~4th loss~ Who is the enemy of women?
Student Council Sports Festival, Tsuwabuki High — Game Day
Despite all our hopes, it's an absolutely perfect day.
The president election has safely concluded, and once this festival ends, the current student council will disband.
Of course, most Tsuwabuki students don't care about that, and for
me—now that the election's over—it doesn't directly affect me either──
Lost in thought, I watch the outgoing students sprinting under cheers.
I've already run in the all-school sprint and tug-of-war, and I'm completely wiped.
I thought I'd at least hold my own in the sprint—by March my times were
above average for a first-year boy—but I misjudged one thing:
──everyone else was now second-years.
And the five I ran with were all outliers—members of track club or, unbelievably, Sosuke Hakamada.
That guy even beat the track boys to first place—protagonist power is terrifying. Naturally, I came in dead last.
My shoulders even ache now. Getting battered in tug-of-war like this... maybe I'm really done for.
"Hey, Nukumizu, it's almost time."
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
Ayano and I exchange looks, then turn our eyes back to the field.
They're running the class relay now—a mixed-gender event.
I'm usually not into these hyped-up contests, but I can't ignore this one:
2-E's anchor leg is run by Lemon Yakishio.
Positioned near the fourth corner, we watch as the baton reaches Yakishio.
"Look—she's handing off to Lemon in the lead!"
"I'm watching. Quit tugging my sleeve."
The anchor runs a full 400 m—longer than everyone else.
The moment Yakishio takes off, the ground trembles with excitement.
She storms into the first corner with a speed that belies her middle-distance specialty.
...She's fast. She was quick last year, but now there's an extra edge.
I stare, overwhelmed, as Ayano folds his arms and nods.
"Did you know? Lemon's 100 m times have improved too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We timed her before the relay—she hit a new personal best."
I shrug theatrically at Ayano—
"That was before she raced me. I beat that in March."
Ayano's glasses flash.
"Get this: on race days, she avoids solid food—only gels and drinks. Easier on her body."
Huh. Yanami-san could never pull that off.
But still... it's odd for someone's boyfriend to act like this.
"Ayano, did you know? Apparently Yakishio listens to music before races to focus."
"Of course. Everyone knows that."
"Right, but last meet, she forgot her earphones and blasted from the player—super embarrassing."
"Sounds so Lemon."
"Right?"
By the time we finish our hot-shot banter, Yakishio is rounding the fourth corner.
For a second, I swear we make eye contact—then she points her index finger at me and rockets past.
A final burst, and she holds off the chasers to cross the finish line first.
Cheers rain down as she dives into the circle of her 2-E teammates.
We, stunned by her run, look at each other and say in unison,
"──She signaled me just now, right?"
Why do we always harmonize?
I sigh and pat Ayano's shoulder.
"Think: would she really signal her boyfriend? No—by elimination, she was signaling me."
"That's absurd. Signaling a teammate is normal."
"Then signaling me is fine too—I'm her friend, remember?"
Ayano thinks it over, then pushes up his glasses with a finger.
"...Her glasses flashed."
"What does that mean?"
"She spotted me by the glare. Otherwise she couldn't pick me out of the crowd."
"That glare must've annoyed people. I thought she gave me the middle finger."
We share a wordless glance as round two is about to start when
"Mitsuki-san!"
Asagumo-san appears, nods to me, and smiles at Ayano.
"Did you see Lemon's run? Incredible, wasn't it?"
"Yeah—Chihaya saw it too. She's on another level."
"She'd like to borrow you both for a moment, Nukumizu-kun."
I nod, and Asagumo-san gently takes Ayano's arm.
"Chihaya, what did you want to talk about?"
"...Yes, let's talk here."
I fold my hands to Ayano's retreating back.
...She definitely overheard our conversation.
Well, it's Ayano's fault for flirting with another girl in front of his girlfriend. Should learn some restraint.
Morning events are wrapping up soon. What's left...?
I fish my event sheet from my pocket when Yanami-chan comes sprinting over.
"Here you are!"
"What's up—why the rush?"
She catches her breath and holds out both hands.
"Nukumizu-kun, can I have your bento?"
"No."
Yanami shrugs theatrically.
"Fine. I'll explain so even you get it."
"My answer's not changing."
Undeterred, she carries on.
"The cheer battle's first in the afternoon, right? We'll change and eat then—but we meet and plan over lunch."
"Huh."
What does that have to do with me?
My disinterested reply earns Yanami's glare.
"You work out all morning—you get hungry. So—"
"—You stole my lunch early."
"I only tasted it. The bento lacked... spirit."
Spirit? A lunchbox needs that?
I get the picture, but I can't hand Kaju's special bento to someone who doesn't appreciate it.
"Just buy something at the snack stand."
"I can't—I'm in the bread-eating race next. No time to go get it. You get it for me."
"Why don't you have that bread for your lunch?"
"You think it's enough?"
Right—you'd starve. My bad.
I nod, and Yanami thanks me before turning to go.
"Wait—here's money for the bread. Can't owe you."
"Do I look like someone who wouldn't pay you back?"
No comment on that.
She fishes a 500-yen coin from her shorts.
"Get me some bread with spirit."
As she dashes off, I tilt my head.
Bread with spirit... what even is that?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On my way back from the school store, I was carrying my hands full of bread.
I'd managed to snag seven curry buns on special sale whose use-by date was today.
Curry buns seemed to have plenty of "guts" (konjō), so I figured Yanami would be all smiles.
Humming to myself, I walked down the corridor along the courtyard, when a cute girl approached from the opposite direction.
It was Shiratama-san. As soon as she noticed me, she came closer, teke-teke. Cute.
There's no question she's adorable, but today she was dressed extra-cute.
She was wearing a headband with animal ears and a fluffy tail attached
to her kemono-style outfit—she looked even more charming.
Shiratama-san raised both hands in front of me and said,
"Buchō-san, gao~!"
"By any chance, is that your costume for the cheer battle?"
"Yes. My class is doing the fox-and-raccoon-dog 'Konpoko Dance.' I ended up as the raccoon-dog."
She stuck out her tongue tehe—deviously cute. Then she spotted my curry buns and her eyes went wide.
"Wow, Buchō-san, you eat so many!"
"Well, these are—"
"Are those from Yanami?"
Shiratama-san chuckled and looked up at me with her eyes.
"Will you come watch Class 1-E's cheer performance, Buchō-san?"
"Huh? Ah, sure—unless it overlaps with my class's event..."
At my murmur, she gave me a flower-bright smile.
"I'm so excited! I'll send you a signal while I'm dancing. Please make sure you see it."
"For me?"
"...Only for Buchō-san, okay?"
She whispered, then spun on her heel. Her raccoon-dog tail swooshed playfully in the air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The morning events have ended, and it's now lunch break.
Since Sakurai-kun and Ayano are tied up with the cheer battle, I'm
enjoying a solo bento time in a quiet corner of the schoolyard.
In the shade of a tree, the leaves rustle sawa-sawa; overhead, a bird calls now and then.
"Sometimes it's nice to have a calm moment..."
All right, after quail-bacon skewers, what should I eat next?
Mini oden on sticks... or the classic karaage...
As I gaze at Kaju's special bento, a shadow falls over my hand.
Looking up, there's Komari holding her own bento wrapper.
"Ugh... um..."
She fidgets with her bangs, moji-moji.
"Huh? Isn't the cheer-battle team supposed to eat bentos together while we plan?"
"I—I don't have anything to do during the actual event. The exec committee's playing the music for us."
"I see... so why are you here—"
"Uhnn?! Th-that's because... well..."
Watching Komari panic, I nod firmly. Got it—she's scouting a discreet spot.
"You're looking for somewhere out of sight, right?"
"...Ugh?"
I point decisively behind her with my thumb.
"I recommend behind that shrub over there. It's quiet, and there's grass that feels like turf—nice to sit on. I chose here for the birdsong, but overall that spot's better."
Feeling good about helping a fellow introvert, I pinch a piece of karaage with my chopsticks—
"...D-die."
Why the insult?
Before I can ask, a floral scent drifts in on the breeze.
Approaching steadily, a lively yet solemn BGM plays──
"Good, you're here!"
Himemiya Karen comes running up in her cheerleader outfit.
She slams on the brakes in front of Komari; by inertia, every boy's dream jolts up and down.
...Incredible. I won't say what, but very impressive.
Frozen by the spectacle, I watch Himemiya grab Komari's hands firmly.
"Hey Komari-chan, will you join the cheer battle?"
"Wha-?!"
"Say, Takanashi twisted her ankle. She was supposed to be lifted, so we need a replacement!"
Takanashi-san is that petite girl, right?
Himemiya leans in, pressing Komari.
"Komari-chan, you know all the moves, right? Could you take Takanashi-san's place as the one who gets lifted?"
"Um, er..."
Terrified, Komari looks to me for help. I quietly look away.
"Please, I can only ask Komari-chan!"
"Y-why not ask Yanami..."
"But Anna's strong—not that I meant that—so we want her to do the lifting. Don't worry, we'll all support you!"
Glitter, glitter—under Himemiya's shining smile, Komari's spirit drains away.
Her head drops limply with a kakun.
Taking that as consent, Himemiya roughly drags Komari off.
...That looks rough.
I hold my oden skewer and glance up at the branches overhead.
Ah—that's a Daurian redstart. Maybe it missed its migration north...
Listening to the bird's sad cry, I bite into the richly flavored konnyaku.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The afternoon events began shortly.
Upbeat music flowed from the speakers on the schoolyard, and Class 2-C's cheer battle got underway.
Our class's act was a mix of cheerleaders and gakuran–clad supporters.
The loose, festival-style dance was endearing, but that was beside the point.
──Himemiya Karen. Her violent bust and beauty, her radiant aura, dominated everything around her.
Around her, as if a different set of physics applied, something full of dreams floated through the air.
Is this really an appropriate sight for a public high school in broad daylight...?
I glanced around—there were way more spectators than usual. Surely every boy in the school had gathered here──.
By the way, Yanami—who'd eaten seven curry buns—is also full of energy.
Her cheerleader outfit showed glimpses of her midriff, but her
"softness" wasn't noticeable anymore. Since the Shiratama family teased
her for "putting on weight," she's been dieting hard.
Still... where did she fit all that bread...?
Keeping half an eye on Yanami's waist, I searched for Komari.
Just when I worried she'd run off, I saw her behind the girls, waving a small pair of pom-poms.
...She's cleverly hiding in their blind spot. Oh—now she's gone again.
I watched, feeling like I was observing wildlife, as the music rushed toward its climax.
The cheerleaders changed formation and surrounded someone.
That someone was──Komari.
Support captain Ayano blew his whistle loudly, and the cheerleaders lifted the trembling Komari up to shoulder height.
Exposed to everyone's gaze, Komari stayed pale and, like a robot, raised her pom-poms overhead.
At that moment, the music stopped.
With another blast on the whistle, the cheerleaders, on cue, tossed Komari into the air.
Her scream echoed across the field as the girls caught her.
Instantly──thunderous applause broke out. It was a huge success.
Watching Komari get jostled by the girls, I nodded with deep feeling.
Komari's all grown up now. Though it looks like she's passed out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All right, I should watch Shiratama-san's performance too.
I take a spot where I can see Class 1-E's cheer act clearly, fold my arms, and wait.
Of course, as class president I'm just here to watch my underclassmen's
efforts—I didn't dash over with a grin because she asked me to look for
her signal. Hmm, would I see better if I moved a bit closer...?
I hear that Class 1-E's cheering involves everyone—boys and girls—dressed as foxes or raccoon dogs.
Watching them all cheer and dance together is honestly a bit enviable—no, heartwarming.
Shiratama-san stands out even among them, though she only seems to interact with the boys...
When the music starts, the whole group breaks into a cute dance, each making beckoning-cat gestures in unison. The fact that the boys are doing adorable moves too must be part of the charm.
Once
the choreography kicks in fully, Shiratama-san shines even brighter.
Every movement she makes is as cute as an idol's, and her deliberately
coy beckoning pose is practically professional.
If this were an idol group, the gap between her and everyone else would surely tear it apart.
Maybe it's her cuteness catching on, but I notice the crowd swelling around her.
...At this point, there's no way I could catch her eye for a signal.
Right—Shiratama-san's everyone's idol now. She's no longer just mine──.
Feeling a pang of loneliness, I suddenly lock eyes with her.
She gives me a bright smile, then blows me a kiss with both hands.
...She actually did it.
I flush, and my heart skips a beat.
I fidget alone, and the guys around me murmur excitedly:
"He just got a kiss blown at him, didn't he?"
"Duh, that was me she kissed."
"No way—it was definitely me!"
I can't help but smile wryly and push my hair back.
Sorry, guys—but she was signaling me. You'll still cheer her on respectfully from here onward──.
"Oh, Nukumizu-kun, you're watching too."
"Ah—hi, sensei."
Standing behind me is Tanaka-sensei. He bends his knees slightly and leans in to ask quietly,
"How are things going with Riko-chan lately?"
"How are they...? Well, we're pretty comfortable with each other by now. I think.
She even swapped contact info with my sister before I knew it."
"Your sister?" Tanaka-sensei sounds surprised.
"Yes. At first they didn't get along, but lately, Shiratama-san stopped
getting thrown salt when she visited our house, so I'd say they've made
peace."
"Salt...? And Riko-chan's actually been over to hang out?"
"Well, sometimes."
Right—Tanaka-sensei still thinks Riko-san and I are dating, doesn't he?
But we're not actually seeing each other, so he'll figure it out eventually.
"Sensei, how are things going with Shiratama-san on your end?"
It's a bold question, but Tanaka-sensei's relaxed expression washes away my doubt.
"Oh, it's fine. Riko-chan just called me over—she wants me to watch for her signal too."
"Really? Shiratama-san does that... wow..."
That Shiratama Riko... that woman...
When Class 1-E's act ends, Tanaka-sensei applauds. I join in, then glance at his calm profile.
...He has no clue she's targeting him for signals, does he?
"By the way, I hear Riko-chan's writing a novel?"
"Uh, well, sort of."
Tanaka-sensei's eyes light up with interest.
"No matter how many times I ask, she's too shy to let me read it. I wonder what kind of story it is."
Her
novel models the protagonist on Tanaka-sensei, with his fiancée already
deceased—and the heroine is that fiancée's sister──yeah, I definitely
can't let him see it.
"It's a historical piece, but reading a family
member's novel—or having them read yours—has its challenges. I know I
need serious resolve to read my sister's work."
"Come to think of it, that makes sense."
Tanaka-sensei nods, as if he recognizes that.
"When it's more complete, I'll give you a copy."
"I'll look forward to it."
He pats my back and heads off. I steal one last glance at Shiratama-san, still surrounded by boys, then turn to head back to my own class.
The obstacle race I'm entered in is coming up soon.
All right—this time I'll actually look good out there──.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sports festival committee's main tent also serves as a temporary infirmary.
I made a special trip here for one reason──I'd scraped my knee when I fell.
I cleared the net in the obstacle race beautifully, but when I tried to
sprint on, my foot got tangled in the mesh. Sports festivals are
dangerous; they really should ban this.
"Um..."
I called into the tent hesitantly, and Konuki-sensei in her white coat turned to look.
"Oh? What is it, Nukumizu-kun? Did you come to see me?"
"No, I scraped my knee, so I need it disinfected."
"You're still so curt. Sit right there."
Konuki-sensei checked the wound, then beckoned to a student behind her.
"This only needs disinfecting. Committee member, could you help?"
"Yes, of course."
Taking over was Sakurai-kun. He sat opposite me with a wry smile.
"Good effort earlier. You almost had it."
I wasn't almost there—I placed fifth out of six—but I'm grateful I wasn't last.
Since the election ended, Sakurai-kun's been buried in festival prep,
and we haven't had a chance to chat. Feeling awkward, I spoke up.
"You really do everything, huh?"
"The student council also serves on the committee. It's our final duty, I suppose. Here—you'll feel this."
Sakurai soaked a swab with disinfectant and dabbed at my knee. Watching his smooth care, I blurted out,
"You were the one who recommended Basori-san to the seniors, right?"
He paused, hesitated, then began again.
"When we volunteered together, there was a group who disliked Tiara-chan. They spread all sorts of rumors—it got pretty bad."
His expression darkened as he remembered.
"But when that group's leader ran into trouble and got isolated, one person stood up for her. That was──"
"Tiara-san?"
He nodded without a word and resumed treating my wound.
──So Tiara-san had that past: both being disliked and defending someone in trouble. Everything about it fits her.
The three of us on the council know her strengths well and consider her
a dear friend. I didn't need to worry so much after all.
And our school's volunteer work... it's surprisingly messy... scary.
"All done."
A gauze pad now covered my knee.
Impressed, I nodded just as someone burst into the tent.
Her hair in a tight updo and brows resolute—next student council president Basori Tiara.
"Sakurai-kun, could you finish setting up for the closing ceremony? Shikiya-senpai needs help with the hooks—"
Spotting me, she hurried over.
"Nukumizu-san, are you hurt?! Let me treat you!"
"Oh—Sakurai-kun already did; I'm fine."
I stood and tapped my foot.
"Really?"
Tiara-san sagged, still holding disinfectant and bandages. Sakurai-kun rose and grabbed his chair.
"I'll handle the closing ceremony prep. Tiara-chan, I'm leaving this to you."
"Ah—yes. I'll do it!"
Left in the tent were just the two of us. Of course, Konuki-sensei was nowhere to be found when I needed her most.
Since the nosebleed election, we haven't had much to say, and it felt a bit awkward.
"Well—um, I should—"
"I'm up next in the borrowed-item race. Will you watch, Nukumizu-san?"
She cut me off at the end of my sentence.
"Well... a borrowed-item race is rare, so I was planning to watch anyway."
"Hehe, right? It's like something out of a shojo manga—I've always kind of admired it."
Tiara-san laughed warmly and gave my back a gentle two-handed tap.
"Sorry to hold you up. Please watch closely when it's my turn, Nukumizu-san."
"Ah, sure. Got it."
First Shiratama-san, now Tiara-san... even though the election's over, what's their aim...?
I tilted my head in puzzlement and headed back to my class.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Borrow-and-Run is a race where you fetch items from the venue based on prompts written on slips of paper.
Typical prompts are things like "headband" or "glasses," and sometimes something like "someone you respect."
In shōjo manga, it's always the hero who picks up the slip saying "your
treasure," lifts the heroine in a princess carry, and crosses the
finish line.
Tiara-san really admires that sort of thing. She's not all gloomy all the time...
I watched the first-year Borrow-and-Run with nostalgia, when Ayano beside me grinned lazily and spoke up.
"Next up is Chihaya. You'll want to watch closely, or she'll nag you later."
He can't miss any chance to brag. I really can't let my guard down around him.
"By the way, were you okay earlier? Asagumo-san took you off to talk, right?"
"Asagumo-san talked to me...? About what?"
"You know, after she cheered for Lemon in the mixed relay."
"Cheered for Lemon...?"
Ayano frowned, genuinely puzzled. Wait—what did Asagumo-san do to him...?
──"Next is the Borrow-and-Run for second-years. Competitors, please take your marks."
A broadcast crackled across the field, snapping me out of my worry. Fine—let's forget about the Ayano couple for now.
Twelve runners, two per class, lined up at the start, including Asagumo-san and Tiara-san.
Tiara-san flinched in fear when Asagumo-san spoke to her—trust that gut feeling.
Once the committee laid out the slips up front, the race began.
At the pistol's crack, Asagumo-san dashed forward, glanced at a slip, and ran straight toward us:
"My prompt is 'glasses.' Could I borrow Mitsuki-san's glasses?"
"Sure—happy to help. Go for it!"
"Yes, Mitsuki-san!"
For
some reason she put the glasses on herself, then stumbled off in a
wobble. She's running the wrong way, but... I hope she figures it out.
"Ayano, shouldn't you have gone with her? She's heading the opposite direction."
"Is she? I can't see a thing without glasses."
Well, that figures. They both seem to be having fun, so whatever.
Turning back to the field, I see another girl racing toward us: Tiara-san. She stops in front of me, pale and panting.
"Um, Nukumizu-san. Could you come with me?"
"Eh? Me?"
What did she draw—"wallflower"? Before I could ask, she grabbed my hand.
"All right, let's go!"
"W-wait—?!"
Under curious stares from our classmates, she dragged me forward. Somehow it felt like I'd become the heroine in a shojo manga.
"Tiara-san—what prompt did you get?"
"I'm picking up speed! I'll bite my tongue if I trip!"
She didn't answer, just picked up her pace. No time to chat now. I matched my steps to hers as we raced for the finish.
Runners from other classes glanced at us in surprise.
I'm running hand in hand with a girl in front of the whole school—suddenly I'm nervous.
Which foot goes forward first again...?
Just as my panicked feet began to falter, Tiara-san yanked my hand, and we crossed the finish line together.
She paused to catch her breath, still holding my hand, until a committee girl approached and took her hand.
"Excuse me, I need to confirm your prompt."
"Good work. Here you go."
Tiara-san pulled out her slip and held it up. The committee member froze, eyes wide. Tiara-san smiled softly at her.
"Are you all right?"
"Oh—yes."
The committee member nodded, and Tiara-san bowed her head to me.
"Thank you, Nukumizu-san. You really helped."
"Glad I could—so what was your prompt?"
"Want to know?"
Of course I do, but... this is getting complicated.
As I hesitated, a glint caught the corner of my eye. Asagumo-san stood right beside me, glasses on.
"Was that voice Nukumizu-san's? Then you must be Basori-san."
She peered at us over her glasses, curiosity plain on her face.
"My prompt was 'glasses.' Was your prompt 'Nukumizu-san'?"
At her innocent question, Tiara-san let out a small laugh and took Asagumo-san's hand.
"Exactly that. It's dangerous to stay here—let me take you back to the waiting area."
"Oh, how kind. By the way, where's the finish line?"
"We already crossed it. Right this way."
As Tiara-san led Asagumo-san off, she passed me and teased,
"So... about that prompt──"
Before I could finish, she whispered in my ear,
"Could you give me some time after school today?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Tsuwabuki High sports festival drew to a close, leaving me with scrapes and sore muscles.
Countless cheerleader routines, Lemon's blistering sprint, Shiratama's
dance, Kaju's special bento—all those moments have already turned into
memories. Which team won—white or red—is already fading from my mind.
"Time's about up..."
I glanced at my digital watch, then looked up at the sky darkening into evening.
──I'm on the bridge over Mukaiyama Pond, about a fifteen-minute bike ride from Tsuwabuki High.
The last time I was here was six months ago, when Tiara-san summoned me
to retrieve the BL doujinshi that Tsukinoki-senpai wrote.
Back then, the days grew short quickly, but now the sun still lingers. The dusk sky, shading from blue into deep indigo, stirs a restlessness laced with both longing and unease. Something is slipping away, but I can't name it—that panicky feeling.
──I'm only sixteen. Yet I'm already a second-year.
Those contradictory thoughts rose and fell, nameless. Why did Tiara-san choose this meeting spot instead of the courtyard? She said the courtyard is too quiet—no one could overhear secret talk. So what needs hiding here isn't sound but sight. There must be something she doesn't want seen. The Borrow-and-Run prompt was a ruse; the real point is──
"...anime goods, huh."
I'd almost forgotten, overwhelmed by the festival, but the reason Tiara-san enlisted my help was to promote Chikapyon merchandise. Surely she plans to hand me those goods now. Passing anime items around campus might feel awkward, but she didn't have to drag me out here...
While I waited, peering across the bridge, I saw her approaching in her school uniform. Tiara-san. The widened section of the bridge even has benches—this is where she waited for me last time.
Remembering fondly, I caught her eye and she broke into a light jog.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Work ran long."
She smoothed a stray lock and bowed slightly.
"No worries—I just got here myself."
She smiled at my lie, then beckoned me closer.
"Look, Nukumizu-san—there's a family of ducks."
"Those are spot-billed ducks, right? It's breeding season."
Today
she seems particularly cheerful. Leaning on the railing, she pointed at
the mother duck and ducklings drifting along the water.
"I guess the adult is the mother. Where's the father?"
"I don't think he's here. In spot-billed ducks, the males disappear after the female lays eggs."
"Ah... I see."
Her spirits dipped just a bit—did I say the wrong thing? She watched the ducks with odd satisfaction. Meanwhile, when will she give me the Chikapyon goods?
As we stood side by side, Tiara-san spoke softly.
"You remembered my endorsement speech—when we first met."
"Yeah—I can't forget being scolded on our first meeting."
When I brought documents to the council room, she snapped at me for reading her name tag. She covered her mouth, chuckling.
"Sorry about that. Back then, I thought the Literature Club was full of weird people."
"Well, that wasn't entirely wrong..."
"See? You ruin my support!"
She laughed, unable to hold it in.
"Remember when someone brought in that risqué doujinshi?"
"It wasn't me—it was Tsukinoki-senpai."
"Oh, right."
I gave a wry smile at her teasing.
"You're more outspoken now than you were."
I waited for her usual retort...
...Huh?
...Where's the retort?
Tiara-san rested her elbows on the railing and looked up at me.
"What's up? Sorry, I didn't catch that."
"Oh—well, I just thought you wouldn't get mad today."
"If you don't do anything to make me mad, I won't be mad."
Makes sense. She only got angry because I kept teasing her.
"But if you never dislike me at all, it's not very rewarding, you know?"
"You've always teased me so much, haven't you?!"
Oops—slipped out. She stormed over, fuming.
"That's exactly it! You always tease me and never take what I say seriously!"
"No, I don't tease you—"
"So stop calling me by my given name!"
Yes—she's back to her usual self. She sighed in exasperation.
"After all that, I was going to thank you today, and you ruined it."
"Really? So no thanks?"
"Yes—too bad, huh?"
Her pout didn't last long. She leaned on the railing, eyes softening.
"...I really do appreciate you, Nukumizu-san—for putting up with my selfishness, for fighting the election with me."
"I guess Shikiya-senpai got the credit in the end."
"Yes—that surprised me."
Shikiya-senpai's support of Tiara-san was genuine. She's as clumsy as Tiara-san herself, so her expression took that form.
Lost in thought, I looked up at the sky. Tiara-san watched me, propping her chin on her hand.
"...Thinking about Shikiya-senpai?"
"Huh? I just brought her up."
"You think about her more than you think about me?"
She turned away, petulant. Why so suddenly like a troublesome girlfriend? I leaned on the railing too and watched night fall.
"The student council—Sakurai-kun's going to be vice president, right?"
"Yes—he accepted. We could use one more hand, though."
She gave me a knowing look.
"Um, I'm not sure I can—I'm the Literature Club president... you know, compliance and all that."
"Oh, you know that word."
"Of course—so you don't need to teach me Japanese anymore?"
I teased, and she flashed a quick grin.
"No, it's fine. I can teach you instead."
"I'll count on you."
We
talked lightly, laughing a little. I realized how comfortable it
felt—just that, and nothing more. Our glances grew longer, our words
fewer. I felt that pleasant awkwardness and moved away from the railing.
"Hey... the air's getting cold."
"It is... a bit chilly."
I turned to leave, but she called out.
"Wait—sorry, I almost forgot."
Oh right—I'd forgotten something important...
"Chikapyon's—"
"The Borrow-and-Run prompt—I promised to tell you."
...Huh? That doesn't matter so much...
She pressed a small slip of paper into my hands.
"Here."
"Ah—thank you."
I unfolded it, assuming it'd say "anime goods" or something. My breath caught at the words.
...
...
...This is the Borrow-and-Run prompt, right?
On the slip was written──"someone you love."
So if that was the prompt and she came for me...?
Completely
stunned, I looked at Tiara-san's eyes. She'd intertwined her fingers at
her chest and gazed at me as if praying. Then, as if steeling herself,
she spoke.
"Nukumizu-san...I love you."
A sudden, abrupt confession of love.
"Um... uh..."
Wait, it's too soon to call this a confession. In a rom-com this would be a misunderstanding event—
"Of course I mean romantically. Will you go out with me?"
This is a confession. Not a misunderstanding. Not a mishearing. Tiara-san is confessing to me. An event I'd only ever read in light novels is happening to me.
...Is it really okay with me? She's fun to be with, and she's adorable. She's way out of my league.
Just a single "yes" would turn this daydream girl into my girlfriend──.
"Uh... I mean..."
My dry lips finally moved.
"Well, you see... I always thought of you as a friend."
...Huh?
"It was so sudden I was—"
What am I saying? She's kind and cute, and being with her is fun. She was a bit distant at first, but her smile is so innocent.
"This is the first time anyone's ever said something like this to me—I'm just... surprised."
I feel at ease with her. If we dated, it'd surely be... fun. There's no reason to refuse, so I just need to say "yes." That's all it takes to go out with Tiara-san──.
"Um—I..."
My words died before they came out. What am I doing? This chance may never come again. Just as I tried to force out an answer—
"Wait, please!"
Tiara-san interrupted me.
"Um—this is all so sudden! Actually, I was hoping to prepare my heart
beforehand...and I thought if I confessed I'd be ready, but I'm a total
wreck..."
She pressed her hand to her chest and sank to her haunches.
"You okay?"
"...Yes. Nukumizu-san..."
Crouched there, she took a deep breath and slowly looked up.
"──Shall we start as friends first?"
She reached out her hand.
"Friends...? I already think we're friends."
"I'm glad you do. But..."
She took my hand and, swaying, stood.
"I'd love to be able to talk more casually, to hang out more freely."
"Sure—that's easy enough."
I gave a relieved reply; she smiled gently.
"And... if someday you come to love me..."
──A final surprise. There was no other way to put it. Her smile—waiting for my answer—was dazzling.
My chest ached. Before me, Tiara-san fanned her flushed face with her hands.
"I'm so nervous now. Wow, I really went for it, didn't I?"
I awkwardly scratched my cheek.
"You know, I was really happy to be confessed to. So... I'll think this through."
I managed to say this, and she gave me a shy smile.
"I'll be looking forward to a good answer. But—I'm a woman too."
She laced her fingers behind her back and looked up at me, continuing,
"─So you'd better fall in love with me soon, okay?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epilogue - The Stairway to Adulthood
Morning came the day after that shocking confession.
I hardly slept at all, and now, running on empty, I found myself in the
print room after school, staring blankly at pages feeding out of the
copier.
...Tiara-san yesterday—she was serious, wasn't she. Now that
I think about it, why didn't I answer right away? If I'd said "yes" in
that moment, I would already have a girlfriend. A girlfriend! The girl
I'd thought existed only in two dimensions was about to step into the
real world. I wish she had pressed me more—ignoring my feelings—and just
pushed me to answer...
"U–Nukumizu. The copier's stopped."
Komari's voice snapped me back. She tidied the freshly printed pages and looked at me with concern.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine... You look more dead-eyed than usual."
"Oh—Komari, you're here."
"D-Die."
No wonder she cursed. After class, the two of us were printing the club journal. I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
"...Hey, Komari."
"W-What is it?"
"Have you—ever been in love?"
With a rustle, Komari dumped her stack of pages onto the floor.
"What's wrong? You tired too?"
"D-Die! Right here, right now!"
I couldn't make sense of her anger. While I crouched to gather the papers, she knelt beside me, helping.
"U–Nukumizu. Hey, Yanami's story pages are out of order."
Oh—she's right. The punchline's on the first page.
"Well, maybe it's an artistic choice—"
"Shut up. We'll redo it."
"...Okay."
Yanami's
story was diving into a new arc. My high school life was ready to
advance to its next stage—except I was the one who slammed on the
brakes.
"By the way, Komari, you didn't write anything this time either. In a slump?"
"Wha–?!"
She flinched—aha, she's writing BL. Something she'd never show anyone.
I gave a gentle smile and handed her the papers.
"You've been busy. I get it."
"You're—gross."
Even that defensive retort is cute right now. After all, I was this close to having a girlfriend. Still... why didn't I answer right away?
Lost in thought, I felt Komari's puzzled eyes on me.
"Y-You've been acting weird today. R-Really okay?"
"I'm fine. In a way, I'm different from the old me... I guess."
She sighed and pointed at the door.
"I'll finish up here. You wait in the club room."
"O-Okay."
I had no choice but to nod at her cold dismissal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Literature Club Activity Report – Anna Yanami, "Good Morning to You"
The renovation of the convenience store I visited every morning has finally finished. It took a long time.
I sit on the bench in front of the building and open a bag of curry bread with a discount sticker on it.
The seasons have changed, and it's almost summer. But I don't have any particular plans.
As I let out a sentimental sigh, XX-kun stands on the opposite side of the bench.
"Ako-san, the construction here is done, huh."
Saying that, XX-kun looks up at the store's signboard.
I ignore him and continue eating my bread, but XX-kun persistently talks to me.
"Didn't you say you were looking forward to the renovation being finished?"
Yes, I did say that. So what?
As I keep ignoring him, XX-kun looks up at the building's signboard.
"So, what did it end up meaning?"
What an annoyingly sarcastic guy. No wonder he doesn't have any friends.
Even though he has no friends, he should stop clinging only to girls.
With the curry bread in my mouth, I also look up at the signboard.
A large sign that reads "Laundry Heaven."
Yes, the convenience store I used to frequent has been renovated into a coin laundry.
I was disappointed, thinking a new convenience store would open.
It's probably XX-kun's fault. I don't know, though.
"Ako-san, you like coin laundries?"
No, not particularly.
In response to my reply, XX-kun says "Hmm" and sits at the edge of the bench, starting to eat melon bread.
How inconsiderate.
Because, recently, I've been avoiding sweets. The reason is a secret.
When I avert my eyes, I notice a large sign facing the road.
Why does the sign here have a picture of a tanuki?
When I say that, XX-kun gives me an exasperated look.
"That's a raccoon. The patterns are completely different."
Yes, I know that much. After all, when it comes to laundry, it's obviously raccoons.
It's just that I'm a bit careless since I just woke up.
I'm probably the only one who can put up with someone who doesn't understand a woman's heart like him.
I don't know why he's eating bread here, but he must be lonely.
I wouldn't mind having breakfast together with him once in a while.
After finishing my curry bread, I glance over, and XX-kun has turned his back to me.
"What? I'm not giving you any."
How rude.
Do I look like the kind of girl who would want someone else's food?
But wouldn't a considerate guy offer me a bite without me having to say anything?
Good grief. It seems I'll have to take care of this still-childish boy for a while...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was kicked out from the print room and was walking down the hallway toward the clubroom.
Sure, I might be acting weird today from lack of sleep. Last night I couldn't sleep, then sleepy Kaju tried to crawl into my bed by mistake—so we had a bit of a scuffle... Mistaking rooms on the way back from the bathroom isn't Kaju's finest moment, either.
As I was passing the bulletin board, I suddenly stopped. Pinned up there was the latest issue of the school paper. This edition was packed with coverage of the student‑council election and the sports festival. Front and center: the student‑council election, naturally—with that memorable shot of Tiara‑san shrieking her nosebleed away.
I bet Tiara‑san read this... As I scanned the article, it claimed that the scene at the candidate forum was actually a uproar over "girl's enemy" male Student A. It said Shikiya‑san's interruption was staged by Student A, and that Anna Yanami's strange speech was payback for being dumped. What a jerk, Student A.
Still, what a sensational rumor. That the council members all like me... ...Wait. Not all rumor. Tiara‑san does like me. Looking back at everything on that premise—did I do anything terrible?
Lost in memories, my eye caught an ad in the paper: "Exclusive paid shots of Yakishio's national‑qualifying finish!" I'm not thrilled about cashing in like that, but I shouldn't criticize without seeing it.
Now—how did you buy the paid version again? I held my phone to the QR code when—
"Nukkun, what are you doing?" Yakishio slapped my back hard. Ow.
"Just... reading the school paper. How's practice going?"
"I'm on break, so I'm walking inside. If I run on the field, the coach
yells that rest is important." She gave my ribs a playful jab with her
elbow.
"Huh?"
"Don't you have something to say to me?"
...Oh. I never actually congratulated her directly.
"Ah—congratulations on qualifying for nationals."
I blurted it awkwardly, and Yakishio pouted.
"...That's it?"
"Huh? Wasn't that it?"
"It was, but—you qualified in two events, and your reaction is... kind of flat. No 'Woo‑hoo!' or hug?"
No hug. Us introverts live on nerves twenty‑four‑seven.
"Well, there's more to come. You're aiming to win nationals, right?"
"Yeah, aiming." She cracked a confident grin.
"In that case, if you win nationals, can I get a hug?"
What? That only benefits me.
As I pictured hugging Yakishio in her uniform, she turned those round eyes on the bulletin board.
"By the way, Nukkun, what were you looking at? The school paper?"
"Ah—no, I was—"
The more she read, the straighter her face grew. When she finished, she gave me a long, steady look.
"...Oh, there's a 'girl's enemy.'"
"It's a rumor. That Student A might not even be me, right?"
"It is you, Nukkun."
...I guess—but also maybe not.
While I hesitated, Yakishio stared at my phone.
"Huh, what?"
"...Hey—were you planning to buy pictures of me?"
! I'd forgotten the camera was still on.
"No, it was just... my finger accidentally hit it—"
As I stammered excuses, Yakishio broke into a wide grin and—slapped my back again, hard. Very painful.
"What?!"
"You really are a girl's enemy, Nukkun. I'll tattle to Chiha-chan!"
"Why Asagumo‑san?!"
Unrelated, but... no thanks. I don't like this.
As I reeled, Yakishio spun and ran off down the hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I returned to the clubroom, a heartwarming scene was unfolding.
"Yanami-senpai, aaahn."
"Okay, aaahn."
As Yanami opened her mouth wide, Shiratama-san tossed a mini chikuwa into it.
It reminded me of the sea lion show at Takeshima Aquarium.
"What are you two doing?"
Noticing I’d come in, Shiratama-san smiled gently.
"A relative gave me some chikuwa, so I'm sharing. Buchō-san, would you like to go aaahn too?"
"Thanks, but I’ll pass."
Lately, for some reason, those two have been getting along quite well.
Apparently, what sealed the deal was that time she picked up an onigiri instead of an eraser, but I still wonder what kind of situation that was—and did Yanami actually eat that onigiri?
"Nukumizu-kun, are you done printing the club journal? We’re all ready over here."
Yanami air-clicked the stapler repeatedly.
Komari and I were in charge of printing, while Yanami and Shiratama-san handled binding.
"Almost done. By the way, I got laid off."
"Aaah..." they harmonized. Apparently, today I was a total mess in everyone's eyes.
Well then, like the villain I’ve become, I’ll let the girls work while I relax.
As I sat down and stared at the wall, there was a knock at the door.
"Come on in," Yanami called.
"Excuse me, is Nukumizu-san here?"
The one who entered the clubroom was Tiara Basori.
Seeing me instinctively jump up despite it only being the day after yesterday, Tiara-san looked visibly relieved.
"Uh, what brings you to the clubroom?"
"I came to deliver the promised item. I totally forgot to give it to you."
…Promised item?
Tiara-san held out a cute paper bag.
Inside was a bundle of Chikapyon in-store display cutouts.
"Can I really have this? For real?"
"Well, we promised, didn’t we?"
That’s true, but… this is honestly the first time since starting school that my effort has actually paid off, so I was kind of shocked.
Whoa—this is the super rare set from before the first season even aired.
As I grinned at the pop-ups in my hands, Tiara-san peeked at my face.
"Nukumizu-san, will you be staying late today?"
"Uh, maybe a bit? We’re working on the club journal."
"Oh, too bad. The student council finished early, so I thought we could go home together."
"Eh? With me?"
Kachin. The sound of Yanami stapling echoed.
"…The election's already over, right? Why would the two of you go home together?"
"No special reason. Just figured it might be nice for friends to walk home together now and then."
Tiara-san replied casually, then turned to Shiratama-san.
"Then I’ll borrow Shiratama-san instead. Would you come with me?"
"Sure, just for a bit."
Shiratama-san stood up, glancing at me. Why is Tiara-san taking her?
Seeing my puzzled face, Shiratama-san winked playfully.
"Buchō-san, I’ve decided to join the student council."
"Huh?"
Is it okay for a criminal to join the student council?
Well, the previous president was an accomplice, so maybe they’re actually pretty lax about that.
While I was busy convincing myself of that, Tiara-san gave me a small nod.
"I asked her. Of course, we’ll make sure it doesn’t interfere with literary club activities."
Honestly, joint custody of a ticking time bomb is a huge help.
"We're fine with it. Then, Basori-san, take good care of Shiratama-san, okay?"
As she was about to leave the clubroom, Tiara-san looked back over her shoulder.
"Oh? You’re not calling me by my first name today?"
"I figured… you didn’t like being called that?"
My honest question was met with a smile from Tiara-san.
"I don't mind if it's Nukumizu-san calling me by my first name."
Wait… she gave me permission to call her Tiara?
As I froze up, Tiara-san chuckled softly again and left the room with Shiratama-san.
Once the door closed, I plopped into my chair.
Things went well today, but from here on out, it’s going to get tough…
"…Jiiiii—"
Yanami was staring at me, saying the word out loud. What is that supposed to mean?
"Do you have something you want to say to me?"
"What was that just now? Were you always like that with Basori-san?"
"Like what… exactly?"
"You always call me by my last name with a 'san,' but you call Basori-san by her first name? Huh."
Ah, so that’s what this is about. I see, I see…
I rested my elbows on the table and laced my fingers in front of my mouth.
"Well, Yanami-san, listen. It’s true that through the election campaign, I came to understand Basori-san better. Building a connection with the new student council president will help strengthen the literary club’s position—it aligns with your goals too, doesn’t it?"
Despite my flawless explanation, Yanami still looked grumpy as she popped another mini chikuwa into her mouth.
"Student council elections are sacred—meant to choose student representatives. Flirting with girls under the guise of campaigning seems kind of impure, don’t you think?"
"If you're going to say that, then what about you, Yanami-san?"
"What about me?"
Yanami frowned at the words that slipped out of my mouth.
"During the election, you were always with Sakurai-kun. He’s popular with the girls, and stuff like that… it’s not really a good look."
"Sakurai-kun? He was super busy with student council work, and we weren’t really—"
Yanami cut herself off, suddenly seeming to realize something.
"What’s wrong, Yanami-san?"
Instead of answering, she stood up and plopped down in the seat next to me.
…Wait, what? This is kind of scary.
As I tensed up, Yanami said playfully,
"Nukumizu-kun—you’re totally jealous, aren’t you?"
…Huh? Jealous? Me?
What are you talking about, Yanami-san?
I quickly shook my head.
"No way. I just don’t like it when people say stuff about Sakurai-kun that isn’t true."
"…Why bring up Sakurai-kun now?"
Yanami’s expression turned serious.
"Because that’s what I was talking about from the start."
"No it wasn’t! We were talking about how you were jealous of me and Sakurai-kun!"
It’s the same thing, isn’t it? So maybe if I rephrase it…
"What I mean is, weird rumors about you and Sakurai-kun would be unfair to him—"
"They’re not weird rumors though?!"
They’re totally weird, Yanami-san. You really can’t be trusted with my Sakurai-kun…
Yanami sighed in exasperation and reached into the bag of mini chikuwa.
"That’s exactly the problem, Nukumizu-kun. …Here, this one’s tasty."
She held a chikuwa out in front of my mouth.
I instinctively ate it, and the flavor filled my mouth.
"Oh, this has ginger in it."
"Right? I’ve been really into these lately."
For some reason, Yanami suddenly got cheerful and popped the last one into her mouth.
As I absentmindedly watched her, I thought over what she’d said.
…So she thinks I’m jealous.
Sakurai-kun is one of my few male friends, and yeah, seeing him get close to Yanami does make me feel left out.
Calling that jealousy… might not be entirely wrong.
I guess the reason I felt that way was because the person he was getting close to was my friend, Yanami.
Feeling relieved that I could make sense of my emotions, I looked up to see Yanami had finished the chikuwa.
She twirled her hair around her finger and asked,
"…By the way, what was Basori-san’s scavenger hunt prompt?"
"Why are you so curious about that?"
"Because she pulled a boy across the finish line in front of the whole school, you know? The school paper wrote a ton about it. If you don’t explain, people will get the wrong idea."
You can’t really call it a misunderstanding.
The prompt Tiara-san got was—“someone you like.”
Only one part of the school paper’s trashy gossip turned out to be true.
"If you try to argue with stuff like this, it just drags on. Best to ignore it."
Perfect. Now Yanami should be satisfied.
"That’s true. So, what was the prompt?"
…Yep, she’s not buying it.
Her stare’s kind of scary. I’ll just dodge this.
"A friend—yeah, a male friend!"
"Hmm, so this prompt that nobody knew who would get it just happened to be about a male friend, huh."
Yanami mumbled, resting her cheek on her hand with a skeptical glare.
"W-Well, yeah…"
"Whatever. I sent Shiratama-chan into the student council anyway."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Who knows. What do I mean?"
Yanami dodged the question with a theatrical tone and stood up briskly.
She walked to the window, and I couldn’t see her face anymore.
──When Tiara-san confessed to me on the bridge.
To be honest, I was confused.
Not by the confession, but by how unsure I felt about how to respond.
About what people mean to me, and what I feel.
A single night isn’t enough to figure all that out.
How many nights did Tiara-san spend before deciding to confess to me, I wonder──
"It’s getting dark."
Yanami, still looking out the window, closed the curtain.
"…What? Why are you staring at me?"
Her expression mixed annoyance, exasperation, and something else.
With all that blended together, she silently looked my way.
An awkward silence.
Just as I opened my mouth to break it, Yanami suddenly──laughed.
"──You really are the enemy of women, Nukumizu-kun."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
stupid me I skipped out 4 paragraphs lmaooooo
KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THIS IS SO PEAK! ABSOLUTE CINEMA!
I translated "好きです" into "I love you" instead of "I like you" cause why the fuck not? this is my translation and I do what I want!
RAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH LONG LIVE THE TIARA EMPIRE
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