1.

When someone I love dies,

2. I have no choice but to commit suicide.
3. When someone I love dies,
4. There is no other way.
5. "Oh, Naoki, you always say such sad things."
6. "Sad things?"
7. "Yes, it's a sad thing."
8. "I see. But those weren't my words."
9. "Naoki... But you also think that way, right? Because you think that way--"
10. "I..."
11. "..."
12. "Maybe..."
13. "No, you can't! If you do that, everyone will disappear!"
14. "Disappear...?"
15. "That's right."
16. "Then, we just have to create important people."
17. "If there are no important people, maybe there's no need to die..."
18. "You... you idiot! You're such an idiot, Naoki!!"
19. "Then... then there's no meaning for everyone to live at the same time, in the
same place!"
20. "I don't want to know anymore! You're such an idiot, Naoki!!"
21. "Rin..."
22. Rin's figure running away.
23. I could only watch her back.
24. The words she said didn't have much meaning.
25. They just left a deep impression and resonated with my younger self.
26. Without understanding their true meaning...
27. I didn't understand anything back then.
28. No, I couldn't have understood.
29. I see, it's a feeling of service.
30. I see, not too much joy, not too much sadness.
31. I understand now.
32. If we surpass that day, I can understand now.
33. Fantasia of a spring day.
34. Pleasant breeze.
35. Comfortable shade of trees.
36. I was just watching the back of the young Rui.
37. The warm sunlight is just like...
38. Just like being inside a stone.
39. A landscape of hardness.
40. When I close my eyes, such things come to mind.
41. Hi, everyone. Let's all together--
42. With a steady tempo, let's shake hands.
43. Open the old sliding doors and let in the early morning air.
44. The garden covered in morning mist.
45. The slightly chilly air feels refreshing.
46. "Couldn't sleep, huh?"
47. The cool spring air feels pleasant against my sleep-deprived and overheated
body...
48. "Phew..."
49. There shouldn't have been a reason for me to not be able to sleep.
50. I wonder if I'm worrying about something...
51. "I'm home... Naokun."
52. "Welcome home..."
53. "Indeed, I am home."
54. "However, those ordinary words hurt me."
55. "<r>They don't hold a grudge</r>, huh?"
56. "It's just like them... I guess."
57. "Even though I never wrote a reply to any of their letters."
58. "And yet, they greet me with a smile and say 'welcome home'."
59. "At this rate, I'll be completely seen as the villain..."
60. "Am I the villain?"
61. Well, he's definitely a bad guy.
62. I'm a big liar, after all.
63. That being said...
64. "She's become beautiful."
65. Kei was right.
66. "As expected, he's a self-proclaimed master of beauty. He has an eye for
beauty."
67. However, it's a bit strange to call him a master of beauty when it comes to
women's aesthetics.
68. "But well..."
69. She has become beautiful.
70. Her height and hair have grown quite a bit.
71. By the way...
72. "I've grown up..."
73. "N-No, no..."
74. It's not about that.
75. It's been some time since then...
76. "Since then..."
77. A wry smile escapes.
78. I'm not good at being sentimental.
79. I should have said that myself.
80. It's over. It feels like it's already over... I need to cut off such trivial
feelings...
81. I go out into the hallway to wash my face.
82. I want to wash away my tired and hazy consciousness with cold water.
83. "You're still displaying it, huh?"
84. "If you're really short on money, you should just sell it..."
85. When I leave the room and enter the hallway, I see a huge naked woman statue at
the back of the entrance.
86. It has been displayed in the Natsume family's house for a long time, and it is
disproportionately large for a Japanese-style house. It is painted on a canvas
about 100 centimeters wide.
87. The name of the painting is "Olympia." It is a representative work of the
French painter Édouard Manet.
88. Of course, it's not the real thing.
89. There's no way the genuine "Olympia," a representative work of Édouard Manet,
would be in a house like this. The genuine "Olympia" is kept in the Musée d'Orsay
in Paris.
90. Its size is also only about half the size of the genuine one in Musée d'Orsay.
91. However, it's not a photograph or a print. It's a genuine oil painting.
92. If you look closely, it's so well done that you might mistake it for a painting
by Manet himself. It's more like a forgery than a copy.
93. However, it seems to have been damaged at some point, as there are traces of
restoration in certain parts.
94. The author of this "Olympia" is Kenichiro Kusanagi.
95. That's Kenichiro Kusanagi.
96. It seems that he gave this piece as a gift to his mother when they first met.
97. "The first gift he gives to a woman is a nude statue. And it's 'Olympia'..."
98. It's just like him. A choice that only he would make.
99. "Damn... to still see his shadow even after death, it's a troublesome story."
100. Usually, I just glance at it, but being alone in the early morning, I
thoroughly enjoyed the copy of Kenichiro Kusanagi's "Olympia".
101. "He's a skilled man."
102. More so than when I saw him as a child, no, now he's even more impressive with
his skill.
103. Many famous painters in history have left behind copies as practice.
104. However, the copies of historical painters are not always exactly the same.
105. On the contrary, copies by world-famous painters are often done in a way that
reflects their own style.
106. But this "Olympia" was meticulously created as a copy.
107. I don't know all of Kenichiro Kusanagi's copies, but I've never seen such a
meticulous one.
108. Still, there are parts that have deliberately been changed from the original.
109. For example, the hair is closer to black than the original.
110. The model is slimmer than the original.
111. However, it's at the level of finding mistakes.
112. Only someone who knows genuine works well can understand the difference.
113. I don't know the detailed reason for why Kenichiro Kusanagi did that.
114. "Just by looking at this face, you can somehow imagine it."
115. The gaze of the model woman in "Olympia" is provocative.
116. It's still not fully bright in the morning, entering the slightly dark living
room.
117. "Ah..."
118. A person's figure...
119. "Good morning."
120. "Ah, ah..."
121. It was Shizuku.
122. I didn't expect Natsume's human to be awake so early in the morning.
123. I remember that the Natsume family was weak in the mornings... Naturally,
Shizuku should also be weak in the mornings.
124. "You're early..."
125. "Early?"
126. "Well, it's early morning, so if you're awake from this time, it's early,
right?"
127. "Early morning?"
128. She squints her eyes and gazes at the sky that hasn't fully risen yet.
129. The weak light reflected by the morning mist makes her skin appear even
whiter.
130. I thought it was out of place to think "I see."
131. She is certainly beautiful.
132. It makes me realize once again that she is a celebrity.
133. "Were you not weak in the morning? Shizuku."
134. "I am weak in the morning..."
135. "Then did you do your best today? Waking up this early in the morning?"
136. "Naoya..."
137. "What is it?"
138. "I couldn't sleep. Naoya, not at all."
139. "Huh?"
140. "C-could it be, you were worried about that and couldn't sleep either,
Shizuku?"
141. "Why can't I sleep if Naoya can't sleep?"
142. "Ah, well, when you put it that way..."
143. "Shizuku can sleep properly already... I think Naoya understands that..."
144. "W-well, yeah, that's true..."
145. "But, there is a possibility that something might happen under the same roof
with Naoya. *gulp*"
146. "Like hell I would do something like that! There's no way I would do that with
Aoi and Kei around!"
147. "If they weren't around, would you do it then?"
148. "Are you an idiot? I'm not the kind of person who would do something like
that!"
149. "Shizuku only met Naoya recently, so she wouldn't know about that..."
150. "W-well, th-that might be true..."
151. "Where is Naoya?"
152. "Me?"
153. "Why was Naoya awake the whole time?"
154. "Me? Well, um..."
155. "Well?"
156. "No, it's not a big reason. Just... you know! Yeah! Just because."
157. "Just because..."
158. Shizuku stares at Naoya.
159. Or rather, she glares at him a little.
160. "Then I'm the same... No, it's not a big reason. Just because. Yeah! Just
because."
161. "Don't even mimic my tone..."
162. "There are nights when you can't sleep for no particular reason... So let's
just have a good time together..."
163. "What do you mean by 'a good time'?"
164. "Naoya..."
165. "What?"
166. "I'm hungry."
167. "Ah, I see..."
168. This guy has been awake all night. If he hasn't eaten anything since dinner,
he must be hungry...
169. "Do you want to eat something?"
170. "I really... want to eat."
171. "No, it's weird to respond with 'I'm going to eat' when I asked if you want to
eat something."
172. Anyway...
173. I gaze at her face.
174. "?"
175. Shizuku returns my gaze with a puzzled expression.
176. "Ah, no... it's nothing..."
177. Well, forget it...
178. Shizuku is Shizuku.
179. She is Natsume Shizuku.
180. I check the leftovers in the refrigerator.
181. "Do you have any likes or dislikes, Shizuku?"
182. "Things I dislike... I dislike... dying..."
183. "I know that, but... wait, who's even talking about dying? Besides, it's not
'dislike,' it's 'scary'!"
184. "I'm talking about food. Like, there are foods that you dislike, right? Like
bell peppers or celery?"
185. "I like eating."
186. She bursts into laughter.
187. A sudden smile from her expressionless face. It's just like her.
188. "For now, I don't have any likes or dislikes when it comes to food."
189. Shizuku nods silently.
190.
191. She may not say much, but she reacts quite a lot.
192. "Then, should I make breakfast?"
193. "Breakfast? What are you going to make?"
194. "What do you want to eat?"
195. "Meat."
196. "Meat, huh."
197. No meat for breakfast.
198. I search through the refrigerator.
199. As expected, we're out of meat.
200. "I used it all up last night. We don't even have sausages, bacon, or ham."
201. "I was thinking of having salted salmon and miso soup for breakfast today."
202. "No meat?"
203. "Yeah, none. Not even smoked items like ham or sausages."
204. "I see..."
205. "But don't worry. I'll figure something out for the meat."
206. "Are you going to buy it?"
207. "No way, there won't be any shops open this early. Well, just watch. I'll make
something properly."
208. "What is this?"
209. "What does it look like?"
210. "Meatballs? But there shouldn't be any meat."
211. "Ah, I see. Well, go ahead and try it for now."
212. "Munch, munch..."
213. "How is it?"
214. "Delicious."
215. "Right? But it's not actually meatballs."
216. "Huh? But it looks like meatballs and tastes like it too..."
217. "There's no meat in it at all. Look, this."
218. "Co-u-ki-bi? What's this?"
219. "No, no, it's called 'takakibi,' or 'high millet.' It's corn."
220. "Corn? Sweet corn?"
221. "No, no, this one is different. It has a unique texture and richness, like
ground meat. That's why vegetarians often use it as a substitute for hamburgers."
222. "If you season it with Chinese soup base, it becomes even more meat-like."
223. "Unlike meat, it can be stored for a long time. It's great when you want
something a little meaty. It's also affordable, and most importantly, low in
calories. It's perfect for someone like you who does delicate work, isn't it?"
224. *chew, chew...*
225. While I was still explaining, Shizuku started eating.
226. She must have been really hungry.
227. ...
228. "Are you crying again?"
229. "Oh, this is just a habit... Please don't mind it."
230. I gaze at Shizuku.
231. Shizuku silently eats a meat dumpling made from high-quality millet.
232. Natsume Shizuku...
233. Shizuku.
234. I see.
235. While pondering Shizuku's name, I also remembered her name.
236. Indeed, the last character evokes the idea of "death."
237. That's why that character was missing from her name.
238. To notice this at such a timing...
239. She must have been a significant presence... Kenichiro Kusanagi...
240. Our eyes meet.
241. I feel like she realized what I was thinking and briefly lower my gaze.
242. "...This."
243. Shizuku offers me a half-eaten sweet and sour dumpling.
244. "What's this? Don't you want it anymore? Or was it not delicious?"
245. "No, it was really delicious. But I haven't seen you eat, Naoya..."
246. "I'm fine. I'm not that hungry."
247. "Is that so?"
248. "Hey, Shizuku."
249. "What?"
250. "Is it tasty?"
251. "Yeah."
252. "And, thank you."
253. Shizuku, who lacks expression, smiles happily.
254. "Ah..."
255. I unintentionally avert my gaze.
256. I was surprised that she cried while eating my food, but well, I guess things
like that happen.
257. Because she...
258. "..."
259. "Hm?"
260. "Hey! A-are you okay?!"
261. "Suu..."
262. "This guy..."
263. Are you sleeping?
264. "Suu... This is... a debt, so..."
265. "..."
266. Talking in your sleep, huh...
267. No... let's pretend I didn't hear that.
268. If even something like this is considered a debt, it's unbearable.
269. "It's not a debt. I've repaid it with this..."
270. "Naoya... you're always... so unfair..."
271. "What do you mean it's unfair... Geez."
272. "Well then..."
273. I look at the clock.
274. It's still too early to wake up.
275. "For now, if I sleep here, I'll catch a cold... Shizuku."
276. I poke Shizuku's cheek a couple of times with my finger.
277. There's absolutely no reaction.
278. Well, I guess so. She's been pulling all-nighters up until now...
279. "Can't be helped..."
280. I lift Shizuku up and am surprised by how light she feels, like a feather
duvet.
281. "Is this person eating properly?"
282. It's probably about the weight of a medium-sized dog...
283. I suddenly thought about it in front of Shizuku's room.
284. Come to think of it, would it have been okay to hold a daughter of that age?
285. Moreover, would it have been okay to enter her room?
286. I didn't really think about it and just carried her all the way here...
287. "Is this kind of thing bad?"
288. "Rather, it's probably bad. Generally speaking..."
289. However, I can't just leave Shizuku here.
290. Well, I don't have any guilty feelings at all.
291. "I swear to the gods of heaven and earth, there's nothing!"
292. For now, I'll make a vow to the gods or something.
293. Just for now.
294. "......"
295. It's a girl's room, so I hesitated a bit...
296. It was anticlimactic.
297. "It's even simpler than my room..."
298. What a plain and boring room.
299. "You don't have many belongings, huh?"
300. Well, I guess it's just like Shizuku.
301. "The ultimate form of tidying up is reducing the number of belongings."
302. "There we go..."
303. For now, I lay Shizuku on the futon.
304. "We still have a little time left, so it's best to rest well until then."
305. "Pulling an all-nighter is the enemy of beauty, they say..."
306. With her current self, I can even worry about such obvious things and feel
reassured.
307. "After all, Shizuku is just a girl..."
308. "Huh!?"
309. "Hmm? Ah, Aoi, did you wake up too?"
310. "Ouch, ouch, ouch! N-Naoya! Where did you come from?!"
311. "Where are you coming from? Isn't it Shizuku's room?"
312. "..."
313. "?!?"
314. "Hey, listen. It's not what you think. I don't know what you're
misunderstanding, but... it's not what you think."
315. "What do you mean it's not what I think?! You came out of Shizuku's room early
in the morning!"
316. "No, it's different! It's different! It's true that I came out of Shizuku's
room, but it's definitely different!"
317. "No need for explanations!"
318. "I'm sorry! I apologize! It's just like you said."
319. "Don't apologize before I hit you!"
320. "B-but if you see someone coming out of Shizuku's room in the morning, it's
natural to think..."
321. A male lodger who comes out of his younger sister's room early in the morning.
322. Well, as Aoi said, anyone would misunderstand.
323. That's why I can't say anything other than "I didn't mean it like that."
324. "Geez, that's why I said it. Isn't it a problem for an outsider like me to
live here?"
325. "No, I trust Kusanagi..."
326. "Do people who trust each other just come and hit each other without question?
Especially someone with various martial arts ranks."
327. "But I only have a third-class bookkeeping certification... I'm not good at
calculations. I'm a pure humanities person."
328. "The strength to hit with bookkeeping remains unchanged!"
329. "Y-Yes, but... that's true... I'm sorry. I really jumped to conclusions..."
330. "Phew... Is there really no problem after all?"
331. "Huh? W-What?"
332. "I mean, it's about me living here."
333. "T-That's not true!"
334. "You have no persuasive power..."
335. "I wanted to live with Shizuku, Kei, and Naoya. Th-That's why..."
336. "Shizuku and Kei are your family... Don't compare me to them."
337. "N-No, that's not what I meant..."
338. "Well, whatever. It's my carelessness too. Actually, I thought it might be a
bit awkward..."
339. "I'm sorry... Naoya..."
340. Aoi feels a pang of sadness.
341. Aoi always calls me "Kusanagi".
342. This hasn't been the case since long ago.
343. When Kenichiro Kusanagi was alive, she used to call me Naoya.
344. Of course, with two people having the Kusanagi surname, there are times when
she calls me by my first name.
345. However, since Aoi became a teacher, she seemed to make an effort to call me
"Kusanagi" as much as possible.
346. This is probably to avoid accidentally calling a student by their first name
at school or something.
347. So, after my father died, Aoi started calling me "Kusanagi".
348. But even now, when she unintentionally expresses her emotions, the name that
comes out of Aoi's mouth changes from "Kusanagi" to "Naoya".
349. It must be something that slips out unintentionally.
350. (There's no point in pushing Aoi too hard...)
351. "Well, fine, I understand for now. But from now on, let's avoid any
unnecessary questions."
352. "Naoya."
353. "Ah, don't make that face, what happened to your usual big sister-like
demeanor?"
354. "Ah, yeah, um, yeah, that's right."
355. "Oh, by the way, I'm making breakfast. It's a bit early, but want to have
some?"
356. "Yeah, sounds good. Let's wake Kei up soon too."
357. "Sure, I'll take care of it."
358. As I climbed up the dream floating slope leading to the school, I noticed many
new students dressed in fresh bags and uniforms.
359. I wonder if they are filled with hope? I can see smiles here and there.
360. I can no longer remember the emotions that came to mind when I first stood in
front of the school gate.
361. It probably hasn't changed much from now.
362. "Ahh..."
363. Letting out a big yawn, I slowly climb the stairs.
364. "You're early."
365. The refreshing spring air felt momentarily tense.
366. Of course, that was just a misunderstanding.
367. The students heading to school are still the same as before.
368. It's not the air that feels tense, but myself.
369. "Rin..."
370. "Good morning."
371. "Ah, ah..."
372. I give an unnatural greeting.
373. "Um, do you perhaps not remember? I used to live in the neighborhood near you
before I moved."
374. "Ah, I remember. It's okay."
375. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I was flustered and ended up running away,
ignoring you..."
376. "Ah, no... it's not like that... I was just being too familiar even though
it's been a while..."
377. "No, that's normal. It's me who's not normal."
378. "W-Well, that's because of your father... Oh, I heard about your father on the
news."
379. "He has nothing to do with it. It's not that kind of problem..."
380. "I see..."
381. "Ah, but how about you?"
382. "I'm always energetic, so I've been fine."
383. "I see, that's good..."
384. "But I was really surprised. I never thought Kusanagi-kun would be in the same
school, in the same class..."
385. "So you noticed?"
386. "Of course. I knew the moment I entered the classroom. But it made me
flustered... hehehe."
387. "Come to think of it, everyone was laughing..."
388. "It's embarrassing. I was nervous like usual, but to have something like that
happen during the first greeting..."
389. "It's not like that. Everyone was happy about it..."
390. "Ahaha, everyone is so kind. They've been supporting me since the first day."
391. A conversation with her after several years.
392. Awkward and unnatural conversation.
393. But even with just a few minutes of words, the tense atmosphere seemed to fade
away unnoticed.
394. It's not a problem that we should be trapped in forever.
395. That's right...
396. I have to start moving, even if just a little...
397. Since Rui has returned to this place again...
398. "To you..."
399. "No, I haven't told Rui yet."
400. "W-What is it?"
401. "Welcome back..."
402. "Huh?"
403. "The first thing you should say when you come back is 'I'm home,' right, Rin?"
404. "Y-Yes, that's right."
405. "And 'I'm home' means 'welcome back,' Rin."
406. "Y-Yes."
407. Rin answers energetically.
408. Maybe this kind of reunion isn't so bad...
409. I couldn't help but think that.
410. "Come on, let's go. There's no point in just standing around here forever."
411. I stop and try to climb the stairs of Yumemizaka again.
412. "Ah, umm! Kusanagi-kun!"
413. "What is it?"
414. "I'm home..."
415. "Welcome back!"
416. The students climbing the slope turn towards us.
417. Rui's voice was that loud.
418. I can't help but smile wryly.
419. "Idiot, you're so loud..."
420. "Ahahaha, sorry. I'm just happy."
421. Rina shyly smiles.
422. "Wow! Are you showing me something like that from the moment I entered as a
new student?"
423. "New student?"
424. A new student.
425. But I recognize this voice... though the energy is slightly different from
usual.
426. "Rina Hikawa... come to think of it, she started attending this year."
427. "Yes, good morning. But it feels like I entered Yumibari Academy and
immediately faced a gap called 'adult stairs'."
428. "To think that Kusanagi-san is dating an incredibly beautiful girl that I've
never seen before..."
429. "Why does it have to be like this..."
430. "Hmm. As an older brother, maybe he was hiding his girlfriend from his little
sister? That's cold. But I'm not that narrow-minded of a sister."
431. "Eh? Y-You have a sister, Kusanagi-kun!?"
432. "No, calm down, Rui. This girl's name is Rina Hikawa. First of all, her last
name is different."
433. "Y-Yes, that's true. But I heard that Kusanagi-kun's father was single for a
long time, so, um... that kind of thing..."
434. "Certainly, Kenichiro Kusanagi was known for his active love life and was
often featured in weekly magazines. Seeing that, it wouldn't be surprising if he
had an illegitimate sister or something."
435. "And that illegitimate sister is Rina Hikawa."
436. "You don't even know Kenichiro, do you... What do you mean by illegitimate
sister?"
437. "Well, it was just a joke. I tried to show off a bit in front of her."
438. "Show off in front of her?"
439. "Yes, how should I put it... She's not really my sister. She's more like a
spiritual sister... She's that kind of annoying person."
440. "Showing off in front of her, huh... I see."
441. Shiba thinks for a moment. And then,
442. "She's like a spiritual little sister. Yeah, that kind of relationship is
nice, isn't it?"
443. "What are you talking about?"
444. "Because, I think it would be great if I could have that kind of special
connection too."
445. "Being a spiritual little sister is nothing special. You're just plain
crazy..."
446. "Uh... That's true, but you have a way of saying things that hurt. Originally,
it was because of Kusanagi-senpai that it turned out like this."
447. "Me? Did something happen?"
448. "Oh, never mind. It's fine. I don't have any excessive expectations of
Kusanagi-senpai or anything."
449. "Your lack of interest in me has always been extreme. It's just sigh-
inducing."
450. "Hehe, Kusanagi-kun is always like that, isn't he? But don't worry. He had an
extreme lack of interest in me too..."
451. "No, it's not like that..."
452. "When I look at the two of you, I feel like you have a special relationship.
At least for me, whether it's 'spiritual' or not, I've never had anything like
that..."
453. "Huh? But you..."
454. "No, that's not it. I'm not his girlfriend or anything. Right, Kusanagi-kun?"
455. "W-Well... yeah, I guess so."
456. "See, it's like this. Kusanagi-kun and I don't have any special relationship.
So Hikawa-san doesn't need to put up a front like that. Kusanagi-kun and I were
just acquaintances from the past."
457. "Just acquaintances from the past... Isn't that what you call childhood
friends?"
458. "Yeah, that's right. I also want to say, 'We were childhood friends!' but... I
don't think it was quite like that. Right, Kusanagi-kun?"
459. "W-Why not? We were just normal childhood friends, right?"
460. "I wonder... For Kusanagi-kun, was I really a proper childhood friend? Maybe I
was more like a 'spiritual' childhood friend? It's fine even if it's just self-
proclaimed."
461. "That's not true, right?"
462. "But I didn't receive any response to the letters I sent. It was complete
silence. So, in a way, does that mean I'm just an acquaintance to Kusanagi-kun?"
463. "Uh... w-well..."
464. "More like just an acquaintance than childhood friends, right?"
465. "W-when you put it that way..."
466. "Yeah, just an acquaintance ♪"
467. "No, it's not like that... um..."
468. *chuckle*
469. "Hehe, it's rare to see Kusanagi-kun troubled."
470. "Just kidding."
471. I was sarcastically spoken to with a smile...
472. But... Rui is still the same as ever.
473. He ignored my letters for so long. I kept trying to convey my feelings to him
over and over again, but I continued to ignore them...
474. It shouldn't have been resolved with just a light sarcastic remark.
475. Normally, it would leave some kind of resentment in our relationship. But
Rui...
476. He laughed it off like it was a joke.
477. The six years that I ignored...
478. "You still look troubled, Kusanagi-kun. You don't have to be that troubled,
after all."
479. "But still..."
480. "No, the matter of the letters is now resolved with your troubled expression,
Kusanagi-kun. The fact that you were troubled means that you cared at least a
little bit..."
481. "...I might have been a little happy about that..."
482. "Rin..."
483. "Hikawa-san. My name is Mio Rin. I've been living far away all this time, and
yesterday, I finally transferred to Yumibari as a third-year student."
484. "As you can see, I have no special relationship with Kusanagi-kun. I...
thought we were close enough to be childhood friends, but..."
485. "But now that I think about it, maybe I was just the one being attached to
him. I've always been good at spinning my wheels, you know."
486. "No, that's not true."
487. "Well, Kusanagi-kun is considerate enough to say that, but I've always been an
airheaded girl who can't read the atmosphere."
488. "Is that so..."
489. "Yes, yes, so... it was a long-awaited reunion, but I ended up getting nervous
and it became really awkward. It's no good. I'm terrible at gauging distance and my
communication skills are too low."
490. "That's not true at all. It felt so natural, as if we always meet... That's
why I even thought you two were dating."
491. "Thank you. It's an honor. Grasshopper-kun, you're still popular, right? It's
wonderful to be misunderstood even for a moment."
492. "No, I'm not popular. In fact, judging from yesterday's situation, Rui is much
more popular. And her communication skills are off the charts."
493. "Is that so? I'm just cautious because I have poor communication skills.
Awkward people have to make an effort in their own awkward way."
494. "So, Honoka-senpai is a third-year student, which means she's in the same
grade as Kusanagi-senpai, right?"
495. "Yeah, and luckily we're in the same class. I want to take this opportunity to
improve our awkward conversations as much as possible."
496. "That's not true at all. Honoka-senpai doesn't have any awkwardness and
converses very naturally. Not just with senpai, but even with me..."
497. "Is that so? But I'd be happy if Hikawa-san says that. But being able to talk
naturally with Hikawa-san is because she finds it easy to talk to me, not because
of me."
498. "That's not true at all. Well, I've always been good at smiling, but that's
just the typical Japanese 'smile and get by' thing."
499. "Hmm, I don't think so... Hikawa-san has a unique atmosphere that makes it
easy to get close to her. She seems to have a lot of friends."
500. "Do I seem like I have a lot of friends...? Well, I can count the close ones
on one hand."
501. "Really? I don't get that feeling at all. Oh, by the way, could you tell me
more about Ms. Hikawa?"
502. "My name is Rina Hikawa, and I just entered Yumihari Academy this year."
503. "I've known Senpai Kusanagi for about six years now. We somehow got along well
back then, so we jokingly decided that I would be his 'spiritual little sister.'"
504. "Six years? I see. Six years... I get it now."
505. "What's wrong?"
506. "Ah, it's nothing deep or anything. It's just that I moved away from this town
six years ago..."
507. "Is that so?"
508. "Yeah, that's right! So maybe Rina-chan and I missed each other? As Kusanagi-
kun's childhood friend, I mean."
509. "I see."
510. "Ah, I did it again. I might have been too familiar with Rina-chan just now."
511. "Oh, no, that's not true. I welcome being called that, of course."
512. "Ehehe, sorry about that."
513. "You know, Rui-senpai, you're the mysterious one here."
514. "Is that so? But, you know, it makes me happy."
515. "Happy?"
516. "Rina-chan knows a side of Kusanagi-kun that I don't know..."
517. "Mio-sakura-senpai knows about a side of Kusanagi-senpai that I don't know..."
518. "It's nice to have that kind of thing... That's what I thought."
519. "Yes, I understand."
520. "Ahaha, I wonder if you understood?"
521. "Maybe we have similar feelings..."
522. "Yeah, I think it's great that I got to know Rina-chan. So, let's continue to
get along from now on."
523. "Yes, same here."
524. What's going on? These two seem to have some kind of understanding...
525. It looks like they've hit it off.
526. "I don't really get it, but it seems like the two of them have become friends.
I have no idea why though."
527. "You don't understand the reason...?"
528. "Yeah, I can't quite grasp why they hit it off."
529. "Ahahaha... well, Kusanagi-kun is that kind of person, right?"
530. "I see. So Kusanagi-senpai had someone like this. I had a feeling about
that... He really is an amazing person."
531. For some reason, Hikawa murmurs sadly.
532. "What are you talking about?"
533. "I'm talking about me calling myself your spiritual sister. Well, as Osakura-
senpai said, we have a close relationship like siblings."
534. "But why do you call yourself a spiritual sister?"
535. "It's because of our close sibling-like relationship. Well, it's true that
we've had a twisted fate since long ago."
536. Screech!!
537. A high-pitched braking sound echoes.
538. "Ah... it's the sound of a motorcycle's brakes."
539. "This sound..."
540. "Hahaha! This is bad!! It seems like it won't stop!!"
541. "Sigh... Why is everyone so noisy this early in the morning..."
542. "That's quite an entrance sound."
543. "Huh? Is this someone's entrance sound?"
544. Smoke is rising from the bicycle parking lot behind the main gate.
545. And there's a distinct carefree voice.
546. "Ahahaha, that's why drum brakes are no good. Just a little water and it
slips. No fighting spirit."
547. "That person is still as carefree as ever."
548. "Ah... That idiot can't seem to stop his bike without breaking something."
549. "Um... Who has arrived?"
550. "Oh! Isn't that Naoya?"
551. "Do you have an obsession with denting the walls of the bike parking lot when
you stop your bike?"
552. "What are you talking about? I don't purposely hit the walls, you know."
553. "Is that so? I thought it was more like a habit of yours."
554. "I can't stand having such a habit. That bike is old, so it's difficult to
handle! Even if I maintain it properly, it breaks down easily with just a slight
change in weather."
555. "Your brain is just like that."
556. "My brain doesn't break down with changes in weather."
557. "Then how about your face?"
558. "My face has nothing to do with the weather!"
559. "You're a friend of Kusanagi-kun, right?"
560. "Yeah, that's right."
561. "You seemed to get along very well in the classroom yesterday."
562. "What!?"
563. "H-Hey, Naoya..."
564. "Hmm?"
565. Kei approaches me in silence.
566. His expression seems different from just a moment ago.
567. "Oh?"
568. He grabs me by the collar.
569. "W-What's going on?"
570. "T-That girl... You know, the childhood friend we had a fateful encounter with
yesterday..."
571. Kei looks at Rui while grabbing me.
572. "What's with the suddenness? Did you get aroused by looking at Rui? Because
you're a lolicon?"
573. "Hey now. The girl in front of us clearly looks like an adult. Why would I be
a lolicon?"
574. "No, it's because you're a lolicon. I think you were disappointed by seeing
Rui grown up and got angry, so you hugged her out of frustration."
575. "Naoya... I have no idea where to even begin with your comments..."
576. "Um, Kusanagi-kun? May I introduce myself?"
577. "Ah, it's fine. It's true that this guy is undoubtedly suspicious, but he's
fundamentally a lolicon and a pedophile, and he's a guy who doesn't really care
about anything. My name is Kei Natsume."
578. "What kind of introduction is that, you bastard!"
579. "No, it's just that I explained your shocking information about your lolicon
tendencies as discreetly as possible... Do you have a problem with that?"
580. "I have nothing but a problem with it! And when did I become a lolicon
anyway!"
581. "But earlier, you were really angry when Rin grew up... "
582. "Ahahaha, Kusanagi-kun, I don't really understand, but it's not good to tease
your friends too much. There's no one who would make me grow up and get angry..."
583. "No, it's true! I saw your childhood photos and I really liked them. So when I
saw how much you've grown, I suddenly got angry..."
584. "Ahaha, is that so? If it's about being cute when I was a child, I'm happy to
hear that."
585. "No, no, that's not what I meant! You're still plenty cute now! You can have
confidence in that!"
586. "It's okay. I understand. Kusanagi-kun has always been good at teasing people,
so I'm used to this kind of exchange."
587. "More importantly, it seems like Kusanagi-kun really trusts Natsume-kun. In
the past, there weren't many people who Kusanagi-kun would make jokes like that
with."
588. "Huh?"
589. "What are you surprised about?"
590. "What do you mean? Naoya."
591. "What do you mean!"
592. "This girl is incredibly quick to understand, adaptable, kind, and perfect,
isn't she!"
593. "Yeah, I guess so."
594. "Huh? Um, th-that's too much praise. I don't know why you would think that..."
595. "Look! This modesty! Have you been ignoring such a nice girl's letter!?"
596. "Yeah, that's how it turned out."
597. "I-I told you it's too much praise! But, Natsuki-kun, can I ask you
something?"
598. "Huh? What?"
599. Rin faces Kei.
600. And with a smile――
601. "Nice to meet you, I'm Mio Sakura. I used to live in this town about six years
ago. And I was childhood friends with Kusanagi-kun."
602. As soon as she used the word "childhood friends," Mio gives me a meaningful
look.
603. Of course, I nod.
604. Mio is undoubtedly my childhood friend.
605. "So, I hope I can get along well with everyone in this town again. Nice to
meet you all."
606. Mio bows deeply.
607. It's rare these days to see someone giving such a polite greeting to
classmates or juniors.
608. "N-No, the pleasure is mine."
609. It might surprise them, but I don't think anyone would feel bad about it.
610. After all, Mio probably didn't want Kei and me to argue about her.
611. So we exchange polite greetings even if it means interrupting the
conversation.
612. It's a very formal way of doing things.
613. "I have to go to the staff room, is it okay if I go ahead?"
614. "Ah, then see you later."
615. "Yeah, in the classroom!"
616. He's such a conscientious person.
617. He hasn't changed at all...
618. "...Tsk, Naoya is such a bad person."
619. "What do you mean?"
620. "Well, yeah. To be acquainted with such a wonderful person..."
621. "Isn't she too wonderful?"
622. "That person, she's too wonderful. Everything about her is perfect."
623. "Perfect, huh..."
624. Ritsu is certainly a person who can be called perfect, but he's also someone
who is incredibly clumsy.
625. There's no element to deny what Hikawa says about the "wonderful person"...
626. "With that, I'll just look like a fool."
627. "Ah, yeah... that's true..."
628. "Well then, it's fine for you to be a fool."
629. "You really are a man of many words..."
630. "Phew, if only Kusanagi-senpai had even half of the easy-to-understand
kindness that Mio-senpai has..."
631. "What is easily understandable kindness?"
632. "Hmm? Well, isn't it fine? Rather than your complex kindness, it's better if
only those who understand the spirit of self-sacrifice can understand."
633. "W-What do you mean by that spirit of self-sacrifice?"
634. "Anyway, let's go to the classroom soon. We'll be late."
635. "Yeah, you're right."
636. It's been a while since I talked to Rin.
637. A long interrupted time.
638. From here, it starts moving again.
639. Good things and bad things... everything starts moving again.
640. A long time.
641. Classes after a break feel long.
642. But gradually, I get used to it.
643. With a mindset similar to resignation, I diligently study without thinking...
and before I know it, it's already lunch break.
644. Lunch break should be enjoyable... or so I thought...
645. "Seeing this kind of scenery... makes me even more fed up."
646. "It's just people..."
647. Lunch break.
648. Freshmen are delighted by the novelty of the school store and buy bread from
there.
649. However, the number of students doing so decreases as they advance in grade.
650. Well, it's just bread if you try it. It's not something worth creating a crowd
for.
651. As I advance to higher grades, I gradually stop forcing myself to buy bread
and such in this place.
652. Still, I visit the school store along with the new students.
653. The food at the school store is cheaper than buying outside...
654. "Cheap is justice, after all."
655. That being said... I don't buy bread.
656. Instead of buying bread, it's better to get bread crusts and salad.
657. Pushing aside the new students for now, I place an order with the old man at
the store.
658. I call out to the old man sitting quietly next to the bustling store.
659. "Hey, old man, the usual."
660. "Ah, this one, right..."
661. Ignoring the busy old lady selling things, the old man takes out a can from
the back.
662. "I'm always sorry..."
663. "No, it's fine, look."
664. "W-What is this..."
665. "Your share is 60 yen."
666. "Seriously? This is a G7 can!"
667. The old man smiles smugly.
668. "Wow, this one weighs 260g, and the solid content alone is 200g. It's a
premium item. How did you manage to get your hands on this?"
669. "Just a little. Well, with this amount, anyone can eat without holding back,
right?"
670. What the old man handed over was a skewer of grilled chicken with sauce.
671. He is known as the king of canned yakitori.
672. Among them, the G7 can is a legendary item. It is more than three times the
size of a regular one.
673. Naturally, it is not something that is sold in the regular stores.
674. Or rather, it's not something that a poor student should be eating.
675. Oyassan buys it for me at a discounted price from the wholesale market.
676. Of course, this kind of special treatment is not something that happens
normally.
677. But Oyassan and I have a special relationship.
678. (Well then, I'll leave the rest to you.)
679. (Yeah, no problem...)
680. We understand each other with just a glance.
681. That's what a relationship bound in darkness is like.
682. It's immeasurable by the standards of the outside world...
683. "Well then, shall we hurry and prepare?"
684. "You've come again..."
685. When I opened the door to the art room, there was Toyotani.
686. This girl is usually found in the art room at school. I wonder how much she
loves the art club...
687. Well, it certainly is comfortable here.
688. "You didn't come here to cook again, did you?"
689. "You figured it out. Don't worry, I won't do anything that would inconvenience
you."
690. "What are you saying? Cooking is not a bother. It's the smell of cooking that
lingers in the room!"
691. "It smells... Ah, now that you mention it..."
692. I gently wipe the window frame with my finger.
693. ...
694. "What are you doing..."
695. "Ah, well, the art room is as clean as ever... I was just thinking."
696. "That's such a tacky thing to do. It's like imitating a mother-in-law from the
Showa era..."
697. "That's not it. I just mean to say that I understand why you want to keep the
art room so clean and don't want any smells on it."
698. "I-I don't really care that much..."
699. "Anyway, I won't do anything that would bring smells into this perfectly dust-
free art room anymore. I just need to borrow the gas stove that Wakada owns and the
six cups of rice that are in storage. If I can get those, I can finish my work
outdoors."
700. "Outdoors? And speaking of which, you have six cups of rice today. Isn't that
two cups more than usual?"
701. "Ah, I see. Today's yakitori is extra large."
702. Saying that, I show him the yakitori G7 can.
703. "Wow, I've never seen a yakitori can in that shape before..."
704. "Yeah, it's a limited edition. By the way, why are you interested in food?"
705. Tora looks at the yakitori can I was holding.
706. "Yakitori can, huh... Fine, I got it!"
707. "Thanks. Now lend me some cooking utensils!"
708. Ignoring my request, Tora stares at the clock in the art room.
709. "What are you talking about...? We don't have time to move outdoors now, do
we?"
710. "You make time. Those who say they don't have time are just not good at
managing it!"
711. "Just listening to your words, it sounds like you're saying the right
things... But considering your usual behavior, you have zero credibility. You just
want to be late for afternoon classes, don't you?"
712. "No, if I have the time, I won't be late!"
713. "Don't act so high and mighty... You're saying you don't have the time.
There's no way you can go outside now and start cooking in time, right?"
714. "Well, whatever. I had a feeling this would happen... So here's the main
point. Today, I'll allow you to cook in the art club."
715. "What?"
716. "Why are you so surprised? I said I'll allow it."
717. "That's an unexpected thing to say. You must have some ulterior motive.
There's no way you would just say something like that for no reason."
718. "That's right. It's definitely not for no reason."
719. "What? What do you want?"
720. "Hehe, well, let's see. In exchange for letting you use the art room, give me
a portion of what you cook! Is that the condition?"
721. "Divide it into one serving? That's an outrageous condition."
722. "What's outrageous about it? You're planning to cook more than usual, right?"
723. "That may be true, but there's an unwritten rule that the extra portion should
be shared among everyone. Anyway, I can't accept such one-sided and outrageous
demands."
724. "Outrageous? You're the one who always fills the art room with the smell of
paint thinner. I could report it to the school, you know."
725. "No, you're right. I should apologize... I didn't realize."
726. "But it's you who will be in trouble if you do something like that. After all,
it's none other than Wakata, the advisor of the art club, who is involved in this
plan. If things go wrong, the art club might not be able to continue."
727. "Tch, I know... Geez... Wakata-sensei is so full of flaws, it's annoying..."
728. "For now, reporting it to the school is a joke. But I'm serious about
negotiating. I want one serving."
729. "Even if you say that..."
730. My job is supported by a gathering of certain accomplices.
731. The three of them are all short on money and always hungry.
732. And one of the people involved in this is none other than the advisor of the
art club, Seijiro Wakata.
733. He is the one who provides the rice and tools.
734. Furthermore, Oyassan provides the ingredients.
735. I am in charge of cooking them.
736. In other words, I can't decide everything on my own.
737. "Hmm, there's quite a lot today... It's not impossible to divide it into equal
portions."
738. "Oh? You're surprisingly cooperative."
739. "Well, even if that's the case, I can't just give it away for free. It would
be a betrayal to the others."
740. "That's why I said letting them use the art room is a condition."
741. "The art room is not your property, so you have no obligation to pay for it."
742. "If it's for the damages I caused to your territory, then it's my duty to pay,
right? It doesn't matter who owns the art room."
743. "Whether you're the owner or not, it doesn't matter. It's about territory, so
pay up. Are you from the 893 gang or something?"
744. "Phew, just kidding. It's because you mentioned payment. So, how about this?"
745. Saying that, Toriya takes out a Tupperware container from her bag.
746. "Isn't this a suitable participation fee?"
747. When the large Tupperware is opened, there is a splendid...
748. "This is..."
749. "Bamboo shoots. They grow in my family's bamboo grove around this time."
750. "Bamboo shoots... they look delicious. By the way, having a yard with a bamboo
grove where you can harvest such things, does that mean your family is actually
wealthy?"
751. "I don't know about my family, but based on my actions until today, do I seem
like I have money?"
752. "Certainly... but they say the richer someone is, the stingier they are."
753. "Calling someone stingy is so rude. Well, never mind that. So, this bamboo
shoot should be perfect, right?"
754. "A bamboo shoot, huh..."
755. "It seems to be properly boiled and ready to use, so we can use it right
away..."
756. "<r Mousouchiku> Moso bamboo</r> young shoots. It's in season and really
delicious."
757. "Hmm, indeed, this is the season for bamboo shoots... and it's a splendid
one... hmmm..."
758. "By the way, you don't have much time to be indecisive, do you?"
759. "Now that you mention it..."
760. "Indeed, there is no spare time."
761. "It may look like a larger yakitori can, but that doesn't mean the taste is
the same, right? So, wouldn't this splendid bamboo shoot be a good accent?"
762. "It's not a bad deal, right? Now hurry up and decide."
763. A face that seemed to see through me.
764. I felt disgusted by that expression, but the allure of the bamboo shoot was
hard to resist.
765. Freshly harvested bamboo shoots in spring must be incredibly delicious.
766. Tora said it right.
767. When I'm shown a bamboo shoot right in front of me, my usual meal of just
yakitori seems dull.
768. If the bamboo shoot is this magnificent, the other two will surely be
convinced as well.
769. "Alright. We don't have much time! Tora, please cut the bamboo shoot into a
manageable size with those scissors over there."
770. "With scissors? What about a knife?"
771. "There's no way something like that exists. Just cut it already."
772. I wash the rice. I use a slightly larger amount, about six cups.
773. "Toriya, prepare the cultural pot!"
774. "You're so impatient. I haven't finished cutting the bamboo shoots yet, so
wait a moment! Geez..."
775. Toriya prepares the cultural pot.
776. In the meantime, I set up the gas stove.
777. I put rice and an appropriate amount of water into the cultural pot.
778. Then, Toriya adds the cut bamboo shoots... and some yakitori sauce. They
casually pour it in, flipping the can upside down.
779. "However, rice cooked in a cultural pot turns out surprisingly well..."
780. "Once you get used to it, it's easy. Besides, rice cooked in a cultural pot is
definitely tastier. The heat is different between gas and electricity, after all."
781. "I often hear that gas stoves are better than electric ones, is that true?"
782. "Oh yes, the standard rice becomes as tasty as Koshihikari."
783. "It can't be that different, right?"
784. "Well, you should try it and then give your opinion. Now, let's bring it to a
boil quickly."
785. "How long does it take to boil?"
786. "Usually about five minutes. Well, since there's a lot of it, let's estimate
seven minutes..."
787. The lid of the pot starts to rattle. It's the sound of it being lifted by the
boiling.
788. "It's about time..."
789. I adjust the heat to a level where the lid doesn't lift, just shakes a little.
790. Additionally, I place an oil jar as a weight substitute.
791. "You were using that oil pot for that kind of thing..."
792. "Oh, this? The design is too elaborate and heavy, so it's not well-received,
but it's just the right weight for cooking rice."
793. An oil pot is a container for storing oil for oil painting.
794. Usually made of lightweight aluminum to attach it next to the palette, but
this oil pot is made of brass and has an unusually thick construction.
795. "Indeed... It's so heavy that I think it could be used for weightlifting."
796. "Well, that was the intention... originally."
797. "What's that? What do you mean?"
798. "No, it's about this."
799. While having such a conversation, steam hardly comes out from the lid anymore.
It's evidence that most of the moisture has evaporated.
800. I lower the heat even more. Any stronger heat would cause more browning.
801. "You're really skilled at this..."
802. "Well, my only talent is making cheap meals."
803. "Only talent, huh... If other artists heard that line, they might seriously
want to kill you, you know?"
804. "Nah, that's ridiculous."
805. "It's quite possible, actually."
806. "Oops, this isn't the time for silly talk."
807. The moment the moisture is almost gone.
808. Turn up the heat for a moment, then completely turn off the flame.
809. Finally, increase the heat to turn the remaining moisture into steam.
810. "Is it done?"
811. "Don't touch it, idiot. It's going to steam. It'll take about 10 minutes."
812. "10 minutes... But won't that leave us no time to eat?"
813. "Yeah, that's why we'll be late."
814. "Huh? What are you talking about? I-I have no intention of being late!"
815. "Then are you giving up on eating? Too bad, Toriya."
816. "That's impossible!! Ah! I know! Put it in this container!"
817. Toriya takes out the container that she put the bamboo shoots in earlier.
818. "What, are you planning to eat it later like the other two?"
819. The other two, of course, are Wakata and the guy from the school store.
820. Wakata usually eats at the same time, but the guy from the store can't come
here until after lunch break. He eats after the store is completely closed.
821. "I can't bring myself to be as casual about being late as you. Also, this."
822. "Huh? Why are there two tupperware containers?"
823. "That's for you."
824. "Hahaha, what are you talking about? I don't need that. I have my own bowl."
825. "You idiot! Just take the tupperware and put your food in it. We'll go to
class together! And we'll eat it after class!"
826. "Huh? Fine. Just leave me alone."
827. "I can't just leave you alone. Besides, don't you think it's a waste of
tuition?"
828. "Hmm, maybe..."
829. "Huh? This is a private school! The tuition is incomparable to a public
school."
830. "That may be true..."
831. "Phew, even if you say you're in need of money, it's just a small amount,
right? You're not so poor that you have to worry about tuition fees, are you?"
832. "What do you mean by being so poor that you have to worry about tuition fees?"
833. "You're so annoying! You're always complaining about being poor and not having
money, but you're so careless with your finances! You're the typical type that will
end up at the bottom!"
834. "Why do I have to be told that..."
835. "I can't believe you waste money even though you don't have any. Being a poor
person without a plan is truly a bottom-dweller mentality!"
836. As they continued their pointless argument, 10 minutes had passed.
837. The steaming time was over. It was finally cooked.
838. "Ta-da! Yakitori simmered rice."
839. "Gulp... It looks really delicious..."
840. "Of course it's delicious. The three of us eat this simmered rice about half
of the week."
841. "Seems like the nutrition is unbalanced..."
842. "But this time, it also includes freshly harvested bamboo shoots in spring. So
not only is it delicious, but the nutritional imbalance should also be alleviated."
843. "Just bamboo shoots alone won't alleviate it, you know."
844. "Anyway, not eating this freshly cooked is stupid, isn't it, Toriya..."
845. "Uh... I-Is it really that delicious when it's freshly cooked?"
846. "Of course. It's a cultural pot, you know. Of course, it's the most delicious
when it's freshly cooked. It's incomparable to cold rice."
847. "I-Is that so..."
848. "Here, lend me your Tupperware. I'll put it in for you, so make sure to enjoy
it during your next break."
849. "Ugh... J-Just serve it to me, please."
850. "That's right. We don't have much time. I'll pack it in the Tupperware for
you, so you can enjoy the cold rice later."
851. Tora stares at me with a piercing gaze.
852. I may have gotten a little carried away... Tora's expression is a bit scary.
853. For now, I'll pack Tora's portion into a tupperware for him.
854. "Hey, the bell just rang. We need to hurry back to the classroom or we'll be
late..."
855. "Ugh..."
856. "J-just one bite..."
857. "What? What do you mean by just one bite?"
858. "W-why are you laughing? You're such an unpleasant guy. I'll just have a taste
before I go! Do you have a problem with that?"
859. "No, I don't have a problem. If it's just one bite, then go ahead."
860.
861. "Just one bite that's not ordinary! ...chomp...munch...munch..."
862. "How is it..."
863. "Mmm..."
864. Tora's hand holding the chopsticks is trembling.
865. Well, of course. After being made to wait like this, even taking just one bite
of this freshly grilled chicken and rice dish... it's unbearable.
866. She must be screaming inside her heart.
867. (Tears are coming out... This is criminal! It's too delicious!)
868. (It's seeping into my body... Seriously, for Hotoi's grilled chicken and rice,
I'd even commit robbery)
869. It's unbearable.
870. This deliciousness...
871. "This desire..."
872. "You're not thinking about something stupid, are you?"
873. "Huh?"
874. "I've never been late, you know. I can't afford to be late for something like
this."
875. "It's certainly delicious, but it's not worth missing perfect attendance
for..."
876. "I-Is that so?"
877. "Why are you looking so surprised? It's only natural, isn't it?"
878. "Well, if it's for this meal, I wouldn't mind being late..."
879. "That's just because you have weak willpower... Don't compare yourself to me,
okay?"
880. "Well, it's true that Tora is always perfect attendance. He's quite diligent."
881. "It's different from being serious... It's just a waste of money... I pay
nearly 600,000 yen just for tuition fees per year. By the way, in the first year,
there's an additional 200,000 yen for the entrance fee."
882. "It's 600,000 yen per year... How much would that be per class?"
883. "Well, there are also entrance fees and other miscellaneous expenses, so it's
hard to say exactly... If we only consider tuition fees, it would be around 500 yen
per class."
884. "500 yen... That's quite expensive."
885. "That's why you should stop slacking off too. You keep talking about money,
but if you're careless in these areas, you won't be able to save any money."
886. "Hmm, but isn't the taste and experience priceless? It's worth more than 500
yen, right?"
887. "I don't know. For me, class time is important, so..."
888. "Ah..."
889. "Huh?"
890. Just as I was about to stand up, the school bell rings.
891. "W-We're late... Totori..."
892. "I-It's because you keep dragging the conversation!"
893. "If we hurry, we might make it. But there's a high chance it won't work..."
894. "You, seriously..."
895. Totori stood up and approached with an intense expression.
896. "U-Um... I'm sorry."
897. Totori raised one hand.
898. I thought I was going to get punched!
899. But...
900. "Just stay away from me a little more."
901. She grabs the tupperware with her raised hand and hands it to me.
902. "Because of your chattering, we were late. Increase the portion a little
more."
903. "It's not just my fault... If you just ignored my talk and headed to the
classroom, it would've been fine..."
904. "If I could do that, I would've done it! It's because I couldn't do it that
things turned out like this!"
905. I feel like I'm being scolded.
906. Or rather... You should be able to do something like that.
907. As far as I know, you have a more arrogant character "setting".
908. "For now, eat a little more."
909. "With that amount, you'll feel sick... You're always such a light eater."
910. "One class fee is about 500 yen. It would be too wasteful not to recover the
cost."
911. "So, why did this system start?"
912. "Ah, the rice cooking system..."
913. The rice cooking system... Well, that phrase fits well.
914. I think it started when I went to the school store after lunch break...
915. "Do you have any leftover bread or something?"
916. "We're already closed. Besides, classes have started..."
917. "Classes may have started, but I'm hungry."
918. "I see, understood. I'll just endure it. If you think everything in the world
will go your way, you're greatly mistaken. That's why students are naive..."
919. "I see, there's no arguing with that..."
920. The old man at the store was eating microwaved rice and canned yakitori.
921. "Is this Hotoi's yakitori... with salt?"
922. "Yeah, that's right."
923. "Salt flavor is delicious..."
924. "This is my favorite."
925. "Well, it's tasty, but that's about it..."
926. "What do you mean by 'that's about it'? As long as it's delicious, it's good,
right?"
927. "Certainly, taste is important, but the versatility of the ingredient is also
crucial."
928. "Versatility? What's that?"
929. Hotoi's yakitori.
930. The canned yakitori that is both the most popular and has the most dedicated
fans.
931. Since being born in the turbulent era of 1970, I have always been a top
runner.
932. The world's first canned yakitori.
933. Therefore, many people have a strong attachment to this canned food.
934. The salt flavor is good! No, I prefer a soy-based sauce! No, I like it spicy!
No, let's go with garlic pepper! Yuzu pepper is also hard to resist!
935. This kind of B-class gourmet food, being cheap, each has its own deep
attachment.
936. "I have been eating this canned food since its initial release. The one I love
the most is the salt flavor. Don't act like you know everything, you young punk."
937. "Well, I understand what you're trying to say... but don't you ever feel
lonely with just that?"
938. "It's not always the same. Sometimes it's canned mackerel in water, sometimes
it's canned mackerel in miso. And of course, there are times when it's grilled
mackerel."
939. Either way, it's still canned food... this old man.
940. "Don't you want to enjoy that yakitori even more deliciously?"
941. "Make it tastier? What's that supposed to mean?"
942. "Exactly what it sounds like. If it were me, I could show you a way to eat
that yakitori can that's way more delicious than what you usually have."
943. "What the hell... Shut up, you brat..."
944. "For example... how about using it to make takikomi gohan?"
945. "Takikomi gohan?"
946. "Yeah, in that case, the sauce flavor would be better than the salt flavor...
Just imagine the taste of takikomi gohan infused with the flavor of the yakitori
can..."
947. "Hmph, I see... So that's why you were talking about versatility..."
948. "Yeah, even for making oyakodon, the sauce flavor is more versatile..."
949. "Oyakodon?"
950. "Yeah, if you provide the eggs, I can make it. There are various other ways to
eat it too."
951. Oyassan imagines various dishes made with yakitori cans and starts drooling.
But...
952. "Hmph. However, there won't be any cooking utensils at school. I'll do it
myself after I get home."
953. "If it's a normal school, yeah..."
954. "But I have an idea. How about giving this story a try? Oyassan!"
955. "So? What's your name?"
956. "Naoya Kusanagi."
957. "Kusanagi? Did you say Kusanagi?"
958. "W-What's wrong?"
959. Oyassan stares at my face intently. And then...
960. "Got it! I'm in on this story!"
961. "I see, cooking utensils, huh... So that's why our advisor was chosen..."
962. "That's right."
963. "What a nuisance. Involving our advisor... If this gets out, it could affect
the survival of the art club."
964. "But that person was really happy about it."
965. "It's definitely a risky gamble, but Wakata-sensei has no choice but to go
along with this plan."
966. "Wakata is just a part-time teacher after all. Even though they're called a
teacher, they don't have much money."
967. "No, it's not like that... It's a much simpler story."
968. "?"
969. "This mixed rice is delicious. Really... So, is it saying that it's
understandable for me to be late for class?"
970. "As I thought, it was delicious, right?"
971. "Well, well, was it good?"
972. "I said it was really delicious earlier, didn't I?"
973. "Is that so? Isn't it just my imagination?"
974. "What's that supposed to mean?"
975. "More importantly, why does Kusanagi keep hanging around in this art room even
though he doesn't draw?"
976. "I'm not hanging around here... Besides, I made the mixed rice here because
there were no cooking utensils anywhere else..."
977. "If it's cooking utensils you need, there's the cooking practice room, right?"
978. "If I made it there, it would be immediately obvious."
979. "Even so, you guys come up with various reasons to come to this art room."
980. "Originally, you guys forcibly brought me here, didn't you?"
981. "At first? Ah, yes. I remember when I first met you, I did indeed abduct you
and bring you to this clubroom."
982. "Don't say 'abduct.' I was scared at that time. Being yelled at by someone I
had never even talked to before."
983. "You're Nagai Naoya, right? Why do you take such incomprehensible actions like
not joining the art club?"
984. "Even if you slammed the table and gave me such a lecture... that's what I
thought at that time."
985. "Because it was incomprehensible. Having such talent and yet not joining our
art club."
986. "Whether I have talent or not, it's not something others decide. It's up to me
to decide which club I belong to."
987. "Even so, I couldn't accept it."
988. "What's with that way of speaking? It sounds like it's already in the past.
Have you already given up?"
989. "Of course I haven't given up. Even now, I'm still not convinced. Besides, I'm
not good at understanding such things."
990. "It's already been three years... and you still haven't given up?"
991. "There's no way I'll give up. You know, right? Toriya Makoto is selfish and
won't be satisfied unless everything goes their way! Isn't that right?"
992. Toriya asserts with a strong tone, pointing at me.
993. I'm momentarily taken aback, then I let out a wry smile.
994. "Everything going your way, huh..."
995. "What's that? Why are you smirking?"
996. "No, it's nothing..."
997. I gaze at the stack of easels I knocked over earlier.
998. They're tidier now than before I knocked them down.
999. I'm sure that even if I were to run my finger over those numerous easels, not
a speck of dust would cling to them, just like the window frame...
1000. "You're the one who really loves the art room, aren't you?"
1001. "Well, there's not really any other place to hang out, you know..."
1002. "Yeah, it's definitely comfortable. This art room..."
1003. "It must be comfortable, right?"
1004. "Someone must be working hard to make it comfortable..."
1005. "What do you mean?"
1006. "It's nothing..."
1007. "I see. So, you're always here because you find it comfortable... That's
why."
1008. "Yeah, that's right."
1009. "I see... Well, if that's the case, then it's fine..."
1010. "Well then, shall we go to class soon?"
1011. "Huh? You're not eating everything?"
1012. "Idiot, if you're late for class, it counts as an absence if it's more than
one-third of the total... We should go soon or we'll be marked absent."
1013. "You're stingy."
1014. "That's right. I'm stingy. And selfish too. So remember that."
1015. "Remember what?"
1016. "Occasionally, let me have some of that food too. I'm letting you use this
place, so consider it an order!"
1017. "Also! After school! The art club will be actively recruiting today!"
1018. "Yes, yes."
1019. Hahaha...
1020. This person is definitely stingy and selfish.
1021. "But he's also an extreme people-pleaser."
1022. "But that's just who Toriya is."
1023. "What do you mean by that?"
1024. "It's nothing. Anyway, are you going to class?"
1025. "Yes, let's hurry."
1026. "Alright, alright."
1027. The afternoon classes ended without any problems, just like the morning ones.
1028. However, after experiencing a normal school life for the first time in a
while, a sluggish fatigue gradually seeped into my body.
1029. I'm tired...
1030. I stretched lightly and took a look around the classroom.
1031. By chance, I caught a glimpse of Rui and the area where she was sitting... I
wonder if she has made a few close friends. They seem to be enjoying themselves,
chatting and laughing.
1032. I briefly glanced at them and headed towards the hallway, where the post-
school commotion could be heard.
1033. If I keep spacing out, I'll end up getting involved in unnecessary trouble
again.
1034. In the school hallway, the battle for recruiting new club members continues
from yesterday.
1035. "Speaking of which, Tora said that the Art Club will be doing a big
recruitment today..."
1036. "And of course, I have to escape..."
1037. "In that case... it's best to hurry up and go home."
1038. For now, it's important to avoid meeting Tora. As I was about to head towards
the main gate...
1039. From the other end of the hallway, a female student wearing an unusually
short skirt came running at full speed.
1040. "It's a disaster! The town is in chaos!"
1041. "..."
1042. "...Oh."
1043. "Oh no! This is terrible! It's so terrible!"
1044. The girl runs towards me, sniffling.
1045. "Ugyaa!"
1046. "Who are you?! Suddenly tackling me like that!"
1047. "Huh? Is that... Naoya?"
1048. "So it's Kei after all..."
1049. It's the annual event. I'm used to it by now.
1050. She's wearing a girl's uniform, her hair is tied up, and she's wearing a wig.
...No matter how you look at her, she's a perfect girl...
1051. Also known as the elusive Miss Yumihari.
1052. She is said to appear only during this time and the cultural festival,
becoming a legendary beauty.
1053. "Listen to me, Naoya!"
1054. "...Pervert."
1055. "What!?"
1056. With just those words, I heartlessly turn on my heel as if I didn't see
anything.
1057. The fact that she's wandering around in this form means that the situation is
already progressing.
1058. "H-Hey! Wait up! You know that I'm being forced into this, right?!"
1059. "I see. I don't really understand, but I'll do my best..."
1060. While weakly speaking, Kei grabs the edge of my uniform as I try to leave,
still requesting assistance.
1061. "W-Wait a minute! Are you really going to leave me alone in this state,
Naoya-kun?"
1062. "Well... because of this state, I don't really want you to approach me
actively."
1063. "That's terrible! This is too much! I've had enough!"
1064. In response to my words, Kei pouts and puffs up his cheeks. It was a reaction
that was far from being manly.
1065. "Sigh... Why do I have to go through this so early in the new school year? I
want to die..."
1066. Kei hides behind me and pulls on the hem of his skirt, seemingly concerned
about its short length.
1067. "Ahh... E-Everyone is looking this way. They definitely think something's
wrong... They must think I'm some weird person with a screw loose in my head."
1068. Probably, that's not the case... No one can tell that this is Kei.
1069. In the first place, there would be no one who realizes that this is a guy.
Everyone is just captivated by his cuteness.
1070. "For now, let's hide in the restroom or something."
1071. "The women's restroom is this way."
1072. "You know, you're a terrible person for leaving your best friend in such a
predicament."
1073. "Unfortunately, my so-called best friend doesn't have such a cute girl like
you."
1074. "I'm not a girl! It's disgusting to be called cute!"
1075. "Sigh, I don't really care, but don't come near me. The fact that you're here
means..."
1076. "Hehehe... You're so naive. I won't let you escape, Kei Natsume! No, I mean,
the poster girl of the art club!"
1077. "Nyaahh! You're here!? You're here, Naoya!"
1078. "Oh, Kasuga is here too. Or rather, it seems like you were planning to run
away."
1079. "Tsk, did you get caught because of Kei..."
1080. "Even if you try to run, it won't be that easy. Today is the perfect time for
new club members to join, so I intend to make you work hard!"
1081. "This is a violation of human rights! I'm going to sue! Right, Naoya?"
1082. "Don't involve me."
1083. "What the hell! What about my human rights? Being made to look like this at
the beginning of the new semester!"
1084. "Hmph, you're making me laugh. Claim your human rights after you grow some
leg hair."
1085. "That's right. That's right. Try claiming your human rights after you grow
leg hair like me!"
1086. "Why drag Naoya into this too! It's too cruel!"
1087. "That aside, Toriya. This guy is fine, but my overtime work is prohibited by
law."
1088. "Huh?!"
1089. Stared at with a fierce expression.
1090. "It seems that there has been a legal revision starting from this April."
1091. He quickly backs away.
1092. "Well then... come on, don't just stand there, help me distribute flyers,
Kusanagi. We need to recruit new club members."
1093. Saying that, Totori handed me a bundle of flyers.
1094. "Sigh, I have to distribute flyers again today... Who do they think I am, a
revolutionary?"
1095. "Just to confirm, Kei's eccentric outfit is one thing, but what about mine?"
1096. "It's a tuxedo."
1097. "So, this is considered part of the art club's recruitment?"
1098. "That's right. I've done my research. Anyway, here you go."
1099. "What do you mean by 'researched'?"
1100. As I received the flyers and asked with a somewhat exasperated tone, Totori
smiled happily.
1101. "Kusanagi. It suits you well. You're tall and your face is pretty decent."
1102. "Yeah, I'm pretty tall."
1103. "My motto is to make use of anything that can be used. It's a universal
principle of success for humanity! Look, see how cute Kei is!"
1104. "Ugh, I want to die..."
1105. "I think you should work first and then die."
1106. "You're such a sadist."
1107. "I'm quite sadistic. But look!"
1108. Toriya pointed confidently at the trembling object behind me and declared.
1109. "Even as a woman, she's clearly an excessively sentimental beauty! It would
be strange not to use her as a lure!"
1110. "Indeed, I think you're right."
1111. "Why do you affirm it?"
1112. "Because it's the truth."
1113. "With a natural makeup that fully brings out your adorable features, and twin
tails that radiate simplicity!"
1114. "Twin tails, huh? So Kei's hair suddenly grows longer. Wow, it's like a
calling. Crossdressing is truly Kei's calling."
1115. "That's impossible! It's a wig! How can my hair suddenly grow like that? What
kind of monster am I?"
1116. "Even the chrysanthemum doll's hair can grow, so if you're a monster like
you, it should be able to grow that much."
1117. "The skirt length that makes you want to peek from under the stairs, and knee
socks that make you feel something hot in your lower abdomen, even if you're not
into that kind of thing!"
1118. "And this face that trembles like a small animal out of shame, arousing a
sense of masochism!"
1119. "If you don't fall in love with this, then you're not a man!"
1120. "Yes, I completely agree..."
1121. "No, that's not it!"
1122. "Uwaa! Uwaa! I'm quitting! This is something only weird people do!"
1123. "Oh, is that what you're saying? This girl..."
1124. "Oh, what a shame. The secret of the sketch bust that disappeared from the
art room last autumn will finally be revealed..."
1125. "Huh? Ah!? Ahh!!"
1126. As soon as Kei heard the words that slipped out of Tora's mouth, her body
stiffened as if struck by lightning.
1127. "Did you do something? Kei..."
1128. Reading the tension between the two, I threw my question in a low voice.
1129. "No... um... Last year... while sparring with the sketch bust, I slipped
and... broke it."
1130. "..."
1131. "Don't spar with the drawing model for practice... Your appearance is just
too disappointing, Kei."
1132. "Hmm, hmm... It seems I am the type that easily fits into the system. I guess
I have no choice but to say it."
1133. "Liar. Makoto may have excellent grades, but they are always butting heads
with the school authorities. They live a rebellious life on the verge of
expulsion."
1134. "Oh? Is it okay to say such things? For me, Natsume-kun is an important
friend. I've kept it a secret from the teachers until now, but... I still think
this kind of thing is not good."
1135. "Ugh..."
1136. "What should I do? I saw in the educational materials catalog that the price
of that model is over 100,000 yen. Ah, I feel like I want to talk about justice in
front of the teacher."
1137. "Understood... I understand... I want to distribute flyers..."
1138. "Yes, I think it would be nice if you distribute the flyers happily."
1139. "Y-Yes... Gaku."
1140. "Seriously, do it properly."
1141. "Anyway, this year seems more enthusiastic than usual. Why are they so
desperate to increase the number of people?"
1142. "I'm desperate too. The seniors all left in March, so we don't have enough
members."
1143. "Not enough members? Is that so?"
1144. "You haven't been paying attention... even though you're always hanging out
in the art club."
1145. "In reality, the club could be disbanded. Well, it's a club with a long
history, so I don't think it will actually disband, but there's a high possibility
that we won't receive much funding."
1146. "By the way, how many people are in the art club now?"
1147. "It's just me, Makoto, and technically Akashi-senpai."
1148. "Huh? That's all!?"
1149. "To be more precise, Akashi-senpai is temporary. It's not confirmed that they
will repeat a year, so essentially it's just Kei and me. With this number, even a
clueless person like Nagi can understand how dire the situation is, right?"
1150. "Well, I understand that it's a dire situation... but why am I involved in
this..."
1151. "Of course! Do you have any complaints?"
1152. "Using the art room without permission as a service for the Chimera."
1153. "All of this is for times like this. You can't complain..."
1154. "I have no complaints, but... come to think of it, there are no second-year
students, huh?"
1155. "Did no new members join last year?"
1156. "There were some... but"
1157. "They couldn't bear Akashi-senpai's sexual harassment. The new members from
last year quit right away."
1158. "Sexual harassment? It's typical of Akashi, but..."
1159. "He was obsessed with things like 'Can a skirt become a parachute?' and was
really into flipping skirts at one point."
1160. "Ah, yes, there was a time like that."
1161. "What kind of time is it..."
1162. "Not just parachutes, but also hot air balloons. I was really into flying
things for some reason, though I'm not sure why."
1163. "Speaking of which, didn't Akashi-senpai tie a bunch of balloons together and
fly from the rooftop once?"
1164. "Well, I wouldn't say she flew, more like crashed. But I guess it's better
than flying too high and disappearing."
1165. "There was a guy like that in the past... He tied balloons and tried to cross
the Pacific Ocean, but he disappeared."
1166. Akashi is still doing crazy things as usual.
1167. "So, did Toriya also have her skirt lifted?"
1168. "W-Why would you even ask that?! There's no way!"
1169. "No, I don't mean anything by it. I just can't imagine Toriya's reaction if
her skirt was lifted. Would she be embarrassed or angry..."
1170. "No, I'm just genuinely curious. I can't imagine Toriya's reaction if her
skirt was lifted. Would she be embarrassed or angry..."
1171. "Both! It's embarrassing and makes me angry! And while I'm at it, I'll kill
you!"
1172. "I see, so he's also sizing up his opponent..."
1173. "What does that mean?"
1174. "Nothing."
1175. "Anyway, until last year, Kei's cross-dressing alone attracted some
attention, but this year, I'm not satisfied with just that, so I had you wear a
tuxedo."
1176. "That's why I can't understand that decision at all. I don't think the new
club members will increase just because of my tuxedo."
1177. "That's not true at all. Besides, all the new club members last year were all
interested in you, so the tuxedo should have a significant effect."
1178. "Huh? All the new club members last year were interested in me? That's
ridiculous."
1179. "No, no, it's true. Around this time last year, Kenichiro Kusanagi returned
to the country. And the public's attention was also focused on his son, Naoya
Kusanagi."
1180. "Kenichiro Kusanagi's return to the country has nothing to do with me at
all."
1181. "The world doesn't see it that way. Especially because you look good, last
year, girls misunderstood and joined the club because of Nagai Nagisa."
1182. "That's ridiculous..."
1183. "Well, Nagisa also helped distribute flyers, right? Apparently, many girls
were charmed by him, saying 'Oh, he's the talented artist's son! How wonderful!'"
1184. "I see... I understand now."
1185. "Do you get it?"
1186. "Yeah, when you use feminine language in that outfit, it's so over the top
that it's scary. The 'How wonderful!' part gave me goosebumps."
1187. "What's with that!"
1188. "However, I had no idea that such a thing happened."
1189. "You're not interested in others, after all. Although everyone quit before
the end of April."
1190. "Because of Akashi's sexual harassment."
1191. "Well, I wouldn't blame Akashi senpai too much since I wouldn't want someone
entering for impure motives either. There's also a part of me that feels relieved,
to be honest..."
1192. "No, it's a bothersome situation."
1193. "Yeah, you're right. Naoya is a solitary guy, so he probably wouldn't like
all the fuss from those fickle fans."
1194. "What a misunderstanding. I find Akashi's actions bothersome."
1195. "Personally, I'm extremely disappointed because I wanted to live surrounded
by female fans."
1196. "Huh? Seriously? I thought Naoya hated that kind of thing."
1197. "What are you talking about? Who wouldn't dislike people who fawn over them?"
1198. "What are you saying? That guy used to get angry whenever the media or anyone
fawned over him..."
1199. "I dislike people who fawn over me for business purposes. When money is
involved, people can be terrifying."
1200. "I can't tell if that line has any depth or not."
1201. "Then why don't you try becoming a fan this year? If people see you dressed
like that, fans will come flocking to you, right?"
1202. "I see, my motivation might have increased a little. When I think it will
benefit me, I become motivated to do things."
1203. "Seriously, is that okay, Naoya? The image of Naoya Kusanagi in my mind is
crumbling."
1204. "I also dislike people who create their own selfish image of me."
1205. "Why would you start hating me?"
1206. "Well, never mind that. Kei, you have the manual I gave you earlier, right?
Speak just like it says."
1207. "Are you seriously going to use that manual?"
1208. Kei took out a piece of paper from her skirt pocket.
1209. "That's right. Make sure you don't forget the lines written there♪"
1210. "Um... 'Is everyone enjoying their school life? I'm Kei Natsume, the idol of
the art club! Call me Nacky! (Raises one leg and winks here)'"
1211. "Let's collide everyone's passionate hearts on the canvas and together, let's
create a wonderful work called 'youth'. Won't you try drawing it with me? (placing
index finger on lips and looking up with a coy expression)"
1212. "......"
1213. "Kei... you're sweating a lot..."
1214. "You idiot! You're like a planet-destroying bomb! Your brain must be rotten!
You're in a very dangerous state, so go to the hospital!"
1215. "Phew... You just don't understand, do you? This script is perfect no matter
how you look at it. It's a magnificent screenplay that can only be seen once every
100 years in the Academy Awards' screenplay category."
1216. "Even if it only happens once every 100 years, it's still a big problem..."
1217. "By the way, this one is for Kusanagi. A special manual is prepared for you.
Distribute these flyers along with this line!"
1218. Ignoring Kei's persistence, Tora took out the manual from his pocket and
pushed it towards me.
1219. "What's this... 'To make your beautiful eyes shine brighter, you need a
mental aesthetic'."
1220. "Won't you try drawing a future prediction of love on the canvas with me?
Let's nurture a one-of-a-kind artwork with the paint that melts our feelings
together..."
1221. "Hahaha..."
1222. "What's up?"
1223. "Don't you think you need some mental aesthetic?"
1224. "What do you mean?"
1225. "You look tired... I think you're exhausted."
1226. "I see... That might be true. I've been feeling tired lately..."
1227. "Hmm, I think you should go home early and get some rest today."
1228. "No, don't worry about me! I have to make sure you guys finish your work."
1229. "Tch..."
1230. "What was that click of the tongue just now?"
1231. "Isn't that the sound of the wind?"
1232. "Oh no, please say it's a joke, please!"
1233. "Ah, what a waste of time. It's all pointless! Hurry up and distribute these
flyers. Until they're all handed out, no one from the art club can enter."
1234. "For now, I get it! I'll turn that club room into a nest for my followers and
do whatever I want!"
1235. "Isn't that fine? It might actually turn out that way."
1236. "Well then, Kei-kun, let's do our best with the leaflet distribution, okay?"
1237. "Oh no, your motives are too impure!"
1238. "Ugh, my crotch feels tingly... I feel so sad..."
1239. "Kei, if possible, please stay at least 2 meters away from me."
1240. "Why?"
1241. "I don't want to be seen as your comrade."
1242. "Wha-what did you say!? You!"
1243. "Hey, don't get angry in that outfit. You're bouncing around so much, your
skirt might flip up."
1244. "Oh no, really?"
1245. "Instead of that, let's distribute them around the <r Amphitheatrum>
amphitheater. Let's finish this quickly."
1246. "Huh!? If we go to a place like that, a lot of people will come!"
1247. "No, that's why. If we distribute them where a lot of people gather, it'll be
over in no time."
1248. "Waaah! Doesn't Naoya have any sympathy or friendship towards me?! Are you
telling me to expose myself like this to a crowd?!"
1249. Kei is already half in tears. However, a good amount of embarrassment is
spreading throughout his body, creating an atmosphere that might appeal to
enthusiasts.
1250. Upon closer inspection, the surrounding students are capturing Kei's alluring
figure one after another with their camera-equipped phones.
1251. It seems that there are already people who have predicted the annual event
and have prepared a single-lens reflex camera.
1252. However, it is completely unknown how this topicality will lead to recruiting
new members.
1253. For now, we headed to the central square where many students gather after
school, where there is a semi-circular amphitheater.
1254. ...Of course, while keeping an equal distance from Kei.
1255. "Naoya... You're keeping too much distance from me... You really don't have a
trace of kindness."
1256. "It's too late. I won't give you even a trace of kindness..."
1257. "Ugh... Naoya is really strict with me..."
1258. Already, members from other clubs are lined up in front of the church square,
and the recruitment battle targeting new students has begun.
1259. Considering this fierce situation, it seems to take quite a bit of courage to
participate in the recruitment battle...
1260. I can't just throw away the flyer I received and run away.
1261. We sighed lightly and decided to set up camp near the entrance of the church.
1262. "Sigh... Well, let's quickly hand out flyers and pack up."
1263. "Yeah, that's right. Poster girl."
1264. "Yes, yes... I feel like I can't take it anymore."
1265. "Seriously, why doesn't Makoto do it? She would be the best at it."
1266. "Come to think of it, why doesn't she?"
1267. "I asked her the same thing, and she said, 'I'm always doing it for work, so
the rarity is too low and it has no value as a product.' Isn't that strange? It's
not like the whole school is a regular at the Chimera."
1268. "Well, it's an incomprehensible argument."
1269. But in reality, she's probably busy with the administrative work related to
her new position as the club president.
1270. She said there's no danger of the club being disbanded, but with only two
members, we can't afford to be so relaxed. She must be working hard in places we
can't see.
1271. Well, that guy, Makoto Toriya, is basically that kind of person.
1272. *sigh*
1273. Looking around, most of the other clubs were handing out flyers to passing
students as if pushing them onto them.
1274. Kei followed suit, confidently handing out flyers to the students passing by.
It seemed like he had embraced it.
1275. "We're the Art Club, I think you should join."
1276. The people who received the flyers couldn't refuse something handed to them
by such a beautiful girl.
1277. Not only the new students, but also the second and third-year students
happily accepted Kei's flyers.
1278. I decided to hand out flyers too.
1279. "Ahahaha, to make your lovely eyes shine even brighter, you need a spiritual
aesthetic."
1280. "Why don't you join me in painting a future prediction of love on the canvas?
Let's create a unique piece of art using the paint that melts our feelings
together."
1281. "N-Naoya, you're saying the same lines that you used to make fun of..."
1282. "Huh? Is this it? If this is what attracts my followers, then I have no
problem chanting such frivolous spells."
1283. "Spells...?"
1284. A slightly strong wind carries the cherry blossom petals in full bloom in the
corner of the schoolyard.
1285. The wind lifts up the fallen cherry blossoms from the ground, painting the
edges of my field of vision with pale pink spots.
1286. "Ah, my, my skirt!"
1287. Along with the passing wind, the sign girl holds down the hem of her skirt.
1288. "Ahh, how can anyone live wearing something like this? Girls are amazing,
Naoya."
1289. "Your actions just now... Could it be that even your underwear..."
1290. "Hm? What is it, Naoya? Are you interested in my boxer briefs?"
1291. "Hahaha... I'll kill you..."
1292. -- And so, we were having a rather gloomy conversation.
1293. "Ah..."
1294. "...Hm?"
1295. A square where cherry blossoms flutter down.
1296. Impressive hair dances among the petals.
1297. Suddenly appearing in the crowded square was Misakura Rin.
1298. "Rin, I thought you were surrounded by lackeys?"
1299. "They're not lackeys. That's a rude way to put it. They're just being kind to
me because I'm a transfer student."
1300. No, no, their kindness is filled with ulterior motives.
1301. "So, what have you been up to, Rin?"
1302. "I was just taking a tour around the school. There are quite a few unique
buildings here at Yumihari Academy."
1303. "I see. Are you interested in architecture or something?"
1304. "Not really interested, but there are just a lot of things that catch my
attention..."
1305. "Things that catch your attention? Like what?"
1306. "Oh, like the chapel, for example."
1307. "The chapel, huh? Well, it is quite rare for a school to have one."
1308. "Although I think it's even rarer to have an amphitheater in the shape of a
half-circle..."
1309. "That chapel, the contrast between the interior and exterior is amazing. I
was really moved when I saw it."
1310. "The contrast between the interior and exterior? Is that so?"
1311. "Ah, no, I'm sorry. It's just my personal opinion. I probably find it
interesting because I lack artistic sensibility. Anyway, what are you up to,
Kusanagi-kun?"
1312. "As you can see... or so I'd like to say... cough"
1313. "?"
1314. "To make your lovely eyes shine even brighter, you need a spiritual
aesthetic."
1315. "Why don't we paint a future vision of love on a canvas together? Let's
create a unique piece of art using the colors of our feelings."
1316. "Huh? Umm..."
1317. "He's hitting on you in a normal way, Rinko-chan..."
1318. "Wha... yes, definitely..."
1319. "Are you... moved? W-was it good?!"
1320. "S-so, well, that's the kind of stupid thing I'm doing. In this ridiculous
outfit."
1321. "But, Kusanagi-kun, your tuxedo looks cool. I felt really lucky to hear those
lines and it made my heart flutter!"
1322. "I see, well, it's nice to hear compliments, even if they're just flattery."
1323. "That's great, Naoya. You're so cool!"
1324. "Um... is it alright if I join?"
1325. "Huh? What do you mean?"
1326. "Nice to meet you. My name is Misakura Rin."
1327. "Huh?"
1328. "*chuckles*"
1329. "U-um, nice to meet you!?"
1330. "Huh? Um... did I get it wrong?"
1331. "Ahahaha, no way, it's Keiko Natsume, the poster girl of the art club."
1332. "Huh?!"
1333. "Keiko Natsume? Huh? Could it be...?"
1334. "N-No, that's not it! It's not!"
1335. "Kei-san's sister?"
1336. "..."
1337. "You noticed well, Rin. That's right, she's Kei Natsume's sister whom we met
this morning!"
1338. "N-Naoya, what are you doing?!"
1339. "That's right. I did think Keiko-san looks just like her older brother."
1340. "Meow! Why does it have to be like this?!"
1341. I interrupted Kei as he was about to start making excuses and handed the
flyer to Rui.
1342. "You should take this. It might be useful for your future."
1343. "Oh, a flyer. Thank you, I'll treasure it."
1344. "I see, the person who made it would be happy to hear that."
1345. "Yeah."
1346. "No! B-before that, Rui-chan... Hug! Hug tightly!"
1347. I stood in front of Kei, who was trying to make excuses, and silently applied
an iron claw from behind to silence him.
1348. "Mmm, mmmmm!"
1349. "Well, we have to distribute these too."
1350. "Yeah, sorry for taking up your time... Anyway, I'm still in the middle of
exploring the school, so excuse me."
1351. "Ah."
1352. Ritsu bowed her head and disappeared into the crowd with a flyer in hand.
1353. "Hey, Naoya! You!"
1354. "What?"
1355. "What do you mean 'what'?! Ritsu-chan misunderstood and went away!"
1356. "Oh... so should I have told her the truth?"
1357. "Kei Natsume is a cross-dresser. He can't calm down unless he's wearing a
skirt... Wait, what?"
1358. "You're really mean... You should know that I'm not doing this because I like
it."
1359. "Either way, if Ritsu saw you cross-dressing on our second meeting, she would
definitely think you're a pervert. Was that okay with you?"
1360. "Ugh... I don't want that."
1361. "Well, it's fine. Let's just quickly distribute the rest... or else we won't
be able to go home."
1362. "Yeah..."
1363. "Can I have a flyer?"
1364. A girl stops and extends her hand. She seemed like a new student, but had a
quiet demeanor that somehow felt subtly arrogant.
1365. "Ah, sure."
1366. "Um..."
1367. "Ahahaha, to make your beautiful eyes shine even brighter, you need a
spiritual aesthetic."
1368. "Would you like to draw a future prediction of love on a canvas with me?
Let's create a one-of-a-kind artwork using the paint that melts our feelings
together."
1369. "...Is this sexual harassment?"
1370. "No, it's not sexual harassment."
1371. "Then... what is it? That?"
1372. The girl who handed me the flyer stared at me with a puzzled expression.
1373. "W-Well, when you ask me again like that..."
1374. "Please don't do things that I don't understand. It's unpleasant."
1375. "Y-Yes..."
1376. "So, this flyer is for the Yumibari Art Club, right?"
1377. "Ah, that's right. Are you interested?"
1378. "In that case, you're a member of the Yumibari Art Club, right? I wanted to
ask if you know who painted the picture displayed at the city hall?"
1379. "Huh? What's that?"
1380. "It's a large picture of cherry blossoms displayed at the Yumibari City Hall.
It's quite famous and even appears in the city's pamphlets..."
1381. "I don't know anything about the picture posted at the city hall."
1382. "Is that so? I heard you were a student at this school, but not a member of
the art club, I suppose..."
1383. "Are you an alumnus? I've never heard of a student from this school having
their artwork displayed at the city hall."
1384. "I did hear that they were a current student. I think it was Kusanagi..."
1385. "Kenichiro Kusanagi? He is indeed an alumnus of this school, but his artwork
is not displayed at the city hall."
1386. "Even I know that Kenichiro Kusanagi is deceased. It's not his artwork."
1387. "Then it must have been a misunderstanding. There's no one named Kusanagi who
would draw such a picture."
1388. "It's Naoya Kusanagi."
1389. "Naoya? What? Huh? Naoya Kusanagi? Me?"
1390. "I came to scout if you were distributing them seriously, but well, it seems
like you're doing a decent job."
1391. "Anyway, Toriya, about the painting at the city hall..."
1392. "You know... you should at least know where your own painting is displayed."
1393. "Well, why is my painting in such a place? Which painting is it, by the way?"
1394. "It's a painting from six years ago. It's the last piece you painted. 'Cherry
Blossom Daydream.'"
1395. "'Cherry Blossom Daydream'... Ah, that painting of cherry blossoms? Why is it
displayed in such a place?"
1396. "Remember that old man who wanted the painting? He said he'd pay for it, so
you happily sold it to him."
1397. "Oh, right. I remember now."
1398. "Yeah, you sold it with a smile on your face."
1399. "How much did he pay?"
1400. "I think he said something like ten thousand yen."
1401. "That's a good deal."
1402. "What's so good about it...? It was resold for hundreds of thousands of yen."
1403. "Seriously?"
1404. "Well, he was Kenichiro Kusanagi's son, so it was covered by the media back
then."
1405. "Is that so? I had no idea."
1406. "Well, you don't watch TV, and you refused all interviews."
1407. "Interviews? I don't remember any of those..."
1408. "You thought they were asking about your father and completely ignored
them... You kept saying 'I don't know' or 'Ask my dad'..."
1409. "So that's what happened..."
1410. Hmmm... Even though I'm not really interested in current affairs, I didn't
even know that there was a time when I was causing a stir in the world...
1411. "Why am I being so noticed... I don't understand."
1412. "After that, it was donated to the city. It's still displayed at the entrance
of the city hall. Your painting."
1413. "Seriously?! That's embarrassing! I'm going to take it down!"
1414. "Are you an idiot? There's no way you can do that. Can you afford to pay
hundreds of thousands? Besides, you're the one who sold it."
1415. "Uh... well, that's true, but..."
1416. I thought that painting was expensive even at 10,000 yen, but it turned out
to be over a million.
1417. Damn it... that old man deceived me. He had such a kind face, but to resell
something he bought for 10,000 yen for over a million, what a cunning guy.
1418. "Did you paint that picture?"
1419. "I don't know. I haven't seen it myself, but it seems to be the case."
1420. "I see... so the atmosphere has changed quite a bit since then..."
1421. "Has the atmosphere changed since then? What are you talking about?"
1422. "No, it's about this. When I looked closely, you still have that stupid
face."
1423. "What do you mean by stupid face?"
1424. "Anyway, it's impressive that you had thoughts about the painting at the city
hall. What's your name?"
1425. "Yumi Kawauchi."
1426. "Kawauchi..."
1427. Kawauchi... I wonder, it's vaguely familiar but not quite...
1428. ...No, I don't remember a woman like her.
1429. "Yes, I'm Makoto Tora. I'm the president of the art club."
1430. "Is that so... Isn't Naoya Kusanagi the president?"
1431. "I'm not even a member of the art club, let alone the president."
1432. "Is that so? So Nagai Naoya is not a member of the art club. I see..."
1433. "Don't you find that hard to believe?"
1434. "No, it's fine like that..."
1435. "Huh? Is it really?"
1436. "Yes, but I think it would be better to attend to the women behind me
first..."
1437. "Huh?"
1438. "Um, um, did I just hear Nagai? Is the person in the tuxedo over there
Nagai?"
1439. "Wasn't he the son of the world-renowned artist who passed away recently? Um,
um, Nagai Naoya, right?"
1440. "He looks just like Nagai Kenichiro that I saw on TV. He's your son, right?"
1441. "Ah, yeah... I suppose so..."
1442. "Kyaa, really?"
1443. "Wow, you're the one who painted that picture at the city hall, right? I saw
it on the morning TV the other day!"
1444. "Even more difficult than my dad, huh?"
1445. "Ah, is that so?"
1446. "But you don't seem strict at all."
1447. "Ah, well, I'm quite gentle... Especially to cute girls like you..."
1448. "Kyaa, I was called cute!"
1449. "Ah, that's why."
1450. "In order to make your beautiful eyes shine even brighter, a mental aesthetic
is necessary."
1451. "Would you like to draw a future vision of love on the canvas with me? Let's
create a unique piece of artwork with the paint that melts our feelings together."
1452. I distribute flyers to the girls with a smile.
1453. "Kyaa, so cool!"
1454. "Wait a minute! Are you all interested in joining the club?"
1455. "Of course!"
1456. "Well then, could you come over here? We have various selections and
screenings."
1457. "Yes!"
1458. Not only the excited new students, but also several female students follow
behind Tora.
1459. "What's going on... They keep increasing..."
1460. "Didn't I tell you?"
1461. "Sigh... They really exist, huh... Those kinds of people."
1462. "Yeah, there are more of them than last year. They were covering it on the
wide shows every day because of Kenichiro Kusanagi's funeral, but I never expected
Naoya's paintings to be on TV too."
1463. "Well, there's just nothing else to talk about on TV. Well then... Shall we
go home?"
1464. "Huh? Go home?"
1465. "Yeah, we gathered enough people. It should be fine now."
1466. "It might not be a problem in terms of numbers, but..."
1467. "Toriya just wants enough people for the club to continue. In that case, that
should be enough."
1468. "That might be true, but... They said they're going to do selections from now
on. Since your fans are gathering, wouldn't it be better for you to participate in
the selections too?"
1469. "Why?"
1470. "Because those fans who will surround you from now on will be girls. It's
better to have cute and obedient girls, right?"
1471. "Yeah, that might be true."
1472. "In that case..."
1473. "Well, Toriya will take care of that. He can properly select the necessary
talent. After all, he's the head of the art club."
1474. "Huh? Does that mean..."
1475. "Alright, let's go home. With this many people, the art club will be fine."
1476. "Wait, are you saying you actually wanted to be surrounded by fans, and it
was a lie for the sake of the art club!"
1477. "No, I just got tired of being fawned over a little. I have no ulterior
motives, so let's go home."
1478. "Okay!"
1479. The hallway was bathed in the reddish glow of the setting sun shining through
the window.
1480. They walked with a heavy feeling.
1481. As expected, I was feeling exhausted after being made to distribute flyers
for a long time.
1482. "Hm?"
1483. "Who are you?"
1484. "You're not who I thought you were..."
1485. "Hm? Kasuga..."
1486. "Drinking?"
1487. "What's up... got a problem?"
1488. "I don't have a problem, but isn't it bad to drink at school? You're still on
duty, right?"
1489. "That's why I'm drinking while hiding like this."
1490. "It's not just about lunch, if someone sees you like this, you'll definitely
get fired..."
1491. "It's not like I'm drinking during class, so it should be fine... You know,
back when I was a student, I always drank while attending seminars."
1492. "That's completely irrelevant..."
1493. "That's right, Kusanagi."
1494. "Hm?"
1495. "I'm going to do this."
1496. Saying that, Wakata hands me a bottle of whiskey.
1497. "Can't you say it more politely? Can you even handle drinking?"
1498. "What's with that... There are even snacks... You're not very sociable, huh?"
1499. "Snacks..."
1500. Around Wakata, there were piles of pork bowl (donburi).
1501. "What is that...?"
1502. "Hm? A party for me... It's luxurious, isn't it?"
1503. "It certainly is extravagant, but..."
1504. "There's also kimchi pork bowl."
1505. "Oh, I'm glad to hear that."
1506. "I won't give you any though."
1507. "I never thought you would give me such a high-end item..."
1508. "I see, that's a wise decision."
1509. "Seems like you're quite drunk."
1510. "Hm? Yeah, I guess... There are times like that too."
1511. "You seem like the type to say that to adults."
1512. "Hahaha... Age doesn't matter when it comes to things like that."
1513. "So that's how it is..."
1514. "Anyway, Kusanagi."
1515. "What is it?"
1516. "I'm doing this, so take it."
1517. He handed me the bottle of alcohol again.
1518. "How many times do I have to tell you? I can't drink alcohol."
1519. "It's not like it has to be now. Whiskey can be stored for a long time, you
know..."
1520. "You can drink it whenever you feel like it..."
1521. Saying that, he makes me hold a bottle of whiskey.
1522. "You always say you have no money, but is it okay? Isn't even such a drink
expensive for a poor person like you?"
1523. "It's an expensive drink even if it's not for me... Look at it."
1524. "Hm?"
1525. I check the label attached to the bottle.
1526. "Wait, how old is this liquor? It's from 36 years ago! I don't know much
about alcohol, but this must be expensive, right?"
1527. "It's bottled for 18 years, the year written on the label is when it was
casked. It's a premium single cask, for now."
1528. "..."
1529. I look at the number of years written on the label.
1530. Youngda stares at me without changing his expression.
1531. "Wakata--"
1532. "What kind of alcohol is this..."
1533. She was about to say, but...
1534. She stopped.
1535. "It doesn't seem like she got drunk with this..."
1536. The whiskey bottle was open, but it was hardly consumed.
1537. She must have only had a little sip...
1538. "I was drinking this just now."
1539. Saying that, Wakata points to a whiskey PET bottle labeled "4L."
1540. "It's a great deal size. Looks really bad for your health..."
1541. "Idiot, there's no such thing as bad alcohol for your body..."
1542. "There's no way that's true..."
1543. "There is a way. That's the truth."
1544. "Why are you saying such nonsense... Anyway, I'll keep this alcohol for
now..."
1545. "I'm not keeping it for you. It's already yours. Drink it whenever you want."
1546. "Whenever I want..."
1547. "It doesn't matter if you drink it today."
1548. "That's why you shouldn't encourage students to drink."
1549. "Well, when the time comes for you to drink, just open it. ...That's how
whiskey works."
1550. "So that's how it is..."
1551. "That's how it is. It's the same as happiness."
1552. "I don't understand the meaning."
1553. "Kids wouldn't understand, huh?"
1554. "Whatever."
1555. "I should probably head home soon..."
1556. Saying that, Wakata takes the bundle of pork bowl towards the preparation
room.
1557. In the preparation room, there is a refrigerator that he brought in, allowing
for food storage.
1558. Naturally, there is also a stove, microwave, and various tableware.
1559. It's a bit late to mention, but this man is one of the three troublemakers
during the day.
1560. Seijiro Wakata.
1561. I am a single part-time worker.
1562. "Speaking of which, lunch today was better than usual. Why is that?"
1563. "Well, obviously because it had bamboo shoots in it."
1564. "Ah, so that was bamboo shoots. I thought it wasn't meat..."
1565. I am completely detached from such fancy dishes.
1566. "Don't you dare eat my precious pork bowl."
1567. "Oh, I won't eat it. But if you leave it there, someone else will."
1568. "The culprit is you!"
1569. "Why me?"
1570. "Hehehe, do you want to hear my deduction?"
1571. "You're just going to say that because I'm the only one who saw the pork bowl
in the refrigerator, right?"
1572. "That's right!"
1573. "If there's a refrigerator, anyone would think there's something inside... If
it's that important, why don't you lock it?"
1574. "Idiot. If you lock up something important, you won't be able to take it out
when it's important. You wouldn't understand because you're a kid."
1575. "It doesn't matter if I'm a kid or not. That's not the point."
1576. "Anyway, I'm going home! Make sure to lock up."
1577. "Geez, I've never been told something like that by a student..."
1578. "Well, maybe the teacher shouldn't be so drunk."
1579. "I get it. I get it. You're so logical, Naoya."
1580. "It's not about being logical..."
1581. Nevertheless... it's unusual.
1582. While Wakata is a carefree teacher, he's not the type of person to drink
alcohol in the art room.
1583. He's a serious teacher in his own way.
1584. The reason for getting drunk...
1585. "Geez, everyone is..."
1586. Even though I say I don't like gloomy things...
1587. I take out the bottle I received from Wakata from my bag.
1588. The amber liquid in the bottle is illuminated by the evening sun. It
sparkles, as if there is another sun within the amber.
1589. "Until that time, huh..."
1590. The seal of this bottle has been opened, and there is a slightly reduced
amount.
1591. It was just a lick... That's how it felt...
1592. I walk along the cherry blossom road, passing by the amphitheater.
1593. From here, the cherry blossom forest continues all the way to the Dream
Floating Slope.
1594. In the cloudless western sky, there remains a hint of the redness of the
sunset.
1595. Twilight.
1596. A time that everyone recognizes as beautiful.
1597. However, if just a little time passes, it becomes a time called "Magatoki," a
time of calamity.
1598. Magatoki is another name for the witching hour. Even modern people would feel
a sense of unease upon hearing that name.
1599. Once again, I raise the whiskey in my hand towards the sky with its lingering
redness.
1600. The sky, being eroded by blue, is dyed amber.
1601. I saw a shadow beyond the amber.
1602. "Huh..."
1603. I see a figure in the depths of the amber liquid.
1604. The origin of the word "twilight" comes from "who is that person" (who are
you).
1605. Just as the word suggests, if I don't approach, I won't know who it is.
1606. "Approaching, I wonder if it's really him, the person I'm looking for, the
evening glory of the flower... or something like that."
1607. I hum words I learned in classical literature without any particular meaning.
1608. I approach the figure.
1609. "Rin."
1610. "Oh, Nao-kun."
1611. "What's wrong? It's already time to go home, isn't it?"
1612. "Yes, you're right. I've been going around various club activities today and
got tired."
1613. "Are you tired? How about taking a break with some reading?"
1614. In Rui's arm, there is a paperback book.
1615. "Ah, looking at the cherry blossoms here, I somehow feel like reading..."
1616. Reading the characters written on the cover.
1617. It's a famous fairy tale.
1618. "'The Happy Prince'... by Oscar Wilde, right?"
1619. "Yes, that's right. Have you ever read anything by Oscar Wilde, Naoki-kun?"
1620. "I've had the picture book version of 'The Happy Prince,' but that's about
it."
1621. "What kind of works does Wilde have?"
1622. "Salome, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Critic as Artist, The Decay of
Lying..."
1623. "I've never heard of anything other than Salome."
1624. Well, I feel like I've heard of the last two before...
1625. "Yeah, but I think that's fine. Maybe you dislike Wilde, Naoki."
1626. "Why do you think that?"
1627. "Wilde and Naoki are just too different."
1628. "Is that so? I don't really know much about Wilde, and I'm not familiar with
his philosophy either. So even if you say that, it doesn't really resonate with
me."
1629. "Even so, there are interesting coincidences."
1630. "Interesting coincidences?"
1631. "This is the story of The Happy Prince."
1632. "The statue of The Happy Prince stood on the tallest pillar in the town."
1633. "Wrapped in pure gold leaf, with two shining sapphires for eyes, and a large
ruby shining on the hilt of his sword."
1634. "This beautiful prince was also the pride of the townspeople."
1635. "One evening, as a swallow was trying to find a warm place to rest, it was
hit by a large drop of water falling from above the prince's pedestal."
1636. "The startled swallow looked up and saw tears overflowing from the eyes of
The Happy Prince."
1637. "Standing at the highest point, The Happy Prince could see everything. That's
why the prince was so saddened by the misfortunes of the people in this town."
1638. "The prince asks the little swallow for a favor. He wants the swallow to give
his jewels to the unhappy people."
1639. "The swallow, who had to fly south immediately because it was getting very
cold in the town, felt sorry for The Happy Prince who looked so sad."
1640. "The swallow did as he was told and delivered the ruby embedded in the hilt
of the sword to a poor mother with a sick child."
1641. "The prince asks the starving student playwright to give one of the sapphires
to the little match girl."
1642. "The swallow cried because it couldn't bear to take away the prince's eyes,
but it was moved by the prince's strong will and reluctantly delivered them to each
person."
1643. "The happy prince tells the little swallow, 'You must go south now.'"
1644. "But the swallow says, 'The happy prince no longer has eyes to see
everything. That's why I have decided to stay by your side forever.'"
1645. "In place of the prince, who cannot see, the swallow flies around the city
and tells the prince about the state of the city."
1646. "For the many remaining unhappy people, the prince asks to have the gold leaf
peeled off his body and given to them."
1647. "The swallow brings back the magnificent gold leaf of the happy prince, one
piece at a time."
1648. "Each time, the gold leaf is passed into the hands of the poor people, and
gradually the streets of the city become filled with smiles and laughter."
1649. "However, the happy prince, who has given away everything, eventually becomes
a shabby gray figure."
1650. "As the happy prince becomes more and more shabby, the swallow also weakens
due to the cold."
1651. "However, the swallow still did not want to leave the prince. The swallow had
completely fallen in love with the prince."
1652. "One evening, realizing that its end was near, the swallow mustered its last
bit of strength and flew to the prince's shoulder."
1653. "And the swallow said to the prince,"
1654. "Goodbye, prince. Please let me kiss your hand one last time."
1655. "Little swallow, I am happy. Have you finally decided to embark on your
journey south? You have stayed here for too long. But because I have come to love
you, instead of your hand, please kiss my lips."
1656. "I am going to the House of Death. Death is the brother of Sleep, after all."
1657. "And after the swallow kissed the happy prince's lips, it fell dead at the
prince's feet."
1658. "At that moment, a strange sound, like something breaking, echoed from within
the statue."
1659. "In fact, at that moment, his heart made of lead had split in two with a
sharp crack. It was a terribly cold, cold night."
1660. "The next morning, the important people of the town found the prince, who had
become so shabby."
1661. "What a shabby statue. Such a thing doesn't belong in this town."
1662. "The important people in town pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince from
its pedestal and melted it in a furnace."
1663. "However, for some reason, only the prince's heart didn't melt. The foreman
at the foundry, who found it eerie, threw it into a pile of dust."
1664. "In the pile of dust where the heart was discarded, there was also the corpse
of a swallow."
1665. "The two were discarded side by side."
1666. "God said to one of the angels,"
1667. "Bring me the two most precious things in this town."
1668. "So the angel brought the lead heart and the dead swallow to God."
1669. "God said,"
1670. "What you have chosen is right."
1671. "In the eternal country, these two lives will live happily."
1672. "The end."
1673. "Where do you think we have anything in common?"
1674. "I wonder where."
1675. Rin smiles sweetly.
1676. "The story of Wild hides all kinds of sins through complex metaphors."
1677. "That's why I had to embellish it a little."
1678. "Sins?"
1679. "Yes, sins."
1680. "In his later years, Wild leads a very lonely life as a sinner."
1681. "He felt guilty at all times and found ecstasy in living with that guilt.
That's why he left behind magnificent works and led a morally questionable life."
1682. "I don't really know much about Wilde, so please tell me, what were his
sins?"
1683. "Love."
1684. "Love? Love was a sin?"
1685. "Yes, it was a sinister love. It was a sin so impure that it was never even
judged in court. He committed such a sin and was punished for it."
1686. "A sinister love..."
1687. "Yes, but you know, he believed that his love was something worthy of being
called upon by God."
1688. "His final work, 'The Ballad of Reading Gaol,' declares just that."
1689. "I still don't understand. What does any of this have to do with me?"
1690. "Well, I don't know."
1691. "I don't know..."
1692. "All I know is that I can't become a little swallow or a prince..."
1693. "The prince who gave everything, the prince who lost everything. And the
little swallow who served the prince and lost its life."
1694. "I'm not in this beautiful story. But what about you, Naoki?"
1695. "No way, I'm even more unrelated."
1696. "Yeah, I thought you would say that, Naoki."
1697. "No, but it's completely different."
1698. "I've decided. I've decided what I'm going to do from now on."
1699. "What are you going to do?"
1700. "Yes, under this cherry blossom tree, I gained a certain intuition. So, I
want to believe in that intuition."
1701. "......"
1702. "Life imitating art......"
1703. He muttered something. The smile on Ritsu's face suddenly felt terrifying.
1704. It's because the twilight hides her expression...
1705. That's how I felt. Or maybe I believed it.
1706. I suddenly felt that way.
1707. The more I felt that way, the more I felt something terrifying, so I
inexplicably turned my face away from Ritsu.
1708. "Aren't you going home, Ritsu?"
1709. "Yeah, I'll stay here until the moment I can't read books anymore."
1710. "You'll strain your eyes."
1711. "That's just a popular belief. Reading in a dark place doesn't actually
damage your eyes."
1712. "Is that so?"
1713. "Well then, goodbye for today."
1714. "Ah, alright then."
1715. I left Rin's place.
1716. "Phew, taking a bath really makes me feel like the day is over. It's
wonderful."
1717. "Today was especially tough with all the makeup and stuff, so the bath felt
extra good! What about you? Hey!"
1718. "What do you mean, 'What about you?' Don't just suddenly change the subject
like that."
1719. Kei came to the living room in a casual manner, running a bath towel through
his hair.
1720. "By the way, aren't you taking a long time in the bath? It feels like you
went in quite a while ago..."
1721. "Hmm? Do you think so?"
1722. Kei responds to my casual question with a slightly drawn-out voice.
1723. "Even with Aoi and Shizuku, it takes about 40 minutes... Haven't you been in
for an hour and a half?"
1724. "Huh? That's normal. Those two are just too fast."
1725. "...With an hour and thirty minutes, you could watch a whole movie... What a
waste."
1726. "It's fine. I'll skip watching that movie and just take a bath."
1727. Kei seems to dislike the heat from the hairdryer, so they use a towel to wrap
their wet hair and dry it. This is also a time-consuming task.
1728. If we add up the bathing time and these tasks, Kei would spend over two hours
just in the bath, wouldn't they?
1729. "I don't intend to meddle in how others use their time... but you, as a guy,
are gross. Stop it!"
1730. "What the hell!! You're constantly meddling!
1731. "No, you won't listen anyway."
1732. "By the way..."
1733. "Hmm?"
1734. "So, you and Rinko made up, right?"
1735. "Made up?"
1736. "We didn't fight or anything. In fact, we haven't even seen each other..."
1737. "You know, I said something stupid and I was worried that Naoya was avoiding
Rinko because of it..."
1738. "Why do you care? Are you an idiot? It's not like you."
1739. "Sorry..."
1740. "Idiot... What's the point of you worrying about it?"
1741. "Certainly, if I worry too much, it might create some tension between Rinko-
chan and Naoya in the future..."
1742. "That's right. Just behave naturally."
1743. "Ah, I'll try my best... Ahaha."
1744. Kei laughs apologetically.
1745. If someone who doesn't know Kei sees this expression, they might be
surprised...
1746. But Kei is like this.
1747. Always pretending not to care, but actually being considerate in many ways.
1748. And thinking about various things, worrying.
1749. Natsume's people have had their share of hardships.
1750. Kei's smile is not just carefree.
1751. I may be slow, but even I understand that much.