Volume 4 | Chapter 13: December (Up) – Part 2
I’ve never done ballroom dancing before. First, Tanaka-senpai taught me the basic steps before we quickly began to dance.
And it turns out Tanaka-senpai is so good at leading me that I feel like me not being able to dance is a total lie. I had a lot of fun.
She’s really amazing. Tanaka-senpai might have lost the student president election by a few points, but I feel like she can win against Mizusaki-senpai in dancing.
I danced with her for two whole songs and ended there as I lost all my energy. It seems ballroom dancing requires stamina.
Kaneshiro-senpai greeted me and Tanaka-senpai as we returned from the dance hall. For some reason, he looked like he was brooding over something.
“Fufu, see? I’m better at the men’s steps. Tell him if dancing with those girls isn’t good practice for him, I’ll show him the proper way,” Tanaka-senpai said.
Kaneshiro-senpai smiled. “Yes, I’ll be sure to convey your words to him.”
I have to say, Tanaka-senpai’s not out of breath at all. She sure has the energy~ “Incidentally, why does Senpai know how to dance…?” I couldn’t help but ask curiously.
Tanaka-senpai said and replied, “I can jazz dance, ballroom dance, belly dance and so on. My aunt opens a dance studio, you see. I helped her out by practising with her so she can teach her students better.”
I feel like Tanaka-senpai knows too many mysterious people.
Now then, I didn’t dance with any boys but I danced with Tanaka-senpai who did the men’s steps. I wonder if I fulfilled Yumi-chan’s requirement.
As I wondered in my mind, I wandered over to Yumi-chan who was finally released by Designer-kun. She doesn’t have much stamina to begin with and dancing sapped everything from her. She’s now on her last breath.
“Should we go rest somewhere?” I asked her. It’ll be nice if there’s drinks too.
Yumi-chan gasped heavily and nodded.
Oh, she now has earrings on both of her ears. Designer-kun fulfilled his promise and properly gave Yumi-chan the other earring.
“Damn that Kamura-kun. He knew I’m bad at sports and still swung me around…” Yumi-chan complained bitterly under her breath.
I supported her and left the gym together.
Leaving from here, the auditorium should be close by. Sadly, it’s a bit too cold for us to sit around outside. It’ll be nice if the chairman’s thoughtful speech has already ended. Such thoughts ran in my mind as we walked and eventually we ran into something troubling.
There was a boy and two girls confronting each other at the auditorium’s entrance.
They were Maria-jou, Kyouko-jou, and Tsuchiya-shounen.
“I’m telling you! I just have something to talk to her about!”
“Fufu~ If you want to talk to Maria then you first have to defeat me!”
“It’s nothing big!”
“If it’s something you can’t talk about with me around then there’s no way I’ll let you speak to Maria alone!”
“Y-You…”
Tsuchiya-shounen and Kyouko-jou argued.
“Ah, umm, Kyouko-chan, that’s…”
“Aikawa!” Tsuchiya-shounen turned to Maria-jou and shouted at her despite not being able to win against Kyouko-jou in an argument.
However, Maria-jou blatantly turned her face away when Tsuchiya-shounen looked at her.
The three of them have been like this since after the showdown in November.
Tsuchiya-shounen wanted to say something to Maria-jou. However, Maria-jou didn’t want to talk to him alone, so she turns away instead. Kyouko-jou witnesses that and starts to protect Maria-jou excessively.
It seems Tsuchiya-shounen and Maria-jou still haven’t made up.
Maria-jou is sulking… or rather she got stubborn.
“Damn… They sure are brave, having a lovers quarrel in a place like this…” Yumi-chan commented as she slumped over exaggeratedly.
I took Yumi-chan with me to the auditorium while passing by the three without entering into their vision.
It seems the chairman’s thoughtful speech has already ended. There was no one at the stage.
I helped Yumi-chan sit in the seats near the end. I also sat beside her before letting out a sigh. The benches outside would have been fine too, but it’s cold since it’s almost the end of the year.
“Ah, sorry… let me nap for a bit…” Yumi-chan said before she placed her head on my shoulder and started to doze off. It looks like she really did use up all her energy.
Damn that Designer-kun. What was he thinking making a girl overwork like this?
“It’s fine, it’s fine~ Go ahead and sleep. Or would you like to go to the infirmary?”
“No. I don’t want to walk anymore…” Yumi-chan complained. Soon she started to breathe heavily and slept. I couldn’t help but be impressed with how easily she fell asleep like this. Also, it feels like she trusts me, so I felt happy too.
Such thoughts ran in my mind before I noticed a shadow on me.
Hm? I blinked and looked up—
It’s Katsuragi-kun.
“Shiori.”
…….Uhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
My body stiffened. Katsuragi-kun asked if he could call me by my name after everything was over during the confrontation with Father Michel. It’s true that I said he could call me by my name then. I mean Kazu-nii and Designer-kun call me by my name too. There’s nothing strange at all.
But, it’s just, I feel like there’s electric shocks going through my ears. Because of his voice. I’m still not used to it.
“H-Huh~? Katsuragi-kun, you came to visit the auditorium too? You don’t come often, right?” I asked with a stiff smile.
Katsuragi-kun doesn’t like formal and ceremonious events. I couldn’t think of a reason why he would come to a place where the chairman gives out speeches.
He made a slightly mixed expression. “……I’m being chased.”
Ah, I see now. “Did you visit the dance hall?” I questioned.
“Yeah……”
“And you got surrounded by girls, couldn’t turn them down properly, and escaped here.”
“……”
“Only people who want to listen to the chairman’s thoughtful words will visit the auditorium. I mean, it’s empty even now,” I commented.
Well, it’s quiet and peaceful here. It’s not like I don’t understand.
“……It’s amazing how you can always tell,” he said.
“Katsuragi-kun, you’re actually easy to figure out, you know?”
“……Really?”
“Yeah.”
Yumi-chan let out a small ‘unyaa’ just now. Fufufu, she’s like a kid~
Let’s pat her, I thought and couldn’t help but smile brightly.
That’s when something rested on my head. When I looked up, I realized Katsuragi-kun’s hand was on top of my head.
Pat. Pat. He was also staring straight at me.
Ummm? Is he patting me? Or is he hitting me? What exactly is he doing?
“…What’s wrong?” I asked.
“……Ah.” Katsuragi-kun looked like he came back to his senses and seemed embarrassed. “No……”
He pulled his hand back and covered his mouth with it before looking the other way. He stiffed for a while just like that. Eventually, he muttered, “…Sorry about that.”
I wonder if he thought Yumi-chan’s sleeping face was cute too.
Is this how he interacts with his little sister? But the person he patted was me. In any case, I understood that he did that unconsciously.
I stared at him with doubt while Katsuragi-kun gazed the other way. “I-It’s nothing,” he mumbled out. His cheeks were somewhat red.
“……I couldn’t help it,” he mumbled out next.
His words made me even more confused. “Are you really okay? You’re not still… affected by the stone or anything, right?”
Katsuragi-kun shook his head firmly. It’s true that his eyes weren’t blank.
That being said, the game still hasn’t ended yet.
“I’m fine. It’s thanks to the stone that…… I came to understand things and realized there’s things I don’t understand.”
“You came to understand things?”
“……Like how I’ll react… I knew from that day on that I needed to learn to control myself first for the time being,” Katsuragi-kun said in a small voice.
What does he mean by ‘that day’? He mentioned that controlling himself was part of his training on the showdown. It also looked like he had a good control over himself.
“And…… Anyways, here.” Katsuragi-kun handed me a small box, making me widen my eyes. It was a rectangular box with a ribbon.
…Yup, it’s a present no matter how you look at it.
“Ummm?”
“Ah, it’s… Niimi, you said you wear accessories,” Katsuragi-kun said.
“……? But there’s no reason for you to give me one…”
It’s true that today’s my birthday. However, Katsuragi-kun shouldn’t know that. Also, he doesn’t seem like the type who will prepare a Christmas present for a friend.
Katsuragi-kun looked troubled. But even if he makes an expression like this…
The two of us looked at each other at complete loss. Eventually, Katsuragi-kun opened his mouth.
“……Birthday……”
“O-Oh, you knew?”
He nodded.
Oh, if it’s a birthday present then I’ll gladly take it. “Thank you. It’s surprising you know my birthday. I’ll thank you too. Katsuragi-kun, when’s your birthday?” I asked.
“…December 31st,” he replied.
Come to think of it, Katsuragi-kun’s birthday is also the day he was picked up by his current family. I asked him casually but was that alright?”
“It’s pretty close then. In that case, I’ll think of a present for you. Still, I’ll be a bother if I come find you on the day of since it’s the end of year. I won’t be able to give it to you on your birthday…”
“……You won’t be a bother.”
“Hm?”
“Ah, no. Anytime is fine,” Katsuragi-kun said as he shook his head with force.
Meanwhile, I was calculating the remaining money I have left from my pocket money this month. I can’t ask for my New Year’s money in advance, so it’s pretty hard to accomplish. If it’s Kazu-nii, I can get away with pudding but I can’t do that with Katsuragi-kun.
Also, this box he went out of his way to give me…
“Can I open it?” I asked.
“……” Katsuragi-kun turned red and looked the other way. “Sorry, could you open it later……”
What exactly is inside the box that I can’t open in front of him?
Katsuragi-kun left like that, and I put the present into my bag.
“Tch…”
It was now that I heard a small voice.
Yumi-chan still left her head on my shoulder as she half-opened her eyes.
“That spineless Katsuragi-kun! I went out of my way to tell you her birthday too……!” She cried out bitterly.
Hey, Yumi-chan, have you been feigning sleep this whole time?
The Christmas party still continues.
Neo Candle, who flourished during the Cultural Festival, will also hold a special Christmas concert today.
They will be holding their live on a specially set-up stage at the grounds.
Itou-kun happily agreed to hold a live concert when the student council asked the band. However, Satou-kun, who got a girlfriend before anyone noticed, was reluctant and a lot happened between the band. As such, their concert will only be 30 minutes long.
As for me, I’m now on waitress duty as the vice class-rep of our class. All the students on shift wore a Santa costume and offered drinks and such to the other students.
Designer-kun passionately argued mini Santa skirts are the best, but it’s cold so all the girls are wearing pants too. The girls strongly objected to his opinion and pointed out that wearing a mini skirt outside in the middle of the winter was asking for death.
It’s too bad for Designer-kun who went out of his way to argue in the meeting room even though he wasn’t a class representative at all.
“Niimi!” The Neo Candle members called out to me. They were all dressed up like they were ready to perform any second.
“Thank you for your hard work~ Are you all ready?” I asked.
“Yeah. Sensei’s not singing with us, so it’ll be like the Cultural Festival again,” Itou said, looking slightly troubled.
“No, no, please don’t be so humble. I heard you were all a bit hit during the Cultural Festival. I’ll be able to see your performance this time, so I’m looking forward to it.” For reasons, I wasn’t able to see their brave performance on stage during the Cultural Festival.
“Ah, yeah… So……” Itou-kun scratched his hair nervously before continuing, “O-Once the concert is over, do you have a bit of time?”
“Eh?” Hmm, I wonder. I think my waitress shift will continue on through the party. Do I have any spare time?
I tried to recall my schedule as someone spoke behind me.
“I’m sorry. Niimi-san’s schedule after this is all packed up, so it’s not possible.”
“Huh? Iinchou?” I looked up, surprised. “Were you in charge of this area?”
“I’m in charge of this area too. I’ve been going back and forth areas since I started, so I’m pretty tired now. How lucky of you to just start now, Niimi-san,” Iinchou complained.
Those on server duty work in shifts and have to visit every venue. There’s lots we have to do, so it’s actually quite tough.
“It’s fine, I got to walk around with Yumi-chan,” I commented. In exchange, I helped out with the preparations beforehand. This is a privilege I earned.
Now then, never mind Iinchou who butted in, what does my schedule look like?
“Give me a second, Itou-kun. Err, let’s see…”
“N-No, it’s fine. Another time is fine……” Itou-kun suddenly said.
“Eh? ……Are you sure?”
To be honest, it’ll help me a lot if he could find me on another day.
Itou-kun laughed dryly, turned around, and walked away. Terakado-kun also patted that Itou-kun’s back.
“I’m surprisingly childish, huh,” Iinchou mumbled quietly. I wonder what he meant.
He, too, was also wearing a Santa Claus costume. Iinchou looked pale as usual, but his complexion looked a lot better than the time he couldn’t sleep properly because of his stone.
“How was your date with Sasaki-kun? Did you have fun?” He asked me.
“I sure did! Fufu~” I smiled proudly. I also told him how I danced with Tanaka-senpai. “She was so cool. I wonder how Tanaka-kun could dance the men’s steps like that.”
“Tanaka-senpai is tall, so it works out. I think it’ll be hard for you to find a partner.”
“There’s Yumi-chan. Oh, and also Maria-jou,” I said, bringing up the girls shorter than me.
Iinchou smiled a little tiredly. “A dance between two girls will be cute… But, Niimi-san, have you thought about dancing with a boy?”
“It’s not like I don’t want to,” I replied.
Iinchou looked surprised at my words. “What’s with the change of heart?” He asked me.
Hey, just how dull do you think I am regarding romance?
“Women are always girls inside their hearts, Iinchou-kun,” I said to him with a provocative smile.
Iinchou sighed. “But you’ll turn me down if I ask you for a dance, right?”
“Cause, Iinchou, you’re horrible at sports,” I pointed out. Is he asking me to lead him instead? Never mind folk dancing, I can’t deal with ballroom dancing at all.
The students who came by to watch the concert chattered noisily while Iinchou and I prepared drinks while exchanging the above words. Halfway through, I heard a girl and a boy who seemed to be quarreling. They were arguing with each other while walking this way. To be honest, they are a nuisance.
“I can’t believe you! Tsukkun, you idiot!”
“Why are you calling me, stupid!?”
It’s Maria-jou and Tsuchiya-shounen. Kyouko-jou was nowhere to be found. I guess they lost sight of her sometime ago.
Maria-jou was wearing a medal around her neck for some reason. The gold medal was held up by a ribbon and looked unexpectedly fancy.
“You told me you wanted to give me something and it turned out to be a gold medal!? At least give me a necklace! Or a bracelet! Why did you pick a gold medal!?” Maria-jou shouted.
“C-Cause! I wanted to give you something to replace that stone, so this is the only thing, right!? Also, that medal is proof I won the championship in the inter-high tournament!” Tsuchiya-shounen yelled back.
“I know! I went all the way to the tournament to see!”
“Ah, you’re right! I appreciate your efforts! You rich people are different from us!”
“…! It’s fine to look happy but why do you look annoyed right now!?” Maria-jou complained loudly next.
……Come to think about it, Kazu-nii mentioned something about this once. These two would always argue with each other, so their relationship doesn’t progress romantically. I think it was April when he told me this.
Don’t tell me these two are starting all over from the beginning.
“A-At least make it some accessory! ……Even if you aren’t giving me a replacement, think about how it’s Christmas! Tsukkun, you idiot, stupid, dumb, idiot!”
“You! ……Why the hell are begging things from a poor person! Do you know just how much allowance I get!?” Tsuchiya-shounen complained.
“It’s a boy’s job to figure something out! That’s why I don’t like you! Tsukkun doesn’t understand a girl’s heart at all! Ahhhh!!!”
The two were shouting until their voices hoarse. In any case, I handed them some drinks. They can drink some oolong tea and moisturize their throats.
Maria-jou and Tsuchiya-shounen drowned down the oolong tea together and seemed to finally calmed down. Well, they still turned to look away and ignore the other.
Well, it makes sense. Maria-jou wants a sweet love like you’d see in otome games, so she’ll be disgruntled with a type like Tsuchiya-shounen. No matter how you look at it, Tsuchiya-shounen won’t splendidly escort her, say honeysweet words, or lead her to events where they toast to the sparkles of stars.
“……I-I’m sorry,” Tsuchiya mumbled quietly. “I didn’t think you’d get angry over a medal.”
Maria-jou stole a glance up at Tsuchiya’s face. “It’s fine… Since you’re giving this to me, you’re going to promise to me again, right?”
She held the interhigh championship gold medal in her hand and mumbled out, “…That you’re going to show me an Olympic gold medal.”
“……Yeah.”
“Also, make sure you buy me an accessory too.”
“……Huh?”
“A cheap one at the shopping mall is fine too. One that’s about 10,000 yen,” Maria-jou added.
“Just how much do you think I receive for my allowance!?” Tsuchiya-shounen shouted once again.
“You should be happy that I’m not asking for three months’ worth of salary. To be honest, I want you to greet me in a foreign car while wearing a high-quality suit… I want you to have enough passion like you’re going to carry a bouquet and take me to a wonderful restaurant.”
“Don’t screw with me! That’s impossible! And that accessory too!”
“…Then buy me flowers.”
“Ahhh? …Well, flowers are okay. Don’t tell me to get a bouquet, okay? Those are expensive.”
“One flower is fine. Buy a red one,” Maria-jou said,
“Okay,” Tsuchiya-shounen agreed.
He hasn’t realized at all. Maria-jou’s blushing a shade of red I have never seen on her face before as she said those words while pretending to be cold to him.
Tsuchiya-shounen also hasn’t realized what kind of flower she wants too. It’s that, for sure. According to Maria-jou’s tastes, she definitely wants a rose. Even I can tell.
Yet, sadly… Sadly, Maria-jou… Receiving a rose from a man who doesn’t know flower meanings also definitely wouldn’t notice what you’re implying…!
Incidentally, the flower meaning of a red flower is ‘I love you’. Even I know this.
“That blockhead……!” I couldn’t help but curse.
Iinchou opened his mouth and said, “No, I think a normal guy would be like him. There’s no way they would know all the methods to please a girl like a character from an otome game.”
He, too, was watching the Maria-jou and Tsuchiya-shounen fight silently.
“But it’s much better than aiming for a reverse harem, I would think,” he said half-tired. “She can raise Tsuchiya-kun alone until he’s like an otome game character.”
What’s that? In Iinchou’s eyes, Maria-jou is going to play a raising sim next? I don’t think that’s going to happen though.
“Incidentally, Iinchou?” I glanced up, looking at him.
“W-What is it?” He stammered like he was flustered for some reason.
“That otome game doesn’t have a scenario where the time limit extends or a sequel, right?” I asked.
“…Niimi-san, that’s how you are. Yeah, I knew that already. It’s my fault for misunderstanding.”
“Huh?”
“At the very least, a sequel hasn’t been made while I was still alive. Judging from the current situation, it looks like it’ll be an ending where the heroine doesn’t end up with anyone. Still, it could also mean the game will automatically extend until Aikawa-san captures someone.”
I frowned in response to his words. Then again, the capture targets’ stones have already disappeared. I’m also sure events won’t pop up one after another either. At the very least, there’s a low chance of the present Maria-jou making a pass at Kazu-nii.
I picked up my tray that’s now empty since I handed out all the drinks to people—
“Here you go,” Iinchou suddenly said as he put something on top of my tray.
It was a paper cup but the drink inside was different from the rest.
“Happy birthday. You said hot tea was fine with you, right?” Iinchou said.
Come to think of it, I did say something like that to Iinchou when he was unwell. It was the day when Father Michel did his first lecture on theology.
“You were serious? You didn’t have to go out of your way,” I told him, astonished.
Iinchou sighed. “Niimi-san, you really…… I want you to understand the suffering of men who can only joke lightly before they do anything.”
He grumbled under his breath before walking off to prepare new drinks. “Once you miss the timing, you can’t give it properly anymore. ……If only normies could explode.”
The concert ended safely, and we also cleaned up the grounds. What’s left was cleaning up the auditorium and the front yard.
Seika Maria Secondary Academy will have its winter vacation starting tomorrow. As such, we can’t leave the clean-up to the next day like we did with the Cultural Festival.
Christmas, winter holiday, New Years….. The end and beginning of a year always comes packed with events. There’s no time to think about otome games, which is why I’m really thankful the game has ended.
With such thoughts in my mind… I came to the church.
I changed from my Santa Claus costume to my school uniform and wore a coat plus a muffler. The wind blowing was cold, and it was also a bit scary as it’s dark… Still, I couldn’t help but take my steps towards the church.
I did kind of know why I came here though.
Father Michel will be heading to a different church after tonight’s Christmas service. From what I heard, he was actually going to France. He will also no longer be a priest, but be ranked much lower.
I don’t know the details, but I think he was punished by the church one way or another. Or perhaps he volunteered for it. Even if no one remembers anything while they were brainwashed, there were still traces of Father Michel being involved in the matter here and there.
Compared to the lively party in the school grounds, the church held a solemn ceremony.
It looks like it hasn’t ended yet since I could hear a soothing hymn in the air. I don’t know much but even I felt somewhat touched by this atmosphere.
The door was faintly opened, so I quietly peeked inside. The church was definitely holding Christmas service. It wasn’t an otome game event at all.
……I thought about saying something to Father Michel before he leaves. But it’s no good. I don’t know what to say to him at all.
I haven’t visited the church after the showdown.
Designer-kun still participates in the Sunday service. He mentioned how Father Michel no longer showed signs of being radical and always spoke peacefully now.
I suddenly heard the show of someone stepping on the withered grass.
“You did come here, huh.”
I know this voice. I couldn’t help but sigh. “How did you notice, Kazu?” I asked him without even looking back. “I came here while making sure no one saw me, you know?”
“…Well, it’s actually a coincidence. I’m also interested in the church,” he replied.
The church stood silently in the dark night. There might not be another chance of me seeing the church like this. I can visit this church in the future since it’s in the school grounds but…
“It’s past the final warning bell, Sensei.”
“I know, Niimi.”
He placed his arm lightly around my shoulder. I could feel his body temperature through my muffler.
“It’s hot,” I complained.
“It’s cold, so it’s just right,” Kazu-nii replied.
“We’re in the school grounds. Please avoid any excessive body contact with me.”
“…I know. You really like complaining, don’t you?” Kazu-nii grumbled with a tired laugh.
He took off my muffler and put something around my neck.
“This is……?” It’s a thin pendant chain. As for the pendant itself, it was rather cute. It also had an amber colour-like stone… It resembled a topaz or a citrine…
“…!?” A stone!? It should have disappeared though!?
I was on the verge of screaming but Kazu-nii covered my mouth.
“Wait, wait, wait, this is just a normal gem! It’s not a stone! It’s also different in size too, isn’t it!?” Kazu-nii shouted. He also removed his hand immediately.
I turned around and glared at him. I want him to think more carefully, even if he was trying to play a prank on me.
Kazu-nii merely laughed, not bothered by my cold eyes at all. He was wearing his usual suit, but his necktie was slightly loosen. The coat he was wearing on top of his suit was made from cashmere, I believe. In any case, it feels really nice on skin.
Seeing him like this, I can’t help but think he is an adult. He has sexiness that a highschool student can’t have, so it goes to show how he is a member of the working society. Adding to that, his host-like atmosphere increased more than usual.
“Happy birthday. You’re now 16, huh.”
“Yeah. But I feel like I’m losing something when people congratulate me on Christmas Eve…… Come to think of it, Kazu-nii, you always give me my present first thing in the morning. Why did you wait until now this year?”
I thought he’d give it to me earlier in the morning this year too. Then again, he was busy in the morning. Maybe he forgot.
“……I couldn’t concentrate since the morning,” he said.
I didn’t understand him, so I tilted my head in questioning.
“To be honest, I feel like watching the clock tick until it’s the new day. That’s also why I slipped away from the drinking party…… There won’t be a credit roll for reality. We really don’t know if everything has ended.”
He has a point. To start with, the heroine, Maria-jou, isn’t even here. Even if credits did roll, we have no way of checking…
…Hey, wait a minute.
“You drank!? Didn’t you drive to school today!?” I shouted.
“I left my car at home. Also, I didn’t drink much, so I won’t smell like alcohol,” Kazu-nii said before he patted my hair. “It’s really like cat hair…… It’s so soft.”
What is he going on about all of the sudden? I felt like saying that to him but I changed my mind.
His large hand was warm and kind. It felt comfortable, so I closed my eyes. Suddenly, his hand stopped.
Eventually, he pulled me forward. I was pushed against his chest, so I was going to protest. Unfortunately, he hugged me tight just like that. Well, his cashmere coat felt very nice against my skin.
“……Shiori,” he whispered in my ear. I felt goosebumps down my spine.
Damn it, I wish he didn’t speak close enough I could feel his breathing. Even if we are relatives, there is such a thing called personal space. Also, I wish he would be more conscious about his sweet voice.
…Huh? Wait, if I think about this more, why am I being hugged? If he wants to talk to me about something, we don’t have to hug, right? In the first place, we are still inside the school. There’s a chance that someone could spot us!
“K-Kazu-nii, let go…….”
“Don’t look up. …Don’t look at my face right now. I’m probably making a very horrible expression right now,” Kazu-nii said.
…What kind of face is he exactly making?
“……I know those who are the same age as you have more of an advantage. I also know that you only see me as a big brother right now.” His voice was stiff like he was suppressing something down. Kazu-nii often makes a face like a demon when he speaks with this tone.
However, I feel like he isn’t making a face like a demon right now. It’s like he was suppressing down a much different emotion.
“………”
Quietly, he whispered something in my ear.
Those words strangely lingered in my ear — It took quite a long time for me to think about the meaning of those words.
I stiffened visibly.
Kazu-nii panicked and called out to me, “…..? H-Hey….. You don’t have to freeze like this. I also mentioned how I didn’t bring my car today. I can’t drive you home even if you faint. …Hey, Shiori? Hey! Ah, geez… The student council room… is no good. The infirmary? Is Suzuki-sensei still around? If that doesn’t work either, I can only call for a taxi…… Shiori, get a hold of yourself…”
My ears were burning.
U-U-Uwaaaaaaaahhh! What the heck! What the heck! What the hell!
I can’t lift up my face. My body was frozen stiff and won’t move.
Kazu-nii was flustered and sounded quite pathetic. However, I was even more pathetic as I couldn’t move.
Calmly, calmly, calmly. Niimi Shiori is a strong woman. She should be. But, sadly, I have no resistance to things like this at all!
“Ka……. Kazu-nii…” I somehow managed to squeeze out.
Kazu-nii looked down at me. He also held my shoulders as he tried to peer into my face. “Are you okay?” He asked me with worry.
Looking at that handsome looking face, I—
“You stink of alcohol, so don’t get close ahhhhhh!!!”
I aimed at that face with an explosive punch of justice before fleeing away at lightning speed.
I don’t remember how the clean-up went after that or how I even managed to make it home.
Still, I was frozen to my fingertips, so I punctually caught a cold the next day and had a high fever.
I gazed at the new stone around my neck and reconfirmed that I didn’t mishear Kazu-nii’s words yesterday.
I suffered from the high fever with tears in my eyes as I tossed and turned on my bed.
If I could, I want to pretend I didn’t hear anything. The reason why my heart is racing right now is surely because of my cold. But his words from last night continued to replay endlessly in my head.
“Prepare yourself when you graduate, got it? There’s no time limit to capture you. Don’t look down on an adult when he’s serious.”
With this my days as a spy has ended.
It’s about nine months ago I heard that the world I live in is an otome game. Starting today, a normal everyday life without any knowledge of events will begin. It’ll be a bit livelier than average with Maria-jou and the other ex-capture targets. Nonetheless, it is a very peaceful everyday life…
No one knows what will lie in the future. Honestly, it makes me anxious and I feel a little bit scared too.
Yet—
This unknown future before me will surely be even more fun than it is now.
TL note: 3 more chapters left!