left the restaurant, walking hand-in-hand.
If I changed my mind right now, I could have that happiness too. And with an incredibly cute, ideal girl at that.
I knew that... and yet, my answer remained the same.
After a full minute of silence, Renji finally rebooted.
“Okay, let me get this straight. To summarize: Kashiwagi-chan confessed to Iori? Iori dumped her? And after that... Kashiwagi-chan is going to keep trying to make Iori fall for her?”
“...”
“Yep, that’s about it,” Kotoha said cheerfully.
“...Isn't that just called being a 'backup'?” Renji asked with a dead-serious face.
I groaned and buried my face in my hands on the table. God, I knew it would sound like that!
Seeing me moan in agony, Renji practically flew out of his seat.
“I-Iori, you bastard! You’re always calling me a scumbag and a flirt, but look at you!”
“...Yeah, sorry.”
I had no comeback. He was right. I was in no position to judge him. This kind of relationship was definitely messed up. It was unfair to Kotoha.
But the moment the thought crossed my mind—
“Hey, Miyama-kun! Don't say unnecessary things! Now Amano-kun’s making that face—the one that says, 『This relationship is wrong. I’m being unfair to Kashiwagi.』”
“How the hell do you know exactly what I’m thinking?!”
It was terrifying. Was this "female intuition"? It was basically mind-reading.
“It’s fine! I’m the one who suggested it! I don't care if I’m a backup! I’m going to become the number one!”
Kotoha declared, her face flushed red.
I had no idea what kind of expression I was supposed to make after hearing that.
“N-No, but that’s crazy! It’s Kashiwagi-chan! If you’re gonna dump her, how beautiful is this childhood friend of yours? You got a photo?”
“I don't.”
I actually did. Plenty of them, from when we were kids until now. But if I showed him, it would be the end. In more ways than one.
“Man, whatever...” Renji muttered, collapsing back onto the sofa.
“I kind of want to see her too...” Kotoha whispered, but I did my best to pretend I hadn't heard her.
“...W-Well, okay. I get the situation. I mean, I don't understand a single shred of it, but I get it.”
“I-Is that so?”
Renji nodded repeatedly, as if trying to convince himself.
“Look, as you know, I’m not exactly in a position to lecture anyone about being unfaithful or whatever, so I’m not gonna say anything... just, try not to make things awkward between us, alright?”
“I’m not cut out for being a mediator,” Renji added, scratching his head.
“Hmm, I don’t want to make things awkward either. But I guess it depends on Amano-kun?”
“...”
She peered into my face playfully, and I froze like a statue.
Renji looked at me with a gaze full of genuine pity. To think the day would come when this guy would feel sorry for me over romance... This was the worst. Even if it was my own fault.
“Well, anyway. I’m staying neutral. As long as the three of us can still grab food together, I don’t care.”
With that, Renji said, “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it...” and stood up.
I watched his retreating back with a resentful glare as he left his share of the bill and made a quick exit.
Damn it. He really just bailed on me.
“Hehe.”
A soft giggle came from the seat beside me.
“...Kashiwagi?”
“Miyama-kun is actually pretty kind, isn’t he?”
“Wait, in what world?” I replied instantly, my face deadpan. Where exactly was the kindness in that?
“It’s hard to tell, but I think he was worried about us just now... well, mostly about you, Amano-kun.”
“About me?”
I looked at her skeptically, but Kotoha only gave me a gentle smile.
“I like it. The relationship you two have.”
“...Give me a break.”
I muttered from the bottom of my heart. We were together so much that the girls in class had started spreading horrifying rumors about who was the "top" and who was the "bottom."
Seeing how fed up I looked, Kotoha laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world.
◇
“...”
After seeing off Kotoha, who headed home with a refreshed smile and a cheerful “See ya,” I began my own walk back.
I thought about Renji at the restaurant. It was rare to see him so flustered.
His reaction was only natural. Turning down a confession from someone like Kotoha was practically unthinkable.
But it was the only thing I could do. I wasn’t clever enough to lie to myself. More than that, nobody would be happy if I’d accepted while my heart wasn't in it.
(Normal people probably don't overthink it this much, though.)
If a cute girl confesses, you date her. If it doesn't work out, you break up. That was just high school romance.
...If only I could be that detached. Life would be so much easier.
I looked up at the sky. Before I’d even noticed, the horizon had been swallowed by dull, leaden clouds.
I really am a piece of work, I thought, letting out a sigh.
...Drip. Drip.
“Eh?”
A few stray drops hit my cheek, and I let out a dumbfounded sound.
The next second—
SHHHHAAAAAAAAA...
“Y-You’ve gotta be kidding me...!”
The sky opened up, the rain pouring down with sudden violence. I used my bag as a makeshift shield and bolted across the crosswalk.
The rain was coming down way too hard. Now that I thought about it, the weather girl on the news this morning had said something about sudden squalls.
(I forgot my umbrella! This is the worst. It’s over ten minutes to my house from here.)
There was no way I could run home in this. I looked around for somewhere to take shelter, and my eyes landed on a familiar cafe.
(That place is...)
It was a shop I’d visited with Mizuki not too long ago.
It was one of those "book cafes"—a bookstore and cafe in one. It was a bit pricey, but Mizuki had liked the quiet atmosphere.
“...!”
Thinking of that, I hurried under the storefront's awning.
(Dammit, I got wetter than I thought.)
I’d tried to use my bag as a shield, but there was no way I was getting home without an umbrella.
I didn't see a convenience store nearby, so I gave up and pulled open the door.
“—Welcome. Table for one?”
An apron-clad server immediately came over to greet me.
Still worried about my damp clothes, I started to answer.
“Yes, just me—”
(...Ah.)
In the back of the shop, I spotted a head of beautiful black hair.
Even from a distance, I knew it was her. I froze for a split second.
“...Actually, I’m meeting someone.”
The server tilted their head slightly in confusion but quickly bowed and said, “Right this way.”
(Why is she here?)
I wiped my hair with a handkerchief as I headed toward the back.
The corner sofa booth was wrapped in a strange, distinct atmosphere.
A beautiful girl sat there. Her back was perfectly straight, her glossy black hair cascading down her shoulders.
Just by reading a book, she seemed to exist in a different world from everyone else. The other customers stole glances from a distance, but no one dared to approach her.
Yet, the girl herself seemed completely indifferent to the eyes on her, focused entirely on the volume in her hands.
“—Mizuki.”
I called out softly. Her slender shoulders gave a tiny start.
She looked up, and our eyes met.
“...Iori?”
Mizuki tilted her head, looking surprised. The gap between her mature beauty—which didn't look like that of a high-schooler—and her cute gestures was staggering.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“That’s my line... It’s seven o’clock already.”
Mizuki checked her watch and let out a small gasp.
“Sorry. I didn't notice.”
She murmured the words, her eyebrows drawing together slightly.
“Dinner is going to be late.”
“...It’s fine. Actually, let’s just eat here. It’s pouring outside anyway.”
Mizuki turned her gaze toward the window.
“You’re right. It’s coming down hard.”
She spoke in a flat, monotone voice. She really hadn't noticed? She must have been incredibly engrossed in that book.
That was rare for her. Usually, when she read, it was just to kill time; I’d never seen her get so lost in a story before.
“Was that book really that interesting?”
I looked at the book in her hands. It had a cover on it, so I couldn’t see the title.
Mizuki gave a small nod.
“Yes. A girl in my class recommended it. It was very good.”
“Huh... What’s it about?”
I asked casually, and Mizuki looked back down at the book.
Then, she offered a faint, fleeting smile.
“...Mizuki?”
When I called her name again, she spoke softly.
“—It’s a story about a doll girl and an ordinary boy who fall in love.”
She stroked the cover of the book gently.
(...A doll?)
I was confused. What a strange story, was my honest first impression.
I was a little curious, but... was it really something to get that obsessed over?
“That’s unusual for you, getting so into a book like that.”
“Is it? ...Yes, perhaps it is.”
“Is it different from other romance novels?”
“Mm. At least, it is to me.”
She carefully tucked a bookmark into the pages and placed the book in her bag as if it were a precious treasure.
...Hearing her say all that actually made me interested. Maybe I’d ask to borrow it when she was finished. Just as the thought crossed my mind—
“—Are you ready to order?”
The server returned, and I hurriedly opened the menu.
—I ordered an omelet rice, while Mizuki went with the seafood pasta. We both finished our meals completely.
“That was actually pretty good.”
“Yes.”
Mizuki seemed satisfied with the food as well.
Whenever we ate out, her expression rarely changed whether the food was good or bad, but when she liked something, the air around her softened ever so slightly.
Today was clearly a win.
Feeling relieved, I checked the news on my phone. It looked like the squall would let up in about ten minutes.
“The rain should stop in about ten minutes,” I said.
“I see.”
Mizuki took a sip of her tea and nodded.
Ten minutes... It was a bit of an awkward amount of time. Maybe I should do some review for today’s classes.
Just as I was about to open my bag—
“—Iori, did something happen?”
Mizuki asked quietly. The question made me stop mid-motion.
“...What do you mean, suddenly?”
“Just a hunch. You seem like you’re troubled by something.”
Mizuki stared directly into my eyes.
Troubled. The image of a certain brown-haired girl popped into my mind, but I couldn't tell her about that.
“It’s nothing, really.”
“Liar.”
I tried to look away, but her gaze held me pinned.
“Are you keeping secrets from me?”
Her tone was calm, yet I felt a faint, inexplicable sense of wrongness.
Her expression didn't change, but the color of her eyes shifted slightly. They became inorganic, cold. The moment I saw those eyes, a memory flashed through my mind.
『—Iori? It’s okay now, see?』
My consciousness returned along with a dull headache.
...Why did I just think about that time?
I didn't know. But more importantly, I had to answer her. I couldn't talk about Kotoha. So, what should I say? As I searched for an answer, my mouth moved on its own.
“...Hypothetically speaking.”
Mizuki watched me intently as I began to speak, saying nothing.
“If there was someone you liked... and someone who liked you.”
This was purely a hypothetical. I clung to that excuse as I posed the question to her.
“Which one would you choose, Mizuki?”
The moment the words left my lips, I regretted them.
(What am I even asking her?)
Of all people, why was I asking Mizuki this? What was I trying to achieve?
But Mizuki didn't answer immediately. She sat in silence, staring into my eyes.
In a silence that felt like it would last forever, she finally spoke.
“I...”
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
“—I think I would choose the same one you would, Iori.”
She offered an answer that was no answer at all.
“...”
Later that night.
I lay on my back in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Mizuki was gone. Since there was no need to prepare dinner today, she’d gone straight back to her own house.
My house was too big for one person. The silence was absolute.
(The same one as me, huh?)
—I would choose the same one you would.
It was as if she’d known which one I’d choose from the very beginning.
I closed my eyes, feeling unsettled, and drifted off to sleep.
But the dream I had that night...
『Hey... why are you avoiding me?』
It was the image of a young Mizuki, her face twisted in sorrow.
◇
The following day.
“Yo, let’s grab some food, Iori.”
“Sure.”
I nodded as Renji called out to me.
Now that morning had come, Mizuki was her usual self again. She’d come over like always, made breakfast, and we’d eaten together.
...As if yesterday’s conversation had never happened.
“What should I get today? I’m getting tired of the beef bowls.”
“I don’t know. Get the curry or something.”
“No way. The curry here is too sweet.”
As we were having our usual banter and heading out of the classroom—
“Ah, Amano-kun!”
“...?”
I turned around to see a familiar head of fluffy brown hair.
“Kashiwagi? What’s up?”
She was holding a cute little cloth-wrapped bundle. A bento?
I’d assumed she’d already gone to lunch with her friends... I wondered why she was still here.
When I asked, Kotoha gave a bashful smile.
“If it’s okay, can I join you guys for lunch?”
“Eh?”
“Oh?”
Renji and I both stood there, mouths agape.
The three of us were on good terms, but we’d never actually eaten lunch together before. Kotoha usually ate with the other girls in class—besides, there were more than enough guys who would jump at the chance to eat with her.
“The girls I usually eat with are all gone for club meetings and stuff... and eating alone is kind of lonely.”
I see. I nodded, understanding the situation. Kotoha wasn't in a club, so I guess that happened sometimes.
Beside me, Renji nodded as well and threw his arms wide.
“No problem, no problem! You’re more than welcome! Hell, you can even take Iori off my hands if you want!”
“Shut up.”
“Ah, yes, sorry.”
Renji slumped his shoulders after my sharp retort, and Kotoha shot him a chilly look.
They really do get along in their own way, I thought as I watched them.
“Ah, Amano-kun! What’s with that look?! Don’t tell me you’re thinking, 『These two actually get along pretty well』!”
“Uh, well, yeah.”
Why is she so sharp?! I was genuinely terrified by her ability to read my mind so effortlessly.
“Whoa, what’s this? Is Kashiwagi-chan actually into me—?”
“Stop.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“And you too, Amano-kun! No! I do not like him like that! You’re the only one allowed to misunderstand that, but you're also the one person who isn't allowed to!”
She pressed toward me, and I backed away, nodding frantically.
Got it, I get it. I held my hands up in defense, and Kotoha crossed her arms with a huff.
However, Renji was the one to protest.
“H-Hey! That’s cruel! How could you say that to a handsome guy like me?! Say something, Iori!”
“Shut up, you flirt.”
“Yes, sir.”
He was silenced instantly. What a pathetic resistance. He really needed to try harder.
“Anyway, let's go before the seats are all taken.”
And so, the three of us headed for the school cafeteria together.
“Whoa, it’s pretty packed in here.”
“Dammit. We’re late to the party.”
When we arrived at the cafeteria, most of the seats were already taken.
Our school’s cafeteria is on the larger side, but we were still dealing with a swarm of hungry teenagers. If you didn’t get here the second the bell rang, the tables vanished in a heartbeat.
I scanned the room, looking for an opening.
(Oh, there we go.)
I spotted a group of students getting up from a round table meant for three. I moved quickly, dropping my bag onto a chair to stake our claim.
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“Nice! Good eye, Iori,” Renji cheered. “Alright, let’s go grab some grub.”
“I brought a lunch today,” Kashiwagi-san said, gesturing to her seat. “You two go ahead.”
“Got it. Be right back.”
Renji and I hopped into the queue. I left him grumbling to himself about the eternal struggle between curry and ramen while I went straight for the stamina bowl. People already called me a scrawny bookworm; the least I could do was try to eat some meat.
(Then again, no matter how much I eat, I never seem to gain a pound.)
I’d mentioned that to Kashiwagi-san once, and she’d gotten legitimately pissed at me.
“Well, if it isn’t Amano-kun,” the lunch lady called out as I reached the front. “Welcome. Looking as handsome as ever, I see.”
“O-oh. Thanks.”
She seemed to have taken a shine to me, as she always went out of her way to chat whenever I stopped by.
“What’ll it be?”
“Stamina bowl, large, please.”
“My, are you sure? That’s quite a serving.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured her. I was a growing boy, after all. If I got a little sleepy during the afternoon lectures, so be it.
“If you say so! Oh, and that girl you came in with... that’s Kashiwagi-san, isn’t it? Are you two finally dating?”
“...No, nothing like that.”
“Oh, don’t be like that! You make a lovely couple. Keep at it!”
I offered her a strained smile in response. A lovely couple. I scoffed at the thought internally.
I picked up the hefty, intimidating stamina bowl and headed back to the table.
“Oh, welcome back,” Kashiwagi-san said.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Whew! Man, I still feel like I should’ve gone with the ramen...”
(Wait, he ended up getting the curry?) He’d just been complaining about it being too sweet, too. I personally didn’t mind a mild curry, though.
“Anyway, Kashiwagi-chan. That lunch looks incredible. Did you make that yourself?” Renji asked.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I did.”
“Damn. Anyone who can make a tamagoyaki without burning it is a god in my book. What are we gonna do, Iori? This girl doesn’t have a single weakness.”
“You’re just realizing that now?” I replied between bites.
That was exactly why she was so popular. Even being compared to a literal outlier like Mizuki meant she was in a league of her own. I nodded to myself as I shoveled a spoonful of rice and meat into my mouth.
“Stop it, you’re flattering me too much,” she teased. “...B-by the way, Amano-kun. What do you think of girls who can cook?”
“Uh, well... I think it’s a great trait.”
“I-I see! Good to know!”
“Oho! Look at you two, flirting right in front of me,” Renji leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Wait, am I third-wheeling here? Should I get lost?”
“You’re fine. Just shut up and eat,” I told him.
“Yes, sir.”
Renji and Kashiwagi-san started bickering playfully. Honestly, those two seemed to get along pretty well. I vaguely recalled them coming from the same junior high as I polished off my bowl.
...Still, Kashiwagi-san’s constant attempts to appeal to me were starting to weigh on me. It wasn’t that I disliked it, but the guilt was starting to outweigh the flattery.
I averted my eyes from the two of them and noticed a poster plastered on the cafeteria wall.
『Calling All Hunks and Beauties! The Shirayanagi Festival Miss and Mr. Contest!』
“...Oh, right. The school festival is coming up soon,” I murmured.
Renji let out a long, drawn-out groan. “That’s right, it’s only a month away. Crap. We need to start getting the maid cafe ready.”
He nodded sagely, looking incredibly serious. Meanwhile, Kashiwagi-san and I just stared at him, mouths agape.
...What did this guy just say?
“Huh?” I blurted out.
“Excuse me?” Kashiwagi-san added.
“Hmm?” Renji looked back at us while shoveling curry into his mouth, looking for all the world like we were the ones being weird.
“A maid cafe?” I repeated.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“What am I talking about? It’s our class project, obviously.”
Renji tilted his head as if this were common knowledge. Kashiwagi-san froze for a second before her face turned a bright, vivid crimson.
“H-how did you even jump to that conclusion?!” she barked.
“What do you mean 'how'? We have Yukimura-san and Kashiwagi-chan in our class. Is there even another option besides putting them in maid outfits?”
He said it with such a straight face that I had a sudden epiphany.
—Oh no, he’s dead serious.
He genuinely believed our class had no other logical choice.
“I am not wearing that!” she protested.
“What? No way, no way. That’s not gonna fly, Kashiwagi-chan. Ever heard of democracy? If we put it to a vote, it’ll be unanimous. Right, Iori?”
“Uh...”
Why was he dragging me into this?
“Amano-kun?!”
Kashiwagi-san looked at me with pleading eyes, yet there was a faint flicker of... expectation? What was she looking for? What was I even supposed to say in this situation?
“Tell her, Iori! Tell her you want to see her in a maid outfit! One word from you and she’s a goner!”
“...”
“Y-you wouldn’t say that, right?! Amano-kun isn’t that kind of boy, right?!”
“...”
I chewed on a piece of meat and considered my options.
(Alright, let’s think about this.)
If the question was whether I wanted to see it or not... well, obviously, I did. But if I said that, I’d never live down the reputation of being a total creep. If Kashiwagi-san started looking at me with cold, disgusted eyes, my mental state would never recover.
The brand of a pervert? Or the practical benefits of a maid outfit?
After agonizing over it, I decided to go with the truth.
“Yeah... I think I’d like to see it.”
I was a teenage boy. I couldn’t help it.
“Ah...!”
Kashiwagi-san slumped over, defeated. Renji pumped a fist in the air.
“Hell yeah! Well said!”
Still, was it just my imagination, or did Kashiwagi-san look just a little bit happy about my answer?
“Ugh... I guess I really have to do it, then...” she whined.
“There, there. Besides, the Miss and Mr. Contest is right after. This’ll be great for your popularity score.”
“Oh, are you entering that, Kashiwagi-san?” I asked.
The Miss and Mr. Contest. A grand tradition of Shirayanagi Academy. It was a festival of beauty and charisma to decide the most "it" boy and girl in school. Rumor had it the top three even got a cash prize. For a prep school, it was a surprisingly superficial event.
Hearing my question, Kashiwagi-san looked like she’d been hit by a physical weight.
“...I don’t want to, but everyone in class is making such a big deal out of it,” she muttered, her voice barely audible.
Renji and I exchanged a sympathetic look.
“Well, you do have a lot of fans, Kashiwagi-chan. It’s kind of inevitable,” Renji said.
“Yeah, there was a lot of grumbling when you didn't enter last year,” I added.
She slumped even further as she nibbled on her tamagoyaki with a melancholy air.
“I don’t see the point in me entering anyway.”
“Nonsense! I bet you’d rank pretty high. Top two in the grade, easily.”
“Hey, idiot!” I hissed, trying to cut Renji off.
That was Kashiwagi-san’s biggest complex. Even if she claimed she didn’t mind, it was still a sore spot.
Sure enough...
“Yeah... Yeah, you’re right. Someone like me...”
She sank into a deep, dark gloom. I nudged Renji with my elbow, and he whispered back a quick, “My bad!”
And right at that moment—
Zip.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Renji and I both snapped our heads toward the entrance.
“Gah.”
“Seriously? Now?”
We both groaned at the same time.
—Yukimura Mizuki.
The reigning champion of the previous year’s contest had arrived, flanked by her usual entourage.
(Great.)
I directed a mental complaint her way. Look what you’ve done. Kashiwagi-san is depressed because of you. Mizuki, however, maintained her usual expressionless mask, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for something. It was far too late for lunch. Maybe she was here to grab something from the shop?
Just then...
“—”
“...!”
Our eyes met. Without a moment’s hesitation, she began walking straight toward us.
(Wait, what?)
“She’s... she’s coming this way?!” even Renji sounded panicked.
Surrounded by her five followers, she walked with a slow, deliberate grace. The crowd in her path parted like the Red Sea.
Who do you think you are, Moses? I thought, exasperated.
Mizuki stopped right in front of us.
“—Kashiwagi-san.”
She spoke her name softly.
“E-eh? M-me?”
Kashiwagi-san looked pitifully flustered. Mizuki held out a clear file.
“The teacher asked me to give this to you.”
“Oh... the library committee survey...”
“Yes. He wants it turned in before the end of lunch.”
“Th-thanks.”
Kashiwagi-san took the file, but Mizuki didn’t move. She kept her gaze fixed on the other girl, causing Kashiwagi-san’s eyes to dart around nervously.
“U-um... Yukimura-san? Is something wrong?”
“No.”
With that single word, Mizuki turned on her heel. For a brief second, she looked at me, then immediately averted her eyes. She walked over to the shop, purchased a single notebook, and left the cafeteria.
“...”
“...”
Renji and I fell silent, as did the rest of the students in the room. She was like a hurricane. As I watched her exit, I heard a small sigh from beside me.
“...Kashiwagi-san?”
She jumped at my voice, looking up at me. “O-oh. It’s nothing.”
Beside me, Renji went back to his curry as if a lightbulb had just gone off.
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask... what’s the deal? How do you really feel about Yukimura-san? She’s a bit of an eyesore for you, isn’t she?”
“Renji!” I snapped. Had he already forgotten what happened five minutes ago?
He looked a bit sheepish, realizing he’d stepped in it again. But Kashiwagi-san just stared toward the entrance where Mizuki had disappeared.
“...Well,” she started softly. “If I’m being honest... she’s a little difficult for me to be around.”
“What?”
“Oh, it’s not that I hate her! I know she’s an incredible person. But... how do I put it...”
She trailed off, struggling to find the words.
“Whenever our eyes meet... I always think she’s scary.”
She whispered the words so quietly I almost missed them. Renji and I exchanged a look.
Scary? Mizuki?
What did that even mean? I looked at Renji, but he just shrugged, looking just as confused as I was.
“S-sorry! I’m saying weird things. I’m going to head back now.”
Kashiwagi-san packed up her lunch in a hurry and stood up. Renji and I were left alone at the table.
“...My bad. Looks like I tripped another landmine.”
“You always do,” I sighed.
We stood up to leave as well.
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