The day of the Tsuwabuki High School Sports Festival arrived, and, despite my deepest, most desperate wishes for rain, I found myself standing under a sky so aggressively clear and blue that the universe might as well have been flipping me off personally.

The election had concluded without incident, and the current student council was now set to officially disband once the festival wrapped up. Of course, this meant absolutely nothing to the vast majority of the student body and, now that the election was finally over, nothing to me either. Not directly, anyway.

I chewed on that thought while watching the school's extroverts sprint past the deafening cheers of the crowd.

I'd already run the footrace and hauled through the tug-of-war, which they required everyone to do, so by then I was absolutely exhausted. You know, I seriously thought that, after managing to build up an average first-year boy's running level back in March, I'd at least be able to hold my own in the footrace this time. At the very least.

But no. Unfortunately, I'd overlooked one simple fact:

—Everyone else had become second-years.

And of the five guys I'd run with, let me tell you: not a single one was normal. Track team members, sports club kids—and, of all people, Sousuke Hakamada. That bastard outpaced even the track team guys and took first like it was nothing. Protagonist plot armor is truly a terrifying force.

If it wasn't obvious by now, I came in dead last.

My shoulders were screaming too. Since when did tug-of-war leave you this battered? Maybe I was just done as a human being…

"Hey Nukumizu, it's almost time," Ayano called out beside me.

"Yeah, I know."

We exchanged a glance and turned toward the track. Currently underway was the co-ed class relay, the sacred arena where all the ultra-popular kids gathered. Normally, that phrase and my lifestyle had nothing to do with each other, but this event I couldn't ignore.

Yakishio was running anchor for Class 2-E.

Ayano and I had staked out a spot near the fourth corner. As we watched, the baton was finally passed to Yakishio.

"Look, they're passing to Lemon in first place!" Ayano exclaimed, excitedly tugging at my shirt.

"I'm looking, I'm looking. Stop pulling my clothes."

The moment Yakishio bolted forward, a ripple of noise went through the crowd. As the anchor, she had four hundred meters ahead of her, which was a good deal longer than the other legs of the relay. The way she ran, though, you'd think that wasn't enough. In a burst of speed that didn't seem like it should belong to a middle-distance specialist, she tore into the first corner of the path.

…So fast.

Sure, she'd been fast last year too, but this was on a whole new level. There was an edge to her now, a raw intensity to her sprint that hadn't been there before. I watched in awe, mesmerized by her sheer athleticism.

Ayano folded his arms and nodded sagely beside me. "Did you know? Lemon's improved her short-distance sprint times too."

"She has?"

"Yeah. They did a practice run for reference before the relay, and she apparently clocked a new personal best."

For some reason, he looked insufferably smug. I shrugged with maximum annoyance. "By 'personal best', you mean her official time from before she raced me, right? Hate to break it to you, but she already beat that when we raced in March."

Ayano pushed up his glasses, the lenses glinting sharply in the sunlight. "Well, did you know this? On race days, Lemon doesn't eat any solid foods. She says it's easier to manage her condition with energy gels and drinks."

Huh, interesting. Yanami could never survive that.

That aside, I'm not so sure how I feel about a guy who already had a girlfriend acting like Lemon's "behind-the-scenes supporter^[1]."

"Ayano, did you know this? Yakishio listens to music before races to get in the zone."

"Yeah, of course I knew that."

"Figured. But here's the thing: at her last meet, she accidentally played her music out loud instead of through her headphones. She said she wanted to die from embarrassment after that."

"Heh. That sounds so Lemon."

"Right?"

While we were busy duking it out in our heated battle of who knew more about her, Yakishio had swung into the final corner. For a split second, it felt like she met my eyes—then she raised a finger in a sharp, triumphant gesture towards me and flew past us in a blur. Kicking into an even higher gear for the final stretch, she left the boy desperately chasing her in the dust and tore through the finish line.

A massive cheer erupted from the crowd as Yakishio leaped straight into the waiting arms of the Class 2-E relay team.

Ayano and I stared at each other.

""—She totally signaled me just now, right?""

Why did we just sync?

I sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Ayano, let's think about this logically. Even if you're close friends, it's highly unlikely that Yakishio would do something like that for a guy who already has a girlfriend. Therefore, by process of elimination, it's only natural to conclude she was signaling me."

"That's completely irrelevant," Ayano retorted. "Giving a signal to a friend who is cheering for you isn't weird at all."

"Then it could just as easily have been me, couldn't it? I'm her friend too. And you're the one who said so."

Ayano pondered my words for a moment, then dramatically pushed up his glasses with a flick of his finger.

"…It was my glasses."

"What?"

"The glare from my lenses. That's how she spotted me. There's no way she'd pick anyone out from the crowd otherwise."

"Or maybe the glare was just annoying. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure she was holding up her middle finger."

Ayano and I locked eyes stubbornly. Right as we were about to engage in Round Two of our argument—

"Miiitsuki-san!" a cheerful voice chimed.

It was Asagumo-san. She offered me a polite, slight bow before turning a sweet smile toward Ayano.

"Did you see Lemon-san run? She was amazing, wasn't she?"

"Yeah. You were watching too, Chihaya? She really is something else."

"She certainly is," Asagumo-san agreed. Then, her smile tightened ever so slightly. "Nukumizu-san, may I borrow Mitsuki-san for a bit? There's something I need to discuss."

I nodded, and Asagumo-san immediately clamped both her hands around Ayano's arm.

"Chihaya? What's this about?"

"Yes, what could it be? Let's go talk over there, shall we?"

I pressed my palms together in a silent prayer for the doomed Ayano back as he was hauled away by his girlfriend. Yep. She totally heard all that.

Well, that's what you get for fawning over a girl you already turned down while your actual girlfriend is right there. Reflect on your sins, Ayano.

Anyhow. The morning events were drawing to a close. Hmm, what else was left on the schedule? As I rummaged through my pocket for the event schedule, Yanami came running up to me.

"There you are!" she huffed, doubled over.

"What's wrong? Why the rush?"

She caught her breath, then thrust both hands toward me, eyes bright and clear.

"Nukumizu-kun, give me your bento!"

"No."

She shot me an exasperated look and shrugged, making sure to emphasize it. "Okay. Guess I'll have to spell it out so that even you can understand."

"My answer's not changing, you know."

My words went through one ear and out the other, as usual. "You know how the cheering battle is first in the afternoon block? So, as soon as lunch break starts, we've gotta change and eat while we go over our routine and stuff."

"Uh-huh." And this concerns me how?

Yanami glared at me. "Listen. Obviously, if you're exercising all morning, you're gonna end up hungry, won't you? So then it's only natural that—"

"That you ate your lunch early."

"I only wanted a little taste!" she whined. "The bento just didn't put up much of a fight, that's all. Seriously, zero guts^[2]."

Guts. I was not aware that bento came with hidden stats.

I mean, I understood her predicament, but still. There was no way I was handing over Kaju's specially-made bento to someone who obviously didn't appreciate its worth.

"Why don't you just go buy some bread from the store?" I suggested.

"I can't. I've got the bread-eating race after this, so I don't have time to go line up. You go buy some for me."

"Couldn't you just use the race bread as your lunch?"

"You seriously think that'd be enough?" Fair point. My bad.

Once I nodded in reluctant agreement, Yanami beamed, thanked me, and turned to leave.

"Wait. Money first. You wouldn't want to be in debt, would you?"

"…Do I look like the type of girl who wouldn't pay you back?"

No comment.

She rummaged through the pockets of her gym shorts and pulled out a 500-yen coin.

"Then—get me the bread that looks like it's got some guts!" Waving cheerily, she jogged off toward her next event.

I watched her go, tilting my head in utter bewilderment.

Bread with guts…

…What the hell is that supposed to look like?

◇

On the way back, I found my arms completely loaded with curry bread—which I'd managed to score a whopping seven of on sale since they were expiring today. If any bread had "guts," it was totally curry bread. Yanami would love it.

Humming to myself as I walked along the corridor by the courtyard, I spotted a cute girl coming toward me: Shiratama-san.

Noticing me, she trotted over with light, bouncy steps. So cute.

Now, there was never any debate about her cuteness. But, gotta say, today she had totally taken it up a notch. Decked out in an animal costume complete with a furry-ear headband and a fluffy tail, her sheer level of cuteness was off the charts.

Stopping right in front of me, she curled both her hands into little paws.

"Rawr, Prez!" she playfully growled, striking an adorable pose.

"Is this your cheer battle costume?"

"Yep! My class is doing a 'Kon-Poko^[3]' fox and tanuki dance! I ended up as a tanuki." She stuck her tongue out with a playful tee-hee. God, it was so calculated. And so incredibly cute.

Her eyes dropped to the pile of curry bread in my arms, widening in surprise. "Wow, Prez, you eat a lot!"

"No, this is—"

"For Yanami-san, right?" She laughed softly, then peered up at me through her lashes. "By the way, Prez… will you come watch Class 1-E's cheer performance too?"

"Huh? Oh, um… as long as it doesn't overlap with my class's turn…"

Shiratama-san beamed, her smile blossoming all flower-like. "Yay, I can't wait! I'll send you a secret signal while I'm dancing. You have to come watch, okay?"

"To me?"

"…Only to you, Prez," she whispered, her voice soft and breathless.

With that, she spun around on her heel, her fluffy tanuki tail fluttering softly in the air as she skipped away.

◇

And so lunch break began. Sakurai-kun and Ayano were on the cheer squad, so I was free to enjoy a quiet solo bento session in a corner of the schoolyard. Sitting comfortably in the shade, I listened to the gentle rustling sound of the swaying branches, along with the occasional chirp of a bird overhead.

"It's nice to have some quiet time like this every now and then…"

Now, what to eat after the quail eggs? The mini oden skewers? Or play it safe with classic karaage…

As I weighed my options over Kaju's special bento, a shadow fell across my hands. I looked up to see Komari standing there, clutching her own wrapped bento.

"U-um… I… uh…" she stammered, shifting awkwardly on her feet and nervously fiddling with her bangs.

"Huh? Weren't the cheer squad members supposed to eat together and go over their routine?"

"I-I don't actually have anything to do during the performance. A-and they're having the committee handle the music and stuff anyway…"

"…Huh. So then why are you all the way out—"

"Eep?! W-well, that's… um…"

Watching her flail, I nodded deeply in understanding. Right. So that's how it was.

"I get it," I said confidently. "You're looking for somewhere nobody will bother you, right?"

"…Huh?"

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder, pointing directly behind me.

"I recommend the spot right behind those bushes over there. It's quiet, and the grass there's got this really soft texture, so it's pretty comfortable to sit on. I picked here because I can hear the birds, but overall that spot's the better choice."

Nailed it. Us fellow introverts gotta stick together.

Feeling pretty good about my good deed for the day, I picked up a piece of karaage with my chopsticks.

"…G-go die."

Why the verbal abuse?

As I sat there bewildered by the abrupt cruelty, I caught a whiff of a sweet floral scent drifting in the breeze. Accompanied by what felt like bright, majestic background music steadily approaching our position…

"Thank goodness! There you are!"

That voice belonged to Karen Himemiya, who was sprinting toward us clad in full cheerleader outfit. She skidded to a stop right before Komari, and the law of inertia caused the hopes and dreams of every teenage boy to bounce vigorously up and down.

…Incredible. I won't say what, but… truly incredible.

While I was frozen in awe by the sheer impact, Himemiya-san grabbed both of Komari's hands.

"Hey, Komari-chan, you wouldn't mind performing in the cheer battle with us, would you?!"

"E-eep—?!"

"Takanashi-san just twisted her ankle! She was supposed to be the one we lifted, so we need a substitute—right now!"

If I remember correctly, Takanashi-san was a petite girl, right around Komari's size.

Himemiya-san pressed closer to Komari, relentlessly moving in. "You've got the whole routine down, right, Komari-chan? Do you think you could take Takanashi-san's place as the flyer?!"

"U-um…" Terrified, Komari shot me a desperate look, silently pleading for help.

I very carefully looked away.

"Please, Komari-chan! You're the only one we can ask!"

"C-can't Yanami do it..?"

"Anna's too heav—I mean, she's super strong! So we really need her on the ground to do the lifting! Don't worry, we'll all support you!"

Sparkle, sparkle. Sparkle, sparkle. Bathed in the radiant light of Himemiya-san's dazzling smile, what little willpower Komari had left was drained out of her. Her head slumped forward in utter defeat.

Taking that as a yes, Himemiya-san cheerfully dragged her away.

…Yikes. That looks rough.

With my oden skewer in hand, I gazed peacefully back up at the branches above. Oh—that sound. That's a Daurian redstart. Huh… did it miss its migration?

Listening to the bird's faintly mournful cry, I bit down on the thoroughly seasoned konjac and quietly savored the flavor.

◇

The afternoon events kicked off not long afterwards. A bright, upbeat song blasted from the schoolyard speakers, announcing the start of Class 2-C's cheering battle. Our class's routine was this weird mashup of regular cheerleaders and a gakuran-clad cheer squid, resulting in the kind of awkward, slightly-off beat dancing you only ever see at school festivals. It was pretty wholesome and all, but I quickly forgot about all that.

Because Karen Himemiya existed.

Her sheer, overwhelming beauty and… aggressively well-endowed figure pulled in every pair of eyes around her, a radiant presence practically following her everywhere she went. It was like a completely different set of physical laws applied to her alone… especially to that one, uh—part of her—that powered the hopes and dreams of every guy our age. Her assets bounced and swayed with every movement, seemingly defying gravity.

Was this sort of spectacle really legal at a public high school in broad daylight?

Before I knew it, the crowd around our class's designated area had grown suspiciously thick. I was pretty sure every male student in the school had migrated here to watch.

For the record, Yanami—who had just inhaled all seven curry breads—was also dancing with plenty of energy. The cheerleader outfits were designed to offer glimpses of midriff, but the squishy belly I'd been worrying about wasn't noticeable. I guess Shiratama's aunt calling her chubby had really lit a fire under her.

Still… where'd all that bread even go?

I tore my eyes away from the Yanami's stomach region and scanned the formation for Komari. I was starting to worry she'd made a run for it when I finally spotted her, tucked behind a cluster of taller girls while weakly waving her pom-poms.

…Wow. She really had a talent for finding blind spots. And… there she goes again.

Fascinated, I observed the wild Komari in her natural habitat as she skittled around from blindspot to blindspot in search of hiding. The song reached its climax before I knew it, and the cheerleaders suddenly shifted their formation, tightly encircling a single person in the center.

That someone being—Komari.

Ayano, standing with the rest of the boys in gakuran, raised a whistle to his lips and blew a sharp, piercing blast that cut through the music. At the signal, the cheerleaders hoisted the feebly struggling Komari straight up into the air until she was at shoulder height. Completely exposed to the public eye, her face went pale as fresh snow. With stiff, jerky movements that made her seem like a robot, she slowly raised both pom-poms overhead.

The music cut right on cue. Another whistle blew.

The cheerleaders chanted in terrifying unison, and—

—launched Komari high into the air.

A bloodcurdling shriek tore across the athletic field as gravity remembered its job. Then, flawlessly, the cheerleaders caught her on the way down. The moment she landed safely in their arms—an uproar of applause erupted. It was a perfect success.

Watching the girls excitedly swarm around Komari, I nodded with a deep sense of emotional fulfillment.

Komari, you've really grown.

Even if you were currently unconscious.

◇

Now then, I should probably go check out Shiratama-san's performance too.

I staked out a good spot with a clear view of Class 1-E's cheering squad and crossed my arms, watching the field as I waited for it to begin. Now, let me get this straight. Being the responsible club president I am, I was solely here in my capacity of supporting my junior's efforts. That's it. I absolutely had not sprinted over with a goofy grin plastered on my face just because she'd promised to send me a secret signal or anything.

…Maybe I should move a bit closer for a better angle, though.

Class 1-E's routine had everyone, boys and girls alike, dressed up in fox or tanuki costumes and dancing together. Watching the guys and girls laugh and goof around together was incredibly envi—I mean, heartwarming. Very heartwarming.

Even among them, Shiratama-san stood out like a diamond in a pile of artificial jewels. Though I couldn't help but notice she seemed to be interacting exclusively with the boys…

The music kicked in, and Class 1-E began dancing in unison, doing cute little cat-paw gestures that looked… absolutely ridiculous on the guys, though I guess that was the whole point. But the longer they danced, the more Shiratama-san stood out, her gestures so captivating you'd think she was a professional idol or something. She really had those coquettish feline movements down too. I'm gonna be honest—if they were a real idol group, they'd probably fall apart just from how much she outclassed everyone else.

Word of her cuteness was apparently spreading like wildfire, though, because the crowd around me just kept on multiplying. Damn. I guess there's no way she could spot me in this sea of bodies, let alone send a signal.

Right. Shiratama-san was an idol for the masses, not just me. The thought, however, left me with this weird and hollow sense of loneliness. At least—right up until my eyes unexpectedly locked with hers.

She looked directly at me, flashing a brilliant smile that could have powered a small city, and blew a two-handed kiss straight in my direction.

…Holy crap. She seriously did it.

I felt my face ignite, my heart doing a tiny, embarrassing flutter. But as I stood there fidgeting awkwardly like an idiot, the boys around me erupted into an excited uproar.

"Bro. BRO. Did you see that? She totally just blew a kiss at me!"

"Idiot, that was obviously for me! I've been making eye contact this whole time!"

"Nah, she was definitely looking at me. I'm telling you."

I ran a hand through my hair, a smug, wry smile creeping onto my face. Sorry, dudes. That signal had a designated recipient. Do continue to support Shiratama-san from a respectful distance, though. Very respectful.

"Oh? You came to watch too, Nukumizu-kun?"

"Oh, hello."

I turned to find Tanaka-sensei standing right behind me. He bent his knees slightly, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially in my ear.

"How are things with Riko-chan lately?"

How, huh… Well, I'd say she's gotten pretty used to us by now. I think.

"I mean, things have been pretty chill, actually," I replied. "Not sure when it happened, but she even got my little sister's number."

"Your little sister?" Tanaka-sensei asked, looking strangely surprised.

"Yeah. They started off pretty rough honestly, but Kaju stopped the whole 'throwing salt^[4]' thing whenever she's over, so I think they're good now."

"Salt…? Wait, Riko-chan's already coming over to your house?"

"Well, every now and then, yeah." Oh right. I'd completely forgotten that Tanaka-sensei still thinks that Shiratama-san and I are dating. Was that… going to be an issue? Nah, it's probably fine. It's not like we were actually together, after all. I'm sure it'll all sort itself out eventually.

"What about you, Sensei? Getting along with Shiratama-san?" Bold question on my part, not gonna lie, but the relaxed, easy smile on Tanaka-sensei's face reassured me.

"Yes, quite well. She actually asked to come watch today. She said she'd give me a secret signal and wanted me to see it."

"...Oh? She said that to you? Huh… imagine that…"

Riko Shiratama… you little…

Class 1-E's performance drew to a close, and Tanaka-sensei began to applaud. I clapped alongside him, casting a glance at his peaceful, oblivious smile.

…This poor guy doesn't have the slightest clue that she's aiming for him, does he? Oh boy.

"By the way, I heard Riko-chan's writing a novel?"

"Uh, yeah. Sort of."

His expression brightened with curiosity. "No matter how much I ask, she gets too embarrassed and refuses to let me read it. I wonder what kind of story she's writing."

Uh. Let's see. You're the main character. Your fiancée is dead. And… the heroine is your deceased fiancée's little sister.

Yeah. Nope. Absolutely not. No way in any conceivable universe could she let him read that.

"It's a historical novel," I lied. "But honestly, showing your writing to a family member is kinda nerve wracking. Goes the other way around too—even just reading something they wrote is awkward. I'd definitely have to psych myself up before reading anything my little sister wrote."

"Hmm, now that you mention it, that does make sense," Tanaka-sensei nodded with newfound understanding, apparently finding some kind of truth in my completely fabricated reasoning. From where, though, I have no idea.

"Don't worry. Once she gets a little more of it put together, I'll make sure to pass it along to you."

"I see. Then I'll certainly be looking forward to it," he said, giving me an encouraging pat on the back before taking his leave.

I threw one last glance at Shiratama-san—currently buried in a swarm of male classmates—before turning on my heel and heading back to my own class. It was almost time for my own event, the obstacle course.

Okay. Let's see if I can at least look a little cool for once.

◇

And so I found myself in the Sports Festival Executive Committee's main tent, which also doubled as a makeshift infirmary. Why, you ask? I tripped. And… scraped my knee. Everything had been going absolutely flawlessly up until the net crawl—which, by the way, I was this close to clearing. Then I tried to sprint forward, and in the next instant got my foot immediately tangled in the netting. Seriously, sports festivals are way too dangerous. We should just ban them all.

"Excuse me…" I called out tentatively, poking my head into the tent.

Konuki-sensei turned around, her white lab coat swishing around her. "Oh, my. What brings you here, Nukumizu-kun? Did you come to see me?"

"No, I just scraped my leg. I need it disinfected."

"Cold as always, I see. Have a seat on that chair over there."

She briefly inspected the scrape before waving over one of the students standing behind her. "A simple disinfection should be enough. Executive Committee Member, can I leave it to you?"

"Yes, of course."

Stepping in to take her place was—Sakurai-kun. Offering a wry smile, he took the seat opposite mine.

"Nice work out there. You were close, huh?"

I was not close. I came in fifth out of six. But considering I'd miraculously dodged last place, I'm counting it as a win in my books.

Ever since the election ended, all Sakurai-kun had time for was sports festival prep. We really hadn't had a chance to sit down and talk properly. Feeling a twinge of awkwardness, I broke the silence.

"You even handle stuff like this, huh."

"The council's also on the festival committee, so you could sort of say it's our final duty. Here, this is going to sting." He gently dabbed at the scrape with a cotton swab soaked in disinfectant.

Watching him work, a thought slipped past my lips before I could stop it:

"So," I blurted, "you were the one who recommended Basori-san to the senpais, huh?"

Sakurai-kun paused, hesitating.

"It was a while ago. Back… when we were volunteering together, there was this group of people that just really couldn't stand her. So they spread all kinds of rumors—some really nasty ones too. She had it really rough." A shadow crossed over his face, and his expression seemed to cloud over. "And then, the leader of that group messed up and ended up completely shunned by the rest of them. But there was one person who, regardless, still stood by her. And that person was…"

"Basori-san?"

Sakurai-kun nodded silently and went back to treating my knee.

…What a past.

Getting hated on by others, only to turn around and protect the very person who targeted her… That was so painfully Tiara-san. Looks like the student council members really did know her good qualities well. They really did treasure her as a friend.

Maybe I didn't need to worry about her after all.

Also, apparently our school's volunteer work got surprisingly cutthroat. That was terrifying.

"There. All done." My freshly disinfected knee was now neatly covered with a gauze pad.

I was still caught up admiring his handiwork when a girl burst into the tent. Her hair pulled back tight in a ponytail and eyebrows prominent—it was none other than the next student council president, Tiara-san.

"Sakurai-kun, would you mind going over to help set up for the closing ceremony? Shikiya-senpai keeps unhooking my bra, so I can't get any work—" She cut herself off the moment she noticed me, hurrying over with concern plastered on her face. "Nukumizu-san, are you hurt?! Here, let me treat you!"

"Ah, it's fine. Sakurai-kun already took care of it." I stood up and tapped my foot lightly on the ground.

"Oh… I see…" Tiara-san slumpted in visible disappointment, still clutching the disinfectant and bandages in her arms.

Behind her, Sakurai-kun stood up. "Closing ceremony setup, right? I'll leave things here to you, Basori-chan."

"Ah, yes! Leave it to me."

And just like that, the two of us were left alone in the tent. And, of course, Konuki-sensei had somehow vanished into thin air. Just my luck.

We hadn't really talked ever since the infamous Nosebleed Election, so the atmosphere was kinda approaching critical levels of awkward…

"Uh, well, I should probably get go—"

"I have the scavenger hunt next," Tiara-san said, cutting me off. "Will you be watching, Nukumizu-san?"

"I mean… you don't see those every day, so yeah, I was planning on it."

"Hehe, I know, right? It's like something straight out of a shoujo manga—I've always dreamed of doing things like this, to be honest." She giggled, all the stiffness gone, then placed both hands on my back and gave me a gentle push toward the exit. "Well, I apologize for keeping you. Please make sure you watch my turn closely, okay, Nukumizu-san?"

"Ah, sure. Will do."

First Shiratama-san, and now Tiara-san too? The election's already over—what are they all after now…?

Tilting my head in confusion, I made my way back to my class's staging area.

◇

The scavenger hunt race was pretty much what it sounded like—a race where scavengers had to hunt for whatever item was written on a slip of paper and bring it back to the finish line. Most of the prompts were single things like headbands or glasses, though every now and then you'd get something a little more abstract, like "someone you admire." And if this were a shoujo manga, some ridiculously handsome protagonist would draw a slip reading "your treasure," then proceed to dramatically carry the female heroine across the finish line in his arms.

Didn't know Tiara-san was a fan of those kinda tropes. I guess her tastes aren't entirely degenerate^[5]…

I was quietly observing the first-years' scavenger race when Ayano materialized beside me, his face twisted in a stupid grin.

"Chihaya's up next. If I miss it, I'll never hear the end of it," he said, his expression turning all goofy and lovestruck. Geez, this guy was always looking for a chance to brag about his girlfriend. Can't ever let your guard down around him.

"By the way," I asked, "you okay after what happened earlier? When Asagumo-san dragged you off saying she needed to talk?"

"Chihaya did? What are you talking about?"

"You know, right after we cheered for Yakishio during the co-ed relay."

"Cheering for Lemon…?" Ayano crossed his arms and furrowed his brow, genuinely looking like he had no clue what I was talking about

The hell? Asagumo-san, what did you do to him…?

"Next up is the second-year scavenger hunt! Competitors, please make your way to the starting line!"

The announcer's voice boomed across the athletic field, mercifully cutting through my growing terror. Right. Forget the Ayano couple for now.

A total of twelve competitors—two from each class—stood at the starting line. Asagumo-san and Tiara-san were both among them. Asagumo-san cheerfully struck up a conversation, and I watched Tiara-san flinch with what looked like genuine survival instinct. Smart girl. Trust that instinct.

Once the executive committee finished laying out the prompt slips on the ground in front of the starting line, the starting pistol fired.

Asagumo-san shot forward like she'd been launched from a canon, snatched up a slip, barely glanced at it, and immediately sprinted straight toward us. Written on it was—

"My prompt is 'glasses!' Mitsuki-san, could I borrow yours?"

"Yeah, no problem. Do your best."

"Thanks, Mitsuki-san!"

For whatever reason, Asagumo-san promptly put the glasses on her own face and took off in a wobbly, unsteady jog.

Uh. The finish line was in the complete opposite direction. Was she gonna be okay?

"Shouldn't you go with her, Ayano? Asagumo-san's heading the wrong way," I pointed out.

"She is? I can't see a thing without my glasses."

Yeah, figures. Well, they both look like they're having fun, so whatever.

I shifted my gaze back to the field and noticed another girl sprinting toward us—Tiara-san. She skidded to a stop in front of me, her pale skin flushed, chest heaving as she gasped for air.

"Um, Nukumizu-san. Would you mind coming with me?"

"Huh? Me?"

What, did she draw "an introvert" or something? Though before I could ask, Tiara-san grabbed my hand. "Okay, let's go!"

"W-Wait, hold on?!" Beneath the curious gazes of our classmates, I found myself dragged along by the hand.

Wait a sec, wasn't this exactly like the shoujo manga heroine thing? Except I was the heroine.

"Hey, Tiara-san, what did your prompt say?" I managed to gasp between breaths.

"I'm speeding up! Don't bite your tongue!"

Completely ignoring my question, Tiara-san accelerated. The situation didn't leave much room for conversation, so I just focused on matching her pace without tripping as we hurtled toward the finish line. Runners from other classes stared at us in open shock as we blew past them.

All was going well until the thought suddenly dawned on me:

I was running. In front of the entire school. Holding hands. With. A. Girl.

Suddenly, a wave of nervousness crashed over me. Wait, which foot went first again? Was I even doing this right?

Just as my panicked legs were about to betray me in spectacular fashion, Tiara-san gave my hand a sharp tug, pulling us both across the finish line.

She stood there as she steadied her breath, hand still locked tightly around mine. As the female committee member approached us, she finally let go.

"Excuse me, I need to check your prompt," the girl said.

"Thank you for your hard work. Here you go." Tiara-san pulled out the crumpled slip of paper and held it up for the girl to read.

The committee member froze, eyes widening in surprise. Tiara-san offered her a soft smile.

"Is everything alright?"

"A-Ah, yes!" The committee member nodded vigorously.

Turning her back on the girl, Tiara-san bowed her head toward me. "Thank you very much Nukumizu-san. You really helped."

"I don't mind helping, but what was the prompt actually about?"

"Are you curious?"

Well, obviously. But now something tells me I shouldn't pry…

As I hesitated, a sudden flash of reflected light momentarily blinded me. When my vision cleared, I saw Asagumo-san standing right beside us, sporting a familiar pair of glasses.

"Is that Nukumizu-san's voice I hear? And that must be Basori-san next to you, then." She stared at the two of us intently through the lenses, making no attempt to hide her interest. "My prompt was to find glasses. Was yours for Nukumizu-san, Basori-san?"

At her innocent question, Tiara-san let out a soft chuckle and gently took Asagumo-san by the hand. "Something like that. Anyway, Asagumo-san, it's dangerous here. Allow me to guide you to the waiting area."

"Oh, thank you. By the way, where exactly is the finish line?"

"You've already crossed it. Here, right this way."

As Tiara-san guided Asagumo-san away, she brushed past me.

"So, about that prompt—" I started, but Tiara-san flashed a mischievous grin before I could press the issue. She leaned in close, bringing her mouth to my ear, and whispered just before walking past me:

"Then… could I borrow a little of your time after school today?"

◇

The Tsuwabuki High School sports festival finally drew to a close, leaving me with nothing but a scraped knee and a fierce case of muscle cramps. Big and small cheerleaders, Yakishio's ferocious sprint, Shiratama's tanuki dance, Kaju's specially made bento—already those memories were beginning to blend into nostalgia. And as for whether the Red Team or the White Team won the festival, that too was already slipping to the abyss.

"It's about time…"

I glanced at the digital face of my watch, then stared vacantly up at the darkening sky.

I was currently standing on the bridge over Mukaiyama Great Pond, about fifteen minutes from Tsuwabuki High by bike. The last time I came here was half a year ago, when Tiara-san had called me out to retrieve the… forbidden RPF^[6] BL doujin Tsukinoki-senpai had written.

The days had really grown a lot longer since then.

The evening sky, bleeding from a crisp blue into a deep ultramarine^[7], left me with an uneasy feeling; a strange mix of anxiety and yearning. Something felt as though it were passing me by, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what. It felt… panicky somehow.

—Still only sixteen. Already a second-year^[8] in high school.

Two thoughts that don't technically contradict, yet feel entirely at odds^[9]. The notion drifted through my mind before vanishing into the dark.

Still, why'd she choose for us to meet at this place instead of the courtyard table? I mean, according to her, the courtyard was perfect for secret conversations 'cause no one could overhear. But if she had specifically chosen this place… that meant whatever she was trying to hide wasn't audio, but visual.

—Meaning there was something she didn't want anyone to see.

The scavenger hunt prompt had just been a decoy. Her real goal was—

"…The anime merch, huh."

With all the chaos of stuff that happened, I'd almost forgotten, but the whole reason I agreed to help Tiara-san in the first place was to get my hands on the Chikapyon promo merch. She must be planning to hand them over now. True, I guess passing anime goods around in school would feel kinda awkward, but we didn't have to come all the way out here for that.

As I looked around, pretty excited, a girl in a Tsuwabuki uniform approached from the far end of the long bridge across the pond.

Tiara-san.

The part of the bridge where I stood was a little wider, with a bench nearby. Now that I think about it, this was exactly where she'd been waiting last time, and I was the one who came up to her…

As I reminisced, Tiara-san must've noticed me watching her, because she broke into a light jog.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. My duties took longer than expected," she said, lightly bowing her head while tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"It's fine. I just got here myself," I said, though it wasn't quite the truth.

She smiled at my little white lie, beckoning me closer. "Look, Nukumizu-san. There's a family of ducks."

She seems awfully cheerful today. "Those look like spot-billed ducks. It's breeding season right now, after all."

Leaning against the bridge railing, she pointed down at the duck family. "Is that adult duck the mother? I wonder where the father is?"

"He's probably not around. Male spot-billed ducks usually disappear after the female lays her eggs."

"Oh… I see…" she said listlessly, seeming to deflate a little. Er, did I pick the wrong dialogue option…?

Still, Tiara-san continued to watch the ducks paddle across the surface of the water, her expression strangely content.

So… when exactly am I getting my Chikapyon merch?

As we stood side by side, absentmindedly watching the ducks, Tiara-san's voice drifted over.

"Your speech… you remembered the first time we met."

"Kinda hard to forget getting chewed out on your first encounter."

Back then when I had gone to the student council room to submit some paperwork, I had glanced at her nametag, and she had practically bitten my head off for it.

Tiara-san covered her mouth with a hand, letting out a soft chuckle.

"My apologies for that. I was really rude back then. At the time, I was under the impression that the Literature Club was just a gathering of… questionable individuals."

"Well, can't say you were totally wrong."

"Honestly! I was trying to be nice, but you went and ruined it!" Tiara-san burst out laughing, unable to hold it in. "Oh, come to think of it, there was also that incident where you brought that indecent doujinshi to school, wasn't there?"

"For the record, that was Tsukinoki-senpai, not me."

"Oh? Was it now?" she teased, a playful glint in her eyes. I couldn't help but smile wryly in return.

"Man, you've really gotten cheeky lately, haven't you, Tiara-san? You're a lot different from how you used to be."

I waited for her usual sharp comeback.

…

…Huh? No comeback?

Resting her elbows on the railing, Tiara-san peered up at me.

"Is something wrong? I'm sorry, I wasn't really listening."

"No, it's just… you're not really getting mad at me today."

"I don't get mad as long as you don't give me a reason to be mad."

Fair. Wait, so she'd only gotten mad before because I always gave her a reason to be…

"Well, yeah, but… if you don't push back a little, it kinda takes all the fun out of it."

"So you have been teasing me this entire time?!"

Whoops. Mouth, meet foot.

Tiara-san puffed up her cheeks and closed in on me. "That's exactly the problem with you, Nukumizu-san! You're always making fun of me like that, and you never take anything I say seriously!"

"No, no, I swear I'm not making fun of you, Tiara-san."

"Then stop calling me by my first name!"

Ah, there we go. Back to normal.

Tiara-san let out a long, exaggerated sigh.

"I actually came here today hoping to properly thank you for everything, but you ruined it."

"Wait, really? So I don't get my thanks anymore?"

"That's right. Shame, you missed your chance."

Her exaggerated pout didn't last long. Without bothering to hide the smile tugging at the corner of her lips, she rested her elbows back on the railing.

"…Really, Nukumizu-san, I am grateful. For going along with my selfishness. And for fighting alongside me during the election."

"Well, Shikiya-senpai ended up stealing all the glory in the end anyway."

"Yes, that certainly took me by surprise."

Shikiya-san's feelings for Tiara-san, her worry… she was probably just as awkward at expressing her feelings as Tiara-san was. That's why she had chosen to show it in the way she did.

As I mulled that over, I noticed Tiara-san watching me, her cheek resting in her hand.

"…Are you thinking about Shikiya-senpai?"

"Huh? Well, we were talking about her, so…"

"So even with me standing right here, you're thinking about her instead?" Tiara-san turned her face away with a huff.

…Why is she suddenly acting like a sulky girlfriend?

I rested my own elbows on the railing beside her, gazing out at the darkening sky. "Sakurai-kun is going to be your vice president, right?"

"Yes, he graciously accepted the position. I'd like at least one more set of hands, though…"

She cast a meaningful sidelong glance in my direction.

"Uh, that’d be a little difficult, I think. ‘Cause I'm the Lit Club president, so… You know, compliance issues and all that."

"Oh my. You know some fancy words."

"Well, I try. Or what, are you saying you’ve outgrown my Japanese tutoring?" I threw a slightly mean-spirited tease her way, but Tiara-san just flashed me a bright, toothy grin.

"You could say that. If anything, I'll just be the one tutoring you."

"I guess I’m in your hands, then."

We traded jabs. We laughed a little.

And I came to the realization that, just this alone, was surprisingly—

Really comfortable.

As our eyes met more frequently and our words became fewer, a sort of awkward, ticklish feeling began to settle over me. I pushed myself away from the railing.

"Um… the wind's starting to get a little cold, isn’t it?"

"You’re right. It is getting a bit chilly."

Well, we should probably head back before it gets dark.

And so I was about to turn and start walking back. Up until Tiara-san suddenly called out to me, stopping me in my tracks.

"Sorry, I almost forgot." Oh, right! I almost forgot about the whole reason I came here…!

"The Chikapyon—"

"—I promised to tell you what my prompt for the scavenger hunt was, didn’t I?"

…Huh? I mean, I wasn’t exactly losing sleep over that, though…

I stood there, a little bewildered, as Tiara-san held out a tiny folded slip of paper with both hands.

"Here."

"Oh. Uh, thanks."

Not like I have a reason to say no. I guess she probably just couldn't bring herself to thank me honestly, so she used this as an excuse to call me out. I nonchalantly unfolded the note. But as my eyes fell on the words written on it—for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

…

……

………This was the actual prompt from the scavenger hunt, right?

Written on the paper was—

The person you like.

Uh, so… let me get this straight.

Tiara-san drew this prompt. And then, she came to get me. So…

Completely thrown into a state of confusion, I looked up to find Tiara-san staring intensely at me. Her fingers were laced tightly together in front of her chest, her gaze almost pleading.

Then—as if steeling herself for what was to come—she finally opened her mouth.

"Nukumizu-san. I like you."

{{image:"images/makeine-v8/image10.jpg"}}

It was a sudden, totally unexpected confession of love.

"Wh-wha—?"

No, hang on. It's too soon to assume this is actually a confession. In rom-coms, this sorta thing was usually some kind of giant misunderstanding where—

"I mean that romantically, of course. Will you please go out with me?"

…Nope, this was a bonafide, real-as-can-be confession.

It wasn't a misunderstanding. It wasn't something I misheard.

I—of all people—was seriously being confessed to.

An event I'd only ever witnessed in the pages of light novels was happening right in front of me. And I was its main character.

Was it really okay… for it to be me?

Tiara-san was fun to be around, cute by any standard, and no matter how you looked at it—way out of my league. All I had to do was say a single "yes," and this girl—who felt like she belonged in a fantasy—would be mine.

…

"U-um…"

I finally managed to unstick my dry lips.

"I-it's just… I've always thought of you as a friend, Basori-san…"

…Huh?

"I mean, it's just all so sudden, and—"

…What the hell am I saying?

Tiara-san was a good girl. She was cute. Being around her was fun. Yeah, she was a little hard to approach at first, but once you got to know her, her smile was so innocent.

"This is the first time anyone's ever said something like this to me… so I think I'm just a little confused right now."

It was easy to relax around her. And if we dated, I was sure—it'd be fun.

I had no real reason to turn her down. All I had to do was say that one word: 'yes.'

That was all it would take…

"Uh, I…" I trailed off, unable to find the words to continue. What the hell? What was I doing? I'll probably never get a chance like this again.

I tried to force something—anything—out, when,

"Please wait a moment!" Tiara-san suddenly interrupted.

"Um, well…"

"That was too sudden, wasn't it?! I mean, truthfully, I thought I'd be mentally prepared—or well, I thought that I'd finally find my resolve as long as I said the words, but—it turns out this is way too much and—I think… I'm at my absolute limit now…!" She clutched her chest and sank down to the ground.

"You okay?"

"…Yes. Um, Nukumizu-san?" Still crouched on the ground, Tiara-san took a deep breath before slowly looking up at me. She reached out a hand to me, and said, "Could we perhaps… start out as friends?"

"Friends…? I mean, I thought we already were friends."

"It makes me really happy that you feel that way, Nukumizu-san. However…" Taking my hand, Tiara-san pulled herself unsteadily to her feet. "I was hoping we could become the kind who could talk more casually. Or, the kind who could go out together sometime. Things like that would… make me very happy."

"Oh, well, if it's just that…" I replied weakly.

Despite the hollow reply, Tiara-san beamed at me with a gentle, radiant smile.

"And… I hope someday, you'll come to fall in love with me too."

—A sneak attack.

There was no other way to describe it.

I had spent so much energy running away from an answer, only to run straight into her dazzling smile at the end of it.

It was far, far too bright for me.

A dull ache spread through my chest.

As I stood there, lost in the maze of my emotions, Tiara-san desperately fanned her burning red face with her hands. "I'm suddenly getting nervous. Wow, I really said something bold, didn't I!"

Watching her panic, I awkwardly scratched my cheek.

"Uh… I was really happy you confessed to me. So… I'll give it some proper thought…" I managed to squeeze out.

A shy, bashful smile bloomed on Tiara-san's face.

"Okay. I'll be waiting for a favourable answer," she said smiling. "But, well… I am a girl, you know."

Lacing her hands behind her back, Tiara-san looked up at me before adding one final thought:

"So… you should probably fall in love with me soon, okay?"

Translator Notes

1. The term used here is Kouhou Rikaisha Zura (後方理解者ヅラ), which is literally translated as "putting on the face of an 'understander' from the back." This is a Japanese internet slang that describes a specific character archetype where someone is a "behind-the-scenes" fan of sorts. The best way I can tell you to picture this is a glasses wearing dude with a serious expression on his face, standing at the back of the venue with crossed arms and making a sagely nod as they watch their "idol." I couldn't think of a better way to localize this. An example of this archetype is Reigen Arataka from Mob Psycho. ↑

2. "Guts" in this context refers to a common fighting stat in video games, konjou (根性), which translates in many contexts to willpower / fighting spirit / grit. For all you Umamusume players, it's that same stat. ↑

3. The name "Kon-Poko" is a playful portmanteau (combination of words) of the Japanese onomatopoeia Kon-kon (コンコン) and Pon-poko (ポンポコ). The former is the sound a fox (kitsune) makes in Japanese folklore, and the latter is the sound tanuki (racoon dogs) make when they're drumming on their bellies, which is also commonly depicted in Japanese folklore. Shiratama's basically making a cute name for her class's performance. ↑

4. In Japan, throwing salt is a traditional ritual used to drive out bad luck, evil spirits, or "unclean" and "impure" people from a home. It's often seen in Sumo wrestling to cleanse the ring of bad energy, and it is also sometimes performed after an unwelcome guest leaves. Kaju's basically treating Shiratama like a demon / bad omen and is trying to "purify" her. ↑

5. The word used here specifically is kusatteru (腐ってる), which has the same kanji that's used in fujoshi (腐女子). Fujoshi means literally "Rotten Girl," a self-deprecating, joking kinda way to describe BL fans. So by saying her tastes are totally not degenerate he's referring to degenerate in the sense of BL, not something else. ↑

6. RPF - Stands for "Real Person Fiction" (refer to this link for more information), and it is used to refer to a genre of fanfiction featuring real people. The term used here in the Japanese, nanmono (ナマモノ) is the equivalent of this term in doujinshi. ↑

7. In Japanese, the word for "youth" is seishun (青春) which literally translates to "Blue Spring." Therefore, blue is a color heavily associated with the springtime of youth, or his "golden age" of sorts. By describing the shift from blue (ao, 青) to ultramarine (gunjou, 群青), Takibi is sort of representing the "deepening" or maturation of Nukumizu's youth. You can take this a number of different ways; you could say this is signifying a deepening of his feelings, or the transition of lightheartedness to something heavier. It's up for you to interpret. ↑

8. The second year of high school is often considered as the peak of one's youth in Japanese contexts. Since there are three years in Japanese high schools, it sits right in between the first year (where you're still adjusting to life) and the third and final year (where you're preparing for universities and stuff). They've gained seniority, but haven't yet experienced the exam hell of their third year. So for Nukumizu, him already being a second-year is him talking about how his window as a person experiencing his spring is closing. Which is what he means by "passing by" in the previous paragraph. ↑

9. The Japanese school year begins in April, so many students turn seventeen during their second year. Nukumizu emphasizing that he is "still sixteen" is kind of him talking about how his immaturity is still lingering. But him "already being a second-year" is him talking about how his approaching responsibilities and maturity conflicts with that thought. ↑