You Girls Are Way Too Obsessed With A Lone Wolf Like Me - Volume 4 Chapter 4: Himemiya Haruichi Saves the Heroine

Volume 4 Chapter 4: Himemiya Haruichi Saves the Heroine

It would be a lie to say I’ve been waiting for this moment. However, I can confidently say that it has reached a quality where the timing is perfect.

The classroom, transformed into a maid café, and the exterior are, of course, all set. And the drinks are also fully prepared.

Three electric kettles are working hard, ensuring that hot drinks can be served at any time, and the contents of the cooler box are chilled to perfection, ready for cold drinks.

The sweets are, of course, top-notch. The sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies, macarons, and financiers fills the room. The signature soufflé cake, a living entity of its own, is always ready to be cooked on the hot plate, with ingredients prepared and waiting in a single portion.

But what about the maids?

“Nya-ha-ha-ha-ha♪ Welcome, boys!”

No need to worry. With Kurashiki’s loud voice as the signal, the girls, now dressed in maid uniforms, enter the classroom. Wearing frilled aprons and maid headbands as a base, each one looks like they had a custom-made outfit. From the classic, retro-modern, Halloween-style, Chinese dress-inspired, kimono-style, to the pop red and white stripes—there’s a wide variety of maid uniforms.

“““““Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!”””””

The boys are clapping and cheering with excitement.

“Where should we apply for cultural heritage status? The city hall? The White House?”

“Karin-chan, Erena, Ruri, Hina, Yumeno, Meguku, and… ughhh!! No matter how many eyes I have, it’s not enough! I might need to get an eye transplant!”

“Karin-sama’s maid outfit is so godly, my heart is racing… In fact, it’s so intense, my heart might stop… Ugh!!”

“Nakano!? Nakano passed out from excitement! Hurry and bring a blanket and a stretcher!”

God. Once again, the world is peaceful today.

Not only the boys, but the girls in maid outfits seem to be surprisingly into the festive spirit as well.

Just one maid uniform brings so much joy and excitement. I’m really glad we were able to rent the uniforms from the café. I can’t thank the store enough.

With everything ready for the maid café, we are set for today’s cultural festival.

The entire school is preparing with excitement, getting ready for the festival.

Looking down from the window towards the front gate, many people are already waiting to enter. “Isn’t this a bit too many…?” I wonder if this is the result of someone’s relentless advertising.

Speaking of which, I naturally find my eyes following Misaki, who’s wearing the maid uniform.

As expected from the school’s top idol, she wears a classic, orthodox-style maid outfit perfectly. The simplicity makes it clear that she’s paying attention to the details, even to the point of wearing a choker that complements the slightly exposed neckline, blending elegance with a hint of adulthood.

Overall, it looks so good that it’s almost infuriating.

When Misaki notices my gaze, she comes over with a cheerful expression.

“Himemiya-kun, Himemiya-kun! Please give me your thoughts on my maid outfit♪”

“You look great in it.”

“… Do you really think so?”

“You went all out, so don’t make that face.”

“Whose fault is it!?”

If I were to say, “It’s Misaki’s fault for coming on so strongly,” I’d probably get turned into charcoal.

“If you have the energy to make such a sharp retort, I’m sure you’ll be just fine with the busy day ahead.”

Misaki, who had been frowning, understands the meaning of my words and raises the corners of her mouth.

“Of course! I made sure to get a good night’s sleep last night to prepare for the cultural festival.”

Since that incident the other day, Misaki has been taking better care of her condition.

She hasn’t fallen asleep during class or breaks anymore, which is a good sign.

And another thing—she’s no longer showing any signs of opposition towards me. None at all.

I think this is a very positive change. However, it’s still fresh in my memory that she said she wanted to beat me. The sudden quietness from someone who had been so fiery before is a bit unnerving, almost awkward.

I activate my special skill—my ability to read emotions from faces. “Is she hiding something from me?” I try to write that on my face.

Misaki, upon receiving my look, clenches her fists and gives a triumphant pose.

“Let’s enjoy today to the fullest!”

Hmm…

If my skill no longer works on her, that’s fine. But it’s frustrating because I know that’s not the case.

Will Misaki’s hidden desire to win be calmed by the end of today?

“Gotcha!”

“Whoa!”

When did she…? Kurashiki, wearing a maid outfit, suddenly appears from below and tackles me.

Kurashiki’s maid uniform is a pale blue one-piece. The Lolita-style outfit looks like something from a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale heroine, and it suits her petite figure perfectly.

Is she in heat or something? She quickly strips my blazer and tie off of me.

“Now, Erena!”

“Y-yeah!”

Erepyon, too? I look at her in disbelief.

Erepyon, wearing a black vest instead of a blazer, slips it onto my sleeve. The vest is extremely familiar, but the nameplate that says “Store Manager” has no connection to me at all.

Is this some new form of bullying? I glare at Hatori, checking her outfit from head to toe.

She’s clearly growing. The frilly skirt, a bit too short for my liking, and the corset tied around her waist are borderline unfair. The more defined her waist becomes, the more her full chest and hips are clearly outlined.

Hatori still seems shy in her maid outfit, fidgeting nervously.

“I borrowed the vest from the WELL’s manager. Um… was the nameplate supposed to say ‘Chief’ or ‘Owner’?”

That’s not the problem here.

The combo attack still showed no signs of ending. My right arm was restrained by Kurashiki, and my left arm by Hatori.

And just like that, the maid in front of me beamed with a sweet smile.

…You’re in on this too, huh?

Misaki stepped half a pace closer, trying to attach something around my neck.

It tickled, and with the maids all in super-close proximity, the stress on my body felt like I’d activated a 20x Kaiouken. Is my body even gonna hold out at this rate?

“Mmm! It suits you, totally suits you♪”

Misaki and the others, now done with their demonic redecoration of me, were squealing and giggling like they’d just finished crafting their very own doll.

I reached up and confirmed what was now hanging from my neck.

A slave collar…? No, not that.

“…This is… a bolo tie?”

It was like a string-shaped necktie. The brooch in place of the knot was made of stained glass, shimmering softly in rainbow hues even with the faintest glimmer of light.

“I reused an old brooch that wasn’t getting any love. It was super easy to make, so don’t get all ‘You’re wasting time again…’ on me, okay?”

…That does sound like something I’d say.

Hatori, nodding so vigorously it was almost comical, held up a hand mirror for me. I took a peek.

The combo of school uniform, black vest, and antique-style bolo tie… it’s kind of embarrassing to say, but—even a horse looks good in fine clothes, as they say. I looked like someone who might work at a high-class café or a refined bar.

And yeah, because of that, I couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious.

“Isn’t this a bit too flashy?”

“Standing out is perfect! After all, you’re the manager today, Himemiya-kun!”

“When did I become manager…?”

“““Don’t sweat the small stuff~♪”””

The three of them sang in chorus, howling in perfect sync. Then burst into laughter again like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Looking at this peaceful, cheerful scene… whether I was a committee member or a manager no longer really mattered.

And then—through the speakers all across the school came the sound of an announcement.

Next came a voice: “Okaaaay everyone—ready to roll!?” It was the ever-laid-back student council president, Deyashiki-kaichou.

In contrast to his carefree vibe, the moment his voice echoed through the building, my classmates’ eyes sharpened. Probably every student across the school was having the same reaction.

And no wonder—

“Just like we’ve been saying! Top-ranking classes and clubs will get some seriously flashy prizes! Do you guys want to WIN and secure the best possible setup for the rest of the year~~~!?”

“““““UOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH───────────！！！！！”””””

…Are you all monsters!?

The desire for those prizes was intense. Things like exclusive bishoujo photo books, unlimited access to the terrace seating, even expansion of clubrooms. Everyone was screaming their desires without shame. What is this demon-infested world!?

Not wanting to hear any more, Miyashi, the vice president, quickly wrapped it up with:

“And with that, we now declare the Otozuka High School Cultural Festival… officially open.”

As BGM signaling the start of the festival began playing, our class’s own Jeanne d’Arc, Misaki, raised her right fist high, rallying the spirit of Class 1-B to the max.

“Alright everyone! Let’s aim for that win and give it our all today!”

With her shout, a chorus of war cries erupted from classmates—and from all around the school as rival classes answered with their own roars of determination.

Watching it all, I couldn’t help but think:

Weren’t cultural festivals supposed to be more… peaceful?

…Blaming someone for this madness? Yeah, no good would come of that.

※ ※ ※

I’d mentally prepared myself, but still… I didn’t expect this.

“Himemiya! This is bad—we’ve got a customer line stretching all the way to the stairs now!”

“Good thing we’ve got those numbered tickets. Hand them out to everyone just now arriving—priority one is stopping the line from growing any longer.”

“Himemiya-tenchou! We’re running low on cookies!” (T/N: Tenchou -> Manager.)

“Already messaged the cooking team on LINE. Once the next batch is done, they’ll bring them over from the home ec room. No problem.”

“Tenchou—! We can’t keep up with the demand for hot water!”

“We’ve got those stainless steel jugs from the tennis club. Sorry, but head over to the kitchen and fill them up. It’s boiling water, so go in pairs!”

“Himemiya-kun! Why is our teacher ALSO being made to work in a maid outfit!? And why does it fit so well!? This was planned, wasn’t it!?”

Ugh. So busy.

“Full house” didn’t even begin to cover it. The moment the festival opened, the café got swarmed—like people rushing in for the latest theme park ride. Now that it’s lunchtime, the crowd makes it feel more like we’re handing out brand-new iPhones.

Maybe this is just a reflection of the modern stress-filled world… everyone, young or old, man or woman, is seeking healing through maids.

“Nya-nya!? Master, you’ve already finished the race!? I’m still on lap two, nyaaan!”

At the TV station, Kurashiki and the customers were going wild with MariKa.

Ah yes, the classic Mario Kart move—leaning your whole body on Rainbow Road.

Kurashiki had leaned so far over she looked like she was gonna fall right off her chair, frantically pressing buttons on the controller. She didn’t seem like a regular gamer; honestly, her skills were nothing to write home about.

But that’s what made it great. The sight of her clumsy, desperate effort was pure visual candy. Every customer playing with her or cheering her on seemed to get totally entranced—thinking she was their girlfriend or the princess of their circle. You could practically see their facial muscles and tear ducts melting in real time.

Despite all the cheers around her, Kurashiki finished dead last.

“Achaa~!” Kurashiki let out a frustrated cry, but she wasn’t nearly as frustrated as everyone who didn’t place first. Unbelievably, the other players were all shooting the top-ranked player glares filled with jealousy, envy, and borderline murderous intent.

The reason was obvious. The first-place winner got a special grand prize—custom made by Kurashiki herself.

“Alright, Master who came in first! Tell Ruri-nyan what you want her to say, nyan~!”

“P-please say something a newlywed bride would say!”

Kurashiki’s brain kicked into overdrive. In a flash, she calculated the exact words her Master wanted to hear.

No—calculated the exact words that her beloved husband would want to hear.

“Welcome back~! You must be tired from work today♪”

A common phrase? The answer is no.

“Watashi ni suru, watashi ni suru? Soretomo… wa~ta~shi?”

T/N: Classic Would you like to have a meal first, a bath, or maybe, me~? But all choices are on the last one, me.

“Gahaa…!”

The husband, overwhelmed by these sweet words that seeped into his whole being through his eardrums, succumbed to the poison known as “moe.” After a few seconds of spasming, he slumped forward onto the table and didn’t move an inch. His face was peaceful.

“…I… I’ve burned out… from moe…!”

Cause of death: Kyun-death.

Kyun-death applicants? Lining up nonstop. “I’m next!” they screamed, snatching the limited number of controllers with desperate ferocity. Their expressions? Extremely hideous.

“I’m playing next! I’m gonna take first and have Ruri-nyan guide me straight to heaven! Outta my way, scrubs!”

“You can go straight to hell! I’m the one who’s gonna have Ruri-nyan propose to me!”

“That’s kinda awesome! I wanna be proposed to! Say it to me, Ruri-nyan!”

“Outside, now! Let’s settle this in real-life Smash Bros!”

Please, someone let Nintendo sue them already.

And Kurashiki, stop looking all smug and do something about your customers.

There were plenty of high-quality maids besides Kurashiki too.

Urogase was one of them.

“Here you go~! One soufflé cake set, and the drink is an Emerald Splash Soda—ugh…! Aniki!?”

“Yoo, Yumeno~! Or wait, should I call you Yumenon right now? Nahahahahaha!”

“…………”

The annoying aura radiating off him and her very clear hatred confirmed it—they were 100% real siblings.

“Why are you even here?”

“Well ya know, my girlfriend’s got Saturday classes, right? So that leaves me with nothing to do, right? So obviously I gotta hit up Yumeno’s school festival!”

“That logic makes zero sense… Wait! How’d you even get in without an invitation ticket!?”

“Huh? There was a ticket in your room, Yumenon.”

“Don’t go into people’s rooms without permission!! And don’t steal stuff!!”

Talk about adding insult to injury.

The other customers watching the Urogase sibling showdown were totally into it.

“Y-Yumenon’s a tsundere imouto who dishes out insults!? This is… this is a god-tier development!!”

“For real!? That’s insane! Yumenon, insult this onii-chan too—!”

“Me too, please! Show a poor only-child what it’s like to have a loving little sister!”

Urogase was stunned. Her real older brother couldn’t stay silent.

“You morons! I am Yumenon’s actual big brother! You don’t get to call yourselves the Urogase onii-chans!”

“There’s no way a nobody like you is Yumenon’s brother! Get a DNA test and come back, punk!”

“I take after our dad, okay!? Yumenon! You tell ‘em!”

“You’re all seriously gross! Just die, all of you!”

“““““THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!””””” “Even me!?”

Urogase’s heartfelt scream meant nothing. To the self-proclaimed onii-chans, it was just sweet, sweet fanservice. The real brother? No clue what to do anymore.

And it wasn’t just rowdy guys in the crowd. A group of middle school girls had entered too, and were all fluttering around Hatori like she was a celebrity.

“Erepyon-san, you seem so mature! I totally look up to you!”

“Ah, th-thank you.”

“Is your beauty secret… maybe something you do for your boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? ………!!!!??? I don’t have a boyfriend!”

“““EHHHHHH!?””” The middle school girls reacted like they were on a live talk show. They were fascinated by the mature JK’s love life. Hatori flailed in a panic—“I really don’t have one!!”

“But, but! You do have someone you like, right~?”

“W-Well… I mean… yeah…”

“I knew it! What’s he like?”

“Umm… someone who walks their own path, without being swayed by others…”

“Oooh! Like a strong, take-charge type?”

“If I had to say, yeah. But… when I’m really in trouble, he always reaches out a hand to help me. It’s like he knows exactly what to do, and it always helps…”

“Sounds like you totally fell for him, huh?”

“…Yeah.”

“““KYAAAAAAAAAA~!”””

“S-So embarassing……!”

When Hatori hides her face, even that embarrassed gesture is considered kawaii by the JC-tachi, who shower her with high-pitched cheers. (T/N: JK for High Schoolers, JC for middle schoolers.)

Even someone like me, who’s not exactly rich in love experience, can tell they’re talking about me.

…Sorry, Hatori. Just this once, I can’t throw you a lifeline.

I mean, I can already see the lifeline turning into a nuclear warhead in crisp 4K resolution.

“Everyone, I’m back~!”

Even when I pretend not to hear, that clear and bright voice reaches my ears.

It’s Misaki, just back from helping out with the magic show, wearing a silk top hat on her head as she returns to the classroom.

With the return of the class’s poster girl, the already lively room goes into a full-blown frenzy.

“It’s Karin-sama! Everyone, Karin-sama has descended upon us───!”

“A live Karin-chan in a maid cosplay! Ugh…! I’m so glad I lived to see this day…!”

“Karin-chaaan! Smile this way! Pleaaase! Uwooooh…! I can power through the rest of this year without sleep or rest now…”

It’s like a god just descended on the village.

If this were a different era, there’s a decent chance Misaki would’ve been worshipped in a Himiko-like role.

Big presences tend to stir up chaos.

Everyone starts frantically trying to get her attention, begging her to sit at their tables like it’s some sort of idol auction.

The scene reminds me of the early-morning rush at the Kuromon fish market.

“Karin-chan! Three servings of macarons! No, make it ten!”

“That’s weak sauce, high schooler! I’ll take one full tub of soufflé cake! If Karin-chan’s the one serving it, I don’t even need it baked!”

“Don’t underestimate our retirement funds! Bring all the sweets and drinks you’ve got! I wouldn’t mind if I had Karin-chan in my left eye and my grandkid in the right!”

We’ve gone beyond morning Kuromon… this is full-on Kabukichō nightlife now.

“Hey! No fighting, everyone!”

Misaki, used to this kind of chaos, effortlessly settles down the crowd.

Naturally, charming the crowd is no challenge for her either.

“I’ll be visiting everyone’s tables in turn, okay? Let’s all have fun chatting together, omki?”

“”””””Yeeees!!”””””

These guys would probably pay like ten thousand yen for a single strand of Misaki’s hair.

It’s past 1 p.m. now, and while it’s not exactly quieting down, I’d like to believe it’s at least a bit better than during peak hours.

Ameya and Takechi return from their break.

“I told you not to go restocking supplies! You’ve got a bad habit, y’know! Always trying to show off in front of people!”

“Excuse me, but you stay holed up in the building too much, Ameya! You’re just replaying your summer break! No one wants to hear about your boring summer break!”

““Ahhn!?””

From that pathetic spat, I gather the eSports club’s gaming tournament didn’t end well.

They’d been saying crap like, “Victory is inevitable. The real challenge is making the journey compelling.”

Well, this is the result.

““Himemiya-san! Who do you think was in the wrong!?””

“Can you go clear some dishes for me?”

““We’re below dish level!?””

Damn right you are.

Look, argue all you want, but can you stop dragging me into your dumb routine every single time?

The song playing through the classroom’s TV speakers wraps up, followed by thunderous applause and cheers.

Looks like the mini live performance by the idol unit—Misaki, Hatori, and Kurashiki—has just ended.

Perfect timing. I motion them over.

“You three, go take a break already.”

A rare chance to rest, like some overworked idol finally getting time off?

Misaki leads the charge with a loud “Yatta♪” as the three maids, their fatigue instantly forgotten, go full energy mode to enjoy the culture festival.

“Let’s go grab something to eat! It’s past lunch, so places should be less crowded now, right?”

“Yes yes yes! I wanna go to Yasshi-kaichou’s Deazu Kitchen! I’m totally okay even if the food’s swimming in olive oil, as long as it’s Yasshi-kaichou’s cooking!”

“Not a fan of swimming in oil, but… the girls I was talking to earlier said it was delicious, so I’m in too! Oh, and I also wanna try the cheer squad’s Sachertorte and Class 2-A’s cassata!”

Girls these days are amazing.

They can ride an emotional rollercoaster over just a single festival pamphlet.

Give them a Kansai Walker magazine and they might literally explode from joy.

“Himemiya, you should go take your break now too.”

“Hah?”

“No need to snap at me.”

I turn around only to get a weak chop to the head from everyone’s little sister, Yumenon.

“I don’t mind waiting until the three of them get back, though.”

“Knowing you, you were planning to take your break alone, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then how about you kill two birds with one stone and act as their bodyguard too?”

This girl… What does she think my break time is?

What “two birds”? It’s more like zero birds, two boulders.

“You’re on the festival committee, right? Guarding the three maids is part of the job too, y’know ♪”

She flashes a bright smile with sparkling white teeth—fully aware of my displeasure. That’s what makes her so dangerous.

The three girls who overheard us are just as bad.

“Guess I’ll take you up on that offer. Himemiya-kun, please escort us~ ♪”

“You’ll eat with us, right, Himemiya? And… if we can go around the festival together afterward, well… I’d be happy.”

“I hereby appoint Himemiya as our SP! You have the right to say, ‘Do you need something with my girls?’ to any guy who tries to flirt with us!”

“……”

My culture festival was starting to feel like an All-Star Thanksgiving Special…

Well, I guess that can’t be helped. Like Urogase said, I am on the planning committee. Today’s top priority isn’t my personal feelings—it’s managing my classmates.

It can’t be helped.

“Bring a pancake knife or fork with you. Just clutch it tight while walking through the school and not only guys, but no one will dare come nea—”

“Then let’s go, the four of us.”

““Yup.””

…Couldn’t they at least let me finish my advice?

Both my arms were pulled, my back pushed forward.

From the outside, it might look like I was surrounded by flowers, but from my perspective, it was like I was being escorted off by a kidnapping group.

3-C’s “Deyazu Kitchen.” Just like the name implies, it looked like an Italian restaurant themed around that olive oil guy. The place was bustling with female customers, and the white-based interior didn’t feel simple so much as it felt refined. If I had to pick a place to loiter with just a cup of coffee, this place definitely beats our sugar-filled class café.

“Fuuunyaa~~… My legs are dead~~… I’m starving~~…”

The moment we sat down at the four-person table we were guided to, Kurashiki melted from a solid into a liquid.

One of her “guardians,” Misaki, held up a yellow card.

“Hey, Ruri. You’re a maid from Class 1-B right now, remember? Rest with some dignity, please.”

“I just want people to love me for who I am.”

“There she goes again with the nonsense…”

“It’s not nonsense nya!” Kurashiki puffed out her cheeks. She clearly had no intention of compromising her beliefs.

“And so, quiz time for Himemiya!”

“Huh?”

“Girl A, pure and innocent with no hidden sides. Girl B, a two-faced schemer obsessed with appearances. If you had to date one, who would it be?”

She’s definitely not hiding anything—Kurashiki’s cheating outright with no shame. Not pure and innocent though.

“You’re just a ball of malice!” Misaki fired back, unwilling to go down without a fight. She revised the options:

“Girl A, honest and straightforward. Girl B, considerate and attentive to those around her. Please answer based on these options!”

Girl A and Girl B both stared daggers at me, practically boring holes into my eyes with their intense gazes. And as a bonus, Hatori’s stare joined in. Actually, Hatori’s might be the strongest.

Who would I date, huh…

“Well, each person’s got their own personality, right? Shouldn’t the real issue be compatibility?”

Bit of a cold splash to the face?

“Whoa, that’s like… a perfect score answer!”

“Too logical… it hurts…!”

At least they both calmed down, but now they were whispering bitterly at me with regretful glances.

“Himemiya-kun’s got too much common sense, it’s the worst…”

“This time I’m so annoyed I’m not even giving him points…”

“The issue is compatibility, huh… I see…”

Hatori, don’t take notes!

“Oiii! Lunch with three maids? That’s a total harem! You lucky bastard!”

“Ah. Could I get a menu?”

“C’mon, I’m messing with you—react a little, will ya…?”

I’d heard similar comments from people all along the way.

The owner of Deyazu Kitchen? President Deyashiki himself, with a greeting that came off a bit… questionable. Of course, I ignored that with all my might.

I opened the menu he handed over. It was packed with variety—pastas, pizzas, omelets, salads, soups, even carpaccio. Desserts were plentiful too. No wonder it was popular with girls.

Our maids seemed to approve too.

“Let’s share a pizza~”

“There are three kinds, what should we get?”

“One vote for Margherita!”

A high-speed emergency conference had begun.

The president, clearly pleased with the response, chimed in:

“People tend to focus on the variety, but I’m confident in the taste too! After all, the guy in the kitchen’s been working part-time for years at Sai— uh, I mean, an Italian place!”

“You really know how to spin it. Wait, so you’re working the floor, President? I thought with a name like Deyazu Kitchen, you’d be the chef.”

“You know how sumo wrestlers lend their names to chanko restaurants? Same idea.”

Say that in front of a yokozuna, I dare you.

Misaki asked him a question.

“What’s the difference between the ‘President’s Whimsical Salad’ and the ‘President’s Whatever Salad’?”

“Oh that? The ‘Whimsical’ one gets a random dressing I pick. The ‘Whatever’ one gets… a random dressing I pick.”

That’s the same thing!!

Looking closely, I spotted a whole series of “President’s” menu items. Stuff like “Disillusioned Pasta” and “Melancholy Omelet.” Fans of the president might appreciate it, but for everyone else, it’s like ordering a landmine.

“For Himemiya, I recommend the ‘Lasagna with White Sauce Topped with the President’s Sarcasm’! With your harem fever going on, I can serve up plenty of meat!”

“Then I’ll have the lasagna. Hold the sarcasm, please.”

“Ehh!? You can’t be picky, y’know~?”

If he were just a classmate, I would’ve punched him.

He was seriously annoying me in record time—err, I mean, being extremely friendly. Honestly though, he probably is better suited for floor work than kitchen duty.

Maybe he’s got a knack for sales. He passionately pitched dessert options to the girls who were indecisive.

“For all the sweets-loving ladies, I highly recommend the gelato! Our signature item—choose any two of thirteen flavors to mix! You gotta try it!”

It really did seem like the star item. It had a whole page in the menu just for itself, offering everything from basics like vanilla and chocolate to quirky flavors like soda float and strawberry cheesecake tart.

“Himemiya, you eat too!”

“I’ll have coffee. Hot.”

“…You know, talking to you really reminds me of Hitomin.”

“Were you calling me?”

“Hi—Hitomin!?”

“You’re so rude. Talking about me like I’m a ghost.”

Looks like she really did appear behind him. Turning around, I saw the vice president and the president’s nemesis—Miyai-senpai, standing beside him like a Stand By Me moment. She seemed to be on patrol, wearing the student council armband.

Huh? The president’s starting to panic a little.

Next thing I knew, he hastily scribbled down our order slip and turned his back to us.

“W-Well then! I’ll just go put in your orders! Feel free to chat amongst yourselves!”

“…That gelato… isn’t that the same one from the ice cream vending machine on campus?”

“!!!”

Wow, that reaction was so obvious.

Kaichou’s shoulders bounced up like he’d just done a reverse bungee jump.

“…Wh-What are you talking about, Hitomin?”

“Because it’s exactly the same lineup as the vending machine.”

“I don’t knooow what you’re talking abooout~ HAHAHAHAHA!”

“The ingredients you’re using for the gelato? Aren’t they from the vending machine that’s struggling to sell anything—the one you forced us to install, kaichou?”

“Stop it! Don’t hurt me and the vending machine any more than this!”

It was the kind of reaction only the true culprit would give.

Hatori and Kurashiki, still not caught up, whispered, “What’s going on?”

“In short,” I explained, “Kaichou used the culture festival as a chance to unload some unsellable ice cream stock.”

““Aahhh…””

Is it business savvy, or just shamelessness?

Having grasped the gist of the situation, all we could do was watch.

Never thought I’d get to enjoy a Tuesday suspense drama live.

“Wh-wh-what’s wrong with using ice cream from the vending machine?! It’s not like I’m ripping people off or anything!!”

“That’s true.”

“Eh…?”

“I never said you were doing something wrong, did I?”

“Huh? …R-Right! Haha! That’s just me being a scatterbrain again!”

“What I didn’t like is that you ran away the moment you thought I might find out.”

“……”

“By the way, you’re not just serving the ice cream as-is, right?”

“Eh… Wh-Why do you ask?”

“According to Japanese law, ice cream must contain at least 15% milk solids, and 8% of that must be milk fat.

However, with gelato, a milk fat content around 5% is standard.”

…Somehow, Miyai-senpai’s looking more and more like a prosecutor.

“J-j-j-just because that’s ‘standard’ doesn’t mean ice cream can’t call itself gelato!”

“It can’t. If the milk fat content is between 3% and 8%, it’s categorized as ice milk, not ice cream.”

“…Sh-Shut up! I won’t allow any more comments that damage the store’s reputation! I’ll sue you for obstruction of business!”

“I’ll sue you for food mislabeling.”

“I’m sorry!! I’ll treat everyone to ice cream, so please, just keep quiet!”

Winner: Miyai-senpai.

“She’s offered a settlement. Everyone okay with that?”

Not a bribe—a settlement. It’s all about the phrasing, huh?

There was no reason to say no, and so the case was quickly closed with ice cream for everyone.

Miyai-senpai was encouraged by Misaki to join our table, and the All-Star Thanksgiving Special that was my friend group just got even more extravagant.

We’ve basically formed a party capable of storming the Demon Lord’s castle.

Though the Demon Lord just died a moment ago.

“Kaichou, I’ll have a matcha ice cream and that omurice that drips with your sorrow, please. Make sure it’s dripping.”

…A demon?

“Coming right up~!” Kaichou shouted as he went to place the order, probably out of spite at this point.

As Miyai-senpai wiped her hands with a wet towel after kicking the corpse one last time, I couldn’t help but ask:

“Was it really okay to make kaichou treat everyone?”

“It’s fine. Honestly, it’s a light punishment for trying to deceive his kouhai.”

It seems what set Miyai-senpai off the most was that conman-level stunt kaichou pulled.

“Besides, I never properly thanked you two.”

“You two” clearly meant me and Misaki.

Miyai-senpai bowed her head to us.

“Once again, thank you. Thanks to you, this year’s culture festival is more lively than any year before. Even doing patrols has been really fun.”

“We’re honored you’d say that. But we just gave a few suggestions.”

“It’s those few suggestions that were wonderful. You know what they say—going from 1 to 100 is easy, but creating 1 from 0 is the hard part.”

Yeah, I’ve heard that one before. Definitely sounds true.

Though as someone who lives by the “solo is best” rule, I kinda feel like 1 can just stay 1 forever.

While I was having those pointless thoughts, Miyai-senpai’s eyes sparkled.

“That power of yours, we’d love to see it put to full use in the student council—”

“Not happening.”

Still not giving up, huh.

“You’re not like the kaichou. I doubt you’d ever be easily roped in.”

That rare smile from usually poker-faced senpai… Honestly, it made my heart skip a beat.

Guess that’s just nature’s law.

What about the smile of a classmate, one full of visible emotions?

“Come on, just give up and become a student council hero already,” said Misaki with a smile, sitting beside me.

I stared at her for a long moment.

“What is it?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

But whenever this topic comes up, I can’t help but feel something’s… off.

Normally, Misaki’s cheerful smile would make my heart race a little—but now, I felt nothing at all.

The reason’s painfully simple: her usual bright feelings weren’t there.

Even though she was praised too, she acted like she had nothing to do with it.

No signs of jealousy or competitiveness either.

Not even a sad expression I could sympathize with.

Or maybe that’s it—maybe she doesn’t want sympathy.

So she’s faking her usual self.

I wonder if Kurashiki noticed something’s off too. Or maybe she’s just not the type to read into things.

She cut through the tension like a pro MC.

“Okay, okay! Hitomin-senpai, do you like the kaichou?”

“That guy? ………Fuh.”

The fact that just a demonstrative pronoun conveyed that much emotion—amazing.

And right then, that guy showed up.

“Margherita pizza, comin’ right up!”

“??? Hitomin’s smiling? That’s rare. What were you guys talking about?”

“Whether or not someone could fall for a hopeless loser.”

“Hahahaha! If you fell for someone like that, you’d be doomed!”

Yeah, exactly.

After eating our fill, and sending off kaichou with a quick bow, we left the café.

Miyai-senpai looked like she was returning to work too.

“I’ll be taking my leave here as well. I’ve got a meeting for the Otozuka Collection coming up.”

Whoa. That’s unexpected.

“You’re participating in that too, senpai?”

“As one of the judges. Though, if Himemiya-kun really insists, I might just throw myself into it.”

“There’s definitely something shady behind that, so I’ll pass.”

Miyai-senpai gave a mysterious chuckle.

Was that a joke? Or is there really something behind it?

…Does she even make jokes?

“Misaki-san, Kurashiki-san—best of luck in the show.”

““We’ll do our best~♪””

“And Hatori-san, you’re welcome to jump in last-minute. I have high hopes.”

“I-I’ll consider it…”

Judging from that awkward smile, Hatori’s definitely not joining.

Our party was back to the original four.

Wait, no—originally it was just me.

“Where to next?” Misaki asked the group.

“I want to check out the Film Club’s short film,” Hatori said shyly. “It’s starting soon, too.”

“Oh! The one starring Karin, right? I wanna see that too! Let’s see if it really makes me cry!”

“It’s a little embarrassing, but… okay, let’s go watch the movie. The club president and the others worked really hard on it for the contest, so I might actually cry, you know？”

As we’re about to head out, Misaki-san casually crushes my escape option with,

“Make sure to keep up, Himemiya-kun, so you don’t get lost, okay？”

Misaki-san… you’re seriously damn straight.

And just like that, the nail that had been hammered into me pops off with a clink.

“There you are! Heyyy! Karin-chan!”

Drama club? A play for their class project?

A guy dressed in full-on aluminum-vibes Western armor and wielding a longsword runs over to us.

Technically I’m the “SP” (security), so maybe I should take him down without question, but…

he looks obviously panicked and not like someone out for revenge or here to slash Misaki, so I let it slide.

“What’s with the rush?”

“The audio file of Karin-chan’s recording just vanished! I was secretly listening to it backstage and accidentally deleted it!”

That’s your own damn fault.

“Please! Could you do the last performance live with your real voice? I’m begging you! We’re out of time!”

Even if this is totally a case of you-reap-what-you-sow, there’s no way Misaki would just abandon ship after hopping aboard.

“Sorry everyone! Looks like it’s an emergency, so I’ll go help!”

With a big wave and a cheery “See you later~!”, Misaki and the soldier dash down the stairs in a hurry.

“Aww man. Can’t be helped. I guess it’s just us who get to witness Karin’s stellar acting now~”

Kurashiki starts walking toward the theater but immediately comes to a stop.

Seems like her phone’s ringing.

“’Scuse me a sec. Hellooo? What’s up~? Uh-huh, uh-huh… wait, you’re already at the school? And you went into the maid café? Got it, got it. I’ll rush right back!”

Kurashiki puts her phone away and now gives us a meaningful look instead of heading for Misaki’s performance.

“Sorry, you two! A friend from middle school came to visit, so I’m heading back to the maid café too. You youngsters go enjoy yourselves~”

…You some kind of innkeeper, lady?

“Tell me how it was later~!”

She runs off down the corridor, and soon enough, her figure disappears.

Yep. Clearly this is karma for my usual good behavior.

God must’ve taken pity on the forever-alone Himemiya and decided to slowly peel off my group.

Now then, only one remains.

“……”

“……”

Ten seconds pass.

“……”

“……”

Weird. The “Hatori leaves too” event isn’t triggering.

Hatori probably picked up on what I’m thinking. She looks kind of uneasy… like she’s tense or awkward.

She’s fidgeting with her hair accessory and adjusting her outfit over and over.

Eventually, she forces a smile and says—

“Sorry. I wish I had somewhere else to be, but…”

“No worries. It’s mutual, don’t stress.”

“Um… so, Himemiya, what’re you gonna do now?”

“Huh？”

“Just wander around? Or head back to the secret base and chill?”

Ahh, so that’s your move. She’s trying to give me permission to go off on my own.

It’s like she’s gently unfastening the collar that had me chained up.

Totally different from those who came earlier swinging hammers.

Still, Hatori’s clearly struggling with this.

“I’ll go watch the movie! I need to be able to tell the others what I thought…！”

Wow. For her, watching a movie alone is such a huge hurdle.

Makes me want to comment on how ridiculously high that bar is.

Well, yeah. For someone who’s never even gone to a café alone, soloing at the culture festival is a big leap.

“I’m off…！”

“Ah—hold up.”

“？”

“I’m going with you.”

“Eh…？”

That reaction of “wait, together was an option?”—ouch, girl.

That’s exactly the kind of reaction I was expecting, which makes it hurt even more.

“I-it’s fine! I won’t tell anyone I went alone”

“Whether you tell or not doesn’t matter. My job right now is guarding the maids, remember?

Well, two of them kinda went MIA though.”

“But still…”

Hatori still doesn’t seem convinced.

She’s clearly holding back, trying not to trouble me.

And then, with eyes that seem to ask “Are you really okay not being alone?”—

“Hey, Hatori.”

“Y-yeah？”

“I get that you’re being considerate. But you don’t have to overdo it.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah. You’re being so considerate I probably look like some pathetic guy trying desperately to flirt with maids.”

I’m not good at being considerate, or being considered for that matter.

But if I had to choose between the two, I’d always choose to be the one doing the considering.

Just because someone prefers solitude doesn’t mean they lack respect for others.

Being alone ≠ being selfish.

That said, if after all this grand talk, Hatori actually wanted to go solo, that would be peak comedy.

“Well, if you really weren’t trying to be nice and genuinely wanted to watch alone, then I’ll go my ow──”

“That’s not it at all!”

“Whoa…！”

Hatori-san closes the distance—fast.

To say it’s the closest she’s ever gotten would not be an exaggeration.

She gets so close her soft chest bumps into my own, full-on oppai-don moment.

Himemiya Haruichi, the victim, gets backed up against a wall, and Hatori Erena, the culprit, continues to press forward.

And then, her machine-gun talk couldn’t be stopped—literally unstoppable.

“I’ve been wanting to walk around the culture festival with Himemiya ever since before it started! Karin and Ruri are participating in OtoKore, right? So I was like, ‘Maybe, just maybe, I’ll get to walk around with Himemiya alone…?’ and got my hopes up! But then when it was actually just the two of us, I started thinking, ‘Wait, wouldn’t being alone together be a bother for Himemiya…?’ and I got all anxious. So when you said you’d walk around with me, Himemiya, I was so so happy on the inside, I was worried my face might be totally giving it away────”

That mature expression from earlier? Completely gone.

The girl in front of me now gazes up with sparkling eyes like she’s staring at a trumpet in a display case. Her rising excitement seems to inversely correlate with how tightly she presses her plump chest between her arms—gyuuuuuu!

So the difference in proximity could actually boost her lethality this much, huh…

At this rate, my facial muscles might give out first.

Plus, the chances of Hatori passing out from oxygen deprivation are alarmingly high.

“Hatori.”

“?”

“Calm down a bit. Everyone’s staring.”

“Eh? ……Ah.”

Welcome back to the real world, Meido-sama. Hatori finally realizes that students and bystanders nearby are all staring like, “What’s going on?”

“～～～っ! ……Sorry again, as always…”

“No need to apologize. Actually, there’s a lot of people around, so let’s get moving. You wanted to check out a bunch of stuff, right? Like watch a movie or, uh… that thing… eat Zakkeroni and Kassano?”

“Zahha Torte and Cassata?”

“…Yeah, that.”

Seems she’s calmed down enough to correct my slip-ups.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”

…What even is that? Hatori bows politely, then follows after me as I start walking.

That first step of hers was light as a feather.

In the AV room, we attend a screening.

I feel seriously sorry for coming in with the bias of “It’s just a film made by a bunch of high schoolers.”

That’s how well-made it was—it felt like a proper story, and it caught me off guard.

A traditional kimono workshop district representing Japan: Otozuka-go.

In one of its oldest workshops, a lone daughter pours her heart into supporting her beloved grandfather and the craftsmen who work there.

Naturally, the role of the girl is played by Misaki Karin.

Her dream is to revitalize her family’s declining kimono business and spread the charm of traditional kimono to Japan and the world.

Being a high schooler, there’s only so much she can do—but after school, she helps prepare dinner for the craftsmen, supports the workshop at local events as its poster girl, and more.

Then one day, her grandfather collapses due to illness.

She comes to realize the value of the ordinary days she took for granted.

She plans to study business in university, gain experience in a fashion trading company in either sales or planning, then eventually return to the workshop and help spread the appeal of Otozuka’s kimono alongside her grandfather.

That was supposed to be the best path for her.

And yet—it starts to feel like just an unnecessarily roundabout route.

Eventually, she declares: “I don’t want to go to university. I want to become a craftsman and take over for Grandpa.”

Naturally, her grandfather fiercely objects.

“You think a little girl like you needs to worry about me? I ain’t that old and weak yet!”

But those fiery words, coming from his sickbed, sound like nothing more than bravado.

The girl is painfully reminded of how powerless she truly is.

The scene where she does a “hyakudo mairi”—a hundred shrine visits—is breathtaking.

They must’ve shot it on purpose during a heavy rainstorm.

Drenched to the bone, barefoot, she walks back and forth in front of the shrine over and over.

Everyone in the audience feels her pain—not just her physical fatigue, but also the emotional burden of thinking, “Someone as young and inexperienced as me can’t possibly take Grandpa’s place.”

Midway through the story, she starts to wonder:

“Isn’t there something I can do exactly because I’m young?”

She realizes that it’s young people who understand other young people best.

And so, she sets out to create a PV (promotional video) aimed at reaching out to her generation, who are growing distant from traditional clothing.

The PV creation process feels a bit rushed and rough, but once you see the finished product, you’ll understand—and forgive it.

With her narration, we watch as craftsmen dye and paint a pristine white kimono.

The steps are only loosely explained, likely to let the visuals speak for themselves and convey the beauty of traditional craftsmanship.

Through time-lapse, delicate flower petals bloom vividly across the fabric.

For the key scenes, the footage slows down, letting us absorb just how much skill and patience the work requires.

As the process finishes and the screen slowly fades to black—

the PV still isn’t over.

A new scene appears, and gasps escape the audience.

The girl is shown wearing the completed kimono.

But it’s not a typical outfit—it’s a Taisho-era student style, pairing ni-shaku sleeves with a hakama, and instead of geta sandals, she’s wearing high-cut boots—a stylish combo known as haikara at the time.

It’s a PV that passionately conveys her desire to connect with young people and students.

The PV, once uploaded to YouTube, becomes a mega hit.

Not only Japanese youth, but international viewers flood it with comments, and it gets featured on media outlets too many to count.

The girl truly feels, “Even as a high schooler, I can share the beauty of kimono.”

Having made peace with her now fully recovered grandfather,

she returns to her usual—and wonderful—daily life.

Once the end credits start rolling, a flood of praise erupts from boys and girls alike.

“Karin-chan! Congrats on the Newcomer Actor Award! Next year it’s Best Supporting Actress!”

“Dang it, I’m crying so hard I can’t see a thing… And I’ve gotta perform manzai comedy on stage after this… No way I can do it…!”

“Karin-chan looked soooooo pretty in that kimono~! Hey hey! Should we do our yukata debut at next year’s summer festival?”

“I don’t wanna wait that long! Should we just rent kimono and do a Kyoto tour, like in Fushimi or Arashiyama!?”

People stand for ovations, share their emotions with friends, or are simply moved to their core.

Even Hatori, sitting beside me, wipes her teary eyes with her fingers.

“That really got me… Not just the story—Karin is just amazing.”

“Yeah. Honestly, it’s the kind of thing that could actually go viral if they uploaded it to YouTube.”

The principal playing the role of the grandfather was fantastic too.

Guess his old boasting during morning assemblies about once pursuing acting wasn’t all talk.

The credits finish rolling.

The 30-minute short film comes to an end.

It really was time well spent… I think to myself—when…

Huh? Karin’s back on screen?

Doesn’t seem like she’s returning as the girl character… She’s wearing a maid uniform, after all.

To the buzzing crowd wondering what’s going on, Karin waves and says:

“My class, 1-B, is doing a maid café! We’ve got super cute maids ready to serve you tasty sweets and charming smiles, so please come visit us, okay? ♪”

Ahhh. So this is her reward for helping the film club—some promo time.

You’re just as clever and shameless as the student council prez, huh.

“I want to share these emotions with Karin-chan… That’s it! Let’s go to the maid café!”

“I want one too! I’ve gotta get Karin-chan’s autograph and a photo before she makes her Hollywood debut!”

“I wanna say that’s an exaggeration, but it’s really not, huh~. Let’s go too!”

It was the perfect timing for some good ol’ promotion. No time to be soaking in the lingering rhymes—we began our mass migration toward the maid café.

Misaki’s probably busy right now cleaning up some dumb mistake a fellow soldier made.

“Should we let them know Karin’s not there…?”

“It’d just ruin the mood. We should just quietly see them off.”

“Himemiya, are you thinking this is a pain?”

I’m definitely not thinking that. Absolutely not.

“More importantly… Hatori, I don’t think you’re in any position to be worrying about others.”

“Eh?”

“Why me?” Hatori tilted her head in confusion—but once silence fell, she finally noticed all the eyes on her.

By the entrance stood three guys who looked like they were from another school.

“That maid girl’s the one from the poster, right?! Damn, she’s got an insane figure—like a real model!”

“Seriously?! She’s cute as hell~~~… You think I’d get in trouble if I asked for her LINE?”

“Open your eyes, dumbass. It’s clearly a date.”

When people see a pretty girl with a not-so-impressive guy, reactions generally fall into two categories:

The first—“If he’s got a chance, so do I! I’ll work hard!”

The second—“Why the hell is it always you? Go fall into a pit.”

These guys definitely belonged to the second group.

“Himemiya, let’s go…!”

No way someone as shy as Hatori would feel comfortable here. She pulled on my hand and dragged me out of the AV room.

As we passed them, we got the triple-barreled, “”“Rubbing it in, aren’t you…!””” from the peanut gallery’s jealous stares.

I wonder if I’d get decked if I said, “That’s exactly the issue here.”

We kept wandering around campus—halls, school grounds—just soaking in the culture fest vibes.

But the more we wandered, the more Misaki’s presence was everywhere.

Passing by the rugby team’s ramen stall—

“Welcome, welcome~~! Supervised by the school’s idol, Karin-chan! How about some spicy tantanmen with extra green onions, a mountain of bean sprouts, and a monster helping of chashu?! I’ll drain the noodles to perfection with these bulging biceps of mine! Real men slurp in silence!!!”

Stopping to check out what the programming club was up to—

“Here, you can immerse yourself in a virtual world with a VR headset! Presenting: Misaki Karin’s Summer Lesson! Only those willing to leave the real world behind should enter! Our development team has logged over 100 hours of playtime!”

Peeking into the athletic club’s festival booth—

“Yo-yo fishing, shooting gallery, smart ball, ring toss, shape cutting, lucky draw, and underwater coin drop! If you beat all seven events, you’ll win a handmade cake from none other than three-star chef Karin-chan! Only three available! No winners yet! Keep it up—at this rate, all the cakes are ours!”

And on and on. I don’t know everything she helped with, but the number of posters alone was nuts.

Misaki had worked so hard that it felt less like a cultural festival and more like we’d wandered into Tokyo Misaki Land or Universal Studio Karin.

After our little Misaki tour, Hatori and I finally took a break at one of the courtyard tables.

“This is so good…♪”

Tasting her long-awaited sweets—a sachertorte and a cassata—our normally composed lady went full cheeks-falling-off-in-ecstasy mode.

“Himemiya, want some too?”

“I already had ice cream at the student council’s place. Just coffee’s enough for me.”

“Well I had sweets after ice cream, so you can too… Come on, try it!”

This wasn’t about sharing the flavor—she just wanted to share the calories, didn’t she? Not waiting for a yes, Hatori split both desserts in half and slid over a half-and-half plate to me.

“Thanks,” I said with a nod and took a bite of the cassata.

It was my first time having it, and I couldn’t help but nod in approval.

“Tastes like a mix of cake and ice cream. Pairs well with black coffee.”

“Rich and thick, but still light. It’s really good. Apparently, like gelato, it’s from Italy too.”

So this is a proper Italian dessert, huh? I’d love to make that one gelato-faker try it for a reality check.

“This one’s good too, try it,” Hatori encouraged me.

“Ah…”

“Hmm? Hatori?”

What’s going on here?

For some reason, Hatori freezes as if she’s just realized something serious. And not just frozen still—her face is gradually turning red?

While I’m wondering about Hatori’s laggy processing speed, I take a bite of the recommended Sachertorte.

“Th-that fork… it’s mine…”

“…”

Don’t say that while I’m biting into it…

Judging by the situation, instead of handing me a fresh fork for the sliced cake, she probably gave me the one she was already using by mistake.

“S-sorry… um, I-I made you do an indirect kiss…”

You a pure maiden or what.

Saying stuff like “Don’t worry, I get forced to eat Yuzu’s hated bell peppers all the time too,” or “Good thing you’re a cute girl—if you were a guy, you’d be getting sued,” wouldn’t exactly be helpful here.

Letting something slip that would’ve never been noticed otherwise is just so… Hatori-like.

Thinking too much about this is a pain, so I’ll just show how I feel through my actions.

Since I already forgot the taste, I toss another bite of the Sachertorte into my mouth. With the same fork.

“Yeah. Just like it looks—it’s chocolate cake. Hatori, what makes this cake different from the usual kind?”

By making it clear that I’m not bothered, the embarrassed and awkward look on Hatori’s face starts to lift. That “He accepted it!” reaction of hers is kind of embarrassing though, so I wish she’d spare me that.

“U-um, the special thing about Sachertorte is that it uses apricot jam! I think it tends to be a bit sweeter than regular chocolate cake too.”

Now that she mentions it, there is a jam layer in there. So that sweetness was from the apricot, huh.

As I admire the cake’s cross-section and go “Hoooh,” feeling genuinely impressed, I realize that Hatori—now back to her usual self—is giggling softly.

“What now?”

It’s not the usual “You don’t know what Sachertorte is? LMAO, how countryside are you??” kind of teasing.

“Sorry, it’s just… your response was so typically Himemiya, I felt relieved, and ended up finding it really funny.”

“Don’t laugh just ‘cause I’m acting like myself…”

“That line is also so Himemiya-like.”

Man, this is some no-exit hell. If I poke back at that, we’ll really end up in a loop. So, I take the wise route and wash it all down with a sip of coffee.

A quick glance at my phone shows it’s a bit past 3 PM.

Looks like Hatori’s also picked up on the fact that break time’s almost over.

“Thank you so much for walking around with me today. I had a really good time.”

If she had said it was boring, my break time would’ve truly died in vain, so hearing that is more than enough.

“And also… I’m happy my dream came true.”

“Dream?”

“Yeah. Going around the culture festival with you like this—or rather… d-dating you! That was my dream before graduation.”

“…O-oh…”

She actually said the word date out loud. That’s a bold move, especially for Hatori. Almost like she’s saying she sees me with long-term potential or something.

Maybe realizing she pushed it too far, she waves her hands in a fluster. “O-of course, it’s just my personal dream or goal, so Himemiya doesn’t need to worry about it or anything!”

“I know you have your own important time, Himemiya, and I want to respect that! I mean, I am kinda stealing your time right now, so maybe that sounds weird, but… I’m sorry! Saying something like that probably makes you think I’m being overly considerate again, right? … … H-huh? Maybe the one who’s actually too considerate isn’t me, but Himemiya…?”

Hatori’s rapid-fire self-defense talk ends up jamming and misfiring. That kind of damage is just as dangerous.

I can’t help but let out a soft exhale.

“I’m a huge pain, sure, but you’ve got your fair share of issues too, huh.”

A line that might sound super rude to some people. Wouldn’t be strange to get slapped for it.

But Hatori just smiles and lets it slide. No—more than that, she responds with, “So… we’re matching?”

…She might actually be my kindred spirit.

“I’m glad we’re the same. But, Himemiya—you’re not a pain at all.”

“I’m not a pain? Me?”

“Yup. You’re just someone who takes the time to think things through and act accordingly.”

There are plenty of ways to brush that off—say it’s flattery, or just being humble.

But I know enough not to say those things to someone like Hatori, who’s looking me straight in the eye like that.

All I can do is listen.

“A truly difficult person wouldn’t have helped me so many times, or pointed out both the good and bad in me. Most of all, they wouldn’t have tried to close the distance after we drifted apart. That’s why—you’re not a pain at all. I guarantee it.”

“…I see.”

“Yeah. So hold your head up high.”

In the courtyard painted with autumn leaves, Hatori smiles at me.

The reds and yellows of the foliage bring out her long, glossy black hair and soft, composed features. She looks like she belongs in a painting.

She’s someone who suits autumn. It’s not just because of the excitement of the culture festival. Even on a regular day, if we stood together in a place where you could feel the season, I’m sure I’d think the same thing.

“You’ve really changed. You can say what you want to say now.”

“If that’s true, I’m happy. It’s because Himemiya changed me.”

“You make it sound like I’m some bad influence or something…”

“Himemiya’s not a bad guy! Y-you’re a good guy!”

If you’re gonna get embarrassed saying it, don’t say it in the first place…

Watching Hatori fan her red face with her hand, I feel like I need to reevaluate things. This whole “I’ve been single so long, romance just doesn’t register for me” stance—maybe it’s time to finally graduate from that.

I’ve got no idea what kind of answer I’ll reach in the end, but I guess I should start by accepting that I’m part of this now.

Starting not from a warm-up, but from the tutorial stage… just how disconnected from romance has my life been?

“Wanna head back?”

I down the still-warm coffee in one go and stand up.

Hatori stands too, though it looks like she still has something she wants to do.

“Is it okay if we stop by the Sachertorte stall again? I wanna buy some for Karin and Ruri as a souvenir.”

“Got it. Then we’ll swing by the cheer squad on the way.”

“Yup♪”

Not long ago, Hatori used to walk half a step behind me. Now she’s right by my side—close enough that our shoulders and the backs of our hands almost touch. Her growth is seriously impressive.

And as we walk side by side, she murmurs—

“I hope Karin can change too.”

“Misaki?”

The sudden statement catches me off guard, and I’m momentarily stunned.

However, since there’s something I can recall that seems relevant, my surprise and doubt quickly fade away.

It seems like Hatori is referring to Misaki, who is harboring a sense of rivalry towards me.

The current source of trouble is something that makes me sigh in frustration.

“That girl seems to be going in a weird direction, though.”

“No, that’s not true.”

“Let me ask you directly. Why do you think that?”

“Well, you know? Karin has always prioritized making everyone happy, right?”

“Yeah.”

“But recently, I think she’s been acting for her own sake.”

I’m a little shocked. When she says it like that, I can’t help but agree.

“Karin has been putting the feeling of ‘I want to beat Himemiya’ at the top of her priorities, and she’s been working hard for that. That’s not for someone else’s sake, but for her own. She’s going through a really valuable experience right now.”

“…I see, that’s one way to look at it.”

As expected of a close friend. Hatoko seems to understand Misaki really well. I thought it was only Misaki who was confused, but maybe I was overthinking things myself.

Hatoko looks up at me and smiles. Her expression clearly conveys the unspoken message: “Please help Karin change.”

Embarrassed, I speed up my walking pace, but Hatoko still stays right beside me.

After buying souvenirs for Misaki and Kurashiki, we finally arrive at the classroom.

It seems the store was running smoothly. Compared to the busy period, things have calmed down, but the room is still buzzing with energy.

“Nyahaha! Once you learn the shortcuts, it’s all over!”

In front of the TV, Kurashiki is still clicking the controller away.

Her Mario Kart skills have improved drastically since we first started playing.

“I can’t win…!”

“Damn! I wanted to ask Ruri-nyan for one line before the first date goodbye!”

“Take that, Spiny Shell!?! Wait, did… did that mushroom just dodge it…?”

Not too long ago, the customers were rivals, but now Kurashiki has become the biggest obstacle to beat. Her hidden gamer talent has blossomed.

“Golgolgolgolgol! I am Nyam-ba One!!!”

With a phrase that could be either cat-like or dog-like, Kurashiki crosses the finish line in a wild lead.

Finally noticing us returning, Kurashiki looks away from the TV.

“Welcome back~♪” she skips toward us, sniffing the air.

“Hmm? This scent… chocolate? The box must have Sachertorte inside, right?”

“Wow, your sense of smell is amazing…! Yep, you’re right. I got this for Ruri and the others. A present from me and Himemiya.”

Kurashiki, expressing her joy to the fullest, says, “Thank you, I love you!” as she gives Hatoko a big hug. She seems to want to express her gratitude as much as possible, rubbing Hatoko’s corset-bound waist over and over. Her actions are borderline sexual harassment.

“Really, thank you~♪ So how about a tip? A hug and a kiss?”

“No tips are needed…! Please… don’t, it’s embarrassing, so back off…!”

“Not holding back is a bad trait of Japanese people, you know? Come on, Erena! Give me your body and lips!”

“Absolutely not!”

At this point, this whole routine has become a bit of a tradition.

Though, for a tradition, it feels like it’s lacking a bit of punch.

“Hey, Kurashiki.”

“What’s up? Don’t worry, I’ll give a tip to Himemiya too.”

“Tips aren’t needed in Japan. That’s not what I meant. Has Misaki not come back yet?”

Kurashiki looks at me, puzzled.

“Huh? Didn’t you two go together?”

“We parted ways after lunch.”

“Seriously? Then the same as me.””

Surprised by Misaki’s absence, Kurashiki and I blink in confusion.

Hatori takes out her phone and checks if she’s gotten a message from Misaki, but her expression darkens.

“…Nothing. I can’t get through, and the message I sent hasn’t been read.”

“Hmm… I didn’t think the play was that long. Could she have been picked up by a stranger? …Sorry, Erena. That was just a joke, don’t look so pale and ready to cry.”

Kurashiki’s black humor is on point, but Hatoko’s being overly pessimistic.

“She could be picked up by someone, but the student council and teachers are around, so there’s little chance of a trouble between boys and girls.”

I have a vague sense of why she’s not around.

“I’ll go look for Misaki. You two stay here and keep an eye on the shop. Let the teacher, Amami-sensei, know just in case.”

“Got it!” “Okay!”

With the two maids sending me off, I head out again, walking quickly down the hallway.

“Slow and steady wins the race.” Since I don’t know exactly where Misaki might be, I head first to the multipurpose hall where the play was held.

The final performance is over, and I ask a soldier in medieval armor who’s cleaning up if he’s seen her.

“Karin-chan’s location? Uh… I heard some girls from a class were asking for help, something about reading the Hyakunin Isshu (a traditional Japanese card game).”

“Got it.”

It was the right decision to bring the pamphlet. After meeting the soldier and finishing my explanation, I head toward the 3-A classroom where the Hyakunin Isshu event is being held.

As I walk down the stairs from the 5th floor to the 2nd, I can’t help but wonder:

Why am I, someone who usually enjoys being alone, walking around for the sake of others?

If I’m being honest, that question lingers in my mind as I continue searching.

In classroom 3-A, there’s still no sign of Misaki.

“Thanks to Karin-chan, a lot of customers came in, it really helped~♪ Oh, Karin-chan? She was moving with a guy in a judo gi.”

“Got it.”

If I head toward the judo club…

“They were begging Karin-chan to make onigiri because the baseball club’s onigiri stand wasn’t selling.”

“Got it.”

If I go to the baseball club…

“I heard Class 2-C is having trouble, so they sent her over there—”

“Got it.”

And then to Class 2-C…

“The archery club is—”

“Got it.”

I keep going back and forth between the main building, the club rooms, and the field.

The more I get shuffled around, the more my frustration builds up.

It seems like I must look pretty upset. As I pass by people, they step aside, probably thinking, “A scary guy is coming!”

I even start to think that maybe getting a tattoo of furrowed brows wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

Because of the lack of preparation and the impulsiveness of those relying on Misaki, I feel angry. And I’m also angry at Misaki for agreeing to help them. But most of all, I’m angry at myself — not in a cool way like some self-righteous hero, but because I really am not at fault. I’m the victim here.

Is it because I keep being sent from one place to another? Or is it because it really just irritates me? Either way, before I know it, my walk turns into a full sprint.

When was the last time I ran for someone else’s sake? I can’t remember, which probably means I’ve never really done it before.

Actually, there was that time. When Misaki and Hatori were being hit on at the beach. I ran back then, too.

The sweaty inner layer clings uncomfortably to me, making it feel even worse.

Feeling suffocated, I roughly undo the buttons on my shirt that I had kept fastened.

My favorite leather shoes now feel heavy. I almost wish I could just run barefoot.

The loop tie that shakes violently around my neck is an irritation I can’t do anything about. But still, I’ll keep it like this. If the brooch disappears from my sight, I might lose the reason to keep running.

Before I know it, I start losing track of where I’m even heading.

“Huh? Himemiya?”

A familiar voice calls out in front of the tennis courts. It’s Namikawa, the guy I’ve seen around before.

I stop and walk closer to Namikawa, practically approaching him.

“You seem like you’re in a huge rush, did something happen—wait, close!”

“Misaki.”

“Karin?”

“Do you know where that idiot is?”

“U-uh… if it’s Karin, she passed by here about 10 minutes ago on her way to help out with the pro-wrestling club?”

“That damn girl… I’m not letting her get away!”

“H-Himemiya!?”

Forget the “slow and steady” approach.

When you’re in a rush, you just rush. With Nami-kawa’s shout of “Calm down, please!” echoing behind me, I head toward the area near the pool where the pro-wrestling club is supposed to be.

My physical stamina, which isn’t the greatest even under normal circumstances, is quickly running out. But still, my feet won’t stop.

Normally, I would’ve found a more efficient way to look for Misaki. I could’ve asked the broadcasting club to make an announcement, or gotten help from the student council or other people around.

But that feels too dirty. I don’t care how muddy I get. This rising emotion inside me can’t be satisfied unless I directly face it, not through some indirect method.

As soon as I arrive at the destination, I know for sure she’s here. The atmosphere is so heated, the area around the makeshift ring is crowded with people.

“…Found her.”

Misaki is standing in the center of the ring.

Even though I hadn’t seen her for just a little over an hour, it feels like a reunion after years apart.

Misaki, acting as a round card girl, holds up a placard indicating the round number, continuing to keep the audience’s excitement high even during the brief moments between matches.

To the audience, this might even be the main event.

“Karin-sama~~! We can’t see your smiling face, so hold the placard higher! Okay, great!”

“Karin-chan, give me a shutter chance over here! Nice shot!”

“Don’t worry about starting the match, Karin, just stay on the ring the whole time!”

It was obvious from the crowd’s energy that most of them were here to see Misaki, not to watch the wrestling match. In just one day, the number of her fans has grown significantly.

Misaki, circling the ring, never loses her smile.

Even though she’s in perfect shape, she’s doing her best to meet everyone’s expectations, sending a smile to each person, as if delivering happiness to those she can see from the ring.

The believers surrounding the ring, the seated spectators, and the gallery standing behind the seats.

And even further back, there was me, standing still.

“…!”

The moment our eyes met, Misaki’s expression changed to one of “surprise.”

It was as if time had stopped, her reaction was like encountering someone she didn’t want to see, or someone who brought an inconvenience to her.

It’s strange. What did I do to deserve that? Was it a problem that I hadn’t done anything up until now?

With the cheers of the crowd muffling everything else, I thought about letting out a complaint or two. In fact, I had already taken a deep breath, my chest swelling.

But instead of shouting out loud, I completely forgot about the anger that had been bubbling up inside me.

“…What’s with that face?”

Misaki was smiling at me, but it was empty.

Her hollow smile, one that seemed to want to say, “Go ahead and mock me,” was fragile and weak enough that it seemed it would fall apart with just a small touch.

The sense of discomfort I’d felt over the last few days, and the reason why she had stopped showing her resistance to me, finally felt like it was taking shape.

The day I stopped her, Misaki probably admitted her defeat.

Even so, she still wanted to win. That’s why she never spoke the word “defeat” until today, on the day of the cultural festival.

Because there was still a bit of that half-hearted feeling, it only took a small trigger for her to run off on her own again. The more she ran, the more anxiety and frustration filled her heart, rather than a sense of accomplishment. She couldn’t tell if she was doing it for herself or for others.

In the end, just being discovered by me caused cracks to form in her emotional vessel. Feelings of anxiety and impatience began to spill out, leaving only an empty, hollow feeling behind.

There’s a limit to how much of a fool one can be. She started a fight on her own, kept challenging on her own, and admitted defeat on her own. But deep down, she couldn’t stand losing.

What could she do to feel like she’d won? What would she gain by winning? I didn’t know, and I doubted that even she knew anymore.

While my thoughts were racing, the gong sounded.

Before I knew it, Misaki had disappeared from the ring, leaving only two wrestlers and the referee.

This wasn’t a “missed opportunity.”

It seemed that Misaki had realized that the break time was over, and she immediately ran over to me as soon as she got off the ring.

She kept a hollow smile plastered on her face, trying not to show any discomfort.

With a large wave, Misaki called out to me, but just as expected, before she could reach me, she was caught by a group asking for help.

Is Misaki the one to blame for pretending not to notice them? Or is it the people who don’t notice?

“Please, Karin-chan! Help our class out too!”

“No! We’re first! We’re the takoyaki stand, but we’re not selling anything!”

“No, no, no! It’s us, the volleyball club, who should be first!”

How many of these people are actually in trouble?

I can say it without a doubt. None of them are really in trouble.

They’re just clinging to Misaki. It’s not that they need help; they just want to ride on her popularity. They’re being deceived by her performance because they just want to take advantage of it.

Before I knew it, my feet, which had been standing still, began to move on their own.

“Excuse me, we need to head back to class soon…! Hime…Miya-kun…?”

It was no wonder Misaki was surprised. After all, I had suddenly approached her and grabbed her arm.

“We’re going.”

“Eh, wait a minute–“

I pulled her close, and without letting her say a word, I started walking. It was almost like dragging her along.

It was probably similar to a thief openly stealing right in front of everyone. The group who had been asking for Misaki’s help stood frozen in disbelief, watching as the school idol was taken away.

But I didn’t care.

I headed toward the side with fewer people, naturally guiding us toward the cultural building.

Even now, still holding onto Misaki’s arm, I continued to climb the stairs toward the private room.

How many times had my name been called?

“Hime…Miya-kun, you don’t need to pull so much. I won’t run away, okay?”

“…”

“You’re ignoring me because you’re angry with me… right?”

“…”

“Sorry for worrying you and not being in touch. I forgot to pick up my phone in the middle of things, and I didn’t have time to go back and get it. It’s not like I was ignoring you.”

“……”

“Himemiya-kun──”

On the empty stair landing, I stopped and asked Misaki.

“Do you still think I haven’t been figured out?”

“……Huh?”

I had planned to talk about it in the private room, but I couldn’t wait anymore.

If she was going to keep giving me those misguided apologies, it would be better to end it here.

“You think you lost to me, don’t you?”

Misaki’s arm, which I had been holding, tensed up. More than that, her eyes widened in shock.

“You kept talking about ‘winning’ all this time, but for the past few days, you haven’t said a word about it. On top of that, whenever the topic comes up, you avoid it yourself, don’t you?”

If she wanted proof, I would give it to her. If she wanted specific examples, I’d throw them at her until she couldn’t handle it.

If she wanted to compete, I’d compete.

I had challenged her to the ring. If this was the Misaki who used to always talk about winning, she would’ve jumped into the ring no matter her mood. She would’ve come at me, again and again, no matter how many times she fell.

But the current Misaki wouldn’t step up. She just watches me from outside the ring.

In the end, she dramatically dropped her shoulders.

“Looks like I can’t beat you after all, Himemiya-kun. Total defeat.”

She smiled brightly, as if to say, “I’m fine,” but it was a world apart from the excited Misaki who used to put everything into winning.

Even without me saying anything, she kept chatting cheerfully, “I practiced a lot, so I was confident about my performance,” and “Oh, by the way, did you watch the movie? The kimono I wore was so beautiful, right? ♪” or “If I had a little more time, I could’ve eaten so many sweet and delicious things.”

If I’m being honest… If she really wasn’t upset, I wouldn’t have anything else to say.

It’s hard to tell if someone’s truly upset just by their words and voice alone.

But there’s no way she’s not frustrated.

“Misaki.”

“Yeah?”

“If you don’t want to smile, then don’t force yourself to.”

“That’s not it, I──”

“You can’t cover it up. It’s impossible.”

Let that fake smile crumble.

“I know better than anyone how hard you’ve worked for today.”

“! …More than anyone else?”

“Yeah. More than anyone else, more than even you.”

I’m confident enough to say it right away. I’ve been watching her closely all this time.

The reason she wanted to win against me was because she was really trying to make the school festival a success. She kept raising the spirits of the class, interacting more with other classes, clubs, and even the local community.

She had put so much into it. There’s no need to force a smile just because she admitted defeat. She doesn’t need to deny everything she’s done or her efforts up until now.

For someone who’s lost sight of themselves, it seems like that one word was more than enough.

“See? You’re frustrated, aren’t you?”

“……Because I had no choice but to smile…!”

At last, Misaki’s mask began to peel away. The smile that had floated on her face disappeared, and her eyes started to well up with tears. Her mouth pressed tightly together, and her body shook with tiny tremors.

“I kept saying I wanted to win, but I couldn’t even stand up to you, Himemiya-kun…”

The moment the first tear fell, the emotions she had been holding back began to pour out.

With each tear that fell, the feelings she had bottled up also spilled out.

“The more I moved, the more I felt your greatness, Himemiya-kun… No matter how much I tried to push, I never felt like I could win, and in the end, you ended up helping me again…”

I could finally hear Misaki’s true feelings, and for the first time, it felt like our words were connecting. Actually, maybe it was just me finally managing to communicate with Misaki.

“I was ashamed of not being able to change, of being the same as always… It’s frustrating! I didn’t want to cause you any more trouble, Himemiya-kun!”

Having spoken her deepest, most suppressed feelings with the loudest voice, Misaki broke into a loud sob.

She’s such a fool.

She’s far too much of a good person. Even when she loses sight of herself, she still thinks of others.

Maybe more than “others,” it’s really because of “me.”

“……I see.”

I blurted it out. I understood.

It wasn’t for others. The reason she had been running around desperately was for her own sake, for Misaki’s sake.

I’ve always known that she’s too pure, too much of a good person, which is why I wanted to reach out to her.

Since that feeling is still ongoing, I have to make sure I tell her.

“Hey, Misaki──… Now, of all times…”

Misaki also realized, a beat later, the reason why I sighed.

The timing was just too bad, and I couldn’t even feel angry.

Amid the clattering footsteps climbing the stairs, I heard:

“The voice of Karin-chan is coming from above!”

“Get out of the way! Our class is going to get help from Kanade-chan!”

“We called dibs first!”

“No objections!”

“This is exactly what I wanted, you jerks!”

“Etcetera, etcetera.”

A group still searching for Misaki heard her voice and quickly closed in. To make matters worse, they even held a race to get her involved.

It was obvious this would happen, and I should’ve taken Misaki to the private room sooner.

No, maybe this is actually just the right timing.

“Misaki, step back for a bit.”

“? Uh, okay…”

I guided Misaki to a blind spot, out of sight from the lower floors.

A few seconds later, the group, now seeking Misaki’s help, appeared, all at once.

The ones who had been rushing ahead of everyone else stopped dead in their tracks the moment they noticed my presence.

“Y-You’re the one who kidnapped Misaki-chan…!”

“Give back our Karin-sama!”

“We’ll defeat you if we work together!”

I guess they think I’m like Bowser or Ganondorf or something.

The scattered group formed a party and began loudly strategizing to defeat me from the floor below.

“It’s unfair that we don’t get to help!”

“Come on! It’s for a good cause, think of it as helping people!”

“Please! We’ll pay you back by the end of the day!”

“If Misaki-chan doesn’t come, we’re really in the red!”

Their feelings were united. All of them shouted in unison, hoping to strike me down.

“““““Let us see Misaki-chan!!”””””

“No.”

“““““…”””””

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I don’t care.

If I were the final boss, then losing here would be the expected course of events. I’d probably hand over the princess and have a happy ending.

But I’m not the final boss. I’m a lone wolf.

I’ll tell them all.

Including Misaki.

“I’m aiming for victory seriously, so I won’t hand over our main girl.”

Even if they call me arrogant or unfair, I don’t care. I’ll keep moving down the path that feels right to me, at my own pace.

That’s what it means to be a lone wolf.

“It’s not right to blame Misaki for not being able to help because she’s not here. Isn’t the problem that your seniors didn’t prepare in advance or anticipate trouble?”

They flinch. Yeah, when you hit them with solid logic, they can’t do anything but shut up.

If the audio files were lost, someone else should’ve taken over. And since they messed it up, it’s not Misaki’s fault, so there’s no reason to ask her for help last minute.

Asking for help on the day because you didn’t plan for a crowd? That’s out of the question.

“I understand why you’d want to say it’s unfair to monopolize Misaki, who’s the popular one in school, the idol-type. But Misaki is a member of our class.”

I can’t see Misaki now, but I want to believe she’s getting the message.

“The person who worked hardest for the class can’t enjoy the festival with the class. Isn’t that sad? The class is waiting for Misaki to come back, too. So, I won’t allow you to pile any more work on Misaki.”

At the end, I looked down and said, “Anyone who has a problem can come up the stairs.”

No one moved a single step. No one came to attack me or even threw a glare my way.

It wasn’t a surprising reaction. In fact, it was pretty much what I expected.

These people just wanted to take advantage of Misaki’s popularity, not use it for something bad.

They’re all Misaki fans, after all.

“Yeah, we’ve been relying too much on Misaki…”

“Yeah, we’ve been taking advantage of her…”

“To us, Karin-sama is the most important person…”

One by one, they reflected on their actions and started to apologize. Eventually, they realized they couldn’t let this slide anymore and motivated themselves.

“Alright…! We’ll have to go all in now! We’ll sell things at a huge discount to cover the red!”

“Yeah! We’ll even sell takoyaki for 10 yen each!”

“We’ll do our best, so tell Misaki we wish her happiness forever!”

“Make sure Misaki-chan is happy for our sake, too!”

And so on. The behavior of the guy who sounded like an ex-boyfriend was a little annoying, but they all returned to their posts, ready to solve their own problems and wishing for Misaki’s happiness.

The storm had passed.

“It’s safe now, you can speak up.”

I met Misaki’s gaze.

She had crouched down against the wall, and as I spoke, she started to let out the sobs she had been holding back, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face. Her body was shaking lightly.

I should probably encourage her to take deep breaths or rub her back.

But right now, the most important thing is to communicate.

“I’m not just saying this to flatter you, but I think you’ve contributed more to the class than anyone else.”

Misaki shook her head vigorously.

Even without speaking, she strongly conveyed, “You were the one who won.”

She can be so stubborn, so she probably won’t admit I won, either.

Well, if that’s the case, I’ll get straight to the point.

“Then it’s a draw.”

“…A draw?”

“Yeah. I think you won. You think I won. So, a draw is the only choice, right?”

They probably didn’t expect this outcome. Misaki was taken aback for a moment.

However, it was only for a moment.

“A draw… is that a no?”

At my second question, Misaki once again shook her head, this time with a different kind of meaning behind it.

“No… that’s not it…”

She firmly accepted her loss, but also firmly accepted her win.

That’s why she wiped away the tears in her eyes and said, with a genuine smile:

“We’re good friends… We tied, didn’t we?”

She narrowed her eyes, flashing a full-force smile so charming that it made her dimples appear.

In that moment, Misaki had fully recovered.

Having acknowledged both victory and defeat, Misaki would undoubtedly experience even further growth—no, perhaps even evolution.

As proof of this, she understood well that what she should do now was not to reflect. Misaki stood up, taking one or two deep breaths to regain her energy, replenishing the drained reserves.

“Yeah…!” she said to herself, nodding in determination. Her posture was upright, her eyes strong, and she looked incredibly reliable.

With a beaming, radiant smile to match, she was invincible.

“It might be a bit late, but, once again, nice to meet you.”

“It’s not late at all.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. We still have time, and you’re going to work hard for me from now on.”

“Y-You’re a demon, manager…”

Misaki made a face, but quickly broke into a chuckle.

“Well then, I’ll work hard, so let’s head back to the classroom!”

A sense of déjà vu hit me.

Misaki grabbed my hand and walked forward with light, lively steps.

“H-Hey. You’re clinging to me—”

“You were holding onto me too, right, Himemiya-kun?”

“…”

“It’s payback♪”

She smiled with a cute, affectionate expression, clinging even closer. There was nothing I could say now.

Do as you please.

Upon Misaki’s return, both classmates and customers were overjoyed, as though they had been waiting for her.

Especially her close friends, Hatori and Kurashiki, who rushed over immediately. It almost seemed like Misaki’s expression relaxed in relief.

“Welcome back!” “Welcome back!”

“Yeah, I’m back. Sorry to worry you both.”

In response to Misaki’s apology, Hatori responded with an adult-like demeanor, saying, “Don’t worry about it.”

On the other hand, Kurashiki’s reaction was less mature.

“I was really worried, you know? I was so worried that I could hardly swallow my Sachertorte because of the worry about you.”

“…Wait… Did I just hear good news and bad news at the same time? Am I imagining things?”

“The truth is in my stomach!”

“Does that mean you ate it!? Why are you wearing that smug look on your face!?”

“Nyaa hahahaha♪ It’s because I saved some for you!”

With a successful prank, Kurashiki dove into a big hug with Misaki.

Misaki, completely falling for it, puffed up her cheeks in surprise but couldn’t help bursting out laughing right away.

And instead of pretending to be angry, it was more fun to get along, so not just Kurashiki, but even Hatori pulled me closer, saying, “Both of you are secured~~~♪” with even more closeness. It was a yuri yuri yuri yuri time, the maid outfit version was born.

With the three of them smiling brightly, the customers were so pleased that they stretched their noses in delight, making it a cheap business.

For now, Misaki wasn’t the little sister character, but the teacher character. Urogase called out to the three maids.

“Hey, hey. Stop loafing around and get to work too.”

“Understood,” Misaki nodded, putting her hands together.

“I’m sorry for making you worry, Yumeno.”

“I don’t mind at all. Don’t apologize so dramatically.”

Misaki couldn’t hide her surprise at Urogase’s nonchalant response.

“After all, Karin was running around for our class and other classes, right? It’s not like you were slacking off, so just stand tall.”

Coming from Urogase, who was known for being blunt, it had to be her honest opinion.

Worried and returning, Namikawa, and even the spoiled princess, Endou, chimed in:

“Our club, too, is on track thanks to Karin’s support. There’s no way she caused any trouble.”

“Exactly. If Karin caused trouble, then we’d be the ones in deep trouble.”

“Everyone agrees, right?” Endou asked the classmates. The way she sought agreement wasn’t forceful, like at a gathering with close friends. From the expressions and reactions of everyone, it was clear they were all on the same page.

“Yeah, compared to Karin’s hard work, we’re nothing.”

“Exactly. So there’s no need to worry at all.”

“In fact, I almost feel bad we couldn’t give her more time to rest!”

“I totally get that! Take a break, Karin!”

“I even pretended to go to the bathroom and snuck some cookies! This is what slacking off looks like!”

And everyone laughed cheerfully. Ikari, however, was expected to work properly.

No one had any negative feelings. Everyone knew how much Misaki had worked to make the cultural festival a success, from the preparation stages. The only one who didn’t know that was Misaki herself.

Once she realized that, the encouragement from the class made her head and heart warm with emotion.

“It’s too early to cry,” everyone laughed, and Misaki couldn’t help but smile too.

Even I, though, didn’t accidentally laugh, unfortunately.

However, the feelings we all shared weren’t too different. If there was to be a grand emotional finale, it would surely be after everything was over.

At that moment, Misaki took my hand again.

With those sparkling eyes, it felt like she was saying, “You’re part of the class too, you know?”

Misaki firmly held my hand and led the cheer with “Let’s give our best for the last stretch!” to get the class even more energized.

※ ※ ※

The sky, once bright blue, had turned to a deep crimson.

Despite the closing ceremony approaching, the energy inside the gym was at its peak. The autumn air felt completely warm, to the point where one might ask, “Is this a summer festival venue?” as the excitement of every guest continued to rise.

And of course, the main event of the cultural festival, the Otozuka Collection, was ongoing.

The darkened hall was filled with searchlights, making the stage and the participants of Otozuka Collection shine even more brightly, creating an atmosphere that was perhaps as close to the original concept as possible.

This year’s Otozuka Collection theme was ‘Flower Bride.’

The students from the costume club had put their heart and soul into creating wedding and party dresses, and each participant wore them proudly, walking down a runway that stretched straight ahead, one by one, showing off their style.

Some brides walked nervously, others happily singing and celebrating the festival.

Of course, Kurashiki was the latter.

“Nya hahahaha♪”

In a mini skirt and a thin choker, proudly showing off her bare legs, she strutted down the runway, clearly enjoying herself. “Model walk? What’s that? Is it delicious?” she seemed to say, as she walked freely and energetically, as if on a catwalk rather than a runway, her cat ears still attached.

For her final pose, she winked with her cat-like eyes and did a beckoning cat gesture.

The guests, now completely enamored with Kurashiki, cheered with single-minded passion, shouting, “Ruri-nyan! Ruri-nyan! Ruri-nyan!” in a frenzy of joy, which felt both passionate and crazy.

Hatori, standing next to her, smiled wryly.

“Ruri still has plenty of energy.”

“Totally.”

She had been complaining about being tired during breaks, but it now seemed like a lie. One might even imagine her saying, “Actually, we’re twins! Nya hahahaha!”

Just as I was thinking such silly things…

“That was surprising,” said Misaki.

“Hm? What was surprising?”

“Since it’s Himemiya, I thought you would refuse if invited to the OtoKore, but…”

Hatori’s words made me narrow my eyes.

“You three forced me into it, didn’t you?”

Even from the others, like Urogase, I was told, “The shop’s going to end up empty during Oto Kore, just go ahead,” and that was the extent of it. The so-called manager was basically non-existent.

Hatori, pulling my right hand, wasn’t giving a wry smile but a faint one instead. She even said, “I think it’s lucky to see Karin and the others in bridal attire,” which made me lose any desire to complain.

But well…

“It might be lucky, I can’t deny that.”

“Huh?”

“It’s the best place to see the effort she’s put in so far.”

Since the cultural festival preparations had me running around too, I felt I at least had the right to see it.

Hatori puckered her lips slightly.

“I’m a little jealous of Karin.”

Don’t make me awkward…

Her face, which had been sulking, suddenly changed when she saw my troubled expression. She began to chuckle and added, “Half of it’s a joke, so don’t worry,” which made me feel far from reassured.

Where the heck did she learn to do this?

“I know Karin’s worked hard. She deserves the praise.”

“You’re so dramatic. Do you have any idea how heavy my waist is?”

“Then, if I participate in Oto Kore next year, will you come watch?”

“I’ve said it before, I don’t like ‘what if’ scenarios.”

“Then I’ll participate! So, you’ll cheer for me, right?”

“… Well, if we both remember next year.”

“Yeah♪”

Hatori flashed a bright smile at me, and under the faint light leaking from the stage, I could almost feel her strong will saying, “I’ll participate in Oto Kore next year,” just from her expression.

I truly felt she had become stronger.

Next year, I imagined she would show me an even more powerful version of herself in this same spot.

“Next up, everyone’s been waiting! Our very own Otozuka High’s new heroine! The appearance of Misaki Karin-chan!”

Just hearing the MC call her name, a wave of excitement erupted, even louder than before. Finally, the school’s idol, the main event, was about to appear, and everyone’s attention was focused on the stage, hearts pounding.

And when the bride appeared from behind the stage, everyone was captivated, their hearts racing.

“…Oh.”

Even I, usually lacking in emotion, couldn’t help but let out a small voice.

That’s how beautiful Misaki was.

Her pure, spotless, long white wedding dress was breathtaking. The design with no shoulder straps accentuated her smooth neckline and chest. Her body, sculpted like a statue, could have been described as angelic or goddess-like. The spotlight illuminated her, but it almost felt like she was glowing herself.

Though I had seen her bridal appearance on the screen, the impact and scale were entirely different in person.

Even the crowd, who had been so noisy before, was now silent, mesmerized by her presence.

However, the heroine standing center stage wouldn’t allow the silence to last.

With a smile that didn’t bend to anyone, she called out to everyone in the room.

“Don’t stay quiet—let’s all keep this energy going!”

“”””””UOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH“”””””

The thunderous applause that erupted was more than enough to wake everyone up. The cheers shook the room, making previous applause seem soft in comparison. The enthusiasm was so strong it seemed to fill the entire venue.

As Misaki walked down the runway, the constant calls of “Ka-Rin! Ka-Rin! Ka-Rin!” never stopped.

With each step, people praised her: “Karin-chan is too cute!” “She’s shining the brightest!” “She’s so beautiful!”

As she waved to each person, the audience expressed their gratitude: “Thanks to Karin-chan, we were saved today!” “Thanks for helping!” “Great work today! Thanks for the best memories!”

When Misaki reached the end of the runway, everyone gathered together, once again, to cheer her on.

This was the moment her hard work paid off, the moment her efforts shone brighter than anything.

“!”

Was it coincidence? Or maybe it was because I, the store manager, and Hatori in her maid outfit stood out. Misaki noticed us.

It didn’t seem like a mistake. She pointed at her necklace, as if to say, “You’re the one with the loop tie, right?”

With so many eyes on her, Misaki’s attention was only on me.

This was an incredibly luxurious moment.

And this luxury didn’t know how to stop. Misaki, still looking at me, smiled proudly.

Then, through her expression, she spoke to me, as if saying, “My effort wasn’t in vain.”

I couldn’t help but respond with some sarcasm.

I knew that better than anyone.