Chapter III | “Wavering Heart”

♣♣♣

November arrived.

The first weekend of the month was the cultural festival.

For those two days, the school opened its doors to the general public, letting everyone enjoy the festivities.

The Queen of the Night managed to bloom, and we’d gotten the other accessories ready too.

Our “you” accessory sales event was set up in an empty classroom across from the usual science room (called the multipurpose room). Since classrooms with water and facilities were reserved for groups handling food, we’d been kicked out to this spot.

7 a.m.

We finished setting up the sales venue and were getting ready with our costumes. I was wearing a tailcoat Himari had picked out, standing stiffly in the hallway, trying to look sharp.

A group of girls who seemed like upperclassmen passed by. Seeing my outfit, they went, “Whoa!” “You’re really going all out!” “It’s like cosplay!” and started touching it without hesitation. Maybe it was the festival vibe, but they accepted it pretty casually.

“…”

T-This is embarrassing…

No, endure it, me. The theme for this sales event is “CHIC.” So picking this kind of outfit kinda makes sense… Wait, does it?

I looked up “CHIC” on my phone dictionary: it means stylish, refined, elegant. Hmm, well, I guess that fits?

I don’t know much about fashion, so I left it all to Himari. She said she got it from the same shop where Hibari-san picks out suits, so it’s probably not a mistake.

Right now, the girls were changing, so the sales venue was closed. A simple blackboard sign leaned against the door.

“Accessory Shop ‘you’ Pop-Up Store”

…Is this what it’ll feel like when we really have a shop someday?

As I mulled over that strange sensation, Himari called from inside.

“Yuu~! You can come in now~!”

I opened the door and stepped inside. Himari and Enomoto-san had finished getting ready.

“…Whoa.”

I couldn’t help but let out a sound.

Two beautiful girls stood there in gothic dresses.

Himari wore a black dress adorned with tons of vibrant embroidery. With her features and hair color, she seriously looked like a Western doll on display.

Enomoto-san had a simple red one. Her glossy hair was curled, giving her a more mature vibe than Himari—like some noble lady you’d find in an aristocratic mansion.

Himari hopped over to me, twirling in front of me with a little bounce.

“Yuu, how’s it look?”

“It suits you perfectly.”

When I gave my honest opinion, Himari grinned with a “Phehe~.”

I’d seen it during the fitting, but yeah, beautiful girls look good in anything. As I soaked in that realization, Enomoto-san suddenly reached out.

“Yuu-kun, your tie’s crooked.”

“Oh, sorry…”

I slipped into polite speech without thinking.

I mean, Enomoto-san’s got this insane beauty aura too. While she fixed my tie, I stood stock-still, nervous as hell.

Uh, my breath doesn’t stink, right? It’s fine, right? I held my breath desperately until she let go.

“There. Done.”

“Th-Thank you…”

Enomoto-san gave a small smile.

Whoa… What’s this? It’s weirdly embarrassing.

(Enomoto-san… Ever since the Queen of the Night bloomed, she seems softer somehow…)

She used to grab me with an iron claw.

Did I do something? Well, if she’s in a better mood, that’s good. No more trembling in fear of the claw… Huh?

Uh, Himari-san?

What’s with that sulky stare? You’re the one who picked these unfamiliar clothes…

I cleared my throat with a “Ahem.”

“Himari, are we all set?”

“Perfect! We’ll set up the products after homeroom.”

We’d head back to class for homeroom soon. Once that was done, the cultural festival would officially start.

(So far, so good…)

The sales venue setup matched Himari’s design perfectly.

A venue tailored to this time’s “CHIC” concept.

Keep it simple, minimal stuff.

Three long tables arranged in a U-shape, displaying the new accessories.

Limited quantities to create a mature, curated space.

The pink anthurium flower on the teacher’s podium stood out nicely.

(…But…)

I suddenly felt an odd sense of unease.

What is it?

Something feels off… like something’s missing, but I can’t pin it down.

As I puzzled over it without words, Enomoto-san looked at me with concern.

“Yuu-kun, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, uh, nothing…”

Probably just my imagination.

It’s my first time running my own sales event—I’m just nervous.

Himari, oblivious to my mood, kept going.

“Alright, let’s review today’s sales plan~!”

“Sure.”

According to Himari’s rundown, here’s the deal:

• • This sale’s a 1-on-1 style.

• • When a customer comes in, first serve them one drink each.

• • Recommend products while they sip, aiming for each group to buy at least one item.

• • Goal: sell 200 accessories total.

It’s a customer service style inspired by Tenma-kun’s solo exhibition.

I’d heard about it beforehand, but now that it’s go-time, a wave of insane anxiety hit me.

“Can I even handle that kind of service…?”

“Haha! You’ll be fine! That’s why we dressed up all fancy~!”

“A tailcoat doesn’t change my personality…”

“But Yuu, you sold stuff at that exhibition, right? Just do it like that—it’ll be a breeze♪”

“That was mostly luck…”

No, stop being a wimp.

I decided to aim for a higher stage. Even if I’m doing this with Himari, I’ve got to handle at least this much.

“Enomoto-san, how’s your schedule with the other stuff?”

“I’ve got to help the band in the morning… After homeroom, I’ll swing by to check on things here.”

In the end, she’s helping out today too. I’m honestly grateful, but I feel a bit bad about it.

As I thought that, Himari piped up energetically.

“Yuu, let’s get pumped!”

“Uh… In this getup?”

“The outfit doesn’t matter! It’s about switching our mindset—let’s do this sharp!”

Well, if Himari says so…

The three of us stacked our hands in the center.

“Cultural festival, profit!”

“Yeah~!”

“Oh!”

And with that, our cultural festival kicked off.

…And trouble struck 30 minutes later.

♣♣♣

Homeroom felt like a fashion show.

I thought our outfits would totally stand out, but surprisingly, they didn’t.

Students heading to the morning assembly in the gym were already changed, and others joining various events were rocking their own styles. …Though our Victorian vibe was clearly from a different era.

Our school’s cultural festival is always like this. Locally, it’s famous for being a wild, manga-like event.

When the homeroom-ending chime rang, our teacher wrapped up.

“Alright, don’t go too overboard. Especially you, Natsume.”

Why me?

Sensei, I’m not your go-to for a cheap laugh… Though, thinking back on recent stuff, I can’t totally deny it.

The students snickered as they scattered to their posts.

Himari and I headed to the sales venue.

Clutching my tense stomach, I groaned.

“Haa… I’m nervous.”

“Pfft! Yuu, if you’re nervous over this, you won’t survive the future~♪”

Says the girl sipping Yoghurppe to calm her own nerves. Don’t hog the mental stability trick!

We approached the sales venue.

For these two days, this was our “you” shop, no matter what.

(I’m absolutely making a profit.)

And I’d gain experience to fuel my growth.

…Or so I thought, until we arrived and noticed something unfamiliar on the door.

A stylish floral wreath hung on the sales venue’s door.

You know, those circular decorations for Christmas or rooms—packed with delicate pink, white, and yellow flowers, clearly handmade with insane detail.

Seeing it, Himari tilted her head.

“Yuu, did you hang this?”

“No…”

Could it be Enomoto-san?

No, she’s supposed to be with the band…

I stared at it up close and was stunned.

(…This is a fabric accessory.)

Fabric accessories.

Different from the leather craft accessories I saw at Sanae Miko-san’s Tokyo exhibition, these use thin fabric.

Their charm lies in their limitless expressiveness.

Thin fabric can be manipulated endlessly—layered, stretched, rolled softly, stuffed with cotton, stitched with needle and thread… With infinite techniques, it can take any 3D shape depending on the creator’s skill.

(And this vibe… It’s not mass-produced. It’s handmade.)

It wasn’t logic telling me that.

Maybe it’s the unique roughness of something custom-made?

It didn’t feel cold. It felt warm—like the creator’s personality shone through.

“Yuu?”

“Oh, sorry…”

Crap.

I almost got lost in this sudden encounter. Anyway, no one around me should be making accessories like this.

A student here…? Huh?

“Himari? Is someone in the sales venue?”

“Oh, I hear something.”

We hurriedly opened the door… and were speechless at the sight.

The sales venue had turned into a labyrinth.

Inside, large sheets of fabric lined both sides. Vibrant green gradients formed a pathway stretching straight ahead.

Partitions—used to block off neighboring views in a room or guide paths at events.

“Y-Yuu? What’s this?”

“I don’t know…”

Along the partitioned path, long tables were lined up. On them sat stacks of the low-price accessories we’d prepared.

Cute POP signs read “¥500 only.”

Following the path, it turned at a right angle at the end. After a couple more turns, the fabric parted, revealing a checkout table ahead.

The venue’s windows were lined with the same fabric wreaths as the door.

The anthurium pot on the podium was beautifully draped in fabric too.

(W-What the heck is this…?)

This was nothing like Himari’s planned sales venue design.

Did we get the wrong room…? No, that’s impossible.

This is right across from the usual science room. Even with festival decorations, there’s no way we’d mess up the route.

Above all, my low-price accessories were here.

As we stood dumbfounded, a stranger’s voice suddenly echoed.

“Welcome! To the Flower Accessory Labyrinth!”

Then a huge shadow leapt out from a blind spot in the partitions!

“Bam!”

A mystery figure in a mascot costume appeared right in front of us.

““…!?!?!?””

We jumped, too shocked to speak.

…Uh, what’s this?

A costume… Some elephant-like mascot with a crown on its head.

The person (?) seemed dissatisfied with our reaction. Flailing a bit, they put their hands on the costume head and took it off.

Out came a girl with a lively smile.

“Hey! I’m Shiroyama Mei!”

She snapped a salute pose to introduce herself.

Our response?

““???””

Himari and I exchanged looks, totally baffled.

Ignoring that, the girl’s eyes sparkled as she touched Himari’s dress.

“Whoa! That dress—is it for the festival!? It’s super cute!”

“Oh, uh, thanks…?”

Himari thanked her while shooting me a glance.

“Uh, who?”

“Not your friend?”

“I-I don’t think I know her.”

“Me neither… Enomoto-san’s friend maybe?”

“No way, if she knew Enocchi, she’d say so.”

…Wow. Our eye contact’s in perfect sync.

The girl finally noticed our exchange.

“Huh?”

Pointing to herself, she tilted her head curiously.

“You haven’t heard about me?”

“…I don’t think so?”

I glanced at Himari, and she nodded too.

The girl clutched her head and looked skyward.

“Gahh!”

…Did she just say “Gahh” out loud?

Ignoring our calm vibe, she kept ramping up on her own.

“W-What a twist of fate! No, a trial!? Is this a trial!?”

“Uh, I don’t know about trials…”

You’d have to ask God about that.

Wait, no, we’re getting swept up in her energy—this is weird!

With a casual grin, she said,

“You senpais aren’t wrong!”

“Oh, uh, good…”

Then what’s this situation?

This sales venue turned into a totally different space.

And this mystery costume girl in front of us?

“Um, Shiroyama-san? Who exactly are you…?”

“Me?”

I nodded, and she snapped another salute with her right hand.

“Shiroyama Mei!”

“You already said that…”

She stuck out her tongue with an “Oops” and laughed.

Then dropped a bombshell.

“I’m ‘you’-sama’s number one disciple!”

That one line froze us in place.

A flood of info hit me, overwhelming my brain, but the first thing that stuck out was this:

She wasn’t looking at me—she was looking at Himari.

♣♣♣

The Community Exchange Program.

In short, an orientation for middle schoolers to experience our school.

Our school holds two such events a year: a summer class info session and this fall “Community Exchange Program.”

The idea is to let them join festival classes or clubs and feel the school’s vibe firsthand.

Unlike the summer session, though, few middle schoolers sign up for the festival version. Honestly, I’d forgotten it even existed.

At first glance, it sounds fun. Our private school’s festival has tons of freedom—plays, food stalls, fortune-telling booths, even a beauty pageant. In this day and age, a festival this wild is rare.

Yet the “Community Exchange Program” isn’t popular.

The reason’s simple.

With the festival open to the public, why bother working as staff when you could just enjoy it as a guest?

The system’s inherently flawed.

Still, scrapping a tradition set by some old bigwig requires solid reasoning and effort.

In an era where educators are swamped, no teacher has the energy to revise something that’s fine being ignored. …That’s Sasaki-sensei’s heartfelt take, anyway.

This year, though, some oddball middle schooler decided to use this outdated program—and even weirder, specifically requested the gardening club.

Staff room.

Sasaki-sensei, naturally juggling the festival committee too, bowed with a slightly haggard face from nonstop work.

“Sorry. My bad for not passing it on…”

“N-No, you’ve been busy, Sensei…”

Seeing him so worn out, I couldn’t bring myself to blame him.

“Sasaki-sensei, what should we do?”

“Yeah, well… Normally, I’d explain the situation and figure out a compromise…”

His face grew even more gaunt.

“But I don’t want more work…”

“R-Right…”

His raw honesty made me feel kinda bad for him.

Sasaki-sensei treats me like an adult. This bluntness probably means he trusts me.

“What do you guys think, honestly?”

“About what?”

“Is it a hassle having an extra middle schooler?”

“Oh…”

I glanced at Himari, and she nodded.

“Sasaki-sensei, she doesn’t have to be treated like a customer, right?”

“Yeah. When she signed up, we got approval for her to work as staff.”

“Then I’m cool with it. We’re short-handed anyway—having temp staff could be good. But…”

She looked at me.

Seems she’s worried about me handling a first meeting with a girl.

“…Yeah. I’m not great with strangers, but I’ll try. She came all this way to help—it’d suck to turn her away.”

She’s from outside the school, after all. Plus, this could be practice for hiring part-timers in the future.

“Sasaki-sensei, we’ll figure it out.”

He grabbed my shoulders and nodded deeply.

“Sorry! I owe you one!”

“No, I owe you for helping with this sales event…”

Sasaki-sensei handed me and Himari each a Chupa Chups. …Lately, students call him the “Candy Guy.”

With that settled, Himari and I returned to the sales venue together.

On the way, I muttered my honest thoughts.

“That aside, why us…?”

“She’s probably just a fan of ‘you’ accessories, right?”

“No, no, no. Even then, coming to the festival to help out?”

“But we get thank-you letters or emails from buyers sometimes, don’t we?”

“Sure, but…”

That’s already a lot of effort, I think.

This feels like a whole different level of dedication.

“Seriously, what do we do?”

“Yeah… For some reason, she thinks I’m ‘you.’”

That’s it.

We never explicitly said “you” was a guy, so it’s been kinda vague.

I pulled out my phone and checked the Instagram account again.

Himari basically runs it—

*“To ‘you,’ with lovely magic—

An accessory creator who converses with flowers, preserving their beauty forever.

Or perhaps a beauty alchemist @ ‘love,’ searching for a new self and expression♡”*

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.

It’s a flower garden… No, not the accessories—her head.

“What are you doing!?”

“Huh? It’s cool, isn’t it?”

“No way in hell!”

How many guys on Earth could pull off this sparkly bio? “Beauty alchemist”? It’s so over-the-top it’s practically a gag.

(Oh yeah, ‘you’ was supposed to be a mysterious creator…)

With this text, 99% of the Instagram pics are Himari.

I’m in some too, but I totally look like a background photographer. In this state, it makes sense someone might mistake Himari for “you.”

“That’s fine, but what’s with the ‘disciple’ thing? From how she talked, it’s like Himari promised her something…”

“Nah, I seriously don’t remember anything like that~”

Himari tilted her head.

“Anyway, don’t we have to talk to her again?”

We got back to the sales venue.

Shiroyama-san was sitting on a pipe chair in the same costume as before.

Seeing us—well, Himari—she ran over happily.

“ ‘You’-sama, welcome back!”

“Uh, so, we checked with the teacher about you…”

“Ehh! That’s so formal! Call me Mei!”

“…M-Mei-chan?”

Shiroyama-san’s face lit up.

“Yes!”

“…”

Himari, I get it.

I feel it too. This girl’s got that “Oh, she’s the type you can’t reason with” vibe, big time.

Himari’s strong with normal people but struggles with these natural airhead types.

But do your best here! It’s all riding on your communication skills!

“Uh, Mei-chan. So, um…”

I gave her a quick rundown of our exchange with Sasaki-sensei.

I explained that there’d been a mix-up with the info, but we’d decided to let her join our sales event this time. When I finished, Shiroyama-san gave a satisfied salute.

“I’ll work super hard!”

“Oh, thanks! Haha…”

…So far, so good, I guess.

Himari and I exchanged a look and nodded subtly.

No point in beating around the bush. I should be the one to say it.

“I’m Natsume Yuu. This is Inuzuka Himari. There’s one more of us, but she’s helping with her club’s booth right now, so I’ll introduce her later. And…”

I said it clearly.

“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding, but ‘you’ isn’t Himari—it’s me.”

Then silence.

In the distance, I could hear music from the gym’s events. The lively chatter of general visitors arriving was growing louder too.

We swallowed hard.

And then Shiroyama-san—with an utterly carefree smile—said:

“Haha! No way that’s true!”

Boom.

Her flat-out denial left us speechless. Uh, we’re not wrong, right? ‘You’ is me, isn’t it? Her confident rejection was making me second-guess myself.

Shiroyama-san continued in her breezy tone.

“I mean, I know. Himari-senpai is ‘you’-sama!”

“R-Really?”

“Yup! I’ve got proof!”

“Proof…?”

Proof stronger than our own claims…?

Then Shiroyama-san pointed at her head—or rather, the accessory tying her twin tails.

It was a fabric accessory shaped like a pink flower.

“This is my attempt to recreate the first accessory ‘you’-sama gave me. The original broke, but I treasured it so much.”

“Oh, I see…?”

She showed it to me.

(…Is that a sweet pea?)

Sweet pea.

A delicate flower that blooms in spring, resembling butterflies in flight.

Its flower language? “Departure.”

A flower for shedding your old self and meeting a new you.

It’s incredibly well-made. Fabric accessories demand a knack for 3D visualization, and this recreates the sweet pea from every angle perfectly—it’s unmistakably a sweet pea flower.

Even for someone like me, who handles flowers daily, I wouldn’t believe it’s a fabric accessory without holding it.

(…Wait, I think I remember making something like this?)

It was a while ago.

Oh, right—it was that middle school cultural festival where I met Himari. I definitely remember making a hair clip like this back then.

I double-checked.

“Where’d you get that accessory?”

“Uh… Three years ago at a middle school cultural festival?”

Three years ago… That matches my memory.

Maybe she bought it during the chaos of the second day?

No, that’s still weird. Himari and I became best friends after that festival. So how did this misunderstanding even happen?

As I puzzled over it, Himari suddenly piped up.

“Oh!”

…Himari-san?

Hold up. What’s that “Oh!” for? Don’t tell me there’s a new revelation now?

I dragged Himari out into the hallway.

“What? Don’t tell me you actually remember something?”

“Pfft! Oh yeah, I totally did sell an accessory to a little girl…”

“Huh? When? When did that even happen?”

“You know, the last part of the first day. When you ditched the stall to hawk stuff outside?”

“…”

Oh!!

That did happen. While I was struggling to sell accessories outside, Himari watched the stall. Some stuff definitely sold back then.

“That’s when one of Araki-sensei’s flower arrangement students came to check on you. She brought her little sister—a grade schooler. Yeah, now that I think about it, there’s a resemblance.”

“Okay, I get that… But why the misunderstanding…?”

“Hmm. I don’t know either, but it was grade school memory, so maybe she just assumed stuff?”

“Well, I guess that could be it…”

Himari stretched with an “Ahh, that clears it up~,” looking satisfied now that the mystery was solved.

I finally felt that lump in my throat ease… but it’s not like that wraps everything up.

“No, wait—what’s this ‘disciple’ thing about?”

“Hmm. Even I don’t know that one. I kinda feel like we talked about something, though…”

Even Himari didn’t seem to remember that far.

“Well, either way, we figured out why she got confused.”

Now it’s just about how to explain it…

As I thought that, Shiroyama-san poked her head out from the door.

“‘You’-sama, what’re you doing?”

“Oh, uh, we kinda remembered something about you…”

“Really!?”

Shiroyama-san’s eyes lit up.

(Ugh! What’s with this pure-hearted aura!?)

It’s like my soul’s being purified… I almost want to protect her adorable misunderstanding!

No, no, don’t give in, Natsume Yuu!

Time to assert some upperclassman dignity!

“So, about that misunderstanding—”

“Ehh? Yuu-senpai, that again?”

“No, I mean, really—”

“No way that’s true!”

Shiroyama-san shot me down with total conviction.

Her certainty was so strong, I started doubting my own memory…

“I mean, ‘you’-sama’s a super lady! Someone as plain as Yuu-senpai couldn’t make such delicate, beautiful accessories!”

She called me plain!

As I sniffled, Shiroyama-san grabbed Himari’s arm and rubbed her cheek against it.

“‘You’-sama’s so beautiful—”

Himari twitched at that.

“And super smart—”

Twitch, twitch.

“The coolest person I admire most!”

Twitch, twitch, twitch.

Uh, Himari-san?

As Shiroyama-san gleefully snuggled up to her, Himari’s cheeks started loosening up with joy.

Feeling a bad vibe, I watched as Himari hugged her head and declared cheerfully:

“Alright! Mei-chan, this ‘you’ will take good care of you~!”

Hey, you fraud!

Don’t get won over in a split second!

I dragged Himari away from Shiroyama-san. She was grinning ear to ear, muttering “Buhehe~” like an idiot.

“Himari-san? Weren’t you supposed to clear up the misunderstanding?”

“Ehh, it’s fine~! A girl who calls me cute can’t be bad~♪”

“You’re so cheap!?”

“I mean, lately everyone’s been so rough with me! I’m supposed to be revered like this~☆”

Crap!

The payback for cooling off her summer adventure mode hit us here…

“Plus, I can’t call myself a beauty alchemist if I can’t protect one girl’s dream♪”

“That cringey title’s just something you made up…”

As Himari poked my nose with a smug “Heh,” I gave up.

Meanwhile, she got carried away flirting with Shiroyama-san.

“So, Mei-chan, learn ’you’s techniques at this festival, okay?”

“Yes!”

…Looks like it’s settled.

(She’s quirky, but doesn’t seem like a bad kid…)

Eh, whatever.

My goal’s still to make this sales event profitable.

Whether Himari’s mistaken for ‘you’ doesn’t really matter…

After some trouble, our “you” accessory sales event finally kicked off.

♣♣♣

It kicked off, sure, but here’s the problem:

This sales venue.

While we were at homeroom, the venue got a makeover without us knowing.

I couldn’t help but stare again.

This labyrinth… It’s so flashy it threw me off, but it’s calculated with crazy precision.

The narrow path is lined with accessories, no gaps, arranged with height in mind so multiple pieces catch your eye at once.

Accessory shops often use vertical displays like this—it adds depth and a sense of luxury.

And the labyrinth of partitions, which might look like a prank at first glance?

(Is this stopping customers from backtracking…?)

A narrow path forces you forward. Keep going, and you hit the checkout.

It’s a bit sneaky, but canceling a purchase at the register takes serious resolve.

(This design’s laser-focused on selling.)

A labyrinth you can only move through forward.

Once you pick something up, it’s a straight shot to the checkout.

Despite its playful, vibrant look, it’s built on a ruthlessly logical system.

I was honestly impressed.

(Shiroyama-san’s got a spatial sense we don’t…)

It’s just a classroom divided by big fabric sheets.

Yet with that simple trick, she created something this deep—in the 30 minutes we were gone.

It reminded me of Tenma-kun’s exhibition in Tokyo.

Which is more stylish? Hands down, Tenma-kun’s exhibition.

But purely for sales—is this really the work of a third-year middle schooler?

My heart raced without me realizing.

(This is a talent I don’t have…)

Amazing.

Another skill—beyond accessory quality—for delivering them to clients.

(But this isn’t the concept we planned…)

Our theme was “CHIC.”

This fabric-decorated space? “Flower Accessory Labyrinth.”

Shiroyama-san’s setup is loud—almost overwhelming.

You could call it childish in a bad way, but still…

—My thoughts stopped there.

For a moment, Himari’s expression caught my eye.

She was staring at this drastically upgraded scene with an awkward look—not happy at all.

It cooled my brief excitement instantly.

Of course.

The sales venue design we’d prepped was Himari’s idea. The fact that some random girl showed up and changed it all without permission doesn’t change.

I snapped back to reality.

(This… won’t work.)

I knew it instinctively.

“Hey, Shiroyama-san. Can we put the sales venue back to how it was?”

I suggested it as gently as I could.

She seems sociable—surely she’d understand if we talked it out.

I feel bad after she made it, but she’d probably agree cheerfully.

…But Shiroyama-san wouldn’t budge on this.

“No way!”

No way…?

As I fumbled for words, Himari stepped in.

“W-Why not…?”

“’Cause the original venue was super lame!”

“L-Lame?”

Shiroyama-san nodded.

“There’s a difference between simple chic and just being lazy. The thought of ‘you’-sama’s accessories being sold in a lame space like that—”

She crossed her arms dramatically.

“No way!”

“No way, huh…”

No, don’t get sucked in, me!

Her forceful rhythm’s totally throwing me off. I hurriedly turned to Himari.

“But, Himari, you liked the original design, right?”

“Uh, umm…”

Himari was totally shrinking back.

I could feel her stuck between a rock and a hard place. Since Shiroyama-san’s words lacked malice, it made it harder for her to push back.

Shiroyama-san’s point was blunt but valid.

Ultimately, though, it’s a matter of taste.

There’s no right answer here. I get that.

(Himari worked on this for two months, so… Huh?)

My eyes met Shiroyama-san’s.

She was staring right at me.

“Yuu-senpai, why are you working with ‘you’-sama?”

“Huh…”

I faltered.

“W-Why…?”

“I get that you’re her boyfriend. You’ve been together for years. But why are you meddling in accessory sales? Just tagging along for fun won’t get results.”

“Uh, um…”

“I don’t wanna be ‘you’-sama’s boyfriend. I came to help with her accessory sales.”

She said it straight to my face.

“So, Yuu-senpai, you’re in the way.”

Despite her sharp words,

I couldn’t see any malice in her eyes.

She’s like a knight, I thought.

Purely focused on protecting her master, “you.”

Her phrasing aside… I couldn’t deny her resolve.

“If someone’s pushing a lame sales event just ‘cause they’re the boyfriend, it’ll ruin ‘you’-sama.”

Those words made me realize my mistake.

Himari’s the one who came up with this design.

Shiroyama-san’s words weren’t stabbing me—they were hitting her.

(W-What do I do… Oh no! Himari’s totally freaking out!)

Himari’s eyes were spinning.

Even so, she was desperately trying to stay calm for appearances’ sake. Keeping the mood in check even now—classic communication queen!

As I racked my brain over this mess, a voice came from the door.

“…There’s someone I don’t know.”

I jolted and turned around in a panic.

It was Enomoto-san.

She was peeking through the door gap, eyeing us warily like a cautious cat. If she had a tail, it’d be puffed up for sure.

Uh, starting with that line…? Oh crap, we forgot to message her about Shiroyama-san. Couldn’t she have phrased it a bit better, though…?

Himari seized the chance to escape over to her.

“Enocchi, how’s the band stuff?”

“It’s calmed down for now. I came to check on things here, but…”

Enomoto-san looked at Shiroyama-san, silently demanding an explanation.

“Who?”

“She’s a middle schooler joining us through the ‘Community Exchange Program.’ Sorry, we just found out and didn’t report it sooner.”

After I explained, Enomoto-san sighed.

“You guys are always getting into messy stuff.”

“My bad…”

Then Enomoto-san walked over to Shiroyama-san.

“I’m Enomoto Rion. Same year as Yuu-kun and them, second year.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Shiroyama Mei…”

They exchanged greetings pleasantly… or so I thought, until Enomoto-san’s right hand suddenly grabbed Shiroyama-san’s head.

Shiroyama-san tilted her head curiously.

“Uh? What’s this?”

Oh no.

We tried to stop her, but too late—the inevitable iron claw struck!

“~~~~~~ ~!”

Shiroyama-san went down in an instant.

Uh… Himari and I recoiled in shock. Seriously, why’d she just deck her? Was there anything in that greeting that warranted it???

As we stood there stunned, Enomoto-san brushed her hands off with a cool expression.

“Mei-san, I heard you in the hallway. This is our sales event, and you’re a newbie joining for the first time. I get that you love ‘you,’ but know your place.”

“Ugh… B-But…”

Enomoto-san glared at her.

“Got it?”

“Y-Yes!”

Like a frog stared down by a snake, Shiroyama-san caved.

I hurriedly whispered to Enomoto-san.

“Th-Thanks. Sorry for making you play the bad guy…”

“It’s fine. I don’t care about being liked anyway.”

Then she lightly patted my cheeks.

“Yuu-kun, you’re in charge here. When it counts, you should push your opinion through, even if it’s overbearing.”

“Ugh… G-Got it.”

Enomoto-san crossed her arms.

She nodded with a confidence as bold as the bust wrapped in her thin dress.

“Good, if you get it.”

“Thanks…”

She’s so reliable, I’m seriously questioning my own worth.

(Oh, right, Shiroyama-san…)

I glanced over—she was sniffling in Himari’s arms.

“‘You’-sama, I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay~ Now Mei-chan can stand at the starting line as ’you’s disciple♪”

“Was that a mandatory event!?”

Sounds like a battle manga convo. I clapped my hands.

“Anyway, let’s switch the design back quick. Shiroyama-san, help out too.”

“We’ll use Mei-chan’s design another time, okay?”

Shiroyama-san…

“O-Okay…”

She reluctantly agreed and started taking off the top half of her costume… Huh?

Inside Shiroyama-san’s costume was just a defenseless undershirt.

“Yuu! Don’t look!”

“Yuu-kun, turn around!”

Both of them smacked my face at once.

“Guh…!?”

So unfair… I turned around.

“Huh? Did I do something weird?”

“Mei-chan, over here!”

“Clothes… Should I check the band room for something?”

“Oh! I brought my uniform!”

“Then change into that…”

It hasn’t even been an hour since the festival started…

With that thought, we hurriedly reset the design.

♣♣♣

Eventually, it passed noon.

The first day’s morning session ended.

Our “you” sales event—current tally: 5 sales.

“Rough…”

“Yeah, tough…”

Himari replied vaguely to my lament.

Hardly any customers were showing up.

Not just to our accessory sales—barely anyone was coming to this special classroom building. Occasionally, an elderly neighborhood couple would peek in, chat a bit, and leave.

Standing around forever was killing my legs, so I sat down.

Himari yawned while flipping through the festival pamphlet.

“See, there was a dance battle in the gym this morning?”

“That popular, huh?”

“Yup. You didn’t know, Yuu?”

“I don’t really remember wandering the festival last year…”

“Well, you were stuck at the exhibit stall the whole time~”

Himari gave a wry smile and handed me the pamphlet.

Titled “Cultural Festival Guide”—how uninspired. She opened it to the program list.

“…I see. The morning of day one is all sports club events.”

“Exactly. It’s the big event of day one, so all the students head there~”

Loud, flashy stuff… or more like, the extrovert crowd, I guess?

The sports club dance battle Himari mentioned is the main draw, so expecting people to trickle over to our quiet exhibit might be a stretch…

“I hope so…”

Sure enough, foot traffic in the hallway has been picking up little by little.

With lunchtime rolling around, students lured by the food stalls are probably slipping out of the gym and heading this way.

…Speaking of which, there’s a great smell wafting over from the schoolyard.

Come to think of it, I’m starving. I was too nervous to eat breakfast this morning.

“Himari, what about lunch?”

“Hmm… Enocchi should be coming over soon, so why don’t we decide after that?”

“Fair enough… By the way, what’s Enomoto-san up to now? Band stuff?”

“Yup! She said the band’s running a confetti omelet rice stall.”

“Seriously? Like, the real deal?”

“Her band friends were like, ‘We’re aiming for knife-cut, runny-yolk perfection!’”

“Whoa. Now I kinda want some…”

Thinking back, we had something like that on our Tokyo trip.

A gothic dress cooking scene on YouTube would totally go viral… No, no, this isn’t the time to spot new business ideas.

As my mouth started watering, Shiroyama-san piped up from the side.

“Are we good like this? Shouldn’t we change the sales venue design after all?”

“No, that’s a no-go…”

Shiroyama-san, now in a black blazer, was swinging her legs idly.

“What about handing out flyers? Yuu-senpai, didn’t you prep any?”

“Our festival bans flyers. Trash issues and all that—‘value resources,’ they say. We’ve got a poster up on the school bulletin board, though.”

“Ughhh! It’s ‘you’-sama’s sales event, though!”

She picked up one of the accessories for sale—a preserved Queen of the Night petal earring, one of the star items of this event.

“‘You’-sama’s special low-price model… Anyone’d have to buy this!”

“Uh, thanks…”

“? Why’s Yuu-senpai answering?”

“Oh, right. Sorry about that.”

Still, it’s wild she doesn’t suspect a thing…

Shiroyama-san didn’t seem fazed and turned to pester Himari.

“‘You’-sama, let’s use my design~!”

“Hehe~ Nope, reinforcements are coming soon, so that’s a no-go~!”

Shot down flat, Shiroyama-san drooped with a “Shobooon…” Her reactions are pretty funny once you get used to them.

…Wait, reinforcements?

That’s news to me, so I couldn’t help but bite.

“Himari, what’s that about?”

“Hehe~ Did you think I’d just stand around doing nothing?”

Himari checked the time on her phone and stood up from her chair with a flourish.

Striking a dramatic pose—pointless sidenote, but she’s in a gothic dress, so maybe chill—she declared confidently:

“For a genius creator like me, the one and only ‘you,’ having a trick or two up my sleeve is only natural!”

“Wow! ‘You’-sama, so cool!”

Ugh, she’s getting carried away…

Ignoring the two clapping and hyping each other up, I felt a little secondhand embarrassment. No matter how successful I get, I’m never calling myself a “genius creator”…

(But reinforcements?)

Enomoto-san’s not “reinforcements”—she’s part of “you.”

Maybe Makishima…? Nah, no way he’d help. He’s probably swamped running the tennis club’s yakisoba stall anyway.

As I pondered, the door opened right on cue. Thinking it was a customer, I jumped up and greeted them.

“Welcome! To Accessory Shop ‘you’… Huh?”

I froze because it was someone I knew.

Two classmates struck perfectly symmetrical peace signs like mirror images.

“Yay!”

“Natsume-kun, you good!?”

Inoue Mao-san, an energetic girl with mid-length blonde hair.

And Yokoyama Azumi-san, a mature girl with a sleek black ponytail.

You know, those two from Makishima’s class who ordered custom accessories during that first-term fiasco.

We’d started chatting whenever we ran into each other since then—maybe they stopped by to help? As I wondered, Himari bounced over to them.

“Hey, hey! Thanks for pitching in, you two!”

“No prob! We get to redeem ourselves from last time too!”

“Also, Himari-san, your costumes are unreal! Is this a ball or what?”

They squealed and poked at her gothic dress.

I caught their conversation from the side.

“Redeem yourselves?”

Inoue-san slapped my shoulder playfully—ow, ow, that carefree volleyball club strength hurts…

“C’mon, we totally messed things up for you last time, remember?”

“No, it wasn’t a hassle. If anything, we—”

“Haha! Natsume-kun, always the considerate guy! Anyway, we felt unfinished, so we’re back as your hype squad!”

“Oh, I get it…”

Come to think of it, they did help spread the word about my accessories last time. …I feel kinda bad for making them worry.

Himari raised a finger.

“So, these two will be walking billboards, wearing our new low-price accessories around the festival!”

The three girls high-fived and cheered.

Finally, it clicked for me.

They’re deliberately recreating what happened at the middle school festival.

Back then, college girls who admired Kureha-san wore my flower accessories around campus after she tweeted about them, drawing in more customers.

As I pieced it together, the Inoue-Yokoyama duo turned to Shiroyama-san.

“Hey there! You the disciple wannabe?”

“Nice to meet ya! We’re the hype squad!”

With their top-tier social skills, they closed the gap instantly.

Makishima once said they’re the next most popular duo after Himari. Their ability to vibe with anyone right off the bat is a huge asset… Wait!

“H-Hold on, you two, actually—”

Oh right, Shiroyama-san thinks Himari’s “you”… Huh?

I panicked, but the duo glanced at each other and snickered.

“We know, we know! ‘You’ is Himari-san, right?”

“We’re here to hype up Himari-san’s accessories, duh!”

Then they leaned in with smug grins.

“The assistant—”

“Natsume-kun?”

Shut up already.

So they’d been briefed from the start. They’re clearly loving the festival, which makes me happy. Period.

Shiroyama-san didn’t flinch at the sudden extrovert invasion, greeting them with her usual energy.

“Shiroyama Mei! Nice to meet ya!”

“Sweet~ Looking forward to it~”

They sealed it with a crisp high-five. Shiroyama-san’s got great vibes.

With intros done, we started picking accessories for them to wear.

Then Himari suggested something.

“Hey, why don’t we let Mei-chan choose?”

“Me?”

I’d figured Himari would jump at the chance, so I was surprised. Sensing my confusion, she whispered to me.

“Well, we shot down her venue design earlier, y’know?”

“Oh, got it. Giving her an important job on purpose, huh?”

True, she came all this way to be a disciple—sticking her with grunt work might bum her out.

We laid out all the accessories we’d prepared for sale.

“Mei-chan, which ones suit these two best?”

Himari asked with a smile, and Shiroyama-san pointed.

“These!”

“Uh…”

It was the Queen of the Night accessories.

The 2,000-yen assorted set we made with Enomoto-san’s advice.

Himari tilted her head at the choice.

I hadn’t expected that pick either.

The Inoue-Yokoyama duo leans flashy, so the Queen of the Night’s understated elegance felt like a mismatch…

Shiroyama-san elaborated.

“For promotion, the main product’s the best bet!”

“Oh, makes sense.”

I was the only one convinced by that.

Himari and the duo exchanged looks like, “Wouldn’t something else work better?” They probably hesitated to wear pricier items as samples.

But I was quietly impressed.

(…Shiroyama-san’s sharp.)

Her call was spot-on.

Promotion 101: the flagship product has to stand out, no matter the industry.

What shocked me was how she pegged the Queen of the Night as the star without any briefing.

Normally, a question like that would lead to picking something “suitable for Inoue and Yokoyama.” But she read our intent and the situation perfectly, offering a different angle.

No, that’s just a glimpse of her skill.

What’s really incredible?

The total lack of hesitation in her decision.

That fabric accessory venue design she whipped up earlier showed her spatial dialogue skills.

But what made it work was her snap judgment—transforming the space in just 30 minutes.

Most people would waver. No one just revamps someone else’s sales event on a hunch.

She doesn’t, though.

Her laid-back vibe hides it, but she’s no ordinary middle schooler.

(Could she have sales experience like Enomoto-san…?)

As I stared, Shiroyama-san suddenly blocked me with both hands.

Before I could ask why, she blurted out:

“Sorry! Yuu-senpai, you’re kinda cool, but not my type!”

“That’s not it! I wasn’t looking at you like that!”

Uh, Himari-san? Stop giving me that weird look… And you two, Inoue and Yokoyama, no whispering!

Anyway!

We settled on the Queen of the Night accessories for the duo to wear.

That choice can’t be wrong.

♣♣♣

After sending off the Inoue-Yokoyama duo, another visitor swapped in.

The Inuzuka family’s dazzling heartthrob, Hibari-san.

“Hey, Yuu-kun!”

“Hibari-san!?”

Rocking a sleek suit as always, he flashed his pearly whites with a sparkle.

“You came!?”

“Of course! Wherever you go, Yuu-kun, I’d follow you to the depths of hell!”

Tossing in his usual dazzling brother-in-law quip (it’s a joke, right?), Hibari-san scanned the venue.

“…”

After a brief pause—he smiled brightly.

“Nice shop!”

“Thank you!”

…Huh?

Was there a weird beat just now?

Did he not like it? No, Hibari-san’s the type to say it straight if something’s off. As I mulled over that slight unease, Himari trotted over.

“Onii-chan, welcome~!”

“Hey, Himari. Helping Yuu-kun out again today?”

“Oh, Onii-chan! That’s kinda…”

Then newbie Shiroyama-san popped up.

“‘You’-sama’s brother!? I-I’m Shiroyama Mei! ‘You’-sama’s number one disciple!”

Oh no.

Hibari-san tilted his head curiously.

“…I’m ’you’s brother?”

“Oh, uh, that’s—”

I scrambled to explain, but Hibari-san furrowed his brow.

Silently gauging our reactions, he rested a finger on his chin, thinking. Click, click, click—his mind raced in seconds.

Then, with a crisp salesman smile, he patted Shiroyama-san’s shoulder.

“That’s right. I’m ’you’s real brother, Hibari. Shiroyama-kun, keep up the good work!”

“Th-Thank you!”

…Classic Hibari-san, reading the room in a flash. That skill’s a lifesaver, but did he emphasize “real brother” a bit too much, or is that just me?

Relieved, Himari cozied up to him with a cute plea.

“Hey, Onii-chan, be an accessory billboard too!”

“Billboard? …Oh, you mean wear one and walk around campus?”

“Yup! You could rock a women’s accessory, right?”

She handed him a Queen of the Night earring, like the ones for Inoue and Yokoyama.

This one used a whole large petal, preserved at one-third bloom to capture a fleeting beauty gazing downward.

“Well, if it’s ’you’s request, I’ll lend a hand!”

“Yay! Love you, Onii-chan!”

He clipped the earring on. True to form, the born-and-bred pretty boy made even this look custom-made.

“Hibari-san, you here alone?”

“No, I came with a few local alumni.”

Our school’s alumni?

No way… As I braced myself, Hibari-san turned toward the hallway.

“Sakura-kun, why not help with the promotion too?”

“No thanks. Hibari-kun, you’re way too soft on our dumb little brother.”

Oh no…!

I whipped around to see Saku-neesan, unusually dressed up, standing there.

She’d gone all out with a chic black all-in-one, a checkered jacket draped over her shoulders for a mature vibe. Where’d she even get those giant hoop earrings?

…But this rare, polished Saku-neesan was glaring at me with a seriously sour face.

“Geh…”

“…Little brother, that reaction right in front of me? You’ve got guts.”

C’mon, anyone’d react like that seeing family at a school event!

She’s all dolled up, but my sister’s radiating full-on anger vibes—what a waste.

“Saku-neesan, what’re you doing here…?”

No way this shut-in came just to enjoy her alma mater’s festival.

As I wondered, Hibari-san explained for her.

“She’s joining the afternoon debate tournament as part of the alumni team.”

“Oh, right…”

Now that he mentions it, the program did list an alumni-student debate event.

Himari went last year, I think. They throw out a topic, and current students and grads take turns arguing it.

Sounds stiff on paper, but with topics like “What’d you think of that drama this season?” it’s more chill and chatty—like celebs bantering on a variety show for laughs. Winners get festival meal vouchers, by the way.

(…But man, I feel bad for the students facing these two.)

As I mentally prayed for the unknown students, Saku-neesan sighed.

“Seriously, can’t you run a sales event normally?”

She must’ve overheard my chat with Hibari-san and meant the “you” mix-up.

As she said that, she picked up one of the accessories.

My heart skipped a beat. Saku-neesan’s brutally honest about accessories—she’s terrifying…

But contrary to my fears, her tone was calm.

“…The accessories are decent. Good balance of price and quality, I’d say.”

Oh.

A straightforward compliment threw me off… Wait, “the accessories are”? Did that phrasing just catch me funny?

“By the way, Yuu-kun, what about lunch?”

“Oh, not yet.”

“I see. Wanna grab some with me, then? Your real big brother?”

He’s really leaning into that, huh?

At this point, he’s totally ignoring the “you” setup—only the “real brother” part matters to him now. Got it, my brother.

“Oh, Onii-chan! No fair! I’m coming too!”

Himari jumped in, naturally.

But Hibari-san brushed her off with a snort.

“Abandoning the stall? Unacceptable. You’re not seriously dumping it on a middle school girl, are you?”

“Ugh…!”

Shut down by pure logic, Himari went quiet.

Shiroyama-san, meanwhile, chirped, “‘You’-sama, let’s do our best!” She’s thrilled to be alone with her idol—no complaints there.

“Alright, Yuu-kun, shall we?”

“Uh, maybe I should stay? I wanna rack up sales experience, so leaving the stall…”

“Hahaha! Playing hard to get’s a nice move, but it won’t work on me, you beauty alchemist♪”

Please stop that!

Throwing that in out of nowhere—don’t you have a heart!?

Shiroyama-san’s gaping like “Whoa…” as he grabs my chin. No, no, it’s not like that! We’re not a couple—just sworn brothers for the future… Wait, that’s not right either. This isn’t some romantic Three Kingdoms saga…

“Himari, I’ll be right back…”

“Yuu, you traitor~…”

She glared at me resentfully, but this is your brother’s doing!

Leaving the stall to Himari and Shiroyama-san for now, I headed to the schoolyard with Hibari-san.

♣♣♣

The schoolyard was lined with event tents.

The food stall zone.

Yakisoba, takoyaki, frankfurters—the hearty stuff. Chocolate bananas and other sweets too. The mix of savory and sweet smells was overwhelming.

Hibari-san rested a hand on my shoulder, escorting me smoothly. Oozing celebrity-level charm, every woman we passed turned to stare. The earring’s standing out too—thanks to him, we might hit the black today alone…

“So, Yuu-kun, what do you want? Tell your big bro here!”

“Feels like the vibe’s different from usual…”

Saku-neesan sighed dramatically behind us.

“…Hibari-kun, I don’t care, but stop flirting with my little brother in front of me.”

“What’s wrong with it!? Without chances like this, I’d never get to hang with Yuu-kun under the sun!”

Can you not phrase it like we’re some scandal waiting to happen? We went to the beach together this summer, didn’t we…?

Then a voice called out from a tent ahead.

“Yo, Natsu! Scouting for lunch!?”

I recognized the voice and looked over—sure enough, it was Makishima.

Whoa. The flashy dude with a towel wrapped around his head was furiously stir-frying yakisoba.

Wielding a steel spatula like a pro, he flipped noodles and ingredients across the griddle with a clack-clack-clack.

Right, the tennis club’s doing a yakisoba stall.

A classic choice, naturally drawing a long line out front. Inside, club members buzzed around—guys cooking and prepping, girls handling cash and support.

“Next, number 5, two servings! Number 6, large, coming up! Send over noodles and stuff for 7 and 8! The 10s and 20s lines are slowing—five-minute rotations, I said! Anyone free, swap in!”

Barking orders while working, Makishima ran the show. His intensity kept the team moving sharp.

After the summer tournament, he got named captain. Guy’s always leading by example, so everyone just falls in line.

Hibari-san nodded, impressed by his command.

“Shinji-kun, not bad at all.”

Makishima grinned wide.

“Nahaha! Just sit back and watch. I’m smashing the sales record you set back in the day this year!”

“Hahaha! Looking forward to it. If a guy like you can top it, guess all the underclassmen who couldn’t were just small fry.”

“Wha—!?”

Hey, Hibari-san, don’t egg on a high schooler like it’s a game!

Somehow, this turned into Beach Volley Round 2 from summer. Also, how many marks did Hibari-san leave on this school?

Makishima roughly packed the yakisoba he’d been frying, slamming containers onto the back table with a thud-thud-thud, then yelled at a girl packing orders.

“Hand those 10 servings to Natsu’s group over there!”

“Huh? We didn’t order—”

Makishima snorted.

Smirking like a total villain, he said:

“My treat. A handicap this small won’t stop me from crushing your record, huh? Can’t wait to see this perfect superhuman make you grovel and praise me.”

“…You talk big. Want my attention that bad?”

Guys, quit sparking off each other at the stall—other customers are freaked out…

Taking the stuffed plastic bag, Hibari-san brushed his hair back calmly.

“Heh. Out of respect for your pointless effort, I’ll go all out at the debate tournament this afternoon.”

“Nahaha! Perfect. I’ll humiliate you in front of the underclassmen.”

The poor student facing them is Makishima!?

Man, no one’s living it up at this festival more than this guy…

“See ya later, Makishima.”

“Hm… Oh, wait, Natsu.”

He stopped me for some reason.

Narrowing his eyes with a sly grin, he asked:

“How’s the accessory sales going?”

“…Not great this morning.”

With just that, he shrugged, said “Got it,” and went back to work.

(…What was that about?)

Hope he’s not plotting something weird again. With that, we left.

♣♣♣

We scored lunch, but it’s peak time.

The tables outside the schoolyard were all packed.

“Back to our sales venue?”

“Little brother, you’re gonna eat yakisoba at your fancy accessory spot?”

Oh, right.

The smell’d linger and cause chaos. But we can’t just stand here eating either.

Saku-neesan pointed off to the side.

“Little brother, see those girls over there, chatting away in the shade after finishing? Shoo them off.”

“Saku-neesan…”

What is she, a modern-day bandit?

No way I can pull that on random kids I don’t even know…

“Hahaha! Sakura-kun, same as ever. Alright, I’ll handle it.”

Brushing back his hair, Hibari-san strolled over and chatted with the group calmly.

At that moment, a sparkling handsome beam assaulted the girls!

Taking it head-on, they turned bright red and hurriedly cleared the table. Then, after snapping photos together on their phones, they waved happily and left.

Hibari-san smiled with satisfaction.

“As expected, humans will understand if you talk to them properly.”

…Hibari-san. That’s probably not it.

Realizing he’s definitely Himari’s brother, I cleverly secured a table seat in the shade. Hibari-san started pulling packs of yakisoba out of a plastic bag.

“Since we’re here, shall we take up Shinji-kun’s kindness and have lunch?”

“Even so, this is way too much…”

Even if we bring some to Himari and the others, I wonder if we can finish it all.

Saku-neesan split her chopsticks with an exasperated look.

“Whether it’s our foolish little brother or Makishima, Hibari-kun, you really love younger guys, don’t you?”

“No, no, it’s not like I’d take just anyone. Yuu-kun’s passion for accessories is refreshing to watch, and it’s fun when Shinji-kun comes at me full force like that.”

“You realize that’s the mindset of an old geezer, right?”

“…That’s a harsh jab. I spend my days thinking about crushing the old fossils at work—maybe I’ve been tainted by them. I’ll make a conscious effort to change from now on.”

While opening a pack of yakisoba, Saku-neesan said:

“Speaking of which, foolish little brother. What’s with that new girl?”

“Oh, she joined the gardening club through the ‘Community Exchange Program.’ Apparently, she’s a fan of ‘you,’ and that’s why she picked me, or so they say.”

“Ah, so she mistook Himari-chan for ‘you.’ I thought you were shamelessly hitting on another girl again.”

“Watch your words. Saku-neesan, isn’t that a bit harsh to say to your own brother?”

Saku-neesan let out a small laugh.

“So, what’s the deal with Rion-chan?”

“…I think I’m managing fine. Honestly, during this culture festival, Enomoto-san was supposed to join the wind ensemble and skip our club. There was this vibe like she was reading the room and keeping her distance…”

“Oh? But you two were prepping together the whole time, right?”

“That Makishima guy brought up the thing with Kureha-san from summer break. So he insisted that during the festival, Enomoto-san help out with ‘you’s’ sales booth…”

“…I see. That scheming personality of his—who does he take after, I wonder?”

Receiving Saku-neesan’s gaze, Hibari-san shrugged.

“If anything, that kind of tactic feels more like Sakura-kun than me, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, please. I’m not that bad.”

“Haha. Which mouth is saying that?”

As always, they get along so well…

(But Saku-neesan’s in a good mood today, too. No kicks are flying my way. In that case…)

I brought up the details of those ‘three conditions.’

Hibari-san seemed to have already heard about it from Himari, so he didn’t react much.

“I feel like Makishima’s up to something, but I can’t figure out what…”

“Hmm… Well, I can guess.”

Saku-neesan said it casually.

As expected, her mind works at lightning speed. Are we really related by blood? …Wait, could that story from when I was little about being ‘picked up under a red bridge’ actually be true?

As we talked, Sasaki-sensei, who was patrolling the tents, caught my eye. Noticing us, he approached with his hands in his pockets, trudging along.

His face looked worn out from days of hard work, but he flashed a bright smile in front of his former students.

“Hey, Hibari, Sakura. Sorry for dragging you out here again this year.”

Hibari-san stood up from his chair and gave a polite bow.

“Not at all. I’m delighted to see Sasaki-sensei looking as energetic as ever this year.”

“Wahaha! This guy, spouting stuff he doesn’t mean again!”

Sasaki-sensei laughed and playfully poked Hibari-san in the side. Hibari-san chuckled along, clearly enjoying it.

Saku-neesan sighed, muttering, “Here they go again…”

Seems like this is a regular ritual for those two.

Hmm. Is this what adult communication looks like…?

“By the way, Hibari. What’s with that flashy flower earring?”

“Oh, this? I’ve been tasked with being the poster boy for Yuu-kun’s accessory sales booth. I plan to wear it at the debate tournament, too.”

“Hah, nice. Hey, Natsume…”

Then, remembering Saku-neesan, Sasaki-sensei corrected himself.

“…Er, Nyan-tarou. Once the debate tournament’s over, you better brace yourself. All the girls Hibari’s reeled in will probably swarm to buy stuff.”

“Haha, that’s an exaggeration. Well, I’ll handle the bare minimum I’ve been entrusted with.”

Nyan-tarou again…

Since Saku-neesan and I share a last name, I wish he’d just call me “Yuu” normally.

As I ate my yakisoba feeling awkward, Sasaki-sensei casually dropped something during a lull in the conversation.

“Oh, by the way, have you two kept in touch with Kureha and Yatarou? It’s about time Sakura got honest and—”

—Whoosh. It felt like the surrounding temperature dropped.

A chill ran through me, making me shiver. Students at the next table panicked, exclaiming, “Huh, what!?” and “Whoa, cold!”

Hibari-san and Saku-neesan stared at Sasaki-sensei with icy, ruthless eyes. The pressure was so intense they could probably use Haki if they were in that super popular pirate manga.

Sasaki-sensei seemed to sense it too… but maybe he’s used to it, because he sighed without flinching.

“…I see. Same as always, huh.”

For some reason, he patted my shoulder twice, said, “Well, you two have fun,” and left three Chupa Chups on the table.

Once he disappeared into the crowd, the tension in the air finally eased.

“~~~ ~!”

But Saku-neesan’s face turned red as she trembled furiously. …Oh, the chopsticks she was gripping snapped with a crack.

“…That’s why I didn’t want to come to this stupid alma mater festival!”

“He’s just curious about how his former students are doing. Especially those two—they’re not the type to keep in touch with their old teacher after graduating.”

“That old geezer says the same thing every year. Hasn’t he started going senile yet?”

“If you’d just play along and change the subject nicely, Sakura-kun, this wouldn’t happen.”

“No way! That old man picks at topics people hate like he’s aiming for it!”

Ignore it, ignore it…

I mentally turned myself into background scenery, deftly dodging my sister’s landmines.

Watching this hellish example of how romantic entanglements from school days haunt you forever, Hibari-san calmly tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“By the way, Yuu-kun. What did Shinji-kun say to you when you left the tent earlier?”

“Huh? …Oh. He asked how our accessory sales booth was doing.”

“Haha, that’s something I’m curious about too.”

“As expected, the morning was a bust. The gym events sucked up all the customers, so no one came.”

“Oh?”

Hibari-san said casually:

“Is that your excuse for when you end up in the red?”

“Huh…”

It felt like a cold blade was suddenly pressed against my cheek.

As I froze like I’d been bound, Hibari-san gave a faint smile.

“No, I’m not mad. I just wondered if you’d changed the accessory sales booth’s goal of ‘seriously aiming for profit.’”

“N-No way! Our goal is still to turn a profit!”

But Hibari-san just tilted his head.

“Then why are you going ahead with such a flawed sales setup?”

“F-Flawed…?”

Hibari-san pursed his lips into a frown.

“The low-priced accessories you made were great, Yuu-kun. But the sales booth Himari designed earlier was awful. It wouldn’t be surprising if people thought you weren’t serious about selling.”

Those words made my heart skip a beat.

Unintentionally, it reminded me of what Shiroyama-san had said this morning.

“Plain chic and cutting corners are different things.”

I desperately denied it.

“Looking like we’re not serious about selling? No way! We narrowed down the theme and…”

“If every customer could see inside your head, your passion might get across. But that’s impossible. No matter how seriously you take it, it’s meaningless if you don’t convey it to others properly.”

“Are you saying that design isn’t proper…?”

Hibari-san nodded.

“First off, what was that design based on? It didn’t seem like Himari just winged it entirely…”

“It’s from an exhibition we attended in Tokyo by Tenma-kun and his group. Here…”

I pulled up my phone and opened the photo app.

The sales booth took inspiration from the simple, modern vibe we experienced at Tenma-kun’s exhibition.

Hibari-san and Saku-neesan leaned in together, swiping through the photos. When they reached the last one, Hibari-san gave a wry smile.

“We used this as a reference and set the theme to ‘CHIC’… Huh? I-Is it bad…?”

Hibari-san handed back the phone and pressed his fingers to his forehead.

“First of all, Himari made a huge mistake. She didn’t realize that the sales booth itself is part of the product.”

“What do you mean…?”

“You and the others felt this Tokyo exhibition was amazing, right? So you wanted to recreate it for your own sales booth?”

“Y-Yeah…”

But Hibari-san said that was the root of the problem.

“But the thing is, this exhibition and your sales booth have fundamentally different ‘concepts,’ don’t they?”

“Concepts? But we went for the same ‘CHIC’…”

“No, that’s not what I mean. My wording was off.”

Hibari-san rephrased it.

“By ‘concept,’ I mean ‘what’s the star of the show?’”

“The star…?”

“Exactly. Compare the two sales booths and tell me what the star is for each.”

I thought about it.

The first thing that came to mind was…

“For our sales booth, it’s the flower accessories.”

“And for this Ito Pegasus-kun’s exhibition?”

“That’d be the accessories too… Wait!”

With that one word, I realized my mistake.

(That’s right. The star of Tenma-kun’s exhibition wasn’t the accessories…)

I recalled how that exhibition worked.

It was purely a ‘space for fans to interact with Tenma-kun.’ Buying accessories there was more like an entry ticket.

The concepts were different.

That setup was designed to highlight Tenma-kun.

A polished, urban ex-idol.

Gentle, kind, and maturely handsome.

The moment Tenma-kun stood in that space was when it shone the brightest.

The proof? His flagship product, the silver skull ring, stuck out like a sore thumb in that setting. If anything, Sanae-san’s natural stone leathercraft accessories or my delicate flower ones matched the vibe better.

That’s it.

The simple, open layout, the moody music, the unpretentious atmosphere.

It was a space crafted for Tenma-kun, a one-of-a-kind luxury item.

—In contrast, my accessory sales booth had the opposite concept.

We’d taken originally high-end flower accessories, reworked them into low-priced items, and aimed to sell in bulk. This sales booth was more like a casual outlet mall.

Outlet stores thrive on ‘mass stocking, mass selling.’ They use tall, dense, three-dimensional displays to pump up customers’ excitement from the get-go.

So, a pretentious design full of empty gaps naturally made customers think, “Huh? Something’s off,” causing a disconnect in their expectations.

Hibari-san tapped the table lightly with the back of his chopsticks.

“An event space is a living thing. Matching it 100% to the concept is tough, but even so, this sales booth feels like it’s facing the complete opposite direction from the start.”

“But that’s just an image issue, right…? If we made the price tags bigger or explained the products directly…”

“…Sure. But what I pointed out is just one of the problems.”

Just one of the problems?

So there’s a more fundamental issue lurking?

Before I could ask, Hibari-san delivered his conclusion.

“Either way, if you want to turn a profit, Yuu-kun, that sales booth needs urgent adjustments.”

“But Himari worked so hard to come up with it…”

“…”

As I kept pushing back, Hibari-san furrowed his brow.

He shot a sharp glance at Saku-neesan, who was nonchalantly eating her yakisoba.

“Sakura-kun. What did you say to Yuu-kun?”

“…Nothing weird.”

Saku-neesan wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

A faint red lipstick stain marked the white fabric.

“I told him that since he’s Himari-chan’s boyfriend now, he should think about what to prioritize…”

“…”

For a split second, Hibari-san bit his lip in frustration.

He started to say something… but in the end, he spoke calmly.

“…Fair enough. Your advice isn’t exactly wrong.”

Hibari-san neatly folded his empty yakisoba container. …As expected of Himari’s brother, even his trash cleanup reflects his good upbringing.

“Well, it’s ultimately up to Yuu-kun to decide. But as a bit of meddling advice, I’ll leave you with one warning.”

He looked straight into my eyes.

“It’s important to think, ‘I’ll learn something from the outcome.’ Even if you fail, that’s fine. But experience only sticks with you after you’ve given it everything you’ve got.”

“…!”

My mind flashed back to the Tokyo exhibition.

I’d given it my all. I poured everything I had into it.

But I failed. That frustration still burns in my chest.

Tenma-kun’s mentor had said it too.

“You think experience points come to someone who doesn’t fight to the end, you idiot?”

…I think that’s true.

But still, I…

“I’m satisfied with Himari’s production. She worked so hard on it… and I believe we can still hit profit with this design.”

“…I see.”

Hibari-san crossed his arms and nodded deeply.

“Then that’s fine. It just didn’t look to me like you were fully, truly on board with this sales booth’s design, Yuu-kun.”

“Huh…”

My heart jumped with a thud.

Stop it. Don’t waver. I put on my calmest face.

“That’s not true.”

“…”

Hibari-san and Saku-neesan exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

“Well then, shall we get going? I want to say hi to the teachers in the staff room.”

“You really love that kinda thing, huh? I’m gonna scout some stalls with cute girls.”

With that, the two stood up.

“Good luck out there.”

“You better treat Himari-chan right.”

Hibari-san and Saku-neesan headed toward the school building. I stayed at the table until their backs disappeared from view.

I covered my face with my hands and slumped down alone.

(…Then what am I supposed to do?)

If I care about Himari, I should prioritize love over my dreams.

But…

“It just didn’t look to me like you were fully, truly on board with this sales booth’s design, Yuu-kun.”

…Yeah.

Honestly, I’m not.

Referencing Tenma-kun’s exhibition was an idea I agreed with. The vibe did feel similar, I think. Himari’s not great at creating from scratch, but she’s good at mimicking something as a reference.

Yet, when I saw the finished setup, my heart didn’t race.

It lacked the excitement I felt stepping into Tenma-kun’s exhibition. But I couldn’t put that into words. I couldn’t just say, “It feels kinda off,” and shoot down something she worked so hard on.

Even so…

The design Shiroyama-san tweaked on her own? That did make my heart race.

Sure, it veered away from Himari’s ‘CHIC’ direction. But I thought, This is it. That gut feeling aligns with what Hibari-san and the others explained earlier.

But I can’t just change Himari’s plan now.

It makes sense that hitting profit would be tough like this. Selling only five pieces by midday on the first day—there’s no way we’ll hit 200.

I don’t get it.

I don’t know what’s right anymore.

The passionate fire that once blazed inside me had quietly fizzled out—like the remnants of a firework.

♢♢♢

Yuu got dragged off by his big brother.

Seeing him off, I let out a small sigh.

(Haaah. I wanted to go too…)

Another chance to be alone with Yuu, foiled.

Well, someone’s gotta mind the store, right? I kinda saw this coming the moment I signed up for this ‘Community Exchange Program,’ though.

“‘you’-sama, let’s do our best!”

“…”

Mei-chan stared at me with sparkling eyes. Gazing at the girl who threw all my plans into chaos, I reached out…

And patted her head like crazy!

“You little—adorable rascal! Do you love me that much!?”

“Yes! I love and respect you so much!”

Whoa!

Nice, nice! A pure-hearted girl worshiping me, the divine being loved by all! Lately, Yuu and Enocchi have been treating me so casually I almost forgot, but this is my true place in the world!

Well, right now I’m more like an evil god wearing ‘you’s’ skin, heh!

“Mei-chan. Let’s sell out all the accessories before Yuu gets back and blow his mind!”

“Yes! I’ll work hard for ‘you’-sama!”

Man, she’s so upbeat—I really like this kid.

But then Mei-chan, without dropping her smile, dropped a bombshell the next moment.

“Though, it’s probably impossible!”

“…”

Gwah…! A verbal uppercut hit my jaw with zero wind-up!!

In my head, I grabbed the ring ropes while an angel tried to bring me a white towel. …No, not yet. It’s not time for that.

I forced a laugh, pretending to stay calm.

“W-Why’s it impossible?”

“Huh?”

Mei-chan glanced around the sales booth…

“No one’s gonna come into a lame shop like this. I don’t think we’ll even get to the selling part.”

“…”

Gwahhh…!?

N-No good. Her razor-sharp words almost made me squeal like an Ultraman monster. No, no, a gothic dress-wearing beauty doesn’t flop around like that, ohoho!

“Uh, um…”

I snapped back to reality.

I remembered how we nearly argued about this sales booth’s decor earlier.

“Now that you mention it, Mei-chan… you called it ‘lame’ before, right?”

Mei-chan nodded firmly.

“Yup!”

“…”

This kid doesn’t know what holding back means, does she?

No, it’s refreshing in a way, and I like that about her. Plus, she thinks Yuu’s the one who made this booth, right? …What do I do if she finds out it was my idea?

As I struggled to keep my cool, Mei-chan asked awkwardly:

“‘you’-sama. Is Yuu-senpai really your boyfriend? The name kinda sounds like you took it from him…”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Sort of…”

Wait.

Why’d my answer sound so unsure?

Not good—my heart’s starting to lose. I’m supposed to laugh off anything with mysterious confidence and cuteness—that’s who I am! Fight, me! (slaps own cheeks)

I laughed it off, but Mei-chan stared back with a deadpan look.

Uh-oh…

“M-Mei-chan, do you have a boyfriend or something? You’re cute, so you must be super popular, right?”

“…”

My slick little diversion totally flopped ☆

Mei-chan ignored my question and muttered to herself:

“You should quit.”

“Quit what?”

“Letting Yuu-senpai handle accessory-related work.”

I blinked and asked back:

“Why do you think that?”

“Because he’s got no sense for spatial design.”

“B-But, but Yuu’s kind and works really hard at his job!”

I scrambled to defend him, but Mei-chan stayed unfazed.

“Being kind and hardworking doesn’t mean you should force someone unfit into a job. A good lover doesn’t always make a good work partner.”

“…”

Oh…

I knew it the moment she said it. I was done for.

(—This girl’s leagues above me.)

People have an invisible charm.

What is it? Probably experience, I think. Personality and behavior shaped by experience—that’s what makes someone charming.

Mei-chan doesn’t waver in her opinions. But it’s not just childish bravado. Her words hit the mark dead-on.

Proof? I can’t find a single comeback.

This mix of childish admiration for ‘you’ and oddly mature perspective and taste—I had to know what was behind it.

“Mei-chan, you’re still in middle school, right? How do you know so much about selling…?”

She puffed out her chest like she’d been waiting for this.

“I help out at my big sis’s shop!”

“Your big sis’s shop…?”

I vaguely recalled chatting with Mei-chan’s sister back in middle school. Wasn’t she a student in Araki-sensei’s flower arrangement class?

“‘you’-sama, look at this!”

Mei-chan opened her phone and showed me a blog.

A general store in town.

It dealt in Asian-style trinkets, and both the exterior and interior were gorgeous.

At first glance, it seemed chaotic. But on closer look, there was a… sensory harmony to it. The colors, the mood. I could imagine ethnic, moody music playing and the scent of nice incense wafting through… that kind of vibe.

(Oh, right! Her sister said she ran a general store for work!)

Mei-chan’s eyes sparkled as she shoved her phone at me.

“I’m training at my sis’s shop so I can help ‘you’-sama in the future! Oh, look at this! I did the Halloween event decorations last year. Isn’t it cute!?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s really nice…?”

She’s coming on strong~!

I pushed the phone back, trying to calm her down.

But it clicked.

This girl’s got way more sales experience than me…!

And that confidence backed by real results. Nothing’s trickier than a natural who hits you with achievements.

But above all—

(Too many self-employed people around me…!)

I couldn’t help but mentally quip as I slammed the table with a thud.

Mei-chan flinched and asked hesitantly:

“D-Did I say something weird…?”

“Ahh! No, no, not at all! Mei-chan, you’re cute! It’s all good!”

Mei-chan looked a little happy, saying, “Really?”

Hmm. This purity. It’s like she’s rubbing something I’ve lost in my face, and it kinda bugs me. She’s super cute, though…

“‘you’-sama, you’re an amazing super-creator who can make flower accessories and even model them. You shouldn’t have to babysit a bad work partner just because he’s your boyfriend.”

“B-But it’s not like that, right? I mean… wouldn’t it be kinda sad to leave Yuu out?”

But Mei-chan just tilted her head curiously.

“…? Lovers are lovers, and work partners are work partners. Just separate them. It’s not like you’re breaking up—it’s simple, isn’t it?”

Ah…

Those words felt like they quietly touched the core of my being.

If someone without talent forces their way in, it’ll never lead to good results. Even if they work hard with the future in mind… by the time I finally become useful, how far ahead will Yuu be?

As I sat there silently, unable to say anything, a different girl’s voice came from the entrance.

“…Hii-chan. What’s wrong?”

Oh, Enocchi…

I walked over to her, putting on a casual face.

“Enocchi. How’s the omelet rice stall?”

“I got a break, so I came over here…”

Whoa. Classic Enocchi.

She’s been cooking in that gothic dress, and there’s not a single stain on it.

“Hey, there’s something I wanna ask…”

“What’s up?”

Leaving Mei-chan to watch the stall, I stepped out into the hallway with Enocchi.

The area was already filling up with students who’d finished lunch, buzzing nicely. Two exhibits down, a lively crowd had formed.

…But no one was coming to our sales booth. Some people peeked in, but they all made weird faces and went somewhere else.

I confessed with a serious look.

“…The accessories aren’t selling.”

“Yeah.”

“…Mei-chan told me, ‘The sales booth’s design is lame, so no customers are coming.’”

“…Yeah.”

Enocchi averted her gaze, nodding super awkwardly.

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her back and forth!

“Where!? Hey, where’s it lame!?”

“Hii-chan. Stop, I’m getting dizzy…”

Enocchi let herself be shaken with an annoyed look… Whoa, her boobs bounce up and down with every shake. What is this, it’s kinda fun.

As I started getting hooked on this weird thrill, Enocchi said with an exasperated tone:

“Hmm. It’s not exactly about where it’s lame…”

She glanced at the sales booth…

“It’s just a classroom, you know.”

“It is a classroom! What else could it even look like!?”

I mean, it’s a school, so isn’t it weirder to have anything but a classroom?

As I racked my brain thinking, “Is this some new kind of riddle!?” Enocchi slowly shook her head.

“No matter how fancy you try to make it look, it’s still just a classroom… That’s all.”

“Ah…”

I instantly got what she meant.

A classroom. Yeah, we’re borrowing an empty classroom here.

No matter if you hung a world-famous painting in it, it wouldn’t turn into the Louvre. Beyond the painting, it’s just a rural high school classroom. There’s a blackboard, mountains in the distance out the window, and a cleaning supply closet.

“Doing it at a school culture festival means it’s never gonna be chic, no matter how you spin it. That’s all there is to it.”

“…”

I clutched my head and slumped down.

My mind flashed back to conversations with Yuu from two months ago.

“First off, the theme for this sales booth is ‘Chic.’”

“Wait, like Tenma-kun’s exhibition vibe?”

“Pfft, haha! As expected of Yuu, you totally get it!”

“The flower language is ‘unadorned beauty.’ Fits the concept perfectly, right?”

“Ohh! Yuu, you’re the best! My soulmate!”

…Wait, hold up?

Enocchi knew about this plan too, didn’t she?

She totally ignored my cringe-worthy bragging like it was nothing, didn’t she?

Smacking Enocchi’s chest in the chaos, I wailed and clung to her.

“W-Why didn’t you tell meee!?”

“You wouldn’t have listened anyway.”

Trueeee!

It’s totally spot-on logicccc!

But listen, when a girl’s feeling down, she doesn’t want logic! She just wants, “Yeah, yeah,” “That’s tough,” “But Himari-chan’s cute, so it’s fine!”—just some empathy!

As I sniffled, “Ugh, ugh…,” Enocchi sighed.

“It’s not a big deal. The goal of this sales booth was for Yuu-kun to gain experience, right?”

“But that’s assuming we’d turn a profit…”

“You should probably give up on that. I don’t think this booth can do both.”

“Huh…”

It sounded like she was brushing Yuu off.

That’s rare for Enocchi. As I stood there stunned, she went, “Oh,” and checked her phone.

“Sorry. The omelet rice stall’s getting busy. I gotta head back.”

“Oh, yeah. We’re fine here…”

I watched Enocchi’s back as she left.

That gothic dress… it’s basically become the omelet rice stall’s uniform now.

(…What should I do?)

No one wants my producing skills.

Even if I try to help with smooth talking, it’s pointless if no customers show up.

Why am I even here…?