《Watashi, Dokidoki Renai Kakumei de Onii-chan Yattemasu》 CH 1 Otome Game ¨D¨D From young girls to respectable ladies, it¡¯s a game genre that magically captures the hearts of a wide range of women. Unlike in reality, the games are full of good looking men of radiant countenances for you to conquer one by one. Branching pathways, reverse harem, ravaging, all the guys fighting over you, and even some stranger scenarios are all possible play styles you can expect to encounter. If you were to do such a thing in real life, it would be considered having a number of petty affairs. Their popularity has seen a great number of such games published, and on their days off, women crowd the streets of Ikebukuro and it¡¯s quite a sight to behold. ¡°I¡¯m telling you Makoto, it¡¯s all about the Otome games, BL, and voice actors.¡± ¡°Sooo, you really like games, don¡¯t you Subaru?¡± ¡°Yep yep, that¡¯s right. ¨D¨D¡­wait, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± After Subaru finished her piece on the subject, I thought I made an agreeable response, but apparently that wasn¡¯t the response she was looking for. I was sitting on a floor pillow with Subaru standing menacingly over me. What was she thinking standing over me in that miniskirt? I could see her underwear. A girl should be more conscientious of things like that. ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± ¡°¡­You really have zero interest in Otome games don¡¯t you Mako¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have an interest, I like cool looking guys as much as the next girl. And there are some voice actors I like too.¡± Subaru was a beautiful girl with straight black hair and fair skin, and yet she was a total Otome game addict. Lately, I heard she¡¯d been working with a group to produce their own Otome game to sell. Not only that, they¡¯d made a good number of sales already. On the other hand, I was an unpopular girl with a plain face and wore either glasses or contacts. I never changed the style of my clothes or hair, and I wasn¡¯t really into games or manga. Being friends with Subaru, I¡¯d absorbed knowledge of such things over the years, but never had any desire to play Otome or BL games myself. I didn¡¯t hate them, I just never wanted to play them. If I was gonna play anything, it¡¯d be an RPG. Everything I knew about Otome and BL games came from Subaru. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s fine. Hey Mako, wanna go to the bookstore after this?¡± ¡°Bookstore?¡± ¡°I need to pick up my game at a bookstore in the next district over. Let¡¯s go, Mako!¡± The first thought that crossed my mind was that I really just wanted to have a lazy Sunday, but Subaru¡¯s heavy breathing left no room for refusal, and I reluctantly went along with her. It was about a 10 minute walk from my place to the train station. In that time, Subaru told me all about the game she helped create, ¡°Hearthrob Love Revolution¡±. It was a really straightforward title. I could guess it was a game about a revolution of falling in love that got your heart pounding. I didn¡¯t really understand the ¡®Love Revolution¡¯ part, what exactly is that? I knew of the Revolution move in the card game Rich Man, Poor Man, but nothing other than that. Subaru summarized the long plot for me. The protagonist, in this case the player, was called Mitsuki Sakurai or whatever else the player wants to name her, and she¡¯s a second year in high school. The player has the power to increase their stats over time. Those specs determined other characters¡¯ responses to the player and whether they would go with you or not. The prince character was a boy named Kiritani Riku something or other, I couldn¡¯t remember. Sorry Subaru. Listening to Subaru¡¯s incredibly long monologue, at some point we arrived at the station. I sluggishly made my way to the ticket gate while Subaru quickly went through. ¡°Mako, it¡¯s track number 1.¡± ¡°Eh, Subaru, wait up.¡± I rummaged through my bag while I made my way to the ticket gate, but I couldn¡¯t find what I was looking for. I continued forward while thinking it was strange, but I just couldn¡¯t find it. I didn¡¯t leave it at home, did I? That sucks. It would be too much of a pain to walk 10 minutes all the way back to my house to get it. ¡°Hey, Mako!¡± ¡°Ah, no, what do I do?¡± Subaru called to me from the other side of the gate. The older salaryman behind me cleared his throat to hurry me along. Neither the front nor the back of the line was moving as I panicked rummaging through my bag. At that moment, something touched my hand. The feeling was probably what I had been looking for. Thank goodness. I felt relieved as I took it out, and touched it to the ticket gate sensor. Then suddenly, I remembered becoming terribly dizzy and inadvertently stumbled. I felt sick to my stomach. It was like I was going to fall, but somehow managed to remain standing, then my knee began throbbing. I suffered through it for a few seconds and closed my eyes, then looked back up. ¡°Sorry, Suba¡­ru¡­?¡± When I looked up, what I saw was not the familiar sight of the station. What appeared in front of my eyes were surroundings I¡¯d never seen before. The people around me were also different. Before, most everyone had been in casual clothes since it was Sunday, but now I saw a lot of suits and school uniforms. It felt like a weekday morning. ¡°Subaru? Hey, Subaru?¡± ¡°Huh, what¡¯s wrong Mako-chan?¡± I heard a girl¡¯s voice from behind me, and quickly turned around. I had expected to see Subaru, but the girl behind me was clearly not Subaru. Different from the intense beauty of Subaru, the girl had pinkish brown hair and plain eyes. ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡®eh¡¯ me, geez! You scared me when you almost collapsed, Mako-chan. Are you okay? Do you feel sick?¡± ¡°Uh, sorry, but who are you?¡± The pink-haired girl¡¯s eyes were opened wide in surprise. I thought she looked pretty plain at first, but when I took a closer look, she was actually kind of cute. She had large eyes and a nice nose, and her lips were pink and plump. Her body was small and dainty looking, and her hips looked thin enough to break. While I stared at her, the girl began to giggle. ¡°Gosh, Mako-chan, don¡¯t look so serious when you tell a joke, geez. You scared me. Let¡¯s hurry and board the train, okay? We can¡¯t be late for our first day of school after transferring.¡± ¡°What? Wait, no, I really-¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like a girl Mako-chan.¡± TL Note: Makoto is referring to herself with the feminine pronoun, ¡®watashi¡¯. What a rude thing to say to a girl. I was a bonafide female. I had never once been mistaken for a man. But, now that she said that, I noticed my view was a little taller than I was accustomed to. The girl in front of me was well below my line of sight. Normally I stood at 158cm (5¡¯2¡å), so for a girl to be this short, she had to be around 130cm (4¡¯2¡å)? No no, no way. She looked like she should be in high school. Does that mean that I got taller somehow? Suddenly I took a look at my own feet, and what I saw was a pair of men¡¯s leather shoes. When I looked a little farther up, I saw a high school boy¡¯s gray slacks. Even further up was a high school boy¡¯s dark blue blazer and red necktie. An enamel badge was even pinned to my shoulder. Huh. What¡¯s going on here? ¡°Huh, wha-? Eh?¡± ¡°Mako-chan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Sorry, um, I¡­er, I¡®m¡­¡± TL Note: Makoto switches from the female pronoun ¡®watashi¡¯ she¡¯d been using up to now, to the male pronoun ¡®ore¡¯. From this girl¡¯s attitude, I guessed that we were acquaintances. I had no idea what was going on, but I felt like I could only rely on this girl right now. ¡°Mako-chan, are you still half-asleep? Okay, I¡¯ll humor you, You¡¯re Makoto Sakurai, and I¡¯m Mitsuki Sakurai, fraternal twins. Starting today we¡¯re transferring to Izumino School.¡± ¡°Mitsuki¡­Sakurai?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Mako-chan¡¯s super adorable little sister.¡± Mitsuki Sakurai. I felt like I¡¯d heard that name somewhere before. Wasn¡¯t that the name of the protagonist from Subaru¡¯s Otome game? Now that I thought of it, she was the spitting image of the picture Subaru had on her smartphone of Mitsuki Sakurai. No freaking way. It couldn¡¯t be, did I¡­enter the world of Heartthrob Love Revolution?? And not only that, as Mitsuki Sakurai¡¯s ¡°older brother¡±¡­ ¡°Sorry Mitsuki, give me just a minute.¡± Unable to process this unbelievable situation, I retreated to the restroom. Before I rushed into the restroom, I stood at an impasse wondering which side I should enter, and paced back and forth in front of them at a loss. I scrutinized the front and back of my hand, but no matter how I looked at it, this was obviously a hand that belonged to a man. My normal hands weren¡¯t so angular, and the blood vessels didn¡¯t stand out. My knuckles were also too high. Moreover, my hand was just way too big to be a girl¡¯s hand. I checked to make sure no one was inside, readied myself, then dashed into the men¡¯s restroom. Reflected in the mirror was a man. My hair was short, and while there were traces of my original visage, it was still very much a man¡¯s face. It was like someone had taken my face and remodeled it into a man¡¯s. I also stood roughly 20cm (6¡±) taller than normal. I was somewhere in the ballpark of 180cm (5¡¯9¡å). I was tall, but not a looker. Though I wasn¡¯t completely unfortunate looking¡­ Probably. Finally, I patted down my chest, but as I thought, there was nothing there. ¡°This can¡¯t be real¡­! If only Subaru was here!¡± I collapsed onto the closed toilet seat, my head in my hands. I was a high school boy?! You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! It was an original game Subaru had made. How relieved I would be if she were here with me. ¡°Mako-chan, Mako-chan. We¡¯re really gonna be late.¡± Mitsuki called out to me in a timid voice from outside the restroom, and just when I was about to answer from the stall, another male high school boy entered the restroom. Did he hear me talking to myself just now? I was so embarrassed thinking about it, he¡¯d probably think of me as a weirdo if he did. From his uniform, I guessed he went to the same school I was going to. His black hair was short, and he had gentle drooping eyes. He stood even taller than my new 180cm (5¡¯9¡å). He kinda reminded me of a large dog. When he looked at me, the smile he gave me was so pleasent, I could swear it sparkled. Ooh, he seemed like a rather sociable and charming guy. ¡°Is the girl outside your¡­girlfriend?¡± ¡°No that¡¯s¡­my sister.¡± I wasn¡¯t used to using a male pronoun to refer to myself, and it was incredibly embarrassing. My face flushed red from it. Mitsuki called out for ¡®Mako-chan¡¯ once more. I bid him farewell then exited the restroom. Mitsuki was pouting when I came out, so I patted her gently on the head. I wondered if I¡¯d see that dog-like high school boy again. We were in the same school after all. ¡­Woah, wait a minute! I should be thinking of a way to get back home. I mean really, I was in a game world and I¡¯d turned into a guy for crying out loud! I didn¡¯t even have any idea how to live in this world. Subaru, save me! CH 2 After a 15 minute ride from Tachibana station, we disembarked at Hanagaki station for Izumino School. We mixed into a crowd of boys and girls all wearing the same uniform, and I even saw a few high school boys wearing the classic Japanese Gakuran-style uniform. There must be another high school in the neighborhood. ¡°Mako-chan, where do you think the Faculty room is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s ask some people around here.¡± I was at a loss for words looking upon the castle-sized campus of Izumino School. Mitsuki was nervous and clung to the hem of my uniform. Looking at me with upturned eyes, Mitsuki was indeed the heroine, she was so cute it was amazing. The epitome of femininity. Woman though I may have been, I couldn¡¯t help but want to protect Mitsuki¡­were the kinds of brotherly thoughts I had. I was shocked at myself. I cleared my throat, and Mitsuki turned to look at me, bewildered. Facing her, I said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone, so Mitsuki, just stay here and-¡± ¡°Excuse me. Could you tell me where the Faculty room is?¡± Before I could even finish, Mitsuki grabbed a male student and asked for the whereabouts of the Faculty room. As expected of an Otome game heroine, she¡¯s not adverse to taking action. I¡¯d forgotten the heroine of Subaru¡¯s Otome game was such a go-getter. If the heroine was too shy, the story would never get anywhere. ¡°Mako-chan, he said it¡¯s over there!¡± Unable to notice my internal monologue, Mitsuki returned smiling as if nothing had happened. ¡°Ah, over there. Then, let¡¯s go.¡± Mitsuki led the way in high spirits, and I followed her from behind to the Faculty room. It had only been 30 minutes since the shock of being dumped into Subaru¡¯s game ¡°Heartthrob Love Revolution¡±, and I was surprised at how much I had already adapted. I believed from the bottom of my heart that this could still very well just be a dream. When we went into the Faculty room, a male teacher waved at us by the window on the other side of the room. Mitsuki and I approached the man waving to us. He seemed to be a brand new teacher, and looked more like a salaryman with his nicely cut black hair and gentle expression. Seeing the laugh lines around his mouth, this teacher was likely the type that laughed a lot. He looked like an earnest teacher, yet something about him exuded a certain sex appeal. Maybe it was because of his big, round, and young looking eyes, but he was almost kind of cute. And yet that sex appeal was still strangely there. Our teacher had a printout of our transcripts, and was putting a face to the names written there. ¡°So you¡¯re Makoto Sakurai-kun, and you must be Mitsuki-san?¡± ¡°Ah, yes! I¡¯m Mitsuki Sakurai, and this is Makoto.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be your homeroom teacher then. I¡¯m Tamaki Yurino, your biology teacher.¡± Tamaki Yurino. I felt like I¡¯d heard that name before, too. I was certain that in Hearthrob Love Revolution, or LoveRevo for short, that this was some sort of special character introduction. The homeroom teacher was almost always a love interest in school-based Otome games. I mean come on, he was super handsome. If he was just some background character, then the hotness level of the real love interests would be ridiculous. ¡°You two are twins, right? Who¡¯s older?¡± ¡°Ah, that would be me.¡± At least I was pretty sure I was older. My knowledge of the game was still a bit vague, so I was worried I spoke out of turn, but Mitsuki didn¡¯t say anything so I must have been right. Yurino-sensei was checking me out. Even though we were twins, Mitsuki and I didn¡¯t look anything alike, and I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why he looked at me like that. Well, that or he found fraternal twins to be fascinating. Still, his staring was getting to the point of being uncomfortable. ¡°Makoto-kun?¡± ¡°Yes. I know it sounds like a girl¡¯s name, so maybe that makes me a girl¡­¡± ¡°Haha, my name also sounds pretty girly, so I can sympathize. On the contrary, my little sister has a rather masculine name¡­er, I suppose that¡¯s not really important. Ah, right right, you two are being transferred into second year class A.¡± Even if I accidently called myself a girl, I suppose I was at a level where I wouldn¡¯t be easily mistaken for one. It was a little shocking. Yurino-sensei stood from his seat, and standing next to him, I found he had half a head of height on me. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s be on our way. Are you ready to meet your new classmates?¡± I¡¯d gone through so much stress and shock in just the last half hour that this was hardly enough to phase me. But I could see Mitsuki was really nervous. Her face was stiff and her fingers were trembling. This from the girl who just a few minutes ago walked up to a total stranger to ask for directions. That she was just nowgetting nervous made me laugh. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Mitsuki. I¡¯m here with you.¡± I held onto Mitsuki¡¯s hand to calm her down. I had no idea how close Mitsuki and Makoto were supposed to be, but with Mitsuki always sticking close to me and calling me ¡°Mako-chan, Mako-chan¡±, I was certain holding her hand would be fine. Sure enough, Mitsuki relaxed and smiled. She was still a little stiff, but the expression on her face had softened. She should be fine. ¡°Mako-chan is dependable as always. You were a little weird this morning, but now you¡¯re back to the normal Mako-chan.¡± Mitsuki smiled, completely relieved. Mitsuki¡¯s sudden praise made my heart skip a beat. I knew I was being a fool, but it made me realize I wasn¡¯t her real ¡°Mako-chan¡±. My heart clenched. I wondered what Mitsuki would do if she found out I wasn¡¯t her real brother. I may have been Makoto Sakurai in body, but I wasn¡¯t really Mitsuki¡¯s brother. I walked along with Yurino-sensei and Mitsuki, the distress growing within me. Mitsuki still hadn¡¯t let go of my hand. Siblings though we may be, what must others think seeing us walk around the school hand in hand? Even so, her grip was stronger than I thought, she wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°We¡¯re here, go right on in.¡± Mitsuki finally released my hand. Following behind Yurino-sensei, we entered the classroom for 2-A. It was a small class of barely 30 students, and about evenly split between boys and girls. ¡­There may have been a few more boys though. All the students were watching us, curiosity sparkling in their eyes. I apologized inwardly to the girls of the class who were probably expecting a really handsome transfer student; Sorry for having such an average face. ¡°Okay, let me introduce the transfer students. We¡¯ll start with the older brother.¡± ¡°Ah, right. ¡­Umm, I¡¯m Makoto Sakurai. Pleased to meet you.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Mitsuki Sakurai. I¡¯m looking forward to class with everyone, my older twin, Makoto, included.¡± Mitsuki quickly bowed her head, her face fully red. I followed suit and bowed as well. It may have been a rather brash introduction, but I didn¡¯t get the sense that anyone was bothered by it. Rather, she was really cute. All the guys must be really happy that such a cute girl transferred into their class. ¡°Then, Mitsuki-san, you¡¯ll be sitting next to Fujisaki-kun. Fujisaki-kun, please raise your hand©`¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Your seat is over here, younger Sakurai.¡± The student named Fujisaki looked like a normal guy that followed the school regulations, with the exception of his shockingly blonde hair and red hairclips. His lethargic looks and nice way of talking were at odds sharp eyes and snaggletooth. Mitsuki sat in the seat next to Fujisaki, and seemed to be having a rather fun conversation with him. It made me feel a bit lonely. I wondered if this was how a father felt when they gave away their daughter¡¯s hand in marriage? ¡°Makoto-kun, you¡¯ll be next to Tsubaki-kun. Tsubaki-kun, please raise your hand.¡± I let my eyes drift over the students trying to locate the guy named Tsubaki. He was furthest in the back, two rows from the window. Wait a minute, wasn¡¯t he the male student I¡¯d met in the restroom not even half an hour ago? That young man with the friendly smile. And speaking of which, that smile was still plastered on his face as he waved his hand to me. It really was that guy. Yurino-sensei gave me a small push in Tsubaki¡¯s direction, and I sat at my desk in the back seat by the window. The teacher went through the morning announcements, then left the classroom. The second he did, Tsubaki tapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the guy I met before, right?¡± ¡°I was right, you¡¯re the guy from the restroom at the station.¡± ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me. I had no idea you were transferring to my school. Ah, my name¡¯s Soutarou Tsubaki.¡± My first impression of him didn¡¯t change. He was like a big friendly dog. ¡°Well then Tsubaki, nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Souta, you¡¯re already getting friendly with the transfer student?¡± The blondey from before came over to our seats and struck up a conversation with Tsubaki. He suddenly turned his gaze upon me, and he gave a little smile and nod. Even though he had delinquent-blonde hair, he seemed like a pretty cool guy. Back when I was in high school, anyone with hair that yellow would have been someone to avoid. But maybe it¡¯s because of¡­that. In Otome games, characters needed to have a distinctive look. Since it wasn¡¯t easy to tell the characters apart just by their face, their hair was used as their identifiable trait. ¡°Ah, Kana. Yeah, I had already met Mako-chan at Tachibana station.¡± ¡°Right, we happened to meet when I was having an existential crisis in the restroom.¡± ¡°Restroom? Crisis?¡± The blonde guy named Kana looked at me blanky for a moment after repeating my words, then broke out into a laugh. It wasn¡¯t that funny, was it? Not only that, Tsubaki just casually called me Mako-chan. I guess I didn¡¯t really mind. I¡¯ll just call him Soutarou then. ¡°What, did you get so nervous about transferring that you got the runs?¡± ¡°No, my bowel movements are quite normal, thank you very much.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just said ¡®bowel movements¡¯ with such a serious face¡­Mako-chan, you¡¯re great, so funny!¡± Did I really say something that funny? To me, Kana¡¯s range for being amused was way more entertaining. Seeing me looking at him with such a dubious expression just made him laugh that much more. ¡°Soutarou, make this guy stop laughing.¡± ¡°What? Me¡­? Soutarou looked at me with surprise at suddenly using his first name. ¡°My instincts tell me that Soutarou is the only one that can get Kana to stop laughing.¡± ¡°Yes indeed, right you are.¡± I didn¡¯t skip a beat, and while I was again shocked at my adaptability, I¡¯d come to the conclusion that this wasn¡¯t a dream. Somehow or other I¡¯d have to make my way through all this. Still, if at all possible, come save me©` Subaru©`! CH 3 The Transfer Student and the Dad and the Mum (3) ¡°Hey, mum.¡± It¡¯s already about one week since that shocking huge development and my transfer. It was a succession of surprises. First of all, regarding my body, there were this and that that were unacceptable. Although I¡¯ve been able to avoid them directly, for a young maiden, there were a lot of exhausting events. Speaking of which, the men¡¯s toilet and men¡¯s locker room. Where would it be okay to look while changing? For now every time I change, I stare at Soutarou¡¯s and Kaname¡¯s face. Also, the thing called a ¡°boys¡¯ school¡¯s glue¡±[1] was somewhat painful for me. Getting sprayed by the hose in the schoolyard while still wearing the school uniform, then doing something like pro-wrestling in the classroom¡¯s corner was very tiring. However, I¡¯ll do it. Because I am a high school boy. But the only thing I was thankful for was the setting that Mitsuki¡¯s and my parents are overseas on a business trip. Father is a somewhat distinguished furniture importer and maker, while mother seems to be a housewife. Just thinking about returning home to the unfamiliar Sakurai family and my inability to interact with them, I feel relieved from the bottom of my heart. Only the two of us, Mitsuki and I, were living in this so-so spacious detached house. But this Mitsuki, her cooking is poor to death. Perhaps it¡¯s like what Subaru said, that the parameters or in other words, the specs are not enough. I think Mitsuki should first raise the specs for cooking. Somehow one way or another, little by little I began to adapt. However, there were no progress nor regression in regards to me returning to the real world. ¡°Oi, Souta, are you ignoring me!¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯m the mum?¡± ¡°Obviously. If it¡¯s Souta, Mako-chan and I, no matter how I think about it, Souta will be the mum, I will be the dad and Mako-chan will be the delinquent son right?¡± Saturday, early afternoon. As proposed by Tsubaki Soutarou and Fujisaki Kaname, it became that we¡¯re having my welcome party at a family restaurant. For some reason, I spent most of this week with these two guys. I¡¯m really glad I didn¡¯t have to be lonely on the first day of school transfer because I was worried about whether, as a guy, I could get along with other guys. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m the delinquent son. The delinquent son should be you. Even now you are still getting Soutarou to show you his homework.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine! Maths is my weak point.¡± I lightly hit Kaname¡¯s head which he propped on the table as he stirred with a jita jita. ¡°Mako-chan, it hurts! Mum, Makoto¡¯s in his rebellious period!¡± ¡°If my father is someone like Kaname, I¡¯ll run away from home.¡± I lowered my head towards the waitress who brought the chocolate parfait I asked for. I had a feeling she was laughing at our expense. Holding on to the parfait spoon, first I took the chocolate then scooped the vanilla ice. A mouthful. The taste of vanilla spreaded in my mouth as I sunk my teeth in.. I completely ignored the noisy Kaname. Meanwhile, Soutarou was gallantly trying to calm him down. ¡°But, it¡¯s that, isn¡¯t it. I can see Soutarou as a mother.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± Soutarou looked at me as though he was shocked. Is it something so surprising? Soutarou is bright, kind and likes to look after others. He easily does the cooking and washes clothes in place of his working parents. He has also completely become a guardian-like figure for Kaname and I. I feel like his female power is much higher than other girls. For example, even more than Mitsuki or I, I feel that it¡¯s more appropriate to call him mum. ¡°Oh, rather than mother, doesn¡¯t he feels more like a bride?¡± ¡°Eh?!¡± ¡°Mako-chan is confessing to Soutarou?!¡± How did it become like that. Why, Soutarou, did your cheeks turn red? Why, is a fuss being kicked up? It¡¯s embarrassing how the people around us are staring this way. ¡°That¡¯s not it. How did it become like that. It¡¯s just, I feel that Soutarou is good at looking after others, he¡¯s kind, and he even covers up for idiots like us casually. It¡¯s that part of him that I felt was a little like a bride.¡± ¡°The way you deny it is suspicious?¡± ¡°Just shut up already, Kaname.¡± I looked at Soutarou, my gaze saying ¡®You too, say something¡¯. However, he was looking at me with reddened cheeks. Oi oi, this is the world of an otome game right? Why are you blushing while looking at a man like me. Or is it that recently it¡¯s normal for young men to blush while looking at other men? Perhaps I¡¯m overreacting. I felt uneasy enough that I was unable to taste the usually delicious chocolate parfait. ¡°By the way, are you participating in next week¡¯s training camp?¡± It seems like to Kaname, my agitation and Soutarou¡¯s blushing was not such a big deal. ¡°Oh, next week¡¯s training camp. I¡¯ll be going. What about you, Mako?¡± For Izumino Gakuen second year students, on the weekend of the third week of April, there is a 2-day 1-night stay in the school. For the time being, the reason is to enhance our heart that loves the school but it¡¯s up to you whether you want to participate or not. Regardless of your participation, your test scores will not be affected at all. This is the kind of event it is. Despite being such an event, there are numerous participants. Seems like 90% of the students will participate in it. ¡°What should I do.¡± To be honest, there is considerable resistance to be sleeping in the same room as guys. Even though I¡¯m now male, the contents is still a respectable female. That¡¯s why if it¡¯s an event where it¡¯s okay to not participate, I want to proceed in a direction where I don¡¯t participate in it. However, as though trying to cover my words, Kaname said, ¡°Eh!¡± in a loud voice. ¡°You aren¡¯t gonna participate?!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s okay not to, I¡¯m leaning towards not going.¡± As though not believing my words, Kaname came biting. ¡°Hey, the wife should say something to her husband!¡± ¡°What do you mean by wife¡­¡­ No, but, Mako you¡¯re really not going to participate? Why?¡± It seems along the way I became Soutarou¡¯s husband. It¡¯s becoming too troublesome to retort so I won¡¯t say anything else. If I retort, Kaname would become even noisier. Like an abandoned dog, with the ends of his eyebrows down, Soutarou looked at me with upturned eyes. Despite being taller than me, what is with him looking at me with upturned eyes. If he was a dog, his ears would probably be drooping and his tail would be standing. In fact, right now his earsare drooping and his tail is standing. I can see that. ¡°E, eh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I, wanted to go to the training camp with Makoto and Kana.¡± Saying it in such a voice that showed he was downhearted from the bottom of his heart, as expected even my heart will break and my determination will sway. ¡°It¡¯s borin¡¯ without Mako-chan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be bored too. I¡¯ll come pick you up, so let¡¯s go to the training camp together?¡± ¡°Uu¡­¡­¡± Typical, Soutarou gazed at me with his head tilted upwards. S¡­¡­ Sly!! So sly!! As expected of an otome game¡¯s capturable character, to know his own special skill so well. This sly dog definitely knows he¡¯s an ikemen. There¡¯s no doubt that knowing that, he does this kind of thing to make me listen to his words. ¡°Okay¡­¡­ I¡¯ll go¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yippe©`e! Training camp with Mako-chan and Souta~¡± Together with the rowdy Kaname and the cunning dog Soutarou, somehow I¡¯ve reluctantly agreed to go to the training camp. Becoming a high school student, planning for the training camp. I bet it¡¯ll be fun for a normal high school student but for me who¡¯s a guy on the outside and a girl in the inside, it¡¯s an event like hell. To sleep while surrounded by blokes is too painful. ¡°Thank you, Mako.¡± ¡°A, a~ah¡­¡­ I, too, am excited to go to the training camp with Kaname and Soutarou.¡± ¡°Un, I¡¯m very excited too. Can¡¯t next week come faster¡­¡± Looking at Soutarou who laughed as though he¡¯s having fun, I felt that perhaps this was the right choice. The remaining bad feelings disappeared. ¡°Since it¡¯s been decided we¡¯ll go to the training camp! It¡¯s time to break into Mako-chan¡¯s house for dinner~¡± ¡°What are you saying, Kaname.¡± ¡°I was wondering if we¡¯ll get to enjoy some of Sakurai imouto-chan¡¯s home cooking.¡± The words Kaname have been saying the whole day are so abrupt that I couldn¡¯t follow. Also, Mitsuki¡¯s home-cooked food is not at a level that can be fed to others. Even now the task is left to me, who has mediocre cooking skills. ¡°Rest assured, you¡¯re the only one I¡¯ll never allow to eat Mitsuki¡¯s home cooking.¡± ¡°Eh, hey, Mako-chan, aren¡¯t you cold only towards me? Even though you¡¯re so kind to Souta?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Kaname says strange things. Soutarou never says strange things and he¡¯s kind, so I treat him kindly, that¡¯s all.¡± Soutarou smiled as though he¡¯s troubled. At this point, I still haven¡¯t noticed. The matter of Soutarou and Kaname using one reason or another to break into my house for dinner. CH 4 The Natural Flag-raiser and the Saviour and the Prince (1) ¡°Mako-chan¡¯s cooking, it was insanely delicious©`! See you tomorrow!¡± In the end, Kaname and Soutarou broke into my house for dinner yesterday. Even when I told them to go back home, Kaname remained with a smile on his face. I made curry rice with what¡¯s left in the fridge, in this way showing some hospitality. Because Kaname continued to maintain the tension one would have on the night of a field trip, last night we couldn¡¯t sleep a wink. It¡¯s troubling if he¡¯s this tense for the training camp next week. I may be a man on the outside, but as the inside is a youthful maiden, I want to have enough sleep. Lack of sleep is bad for the skin. Even though my face is that of a man¡¯s, having bad skin makes me feel awful. Sorry for that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for coming over to stay suddenly. Am I bothering you?¡± ¡°Even if I say you¡¯re a bother, you¡¯ll still come, right.¡± As though trying to entreat me, the ends of Soutarou¡¯s eyebrows lowered and he looked at me with upturned eyes. Really sly. This reminds me of him at the family restaurant yesterday. With an uneasy expression, Soutarou did his classic head tilt. I suppose this is a habit of Soutarou¡¯s. Whenever Soutarou hears words of denial from others and feels scared, he¡¯ll make this face. I feel that somehow or other I¡¯ve grasped his personality. ¡°That¡¯s not it, because Makoto is very nice¡­¡­ even if you¡¯re unwilling, I thought that you won¡¯t hate it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such strange things. I¡¯m not as good-natured as Soutarou, if I really don¡¯t like it, I¡¯d have already said it.¡± As though he was shocked by my words, Soutarou¡¯s already large eyes grew wider by a size. Whether is it Soutarou or is it Kaname, I¡¯ve already come to think of them without any ill feelings. In fact, I¡¯d say they¡¯re very likable. I hope that we¡¯ll get along even better from now on. ¡°I had fun too. A lot.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since I behaved like an idiot, merrymaking without any concerns. I really had fun. Arriving in a completely unfamiliar otome game and for some reason turning into a guy, I¡¯ve been feeling very anxious. This feeling, I certainly can¡¯t tell these two and even if I do tell them, they won¡¯t understand. Even so, these few days, I¡¯m filled with nothing but gratitude for these two. I¡¯ve had so much fun that I was able to forget my anxiety. Although Kaname, Soutarou and I have only met for a few days, I can already feel a friendship forming with them. Hearing me say that I enjoyed myself, Soutarou¡¯s face was full of smiles as though flowers were blooming. Oh, as expected of an otome game¡¯s capturable character. It¡¯s possible for flowers to fly in the background. If this was a game screen, it would be the appearance of a CG. ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡­ Can I, stay over at Mako¡¯s house, again? Of course, together with Kana.¡± ¡°Ah. If it¡¯s once in a while.¡± ¡°Un! I¡¯m glad. Mako.¡± Suddenly, Soutarou hugged me. As expected, even if it¡¯s me, being embraced by a guy taller than me by about 5cm will make me lose my stability. I wonder what would be the right action to take now. For the time being, I¡¯ll just put my arms around Soutarou¡¯s body. Un? This is also strange. Two guys embracing each other feels rather stifling. ¡°Let go already. It¡¯s embarrassing for two guys to be hugging in front of the house.¡± ¡°Only Mako-chan and Souta, that¡¯s unfair. Me too, me too©`!¡± ¡°Oi, didn¡¯t you hear me? Let go.¡± In addition to the Soutarou and I who were hugging, even Kaname joined in. Somehow the situation has evolved and became even more confusing. With the current circumstances being three high school boys sticking to each other, I already have no idea what I should do. Even though it¡¯s April, sticking together feels hot. What¡¯s going on in the heads of these guys? ¡°Mako-chan¡­¡­ and, Fujisaki-kun and Tsubaki-kun?¡± Hearing a female voice, my shoulder reflexively trembled. No matter how I think about it, and how much I don¡¯t want to think, this voice definitely belongs to my cute imouto, Mitsuki. ¡°Mi-Mitsuki¡­.. This is¡­¡± I must say something, otherwise she might think her onii-chan is a homo. It¡¯s a misunderstanding. Wait a moment, is the me who¡¯s embracing guys a homo? Since the contents is female. But on the outside, the family register states that I¡¯m male. If I really date a male, would I become a homosexual? Eh, I really don¡¯t know. While worrying endlessly, what entered my ears was the voice of that girl who I¡¯ve been calling for help for in the depths of my heart. ¡°Eh, ¡­¡­ Mako? Are you really Mako?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡­ Subaru?!¡± Next to Mitsuki stood an intense beauty with long black hair who looked astonished.Who-sama, Him-sama, it was Subaru-sama.[1] ¡°Mako, eh, male? Eh?? Mako is Mitsuki-chan¡¯s onii-chan?! No way!¡± For some reason, her shocked expression quickly became a face full of smiles. However, I personally cannot bring myself to smile at all. ¡°It¡¯s true. I have a mountain load of things to ask you, Subaru.¡± ¡°No way~, it¡¯s really Mako, you became an onii-chan¡­¡­ Moreover, you¡¯re already friends with Kaname and Soutarou.¡± Kaname and Soutarou finally let go of me. ¡°Makoto¡¯s friend?¡± ¡°Un, well, something like that.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you~, I¡¯m Makoto¡¯s girlfriend! My name is Yurino Subaru.¡± While spouting outrageous words, Subaru put her index finger on her cheek. She gave such a bright smile that it seemed to enunciate a ¡°e e¡± sound, as she inclined her head. It¡¯s a different cunning pose from Soutarou¡¯s. Really, Subaru, this powerful beauty. She¡¯s become quite a sight to behold. The dumbfounded Mitsuki and Kaname abandoned Soutarou and approached Subaru and I. But just now, what did Subaru say her name was? Yurino? Yurino Subaru? Yurino, this surname, I¡¯ve heard of it before. Yurino Tamaki, isn¡¯t it sensei¡¯s surname? ¡°Could it be, Subaru is Yurino-sensei¡¯s¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve done well to notice. I, ever since coming here, have become Yurino Tamaki¡¯s imouto. By the way, I study at the private Atlas Academy, pleased to meet you~¡± Atlas Academy is a prestigious mission-based institute situated beside Izumino Gakuen. I would have never expected that Subaru would be in a place like that. However, it¡¯s very encouraging to find that Subaru is also here. After all, Subaru is the writer of this game. Even if she doesn¡¯t have a way to return, she¡¯ll play a key role when we try to find a way back. ¡°By the way, is Mako on the Soutarou route? Or the Kaname route?¡± ¡°Ha~?¡± ¡°Because, your relationship is so good©`.¡± The contents of what was whispered in my ears were so unexpected, that I got a shock. What do you mean ¡®Soutarou route¡¯ and ¡®Kaname route¡¯. I am, to the end, the heroine Mitsuki¡¯s onii-chan, and a supporting character. I have absolutely, completely no intention of capturing anyone. ¡°Mako-chan, is that cute girl your girlfriend?¡± ¡°Nope, she¡¯s not. We¡¯re just friends.¡± If Subaru¡¯s my girlfriend, it¡¯d be unbearably troublesome. Even if by chance I end up having to live as a guy in this world for the rest of my life, feelings of love will never surface between Subaru and I. Absolutely. ¡°Is that so. Nice to meet you, I am Fujisaki Kaname. Pleased to meet you. The big guy over here is Tsubaki Soutarou. C¡¯mon, Souta, greeting, greeting!¡± ¡°Ah, nice to meet you. I am Tsubaki.¡± ¡°Un, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Yurino Subaru. I am Yurino Tamaki¡¯s sister and Makoto¡¯s friend.¡± Subaru gave such a splendid smile of a beauty without any trace of her otaku and fujoshi side, that even I felt slightly fearful. Transforming her true face into a lovely one can be said to be her special skill. Coming here, I¡¯ve fully realised this. Being a beauty, in one¡¯s lifetime can obtain 100 million yen[2], someone came up with this wise saying. However, Soutarou, isn¡¯t your facial expression kind of stiff? Although a smile is a smile, the usual dog-like feeling isn¡¯t there. Normally, when Soutarou smiles, his ears and tail will spring up like a golden retriever¡¯s, but they aren¡¯t appearing now. Is it my imagination that he seems kind of despondent or downhearted? ¡°Are you okay, Soutarou? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?¡± ¡°Eh, no, I¡¯m fine.¡± For an instant, Soutarou¡¯s face became red, then he shook his head left and right, with enough momentum to create a humming sound. Could it be that he has a fever? Yesterday, he didn¡¯t sleep at all. His physical condition might have worsened. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. You can act spoiled once in a while. Or could it be, I¡¯m that unreliable?¡± ¡°Ah, eh, no such thing! Mako is dependable. But I¡¯m really okay. Thanks, Mako.¡± What happened, why is Soutarou acting so panicky? It¡¯s really strange. When he coincidentally looked at Subaru for some reason his face turned red, his thumb pricked up and he thrusted his hand directly towards me. What¡¯s the meaning of this? I didn¡¯t do anything to deserve a good job sign. On one side, Kaname shrugged while giving a wry smile. Were you such a character? It¡¯s precisely now that you should say something and liven up the atmosphere. This is getting uncomfortable, what should I do? ¡°So Mako-chan and Subaru-chan were friends~¡± I unconsciously let out a smile towards the happy-go-lucky Mitsuki, who, in such a confusing situation, spun our conversation up until now a complete 180 degrees. ¨D¨D¡­¡­ Soutarou who for some reason had misgivings about the fact that Makoto might have a girlfriend, and Kaname who noticed that and somehow followed up, and Makoto who didn¡¯t notice but was pleased to have found the key to leave the otome game. And Subaru who perceived all their hearts¡¯ movements. And the heroine Mitsuki who noticed nothing but drove at full speed on the highway anyway. The tripartite confusion and happiness and the various feelings that were added into the mix¡­¡­ how will the story continue? Makato is still unaware. That the focus of this story, is none other than her. CH 5 The Natural Flag-raiser and the Saviour and the Prince (2) ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Mako would become a guy~!¡± ¡°I was surprised about that too.¡± After separating from Soutarou, Kaname and Mitsuki, I forcibly brought Subaru, who was giving an unpleasant smile, to a family restaurant. Though Subaru ordered a morning set and ate her meal elegantly, there¡¯s no way that I would have an appetite, as I didn¡¯t sleep at all yesterday. I could only drink hot milk like a puppy. I took off the contact lens to prevent my eyes from getting swollen. Hence, ever since this morning, I¡¯ve become a glasses guy. As I thought, even though I came to this world, my eyesight didn¡¯t get better. Before changing my gender, please improve my eyesight first. ¡°So? Who are you planning to capture?¡± ¡°Nah, I won¡¯t do such a thing. I became a guy, you know. Isn¡¯t this the world of an otome game?¡± As of now, the current me has reluctantly become male. I¡¯m the brother of Mitsuki, who should be the one enjoying romance. Until we can return, as an older brother, I plan to support my cute imouto¡¯s love. Though, it¡¯s rather painful for another guy to take away the Mitsuki who calls out ¡®Mako-chan Mako-chan¡¯ while sticking to me. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯m also okay with BL.¡± ¡°No one asked, okay.¡± Do something about this fujoshi who speaks such ridiculous things with a straight face! As a student of the prestigious Atlas Academy, please don¡¯t voice out the bad things in your head. I¡¯ll definitely not enter into a romance with anyone. Well, it¡¯s true that everyone are nice and there are times when I thought they were cool. However, I¡¯m a guy. I don¡¯t plan to stay in this world for long, and I want to support Mitsuki¡¯s love story. And like I said, I¡¯m a guy. Moreover, regarding matters of otome games and boys¡¯ love, I can be considered a complete outsider. Remaining rowdy with Soutarou and Kaname like how we¡¯ve been so far isn¡¯t too bad either. ¡°Rather than that, let¡¯s think of a way to return to the original world.¡± ¡°Eh~, I still want to enjoy it more. The love of the main supporting character, Makoto.¡± She looked at me with a pointless twinkle in her eyes, as though she was having fun. Even if you look at me like that, I¡¯ll definitely not do something like participating in a romance, okay. ¡°Don¡¯t speak such nonsense. Didn¡¯t I already say I won¡¯t have a romance with anyone?¡± ¡°Eh©`, how disappointing.¡± Although her regretful tone is kind of worrisome, I¡¯ll take it as a good thing if she stops making pointless retorts. ¡°At any rate, how do we get back? This is a game you made, right? Any ideas?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no clue. I got a shock too when I became Yurino Tamaki¡¯s imouto.¡± I understand what Subaru is trying to say. I, too, was confounded when I became Mitsuki¡¯s older brother. As Subaru also came here unintentionally, she was definitely on the same boat. However, I want to return to the original world. For that reason, I thought I had to get Subaru to think of a solution. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know a way either. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡­¡± Noticing my obvious dismay, Subaru folded her arms and, u~n, let out a groan before finally raising her voice. ¡°If we head towards the ending, won¡¯t we be able to return? The story hasn¡¯t advanced towards the ending yet.¡± ¡°Ending?¡± Having a slight premonition that there¡¯s a chance of returning to the previous world, my body leaned forward unconsciously. Subaru cleared her throat triumphantly, raising a index finger beside her face. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as Mitsuki-chan is attached to the Prince.¡± ¡°I see, but who is this ¡®Prince¡¯ you¡¯re referring to?¡± ¡°Gee. You didn¡¯t listen to what I was saying at all, huh. It¡¯s Kiritani Riku. He¡¯s the glittering ikemen who¡¯s a second-year in Izumino Gakuen and in the same class as Mitsuki-chan. By the way, his attributes are straightforward and cool!¡± If he¡¯s in the same class as Mitsuki, that means he¡¯s in the same class as me. But was such a guy in the same class? Nothing comes to mind. ¡°Kiritani, Riku ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t met yet~. Kiritani Riku doesn¡¯t attend school much.¡± ¡°Eh, despite being a Prince, he has the character of a delinquent?¡± If the Prince is really a hoodlum, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m thrilled to have Mitsuki dating him. Onii-chan won¡¯t allow the cute Mitsuki to go out with a delinquent. ¡°Rather than a delinquent, he has a more absent-minded character.¡± Even though he¡¯s not a delinquent, just because he¡¯s absent-minded, he won¡¯t come to school? I don¡¯t quite understand. ¡°Well, but if that Prince dates Mitsuki, I might be able to return. If so, I¡¯ll work hard. I¡¯ll cooperate so that Mizuki can head towards a happy ending with the Prince.¡± Although I feel bad for Mitsuki, for my sake she has to go out with the Prince. However, for the current plain-looking Mitsuki, it¡¯s not at a level where anything will happen. It could be that if her specs are lacking, she might not even get to meet the Prince. First of all, it appears I have to raise her specs. ¡°Before that happens, you must be careful not to capture any characters yourself, alright.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± ¡°After all, Mako¡¯s so popular.¡± I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s saying. Ever since I met Subaru, was there ever a moment when I¡¯m popular? Even if 1 in a 100 chance I¡¯m popular, I have no plans to capture anyone. ¡°You¡¯re so noisy. I¡¯m not popular.¡± ¡°Is that~so.¡± Subaru had the eyes of an onlooker as she put on a creepy smile while draining the cup of hot milk which had become lukewarm. I¡¯ve no choice but to do it. I¡¯ll become a more remarkable male high school student than the current me, becoming an ikemen onii-chan who supports Mitsuki¡¯s love life. It¡¯s that. I¡¯ll become the siscon ikemen who often appears in the otome games Subaru makes! ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll put all my efforts into becoming an onii-chan. And then, I¡¯ll assist Mitsuki in pursuing her love.¡± ¡°Oh©`. Mako-chan, so dashing! Kya©`kya©`¡± ¡°Thanks. ¡­¡­ And so, I¡¯ll be going back, Subaru.¡± My sleepiness had far surpassed my limits long ago. I no longer have enough energy to keep up with Subaru who was unfathomably excited. I stood up from my seat while trying to suppress the drowsiness which threatened to make my eyes close. ¡°I¡¯ll send you home. Which direction is your house?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just next to yours. It¡¯s been arranged so that the Heroine-chan can easily bump into the capturable characters.¡± What Subaru says is true. It¡¯s good that she¡¯s staying next door. If there¡¯s any emergencies, I can immediately consult her. By the time we made the payment and left, the sun was already high up in the sky. If I sleep now, I¡¯ll probably not be able to sleep at night later. But for now I just want to go back home and relax. Though if I do that I¡¯ll probably just fall asleep, I feel that that in itself is the right way to spend a Sunday. ¡°Oi, what are you staring at©`?¡± While paying no attention to Subaru¡¯s love for BL, I rushed home. As we approached a bustling street, I heard from the back alley the voice of a man who, no matter how you think about it, is up to no good. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something? Hey, isn¡¯t that a mouth you have there?¡± When I glanced towards the direction of the voice at the speed of light, a group of hooligan-looking high school boys were surrounding a slender and beautiful youth. The school uniform the youth was wearing seems kind of like Izumino Gakuen¡¯s. If I looked at them any longer, we might get tangled into this matter so I quickly diverted my eyes. ¡°Wasn¡¯t really ¡­¡­ looking.¡± Hearing the youth¡¯s voice, I involuntarily came to a stop. What a lovely voice. The moment it came out, a shiver went up my spine. It was a sweet voice I¡¯d want to listen to all the time. ¡°Ha©`a? You, what are you looking at? Are you this guy¡¯s friends?¡± ¡°Eh?! ¡­¡­ Ehh©`¡­¡­¡± Because I kept staring at the youth, even I got involved. What should I do. I, am not particularly good at sports and of course I¡¯ve never fought with high school boys before. I who am unable to rescue this youth and can only run away with all my might, what should I do? ¡°He¡¯s not related. The one you have a beef with is me, right?¡± The hoodlum grabbed the nape of the youth, who remained expressionless except for the increasing wrinkles between his eyebrows. If I neglected this and returned home, the painful ache in my heart would be no joke. Even though he appeared unemotional at first glance, that boy totally had a face that looked like he wanted to be saved. The delinquent high school boys walked languidly towards the youth and seized his arm. The young man scowled at me with a pointed gaze. Isn¡¯t it because you make this kind of expression that you get involved in strange things? ¡°Maa, maa, how about you stop there? This is a high-traffic area. If you start a disturbance here, the police might come.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with you, right.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with me, but, since our eyes met¡­¡± The delinquent high school boy caught hold of the back of my collar. Fortunately, because I was comparatively taller than him, it became that I was looking down at his face. Being glared at by someone smaller than me isn¡¯t very frightening. ¡°Someone, please helppp!!¡± I shouted with all my might. If this were a BL game or something similar, I would be able to easily trash these hoodlums. But even though I look like this, I¡¯m actually a frail girl. I¡¯ll be troubled if you were expecting something like that. ¡°KYAAA!! I¡¯m being surrounded by strange people©`!!¡± Likewise, Subaru also let out a high-pitched scream. The passerbys who heard our cries stopped in their tracks. The high school boys became fidgety and swiftly left the scene. Alright. We should also leave before this grows into something huge. I walked while pulling the hand of the youth. When I turned my head after a few minutes of walking, the youth was staring at me with an expressionless face. Looking at him like this, he¡¯s really a beauty. With that soft black hair, distinctively clear eyes, a light and delicate complexion, he resembles a girl. His height should be around 175cm. Slightly shorter than me. ¡°Why did you, save me?¡± ¡°Eh, well¡­¡­ . Perhaps because I saw that you looked like you wanted to be saved.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make such a face.¡± Seems like he¡¯s a little odd. While thinking that all¡¯s well now that he¡¯s safe, I examined the youth. Even though it¡¯s slightly annoying, he has a good voice. Also, he smells really nice. While wondering what perfume he had on, I noticed that blood was coming out from his cheek. Was this done by that chap just now? I stretched out my hand and touched the wound gently. ¡°You¡¯re injured, here. Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­tsu!¡± The instant I touched his cheek, his body trembled in surprise. His behaviour is like that of a stray cat. This fellow doesn¡¯t seem to have any serious injuries, Subaru and I are also safe. Now I can return home comfortably. ¡°Subaru, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Wait. ¡­¡­ name.¡± ¡°Eh, me?¡± The youth nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Sakurai Makoto. Like you, I also attend Izumino Gakuen.¡± ¡°Sakurai Makoto¡­¡­ I¡¯m Kiritani. ¡­¡­ Kiritani Riku.¡± ¡°Eh?! Kiritani Riku?!¡± Kiritani Riku, Kiritani Riku. Could he be the Prince from¡¸ Heart-Throb Love Revolution ¡¹? Turning around towards Subaru, she was looking at me with a smile. This girl, she must have knew right from the start. Just when I decided to support Mitsuki¡¯s romance, I ended up meeting the Prince even before she does. I don¡¯t need such a BL-like development! Even though I¡¯m reluctant, I raised some sort of flag with the Prince. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s still okay. It¡¯s fine, right¡­¡­. right¡­¡­ ? CH 6 The Natural Flag-raiser and the Saviour and the Prince (3) ¡°Good morning, Makoto.¡± Unbelievably, the Prince¡¯s seat was in front of mine. Next to me was Soutarou and during break time Kaname would come over. Could it be this was originally Mitsuki¡¯s seat? The Prince gave a greeting expressionlessly. Ever since I saved him from the delinquents the week before, for some reason the Prince started speaking to me more. It seems like the Prince was by nature the type who doesn¡¯t have many friends. There was somewhat an uproar when we first conversed. It was when the news of that Prince talking to a commoner made its way through the school. ¡°Ah, good morning, Kiritani.¡± The Prince who took sat in his seat stared at me hard enough to bore a hole through my face. Even if you stare at me so much, nothing will come out, you know. ¡°It became that I¡¯ll be going for the training camp tomorrow too.¡± The ears of the surrounding girls who were eavesdropping pricked up and they started a racket, going ¡°kya kya¡±. They probably didn¡¯t expect that the Prince with no sense of cooperation would actually participate in the training camp. Since ordinarily he doesn¡¯t even come to school. ¡°I see. The girls are delighted that you¡¯ll be attending.¡± ¡°Who cares about them. More importantly, I want to be in the same group as Makoto.¡± Hai? Wait, wait a moment, Prince, why are your cheeks turning red? Stop blushing while looking at me. Is it that? He never had friends before so he¡¯s embarrassed when he does something that friends do. Like inviting a friend to group up together for the training camp. It can¡¯t be that the subject of the Prince¡¯s love is a guy, right. After all, he¡¯s the Prince of an otome game. That the Prince of an otome game would fall in love with another guy is impossible. The Prince whose face had a serious look even when his cheeks were dyed was truly the Prince. His hair cuticle stands up finely, his complexion was fair and the components of his face were arranged so perfectly that they weren¡¯t off by even 1 mm. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t particularly mind.¡± ¡°Me too! I, too¡­¡­ want to be in the same group as Makoto¡­¡­¡± Next to me, Soutarou who had been docily listening to our conversation, interrupted while pulling at the hem of my clothes, gazing at me with upturned eyes. What¡¯s this. Is it trendy for boys to blush at other guys these days? I reflexively froze with opened eyes. I can spot dog ears on Soutarou¡¯s head. I can spot dog ears that are standing. It seems I¡¯m weak to this face that Soutarou makes. It makes me want to listen to anything he says. ¡°Makoto, look over here.¡± ¡°Wa? Cho, Kiritani.¡± ¡°Makoto.¡± While leaning on the table, the Prince¡¯s face gradually edged closer. I grabbed his wrist with the meaning of ¡°You¡¯re too close, go a bit further¡±. However, the Prince didn¡¯t move away. Instead, he came closer and closer until it became a surreal situation where the tip of his nose was a mere 10 cm away. Uwaa©`¡­¡­ what a pretty face. There¡¯s also a very nice smell. I wonder what smell is that? It causes one to be spellbound. Wait, it¡¯s not the time to be thinking of such things. ¡°Cho, Mako is troubled. Kiritani, please calm down¡­¡­!¡± While going ¡°Awa awa¡±, Soutarou¡¯s used his huge palm to cover my mouth. ¡°I am calm.¡± Being pulled behind like this is kind of painful. But as it seems like it¡¯s not the kind of situation where I can say that. I shall remain silent. ¡°Mako-chan, what are you doing with flowers in both hands©`?¡± Kaname approached us with a bitter smile. But, with Soutarou¡¯s hand on my mouth, I can¡¯t even speak. Soutarou was sticking to me. Meanwhile, the Prince, with his hand on my chin, moved even nearer. The students in the class were all looking over and laughing. It¡¯s only been 2 weeks since I transferred but I have a bad premonition that my classmates had already stuck me with a weird label. ¡°Fujisaki, go over to that side.¡± ¡°Oh, the Prince called out my name? What should I do, Mako-chan?¡± I realised recently, the one with the most common sense amongst my friends is Kaname. There¡¯s no doubt that if he didn¡¯t rescue me, this situation would be maintained until class starts. That¡¯s troubling. In an unpleasant way I¡¯m finding it hard to breathe, and the encompassing gazes are painful. I sent Kaname a glare that says, ¡°Help me¡±. With a ¡°yare, yare¡±, Kaname shrugged. ¡°Kora, the Prince and Souta should let go of Mako-chan. A group can have 6 people so you don¡¯t have to fight.¡± Kaname pushed the Prince and Soutarou away and saved me. Soutarou overtly appeared very downhearted, folding his huge body into a ball while looking at me. The Prince scowled at Kaname like a stray cat whose meal had been delayed. ¡°Thanks, Kaname.¡± If Kaname didn¡¯t save me, my stomach would have given up due to the awkwardness. ¡°Ie. Although I understand that Souta and the Prince like Mako-chan, there¡¯s no point if you trouble Mako-chan, right©`?¡± ¡°Mako, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ did it hurt?¡± Soutarou looked at me the way a dog who had been scolded would. ¡°Iya, it¡¯s fine since I¡¯m sturdy. It¡¯s just that the surrounding gazes were painful.¡± I began to stroke Soutarou¡¯s head unconsciously. Initially I was worried that he might not like it, but it was a needless concern. Very quickly, his cheeks turned slightly pink, and his eyes lowered as though he was embarrassed. What¡¯s with the ¡®innocent young maiden¡¯-like reaction. This guy is possibly even more feminine than me. ¡°Makoto!¡± Grabbing the arm of the me who had been stroking Soutarou¡¯s head, the Prince glared at me with his crystalline eyes. Even if you glare at me with such a face, I don¡¯t know what you want if you don¡¯t say anything. How troubling. I stopped stroking Soutarou¡¯s head and turned towards the Prince. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kiritani?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There¡¯s no response. It¡¯s the usual Prince. ¡°Kiritani, if you don¡¯t say anything, I won¡¯t understand? Why are you angry? Or are you sulking?¡± With his usual face that doesn¡¯t express much emotion, the Prince softly murmured. ¡°Because¡­¡­, Ever since just now¡­¡­ Makoto¡­¡­¡± ¡°Un? I¡¯m sorry, Kiritani, I can¡¯t hear you.¡± The Prince definitely murmured just now, but with such a soft voice, I can¡¯t hear him well. Even though his voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, with those pair of crystal clear eyes that reminds one of the sky fixedly staring at me so sharply, I became rooted to the spot. Isn¡¯t it precisely because he¡¯s the Prince that he can make people want to listen to him just with his eyes? ¡°Because, ever since just now, Makoto has only been paying attention to that guy.¡± Etto, could it possibly be, he¡¯s jealous? Isn¡¯t this too fast? In normal otome games one would usually have to spend a lot of effort to raise a favourable impression? I¡¯ve only been here for 2 weeks, and only knew the Prince for barely a week, is it okay to get dere so easily? Prince, you need to work harder. ¡°Oh¡­¡­ Prince, you¡¯re rather aggressive~¡± I felt a bit of irritation towards Kaname who spoke like he¡¯s impressed. He has it easy, thinking it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business. ¡°It¡¯s not being aggressive or whatever. I just want to get along better with Makoto.¡± You meant that in a friendship way, right? It¡¯s okay for me to interpret it that way, right? I¡¯ll be troubled if it¡¯s not like that, I smiled, trying to convey my feelings. But getting along well with the Prince is a good thing. If I get along well with him, the encounter rate between the Prince and Mitsuki will naturally go up. This way, love will gradually sprout between them. After all, Mitsuki is the heroine. ¡°I also want to get along with Kiritani. Let¡¯s be in the same group tomorrow, alright?¡± It¡¯ll be perfect if I add Mitsuki into the group that the Prince, Kaname, Soutarou and I are it. It¡¯s impossible that some event will not occur during the training camp. No matter what, if I close the gap between the Prince and Mitsuki, a heart-throb love revolution will definitely take place. Now that it¡¯s decided, I have to raise Mitsuki¡¯s specs! If I don¡¯t do something about her chemical weapon-like cooking, there¡¯s no way she can move the Prince¡¯s heart. The training camp tomorrow is my first big step towards returning to the other side. Thinking of it that way, the training camp I was feeling depressed about suddenly seems moreexciting. CH 7 The Training Camp and the Moonlight and the Palpitation (1) On the day of the training camp. Mitsuki and I arrived at the meeting place, the school¡¯s gymnasium. Soutarou and Kaname who reached before us noticed our arrival and waved in our direction. As we walked towards the two, I saw the Prince who was hidden, sitting moodily on the floor. ¡°Good morning. What happened to Kiritani? He seems to be in a bad mood.¡± ¡°You¡¯re late. I was waiting for you, Makoto.¡± The Prince looked towards me with undisguised unhappiness, glaring at me as though he was sulking. I could only give a bitter smile in response to the face he was making. By the time Mitsuki and I got here, about 80% of the students already arrived. In the end, my group consisted of Soutarou, Kaname, the Prince and I. Even though I wanted to Mitsuki to join our group, she was already a member of another group when I invited her. Moreover, as the males and females somehow separated into different groups, I couldn¡¯t forcibly invite her. Looks like I have no choice but to casually get closer to Mitsuki¡¯s group. With great pains, I managed to raise Mitsuki¡¯s specs in cooking to an average level, but at this rate she won¡¯t get a chance to show off to the Prince. ¡°Mitsuki~! You¡¯re slow©`¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, I¡¯m coming now~¡± Mitsuki immediately left my group. In otome games, this would be the time when the ¡¸ Who will you spend the training camp with? ¡¹choice appears. Is it okay for you to leave the side of the capturable target so quickly? It may be that because it¡¯s still in April when the game just started, but what should I do about the Mitsuki who doesn¡¯t seem interested in love? Although I raised Mitsuki¡¯s specs in cooking to an average level, there¡¯s no point if she doesn¡¯t display her skills to the Prince. ¡°Ja, Mako-chan, I¡¯ll be going. Don¡¯t cause any trouble for Tsubaki-kun and the rest, okay?¡± ¡°Mitsuki, you too, don¡¯t be so absent-minded. I¡¯ll come and visit you from time to time.¡± Along with the Prince, that is, I added silently in my heart. And then I¡¯ll assist in creating an event between Mitsuki and the Prince. Because this training camp only exists to increase the affection between Mitsuki and the Prince. ¡°Mou, you don¡¯t have to worry so much, Mako-chan~. I¡¯m not a kid anymore.¡± Her pleated school skirt fluttered as she left. After sending off her retreating figure, I turned towards the others. ¡°Mako-chan is close to Sakurai imouto-chan, huh.¡± Kaname spoke with his hand on my shoulder. It¡¯s just like Kaname to be this straightforward. ¡°Ah, Mitsuki is my little sister after all. More importantly, is this group okay?¡± I think that with Kaname¡¯s personality, he can fit in well with any group. It¡¯s the other two who are problematic. Soutarou aside, the Prince is the issue. Or should I say, it¡¯s the relationship between the two that¡¯s an issue. Glancing at the two, I saw that Soutarou had been shooting uncomfortable glances at the Prince while the Prince ignored him and glared at me instead. Why can¡¯t these two get along? And for some reason the Prince keeps glaring at me. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯ll be okay. Ganbatte, Mako-chan. I¡¯ll prepare white flowers for your funeral.¡±[1] ¡°If that happens, you¡¯re coming with me.¡± ¡°Our destinies are entwined together, aren¡¯t they, Mako-chan¡­¡­!¡± I hit the head of Kaname who was making a scene. Not only would it be difficult to create an event between Mitsuki and the Prince, for some reason there¡¯s a strained atmosphere between Soutarou and the Prince. I have a feeling this would be one anxiety-filled training camp. I don¡¯t mind anything happening as long as I don¡¯t get caught up in it. Though it seems inevitable that the Prince, Soutarou and Mitsuki will get involved. Yare yare daze.[2] When the sensei¡¯s speech in the gymnasium ended, without delay it¡¯s time to prepare our evening meal. He said we could use either the schoolyard, the home economics room or the lodging area. I wonder where will Mitsuki¡¯s group select? I want to pick the same location as them. I must raise the encounter rate between the Prince and Mitsuki. ¡°Mitsu¨D¨D¡­¡­ Uwa?!¡± ¡°Makoto, ¡­¡­ You¡¯re going over to Sakurai¡¯s place too much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scare me, Kiritani.¡± The Prince grabbed my arm just as I was about to go find Mitsuki. Because he gave me a strong tug, I almost fell backwards. Technically I¡¯m a girl so it¡¯ll be nice if you treat me more gently. But it can¡¯t be helped since on the outside I¡¯m a guy who¡¯s even taller than the Prince. ¡°You stay here. I forbid you to go to Sakurai¡¯s.¡± ¡°A¨D¨D¡­¡­Un¡­¡­¡± The Prince¡¯s eyebrows drew closer slightly, and he spoke with a voice that sounds like he¡¯s sulking. As I thought, he has a good voice. It¡¯s a low voice that resonates well. Like this, the Prince reveals a very cunningly cute appearance. But, can¡¯t you do this in front of Mitsuki instead? Doing this to me is a waste of your allure. ¡°If you, go over to Sakurai¡¯s again, I¡¯ll go home.¡± After informing me, he released my arm. Even though to everyone he appears expressionless and is unwilling to get close to them, but in front of me, why is he acting so selfish or should I say, haughty? How did it become like this. Subaru said before, that the Prince was ¡®docile¡¯ and ¡®cool¡¯. But I believe she has mistook it with ¡®tsundere¡¯ and ¡®tsun-sama¡¯. Unmistakably. ¡°Ma, for now let¡¯s just prepare our meal, okay?¡± While giving a troubled smile, Soutarou approached the Prince and I. Looking at Soutarou, the wrinkles between the Prince¡¯s eyebrows increased. I was worried that the Prince would say something strange to Soutarou but he didn¡¯t utter a single word. Though I¡¯m relieved, to think that I¡¯d have to go through such a nerve-wrecking training camp. ¡°You¡¯re right, let¡¯s do it. I¡¯m hungry.¡± You can say that I¡¯m reaping what I sow. I was so busy preparing for the training camp that I didn¡¯t eat lunch. In the end, because of Kaname¡¯s incomprehensible claim that ¡°cooking begins with starting a fire in the schoolyard¡±, it became that we¡¯ll prepare our meal there. It seems that Mitsuki and the others went to the home economics room. That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it. As girls, you¡¯d prefer the home economics room. Who¡¯d purposely choose to cook outdoors in the schoolyard, huh. The encounter between the Prince and Mitsuki during dinner time didn¡¯t even last an instant. By the way, our meal was mostly prepared by Soutarou. It was a standard curry rice. It was very delicious, Maru.[3] Finally the night has deepened and it¡¯s already 21:00. It¡¯s the midnight of a training camp, there¡¯s no way nothing will happen. A pointless kimodameshi [4] was being planned. I wonder who would get excited over such a thing. The only ones who¡¯ll go ¡°kya¡± in these kimodameshi were couples. I¡¯ve been tired out due to my anxiety since today morning. I want to sleep. But, such selfishness wasn¡¯t allowed. ¡°Souta, the Prince and Mako-chan, you must participate, okay©`¡± Kaname was in high spirits as usual. But Kaname is well-suited to such high school student activities. Only he can look so stylish while wearing an unfashionable russet jersey pyjamas. Even though the Prince, Soutarou, Kaname and I were clad in the same set of russet jersey with short sleeves and long pants, Kaname looks the best in it. It¡¯s just that the fancy combination of the red bean-coloured clothes and blonde hair makes my eyes hurt. ¡°I want to sleep. Go by yourself, Kaname.¡± I coldly declared as I crawled into the futon. ¡°According to my information network, Sakurai imouto-chan will be participating, you know? Aniki.¡± ¡°Eh, Mitsuki is participating in the kimodameshi?¡± I unconsciously stood up after hearing Kaname¡¯s whisper. Although it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t realise that I fell for his scheme, I can¡¯t ignore that information. ¡°That¡¯s right~. ¡®Cause I, went to take a look just now.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡­ are you serious¡­¡­¡± So my turn has finally come? If the Prince and Mitsuki gets together during the kimodameshi, something will definitely happen. Or rather, I¡¯ll make sure something happens. Then I have no choice but to participate. This may sound conceited but if I go, the Prince will definitely come along. ¡°I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll participate.¡± ¡°Yatta ne! If Mako-chan joins, Souta and the Prince will also come, right~?¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± The Prince immediately replied. Yoshi. If the Prince and Mitsuki gathers together, somehow it¡¯ll work. Or rather, I¡¯ll somehow make it work. For this relationship, I beg you God-sama, Buddha-sama, ancestors-sama and the other gods-sama. Please let there be at least one event between the Prince and Mitsuki. Otherwise, there¡¯s no point for me to come all the way here. Just the thought that I¡¯ll be stuck in this world if Mitsuki doesn¡¯t get the ¡®Prince end¡¯ gave me the shivers. I have a world where I belong to. No matter how well I get along with Soutarou and the rest, this isn¡¯t my world. Will there come a day when I¡¯ll feel lonely while thinking of that? CH 8 The Training Camp and the Moonlight and the Palpitation (2) The grouping is decided by drawing lottery. Basically they were male-female pairs. Yatta ne. Thank you so much, God-sama, Buddha-sama, ancestors-sama and the other gods-sama. Even though I don¡¯t know whether the Prince and Mitsuki will end up together, but if not for the lottery, the Prince would definitely not pair up with her. So it¡¯s better for the pairing to be decided by lottery. ¡°Hai, boys please come over and line up here~¡± Holding the box with the lottery slips, Yurino-sensei waved his right hand to gather the participants. Surrounded by male students, the Sensei who wasn¡¯t a tall person disappeared within the crowd. I¡¯ll go last since I¡¯m okay with anyone being my partner. With that in mind, I went to the back and waited for the line to clear. Besides, from a girl¡¯s point of view, rather than an average-looking guy like me, they¡¯d probably prefer to group with ikemen like the Prince, Kaname or Soutarou. To the girl who¡¯ll become my partner, I apologise in advance. ¡°Sakurai-kun¡¯s slip is the last one.¡± ¡°A, hai.¡± ¡°Mako-chan, what¡¯s your number? What¡¯s your number?¡± Putting my hand in the box, I grabbed onto a scrap of paper. The number on it was 12. ¡°Tch~, 12, huh. It¡¯s different from mine.¡± Stealing a glance at my paper, Kaname shrugged in disappointment. ¡°What did you get, Soutarou, Kiritani? ¡°Mako, I, got number 12!¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m together with Soutarou, huh.¡± With a ¡°Pa~atto¡±, Soutarou¡¯s expression brightened. Overwhelmed with emotions, he approached me. While thinking that he doesn¡¯t have to be so happy, I realised that being hugged by him doesn¡¯t feel so bad. On the other hand, the Prince was in a bad mood from his draw. He looked at Soutarou and I with narrowed eyes. I hope he doesn¡¯t say stuff like wanting to go home. ¡°Mako-chan, what¡¯s your number? I couldn¡¯t find the person with the same number as me.¡± The Mitsuki who was wearing a long-sleeved russet jersey with long trousers came over. Mitsuki was holding onto a piece of paper with both hands that poked out from her overly-long sleeves, giving a moe feeling. [1] Looking at me with upturned eyes, I really couldn¡¯t help but think that she¡¯s an angel. So sly. So sly and cute. But still, her charm specs is on the low side. It¡¯s okay, Mitsuki has the potential to grow indefinitely. I must turn her into a high-specs woman so that she can become the Prince¡¯s princess. For bothMitsuki¡¯s sake and my sake, Onii-chan will work hard. I pushed my glasses up while once again experiencing Mitsuki¡¯s cuteness. ¡°Ah, I got 12, along with Soutarou. You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m number 7¡­¡­¡± ¡°Kaname and Prince, what were yours?¡± May the Prince have the same number. I asked the Prince while praying that he drew the number 7. ¡°¡­¡­ 7.¡± ¡°7?! Kiritani, you got 7?¡± I don¡¯t think it was my imagination that my voice sounded strange. It can¡¯t be helped that I feel so moved. My wish was heard. It¡¯s that, isn¡¯t it, the God-sama of otome games granted my wish. I made a victory pose in my heart the moment I heard the Prince¡¯s number. The flow finally turned inMitsuki¡¯s and the Prince¡¯s direction. ¡°A, I¡¯m a pair with Kiritani-kun. Please take care of me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± According to my research, Mitsuki can¡¯t handle horror stuff. During the kimodameshi, Mitsuki going¡¸ To be honest, I¡¯m bad with things like ghosts¡­¡­ I¡¯m scared-desu¡­¡­ ¡¹then the Prince replying¡¸ Can¡¯t be helped, you can hold my hand ¡¹, it¡¯s possible that something like that will happen. Behind me, Kaname was saying something like, ¡°Where¡¯s my partner¡±, but I don¡¯t have the time for that. Right now, I¡¯m very busy. ¡°I see, Mitsuki¡¯s together with Kiritani. Now I can have a peace of mind. Kiritani, Mitsuki can¡¯t stand things like ghosts or the dark so lend her a hand, alright.¡± ¡°Mou, Mako-chan, stop it. Kiritani¡¯s troubled.¡± Looking at the Prince who was prompted by Mitsuki¡¯s words, he was staring at me with his usual expressionless face. Neither sulky nor angry, like an abandoned cat, he simply looked at me with his large, wavering eyes. Gazing into those eyes, I felt like I was doing something bad. More painful than any words [2], this stabs deeply into my heart. ¡°Kiritani¡­¡­¡± ¡°Makoto, leave Sakurai to me.¡± ¡°Un. ¡­¡­ N? Ue?!¡± The right corner of his mouth raised as the Prince released a smile. Because of the surprising words that came out of that very mouth, I unintentionally let out a strange sound. Just when I thought that the situation would develop badly and that the Prince would express his desire to leave or sulk again, his words came to me in one breath. ¡°Don¡¯t let out such a strange sound.¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t expect you to say something like that.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it because Makoto was worried about Sakurai?¡± The Prince who asked a question with a straight face seems like of agitated. Frankly, I wasn¡¯t really worried about Mitsuki. Rather, I was more nervous about the Prince flirting with her. But as expected, I can¡¯t say such a thing. ¡°Un, maa, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If so, I¡¯ll protect Sakurai.¡± Mitsuki who had been quietly listening to the Prince¡¯s words started blushing. As though nothing happened, the Prince who issued such impactful words walked towards the starting point of the kimodameshi. Hm, putting aside his face and atmosphere, it¡¯s just like a prince to uttered such words unconsciously. ¡°In return, you owe me one.¡± ¡°E, ah, un.¡± With his usual emotionless, serious face where it¡¯s hard for one to grasp his expression, he lifted his index finger and appealed to me. Being pushed by an unfathomable momentum, I reflexively nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sakurai.¡± ¡°A, un.¡± With my eyes, I saw off the two who were walking towards the starting point of the kimodameshi They seems to be chatting about something. Although the Prince was expressionless, Mitsuki was smiling. ¡°Soutarou, isn¡¯t it about time we went too? ¡°Eh?!¡± As I casually patted his shoulders, he was surprised beyond my expectations. He was so shocked that it was as though 5 exclamation marks appeared one after another. His body also sprung up in a funny way. ¡°Why are you going ¡°Eh¡±, shouldn¡¯t we go for the kimodameshi?¡± ¡°kimodameshi¡­¡­ U-Un. Let¡¯s go.¡± Soutarou was smiling so hard that his cheeks were twitching, is he okay? Come to think of it, Soutarou hasn¡¯t spoken a word since just now. And his voice became higher when I mentioned the kimodameshi. Could it be he was trying to appeal to me how happy he felt to be in the same group as me? Giving Soutarou a fleeting glance, he was trembling from the occasional screams which rung out from the direction of the school building, part of the kimodameshi route. Judging from his reaction, could it be¡­ ¡°Are you afraid of the kimodameshi?¡± ¡°Eh!¡± ¡°So you are afraid?¡± Soutarou didn¡¯t give a sign of assent. Although he didn¡¯t, the face he was making revealed his obvious fear towards the kimodameshi. While I understand that he¡¯s afraid of the kimodameshi, if he¡¯s like this even before we begin, then there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll enjoy it later on. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to come if you¡¯re scared? It¡¯s not too late for us to go back now.¡± After all, I¡¯ve accomplished my goal. I¡¯ve no qualms about returning now. ¡°Iya, I¡¯m fine. I have a feeling I can do this if Makoto¡¯s with me.¡± ¡°I, can¡¯t do things like purify or exorcise spirits, you know.¡± ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t mean it in that way.¡± Holding onto Soutarou¡¯s arm, I dragged him towards the starting point of the kimodameshi. Not resisting, he allowed me to pull him and we reached the start point. In the end, is it really okay to participate? I don¡¯t mind if Soutarou wants to do it, but it¡¯s okay to stop if he¡¯s scared. It¡¯s not like I like kimodameshi a lot and neither am I afraid of ghosts. But since we are here, I might as well forcibly bring him to the goal. Thankfully, I¡¯m not really scared of spiritual or dark stuff. ¡°Ja, since Kiritani¡¯s protecting Mitsuki, I¡¯ll protect Soutarou. Or something like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¨D¨Dtsu!¡± It¡¯s our turn after two more pairs. Soutarou was holding onto the cuffs of the long-sleeved russet jersey I was wearing. The jersey will stretch if you pull so hard. The Soutarou who was behind me finally became completely silent. What should I do. If you can¡¯t last till the end, it¡¯s okay to give up halfway. That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s do that. CH 9 The Training Camp and the Moonlight and the Palpitation (3) The route for the kimodameshi this time entails passing through the gymnasium at the starting point, the infirmary, the science lab and finally the music room. Then, participants simply have to write their names on the blackboard at the final destination. Rather, it¡¯s so easy to guess what they¡¯ve fiddled with in the infirmary and science lab that it¡¯s laughable. Mysterious chemicals in the infirmary and how it resembles a hospital, frog specimens and human anatomical models were all things that exudes a sense of fear. Though, it¡¯s so dark now that I can¡¯t even see the scary things. Behind me, Soutarou was still holding onto the cuffs of my jersey. ¡°Uwah, you gave me a shock. Don¡¯t cling to me so much.¡± Panic-stricken, Soutarou glued himself perfectly onto my back. My back feels kind of warm when the Soutarou who has a high body temperature clings to me. He was so frightened that his eyebrows became °Ë and he kept staring towards the school building. The Soutarou who heard my words gave me a stiff smile. While still holding onto my jersey, he moved a few steps back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ Though it¡¯s embarrassing, like what Mako said, I¡¯m bad with things like ghosts and obake [1].¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel embarrassed to have something you¡¯re bad with. We can return now if you want.¡± While we were talking, the 2-man team before us who were on standby started walking. Looks like it¡¯s our turn next. We have to leave here in a few minutes. The Soutarou who was agitated up until a moment ago narrowed his eyes and smiled after hearing my words. It was a tender smile one would expect from children or animals. It¡¯s because he smiled like that so suddenly that my heart went ¡°doki¡± without thinking. Dangerous, dangerous. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Didn¡¯t I say just now? That I¡¯ll be fine if I¡¯m with Mako.¡± This, are you saying this air-headedly? I can¡¯t help but think he¡¯s making a pass, what does he mean by this. Or could it be that it¡¯s normal for guys to have such a conversation? I¡¯m confused. I don¡¯t understand. I bet that my thoughts were showing on my face. Soutarou let out another smile. ¡°Because Mako is my important friend.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s right, huh. I too, think of Soutarou as important.¡± I understand if that¡¯s his meaning. Yes, I can interpret it this way. As a character who¡¯s supposed to be captured by Mitsuki, isn¡¯t it laughable if he falls in love with her older brother? This is an otome game, not a BL game. ¡°Oh©`, it¡¯s Sakurai-kun and Tsubaki-kun¡¯s turn next. Kowa~ don¡¯t get angry~. Ganbatte ne~. Don¡¯t get hurt, okay~¡± Yurino-sensei handed me a handheld flashlight while making an exaggerated voice. I¡¯m amazed at the sensei who managed to maintain this vigour even though it¡¯s already the 12th team. I can feel his enthusiasm of wanting the students to enjoy themselves. ¡°Hai. Let¡¯s go, Soutarou.¡± ¡°U-Un.¡± While clutching my jersey, Soutarou started walking gingerly. Putting me aside, if he shows such a figure to the other girls, won¡¯t he lose his popularity? If they start thinking things like ¡®Tsubaki-kun is pathetic¡¯, what will happen to this lead character? ¡°Tsubaki-kun, you¡¯re scared of obake? Kawaii©`¡± ¡°He¡¯s completely attached to Sakurai-kun. I want to become Sakurai-kun!¡± ¡°Sakurai-kun, do you mind changing partners with me?¡± Seems like my worries were unfounded. I apologise. I should mind my own business. They probably thought they were whispering softly but I can actually hear them pretty well. Granted, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t feel vexed but as expected, ikemen will be ikemen no matter what they do. I might have even said the same things as those girls when I was female. I left the gymnasium while carrying such complicated feelings, taking the first step towards the infirmary. ¡°Where was the infirmary again?¡± The light from the flashlight illuminated the corridor. As I thought, the school building looks different at night. The me who wasn¡¯t very familiar with the surroundings wasn¡¯t sure where to go. Even not for that, I¡¯ve never stepped foot into the infirmary before. Hence I questioned the Soutarou who was glued perfectly to my back. In a foolish voice, he eventually answered me in one breath. ¡°The infirmary is at the 2nd school building¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Izumino Gakuen comprises of the 1st school building to the 3rd, and there¡¯s also an old school building. Entering through the main gate, you¡¯ll see the 1st school building where the staff room, principal¡¯s office and important classrooms are. The 2nd school building is located to the east of the main gate and within are the science lab, student council room, music room and other special classrooms. To the west of the main gate is the 3rd school building where the classrooms of first to third years are situated. In the old school building were the classrooms for clubs and extracurricular activities. Apparently there¡¯s also changing rooms. The 2nd school building isn¡¯t far from the gymnasium. Since Soutarou looks quite frightened, let¡¯s quicken the pace. ¡°Mako, that way is the 3rd school building.¡± ¡°Eh? Ah, ¡­¡­ it¡¯s because of my glasses.¡± In response to my excuse, Soutarou tilted his head and gave me a blank look. That was a bad excuse just now. Though it¡¯d have been fine if I admitted that I didn¡¯t know the way, for some reason I was embarrassed. Despite telling Soutarou that it¡¯s okay to have things you¡¯re bad at, when it comes to myself, as expected, it¡¯s embarrassing. ¡°To tell you the truth¡­¡­ I¡¯m bad at memorizing directions.¡± That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not particularly good at remembering directions. Simply put, I¡¯m directionally-challenged. ¡°Once in a while, Mako says funny things with a straight face.¡± Even though all I did was seriously tell him I don¡¯t know the way with a straight face, for some reason Soutarou started laughing. Whether it¡¯s Kaname or it¡¯s Soutarou, the residents of this world laugh too easily. I don¡¯t think I said anything that was even remotely funny. Soutarou, this guy, just before he was so scared but now he¡¯s smiling at me. For some reason, despite feeling relieved, another part of me was mortified. ¡°If you say anymore trivial stuff, I¡¯m going to leave you behind.¡± ¡°Wait, Mako.¡± Soutarou, this guy, he¡¯s still laughing. Exasperated, I ignored him and walked on. Flustered, Soutarou grabbed onto my clothes. If we walk quickly, we can reach the infirmary in less than 5 minutes. As proof of going there, we have to sign at our names on the register at the fridge in the infirmary. When I placed my hand on the door of the infirmary we¡¯re supposed to enter, I noticed there were sounds coming from inside. Was the pair before us still here? There¡¯s no way it¡¯s a thief, right? I came up with several speculations but all of them seem to miss the mark. ¡°Soutarou, what do you think these sounds are?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the sensei who¡¯s acting as a ghost?¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± The sensei who is acting as a ghost could be trying to scare us. But is it me or the sounds are too bustling? I¡¯m not sure because I don¡¯t usually go to places like haunted houses. The me who agreed with Soutarou¡¯s thinking opened the door boldly. ¡°Cho, Mako, all of a sudden¡­¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re entering anyway, there¡¯s no need to hesitate¨D¨D¡­¡­ E?¡± ¡°N©`£¿¡± Were ghosts beings who¡¯d push down a half-naked girl in a place like this. By chance, my eyes met with the ghost(temporary)¡¯s. [2] It¡¯s a little awkward, but who asked him to do this kind of thing in a place like this. That ¡°ghost¡± had black hair with blue[3] highlights, cut in a Wolf style. Like a certain Kitarou[4], only his right eye was hidden behind his hair. It was purposely set that way. He wore loose leaf-like earrings and even on his neck and fingers, there were jingling accessories. With a single glance, one could tell he wasn¡¯t a serious or diligent person. But he has pointlessly good looks. An oval-shaped face with a light complexion, large goggle-eyes[5] and a strange amorous mole at the corner of his eye. Although the way his mouth curled mischievously was irritating, he seems to be quite a lady-killer. Incidentally, the girl seems to be the same type. Both her clothes and make-up were flashy. From the colour of their ties, they should be third-years. ¡°What¡¯s with ¡®em©`. They seriously can¡¯t read the mood©`. Aren¡¯t y¡¯all the second years who¡¯re having training camp now?¡± Even the things she says are unscrupulous. I scolded in my mind. As a girl, you should speak in a more well-mannered way. ¡°N©`£¿ Seems like it©`. What happened, did you lose your way?¡± Looks like this isn¡¯t the infirmary. The moonlight which permeated the classroom brightened the surrounding, allowing us to see the entire room. This, is probably the Student Council room. I could see a note stating ¡®Student Council President¡¯ on the desk in the back. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sorry to bother you.¡± I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with such strange people whom we met in such a strange way. Besides, getting involved is troublesome. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so scared, bunny-chan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ bunny-chan?¡± What¡¯s with this guy. The words he say are so incomprehensible that it was scarier to me than ghosts. ¡°Ara, you don¡¯t like bunny-chan? How about honey-chan or sweetie-chan or cutiepie-chan?¡± ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Ahaha, wait a moment, bunny-chan. You¡¯re the transfer student Sakurai Mitsuki¡¯s onii-chan right?¡± Holding onto Soutarou¡¯s arm, my feet reflexively stopped moving. Turning around, the guy just rose from the sofa and walked towards me. With an uninterested face, the half-naked girl fixed the position of her eyelashes. Though I feel that she should first wear her clothes, the status of her eyelashes was probably more important to her than being half-naked. Looking closely, the guy¡¯s clothes were also fairly messy. In fact, his top was completely unbuttoned, he wasn¡¯t wearing a belt and some of his underwear was even showing. What¡¯s with them, really, did they try to do it in the classroom, these guys? ¡°Bingo. Mitsuki-chan is cute, huh~. Even though she¡¯s plain, aren¡¯t her features considerably fine? Ehehe, are you glaring at me, onii-chan?¡± ¡°Stop messing around. I won¡¯t hand Mitsuki over to a shallow fool like you. Also, the only one who can call me ¡®onii-chan¡¯ is Mitsuki.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll call you bunny-chan. Even though bunny-chan doesn¡¯t resemble Mitsuki-chan, you¡¯re quite cute too~. It¡¯s like, your face seems kind of feminine©`? If Mitsuki-chan¡¯s no good, perhaps I¡¯ll aim for you~?¡± He seized my chin and forcibly turned my face towards his direction. Sorry for having a feminine face. It can¡¯t be helped since I was originally female. But the current me is male, so don¡¯t bring your face so close to mine. What¡¯s with this guy. This guy with pointlessly good looks feels a bit like a capturable character. I wonder if I¡¯m right. Let¡¯s ask Subaru later. Nevertheless, as he was about the same height as Soutarou, my neck hurts when he forcibly tilted my chin up for so long. When I involuntarily grimaced, he made a contrived dejected face. ¡°Does it hurt? I¡¯m sorry. Let me give you a kiss to help heal the pain.¡± ¡°Hah?! Baka, stop! Let go of me!¡± ¡°Ehh, kawaii. Could it be your first kiss?¡± While pinning down my chin, he brought his face closer and closer. To be kissed by such a guy riding on the momentum is the worst. Moreover, this is really my first kiss. Is that so bad? I¡¯ve had no relations with romance until now. Ah, what should I do. Let me press the reset button immediately! CH 10 The Training Camp and the Moonlight and the Palpitation (4) ¡°Let go¡­¡­!¡± A few more centimeters and our lips would touch. This is the worst. To be kissed by this kind of guy who stinks of cologne. Rather, isn¡¯t that girl his lover? Is it okay to kiss someone like me?! Even if you¡¯re fine with it, I¡¯m absolutely against it. I definitely don¡¯t want to kiss this guy. ¡°Narahashi-senpai, please stop.¡± Soutarou hugged me from behind and pulled with all his might. Thanks to the strong Soutarou, my first kiss was defended. While it wasn¡¯t like I¡¯m emotionally attached to my first kiss, it¡¯s more significant if I give it to a cat or a dog than this guy. I¡¯m against kissing this guy. I¡¯ve decided. ¡°Are©`, you, know my name~?¡± ¡°You¡¯re famous. Despite being the Student Council President you don¡¯t act like one at all. The Student Council President, Narahashi Junya.¡± ¡°Ahaha, I see©`. I may look like this but I do work hard©`. Right, bunny-chan?¡± I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s the Student Council President. What happened to student autonomy in Izumino Gakuen. Even if he says stuff like, ¡°Right, bunny-chan?¡±, today is the first time I met him. And from my first impression, I can¡¯t imagine this wild Narahashi being a proper Student Council President. When I looked at Narahashi with narrowed eyes, for some reason he appeared pleased. A skirt-chaser and delinquent and on top of that, he has shockingly high masochist and hentai specs. More and more, I don¡¯t want to let Mitsuki near him. If I let this kind of guy come near Mitsuki, she¡¯ll be done in by his poison. Even worse, she might get pregnant. ¡°If you want me to say yes, then work harder. Soutarou, let¡¯s go.¡± Thank goodness Mitsuki didn¡¯t encounter Narahashi first. I¡¯ll absolutely not let him near her. Absolutely. Absolutely not. And to the best of my ability, I¡¯ll make sure I don¡¯t meet him either. This guy is dangerous. ¡°What a cold bunny-chan, huh~? Even though you might become my brother-in-law~¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. There¡¯s no way it would.¡± ¡°If I marry Mitsuki, the cute twins siblings will become mine and I¡¯ll have flowers in both hands. I can¡¯t wait~¡± I got goosebumps when Narahashi looked at me while licking his lips. Let¡¯s leave here quickly and return to the gymnasium. Though it¡¯s not that frightening, to have met something scarier than ghosts, I don¡¯t have the mood for kimodameshi anymore. ¡°Are you scared, bunny-chan? Since you might lose your virginity to me?¡± ¡°Mako¡¯s virgi¡­¡­! What are you saying!¡± ¡°Oi, wait a moment. The idiot over there.¡± With a red face, Soutarou was trying to retort something but his words got caught. All of a sudden, the door to the Student Council room opened with vigour. The tranquil-looking young man who came out had reddish-brown hair. His reddish-brown hair seems soft and behind his glasses were a pair of blue eyes. He was fair like a doll. So much so that he almost doesn¡¯t appear to be Japanese. He had on an armband that says, ¡®Student Council¡¯ above a white school cardigan. Is he also from the Student Council? ¡°Ah, Chika-chan. Thanks for the good work~¡± ¡°You¡¯re really an idiot. Have you completed your duties?¡± The male student being called ¡°Chika-chan¡± walked briskly towards Narahashi and unhesitatingly gave him a lariat[1] in a polished manner. And the Narahashi who brilliantly dodged that embraced ¡°Chika-chan¡±. After stroking ¡°Chika-chan¡±¡¯s head, Narahashi swiftly distanced himself. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll do them later~¡± ¡°Forget it. The work will only increase if I leave it to the studhorse who¡¯s sexually excited all-year round[2]. Before talking about rabbits or marriage, please wear your clothes properly.¡± ¡°Ehehe, Chika-chan¡¯s scary. Right, bunny-chan? Ah, bunny-chan, this is the Vice-President Chika-chan~. Takayanagi Yasuchika-kun. Cool, huh?¡± Appearing like he¡¯s accustomed to being scolded by Takayanagi, Narahashi started fixing his clothes. ¡°You guys too, don¡¯t come here. The Student Council room is off-limits for ordinary students.¡± ¡°A, hai.¡± ¡°Quickly be on your way.¡± Heeding Takayanagi¡¯s words, we left from the Student Council room. We got scolded even though it¡¯s that hentai Student Council President¡¯s fault. I felt slightly displeased as I walked through the corridor. Although a significant amount of time has passed since we departed[3], if we don¡¯t wander around and head to the gymnasium directly, it might just about time. It seems like it¡¯s been established that I¡¯ll encounter the capturable characters before Mitsuki does, but this time at least, I¡¯m glad that I met him first. Putting aside Takayanagi, Narahashi¡¯s the worst. That Subaru, why did she create such a hentai character. Just the thought of him sinking his poison fangs into the kawaii Mitsuki made me shudder. While it¡¯s only provisional, Mitsuki¡¯s my kawaii imouto. If the Mitsuki who¡¯s so pure and naive and easily distracted meets that hentai M bastard, she¡¯ll definitely get eaten up. Uwah, you can¡¯t, Mitsuki! As I thought, Mitsuki should end up with the Prince. Ah, speaking of which, did she properly go to the infirmary¡­¡­? There¡¯s a chance they might have mistakenly went to the Student Council room and met that hentai like us. I wonder if they¡¯re okay. Mitsuki¡¯s in your hands, Prince. While agonizing on my own, Soutarou who had been quiet embraced me from behind. ¡°Uwah, what¡¯s wrong, Soutarou. Suddenly hugging me. As expected, you feel scared? Then, quickly, towards the gymnasium¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­. I was afraid.¡± ¡°I see. Then, let¡¯s quickly¨D¨D¡­¡­¡± With a ¡°gyuu¡±, he held me tighter. As expected, Soutarou¡¯s really strong. He squeezed me hard enough that my bones creaked. ¡°I don¡¯t mean it that way. When I thought you and Narahashi-senpai were going to kiss, ¡­¡­ I was afraid.¡± Soutarou¡¯s voice was trembling. He hugged me with all his strength, and the tip of his nose brushed against the back of my head. It¡¯s like being fawned over by a huge dog, but what¡¯s with this palpitation¡­¡­ That my protective instinct was stirred, or that I had the urge to say ¡°Hand¡±[4], complicated emotions rose up in my heart. Though it wasn¡¯t the time to think of such things, if I don¡¯t distract myself by thinking of them, I won¡¯t be able to stand this CG-like atmosphere. How is it that I became like the heroine? This is something that should be experienced by Mitsuki, right? ¡°Ah, ¡­¡­ thanks for saving me just now. You really saved me. Truly.¡± ¡°Un¡­¡­ Mako, ¡­¡­¡± Timidly turning back, I saw that the ends of Soutarou¡¯s eyebrows were lowered as he gave me a troubled smile. Covered by the moonlight, the usual dog-like feeling Soutarou gives off was suppressed. My gaze happened to fall on his strangely risqu¨¦-looking lips which were curved in a heartrending way. Embarrassed, I lowered my field of vision, only to notice his beautiful neckline. Though I never realised before, there were two beauty spots lined up on Soutarou¡¯s left collarbone. In accordance to the timing of his breathing, Soutarou¡¯s chest repeatedly rose and fell. I wonder if his heart was also beating fast. His hot breath landed on my ear. I have a feeling his body temperature increased by about a degree. Soutarou had his arms around the me who stiffened due to nervousness. He slowly brought his huge hand up and tenderly caressed my head. Somehow the atmosphere is turning lewd. If you include the incident just now, isn¡¯t this already the second time today? Iya iya, this can¡¯t be. It definitely can¡¯t be. In this game, the story is that Mitsuki will obtain her reverse harem and, in the end, get together with the Prince. What¡¯s the meaning of me having this pink atmosphere with Soutarou! ¡°I think of Mako as a very important friend. That¡¯s why anything that Mako dislikes, I don¡¯t like it too.¡± Ah, I see. That¡¯s right, huh. You meant it in a ¡®friendship¡¯ kind of way. It should be fine, right? No flags are raised, right? I totally thought it was ¡°that¡± just now. Seems like I was being too self-conscious. Thank goodness. Relieved, I faced Soutarou and stroked his head. The atmosphere just now thinned and he returned to being the usual sly dog. I see that his tail and ears are standing. ¡°Thank you, Soutarou.¡± Soutarou gave a deep nod. ¡°Even though I said I¡¯d protect you, I ended up being protected.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine? Aren¡¯t friends the type of existence that protect and get protected, help and receive help?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­ that¡¯s right. Waha, somehow¡­¡­. when you put it this way, it feels kind of ticklish.¡± In the depths of the depths of my heart emerged a ticklish feeling. While it wasn¡¯t like the relationship I had with my friends up until now were shallow, no one so openly showed me such good will before. While I didn¡¯t intend to associate with them only on the surface, friends who are this assertive are rarely seen. Soutarou may be an embarrassing guy. But at the same time he makes me happy. This kind of feeling, how strange. I¡¯ve never felt this way before I came here. CH 11 Gossip: Yurino Subaru¡¯s Creation Data I, ¨D¨D Yurino Subaru, was thinking this way. I was by nature an otome game player. That I got transported into the world of an otome game, could it be a gift from God-sama? Furthermore, I¡¯ve completely become a spectator. Could this be the rumoured ¡®sidelines trip¡¯? Now that I took up the position of Yurino Tamaki¡¯s imouto, if the heroine Mitsuki by any chance wants to capture Tamaki, I¡¯ll become her rival. Though it¡¯s a long story, I changed places ¡­¡­ how should I say this? Tamaki¡¯s imouto had loved him from when they were young. But the capture priority of Yurino Tamaki is low. Or rather, it¡¯s only after raising flags after flags that you can finally go for him, that¡¯s how low his priority is. Nonetheless, I have no intention of furthering anything with Tamaki. If Mitsuki selects Tamaki, I can cheer her on from the bottom of my heart. As the possessor of knowledge of the setting in a ¡®sidelines trip¡¯, Yurino Subaru¡¯s position is immensely delicious. While being a good consultation partner for Mitsuki, I can also obtain information from her without needlessly approaching the capturable characters. The capturable characters in this game can be said to be my brainchildren. I can¡¯t even imagine dating the manifestations of my imagination. Even if I end up having to stay in this world forever, I have no intention of having a romance with any of the capturable characters. Nevertheless, it¡¯s very exciting to watch from the sidelines. To the me who¡¯s fine with NL, BL and GL, this place is akin to heaven. I¡¯m so glad I asked the artist I admired for these character designs©`! Since they¡¯re my children, they have to be extremely ikemen. And be easy on the eyes. This is especially true for the Prince, we put a lot of effort into his face. Dangerous, Prince. As expected of a Prince. Mako who got transported along with me took the place of the heroine Sakurai Mitsuki¡¯s older brother. Even though Mako was originally a girl of shorter stature than me, ever since becoming Sakurai Makoto, she transformed into a tall high school boy. At the outset, as a girl she had the personality of a refreshing handsome man. She really starts to shine now that she¡¯d turned male. I want to say ¡°good job!¡± to she who, while being deceptively unaware, actively raised flags. Although I didn¡¯t tell Mako, this game actually has hidden endings where Mitsuki and Makoto flirt with the capturable characters. I¡¯m anticipating much from Mako from now on. Hehe. Oops, that was dangerous. My face loosened. Cough. Starting anew, I¡¯ve decided to record Mako¡¯s success here. Title: Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution Story: When a normal 17 year-old girl who¡¯s estranged from love transferred to Izumino Gakuen, her and their love revolution begun. In a year, she has to further her romance with one male as much as possible. Studies?Sports?Charm?Arts?Housework, she has to raise these specs. It becomes possible to capture the characters as you raise certain specs. No matter how high of a favourability rating you have, a bad end will be forced upon you if your specs are not high enough. By the way, there¡¯s two types of bad end: losing your love to your rival or having the capturable target become mentally ill. Incidentally, as the Prince who¡¯s named Kiritani Riku is this otome game¡¯s legitimate route, a special ending has been prepared for him. Characters: Sakurai Mitsuki —@¾®ÃÀÔ / ¤µ¤¯¤é¤¤ ¤ß¤Ä¤­ 2nd year student. 155cm. Flat-chested. Even though she¡¯s plain, her features can be technically considered kawaii. Small animal type. Tea-brown tinted pink bob hair. A bro-con who likes her older brother, Mako-chan. Her personality will change as you raise her specs. Depending on your play style, she can become prim and tidy wife material or a sexy fiend. Sakurai Makoto —@¾®ÕæÇÙ / ¤µ¤¯¤é¤¤ ¤Þ¤³¤È 2nd year student. 178cm tall after the transport here. Originally 158cm so she gained around 20cm. Frequent user of contact lenses due to short-sightedness. Switches between black and red-rimmed ones glasses depending on the occasion. Face is somewhat feminine but has a fearless look. The level of his face is so-so. Doesn¡¯t resemble Mitsuki much. Initially he wasn¡¯t like this but he¡¯s gradually turning into a sis-con. Even though he¡¯s a natural flag-raiser, he himself has no intention of having a romance. Favourability rating at the moment: Tsubaki ¨R Fujisaki > Kiritani > Yurino >>> Takayanagi >>> the barrier that can¡¯t be overcomed >>> Narahashi £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª Kiritani Riku Í©¹Èê‘ / ¤­¤ê¤¿¤Ë ¤ê¤¯ 175cm / 60kg / Blood type A 2nd year student. Is being called the ¡°Prince¡± behind his back. Not just in Izumino Gakuen, he has a fan club in Atlas Academy too. Glossy black hair that are slightly shaped with wax. Cat type. Has a powerful and distinct gaze. Slightly tsurime[1]. Well-arranged features like a doll, with a face that has been described as feminine. Fair skin with no visible pores like a bisque doll. Slender body. Long and well-proportioned limbs. Constantly expressionless despite being a beauty. His emotions rarely undulates, he speaks with a disinterested tone. Honest and cool. He was set to have a voice and smell that captivates the Sakurai siblings. Has very few friends. It¡¯s rumoured that Makoto and the others were his first friends. Tsubaki Soutarou ´»Ä¾ïSÌ«ÀÊ / ¤Ä¤Ð¤­ ¤½¤¦¤¿¤í¤¦ 183cm / 72kg / Blood type O 2nd year student. Basketball club. In Makoto¡¯s words, a sly dog. Showing upturned eyes while tilting his head is his certain kill technique. Short black hair. Kind-looking droopy eyes[2]. Two beauty spots are lined up on his left collarbone. Also, dog ears. Even though he¡¯s muscular due to basketball training and is tall, he¡¯s bad with spirits and eerie stuff. In place of his working parents, he takes care of his younger siblings who¡¯re in elementary school. Good at housework like cooking and washing clothes. Though in front of Makomako he usually acts like a large dog, he actually has the presence of an eldest son and is good at spoiling others. Fujisaki Kaname ÌÙÆéÒª / ¤Õ¤¸¤µ¤­ ¤«¤Ê¤á 172cm / 60kg / Blood type B 2nd year student. He was in the basketball club until Junior High School but currently he¡¯s acting as the helper for various clubs. Self proclaimed jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none who can easily play any sports. Secures his blonde hair with a red pin. The sharpness of his tsurime eyes is his charm point. Although the way he speaks relaxedly coupled with his looks gives him a DQN[3] appearance, he¡¯s actually rather perceptive. Amiable and participates in many social activities. Average grades. Humanities. Because he¡¯s so perceptive, on many occasions he has learned to maintain a strong self-control. Narahashi Junya ˜A˜ò¼ƒÒ² / ¤Ê¤é¤Ï¤· ¤¸¤å¤ó¤ä 180cm / 66kg / Blood type O 3rd year student. Unexpectedly the Student Council President. Black hair with blue highlights in an asymmetrical Wolf haircut, his right eye is hidden by bangs. 3 earrings on the left and 2 on the right, wears jangling silver accessories on his neck and fingers. On his fair-skinned oval face is a pair of goggle-eyes. The beauty spot at the corner of his eyes is strangely amorous. A very alluring character. Both M and S. Regardless of being male or female, he likes them as long as they¡¯re kawaii. The Sakurai siblings are completely his type. Calls Makoto ¡°bunny-chan¡±. Rumour has it that people were enjoying ¡®passions of the night¡¯ in the Student Council room. Takayanagi Yasuchika ¸ßÁø¾¸ÄÀ / ¤¿¤«¤ä¤Ê¤® ¤ä¤¹¤Á¤« 176cm / 65kg / Blood type A 3rd year student. Student Council President and Swimming Club¡¯s vice-head. His father is the director of a university hospital. A bonbon[4]. Natural soft reddish-brown hair and the owner of blue eyes. Fair complexion. Glasses boy. He¡¯s a half from a pure-bred Japanese father and a mother who has English (england) blood. Basically can be said to be high-class goods/elegant. But after a long association with Narahashi, he was infected by his poison and became foul-mouthed. There are times when he acts violent too. The victim is usually Narahashi. His certain kill technique is Lariat. He¡¯s also capable of unleashing Iron Claw and Choke Sleeper. Yurino Tamaki °ÙºÏÒ°­h / ¤æ¤ê¤Î ¤¿¤Þ¤­ 169cm / 56kg / Blood type AB Homeroom teacher of Mitsuki and the others¡¯ class, he specialises in Biology. Neatly trimmed black hair, gentle eyes. The corner of his mouth is always raised, giving an impression that he¡¯s constantly smiling. In Makoto¡¯s words, he¡¯s both serious and sensual. Slightly baby-faced. His height is on the short side. Although he exudes the serene atmosphere a nursery teacher would have, he feels kind of unreliable. £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª Yurino Subaru °ÙºÏÒ°êÄ / ¤æ¤ê¤Î ¤¹¤Ð¤ë 166cm / 52kg 2nd year student. Tamaki¡¯s imouto and Mitsuki¡¯s good consultation partner. Student of the prestigious mission school, Atlas Academy. Excellent grades. Has long black hair and tsurime, the special characteristic of this powerful beauty is her alluring eyes. Loves Tamaki in the original work but the current Subaru has no feelings for him. Although she seems like a riajuu[5] from her outer appearance, the contents are unfortunately a fujoshi and an otome gamer. Produces her own otome game and BL game works in the Circle[6]. Can¡¯t draw. CH 12 The Student Council and the Solicitation and the Frightened Rabbit (1) ¡°So you finally encountered the Student Council! How did it go? Did you kiss?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! Don¡¯t even joke about it.¡± Immediately after returning home from the training camp, I was forcibly called out by the doujinshi writer, Subaru. Even though I was busy and reluctant, due to my promise to Subaru, I got dragged out to tell her about the BL-like developments that occurred. Although it wasn¡¯t my intention for those to happen, if I don¡¯t get some advice from Subaru, this story could be going towards a grim ending. At the usual family restaurant, we conversed while having a late lunch. Subaru got the cake set while I went all-out and asked for the 1500 yen cut of thick steak. For some reason, after getting this body, I don¡¯t feel full no matter how much I consume. I also don¡¯t gain weight. It could be due to puberty. ¡°The first encounter in the scenario should have been a CG scene where the onii-chan gets his lips stolen in front of Mitsuki?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that, this kind of scenario.¡± ¡°Officially, he¡¯ll obtain both of you, one after another. Moreover, it¡¯s was set that Mitsuki-chan and her onii-chan, Mako, are completely his type. There¡¯s also a Narahashi x Mitsuki-chan x Mako 3-person ending.¡± She sleekly dropped a bomb on me as though it was nothing much. It can¡¯t be that Mitsuki-chan and I fall within his strike zone, right. Also, we don¡¯t need an ending like that. Even though this isn¡¯t some horror game, doesn¡¯t this mean that there¡¯s no hope no matter how much I struggle? Even if I have to be her shield, I won¡¯t let Mitsuki meet him. I had thought that there won¡¯t be any BL developments since it was an otome game, but I should have known that the fujoshi Subaru would have included BL scenarios somewhere. I was careless. ¡°Now that the capturable characters have slowly emerged, things are getting interesting.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®interesting¡¯¡­¡­ Will I be able to return to the previous world©`?¡± I have a feeling that as things stand, I won¡¯t be able to return. I think that the possibility of the Prince and Mitsuki dating is currently approximately 0. I heard about their experience in the kimodameshi but they only casually walked around and casually completed the course. In Mitsuki¡¯s words, ¡°It wasn¡¯t as scary as I thought it would be¡±. Can you really be an otome game heroine like that! While I¡¯d like to rebuke her so, I found myself unable to scold the Mitsuki who gave a face that said I was admirable for conquering the ghosts. When did I become a siscon. Mitsuki, what a frightening girl. ¡°You want to return, right? I¡¯ll be sure to work hard so that we can.¡± ¡°Subaru¡­¡­¡± While picking at her cake, Subaru smoothly said the words I wanted to hear. It was slightly surprising. Since it¡¯s Subaru, I thought she¡¯d take the stance that it¡¯s more fun here, but it seems she properly has the intention to return. I see. Even though it¡¯s Subaru, she does wishes to return to the previous world. This makes me relieved. ¡°But until then I¡¯ll make sure to fully enjoy this trip~¡± ¡°¡­¡­ As expected, huh~¡± To think I was relieved from Subaru¡¯s words just now. That Subaru would suppress the burning desire of an otaku girl for a transport to another world was impossible. But she did say she¡¯d think of a way to return even while enjoying herself. That¡¯s something to feel glad about. ¡°Of course cracker©`£¡ [1] Does Mako have a character you like©`? Didn¡¯t you have a good feeling going there with Soutarou? Unless, you already did it?¡± ¡°Tch©`Obviously not. I¡¯m male on the family register, you know?¡± ¡°Love transcends the gender barrier!¡± I¡¯ve had enough of this person. Even though she spoke with a good smile, the words that came out weren¡¯t good. Soutarou and I definitely don¡¯t have a relationship like that. Soutarou said that he thought of me as a friend and similarly I don¡¯t think of him as anything more than a friend. He¡¯s my best friend. It¡¯s disrespectful to him to make a fuss about matters of like and love. What should I do if weird rumours surface? Though I don¡¯t mind, it¡¯ll be a nuisance for Soutarou. ¡°How about it? Since I called you all the way here, tell me about the training camp~¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± I felt that the Subaru who was elegantly consuming the millefeuille was really a bishoujo. However, this beauty only gets the most fired up when listening to BL stories, what a disappointment. She leaned forward with glittering eyes and a huge full-face smile. Prompted by Subaru, I tried to recall yesterday¡¯s events. Even though I wanted to recount the events in chronological order, at this rate won¡¯t she misunderstand something again? This may be me overthinking, but the happenings of the training camp from top to bottom feels like BL. Perhaps I¡¯m thinking too much but I¡¯ll evade a little and muddle things up a little as I talk. ¡°Ma, that¡¯s true. Together with Kiritani, Kaname and Soutarou, we made curry and I participated in the kimodameshi with Soutarou. Then we strayed to the Student Council room and met the hentai Student Council President and the man who gave him a Lariat. Finally, I went to sleep while sandwiched between Soutarou and Kiritani.¡± Although what I said was abridged here and there, I didn¡¯t tell any lies. ¡°I see~. You enjoyed yourself, huh.¡± ¡°Ma, it was rather fun. Soutarou, Kaname and the Prince are good kids¡­¡­¡± Subaru was grinning. Looking at that expression of hers, I had the uncomfortable, creepy feeling that she understood everything. Even though usually I¡¯ll grab more of the free rice [2], for some reason I don¡¯t have much appetite today. But as I thought, the steak from this family restaurant is truly delicious. The me before would have been full with just 60% of the curry rice but the usual current me who turned male could eat about 3 times that amount. ¡°I see~. Fufu.¡± Looking at the grinning Subaru who looks like she¡¯s having fun, I had a bad premonition. But it¡¯s true that Soutarou and the others are good kids. Being with them is very enjoyable. Or should I say that it heals the heart. At this point, a shadow was cast upon our table. While thinking ¡°Oh, my?¡± and lifting my head, I abruptly felt a weight on my back. When I raised my voice in astonishment, along with a ¡°kusukusu¡± laughter, that person applied strength with the arm that was looped around my neck. ¡°Ehehe~, guess who?¡± This voice¡­¡­ I¡¯m unusually scared of turning my head. After all, this voice was undoubtedly,undoubtedly, that of the absolute worst hentai. Like the rusty screw mechanism of a machine, with a ¡°gichigichi¡± sound, I turned behind in slow motion. ¡°¡­¡­ Narahashi¡­¡­ kaichou[3].¡± He was clad in a dress shirt with a loosely-fastened tie, revealing part of his skin. On top of that, Narahashi who had on a flashy yellow parka turned to observe me. Even when looking at him in a bright place, as expected he¡¯s one showy guy. Completely like a V-Kei[4] band member. He¡¯s done well not to get caught breaking the school regulations. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you since yesterday©`, bunny-chan. Ehhh, you¡¯re with a kawaii girl. On a date?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong, leave right this instant, hentai.¡± ¡°Muu. I¡¯ll seal those lips that are saying such nasty things.¡± Narahashi grasped my forehead and forcibly tried to kiss me. The Narahashi who tried to kiss me yesterday and today was really persistent. Something¡¯s seriously wrong with him. Furthermore, to attempt to kiss a fellow guy in a family restaurant, what kind of bugged game is this. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna. I want to kiss-kiss bunny-chan.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with you, ¡°want to kiss-kiss¡±? Get away, you fool.¡± Takayanagi who was standing behind Narahashi stepped out and unleashed a magnificent Choke Sleeper. I¡¯ve been thinking since yesterday but, even though Takayanagi looks elegant, he¡¯ll occasionally strike out with pro-wrestling moves and foul words. ¡°What~. Are you jealous, Chika-chan?¡± ¡°If you keep saying nonsense, I¡¯ll bring you away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna. I haven¡¯t kiss-kissed bunny-chan yet~. Right~, bunny-chan?¡± I distanced myself at full power from Narahashi who casually took a seat beside me after Takayanagi released his Choke Sleeper. And Narahashi who noticed that embraced my waist and forcibly drew me towards him. He entwined his fingers with mine and brought his face closer. Shooting a glance at Subaru, I noticed her eyes were glistening and she looked at me with the expression of an otome in love. No matter how I think about it, I can¡¯t expect any help from her. ¡°Release me¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Ehehe, bunny-chan without glasses looks superbly kawaii. This face, is seriously completely my type~¡± Although I tried to calm myself with a deep breath, this is really one disgusting feeling. While it¡¯s said that being kissed by this guy is inevitable, will this keep continuing until that inevitable event happens? Then it¡¯s better to just kiss now. I¡¯ll endure and pretend that I¡¯m being gnawed at by a dog. ¡°Bunny-chan, I love you a lot. I can obtain you too if I marry Mitsuki-chan, right©`?¡± I woke up with that one sentence of his. If I fall here, Mitsuki might get bitten by his poison fangs. No way. I can¡¯t let that happen. I can¡¯t get swept away by the current here. Didn¡¯t I just swear not to raise any flags? ¡°Who¡¯d let you marry her! If you come any closer, you¡¯re suffer something 5 times stronger than Takayanagi-senpai¡¯s Choke Sleeper. I¡¯ll strike you with a German?Suplex. Seriously.¡± Making use of our entwined fingers, I pushed back at him and while glaring intensely, and spoke in a low voice I¡¯ve never used before. To Narahashi who gave a complacent grin reminiscent of a Cheshire Cat, I strengthened my grip further. ¡°If it¡¯s bunny-chan¡¯s German?Suplex, I¡¯ll happily receive it.¡± ¡°Seriously just go away¡­¡­¡± ¡°Eh~, Chika-chan~, bunny-chan¡¯s so cold.¡± Speaking of Takayanagi, he¡¯s drinking black coffee beside Subaru. What¡¯s more, they¡¯re chatting idly. Both of them are too ¡®my pace¡¯. My chastity is in danger right now, you know. I might be kissed by this guy, you know. Takayanagi who was gracefully draining his cup shot a smile towards Narahashi. ¡°Though I believe Sakurai-kun¡¯s more of the tender-hearted type?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not tender at all©`. He won¡¯t let me kiss him, y¡¯know?¡± I don¡¯t understand how the brain of this guy who¡¯s still thinking about kissing even though he¡¯s been rejected so much works. Though I personally would like to leave quickly, Takayanagi called the shop assistant over and asked for an omurice. Incidentally, Narahashi ordered a hamburger set while hitting on the shop assistant and even kissed the assistant on the back of the hand. How assertive. ¡°The only ones who¡¯ll happily kiss a hentai they just got to know would be those shallow followers of yours.¡± ¡°Ah, I see, so it¡¯s fine as long as we get to know each other more! It¡¯s settled, bunny-chan, join the Student Council.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ hah?¡± While I doubt that Takayanagi meant his words like that, how come they were interpreted this way. With the situation taking a sudden leap, I revealed a foolish expression as I looked at Narahashi. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to keep you by my side all the time if you join the Student Council. That way, you¡¯ll come to love me and then we can kiss and do ecchi things. It¡¯ll be a paradise where I have Mitsuki-chan and bunny-chan to either of my sides. Ehehe.¡± How did it become like this. Rather, that won¡¯t happen! Definitely not! A paradise where Mitsuki and I serve Narahashi from both sides won¡¯t happen! ¡°Stop joking! I¡¯ll definitely not join the Student Council!¡± ¡°If you enter the Student Council. I¡¯ll appoint you the person-in-charge of miscellaneous chores, assisting the Student Council President. Ehehe, I¡¯ll be sure to prepare special chores for you, bunny-chan~¡± What¡¯s with that improper position! Exactly what kind of work falls under ¡®miscellaneous chores¡¯? I¡¯m scared. I didn¡¯t expect to suddenly receive a solicitation from the Student Council. Of course I don¡¯t intend to join but will my declining even have any use? The person I rely on, Subaru, was carefreely having a conversation with Takayanagi. I beg you, Subaru and Takayanagi! Do something about this hentai Student Council President! ======= CH 13 The Student Council and the Solicitation and the Frightened Rabbit (2) Monday. There¡¯s a throbbing pain in my head. To a tremendous extent, the meeting in the family restaurant was the worst. When I left the restaurant, I ran for dear life away from the Narahashi who wanted me to join the Student Council. I was really grateful to have the physique of a high school boy. Although it¡¯s the most average of the most average physiques amongst guys, compared to the me when I was female, it was considerably faster. Despite that, there were many occasions when I was almost caught by Narahashi. But in the end I barely managed to escape. Even though I escaped, Narahashi is a student of Izumino Gakuen. While it¡¯s natural to attend school, this school has Narahashi. I couldn¡¯t help but feel that Narahashi was lurking around somewhere. Putting aside myself, Mitsuki at least must be protected. I got fired up. More than ever before, as an onii-chan I got fired up. If she loses her chastity to Narahashi, wanting her to go out with the Prince will be unachievable. I definitely can¡¯t let that happen. Somehow, while protecting my chastity, I have to prevent Mitsuki from meeting him. ¡°Good morning, Mako. You seem unwell, what happened?¡± ¡°Ah, Soutarou¡­¡­ Various things happened¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re okay with me, I can lend you a ear?¡± Soutarou placed the enamel bag he had been carrying on his side onto the table and looked at me worriedly. As I thought, Soutarou is kind. Now that my mental state is weakened, that kindness appears more clearly. I was lying prostrate on the table exhaustedly but I stretched my back muscles and turned towards Soutarou. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¨D¨D With a concerned look, he inclined his head and asked the me who was exhausted and felt like crying. Even though it¡¯s said that being loved is a happy thing, there are times when it feels oppressive. In the first place, Narahashi¡¯s ¡®love¡¯ wasn¡¯t love at all. It¡¯s attachment. It¡¯s the same as a child throwing tantrums, saying he wants that particular toy. While that¡¯s okay on its own, don¡¯t drag me into it. And if you were going to drag me, please do so more courteously. ¡°Narahashi invited me to join the Student Council.¡± ¡°Eh?! ¡­¡­ Then, does Mako wants to enter the Student Council?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d want to, right. I don¡¯t know what will happen to me if I join a Student Council that has Narahashi.¡± Soutarou patted his chest as though he was relieved, and while sitting on the chair, he pulled it closer to me. ¡°If Mako is troubled, I¡¯ll cooperate with you!¡± ¡°Un, thank you. Soutarou sure is kind¡­¡­ I¡¯m getting hungry now that I feel better.¡± Thanks to Soutarou¡¯s desperate encouragement, I¡¯ve regained a bit of cheer. When I looked at Soutarou with a gratitude-filled gaze, I was startled to see the¡¸ Mako, Mako, Mako, I¡¯m worried about you, cheer up ¡¹face he was making with all his might. The usual dog ears sprung up. A tufty tail also rose in the air. The dog ears of Soutarou who heard that I was hungry stood up with a ¡°pintto¡± and he excitedly retrieved his bento box from his bag. Holding it with both hands, a huge smile grew on his face and he did his classic head tilt. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with this, you can have my bento?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your bento, right. If I ate it, your lunch would be gone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if I buy one from the school store later©`. The school store isn¡¯t open at this time, and Mako didn¡¯t bring a bento, right?¡± Certainly, whether it¡¯s the school store or the cafeteria, they only open at 11am. Moreover, Soutarou¡¯s cooking is superb. ¡°Itadakimasu.¡± ¡°Please go ahead. I hope it¡¯s up to your tastes.¡± That there¡¯s no way Soutarou¡¯s food don¡¯t suit my tastes was something I knew since long ago. Accepting the bento, I opened it and took a look. It looked good enough to sell, it had the classic side-dishes, karaage and tamagoyaki which appeared well-made. The wieners were octopus-shaped and the apples were rabbit-shaped, I supposed he made the same thing for himself as he did for his younger siblings. In a single word, it was a noriben. As I thought, Soutarou would make a good bride. I first took a bite of the karaage. As expected of Soutarou. It wasn¡¯t microwaved karaage, it was karaage that was properly fried in oil. The taste keenly permeates me and it¡¯s very delicious. ¡°So good¡­¡­ It¡¯s amazingly good, Soutarou.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. Please eat lots.¡± ¡°O. You guys seem to be enjoying yourselves.¡± Kaname appeared so suddenly that I almost spit out the karaage in my mouth. Looking up, I saw Kaname who was grinning broadly. He had on a deep blue cardigan above his school uniform. There were also shrewdly calculated moe sode. ¡°What do you mean, enjoying ourselves?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still feigning ignorance even though you¡¯ve been stuffing your cheeks with your wife¡¯s home-cooked bento early in the morning©`?¡± ¡°Soutarou isn¡¯t my wife.¡± Are you still going with the setting that I¡¯m the husband and Soutarou¡¯s the wife? As expected, Soutarou was giving a troubled smile. Though I¡¯m curious about the tinge of redness on his cheeks, let¡¯s not stick myself into that. I continued to eat the bento innocently. The tamagoyaki was the salty kind. I also prefer the salty version. [1] ¡°Me too©` I want to try Soutarou¡¯s bento©`¡± ¡°Nn.¡± With a ¡°Aa~n¡± he opened his mouth wide and brought his face closer. I randomly threw some potato salad into his mouth. Truthfully, I wanted to give him the yellowed broccoli but as expected he¡¯ll be too pitiful if I did that. You ought to be thankful that I¡¯m kind. ¡°As I thought©` Souta¡¯s cooking is delicious©`!¡± ¡°Potato salad isn¡¯t a difficult dish to prepare.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s tasty. I like the way you seasoned the food.¡± The bento box was emptied and I was full. Soutarou¡¯s seasoning may be simple but it¡¯s to my liking. Even though Kaname made a fuss about wanting to eat more, it¡¯s his fault for not coming to school earlier. Soutarou cheerfully put away the bento box and smiled happily. To think that he¡¯ll even handle the cleaning up afterwards, he¡¯s such good bride material that it leaves me speechless. ¡°Hang on~, can you not flirt like a married couple~?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not flirting.¡± ¡°Ja, let me join in!¡± Kaname put his arms around Soutarou¡¯s and my shoulders and clung to us. Even though I made a ¡°yare yare¡± face, inwardly I was happy. My heart which was tired from the encounter with the hentai Student Council President yesterday is being cleansed. It¡¯s being healed by Soutarou¡¯s kindness and Kaname¡¯s cheerfulness. Although I don¡¯t want to admit that I¡¯m being healed by Kaname¡¯s teasing, he might have also noticed that I was behaving listlessly. And perhaps this is his way of cheering me up. Because despite looking like that, Kaname is actually quite perceptive. Yoshi. My strength has recovered after eating and I¡¯ve also obtained reliable comrades. I¡¯ll definitely escape from the incoming danger, that hentai Student Council President. I¡¯ll protect both Mitsuki and myself. CH 14 The Student Council and the Solicitation and the Frightened Rabbit (3) ¡°The lovely bunny-chan.¡± ¡°Geh.¡± School¡¯s over and while I was packing up my belongings, the hentai Student Council Present Narahashi called out to me from outside the class. About 3 of his buttons were unfastened, and his necktie was coiled in a sorry state. The parka he had on was unexpectedly black in colour, causing me to think that he¡¯s more well-behaved than yesterday. That is, until I noticed that there were rabbit ears on the parka. I¡¯ll be forgiving if it was a kawaii girl who called me, but to be called that by a guy, especially this hentai Student Council President, makes me want to hit someone. That he¡¯s pushing this leisurely feeling of ¡°Ah, I¡¯m home¡±, I apologise in his state. ¡°What¡¯s with that guy.¡± The one whose mood got spoiled by Narahashi was the Prince. He had on a face more serious than usual. I couldn¡¯t even smile at his absolute zero voice. ¡°Where are you©` bunny-chan? Bunny-chan?¡± Fortunately he hasn¡¯t found me yet. Yoshi, I¡¯ll use this opportunity and sneakily leave the classroom. I¡¯m going home. Soutarou who has a larger physique than me has already left for Basketball Club and Kaname who¡¯s perceptive went to help out the Lacrosse Club. That guy, to even know how to play a rather uncommon sport like Lacrosse, he¡¯s too omnipotent. Carrying my enamel bag, I crouched down and stealthily leave the classroom. The Prince looked at me with a face that says, ¡°What on earth are you doing¡±. But he probably realised something. Since the Prince maintained his silence. ¡°Ah, Mitsuki-chan.¡± ¡°Mitsuki?!¡± ¡°Ehehe, I found you.¡± Reflexively standing up after hearing Narahashi¡¯s words, I saw that Mitsuki was nowhere to be found. Come to think of it, Mitsuki had already left the classroom for club activities inspection[2]. I was deceived. I was completely deceived. Because it was crucial, I said it twice. Narahashi approached me step by step. I couldn¡¯t hide my cheeks that were cramping with fear. ¡°Makoto? You¡¯re acquainted with this hentai? ¡°Rather than acquaintances¡­¡­¡± ¡°Rather than acquaintances, we¡¯re more like engaged? Ehehe.¡± Narahashi immediately tried to give me a hug but thanks to the Prince standing before me, I somehow evaded it. Like a parent cat trying to protect his child, the Prince¡¯s fur stood up as he tried to intimidate Narahashi. He may appear like a fearless lion or a leopard in others¡¯ eyes, but all I can see is a kawaii cat. ¡°Do not approach Makoto.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Prince. I see why they call you ¡®Prince¡¯. You¡¯re totally ikemen. But I¡¯m sorry~, as expected, bunny-chan and Mitsuki-chan are more my type.¡± Narahashi gently touched the Prince¡¯s cheek. Without even a twitch, the Prince glared at him with a straight face. ¡°No one gives a damn about your taste. Makoto is frightened so go over there.¡± ¡°Bunny-chan is just nervous to see me. Right?¡± ¡°Makoto, stay behind me.¡± Prompted by his words, I immediately hid behind the Prince but because he was shorter than me, not much is being hidden. Despite that, the Prince felt unmistakably reliable. In an attempt to hide me, the Prince lifted his right hand protectively while staring fixedly at Narahashi. Narahashi tilted his head to the right while smirking. He observed the Prince¡¯s intimidation as though the Prince was a child causing mischief. Glancing around the classroom, I noticed the classmates who¡¯re still here are all staring at us. Well, rather than us, they¡¯re staring at the Prince and Narahashi. Instead of a futsumen[1] like me, they¡¯re looking over at the extremely ikemen Prince and Narahashi. ¡°Bunny-chan, come over here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t approach us. Go away. Makoto will get tainted.¡± ¡°I want to taint him~. Ehehe.¡± Disgusting! Really disgusting! The me whose mood worsened grabbed onto the Prince¡¯s clothes. Incidentally, the Prince was wearing a deep blue vest over his dress shirt. I¡¯m sorry if your vest gets stretched since I¡¯m holding onto it quite tightly. ¡°Makoto, it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°Kiritani~! The current Kiritani is very reliable!¡± The Prince turned and looked at me. His face was, as one would expect, expressionless, but it appears very reliable. As expected of the one called ¡®Prince¡¯. So it wasn¡¯t only his face that¡¯s like a Prince. I¡¯m sorry for not realising earlier. ¡°Ne~e, bunny-chan, I¡¯ll get jealous if you flirt so much with the Prince, you know?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t flirting and I¡¯m feeling awful from the bottom of my heart so please kindly leave right now, President.¡± ¡°Waha, you¡¯re harsh as usual. Ma, you¡¯re the cutest like that, ne~¡± I was slightly moved by the Narahashi whose heart was so sturdy that even my sharp words couldn¡¯t pierce it. The majority understood that trouble will arise if they get involved with us and had left the room. However, a minority of the girls who wanted to watch Narahashi and the Prince in this strained atmosphere remained. Occasionally a few, ¡°Narahashi-kaichou¡¯s so cool!¡± entered my ears but those people have eyes but cannot see. After all, they say love is blind. ¡°Awawa, even if you look at me so menacingly, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll eat him up at once~. But at this rate we can¡¯t even converse, huh©`¡± ¡°No problem. I have no intention of conversing with you.¡± ¡°Mou, how cold.¡± While going ¡°yare yare¡±, Narahashi shrugged. The mood of me who was astounded by Narahashi was the worst. ¡°You¡¯re done talking, right. Then let¡¯s go home, Makoto.¡± The Prince held onto my arm and pulled me out of the class. As we emerged at the corridor, Narahashi languidly raised his arm and grasped my left arm while smiling frivolously. ¡°Wait a moment©`. Ne, bunny-chan. If you listen to me till the end, I can promise not to approach bunny-chan or Mitsuki-chan anymore?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ for real?¡± ¡°Let us two play hide-and-seek. I¡¯ll be the oni[3] while bunny-chan hides. It¡¯s bunny-chan¡¯s loss if you get caught by me. If you manage to escape, it¡¯s your win. The loser must listen to the winner. How was it? Simple, right?¡± It is simple but I don¡¯t understand the significance. ¡°Makoto, you don¡¯t have to listen to this guy¡¯s words.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind even if we don¡¯t play hide-and-seek. In exchange, I¡¯ll get along well with Mitsuki-chan.¡± ¡°You¡­¡­!¡± To take Mitsuki as a hostage, as expected Narahashi is the worst. I¡¯ve been thinking of him as just a disgusting hentai, but from this very moment I¡¯ve started to hate him from the depths of my heart. I glared at him with all my might. I can¡¯t let the kawaii Mitsuki get close to the nasty Narahashi. Even if I have to become a shield, I¡¯ll protect Mitsuki. After all, the Prince was Mitsuki¡¯s only prince. ¡°I understand. It¡¯s fine as long as we do it, right?¡± ¡°Ehehe, you¡¯re so understanding~. The time limit is precisely 60 minutes. The range is within the school building. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I¡¯ll absolutely, absolutely not lose. Since the promise is that Narahashi will, on no account, ever approach Mitsuki and I again. ¡°Ja, I¡¯ll wait here for 3 minutes so go and hide, okay~¡± Waving his hand, Narahashi entered the 2-A classroom. After ascertaining that, I turned to face the Prince. ¡°You can go ahead and return home first, Kiritani.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll definitely not lose. Thanks for today, ne.¡± The Prince looked like he had something to add but I ignored that and sprinted at full speed through the corridor. I thought while running. Where should I hide at? It never crossed my mind that I¡¯d play hide-and-seek at my age. Considering the years he¡¯s been enrolled into this school, he should be more familiar with the school building and obviously at an advantage. Nevertheless, I¡¯m safe as long as I elude him for 60 minutes. I¡¯ll find a hiding place where I can conceal myself discreetly, and wait for the time to pass. No matter what, Mitsuki¡¯s and my futures are riding on this, I definitely can¡¯t let him find me. CH 15 The Hide-and-Seek and the Darkness and the First Love (1) The current time is 17 hours 15 minutes. The ¡®Hide-and-Seek of Hell¡¯ will terminate at 18:10 but just in case I¡¯ll stay hidden till around 18:30 hours. It¡¯s already been 5 minutes since it commenced so he¡¯s probably already searching for me now. If so, it¡¯s better if I distance myself as much as possible from the classroom. The 2nd school building is the furthest from the classroom. It¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll head for the 2nd school building. I¡¯ll have to pass through the passageway on the second floor to access the 2nd school building. Now that I¡¯ve decided, it¡¯s time to dash to the best of my ability towards the 2nd school building. ¡°It¡¯s probably better to not move around too much, huh¡­¡­¡± Since I might bump into him somewhere, it¡¯s better to lessen my movements. I¡¯ll boldly hide in the storeroom-like place at the first floor and wait with bated breath by the window. I feel that this is the best plan. Although with my current considerably large physique, it¡¯s rather hard to be stealthy, but as much as possible I¡¯ll make myself smaller and be silent. I headed towards the 2nd school building via the connecting passageway. I skipped the last 3 steps of the stairs as I descended and dove into the storeroom near the stairway. Despite being beside the stairway, there was a window in the storeroom. This narrow space which was about the size of 8 tatami mats, was packed full of teaching materials. There was an unused organ by the window side. I didn¡¯t want to touch it since it was so dusty, but in case the worst scenario happens, I climbed on the organ and rested against the window that was above it. Even if Narahashi comes in, I should be able to escape him in about 10 minutes if I jump off from the window. Through the window I could hear voices of students who were engaging in club activities. The voices could be heard probably because the 2nd school building was situated near the gymnasium and pool. ¡°Maybe I should join a club¡­¡­¡± Mitsuki also mentioned that she wanted to join a club, maybe I should join the same one to protect her from strange guys. But I have no idea which club to join and I also don¡¯t know which clubs she¡¯s been attached with up until now. I¡¯m not particularly good at sports, and there will be a tall hurdle since I¡¯m joining in my 2nd year. From the window, I can see that the Swimming Club are having club activities now. My eyesight is poor so I can¡¯t see very clearly but, isn¡¯t that, Takayanagi? Wearing a gym uniform and while holding cleaning tools, he seemed to be giving instructions. It seems the Swimming Club is going to cleaning the pool. In regards to the season, I think it¡¯s too early[1], but perhaps they planned to clean it bit by bit, starting from today. I spotted the uniform-clad figure of a girl nearby. ¡°Are ¡­¡­ is that Mitsuki?¡± This pink-coloured bob hair was undoubtedly Mitsuki¡¯s. Although I couldn¡¯t see her expression, she was seemingly happily talking to Tayakanagi. Is Mitsuki going to enter the Swimming Club? Onii-chan will worry a lot if Mitsuki who¡¯s so cute and has a good figure exposes her swimsuit-clad appearance. But if she really wants to join, I won¡¯t stop her. Besides, the Prince isn¡¯t involved in any club activities and it¡¯s also impossible to expect him to enter a club just to enjoy club activities with her. Perhaps her sports and similar parameters will raise by joining the Swimming Club. It¡¯s okay if I, her onii-chan, protects her if some idiot tries to start something strange. Looking at my watch, it¡¯s 17:30 now. There¡¯s about 30 minutes left. I should have brought my phone along. This boredom is so difficult to bear. Because there was PE during the 6th period today, I felt unduly sleepy. Ah, I¡¯m dozing off. Even though I shouldn¡¯t fall asleep, my eyelids feel heavy. Just for a while. Just for a while, I¡¯ll close my eyes. I¡¯ll close my eyes for just 5 minutes¡­¡­ While coming up with an excuse, the sleepy darkness quickly engulfed me, sending me deep into the land of dreams. I wonder how long I dozed off for. It might be because I slept in a strange position, or because I slept above the organ, I woke up with a crick in my neck. I woke up to a pain in my waist and shoulder. ¡°Ouch¡­¡­! Now¡­.. now, what time is it?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s 19:45©`¡± ¡°No way, the school¡¯s closed[2]¡­¡­¡± ÏÂУ•r¿Ì gek¨­ jikoku Izumino Gakuen completely closes down at 19:15. Apparently, at 19:00 the clubs are still active but by 19:15 they have to change and leave. And 30 minutes after that, all signs of students disappear. But if it¡¯s 19:45, the sensei might still be here. If I knock on the door, they might notice us. My thoughts stopped there. Just now, who was the one who answered my question? I vaguely understood that there was someone else here. This voice and this way of speaking, it¡¯s without a doubt that hentai, the worst Student Council President whom I hate a lot. ¡°¡­¡­ Narahashi¡­¡­¡± ¡°Un?¡± A low voice that shocked even me came out. With that Cheshire Cat-like smile of his, Narahashi tilted his head. Even though when Soutarou does this it seems cunningly kawaii, when this guy does it, it just pisses me off. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because bunny-chan slept so peacefully. Your sleeping face was also cute. Almost like an angel¡¯s.¡± His superficial words annoyed me deeply. I seriously hate you, Narahashi. This guy doesn¡¯t like me. This guy doesn¡¯t like anyone. This guy doesn¡¯t love anyone. Shallowly saying superficial words of love, you¡¯re probably just scared of being alone. The only one, you like or love, is yourself. Don¡¯t put on such a fake smile. Don¡¯t say that you like even though you don¡¯t. Don¡¯t cling to things you don¡¯t even like and cause trouble. I wasn¡¯t born to fill the gap in your heart, and neither do I possess what you need to fill the gap in your heart. ¡°That¡¯s why, from the depths of my heart I hate you. I hate you a lot, Narahashi.¡± For the first time, Narahashi¡¯s smile was destroyed by my heartfelt words. I wonder what his twitching cheeks were trying to express. ¡°Eh¡­¡­ bunny-chan¡­¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to say¡­¡­¡± When I averted my gaze from the bewildered Narahashi, I saw a black rabbit parka lying on my lap. Narahashi was probably the one who placed this on me. His scent was faintly lingering on it. It smelled like punk spicy and sweet cologne. The Prince¡¯s smell calms me down but Narahashi¡¯s was an uncomfortable smell that sets one fidgeting or makes one¡¯s heart throb. ¡°You know, I love bunny-chan a lot and I also love Mitsuki-chan a lot? Of course, I love the other girls too. But even though you¡¯re bunny-chan, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m impressed to hear such things from you.¡± Narahashi who regained his usual self held my arm and pulled me down from the organ. Because he suddenly pulled me, the numbness that came from sleeping in a weird position spreaded to my entire body and I lost my balance. My back became nailed to the bare concrete floor. ¡°Ouch¡­¡­¡± ¡°Bunny-chan, I won¡¯t go easy on you today.¡± He straddled my waist and pressed down my arms above my head. When I tried to move, I realised that his strength was beyond my expectation and resistance was futile. No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s because he pushed me down with such a sorrowful face that I found it hard to resist. I¡¯m a guy now after all. If I seriously resist and if it¡¯s just him alone, I probably can take him down. My necktie was removed and the buttons on my shirt were completely unfastened. This guy, such practised movements. Even though I was originally female, as expected I still felt embarrassed when my upper body, lit by the fluorescent light, was seen. Narahashi¡¯s hand smoothly stroked my flank. It was ticklish. ¡°Na, you¡­¡­ will Narahashi-kaichou be satisfied if you have sex with me? You¡¯ll be satisfied if you sleep with me once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right? As long as bunny-chan does ecchi things with me, kiss me and say you like me, it¡¯s fine.¡± His voice clearly sounded hollow. Even though he tried very hard to give his usual Cheshire Cat smile, he failed big time. His allure-filled ikemen face became unattractive. ¡°That so. Ja, I shall say it. Like you. I like you.¡± Saying ¡®I like you¡¯, having sex and kissing. Are you satisfied with this? I¡¯ll yield my body to Narahashi just once. Even though I had some anticipation about my first time with a guy, I¡¯d have never imagined that I¡¯ll sleep with another male while still in this male body. But if with this he¡¯ll stop getting involved with Mitsuki and I, I can¡¯t be bothered anymore. He can do as he likes. I stopped resisting completely and let the strength leave my body. And then I immediately stared straight at Narahashi. Narahashi¡¯s facial expression was warped. It seemed like he fell into despair. Grasping the nape of my neck, he brought his lips so close to mine that they almost touched. ¡°¡­¡­ why, did you ¡­¡­ *sniff*, say¡­¡­ such a thing¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Eh?¡± At that moment, I realised. He¡¯s crying. Narahashi¡¯s crying. Drip by drip, Narahashi¡¯s tears fell onto my cheeks. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine to just be quiet and sleep with me? Why did you expressly dredge out the things I didn¡¯t want others to see? Incomprehensible¡­¡­ I hate you too. I hate you a lot.¡± ¡°Hah?¡± The half-naked me who¡¯s prone on the ground. The sobbing Narahashi who¡¯s straddled on my waist. I¡¯ve had enough. Isn¡¯t this a ridiculous scene? And for some reason I¡¯m being told that I¡¯m hated. Being hated by Narahashi and no longer having him following me around is a cause for celebration. It¡¯ll be good if I can go, ¡°Hai, sayonara¡± and leave but that won¡¯t do, huh. The me who¡¯s like a horse being ridden on can¡¯t escape even if I want to. For now I¡¯ll start by trying to sooth the crying Narahashi and coax him to get off me. CH 16 The Hide-and-Seek and the Darkness and the First Love (2) ¡°Eh, why¡¯re you crying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ but, my cheeks are getting wet.¡± Narahashi who grew flustered as tears spilled from his eyes in large drops, wiped his tears with his sleeve. His fair cheeks turned red. I stared intently at Narahashi¡¯s face as his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth became Ò» shaped. He¡¯ll be cute if only he¡¯s this docile and meek normally. After all, his face was arranged to be quite amorous. Although the Prince, Soutarou and Kaname are also beauties, Narahashi is the refined type. ¡°Shut up. I hate bunny-chan.¡± Even though just up until a moment ago he was all ¡®deredere¡¯, suddenly he became ¡®tsuntsun¡¯[1]. What on earth is going on. Not even willing to converse, somehow this became incredibly tiresome. Mitsuki¡¯s probably worried too and while I want to leave Narahashi behind and return home, I can¡¯t do that. Besides, I want to think of myself as someone who won¡¯t do such a heartless thing. No matter how unlikeable I found Narahashi, I can¡¯t just abandon someone who¡¯s crying and return home. Even though he took on a ¡®tsuntsun¡¯ attitude, he¡¯s still gripping my shirt so tightly that I can¡¯t move an inch. As I let out a small breath while wondering what to do, the fluorescent light suddenly went off with a loud ¡°bachitto¡±. In a split second, it became pitch dark. I was surprised, but the moonlight entering from the window was enough for one to determine what was where. If it¡¯s just this much, there¡¯s no need to panic, huh. ¡°Kaichou, are you okay?¡± ¡°Un¡­¡­ Hey, bunny-chan.¡± ¡°Un? What¡¯s up?¡± Narahashi finally got off from my waist. I¡¯m glad that he got off as my waist and my shoulders were becoming numb. Encouraging my numb muscles, I somehow managed to sit up and leaned my back against the cardboard. Narahashi then adhered himself perfectly to me and sat down. Even though he¡¯s too close, this isn¡¯t the atmosphere where I can ask him to back off. I¡¯ll remain silent and wait for him to speak. Narahashi watched from the side as I slowly put my shirt in order. I couldn¡¯t find my tie with the vicinity being this dark. Forget it, I¡¯ll search for it tomorrow. ¡°Bunny-chan, you said that I shallowly spoke superficial words of love and that I¡¯m just scared of being alone, right.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Ah. I won¡¯t apologise.¡± Even though I felt sincerely sorry that those words that made him cry, I don¡¯t think I did a bad thing. Those were veracious words. I worry for the futures of maidens who offered up their bodies to this guy¡¯s superficial words of love. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s true after all.¡± ¡°Are you afraid of being alone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m scared. Loneliness is a scary thing.¡± The way he spoke was chock-full of sentiments. The me who grew curious turned to look at Narahashi¡¯s face and it just so happened that he was also gazing at me. I reflexively backed away from the surprise of being so close. ¡°Cho, Narahashi-kaichou, you¡¯re too close.¡± ¡°Is bunny-chan afraid of the dark?¡± ¡°Nope, just this much is fine.¡± Due to the moonlight illuminating the storage room, I¡¯m aware of my own location. Even if I¡¯m not, I can just feel my way around in such a cramped space. Narahashi suddenly laughed and thrusted his hand through the gap of my shirt, gently caressing from my collarbone to my chest. Shocked, I moved backwards. Chasing the retreating me, he buried his face in the nape of my neck. ¡°Bunny-chan, you¡¯re cool, huh. I¡¯m scared. Whether of the darkness or of loneliness. Even more so of sleeping alone.¡± Is that why he¡¯s sleeping around with people regardless of their gender? Because he¡¯s afraid of the dark, he¡¯s fine with sleeping with anyone, huh. While thinking that his actions are in no way forgivable, an interest also surfaced within me, wanting to know what happened to push him this far. Did I make a face as though I was looking outside? Narahashi lifted his head from the nape of my neck and smiled the way a cat who¡¯s about to cry would. ¡°Did bunny-chan think that I was some sex fiend who¡¯d sleep with anyone? You thought that, didn¡¯t you. I know that everyone looks at me with eyes like that. But, that¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do ecchi stuff with just anyone. I only do them with people I really like.¡± I unconsciously made a dubious face. After all, even when we first met, he was just about to have sexual intercourse with that flashy girl. There¡¯s no way that a half-naked girl and a half-naked guy are just straddling for fun. It¡¯s not that I have an excessively dirty thinking, right. What¡¯s more, there¡¯s that. Isn¡¯t that girl your lover? Is it okay to say things like Mitsuki is your type in her presence? I don¡¯t quite understand his thinking. But with the expression Narahashi was making, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s lying. Moreover, it doesn¡¯t matter even if he did lie to me or deceive me with this serious face. The number of people Narahashi slept with had not even a 1mm connection to my life. ¡°You¡¯re making a face like you don¡¯t believe me. But what I said was true. It¡¯s doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe me or not though.¡± ¡°I believe you. If you say so, so be it. Don¡¯t become so abject.¡± ¡°But bunny-chan hates me, don¡¯t you?¡± Narahashi sucked in his breath as though he was surprised, and his line of sight swam. The way his lips curled as though he was sulking was kind of adorable. Although I don¡¯t know whether his words struck a chord within me, honestly speaking, I don¡¯t find Narahashi likeable. Nonetheless, if I have to say what I dislike about him, the only thing is how he spoke superficial words of love to Mitsuki and I. To put things bluntly, I don¡¯t really care about what relationships he has with whomever. Things like that, I wonder if Narahashi properly understands? ¡°Ja, does kaichou likes me?¡± ¡°I like you. Haven¡¯t I been saying that all along?¡± ¡°The only thing kaichou likes is my face, right?¡± That I said such a narcissistic thing, please overlook it. Other than Narahashi commenting that my face was completely his type, I don¡¯t remember him praising anything else. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But in this darkness, my heart¡¯s throbbing crazily. Just the thought of being close to bunny-chan makes my heart beat so fast that my chest hurts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re scared of the dark, right.¡± ¡°Awawa, perhaps.¡± Narahashi who regained his usual self inhaled a small breath and opened his mouth leisurely. ¡°But¡­¡­, if I say that it¡¯s not just your face that I like, will bunny-chan fall in love with me?¡± ¡°Un?¡± ¡°I want to get along better with bunny-chan. This may seem like a lie to bunny-chan but from the first time I met you, I really, really thought that I like you. But I didn¡¯t tell you because it wasn¡¯t characteristic of me.¡± Narahashi who was crawling on the ground entwined his finger with mine. Unable to either squeeze his finger back or separate from it, I just let him hold it. ¡°As I thought, I¡¯m a liar, huh, bunny-chan.¡± Narahashi was really a liar. Even though he¡¯s a liar, I¡¯m increasingly starting to find that mostly likeable. Perhaps it¡¯s because of its simplicity. Thinking that way, I laughed slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you if you stop lying.¡± Saying playful words, I filled the finger he was holding with my intention and gripped his hand strongly. Although I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll come to like Narahashi yet, it¡¯s certain that a part of me was gradually having a favourable impression of him. As expected, it¡¯s important to talk things out. That I quickly re-evaluated him once we started talking, I apologise for that. This is something I should reflect on, huh. In this less than an hour, just talking to Narahashi made me feel like wanting to know him better. I have a feeling I can befriend him even though I hated him so much before. I think I can come to like him. ¡°Seems like bunny-chan¡¯s not an enemy. Thank goodness. I won¡¯t lie to bunny-chan anymore. I promise that, only to bunny-chan, I¡¯ll tell the truth.¡± ¡°I see. Then I¡¯ll also promise not to lie. Only as much as possible though.¡± ¡°Awawa, that¡¯s crafty of bunny-chan.¡± Looking at my watch, it¡¯s almost 21:00. We¡¯ve spoke until quite a late hour. At that moment, multiple sounds of footsteps came from the corridor. ¡°Makoto¡¯s bag was still in the classroom so he must still be here. Along with that Student Council kaichou. We have to save him.¡± ¡°With the kaichou¡­¡­? So Mako-chan¡¯s with kaichou-san.¡± ¡°I understand. Then, I¡¯ll search the classrooms. So Mitsuki-san should go to the 1st school building, Kiritani-kun please search this area.¡± Judging from their voices, they seem like the Prince, Yurino-sensei and Mitsuki. Did they come to look after waiting and waiting for the me who didn¡¯t appear? Although I don¡¯t know who proposed it, I¡¯m grateful to these three. As footsteps of two people got further, footsteps that sounded like the Prince¡¯s approached us step by step. Won¡¯t he notice us if I raise my voice now? ¡°Kiritani, I¡¯m he¨D¨D¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Makoto.¡± Narahashi clung to the waist which I was about to raise. ¡°Kaichou¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Call me, Junya. Makoto.¡± ¡°Eh?! A, hmm¡­¡­ Well then, Junya-senpai, I¡¯m going to call for help so please let go.¡± Somehow Narahashi seemed to be shy. This isn¡¯t the time to get shy, though. E, what¡¯s this. What¡¯s this atmosphere. I got a taste of this before too. It¡¯s the atmosphere when a CG appears. Were there times where I was swept into CG-appearing events before? No, there definitely weren¡¯t, right? ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to call for help.¡± ¡°E? Iya, but at this rate you¡¯ll be troubled, right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be troubled. I want to remain like this, with Makoto.¡± The atmosphere had sweetened so much that I felt uncomfortable. He planted his face around my navel and rubbed his cheeks against it. Exactly what does he mean by this. E©`, it can¡¯t be, e©`¡­¡­ isn¡¯t this atmosphere even more dangerous than the atmosphere when I was being pushed down? Will my chastity be safe? Save me©`, I¡¯m here©`, Kiritani! CH 17 The Hide-and-Seek and the Darkness and the First Love (3) ¡°Junya-senpai, please let go of me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± He put force into his fingertips that were around my waist. He put in so much force that it hurts. Junya lifted his head suddenly and gazed at me with eyes so large they looked like they were going to spill out. Peeking through his partly opened mouth, one could spot a crimson tongue and his cheeks were dyed in a light peach colour. While staring at me, he slowly but surely pushed me down. I¡¯ve become the horse that¡¯s being ridden on again, exactly what should be done about this? ¡°Puchi, puchi¡±, from top to bottom he unfastened the buttons I took great pains to fasten. Although my body was bared again, I¡¯m not embarrassed because it¡¯s pitch dark. Ah, that¡¯s not the problem. I¡¯ll eyeball him with a more severe look. Straddling me with such high spirits, he even seems to be preparing for sexual intercourse. ¡°I¡¯ll get angry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angered.¡± ¡°Release me then.¡± The left corner of Junya¡¯s mouth rose and he smiled. ¡°No way.¡± Geez, he¡¯s not listening to me at all! This isn¡¯t the time to be acting so easygoing, right. I almost unconsciously yelped when he ultimately hoisted my belt. ¡°Kachi kacha¡± sounds resounded throughout the entire storeroom, and the release of pressure when the belt was removed was so refreshing that my waist loosened. Even though it was just for an instance, just now I had the resolution to have sex with Junya. But at this moment that resolution feels like a faraway thing. In other words, this means that I have no intention of doing such a thing with him now. ¡°What you do mean ¡°No way¡±! Junya-senpai, for real, please stop¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stopping. I like Makoto. And I want Makoto to like me too.¡± ¡°Who on earth would come to like you when they¡¯re having such things being done to them? Rather, they¡¯d come to hate you!¡± When I bluntly told him my genuine feelings, Junya became on the verge of tears. Panicked, I stroked his head. Then, with a face as though nothing happened, he again cheerfully placed his hands on my belt. E, what¡¯s this. Even if I hit him now it¡¯s considered self-defence, right? It¡¯s not my fault, right? ¡°Makoto?¡± My shoulder shook in surprise when the door of the storeroom was knocked. This voice belongs to the Prince. The Prince could have noticed because we were making so much noise. That¡¯s lucky of me. ¡°Un! Kiritani, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m over here.¡± ¡°Makoto! So you¡¯re fine. Is the hentai Student Council kaichou with you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right~. Prince-sama. I¡¯m together with Makoto. Ne, Makoto?¡± Letting out a wheedling voice, he deposited the tip of his nose into the nape of my neck. At the same time, he slipped his hand onto my torso and caressed my flank, causing me to involuntarily let out a sound. It¡¯s ticklish. Hearing my voice, the Prince started beating the door as though he had the intention of tearing it down. ¡°Makoto?! Makoto!!¡± ¡°Kiritani, both Junya-senpai and I are safe. Can you help me fetch the key?¡± ¡°I understand. But that hentai bastard! If you lay a hand on Makoto I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± The sounds of his footsteps faded away. Ah I¡¯m relieved. I¡¯m truly relieved. The Prince today was really a prince-sama. It takes less than 5 minutes to fetch the key, there shouldn¡¯t be any danger of me losing my chastity in this short amount of time. This way, my chastity has been protected. Relieved, strength left my body. Thereupon, Junya made a pouting face and in a peppy manner got off my waist. ¡°How disappointing¡­¡­ I was thinking of creating a fait accompli.¡± ¡°¡®Fait accompli¡¯¡­¡­. can¡¯t you talk about more serious matters?¡± It¡¯s unbearable that my chastity was being targeted time and time again. He sat in seiza-style[1] before me, with a serious expression on his face. Even though he¡¯s such a frivolous guy, he tentatively made a promise to face me seriously and at the core he was an honest child. He should be able to understand what I¡¯m saying. ¡°I won¡¯t come to like you even if you do such a thing to me.¡± ¡°Then what should I do? To get you to like me?¡± I initially thought he¡¯s joking but it appears he¡¯s serious. ¡°You see here¡­¡­¡± ¡°Because, if we part ways here, Makoto probably won¡¯t talk to me again?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apologise for avoiding you so far. From now on I¡¯ll properly listen to what Junya-senpai has to say. Only if you talks about proper matters, that is.¡± Junya took my hand and placed it on his cheek. ¡°¡­¡­ Okay.¡± ¡°While it¡¯s easy to connect only the bodies, I don¡¯t want to build a relationship on that. We need to communicate properly, heart to heart. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Un¡­¡­ As I thought, I¡¯m useless, huh. At this rate I¡¯ll really become a sex fiend. I¡¯m sorry, Makoto. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve come to love someone so much so I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± A guy like him who¡¯s an experienced master at love-making was blushing while looking at me. He hid his lips with his large knuckles and looked at me with upturned eyes. If Subaru saw this, it¡¯ll become a spectacle whereby she rolls over with a nosebleed. It¡¯s fortunate that Subaru wasn¡¯t here. However, what should I do about his ¡®coming out¡¯¡­¡­ Does Junya really love me? Iya iya, no way no way no way. There¡¯s no way, right¡­¡­ right? He likes me ¡°as a friend¡±, right? It¡¯s okay to interpret it that way, right? Noisy footsteps came from beyond the door, growing louder. The clattering sounds of a key opening the door rang out and with excessive vigour, he dove into the storeroom. ¡°Makoto! Are you okay?¡± ¡°A, ah¡­ I¡¯m fine¨D¨D¡± Just as I saw the figure of the Prince who¡¯s bathed in perspiration, the next moment he was hidden by the Junya¡¯s shadow. In other words, Junya embraced me strongly and even left a kiss on my cheek. Though to me it just feels like I¡¯ve been bitten by a dog, the look of the Prince¡¯s changed as he grabbed hold of the back of Junya¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯ll trash you. Narahashi Junya, I¡¯ll seriously trash you.¡± Even though he¡¯s expressionless, one can see that he¡¯s emanating a terrifying killing intent. The Prince¡¯s eyes were completely hooded, trying to shoot a hole through Junya. With all his strength, his delicate and slender arm constricted Junya¡¯s neck. Junya gave his usual Cheshire Cat-like grin. He had on a face as though he¡¯s totally treating the Prince like an idiot. ¡°Geez, the Prince is so scary. Bunny-chan, save me~¡± ¡°You try and put your hand on him and I¡¯ll put an end to your life.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already put my hand on him. Here, here, take a look.¡± Junya pulled open my already-unbuttoned shirt and pointed at the nape of my neck. He¡¯s probably pointing at the kiss mark he made just now. The Prince released an even more dangerous aura. I feel that it¡¯s okay to let it go since it¡¯s just a kiss mark. If I keep feeling disturbed about every single thing, I won¡¯t be able to live in the world of an otome game. ¡°What did you do to Makoto¡­¡­ That, even his clothes were stripped off¡­¡­¡± ¡°I only stripped one clothing though?¡± ¡°Kora, don¡¯t say things that¡¯ll cause Kiritani to misunderstand. Kiritani, this was caused by an incident. Nothing happened between Junya-senpai and I. It¡¯s okay. Hora, let¡¯s go home.¡± I raised my hips and retrieved Junya¡¯s rabbit ear parka[2]. Then while expressing my gratitude, I handed it to him. Out the window, the curtain of darkness/of the night had fallen, the only light source shining on the school building was the moonlight. I buttoned my dress shirt and picked up the necktie that fell near my feet. Once I¡¯m out of the door, Narahashi who was following behind me cheekily seized my hand. ¡°Bunny-chan, go home with me~?¡± Pulling aside the playful Junya, the Prince wedged himself us. ¡°Chotto~ Prince, you¡¯re in the way, you know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®Prince¡¯. Also, don¡¯t come near Makoto, he¡¯ll catch your hentai-ness.¡± While protecting me behind his back, the Prince stood before Junya and blocked his way. Like before, the Prince¡¯s fur stood on its ends as though he was a parent cat protecting his kitten. As I thought, he appears valiant, or should I say, kind of cute. Unknowingly, I let out a smile. ¡°Stop fighting. Let¡¯s quickly find Yurino-sensei and Mitsuki.¡± Because they separated to look for Junya and I in different directions, they¡¯re probably still desperately searching for us. It¡¯s not too bad because I have Mitsuki¡¯s phone number but I don¡¯t have a way to contact Yurino-sensei at all. It¡¯s also likely that we¡¯ll miss each other if I blindly search for him. Yoshi, the moment I came to the decision that we should stay put and wait, something jumped at me from my rear. As one would expect, I was so surprised that my breath got caught. As a high school boy, being jumped at isn¡¯t that scary but as expected when I¡¯m assaulted from behind in the dead of the night at school, even the obtuse me would be shocked. Wondering who it could be, I turned around and saw a 155cm fairy-san. It was my kawaii imouto Mitsuki, followed by Yurino-sensei. What good timing. How did they know that the Prince found me? Is this even possible? Is it because this is an otome game? ¡°I contacted them.¡± The Prince smoothly clarified my doubt. I see. ¡°Mou! Mako-chan¡¯s an idiot! I was worried!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­ I¡¯ve made you worried.¡± ¡°Mou¡­¡­ But I¡¯m glad you weren¡¯t hurt. I prepared dinner for you, Mako-chan. It¡¯s the hamburger you like.¡± The Mitsuki who looked at me with tearful eyes was really kawaii. I really think she¡¯s an angel. Mitsuki¡¯s neediness struck my heart and gave me an indescribable feeling. You definitely can¡¯t let any guys except me hug you. Just the thought of you who¡¯s so defenseless diving into someone else¡¯s chest makes onii-chan so worried that he won¡¯t be able to sleep at night. She gazed at me with her big and round eyes. As she scolded me with a frown, she said that she made hamburger with her upgraded cooking specs. Even though Mitsuki went to lengths to cook up an evening meal, for me to not return home quickly, I was a failure as an onii-chan. ¡°Thanks, Mitsuki. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I embraced Mitsuki¡¯s small body and gently stroke her head. ¡°Un. That¡¯s enough.¡± Mitsuki gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°I¡¯ve also troubled Yurino-sensei and Kiritani. Thank you very much for looking for us.¡± Putting a stop to my lovey-dovey moment with Mitsuki, I lowered my head towards Yurino-sensei and Kiritani. After all, if these 3 didn¡¯t come and look for us, my chastity would have been in danger. The word ¡®grateful¡¯ isn¡¯t enough to express my gratitude to them. ¡°Narahashi-kun and Makoto-kun caused us a lot of worrying. The deadline for the reflection essay is 1 week later, okay.¡± I don¡¯t know where he brought them out from but he handed us 5 blank essay sheets. Does he want us to write today¡¯s reflection on these¡­¡­ Yurino-sensei who had on the face of an harmless animal, in the blink of an eye said such sadistic words. ¡°Do you have, any questions?¡± Even though he¡¯s smiling, for some reason he was emitting an aura that¡¯s hard to oppose. Both Junya and I frantically shook our heads left and right, appealing to him that we¡¯ll not oppose him. And thus the eventful 21st of April ended in this manner. Even though I¡¯ve been going through every day so eventfully, it¡¯s a joke that it¡¯s still April, right? It seems I¡¯ll need to remain in this world for at least 11 more months. The road ahead is too long. But a part of me has been, little by little, starting to enjoy living this kind of life. CH 18 The GW and the Part-time Job and the Ojou-sama (1) ¡°Etto¡­¡­ is it here?¡± I checked the paper with the delivery address written there multiple times. Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital. It¡¯s the number 1 largest general hospital in the area. If you¡¯re wondering why I¡¯m sending deliveries to the Hospital, it¡¯s because of my part-time job. ¡®I decided to work part-time at the florist¡¯s because I felt that a long break like the Golden Week should be used effectively¡¯¡­¡­ that wasn¡¯t my true intention. According to Subaru, a lot of events will occur during summer vacation, so for Mitsuki¡¯s sake I¡¯m working part-time to save up money. Ma, it makes sense. In summer there¡¯s the sea, there¡¯s the pool and there¡¯s also the Summer Festival. To raise the favorability rating during summer, they have to go on many dates. Whether it¡¯s kawaii clothes, swimsuits or yukata, they all have to be purchased. Like this, the allowance given by our parents might not be sufficient. Onii-chan will do his best at work in order to make the kawaii Mitsuki even more kawaii. I¡¯ll work zealously for this one week, saving up money to buy Mitsuki lots of kawaii outfits! ¡°Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital, room number 801¡¯s Yukinoshita Madoka-sama, huh.¡± The delivery item was a bouquet of more than 50 flowers. It¡¯s a bouquet that¡¯s too large and bulky for calling on someone who¡¯s ill. Carrying this all the way up to the 8th floor is first-rate tiresome but it can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s part of my job. Passing by the visitors¡¯ reception and walking towards the entrance, I saw someone familiar. A fair-complexioned glasses guy with natural reddish-brown hair. It¡¯s Takayanagi Yasuchika. He was sporting a white V-neck shirt with a black cardigan along with gray slacks. He also had a ring pendant at his chest. ¡°Takayanagi-senpai?¡± ¡°¡­¡­N? Ah, Sakurai-kun. What are you doing here, dressed in such a manner?¡± By ¡®manner¡¯, he should be referring to my t-shirt and jeans, coupled with this apron. The shop¡¯s name was written in a large print on the dark blue cloth. In one glance, you can tell that I¡¯m not dressed like someone who¡¯s visiting the sick. ¡°It¡¯s for a part-time job. I¡¯m here as a courier.¡± ¡°Courier? Ah, you¡¯ve come to deliver flowers to Madoka, right?¡± Glancing at the bouquet I was carrying, for some reason he nodded as though he understood something. ¡°Eh, are you acquainted with Yukinoshita Madoka-san?¡± ¡°The Yukinoshitas are my relatives. The young lady Madoka is prone to falling sick and is often hospitalised in our hospital. I, too, am more or less here to visit her so if you¡¯d like, I can show you the way?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could do so.¡± Come to think of it, Subaru mentioned that Takayanagi¡¯s father was the Director of this Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital. So Takayanagi¡¯s family is very wealthy. Even though I don¡¯t know how profitable it is to be the Director of a University Hospital, being a doctor is a profession that definitely rakes in money, huh. ¡°Madoka is in room 801. As it is at 8th floor, Building A of the East ward, we¡¯ll have to ride the elevator here.¡± ¡°A University Hospital sure is huge©`. I may get lost if I¡¯m alone.¡± ¡°Yes, it contains most of the medical departments. Ah, it¡¯s this way.¡± The doctors and nurses we passed by all greeted Takayanagi. They probably know him by sight. After calling out to the nurse station at the 8th floor of East ward, I knocked on the door of room 801. ¡°Please come in.¡± A cute female voice can be heard coming from within. This voice likely belongs to Yukinoshita Madoka. ¡°This is the flower shop Flower Orb. I¡¯ve come to deliver your goods.¡± Opening the door, a girl about the same age as me was sitting on the bed. She was a girl who had skin about as fair as Takayanagi¡¯s and clear eyes like the glass marble in a Ramune[1] drink. Her hair was honey-coloured. ¡°It¡¯s flowers again¡­¡­ I don¡¯t need them anymore. You can leave them around there.¡± She was wearing a sleeveless maxi one-piece with a Swarovski hairband. Her appearance and way of speaking was like an ojou-sama¡¯s. ¡°Madoka. These flowers were conferred upon you by Kakitsubata-sama, you know. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to at least give him your thanks?¡± Takayanagi pulled out a message card from the bouquet I was holding. ¡°Ah, from Kakitsubata-sama¡­¡­ That¡¯s right, that person is noisy. If I don¡¯t write a reply, things will get troublesome.¡± As though finding it bothersome, Madoka stood up from the bed and with an unsteady gait approached Takayanagi. This is completely that, huh. Madoka is the rival character you¡¯ll meet when capturing Takayanagi, huh. Capturing Takayanagi appears to be troublesome with the existence of a rival. While I¡¯d like to ask Mitsuki to give up on Takayanagi, if she wants Takayanagi at all costs, onii-chan won¡¯t stop her. If possible, I prefer if Mitsuki dates the Prince, but if Mitsuki by all means prefers someone else, I can only support her. Since technically, it appears to be possible to head for an ending even if it¡¯s not with the Prince. ¡°Wait, be careful!¡± Just as she was about to reach Yasuchika, Madoka lost her strength and tumbled down. I instinctively rushed over and caught her in my arms. Small! Light! Though I thought Mitsuki was rather light, she was even lighter and smaller than her. As expected, it might be because she has a weak constitution. What a worrying girl. ¡°¡­¡­ let go.¡± Madoka looked at me with ice-cold eyes. Uwah, scary. Scared, I wanted to let go, but she looked like she¡¯ll fall over if I do. Can¡¯t Takayanagi substitute me and hold her instead? When she struggles so much, as one would expect, I can¡¯t hold her properly. I wonder what I should do. ¡°Takayanagi-senpai, can you change with me and hold onto Madoka-san?¡± ¡°Ah. Madoka is still unable to walk properly, right? This way.¡± Taking Madoka¡¯s hand, Takayanagi supported her waist and helped her onto a chair. Oh, that¡¯s suave. As expected of a bocchan[2]. Rather than a prince, he feels more like a butler or a knight. Perhaps I didn¡¯t notice because I witnessed him using Lariat, Choke Sleeper and the like on Narahashi in school but he¡¯s really someone from a well-bred family. ¡°That person, who is he? He seems to have a good relationship with Yasuchika.¡± ¡°He¡¯s Sakurai Makoto. My kouhai.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Sakurai Makoto. I¡¯ve been in Takayanagi-senpai¡¯s care.¡± For an instant she looked over at me, but quickly averted her gaze. There was quite a sharp glint in her eye, did I do something that caused her to hate me in such a short time? Certainly, being held by an unfamiliar guy wouldn¡¯t make one feel good, but that was inevitable. While I was worrying to myself, Madoka stood up from the chair and hugged me. Even though I was surprised, I couldn¡¯t possibly thrust her away so for now I just supported her body and returned the hug. ¡°I won¡¯t hand over Yasuchika¡­¡­¡± ¡°Eh.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hand over Yasuchika to you. Remember that. No matter how much you like Yasuchika, I know him much better than you do.¡± I unconsciously stiffened from the words that were whispered into my ear. I like Takayanagi? When did I show any signs of that? I don¡¯t think I showed such an attitude, not even for an instant, so how on earth did she come to this misunderstanding? ¡°Madoka, you can¡¯t trouble Sakurai-kun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, Yasuchika.¡± Madoka who¡¯s holding onto my arm put strength into her grip and above that, dug her nails into my flesh. It was subduedly painful. As I thought, I can¡¯t let Mitsuki near Takayanagi! If such a mean girl is near Mitsuki, I don¡¯t know what will be done to her. Just thinking of that made me shudder. It¡¯s okay because I¡¯m a guy but I can¡¯t let the dainty and lovely angel, Mitsuki, fall victim to Madoka. Onii-chan won¡¯t allow that! ¡°Sakurai-kun, sorry about that. I¡¯ll send you to the entranceway.¡± ¡°Ah, hai. Please do¡­¡­¡± I¡¯d probably lose my way if I return to the entrance by myself. That¡¯s why I thought that if he¡¯d show me the way I¡¯d like the way to be shown to me, but as expected, Madoka¡¯s glaring at me. However, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll meet again. While judging that it¡¯s okay even if I¡¯m cursed at, I¡¯ll let myself be spoiled by Takayanagi. ¡°Ja, Madoka, I¡¯m glad you seem energetic. I¡¯ll come visit with Junya next time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I understand. Take care when returning, Yasuchika. Please give my regards to Junya.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let him know. Madoka, don¡¯t be too willful and trouble everyone.¡± She¡¯s one to be feared, Yukinoshita Madoka. She¡¯s really a mean ojou-sama. Come to think of it, Subaru did say that some of the capturable characters are accompanied by rival characters. But I had expected them to be more friendly. Isn¡¯t this more like a clash? It¡¯s completely a clash! If you really throw down a challenge wanting to capture him, it¡¯s the pattern where she¡¯ll seriously torment you. But Mitsuki said she wanted to join the Swimming Club, huh. What in the world can I do to salvage this? Entering the Swimming Club and becoming intimate with Takayanagi, that¡¯s too dangerous. One can only steel themselves and take the risk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Madoka said something to you, didn¡¯t she?¡± The moment we got on the elevator, Takayanagi finally opened his mouth. ¡°Eh? A, ah. She said not to approach senpai too much.¡± ¡°As I thought, huh. Madoka is too attached to me. She thinks of me as something that belongs to her.¡± The elevator reached level 1. ¡°What kind of relationship does senpai, Junya-senpai and Madoka-san has?¡± In response to my question, Takayanagi let out a small smile. ¡°Childhood friends, or it is okay to call us that, huh. Particularly, Madoka and I were together ever since we were born. In fact, Madoka probably had the intention to marry me since we were young.¡± ¡°Is Madoka-san senpai¡¯s fiancee?¡± Although I don¡¯t really understand the world of the rich, is there still things like betrothals or fiancees in this modern era? Perhaps it¡¯s a setting Subaru added to make the story more interesting. But it¡¯s a pitiful thing if the person in question doesn¡¯t wish to get married. ¡°We aren¡¯t engaged officially, but both our parents will probably agree to it if we do. I¡¯m going to be of marriageable age soon. It¡¯s not surprising if we get engaged any time.¡± ¡°Does senpai like Madoka-san?¡± ¡°Like¡­¡­ even if I don¡¯t, even if I don¡¯t like her in that way, this is a situation where I don¡¯t have a choice but to marry her.¡± Having that said to me, I couldn¡¯t say a thing back. I didn¡¯t have the right to say a thing. Even though it¡¯s supposed to be completely unrelated to me, Takayanagi sure has it hard. Even though it¡¯s supposed to be completely unrelated to me! CH 19 The GW and the Part-time Job and the Ojou-sama (2) Onii-chan, for Mitsuki¡¯s sake, will stick it out at work today too. Finally off from work at 20:00, I exited from the florist Flower Orb¡¯s backdoor and headed home.Theride home should take about 15 minutes on bicycle. Mitsuki should be preparing our meal around now. Sure enough, Mitsuki joined the Swimming Club before Golden Week begun. I tried to advise her against spontaneously joining the Swimming Club but Mitsuki¡¯s despondent look hurt my heart so much I was unable to do it. It can¡¯t be helped now that we¡¯ve reached this stage. If she embarks on the Takayanagi route, I¡¯ll protect her from Madoka¡¯s bullying. Ma, it seems Madoka has a weak constitution and will be in the hospital most of the time. Besides, Subaru also said that Madoka¡¯s a university student, so it¡¯s unlikely for she to come all the way to Izumino Gakuen just to bully Mitsuki. To be thinking about Mitsuki from the beginning up until now, how much of a sis-con have I become? I could only give myself a wry smile. Checking my phone, I saw that I received a mail[1] from Mitsuki. The sparkling contents were abundant with emojis, much like what high school girls would type. Opening and viewing the mail, it says, ¡°Thank you for your efforts at work, I¡¯ve prepared your meal.¡± With my advice, Mitsuki¡¯s skill in cooking rose noticeably. Currently, she¡¯s a much better cook than me. Next, I intend to help her better her studies. To that effect, I also have to do my best and study so that I can teach her. It seems like at my own discretion, Mitsuki can be transformed into a sexy Mitsuki, an onee-san type Mitsuki, a spoiled Mitsuki, such varied forms. But I absolutely prefer the current kawaii, spoiled and slightly airheaded Mitsuki. Because the Mitsuki who follows behind Mako-chan is so cute that I¡¯m at a loss. Thinking of Mitsuki who smiled so carefreely while going, ¡°I like Mako-chan very much!¡±, I grinned broadly and walked to the parking area for bicycles. As I retrieved the bicycle¡¯s key from my pocket, I sensed someone¡¯s presence. ¡°Excuse me, may I know how to get to Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital?¡± The person who called out to me as I reached the bicycle area was a quiet and serious-looking young man. Having gotten used to the glittering looks of otome game capturable characters, the young man¡¯s face appeared plain to me. But of course, even his picturesque mediocrity was definitely more ikemen compared to me. His neatly-arranged black hair in a honor student-like haircut appeared dark purple when shone upon by the lamplight. As his eyes of the same colour was lowered, his long eyelashes casted shadows onto his white skin. His gaze was somehow unpleasant. It can be seen that those eyes contained some deep darkness. I felt unsettled when his dark dead fish-like eyes were directed at me. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡­?¡± With an uneasy face, the youth inquired as I had been staring at him without speaking. While it¡¯s bad to doubt others too much, as the people I met up until now were all capturable characters, I¡¯ve come to think of everyone who possess some special trait as capturable characters. What about him? I don¡¯t really see any special traits. He feels like the slightly cool guy who¡¯s okay with being alone in class. He¡¯s wearing a black school uniform with a stand-up collar and there were two white lines on the cuffs. At the left side of the collar was a silver cross that flashed when it caught the light. This was the school uniform that students of the Private Atlas Academy wear. Which means, this high school boy is a student of Private Atlas Academy like Subaru. ¡°Ah, sorry for that. The Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital¡­¡­¡± But his facial features look familiar somehow. I thought that I¡¯ve felt this prideful atmosphere somewhere, but perhaps it was my imagination. I was probably misled to feel this way because the current timing and situation made me uncomfortable. Suppressing my uneasiness, I gestured while explaining the route to the hospital. ¡°Then, make a right turn at the convenience store in front of that, walk straight from there and you¡¯ll reach the hospital. I¡¯m sorry for my poor explanation. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Walk straight from there¡­¡­¡± With a stumped face, the youth repeated my instructions. On top of being poor at directions, I¡¯m also poor at explanations so perhaps it was difficult for him to understand. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it, I can guide you there.¡± ¡°Eh, that. It¡¯s already late at night, I feel bad to trouble you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Something must have happened for you to go all the way to the Hospital, right? If you¡¯re fine with me, I can guide you there. I¡¯m Sakurai Makoto. A 2nd year from Izumino Gakuen.¡± From here, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital on foot. Even though it¡¯s a large detour for me, I couldn¡¯t possibly ignore someone who¡¯s trying to go to the hospital. Let¡¯s message Mitsuki that I¡¯ll be late. Even though I¡¯m truly sorry to keep her waiting when she¡¯d already prepared the food, she probably understands that there were unavoidable circumstances. ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯m Yukinoshita Ikuto. I¡¯m a first year from the high school division of Private Atlas Academy.¡± ¡°Yukinoshita¡­¡­?!¡± Yukinoshita, he couldn¡¯t possibly be Madoka¡¯s younger brother? My eyes widened with shock. At the same time, even as I was shocked, I was also convinced. Encountering him at such a timing did have that kind of feeling. Now that I¡¯m used to characters appearing all of a sudden, I can sense that something different is in the air. To have been called out by Madoka¡¯s younger brother earlier, no matter how established it¡¯s been that I attract important characters, my luck was really too bad. Even though as much as possible I didn¡¯t want to get involved with Madoka, if it¡¯s already like this at the beginning then I¡¯m starting to worry about the future. This is the flag where I¡¯ll end up getting involved, huh. But, this Ikuto, he gives off the same unpleasant feeling as Madoka. Though from his facial features he appears like a serious and good child, I¡¯m concerned about those dead fish eyes. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Eh?! Iya, ¡­¡­ not really. Ah, etto, are you visiting someone in the hospital?¡± He was probably suspicious about the me who was in such turmoil that I stiffened. When Ikuto spoke to me with a perplexed look, my shoulder shook in surprise. I¡¯ll be troubled if he distrusts me and tells Madoka about it. ¡°Yes, my nee-san was hospitalised. She¡¯s already been in the hospital for about a month.¡± By ¡°nee-san¡±, he was referring to Madoka, right. I just couldn¡¯t think of Ikuto as an unpleasant child when he had on a face that seemed very concerned about Madoka. He gave the impression of a serious youth who cares for his elder sister. ¡±That¡¯s worrying. I hope she gets better soon.¡± To prevent him from noticing my uneasiness, I spoke cliche words which were at the tip of my tongue. ¡°That¡¯s true. But even if I go and visit her, nee-san probably won¡¯t be pleased and might feel that I¡¯m in the way. But as expected, I still feel worried.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll be unhappy when her little brother visits her.¡± ¡°I wonder.¡± With the ends of his eyebrows lowered, Ikuto gave a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve let you hear a boring story. Sending me till here is enough.¡± ¡°Will you really be okay here? I can guide you till the hospital, you know.¡± ¡°Ie, till here is fine.¡± Even though Ikuto said it¡¯s fine here, by any standard it isn¡¯t easy to find one¡¯s way from here. Half of the journey still remains before we can reach the hospital. From this half-baked place, one would definitely get lost if it¡¯s one¡¯s first time going to the hospital. Since I¡¯ve already brought him here, I might as well finish this. Even though I wanted to help him till the end, Ikuto just continued to repeat that it¡¯s really fine. He¡¯s already saying so to such degree, there¡¯s no need for me to forcibly accompany him. I¡¯ll obediently retreat. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you very much. ¡­¡­ Makoto-san.¡± The moment he called my name, the hair on my whole body felt like they were standing on their ends. Startled, I lifted my head and looked at Ikuto intently. It¡¯s that smile. It was a completely unclouded smile. But that smile left a strange feeling in my heart for some reason. Was it my imagination? Ah, come to think of it, why didn¡¯t Ikuto know the way to the hospital? Even if just temporary, it¡¯s the hospital where his family member is staying at so he should at least know the way. £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital, Building A 8th floor of the East ward, Room 801. Yukinoshita Ikuto opened the door after knocking. There, his older sister Madoka, was gazing out the window as usual. Compared to the serious-looking honor student-like Ikuto without any discerning trait, Madoka appeared like a prideful bisque doll with facial features arranged like that of an Ice Queen¡¯s. If Ikuto¡¯s features were also arranged, he would definitely have a cold and beautiful face like Madoka¡¯s. After all, he also had more than enough of a queen¡¯s temperament. ¡°Nee-san, how¡¯s your condition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the worst. I feel terrible. It seems like two strange bugs are swarming around Yasuchika.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Sakurai siblings? Nee-san, your tongue¡¯s too sharp. Makoto-san felt like a good person. Without noticing my unnatural behaviour, he tried his hardest to show me the way.¡± Madoka finally turned her gaze towards Ikuto. Ikuto approached Madoka and sat on a chair. The honor student-like look Ikuto had on his face previously changed and he had a contemptuous expression. Suddenly snorting, he rested his chin on his hands. ¡°He felt like a typical softhearted person. Like a peaceful idiot who never did anything bad to anyone or betrayed anyone. Certainly, he¡¯s the type nee-san hates.¡± ¡°It seems his imouto is like that too. The type of kawaii girl who makes one feels like protecting her.¡± There was a deep hatred in the words Madoka spitted out. ¡°Don¡¯t do something too bad, nee-san.¡± ¡°Sa, I can¡¯t promise you that.¡± Madoka who smiled while illuminated by the moonlight, truly appeared to be a queen of polished ice. CH 20 The GW and the Part-time Job and the Ojou-sama (3) ¡°Isn¡¯t this kawaii?¡± Yesterday, I received 12,000 yen for my 10 days of working part-time. Currently, along with Subaru, I¡¯m shopping for cute clothing to give to Mitsuki as a present. I don¡¯t know much about fashion, plus I also had tons of things to ask Subaru. By that, I meant the matter with Madoka and Ikuto. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too sexy? Mitsuki can¡¯t wear something like that.¡± Subaru held a pink frilly bare-back one-piece in her hands. If Mitsuki¡¯s back is bared like this, strange bugs will gather around her. Mitsuki¡¯s skin is tender, white and glossy. It¡¯ll definitely become dangerous if it¡¯s showed to those wild animals. Rejected. ¡°Chotto~, Mako, aren¡¯t you over-protective?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t being over-protective. Mitsuki is really cute.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve completely become siscon, huh.¡± I¡¯m siscon. Yes, I¡¯m a siscon. Is it bad to be siscon? Because Mitsuki has a short stature and is delicate, won¡¯t a somewhat loose summer knit and short pants suit her? A feminine one-piece might work too. I grabbed a brightly-coloured checkered one-piece. The orange checkered pattern looks nice but occasionally a more serene blue would be good too. Because Mitsuki is so remarkably cute and looks good in whatever she wears, I was unable to make a decision. With a ¡°kyah kyah¡± and ¡°ufufu¡±, Mitsuki did a fashion show in my head. Clad in the orange checkered one-piece, with her large, watery eyes, Mitsuki looked at me with upturned eyes. Even the way her cheeks are flushed with embarrassment is kawaii. ¡°Mako-chan, does this look good?¡± Good. It¡¯s terrifically good. With my palm, I restrained my mouth that involuntarily broke into a smile. ¡°Oi, oi, earth to Mako. Ah, this girl¡¯s no good. I must quickly do something about this.¡± Subaru¡¯s exasperated voice brought me back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. It¡¯ll be this orange one-piece.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine? It seems like it¡¯ll suit Mitsuki.¡± The checkered one-piece is about 6000 yen, so I have about enough to buy something else. Maybe I could get shoes or something? I never liked choosing clothes for myself even from the time when I was female. But choosing clothes for Mitsuki is enjoyable to death. For now I¡¯ll just purchase the clothing. While acting pleased with my choice, I returned to Subaru¡¯s side. I don¡¯t know how happy a face I had on but Subaru gave me a look that seemed like it said, ¡°there¡¯s no cure for this girl¡±. For the time being, since I bought what I wanted to buy, I decided to have lunch. And it was naturally at the usual family restaurant. I¡¯m already acquainted with the shop assistant here and we get along well enough to exchange a nod now. ¡°So? You met Madoka and Ikuto, right©`. How did it go?¡± Pushed by the momentum of Subaru who delved right into the main subject right after sitting down, I expressed the uneasiness I¡¯ve been feeling all along. ¡°You know how Mitsuki joined the Swimming Club? I¡¯m worried that Madoka will bully her.¡± It seems that Mitsuki had endeavored in Swimming Club activities throughout the entire Golden Week. Onii-chan is also happy as Mitsuki seems to be enjoying herself a lot in the Swimming Club. However. It¡¯s a different matter if joining the Swimming Club makes her a target of Madoka¡¯s bullying. ¡°The flag shouldn¡¯t be raised just by joining the Swimming Club, but, since even Ikuto appeared, that means something is going on~. Ma, technically there¡¯s still other rival characters so be careful.¡± ¡°You mean there¡¯s more?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether they¡¯ll appear or not though. Ma, Madoka¡¯s from Yasuchika¡¯s route©`. There are different rivals for Soutarou¡¯s, Kaname¡¯s, the Prince¡¯s and sensei¡¯s routes.¡± Having decided her order, Subaru called the shop assistant over. I asked for a tonkatsu while Subaru ordered a shrimp au gratin. ¡°Ma, my character is technically the rival character for Yurino Tamaki¡¯s route.¡± ¡°Why did you create something like rival characters¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s only when there¡¯s rivals that there¡¯s moe¡­¡­ that there¡¯s moe! Besides, Madoka is actually a good child, you know. That girl is carrying various burdens on her shoulders.¡± I listened to Subaru while sipping cocoa. Sure, Madoka being Madoka, she might be carrying various burdens, but all the same I won¡¯t forgive her if she intends to harm Mitsuki. While it wasn¡¯t that she had done something yet, but I faintly felt some anxiousness when I think that it¡¯s the calm before the storm now. ¡°Are? Isn¡¯t it Mako-chan! Suba-chan¡¯s here too©`¡± At the same time when the shop assistant brought us the tonkatsu and shrimp au gratin, I heard a familiar voice. This voice and energy, it must be Kaname. And naturally Soutarou was beside him. Surprised, Soutarou¡¯s face became dyed with red and while exuding flowers and mysterious sparkles, he looked at me. ¡°Oh, Kaname, Soutarou. Back from club activities?¡± Kaname sat besides Subaru while Soutarou sat beside me. Soutarou was wearing the white Izumino Gakuen Basketball Club jersey with blue lines. Kaname wore the unfashionable russet jersey and had a bag which contained a shinai[1] sleeve and protectors swung over his shoulder. Did he help out the Kendo Club this time? To be able to do even kendo, Kaname, aren¡¯t you too high-spec¡­¡­ ¡°Yup. I went for the Basketball Club¡¯s practice match and Kana was helping out the Kendo Club.¡± ¡°So Kaname knows even kendo. That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Well, about there. For martial arts-types I can do kendo and archery[2], and a bit of karate.¡± Kendo, archery, karate and the Basketball Club, the other day he also helped out the Boys¡¯ Lacrosse Club. What a frightening guy, Fujisaki Kaname. Undoubtedly Kaname is the most high-specs character from Renai Kakumei Revolution, huh. ¡°Are Makoto and Yurino-san hanging out?¡± ¡°Is it a date~?¡± With a broad grin, Kaname poked fun at us. Even though I already said before that I don¡¯t have such a relationship with Subaru, this guy completely didn¡¯t understand, huh. ¡°That¡¯s right~. Ne, Makoto-kun.¡± Subaru¡¯s evil side surfaced, she looked at me with an inclined head and spoke in a high-pitched voice. Geez, what ¡®Makoto-kun¡¯. She¡¯s never called my name that way before. ¡°That¡¯s not it. We went shopping for clothes. I wanted to get a present for Mitsuki.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it. I thought you betrayed the Singles Alliance~¡± ¡°Singles Alliance?¡± Soutarou who opened the menu and was in the midst of deciding what to eat raised his head. ¡°The Singles Alliance that Mako-chan, Souta and I are in!¡± With a devious wink, he raised his voice and loudly declared. What a disturbing alliance. But it doesn¡¯t really matter since I¡¯ve no intention of having a girlfriend or boyfriend in this world. ¡°What are you having, Soutarou?¡± I quickly ignored the noisy Kaname and asked Soutarou. Kaname was kicking up a fuss, saying ¡°how mean, how mean¡± just a while ago but in the blink of an eye he begun chatting happily with Subaru, I guess it¡¯s okay to ignore him. ¡°A, un. The tonkatsu Mako¡¯s eating looks yummy but I feel like eating hamburger too, so I¡¯m at a loss.¡± ¡°Ja, you can have half of my tonkatsu. I want to have desserts later anyway.¡± If I remember correctly, there¡¯s a Spring-limited strawberry fair going on now. As I was planning to have strawberry parfait and strawberry gelato, it¡¯d be just nice if Soutarou would eat half of my tonkatsu. ¡°Ja, I¡¯ll have half then.¡± ¡°Ah, please do so. Then, I can order the strawberry parfait and strawberry gelato. Soutarou, please eat half of this.¡± ¡°Okay. Makoto sure likes sweet things.¡± Feeling a hot gaze on me, I lifted my head only to find Subaru looking in my direction while giving a thumbs-up. It¡¯s the face Subaru makes when she¡¯s reading BL doujinshi. It¡¯s the face she makes when there¡¯s ¡°kyun kyun¡± moments in BL games. I gave her a glare full of admonition. However, she won¡¯t stop blushing. For some unknown reason, Kaname who was sitting beside her was also grinning. Did he also become rotten? Maybe he¡¯s the same species as Subaru. Or is this some kind of joke? It¡¯s no good, I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand the high school boys nowadays. Gloomily, I stuffed my cheeks with tonkatsu. The batter is crispy and it¡¯s delicious. At this point, Soutarou¡¯s fingertip brushed against the side of my lips. Looking at Soutarou, he was smiling and gazing at me with the warmth of a onii-chan. ¡°Mou, Mako, there¡¯s sauce on you.¡± ¡°A, ah, there is¡­¡­¡± Just as I was about to thank him, my eyes met with Subaru¡¯s and a fidgety feeling rose within me. Wa©`, what a pretty smile. Her head is probably filled with repulsive delusions though. But when Soutarou turned to look at Subaru, her face quickly changed into that of a perfect beauty¡¯s so Soutarou was completely unaware of what happened. Soutarou called the shop assistant over and made his orders. ¡°Hey©`, come to think of it©`, is Mako-chan and Suba-chan free tomorrow?¡± ¡°My schedule is open but is there something going on tomorrow?¡± ¡°Ah, tomorrow, there¡¯s a basketball practice match at Touka University. Ma, it¡¯s just for fun, but Kana and I will be playing tomorrow¡­¡­¡± Soutarou tried to explain to us with utmost effort. But I only had one possible answer. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I have plans tomorrow.¡± Soutarou gave me a blank look. But I can¡¯t go near Touka University. That Madoka is a student of Touka University. Madoka¡¯s hospitalised so she won¡¯t be at Touka University but I don¡¯t want to take any chances. ¡°Eh~! Just a moment ago you said you were free!¡± ¡°Something urgent came up. I can¡¯t go to Touka.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­ I thought Mako would come to support us¡­¡­¡± I could hear the ¡°kyuu~¡± lonely cry of a dog beside me. I definitely can¡¯t look at him. If I see the cunning upturned eyes of the lonely Soutarou, I¡¯ll definitely end up going to the practice match at Touka University to support them. ¡°Ne, Makoto, you really can¡¯t come no matter what?¡± With a ¡°gyuu¡±, he grasped the hem of my clothes. The atmosphere had become one where I must look at him, so when I timidly looked over, as expected, or should I say, as I thought, there was a sly dog. With his dog ears and tail, his eyebrows in a ¥Ï shape, he fixedly looked at me with upturned eyes. Am I the only one who can hear these ¡°ku~un, ku~un¡± cries? ¡°Uu¡­¡­.¡± I really shouldn¡¯t have looked. Is this sly face and behaviour really not done intentionally? Isn¡¯t he making this face because he knows I can¡¯t reject him if he does it? ¡°Mako?¡± The next moment, words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m happy, Mako. Thank you.¡± Soutarou¡¯s dog ears stood up with a ¡°pintto¡± and his tail waved so much as though it could fall 1000 men. Ah, mou, I¡¯m an idiot. CH 21 The GW and the Part-time Job and the Ojou-sama (4) Touka University was the only national university in the city. In the same city was the Touka University School of Medicine affiliated Hospital. Other than medical education and medical research, it provided advanced medical technology as the core of the medical community in this area. It also played the role of a tertiary Emergency Medical Care Centre. The position of the head of the Centre is currently being filled by Mr. Takayanagi Masaharu. The above, was extracted from an online encyclopedia. If you¡¯re wondering why I stepped into an university despite being a high school student, it¡¯s because I fell for the scheme of the sly dog, Tsubaki Soutarou. When he made a request with upturned eyes while crying ¡°ku~un,¡± as expected I was unable to refuse him. I do want to see Soutarou and Kaname playing in a basketball match. But coming to Touka University may result in encountering Madoka. While going ¡°dokidoki¡± in various meanings, I entered Touka University. ¡°Uwah~ The university sure is huge, huh, Mako-chan!¡± Beside me, the Mitsuki who was lovelily clad in Izumino Gakuen¡¯s uniform looked at me with upturned eyes. Speaking of Subaru, she was busy with Student Council work and couldn¡¯t make it. I don¡¯t know when she joined the Student Council. When I asked why she joined, she said that it¡¯s because she could use her position in the Student Council to enter Izumino Gakuen. Should I say she¡¯s shrewd or what. She, until the very end of the very end, shed tears at being unable to witness this delicious scene. ¡°I wonder where¡¯s the 1st gymnasium?¡± It¡¯s the directionally-challenged Mitsuki and I. In addition to the buildings which stretched as far as the eye could see, I don¡¯t even know how many gymnasiums there are. Anyhow, this area is huge. Too huge. Thrown into such a place, I don¡¯t know exactly when we¡¯ll reach the gymnasium. I did think of contacting Kaname and Soutarou, let them know our location and get them to fetch us, but those two are probably occupied with various preparations. I¡¯ve no choice but to look for them with my intuition or sixth sense. My intuition probably won¡¯t be even a particle¡¯s worth of help though. ¡°Are, isn¡¯t that Makoto-san?¡± When I stepped out with the intention of searching for the 1st gymnasium, a voice sounded out behind me. Turning around, a honor student-like youth with dead fish eyes ¨D¨D Yukinoshita Ikuto was there. As I thought, even though he was giving a refreshing smile, something seems unnatural. ¡°Ah, Ikuto-kun. Is Ikuto-kun also here for the basketball practice match?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Even though I¡¯m not from the Basketball Club, my friends invited me. Is Makoto-san also participating in in the match?¡± I heard that the practice match this time was an event where basketball lovers gather. I¡¯m convinced that Ikuto will participate in the match even though he¡¯s not in the Basketball Club. He¡¯s probably fond of basketball. ¡°Nope, I¡¯m only here to cheer my friends on.¡± ¡°I see. Makoto-kun is tall so I thought you¡¯d suit basketball.¡± The slacks from our school uniform and a long-sleeved dress shirt, along with a deep blue cardigan, dressed like this, I clearly do not appear to be someone who plays basketball. Incidentally, Ikuto was wearing a dark green jersey with the words¡¸Atlas Basketball Club¡¹written on the back. It¡¯s likely Private Atlas Academy Basketball Club¡¯s jersey. Ikuto¡¯s smile grew increasingly deep when he finally noticed Mitsuki. ¡°This is¡­¡­?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my twin and imouto, Mitsuki. Mitsuki, he¡¯s a student from Private Atlas Academy, Yukinoshita Ikuto. Remember that incident I told you about, where I guided someone after work?¡± Explaining till there, Mitsuki smiled as though she understood. With an angelic smile on her face, she bowed. ¡°I have heard about you. I¡¯m Makoto¡¯s imouto, Mitsuki. Thank you for taking care of Makoto.¡± ¡°Ie, ie, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being taken care of by Makoto. By the way, since you¡¯re going to support them, then you should be going to the 1st gymnasium, right? If that¡¯s the case, shall we head there together?¡± ¡°Is that okay? Honestly, Mitsuki and I don¡¯t know the way. It¡¯ll help if you¡¯d come with us.¡± If the air-headed Mitsuki and the directionally-challenged me search for the 1st gymnasium, we¡¯ll likely only reach after the match. I can rest assure if Ikuto will guide us there. Although his smile is rather shady, I can¡¯t doubt him just because he¡¯s Madoka¡¯s little brother. He should be able to properly guide us to the 1st gymnasium. ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re fine with me, let¡¯s go together.¡± Thanks to Ikuto¡¯s guidance, we arrived at the 1st gymnasium in just a few minutes. Lots of high school students were gathered in the gymnasium. As only boys will be playing in this match, most of the gathered students were male. There are some girls but they were probably managers or something similar. ¡°Ah, Mako! And Sakurai-san too.¡± Wagging his tail, the doggy Soutarou approached us. Clad in the white shirt with blue line of the Izumino Gakuen¡¯s uniform, Soutarou invigoratingly called out my name but his entire body was overflowing with a¡¸ Mako, Mako, Mako~!! You really came to support us~?! I¡¯m so happy~!! ¡¹ feeling. When he approached me with that red face and enough momentum as though he wanted to plant his nose in me, I drew back with shock. Scary. He firmly grabbed both my arms and rubbed his cheek on the crown of my head. Wa¡­¡­ is this what big dogs feel like? ¡°Mako, you really came! I¡¯m happy. I, will definitely win with my shoot! For Makoto¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°O-ou¡­¡­ do your best.¡± ¡°For Makoto¡¯s sake¡±, that¡¯s wrong, right. You should be saying it¡¯s for Mitsuki¡¯s sake. Those words should be said to Mitsuki, right. Why are you saying them to me? Recently, it feels like Soutarou has been leaping across the boundary of a friend, but I wonder if it¡¯s my imagination. It¡¯s my imagination, right? There¡¯s no way the prince of an otome game fell in love with a guy, right? ¡°By the way, the person here is©`?¡± At some point Kaname popped up all of a sudden and grabbed hold of Ikuto¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yukinoshita Ikuto. A first year from Private Atlas Academy. He¡¯s a slight acquaintance of mine.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Yukinoshita Ikuto. I¡¯ll also be participating in the match today so please go easy on me.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m Mako-chan¡¯s close friend, Fujisaki Kaname, and over there is Tsubaki Soutarou. Best regards. What¡¯s Ikuto¡¯s position?¡± As expected of Kaname. He¡¯s already so chummy with Ikuto. By the way, Soutarou was still looking at me while smiling bashfully. There was a pink aura in the air. When I became aware of Mitsuki standing beside me with a blank look, it started to feel even more unbearably embarrassing. From a third person¡¯s point of view, does this qualify as the antics of normal high school guys? Recently, I feel that the line had become rather blurred. ¡°Senpai, Umeda-san who¡¯s supposed to appear later apparently isn¡¯t able to come-su. ¡­¡­ What do we do?¡± A young man who looked like a member of the Basketball Club came to Soutarou¡¯s side and spoke in a panicked manner. ¡°Eh? Umeda-san?¡± ¡°Dat¡¯s right! It¡¯s bad-su, what do we do? It¡¯s almost the deadline for the match participation entry[1]!¡± Apparently the participant Umeda is unable to make it to the practice match. Because it wasn¡¯t a serious game, it seems they didn¡¯t prepare any substitute players, what a problem. Like retribution for watching their exchange as though it was other people¡¯s business, our eyes met. ¡°¡­¡­ There¡¯s one here. A substitute. Sakurai Makoto, Izumino Gakuen Class 2-A.¡± ¡°I see-su. ¡®orry, Sakurai-senpai. I¡¯ll go and hand in the entry now.¡± The young man departed with a bright smile. I can¡¯t grasp the situation, what on earth happened? It can¡¯t be that, you¡¯re asking me to participate in the basketball match, right? Rather, had I just been arbitrarily entered into the match? ¡°Hang, hang on, Soutarou! I, can¡¯t play basketball!¡± ¡°But you at least know the rules, right?¡± ¡°A-ah¡­¡­ that, well, yes.¡± With a ¡°Then, it¡¯s decided¡± smile, a deviousness that I¡¯ve never seen before in Soutarou oozed out of him. Are¡­¡­? Soutarou-kun¡­¡­? Because he immediately returned to the usual doggy, I thought it might have been my imagination. In the end, I¡¯ve determined that Soutarou isn¡¯t my enemy. With that cunning head tilt and mean attack, it¡¯ll be quite frightening if he becomes like that. I¡¯m gentle to Mitsuki and Soutarou. I¡¯m unable to reject them. It¡¯s that, isn¡¯t it, it seems like I like cunningly cute people. ¡°Ja, Mako, change into this. It might be slightly stretched because I laundered it but it should be fine if it¡¯s just for the duration of the match.¡± ¡°Are you serious¡­¡­ are you serious¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mako-chan will be appearing too? That¡¯s cool. I¡¯ll cheer for you, do your best, okay.¡± Mitsuki grasped my hand tightly, and did the classic head tilt. The way she¡¯s like a natural airhead is adorable. But now that adorableness of hers has become troubling. Since way before, I¡¯ve only played basketball in PE. Even though I know the rules, if you put it in reverse, the rules alone are what I know. While I was worrying to myself, I entered the male changing room only to find Takayanagi and Junya there. ¡°Are, bunny-chan? Why are you here?¡± Oi, oi, if so many of these guys assemble here, there¡¯s no way some problem won¡¯t appear. Now we just need Madoka and a dispute flag will raise, isn¡¯t it? Having my strength drained out of me, I collapsed on the spot. ¡°Is Sakurai-kun also participating in the match?¡± ¡°E, eh, ma. Somehow it ended up this way.¡± ¡°Really? Yasuchika will be playing on the Atlas side~. But I¡¯ll be supporting bunny-chan, ne.¡± Although I don¡¯t know why Takayanagi¡¯s playing for Atlas even though he¡¯s a student of Izumino Gakuen, perhaps I can explain it by saying it¡¯s because of the otome game¡¯s revision[2]. If it can¡¯t be helped that the situation is hopeless, then it can¡¯t be helped. Now that it¡¯s come to this, I¡¯ve no choice but to do it. ¡°Ah©`, thanks for that.¡± Having confirmed my determination, I took off my school cardigan and removed my necktie. After I unfastened the buttons of my dress shirt, Junya hugged me from the back. Then, ¡°kacha kacha¡± sounds rang out as he detached my belt in a casual manner. The belt loosened and he sleekly pulled it off with his left hand while his right started fondling my abs. ¡°Bunny-chan is slim but unexpectedly have some muscles, huh. This faint split in the abs is ecchi and it¡¯s, making me, super horny¡­¡­¡± Softly biting my earlobe, he brought his hips to my rump. It¡¯s only been several days that events likethat happened but his nature, from its root, totally didn¡¯t change at all. This guy, it¡¯s okay to send him flying, right. If I¡¯m not mistaken, Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution was R-15. The other characters don¡¯t need to be age-restricted but this guy alone was restricted to adults. It¡¯s definitely due to him that the game is R-15. Just as I thought of turning around and elbowing him, Takayanagi got him with a Choke Sleeper before I could act. ¡°Tch, Chika-chan! I¡¯m dying, I¡¯m dying!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s you, I think it¡¯s fine even if you die once, you know.¡± ¡°Takayanagi-senpai, thank you very much. You¡¯re a great help.¡± Entrusting Junya to Takayanagi, I leisurely changed my clothes. ¡°What pattern does bunny-chan¡¯s underwear have? What will I do if it¡¯s a white bikini-type?¡± It feels very hard to change but, I¡¯ll just ignore him. It¡¯ll be fine if I just pretend he doesn¡¯t exist. Nonetheless, I want to get rid of my constitution of continuously getting swept by the flow[3]. Even though it feels like it¡¯s impossible with Mitsuki and Soutarou around, but I can¡¯t help to feel that at this rate I¡¯ll step on some unwanted landmine. Ah~h, I don¡¯t care anymore. CH 22 The GW and the Part-time Job and the Ojou-sama (5) One way or the other, the result was that we fell at the preliminaries for the basketball match. Izumino Gakuen Basketball Club was actually in the best 16 level of the prefecture so the reason we lost was because I dragged them down. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that everyone who participated in this match were part of their starting lineup. However, Soutarou was the Basketball Club¡¯s starter and Kaname was omnipotent at sports. There were 2 first-year bench players but even they were skillful. No matter how I think about it, the reason for our defeat was because I sucked at basketball. ¡°Really¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Besides, I was the one who forced you to join. I should be thanking you instead.¡± ¡°Soutarou¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡± A smile that was completely unclouded. As I thought, Soutarou is kind. It¡¯s precisely because he¡¯s kind that I felt even more apologetic and want to disappear. It wasn¡¯t that I was extremely unathletic. I feel that I¡¯ve gotten more muscular and even my stamina improved ever since becoming male. I didn¡¯t strongly refuse because I thought I could do it if I tried harder. Perhaps I was being conceited, but I wanted to be of help to them. It¡¯s because I had been thinking this way that all the more I still feel ashamed to have failed so badly at the game. ¡°Mako-chan, you Travelled[1] a number of times, huh. The way Mako-chan¡¯s face turned red and flustered was incredibly kawaii.¡± Travelling, and then getting agitated over that, I ended up Travelling even more. Just recalling that made me embarrassed and I felt like crying. ¡°Kora, Kana too, won¡¯t Mako be pitiful if you say so much? It can¡¯t be helped that Mako is a beginner.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t really making fun of him, you know. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s rare for Mako-chan who can flawlessly handle anything to make a blunder. ¡®So even Mako-chan has things he¡¯s not good with, huh¡¯, was what I was thinking.¡± Even I have things I¡¯m bad at. In fact, just a month ago I was a frail girl. I don¡¯t find insects and snakes repulsive?and I¡¯m also fine with touching frogs. Haunted houses and jet coasters are fine too. Dark places and tall places, those are also completely fine. I don¡¯t hate studying and while I don¡¯t particularly like athletics, I wasn¡¯t bad at them either. But, ball games alone, to a devastating extent, I can¡¯t do them. By the way, I digress, but I also lack the sense for arts and music. While in theory I understand ball games, arts and music, I can¡¯t do it if you ask me to try them all of a sudden. ¡°I¡¯m really bad at ball games¡­¡­ Though, I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad.¡± It was a match where everyone was earnestly contending. No matter what a light-hearted feel this practice match had, they no doubt had the sentiment of wanting to win. And I trampled all over that sentiment. Maybe it couldn¡¯t be helped that my shoot didn¡¯t make it. However, I should have at least been able to not drag them down. I feel that the more I think about it, the more I fall into darkness. Letting out a small sigh, I sat while grasping my knees[2]. ¡°It was Mako who said that it¡¯s not embarrassing to have things you¡¯re bad at.¡± Directly before my eyes, Soutarou stooped down and gently stroked my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for teasing you. But, it wasn¡¯t that I wanted to make fun of you.¡± Kaname¡¯s voice sounded troubled. Even I¡¯m the same. I¡¯m at fault, and even though I didn¡¯t have the intention to, I ended up troubling these two with my sulky attitude. I also didn¡¯t have the intention to take on an attitude as though I was beaten when I¡¯m already down. Much less, I didn¡¯t want them to comfort me so leniently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡­¡± It can¡¯t be helped that I feel down. It¡¯s because they¡¯re excessively compassionate. Thinking like that, I raised my head only to have my head hugged by Soutarou with a ¡°gyuuto¡±. And it naturally became that my head was buried into Soutarou¡¯s chest. ¡°I prohibit you from apologising anymore.¡± ¡°Ah, just Souta, that¡¯s unfair©`. Me too, me too©`. I want to ¡°gyu¡± Mako-chan too©`.¡± Usually he¡¯d say that we¡¯re embarrassing or that we¡¯re flirting, but just today I¡¯m allowed to soak in the tenderness of these two. ¡°Soutarou, teach me basketball next time. It was, incredibly mortifying to lose.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Mako¡¯s reflexes aren¡¯t bad, I think you can surely become good at it.¡± Without any strange intentions, I placed my cheek against Soutarou¡¯s chest. Like a certain time back then, I saw the two beauty spots lined up on his left collarbone. A soft floral fragrance mingled with the smell of sweat, he had a scent like that of young woods. I suppose, a similar smell was also coming from me. An antiperspirant-like citrus scent drifted from Kaname who hunched over and hugged Soutarou and I. Although Soutarou also used antiperspirant, the scent was much easier to detect from Kaname. But somehow it feels embarrassing to have our skin touching while we¡¯re all sweaty. ¡°Mako-chan, thanks for the good work!¡± With her pleated skirt fluttering, Mitsuki jogged towards me. My face turned blue thinking that, this time, some misunderstanding will definitely arise when she sees three guys embracing each other like this. But the absent-minded and airheaded Mitsuki, without behaving like she was disturbed to see three guys embracing, directly reached my side. Just as the two who were embracing me let go, with reddened cheeks she grabbed both my hands. ¡°Mako-chan, you were really cool! You were more cool than anyone else. As expected of Mako-chan!¡± ¡°Mitsuki¡­¡­ thanks.¡± ¡°Un! Mako-chan, good work. Do you want to have the bento now? I made the atsuyaki tamago salty for Mako-chan.¡± Mitsuki¡¯s honest eyes didn¡¯t contain any lies. Mitsuki wasn¡¯t trying to comfort me. She simply expressed her honest thoughts frankly. I can feel that she truly, from the bottom of her heart, thought my figure when playing basketball was cool. ¡°If you¡¯d like, everyone can eat too? I made a lot.¡± I think that the sight of Mitsuki carrying the 5-tiered box which reached her face was by far the most kawaii. ¡°I also want to eat Mitsuki¡¯s bento-nya©`?¡± ¡°Wah, Narahashi-kaichou-san!¡± The one who hugged Mitsuki from behind was Junya. To think you hugged my kawaii Mitsuki, I¡¯ll definitely not forgive you. I started standing up while making a stern face, but he quickly separated from her so I ended up in a half-risen posture. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you won¡¯t hug Mitsuki? I won¡¯t let you eat her cooking!¡± ¡°¡®ow mean. If I can¡¯t hug Mitsuki-chan, then I¡¯ll hug bunny-chan.¡± Immediately after speaking, he clung onto the waist of me who had half-rosen and pressed our cheeks together. Furthermore, he buried his nose in my temple and started sniffing with a ¡°kun kun¡±. I want to know what¡¯s so fun about sniffing my body that stinks of sweat from the match. ¡°Kaichou, kindly get away from Mako!¡± ¡°E©`, don¡¯t wanna©`. I¡¯ll eat Mitsuki-chan¡¯s bento while hugging bunny-chan tightly.¡± What¡¯s this, so bothersome. While being watched by Kaname who¡¯s inappropriately laughing and Mizuki who¡¯s inclining her head with a blank look, Junya is hugging me and Soutarou is trying to save me, a very surreal situation has taken place. Good grief, I don¡¯t even have the time to feel depressed. Honestly, though I do think it¡¯s bothersome, surprising I can¡¯t deny that a part of me felt very happy. In spite of myself, I burst out laughing at the change of my state of mind. ¡°Mako¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat Mitsuki¡¯s bento, everyone. Mitsuki¡¯s bento is delicious, you know.¡± All the morning matches are ending soon. Then we¡¯ll borrow a space somewhere and enjoy Mitsuki¡¯s bento. It¡¯ll definitely be fun. ¡°Junya. You¡¯re supposed to eat my bento. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± A very feminine and dignified voice. But like a cold and chilly icicle, it directly pierces into one¡¯s heart. It¡¯s like cold water being poured onto the head. The owner of that voice was undoubtedly the person I was most afraid to meet. I slowly lifted my head. As I thought, there stood the Ice Queen¡­¡­¨D¨DYukinoshita Madoka. ¡°Madoka-chan, is your condition okay already? Weren¡¯t you just discharged from the hospital?¡± ¡°Even so, there¡¯s no way I won¡¯t come and cheer my Yasuchika on when he has a match.¡± She emphasised the ¡°my¡± portion with a studied tone. Madoka gave an absolute zero icy glare to Mitsuki. Mitsuki seemed like she had no idea what¡¯s going on, and looked at me seeking help. As a onii-chan, there¡¯s no way I won¡¯t help Mitsuki when she makes such a face. This time I stood up, blocking Mitsuki like I¡¯m trying to protect her. ¡°What will you do, Junya?¡± ¡°Then, Madoka, let¡¯s eat with bunny-chan and the rest. Call Chika-chan too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess around, Junya. I want to eat with only Yasuchika and Junya. I don¡¯t need anyone else. You are different.¡± Then, for the first time, Junya gave a troubled smile. ¡°There¡¯s no one here who¡¯ll hurt Madoka-chan.¡± It probably wasn¡¯t the reply she expected. Madoka¡¯s face distorted, as though she was about to cry, as though she was angry. If I recall, I heard that Madoka was a 20 year-old 2nd-year at University but she looks much younger than that. It¡¯s as though her growth stopped in elementary school. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll just invite Yasuchika. I don¡¯t need Junya anymore.¡± ¡°A, Madoka-chan!¡± Junya chased after Madoka who left the scene like she was sulking. But before he left, he lowered his gaze just once towards the ground, looking in our direction. It can be seen that he¡¯s troubled. ¡°Sorry about Madoka-chan. That person, she¡¯s immature. Prone to sickness, she didn¡¯t have many friends. She also doesn¡¯t attend school much so she doesn¡¯t know how to communicate well. So, I hope that you¡¯ll forgive Madoka-chan. I¡¯m sorry. Let me have Mitsuki¡¯s bento next time, okay?¡± Saying up till there, Junya went to chase Madoka. Madoka was certainly immature. The reason was as Junya said, prone to sickness, she doesn¡¯t attend school much and doesn¡¯t have many friends. But there¡¯s no way it¡¯ll be good for her to continue using that excuse even into the future, and she can¡¯t either. Someday there¡¯ll be a need to fix this. But if Yasuchika really plans to marry Madoka, does he intend to support her for the rest of her life, to leave things be? Thinking it¡¯s okay to hate everyone else as long as that special person is kept close by, I feel that it¡¯s an extremely wasteful way to live. CH 23 Gossip: Yurino Subaru¡¯s Delusional Talk I ¨D¨D Yurino Subaru, was thinking this way. Is Sakurai Makoto seme, or is he uke, or even riba[1]? That is the question. It¡¯s been roughly a month since we got transported into this world. It¡¯s about time to clearly distinguish whether Mako is seme or uke. Initially, I thought Mako was uke. The reason was simply because Mako was originally female. But as I watched his movements this month, I reached the conclusion that Mako could possibly be riba. To me who was fixated on whether he¡¯s totally seme or totally uke, him being riba was the only alternative. Mako is truly manly. Okay with touching insects and frogs. Horror videos and haunted houses, those are completely okay too. He¡¯s a guy who can flawlessly complete anything. In addition, since the transportation he unconsciously created a ¡°manly self¡± on his own, the way he speaks and carries himself became even more like a hero from shoujo manga. There¡¯s times it feels a bit forced, but that natural airheadedness and composure has become quite a sight to behold. And it¡¯s precisely because it¡¯s become quite a sight to behold that he¡¯s able to fall so many characters. Of course, there¡¯s also that the position as Mitsuki¡¯s older brother endows high favorability rating. Well then the topic has deviated, is Sakurai Makoto seme or uke. Asking the person in question will probably just provoke his ire. If it¡¯s okay for me to decide, it¡¯s embarrassing but I¡¯ll circumvent, and choose to go for riba. Afterall, I can¡¯t decide! A girl¡¯s heart is complicated! For example, if the other party is the Prince, how will it go. The Prince¨D¨DKiritani Riku is set to be honest and cool, an aloof prince. Towards Mako he surpassed the creator¡¯s, my intention and becomes deredere. According to my setting, his image should be more like a white tiger, but in front of Mako he¡¯s like a strong-willed kitten. From the usual conduct, it feels like Mako¡¯s the seme. If that¡¯s so, MakoRiku? It feels like attacker seme Mako x attacked uke Riku, huh. But I think RikuMako works too. £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª ¡°Riku, you¡¯ll get dirty if you lick such a place. Stop that.¡± Riku ran the tip of his tongue between the gaps of Makoto¡¯s toes and between his toes and his toenails, coating them with ample saliva. Fair skin and glossy black hair like that of a bisque doll, the beauty with tsurime eyes and a doubly strong gaze that is the Prince-sama, licking feet¨D¨Dindeed a sensual sight. Makoto pressed his face into the pillow and while trembling with shyness, grasped the bedsheet. Expressionless, Riku¡¯s cheeks became flushed. He focused his attention on his tongue which moved onto Makoto¡¯s calfs and the inside of his thighs as he seeked for his reaction. Makoto shook his inner thigh, chasing away the welling pleasure. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s no place on Makoto that¡¯s dirty.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s so vain¡­¡­ As expected of the Prince.¡± Makoto slightly raised his face that was buried into the pillow and gave a weak smile. Makoto¡¯s blushing from his cheeks to his ears and had teary eyes, but without backing down, Riku directed an arousing look at him. As though sullen, he lifted his head from the thigh, entwining his fingers with Makoto¡¯s hands and gripped them tightly, sewing him to the bed. He brought his lips close to Makoto¡¯s cheeks and after licking the tears at the corner of his eyes, softly bit the tip of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m not the ¡®Prince¡¯. Call my name properly, Makoto.¡± Riku sulkily replied, gently brushing Makoto¡¯s lips with his index finger. Makoto licked that finger with his bright red tongue, and seemingly embarrassed, seemingly happy, he abruptly laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t sulk ¡­¡­ Riku.¡± £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª Umu. Riku x Mako seems good too. MakoRiku and RikuMako, so hard to select. Let¡¯s put the decision on hold. However my first recommendation is still, the Sakurai Makoto and Tsubaki Soutarou pairing. Though it¡¯s the ¡®easy path¡¯, close friends who get along well becoming increasingly attracted to each other is stimulating, huh. But in that case which is Makoto? Will he be uke. Will he be seme. Soutarou is tall and muscular, has a generous, gentle and compassionate personality, but is somewhat timid and cowardly. Because he has younger siblings with age difference whom he looks after a lot, he plays the role of an onii-chan in the 3-person good friends group that has Makoto, Kaname and Soutarou. Thinking up till here, was Soutarou a flexible seme? Even if he doesn¡¯t want to, it might be good to let Makoto have a taste of his flexibility. Makoto may look like that but he has a childish side, and even as Mitsuki¡¯s older brother, he¡¯s quite the natural airhead. It¡¯s to the point I want Soutarou¡¯s flexibility to somehow make him surrender. That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s recall the interaction between Soutarou and Makoto. He seems quite attached, but I wonder what Soutarou thinks of Makoto. Yes, for example¡­¡­ £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª ¡°Geez, Mako, you can¡¯t¡­¡­ What should we do if someone sees us doing it here?¡± In an empty classroom, Makoto pushed Soutarou down onto the table. Standing on tiptoe, Makoto aimed for the lips of Soutarou who¡¯s taller than himself, but he kept evading his face in embarrassment so Makoto couldn¡¯t properly kiss him. Makoto seems to be sulking because he couldn¡¯t kiss properly. He placed his right hand on Soutarou¡¯s chest, and caressed the beauty spots on his left collarbone through his open shirt. ¡°Soutarou doesn¡¯t want to do it with me?¡± ¡°The way you ask is unfair. But, be a good kid and let¡¯s go home? Another time, at my house¡­¡­ Wait, Mako?!¡± Makoto licked Soutarou¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple below his chin, sucking his left collarbone and leaving a kiss mark there. Soutarou¡¯s face became more and more flushed as Makoto looked at him from below and laughed teasingly. Makoto placed his right knee onto the desk and rested the weight of Soutarou¡¯s upper body on it, pressing his lips onto Soutarou¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t let out a loud voice. What should we do if someone hears?¡± ¡°Wai-, Mako, that¡¯s why I said to stop¡­¡­ uu¡­¡­. n¡± ¡°Even if you say things like that, your body is honest?¡± £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª GOOD¡­¡­!! Very, good. From this flow, it¡¯ll be Makoto x Soutarou¨D¨DMakoSou. But Soutarou whose fire was lit, going ¡°Do you really want to be found by everyone? That you¡¯re having sex with me.¡± with a dark smile works too. Soutarou may be pure, but he also has a dark side. How delicious. ¡°Oi, Subaru. What¡¯s with this unpleasant story?¡± Mako entered my room on his own accord, holding the novel I wrote with his fingertips like it¡¯s something dirty. He spoke with a disgusted look on his face, scowling at me. ¡°RikuMako¡­¡­ MakoSou¡­¡­¡± ¡°It means Riku x Mako and Mako x Sou. By the way, do you know that the seme comes before the ¡®x¡¯?¡± ¡°How would I know, such a thing! Rather, I won¡¯t say those things, or do them! Anyway, my relationship with the Prince and Soutarou isn¡¯t like that.¡± Mako¡¯s face didn¡¯t turn red, he simply got angry. This is when you should blush, and bashfully deny with watery eyes, right. ¡°It¡¯s not like I particularly like Soutarou or the Prince¡­¡­¡± right©`. Well, I¡¯ll probably get scolded if I say that, so I¡¯ll refrain. Besides, it¡¯s not aligned to Mako¡¯s character. Also, Mako, you may not have that kind of relationship now, but who knows what will happen in the future? After all, this is a world where people gathered for the sake of romance. Even if you don¡¯t want to, a Renai Kakumei Revolution will happen. Just kidding. CH 24 The Third Wheel and the Knight and the Princess (1) The eventful Golden Week has ended, it¡¯s the beginning of an enjoyable and boisterous school life once again. Attending school as a boy 4 months ago was painful, but now I¡¯m starting to get used to the position of a high school boy. Well, there¡¯s a sense of discomfort to be getting used to having what I didn¡¯t have before and not having what I¡¯ve gotten used to, but I think that being a high school boy isn¡¯t too bad. That I can hang out with Soutarou and Kaname this way and have such a relationship, is probably because I¡¯m a guy. If I were a girl, it¡¯s sad, but we likely won¡¯t have such a relationship. ¡°Does Mako-chan have someone you like?¡± ¡°Ha?¡± After school. Soutarou left early for Basketball Club activities, but Kaname, the Prince and I in the Go-Home club remained in class, making flowers bloom with our boys¡¯ talk while stuffing our cheeks with snacks. The contents of the talk is extremely trivial. Imitating x teacher¡¯s way of speaking, chatting about what¡¯s been amusing in the latest manga, things like that. Clearly of a different nature from the conversation up till now, the sudden foxy query alarmed me and I couldn¡¯t reply properly. Biting his straw, Kaname looked at me with an expression full of curiosity, grinning broadly. The Prince also stopped eating gum, staring fixedly at me with the same full-of-curiosity expression as Kaname. Despite being primarily expressionless, it¡¯s troubling when at unexpected moments his emotions stream out. The Prince at times like that will usually be decidedly difficult. ¡°There isn¡¯t. I don¡¯t talk to girls much in the first place, so it¡¯s a problem even before coming to like any.¡± Since enrolling in Izumino Gakuen, the girls who spoke to me are, or should I say 99% of them, were aiming for Soutarou or Kaname or the Prince. Between Soutarou, Kaname, the Prince and I, the one who¡¯s easiest to speak to, well naturally the answer is obvious. Even as a girl if I want to approach these sparkly boys, I¡¯ll also think of attacking from a normal guy like me. Girls who genuinely want to converse with me, excluding Mitsuki and Subaru, there¡¯s only Mitsuki¡¯s friend I guess? Somehow I¡¯m starting to feel a little dispirited. ¡°I see©`. That¡¯s unfortunate since Mako-chan¡¯s cool and looks popular.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no use flattering me.¡± It¡¯s not convincing at all when I¡¯m told that by Kaname who has that sparkly face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t flattering you. Really!¡± ¡°I think Makoto¡¯s cool too.¡± ¡°O-ou¡­¡­¡± I can just wave it off with ¡°Hai, hai¡± hearing it from the easily-carried-away Kaname, but hearing it from the Prince with a serious look makes me very sheepish. Because the Prince is several hundred million times cooler. ¡°Well then well then! What kind of girls do you like, Mako-chan©`?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really¡­¡­ More importantly, what type of girls do Kiritani and Kaname like?¡± I didn¡¯t even think about what type of girls I prefer. As I was originally a girl and in the first place have no intention of having a romance as a boy, there wasn¡¯t a need to think about it. More importantly, to ease Mitsuki¡¯s romance, it¡¯s better to hear about the Prince¡¯s and Kaname¡¯s preference. I especially have to hear the Prince¡¯s preference so I can metamorphose Mitsuki into his type. ¡°If Mako-chan doesn¡¯t tell us, I¡¯m not answering eithe~r!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that.¡± Kaname stared at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes, tilting his head. Even the Prince, while silently munching a cookie, gave me a hard stare as though he¡¯s waiting for me to answer the question. There¡¯s no doubt these two will continue waiting until I reply. There¡¯s no way out, huh. Let¡¯s think about my preferred type for a little. What kind of guys did I like when I was female, again? I wasn¡¯t interested in romance since long before, so nothing comes to mind. Let¡¯s change the way of thinking. Yes for example, in the world of Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution who would I want to go out with? But hanging out with them as friends now is too enjoyable, I wouldn¡¯t think of going out with them as lovers. If I have to choose, it¡¯ll probably be Soutarou? That absent-minded healing type is a little like Mitsuki. I¡¯ll say it vaguely without being obviously indirect. ¡°¡­¡­ a healing type and cute one is good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s mainstream~¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already answered, Kaname and Kiritani have to answer too.¡± It¡¯s sad that the answer I frantically produced is less than 10 words, but I don¡¯t have the confidence to come up with more details regarding my preferred type of girl beyond this. Isn¡¯t it fine for the person you already like to be your preferred type? It may not be convincing for someone who never fell in love to say this, but the thing called love is probably like that. Besides, shoujo manga also said something similar. ¡°Me? For me©`, maybe someone with a cute smile. Also, someone who¡¯s fun to be with!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Kaname¡¯s mainstream too.¡± ¡°Eh~, is it. It¡¯s not easy to have fun together, you know~?¡± Possessing a cute smile and having fun when you¡¯re together, Mitsuki fulfills those. Mitsuki¡¯s smile is lovely, and above all it¡¯s fun to be with her. Good, good. ¡°What about Kiritani?¡± ¡°I¡­¡­¡± ¡°Un, un.¡± The Prince silently ate his snacks, absentmindedly staring in space like he isn¡¯t that interested. The Prince doesn¡¯t seem very interested in romance. Even though he¡¯s the prince of an otome game. ¡°Makoto.¡± ¡°Un, what?¡± ¡°My type is Makoto.¡± The shocking reply immediately froze the air. ¡°Eh?! Eh¡­¡­ Thanks¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Does the Prince like Mako-chan~?¡± I¡¯m shocked at how Kaname accepted this situation so easily. Also, Prince, what do you mean I¡¯m your type. Does the Prince like guys?! No, it¡¯s not like I plan to reject same-gender love at all, but the prince of an otome game can¡¯t fall in love with the same gender, right. We may both be Sakurai, but if it¡¯s like this just pick Mitsuki instead of me. ¡°Somehow, the atmosphere¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Atmosphere, you say~. Certainly, Mako-chan¡¯s gentle and very calming, isn¡¯t he. It resembles Sakurai imouto-chan¡¯s ambience, doesn¡¯t it~.¡± The feeling¡¯s complicated, but the fact that my ambience resembles Mitsuki¡¯s, means, to the Prince Mitsuki¡¯s his type too, right. It¡¯s okay to interpret it like this, right. The feeling¡¯s a little complicated, but I¡¯ll treat it as a merit. I¡¯ll interpret it as the Prince¡¯s type being the Sakurai family. Well, being liked by someone won¡¯t cause unpleasant feelings to emerge. ¡°Mako-chan!¡± ¡°Ah, Mitsuki. What¡¯s up?¡± At this moment, Mitsuki clad in the female Swimming Club¡¯s jersey ran towards me with a broad smile. ¡°Um you see, I, will be able to participate in the upcoming match. It¡¯s not much, just a practice match but¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Mitsuki. Even though you just joined recently.¡± ¡°Ehehe¡­¡­ Well, I¡¯ve been swimming since long before¡­¡­¡± Mitsuki seems pretty happy to be praised by me, her cheeks flushed as she acted shyly, bashfully. Rather, had Mitsuki been swimming since long before? I didn¡¯t know. I have to pay attention to not accidentally say something strange. ¡°That¡¯s why, I want Mako-chan to come support me during the match. It¡¯s this weekend but¡­¡­ you can¡¯t make it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t make it. Mitsuki¡¯s match, I¡¯ll definitely be there to support.¡± Something like a reason to not go and support the cute Mitsuki shouldn¡¯t exist. I¡¯ll definitely be there to support even if a typhoon comes or a demon appears. ¡°I¡¯m glad. Thank you, Mako-chan. I, will return to practice okay~!¡± The happy Mitsuki with blushed cheeks is completely an angel. She¡¯s mi dulce angel.[1] Subtle body line visible from the slightly baggy jersey, moe sode appropriate for a heroine with her fingertips appearing just a smidgen is adorable, gesturing with her small body while frantically trying to speak is also unbearable. What. Yes, I¡¯m siscon. A siscon. Is that bad? Mitsuki waved her hand as she left for club activities. How cute, how super cute. My cheeks loosened reflexively. ¡°Mako-chan seriously likes Sakurai imouto-chan a lot huh. The face you make is kinder than when you talk to anyone else.¡± When I started grinning after thinking about Mitsuki, Kaname pointed at me as he drank strawberry au lait. ¡°Of course cracker©`. I¡¯m Mitsuki¡¯s onii-chan after all.¡± ¡°If you have such a hard time letting go of your imouto, what will you do if she gets a boyfriend?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind her getting a boyfriend. If it¡¯s a good guy like Kiritani or Kaname or Soutarou.¡± Rather, I want the Prince or Kaname or Soutarou to date Mitsuki. Especially dating the Prince. Mitsuki is without mistake terribly terribly cute and I think of her as important, but I can¡¯t always be by her side, and I desire to return to the previous world. ¡°So technically you do understand.¡± ¡°Nuh huh.¡± Understand or whatever, from the bottom of my heart I want Mitsuki and the Prince to date. I really think so. Looking at the Prince, he¡¯s single-mindedly stuffing his cheeks with gummies. As I thought, the Prince is ikemen. Standing beside Mitsuki it¡¯ll be a biseinen and a bishoujo, very compatible I think. Additionally there¡¯s more to the Prince than just his face. When Junya persistently solicited me to the Student Council, he desperately tried to save me, and when I was trapped in the storeroom he came to find me. He¡¯s truly a good guy. Although I think so, there¡¯s too few points of contact between Mitsuki and the Prince. Isn¡¯t Takayanagi the only character who has the most connection with Mitsuki now? Does Mitsuki seriously even plan to romance? Despite being the heroine her enthusiasm is too low. Good grief. Looking at Kaname and the Prince chatting happily, I reached out for the snacks. CH 25 The Third Wheel and the Knight and the Princess (2) The second Sunday of March. Accompanying Mitsuki who wanted to do some final adjustments before the practice match begins, we came to Izumino Gakuen¡¯s indoor pool in the morning. But because Mitsuki asserted that it¡¯s embarrassing to be watched during practice so you can¡¯t see!, I quietly hid in the shadows and looked at her. Like a hentai. Well it¡¯s my fault for coming against her will. With her body wrapped in a black competitive swimsuit with pink lines, Mitsuki dived into the glistening water. Cutting open the water surface, she who gracefully and smoothly advanced was just like a doll. So it wasn¡¯t a lie that she had an interest in swimming. Even someone like me who¡¯s not familiar with swimming can tell that her swimming is beautiful. ¡°Sakurai-san¡¯s swimming is by no means fast, but it¡¯s pretty isn¡¯t it.¡± Takayanagi who apparently emerged from the males¡¯ changing room, folded his arms and gently watched over the swimming Mitsuki. He too was wearing a black knee-length competitive swimsuit with blue lines. A beautiful supple body with taut muscles. Not expecting in her wildest dreams that we are watching her, Mitsuki rose from the pool after swimming 50 metres, catching her breath. I wonder how so much power is derived from such a small and slender body. ¡°It causes one to think Mitsuki sure likes swimming. See, even now she¡¯s grinning so much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. She swam very freely. It won¡¯t do if swimming isn¡¯t like that.¡± Once again, Mitsuki dived into the pool. Submerging into the water with a beautiful form, she twisted her body and single-mindedly, simply single-mindedly bisected the water. Takayanagi vacantly watched that figure of Mitsuki¡¯s. That vacant blue eyes, as though longing for that freely-swimming Mitsuki, seemed to be looking at something beyond her. ¡°I want to see Takayanagi-senpai swim too. I heard from Mitsuki but, you¡¯ve won prizes on various occasions. I bet you¡¯re fast.¡± Will he, like Mitsuki, glide through the glistening water with his supple muscles? Or will he, in discord with his outer appearance, swim vigorously like he¡¯s cutting through water? Kyu, Takayanagi clenched his fist tightly, and made a face as though he¡¯s laughing, as though he¡¯s about to crying. ¡°Senpai¡­¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m fast.¡± ¡°Ah, saying that yourself.¡± As though the face just now was a lie, to Takayanagi who spoke confidently with a nonchalant face, I returned words like I¡¯m teasing him. ¡°Truthfully I am fast¡­¡­But, very soon I¡¯ll quit swimming¡­¡­This, is already the last.¡± ¡°¡®This is already the last¡¯, but, isn¡¯t there still the interhigh preliminaries? Senpai¡¯s the Swimming Club¡¯s ace you know.¡± Hereon we¡¯ll face summer and its corresponding matches, for such a practice match to be the last is too wasteful. Takayanagi is sufficiently competent. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s okay for his swimming life to end in such a place. Moreover this expression of Takayanagi, it¡¯s obvious with a single look that he doesn¡¯t really want to quit the Swimming Club. ¡°Even if my swimming is fast, even if I¡¯m the ace, there¡¯s times when one has no choice but to quit.¡± This again. I think he said something similar before, regarding the marriage with Madoka. It¡¯s not like I plan to say ¡°If you give up now, the match ends there you know?¡± something like that, and if Takayanagi intends to give his life up to Madoka I don¡¯t really care. However. Choosing the result of giving up like this, how is it to Madoka? Rather, I think Madoka is pitiful. Nonetheless if he chooses Madoka, does he really think that¡¯s fine? ¡°Madoka¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Eh? Madoka-san?¡± Reacting to Takayanagi¡¯s words, I chased his line of sight. The destination of his sight was the, fair-skinned, beauty with a hair colour like honey and translucent eyes like glass balls, Yukinoshita Madoka, and the small-animal-like lovely girl, owner of large black eyes and small red lips, Sakurai Mitsuki who¡¯s standing by the poolside. It¡¯s within my expectations that if her beloved Takayanagi participates in this match, Madoka¡¯ll be here like it¡¯s completely natural. Though I didn¡¯t think she¡¯ll appear at such an early timing. ( Since by no means can I suddenly step in, I decided to watch over the two¡¯s situation. Fortunately or unfortunately, they shouldn¡¯t be able to see us from over there. ¡°You seem to be, having a lot of fun huh.¡± Abruptly opening with a villain¡¯s line and clearly picking a fight, I feel slightly touched at the template villainess. Since long before, I¡¯ve been the type who feels like supporting rival characters or villain characters in shoujo manga, so I don¡¯t think that badly of Madoka. Neither do I really want to think badly of her. But if it seems like she¡¯s going to do anything cruel to Mitsuki, I can¡¯t overlook it. Astonished, Mitsuki tilted her head as she stared at Madoka¡¯s face. ¡°I, loathe impertinent women like you who shower your charms on anyone, and think that they¡¯ll listen to anything you say as long as you make a slightly cute face.¡± Nice to meet you I¡¯m the villain, with an absolute zero smile like she¡¯s looking down on Mitsuki, she spit out those words. I thought I would be more angry, but when she plays the role of a villain to this extent, on the contrary I feel refreshed. After all there aren¡¯t many 3-dimensional villains who play their role to this extent. ¡°Um¡­¡­¡± Mitsuki faltered with a troubled expression. Her eyebrows became like the ¥Ï character and she stirred restlessly. Looking at her face, she doesn¡¯t seem that hurt but if it comes to that I will have to put a stop to it. ¡°On no account, ever approach Yasuchika and Junya. Do quit the Swimming Club too. It¡¯s unsettling when someone like you is around.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I didn¡¯t enter the Swimming Club to get along well with Takayanagi-senpai or Kaichou-san. I entered because I love swimming and I want to swim. That¡¯s why it¡¯s not something that I can quit when Madoka-san tells me to.¡± My heart throbbed seeing the side of Mitsuki¡¯s face which holds a strong will different from usual. And before I realised, with the colour of her face clearly changed, Madoka drew a step closer to Mitsuki. ¡°If you don¡¯t quit, Yasuchika will have to quit! Are you saying that¡¯s okay?!¡± Before I could even think what she¡¯s going to do, Madoka pushed Mitsuki¡¯s shoulder with all her strength. It seems Mitsuki couldn¡¯t resist the sudden movement. Having lost her balance, Mitsuki plunged back first into the pool. There weren¡¯t even time to let out a ah voice. When Mitsuki fell into the pool with a splash sound, I was finally able to let out my voice. ¡°Mitsuki!!¡± Forgetting that I was hiding, I ran towards the poolside and jumped without hesitation. Grabbing the arm of Mitsuki who sunk into the water without even preparing[1] for the fall, I pulled her towards my chest, hugging her as I led her towards the water surface. Mitsuki¡¯s face emerged from the water and after coughing violently goho goho, she took a deep breath. Having scrutinised till there, I finally felt relieved and the tension left my shoulders. ¡°Mako, chan¡­¡­ tha, nk¡­¡­ you.¡± In the interval between Mitsuki¡¯s coughing fits, with a feeble breath she thanked me, making my heart tighten. Despite having such a thing done to her, with neither fear nor anger, Mitsuki smiled sweetly. Only a ridiculous maso or a ridiculous softhearted person would be able to smile at a time like this. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Ehehe, my foot might have been twisted a little. It¡¯s hurts, I don¡¯t think I can stand if not for Mako-chan¡¯s support.¡± Mitsuki laughed frivolously, but perhaps her twisted foot is painful, she frowned once in a while. Settling her down by the pool side, looking at her right ankle there¡¯s a red swelling. With her foot like this, not even mentioning today¡¯s practice match, she likely can¡¯t swim for the next few weeks. Mitsuki who swam so beautifully and smoothly, Mitsuki who enjoyed swimming so much, because of Madoka who pushed her with an irrational reason, it became that she can¡¯t swim. () I can¡¯t get angry here. Losing to my feelings here, shouting and brandishing violence, is what an idiot would do. Yes, what an idiot would do. I know that but I was unable to disperse the welling anger. ¡°Mado¡­¡­¡± Just when I lifted my head, smack!, the clear sound resounded in the indoor pool. ¡°Yasu, chika¡­¡­?¡± What first entered my sight was Madoka holding her reddening left cheek, looking in shock at Takayanagi. Before her was Takayanagi, biting his lips in an attempt to suppress his anger. ¡°What are you doing! You, do you know who you just hit?!¡± ¡°I know. Madoka, apologise. Apologise to Sakurai-san.¡± Towards Madoka who screamed hysterically, Takayanagi addressed her with a quiet low voice, like he¡¯s warning her. But Madoka¡¯s lips trembled as though she was about to cry, and she grabbed Takayanagi¡¯s arm strongly. ¡°I¡¯m not in the wrong. Because, Yasuchika¡­¡­¡± ¡°I swore to you that I would quit the Swimming Club, didn¡¯t I. With that you should have been convinced too. And yet, what is this about? Because you pushed her, Sakurai-kun got injured, and now she can¡¯t participate in the match. How do you plan to take responsibility for this?¡± ¡°Yasuchika¡¯s an idiot! Why is it only me you don¡¯t look at? Even though the only important people I have are you and Junya! Even though we promised that 3 of us will always be together.¡± Madoka looked at Yasuchika once again. But Yasuchika¡¯s anger did not subside. This was probably the first time Madoka was scolded by Yasuchika. Her shoulders shook with a start, and she took several steps back. But she was by nature a headstrong woman. Without being outdone, she glared back. ¡°I don¡¯t need someone like Yasuchika anymore.¡± Running, Madoka left the indoor pool. I was unable to follow this flow of events and vacantly watched the two¡¯s exchange while still submerged in the pool, but as Takayanagi unexpectedly said what I wanted to, the anger I held towards Madoka had already calmed down. More importantly, didn¡¯t this turn into quite a dire situation? What action will Madoka who lost the support of her heart, Takayanagi, take? I can imagine the point of her anger being directed at Mitsuki again. () But I don¡¯t think it will help even if Takayanagi goes after her. ¡°¡­¡­ Sakurai-kun, will you go after Madoka? It¡¯s embarrassing when I¡¯m the one who said all that to her, but I don¡¯t know what she will do when blood rushes to her head. Of course I¡¯m not forcing you but¡­¡­¡± ¡°Understood. Senpai, please take care of Mitsuki.¡± ¡°Of course. Please leave Sakurai-san to me.¡± Nodding just once to Takayanagi¡¯s words, I chased after Madoka in a half-run. I¡¯ve no idea where she ran off to, but she originally has a weak constitution and shouldn¡¯t have much stamina, so she¡¯s likely not too far away. What should I say to Madoka when I catch up to her? As the anger from her pushing Mitsuki was all conveyed by Takayanagi¡¯s words, the rage has largely calmed down, so I should be able to speak with composure. () Well I have no choice but to do it. Somehow or other, I have to say something skillful, and obtain a promise from her to not do cruel things to Mitsuki anymore. It¡¯s just my gut speaking, but I have a feeling Madoka isn¡¯t that disagreeable a person. What, perhaps I¡¯m also softhearted to the extent I have no right to call Mitsuki softhearted. CH 26 The Third Wheel and the Knight and the Princess (3) Running in the corridor clad in a drenched school uniform, with this appearance it must make quite a laughable sight. It¡¯s embarrassing because it appears like I was splendidly bullied, but it¡¯s not the time to be embarrassed. I have to find Madoka and somehow or other bring this development to a close. Now then, where¡¯s the crucial Madoka in question? Walking and looking around restlessly, I happened to spot Soutarou who was just about to enter the clubroom. Right as I was going to call out to him, Soutarou noticed me and abruptly turned around. And then his usual full-faced smile that seemed to say¡¸It¡¯s Mako~! Makomako, why are you here~? Did you come to see me~?¡¹rose up. Somehow it feels like I¡¯m raising a dog. ¡°Y-yo, Soutarou.¡± Soutarou closed the distance with a dash and firmly gripped my shoulder. And then with a rub rub, he rubbed his cheek against my head. What a stifling guy. But no unpleasant feelings surfaced. Rather I¡¯ve even come to think it cute. ¡°Mako~! Why are you here? What did you come here for? Eh, why are you drenched?¡± ¡°So-Soutarou¡­¡­ if you ask so many questions at once I can¡¯t answer them.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Soutarou made ku~un ku~un sounds like an abandoned dog as he looked at me worriedly. ¡°More importantly, did you see a girl in casual clothes around here?¡± ¡°A girl in casual clothes? Ahh, I saw her run that way towards the courtyard. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, just a little.¡± To Soutarou who called my name, I smoothed it over with a smile while running towards the courtyard. ¡°Mako! It¡¯s not that way. The courtyard is in the opposite direction©`!¡± I panickedly changed directions after Soutarou pointed it out. Izumino Gakuen was made by repeatedly adding constructions, so the structure of the building is complicated. It¡¯s a source of worry for a directionally-challenged person like me each time. Looking down at the courtyard from the old school building¡¯s 2nd storey, I saw a girl in casual clothing standing there. It¡¯s Madoka. Coincidentally, Madoka turned around, so our line of sight steadily met. For an instance, Madoka made a face as though she was scared. Perhaps she knew I was chasing her, she broke into a run to escape. ¡°Wait! Madoka-san, I have something to say!¡± Grabbing the window frame, I leaned my body out. Despite hearing my voice, Madoka tried harder to escape. Rather, it might be precisely because she heard my voice that she tried harder to escape. ¡°Wait, I said!¡± At a time like this, if it were the hero of a shoujo manga, he¡¯ll probably coolly leap from the 2nd storey and gallantly appear before Madoka, but I don¡¯t have that kind of courage. Ah, but she¡¯s already that far. It¡¯s about 3 meters from 2nd storey to the 1st. Since the current me is tall, if I dangle from a good location won¡¯t I be able to avoid a big injury and land safely? I¡¯ll be very cool if I do that, huh. I made my resolve and planted my foot on the window frame. ¡°Madoka-san!¡± Hearing my voice, Madoka slowly turned around. Shocked by my conduct, Madoka¡¯s eyes widened. Placing her white palm against her lips, she let out a scream. ¡°You! What are you doing. Please do stop. What if you get injured!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Wait for me.¡± Dangling from the window frame, I let my body fall the way it does when I¡¯m doing pull-up, reducing the impact as much as possible. My heartbeat raced in spite having said I¡¯ll be fine. I patted my chest in relief the moment my feet reached the lawn. But surprisingly one can do anything if he puts his mind to it, huh. ¡°Jumping from the 2nd storey, that dangerous.¡± Madoka rushed over, hurriedly grabbing my arm. I felt a little uneasy to receive an unexpected serious scolding. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Madoka-san ran away from me¡­¡­¡± ¡°Obviously I¡¯ll run. I made your imouto-san injured, you know.¡± Squeeze, more strength was put into the hand holding my arm. Surmising from her expression and attitude, I think she definitely didn¡¯t make Mitsuki injured purposefully. Mitsuki, in Mitsuki¡¯s way, is naturally straightforward and excessively softhearted, and easily carries out actions like that would only seem like a burikko¡¯s[1] if carried out by real life girls. It probably rubs people¡¯s shoulders the wrong way. With that as the impetus, she pushed her on impulse and by chance she fell into the pool, and by chance she twisted her ankle, so it was like that? Me too, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t hit Madoka on impulse. Though imperfect, the current me is without a doubt a high school boy, and it¡¯s bad to hit a frail girl, right. I¡¯ll reflect. ¡°That¡¯s, well, having an injury inflicted on my imouto upsets me.¡± ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re mad, right.¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s anger.¡± There¡¯s no way I¡¯m not mad when the superbly cute Mitsuki gets injured. As a matter of fact, I¡¯m a siscon, y¡¯know. Madoka¡¯s large eyes grew wet. What¡¯s this what¡¯s this©`. The queen of ice is crying, but what should I do? By no means did I expect her to start crying abruptly. Being exposed to the cold early spring wind while wearing school uniform that¡¯s drenched from having jumped into the pool, I¡¯m the one who wants to cry. It¡¯s still May y¡¯know. It¡¯s insanely cold. To think that she¡¯ll cry just because I answered ¡°I¡¯m angry¡± when asked ¡°Ya angry?¡±, what should I do? ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m not angry now.¡± ¡°But you said are. Both you and Yasuchika are angry, and Junya isn¡¯t nowhere to be found.¡± I was startled by Madoka who let large drops of tears spill out. What do normal guys do to comfort crying girls? What should I do? First let¡¯s think back to the time when I was a girl. When comforting my female friend, to start off with, while casually mixing in some body contact, ¡°Geez, don¡¯t cry so much~. How about we go karaoke or something for a change of pace?¡± Like that, I somehow managed by using the pattern of distracting her from the source of sadness. But it¡¯s a no-no for the male me to do this to Madoka. Besides, Madoka and I don¡¯t have such a touchy-feely relationship. In the first place the comforting method between fellow women and people of the opposite gender is different. But Takayanagi, he sure dealt that slap unsparingly. He might have intended to hold back, but Madoka¡¯s left cheek had turned red. ¡°Hey, here, it¡¯s better to cool it down.¡± My right hand lightly touched the reddened cheek. Perhaps it¡¯s painful as expected, Madoka¡¯s shoulders shook with a start. ¡°There¡¯s club activities today, if we¡¯re lucky the infirmary should be open. C¡¯mon.¡± ¡°You, didn¡¯t you hear? I¡¯m already hated by Yasuchika¡­¡­¡± Somehow it¡¯s become troublesome to think. From long ago men bear courage, women bear love, and monks bear sutras. Since I¡¯ve no choice but to do it, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll just speak whatever¡¯s in my mind. ¡°Like. I. Said. He doesn¡¯t hate you. You¡¯ll quarrel if you¡¯re friends. It¡¯s much stranger that you haven¡¯t quarrelled until now.¡± ¡°But, after quarrelling it¡¯s difficult to return to the relationship before. Everyone leaves my side after we quarrel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Takayanagi-senpai and Junya-senpai attended to all of Madoka-san¡¯s selfishness that it didn¡¯t came to quarrelling. But that¡¯s not what friends are. A lackey or a slave, servant, that¡¯s what it¡¯s called. Friends don¡¯t listen[2] to everything their friends say. Even if you bump heads or quarrel, as long as you make up you¡¯ll return to being friends. You should say ¡®sorry¡¯ at times like this.¡± Was it kind of dodgy? But Madoka has a childish side, so I have a feeling saying something at this level of dodgy is okay. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°That is so. Well then, first make up with me. I¡¯ll say ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯, so Madoka-san will reply with ¡®it¡¯s fine¡¯. Then Madoka-san and I would have made up and become friends. How about that?¡± Madoka stopped crying and looked at me in puzzlement. Even though Madoka is slightly taller than Mitsuki, about the same height as me from the past, she appears considerably delicate. Well, the me who was female didn¡¯t have a 155cm 38kg-desu figure like a 2D character. Well, it¡¯s possible that¡¯s an excuse, and I was simply a fatty. ¡°I, won¡¯t become friends with males other than Yasuchika and Junya.¡± ¡°Ah©`, is it?¡± I¡¯m female though. The outer appearance is totally that of a male¡¯s so there¡¯s no persuasive power at all though. ¡°But, if you insist, I don¡¯t mind being something like friends.¡± Even as her cheeks blushed, she flipped her long hair and spoke high-handedly. Madoka keeps doing things that irks others, but gradually I¡¯m coming to think that this girl who¡¯s like the template tsundere is cute. As I thought, Madoka¡¯s nature isn¡¯t wicked. She¡¯s an awfully awkward and honest girl. I reflexively let out a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s rude to laugh all of a sudden. You were the one who said you wanted to be friends with me, weren¡¯t you.¡± ¡°My bad. Then, ¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry, be friends with me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I held out my right hand with the intention of shaking hands, but Madoka ignored that and hugged me. ¡°E-e-eh, why am I, being hugged?¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± ¡°Are friends people who do things like hugging?¡± Ever since coming to this world, my concept of ¡®friends¡¯ had been overturned in various ways. Are friends people who do things like hugging? Even if they¡¯re of the opposite gender? Certainly I¡¯m often hugged by Soutarou or Kaname, but I deemed that safe since it¡¯s between guys. But it¡¯s a no-no with the opposite gender right? ¡°To me they¡¯re people who do things like hugging. Does Makoto not want to be hugged by me?¡± The queen of ice¨D¨DYukinoshita Madoka, smiled so innocently you wouldn¡¯t think she¡¯s an adult. How can I say no after seeing such a face? Perhaps Madoka didn¡¯t force them to listen to her, those two listened to her on their own after seeing this face. And then the pure Madoka who¡¯s ignorant about the ways of the world, might have came under the impression that it¡¯s normal for Takayanagi and Junya to listen to her words. In other words, that it¡¯s normal for friends to listen to one¡¯s words. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I particularly don¡¯t want to¡­¡­ But I¡¯m all drenched, so Madoka-san¡¯s clothes will get wet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a 100 000 yen clothing.¡± ¡°Ex!¡± To be able to say it¡¯s just a 100 000 yen clothing, Madoka¡¯s sense of value is a mystery. Since I can¡¯t push Madoka away, for now I just hugged her back. Glancing at Madoka who¡¯s buried in my chest, her eyes were closed like she¡¯s relieved from the bottom of her heart as she rubbed the tip of her nose. My heart thumped a little. Bringing down a girl on high horse? Such situations aren¡¯t rare, but I think I get why people have a preference for that now. Certainly, a girl who was so tsuntsun becoming this dere is cute, huh. ¡°Sakurai©`!¡± ¡°Un? Ah, Hasumi, what¡¯s up? I¡¯m not Mitsuki, you know.¡± Mitsuki¡¯s closest friend, Hasumi, gave a huge wave from the window I jumped off just now. She¡¯s one of the aforementioned girls who speak to me without minding the ikemens. She¡¯s a lively and spirited girl with short hair dyed brown. ¡°Of course I know that. More importantly, Takayanagi-senpai wants Sakurai at the infirmary©`!¡± ¡°Okay©`. Thanks©`¡± ¡°Gee, don¡¯t you flirt in school©`?¡± I have nothing but bad premonition seeing the grin Hasumi gave at the end. That girl, I hope she doesn¡¯t spread rumours within the school, of Sakurai flirting with a girl. As expected wearing wet clothes robs one of all their body temperature. Let¡¯s borrow clothes from Soutarou before going to the infirmary. Regardless, I have a feeling that things are finally coming to a close. While hugging Madoka, I gave a sigh of relief. CH 27 The Third Wheel and the Knight and the Princess (4) ¡°Mitsuki, are you okay?¡± ¡°Mako-chan! Unn, I¡¯m totally okay~¡± Arriving at the infirmary, Takayanagi and Mitsuki who were clad in competitive swimsuit and the Swimming Club¡¯s jersey were present as expected. A compress was attached to Mitsuki¡¯s ankle. Her ankle was swollen and one can tell it¡¯s not okay with a single glance. However, Mitsuki had her usual frivolous smile on as she waved at me. I crouched down by her feet and brushed my finger against her ankle. ¡°It¡¯s not okay right. It looks painful. I¡¯ll carry you on the way back.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that! I can walk, geez. Besides, I¡¯m heavy¡­¡­¡± There¡¯s no way this delicate body of Mitsuki is heavy. With her being this slender, I can even princess carry her all the way home. And while this isn¡¯t some shoujo manga, ¡°Mitsuki sure is light, it¡¯s like you have wings on your back¡± I have confidence I can say something flowery like that. Rather, even if Mitsuki¡¯s a giant that exceeds 100kg, I have confidence I can carry her back. ¡°Mitsuki¡¯s an angel so you¡¯re light.¡± ¡°Stop it, geez~! Mako-chan¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Is there anything embarrassing about it? To me, Mitsuki is really an angel. Mitsuki¡¯s mi dulce angel. Was it that her charm specs increased, or that she became more concerned about grooming herself, Mitsuki who was already cute became even cuter. Even her large black eyes and soft pink lips, even her white skin, all of them are perfect. Even her tight waist and small chest, even her lovely thighs, are all captivating. The points of focus were like a hentai¡¯s, but it¡¯s safe since I was formerly female. While it¡¯s provisional, although Mitsuki and I are supposed to be twins we don¡¯t look alike at all. We¡¯re of the opposite gender and fraternal twins so it¡¯s okay even if we don¡¯t particularly look alike, but if I also had this much good looks, I¡¯ll probably be leading a popular ikemen life now. Since I¡¯m transported to another world anyway, I wanted to be transported as an ikemen. ¡°Madoka.¡± Takayanagi had on a complicated face as he called Madoka¡¯s name. As I had nothing but worldly thoughts on my mind, that startled even me. Madoka¡¯s shoulder trembled with a start, pursing her lips. She grasped the hem of her one-piece in a frightened manner. It¡¯s just like a child who was reprimanded, trying not to cry before her mother. But I¡¯m sure Takayanagi isn¡¯t angry anymore. Rather, he¡¯s likely going to reconcile with her. ¡°Madoka, does your cheek hurt?¡± Takayanagi stood in front of Madoka, his hand coming in contact with her cheek that turned red. Madoka had a face that looked like she¡¯ll start crying any moment as she wiped the corner of her eyes with her fingertips, shaking her head left and right. ¡°I, was scolded by Makoto. That my relationship with Yasuchika isn¡¯t that of friends¡¯.¡± Takayanagi gave me a fleeting glance. I thought he was going to find fault with me who scolded his precious Madoka, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Thank goodness. I thought he was going to strike me with the Choke Sleeper I witnessed him using on Junya. ¡°That I can¡¯t just let Yasuchika and Junya listen to what I say. I was convinced. I apologise for doing nothing but making you listen to me until now. I¡¯ll listen to what you say from now on too.¡± Madoka stared squarely at Takayanagi. She appeared to be trying to conduct herself firmly but she will probably break into tears any moment. The tips of her fingers are trembling. Madoka took a deep breath. It seemed that it took all she had just to breath; her body trembled even more intensely. ¡°That¡¯s why, yes, ¡­¡­ you don¡¯t have to quit the Swimming Club. Also, I don¡¯t mind if your marriage with me is restored to clean slate. If you come to like me enough to truly want to marry, at that time, will you marry me?¡± Spilling tears, Madoka made the first move and turned her back towards Yasuchika. The queen of ice who¡¯s originally prideful, probably didn¡¯t want him who, in term of age is like a younger brother, to see her crying. Takayanagi appeared shocked by Madoka¡¯s words; he stiffened with his eyes widened. However he quickly returned to his usual look, taking a step towards Madoka and addressing her gently. ¡°I understand, Madoka. Thank you. I really like the Swimming Club, so I¡¯m really happy to hear you say that.¡± Without a word Madoka was about to leave the infirmary, but just as her hand was on the door she turned back just once, sending Mitsuki a gaze. ¡°I also apologise for injuring Mitsuki-san. It wasn¡¯t my intention to injure you. Really.¡± Saying just that, Madoka left the infirmary, not waiting for Mitsuki¡¯s response. Having heard Madoka¡¯s words, Mitsuki stood upright with the intention of chasing after her. ¡°Wait, Mitsuki, where are you planning to go with your foot in pain?¡± ¡°I, haven¡¯t told Madoka-san it¡¯s alright. Mako-chan became friends with Madoka-san right? I want to be friends with Madoka-san too!¡± Squeeze, she declared as she made a clenched fist. Completely ignoring my words Mitsuki left the infirmary with a hop hop, as though trying to guard her foot. Mitsuki sure is stubborn at strange timings. I wonder who she takes after, good grief. ¡°Sakurai-kun, about Madoka, thank you.¡± Takayanagi approached me who was still crouching, and bowed his head deeply. I was the one who became flustered. I simply said what I wanted to, throwing the friendship theory at her like a know-it-all. I stood up as though prompted, waving my hands widely before my chest. ¡°No, I simply said what I wanted to, as I liked. I didn¡¯t do anything for senpai to thank me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such words from Madoka. I¡¯ve no idea what you said or how you said it, but truly, thank you.¡± Being thanked so much, on the contrary I feel ashamed. I simply said all I wanted to, and by chance that tugged at some part of Madoka¡¯s heart. Whether it¡¯s the intention to save Takayanagi, or the intention to save Madoka, I had neither of them. But if the words I said resounds in someone¡¯s heart, and directs something in someone towards a good direction, I think that that¡¯s a happy thing. ¡°That¡¯s my line, thank you for nursing Mitsuki. I¡¯ll return with Mitsuki now. Senpai will participate in the practice match, right. Please do your best.¡± ¡°Ah, then shall I lend you my gym clothes? You can¡¯t return drenched like that, right?¡± Now that he mentioned it, I¡¯m still wearing wet clothes. I thought of borrowing clothes from Soutarou, but because he was endeavouring at Basketball Club activities, I didn¡¯t manage to borrow clothes from him. I thought that since it can¡¯t be helped I¡¯ll just ride the train drenched, as at any rate it¡¯s just about 15 minutes, but if Takayanagi will lend me clothes then let¡¯s be pampered by his offer. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course. If it¡¯s Sakurai-kun, your stature and built is similar to me, so it should be just right.¡± Certainly Takayanagi and my stature and built are about the same, so it might be better to borrow clothes from Takayanagi than to borrow clothes from Soutarou. After all, the other day when I borrowed Soutarou¡¯s basketball uniform, it was all baggy. ¡°Thank you very much. That helps a lot.¡± I headed to the Swimming Club lockers with Takayanagi. Various problems cropped up but I wonder if results-wise they were settled well? It¡¯s extremely lamentable to let Mitsuki get injured, but I¡¯m really glad it wasn¡¯t a serious injury. Well it¡¯s kind of late but, could it be that this position of making Madoka and Takayanagi reconcile was actually Mitsuki¡¯s position? With the reason of being worried about Mitsuki or that it¡¯s for Mitsuki¡¯s sake, I stick my nose in now and then, but that might have broken flags at full-strength. Let¡¯s be careful from now on. Honestly, I don¡¯t mind if flags other than the Prince¡¯s are broken. But if it¡¯s with any of the capturable characters, oh well, it¡¯s okay if you want me recognise your association with Mitsuki, y¡¯know. ¡°My locker is here.¡± ¡°Ah, hai.¡± Takayanagi¡¯s locker was as expected, neatly arranged and put in order. Putting aside Soutarou, Kaname¡¯s locker is filthy. It can¡¯t be helped if he doesn¡¯t fold his gym clothes and jersey and it¡¯s okay to gloss over that, but I don¡¯t understand why he doesn¡¯t dump rubbish in the rubbish bin and stuffs them in his locker instead. Moreover there¡¯s some weird smell. Even though Kaname himself smells good normally, why is it that his locker stinks? In other words since you¡¯re an ikemen, you should make your locker like an ikemen¡¯s too. ¡°Here you go. If you¡¯re fine with mine.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯ll return it after washing.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Naturally, Takayanagi¡¯s jersey was blue, the 3rd-years¡¯ colour. Looking at the tag, it¡¯s the same as mine in terms of size. If it¡¯s this size, it¡¯ll fit me perfectly. Just that, boarding the train in this blue jersey that¡¯s painful for the eyes is exceedingly embarrassing, but it¡¯s much better than going back wearing drenched school uniform that clings to the skin. Takayanagi said he wanted to do warm-ups before the match, so he quickly left the locker area. I took off my school uniform, and changed into the borrowed jersey. The shirt sticks to my body and it feels awful. I realised only after taking off my slacks, but even my underwear is wet. By no means can I wear someone else¡¯s jersey without underwear, so with the wet underwear on, I put on the jersey. Still, it¡¯s that isn¡¯t it, never do I want to encounter rival characters again. Just this time onii-chan is tired. Already completely exhausted. My wish is to, live a normal highschool life in the remaining time, for it to go well between Mitsuki and the Prince, and to quickly return to the previous world on 31st March next year. But things definitely won¡¯t go so well huh. After all this is an event omnium gatherum otome game world. And I am the heroine¡¯s older brother. There¡¯s no way I won¡¯t get dragged into it. CH 28 Chapter 28 ¨C The Sports Festival and the Chore IC and the Staying Over (1) June. At the same time it¡¯s the rainy season, it¡¯s the season of the Sports Festival. The Sports Festival bustle also arrived at our Izumino Gakuen. It seems Izumino Gakuen carries out Ballgame Tournaments instead of Sports Festivals in this season. We¡¯re using the LHR period to decide which game we¡¯ll participate in, but should I say as expected, I can¡¯t quite make a decision. It¡¯s truly troublesome to have a ballgame tournament in this season when it¡¯s becoming warm. Having said that, the Ballgame Tournament is a slightly gloomy event for me because I don¡¯t particularly like physical activities. Especially when, as you know, my sense regarding ballgames is catastrophic. ¡°What¡¯s Mako planning to enter?¡± Soutarou grinned as he pulled my sleeve. ¡°I think I don¡¯t want to enter if possible.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s been determined that every person has to enter one.¡± It¡¯s good for Soutarou who¡¯s good at sports huh. He¡¯ll play a huge role no matter which ballgame he joins and gets ¡®kya kya¡¯-ed at by girls, won¡¯t he. There¡¯s no way he won¡¯t be popular with his good looks and being almighty at sports huh. In comparison, I¡¯m bad with ballgames and however you put it the inside is a frail girl y¡¯know. I don¡¯t think of wanting to be popular, but at very least I don¡¯t want to drag them down. I wonder what I should do. ¡°I understand but, you know I¡¯m bad with ballgames, right.¡± ¡°Enter the same ballgame with me then. Let¡¯s practice together?¡± Soutarou came up with what can only be said to be a good idea, bringing his lips close to my ear and suggested in a whisper. Thereafter ¡°How about it?¡± he tilted his head as he said that. It¡¯s the usual sly Soutarou. Certainly Soutarou seems like he¡¯ll match my pace, teaching me slowly and carefully because he¡¯s kind. Moreover, personally it seems more fun to enter the same ballgame as friends I get along with like Soutarou or Kaname, the Prince. ¡°Alright. Okay. By the way what¡¯s Soutarou planning to enter? As I thought is it basketball?¡± ¡°I like Mako so anything¡¯s fine.¡± Having heard my reply, dog ears popped out with a spring from Soutarou. Then shine, a smile surfaced as though there were flowers blooming. In short, it¡¯s the usual Soutarou. What the heck, I wonder which part of me attracted Soutarou to come hugging this much. I don¡¯t feel unpleasant when he¡¯s all over me and hugs me, rather, while the area around my chest gets ticklish, I do feel happy. Well then, rather than Soutarou I¡¯ve to think of which ballgame to participate in. The ballgames are basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis and table tennis. By the way they¡¯re all separated by gender. You¡¯ve to participate in at least one, and it seems you can hold at most three positions concurrently. First of all basketball is out of question. There¡¯s no doubt I¡¯ll end up a master of Travelling. I hit home runs in tennis and table tennis, and I¡¯m not even sure of the rules for soccer. I¡¯ve played volleyball quite a bit when I was a girl, so comparatively I¡¯ve a feeling I can do it. ¡°I¡¯ll go for volleyball.¡± ¡°Volley? Okay~¡± I¡¯m not very good at volleyball either, but it can¡¯t be helped if there¡¯s no choice but to participate. I¡¯m tentatively a high school student too. It¡¯s not too bad to relish in high school student-like events. ¡°If it¡¯s volleyball for Mako, I¡¯ll go for volleyball too.¡± I was extremely shocked as the Prince suddenly turned around the moment LHR ended. ¡°I see, it¡¯s heartening to have the Prince with us. Let¡¯s do our best.¡± Nod, the Prince bowed his head in assent while expressionless. I can¡¯t picture the figure of the lethargic Prince doing his best at volleyball. But since Subaru said the Prince¡¯s a high-specs prince who can do anything be it studies, sports or the arts, he¡¯ll be impressive if he¡¯s up to it. Ikemen who¡¯s able to do anything, what a cheat, a cheat. But if such a person was given the setting of a prince in an otome game, it means that maidens of the world pine for an ikemen who can do anything and loves only them, huh. As a result, it¡¯s been decided that the Prince and I will participate only in volleyball, Soutarou in volleyball and basketball, Kaname in tennis and basketball, and Mitsuki in tennis. The current Mitsuki shouldn¡¯t be very athletic as she specialises in Housework and Charm. I don¡¯t mind even if she¡¯s hopeless at sports as that¡¯s cute, but I suppose in terms of otome games, being good at sports increases the favorability rating more. ¡°Mako-chaan!¡± ¡°Uwa, don¡¯t come jumping all of a sudden, Kaname.¡± ¡°I wanted to enter the same ballgame as Mako-chan~!¡± He grabbed and shook my shoulder while making an unnatural tearful voice. Kaname¡¯s strong despite being shorter than me, so I get dizzy if he shakes me too much. I may look like this on the outside but I¡¯m actually weak. Feeble. ¡°I get it already so stop, I¡¯m getting dizzy.¡± ¡°Mako-chan doesn¡¯t give a hoot about someone like me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that right. I find it cool that Kaname can do sports, y¡¯know.¡± Kaname¡¯s face was 20cm away from the tip of my nose. I can¡¯t continue letting his face draw closer. The distance people of this world converse at is too close that I end up getting nervous every time. I can hear you well even if you don¡¯t bring your face so close. ¡°Did you hear that Souta! Mako-chan said that I¡¯m cool©`!¡± Contrary to me who¡¯s speechless at Kaname¡¯s excessive reaction, Soutarou gallantly returned words like ¡°Is that so, good for you huh¡±. I don¡¯t have cleaning duties today so let¡¯s go home quickly. I¡¯ve to prepare dinner in place of Mitsuki who should be tired when she returns after club activities. Let¡¯s make cheese cake or something since there¡¯s lots of time. Because Mitsuki loves sweet things. How girlish and cute. ¡°Oii, Sakurai©`! You¡¯re on good terms with Kaichou right.¡± Hasumi who¡¯s the class rep called out as I stuffed textbooks into my enamel bag. Moreover is it my imagination that the contents of the conversation had an uneasy foreboding? By ¡®Kaichou¡¯ she means the Student Council President, in other words Narahashi Junya, doesn¡¯t she? More than being on good terms with Junya, should I say it was one-sidedly made to be on good terms, or should I say something that shouldn¡¯t occur was almost made to transpire. In any case we aren¡¯t particularly on good terms. Nevertheless it¡¯s too laborious to explain this and that concerning Junya to Hasumi, and it¡¯ll probably incite a groundless misunderstanding. ¡°Wun, well, we¡¯re acquainted. Is something the matter?¡± ¡°It became that we¡¯ve to allocate one person from our class to be in charge of the Student Council¡¯s chores. Sakurai¡¯s free since you¡¯re only entering one ballgame right. Can I leave this to you?¡± Having to allocate a chore IC from our class, I can only think of it as Junya¡¯s scheme. There¡¯s no doubt he¡¯ll use his authority as Student Council President to the max, naming Mitsuki the chore IC if I don¡¯t go now. It seems like something that hentai Student Council President will come up with. As though he¡¯s granting me freedom but actually not, it¡¯s just like Junya¡¯s way of doing things. I¡¯ve no freedom of choice. ¡°Alright. Okay.¡± ¡°Eh? Mako.¡± ¡°As expected of Sakurai~! Thank you. Then be on your way to the Student Council room now, okay.¡± Soutarou looked at me worriedly. I¡¯m on the same boat in terms of being worried, but I won¡¯t retreat at this point. Because Mitsuki¡¯s chastity will be in danger if I retreat. The pure maiden Mitsuki might get tainted by Junya. Shoving the troublesome matter to me, Hasumi left dashingly. ¡°Wait a minute, is it really okay, Mako? Who knows what¡¯ll be done to you if you become Narahashi¡¯s chore IC.¡± Like an abandoned dog Soutarou made his eyebrows into the ¥Ï character and looked at me with upturned eyes. ¡°Something might be done to me, but I¡¯ll tackle it myself somehow. I¡¯m a guy after all.¡± Junya¡¯s a 180cm guy with tall stature, but I¡¯m also a guy now. I think I can at least do something somehow. Besides I don¡¯t intend to be alone with Junya, nor do I intend to let down my guard. In the first place this is a otome game y¡¯know. I¡¯m the heroine¡¯s onii-chan and Junya¡¯s the heroine¡¯s capturable character y¡¯know. I think it¡¯ll be fine to not worry about weird things. ¡°Mako, listen to me. Mako might say I¡¯m being overprotective, but I¡¯m really worried you know. Soutarou gripped my shoulder and closed in with a serious face. It wasn¡¯t the sparkly fluffy face of the doggy Soutarou. It¡¯s a scary thing when a guy with a huge body and a strong built closes in. Sway sway, my head that¡¯s being shaken back and forth becomes all wobbly. Today I got shook back and forth, I got shook left and right, what on earth¡¯s going on. I¡¯m not Akabeko[1] y¡¯know. I¡¯m extremely happy about Soutarou¡¯s feelings of worrying about me, but it¡¯s not like I was nominated to be Junya¡¯s chore IC because I wished to. Well, if you ask why I accepted the chore IC position then, I¡¯m the bait so that Mitsuki won¡¯t fall prey to Junya. That¡¯s why I cannot retreat. ¡°Thanks for worrying. But¨D¨D¡± ¡°But, bunny-chan¡¯s appointed as my chore IC. Right?¡± ¡°Uwa, Junya-senpai?!¡± What appeared from the side all of a sudden, was Narahashi Junya who fits the name ¡®hentai Student Council President¡¯ to a T. ¡°Un, it¡¯s me~. I thought if it¡¯s bunny-chan, you¡¯ll become the chore IC as expected.¡± Junya firmly settled his arm around my waist and clung on. Rub rub, the tip of his nose came rubbing at my solar plexus, and an indescribable emotion rose up within me. Soutarou who saw the entire series of events, moved behind me and thrusted his arms under my armpits. Around the same time I turned around wondering what he¡¯s going to do, yank, I was pulled into the chest of he who was behind. ¡°I¡¯ll have you return Mako.¡± ¡°Hang on, Soutarou-kun. Bunny-chan¡¯s my chore IC you know? Besides, what exactly are you to bunny-chan. You think you¡¯ve the right to restrain bunny-chan?¡± Not being outdone, Junya grabbed my arms. ¡°I¡¯m Mako¡¯s close friend. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t sit back and watch as Kaichou does fishy things to Mako.¡± ¡°Ahaha, scary. Bunny-chan¡¯s raising quite an outstanding watchdog huh?¡± I can¡¯t see it clearly, but Soutarou seemed to be trying to intimidate Junya. It¡¯s a little hard to breathe when squeeze squeeze, I¡¯m being hugged with all his strength from behind. I glanced at Kaname seeking help from him, but he was desperately trying to hold back his laughter. Good grief, Kaname sure is carefree thinking it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business. ¡°Kaname¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mako-chan¡¯s popular as expected! Won¡¯t you achieve the Izumino¡¯s Popular Dude title with just a little push?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess around. I¡¯m not the least bit happy.¡± I don¡¯t particularly want to be popular. That¡¯s something that¡¯ll will never change and has never changed since the past. Even before being male or being female, to wholeheartedly accept such straightforward good will is something that only frightens me. I¡¯ve never had it expressed to me so fervently before, even if it¡¯s in terms of friendship, so I¡¯ve no idea what to do. ¡°Senpai and Soutarou let go of me for the time being! Conversing comes after that!¡± It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s love, friendship or something borderline. I didn¡¯t act the way I did for the sake of being popular like this. Whatever whoever says, the heroine of this story is Mitsuki. It¡¯sMitsuki. I believe there¡¯s a need for me to create anew an opportunity to carefully and slowly talk with these guys regarding this issue. CH 29 *Chore IC changed to odd-jobber. Btw Mako¡¯s been calling Kiritani ¡®Prince¡¯ in her head but out loud she calls him ¡®Kiritani¡¯. So she must have lost the composure to make the change~ =================== Watashi, Dokidoki Renai Kakumei de Onii-chan Yattemasu. Chapter 29 ¨C The Sports Festival and the Odd-Jobber and the Staying Over (2) ¡°Welcome to the Student Council Room, bunny-chan~. Go ahead, don¡¯t hold back and sit on my lap alright.¡± ¡°Makoto, come beside me. Don¡¯t go near that hentai.¡± It became that the Prince¡¯s accompanying me to the Student Council Room, in place of Soutarou who couldn¡¯t avoid going to the Basketball Club activities. Persuading Soutarou who shook his head as he grabbed the hem of my clothes with teary-eyes, somehow or other I obtained permission to go to the Student Council Room with the premise of the Prince who was on the spot coming along. This may not be the best thing to put into words, but it¡¯s a little surprising that Soutarou trusts the Prince. Even though they seemed on bad terms during the April training camp. The Student Council President Junya sat on the chief seat at the head table, and Takayanagi sat on his right side. The Prince settled down on his left side, and I¡¯m beside the Prince, the positioning was as such. The Prince is unrestrainedly browbeating Junya in place of the Soutarou just now. But Soutarou had more intensity. Rather than a doggy he was like a wolf. On the other hand, the current Prince, as expected, feels like a cute kitten. The cat seems to just be going fuu fuu[1], it¡¯s simplyadorable. ¡°I say, Bunny-chan, not just a watchdog you¡¯re even raising a ¡®watchcat¡¯ huh~? Even though I finally made bunny-chan the odd-jobber, it¡¯s borrring for even the watchcat to come along.¡± Junya pouted as though he¡¯s sulking. Slumped on the table and moving his legs with a thud thud, was he trying to assert ¡®I¡¯m sulking¡¯? ¡°Oi studhorse, was it a lie you¡¯ll work hard for the Ballgame Tournament preparations if you make Sakurai-kun the odd-jobber?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie but~. Aww this isn¡¯t the odd-jobber I imagined. It¡¯s more like bunny-chan sitting on my lap, saying ¡°Senpai, do your best-nyan¡±, like that.¡± Something like that isn¡¯t the work of an odd-jobber. What ¡®do your best at work-nyan¡¯. No matter how you look I¡¯m not a character who¡¯ll say that. That sort of thing should be done by a loli-like bishoujo right. As in someone like Mitsuki. ¡°There¡¯s no motivation~ I¡¯ve no motivation unless bunny-chan treats me kinder~!¡± While I¡¯m slightly put off by the hentai Student Council President who¡¯s magnificently throwing a tantrum, this guy¡¯s trying to get along with me in his own way. If the feelings this guy spoke of during the storeroom incident the other day is true, the reason he approaches so persistently in this erotic manner is to attract my attention. It¡¯s incredibly annoying but if I think of it this way it¡¯s also kind of cute, maybe? Even as the Prince who¡¯s sitting beside me, chew chew, stuffed his cheeks with animal cookies he procured, he continued to glare at Junya. ¡°Understood. I don¡¯t want to sit on your lap but! Definitely don¡¯t want to but! Since I¡¯m tentatively the odd-jobber, I¡¯ll help out with Senpai¡¯s work.¡± ¡°Really? Then, over here, my bunny-chan. Sit beside me!¡± He excitedly brought over a foldable chair and placed it beside his own seat. And then tap tap he hit the chair, indicating me to sit. The Prince who stopped indulging in the cookies eyeballed Junya, glaring at him. Junya deliberately shrugged and warded it off. ¡°Kiritani, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Makoto.¡± ¡°Kiritani will save me if something happens right?¡± Though he¡¯s expressionless, I understand very well that he¡¯s worried. The Prince reluctantly nodded, and shuffle shuffle resumed his eating of the snacks. I¡¯ve a feeling the Prince¡¯s constantly eating snacks. So why is it he doesn¡¯t get fat! The past me gained whatever amount I take in, y¡¯know. I settled down at the foldable chair Junya prepared, reaching out for the scattered documents. ¡°Is it okay as long as I staple this?¡± ¡°Un, ¡­¡­ but, even if bunny-chan doesn¡¯t do anything, just having you sit by my side, I, will be able to work really hard you know.¡± He peeped at my face while grinning happily. ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore trivial things, do your job properly.¡± ¡°Un! I¡¯ll work hard so watch me okay!¡± As though his slovenly state until now was a lie, Junya began working in high spirits. Junya¡¯s side profile as he scanned through the documents was unexpectedly serious, and just a little¨D¨Dreally just a little, appeared cool. As expected the face of a serious man is something that appears cool regardless of who sees it isn¡¯t it. Only the tack, tack sound of documents being stapled and the sound of Takayanagi writing something on the documents resounded within the quiet Student Council Room. These documents are probably, related to the Ballgame Tournament. To be preparing for the Ballgame Tournament now when it¡¯s still some time into the future, even though this guy is hentai and a guy who can¡¯t be helped, he¡¯s a proper Student Council President huh. And I think Takayanagi who controls that Student Council President is even more amazing. Glancing at Takayanagi, he¡¯s correcting the documents with his back straightened impeccably. His large hand with prominent knuckles is pretty. ¡°Sakurai-kun, is there something you don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°Eh, ah, there isn¡¯t! I¡¯m good.¡± Takayanagi suddenly raised his head and smiled at me lightly. My heart thumped a little. This is bad this is bad. I¡¯ve to do my work properly. The odd job entrusted to me was, the monotonous work of doing nothing but repeated stapling. This can be carried out without much thinking so time passes quickly if I focus on it. Before I knew it it became 18:00, and the outside of the window turned a complete pitch-black. It was Takayanagi who first noticed the approach of the school closing hour. Takayanagi removed his glasses, rubbing his inner canthi. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if Sakurai-kun goes home soon. Junya and I will do the rest.¡± The curtain of the night had already fallen beyond the window. Junya who was working seriously, raised his head and tug tug, pulled at my clothes. ¡°Hey hey, bunny-chan, go home with me~?¡± The Prince held onto my clothes and smacked Junya¡¯s arm away silently, expressionlessly holding my arm and pulling me till the front of the door. ¡°Kaichou still has work right. I¡¯ll send Makoto back. Let¡¯s go home together, Makoto.¡± ¡°E-eh? Ah, u-un.¡± ¡°I want to go home with Makoto, two of us. Can¡¯t we?¡± The Prince gripped my hand, and though he remained expressionless, somehow he appeared despondent as he looked at me. It wasn¡¯t only the doggy Soutarou who¡¯s sly. The kitty Prince¡¯s also considerably sly. Being gazed upon by this sparkly ikemen face that¡¯s behaving like a spoiled child, I can¡¯t possibly say ¡®no¡¯, can I. Furthermore I¡¯m weak to the Prince¡¯s voice. And I¡¯m also weak to his smell. ¡°Prince, I was the one who spoke about going home together first, you know?¡± Junya grabbed my other arm, and wrapped his arm around my waist in an extremely natural motion. Not only that, pull, he drew my waist towards him. My waist and Junya¡¯s waist became glued together. Somehow Junya is lewd, time and time again huh. ¡°Let go of Makoto. You still have work right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna, even I want to go home with bunny-chan, two.of.us~!¡± My arms were grabbed from both sides and my waist embraced, having two obnoxious dudes clinging to me, somehow I think my mind¡¯s drifting away. Being pulled to the left and pulled to the right, perhaps it¡¯s about time I, who was shook in both directions, head to Aizu[2]. In the Akabeko kind of meaning. ¡°Ah geez, isn¡¯t it fine if three of us go back together. Are you guys children?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that! Because, again, you won¡¯t converse with me at all!¡± Junya strengthened his embrace, this time shaking me back and forth as though he¡¯s an uncontrollable kid. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ isn¡¯t it because Senpai¡¯s messing around¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­. I¡¯m not messing around.¡± Junya buried his face at the nape of my neck. It¡¯s very ticklish so by all means I¡¯d like him to move away, but it seems like it¡¯ll become troublesome if I push him now so I¡¯ll remain silent. The Prince was desperately tug tug pulling at my arm. I wonder what should I do. I can¡¯t avoid trouble regardless of selecting the Prince or selecting Junya. Well then what should I do. What. ¡°Junya, don¡¯t trouble Sakurai-kun. Kiritani-kun, you too.¡± ¡°Takayanagi-senpai¡­¡­!¡± Takayanagi who was unable to remain a bystander walked over, and pulled me away from Junya and the Prince. ¡°You, Junya, stay behind and work. Kiritani-kun and Sakurai-kun do be on your way.¡± The back of Junya¡¯s collar was grasped by Takayanagi. Being stared fixedly by those teary eyes, a restless feeling surfaced. Perhaps his heart wasn¡¯t in it, I¡¯ve a feeling the rabbit ears of his rabbit-ear jacket appeared downhearted. Junya seems to be constantly clad in rabbit-ear jackets but, I wonder how many articles he has? ¡°Wait I say, bunny-chan! I, thought really hard, about what to do for the sake of being together with bunny-chan even if it¡¯s just for a while, and for the sake of talking to you, I thought really hard, and so¡± ¡°And so you asked me to be the odd-jobber?¡± Junya hesitantly nodded in a meek manner. Somehow I understand this is a scene where one¡¯s heart is supposed to throb. I understand but, that the result of having contemplated is this, it¡¯s just a speculation but, isn¡¯t Junya an astounding idiot¡­¡­? ¡°I understand your feelings. I¡¯ll come to the Student Council Room as much as possible, every day beginning from tomorrow. Even if there¡¯s no odd-jobber work.¡± Though I think he¡¯s an astounding idiot, he thought that much because he wanted to converse with me after all. Certainly, Soutarou or the Prince, and Kaname are constantly around me. It might not be possible to converse at ease even if he attacks head-on. Honestly, though I¡¯m bad with Junya, he holds this much good will towards me. No matter how bad I am with him, I should respond properly like a man. ¡°¡­¡­ really?¡± ¡°Ah. I¡¯ll come.¡± ¡°Bunny-chan¡¯s cool as expected. I like you, I really like you.¡± Junya broke away from Takayanagi¡¯s loosened grip and briskly approached me. Looking at him smiling frivolously as though nothing happened, Ah so he was pretending to be downhearted just now, I thought that in a corner of my mind. Chu, a cute sound of the lips could be heard from my forehead. Probably, or should I say 9 out of 10 cases, I¡¯m being kissed on the forehead by Junya. I¡¯m not disturbed or anything anymore since I¡¯ve been kissed by him a number of times already, but it seems it¡¯s different for the Prince beside me. His face turned grim at once, and grabbing my arm he rushed out of the room. It was a gentle arm grab for me who was used to Soutarou¡¯s superhuman strength. Shortly after I wondered why he grabbed my arm, in the blink of an eye I was brought to the old school building, and kabedon¡¯ed[3] in the recesses of a sparsely-populated corridor. By the way it wasn¡¯t a kabedon in the protest[4] kind of meaning, but a kabedon for the sake of cornering the other party and cutting away their escape route. While I have no idea why I¡¯m being kabedon¡¯ed, for the time being, the Prince sure has a pretty face. As expected of a prince. His doll-like finely-chiseled features and double-eyelid tsurime were more suitable to be called a beauty¡¯s than an ikemen¡¯s. His eyes which don¡¯t show emotions were upturned as they tried to capture mine. ¡°Makoto.¡± ¡°Un? What¡¯s up Kiritani?¡± ¡°Kiss me too.¡± The Prince grabbed my necktie while expressionless and, tug, pulled me closer. The Prince¡¯s pretty even as I look from a close distance. Perhaps because his eyes were lowered, his long eyelashes casted shadows onto his skin that was pale to a shocking extent. ¡°Eh, wait wait wait wait, wait a moment!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Calm down, Kiritani. You can¡¯t kiss.¡± Without saying a thing and not listening to my words, lick, the Prince licked my forehead. ¡°Wha-wha, wha, Prince.¡± ¡°I licked because you said I can¡¯t kiss.¡± ¡°Un?¡± My voice cracked. ¡°I¡¯m, very jealous. Because Makoto¡¯s flirting with Kaichou, I¡¯m jealous. Makoto.¡± Despite being expressionless his cheeks were flushed as he rubbed his cheek against my lower jaw area, and in my uneasiness I tried to draw back, but the wall was behind so I couldn¡¯t move. The Prince was so unremitting that I could only open and close my mouth. Is this behaviour categorised under friendship? Is this normal behaviour for, high school boys these days? Someone tell me©`! [1] Fuu Fuu ¤Õ©`¤Õ©`. Blowing sounds [2] The Akabeko legend originated from Aizu »á½ò (Fukushima prefecture, Japan). [3] Kabedon ±Ú¥É¥ó. Kabe = wall. Don (in this case) = sound when his hand(s) hit(s) the wall. [4] Hitting the wall (kabedon) in protest ¿¹×h. Eg. when your neighbours are too noisy next door and you ¡®kabedon¡¯ in protest. CH 30 Ara ara, ouji yaru wa ne~. Seid ihr das Essen? Nein, wir sind der J?ger! =================== Watashi, Dokidoki Renai Kakumei de Onii-chan Yattemasu. Chapter 30 ¨C The Sports Festival and the Odd-Jobber and the Staying Over (3) Perhaps it¡¯s time I do something about my disposition of getting swept by the flow. But seeing Prince¡¯s downhearted look makes one feel like listening to what he has to say, doesn¡¯t it. I think the characters here definitely know they¡¯re good-looking. Surely, they know that with their good looks, showing a downcast look or gazing with upturned eyes, the other party will listen to what they have to say. Despite knowing that, I listened to him against my better judgment. And as a result of listening to him, for some reason Prince¡¯s coming over to play at my house. ¡°Kiritani, get in the bath too.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Won¡¯t the encounter rate with Mitsuki increase if Prince¡¯s coming over, for a moment I thought of it as a boon but alas, Mitsuki said she¡¯s staying over at Subaru¡¯s house. Is Mitsuki really a heroine? She has such bad timing. And she personally holds too little will to have a romance. Could it be she¡¯s not in the love mode yet because it¡¯s still June? I haven¡¯t played many otome games so I don¡¯t know what a normal state of progress is like. If I knew it¡¯s gonna be like this, I should¡¯ve played more otome games or BL games. ¡°Are you okay with the change of clothes being mine? The size might be too large though.¡± Prince¡¯s thin enough that it becomes a little worrying, so my clothes might be too baggy for him. The official profile I received from Subaru stated something like 175cm and 60kg, was it? Too thin. Isn¡¯t it better to be slightly heavier? Prince accepted my home clothes, and nod, silently nodded. Staring at the back view of Prince who entered the bath, I let out a deep sigh. Certainly, I do like Prince. But that¡¯s friendship, and I want Mitsuki to raise the love flag with Prince. It might be me being too self-conscious, but I doubt we¡¯ll pass the night like this with nothing happening. It¡¯ll be good if it¡¯s a needless worry, but I¡¯ve an inkling something that I can¡¯t tell Subaru will happen. At the very least, if this flag raised in the real world when I was female, I might¡¯ve been able to respond, but it¡¯s impossible now. Definitely impossible. Nonetheless, I¡¯m weak to things such as Prince¡¯s face or his voice or his smell, huh. According to Subaru it¡¯s apparently some setting of the Prince¡¯s pheromones mesmerising the Sakurai siblings, but sheesh she really made an unnecessary setting. ¡°Makoto, bath, thanks.¡± ¡°Un?! Yeah, un!¡± As I brooded on my own, Prince returned before I knew it. It¡¯s downright awkward being alone with Prince in my room. Come to think of it, this might be the first time I¡¯m alone with Prince. After all, we were always with Soutarou or Kaname and so forth. What should I talk about? Food we like? Or how we spend our time off? I¡¯ve a feeling either of them are kind of off. Prince sat down beside me. I got even more nervous as the bed creaked. My fingertips which lost a place to go, touched those of the Prince who shifted to the bed. I reflexively pulled my fingers away in shock, but Prince¡¯s fingers chased after mine with a clear intention, entwining and capturing them. Uwah, I¡¯m nervous. I¡¯m nervous but it¡¯s stranger to feel needlessly conscious about it huh. Prince¡¯s the type who doesn¡¯t have many friends, so he might just be poor at judging the distance to take between friends, and might just be acting spoiled. ¡°Makoto.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kiritani. Suddenly holding hands. Are you a spoiled kid or what~?¡± As much as possible, equanimity. Equanimity. Squeeze, I hugged Prince as I leaned on him, stroking his head. As expected Prince is thin and feels very small. Even though his height isn¡¯t so different from mine, I wonder why he¡¯s this thin? The shirt I lent him was somewhat baggy, and the situation was as if he¡¯s wearing a boyfriend shirt. ¡°Makoto, why¡¯s it only my name you won¡¯t call?¡± [1] ¡°Nah, there isn¡¯t really any reason. What¡¯s up all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Because you call Soutarou or Kaname by their names.¡± He¡¯s expressionless but this is how his atmosphere gets when he¡¯s sulking. His eyebrows are slightly lowered. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll call you by your name from now on.¡± ¡°Now.¡± I became anxious when pressed by Prince who was strangely urging me. Even though Prince is usually lethargic, he¡¯s pressurizing only at times like this. ¡°Alright, I say. Erm¡­¡­¡± Now that you mention it, what¡¯s the Prince¡¯s name again? I¡¯ve been calling him ¡®Prince¡¯ in my heart, and have been calling him ¡®Kiritani¡¯ until now so I can¡¯t remember. But I can¡¯t possibly ask the Prince ¡°What¡¯s your name, again?¡± at this eleventh hour. What do I do, me?! Prince probably noticed, that I don¡¯t know his name. He let out a displeased voice that was half a tone lower than before. ¡°¡­¡­ Kiritani, Riku.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡­.¡± I caused Prince to be displeased so quickly. ¡°Ah, erm, Riku?¡± Prince is happy. Prince is happy! His cheeks were lightly dyed pink, and cat ears rose. Soutarou shows his happiness by ¡®attaching¡¯ dog ears and whizz whizz, waving his tail, but Prince moves his cat ears with a prick prick as his tail plonk plonk hits the bed¡­¡­ or so it appears. It¡¯s kinda cute. ¡°Somehow, it finally feels like I¡¯ve become friends with Makoto.¡± ¡°What are you sayin¡¯. We were friends since way before, ya.¡± Prince¡¯s eyes grew a size larger as though he was shocked, and then he smiled faintly. ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s true.¡± Thereupon I finally slackened the arm I held Prince with until now. The seductiveness of Prince who smiled at me with upturned eyes as he blushed, its destructive power was exceptional. A skeletal frame that¡¯s manly for someone this slender, an Adam¡¯s apple and a collarbone peeked out from the nightclothes I lent him. For a girl, there¡¯s no spectacle that exceeds this. My throat unconsciously sounded audibly. The heart of I, whose heart fluttered at his manly stature, was properly a girl¡¯s. However, the outer appearance is a boy. What¡¯s this, what¡¯s this unbalanced me. For my heart to flutter at this manly stature despite having a male body, isn¡¯t this remarkably a BL flag? Subaru would be ecstatic. Moreover, Prince smells very good. I wonder what smell is this? Even though he should¡¯ve used the same shampoo and body soap as me, it¡¯s different from that, it¡¯s the Prince¡¯s smell. As though in an attempt to hide something in the depths of my chest which couldn¡¯t hide my fluttering heart, I got down from the bed and moved to the bookshelf. ¡°N¡¯then, let¡¯s read manga shall we!¡± ¡°Manga?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a variety but. Does Riku read stuff like manga?¡± Makoto¡¯s room¨D¨Din this case it might be more apt to call him Mitsuki¡¯s older brother but¨D¨Dhe has, originally left manga and games I¡¯ve never read or played before here. I believe a large amount of them are things like shounen manga and RPG-type game software. Not only manga, and though it¡¯s natural, even the clothes are menswear, and even with a scan of the room¡¯s ambience it¡¯s different from the room I¡¯ve lived in until now.[2] ¡°I don¡¯t ¡®eally read manga.¡± ¡°Then, what do ya usually do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I eat.¡± Certainly there¡¯s the image of Prince constantly eating something. However, he can¡¯t possibly be eating something all year round right. ¡°Does Makoto like this kind of manga and games?¡± ¡°Wun, ¡­¡­ that¡¯s, right.¡± By nature I wasn¡¯t the type who likes manga or games. Of course I don¡¯t hate manga and such, but I won¡¯t want to read them so badly that I¡¯ll buy them. To say nothing of shounen manga and whatnot, those especially I don¡¯t read much. Come to think of it I haven¡¯t heard much about Mitsuki¡¯s older brother from Subaru, but I wonder what kind of person he was? From the look of this room, a boyish impression is keenly conveyed. Surely Mitsuki¡¯s older brother isn¡¯t a half-baked existence like me who can¡¯t be distinguished between female or male, he should¡¯ve been a proper onii-chan. I really like Mitsuki a lot, but I wonder if, Mitsuki is okay with a person like me being her onii-chan? ¡°I, wanna know more about Makoto.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong. All of a sudden.¡± Prince got down from the bed and sat in front of me. ¡°I realised that even tho¡¯ I like Makoto, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Ah, well it¡¯s been less than 2 months since we met. But despite that you like me, huh.¡± With increased wrinkles between his brows, Prince stilled for a couple of seconds. And then he tilted his head to the left in that state. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t it your imagination, that you like me?¡± When I suddenly laughed as though to poke fun at him, Prince closed the distance while remaining expressionless. A man drawing nearer expressionlessly is quite scary y¡¯know. And then just like that I was drove to the wall like a certain time before. This time, it wasn¡¯t a wall behind me but a bookshelf. The bumpy back spines of the books pressed against my back. It¡¯s as though they¡¯re telling me to go towards Prince. Thinking I¡¯ve to stop the approaching Prince, I caught hold of both his arms. ¡°Who knows. It could be my imagination, and it could also not be. To discern thereabouts, I think I¡¯ve to know more and more about Makoto.¡± The strength in the hands I held Prince¡¯s arms with, diminished. ¡°About me?¡± Nod, Prince bowed his head in assent. ¡°About Makoto. Subjects Makoto likes or what you do on Sundays, or what kind of manga you read. If I still like you after learning everything from A to Z, doesn¡¯t that mean these feelings are real?¡± The subjects I like are all the humanities. I tend to pass my Sundays by hanging out with Subaru or watching TV, but once in awhile at Subaru¡¯s request, I also play the BL games and such that she made. I don¡¯t read much manga but it seems recently some of them were made into movies, and I¡¯m curious about the Shingeki whatsitsname. This is all, about me and not Mitsuki¡¯s older brother. Is it okay to talk about this? Are these answers appropriate for an older brother of Mitsuki? ¡°I don¡¯t know what Makoto is hesitating about but, I think it¡¯s probably, not my imagination. That I like Makoto, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my imagination.¡± With no hint of teasing, he spoke unequivocally with his usual lack of expression. It¡¯s strange that I feel it¡¯s truly just as he says when he declared with a straight face. At Prince¡¯s words, the tension left me in a moment, and I laughed out loud. ¡°I see I see, I got it. That being the case, come to know about me bit by bit, alright.¡± At that point, the Prince placed his hand next to my head. The bookshelf shook slightly from the impact. ¡°Riku?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Tell me what food you like, Makoto.¡± ¡°Sheesh I say, Riku, it¡¯s always about food with you. The food I like are meat dishes on a whole and sweet things.¡± Prince¡¯s right hand is next to my head, and his left hand is grasping my shoulder. Ah, as expected there¡¯s a nice smell coming from Prince. It¡¯s a nice smell that makes my head go wool-gathering. Because I was so distracted by Prince¡¯s smell, his face came so close that we could kiss. That pretty nose of yours will bump into my glasses if you come so close y¡¯know. ¡°¡­¡­ Urm, Riku¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mako-chaan! I¡¯m back©`?¡± Without even a knock, the door opened all of a sudden. On the other side of the opened door stood, mi dulce angel Mitsuki and Subaru. Mitsuki tilted her head with a blank look, while Subaru grinned after looking at the two of us. This is the ¡°Eureka!¡± smile she makes after entering a route she set her sights on in a BL game and triggering an event. I¡¯ve seen this face of Subaru a number of times so I know. ¡°Kiritani-kun¡¯s here too, huh. You see, I made a cake with Subaru-chan so I was thinking of letting Mako-chan have some too~. Mako-chan, you like sweet things right?¡± Thus, thanks to Mitsuki¡¯s oblivious my pace-ness, I managed to avert a kiss with the Prince. However at this rate I¡¯ve a feeling there¡¯ll be one or two more turmoils before the Ballgame Tournament. What should I do from now on? Will the Ballgame be able to safely commence? My anxiety only continues to pile up. [1] He¡¯s referring to Mako calling him by his ¡°family¡± name (Kiritani) rather than his ¡°own¡± name (Riku). [2] The room she lived in before entering the game (her own room, a girl¡¯s), rather than the one in the current story timeline (a male game character¡¯s). CH 31 Watashi, Dokidoki Renai Kakumei de Onii-chan Yattemasu. Chapter 31 ¨C The Sports Festival and the Odd-Jobber and the Staying Over (4) I finished the odd jobs at the Student Council Room as per usual, and headed to the 2nd gymnasium. Junya desperately tried to detain me while crying crocodile tears a number of times initially, but as Takayanagi readied Choke Sleeper or Lariat each time, recently he¡¯s finally sending me off to the gymnasium obediently. While the 2nd gymnasium is smaller than the 1st gymnasium, there¡¯s more than enough space for volleyball practice. Over there was Soutarou, whose club activities had already ended. Soutarou who smoothly wore a russet jersey was carrying out attack practices using the wall. Ear-splitting sounds were coming from the wall. It clearly conveys how tremendous the might of his attacks are. ¡°Soutarou, I¡¯ve kept you waiting.¡± ¡°Wun, my club activities were just about over. Well done for your hard work.¡± Carrying a ball, he approached with a broad smile. ¡®Well done for your hard work¡¯? Are you my spouse! It¡¯s because he¡¯s like that that Kaname calls him my wife and so forth. Well, it isn¡¯t unpleasant to have one¡¯s hard work recognized. ¡°Then, shall we begin practice now?¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry to make you tag along everyday.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright~. It¡¯s because I want to tag along in Mako¡¯s practice.¡± Taking off my blazer and leaving it at the periphery of the gymnasium, I stretched my body. I also left my enamel bag by the blazer. You may be thinking ¡°Go change into gym clothes!¡±, but the amount of time the school arranged for Ballgame Tournament practices is a mere 60 minutes. Club activities ends at 7pm, and 8pm is already the school¡¯s closing time. Soutarou and I gather here like this to practise whenever we don¡¯t have class practice. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll throw so Mako return it here okay.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± It¡¯s already the 5th time I practised with Soutarou. I feel bad having Soutarou tag along each and every time, however it should be fine since he¡¯s okay with it. The ball Soutarou threw drew a beautiful arch as it came towards me. I took a stance to catch the ball and retreated bit by bit. The speed of the ball¡¯s slow, so if it¡¯s this much, even I who¡¯s lousy at ballgames should be able to receive it¨D¨D¡­¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Uwah, Mako! Are you okay?¡± I splendidly caught the ball with my face and got my nose hit just like how it goes in anime and manga. With this, the failures of catching the ball with my face has crossed the 2-digits threshold. My flat nose will become even flatter. I held my nose and crouched down. My nose stings. I¡¯m so pathetic I feel crying. Despite having him tag along so frequently, my volleyball skills are as you can see. Soutarou rushed towards me, and before I who was crouching down, he similarly crouched down, peeping at my face. ¡°Mako, I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?¡± ¡°No¡­¡­ Soutarou didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯m just fed up with my slow reflexes.¡± Not being able to even catch a ball despite this much practice, I¡¯m completely athletic-inept. Without a doubt, a ballgame incompetent. This ballgame incompetency is probably not at a level where something can be done about it just by practising. What should I do? At this rate I¡¯ll be dragging everyone down again. ¡°Mako doesn¡¯t have slow reflexes. After all, apart from ballgames, you do satisfactory right?¡± ¡°Ballgames have something against me¡­¡­¡± ¡°Gee, don¡¯t get negative, I say. Mako¡¯s a capable person right?¡± It¡¯s as Soutarou says, apart from ballgames, I do satisfactory. From swimming to track-and-field events, even my studies are satisfactory. I¡¯m a man who can brag about doing satisfactory at anything and everything. However, my lack of ability for ballgames, music and arts is catastrophic. Ballgames are as you can see; I¡¯m inept at it, and my drawings are avant-garde. Just this, no matter how much I practice I accumulate, I can never overcome. I spiritlessly drew the ¤Î character on the floor. I¡¯m already a hopeless case. Even though I don¡¯t want anything more expected of me with regards to ballgames, I¡¯ve no choice but to appear in the Ballgame Tournament. There¡¯s no more time already; I¡¯ve to work hard. Even if I don¡¯t contribute, somehow or other I¡¯ve to reach a level where I don¡¯t drag them down. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll work hard.¡± I stood upright, clenching my fist. ¡°Then Mako, I¡¯m throwing it again.¡± ¡°Alright! Bring it on!¡± While it¡¯s a straightforward practice of, me simply repeatedly catching the balls Soutarou throw, somehow it¡¯s a considerably difficult exercise for the ballgame incompetent me. It¡¯s a degree of incompetency whereby I can only catch about half of 10 balls thrown even though they were thrown lightly. I think I was slightly better when I was female, though. ¡°Hey, Sakurai-kun, Tsubaki-kun, it¡¯s time to go home.¡± ¡°Ah, Yurino-sensei. I apologise, we¡¯ll go back soon.¡± It seems like it¡¯s already passed 8pm. The outside of the window was already pitch-black before I knew it. Yurino-sensei entered the gymnasium, picking up the volleyballs that were scattered around. ¡°My, I see you¡¯ve been practising hard. That¡¯s admirable.¡± ¡°¡­.. That¡¯s ¡®cos I¡¯m, ridiculously inept at ballgames.¡± ¡°My, Sakurai-kun looks skillful so that¡¯s unexpected. If you¡¯re fine with it, I can teach you~¡± I fixed my neck tie and put on my blazer in preparation to go home. ¡°Can sensei do sports?¡± This might not be the best thing to put into words, but Yurino-sensei has an incredibly sluggish image. Be it his way of speaking or how he moves, they¡¯re all leisurely. ¡°Snap¡­¡­ I¡¯m angry right now you know ~. I may look like this, but I was part of Track-and-Field Club in my student days, and appeared in prefecture-level competitions for 100-meter dash and high jump, alright ~?¡± ¡°Ohh, that¡¯s amazing, sensei.¡± The obedient Soutarou grinned, answering as though he was impressed. ¡°I, too, would love to see it if it¡¯s that amazing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible ~. The current me is already at this age, so I¡¯ve been careful not to overdo it. My back will be done in.¡± Certainly, according to the official profile, Yurino-sensei should be about 10 years older than Subaru and us, so I understand he¡¯s still at the second half of his 20s. I thought the second half of one¡¯s 20s still counts as a man¡¯s prime, but I wonder if I¡¯m wrong? ¡°Leave me aside aside, c¡¯mon c¡¯mon go home go home ~. I¡¯ll do the locking up ~. Leave the tidying to me, hurry up and go hom~e.¡± Yurino-sensei spoke to us kindly like a kindergarten caretaker while picking up the balls. ¡°Yes, sensei. Then, Soutarou, get changed and let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Un, mind if we drop by the Basketball Clubroom then?¡± ¡°Ok. Well then, sensei, goodbye~¡± Lifting up the enamel bag, I slung it on my shoulder. ¡°Hai hai~, see you tomorrow. It¡¯s already dark so take care on your way home okay~¡± Bidding Yurino-sensei farewell, along with Soutarou I headed for the old school building where clubrooms and so on are located. Undeviatingly walking to the old school building from the gymnasium, I stopped in front of the Basketball Club that was within. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here, so hurry up and get changed inside alright.¡± ¡°Why? Come in too, Mako. It¡¯s warm there right. There¡¯s fans inside so it¡¯s cooler too.¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡­¡± Soutarou pulled my hand. Anyhow, being alone with a guy and furthermore the other party will be changing directly before my eyes. That¡¯s a situation where I can¡¯t complain even if this or thatare done to me. I¡¯ll laugh thinking she holds too little sense of danger if a girl leaves herself in such a situation. That¡¯s precisely my current situation though! Losing to Soutarou¡¯s gentle but pushy arm-pulling, I was stuffed into the clubroom before I could even let out a sound of surprise. As the clubroom is about half the size of a classroom, things like lockers and fans were crammed up in there. Should I say a little, no, there¡¯s a fair amount of male odor. While it seems they were at least mindful of it since there¡¯s a whiff of air-freshener, it still stinks of men. Soutarou took off the Izumino Gakuen Basketball Club¡¯s T-shirt through his head by tugging the collar. As expected of Soutarou. One can tell he has a muscular built even from the side. His dorsal muscles are beautiful, and his chest is also thick huh. His body holds a different kind of beauty from the Prince¡¯s. Anyhow, Mitsuki¡¯s thin waist, needy chest and full thighs are considerably cute. The white skin that peeks out in the area between her pleated skirt and navy blue socks is again, sexy. My heart throbbed even though I¡¯m female. Having put on his dress shirt, this time it¡¯s his slacks. As expected I doubt I should stare at someone else¡¯s underpants, so I took a seat on the chair and looked in the direction the sun rises. At the end of my line of sight stretched a gravure poster of the recently popular idol group. If I¡¯m not wrong, it¡¯s an idol group called Bakumatsu Shishi Girls, and this girl is the center[1], Sakamoto Ryou, was it? Sakamoto Ryou wore a frilly pink swimsuit that emphasized her chest as she looked here provocatively. I see. Not bad. It¡¯s not bad but I¡¯m part of the flat-chested faction, and if it¡¯s the Bakumatsu Shishi Girl group, I¡¯m in the Katsura Koharu faction. She¡¯s cute; her face and eyes are huge and like a small animal¡¯s, and she¡¯s also an imouto character. ¡°Could it be Mako likes Sakamoto Ryou?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m the Katsura Koharu faction. What about Soutarou?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m, let¡¯s see. Takasugi Sakura I guess©`¡± Takasugi sports a short haircut and is boyish, a character who addresses herself as ¡®boku¡¯[2]. Does Soutarou like boyish, lively girls? Let¡¯s use this as reference if Mitsuki comes to capture Soutarou. Mitsuki using ¡®boku¡¯ as her first-person pronoun would be so rousing[3]¡­¡­! Being convinced on my own, I turned towards Soutarou. While he had his trousers on, it wasn¡¯t zipped, and the buttons of his dress shirt were in an unfastened state. Start a conversation after wearing your clothes properly. I can see your orange boxers you know. ¡°More importantly, hurry up and get changed. You¡¯re too bared.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same, Mako?¡± After putting his own clothes in order, Soutarou placed his hands on my shirt and fastened the first button without my consent. He also properly tightened my necktie in passing. Despite me being the type who doesn¡¯t properly tightens his tie, my tie was tightened properly as though in harassment. ¡°Soutarou, it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Oy, you can¡¯t~. That¡¯ll be unbecoming right.¡± Soutarou tightened my necktie when I tried to loosen it. Certainly, be it high school boys or high school girls, it¡¯s more fashionable to wear the uniform properly, and I think it¡¯s lame to needlessly dress untidily. However isn¡¯t it fine to close one eye for this level of untidiness if it¡¯s just loosening the necktie? I¡¯m not wearing my pants at my hips[4] and I¡¯m wearing both my dress shirts and slacks properly. Even my hair¡¯s black and properly trimmed. I don¡¯t put on perfume, nor use so much hair gel that it gets all sticky. My outer appearance is satisfactorily a honour student¡¯s, I believe. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now since you¡¯re changed.¡± Opening the clubroom door, outside was a pitch darkness. The current time was passed 8.20pm. It was long passed the time the lights were turned off, so it¡¯s natural that it¡¯s pitch-black. I was going to exit the clubroom without much thought, but Soutarou pulled my school uniform. Yank, I inclined backwards, almost falling down. ¡°What are you doing!¡± I thought, but turning back, I saw a frightened Soutarou grasping the hem of my clothes. His expression was unchanged; the same as usual, but with a smile he stiffened. Furthermore he was, tremble tremble, quivering as he grabbed my arm and hid behind me. Ah come to think of it, this doggy¡¯s scared of the school when it¡¯s dark, was it. He was also pretty frightened during a certain kimodameshi huh. ¡°¡­¡­ . Sorry for being so pathetic every time, Mako.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok, besides, I know Soutarou¡¯s scared of the school when it¡¯s dark. I¡¯ll bring you out properly, so close your eyes.¡± I took Soutarou¡¯s hand and quietly gripped it, continuously pulling that hand as I guided him on the way to the main gate. The pitch-black corridor was, even to me, a path hard to navigate. Moreover, I¡¯m bringing a huge dog behind me. However, as thanks for teaching me volleyball, let¡¯s properly bring him out of the school. [1] Center: A prominent position in the group. Bakumatsu Shishi Girls is also mentioned in the author¡¯s other work, Takamura-kun is Cursed. [2] ƒW¤ÃÄï Boku musume: slang for females who address themselves with ¡®boku¡¯. ¡®Boku¡¯ is typically only used by males, so it can be considered tomboyish for a girl to address herself as such. [3] ÃȤ¨ Moe [4] Koshipan: lit. hip pan(ts). Slang for Sagging, or the fashion of wearing one¡¯s pants low. CH 32 Chapter 32 ¨C The Sports Festival and the Odd-Jobber and the Staying Over (5) Now then, the Izumino Gakuen Ballgame Tournament has arrived. Refreshing youths brought out everything they honed in the practice till now as they perspired, aiming for victory as they bore teamwork within their hands. Looking at such youths, I thought. The Student Council¡¯s odd-jobber is truly a dreadful position, which all sorts of odd jobs are entrusted to. From the Student Council¡¯s odd jobs and assistance of the Health Committee members, to assistance of the Sports Committee members who organised the Ballgame Tournament and so on. Odd jobs for all of them. Rushing over like a gopher once I¡¯m called, and toiling like a cart-horse. Honestly, it¡¯s tough to complete the odd jobs, but it¡¯s much better than having to appear more than necessary in the ballgames I¡¯m poor at. ¡±Sakurai©`, if you¡¯re free, help with carrying this©`.¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m free, Hasumi?¡± I¡¯m currently babysitting the infirmary as a Health Committee member. There was a shortage of personnel because the original Health Committee members left to participate in their respective matches. Thus the one selected to replace them was I, the odd-jobber. The work of a Health Committee member was fairly hectic. Despite that, this Hasumi seemed to have come all the way to the infirmary just to push odd jobs to me. With both hands full holding huge boxes, she grinned. Even though Hasumi¡¯s extremely kind towards Mitsuki, she¡¯s extremely severe towards me, Mitsuki¡¯s brother. According to Subaru, it appears Hasumi a.k.a. Hasumi Yuiko is the rival character on Soutarou and Kaname¡¯s route. Certainly if you ask whether the boyish and lively Hasumi, resembles Bakumatsu Shishi Girls¡¯ Takasugi Sakura who Soutarou said he liked, then yes, she does. Though there¡¯s no such signs at all at this point, there¡¯s no harm being on the lookout. Besides, she could be a repeat of Madoka. ¡°People like Health Committee members are free when no one comes, right. In other words, you¡¯re free right now, yes?¡± She nonchalantly passed me the box that contains table tennis rackets. Moreover there¡¯s about 20 rackets inside. It¡¯s moderately heavy, to think Hasumi managed to carry both boxes. ¡°Well, I¡¯m free but©`¡± Certainly I¡¯m free but, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to leave the infirmary completely vacant. However, well, it¡¯s not far to the gymnasium from here, so wouldn¡¯t it be fine to vacate for a while? There shouldn¡¯t be any problem if I leave quickly and return quickly. It¡¯s not good to let a girl carry such heavy things, and if I were a girl I¡¯d like some help carrying these. I adjusted my grip of the box, drawing nearer towards Hasumi¡¯s direction. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll help. Just a bit, okay.¡± ¡°As expected of Sakurai~. Kind~!¡± ¡°I¡¯m an ikemen only at heart after all. Hasumi, you can put the box over there on top too.¡± For some reason all around me are no one but sparkly men, so I have to at least be an ikemen at heart. That¡¯s precisely: appearing dashingly with a refreshing smile like the hero of a shoujo manga, carrying himself with ease. I¡¯m female precisely at heart but, now that I¡¯m living as a male, I do want to be at least a little popular with girls. Like this, as a guy, I wonder how it feels to get kyahkyah¡¯d at by girls. Now that I¡¯ve become a guy, I¡¯d think of wanting to be told ¡°Sakurai-kun, so cool, kyah kyah¡± by cute girls. ¡°That¡¯s true huh. There¡¯s no one but ikemen who¡¯re at a level where they¡¯re hard to compete with, around Sakurai after all.¡± ¡°Does Hasumi, as expected, prefers ikemen too? Like Soutarou or Kaname?¡± It¡¯s a chance to hear what she thinks of Soutarou and Kaname, in this natural course of events. Well then, Hasumi, how will you reply? I casually examined Hasumi¡¯s expression as we walked in the corridor. Hasumi¡¯s face flushed faintly as she looked in my direction. ¡°Ah, ehh¡­¡­ I¡¯m not too concerned about stuff like looks. Besides, right now it¡¯s more fun to play around with friends¡­¡­.¡± Judging from this reaction I think it doesn¡¯t feel like she¡¯s become Mitsuki¡¯s rival yet. Good good. It could be that Hasumi hasn¡¯t moved into the rival position as Mitsuki hasn¡¯t entered Soutarou¡¯s route or Kaname¡¯s route. Thank goodness. After all, Hasumi and Mitsuki are good friends. It¡¯ll definitely be saddening if someone you¡¯re on good terms with suddenly turns into your rival. I don¡¯t want Mitsuki to weather sad feelings. I wish for Mitsuki to live a fun high school life. To that effect, I increasingly want Mitsuki to progress on Prince¡¯s route. There¡¯s no problem stopping with the love stories since I already heard what I want from Hasumi, but as it doesn¡¯t feel right to chop the conversation abruptly, I decided to continue with the harmless love stories for the time being. ¡°I see. But you¡¯ve a type you like and so on right?¡± ¡°Eh! U-un. That¡¯s, I am a girl after all?¡± For some reason Hasumi blushed, and started getting worked up. To be embarrassed over something like love stories, even Hasumi has a girly side huh, I secretly thought such impolite things. ¡°A girl, only on the outside?¡± I¡¯ll tease you a little, I thought as I grinned. Hasumi knitted her brows like she was sullen, as she poked my side. ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s because Sakurai¡¯s like this that you aren¡¯t popular.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if I¡¯m not popular, someday I¡¯ll get a cute girlfriend who¡¯s delicate and petite.¡± If I do get a girlfriend, a soft, cute and healing type of girl would be good. A girl who¡¯s petite and like a small animal, causing one to want to protect her, is good. Well, though in truth I¡¯ve absolutely no intention of having a lover in this world. After all, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be here. It could be till March next year in accordance to the game¡¯s scenario, or I may end up having to live here for life, or I may return to the real world when I wake up tomorrow. To have a special and important someone despite being such an existence, I can¡¯t do such an irresponsible thing. It¡¯ll just be painful for both parties that way. ¡°Sakurai likes cute girls don¡¯t you? If it¡¯s the Bakumatsu Shishi Girls, someone like Katsura Koharu.¡± ¡°Eh, ah, un. How did Hasumi, know that I like Katsura Koharu?¡± ¡°I heard from Tsubaki. How is it, are girls like Katsura Koharu your type?¡± Bakumatsu Shishi Girls¡¯ Katsura Koharu is certainly cute. She¡¯s a 152cm tall and weighing 36kg, slender, small-chested and baby-faced small-animal type female. She¡¯s a girl who seems like she¡¯ll suit soft, pink, lavish frills. Saying she¡¯s my type may make me sound les but, well, I think she¡¯s a girl so cute that even the hearts of girls would thump. ¡°Yeah, well, if it¡¯s Bakumatsu Shishi Girls, it¡¯s Katsura Koharu. She is cute.¡± ¡°I see. As I thought, guys do like cute girls.¡± Hasumi seemed to be mulling over something, looking down as she made a complicated face. I wonder what¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s just a possibility but, could it be, Hasumi likes me or something¡­¡­Nah, it can¡¯t be. Hasumi¡¯s the rival character when you capture Soutarou and Kaname y¡¯know. No way, no way. There¡¯s no way, no way Hasumi likes me. It¡¯s me being too self-conscious huh. Hahaha, how embarrassing. Hasumi and I finally reached the 1st gymnasium, and we lowered the boxes that contained the table tennis rackets. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s Mako-chan and Hasumi©`. Yo there!¡± ¡°Ah, Kaname, yo. How was your match?¡± ¡°Duh! I¡¯m the overall champion y¡¯know~, or at least I¡¯d like to say, but unfortunately I¡¯m in the best 8. As expected the 3rd-years are strong, man.¡± I was busy with the odd jobs, and couldn¡¯t cheer for Kaname at all. ¡°Even the best 8 is amazing. It¡¯s the best 8 out of 24 classes after all. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Izumino Gakuen¡¯s Normal Department consists of 5 classes from A to E, and besides that, there are the Special Class, English Special Class and Mathematics Special Class. If it¡¯s the best 8 out of 24 classes, I believe it¡¯s quite an excellent result. I wanted to see Kaname play an active role. ¡°Ou. Mako-chan too, all the best for volleyball. I, will come cheer you on! Hasumi will come and cheer too right~¡± ¡°Un, I¡¯ll come cheer you on along with Mitsuki. Sakurai, all the best.¡± Not to mention playing an active role, I¡¯ll definitely end up weighing everyone down. No matter how much I practised with Soutarou, I didn¡¯t become able to play ballgames at all. Not to mention that, I didn¡¯t even improve a tiny bit. Despite practising that much, not even a bit. I can only think that I¡¯ve no ability to play ballgames. ¡°Ah, un, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Ah, Mako! Did you come to cheer us on?¡± Soutarou rushed over with a full-faced smile. In the area Soutarou appeared to have been at until a while ago, were kyahkyah-ing girls who appeared to be his fans. Surely, they clamoured ¡°Tsubaki-kun, so cool!¡±, ¡°So dreamy!¡± as they watched him play an active role. Sheesh, it¡¯s enough to make one envious. ¡°Oh, Soutarou, you worked hard.¡± ¡°Volleyball¡¯s in the afternoon, right. Let¡¯s do our best together.¡± To think I¡¯ve no choice but to participate in the volleyball match later, sheesh how depressing. ¡°U-un¡­¡­ Ah, un, I¡¯ll do ma best. Well then, the Health Committee member me will return to the infirmary.¡± Speaking in a fake Kansai dialect, I left for the infirmary hurriedly. ¡°Eh, Mako, wait.¡± I don¡¯t want to participate in the volleyball match. I don¡¯t want to participate but I¡¯ve no choice but to do so. It¡¯s precisely because I know it¡¯s useless no matter how much I grumble, that I¡¯ve to calm my heart. That¡¯s why, let¡¯s take it easy in the quiet infirmary. Since it seems I¡¯ll be crushed by various kinds of pressure if I remain here. I¡¯m happy for their support, but it seems a little like I¡¯ll be unable to bear this pressure anymore. As I headed to the infirmary in a quick pace, Soutarou who followed behind grabbed my hand, holding me back. It was just right before the infirmary. ¡°Mako! Mako, wait. Um, you know!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, Soutarou? Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡­ It¡¯s just that I was thinking Mako seems to be hurting over something, so I ended up chasing after you.¡± Soutarou lowered his head as though he was embarrassed. ¡°¡­¡­Soutarou.¡± He may be a scaredy-cat, gets lonely easily, and is undiscerning at times, but he always carries a warm heart. He¡¯s a good guy who¡¯ll offer his hand when I want a hand to reach out to me. ¡°It could just be a misunderstanding on my part though.¡± ¡°Nah, ¡­¡­ thanks. As I thought, Soutarou is kind. I feel incredibly relieved.¡± As I thought, the aura Soutarou¡¯s wrapped in is kind. I can feel my face which was acting strong gradually fall apart. Soutarou sure is magnanimous. It¡¯ll be good if someone like Soutarou¡¯s my onii-chan. I want to become a person who Mitsuki will think of that way. For that purpose, too, I want to aim to be that kind of onii-chan. Soutarou¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he laughed as though he was embarrassed. ¡°Un, I¡¯m happy Mako feels that way.¡± Soutarou strengthened his grip on my hand. ¡°Just like how Mako always comes to save me, just like how I save Mako, ¡­¡­ Even for the volleyball this time, I¡¯ll save Mako.¡± The smile this time was one in which dog ears and tail did not spring up. It¡¯s one like a hero from an otome game¡¯s. It¡¯s a little embarrassing. ¡°Though I can¡¯t do ballgames by any means, I¡¯ll work hard the best I can.¡± I probably can¡¯t contribute much. Nah, rather than ¡®probably¡¯, it¡¯s ¡®definitely¡¯ can¡¯t contribute much. There¡¯s no point getting nervous since I can¡¯t do it anyway. If I go at it the best I can, Soutarou will probably come save me when I reach a really painful point. Soutarou is, always my ally without fail, and always comes to save me. I believe he¡¯ll definitely not lie. Nah, let¡¯s say he does betray me, I¡¯ll likely accept it if that¡¯s the case. Because there should definitely be some reason for Soutarou to do such a thing. I wonder why I trust him this much despite having known each other for a mere several months. Somehow or other, right. CH 33 Watashi, Dokidoki Renai Kakumei de Onii-chan Yattemasu. Chapter 33 ¨C The Sports Festival and the Odd-Jobber and the Staying Over (6) I was thinking how terrifying how terrifying, however once I went for it, it lasted but a moment. We, the Year 2 Class A volleyball team, got 4th place at the end of the day, and secured 10th place overall. This result was mainly obtained by the good performance of Soutarou, Prince and Kaname. These fellows, they have the looks and they excel in sports, exactly how much are they blessed with. Do bestow some unto me too. In the first place, the thing called volleyball isn¡¯t something very complicated. The team that scores 25 points first wins. The team that procures 2 sets of out 3, wins. The rules are clear-cut and simple. Return the ball that comes flying within 3 contacts. The team that lets it drop loses. What an easily-understandable rule. Even so, I can¡¯t accomplish that. Even for a normal high school student playing volleyball, there¡¯s no issue height-wise for me, and this may be a repetition but I don¡¯t think my reflexes are that bad. Nonetheless, ballgames alone, I¡¯m not up to them. I was allowed to get someone to sub in after pleading, but I still had to participate because of the decision from the staff¡¯s side that one must appear in the match at least once. I only participated for a round, hence the game managed to conclude safely without giving birth to a tragedy. I¡¯m really glad. I¡¯m nothing but on cloud nine that it ended without me dragging everyone down in some strange way. ¡°Oii, Sakurai©`it¡¯s over here this time, okay.¡± ¡°Haai, I¡¯m coming now!¡± My final task as an odd-jobber was tidying up. Both the Student Council and Sports Committee are also tidying up, but somehow this was quite the heavy labour. Things like rackets and balls are somewhat heavy when there¡¯s a large amount of them. ¡°Umeda-san, is it okay as long as I carry this?¡± ¡°Un, bring that to the 1st gymnasium¡¯s storeroom. I¡¯ll also be bringing this.¡± ¡°Haai.¡± Umeda may be a Student Council member, but in terms of Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution, he¡¯s a minor character, not a capturable character. Subaru said the only capturable characters in the Student Council are Takayanagi and Junya, and that Umeda was prepared for the sake of moving the story forward. He¡¯s a character positioned between a supporting character and a minor character. When there¡¯s a necessity for an aide who enables you to converse with the main characters, but it¡¯s not important enough that the other main characters have to be brought out, such a convenient character ¨D¨D that is Umeda. That¡¯s why Umeda¡¯s in the Student Council, and also enrolled in the Basketball Club that has ties with Soutarou and Kaname. Therefore, this Umeda Daichi wasn¡¯t set to be very cool. However, he¡¯s a character that somehow feels comforting. He has precisely the visual image that gives a feeling of a normal high school boy. I picked up the volleyball net that was left by my feet. This isn¡¯t heavy but it¡¯s bulky and hard to carry. ¡°Sakurai, you¡¯ve really worked hard. I¡¯m saying this as a Student Council member, but you really helped us out.¡± ¡°Ah, no. I also relatively enjoyed it.¡± With this, my work at the Student Council has also come to an end, huh. It seems like I can live peacefully for a while from now on. ¡°Still, next is the school end-of-term exams, huh~¡± ¡°End-of-term, exams?¡± My feelings of wanting to live peacefully was shattered in an instant. It¡¯s now the last day of June. If the period around 20th July is summer vacation, then certainly, I¡¯ve an inkling end-of-term exams are held around this period. If so, I¡¯ll probably be unable to score well if I don¡¯t start studying soon. While the me from the real world always had grades around the middle, this time I want to work hard a little and try aiming for an upper-level score. By all means, I also wish for Mitsuki to aim for the upper-levels. And I wish that the capturable targets¡¯ favorability rating will increase. ¡°You, you forgot, right.¡± ¡°Hai¡­¡­. But as I hate studying, so rather than saying I forgot, should I say I wanted to forget¡­¡­¡± Now that I decided, I¡¯ve to begin studying from today, huh. First of all, I¡¯ve to study to the extent that I can teach Mitsuki. ¡°What are you mumbling about. I¡¯m sayin¡¯, I can teach you if you¡¯re okay with me. Or so I say, but I¡¯m not that smart either.¡± ¡°Please teach me, by all means. I¡¯m poor at maths so it¡¯ll be very helpful if you¡¯ll teach me.¡± I don¡¯t have the right to say this about others, but this is truly a face that¡¯s neither distinctive nor bad. If I force myself to come up with something, perhaps his stiff black unkempt hair and thick eyebrows can be counted as his traits? The pointlessly refreshing and sparkly~ aura that he emits is also his trait, huh. I estimate his height to be about the same as mine. What is this, because I¡¯m always beside fellows who oozed the sparkly aura of ikemen, my shoulders loosen up when I¡¯m with this kind of normal-ish person. ¡°I can teach you if it¡¯s maths, I¡¯m sayin¡¯.¡± ¡°Hai! Please take care of me, Umeda-san.¡± ¡°Un.¡± All the matches have ended, and by the time I finished the final big task as an odd-jobber, it¡¯s already 7pm. It¡¯s already pitch-black outside. As school ended today without club activities, the only people remaining were Student Council members and Sports Committee members who were tidying up. ¡°Sakurai-kun, it is fine for you to leave already. Thank you very much up for your work till now.¡± When we completed the cleaning of the gymnasium, Takayanagi lowered his head at me. ¡°Ah, no, I enjoyed it too. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Come to the Student Council more then~, bunny-chan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Certainly I enjoyed it, but that and this are different matters. There¡¯s a mountain load of things I must to do at all costs. I have the huge task of attaching Mitsuki to Prince. ¡°I also hope for Sakurai-kun to come to the Student Council again. Because you work better than this idiot.¡± Takayanagi pushed the bridge of his glasses up and grinned. ¡°Hai! I¡¯ll come and see Takayanagi-senpai again.¡± ¡°Bunny-chan, bunny-chan, what about me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll also come and see Junya-senpai.¡± Because if I don¡¯t say it this way, Junya will get noisy again. Flop flop, Junya swung the rabbit ears of his sweater in delight. Somehow when I witness a big guy going kyahkyah, there¡¯s this, very complicated feeling that surfaces. It¡¯s probably because this is Junya we¡¯re talking about, though. I started smiling all of a sudden. While I said the reason I promised to drop by the Student Council once in a while was because Junya¡¯s noisy, I personally do feel it¡¯s fine to visit the Student Council again as I truly enjoyed myself there. That¡¯s why I made a promise. I¡¯m not a nice person so I¡¯ll clearly state that I hate it if I really didn¡¯t want to go. Takayanagi may be a serious person but he gets sharp-tongued at times and is interesting. Junya may be noisy and a hentai, but he¡¯s not a bad person. Moreover, Umeda¡¯s normal-ish aura calms me down in a different way from Soutarou¡¯s. ¡°Take care on your way home.¡± (T/N: Takayanagi) ¡°I¡¯ll go home with bunny-chan~¡± ¡°Oi the studhorse idiot rabbit over there, you can¡¯t leave. You still have work left.¡± Takayanagi attempted to use the Backdrop move on Junya. So Takayanagi can bring out such a major move too. Having failed at Backdrop, Takayanagi quickly switched to a Headlock. Junya¡¯s bones cracked till their limits. To think that Junya still doesn¡¯t learn his lesson and continues with his wrongdoings despite experiencing such skillful techniques each time. In a way he¡¯s the strongest, huh. ¡°Takayanagi, Narahashi¡¯s going to die, I say. Hey Narahashi, you should do your work seriously too. Or else there¡¯ll be no end.¡± (T/N: Umeda) I was wavering over whether to leave this alone, but I decided to take him at his word and go home. I walked on the gloomy paddy field path[1] between Izumino Gakuen and Hanagaki Station. Tentatively, the street lights are lit for the sake of Izumino Gakuen¡¯s commuting students, albeit dimly. But as expected the path becomes gloomy when it¡¯s the middle of the night. ¡°Makoto-san.¡± Being called by a voice from behind on such a gloomy path, as expected even if it¡¯s me, my shoulders shook in surprise. Turning back timidly, there stood Yukinoshita Ikuto who was clad in the black gakuran that¡¯s the proof of being a student of Private Atlas Academy. Ikuto¡¯s abnormally fair complexion was emphasised when he bathed in the twilight, and he appeared even more fragile. There weren¡¯t any opportunities to meet Ikuto ever since that one incident with Madoka ended. Well, not that there was a need to, in the first place. ¡°Ahh, Ikuto-kun. You¡¯re going back now?¡± ¡°Hai, I was doing Student Council work.¡± ¡°Ikuto-kun¡¯s in the Student Council? You¡¯ve worked hard. Where do you live? Let¡¯s go home together.¡± If it¡¯s the Student Council then he¡¯s the same as Subaru, huh. Let¡¯s ask Subaru for more details about Ikuto next time. ¡°It¡¯s Miyoshino Station for me.¡± ¡°Ah, the same train then. I¡¯ll be alighting at Tachibana though.¡± Miyoshino Station is about 3 stations apart from the Tachibana Station I¡¯m alighting at. The line to board is the same so we can go home together for a part of the journey. Although Ikuto smiled as he said ¡°Together then¡±, as I thought, his eyes weren¡¯t smiling. It¡¯s the feeling that even though he appears to be beaming on the surface, you don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking about in his heart. In the depths of those eyes that one can spy a bit of violet from, was a whirling darkness that appears muddy, as though the night melted and warped into them. Ikuto¡¯s shorter than me but he gives a sort of overpowering sensation, perhaps due to the aura he emanates. My instincts tells me he¡¯s scary. No no, for such a serious and fine young man to be scary, it¡¯s probably my imagination. ¡°Makoto and I don¡¯t see each other much despite our schools being close, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, huh. I usually go back much earlier. Because I¡¯m not in any clubs or committees. Does Ikuto-kun always go home around this time?¡± I¡¯ve been thinking all along that it¡¯s about time I join some club, join. However I¡¯m still undecided as of now, and somehow or other it became like this. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s always about this time for me. Because the Student Council and club activities are pretty hectic.¡± ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why we haven¡¯t met till now. You¡¯ve had it hard too, Ikuto.¡± Passing through the faregate, we waited for the train at the platform. There were other students like us waiting for the train at the platform. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that this station exists mostly for the commuting students from Izumino Gakuen and Private Atlas Academy. Other than schools there¡¯s only private houses, paddy fields and farms here, hence there are few users of Hanagaki Station. ¡°It¡¯s not hard on me as I¡¯m doing it because I like it. Just that, there isn¡¯t even time for studying. I¡¯m worried about the end-of-terms.¡± ¡°Well, it is around the corner. I talked about this with my senpai today too. Because I¡¯m not that good at studying either.¡± So students from distinguished private schools like Atlas also worry about things like studies. I thought they can take it easy for exams or something because they have a good head on their shoulders. Or perhaps, he¡¯s worried about the exam exactly because he¡¯s in a distinguished school? ¡°Makoto-san, shall we study together when you¡¯re free next time?¡± ¡°With me? Sure. If you¡¯re okay with me.¡± We boarded the local train[2] that finally arrived. The figures of students are few and far between, but there are many salarymen on their way home. Unable to find seats that the two of us can sit together, we grabbed hold of the handrail. We have about 15 minutes to spare. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get involved with Ikuto again. This may be overly frank, but I thought everything would have ended with Ikuto too, after Madoka¡¯s incident came to a close. It was a pleasant miscalculation. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m anticipating the chances of Ikuto and Mitsuki building a romantic relationship, and obviously not the chances of Ikuto and I building a romantic relationship. Just that I find it¡¯s simply delightful for one¡¯s friends to increase. [1] Ìï¤ó¤ÜµÀ tanbo michi [2] These trains stop at every stop. CH 34 Chapter 34 ¨C The Quarrel and the Dog and the Wolf (1) ¡°Hey, mum.¡± It¡¯s been 3 months since I became a high school boy. It¡¯s already July. I was once a maiden, but now I¡¯m without a doubt a high school boy. It¡¯s something praiseworthy. It¡¯s about time I manage to bring out the so-called man in me. In spite of that, ¡°Ack, a guy?!¡±, even now I get a fright if I look into the mirror when I¡¯m half-asleep. It feels as though it¡¯s not my body even though it is my body. So much so that I unknowingly burst into laughter at times like that. There¡¯s times when the feeling that I¡¯m male really sinks in. They¡¯re when I stand beside girls, when I talk to Soutarou and company or when I happen to see boys in the toilet. My height grew by about 20cm, my voice is low and there¡¯s no chest. No, well, my chest was already almost nonexistent originally though. But there aren¡¯t many opportunities to turn into a high school boy these days, so I started thinking I should just try and become a cool high school boy. I¡¯ll become a high school boy like the ones I thought I¡¯d like to date when I was a girl, yo. Even as I started to adapt this way and that, as expected I made neither progress nor regress regarding returning back to the real world. Naught. ¡°Oi, Souta, are you ignoring me!¡± ¡°Ehh, I¡¯m the mother?¡± ¡°This development, I reckon it happened too before.¡± I retorted while eating the mango cake, a newly-released summer product. The 3-person rowdy group of Soutarou, Kaname and I, went to the usual family restaurant. It was in order for us to study there, but the only one seriously studying was Soutarou alone. Kaname has his head propped on the opened textbooks as he idle and lounge around, and I¡¯m eating cake. Truth be told, I wanted to eat the giant parfait, another newly-released summer product, but Soutarou stopped me. It seems that the payment will be waived if you finish the giant parfait within 30 minutes, and furthermore you will receive a 5000 yen food voucher. It¡¯s a matter that has to be tackled seriously. ¡°Noi©`sy, Mako-chan. I don¡¯t want to be told by someone who¡¯s eating cake.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the noisy one. This cake is a new product, y¡¯know.¡± There¡¯s 10 more days till the end-of-term test. I think the first day is Mathematics II?B, Biology I and Music. Well, to begin with, casting aside Music which I¡¯m poor at, I¡¯m demoralised due to the array of science subjects I¡¯m poor at. Modern Japanese, Traditional Japanese, Chinese Literature, World History and Japanese History were originally my forte, so I think I can do even without studying too much for those, but the sciences are a complete no-no. Still, it¡¯s much better than ballgames. If I¡¯m not wrong, Mitsuki should also be better at humanities. Additionally, the arts should also be her forte. That¡¯s why, all the more I have to study the sciences so I can teach her. It¡¯s all for the sake of raising Mitsuki¡¯s specs. I must work hard at studying. Let¡¯s first finish eating this cake, then study for dear life. ¡°Oh right, Mako-chan went to observe the Karate Club, huh?¡± ¡°Ahh, un, just a bit the other day. I¡¯m not joining the club though.¡± Speaking of a cool guy it¡¯s strength, and speaking of strength I thought of tile-breaking, so I went to observe the Karate Club the other day. However, when I heard about it in more details, even women can do things like tile-breaking as long as you get the knack. And in the first place, the only time they do tile-breaking is during the performance for the freshmen welcome party, so or I heard. Nevertheless, it¡¯s definitely cool and impactful. I was introduced to a bit of the basics, the standard stance and thrust, and was also taught how to kick. It was interesting. There are of course people who pursue Karate even though they¡¯re girls, but I didn¡¯t hold such an interest when I was a girl. It was a precious experience. ¡°Is©`that so? Karate¡¯s interesting, you know©`. Besides, you can get a black belt if you do it for 2 to 3 years. And the forms and stuff are SUPER cool!¡± The high-specs Kaname can do even Karate. I understand very well that Karate is cool, but I still hesitate to enter the Karate Club. It¡¯s unwished-for to use up my time there. ¡°Eh, Makoto-san.¡± As I chewed the few remaining pieces of the cake, a familiar voice came from above my head. It¡¯s Ikuto who¡¯s wearing the school uniform of Private Atlas Academy. As usual, Ikuto had eyes like those of a dead fish. ¡°Ikuto-kun, yo.¡± ¡°AH! It¡¯s Ikkun. You¡¯re Ikkun from Atlas right? Do you remember me? Kaname! Fujisaki Kaname!¡± The companionable Kaname smoothly suspended the talk about Karate, and started talking to Ikuto who was leaning over. Ikuto had an expression like he was slightly taken aback by Kaname¡¯s enthusiasm, but he quickly smiled and lowered his head. ¡°Yes, of course I do. You participated in the basketball match at Touka, right?¡± ¡°Un, yup yup! I know! Have a meal with us, Ikkun.¡± ¡°Eh, is it okay?¡± Ikuto gave me a bewildered look. I stopped eating the cake and nodded at him. ¡°That¡¯s right. Come sit here. Let¡¯s study together if you¡¯re fine with it. We made a promise before, right?¡± ¡°Is that okay? Thank you very much.¡± Ikuto took a seat next to me, and behaved awkwardly as though he was shy. The Ikuto who said ¡°Excuse me¡± as he looked at me again, is bewitching to the point of being an eye-opener. They sure are siblings. He resembles Madoka. He resembles the queen of ice who has a beautiful, sublime ephemerality and was somewhere erotic. Only the shadow reflected in their eyes are different. The sculpting of their faces are like two peas in a pod. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Did he noticed my scrutinising stare? Ikuto gave a wry smile. I hastily shook my head from left to right. ¡°No, I was thinking that you really do look like Madoka.¡± Marble-like large eyes on a fair and smooth oval face, thin lips. A slim and delicate body. Ikuto who smiled abruptly differed from that serious look of his, and was erotic to the point of giving me the shivers. This also differs from Madoka. Madoka smiles in a purer way. ¡°I¡¯m, ¡­¡­ different from nee-san. Because nee-san is white.¡± Madoka is white. Dirty things and contaminated things, living beyond the bounds of all and sundry fetters. There may also be times it appears black, but the truth is, it¡¯s probably pure white. What colour would this Ikuto be, then? ¡°Mako¡­¡­?¡± Reacting to Soutarou¡¯s voice, I raised my head with a startle. It seems like I was staring fixedly into Ikuto¡¯s eyes while I was ruminating. I wonder what is reflected of me on the other side of those eyes. He¡¯s a mysterious person. Even though he¡¯s serious, I also have a feeling he¡¯s not. ¡°Mako, what¡¯s wrong? For you to be zoning out, are you feeling unwell?¡± Soutarou who happened to be sitting right opposite me, worriedly peeked at my face. ¡°Ah, nah, there¡¯s no such thing. I¡¯m peppy.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then all¡¯s good¡­¡­¡± Soutarou seems to be in low spirits somehow. The dog ears growing from his head were hanging down, and the tail that¡¯s usually wagging busily was drooping. Soutarou hasn¡¯t spoken much since Ikuto came, and he seems much more unwell rather than me. ¡°Are you okay, Soutarou? You¡¯re somewhat strange, y¡¯know.¡± Soutarou was listlessly shrinking his large body that¡¯s like that of a big dog¡¯s, but his body straightened with a spring when I spoke to him. ¡°Eh, you¡¯re wrong! You¡¯ve got it wrong!¡± ¡°¡­.. what have I gotten wrong?¡± What in the world, is up with Soutarou? Kaname who sat next to Soutarou seemed to know the reason for Soutarou¡¯s weird behaviour; he was snickering away. Please tell me if you know something. It¡¯s at times like this that Kaname can¡¯t read the atmosphere, huh. Having finished the cake, I barely managed to raise my heavy back as I opened the textbook. It¡¯s the Mathematics II?B textbook. Calculus, vectors, and so forth, I don¡¯t get them. Though I don¡¯t get them, I¡¯ve no choice but to understand them. Adjacent to me whose head began hurting immediately, Ikuto was going to open his World History textbook. However, that hand of Ikuto¡¯s knocked into a cup that contained coffee. The cup slowly tipped over. He¡¯s out of luck because the one who laid ahead of that was a person you can expect the worst from. ¡°Ahh?¡± He¡¯s a red-haired high school boy who has his bangs slicked back, and some hair jutting out at the sides like the legs of a crab. He has well-defined facial features like a Greek sculpture¡¯s, sharp sanpaku eyes[1], a height that exceeds even Soutarou¡¯s, and a sturdy build. He feels like the template delinquent high school student. Someone I¡¯ll normally never want to get involved with. ¡°I a-apologise!¡± To think that, of all things, coffee was splashed onto this high school boy. Ikuto turned ghastly pale and stood up in a hurry, lowering his head deeply. However, there is no way he will pardon Ikuto so easily. The delinquent high school student furrowed his brows as he glared at Ikuto. ¡°Ikuto-kun¡­¡­!¡± Without thinking, I stood up too. The scrawny Ikuto will be helpless if such a robust guy does something to him. I¡¯m also pretty scrawny, but it¡¯s definitely much better compared to him. The delinquent high school student threw me a fleeting glance. His expression then changed into a surprised one, and he suddenly turned away. I wonder if there¡¯s something on my face. ¡°¡­¡­ not really.¡± Leaving only these words in a barely audible voice, he quickly left the family restaurant. It was Ikuto who panicked. Ikuto probably thought that he can¡¯t leave him be, having splashed coffee on him. Stuffing the scattered textbooks and whatnot into his bag, he chased after the delinquent high school student. ¡°I apologise, everyone! I¡¯ll be excusing myself first.¡± ¡°Ah, wait, Ikuto-kun! It¡¯s dangerous alone. I¡¯ll go wit©`©`¡­¡­ he left.¡± He ran off without listening to the end of my words, leaving behind only the money for the coffee. I promptly stood up too, and stuffed the textbooks into my bag. Taking out the money for the cake and coffee from my wallet, I prepared to chase after Ikuto. ¡°Hang on, Mako? Are you planning to go after them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the normal reaction, right. I can¡¯t leave Ikuto in the lurch.¡± I gave a distinct and decisive reply to Soutarou who made a dubious face. There¡¯s no way I can send him off with a ¡°Okay, goodbye¡± and let the weedy Ikuto confront such a stern-looking high school boy. If I continue pretending that I didn¡¯t see a thing, there¡¯s no way I can nonchalantly smile at Ikuto again. I¡¯ll of course also be too ashamed to face Madoka. ¡°Mako-chan¡¯s so cool©`£¡ But y¡¯know©`, for the time being, calm down, now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push the matter forward on your own, Kana.¡± Soutarou issued those words in a surprisingly low voice. Kaname stopped speaking and glanced at Soutarou, then shrugged. ¡°Mako, I¡¯m worried about you, you know. Certainly, Mako is cool. You¡¯re kind and forthright to anyone, as though you¡¯re a hero. But Mako isn¡¯t something like a hero. You¡¯re just a high school student, right. You may get hurt to a certain degree if you go too far, and may also end up in hot water.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say, Soutarou? Are you asking me to leave Ikuto-kun in the lurch? Are you saying, I should leave him in the lurch and pretend to have seen nothing, even if he gets hurt or if something happens to him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m saying it¡¯s not the best course of action to chase after Ikuto-kun this way and pick a fight with that high school student. Calm down, Mako.¡± It¡¯s not the time to be talking about such a thing. It¡¯s not the time to be arguing here. At this very moment, something might be happening to Ikuto. I am calm. If you want to talk about calming down and so on, then Soutarou who had been in a daze until a while ago is much more inapt. ¡°To Soutarou¡­..¡± Squeeze, I held my bag tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t bring any trouble to Soutarou.¡± Having said that, I left the family restaurant. I think I heard something like my name being called from behind, but I ignored it. Of course, I understand that Soutarou and Kaname are truly worried about me. Nevertheless, I simply want to save the person before my eyes. That¡¯s my sole focus. [1] Èý°×ÑÛ Sanpaku gan CH 35 Chapter 35 ¨C The Quarrel and the Dog and the Wolf (2) ¡°Ikuto-kun!¡± ¡°Ah, Makoto-san.¡± Ikuto and the delinquent student are confronting each other in the middle of downtown. The delinquent high school boy has a height close to 190cm and in addition to that, is robust. On the other hand, Ikuto is more or less 165cm and has a bean sprout-ish build. It¡¯s just like an adult and a child. ¡°Ikuto-kun, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you very much.¡± First and foremost, it seems like he hasn¡¯t been beaten up. I looked up at the delinquent student adjacent to Ikuto. Large. Larger than Soutarou by a great, great deal. ¡°Erm¡­¡­¡± ¡°Aa?¡± ¡°The area that was splashed by coffee, is it alright?¡± The question just now, I was thinking it might be silly, but it was just as I thought. This guy, clicked his tongue imprudently and started trembling! It¡¯s been a while since I met someone clearly larger than me ever since my body became like this. I reaffirmed that beings this large are this scary. I withered in the presence of males with large bodies when I was female, too. I¡¯ve returned to my original disposition. ¡°Of ¡®cos not, right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it. My bad. The question just now was silly.¡± ¡°You, again¡­¡­ is it your hobby to poke your nose into others¡¯ disputes?¡± This person, did he say ¡®again¡¯? By ¡®again¡¯, does it mean that I had once poked my nose into his dispute? Nothing comes to mind even when I eyeballed his face. Did I have such an unpleasant-looking acquaintance? Junya comes under this if you¡¯re talking about someone who¡¯s a bad influence, but Junya isn¡¯t this sort of delinquent. That guy is more frivolous and isn¡¯t as intimidating. ¡°¡®Again¡¯¡­¡­? Have I met you before?¡± ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t remember.¡± Forget it if I don¡¯t remember, is it? Well then. ¡°¡®I shan¡¯t remember it¡¯¡­¡­ is what you¡¯re thinking right, Mako.¡± ¡°Geh, Subaru.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®geh¡¯. And towards your girlfriend too©`¡± The one who abruptly appeared from behind the delinquent student was the high and mighty Subaru-sama. She sleekly donned a white sailor uniform with black lines, the Private Atlas Academy¡¯s summer uniform for girls. The bishoujo Subaru-sama appeared with a tender smile on her face. I have no doubt that she¡¯s grinning in her heart. Her mind is probably in the middle of pairing people up ecstatically. I don¡¯t care already. ¡°¡®Girlfriend¡¯? Who are you talking about. I don¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡± ¡°Hm, was it so?¡± The chuckling Subaru is a beauty. She¡¯s a beauty but it¡¯s kind of dubious. Suddenly remembering that the two of us were chatting away while neglecting Ikuto and the delinquent, I turned towards them. Then I realised that the delinquent was staring at Subaru with a red face. Well well, he was staring hard enough he could bore holes through her. A rugged grizzly-like guy is blushing. Eh, what¡¯s this? What¡¯s this? Subaru also appeared to have noticed; her eyes widened into perfect circles as she stiffened. What does it mean when the author herself is flabbergasted? In the first place, is this person a ¡®character¡¯ from Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution? I strode towards Subaru and whispered in her ear. ¡°This guy, is he a ¡®character¡¯?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Technically a hidden character. Think back, don¡¯t you recall? He was one of the delinquents who was bullying Prince in the first encounter, remember?¡± ¡°This guy bullied Prince?¡± There¡¯s no way I would clearly remember the faces of the delinquents who bullied Prince. I tried my hardest to recall, but I totally couldn¡¯t remember what kind of faces they had. However, now that she mentioned it, there may or may not have been a red-haired large-bodied guy. ¡°No, no. He may look like that, but he¡¯s actually quite a diligent child. In the original story, it should have been Mako and Mitsuki-chan who were there at that time. And then, Kaburagi Kazutoki should have fallen in love at first sight with Mitsuki-chan who happened to be there and tried to save Prince.¡± This imposing delinquent is probably Kaburagi Kazutoki. Digesting Subaru¡¯s words, the Kaburagi who should have fallen for Mitsuki, who should have been with me when I tried to save Prince, fell for Subaru in place of Mitsuki. ¡°What if you go out with him?¡± It¡¯s rare for Subaru to feel disturbed. I grinned and teased her. However, it seems like something like my teasing was only at the level of a puppy¡¯s nibble to Subaru-sama. Without warning, she froze the surroundings with a dark smile. ¡°I will never cooperate with you again if you talk so impudently.¡± ¡°I apologise, Subaru-sama.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± I looked at Kaburagi once again. As expected, he was blushing and fidgeting as he threw glances at Subaru. It¡¯s unlikely that he¡¯ll attack a person who seems like the friend of the woman he likes, so Ikuto should be safe for now. That makes me relieved. However, the problem is ahead of that. Something like the character of an otome game liking its creator, Subaru, is that viable? ¡°But, Subaru, what will you do?¡± ¡°Whichever way, it¡¯s impossible to go out with him and so forth. He¡¯s my character after all! I¡¯m completely aware of what kind of personality he has and what kind of approach he will make. ¡°That¡¯s right, huh.¡± I think Subaru mentioned before that going out with her own character is like going out with her own children. Unsettled, Subaru took a step back. It¡¯s been a while since I saw such a troubled Subaru. It¡¯s a little cute. It seems like she¡¯ll hit me if I say that though. So I won¡¯t. Neither Subaru nor I are able to come up with a good plan. Both of us simply stood there quietly. The issue changed from Coffee Incident to Dokidoki Subaru Revolution before I knew it. Just as I worried about what to do, Kaburagi approached us without a word. The intimidation is incredible. ¡°¡­ Name.¡± ¡°Ehh, ah, m-me?¡± Kaburagi nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Yurino Subaru. A 2nd-year at Private Atlas Academy¡¯s high school division.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a 2nd-year at Kuzuha Minami Technical High School, Kaburagi Kazutoki. I pretended not to hear Subaru muttering ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that¡±. ¡°Un, best regards.¡± Kaburagi was bewitched by Subaru¡¯s certain-kill business smile. He energetically grasped Subaru¡¯s hand and spoke a shocking phrase with a red face. ¡°I like you.¡± The atmosphere froze with a crackle. Subaru¡¯s expression, in particular, froze. Nonetheless, she was the high and mighty Subaru-sama. She immediately gave a wily angel smile and tugged at my arm. When I squirmed a little, she held me so firmly that I can¡¯t get out of it. A voluptuous chest, different from Mitsuki¡¯s, was pressed against my arm. Then she spoke a phrase even more shocking than Kaburagi¡¯s. ¡°I am truly sorry. I am going out with this person. Right, Makoto-kun?¡± ¡°Hah?! What are you saying. There¡¯s absolutely¡ª¡± Subaru gave me a fierce glare. It appears that she won¡¯t cooperate with me ever again if I say that we aren¡¯t going out. There isn¡¯t really any demerit even if Ikuto and Kaburagi misunderstands that Subaru and I are going out. I guess it¡¯s fine to coordinate with Subaru. After letting out a small sigh, I returned my gaze to Kaburagi. I tried to give a smile as natural as possible but my face cramped up despite my efforts. It¡¯s Subaru, y¡¯know. It¡¯s Subaru who¡¯s my close friend in the real world, y¡¯know. The thought of saying she¡¯s my girlfriend at this point makes my skin crawl so much that the words wouldn¡¯t come out. The words wouldn¡¯t come out, but I have to force them out. ¡°My bad. That¡¯s how it is.¡± The high and mighty Subaru-sama was beside me, and in front of me was the man who¡¯s the grizzly or perhaps a beast like the Thailand wolf. He¡¯s so fearsome that my cold sweat couldn¡¯t stop flowing. ¡°¡®Makoto¡¯, is that what ya called?¡± It was a very low and deep voice. Being glared at by his sharp sanpakugan, I unintentionally let out a hiccup. What should I do if he challenges me to a duel? I might die if I¡¯m beaten by such a large guy who¡¯s 10cm taller than me and has a steel-like body. But I cannot waver here. I raised my face properly, and tried to retain a normal mental state as much as possible. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sakurai Makoto, 2nd year in Izumino Gakuen¡¯s High School division.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Does Subaru-san like this kind of guy? This kind of, lanky person with black hair, and a lack of presence?¡± ¡°Eh? Ehh, let¡¯s see. I might like a person with black hair.¡± Do I appear like a lanky person with black hair from a 3rd person¡¯s perspective? Slightly complicated feelings rose up. ¡°Sakurai Makoto.¡± Having my name called, I turned in Kaburagi¡¯s direction. He¡¯s seriously glaring at me. Scary. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely not lose.¡± Leaving just those words, he quickly departed. Dumbfounded, the remaining 3 people simply stood rooted on the spot. Ikuto was the first to return to his senses. He adjusted his posture, in a hurry to chase after Kaburagi. ¡°Oi, I¡¯m coming with.¡± ¡°It will be fine. Besides, he doesn¡¯t seem to be a very scary person. Rather, it¡¯ll be more dangerous if Makoto-san comes along.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s true. Can¡¯t deny that.¡± Kaburagi undoubtedly dubbed me as his rival thanks to Subaru. Just like what Ikuto said, I think it¡¯ll be more dangerous if I went along with him. ¡°Well then, Makoto-san, Subaru-san, see you.¡± ¡°Aa, take care.¡± (Makoto) ¡°Goodbye, Ikuto-kun.¡± (Subaru) Sending Ikuto¡¯s running figure with our eyes, the two of us gave a sigh at the same time. Subaru appeared worn-out like never before. ¡°Good for you; you¡¯ll probably never meet again. You go to different schools after all.¡± ¡°Nah¡­¡­ even though he looks like that, Ichigo-chan is the puppy and devoted type so I think he will come all the way to Atlas to see me. Also, I think he¡¯ll come and repel you off too¡­¡­¡± Subaru staggered without focus and leaned on the vending machine. ¡°Ichigo-chan?¡± ¡°Artist-san and I had been calling him Ichigo-chan because ¡®Kazutoki (Ò»ÆÚ)¡¯ is written like the ¡®ichi go (Ò»ÆÚ)¡¯ from ¡®ichi go ichi e (Ò»ÆÚÒ»»á)¡¯[1]. Well, leaving that aside, this is bad~! Ah geez, Mako will be my boyfriend for the time being! Okay, right!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really mind but what should I do? I¡¯ll do as you say if you¡¯ll tell me what to do.¡± He¡¯s a puppy and moreover the devoted type with those looks? You really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover, huh. Subaru placed her hand against her chin contemplatively, then pointed her finger at me abruptly. ¡°Kindle[2] me more then. I want to be kindled even more by MakoSou and RikuMako©`¡± ¡°What the heck. Isn¡¯t that completely unrelated to the matter before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to cover up the unerasable stress with moe. I really want to see the breeder Mako assaulted by the dog, cat and rabbit. 3 creatures surrounding Mako who was stripped naked¡­¡­ that¡¯s too stirring. Crossovers are nice. The pet shop employee Mako getting assaulted by the three who transformed into half-animals after the shop closes sounds good¡­¡­ hm so who should be felled?¡± I, the pet shop employee, being assaulted by the dog-earred Soutarou, the cat-earred Riku and the rabbit-earred Junya? What a joke. I don¡¯t intend to fall anyone, and as if I¡¯d get assaulted in the first place! Even if by chance I get assaulted, I¡¯ll escape with everything I have. Where did that troubled-looking expression of hers just now go? Subaru¡¯s eyes were shining. There¡¯s probably repulsive delusions churning around in her head. ¡°Yep yep, a battle for dominance between the dog and the wolf is pretty good too, now that even Kaburagi appeared. A battle of pride with Mako in the middle. How delicious. Both are strapping carnivorous-type boys, so Mako won¡¯t be able to raise his hips the next day, won¡¯t he.¡± There isn¡¯t even a hint of the bishoujo just now on Subaru who is laughing ¡°Guhehe¡± vulgarly. Regardless, I¡¯m glad that Subaru has regained her cheer. Let¡¯s leave it at that. It¡¯s incredibly concerning that the reason she regained her cheer was because of her BL discourse starring me, but well, they are delusions. They are, to the end, delusions. More importantly, I might be the one who¡¯s in a more serious situation. I came here leaving Soutarou in anger. I one-sidedly said whatever I wanted and left the family restaurant. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. That was Soutarou¡¯s fault for saying something like leaving Ikuto be. I¡¯m not in the wrong. However. Will Soutarou smile at me as usual when I go to school tomorrow? Prick prick, my heart was in pain. I pretended not to notice that. CH 36 Chapter 36 ¨C The Quarrel and the Dog and the Wolf (3) The next day. As expected, my worries hit the mark. Soutarou¡¯s responses have been cold throughout the morning. He¡¯s clearly holding a grudge regarding yesterday¡¯s matter. Even though he speaks normally to Kaname, he doesn¡¯t even look at me when we talk. What I did yesterday ¨D¨Dchasing after Ikuto and trying to cross swords with Kaburagi¨D¨D oh, he¡¯s definitely still angry, huh. But even now, I still don¡¯t think that my choice at that time was wrong. Back then, Kaburagi just happened to not really be a scary person. That¡¯s why everything ended safely. But if it weren¡¯t so, Ikuto might not be in one piece. That¡¯s why I can proudly say that my decision is not wrong. Getting angry over something of that level, it¡¯s Soutarou who¡¯s weird. ¡°Why do you think Souta is so angry, Mako-chan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because I chased after Ikuto-kun and picked a fight with Kaburagi.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, but that¡¯s not the point. Both Souta and Mako-chan are strangely off-track.¡± Kaname point at the tip of my nose as he gobble snacks up. The same animal cookies Prince had been eating before are placed on the table between Kaname and I. Are animal cookies popular in Izumino Gakuen? Well, theyare somewhat tasty. Their simplistic taste is addictive, or so to speak. ¡°What is the point then?¡± ¡°Wellll, what¡¯ll you do if Souta dives into a yakuza base?¡± ¡°Huh? A normal person will stop him, right?¡± Soutarou¡¯s athleticism is certainly top-notch and he¡¯s also tall, so he¡¯s definitely strong in fights. But if it¡¯s up to me, I¡¯ll definitely stop him. ¡°Then, what if I¡¯m held captive in that base?¡± The yakuza, Kaname and Soutarou. It¡¯s just hypothetical, but what will I do if the situation Kaname mentioned actually occurs? Although I¡¯m worried about Kaname, I can¡¯t possibly let Soutarou go to such a place and neither will I be able to best the opponent. ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ll call the police, maybe. Regardless, I¡¯ll never let Soutarou go alone.¡± ¡°Exactly. At the very least, you won¡¯t send Souta in. This example was quite exaggerated, but this is why Souta stopped Mako-chan back then. He was worried, you know? Really.¡± ¡°Aah, yeah¡­ I see.¡± Click, there was the sound of a puzzle piece fitting in. I understood clearly that Soutarou stopped me because he was worried from the bottom of his heart. And yet, I only considered my own perspective till the very end. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens to me. I¡¯m very cool for going to save Ikuto. I was probably thinking that in some corner of my mind. After all, I¡¯d have definitely stopped Soutarou if he was the one who went to save Ikuto. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Kaname push a cookie against my lips when I suddenly hang my head. It¡¯s dog-shaped. I accept the cookie and chew it. It has the plain and simple taste traditional cookies have. Before I knew it, I began overestimating my strength. Due to the transport to this world, I became a tall boy, many people gathered around me, my brute strength and physical power grew stronger than when I was a girl. It was also as though I gained a more powerful fresh start as a person. Perhaps that was how I felt. No matter what kind of appearance I come to have, I am me. That is something I said numerous times. Be it the male me or the female me, they are both ¡°Makoto¡±. Nothing has changed. Even if my gender changes, it¡¯s still me at the very root. ¡°Still, honestly, I fell for Mako-chan¡¯s manly presence~. Seriously cool. I would havereally fallen in love if Mako-chan was a girl.¡± I was originally a girl though. However, I think that a guy as sparkly as Kaname will definitely not come to like a plain girl like me. ¡°I think Kaname¡¯s the truly cool one. How you work to help Soutarou and I reconcile and how you¡¯re able to do things like this so easily, as though they¡¯re nothing much. It¡¯s really cool. I like that part of you.¡± Kaname¡¯s perfectly round eyes became even rounder[1] and he was stunned for several seconds. ¡°¡®Like¡¯, you say¡­ is this a confession? I¡¯ve a feeling guys are feasible if it¡¯s Mako-chan. Hold me.¡± ¡°What are you saying with a straight face.¡± Kaname gripped my hand tightly so I brushed him off strenuously. ¡°¡®Cos Mako-chan¡¯s slender and delicate, ya? ¡®nd has a feminine face too, ya? Yet is manly, ya? Hence Mako-chan¡¯s cute! It¡¯s feasible! I end up thinking like that, ya?¡± ¡°I¡¯m straight, alright. It¡¯s impossible, alright. Even if it¡¯s feasible for you, it¡¯s not for me.¡± Kaname cackled at my reply. Aah, Kaname¡¯s really a good guy. I can clearly tell he¡¯s trying to cheer me up. At that moment, I receive a notification on my smartphone. Its vibration makes rattling sounds on the table because I have it on silent mode. The caller is the high and mighty Subaru-sama. I can¡¯t possibly ignore it if it¡¯s Her Majesty Yurino Subaru¡¯s call. ¡°Sorry, may I step out for a while?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Normally, Subaru isn¡¯t someone who will call at this time of the day. Subaru is typically nocturnal, so I occasionally receive calls in the middle of the night, but it¡¯s still 4pm now y¡¯know. ¡°Ahh, Subaru? What-¡± ¡°Sorry Mako, come and pick me up! Can you act as my boyfriend, just for the period after school?!¡± ¡°¡­ Wha? Ah, wait, ¡®boyfriend¡¯?¡± My eardrums rang because she shouted in a loud voice. It¡¯s on the phone so I can hear you well enough even if you don¡¯¡¯t speak so loudly. ¡°Oi, Subaru? Like I said, what-¡± What happened, the call ended with a beep before I could finish those words. Although I can¡¯t tell what happened from the call just now, today is right on the heels of yesterday. This is definitely related to Kaburagi Kazutoki. This Kaburagi, he appears to be serious and bullish, but don¡¯t tell me he went all the way to Private Atlas Academy to meet Subaru? Claiming he fell in love several seconds after meeting and even going to her school the very next day to meet her. It causes me to question if he has a bit of a stalker¡¯s disposition. While I doubt that an otome game character will cause harm to a girl, I do feel slightly worried. ¡°Was it Suba-chan on the phone?¡± ¡°Yeah. She seems troubled.¡± ¡°Should I come with?¡± Somehow or the other, I¡¯ll certainly feel reassured if Kaname¡¯s around. His communication skills are crazily high; won¡¯t he be able to hook even that unsociable Kaburagi? Still, it¡¯s not quite right to get Kaname, who¡¯s not related to this, involved. Also, judging from our short exchange that time, I can¡¯t see him as such a rampant person. Besides, I believe it¡¯ll be fine if I pretend to be her boyfriend for a bit. I suppose there¡¯s no need for Kaname to take the trouble and come. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I doubt it¡¯s dangerous and if anything happens, I¡¯ll inform you immediately.¡± After eating an animal cookie, I began stuffing textbooks into my sling bag. Or so I say, but I¡¯m typically part of the ¡®Leave-Things-At-School Faction¡¯. Hence, I only bring back my pencil box, homework and a couple of the necessary textbooks. ¡°¡®kay, understood. Be sure to take care, ya.¡± I turned my back to Kaname who waved his hand left and right, and left the classroom. Private Atlas Academy is an illustrious, mission girl¡¯s school founded in the latter half of the Meiji era, during the English studies boom. But it became co-educational during the Heisei period and about 30% of the entire student population today is male. Apparently, Atlas[2], the origin of the school¡¯s name, embodies the meaning of ¡®someone who supports¡¯ and ¡®someone who endures¡¯. And this Atlas Academy is 5 minutes away on foot from Izumino Gakuen. In front of the school gate, I take out my smartphone from the pocket of my slacks in an attempt to call Subaru. Just as I open my phone contacts, a shadow is cast on my phone. Finding it strange, I lift my face. Goodness, a mere couple of centimeters before my eyes is Kaburagi. I took a few steps back from the shock. ¡°What, wha, Ichigo-chan¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®Ichigo-chan¡¯. Rather, are you, Subaru-san¡­¡± ¡°Aah, I came to pick Subaru up. More importantly, Ichigo-chan, that head¡­¡± Kaburagi Kazutoki was such a redhead before, but now he has black hair. Moreover, it¡¯s the short hairstyle that baseball players have. Perhaps he didn¡¯t dye it properly; there are still some red streaks. However, the black portions are as black as a crow. Don¡¯t tell me he was induced by Subaru¡¯s declaration of liking black hair, and changed to this hairstyle in a single night? Isn¡¯t that kind of cute? I unconsciously burst into laughter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with ya. Aah? Don¡¯t laugh!¡± ¡°¡®cause, because, Ichigo-chan, super cute.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you making a fool outta me?¡± The glaring Kaburagi ¨D¨Dor Ichigo-chan, doesn¡¯t feel as scary anymore. He¡¯s certainly stern-looking, huge and is full of muscles, but there¡¯s no use already. Because it¡¯s already inputted in me that he¡¯s an incredibly honest and cute person. ¡°I¡¯m not doing that so don¡¯t glare so much.¡± The phone in my hand vibrated. Lowering my gaze, I see an incoming mail from Subaru. Casually opening it, ¡®Keep it up, invite Ichigo-san to a date and fall him!¡¯ a ridiculous message is received. It¡¯s only a single sentence but there¡¯s too many points to retort. First of all, what do you mean by ¡®date¡¯. Also, what do you mean by ¡®fall¡¯. However, if I reject her, she¡¯ll probably say something like I¡¯ll never cooperate with you again, okay. She should be watching my conversation with Ichigo-chan from somewhere right now, so I¡¯ll be immediately ¡®disqualified¡¯ if I make any suspicious move. Why do I attract troublesome things like this, I wonder. Is it because I¡¯m Mitsuki¡¯s older brother? Is it because I¡¯m the heroine¡¯s older brother? ¡°Ahh¡­ yeah, um Ichigo-chan, wanna go for tea?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m waitin¡¯ for Subaru-san tho.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sayin¡¯ let¡¯s talk about that very Subaru.¡± Perhaps he was coerced by my emphasizing voice; he nodded with apparent reluctance. I¡¯ve no intention to invite him to a date and fall him the way Subaru¡¯s mail stated, but it should be fine as long as I placate him and make him give up on Subaru. That¡¯s the difficult part though. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s grab some cake, Ichigo-chan. Cake.¡± ¡°Huh? Cake? Two dudes alone?¡± ¡°Do you hate cakes, Ichigo-chan? Aren¡¯t they tasty? Cakes.¡± There¡¯s a fancy cake shop in front of Tachibana train station. It¡¯s the cake shop Subaru told me about the other day. According to Subaru¡¯s information, it seems that Ichigo-chan is rather fond of sweet things and lives in an apartment near Tachibana train station. ¡°I don¡¯t really hate them.¡± I tugged at Ichigo-chan¡¯s shirt sleeve. ¡°Leggo then. Y¡¯know, my recommendation is the shortcake. The fresh cream on it is super delish. It¡¯s rich, you know. It¡¯s kind of heavy so I can only eat 3 pieces each time though.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t 3 more than enough? Your mouth will be full of sugar.¡± ¡°Three isn¡¯t enough. I can go for 6 or 7 if it¡¯s not shortcake. But I still have to eat the dinner Mitsuki¡­ my little sister made.¡± Mitsuki has no club activities today so she definitely prepared a delicious meal and is waiting for me. It was tonkatsu yesterday so it might be fish cuisine today. We had meat and potato stew in the morning so we might be having the leftovers, huh. Whatever it is, Mitsuki¡¯s homemade cooking is the best. Let¡¯s limit myself to 2 pieces of cake so I can still eat Mitsuki¡¯s food. Make Ichigo-chan give up on Subaru. Reconcile with Soutarou. These two issues squeezed my heart tightly. One problem after another. Why is the position of the heroine-chan¡¯s older brother so full of ups and downs like this, I wonder. [1] a.k.a. Widened eyes became even wider. [2] God in Greek mythology. He was condemned to support the heavens on his shoulders. CH 37 Chapter 37 ¨C The Quarrel and the Dog and the Wolf (4) Although we came to Tachibana Station for the privately-owned cake shop that¡¯s said to be hugely popular with girls¨D¨DLa Angela, Ichigo-chan have been doing nothing but glaring at the inside of the shop as he stands in front of it, completely refusing to enter. It¡¯s already been like this for tens of minutes. Upon seeing Ichigo-chan, the girls leaving the shop set off quickly in a frightened manner. It¡¯s like a wild dog slipping into a rabbit pen or a wolf wandering into a flock of sheep. Even though he¡¯s tall and muscular like Soutarou, there¡¯s something different about Ichigo-chan. Is it the ¡®wildness¡¯ he exudes? While Ichigo-chan is like a wild animal, Soutarou is more gentle and gives a sense of reassurance. ¡°Ain¡¯t you entering, Ichigo-chan?¡± ¡°Stop callin¡¯ me ¡®Ichigo-chan¡¯. Rather, there¡¯s no way I can enter a place like this, right. So uncomfortable.¡± Certainly, the shop is filled with young females in their 10s, 20s and 30s. There¡¯s no doubt that Ichigo-chan and I will stand out if we enter it. My facial features are on the delicate side so I may pass as a guy who likes sweets, but Ichigo-chan¡¯s appearance is way too intense. While I don¡¯t think it¡¯s strange, at all, to munch on cakes with a stern face, one will probably stand out in a bad way if he glares at his surroundings so much. ¡°But the cakes here are amazingly good.¡± The strawberry shortcake I had when I came with Subaru before, the taste of its rich fresh cream along with the sweet-and-sour strawberry was excellent. My stomach is all ready for cakes, but won¡¯t I have to give up on them if Ichigo-chan is unwilling to budge? If so, we can only go to the usual family restaurant or the ramen stall in front of the train station. Honestly though, I¡¯m already starting to get sick of those two. ¡°Ah, Mako-chan!¡± Just as I was restless with thoughts of wanting to eat cake and was absent-mindedly staring at the end of Ichigo-chan¡¯s gaze and his unwillingness to enter the shop, I heard an angel¡¯s voice from behind. It¡¯s the voice of the cutest girl in the world, Sakurai Mitsuki. ¡°Ma©`ko©`chaaan.¡± Clad in a checkered pleated skirt with navy blue socks and a cream-coloured knitted vest, a tiny angel is approaching with a jog. I opened my arms, wanting to hug Mitsuki who¡¯s emitting flowers and something sparkly as she runs. ¡°Mitsuki!¡± ¡°Sheesh, don¡¯t hug me in a place like this.¡± ¡°Are you two always this lovey-dovey?¡± Adjacent to my sweet angel Mitsuki is Hasumi with an astounded expression. It appears that they are on their way home from school together. Really, what a foolish question. My like for Mitsuki isn¡¯t something new. There¡¯s no way anyone wouldn¡¯t like being hugged by such a cute girl. Even so, we aren¡¯t being lovey-dovey. All in all, I¡¯m just being doting. ¡°What are you doing all the way here, Mitsuki?¡± ¡°Nah, did you use to speak like this, Sakurai? Your voice and way of speaking are super sweet, y¡¯know!¡± Of course I¡¯ll speak gently when it comes to Mitsuki. After all, Mitsuki is my little sister. Still, why are Hasumi¡¯s cheeks red? Was there anything that would cause her embarrassment in the happenings so far? ¡°There¡¯s no club activities today so Yun-chan and I came to have cake together. Right, Yun-chan?¡± ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right. Sakurai and your friend over there also came to have cake, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, but we can¡¯t quite manage to enter the shop because Ichigo-chan doesn¡¯t want two guys to have cake together.¡± Ichigo-chan was looking in another direction with his usual sullen expression, not meeting anyone¡¯s eyes, but he finally looked over here when he heard Hasumi and my words. Although Hasumi took a step back after being jolted by Ichigo-chan¡¯s glaring, the amiable air-headed Mitsuki is all smiles as she lowers her head. ¡°Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Makoto¡¯s younger sister, Mitsuki. Please treat me kindly.¡± ¡°¡­ Aa.¡± ¡°Ichigo-chan! You better greet my sister more gently, alright. Go on!¡± I hit the back of Ichigo-chan who was staring at Mitsuki with a pointed look. What will he do if he scares the adorable, adorable Mitsuki with such a look! I was concerned about that, but the absent-minded airhead Mitsuki wasn¡¯t afraid even after being glared at, and even smiled cheerfully at Ichigo-chan. Even though Mitsuki¡¯s smile was this cute, it didn¡¯t seem to have worked on Ichigo-chan, who fell in love at first sight with Subaru. He has an unruffled expression now, but originally he should have fallen for this adorable Mitsuki, y¡¯know. ¡°That hurts, idiot. I¡¯m¡­ Kaburagi, Kazutoki. A 2nd-year at Kuzuha Minami Technical High School.¡± ¡°Kaburagi-kun, please treat me kindly.¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­. Aa, please¡­ treat me kindly¡­¡± Perhaps it¡¯s my imagination, but Ichigo-chan seems to be blushing as he looks at Mitsuki. Oh my. It appears there would be at least a slight reaction towards Mitsuki whom he originally should have fallen for. If so, if I push Mitsuki on and make him truly fall for her, Subaru will be happy, Ichigo-chan will be happy and having Mitsuki embark on the heroine¡¯s story, I will also be happy. In that case, isn¡¯t all well and good?! ¡°Ichigo-chan, my little sister is amazingly cute, right.¡± ¡°Hah? What are you sayin¡¯.¡± I grab Mitsuki¡¯s shoulders and push her towards Ichigo-chan. With an embarrassed and troubled expression, Ichigo-chan quickly averts his gaze. ¡°Stop it already. Kaburagi-kun is troubled.¡± ¡°I know right, you¡¯re really an idiot, Sakurai.¡± I don¡¯t have a hobby of getting thrills from the verbal abuse of two girls. I smoothly let their words wash off me as I grabbed Ichigo-chan¡¯s arm and pulled him. ¡°At any rate, let¡¯s enter the shop first. You wouldn¡¯t mind if we¡¯re grouped with the girls[1], right, Ichigo-chan?¡± The sweet smell of cakes is floating in abundance outside the shop, stimulating my appetite. My stomach is totally ready for cakes. Not meat dishes or ramen. It¡¯s ready for La Angela¡¯s strawberry shortcake. One more push and I can lead Ichigo-chan into the cake shop. Or so I thought, but two clearly delinquent-like high school boys are approaching from the front while giving out unpleasant laughter. They are wearing the same Kuzuha Minami Technical High School uniforms as Ichigo-chan. Kuzuha Minami Technical High School¨D¨Da.k.a., Minami High. It consists of 5 departments: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, Civil Engineering and Industrial Chemistry. Just like its name, it¡¯s a school specialising in technical practices and aims to train talents to be the next generation in various areas of the industry. However, it¡¯s well-known that a portion of the students exhibits bad behaviour. ¡°Oh©`oh©`, how cheeky of ya to have a girlfriend when ya are just a spoiled brat from Izumino.¡± ¡°These girls are cute. You, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come near.¡± I hide Mitsuki and Hasumi behind me and take a step forward. ¡°Eh, we met ya da other day, rite.¡± A blond guy half a head shorter than me points towards me. The only one I know who speaks in such a brainless manner is Junya, but Junya is slightly cuter. At the very least, he doesn¡¯t speak like he¡¯s picking a fight like this when he talks to me. Most importantly, this guy isn¡¯t Junya. Wondering where I met them, I scrutinise the two¡¯s faces. However, I can¡¯t find any acquaintances with such faces anywhere in my mind. ¡°C¡¯mon, we met during the money extortion of an Izumino student around April, right?¡± I try searching for the data entry of ¡®delinquents I met around April¡¯. It¡¯s just a maybe, but are they the delinquents who were picking a fight with Prince? I thought they were just minor characters but to think they¡¯d make an reappearance? How surprising. I hit my hand and nod to show my understanding. ¡°Aa, from that time.¡± ¡°Right, right. Have you recalled? So do hand over one of them. This pink-haired girl is good. Pink hair is erotic, and such a baby-faced loli being erotic is exciting!¡± ¡°So true! It turns me on if she¡¯s lewd with such a cute face©`¡± A vein throbs in my forehead. Aren¡¯t you saying whatever you like about my cute Mitsuki, calling her things like erotic and lewd? I consider grabbing his collar and smashing him against the wall, but not only am I weak, my arms are also thin. This is the me who¡¯s been called ¡®delicate¡¯ and ¡®dainty¡¯. It¡¯s not a me who can win in a showdown against delinquent high school students. Clenching my fists, I somehow suppress my anger. I¡¯m suppressing it, but¡­ the two continue to say things like ¡®small boobs are actually better¡¯ or ¡®it¡¯s dangerous how her butt and thighs are full when her waist is so thin ¡¯. I may agree with all of that, but it¡¯s still infuriating because it seems like my cute little sister will be tainted when other people say those things. I try to endure it somehow for several minutes, but it¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t mind if they want to speak ill or make a fool out of me, but I can¡¯t stand it when they look down on Mitsuki. One of them stretches his hand in an attempt to grab Mitsuki¡¯s arm. Mitsuki took several steps back in fear. I¡¯m not a person who¡¯ll stay quiet when someone makes a move on my little sister. ¡°D-don-don¡¯t look at my Mitsuki with yeh filthy eyes!¡± I gave him a taste of a roundhouse kick containing strength from my entire body. A terrifying sound was heard as the roundhouse kick gave a critical strike to Delinquent No.1. Delinquent No.1, the youth who tried to grab Mitsuki¡¯s arm, collapsed on the spot as he coughed and wheezed. I don¡¯t think my kick was thatstrong though. I¡¯m a girl after all[2]. Just kidding. Blanching, Delinquent Youth No.2 rushes towards Delinquent Youth No.1. He then glance at my face and click his tongue for show. ¡°What are you doing! You bean sprout!¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t look at my Mitsuki with yeh shady eyes. Should I give you another kick, hm?¡± I shift my right foot back and take on a stance as though I¡¯m about to kick. Even if it¡¯s the delicate me, I have enough power to send this delinquent flying if I use strength from my entire body. Stamina is needed to send others flying, but I think I can handle one more kick. ¡°I don¡¯t need a fugly like that anymore. Shuddap.¡± ¡°To be able to see Mitsuki as ¡®fugly¡¯, you sure are pitiful.¡± ¡°Shuddap©`, shuddap, siscon©`¡± After watching him give parting words typical of minor characters as he leaves in the direction of the train station, I turn to face Mitsuki again. Mitsuki looks up at me with a face of blank amazement and smiles cheerfully. Unbearably cute. She narrows her shoulders in embarrassment while fidgeting. ¡°Thanks for helping us, Mako-chan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your older brother you know, Mitsuki. Isn¡¯t it natural that I help?¡± It¡¯s my job to play the role of a siscon support character in an otome game. I¡¯m aiming to be the kind of older brother character who often appears in otome games: ¡°The favourability rating is currently like this!¡± or ¡°I recommend dating at the amusement park next Sunday!¡±[3] Loving and supporting Mitsuki to the very end and devoting everything to her. I might have come to hate her if she thought it was natural, but I grew to like Mitsuki so much because she got more perplexed the more I doted on her. ¡°Sorry, but can you not get all lovey-dovey? Kaburagi-kun and I are so neglected that I might cry, y¡¯know.¡± ¡°My bad. Are you alright too, Hasumi? ¡°Yup, pretty much. The target was Mitsuki after all~. Besides, I¡¯m strong. They¡¯ll have to watch out if they do something strange.¡± Hasumi gave an unyielding smile as she placed her hands on her hips. Hasumi is a tomboy and has a manly personality so she doesn¡¯t like to behave like a girl. Although she isn¡¯t that great at studying, she refuses to concede and is outstandingly athletic when it comes to sports. Still, even if that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not possible for a girl to beat a boy who¡¯s pass his puberty. I feel this all the more keenly now that I¡¯ve become a boy. The physical strength that women and men have are on completely different levels. At worst, it may be difficult to match up if you¡¯re unlike a robust female grappler. ¡°Even so, Hasumi is a girl.¡± ¡°¨D¨D¡­ Shut it, Sakurai. You should just continue going ¡®Mitsuki~ Mitsuki~¡¯!¡± Hasumi rambles on with a red face. You don¡¯t have to be so angry that your face turns this red, right? Did I do something so infuriating? A girl¡¯s heart sure is complicated, huh. ¡°Still, it¡¯s not really the mood for cakes, huh. What do you think, Ichigo-chan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Ehh! Wait up, Ichigo-chan!¡± I frantically chase after Ichigo-chan, who¡¯s seriously walking briskly in the direction of his house. Mitsuki and Hasumi went to the cake shop as planned. Well, with that kind of environment, the number of male students who¡¯ll enter La Angela is probably low, so I don¡¯t have to worry. Besides, I can just go and fetch them if it seems like it¡¯s getting too late. I grabbed Ichigo-chan¡¯s arm and held him back in front of his apartment. There likely won¡¯t arise another opportunity to hang out together if we bid farewell here. I must somehow get closer to him so that I can at least obtain his contact. If I don¡¯t get along well with him, he won¡¯t come to get along well with Mitsuki. Besides, he¡¯ll continue liking Subaru at this rate. ¡°Heyy, don¡¯t you want to eat my homemade food?¡± ¡°Your homemade food¡­? ¡°Yup! I was thinking of making meat and potato stew, nameko miso soup, chicken wings and simmered pork belly today.¡± From what I¡¯ve heard from Subaru, all of these are food that Ichigo-chan likes. Come on. Bite the bait. ¡°Come over to my house. Actually, you should just stay over¨D¨D¡­¡­ eh, ah, Soutarou¡­?¡± ¡°Mako¡­¡± Just as I¡¯m desperately inviting Ichigo-chan to my house, by chance, my eyes meets with Soutarou who¡¯s coming from the direction of the station. Soutarou¡¯s gentle droopy eyes tremble slightly as he bites his lips faintly. For some reason, he appears extremely hurt. What is this strange atmosphere? As though I¡¯m found to be unfaithful a complicated feeling surfaces in my heart. I believe it¡¯s reflexive. This is bad. ¡°Soutarou, hang o¡ª, wa¡ª¡± Soutarou drops his gaze and faces his back towards me. He turns to walk in the direction of his house in a leisurely pace. I was able to push forward because they were delinquents I didn¡¯t know. However, I¡¯m unable to face him fearlessly precisely because he¡¯s someone important to me. I don¡¯t quite get it but I¡¯m starting to feel like crying. The thought that a day will come when Soutarou behaves like this towards me wouldn¡¯t even occur in my wildest dream. The center of my heart quickly turned chilled. It chilled. Cold. It¡¯s terribly cold. As though ice are pressing against my heart, the center of my chest is so cold that I can¡¯t even breathe. Why won¡¯t you say a thing, Soutarou? [1] It¡¯ll be less awkward if they enter this shop that¡¯s chock-full of females when they have girls with them. [2] Makoto uses ¡®watashi¡¯ here. She usually uses ¡®ore¡¯ after her transformation. [3] These support characters in otome games aids the heroine in getting the guy(s), usually by dropping useful hints. CH 38 Chapter 38 ¨C Gossip: Yurino Subaru¡¯s Creation Data ? Vol. 2 I ¨D¨D Yurino Subaru, was thinking this way. I wonder what are Makoto¡¯s favourability ratings like at this point? I¡¯ll be able to see the favourability rating as numbers if this is the game, but this world is somehow reality so I don¡¯t know the numerical values of the characters¡¯ favourability ratings. One way or another, I¡¯ve no choice but to discern the characters¡¯ favourability towards Mako through their actions. Nonetheless, I am the author of this story. I am the birth mother of the capturable characters of Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution. I am more or less able to grasp the favourability rating from their responses. It¡¯s exceedingly important to know the current favourability ratings. Once I know the ratings, I would be able to know what events will occur depending on the actions Mako makes. While Mako said something like having absolutely no intention of entering a romantic relationship, I don¡¯t plan to spend my days of crossing into another world idly. It doesn¡¯t matter even if you¡¯re the heroine¡¯s older brother. I¡¯m addicted to the BL starring Mako. I¡¯ll raise events even if you are unwilling, alright. To that effect, let¡¯s go through the favourability ratings so far. First of all, the ones who clearly fell for Mako are Prince and Junya. The tactics of these two are to zealously draw closer to Mako. The type that zealously approaches even as Mako feels perplexed. There¡¯s absolutely no hesitance; the type that says: so what if we¡¯re both males? These two totally like Mako. They¡¯ve utterly fallen in love, huh. They¡¯ve smoothly and surely crossed the border of ¡®friendship¡¯. These two appear to be putting their all so that the other will not steal a march on him. Nah, that¡¯s not it. Other people don¡¯t matter; I will make Mako like me ¨D¨Dperhaps this thought alone is enough to stir them into action. While Soutarou also likes Mako, he still has some hesitance. Although he likes Mako, he has uncertainties like the two of them being males and them being friends. This is precisely the epitome of BL between high school boys. The confusion one feels due to the incomplete feelings that has yet to bud into homosexuality, priceless. I like Mako and want to monopolise him; make him only mine and no one else¡¯s¡­ but having thought till this point, this feeling isn¡¯t friendship. Just like how I like Mako, I want Mako to come to like me too. However, the position of a close friend who gets along the best feels too comfortable. Unable to move forward and yet unable to retreat¡­ I want to hold his hands and kiss him, but I can¡¯t. I can go for five bowls of rice with these complicated feelings alone. MakoSou, or perhaps SouMako sure falls within the mainstream couplings between high school boys. Yes yes. One can¡¯t forget about Kaname in that group of three good friends. At this point, Kaname probably doesn¡¯t like Mako in the romantic sense. I believe he truly likes Mako as a friend. Moreover, Kaname should have noticed that Soutarou likes Mako even before Soutarou himself did. Kaname is Soutarou¡¯s childhood friend since elementary school. Even if he starts to like Mako romantically in the future, he¡¯ll definitely not let Mako or Soutarou find out. Because he¡¯s a kid who¡¯ll continue to keep it hidden, keep it hidden, swallow it and endure. That¡¯s why, if Mako chooses Kaname, I¡¯d like if she gently enfolds him who always holds back and endure. Chika-chan of the Takayanagis has this uninvolved feeling, huh. He doesn¡¯t hate Mako and does like him but he truly treats him as just an underclassman. He may even be thinking of him as ¡®that pitiable Sakurai-kun who Junjun clings on¡¯. In terms of Takayanagi¡¯s favourability rating, Mitsuki¡¯s might be higher than Mako¡¯s. As for the coupling, personality-wise, Takayanagi Yasuchika x Sakurai Makoto ¨D¨Dit¡¯s ChikaMako, huh. But physically it might be MakoChika, maybe. Receiving the tense, younger seme with magnanimity. The older one is uke! This is Subaru-san¡¯s ironclad rule! However, Junjun is delicious even as seme so I feel somewhat torn. The remaining male characters are Yurino Tamaki, Yukinoshita Ikuto, Umeda Daichi and Kaburagi Kazutoki but¡­ These people have yet to interact with Mako much. As expected, even I¡¯m unable to discern their favourability rating. Let¡¯s look forward to the events that¡¯ll happen from now on. Especially Ichigo-chan! Subaru-san wants to see the territorial dispute between the dog family©`! I want to see SouMakoIchigo©`! That¡¯s right! The fujoshi or perhaps even fudanshi may have realised: my greatest anticipation at this moment is dog family x Mako. You can call it the about 180cm carnivorous-type coupling. Just imagining the doggy Soutarou hugging Mako from behind and the wolf Ichigo-chan hugging Mako from in front is enough to feed me for a week. Actually, my mouth waters just imagining the direct confrontation between the wolf and the cunning doggy with his upturned eyes, who try to overtake each other at the slightest chance. Really, bother Mako more! Nonetheless, the conflict between the dog family still seems far off. I wonder why did Ichigo-chan say something like liking me? If he was to like someone who was there at that time, I¡¯d prefer if he likes Mako rather than me. Still, Mako is the older brother of an otome game heroine. Mako seems to think that it¡¯ll be fine because he¡¯s the ¡°older brother¡± of the heroine, I believe he should¡¯ve been cautioned because he¡¯s the older brother of the ¡°heroine¡±. Somehow or other, he¡¯s related to the heroine by blood so there¡¯s no doubt that, in this world, he¡¯s emitting an aura that makes others fall for him easily. Mako won¡¯t know how even his small actions may make others like him after all. Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Love Revolution ¨D¨Dabbrev. LoveRevo holds great promise even in the future. My, crossing into another world sure is good, isn¡¯t it. () £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª () Yukinoshita Ikuto Ñ©ÏÂÓôÈË / ¤æ¤­¤Î¤·¤¿ ¤¤¤¯¤È 166cm / 54kg / Blood Type AB First-year in Private Atlas Academy¡¯s High School division. English special accelerated class. Ikkun. Black hair that may appear violet under light. A slanted kappa hairstyle that extends from his ears till below his chin with fringe like the letter ¡®M¡¯. According to Makoto, his eyes are ¡®dead¡¯. The type of character who¡¯ll be troubling when he¡¯s dere. A refreshing and earnest good youth but there seems to be something hidden in that smile of this template schemer. Likes interesting things. Also likes poking fun. Gets lively when he tricks people. () () Yukinoshita Madoka ѩϤޤɤ« / ¤æ¤­¤Î¤·¤¿¤Þ¤É¤« 159cm / 44kg / Blood Type A Touka University¡¯s Faculty of Literature, Philosophy Department. Second-year. 20 years old. Ikuto¡¯s older sister. The rival character in place for Takayanagi and Narahashi. Long and wavy honey-coloured hair. A slender beauty with a fair complexion. Continuously admitted into and discharged from the hospital due to a chronic disease. Although she appears like a template disagreeable ojou-sama on a high horse, she¡¯s frank at her root. Childhood friends with Takayanagi and Narahashi. The society regards her as Takayanagi¡¯s fiancee but they¡¯ve not been officially engaged. Likes Junya as a good friend. Loves Takayanagi as a person of the opposite gender. She¡¯s currently on good terms with Mitsuki. It seems the two hang out together from time to time. () £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª () Hasumi Yuiko É�ÒŠ½Y×Ó / ¤Ï¤¹¤ß ¤æ¤¤¤³ 162cm / 50kg / Blood Type B Year 2 Class A. Belongs to the Female Basketball Club. Yun-chan. She was the rival character in place for Soutarou and Kaname, but as their routes weren¡¯t thread on, she is currently Mitsuki¡¯s friend. Short hair that was dyed brown. A beauty with clear features including a pair of large eyes and defined eyelashes. With her enlivening tomboyish and manly personality, she holds an elder sister-like position to Mitsuki. Faintly likes Makoto¡­? () () Umeda Daichi ÷Ìï´óµØ / ¤¦¤á¤À ¤À¤¤¤Á 178cm / 66kg / Blood Type A Third-year student. Secretary in the Student Council and a member of the Basketball Club. With regards to Dokidoki Renai Kakumei, he¡¯s a background character. A background character who seems like he doesn¡¯t have a name. Of course, he¡¯s not a capturable character. Other than his black and stiff unruly hair and thick eyebrows, he has a common face that doesn¡¯t possess any peculiarity. According to Makoto, he gives out a pointlessly refreshing aura. Is always smiling. () £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª () Kaburagi Kazutoki Ê�ľһÆÚ / ¤«¤Ö¤é¤® ¤«¤º¤È¤­ 188cm / 80kg / Blood Type A Second-year at Kuzuha Minami Technical High School. Ichigo-chan. Fell in love with Subaru at first sight. Red hair with fringe that¡¯s swept back and hair at the sides protrudes out like the legs of a crab. Or so it was like, but at the moment it¡¯s very short black hair with slightly reddish streaks. Well-chiselled facial features like a Greek sculpture paired with sharp sanpakugan. Muscular. Appearance is clearly that of a delinquent high school student. One of the high school boys who were picking a fight with Prince. A completely cool boy. However, the way he expresses romantic feelings is around an elementary school boy¡¯s level. Carnivorous type. Siberian husky or perhaps Japanese Wolf. CH 39 Chapter 39 ¨C The Kiss and the Dog and the Wolf [1] ¡°Ichigo-chan¡­ I¡¯m troubled.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Ichigo-chan, I don¡¯t understand a man¡¯s heart. Why did Soutarou ignore me?¡± In the end, I brought Ichigo-chan to my house. Or rather, I should say that he sent me, who was so taken aback by Soutarou ignoring me that my head turned blank and dazed, home. Although I¡¯m by nature the type who isn¡¯t too concerned with human relationships, it¡¯s somehow shocking to be treated coldly by Soutarou. It¡¯s because I thought it¡¯s natural for him to always go ¡°Mako, Mako¡± by my side. But that way of thinking belongs to someone with quite a bad personality, doesn¡¯t it. The relationship between Soutarou and I may have been built upon Soutarou¡¯s kindness. No matter what selfish things I say, no matter what rash things I do, Soutarou¡¯s the one who accepts them all. Friends are probably beings who¡¯ll fight once or twice. I may not need to take it so seriously. However, I¡¯ve never had the experience of genuinely fighting with friends before. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know how to reconcile. Is it okay if I say I¡¯m sorry? I¡¯m sorry ¨D¨Ddespite being such simple words, I don¡¯t know when to say them and what expression to make when I say them. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he against you being with me, Sakurai? It¡¯s probably just jealousy.¡± ¡°Jealousy¡­¡± I stare at the pot with meat and potato stew in it. This meat and potato stew was made by Mitsuki. The homemade cooking of Mitsuki with high specs in housework is superb. As Mitsuki is a cut above the rest only in cooking and appeal, she really can¡¯t do sports and studies. While the lil¡¯ fool, Mitsuki, with pointlessly high femininity is super adorable in my eyes, this Mitsuki is still unable to bring Prince down. Meat and potato stew, nameko miso soup, freshly-cooked rice and chicken wings bought from the nearby delicatessen. For dessert, it¡¯s pudding, also made by Mitsuki. The dishes are arranged on the dining table that can seat four people. ¡°He likes you, right. You sure are dense.¡± I¡¯m estranged from romance. I¡¯m aware of that. After all, I¡¯m an unpopular woman who has nil romantic experiences and has also never gotten confessed to before. Still, Soutarou likes me? Soutarou is the heroine, Mitsuki¡¯s, capturable character y¡¯know. Moreover, I¡¯m male now. It shouldn¡¯t be possible for Soutarou to like me romantically. ¡°How do I reconcile, then?¡± ¡°Apologising ¡®s likely enough. Say ¡®Sorry, I¡¯m dating Subaru-san¡¯. Den say sumthin¡¯ like ¡®Let¡¯s get along as friends from now on¡¯. Oh, right. Ichigo-chan thinks that Subaru and I are dating. ¡°Subaru isn¡¯t my girlfriend. It¡¯s just that Subaru has someone else she likes. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Aa, well, I thought t¡¯was the case. You and Subaru-san didn¡¯t feel like ya were dating after all. But I also thought that I didn¡¯t stand a chance. That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving up already¡­ bon appetit.¡± After properly putting his hands together and lowering his head, Ichigo-chan reaches for the meat and potato stew. Despite knowing that he doesn¡¯t stand a chance with Subaru, Ichigo-chan leisurely chews the potato without changing his expression. Observing that, I also sip the nameko miso soup. Among the dishes on the table, only this nameko miso soup was made by me. The taste may be slightly too bland. ¡°I see. ¡­ I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you.¡± ¡°Not really. Subaru-san¡¯s kind so she wasn¡¯t able to reject me directly, right. More importantly, this miso soup sure ¡®s tasty. You made it, right. Dat¡¯s amazing.¡± Leaving the discussion about whether Subaru is kind or not to a later date, I¡¯m glad Ichigo-chan has a clear-cut personality. I was worried that he¡¯d be more attached to Subaru, and that he¡¯d berate and wallop me who deceived him, but he may be a surprisingly nice guy. ¡°There¡¯s more, y¡¯know. Because both Mitsuki and I cook a lot more than necessary despite there being only the two of us. At that time, I should¡¯ve invited Soutarou too¡­¡± ¡°Sheesh, isn¡¯t it fine if you reconcile from now on. How effeminate.¡± Well, sorry for being effeminate. I was female up until three months ago, you know. How convenient that I return to being female and return to being male when it¡¯s opportune for me. In the end, which one do I want to live as? Will I remain a creature whose gender cannot be differentiated and die this way? Subaru seems to be fully enjoying this life of being transported into an otome game, but I¡¯m not enjoying it at all and if possible I want go back right now. I want to go back. I wonder what¡¯s this gloomy feeling that drops by out of the blue. I shouldn¡¯t be a temperamental person though. ¡°But I can¡¯t do that.¡± Just like that I lay down on the table, groan groan, and start groaning If this is a game I¡¯ll definitely press the reset button, but this is technically reality. ¡°Sakurai.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± If I raise my head now, I¡¯ll definitely cry. Although I don¡¯t know why I¡¯ll cry, I¡¯ll definitely cry. ¡°Ichigo-chan, annoying.¡± ¡°Oi, raise yeh head, Sakurai.¡± I shake off Ichigo-chan¡¯s hand that comes stretching towards me. Ichigo-chan draws his hand back with a start. Even though I didn¡¯t invite Ichigo-chan over to vent my anger on him. Even though my goal was to separate him from Subaru and make him fall for Mitsuki, it¡¯s embarrassing that I behave so disgracefully. It¡¯s because Ichigo-chan faces me so straightforwardly that my true thoughts reveal themselves, don¡¯t they. However, Ichigo-chan isn¡¯t my family, lover or even a friend. I may come off as cold saying it this way but he¡¯s really just an, just an acquaintance. He¡¯s not someone I can act spoiled with and depend on. I gently raise my head and look straight at Ichigo-chan. Garnet sanpakugan that look like they¡¯re burning. It¡¯s an eye colour possible only because it¡¯s an otome game. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you. Which ¡®you¡¯ is the real one?¡± ¡°¡­ Eh? ¡°Even today alone, just as I thought you¡¯d send delinquents flying, like now, you act weak like a girl and stuff. What are you pretending to be? Which is the real Sakurai Makoto?¡± I think Soutarou and Kaname told me something similar before. Indeed, in order to become Mitsuki¡¯s cool onii-chan, I¡¯m aware that I try to act as such a ¡®me¡¯. However, again, it¡¯ll feel strange if I reveal ¡°the me who was female¡± in the real world. Be it that I act as a male or remain as female, it¡¯s cobbled either way and odd. It seems like it¡¯ll come apart if I move even just a little. My arms break off and my legs come off as I move forward. Bit by bit, bit by bit the real ¡®me¡¯ disappears. Isn¡¯t that something natural as humans mature and is actually something common? As long as I act as the ideal ¡®me¡¯, the past ¡®me¡¯ will disappear bit by bit and reborn as a new ¡®me¡¯. ¡°I am, me. But I was seriously pathetic this time. You confronted me directly so my true thoughts also unconsciously came out.¡± Anyone will act as their ideal selves. It may appear misshapen and you may even dislike such a self once in a while. Even so, I¡¯m Mitsuki¡¯s onii-chan. Even if it¡¯s cobbled and feels out of place, even if it¡¯s brought out into the open. I¡¯ll continue acting as Mitsuki¡¯s cool onii-chan. If I do so, surely one day, a proper, cool, dependable, someone the female otome game players will go ¡°So cool, onii-chan~! Kyaakyaa¡± at, I¡¯ll become such an onii-chan. ¡°Alright! The grand strategy to reconcile Soutarou and Makoto, we¡¯re gonna have a strategic meeting yo©`. I won¡¯t let you sleep tonight man, Ichigo-cha¡ª¡± Ichigo-chan grips my arm with his right hand, and his left hand is placed at the back of my head. ¡°¡­ Ichigo-chan?¡± 20cm away from the tip of my nose lays Ichigo-chan¡¯s face. I can see my bewildered expression reflecting in his garnet eyes. ¡°Sakurai.¡± ¡°Y-yeah?¡± ¡°I came to like you.¡± How did that come about from this sequence of events? The first words that come to mind are these. Ichigo-chan¡¯s face gradually approaches and his lips touches mine¨D¨D¡­ right before that, I push his shoulders away with all my might and gave a slap with all I¡¯ve got in the direction of Ichigo-chan who¡¯s some distance away. ¡°UOOOOI! Wh-wh-what are you¡ª¡± ¡°Talk after you calm down some more, Sakurai.¡± As he received the full-power free swing slap of a high school boy on his cheek, his cheek is bright red. Holding his bright red left cheek, Ichigo-chan slowly returns to his seat again. And then, he resumes eating as though nothing happened. Incomprehensible. ¡°Ichigo-chan, what, what are¡ª¡± ¡°¡®What¡¯ you say, it¡¯s a kiss right. I didn¡¯t manage to do it though. I¡¯m dispirited ¡®cos you gave me a slap.¡± What¡¯s with this guy! Incomprehensible. Anyone will reject if they¡¯re about to be kissed suddenly. Why has it become as though I, who rejected the kiss, is the bad guy. I may accept a surprise kiss from someone I like, but isn¡¯t it normal to reject a kiss from a guy who¡¯s less than a friend? Furthermore, didn¡¯t he like Subaru up until a while ago? Your heart changed too fast, ya. That¡¯s more dispiriting. ¡°¡®Dispirited¡¯ you say¡­ You¡­¡± Thinking that he may try to kiss me again, I look at Ichigo-chan in fear. Watching me behave like that, Ichigo-chan snorts dismissively. ¡°Ya don¡¯t hafta be so cautious, I won¡¯t do it anymore. You sure are being over-conscious.¡± ¡°Shuddap. I weren¡¯t particularly cautious or anything. You¡¯re the one being over-conscious! IIIdiot, iiidiot!¡± Picking up the chopsticks again, I reach for the meat and potato stew. Thinking about various things somehow made me hungry. I feel like eating Mitsuki¡¯s delicious homemade cooking will help me regain my energy. And after that, let¡¯s think of how to reconcile with Soutarou. For a moment, I looked on the black side but as expected, I need Soutarou. Because Soutarou is my precious friend. Clatter, hearing the sound of a chair falling, I reflexively raise my head. And then, with a momentum that doesn¡¯t allow for any chance of escape, he brings his face closer. My voice can¡¯t come out due to the overwhelming shock and I can only withdraw my head like a tortoise. I¡¯ll be kissed this time for sure, or possibly receive a free swing slap in retaliation. With these thoughts in mind, I tightly shut my eyes and after a moment of nothingness, I feel his lips touching the temple of my forehead. ¡°It¡¯s dispiriting if you¡¯re so scared.¡± ¡°¨D¨D¡­¡­??!¡± Even though I¡¯m seriously bewildered, this guy is acting so brazenly. Does he not even have a fragment of morality? This will be a sex crime if I¡¯m female y¡¯know. To the degree that I¡¯ll win if I say ¡®He forcibly tried to kiss me¡¯ y¡¯know. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t let such a beastly guy fall in love for Mitsuki. The lovely, adorable and frail Mitsuki may already be raped by now. Moreover, plotting to kiss after making the other party let down his guard for an instant, this guy¡­ is capable! ¡°I can stay over today right. Ya invited me after all.¡± ¡°Leave. Leave right now. And don¡¯t ever come back.¡± I sense various kinds of danger from the grinning Ichigo-chan. I don¡¯t know whether this guy seriously likes me, or says he does to trouble me in retaliation for me getting in the way between him and Subaru. However, it¡¯s probably the latter. There¡¯s no way he can fall for me in such a short time. In the first place, there isn¡¯t any impetus that make him fall for me. Also, Ichigo-chan was in love with Subaru up until a while ago y¡¯know. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t attack you when you¡¯re asleep. Let¡¯s start with becomin¡¯ friends ¡®kay, Makoto.¡± He probably wants to grin but it¡¯s a smile that fits the sfx ¡®smirk¡¯. With great vigour, I fervently, fervently pray that he¡¯ll leave. I didn¡¯t sense so much danger even from that Junya. Different from Junya, Ichigo-chan has an aura of being difficult to drive away so that may contribute to the sense of danger. Guys are scary. Super scary. CH 40 Chapter 40 ¨C The Kiss and the Dog and the Wolf [2] ¡°Didn¡¯t I say ya don¡¯t hafta be so cautious? That, just now, was a joke.¡± ¡°Aah, okay okay. Okay okay.¡± Do kindly sympathise with the feelings of I, who was almost kissed by a guy. There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll be so easily forgiven when you teased someone in such a way when they are seriously depressed. There¡¯s a need to clearly tell this guy who doesn¡¯t know such a basic thing. Having decided, I face Ichigo-chan again and make a serious expression. ¡°Well, take a seat, Ichigo-chan.¡± ¡°¡®Kay.¡± I sit cross-legged on the bed and make Ichigo-chan sit in seiza on the floor. As Ichigo-chan came straight to my house from the school, besides his school uniform, he naturally doesn¡¯t have have anything to wear. As such, I obligatorily let him wear my room wear. However, should I say as expected or as a matter of course, it looks pretty tight. Well, our difference in height is more than 10cm after all. Maybe I should be glad that he was at least able to wear it. Pushing up the bridge of my black-rimmed glasses, I sternly point at him. ¡°I¡¯ll seriously wallop you if you do that again. ¡®nd I won¡¯t ever listen to you again. Got it?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°Be good then. I¡¯m going to send Soutarou an apology mail now.¡± Strike while the iron is hot. I want to quickly reconcile with Soutarou. I can¡¯t concentrate on the end-of-term tests when I¡¯m feeling this gloomy and I can¡¯t enjoy the summer vacation. With these thoughts, I hold the smartphone with both my hands and lie down. I desperately mull over what to type but nothing comes to mind. Soutarou is probably angry that I chased after Ikuto back then. He¡¯s angry that I proceeded with a dangerous undertaking even though I, alone, might not have been able to help at all. I understand. Then, did he ignore me just now because we met despite having quarrelled with each other and it was awkward? Or is it jealousy like what Ichigo-chan said? I¡¯m not sure about this. Still, it seems I¡¯m quite obtuse. What should I do if I get the wrong idea again and anger Soutarou? We may not be able to return to how we were in the past. With the app still open, I grasp the smartphone tightly. The last time I sent a message was the day that incident with Ichigo-chan happened. We haven¡¯t been keeping in touch at all ever since. Even though we contacted each other everyday before that. Even if I don¡¯t have business with him, just¡ºSoutarou¡»or¡ºShiritori¡»[1], now that I think of it, the messages I sent were full of those without actual content. Without thinking, my fingers simply moved. In spite of that, now, when I¡¯ve things I really want to convey, nothing comes to mind. My fingers are trembling. Don¡¯t ignore me like that. Call my name like usual. ¡°Mako.¡± My shoulders shake in surprise. The one who called me ¡®Mako¡¯ was obviously not Soutarou, but Ichigo-chan. I knew that. However, the timing was so coincidental that I was taken aback. ¡°Ye hands ain¡¯t moving at all.¡± I glance at Ichigo-chan. Ichigo-chan puts the manga he¡¯d been reading aside, and looks in my direction. Squeeze, I put more strength into my hand that¡¯s holding the smartphone. I¡¯m most afraid of having my message ignored even though the other has read it. Normally, I won¡¯t care at all but I¡¯ve a feeling that we can never reconcile if it¡¯s ignored in this situation. That¡¯s why, it¡¯s better to apologise face-to-face. Let¡¯s go to Soutarou¡¯s house tomorrow and apologise. If it seems like he¡¯s going to run, let¡¯s pin him down with wrestling moves or whatever and yell at him to listen to what I¡¯ve to say. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll apologise to him face-to-face tomorrow. I¡¯m sleeping.¡± ¡°¡®Dat so. Actually, it¡¯s still 9pm y¡¯know. Ain¡¯t it too early to sleep?¡± Ichigo-chan¡¯s yawning as he reads the famous pirate manga about searching for a grand treasure in the sea. It was originally already in my room. By the way, I¡¯ve only read till about volume 20. It was till the part where that blue-haired princess played a big role. Yet, for some reason, the full collection of volumes is here. Besides that, there¡¯s famous basketball manga, Strawberry Underwear Falls in Love At 100%[2] and other kinda old but still famous manga gathered here. ¡°Then, should we play a game? The Game of Life, maybe?¡± Walking with my knees, I approach the shelf containing game software and pass him a software I chose randomly. However, Ichigo-chan doesn¡¯t seem very interested. Before long, he leaves the software on the futon and rustle, he begins to rummage through the book shelf. ¡°Hm©`, don¡¯t ya have somethin¡¯ else?¡± ¡°Ichigo-chan sure is picky. You can take a look around as you like so find it yourself.¡± At that moment, a notification that I¡¯ve received a message came in. Groping for my phone on the bed, I casually lower my gaze. And, surprise, a message from Soutarou came in. With my fingertips trembling, I go ahead and read its contents. ¡ºMako, can I call you?¡» It¡¯s just a single sentence but I¡¯m happy enough to shed tears. I didn¡¯t expect that Soutarou will contact me from his side. Even if he¡¯s calling to scold me or for some similar reason, I¡¯m happy. I can talk to Soutarou properly. That alone makes me happy. ¡°Sorry, Ichigo-chan. Can I make a call?¡± ¡°Is it him?¡± ¡¯Him¡¯ is probably referring to Soutarou. Ichigo-chan¡¯s expression clouds over slightly and a furrow forms between his brows. His sharp sanpakugan turns even sharper and I unconsciously shrink back. This comes at a bit of a late hour, especially after I said whatever I wanted to that extent, but I¡¯ll probably be defenceless if I¡¯m punched, kicked or tied down by the muscle-bound Ichigo-chan. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Soutarou said that he wants to call. I think it¡¯ll be over quickly so read manga or something and wait, okay, Ichigo-chan.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What¡¯s he saying. Holding my phone, I stand before the door and look back at Ichigo-chan who¡¯s looking up at me. Several tens of seconds pass by silently like that. Concluding that it¡¯s useless no matter what else I say, I turn my back towards Ichigo-chan and try to leave the room. ¡°Let me kiss you then.¡± I reflexively turn around at the shocking words. ¡°How did it come to that. I don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°Then show me your underwear. Underwear.¡± ¡°Quit messin¡¯ around. Read the manga over there or something. You can see high school girls¡¯ underwear y¡¯know.¡± Pointing at the Strawberry Underwear 100% manga, I roughly drive him away. However, Ichigo-chan slowly stands up and walks towards me. Although I say ¡®walks towards me¡¯, it¡¯s a small 8-tatami room so he arrives before my eyes with just a step or two. ¡°Weren¡¯t ya talkin¡¯ with me. Why are ya makin¡¯ a call. Aren¡¯t messages fine? Ya definitely won¡¯t be back for about an hour if ya make a call.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it 15 minutes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna. Isn¡¯t it fine to call ¡®morrow?¡± Ichigo-chan who¡¯s slowly drawing nearer is extremely scary. Including that time with Prince, it¡¯s the second time I¡¯m pressed against the wall in a room, but different from the Prince, this is quite intense. Prince was erotic but it felt like a kitten playing with me. Ichigo-chan feels like a wild animal or a bird of prey so, like this, I sense the danger. Our faces grow even closer because he switches from a kabedon to a hijidon[3]. Even as I feel the intensity before my eyes, the way his sublime countenance brilliantly advents, is like a shoujo manga. Nay, it¡¯s actually BL. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s no good. Soutarou, too, probably plucked up his courage to contact me. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve to reply him immediately. It¡¯s no good if I don¡¯t contact him right now.¡± ¡°¡®Is dat so. Still, no.¡± Ichigo-chan seizes my smartphone and subsequently flings it forcefully onto the bed. Fortunately, it lands on the futon so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s broken, but I can only open and close my mouth repeatedly like a goldfish in response to his chain of actions that can be deemed ¡®startling¡¯. ¡°What are you doing! Seriously, Ichigo-chan. Soutarou¡¯s really waiting for my call.¡± I feel excessively anxious when I imagine that Soutarou may be thinking that I¡¯m ignoring him despite having read his message. Perhaps Ichigo-chan didn¡¯t notice my state of mind; he¡¯s caressing my cheek and stroking my chin. Not understanding Ichigo-chan¡¯s intention, I blink as I stare at his face. ¡°Does Makoto not grow beards? Iz so scant.¡± Uh, is that something we must talk about now? When I stoop down to escape from the beneath the elbow that¡¯s doing the hijidon, he smoothly embraces me. Instead of being embraced, maybe it¡¯s closer to being seized. In such a way, he then tosses me onto the bed like what he did to the smartphone just now. That¡¯s when I finally realise the peril my body is in. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say ya don¡¯t hafta be so cautious? I¡¯m not gonna do anything, I say. Ya?¡± ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll believe those words so, for the time being, sit there.¡± ¡°¡®Kay.¡± Having been flung onto the bed, I somehow get up while both my mind and body are weakened, and point to the floor. Even as he calculatively confiscates my phone, Ichigo-chan obediently sits on the floor. He won¡¯t return my phone despite being obedient, huh. It¡¯s troubling that I can¡¯t make a call but it¡¯ll be even more troubling if he targets my butt or my lips next, out of curiosity. ¡°I got it. I won¡¯t make a call. I won¡¯t but at least let me give a reply.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, huh.¡± ¡°The way you say that is really kinda displeasing. Well, whatever. Give me a moment.¡± I make him return the phone before he changes his mind and begin thinking of what to type. Somehow or other, it¡¯s just my gut feeling but I think I musn¡¯t tell Soutarou that I¡¯m with Ichigo-chan. I¡¯ve an inkling only people who can¡¯t read the atmosphere will tell him that. Rather, I¡¯ve the inking that things will turn troublesome. ¡ºCan we have the call tomorrow? Somehow, I don¡¯t think I can converse well now.¡» The instant I send the message, the ¡®Read¡¯ word appears beside it. And several seconds later, a reply comes in. Gulp, I swallow my saliva and chase after the words that were received. ¡ºCan I come and see you tomorrow then? I¡¯ll come and pick you up at 11am so let¡¯s eat together.¡» ¡ºThat¡¯s fine. Thanks.¡» Replying with only these words, I put the smartphone down. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m looking forward so much to ¡®tomorrow¡¯. I want to hurry up and meet Soutarou, and tell him something. Not just ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯. I¡¯ve lots to say to him. There are things I want to convey to him after having not conversed for this 1 and a half days. Honestly, I want to talk to him today but if there¡¯s still a ¡®tomorrow¡¯, then ¡®tomorrow¡¯ is fine. Tomorrow is fine if I can meet him. ¡°Makoto, are you done with the reply?¡± ¡°Aah. I¡¯m going to meet Soutarou tomorrow. 11am.¡± ¡°Dat so.¡± Suppressing my cheerful and buoyant heart somehow, I lie down on the bed. Well then, should I memorise an English word? Opening the vocabulary book, my restless legs thrash about. Without a word, Ichigo-chan climbs onto my bed. It¡¯s a surreal situation where two guys, 178cm and 190cm-ish, are lying down on a single bed. Sandwiched between Ichigo-chan and the wall, I lift my head from the vocabulary book and give a sidelong glance. Ichigo-chan has gone to search for The Grand Treasure of One Piece. ¡°Ichigo-chan, get off the bed.¡± ¡°Why.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s squeezy.¡± I push him with my elbow but Ichigo-chan doesn¡¯t even budge. Instead, he¡¯s getting increasingly closer to me. ¡°Oi. How annoying.¡± Despite my glare, his gaze still remains on the book and he does nothing but chortle. It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s going to leave at all. ¡°Why not. Isn¡¯t it just sleeping?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hindrance because it¡¯s just sleeping. I can¡¯t sleep if it¡¯s squeezy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold your hand then.¡± How did it come to that. Perhaps my sentiments are projected too obviously on my face; Ichigo-chan¡¯s smile grows even wider. With a bewildered expression, that surfaced due to my sentiments of this disturbing and bothersome guy, still on my face, I¡¯m unable to say anything and remain still as it is. Subsequently, did several seconds pass since then? The first one to concede is me. Giving a very deep sigh, I lower my gaze at the vocabulary book. ¡°The hand is fine. In exchange, I¡¯ll drive you out if you take up anymore space.¡± ¡°¡®Kay¡¯.¡± It¡¯s squeezy, it¡¯s hot and it¡¯s a hindrance. But it¡¯s useless even if I say anything else so I decide to leave the matter alone. More importantly, tomorrow. What should I first say when I meet Soutarou tomorrow? What will Soutarou say? There are so many things to think about that one head really isn¡¯t enough. () x x [1] Shiritori ¨C Japanese word game, can be played through texts. [2] Probably a reference to the shounen manga, Strawberry 100%. The pirate one in the previous paragraph should be One Piece. [3] Kabedon (wall don), hijidon (elbow don). Former: cornered against the wall with his palm against the wall. Latter: same thing but with elbow instead of palm. CH 41 Chapter 41 ¨C The Kiss and the Dog and the Wolf [3] When I woke up in the morning, for some reason, Ichigo-chan was hugging me. This situation wasn¡¯t unforeseeable¡­ actually, it¡¯s par for the course but it¡¯s still shocking. Is this normal behaviour for high school boys? ¨D¨DI¡¯ve had enough of this question. It isn¡¯t normal. As expected, even I¡¯ve come to know that. Stretching my arm, I turn off the alarm of my brilliant clock. I push the forehead of Ichigo-chan who buried his face in my chest in an attempt to tear him away but he¡¯s clinging tightly and wouldn¡¯t let go. I reach for my glasses but my hand miss it by just a bit. Thankfully, my eyesight on both eyes are 0.3. Well, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t see a thing so I give up trying to grab the glasses. Straining my eyes at the clock, I see that it¡¯s 10am. I should¡¯ve set the alarm at 9am. However, it may have gotten this late as a result of me repeatedly snoozing it. It¡¯s about time I must start preparing and wait for Soutarou. Therefore, I¡¯ve to smack Ichigo-chan awake and hope that he¡¯ll leave. ¡°Ichigo-chan, Ichigo-chan.¡± As though in complaint, furrows form between Ichigo-chan¡¯s brows as he stirs. Really, even Ichigo-chan looks this innocent and high school student-like when he¡¯s asleep. I¡¯m sorry to do this when he¡¯s sleeping peacefully but I grab Ichigo-chan¡¯s shoulder and shake him. However, he simply forms furrows between his brows in complaint and growls in an indistinct voice reminiscent of a sleeper¡¯s breath. Goodness, won¡¯t Soutarou arrive if he doesn¡¯t wake up soon? I try to imagine the worst-case scenario that will occur if I leave him be. Soutarou is on his way. In place of me who can¡¯t move, Mitsuki receives Soutarou. Mitsuki guides Soutarou to my room. It¡¯s the scenario where Mitsuki and Soutarou witness that Ichigo-chan and I are hugging each other. Too terrifying. It¡¯s a situation where I can¡¯t make up a good excuse. While it¡¯s not like I must¡¯ve a good excuse for this, I somehow have a feeling that Soutarou will, well, be saddened. ¡°Wake up, Ichigo-chan.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t it a rest day today. A little more¡­¡± I¡¯m being hugged even more tightly. There¡¯s absolutely no signs of him waking up. I shake his shoulder again. Yet, sure enough, he merely stirs. If so, I should¡¯ve set the appointment with Soutarou slightly later. I didn¡¯t expect that Ichigo-chan will be this bad at getting up. ¡°Yeah, still, please go home and sleep. Didn¡¯t I say yesterday that I¡¯ve something on?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± So much so that one wouldn¡¯t think he was sleep-groaning just a moment ago, he starts snickering with his eyes wide open. He stops hugging me, rests his elbow on the bed and smirks, looking at me. What¡¯s with him. Was he groaning to make things difficult for me? It appears that Ichigo-chan enjoys making things difficult for me. It feels like I¡¯m about to snap but I endure it. It¡¯s futile even if one scolds people like this harshly. ¡°Ichigo-chan, sit there.¡± ¡°¡®Kay.¡± The obedient Ichigo-chan gets up and sits in seiza on the bed. Meanwhile, I sit cross-legged in front of him. ¡°I must reconcile with Soutarou. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Ichigo-chan nods. ¡°Then, for the time being, please go home.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s kiss then.¡± ¡°How did it come to that.¡± What are you saying with that serious expression. I feel slightly dizzy at not having gotten my point across. Pressing the area between my brows, I hang my head. ¡°Show me your underwear then. Underwear.¡± I think we¡¯d the same conversation yesterday. Why does he want to kiss me, sheesh. Also, why does he want to see my underwear! Is it fun for a guy to see another guy¡¯s underwear? My underwear is surely similar to what Ichigo-chan¡¯s wearing, y¡¯know. I give a deep, deep sigh and tap Ichigo-chan¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not showing it.¡± ¡°Why? Ain¡¯t it fine since we¡¯re both guys?¡± Ichigo-chan flails his arms as though he¡¯s throwing a tantrum. Is there any idiot who¡¯ll show you after being asked to ¡°Show me, show me!¡± so assertively? I totally don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s seen normally. Still, sure enough, I¡¯m resistant to showing it to someone who wants to see. In the first place, my current outer appearance may be a guy but I¡¯m female on the inside. This may sound disturbing but there¡¯s no way I can say ¡°Sure, go ahead¡± when I¡¯m asked by a guy to show my underwear. ¡°Seriously¡­¡± ¡°Chance~¡± When I try to get down from the bed and am in a tall kneeling position, my sweatpants are pulled from my waist and are cleanly peeled off. Naturally, my underwear is completely visible. ¡°Ahh, what, the color sure is boring. I thought you were wearing pink or something.¡± Well, sorry for being boring. Even back when I¡¯m female, I never preferred pink or red underwear. What underwear colour is conventional for high school boys to wear? Do they wear red, gold, etc.? Soutarou¡¯s boxers were orange, so are warm-coloured ones popular? Rather, what kind of underwear does Ichigo-chan want me to wear? In this way, various emotions surged up but for the time being, I pull my sweatpants up. As I ponder on how to convey this irremediable anger, of all things, Ichigo-chan eagle-grips my butt. And then, squeeze squeeze, he starts massaging it. I¡¯m so stunned that I can¡¯t even scream. ¡°Your butt is small, huh. And you have a narrow waist.¡± ¡°Ahh, whatever you say, whatever you say.¡± After all, this guy will just find it amusing if I pointlessly resist him. Let¡¯s not specifically resist him and let him do what he wants. Still, I¡¯d have liked to be told that I¡¯ve a narrow waist when I was female. At that time, while I wasn¡¯t particularly chubby, I wasn¡¯t skinny either. Since I¡¯ve been transported here and became a guy, I think several amendments were made. After all, with Mitsuki being so cute, slender and attractive, and in addition to this world being an otome game, all the dreams and hopes will be dashed if I, the older brother, is a fugly giant that¡¯s unbearable for the eyes. Besides, the ¡°older brothers¡± in otome games these days are also capturable targets and the older and younger brothers in the otome games Subaru make are all sparkly ikemen. I¡¯m sorry that only the ¡®older brother¡¯ of Dokidoki Renai Kakumei Revolution isn¡¯t an ikemen. At the end of the day, even if you look at me in a favourable light, I¡¯m barely an Average Joe. Since I turned into a guy with great lengths, it would¡¯ve been nice if my face was also revised. If I¡¯m an ikemen, I¡¯ll still be treated like one[1] even if I squeeze a guy¡¯s butt like this, huh. It is often said that humans are judged 90% by their outer appearance. Even though my heart is in a critical ORZ condition, Ichigo-chan stops massaging my butt and cheerfully starts changing. What a seriously ¡®my pace¡¯ guy. ¡°Makoto should get changed soon too. Ain¡¯t ya meeting dat guy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly as you say, but it¡¯s super annoying to be told that by you.¡± Without a shred of shyness, Ichigo-chan changes directly before me. There¡¯s no helping it so for the time being, I put on my black-rimmed glasses and start changing. Ichigo-chan changes into the school uniform he¡¯d been wearing while I start changing into random casual clothing. I¡¯m only going to have tea with Soutarou so jeans, t-shirt and jackets will do, I suppose. If it¡¯s a shopping date with Mitsuki, I¡¯ll put in some fighting spirit and choose an ikemen older brother ? style though. Having finished changing, Ichigo-chan returns to sitting on the floor cushion and begins to read the manga about searching for the Grand Treasure of One Piece. ¡°Ichigo-chan, aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± ¡°Naw. Why?¡± You don¡¯t have to speak with such a sincerely perplexed tone. You¡¯re making me feel that I¡¯m the one who¡¯s mistaken instead. ¡°Why¡­ because I¡¯m meeting Soutarou.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll meet Soutarou too then.¡± ¡°Huh? Why would you?¡± Why is there a need for Soutarou and Ichigo-chan to meet? There shouldn¡¯t have been any relation between Soutarou and Ichigo-chan. In addition, I want to talk to Soutarou alone. Besides, Ichigo-chan will definitely be a hindrance if he¡¯s there. While I¡¯m pondering on how to convey that such that he¡¯ll understand, the intercom sounded. It¡¯s slightly passed 11pm. It¡¯s undoubtedly Soutarou who¡¯s come. ¡°Is it okay to not go?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m going though.¡± ¡°Should I go then?¡± His lips curls into a smirk. Ichigo-chan is definitely enjoying this situation. Although I¡¯ve absolutely no idea how to explain this situation to Soutarou, I can¡¯t possibly continue to ignore the intercom. Somehow, I¡¯m starting to feel like crying. There¡¯s so many signs of carnage that I feel like vomiting. I¡¯ll probably feel even more like vomiting from now on though. I raise my extremely heavy hips[2] and slowly walk to the entrance. Aahh, how should I explain this situation? Is it necessary to explain in the first place? Can I settle it with ¡°My friend came over~¡±? Yeah, it should be able to settle. After all, we¡¯re friends. Both Soutarou and I, and Ichigo-chan and I, are friends. It shouldn¡¯t be strange at all to tell a friend that another friend stayed over. It shouldn¡¯t be but I¡¯ve an inkling that things won¡¯t go so smoothly. Whichever the case, it feels like it¡¯s going to become something exceptionally troublesome. ¡°My bad, I kept you waiting. Welcome.¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m sorry for the abruptness.¡± ¡°Soutarou¡­¡± Opening the door, I see Soutarou standing there bashfully. Having been treated coldly by Soutarou these two days, this smile of his is engaging. Up till now, I¡¯ve thought nothing of Soutarou¡¯s smile, yet right now, this instance, it¡¯s a smile like an angel¡¯s. As expected, Soutarou is an ikemen, huh. How extremely wonderful. ¡°Somehow, it feels like it¡¯s been a long time. That we¡¯ve spoken like this.¡± ¡°It sure does. So, I, uhm¡ª¡± The moment I open my mouth to apologise for what happened the other day, someone hugs me from behind. ¡°Makoto, you¡¯re takin¡¯ too long to come back.¡± With an arm wrapped around my neck, he places his chin on my head. Soutarou¡¯s eyes widen in surprise as he looks at Ichigo-chan who should be overhead. ¡°¡­ Go away. I¡¯m talking to Soutarou now.¡± ¡°I was talking to Makoto too. He¡¯s the one who wedged himself in.¡± I jab his side with my elbow to push him off but he clings even more tightly to me and wouldn¡¯t leave. Let¡¯s ignore Ichigo-chan already. Having decided that, I face Soutarou again. It¡¯s kind of surreal to talk with Ichigo-chan still clinging to me but it¡¯s not the time to be saying that. I¡¯m sorry about the other day, ¨D¨Dthe moment I open my mouth to say that, Soutarou pulls my arm. However, the brawny Ichigo-chan is hugging me from behind. The impact from being pulled was merely enough to make me wonder if my arm is going to tear off; my body didn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°Stop hugging Mako.¡± Soutarou grips my hand tightly and glares at Ichigo-chan. ¡°Ah? Makoto ain¡¯t yours, man.¡± ¡°He may not be mine but he¡¯s not yours either, right. Moreover, Mako doesn¡¯t like being hugged by you.¡± Zap zap, sparks scatter overhead. As expected of this set of two tall and muscular people. They sure are intense, aren¡¯t they, I think as though it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business as I gaze into the distance. I foresaw that Soutarou won¡¯t be happy if Ichigo-chan appears but I didn¡¯t think that he¡¯d start a fight. I wonder what I should do. If this is an otome game, I can choose from around 3 choices, which is great. However, in this situation where it¡¯s not a game, the choices are endless. Moreover, I can¡¯t even redo if I fail. Well then, what shall I do? x() x x [1] How ikemens are treated more favourably compared to non-ikemens, even if they did the exact same thing. Eg. More easily forgivable when they commit some wrong. [2] Not literally¡­ kinda like heavy-hearted. CH 42 Chapter 42 ¨C The Kiss and the Dog and the Wolf [4] This is bad. This is pretty bad! The room is so prickly now that I wouldn¡¯t think it¡¯s my room. Speaking of me, I¡¯m staring blankly at the ground on the right while sitting in seiza, between the two who are glaring at each other. For what¡¯s already been 10 minutes, in complete silence. It¡¯s been long to death. It feels like an hour has passed to my body clock. Can something somehow happen soon and end this? Just as such a halfhearted thought crosses my mind, Soutarou finally opens his mouth. ¡°Did you stay over at Mako¡¯s house, Kaburagi?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Well, that¡¯s how it ended up.¡± Is that so?, Soutarou nods and turns silent again. Why does it feel like I was caught cheating red-handed? I wonder what¡¯s wrong with a friend staying over at his friend¡¯s house. If they¡¯re of the opposite gender then, well, I see the cause for concern, but both Ichigo-chan and I are technically male. Is there anything to be concerned about? Nope, there isn¡¯t. But I probably can¡¯t convey these thoughts the way they are, huh. ¡°I¡¯m staying over today then.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Mako, can¡¯t I?¡± I¡¯ve absolutely no idea where that word ¡®then¡¯ comes from. I stiffen with a blank look at his abrupt proposal. Soutarou looks at me with his standard upturned eyes as he tilts his head. Then, his dog ears droops listlessly as he cries ¡®kyun, kyun¡¯. I don¡¯t intend to reject him in the first place, but it sure is hard to reject when the other party makes a face like this, huh. This cunning doggy definitely, definitely knows that he himself is cool. Knowing that, he does cunning things like this, definitely. ¡°Hey, Mako¡­ please.¡± What¡¯s going on? He¡¯s 5cm taller than me but those look like upturned eyes. I feel myself faltering at Soutarou who¡¯s giving dog-like cries: ¡°Kyu, kyu¡±. The guilt will be no joke if I reject him now, yeah. Not that I¡¯ll reject him. ¡°F-fine. Okay.¡± Hearing my response, Soutarou¡¯s tail shakes energetically in happiness. ¡°Let¡¯s study together today, then. The tests begin next week after all.¡± A full-face smile is on Soutarou¡¯s face as he releases the sparkly~ mysterious particles that¡¯s characteristic of shoujo manga backgrounds. I¡¯ve a feeling the sparkly-ness of his smile is even more powered up than before. I feel pressured by that sunny smile but, at any rate, I¡¯m truly glad that we¡¯re back to having good relations. I¡¯ve realised anew how precious Soutarou is from the quarrel this time. Sure enough, before I knew it, Soutarou¡¯s existence within me has become unbelievably large. Placing a hand on my chest, I nod. Well then, it¡¯s about time for me to give things a clean break and say a proper apology. ¡°Soutarou.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Also, thank you.¡± Soutarou¡¯s eyes widen in slight surprise before he bursts into laughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too¡­ with this, we¡¯ve made up, haven¡¯t we?¡± A broad smile that¡¯s sparkly to the point of being dazzling, surfaces on his face. Aa, he really is an ikemen. His smile is beautiful, man. He totally loses to Mitsuki but I believe Soutarou is also rather angelic. He¡¯s a bit of a cunning doggy but even with that behaviour included, he¡¯s a sparkly angel. As expected of a capturable character from an otome game, man. If he says ¡®I like you, please go out with me¡¯ or something like that with such a face, of course it¡¯ll be a cinch to sweep anyone off their feet. ¡°Oi, Makoto.¡± Having his existence ignored to this degree, Ichigo-chan calls my name with a growl. Then, with extremely smooth movements, he hugs me from behind. It¡¯s like having me sit between Ichigo¡¯s bent knees. His thick arm is wrapped strongly around my stomach. To top if off, Ichigo-chan¡¯s chin is placed on my right shoulder. Rub rub, having our cheeks pressed together, unbelievably complicated feelings whirl in my heart. Dear me, what on earth should be done about this situation? I¡¯m sure this isn¡¯t news to you, but I¡¯m male. My heart may skip and I may fall in love had this been done to me when I was female, but I¡¯m currently male. Besides, I¡¯ve no intention of falling in love in this world. Well, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten close to these riajuus had it been when I was female, ¡°Hey, Kaburagi¡­! Don¡¯t cling to Mako.¡± Soutarou desperately tries to pull Ichigo-chan and I apart. And the way he does it is quite violent. He¡¯s desperately pulling my arm, trying to enclose it within his own. If you treat a girl so roughly, she¡¯ll definitely be worse for wear. I sure am glad my body is that of a guy¡¯s. ¡°Ah? Be thankful that I waited till you reconciled.¡± ¡°Mako, you don¡¯t like him clinging to you right? Come over to me.¡± ¡°Tryin¡¯ to hog Makoto despite acting as his friend, you¡¯re really ¡®dark¡¯, ain¡¯t cha. You ain¡¯t Makoto¡¯s only friend. I¡¯m also Makoto¡¯s friend y¡¯know? Right, Makoto?¡± I hear a mocking voice from my right ear. I¡¯m really coming to not understand the definition of ¡®friends¡¯ in this world. This topic has already become a paradox for me. I probably won¡¯t get an answer even if I think about it any further, and if I discuss with Subaru, she¡¯ll definitely say ¡°That¡¯s love!¡± and connect it to some incomprehensible BL talk. Still, I want to dehumidify this damp atmosphere soon. It¡¯s so awkward that I¡¯m starting to have difficulties breathing. Come to think of it, there mayn¡¯t been any happenings that¡¯s carnage-y to this extent in my school life so far. As for Junya, he¡¯s also the type to charge straight at Soutarou. However, his temperament is bright at its root. It was also quite strained with Prince at first, but they get along well now. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ichigo-chan is also my precious friend. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not particularly against him clinging to me.¡± ¡°Eh, ¡­ Mako¡­¡± Ichigo-chan has a triumphant look while Soutarou¡¯s eyebrows turns into the ¥Ï character and he looks on the verge of tears. Ichigo-chan is also my friend now. Of course, I regard Soutarou as a good friend, but Ichigo-chan is also a friend I¡¯m rather attached to. It¡¯s normal for friends to hug each other in this world, right? If so, I personally don¡¯t mind being hugged at all. We¡¯re both guys after all. I¡¯d rather Subaru not see though, because it seems like she¡¯ll mention stuff like BL and whatnot. ¡°However, Soutarou is my super precious good friend, so I won¡¯t forgive anyone for mocking or talking bad about him, even if it¡¯s you, Ichigo-chan. Certainly, Soutarou is sometimes dark but he¡¯s usually extremely kind and cute. As long as you remember that, I totally don¡¯t mind you clinging to me.¡± Certainly, Soutarou¡¯s two-facedness comes and goes, but he¡¯s cute and has a kind heart fundamentally. With his eyebrows still looking like the ¥Ï character, Soutarou says miserably: ¡°Am I two-faced?¡± It¡¯s unknown whether Ichigo-chan has been listening to the conversation; he¡¯s cheekily hugging me from the right side and has placed his head on my shoulder. Well, although I said that I don¡¯t mind his hugs, I didn¡¯t expect him to hug me immediately. It was a surprise. ¡°You¡¯re heavy, Ichigo-chan.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t ya say I can hug?¡± ¡°Honestly, Ichigo-chan¡¯s thought process is unnecessarily positive!¡± I think what I said was quite severe, but he doesn¡¯t take it to heart at all. On the contrary, he only picks up what¡¯s convenient for him. I¡¯ve a feeling the situation has taken a turn for the worse. It sure has become troublesome. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this guy aside and study, Soutarou. Are you better at humanities or the sciences, again?¡± ¡°Nn, yea¡­ between the two, it¡¯s probably humanities for me. My specialty is maths.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s perfect. Teach me.¡± Soutarou¡¯s troubled look remains as he looks at Ichigo-chan from the side. Watching him try his best to answer me even as his expression says Is it really okay to ignore Ichigo-chan?, is kind of amusing. I drive Ichigo-chan away with my elbow and take out my maths textbook. Along with the document that states the testable syllabus, I open my mathematics assessment book. ¡°Makoto, my specialty is also maths.¡± ¡°Seriously? The same expertise?¡± ¡°Ahh, our school might be slightly ahead. Seems like only science and maths are harder at Minami High. Izumino¡¯s better for da others.¡± As expected of the Minami High that¡¯s strong at science. As long as I subjugate mathematics, which I¡¯m bad at, I¡¯ll definitely be within top 50 among the 240 students in my grade. Also, if I teach Mitsuki what I learn here, she may be able to place within the top half. As Mitsuki had been refining nothing but her charm and housework skills, she¡¯s become a bit of an idiot. I must take more of a look at the other parameters from now on. She may not be able to capture Prince at this rate. ¡°Teach me then. Here. How is this answer derived?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach ya so let¡¯s kiss?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Is he still going to say stupid things like that? Despite having such a stern-looking appearance, to be going on about kisses and whatnot, is Ichigo-chan actually an idiot? ¡°Mako, I¡¯ll teach you!¡± Doggy Soutarou peeks at my face in a flustered manner. Unlike Ichigo-chan who lacks common sense, Soutarou is a kind doggy. ¡°Thanks. Soutarou truly is kind.¡± ¡°Tsubaki, don¡¯t cha pretend to be good when ya wanna kiss Makoto too.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do things that trouble Mako. Because Mako is also my good friend too.¡± Ichigo-chan¡¯s face turns grim and he holds my body even tighter. I think I heard my bones creaking. I believe both Soutarou and Ichigo-chan treat other people¡¯s bodies way too roughly. ¡°If it¡¯s me, I¡¯ll definitely not let anyone touch what¡¯s precious to me. I¡¯ll carefully put them away so that they won¡¯t come to like anyone other than me.¡± ¡°Is that so. ¡­ If it¡¯s me¡ª¡± Soutarou suddenly smiles as he grabs my hand. He grips my hand such that our fingers entwine, and repeatedly twiddles with my hand and speaks in a slow tempo. ¡°If it¡¯s me, I want to let my precious person be free. But I¡¯ll be happy if the place they return to in the end is me. In order for that to happen, in order to be more attractive, I want to work harder, harder.¡± ¡°Ya really are dark, Tsubaki.¡± ¡°Ehh, why?!¡± Before I knew it, my existence is being ignored but what on earth should I do? The tests begin next week but I can¡¯t study. To begin with, it¡¯s hot to be hugged from all sides. It somehow became incredibly troublesome, huh. Well then, what should I do from now on? I give up thinking and entrust myself to the flow for the time being. CH 43 Chapter 43 ¨C The Summer Break and the School Camp and the Revision [1] For the end-of-term exams, I secured the 82nd place. 82 out of 240 is a pretty good spot, right? It¡¯s like being above the average and below the above. Contemporary and Classical Japanese was fine, but Mathematics was a no-go. Speaking of this 82nd position, you can say that it¡¯s a result of having some leeway at studies despite not having much for sports. As the 169th place, Mitsuki didn¡¯t do too bad grades-wise. However, it¡¯s a questionable result in terms of favourability rating. If the grades are below average, it¡¯s not good for raising the favourability ratings of the capture targets. Tsk, those are some big words when you guys didn¡¯t score that well either. Especially you. By the way, Prince is 20th, Soutarou is 125th and Kaname is 177th. According to the rumours, Takayanagi ranks within the top 10 and Junya maintains his spot among the supplementary lessons takers. ¡°Mako-chan sure is smart~!¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. We¡¯re having Mitsuki¡¯s homemade water dumplings for dinner today. They steep well in the sauce and taste great. ¡°Mitsuki worked hard too, right? You ranked highly for the humanities subjects.¡± ¡°I need to attend supplementary lessons for Biology so I¡¯ve to attend school even during summer break. There¡¯s also the training camp for the Swimming Club¡­ I may be busier during summer break instead, huh.¡± What¡¯s an otome game heroine doing with such an attitude! In my heart, I pep up Mitsuki, who¡¯s saying such easygoing things. In my heart, I hurl encouragement at Mitsuki who¡¯s saying easygoing things. The crucial summer break isn¡¯t to be wasted doing something so pointless. True, interacting with Yurino-sensei at the Biology supplementary lessons is good, and so is raising Takayanagi¡¯s favourability rating during the Swimming Club¡¯s training club. However, the one you¡¯re supposed to be capturing is Prince, right? I¡¯ve thought about it. What I should do for the remaining 8 months in this otome game world. This is no time for me to be popular in this world. Mitsuki being popular and pampered is everything in this world. At some point, I¡¯ll have Mitsuki walk towards a happy future with Prince. Subsequently, I¡¯ll head towards my own happy ending that entails returning to reality. That¡¯s the happiest conclusion. The best way in which no one will be sad. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°There¡¯s the summer festival, fireworks display and opening of the beachgoing season in summer, y¡¯know? There¡¯s also night parades and haunted houses that you can¡¯t find in amusement parks. Big brother wants to enjoy the summer break with Mitsuki. That¡¯s why, please at least clear the supplementary lessons soon.¡± Tests will be held everyday during the supplementary lessons in summer break. If you¡¯re able to pass them, you¡¯ll be free from subsequent lessons. Thus, I¡¯ll have Mitsuki attend the lessons only once and clear the tests in one go. The month of August is crowded with heart-throbbing love events. Participating in the events raises 5 times more favourability rating than normal dates. What are you going to participate in if not these? ¡°Un! I want to hang out with Mako-chan too. I also have plans with Yun-chan. So, if possible, I want to be free from supplementary lessons soon too¡­ but, I¡¯m an idiot¡­¡± ¡°Mitsuki isn¡¯t an idiot. You can do it if you try.¡± ¡°I wonder. Can I really?¡± This is neither a joke nor flattery. Mitsuki really is a girl who can do it if she tries. Mitsuki is the protagonist of an otome game. As long as she has the will, anything can go well. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you. Work hard with big brother, yeah?¡± ¡°Mako-chan! Thank you. Mako-chan truly is reliable.¡± Mitsuki grins. Smiling as she emits mysterious sparkles, she¡¯s probably an angel. As expected of someone with a high Charm level. I¡¯m the older brother of the heroine, Mitsuki. I¡¯ll neither capture nor date anyone. My existence is solely to cheer for Mitsuki¡¯s romance. The issue now is how to spend the forthcoming summer break. If I don¡¯t interfere with her, Mitsuki will probably spend it on the lessons, her club activities and with Yun-chan, a.k.a. Hasumi Yuiko. Hasumi should be in love with Soutarou so I suppose she may invite Mitsuki on double dates. However, that alone won¡¯t do. Prince¡¯s favourability rating needs to be raised in a more dependable manner. There¡¯s tons of things older brother has to do. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡­ Or so I thought. ¡°Ehehe¡­ I ended up with more supplementary tests.¡± It¡¯s been less than a week since summer break started, and it¡¯s the 3rd time she¡¯s taken the supplementary tests. Mitsuki hasn¡¯t even been able to obtain half of the marks needed to pass. As Mitsuki has Swimming Club activities after the lessons, she directly heads to her club. Things can¡¯t get started if Mitsuki continue to fail the tests. Thinking that I should teach Mitsuki, I head towards Yurino-sensei, who teaches Biology. My objective is, of course, to revise the supplementary tests. I¡¯ll do the revision in place of Mitsuki who¡¯s busy with club activities and isn¡¯t too enthusiastic about the tests. It may sound strange but a supporting character providing support and an older brother helping his sister out shouldn¡¯t be strange. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Barely anyone walks by the corridors in summer break. I only pass by one person as I walk from Class 2-A to the science lab. ¡°Is Yurino-sensei in?¡± ¡°No, he isn¡¯t~. Sensei is having a break.¡± ¡°So you are in.¡± I approach Yurino-sensei, who¡¯s drinking tea in a corner of the science lab. Sensei is chewing the super popular goat milk bread from the school store. He¡¯s even heating up cans of coffee in a beaker with water, using the bunsen burner. Though, considering the heating capacity of the bunsen burner, I don¡¯t think the coffee will warm up much. ¡°I see you found me~. Do you want a cream bread~?¡± ¡°Sensei, how many cream bread do you have?¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°I¡¯ve 5 today~. It seems that goat milk was used in this goat milk bread[1] and it¡¯s extremely rare. Goodness, only 30 pieces! I couldn¡¯t stop myself from splurging. Would you like one too, Makoto-kun?¡± The school store only sells 30 of these milk bread that uses goat milk in them. Normally, a terrifying battle will unfold whenever it¡¯s lunch time. However, it¡¯s summer break now so you can easily acquire this rare bread without participating in the terrifying battle. ¡°I will be fine because I have the boxed lunch my younger sister made.¡± ¡°A boxed lunch made by Mitsuki-san? That¡¯s nice. After all, Mitsuki¡¯s grades for home economics, music and arts are top class for her year~. It seems promising~.¡± ¡°That is right; she is skilled at cooking. Yet, in exchange, it is as though she is inept at studies.¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. I think you pretty much understand by now but Mitsuki isn¡¯t really the type who can study. Her specs in Academics is decisively lacking. You can say it¡¯s due to me being awful at raising the parameters. It¡¯s partly my fault that Mitsuki¡¯s specs are lacking. ¡°Studies isn¡¯t everything~. Of course, as a teacher, I need her to take supplementary lessons and pass the test in order to raise credits. However, I think that talents outside of studies are also splendid. Mitsuki-san¡¯s very cheerful, interacts with everyone in a kind manner and is buoyant. Moreover, she¡¯s skilled at cooking and has a gift for the arts. She also has lots of friends. Only, it¡¯ll be nice if she studies a little harder.¡± Sensei chews the cream bread. The palm-sized bread is eaten in 3, 4 bites. Bubbles start appearing around the coffee that¡¯s boiling over the bunsen burner. Sensei extinguishes the bunsen burner and offers me one of the three cans. It states that the coffee is super sweet. The taste is too intense for someone who likes slightly sweet things like me. Please don¡¯t post this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Yurino Tamaki-sensei may be absent-minded and air-headed but he firmly looks at what he should be seeing. He may not appear so due to his baby-faced appearance and airy way of speaking, but he¡¯s a lot more mature than a mere high school student like me. He also properly considers a number of matters. ¡°Academic-wise, I will teach her. Mitsuki will surely grow in the future. She will become a much more charming lady.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, if it¡¯s her, then surely. Makoto-kun will also grow further in the future. You¡¯ll become a much more charming and wonderful gentleman, won¡¯t you~¡± ¡°Me? I am different from Mitsuki.¡± Mitsuki¡¯s the heroine of this story, but it¡¯s different for me. Naturally, I¡¯m not the hero and neither am I a capturable character. At most, I¡¯m a sub-character. So that the heroine¡¯s romance goes well, so that the heroine can obtain happiness, it¡¯s my job to provide support. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t display any talent that stands out more than necessary. In the first place, I may not possess such a thing though. ¡°Is that so~? I see both Makoto-kun and Mitsuki-san as buds of talent, you know. Buds that will blossom from now on. You will surely begin to grow more wonderful. I can tell.¡± Please don¡¯t post this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. After finishing 3 milk bread, sensei sips his sweet, sweet coffee. Milk bread and sweet coffee. Just the sight of them seems to sear my throat and chest. ¡°Well then. My meal¡¯s over. You¡¯ve a question for sensei, right? Please go on.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. About the supplementary lesson today¡­¡± ¡°Makoto-kun really is studious~.¡± I hate studying but for the sake of raising Mitsuki¡¯s Academic specs, there¡¯s no helping it. Let¡¯s quickly end the lessons and let Mitsuki spend a splendid and meaningful summer break. For that to happen, she has to first ¡®capture¡¯ the Biology lessons. In order to show the efforts of a supporting character, I roll up my sleeves[2]. Please don¡¯t post this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. [1] Not just goat milk favoured but actual goat milk is used in it. [2] Probably in a figurative way. Prepare to get to work. CH 44 Chapter 44 ¨C The Summer Break and the School Camp and the Revision [2] ¡°Understood. With this, I¡¯ll be able to teach Mitsuki.¡± ¡°Do tell Mitsuki-san to come personally next time. That she can¡¯t rely entirely on Makoto-kun.¡± I laugh a little at sensei as he expresses his anger in an old-fashioned way, by raising a finger above his head. Seeing as I only needed him to leisurely explain things for less than an hour, my Academic specs is evidently increasing. Although the specs I want to raise isn¡¯t Academics but Athletics, life is such that things don¡¯t go the way you want even if it¡¯s the world of a game. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to pass that on to Mitsuki. Thank you very much, sensei.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all~. It¡¯s my pleasure if the Sakurai siblings¡¯ grades improve thanks to this. Please do raise the average score of my class~.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll work hard to answer to your expectations.¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. I believe Yurino-sensei is a genius of casually pressuring others. I think I already worked plenty hard to raise the average score this term. Even though I didn¡¯t do as well as Prince, ranking in the 80s shows that I¡¯m one of those who worked pretty hard. However, it¡¯ll be better if Mitsuki improves her grades more in order to increase the characters¡¯ favourability ratings. ¡°Well then, sensei will head off to supervise his club activities~¡± ¡°Aa, all the best. I¡¯ll take a look at sensei¡¯s high jump next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no longer in Track-and-Field, you know? My waist will be done in. Goodness, I¡¯ve gotten pretty old after all.¡± He put into words the stereotypical phrases. His eyes are too sad for him to be joking. Somehow, they even seem like they¡¯re about to shed tears. I must say something. My lips slightly open with that thought but I can¡¯t say a thing. I¡¯m much too immature to convey anything to him. The ends of sensei¡¯s brows suddenly dip. Large, round eyes and silky black hair. The corners of his mouth are raised, giving the impression that he¡¯s always smiling. Incredibly baby-faced, one may even think he¡¯s a fellow student. Yet he appears incredibly adult at times like this. Sensei is a man who¡¯s much, muchmore adult than me. Which is kind of surprising though. ¡°Um, sensei¡ª¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Yurino-sensei is the adviser for the Track-and-Field club. Apparently sensei was in Track-and-Field during his school days and had entered a prefecture-level tournament for his 100 metres dash and high jump. Looks are really deceiving. Like a small animal, sensei starts stuffing milk buns into his lab coat¡¯s pocket. Thus I gather my belongings and leave the science lab. I wonder if, in the past, something happened to sensei in Track-and-Field. It¡¯s commonplace that capturable characters with aloof personalities like his, carries trauma from their pasts, huh. Let¡¯s make sure to not get too involved with such matters. Still, what should I do after this? Working on the summer break homework at the library is good. Going to the pool and taking a look at Mitsuki in her swimsuit sounds good too. Or should I just go home directly? ¡°AH!! Mako!¡± A voice so loud that it tears apart the silent space, calls for me to stop. There¡¯s no doubt it¡¯s Soutarou. Looking towards the direction of the voice, I see the refreshing puppy Soutarou clad in the Basketball Club¡¯s shirt and half-pants. Similarly, Hasumi is heading over here too. In Soutarou¡¯s case, he¡¯s sprinting at full might. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Ah, Soutarou¡­ and, Hasumi. Club activities?¡± ¡°MAKO! Why are you here? What happened? Are you leaving already? Have you had lunch?¡± ¡°Sakurai will be troubled if you ask so many questions, right, Tsubaki?¡± Hasumi, who arrives later, gives Soutarou a sidelong glance in a dumbfounded manner. ¡°Ah, my bad. I was just so happy.¡± Although Soutarou laughed bashfully, his momentum remains uninterrupted as he closes in to my immediate range. Sure enough, there¡¯s invisible dog ears on his head and a fluffy tail behind him. In addition, I seem to hear ¡°Yip, yip¡± cries. Hasumi appears sincerely dumbfounded as she looks at Soutarou. Is that how Hasumi acts towards someone she likes? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how she acts towards someone she kinda likes but is that my imagination? Or is she in love with Kaname in the current route? Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°I came just to ask sensei questions. I was thinking of going to the library to get some homework done. Are you having lunch now, Soutarou and Hasumi?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you¡¯re fine with it, why don¡¯t you join us for lunch, Mako?¡± ¡°No, ¡­ but¡ª¡± According to the creator, Subaru, Hasumi is the rival character for Soutarou and Kaname¡¯s routes. It seems that her favourability rating towards Mitsuki will vary should Mitsuki like one of them. No matter how you look at the current Hasumi, she doesn¡¯t really appear to like Soutarou and Kaname. Does this mean that Mitsuki has yet to enter either of their routes? Moreover, it seems that she currently has the highest favourability rating with Takayanagi. Even then, can I really intrude on them? For a moment, my gaze wanders in hesitation. However it may not be of concern to Hasumi at all, for she looks at me with a nonchalant expression. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Come if you¡¯re free. Did you bring a boxed lunch?¡± ¡°Well, I am free and I did bring a boxed lunch. This. Mitsuki made it.¡± I take out Mitsuki¡¯s handmade boxed lunch from my bag and show her. It¡¯s a lunch box wrapped in a blue gingham checkered napkin. By the way, Mitsuki uses a pink gingham checkered napkin. We¡¯re using matching napkins and lunch boxes. It¡¯s kind of embarrassing but I¡¯m on cloud nine. Isn¡¯t it the best to complement the adorable Mitsuki? ¡°Mitsuki did? As expected. Mitsuki¡¯s great at cooking after all. Moreover, she has a huge brocon.¡± ¡°Having a brocon is unrelated, right.¡± ¡°Nope. It¡¯s incredible how much you like Mitsuki but it¡¯s equally dangerous how much Mitsuki likes you, Sakurai. You two are so lovey-dovey that you should just marry each other.¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Certainly, I like Mitsuki a lot. I like the cute, bright, kind and always shining Mitsuki a lot. This may be conceited of me but I don¡¯t think Mitsuki hates me. That¡¯s why we get along well. I admit that I¡¯ve a siscon. Thus, I ended up intruding on Soutarou and Hasumi¡¯s lunch time. The three of us went to the roof. It was relatively cool under the shade; it was a place better than my expectations. In addition, the weather is good today. The blue sky continues endlessly and white clouds extend across the blue. Looking at that, I unconsciously narrow my eyes from the blinding sun. The sun is high up in the sky. Differing from the two wearing short-sleeves and shorts, the indoor-type me is clad in sweltering attire: a long-sleeved dress shirt of which sleeves have been rolled up, along with the slacks of my school uniform. I¡¯m not that fond of short-sleeved dress shirts and neither am I that fond of the school polo shirt that we¡¯re allowed to wear only in summer. Or so my excuse goes. I single-mindedly wore a long-sleeved dress shirt in an stubborn imitation as I find guys who have their dress shirt sleeves rolled up moe. Not just high school boys, but don¡¯t you think the contrast of rolled-up dress shirt sleeves and rustic wristwatches is moe? Yes, isn¡¯t that moe? Is that so? What a great pity. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m gonna get sunburned.¡± ¡°So even Hasumi worries about things like sunburns.¡± ¡°Shut up, Sakurai.¡± She got angry. A girl¡¯s heart is complicated and strange. Leaning against the wall, I open the lunch box Mitsuki made. Today¡¯s lunch is omelette rice. The lunch box is filled to the brim with omelette rice while potato salad and broccoli are packed at the side. The potasala is from yesterday¡¯s dinner. In a small tupperware, there¡¯s almond tofu with watermelon that have been carved into star shapes. Thinking that Mitsuki, who made mini chemical weapons at the beginning, can prepare lunch boxes like this now makes big brother deeply moved. ¡°Wow, that looks delicious. Mine¡¯s just bread from the school store.¡± ¡°Sakurai-san¡¯s good at cooking, huh.¡± Hasumi¡¯s having a sweet bun and coffee milk from the school store. Soutarou¡¯s having a handmade boxed lunch. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Hasumi and Soutarou, do you have club activities throughout summer break?¡± ¡°Yup, we generally have club activities on weekdays.¡± ¡°I see. So you won¡¯t really go out to have fun during summer break.¡± The Basketball Club¡¯s having club activities throughout summer break, Kaname¡¯s likely to be in great demand and, as typical of otome games, the Student Council¡¯s surely busy too. The only one free is probably Prince. However, it¡¯s improbable that Mitsuki and Prince will go on a date if I leave them to their own devices. I was thinking I could skillfully invite them on a double date but it may be more difficult than I expected. Soutarou may have misunderstood something as he sees me all depressed. He peeks at my face and speaks while crying ¡°kyun, kyun~¡±. Puppy Soutarou has descended again. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely, definitely come running if Mako invites me! If you want, after club activities ends today is fine too! Ah, oh right, should we go to the sea next Sunday? You know how the internet went nuts over the lifting of the ban on Blue Cave?¡± ¡°Blue Cave? The one at Capri Island, Italy?[1]¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Speaking of ¡®Blue Cave¡¯, the cave at Capri Island, South Italy, is the only place that comes to mind. Now that he mentions it though, I think there¡¯s been some ruckus about Blue Cave the past few days. ¡°I don¡¯t really get it either but it¡¯s apparently really pretty. Shall we go?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Want to come along, Hasumi? I¡¯ll invite Mitsuki too.¡± ¡°Ehh, me?!¡± For some reason, Hasumi grows immensely flustered and is blushing. ¡°Nah, you don¡¯t have to force yourself if you don¡¯t want to get sunburned.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going!! I¡¯m going too!¡± I was thinking to invite Subaru is Hasumi doesn¡¯t want to come but it¡¯s my turn to be flustered when she gives an athirst reply. So she likes Soutarou after all? If so, I¡¯d better not mesh Mitsuki and Soutarou together too much. In that case, it¡¯ll be Mitsuki, Hasumi, Soutarou and I. That won¡¯t do. If Hasumi and Soutarou couple up, a surreal situation of ¡®what did the Sakurai siblings go there for¡¯ will unfold. As I thought, perhaps I should invite Prince for Mitsuki¡¯s sake. If I also invite Kaname at the same time, I don¡¯t have to worry about being alone. Besides, Kaname reads the atmosphere to some degree so things will be easier on me. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°I just have to invite Riku and Kaname next. So looking forward to it!¡± I was unexpectedly able to guarantee a date. This is the occasion to showcase your girl power, Mitsuki! With my erewhile part-time pay, I should start off by getting Mitsuki a swimsuit according to Prince¡¯s preference. I should be able to find out Prince¡¯s preferences by asking Subaru. Next, I¡¯ll get her to prepare a boxed lunch, making good use of her housework specs. There¡¯s nothing to worry about this. Mitsuki¡¯s boxed lunches are currently tastier than the run-of-the-mill delicatessen. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. All that remains is to properly lead Prince and Mitsuki on the day itself, to ensure that things go well. I¡¯m getting kinda excited! Now that it¡¯s been decided, I must first have Mitsuki clear her Biology supplementary lessons! Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. [1] Blue Grotto of Capri Island. They probably aren¡¯t going all the way to Italy, Makoto brought it up because that¡¯s more famous and was the only one he thought of. They¡¯re probably going to the one in Okinawa, Japan: Blue Cave. CH 45 Chapter 45 ¨C The Summer Break and the School Camp and the Revision [3] ¡°How about staying at my place then? Let¡¯s have a study session.¡± I sip the usual coffee at the usual family restaurant with Subaru. Despite it all, the creator Subaru is the most reliable with regards to the capturable characters in Heart-Throb Love Revolution. I¡¯m currently in the midst of telling Subaru the frightening rotten[1] experiences that truly happened to me, in exchange for her giving advice on the game progression. What¡¯s so enjoyable about hearing the rotten happenings staring me? How mystifying. What¡¯s so enjoyable about me getting kabedon¡¯d by Prince and hijidon¡¯d by Ichigo-chan? I felt nothing but annoyance and fear y¡¯know. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. This time, I made such a noble sacrifice to consult her regarding the matter of Mitsuki¡¯s academics not improving at all, but that was her answer to this. How did it come to that? I unconsciously made a confused face. ¡°Subaru¡¯s place?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m smart you know? I¡¯m a student of Private Atlas Academy after all.¡± Subaru may have spoken half-jokingly but she really is smart. Even in the real world, she¡¯s a little prodigy who¡¯s among the top 5 of the grade. She has both looks and smarts. Only, the inside is regrettably a fujoshi. This is a case of the heavens not bestowing a person two gifts. It appears that such a Subaru is ranked among the top 10 even in a famous mission school like Private Atlas Academy. I see. Subaru and Mitsuki are good friends. Besides, Subaru¡¯s very smart. Even Mitsuki¡¯s Academic specs may rise if Subaru helps with her studies. ¡°Aa, I¡¯m leaving it to you then. Do help Mitsuki with her studies.¡± ¡°Sure. Come over today then. Besides, Onii-chan will be there too. Isn¡¯t it simply perfect to increase Mitsuki-chan and Yurino Tamaki¡¯s encounter rate?¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± Nonetheless, I¡¯m pretty thankful that we can hold a study session at Yurino-sensei and the original Subaru¡¯s house. The issue of Mitsuki lacking academically is already beyond my control. In the first place, the issue may be that I, the one teaching her, is lacking academically. Still, this Mitsuki is way too weak in maths and the sciences. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°But y¡¯know what? Take care because overdoing the ¡®affair play¡¯ may result in not being able to fall the original target. You¡¯re aiming for Prince¡¯s route right?¡± ¡°I see. Well, I¡¯ve no intention of having Mitsuki capture anyone except Prince. After all, it¡¯s kind of pitiful to turn Hasumi into a rival and sensei¡¯s difficulty level seems high. If I¡¯m to consider someone other than Prince, Takayanagi may be a good choice.¡± Trying to capture Soutarou and Kaname may cause Mitsuki and Hasumi to be rivals, Yurino¡¯s difficulty level seems high, she has too few connections with Ikuto and it¡¯s kinda too late, while Junya¡¯s out of the question. At this point, I¡¯m thinking of aiming for either Takayanagi, whose favourability rating seems high right now, or Prince¡¯s legitimate route. ¡°Hm~m. Then, who is Mako set on?¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± ¡°Is it Soutarou as expected? Or JunJun?¡± I¡¯m super concerned about the words ¡®Soutarou as expected¡¯. What do you mean by ¡®as expected¡¯? Soutarou¡¯s cute and I like him but that ¡®like¡¯ is merely as a friend. On the other hand, Junya¡¯s impossible. Even when I was female, the chances of developing romantic feelings towards thatis, without exception, zero. In fact, it¡¯s an absolute zero. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°No one.¡± I spoke coldly but Subaru is smirking for some reason. What a waste of her good looks. The evening that day. It¡¯s decided that Mitsuki will stay over at Subaru¡¯s place. Although Subaru told me to stay over too, the current me is somehow or other male. Considering that having high school students of opposite genders stay over or going to stay over isn¡¯t exactly exalted, I rejected the offer. It¡¯s fine for Subaru as she knows I¡¯m originally female. However, everyone else thinks I¡¯m born male. It¡¯ll be troublesome if weird suspicions arise. Subaru¡¯s house is right next to ours. It appears that Mitsuki, having good relations with Subaru, had went over and hung out several times. ¡°Staying over at Suba-chan¡¯s, huh~. Mako-chan should just stay over too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯ll just take part in the study session.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the focal huh. I need to work hard too.¡± Mitsuki, who does a tiny fist pump, is really, really cute. As expected of my 155cm angel. Pink bob hair and eyes with large irises. Despite being petite, her thighs and butt are plump and her skin is fair. Her tight waist is strangely erotic. The child from my family is truly cute. I can¡¯t believe such a cute girl is my little sister. Pressing the intercom, I hear Subaru¡¯s voice and the door opens immediately. It¡¯s the Subaru I¡¯ve had tea with just now. Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Heya. Come on in.¡± Subaru stands at the entranceway with an unusually rough attire consisting of t-shirt and shorts. Her long, black hair are tied in twin tails. It¡¯s as expected of Subaru to look pretty despite being in such rough attire. Mitsuki¡¯s also clad in a white lace dress and a cardigan. Super cute. Her cuteness doesn¡¯t lose out even against the impactful beauty, Subaru. ¡°I¡¯m here to play, Suba-chan~¡± ¡°Mitsuki, you didn¡¯t come to play. You¡¯re here to study, right?¡± ¡°Oh right. I¡¯m here to study, Suba-chan.¡± She lifts the tote bag containing study materials up to her eye level. ¡°There, there. We can just study casually. Here, come in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spoil Mitsuki, Subaru.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the one who spoils her most saying!¡± I don¡¯t spoil Mitsuki or anything like that y¡¯know. I raise her specs pretty seriously and it¡¯s precisely because I¡¯m not spoiling her that I¡¯m making her study. It¡¯s just that I act a little siscon-ish. Yurino-sensei¡¯s sitting on the sofa of the living room. He¡¯s lounging around in home clothes while watching the television. I¡¯ve only known the Yurino-sensei in school so it feels slightly odd to see a different him. ¡°Onii-chan, Mako and Mitsuki-chan have come.¡± ¡°Welcome. Do study hard, Makoto-kun and Mitsuki-san~¡± Yurino-sensei probably took a bath; he appears even younger than usual and is strangely erotic. He¡¯s so erotic that I feel shivers down my spine. Is it because he has glasses on? Glasses can entirely change a person¡¯s atmosphere after all. ¡°Yurino-sensei! I will be intruding.¡± Mitsuki squares her shoulders nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, Mitsuki-san. Because I¡¯m just your friend¡¯s onii-chan right now.¡± Sensei smiles wryly at such a Mitsuki. We sit at the 4-person dining table in the living room. Come to think of it, I never asked Subaru about this in-depth but what is the configuration of her family in this world? I wonder what her father and mother are doing. Are they stationed away from home due to work like the Sakurais? Subaru and Mitsuki sit side-by-side while I¡¯m across them. Mitsuki begins to revise her supplementary lessons as Subaru and I open our summer break homework. ¡°Mako-chan, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand already¡­¡± ¡°Eh, which part?¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. There should be a limit to being bad at maths and sciences, right. I lean forward and read the problem. This problem was one done during the supplementary lesson. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡ª¡± I try to explain to her the way Yurino-sensei taught me. However, my explanation may have been hard to understand as Mitsuki tilts her head lightly. I was originally bad at maths and sciences too so that may be why I couldn¡¯t explain it well. ¡°Let me see. I¡¯ll explain if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m not wearing a lab coat now but I¡¯m still a Biology teacher you know~¡± ¡°Eh, but. It¡¯s sensei¡¯s rest day.¡± Mitsuki immediately tenses up when Yurino-sensei approaches, sitting ramrod straight. Subaru laughs throatily, going ¡°Kekeke¡± as she languidly spins her pen. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mitsuki-chan. Let onii-chan explain it~. He can probably teach you much better than Mako. He¡¯s still considered a teacher even though he¡¯s the way he is.¡± ¡°Hey, Subaru. What do you mean by ¡®still considered¡¯. I¡¯m a full-fledged teacher.¡± ¡°Sorrryy, bro.¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Again, it feels odd to hear Yurino-sensei speak casually. So sensei looks like this and speaks like this in front of Subaru. Compared to his usual palpable, languid way of speaking, I think his current way of speaking is much better. But this figure probably appears only in front of his sibling, Subaru, or after he¡¯s captured. The question is whether it¡¯s okay for the Sakurai siblings, whose favourability rating with him is zilch, to see this. Come to think of it, I think Subaru mentioned that Yurino Tamaki¡¯s rival character is his younger sister, Subaru. What does Subaru think about that? When we were first transported to this world, she said it¡¯s impossible to have a romance with Tamaki, but I wonder if her feelings changed in these few months. If I tell Subaru this, she¡¯ll probably roar with laughter, going: ¡°What are you sayin¡¯!¡± though. ¡°So, Mitsuki-san, which part do you not understand?¡± ¡°Ah, erm¡­¡± When I glance at Subaru, she¡¯s smirking as she looks at the two. This expression is the ¡°Awesome, score!¡± smile she has when she manages to make an otome game CG appear as per her expectation. That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it. I feel relieved. I might have overthought it. Staying too long in the otome game world may have poisoned me. Despite all this, I won¡¯t be tied down by matters of love right? ¡°That is correct. Mitsuki-san sure learns fast~¡± ¡°Hehehe, maybe it¡¯s thanks to Mako-chan teaching me everyday. It seems that everything Mako-chan taught me till now clicks perfectly after sensei¡¯s explanation. It¡¯s really easy to understand.¡± ¡°Next is the question over here. How is it?¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Sensei points at the problem as he stands beside Mitsuki. Mitsuki¡¯s different from how she was just now, and is happily solving the problem. Occasionally, she¡¯ll raise her head and ask sensei questions. Sensei also looks pleased as he looks at Mitsuki solving questions happily. Is Mitsuki on Yurino Tamaki¡¯s route? Personally, I recommend Prince¡¯s route though. But that¡¯s largely because I¡¯ve an ulterior motive; it¡¯s the route I think has the highest probability of returning me to the real world. ¡°Makoto-kun? Is there something you don¡¯t understand?¡± Raising my gaze at the gentle voice, my eyes meet with Yurino-sensei¡¯s. He who goes ¡±Nn?¡±, smiling as he tilts his head ever so slightly is, just a little, really just a little, similar to Subaru. ¡°Ah, nah¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. Snap, the lead of my mechanical pencil breaks as I used too much strength. I might have gotten tense. Because I sensed too much of Subaru in Yurino-sensei. Sensei and Subaru are not related by blood. Even then, in that unexpected moment, he exuded a somewhat similar atmosphere. For example, the gentle curve of his mouth when he laughs or his habit of gasping a little when he laughs. For example, his nostalgic scent like that of fragrant olives[2] that I sometimes catch. Maybe I¡¯m similar to Mitsuki too? Am I similar to Mitsuki? If so, I may be, just a little, happy. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. [1] Fujoshi/fudanshi = lit. rotten women/men. So ¡®rotten¡¯ experiences are¡­ [2] It¡¯s a type of flower. Osmanthus fragrans. CH 46 Chapter 46 ¨C The Sea and the Distress and the Pairing [1] ¡°Whoa! Amazing. It¡¯s been some time since I came to the sea but it sure is vast!¡± ¡°Geez, Mako-chan, you¡¯re acting like a kid y¡¯know?¡± It¡¯s summer break. Mitsuki safely cleared her supplementary lessons and we came to the sea. The participants are Mitsuki, Hasumi, Prince, Soutarou, Kaname and I. More people came than I expected but since there¡¯s an even number, we can split into groups of two, without leaving anyone out. Personally, I think it¡¯s best if Mitsuki and Prince, Hasumi and Soutarou, Kaname and I pair up. This time, I must work harder than usual. I can¡¯t return home if I don¡¯t somehow or other stick Mitsuki and Prince together. ¡°Well then, get changed and assemble here in 30 minutes!¡± Nodding at Hasumi¡¯s words, the men and women separate and enter the rooms of the boarding house. Now then, the heart-throbbing changing time is coming for me. If it isn¡¯t for Mitsuki¡¯s sake, I would never, NEVER go for an overnight trip. Apologies for the numerous repetitions but I¡¯m female. Changing, exposed with guys around and even sleeping in the same room is an unbelievable act. If a high school girl behaves like this, her father will be worried about her lacking sense of crisis. However, in this world, I¡¯m male in appearance and on paper. It may be hard to believe but I¡¯m male. For Mitsuki¡¯s sake. It can¡¯t be helped. Mitsuki, I¡¯ll work hard! ¡°This bed¡¯s mine! Claiiimed!¡± The first one to rush in the room is Kaname. He takes position at the bed by the window and throws himself on it. Subsequently, Soutarou enters the room in pursuit of Kaname. ¡°You can¡¯t, Kana. Rock, Paper, Scissors! Because someone has to sleep in this small bed.¡± In the room, there¡¯s 3 single beds in a row and a slightly small cot by their feet. ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m fine with this. I don¡¯t mind.¡± I quickly sit down on the single bed by the feet. It may be narrow but it¡¯s still kinda big enough for me, who¡¯s below 180cm, to sleep. Moreover, perhaps because the mattress is firm, I think I can sleep way more soundly than I do on the bed at home. ¡°That won¡¯t do, Mako. I¡¯ll sleep there!¡± ¡°You¡¯re huge so you should sleep somewhere more spacious, Soutarou.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty much the same, Mako.¡± Like a dog worried for his precious owner, Soutarou goes ¡°Kyun, kyun¡± as he looks at me with upturned eyes. Why does he care so much about me? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to stay here forever and I totally don¡¯t mind this bed. ¡°There¡¯s no problem if Makoto sleeps on my bed.¡± ¡°¡­ You mean on the same bed?¡± Having assumed silence until now, Prince expressionlessly drops a bomb. He then nods at my words. The Prince who looks up at me with his large and round eyes glazed over, truly has a pretty face ¨D¨D wait, this isn¡¯t the time to be making observations. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± My mouth opens as I think of a way to say it without hurting him. However, before I can say anything, someone comes in between Prince and I. It¡¯s Soutarou. ¡°More importantly, let¡¯s change?¡± ¡°Aah, right.¡± We only have 30 minutes. If I don¡¯t change quick and head for the meeting place, the adorable, adorable Mitsuki in swimsuit may get hit on. I take out the swimsuit from my bag. It¡¯s an entirely blue, half-pants type swimsuit. The gradation may make it look a bit fashionable? I don¡¯t know. Certainly, it¡¯s more fun for girls to select swimsuits because of the patterns, shapes and types available. Changing in a room with other people, moreover males, is something I¡¯m reluctant to death about but my hands are tied. It¡¯s much weirder to sneakily go to the toilet to change, huh. Let¡¯s quickly strip and quickly change. Yes, let¡¯s. ¡°As expected of Soutarou! Amazing! Your abs are amazing!¡± ¡°Are they? The only exercise I do is basketball though.¡± Soutarou¡¯s abs are divided into six packs. Be it his dorsal or biceps brachii, they¡¯re muscular; his muscles are all well-developed. It¡¯s a figure like one you¡¯d find in a manga. Well, the world view¡¯s like a manga¡¯s so that¡¯s not much of a surprise. ¡°Oi, Kaname. Hurry up and change.¡± ¡°Mako-chan¡¯s abs are amazing too! Why do you have muscles when you don¡¯t even exercise much?¡± ¡°Stop all that touching, Kaname.¡± My bad, tehepero, he puts on an expression which one can¡¯t feel any repentance from. It¡¯s beyond strange how it takes so long even though we¡¯re just changing. Having already finished changing, as I¡¯m extremely worried about Mitsuki, I open the door in order to head out first. ¡°Mako, you¡¯re going first?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m kind of worried about making the 2 girls wait.¡± Right then, Prince pulls my arm. It seems like Prince¡¯s already done changing. Come to think of it, he hasn¡¯t spoken a word since some time back. ¡°¡­ Makoto.¡± ¡°Are you coming with me, Riku?¡± Prince expressionlessly nods before gripping my hand. Prince has delicate fingers and his hand is just slightly smaller than mine. The skin is smooth, its pores fine. He has a pretty hand. Prince looks at me with his large, glassy eyes as he takes up a position beside me. I¡¯m utterly happy to be hugged by Prince but, personally, I like it if he gets along better with Mitsuki instead. Nonetheless, I¡¯m unable to to say such a thing to Prince who adores me so much. Even if I¡¯m acting like the nice guy, I can¡¯t bring myself to be cold towards Prince. I go to the meeting place with Prince in tow. The beach is already so packed that one wouldn¡¯t know if he¡¯s swimming in the sea or swimming in people. I¡¯m not that fond of crowds but it can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s summer break. Even though there¡¯s so many people, Prince¡¯s appearance is still top class amongst them. Be it his large, grayish eyes, his straight nose or his fair, oval face, they¡¯re all comely. Truly a prince-sama. The girls passing by before us are all going ¡°Kya, kya¡±. As for Prince, he¡¯s looking at the beach with his usual deadpan. As such, the girls don¡¯t even enter his field of vision. ¡°Sorry Mako-chan, Kiritani-kun. Did we keep you waiting?¡± ¡°Eh, where¡¯s Tsubaki and Fujisaki?¡± Mitsuki and Hasumi jog towards us in their swimsuits. Mitsuki¡¯s in a pink-red flower-patterned and frilled bandeau bikini. Her bottom is a cute frilled skirt. On the other hand, Hasumi¡¯s in a navy, paisley-patterned halterneck bikini. Different from the slender yet soft Mitsuki, Hasumi has muscles. However, Hasumi¡¯s chest is bigger. Mitsuki¡¯s a B-cup that¡¯s exceptionally close to A but it¡¯s possible that Hasumi¡¯s around C to D. ¡°Still changing. I suppose they¡¯ll be coming later?¡± After a wait of less than 10 minutes, Soutarou and Kaname arrive late. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°The hero arrives fashionably late!¡± Shouting loudly, Kaname strikes a Light Magic: Cool Pose[1]. Am I suppose to be stunned? By the way, the hero of this world isn¡¯t Kaname but Prince. ¡°What now? Should we swim?¡± Hasumi looks around and asks everyone for their opinion. ¡°What do you want to do, Sakurai?¡± ¡°Hmm. Where do you want to go, Mitsuki?¡± ¡°Me? I want to go to Blue Cave.¡± The famous landmark of this sea is Blue Cave. I suppose it does have quite the atmosphere as a dating spot. Maybe it will awaken love, even for Prince who has no intention of romancing. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m going to Blue Cave too.¡± ¡°Really, how much do you like Mitsuki¡­¡± Hasumi¡¯s exasperated but this is the necessary choice to leave Prince and Mitsuki alone together. ¡°I¡¯m going if Makoto is.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Then me too~!¡± I figured Prince would come along but this is out of my expectations. Other than Prince, why are Soutarou and Kaname coming along too? What the heck. Blue Cave is at the end of the beach. It seems that you need to take a rowboat from the bay to enter the cave. There¡¯s a somewhat long waiting line to take the rowboat and we¡¯ve had to wait for about 30 minutes. The cave entrance is small and more than half is hidden underwater. The boatman pulls chains attached to the entrance and guides the boat into the cave. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll come pick you up in 30 minutes.¡± The boat leaves after we get off at a bank inside the cave. Excluding us, there are many other people in the cave. I guess the spot is popular as it¡¯s a new famous landmark. ¡°Whoaa, it sure is pretty isn¡¯t it. Mako-chan!¡± Sunlight flows in from the cave entrance and pass through the sea water. The light reflected off the seabed leaves the water in the dark cave, filling the water with blue light. The entire cave is dyed in blue, appearing extremely illusory. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty. Super blue.¡± ¡°So blue~¡± Kaname and I, whose comments are full of ¡°So blue¡±s, proceed towards the depths of the cave together. Soutarou and Hasumi seem to be talking about something near the cave entrance. My personal pairing of interest, Prince and Mitsuki, are following behind us at a leisurely pace. ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it, Kiritani-kun! It sure is pretty~¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Mitsuki speaks with all smiles, even to Prince who gives a simple answer. ¡°It¡¯s a little cold, huh~¡± ¡°¡­ Want to wear this?¡± Prince takes off the jacket he had on and hands it to Mitsuki. ¡°But Kiritani-kun will get cold so I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. You¡¯re cold right, Sakurai.¡± I¡¯ve no idea how to express my excitement at this moment. An event is occurring several metres behind me. Prince essentially gives cold responses to things he¡¯s not interested in but isn¡¯t this interaction quite the warm response? ¡°Are you sure? Thanks. I¡¯ll be borrowing it then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Things may be proceeding in a pretty good direction. Onii-chan will work hard so that Prince and Mitsuki can have many more Heart-throbbing Love Revolutions these 2 days. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com Please don¡¯t repost this outside of nakimushitl or moonbunnycafe. [1] ¡®Light Magic¡¯ -> those beams of light in the background when the hero strikes a cool pose in anime and manga. Another example. CH 47 Chapter 47 ¨C The Sea and the Distress and the Pairing [2] ¡°Ah, apologies. It¡¯s at full capacity. The next one will arrive in 30 minutes so please wait for a bit.¡± Having gotten completely into the Blue Cave, we ended up staying there for about 2 hours. Sure enough, we started feeling cold by 4pm and thus decided to head back. However, the number of boats connecting Blue Cave to the beach had also decreased. Unfortunately, this also overlapped with the rush hour and not all 6 of us could take the ride. The results of our discussion was to let Mitsuki, Hasumi, Prince and Soutarou board while Kaname and I stay behind. Till the very end of the very end, Soutarou insisted on staying back too but I somehow managed to get him to board first by pacifying that I¡¯ll be right behind him. I¡¯m extremely happy that the pairings of Mitsuki and Prince, and Hasumi and Soutarou were successfully formed. Only several people remain in the Blue Cave. Kaname and I stick our feet in the sea, lean against the wall and sit down. ¡°Did you have fun today, Mako-chan?¡± ¡°Yeah. I had quite a bit of fun.¡± Although I¡¯m completely worn out due to overexcitement, I had just as much fun. Be it Soutarou being afraid to go deep into the cave, Mitsuki¡¯s fear of bugs, Hasumi¡¯s exasperation towards these or Kaname saying things that tickle everyone¡¯s funny bones. All of these. I had tons of fun. I had some friends too when I was a girl but I wonder if we could have celebrated youth this much. It feels like my current high school life is more happening. ¡°That¡¯s great. I had tons of fun too.¡± Kaname brushes his bangs upwards and smiles broadly. However, that smile quickly fades. Making a troubled face as though he¡¯s putting up with something embarrassing, he looks at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kaname?¡± ¡°Y¡¯know, Mako-chan, you¡­¡± Having a hard time saying it, he averts his glance once and looks back at me. At the 2nd time, his gaze¡¯s strong, as though he¡¯s made a decision. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What do you think of Souta and Prince, Mako-chan?¡± I unconsciously catch my breath. With an expression that can be considered sad, Kaname looks straight at me. I wish I was much, much more obtuse, such that I won¡¯t understand what Kaname means by how I think of Soutarou and Prince. Nonetheless, while I¡¯m obtuse, I understood what his words were indirectly asking. I¡¯ll be looked at weirdly if I pretend I don¡¯t understand. ¡°I like them. Of course, I like you too, Kaname. As a friend.¡± ¡°¡­ As expected.¡± Kaname¡¯s extremely sharp so he doesn¡¯t probe me any further. Even I properly understood that this wasn¡¯t what he meant when he tossed that question out. Still, I wasn¡¯t prepared enough to answer that. Before being prepared, perhaps I don¡¯t even have the answer in the first place. What do I think of Soutarou and Prince? Certainly, I like Soutarou. I like Soutarou very much. The kind and gentle Soutarou who¡¯s like a large dog. The 1st person who talked to me when I came here was also Soutarou. Similarly, although Prince is expressionless and taciturn, his heart¡¯s warm. He¡¯s really reliable in times of need and is a good guy who cares for his friends. That¡¯s why I like Prince too. Both their personalities are unique, they have cool faces and are good at sports and studies. If I were still female, if I were still a proper female¡­ I might have liked Soutarou and Prince in that way and accepted them. However, I¡¯m currently not female, but male. I¡¯m the older brother of the heroine, Mitsuki. I¡¯m not a human from this world and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll return to reality. I don¡¯t want to give up on the other world yet. Therefore, no matter how much I come to like them, I can never give them an answer. I must never give them an answer. ¡°Can I make just 1 request of you, Mako-chan?¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t like Souta and Prince in that way, Mako-chan. But I hope that you won¡¯t really nominate other people. Because I think it¡¯s quite hurtful to be asked to like someone else by the one you like.¡± The sweetly smiling Kaname¡¯s extremely cute but at the same time, his words resound in my heart. ¡°Or are you the type disgusted when guys chase after other guys?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it! I¡¯m very happy¡­ to hear that they like me.¡± What I had done, my thoughtless actions might have hurt Soutarou and Prince. I¡¯m saying this fully aware of my conceit but I¡¯m sure that Soutarou and Prince don¡¯t find me hateful. Therefore, having me unreasonably press on about Mitsuki must have been discomforting. Thinking of this, I guess I had unconsciously hurt everyone. This is kinda like the catchphrase of an extremely annoying heroine. Please don¡¯t fight over me!¨D¨Da heroine-like statement. However, I can¡¯t say, ¡°In that case, you don¡¯t have to date Mitsuki¡±. After all, I may not be able to return to my original world if I don¡¯t stick Mitsuki and Prince together. I¡¯m already becoming unsure of my path for the future. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll excuse Souta and Prince for liking you that way, Mako-chan. And if they really say that they like you, let them know it¡¯s impossible if it is.¡± ¡°¡­ No, ¡­ aa.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. I can¡¯t say I¡¯ll be able to reply with my true feelings and neither am I able to reject them entirely. I¡¯m kind of acting like a yes-man[1] but the current me has no idea what to do. ¡°My bad¡­ I could tell that ya had your circumstances too, Mako-chan.¡± Kaname¡¯s sharp so he probably realised that I¡¯m trying to stick Mitsuki and Prince together or that I¡¯m trying to stick Soutarou and Hasumi together. I wonder what I should do from now on. Even though if I may not be able to return to reality if I don¡¯t stick Mitsuki with Prince or at least with one of the characters, people will get hurt as long as I try to do something. I¡¯ve absolutely no idea of my path for the future but I guess I can only live to the fullest here now. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s about time our ride¡¯s here, Mako-chan~. Let¡¯s go~?¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± I want to go back home but how does these transport-to-another-world tales usually conclude again? A happy ending where you marry someone from this world? Or returning to reality, fully prepared to be criticised? Or are there other endings? I can¡¯t exactly fall asleep that night. Checking the time, it¡¯s past 2am. It¡¯s the dead of the night when even plants go to sleep. Bored of looking at the white ceiling, I put on a t-shirt, shorts and a jacket and go out. The sea¡¯s about a 10 minutes¡¯ walk from the boarding house. I suppose it¡¯s a duration just right for a stroll. Outside, a lukewarm wind blows. I can see the beautiful Summer Triangle asterism and the Serpent-Bearer constellation in the sky. As I walk while looking at the sky, I hear Soutarou¡¯s voice coming from behind. He probably noticed that I woke up and came after me. ¡°Mako! Wait up, Makoo!¡± ¡°Ah, Soutarou, sorry, did I wake you up?¡± ¡°Nope! Watcha looking at, Mako?¡± I look up at the sky again and point. ¡°I saw the Summer Triangle asterism. The triangle asterism is formed by linking Vega of the Lyra constellation, Altair of the Aquila constellation and Deneb of the Cygnus constellation. Can you tell?¡± ¡°Wow~, are you well-informed about constellations, Mako?¡± ¡°Aa, ¡­ I guess.¡± Subaru forced me to study with her once, when she was addicted to a certain otome game about 12 constellations. That¡¯s why although I¡¯m not very well-informed about constellations, I understand them somewhat. ¡°Ah, look! Mako.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­ the sea¡¯s really sparkling¡­!¡± The brightness of the stars are reflected upon the sea, causing the surface to sparkle. The whites reflected in the blue are extremely beautiful. I reflexively dash to the sea and kick off my shoes. While the sea is more chilly than it was during the day, it isn¡¯t so cold that I can¡¯t enter it. The blue sky, the blue sea. Just for this moment, they¡¯re entirely and solely mine and Soutarou¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s amazingly¡­ WIDE! Amazing!¡± ¡°Un, ¡­ Mako¡­¡± As I enter the sea to the point it reaches my waist, Soutarou grips my arm. ¡°Mako, don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°E? I¡¯m not going anywhere. What¡¯s up all of a sudden?¡± ¡°At times, it kinda feels like you¡¯re going off somewhere, Mako, and that scares me.¡± Squeeze, I¡¯m hugged strongly from the front. ¡°You idiot. I¡¯m not going anywh¡­¡± I¡¯m not a human of this world so I¡¯ll surely return to my original world someday. Did Soutarou notice this? Will I be a liar if I say ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere¡± here? Noticing my hesitation to speak, Soutarou looks at me with a serious expression. It¡¯s terribly awkward to be hugged and stared at at the same time. ¡°Mako¡­, I want to stay by your side, Mako. I want to always be the one closest. Even if Mako is a monster or a youkai, this feeling won¡¯t change, no matter what. Mako is my close friend.¡± Press, my heart hurts as though it¡¯s being squeezed. ¡°Mako.¡± Soutarou¡¯s back is trembling. ¡°Are you crying, Soutarou?¡± I rub Soutarou¡¯s back. His back is extremely wide. His trapezius muscles, latissimus dorsi muscles and rhomboid muscles are connected beautifully. I was born a woman so I don¡¯t really get it but are guys¡¯ backs generally this muscular? Can it be that my back also feels like this now? I don¡¯t know since you don¡¯t touch your own back much and you can¡¯t see it¨D¨Dwait, it isn¡¯t the time to think of these. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t cry.¡± I peek at Soutarou¡¯s face from below. He seems about to cry but he isn¡¯t crying. Soutarou gives a wry smile when I stroke his cheek. Induced by that, I laugh slightly too. I¡¯ve always been thinking of returning and returning. I still think so even now. I miss my dad. I miss my mum. I miss my family. I miss my friends and my classmates too. Of course, this world is wonderful and fun. It isn¡¯t something I can easily throw away. However, the many years I lived in the other world aren¡¯t what I can easily give up on. After all, the other world is also something of greatest importance to me and is irreplaceable. What should I do. Aah, what should I do? ¡°Soutarou¡­¡± ¡°Mako, I want to stay with you alone, just a while longer. Hey, shall we act like we¡¯re stranded?¡± Soutarou loosens the arm hugging me and slides his fingertips from the top of my shoulder to my wrist. They grip my hand when they finally reach it. Because he laughs with an expression that seems like he¡¯s about to cry, even I¡¯m starting to feel sad. Don¡¯t make such a face, Soutarou. See, aren¡¯t you making me feel like crying too? ¡°¡­ Sure. If you want to, Soutarou.¡± Soutarou will definitely comfort me if I cry now. But who will comfort me if I cry in the other world? Please do not post outside of nakimushitl and moonbunnycafe. [1] °Ë·½ÃÀÈË: Everybody¡¯s friend. In this case, people who ¡®accepts¡¯ everyone and tries not to get on anyone¡¯s bad side. The term has a negative, hypocritical undertone. I translated this as ¡°nice guy¡± previous chapter but can¡¯t think of a good English equivalent that doesn¡¯t sound odd in a sentence. CH 48 Chapter 48 ¨C The Sea and the Distress and the Pairing [3] I often wonder why I came here. I also wonder if I¡¯m dead in the other world. Otherwise, I may be in a coma or am brain dead. I think of such possibilities. I¡¯m so uninformed of the reason I came to this world that I think it¡¯ll be nice if a God-sama, who¡¯s often in those reincarnation tales, appears and tells me ¡°I reincarnated you¡±. It seems that the time limit of a year will arrive before an answer does. According to Subaru, this game will end on the 31st of March next year. When that day comes, we¡¯ll know if we can return to reality or if there¡¯s more ahead. Either way, it will end. At first, I absolutely, absolutely wanted to return no matter what. But now, I find returning just a little lonely. Hey Soutarou, you¡¯re the only one who makes me feel this way. What are you gonna do? When I raise my head with such thoughts, I see Soutarou looking up at the sky. The beautiful side profile that Subaru¡¯s kindred spirit designed. Short, glossy black hair and gentle, droopy eyes of the same color. His beautiful Adam¡¯s apple and the lines of his collar bones are strangely erotic and smooth to the touch. There are 2 moles, side by side on his left collar bone but are these also from the character design? ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mako?¡± Nn? Soutarou tilts his head. ¡°I was just thinking that it¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°Eh, what¡¯s is it, all of a sudden?¡± ¡°No idea. Y¡¯know, I really had fun, today. Nah, it¡¯s not just today. It¡¯s really fun being with everyone.¡± It¡¯s fun to be with everyone. That¡¯s why I want to always be with everyone. Together always. But that¡¯s not possible, huh? The world I belong to isn¡¯t here. Therefore, I must return. My heart squeezes in pain when I think of that. Soutarou seems astonished when he peeks at my face. After which, his eyebrows forms the ¥Ï character. ¡°Mako, that¡¯s not the face of someone having fun.¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°¡®Cause, you look like you¡¯re about to cry.¡± Surprised at having my cheek stroked, my shoulders contract. It was only at Soutarou¡¯s words did I realise that I was about to cry. I see. I was about to cry. Staying here or leaving. Whichever choice I make, I¡¯ll definitely regret it. Thousands of billions of stars are twinkling in the sky. This starry sky has remained unchanged since the distant past and is connected to the future. This is surely the case for the other world. And for this world too. ¡°I can¡¯t hide anything from Soutarou, huh.¡± ¡°Why are you about to cry?¡± Just as usual, Soutarou cries ¡°Kyun~kyun~¡± sadly. His tail hangs, swaying weakly while his dog ears droop. Looking at me with upturned eyes, trying to please me. How cute, damn it. ¡°¡­ I had too much fun?¡± By no means could I go ¡°To tell you the truth, I came from another world,¡± making him think I¡¯ve chuunibyou. Neither could I spout something ridiculous like ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m female¡±. I can only let my gaze swim as I smile bitterly. However, Soutarou isn¡¯t convinced. A sad expression flash by. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°So Mako was a liar all along.¡± I subconsciously laugh when he says something so child-like. I try to pat the head of Soutarou who¡¯s sulking for once. His short, black hair are a little stiff. Pricking my palm. All of a sudden, Soutarou¡¯s face turns serious and he grabs my hand. Soutarou¡¯s serious look is slightly scary. There¡¯s a fear as though your tame golden retriever turned into a wild wolf or a Siberian husky. My shoulders subconsciously tremble. The arm in his grip hurts. ¡°Let go, Soutarou. It hurts.¡± I reflexively frown. ¡°Mako, ¡­ cute.¡± I remember a sensation as though time had stopped for several seconds. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Eh?¡± Could it be, or should I say as expected, Soutarou looks at me that way. I¡¯m fully aware of my conceit but as expected, he likes me. Probably. I apologise for reacting like an obtuse heroine but I¡¯m an unpopular woman and has never had romantic feelings pointed towards me before. Thus I don¡¯t really get whether I¡¯m liked or disliked. Sorry! ¡°Mako, you smell good.¡± ¡°Gyah!¡± Squeeze, he hugs me, burying his face at my nape. Sniff sniff, he sniffs the back of my ear, giving me a ticklish feeling. With the momentum from sniffing me, he pushes me onto the sand, securing both my wrists against it. Is this that? The scenario of getting pushed down. Soutarou straddles me, who¡¯s sprawled on the sand. I look up at Soutarou. He¡¯s illuminated by the stars and moon hanging in the night sky. Don¡¯t tell me this is a CG? Could I have entered Soutarou¡¯s route? Speaking of Soutarou, he seems to have pushed me down subconsciously; his eyes have become dots[1]. After which, he becomes feverish, such that even his earlobes are red. ¡°S-sorry, Mako!¡± ¡°Ah, nah¡­ I don¡¯t really mind.¡± Despite his apology, he¡¯s not moving from his position above me. ¡°Oi, Soutarou.¡± Move! I unceremoniously rub Soutarou¡¯s thigh with my knee. Paying that no attention at all, Soutarou tangles his fingers with mine and presses me harder, harder onto the sand. The back of my head¡¯s feeling gritty to the max. This is my pyjamas y¡¯know. I definitely don¡¯t want to sleep in my futon wearing this later on. Thoughts disparate from the current situation cross a corner of my head. At the same time, I¡¯m also thinking that I¡¯ll be troubled if Soutarou confesses to me now. This is extremely rude to say but, honestly speaking, the current me can only choose to turn it down. Because I still have attachments to the other world and I¡¯m the older brother of the heroine, Mitsuki. What¡¯s the point of me capturing Soutarou? I like Soutarou. I like him very much. But this is definitely as a friend. What¡¯s on Soutarou¡¯s mind now? He¡¯s looking down towards me with a face like he¡¯s about to cry yet laugh at the same time. Unable to gather anything from those eyes, I feel chilly fear run down my spine. ¡°¨D¨D¡­ Makoto.¡± A low, hoarse and teasing tenor reaches my ears. My cheeks must be red. Not wanting the moonlight to illuminate my red face, I turn my head to the right as much as I can. But that was careless of me. Unexpectedly, Soutarou¡¯s lips touch my exposed neck. ¡°Uwoh?!¡± The arm I move to hit Soutarou¡¯s head wouldn¡¯t budge. Soutarou¡¯s strength is absurd after all. His lips open faintly and he bites my neck. Being bitten on the neck where the skin is thin, I become wide-eyed in shock. I was bitten! My neck got bitten! It isn¡¯t painful but I¡¯m in shock. What¡¯s with this situation. Isn¡¯t it just like the otome games Subaru makes? Subaru had produced a number of otome games and games till this day. Come to think of it, there was one vampire game with a CG like this. Wait, that¡¯s not it. This won¡¯t do. Not being able to settle in the frame known as ¡®friends¡¯, wouldn¡¯t this be a new genre classified under some sort of ¡®lovers¡¯?! ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away, fool!¡± With all my might, I free my right arm that was pressed down and push Soutarou¡¯s shoulder away forcefully. While I¡¯m at it, I lightly kick Soutarou¡¯s stomach with my right leg. It may have surprisingly landed on a good spot because Soutarou falls on his butt. Seeming to finally return to his senses this time, Soutarou¡¯s eyes blink in surprise. Such a Soutarou¡¯s quite cute too but I¡¯m awfully angry. I glare at him fiercely. I might have lost something important if I didn¡¯t kick Soutarou away right here and now, y¡¯know. Though I already lost the important thing known as my neck! ¡°What are you doing. Leaving teeth marks on my neck! And even pushing me down. I was so scared!¡± ¡°U, ¡­Um, my heart kinda squeezed in pain when I saw Mako and I felt like touching Mako. Because Mako¡¯s cute¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Ah?¡± What rubbish are you spouting, you foolish dog. When I glare at the fool with an absolute zero look, my eyes meet his, whose dog ears and tail are drooping as he looks at me with upturned eyes, trying to please me. He looks miserable with his eyebrows like the ¥Ï character and his mouth in a pout. I can almost hear a frantic voice saying: ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡±. In any case, it¡¯s cute so I feel like forgiving him. Perhaps that feeling was conveyed to him; he ingratiates himself, gives an embarrassed smile that seems like it has an ¡°Ehehe?¡± SFX affixed to it. I once wondered if this guy acts like this because he has a complete understanding of his own charm: his cuteness, coolness and the such. But with this, I¡¯m sure. This kid, although I don¡¯t know if he does it instinctually or intentionally, definitely understands his own charm. Sly. Teacher, this dog is sly as expected. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing you discomfort. But I did it because I like you, Mako.¡± ¡°Look here, about that matter¡ª¡± I like Soutarou too. However, that¡¯s as a friend. I¡¯ll absolutely not like Soutarou in that way. Thinking that it¡¯s time I tell him clearly and cleanly, I open my mouth. Nonetheless, as though to interrupt my words, Soutarou gives a broad smile and grips my hand. He then looks at me with upturned eyes, complete with dog ears. The finishing blow was a head tilt. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s because Mako¡¯s an important friend, you know?¡± Making his large body small, he peeks at my face. He then narrows his droopy eyes even more gently and smile,¨D¨D¡­ this is it. Checkmate, it¡¯s my loss. As expected of a sly doggy. In any case, the heart of I, who likes cute kids, had subconsciously clenched. Sly or not, cute things are cute. Still, this, this technique that prevents me from saying words of rejection is amazing. He confessed, riding on the possibility of becoming lovers with me. However, I was about to refuse so he countered with ¡°because we¡¯re friends¡±. If he continues to insist ¡°because we¡¯re friends, right?¡± even in the future, everything will be forgiven. When my thoughts reach this point, I realise what an appalling two-faced person he is if he said ¡°because you¡¯re an important friend¡± as a counter. ¡°Oh, ¡­ I see. Friends, you say? Yeah¡­.¡± Is Soutarou really a natural two-faced person? Or did he grow to be two-faced? Judging from the grinning Soutarou, I can¡¯t tell. Please do not post outside of nakimushitl and moonbunnycafe. [1] (out of surprise). Like this. CH 49 Chapter 49 ¨C The Fireworks and the Realisation and the Stalking [1] The incident this time begun with a single word from Hasumi in the gymnasium. Having had errands to run in school, I dropped by the gymnasium while I was at it and got to watch Soutarou and Hasumi¡¯s practice matches. Needless to say for Soutarou, Hasumi from the Girls¡¯ Basketball Club also played pretty well. The dazzling duo, omnipotent at sports, are completely incomparable to me who¡¯s bad with ball games. ¡°Come to think of it, did you know that Mitsuki¡¯s going on a date with Takayanagi-senpai?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Takayanagi-senpai invited her the other day¡­ uh was I not supposed to say this?¡± This fireworks festival probably refers to the Tachibana City Fireworks Festival held on the 30th of August. This big bro had no idea that Mitsuki¡¯s going on a date with Takayanagi. Although I was a little shocked, doesn¡¯t this mean that Takayanagi¡¯s favourability rating of Mitsuki is higher than I thought? There wasn¡¯t any occurrence of CGs or events during beach episode previously, making it a failure. I was worried but so this was it. It was Takayanagi instead. I feel slightly regretful as I had been aiming for Prince¡¯s route. However, Takayanagi¡¯s the son of a university hospital¡¯s director, is kind, level-headed and earnest. This route isn¡¯t bad. ¡°Hey, Sakurai, are you okay? Did the shock blow your mind away?¡± ¡°Nah I¡¯m fine. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m shocked or anything. Mitsuki¡¯s so cute after all, it¡¯s no surprise for her to get a boyfriend. So much so that it¡¯s strange for her to not have one till now.¡± ¡°Sheesh, how much do you like Mitsuki.¡± If you ask ¡®how much¡¯, my answer is ¡®a lot¡¯. You may be sick and tired of hearing this but Mitsuki is suuuper super cute. She¡¯s so cute that I want to place her on my lap and pat her head for 3 hours. I want to rub my cheek against hers and get scolded: ¡°Geez, stop it already, Mako-chan!¡± ¡®Cos an angry Mitsuki¡¯s freaking adorable too. ¡°Still, I see. Mitsuki and Takayanagi-senpai going on a date huh.¡± I had a yukata prepared previously. The yukata is deep blue in colour with images of carnations. It may be a bit too mature-looking for Mitsuki but I chose it thinking that that may serve to be a nice gap. It may come in handy even more as her company for the date is Takayanagi. If possible, I¡¯d like to trail them and inspect if things are going well. However, that would probably feel uncomfortable as one would expect. Can¡¯t be helped, let¡¯s ask Mitsuki for the details at a later time. ¡°Who are you, um, going to the fireworks festival with, Sakurai?¡± ¡°Nah, I haven¡¯t really made plans with anyone¡­¡± ¡°Go with me then!¡± Casually joining in our conversation is the Boys¡¯ Basketball Club¡¯s Soutarou, who¡¯d been in a practice match so far. Clad in a refreshing white attire with a blue line, Soutarou gives off the floral scent of an antiperspirant. ¡®Tis the epitome of a high school boy. I was loudly invited to the fireworks festival by such a refreshing high school boy. I¡¯d have been shot to death by the girls from Soutarou¡¯s fan club at the gallery of the gymnasium if I¡¯m female. Had my nape not been bitten at the sea, I¡¯d have replied twice: ¡°I¡¯ll go, I¡¯ll go!¡±. However, I get second thoughts when I think about that incident. Besides, I don¡¯t wanna get pushed down again. ¡°Ah©`¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll invite Kaname too.¡± ¡°Ah, in that case, I¡¯ll go. Are you coming too, Hasumi?¡± I doubt I¡¯ll get pushed down or kissed if Kaname comes. Always being in trepidation that Soutarou will come attacking seems overly self-conscious and I don¡¯t like being like this but I don¡¯t know what to do anymore. I¡¯m not sure how I should treat someone acting so bold and assertive. I¡¯d like to keep Soutarou at an arm¡¯s length but I can¡¯t cast him too far aside because I like him. When I casually lower my line of sight, I see Hasumi with her face red, fidgeting with her bangs. Moreover, I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯s so restless about but she¡¯s muttering indistinctly as her gaze swim. ¡°Eh, ah, ¡­. I¡¯ve, plans with others already. Of course, it¡¯s with girls because I don¡¯t have a boyfriend! Uhm, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d invite me, Sakurai! Rather, I thought some other girl would invite you¡­!¡± What¡¯s she getting so restless over? Hasumi¡¯s bangs are pinned up so I don¡¯t think it gets messy much. Did throwing away the opportunity to go on a date with Soutarou make her so sad? I might have done something awful in that case. ¡°What are you getting so restless over, Hasumi. There¡¯s no way a girl will invite me right? Anyhow, I see. Regrettable but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Smiling at Hasumi who¡¯s making a miserable face, I turn back to Soutarou. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Kaname.¡± ¡°Okay, please do. Let¡¯s go back together later alright?¡± ¡°Ah, yea. I¡¯ll be waiting at the library then.¡± The two, whose break ended, return to the court. It¡¯s current 3pm so club activities should end in an hour. Let¡¯s kill time by reading the new book arrivals in the library. Watching these two put their all into club activities really makes me want to join a club. I take out my smartphone and open an app. A read receipt appears immediately after I send ¡°Who¡¯s up for the Fireworks Festival?¡±. As expected. Subsequently, a reply comes in: ¡°Meee me me meee!¡± with dazzling emoticons that put high school girls to shame. I kind of want to take a leaf out of his book with regards to correspondence. Partly because summer break¡¯s about to end, you can see students working on their summer break homework here and there in the library. Just as I place my hand on the door to enter the library, someone hugs me from behind. This guy stinking of perfume must be my natural enemy. It¡¯s definitely that always-in-heat idiotic rabbit. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Bunny-chan. You¡¯re as cute as always. Are the watchdog and watchcat doing well?¡± I shake off Junya¡¯s arm and turn around. Clinging earrings, a necklace with some sort of loop charm, and a leather bracelet that perturbs even the lax rules of Izumino. His uniform is such that one isn¡¯t sure whether to judge it as overdressed or not. On top of that, he has on a shocking yellow jacket with bunny ears. And this sickly-sweet, masculine perfume. There¡¯s no room for doubt; it¡¯s my school¡¯s student council president, Narahashi Junya. ¡°Hello. Goodbye.¡± Thinking that the noisy Junya won¡¯t follow me in if I enter the library, I try to leave immediately but he deftly and firmly grabs my arm. ¡°Wait for me~. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m lonely?¡± ¡°Really. Goodbye.¡± ¡°If you neglect me too much, I might, do this and that to Mitsuki-chan out of loneliness?¡± How gutsy of you to take Mitsuki hostage. Still, I can¡¯t let Junya contaminate Mitsuki. I reluctantly stop and direct my gaze towards Junya. ¡°¡­ Do you have any business with me?¡± ¡°Ehehe, Bunny-chan¡¯s scorning look excites me.¡± He¡¯s blushing as though he¡¯s truly embarrassed so it¡¯s seriously disgusting! His S, M and Pervert specs are so high that it¡¯s a turn-off. ¡°Hurry up and state your business. I¡¯m leaving¡± ¡°Wait, wait, let¡¯s kiss?¡± ¡°Go away.¡± I prepare to deal a palm strike to Junya who¡¯s approaching with a kissy face. I muster all my strength at the bottom of my palm with the intention of smashing that high nose bridge and that straight nose. However, Junya appears to be used to receiving hits. He dodges with a relaxed expression. What a pity. ¡°Just kidding. From the student council room, I saw Bunny-chan walking so I ended up coming~. So it¡¯s not like I have any business.¡± ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± ¡°Uwah, what a cold reaction! Well, that side of you is cute too. I love Bunny-chan.¡± As he speaks in a voice so sweet like there¡¯s a heart attached to the end of the sentence, don¡¯t even mention my chest tightening, I can only feel myself shuddering. ¡°There you go again. Getting Sakurai-kun involved. It is time you return to the student council room.¡± The one coming out from the student council room is Takayanagi. The fair-skinned glasses-boy with soft, curly reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. Although the make of his eyes may appear cold, he¡¯s one of the few with a conscience in Renai Kakumei. ¡°It has been a while, Takayanagi-senpai.¡± ¡°Yes, it truly has been a while. I often see Mitsuki-san in club activities but I have not seen Sakurai-san much.¡± Takayanagi called Mitsuki¡¯s name with no hesitation. It was ¡°Sakurai-san¡± up till now, just a few months ago. When did they become so close? I might have put in effort in the wrong direction. I was busying myself to stick her to Prince. But how about Mitsuki¡¯s feelings? I thought that Mitsuki had no interest in romance but is that really so? If Mitsuki likes Takayanagi, since when did she come to like him? It¡¯s been like this ever since the incident before. I may have been progressing things at my own convenience, neglecting everyone¡¯s feelings. This world may be the world of a game to me but it¡¯s reality for them. It¡¯s the only precious, precious life they have. ¡°I¡¯ll drop by the student council again. Only if you need help, though.¡± ¡°Of course we do. Even if there is nothing to do, Junya gets motivated with you there. Feel free to visit anytime.¡± I see off Takayanagi as he ruthlessly pulls the grumbling Junya away by the back of his collar. As expected of Takayanagi. He shows no mercy towards Junya. Who does Mitsuki like? What about Takayanagi? Or Junya? ¨D¨DWho does everyone like? If this was an otome game, I could manipulate the heroine, Mitsuki, as I please. Regardless of who Mitsuki liked, I could pair her up with whoever I wanted to stick her with. However, this Mitsuki has her own will. This isn¡¯t a game but reality. You¡¯ll get hurt deeply if you¡¯re rejected by the one you like and your heart will warm when you¡¯re loved. Therefore, if you can lovers with the one you like, you¡¯ll surely be so happy that you¡¯ll feel like crying, that it hurts and that you¡¯ll be out of your mind. I plunge in deeper and deeper with that realisation. Wanting to return, not being able to return. Wanting to remain here, not being able to remain here. Wanting to like, not being able to like. In front of the entrance to the library, the rays of the sun stream in through the window, shining on me. So bright. As I narrow my eyes, I don¡¯t understand why but I feel extremely sad. ¡±¡­¡± Wanting to be saved from this painful feeling, I thought of calling someone but I couldn¡¯t think of a name to place on this dry tongue of mine. Even though I¡¯m coming close. To the name of the person who¡¯ll save me. CH 50 Chapter 50 ¨C The Fireworks and the Realisation and the Stalking [2] 30th of August. The weather is fine on this day. The fireworks should appear beautiful in this weather. In the Fireworks Festival a.k.a. Tachibana City Fireworks Festival, besides fireworks, there are performances like Bon Festival dance and Taiko, and you can partake in the food stands and flea market. For the finale, over 10 000 fireworks will color the night sky. The highlights are magnificent star mines[1], humongous skyrockets and elaborately-planned preset fireworks. All of that makes up Tachibana City¡¯s grand event as summer comes to a close. ¡°Mitsuki¡¯s friggin¡¯ cute, cuute~! As expected of my Mitsuki¡­¡± ¡°Sheesh, stop it already, Mako-chan.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many girls this cute after all. Mitsuki¡¯s the cutest in the world. Honestly, I wanted to wear a yukata and go to the festival with you. I¡¯m envious of senpai.¡± Mitsuki, clad in a dark blue yukata with images of carnations, is unmistakably the cutest girl in the world. On her head is a fluffy hair ornament that¡¯s also in the design of a carnation. The pearls inlaid on the petals glitter, complementing Mitsuki¡¯s angelic appearance. I may sound like a foolish doting parent but Mitsuki is really cute. ¡°Does Mako-chan not have a yukata?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Besides, I¡¯m not like Mitsuki; I don¡¯t think things like that suit me.¡± ¡°Why? Mako-chan¡¯s cool. It¡¯ll definitely suit you.¡± The Mitsuki tilting her head in puzzlement is cute too. I suppose Mitsuki really does think that I¡¯m cool. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Un! Let¡¯s go to the festival together next year. At that time, Mako-chan has to wear the yukata too.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, yeah.¡± It¡¯s not certain I¡¯ll be here next year. I give a vague reply as though I¡¯m trying to evade the loneliness that stems from that. Mitsuki¡¯s expression makes a complete reversal from puzzlement to smiling faintly with the corners of her eyes turned down. Mitsuki¡¯s meeting Takayanagi at Tachibana Station while I¡¯m meeting Soutarou and Kaname at Sakaki Shrine, the main venue of the Fireworks Festival. Mitsuki¡¯s meeting time is 1 hour before mine. To see off Mitsuki who¡¯s heading out first, I accompany her to the entranceway. ¡°Take care on your way, alright.¡± I tell her as I correct the position of her hair clip. ¡°Mako-chan, too, you can¡¯t trouble Tsubaki-kun and Fujisaka-kun, okay?¡± ¡°Why would I trouble them. It should be the other way round.¡± Mitsuki chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now then, Mako-chan.¡± ¡°¡®Kay.¡± As though having had gauged the moment Mitsuki will be leaving the house, my phone rings. Opening the app, I see it¡¯s from Soutarou. I received a message: ¡°Can I come pick you up?¡± that comes with a grinning emoji. I¡¯m not a girl, not to mention I¡¯m not Soutarou¡¯s girlfriend, so he doesn¡¯t have to come and pick me up. Is what I¡¯m thinking but since that doesn¡¯t make a good refusal, I reply: ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing as Soutarou¡¯s coming to pick me up, it¡¯s about time I prepare to head out too. Simple works for summer fashion, which is good. One can look somewhat decent with jeans, cut-and-sew, and a cardigan. Along with my wallet and handphone, I¡¯m all set. Just as I get to take a breath after finishing my preparations, the intercom sounds. It¡¯s undoubtedly Soutarou. ¡°Mako, I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± ¡°¡®Kay. Thanks. Shall we go?¡± The clock indicates 16:30. There¡¯s 30 minutes till our meeting time so it¡¯s just about right. With that in mind, I try to leave from the entranceway but Soutarou quickly blocks the way. I¡¯m bewildered at the iron wall guard made by the blockage of the muscular guy before me, who¡¯s more than 180cm tall. Not understanding his intention, my bewilderment transcends into irritation. I raise my head and crash into the gaze from his downcast eyes. The tip of his red, wet tongue peeks out from his slightly open mouth and he slowly licks his lips. Ah, this is bad. My instincts inform me of the danger. Generally, nothing good happens when Soutarou makes this face. ¡°Ahh, ¡­ I forgot something.¡± ¡°Go get it. I¡¯ll wait.¡± The Soutarou smiling sweetly with his head tilted is the usual Soutarou. Still, Soutarou¡¯s kind of scary recently. I feel a considerable amount of danger for my chastity. I don¡¯t really get it but I¡¯m bad at dealing with this face that guys make. When a guy whom I fool around and spend idle days with suddenly shows a masculine face, I¡¯m so bad at dealing with it that I feel like crying. I feel like throwing everything away and escaping. Even though I clearly know I shouldn¡¯t and that escaping like this won¡¯t always work. I know that a day will come whereby I¡¯ve to face Soutarou properly. I¡¯m, clear on that. This Sakaki Shrine is the main venue of the Fireworks Festival. Closely-packed food stands are set up in Sakaki Shrine and there¡¯s a small stage at the plaza where mini-performances are carried out. A student band is currently presenting their musical performance. Reaching the place of meeting, Kaname¡¯s already eating grilled skewered chicken bought from the food stands. ¡°Hiiiya.¡± ¡°Hiya, Kaname. I see you¡¯re already eating something.¡± ¡°The skewered chicken¡¯s delish.¡± Kaname busily chews the grilled skewered chicken as he makes a V-sign. ¡°How envious. What food should I get?¡± The festival music that can be heard from afar, the smell of the cheap-looking sauce from the food stands and the colorful yukatas. The humid air and fluorescent lights. Everything is nostalgic, making my chest feel tight. I wonder what should the extremely exciting yet extremely sad feeling that appears at times like this be called? ¡°What do you want to eat, Soutarou?¡± ¡°I, ¡­ let¡¯s see, I want some shaved ice. Melon flavoured.¡± I spot a shaved ice stand relatively nearby. A young big brother is operating the stall without much enthusiasm. ¡°Ehh, wouldn¡¯t melon turn your tongue into a weird colour?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that appealing in itself?¡± ¡°I still prefer takoyaki.¡± I do like sweet things but I prefer meat in comparison. Where¡¯s the takoyaki stand? Looking around, I see a food stand that says ¡®Takoyaki¡¯ opposite the shaved ice stand. Over here¡¯s a young big brother too, but he¡¯s operating the stall while perspiring. I suppose it really is tough to be in front of a hot plate for a long period in summer. ¡°I see, I¡¯ll go get shaved ice so you should get takoyaki, Mako.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s meet up here again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get us spots and wait for you guys~¡± The takoyaki stand smells of savoury sauce. Sure enough, takoyaki is a must in festivals. It¡¯s not exactly done that well and is ridiculously priced but somehow one would feel like having it huh. ¡°Excuse me, can I have a takoya¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Makoto?¡± ¡°Nn?¡± Lifting my head up when my name is called, before my eyes is Ichigo-chan who¡¯s grilling takoyaki. ¡°Ichigo-chan?! What are you doing, Ichigo-chan?¡± ¡°¡¯What¡¯, you say¡­ I¡¯m grilling takoyaki. A number of food stands in this area are operated by Minami High¡¯s students.¡± ¡°No wonder. I was thinking that the people operating the stalls are pretty young.¡± With the sleeves of his short-sleeved shirt rolled up and a towel wrapped around his head[2], Ichigo-chan¡¯s grilling takoyaki in the fashion of a food stand big brother. His grim facial features and build deepens the impression of a food stand big brother. Looking at it closely, written at the end of the shop curtain that says ¡°Takoyaki¡±, is ¡°Presented by: Kuzuha Minami Technical High School PTA¡±. ¡°Who did you come with, Makoto? Your lil¡¯ sis? Subaru-san?¡± ¡°Nope. I came with Sou¡ª¡± I was going to say ¡®I came with Soutarou¡¯ but Ichigo-chan will probably be unhappy if I say that. Let me first apologise for my upcoming narcissistic statement but Ichigo-chan probably doesn¡¯t hate me. If he knows that I came to the festival with other guys ¨D¨D moreover with someone he thinks of as a rival, it¡¯s inevitable that he gets unhappy. I shut my mouth the moment I thought of that but Ichigo-chan, with his sharp, animal-like instincts, raises his brows. ¡°¡­ Sou? Huh? So it¡¯s not Subaru-san. I hope I¡¯m wrong but, ¡­ you came with Tsubaki?¡± Ichigo-chan makes a clearly unhappy face. He¡¯s totally angry. ¡°Ah, ¡­ yeah. I came with Soutarou and, a friend called Kaname.¡± ¡°¡­ Realllly, oh, I see.¡± Ahh he totally got angry. His already-scary face is even scarier when he gives out a sense of intimidation like this. In this situation where I¡¯m not doing anything wrong and am just going to a festival with friends, why do I have to be held accountable? With this in mind, rather than apologetic feelings, anger wells up in me. ¡°Why do you have to get unhappy, Ichigo-chan?¡± ¡°Haaah? Obviously ¡®cos I like you right, Makoto?¡± An unexpectedly serious reply! I was going to fire back but got shot instead. ¡°Soutarou and I are just normal friends. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way there¡¯s nothing, right? Don¡¯t cha look down on me.¡± Certainly, Soutarou has an aggressive side. However, fundamentally, he¡¯s properly considerate of me. Kind and cheerful, he¡¯s a silk floss-like good guy. Therefore. ¡°Soutarou won¡¯t do anything I dislike.¡± ¡°Yeah, I won¡¯t. I like Mako so I¡¯ll definitely not do anything you dislike.¡± It¡¯s unknown when he appeared. Soutarou hugs me tightly from behind. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Tsubaki. You¡¯re frivolous as ever. It¡¯s advantageous that you look like a gentleman with those droopy eyes even though you¡¯re watching Makoto with eagle eyes, seriously. Just like a panda or clione.¡± ¡°Eh, me, a panda¡­?¡± Soutarou won¡¯t do anything I dislike. He definitely won¡¯t. However, it¡¯s also true that, while I¡¯m still unsure if he¡¯s airheaded or two-faced, there are times where he vigorously aims for my chastity. If the face he makes when he aims for my chastity is the true Soutarou, it¡¯s considerably scary. If he¡¯s pretending to be attached to me as he gives out a soft and fluffy aura, grows dog ears and tail and cries ¡®Woof, woof¡¯ at normal times, when he¡¯s actually watching my chastity with eagle eyes. That¡¯s freaking scary. ¡°I¡¯m not like that! I want to get along better, better with Mako, just that¡­ Hey, I¡¯m not like that, right, Mako?¡± With a miserable expression, Soutarou¡¯s dog ears flops as he cries, ¡®Kyun, kyun¡¯. Speechless, I maintain my silence. Soutarou¡¯s eyebrows increasingly droops as he makes a face as though he¡¯s about to cry. ¡°Ehh, ehh, Mako!? Don¡¯t tell me you think so too? How cruel~¡­!¡± Trifle conversation like this continues for 30 minutes. It¡¯s no surprise that Kaname, who was waiting for us, got angry. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Please do not post elsewhere or steal. [1] Star mine [2] Towel wrapped in this or this manner. CH 51 Having filled my stomach to the brim with takoyaki, yakisoba, cr¨ºpe, chocolate banana and fried chicken sequentially, I decided to sit on a bench in Tachibana Park and watch the fireworks. I¡¯m so full that I don¡¯t want to eat anymore but Kaname and Soutarou are having an additional buttered potato. ¡°Tasty!¡± ¡°It sure is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing you can eat that. Just looking at it gives me heartburn.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe The potato that has plenty of butter and mayonnaise on top makes me full just looking at it. However, Soutarou and Kaname are relishing the buttered potatoes. Even though they ate the same food in the same amounts as me, it¡¯s amazing that they can still eat this with such relish. ¡°Mako, here, aa~n.¡± As I stare at them eating their buttered potatoes, Soutarou noticed that I¡¯m looking at them and presses the buttered potato against my lips with his head tilted. I turn my face away indicating that I don¡¯t want it. However, Soutarou smiles sweetly as he looks at me so I give in and open my mouth reluctantly. ¡°The taste¡¯s too strong.¡± ¡°Is it? It¡¯s delicious though.¡± The taste of butter and mayonnaise is so strong that it feels like I¡¯m eating mayonnaise instead of potato. It¡¯s true that it¡¯s delicious but this is calorie overload. What kind of metabolism does he have to own such a nice body despite eating high calorie foods like this? Gee, I¡¯m beyond envious. ¡°It tastes good but my throat¡¯s dry. I¡¯ll go and get a drink. Do you want anything, Soutarou, Kaname?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can go by myself.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe I can carry 3 PET bottles by myself. Moreover, the current me isn¡¯t a girl. There¡¯s no worry that I might get skirt-chased or assaulted. Though, I never had to worry about getting skirt-chased, not in the slightest, even when I was a girl. ¡°Mako-chan, I want coke~¡± Kaname raises his hand as he chews the buttered potato at his own pace. ¡°Okay. What about you, Soutarou?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the same thing as you, Mako.¡± ¡°Roger. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The vending machine nearest to this bench is about 5 minutes¡¯ walk away. It¡¯s a vending machine placed in a small park so there aren¡¯t many choices. Perhaps I should just get the drinks at the convenience store which has more variety. I can also conveniently get some snacks. As I walk while thinking whether I should go to the convenience store or the vending machine, a familiar person gets reflected at the end of my vision. ¡°Mitsuki and Takayanagi-senpai¡­? No way.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Mitsuki, who¡¯s still mi dolce angel in her yukata, is walking around with Takayanagi. Although Mitsuki¡¯s expression is slightly tense, she¡¯s laughing shyly as though she¡¯s enjoying herself from the depths of her heart. I can¡¯t see Takayanagi¡¯s expression from my angle but I can sense a joyful atmosphere. When I see that Mitsuki¡¯s about to turn towards my side, I unconsciously hid in the shadow of the public toilet. Mitsuki knows I¡¯m coming to the fireworks festival so it doesn¡¯t really matter if she discovers me. However, I hid for some reason. Why did I hide? I can¡¯t go out even if I want to go out, and I can¡¯t move even if I want to move. I can only wait for the two to pass by. I sigh as I lean my back against the wall. Does Takayanagi truly like Mitsuki? Does Mitsuki truly like Takayanagi? If Mitsuki likes Takayanagi, the one who¡¯s actually left behind is me. The one who¡¯s distant from affection and love is me. ¡°The one who didn¡¯t understand anything, was me¡­¡± I¡¯m embarrassed at the me who acted as though I understood everything even though I understood nothing. It¡¯s a quiet night. If I prick my ears, I can hear Mitsuki and Takayanagi¡¯s speech. I didn¡¯t intend to hear but I couldn¡¯t help my curiosity and end up eavesdropping. I act dishonestly while claiming it¡¯s for the cute Mitsuki. As usual. ¡°I enjoyed today. Very much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I had fun too.¡± Mitsuki looks down shyly as she smiles. My heart pricks with pain. ¡°I was surprised because I didn¡¯t think Takayanagi-senpai would invite me though.¡± ¡°Did I trouble you?¡± ¡°No! I was happy.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Prick, my heart hurts as though there¡¯s needles poking its reverse side. This pain in my heart isn¡¯t jealousy or the like. It¡¯s because I find myself too pathetic. Be it in this world or that world, I¡¯ve only been staring at my feet, unable to retreat or advance. Since I¡¯ll hurt someone anyway, since I¡¯ll return to the other world anyway, I made numerous excuses like these, sticking a prevention line so I, myself, won¡¯t get hurt. In the end, I¡¯m just being selfish. The world I live in is different from everyone. Most importantly, I¡¯m a male even though I¡¯m a female. I¡¯ll return to my previous world eventually. Still, I think I can live, being more honest with myself. Though with that said, I¡¯ve no idea exactly how. At that moment, I hear the sound of fireworks being launched. Moving my gaze in the direction of the sound, I see large flowers blooming in the night sky. ¡°¡­ How pretty.¡± Although the fireworks are pretty, I feel very lonely. Mitsuki and Takayanagi are moving further away with smiles on their faces. They¡¯re people whom I know well but it¡¯s as though I don¡¯t know them at all. Walking blankly, I sit down on a bench that the two passed by. If you ask why I¡¯m so disturbed, it¡¯s because people who¡¯re in love are right before my eyes. The thing called love is too raw and mature for me. Why can¡¯t you remain as friends? Why would you try and be something like lovers? I don¡¯t understand. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Things like affection and love are too early for me. ¡°¡­ Mako?¡± ¡°Aah, Soutarou.¡± He probably came to check things out because I haven¡¯t gone back yet. Soutarou peers at my face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m just, ¡­ a little tired.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said I¡¯d get the drinks instead.¡± The Soutarou who sits beside me seems a little angry. ¡°Yeah.¡± Even the words of the usually cheerful Soutarou is a little annoying now. ¡°¡­ Mako.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Although I know I¡¯m barking up the wrong tree, I can¡¯t hide my annoyance. Soutarou likely noticed that too. Having my name called out in a low voice, I reflexively bend backwards in surprise. Soutarou peers at my face as though he¡¯s trying to cover my body. The atmosphere is just like we¡¯re about to kiss. I¡¯ve never kissed before so I¡¯ve no absolutely no clue if my description is accurate though. ¡°What are you thinking of? What are you worried about? Is it something you can¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line. What¡¯s up with you? Why are you so¡ª¡± ¡°Because Mako¡¯s in doubt. You had a completely different ambience just now. What are you so worried about?¡± I¡¯m considerably perplexed by the abnormally pushy Soutarou. ¡°Mako¡¯s always like this. Saying you¡¯ll do it on by yourself. Although I could tell you¡¯ve some secret all along, I¡¯m not saying to tell me everything but¡­¡± Soutarou places the tip of his nose by my neck. ¡°But aren¡¯t we friends? Be closer, ¡­ closer, friends with us.¡± ¡°Sou, tarou¡­¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°It¡¯s unfair that only we like Mako.¡± The barrage fireworks fill up my entire vision. It¡¯s pretty. Soutarou, Kaname, Prince and Mitsuki. I like them all. This feeling has never changed. However, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m keeping a secret. That I¡¯m not a human from this world and that I¡¯m female. There are also other secrets related to these. These are secrets that I can¡¯t tell anyone for my entire life. Not even to my close friend Soutarou. Even then, my feelings of liking them isn¡¯t false. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I like Soutarou too.¡± If I didn¡¯t like him, the indoor-type me wouldn¡¯t have came all the way here for just fireworks. I¡¯m not an amiable person so I definitely would not have gone for such a troublesome gathering. ¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s just you who likes me. I like you too, y¡¯know. I think I¡¯ve always liked you since you talked to me on the first day I transferred schools. I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°Mako¡¯s¡­¡± Red dyes his skin from his cheek to his ears and neck as he looks at me with upturned eyes. He then slowly blinks and lowers his gaze. ¡°Mako¡¯s sly. You always throw me off my balance like this. How sly. What should I do?¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Soutarou grabbed my shoulder as though he¡¯s trying to cling onto me. Thump, it should be Soutarou¡¯s forehead that hit my right shoulder. I wasn¡¯t so dense that I didn¡¯t understand his words. Soutarou likely wants to have a relationship beyond being friends with me. Probably, in that way. Although I¡¯ve been thinking that things like affection and love are too early for me, Soutarou¡¯s trying to take a step forward. I know I¡¯m being selfish but please wait before taking that step forth. Please wait till I understand the destination in my heart before you begin to walk. ¡°¡­ Where¡¯s Kaname?¡± Not knowing how to reply, I let the first thing that came to my mind roll out of my tongue in a mumble. ¡°Right. ¡­ We have to get back to Kana.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Kana¡¯s probably eating something again so I don¡¯t think he¡¯s angry.¡± I feel like laughing at us, who¡¯re having such a contrived conversation. But what kind of words should I raise to him in this case? Feeling that whatever I say will be cruel, cold and meaningless, I can¡¯t bring myself to say anything after all. While sensing that something in this story has begun to move, bit by bit, I close my eyes slowly. When I open my eyes again, I direct my gaze at Soutarou who¡¯s walking half a step ahead. It¡¯s the usual Soutarou. Although I¡¯m currently living while taking advantage of the kindness of Soutarou, Kaname, Prince, Ichigo-chan¡­ and many others, I should consider the future properly. Mitsuki, Subaru and I¨D¨Dour futures. CH 52 I ¨D¨D Yurino Subaru, was thinking this way. I stopped myself from making doujin[1] recently but that might have been an extremely wasteful thing to do. Why did I restrain myself when there¡¯s a doujin subject so close to me? Writing a novel about the BL between high school boys while watching the BL between high school boys, up close. Isn¡¯t that most wonderful? However, I¡¯m a student of Private Atlas Academy, a former girls¡¯ school. With a considerable number of girls assembled, there¡¯ll be at least 1 or 2 fujoshi making doujin. The love for BL transcends even dimensions. Yes, no female would hate homos after all. I built a doujin coterie with those fujoshi comrades and began making doujin. The subject is naturally, Sakurai Makoto. Of course, I didn¡¯t tell my doujin comrades that I¡¯m making Mako my subject, but I¡¯m writing original novels with ¡®Mako & Soutarou¡¯, ¡®Mako & Prince¡¯ and so on as my subjects. Won¡¯t it be a good idea to turn that into a storyline, a manga, a doujin game, or a mini-anime in Smiles Douga[2]? As for voices, I can commission voice actors online. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Yes, dreams can unfurl infinitely, can¡¯t they? Although it¡¯s yet unknown who Mako will fall for, and whether he¡¯ll even fall for anyone in the first place, I¡¯ve the freedom of expression to engage in flights of fancy and put them to words, don¡¯t I? Right? Isn¡¯t that so? Previously, I tried imagining while retaining their high school student status but the setting of them continuing to date after becoming working adults sounds good too. With the setting of working adults, I can imagine new situations such as cohabitation or workplace romance and so on. The situations between high school boys are stimulating but so are those between working adults. How delicious. If it¡¯s a situation between high school boys, it has to be Soutarou x Mako ¨D¨DSouMako fits perfectly. Yet it¡¯s precisely because they fit the romance between high school boys that one may wonder: What would they be like as working adults? Bringing in a new type of thrill. Reversely, what would sensei, Yurino Tamaki, be like as a high school student? It may be interesting to ponder on that too. As the author, I¡¯m the only one who knows how Yurino Tamaki was like in his school days. In high school and in university, he was set to have been in the Track-and-Field Club. Isn¡¯t it extremely fun to imagine situations that are normally impossible? However, there¡¯s BL in the flesh right next to me so I should ponder within the setting of high school students, I suppose. What were the true BL events Mako told me recently, again? The incident of Ichigo-chan staying over, the incident with Soutarou in the boys¡¯ changing room, there were many events. My stomach¡¯s full with just Ichigo x Makoto ¨D¨DIchiMako and SouMako. Speaking of which, Prince tried to kiss Mako around the Sports Festival, didn¡¯t he? Doesn¡¯t imagining in that direction seem like a good idea? Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Please do not post elsewhere or steal. £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª Prince a.k.a. Kiritani Riku was undoubtedly a beautiful youth. Glossy black hair slightly tidied with hair gel and distinct double eyelids. Anyone who saw his well-arranged facial features like that of a bisque doll would evaluate him as a peerlessly beautiful youth. His slender waist, fitting that pretty face, and his long limbs were like a model¡¯s. That charming countenance was so famous that he had a fan club not only in Izumino School but also in Private Atlas Academy. Every one step he took, he¡¯ll be flirted with and every two steps he took, someone would ask to take his photo. On top of that, he was smart and athletic. Kiritani Riku was so much of a prince-sama that no one could find fault with him. However, he had just one flaw. Although a beauty, he was always expressionless and uncommunicative so he didn¡¯t have anyone he could let his guard down around. The sole, irreplaceable existence that such a Prince gained, was an ordinary transfer student. He ¨D¨DSakurai Makoto, transferred to Year 2 Class A in April. He was saved by Makoto when he got entangled with delinquents. It was after that that Riku fell in love with Makoto. Countless times, Riku repeatedly enticed Makoto and finally became an existence that could be called his ¡®lover¡¯. ¡°Makoto, thanks for, the bath.¡± ¡°Un?! Ah, yeah!¡± Riku stayed over at Makoto¡¯s house that day. He witnessed Makoto being kissed by the Student Council president, Junya, when he was helping the Student Council with preparations for the Sports Festival. Riku was astonishingly angry. He was awfully angry. Just as Makoto anguished over how to soothe his anger, Riku, who¡¯d entered the bath, returned before he knew it. Right out of the bath, Prince sat beside Makoto. The creaking of the bed resounded throughout the quiet room. Makoto¡¯s fingertips, disoriented due to nervousness, came into contact with Riku¡¯s fingertips. Makoto¡¯s fingers reflexively fled in surprise but Riku¡¯s fingertips chased after Makoto¡¯s resolutely and captured them. ¡°Makoto.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kiritani. Interlocking fingers. Are you a spoiled kid or what~?¡± Even as Makoto spoke frivolously, he peeked into Riku¡¯s face as though to gauge his mood. Makoto leaned above Riku and hugged him tightly, stroking his head. While Riku turned his face to the other side sullenly, his cheeks reddened nonetheless so it appeared that he was pleased to be hugged by Makoto. ¡°I won¡¯t be deceived, ¡­ even if you do this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be jelly already, Riku.¡± ¡°But, Makoto, kissed that idiot.¡± Still expressionless, his brows wrinkled faintly and a watery film formed in his large eyes. Sniff, his nose sounded as he held Makoto¡¯s clothes tightly. ¡°More than me, Riku¡¯s constantly confessed to and is super popular, right?¡± ¡°¡­? I¡¯m, not popular at all.¡± Honestly confused, Riku tilted his head. ¡°After all, I¡¯m taciturn. Even for friends, Makoto¡¯s my first. It¡¯s unfair that Makoto¡¯s liked by Soutarou, Kaname, the idiot president and even Hasumi. I only have Makoto.¡± Squeeze, Riku clung to Makoto¡¯s body. A seemingly sweet, seemingly nostalgic fragrance like that of sweet flowers or fruit came from Riku. Makoto loved this fragrance a lot. Riku¡¯s voice too. Slightly unlike his androgynous looks, Riku¡¯s voice is manly and moderately low. A nasal tenor that resounded sweetly. Makoto hugged Riku back. He buried his nose under the back of Riku¡¯s ear, where his smell was the strongest, and inhaled the fragrance. ¡°I¡¯m the same, I only have Riku. I only have Riku so Riku absolutely mustn¡¯t go to someone else.¡± ¡°¡­ Nn. Then, Makoto, me too¡­ Kiss me too.¡± ¡°Eh, ho-ho-ho, hold on!¡± Riku cornered Makoto to the end of the room, driving him towards the wall like a certain time before. This time, it wasn¡¯t a wall but a bookshelf. The spines of the bumpy books pressed against his back. As though telling him to go towards Riku. Thinking to stop the approaching Riku, he caught hold of his arms. ¡°I like you, Makoto. I¡¯ll only like Makoto my entire life.¡± Not smiling, with his usual lack of expression, he said so distinctly. It felt strangely earnest when Riku declared that with a serious look. The tension left me[3] at Prince¡¯s words and I burst out laughing. Subconsciously, the strength in the hands I held Prince¡¯s arms with, diminished. ¡°I see I see, I got it. I got it so calm down, alright?¡± At that moment, Riku placed his hand beside Makoto¡¯s head. The bookshelf shook slightly from the impact. ¡°Riku?¡± Riku¡¯s right hand was next to Makoto¡¯s head and his left seized Makoto¡¯s shoulder. Aah, as expected, Riku smells nice. It was a sweet scent that made one absent-minded. As Makoto was occupied with Riku¡¯s smell, the approaching face became close enough to kiss. Makoto closed his eyes slowly. He could feel Riku¡¯s hot breath on his lips. Even though Prince a.k.a. Kiritani Riku had such a sparkly face and was so popular, he had zilch romantic experience. Even though he¡¯d been confessed to so much and even had fan clubs, Riku never liked anyone in that way before. With the sole exception, of Sakurai Makoto. Riku¡¯s lips trembled. Having gotten impatient with the lips that hadn¡¯t touched, Makoto slowly opened his eyes. Riku¡¯s blushing with an expression of being on the verge of tears. Cute. Makoto bit his lip lightly before stroking his cheeks. ¡°Riku,¡± He called his name softly. With that, Riku¡¯s shoulders quiver like a cat that had just been picked up. ¡°Riku, why are you getting shy at this point. After pushing me towards the wall?¡± ¡°¡®Cos, ¡­ ¡®cos, ¡­ I don¡¯t know how much distance should be kept during a kiss. I do want to kiss Makoto though.¡± ¡°Haha, seriously. Geez, Riku, you¡¯re super cute.¡± Tug, I held Riku¡¯s cheek and pulled it towards me. Landing kisses from the tip of his nose to his cheek and earlobe, I place my lips against the corner of his mouth and, finally, I let our lips meet gently. Riku¡¯s lips were moist and shockingly soft. Absorbed, Makoto rubbed his lips against Riku¡¯s. Bump bump, the bookshelf shook. The books hitting his back hurt. However, to Makoto, kissing with Riku was much more unbearable. That calm, reticent, expressionless and aloof Prince. The flower beyond one¡¯s reach.¨D¨DThe Prince who was called all that, became misty-eyed, interlocked his fingers and was absorbed in hugging, only in front of Makoto. Makoto shivered from a strange sense of supremacy and of sweet conquest. How incredibly cute. How incredibly precious. ¡°Mako¡­, I like, Mako, to.¡± ¡°Me too¡­ I also like Riku a lot. I love you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy. Makoto¡­, same here, I like you too¡­¡± Then, they Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Please do not post elsewhere or steal. £ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª¡¡£ª ¡°Oi, the rotting[4] thing over there.¡± ¡°What is it, I was at a good part.¡± ¡°I was listening to you obediently but you spoke non-stop about disgusting things between Prince and I! We didn¡¯t do anything of the sort that day okay!¡± By the way, ¡®that day¡¯ refers to the day before the Sports Festival, when the Prince stopped me. The day when I was bookshelf don-ed[5]. I say this again but nothing of that sort happened between Prince and I that day. There wasn¡¯t any bacon-lettuce[6] incidents. Absolutely not. This is important so I¡¯m saying it once more. Absolutely not. Although the pouting Subaru is a transcending beauty as usual, the things she does aren¡¯t cute at all. She seems to be writing a doujinshi with Prince and I as the motif. Moreover, it appears that she¡¯s going to sell it in the Winter Doujinshi Market. That¡¯s troubling. Extremely troubling. I definitely won¡¯t be able to bear with such a shame play. I won¡¯t be able to bear it. However, Subaru probably won¡¯t quit making doujin. At the very least, from now on, let¡¯s definitely, definitely not do anything that seems like it¡¯d belong to Subaru¡¯s delusions. Let¡¯s not. [1] Doujinshi [2] Reference to Nico Nico Douga, a Japanese video site. [3] *shrugs* Author jumps between third and first person. [4] Fujoshi is literally ¡®rotten woman¡¯. [5] Bookshelf version of kabedon, typically translated as ¡®wall slam¡¯. This happened in chapter 30. [6] Slang for BL. CH 53 ¡°Class 2-A has decided on caf¨¦. The in-charges will be Kiritani-kun, Fujisaki-kun and Tsubaki-kun¡­ anyone else wants to join them¡ª¡± When the school¡¯s top-class ikemens, Prince, Kaname and Soutarou, are in the lineup, there¡¯s no hero brave enough to volunteer. Well now, the Cultural Festival season has arrived at our Izumino School too. The Cultural Festival is held over two days, on the first Saturday and Sunday of October. It seems that we¡¯ll be prepping using our after-class and LHR time until then. Our class had decided to do a caf¨¦. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s not a normal caf¨¦ but a butler&maid caf¨¦. Didja think this was Ikebukuro or Akihabara! Although I wanted to do something more leisurely like an exhibition or similar presentations instead of a caf¨¦ with such a concept, our class was strangely eager so I was unfortunately rejected. I totally don¡¯t want to be a waiter. It¡¯d be nice if I can wash the dishes at the back or do something that doesn¡¯t require me to appear. Just as I¡¯m thinking of such things, the females¡¯ class representative, Hasumi, throws a bomb-like statement. ¡°The Sakurai siblings should do it~. Mitsuki¡¯s cuteness is famous even among those in our year and Makoto, being Mitsuki¡¯s twin older brother, had probably been rumoured about.¡± ¡°Eh, naw.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. It will just be a laughingstock if the completely ordinary me mixes in with those sparkly faces as a butler. I¡¯ll definitely end up worrying about our disparate face values. Ah, but a normal face like mine may be good for those ladies with problems eating after seeing sparkly faces. Because it¡¯s terribly embarrassing to eat in front of ikemen for some reason. ¡°I want to see Mako-chan as a butler too. I¡¯ll be a maid if you¡¯ll be a butler, Mako-chan.¡± Mitsuki looks at me with a fluffy and gentle smile ¨D¨D a.k.a. an angelic smile. Apparently it wasn¡¯t only me who was done in by that angelic smile. The background characters in my class blushed furiously and were knocked out by Mitsuki¡¯s smile. Mitsuki¡¯s charm, housework and athletic specs became very high before I knew it and she had become a small idol for the class. I like the heartwarming and healing type of adorkable otome game heroines so the specs ended up becoming so unbalanced. I¡¯m reflecting on it but I¡¯m not regretting it. The current Mitsuki¡¯s transcendentally cute so it¡¯s a-okay! Nonetheless, her academic specs need to be raised more to capture Takayanagi, huh. Although I badly want to see the angelic Mitsuki as a maid, I¡¯ve an inkling that me being a butler would be high risk?high return. As I groan, agonized between reason and instincts, Soutarou pulls at my sleeve. I glance at him. Soutarou¡¯s dog ears droop dispiritedly as he looks at me with upturned eyes. Ahh, I know this pattern very well. It¡¯s Soutarou¡¯s sure-kill technique, the good-for-nothing doggy expression he makes when asking for something. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a butler if Mako¡¯s not doing it¡­ I want to be responsible for the same area as Mako.¡± [Soutarou] Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°I never said I¡¯ll be a butler in the first place.¡± [Prince] Oh, Prince started saying selfish things. ¡°Sakurai¡­¡± Hasumi glares at me. Even though I shouldn¡¯t have done anything bad, isn¡¯t this starting to look like I¡¯m the bad guy? Cold sweat drips down my forehead and my face turns red. The girls in my class are giving me horrifying glares. I understand that the girls want to see Prince and Soutarou as butlers. I understand. ¡°I got it already. I just have to do it, right? I just have to.¡± Go ahead and laugh at the chicken me, who didn¡¯t have the courage to spend the rest of my school life after turning the girls who want to see Prince and Soutarou as butlers, and the guys who want to see Mitsuki as a maid, into enemies. After school. I ended up being ordered to have my measurements taken by members of the Clothing Club and volunteers from my class who¡¯ll be making the butler clothes. It¡¯s quite amazing that, as high school students, they¡¯re able to make tuxedos that will be the butlers¡¯ clothes. This may be the magic that anything is possible because it¡¯s an otome game world. Including Prince, Kaname, Soutarou and I, there were 8 people appointed to be butlers. Including Mitsuki, there were 7 babes appointed to be maids. The butlers and maids were chosen among those with higher face deviation values in class, so why me¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see Mako-chan as a butler. You¡¯ll surely be cool after all.¡± ¡°I wonder. Rather, it¡¯s Mitsuki who¡¯ll surely be cute.¡± Mitsuki in mini-skirt maid clothes with knee-length socks would probably be so stimulating that my body¡¯s gonna split apart. Although it wasn¡¯t my intention to be a butler, I may be getting a high return to see Mitsuki as a maid. ¡°Sakurai siblings©`! Stop being lovey-dovey! Here, Sakurai. I¡¯ll measure you.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°¡®Kay, please do, Hasumi. Should I take my shirt off too?¡± Taking off my school cardigan and leaving it on the table, I approach Hasumi. When I ask while placing my hand on my necktie in order to remove it, for some reason Hasumi¡¯s face reddens as she shakes her head fervently. You don¡¯t have to be so embarrassed. At this point, I won¡¯t be embarrassed by just showing the upper half of my body. Because I experienced a number of things more embarrassing than that. ¡°Height is exactly 178cm, waist¡­¡± Hasumi measures while the girl beside her notes. I didn¡¯t grown even 1 millimeter since April. It was somewhat a pity. ¡°I thought Kiritani was thin but so are you, Sakurai~¡± I pout at Hasumi¡¯s seemingly ridiculing words. The ¡®thin¡¯ comment that I¡¯d have rejoiced to hear as a girl doesn¡¯t really make me happy now that I¡¯m a guy. Well, I was never once told I was thin when I was a girl though. ¡°Shuddap. With this, maybe I should try training or something¡­¡± ¡°Kyaa, Tsubaki-kun, you sure have a nice build~. Your chest is thick~¡± Looking in the direction I heard the girls clamouring, Soutarou¡¯s surrounded by girls making a racket. A thick chest that can be made out even from beyond his shirt, a tight waist and a wide back. You sure have pinned down all the stimulating points for girls haven¡¯t you, Soutarou-san. ¡°Eeh, really¡­¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°Yeah, those are great muscles~¡± ¡°Maybe because I play basketball. I never really paid attention to them though.¡± I grin at the Soutarou shyly scratching his head. For me who fundamentally prefers to watch people in love or the otome game¡¯s heroine-chan doing her best over having my own romance, it¡¯s more fun to watch ikemen objectively like this. It¡¯s too tiring to get kabedon-ed, kissed on the cheek or embroiled in fighting scenes. I feel that it¡¯s much more tiring to receive good will from someone. ¡°Alright, Sakurai, I¡¯m done~. Do cooperate with the photoshoot for the poster once the butler clothes are ready.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°Hah? Poster?¡± ¡°Actually we wanted Kiritani¡¯s photo but he refused to have it taken if Sakurai won¡¯t be there.¡± In other words, they want me to go along with the photoshoot so they can obtain Kiritani¡¯s photo? Taking a camera-ready pose next to the super ikemen Prince is nothing but a public shame play. I¡¯ll keenly feel the society with disparate face values. I¡¯ll definitely, definitely get ¡®Sheesh, that older Sakurai, how daring of him, standing beside Prince pfft©`hehehehe¡¯ responses!¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ¡°There there, do your best. Everyone in the class making top sales for the cultural festival will get 5 meal tickets that can be used in the school store and cafeteria, you know?¡± ¡°I do want that but¡­ I want that buttt¡­¡± With 5 meal tickets, one can have a luxurious lunch with the most expensive 1800 yen set. ¡°It¡¯s decided then! I¡¯ll contact you when the tuxedo is done~¡± ¡°Eh, wa, seriously¡­¡± Whether I firmly refuse right now or not, I¡¯ll likely lose to the pressure from Hasumi and the others and take part in the photoshoot. I¡¯ve come to roughly understand the flow of this pattern. Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°Mako~, have your measurements been taken? Won¡¯t you drop by my house on the way home? My parents aren¡¯t in today. I¡¯ll be cooking so I was thinking you can come for a meal. Besides, I¡¯m on break from Basketball Club.¡± Doggy Soutarou smiles frivolously as he approaches step by step. I got irritated by Soutarou¡¯s carefree smile so I gave him a punch on the stomach. However, that mere punch of mine didn¡¯t seem very impactful as he¡¯s laughing while going ¡®What¡¯s wrong, Mako~¡¯. ¡°I see~. You¡¯re tired, aren¡¯t you, Mako.¡± Soutarou¡¯s wearing a deep blue knit vest above his short-sleeved shirt. Those biceps are wonderful. They also provoke envy and jealousy. ¡°I forgot my gym clothes in the club room. Do you mind if we go get them?¡± As the sports clubs have already started their training while the Go-Home Club started going home, the corridor leading to the clubroom building quietens down. Please do not post elsewhere or steal. My stomach suddenly went ¡®guu¡¯ even though I ate bread. Although for a moment I feel sorry for Soutarou who has a pure smile on, I¡¯m unable to suppress my irritation. Taking my anger out on him, I knead his butt. Pretending to hug, I eagle-gripped his butt. I¡¯m surprised because it¡¯s smaller and harder than I imagined. However, it gets more springy as I knead. It feels better to touch that expected. Grope grope, I think my hands are getting more used to it as I knead. It crosses my mind that if it¡¯s a girl¡¯s butt the kneading has to be more gentle or it will hurt but if it¡¯s Soutarou who has such a firm build, it probably won¡¯t hurt even if I knead it a little strongly. With that thought, I knead as I please. I heard that there are females with fetish of guys¡¯ butts but I think I understand their mentality a little. ¡°Wa, eh, uhm, Mako?¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Eh, what, Mako¡­¡± The nervous Soutarou with reddened cheeks is rather cute. I unconsciously laugh out loud. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking that your butt feels pretty good to knead.¡± ¡°Ehh?! What¡¯s up with that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s springy. It may be hard but it feels good to knead.¡± Please do not post elsewhere or steal. Grope grope, I explain about the feel of kneading as I knead Soutarou¡¯s butt. Soutarou seems to have given up, he¡¯s letting me knead his butt without resisting. Although that appearance is like a dog having its head rubbed, it¡¯s also like a parent watching over his willful child. I lean my head against Soutarou¡¯s chest and close my eyes. Grope grope, I knead Soutarou¡¯s butt for a while but, realising that he¡¯d placed a hand on my back, I suddenly become shy. It¡¯s incredibly selfish of me to say this even though I did as I please but I¡¯ll be nervous to death if Soutarou kneads my butt now. My body tenses up with that thought but Soutarou only hugs me silently. ¡°You can touch as much as you like.¡± He rubs the tip of his nose against my temple. That single statement he whispered happily by my ear made me realise the severity of what I¡¯d done. I¡¯m, really an idiot. CH 54 Soutarou¡¯s house is about 20 minutes¡¯ walk away from mine. Although it¡¯s not that far, it¡¯s my first time going to his house. ¡°I¡¯ll start preparing dinner. You can watch the television as you wait, Mako.¡± ¡°Righto. Soutarou, you look good with the apron.¡± ¡°Eh, really? This is my mum¡¯s.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Soutarou has a pink checkered apron with embroidered kittens on. I thought a pink apron would be too cute for him because of his muscular build but it suited him more than expected. Maybe it suits Soutarou because his motherliness is so strong. Unsure of what to do as Soutarou cooks, I sit on the sofa and offhandedly turn on the television. You may think me rather brazen for someone who came over for the first time but just take it as me feeling relaxed around Soutarou and forgive me. It¡¯s exactly 7pm. I¡¯m usually cooking or doing the laundry at this time, in place of Mitsuki who¡¯s busy with club activities. Mitsuki does everything, such as cleaning, laundry and cooking on days without club, but I do the cooking and laundry on days there¡¯s club. Honestly, I don¡¯t want to do them but the cute Mitsuki¡¯s working hard so I have to put in effort too. ¡°Mako, will omelette rice do?¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°I like omelette rice!¡± ¡°Can you eat bell peppers?¡± Half-smiling, I reply the question that was asked with a half-smile. ¡°Why not? I eat them. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a kid.¡± ¡°I know right. Mako always eats with relish, don¡¯t you.¡± Fundamentally, I¡¯m not a picky eater. As one would expect, outlandish foods are beyond me but I can eat the general sort. Isn¡¯t it rude to complain that this won¡¯t do or that won¡¯t do when someone cooks for you? There isn¡¯t anything I want to watch so, without looking at the screen, I randomly pick a variety show and leave it on. Following that, I open my textbook in an attempt to prep for the English lesson but I can¡¯t concentrate because I get curious about the back of the cooking Soutarou. Soutarou¡¯s so focused in his cooking that he doesn¡¯t realise he¡¯s being watched. His back sure is wide. His waist looks thin but that¡¯s not the case. It only looks comparatively thin because his back is wide but it¡¯s actually built. His face too. Although he looks tender because of those downturned eyes, he¡¯s intrepid and it¡¯s nice in a different way from Prince¡¯s glorious beauty. It¡¯s beginning to slip my mind but Soutarou¡¯s also an otome game¡¯s capturable target after all. Of course he¡¯s popular and cool. Doesn¡¯t it sound like a joke that someone like that likes me? It¡¯s still a big deal even if it¡¯s platonic. One won¡¯t receive many ¡®You¡¯re my important friend¡¯ statements in one¡¯s life. Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°Is the English prep so difficult this time?¡± Soutarou had finished cooking before I knew it and is peeking at my notebook with plates in both hands. ¡°Ah, well, not really. Done with dinner already?¡± ¡°Yup. It doesn¡¯t take long to cook omelette rice. The seaweed soup and dessert were made in advance.¡± ¡°Wow, awesome. It looks great.¡± Placed on the plate that¡¯s on the table, is omelette rice with fluffy egg. A rabbit is drawn on the fluffy egg with ketchup. ¡°Rabbit¡­¡± ¡°Eh?! Ah, it was by force of habit! My younger sister likes stuff like this! I can make a new one if you don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s cute. I like stuff like this so it¡¯s fine. It feels kind of a waste to eat it.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. The accompanying soup is seaweed. The dessert is almond tofu. I unconsciously exclaim in admiration at the spread that looks like a family restaurant meal set. After Soutarou sits in the seat opposite me, I place my hands together. ¡°Bon app¨¦tit!¡± ¡°Please do. I hope it suits your taste.¡± There wasn¡¯t any of Soutarou¡¯s cooking that didn¡¯t suit my taste. His boxed lunches were tasty and so were his pastries. I scoop the omelette rice with a spoon and take the first mouthful. The omelette that wraps the ketchup rice is fluffy and gooey, like what¡¯s served in restaurants. ¡°Delish! Sure enough, Soutarou¡¯s food is super delicious.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Soutarou¡¯s food is my fave. Ah, Mitsuki¡¯s food is naturally super delicious too though.¡± Mitsuki¡¯s food is also transcendingly delicious but it can¡¯t beat Soutarou¡¯s. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s the difference but somehow Soutarou¡¯s food suits my taste more. Needless to say, as a matter of course, Mitsuki¡¯s handmade food are masterpieces. Yes, my younger sister is cute, healing, a good cook and has a great figure. She¡¯s a wonderful girl. ¡°It¡¯s worthwhile cooking it if it makes you so happy.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. Soutarou laughs in a shy manner. Having finished the meal, I take a breath and drink coffee. Soutarou even brought out handmade cookies. Apparently Soutarou made them because his younger sister grumbled about wanting to eat panda-shaped cookies. Is it so easy to make panda-shaped cookies? I, with low specs in cooking, can¡¯t tell. Rummaging, I stuff myself with tasty cookies while sipping coffee. What a blissful time. By the way, Soutarou¡¯s washing the dishes. Kaname joked about Soutarou being a wife or mother but he may not be entirely wrong about that, huh. Soutarou¡¯s too good of a wife even though he¡¯s a high school boy. My atom-sized girl power is getting overshadowed. ¡°Mako, the bath¡¯s ready. For a change of clothes, you can make do with mine, right?¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll be going home.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s a weekend, right? Stay over. No one will be home today so you don¡¯t have to be reserved.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe No, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve to go, I smile vaguely without saying that. I may be overly-conscious, hopefully that¡¯s the case but if I stay over with him alone, my chastity will definitely be exposed to danger. I can¡¯t help but feel that something will definitely happen. The recent Soutarou is an existence more dangerous than Prince and Junya after all. I can almost picture woofwoof kyunkyun gabuu! developments. Guys like him should be the cabbage roll type[1]. ¡°I¡¯m going home. My bad.¡± ¡°Ehh, are you really going, Mako¡­¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. I mustn¡¯t look at his face now. It¡¯s that. The ¡®kyun, kyun¡¯ face. He must be using the expression of an abandoned dog and looking at me with upturned eyes. I¡¯ll end up agreeing to stay over if I look at the expression of an abandoned dog. This is a repeat but I¡¯m indulgent to Mitsuki and Soutarou. I¡¯m weak to cuteness that reaches the level of being sly. ¡°Mitsuki¡¯s waiting for me.¡± ¡°Liar. I heard that Sakurai-san is staying over at Hasumi¡¯s place. Actually, they talked about it right in front of us, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Ahh, yeah¡­ I have incoming parcels¡± Soutarou grabs my arm. Unthinkingly I raise my head and end up seeing Soutarou¡¯s face. The bone of the arm he grabbed creaks. Soutarou pouts sulkily as he looks at me with half-lidded eyes. It wasn¡¯t the expression of an abandoned dog that I imagined. ¡°Why did you lie like that. Do you hate me now?¡± ¡°No! ¡­ That¡¯s not it but¡± ¡°Is it because I do things like hugging and pushing you down? Did you think I might be gay?¡± I instinctively remain silent when he hit the bull¡¯s eye. ¡°If so, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. My heart feels a pricking pain at Soutarou whose brows furrow as though he¡¯s about to cry. At the same time I begin to hate myself for causing him to make that face, a feeling of wanting to reject him immediately surfaces. I apologise for being overly wary but it¡¯s just stupidity if I comply, stay over and get pushed down. Isn¡¯t this simply lying through one¡¯s teeth? After all, you were definitely planning to push me down right? If I stayed over without any objections you were going to settle the debt and snatch my chastity, weren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve learned over this half-year. I¡¯m not the same Sakurai Makoto I was. If the me before was shown this face and told such a line, I¡¯d have apologised earnestly. However, a calm me resides in a corner of my head now. ¡°¡­ Sorry for suspecting you.¡± A part of me is still unconvinced but I can only trust him when he was so assertive. However, it¡¯s honestly a pain if I have to worry like this every time I¡¯m alone with Soutarou. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re of the opposite sex and have to maintain some distance. Soutarou and I are both guys, y¡¯know. Well, mentally, we¡¯re of the opposite sex and have to maintain some distance though. As I look at Soutarou with sceptical eyes, he caresses my cheek. Crap, on Soutarou¡¯s face ¨D¨D raises a masculine smile. The corners of his mouth suddenly tilts up and his gentle downturned eyes narrow and sharpen. ¡°After all, if I really wanted to do something to Mako, weren¡¯t there a number of chances so far?¡± I reflexively stiffen at Soutarou¡¯s bomb-like statement. Unable to endure, I laugh. No more. Even if hugging and biting one¡¯s nape cross the boundaries of friendship, it doesn¡¯t matter if I insist that we are friends. I don¡¯t know how much longer Soutarou and I can remain together so rather than spending time with my messy thoughts, I should cherish each moment like this. ¡°I know right. Yeah, my bad, seriously. I¡¯ll enter the bath.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°Mako!!¡± ¡°Shuddap. Don¡¯t call my name so loudly.¡± Carrying the shirt, sweatpants and bath towel that Soutarou prepared, I stand up to enter the bath. Thus I¡¯m staying over at Soutarou¡¯s house. At the same time, I¡¯ve given up and accepted various things. Isn¡¯t it fine to be hugged? Isn¡¯t it fine to joke around? We¡¯re friends after all. ¡°I did say I¡¯d stay over but why did it become like this!¡± ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m happy that Mako¡¯s staying over.¡± We¡¯re in the state whereby I¡¯m sitting between the legs of Soutarou who has his knees up. Soutarou¡¯s hugging me from behind as he rubs his cheek against my head, a broad smile on his face. My back is so hot it feels like blood is rushing to my head. I¡¯m reading the manga in Soutarou¡¯s room. It¡¯s about the Volleyball Club of a high school in the Miyagi Prefecture aiming for the Spring Interhigh volleyball championship[2]. To think I¡¯d find a volleyball book in the house of a basketball player. It should be R¨­ky¨± not Haiky¨±[3] for you, right? Well now that I understand this is the distance he keeps with his friends, I can accept it as long as he doesn¡¯t do anything sexual. If you want to cling to me, feel free to do so. ¡°Soutarouuu, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s chocolates. It¡¯s just what my father received from his company though.¡± ¡°Gimme chocolates!¡± Heave-ho, Soutarou reaches out for the chocolate on the table. He even opens the wrapper and carries it to my mouth. It¡¯s the so-called ¡®aa~n¡¯. ¡°Soutarou, I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°Will barley tea do?¡± He pours barley tea into my empty glass. ¡°Soutarou, chocolate.¡± ¡°Un.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site. ¡°Soutarou, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± I lean against Soutarou¡¯s chest, that¡¯s substituting as a backrest. As expected of Soutarou who possesses a muscular body. The sense of stability when I lean against him is nice. ¡°Mako, it will hurt when you wake up if you sleep here you know?¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± ¡°Mako¡­? I¡¯ll tickle you if you¡¯re sleeping?¡± Soutarou¡¯s palm caresses my side. I can feel Soutarou¡¯s hand briskly entering from my t-shirt sleeve. ¡°Oi, don¡¯t do anything erotic. This is called attacking someone in their sleep y¡¯know.¡± ¡°But Mako¡¯s clothing is baggy and easy for a hand to enter so I unconsciously¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing your clothes so of course it¡¯s baggy. I¡¯m shorter and have less muscles after all.¡± Soutarou¡¯s face peeks from my right shoulder. His breath touches my ear and it¡¯s ticklish. His left hand loops around my waist while his right caresses my side. ¡°Where are you going tomorrow?¡± ¡°Ya seriously want to be with me tomorrow too? Let¡¯s go to a butler caf¨¦ then.¡± ¡°Butler caf¨¦?! When we¡¯re both guys?¡± I suggested it because we¡¯ll be doing a butler&maid caf¨¦ for the cultural festival and I thought I should experience it at least once. However, I laugh when Soutarou is more surprised than I expected. ¡°Are you so against it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m against it but, isn¡¯t two guys going to a butler caf¨¦ too high of a hurdle?¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a butler caf¨¦ in Tachibana City and I don¡¯t know how far away is Ikebukuro, where there definitely are butler caf¨¦s. In the first place, is there an Ikebukuro in this world? Actually, what prefecture is Tachibana City in? If Tachibana City is in West Japan, we can take the Shinkansen to Ikebukuro. As I was thinking such, Soutarou groans as he begins to bury his face against my nape. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a maid caf¨¦ then.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s impossible for me. I¡¯ll be nervous.¡± ¡°I think the girls will brighten up if you go to a maid caf¨¦. Because an ikemen came.¡± It¡¯s fun to languidly mould plans for tomorrow like this. So much so that I think it¡¯d be nice if I can always spend uneventful days like this. Tomorrow, the following day, and the day after that too. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Please read at the translator¡¯s site. [1] Cabbage roll type: Looks herbivorous on the outside but is carnivorous on the inside. The outside of this dish is cabbage while the inside is ground meat. [2] Reference to Haikyuu!!. [3] R¨­ky¨± and Haiky¨± are just another way to say basketball and volleyball respectively. Author used kanji in this instance but otherwise she used katakana ¥Ð¥ì©`¥Ü©`¥ë (bareib¨­ru) and ¥Ð¥¹¥± (basuke). CH 55 The Cultural Festival and the Butler and the Caf¨¦ [3] Translator: nakimushitl Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. ¡°Prince! Prince turned into a butler¡­!¡± ¡°Makoto, don¡¯t call me ¡®Prince¡¯.¡± Prince a.k.a. Kiritani Riku has transformed into a perfect butler. With Prince¡¯s slender body and pretty features, it¡¯s too fitting when he wears a butler outfit. Black jacket and waistcoat, white shirt, slacks and leather shoes. Each and everyone of them were so well-made that you¡¯d never think they were made by high school students. The workmanship is so sedulous, it doesn¡¯t seem like it was made by mere high school students. This is the magic of otome games. Now then, if you were to ask why we¡¯re wearing butler clothes, it¡¯s because we¡¯re in a bind when Hasumi summoned us into a classroom arranged just like how it¡¯d be during the cultural festival, to shoot photos for the poster. Tables, cushions, curtains and whatnot were arranged in the classroom of Year 2 Class A and it¡¯s become rather caf¨¦-like. Even though there¡¯s still a week before the launch, it¡¯s amazing that preparations of this extent have been completed. I¡¯m in-charge of coming up with the menu, being the waiter and cook on the day itself, so I didn¡¯t participate in laying out the shop at all. ¡°It fits you well too, Sakurai. It really helps when one is tall and slender~¡± ¡°Nah¡­ It¡¯s kind of a torture to stand next to Riku with my face, y¡¯know?¡± I also changed into the butler outfit made by Hasumi¡¯s group but my self-confidence quickly disappears in the presence of Prince¡¯s esteemed countenance. My face shouldn¡¯t be nasty. Neither a hottie or a nastie. I¡¯d like to think so but it¡¯s saddening when I compare it to the shining face of Prince, a main character in an otome game. ¡°Makoto, you look cool. It fits you well.¡± ¡°A-ah, thanks¡­¡± Prince stares at my face with his ever-expressionless face. It¡¯s hard to tell when his expression doesn¡¯t change but he¡¯s probably being bashful. After staring at my face for a while, he swiftly averts his gaze. What¡¯s with this ambience. What¡¯s with this mysterious ambience like that between a new couple during their first date? The one who mows down this ambience instantly is mi dolce, cute angel. ¡°Mako-chan finished changing too, huh. Don¡¯t you look cool~!¡± ¡°Mitsuki! Mitsuki, super cute¡­! As expected of my Mitsuki¡­¡± The Mitsuki entering the classroom in maid clothes is transcendentally cute. Maid clothes with black mini-skirt, frilly headdress and apron, knee-high socks and strap shoes. The Mitsuki wearing all that is pretty much an archangel. Even though she¡¯s always an angel, that angel-ness has been polished. I run up and hug Mitsuki. Small. Small, thin and fluffy. Moreover, there¡¯s an incredibly nice smell. Even though we should¡¯ve used the same shampoo and body wash, Mitsuki smells extra nice. It may be because she¡¯s an angel. Definitely. ¡°I wonder. The skirt¡¯s short and I don¡¯t wear knee-high socks much so it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. It¡¯s okay because Mitsuki¡¯s cute. Besides, I¡¯ll protect you if weird guys approach you.¡± ¡°Fufu, I¡¯ll rely on you, Mako-chan. I¡¯ll protect you, then, if weird girls approach you!¡± Perhaps Mitsuki had put on some make-up, her eyes look larger than usual. Fundamentally, Mitsuki goes with almost no make-up. She casually puts on toner and foundation after bathing and uses lip gloss and mascara¡­ that¡¯s about it I think? I don¡¯t know the details but even though I¡¯ve seen her use what looks like make-up, I don¡¯t think she ever did it so thoroughly. She¡¯s beautiful even without make-up. My cute Mitsuki is an otome game heroine so even with thin make-up, her eyes are large, her cheeks and lips are a light pink and her skin is smooth and pretty as though it¡¯s been smeared with pearlescent face powder. When the cute and beautiful Mitsuki with a foundation like that puts on thorough make-up, she¡¯s even more cute, I say. Have you understood? ¡°Hasumi, please. Give me the photo of the maid Mitsuki. Take some with my phone too. I¡¯ll leave it on standby.¡± ¡°Oi, Sakurai oi¡­ It¡¯s remarkable your siscon has worsened to this stage.¡± ¡°Geez~! Stop it, Mako-chan!¡± Prince is also transcendentally cool but only Mitsuki has moved my heart so much. ¡°Hey! We¡¯re starting since the leads are here. Kiritani and Mitsuki will be the focus, the older Sakurai will be a package deal with Kiritani. Sorry. I think you¡¯re cool too but the demands of the world is¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s a-okay, I know. Actually, Hasumi, it hurts more when you say too many excuses.¡± ¡°Sorryyy.¡± Directed by the members of the awaiting Photography Club, Prince and Mitsuki¡¯s two shot photography session begins. When Prince¡¯s beautiful face comes together with the transcendentally pretty Mitsuki¡¯s small face, slightly couplish photos are taken. A photo of them entwining their fingers with their hips and shoulders together is taken. Is this heaven! Yes it must be heaven! Mitsuki is cute, Prince is cute too. I can only see two angels being lovely-dovey. Sure enough, I feel that Prince and Mitsuki are fitting. Of course, Takayanagi is an extremely good senpai and a great person but I can¡¯t help wanting Prince and Mitsuki to date even now. Nah, as long as Mitsuki¡¯s happy, I don¡¯t mind who she dates. ¡°Okay, next, let¡¯s shoot with the older Sakurai~. Alright, come here and hug Kiritani¡¯s waist.¡± ¡°Un? Prince¡¯s? Waist? ¡­ Hug?!¡± ¡°Yup. Stand next to each other, Sakurai and Kiritani. Kiritani, look downwards a bit¡­ Ah, both of you, don¡¯t forget to look here provocatively.¡± What are you saying, Hasumi. What are you trying to make us do, Hasumi! For some reason, Prince nods, accepting all of Hasumi¡¯s orders and clings closely to me. In my hesitance, I look at Hasumi, the camera and Prince in order. Not knowing where to place my hand, it hangs slightly away from Prince¡¯s waist as the fingers fidget in a muddle. ¡°The image is butlers provoking their young mistress! Go with an erotic feel!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ really¡­¡± I thought even Hasumi was a fujoshi but it seems that wasn¡¯t it. I¡¯m glad Hasumi isn¡¯t looking at Prince and I that way but is it fine if I¡¯m part of this ¡®butlers provoking their young mistress¡¯? If it fine if the number 1 ikemen in this school, no, this city, does it with a normie like me, the very picture of ordinary? However, now that we came this far, I have to do it. It won¡¯t end if I don¡¯t. I pull Prince¡¯s waist closer. Inclining my head slightly, I place my cheek on Prince¡¯s head. There¡¯s an incredibly nice smell coming from Prince¡¯s hair. Although it¡¯s properly a man¡¯s smell, there¡¯s remnants of a sweetness within that, it¡¯s a mysterious smell. ¡°Sakurai! Alright, make an erotic face!¡± ¡°Hang on, sensei! What¡¯s an ¡®erotic face¡¯!¡± What¡¯s an ¡®erotic face¡¯. I¡¯ve never had such an expression in my life thus far so I¡¯ve absolutely no idea. For the time being, I try smirking while looking at the camera but Hasumi gives me an awful look. ¡°Sakurai¡­ work harder. I won¡¯t ask for an erotic face anymore so just make something similar!¡± ¡°What¡¯s something familiar~¡± The Photography Club, Hasumi and Mitsuki are watching over us as I hug Prince. I feel like crying at this surreal image. ¡°Makoto.¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry. Truthfully, I¡¯m bad at having my photo taken.¡± I can tell that Prince¡¯s looking at me. Prince puts strength into the arm he has around my waist. Stroking my back with that hand, he whispers gently in a voice only I can hear. Prince¡¯s voice seems to be laughing a little. ¡°I hate photos too. But being with Makoto makes me so happy that I forgot my hate. However, I don¡¯t think I can become such an existence to Makoto. That¡¯s why¡­ if Makoto doesn¡¯t like taking photos, you can stop.¡± ¡°¡­ Riku.¡± Prince parts from me and looks at Hasumi. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s enough to have Sakurai and my photographs, right? Makoto looks unwell so can we stop? You can take more of my photos if it¡¯s not enough.¡± Prince is expressionless, reticent and not exactly courteous. It¡¯s true that I thought of him as ridiculously haughty when we first met. However, whenever I¡¯m troubled or suffering, Prince will unhesitatingly save me like this. Haughty? No way. Prince is more frank, pure and kind than anyone. Junya jokingly called Prince a kitten but he¡¯s really like a whimsical cat. It took time and know-how for Prince to warm up but once he does, he¡¯ll cherish you to the end. At times, even if he has to sacrifice himself. You could even call Prince¡¯s kindness silly. ¡°Ah, really? It¡¯s okay if you¡¯re unwell. For the time being, the ones with Kiritani and Mitsuki are enough. Well then, we want some of different types so, Kiritani¨D¨D¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Riku!¡± I strongly, strongly hug Prince¡¯s waist that tries to part from me. Prince¡¯s eyes widen in surprise as he looks at me. Even though his eyes are always weakly half-opened, the eyes he¡¯s looking at me with now are large and round like marbles. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not unwell. Besides, I want to take photos with Riku.¡± ¡°Makoto, you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not forcing myself. Alright, Prince, look at the camera©`¡± Perhaps bewildered, Prince¡¯s gaze swims as he places his arm around my waist. For some reason, that appears cute to me. It seems that the photos taken like this are handed to the Computer Club for final adjustments. Please do edit and edit such that I¡¯ll look cooler than the real me. Mitsuki and Hasumi left for club activities after tidying up the classroom so I¡¯m alone with Prince now. Finished changing, I begin keeping my belongings in my bag but Prince tugs at my moving arm. He opens his mouth as though he wants to say something but his gaze seems in hesitance and his mouth closes again. ¡°What¡¯s up? Riku.¡± Prince¡¯s eyes are turned down expressionlessly. He¡¯s, probably feeling perplexed. That¡¯s how it seems like. ¡°Riku?¡± ¡°I¡­ hated school before but everyday before I sleep, I¡¯ll think that I want to attend school again tomorrow. The training camp, ball game tournament, cultural festival, I don¡¯t find any of them troublesome. Even though I thought something like school is freaking boring before.¡± Come to think of it, Prince is the type that originally doesn¡¯t come to school much, was it? I think Subaru said that before. ¡°School is fun now because there¡¯s Makoto. It¡¯s super fun. Everything that I hate becomes fun when there¡¯s Makoto.¡± Prince, who raised his head, is biting his lips lightly, smiling as though he¡¯s about to cry. Prince is giving me too high an evaluation. I¡¯ve never been a very caring or motivating type. Nor have I thought of being so. Even though all I did was be there, Prince says it¡¯s fun being with me. ¡°Sure enough, I like Makoto.¡± ¡°Un?! ¡­ Un.¡± ¡°I like you.¡± Is he saying this in the romantic way? When I can¡¯t come up with a reply in my bewilderment, Prince begins to keep his textbooks in his school bag with his usual reticence. I wavered about whether I should give a reply but it appears he¡¯s not seeking for one. Finishing his preparations to leave, Prince stands before the classroom door and stares at me. He¡¯s waiting for me. However, even if he doesn¡¯t need a reply, it¡¯s quite rude of me to be silent after receiving his feelings. I have to convey my feelings clearly too. It¡¯s impossible for me to return anything romantically but Prince is extremely, extremely important to me, as a friend. ¡°¡­ I like Riku too. Even I want to go to school everyday when there¡¯s Riku, Soutarou and Kaname.¡± I like Prince and company. I like them enough that I want to attend school everyday. ¨D¨DThere¡¯s no shred of lie in these words. Ever since coming here, I hardly ever find going to school troublesome. I¡¯m jostled around by the events in Revolution everyday after all. There¡¯s tons to do in school and at home. So let¡¯s go to school properly, tomorrow too. Let¡¯s go to school in order to meet everyone. CH 56 Translator: nakimushitl ¡±Welcome to the sto¡ª, ¡­ I mean, welcome home, m¡¯Lady.¡± The first Sunday of October. It¡¯s the opening day of Izumino School¡¯s cultural festival. I¡¯m acting as a butler in the classroom of Year 2 Class A. I wanted to work in the back and wait on customers as little as possible but I was dragged out to be a waiter due to the lack of manpower. The face muscles I don¡¯t usually use are screaming. I forcibly raise the trembling corner of my mouth and make a smile to the best of my ability. ¡°I-isn¡¯t that butler refreshing and cool?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. He¡¯s cool. But I prefer the blond butler over there.¡± ¡°Uwah, I agree. There are a lot of cool people, aren¡¯t there~¡± Even though I¡¯m guiding them around, the 2 ladies are only looking at Kaname and Soutarou. By the way, Prince¡¯s taking a break and isn¡¯t here now. Letting Prince take a break first is so that he can be placed in again when our sales go down in the latter half. A so-called strategy of Hasumi¡¯s. Sorry that a normie like me is here! Although I no longer feel things like jealousy towards the 3 popular guys, I can¡¯t hide a slight vexation. Perhaps it¡¯s the effect of the poster of Prince and Mitsuki that we designed, our Maid&Butler Caf¨¦ has been a hectic maid success, so much that the queue extends even outside the room. At one point, the 30-minute waiting time grew to an hour and it became a dire situation in a high school cultural festival. However, once it reached about 1pm, the customers lessened and we were able to take turns to rest. ¡°Bunny-chan, your master is back~¡± ¡°Ugeh, president.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my ¡®Welcome back, Master¡¯~?¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe With a ¡°Student Council¡± band on his arm, the student council president Narahashi Junya, accompanied by the vice-president Takayanagi Yasuchika who¡¯s holding some notebook, enters the room. Above Junya¡¯s uniform that¡¯s worn in a way one can¡¯t tell whether he¡¯s wearing it or not, he has the usual shocking pink jacket with rabbit ears. With his languid way of speaking and moving, he places an arm around my shoulder. My right hand that attempted to sweep that arm away gets caught and it¡¯s being held ever so tightly. ¡°Please leave, Master.¡± The girls get excited at the appearance of Junya, who¡¯d fit in the group of popular guys. As though he¡¯s used to it, Junya waves at the squealing girls. It¡¯s kind of annoying, transcendently. I¡¯m convinced if Prince, Kaname or Soutarou get squealed at but I completely don¡¯t understand why Junya¡¯s popular. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving~. We came here for work. Right, Chika-san?¡± ¡°Although the work part is just as you say, please stop causing Sakurai trouble.¡± ¡°Work?¡± It¡¯s unthinkable that such a happy-go-lucky Student Council president would do work outside of teasing people. I must have unconsciously appeared rather suspicious, for Takayanagi gives a throaty laugh. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°To ensure that there hasn¡¯t been any problematic behaviour, we, as the Student Council, have been making rounds.¡± I see. Although I now understand why Junya and Takayanagi has come to over class, isn¡¯t our family¡¯s Student Council president the one most likely to cause problems? Junya casually and pushily draws closer. ¡°That¡¯s why, Bunny-chan, let¡¯s go round the Cultural Festival together~?¡± ¡°Nah, you have work, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine because we came to Bunny-chan¡¯s place last.¡± There¡¯s nothing more troublesome than going round the Cultural Festival with Junya. Unnecessarily entangling me with all his ¡®Bunny-chan¡¯, ¡®Bunny-chan¡¯, there¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s aiming for things like kissing or sex. That¡¯s the kind of guy he is. Had I nonchalantly followed him, ¡°I¡¯m someone who¡¯s totally fine with gobbling up even heterosexuals, y¡¯know,¡± it will unmistakably turn into a situation like that. I try to seek Takayanagi¡¯s help but he¡¯s right in the middle of chatting happily with Mitsuki. He¡¯s probably inviting her to go round the Cultural Festival together. Although I¡¯m happy that Mitsuki is popular, my current feelings of wanting to be saved from the crisis is stronger. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Eh~! You¡¯re going to take a break now, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve been listening, alright~?¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Although I¡¯ve been treating Junya coldly, his heart is sturdy and did not break. In the first place, does he not know, did he not notice or is he pretending not to notice? Junya grins while tilting his head. It¡¯s even more infuriating when he makes a sparrow face[1] that seems like he¡¯s feigning ignorance somehow. It¡¯s extremely cool, beautiful and seductive. It¡¯s not a bad face. Rather, it probably falls under a considerably ikemen category. However, although I do understand the happiness felt when such a face and action is shown to someone, and it¡¯s the same cunningness as Soutarou, it¡¯s hard for me accept this. ¡°Bunny-chan?! Don¡¯t ignore me?! I, got hurt, alright! Also, watch your expression! Your eyes are dead[2]!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Bunny-chan?! Hey! I¡¯ll cry, y¡¯know~¡± Perhaps noticing Junya entangling me, Soutarou steadily approaches. Although there¡¯s a smile on his face, he may be pissed because the aura around him is black. It¡¯s the descend of Pitch Black Soutarou. ¡°Mako? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, Soutarou.¡± ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this Soutarou-kun? You sure are cool today too~.¡± Over-familiarly, Junya strokes Soutarou¡¯s cheek. And with extremely natural movements, Junya draws closer to Soutarou¡¯s face and tries to kiss it. This guy really doesn¡¯t discriminate! With a smile glued on his face, Soutarou hits Junya¡¯s hand off. A female customer drinking tea from behind makes a disappointed sound but let¡¯s pretend not to hear that. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°Mako, what have you been talking about?¡± With extremely natural movements, Soutarou moves to my back and places an arm around my waist. Then, putting his chin on my right shoulder, he sniffs the scent from the back of my ear. This guy too, before I knew it, has shortened his sense of distance. Sure enough, was it bad of me to say that I¡¯d given up and accepted various things previously? Well, it¡¯s not unpleasant to have Soutarou attached to me like this, so I¡¯m not complaining. ¡°Ah, Junya-senpai was talking about going round the Cultural Festival with him.¡± ¡°I see. However, Mako¡¯s going with me so that won¡¯t do, right? That is how it is, president, apologies.¡± Did we make such an arrangement? No, we didn¡¯t. When I glance at Soutarou¡¯s face which should be on my right shoulder, there¡¯s a never-before-seen, or should I say, never-before-existed refreshing-ish smile. It¡¯s important so I¡¯ll repeat but, it¡¯s a refreshing-¡±ish¡± stiff smile. Soutarou¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t smiling at all. I¡¯ve never seen Soutarou make a face like this. ¡°Eh~, I¡¯m going with you then~. Don¡¯t want to go round the Cultural Festival all alone after all.¡± ¡°You can just go with Takayanagi-senpai.¡± ¡°Chika-chan¡¯s probs going with Mitsuki-chan. Looking at that state.¡± When I look in the direction he points at, the two are talking about something extremely happily. Certainly, looking at that state, Mitsuki will definitely go round the Cultural Festival with Takayanagi. Really, when did Mitsuki and Takayanagi become so close? Onii-chan is a little lonely. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°Then you can just go with your female hanger-ons. Does president not have many admirers?¡± ¡°In that case, Soutarou-kun can go with your female hanger-ons too. Doesn¡¯t Soutarou-kun have many admirers too?¡± ¡°I want to go with Mako. Mako¡¯s fine.¡± Squeeze, the arm around my waist strengthens its hold. Then, while rubbing the nose he buried in my nape, ¡°Mako,¡± he calls my name with a miserable voice. Although it¡¯s cute, although it¡¯s so cunningly cute, Soutarou, please remember that we¡¯re right in the middle of the classroom. ¡°Oi, don¡¯t create a scene of carnage over there. It¡¯s disturbing our business.¡± Seeing us cause trouble, Hasumi cuts in with an exasperated look. ¡°Hasumi!¡± Honestly, it really helps that Hasumi came. Because we wouldn¡¯t have reached a conclusion at the rate it was going. I look at Hasumi gratefully. However, she continues by dropping a shocking, bomb-like statement. ¡°If none of you wants to yield, the time for going around can just be arranged. 13:30 to 14:30 will be the president, 14:30 to 15:30 Kiritani and 15:30 to 16:30 Tsubaki. You¡¯ll be helping me out from 16:30 to 17:30, alright. As for the post-festival celebration, Sakurai can slowly decide.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°Uh, there¡¯s a lot to retort but, for the time being, why are Riku and Hasumi included in that schedule?¡± What on earth is this elaborate time schedule like that of a famous celebrity? Moreover, why are Prince and Hasumi included there? It¡¯s getting out of control. Honestly, if it¡¯s going to get so troublesome, I might as well go around by myself. However, I can¡¯t quite bring myself to say that in front of these 3. The Hasumi who heard my question averts her gaze while blushing slightly. ¡°Kiritani will definitely want to go around with Sakurai so I can use that as collateral to make him work. Besides, you don¡¯t have club activities so you¡¯re free, aren¡¯t you, Sakurai? Isn¡¯t it okay to help out with the tidying up later?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with just helping to tidy up but¡­¡± It may not be very fitting for an ex-woman like me to say this but, I¡¯d have readily accepted had she asked in a slightly cuter manner. Well, of course I¡¯m perfectly okay with just helping out though. I¡¯ll help out with no complaint. ¡°Now that it¡¯s decided, go round the Cultural Festival with the president first! I¡¯ll inform Kiritani. Come back to class once it¡¯s 14:30, alright!¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± ¡°Yay. Let¡¯s go then, Bunny-channn.¡± Junya seizes my wrist and tugs strongly. I¡¯m pulled away from Soutarou as he grabs my hand. Then, as though I¡¯m being kidnapped, I¡¯m brought out of the classroom. ¡°Ehehe, Bunny-chan, where do you want to go? Shall we eat first?¡± Honestly, we were busy throughout the morning so I didn¡¯t eat breakfast at all today. It¡¯s now exactly 13:30. I¡¯m pretty starved. ¡°Ah, I do kind of want to eat.¡± ¡°In that case, let senpai treat you.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe With a smug look, what Junya takes out of his jacket pocket are free meal tickets. From takoyaki, cr¨ºpe, ramen, to even set meals from the cafeteria. Held in that hand, are 2 tickets that render any food provided in the Cultural Festival, free. Those tickets are said to be distributed only to a part of the student body who contributed to the Cultural Festival, like the Student Council or the Student Self-Government Association. They are such illusory tickets. ¡°Bunny-chan, whatever you want to eat, tell me!¡± Although I sincerely find it troublesome to go round the Cultural Festival with Junya, I¡¯m not able to say a thing when he makes such a happy expression. Moreover, rather than spending the Cultural Festival all alone without anyone¡¯s invitation, even I think that it¡¯s much, much more enjoyable to be with someone else. It¡¯s boring if one doesn¡¯t fully enjoy oneself after all. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Now that it¡¯s decided, let¡¯s first have a meal with Junya. With a smile on my lips, I hold Junya¡¯s hand. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. [1] Sparrow face. [2] Think of those eyes in anime where they don¡¯t draw the reflected light so it looks like there¡¯s no life in the eyes. CH 57 Translator: nakimushitl ¡±Hasumi, is this one of those that can be put away?¡± I¡¯m separating the leftover ingredients from the Butler&Maid Cafe into refrigerated and room temperature, to be put away into bags and boxes. These will be split evenly with the class tomorrow. ¡°Yep. Separate them into refrigerated and room temperature. Put those that require refrigeration in the fridge of the home economics room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hasumi and I are tidying up after the Cultural Festival. Originally, the tidy up would be done by the entire class tomorrow. However, Hasumi, wanting to do most of the tidying up today, including that of the raw ingredients, forced me to help out. I think she could be more lenient towards me, who had to accompany Junya, Prince, and Soutarou around the Cultural Festival. However, for some reason, Hasumi¡¯s only asking me for help. Take this task for example. Even though she could¡¯ve asked the male class rep for help, she designated me for some reason. Although I obediently help out because I don¡¯t loathe tidying up, I can¡¯t shake this feeling of being used. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Unexpectedly, I was able to normally enjoy going round the Cultural Festival with Prince and company. I had thought Junya would conspire for my chastity, Prince would conspire to push me down and the Pitch Black Soutarou would conspire to kiss me. However, I was able to enjoy it just like a normal friend. ¡°Hey Sakurai, so who are you going to the post-festival celebration with?¡± ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know. Can¡¯t I casually spend it with Soutarou and company?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to spend the post-festival celebrations with other dudes? Even though there will be folk dancing?¡± Hasumi laughs a little jokingly, and looks at me. Is there a rule that the high school post-festival celebration must be spent in male-female pairs? Even though this is an otome game, one should be able to do more than romance. Studies, sports and friendship should be able to enliven one¡¯s youth too. ¡°How about you, Hasumi, who are you intending to spend it with? Is it Soutarou?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe When I raise my gaze that had been on my hands, the image of her blushing profusely, with her eyes looking towards her lower right, appears in my field of vision. As the sun is already setting outside the window, it could be that the sunlight is making Hasumi¡¯s face look red. The preparation for fireworks is steadily progressing in the school yard. Although I thought it was extravagant to have fireworks in a high school post-festival celebration, it will surely remain in my memory. I wonder if it will remain as a happy memory. If only, nothing remains, just for me. If only I can forget Soutarou, Prince, Kaname and all the fun memories, once I return. Such negativity is a no-no. It¡¯s not certain that I can return to the real world so I should enjoy school life right now. ¡°Sakurai, ¡­¡± ¡°Ah, but Soutarou may be going to the post-festival celebration with me. Want to join us, Hasumi?¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Although it¡¯s not like I had specially arranged to spend the post-festival celebration with Soutarou, I¡¯m sure that one way or another, he¡¯ll spend it with Prince, Kaname, Hasumi and I. With the members of ¡°Alliance of Those Without Girlfriends¡±, it will probably be a post-festival celebration that stinks of dudes. However, I¡¯ve a feeling that this way, I can enjoy the post-festival celebration best. A part of me is anticipating it. Just like this, I¡¯ll steadily accumulate memories so enjoyable that I¡¯d want to forget them. This is something to feel happy, and also sad, about. Looking at my face, Hasumi shows a troubled yet happy smile and moves her head left and right. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I think I¡¯ll spend it with Mitsuki.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Mitsuki spending it with Takayanagi?¡± ¡°Takayanagi-senpai would be busy with Student Council work, right? It seemed like he worked quite hard to be able to go round the Cultural Festival with Mitsuki.¡± As the management of Izumino School¡¯s Cultural Festival was mostly left to the students, the Student Council, which lies at the core, should be considerably busy. Also, the operating of the post-festival celebration is naturally the Student Council¡¯s job. ¡°I see. You worked crazy hard too, Hasumi. It¡¯s okay to enjoy at least the post-festival celebration.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that condescending manner.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Chuckling a little, Hasumi lifts up the box with dirty utensils and hot plates. I, too, carrying the plastic bag containing ingredients, stand up. With this amount of tidying up, there won¡¯t be great disasters like the food rotting and causing trouble, or being unable to remove dirt stuck on the utensils. For the remaining tidying up, let¡¯s believe in everyone¡¯s strength and leave it till tomorrow. We, too, need to prepare to enjoy the post-festival celebration and savour the aftertaste of the Cultural Festival. ¡°Makooo! I came to help out. Let¡¯s finish the tidy up quickly and head to the post-festival celebration venue. It seems they¡¯re distributing juice and snacks for free.¡± ¡°What can be obtained for free has to be obtained, don¡¯t they~¡± Soutarou, Kaname and Prince noisily jump into the classroom. Prince, who is more gluttonous than he appears, is chewing on melon bread. Moreover, he¡¯s holding the bread with both hands like a squirrel and is chewing on it expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯m almost done so wait just a little.¡± ¡°What¡¯s left to be done? I¡¯ll help.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Soutarou approaches me with a bright smile and casually lifts the plastic bag I¡¯m holding. If there are the male me and the female Hasumi, you should first lift the female¡¯s, Hasumi¡¯s, burden. Although Soutarou is a mother-like boy who¡¯s fundamentally gentle towards girls, he can be inconsiderate in areas like this. ¡°¡±Ah, my plastic bag is to be kept in the fridge. The utensils in Hasumi¡¯s box are to be washed before returning them to the box, and kept in the classroom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. With the 5 of us, I think it can be completed in no time. You can take Sakurai away after that.¡± ¡°Take away¡­ hey, I¡¯m not an object.¡± Even tidying up is fun when it¡¯s done with everyone. The existence of friends is really extremely important. By the time we¡¯re done with the tidying up, before we knew it, it¡¯s already 6pm. Perhaps because winter is approaching, the sky is already beginning to dim. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s head to the school yard! Get the free juice!¡± With a fist up, Kaname leaves us behind, dashing to the school yard. Behind him follows Prince in a quick walk, his eyes shining. Prince loves snacks and things related to food after all. However, running when lured by food, the two of them sure are like kids. ¡°Let¡¯s get the free juice and snacks too, Soutarou.¡± ¡°Yeah. The good stuff will be taken if we don¡¯t hurry, huh? The duo are already far away and we can only see their backs. As it doesn¡¯t seem like we can catch up even if we start running after them now, Soutarou and I decided to leisurely walk after them. Anyhow, we have the same destination so there¡¯s no doubt we¡¯ll meet again in the school yard. ¡°What drinks were there?¡± ¡°I think there were tea, sports drinks and soft drinks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll play safe and get tea.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe While figures of students can be sparsely seen in the school yard, there are barely anyone. It¡¯s hard to claim that I can see Soutarou¡¯s face well in this gloomy corridor where the lights and electricity are off. Flyers that were thrown away, posters that were stuck up, classrooms that were decorated. They are all remnants of the Cultural Festival. I feel nostalgic, recalling the 2 days of Cultural Festival and the preparation for it. ¡°The Cultural Festival was fun, huh.¡± ¡°It was. I didn¡¯t get to spend it much with you though, Soutarou.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s spend more of it together next year, then. Besides, I want to go round the Cultural Festival with Mako more, not just for an hour.¡± This year¡¯s Cultural Festival is my last. I have a place I ought to return to in March next year. However, there¡¯s a strong feeling of wanting to participate in the Cultural Festival again next year. ¡°Yeah. However, the Christmas in winter break and New Year cherry blossom viewing comes before the Cultural Festival next year, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Where should we go during the winter break? I definitely want to go for New Year¡¯s first shrine visit.¡± Soutarou happily speaks of his plans for the winter break. I, too, have tons of places I want to go in the winter break. I also want to go for New Year¡¯s first shrine visit with everyone. ¡°¡­ Hey, Mako, are you transferring schools next year?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°You always make a sad face after events and whenever I try to make plans for next year, you¡¯d dodge them.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Soutarou has an absent-minded and dull side. However, because he suddenly says things that hit the mark, he can¡¯t be taken lightly. Next year, I¡¯ll be going to a place further than I would if I were transferring schools. To a place we may never meet each other again. Regardless of whether I desire it or not. ¡°Eh, nah, it¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°If so!¡± Soutarou grabs my arm. When I turn around, Soutarou¡¯s looking at my friend with a serious expression. It¡¯s uncomfortable. The two of us stand stock-still in the middle of the corridor, silent as time passes slowly. Unsure of how to spend the time so silent that it rings in my ears, I stare at my own toes. The first one to tear up this overly-quiet time is Soutarou. The usual gentle voice that resounds sweetly, loses its sweetness and gentleness and merely resounds flatly. ¡°If so, why?¡± There¡¯s no way I can tell him the reason. Even if I do tell him, what should I say? This is the world of an otome game and I got transported here from the real world. Therefore, I¡¯ll be going back when the game ends on the last day of March. Who¡¯d believe me if I say that? They¡¯ll just think I¡¯m not right in the head. They definitely won¡¯t believe me even if i tell them. However, I do have feelings of wanting to tell Soutarou the truth and having him believe me. Thus, I¡¯m starting to not know what to do. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll tell you on 31st March. However, I do want to be with you and the rest next year and the year after that.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say it today, huh.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ There¡¯s something I¡¯m hiding from you guys. It¡¯s not something I can easily tell someone and it¡¯s not something believable. However, I¡¯ll definitely say it on 31st March. Please wait till then.¡± Soutarou suddenly laughs. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll wait till then.¡± ¡°Yeah, I promise.¡± ¡°Just remember this. I¡¯ll accept you no matter who you are, Mako. I¡¯ll definitely believe you no matter what you say.¡± Even if I say I¡¯m a human from another world, Soutarou will surely accept it with a smile. He¡¯ll also believe me. That¡¯s the kind of person Soutarou is. At that moment, a huge don sound comes from outside the window. Surprised, I reflexively look out the window. Large fireworks are being launched. Glittering and colorful fireworks color the sky. ¡°Wow, ¡­ it¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s beautiful. They spent more money than expected.¡± ¡°To be able to watch it alone with Mako, I feel like I profited somehow.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe A relaxed grin surfaces on Soutarou¡¯s face. Gentle, down-turned eyes look at me. An angular, large hand grasps my hand tightly. The kind and sweet voice speaks only to me. Stinking slightly of sweat, the cheap fruity smell of his antiperspirant tickles my nose. My 4 senses are now all dominated by Soutarou. I just need to be kissed now and remember Soutarou¡¯s taste, for all 5 senses to become his. ¡°AH! Why are you two flirting~!¡± ¡°Makoto!¡± Kaname and Prince, who wangled juice and snacks, are running towards us. ¡°We aren¡¯t flirting.¡± ¡°Excuses are useless! Onwards to us four¡¯s post-festival celebration in the classroom! Yay!¡± ¡°¡®Yay¡¯?¡­¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. This may be the most enjoyable Cultural Festival I¡¯ve ever had. Even when I¡¯ve returned to the other world, whenever I see a Cultural Festival, I¡¯ll probably recall this instance of this moment on this day, for countless times. I¡¯m happy but it hurts a lot. I hate everyone of this world, who gives me so many memories that are so happy that I want to forget and yet can¡¯t throw away. I hate them because I love them. [1] The raw had Hasumi too but I¡¯m pretty sure that was a typo. CH 58 Translator: nakimushitl December. If you ask me what I¡¯ve been doing, I¡¯ve been made to help Yurino Subaru with her doujin activities, at the usual family restaurant. Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe It seems that Subaru wanted participate in this year¡¯s Winter Comic Market[1] war zone as a seller. However, she abandoned her BL game because it can¡¯t be completed in time. Thus, she¡¯s inevitably going to participate as a buyer. I don¡¯t care about that at all, but I want to object when she requests that I also participate in the Comiket, so that she doesn¡¯t forget to buy anything. Even in the other world, I was compelled to participate in the Comiket a number of times but, frankly, I¡¯m not good with it. After all, one has to queue up for several hours in the morning, and the goods obtained are doujinshi that I hold absolutely no interest in, y¡¯know? What benefit is there for me? However, unable to say something like ¡°I refuse¡± to Subaru-nee-san, I look at the Comiket catalog with a marker in one hand, while receiving instructions from Subaru. Found it, circle. ¡°First of all, buy everything from this circle[2], ah, for the one there, just their new book is enough.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. She bought a considerable amount during summer too, how much does she like BL, to be buying more in winter? It¡¯s amazing how she still has things to buy after buying all that. I don¡¯t hold much of an interest in manga and games. The manga and games I read or play are all recommended by Subaru. Therefore, I don¡¯t have any manga or games that I especially like. In a way, I¡¯m envious of her enthusiasm. ¡°Mako likes Silver Soul[3] too, right~. I¡¯ll let you read it once it¡¯s purchased~¡± The name of a comic I finally started reading recently, is brought up. Placed in the room of Mitsuki¡¯s older brother, it¡¯s a rather interesting story of a samurai running an Odd Jobs business. There are already several tens of volumes released so I suppose it¡¯s long been in serialisation from the time I was in the other world. ¡°I don¡¯t see Silver Soul in that way. I¡¯m reading it because the story is interesting in the normal way.¡± ¡°Is that so. Well, it¡¯s not like I have the hobby of forcing someone who doesn¡¯t like BL to read it~. Help me out nonetheless, alright?¡± It¡¯s extremely hard to think of Subaru, who even goes to the extent of humming as she opens the Comiket catalog, as a beauty. Well, I¡¯m sure there are also many beauties who like BL, but a part of me wishes she¡¯d somehow stop this habit of smirking while reading. ¡°I don¡¯t really mind but¡­ Can¡¯t you just go with your usual doujin friends?¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°It will become a coupling war if it¡¯s with my doujin friends so nah. Besides, Mako¡¯s a guy and is stronger, right?¡± ¡°So I¡¯m the baggage carrier.¡± Apparently the Comiket this time is on Christmas Eve. I don¡¯t have any plans on Christmas Eve and I don¡¯t really mind holding baggage but, somehow I don¡¯t feel satisfied. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to come if you have plans with Soutarou, Kaname or Prince and so on~¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. Subaru¡¯s smirking. She smirks like this when she¡¯s expecting BL-like developments. There may be a high probability I¡¯ll be invited to a Christmas party by Soutarou and company but I¡¯ll definitely not tell Subaru. No doubt it will end up as material for BL doujinshi. I¡¯ve said it a number of times but I decided to have absolutely nothing to do with Bacon and Lettuce-like things. To say nothing of BL developments where I¡¯m the protagonist. I definitely won¡¯t acknowledge those. Sheesh, Subaru¡¯s saying whatever she wants because it¡¯s not her business. Therefore, I¡¯ve been thinking to not raise any developments where romantic events like Christmas have BL insinuations. However, the ikemens don¡¯t understand even a particle of my suffering, or rather, they curtail my suffering as they advance, completely not reading the mood this time too. ¡°Mako-chan, Suba-chan! Attack, the neighbour¡¯s lunch©`!¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe The one hugging me from behind is undoubtedly the person named Fujisaki Kaname. Subaru swiftly put that catalog in her bag, giving her Yamato Nadeshiko¡°-ish¡± smile[4]. That speed is akin to the Red Comet¡¯s. ¡°Oi, ¡­ you¡¯re heavy.¡± ¡°We came in because we saw Mako-chan and company from outside. Right, Souta?¡± Kaname casually sits next to Subaru. Seeing that, Soutarou sits next to me too. This time, Kaname seems to have participated in the Taekwondo Club. I think the uniform on his shoulder is that of Taekwondo. I see, Kaname can even do Taekwondo. Can it be there¡¯s no sports Kaname can¡¯t do? ¡°Eh, un. Do you mind if we join you? We already sat down though.¡± It feels like Soutarou had Basketball Club. His jersey is his usual Basketball Club¡¯s jersey. Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. ¡°Sure. Well done with your clubs. It sure is tough, even going on rest days.¡± Done seeing the menu, Kaname raises his hand, calling the waiter who¡¯s completely an acquaintance now. Kaname ordered hotcakes while Soutarou ordered a strawberry parfait. ¡°What were Mako-chan and Suba-chan talking about~?¡± I don¡¯t know how to gloss things over so I silently send a gaze to Subaru. ¡°We¡¯re hanging out together on Christmas Eve. So we were discussing where to go. Right, Makoto-kun?¡± ¡°¡­ Y, yeah?! Well, yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe This girl, she¡¯s agitating Soutarou¡­! Glancing at Soutarou at the speed of light, he¡¯s staring holes through me. Seriously? Ah, seriously? This may sound conceited but, is this the¡¸Aren¡¯t you spending Christmas Eve with me?¡¹pattern? When I glare at Subaru, she¡¯s smirking proudly. This is the face she makes when she¡¯s aiming for BL developments. I know because I¡¯ve seen it many, many times. This is undoubtedly the face Subaru makes when she¡¯s expecting BL developments, sensei. ¡°I see¡­¡± Soutarou didn¡¯t say a thing. He didn¡¯t say a thing, but his expression seems to be complaining about something. Flop, his dog ears and the ends of his eyebrows droop and he cries ¡°Kyun, kyun¡±. This depressing sensation is no joke. Honestly, I did think he¡¯d make the expression of an abandoned puppy, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d make an expression so close to crying. Tremble tremble, his shoulders are quivering too. What have you done! I glare at Subaru with that feeling but she¡¯s blushing while staring at us devouringly. By the way, even the Kaname next to her is grinning for some reason. This Kaname, he looks at us with such an expression at times, but what does he mean by that? Kaname, your expression is like that of an outsider but you totally aren¡¯t an outsider, alright. Rather, you¡¯re a main character among main characters. ¡°Soutarou, y¡¯know, uh, I¡¯m hanging out with Subaru on Christmas Eve but I¡¯m free on other days. Let¡¯s go play.¡± ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go out on Christmas, New Year¡¯s Eve and New Year?¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. ¡°Ah, yeah. Of course I don¡¯t¡­ mind¡­¡± On top of randomly replying on the fly in order to sooth him, I readily consented to his plans. Although Soutarou was making an expression so close to tears just now, he has a full-faced grin on now, as though that was a lie. This sly puppy. Don¡¯t tell me that the truth is, this depressed, abandoned puppy face was intentional? Scared, I¡¯m no longer able to look at not just Subaru, but Kaname too. ¡°It¡¯s a promise, then. Where shall we go on Christmas? Ah, come with us too, Kana.¡± ¡°Nah~ I¡¯m fine~. Souta and Mako-chan should go~¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe ¡°Eh, but, you said you were free too, Kana. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Grinning, Kaname waves his hand exaggeratedly. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Suba-chan. It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. You two go on with your date.¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t a date. Kaname should just come.¡± ¡°There there, I¡¯ve got things to do so~¡± While I¡¯m slightly irritated at Kaname¡¯s sing-song replies, even if I say anything further to these two, there¡¯s no doubt they¡¯ll just banter with me. That¡¯s why I should just let them say what they want. People who clamour about BLBL will clamour no matter what I say. Moreover, the one I want to spend Christmas with, isn¡¯t just Subaru or just Soutarou. After all, the same amount as I like Soutarou, I like Kaname too. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you have things to do on Christmas but I want to hang out together during winter vacation. Although I like Soutarou, I also like Kaname very much after all.¡± Kaname¡¯s eyes widen slightly as though in surprise. Then, he lightly bites his lip with an expression of suppressing laughter, and look down. ¡°As expected of an ikemen~. Or more like a Casanova~. As expected of the older brother of Izumino School 2nd years¡¯ Madonna, Mitsuki-chan.¡± ¡°Casanova¡­ who?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve no self-awareness? Mako.¡± Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com and hosted at moonbunnycafe Which part of me is an Casanova? I don¡¯t understand. For some reason, Kaname¡¯s nodding deeply at Subaru¡¯s sharp retort. Speaking of it, for some reason Mitsuki¡¯s been raising nothing but her charm specs, becoming the 2nd years¡¯ Madonna by now. I think Subaru said she could become the school¡¯s Madonna if she raises her charm specs a little more, was it? As expected of mi dolce angel Mitsuki. It¡¯s finally time that my Mitsuki becomes everyone¡¯s Mitsuki. It¡¯s lonely but Mitsuki is that cute after all, of course she¡¯ll eventually be everyone¡¯s Mitsuki. Presently, she¡¯s close to becoming Takayanagi¡¯s Mitsuki. Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. ¡°Sheesh, Mako-chan, what are you doing, creating even more strife around you?~¡± ¡°Huh, strife?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t participate in a war I know I¡¯ll lose. No way I can win Prince or Souta after all~. Really, stop sowing seeds recklessly~¡­¡± Kaname combs his bangs up roughly. Although I¡¯ve absolutely no idea what he¡¯s talking about, for the time being, I¡¯d like him to stop that insinuating smile. I can only quietly go to Comiket with Subaru on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas with Soutarou. Of course, whether I spend them with Subaru or Soutarou, I¡¯ll enjoy it so much that there¡¯s nothing to complain about. I¡¯ll enjoy it but, I¡¯ll enjoy it a lot but, I feel gloomy. However, looking at Soutarou who¡¯s happy when he sees his parfait being carried over, I somehow feel that this is fine in this own. I¡¯m thinking to enjoy the winter vacation, pretending I completely didn¡¯t see things like BL or these two¡¯s scheming and insinuating smiles, or BL. ¡°Are you going to the drink kiosk too, Mako?¡± (Kaname) ¡°Yeah. I am. I want to drink coffee peacefully.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or hosted site. To me, the winter vacation plans has already ended under compulsion. Thus I didn¡¯t understand why Kaname said what he did at the end, and it seems that these final words were heavier than I had thought. Following Soutarou who stood up to go to the drink kiosk, I stand up too. Thus I had no chance at all to know what kind of conversation the two were having after that. With his head still slightly down, Kaname let out a chuckle. As though induced, Subaru laughs silently too. ¡°It¡¯s coming close to liking a troublesome person, right~. Mako¡¯s dense~. Transcendingly so, at that.¡± (Subaru) ¡°I won¡¯t like him, I won¡¯t. No way I can beat those wild beasts after all. I¡¯m the same as Suba-chan. The type that enjoys watching~¡± (Kaname) Kaname¡¯s murmur will surely not reach the drink kiosk. [1] a.k.a. Comiket, a doujinshi fair in Japan. [2] A group of doujinshi artists. [3] Original: ãyë‘, a parody of Gintama. They both mean ¡®silver soul¡¯, but are written with different characters. [4] Yamato Nadeshiko CH 59 Translator: nakimushitl December 24th, 06:45AM. In front of the International Exhibition Center[1]. We woke up at 5 in the morning to get on the long distance train and came to the Comic Market venue. ¡°Uwah¡­ The crowd is insane as usual. Rather, so there¡¯s a Tokyo in this world. Moreover, it¡¯s near Tachibana City.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. The front of International Exhibition Center is jammed with people. As expected of the Comic Market. As expected of Japan¡¯s greatest doujinshi sale venue. Quite a number of people have come to buy doujinshi despite it being Christmas Eve. But we have to wait in this cold for 3 hours until the opening time, huh¡­ I participated in Comiket for about 2~3 times in the past and at each of those times, I received the torture of just waiting in the hot or cold for 3 or 4 hours. This time, too, I must endure somehow, to labour for Subaru-nee-san. This is also for the sake of getting support to return to the real world. Alright, endure it, Sakurai Makoto! Translated at nakimushitl ¡°Tachibana City is in Japan after all.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± It¡¯s been 3 hours since then. Despite finally being able to enter, I¡¯m already completely exhausted. However, Subaru is terribly lively. Surrounded by things she likes, she seems to be enjoying herself a lot. Such a shiny smile is expected of a bishoujo. How comely. Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. ¡°Well then, it¡¯s the circle here for Mako! I¡¯ll be attacking the other side! Let¡¯s go now~¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Even as I come close to dying, I receive the catalog from Subaru and leave for the war front. Because if I sit here and forget to buy something or something is sold out and I can¡¯t buy it, I¡¯ll seriously get slaughtered by Subaru. Speaking of the Subaru when a BL-related land mine is stepped on, just being a beauty gives her absurd intensity. I raise my heavy waist and look at the catalog. Affirming the several circle names that had been circled with a red pen, while looking at the map, I march into the war fronts where there are designated doujinshi I have to obtain. ¡°Eh, Makoto-san. What are you doing in a place like this?¡± ¡°Ah, UEH?! Eh, Ikuto-kun?¡± Turning around to the familiar voice, there¡¯s Ikuto with his usual fishy smile. ¡°Nee-san said she wanted to buy doujinshi from a history circle or a pure literature circle so I followed her here. Nee-san can¡¯t even ride a train properly so I was worried.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. That¡¯s true. Such normal circles participate in Comiket too¡­¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. Although the name Comiket gives the image of selling only those kind of 2D doujinshi, that¡¯s not so. They sell normal, serious and stiff-like pure literature doujinshi and whatnot too. I didn¡¯t think Madoka was so active that she¡¯d expressly participate in Comiket but hearing that she¡¯s aiming for pure literature, I¡¯m convinced. ¡°I don¡¯t really come to places like this so I don¡¯t really understand though. What genre of books do they sell in this area?¡± Translated at nakimushitl ¡°EH?! Ah, I don¡¯t really understand either. Um, I came to accompany a friend.¡± No matter how one thinks about it, it¡¯s unthinkable that Ikuto has immunity towards BL. Rather, with his looks and outer appearance, one would be surprised if he has the personality of a fudanshi. Therefore, ¡°This is the BL corner. BL is the abbrievation of Boys¡¯ Love and the books in this area depict the aha~n, ufu~n romance between boys~¡± Can I say that? Nah, I can¡¯t. ¡°Where did your friend go?¡± ¡°She immediately left me to buy doujinshi. Even asking me to run errands.¡± Sighing, I open the catalog Subaru handed over some time ago. Ikuto peeks from beside me. ¡°Ah, BL, is it? She sure is buying a lot. I can help if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Eh, Ikuto-kun, you know BL?¡± I thought he¡¯d be terribly turned off if shown such a thing but Ikuto calmly accepted this dangerous goods. BL aside, I thought Ikuto was a race that hasn¡¯t even seen or touched manga and games. ¡°Atlas has a lot of female students so these appear occasionally. Moreover, isn¡¯t BL a relatively open genre these days? I don¡¯t particularly like or dislike it though.¡± ¡°I see, I¡¯m glad Ikuto-kun isn¡¯t bad with BL. In that case, can you help me? Subaru will get mad if I missed buying something.¡± ¡°Of course. First is¡­¡± Ikuto¡¯s large eyes narrow, a thin smile appearing on that face. Receiving Subaru¡¯s handmade Comiket venue map from me, he stares at it seriously. His pale, long and thin finger traces the shopping route with the highest efficiency. Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. ¡°I think we should go left from this circle. Let¡¯s go at once.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry, getting Ikuto-kun involved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have a book I want so I¡¯m free.¡± We advance to the front before being swept away by the crowd. Ikuto¡¯s a size smaller than me so he¡¯s being swept away by the people walking against us. On top of that, I don¡¯t know what started on that side but a large group of girls suddenly head there and the two of us got swept along. Did a famous cosplayer appear in the area where cosplay is allowed? Or did a famous circle finally start to sell doujinshi? Whatever the case, it¡¯s troubling if we get swept away by the crowd and brought to an unrelated place. ¡°Careful. This way.¡± I pull Ikuto¡¯s arm. It¡¯s quite a delicate arm. Perhaps I¡¯m used to touching the arms of the muscular Soutarou or the slender but invincible at sports Kaname, this feels even more slender and undependable. Ikuto must be a literature boy who doesn¡¯t have much of a taste for sports. Besides, just looking at him gives such a feeling. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m excessively tall after all. Situations like this are when it should be put to use.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. The height that used to be only average for girls, easily exceeds the boys¡¯ average after I came here. In fact, in this space where only girls are gathering, I¡¯m a head taller. ¡°How nice that Makoto-san is tall.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s height, Ikuto-kun can still grow.¡± ¡°I wonder. My parents are short. Makoto-san¡¯s tall and slender but solid. I¡¯m envious. If I¡¯m more¡­ more reliable¡± Ikuto¡¯s face approaches my chest. With a voice like he¡¯s sighing, he says. ¡°I like you. I like Makoto-san.¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± Translated at nakimushitl Diverted in the crowd, the slightly high voice for a boy reaches my ears. Ikuto¡¯s head is hung and his expression can¡¯t be seen. Because it was so abrupt, I couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of his words. Over and above the understanding of BL doujinshi, could it be, is it right to say that the person himself is someone from that side? No, hang on. My friendship with Ikuto is close to nil. A friend, that¡¯s the appropriate level. Despite that, of all things, ¡°like¡±? No way, no way, no way. He¡¯s hugging me within a crowd. I can¡¯t move because his face is buried in my chest. His ¡®like¡¯ is that. The kind you feel towards an older brother. It is, right? It must be. ¡°Yeah, I like Ikuto-kun too~. We¡¯re friends after all.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. So that he wouldn¡¯t take offense, I smile while hitting his shoulder several times and reply casually. Fuu, Ikuto laughs with an exhale, before laughing loudly as though he can¡¯t endure anymore. ¡°Just as I thought, Makoto-san is a selfish and cruel person.¡± The Ikuto who raises his face from my chest looks at me with muddy, dark and deep eyes like those of a dead fish. His usual smile vanished completely from his face. Expressionlessly, with a cynical smile, he glares at me. ¡°Preaching in a manner to make incorrect things correct, was that how you stole Yasuchika-san from nee-san? Pretending you don¡¯t know anything, ¡­ what a sly person.¡± ¡°Wh, at¡­ Ikuto-kun, I don¡¯t understa¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Makoto-san who preached to nee-san and made her give up on Yasuchika-san? While arrogantly telling others to do things properly, you wooed an unspecified number of people and evade by saying ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with me, I only like them as friends~¡± I really think you¡¯re the worst.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. Ikuto looks at me with cold eyes. What¡¯s he saying suddenly? I grow unsettled while thinking so. With twitching cheeks, I make a smile to the best of my abilities. Why a serious development suddenly? Why¡¯s he angry at me suddenly? I don¡¯t get it, y¡¯know. In other words. Ikuto¡¯s in a siscon mood and is dissatisfied that things aren¡¯t going well between Madoka and Takayanagi. He thinks I¡¯m the cause. Madoka and Mitsuki are good friends so he can¡¯t speak aggressively to Mitsuki. That¡¯s why he vented on me his anger that things aren¡¯t going well between Madoka and Takayanagi¨D¨D¡­¡­ How great it will be, if that was all. Because Ikuto¡¯s words weren¡¯t just sudden and cruel. There truly were things that came to mind. ¡°I hate that part of Makoto-san. I hate the you who pretends to soothe others, while thinking the world of yourself.¡± Translated at nakimushitl ¡°Why, ¡­ this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not sudden. I¡¯ve always thought so. I just happened to have an opportunity to tell you.¡± Still grabbing onto Ikuto¡¯s arm, my cheeks twitch. Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. I didn¡¯t want to be a ¡°Don¡¯t fight over me¡± type of conceited reverse harem heroine. Even though I was satisfied with being a manly and cool type of background character, when did I start acting in a manner that made others think that of me? I¡¯m going back in 3 months anyhow. That¡¯s why no matter how much good will you show me, I won¡¯t like anyone. I can¡¯t like anyone. If I come to like someone and our feelings are mutual, I¡¯ll hurt that precious someone¨D¨D¡­ With that in mind, I¡­ I endured. However. I guess I wasn¡¯t thinking of anyone¡¯s feelings. No wonder I degraded into the conceited reverse harem heroine I absolutely didn¡¯t want to be. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Thanks for letting me realise.¡± Suddenly being told I¡¯m hated, it¡¯s a lie if I say I wasn¡¯t hurt. Coming in contact with someone else¡¯s hatred really makes me want to cry. However, when I think that if I remain like this I¡¯ll unconsciously hurt a precious someone, I think that makes me want to cry more. Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. I might have casually said the worst things. This is the problem with having too low skills in romance. I must face everyone even more directly in the coming 3 months, huh. [1] In Tokyo. CH 60 Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Yeah, Ikuto also has a point.¡± ¡°So you think so too, Subaru nee-san[1]?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ well, if this weren¡¯t the world of an otome game, I think it¡¯d seriously be a massacre. This type of loved reverse harem heroine who doesn¡¯t get attached to any side and seduces everyone.¡± The same day. 15:45. A family restaurant in Animewte¡¯s[2] neighbourhood at Ikebukuro East Entrance. Ikebukuro East Entrance is extremely crowded due to the Comic Market held today. Ikebukuro¡¯s ridiculously crowded in the real world even on weekends so I could imagine the Animewte head office being even more crowded when there¡¯s a doujin sale. However, I didn¡¯t expect even the family restaurant to be so crowded. Ikebukuro has the Otome Road and is a sacred ground for anime lovers after all. Even in the real world, I came here a number of times under Subaru nee-san¡¯s. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Naturally. When I recall what I¡¯ve done so far, I feel like dying from the intense shyness and regret.¡± ¡°What do you regret, Mako? Taking up a vague attitude towards everyone?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Honestly, I¡¯m aware I treat it as friendship despite realising that Soutarou and Prince are carrying romantic feelings for me.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. By this point, the assertion I¡¯m going to make will cause me to be a conceited woman but Soutarou and Prince definitely like me, I think. Of course, I think they like me in a romantic way. When I consider how I think about them, honestly, I don¡¯t know. As friends, they are incomparably, incomparably important. I like them. However, if I¡¯m asked whether I can love one of them, I don¡¯t know. More than not knowing, I¡¯ve avoided thinking things like that. ¡°That¡¯s cruel.¡± ¡°I know right¡­¡± ¡°Do you understand why that¡¯s cruel, Mako? Are you not vaguely interpreting it as some inexplicable act of cruelty?¡± Subaru elegantly sips coffee while stuffing her cheeks with pancakes. Going around purchasing doujinshi without having lunch, she¡¯s probably hungry. Although I¡¯m hungry too, I don¡¯t have much of an appetite. Was it due to the various blows that piled up? ¡°Hey, I know you¡¯re estranged from romance but it takes a lot more courage than you think to tell someone your feelings. Just saying a single ¡°Like¡± is so embarrassing that it makes one want to cry.¡± Translator: nakimushitl That¡¯s something I know just by imagining. The amount of embarrassment and nervousness to tell the person you like, ¡°I like you¡±. If things go wrong, you may lose even the position of being friends. What feelings did Soutarou and the rest have when they told me they ¡°like¡± me? I should try thinking about it myself. If I like Soutarou, Prince and whatnot, will I be able to convey the single phrase ¡°I like you¡±? Will I be able to convey ¡°Like¡±, a word so short yet heavy? Knowing I¡¯ll be subjected to this present attitude of mine, knowing I¡¯ll be told ¡°We¡¯re friends after all¡±, will I be able to properly convey ¡°I like you¡±? ¡°Moreover, the other party is of the same gender. I think that requires even more courage. Having that severed and thrown away with a single ¡°We¡¯re friends after all¡±, is expectedly cruel.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. ¡°¡­ Even if I understand that, I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m not a character in Heartthrob Love Revolution after all. I¡¯m, not Sakurai Makoto¡­ The current me is me but not me. My appearance, personality, status, family, everything is a lie¡­ I have to return to my original world eventually. With that, how on earth can I answer everyone¡¯s feelings?¡± ¡°Mako¡­¡± If this world was reality, if I was me, Makoto, I may have been able to answer positively. I may have been able to like someone and become a couple with them. However, I¡¯m not. Before being male or female, I must overcome the wall of 2- or 3-dimensional. ¡°You¡¯re seriously an idiot. That doesn¡¯t matter, does it? Oi unpopular woman, let me say this. Teenage love is just like measles. They happen be saying they like you now, but once you return to reality, they¡¯ll forget such measles of a love in the blink of an eye. They¡¯ll immediately start running towards a new love. The value of a year¡¯s love when there are decades, is just that. How serious did you think such a thing was? Were you planning to become like RomeJuli or Titanic?¡± ¡°E, ¡­ eh, Subaru-san?¡± Subaru nee-san¡¯s face slides closer. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°It¡¯s not a once-in-a-lifetime or generation love story. In the real world, the continuation after¡ºI¡¯ll wait for you in the future¡»¡ºYes, I¡¯ll come at once, I¡¯ll come running.¡»will end once you get another man, Makoto. The thing called love in reality isn¡¯t something so good or romantic. Therefore, isn¡¯t it fine to like who you like and dislike who you dislike? At this rate, you¡¯re going to lose in life.¡± ¡°Nah, although Makoto is Makoto there, it¡¯s not Makoto¡­ I¡¯m not time leaping¡­ though I¡¯m transported.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. I know this is selfish at this late hour, however. That¡¯s, incredibly, lonely¡­ So lonely that I want to cry. ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s persuasive, nee-san.¡± ¡°So?! So, who do you like, Mako?!!¡± My shoulders quiver in surprise at the Subaru who comes biting all of a sudden and so intensely that she¡¯s drooling. Unable to keep up with the serial development as though the serious development until now was a lie, I was unable to give an answer. ¡°Is it Soutarou, as expected¡­ He¡¯s your closest friend. Although the development of the heroine¡¯s brother NTRing the heroine Mitsuki¡¯s Prince is heart-throbbing, it must be Soutarou after all. Isn¡¯t it, Mako?! Hey, isn¡¯t it?! Or is Mako that type?! Even though Soutarou¡¯s a doggy, he¡¯s a beast in bed?!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know that!!¡± Translator: nakimushitl The fujoshi whose fever from Comiket has yet to settle, no, the goddess of rot fujoshi Subaru started unfolding her delusions while breathing roughly. ¡°Even though he¡¯s usually¡ºMako, Mako, I like you~ I like you~ woof woof, Master¡», from¡ºI can¡¯t endure either, Mako¡­¡»to¡ºHey, tell me clearly what you want, ¡­ Makoto? This area has already turned so¡», is it?? A seme who speaks gently? Right, then Mako, too¡ºBeep to my beep¡»cough¡± ¡°Oi Subaru. Shut up, grovel and apologise to me.¡± With the menu, I smacked Subaru¡¯s head with all my strength. ¡°Are you an idiot? Do you want to die?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯ll die after seeing SouMako.¡± I give a huge sigh to Subaru who makes a smart salute. I¡¯m embarrassed at myself for immediately understand the meaning of SouMako. Soutarou is certainly a good guy. Extremely. I¡¯m healed watching him and while sly, he¡¯s cute. However, if asked whether there¡¯s love, I don¡¯t think so. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°I never looked at Soutarou that way. He¡¯s a good guy though.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you get along very well? Looking from the side, you¡¯ve long jumped over the frame of friendship. I¡¯m not just talking about Soutarou. Your behaviour is suggestive after all~¡± My gaze unconsciously swim at the poisonous words. ¡°If you ask whether I want to kiss or have intercourse with Soutarou, it¡¯s no. There are many things I want to do with Soutarou, more than those. Wanting to hang out, being together on Christmas or New Year, feelings of that sort are much stronger.¡± ¡°You¡­ Isn¡¯t that called ¡°Like¡±? Going ¡°Let¡¯s have sex!¡± when you¡¯re not dating, that¡¯s not it, right? Although I think love of that sort exists too, doesn¡¯t liking begin from wanting to be together?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the same for Prince and Kaname too. I want to be with them. I don¡¯t think that regarding Soutarou alone.¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. The more I think, the more confused I get. So love was such a troublesome thing. I thought it was more romantic and fun. However, it wasn¡¯t. 1 plus 1 equals to 2, it isn¡¯t something so easy to get an answer from. It¡¯s a difficult thing where you find a way to break many formulas so that 1 plus 1 can become 3. Everyone had been doing such a difficult thing. They¡¯d been searching for a way to love, that you can¡¯t learn from games, novels or manga. ¡°You have to find it in the remaining 3 months then. Mitsuki-chan managed to find it without borrowing your help so you can probably find it too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too difficult for an unpopular woman.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t an unpopular woman anymore, right? You¡¯re a splendid winner in life.¡± She can say it so easily, thinking it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business. Asking a beginner in love like me to face off epitomes of winners in life like them, what a brute. However, to her who brought forth those incomparably lovely existences who are irreplaceable to me, no amount of thanks is enough. ¡°It¡¯s Mako¡¯s turn next. Heart-throb Love Revolution, Makoto version!¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Wasn¡¯t Heart-throb Love Revolution an otome game?¡± ¡°Unexpected things happen in love~. Well, please consult me if you like someone. I¡¯m the creator after all. The capture method will be a piece of cake!¡± She says such a carefree thing while stopping the waiter and asking for water. ¡°You¡¯re gonna use it as material for doujin, right?¡± ¡°Gulp¡± Please read at the translator¡¯s site or the hosted site, moonbunnycafe. ¡°I¡¯ll DEFINITELY not consult you.¡± I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d come to like someone in this world. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯ll come to like someone, so much. [1] Just to clarify, they aren¡¯t siblings. Makoto¡¯s just calling her that as a form of ¡®respect¡¯ or kinda like an inside joke. [2] Parody of animate (animeito) that sells anime goods. CH 61 December 25th, 13:15. Tachibana Station. ¡°Makoo!¡± ¡°Ah, Soutarou. Hiya.¡± ¡°Hiya. Sorry to keep you waiting. It must have been cold.¡± The doggy Soutarou, with his mouth covered by the fur of a mod coat, runs here with a step, step. His dog ears pop up and the tip of his nose is red. Ahh, cute. It sure makes one¡¯s heart squeeze. This, rather than calling it ¡°like¡±, I think it¡¯s the feeling of being healed by the cuteness after seeing dogs or cats. What exactly is ¡°like¡±? Can some esteemed person teach me? Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Yeah¡­, wanna have something? I¡¯m famished.¡± ¡°Anywhere is fine by me. What do you want to eat, Mako?¡± Translator: nakimushitl The angelic power of Soutarou who smiles gently is staggering, as always. There are even some unknown glittering particles fluttering around him and wing-like things are on his back. As expected of a capturable character of an otome game. CG-like backgrounds are fully prepared. Nonetheless, it¡¯s that, isn¡¯t it? For such a hunk to like me, life is full of surprises, huh? I¡¯m really grateful to receive good will from others and I¡¯m really feliz that such a lovely person likes me. However, however, it¡¯s, impossible for me. Be it Soutarou, Kaname or Prince, I like them equally. I can¡¯t fathom the image of kissing Soutarou, much less ufun ahan[1] scenes, which are completely inconceivable. Though sharing a bed won¡¯t happen if we¡¯re not dating¡­ Eh, it won¡¯t, right? However, perhaps such developments may happen on impulse when it comes to high school students¡­ Besides, Soutarou is relatively quick to act for things like that. Rather, I never dated before so I ain¡¯t got any idea about things like the sequence, tacit consent, or the proper progression, y¡¯know?! Somehow I contemplated too much that I feel like throwing up. I think I¡¯m gonna be a vomit-ine, Subaru-nee-san.[2]Translator: nakimushitl Translator: nakimushitl ¡°¡­ Somehow I suddenly lost my appetite¡­¡± ¡°Eh, Mako, you look pale. Are you okay?¡± Whish, Soutarou comes peeking at my face. I¡¯d be kissing this face if we were to date, huh. His angelic powers are so strong that I may lose my sight. ¡°I¡¯m good. I contemplated a little too much and had something like a developmental fever.¡± Well, the cause of that developmental fever lays mainly with you, Soutarou. Though if I were to dig further towards the root, it lays with my love deviation value and indecisiveness. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Let¡¯s sit somewhere and rest. Can you walk, Mako?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Let¡¯s eat, then go for karaoke.¡± ¡°But, Mako¡­¡± Soutarou cries ¡°Kyun, kyun¡± while looking anxiously at me with upturned eyes. This guy, how sly. It may be sly but he¡¯s attacking from the right angle. ¡°Ya can just rest at my place if ya ain¡¯t feeling well. My house¡¯s pretty close anyways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Mako, rest if you aren¡¯t feeling well¡­¡± ¡°Nah, I said I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m, fi, ¡­ ne?¡± I reflexively raise my head at the familiar voice and accent. Behind Soutarou, is the person who should never appear together with Soutarou. The man languidly bending his back while taking the my-head-hurts pose is, Kaburagi Kazutoki, nicknamed Ichigo-chan. Soutarou stills for a moment before slowly turning around. I can tell even from his back that he¡¯s releasing an unimaginable amount of coercive pressure. Is Soutarou angry? Is he? Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Hey, Makoto. ¡­ And, Tsubaki.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s been a while huh, Kaburagi.¡± Soutarou¡¯s voice has clearly lowered by half a tone. Although he¡¯s smiling gently like when he met me, it can¡¯t conceal the coercive pressure he¡¯s releasing. Soutarou does get like this at times, doesn¡¯t he. He¡¯s a child who clearly expresses his irritation, or rather dismay, when he gets intruded upon. Though fundamentally, he¡¯s a child with good social manners. ¡°Where are you two heading this Christmas day?¡± ¡°Is that something I must tell you, Kaburagi?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s something I want to know. I like Makoto too so I have a right to ask, right?¡± In a way, I¡¯m kind of envious that he can convey his good will so naturally. It embarrasses me, who¡¯s been worrying irresolutely. I don¡¯t really want to follow his example though. Soutarou¡¯s clearly upset despite his smile. He¡¯s releasing a pitch black aura while smiling sweetly. His irritation might have grown at not being able to find words to reply to Ichigo-chan¡¯s cut and dried statement. Honestly, it¡¯s bothersome and scary to enter the fight of such a fierce dog and wolf. However, I can¡¯t ignore it when the cause of the fight is me. I give a huge sigh and enter the space between them.Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Ichigo-chan.¡± ¡°What, Makoto.¡± ¡°Sorry for today. Soutarou and I have an arrangement to hang out today so it¡¯s about time we go. I¡¯ll hang out with you next time, Ichigo-chan. Contact me.¡± I grab Soutarou¡¯s arm and tug. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped since you say so, Makoto. ¡­ In exchange¡± After scratching his head with his right hand, Ichigo-chan grabs my arm with his left hand and pulls strongly. ¡°You can kiss me. Face here, Makoto.¡± ¡°Oi, don¡¯t mess around.¡± Ichigo-chan¡¯s right hand covers my cheek. His hand is cold. That hand caresses me, from cheek to neck, and to my shoulder. The instance his palm touches the back of my head, I strike Ichigo-chan¡¯s shoulder in resistance. However, he doesn¡¯t even flinch. I¡¯m fundamentally a literature boy. Although I can play sports with no issues, I¡¯m after all a weak male who didn¡¯t join a club or do any special exercise. Tug, he pulls my face close. Ah, this is the pattern where I¡¯m going to get kissed. I strangely thought in a corner of my cool head. Honestly, I don¡¯t have any special feelings about kisses so I¡¯m thinking it doesn¡¯t really matter if Ichigo-chan takes my first kiss. However, what pricks my heart is that Soutarou is watching. Although a mere kiss doesn¡¯t bother me, Soutarou getting sad from seeing Ichigo-chan and I kiss makes me want to cry a little, just a little. ¡°Mako¡­!¡±Translator: nakimushitl See, Soutarou¡¯s voice sounds so tearful. What if my position is switched with Soutarou here, and I¡¯ve to watch Soutarou kiss someone else? I wonder how I¡¯ll feel. What will I think, me? Although I won¡¯t be extremely jealous of that person, I certainly won¡¯t feel good. I¡¯ll feel like I was left behind and may be slightly sad. ¡°Wait wait wait. Alright, distance yourself, distance yourself. Please don¡¯t touch the actor.[3]¡± I guard against Ichigo-chan¡¯s lips with my IC card case. ¡°Ain¡¯t just a kiss okay? Or is it your first? Being emotionally attached to your first is just like a girl, sheesh.¡± I am a girl, I suppress my feelings of wanting to say that, and give a small sigh. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°It¡¯s not like I have special emotional attachments for the first. But don¡¯t start copulating in a place like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a given to want to do it when ya see the face of someone ya like. I¡¯m not like a certain tamed dog. I want to kiss the person I like anywhere, and do more if there¡¯s a chance. I ain¡¯t got any intentions of being obediently bound as friends. Hurry up and like me, Makoto.¡± It¡¯s his usual light and entreating complaint. However, did I see wrong? He seems a little sad. I came to think this way because of what Subaru said. ¨D¨D¡­ it takes a lot more courage than you think to tell someone your feelings. Just saying a single ¡°Like¡± is so embarrassing that it makes one want to cry. I thought that everyone was saying light words with light feelings, that they were doing and saying such things as part of teasing me, but it wasn¡¯t like that. It wasn¡¯t. They were properly thinking to convey their feelings to me, bit by bit sharing the feelings born in their hearts with me. They weren¡¯t light words at all. They were incredibly heavy. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°¡­ ¡­ Sorry, I¡± Sorry, I. What was I going to say after that? Losing the words that were placed on my marginally opened lips, my lips tremble. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know, at all. 1 plus 1 doesn¡¯t become 3. However, I must find a way for it to become 3. Unable to find an answer, I simply stared at the pure white paper. ¡°¡­ Makoto.¡± I raise my head at Ichigo-chan¡¯s voice. At this point, Ichigo-chan¡¯s face is already right before mine. I lose my wits from surprise but the one thing I understand is something soft and squishy touched my neck. Subsequently, as though he forgot just now, comes a pricking pain. Feels like he left a mark, huh. ¡°¨D¨D¡­?! Sheesh, you really¡­¡± ¡°You just have to slowly get used to it? The next will be on the lips.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem! Gosh, it just got a little serious so the heck is up with this?¡± Translator: nakimushitl The serious development flipped into a serial development thanks to Ichigo-chan who said unbelievable things nonchalantly. At that moment, a shock strong enough that that serial turns to serious appears. Soutarou firmly grabs my arm, tugs it strongly and hides me behind him, then grabs Ichigo-chan¡¯s collar. ¡°¡­ What? Makoto ain¡¯t yours. You¡¯re friends, right? What¡¯s with your oozing desire to monopolise.¡± Soutarou bites his lip fiercely as though he wants to bite it off. Then, with a wrinkle between his brows, he glares at Ichigo-chan with a murderous glint in his eye. ¡°Vexed? Hurry and get on the same arena as us then. Ya the biggest coward for clinging onto the position of a friend for so long.¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°I know something like that without you telling me. I like Makoto enough that I¡¯d use such cowardly methods to stay closest to him. This feeling doesn¡¯t lose to even yours. By far.¡± ¡°Hm, ¡­ really¡­¡± Why am I being confessed to so naturally here?! I didn¡¯t think I¡¯ll be pressed to make a decision at this point in December. Even though it was yesterday that I made a loose decision ¡°I¡¯ll experience love too tehepero~¡±, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯ll be dragged onto the arena of love in just a day. ¡°Dat face your real one? Ain¡¯t angelic at all. Where did the sparkles behind ya go? Ain¡¯t ya too anxious when it seems like Makoto¡¯s gonna get taken?¡± ¡°Haha, taken? What a joke. If Makoto¡¯s mine, it doesn¡¯t matter who it is or where they come from, I¡¯ll definitely not let go. I¡¯ll even work myself to death to have Makoto like me. That¡¯s why it¡¯s impossible for Makoto to be someone else¡¯s. Not if I obtain him.¡± Eh¡­? May I ask where my sly doggy with an angel attribute went? The me whose head turned completely blank, simply stood still behind Soutarou. [1] Alluding to R18 scenes. [2] ¥²¥í¥¤¥ó (Geroin), a female character with a vomit scene. [3] A joke to lighten the mood? Like a security guard stopping a fan. CH 62 Sakurai Makoto¡¯s about to die from over-capacity. The development is so major that my head can¡¯t follow. Soutarou beckons the moment I enter the entranceway. You grabbed my arm and is so close by, how do you want me to get even closer? ¡°Soutarou, weren¡¯t we going to eat first?¡± Although my appetite¡¯s already close to zero, wholeheartedly wanting this situation of being alone with Soutarou in his house (which is guaranteed a heart-throbbing development) to disappear, I tried my luck mumbling. Soutarou smiles lightly, biting his lips with a face on the verge of tears. My chest throbs coldly. A chilly pain pierces through my brain to my abdomen, making me slightly dizzy. ¡°I¡¯ll cook. Ah, right, there are cabbage rolls left from yesterday. Do you want some?¡± ¡°Un, I like cabbage rolls.¡± Somehow the entire conversation feels feigned. It was my first time having such an unproductive conversation. It feels so uncomfortable that I can¡¯t stand it. I want to leave right now but I can¡¯t. Because if I leave now, I¡¯ll probably never see Soutarou smile at me again. Even though it¡¯s awkward, I must somehow, awkwardly, handle things well here. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll prepare it so come in and wait.¡± ¡°¡®Kay.¡± Translator: nakimushitl Removing my shoes, I follow Soutarou and head towards the living room. I sit on the sofa and gaze at the back of Soutarou warming up the cabbage rolls. Although I came to Soutarou¡¯s house before, it¡¯s the first time I came with such awkwardness. The atmosphere had also turned awkward like this in the past. The cause was me giving a late answer. Although I must find a proper answer this time for sure, my head is completely blank and I couldn¡¯t think of one. At this rate, if I drag on and postpone my answer, it may become 31st March before I know it and I¡¯d have to blankly return to reality without giving one. ¡°It¡¯s yesterday¡¯s leftovers but have some, if you like.¡± ¡°Did you make these, Soutarou?¡± ¡°Un, well. My parents are both working.¡± ¡°Um, ¡­ Soutarou.¡± Translator: nakimushitl Calling out to him is one thing, but I don¡¯t have an answer yet. Although Soutarou should know of this, he¡¯s giving me his usual smile. That made me relieved, just a little. ¡°Mako, it¡¯s okay to forget my feelings if it¡¯s painful for you.¡± Soutarou is prioritising my feelings even when he¡¯s smiling with a face on the verge of tears. It¡¯s unlikely I can forget everything of that happened in this moment and treat him like usual. How can I live tomorrow after hurting a friend so much? ¡°There¡¯s no way I can forget, right¡­¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ But I like you, Mako¡­ I don¡¯t think we can return to being friends. Sorry¡­¡± Why is Soutarou apologizing? He didn¡¯t do a single thing that he needs to apologise for. Rather, I should be the one apologizing. He¡¯s not at fault. It¡¯s my fault for being indecisive. All Soutarou did was say that he likes me. It¡¯s my fault for not being able to decide. In the end, it could be that I just wanted to be pampered by everyone. In the depths of my conscious mind, I might have been happy to stay in this environment where different people love and seek for me. What cool onii-chan? What not wanting to be a reverse harem heroine? I made Soutarou so sad even though I claimed he¡¯s a precious friend, and yet he¡¯s saying that he likes me. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have come to like you, huh? If I had continued to like you as a friend, you wouldn¡¯t be troubled and I can stay beside you forever, Mako. But it¡¯s impossible. My chest hurts as though it¡¯s being burned when you only laughed with someone else. I want to hug you when you walk beside me.¡± Every single word resounds heavily in the room that¡¯s as silent as a grave. ¡°Although I knew that this is bad, that I¡¯m friends with you, Mako, ¡­¡± I choke. My head is so heavy that it¡¯s annoying to even breathe. Serious feelings resound this heavily in one¡¯s head. It was something I didn¡¯t know at all until I came to this world. ¡°I, towards Mako¨D¡­ towards Mako,¡± A single, tear, trails across Soutarou¡¯s cheek. The moment I saw that, I unconsciously placed a hand on his cheek. Then, in an extremely natural manner, my lips touched Soutarou¡¯s. At the same time I think ¡°Did something so soft exist in the world?¡± the view in front of my eyes turn dark and I snap away from him. Oi, what did I do, just now? ¡°?¡± and ¡°!¡± alternately appear and disappear within my head. Soutarou¡¯s tears seem to have dried but his face is as though he doesn¡¯t know what happened. I feel amused, somehow finding that extremely, extremely, extremely cute. I also realised.Translator: nakimushitl I want to be with him always. I want to be with him whenever. When I¡¯m with Soutarou, I can think of any boring thing as fun. I think this of Prince and Kaname too. That¡¯s why I thought I liked Soutarou as a friend. However, when Soutarou¡¯s tear spilled, my chest really felt like it was going to break apart. I¡¯m not as kind as Soutarou, so when someone cries, I only think things like ¡°This has become troublesome¡± or ¡°What are you crying for, geez¡±. However, looking at Soutarou¡¯s crying figure, I certainly felt sad. That¡¯s probably. There are a lot to mull over, there are a lot to mull over about Soutarou, but. I don¡¯t really get it. I¡¯ve completely no idea how does loving feels and maybe it¡¯s an attachment-formed type of love where I start liking Soutarou because he told me too many times that he liked me. However, since I¡¯ll never get an answer even if I think messily like this, isn¡¯t this fine as an answer? I, towards Soutarou. ¡°I like you.¡± ¨D¡­ That¡¯s how it is, please take care of me. The many thoughts in my head finally fit together with a clink. My mind that was blank became so clear like it could see even the future. It was a piece of cake to locate my feelings of liking Soutarou from that clear mind. ¡°¡­ Eeh, ¡­¡±Translator: nakimushitl Seems it¡¯s true that saying you like someone is embarrassing. I¡¯m transcendently embarrassed now. The word ¡°like¡± is too heavy for my lips. How pathetic that my lips tremble just by that a four-lettered ¡°like¡±. Even though you kissed. Really, isn¡¯t that just too pathetic? ¡°That¡¯s, as a friend?¡± The reverse side of my heart hurts. Liking him as a friend, although they¡¯re words I told him a number of times, the reverse side of my heart hurts when the word ¡°friend¡± comes from Soutarou¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­ Will you kiss a friend, Soutarou?¡± ¡°No. ¡­ But¡± Soutarou grabs my arm. Ignoring the prepared dishes that became a mess, he hugs my body across the table with enough strength to mess me up. Enough that the bones throughout my body creak. ¡°If that friend is Mako, I will. ¡­ Yes, I want to.¡± ¡°So you like kissing?¡±Translator: nakimushitl Just as I gained a little composure, enough to feel Soutarou¡¯s body temperature, the feelings I threw at Soutarou finally made a full turn and returned to me. After many twists and turns, after taking many, many countering actions and speaking countering words, the place I finally arrive at is more comfortable than expected. Similar to the feeling of sleeping wrapped up in a down quilt in midwinter. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Don¡¯t tease me. I like you, Mako.¡± Ah, I don¡¯t want to go back. I don¡¯t want to go back to my original world. Even if I am to go back eventually, I want to stay in this world a little more. This old lady wants to see Soutarou grow up. At least until he¡¯s 18. At least until he¡¯s 22. At least until this feeling becomes my unrequired love. I think, I want to remain in this world at least until Soutarou no longer likes me. The me, as Sakurai Makoto. Translator: nakimushitl I¡¯m not Heart-throb Revolution¡¯s Sakurai Makoto who lives in Tachibana City, the suburbs near the metropolitan area. I¡¯m merely the beyond ordinary Makoto who lives smack in a rural corner of Japan. If Soutarou chooses me even after meeting such a boring me, I want to remain in this world a little longer. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll love me no matter how I¡¯m like? What if, what if a shady magician turned me into a guy, and I¡¯m actually a totally not cute, rather, ugly woman, ¡­ will you be able to say the same words?¡± ¡°Mako, what¡¯s wrong? All of a sudden?¡± ¡°No, ¡­ sorry for saying strange things.¡± I¡¯m overwhelmed with just conveying my feelings of like. The conversation about me actually being a woman who came from another world, blah blah, can be left to next time. With that in mind, I stroke Soutarou¡¯s back to gloss it over. ¡°That, female Mako, is she very mean?¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Eh? No, ¡­ well, think of her as basically just me¡­ however, she¡¯s an ugly woman, and is more irresolute¡­¡± ¡°But Mako is Mako, right? So it¡¯s fine. Whether a girl, a crybaby, easily angered, poor, or rich. Whether ugly to the point one can¡¯t bear to look, or a peerless beauty, anything¡¯s fine.¡± Soutarou¡¯s words probably aren¡¯t lies. At the very least, I think there¡¯s no falsehood in these words at this moment, of this time. ¡°I think, no matter what you appear to be, I will be able tell it¡¯s you, Mako.¡± This posture of hugging across the table is starting to be tiring, but Soutarou hugs me even more firmly so I return Soutarou¡¯s hug with my butt stuck out pointlessly[1]. The sauce oozing from the cabbage rolls on the table soak into my clothes. Translator: nakimushitl ¡°¡­ In that case, if you know it¡¯s me even after the spell is broken, I¡¯ll receive you as a bride.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that. We¡¯ll definitely marry with such a promise. ¡®Cos there¡¯s no way I can¡¯t tell it¡¯s Mako.¡± Even if I like Soutarou, even if I wish to not return. When the time comes, I¡¯ll probably choose to return to reality. Because if I place the over 10 years spent with my family against the 1 year with Soutarou on a scale, it¡¯s obvious which is heavier. However, if Soutarou can really tell it¡¯s me after seeing the female me, then¡­ ¡°Mako, hey, it¡¯s about time we eat. They got messed up so I¡¯ll go dish up something new.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± Translator: nakimushitl The Soutarou who dished up new food sits next to me extremely naturally and hits his own thighs. When I frown to express I don¡¯t understand, he smiles, using his angelic and sly doggy special skill. He tilts his head with sparkles flying behind him. ¡°You can eat on my lap, you know?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re gonna to be like this after all, huh! You!¡± ¡°Eh? We¡¯re already a couple, right? I, want to be more lovey-dovey with Mako¡­¡± ¡±Kyun, kyun¡± he looks at me with those sly upturned eyes. With his dog ears drooping feebly, he takes on the pose of an abandoned puppy. Ah, this guy definitely knows. He knows that I¡¯ll listen to him if he uses this face. ¡°I won¡¯t! It¡¯s no use using that face. I just got convinced that you¡¯re actually two-faced[2]!¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Eh? Two-faced¡­?¡± A blank face like he doesn¡¯t understand a thing. I won¡¯t be tricked even if you use this face y¡¯know¡­ I won¡¯t¡­! Someone please quickly do something about this panda-type boy who appears cute but is actually dangerous. [1] Mako¡¯s starting to break posture (butt sticking out) but Soutarou held him/her tighter so he/she returned the hug with a semi-broken posture? [2] If you read Chinese novels, this is the infamous black belly! CH 63 Well then, I, Sakurai Makoto, have on this occasion become lovers with Tsubaki Soutarou. An outright BL development. ¡°Makoo? I¡¯ll leave the change of clothes here.¡± ¡°Ah, un.¡±Translator: nakimushitl Hearing a voice from the dressing area, I unconsciously hid even though he shouldn¡¯t be able to see me. Sure enough, now that we¡¯re lovers, things may be moving too fast to stay over (heart) at Soutarou¡¯s house. Isn¡¯t it kinda dangerous to be alone together in this empty house? It may be late of me to say this after entering the bath but, I probs have too little sense of danger. It¡¯s not impossible that I¡¯ll suddenly be introduced to the society atop the bed. Approaching with that fluffy demeanor and releasing glitters behind him, CHOMP! ¨D¨D¡­¡­ I may lose my maiden virginity or male virginity. That¡¯s the kind of person Tsubaki Soutarou is. Probably. This sounds gossipy but, I wonder which am I? What if, it¡¯s just a ¡®what if¡¯ but if it really comes to the society atop the bed, am I the so-called seme or am I the uke? Just imagining the scene of sexual intercourse makes me feel like vomiting, but it¡¯s not impossible for us to have that kind of relationship along the way. Most BL genre manga have sexual intercourse. Some even have those scenes at the start, spanning about 5 pages. So much so that if this was a BL manga, the story development is too slow. Translator: nakimushitl Although there¡¯s a mountain load of things to ponder about, I¡¯ll get dizzy if I stay in the bath any longer. Thinking it¡¯s time I got up, I leave the bathtub. This is a moment I¡¯m most unable to grow accustomed to. No matter how one looks at this body, I¡¯m a man. It doesn¡¯t have what it should, and has what it shouldn¡¯t. I may have to return to reality when this body turns back into a woman¡¯s. I change into the clothes Soutarou prepared. Although our heights are similar, our builds aren¡¯t so the clothes are saggy. I¡¯m moved at how it looks like a boyfriend shirt. Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. When I return to the living room, Soutarou is preparing a cake. I almost forgot due to the many shocking and huge developments but, come to think of it, it¡¯s Christmas today. Sitting at the sofa, I watch Soutarou divide the cake. ¡°Can you eat fresh cream?¡± ¡°Un. I don¡¯t have a preference. Did you bake that, Soutarou?¡± ¡°With my younger sister, yesterday. I thought it came out pretty well.¡± The cake Soutarou prepared is a simple whole cake with strawberries on top. Although it¡¯s losing its handmade, oval shape, you can feel the human touch from it. ¡°Wow, it looks yummy. Thanks for the food.¡± Translator: nakimushitl Bathing in an atmosphere with such warm happiness, it feels stupid of me to think about the society atop the bed, seme or uke. It¡¯s nice just quietly staying together like this. That¡¯s right. Sorry, Soutarou, for having weird suspicions. Even if I called him a panda or clione, he¡¯s fundamentally a doggy. Also, an otome game character won¡¯t abruptly perpetrate vulgar things, right? It¡¯s the otome game characters who give dreams to girls, you know? Soutarou¡¯s tentatively a girl¡¯s ideal. He won¡¯t, abruptly, right? ¡°Mako.¡± ¡°Nn?¡± Soutarou who should¡¯ve been quietly eating cake next to me, is leaning against my shoulder. He gently grasps my hand and entangles our fingers, placing a kiss on my cheek. Sniff sniff, he rubs the tip of his nose behind my ear, as though to sniff the scent there. ¡°Uooi, don¡¯t betray me all of a sudden!¡± ¡°Eh?¡±Translator: nakimushitl This atmosphere is that of an unpleasant pattern. Licking his lips with a slightly exposed, bright red tongue, he¡¯s looking at me with strangely sensual eyes. This is probably that. The atmosphere where he wants to do something or the other with me. Soutarou has the expression of a male animal. Return my hope up till now! ¡°Mako, has the same smell as me¡­¡± ¡°Duh, I used the bath at your house.¡± ¡°I like you so much, Mako.¡± I, who¡¯ve been claiming to be the go-with-the-flow type, is already about to go with the flow. Although I sometimes feel betrayed, I end up forgiving Soutarou because he¡¯s cute. Is this the so-called ¡®the one in love is weak¡¯? 5 times more glitter than usual are appearing in the background. Ridiculously cool, so cute. This is my boyfriend? Girlfriend? Anyone would be surprised, deprived, suffice[1] to hear that. Unable to bear this this ¡®Let¡¯s kiss¡«¡¯ atmosphere, I travel to the world of delusions and watch from afar. I¡¯m amazed at the couples of the world who can bear such an embarrassing atmosphere and even kiss or whatnot. ¡°Me too.¡±Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Me too?¡± I meant that I like him too, but Soutarou acts like none the wiser and tries to make me say ¡°like¡±. It¡¯s no good that Soutarou¡¯s more lively at times like this. The obvious dog ears protruding from his head and the tail at his back are shaking with expectation. His eyes and background are shining brightly, waiting for my ¡°like¡±. Although I think like and love doesn¡¯t have to be said again and again, it¡¯s evidently different for him. Like a dog asked to wait, his tail shakes left and right as he looks at me desirously. He¡¯s looking at me with eyes that shine with so much expectation, I feel like I must say it. ¡°Me too, well, kinda.¡± ¡°Kinda? You only kinda have feelings for me¡­?¡± Soutarou¡¯s shoulders drop in despondency, the ends of his brows lower and tears amass in his eyes. ¡°No, um. It¡¯s nothing to cry over, right?¡± ¡°The person I like told me ¡®kinda¡¯¡­ It¡¯s natural to feel sad.¡± Although he¡¯s hanging his head with a face on the verge of tears now, he peeps at my expression now and then. ¡®Is he about to give in?¡¯ ¡®Is he?¡¯ He¡¯s probably waiting for that. Just a few months ago, even though he¡¯s two-faced, he wouldn¡¯t show it so openly. When did he become so 100% cunning like this? ¡°Don¡¯t make such a pathetic face. I¡¯m easily shy. I can¡¯t simply say I like you and whatnot, the way you can.¡± ¡°Even though we kissed just now?¡± His face forcefully approaches mine. In the end, he uses his upper body to try and push me down. Don¡¯t tell me this guy is trying to be intimate with me on the sofa? I did think Soutarou moves fast, but I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be intimate so soon after becoming a couple. ¡°Wait wait wait, Soutarou, hang on! I think this is too fast for us. Besides, I heard it really hurts and is dangerous for the one taking it in. I¡¯m not prepared so this is really, really impossible!¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°I can be the one taking it in¡«¡± Being smiled at so cheerfully, I don¡¯t know what I should do. This is a first, a Soutarou whom I can¡¯t get words through to this extent. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem! Heart-throb Love Revolution is R15 so bed scenes are FORBIDDEN!¡± ¡°Heart-throb Love Revolution¡­? What¡¯s, that, Mako?¡± Soutarou is firmly in a mount position on my stomach. To put things simply, the order from the bottom is the sofa, me, Soutarou, the state of a hamburger. ¡°There, calm down, we can come to an understanding through discussion.¡± ¡°Nn¡«?¡±Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Wait, I say! ¡­Woh?!¡± Soutarou licked the kiss mark Ichigo-chan placed just now. I feel embarrassed, and at the same time, my waist gradually grows ticklish, severely making me feel like wanting to die. A strange sensation I didn¡¯t feel when Ichigo-chan sucked my nape. I push Soutarou away with all my might and escape from under him. The current him is no good. My words can¡¯t get through. Although it¡¯s not like escaping will do any good, what will I do if a mishap occurs like this? Won¡¯t the Heart-throb Love Revolution for good kids turn into a densely BL adult game? The best plan is to escape through the entranceway. I¡¯ll contact him once his head is clear. Or, so I planned, but I¡¯m caught before reaching the entranceway. My arm is grabbed and I¡¯m pressed against the wall. Forcibly kissed before I can even complain. ¡°Mako, why did you run? It¡¯s turning me on even more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re scary, idiot! Where did my cute Soutarou go!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t changed from before. If something changed, it¡¯s just me liking Mako more every second. If something is changing, it¡¯s because I like Mako too much.¡± Although my chastity is facing a crisis, Soutarou¡¯s words were so direct that I was almost moved. After all, I¡¯m partial to Mitsuki, partial to Soutarou, partial to Bakumatsu Shishi Girls¡¯ Katsura Koharu. I¡¯m weak to the cunning and cute. ¡°Even though I like you so much, I steadily lose confidence because you¡¯re like this. Is it a lie that you like me, Mako? Did you go out with me out of pity?¡± ¡°Of course not! I, too, ¡­ I like Soutarou too. I think you¡¯re super cute.¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Really? You really like me?¡± Although his face is located higher than mine, why does it look like an upturned gaze? This expression of a reprimanded dog gauging my mood, is unbearably cute. ¡°Yeah, I like you. I¡¯m not nice enough to go out with someone out of pity. I¡¯m going out with you because I like you, Soutarou.¡± ¡°I like Mako too¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, ¡­ it¡¯s obvious from your attitude.¡± Soutarou clings onto me with a miserable expression. Smiling wryly at that, I strongly return the hug out of happiness. ¡°My heart squeezes when I look at Mako sometimes, and there are times I can¡¯t endure even though I know Mako will hate me if I do that. I like Mako, if I like Mako more from now on, I may do something Mako is really against.¡± ¡°Your love is so heavy. But that¡¯s good.¡± Not knowing what to do about these feelings, that makes two of us. Things won¡¯t go as per the scenario like in otome games or BL games. Although that¡¯s irritating and difficult, well, it¡¯s not bad to experience life once or twice. ¡°Soutarouuu, my feet are cold. Carry me to to sofa.¡± ¡°Un, have more cake. Ah, right.¡± Translator: nakimushitl ¡°What is it?¡± Soutarou carries me and kisses the tip of my nose. What¡¯s with him, is he a kissing demon? ¡°Merry Christmas, Mako.¡± ¡°Yeah, Merry Christmas.¡± I let spill a smile at the voice so sweet you could add a heart icon at the end of the words. This is probably the fault of having something like the magic of Christmas being cast on me, but I hope my words sound sweet to Soutarou too. CH 64 31st December, New Year¡¯s Eve. The Mitsuki who should¡¯ve gone out with Takayanagi, came home crying, causing my heart to beat out of my chest with surprise. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mitsuki? Did Takayanagi-senpai do something unpleasant to you?¡± I don¡¯t, really don¡¯t think so but did Takayanagi forcibly do this or that kind of thing to her? No way, right? He ain¡¯t Junya, it¡¯s hard to think that Takayanagi would force and be rough on an unwilling Mitsuki. But in that case, the true reason Mitsuki¡¯s crying so hard can¡¯t be found. I make Mitsuki sit on the sofa and peek at her face. She¡¯s shaking her head lightly while crying.Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Yasuchika-senpai told me he likes me, and I, was surprised.¡± ¡°Takayanagi-senpai told you he likes you huh, Mitsuki.¡± Mitsuki gives a deep nod with hesitance. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought Takayanagi would confess to Mitsuki before 31st March. I unconsciously made a face like a pigeon shot by a peashooter. However, if it was thought of as normal romance, it wasn¡¯t like one must wait till 31st March to confess. Things seem to be going well between them recently, the development of Takayanagi confessing to Mitsuki is expected. If this was a normal romance. This is the world of an otome game called Hearthrob Love Revolution. That¡¯s why Mitsuki will definitely be confessed to on the 31st of March. Isn¡¯t it tacit agreement to not confess or date while giving rise to the atmosphere of ¡°Just date already, you guys!¡± often found in otome games?Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Mitsuki, do you not like Takayanagi?¡± From what I¡¯ve seen of them so far, Mitsuki¡¯s behaviour didn¡¯t seem against it. Therefore, there should¡¯ve been a chance that she would¡¯ve given him the okay on the spot. Even if she didn¡¯t agree to date, she wouldn¡¯t have come back crying so hard. ¡°I like him, ¡­ I think.¡±Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Why are you crying then? It can¡¯t be out of joy, right?¡± ¡°Because, because¡­ Mako-chan.¡± Mitsuki raises the head she¡¯d been hanging and look at me. Mitsuki, who¡¯d risen to being the school¡¯s Madonna now, is terribly cute even in tears. Truly a beautiful moon[1], this must be what they mean by the name representing the body. Her large eyes stare at me quietly. When her lips open slightly, they tremble with hesitation and close again. Then tears again pour from those pretty eyes and she cover her face with her small palm. ¡°Mitsuki, I won¡¯t understand if you don¡¯t say it.¡± Perhaps having resolved herself upon my words, Mitsuki slowly raise her head again, suck in a small breath and say shocking words. ¡°Because, Mako-chan will¡­ I had the feeling that Mako-chan will disappear once I date someone¡­¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡±Translator: nakimushitl ¡°That¡¯s impossible, right? Because Mako-chan had always been the Mako-chan with me since we were born. My irreplaceable twin onii-chan.¡± My heart chills as though it was pierced through by a sharp needle. Mitsuki mumbles ¡°I¡¯m an idiot¡± while laughing and wiping her tears. ¡°But sometimes it feels like Mako-chan is going somewhere far away. That¡¯s why I thought, wouldn¡¯t Mako-chan leave for sure this time if I have someone more important than him? I couldn¡¯t tell Yasuchika-senpai I like him once I thought of that. Because I, need Mako-chan.¡± I couldn¡¯t say a thing. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say a thing. I was shocked that Mitsuki had realised the truth about me, way more than I expected. At the same time, I was filled with feelings of apology. Because I wasn¡¯t truly Mitsuki¡¯s important older brother, her ¡°Mako-chan¡±. Naturally, I was neither born from the stomach of the same mother as Mitsuki, nor am I a resident of this world, I¡¯m not even a guy. Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. Realising that anew makes me feel so guilty I want to puke. Because I¡¯m lying to my beloved and precious Mitsuki. ¡°Mitsuki¡­, I¡¯m¡± [2] ¡°To me, Mako-chan is cooler than anyone and treasures me more than anyone. Sometimes calling me ¡°cute, cute¡± till I¡¯m embarrassed, someone who¡¯d tell me they like me. That¡¯s why, even if Mako-chan is no longer Mako-chan, to me, Mako-chan is Mako-chan. So I don¡¯t want you to disappear all of a sudden.¡±Translator: nakimushitl Mitsuki may be a lot more discerning than I thought. I no longer care whether her words mean that she realised I¡¯m not Sakurai Makoto or not. It¡¯s fine as long as Mitsuki is fine with me being her older brother. I¡¯m not Mitsuki¡¯s real onii-chan, I¡¯m not a guy, those worries devoured my heart again and again. However, if the people I treasure say it¡¯s fine, well, let it be so. However, it¡¯s highly probable that I¡¯ll return to the real world if Mitsuki dates Takayanagi. Rather, if I don¡¯t return, I don¡¯t think I can ever return to the real world so not returning is also quite troubling. Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t disappear all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thank goodness¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you can do as you like, Mitsuki. You can tell Takayanagi you like him if you do. I¡¯m still Mitsuki¡¯s onii-chan even if you tell senpai you like him.¡± At the same time I think of returning, the feeling of not wanting to return pass by too. Even though I wanted to return so badly, I gained too many precious people in this world. Of course, when the time comes, I¡¯ll choose to return, hestitatingly. That¡¯s the one unchangeable truth. Like what Subaru said once upon a time, the romantic feelings of youths are just measles. You can make new lovers, but my real family isn¡¯t something that can be made nor something that can be easily thrown away. Sorry. Therefore, I¡¯ll return, Mitsuki.Translator: nakimushitl ¡°You like senpai, right? Isn¡¯t the answer obvious then?¡± ¡°¡­ Un. Thanks, Mako-chan. I¡¯ll give Yasuchika-senpai a response. Clearly, a ¡°I like you too.¡±¡± Will I return to the real world the moment Mitsuki tells Takayanagi her feelings? Or will it be postponed for a little? Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. After watching Mitsuki from the entranceway as she leaves to meet Takayanagi again, I knock the gate of the Yurino house in order to meet Subaru. Speaking of Subaru, she¡¯s carefreely reading BL manga while eating an ice cream called Yukimi Mochi. It¡¯s somewhat a relief to see that figure that never changes. Coincidentally, Yurino-sensei is going out. I can consult Subaru with a peace of mind. ¡°Hey¡«, Mitsuki fell to Takayanagi, huh? When the official recommendation is Prince¡«¡± ¡°Will things be fine with the closing roll when the confession ending isn¡¯t on 31st March, under the legendary tree, or the church she played at when she was a kid, or the memory-filled lighthouse? Will we be able to return to the real world..?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I think the chance of returning isn¡¯t zero. Because if we can¡¯t return with this, we¡¯ll lose our hope of returning, you know?¡± It¡¯s as Subaru says.Translator: nakimushitl It¡¯s more troubling if we can¡¯t return with this. It¡¯s troubling but¡­ ¡°Are you more for not returning, Mako? You¡¯ve totally become lovers with Soutarou huh¡«. Is it SouMako as expected? Or is it already MakoSou?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t poke fun at me. I, will return. I like Soutarou but I think I¡¯ll regret someday if I don¡¯t return now. Not being able to see my family again, is too great a price to stay with Soutarou and the rest.¡± Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. You wouldn¡¯t be so troubled if we could come and go as we like¡«¡± That¡¯s right. If I could come and go between the real world and the world of Hearthrob Love revolution as I like, I wouldn¡¯t be troubled. In the first place, if I could come and go as I please, I would¡¯ve returned to the real world the moment I came here, and wouldn¡¯t have come to like Soutarou. ¡°Hasn¡¯t Mitsuki-chan gone to confess? Is it okay, Mako? Not going to see Soutarou. You may not be able to see him ever again, isn¡¯t it better to see him one last time?¡± ¡°Nah. It would be unnecessarily painful.¡± ¡°Mako¡­¡±Translator: nakimushitl If I, meet Soutarou now, I may want to not return. ¡°¡­ u, IDIOT! Meet him properly. You¡¯ll regret if you return, y¡¯know! Stop putting on airs of being sentimental!¡± Subaru gave me a strong jab. I unconsciously give a bitter smile at the usual Subaru nee-san. Even if I meet Soutarou once more, the ending of the tale won¡¯t change. Even if I think ¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to return¡± after seeing Soutarou¡¯s face, even if it¡¯s painful to be separated, the logic behind this incomprehensible trip to another world won¡¯t change. Probably. I will return when it¡¯s time to, and I won¡¯t if I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know who transported Subaru and I or what they want to do by transporting us, but no one can go against that person. If so, I should at least do what I want to do most now. Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. The one I want to see now is Soutarou. See Soutarou and spend an ordinary time together, quietly waiting for my fate. ¡°Subaru, sorry. I¡¯m, going to Soutarou¡¯s place.¡± ¡°¡±Kay, go, go. While you¡¯re at it, you should go all the way!¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m relieved to see you never change, Subaru¡­¡± I don¡¯t really know what to say after meeting Soutarou. I may not be able to say a thing. In the first place, I don¡¯t quite know if there is time left for us to talk. Returning to the real world. The reality of that still hasn¡¯t taken place yet, there aren¡¯t even tears coming out. There¡¯s only the feeling of absent-mindedly thinking ¡°I guess I may be able to return¡±.Translator: nakimushitl ¡°¡±Let us meet in the real world¡±, I suppose I should say that?¡± ¡°Dunno. But it¡¯d be embarrassing to meet you as a female after all this time, Subaru.¡± Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. ¡°True. When the time comes, I¡¯ll tell you ¡°Nice to meet you for the first time, Makoto-chan.¡±¡± With Subaru pushing my back, I leave the Yurino house behind. Opening the app, I text Soutarou. When I send just one sentence,¡¸I want to see you¡¹, the ¡®Read¡¯ word appears and I receive a text¡¸I¡¯ll go to Mako¡¯s house immediately¡¹. However, I¡¯m too impatient to wait for that, and decide to walk towards Soutarou¡¯s house. I walk straight on the street so dark as though one¡¯s face is buried in a pillow. I blow white breaths on fingertips that grew numb with the cold. My pace quickens slightly when I think that I may disappear while walking here and return home. I want to see him. I want to see him before disappearing. ¡°Mako!¡±Translator: nakimushitl ¡°Soutarou¡­¡± ¡°Even though I said I¡¯d come meet you.¡± Soutarou grasps my hand. His heat transmits from our grasped hands, somehow making me very happy. Soutarou isn¡¯t 2 dimensional, he¡¯s clearly here. ¡°I wanted to see you quickly, Soutarou.¡± Read at the translator¡¯s site or moonbunnycafe. ¡°I¡¯m happy. I wanted to see you too, Mako.¡± Soutarou hugs me and rubs our cheeks together. Ah, I like him. I don¡¯t want to return. The reality of leaving takes place gradually, making me feel sad at once. Is Mitsuki confessing to Takayanagi now? The countdown to returning to the real world has already begun. How much time do I have, until I return? [1] The meaning behind her name. [2] Mako used ¡®ore¡¯. CH 65 Soutarou and I chat as we wait for the year to end. ¡°It¡¯s cold, huh?¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± I hold Soutarou¡¯s hand softly. His body temperature feels very warm, like a child¡¯s. The two of us walk unswerving straight on the dark road. The small fluorescent light in the space between alleys is too weak to shine on us both. The road continues far ahead and one can reach their destination at some point if they keep walking. My anxiety now is similar. Even if I give up thinking, I may be able to reach the ending I picture if I somehow go to some good place. For example, obtaining the power to travel between this world and the other as I please, having the ability to be both male and female, and living happily with Soutarou and everyone. I have such a feeling. Magician, fairy, God, whoever it is, I believe that they will somehow turn this ending to something happy. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if we could go for the first shrine visit next year and the year after that together too?¡± I see a bashful Soutarou when I look up. I can¡¯t bear it once I think that this smile will flicker in my head whenever I remember Soutarou after returning to the other side. Not just Soutarou. Kaname, Prince, Mitsuki and Hasumi too. I may think ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have returned to something like reality¡± when I remember them. I may think ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have such bitter thoughts if I remained in the world of Hearthrob Love Revolution¡±, repeatedly. Nah, I definitely will think so. Because those known as humans will always find the things they threw away more beautiful. ¡°You¡¯ll bring me even if I refuse, right?¡± If only you¡¯d go to reality to bring me. Even though I know such a thing is impossible, I end up clinging to a thread of hope. He hugs me tightly with a smile like that of an amiable dog. His strength makes my backbones seem like they¡¯re about to break, and I forget about wanting to cry, instead smiling with exasperation. ¡°Of course. Not just me, everyone will come and fetch you.¡± Just those words are enough. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting. I¡¯ll always be waiting for you to come fetch me.¡± I think I like Soutarou much more than I realised. It is at this moment. Feeling intense dizziness, I immediately crumble and sit down on the spot. Violent palpitations, pain in my joints, dizziness and nausea, I couldn¡¯t quite remain standing. I¡¯ve had these symptoms before. The symptoms I had when I was transported here. That, feeling of passing the ticket barrier. Don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯m already, already going back? No, I don¡¯t want to go back yet! This is too cruel. Forcibly bringing someone here when they refuse and forcibly returning someone when they start to enjoy it. Taking captive and confinement, isn¡¯t it a crime? Good for me, I enjoyed my genderbend trip to another world¨D¨D¡­¡­ as if I¡¯m convinced with that! I don¡¯t want to go back yet. I want to live in the same world and the same time as Soutarou and my precious friends. Like this. With a distance so close I can feel their body temperature, seeing, hearing and touching the same thing, I want a happy ending like in fairy tales. Feeling intense dizziness like my head shook directly, I almost unconsciously vomit on the spot. No thanks, I don¡¯t want to become a geroine[1] after all this time. ¡°Mako?! What happened, you okay?!¡± ¡°Un, ¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡± The dizziness calmed down just a little and I manage to stand up unsteadily. Thank goodness. I¡¯m still male. I still properly have the appearance of Sakurai Makoto. But it looks like a matter of time before I return to being female or return to the other world. In that case, I should probably at least give Soutarou a proper farewell and bid him goodbye as a proper male. ¡°I[2], like Soutarou.¡± ¡°Eh, un.¡± ¡°I like Soutarou¡¯s cuteness and kindness very much. Though you may be sly at times.¡± Perhaps delighted that I said I like him, pop, dog ears grow out and move energetically. Although I just said he¡¯s sly, Soutarou¡¯s cheeks are faintly dyed in vermilion as he shyly takes the my-head-hurts pose and look at me with upturned eyes. My heart reflexively squeeze when I look at that figure. I may have repeatedly said this but, I¡¯m extraordinarily weak to this sort of sly guy. Unable to bear with his cuteness, yet also feeling sad, there¡¯s a sharp pain in the center of my heart as though cupid¡¯s arrow pierced it. Unable to bear with my feelings, I sandwich Soutarou¡¯s cheeks between my palms and pull him towards me. What face will Soutarou make if I say I feel like kissing him? However, right before kissing, I remember that I was about to vomit just now. I calm down, because I expect it will be unpleasant to be kissed by this mouth. ¡°¡­ Can I go to the toilet for a while? I want to gargle.¡± ¡°Eh, what about the kiss¡­¡± The extremely disappointed Soutarou may be very cute but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll resume. ¡°As expected, one would hesitate to kiss with a mouth that was vomiting just now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± ¡°I mind. I¡¯ll return immediately so wait.¡± Rinsing the mouth for kissing. I don¡¯t like how it seems I¡¯m eager to kiss, but it can¡¯t be helped. Besides, the insides of a mouth that almost vomited will certainly feel gross. ¡°Then I¡¯ll come with! I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°Going to the bathroom together, are we girls? It¡¯s fine. Come take a look if I don¡¯t return after 10 minutes. That¡¯s fine right?¡± Soutarou nods with visible reluctance. Entering the shrine¡¯s public toilet, I gargle at the washstand. Although I feel slightly opposed to filling my mouth with the water from a washstand of a public toilet, I can¡¯t be fastidious at this point. I decide to think that it¡¯s water from the world of an otome game so it will be clean wherever. When I raise my head after gargling, I see the proper, usual me. The person who¡¯s Mitsuki¡¯s older brother, Sakurai Makoto. The very moment I feel relieved, a violent fit raise up once more. Thinking that I want to sit somewhere for the time being, I sit on the toilet seat of a private stall. Along with dizziness like the world is spinning, pain run through my joints as though they¡¯re forcibly pressed from above and below. Some sort of authority may be trying to return me to my original form. I unsteadily walk to the washstand again when the fit calms down. Timidly raising my head, there is a girl the epitome of ordinary, looking at me with a frightened expression. Even though I wished to turn back to a female and return to the other world, I feel a senseless sadness now that I¡¯m no longer Sakurai Makoto. Nonetheless, it seems I¡¯m still in the world of Hearthrob Love Revolution. This toilet is still the public toilet I was in just now, and the clothes on my body are what I¡¯d been wearing. They¡¯re rather baggy and are barely attached to me. The waist is almost the right size though¡­ My waist when I was a guy was considerably thin, huh. ¡°But¡­ why, only the body¡­¡± I don¡¯t know why only my body returned to its original form, but this situation is extraordinarily inopportune. An unknown woman is in the toilet that Sakurai Makoto entered some time ago, moreover wearing Sakurai Makoto¡¯s clothes. Should Soutarou see this, he¡¯d definitely be bewildered. I can¡¯t use the toilet exit Soutarou should be waiting at, so I go out from the window. I¡¯m the worst for leaving without notice but I can¡¯t explain in this situation. It¡¯s at a height I could easily climb over when I was male, but now I lack both height and strength. Pathetic. ¡°For the time being, to Subaru¡­¡± Somehow escaping the toilet, I contact Subaru. I start up the app while praying that it¡¯s not a case of only Subaru returning ahead to the original world. Subaru immediately picks up when I call her. ¡°Subaru, I[3]¡­ Makoto¡­ I turned back to my original form. I¡¯m no longer Sakurai Makoto¡­¡± ¡°Really! Mako, this is your voice as a girl isn¡¯t it? I see, you turned back. Now, where are you? You can¡¯t go back to the Sakurais¡¯ house as a female, right? Come to my house for now.¡± ¡°Un¡­ un, Subaru, thanks¡­¡± Still not knowing what to do from now on, I aim for the Yurinos¡¯ house unsteadily. I want to see his figure one last time. Looking at Soutarou from a distance, he¡¯s still waiting for me. Looking at the night sky while rubbing his fingertips like he¡¯s cold. ¨D¨D¡­¡­ It¡¯s me, sorry to keep you waiting. If only I can tell him that. If it¡¯s Soutarou, perhaps he¡¯ll notice that I¡¯m Sakurai Makoto. However, it¡¯s too painful if he doesn¡¯t notice. I want to return while locking up pretty memories, while they¡¯re pretty. Even if I¡¯m being selfish. ¡°Soutarou¡­ I liked you,¡± Soutarou¡¯s side profile. Adam¡¯s apple, shoulder, waist, arm, palm and foot. Don¡¯t people say that new couples are intoxicated? We just started dating for a week. Do you not think it¡¯s too cruel to break up after a week, unseen power-san? A sign of love that can¡¯t be heard when parting, is like a tragic heroine wannabe. Giving a faint, wry smile at such a me, I aim for the Yurinos¡¯ house. Is my body starting to prepare to leave bit by bit? How long will it take before I completely return to the other world? There are too many things I don¡¯t know that it goes past sadness, to irritation. This is why it would have been easy to understand if an enthusiastic God typical of trips to another world appears, or if this was a reincarnation trip where I was granted a cheat after dying in an unforseen accident. Ah, this isn¡¯t dissing! There was an emotional portion in the opinion just now. I apologize. My pace gradually quickens. Hot tears trail down my cheeks. The tears that don¡¯t stop even when I wipe and wipe, are annoying. But I can cry because I¡¯m not a guy anymore. I¡¯m now a frail girl! Ah, we should¡¯ve at least kissed at the end. Because a completely unromantic kiss with the taste of stomach acid, should be something Soutarou will never taste again for the rest of his life. It will be good if he¡¯d remember me along with the worst memory. That guy, it will be good if he remembers me every time he wants to vomit! Because I definitely won¡¯t be able to forget Soutarou, so that should make two of us. [1] Play on ¡®heroine¡¯. A female character with a vomit scene. [2] As in most of the novel, Makoto used ¡®ore¡¯, the masculine version of ¡®I¡¯. [3] Also ¡®ore¡¯ here. CH 66 ¡°Oh, she¡¯s?¡± Yurino-sensei is watching television while eating oranges when I visit the Yurino family. Subaru falters a little, unable to reply immediately to Yurino-sensei¡¯s question. Then she hits her hand and smiles sweetly, telling a lie as natural as breathing. ¡°She¡¯s Endou Mako-chan, a student from my grade in Private Atlas Academy. We planned to pass this New Year¡¯s Eve together.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so? Nice to meet you for the first time, Endou-san. I¡¯m Subaru¡¯s older brother, Tamaki. Please make yourself at home.¡± ¡°I am Endou Mako. I will be intruding upon you into the late hours.¡± Endou is my real surname. My real name, is Endou Makoto. The name Sakurai Makoto has stuck so deeply that I feel strange being called Endou Makoto now. Sure enough, Yurino-sensei couldn¡¯t recognise me. Of course. Even I may not be able to recognise a close friend who changed genders. Moreover in my case, my stature changed considerably, beyond what an operation can change. Looking down to hide my puffy eyes, I lower my head politely. As soon as I arrive at Subaru¡¯s room, the tears I managed to stop, spill again in large drops as though a dam has broken. Maybe I held back crying for too long so the accumulated tears end up overflowing. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mako.¡± Subaru hugs my body. I thought she was rather small when I was a guy, but I¡¯m much smaller than Subaru now that I¡¯m female. I bury my face in Subaru¡¯s inviting, corpulent chest. It¡¯s D cup. 65d. ¡°Subaru, why do you think we were brought to this world?¡± No matter how I think about it, I think it¡¯s harassment from god-sama. It could be god-sama hating on me. Or it could be god-sama¡¯s game to cause mischief, it didn¡¯t matter who it was. Whichever it is, a god-sama from somewhere is ridiculing my state of affairs. Definitely. ¡°About that. I wonder if it was Mitsuki-chan who summoned Mako. I just realised not long ago though.¡± ¡°Yes. It was written.¡± Mitsuki summoned me? From that Mitsuki¡¯s state, it¡¯s hard to think she can do such a thing. In the first place, Mitsuki hasn¡¯t even clearly realised that I¡¯m not her older brother. For that soft and fluffy Mitsuki to summon me from the real world to the otome game world, such a ridiculous thing is impossible. ¡°What do you mean it was written?¡± Subaru brings out the Hearthrob Love Revolution software from her closet. Opening the package with Mitsuki smiling in the center lined by capturable characters, she takes out the instruction manual. Flipping the pages, she reaches the summary page. Subaru points to those few lines so I stretch my body and read them. When a normal 17 year-old girl estranged from love transferred to Izumino Gakuen, her and their love revolution began. She has to further her romance with one male as much as possible in a year, while raising Studies?Sports?Charm?Arts?Housework specs. It becomes possible to capture the characters as you raise certain specs. However, if you have the hidden character, Mitsuki¡¯s older brother, make an appearance, you can capture a character even with lacking specs, and can receive a confession from the character before March 31. Furthermore, the only one who can summon the older brother, Sakurai Makoto, in Hearthrob Love Revolution is his twin younger sister, Sakurai Mitsuki alone. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this earlier!! Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me the punchline is that you remade this instruction manual?¡±[1] ¡°Of course not. I won¡¯t go to such lengths to do something so troublesome. I was looking at the LoveRevo software when you went to meet Soutarou, and it changed to this. So, I thought it¡¯s unbelievable but. If we trust this as it is, it means Mitsuki had summoned you here, Mako.¡± If we trust this entirely, it means Mitsuki summoned me here. However, Mitsuki doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m actually female or that I came from another world. It¡¯s hard to think that she pretended while knowing all that. If so, Mitsuki summoned me as her older brother unknowingly. But why was it me? Because I¡¯m a friend of Subaru, the creator? If so, for choosing someone for the older brother role, everything from my gender to my personality was too perfunctory. For the time being, I shall acknowledge that Mitsuki summoned me. No matter how it¡¯s disputed here, I won¡¯t know the true reason I came here. However, in that case, I no longer have a use now that Mitsuki tied the knot with Yasuchika, meaning I can be returned to the real world. The business is done so I should have no choice but to return. ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothesis. I don¡¯t like forcing a reason on a matter that has none, but it feels kind of unpleasant if there isn¡¯t one. Isn¡¯t it better than there having been no reason?¡± ¡°The reason is viable for the time being. Moreover, I like Mitsuki a lot, so I don¡¯t mind being summoned for the sake of her romance.¡± Summoned for the sake of Mitsuki¡¯s romance, forced to carry out the role of her older brother, and told to return after the matter is done. It¡¯s unreasonable, but I wonder why I don¡¯t mind when it¡¯s for the cute Mitsuki¡¯s sake? Perhaps the instincts as Mitsuki¡¯s older brother was already planted in me. ¡°However, Subaru, Mitsuki¡¯s love is already fulfilled so it¡¯s about time we return but why was it half-settled like this? Returning the gender but not letting us return¡­ This kind of half-dead status is the most painful.¡± This state of being afraid, wondering when we¡¯ll be returned to the real world is painful. Tired of crying, I fall prostrate on the table with exhaustion. ¡°This is also a eighth-grader syndrome-like opinion but¡­ Perhaps the power that removes foreign bodies that entered otome game world, is competing with Mitsuki-chan¡¯s power of not wanting to lose her onii-chan?¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Half-convinced and half-repulsed by the doujinshi-like reason Subaru announced, I reply. If I¡¯m to believe Subaru¡¯s words as they are, although I was brought to the otome game world by Mitsuki¡¯s unconscious power for the sake of her romance, I¡¯m made to return to the real world by the power that removes foreign bodies. However, Mitsuki¡¯s feelings of not wanting to lose me makes me remain here¡­ I¡¯m left in this incomprehensible state, is that what it means? Of course I can¡¯t deny it[2] was really forced, but I see the coherence. ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, Mitsuki has to give up on me for me to return to the real world. The opposite if I don¡¯t want to return.¡± ¡°I suppose so. However, this is like an armchair theory, I don¡¯t know if things will go that well.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ But we can rest more easily than when we knew nothing of the reason.¡± Who summoned me to this world, and why was I summoned. Even if it was a made-up reason, having an answer to my question is much more comforting than not knowing anything. ¡°So what do you want to do, Mako? Return?¡± ¡°¡­ What about you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to return yet. I have something to do and want to stay here a bit longer for.¡± I grow anxious at the unexpected and clear reply of Subaru¡¯s. ¡°What is it want to do?¡± ¡°Eh¡«, doujin activities and such?¡± Subaru¡¯s reply was wholly cheerful, but being her long time friend, I can at once tell that it wasn¡¯t her true feelings. In the first place, doujin activities can be done in the real world too. Subaru probably wants to support my romance. I can¡¯t honestly admit I want to stay here, so she¡¯s trying to give me a push on the back. ¡°Me too¡­ I want to stay here a bit longer. Just a bit longer.¡± I¡¯m aware I¡¯m saying things convenient for myself. My family in the real world and Soutarou in the otome game world, I¡¯m leaving it up in the air, unable to choose one. It¡¯s too convenient to gain happiness by obtaining both. It¡¯s because I understand all that, that I know I¡¯m being selfish. Even then, I want to live the sweet life here a bit. ¡°You don¡¯t have to make excuses, Mako. A human won¡¯t be punished for experiencing a dream for a mere year or two in their long life. In that time, you just have to find a method to use the power Mitsuki-chan called you here with, to come and go as you please, right?¡± ¡°Is that okay? It¡¯s like I¡¯m giving up on making a choice.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t choosing both also a choice? If you return now, you won¡¯t be able to find a way to use Mitsuki-chan¡¯s power. I think staying here is correct regardless of your choice.¡± I understand Subaru¡¯s words, and agree with them. Staying here is correct to find the power to travel between the real and otome game worlds. However, I¡¯m muddled. The something that I¡¯d yet to sort remains in my heart, and it¡¯s too painful to live here while carrying that feeling. Without a word, Subaru silently waits for my answer. At that moment, pinpon, my smartphone notifies me of Soutarou¡¯s message. Startled, I open the app. Soutarou sent a single ¡°Are you okay?! Don¡¯t tell me you met with an accident?¡±, words worrying about me. Soutarou, you could be more angry at me, for deserting you without a word. Looking at Subaru¡¯s face, she¡¯s smiling bitterly. As the creator, Subaru probably understands Soutarou more than me. Even the words he¡¯ll send to me, who deserted him. I reply with trembling fingers. ¡°Are you, still waiting?¡± A Read was immediately attached to it, with a ¡°Of course¡± reply. It¡¯s almost an hour since then, y¡¯know? Is he an idiot! He really is an idiot! What will he do if I return to reality like this? Will he continue to wait? Will he continue to wait for my return¡­? ¡°Soutarou says he¡¯s waiting for me¡­¡± ¡°Why not go meet him? You¡¯re living in the same world.¡± ¡°But the current me is female, you know¡­ Not Sakurai Makoto, but Endou Makoto¡­ Even I won¡¯t be able to tell.¡± Even if he sees the current me, Soutarou definitely can¡¯t tell that I¡¯m Sakurai Makoto. There are vestiges but the facial appearance and structure are different and the height has a difference of more than 20 centimeter. Even the atmosphere differs, and the voice and personality can¡¯t be said to be the same. Most importantly, the gender is different. Even I won¡¯t be able to recognise myself. Although I enumerate excuses one by one, in the end Soutarou not being able to recognise me is the most painful. ¡°Soutarou will continue to wait if you don¡¯t go. He¡¯ll continue to wait, under the cold night sky. I don¡¯t know if Soutarou will be able to recognise the current Mako. But I know this. Soutarou will continue waiting for Mako till the end.¡± How can I leave him be when she says such a thing with a serious face? I stand up slowly. I¡¯ll happily throw Soutarou away if he can¡¯t recognise me. With thoughts that put up a brave front, I proceed to make a final bet. [1] The last part was different from the original summary, which appeared in chapter 11. [2] The hypothesis. CH 67 It¡¯s about 1 o¡¯clock late at night and there¡¯s little sign of people at Sasaki Shrine. Standing in front of the public toilet across the scattered crowd is Soutarou. He¡¯s still waiting for me. That makes me terribly happy, yet illogically irritated. Somehow I really want to cry. Not knowing what to do, I frantically wipe my overflowing, spilled tears. I¡¯ll go a little closer, and, say goodbye if he doesn¡¯t recognise me. If the summoning power of Mitsuki and this world¡¯s power of repelling foreign bodies continue to compete from now on and I¡¯m stuck here in my female form, I¡¯ll introduce myself to him once again. Again, I¡¯ll make Soutarou like the current me. I definitely won¡¯t declare to live obediently and stealthily as a background character. I like what I like. I won¡¯t let Soutarou go even though I¡¯m female now. Surely no one can tell that Endou Makoto and Sakurai Makoto are the same person. That in itself is wretched and it will be hard to get him to like me once more, but, I like Soutarou. That isn¡¯t something that can be easily forgotten. Therefore I won¡¯t let him go easily. Stirring up my heart all the time, isn¡¯t that sly of him? Thinking nothing but such thoughts, my mood gradually turns pleasant. I¡¯m a considerably, simple woman. When I smile and raise my head, my eyes meet Soutarou¡¯s perfectly. ¡°Mako¡­? ¡­ Hey, you¡¯re Mako right?¡± ¡°¡­ ?!¡± I unconsciously shudder at the Soutarou who approaches in a jog. I quickly turn my head back, but there¡¯s no one who looks like Sakurai Makoto. When I look at Soutarou again nervously, our eyes meet as expected. Is he really looking at me? ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s Mako! Mako, why didn¡¯t you say anything before you leave? I was worried, thinking you met with an accident.¡± Don¡¯t tell me, this guy is blind? The current me is completely female. How can he tell that I¡¯m ¡°Mako¡±? When I look at Soutarou with bewilderment, he¡¯s going ¡°Woof, woof¡± like always. What¡¯s with this guy. When I make a dubious face with my brows knitted, he looks at me with confusion. ¡°Mako, do you feel unwell?¡± ¡°Eh, well, you mistook me for someone¡­¡± ¡°Eh? You¡¯re Mako, aren¡¯t you. Sakurai Makoto right?¡± I abruptly recall the words from that time. ¨D¨D¡­¡­I think, no matter what you appear to be, I will be able to tell it¡¯s you, Mako. ¡®Cos there¡¯s no way I can¡¯t tell it¡¯s Mako. [1] I didn¡¯t think he really could tell it¡¯s me. Because appearance, voice and even gender, everything is completely different but he can tell I¡¯m Sakurai Makoto. It¡¯s like a lie. Although it¡¯s like a lie, I doubt it¡¯s guesswork because of the many people here. I suppose Soutarou really can tell it¡¯s me? ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­ Because I¡¯m not the Mako Soutarou knows¡­¡± It¡¯s vexing to cry over such a thing. I turn my face away while biting my lips. I mask my face with both hands, feeling embarrassed to have my face seen for some reason. What did Soutarou think after seeing my face? Did he feel disappointed? Will he still like me after seeing the female me? Soutarou seizes my wrists and brings both my hands down. ¡°Mako¡¯s actually pretty small, huh.¡± Squeeze, he hugs my body and rubs his cheek on top of my head. ¡°¡­ Soutarou¡¯s pretty huge. And you¡¯re too strong.¡± I did think Soutarou¡¯s too strong in the past, but he feels all the more stronger when I¡¯m in this body. ¡°Sure enough, you¡¯re Mako. Mako, Mako, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°Soutarou, I came from a different world, and am actually female¡­ did you know that?¡± ¡°I thought it was strange. I felt that you¡¯re always hiding something. But I didn¡¯t think you were female, or that you came from a different world, it¡¯s almost unbelievable¡± Soutarou caresses my cheek. Smiling tenderly as though he found the greatest treasure in the world. ¡°But it¡¯s true. You may not believe it, but I¡¯m actually female, and I came from a world different from this. Of course I¡¯m plenty aware this sounds eight-grader syndrome-like, and I also feel like what I say is ridiculous, but it¡¯s all true¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just happy that Mako¡¯s here, the reason doesn¡¯t matter.¡± His tail is waving as he presses my hands. There are probably heart shapes flying in the background. The things I¡¯d been worried about are starting to feel pointless. I feel unbearable happiness from Soutarou telling me he likes me, and that alone makes me think that everything will go well. ¡°Mako, remember the promise?¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say ¡°if you know it¡¯s me even after the spell is broken, I¡¯ll receive you as a bride¡±?¡± When we started dating, I made a promise filled with hope. That if he can tell it¡¯s me even in my female form, I¡¯ll receive him as a bride. They were words I told as a jest because there¡¯s no way he can tell it¡¯s me. Who knew it¡¯d become reality? Soutarou looks at me with shining eyes like a dog waiting for its feed. I stare back at Soutarou with my cold sweat pouring down. But, but then, isn¡¯t it fine? Soutarou¡¯s skilled at cooking, will probably do everything including laundry and chores, is reasonably smart, good at sports, an ikemen, and most importantly, cute. Naturally he has no inadequate point as a wife, and he says he likes me. So, it¡¯s fine. To promise to marry each other. It¡¯s been less than 10 days since we started dating. Something like ¡°Let¡¯s get married!¡±, that¡¯s youth. Completely clearing away all excessive emotions and promising to marry just because you like each other, that¡¯s surely the result of youth and momentum. ¡°Yeah, promise, I remember that. Sure, I¡¯ll properly receive you as a bride. I¡¯ll make you happy. I like you, Soutarou. I want to be by your side, always¡­¡± Throwing away my family that should be in my original world and choosing Soutarou is difficult. However, I want both. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll stay in this world a little longer, and search for a way to obtain both. How do the heroines and heroes in transported-to-another-world stories end up again? Nothing will come out of it even if I wonder about that. In the end, I can only search for the ending I think will be the happiest. ¡°Un! Please bring me happiness.¡± ¡±Kyun¡± I thought I heard my heart make that sound. What, what? Kyun, kyun, I thought they were imitative sounds someone made. However, it seems the heart will really make the sound of it tightening when it goes kyun. I didn¡¯t know about it before, it surprised me. Soutarou peeks at my face. Just as I think that his hand against my nape is cold, Soutarou¡¯s lips touch mine. I pull back with a surprised expression, but Soutarou fixates my head with a jerk, not letting it escape. He rubs our noses together while kissing. Just as I think in a corner of my head that he¡¯s like a dog, he suddenly licks my lips with his tongue. Surprised, I reflexively shove him. Seeming to be shocked that he was shoved, Soutarou parts his face from mine and stares at me with open eyes. I wanted to tell him ¡°Sorry, I was just shocked¡±, but I suddenly feel dizzy and unconsciously drop to my knees on the spot. Violent pain runs through the joints in my body again, and I unconsciously vomit at the sensation of being forcibly stretched. ¡°Ma, Mako?! Could it be my, my kiss was disgusting¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Probably¡­ again, I¡¯m turning back¡­¡± I check my body in a fluster as the nausea settles. Palms, back of hands, from foot to waist, I touch my face and hair. When I look at Soutarou¡¯s face last, he has a terribly shocked expression. ¡°Mako¡­¡± ¡°Your kiss, sure is amazing. I turned back male.¡± Kisses are key points in shoujo manga, otome game, and even fairy tales. However, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d turn back male with a kiss. Isn¡¯t it usually the opposite? The prince¡¯s kiss turning a male back into female. Soutarou sits down too, and hugs my body tightly. The vicinity is already cleared of people, only about 1 or 2 can be seen far away. ¡°I don¡¯t care which or what kind of Mako you are. I want Mako. I want you because you¡¯re Mako. You promised me at the shrine, in front of kami-sama, so, you must stay with me, always.¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah. It¡¯s in front of the toilet kami-sama though.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jest. Mako, Mako, I like you very much, I do¡­¡± I won¡¯t be able to return to the real world if I say something like that. Proposing in front of the public toilet, laughable right? But this is suitable for a promise of the future for a BL member with the questionable position of the heroine¡¯s older brother. ¡°Yeah¡­ I like you too, Soutarou.¡± ¡°Un, un¡­ ! Me too, I like Mako too¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry over¡­ something like this, idiot¡­¡± Even though he¡¯s a guy, Soutarou¡¯s tears are spilling in large drops as he clings to me. Even though I¡¯m also a guy, I¡¯m crying loudly while returning Soutarou¡¯s hug. Hearthrob Love Revolution, I thought it¡¯s a simple and idiotic title but who knew I¡¯d really get love revolutionised? I didn¡¯t expect I¡¯d come to think of someone so lovingly and throw tantrums about not wanting to leave this world. It was beyond prediction and absolutely beyond anticipation, but contrary to expectations I don¡¯t feel bad about it. In Hearthrob Love Revolution you have 365 days from April 1st to March 31st to head for the ending. It ends when you receive a confession from the character you aim for. The happily ever after. This story also ends here, but Sakurai Mitsuki and Takayanagi Yasuchika, along with my¨D¨DSakurai Makoto and Tsubaki Soutarou¡¯s love hasn¡¯t ended yet. Because while this is certainly an otome game world, it¡¯s also my true story. After that, Soutarou and I tell everyone that we¡¯re dating. There¡¯s jeering and jealousy, declarations of ¡°I¡¯ll steal Makoto back¡± and the like, huge and heated discussion on who¡¯s the seme between Soutarou and I, and talk of cohabiting when we become university students. Although there are lots of idle conversation, well, someone else¡¯s romance isn¡¯t all that interesting so I¡¯ll finish up here, the end. [1] Chapter 62!