Tag: chapter

“It’s finally overrrr~~~” (Arisu)

Arisu flopped onto the desk in the student council room, letting out a voice like an old man.

Having finished attending the emergency meeting of the Cultural Clubs Union, we had gathered in the student council room.

Arisu, who had helped out behind the scenes of the emergency meeting, complained to Togami and me, who had returned to the room earlier.

“Why didn’t you guys help with the meeting? Senpai and I were running around everywhere, you know.” (Arisu)

“Yeah, yeah, thanks, Arisu. Senpai, thank you too.” (Takaki)

The direct interactions with the Occult Research Club were handled by Togami and me, but behind the scenes, we had asked Arisu and Hourai-senpai to smooth things over with the cultural clubs. We thought the resentment had been mitigated by cutting club funds and increasing cleaning duties, but we still wanted to reduce any risks as much as possible.

Hourai-senpai took a sip of the tea she had brewed herself and let out a sigh.

“No big deal. I just talked to the shady clubs.” (Misuzu)

“Shady, you say?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes. They were clubs that caused problems during the previous student council’s term, and the student council had to clean up their mess. I warned them not to make any careless moves since we’re all in this together.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai responded to Togami’s question with a grin.

I recalled the situation in the old clubroom. Considering how Hourai-senpai handles situations with troublesome clubs, the impact must have been significant.

“Everyone, thank you very much.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami stood up, her clear, resolute voice cutting through the air as the room settled down.

“Because of my selfishness, I ended up causing trouble for all of you… As the student council president, I sincerely apologize.” (Nadeshiko)

As Togami bowed her head, Arisu rushed over in a flustered manner.

“No, no, it wasn’t any trouble at all! I think I would’ve felt awful if the Occult Research Club had been disbanded like that.” (Arisu)

“That’s right, Togami. We, the student council officers, are here to run the student council with you. We may get tired from the work, but it’s never a burden. It would give us more purpose in our work if you could take pride in your decisions.” (Misuzu)

“Everyone…” (Nadeshiko)

Hourai-senpai also smiled gently, and Togami’s eyes welled up slightly with tears.

Blinking rapidly to hold back the tears, Togami bowed her head again.

“Thank you very much, really.” (Nadeshiko)

Seeing this, we all began to voice our words of appreciation.

“Yes! You’re welcome!” (Arisu)

“It must have been tough for you too, Togami. Good job.” (Misuzu)

“Well, just don’t take a sudden break next time… ouch.” (Takaki)

When I let that slip, Arisu kicked my ankle. Not as bad as the shin kick, but it hurt in a subtle way if it hit the wrong spot.

In the midst of this pleasant atmosphere, Arisu suddenly had an idea and raised her voice.

“Alright! How about throwing a party to celebrate all the hard work we’ve put in?!” (Arisu)

“Hmm, now that you mention it, we haven’t had much chance to bond together, so this is a good opportunity. There’s a family restaurant near the station that the previous student council used for parties. Let’s go there.” (Misuzu)

“Oh! Thank you so much!” (Arisu)

“Hehe, it’s been a while since I’ve had a party, so I’m looking forward to it.” (Misuzu)

Arisu and Hourai-senpai cheerfully chatted as the atmosphere grew lively.

A little apart from the two, Togami wore a bright smile.

“A party… I’m excited.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah.” (Takaki)

For Togami, it was probably rare to go to a party with familiar friends.

Thinking about it that way made me feel a bit envious of the many joys still awaiting her in life.

“It’s thanks to you, Gujou-san. Thank you.” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s nothing, really. I didn’t do much.” (Takaki)

“That’s not true. On the day when you joined the student council and said you would help me, I was really grateful.” (Nadeshiko)

“…I’m glad you’re the student council president, too.” (Takaki)

It would be even better if she could fix her clumsiness a bit more.

With time, hopefully, things will improve.

Feeling embarrassed by my own words, I turned my face away, and Togami gently leaned closer. A soft, pleasant scent tickled my nose.

“Please continue to support me, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s voice was warm and lingered in my ears.

---

Thanks for reading!

And we’ve reached the end. Took way longer than expected to finish (definitely not because I was procrastinating). 

With this, I’m off for enlistment. I probably won’t be posting for the next two years or so unless a new LN volume for one of my other series gets released. When that happens, I’ll probably translate the prologue and state in there whether I’ll have time to translate the volume or not.

---

1. None

It had been two days since Togami started taking a break from the student council.

The remaining members continued with the administrative tasks at hand. Even though the president was absent, we could not let the other work fall behind.

Nonetheless, the main concern was the issue with the Occult Research Club.

The situation had been conveyed to Arisu, who had been absent on the day they visited the clubroom.

“What do you think, Arisu?” (Takaki)

When asked for her opinion, Arisu held her head in her hands.

“From a rules standpoint, I think we have no choice but to take away their clubroom…but it feels so wrong! Objectively speaking, we look like the bad guys!” (Arisu)

“Yeah, I know.” (Takaki)

“It’s like the kind of story where the main character will end up taking us down in the end!” (Arisu)

“That doesn’t sound good.” (Takaki)

If possible, I’d prefer to handle this peacefully. Unfortunately, I have the perfect face for playing the role of the villain.

After pondering for a while, Arisu came up with an idea.

“Yeah, what about getting them into a similar cultural club? If we look around, we might find a club that matches their wavelength.” (Arisu)

That was certainly something to consider.

However, judging by those two’s behavior, it would likely be difficult. There was no guarantee they could stay connected without the Occult Research Club as their place.

“This is just my personal opinion, but for those two, that might be difficult.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai, who was there during the confrontation with the Occult Research Club, seemed to share the same opinion.

“Senpai, what do you think we should do?” (Arisu)

“I’d like to help them if possible, but… as it stands, there’s no reason to keep the Occult Research Club going. (Misuzu)

“That’s true.” (Arisu)

The problem was that the Occult Research Club wasn’t officially recognized as either a club or a society. Even the student council couldn’t allocate a place for unrecognized clubs. For now, the situation with the Occult Research Club hit a dead end.

Feeling anxious, I glanced at the empty seat where that usually clumsy someone should be sitting.

“Togami is absent again today?” (Takaki)

“Sashiki-sensei said it’s due to a cold.” (Misuzu)

Of course, it was possible that she did actually catch a cold.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to believe that considering the timing.

I recalled Togami’s demeanor when he listened to Dougenzaka’s story.

Unable to sit still any longer, I grabbed my backpack and stood up.

“Sorry, but I’m leaving early today.” (Takaki)

“Oh, then I’ll go too—” (Arisu)

I heard Arisu’s voice from behind, but I turned around and stopped her.

“Arisu, you still have work left from the day you took off, don’t you?” (Takaki)

“Tch, you caught me…” (Arisu)

◆

“Haha, I didn’t expect you, Gujou-san, to come visit me.” (Nadeshiko)

“From the looks of it, you’ll be able to come to school tomorrow?” (Takaki)

“Well, yes.” (Nadeshiko)

Having left the student council early, I arrived at Togami’s apartment.

When I pressed the room number I remembered, Togami readily unlocked the door for me. At least I wasn’t being rejected.

Togami’s place was much tidier than the last time I visited. The large number of accumulated plastic bottles had been properly disposed of this time.

I sat at the living room table, facing Togami.

Togami was dressed in the same loose loungewear as when we ran into each other in front of the convenience store. Everything else about her appearance was as usual, but she seemed a bit thinner.

“You’re taking a break not because of your health, right?” (Takaki)

“…Yes.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami nodded.

Her expression was somber, and it was clear she had been troubled ever since then.

“Arisu and Hourai-senpai were worried about you too.” (Takaki)

At those words, Togami’s face contorted as if something had pierced her. 

“Ugh, I’m sorry… As the student council president, I’ve been slacking off for two days. I’m worth less than some random key on a keyboard…” (Nadeshiko)

“Hey, those keys probably have a use. We just don’t know it.” (Takaki)

“Then, I feel like I’m as useless as a bass player in a band…” (Nadeshiko)

“There’s no need to be so negative. Also, you should apologize to all the bassists out there.” (Takaki)

After all, while it’s true that the bass can be hard to distinguish when listening through a phone speaker, you can actually hear it quite clearly with headphones.

I decided to start over and asked directly.

“What do you want to do about the Occult Research Club?” (Takaki)

Faced with the straightforward question, Togami pondered deeply.

“As the student council president… the Occult Research Club’s occupation of the room cannot be permitted. Therefore, yes. I will initiate the formal procedure to collect and vacate the room’s belongings at tomorrow’s student council meeting.” (Nadeshiko)

Her answer was emotionless.

However, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

“Not as the student council president, but as Togami Nadeshiko, what do you want to do?” (Takaki)

“That is…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami was at a loss for words.

Her gaze wandered as if trying to escape, but eventually returned to my face. Then, as if resigned, she squeezed out her voice.

“As for my personal feelings… I don’t want to remove the Occult Research Club. I’d like to keep the clubroom as it is. But… if I did that, I wouldn’t be a proper student council president.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami bit her lip tightly as if enduring something.

With a self-deprecating smile, she confessed.

“I’m scared. I want to be the perfect student council president, but my heart is leading me to the wrong answer. The thought that everyone might lose faith in me makes my stomach feel heavy. I can’t come to a conclusion.” (Nadeshiko)

The discrepancy between the perfect answer as a student council president and Togami’s personal answer was her dilemma.

After a moment of thought, I quietly spoke.

“What’s correct for the student council is to remove the Occult Research Club’s clubroom according to the regulations.” (Takaki)

“…So you think so too, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s gaze quickly fell.

If she aimed to be perfect, the continuation of the Occult Research Club couldn’t be allowed.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t choose a different path.

“Hey, Togami. Does it have to be wrong?” (Takaki)

“Huh?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami looked taken aback, her expression blank.

“Sure, helping the Occult Research Club might be a mistake from the perspective of the student council. But there’s no rule that says that everything we do must be strictly correct.” (Takaki)

“Well, that might be true.” (Nadeshiko)

“You said in your speech that you wanted to create a student council that stands by the students.” (Takaki)

“Ah…” (Nadeshiko)

In the first place, if Togami only wanted to fulfill the role of a student council president, there would have been no need to set up something extra like a suggestion box. Just carrying out the status quo would be enough.

But Togami created the suggestion box because she wanted to. It was probably inconvenient and inefficient, but it was no different from why I wanted to support her.

From the beginning, Togami had been trying to grasp something more important than just fulfilling her duties.

“Between removing the Occult Research Club and trying to help them, which approach would be more in tune with the students? I think Togami would understand that.” (Takaki)

Togami clenched her fists tightly as if reflecting on my words.

Then she looked up and stared at me. The anxious expression from earlier was no longer on her face.

“Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“What is it?” (Takaki)

“I said that I wanted to create a student council that stands by the students. I think removing the Occult Research Club as it is would be the same as ignoring the voice of Dougenzaka-san from that day.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s eyes were filled with determination.

“I will prevent the dissolution of the Occult Research Club. Of course, this is if they request it.” (Nadeshiko)

With that, Togami extended her hand toward me.

“Gujou-san, will you help me?” (Takaki)

“Yeah. That was the promise, wasn’t it?” (Nadeshiko)

I took Togami’s smiling hand and nodded, meeting her gaze.

◆

“The student council will work to preserve the Occult Research Club.” (Nadeshiko)

The next afternoon, in the student council room.

Togami declared boldly in front of the student council members. Gone was the weak demeanor from yesterday; she looked as perfect and confident as usual, even if it was just a facade.

At first, Arisu and Hourai-senpai seemed surprised, but their expressions gradually turned to joy.

“Yeah, yeah, this is definitely a better feeling. Much better than being the bad guy!” (Arisu)

“Indeed. I also welcome this decision if it’s available. But what will you do?” (Misuzu)

When asked, Togami nodded with confidence.

“We must dissolve the Occult Research Club because that’s our job as the student council. But, the main problem lies within the fact that we don’t have any justifiable reason to keep the Occult Research Club going.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, it’s like bureaucratic red tape¹ or something.” (Arisu)

Togami smiled at Arisu, who pouted with dissatisfaction and then said firmly.

“Therefore, we just need to make keeping the Occult Research Club going part of our job.” (Nadeshiko)

Yes, this was the conclusion we reached yesterday.

“Huh, what do you mean?” (Arisu)

“…I see, I think I get it.” (Misuzu)

Arisu seemed to be struggling to understand the situation, and Hourai-senpai appeared to have grasped the meaning.

I turned to Arisu and explained.

“We’ll have them submit a request to the suggestion box asking to officially recognize the Occult Research Club as a formal club. By doing so, we can act in accordance with the student council’s regulations to keep the Occult Research Club going.” (Takaki)

The student council regulations at Reishuu High include a clause stating, “The student council shall do its utmost to fulfill its promises, within the limits of the law and school rules.”

In other words, by accepting the request submitted to the suggestion box, which was established as part of a public promise, the student council can initiate the necessary groundwork to support the Occult Research Club.

“Huh? But didn’t the Cultural Club Union also make a request to the suggestion box? Wouldn’t that conflict with our request?” (Arisu)

“In that case, it’s fine.” (Takaki)

I accessed the student council’s shared server on my smartphone and opened the file in the ‘Suggestion Box’ folder.

“Listen, the request from the Cultural Clubs Union was to ‘expel the Occult Research Club, which is unjustly occupying a room in the old club building.’ In other words, if the Occult Research Club becomes an official club, it won’t be considered an unjust occupation anymore.” (Takaki)

If the premise is eliminated, the request itself becomes invalid.

Besides, Ushizawa, who made the request, also said they would prefer to avoid conflict if possible. They’re unlikely to be angry with the student council’s actions.

Seeing the practicality of the plan, Arisu also began to show an excited expression.

“Nice, it feels very protagonist-like!” (Arisu)

“Looks like the plan is set. So, let’s start by having them send the request to the suggestion box.” (Takaki)

“I’ve already spoken to Dougenzaka-san. I met her in the infirmary during lunch break and told her to send a request to the suggestion box once she had made up her mind.” (Nadeshiko)

“Ah! Look at this!” (Arisu)

Just then, a DM arrived on the student council’s SNS account.

The message read as follows.

“I’m Dougenzaka from Class 1-A. Please recognize the Occult Research Club as an official club and allow us to keep our clubroom. Thank you.” (Dougenzaka)

After confirming the content, Togami nodded.

“Then, let’s get to work.” (Nadeshiko)

By the passageway next to the tennis courts, Togami and I were speaking with a familiar face.

“I see, someone who might lend their name to the club.” (Sena)

Listening to Togami, Sena, whom we had met during the love consultation request, spoke. Sena was wearing a light blue training outfit, having briefly stepped out of tennis practice.

To apply for the establishment of a new club, at least five members are required. This means the Occult Research Club needs three more members in addition to Houjou and Dougenzaka.

Even if it’s just lending their names, we need to gather the necessary number of people. That’s why we reached out to Sena, who we had ties with. At this point, we need all the help we can get.

“I’ll see if I can find anyone, but don’t get your hopes up too high, okay?” (Sena)

“Thanks, I really appreciate it.” (Takaki)

Fortunately, Sena readily agreed to help.

When I bowed my head slightly, Sena waved her hand cheerfully, indicating it was no big deal.

“Don’t worry about it. I also wanted to apologize for spilling orange juice on you back then.” (Sena)

Oh right, that did happen.

“Would you like me to ask Yuu-kun too?” (Sena)

“Yuu-kun… Ah, you mean your childhood friend Tachibana-san, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, exactly. He’s in the Shogi Club, so he might have connections with someone who can help.” (Sena)

That would be great. It’s always beneficial to have connections within the cultural clubs.

The new clubroom building, where the Shogi Club is located, isn’t far from the tennis court area. Tachibana arrived within a few minutes of Sena’s call.

“…Is this about what happened last time?” (Tachibana)

As soon as Tachibana saw me, he muttered with a pale face. I have no idea why he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, but I hoped he’d put it away quickly.

“It’s not that. Sena, explain it to him.” (Takaki)

“They’re looking for people to join the Occult Research Club. They’re short on members and might get disbanded.” (Sena)

After hearing Sena’s explanation, Tachibana calmed down.

“Oh, so that’s what it’s about. I’ve never heard of the Occult Research Club, but I’ll try asking a few people.” (Tachibana)

“Thank you very much, Tachibana-san.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami bowed politely, causing Tachibana to become flustered.

“N-Nono! It’s really not that big of a deal, no need to thank me…” (Tachibana)

At that moment, Sena stepped in with a cheerful smile plastered on her face and said to Tachibana.

“Yuu-kun? Don’t you need to get back to your club quickly?” (Sena)

“Huh? Our club isn’t that strict… Hey, don’t poke my stomach with the racket. Okay, okay, I’m going.” (Tachibana)

Feeling the unusual pressure from Sena, Tachibana turned on his heel to leave.

Sena called out to his retreating back.

“Ah, and don’t forget about our study session at your place, Yuu-kun!” (Sena)

“Yeah, yeah, I haven’t forgotten. See you later.” (Tachibana)

“Okay, see you!” (Sena)

With that, Tachibana headed back to the new clubroom building, while Sena returned to the tennis court.

Watching the two leave, Togami covered her mouth with her hand, blushing slightly as she muttered.

“Could it be that those two… are making progress?” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s possible.” (Takaki)

At the very least, Tachibana’s place is clean enough for a study session.

The next day, Togami and I met with Dougenzaka in a secluded hallway of the classroom building.

“Here. This is a list of people who might be willing to lend their names.” (Nadeshiko)

We had reached out to our contacts and compiled a list of students who likely wouldn’t have any objections to joining the Occult Research Club. All that was left was to approach these students and see if they were willing to join.

“Wow, um, thank you so much…” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka took the paper, which was tucked inside a clear file, looking a bit overwhelmed.

She immediately began examining the names on the list, falling silent as if lost in thought.

“Are you okay?” (Takaki)

Of course, what concerned me was whether Dougenzaka could handle the recruitment herself.

She seemed capable of talking to familiar people, but approaching those she had no prior relationship with would likely be a burden for her.

“I understand you wanted the list, so here it is. But if you’d like, we could help with reaching out to them.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami offered her assistance in concern, but Dougenzaka shook her head vigorously.

“No, no! If you went that far, I’d feel guilty… And besides, this is the Occult Research Club’s problem. You’ve already done more than enough for us.” (Dougenzaka)

Her tone was hesitant, but her determination was clear.

“I see. Is it okay for you to not tell Houjou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes. He’s done everything for me up to now… I need to handle this much myself.” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka glanced at the list.

“Oh, this person is from our class… Sorry, I have something I need to do.” (Dougenzaka)

With that, she hurried off with quick and light steps.

Togami and I tailed her without hesitation. It felt like watching a fledgling bird leaving the nest—like protective parents observing their young.

Dougenzaka, looking around suspiciously, entered the first-year classroom. The surrounding students paid her little attention.

Togami and I, peering through the window, stood out far more. Some students noticed me and looked startled, but I chose to ignore them for now.

“Um… Haneda-san?” (Dougenzaka)

“Uh, Dougenzaka-san, right? Do you need something from me?” (Haneda)

Dougenzaka approached one of her female classmates, clutching the hem of her skirt tightly and her gaze darting around nervously.

“Um… are you in any clubs?” (Dougenzaka)

“I’m in two clubs, but why?” (Haneda)

“Well, if it’s okay, could you lend your name to the… to the Occult Research Club? Please!” (Dougenzaka)

With that, Dougenzaka bowed deeply.

The girl looked puzzled for a moment, but eventually seemed to understand, her expression softening.

“Oh, are you really in a hurry? It’s totally fine if it’s just for the name. I don’t really know anything about the occult, though.” (Haneda)

I couldn’t help but give a small fist pump. Glancing over, I saw Togami clapping her hands softly and even heard her murmur, “Well done!”

Noticing each other’s gestures, we exchanged smiles.

A week after Togami’s return to the student council.

A week after Togami returned to the student council, the four of us—me, Togami, Houjou, and Dougenzaka—gathered in the Occult Research Club’s room in the old club building.

“…And that’s the situation.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami explained the entire process in a logical and organized manner.

Dougenzaka glanced between our faces and fidgeted with her fingers.

Houjou sighed deeply.

“Did Dougenzaka handle the recruitment as well?” (Dougenzaka)

“Yes. The student council provided some assistance, but it was Dougenzaka who did the recruiting.” (Nadeshiko)

I nodded at Dougenzaka’s words.

“I did my best and managed to recruit three people.” (Dougenzaka)

“You’re not good at talking to others, are you?” (Houjou)

“I’m not good at talking to people other than you, senpai. I’m still scared of talking. But… it’s less scary than losing the Occult Research Club.” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka clutched the hem of her clothes and looked up at Houjou with a pleading expression.

“…Why go to such lengths?” (Houjou)

“I don’t want the Occult Research Club to be shut down. Losing the clubroom would also be a problem. Because, for me, this is the only place where I belong. Isn’t it the same for you, senpai?” (Dougenzaka)

“Well, that’s true.” (Houjou)

“And…” (Dougenzaka)

“And?” (Houjou)

“More than anything, I don’t want to stop seeing you, Senpai.” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka’s eyes held an unusually strong resolve.

Seeing this, Houjou’s gaze wavered in confusion.

Observing the exchange, Togami decided it was time to address the main issue.

“As the student council, we can approve the Occult Research Club as an official club. After that, it’s just a matter of having the club president, Houjou, give a speech at the Cultural Clubs Union’s emergency meeting. If we receive their approval as well, there wouldn’t be any problems.” (Nadeshiko)

When establishing a new club, approval from the relevant association is necessary—whether it’s the Sports Club Union for sports clubs or the Culture Club Union for cultural clubs. The student council alone cannot finalize the process.

In either case, a decision is made during an emergency meeting.

“I have to give a speech?” (Houjou)

“You only need to explain what kind of club the Occult Research Club is and what activities you typically engage in.” (Dougenzaka)

“But I don’t have the confidence to speak in such a setting…” (Houjou)

Houjou fell silent after saying this, but then his eyes met Dougenzaka’s, who was sitting beside him.

In the next moment, Houjou let out a small, resigned sigh.

“…You’re right. If Dougenzaka has worked hard, I can’t just back down. I need to do my part too.” (Houjou)

“Oh, thank you so much, senpai!” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka, smiling brightly, took Houjou’s hand and shook it vigorously.

◆

“…That concludes my speech regarding the establishment of the Occult Research Club. Thank you very much.” (Houjou)

Houjou gave a bow from the podium, and a sparse round of applause followed.

It wasn’t a perfect speech, but that wasn’t likely to be an issue.

A few days after persuading Houjou, a meeting was held at the new club building’s conference room in the afternoon.

To receive the approval of the Occult Research Club’s establishment, Houjou, as the club president, delivered his speech.

After the voting process, the majority was in favor of the establishment of the Occult Research Club. With this, the Occult Research Club was approved.

As applause echoed through the room, Houjou bowed once more.

As Houjou descended from the podium, Dougenzaka rushed up to him, tears glistening in her eyes.

“Senpai—!” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka called out in an unprecedentedly loud voice, hugging Houjou with enthusiasm.

Houjou who was being squeezed tightly, grumbled in an annoyed tone.

“It’s not like this is something anyone couldn’t do.” (Houjou)

As expected, Houjou wasn’t very good at showing his true feelings.

“Thank you for your hard work, Houjou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

When addressed by Togami, Houjou gave a small nod in response.

“Thank you too. The student council was a massive help.” (Houjou)

“Not at all. We were just doing our job.” (Nadeshiko)

“Looks like this year, the school will be in good hands.” (Houjou)

Houjou muttered, somewhat embarrassed.

Just as I was sinking into a reflective mood, Houjou suddenly began to look around anxiously. He quickly passed in front of us, heading towards the exit.

“W-What’s wrong, senpai?” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka asked in surprise, and Houjou, with a hand over his mouth, cast a vacant look in her direction.

“…I feel sick.” (Houjou)

“Senpai, hold on just a little longer! The restroom is this way!” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka pulled Houjou by the arm, and Houjou staggered off toward the exit. It seemed he still had a tendency to put on a brave front in public.

Watching them leave, Togami let out a sigh.

“With this, is everything settled?” (Nadeshiko)

“Seems like it.” (Takaki)

The Occult Research Club was officially recognized as a club, and permission to use the clubroom was granted.

As a penalty for using the room before the official establishment, the club would not receive any budget for the next year and would be assigned twice the number of cleaning duties compared to other cultural clubs.

Given that many of the club members were clearly just lending their names, such concessions were necessary to gain the support of the other cultural clubs. Fortunately, there were plenty of vacant classrooms available, so there were no objections to the club having a room.

As I reflected on the busy days we had just experienced, Togami quietly remarked.

“Helping the Occult Research Club was, from the perspective of the student council, the wrong decision, wasn’t it?” (Nadeshiko)

“Probably. It certainly compromised the fairness of the student council.” (Takaki)

If anything, the very existence of the Occult Research Club might not be considered right.

It felt like a place merely postponing the issues faced by North and Dougenzaka. North would graduate in six months, and what would happen afterward was uncertain.

“But I think it was good that we did it this way. I’m really glad we made this decision, even if it wasn’t the conventional one.” (Nadeshiko)

This feeling was something that the previous Togami, who had been fixated on being the perfect student council president, probably couldn’t understand.

“I was always anxious. I thought it had to be perfect, that if it wasn’t, it would all be meaningless.” (Nadeshiko)

“And now?” (Takaki)

“I’ve realized that even mistakes can have meaning. I understand now that following only the path of righteousness isn’t the only way. And…I’ve always been helped by you, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“No, that’s not true. I was also helped by Togami.” (Takaki)

“Huh?”  (Nadeshiko)

“If Togami hadn’t wanted to help the Occult Research Club, I wouldn’t have helped either. If the clubroom had been shut down, I would have regretted it.” (Takaki)

I finally understood what Sasaki-sensei had meant.

The reason Togami was deemed perfect for the role of student council president.

“So, thank you, Togami.” (Nadeshiko)

“Thank you too, Gujou-san.” (Takaki)

We looked at each other and shared a quiet smile.

---

Thanks for reading!

Well, I feel like the author kinda rushed through towards the end, but at least this chapter wasn’t that long so I am in time to finish this series. All that’s left is the epilogue~

Also, there was no hint of romance at all between the main characters which is disappointing. I mean, aside from Arisu who wasn’t really hiding it that much. Maybe there’ll be something in the epilogue.

---

1. Red tape means a series of actions or complicated tasks that seem unnecessary but that a government or organization requires you to do in order to get or do something

In early November, we somehow managed to get through the midterm exams, and student council activities returned to normal.

Togami, Hourai-senpai, and I came to a place students called “Urayama”. Arisu was absent today because she had some business to attend to.

Despite its name, “Urayama” was actually within the school grounds and was no more than a small hill. The dense trees extended beyond the school grounds, creating an illusion, but the area up to the fence that separated the grounds wasn’t that large.

At the edge of Urayama, adjacent to the fence that separated the school grounds, stood an old wooden school building.

“Is this the old clubroom building?” (Takaki)

“That’s right. Many of the smaller cultural clubs have their rooms here.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai nodded at my question and looked around the building.

The old clubroom building was a two-story wooden structure. The white paint on its surface was peeling in places, and the slightly Western design of the triangular porch gave it a sense of history.

From what I heard, it was built over half a century ago. It used to be a dormitory for teachers who stayed overnight on duty. Several decades ago, the overnight duty system was abolished, and it started being used as a clubroom building.

“The atmosphere here is quite different compared to the new clubroom building.” (Takaki)

“Yeah. Since you have to go outside every time, students who don’t have any business here hardly ever come by.” (Misuzu)

Reishuu High School’s new clubroom building was right behind the main school building. It was a neat, three-story structure that could almost be called a small school building. It was connected to the main building by a walkway, so there was no need to change shoes.

On the other hand, to reach this old clubroom building in the Urayama, one had to change shoes at the entrance of the main building and walk for a few minutes. Not to mention, if it rained, an umbrella was necessary.

Hourai-senpai gave a wry smile.

“Well, it can’t be helped. Our school has a considerable number of clubs and societies. There’s the brass band, light music club, tea ceremony club, choir club, broadcasting club, science club, shogi club, koto music club¹, wall newspaper club, literature club, and others.” (Misuzu)

“Let’s see… There’s also the drama club, calligraphy club, art club, manga club, home economics club, computer club, photography club, film club, astronomy club, e-sports club, volunteer club, English conversation club, rakugo research club², and those are just the major ones. There are also numerous smaller ones.” (Nadeshiko)

Following Hourai-senpai, Togami listed various other clubs while counting on her fingers.

“Isn’t that too many?” (Takaki)

“Extracurricular activities are encouraged to foster student independence. Many students seem to be involved in multiple clubs.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami answered my question.

Since I wasn’t interested in joining any clubs, I didn’t know, but Reishuu High School sure had a vibrant club scene.

“Yes. That’s why problems like this occasionally occur. …Well, I’m surprised that even though I’ve been a student council officer for a year, I’ve never heard of this particular club.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai entered the old clubroom building from the porch without changing shoes. While it seemed there was no need to change into indoor shoes, walking into the building with outdoor shoes felt somewhat rebellious.

We followed suit, trailing behind her. The air inside the building was cool, and we could hear students talking and laughing somewhere nearby.

We climbed the stairs and arrived at a room at the end of the second floor.

The frosted glass window was covered with thick curtains, making it look like just another empty classroom. There was no nameplate or sign indicating the name of the club.

“This is the Occult Research’s clubroom, isn’t it?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami muttered.

“Yes. In reality, it hasn’t been approved as an official club or society, so it’s more like ‘a room occupied by a mysterious group calling themselves the Occult Research club.” (Misuzu)

We had come here to resolve a request submitted to the suggestion box.

◆

Yesterday.

A request was received in the student council’s suggestion box.

—Please evict the Occult Research Club, which is unjustly occupying a room in the old clubroom building.

The requester was Ushizawa, the head of the Cultural Club Union, which oversees all the cultural-related clubs and various societies. Ushizawa is also the president of the Handicrafts Club.

According to Ushizawa, a third-year male student named Houjou, who claims to be the president of the Occult Research Club, had been hanging around in a room in the old clubroom building since the end of last year.

“We honestly don’t know when they started using that room. We just noticed that there were people there one day.” (Ushizawa

Sitting on the sofa in the student council room, Ushizawa, had a gentle demeanor.

At Reishuu High School, officially recognized cultural clubs were each given their own clubroom. Additionally, even societies that didn’t meet the requirements to be considered clubs could, in some cases, have a room if they received permission from the student council.

Hourai-senpai took a sip of the tea she had brewed as Ushizawa continued.

“They used it so naturally that I thought that they were a recognized society. But they didn’t attend the Cultural Club Union meetings, nor did they participate in cleaning the old clubroom building. We managed to confirm that it was a third-year student named Houjou, who claimed to be part of the Occult Research Club, using the room, but any further discussions were impossible. So, I asked Hourai-san, whom I’ve known since the previous student council, to investigate.” (Ushizawa

Ushizawa glanced at Hourai-senpai.

“Ah, I looked back several years, but there was no record of an ‘Occult Research Club’ being recognized, nor had we received any application for its establishment. In other words, this Houjou guy was just claiming it by himself.”

Senpai Hourai took over the conversation.

Beside him, Togami put her hand to her chin, deep in thought.

“I see, so you want us to kick out the Occult Research Club.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes. Ideally, we’d like to get along since we’re all part of the cultural clubs… but using a room without permission is a problem. There have been complaints from other clubs, so this is a last resort.” (Ushizawa

Ushizawa, with a troubled expression, said this and bowed his head to us.

“It pains me to ask, but we can’t just forcibly remove their belongings. Could the student council somehow resolve this?” (Ushizawa

Togami, exuding confidence in his diplomatic mode, nodded assuredly.

“Understood. The student council will formally take on this matter.” (Nadeshiko)

◆

And now.

In front of the Occult Research Club’s room, we stood, staring at the closed door.

With a hint of anxiety, Togami knocked twice on the sliding door.

However, there was no response from inside.

“Excuse me, I am Togami, the student council president. Is this the Occult Research Club’s room?” (Nadeshiko)

She called out in a slightly louder voice and knocked again.

Still, there was no answer.

“Maybe they’re not here today. We’re not even sure if they’re actually active.” (Takaki)

“I think so too. It might be quicker to go directly to Houjou-senpai’s class.” (Nadeshiko)

However, Hourai-senpai shook her head.

“No, Houjou seems to spend most of his time in the nurse’s office. He occasionally shows up in class, but he’s absent more often than not. Besides, Ushizawa said he would be here today.” (Misuzu)

“So, he’s pretending not to be home?” (Takaki)

“Probably. Let me take over.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai took my place in front of the door.

With much more force than Togami, he knocked—or rather, pounded—on the door.

“Hey, can you hear me? This is Hourai, the vice president of the student council! If you don’t open up, we’ll resort to more drastic measures!” (Misuzu)

There was still no response, but we heard a strange noise from inside the room.

It seemed that someone was indeed inside.

Hourai-senpai knocked and called out again, but there was no response.

Then, Hourai-senpai tried to force the door open by gripping the handle, but the sliding door wouldn’t move. It appeared to be locked from the inside.

“Hey, we know someone’s in there! We need to talk! Open the door!” (Misuzu)

The room remained silent, but if one listened closely, they could hear faint voices arguing inside: “…it’s bad…,” “Don’t come…,” “But…”

“Looks like there are more than two people in there, doesn’t it?” (Takaki)

“This is strange. According to Ushizawa, Houjou was supposed to be the only member of the Occult Research Club.” (Nadeshiko)

While Togami and I spoke in hushed tones, Hourai-senpai pulled out her student handbook.

In a flat, emotionless voice, she declared:

“According to Article 4, Section 3 of the Cultural Club Union regulations: ‘Cultural clubs and similar societies must, in the event of a dispute, respond to appropriate discussions under the guidance of the Cultural Club Union or the student council.’ We, the student council, are formally requesting a discussion. If you refuse, we will exercise our enforcement powers under student council authority .” (Ushizawa

Indeed, such a clause was written towards the back of the student handbook.

I understood Hourai-senpai’s intent. She was clearly threatening the Occult Research Club. If they didn’t want things to escalate, they needed to open the door.

Still, there was no response.

Hourai-senpai let out a small sigh and turned his head as if resigned.

“…Consider this a warning.” (Misuzu)

“What?” (Takaki)

“Sorry, Togami and Gujou, but please step back a bit.” (Misuzu)

Following her instruction, we moved away.

Hourai-senpai cupped her hands like a megaphone and called out to the Occult Research Club.

“Everyone inside, move as far away from the door as possible. If there are any fragile items, move them to a safe place away from the door. We don’t want anyone getting hurt. We’ll wait for thirty seconds, so please either open the door or move any dangerous items during that time.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai stepped back from the door, spreading her legs and assuming a stance.

Her hands were positioned relaxed at her sides, giving the impression of a battle-ready posture… Wait, could it be?

“Senpai, what are you planning to do?!” (Takaki)

“Don’t worry, it’s something that occasionally happens when you’re in the student council.” (Misuzu)

“That’s not what I’m concerned about.” (Takaki)

“Oh, are you worried about me? Don’t be. My family runs a kendo dojo, and I’ve been trained in various martial arts. I was the one in charge of this role in the student council last year as well.” (Misuzu)

“That’s not what I meant!!” (Takaki)

“Oh, thirty seconds have passed.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai took a deep breath and focused.

She turned her back to the door.

Then, almost immediately, she spun around.

With the momentum of the spin, she lifted her leg and slammed it with full force into the middle of the sliding door.

“Haaaaaah!!” (Takaki)

*Dogaaan*

…It might sound like a joke, but there was indeed a sound like an explosion.

The kicked door flew through the air in slow motion, crashing into the room.

Hourai-senpai, having spun around with the grace of a performance, slowly bent her legs and returned to her stance.

She let out a sigh.

“It’s open now, everyone.” (Misuzu)

“That was quite forceful!!” (Takaki)

“It might be good for Gujou and the others to learn how to handle situations like this.” (Misuzu)

“I’d prefer a more peaceful method, though.” (Nadeshiko)

As we stared in shock, Hourai-senpai remained cool and composed. The dust rising from inside the room swirled around her like a victory flourish.

Isaw a few students watching us from across the hallway. They had probably come out of nearby clubrooms after hearing the commotion.

“Oh, it’s Hourai-senpai.” (Student)

“Looks like she’s in the student council again this year.” (Student)

“I remember seeing her blow off the door to the Invention Club’s clubroom last time.” (Student)

Apparently, Hourai-senpai has a history of doing this.

“Ah, I heard that it was because they turned the classroom into a waterlogged mess with their fully automatic somen noodle machine.” (Student)

“They should just respond to the discussions properly.” (Student)

I began to worry if I’d be able to survive a year on the student council… Would my common sense go haywire?

“Let’s go in. Togami, you should probably enter first.” (Misuzu)

“Oh, right. …Um, excuse us.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami stepped forward, hesitating but bowing near where the door used to be.

We followed and entered.

About two meters from the entrance, two broken doors lay stacked on the floor. Next to them, a girl with curly hair was kneeling and trembling as she apologized repeatedly.

“I’m so sorry! Please, just spare my life!!” (Girl)

In the back of the room, a boy with a melancholy expression and glasses was sitting in a chair.

Togami was telling the girl, “It’s okay, we’ll fix the door later,” but that wasn’t the main issue.

Togami then approached the boy and confronted him directly.

“I am Togami, the student council president. Are you Houjou of the Occult Research Club?” (Nadeshiko)

“…The student council, huh?” (Boy)

The boy muttered with a resigned expression.

◆

The blown-off doors were temporarily propped up at the entrance, and arrangements were made to fix them later. We set up chairs and a table for the discussion.

This room was originally used as a storage space. In the corners, chairs and desks were piled haphazardly, and old cupboards and steel racks were placed without regard to functionality. However, the frontmost steel rack was filled with mysterious objects and maps that seemed unrelated to school education. The bookshelf held books with titles like “Unidentified Creatures,” “Paranormal Phenomena”, “Urban Legends”, and “Cursed and Ritual Objects”, all hinting at an occult theme.

Judging by the state of the room, it was clear that they weren’t just squatting here—they were actively engaging in activities related to the Occult Research Club.

“Um, I’m Dougenzaka, a first-year in the Occult Research Club… and this is our president, Houjou-senpai.” (Dougenzaka)

The girl who had been prostrating herself was apparently named Dougenzaka.

Dougenzaka’s short, curly hair and timid demeanor gave her a small-animal-like impression.

“That’s right.” (Houjou)

The senpai named Houjou, responded with a sullen expression. His metal-framed glasses accentuated his intellectual appearance.

Togami, thinking it might be easier to talk to Dougenzaka, turned to face her and began speaking.

“Dougenzaka-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“Y-yes! I’m so sorry!!” (Dougenzaka)

“But I haven’t said anything yet…” (Nadeshiko)

“Eek!” (Dougenzaka)

Confusion flashed across Togami’s face as Dougenzaka collapsed onto the desk.

“Calm down, Dougenzaka.” (Houjou)

“Ugh.” (Dougenzaka)

Houjou slapped Dougenzaka on the head, causing her forehead to hit the desk with a dull thud.

Uncertain of what to say, the room fell into silence.

Eventually, Houjou sighed.

“Dougenzaka here is a bit uncomfortable around people.” (Houjou)

“Senpai, you’re not good with people either.” (Dougenzaka)

“Quiet.” (Houjou)

Dougenzaka shot back, and Houjou sharply silenced her. Though Dougenzaka looked displeased, she didn’t say anything further.

“No, it’s us who should apologize for startling you.” (Nadeshiko)

“Indeed, especially after having the door kicked in.” (Houjou)

“Ugh.” (Dougenzaka)

Togami was at a loss for words, seemingly aware that their dramatic entrance was a bit too much. Hourai-senpai also seemed slightly awkward, glancing at the door she had kicked down.

“By the way, Student Council President.” (Houjou)

“What is it?” (Dougenzaka)

“When the door was kicked earlier, one of your student council members seemed to justify the destruction by quoting some Cultural Club Union regulations.” (Houjou)

Houjou narrowed his eyes behind his glasses, pointing at Hourai-senpai with a malicious grin.

“Does that theory really hold? The Occult Research Club is neither an official club nor a recognized activity. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it fall outside the scope of the Cultural Club Union’s regulations? If it’s simply a matter of general students privately occupying school premises, that’s the purview of the faculty, not the Student Council, which oversees club activities and school events. Therefore, I’d like to claim compensation for the damage caused by kicking in the door.” (Houjou)

I hadn’t expected them to call us out on our actions. Though his argument sounded like sophistry, without a rational explanation, the Student Council’s position would be weakened.

Togami glanced at us, momentarily troubled.

Seeing this hesitation, Houjou was about to speak again.

“Sorry, Houjou-senpai, but I don’t think that argument will hold.” (Takaki)

“What?” (Houjou)

I was the one who interrupted.

When I joined the Student Council, I was told to familiarize myself with these regulations. Occasionally skimming through them had ingrained most of the rules in my mind.

I opened my student handbook where Houjou could see it and continued my explanation.

“In Article 1, Section 4 of the Cultural Club Union’s regulations, it states, ‘Even if a group is not officially recognized by the Student Council, if it is objectively deemed to be engaging in substantial activities on school premises, it shall be treated as an affiliated club’.” (Takaki)

“…It does say that, huh?” (Houjou)

“The Occult Research Club is using a room in the old club building, as you can see. Moreover, it identifies itself as a research club. Based on these points, I believe the Occult Research Club can be considered under the Cultural Club Union Regulations.” (Takaki)

“Gujou-san…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami murmured, seemingly impressed.

“It’s nothing special. Anyone could realize it by looking at the student handbook.” (Takaki)

I answered without looking at Togami. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I adjusted my seat.

Houjou remained silent for a moment but soon raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.

“I see. So you’re not just a scary-faced fighter.” (Houjou)

“No, I’m not very confident in fighting.” (Takaki)

“Then, the fighter must be that girl who kicked down the door.” (Houjou)

“Eh, you mean me!?” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai’s face contorted with indignation, and she looked around at us for support.

I wanted to deny it, but after witnessing that kick earlier… I couldn’t help but think maybe she really was a fighter.

Apparently, she had done something similar last year as well.

“Hey, someone deny it…” (Misuzu)

Sorry, senpai.

Seeing this, Houjou turned to face us.

“Since the student council has arrived, the matter must be about vacating the room. I’ve received the notice in writing from Ushizawa.” (Houjou)

It seemed that even though Ushizawa had mentioned difficulties in having a proper discussion, he had at least sent the paperwork. And Houjou had received them.

“That’s correct. We received a report from the Cultural Club Federation that the room in the old building is being unjustly occupied. Upon investigation, we found that the Occult Research Club is neither a recognized activity nor officially approved as a club so—” (Nadeshiko)

“I understand. We’ll vacate the room.” (Houjou)

“Eh?” (Nadeshiko)

The unexpected response left Togami with a puzzled look, and our reactions were likely similar.

“Well, it’s not even an official club room. Since it’s our personal belongings, we can’t vacate it immediately, but we can have it cleared by next week…” (Houjou)

“Um, excuse me. Houjou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“What is it?” (Houjou)

Houjou returned Togami’s question with a sharp gaze. 

However, there was a sense of resignation or detachment in his eyes. It felt as if he were a player on the losing team during the last few seconds of added time in a soccer match, watching as the winning team prepares for a goal kick. There was an air of inevitability, as if there was nothing left to do but watch the ball sail over his head.

“Uh, is it really alright?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes. The fact is, I am unjustly occupying this room. Tell the Culture Club Union that it’s my fault.” (Houjou)

“I see.” (Nadeshiko)

“And, Dougenzaka was dragged into this by me, so she has no fault. If the Student Council is going to take any action, it should be against me alone.” (Houjou)

“We have no issue with that, but… you aren’t going to put up a fight?” (Nadeshiko)

“I understand that I am in the wrong and you are in the right. That’s clear enough to me.” (Houjou)

For a brief moment, a trace of loneliness appeared in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared as he closed them.

Since they had been uncooperative with the Cultural Club Union, I had braced myself to find a stubborn person.

But the next moment… Houjou suddenly stood up with a loud clatter.

He swayed unsteadily and appeared to be heading somewhere. On closer inspection, his face was pale, and his eyes behind the frames were spinning.

He then covered his mouth.

“I-I feel sick…” (Houjou)

“Senpai, the window! The window!” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka hurriedly approached Houjou and nudged him towards the window. He threw the window open wide to let in the fresh air. Houjou leaned out from the window, gasping for breath.

“I’m sorry… Senpai, it seems you talked too much.” (Dougenzaka)

“T-There are so many people… Ugh…” (Houjou)

We watched in stunned silence for a while, observing the scene.

Twenty minutes later.

“Sorry for the commotion earlier.” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka, now seated, bowed her head in apology.

Houjou went straight to the infirmary from there. Dougenzaka accompanied him, confirmed he was lying down on the bed, and then handed over the situation to the school nurse.

“Was Houjou-san okay?” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s something that happens quite rarely… but yes, he should be fine.” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka answered calmly to Togami’s anxious inquiry. Judging by his tone, it seemed that this wasn’t the first or second time it had happened.

Whether she sensed our concern or not, Dougenzaka continued with a wry smile.

“Senpai often has to visit the infirmary, and even when he forces himself to attend class, he usually ends up like that before lunch break. He was really pushing himself to talk just now. I think it was because I couldn’t do it myself…” (Dougenzaka)

“Well, he must be a good senpai then.” (Nadeshiko)

The sharpness that Houjou displayed towards us might have been due to his desire to protect Dougenzaka.

Dougenzaka seemed to have some difficulty speaking, but he was able to converse without any major issues. He might be getting used to us.

“Senpai is the type who struggles with people but puts on a brave front. It becomes obvious right away.” (Dougenzaka)

“I-I see…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami wore a subtle expression. There might have been some overlap with her efforts to maintain a perfect facade.

“The Occult Research Club was also something Senpai created because he wanted to be alone. Since he couldn’t gather people, it seems like applying for a club or society was impossible.” (Dougenzaka)

“How did Dougenzaka-san end up joining him?” (Misuzu)

“He invited me. I’ve always liked the occult and horror, but I’m bad with people and didn’t get along with others, so I couldn’t fit in at school. I was isolated in high school and ended up visiting the infirmary quite frequently. One day, while reading an occult book in the infirmary, Senpai, who was there that day, approached me and asked, ‘Do you like things like this?'” (Dougenzaka)

This was how Dougenzaka became a member of the Occult Research Club, and the two of them started to seclude themselves in this room.

“What did you think of Houjou-senpai?” (Dougenzaka)

When asked suddenly, Hourai-senpai hesitated.

“Well… I thought he was a troublesome person.” (Misuzu)

“He’s a strange person, isn’t he? This is the first time I’ve seen someone so hopeless besides myself.” (Dougenzaka)

“That’s harsh.” (Takaki)

Dougenzaka waved her hands in a flustered manner in response to my comment.

“Um, it’s not that I’m making fun of him or looking down on him! I’m also a pretty hopeless person myself, so finding someone like that and being together in our hopelessness just makes me genuinely happy.” (Dougenzaka)

“…I see. I kind of understand.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami nodded. I understood what Dougenzaka was trying to say as well.

Having someone with similar flaws and understanding each other—that’s probably a kind of happiness for them.

“I’m still scared of being in class, but as long as I have this place, I can somehow manage to attend high school.” (Dougenzaka)

Dougenzaka’s expression as she reminisced was gentle as if she were looking at a soft, cuddly stuffed animal.

“Will the Occult Research Club really be disbanded?” (Dougenzaka)

“That is…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami faltered, unable to find the words.

Just seeing her reaction was enough to understand the situation.

“I understand too. The Occult Research Club shouldn’t exist, and this club room shouldn’t be here. I know I should either continue to attend school regularly without depending on the Occult Research Club, or, if that’s too difficult, transfer to a correspondence high school. I understand…” (Dougenzaka)

As Dougenzaka spoke, a tear fell from her eye, creating a slowly spreading black stain on the skirt of his uniform.

We left the Occult Research Club room and walked down the corridor of the old club building.

“Togami, what will you do in the end?” (Takaki)

“…Well. I think the Occult Research Club will have to be disbanded.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami responded quietly to my question. Her profile revealed no trace of emotion.

Houjou-senpai, despite his bitter expression, agreed.

“Yes, I’d like to find a way to help, but for now, we have no options.” (Misuzu)

“Indeed. Let’s finalize the decision when Yura-san is present as well.” (Nadeshiko)

Unable to say anything, I looked out the window. The sky had become thick with clouds, and the afternoon light was blocked out.

It seemed like it would rain that night, I thought.

For the next two days, Togami was absent from the student council.

Thanks for reading!

I think kicking down the door is a fair solution. I mean, if people are pissing you off through the door, they are pretty much asking for it. Since this has been happening for a while, I guess the school just covers up the expenses for the doors.

Did Houjou really have to hit Dougenzaka on the head… I sound a bit pissed off because when I read it the first time, I thought he hit her hard enough that her head smashed onto the desk, but rereading it again, Dougenzaka already buried her face in the desk so the force used was probably pretty light. I didn’t know that when translating the rest of the chapter, so no joke, I thought Houjou was a physical abuser, and when Dougenzaka started talking about their problems, I thought she was suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Of course, I also thought the rest of our cast was crazy for sympathizing with him.

---

1. Koto is a Japanese musical instrument. Imagine a guitar that has a lot of strings but there isn’t a head and the body is a wide wood plank.
2. Rakugo is a form of Japanese verbal entertainment, traditionally performed in theatres. The lone storyteller sits on a raised platform. Using only a paper fan and a small cloth as props, and without standing up from the seiza position, the rakugo artist depicts a long and complicated comical story.

One day in late October, with the midterm exams approaching…

I stayed behind in the student council room to study.

Since I joined the student council, I wanted to avoid causing unnecessary concerns by failing. Even I was impressed with myself for being quite serious about this.

Just like other clubs during the exam period, the student council was taking a break from duties.

So now, I was the only one using this room.

There were too many distractions at home, and I found myself slacking off most of the time so I resorted to using the student council room, which was the perfect environment to focus on studying.

I had to avoid using the library or the study room because I might scare other students.

Haa… Why did I have to go to such lengths… but then again, the fact that I lost my motivation to study was partly my own fault… Or maybe it’s because of all the eye-catching videos from YouTube and TikTok. Goddamit modern society…

Because I had been slacking off for a while, my brain had become quite dull. However, if I forced myself to stare at textbooks and solve practice questions in my notebook, my knowledge would gradually return.

The more I studied, the more I uncovered areas I didn’t understand, but that was a sign that I was making progress.

Yeah, this was what studying for tests felt like.

When you slack off on studying, you lose track of what you can or can’t solve. This makes it harder to identify the areas you need to focus on, which can make studying inefficient. As new topics pile up, knowledge of basic fundamentals gradually disappears.

In the end, the more you slack off, the harder it becomes to catch up.

On the contrary, if you study consistently, you’ll be able to know the areas which you need to focus on.

Through today’s study session, I realized that the set of math problems in my school workbook was too high for me. Math had always been a weak subject of mine, and the consequences of slacking off did not help.

On my way home, I should stop by the bookstore at the station building and buy a workbook of a slightly lower difficulty.

◆

Before I knew it, the sun had completely set, and it was almost time to leave.

“Well, I guess I’ll head home for today.” (Takaki)

Muttering this to myself with no one else around, I packed up my things and left the room.

When I stepped outside from the entrance, the cool air gently brushed my cheeks, which had grown warm from studying.

The evening breeze had turned quite cool. It reminded me of how it was already autumn.

By the time I bought the workbook I wanted at the bookstore in the station building, I was really hungry.

Although I usually tried to save money, it was incredibly difficult for a high school boy to resist his hunger. This might be even more challenging than studying for tests.

I stepped outside and headed towards the ramen shop on the opposite side of the station.

Although there was a ramen shop inside the station building, they charged extra for rice. For a hungry high school boy, nothing was more enticing than an all-you-can-eat rice.

As I walked for a while, the light of a convenience store emerged at the end of a dark, deserted street. Turning the corner at that convenience store, I would find the ramen shop I was looking for.

Just then, a figure appeared from the convenience store and started walking towards me.

“…Hmm?” (Takaki)

I couldn’t make out much from a distance, but it seemed to be a woman. There was something familiar about her graceful walk, and that long black hair… somewhere…

Eventually, the distance between me and the woman closed to a few meters, and I stopped in my tracks as I saw her illuminated figure under the streetlight.

Despite her casual outfit of a hoodie and sweatpants, her impressive figure and long black hair made her stand out. Her fair face, straight nose, and almond-shaped eyes was familiar.

“…Togami?” (Takaki)

She seemed to notice me as well and took a step back in surprise.

“G-Gujou-san!? What are you doing here…?” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, I was just heading to the ramen shop over there.” (Takaki)

When I looked down, I saw that she was carrying a plastic bag with the convenience store’s logo on it. Togami was probably on her way back from the convenience store.

I sighed internally and explained to Togami.

“I was studying for exams in the student council room earlier and decided to stop by the bookstore on my way home. It was then that I got hungry so here I am.” (Takaki)

“Ah, I see.” (Nadeshiko)

“Still, this is the first time I’ve seen you in casual clothes, Togami, and, well…” (Takaki)

“Oh! Please don’t look too much!” (Nadeshiko)

Togami blushed and hugged herself with her arms. Indeed, her outfit could be described as casual at best, and unrefined at worst.

“I don’t usually dress like this! These are just my lounge clothes… I was just going to the convenience store at night so…” (Nadeshiko)

“I get it, I get it. Don’t worry, I don’t think it’s weird or anything.” (Takaki)

I remembered how Arisu used to dress quite casually when we were kids. Well, comparing an elementary school student to a high school student might not be fair.

Still, seeing a classmate in their casual clothes when you’re only used to seeing them in their school uniform always felt a bit strange. 

In Togami’s case, the contrast with her usual formal appearance made this encounter feel especially rare… What am I even thinking anymore?

As I tried to avert my gaze, my eyes unintentionally fell on the contents of the plastic bags Togami was holding.

From the overstuffed bag, I caught a glimpse of junk food such as pastries, cup noodles, and snacks.

“…By the way, what did you buy, Togami?” (Takaki)

“I bought dinner, or rather, enough food for the next few days.” (Nadeshiko)

Now that I thought about it, when we ate lunch together in the student council room, she usually had pastries.

If she ate these kinds of things at night too, her diet seemed pretty unbalanced.

“Do you… always eat this kind of stuff?” (Takaki)

“W-What’s wrong with that!? It’s not like convenience store food is bad!” (Nadeshiko)

“Sure, it’s rare for convenience store items to be bad, but if you eat only that, your health will take a hit.” (Takaki)

“I don’t just eat convenience store food, you know? I also eat outside sometimes, like at the local Jiro-inspired ramen shop¹ and even the ramen shop you’re heading to.” (Nadeshiko)

“That only adds to my worries! Your nutritional balance is a mess!” (Takaki)

“It’s fine. I get enough calories!” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, and everything except calories is lacking.” (Takaki)

“I take supplements for my nutrition, so there’s no need to worry.” (Nadeshiko)

For some reason, Togami declared this with a triumphant look.

Relying on supplements for nutrition while still in high school is definitely another concern. It seems like Togami isn’t aware of this at all.

“Well, if Togami is okay with it, then it’s fine, but…” (Takaki)

At that point, I noticed something odd.

…What about Togami’s family?

Given that I live with my aunt in a somewhat unusual situation, it didn’t immediately click. But thinking about it deeply, it’s strange for a high school girl to stock up on several days’ worth of dinner from a convenience store.

Come to think of it, on the day I learned about Togami’s secret, I remember her saying that her family wouldn’t worry even if she came home late. If that’s the case, her family must either be really distant or…

“What about Togami’s family?” (Takaki)

After some hesitation, I decided to ask. Given I’m in a situation where I’m not living with my parents either, I figured it was fine, though I felt a bit cowardly for using that as an excuse.

For a brief moment, Togami’s eyes narrowed, and there was a slight pause.

Then Togami answered with an almost too calm demeanor as if simply reporting a fact.

“I’m currently living apart from my parents. I live alone in that apartment over there.” (Nadeshiko)

“…” (Takaki)

It was the response I had expected. But hearing it directly left me unsure of how to respond.

Should I offer comfort, or act as if I don’t mind?

Our relationship isn’t exactly one of friends or lovers. It’s merely a matter of me assisting Togami in her duties as the student council president. In such a situation, was it even appropriate for me to delve into her complicated family circumstances?

Seeing my struggle to find the right words, Togami gave a small, faint smile.

“You don’t need to worry about it, Gujou-san. It’s a matter of my own family.” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, that’s true.” (Takaki)

“Ah, but please keep this a secret at school. If my classmates found out that I’m living alone, it might cause them unnecessary concern.” (Nadeshiko)

“Got it.” (Takaki)

Indeed, it’s not something that should be widely discussed. Even my own situation of living with my aunt is known to only Arisu and our homeroom teacher. Togami’s circumstances are likely known only to the school staff.

“Well then, I’ll be going.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah…” (Takaki)

I watched as Togami’s back grew smaller as she walked away.

The usually confident figure of Togami looked particularly small and frail today.

She was still a sixteen-year-old high school girl.

This simple truth suddenly struck me with a sense of reality. I couldn’t just let Togami go home like this.

Without knowing what to say, I called out to her back.

“Hey, Togami!” (Takaki)

“What is it?” (Nadeshiko)

As Togami turned around, the dim light from the streetlamp cast a faint glow on her face.

Togami probably thought she was the only one in such a situation. That’s why she acted as if it didn’t bother her. She had probably given up, thinking no one could understand.

I licked my lips, searching for the right words to convey to Togami.

“I don’t have parents at home either.” (Takaki)

“Eh?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s eyes widened in surprise, and her gaze wavered.

It was only natural that she’d be shocked by such a sudden revelation.

But I couldn’t help but want to tell Togami that she wasn’t alone in this. I couldn’t let Togami go home like this.

“I lost my mother when I was a child, and my father is stationed overseas for work. So I live with my aunt. I’m not hiding it, but I don’t think any of the students, except for Arisu, know about it. I don’t really have friends I talk to about this either.” (Takaki)

I poured out my family situation in a rush.

I wasn’t sure if this was the right way to say it, but I didn’t have the luxury to think it through.

Togami, still with a puzzled expression, slowly opened her mouth.

“Why are you telling me this?” (Nadeshiko)

“It feels weird for you to know about my family situation without me knowing about yours.” (Takaki)

“…Thank you. Gujou-san, you’re very kind.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami relaxed her expression slightly and gave a small nod.

“Well then, see you at school.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah.” (Takaki)

Without turning back, Togami walked away down the road in front of the convenience store.

◆

The next day during lunch break, when I went to the student council room with my usual lunch, I found Togami slumped over the long table, looking exhausted. She was holding a bag of pastries in her right hand, but it seemed she had little appetite as it was barely touched.

“…Hey.” (Takaki)

“Oh, it’s Gujou-san…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami sluggishly turned to look at me.

Her expression was drained of life, and a deep sigh escaped her lips.

“Is something wrong?” (Takaki)

“Next week… there’s a home economics cooking class…” (Nadeshiko)

I was worried it might be related to our conversation from yesterday, but apparently not.

There was a cooking practical right after the midterm exams, and Togami, who cannot cook at all, was feeling down about it.

I recalled hearing similar concerns come up when I was in class earlier.

Home economics is graded based on both written and practical assessments, so the cooking practical is scheduled around the same time as the midterm written test.

The menu for this cooking practical was supposed to be standard curry.

From what I saw Togami bought at the convenience store and our conversation, it was clear she hardly cooked for herself.

For her, a cooking practical must be a nightmare.

“Ugh… This is bad. If this goes on, everyone will find out I can’t cook…” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, it can’t be helped, right? You know, it’s common in manga for rich young ladies to have a setting where they can’t cook because there’s a chef at home.” (Takaki)

“Indeed, there was a personal chef at my family’s home, but…” (Nadeshiko)

“Seriously?” (Takaki)

I had been half-joking, but reality often surpasses imagination.

“If this keeps up, my career as student council president will be over… Everyone will realize I have no practical life skills and will say things like, ‘See, rich kids don’t cook’, ‘Maybe they have a personal chef at home’, or ‘They probably think fish swim around as fillets.’ It’s hard to refute because some of it’s true…” (Nadeshiko)

“Have you actually been told that?” (Takaki)

“Ugh, it’s a trauma from elementary school…” (Nadeshiko)

Apparently, she had.

Togami slumped back onto the desk, not caring that her hair was getting disheveled, and slowly slid down. It looked like something out of a horror movie, and I wished she’d stop.

Trying to cheer up the dejected Togami, I spoke up.

“But well, isn’t it fine if you can’t cook? There are others who don’t cook at home either.” (Takaki)

“Gujou-san, you say that because you don’t know how incompetent I am…” (Nadeshiko)

“Incompetent, huh?” (Takaki)

“The only ‘cooking’ I can do is buying a bento from the convenience store, ordering at a ramen shop, heating a convenience store bento in the microwave, or making instant ramen with an electric kettle.” (Nadeshiko)

“Even if I’m being generous, the first half of those aren’t really related to cooking…” (Takaki)

To be honest, I wanted to say that the latter half doesn’t count as cooking either, but that might be too harsh.

Togami gave a weak laugh, still lying on the desk.

“Heh, I know. The tasks in the cooking practical aren’t as simple as that… I suppose we’ll be chopping things with knives and grilling things with fire.” (Nadeshiko)

Her idea of cooking was incredibly vague.

“Not ‘things’, but usually vegetables and meat. What else would you chop or grill?” (Takaki)

“Ah… Gujou-san, you’re lucky. You’re skilled enough to make your own dinner and bento. You don’t understand the feelings of those of us who can’t cook… hmm?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami suddenly sat up straight, staring intently at my half-eaten bento before shifting her gaze to my face.

“Gujou-san, you’re really good at cooking, aren’t you?” (Nadeshiko)

“I don’t know about being good, but I can cook normally.” (Takaki)

“Then… could you teach me how to cook!?” (Nadeshiko)

“…Ha?” (Takaki)

◆

That afternoon after school…

Togami and I met up in front of the convenience store where we had bumped into each other the day before and headed to a nearby supermarket.

I was going to teach Togami how to make curry, so we needed to gather the ingredients first.

“Gujou-san, curry ingredients are plants and animals, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“Just say vegetables and meat. It’s kind of scary otherwise.” (Takaki)

Most ingredients are plants and animals anyway. The exceptions are fungi and seasonings.

“Oh, they have bananas.” (Nadeshiko)

“We’re making curry, you know?” (Takaki)

“I thought it might be a good secret ingredient.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t think about secret ingredients when you don’t even know the basics. Think about what comes to mind when you hear ‘curry’, and start buying from there.” (Takaki)

“I see. Then to add some spiciness to the curry, how about chili peppers?” (Nadeshiko)

“That part will be handled by the curry roux.” (Takaki)

Starting with spices is way too advanced. I went through a phase where I tried making spice curry, but I got bored and most of the spices are now just sitting in the back of the cupboard. I wonder if spices have an expiration date.

“Well then, for color… soil?” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t try to use soil in cooking! I’ve heard some cultures eat soil, but still! The color is handled by the roux.” (Takaki)

“R-Rice…?” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s debatable if that counts as an ingredient for curry, but I’d give you partial credit.” (Takaki)

Maybe it’s because her answers have been so terrible up until now. If I don’t give her a couple of points here, she’ll end up with zero.

Togami probably doesn’t go to the supermarket much. She looked around nervously, showing interest in things that clearly wouldn’t go in curry.

This must be what it feels like to be a parent with a young child…

Is it really okay to feel this parental instinct towards a high school classmate, especially the student council president?

Afterwards, for some reason, Togami wanted to put chicken gizzards and salmon fillets in the basket, but I managed to stop her.

In the end, we bought the most basic ingredients: potatoes, carrots, onions, pork shoulder, and curry roux. We then headed to Togami’s place.

“Come to think of it, I feel like it’s been years since I last saw an onion with its skin on.” (Nadeshiko)

I thought I heard a terrifying comment, but I decided to ignore it. If I had to comment on everything, I’d never catch up.

Togami lives in a high-rise apartment just a few minutes from the station.

Unlike the subtly desolate atmosphere of the houses near the station area, this place had a quiet residential neighborhood feel to it.

Among the buildings, a relatively new apartment complex stood out with a luxurious ambiance.

After going through the auto-lock at the entrance, Togami led me inside. In the lobby of the building was a shared space, about the size of a classroom, with comfortable-looking sofas, a coffee table, and some potted plants in the corners. Through the corridor’s glass windows, there was even a view of an open courtyard. Impressive—it feels like a hotel lobby.

At the end of the corridor, there were two elevators. My own apartment building doesn’t even have an elevator.

As we were about to step into one of the elevators, Togami muttered,

“I’ve mentioned this before, but since my parents aren’t around, there’s no need to be concerned.” (Nadeshiko)

“I-I see.” (Takaki)

I was momentarily flustered and my reply came out awkwardly. Damn, I had been trying to avoid thinking about it until now.

High school boys probably worry more about this sort of thing. I’d been to Arisu’s house a few times when we were in elementary school, so it wasn’t my first time entering a girl’s room. Even so, I was still nervous.

Well, at this point, there’s no point in worrying about it.

With a sense of resignation, I kept my silence and watched the floor number display climb.

Togami’s apartment was on the top floor, at the very corner. As expected of someone from a high-class family.

She unlocked the double-lock door and guided me inside.

“This way. Please come in.” (Nadeshiko)

“Sorry for intruding.” (Takaki)

With a bit of tension, I entered the entrance that was twice as large as mine. I couldn’t understand the necessity of having such a spacious entryway.

I took off my shoes and stepped into the hallway.

The hallway, which seemed to connect to the living room, had one door on the right and two doors on the left. The hallway was also about twice as long as mine.

From the interior, it was clear that this was a family-sized apartment.

Despite that, the absence of her parents was puzzling… but there was no point in dwelling on it.

When I was led into the living room, I was taken aback by the sight before me.

Plastic shopping bags were scattered all over, filled with trash from cup noodles, convenience store bento, and plastic bottles. Since there was little else in the living room besides furniture, It was fortunate that there was still some space to walk.

Togami’s lack of basic life skills was on full display.

“…Seriously, do you only eat cup noodles and convenience store bento?” (Takaki)

“Sometimes I also eat frozen foods.” (Nadeshiko)

“Why do you respond with such a sullen tone?” (Takaki)

Peering into the kitchen, I saw two rows of plastic bottles lined up under the sink, waiting to be washed.

I understood that washing is a pain, but this would only hinder her daily life.

Or maybe it wouldn’t because she doesn’t use the kitchen…

“Ah, sorry about the bottles. I’m still not quite sure when to throw them out.” (Nadeshiko)

“True, it’s easy to forget when to clear up the trash when you first move in… But how long have you been living here, Togami?” (Takaki)

“I moved in a little before the school year started, so since March this year.” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s already been six months already!” (Takaki)

“Things have settled down now, but it was tough during the summer… It felt like the plastic bottles were duplicating itself in the heat, so it was quite frightening.” (Nadeshiko)

I don’t even want to imagine what the house must have looked like during the summer.

“But rest assured. I’ve figured out that burnable trash is collected on Mondays and Thursdays, and plastic waste on Tuesdays.” (Nadeshiko)

“That doesn’t make me feel reassured at all!” (Takaki)

It sounded like something an ancient person might say upon discovering the phases of the moon or the seasons. 

I was confused, wondering if maybe this was impressive in its own way.

“However, unfortunately, it seems that plastic bottles are collected randomly.” (Nadeshiko)

“That can’t be! Normally, they’re collected on specific weeks and days, usually about twice a month!” (Takaki)

“Eh, really!? I thought that as long as I noticed there were a lot of bottles to be thrown out, I could just put them out.” (Nadeshiko)

“So you were treating trash disposal like a game of chance?” (Takaki)

She definitely must not have had any experience with taking out the trash at home.

I often heard the term “naive young lady”, but it only seems like a cute phrase when someone is there to take care of things for them. 

Seeing Togami, I realized how devastating things could be when such a person starts living alone while still being clueless about the world.

Even if there was some support from her family, it seems like she was completely left to her own devices or maybe even chose to move out on her own.

Well, that’s beside the point. The priority now is to set up an environment where we can actually cook.

“Before cooking, let’s do a bit of cleaning.” (Takaki)

“But, I feel that it’s really not right for me to ask you to do that.” (Nadeshiko)

“If we don’t clean up, we won’t be able to cook.” (Takaki)

If she feels any remorse, she should be reflecting on inviting someone over to her home in this state. But dwelling on that won’t help right now.

“We should clean up the kitchen first. While I handle the cleaning here, Togami, look up the garbage collection days on the local government website and make a note on your phone.” (Takaki)

“Huh? No, I should help with the cleaning too…” (Nadeshiko)

“You’re the one who needs to take out the trash, so figuring out the schedule comes first. There’s no point in cleaning and leaving the garbage sitting in the corner of the room.” (Takaki)

With that, I convinced Togami and began restoring the kitchen to a usable state.

First, I put the groceries into the refrigerator to keep them out of the way. Then, I started dealing with the garbage, including the bottles and the trash piled up in the sink.

Handling the garbage at a girl’s house isn’t exactly comfortable, but it had to be done. I didn’t feel any weird emotions, just a sense of duty, like I was a cleaning service.

I rinsed the plastic bottles, peeled off the labels, separated the caps from the bottles, and sorted them into separate trash bags. From what I found with a quick check on my phone, the sorting rules here were more lenient than in my city, which was a relief.

I also lightly washed and stacked the cup noodle containers before disposing of them.

Fortunately, there wasn’t much organic waste, but I still wiped down the sink with the sponge and detergent that were left out, emptied the contents of the triangular corner basket, and cleaned it. Finally, I replaced the drain net.

In about ten minutes, the kitchen became much cleaner.

“Alright, that should do it.” (Takaki)

“Thank you so much for cleaning it up, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t worry about it… Well, maybe you should worry about it a little.” (Takaki)

“Ugh, sorry…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami shrank her shoulders apologetically.

“I didn’t realize the kitchen was this spacious.” (Nadeshiko)

“Of course, it would always seem smaller when it’s cluttered with trash.” (Takaki)

Seeing the kitchen now, which likely looked much the same as when she moved in, made her realize just how abnormal the previous state had been.

“Now that I think about it, do you even have cooking utensils in this house?” (Takaki)

Her complete lack of cooking experience was starting to make me uneasy.

“I think they’re in the back of the storage room somewhere.” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s worrying when the resident isn’t even sure.” (Takaki)

After some searching, I quickly found a cutting board, knives, pots, and other cooking utensils. None of them showed any signs of use and had a thin layer of dust on them.

Who knew knife handles could gather dust…

And so, my cooking class for Togami finally began.

“Alright, let’s get started.” (Takaki)

“Yes! Please teach me well!” (Nadeshiko)

“Good response.” (Takaki)

Togami returned a crisp salute. She was even dressed for the occasion, wearing an apron and a bandana over her uniform. I was dressed similarly. Normally, I wouldn’t bother with an apron when cooking at home, but I figured it might be good to set the mood today.

Although Togami doesn’t cook, she seemed to have at least bought a full set of cooking utensils when she moved in. 

Noticing my gaze, Togami shyly fiddled with the strings of her apron.

“I-I was planning to cook someday! I just never found the time!” (Nadeshiko)

“Sure, let’s go with that.” (Takaki)

Someone who hasn’t cooked in six months probably won’t start anytime soon.

First, we needed to prepare the rice, which was essential for curry.

“You do have a rice cooker, right?” (Takaki)

“Yes, it’s over here.” (Nadeshiko)

I looked at a sleek, black, and heavy-duty rice cooker. It had a touch panel instead of buttons and was probably several times more expensive than the one we had at home.

“It’s surprisingly clean for something bought six months ago.” (Takaki)

“Yes, I kept it properly stored!” (Nadeshiko)

“That wasn’t a compliment.” (Takaki)

I placed a 2kg bag of pre-washed rice on the counter.

“First, we’ll cook about two cups of rice, but I don’t see a measuring cup.” (Takaki)

“A measuring cup… oh, you mean that beaker-like thing for rice?” (Nadeshiko)

“That’s roughly right, but I don’t like the comparison.” (Takaki)

Despite searching, I couldn’t find the measuring cup. The fact that there was a rice cooker but no measuring cup clearly showed she never cooked. There was a digital scale, so I measured out two cups, considering one cup of rice to be 150 grams.

In the almost brand-new rice cooker, I put in the rice and water. I wasn’t sure how long cooking the curry would take, but pressing the cook button once we started sautéing² should time it well enough.

“Alright. Next, we’ll start with how to hold a knife. Try holding it naturally, for now.” (Takaki)

“Like this?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami gripped the knife in a way that emanated pure menace.

“Oi, idiot! Don’t hold the knife backwards!” (Takaki)

“I thought it might be easier to stab this way…” (Nadeshiko)

“A knife isn’t for stabbing, it’s for cutting!” (Takaki)

If she stabs, it’s highly likely to end up in the news.

I needed to ensure that if I let Togami handle the knife, it wouldn’t turn into a news story titled “High School Girl Stabs Classmate with Knife.” I had to make sure to drill this into her mind before we finally moved on to cutting vegetables.

“Do you know what a ‘cat’s paw’ is?” (Takaki)

“I believe I have heard of such knowledge.” (Nadeshiko)

“I never thought of it as knowledge. First, you press the vegetable with your fingertips, then slightly bend your knuckles and tilt them towards the cutting edge. If you clench your fist, it becomes difficult to hold the food, so keep it slightly open.” (Takaki)

“Like… like this? It’s surprisingly difficult.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, it is. Though it’s often presented as a basic cooking skill, I struggle with it too.” (Takaki)

My hands are big, so it’s hard to hold small ingredients with the cat’s paw grip. To be honest, I sometimes just use my fingertips out of convenience.

“Is there any trick to it?” (Nadeshiko)

“Well… maybe try getting into the mindset of a cat and start meowing.” (Takaki)

“N-Nyaa…? Gujou-san, what’s the point of this?” (Nadeshiko)

Of course, meowing has no real connection to the cat’s paw technique.

I had intended it as a joke to lighten the mood, but Togami took it seriously.

“…Sorry, that was just a joke.” (Takaki)

“Wha—! Then, then I’ve meowed for nothing!” (Nadeshiko)

“Meowed for nothing” was a new phrase to me.

Togami’s face was flushed with embarrassment. The effect of the apron made the situation all the more impactful.

I realized I was starting to feel a bit weird and reminded myself, “Remember the state of the kitchen!” I looked away and saw a pile of trash bags stacked like a small mountain, which made me chuckle wryly.

Well, I guess it’s worth trying to lighten the mood with a joke every now and then.

…Two hours later.

—”Cutting off the top and bottom of the onion first makes it easier to cut the rest.”

—”Don’t try to be artistic with the way you cut the carrots.”

—”Oil doesn’t make things tastier just by adding more. …Some ramen do but that’s a different story, so don’t go overboard.”

—”The pork is still red. Especially with chicken and pork, make sure they’re cooked thoroughly.”

—”Stop thinking that high heating for a short time equals low heating for a long time! Oi, the fire!”

At first, it was difficult, but Togami was quick to correct herself.

Having overcome numerous challenges, and though it took longer than usual, she finally entered the final simmering stage.

“Well, just let it simmer for a while until the roux is well blended.”

“I see… I’m exhausted.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami looked drained, possibly because she was using areas of her brain she wasn’t accustomed to.

It became clear over time that Togami struggled with multitasking, unlike studying, which she could handle. It made sense that she would have difficulty with household chores.

I finally took a breath and quenched my thirst with a glass of water. I had been shouting and giving constant instructions, and before I knew it, my throat was dry.

“I’ll keep an eye on the pot, so Togami, please handle the dishes—no, never mind. I’ll show you how to do the dishes later.” (Takaki)

“It’s kind of sad that you gave up on me really quickly like that… Can I not even handle washing the dishes on my own…?” (Nadeshiko)

“Sorry, sorry. Alright, clean your hands and get the dishes ready.” (Takaki)

“Understood.” (Nadeshiko)

I figured it was safer to have her prepare the dishes with dry hands, as leaving the pot entirely to Togami seemed a bit risky.

After finishing setting up the plates at the kitchen workspace, Togami stood next to me, staring at the pot. It was tasty enough to eat already, but it still needed a bit more thickness.

“Thank you for today, Gujou-san. If it were just me, I would never have been able to make curry on my own.” (Nadeshiko)

There’s something a bit unsettling about not being able to laugh off the joke. It’s not surprising if a major accident happened before finishing the curry.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself. We still don’t know how it tastes.” (Takaki)

“Hehe, you’re right.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami placed her hand on her mouth and chuckled softly.

Togami stretched with a sigh of relief, as if finally freed from her tension. She then tilted her head and looked up at me.

“Gujou-san, how did you learn to cook?” (Nadeshiko)

“Mostly from my mother. When I was little, I had a habit of talking about what happened at school while my mother was cooking in the kitchen. Along with that, we often cooked together.” (Takaki)

“I see… I’m envious.” (Nadeshiko)

“Togami?” (Takaki)

There was no immediate response.

The sound of curry simmering and the low hum of the ventilation fan were the only noises filling the kitchen. Feeling that pushing her to continue would be inappropriate, I traced the surface of the kitchen counter with my fingertips. The coldness of the stone surface was felt through the touch.

The silence felt like it stretched on for minutes, but it was probably only a few seconds.

Suddenly, Togami began speaking in a distant tone.

“As I mentioned earlier, I live alone.” (Nadeshiko)

“Seems so. Is your family far away or something?” (Takaki)

“No, not at all. My family is within the same prefecture, and commuting to school isn’t an issue. It’s just that I insisted on moving out on my own.” (Nadeshiko)

“Did they not oppose it at all?” (Takaki)

“Not at all. It’s surprising, isn’t it? I would think any normal parent would oppose a fifteen-year-old daughter wanting to live alone, and even I can understand that.” (Takaki)

Togami wore a sarcastic smile, speaking in a detached tone. 

This was different from the usual anxious Togami. Her self-deprecating demeanor left me at a loss for words.

“Isn’t that a bit cold?” (Takaki)

“Well, yeah.” (Nadeshiko)

There was no point in avoiding the issue.

“From a normal perspective, that would be the case. But the Togami family is anything but normal. You’ve heard the rumors, right?” (Nadeshiko)

“That your parents are company presidents, right?” (Takaki)

“Exactly. To be precise, the Togami family is from a founding family of a company that deals in office equipment and home electronics. They have several subsidiaries and related organizations under their umbrella, and the Togami family owns most of the shares in these group companies. It’s commonly referred to as an owner-operated business.” (Nadeshiko)

“I don’t really get it, but it’s clear that Togami’s family is impressive.” (Takaki)

The level of life Togami leads is on a completely different plane from mine. Just being a company president is impressive enough, but when it comes to businesses and related organizations, it’s beyond comprehension for someone like me.

“Will Togami also become the president of such a company in the future?” (Takaki)

“Within the family, only those who are exceptionally capable are directly involved in management. If not, they are at least given a substantial position, often in name only. It’s a form of being kept on a leash.” (Nadeshiko)

“The term ‘kept on a leash’ is pretty blunt.” (Takaki)

“It’s the truth. And then…” (Nadeshiko)

“…Togami?” (Takaki)

Togami, who had been speaking in a detached and emotionless tone, now hesitated with her words.

She let out a small sigh, shook her head, and then continued.

“I’ve been treated as one of those ‘kept in reserve’ since I was a child.” (Nadeshiko)

“……” (Takaki)

Her voice, devoid of all emotion and mechanical, left me unable to respond.

Sensing my struggle for words, Togami continued in a more casual tone.

“It’s something I can’t help. I have two older brothers and an older sister, all of whom are far more exceptional than I am. On the other hand, I was the clumsy youngest child with a significant age gap. I was bad at studying, poor athletically, and also terrible at piano and violin… By the time I was in the upper grades of elementary school, I understood that no one had any expectations for me. Even a child can sense when others are thinking, ‘This one is no good’.” (Nadeshiko) 

Togami looked off into the distance as if recalling the past.

“But right now, you’re a model student, excelling in both academics and athletics.” (Takaki)

At least, that’s how it’s perceived by those around you.

Even with my attempt to comfort her, Togami weakly smiled and shook her head.

“I’ve put in a lot of effort, but I still can’t match up to my older brothers and sister.” (Nadeshiko)

It seems that Togami’s siblings are quite exceptional.

“What did your parents say about it?” (Takaki)

“When I tried to discuss my future path with them in middle school, they had a servant relay the message: ‘Live as you please’.” (Nadeshiko)

The casual mention of servants was shocking, but the real issue isn’t that.

The fact that her parents didn’t even spare time for a direct conversation about her future is what stands out.

The phrase “live as you like” essentially means “I don’t care”.

“Do you know how terrifying it is to hear ‘live as you like’?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s hand clenched tightly at the edge of the counter.

The knuckles turned white, and it was painful to look at, so I turned my gaze away.

“I’m afraid of living without any role or purpose.” (Nadeshiko)

Those words, which slipped out softly, were probably her true feelings.

“Don’t you think it’s terrifying to feel like you’re not needed by anyone?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, maybe.” (Takaki)

Honestly, it’s a feeling I still can’t fully grasp.

After all, in my own home, there’s someone who can’t even manage a normal life without me. In that sense, I might have some sense of purpose or meaning.

“I want to be recognized by my family. That’s why I left the girls’ school I entered without much thought and took the entrance exam for the top school in the prefecture, Reishuu. I moved out of my family home and started living alone, without any servants. They put me in a ridiculously large family-oriented apartment because having their daughter live in a single-person apartment would look bad. It’s funny, isn’t it? They don’t care at all about my future, but they’re concerned about such superficial details.” (Nadeshiko)

“Is that how it is in rich families everywhere?” (Takaki)

“Not necessarily. My family is just a bit more meritocratic.” (Nadeshiko)

“You sure put a positive spin on it.” (Takaki)

“Well, it is the family I grew up in, even if it’s a place like that.” (Nadeshiko)

Having let it all out, Togami gave a small, clear smile.

“Becoming the student council president was also to prove my worth. So, I must fulfill my duties as the president.” (Nadeshiko)

“I see.” (Takaki)

On the day Togami and I were in the PE storage room, Togami had said, “I have to be a proper student council president.”

Proving her worth to parents who had abandoned her must be the driving force behind Togami’s actions.

It’s dazzling, I think. At the same time, practical concerns kept nagging at me.

Would parents who had already given up on their daughter really reconsider her if she excelled as the student council president?

It’s hard to imagine their opinion changing significantly just because of high school achievements. Getting into a prestigious university and building a career might make a difference, but changing their view based on high school accomplishments alone seems unlikely.

Noticing my silence and sensing my doubts, Togami offered a wry smile.

“I understand it myself. Even if I do my best as the student council president, the chance of my parents changing their view of me is low. Still, I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to discard it as meaningless. I think there’s a possibility that these struggles might one day hold meaning for me.” (Nadeshiko)

“Togami…” (Takaki)

That reminded me of the words Togami had spoken in the gym storage room before.

Noticing the damp atmosphere, Togami suddenly looked flustered.

“Oh, um, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to bring this up suddenly…” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t worry about it. Besides, I’m glad I helped you with cooking today.” (Takaki)

“Huh? What do you mean by that?” (Nadeshiko)

“Sure, studying and building relationships are important, but knowing how to cook is also valuable. At least, Togami now is better than my aunt, who can’t cook and keeps avoiding it, despite my efforts to teach her.” (Takaki)

Togami looked taken aback by my unexpected words and then, after a moment, burst into laughter.

“Ahaha, that might be true.” (Nadeshiko)

At that moment, the timer I had set went off.

I turned off the heat and faced Togami again.

“Is it done?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah. Togami, please serve the rice onto the plates and bring them over here.” (Takaki)

“Got it!” (Nadeshiko)

The change in Togami’s demeanor was noticeable; her voice now had a slightly lively tone. Watching her excitedly carry the plates to the rice cooker, I let out a sigh of relief.

On the living room table, two plates of curry and two spoons were neatly arranged. Steam rose from the curry and rice, and the spicy aroma stimulated our appetite.

“Well then, itadakimasu.” (Takaki)

“Yes! Itadakimasu.” (Nadeshiko)

We joined our hands in a brief gesture of thanks and began eating the curry.

I scooped up a portion of rice and curry with my spoon, making sure to get some meat and onions. I opened my mouth wide to avoid getting the sauce on my lips and took a bite.

“Mmm!” (Nadeshiko)

Togami, who was also eating, made a strange noise with her mouth closed and chewed for a while. After a small gulp, her eyes lit up.

“…It’s delicious!!” (Nadeshiko)

“Right? The food you make yourself always tastes better.” (Takaki)

“Indeed, this might even rival a convenience store bento. Though, the two hours it took is a bit of a drawback.” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s more about technique. Once you get the hang of it, you can make curry in about thirty minutes. If you cut the ingredients into smaller pieces and shorten the cooking time, you can cut it down to twenty minutes. Honestly, that’s enough for homemade curry.” (Takaki)

“I see, that’s quite informative. But isn’t there still a time issue with cooking the rice?” (Nadeshiko)

“If you pre-cook and freeze the rice in portions, you only need to make the curry itself. Also, curry can be made in advance. I usually make enough for two days at once.” (Takaki)

“Indeed!! Could it be that you’re a genius, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s the wisdom of those who came before us.” (Takaki)

Thanks to all the parents and cooking experts out there who have strived to save time.

Next time, I’ll make sure to recommend some good freezer storage containers to Togami.

In the end, I had two servings of curry. Afterward, I taught Togami how to wash the dishes and pots, then left Togami’s house.

The day after the midterm exams, which was the day Togami’s class had cooking practice.

When I went to the student council room after school, Togami was deep in thought with a strange expression on their face.

“Hey.” (Takaki)

“Ah, Gujou-san. Thank you for your hard work on the midterm exams.” (Nadeshiko)

“Togami, you look tired too… Did you mess up on the test?” (Takaki)

“No, the test went fine. However, we had cooking practice today.” (Nadeshiko)

When I spoke, Togami responded with a complicated expression.

“Well… I have mixed feelings…” (Nadeshiko)

“What happened?” (Takaki)

“I tried to handle the knife, but the others in my group said, ‘We can’t let Togami-san do something dangerous!’ and took it away from me. When I tried to stir-fry or simmer, they stopped me, saying, ‘What if you burn yourself?’ And for dishwashing, they said, ‘What if you break something and injure yourself?'” (Nadeshiko)

“Why did that happen?” (Takaki)

“Oh, I once accidentally mentioned in front of my classmates that ‘Togami’s family has a personal chef.’ It seems they assumed I couldn’t cook because of that… Ahaha…” (Nadeshiko)

I see. It makes sense now. There’s no initial expectation that an aristocrat would be able to cook. Although there’s a perception of being particular about taste, Togami seems like the type who relies on convenience foods like ready-made meals and cup noodles.

“Well, if you didn’t mess up, I guess it’s fine?” (Takaki)

“Yes, that’s true. But this makes the intense training I went through seem pointless… Even after a week of making curry every day, to the point of dreaming about it… and even getting good at removing potato sprouts with the knife… Haa…” (Nadeshiko)

It seems that Togami continued to make curry as self-training after that day.

“A week of making curry—didn’t you get tired of it?” (Takaki)

“No, even though it was supposed to be the same curry, for some reason, the taste changed every time, so I didn’t get bored.” (Nadeshiko)

“Well, I’m glad it tasted edible.” (Takaki)

I wanted to ask how she managed to make the flavor change every time using store-bought curry mix.

In any case, Togami’s dedication is impressive. To keep making curry for a whole week shows just how much effort she puts in.

It’s likely that this commitment is why she continues to excel both academically and athletically.

Togami still looked dissatisfied, her expression showing frustration at not being able to demonstrate the results of her practice.

Thanks for reading!

That ‘Nyaa’ thing was unexpected but funny. She does look like the kind of person to just take such things at face value.

Sending servants to effectively say ‘I don’t care’ is way too harsh…

Oh god this chapter was so long… I’m starting to doubt that I can finish this in time…

---

1. From my research, Ramen Jiro is a popular Japanese chain of ramen stores. Jiro-inspired stores are inspired by these stores.
2. To saute is to cook food over high heat, usually in butter or oil. Look, idk anything about cooking so something in this line is probably wrong.

One morning, sometime after joining the student council, at 6:30 AM…

*Beep beep beep, beep beep beep*

An alarm echoed loudly and pierced through my consciousness.

Extending an arm out of my bed, I reached for my smartphone on the table. Touching the screen with my fingertip, I stopped the alarm.

Just like that, my consciousness smoothly faded away once again, and I slipped into the bliss of a second sleep.

Ah, why does falling back asleep feel so good… No matter how many times I end up late, I don’t think I can stop. It takes so long to fall asleep at night, but it’s so easy to fall asleep a second time—it’s like a glitch in the human body.

After repeatedly hopping back and forth between sleep and semi-consciousness, I gave in and got up at the fourth alarm.

It was 6:43 AM. Roughly the usual time.

Before joining the student council, I set my first alarm for 7:00 AM, but after joining, I set it earlier to avoid being late.

Thanks to that, I still had plenty of time even after four rounds of sleep.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I headed to Na-chan’s room.

“Hey, wake up already!” (Takaki)

I knocked on the door and called out from outside, but there was no response.

Of course, there wasn’t a corpse inside, and if I strained my ears, I could hear rustling sounds.

“I’m coming in.” (Takaki)

As I spoke, I opened the door and found Na-chan wrapped in a blanket on the bed. Although her body was hidden, she was wriggling, so she was probably conscious.

“Wake up.” (Takaki)

“No… five more minutes…” (Na-chan?)

“Stop whining.” (Takaki)

Annoyed by her childish response, I yanked the blanket away without a second thought.

“Hyah!” (Na-chan?)

She let out a strange sound as she rolled on the bed. For a moment, she flailed her arms trying to find the blanket, but soon realized it was futile and stopped.

Even with a tearful face, her eyes remained tightly shut as she muttered in a strained voice.

“Ugh… Takkun, you’re such a brute… a sadistic glass-wearing nerd…” (Na-chan?)

“I don’t even wear glasses.” (Takaki)

This nonsensical chatter early in the morning came from none other than Na-chan.

Her full name was Gujou Naho.

Species: Human being;

Gender: Female;

Age: Twenty-eight years old; 

Relationship status: Single, no boyfriend;

And she’s my biological aunt.

She had semi-long brown hair with dark roots showing, and while not having a model’s figure, her proportions were fairly well-balanced.

She had a very youthful face. With a bit of bias, she could easily be mistaken for a college student.

She’s more than ten years younger than my dad and was still in middle school when I was born. Even in my earliest memories, she was in high school, so I have vague memories of her in a school uniform.

Because of that, she absolutely hated being called “Oba-san (Aunt)” by me and insisted on being called “Na-chan”.

I can understand not wanting to be called “Oba-san” in your twenties, but it’s annoying how she gets grumpy whenever I slip up.

Now, perhaps trying to make up for the absence of the blanket, she was hugging a pillow tightly with both hands.

It seemed she still had lingering attachments to the world of dreams.

Her strawberry-patterned girly pajamas were slightly disheveled, exposing her smooth stomach and underwear.

Waking up the sleep-deprived Na-chan had become a daily routine for me. I grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her.

“Na-chan, please, just wake up.” (Takaki)

“Hinnn… stop it…” (Naho)

“Oi, don’t make weird noises.” (Takaki)

“Sorry, Takkun… could it be… seeing me like this made you feel… naughty?” (Naho)

“Don’t make me want to smack your thirty-year-old face.” (Takaki)

As soon as I said that, Na-chan, displaying agility that didn’t seem possible moments ago, sat up and stared at me seriously as I stood beside the bed.

“Don’t talk about people’s age like that! I’m still in my twenties, and I get hit on occasionally when I walk around town. Every time I go to buy cosmetics, the clerks compliment me, saying ‘Wow, you don’t look like you’re in your late twenties at all! Your skin is great’, you know?!” (Naho)

With eyes devoid of light and a tone devoid of any life, she returned a robotic response. The pressure was so intense, that it felt like being compressed like a cup noodle at the bottom of the deep sea.

“Uwa—! Don’t suddenly rant at me with a straight face, it’s scary!” (Takaki)

“You’re in high school already, Takkun, so you know what to say if you’ve done something wrong, right?” (Naho)

“Alright, my bad! I’m sorry!” (Takaki)

Seriously though, how does Na-chan manage to eliminate the highlights in her eyes? It’s a real mystery. Is it something she can control consciously?

Being reminded of her age seemed to have completely woken her up. Na-chan reluctantly got out of bed.

“Haa, students who keep thinking they’re young forever… When you hit your late twenties, things start getting really tough, you know?” (Naho)

Well, yeah, I can tell based on how you’re bragging about the compliments from the store clerk earlier.

While muttering to herself, Na-chan headed towards the direction of the bathroom.

After she left, I then headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Na-chan and I live together in this two-bedroom apartment.

In the kitchen, I set four slices of bread in the toaster. I cracked a cold egg that I’d left out to reach room temperature and dropped it along with some ham into a frying pan, covering it to steam-cook. I lightly washed some cherry tomatoes while waiting and set aside portions for bentos as well.

“Haa… why does morning have to come… They say there’s no endless night, but I wouldn’t mind having an endless dream…” (Naho)

“If you’ve got time to question such a thing, could you at least bring out the jam and dishes? And coffee too.” (Takaki)

“Alright.” (Naho)

I nudged the listless Na-chan aside and plated the toast, ham and eggs, and cherry tomatoes. I popped the individually frozen rice into the microwave to thaw, making sure to prepare some for our bentos as well.

Carrying the plates over, I found Na-chan already seated at the dining table, ready and waiting. She had already prepared coffee for both herself and me.

“Here you go, it’s done.” (Takaki)

“Thanks. Itadakimasu!” (Naho)

Setting aside the smartphone she had been playing with, Na-chan innocently clasped her hands together and started spreading jam on her toast. Just moments ago, she had been grumbling about age and mornings, but now, her mood had completely shifted.

The ability to switch gears so quickly was one of Na-chan’s admirable traits.

“Yeah, speaking of which, I think I’ll be able to come home early today.” (Naho)

“Got it. You’ve seemed pretty busy lately.” (Takaki)

“Yeah, well, my workload is the usual, but I also had to help with training a new employee.” (Naho)

Despite appearances, Na-chan is a full-fledged professional working at a local publishing company.

At work, Na-chan serves as an editor for a local magazine, and she’s apparently relied upon by her colleagues for her talent. That often leads to late nights at the office, and she often comes home exhausted.

However, at home, she fully displays her natural sloppiness—she doesn’t clean, cook, do laundry, or even bother to get dressed after a bath. Consequently, I, her nephew, handle all the household chores.

I wish I could have also been like Na-chan and completely abandoned all household duties, but sadly, I couldn’t bear the thought of rotating through frozen meals, turning the sink into a swamp, or wearing the same dirty socks from the previous week.

I caved in.

Moreover, it’s puzzling how Na-chan can be so lax in everything else yet meticulously care for her facial makeup and skincare routine. Even if she dedicated just a fraction of that effort to tidying up her room, the bathroom, or the contents of the fridge, it would make a difference.

I sprinkle soy sauce over the ham and eggs, break the yolk, and mix the creamy yolk with the ham before taking a bite.

Hmm, today’s breakfast turned out pretty well.

As I praised my own breakfast, Na-chan struck up a conversation.

“By the way, Takkun, you’ve been getting up early lately, haven’t you?” (Naho)

“Yeah, I joined the student council a while ago, so I can’t be late.” (Takaki)

“Oh? …Huh? Student council? That’s news to me!” (Naho)

“That’s cause I never mentioned it.” (Takaki)

“You need to say stuff like this! After all, I’m practically your guardian!” (Naho)

“Oh, right… Sorry.” (Takaki)

You say that, but at home, I often feel like I’m the guardian.

I mean, I do most of the cooking, laundry, and cleaning around here. She’ll at least take out the trash if I ask, though.

While having breakfast, I explained to Na-chan how I ended up joining the student council.

Of course, I didn’t mention how much of a disaster the student council president is.

“…So yeah. Well, I could have probably not joined the student council and avoided repeating a year, but it’s a bit too late now.” (Takaki)

“Hmm, Takkun in the student council, huh? I could understand if it was back in middle school, but it’s a bit surprising considering how you’ve been lately.” (Naho)

“It’s not like I wanted to join.” (Takaki)

“But if you haven’t quit yet, it can’t be all bad, right? Sounds like you’re having fun.” (Naho)

“I’m not so sure about that. It’s a hassle. I’m not a workaholic, and I’d rather have less to do.” (Takaki)

“But you seem comfortable in the student council. Oh, I get it! It’s because Arisu-chan is there with you, right?” (Naho)

“…Why are you bringing up her name?” (Takaki)

“Well, youth and love is wonderful, isn’t it? Having a cute childhood friend is a blessing, you know? You must be pretty happy, right?” (Naho)

“Haa, whatever.” (Takaki)

It’s true that having Arisu in the student council is a blessing, but admitting that to Na-chan would only complicate things, so I brushed it off casually.

And I definitely need to keep my relationship with Togami as discreet as possible. If it got out that there’s an extraordinary beauty as the student council president and that we share secrets, who knows how much teasing I’d have to endure?

As I pondered over these thoughts, I noticed Na-chan staring intently at me.

She had an unexpectedly serious yet gentle expression, causing me to involuntarily pause with my toast halfway to my mouth.

“What is it? You’re not thinking of something weird, are you?” (Takaki)

“Nah, nothing like that. Just thinking about how you seem pretty happy lately, and that’s a good thing, you know, from a guardian’s perspective.” (Naho)

“I see…” (Takaki)

Caught off guard by her sudden remark, I shyly averted my gaze.

But Na-chan wasn’t going to let it slide that easily.

“I mean, you worked hard for high school entrance exams and got into a high-ranking school, only to end up getting injured. I still remember how depressed you were.” (Naho)

“It’s not that bad…” (Takaki)

“But still, that’s quite a contrast from your serious middle school days. I mean, there were all sorts of things before entering high school, right?” (Naho)

“I understand that Dad’s situation is unavoidable.” (Takaki)

“Even if you understand, you’re not okay with it, right?” (Naho)

“…” (Takaki)

“You’re kind-hearted, Takkun. You don’t want to think badly of your Dad.” (Naho)

Dad had to support me financially, and the extended overseas assignment was due to the company’s needs. It would be selfish of me, a child, to complain about it.

I understood all this logically.

But to say there’s absolutely no resentment… would be a lie.

If only life was simpler…

“But stressing yourself out to the point of causing trouble for Arisu-chan, your teachers, or anyone else at school doesn’t solve anything. It’s not helping you, Takkun. It’s just self-destructive behavior. Look up the term ‘self-neglect’.” (Naho)

She hit me with those sharp words as I fell silent.

Despite her usual carefree attitude, she could really drive home the gap in life experiences at moments like this.

“… Well, I’m doing pretty okay now. You can relax.” (Takaki)

“Yeah. I feel like I can rest easy lately. Oh, are you good on time?” (Naho)

As if to wrap up the conversation, Na-chan prompted me.

Indeed, it was time to finish cleaning up and get ready to leave. As I stood up with the dishes, Na-chan handed me a mug and a plate.

“Hey Takkun, could you wash these too?” (Naho)

“Seriously, can’t you start washing your own dishes by now?” (Takaki)

“I can wash them, you know? But whenever I do, you get all mad about ‘the dishes not being clean enough’, so I end up leaving it to you.” (Naho)

“Yeah, I remember that.” (Takaki)

I sighed as I took the dishes from her.

Honestly, I should seriously teach Na-chan how to do household chores one of these days.

◆

On the way home that day.

The student council had a lot of work so we stayed behind until it was completely dark.

I got off at the nearest station with Arisu and we walked back together.

We diverged from the main street and entered a residential area. Small bugs repeatedly hit the dim streetlights, making small sounds in the narrow alley.

It was late October, and the evenings had become quite cool. I felt like it would be if the temperature stayed like this all year round. In another half month, the nights would probably become too cold.

“…And that’s how it is. Even though she’s almost thirty, she’s quite troublesome.” (Takaki)

“Hmm. Sounds like Na-chan hasn’t changed at all.” (Arisu)

As we walked, I complained to Arisu about things that had been happening at home, mainly related to Na-chan.

The Yura family and Gujou family had been close since I was in elementary school. So, Arisu also knew Na-chan, and I was familiar with Arisu’s parents as well.

“By the way, does Na-chan have anyone she’s dating?” (Arisu)

“Not as far as I know. She doesn’t seem interested in that either.” (Takaki)

I’m not sure about her situation before we started living together, but I have at least never heard of Na-chan mentioning being in a relationship with anyone.

Of course, there’s a possibility she was hiding it from me. However, it would be difficult to keep hiding it when we’re living together.

“Really? That’s a bit surprising.” (Arisu)

“Is it? There aren’t many people who are open-minded enough to date her.” (Takaki)

When I said that, Arisu frowned as if to say, “Are you an idiot?”

“Nonono. One wouldn’t normally know about her lazy personality or how terrible she is at housework before dating her.” (Arisu)

“Well, that’s true.” (Takaki)

“Na-chan is quite beautiful, and she’s probably popular, right? If she wanted to get a boyfriend, she could easily get one.” (Arisu)

Even I had noticed that Na-chan was quite attractive, but Arisu seemed to hold her in higher regard than I had expected. I guess it’s a bit hard to judge appearance when it comes to family.

“So, it’s natural to think there’s a reason why she doesn’t get a boyfriend.” (Arisu)

“A reason, huh?” (Takaki)

We walked in silence for a while, and I thought about my life with Na-chan.

An aunt and her nephew living together as a family.

In the eyes of the general public, it might seem a bit unusual.

Up until now, things had worked out well, but it was a delicate balance. If either of our circumstances changed even a little, it would easily collapse.

“Is it because I’m here that she finds it hard to get a boyfriend?” (Takaki)

Arisu folded her arms and pondered upon hearing my words.

“Well, if she started living with her boyfriend, Takaki would be left alone.” (Arisu)

“Yeah, I figured as much.” (Takaki)

“Maybe Na-chan wants to prioritize you over herself for now. So you probably don’t need to worry about her, but I think you could at least be a bit kinder to her.” (Arisu)

“…I see. Sorry, Arisu. I need to stop by the supermarket, so go on ahead without me.” (Takaki)

I had planned to use the ingredients in the fridge for dinner, but maybe I’ll make sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot) for a change.

As if seeing right through my thoughts, Arisu gave me a gentle smile.

“Okay. I’ll head off here. See you tomorrow.” (Arisu)

“Yeah.” (Takaki)

◆

“I’m home.” (Takaki)

As I opened the door, the motion sensor was triggered and the entrance hall was bathed with warm light. Na-chan’s shoes were scattered carelessly on the entryway floor, and her bag was placed placed at the top of the step.

It seemed unusual for Na-chan, who was usually busy with work, to be home already.

“Na-chan, are you here?” (Takaki)

I called out towards the living room door where the light was spilling out, but there was no response.

For now, I quickly took off my shoes and headed to the kitchen to put down the groceries.

“Hmm?” (Takaki)

In the hallway connecting the entrance to the living room, I noticed something lying on the floor.

I set my bags aside and picked it up.

“…Stockings?” (Takaki)

They were the black stockings Na-chan usually wore.

As I shifted my gaze, I noticed a jacket had been dropped in front of the door.

From the circumstantial evidence, it seemed that Na-chan had come home and immediately tossed her bag and clothes aside, then rushed into the living room.

It was typical of Na-chan, but it was quite problematic for someone in their thirties to be like this.

I let out a deep sigh.

For now, I left the bag and stockings where they were and picked up the jacket, which looked like it might get wrinkled. I stepped into the living room, only to almost step on something, and instinctively took a step back.

I noticed a white blouse lying near the entrance to the living room.

But that wasn’t all.

A skirt and blouse were scattered from the entrance to the back of the living room.

It was easy to imagine Na-chan tossing off her clothes one after another and diving onto the sofa.

“Is this a worse version of Hansel and Gretel¹…?” (Takaki)

Following the trail of clothes, I ended up at the sofa with its back facing me.

The urge to turn around and retreat to my room surfaced within me.

However, my sense of responsibility prevailed.

I steeled myself and peered in.

On the sofa was Na-chan, lying in her underwear and camisole, half-naked. 

It was as expected, but my head felt heavy with the weight of it all.

She had her head and back lying on the seat, with one knee bent and resting on the backrest. One hand, hanging off the edge of the sofa, was also gripping a can of beer.

On the table was a strong Chu-Hi (Alcoholic drink) with its pull-tab already opened, wrapped in a convenience store bag. It seemed likely that Na-chan had bought this at a nearby store, drunk it on her way home, and, in high spirits, also drank the beer from the fridge before falling asleep.

My gaze looking down at this nearly thirty-year-old woman must have been thoroughly cold.

“Hey, Oba-san.” (Takaki)

“Uuuuu…” (Naho)

A wild and displeased growl can be heard from her.

Perhaps she didn’t like being called “Oba-san” even while asleep.

“…Na-chan.” (Takaki)

“Ungh! …Ah, Takkun, you’re back! Yay!” (Naho)

When I called her by her usual nickname, she grinned with her flushed, drunk face.

I really wish she wouldn’t differentiate nicknames even while she’s asleep.

“Why are you sleeping half-naked?” (Takaki)

“Ehh? I’ve been awake the entire time~” (Naho)

“That’s a lie. Because I called you Ob… No, never mind.” (Takaki)

I had almost blurted out a forbidden phrase and barely stopped myself in time. That was close.

Na-chan seemed unaware of this and was flicking the empty can with her fingers.

“By the way, I’m short on snacks~ Takkun, make something~~” (Naho)

“…Fine. I’ll whip something up for you but put a blanket over yourself. You’ll catch a cold.” (Takaki)

Sighing at Na-chan, who was asking for snacks right after waking up, I tossed the blanket that was draped over the backrest of the sofa.

“Hehe, thanks~ I’m so happy that Takkun has grown up to be such a kind child~” (Naho)

“Yeah, yeah.” (Takaki)

I carried the shopping bags into the kitchen and began thinking about what I could make from the ingredients in the fridge and what I had bought today. 

It would be a waste to serve the sukiyaki meat to a drunk, so I decided to put it in the freezer for now. For the moment, I could prepare some chopped tomatoes and dried baby sardines with ponzu to satisfy her, and in the meantime, make a sake-steamed dish with mushrooms and pork thigh, and then…

“Oh right, make sure it’s something with strong flavors! And it should go well with alcohol, be low in calories, and good for beauty!” (Naho)

“…Haa.” (Takaki)

I had been troubled by various thoughts during the conversation with Arisu earlier, but now, thinking more clearly, I realized that Na-chan wasn’t exactly the thoughtful type.

I wish someone would hurry up and marry her.

I’ll just live my life peacefully on my own…

Thanks for reading!

So there are 3 more chapters left in this volume, and I’m kinda on a timer cause my enlistment date is coming up. So hopefully I can finish it beforehand, and not procrastinate.

---

1. Hansel and Gretel is some children fairy tale story which I don’t remember. But I think the story started the trope of leaving breadcrumbs behind, but instead breadcrumbs, in this case, it’s clothes.

One day…

When I went to the student council room after school, Togami approached me with a big smile.

“You finally arrived, Gujou-san!” (Nadeshiko)

“What happened?” (Takaki)

“We’ve received a request for giving advice to a student in the suggestion box!” (Nadeshiko)

“Seriously?” (Takaki)

I glanced at Arisu, who was standing behind Togami, nodding while holding her smartphone.

“It’s true. We received a DM (direct message) on the student council’s social media account.” (Nadeshiko)

Apparently, it wasn’t a misunderstanding by Togami.

The student council has official accounts on various social media platforms. These are mainly used to announce school events, test periods, and information requested by the teachers to inform the student body.

The management of these accounts is handled by Arisu, as she is “the most familiar with social media among the student council members.” The DMs serve as an online version of the suggestion box.

In front of the student council room, there is the physical version of the suggestion box, but it seems that DMs are less intimidating for students.

That said, honestly, I didn’t expect to receive any requests from students so soon.

“Hmm, I didn’t expect we’d actually receive one.” (Misuzu)

It seemed Hourai-senpai felt the same way.

Togami, unaware of my mixed feelings about the increase in work, spoke to us with a big smile.

“So, everyone! The person seeking advice is scheduled to arrive in about ten minutes, so let’s give it our all!” (Nadeshiko)

Arisu and Hourai-senpai seemed reasonably enthusiastic. They were probably feeling a bit excited as well.

“Since they took the trouble to ask for advice, we have to do our best as the student council.” (Nadeshiko)

“Last year, we didn’t have many opportunities to listen to the general students, so this feels a bit refreshing.” (Misuzu)

“Well, if it’s an unreasonable request, we can just turn it down.” (Takaki)

“Ei!” (Arisu)

When I murmured without much enthusiasm, Arisu, with her keen hearing, lightly bonked me on the head.

Ten minutes later.

*knock knock*

A sound echoed from the door.

“Yes, come in!” (Nadeshiko)

“Um, this is the student council room, right?” (Student)

Following Togami’s enthusiastic response, a nervous girl appeared, opening the door slowly.

With short brown hair and slightly tanned skin, she gave off an active impression at first glance. Her toned physique hinted that she was a member of some sports club.

“Um, I sent a DM for advice. Is this the right place?” (Student)

“Yes, this is the student council room. Please have a seat on that sofa.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yes! Thank you!” (Student)

Togami gracefully gestured towards the sofa with a sweep of her hand. The female student politely bowed her head and sat down.

Togami took a seat opposite her, Hourai-senpai sat next to her, and Arisu stood behind the two. I decided to observe the discussion from a slightly distant spot by the wall.

“Firstly, nice to meet you, I am Togami Nadeshiko, the student council president. I have just been appointed not long ago, so there may be some areas where I fall short, but I hope I could still be of help.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami introduced herself in a pleasant voice that exuded gracefulness. Even knowing her true, clumsy nature, I couldn’t help but be captivated. The overly energetic vibe from earlier was gone, and her demeanor in dealing with people was perfect.

“I am Sena Akane, a first-year student. I’m part of the tennis club!” (Akane)

The girl who introduced herself as Sena sounded slightly nervous as she spoke.

Next, Hourai-senpai and Arisu introduced themselves.

“I’m Hourai Misuzu, a second-year and the student council vice president. Nice to meet you.” (Misuzu)

“I’m Yura, the student council treasurer. Just like Sena-san, I’m also a first year!” (Arisu)

“Oh, yes! Nice to meet you!” (Akane)

Looks like the entire student council was expected to introduce themselves. As I walked toward the sofa, I started to speak.

“And I’m the student council secretary…” (Takaki)

At that moment, Sena flinched. What was that about?

“Huh! You’re Gujou-san from Class B…!?” (Akane)

“Oh, do you know Takaki?” (Arisu)

Arisu asked in a weird way. She’s probably thinking something rude like, “Wasn’t Takaki a loner?”

Unfortunately, based on Sena’s reaction, she doesn’t seem to have any pleasant thoughts about me.

“Well, it’s just that there’s a rumor you’re the biggest delinquent since Reishuu started.” (Akane)

Yeah, that sounds about right… What else could it have been?

Even among first-year students, my bad reputation had already spread widely.

Sena must have heard the rumors somewhere.

So, what should I do now?

If it were just a random encounter in the school, there wouldn’t be much of a downside to letting the misunderstanding go. It would only hurt my feelings a bit.

However, since I’m here as a student council member, I couldn’t just leave it be.

“Look, Sena, I don’t know where you heard those rumors, but I’m not a delinquent.” (Takaki)

I spoke as friendly as I could, with a smile.

“Eek.” (Akane)

However, upon seeing that smile, Sena’s expression tensed up. She slid her hips onto the sofa, positioning herself diagonally opposite to me.

“Just think about it. If I were really a delinquent, there’s no way I could be a student council member.” (Takaki)

“Well, that’s true, but…” (Akane)

She visibly showed her wariness.

“W-Wait, could it be that Gujou-san has taken over the student council!?” (Akane)

“Of course not!” (Takaki)

Arisu, unable to watch this unfold, jumped in to help.

“Haha, well, Takaki is easily misunderstood, but he’s really not that shady. As his childhood friend, I can vouch for him.” (Arisu)

“Arisu…” (Takaki)

I sent a relieved glance her way, and she casually raised her thumb as if to say it was nothing.

“He just has a menacing look and a face that could pass as a delinquent, he’s socially awkward, a loner who slipped and broke his bone checking his face on his phone before school, and to top it off, he’s just going through a rebellious phase where he can’t keep up with his studies. So don’t worry!” (Arisu)

“Oi!” (Takaki)

Just when I thought she was helping me, she had to throw in all those unnecessary words.

Well, what she’s saying is all true, but even if it’s true, it still feels like it’s slander.

“Is that so?” (Akane)

Nevertheless, I appreciated Arisu stepping in for me.

Going along with the flow, I tried to explain to Sena.

“Yeah… Yura’s right. Besides, if I really were a dangerous student, I would’ve been expelled by now.” (Takaki)

“But there’s also the possibility that Gujou-san has already taken over the entire Reishuu High School.” (Akane)

“If I had that much power, it would be too late to worry about such things, won’t it?” (Takaki)

After calmly addressing everything, Sena finally came to understand that I wasn’t a delinquent.

Seeing Sena’s composed demeanor, Togami, who had been observing the situation, prompted her to continue.

“Shall we get to the main topic then? Sena-san, regarding your concern.” (Nadeshiko)

“Oh, right! Actually, um, I feel a bit guilty asking this of everyone in the student council…” (Akane)

“Don’t worry about it. Supporting everyone’s school life is part of our duty in the student council.” (Nadeshiko)

“Oh, that’s reassuring! Then, if you don’t mind…” (Akane)

“Yes?” (Nadeshiko)

As we, the student council, anxiously watched, Sena nervously played with her fingertips on her knee and smiled shyly.

“To be honest, there’s someone I’ve liked for a long time. We’re quite close, but because of that closeness, I feel like I’m not seen as a romantic interest. I’m worried that I might be seen as just a friend. So, I thought I’d ask everyone in the student council how I can get this person to notice me romantically!” (Akane)

There was a brief moment of silence.

“…Eh?” (Arisu)

Arisu, who was standing by my side, couldn’t help but let out a surprised sound.

Togami clasped her hands neatly on her knees and sat upright on the sofa.

She glanced at me as if seeking help, but what am I supposed to say?

“Kyaa! I said it!” (Akane)

On the other hand, Sena, perhaps relieved after sharing her concerns, raised her hands to her cheeks and was getting excited.

The initial tension had dissipated somewhere.

Deciding to discuss it among ourselves, I subtly gestured for Togami to come closer.

“Um, excuse us for a moment.” (Takaki)

Togami and Hourai-senpai also stood up, and the four of us gathered to discuss quietly.

“This is a love consultation, isn’t it?” (Takaki)

Hearing my words, Togami had a difficult look on her face.

“It seems so. Honestly, I didn’t expect to receive this kind of request…” (Nadeshiko)

“So, what should we do about this? Are we going to flat out refuse to take a love consultation in the student council?” (Takaki)

“However, it doesn’t sit well with me to send away a student who came to us for help. But I must admit, I’m not confident in handling a love consultation myself… How about you three?” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai directed the question to us, but both Arisu and I shook our heads.

“If it’s a friend, that’s one thing, but giving strangers love advice is too much responsibility.” (Takaki)

“I have no clue about this kind of thing either.” (Arisu)

“Hmm, I see…” (Misuzu)

“Well, I read online that when girls ask for advice, you just need to say ‘uh-huh,’ ‘yeah,’ ‘it’s his fault,’ or something. Just nod along and wrap up the conversation sounding like it’s resolved.” (Takaki)

Sometimes just having affirmation is enough, right?

It seemed like a fairly constructive suggestion, but Arisu next to me began nudging me aggressively with her foot.

“Um, Arisu-san, that hurts…” (Takaki)

“Because you say the worst things!” (Arisu)

“But I read it online… ow! Okay, got it, I’m sorry!” (Takaki)

“Haa… if you try that, I’ll really hit you.” (Arisu)

Between getting stepped on and getting punched, I couldn’t decide which was worse. For now, I’ll just take this seriously.

I turned to Togami, wondering what we should do next.

She seemed unsure herself, glancing briefly at Sena behind her.

Sena sat on the sofa, visibly restless and fidgety. Clearly, she was concerned about our conversation, occasionally glancing our way, though she kept her face composed.

Togami slowly turned back, clasping her fists in front of her chest.

“Let’s take on Sena-san’s request.”  (Nadeshiko)

She said it firmly with an unwavering expression.

“Are you okay with that?” (Takaki)

“Yes. I’m sure Sena-san must have thought hard about it before sending the DM. It wouldn’t be right to send her home now that she’s trusted us enough with her concerns,” (Nadeshiko)

Hearing those words, Hourai-senpai smiled.

“That’s a good attitude to have. I may not know much about romance, but I’ll do my best to help.” (Misuzu)

“Alright, I’ll do my best too!” (Arisu)

With that, we returned to our seats.

Togami, seated in front of Sena, smiled gently and spoke.

“I apologize for the wait. The Student Council will gladly listen to Sena-san’s concerns. While I can’t guarantee how much we can help, I promise we’ll do our best.” (Nadeshiko)

Upon hearing those words, Sena’s face lit up brightly.

Seeing her expression, I couldn’t help but feel relieved that we hadn’t refused.

“Thank you so much! I’m glad I came here!” (Akane)

Sena made a small fist pump. It was a bit pressure-inducing to see her so happy when nothing had been resolved yet.

With sparkling eyes, Sena leaned forward on the table.

“Togami-san, you’re incredibly beautiful so you must have a lot of experience with romance, right!? Ah, I’m so jealous!” (Akane)

“Eh?” (Nadeshiko)

Sena clasped her hands together like in a prayer and spoke with a dreamy expression.

Seeing her like that, Togami looked bewildered.

Indeed, Togami had a strikingly good appearance, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she had a boyfriend.

The issue was, if she did have one, her clumsiness would undoubtedly be exposed.

“And the other council members… All of you ladies seem like you’d be popular and have plenty of romantic experience!” (Akane)

Sena casually praised everyone else, excluding me.

Upon receiving her gaze, Hourai-senpai and Arisu reacted with a slight twitch.

“I’ve always been focused on training, so I’m not very experienced in romantic matters.” (Misuzu)

“Well, I’ve been confessed to before, but I haven’t actually dated anyone.” (Arisu)

“Even so, that’s good enough! And as for Gujou-san… he seems like he might make girls cry instead…” (Akane)

“Hey.” (Takaki)

Sena’s prejudice against me remained as strong as ever.

For the record, even during my serious middle and elementary school days, I never had any experiences with being popular, whether romantically or otherwise. By high school, I’ve been avoided by both boys and girls alike, so my romantic experience is zero. While I’ve been close friends with Arisu for a long time and don’t feel uncomfortable around girls, it’s likely they feel uncomfortable around me. It’s sad to say that about myself.

Sena seemed unfazed by her unintentional slip and turned back to Togami.

“Senpai, you must be a master at handling complicated romantic nuances, right?” (Akane)

“Huh… well, yes, you can count on me. I might even have enough insight to be called a love master.” (Nadeshiko)

“Wow!” (Akane)

Sena applauded enthusiastically, prompting Togami to cross her arms and boast with a smug expression.

Knowing her true nature, I understood this was just a front, but Sena had no way of knowing that.

“So, Sena-san. Could you tell us more about your situation?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami redirected the conversation towards Sena, urging her to elaborate.

◆

According to Sena, she had feelings for her childhood friend, Tachibana. However, to Tachibana, Sena was just a childhood friend and not seen as a girl. Sena wanted to make him notice her, but due to her lack of romantic experience, she didn’t know how to go about it, so she turned to the Student Council for advice.

That was the gist of her story.

“A childhood friend, huh…” (Arisu)

Arisu murmured after hearing the whole story.

“Sorry, but I have to ask. Wouldn’t it be better to discuss this kind of issue with close friends rather than the Student Council?” (Misuzu)

In response to Hourai-senpai’s question, Sena gave an awkward look.

“Well… that’s true, but my friends already believe we’re already dating. And I’ve sort of just gone along with it.” (Akane)

“Aren’t you going to clear up the misunderstanding?” (Nadeshiko)

“B-But! It feels good, you know! When they say things like ‘Aww, so lovey-dovey!’ or ‘I want a boyfriend too!’ I really start feeling like we’re actually dating!” (Akane)

“Is that how it works…?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami looked perplexed.

But before anyone could say more, Arisu suddenly ran over to Sena and grabbed her shoulders firmly.

“I understand! I totally get how you feel!” (Arisu)

“Really, Yura-san?!” (Akane)

“Yeah, falling for someone you’re close to is tough, especially if they’re oblivious.” (Arisu)

“Exactly! But it’s that difference from other guys that makes me like him!” (Akane)

“Absolutely! I mean, it’s not like I’m in love with my childhood friend or anything, just speaking in general terms, you know.” (Arisu)

Arisu turned her face away, coughing to cover her flustered expression.

While everyone was contemplating Sena’s dilemma, I approached Togami and asked quietly.

“Hey, Togami, what’s this about being a love master?” (Takaki)

With a smug smile, Togami answered confidently.

“Just as I said. I’ve read a fair number of romance manga.” (Nadeshiko)

“…Haa?” (Takaki)

“Have you heard, Gujou-san? Reading romance manga teaches you about various issues and joys related to love! I’ve read dozens of series, so in my head, I have the experiences of dozens of people… no, considering that some series feature multiple couples, it’s practically more than that! My recommendations include ‘Opposites Attract’, where a cheerful, energetic girl falls for a calm, quiet boy, and ‘Meals Behind the Supermarket’, which follows the slow-burning romance between a supermarket worker and a salaryman. And then there’s…” (Nadeshiko)

As she continued, her excitement grew, and she eagerly began discussing her favorite series.

She… She thinks she understands love just from reading romance manga…!

“When it comes to childhood friend romcoms, there’s ‘The Romcom Where the Childhood Friend Won’t Lose’, although… she loses in that one…” (Nadeshiko)

I was about to tell Togami the harsh truth that real-life romance isn’t like manga when…

“Erotic selfies.” (Arisu)

Arisu suddenly said something outrageous.

“Yura-san!? Do you mean…!?” (Akane)

Sena, with a shocked expression, covered her mouth with her hand and began to tremble.

“The important thing is to change how he perceives you from ‘childhood friend’ to ‘classmate who’s a girl.’ And for that, you need to make his heart race!” (Arisu)

Arisu started saying something that actually sounded like it came from a romance master.

“I see, make his heart flutter, huh? Even though he’s dense, he’s still just a high school boy; he can’t resist something erotic…!” (Akane)

“That’s right, Sena-san! There’s no way a high school boy can resist erotism! All you need to do is to send him an erotic selfie and you’ll be promoted to love interest in no time!” (Arisu)

“Ohhhh!” (Akane)

Sena clapped enthusiastically, clearly impressed by the suggestion.

“No, wait… is that really a good idea?” (Akane)

Hourai-senpai, on the other hand, wasn’t convinced.

Well, of course. Advising people to send erotic pictures of themselves is problematic, especially when it’s coming from the Student Council.

“Togami, maybe you should stop this?” (Takaki)

“True, in romance manga, there are scenes where sending photos in casual clothes or pajamas leads to the guy blushing and feeling excited, that’s the standard pattern.” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh?” (Takaki)

“Ah… Sending something explicit might not be a good idea, but trying one that makes the other party aware of your femininity could be worth a shot. As a love master, there’s some logic to this approach.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami nodded seriously in agreement.

This girl and her clueless romance manga brain…!

“That’s right! As expected of a love master! Togami-san, you really get it!” (Arisu)

“As expected of the student council president! You have a wide range of knowledge! I admire that!” (Akane)

“Hehe, well, it’s only natural.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami crossed her arms and nodded thoughtfully.

Seems to me that she was enjoying the feeling of being praised by the two of them.

As I stood there dumbfounded, Arisu called out to me.

“So, Takaki, could you step out for a bit?” (Arisu)

“Hey Arisu, you’re not seriously planning to take them here, are you?” (Takaki)

“They say ‘strike while the iron is hot’, right?” (Arisu)

“I feel like this isn’t a good idea…” (Takaki)

“Anyways, if you’re around, we can’t exactly take the pictures, can we? Come on, out you go! And if you try to peek, I’ll hit you.” (Arisu)

“Y-Yeah… Sena, do your best.” (Takaki)

I said “do your best”, but should a guy like me really encourage a female student to take erotic selfies?

Anyways, I got kicked out of the student council room.

I stood a short distance away from the closed door, contemplating my next move. Not that I’m curious about what’s happening inside or anything, but voices leaking through the gap in the door are beyond my control. It’s an unavoidable situation.

“Alright, Sena-san! Let’s take some super sexy shots now! They’ll be so hot that whoever sees them will fall head over heels!” (Arisu)

“Yes, Yura-san! I’m ready!” (Akane)

“Alright. Let’s start by unbuttoning a bit of your chest. Oh yeah, this is hot…” (Arisu)

“W-Wait, if you unbutton that much, your underwear will be visible!” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s fine, Togami-san. Romance manga would be even more extreme!” (Arisu)

“Hey, are you really going to do this in the student council room? Shouldn’t we move somewhere else?” (Misuzu)

“No way! It’s perfect here! Mixing eroticism in this formal space is the key!” (Arisu)

“Ugh, I won’t be able to face my senpais from last year…” (Misuzu)

“Next, let’s see… sit on the chair and lift one leg.” (Arisu)

“Is this okay?” (Akane)

“You’re looking good, Sena-san! Yeah, that’s it! Next, lift your skirt a bit!” (Arisu)

“Ei!” (Akane)

“Wow, it’s really picking up! I’m getting excited too!” (Arisu)

“I-I-isn’t this a bit too much, Yura-san!?” (Nadeshiko)

“Nono, if it’s not a bit naughty, it’s not an erotic selfie, right? Nowadays, high school boys are used to seeing everything online, so it’s just about right to add a bit more spice to it! Now for the next shot… how about I lie down and we go for a low-angle shot from below…” (Arisu)

Even though the door was closed, loud voices could be heard leaking through. Naturally, one couldn’t help but imagine what was happening inside. Of course, it was all beyond my control.

But really, this is just too stimulating…

“Ah, maybe I’ll go to the vending machine in the courtyard for a bit…” (Takaki)

Unable to endure any longer, I muttered to myself and quietly slipped away from the student council room.

◆

I spent quite some time at the vending machine, pondering, and in the end, I bought a carton of orange juice.

As I sipped through a straw on my way back, I noticed that the door to the student council room was open.

It seemed like the selfie session was over.

Not wanting to barge in abruptly, I knocked gently, just in case.

Inside, I heard a faint voice from Arisu saying, “Haa…”.

Peeking in cautiously, I saw all four of them, including Sena, slumped over the desk looking exhausted.

“Uh, you all look beat…” (Takaki)

“Oh, Gujou-san. Sorry for kicking you out earlier.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami noticed me and lifted her head slowly.

“So, did you send the selfie?” (Takaki)

“Well, in the end, it was deemed too explicit, so we scrapped the idea.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami chuckled in a troubled manner.

Beside her, Arisu smiled bitterly, while Sena covered her bright red face with both hands.

“Well, we really went too far with that. If it leaked out, Sena-chan’s student life would have been over.” (Arisu)

“Yeah, I got carried away… even doing that kind of shots…” (Akane)

“But hey, it’s good we noticed before sending it, right?” (Arisu)

“Exactly. If it got out that we filmed that in the student council room, we’d all be writing reflection essays at least.” (Akane)

Even Hourai-senpai, with a cross-armed and bewildered expression, blushed slightly.

What kind of photos did these girls take?

“What were you all even doing in the student council room?” (Takaki)

I sighed heavily as I sat on a sofa away from the four of them. 

Looks like we hit a roadblock.

Since it’s come to this, I might as well suggest an idea I came up with during my walk.

“Actually, wouldn’t just a message be enough? Without including any pictures.” (Takaki)

“What kind of message?” (Arisu)

“Yeah, considering the upcoming exams, how about something like, ‘How about studying together at my place next time?’ It might be easier to be aware of each other compared to places like the crowded library or a family restaurant.” (Takaki)

“Hmm, using a study session as an excuse sounds very high school-like and natural. For close childhood friends, it wouldn’t be an unnatural step, and it adds a special feeling to studying in a private space.” (Misuzu)

Houshii-senpai warmed up to this idea. Anything seemed better than erotic selfies.

“I see! If you arrange a study session at home, it could naturally lead to developing romantic feelings right then and there! Like accidentally touching hands while studying, or one of you dozing off and seeing their sleeping face, or even inadvertently picking up their glass for an indirect kiss…” (Nadeshiko)

This idea seemed to strike a chord with Togami’s romance manga-influenced imagination. She drifted into her own world, clearly pleased.

Arisu also nodded approvingly, showing her impressed expression.

“Simple is best, Takaki, that’s a good idea… What do you think, Sena-san?” (Takaki)

“Yes, I’m totally fine with it. I’ll send the message now!” (Akane)

Sena quickly tapped away on her phone screen.

—(Next time, want to have a study session at my place?)

With that simple message sent, Sena left her app open on the screen and placed her phone on the desk where we could all see.

Not even a minute passed before a notification came.

“It’s here!” (Akane)

“What does it say?” (Arisu)

“Um… ‘There’s not enough space in your room for two people to sit lol’.” (Akane)

…………

An awkward silence filled the air.

Ignoring the message, Sena turned off her phone screen.

Her face trembled with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration.

“Well, first off, I think you should clean up your room.” (Misuzu)

“I know, okay!” (Akane)

Houshii-senpai interjected with a pained expression, prompting Sena to retort tearfully.

“Ugh… This is the downside of having a childhood friend…” (Akane)

“Well, at least you avoided having a guy you’re interested in see a room with no space to even walk.” (Takaki)

“That’s not the issue here!” (Akane)

Seeing that even my attempt to comfort her had no effect, Sena slumped over the desk, her upper body resting heavily on it.

Observing her, Togami placed a hand on her chin and muttered with a serious tone.

“This calls for… the suspension bridge effect.” (Nadeshiko)

“Is that like mixing the thrill of romance with the thrill of crossing a real suspension bridge?” (Takaki)

“Exactly! Hmm, knowing about the suspension bridge effect, could it be that Gujou-san is a love master too?” (Nadeshiko)

“As if!” (Takaki)

Knowing about the suspension bridge effect could be considered basic knowledge if you’ve delved into romance-themed manga or anime to some extent.

For those who don’t know, the suspension bridge effect flips the usual flow of romance from [meeting a wonderful person → fall in love → feel your heart race] to [encounter a high tension situation → feel your heart race → fall in love].

I might not be a love master, so the details might be off, but that’s the general idea.

“That sounds great! But how are you going to make her childhood friend’s heart race?” (Arisu)

Arisu asked curiously, but some reason, Togami looked at me and smiled.

“That’s where you come in, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“…Huh?” (Takaki)

◆

The next day after school.

We, the student council, gathered at a café located near our high school.

I was seated alone at a small table for two, while the rest of the members occupied an area a bit further away.

Sena and her childhood friend, Tachibana, were scheduled to join us shortly.

Togami’s plan was as follows:

First, create a situation where Sena and Tachibana would be walking home together. 

Then, have Sena guide them into the café where I would be waiting at a table. 

Sena would deliberately bump into my table, and I would act unreasonably and excessively angry towards her. 

The goal was to create a high tension situation to make Tachibana’s heart race.

There were probably other ways to do it though.

However, yesterday, Togami said…

“Listen. First, Gujou-san will act intimidating, making Tachibana-san’s heart pound. This clears the first stage of the suspension bridge effect, but… that’s not all.” (Nadeshiko)

“And?” (Akane)

Sena looked at her with eyes full of anticipation.

She still seemed to think Togami was a love master. How pure can she be?

“There’s a chance that Tachibana-san will try to protect Sena-san and stands up for her, creating an opportunity for a romantic atmosphere!” (Nadeshiko)

“Oh~! Like a hero protecting the heroine from delinquents at a time of need! Just like in a romance manga!” (Akane)

“Oi, don’t make me the delinquent.” (Takaki)

My interjection went unnoticed by Sena, who gazed at Togami with admiration.

“Yes, if things go well, they might even become a couple right away.” (Nadeshiko)

“As expected of you, Togami-san! It was worth consulting the student council, after all!” (Akane)

“Oi! Don’t use me as a pawn! What if Tachibana gets seriously scared and runs away…” (Takaki)

I tried to argue my way out of this unpleasant role.

A hand patted my shoulder.

“Takaki, this is for the student council.” (Arisu)

Arisu had a slightly suppressed smile on her face.

“And also, it’s a rare chance to make use of your face.” (Arisu)

“Aren’t you enjoying this a little too much?” (Takaki)

“Well, it’s fun to play the wingman in other people’s love life.” (Arisu)

“At least try to deny it a bit.” (Takaki)

And so, the plan was set in motion for the very next day.

After waiting a few minutes, a message from Sena popped up. 

“(We’ll be reaching soon.)” (Akane)

“Ah, Sena-chan’s here!” (Misuzu)

“Where?” (Nadeshiko)

“She’s lining up behind the counter.” (Arisu)

I could hear the three of them having a quiet conversation, so I glanced over in the direction they pointed at.

Sure enough, there was Sena standing in line, next to a guy with metal-framed glasses.

I had assumed Tachibana would be more athletic like Sena, but he gave off an indoor type vibe. On second thought, they were just childhood friends, so it made sense that their clubs or hobbies might not align.

The three of them, including Togami, looked at me and nodded. 

Seeing this, I reluctantly nodded back and cleared the table. It wouldn’t be good if a drink spilled when Sena bumped into me.

The two finished placing their orders and started walking towards us.

Sena pointed to the counter seat by the window behind me, likely guiding Tachibana to sit there.

“Kya!” (Akane)

As planned, Sena bumped into my table while passing by.

At this point, I was supposed to pretend to be excessively angry… but things didn’t go as expected.

“Ah!” (Akane)

Unexpectedly losing her balance, Sena knocked over a drink from her tray and orange liquid flew out, splashing all over my face.

*splash*

I could feel the sweet and tangy orange-flavored drink seeped into my mouth through the corners of my lips.

“Gu-Gujou-san!” (Nadeshiko)

“Pfftttt~!” (Arisu)

“Haa… What are you guys doing?” (Misuzu)

I could hear the suppressed voices from the three girls. Arisu seemed to be enjoying the situation.

“……” (Takaki)

“…U-Um… Are you okay?” (Akane)

With orange juice dripping from my face, clearly not looking okay, Sena spoke to me with a strained expression.

Tachibana, realizing I was the infamous ‘Gujou’ from the same grade, had turned pale.

I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the juice from my face first. I then dabbed at my uniform, though it was clear that I would need to wash it.

“Oi, you…” (Takaki)

Just as I began to speak, recovering from the unexpected event, Tachibana stepped in front of Sena. In a swift motion, he bowed deeply and shouted loud enough to echo throughout the cafe.

“I-I’m so, so sorry!!” (Tachibana)

“Ha?” (Takaki)

Suddenly, my brain froze at another unexpected turn of events.

Tachibana was on the verge of prostrating¹ himself before me, if not already kneeling.

“I’m really, really sorry for what happened…! I’m so sorry!” (Tachibana)

“No, I’m not that angry.” (Takaki)

“She’s a bit of an idiot, but she means no harm! I swear, there wasn’t any ill-intentions towards you, Gujou-kun!” (Tachibana)

It seemed like Tachibana didn’t even hear my words as he continued to desperately explain himself.

Meanwhile, behind him, Sena covered her mouth with both hands, murmuring with a vacant expression, “Yu-kun…”

Why did it have to be like this? And why was Sena calling him “Yu-kun”?

Well, depending on how you looked at it, maybe it can be seen as him trying to protect his childhood friend. But was this really such a heroic scene?

“I really don’t mind what happens to me, so please just forgive Sena!” (Tachibana)

“I’m telling you, it’s really not that big of a deal…” (Takaki)

“I’m sorry! We’re not trying to make enemies of you, Gujou-kun! We’re just regular high school students!” (Tachibana)

“I’m a regular high school student too!” (Takaki)

What does he think of me?

Tachibana’s dramatic plea made even me, the supposed victim, feel a prickling discomfort.

On top of that, Tachibana’s over-the-top reaction prompted whispers from those around us like, “Is he okay?” “Is this extortion?” “Should we call the police…?”

“M-Money, right!? Y-Yeah, your clothes got wet so it’s natural! Okay, um, I’ll just take off all my clothes right here, and maybe we can settle this…! I’ll even give you my glasses!” (Tachibana)

“Don’t pull out your wallet, don’t take off your clothes, and I don’t need your glasses!! Just stop!!” (Takaki)

After managing to calm Tachibana down by restraining him, I explained that I wasn’t angry, didn’t need any money or clothes, and certainly didn’t need his glasses. Of course, I couldn’t mention the plan, so I quietly warned Sena for what she did.

Haa… I probably won’t be able to go to this cafe for a while now…

◆

A few days later in the student council room…

“After all that, what happened with Sena and her childhood friend?” (Takaki)

After the incident, Sena personally apologized to me the day after the commotion. She even offered to cover the cleaning costs, but I politely declined. I didn’t want to fuel any further rumors.

Well, after washing it at home, the stains weren’t as bad as I thought, and aside from a faint orange scent, there were no real damages. Although, when I move around a bit, I catch a faint citrusy aroma lingering in the air.

As I thought about this, Togami, who was working on some administrative tasks beside me, looked up.

“Ah, regarding that, we agreed to have considered it resolved for now.” (Nadeshiko)

Arisu, who was sitting on a nearby sofa, seemed to have been listening to our conversation. She put her hands on her cheeks and let out a delighted expression.

“She said, ‘We will move on our own pace, so there’s no need to rush. I know he cares about me.’ Kyaa~!” (Arisu)

“Well, Tachibana did stand up for Sena, but… is that really okay?” (Takaki)

Honestly, I couldn’t quite bring myself to say Tachibana was cool.

He was panicking a lot and it didn’t quite fit the image of what I think someone who looks cool helping a girl would be.

As I muttered in confusion, Arisu shook her head with an exasperated expression.

“Ah, you really don’t get it… When you know someone well enough, you move past the stage of liking them just because they’re cool, and you end up liking them despite seeing all their flaws.” (Arisu)

“I see. The path of love is deep.” (Misuzu)

Hourai-senpai nodded thoughtfully with arms crossed.

Togami also muttered in a quiet voice that only I could hear.

“I should read more romance manga and train myself further. Otherwise, I can’t become a proper student council president.” (Nadeshiko)

“Wait, that doesn’t sound right…?” (Takaki)

And so, the first consultation received by our student council was resolved.

By the way, subsequent consultations received by the student council were all sorts of absurd ones, such as finding foster homes for hamsters or studying for upcoming tests. It made me wonder if the students might have a misunderstanding about the role of the student council…

Thanks for reading!

I always thought the suspension bridge effect was like “hero saves heroine -> heroine’s heart pound -> heroine falls in love”. But here it’s like “hero saves heroine -> hero’s heart pound -> hero falls in love”.

Maybe my definition of the suspension bridge effect is the one which is off.

---

1. You know, the famous Japanese apology position where your head is on the floor

One day during lunch break.

The classroom was filled with the voices of students rejoicing with the arrival of lunch break. With such a happy commotion behind me, I wandered around the school with a lunchbox in hand.

“Haa… Should I go to the rooftop stairs of the practice building today, behind the staff parking lot, or…” (Takaki)

In my mind, I considered where to eat lunch today.

Of course, all the options were for one person.

I have said this many times, but I was treated as an outcast in class. If I ate in the classroom, it would make the atmosphere uncomfortable, so to avoid causing trouble, I decided to eat lunch outside. You could call me a master of consideration.

However, the school cafeteria is crowded, and it’s uncomfortable to eat alone there. Tables on the terrace or in the lounge are all occupied by other cliques.

As a result, the only remaining options are places that are dim even during lunchtime, with hardly anyone around, and where it isn’t usually cleaned.

Would this kind of lunch environment manifest as a health disparity in a few decades? What if I was chosen as a research subject at a university, anticipating my loneliness?

I shoved my idle hand into my pocket as I lamented my fate of being alone and likely having a shorter lifespan.

Then, I felt a cool sensation at my fingertips, followed by a metallic sound.

It was the spare key to the student council room, given to each student council member.

Since student council members frequently use the student council room, we were given spare keys to avoid the hassle of going to the staff room each time.

Usually, someone would already be there after school so I hadn’t had much use for it so far.

“Ah.” (Takaki)

At that moment, a revelation struck me.

I see… the student council room!

In the student council room, I could eat lunch alone without anyone noticing, and it even had chairs and a sofa for comfort.

Moreover, it was fully equipped with a kettle, sink, and mini-fridge!

“Heh, hehehe… I see, this is why I became part of the student council…” (Takaki)

It felt like it was destiny. For the first time since becoming a student council member, I truly appreciated the perks. Until now, it had been nothing but hassles, and I hadn’t felt any benefits from being an officer. Without such privileges, it wouldn’t be worth it.

Unable to suppress my overflowing smile, I walked down the hallway, grinning.

Perhaps because I looked so scary, the nearby students quickly parted to make way for me.

My steps feel much lighter now.

…I’m not sad at all, not in the least.

During lunch break, the practice building was unusually quiet. Occasionally, voices could be heard from those eating lunch in their club rooms, but it was a stark contrast to the noisy classroom building.

The area around the secluded student council room was similarly quiet.

Inserting the key into the door of the student council room, it made a ‘click’ sound and opened.

Casually pushing open the door, I was surprised to see a figure sitting on the sofa.

“Uwa…” (Takaki)

“Kyaa!? Ouch! Who is it?!” (Nadeshiko)

As I unintentionally let out a weird sound, the figure stood up in surprise. A dull thud followed as they bumped into the desk. Their long, straight, beautiful black hair flew wildly, and for a moment, I felt like I was witnessing a lion dance or something.

…Come to think of it, something similar happened before.

I sighed inwardly and called out to our student council president, who was hiding behind the sofa.

“Togami, it’s me. I’m not here to hurt you, so come out.” (Takaki)

“Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

Peeking cautiously over the backrest of the sofa, Togami let out a sigh of relief.

“What do you want?” (Nadeshiko)

“Same as you. Came to eat lunch.” (Takaki)

“How did you know I was eating lunch here!?” (Nadeshiko)

“Anyone could tell.” (Takaki)

On the desk were a bottle of cola and two melon bread. In Togami’s left hand was a partially eaten melon bread.

There was no doubt she was eating lunch here, but I was surprised by the less-than-expected junk food combination.

I heard she was rich, so I thought she’d be having a luxurious bento for lunch or even ordering from UberEats. We actually have a few of those types at our school.

“Are you here alone, Togami?” (Takaki)

“Aren’t you alone too, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami nodded with a sullen expression. I had considered the possibility that she might be eating with Hourai-senpai or Arisu, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Do you always eat here?” (Takaki)

I asked Togami, who was rubbing her shin which she had bumped earlier.

“No, today is just a coincidence, or rather, a rare occurrence.” (Nadeshiko)

“So, you usually eat with friends then?” (Takaki)

“Friends…? Oh, yes! That’s right! I usually eat with friends.” (Nadeshiko)

“Hey, you sound like you never heard of that word before.” (Takaki)

Even if she didn’t have friends, she should at least be able to understand it properly. Was it that unfamiliar of a word to Togami?

Feeling a sense of camaraderie, I gazed at Togami with a lukewarm expression.

“Let’s do our best, both of us.” (Takaki)

“D-Don’t just treat me like we’re cut from the same cloth!” (Nadeshiko)

Togami retorted seemingly annoyed, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were slightly moist. I must have hit a nerve.

It’s tough, isn’t it… for both of us…

Of all people, it’s ironic that the student council president, who’s perceived as “perfect” by everyone around, can share this kind of hardship.

The world is truly strange.

Or rather, isn’t it unusual that two out of four student council officers are loners? Statistically speaking, it’s abnormal.

After the unexpected encounter, I sat down at a long desk.

Even though we were acquaintances, sitting on the same sofa as girls felt a bit awkward.

I opened the lunchbox I brought from home. It contained white rice, along with mini tomatoes, pickled vegetables, and stir-fried cabbage and pork cubes with miso that I had made extra of last night. For a homemade meal by a high school boy, it was pretty decent.

Silently, I put my hands together and quietly recited “itadakimasu” in my mind. I picked up a mini tomato with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth.

“…” (Nadeshiko)

“…” (Takaki)

It’s awkward.

When two loners come together, a lively atmosphere doesn’t magically appear. We’re both loners because we can’t easily connect with others.

Of course, Togami and I aren’t meeting for the first time. In fact, our relationship is somewhat deeper.

After all, we made such a promise yesterday.

However, I’m here with Togami not because she asked me, but simply by chance.

If that’s the case, maybe it’s better for both of us to quietly finish our meals without trying to force a conversation or interfere with each other.

No, despite being familiar with each other, silently eating lunch without any conversation feels off… It’s like a snapshot of modern society where people don’t even know their neighbors’ last names.

Speaking of which, I wonder what Togami thinks about this situation.

Glancing over at Togami, I noticed she was also looking at me, and our eyes met.

Both of us hastily looked away, but it was clear we had caught each other’s gaze. There was a tense silence between us.

We both seemed to silently plead, “Could you say something first…”

It was Togami who broke the silence first.

“Um… do you have any topics to talk about?” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t just expect me to come up with a topic out of nowhere. But seriously, what’s with this awkward atmosphere?” (Takaki)

“Isn’t it you who came here later and created this awkward atmosphere?” (Nadeshiko)

“But you’re the one who initiated the conversation first, right? It’s a rule of thumb that the person who talks first has to bring up a topic, so Togami, could you suggest something first? I’ll come up with the next one.” (Takaki)

“Ugh… Well, I guess you’re right.” (Nadeshiko)

After a bit of back and forth, I managed to smoothly steer the conversation. Based on how easily she gave up, I couldn’t help but be worried about Togami’s debating skills.

After a moment of hesitation, Togami painfully forced out a topic.

“So… Gujou-san, why are you a loner?” (Nadeshiko)

“That’s the worst topic you could have picked!” (Takaki)

With just a few words, I was fully convinced of why Togami was also a loner.

This girl’s casual communication skills are abysmal. Why would she start off with such a difficult topic?

Togami looked flustered, waving her hands in a panicked attempt to explain herself.

“Well, since you went through the trouble of bringing up a topic, it’d be rude not to answer… It’s nothing big, though.” (Takaki)

I explained the reasons why I became a loner in high school, leaving out the details about my family.

I had carelessly enrolled in the prestigious Reishuu High School but struggled to keep up with the academics. I failed at making friends right off the bat. Then, in early May, I fell down the stairs and broke a bone, resulting in a disastrous midterm exam. My lifestyle went downhill from there, leading to misunderstandings of me being a delinquent and being completely isolated from the rest of the class.

I shared these bits and pieces of my story.

“…And that’s how it is. It’s my own fault, really.” (Takaki)

After I finished summarizing my story, Togami muttered with a look of disbelief.

“Wait a minute. That’s not nearly enough.” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh? Did I forget something?” (Takaki)

“You left out everything about your time in middle school.” (Nadeshiko)

“No, that’s because I had friends in middle school.” (Takaki)

Then Togami placed a hand on her forehead, wearing a serious expression as she pondered about something deeply.

Did I say something strange?

“I think I just heard something unbelievable… ‘I had friends until middle school,’ you said.” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, it’s true. I had friends until middle school, and I think I even had quite a number.” (Takaki)

I did well in my studies and was decent at sports. I was even the student council president, so I had a wide circle of friends.

Togami’s eyes widened in shock at my words.

Then she narrowed her eyes and spoke in a cold tone.

“…Traitor.” (Nadeshiko)

“Hey, hold on, I didn’t lie about anything from the start.” (Takaki)

From the way she said it, it seemed like Togami didn’t have any friends even before middle school. In that sense, she was a true loner.

Feeling betrayed for no reason, Togami continued to mutter curses at me with resentment.

“[Fake loner], [Guy who had friends in middle school], [Someone who calls themselves a loner just because their friends aren’t at the same school], [Winner who has a cute childhood friend even though he says he’s a loner].” (Nadeshiko)

…Wait, are these curses? Or compliments?

The tone and content were so mismatched that I couldn’t tell. If I took the words at face value, I’d actually be happy.

“Um… thanks?” (Takaki)

“I’m not complimenting you!” (Nadeshiko)

Apparently, her words were intended as insults.

“But it’s weird.” (Nadeshiko)

“What is?” (Takaki)

“That anyone would want to be friends with Gujou-san, given your eyes and demeanor.” (Nadeshiko)

“That’s rude! Kids don’t care about that stuff! Besides, my friends from before middle school were mostly from the same elementary school, and my eyes used to look better back then.” (Takaki)

In my kindergarten graduation photo, my gaze was normal. My middle school graduation photo looks almost the same as the one from kindergarten, but my eyesight has declined since starting high school, so I have to squint more, causing me to look more menacing.

After expressing her dissatisfaction and letting off steam, Togami sighed.

“So, why are you a loner, Togami?” (Takaki)

“Well…” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s your turn now. If you really don’t want to say, you don’t have to.” (Takaki)

It wasn’t a topic I was particularly keen to pry into.

Still, Togami reluctantly began to speak. Perhaps she felt obligated since she was the one who brought it up.

“There’s not really a big reason. When I was little, I had to attend a lot of extracurricular activities and couldn’t play with my classmates, so I never really learned how to interact with people privately. To be perfect, studying is essential, and I’m also afraid that someone I’m close to might find out I’m not perfect. After middle school, I just stopped trying to make friends.” (Nadeshiko)

“I see.” (Takaki)

Although it was a brief explanation, it gave a glimpse into Togami’s family situation, her life so far, and the efforts she’s put in.

The fact that someone as clumsy as Togami is perceived as “perfect” by those around her isn’t just a miraculous coincidence. It’s likely because she’s making efforts to cover up her true self.

Whether her family circumstances play a role in this, I don’t know. It’s likely not just a matter of personality.

“But, Togami, someone like you would get approached even if you stayed quiet. You won the election without any issues, so you must be relatively popular, or at least well-liked, right?” (Takaki)

I tried to change the subject, but it wasn’t just a random comment—it was something I was genuinely wondering.

Togami seemed to be aware of that point herself so she nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I do get approached sometimes. But it’s mostly about studies or test scores, very formal conversations. There’s hardly anything outside of that.” (Nadeshiko)

“I see.” (Takaki)

Her overly perfect demeanor might give off an unapproachable impression.

A stunning beauty with an elegant demeanor, excelling in both academics and sports, and coming from a wealthy family. It might indeed be rare for people to approach her casually.

In fact, until I got involved in the student council, I thought she lived in a completely different world.

Honestly, if her clumsiness were more widely known, it might be easier for her to make friends. But since she wants to keep it hidden, it makes things complicated.

“But, since people do talk to me in class, I guess I’m doing better than you, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“Uh, yeah.” (Takaki)

That was a tricky comment to respond to. I mean, I have Arisu, an approachable childhood friend to talk to, so it might be an even match. Well, if she’s happy, I don’t really have a reason to mention it.

After a brief pause in our conversation, Togami seemed to remember something.

“Oh, by the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“What is it?” (Takaki)

“Before you could use the Student Council room, where did you eat?” (Nadeshiko)

“Ah… yeah, it’s definitely interesting to know where other loners eat.” (Takaki)

It was an intriguing topic this time. Togami must have only started using the Student Council room a few weeks ago at most.

How did she manage to get through lunch breaks all this time? I felt a sense of skinship and wanted to share our struggles.

“By the way, I used to skip lunch and lock myself in the library or self-study room.” (Nadeshiko)

“Skipping lunch is quite a strong solution.” (Takaki)

“When I couldn’t bear it anymore, I distracted myself with high-calorie juices or milk tea. How about you, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“I couldn’t skip lunch entirely, so I found somewhere to eat.” (Takaki)

When I answered, Togami’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“I-Is that place perhaps… the restroom!?” (Nadeshiko)

“No way! Don’t look at me like that! I’ve never resorted to eating in the bathroom.” (Takaki)

“What!? I always thought loners ate in the bathroom, that’s the image I had.” (Nadeshiko)

“Everyone’s different. I’d rather eat in the classroom than in the restroom.” (Takaki)

“Is that so?” (Nadeshiko)

“Yeah, I mean, even in a nice high school like ours, the restroom can still be dirty. Sometimes some people would even be doing their ‘big business’ there, so I definitely don’t have the guts to eat lunch there..” (Takaki)

“Haah… Gujou-san, you really are a fake loner…” (Nadeshiko)

“Why are you disappointed?” (Takaki)

By the way, my recommendation is the stairs leading to the rooftop of the practice building or the hidden bushes on the school building side of the staff parking lot. Well, sometimes you have to be careful because you might run into couples wandering around the school or teachers sneaking out to smoke in quiet places.

After that, Togami and I continued to bond over the quirks and tales unique to loners.

I’m well aware that this is a rather sad topic for high school students, but surprisingly, it’s quite engaging.

There’s this mysterious sense of kinship among those who share the same struggles.

After talking for a while, an old-fashioned chime rang out.

*Ding Dong*

“Oh, it’s the bell.” (Nadeshiko)

“Should we head back to the classroom soon?” (Takaki)

Both Togami and I stood up.

Somewhere along the line, I had moved from sitting on the desk to sit on the sofa opposite Togami. Realizing this now made me feel embarrassed.

“Um, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“What is it?” (Takaki)

As I was about to head towards the door with my lunchbox in hand, Togami called out to me, stopping me in my tracks.

Turning back, she had a somewhat solemn expression on her face.

“To be honest, this is the first time since starting high school that I’ve eaten lunch with someone like this… It made me a bit happy.” (Nadeshiko)

“…I see.” (Takaki)

“If you don’t mind, Gujou-san, would you maybe want to eat lunch together again in the student council room? I mean, this the only place I really have to go, so I’ll probably just come and eat here anyways. If it’s okay with you, of course.” (Nadeshiko)

Blushing slightly, Togami spoke in a quieter voice than usual.

Honestly, she’s so awkward when she tries to express himself.

For me, having lunch with Togami wasn’t bad at all. Plus, there was no reason to avoid using the student council room that we were given.

So, my answer was clear.

“Yeah. If the restroom smells too bad, I’ll come over here.” (Takaki)

“…Wait, are you still hung up on what happened earlier, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“Apparently, loners are creatures that have to eat in the bathroom.” (Takaki)

“Ugh, you’re really still hung up on that… I’m sorry, okay?!” (Nadeshiko)

Well, I’ll keep dropping by the student council room from tomorrow onwards.

I hope someday I can invite Arisu and Hourai-senpai there too.

Thanks for reading!

Asking a loner why they are lonely is just one of those things you don’t ask them. There were times when my classmates asked me the same thing but what the heck do they expect me to respond with?

I can also relate to camping in the student council room to hide away from other people. Plus, it’s air-conditioned.

---

1. None

“Phew, it’s finally over.” (Takaki)

“Um…” (Nadeshiko)

“Hm?” (Takaki)

“Thank you so much, Gujou-san. I owe you one.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami, in her dusty school uniform, smiled genuinely with a relieved expression. Seeing that face made all the accumulated frustrations melt away.

…Well, I have no complaints about helping someone in need. The problem is that this someone is our student council president and a complete klutz.

“I’m sorry for showing you this side of me again, like yesterday.” (Nadeshiko)

“Don’t worry too much about it. Everyone has days like this… well, sometimes.” (Takaki)

“That’s not comforting at all! …Haa. Really, I’ve just been causing trouble for you, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

She looked more hunched over than usual, clearly feeling down. Maybe it was a shock to have her usual clumsiness exposed one after another.

“Hey, Togami.” (Takaki)

“What is it?” (Nadeshiko)

“Is it okay if I tell the other student council members about this?” (Takaki)

“Huh?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s eyes wavered, showing a hint of fear.

I made an effort to speak in a natural tone, trying not to be intimidating.

“Well, you know. Since these things have been happening in succession, it’s hard to keep hiding them from the other student council members forever. Wouldn’t it be smoother to just admit from the start that you’re a bit clumsy… no, that you have a few absent-minded moments and ask for their support?” (Nadeshiko)

That way, it would reduce my burden too, and the risk of Togami’s clumsiness being exposed to outsiders would also decrease.

As someone who joined the student council to avoid repeating a year, I wanted the student council’s operations to go smoothly. Though it might embarrass Togami, it would be much easier if everyone were to work together.

Despite my reasoning, Togami looked down with a gloomy expression.

“I…” (Nadeshiko)

“Hm?” (Takaki)

“I have to be perfect.” (Nadeshiko)

The words were squeezed out of Togami’s mouth.

Her voice was timid, but behind it, there was a clear determination.

“That’s the only way I’ll be acknowledged. So I have to perform the student council president’s duties perfectly. I can’t let anyone find out I’m the kind of person who gets stuck in a window frame of the gym storage room.” (Nadeshiko)

Well, it would indeed be embarrassing to be known as the kind of person who gets stuck in a window frame.

“But still, it’s already affecting your ‘perfect’ work…” (Nadeshiko)

As I began to object, Togami abruptly bowed her head.

Her glossy black hair spilled down with the ends nearly touching the ground.

“Please! If you keep this a secret, Gujou-san, I’ll do anything! I’ll take care of all your work as the secretary and even handle all your class assignments.” (Nadeshiko)

“…” (Takaki)

While I remained silent, Togami clasped her hands in front of her chest and leaned forward, looking up at me with pleading eyes.

“I’ll do anything for you! I-I mean, since men like, um, lewd things, I can even…” (Nadeshiko)

“Calm down, Togami.” (Takaki)

“Ow.” (Takaki)

I gave Togami a light chop on the head as she started to get carried away.

Reflexively, Togami covered the top of her head with both hands.

It seemed she finally realized she had said something strange.

“I’m sorry. I said something weird.” (Nadeshiko)

“Let’s calm down and talk, okay?” (Takaki)

“Yes…” (Nadeshiko)

Togami became meek and submissive, but her determination remained unchanged.

She looked straight into my eyes with a serious expression.

“Gujou-san, once again, please. Could you keep quiet about what happened yesterday and today?” (Nadeshiko)

“You said you want to be perfect to be acknowledged.” (Takaki)

“Yes. I have to be a proper student council president, there are circumstances…” (Nadeshiko)

“Well… I kind of get how you feel.” (Takaki)

I too had a time when I wanted to be acknowledged by someone.

When I was in elementary school, my mother passed away from an illness, leaving me to live with my father. However, my father got assigned to work overseas alone, and since I refused to transfer schools, I ended up living with my aunt.

Before leaving Japan, my father said, “I’ll come back when Takaki is in high school.”

So, I worked desperately to be able to proudly face my father when he returned. I maintained excellent grades throughout middle school and served as student council president. I put all my effort into the high school entrance exams and got into the prestigious Reishuu High School. Even though I could hardly have video calls with my busy father, I still believed.

When he came back to Japan, he would be happy to see me. He would praise me.

My hopes were crushed just before starting high school with a single message that read, “My return has been postponed. I probably won’t be back for another three years.” It hit me hard. I was so down that I couldn’t focus on studying for the entire spring break, and I might not have even made it to the entrance ceremony if Arisu hadn’t invited me.

After starting school, I managed to shift my feelings, but then I fractured my bone shortly after.

The final nail in the coffin was the fracture and mid-term tests.

There was a sense of emptiness underlying it all.

No matter how hard I tried, it felt like my efforts were futile against things beyond my control.

That sense of emptiness still lingers within me today.

“It might all be in vain.” (Takaki)

“Huh?” (Nadeshiko)

The words slipped out unintentionally.

I didn’t know where to direct my emotions, so I continued speaking spontaneously.

“Just because you put in effort doesn’t mean you’ll be rewarded. That’s just how the world works. There are events beyond your control that could make everything you’ve done pointless. What’s the point of working hard in a world like that?” (Takaki)

Just like I once felt.

Even Togami’s current efforts might be meaningless.

“That’s true. It might all be futile.” (Nadeshiko)

“Huh?” (Takaki)

“I also have the feeling that everything might be pointless.” (Nadeshiko)

Surprisingly, Togami affirmed my words.

I didn’t expect to convince her with such an emotional argument. In fact, I had a feeling she would deny it.

Yet, why?

“Then why do you strive for perfection?” (Takaki)

“Because that’s what it means to me right now.” (Nadeshiko)

Togami looked at me squarely with a resolute gaze.

Her eyes pierced through me, leaving me without a word.

“I might not achieve anything even if I try my best. But I don’t think that should stop me from trying. At the very least, the fact that I tried will still remain. Even if it all amounts to nothing, I want to have moments where I can look back and think, ‘I was trying my best back then’.” (Nadeshiko)

What a dazzling perspective.

She had emotions that I seemed to have lost along the way. That’s how I felt.

Unable to say anything, I watched as Togami nodded slightly.

“I’m sorry for saying something so presumptuous. Shall we leave from here now? It might raise suspicions if we stay here too long without returning.” (Nadeshiko)

She smiled slightly, seeming a bit embarrassed, and brushed off the dust from her uniform.

Ah, honestly… When I look at Togami, it feels like I’m seeing my old self, the me who innocently worked hard every day just to be praised by my father.

To dispel my impatience, I scratch my head vigorously.

Taking a deep breath, I start speaking.

“Hey, Togami.” (Takaki)

“What is it?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami’s eyes, cool and captivating like ice in a summer glass, capture my gaze. The sunlight streaming through the window beautifully illuminates the dancing dust particles. It feels like just the two of us are submerged in the depths of the ocean.

I wonder if this is appropriate to bring up. Will it bother her? Such thoughts cross my mind.

It took some mental preparation.

After a brief pause, I spoke up.

“Would you let me help you, Togami?” (Takaki)

“Huh?” (Nadeshiko)

Togami blinked in surprise and looked back at me.

Swallowing nervously, I continued.

“You’re the student council president, and I’m a member of the student council. If you ever have any problems, I want you to rely on me.” (Takaki)

“I already plan to leave the secretary duties to you though.” (Nadeshiko)

“I’m not talking about just the student council duties. Even if it’s something personal like today, if there’s anything you’re struggling with, I want to help as much as I can. If you rely on me, I won’t tell Arisu or Hourai-senpai about any of this.” (Takaki)

I was retracting my earlier statement, but I felt I’d regret not saying this now.

Togami, who still seemed unsure of the situation, cautiously probed me.

“…Why would you go so far for me, Gujou-san?” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s not like I have a definitive reason. But well, after getting involved this much, it’d leave a bad taste if I just walked away.” (Takaki)

There really wasn’t a definitive reason.

It’s just that I have a meddlesome childhood friend that I couldn’t fully embrace individualism¹. It might be a disadvantage to survive in today’s society.

As Togami contemplated my words, she muttered with a troubled expression.

“Well, I would appreciate your help if you offer it… but there’s no benefit for you, Gujou-san… Oh! Could it be money!? Indeed, my family is wealthy, but I don’t have that much disposable income personally… Well, I might have around forty to fifty thousand yen per month…” (Nadeshiko)

“It’s not about money!” (Takaki)

She condensed all the negative aspects of being wealthy into that moment.

I wavered upon hearing a specific amount but managed to restrain myself.

“Anyways, yeah. It saves me from unnecessary guilt, and it helps Togami keep the student council running smoothly. So, it’s a win-win.” (Takaki)

“Well, yes, that’s true…” (Nadeshiko)

“Do you trust me?” (Takaki)

“Yes, I completely trust you, Gujou-san. You’ve helped me yesterday and today.” (Nadeshiko)

Being trusted so easily also makes me uneasy. She seems to be the gullible type of person who would get easily deceived by a fraudster.

“I just feel it wouldn’t be fair if there’s no benefit for you, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“I think Sashiki-sensei already mentioned it, but I joined the student council to avoid repeating a year. Ending the term smoothly without any hiccups in the student council would be beneficial for me.” (Takaki)

From my previous conversation with her, it doesn’t seem like failing to fulfill my duties as a student council member would immediately lead to repeating a year. But let’s leave that aside for now.

“In that case, alright. I understand.” (Nadeshiko)

It seemed like Togami finally agreed, and she extended her hand.

I paused for a moment, unsure of what it meant.

“I look forward to working with you, Gujou-san.” (Nadeshiko)

“…Likewise.” (Takaki)

I only realized she was offering a handshake when Togami reached out and grasped my limp hand, which had been hanging limply at my side.

Her cool body temperature transmitted through, and her smooth touch stirred my heart.

In the dimness of the gym storage room, I felt oddly relieved for the moment.

◆

Around the time the sun was beginning to set, we returned to the student council room.

Upon opening the door, Arisu and Hourai-senpai were seated at the long desk, brewing tea from a teapot and nibbling on pastries.

They seemed to have been enjoying quite an elegant time. Meanwhile, I was covered in dust thanks to someone getting stuck in a window frame.

“Oh, you’re both quite late, aren’t you?” (Arisu)

“Good job, both of you. We were just about to check on you if you took any longer.” (Misuzu)

Upon seeing us enter, Arisu gave us a skeptical glare, while Hourai-senpai sighed with relief.

“Oh, sorry about that. It was a bit dim in there so the inspection was quite a hassle.” (Takaki)

“Y-Yes, that’s right! Gujou-san helped me out with various things!” (Nadeshiko)

I flashed a reassuring smile, quickly grabbed my bag nearby, and tried to distance myself from Togami, who spoke in an awkward tone.

We really cut it close… If those two had shown up at that place, there would have been no way to hide Togami’s clumsiness.

“Since Takaki is heading home, I’ll go too. Senpai, shall we start tidying up the teapot and cups?” (Arisu)

“Sounds good. I’ll leave with you guys.” (Misuzu)

“I-I’ll help too!” (Nadeshiko)

The two of them swiftly began cleaning up, with Togami joining in. I considered offering to help but hesitated to handle dishes touched by the girls, so I gave up.

We parted ways with Togami near the station, and at the ticket gate with Hourai-senpai heading in the opposite direction for the train.

Arisu and I boarded a train just before the evening rush hour. We were able to find seats together at the center of the carriage.

When the train started moving, Arisu, sitting next to me, peered at me intently with a serious expression. Despite being childhood friends, her beautiful face being this close made me somewhat nervous.

“…Takaki, you’ve been with Togami-san for quite a while.” (Arisu)

“Well, yeah, it was quite challenging.” (Takaki)

That wasn’t a lie. It might have been even more than just “challenging”.

“…I smell something.” (Arisu)

“Huh?” (Takaki)

Sniffing softly, Arisu leaned closer to my school uniform.

“It smells dusty, like Togami-san. Hmm, I feel like I could also smell the conditioner that she used…?” (Arisu)

Is she a dog or something? Did she really sniff out Togami’s scent too?

“Well, we were working together in the same room.” (Takaki)

I tried to deflect, but she wasn’t letting up.

“Just because you were in the same room, would her hair scent rub off on you? That seems a bit difficult unless you were hugging her or something?” (Arisu)

This girl is too sharp for her own good.

Arisu might be cut out to be a police dog or a detective. I feel like I’ve seen an old drama rerun where detectives used scent as a clue.

“…There’s no way that could happen. You’re talking about me and Togami, you know?” (Takaki)

I subtly shifted my position, creating distance between myself and Arisu.

Seeing my reaction, Arisu narrowed her eyes even more sharply.

“Hmm… suspicious…” (Arisu)

From then until we got off the train several minutes later, I pretended to be asleep to avoid any further scrutiny.

---

Thanks for reading!

Childhood friends can always smell the scent of other girls on the person they’re interested in. It’s like an innate ability at this point.

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1. Individualism means the habit or principle of being independent and self-reliant. Tbh, I have no idea how this sentence is related to the reason but I’m pretty sure I translated it correctly.