Episode 310: A Moment at the Café.

“Now then, what should I go with~?”

Yuzuki-senpai dove straight into the menu with an excited bounce, her eyes sparkling. As someone whose hobby is café-hopping, I couldn’t help wondering what kind of verdict she’d deliver on our school festival’s mock café… though asking that outright would be unreasonable.

Yuuji, meanwhile, watched her with an amused smile, standing by for some reason instead of joining in.

…You could just look together, you know.

“Toudou-san, have you decided?”

“Hmm… I think I’ll go with milk tea. What about you, Yokokawa-kun?”

“Yeah… I’ll have—”

In stark contrast to those two, Hayato and the others huddled companionably over a single menu, discussing quietly. They’d always gotten along well, but ever since Hayato started taking a more proactive stance, the distance between them had noticeably shifted.

Toudou-san seemed to accept it without much resistance too… Maybe the change wasn’t just on Hayato’s side.

“Hmm… What should I do… Hanako-san, decided yet?”

“Iced coffee.”

“Nishikawa-san?”

“Darjeeling for me.”

With not too many options on the menu to begin with, orders flew in quick succession. By the way, Sara-san and I had already settled ours ages ago.

“Master, milady, have you decided on your orders~?”

Right on cue, the maid arrived to take them. Needless to say, she was one of the pair from Yuzuki-senpai’s unofficial fan club. Instead of stopping at the front of the table, she slid straight past to the back seats… positioning herself noticeably closer to Yuzuki-senpai. Not that I minded.

“Oh, it suits you~”

“Ah, thank you very much!”

“We’re so happy!”

Beaming from the praise, the two exchanged delighted glances, then lifted the hems of their skirts in that classic, slightly formal maid pose you see in anime and manga—the one they do when greeting with exaggerated courtesy.

No way they’d improvise something like that on the spot; they must have planned it from the start.

“I’ll have a Viennese coffee.”

“Understood~”

Yuzuki-senpai went first, and from there the orders flowed naturally along the seating arrangement: Yuuji next, then Hayato… By the time Hanako-san said “iced coffee,” only Sara-san and I were left.

“I’ll take a hot Earl Grey, please.”

“Understood~. And Takanashi-kun…?”

“Kazunari-san will have iced tea, please. No milk—just two pumps of gum syrup.”

“Eh? Ah, yes. U-understood~”

Sara-san relayed my order without missing a beat, and for some reason the maids looked faintly startled. I didn’t think it was that weird a request…

The reason I asked for two pumps of gum syrup wasn’t because I have a massive sweet tooth, by the way. Some places serve iced tea with a really peculiar aftertaste, so this is just me hedging my bets based on preference.

“Please wait just a moment~”

After double-checking everything, the two gave a polite bow and retreated behind the curtain toward the kitchen. As I watched them go, I caught glimpses of classmates peeking curiously from the other side of the partition… Hey, are you guys actually working back there?

…Though I’m hardly one to talk when I’m enjoying the festival to the fullest myself. No, no—this is official patrol duty. We came during this time specifically to inspect whether the class is running the café properly… Yeah.

…Who exactly am I making excuses to?

“Um, Satsukawa-senpai?”

“Yes?”

Tachikawa-san suddenly turned toward me, tilting her head in mild puzzlement.

The maids earlier had reacted similarly. Had something happened during that exchange?

“Did Takanashi-kun say what he was ordering?”

“Kazunari-san has recently become quite fixated on iced tea.”

To be precise, Sara-san is a devoted black-tea drinker and we have it often at home, so I ended up completely hooked too…

“Sigh… You two are basically a married couple already.”

“W-Wait, how did we get there?!”

Tachikawa-san muttered it with a hint of exasperation, and I couldn’t help retorting. Being called lovers or a married couple is basically fact at this point, so I don’t mind—but why jump to that conclusion now?

“No, no, the fact that she can order for you without even asking is way too in sync. Even your tastes are perfectly aligned.”

“Ah…”

“Fufu… When you live together, you come to understand these things naturally.”

“Um, you’re literally calling it a married-couple thing…”

“Tachikawa-san, it’s pointless to tsukkomi at these two.”

“Sō desu ne~”

Oops—I fell back into my usual habit…

Lately we’ve been ordering the same things so often that Sara-san just went with the usual without thinking. I hadn’t even registered it as unusual anymore… Habits really are scary.

“Sorry, Satsukawa-senpai. May I have a moment?”

Just then, a voice called from behind. Turning, I saw our class committee chairwoman… notably not in a maid outfit.

Wait—when did she get here?

“Yes, what is it?”

“Um, if it’s alright… would you like to try some food as well? Think of it as thanks for the cooking class, or rather, a tasting session…”

“A tasting… True, I have been curious…”

Having held the cooking class herself, it was only natural Sara-san would want to know how it turned out.

She glanced my way, clearly checking something—probably my stomach capacity. Especially since I’d overeaten at lunch…

“If you split it onto plates, we can share.”

“I want some too~”

“Chairwoman, is that okay?”

Yuzuki-senpai and the others jumping in to help was appreciated, but it would add work for the cooks… so I made sure to confirm.

“It’s fine. I’ll divide several portions onto plates then. The menu is…”

“I want Napolitan~”

“Sigh… Very well.”

The chairwoman gave a wry smile at Sara-san’s slightly exasperated order.

In the end, the original “thanks to Sara-san” intent had flown out the window…

And once again, I’d gained another debt of gratitude I owed everyone.

***

“Phew… That was more tiring than I expected.”

“Indeed. We haven’t had a single break since lunch.”

“But it’s been so much fun for the first time in forever!!”

“Right! And there’s still tomorrow…”

“By the way, Kazunari, is your schedule for tomorrow all set?”

“Yeah. Morning I’ll cheer for those two, then lunch and some playing around, followed by the miss contest… and finally the last stage in the gym, I think?”

I’m honestly interested in the liberal-arts club exhibits too, but supporting Hayato and Yuzuki-senpai at tennis takes absolute priority. The miss contest goes without saying.

So tomorrow’s plan was pretty much locked in.

“To be honest, I’m really not looking forward to the miss contest.”

“The former president and the other officers went out of their way to take on the work, so in that sense, we have no choice but to endure.”

“I know.”

Sara-san looked reluctant, but she had no intention of pulling out.

Truthfully, part of me still doesn’t want to let Sara-san participate in something like a miss contest… but.

This time, it’s necessary for the future…

“Speaking of which, Nishikawa-san is incredibly popular too.”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“If we’re just talking sheer popularity among the boys, Eri-rin wasn’t losing to Sara at all. But Sara stood out in all sorts of other ways too. Eri-rin was more understated.”

“Understated… W-Well, it’s true I enjoyed getting my hands dirty in the gardening club. But popularity that’s only skin-deep? I couldn’t care less about something so shallow.”

“Looking back, even though it was calculated, deliberately making myself stand out is pure black history for me. Still… if it was necessary to be united with Kazunari-san, then I have no regrets.”

Sara-san’s so-called black history…

The intentional broadcasting of her abilities so others would accept—and keep their distance from—her solitary way of being.

It ultimately branded her as “aloof,” but at the same time elevated her to an idol-like “goddess” status. Ironically, that drew the very admiration from boys she wanted least of all…

“…Yeah. Surface-level popularity isn’t something to be happy about.”

Even Tachikawa-san, usually so cheerful, took on a shadowed tone when this topic came up.

For us, people who are only shallowly friendly are objects of distaste… especially for Tachikawa-san, they’re practically traumatic.

“By the way, I’ve never asked before, but why did Nishikawa-san transfer schools?”

Toudou-san probably meant it partly as a topic change, but I was curious too. I’d never heard the reason from Nishikawa-san herself, and I’d always wondered why she’d deliberately left this school.

“Ah, well… It coincided with the opening of a new school funded by the Nishikawa Group. The original one had shrinking enrollment and was merged/closed…”

“Eri is the daughter of the Nishikawa Group chairman, after all. Harsh way to put it, but she’s basically a walking billboard. A school that an important figure like her attends…”

“I see… Raising the school’s prestige through who attends, while signaling connections to the Nishikawa Group to attract more future applicants…”

“““… … …”””

“What?”

She said it so matter-of-factly…

Hanako-san had instantly connected the dots from Sara-san’s explanation. Her mind really is quick. But yeah, put that way, it makes perfect sense.

“Yes, exactly what Hanako-san said. Various handover matters aren’t finished yet, but soon I’ll become student council president as well…”

“As expected. Only natural.”

“Well, yeah. That’s why I transferred. Honestly the human relationships there became boring, but being able to spend time with everyone like this makes me happy. I owe Takanashi-san another debt of gratitude.”

“No, I didn’t…”

“Fufu, I just decided that on my own.”

As she spoke, Nishikawa-san flashed a mischievous little smile. I was glad she’d become so much more relaxed around me… but it also meant yet another person who enjoyed watching my reactions. …Hmm.

“…I’ve been wondering, but Eri has gotten awfully casual with Kazunari-san lately, hasn’t she?”

“Yeah, I noticed too. Eri-rin never used to show expressions like that to guys.”

“Ah… well…”

Nishikawa-san looked momentarily troubled… but please, for my sake, gloss over this one smoothly.

The trigger for us getting closer was probably the ring-purchasing incident. Explaining honestly would drag the ring into the conversation. So at least until tomorrow is over… please manage somehow, Nishikawa-san…

“I-I mean, once you’re Sara’s fiancé, especially in my case, our families will keep interacting publicly and privately forever, right? So it’s better if we’re on good terms as friends too, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. Well, if Eri is deliberately trying to be friendly for that reason, I have nothing to say.”

“You’re hardly a third party here either, Sara.”

“I know. But for me, the master is Kazunari-san.”

The exchange carried a slightly loaded undertone, but Sara-san seemed tentatively convinced… apparently.

Of course, it’s common knowledge that Sanami and Nishikawa have business ties, so professional interactions aren’t impossible. But whether the chairman’s daughter and I would have many opportunities to interact on that level…

Well, I haven’t even started working yet, so thinking that far ahead is jumping the gun.

“…U-Um, is this some complicated discussion?”

“…Not really. Just that Kazunari and Nishikawa-san being friendly in private will be useful down the line.”

“…Uh, isn’t it just good to be friends normally?”

“…For now, that’s fine. …Kazunari needs people supporting him from angles other than his wife… As his older-sister figure, I should…”

“…Hanako-san?”

“Sorry to keep you waiting~”

Just as the conversation reached a natural pause, butlers and maids arrived with trays of drinks. Different faces from before, so they really were rotating shifts.

Their curiosity about our group was plain on their faces, but they didn’t make a fuss.

“Please enjoy~”

Alright, time to take a breather with these drinks…

***

“By the way, Yokokawa-kun got a tarot reading earlier too, right?”

“Yeah, I was a little curious, so I asked for one privately. Just a simple one-card pull.”

From the sound of it, while Sara-san and I were getting ours, Hayato had one done too.

Honestly, if there’d been time, I’d have loved to ask Kishiyama-san to read for everyone…

“Hmm… Is the result something you can share?”

“Sure. I think it was… the Wheel of Fortune?”

“That’s pretty loaded. What’d it mean?”

“Change in circumstances, arrival of opportunity… Trust in fate/connections… something like that.”

“…Yeah, definitely loaded.”

Yuuji, who knew the situation, and I both could only give wry smiles at that card.

But if it wasn’t a bad omen, then ultimately it was telling Hayato to “make a move.”

“Hmm… I see~…”

Yuzuki-senpai watched Hayato with an equally meaningful smile.

…She might have already figured everything out.

“Yokokawa-san… I won’t say everything outright, but if you foresee trouble, remember that asking for help is also an option. I hate to say it, but this school is full of people with considerable influence, for better or worse… so there’s more than enough potential to resolve things.”

“…Satsukawa-senpai.”

Then Sara-san dropped her own loaded remark.

But both Hayato and I understood exactly what she meant. Having gone through similar hardships nearby, there’s no way Sara-san doesn’t get Hayato’s position… and the reverse is true too.

“Yokokawa-san is Kazunari-san’s best friend. Hanako-san too…”

“I know. Forget the handsome guy himself—if it’s for Kazunari’s best friend, I’ll cooperate.”

“Sigh… You two really go all-in. Just say ‘I’ll help’ straight out… But as long as you end up helping, whatever.”

“That’s only natural. My standard of judgment is Kazunari-san.”

“Me too.”

Yuzuki-senpai let out an exasperated sigh, but Sara-san and Hanako-san remained utterly unfazed as usual.

Still, regardless of their reasons, I was genuinely glad they’d help Hayato. Honestly, the two of them are far more reliable than I could ever be.

“Well, I can probably be useful too, so I’ll cooperate.”

From that line alone, it was clear Yuzuki-senpai had fully grasped the situation. And if so, with her huge female fanbase, she might actually be the most powerful ally here.

This kind of support is powerful… no pun intended.

“I’m at a different school so I can’t do much, but… I’ll cheer you on!”

“Yes. If anything comes up, feel free to consult us anytime.”

“Same here. Do your best, Hayato.”

“Thank you… everyone.”

Hayato bowed his head gratefully, then gave me a small nod as our eyes met. In Hayato’s relationship with Toudou-san, I’m in the same position he is with Sara-san… so of course I—and Sara-san—fully understand his anxieties and the potential crises.

This is a difficult problem that requires everyone’s help. But precisely because of that, with everyone’s cooperation, it will definitely work out. I believe that from the bottom of my heart.

“Yokokawa-kun, I’ll absolutely help too, so if you’re ever in trouble, come to me!”

“Eh… Y-Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Un!”

Toudou-san struck an adorable little guts pose and smiled brightly, drawing smiles from the rest of us too.

She probably still didn’t fully grasp the situation, but… to protect that innocent smile, we absolutely would.

***

“Yeah, it’s way tastier than I expected!”

“Indeed. This doesn’t taste like festival-mock-store pasta at all.”

“Ah, thank you very much.”

Hearing praise from two people who clearly operated on another level, the chairwoman let out a relieved breath.

I knew that since Sara-san’s cooking class, she and the main cooking group had been practicing on their own…

“Yes. You’ve properly followed the instructions from the class, so this should be fine for tomorrow too. You worked hard.”

“S-Satsukawa-senpai…!”

To the class—who generally see Sara-san as strict—being praised by her must feel extra moving. Either way… good, good.

“Here, Kazunari-san… ahh~n.”

Chomp…

Chew chew…

Yeah, honestly, this could be served in a real restaurant without anyone batting an eye. Though personally, my preference would be…

“…Damn it alllll…”

“…N-Naturally flirting right in front of ussss…”

“…Why ahh~n right now of all times…?”

“…Takanashi accepts it like it’s normal… Aaaah so jealouslll…”

“How is it, Takanashi-kun?”

“Yeah, I think it’s delicious too.”

“Really? But…”

The chairwoman leaned in slightly, peering at my face as if sensing something off.

Was there a problem?

“Don’t worry about it, Chairwoman. Kazunari eats three meals a day made only by his wife, so his palate is just spoiled.”

“Three meals… wife? You mean… Satsukawa-senpai… right?”

“Exactly. Probably his personal taste didn’t quite match, so he unconsciously compared.”

Sh-Sharp… As expected of Hanako-san…

“Yes… For Kazunari-san’s preference, another fifteen seconds less boiling time would be better. Also reduce the tomato ketchup slightly and add a touch of fresh cream and sweetness…”

“Sara, we’re not asking for Kazunari-san’s personal adjustments right now.”

“Ah, right. I got carried away…”

Sara-san gave a wry smile and took another bite of pasta. To think she could instantly formulate a clear vision to adjust the shop’s recipe to my exact taste… As always, the depths of Sara-san’s cooking skill are unfathomable.

“Sigh… Amazing.”

“I’ve been cooking since I was little, so this much is…”

“No, not that… Well, that too, but knowing Takanashi-kun’s preferences so precisely…”

“Fufu… I research every day to make food that suits Kazunari-san’s taste.”

Not quite a smug face, but Sara-san declared it proudly and nonchalantly.

I’m forever grateful; I can never repay her enough…

“T-Takanashi-kun is so lucky… To have Satsukawa-senpai do all this for him…”

“This is something I want to do for him, so it’s no trouble at all. Here, Kazunari-san… ahh~n.”

Chomp…

Chew chew…

Seriously… I’m not joking—I genuinely feel I can never hold my head up to Sara-san. That’s exactly why, for anything I can do for her, I want to give it everything I’ve got.

“““Guooooooohhh!!”””

“…Guys, shut up. You’re ruining the flirting!”

“…Haaaah, Satsukawa-senpai’s smile is too perfect…”

“…Chairwoman’s face is twitching a little.”

“…Because it’s happening right in front of her…”

“Chairwoman, these two are always like this, so don’t mind them or you lose.”

“I-I see… This really is an incredible sight… Especially since it’s Satsukawa-senpai…”

The chairwoman stared wide-eyed in a daze… but of course Sara-san didn’t care in the slightest. And having resolved to accept it anytime, I no longer feel any hesitation about taking “ahh~n” in public!

None at all!

I’m not embarrassed!!

“…Wow, he’s completely given up pretending…”

“Oh? So even Eri-rin can finally ‘read’ Takanashi-kun now?”

“You saying that means you already knew too, right, Natsumi?”

“Um, can everyone please stop analyzing me…?”

It’s bad enough they analyze me, but they hit the nail on the head every time. It’s Sara-san, Hanako-san, Mayumi-san… wow, there really are a lot…

“Kazunari, no point caring about it now. Here, ahh~n…”

Chomp…

Chew chew…

“““Naaaaah!?”””

“…Hiii, even Hanasaki-san went for ittttt!”

“…Uhyohyohyo, pure rom-com vibes, I can smell the love!”

“…Never gets old watching those three…”

“…Damn itttt, even Hanasaki-sannnnn!”

“…Whyyyy, why is it always Takanashiiii!”

“Kazunari-san, don’t move…”

Sara-san picked up a paper napkin from the table and gently wiped my mouth. I thought maybe a bit had stuck after Hanako-san fed me… Yep, there it was.

“There, all clean.”

“Thank you, Sara-san.”

“You’re welcome. And this is the last one… Here, ahh~n…”

Chomp…

Chew chew…

The final bite disappeared into my stomach, completing the tasting. And once again, my belly was at its absolute limit.

Because when she offers “ahh~n” with such a happy face, any man worth his salt has to eat it all.

“…Everything… with ahh~n…”

The chairwoman murmured in a stunned daze as she watched me eat.

You don’t have to say it like that—of course it was all ahh~n!

Got a problem with that!?

“Now that Takanashi-kun is finished eating, shall we move on?”

“Yes, time is limited.”

“We don’t have much time left~”

They knew I was stuffed, yet they spoke so casually and cruelly. Yuuji and Hayato looked at me with sympathetic eyes… but offered zero help…

You guys are heartless…

***

Of course Sara-san would never allow such cruelty… We took a short break before resuming.

I really wanted more rest, but time was pressing, so I gritted my teeth and pushed through.

At checkout, I barely managed to stop Nishikawa-san from paying for everything and forced a split bill.

Things like this need to be kept clear, or it’ll cause problems later.

“Might as well do dinner again sometime then.”

“Yes yes, understood.”

Yuzuki-senpai says it so casually, but Nishikawa-san accepting just as easily… yeah.

We might need to have a serious talk sometime. As the nominal leader.

“Iced coffee is 200 yen.”

“Here…”

Hanako-san took 200 yen from her cute gamaguchi coin purse and placed it on the tray.

Festival mock stores keep prices super affordable—thank goodness for high-school budgets.

A real maid café would probably charge way more… probably.

“Please put Kazunari-san’s and mine together.”

Sara-san took out her wallet and told the cashier maid.

Instantly, the sending-off maids and butlers started making noise…

“Hey, Takanashi-kun, letting Satsukawa-senpai pay? Not very manly.”

“Yeah, at the very least split it, right?”

“Takanashi, aren’t you embarrassed?”

“After all that big talk to us…”

“W-Wait a second.”

This was a total misunderstanding. And the scary part? It’s so everyday for us that I hadn’t even considered how it looked to others.

I should’ve taken money from Sara-san beforehand…

“Everyone, aren’t you misunderstanding something? Kazunari-san isn’t not paying.”

Because I was getting blamed, clear displeasure seeped from Sara-san. Her tone sharpened slightly, and everyone’s expressions froze.

And I had… a very bad feeling…

“Kazunari-san’s living expenses are entrusted to me. Payment here naturally comes from there, so it’s not that he isn’t paying.”

“““…Huh??”””

And the bad feeling became harsh reality. Everyone’s “he did it again…” reactions said it all; classmates (I’m tired of calling them maids/butlers) stood with mouths agape in uniform stupor…

“L-Living… living expenses?”

“Satsukawa-senpai handles… his living expenses!?”

“That means… that means already…”

“Wow… that’s completely married-couple territory…”

“A high-schooler going that far…?”

This pattern is so routine by now that I’m not even surprised… Yep.

But once again, a piece of our private life got broadcast… Whatever, it’s too late now.