"How impressive, Eita finally showed his great efforts."
Kaoru used these words to sum up yesterday's commotion.
I was eating a bento packed full with leftovers from yesterday’s dinner, and Kaoru chewed on a recently bought sweetened bun from the school canteen.
This lunch break was as peaceful as it always used to be.
The only difference was probably the blood that dried deep inside my nose, which left a rather stiff feeling. Also, band-aid wrapped around my fingers, so it was hard to use chopsticks.
"Chihuahua-chan is very happy, right?"
"No, I scared her witless."
Afterwards, Chiwa had given me a huge serving of complaints.
'Ah, Eita’s fighting is too weak and too reckless.'
'Ah, when Eita doesn’t have me next to him, he’s helpless.'
It was very unreasonable. Why did I have to be scolded when I was the one who went to help her?
"Oh, but she was glad about one thing."
"What?"
"That is, 'the super stupid Ei-kun from middle school came back.'”
That point was actually unfair.
I only acted like that because I had no other method planned! That was why I did that! It was an extremely rational decision and I definitely did not return to my past self.
Nevertheless...
"Hey, Kaoru."
"Hmm?"
"When I was in middle school, was I really that much of an idiot?"
"[...] [...] ...I don’t... think so?"
"Then why were you silent for so long?"
"Ah, the weather is so nice. I wonder if it'll stay like this until summer?"
"W-Wait! If you wanted to say something, please say it out loud!"
However, Kaoru refused to make eye contact with me and silently looked towards the empty seat next to mine.
"Natsukawa-san is absent today."
"...Ka-Kaoru...?"
I-I was struck!
"You didn’t get in touch with her?"
"No, I didn’t contact her."
It was probably more accurate for me to say there was 'no way' for me to do so.
Because I did neither know her cell phone number nor her email.
"Could it be that Natsukawa-san is really angry?"
"Angry? Why?"
"Think about it. Eita threw away his own girlfriend, and ran off to be some other girl’s Prince Charming?"
"Who’s a Prince Charming?"
I remembered from before, 'Prince who originates from Kobe came in his ride'.
Well, if it was Chiwa, she could even eat raw horse-meat sashimi happily.
"In short, now you're sure to give Natsukawa-san some sort of explanation, aren't you?."
"Well..."
How should I say it?
Technically, we aren’t really in a relationship.
No… wait.
That person said something like that before.
—'Don’t be so kind with other girls right in front of me.'
*shiver*! I felt a chill.
The memory of her sweet breathing was awakened in my brain…
What an unusual feeling.
"Do you know where her house is?"
"I don’t. It looks like it's in the same direction as my house."
"After school, find a teacher and ask him about it, Eita-kun[2]."
"Yeah..."
It'll be like that.
Chiwa said that she would be eating with her family, so she is going home first.
I have something to ask Masuzu, too.
Society for Bringing Out Your Maiden Self, also known as 'Jien-Otsu'.
...What is going to be happen to our club after this?
♦
According to the map the instructor drew, I needed to head southwest from Hane River, in the direction of the highway. After walking a short distance, I would see Masuzu’s house.
This place was not a small distance from my house.
In fact, Masuzu must have regularly taken a long detour to walk home with me.
Was she accommodating me?
Normally, it would have been her style to make me walk the long detour…
I thought about this as I walked on the riverside.
"I will hug youuuuuuu... veeeeery tight! That will be your punishment, OK!"
"Waah!"
I suddenly felt a tight embrace from behind me.
The perfume I was so familiar with caused my nose to itch.
It was Natsukawa Masuzu.
"W-Why are you acting just the same as yesterday?!"
"This is not merely 'behavior', it has some JoJo neta[3] as a bonus. By the way, these are some lines from Wired Beck in part two."
"Only you would remember the lines of such a minor vampire grunt[4]!"
Even if you came here specifically to bicker with me...
Masuzu-san’s is leaning on me with that, I can certainly feel how she is hugging meeeeee... veeeeery tight[5]!
Bendi—
Really Bending!
...It feels so wonderful ...
"You look quite healthy."
"Yes, thanks to you."
It was completely just like the typical Masuzu.
...Not good.
Right now, I feel like I'm all over the place.
"In any case: Why are you walking around here? Could it be that your house is close here?"
"Eh? Um, this, ah, I'm going to Naruse to buy reference books."
A makeshift lie on the spot.
Naruse was a nearby bookstore affiliated with Hane High School. It had a range of reference books, along with many books that could only be bought there.
Finals were almost here, so this excuse should not have been strange…
"I see, you’re always so studious."
Masuzu casually nodded.
My heart relieved, I said:
"Yesterday, the person who threw that aluminum rod, it was you."
"[...]"
"Thank you, it was a great help."
"...Nah, it was merely something a 'girlfriend' would do."
Masuzu’s words were steady and expressionless, giving no hints for others to detect her true feelings.
It didn’t even seem like she was angry.
"Right, why didn’t you come to school today?"
"That. My very own sickness, it's just a self performance."
"In other words, feigned illness?"
"No, it was a club activity."
Masuzu said decisively:
"Don’t you think sick people score high? Girls who suffer from incurable diseases, who stare out from ward windows gazing the tree branches, counting the number of leaves… Even though it’s old-fashioned, it’s very attractive to gentlemen, don’t you think?"
"What's with these delusions...?"
No, isn't that also...
"Then, that means that we'll continue with the Jien-Otsu activities?"
"That's the plan."
An immediate reply.
"We won't continue with the idea for Harusaki-san's sake that we originally started the club just–––– I thought about it, and there was no other activity that was better at trampling love! For Eita-kun and me who are anti-romance, to teach the means of becoming popular to those who believe in romantic love, wouldn't that be a thrilling tale?"
"I see."
Even though I thought her enthusiasm was a little dark, it wasn’t like I couldn’t understand her.
"To undo Harusaki-san's brainwashing, we'll merely need ten minutes."
"What? You haven’t given up?!"
"...Well, I'm warped anyway."
Masuzu pouted.
"W-What? You’re still hung up on yesterday’s events?"
"Dunno?"
*pui*, her face turned around.
...How cute. Even if it's just Masuzu.
I resisted the temptation to laugh and said:
"Well, that’s fine too. I’m ultimately anti-love, just like you. Since this is the case, I will accompany you and stop Chiwa from falling into runaway love."
"But—"
Masuzu’s voice dropped a tone, and her eyelashes lowered.
"I don’t know if Harusaki-san... will come to the club again."
Oh.
I never thought Masuzu would turn out to be so timid!
"She will come."
To thank her for all of her rare emotional expressions I spoke with certainty:
"Since she was rejected by Sakagami-sempai, she’s still far from 'becoming popular'.”
"I see..."
"I’ve said it before, once she settles on a goal, the girl would never give up halfway."
Fuh, then Masuzu revealed a lonely smile.
"You seem to understand everything about Harusaki-san."
"That's being childhood friends."
"......Huuun."
Masuzu’s voice suddenly shrank.
Did I say something to make her angry?
I didn’t expect her to suddenly fall onto me.
"————!"
Moist lips covered my mouth.
Masuzu’s long eyelashes hovered in front of me.
Her silvery hair that touched my cheeks made me shiver.
The tiny breath from her nose also made me feel ticklish.
The body heat, from being held in her arms from before couldn't possibly compare to this. So hot.
Then her lips slowly pulled away from me.
Her body heat disappeared.
The aroma left.
"W-W-W-W-Wha————?!"
Her cheeks contracted a helplessly intoxicated color, and Masuzu began to brush her tousled hair.
"So... did you kiss Harusaki-san, yet?"
"Ha-Haaa?"
"Probably not."
"O-Of course not!"
"Well, then please remember this:
Your first wasn't Harusaki-san! It was me, Natsukawa Masuzu."
"[...]"
What should I say? I was already speechless.
Just what type of 'I hate to lose' guy is she?
"That..."
Bashfully, Masuzu shyly toyed with her skirt, sometimes clutching it and sometimes letting go.
"What? Any impressions?"
Even if you ask me about my thoughts, I also...
"Ah, how to say it… it pretty much fits your audaciousness."
"...If it is about that, it isn't what I'm asking about."
I didn’t know why, but Masuzu’s shoulders drooped, very disappointed.
What is with this girl?
Even though it has been just today, isn't that a love-struck mind[6]?
"Anyway, are you fine with it?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"No, I mean... Are you happy because IFake was the one you kissed?"
When I had finished speaking, I could see Masuzu’s face blush.
"For real, you are so dense."
"Eh?"
"...It won't do, unless it's with you."
"Eeee?!"
Hey.
Hey-Hey!
If you say something to that extent, even I can realize it!
It's not about Fakes, but for real she really li—
"That now was one of the most famous scenes in part one, 'Dio forcibly steals a kiss from Erina.' (parody version) Thus, the target must also be a JoJo fan like me to understand."
"So just now it was for the sake of imitating JoJo?"
Masuzu gave a big sigh, and said:
"But Eita-kun, I thought you would realize it right away."
"So the dense part was about that!"
"Aaaa, you’re making me explain my very own source material, it's kinda embarrassing."
"So that’s why you blushed? The riddle makes sense now!"
A girl that would have her first kiss with her boyfriend for the sake of a fulfilling some 'JoJo neta'.
How intoxicating! Sublime!
"What an extreme JoJoJoJo obsessed woman you are!"
"Thank you, thank you for praising me –––––Anyways, back to the main topic, Eita-kun."
"What?"
Masuzu pointed at a puddle in the water ditch which was filled with gravel and said:
"Come on, hurry up and use some muddy water to rinse your mouth."
"Like if I could be faithful to the story to that extent—!"
Even though I gave out such a retort, Masuzu let out a happy giggling laughter.
Her cheeks, for some reason, were still red.
"How impressive, Eita finally showed his great efforts."
Kaoru used these words to sum up yesterday's commotion.
I was eating a bento packed full with leftovers from yesterday’s dinner, and Kaoru chewed on a recently bought sweetened bun from the school canteen.
This lunch break was as peaceful as it always used to be.
The only difference was probably the blood that dried deep inside my nose, which left a rather stiff feeling. Also, band-aid wrapped around my fingers, so it was hard to use chopsticks.
"Chihuahua-chan is very happy, right?"
"No, I scared her witless."
Afterwards, Chiwa had given me a huge serving of complaints.
'Ah, Eita’s fighting is too weak and too reckless.'
'Ah, when Eita doesn’t have me next to him, he’s helpless.'
It was very unreasonable. Why did I have to be scolded when I was the one who went to help her?
"Oh, but she was glad about one thing."
"What?"
"That is, 'the super stupid Ei-kun from middle school came back.'”
That point was actually unfair.
I only acted like that because I had no other method planned! That was why I did that! It was an extremely rational decision and I definitely did not return to my past self.
Nevertheless...
"Hey, Kaoru."
"Hmm?"
"When I was in middle school, was I really that much of an idiot?"
"[...] [...] ...I don’t... think so?"
"Then why were you silent for so long?"
"Ah, the weather is so nice. I wonder if it'll stay like this until summer?"
"W-Wait! If you wanted to say something, please say it out loud!"
However, Kaoru refused to make eye contact with me and silently looked towards the empty seat next to mine.
"Natsukawa-san is absent today."
"...Ka-Kaoru...?"
I-I was struck!
"You didn’t get in touch with her?"
"No, I didn’t contact her."
It was probably more accurate for me to say there was 'no way' for me to do so.
Because I did neither know her cell phone number nor her email.
"Could it be that Natsukawa-san is really angry?"
"Angry? Why?"
"Think about it. Eita threw away his own girlfriend, and ran off to be some other girl’s Prince Charming?"
"Who’s a Prince Charming?"
I remembered from before, 'Prince who originates from Kobe came in his ride'.
Well, if it was Chiwa, she could even eat raw horse-meat sashimi happily.
"In short, now you're sure to give Natsukawa-san some sort of explanation, aren't you?."
"Well..."
How should I say it?
Technically, we aren’t really in a relationship.
No… wait.
That person said something like that before.
—'Don’t be so kind with other girls right in front of me.'
*shiver*! I felt a chill.
The memory of her sweet breathing was awakened in my brain…
What an unusual feeling.
"Do you know where her house is?"
"I don’t. It looks like it's in the same direction as my house."
"After school, find a teacher and ask him about it, Eita-kun[2]."
"Yeah..."
It'll be like that.
Chiwa said that she would be eating with her family, so she is going home first.
I have something to ask Masuzu, too.
Society for Bringing Out Your Maiden Self, also known as 'Jien-Otsu'.
...What is going to be happen to our club after this?
♦
According to the map the instructor drew, I needed to head southwest from Hane River, in the direction of the highway. After walking a short distance, I would see Masuzu’s house.
This place was not a small distance from my house.
In fact, Masuzu must have regularly taken a long detour to walk home with me.
Was she accommodating me?
Normally, it would have been her style to make me walk the long detour…
I thought about this as I walked on the riverside.
"I will hug youuuuuuu... veeeeery tight! That will be your punishment, OK!"
"Waah!"
I suddenly felt a tight embrace from behind me.
The perfume I was so familiar with caused my nose to itch.
It was Natsukawa Masuzu.
"W-Why are you acting just the same as yesterday?!"
"This is not merely 'behavior', it has some JoJo neta[3] as a bonus. By the way, these are some lines from Wired Beck in part two."
"Only you would remember the lines of such a minor vampire grunt[4]!"
Even if you came here specifically to bicker with me...
Masuzu-san’s is leaning on me with that, I can certainly feel how she is hugging meeeeee... veeeeery tight[5]!
Bendi—
Really Bending!
...It feels so wonderful ...
"You look quite healthy."
"Yes, thanks to you."
It was completely just like the typical Masuzu.
...Not good.
Right now, I feel like I'm all over the place.
"In any case: Why are you walking around here? Could it be that your house is close here?"
"Eh? Um, this, ah, I'm going to Naruse to buy reference books."
A makeshift lie on the spot.
Naruse was a nearby bookstore affiliated with Hane High School. It had a range of reference books, along with many books that could only be bought there.
Finals were almost here, so this excuse should not have been strange…
"I see, you’re always so studious."
Masuzu casually nodded.
My heart relieved, I said:
"Yesterday, the person who threw that aluminum rod, it was you."
"[...]"
"Thank you, it was a great help."
"...Nah, it was merely something a 'girlfriend' would do."
Masuzu’s words were steady and expressionless, giving no hints for others to detect her true feelings.
It didn’t even seem like she was angry.
"Right, why didn’t you come to school today?"
"That. My very own sickness, it's just a self performance."
"In other words, feigned illness?"
"No, it was a club activity."
Masuzu said decisively:
"Don’t you think sick people score high? Girls who suffer from incurable diseases, who stare out from ward windows gazing the tree branches, counting the number of leaves… Even though it’s old-fashioned, it’s very attractive to gentlemen, don’t you think?"
"What's with these delusions...?"
No, isn't that also...
"Then, that means that we'll continue with the Jien-Otsu activities?"
"That's the plan."
An immediate reply.
"We won't continue with the idea for Harusaki-san's sake that we originally started the club just–––– I thought about it, and there was no other activity that was better at trampling love! For Eita-kun and me who are anti-romance, to teach the means of becoming popular to those who believe in romantic love, wouldn't that be a thrilling tale?"
"I see."
Even though I thought her enthusiasm was a little dark, it wasn’t like I couldn’t understand her.
"To undo Harusaki-san's brainwashing, we'll merely need ten minutes."
"What? You haven’t given up?!"
"...Well, I'm warped anyway."
Masuzu pouted.
"W-What? You’re still hung up on yesterday’s events?"
"Dunno?"
*pui*, her face turned around.
...How cute. Even if it's just Masuzu.
I resisted the temptation to laugh and said:
"Well, that’s fine too. I’m ultimately anti-love, just like you. Since this is the case, I will accompany you and stop Chiwa from falling into runaway love."
"But—"
Masuzu’s voice dropped a tone, and her eyelashes lowered.
"I don’t know if Harusaki-san... will come to the club again."
Oh.
I never thought Masuzu would turn out to be so timid!
"She will come."
To thank her for all of her rare emotional expressions I spoke with certainty:
"Since she was rejected by Sakagami-sempai, she’s still far from 'becoming popular'.”
"I see..."
"I’ve said it before, once she settles on a goal, the girl would never give up halfway."
Fuh, then Masuzu revealed a lonely smile.
"You seem to understand everything about Harusaki-san."
"That's being childhood friends."
"......Huuun."
Masuzu’s voice suddenly shrank.
Did I say something to make her angry?
I didn’t expect her to suddenly fall onto me.
"————!"
Moist lips covered my mouth.
Masuzu’s long eyelashes hovered in front of me.
Her silvery hair that touched my cheeks made me shiver.
The tiny breath from her nose also made me feel ticklish.
The body heat, from being held in her arms from before couldn't possibly compare to this. So hot.
Then her lips slowly pulled away from me.
Her body heat disappeared.
The aroma left.
"W-W-W-W-Wha————?!"
Her cheeks contracted a helplessly intoxicated color, and Masuzu began to brush her tousled hair.
"So... did you kiss Harusaki-san, yet?"
"Ha-Haaa?"
"Probably not."
"O-Of course not!"
"Well, then please remember this:
Your first wasn't Harusaki-san! It was me, Natsukawa Masuzu."
"[...]"
What should I say? I was already speechless.
Just what type of 'I hate to lose' guy is she?
"That..."
Bashfully, Masuzu shyly toyed with her skirt, sometimes clutching it and sometimes letting go.
"What? Any impressions?"
Even if you ask me about my thoughts, I also...
"Ah, how to say it… it pretty much fits your audaciousness."
"...If it is about that, it isn't what I'm asking about."
I didn’t know why, but Masuzu’s shoulders drooped, very disappointed.
What is with this girl?
Even though it has been just today, isn't that a love-struck mind[6]?
"Anyway, are you fine with it?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"No, I mean... Are you happy because IFake was the one you kissed?"
When I had finished speaking, I could see Masuzu’s face blush.
"For real, you are so dense."
"Eh?"
"...It won't do, unless it's with you."
"Eeee?!"
Hey.
Hey-Hey!
If you say something to that extent, even I can realize it!
It's not about Fakes, but for real she really li—
"That now was one of the most famous scenes in part one, 'Dio forcibly steals a kiss from Erina.' (parody version) Thus, the target must also be a JoJo fan like me to understand."
"So just now it was for the sake of imitating JoJo?"
Masuzu gave a big sigh, and said:
"But Eita-kun, I thought you would realize it right away."
"So the dense part was about that!"
"Aaaa, you’re making me explain my very own source material, it's kinda embarrassing."
"So that’s why you blushed? The riddle makes sense now!"
A girl that would have her first kiss with her boyfriend for the sake of a fulfilling some 'JoJo neta'.
How intoxicating! Sublime!
"What an extreme JoJoJoJo obsessed woman you are!"
"Thank you, thank you for praising me –––––Anyways, back to the main topic, Eita-kun."
"What?"
Masuzu pointed at a puddle in the water ditch which was filled with gravel and said:
"Come on, hurry up and use some muddy water to rinse your mouth."
"Like if I could be faithful to the story to that extent—!"
Even though I gave out such a retort, Masuzu let out a happy giggling laughter.
Her cheeks, for some reason, were still red.
