Chapter 1: Unyielding Emotions

During this time, the library is busier with returns than with
checkouts, and the library’s open hours are shorter
compared to the busy lunchtime tasks.

After lunch, in the school library, Yuki Toyama was engaged

in the duties of a library committee member, trying to fight
off the drowsiness that followed.

Two girls sat facing each other at a table in the library,

gazing intensely at Toyama, who seemed busy attending to
the students returning their books one after another.

One of them was Yumi Takai, a graceful and lovely girl who
exuded a mysterious atmosphere with her short bob haircut
and expressionless face, like a diligent and pure-hearted
honour student.

On the other hand, Marika Uehara had bright and permed

long hair, and she wore her uniform in a slightly dishevelled
manner, emphasising the two large bulges that gave a
glimpse of her cleavage, creating a glamorous aura around
her.

Uehara was popular in the class due to her good looks and
pleasant personality, and many male students had feelings
for her. As for Takai, she had recently changed her
appearance by switching from long hair to a short bob and
removing her glasses. Since then, she had secretly become
popular among the male students in the class.
Although these two popular and beautiful girls were sitting
facing each other, there was no conversation between
them. There seemed to be an air of tension or rivalry
between them.

After the students in line at the library reception counter

disappeared, Uehara, who didn’t miss the moment when
book returns had settled down, quickly ran over to where
Toyama was.

“Hey, Toyama, wanna hang out after school today?”

Uehara seemed to have been waiting for the right moment

to approach Toyama while sitting at the table.

“Eh? After school today?”

“Yeah, there’s something I want to buy, so I was wondering

if you could come with me.”

Uehara didn’t really have anything specific to buy, she just

needed a reason to invite Toyama.

“Well… After school, I have…”

“Yuki and I have something to take care of, so sorry, Uehara-

san.”

Toyama’s response was interrupted by a familiar voice,

surprising Uehara as she turned around.

“T-Takai-san!?”

There stood Takai, who had taken it upon herself to decline

Uehara’s invitation on behalf of Toyama.

A silence fell among the three, and Uehara spoke again.

“Toyama,did you have an appointment with Takai-san?”

Uehara directed a questioning gaze at Toyama, as if

doubting something.

“Y-Yes! I had plans with Takai after this… I’m sorry for
inviting you, but maybe some other time.”

“…Alright, I understand. If you had a prior commitment,

then it can’t be helped. Don’t worry about it.”

As Uehara left the library, Toyama saw her back and felt a
hint of loneliness in her departure.

“What’s wrong Takai…? Why did you say something like that
all of a sudden when we didn’t have any plans?”

“Did Yuki want to hang out with Uehara-san?”

“No… it’s not like that, but…”

“I see… Well then, I’ll wait here until your duties as a library
committee member are over.”

Takai returned to the table in the library and resumed

reading. Toyama couldn’t discern her emotions from her
expressionless face, but she sensed that Takai was burning
with a sense of competition against Uehara from her
actions.

With Takai’s help in returning the books, Toyama was able to

finish the tasks earlier than usual. They walked side by side
down the hallway towards the staff room to return the keys
and lock up the library.

“Thanks for helping me.”

“No problem. I enjoy organising the books. Seeing the
spines of different books as I put them back on the shelves
makes me happy.”

Being a regular resident of the library, Takai seemed to find

joy just by looking at the book spines. It was something that
someone not interested in books might not understand. As a
library committee member and a book enthusiast, Toyama
could relate to that feeling.

“Aaa, I get that. Even though you look at the shelves every
day, there’s always something new to discover when putting
the books back. Like, Wait, was this book here in this shelf?
kind of feeling.”

“I feel the same way. Even though I visit the library almost
every day and look at the shelves, there’s always something
new to find each time. That’s why I prefer physical books.”

“True, there’s something unique about physical books. You

don’t get that same feeling with e-books.”

“Un, and I love the smell of paper, so being in the library is

very comforting.”

Empathising with Takai’s sentiment, Toyama nodded silently.

As they headed towards the staff room, Toyama and Takai

talked about books, and time flew by quickly. For Toyama, it
was an enjoyable time.

“Excuse me.”

Toyama opened the door to the staff room and led Takai to
Miyamoto-sensei’s desk.
“Miyamoto-sensei, we’ve finished the tasks in the library
and came to return the keys.”

“Good job, Toyama-kun…Ara? Takai-san is with you today?”

Seeing the reserved Takai behind Toyama, Miyamoto-sensei

seemed a bit surprised. It was probably unusual for Takai to
be with someone else.

“Yes, she helped me with the final cleanup.”

“Is that so, thank you, Takai-san.”

“No… I just happened to be in the library until the end, and

it looked like putting the books back on the shelves was
challenging…”

“I really appreciate it. Handling all those books alone would

have been tough.”

“Speaking of which, why is there only one library committee

member? I find it puzzling.”

Toyama asked Miyamoto-sensei about something he had

been wondering about for a while.

“Well, there are various considerations…However, we are

thinking about increasing the number of library committee
members to two from each class. So, when the time comes,
Takai-san, please consider volunteering.”

“Y-Yes… I will do my best…”

Although Takai had gradually become more comfortable

talking to people recently, she seemed uncertain about how
to respond when suddenly asked like this.
“Ufufu, Takai-san seems like a suitable candidate for the
library committee.”

Toyama pondered whether Takai would genuinely be pleased

to take on the responsibilities of a library committee
member, given that it might reduce her time for reading,
something she seemed to enjoy doing daily.

“Well then, we’ll take our leave. Please take care of the
library.”

“I’ll make sure to check the library. Be careful on your way

home.”

“Yes, thank you and excuse us.”

Toyama and Takai handed the library keys to Miyamoto-

sensei and left the staff room.

“Natsuki, I’m going first.”

“Aww, wait, Onii-chan! Are you leaving your cute little sister
behind?”

“Why is Natsuki always running late, even though you wake

up earlier than me?”

The mornings at the Toyama household always started with

this exchange. Every morning, Natsuki would wake up
earlier than her brother, but being the laid-back person she
was, she would always end up being left behind by him.

“Girls take more time to get ready, you know. Onii-chan, you
don’t understand the psychology of women…? No, but
beautiful women like boob aliens are ……..”
Natsuki seemed to recall someone or something and
muttered to herself.

“I’m off to school!”

Unable to pay much attention to Natsuki’s mumbling,

Toyama left her behind and headed to school.

“Oh! I’m coming too!”

Holding her bag, Natsuki hastily followed Toyama out of the

entrance.

“Haaa, haaa…O-Onii-chan, I think you should be a bit nicer

to your little sister!”

Natsuki must have run after him, as she gasped for breath
while blurting out incomprehensible complaints.

“I think I’m already plenty nice to Natsuki? Well, maybe I do

spoil you a bit too much…Oh, and Natsuki still lacks
stamina, just as usual.”

“That’s what I mean! You’re not being nice! Onii-chan, you

should reflect on that!”

Saying that, Natsuki leaned closer and linked her arm with
Toyama’s.

“Yeah, yeah…”

Perhaps due to having such exchanges almost every day, he

had become accustomed to the attention he received from
other students on their way to school and didn’t mind it
much.
“Good morning, Toyama!”

Another reason for attracting attention called out to Toyama.

“Good morning, Uehara-san.”

Lately, Toyama had been running into Uehara more often on

their way to school.

“Ah! Boob Alie──”

Sensing that Natsuki was about to call Uehara the [Boob

Alien] Toyama gave her a fierce glare.

“U-Uehara-senpai, good morning…”

“Natsuki-chan, good morning. You’re sticking close to your

Onii-chan again today, huh?”

“Uehara-senpai, you’re waiting to ambush Onii-chan again,

aren’t you?”

“I-It’s not an ambush… I was just… um… waiting to see if

Toyama and Natsuki-chan would come soon…”

“That’s what you call an ambush.”

“Ugh…”

Uehara fell silent at Natsuki’s accurate observation.

“We’re going to be late, so both of you, let’s go already.”

As this kind of exchange was a regular occurrence, Toyama

left them behind and quickly headed to school.

“Aww, wait, Toyama!”

“Onii-chan is so mean~”

The three of them passed through the school gate, making a

lot of noise. This, too, had become a regular occurrence.

“Alright then, we’re going this way.”

Upon reaching the spot where they would part ways with
Natsuki from the middle school section, Uehara this time
linked her arm with Toyama.

“U-Uehara-san? W-Would you mind not attracting so much

attention by linking arms?”

“Ah! What are you doing, trying to hide behind this

pretence, Uehara-senpai!?”

“Don’t worry, Natsuki. I’ll take responsibility and escort

Toyama to the classroom.”

“But I can’t feel at ease!”

“Natsuki-chan, see you later.”

Ignoring the two of them, Uehara dragged Toyama with her,

and they both disappeared towards the senior high school
building.

In the end, Toyama ended up being taken to the classroom

by Uehara while still linked arm-in-arm.

“Uehara-san, could you please let go of my arm now?”

After parting with Natsuki, they walked towards the
classroom with their arms linked, and on the way, Toyama
felt the intense gaze of other students. Uehara was a
famous beauty among the students, so naturally, if she
walked down the hallway arm in arm with a boy, she would
draw attention. And if her companion happened to be an
ordinary-looking male student, it only added to the
attention.

“Are we just going to enter the classroom like this?”

“Huh? If we do that, won’t people misunderstand?”

“Does Toyama not want to be misunderstood?”

“W-Well, that’s…”

“Or is it…you’re worried about being seen by Takai-san?”

“………”

“I-I’m sorry… for saying something mean…”

As Toyama remained silent without saying anything, Uehara

suddenly realised that she had made a slip of the tongue
and looked embarrassed as she averted her gaze from
Toyama.

“No, it’s okay. Uehara-san, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m sorry..”

Thinking that Toyama was upset with her, Uehara looked

down, feeling downhearted.

“Uehara-san, let’s go into the classroom together.”

“Un!”
Originally, it was Toyama who had planted the seed of this
situation. Feeling responsible for making Uehara feel down,
Toyama decided to enter the classroom still linked arm-in-
arm with her as a small gesture of making amends.

As the classroom approached, Toyama hesitated and felt

nervous. Entering the classroom like this would surely
attract attention, and Takai might see them too. As such
thoughts crossed his mind, Uehara, on the other hand,
seemed delighted as she clung to Toyama’s arm.

──Well, here goes nothing!

With determination, Toyama entered the classroom with

Uehara, still linked arm-in-arm.
──!!!

As Toyama and Uehara appeared from the door, all eyes

turned to them. The classroom, which had been buzzing
with activity before the start of class, suddenly fell silent,
and hushed whispers reached their ears.

“ Those two came in arm-in-arm… ”

“ Are they dating after all? ”

“ No, no, that can’t be true. Uehara-san is probably just

teasing Toyama. ”

“ But have you ever seen Uehara-san doing that with other
guys? ”

“ Come to think of it, no… ”

“ Exactly. ”

The words they overheard expressed doubt about their

relationship.

“Toyama! You guys are quite bold, huh? By the way, when
did you two start dating?”

The one who called out to Toyama, while patting his back,
was his classmate Okuyama Shouta. His remark completely
changed the atmosphere in the classroom, which had been
subtle until then.

“O-Okuyama-kun!? We’re not actually dating or anything…”

“You’re not a couple, yet you walk into the classroom with
your arms linked like that? It’s not something normal, you
know?”

“W-Well, that’s…”

Okuyama’s words were valid, and Toyama couldn’t argue

against it.

“ Looks like they really were dating after all… I had my

suspicions. ”

“ Yeah, you’re right…Uehara-san’s closeness with Toyama

was quite something. ”

“ I’m jealous… ”

With Okuyama’s remark, the perception of the students in

the class was gradually shifting towards the belief that
Toyama and Uehara were indeed dating.

“Marika, is it true that you guys were really dating? I heard it

from Shouta, and I was so surprised!”

Adding further fuel to the fire, Okuyama’s girlfriend, Kojima

Rie, chimed in.

“Wh-What!? And now Kojima-san too? W-Well, you see, just

a little while ago, my sister,Uehara-san and I were just
fooling around together, so it’s kind of an extension of that,
you know?”

Desperately trying to downplay the situation, Toyama

sought affirmation from Uehara with eye contact.

“Y-Yeah… that’s right! I was just teasing Toyama with

Natsuki-chan a little while ago, so we’re not dating or
anything.”
“Well, well…I guess if you want to put it that way, that’s
fine. Fufu.”

Kojima’s words had an ambiguous undertone to them as she

concluded.

“ Uehara-san said they’re not dating, you heard that,

right? ”

“ Phew… ”

“ But still, I envy how close Uehara-san and Toyama are. ”

“ Well, yeah… ”

“ They seem like a couple right before they officially start

dating. ”

“ True. ”

Although Uehara denied it, it seemed like the class’s

perception hadn’t changed much.

“Well, good luck, Toyama.”

“Okuyama-kun, what do you mean by that…?”

“Well, you know… I don’t have to say it out loud. Oh,

Taka──Takai-san!?”

As Okuyama felt someone’s presence behind him and

paused in his words, he turned around to see a displeased-
looking Takai standing there.

“T-Takai-san… Are you angry about something?”

“I’m not angry. This is just my usual expression.”

Takai always had a neutral expression, but her emotions
were evident enough even to someone like Okuyama, who
didn’t know her well.

“Well, if you say so…Is there something you need from

someone?”

In response to Okuyama’s question, Takai nodded silently

and handed a book to Toyama.

“This is the book I borrowed. Thanks, it was interesting.”

“A-aah, yeah…”

After Toyama took the book, Takai returned to her seat

without saying anything.

“Oyaa…? It seems like things are getting interesting here,

Marika. A rival has appeared,is it?””

Sensing something from Takai’s behaviour, Kojima teased

Uehara playfully.

“It’s not like that, Rie.”

“I wonder if I just imagined that Takai-san had an unusual

atmosphere about her?”

“I’m telling you, there’s nothing like that!”

“Well, if Marika says so, I guess it’s fine. But… Takai-san is

cute, so be careful not to lose her.”

Uehara didn’t respond to Kojima’s words.

“So, Toyama, which one is your real crush?”

After observing the situation, Okuyama leaned over to
Toyama and whispered softly so that others wouldn’t hear.

“O-Okuyama-kun… It’s not like that with either of them…”

Given the current dynamics among the three, Toyama

couldn’t honestly express his feelings and chose to be
vague with his words.

“I understand that you want to keep it hidden, but judging

from Uehara’s actions and Takai’s demeanour, I think it will
eventually come out”

As Okuyama pointed out, Uehara’s behaviour towards

Toyama was excessive in terms of physical closeness for just
friends of the opposite sex. It seemed that Takai, too, was
becoming unable to remain indifferent to Toyama and
Uehara’s interactions.

“…I can’t say anything right now. I’m sorry even though
you’re worried, Okuyama-kun”

“Is that so..Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here to
listen”

“Un, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind”

Although he said that, Toyama knew that the situation with

Takai was not something he could easily discuss with others.

“Ouu, take your time. Well…the teacher will be here soon,

so we should get back to our seats.”

And so, little by little, some of the students in the class

started to suspect the nature of the relationship between
Toyama, Uehara and Takai.
TL: Hope you like this introduction to Vol2. But I have sad
news…I’m a bit preoccupied by other novels, but don’t
worry, I’m translating it behind the scenes So..see you in the
next few months.
 Chapter 2: Cooking Showdown

Lunch break. The four of them,Toyama, Okita Chihiro,

Uehara and Aizawa Mika—gathered as usual, spreading out
their lunches.

“Okita-kun’s bento has a variety of colours and looks

delicious. Your bento box is also small and cute.”

Uehara, who was staring intently at Okita’s bento box,

seemed to be enjoying herself.

“I’ve been wondering for a while, but is that enough for you,
Okita?”

Toyama had asked Okita this question before out of curiosity

and it seemed Aizawa was thinking something similar.

“Yeah, I have a small appetite, so this is enough for me.”

Okita’s bento box was a single-tier one, like those used by

girls on a diet and it was truly tiny.

“Compared to Okita, Marika definitely eats way more, don’t

you think?”

“Hey, Mika, where are you looking!?”

“I’m not looking…but, haven’t you grown a bit, you know?”

Toyama inadvertently followed Aizawa’s gaze and found

himself captivated by the impressive twin peaks that
Uehara’s uniform revealed as he lifted it.
“S-S-Surely, it’s not like that, but… uh, anyway, I’ve never
seen Toyama bring a lunch like bread or onigiri”

Uehara, perhaps aware of her weight gain, skillfully changed

the subject to avoid dwelling on that topic and redirected
the conversation to Toyama.

“Well, my parents are both working, so they told me I don’t

need to make lunch or anything.”

“Hmm… then why not try making it yourself?”

Aizawa said casually, but making lunch wasn’t such an easy

task.

“Do you really think I’d be someone who does those

meticulous things, Aizawa-san?”

“Well, I can’t quite imagine Toyama being secretly good at

cooking or anything like that.”

“Exactly.”

“It’s not something to brag about, though.”

“Speaking of which, do you cook or anything, Aizawa-san?”

“I make my own bento, so I have a decent amount of

confidence in my cooking.”

“Heee, Aizawa-san brings her lunch every time, but she

makes it herself…what about you, Uehara-san?”

Toyama seemed surprised that Aizawa was making her own

bento.

“Well, I…can cook. I-I often help at home with cooking.”

From Uehara’s lack of confidence and her hesitance in
stating it clearly, Toyama understood that she wasn’t
particularly skilled at cooking but wanted to save face. It
was something he couldn’t say out loud, though.

“Marika, you don’t have to put on airs. Un.”

It seemed Aizawa had a similar thought, but being best

friends, she didn’t sugarcoat it and stated it plainly.

“T-That’s not true! I wash vegetables, peel with a peeler…”

“What else?”

While it was true she helped, was that all? Aizawa voiced
Tuyama’s unspoken thoughts.

“Remove the bitterness and arrange dishes?”

[TL: Context of the bitterness. Akutori( lye ) is a general

term for ingredients that cause bitterness and harshness
that come out of ingredients;]

“Well…well, it’s true she helps, but it’s clear Marika isn’t
skilled at cooking.”

The moment the suggestion of arranging dishes came up,

everyone here likely thought she wasn’t skilled at it.

“I-I’ll make lunch for Toyama if you’re going that far! Judge
after you’ve eaten that!”

“Huh? Why me…? Couldn’t you make it for Aizawa-san?”

“W-Well, you know, you always eat convenience store onigiri

or store-bought bread, so I thought I’d have you try
something with a better nutritional balance for a change…”
“But it’s kind of a hassle for you to go out of your way to
make it for me.”

“It’s fine! I can make it while making mine.”

Toyama felt bad about having someone go through the

trouble of making lunch specifically for him, but when
Uehara said it was just a side thing while making her own
lunch, it became difficult to refuse.

“R-Right, got it. Then… Uehara-san, please.”

“Yeah! So, Toyama, do you have any food preferences or

dislikes?”

“Well… I’m not a fan of offal or internal organs, but other

than that, it’s okay I guess?”

“I don’t think Uehara is putting offal in your bento, for sure.”

Uehara’s retort came right away.

“Y-Yeah, that’s true.”

“Then, can I leave the side dishes up to me? But I can make
something if you have any requests though.”

“Nah, anything is fine. Please make something you’re good

at, Uehara-san.”

“Un, got it!”

And so, Uehara ended up taking on the task of making

Toyama’s lunch.

“Yuki, that’s great! Uehara-san making your lunch for you!”

The genuinely kind-hearted Okita seemed to have no inkling
that Uehara might have some ulterior motive for making
Toyama’s lunch.

“Miwa, can you come with me to the supermarket after

school? I need to buy ingredients for tomorrow’s lunch.”

“You’re already decided to make it for tomorrow?”

“Yeah, with the rainy season coming up, there might be

fewer chances to bring lunch.”

“Ah, yeah, that’s true. If Marika’s lunch upsets my stomach,

Toyama might end up traumatised too.”

“H-hey, don’t say such ominous things!”

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll go shopping with you, so let’s think about

tomorrow’s menu together…”

Aizawa seemed to sense something and stopped mid-

conversation, looking around at her surroundings.

“Mika? Is something wrong?”

When Aizawa followed the direction of her gaze, she saw

Takai, who was observing them. Their eyes met for a brief
moment, but Takai quickly averted her gaze.

“No… it’s nothing.”

She replied to Uehara that it was nothing, but Aizawa,

feeling a complex mix of emotions, sighed inwardly.

During the lunch break on the day after Uehara declared

she would make lunch, a small event was taking place—an
unveiling of Uehara’s homemade bento. The usual group—
Toyama, Uehara, Aizawa, and Okita—gathered, with Toyama
being the central figure.

“Yuki, I’ll go call Takai-san.”

Calling out to Takai, Okita stepped away from the group.

“Takai-san, Uehara-san made lunch for Yuki. Would you like

to join us for lunch today?”

“Eh? Why would Uehara-san make lunch for Yuki?”

“It came up in the conversation while we were having lunch

together yesterday.”

“Uehara-san for Yuki…?”

“Yes, because Yuki usually only eats onigiri or bread, which

isn’t a balanced diet. So, Uehara-san decided to make lunch
for him.”

As Okita explained the flow of yesterday’s conversation,

Takai showed a slight sign of contemplation.

“I see…today, I’ll join everyone for lunch as well.”

“That’s great! Let’s go then.”

Takai put back her lunch, which she had spread out, and
went to join Toyama and the others.

“Takai-san is having lunch with us today too!”

Ignorant of what had been discussed, Okita had a beaming

smile, seemingly genuinely delighted to be able to share
lunch with Takai.
“Today is about Marika making lunch, so it’s a little
unveiling. She’s confident in her cooking, so Yumi and I are
looking forward to it…right?”

On one hand, Aizawa’s reaction was in contrast to Okita’s,

who had some knowledge of the situation. Understanding
Takai’s emotions to a certain extent, Aizawa couldn’t fully
enjoy Uehara’s bento event for Toyama.

“Mika, I hope you’re not setting the bar too high…”

“Oya? Marika, are you lacking confidence?”

However, she couldn’t just stay silent. Aizawa made an

effort to behave cheerfully so that everyone could have a
good time.

“W-Well, I do have confidence! S-So, Toyama… I made this

bento for you… Please, go ahead…”

Contrary to her words, Uehara nervously extended the

bento box to Toyama, lacking in confidence.

“Thank you, Uehara-san… But is something wrong?”

Being evaluated by the guy she liked put Uehara on edge,

and she was extremely nervous.

“Well… the appearance isn’t that great, or rather… I feel like

I messed up.”

“Is that so? But don’t worry, I don’t mind.”

“Un… but! I really think it tastes delicious!”

“Well then, I’ll gladly dig in.”

“If it’s not delicious, you can leave it, okay?”

Toyama unwrapped the bento and took off the lid. The
gathered members watched with bated breath.

The contents of the bento included fried chicken,

hamburger, simmered dishes, sautéed burdock roots, and
rolled omelette, a colourful food is spread.

“Wa, there are so many side dishes? Wasn’t it hard to make

all of these?”

If Uehara made all of these side dishes in the morning,

Toyama wondered what time she woke up.

“Some of the side dishes are leftovers from last night’s

dinner, so it wasn’t that much trouble.”

“That’s good, I was worried that you had to make everything

from scratch in the morning. It must have been tough.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine.”

“Alright then, I’ll dig in…”

Pondering which colourful dish to start with, Toyama picked

up a piece of the rolled omelette with his chopsticks and
took a bite.

“Un, it’s delicious!”

“Really!? I mean, I struggled to roll the omelette while

cooking it, and it ended up being a bit messy. But I’m glad
you find it tasty…”

“True, the shape might be a little messy, but the sweetness

is just right, and the flavour is definitely there in the rolled
omelette.”

“That’s a relief…”
Uehara had confidence that the dishes were well-seasoned
when she tasted them. So, when Toyama praised them as
delicious, she let out a sigh of relief and patted her chest.

“Only Toyama gets to cheat! I want some too!”

Aizawa, who had been silently watching until then, couldn’t

hold back anymore after hearing Toyama’s feedback.

“Well then, should we share it together?”

Toyama started to divide the two remaining pieces of rolled

omelette among Takaoka, Okita, and Aizawa.

“Ah… it’s delicious… I like this level of sweetness too.”

“Yeah, Uehara-san, it’s delicious!”

“It’s my first time eating Marika’s homemade cooking, but

it’s impressive!”

The evaluations from Taki, Okita and Aizawa were positive,

revealing that the seasoning was satisfying to everyone’s
taste.

“Hehe…I’m so happy you all liked it… But honestly, my

mom helped me with the seasoning. I actually had to redo it
about twice.”

“I knew that from the start, so it’s okay.”

For Aizawa, it’s probably safe to assume she can see

through anything when it comes to her best friend Uehara.

“Huh? Really!?”

“Yeah, because… except for the pure-hearted Okita who

doesn’t know how to doubt, nobody believed Marika was
good at cooking. Right, Toyama?”

“Aren’t you pointing that question to the wrong person?”

“Alright then, Yumi?”

“Based on the rolled omelette alone, I don’t think Uehara-

san is bad at cooking.”

Despite being suddenly questioned, Takai calmly expressed

her opinion without showing any signs of hesitation.

“That’s right. See, Yumi’s seal of approval. Isn’t that nice?”

“Takai-san, you bring your own lunch almost every day,

right?”

As Okita pointed out, Takai indeed brought her own lunch

almost every day.

“Mostly just leftovers from dinner. My mom isn’t around

during dinner time because of work, so I cook for myself.”

Even though he had spent time in Takai’s room until around

dinnertime, Toyama hadn’t known this. For Toyama, who
intentionally avoided discussing her family, discovering this
new aspect of Takai was a revelation.

“I remember you saying something like that before. I’d also

like to try Yumi’s bento.”

Though she might not be a big eater, Aizawa was starting to

show interest in Takai’s lunch as well.

“Eeh? It’s just leftover from last night’s dinner, so I don’t

think it’ll be delicious.”

“You want to try it too, Toyama?”

“eh? Well, I guess I’d like to try it, maybe?”

“Alright then, it’s settled! But if we all eat together, Takaia’s

bento will be gone, so feel free to have Uehara’s bento that
she made. Oh, I’ll share some of my bento too.”

What began as a showcase for Uehara’s bento turned into

an unprepared bento exchange, but Aizawa and Okita
seemed excited and most importantly, Toyama was happy
to have lunch with Takai and the other four.

“Here, have a share~”

Saying that, Aizawa even started dividing portions of her

own bento that weren’t part of Takai’s. She seemed to have
taken on the role of orchestrating the sharing, almost as if
she were born to lead in such situations.

“Mm! The simmered dish you made, Yumi, has a rich broth
and the flavour has been soaked in, it’s delicious!”

Aizawa’s face relaxed as she tasted the simmered dish from

Takai’s bento. It must have been really delicious.

“Your hamburger, Aizawa-san, is tender, juicy, and

delicious.”

The juices overflow from the sliced hamburger, divided into

smaller portions. Aizawa’s homemade hamburger was a
dish that even impressed Takai.

“I want to try too!”

Uehara picked up Aizawa’s hamburger with her chopsticks

and brought it to her mouth.
“Seriously… It’s frustrating, but it’s better than the one I
made…”

Comparing her own hamburger to the one Aizawa made,

Uehara’s disappointment showed the difference in taste.

“Well, Yumi and I make lunch every day and Marika has less
experience, so don’t be too disappointed.”

“Yeah, Uehara-san, with practice, you’ll get better at it too,

so don’t worry.”

“I’ll work hard to be able to make even tastier dishes!”

Receiving Takai’s approval, Uehara seemed a bit happy.

“But Uehara-san, your bento was delicious too! You could be

a great bride in the future!”

[Oyomesan]

Okita’s words and actions were always free from malice,

consistently positive but sometimes he would toss in a
bomb like this.

“Huh!? B-Bride … no, I’m still in high school… It’s a bit early
or… right? Toyama?”

Whether it was the mention of [Oyomesan] that made

Uehara think of someone special, she continued her
somewhat embarrassed appeal, glancing at Toyama from
time to time.

“T-that’s right. Ahaha…”

Caught in the middle of Uehara’s obvious display in front of

Takai, Toyama didn’t know how to react, so he gave a vague
response.
“Y-Yuki…Ah, how about I make lunch for you tomorrow?”

For some reason, Takai suddenly offered to bring lunch the

next day.

“Huh? T-That’s really not necessary… I-It’s okay.”

As Toyama politely declined, Takai’s expression seemed a

little saddened as she looked down.

“It’s fine, you know. You should let Yumi make lunch for you
too. It’ll save you money for lunch.”

Seeing this, Aizawa quickly intervened, providing

reassurance. She did so to avoid Takai feeling down.

“Yeah, that’s right, Yuki. Since she’s offering to make lunch

for you, you should accept Takai-san’s kindness.”

Agreeing with Aizawa, Okita chimed in with a similar

sentiment. Toyama, who was advised the same, seemed a
bit hesitant.

“Well then, taking your words into account…Takai, would

you like to make lunch for me tomorrow?”

Continuing to decline could make things awkward.

Considering Uehara’s feelings and wanting to avoid any
misunderstandings, Toyama decided to make the request.

“Sure, I understand. So…how about after school today we

go to the supermarket together to buy the ingredients?”

“You want to go grocery shopping with me?”

“Yeah, it’s more efficient to decide on the menu together so

I won’t waste time trying to figure it out separately.”
While Takai verbally emphasised efficiency, both Toyama
and Aizawa knew that it was also a subtle dig at Uehara.

“Alright, got it. Let’s stop by the supermarket after school

then.”

For Takai, who is usually reserved, this approach may seem

a bit forceful, but there’s likely a desire not to lose to Uehara
hidden behind it.

“Yuki, it’s great that Takai-san will also be making lunch for
you!”

Uehara’s lunch presentation for Toyama took an unexpected

turn. In the latter half, Toyama and Aizawa were on edge,
while Uehara seemed to have mixed feelings. Only Okita
seemed genuinely amused by the situation.

“So, what are you planning to make?”

As they browsed through the supermarket, Takai asked him.

They had come to the supermarket near Takai’s house

because it was closer and more affordable, with the
understanding that it would be more convenient for carrying
the groceries.

“Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it.”

Even with that prompt, Toyama couldn’t come up with an

answer right away and seemed lost in thought. Suddenly,
Takai leaned in closer and whispered in his ear.

“Hey, Yuki… Since there’s no one at my house tonight…

Would you like to have dinner there?”
Ever since the incident in front of the sports equipment
storage room with Kurashima and Ishiyama, Toyama had
been feeling a slight uneasiness. This made him hesitate
about going to Takai’s room.

“…A, aaaa. I guess I could let you treat me to dinner

tonight.”

The words that came out of Takai’s mouth were undoubtedly

an invitation. Though Yuki tried to resist for a moment, his
pent-up desires got the better of him, and he readily
succumbed.

“Un…”

Takai’s small nod and expression seemed oddly alluring, as

if she were anticipating something that would happen in her
room. Seeing her in that state, even Toyama couldn’t help
but feel a sense of anticipation.

After finishing their shopping, the two of them arrived home,

stored the groceries in the refrigerator, and headed to
Takai’s room.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in Takai’s room.”

As he entered Takai’s room after a long time, the scent of

her surrounded him, intensifying the thoughts in Toyama’s
mind about what was going to happen on the bed right in
front of him.

──!?

“T-Takai…”
Suddenly, he was pushed onto the bed, lying on his back.
Takai straddled him and leaned over him.

“This scent… It’s been a while…”

Takai clung to him as if seeking affection, pressing her lips

and nose against Toyama’s neck. She took a deep breath
and began to inhale his scent.

“I haven’t showered yet, and I’m sweaty and dirty…”

“You’re not dirty… Besides, when I smell your scent… I feel

calm…”

Finding Takai’s actions endearing, Toyama gently pulled her

closer with his right hand and buried his face in her hair.

“Aah…”

“Even Takai… you smell good…”

Takai’s hair still faintly carried the scent of shampoo, tickling

Toyama’s nostrils.

“Is Toyama already… all fired up…?”

With Takai straddling him and embracing him, along with

her soft touch and her alluring fragrance, Toyama felt the
arousal swelling distinctly in his school pants.

“Well, you’re like that too, Takai.”

As Takai’s body made contact with Toyama’s thigh, he could

feel the warmth and moisture exuding from her.

“Ah, ah… Th-that’s not… the case…”

Blushing, Takai buried her face into the bedding in
embarrassment.

“Yuki…you seem uncomfortable…I’ll help you take them

off.”

After holding each other for a while, Takaisat up and started

unfastening Toyama’s uniform belt. She quickly pulled down
his pants and underwear, then proceeded to remove her
own panties.

With one of her panties still hanging from her ankle, Takai
straddled Toyama once again.

“T-Takai!? N-No, stop! It’s not right!”

As Takaistraddled him and started to lower herself, Toyama

grabbed her slim waist with both hands, hurriedly halting
her movement.

“Ah!”

Takaoka let out a small, coquettish cry as Toyama gripped

her waist.

“Why…?”

“Why, you ask… Isn’t it obvious!? Without protection… we

can’t do this.”

Takai had attempted to engage in the act without using a

condom.

“Yuki… you don’t want to…?”

“Of course I want to… but… if we continue like this, it might

become uncontrollable and that scares me…So, we have to
draw the line here and not cross it.”
Toyama feared that he might indulge in pleasure and as a
result, cause trouble for Takai and those around her.

“…I just couldn’t resist wanting you so much, Yuki… I’m

sorry for being selfish.”

Touched by Takai’s sorrowful expression and her heartfelt

words, Toyama pulled her close once again.

“Takai, you don’t have to apologise. I…I actually feel the

same way… That’s why, this time, let’s make sure to use
protection.”

“Un…”

As they engaged in the act after a long while, the two of

them lost track of time and wholeheartedly sought each
other.

After their sweaty encounter, the two of them took a

shower. Takai, wearing an apron, stood in the kitchen, while
Toyama sat on the living room sofa watching TV.

“Yuki, the food is about to be served.”

Feeling a bit guilty about leaving all the cooking preparation

to Takai, Toyama offered to help, but he was turned down as
he might get in the way. Their interaction resembled that of
a newlywed couple.

“Sure, I’ll be right there.”

Turning off the TV and getting up from the sofa, Toyama

headed towards the kitchen. The dishes placed on the table
were freshly made, emitting steam as they were still piping
hot.

The menu consisted only of pork sauté with warm

vegetables on the side. Since both of them had been
considering having sex from the time they were shopping at
the supermarket, they opted for a simple dish that required
minimal preparation, as they knew they wouldn’t have much
time for cooking.

“Un, it’s delicious! The meat is tender, and this sauce is

really amazing.”

As expected of someone who cooked every day, Takai’s

efficiency in the kitchen was remarkable and her culinary
skills were undeniable.

“I’m glad… I’m happy that Yuki enjoyed it.”

Today, Takai seemed to be more straightforward. From

suggesting making lunch boxes during lunch break to
inviting him to the supermarket and even being affectionate
in bed, she was expressing her feelings more openly than
usual.

“You know, we kinda look like a newlywed couple, don’t

we…? Well, I’ve never been married, but I wonder if this is
what it feels like to be a married couple.”

Watching Takai like this, Toyama shared a surprisingly

candid sentiment that he wouldn’t normally express.

“…Being a married couple isn’t necessarily that great, you

know… Are your parents on good terms?”

Unlike with Toyama’s parents, it seemed that Takai didn’t

have any aspirations towards marriage.
“Oh… I think my parents get along well. I’ve never seen
them fight or anything.”

“That’s nice, you have good parents… Yuki, I think you know
that my parents are divorced, but it was because my father
had an affair…that’s what led to their separation.”

While Takai knew about her parents’ divorce, she had never
disclosed the details to Toyama. Until now, Takai hadn’t
brought it up herself, and Toyama hadn’t felt the need to
ask. So, he wondered why Takai suddenly wanted to talk
about it.

“Ever since my father started showing interest in another

woman, they would constantly argue…and as a child, it was
painful for me to witness that.”

─ So that’s why…when Okita mentioned us looking like a

newlywed couple earlier, Takai had a negative reaction to it.

Takai must have developed a disillusionment towards the

concept of marriage after witnessing her parents constantly
arguing during her childhood.

“And after they divorced, that person became indifferent to

us, and my older sister hardly came home once she started
university.”

[The person] she mentioned was likely her mother. When

Takai said [us] she was probably referring to herself and her
sister, indicating that her mother became indifferent to
them after the divorce.

Toyama recalled the image of Takai’s mother, whom he had

met only once.

─Though back then, she didn’t seem as indifferent or cold.

Even if Toyama felt that way, he could only be a bystander
in this situation. He had met Takai’s mother only once, after
all, so it was natural that he wouldn’t fully understand.

Toyama struggled to find the right words in response. Takai

didn’t pursue the topic any further, and the conversation
came to an end.

“Sorry for bringing up a damp topic. Let’s eat before the

food gets cold.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It would be a shame if this delicious

meal goes to waste.”

After that, Toyama and Takai continued to eat in silence.

However, even without conversation, it was a comfortable
and enjoyable time for Toyama.

“Fuu, thanks for the meal. It was delicious.”

“I’ll make some tea, so wait in the living room.”

“I can handle the dishes.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s already late, I’ll clean up when you leave,
Yuki.”

“Aah! You’re right. It’s already past 9 o’clock.”

After embracing Takai and then taking care of meal

preparations, it seemed that he ended up running back
home later than usual.

“Are you okay with the time, Yuki?”

“Well, I did let them know earlier that I wouldn’t need dinner
and there’s no curfew or anything, so I’ll be fine.”
“I see… Still, it’s better if you head home sooner.”

“Yeah, I’ll leave after having some tea.”

Toyama returned to the living room, sat down on the sofa,

and watched Takai as she tidied up the dishes from the
table.

Up until now, Toyama had visited Takai’s house solely for the
purpose of having sex. Even though they had been intimate
today as well, thinking about how they had shared a meal
together afterward and were now relaxing like this, he
realised that the incident in the equipment storage room
had served as a catalyst to bring him closer to her
emotionally.

That incident had indeed propelled the relationship between

Toyama, Takai and Uehara forward, but it had also added a
layer of complexity to their dynamics.

“Thanks for the meal today. Sorry for leaving the cleanup to
you.”

Having prepared to leave, Toyama was being seen off by

Takai as he headed towards the entrance.

“No, I’m the one who kept you here until so late, so I’m
sorry.”

“It’s not like that. The food was delicious, and today… well…
It has been a while.”

“Yeah… it has been a while for me too… I’m glad.”

Toyama might not have directly expressed what he meant
by [a while], but it seemed like Takai understood.

“Yuki…”

Takai gently closed her eyes and lifted her chin, signalling
that she wanted a kiss. Her face was at just the right height
for Toyama’s eyes, given the slightly elevated position at
the entrance.

“Mm…”

Aware that if he gave in too much, he’d end up having

lingering feelings, Toyama gave Takai a light kiss on the lips.

“Take care on your way back.”

Takai blushed and looked at Toyama with a somewhat

dissatisfied expression.

“Un, I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s lunch too.”

Though it felt like he was being pulled back, Toyama

reminded himself that there was no end to this if he kept
going and turned his back to Takai, reaching out to open the
front door. Then, a clicking sound came from the door.

“I’m back─ Oh? Who might you be?”

Opening the door from outside and entering the foyer, the
woman who walked in tilted her head as she looked at
Toyama. Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events,
Toyama stood frozen, gazing at the woman with a
bewildered expression.

“Nee-san!? You rarely come back home today…”

“Yumi, this is my house, of course I’ll come back. By the
way, is this the guy we’ve been hearing about?”

“Um, well, I’m Toyama, a classmate of Takai’s.”

“I’m Yumi’s older sister and my name is Rena. I’m a fresh

and young college student! Nice to meet you, Toyama-kun!”

“okay, nice to meet you too.”

Rena, as Takai’s older-sister introduced herself, was a

mature and attractive young woman in her college years.
Her short hairstyle and well-proportioned figure, including a
generous bust, caught Toyama’s attention.

“Ara, Toyama-kun? Fawning at other girls in front of your

girlfriend isn’t a good idea, you know? It might upset Yumi.”

“Oh, well… I was just surprised, not really staring…”

“I’m kidding, just kidding. You got flustered, and it’s kind of
cute, Toyama-kun. Onee-san had a little [kyun] moment
there.”

“Nee-san! Why did you come back today? You hardly ever
come back home.”

“I already mentioned it earlier, but this is my home, so

coming back is only natural, right? I need to get serious
about job hunting soon, and I plan to come back every day
from now on.”

“Eh…Weren’t you living together with your boyfriend?”

“We weren’t living together, and if you mean my boyfriend,

we broke up. He became insistent after I said we wouldn’t
be able to meet often due to my busy schedule, so I thought
this was a good opportunity.”

Takai was left speechless by Rena’s words.

“That’s the situation. Take care of Yumi for me.”

While Rena’s appearance resembled Takai’s, their

personalities were polar opposites, and she exuded an aura
of being in a fulfilling relationship. She was bright and
friendly, making it easy for Toyama to imagine that she
would attract a lot of male attention.

—Still, for Takai to become so emotional… Could it be that

she has a closed relationship with her sister?

Seeing this unusual emotional side of Takai, Toyama learned

about the complexity of her family situation.

“Well then, it’s getting late, so I should head home. Thank

you for having me.”

Toyama thought that staying longer might just be a bother,

so he greeted Rena and prepared to leave.

“Sure, come over again sometime, Toyama-kun! Oh, by the

way! Be careful when you’re getting intimate in Yumi’s room
next time. The sounds you were making were pretty
obvious.”

As Toyama heard those words, he felt the blood rush out of

his face.

“W-What are you talking about…?”

Takai was so embarrassed by being questioned about her

intimate moments with Toyama that her face turned beet
red and she looked down.

“You don’t have to hide it, you know? I’ve been coming back
home occasionally, so it’s not like you were completely
unnoticed. Well, Yumi and Toyama-kun are at that age, so I
understand the curiosity and I don’t really mind. But do
make sure to practise safe sex, okay? Toyama-kun?”

“Yes, of course…”

Having their intimate sounds heard by Rena during their

sexual encounter and then being pointed out in such an
embarrassing situation made Toyama wish he could just
disappear.

“Alright then, Toyama-kun. Well, see you!”

“Uh, thank you for having me… Excuse me.”

Rena, who had taken off her shoes at the entrance,

vanished into the living room.

“Yuki, I’m sorry…”

Takai seemed quite shocked that Rena had found out, her
expression on the brink of tears.

“Takai, you don’t need to apologise. It’s not like your sister
was blaming you for anything.”

“I know, but…”

“Still, from now on, we need to be more careful at your

place…”

Since he had mentioned being there every day, it would

likely be difficult to continue their activities in Takai’s room.
Just the fact of them being in the same room together could
arouse suspicions from Rena.

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Having felt joy from being embraced by Toyama after a long

time, Takai suddenly felt like she had fallen into a pit of
despair due to the realisation that it would be difficult to
invite him to her room from now on.

“Well, I’m heading back then…”

“Yeah… Take care on your way home…”

“Sure, goodnight.”

With a brief farewell, Toyama left Takai’s house.

 Chapter 3: First Visit

Two weeks had passed since Rena and Takai first met at
Takai’s house, but since then, Toyama had not visited Takai’s
house even once.

Although it would be fine for Rena to be at home without

any worries and to avoid making noise, the two of them
didn’t have the courage to be that bold.

After school, Takai asked Toyama to accompany him

because he wanted to borrow a book. After they finished
borrowing books in the library, they were walking towards
the station to go home.

“Takai, is your older sister been at home since then?”

“Yeah, it seems like she’s going to university, but she comes

home at night and is there every day.”

“I see…”

The difficulty of visiting Takai’s house had slightly affected

Toyama’s feelings.

“Hey, can I go to Yuki’s house today?”

“Huh? Right now?”

“Yeah, I just want to see Yuki’s house once.”

──There should be my younger sister at my house… well,

whatever.
“Sure. But my sister might be home.”

“Thank you. Sorry for being selfish.”

Though Toyama didn’t understand why Takai wanted to see

the house, it wasn’t something that would cause problems if
his sister saw, so he decided to invite her in.

“This is Yuki’s house…”

Takai gazed at Toyama’s house and for some reason felt

moved.

“Please come in. It might be a bit messy.”

“T-Thank you, I’m coming in.”

As the door opened and they were welcomed in, Takai

looked nervous and stepped into the house cautiously.

“Onii-chan, welcome back! Wait… who’s this!?”

Hearing the sounds from the entrance, Natsuki, his younger

sister, came out to the entrance to greet him. She raised her
voice in surprise upon seeing a woman she didn’t know
accompanying Toyama.

“She’s a friend from the same class.”

“U-Um, nice to meet you, I’m Takai, a classmate.”

Takai introduced herself hesitantly upon Toyama’s

introduction.

“Onii-chan… are you in your prime time for popularity or

something?”
Certainly, it’s common to assume that bringing someone of
the opposite sex home implies more than just a simple
friendship, so what Natsuki is saying is reasonable.

“Natsuki, first, greet Takai.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Toyama Natsuki. My Onii-chan has

been taking care of me.”

“Y-Yes, nice to meet you.”

“Hmm…”

After the greetings, Natsuki looked Takai up and down, from

her toes to the top of her head, as if examining her closely.

“What, um…?”

Takai seemed a bit jittery and apprehensive in response to

Natsuki’s demeanour.

“Onii-chan…you’ve brought quite a cute person with you.

Her chest is average, but from the waist down to the hips,
it’s a hundred points.”

Though it’s unclear what scale these points are out of a

hundred, as Natsuki described, Takai had an average-sized
chest but radiated sensuality from the waist down to the
hips. This was a part of her body that Toyama liked.

However, thrown off guard by Natsuki suddenly saying such

things, Toyama became flustered.

“H-Hey, what are you saying!? Takai, sorry, my sister’s a bit

unique.”

This sequence was reminiscent of when Natsuki first met

Uehara. Toyama couldn’t help but feel déjà vu.
“Fufu, your sister’s quite amusing.”

Takai didn’t seem to mind much, and Toyama let out a

relieved breath.

“Is she really amusing? I think this is just sexual

harassment.”

“If Yuki said it, it might be harassment, but if it’s from a cute
sister, it’s fine.”

“Natsuki… you’re benefiting from this somehow.”

If Uehara or Aizawa said this, it would sound like

harassment. Thus, the moment had come to prove that
being a younger girl was indeed a strength.

“Well, Natsuki is cute after all! Takai-senpai has good taste.”

“Takai, be careful not to praise her too much, or Natsuki

might get carried away.”

“Natsuki and her Onii-chan seem to have a good

relationship… I’m envious.”

“That’s right! Natsuki and Onii-chan get along so well that

they even sleep together in the same futon sometimes!”

“Natsuki!? Don’t say things that could be misunderstood!”

“Yuki… Are you even getting involved with your own sister?”

“Using [even] makes it sound like I’m involved with multiple

people! Stop that! I’ve only──”

Toyama almost let slip that he was involved with Takai in

front of Natsuki, but he managed to halt the words just in
time.
“A-Anyway, Takai, don’t let your imagination run wild. I’ll
clean up the room a little. Please, just sit there and wait.”

Toyama thinks that it would be embarrassing if Takai saw

something he wanted to be hidden, so I believe it’s okay,
but I asked Takai to wait to confirm the room.

“Natsuki, offer Takai something to drink. And also, make

sure any misunderstandings are cleared up.”

“Yes, yes. Well then, Takai-senpai, Natsuki will brew some

delicious tea for you.”

“Oh, Natsuki-san, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“No, no, since you’re the first girl Onii-chan has brought
home, I’ll have a chat with you while we have tea.”

“The first… really? I’m happy…”

Being told that she’s the first woman Toyama has brought
home, Takai’s cheeks relaxed as she smiled.

“Takai-senpai, here you go.”

Pouring tea from the teapot into the teacup, a gentle and
rich aroma of tea spread through the living room.

“Wa, it smells amazing…and using loose leaf tea, it’s quite

authentic.”

“Right? Natsuki really loves tea and even chooses and buys
the leaves herself.”

“When I make tea at home, I might try using loose leaf tea
and a teapot.”
“Unlike tea bags, loose leaf tea not only offers great aroma
but also a robust flavour, so I highly recommend using a
teapot! Would you like to go shopping together sometime?”

“Yes, please.”

“Well then, let’s exchange contact information so we can

message each other. Please scan this QR code with Takai-
senpai’s smartphone.”

Having successfully exchanged contact information, Natsuki

turned to Takai with a serious expression.

“So… are you dating Onii-chan?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Takai stumbled

over words, unsure of how to respond.

“…Well, Yuki and I…we’re not really in a romantic

relationship.”

“Hmm… Is that so? Despite that, you seem quite familiar,

calling Onii-chan by his first name.”

“W-Well, that’s… It’s just that somehow it’s easier to call

him that way…”

Takai herself had never expressed or been told any romantic

feelings by Toyama, and she understood that they were just
going with the flow in their relationship. Because of this, she
couldn’t bring herself to label their relationship as that of
lovers or girlfriend and boyfriend.

“I see… So, is Onii-chan’s girlfriend still that person?”

“Huh?”
“In the morning, there’s a girl with big breasts who often
joins him while we’re walking to school together. I thought
Takai-senpai might be his girlfriend, but since you said it’s
not, and considering the way she acts like a [boob alien]
around him, it’s pretty obvious she likes him. So, I was
wondering…”

“I-It’s that so…”

It was clear from the description that the girl with big
breasts was Uehara, and Takai was taken aback by this
revelation.

“But they’re not officially dating yet…They haven’t brought

each other home either, so maybe it’s more like a one-sided
interest from the [boob alien]? But Onii-chan doesn’t seem
indifferent either…Maybe it’s just a matter of time before
they become an item?”

Natsuki’s way of speaking was deliberately designed to

unsettle Takai. As the relationship between Toyama and
Takai wasn’t entirely clear, Natsuki’s strategy was to rattle
Takai and coax out the truth.

“…”

Takai, who had been listening to Natsuki’s words in silence,

began to feel a sense of crisis. She worried that if things
continue as they were, Toyama might eventually succumb to
Uehara’s charms.

“So, there might still be a chance, right? Takai-senpai?”

Natsuki clearly directed a question at Takai, adding, [What

do you think?]

“Well, I… It’s not like that…”

The complicated [friends with benefits] relationship was
becoming a hindrance for Takai and Toyama to become true
lovers.

“Takai-senpai, you’re easy to read. You like Onii-chan, don’t

you?”

Confronted with Natsuki’s straightforward question, Takai

nodded in silence. She had reached a point where she
couldn’t continue to lie to herself anymore.

“Then, you’ll need to step up your game. The [boob alien] is

quite proactive, and she might really steal him away, you
know?”

In response to Natsuki’s words, Takai seemed to be

contemplating something, her expression serious.

“Takai, sorry for the wait. What’s going on? Why do both of
you look so serious? Oh, did Natsuki say something rude
again?”

Seeing Takai and Natsuki not exchanging words and looking

solemn, Toyama suspected that his sister might have said
something impolite.

“No, no, it’s not like that. We were just having a girl-to-girl
conversation. Right, Natsuki-san?”

“That’s right. I can have serious conversations too. What

does Onii-chan think of Natsuki? That’s quite rude, you
know.”

“Oh, sorry about that. Natsuki’s a good kid. My pride and

joy.”

“Thank you.”
Toyama thought Natsuki was easy to placate, given how her
mood improved with just a bit of praise. While thinking that,
he turned his gaze to Takai.

“Takai, would you like to come to my room?”

“Onii-chan, you’re not allowed to do anything naughty in

your room.”

“I-I wasn’t planning to! Natsuki–forget it, let’s go to the

room already.”

In truth, Toyama had been hoping for a chance to engage in

some intimate activities with Takai in his room, but he felt
embarrassed by the way Natsuki seemed to see through
him, so he quickly chose to retreat to his room.

“So, this is Yuki’s room… There are a lot of books, as I

thought.”

Takai, led into Toyama’s room, looked around with a curious

expression, observing her surroundings.

“It’s not as many as your room, Takai.”

“I don’t think the number of books I have differs that much

from the ones Yuki has.”

“Really? It definitely feels like Takai has more.”

“…hey… do you have any naughty books?”

“Huh? I-I don’t have anything like that. Even if I did, I

wouldn’t leave them lying around when I know you’re
coming over. Besides, Natsuki also comes in and out of my
room.”
“You wouldn’t want to show those kinds of things to your
adorable little sister, right? Since it seems like she really
loves her big brother, she probably wouldn’t want to be
disliked.”

“I’m not sure if she loves me that much… Sometimes I feel

like she’s a bit too clingy, like a bit of a brother complex…”

“I don’t think she has a brother complex. She’s just worried

about you, I believe. In fact, Yuki seems more like she has a
sister complex.”

“Huh!? I don’t think that’s true…”

“If your little sister had a boyfriend, would you be against

it?”

“I don’t want to think about it… I’d be against it. I’d at least
interview the guy and decide if he’s suitable to be her
boyfriend.”

“Uwaa…Yuki really has a sister complex. Your little sister

would be happy and celebrate if her big brother got a
girlfriend, so she’s not a brother complex. She just likes you
and worries about you.”

“Is that so…?”

“I also… I think I might have a sister complex.”

Takai suddenly came out with this revelation.

“Why do you think that?”

“Since we were little, my older sister could do everything,

outstanding, very friendly, and cute, so everyone liked her.
My friends who were close to me all got drawn to my sister
and drifted away from me. Gradually, boys and girls alike
started approaching me because they wanted to get close
to my sister. Of course, my sister didn’t mean any harm, and
I’ve always been introverted like I am now, so it’s just how
things turned out back then…”

Due to feeling inferior to her older sister, it seems that Takai

has developed a complex.

“But now, things are different, right?”

“Even though we attended the same school from

elementary to high school, my sister is three years older
than me and we weren’t in the same grade during middle
and high school, so her influence at school wasn’t really felt.
However, when my sister became a high school student, she
would often bring friends and boyfriends home, making the
house lively all the time. I could hear, well…intimate noises
from her room next door, and I couldn’t feel at ease at
home. So, I started going to the library to pass the time.”

──I see…So, Takai’s love for reading and being a frequent

visitor of the library had those reasons behind it…

Listening to Takai’s childhood story like this, it’s apparent

that her love for reading started as a way of escape.
Seeking a place to belong, she ended up in the library.

“It must be awkward to hear such stories, right?”

“That’s not the case. I didn’t know much about you before,
but as we’ve talked, I’ve felt closer to you, and that’s made
me a bit happy.”

“But still, it wasn’t an interesting story, was it? Just about

my inferiority complex towards my sister.”
“Even so. Just knowing a bit more about you today was
enough for me. It doesn’t mean I can do something for you,
though…”

With sincerity, Toyama shared his true feelings with Takai.

“Today, being introduced to your sister and getting to touch

the Yuki I hadn’t seen before, it made me happy too. I want
to interact with you more and get to know you better.”

Takai turned her heated gaze towards Toyama and closed

her eyes. It was clear she was prompting him for a kiss.
Tōyama leaned in, meeting her lips.

“Takai…”

“Onii-chan! I’ve brought some tea!”

Just as Toyama’s lips were about to touch hers, without even

knocking, Natsuki swung the door open.

“N-Natsuki!? I think I told you to knock before entering the

room!”

“Ah, sorry…Or rather, were you trying to kiss just now? I

remember saying no naughty things. You guys were about
to, right?”

It seemed they were caught right in the act of trying to kiss.

“N-No, we weren’t doing anything like that. Right, Takai?”

“Y-Yeah… Natsuki, we weren’t doing anything, so…”

“Well… If Takai-senpai says so, I trust her. But you know, you
two aren’t dating, right? Despite that, you were giving off
quite an intimate vibe.”
“P-Probably just Natsuki’s imagination.”

It seemed Natsuki had already figured out that Takai and

Toyama were more than just friends, but Toyama decided to
keep deflecting the topic.

“Well, it seems like there are some circumstances, so I won’t

pry further.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Alright then, Takai-senpai, take your time.”

With a grin, Natsuki left the room. Toyama couldn’t help but
feel he wished she had just left them alone.

“Guess my room’s off-limits too, huh?”

“…yeah.”

Of course, they knew they couldn’t go all the way, but the
two who had hoped for a bit of intimacy looked slightly
disappointed as they shared a wry smile.

“Natsuki, you really do have a thing for your brother, huh? I

take back what I said about not being a bro-con. She might
be one after all… Hehe.”

“I’m not sure if I should be happy about that.”

“Why not? It’s okay to be happy, Sis-con; Onii-san!”

Takai smiled genuinely, seeming to enjoy the banter.

As the time came for Takai to return home after spending

time in Toyama’s room, they headed to the front door, only
to find Natsuki waiting there.

“Takai-senpai, are you leaving already? It’s almost time for

Mom and Dad to come back, so you can stay a bit longer if
you want. You could even have dinner here.”

“Natsuki, don’t be so demanding. Takai has things to do at

home too.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s a bit much to be treated to dinner.

Besides, I need to head back to prepare dinner at home.”

“Is Takai-senpai going to cook dinner?”

“Un, my sister has been home more often lately, so we take

turns cooking.”

“I see. I’d like to try a dish cooked by you sometime, Takai-

senpai.”

During the short time when Takai was cleaning the room, it
seemed like Natsuki had become friendly with Takai. She
was expressing a desire to have dinner together or try his
homemade dishes.

“Natsuki, it seems like you’ve gotten quite friendly with

Takai, but don’t cause any trouble for her.”

“Aww, don’t you want to try Takai-senpai’s homemade

dishes, Onii-chan?”

“Well, I mean, I’d want to try them…(I mean, I’ve actually

tried them before)”

[The author mixed both what he spoke at the same time

mumbles]

“Eh? What did you say,Onii-san?”

He accidentally mumbled that he had tried the dishes
before, and it seemed like Natsuki had caught on.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Natsuki talks a lot, but you can just take it
with a grain of salt, Takai.”

“Come on, Onii-chan, that’s not fair! I demand kindness

from you towards your cute sister!”

“Takai, don’t worry about what Natsuki says. It’s always like
this. You don’t need to pay much attention. You can go
home whenever you’re ready.”

Natsuki behaved the same way as she did when she was
alone with Toyama. While she tended to put on a facade
when there were others around, perhaps she had become
close enough to Takai that she didn’t need to put on that
facade anymore. Natsukionly behaved like this in front of
Uehara and Okita.

“You two really get along well as siblings… I’m a bit

envious…”

While Takai might also want to get along well with his older
sister, past events and complexes might make it harder for
her to do so easily.

“Takai-senpai! It seems like today won’t work, but next time,

please come have dinner with us!”

“Takai-san, thank you for today.”

“Yeah, see you! Oh, from now on, you don’t have to use
[san] when addressing me, and you don’t need to use
honorifics either!”
“Sure, got it. I’ll call you without honorifics and we’ll hang
out again.”

Toyama offered to escort Takai to the station, but she

declined, saying it’s still daylight and she’ll be fine.

Takai bid farewell to the two and left the Toyama’s

residence.

“Onii-chan, Takai-senpai is cute and seems like a nice

person.”

After seeing Takai off at the door, Natsuki returned to the

living room and shared her impression of Takai.

“That’s true…”

“So…are you leaning towards Uehara-senpai or Takai-

senpai?”

Natsuki straightforwardly asked which one Toyama was

leaning towards between Uehara and Takai.

“… I don’t know.”

“Haa!? So, does that mean you like both of them?”

“Well, it might end up being something like that…”

“Haaaaaaaaaaaa!?…Seriously? That’s worse than being

indecisive. I get it, both of them have good personalities and
are cute, so it’s painful not being able to choose… But if you
keep this up, you’re going to be the lowest of the low,
juggling two relationships.”

Natsuki’s opinion left no room for rebuttal. While there was

a physical relationship with Takai, at least nothing had
happened yet with Uehara. Still, there was no denying that
Toyama was weighing the two options, and he felt like a
terrible person for it.

“Well, I’m fully aware that it’s a terrible situation… Not

being able to choose is just how it is.”

“By the way, earlier… You were trying to kiss in your room,
right? You and Takai-senpai are already involved, aren’t
you?”

It seemed that Natsuki had indeed noticed Toyama’s

attempt to kiss Takai in his room.

“W-Well, at least a kiss…”

“R-Really…? And what about Uehara-senpai?”

“Well… I haven’t done anything with Uehara-san… Oh… now

that I think about it, she kissed me on the cheek.”

“Uhh…this is a difficult situation…but if you’re both in

agreement and kissed, then Onii-chan is chossing Takai-
senpai, right?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Really? Even though you’ve kissed, you can’t decide? I

don’t get it!”

“Maybe when you grow up a bit more, you’ll understand,

Natsuki.”

“In the end, you couldn’t choose either of them, huh? And
there’s even a chance they might reject you…”

“Don’t say ominous things like that…”

“But isn’t it because of your indecision?”

“Well, that might be true, but…”

“I’m not you, Onii-chan, so I can’t fully understand… but

please make a choice without regrets. You can’t date both of
them at the same time, you know?”

In terms of common sense, what Natsuki said made sense.

However, the trio, Tpyama, Takai and Uehara were
attempting to step outside the boundaries of that common
sense. But the three of them weren’t fully aware of that fact.

“Aaa, I understand…”

──That’s right, in the end, no matter what the outsiders say,

the decision is mine to make.
 Chapter 4: Rena Takai Takes
Playfulness Too Far

Toyama had finished shopping at Hanseidou and was about

to leave the store and head to the station.

“Aree?…aren’t you Toyama-kun, who was at my house the

other day?”

Rena, who had come to the station for shopping, called out
to Toyama as he emerged from the large bookstore.

“Eeh? Oh, Takai’s Onee-san?”

“Ah, I knew it! Yahoo, how are you? I’ve been wondering
since you haven’t come over since that time. I was getting
worried!”

“Well… I’ve been quite busy with various things…”

Although he said that, in reality, Rena knew about what he

had been doing in Takai’s room, so his reluctance to visit
was simply due to that.

“Aaa! Are you worried about that thing?”

“Th-that thing?”

“You know, doing ecchi stuff in Yumi’s room—”

Toyama had a sense of what Rena was about to say, but he

hadn’t expected her to be so direct about it. Flustered, he
quickly interrupted her words.

“Uwwaaa! Hold on a second! What are you saying, Onee-

san, out here in public like that?”

“It’s not something to be embarrassed about, you know?

You’re young, so it’s only natural!”

“No… that’s not the issue here!”

“Toyama-kun seems quite bashful, huh?”

“I think most people would feel embarrassed. I believe it’s

you who’s unique, Onee-san.”

“Oh! Come to think of it, I never asked for your first name.
What is it?”

“You suddenly changed the topic again!”

The slightly awkward interaction seemed to stem from

Toyama being caught off guard by Rena’s pace.

“Thanks for jumping in with a calm remark! So, what’s your

first name?”

“Haaa…It’s Yuki.”

“Toyama Yuki-kun. Un, that’s a nice name.”

“But still… We’ve only met twice, and you already seem to
have a pretty skewed sense of distance, Onee-san.”

Rena’s friendly approach, as if they hadn’t just met for the

second time, caught Toyama off guard.

“Do you think so? But isn’t it better if we become friends

sooner? It’s a waste of time to build interpersonal
relationships slowly. If someone doesn’t match, no matter
how much time you spend, it won’t work out. In that regard,
you and I seem to have good compatibility. It’s no surprise,
considering you get along well with Yumi.”

For some reason, Rena’s reasoning about communication

sounds quite reasonable. Perhaps it’s because he’s being
swept up in her pace. Toyama felt like he was somewhat
being controlled by Rena.

“I’m not sure yet if I have good compatibility with you,

Onee-san…”

“No, you definitely do. I’ve never been wrong about this
kind of thing! Our compatibility is surely top-notch, and I’m
sure our physical compatibility—”

“Waa ! Waa ! Please think about the context before you

speak!”

Thrown off balance by Rena’s colossal bombshell, Toyama

becomes thoroughly confused about what she’s thinking.

“Well, can’t be helped, huh? Shall we talk in a more calming

place?”

Ignoring Toyama’s panic, Rena suggests they continue their

conversation elsewhere.

“Eeh? Today? Now?”

“Yeah, I also want to hear about Yumi…Is Toyama-kun okay

with the time?”

“Well, as long as I can be back by dinner, it’s fine.”

“Then it’s settled! Let’s go have some tea at that café over
there.”

And so, in this way, Takai’s older sister and Toyama ended
up having tea for some reason.

Toyama and Rena entered a chain café that was right in

front of Hanseidou.

“Since I’m treating you, feel free to order whatever you

like!”

“In that case, I’ll have a hot coffee, please.”

“Eeeeh!? You can go for something more extravagant, like a

Caramel Macchiato or a Frappuccino!”

“No, I’m fine with a black coffee.”

Deciding in his mind to handle Rena’s exaggerated

responses with a flat attitude.

“Toyama-kun, you’re quite composed for someone young.”

Rena seemed to sense the composed demeanour.

“So, being young, you’re only three years younger than me,
right?”

“Ara? Did Yuzumi tell you my age?”

“Yes, I had a chance to talk a bit about it recently.”

“So, what does Yumi think of me?”

“You want to know how Takai feels about you, Onee-san”

This took Toyama by surprise. He had assumed that Rena
didn’t have much interest in her younger sister.

“Well…We’ve been seeing each other around the house

more often lately. But she doesn’t seem to want to talk to
me much.”

Recalling the conversation she had with Takai, Rena

understood that her sister didn’t dislike her. It seemed that
Takai’s own insecurities were causing her to avoid her sister.

“Is that so…while I can’t interpret and convey everything

Takai said about it as someone else, there’s one thing… I
might have a sister complex Takai said that. For the rest,
you should ask her directly.”

Toyama had wanted to avoid meddling in the affairs of

another family as an outsider. After all, it was a matter that
didn’t concern him and he didn’t want to become overly
involved. However, if he could just provide a catalyst,
Toyama decided to speak on behalf of Takai’s feelings, if
only a little.

“I see…So Yumi felt that way…Thank you, Toyama-kun.

That’s enough for me to know.”

“You understood that much from just that?”

“Of course, because we’re family.”

“Well, that’s a relief. Takai seems to have a lot on her mind,

so please take care of her.”

“Of course. I love Yumi very much and cherish her.”

“But it seems like she hasn’t quite gotten the message?”

Indeed, if the message had gotten through, Takai might not
be in her current situation. Yet, if the message had gotten
through, Toyama might not have crossed paths with her
either. This complex thought left him with mixed feelings.

“Yes…I’m planning to take the time to communicate better

from now on. I hope you’ll help, too, Toyama-kun.”

“Me?”

“Yumi seems to have opened her heart to you.”

“Do you think so?”

“That’s right. Otherwise, there’s no reason for Yumi to talk

about herself to someone else.”

“But, honestly, I don’t think I can really do anything.”

“If you keep getting along with Yumi as you have been,
that’s enough.”

“Just as I have been…?”

“Ara? Is there a problem?”

Rena probably thinks of Toyama as Yumi’s boyfriend or

something similar. But in reality, they’re not in a romantic
relationship. So, continuing to interact as they have been
wouldn’t be beneficial for Takai.

“No…”

“By the way, I’d like to hear how you and Yumi first got to
know each other. Did Yumi confess to you? Or was it you,
Toyama-kun?”

“Well… It’s, uh… kind of…”

The nature of Takai and Toyama’s relationship was
something that would leave anyone unsure of how to
answer, no matter the question.

“Oh, I see! I get it, I get it! You guys probably just got along
naturally, and then it happened spontaneously, right? So,
who made the first move initially? Is it Toyama-kun?”

“Uh, no… not me…”

“Yumi asked you out!? My little sister, so bold~”

It was true that Takai had initiated the invitation the first
time they had sex, so it wasn’t entirely wrong. When he
thought about it, Toyama still didn’t understand why Takai
had invited him at that moment.

“Well… You really have an open personality, don’t you,

Onee-san? Normally, people avoid talking about that, right?”

“Eeeh!? But, you know, sex is a natural part of a romantic

relationship between a man and a woman…”

“That’s exactly it! We’re in a public place, you know? Why

would you suddenly bring up something like that? Isn’t that
being too open, Onee-san?”

“But, compatibility in that aspect is important, you know?”

“I, I understand, but…”

“Do you? Are you comparing Yumi with someone else?”

“Huh? I can’t compare her… I, I mean… I only… know Takai.”

“I see, I see… Well, that’s good. I hope you’ll continue to be

like that in the future.”
“Okay…”

As an older sister, it was only natural for Rena not to desire

a situation where her precious sister was being compared to
other women. Therefore, Toyama’s current situation could
be seen as a betrayal to Rena.

“Well then… I guess it’s time to head back. I shouldn’t keep

you for too long.”

“Yes, you’re right. It’s getting close to dinnertime.”

After settling the bill, Toyama and Reina, who were going to
take different routes home, said their goodbyes as they left
the store.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“It’s okay. Keep me updated on your stories.”

“Toyama!?”

As they exchanged farewells and were about to head

towards their respective train stations, Toyama was
suddenly called out by his name.

“Uehara-san!? And Aizawa-san too.”

Turning around, he saw Uehara and Aizawa in their school

uniforms.

After school, Toyama had been invited by Uehara and

Aizawa to go shopping, but he had declined their invitation
because he wanted to leisurely browse in the bookstore. It
seemed that Uehara and Aizawa had coincidentally
encountered Toyama while shopping as well.
“Araa? Toyama-kun, who are these lovely young ladies
here?”

“They’re both my classmates. They’re also friends of Takai.”

“Yumi’s friends!”

Hearing that they were Takai’s friends, Rena’s eyes lit up

with joy.

“Toyama… Who is that woman over there?”

Uehara approached Toyama with a concerned expression.

“Uehara-san, this person is Takai’s older sister.”

“Takai Yumi’s Onee-san, Takai Rena. Nice to meet you.”

“O-Onee-san?! I-I’m Uehara. Nice to meet you.”

“Uehara-san, may I ask for your first name?”

“O- Of course, it’s Marika.”

“I’m Aizawa Mika. Nice to meet you.”

“Marika-chan and Mika-chan, huh. You can call me Rena.”

“Um… Why is Rena-san with Toyama…?”

Uehara seemed to be curious about the relationship

between Rena and Toyama.

“Yuki and I, well… we’re just acquaintances!”

Perhaps sensing this, Rena deliberately used Toyama’s first

name and linked arms with him, as if to show off to Uehara.
“W-Wait, why are you suddenly doing this!?”

Toyama, who had his arm linked by Rena out of the blue,
couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“Yuki, it’s fine. Since we have a good relationship, linking

arms is no big deal, right?”

“Right? No, it’s not like that! What if people get the wrong
idea?”

“Ara? I wonder who you don’t want to get the wrong idea?”

Rena was teasing Toyama and clearly having fun with it, and
it was evident that she was conscious of Uehara. It seemed
that Uehara was trying to gauge the nature of the
relationship between Toyama and Rena based on their
interactions.

“O-On…Onee-san?! Please don’t be too pushy!”

Rena pressed her chest against Toyama’s, rivalling Uehara’s

own ample size and made sure to keep their arms linked,
preventing Toyama from escaping.

“H-Hey, Toyama! What’s with that dreamy look when you’re

being pressed against someone’s chest! And Rena-san,
you’re going too far!”

Though she was desperately trying to pull Rena away, it

seemed like Uehara saw Toyama as enjoying the situation.

“AraAra, Marika-chan, are you getting jealous? How

adorable.”

“I-I’m not jealous!”

“What is this situation…? Seriously, you guys, stop it, it’s
embarrassing!”

Aizawa, who had been watching this bizarre scene from the
sidelines, unable to endure the curious gazes around her,
tried to intervene and stop them.

“Yuki, you’re quite popular. I guess my judgement wasn’t

off.”

Although he wasn’t sure what judgement Rena was referring

to, Toyama got the impression from Rena that he was
considered popular.

“Please, Onee-san, have some self-restraint with your

antics. Honestly.”

“I just couldn’t resist because Marika-chan is so cute. Hehe.”

However, even though Rena was saying this, Toyama

couldn’t help but feel that as a university student, she
should still be mindful of the appropriate context and
behaviour.

“Onee-san, look around. We’re attracting a lot of attention.”

“Well, with three lovely young ladies gathered like this, it’s
only natural to draw attention~”

Indeed, the situation of three beautiful women surrounding

one rather plain-looking young man was not only eye-
catching but also drawing the gaze of onlookers.

“I don’t want to stand out any more than this, so I’m

heading home.”
An exasperated Toyama tried to shake off Rena’s arm, but
Rena held on tightly, applying more force and pressing
closer to him.

“(Is Marika-chan Yumi’s rival?)”

Whispering softly in Toyama’s ear as he prepared to leave.

──!?

“Take care, Yuki. I had fun today. See you later, Marika-chan
and Mika-chan.”

With a brief farewell, Rena left the presence of the three.

While it seemed like Rena was just playing around, her keen
observations of her surroundings and her apparent insight
into Uehara’s thoughts became evident.

“Is that really Takai-san’s Onee-san? She’s completely

different from Takai-san.”

Uehara let out a surprised exclamation.

“That person is quite something. She might seem like she’s

joking around, but it feels like she’s fully aware of
everything.”

Aizawa calmly analysed the person named Rena.

Rena’s actions were all calculated and she possessed the

skill to control those around her. To Toyama and Aizawa, it
was hard not to feel a sense of foreboding.

“Linking arms is one thing, but p-pressing her chest against

him is going too far! And Toyama seemed so happy about
it…”
In reality, Toyama couldn’t deny that he didn’t feel bad
about the soft sensation of Rena’s chest pressing against
him.

“Marika, you also link arms with Toyama and press your
chest against him quite a bit, don’t you?”

“W-Well, that’s because Toyama hardly pays any attention

to me…”

Uehara inadvertently admitted that her schooltime physical

contact with Toyama was her way of approaching him.

“Marika says so, but?”

Curious about Aizawa’s thoughts on Uehara’s approach,

Toyama turned the conversation to her.

“It’s not that I’m not aware, but…”

Toyama wasn’t completely unaware, he was just making an

effort not to pay too much attention. It was hard to believe
that any guy wouldn’t be conscious of someone like Uehara,
who was both cute and had a good personality, making
advances toward them.

“Fumm…So you are conscious of it… Well then, I’ll forgive

you for being all mushy with Takai’s Onee-san.”

“T-Thank you…”

The scene seemed to depict Toyama, who had cheated,

being forgiven by her.

“Toyama, you’re gradually falling under Marika’s thumb,

aren’t you?”

“Uuu.…”
Aizawa’s observation seemed to strike a chord, leaving
Toyama unable to refute it.

“Uehara-san, it would be appreciated if you could show

some restraint in front of the entire class.”

“Is it okay if it’s not in front of everyone?”

Uehara seemed to interpret it as if she could engage in

physical contact outside of school, perhaps
misunderstanding something.

“No… I didn’t mean it that way…”

“But it’s okay if no one is watching, right?”

“Not exactly. It’s just that when you link arms too much…
well, it’s a bit..”

“It’s a bit..?”

“Marika, why don’t you give him a break? It’s because

physical contact can be quite stimulating for guys.”

Linking arms and pressing against someone’s chest might

be something Toyama is somewhat used to due to his
experiences with Takai, but it still makes him feel a bit
uncomfortable. Aizawa spoke up, understanding this and
putting it into words for them.

“Ah, I see! S-So, Toyama, is that how you feel…? I-If, you
know, you start feeling that way, just, um, let me know…
okay?”

Uehara blushed, looking down shyly while stealing glances

at Toyama.

“Uehara-san…”
Toyama was captivated by her embarrassed demeanour,
forgetting Aizawa’s presence and creating a little world just
for the two of them.

“Ahem, ahem! Uh, you two? Could you please refrain from
getting all lovey-dovey in a place like this?”

“Ah..”

“Sorry, Aizawa-san…”

With Aizawa’s comment, the two snapped back to reality

and looked embarrassed.

“Haaa…Toyama, you’re heading home now, right? We’re

going back too, so let’s walk to the station together.”

“Ah, is it already this late…? Uehara-san, let’s go then.”

“Un, you’re right. Let’s head home.”

Feeling a bit awkward for some reason, they decided to call

it a day and the three of them each went on their way.
 Chapter 5: An Unsatisfied Heart
Begins to Run Wild

After-school hours had passed in the library, and Toyama

was in a separate room within the library, the librarian’s
office, organising old books and materials.

“What should I do with these old books around here?”

Whenever new books arrived, they would be swapped with

the old ones and the latter would be stored in the separate
room. Toyama was buried in work amidst those old books in
the librarian’s office where they were kept.

As Toyama began to concentrate on the task, he turned his

gaze toward the direction of the door upon hearing a
clicking sound. A female student who had been in the library
until just a moment ago had entered the room.

“Takai? I thought you had already left. Did you forget

something?”

Takai, who had stayed in the library until the very last
moment before closing, invited Toyama to walk home
together on her way out. However, Toyama declined,
saying there were tasks left to be done.

For some reason, Takai, whom he had thought had gone

home, had returned.

“Uun, I thought I’d help Yuki.”

“Eh? Even though you’re not on the library committee, it’s a
bit awkward to have Takai help with this task.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just felt like helping.”

Takai has recently started helping Toyama because he likes

to touch books, but this was not the case before.

What kind of change of heart could this be?

“Well… then, could you help me?”

“Un!”

When Toyama asked, Takai had a smile on her face that she
don’t usually show.

That smile made Toyama unexpectedly flustered. Takai’s

smile, which is usually almost expressionless, is something
even Toyama hasn’t seen much of.

“Alright then, I’ll read out the titles of the books, and could
you check them off on that list?”

“Un, got it.”

Toyama and Takai, who had started organising the books,

proceeded with the work one after another. With the two of
them working together, the pace of the task was more than
doubled. Toyama thought, once again, that having two
library committee members was really necessary.

“Thanks to Takai’s help, I might finish quickly. It’s really a big

help.”

“I’m glad. It’s enjoyable to see old books and books with
unfamiliar titles.”
Although Toyama wasn’t forcing Takai to help, he felt a bit
guilty about it. Hearing those words made his heart feel a
little lighter.

“Look, this book brings back memories.”

That book was the title Toyama borrowed from her when he
first went to Takai’s room.

“Oh yeah, that’s true… it was really popular and hard to get
your hands on.”

The book Takai held was a popular title back then, always
being borrowed by someone. There had been requests for
more copies, so Miyamoto-sensei had purchased several of
them. Now that the lending frenzy had subsided, only one
copy was displayed on the shelf, while the rest were stored
separately.

“Un, this book holds memories that connect Yuki and me…”

Saying this, Takai looked at Toyama.

“Um… why did you invite me that time?”

Takai had invited Toyama to come pick up the books and

even let him into her room. Of course, at the time, Toyama
had intended to borrow the book and leave.

“ Want to have sex? ”

The words came from Takai’s mouth. At first, Toyama

thought she might be teasing, but that wasn’t the case.

And that day, the two of them had sex for the first time.

“Well, that’s…──”
Takai stopped the words that were about to come out of her
mouth. Her hesitation was evident, as if she were debating
whether to say something or not.

“Don’t force yourself to say it…”

“Because it made me happy.”

Takai repeated her words, almost echoing Toyama’s

statement.

“Happy?”

“Yes, whether in the classroom or at home, Yuki found me,

who had been like air. I was happy that you treated me as a
person.”

What was Takai talking about? It was difficult for Toyama to

comprehend. Takai had been within Toyama’s field of vision
in the library and they had also conversed. Takai’s presence
was not like air, she was undoubtedly there.

“Sorry, I don’t understand what Takai is saying.”

“It’s okay not to understand. But it’s important to me.”

“Yeah… but I knew you were sitting in the same spot in the
library every day, and I also knew what kind of books you
liked. So… your presence was in my sight every day and
there was no such thing as being invisible.”

“Yuki, you found me who was like air, and you made me into
a tangible presence.”

Takai’s cheeks flushed as she lowered her gaze in response

to Toyama’s words. Her appearance overlapped with the
memory of Takai’s first conversation with Toyama in the
library.

“I was nervous when I was invited to your room. I wondered

if it was okay for me to come in.”

“Yeah, I knew you were aware when you entered a girl’s

room. I understood that Yuki saw me as a person, as a
woman, and was looking at me properly. And… I wanted to
know if you needed me. So…”

“So, even though it was the first time for you, you did that
with me?”

“Yeah, and since then, Yuki, you’ve always needed and

desired me. Hey, does Yuki still need me now? Want me? If
you desire it, I’ll do anything for you.”

Just like the first time, Takai began to untie the ribbon of her
uniform.

“Takai…”

Seeing the cleavage and underwear peeking through the

open blouse, Toyama’s self-control started to crumble.

Locked onto the scene visible through the blouse, Takai

leaned her body closer to Tooyama.

Slightly sweaty or perhaps emitting a more womanly

fragrance than usual, Toyama caught a whiff of it from Takai.
He found himself immobilised, unable to move.

──I might get swept away like back then…this is a school,

after all.
If such an act were discovered in the school library, it might
not just result in suspension. Even though he knew it was
wrong, Toyama’s body couldn’t resist.

“Is Toyama-kun here?”

──!!?

As the sound of the library door opening echoed, Miyamoto-

sensei’s voice calling for Toyama reached the small
librarian’s room where the two were.

If the door were to be opened like this, it would expose the

dishevelled Takai. There would be no plausible excuses.
Before Miyamoto-sensei entered the librarian’s room,
Toyama voluntarily left the room and closed the door behind
himself.

“Miyamoto-sensei, welcome.”

“Tooyama-kun, are you done with organising those books?”

“Just a little more to go.”

“Is that so,it’s quite late. Shall I take over?”

“N-No, if there’s time to hand it over to Miyamoto-sensei, I’ll

finish it myself until the end.”

“I see…if that’s the case then I’ll leave it to you.”

Miyamoto-sensei hesitated for a moment, but it seemed she

decided to leave it to Toyama.

“Yes, please leave it to me.”

“Well then, I’ll head back to the staff room since I still have
work to do. Once you’re finished, lock up and make sure to
bring the key.”

“Understood.”

Without checking the librarian’s room, Miyamoto-sensei left

the library.

“HaaAaaa…”

Toyama let out a deep sigh and slumped down on the spot.

──I… I thought we might get caught…

Toyama wiped sweat from his forehead and revealed a

relieved expression.

──Right, I need to get Takai out of the library quickly.

“Takai, there’s no one outside, so you should leave

now──uhh!?”

As Toyama opened the door to the librarian’s room and

began speaking to Takai, she suddenly hugged him and
pressed her lips against his, silencing him.

Takai, without adjusting her dishevelled uniform, left the

front of her blouse wide open.

“Mmm… Yuki… my heart is racing…”

In a situation where they could be discovered, Takai, who

had separated their lips, had a blissful expression.

“T-Takai, we shouldn’t be doing this right now…”

“Let’s continue next time.”

Takai straightened her dishevelled clothing and left the
library.

──What’s been going on with Takai lately?

Not only was she being assertive, but she also seemed to be
engaging in risky behaviours, like attempting to not use
protection and making advances within the school. To
Toyama, her actions seemed like she was walking a
dangerous tightrope.

If her reasons for seeking Toyama’s attention were driven by

a need for approval, it could only be described as something
distorted.

During lunch break, the usual group had gathered around

Toyama, each with their own bentos.

“Toyama, here’s your lunch.”

Ever since Toyama had praised Uehara’s lunch, she had

started bringing homemade lunches about twice a week.

“I’m really happy you bring these for me all the time, but I
haven’t even paid for the ingredients, so I feel kind of bad.”

It did feel a bit uncomfortable to keep receiving free lunches

multiple times, so Toyama had offered to pay, but Uehara
had declined.

“It’s fine, it’s just practice cooking. Toyama, don’t worry

about it.”
However, even though she said that, in reality, Uehara
would wake up early in the morning for Toyama’s sake and
make lunch.

“Still, you know…Uehara-san, is there something you want?

I feel a bit uneasy without giving something in return…”

Feeling guilty for relying on her kindness too much, Toyama

offered to give something in return.

“Hmm…I can’t think of something I want right away… Oh, I

know! Next time, on a day off, let’s go shopping together. I
want you to help me choose at that time.”

“Well, if that’s okay with you…but I don’t have much money,

so I can’t afford expensive things.”

“Anything from Toyama would make me happy as a

present.”

Saying that, Uehara’s face lit up.

“Yo, you two! Showing off during lunch break, huh?”

“O-Okuyama-kun!? It’s not like that…”

Interrupting Toyama’s conversation, Okuyama showed up.

Her friend Rie Kojima was with her.

Occasionally, Okuyama and Kojima joined Toyama’s group

like this and their conversations had been increasing lately.

“Toyama, don’t be shy. You’re lucky to get a homemade

lunch from Uehara-san. You might become the target of
jealousy for other guys. Actually, you’re already attracting
attention.”
“I don’t really want to stand out too much…”

“Toyama…Can you come over here for a moment? Let’s

have a little chat.”

Without being noticed by Uehara, Okuyama wrapped her

arm around Toyama’s shoulder and forcefully moved to a
slightly more secluded spot.

“So, things are going well with Uehara-san, right? I mean,

she even makes you lunch and all.”

“Uehara-san and I aren’t like that… It’s more like I’m a

practice target for her cooking.”

“Is there such a thing? When a girl makes lunch for a guy,
it’s obviously because she wants to make him happy.”

“…”

Toyama, who realised Uehara’s feelings, couldn’t deny

Okuyama’s words any further and fell silent.

On the other hand, Uehara and Kojima were having a similar

conversation to Toyama and Okuyama.

“So, what about it, Marika? Rumour has it that you and
Toyama are being recognized as a couple in the class?”

“What!? Are people really thinking that about me and

Toyama? We’re not dating or anything like that.”

“Even though Marika is putting so much effort into making

lunch, Toyama still hasn’t fallen for you.”

“Falling for me…? Making lunch is just me pushing it on him

unilaterally… I wonder if it’s bothering him.”
“I’m not so sure…but those two guys over there are
whispering to each other, so we’ll go ask what they’re
talking about.”

“Eh…? You don’t have to go out of your way to ask…”

“But Marika must be curious too, right? About what Shouta

and Toyama-kun are talking about.”

“Well… I am curious, but…”

“Then, I’ll go check it out.”

Kojima rushed over to Toyama and Okuyama, who were

whispering to each other.

“Having a secret conversation, you two? I want to be in on it

too.”

“This is between guys, so Rie can’t join in.”

Thinking she might just be here to tease, Okuyama turned

down Kojima’s request.

“But Marika said she wants to listen too.”

To convey Uehara’s true feelings, Kojima spoke on her

behalf, wanting to know what Toyama thought about her.

“…Uehara-san wants to know…so, how about it, Toyama?”

“What does Uehara-san…want to know…?”

“Obviously, how you feel about Uehara-san.”

Okuyama and Kojima are not aware of Takai’s complicated

circumstances. They didn’t hold any ill intentions. They just
genuinely wanted things to go well for the two of them and
were coming across as overly meddlesome out of genuine
concern.

“Well, um…”

“Yuki, can I talk to you for a moment?”

As Toyama was struggling to respond, Takai suddenly

interjected into their conversation.

“T-Takai?”

“Sorry for interrupting, Okuyama-kun, Kojima-san. I hope I’m

not bothering you.”

“N-No, it’s fine.”

Okuyama sensed a somewhat disgruntled atmosphere from

Takai.

“T-Takai, what’s up?”

Toyama, who had been discussing Uehara, couldn’t hide his

surprise as Takai’s sudden interruption left him flustered.

“I want you to come with me to the bookstore after school.”

“The bookstore? Oh, uh… I don’t have any plans, so it’s

fine.”

“Thanks. See you after school then.”

“Wait, Takai-san!”

As Takai was about to leave after conveying her request,

Okuyama stopped her.

“Okuyama-kun, what is it?”

“Can we come along to the bookstore too?”

Okuyama had suddenly suggested that they join as well.

“Eeeeh!? Shouta, that might be intrusive.”

Though Takai had personally invited Toyama, Kojima didn’t

understand why Okuyama wanted to come along.

“Rie, it’s fine.”

Okuyama whispered softly in Kojima’s ear.

“So, what do you think, Takai-san?”

“…It’s not a problem if you come but it’s just going to the
bookstore to buy books, so I don’t think it’ll be fun.”

Surprisingly, Takai didn’t reject Okuyama’s request.

“No, it’s okay. I was curious about what kind of books Takai-
san reads.”

“…I’m only going to buy manga today.”

“It’s unusual for Takai to buy manga, isn’t it?”

In Toyama’s memory, there were no manga books on Takai’s

bookshelf.

“I found out that the manga adaptation of a novel I’ve been

reading was released in a volume, so I wanted to read it.”

Now that he mentioned it, Takai had been borrowing light

novels and light literature from the library. Toyama, who had
found this unusual, couldn’t hide his surprise at the fact that
Takai had also started reading manga.
“Oh, sure, manga is fine too. I like manga as well. Oh,
should I invite Uehara-san and the others too?”

“…Do as you please.”

Takai’s response was rather cold, as if there was some

hesitation about inviting Uehara and the others.

“It’s alright, I don’t mind.”

Okuyama had proposed going together, but his intentions

were unclear. After settling the matter, Takai returned to her
seat.

“Shouta, why did you suddenly suggest going together?”

Kojima asked Okuyama curiously.

“Oh, Toyama, sorry to bother you but could you ask Uehara-
san and the others if they want to come along after school?”

Ignoring Kojima’s question, Okuyama requested Toyama to

invite Uehara and the others.

“Uh, yeah… sure, I’ll do that.”

At Okuyama’s request, Toyama approached Uehara and her

friends, who had been watching the exchange from a
distance.

“Rie, why I suggested going together earlier is because I got

the feeling that Takai-san was concerned about Uehara-san
and Toyama.”

“A–, now that you mention it, Takai-san did something

similar before.”
“Right? I think she intentionally joined our conversation
especially if it’s about Uehara-san and Toyama.”

“Is it because Takai-san likes Toyama that she got jealous

when we were talking about Uehara-san?”

“I don’t know the extent of her feelings, but that’s how I felt.
So, I thought I might as well find out.”

“What’s the point of finding out?”

“If it’s true, then maybe I should avoid meddling too much.
If we unknowingly support only Uehara-san, Takai-san might
feel left out and if we end up spinning our wheels and being
overly nosy, wouldn’t we look foolish?”

Okuyama thought that supporting someone without

knowing the whole situation could lead to unnecessary
meddling.

“True… We can’t just support one side.”

“In that case, we can only watch over them.”

Considering that it’s not possible to support just one side,

Okuyama intended to remain in a neutral position and
simply observe.

“But still…both Marika and Takai-san are cute and it’s

impressive that he’s getting attention from both of them,
Toyama-kun.”

“Well, he went as far as protecting Uehara-san from

harassment, even if it meant putting himself on the line.
He’s just trying to be a good guy.”
“It’s not something just anyone can do. Taking a firm stance
like that in that situation takes courage, I think.”

Toyama’s actions in the SHR incident were a double-edged

sword. As Kojima pointed out, there was a potential for
backlash and making things worse if he mishandled the
situation.

“Takai-san cut her hair and took off her glasses, right?

Looking back, I wonder if she changed her image to get
Toyama’s attention.”

“Yeah… that might be true. It was surprising how she

suddenly looked different, and maybe that’s the reason…”

“Well, it’s just speculation.”

So, Okuyama was thinking that if they went shopping

together today, they might find something.

“Oh, Okuyama-kun, Aizawa-san and Chihiro said they have

something to do, so they won’t come.”

While Okuyama and Kojima were discussing Takai and

Toyama, Toyama returned.

“Is that so, Rie, you’ll go, won’t you?”

“No, I actually have a hair salon appointment today, so I

can’t go.”

“Aa, is that so? Got it… Then it’ll be me, Toyama, Uehara-
san and Takai-san, the four of us going.”

“Yeah, please check it out for me.”

“Got it”
Indeed, being a couple made it easy for Okuyama and
Kojima to communicate with just a few words.

“Kojima-san, check what?”

Not understanding what they were talking about, Toyama

turned to Kojima and asked.

“Um, well…”

“She wants me to check if the new volume of the manga

she’s been reading is out, right, Rie?”

Taking the lead as Kojima hesitated, Okuyama responded

cleverly.

“Y-Yeah, that’s right, I was wondering when the new volume

of the manga I want to read will be released.”

“Ah, got it. Going to the bookstore works perfectly then.”

Toyama seemed satisfied with that.

“Alright, see you after school then. Oh, by the way, Toyama,
you don’t have library committee duty today, right?”

“Yeah, I’m free today.”

“Great, looking forward to it after school.”

“Take care of Shouta.”

And so, with these arrangements, Toyama, Okuyama,

Uehara and Takai, an unusual group of friends, were set to
go to the bookstore after school.

[TL:Okuyama best side-character and wingman]

◇

After finishing their afternoon classes, the four of them

headed to Hanseido, the bookstore near the station.

“Ooo, now that I see it again, this bookstore is huge.”

As Okuyama amaze at the size of the Hanseido building,

Toyama and the others entered and made their way to the
comic section.

Upon reaching the section, each of them began searching

for the books they wanted to read.

“Takai, did you find the manga you want to read?”

Toyama called out to Takai, who had stopped in front of a

bookshelf, absentmindedly gazing at the lined-up books.

“Yeah, I found it, but…”

“You found it, but?”

“The problem is, there are too many volumes in the series
and I can’t afford to buy them all.”

“There are…sixteen volumes in total, right? It’s definitely

not a number you can buy all at once.”

Even if each volume is 700 yen, it would exceed 10,000 yen

in total. For a high school student like Takai who isn’t
working part-time, it’s understandable that it would be
difficult.

“I guess I’ll have to gradually collect them.”

“True…”
Takai didn’t show much emotion on her face, but it was clear
she was disappointed.

“Aaa! Takai! If you want to read it right away without

spending too much money, there’s a way.”

“How?”

“You could go to an internet cafe.”

Toyama suddenly remembered and shared the idea.

“Internet cafe… I’ve never been to one, what’s it like?”

“It’s usually around 700 yen for three hours. You can have
unlimited drinks and you can use it like a cafe. I think it’s a
good deal.”

Toyama succinctly explained to Takai, who had never been

to an internet cafe before.

“Takai-san, did you find the manga you were looking for?”

Uehara rushed over to Toyama and Takai with a manga

volume in her hand. Perhaps she intended to buy the manga
she was holding.

“We found it, but there are too many volumes to buy them
all.”

Toyama pointed to the titles of the manga lined up on the

shelves.

“Ah… with that many volumes, it would add up to quite a

sum.”

Uehara looked at the title Toyama had pointed to and

seemed to understand.
“That’s why we were talking about reading it at an internet
cafe to save money.”

“Aah! It’s the place we went to together before, right?”

“Together with Yuuki…?”

Reacting to Uehara’s use of the phrase together Takai’s

eyebrow twitched.

“Yeah, we went there after watching the movie Sword of

the Demon Slayer with Toyama. It was really spacious and
clean, and the private rooms were great.”

“Private rooms…Yuki, I’d like to go there too.”

Takai’s interest in the internet cafe was likely a form of

rivalry against Uehara. Not just about the bento incident,
but whenever Toyama was involved, Takai seemed to react
in a way that was almost competitive against Uehara.

“That sounds good! Let’s go, Toyama!”

Uehara was also enthusiastic about the idea of going to the

internet cafe.

“Is it okay for you to go now, Takai?”

“Un, it’s fine.”

Takai answered expressionlessly.

“I’m good too, but…how about Okuyama-kun?”

“Let me go ask.”

Uehara left the two to look for Okuyama.

“…Takai-san has changed a bit recently. You didn’t used to
read manga and I never expected you to want to go to an
internet cafe.”

“…I borrowed a few books to try and broaden my horizons,

and I realised that disliking something without trying it is
foolish. So… I thought I might try reading books from
various genres.”

There seemed to be some change in Takai’s mindset, and

she might be slowly trying to transform herself.

“I see, if Takai can explore different genres, it would also

make my recommendations more meaningful and I welcome
it.”

“Un, I want you to keep teaching me various things, Yuki.”

“Got it.”

From light novels and light literature to manga, those are

also within Toyama expertise, so the options he can
recommend will increase.

“Toyama, I heard you’re going to the internet cafe? I’ve

been curious about it too, so I wanted to try going.”

Okuyama joined Toyama and Takai, guided by Uehara.

“Alright then, I know the place, so let’s head there right

away.”

“Toyama, hold on a moment. I wonder if this manga is

available at the internet cafe. If it is, then I won’t need to
buy it.”
“I’ll look it up real quick. While I’m at it, I’ll also search to
see if Takai’s desired titles are available.”

Toyama took out his smartphone and accessed the internet

cafe’s official website to start his search.

“Let’s see… both titles are available.”

“Great! I’ll just put this one back on the shelf then.”

Uehara returned the book she was planning to buy and the
four of them headed to the internet cafe.

“Uooo, it’s spacious.”

After getting off the elevator in the building that housed the

internet cafe, Okuyama exclaimed in surprise as his first
words.

“It’s even bigger and more beautiful than I expected.”

Takai also seemed surprised. Uehara, who had brought them

to this place, had said similar things to Okuyama and Takai.

“Here in the open cafe area, you can move around freely
and relax.”

While the typical image of an internet cafe is individual

booths, this internet cafe had a free space.

“They even have a couple seats. It’s like a movie theatre.”

Looking at the price list posted on the wall, Okuyama

mumbled.
“Oh, these couple seats here, Toyama and I used them after
watching a movie together!”

“Wha- Uehara-san!?”

Uehara accidentally let slip that they had used the couple
seats together, causing Toyama to become flustered. They
hadn’t done anything improper in the private booth but it
still felt awkward in front of Takai.

“Toyama, did you really use the couple seat with Uehara-
san? You better not have done anything weird in a private
booth.”

“I-I wouldn’t do anything like that!”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right! Toyama didn’t do anything to me!”

Uehara replied with a meaningful tone to Toyama, who was

flustered.

“Just kidding. Maybe I’ll try using it with Rie next time.”

Okuyama briefly glanced at Takai, observing her reaction.

Takai remained silent but her expression seemed complex to

Toyama.

“We’re just here to read manga today, so we won’t use the

computers. Is the open cafe area okay?”

“Why would you pay to come to an internet cafe when you

could use a computer at home for free?”

Okuyama looked puzzled.

“Some people don’t have computers at home, and the

computers at internet cafes are gaming PCs with high
performance, suitable for gaming. So, people whose home
computers don’t meet the specs for the games they want to
play come to places like this.”

Okuyama, Uehara and Takai weren’t familiar with the

subculture. It wasn’t strange for them to have questions.

“I see, that’s how it is. Being with Toyama is always

enlightening.”

Takai’s response revealed a tinge of admiration.

“That’s right, Toyama knows a lot of things. I’ve learned a

lot of fun stuff from him too.”

Uehara spoke with delight, her expression tinged with pride.

“I-I don’t think I’ve done that much… but..”

──Did I really teach Uehara so much? I think at most I just

helped spark her interest in light novels.

Uehara found joy in simply talking with Toyama, regardless

of the content. Toyama hadn’t quite grasped that yet.

“Toyama, just accept it without being overly modest.”

Toyama remembered that excessive humility could be

considered rude.

“Okuyama-kun…yeah, you’re right.”

“Yuki, let’s hurry and check in.”

They had been talking in front of the reception desk for a

while, causing other customers to start lining up behind
them. Takai urged Toyama to proceed with check-in.
“S-Sorry.”

Toyama and the others bowed their heads to the waiting

customers and quickly completed the check-in process.

“The location of the book you want to read can be searched

on this computer. We can find the place for Takai’s book
without searching, so let’s go together.”

Toyama taught Uehara how to use the search computer and

then left with Takai.

Meanwhile, Okuyama stood by the drink bar, his eyes

shining as he poured various drinks.

“Let’s see… I think it was around here…”

Relying on his memory, Toyama searched for the desired

manga on the shelves arranged by the publisher.

“Oh, there it is, Takai!”

He easily found the manga he was looking for.

“So, are you taking all the volumes? I don’t think you’ll be
able to finish reading all of them within the time limit.”

It was fortunate that all the volumes were available without

being checked out.

“Takai!?”

Takai, who had not responded to Toyama’s question,

suddenly leaned in.

“Hey, Yuki…Did nothing really happen between you and

Uehara in the private room?”
Fortunately, no one was in the aisle where Toyama and Takai
were. However, in the uncertain situation of not knowing
when someone might come by, Takai leaned in so much that
her chest touched Toyama’s.

“Ho-honestly, nothing happened.”

“According to what you said earlier, on the day Uehara and

you went to see a movie, you came here. After that, Yuki,
who came to see me, was more intense than usual…I
wondered if something happened.”

Takai brought up a provocative topic without considering the

location. If someone overheard, there would undoubtedly be
suspicions about their relationship.

“T-Takai, we shouldn’t be discussing this here—”

“Toyama, Takai, did you find the book? I found the one I was
looking for.”

──!!

While calling out to the two of them, Uehara peered into the
aisle from the entrance.

“A, Aaa, we found it. Uehara-san, go back to your seat

first..”

Toyama hastily moved away from Takai.

“Un, got it.”

Perhaps because the aisle was narrow, being close to Takai

didn’t appear unnatural and Uehara didn’t seem to suspect
anything.

“Fu…”
Takai’s approach without considering the surroundings has
made Toyama increasingly nervous lately.

“Yuki, I want to try using a couple’s seat next time. We won’t

be able to finish reading this manga in just one day
anyway.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Let’s come together next time.”

“Sure, looking forward to it.”

Takai gazed at him imploringly and he couldn’t refuse.

However, even though there were security cameras, Toyama
couldn’t help but hope for the chance to be alone with Takai
in a confined space.

In the end, they stayed at the internet cafe for about three
hours,but Takai couldn’t finish reading everything before it
was time to head home.

“It’s cheap to use it for three hours and have unlimited

drinks for 700 yen. Next time, I’ll come with Rie. She likes
this kind of place.”

“Yeah, it’s cheap, isn’t it? When I used the private room with
Toyama, it was a bit more expensive. Since it can also be
used like a regular cafe, I’ll bring Mika next time.”

The couple of Okuyama and Kojima are well-known in the

class for their close relationship. It’s clear from Okuyama’s
attitude that he values Kojima a lot.

“Takai couldn’t finish reading all of them in the end”

Okuyama spoke to Takai.

“Un, but it’s okay. I’ll have Yuki bring me here again”
“Y-Yeah, that’s right.”

Though Takai was facing Okuyama, her gaze was clearly

directed towards Uehara as she made her statement, as if
she were intentionally implying that she wanted to be
brought by Toyama again.

“Alright, shall we head back?”

Okuyama pressed the call button and the doors quickly

opened. The four of them stepped into the empty elevator.

“Takai, let’s come again next time, just the two of us. Of
course, in a couple’s seat.”

As Okuyama and Takai exited the elevator upon reaching

their destination, Uehara, who was behind Takai, whispered
softly in her ear just as Takai was about to step out.

“Y-Yeah, sure.”

In the presence of Toyama and Okuyama nearby, those were

the only words she could manage to reply with.

“I had fun talking to Takai today too. Sorry for dragging

along”

“Uun, it’s not like that. I had fun too, so Okuyama-kun, see
you at school.”

“Alright then, see you, Toyama. Let’s hang out again after
school.”

Uehara exchanged farewells with Toyama.

“Both Uehara-san and Takai, take care on your way home.”

“Toyama and I will walk together, so we’ll be fine. See you,
Uehara-san.”

While Okuyama and Toyama were on the same route,

Uehara and Takai took separate routes home. They said
their goodbyes at the station and each headed home.

Inside the train, Toyama and Okuyama, who were on the

same route and direction, stood silently, waiting for the train
to arrive.

“Hey, Toyama.”

“Okuyama-kun, what is it?”

With a serious expression, Okuyama turned to Toyama and

spoke.

“About Takai-san… Do you think she’s interested in you after

all?”

“Eeh!? W-What are you saying, Okuyama-kun…”

Toyama couldn’t hide his surprise at Okuyama’s sudden and

direct question.

“Today, I was observing Takai-san, and I could tell she’s

developing a sense of rivalry with Uehara-san.”

“Th-that’s…”

Takai and Uehara hadn’t directly told Okuyama that they

liked him or wanted to date, so he didn’t feel qualified to
answer. His speculations were based solely on their actions
and behaviour.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re completely unaware.”

Toyama’s lack of denial led Okuyama to that conclusion.

“I don’t know the exact situation between the three of you

right now, but if things continue like this, it might become
known throughout the class.”

“Uehara isn’t really hiding her feelings towards you and

Takai has been increasingly trying to interfere whenever you
and Uehara are together. At this rate, I think it’s only a
matter of time before they notice.”

“And be careful too, as there’s a possibility of jealousy or

envy from other students, which could lead to trouble.”

[TL:All three conv are from Okuyama]

Okuyama continued talking even without expecting a

response from Toyama.

“Un, thank you, Okuyama-kun. I’ll be careful.”

“I may not know the details, but I can only watch over from
the outside. If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to talk to
me. I promise to keep it a secret.”

“Well, this… It’s not something that would change if I were

to tell someone. I’ll have to deal with this issue myself, so I’ll
just accept your support.”

“I see…”

From then on, the two remained silent until Okuyama exited
the train and they exchanged parting greetings.

◇
During lunch break in the library, as the students returning
books had left, Toyama took a moment to catch his breath.
Suddenly, a female student who had been sitting at a table
rushed over to the counter where Toyama was.

“Yuki, are you free after school today?”

It was Takai, who had been waiting for the library to clear
out. She called out to Toyama from the counter.

“Today? I don’t have any specific plans.”

“I see…I wanted to read the continuation of the manga from

the other day, so could you come with me to the internet
cafe? I feel uneasy going alone…”

Takai requested that Toyama accompany her because she

wanted to read the continuation of the manga she hadn’t
finished last time.

Takai had changed a bit recently.

Not too long ago, they would only meet at school or

occasionally at Takai’s place. However, ever since she
started getting along with Uehara, they had been spending
more time outside together. Toyama thought this was a
positive trend and felt a sense of happiness.

“…Got it. I’ll accompany you after school.”

Toyama had no objection to Takai becoming more proactive

thus he had no choice but to agree.

“Really!? Thanks… I’ll pay for it.”

“No, it’s fine. There’s a manga I want to read too.”

“But…”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve been wanting to go with you
again too.”

“Un… I’ve been wanting to go with you, Yuki.”

With those words from Toyama, Takai, who had been looking
apologetic, brightened up.

Seeing this, Toyama also felt a sense of happiness.

“Looking forward to it after school.”

“Got it.”

Takai left the library with a light step, clearly quite pleased.

“Toyama! It looks like things are fine now… I guess?”

“Uehara-san, what’s wrong?”

Uehara entered the library as Takai left.

“Yeah, can we walk home together today?”

While Uehara’s intention was to invite Toyama,

unfortunately, he had a prior commitment with Takai.

“Sorry, I already have plans for today.”

“I see…that’s a shame. Are those plans with Takai-san?”

Uehara’s disappointed expression revealed that she had

figured out Toyama’s arrangement with Takai, causing a
slight pang in Toyama’s heart.

“Well, uh…”
He wondered how she had figured it out, but given Toyama’s
limited circle of acquaintances, there weren’t many options.

“So, where are you going with Takai-san?”

“Takai-san wants to continue reading the manga she

couldn’t finish, so she wants to go to the net cafe.”

Since there was no point in lying when the truth would come
out eventually, Toyama decided to be honest.

“I see…I wouldn’t like it if you and Takai-san were alone

together in a private room…”

Uehara might have imagined Toyama and Takai spending

time alone in a private room. Toyama had no way of
knowing what kind of imagination had crossed her mind.

“Ah, sorry! That kind of thing is up to Toyama… Have a great

time!”

Saying that, Uehara abruptly ended the conversation and

quickly left the library.

“Haaa… This is unfair…me..”

Being openly liked by both of them left Toyama feeling

bewildered. He was unsure how to handle the situation and
was getting tired of going along with the flow without really
knowing what to do.

After school, the two of them arrived at the net cafe and
waited in line at the reception.

“Yuki, I’d like the couple’s booth today.”

Whispering softly in Toyama’s ear, Takai made her request.

“Y-Yeah… Let’s do that.”

Toyama remembered Uehara’s words in the library, but he

couldn’t bring himself to reject Takai’s request. He tried to
justify it to himself by convincing that rejecting her would
hurt her feelings, but deep down, he also had a genuine
desire to spend time together in a private room.

At the reception, just like with Uehara, they chose a private

booth and entered the room.

“Waaa… It really is a private booth…”

Takai had a reaction similar to Uehara’s.

“But the ceiling is open and there are security cameras, so

it’s safe.”

Lately, Takai had a tendency to become unrestrained in

various situations, so Toyama subtly pointed out potential
issues.

“Yeah, but I think it’s okay as long as it’s just this…”

“T-Takai…were you listening to what I was talking about

earlier?”

As soon as they entered the room, Takai, who had taken a

seat on the couch, leaned against Toyama.

“Un, I was listening.”

“In that case…”

Toyama also secretly desired it, so he didn’t strongly refuse.

──Well, I guess it’s fine… As long as it doesn’t go as far as
kissing, it should be okay.

Caught up in the atmosphere, Toyama began to rationalise

to himself.

“Hey, Yuki…do you want to do it?”

With a tempting voice, Takai murmured in Toyama’s ear.

“W-What do you mean?”

Toyama understood the meaning of the words but he

pretended not to, so as not to be swayed any further.

“I want to do it…”

──!?

Without hesitation, Takai reached out for Toyama’s school

uniform pants, seeming to be completely switched on.

“T-Takai, stop it!”

Toyama grabbed Takai’s hand that was reaching towards his

lower half, preventing her.

Doing it here is too risky. Even though he was being swayed,

Toyama still had some remaining rationality.

Moving away from Takai’s body, Toyama approached the

already active PC and started searching for something.

“Takai, look at this.”

Toyama pointed to the PC monitor, urging Takai to take a

look.
What Toyama was searching for was a Q&A-like website
where people shared their experiences of engaging in
sexual activities in internet cafes and karaoke boxes.

“………”

Takai operated the mouse and began silently reading the

questions and responses.

In the quiet private room, only the sound of mouse clicks

echoed. Takai diligently continued to read it in silence.

“Yuki… I’m sorry for acting without thinking.”

“Un, as long as you understand, that’s all that matters.”

What Takai showed was a collection of accounts where high

school couples engaged in sexual activities in internet cafes
or karaoke booths and were cautioned by staff during calls
or as they were leaving. Some cases even involved being
cautioned for just kissing or hugging.

“We have to be careful not to get the school or our parents

in trouble.”

“Yeah, I understand…”

Takai has been seeking validation through being embraced

by Toyama. With Takai’s sister returning home, it has
become difficult to have sex in Takai’s room, leading to
anxiety.

The reasons for becoming friends with benefits with Toyama

and the recognized romantic feelings have combined,
causing Takai’s emotions to be unstable, likely contributing
to her recent recklessness.
“I’m going to look for a book.”

Takai seemed to have calmed down and left the room to get
a book.

“Fuuu…It’s a relief that she understood somehow. If things

had escalated and led to reporting, it would have been
over…”

If he goes ahead with his desires uncontrolled, all that

awaits him is destruction. If Takai cannot make that decision
rationally, then he must stop himself. Having crossed the
line with Takai, Toyama was aware that he could not escape
his responsibility.

In the end, after staying for about three hours, Toyama and
Takai left the internet cafe and walked hand in hand towards
the station. Currently, Takai’s emotional anchor is solely
Toyama. The option of refusing to hold hands isn’t available.

“Hey, we can’t go in there, can we?”

Takai pointed to a corner of the bustling neon-lit street.

“We can’t enter a love hotel in our uniforms, and besides, I

don’t have that kind of money…”

“I see…”

Takai somewhat understood from the accounts shared at the

internet cafe but it seemed like she hadn’t given up just yet.

“Besides… those under eighteen can’t go love hotels.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it’s like a regulation or a rule.”

“Well, what if we were in regular clothes? Would it go

unnoticed?”

“I wonder? According to that advice forum post earlier, they

might ask for ID if you look under eighteen, so it might be
difficult.”

There are limited places where high school students can

engage in sexual activities. Stories of high school students
living alone are only found in light novels and the like. In
reality, it’s typical to do such things secretly when there’s
no family at home.

Both Takai and Toyama carried their pent-up frustrations and

headed home that day.
 Chapter 6: As Marika Uehara Grows
More Dependent

I had started waiting for Toyama on my way to school

almost every day. I’m aware that if I think rationally, I’m
doing something akin to stalking.

Today as well, I timed Toyama’s passing and arrived a little

early to spend time at the convenience store. Watching
outside from the magazine section, I could tell when Toyama
arrived.

“He’s here!”

Without hesitation, I dashed out of the convenience store

and ran up to Toyama.

“Toyama, good morning!”

Calling out from behind Toyama, I behaved as if I had caught

up with him. Even I think it’s a bit creepy, though.

“Good morning, Uehara-san.”

“Aree? Where’s Natsuki-chan?”

Natsuki-chan, who is usually with Toyama, wasn’t there

today.

“Aa, Natsuki had something to do at school, so she left

earlier.”
“Is that so? It’s a shame we couldn’t meet. You must be
lonely not having her around, right?”

Even though I’m saying this out loud, the truth is, I was
happy that we could go to school together, just the two of
us. Sorry, Natsuki-chan.

“No,no, today was good without being interrupted by

various things. It was nice to have a relaxed morning.”

“Does Natsuki-chan really bother you that much?”

“When I’m sleeping in my room, she comes in without

permission and won’t leave until I wake up. She’s always
fussing over me too.”

“I think Natsuki-chan just wants her Onii-chan’s attention.”

“Hmm… Do you think so?”

“Yeah, maybe she hasn’t fully grown out of the sibling phase
yet. Just like Toyama might not have fully grown out of the
brother phase.”

“Don’t joke about it.”

Even though Toyama said that, I sensed that he didn’t mind

the idea of not fully growing out of the sibling phase.

“Well, let’s just leave it at that.”

“The way you put it, Uehara-san, it’s bothering me a bit.”

“Guys don’t sweat the small stuff!”

“Sure, sure.”
Toyama doesn’t seem entirely convinced but among kids in
middle and high school, there aren’t many sibling pairs as
close as them. I also have a brother but around the same
age, we don’t really talk to each other that much.

“Oh, right! Toyama, are you free next Sunday? If it’s okay,
I’d like you to accompany me for some shopping.”

Lately, I had been hesitant to invite Toyama, especially with

the situation involving Takai-san, but I played the card of
thanking me for the lunchbox and invited Toyama on a date.

“Well, I don’t really have any plans…”

“Great, it’s a deal then. Do you remember you mentioned

thanking me for the lunchbox? We’ll do that on our next day
off.”

“O-okay.”

“Un, I’ll send you a message later with the meeting time
and place.”

“Alright.”

──Yes!

I was thrilled at the thought of a one-on-one date with

Toyama, reminiscent of when we went to see Sword of the
Demon Slayer .

Knowing that Toyama wouldn’t be able to refuse and feeling

somewhat guilty about exploiting that, I told myself not to
hold back. I reassured myself that I didn’t need to worry too
much about it.

◆
On the day of the date, I dressed myself in a new brand of
clothes that I had just bought for this occasion. I waited for
Toyama at the meeting place.

When I went to buy this outfit, Mika, who helped me pick it

out, said, You’re really putting a lot of effort into this just
for the date But since I rarely get to meet Toyama in casual
clothes, I ended up putting in the effort. However, since I
chose a casual outfit, it shouldn’t look like I put in that much
effort. I hope he’ll give me a compliment.

“Uehara-san, sorry for keeping you waiting.”

Not long after I arrived, Toyama appeared at the meeting

place.

“Uun, it’s not past the meeting time yet and I just got here
too, so it’s fine.”

“Nice, that’s good.”

“Toyama, those clothes are the ones we picked out together

at FU-GU, right?”

“This is my best outfit…I don’t really know what looks good

on me and I haven’t bought any clothes since then.”

Toyama seems a bit embarrassed about not having many

clothes but I was delighted that he came on the date
wearing the clothes we picked out together.

“Well then, how about we go shopping for clothes together

again today? I can help you put together an outfit.”

“Well… I’d really like to if I could, but I don’t have much

money right now… So, I might not be able to do my own
shopping today.”
“I see…But just going and looking around can be fun, right?
And trying things on is free.”

“But you have your own shopping to do, so we should

prioritise that.”

“I enjoy helping you choose outfits, Toyama and I’d like you
to help me pick out clothes too…”

Just spending time with Toyama, even if I don’t buy

anything, is enjoyable for me. So, I genuinely believe that’s
more than enough.

“U,un…you’re right. I don’t know how much help I can be,

but…”

“Just telling me if something looks good on me or not is

more than enough.”

I wanted Toyama to realise that I just wanted him to say I

looked good or cute.

“So… um… what do you think of my outfit today?”

Wanting to hear his thoughts on the new clothes I had

bought, I subtly tried to get his attention.

“A,aaa! The cap suits you and that denim skirt…what’s it

called? It looks really nice.”

“This skirt is called a pinafore skirt. What do you think about

this kind of gal-style fashion, Toyama?”

Today, my outfit consisted of a knee-length denim pinafore

skirt a three-quarter sleeve white t-shirt with a small design
and a white cap with a unique detail, giving it a slightly gal-
style appearance.
“I don’t really get this whole gal-style thing… but it suits you
really well, Uehara-san. I think it looks good.”

“Yay! Toyama complimented me!”

“But…when the plain me and you stand together, our styles

seem so different…”

Even during our previous date, Toyama seemed concerned

about being plain and I felt he had somewhat low self-
esteem.

“Toyama, those clothes suit you really well too, so you

should have more confidence”

But if he gained more confidence and became even more

attractive, Toyama might become even more popular. That
could potentially complicate things for me. So, I actually
think Toyama is fine just the way he is.

“U,un, I’ll try my best to do that.”

“Well then, should we head out soon?”

From the meeting place at the station, we made our way to

the shopping centre we were aiming for.

After arriving at the shopping centre, we enjoyed some

window shopping. Even without money to buy clothes, you
can have fun by trying things on and critiquing them.

However, that also depends on the company, some people

naturally don’t enjoy it. But with Toyama, I have fun no
matter what we’re doing.
“It’s enjoyable, isn’t it, even without buying anything or
spending money? Are you having fun, Toyama?”

So, wanting to know if he was having a good time with me, I

gathered my courage and asked.

“Of course. It’s fun listening to your fashion knowledge,

Uehara-san.”

“Really!? I’m glad to hear that. I also enjoy hearing about

your manga and stuff, Toyama. You know so many things I
don’t, and I end up thinking,[Ah, I see]”

“My stories are mostly subculture-related otaku stuff,

though.”

Toyama looked a bit embarrassed.

“It’s fun to talk about shared hobbies but asking about

things we don’t know about each other also lets us learn
more deeply about one another.”

I had come to like Toyama more as I learned about his

hobbies and personal life. I think making an effort to know
the other person is important.

“By the way, Uehara-san, you haven’t bought anything

today. Is that okay?”

“A,aaa…It’s fine. I didn’t come here with anything specific I

really wanted.”

The request to accompany me for shopping was an excuse

to go on a date with Toyama, I didn’t particularly have
anything specific I wanted to buy.
“I see. Well then, how about we go buy a little thank-you
present for you now?”

“Come to think of it, we talked about that too. But before

that…I’m a bit tired from walking, so could we take a rest
somewhere?”

I hadn’t really been thinking about a [thank-you] present

either. Toyama had mentioned he didn’t have much money,
so it didn’t feel right to ask for anything. I was thinking of
just brushing it off.

“Well then, shall we just go into a cafe around here?”

Toyama gestured to a corner where there were some

eateries nearby.

“Yeah…since it’s affordable, how about some fast food?”

“Sure, sounds good. I saw one over there earlier. Should we

go there?”

“Un.”

With our resting spot decided, we started walking towards

the fast food place.

“Toyama-kun!”

Suddenly, a woman’s voice called out Toyama’s name from

ahead, reaching my ears.

“Oh, uh, On-onee-san!?”

Takai-san’s older sister, Rena-san, appeared with a joyful

smile and hurried over.

“Rena-san, hello.”
“Ara, Marika-chan is with you too? Is today a date, I
wonder?”

Rena-san wore a smirk on her face, as if she had witnessed

an amusing scene.

“Um, well, today Uehara-san and I were doing some shop—”

“It’s a date!”

Seeing Toyama about to deny it wasn’t a date, I got a little

annoyed and cut him off, making my own statement.

“Ara, Marika-chan says it’s a date.”

“…Y-Yes. It’s a date…”

“Youthful days, huh? To be able to go on a date with such a

cute girl like Uehara-san, I envy you! Can I join in too?”

“Uh, hold on, Rena-san!”

“Just kidding. I won’t be so uncool as to interrupt your date.

Right, Marika-chan?”

──This person is definitely doing it on purpose…she knows I

like Toyama and is enjoying teasing me.

“So, why are you here, Onee-san?”

Toyama, clearly flustered by the situation, tried to change

the topic.

“Since we’re here, why don’t we have a nice chat over some
tea?”

While saying she wouldn’t interfere, Rena-san still invited us

for tea.
“We were actually planning to take a break at that fast food
place over there.”

“Well, that works out perfectly then. Let’s have tea there. I’ll
treat you both.”

──Toyama!? Why didn’t you decline because we had plans?

Rena-san just hopped on board!

We were having a nice date together and I was a bit

resentful that Toyama didn’t consider my feelings and
declined Rena-san.

“Rena-san, I feel bad accepting your treat.”

“Marika-chan, don’t hesitate and let Onee-san take care of

it! Come on, Toyama-kun, you too.”

In the end, yielding to Rena-san’s insistence, we ended up

having tea together.

We entered the nearest cafe and placed our orders.

“I was here at this shopping centre for work today.”

With all our drinks served, Rena-san began to speak.

“Work, huh… Rena-san, you’re a college student, right?”

The word work made me think of someone in the

workforce.

Rena-san had a mature appearance, so it wouldn’t be

surprising to think of her as a working professional.
“That’s right. It’s kind of like a part-time job, you know?
Today, I was working as campaign staff at an event in the
exhibition hall. I’m also signed with an agency as a model,
so I do things like being a companion for spot gigs.”

“I see… That makes sense. You’re beautiful, so it’s not

surprising if you’re a model.”

“Toyama-kun, you’re quite eloquent. Did you use your words

to woo Marika-chan too?”

“N-No! Do I look like that?!”

“Even if it doesn’t seem like it at first glance, appearances

can be deceiving, right? Isn’t that right, Marika-chan?”

Rena-san turned the conversation toward me.

“Well, that’s true…I believe people aren’t just about their

appearances. But, Rena-san, you do seem to match your
appearance.”

“Ara? How does Marika-chan see me, then?”

“Rena-san…you come across as cheerful, sociable, capable

at work, with many friends…like you’ve experienced a lot of
things.”

Experience could refer to social experience and although I

tried to be vague, I was also referring to romantic
experience when I said that.

“What you said, Marika-chan, is something I’m aware of

myself, so you might be right. But you also seem to match
your appearance.”

“How do you see me, Rena-san?”

“Bright, with many friends, kind, and perhaps devoted?”

──Would someone be able to tell the last part, devoted

just from appearances?

“Also, super cute! That fashion really suits you, Marika-chan.

I envy it since I can’t pull that off.”

“Is that so? I don’t feel bad hearing that from Rena-san.”

Being complimented by someone like Rena-san was a

different kind of happiness compared to being praised by
Toyama.

“Hey, Marika-chan, how about trying your hand at being a

reader model? I can introduce you through my connections.”

“N-no, I’m not interested in that… I’ll pass, thanks.”

“That’s a shame. But I can’t force you and if you ever

become interested, just let me know.”

“I probably won’t, though…”

“Well then, let’s exchange contact information! I want to

stay friendly with you, Marika-chan. Okay, scan my QR
code.”

“O-okay…I understand.”

Just like when we first met, I was still caught up in Rena’s

pace. She was a bit forceful but skilled at controlling people.

“Alright, registration is complete! Feel free to message me

anytime. You’re always welcome,Marika-chan.”

“Th-Thank you.”
“Toyama-kun, sorry for leaving you alone. Were you lonely?”

“No, not really lonely… But the sense of distance is still a bit
tough. Uehara-san, were you overwhelmed?”

“Marika-chan, that’s not true, right?”

“Y-Yes, I thought you were friendly, though.”

As Toyama said, I couldn’t deny that I was a bit

overwhelmed by Rena-san but I chose to gently convey that
feeling here.

“Marika-chan, you’re a nice girl. Toyama-kun, having a cute

and kind girl like her as your girlfriend must make you
happy, right?”

Rena-san’s words seemed to carry some hidden meaning

and she sent a meaningful glance toward Toyama.

“N-No, it’s not like that. Marika-san and I are not dating.”

“Ara, really? You two seemed well-matched, so I naturally

assumed.”

──This person… She knows that Toyama and I are not a

couple, and she’s deliberately saying this.

“Yes… We’re not a couple yet.”

Feeling like Rena-san could see right through me, I

responded with a bit of assertiveness, partly out of
frustration.

“I see…while I can’t solely cheer for you, Marika-chan, I do

like you and want you to do your best.”
Rena-san saying this probably had something to do with
knowing about her younger sister, Takai-san.

“Well then…I don’t want to interrupt you two any longer, so

I’ll be heading home now. I’ll cover the bill, so take your
time.”

Rena-san, who had been conversing with us, stood up.

“Aaa, yes, thank you for the meal.”

“Rena-san, thank you.”

Rena picked up the check from the table and stood up.

“Aa, that’s right, Toyama-kun, don’t make girls cry.”

“Wh-Who would I cause to cry!? I wouldn’t do something like

that!?”

Toyama responded in a flustered manner, denying any such

intentions.

──Rena-san is probably talking about Takai-san.

“Well then, see you.”

After stirring things up between us, Rena-san headed

towards the cash register and left.

“……..”

After Rena-san left, a silence hung between Toyama and me.

We both understood the meaning behind Rena-san’s parting
words.

“Toyama, should we leave soon?”

There was no point in staying silent here.

“yeah…we also need to finish your shopping, Marika-san.”

We informed the staff that we had settled the bill and left
the establishment.

After leaving the cafe, we walked aimlessly around the

shopping mall.

“Earlier, what Rena-san mentioned at the end was about her

sister, Takai-san, right…?”

“Th-that’s… “

In response to my quiet murmur, Toyama stumbled over his

words.

“I-I’m sorry. It might be awkward to ask Toyama about it…”

I understand that there’s a reason why Toyama isn’t talking

about it now. But driven by the desire to know his true
feelings, I unintentionally voiced my thoughts.

I reached out and touched Toyama’s hand.

“Uehara-san…”

Toyama gently squeezed my hand in response. He seemed

to understand what I wanted from him at that moment.

Do I really want to know the truth? On the other hand, there

might also be a part of me that doesn’t want to know. Even
if I don’t know, I can still have this interaction with Toyama.

After meeting with Rena-san, we continued our date while

carrying our hidden feelings.
In the end, without buying anything, we left the shopping
mall and headed towards the station to go back home.

“Uehara-san, you really don’t want anything?”

Toyama seemed concerned that we didn’t buy anything as a

thank-you gift for the lunch.

“Un, it’s fine. Just being together like this and having fun is
enough for me.”

“I see… well, if you ever want something, feel free to let me

know anytime.”

Toyama said that kindly.

“Then… what if I asked you for a kiss?”

Upon hearing my words, Toyama’s expression showed

surprise and came to a halt.

“…Here, right now?”

Toyama looked at me seriously, as if he genuinely took my

question to heart.

“It’s a joke. Doing something like that here, in such a

crowded place, would make us look inappropriate.”

“Moou…Those kinds of jokes aren’t good for my heart…”

──Could it be, if I had said it seriously, would he have done

it?

I had a vague feeling that Toyama might actually kiss me.

So, I regretted joking it off, blaming myself for not being
honest.
“Aree? Could it be that you were secretly hoping for it,
Toyama?”

To distract from my own regret, I intentionally acted playful.

“No, not hoping exactly, but…”

Toyama seemed slightly embarrassed, his face turning a

faint shade of red.

──Wait, could this mean…? No, I shouldn’t let my

imagination run wild.

I told myself not to get too excited.

“Well then…how about you treat me to some tea from the

vending machine at school and we’ll call it even for not
getting a thank-you gift for the lunch.”

“Oh, if it’s just that, I could treat you every day… Well,
maybe every other day.”

“Toyama, you suddenly became stingy.”

“Well, you know, I’ve been going out a lot lately and I’ve
been buying books and stuff. I’m really broke.”

Toyama has been spending more time with us after school

and he seems to be going out with Takai-san frequently as
well. I have my thoughts about it but I’m not in a position to
ask him to stop.

“Then, why not get a part-time job?”

“My parents come home late, so I have to help with

housework and it might be tough. But… I guess I need to
earn some extra money even if it’s through occasional part-
time jobs…”
“Aah, I’m not working either… Pocket money just isn’t
enough, right? Maybe I should try being a reader model?”

“Eeh? But you said you weren’t interested earlier.”

“I’m not interested in being a reader model, but if it pays

well, I might consider it.”

Although I said I wasn’t interested in being a reader model,

the truth is that I want the money. Just like what Rena-san
mentioned, if there’s a way to earn some money on the
side, I can’t say I wouldn’t consider giving it a try.

“I see… But I think you could do it, Uehara-san.”

“But maybe it’s still not for me. I can’t handle being seen by
a crowd. It’s something for people like Rena-san.”

“That person might truly have a calling for it…”

“Right?”

As I walked and talked with Toyama, we quickly reached the

station.

“Well then, Uehara-san, take care.”

“Toyama, thanks for today. I had a great time.”

We exchanged farewells, and each of us headed to our

respective platforms.

I paused and looked back.

──If it weren’t for the people around, could we have

kissed…?
Watching Toyama’s figure grow smaller as he walked away, I
couldn’t help but anticipate what the future held, even while
trying not to set my expectations too high.
 Chapter 7: Yumi Takai Takes a New
Step Forward

I’m not at Hanseido but rather at a medium-sized local

bookstore. While their selection may not be as extensive as
Hanseido’s, they do have popular books in stock, so I visit
this store occasionally.

Part-time job recruitment…

As I gaze at the job advertisement flyer posted at the

entrance of the bookstore, I recall what Yuki has been saying
lately.

“I’ve been spending a lot lately and I’m short on money.”

Since it has become difficult to invite Yuki over to my house,

I’ve been frequently inviting him to places like internet
cafes. Yuki, who has been interacting more with Okuyama-
kun and the others, has increased his social activities and
he mentioned that he doesn’t have enough allowance.

“I wonder if I should try a part-time job…”

I’m not involved in any extracurricular activities and even

after school, I just study, read,and end my day. It’s not like
I’m doing anything productive and I can’t deny that I’m
spending my days in a somewhat wasteful manner.

“If I can earn money, I can cover Yuki’s expenses and we

can be together…”
With such thoughts in mind, I step into the bookstore.

I observe the busy store clerk inside the shop. They’re

tidying up the shelves and shrink-wrapping books, looking
quite occupied. I try to imagine myself in their shoes,
surrounded by books, doing such work.

“It looks enjoyable…”

As I imagine myself working surrounded by books, I

unexpectedly feel a slight thrill.

I return to the entrance of the store once again and carefully

review the job advertisement flyer.

Twice a week, four hours or more. High school students

welcome.

Seeing these words, I gather my courage and approach a

young male clerk who is diligently organising the books on
the shelves.

“Um… I saw the part-time job advertisement posted at the

entrance…”

Summoning my courage, I take a deep breath and take a

new step forward.

A few days after expressing my desire to work part-time at

the bookstore to one of the store clerks, I brought my
resume and had an interview, successfully getting hired.

Today is my first day of work, and after school, I skipped the

library and came directly to the store in my school uniform.
Standing in front of the store entrance, I was extremely
nervous. For someone like me who had spent most of my
life avoiding interactions with people, taking on a part-time
job felt like a daunting challenge.

But just standing still wouldn’t lead to anything. So,

gathering my resolve, I entered the store and approached a
young male clerk.

“Um, I’m Yumi Takai, and I’ve been hired as a part-timer

starting today.”

“A, Aaa! You’re the high school student who talked to me the
other day!”

The male clerk turned out to be the person I directly

approached on the day I decided to start working part-time.

He was a young man, probably in his early twenties, and

despite my sudden approach, he didn’t make a single
unpleasant face and responded very courteously.

“I’m Tatsuya Aoki. Nice to meet you, and please take care of
me.”

“I’m Yumi Takai. Nice to meet you too, and thank you for
having me.”

Tatsuya and I exchanged greetings inside the store.

“Well then, I’ll show you around starting from now, so follow
me.”

“Okay.”

I passed through the back yard and was guided into the
office.
“Manager, I’ve brought Yumi Takai, the new part-timer, with
me.”

The manager of this store is a woman and she was the one
who interviewed me.

“Takai-san, thank you for coming. We have a uniform

prepared in the locker room for you, so change into it and
come back to the office.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Alright then, Aoki-kun, please guide Takai-san to the

changing room.”

“Got it.”

“Takai-san, this way to the changing room.”

Once again, I followed Aoki.

“This is the girls’ changing room. The changing room itself

doesn’t have locks, so make sure to lock your own locker.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Okay, after changing, please return to the office and follow

the manager’s instructions.”

“Yes, thank you for your help, even though you’re busy.”

Aoki-san returned to work, appearing busy.

“Fuu….I was nervous. But I’m glad Aoki seems like a nice
person.”

*
On the front of my apron, worn over the uniform, there was
a name tag that read In Training .

“I’ve finished changing, Manager.”

“Alright then, Takai-san, let’s get you started with your

duties right away. I’m heading to the store now, so follow
me.””

“U-understood.”

Finally, my first part-time job, a memorable moment, was

about to begin.

Due to nervousness, my legs were trembling slightly.

“Takai-san, during your training, you’ll be working with other

staff members and there won’t be any customer interactions
until you get used to it. Don’t be too nervous.”

“Y-Yes.”

While the manager was trying to ease my nerves, there was

no other way around it but to get accustomed to the
situation.

Clad in the uniform, I stepped into the store and it was a

completely different scene from when I had visited as a
customer. This marked the beginning of my new world.

“Aoki-kun, I’ll leave today’s training to you. Teach according

to the plan we discussed earlier.”

It seemed that the manager wouldn’t be the one instructing

me. Upon reflection, the manager was likely quite busy, so
she might not have time to focus on a new employee like
me.

“Yes, understood. Please leave it to me.”

“Well then, Aoki-kun, take care from here.”

The manager returned to the office.

“Alright, nice to meet you again.”

“Y-Yes, nice to meet you too.”

“You seem quite nervous. Is this your first time doing a part-
time job, even though you’re in high school?”

“Y-Yes, it’s my first time.”

“Well, it’s natural to be nervous then. First, you’ll need to

get used to the atmosphere.”

“Y-Yes.”

It felt like I had only been saying “Yes” all this time. I
wondered just how nervous I must be; it was a bit
embarrassing.

“Alright then, let’s start by giving you a tour of the store. Try
to remember the names of different areas.”

I took a small notepad from my apron pocket and followed

Aoki.

“By the way, when you first approached me, I felt like I had
seen you somewhere before. Then, upon thinking about it
more, I realised you were a regular customer, and that
surprised me.”

Aoki-san started talking as he headed toward the back yard.

“Eh? Did you know me?”

“Well, you did come to the shop often and I thought you
were a cute person.”

It seemed I was a regular customer to the extent that the

staff remembered my face, which made me feel a bit
embarrassed.

“To think of me as cute, that’s…”

“There was a time when you cut your hair drastically and
came to the store, and I was quite surprised. But your
current hairstyle suits you too.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Aoki-san was probably trying to ease the tension by talking,

but since I’m not very good at communicating with others, I
didn’t know how to respond.

“Uh, was it rude of me to say it?”

“N-No, not at all… It’s okay.”

Aoki-san, being a college student and probably due to our

similar ages, had a friendly approach, which helped to
gradually ease my nervousness.

“That’s good. Well then, I’ll explain, so take notes and

remember.”

“Y-Yes.”
*

“By the way, is it closing time already?”

Today, Aoki had been guiding me closely through the work

and as closing time approached, my first day of work was
coming to an end.

“Yes, on days before I have school the next day, they let me
work until the closing time of 21:00.”

In reality, there were tasks remaining after closing, but the

manager was considerate of the female staff members and
wanted to ensure they didn’t have to stay too late.

“Even though this area is considered safe, it’s not a good

idea for women to stay out too late. We actually have
another high school girl working here but she also works
until closing time.”

“There’s another high school girl working here?”

“She’s not here today, but you might meet her soon. When
you do, make sure to get along.”

“Okay, understood. Thank you for today.”

“Yumi-san,thank you for your hard work.”

“Aoki-san, please do your best after this as well. Thank you

for your hard work.”

Having experienced my first taste of work in my life, I felt a

pleasant tiredness as I made my way back home.

◇
After school, Toyama sat at the counter in the library, feeling
a bit lonely as he noticed the absence of the familiar figure
at the usual table.

“Toyama! I came to hang out!”

“Uehara-san, this isn’t a place for hanging out.”

This exchange, as repeated as always, had started to bring

a sense of enjoyment to Toyama.

“Takai-san isn’t here today, huh?”

Uehara-san’s gaze turned towards the table where Takai

usually sat.

“Aaa, apparently she recently started working at a

bookstore. So, today was her work day and she went
straight home after school.”

“Eeeh!? Takai-san started a part-time job? I wonder what

made her decide to do that so suddenly?”

Toyama had also been caught off guard by the news, just

like a bolt from the blue.

“She mentioned something about wanting to earn money.”

“Maybe there’s something she wants to buy?”

“Well, I didn’t ask that far. But trying different things can be
a good experience, I think. I also want some extra money,
so I’ve been thinking about getting a part-time job.”

“Yeah, I guess I’d like to try it too. I could use a bit more
spending money.”

“In the end, it’s about the money, right?”

Both Tooyama and Uehara ultimately shared the practical
perspective of wanting to work part-time for the sake of
earning money.

“Speaking of which…there aren’t many people around us

who have part-time jobs, are there?”

“Yeah, you’re right…Chihiro doesn’t have one, and what

about Aizawa-san?”

Aizawa often goes home after school before Toyama and the
others, so it’s possible that she might be working a part-
time job.

“Mika works part-time at a fast-food restaurant. Didn’t you

know, Toyama?”

“No, this is the first I’ve heard of it. We haven’t really talked
about that kind of stuff before, I guess.”

“We’ve only really talked about part-time jobs when it came

to Rena-san and the fashion model topic, right?”

“Speaking of which, Uehara-san, don’t you want to do any

modelling work?”

“Do you want me to become a fashion model for you,

Toyama?”

“Well…I kind of don’t want that…It feels like you’d become

distant.”

Toyama seems to be concerned that if Uehara becomes a

fashion model, she might become harder to approach.

“I’m not a celebrity…But don’t worry. I won’t take on a part-

time job that would make you uncomfortable.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. Uehara-san, you should
do the part-time job you want to do.”

Toyama said this aloud, but he didn’t actually feel bad about
it.

“When I decide to do a part-time job, I’ll make sure to

discuss it with Toyama, so you can relax.”

It’s clear that Uehara always keeps Toyama in mind. Toyama

felt pleased by her consideration.

About a week had passed since I started working at the

bookstore. While I had only worked a few times, I was
getting used to it and my nervousness was starting to fade.

“Takai-san, I need you to come over here. We’re going to

shrink-wrap the new releases and prepare them for display.”

“Okay, I’ll come right away.”

With my notepad in hand, I hurried over to Aoki-san.

“We’re going to use this machine to shrink-wrap the books.

Learn how to use it.”

“Got it.”

“The way it works is that we put the book inside a

transparent plastic wrap and use heat to shrink it, so it fits
perfectly around the book.”

“Okay.”

“First, you’ll need to prepare the book by placing it inside

this transparent bag. Then, turn on the power here and the
machine will start preheating. Once this indicator light turns
on, the preparation is complete.”

“Next, you’ll take the book into the input conveyor and it
will come out shrink-wrapped from the other side. If the
shrink wrap is loose you can adjust the speed of the
conveyor using this knob or simply run it through again.
Now, a point of caution is that if something gets caught at
the exit, the items inside can stack up, leading to excessive
heat that could damage the product. So, be careful.”

“Alright then… Shall I try it once as you showed me?”

“Sure, Give it a try.”

I hesitantly placed the book, which was the product, into the
machine.

“That’s right, just like that. It’s easy, isn’t it?”

As the shrink-wrapped book passed through the exit, Aoki-

san smiled at me.

“Yes, I thought it might be more complicated.”

“It’s not really complicated. Just be mindful of the caution I

mentioned earlier, and you’ll be fine.”

“Yes, I’ll be careful.”

“Are, this book…”

After the shrink-wrapping was done, Aoki stared at the

received book intently.

“Aoki-san, is there something wrong with that book…? D-did

I mess something up!?”
“No, it’s not that… I was just thinking that the movie
adaptation of this book’s original work was recently
released.”

“Oh, I’ve read this novel too. It was really interesting.”

“I read it recently as well, and it was indeed captivating. I’ve

been wanting to watch the movie too. This author’s other
novels are great as well. They have a unique atmosphere
and a one-of-a-kind style. Personally, I’m a big fan of their
work.”

The joy of working in a bookstore was being able to discuss

books with fellow enthusiasts like this. Given that Aoki-san
worked at the bookstore, he might be quite the avid reader
himself.

“Really? I’ll look it up when I have some time.”

Having easy access to information about books was one of

the privileges of working in a bookstore.

“Assistance needed at the cash register, please.”

An announcement for cash register support came from the

back. It seemed that the checkout area was getting busy as
people were getting off work.

“Takai-san, I’ll go help at the cash register. Could you please

finish shrink-wrapping all the books on this shelf? The bags
are organised by size in the drawer here.”

“I have finished all of these.”

“Great, I appreciate it.”

Aoki-san waved his hand and headed back into the store.
“All right, let’s finish this.”

I diligently continued to shrink-wrap the books stacked on

the shelf. Tasks like these suited me well, and thanks to
being able to concentrate on the work, time passed quickly.

“Takai-san, thank you for your hard work.”

As closing time approached and I was organising the shrink-

wrapped books, Aoki-san came to the back to announce the
end of the shift.

“Oh, thank you for your hard work too. All the requested
books are shrink-wrapped and sorted on the shelves.”

“Thanks. I’ll take it from here, so you can head out.”

“Okay, I’ll leave the rest to you. Aoki-san, have a good

evening.”

“Un, good job.”

Today, I learned another new task. As I gradually

accumulate these skills, coming to work becomes more
enjoyable.

Filled with a sense of accomplishment from my work once

again today, I was able to end the day on a positive note,
feeling content.

During lunch break, the group of students gathered around

Toyama’s desk were discussing what Miyamoto-sensei had
talked about in the morning SHR.
In the afternoon LHR, they were going to decide the
organising committee for the sports festival scheduled for
September.

The committee would consist of one male and one female

student from each class, making a total of two
representatives. However, because it involved additional
tasks beyond academics, not many students were eager to
take on the role.

Being a part of the organising committee for events like the

sports festival or cultural festival often discouraged students
due to the heavy workload, the possibility of staying late
after school and the need to come to school on weekends.

“They mentioned deciding it today, but I wonder if anyone

actually wants to do it? I absolutely wouldn’t want to”

Remarked Aizawa, holding a straw in a juice box and

wearing an expression of genuine distaste.

“No one would want to do that, I bet. According to what I’ve

heard from last year’s committee members, it sounds like
they had to stay late every day and even come to school on
weekends”

Okuyama added, sharing the sentiment of not wanting to

take on the role.

“Why don’t you lovebirds just do it? It would all work out
smoothly, wouldn’t it?”

Aizawa directed her attention to Okuyama and Kojima, who

were a couple.

“Why us!? That means I won’t have any time to hang out
with Shouta”
Kojima protested, clearly discontent.

“If you’re committee members together, you’ll be able to

spend time together all the time, right? Problem solved,”

Aizawa insisted, clearly wanting to push Okuyama and

Kojima into the role.

“But you know, it would be nice if a couple were on the

committee. You could be together all the time, like Mika
said”

While Aizawa was pushing the task onto others due to

inconvenience, Uehara seemed genuinely envious.

“Well then, why don’t Marika do it?”

Kojima took this chance to aim the spotlight at Uehara.

“W-Well, it depends on the person. It doesn’t mean anyone

can just do it…”

Uehara looked at Toyama, who was sitting next to her.

“How about Yuki and Uehara doing it together?”

Okita said the proposal that everyone had been avoiding,

seemingly unaware of the situation.

“W-Why, Toyama?”

Uehara asked Okita in a flustered tone.

“Uehara-san, you were glancing at Yuki while talking about

it, so I thought maybe you wanted to do it together.”

Recently, Uehara hadn’t been hiding her feelings for

Toyama, so it seemed like Okita had noticed. However, Okita
didn’t seem to interpret it as romantic affection.

“S-So, Toyama… How about it… doing it together?”

Uehara looked up at Toyama with a hopeful expression. It’s

rare to find a guy in the class who would refuse a request
from Uehara.

“W-Well, I’m already on the library committee, so doing both

might be a bit…”

Even Toyama, despite being asked by Uehara, was hesitant

about taking on two committee roles.

“That’s true…”

Uehara seemed a bit hopeful but her shoulders slumped,

and she looked disappointed.

“If it comes to that, I doubt there’s anyone foolhardy enough

to volunteer. Maybe we should draw lots… I’m not very
lucky with that, though. Or wait, in situations like this, is
being unlucky better?”

Although Okita was pondering something trivial, most of the

students in the class were probably thinking the same way.

“We can only hope that someone brave enough will step
forward.”

In the end, as Aizawa had mentioned, the only options

seemed to be either someone volunteering or leaving it up
to chance with a lottery draw. There were no students here
who were willingly eager to take on extra responsibilities.

*
Afternoon classes ended and the time came for the class to
decide the members of the Sports Festival Executive
Committee during LHR.

Almost all the students in the class were likely praying that
they wouldn’t be chosen.

“We will now decide the two members of the Sports Festival
Executive Committee during this time.”

The homeroom teacher, Miyamoto-sensei, announced the

start of homeroom.

“The Sports Festival Executive Committee will consist of one

male and one female member.”

“First, please raise your hand if you wish to volunteer.”

From the podium, Miyamoto-sensei scanned the students,

calling for volunteers.

──As expected… Wait, Eeeh!?

The moment Toyama concluded that there were no

volunteers, a stir began to ripple through the class.

──Uehara-san!?

The sole person in the class, Uehara, had her hand raised.

“Okay, we have Uehara-san for the female representative.

Now, we need to decide the male representative. Any
volunteers?”

Miyamoto-sensei now called for male volunteers.

As expected, more than half of the male students raised

their hands, which was only natural. If they could serve on
the committee with the popular Uehara, it would be a
different story.

Uehara-san, seated second from the front, turned around

and looked around. Her eyes met with Toyama’s, who hadn’t
raised his hand. Toyama felt like Uehara’s eyes were
pleading with him.

Unable to resist Uehara-san’s beseeching gaze, Toyama

hesitantly raised his hand while glancing around nervously.

Seeing Toyama’s action, Uehara-san’s expression

brightened up with a smile.

“There are quite a few volunteers…I wonder what to do.”

Miyamoto-sensei feigned a troubled expression while

looking at Toyama’s face.

“Well then…since Uehara-san has already been chosen,

shall we have her pick from the students who raised their
hands? Is that okay, Uehara-san?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

The previously buzzing classroom became even more lively.

Everyone was curious about which lucky male student
Uehara-san would choose. Those who had raised their hands
were probably praying to be selected.

“Now, I’d like to make the selection…”

Uehara-san seemed to have made her choice of student to

nominate. The once noisy classroom fell silent in an instant,
and the entire class watched with bated breath.
“For the other members of the Sports Festival Executive
Committee, I’d like to ask Toyama-kun!”

The moment Toyama’s name left Uehara’s lips, a mix of

surprised gasps and almost indignant cries echoed through
the classroom.

While it was just a nomination for two committee members

to work together, given the current circumstances with
Uehara and Toyama being the subject of rumours, this
essentially felt like a confession from Uehara to Toyama,
didn’t it?

“Okay, everyone, please quiet down. The Sports Festival

Executive Committee will consist of Uehara-san and
Toyama-kun. Let’s all cooperate to ensure that they can
smoothly carry out their duties.”

And so, the eventful homeroom came to an end. However,

the excited students continued to buzz with gossip.

“ So, it’s settled. I knew it, those two are really together. ”

“ I’m seriously shocked. Uehara-san paired up with Toyama

of all people… ”

“ I had a feeling it would turn out like this… ”

“ Well, what can you do… Just accept it. ”

“ Uehara-san is quite bold, huh? This is practically like a

confession, isn’t it? ”

“ More like a coming out, I’d say. ”

Amidst the hushed conversations among the students, one

student hurriedly left the classroom.
The back of that student looked deeply lonely, as she
quietly left the classroom without drawing anyone’s
attention.

──Takai!

Toyama spotted Takai leaving the classroom and wanted to

chase after, but he couldn’t slip away from the explanation
of the Sports Committee duties with Uehara from Miyamoto-
sensei.

All Toyama could do was watch Takai’s lonely figure as she

left.

About two weeks had passed since I started working part-

time at the bookstore. I had finally become accustomed to
the job and had taken on more tasks that I could handle on
my own. I began to feel that I was making a useful
contribution and started enjoying the work. However,
despite this positive shift in my mindset, I was feeling down.

The reason for my sombre mood was an incident during

today’s afternoon homeroom. Uehara-san had nominated
Yuki as her partner for the Sports Festival Executive
Committee. As a result, it seemed like the class was starting
to think of them as a couple.

Even if they were to deny that they were a couple in the

current situation, I doubted anyone would believe it.

──What have I been doing all this time…?

Uehara-san pursued Yuki with single-minded determination,

disregarding her surroundings. On the other hand, I had
been relying on Yuki’s actions and had not taken the
initiative to do anything myself.

Maybe Yuki also has feelings for Uehara-san…Just thinking

about it made my heart feel like it was going to burst.

As I focused on organising the books for a while, I found that

not dwelling on unnecessary thoughts helped calm my
emotions a bit. Being surrounded by books, I felt a similar
sense of tranquillity as I did in the library.

“Takai-san, stop the returns you’re working on and help me

tomorrow with unloading and inspecting the books to be
displayed in the store.”

Aoki-san, who had returned from the shop floor, pointed

towards the stack of packaged books in the backroom.

“Okay, understood.”

I checked the titles and quantities against the records on the

slips, separated any special orders and placed them on the
shelves in the backroom. After confirming there were no
damaged items, I updated the inventory.

Magazines sometimes have inserts, so I made sure to check

and bundle the main publication with any inserts.

“For the additional inventory that arrives, once you’ve

confirmed it’s been added to the store inventory, feel free to
put it out right away.”

Unloading the books was enjoyable as it allowed me to see

the new releases ahead of others. Since starting to work at
the bookstore, I had gained access to new book information
much earlier than before.

“Takai-san, you seem to be enjoying yourself.”

Without realising it, I had apparently put on a smile, and

Aoki-san was looking at me with an amused expression.

“Being surrounded by books makes me feel calm. That’s

why I spend most of my time in the library at school.”

“I get that. I love books too, so I’m really glad I started this
part-time job. It’s also how I got to know you, Takai-san.”

“Uh, well… Yes, thank you…”

I had never heard such things from any guy other than Yuki,
so I didn’t know how to react.

“Oh, I guess I said something weird, sorry about that. But,

we do share a love for books, and I’ve enjoyed working with
you. I guess my true feelings just slipped out.”

Aoki-san scratched his cheek with a slightly embarrassed

smile. His expression reminded me of the time when Yuki
and I first started talking in the library, and I felt a bit
melancholic.

After that, the conversation between Aoki-san and me

quieted down and we both focused on our tasks.

“Hey, Takai-san… Are you free next Saturday?”

Amidst the silence, Aoki-san spoke up and asked about my

plans. Saturday is my day off from work but I wondered if he
wanted to discuss the work schedule.
“Saturday? I don’t have school, and I don’t have any
particular plans… Why do you ask?”

“Well… um, you know, that novel we talked about earlier,

the one that got turned into a movie. Would you like to go
watch it together?”

“Eh? You mean, just you and me, Aoki-san?”

I thought it might be about discussing the work schedule or

something like that, but I never expected an invitation to a
movie… and just the two of us at that. Aoki-san is kind and
seems like a good person and he’s the type who could be
considered handsome by general standards. But even so, I
never intended to go out alone with another guy besides
Yuuki.

“It would probably be boring for you to go out with me.”

I had never been asked out by a guy before, so I wasn’t

quite sure how to refuse.

“That’s not true at all. You and I get along well, and I’m sure
we’d have a good time! So don’t worry about it. Right?”

Do I need to be more straightforward in declining? Aoki-san

seemed persistent.

──But…if I were to be seen going out with another guy,

would Yuki get jealous?

I had been fretting over things concerning Uehara-san for a

while, carrying around pent-up feelings of frustration. If Yuki
felt the same way, maybe he would notice me.

“… Please give me some time to think. I’ll give you an

answer on our next work day. Is that okay?”
Feeling guilty about potentially using Aoki-san for something
like this, I deliberately delayed my response.

“Understood… I’ll be looking forward to a positive answer.”

Aoki-san, who didn’t show any displeasure even at such an

ambiguous response, truly must be a good person. I couldn’t
help but feel a sense of guilt.

As usual, the four of us – Toyama, Uehara, Okita and Aizawa

– gathered around the table after finishing lunch, chatting
and laughing.

“Yuki, there’s something I want to talk to you about. Is now

a good time?”

Takai, who rarely joined us for lunch, called out to Toyama.

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Sorry, I want to talk somewhere else, not here.”

──A conversation that she doesn’t want others to

overhear… What could it be about…?

From Takai’s expression, Toyama felt that it probably wasn’t

good news.

“Understood. Should we go out into the hallway?”

“Un.”

Toyama and Takai left the classroom together just as they

were.
“Takai-san, I wonder what’s going on? You seemed a bit off,
like something was bothering you…”

Uehara also noticed that Takai was acting a bit differently

than usual.

“Mika, I’m going to the restroom.”

Concerned about Toyama, Uehara lied about going to the

restroom and followed the two out of the classroom.

Stepping out of the classroom, Uehara spotted the two a

little further down the hallway, hidden at a corner. She
quietly positioned herself around the corner, trying to listen
in on their conversation.

“So, Takai, what did you want to talk about?”

It seemed difficult for her to express, as Toyama’s inquiry

left Takai struggling to find her words.

“You see… the other day, a senior male coworker at my

part-time job… he, um, asked me out to watch a movie this
Saturday. So, I was thinking of discussing it with Yuki to see
what to do.”

Takai looked down and then glanced up at Toyama, trying to

gauge his reaction.

“S-So… um… how did you respond to him…?”

“I told him I needed some time to think…”

Toyama closed his eyes and showed a momentary sign of

contemplation. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked straight
at Takai.
“…I guess…if Takai didn’t reject the invitation right then and
there…maybe he thought it would be okay to go to the
movies together. And, well, I don’t think it’s my place to
intervene.”

Toyama replied, stumbling over his words as he tried to

articulate his thoughts.

“Eh…? So you’re saying…Yuki… wouldn’t mind if I went to

see a movie with another guy…?”

Taken aback by Toyama’s unexpected response, Takai

questioned, uncertain if she was hearing his true feelings.

“I don’t have the right to stop you from seeing a movie just
because the other person is a guy, especially if you want to
watch it”

“…Yuki… Do you really… feel that way?”

Takai had hoped that if he consulted Toyama about going to

the movies with another guy, he might stop her or at least
show some jealousy. However, the words that came out of
Toyama’s mouth, whether sincere or not, were indifferent,
conveying a message of Do whatever you want without
any concern.

“R-right… I see… Well then, I’ll do as I please…idiot, Yuki…”

With tears welled up in her eyes, Takai muttered quietly and

dashed away from Toyama.

──…What should I have done? Do I even have the right to

say No, don’t go? Was that what Takai-san wanted? Did
she purposely bring up going out with another guy to test
me? I don’t know.
*

Hidden away and witnessing the whole exchange, just like

Toyama, Uehara was also in turmoil.

“Toyama and Takai aren’t dating… right?”

Observing their interaction, Uehara couldn’t help but

question. If they were dating, Toyama would likely say
something like Don’t go But Toyama said, I have no right
to stop you .
──…I don’t understand… What exactly is the relationship
between Toyama and Takai?

Uehara was utterly confused, grappling with a sea of

uncertainties.

“Poor Takai…”

Surely, she had wanted Toyama to stop her and had

mustered the courage to bring it up. However, the outcome
was not only a lack of discouragement but also a merciless
response urging her to decide on her own.

However, that doesn’t mean Uehara is in a position to

comfort Takai. After all, Takai is just a rival in love.

──…But if Takai and that guy get along well, maybe Toyama
will pay attention only to me.

Conflicting emotions of feeling sorry for Takai and the

thought that if she drops out, a chance might come to
Uehara began to darken her heart.

“Aa, I should go back to the classroom…”

With complex feelings, Uehara returned to the classroom.

Upon entering the classroom, Toyama and Takai hadn’t

returned yet.

“Uehara-san, can I talk to you for a moment?”

As Uehara sat at her desk, lost in thought, she was suddenly

approached from behind.
“Toyama…? What is it?”

Toyama, who had also returned to the classroom, seemed a

bit downcast. Given the conversation he had with Takai, this
was quite understandable.

“Did you hear that we have to come to school for a meeting

of the festival committee next Saturday?”

“No… I didn’t know.”

“When I saw Miyamoto-sensei in the hallway earlier, I just

asked her briefly, so I don’t know the details.”

“I see, well, you knew that when you accepted, so it can’t

be helped.”

This is exactly why nobody wants to be part of the Sports

Festival Planning Committee. It’s because even on days off
from school, you still need to come to school. When
discussions are needed that stretch over long periods, like
when there isn’t enough time after regular school hours, it
becomes necessary to allocate sufficient time on days off to
ensure thorough planning.

“I’m sorry, Toyama. Because you agreed to join me as a

committee member, your days off are being sacrificed.”

Uehara-san, who had chosen Toyama, seemed to be feeling

a sense of responsibility.

“Don’t worry about it, Uehara-san. I also volunteered on my

own.”

“But you volunteered for my sake, didn’t you?”

It seemed that Uehara had caught onto the fact that Toyama
had volunteered for her sake.

“Well, yeah… that might be true, but I genuinely wanted to

work together too. So, Uehara-san, you don’t need to worry
about anything.”

“Thanks. If I’m with you, Toyama, I don’t mind giving up my

days off.”

Uehara’s expression, with her passionate gaze directed

towards Toyama, was that of a love-struck maiden.

“Th-then, I’ll go back to my seat.”

Seeing Uehara-san’s demeanour starting to change, Toyama

hastily returned to his seat.

──Takai… she still seems down.

After her conversation with Toyama, Takai, who had

presumably gone to the library, returned to the classroom
just before lunch break ended. While she maintained her
usual expressionless demeanour, both Toyama and Uehara
could tell that a dark shadow was hanging over her heart.
However, the three of them were powerless to change this
situation and could only watch over each other.

After consulting Yuki about being invited to the movies, I

was walking towards my part-time job after school.

“What should I do.. Today’s Aoki-san’s day off, so it’s fine for
now, but eventually, I’ll have to give an answer…”
What used to be an enjoyable part-time job had now
become a source of unease.

“But if I don’t give a proper response…”

Even if Yuki wished for me to make my own choice, there

was only one possible answer. So, I’ll cherish those feelings
as I move forward.

While unloading in the backyard, conversations with Yuki

during lunch break cross my mind.

──Doesn’t Yuki care if I am alone with another man…..?

I wished Yuki would tell me he didn’t like it. Even if we’re not
lovers, he probably thinks that way. But my thoughts were
just wishful thinking.

Thinking about such things makes tears well up.

──I’m glad this is the backyard…..I can’t let my customers

see me like this.

“Aree, Yumi, what’s wrong? Are you crying?”

“Fujimori-san… I-it’s nothing…”

I was caught crying by Fujimori Kanako, a fellow high school

student and part-time worker.

“It’s definitely not nothing! What happened? I’m here to

listen.”

Fujimori-san is a senior part-timer in the same high school

as me. She has a gal-like appearance but is kind and always
looks out for me.

“Thank you. But we’re working right now, so…”

“I see…understood. But tell me later. Just talking about it
might make you feel better.”

“okay…”

“Well then, I’ll go back to the cash register, so if anything

happens, let me know right away.”

Fujimori-san returned to the store with a worried expression.

──I was seen… I need to switch my feelings and focus on

work or I’ll cause trouble.

Since Fujimori-san had spoken to me, I felt a little more

composed. I resumed my tasks, trying not to think about
Yuki and Uehara-san.

Closing time arrived, and Fujimori-san and I were getting

ready to go home in the changing room.

“Yumi, are you feeling better now?”

Fujimori-san peered at my face with concern.

“Yeah, I’m okay now. Thanks for worrying about me,

Fujimori-san.”

“No problem. But more importantly, how about stopping by

the convenience store on the way home? I’m kinda hungry
and want to grab something to eat.”

“Un,Sure. It should be fine if it takes around thirty minutes.”

“Ok ! It’s a deal then. Change quickly, and let’s go.”

Fujimori-san is bright and friendly. She’s friendly even with

someone like me who might be hard to approach, and she’s
been getting along with me like this.
*

“Manager, I’m heading out first.”

“Manager, see you later!”

Even when talking to the manager, Fujimori-san maintains

her casual attitude, but her respectful demeanour during
work can be seen. The manager must understand this,
which is probably why she doesn’t say anything.

“Okay, both of you did a good job. Take care on your way
home.”

As we exited through the staff-only exit, we headed to the

nearby convenience store.

“Yumi, are you getting used to the job?”

“Yeah, thanks to Fujimori-san and Aoki-san, who have been

teaching me patiently, I’m getting the hang of it.”

“I see. So, do you think you can continue like this? There
aren’t many girls our age…I hope Yumi keeps working here
like this.”

While there are other female staff members, many of them

are part-timers who are housewives or older employees.
That’s why Fujimori-san probably wants me, a fellow high
school student, to stay.

“Work is enjoyable and everyone is so nice that I want to

keep going.”

“That’s great! If you’re here, Yumi, I’ll have a good time too,
so I’m happy.”

“I’m glad Fujimori-san is here too.”

“Seriously, Yumi, you always say such nice things.”

Until now, no one has treated me like this. That’s why I

really think starting this part-time job was a wonderful
decision.

We arrived at the convenience store a few minutes’ walk

from the shop. After finishing our shopping, we chatted in
the parking lot.

“Aren’t you going to eat anything, Yumi?”

“I’ll have dinner at home when I get back.”

Right now, my sister and I take turns making dinner. On the

days when I have work, I ask my sister, so she should be the
one making dinner tonight.

“Do you eat dinner when you get home, Fujimori-san?”

“No, I don’t eat dinner on workdays. If I eat too late, I’ll gain
weight. So, I usually eat a little at the convenience store and
then head home.”

“I wonder if it’s better for me not to have dinner…”

“I’m careful because I gain weight easily, but Yumi, you

seem fine, right?”

Fujimori-san is examining every inch of my body as if

savouring it.

“Is there something strange?”

“No…It’s just that Yumi, from your waist to your buttocks,

looks… alluring.”
──Does she mean it’s a type that’s easy for childbirth and
has large buttocks?

“I do worry about that…”

“N-No, I don’t mean it’s bad. Rather, it’s… appealing? It’s a

tempting feeling.”

I couldn’t judge whether I was being praised or not from that

expression.

“Is that something to be happy about?”

“Happy or not, if I were a guy, I wouldn’t just let it go!”

“W-Well… Thank you…?”

I can’t be openly pleased but since Fujimori-san is earnestly

complimenting me, I’ll try to accept it graciously.

“So…who is it that made such a wonderful Yumi cry? Is it a

man?”

Fujimori-san’s demeanour shifted from the previous

lighthearted atmosphere to a serious one.

“Well…”

I was hesitating whether I should talk about it or not.

“Just go ahead and talk. It might make you feel better.”

I was starting to think that maybe I could talk to Fujimori-

san, who had a relationship with no strings attached like at
school. No… rather, I wanted someone to listen.

“Un…..would you listen?”

“Of course!”

Just talking to someone wouldn’t necessarily solve

everything. But… keeping everything to myself was like
getting lost in a labyrinth of thoughts with no way out. So, I
decided to talk in search of a glimmer of light.

In a corner of a convenience store parking lot, I told

Fujimori-san about the relationship between Yuki, Uehara-
san and me. I kept the fact that Yuki and I were in a casual
relationship a secret and portrayed it as a one-sided crush. I
also mentioned the difficulty of refusing Aoki-san’s invitation
to a movie.

“Oh, that’s quite complex. But, from what I’ve heard about
Uehara-san, she seem to have quite a high spec as they
say.”

“Un…She has many friends, she’s kind and she has a great
figure. She’s really popular and a genuinely good person.”

“Even though she’s your rival, you’re really praising her.”

“Un, she’s that nice……”

“I’ve never met her, so I wouldn’t know…But Yumi, you’re

also wonderful. I don’t think you’ve lost to this Uehara
person. But…”

While looking at my face, Fujimori-san continued.

“From what I’ve heard, weren’t they both chosen as

committee members for the sports festival? Having both of
them selected is a disadvantage, right?”
“Un…”

That incident had quickly spread throughout the class,

leading everyone to assume that Yuki and Uehara-san were
a couple.

─What does Yuki really think about the rumours involving

Uehara-san?

Although I did want to know Yuki’s true feelings, I hadn’t

even shared my own feelings with him. It might be wishful
thinking.

─!?

Suddenly, Fujimori-san hugged me tightly.

“If it’s tough, don’t hesitate to talk about it. I’ll listen as
much as you need, so don’t go through it alone”

Fujimori-san said, embracing me and offering kind words.

“Un, thank you…”

“By the way… what are you going to do about the movie
with Tatsuya? Why not consider it as a date? I’m not saying
you should give up on Toyama-kun, but it might be good to
get to know other guys too.”

Fujimori-san stepped back from me and continued.

“Well… I wouldn’t want to lead Aoki-san on, and I also don’t

want Toyama to misunderstand if I go out alone with
another guy.”

“Well, that’s true…Tatsuya is a good guy and I don’t think

he’s bad, but it might be too early to give up just yet…”
Fujimori-san is probably suggesting that maybe I should
consider dating him instead of Toyama.

“Well then…if it’s hard to turn him down, I have a good idea.
Can you trust me with this? The next shift, all three of us will
be working together, right?”

“Un, I think that’s right.”

“I won’t do anything bad, I promise!”

“U-Un…then, maybe I’ll leave it to you, Fujimori-san.”

“Un! Leave it to me!”

It’s Fujimori-san’s suggestion and made after understanding

my feelings, so I’m sure it’ll be okay.

Having Fujimori-san listen to me a little bit today made me

feel somewhat relieved.

On the weekend Saturday, Toyama and Uehara came to

school despite the day being a holiday for a meeting of the
sports festival organising committee.

“Today’s meeting starts in the morning and it goes through

lunch break into the afternoon. I’m worried I might fall
asleep because of my lack of sleep…”

Having stayed up late last night, Toyama hadn’t gotten

much sleep.

“Toyama, you have an important meeting today, so what

were you doing yesterday?”
Being told he’s sleep-deprived on the day of an important
meeting, Uehara looked exasperated.

“I was reading a book and it got so interesting that I couldn’t

stop. Thanks to that, I only got three hours of sleep.”

“Three hours is tough. Don’t fall asleep during the meeting.

It’d be embarrassing.”

Not only would falling asleep make them the laughingstock

of the class if the representative committee member was
caught dozing off, but it would also bring ridicule to the
entire class.

“Well, I’ll try my best.”

“If you start to nod off, I’ll wake you up”

“Thank you.”

The meeting itself was filled with lively discussions, and it

was so busy that there was hardly any time to sleep.
Toyama managed to survive the morning meeting somehow.

During lunch break, Toyama and Uehara were in their

classroom.

“The morning discussion was quite intense.”

As Uehara said, the discussion had been rough, with

experienced committee members leading the way. Being
new committee members, Toyama and Uehara were unable
to keep up and could only observe.

Decisions like which class members would handle which

tasks and the selection of events were piled up. These
decisions wouldn’t be made in just one day but there were
many things that needed to be decided before the summer
break. The afternoon discussion was likely to be just as
intense.

“Well, realistically, we newcomers can’t just come up with

ideas out of the blue, so all we can do is listen to the
experienced members”

From the very first day, Toyama had decided to rely on

others.

“They said they’re going to decide on the division of roles

for each class committee member today.”

“Eh? Did they really say that?”

Uehara confirmed with Toyama, but it seemed he didn’t

remember.

“Toyama…your eyes were open, but were you possibly

sleeping?”

“I don’t remember, so I might have been sleeping…”

“Make sure you’re wide awake in the afternoon, okay? It

would be embarrassing if you missed out on the details.”

Uehara looked worried at Toyama, who had been sleeping so

openly.

“I’m going to take a short nap to prepare for the afternoon,

so wake me up when it’s time.”

“Sure, got it…Toyama, want me to give you a lap pillow?”

Teasingly, Uehara lightly tapped her own thighs as if offering

it to Toyama.
“Seriously? That’d be a big help.”

Understanding that Uehara was joking, Yuki remained

composed without getting flustered.

“I-It’s just a joke.”

“It was a joke… Too bad.”

“I-if you really want it, Toyama…I could still do it for you,
you know?”

“Alright, alright. Goodnight.”

─Come to think of it, today’s the day Takai is going to the

movies with her coworker from the part-time job… I wonder
if they’re together right now…?

Leaning on the desk, Toyama’s consciousness became hazy

from drowsiness as thoughts of Takai crossed their mind.

─I feel kind of uneasy about it…

In the fading haze of consciousness, Toyama thought about

such things before succumbing to a deep sleep.

“Mou…I’ve already gone to the trouble of offering you a lap

pillow but……Toyama, good night”

Uehara watched over the soundly sleeping Toyama until the

lunch break came to an end.

Lunch break came to an end and the meeting resumed. The

afternoon agenda focused on discussing the division of roles
for each class, Toyama and Uehara were assigned to handle
the overall management of the equipment to be used in the
sports festival.
With the assignments settled, the meeting concluded for the
day and the committee members from each class were free
to go.

“Fuuu… It’s finally over…”

Leaving the meeting room, Toyama raised both hands and

stretched his back while letting out a big yawn.

“Toyama, you didn’t sleep in the afternoon meeting, right?

That’s impressive.”

“I managed to catch a little nap during lunch break. That

makes a significant difference.”

“Make sure to get proper sleep next time. It was quite a

challenge for me to keep an eye on you and make sure you
didn’t fall asleep.”

Thanks to Uehara-san frequently checking on Toyama every

few minutes during the afternoon meeting, he managed to
stay awake.

“Sorry, Uehara-san. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Saying [I was sleeping, I wasn’t listening] is embarrassing,

you know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind…”

The lack of sleep was due to personal circumstances, and it

couldn’t be used as an excuse.

“Well then, shall we head home soon?”

“Yeah, you’re right. There’s no point staying at school.”

Toyama and Uehara went back to their classroom to get
their belongings.

“Aa, Toyama, how about we grab some tea on the way

home?”

“Well… un, that sounds good. Let’s stop somewhere.”

After a moment of hesitation, Toyama agreed to Uehara’s

suggestion.

“Un! Let’s have some tea at the station!”

Uehara-san’s expression brightened considerably and a big

smile appeared on her face, indicating she was quite
pleased with the idea.

While the two of them were moving from the school to the
station, Uehara-san engaged Toyama in a lively
conversation.

“So, you know, Mika was—”

Uehara, who had been talking to Toyama, suddenly stopped

mid-sentence and turned her gaze to Toyama, who seemed
absent-minded.

“What’s wrong, Toyama? You look spaced out… Are you still
sleepy?”

Toyama seemed lost in thought.

“Oh, uh… yeah… I might still be a little sleepy…So, Uehara-

san, what were you saying?”
“I was just talking to you, so you don’t need to worry about
it, Toyama.”

After that, there was no more conversation between the two

as they walked toward the station.

Uehara sensed that Toyama might be thinking about

something else. The two remained silent until they reached
the station.

“Well, should we just go into a cafe around here?”

As they passed through a residential area and got closer to

the station, where shops were becoming more frequent,
Uehara spoke up to Toyama.

“Toyama…?”

Uehara gave a dubious look to Toyama, who did not

respond.

“…Uehara-san… I just remembered I have something to do,

so I’m going to head back home now. I’m really sorry.”

“Eh…?”

Without even waiting for Uehara’s response, Toyama turned

away and started heading toward the station.

“No! Toyama, don’t go…”

Uehara grabbed Toyama’s arm as he tried to leave, stopping

him in his tracks.

“Uehara-san…”

“Toyama…you’re trying to go to Takai-san, aren’t you…?”

“Why would you…?”

Uehara had noticed that Toyama’s behaviour had been off

since a while ago and she realised it was because Toyama
had been thinking about Takai.

“The other day, I overheard Toyama and Takai-san having a

conversation in the hallway…”

─Uehara-san was listening!?

Regretting his carelessness, Toyama realised it was already

too late and he had been asked by Uehara-san about
something that could further raise suspicions about his
relationship with Takai.

“Toyama, you don’t want Takai-san to be with another guy,

do you? That’s why you’re trying to stop her now.”

While Toyama was saying out loud that he had no right to

stop Takai-san from going out with another guy, his true
feelings were different. He truly didn’t like the idea. That
unease had been lingering in the back of his mind.

“But…it’s okay. Takai-san won’t go out with that other guy. I

understand…because… (Takai-san only has eyes for you.)”

Tears welled up in Uehara-san’s eyes as her words choked

up, desperately trying to hold Toyama back.

“So…don’t go…just look at me for now…”

Uehara-san’s grip on Toyama’s arm tightened. Toyama could

feel the determination in Uehara-san’s hands that she was
not going to let go.

“I understand… I won’t go. So… don’t cry.”

“Uu…h…”

Hearing those words from Toyama, Uehara couldn’t hold

back the tears she had been suppressing and she started to
flow down.

Amidst the bustling streets, Toyama pulled Uehara close

without a care for the onlookers, wordlessly embracing her.

“Toyama…”

How long had they been holding each other? Probably not
even thirty seconds. Uehara-san’s tears had ceased,
perhaps finding solace in the embrace.

“Uehara-san, let’s go home now. I’m heading back too.”

Toyama, who had let go of Uehara-san from his embrace,

spoke up.

Feeling that both of them were too emotionally charged to

think rationally, Toyama suggested that they needed some
space to regain their composure. It was important for them
to step back and calm down.

“That’s right… Let’s go home for today.”

Uehara-san must have felt the need to gather her own

thoughts as well.

“I’ll walk you to the ticket gate.”

“Un…”

Though they were taking different routes, Uehara-san, who

was concerned about Toyama, decided to see them off to
the station.
“Uehara-san…?”

As Uehara-san started walking toward the station, Uehara-

san lightly touched Toyama’s hand from behind. Toyama
responded to the touch and gently held Uehara-san’s soft
hand in return.

The two of them walked to the station, holding hands like a

couple. At the ticket gate, Toyama reluctantly let go of
Uehara-san, reminding her to head back.

“Well then… I guess I should go home and get some

sleep…”

The gentle touch and warmth of Uehara-san’s hand still

lingered in Toyama’s palm.

I am currently with Aoki-san and Fujimori-san, heading to

the station after finishing watching a movie together.

The reason for this situation is that during our break time on
the day when I accepted Aoki-san’s invitation to watch a
movie, Fujimori-san barged into the break room and said the
following,

“ Yumi, how about we go watch a movie next Saturday? ”

Fujimori-san pretended not to know that I had already been

invited to a movie by Aoki-san and in front of Aoki-san,
invited me to the same movie with the same title.

“ Well, Fujimori-san… um… actually, Aoki-san already

invited me to watch the same movie… ”
“ Oh, is that so? Well then, how about the three of us go
together? Tatsuya, it’s okay, right? It would be nice to watch
a movie with two cute high school girls, don’t you think? ”

Going with three people would be an easier way out, and

half of Aoki-san’s objective would still be achieved.

“ Well, I guess that’s fine… Alright then, it’s settled. I’ll

make the reservation and I’ll send you the details later
through a message. ”

Aoki-san’s expression changed for a moment, but afterward,

he returned to his usual kind self without showing any signs
of annoyance. Thanks to Fujimori-san’s quick thinking and
Aoki-san’s good nature, I was able to resolve my dilemma.

Thanks to Fujimori-san, I was able to accept Aoki-san’s

invitation without having to decline and we ended up going
to see the movie.

Because we could only secure reservations for a late

screening, after watching the movie, we naturally went our
separate ways.

“Alright then, Yumi, I’ll see you and Tatsuya at work again.”

After parting ways with Fujimori-san, who was on a different

train line, Aoki-san and I headed to the station.

“Thank you for handling the reservations and everything

today, Aoki-san.”

“No worries, even though things got a bit off track.”

Aoki-san smiled, a mix of wryness and genuine warmth.

“I-I’m sorry…”

Knowing about the situation with Fujimori-san in advance, I

couldn’t help but feel a bit apologetic.

“No need to apologise, Takai-san. You’re not in the wrong.”

Aoki-san, who didn’t show a hint of displeasure despite

everything, truly seemed like a good person. That’s why I
couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt.

“But…”

“Well, our plans may have gotten messed up, but being
alone like this at the end is still according to plan.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

— Plans got messed up but according to plan?

Confused by his words, I turned to Aoki-san.

“Takai-san… Um… Would you go out with me?”

“Eh…?”

──To date… Does he mean like romantic involvement

between a man and a woman…?

Without any information, I needed a moment to grasp the

meaning of his words.

“Ah, Aoki-san… What do you mean by it…?”

“Just as I said, would you go out with me?”

──Is this a confession?

“But, um, Aoki-san, we’ve only just met…”

“Well, you see… I’ve actually been interested in you since

the time you were a customer. And then, as we started
working together, I got to know more about your
personality, and I came to like you even more.”

“Th-that’s… I mean, me…”

I still haven’t mustered the courage to say the word [love] to

Yuki. So, Aoki-san’s straightforward confession caught me
off guard. Is it really that simple?

“Aa, I’m not saying this lightly. I want you to know that. I just
don’t like to overcomplicate things when it comes to love. If
I like someone, I like them. If I don’t act quickly, someone
else might beat me to it.”

Aoki-san’s words struck deep within my heart. The current

situation, where Uehara-san seems to be capturing Yuki’s
heart while I’m hesitating, is partly my own fault.

“So… what do you think? I’m not asking for an immediate

answer, so could you take some time to consider it?”

No matter how much time I take, there’s only one answer

for me. There’s no point in delaying it, as Aoki-san
suggested.

“Aoki-san… I’m sorry.”

So I answered promptly.

“I see… Can you tell me the reason, though?”

Aoki-san’s expression turned a bit sad, but he quickly

reverted to his usual self and asked for the reason.
“I…have someone I like. That’s why I can’t date you, Aoki-
san.”

“I see…Are you already in a relationship with this person

you like?”

“Yes,but I’m not in a relationship with him.”

“Then…does that mean there’s still a chance? Un, that’s

enough for me.”

“I’m truly sorry…”

“No, there’s no need for you to apologise, Takai-san. This is

me imposing my feelings on you, after all. I’m the one who
should apologise for suddenly making this request.”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“Well then, let’s say our goodbyes here for today. I’ve been
turned down, so I’ll wander around the station area for a bit
to calm my heart before heading back.”

“………..”

I couldn’t come up with any response to Aoki-san after

rejecting him.

“When we meet next time, I won’t ask you to forget about

today but I hope we can interact normally without worrying
about it. I’ll do the same.”

“Yes, I understand. I want to continue being on good terms

with you, Aoki-san.”

“Un, it makes me happy to hear you say that…Well then,

take care on your way back.”
With those words, Aoki-san left with a smile. However,
considering he had mentioned feeling hurt himself, I
thought he must have put on that smile even though he was
hurting. That thought made my heart ache a little.

─It is impossible for me not to hurt anyone…?

I might hurt someone and I might get hurt myself. Am I

ready to make that decision…?
 Chapter 8: Final Exams and Their
Outcome

Entering July without the end of the rainy season, Toyama’s

high school was about to face the first day of final exams.

During the three-day testing period, there were exams for

nine subjects. Of course, if they fail any, they’ll have to
attend supplementary classes and make-up exams during
the summer break.

Until just before the tests, Toyama, Uehara and Okita were
sitting face to face, chatting away, glancing at students who
were revising their reference books or studying until the last
minute.

“Did you actually study properly this time? Yuki, you always
start studying at the last minute, so I’m worried.”

Okita looked at Toyama with concern.

“Well, I think it’ll probably be okay this time too. I did what I
could.”

“Yuki can do well if he tries, but you always manage to

barely avoid failing. You could achieve so much more if you
put in more effort.”

As Okita said, Toyama’s grades weren’t particularly good.

His grades were around the middle of the class and just
slightly below average for the grade.
“Chihiro, that’s just overthinking. My abilities are just like
this”

“I doubt that.…”

It’s not that Toyama has low self-esteem but he gives off a

feeling of limiting the scope of his own efforts.

“It’s true, it feels like Toyama isn’t really giving it his all.”

Uehara also seems to share the same sentiment as Okita.

“Someone like Uehara gets good grades. You always near

the top of the class and do well for this year too”

With her handsome looks, good grades and popularity in

class, she was so perfect that she seemed dazzling to
Toyama.

“Well, my parents are strict about grades. If my grades drop,

my curfew gets earlier and I will be sent to cram school, so
I’m just trying my best.”

Choosing to put in effort to avoid such troublesome things is

a wise decision.

“My parents are pretty lax about it. They’re like, [Just don’t
fail] so I don’t really feel motivated to aim for the top
grades.”

To some extent, a certain level of parental restriction and

pressure is necessary.

“In that regard, Chihiro is amazing.”

Okita has consistently ranked at the top of the class since

his first year. He has good behaviour and is a model
student.
“Well, I enjoy studying, you know.”

“I can’t imagine liking studying.”

Toyama chuckled in disbelief.

“Just like Yuki likes to read books, I like to study.”

“When Chihiro says it like that, it’s convincing…”

“Indeed. If it’s something you enjoy, it doesn’t feel like a

chore.”

Uehara also seemed to agree with Okita’s words.

“Now let’s begin SHR. Please take your seats, everyone.”

In the classroom, quieter than usual due to the impending

tests, the homeroom teacher, Miyamoto-sensei, entered.

“Well then, let’s do our best on the test.”

Uehara offered words of encouragement to the two and

returned to her own seat.

Once SHR was over, it would finally be time for the final
exams. Toyama focused his attention and, somewhat
curiously, looked over at Takai’s seat.

Unlike the usual novels she reads, Takai had opened her
notebook and seemed engrossed in it. She didn’t seem to
notice Toyama’s gaze.

──That’s unusual… Takai usually reads novels even right

before tests.

Takai might lack confidence in this test.

*

They conducted tests for three subjects and today’s tests

were completed.

School ends in the morning, so the afternoon is free but

there probably won’t be students going out to play.

Seeing Takai getting ready to leave, Toyama noticed and

asked, curious about how the test went.

“Takai-san, how did the test go?”

“Well, it was okay.”

A rather ambiguous response, but Takai didn’t clearly say if

it was good or bad. So asking might be pointless, but it’s
hard to resist asking as that’s how high school students are
once the tests are over.

“But, Takai-san, you were working part-time right up until

the test started. Was studying okay for you?”

Indeed, Takai had been working a part-time job until two

days before the test.

“..It’s fine. I factored that in while working the job.”

Despite saying everything was okay, Toyama felt as if Takai

stumbled over her words.

“I see…well, that’s good then. But you’re taking a break

from your part-time job during the test period, right?”

“I’m taking a break until the tests are over, so Yuki, you
don’t have to worry.”

“I see…Well then, let’s do our best again tomorrow.”

“Un… You too, Yuki. See you tomorrow.”

Takai got up from her seat and headed towards the

classroom’s exit. To Toyama, her departing figure seemed a
bit downcast.

During the test period, amidst continuous rain, Toyama

finished the three-day tests successfully and shouted while
collapsing onto the desk.

“It’s finally overrrrr!”

The joyful cry of the tests being finished echoed throughout

the classroom.

“Yuki, well done.”

Okita, sitting in the front row, turned around and

congratulated Toyama with a composed expression.

“Even though the tests are finally over, Chihiro, you still
have the same calm expression as ever.”

Amidst the students in the classroom expressing their joy

wholeheartedly, Okita alone behaved as if it were just
another regular class ending.

“I’m relieved that the tests are over too, you know.”

Even though Okita seemed composed, he must have had his

own share of pressure.

“Toyama, how did the tests go?”

Uehara rushed over to Toyama’s desk and delivered the

customary post-test dialogue.
“The results… are just as usual! Please don’t ask.”

In terms of his own assessment, his performance was at the

level where there wasn’t any expression other than the
usual. In other words, it was at the level of probably okay .

“How about you, Uehara-san?”

“Well, it wasn’t bad, I guess? Something like that.”

Uehara probably meant that she did just as well as usual.

“Uehara-san always puts in effort, so I’m sure you’ll be fine

this time too.”

Okita praised Uehara with a beaming smile.

“You’re probably unbeatable again this time, Okita.”

“That’s not true. We won’t know until the results come out.”

Toyama couldn’t really participate in the conversation

among the top-performing students.

“Oh, by the way, I’m going to karaoke with Mika. How about
joining us, Toyama and Okita?”

Karaoke is a common choice for students after tests are

over.

“I’m fine as long as it’s not for too long, since I don’t have
much money. How about you, Chihiro?”

Toyama didn’t have much money to spare. However, the

desire to have fun took precedence and he hadn’t really
thought about the future.

“Un, I’m okay too.”

“Alright, it’s settled then for the two of you. I’ll ask Takai-san
too.”

“A, I’ll talk to Takai-san.”

Toyama stopped Uehara from heading towards Takai.

“Okay then, please do. I’ll also ask Okuyama-kun and Rie.”

Lately, Okuyama and Kojima have occasionally been going

out together with them after school, as a couple.

“Takai, Uehara-san is suggesting karaoke. What will you

do?”

Toyama approached Takai, who was getting ready to leave.

“I’m sorry. I have work now.”

“Eh? You’re starting work today already?”

Toyama couldn’t hide his surprise at the fact that Takai was
working even from today until the last day of the tests.

“Is the job really that enjoyable?”

“Un, the senior employees are kind and I enjoy being

surrounded by lots of books.”

Upon hearing Takai mention senior employees, Toyama felt

a twinge of pain in his heart.

“Takai…about you going to watch a movie with your seniors

from work…”

Toyama had been bothered by the fact that Takai had been
invited on a date by her senior at her part-time job. Since
the incident in the hallway, he hadn’t brought up the topic,
so he didn’t know what was going on with Takai.

“Yuki…I watched the movie with two girls from work.”

“I see… That’s good…”

When Toyama heard this from Takai, he sighed with relief.

Seeing that expression, Takai felt a slight sense of

happiness.

──Did she try to make…me jealous…?

Hoping it was the case, Takai sincerely wished for it.

“Well then, I have to go now.”

“Ah, yeah, see you tomorrow.”

Feeling relieved that Takai hadn’t gone out alone with

another guy, Toyama also felt embarrassed about his
jealousy.

──But I don’t really have the right to be jealous, do I?

Toyama’s emotions were a mixture of happiness and

jealousy.

One week after the end of the final exams, I sat across from
my mother at the living room table. It had been a while
since I had a conversation like this with my mother, with
whom I rarely even shared meals.

“Yumi, I received a message from your homeroom teacher,

Miyamoto-sensei. She said you got red marks in two
subjects?”

In our high school, scores below 60% of the average for

each subject were considered red marks and if a student
received red marks in two or more subjects, the school
would inform the parents.

“I’m sorry, Okaa-san…”

“Do you know the reason yourself? Is it because your study

time got reduced since you started your part-time job and
you come home late?”

There was no mistake in the reason my mother pointed out.

However, the root cause lay in the reason I started the part-
time job in the first place. I initially took the job because I
needed money. And the reason I needed money was that I
wanted funds to hang out with Yuki. I thought it was rather
pathetic that I got red marks for such a reason, but it was
something important to me.

“Yes, there is no doubt…”

If I couldn’t see Yuki, who is also my emotional support,

whether or not I had a part-time job, I might not have been
able to focus on studying. That’s how dependent I had
become on Yuki.

“Fu…I don’t think that working part-time or you bringing a

boyfriend home is a bad thing. Gaining various experiences
is good and I understand that when I think back to my high
school days.”

But, my mother continued.

“However, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your

studies. From the outside, I might seem permissive. But I’m
always thinking about your future. I want you to be happy.”

My mother talking to me like this might be a first.

“So, if your school grades are bad, I’ll scold you. And if you
stay out without permission, I’ll definitely be angry and
worried.”

“Then… then! If you had just told me earlier, it would have

been better! If you don’t say anything, I wouldn’t know…I
thought you didn’t expect anything from me. So, I’ve been
trying not to inconvenience you… Even if you say this now, I
don’t understand…”

I had spent my middle school and high school years without

knowing my mother’s thoughts, until this very moment
when she finally shared them.

“I’m sorry… I thought you would understand even without

me saying anything. Because Rena was fine, I might have
thought that you would be fine too, Yumi. But…you’re not
Rena, Yumi…I’m sorry, Yumi, for making you feel lonely…
I’m sorry…”

My mother apologised to me multiple times.

Without receiving praise, without getting scolded, I

suppressed my emotions and lived in a detached manner.

Meeting Yuki and carrying various emotions, I’m alive now.

Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it’s painful and occasionally I
feel jealous. The door to my heart that Yuki opened can
never be closed again. From now on, a variety of emotions
will overflow from that open door.

In fact, even now, a variety of emotions are overflowing

from me. The suppressed emotions burst out all at once and
I couldn’t help it.

“No… I’m sorry too for not trying to understand Okaa-san’s

feelings…”

“Yumi, there’s absolutely no need for you to apologize. It’s

all my fault. I should have talked to you more, Yumi. But…
now, it’s good that I understand your feelings…So, let’s talk
more about what lies ahead, the two of us.”

This time, getting red marks was entirely my fault. My weak

heart became dependent on Yuki and that led to this
situation.

“…Okaa-san, please listen. Right after summer break starts,

there’s a week of remedial classes, and if I pass the make-
up exams after that, I can avoid getting red marks. So…I’m
thinking of taking a break from my part-time job until then,
setting my curfew at 6 p.m, and focusing on studying.”

I have to take responsibility for getting red marks. So, I

needed to show my determination to my mother.

“I see…If Yumi has decided on it herself, I’ll support you. I’ll

ask Rena to help with household chores as much as
possible.”

“I’ll continue with the household chores as usual. Rena is

busy with job hunting and I can’t just rely on her.”

“…Alright, if your determination is that strong, then give it a

try. I’ll be watching over you. But… if it gets tough,
remember you can always talk to me… I don’t want to have
any more regrets.”

“Thank you, Okaa-san. I won’t… endure it anymore.”

Getting red marks allowed me to understand my mother’s
feelings. There are many difficult and sad things in the world
but I’ve been reminded, almost to the point of exhaustion,
that it’s important to contemplate the meaning behind
those experiences.

After school, with the duties of the library committee

winding down, Toyama was busy returning the books to their
shelves.

“Yuki, I need to talk to you. It’s fine if we talk while working.

I’ll help with shelving too.”

Takai, who was seated at the usual table, approached

Toyama during a moment of free time.

“Un, sure.”

Since the incident where she was invited to the movies in

the hallway, they hadn’t had a proper chance to talk. It was
awkward between them.

“I… I got red marks in two subjects on the final exams.”

“Eeh!? Takai got red marks? I can’t believe it…”

Takai was usually quite strong academically. It was

unexpected, not so much for Toyama, but for her to have
received red marks.

Takai is usually one of the top students in terms of grades.

It’s surprising enough if Toyama gets a low score but for her
to get red marks was unexpected.
“Un, it’s embarrassing, but I got so caught up in my part-
time job…”

“Was the job that enjoyable?”

“Yes, ever since I started working, I began to feel like I could

be useful in some way, even with myself. It’s a form of self-
satisfaction… but still, it’s important to me. It’s just hard to
put into words…”

Takai stumbled over her words as she tried to express her

feelings.

“I realised I had become so engrossed in my job that,

despite thinking I should study, I ended up working until the
last minute before the tests. And this is the result of that.”

“I see…getting low scores is not good but it’s great that you
found something you could be passionate about.”

“I got red marks in two subjects, so my parents were

informed. Yesterday, I had a conversation with my mother. I
realised that she hadn’t been as indifferent to me as I
thought and she had been watching over me all this time.”

Takai had mentioned before that her family seemed

disinterested in her.

“So, from now on, we’ve decided to communicate properly.”

“Takai, isn’t that great? You’ve been troubled by that for a

while, haven’t you?”

With this, one of the reasons for Takai’s dependency on

Toyama had diminished. While it was a good thing that the
conflict with her mother had been resolved, Toyama felt a
bit lonely.
“Un, that’s why I decided on it yesterday. Until the makeup
exams are over, I’m going to take a break from my part-time
job and have a curfew of 6 PM. So, for a while, I won’t be
able to hang out with everyone.”

“Well, I think that’s a good decision. High school isn’t

compulsory education, so it’s all about personal
responsibility. I believe some restrictions like that are
necessary.”

“Un.”

“I’ll talk to everyone about it. Oh…should I keep the fact

that you got low scores a secret?”

“No, it’s going to get known one way or another, so it’s

okay. You can tell everyone if you want.”

“Got it. I’ll let them know. If there’s anything I can help with,
just tell me.”

“Un, thanks.”

“Takai-san, hang in there.”

──Now that it’s summer break, it might be a while before I

can see Takai again… That’s kind of sad.

Even though the period of not being able to see each other
was short, Toyama couldn’t help but feel a hint of loneliness.
 Chapter 9: Uehara Marika's Patience
Runs Out

After school, although he usually performs library committee

duties in the library, today Toyama was in gym clothes,
while Uebara was in shorts and a jersey, heading towards
the spare PE equipment storage.

“This is my first time entering the spare PE equipment

storage”

Inside were stored items that weren’t typically used. Toyama

and Uehara, responsible for the equipment as part of the
sports festival committee, stepped into the storage room to
check the items.

“It’s quite dusty in here.”

As soon as they entered the storage room, Uehara wrinkled

her face at the unique smell of the sealed storage.

The smell of clothes stored in a chest without being aired

out for a long time hung in the storage room.

“Should we ventilate a bit?”

“Un, if we don’t, I can’t stay here for long.”

Uehara operated the open-close button of the ventilation

window on the wall.
“It’s fortunate that it’s cool today. If we were in a warehouse
like this without air conditioning in July, we’d collapse from
the heat.”

Toyama was in a short-sleeved gym outfit but for some

reason, Uehara was wearing a long-sleeved jersey.

“Uehara-san, why the jersey? Why not the gym outfit?”

“Since there was no physical education class, I forgot my

gym clothes. I only had my jersey in the locker.”

“As expected, it seems quite hot.”

With short sleeves being just right, Toyama was a little

worried that the jersey would be too warm.

“By the way, I’m not wearing anything under the jersey.”

──Is she… naked underneath?

Toyama couldn’t help but imagine what might be inside

Uehara’s jersey, which was creating a noticeable bulge.

“Uh, well… Do I really need that information?”

“A, of course, I’m wearing a bra. I’m just not wearing

anything else…Aaa, Toyama!? You just had a naughty
thought, didn’t you?”

“I, I didn’t!”

Although he actually had it quite vividly, he couldn’t admit

it.

“Yet your face is red and you’re avoiding eye contact with
me.”
“W-Well, it’s just a little warm and that’s why my face is
red… Isn’t your face also red, Uehara-san?”

Sitting on the basket with basketballs, Uehara’s cheeks were

faintly tinged with red.

“I-is that so? I’m also feeling a bit warm…”

Uehara’s face grew even redder as she placed her hand on

the zipper of her jersey.

“Wh-What are you doing, Uehara-san?”

Uehara began to unzip her jersey. A startled Toyama quickly

averted his gaze.

“Toyama is a boy too, isn’t he? Pretending to look away but

stealing glances at me, right? Would you like to see
more…?”

A sophisticated purple bra peeked out from between the

zipped-down sections of the jersey. As Uehara lowered the
zipper further, her ample chest, held back by the jersey,
jiggled and then unveiled its splendid twin peaks right
before Toyama’s eyes.

──N-no matter how much, Uehara-san, that’s too much.

Even if it’s an unpopular storage room, this is not
appropriate.

“U-Uehara-san, please close up! This is a school! What’s

gotten into you!?”

“Toyama…It’s alright because this storage room rarely has

visitors…”

“It’s not about that──”

Uehara stood up from the basket she was sitting on to
embrace Toyama and pushed him onto the mats stacked
behind.

“U-Uwaaa!”

Pushed down onto the stack of mats, which was positioned

slightly higher, Toyama found Uehara leaning over him.

“Toyama…look closer…”

Lowering the zipper of her jersey, she revealed a well-

supported ample chest accentuated by the bra, creating a
valley that lay right in front of Toyama’s eyes.

Uehara, wearing a long-sleeved jersey, seemed to be

sweating slightly, emitting a sweet scent from her chest
area that tantalised Toyama’s brain.

“Toyama…do you want to touch it? It’s okay to touch…”

Provocatively, Uehara pressed her chest against Toyama’s

chest.

Toyama was desperately fighting his own reasoning but the

sensation of the soft chest pressed against him and the
sweet scent emanating from Uehara easily shattered his
self-control.

“Ah…”

Unable to resist the temptation, Toyama’s hand brushed

against Uehara’s chest over her bra.

──I–it’s quite voluminous… and soft…

Overwhelmed by that tremendous volume and softness.

──I-I want to touch more!

Unable to resist, Toyama’s hand slipped into the bra and his
fingers brushed against the nipple.

“Aah… T-Toyama…Th-That’s not allowed…”

The softness of Uehara’s chest, its scent, all of it stimulated

Toyama, causing him to lose control of his reason.

“T-Toyama!?”

As Toyama escalated, reaching down toward the lower half

of Uehara’s body, she instinctively grabbed his hand.

“I-I’m sorry! I got carried away, I’m sorry.”

Being stopped by her grabbing his hand when he was about

to reach lower brought Toyama back to his senses. He
hastily withdrew the other hand he had inside the bra.

“Be… gentler… and also, not today…”

Realising he had been a bit too rough due to his excessive

excitement, Toyama felt regret.

The mention of today might imply she didn’t want to be

touched on a certain day of the month, a female-specific
concern.

“Uehara-san…Let’s stop, it’s really not right, doing

something like this.”

Though he himself had lost his reason, he knew he couldn’t

let things continue like this.

“Toyama…”
Uehara, still hovering over Toyama, pressed her body
against his again. Her body was flushed and her moistened
eyes seemed to be desiring something.

As she tightened her arms around Toyama in an embrace,

Uehara quietly closed her eyes.
“Nn…”

Toyama gently pressed his own lips against Uehara’s soft-

looking lips right in front of him.

“Mmmn…”

Uehara’s arms wrapped around Toyama’s back with a bit of

strength.

“Fuah…We finally ended up kissing each other… Hehe.”

Uehara, wearing an absentminded and dreamy expression,

once again overlaid her lips onto Toyama’s.

In this way, Toyama and Uehara repeated the kisses

multiple times until they came back to their senses.

“We should get back to work soon…”

The two of them, completely forgetting their initial purpose,

seemed to have calmed down a bit and regained some
composure.

“Un… We should finish soon or someone might come to

check on us.”

Uehara, who had been leaning over Toyama, moved away

from his body. She stood up, straightened her dishevelled
jersey and looked around.

“There’s quite a lot… We might not finish within the allotted

time if we don’t hurry.”

Seeing the numerous items in the warehouse, Uehara

revealed a sense of urgency and Toyama shared the same
thought as he saw the quantity.

“Alright then, Uehara-san, you read out the checklist, and I’ll
confirm the quantities.”

“Un, got it!”

Having recalled their original purpose in this manner, the

two of them cooperated and began their work.

Toyama and Uehara managed to complete the inspection of

all the items within the allotted time.

“Finally, we’re done.”

“Uehara-san, good job. We somehow made it in time.”

“It’s all thanks to Toyama’s hard work.”

Toyama was drenched in sweat since he had been lifting and

moving the items, using his body in physical activity.

“I only read out the list and recorded the numbers, so the
one who worked hard was Toyama. I’ll treat you to a drink
later.”

“Yeah, I sweated a lot. My throat is parched.”

Toyama wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel he

had brought.

“Alright, let’s close up the warehouse and head back soon.”

Toyama turned his feet towards the warehouse exit.

“Uehara-san…?”
However, there was no response from Uehara. When
Toyama turned around, he found her staring at him with a
serious expression.

“Toyama..we kissed, didn’t we…?”

“Aa…we did.”

Toyama had no regrets about the kiss. At that moment, he

had genuinely felt affection for Uehara, which was why it
happened.

“For me… it was my first kiss… I’m glad it was with you,
Toyama…”

“What about you, Toyama? Was I your first… ah… no…

sorry, that was a weird thing to ask. I’m sorry, forget what I
just said.”

Uehara seemed to suddenly become emotionally unstable.

“Hey, Toyama… kiss me again…”

Uehara requested another kiss.

“Nn…”

Toyama lightly gave her a kiss.

“Hehe, we kissed again.”

──Was Uehara’s emotional instability due to her happiness?

“Uehara-san, let’s go soon. It’s gotten quite late and

someone from the committee might come to check on us.”

Though Uehara seemed unsatisfied, Toyama tried to bring

the situation to an end by giving the reason that they might
be seen by others.

“Un, I understand. I’ll make sure not to inconvenience you,

Toyama.”

Finally able to leave the warehouse, Toyama locked the door

and headed towards the staff room.

“Miyamoto-sensei, we’ve finished checking the equipment.”

Seated at a desk and focused on her work, Toyama

addressed Miyamoto-sensei.

“Good job, Toyama-kun, Uehara-san. Did the items match

the quantities on the checklist?”

It was crucial to ensure that the quantities were accurate

before they were to be used. Today, Toyama and Uehara
were entrusted with this task.

“Yes, I’ve checked the items where the quantities didn’t

match. We also couldn’t locate some items, so it might be a
good idea to check a different storage area another day.”

“I see… Thank you. Both Toyama-kun and Uehara-san, well

done. It’s getting late, so make sure to get home safely.”

“Yes, thank you, and excuse us.”

“Miyamoto-sensei, thank you and excuse us.”

Handing the key to Miyamoto-sensei, Toyama and Uehara

left the staff room.

“Well, shall we change and head home? I feel gross after

sweating so much.”
Toyama had sweat quite a bit while organising the
equipment, so he wanted to take a shower. Unfortunately,
the school didn’t have shower facilities.

“Un, I want to change too. It’s uncomfortable. Let’s meet up

in the classroom after changing.”

“Okay.”

The two of them headed to separate changing rooms.

In the boys’ changing room, Toyama wiped his body with a

sweat-absorbing sheet while recalling what had happened in
the equipment room.

──Uehara-san, your skin was incredibly soft and you smelled

so good… I got really excited.

Due to his excitement, Toyama had unintentionally stained

his underwear with pre-ejaculate fluid.

──But I went and did it… I couldn’t refuse in that situation…

That’s just an excuse… I can’t justify it with that reasoning.

Ultimately, Toyama had succumbed to his desires and he

once again realised Uehara’s allure.

“I ended up staining my underwear… I’m glad I brought a

spare…”

Uehara, who had felt a strong sensation after kissing

Toyama, had stained her underwear with vag◯nal
secretions.
──The kiss with Toyama… It was amazing… My mind felt like
it was melting and I felt happy and pleasured.

Recalling the multiple kisses, Uehara fidgeted and rubbed

her thighs together.

“Aa…I need to be careful not to stain my underwear

again…”

Uehara was slightly confused by this new experience.

Despite behaving so boldly just a while ago, she now felt
embarrassed at the thought of returning to the classroom
and facing Toyama.

When Uehara returned to the classroom, she found Toyama,

who had changed ahead of her, lying face down on a desk.

“Toyama, sorry to keep you waiting—wait, are you asleep?”

Uehara approached Toyama and softly spoke near his ear

but there was no response. He seemed to be sound asleep.

“You must be tired from moving those heavy items around

and using your body. You’ve worn yourself out, haven’t
you?”

Sitting in the seat in front of Toyama, Uehara turned around

and gazed at his profile as he slept.

The kiss with Toyama that she had even dreamt about.
Uehara couldn’t help but feel embarrassed again at her own
audacity. They saw each other at school every day, went on
dates, walked arm in arm and held hands. So, it had already
reached her limit of patience. It’s natural to pursue someone
you have feelings for. Therefore, Uehara had no regrets. She
was determined not to give up, no matter the difficulties
that might arise in the future.

“Toyama, I love you.”

Uehara softly whispered near Toyama’s ear.

“I wonder if he heard that…”

Although she secretly hoped he had heard her, she tried to

play it off with a slightly embarrassed and joking tone.

When Toyama woke up, he noticed Uehara sleeping

sideways on the same desk.

“Aree…Uehara-san’s asleep…?”

──Did we both fall asleep…?

Checking the time, Toyama had only been asleep for about
ten minutes. It hadn’t been much time since Uehara had
fallen asleep.

──Should I wake her up?

Staying in the classroom like this indefinitely was not an

option for the two of them.

“Uehara…”

Just as Toyama was about to wake her, Uehara’s perfectly

shaped lips slightly parted.

“Toyama…”

Uehara softly murmured Toyama’s name in her sleep.

──What kind of dream is she having?

Hearing his name being called, Toyama felt a bit

embarrassed.

──Let’s let her sleep a little while longer.

Wanting to gaze a bit more at Uehara’s adorable sleeping

face, Toyama delayed their departure by a short while.

“Uehara-san, wake up.”

About ten minutes had passed since Toyama woke up and

he now called out to wake up Uehara.

“Uehara-san?”

“…Mmm… Toyama…?”

Uehara opened her eyes slightly.

“It’s time to go.”

“Aree…? Could it be that I… fell asleep?”

“Un, about ten minutes, I guess.”

“I see… Did I say anything weird…?”

Uehara asked Toyama if she had said anything while

dreaming.

“N-No, I don’t think you said anything.”

──Even though she did, let’s just keep quiet about it.
“Is that so…what time is it now?”

It seemed Uehara was still a bit groggy, her awareness not

fully clear.

“Well… it’s almost six o’clock.”

“…Six o’clock!? It’s already that late… I should get going.”

“Un, we might be kicked out of the classroom soon, so let’s

head out before it becomes a hassle”

“Sure, but before that, I need to use the restroom.”

Whether for personal grooming or other reasons, Uehara

went to the restroom.

“Toyama-kun? Are you still here?”

It seemed Miyamoto-sensei had come on her rounds, as she

appeared in the classroom.

“Sorry. I ended up falling asleep for a bit.”

“Remember to leave the classroom once it’s six o’clock.”

“Uehara-san is in the restroom right now. Can I wait for

her?”

“Well, if that’s the case, I suppose there’s no helping it.

Once Uehara-san comes back, you two should leave right
away.”

“Alright, understood.”

With a brief warning, Miyamoto-sensei left the classroom.

“Toyama, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Miyamoto-sensei told me to leave quickly now.”

“Sorry, did you get scolded?”

Uehara looked apologetic as she pressed her hands together

in front of her face.

“No, it was fine. She just gave us a warning.”

“Well, that’s good then.”

Hastily, the two of them left the classroom, changed into

their outdoor shoes at the shoe rack and departed from the
school.

After leaving the school, a short distance down the road at

the T-junction, Toyama and Uehara had to head in different
directions to go home. It marked their parting here.

“Uehara-san, well then, thank you for today. See you

tomorrow.”

“Un…”

Uehara seemed a bit less energetic, perhaps due to

lingering drowsiness.

“Uehara-san, what’s wrong?”

“Today was fun… and it felt really good too…”

Perhaps the sensation of their kiss was still lingering in her

body, Uehara gazed at Toyama with a feverish look.

Being a beginner in matters of romance, Uehara hadn’t

quite mastered the art of switching emotions yet. On the
other hand, Toyama, seemingly more experienced,
transitioned more swiftly.

“That’s true… I had fun being together.”

“Hey… Toyama… can we kiss once more?”

Had Uehara completely fallen under Toyama’s spell? She

now seemed to be seeking Toyama’s attention without any
concern for onlookers.

“U-Uehara-san, we’re right in front of the school. We don’t

know who might see us, so…”

“You don’t want to…?”

Uehara’s eyes welled up and she pleaded with an upward

gaze. Her expression made it difficult for Toyama to refuse
her but he steeled himself and declined.

“Only when we’re alone again… okay?”

Even though he knew he shouldn’t say things that would

give her such expectations, Toyama couldn’t disregard
Uehara’s feelings.

“Un… I understand…it’s a promise…absolutely, okay? It’s a

promise.”

Uehara seemed reluctant but she seemed to begrudgingly

accept.

“Yeah, I promise. So let’s head home for today.”

And thus, Toyama and Uehara found themselves sinking

further into this complex situation.
“Well then, Toyama, see you later. Make sure to get home
safely.”

“You too, Uehara-san.”

Then, the two of them walked in opposite directions.

“Fuuu…finally she’s gone…”

As Toyama walked home, he couldn’t shake off the worry

that Uehara might become uncontrollable in the future.

The part where Uehara sees Toyama fell asleep reminds me

of White Album 2; during an extra scene where Touma sees
Kitahara also fell asleep but instead of whisper, she steal a
kiss. Technically, the way I see vol2 resemble White Album 2
 Chapter 10: Study Session and
Presents

As the end of the rainy season declaration was made, the

high school that Toyama attends plunged into summer
vacation.

Ever since advancing to the second year, Toyama hadn’t

had a moment of rest due to various overwhelming events.
Although he was briefly delighted to finally have some time
to read quietly on his own, his joy was short-lived. On the
first day of summer vacation, she was summoned by Takai’s
older sister, Rena, and headed to the shopping centre.

──Why right at the beginning of summer vacation… I was

planning to dive into my pile of unread books.

The reason for Reina’s summoning was that her younger

sister’s birthday was approaching and she had messaged
Toyama asking for help in selecting a present.

──But if it’s Rena asking for help with present selection, I

can’t refuse. I want to give a present too, so it’s good that
we can choose together.

For reasons like that, Toyama decided to accept Rena’s

invitation.

Having arrived at the meeting station, Tooyama looked

through the crowd to find Reina.
──There she is!

Rena is a beauty with a great figure, making her stand out

prominently. Even from a distance, she could be easily
spotted.

“Onee-san, sorry for making you wait.”

Rena was dressed in a simple fashion, wearing light beige

wide pants, a white blouse with sheer fabric from the
shoulders to the sleeves, and white heeled sandals.

Being a college student, she had a mature aura. When

standing beside Toyama, they must have looked like a
beautiful older sister and an unremarkable younger brother.

“Toyama-kun, I’ve grown tired of waiting. It’s a sinful thing

for a man to keep a beauty like me waiting.”

Her intentionally theatrical lines were as affected as ever.

“We still have time before the meeting, you know.”

People of this type get carried away when you engage with
them, so it’s best to calmly go along with them.

“Come on, Toyama-kun, you’re as unresponsive as ever. It’s

really no fun.”

“When I try to match your energy, I feel like I’m being

controlled,and I don’t like that.”

“Using the term controlled makes it sound bad. I just want

to have a good time.”

“Thank you for inviting me today. Thanks to you, I didn’t

miss Takai’s birthday without knowing.”
She’s a bit of a hassle but since Toyama is grateful,he needs
to show respect in that regard.

“Toyama-kun and I aren’t in that kind of relationship, so

there’s no need to worry.”

“What kind of relationship did you and I have?”

“Well, you’re my younger sister’s boyfriend, so it’s like being

family.”

Rena doesn’t know the exact nature of the relationship

between her younger sister and Toyama. Therefore, it’s
understandable that she would think that way.

Toyama feels a prick of pain in his chest at being mistaken

for Takai’s boyfriend. He silently feels a sense of guilt.

“Ara You went silent. You’re not her boyfriend then?”

“No… it’s not like that.”

Rena is perceptive. Perhaps she’s grasping that the

relationship between Toyama and Takai isn’t the same as a
typical romantic one.

“You seem a bit unsure…Well, there might be various

reasons, so I won’t pry.”

Rena is perceptive as always. The fact that she doesn’t push

further is one of her strengths. It seems she handles
situations with the understanding that everyone has their
own circumstances.

“Well then, shall we head for some shopping soon? Let’s

go!”
──[Let’s go…] I still don’t really get your big energy, Onee-
san.

“Come on, Toyama-kun, ‘let’s go’ too.

──Are you telling me to say it too…?

“L-Let’s go…”

──This feels kind of embarrassing…

“Yes, well done.”

As expected, no matter how much he resists, it seems

Toyama is still under Rena’s control. He felt a sense of dread
from Rena.

Once they stepped into the shopping centre, the two of

them wandered around while selecting a birthday present
for Takai.

“What are you thinking of getting, Toyama-kun?”

“I was planning to ask you about that.”

Toyama only knew Takai’s hobby was reading.

“If you don’t choose it yourself, Yumi won’t be pleased.”

“I can only think of books. Since reading is Takai’s hobby…

I’ve never given a gift to a girl before, I don’t know what
would be good.”

“Alright, let me give you a hint. Yumi also enjoys taking

photos.”
“A! Come to think of it, she showed me her digital camera
before!”

Though Toyama had completely forgotten, something

seemed to trigger his memory and he took out his
smartphone to start searching.

“Well, did that hint help?”

“Yes, it was helpful. Thank you. Can you accompany me to

the electronics store later?”

The shopping centre they were in had an electronics store

as one of its tenants.

“Oo, you already decided? I haven’t figured out what to get

yet.”

Considering Rena, Tooyama had thought she might have

already made a decision but it seems nothing has been
finalised.

“I thought you, being you, would have already decided long

ago.”

“Deciding while window shopping is more enjoyable.”

“Ah, I understand that.”

Toyama remembered the time when he went shopping with

Takai and Uehara. He knew that even without buying
anything, there could be enjoyment in just looking around.

“Oh, Toyama-kun, you understand? As expected, a popular

guy is different.”

“W-Well, whether I’m popular or not doesn’t matter.”

“That’s not true. Enjoying just being together is important in
a partner. Wouldn’t you prefer not to go on a date with
someone who looks bored or irritated?”

“True…”

“So, having fun just walking around is the best partner. In

that sense, it seems like I would get along well with you too,
Toyama-kun?”

“H-Hey, wait, Onee-san!? Let’s stop with that kind of talk!”

Rena started intertwining her arm with Toyama’s.

“Since we’re at it, let’s enjoy today like a date.”

“Why would it turn out like that?!”

As always, Rena’s actions were inexplicable and

unpredictable.

“It would make you happy, wouldn’t it?”

Reina’s bust was comparable to Uehara’s. Toyama didn’t

feel uncomfortable with the soft sensation against his arm…
in fact, he felt a bit happy, showcasing a rather sad aspect
of male nature.

“Mou…..I get it.”

Toyama knew she wasn’t someone who would listen to what

he says, so he gave up. In the end, he found himself going
along with Rena’s wishes once again.

Toyama and Rena continued shopping arm in arm. Toyama

had completely given in and seemed to have accepted the
situation.

“So, Onee-chan, what are you planning to get as a present?”

“Well, let’s see…I just can’t find something that stands out.”

After visiting several variety shops and apparel stores, it

seemed she hadn’t found anything that met her standards.

“Are? Toyama and… Rena-san!?”

Suddenly, Toyama was called out and when he turned

around, there stood a girl with familiar twin tails.

“A, Aizawa-san!?”

“Ara? Mika-chan. Long time no see.”

The person who had approached them was Aizawa.

“Rena-san, long time no see. Why are you here with Toyama
today?”

Aizawa’s gaze was fixed on Toyama, who was linked arm in

arm with Rena. It was a gaze that seemed to be
misunderstanding something.

“Today, I’m on a date with Toyama-kun.”

“R-Rena-san, please don’t say things like that! It will lead to

misunderstandings, you know?”

“Toyama… You’re not that indiscriminate, are you?”

Toyama wanted to say out loud, [Don’t take it seriously] but

he held back.
“Toyama-kun, are you getting involved with various girls all
over the place?”

“N-No, that’s not it! There’s no way that’s happening,

right…?”

Toyama had something on his mind that made his

counterargument slow.

“Today, we came to buy a birthday present for Yumi.”

Finally, Rena told the truth and Toyama felt relieved.

“A, I see. I’m here to buy Yumi’s birthday present too.”

“Ara, what a coincidence…since we’re all here, how about

Mika-chan joins us for shopping too?”

“That’s true…All right, I’ll be glad to join you.”

Toyama felt grateful that Aizawa’s presence would help

avoid being alone with Rena.

“Great! Then let’s go.”

With Aizawa joining the shopping, the combination of these

three felt quite novel.

“By the way… Rena-san, how long are you planning to keep
your arm linked with Toyama?”

Aizawa posed a reasonable question to Reina.

“Ara? Does Mika-chan also want to link arms with Toyama-

kun?”

“N-No, that’s not it! I have absolutely no desire to link arms

with Toyama!”
Aizawa firmly declared her stance, much to Toyama’s
distress.

“Mika-chan, it seems like Toyama-kun isn’t your type.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“When you said it so plainly to my face, that’s a bit

shocking.”

“Toyama-kun, aren’t you being extravagant? You have Yumi

and Marika-chan, don’t you?”

Toyama and Aizawa fell into silence at Rena’s words.

“Ara? Was the topic a no? Fufu.”

Rena knew very well that she had mentioned something

clearly off-limits. Both Toyama and Aizawa understood this.
She seemed to be probing for a reaction.

“If Onee-chan hasn’t decided on a present, can I go ahead

and finish my shopping first?”

Stalling here with idle chatter won’t get them anywhere.

Toyama decided in his mind that they should get it done and
leave as soon as possible.

“The electronics store, right? It’s right there, so let’s go. Is

that okay with you too, Mika-chan?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

The three of them moved to the electronics store.

“So, Toyama, what are you planning to get for Yumi’s

present?”
Aizawa seemed curious about what Toyama would choose.

“Oh, I’m thinking of getting this.”

Toyama moved towards the camera section.

“A hand strap?”

Seeing the strap meant for digital cameras, Aizawa tilted

her head. She might not have known that Takai’s hobby was
photography.

“Yumi has an interest in photography. I’ve seen it before.”

Toyama recalled the time he had visited Takai’s room and

explained to Aizawa.

“I see… I still don’t know much about Yumi…”

Not knowing Takai’s hobby seemed to have affected Aizawa

a bit.

“Don’t be too down about it, Mika-chan. I think only her

family knows about her interest in photography. But I’m
happy you’re feeling down about Yumi! It makes Onee-chan
happy!”

Saying this, Rena affectionately embraced Aizawa.

“H-Hey, Rena-san…──”

Being shorter in height, when Aizawa was embraced, her

face ended up buried in Rena’s chest.

“R-Rena-san, I can’t breathe!”

“I’m sorry. Mika-chan is just so cute, it got the best of me.”

“To-toyama! What is this person!?”

Reaffirming his understanding that Rena had issues with

personal space, Toyama sighed. Aizawa, who was suddenly
embraced, was taken aback.

“Well, this is just how she is. I’ve been tossed around by her
too… so, Aizawa-san, you might as well give up.”

Whether Rena was hearing what Toyama was saying or not,

she continued to comment on how “Mika-chan is so tiny and
cute.”

“Un… I get it. I’ll give up…”

Finally released from Rena’s grip, Aizawa and Toyama

exchanged a meaningful look towards her.

The three of them browsed around and eventually Toyama

bought the present at the electronics store. It seemed
Aizawa had also made a decision. With Toyama’s advice,
Rena managed to find what she was looking for as well.

“Now that we’ve all bought what we needed, let’s take a

break at a cafe since we’re tired. There’s something I want
to talk to both of you about.”

Rena’s unusually serious expression left Toyama and Aizawa

with no choice but to agree.

The trio entered the cafe and were shown to a table.

“I’ll treat you both this time, so order whatever you like.”

Handing them the menus, Rena spoke up.

“You treated me the other day too and I feel bad. I can cover
this much on my own.”
“Rena-san, that’s right. I’m working part-time, so it’s okay.”

Toyama and Aizawa conveyed to Rena that they would pay

for themselves.

“It’s fine, you can rely on older people sometimes, you

know? Besides, you both helped me with shopping for
Yumi’s present today, so consider it a thank-you.”

“In that case… understood. We’ll let you treat us today.”

“Toyama-kun, you gave me advice on the present today, so

this is my way of thanking you.”

“Thank you, Rena-san.”

“Mika-chan, you’re always on good terms with Yumi, so this

is my thank-you.”

“Oh no, it’s not like that… I’m the one who should be
thanking you for being friendly to me.”

Rena expressed her gratitude to Toyama and Aizawa.

“So, Onee-san, what is it that you wanted to talk to us

about?”

“Toyama-kun, you know that Yumi got a failing grade and

needs to attend supplementary lessons, right?”

“Yes, I heard it directly from her.”

“And what about you, Mika-chan?”

“I heard it from Toyama.”

“I see…Well then, the conversation might be

straightforward. I want both of you to help Yumi with her
studies.”

“Are you saying you want us to tutor Takai?”

Toyama, who wasn’t particularly confident in his own

academic performance, felt a bit anxious.

“Well… that’s part of it, but recently she seems to be really

stressed and I thought having her friends organise a study
session might help take her mind off things.”

“If that’s the case…I’d be more than happy to help. We’ve

already bought Yumi’s birthday present today. How about
this, we officially set up a study session but as a cover, we’ll
actually throw her a surprise birthday party?”

Aizawa’s suggestion was quite fitting, considering they had

just purchased the birthday present.

“That’s a great idea! Can I count on you for that, Mika-

chan?”

Toyama also thought it was a good idea.

“Okay! Leave it to me! I’ll also talk to Marika and another

classmate, Okita, who is on good terms with Yumi.”

“If Marika-chan could also come, it would make me happy

too!”

Observing Rena’s words and actions, Toyama could only see

her as a caring older sister who cared deeply for her
younger sister. Toyama wondered if there had been a
misunderstanding between Takai and Rena, and if the two
had simply been passing each other by. He wondered if
Takai had misunderstood Rena.
Thanks to Aizawa’s idea, it was decided that they would
hold a study session and a surprise birthday party for Takai’s
birthday.

On the day of the study session, Toyama, Aizawa and Okita

gathered at the nearest station to Takai’s house. Aizawa had
invited Uehara as well but she had declined, saying she had
other plans for the day.

“It’s a shame that Uehara-san couldn’t make it. I really

wanted to celebrate together…”

Okita seemed genuinely disappointed. Okita was

straightforward and honest, so it was clear he meant what
he said.

“Well, if she has other commitments, there’s nothing we can

do, right? Isn’t that right, Aizawa-san?”

Takai, Toyama and Aizawa all had various connections with

Uehara and Takai. It seemed they didn’t want to delve too
deeply into this topic, so the conversation was shifted
towards Aizawa.

Toyama, who has been directly involved in various

relationships with Takai and Uehara, seemed to avoid
delving into this topic and instead directed the conversation
towards Aizawa. It’s possible he didn’t want to discuss this
matter too much.

“Well, that’s true…the summer break is still long, so we can

get together anytime.”

Aizawa seemed to be considerate about not delving too

deeply into the situation with Takai and Uehara, given that
she had some understanding of their circumstances.

“But having Chihiro here today is a relief. Neither I nor

Aizawa can really teach well.”

“Why am I being included too? My grades are better than

Toyama’s.”

Aizawa, who was mentioned alongside Toyama, pouted and

displayed a dissatisfied expression, puffing her cheeks.

“But Aizawa, your grade ranking is lower than Takai’s,

right?”

“W-Well, that’s true, but…grades aren’t everything, you

know? Got it?”

Aizawa retorted to Toyama’s remark and seemed a bit

irritated.

“Well, well, I’m not sure if I can properly teach Takai-san. So,
both Yuki and Aizawa, please lend me your support too.”

As expected, Okita skillfully smoothed things over, ensuring

that both sides were in the same boat.

As the three of them chatted and headed towards Takai’s

house, time seemed to slip by quickly and before they knew
it, they had arrived.

“So this is Takai-san’s house…my first time coming here.”

“Aizawa-san, is this your first time at Takai’s house?”

Aizawa, who usually gets along well with everyone, had

assumed that she had been to Takai’s house before, so
Toyama was a bit surprised.
“Takai doesn’t really talk about her private life much, you
know.”

“True, I’ve never heard Takai-san talk about her family. Yuuki
and Aizawa-san, you both have met her older sister, right?”

“As for me, well… there’s a lot I could say, but overall, she’s
a nice person.”

“She does seem to be a nice person… I think?”

“Even after hearing from both of you, it’s hard to imagine

what kind of person she is.”

Observing Aizawa and Toyama’s subtle evaluations, Okita

tilted her head in confusion.

“Chihiro… you’ll understand when you meet her.”

“Is that so…just as Toyama said, you’ll understand once you

meet her..”

Toyama and Aizawa gazed into the distance.

“Somewhat… I’m starting to feel nervous about meeting

her…”

Okita would be meeting Rena for the first time today. It was
a secret that Toyama and Aizawa had been looking forward
to it.

When Toyama rang the intercom at the entrance, Takai

appeared at the door.

Of course, today’s study session had been approved in

advance. However, the surprise birthday party was kept a
secret.
“Aizawa-san…Okita-kun, thank you for coming all this way
today. I’m sorry, Yuki… for causing you trouble.”

“Takai-san, it’s not a problem at all. If there’s anything you

don’t understand, feel free to ask us anything. Yuki, Aizawa-
san and I will do our best to help as much as we can.”

With an apologetic expression from Takai, Okita smiled

brightly. It was a soothing expression that could heal just by
looking at it.

“Okita-kun, thank you. We’re counting on you today.”

“Yes, leave it to me!”

For some reason, Okita seemed unusually enthusiastic

today. Toyama felt a bit lighter knowing that he could trust
Okita with the studying aspect.

“Everyone, come inside.”

Prompted by Takai, the three of them entered Takai’s house.

“Sorry to disturb…”

Aizawa led the way into the entrance, followed by Okita.

“Mika-chan, welcome! I’ve been waiting for you!”

Aizawa suddenly embraced Rena, who had been waiting

inside.

“Wh, wait, Rena-san, please stop!”

Aizawa struggled and squirmed, her eyes shifting toward

Toyama as she was engulfed by her ample bosom.

“Toyama-kun, welcome too. Thank you for coming today.”

While exchanging greetings with Toyama, Rena had yet to
release Aizawa from her grasp.

“Onee-san… as lively as ever…”

“Y-Yuki…Is this person really…Takai-san’s older sister?”

With a timid voice, Okita cautiously asked Toyama.

“Yeah, that’s right. She’s Rena-san, Takai’s older sister.”

Seeing Aizawa in her current predicament, Okita was taken

aback.

“Uh, um… I’m Okita Chihiro, a classmate of Takai-san. Nice

to meet you.”

“So cute. Onee-san’s type!”

As Toyama expected, it seemed that Rena took a liking to

Okita at first glance. Toyama had started to think that Rena
might be open to anyone.

With Okita’s arrival, Aizawa was finally released from Rena’s

grasp. Instead, Rean attempted to embrace Okita, but just
in the nick of time, he hid behind Toyama to escape the
situation.

“Yaan, Chihiro-kun, don’t run away!”

“Wa, wait, Onee-san! It’s embarrassing, so please stop!”

Takai’s voice grew louder in response to Rena’s peculiar

behaviour.

“Aizawa-san, Okita-kun, I apologise on my older sister’s

behalf. She’s a bit unusual.”
When Toyama heard Takai describe Rena as a bit unusual
he felt a sense of déjà vu. After contemplating it, he recalled
his younger sister Natsuki and understood.

“Takai-san’s sister is quite something…”

Even Okita, who usually remained composed, was taken

aback.

“You get it now, right? What Aizawa-san and I were talking

about.”

“Un, Now I know. Rena-san is scary…”

It seems that Okita thought Rena was a scary person.

The three who were freed by Rena were guided to Takai’s

room.

“It’s messy, but please come in.”

Takai’s room, which Toyama stepped into after a long time,

still had a few things. There were only a large number of
books.

“Yumi’s room really does have a lot of books.”

“Don’t look too much. It’s embarrassing…”

It seemed a bit embarrassing for Takai to have friends enter

her room.

“Today, it’s unfortunate that Uehara-san couldn’t make it. In

place of that, I’ll do my best!”
Toyama and Aizawa were grateful that Okita conveyed the
difficult task of mentioning that Uehara couldn’t come.

“We didn’t come here to play today, so we should start

studying soon.”

With Aizawa’s words, the study session began.

Okita focused on teaching Takai the subjects she got failing

grades in, while Toyama and Aizawa assisted in the study
session.

And when the concentration of the four began to wane, they

heard a knocking sound on the door.

“Come in.”

Takai replied and Rena entered with a tray carrying drinks

and snacks.

“How about taking a break soon? I’ve brewed some tea.”

Rena switched the focus to a birthday celebration as she

entered the room, as they had planned in advance.

“Come on, tidy up the table.”

Rena arranged tea cups on the table that had been cleared
of reference books.

“How’s it going? Is the studying progressing?”

Even Rena, in this situation, wasn’t fooling around. She

seemed to be fully aware of the atmosphere.

“Yeah, Okita-kun and Aizawa-san explain things in an easy-

to-understand manner.”
Toyama had mostly been observing, leaving everything to
Okita and Aizawa.

“Toyama was just watching, wasn’t he?”

“No, I’m a bit embarrassed…”

For moments like these, Toyama resolved to study a little

more.

“Is that so…Toyama-kun, you’re working hard too.”

Rena directed a gentle expression toward Toyama. He felt

like this was Rena’s true self and he started to think that
way.

Toyama exchanged a glance with Aizawa.

“Yumi, happy birthday!”

Quickly producing a small birthday firework, Aizawa startled

Takai and popped it. Toyama and Okita followed suit,
popping fireworks as well.

“Eh? What’s this?”

Caught off guard by the sudden event, Takai seemed to be

struggling to catch up with her thoughts. She probably
hadn’t expected to be celebrated for her birthday.

“Yumi… Happy birthday. Here, a gift.”

Aizawa handed Takai the wrapped present they had bought

together with Toyama and the others.

“Aizawa-san, thank you… Can I open it?”

“Of course.”
“Waaa, it’s cute..”

The gift Aizawa gave was a hand towel.

“Aizawa-san… Thank you. I’ll treasure it…”

By this point, Takai’s heart was already filled with joy and
emotion.

“Congratulations on your birthday, Takai-san.”

Following Aizawa, Okita handed over a present.

“Takai-san, I’m not sure if you’ll like it or not… but please

open it.”

Okita’s gift was a set of bookmarks.

“Since you read a lot of books, Takai-san, no matter how

many you have, it won’t be enough.”

“Okita-kun, thank you… I’ll make sure to use it with care…”

Caught up in the sudden surprise, tears welled up in Takai’s

eyes, and they seemed about to spill over.

Finally, it was Toyama’s turn.

“Takai… Happy birthday. I agonised over what gift to get,

but please accept it.”

Toyama handed Takai the wrapped present.

“Yuki… Thank you… Can I open it?”

“Sure…I think you’ll probably like it.”

Although there was no basis for it, Toyama was confident
that Takai would be pleased.

“A strap…?”

Takai muttered softly as she carefully unwrapped the

present and looked at the item she had taken out.

“Yeah, it’s a hand strap for a camera. I remembered your

digital camera didn’t have a strap, so I thought this stylish
one would be good… What do you think?”

“I’m so happy…”

“T-Takai?”

Takai started shedding tears. She couldn’t hold back the

tears she had been holding back due to overwhelming
emotions.

“Ahh, Toyama-kun made Yumi cry.”

Rena teased Toyama but her words weren’t meant in a

mocking way, she naturally slipped out as she witnessed the
heartwarming scene.

“T-Takai… You don’t need to cry over this…”

Caught in a situation where Takai was crying, Toyama was

flustered and didn’t know what to do.

“In times like this, you should give her a hug. Toyama-kun,
it’s okay since Onee-san approves. Why not try it?”

Even though she was still fooling around, Toyama

understood that Rena was behaving this way to lighten the
mood.
“Well, even if Onee-san approves, it’s not like I can just hug
her as I please…”

Even with Rena’s approval, hugging Takai in public was not

an option for Toyama.

“If Toyama can’t do it, I’ll do it.”

Aizawa volunteered and embraced Takai.

“Yumi, don’t cry. Your precious cute face shouldn’t go to

waste. Here, use the hand towel I gave you to wipe your
tears.”

Aizawa hugged Takai gently.

“It would be a waste to use the hand towel Aizawa-san gave

me for this…”

Was Takai worried about getting it dirty?

“You use it for times like this. Don’t worry about it…”

Aizawa took the hand towel and began wiping away Takai’s
tears.

“Aizawa-san, thank you…”

Takai accepted the hand towel gifted by Aizawa and wiped

her tears away.

“Oh my, what a beautiful scene. Onee-san’s tears are

flowing.”

Though Rena had been teasing throughout, if Toyama looked

closely, it seemed her eyes were slightly moistened. Toyama
could see that behind the teasing, Rena might be holding
back tears.
*

After the gift exchange during the birthday celebration,

studying was put on hold. Once Takai’s tears had subsided
and things had calmed down, the study session concluded.
The three of them headed to the entrance to leave Takai’s
house.

“Thank you all for today. I think Yumi had a good birthday.
Right, Yumi?”

“Yeah, thank you all for today. It’s the first time I’ve
celebrated like this and I was so happy that I ended up
crying and felt embarrassed…”

Seeing Takai express her emotions to this extent was a first

even for Toyama. It seemed she had been suppressing her
feelings quite a bit in her everyday life.

“Yumi, we’re heading back now. Rena-san, we’re counting

on you for the rest.”

“Mika-chan, don’t worry. We’ll have some sisterly time and

continue the birthday celebration.”

Given Rena’s current attitude, she would likely treat Takai

kindly. It seemed safe to leave things in her hands.

“Rena-san, thank you for today. We’ll be leaving now.”

“Chihiro-kun, come and visit again. You can even go out and
play with Onee-san.”

“Eeh, I’ll pass on that…”

Okita seemed to shiver down his back and declined Rena’s

suggestion.
“Chihiro-kun, you’re so unadventurous~”

──There’s that déjà vu feeling again…

In Toyama’s eyes, Rena’s and her sister Natsuki’s images

overlapped. Could it be that Rena has the mental age of a
middle school student? Toyama briefly pondered this
thought but decided to keep it to himself.

“Yuki, thank you for celebrating my birthday today. I was

really happy.”

Takai seemed to think that Toyama had suggested the

birthday celebration.

“It was Rena-san who suggested the study session. She

asked us to hold it for you, Takai.”

So, casting a sidelong glance at Rena, Toyama revealed the

truth to Takai.

“Onee-san…”

Takai looked a little surprised as she turned her gaze to

Rena. However, Rena remained composed.

“Well then, we’ll head back. Thank you for today.”

Toyama concluded for everyone.

“Toyama-kun, please take care of Yumi.”

Rena looked seriously at Toyama. Whether she meant it as a

lover or a friend.

“Yes, understood.”
So, Toyama could only respond with that one word. He didn’t
know how Takai and Rena perceived it.

“Excuse us.”

After those words, the three of them left Takai’s house.

After Toyama and the others left, in the now quiet living
room, Rena and Takai sat on the sofa and talked.

“They’re all good kids, and Yumi is blessed with good

friends.”

“Un… I think so too.”

“I’m relieved that Yumi has friends who care about you. I’ll
have to report to Kaa-san when she gets back that Yumi was
crying.”

Rena intentionally phrased it in a mischievous way.

“Mou, please keep it a secret from Okaa-san.”

“Aa–okay,okay. But if Kaa-san hears that your friends

celebrated for you, she’ll definitely be happy. So tell her,
Yumi.”

“Un, I understand…”

Takai and her mother had recently patched up their

relationship by sharing their feelings with each other. So if
Takai shared a happy story, her mother would likely be
pleased.

“Yumi, a gift from me.”

Rena handed a small, slender wrapped box to Takai.

“Nee-san… Thank you… Can I open it?”

“Please.”

Untying the ribbon and unwrapping the package, when Takai

opened the box, she found two pens of different colours
inside.

“Beautiful…these are… Swarovski pens?”

“Yeah, a pair of Swarovski pens. And…one of them is mine…

and…”

Rena took out one of the two pens from the box, mentioning
that she’d use it.

“Now you and I will match with these.”

Rena smiled and held the pen in one hand.

“Thank you for holding the study session today…”

“My important little sister seemed to be having a hard time,

so I just helped out a little to lift her spirits.”

“You know… I’ve always felt inferior because of your

presence…”

Takai began to speak hesitantly about the feelings she had

kept hidden until now. Rena listened in silence.

“Since we were kids, you were always cheerful and popular,

always surrounded by lots of friends. I thought all the kids I
used to play with when I was little ended up being taken
away by you. I was envious because I was gloomy, and you
were so bright.”
Takai continued, speaking about things she had previously
shared with Toyama, her head bowed.

“Even in middle school, Okaa-san seemed to have no

interest in me, so I kept wondering what my own existence
was about. As I continued to live that way, I became more
and more like an invisible presence.”

Rena remained silent, letting Takai speak uninterrupted.

“Even after entering high school, that didn’t change for a

while…but in my second year, I met Yuki. He found me, like
an invisible presence, in the library… and that made me
happy…”

“This pen, Toyama-kun chose it. He thought you’d be happy

to have a pair with me. He’s such a good kid. I can see why
Yumi likes him.”

Listening quietly until this point, Rena finally spoke when

Toyama’s name came up.

“Yuki gave me this…”

Takai gazed at the pen in her hand and smiled. Perhaps she
saw Toyama’s presence in the pen.

“Today, Marika-chan didn’t come, did she? Can you think of

any reason Yumi?”

Takai had heard that Marika couldn’t make it due to other

commitments. However, Rena deliberately asked Takai if she
could think of any reason why Marika wouldn’t be able to
come.

“…I think Marika-san… probably likes Yuki. No, she definitely

does. So maybe it’s hard for her to face me because of
that.”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious that Marika-chan has a huge crush

on Toyama-kun.”

“Un, She doesn’t really hide her affection for Yuki at school
and everyone in the class thinks the two are dating.”

“Don’t your classmates think that Toyama-kun and you are

dating?”

Rena wondered why Takai’s classmates didn’t perceive them

as a couple. Despite Takai having sexual relationship with
Toyama.

“Toyama and I… we’re not dating…”

Takai had resolved to tell Rena everything. After learning

Rena’s true feelings for her today, there was no hesitation in
sharing everything.

“Yuki and I… it’s just a physical relationship…”

Takai confessed the secret she had with Toyama to Rena.

“..I see… watching Yumi, Toyama-kun and Marika-chan, I had

a hunch that the relationship was somewhat complicated.”

Despite Takai’s shocking confession, Rena wasn’t surprised.

“Nee-san, you’re not going to blame us?”

“Why would I?”

“But…this isn’t something to be praised for..”

“I do believe I have a good sense of judgement when it

comes to people. Even if Tooyama-kun enters into such a
relationship with Yumi, it’s clear that it’s not just for fulfilling
sexual desires, not just for the physical aspect, but there’s
definitely some kind of feelings for Yumi involved. I don’t
really know what that is…but if Toyama-kun continues to
hold onto those feelings for Yumi, I won’t condemn Yumi and
the others.”

However, Rena continued.

“I don’t think men tend to become too attached to one

woman. Of course, I’m not saying every man is like that. But
right now, a charming girl like Marika-chan has appeared
and I believe Toyama-kun’s feelings have become unstable.
If Yumi just stands by without doing anything, the balance
might quickly tip in favour of Marika-chan.”

Rena’s words were truly practical. In fact, currently, Toyama

was finding himself drawn to Uehara, who was showing
persistent affection.

“Nee-san…what should I do?”

Takai probably doesn’t know what to do.

“Yumi…I can’t comprehend this as someone who isn’t part

of the three of you. This is a problem that the three of you
have to solve together. Maybe Yumi, you might end up being
the one who hurt others or you might find yourself in tears.
These aren’t decisions that only Yumi can make. But you
know, I’ll support you, Yumi. You’re my family, my precious
little sister, so I want you to wear a smile and I want you to
be happy”

“Nee-san…”

Takai listened to Rena’s words and began to let the tears

that had been welling up flow uncontrollably.
“When did Yumi become such a crybaby?”

As Rena said this, she embraced Takai’s head.

“It’s just that…a lot of emotions suddenly overflowed all at

once and I couldn’t stop it…”

“I see…well, I guess that can’t be helped.”

Rena held Takai’s body tightly as she cried and waited for
her to calm down.

“Yumi, are you feeling better now?”

“Un…”

“Good… then shall we continue talking a bit more?”

Waiting for Takai to calm down, Rena began speaking again.

Takai’s head remained cradled against Rena’s chest.

“Marika-chan is so cute, isn’t she? She’s bright, devoted to

Toyama-kun, just like a sunflower.”

Rena compared Uehara, who was persistently pursuing

Toyama, to a sunflower.

“Un….she’s incredibly popular at school too and there are

many boys who like Uehara-san.”

“But Yumi is also really cute. I guarantee it because I say

so.”

“Un, if Nee-san says so, it must be true.”

“Yumi, you’re a good kid. I love you.”

Takai felt relieved by Rena’s words. She had carried a
complex about her sister for a long time. But that was over
now; Takai was reborn today, in this moment, thanks to her
sister’s words.
Chapter 11: The Words I Could Finally
Say

Failing subject remediation period came to an end and on

the same day, make-up exams were conducted.

Those make-up exams were also successfully passed, and I

was able to avoid failing grades.

“Tomorrow, I’ll be coming home late.”

When I informed my sister about passing the make-up

exams in the living room, she specifically reported, I’ll be
coming home late .

Initially, I didn’t understand the meaning behind my sister’s

words. However, upon closer thought, it seemed like my
sister wanted to imply that it would be alright to invite
anyone over since she wouldn’t be home that day.

In other words… It meant that I could invite Yuki over and do

whatever we liked.

“I’ve successfully passed the make-up exams. I want to

thank Yuki, so I would like you to come to my house.”

So, without hesitation, I got in touch with Yuki.

I could only feel gratitude towards my considerate sister.

*
I was waiting for Yuki to come at the living room. The
thought of being able to meet just the two of us after a long
time made me feel excited and I couldn’t calm down.

“I wish he would come soon…”

Until now, I had suppressed the feeling of [liking] Yuki and

trained myself to distinguish it as a physical relationship. I
thought that if Yuki were to lose interest in me and discard
me, I wouldn’t be emotionally hurt if I viewed it as only a
physical connection.

However, in reality, it was different.

The more I was embraced by Yuki, the more my heart

became dependent on him. It was only natural, as uuki was
the one who filled the void within me. I didn’t realise this
and continued to widen the wound. The inevitable outcome
of that path was destruction. Fortunately, thanks to my
family and friends, I was able to stop just before that point.

Filled with the feelings of my family and friends, I am no

longer hollow. Hence, I no longer need to fill myself with
Yuki.

Because I love him, I am yearning for Yuki. Uehara-san must

also be seeking Yuki out of love. Finally, I have been able to
stand on the same ground as Uehara-san.

──Ding-dong

The intercom at the entrance rang and on the living room

monitor, Yuki’s figure was displayed.

I couldn’t wait a moment longer to see Yuki, so I didn’t

answer the call and rushed to the entrance.
I unlocked the door and dashed outside.

“Yuki!”

“T-Takai, what’s wrong!?”

Yuki seemed surprised as I suddenly burst out of the

entrance without responding to the call.

“No, there’s nothing, but I just ended up running out.”

“I-Is that so?”

Yuuki seemed a bit taken aback by my heightened

enthusiasm.

“Yuki, come on in!”

“O-Oi…”

I took Yuki’s arm and forcefully pulled him inside the house.

“T-Takai… You seem really energetic today.”

“Because I passed the make-up exams and can finally enjoy

the summer break, I guess?”

“Well… Even though it’s summer break, you’ve been going

to school and attending supplementary classes for a week.”

“Yeah, so that’s why.”

As we paused in the living room, Yuki looked around.

“Speaking of which, where’s your sister?”

I hadn’t informed Yuuki that my sister wasn’t home.

“Nee-san mentioned she’ll be coming home late today.”

“Eh? S-She did… Oh, I see…”

Yuki was clearly flustered. Surely, he must have been

expecting something similar to me.

“Yuki, how about we head to my room?”

I entwined my arm around him, tempting him and Yuuki

nodded in silence.

I could feel Yuki’s body warmth from our entwined arms. I

was about to be embraced by Yuuki soon, enveloped in his
warmth.

“Yuki, kiss me…”

The moment we entered the room, I clung to Yuki and

begged for a kiss.

“Mm…”

Yuki held me and gave me a soft, almost fleeting kiss.

“Takai… Since it’s been hot today, could you let me take a
shower?”

Walking outside in the July warmth, Yuki had worked up

quite a sweat. While I didn’t mind, it was only natural that
Yuki would be concerned about it.

“Un, I’ve already taken a shower, so feel free to use it, Yuki.”

Today, I had showered ahead of time with the intention of

being embraced by Yuki.

“Thanks, I’ll use it then.”

“You can use the bath towel in the basket.”

For Yuki, who was familiar with the layout of my house, I

might not need to tell him the location.

“Thanks, I’ll use it.”

Saying that, Yuuki left the room.

While Yuki was taking a shower, I felt restless on the bed.

“Even though it’s not the first time I’ll be held by Yuki… I’m
so nervous…”

I realised how much of a difference a single feeling could

make.

“My skirt is getting wrinkled… It’s in the way, so I’ll just take
it off.”

I discarded my skirt and was left in just a blouse and

underwear, waiting for Yuki to return to the bed.

After finishing his shower, Yuki dutifully adjusted his clothes

and returned to the room.

“You could’ve just come with a towel like you usually do.”

“Yeah, I know, but… I was feeling a bit nervous and Takai

had already taken off her clothes.”

“Un… It was getting in the way and wrinkling.”

Yuki approached and sat on the bed.

“Yuki, you should undress too…”

Yuki took off his pants himself and I helped him take off his
T-shirt. Now, Yuki was left in just his underwear.

“Yuki… I love you…”

I wrapped my arms around Yuki’s neck and voiced the

feelings I had kept hidden deep inside my heart.

“Takai…”

──Aaa… I finally said it… the feelings that I was too scared
to express.

──Finally, I felt liberated.

………………

…………

……

“Takai, I’m gonna head back now.”

Having showered together with Takai and changed his

clothes, Toyama was preparing to leave.

──Takai closed her eyes and pouted slightly. Was she asking
for a kiss?

Toyama compiled and shared a kiss with Takai.

“Mm…”

A gentle kiss that was merely a touch of lips.

When they broke apart, Takai seemed a bit unsatisfied. If

things got heated here, he wouldn’t be able to leave.
“…Take care on your way back.”

“I’ll call you again.”

“Yeah, I’ll be waiting.”

Though reluctant, Toyama left Takai’s house, shaking off the

feeling of being pulled back by an invisible thread.

──Takai has changed….I feel like she’s become more open

about her emotions.

Perhaps the presence of her family has steered Takai in a

positive direction. The sincere Takai is incredibly endearing
and Toyama found himself cherishing her even more.

On the way from Takai’s house to the station, Toyama

spotted a familiar figure in front of a convenience store.

“Rena-san…?”

Toyama hurried over to the person who seemed to be Rena

in front of the convenience store.

“Toyama-kun, I’ve been waiting forever.”

Indeed, the familiar figure was Rena.

“Waiting forever… were you waiting for me?”

“That’s right, I thought you might pass by here around this

time, so I waited.”

“Why bother…? If you had something to discuss, you

could’ve just messaged, right?”

“Maybe because I wanted to meet you and talk?”

“I see… And what did you want to talk about?”

“Wasn’t my sister adorable?”

Toyama didn’t understand the intention behind the question.

“Another sudden question…but she seems to be more

open… It was really… adorable.”

“Un, being straightforward is nice.”

“So, you actually wanted to ask me that!?”

“Well, I just wanted to show off.”

Rena remained as enigmatic as ever.

“I-Is that so…”

“I have a favour to ask of you, Toyama.”

It seemed like the conversation was about to get serious.

“A favour?”

“Yes, would you go on a date with me next Sunday?”

“…Another sudden request? What are you planning this

time?”

Given Rena’s nature, Toyama couldn’t help but suspect that

there was something more to it.

“Don’t be so suspicious, Toyama-kun. What do you think of

me? So… what do you say?”

“Alright, I understand… I’ll go out with you.”

Her actions and words might be a bit unpredictable but
Rena was someone who cared for her sister. Even if Rena
had some ulterior motive, Toyama judged that it wasn’t a
bad thing and agreed.

“Oh, that’s great. I’ll message you the time and meeting
place later.”

Rena, who seemed anxious about the possibility of being

rejected, brightened up upon hearing Toyama’s response.

“Sorry for stopping you. Take care on your way back.”

“Please make sure to get home safely too, Rena-san.”

“Yeah, good night.”

“Yes, take care.”

There was no doubt that Rena’s invitation wasn’t just about

a date.

However, realising that there was no point in overthinking it

at the moment, Toyama gave up and hurried back home.
 Chapter 12: The Truth

On the day of the date with Rena, Toyama arrived a bit early
at the meeting spot, waiting for her.

“Toyama-kun, sorry for the wait! You came earlier than me

today, didn’t you? Impressive, impressive.”

Toyama looked up from his smartphone and saw Rena with

Uehara beside her.

“T-Toyama!?”

“U-Uehara-san!? Onee-san, weren’t you supposed to be

alone today?”

Uehara also seemed slightly surprised.

“Rena-san, did you also invite Toyama?”

It seemed Rena hadn’t informed Uehara that Toyama would

be coming along as well.

“Oh, sorry about that. I seriously forgot to mention Toyama-

kun and Marika-chan.”

Rena put on a rather deliberate act.

“Or…did Toyama-kun want to have a date with just me?”

Rena turned her gaze towards Uehara, wearing a

mischievous expression.
“Muuuu..”

Uehara didn’t seem amused by that remark.

“Well, it’s not bad, Toyama-kun. You get to go on a date with

two beautiful ladies like us.”

Seeing through Rena’s intentions, Toyama realised that she

was up to something and let out a sigh.

“Alright, then let’s go!”

Despite Toyama’s concerns, Rena seemed to be enjoying

herself.

At the entrance to the shopping mall where Toyama and

Uehara had previously come to see a movie, Rena suddenly
stopped.

“Are? Aren’t we going inside?”

Toyama, who hadn’t entered the shopping mall and was

looking around, tilted his head at Rena’s actions.

“Wait a moment… Ah, there she is!”

Having spotted someone, Rena left Toyama and Uehara

behind and dashed in that direction.

When Toyama followed Rena’s gaze, he saw a familiar

woman standing there.

──T-Takai!? Oh, we’ve been caught…

“T-Takai-san!”
From Uehara’s reaction, it seemed she wasn’t aware that
Takai would be here either. Rena had carefully arranged
everything to gather these three people without anyone
knowing. She had deliberately set up separate meeting
points and made meticulous preparations.

“Why is Uehara-san here with you, Yuki?”

As expected, Takai also seems not to have grasped the

situation.

“Is this why Onee-san intentionally specified this as the

meeting place? I had a feeling something was off.”

Apparently, Takai had been told to go to the shopping mall

first because Rena had something to do. It was clear that
Toyama and the others were unwittingly under Rena’s
control.

“Well, let’s not sweat the small details and enjoy shopping!”

As Rena proceeded at her own pace, Toyama and the others

could only be astonished.

As they shopped, Toyama felt a somewhat awkward

atmosphere.

──Honestly, what’s the purpose of Takai’s sister gathering

us?

It didn’t seem like Rena had come here to buy something

specific. She had been window shopping the whole time and
hadn’t made any purchases.
Toyama found himself lost in various thoughts, unable to
fully enjoy shopping. Both Uehara and Takai seemed uneasy
around each other. Rena was the only one being lively and
enthusiastic.

“I’m a bit tired from walking and I’m thirsty, so let’s take a
break at the open terrace.”

Perhaps tired from moving around different stores, Rena

suggested getting some drinks.

Seemingly in agreement, everyone moved to the open

terrace without much objection, securing a table with an
umbrella.

“Toyama-kun, I’ll treat you. Get some drinks from that food
truck over there. I want iced tea.”

Rena handed Toyama a thousand yen bill, asking him to buy

drinks for all four of them.

“You won’t be able to carry them all by yourself, right? I’ll

help too.”

“Uehara-san, thank you. What does Takai-san want?”

“I’ll have iced tea too.”

“Got it. I’ll be right back.”

Toyama and Uehara headed towards the food truck in front

of them.

“Nee-san, why did you gather everyone today?”

It’s not unreasonable for Takai to wonder. After all, Rena
went to the extent of arranging separate meetings to keep it
a secret.

“It’s nothing…I just wanted to go shopping with everyone.”

“All these lies…”

Even though Takai understood that Rena wouldn’t speak the

truth even if she asked, she couldn’t help but question her.

“Onee-san, here’s your change.”

Toyama and Uehara returned with the drinks on a tray.

“Rena-san, is it okay for you to be treating us?”

Uehara asked hesitantly.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. You’re helping me with my

errands, so this is just a small token of gratitude.”

“Well then, I’ll gladly enjoy it.”

“Ahh! It’s so cold and delicious! It brings me back to life!”

The sun was scorching and the temperature was rising

significantly. Rena quickly finished her iced tea through the
straw.

Takai and Uehara were also happily quenching their thirst

with their drinks.

“Now then…Yumi and Marika-chan, I’ll borrow Toyama-kun

for a bit.”

After finishing her drink, Rena stood up and grabbed

Toyama’s arm, intending to take him away.
“Huh? Rena-san, where are you taking Toyama?”

“I’m thinking of getting a swimsuit and I want to hear a

guy’s opinion, so I’ll take him with me. We’ll be back here
later, so you two can enjoy yourselves.”

“O,Onee-san?”

Yanked by Rena, Toyama seemed to have no say in the

matter as he was forcibly dragged away.

“Wait, wait a second, Onee-san?”

Toyama was forcefully taken away, leaving the two behind,

both looking bewildered.

Takai and Uehara sat in an awkward silence, both looking

somewhat uneasy.

“Um… well, Takai-san, this is…your birthday present.”

Amidst the silence, Uehara finally spoke up. She took out a
present she had secretly bought during their shopping spree
and offered it to Takai.

“Huh…? Uh, Uehara-san…Oh, thank you. Can I open it?”

“Sure…”

Takai hesitantly unwrapped the elegantly wrapped bag,

revealing a stylish book cover inside.

“Waaa… it’s lovely… Uehara-san, thank you…”

Unexpectedly, the gift from Uehara brought a smile to

Takai’s face.
“Takai-san, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your birthday
celebration.”

“No, don’t worry about it. If you had something to do, it

can’t be helped.”

Uehara seemed to be feeling guilty, as she averted her gaze

from Takai.

“…The truth is, I didn’t actually have any plans that day. I
just found it hard to face you, Takai-san… I just couldn’t
bring myself to go.”

“…Uehara-san…why?”

Taken aback by Uehara’s confession, Takai asked calmly but

curiously.

“…”

Uehara seemed to struggle with her words, hesitating to

speak.

“If it’s hard to say, Uehara-san…”

“Well, you see…When I heard that Takai-san got a failing

grade, had to attend extra classes, and had a curfew of 6
p.m., I couldn’t help feeling a little happy about it! I felt so
awful about myself for thinking that way, being deceitful
and ugly…and I hated myself for it.”

Cutting off Takai’s words, Uehara’s confession revealed her

feeling of finding joy in someone else’s misfortune, just as
she had described it–the lowest kind of sentiment.

“Uehara-san…”
“I thought that if you got busier with the extra classes, there
would be less time for you and Toyama-kun to be together,
and in return, I could have more time with him…I ended up
thinking that way…I was jealous of you, Takai-san, and I
even had such awful thoughts… I’m truly sorry…”

Uehara-san opened up with a pained expression, tears

welling up in her eyes.

Takai, who had been facing Urara, shifted over to the seat
beside her and took a seat.

“Uehara-san… I should be the one apologising.”

Seeing Uehara open up with tears and reveal her true

feelings, Takai realised that she couldn’t hide anymore. The
time had come for her to speak the truth as well.

If Takai were to reveal the real relationship between Toyama

and herself, it might lead to an irreparable situation with
Uehara. Despite this, Takai resolved to tell everything and
turned to face Uehara.

“Takai-san…why is it that…”

Seeing Takai’s unusually serious expression, Uehara felt a

sense of fear about what might unfold.

“I… I am—”

Takai confessed everything to Uehara. She revealed that she

and Toyama had a purely physical relationship, that they
were friends with benefits involved in a sexual relationship.

“Lies…”
Uehara’s tears stopped in an instant at Takai’s confession. A
silence followed, as if Uehara’s time had momentarily
frozen. The shock of such a revelation might have been so
overwhelming that she was struggling to process it.

“Takai-san… You’re joking, right…?”

Uehara wanted it to be a joke, but mercilessly, Takai shook

her head.

“No, it can’t──!”

Frantic, Uehara stood up and tried to run away, but Takai

grabbed her arm and held her back.

“Uehara-san, listen!”

“I don’t want to hear it!”

Uehara tried to free herself from Takai’s grip but Takai held
her tightly.

“Please, just listen!”

Takai held Uehara while trying to persuade her and Uehara

continued to resist desperately.

“Yuki is drawn to you, Uehara-san! That’s why… I want you

to hear me out to the end…”

At Takai’s words, Uehara abruptly stopped resisting. She

quieted down and sat back down. Would she really listen to
what Takai had to say?

“I’ve been jealous of you for a long time, Uehara-san. You’re

bright, popular, and wonderful. I’ve always been anxious
that someday Yuki would leave me for you. So…I cut my
hair, took off my glasses and tried to get Yuki’s attention. I
started working part-time jobs to make money for the sake
of spending time with him. But…even then, the presence of
you in Yuki’s heart grew stronger…and no matter what I did,
I couldn’t compete with you…”

Takai experienced the heart of someone who couldn’t be

held together by just a physical relationship, like a friends
with benefits arrangement. The connection that began
between Uehara and Yuki is not based solely on physical
intimacy, which made Takai incredibly envious and jealous.

Takai’s appearance as she continued to pour out her pent-up

emotions was truly painful to witness.

However, no matter how much Takai suffered, the fact

remained unchanged that there had been a physical
relationship between her and Toyama. Takai couldn’t
understand the pain of having the person she loved be
physically involved with someone else.

In the end, neither Takai nor Uehara could truly understand

how deeply each other’s suffering went.

While Takai continued to pour out her heart, Uehara

remained silent, merely listening.

The reason Rena forcefully took Toyama away was to leave

Uehara and Takai alone together. Toyama had no choice but
to think that way.

“How about this swimsuit?”

Rena took a flashy swimsuit off the shelf, held it against her

own body and asked Toyama for his opinion.
“Is it okay for you to casually choose a swimsuit, Onee-
san?”

“Ara? Why?”

“I’m just wondering if it’s okay to leave Uehara-san and

Takai-san alone together.”

“Does Toyama-kun realise that it might not be okay?”

Toyama, who finally realised something, falls silent.

“Excuse me, I’ll try on this swimsuit.”

While Toyama remains silent without answering, Rena gets

permission from the staff to try it on.

“I’ll be right back after trying it on, so wait right there,

Toyama-kun.”

With a swimsuit in hand, Rena enters the fitting room.

The fitting room only has a curtain, and Toyama can hear
the sound of Rena undressing.

“Toyama-kun, I want you to see how it looks after I try it on.

You can peek through the gap in the curtain.”

Rena is asking him to stick his head into the curtain.

“No, please come out of the fitting room. If I stick my head

in there, it’s going to look like I’m a pervert.”

“There are plenty of couples who stick their heads into

fitting rooms, so it’s okay.”

──Wait, is that really normal?

“Come on, look!”

The fitting room curtain briefly opens and Toyama’s head is

grabbed and pulled in by both hands.

Right now, Toyama’s situation is that his head is sticking

through the gap in the curtain into the dressing room.

──Uwaa..Rena has an amazing figure… It’s no surprise

considering she’s a model. Her bust size is also comparable
to Uehara’s.

Toyama found it strange that even this somewhat perverted

act felt normal when he was with Rena.

“Hey…Toyama-kun, do you like Marika-chan?”

Rena suddenly threw a straightforward question at Toyama.

Seeing Rena’s serious gaze, Toyama realised that she saw

through everything.

“…There’s no denying that I have feelings for her.”

Toyama, giving up on keeping secrets from Rena, began to

speak his true feelings.

“So, which one are you planning to choose?”

──She’s probably referring to her sister.

“I don’t know. They’re both important to me, so I can’t

choose.”

“You’re being honest.”

“I believe, I can’t hide things from you”

“I see…”

──Rena-san knows how to manipulate people. It would be

difficult to deceive someone like her.

“Aren’t you going to criticise me?”

“Why would I?”

“Well, considering I’m comparing your precious sister to

another woman, it could be seen as leading a double life in
a way.”

“Are you intentionally leading a double life?”

“N-No, that’s not… of course not. But given the current

situation, it’s understandable that it might seem that way.”

“I understand your feelings, Toyama-kun.”

“My feelings?”

“That’s right, when pursued by someone as earnest and

cute as Uehara-san, it’s only natural for your feelings to
waver.”

“Is that from your personal experience, Onee-san?”

“If you want to think of it that way, I won’t mind.”

“Is that so…”

Though there’s only a three-year difference between

Toyama and Rena, those three years seem to have given
rise to differences in experience. Rena felt like she had
experienced a lot beyond her age.
“This is a problem the three of you have to solve together.
I’m not like scolding you, Tōyama-kun. I, an outsider, cannot
help you solve everything.”

“You’re quite mature.”

“Am I, though? So, what will you do?”

Though Toyama had sown this seed, it’s difficult to come up

with an immediate answer. Still, not taking any action would
be irresponsible. Rather than merely standing by and
watching without doing anything, it seemed like Rena was
urging him to at least take some action.

“…I’ll go back to where they are.”

If Toyama went to Takai and Uehara now, it might only

complicate matters.

“Un, take care… Oh, do I look good in this swimsuit?”

At this point, asking for a swimsuit opinion seemed just like

Rena. Toyama chuckled inwardly.

“It suits you very well. As expected of Onee-san. Well then,

I’m off.”

Leaving the swimsuit section behind, Toyama hurried over to

the two on the open terrace.

“To compliment me in this situation…you really are like my

little sister after all. Your tastes resemble mine quite a bit.
Yumi, you seem to be in for quite the ordeal.”

While worrying about her sister, Rena also reminisced about

her past self.

◇
“Haaa…Haaa…”

After parting ways with Rena, Toyama sprinted to the open

terrace where Takai and Uehara were.

“There you are!”

Since Takai and Uehara hadn’t moved from the table where
they had rested earlier, he quickly spotted them.

“Takai, Uehara-san!”

Without exchanging words, Toyama rushed to the two who

were in silence.

“Yuki…?”

Both of their faces showed signs of having cried. Toyama

could easily imagine the kind of conversation they had.

“I’ve already told Uehara-san everything.”

“Is that so…”

Toyama realised that Takai had made the decision to reveal

everything, even if it meant potentially losing everything. If
that was the case, he needed to show the same
determination to both of them.

Toyama faced Uehara with the readiness to be condemned.

“I’m sorry for staying silent even after knowing your

feelings, Uehara-san. I might have done something
unforgivable, you might despise me…”

“I…won’t hate or despise you.”

Toyama was prepared to be scolded and even slapped by
Uehara.

“Why…I did such awful things to you…”

“Of course…When I heard about your relationship with

Takai-san, it was a huge shock and I felt really sad… Even
now, it’s painful. But…if I give up on you now, Takai-san
might take you away. Just when you’ve started noticing me,
just when I could finally stand on equal ground as Takai-
san…I can’t give up.”

“But I’m a scumbag that weighs Takai and Uehara-san in

the balance, you know this right?”

“Un…you’re a scumbag and… the worst…”

“But…I fell in love with such a terrible guy, so I can’t help

it… Just because of that, I can’t bring myself to hate you…”

“…Even if I can’t choose between you and Takai-san right

now?”

“It’s okay… It’s okay even if you can’t choose…”

“…Is that okay with you too,Takai-san?”

“Un…Because I like Yuki too…”

“Takai…”

Since Toyama visited Takai’s room last time, she has been
much clearer about her feelings for him. Toyama had never
been able to gauge how Takai felt before, so he was happy
to finally understand.

With Takai’s acceptance of everything and Uehara

mentioned that by being on the same level as her. Uehara is
finally able to stand equally to Takai. Now does this mean
that they were now truly starting from the same point?

The delicate balance of their relationship could crumble with

just a small trigger.

Having begun this precarious balancing act, the three of

them couldn’t turn back anymore.
 Chapter 13: Prologue

From a distance, Rena watched as the three of them,

Toyama, Yumi and Uehara, engaged in conversation at the
open terrace table.

“It seems like it’s about time for me to return.”

Observing when the three of them had settled down, Rena

headed towards them.

“Sorry for the wait, everyone.”

Rena looked around at the three of them.

“Ara, Yumi and Marika-chan, you both look quite the mess.
Your lovely faces have been ruined by something, haven’t
they? Go fix yourselves up in the restroom.”

While Takai and Uehara were in the restroom, Toyama

recounted the whole situation to Rena.

“Well, it’s not as easy as resolving everything right now. But

at least you confirmed the intentions of all three, right?”

Rena seemed endlessly carefree and open-minded, which

impressed Toyama.

“Today, you went to all this trouble to bring the three of us

together and it was for this purpose, right?”
“Well, since Marika-chan didn’t come to the birthday party, I
thought I’d create an opportunity for her and Yumi to talk.
But I guess it’s turning out alright in the end, right?”

Rena was considering the most diplomatic way to handle

the current situation. Toyama once again realised how
impressive Rena’s skills were. Her ability to observe and
adjust interpersonal relationships was outstanding.

“You’re really amazing, Onee-san…I genuinely admire you.”

“Well, it’s nice of you to say so. But no falling in love with
me, alright? After all, I wouldn’t want to compete with my
own sister for a guy.”

She was as teasing as ever.

“Jokes aside… from here on out, it’s up to you three.”

“Yes, I understand completely.”

“Good, then. I’ll leave Yumi in your care,Toyama. If you make

her cry, I won’t forgive you…unless you’ve already made
her cry.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“When the two of them come back, let’s leave for today.
Toyama-kun, make sure to escort Marika-chan home.”

“Sure, understood.”

“And on the way back, don’t suddenly make a move on

Marika-chan, okay?”

“As if I will do that!”

──When it’s serious, she’s really reliable, but when the
atmosphere is relaxed, she’s quick to joke around like this.

Takai and Uehara returned from the restroom, and they

decided it was time to head home.

“Well then, shall we go? Toyama, you’ll be taking Marika-

chan home.”

“Yes, understood.”

Toyama and Rena walked ahead, followed by Takai.

“Uehara-san? What’s wrong?”

Takai tilted her head in confusion as Uehara didn’t follow

behind. Not noticing this, Toyama and Rena continued
walking towards the station without stopping.

“Takai-san, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

Saying this, Uehara hurriedly ran over to Takai.

“I’ve kissed Toyama. So…it’s okay for me to do the same

thing with Toyama as well, right? Because if I don’t, it
wouldn’t be fair to Takai-san.”
 Afterword

It’s been a while, this is Yamamoto Takeshi.

I’m glad to inform you that the second volume of Shite

Shira has been successfully delivered. How did you find it?

After receiving reviews that mentioned the limited

appearance of Takai and the desire for more depth in her
emotions in the previous volume, I decided to focus on the
issues Takai is facing and depict their resolution in this
volume.

With the realisation of the joy of being close to someone

they love, especially for Uehara, the situation became more
complex, driving the story forward rapidly.

The first two volumes can be seen as an introduction, and

now the story of the three of them, Toyama, Uehara and
Takai, is about to take off.

How will the increasingly intricate relationship among these

three develop from here on?

To be realistic, it depends on the sales of the second volume

but I’m determined to see this story through to the end.

For readers, I would be delighted if you could help spread

and support Shite Shira through your feedback, reviews,
messages, and more. I’m also looking forward to fan letters.

Acknowledgements are given from here.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Nakada-san
from the Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko editorial department for
their dedicated efforts in bringing the second volume to
publication.

To Asahina Hikage-sama, who handled the illustrations, I am

truly grateful for creating wonderful artwork once again. I
am particularly fond of the character design for Rena,
Takai’s older sister.

And to all the individuals involved in the publication of this

book, thank you very much. Thanks to your efforts, I was
able to release the second volume.

Finally, to all the readers who picked up the first and second
volumes, thank you very much. I hope to see you all again
in the afterword of the third volume.

Postscript

The manga adaptation of this work is currently being

serialised in Monthly Manga Dengeki Daioh!

The comic version faithfully reproduces the characters’

emotions from the original work. I am extremely grateful to
Momozumi Jun-sensei, the illustrator, for drawing them so
adorably.

For those who haven’t read it yet, please also check out the
comic version of ShiteShira .

Yamamoto Takeshi
 Credits

EPUB/PDF:

https://animestuff.me/

Translation:

https://travistranslations.com/

Telegram:

https://t.me/animestuff2023