Chapter Ⅰ | “Resistance”

♣♣♣

The second day of the culture festival.

That early morning… I found myself in an unprecedented crisis.

When I woke up, for some reason, Enomoto-san was in my room.

And for some reason, she was gently whispering into my ear while I slept.

“Yuu-kun. Good. Morn. Ing.”

“…”

Uh, what’s going on?

It was so utterly baffling that I instinctively pretended to still be asleep.

Let’s sort out the situation.

Yesterday, I finished the first day of the culture festival.

And to prepare for the second day, I put together a new sales plan.

I felt bad for Himari, but I wanted to try the plan I’d come up with.

Last night, I finished those preparations and went to bed at home…

…And then, this morning, I woke up to Enomoto-san being here, gently saying good morning to me.

Seriously, I don’t get it.

Trying to make sense of it only plunged me deeper into chaos.

Enomoto-san went home normally yesterday, right? I swear on my life, there was no sleepover event at my house.

Maybe I’m still dreaming or something.

No, what kind of dream is it where a classmate wakes you up in your own room? What kind of subconscious would even cook that up? Even fortune-telling magazines wouldn’t list this as a case study.

Anyway, what do I do about this situation…?

Since I pretended to sleep, it’s somehow harder to get up now. I shouldn’t feel guilty, but I do.

While I hesitated, Enomoto-san started poking my cheek.

“Your sleeping face… so cute…”

Stop it—!

Hearing that while I’m asleep is so embarrassing I can’t stand it. Now it’s really hard to wake up…

Okay, fine. Before Enomoto-san racks up any more dark history moments, I’ll casually pretend to wake up.

I can do this. I’m getting up, here we go—!

“Yuu-kun, if you don’t stop pretending to sleep, I’ll give you a good morning kiss.”

“Wahhh—!?”

She whispered something outrageous in a sweet tone, and I bolted upright.

The moment I shot up, Enomoto-san smirked triumphantly.

“Yuu-kun, good morning.”

“G-Good morning…”

Completely toyed with, I let out a sigh.

“…Stop doing stuff like Himari.”

“But I thought you’d like it.”

“There’s a major misunderstanding here…”

I need to clear this up fast… though it feels kinda pointless now.

“Anyway, why are you here?”

“Ehe!”

“Smiling cutely isn’t gonna dodge the question, okay? This is my house, right?”

“Well, Sakura-san let me in.”

“I hate that I can totally believe that… But isn’t it way too early? What’s up?”

“I’m usually up around this time anyway.”

“Your pastry shop habits are intense…!”

Wait!

No, don’t get swept along, me!

“No, I mean, why are you in my room!?”

“You said yesterday you couldn’t oversleep, so we agreed I’d wake you up.”

True, we did, but—

“Yeah, but over the phone…”

“This way’s more reliable.”

Enomoto-san smirked again, pulling a pair of fake glasses from her pocket. She put them on and puffed her chest out proudly.

“I have something to tell you, Yuu-kun.”

“Uh, what?”

“I’ve decided to rejoin you.”

“Huh…”

Enomoto-san was supposed to have stepped away from accessory sales.

She was only helping with this culture festival because of Makishima’s weird orders… or so I thought.

“From now on, I’ll be your manager and partner in fate.”

“W-Why’d you come to that conclusion…? What about Himari…?”

“I’ll explain that properly after the culture festival. For now, let’s focus on today’s accessory sales.”

“Oh, okay…”

Overwhelmed by her assertiveness, I could only manage a half-hearted reply.

Adjusting her fake glasses, Enomoto-san struck a smug pose.

“I’m not as soft as Hii-chan. I’m gonna be strict.”

“P-Please go easy on me…?”

“Sure. First, I’ve got your morning clothes ready over here. Breakfast’s set up in the living room too, so go wash your face.”

“Strict, huh…”

More like fully automated?

Honestly, this is comfier than usual… I thought, but then Enomoto-san started patting the bed to hurry me up. Cute.

“Yuu-kun, hurry.”

“Got it. Thanks for the clothes.”

I yawned and took off the shirt I’d been sleeping in.

Then I reached for the clothes she’d prepared… Huh?

For some reason, Enomoto-san’s face was bright red.

Oh… I realized my mistake.

I’d gotten too relaxed after being woken up Himari-style, but this was Enomoto-san. And she was staring. Even though she covered her face with both hands, she was peeking through her fingers.

So embarrassing!

“Enomoto-san! I’m changing, so could you please leave!?”

I ended up slipping into polite mode.

Snapping out of it, Enomoto-san scrambled out of the room.

“I-I’ll go reheat the food!”

I heard her clatter down the stairs… Oh, she tripped. Is she okay…?

Anyway, I hurriedly finished changing and sighed. I checked the LINE group chat on my phone.

No new messages.

(Nothing from Himari since yesterday…)

…Yesterday, the first day of the culture festival.

The accessory sales event Himari produced ended in a huge success.

But I couldn’t help throwing a damper on it because I wasn’t satisfied. Caught up in the festival hype, I prepped for the second day, but now that I’ve calmed down, that was a total boyfriend fail.

*(Is Himari mad…?)

…No, I need to focus on the sales event ahead of me. Himari gave me this chance, so I have to make the second day a success too.

I’ll make it up to her properly after the festival!

♣♣♣

Rice, miso soup.

Bacon and fried eggs, with a cup salad.

A textbook breakfast. Probably half the population pictures this when they think of a Japanese morning meal. Just my random guess, though.

Across from me, Enomoto-san sat with the same meal, hands clasped.

“Itadakimasu.”

“Oh? Did you wait to eat breakfast with me?”

“No? I already ate at home?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

Something didn’t add up, but… eh, probably my imagination.

I need to eat fast and get to school.

The front door opened. Maybe Saku-nee after a night shift? No, these were distinctly livelier footsteps approaching.

“Yuuu~! Your cute girlfriend’s here to make sure you don’t oversleep—huh?”

It was Himari.

But the moment she burst cheerfully into the living room, her face stiffened. And then, for some reason, she fake-coughed blood.

“Guhhh—!”

“Himari-san!?”

I caught Himari as she dramatically collapsed on her own.

“Himari! What’s wrong!?”

“Y-Yuu…”

Himari used ketchup from the table to scrawl a dying message on the floor: “The culprit is boobs”… Hey, don’t play with food! And clean it up properly!

Joining the perfect breakfast scene, Himari puffed up indignantly.

“Seriously, Yuu! Why are you playing lovey-dovey newlyweds with Enocchi!?”

“Lovey-dovey newlyweds…”

“You too, Enocchi! That’s not what best friends do!”

Enomoto-san calmly scooped some miso soup.

“Hii-chan, want breakfast?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll eat♪”

Himari almost got lured in for a second before roaring back.

“That’s not the point—!”

“Geez, Hii-chan. At least be quiet during breakfast…”

Man, the energy’s high this morning…

I was worried I’d hurt her with my selfishness yesterday, but she seems surprisingly fine, which threw me off.

Himari shoveled bacon and eggs into her mouth like Calcifer from Howl’s Moving Castle.

“Yuu! Your nose is stretching too much!”

“It’s not stretching…”

Then Enomoto-san smirked while serving more rice.

“I just came to wake him up and eat breakfast. Hii-chan, after what you said yesterday, you’re awfully rattled, huh?”

“…!?”

What’s that about?

Did something happen behind my back…? I tilted my head, but breakfast continued in silence.

“…”

What’s this?

It’s calm on the surface, but there’s this cold-war vibe brewing underneath. So awkward.

…But I couldn’t figure out why, so I just sipped my miso soup.

♣♣♣

After breakfast, the three of us headed to school.

Somehow, I ended up in that romcom cliché where both arms are held by two girls…

“Enocchi! That’s not what best friends do either!”

“You did it before too, Hii-chan.”

“Yeah, but! Not now! I’m his girlfriend!”

“So if he has a girlfriend, he can’t talk to other girls? Can’t touch them? That means you don’t trust your boyfriend, right? That’s called being a yandere, Hii-chan.”

“Gah—! You’re digging into my dark history so accurately—!?”

Uh, my dark history’s piling up too, you know?

Ugh, the stares from the other students hurt. Since both of them are cute, we stand out even more.

…I’ve got to handle this. If I don’t, Sasaki-sensei’s gonna call me out.

I flashed a cool-guy smile (by my standards) and spoke to them.

“Hey, you two don’t need to fight over me. I’m not going anywhere (teeth sparkling).”

They stared at my face…

“Enocchi! I think we need rules for this too!”

“Hii-chan, didn’t you say yesterday to just take it? Womanly grit (lol).”

“That’s not what I meant—!”

Ignored.

That stings the most.

Wait, am I even relevant here? Aren’t they just using me as an excuse to bicker like a couple?

I sighed and turned to Enomoto-san.

“Enomoto-san.”

“What?”

“I’m dating Himari right now, so please stop.”

“…Hmph.”

Enomoto-san frowned but said, “If Yuu-kun says so…” and let go.

Good. I couldn’t just let this slide—it’d be unfair to Himari.

When I turned back, Himari was blushing, looking all smitten.

“Yuu, putting me first… I love you♡”

My girlfriend’s too easy…

No, I mean, I am thinking of Himari, but why do I feel guilty…? Whatever, we headed to the sales venue.

Shiroyama-san was already waiting in the same empty classroom as yesterday.

She’s serious about apprenticing with you—her diligence is impressive. I could learn from her.

The only thing bothering me is that she still hasn’t realized I’m you… As I mulled that over, Shiroyama-san hugged Himari.

“You-sama! Good morning!”

“Mei-chan, morning~!”

Hmm, two beautiful girls hugging really is a sight.

I once sprinkled lilies on Himari and Enomoto-san, so maybe bellflowers for these two? They symbolize “purity” too and are called “Virgin Mary’s flowers” in Europe.

…No, this isn’t the time to admire cute girls.

“Shiroyama-san, did you bring what I mentioned on LINE yesterday?”

“Oh, yes!”

With a big nod, Shiroyama-san pulled four large, thick black cloths from a carry bag.

“How’s this?”

I touched the fabric, held it up to the light… Yep, this’ll work. Asking Shiroyama-san was the right call.

“…Yeah, it’s good. This, plus the blackout curtains Sasaki-sensei’s lending us…”

Then I noticed Himari’s gaze.

Crap, I almost got lost in accessory mode again and ignored her…

“Himari, I’m really sorry. I said today would be about making it up to you…”

It feels a bit late, but I need to apologize properly.

But Himari—

She brushed back her bangs and declared coolly,

“No worries! I’m your understanding girlfriend, after all♪”

“The main-wife energy is intense…”

I’m super happy, though.

But this totally feels like I’m a kept man now, which is awkward…

Himari hummed cheerfully and took Shiroyama-san’s hand.

“Alright, Mei-chan, let’s enjoy the festival together♪”

“Yes, sir!”

With that, they skipped out of the sales venue, giggling.

Watching them go, I sighed.

I turned to Enomoto-san for a final check.

“Enomoto-san, is your side ready?”

“All good. I got approval last night, and the setup’s simple.”

“Should I go confirm too, just in case…?”

For some reason, Enomoto-san thrust her palm out sharply.

And refused in a surprisingly firm tone.

“Please. Don’t.”

“But wouldn’t it be better if I said hi too? I’m curious about their setup…”

“Seriously, don’t.”

“B-But…”

“They’ll tease me, so don’t.”

“…Got it.”

“Good.”

She totally overpowered me with her intensity…

Well, I guess there’s no need to worry about Enomoto-san at this point. That’s her turf, and me butting in might just mess things up.

“Anyway, today we’re co-producing. We’ll split up, so I’m counting on you over there.”

“Got it. Focus on your job, Yuu-kun.”

“Thanks.”

I prepped the ledger for today’s sales event and a cardboard box for storing inventory.

Together with Enomoto-san, we checked the remaining accessories.

“Yesterday, we had 20 unsold single accessories.”

“Some got taken too, though…”

“We’ll calculate that slowly after the festival. …And four sets of the Queen of the Night assorted packs left.”

I broke down the four-piece assorted sets.

…Feels a bit like cheating, but what matters is they’re 500 yen each.

“So, four Queen of the Night accessories. And 32 others.”

“Then I’ll take 25 of these.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

I handed 25 of the non-Queen accessories to Enomoto-san.

I said a final goodbye to them.

“Ugh… Go to good people, okay…”

“Yuu-kun, you’re still crying when selling accessories…?”

“N-No, it’s not that I don’t trust you, Enomoto-san. It’s just, I get nervous when I’m not there to see them sold…”

Admitting my pathetic feelings, Enomoto-san smiled.

“It’s fine. These are accessories you poured your passion into. I’ll make sure they go to good people.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

…She’s right.

That was rude of me. I can trust Enomoto-san with this.

“Since they’re accessories modeled after you, I hope people love them and cherish them for a long time.”

“…”

“Enomoto-san?”

She chopped me sharply.

“Guh…!?”

“No flirting.”

“I didn’t mean it like that!?”

“Since I’m managing you now, it’s one punishment per flirt. No slacking in daily life either.”

“What is this, a death game…?”

The whiplash from that earlier reassurance is gonna make me sick…

The warning bell rang. Like yesterday, we’d have homeroom, then outside guests would arrive.

With Enomoto-san, I grabbed the accessories and left the sales venue.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

“Yeah!”

And so, our second day of the culture festival began.

♢♢♢

The second day of the culture festival.

I was at the food stall area on the school grounds, standing in front of a tent.

“Why are you here…?”

At the stall, Makishima-kun, with a towel wrapped around his head, let out a loud laugh.

“Nahaha. Quite the greeting. Like brother, like sister, huh?”

He deftly flipped frankfurters on the grill. Next to them, meat-wrapped onigiri sizzled.

“You’re the one who’s the same. Weren’t you running a yakisoba stall? Don’t show up in my sight when I want a frankfurter.”

“Two days of the same stall won’t boost sales. Changing the menu brings back yesterday’s customers.”

“You’re clever in the weirdest ways…”

Hmm, what to do…

I really don’t want to eat his frankfurters, but I promised Mei-chan I’d get some for her too…

As I sulked, Makishima-kun raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? Speaking of that, aren’t you doing the same?”

“Huh?”

“Changing up the second day’s accessory sales to attract new customers, right? Day one sold like crazy thanks to the perfect superhuman’s skills, but the fact that your precious Queen of the Night accessories didn’t sell out exposed your failure. Well, guess you’ll just sit back and watch Rin-chan handle it…”

“…”

Makishima-kun taunted me gleefully.

I smiled sweetly back, spun around, and waved to the passing crowd.

“Everyone~! The food at this stall makes your stomach hurt—mmph!?”

He hurriedly clamped a hand over my mouth from behind!

“Stop it! Just because I hit a nerve doesn’t mean all retaliation’s fair!”

“Mmph mmph~!”

Makishima-kun sighed and let me go.

“…Geez. How much of a mental weakling have you become? Back in middle school, you were way more shameless.”

“Shut up. You’re the one still dragging around your first crush on Kureha-san like an idiot. Breaking your brother’s record at a culture festival like this won’t make her notice you.”

“…”

Oh?

Makishima-kun gave me a weird look. He stayed quiet for a bit, then smirked meaningfully.

He opened a clear container and packed the grilled frankfurters and meat-wrapped onigiri.

“Summer break. Rin-chan said the same thing to me.”

“Huh?”

He put the container in a plastic bag and handed it to me.

I took it without thinking.

“Well, you’ll figure it out eventually.”

“What?”

“That’s on me. A pity gift for the poor losing heroine—may your stomach at least be happy.”

“Don’t talk like I’m some glutton—!”

Makishima-kun waved me off like shooing a dog and retreated into the tent.

I left the stall for now to wait for Mei-chan.

“…Does he think acting all knowing makes him look cool? What a misunderstanding.”

I glanced down at the container with mixed feelings.

Meat-wrapped onigiri, a local B-grade gourmet dish.

Rice balls wrapped in pork belly, slowly grilled over charcoal with sauce—a wild meal that stimulates your hunger just by looking at it.

Well, the onigiri didn’t do anything wrong…

As I took a bite, Mei-chan returned from the other side.

“You-sama~!”

“Oh, Mei-chan. Did something happen~?”

I turned—and froze.

She was holding fried potatoes, grilled squid, and a chocolate banana—both hands full of food from the stalls.

“So wild~!”

“As you-sama’s top apprentice, I’ve gotta eat a lot and absorb a lot!”

“Alright! Let’s keep that energy and conquer the exhibits too~!”

“Yes~!”

Nice, nice.

Ignoring that jerk’s words from earlier, I’m gonna enjoy the festival with Mei-chan now. Yuu’ll probably join us after the sales event, so until then, I’ll have a blast dating this adorable girl who looks up to me~!

Then someone called out from nearby.

“Himari-saaan!”

“Mei-chan, yahoo~!”

Oh!

It’s the girls’ volleyball team captain and vice-captain duo—Mao-pii, aka Inoue Mao-chan, and Azu-kyun, aka Yokoyama Azumi-chan.

Seeing their outfits, Mei-chan and I widened our eyes.

“Whoa, amazing~!”

“So bold, sir!”

They were dressed as a vampire and a witch.

Definitely bold. A bit revealing, but it’s got a healthy kind of allure—not bad.

Mao-pii’s got such a great figure—must be the charm of having an older boyfriend…

“What’s with those outfits?”

“The girls’ volleyball team’s doing a haunted house today~!”

“Come visit, Himari-san~!”

Oh, I see.

“But are vampires and witches part of a haunted house?”

“Recycling from last week’s Halloween party~!”

Smart way to save money~!

“I’ll stop by later~!”

“We’ll be waiting~!”

I waved goodbye to the spooky duo (?).

Alright, maybe I’ll hit the haunted house with Yuu~! With that in mind, I wandered the festival with Mei-chan, snacking along the way.

We checked out classroom exhibits and street performers in the courtyard, soaking in the festival vibes.

…Eventually, Mei-chan asked curiously,

“Um, you-sama?”

“Hehe~ What’s up~?”

“Why are we back near the accessory sales venue?”

“Oh!”

I snapped out of it.

Sure enough, we were near the sales venue… I’d unconsciously come to check on Yuu.

“A-Ahaha~! You know, Yuu’s so unreliable, I’ve gotta keep an eye on him~…”

“Hmm. That’s true, maybe.”

“No, no, he’s got his solid side too!”

“…You-sama…”

Oops.

I totally sounded like a girl praising her deadbeat boyfriend. Mei-chan’s “I respect the accessories, but can’t deny she’s a mess…” look stung.

“…Huh?”

I noticed something.

For some reason, Yuu was standing in front of the sales venue door.

Maybe he’s calling people in… but he wasn’t. He stayed silent even as students passed by.

Mei-chan tilted her head.

“What’s he doing?”

“Maybe Enocchi’s handling things inside…?”

We watched like detectives, and then something changed.

Two female students approached from down the hall. Judging by their slipper color, probably first-years.

They hesitated as they spoke to Yuu, handing him something like a business card.

Yuu smiled warmly and said,

“Welcome to the Secret Garden.”

With that, he ushered them into the sales venue.

We tilted our heads and got closer, but the black curtains over the windows blocked any view inside.

“Secret Garden?”

“What’s that?”

“Mei-chan, don’t you know something?”

“Uh…”

Mei-chan explained with gestures.

“They’re using the partitions I brought to make private rooms, I think, sir!”

“Private rooms?”

“They said they’d cover the partitions with thick blackout fabric to create a small space. That’s all I know, sir!”

“A small space?”

So they’re making an even smaller box inside the classroom.

And with blackout curtains over the windows, it’s pitch dark. No one can peek in from outside.

A tiny enclosed space with Yuu and two cute underclassmen girls…

“…”

“…”

Mei-chan and I exchanged looks.

We were definitely—absolutely—thinking the same thing.

Handsome Yuu luring younger girls into a tiny enclosed space for ××.

Mei-chan raised her voice excitedly.

“I know this! It’s impure opposite-sex mingling, sir!”

“No, no, no!”

“Th-This is high school culture festivals… (gulp)”

“No, no, no, no, no!”

“You-sama! Is it okay for your boyfriend to do that!?”

“It’s Yuu! He wouldn’t do that at an accessory sales venue…”

“But! Yuu-senpai sometimes gives off this weird hot-guy vibe, sir!”

“T-True!”

“And sometimes he flirts with girls on a whim, sir!”

“That’s so true—!”

The scales in my mind tipped hard. That guy’s gotten too good at unintentional hot-guy moves thanks to me training him!

Dragging Mei-chan along, I stormed the sales venue.

“Y-Yuu! That’s my job—huh?”

I stopped.

The door opened, letting light spill in, revealing a strange scene.

“…What’s this?”

It was a bizarre space.

The multipurpose room was blocked off with blackout curtains, making it dark.

In the center, partitions formed a small room, also covered in black fabric, completely shutting out light.

Inside that partitioned room, something faintly glowed—…

“Himari. What are you doing…?”

I snapped out of it.

Yuu was staring blankly at me, along with the two female students who’d gone in earlier. It definitely didn’t look like I’d caught him in the middle of anything ××.

“Oh, uh, no—”

I couldn’t exactly admit I’d misunderstood and thought my boyfriend was flirting with some kitten-like girls lured by the nectar of flowers, so we retreated.

After waiting outside for a bit, the two girls came out, bowing politely as they left.

Taking their place, we returned to the sales venue, where Yuu explained everything.

Once again, the room was pitch black, with only the small partitioned space glowing faintly.

“Yuu, what’s with all this darkness?”

“It’s to create ‘night.’”

“Night?”

“That’s the concept for my sales venue this time.”

And inside the partitioned small room—

Several aquariums were placed in the center, lit up, with resin accessories containing Queen of the Night flowers floating inside.

They shimmered and sparkled as the light hit them in the water.

Beyond the aquariums, there were potted Queen of the Night plants, creating a mirage-like, fantastical scene through the water’s ripples.

Yuu said confidently,

“I call it the ‘Aquarium Botanical Garden.’”

“Aquarium…”

An aquarium-style exhibition and sales event themed around the Queen of the Night flower, which only blooms at night.

Only one person could enter the small room at a time, but the setup emphasized a luxurious feel for the accessory sales. Mei-chan, who’d come in with me, stared in awe, seemingly at a loss for words.

“During summer break in Tokyo, I went to a goldfish aquarium exhibition. I remembered that and used it as inspiration. In this small room, I do one-on-one customer service to boost my experience points too.”

“W-Wow. So this is the sales event you produced, Yuu?”

“‘Produced’ might be a stretch since I didn’t have much time—it’s just the rough idea. Making it happen was thanks to Enomoto-san and Shiroyama-san’s help.”

“Still, it’s super cute. It doesn’t even feel like a classroom…”

I was genuinely impressed.

…Midway through, I felt a slight pang in my chest. Trying to ignore it, I hurriedly grabbed Mei-chan’s hand.

Laughing awkwardly, I started to leave the sales venue.

“Well, good luck! Sorry for interrupting!”

“No, I should’ve explained it upfront.”

“By the way, where’s Enocchi? And isn’t the number of accessories kinda low?”

“Oh, Enomoto-san is…”

♢♢♢

Mei-chan and I arrived at the spot Yuu had told us about.

Just before noon, the stalls were bustling all the way out into the hallway.

As we entered, a girl in an apron greeted us.

“Welcome to the wind ensemble club’s omelet rice café! We can seat you right away—oh? Himari-san?”

“Hey, hey!”

The wind ensemble club’s omelet rice shop.

Enocchi’s friends quickly ushered us to a seat and handed us a menu.

“You-sama, what’ll you have!?”

“Hmm. I just ate a meat-wrapped onigiri, so…”

“Then I’ll eat for two!”

“Infinite stomach…”

Is this what youth is like…?

“Anyway, the menu’s just omelet rice, sir!”

“It’s a school festival, so that’s about right~”

As I said that, I glanced around curiously.

“Where’s Enocchi? Is she in the back cooking…? Oh?”

Found her.

At a table in the back of the classroom with a ‘Cashier’ sign, she was helping out while selling something.

“Mei-chan, let me know when the omelet rice comes.”

“Oh, yes!”

I headed over to Enocchi alone.

“Enocchi, what’re you doing?”

“Ugh, Hii-chan…”

“Don’t make that obviously annoyed face!”

“Go eat somewhere else…”

On her table were Yuu’s accessories laid out.

The non-Queen of the Night accessories were being sold here.

“Wait, this is the wind ensemble club’s stall, right? Is that okay?”

“I got everyone’s permission, so it’s fine. Besides, you were walking around selling them yesterday too.”

“T-True, but…”

Sure, that’s true, but why’s she working separately from Yuu? It doesn’t feel like an emergency like yesterday…

“Hii-chan. Look.”

“Huh?”

Enocchi pointed, and I noticed.

All the wind ensemble club’s service staff were wearing Yuu’s accessories. Plus, there were promotional cards for the accessory sales on the dining tables.

A girl who’d finished eating came to Enocchi’s table to pay. While settling the bill, she browsed the accessories and bought one.

I got the system.

“Oh, I see~ Selling accessories alongside the checkout makes it efficient, huh~”

“That’s part of it.”

“But why focus here? Wouldn’t promoting outside…”

“…”

Looking clearly irritated, Enocchi sighed and explained.

“Hii-chan, why do you think we do promotion?”

“Huh? …To let people know about the product?”

“Right. So, where do you think it’s most efficient to place that promotion?”

Where to place promotion? And efficiency?

“Uh… Somewhere with lots of foot traffic?”

“For example?”

Hmm?

I thought back to yesterday when I was walking around selling accessories.

“At this festival, maybe between the outdoor and indoor areas? Yesterday, I picked spots like that to call out to people…”

“And how many did you sell yesterday?”

Counting on my fingers, I recalled.

“30, I think.”

“In that one hour, how many customers passed by?”

“Uh? Oh… Too many to count?”

Especially during breaks between gym events, tons of people passed through. Standing in those spots got me a lot of attention.

Hearing my answer, Enocchi said with a deadpan look,

“Too many to count saw it, and you sold 30.”

“W-What’re you getting at?”

“Yesterday, I sold here too, with the accessory box outside. In 30 minutes, I talked to about 15 people and sold 12.”

“…Oh.”

I did the math in my head.

I sold 30 to an uncountable number of people.

Enocchi sold 12 by talking to 15.

Sure, in total numbers, I crushed it.

But in terms of cost-performance, Enocchi’s clearly ahead.

“Hii-chan, the most efficient place for promotion isn’t where there’s tons of traffic—it’s where people stop.”

“…!”

I got it.

Making people stop to read an ad is, frankly, a waste of effort. It’s way more efficient to place ads where people naturally pause and force it into their line of sight.

“For example, at our pastry shop, we put flyers for other stores or tickets for local choir concerts at the register. It’s the same in Tokyo—on train platforms, escalators, or spots where people wait at signals. Ads in places where people stop and have nothing to do catch the eye easily.”

On top of that, most of this omelet rice shop’s customers are girls, who’d vibe well with stylish flower accessories.

Setting up an accessory sales corner right at the checkout—where they’re already pulling out their wallets—lowers the barrier to purchase.

Linking promotion directly to sales is ideal.

That’s the logic behind Enocchi’s compact promotion setup here.

“…”

While I stood there stunned, another girl paying for her omelet rice bought an accessory.

In this short hour, only 12 accessories were left.

Yesterday, my produced sales event only sold 5 all morning…

“Hii-chan, now you can focus on being his lover, right? Even without you, I’m enough as Yuu-kun’s partner in fate.”

“Ugh…”

Enocchi’s straightforward gaze pierced through me.

All I could manage in response was… an ugly, desperate struggle.

“S-Sure, your support might sell more numbers. But this is still incomplete. Over at the other venue, Yuu’s just standing there alone, and if the main base isn’t drawing customers…”

“That’s covered too, so it’s fine. …You’ll probably see soon if you wait a bit.”

She casually brushed off my nitpicking like it was no issue.

She didn’t seem to be bluffing either. As I tilted my head, Mei-chan called from the table.

“You-sama! The omelet rice is here!”

“O-Oh…”

I went back to the table to watch how things played out.

Kusudama omelet rice—the ultimate Instagram-worthy dish.

One of Enocchi’s friends brought it over, grinning as she sliced it open.

“It’s showtime!”

The egg “kusudama” split, and gooey scrambled eggs spilled out. Cheers of “Wow!” erupted, and a bell rang with “Success!” from the crowd.

Mei-chan snapped pics like crazy with her phone, but my focus was on Enocchi.

“…Oh.”

While checking out a girl, another accessory sold. Enocchi handed her something like a business card.

I rushed back to Enocchi.

I recognized that card—it was the same one those girls handed Yuu at his ‘Secret Garden.’

“Enocchi! That was a ticket to Yuu’s sales venue, right!?”

“Yep.”

“Why!? What’s going on!?”

“That girl just now was especially interested in Yuu-kun’s accessories.”

I tilted my head at her words.

Interested in accessories?

What’s that supposed to mean?

Frowning, I was about to ask her again—

And then I realized.

Enocchi had the same eyes as Yuu—

Radiant, iridescent pupils.

Eyes filled with fierce passion and determination.

A dazzling gaze that flickered like sparks flying.

So captivating I felt almost drawn in by an illusion.

Oblivious to me holding my breath, Enocchi continued her calm explanation.

“For people like her, I give them a special invitation to an exclusive exhibition. The Queen of the Night accessories are only available there.”

“…”

Splitting the sales venues in two allowed them to balance mass sales with personalized service.

It made both low-price sales and Yuu’s experience growth possible. The invitation system also controlled Yuu’s workload.

Given the festival setting, limited staff, and the creator’s own challenge, this setup supported everything perfectly.

This was probably the ideal answer for this festival’s sales event. Even though it was thrown together overnight…

“Hii-chan, will you acknowledge it now?”

“…”

I stayed silent.

(…I can’t win.)

Just a school festival.

Just fellow high schoolers.

Not much difference.

That’s what I’d assumed.

But having such a clear gap shoved in my face killed any urge to make petty excuses.

At this rate, I’ll lose. I can’t back out of the challenge I proposed.

What do I do? I racked my brain desperately.

And decided to use my other plan.

(…If I’m gonna lose anyway, I’ll turn even that to my advantage!)

I took a deep breath.

Then, with a calm demeanor, I said,

“Yeah, I acknowledge it. I lose. No need to even ask Yuu.”

Enocchi looked surprised, letting out an “Eh?”

Of course she would. Normally, I’d never admit defeat here—I’d twist the situation with some excuse.

That’s exactly why this strategy works.

“From now on, you’s partner is all yours, Enocchi. …Take care of Yuu, okay?”

“U-Uh…”

Enocchi replied warily.

She seemed unsure what I was plotting.

To play up my innocence, I gave her a teary, pleading look.

“But I’m worried. If Yuu’s alone with a cute, capable girl like you, he might fall for you…”

“That, uh, won’t happen. I promise I won’t interfere with you two as lovers…”

Enocchi grew even more suspicious.

Hmm. Maybe being too honest doesn’t fit me? Should I add a little flair?

I pointed sharply at her.

“But if you slack off, I’m taking over right away! I haven’t given up, got it!”

“What’s with that tsundere act?”

“Uh, it’s from a scene in an anime my brother likes…”

“…Hii-chan, you’re definitely plotting something, aren’t you?”

Uh-oh.

She’s getting more suspicious. Fine, I’ll power through with momentum!

“Let’s see if you can really handle it without me around—I’ll be watching closely!”

Like an evil mastermind, I spun around dramatically.

“Let’s go, Mei-chan!”

“You-sama!? W-Wait!”

Mei-chan hurriedly followed.

Pfft. I’m so cool… I thought, but Enocchi called after me.

“Hii-chan, wait!”

I turned back.

Enocchi’s gaze was serious.

She slowly held out her palm toward me—

“Omelet rice money.”

“Oh.”

Clearing my throat with a cough, I properly paid for both portions.

No dine-and-dashing. Absolutely not.

♣♣♣

It was just past noon.

The remaining accessories sold out, and I hurried to meet up with Himari.

With the sales event done, the rest of the day was for making it up to Himari.

Enomoto-san and the others would gather later for cleanup.

On the walkway to the gym, Himari was sipping Yogurppe through a straw, swinging her legs idly with a wistful look.

“Himari, sorry to keep you waiting!”

Seeing me, Himari’s face lit up.

“Oh, Yuu! How’d it go~?”

“Sold out all the accessories. Thanks to you too, Himari.”

“Nah~ I didn’t do much.”

“That’s not true. If you hadn’t worked so hard, day one wouldn’t have—”

Before I could finish, Himari grabbed my hand.

“Anyway, let’s go have fun!”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.”

Himari seemed extra chipper today.

“Himari, did something happen?”

“Not really~ Just excited thinking about a future where Enocchi needs my help♪”

That makes even less sense…

Well, if she’s just messing with Enomoto-san, it’s fine. For now, I’ll prioritize making it up to Himari.

She put up with a lot of my selfishness today.

Wanting her to enjoy herself now might be selfish too, but it’s genuinely how I feel.

“Yuu, let’s go in here~!”

“Huh, here?”

Himari dragged me to the girls’ volleyball team’s haunted house.

The classroom exterior was decked out in creepy decorations—very fitting.

“Didn’t know they had such a classic haunted house…”

“Mao-pii and the others invited me earlier~”

“Oh, Inoue-san? But aren’t you bad with scary stuff?”

“It’s just students doing it, so it’s fine. Let’s do something festival-y!”

Well, if Himari wants to, sure.

With that thought, we checked in at the entrance and stepped inside.

“Oh… They put a lot into this…”

They’d brought driftwood from the river to make dead trees, and a woman’s groans played as BGM on repeat. It felt chilly—oh, the AC was blasting…

Himari laughed brightly.

“Places like this attract the real thing, they say~”

“Stop it.”

“Did you know? When this school was built, a woman was buried alive, and her ghost—”

“Could you at least refine your lies for the setting?”

As expected, Himari’s made-up stories don’t even sound like proper school ghost tales.

Following the path, we came across a big, obvious papier-mâché coffin.

Totally looks like something’s gonna pop out… And sure enough, the coffin creaked open from the inside. I watched casually, and out jumped blonde vampire Inoue-san.

“Rawr!”

“Rawr, huh…”

“I’m gonna eaaat yooou!”

“The setting’s all over the place…”

Do vampires eat meat? Well, they do like the blood of beautiful women, so maybe that counts as carnivorous?

As I struggled to react, Inoue-san shook my shoulders in frustration.

“Natsume-kun, get scared already!”

“Isn’t this too sloppy?”

The setup’s so elaborate, but the cast is such a letdown…

Plus, this is blatantly a cheap Don Quijote cosplay outfit. It’s less scary and more… uh, sexy, and I don’t know where to look…

While I was thinking that, Himari suddenly clung to my arm.

“Eek! Yuu, I’m scaaared!”

“Himari-san? What’s with that fake scare?”

“Eek eek eek! I want my strong, cool boyfriend to protect meee!”

“You’re obviously not scared, right?”

Himari gave me a teary, pleading look.

“Yuu, protect me?”

“From Inoue-san? Or the cringe attack from your bad acting?”

Himari pouted.

Muttering “Guess I’ve got no choice~” under her breath, she suddenly whispered in my ear.

“If you protect me, I’ll give you that naughty kiss you love later♡”

“What are you even saying!?”

Inoue-san grinned, covering her mouth.

“Oh my~ Natsume-kun, you’ve got a cute face but quite the wild side, huh~?”

“No, no, no, Himari’s just spouting nonsense…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. My boyfriend’s got a couple quirks he can’t tell anyone about too.”

“Kuma-senpai! Come save yourself before she exposes your kinks!”

Himari waved her arm wildly.

“Hey~ Yuu~”

“I just thought of a perfect way to protect you—let’s leave this haunted house?”

“No way~!”

“Why not!? I wanna get out already anyway!”

I tried to escape, but Himari kept yanking my arm back.

Inoue-san started pushing me back too—what is this, some kind of game?

Totally confused, a flash suddenly went off in the dark.

“Huh?”

Yokoyama-san emerged from the shadows in a witch costume, holding her phone in camera mode.

“Himari-san, got a good one~”

“Ooh, show me, show me~”

Instantly, Himari ditched me, and the three girls crowded around the phone.

There I was, face red, with a “beautiful girl clinging to me in fear at the haunted house.”

“W-What’s going on?”

Yokoyama-san flashed a peace sign.

“We offer souvenir photos for those who want them!”

“Oh, so that’s what this attraction’s about…”

Looking closer, “Photo Spot” was marked on the floor with fluorescent tape.

Like those amusement park rides with cameras on the roller coasters.

Yokoyama-san held out her palm with a cute smile.

“So, friend discount—500 yen per photo!”

“That’s pricey!”

She’s way better at business than me…

Himari pressed her finger to her lips, pleading adorably.

“Yuu~ I want it~”

“Fine, fine…”

Sighing, I pulled my wallet from my pocket.

♣♣♣

We kept going around the festival like that.

Past 2 p.m.

We wandered the halls, hunting for our next target. Looking at the Instagram pics we’d taken today, Himari seemed delighted.

“Man, we really played today!”

“That carnival exhibit was legit.”

“Right~? I didn’t expect goldfish scooping!”

“The floor was soaked, though.”

“Pfft. Well, they probably got permission from the teachers.”

“Also, Himari, you went overboard with the shooting gallery.”

“If it was my brother, he’d have nabbed every prize~”

She smugly showed off the candy and plushies in her plastic bag.

We opened the festival guide to check out places we hadn’t seen yet.

“Himari, anything you wanna see?”

“Hmm~ That fortune-telling booth caught my eye earlier, but the staff wasn’t there, and going back now’s a hassle~”

“We’ve gotta clean up the accessory sales venue too, so I’d like to head back by 4-ish.”

“Then…”

As we talked, I spotted a familiar face ahead. A laid-back woman approached, waving casually.

“Oh, finally found you!”

“Araki-sensei!”

My flower arrangement teacher.

She’s usually casual, but today she was in a sharp suit. It’s moments like this that remind me she’s an adult.

“Sensei, what’s up?”

“I was free, so I came to check out your sales event…”

She shrugged.

“But it sold out by noon? Just heard from Enomoto-chan.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I was just gonna buy some if you had leftovers.”

“Haha… Thanks to Himari and Enomoto-san, we sold out.”

“Nice! Did you get anything out of it?”

“Yeah. I tried an aquarium-style display…”

As I started to say that, I thought Himari’s body stiffened for a moment.

Oh, crap.

I scrambled to cover, but then—

“Hey, Nyan-tarou!”

“Oh, Sasaki-sensei…”

A gruff voice called from behind.

Our math teacher, who also handles career guidance and is on the festival committee. And no matter how much I ask, he won’t stop calling me “Nyan-tarou”…

Seeing Sasaki-sensei, my eyes widened. He was in comfy track clothes today, but he had a guitar case on his back.

“Sasaki-sensei, what’s up?”

“Joining the third-years’ band for a live show now. Come watch if you’re free.”

Himari poked the case excitedly.

“Huh~? Sasaki-sensei, you play guitar~?”

“Back in high school, I was in a band. Pretty good, too.”

As we marveled at his unexpected skill, Sasaki-sensei made a weird face for some reason.

His gaze went past us, landing on Araki-sensei.

“Wait, is that Araki…?”

“Oh, Sasaki-kun! You’re a teacher here?”

Huh?

They sounded like old friends, and now it was me and Himari’s turn to make weird faces.

“Yeah. Been a while since graduation, huh? How’ve you been?”

“Doing alright. A former delinquent turned schoolteacher—kinda like GTO~”

“That’s too old for today’s kids to get…”

They seemed pretty close.

I asked Sasaki-sensei,

“You know Araki-sensei?”

“High school classmate. She never showed at reunions, so I figured she’d left the prefecture.”

“W-Wow. That’s something…”

Small world.

“What about you, Araki? You know Nyan-tarou?”

Araki-sensei tilted her head at me.

“Nyan-tarou?”

“Please don’t ask…”

Sasaki-sensei laughed heartily, slapping my back. “Fits him, right?” Uh, you’re the only one who calls me that…

Then Araki-sensei asked,

“By the way, Sasaki-kun, that live show—are you doing that?”

“That?”

“The original love song you sang to me back then…”

“Wahh!”

For some reason, Sasaki-sensei clamped a hand over Araki-sensei’s mouth. His stern face turned bright red, which didn’t suit him at all.

“W-What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Really, nothing!”

“Uh, okay…”

Still red-faced, Sasaki-sensei mumbled something to Araki-sensei—bits like “in front of students” and “that was ages ago” came through. Way too suspicious…

He coughed loudly and forced the topic back.

“Oops, almost time. Araki, don’t say anything weird.”

“Sure, sure.”

Sasaki-sensei hurried off to the gym in a fluster. Once he was completely gone, I asked Araki-sensei,

“I’ve never seen Sasaki-sensei panic like that.”

“In high school, Sasaki-kun sang me an original love song.”

“You just spilled it…”

“I hated delinquents, so I turned him down.”

“Didn’t need that much detail…”

That awkward heartbreak story made me feel a pang of sympathy. …If I tell Saku-nee, she’ll love this.

Araki-sensei patted my shoulder.

“Come on, Natsume-kun, Inuzuka-chan. Let’s go~”

“So we’re going too, huh…”

I checked with Himari.

“Himari, what do you think?”

“Hmm~ If Sasaki-sensei’s in it, let’s check it out!”

With that, we headed to the gym with Araki-sensei.

♣♣♣

The live show in the gym was pretty hype.

The third-year seniors were apparently well-known and did a great job hyping the crowd. Mixed in, Sasaki-sensei showed off some technical playing.

“Sasaki-sensei’s actually good…”

“Whoa~ Hearing that ‘kyuiin’ live might be a first…”

Seriously good. To an amateur, it almost felt pro-level.

But something about how good he was kept making me think, “An original love song, huh…”—random distractions popping into my head.

The students around us clapped and cheered, enjoying it their own way. Araki-sensei was yawning, but she’s always like that.

Amid it all, Himari clapped along happily.

That profile, illuminated by the lights, kept shifting between red and yellow. Man, looking at it again, isn’t this guy’s face just too perfect?

As I gazed at that profile, it felt like the surrounding sounds were gradually fading away.

I want to enjoy the culture festival with Himari again next year.

That’s what I thought.

This time, I’ll do it right.

I’ll take my time preparing properly and make it a culture festival that Himari can enjoy too.

I couldn’t help but wonder why I was thinking about next year already, but even so, I couldn’t stop myself from doing it.

I also realized the parts of myself that suck right now.

I got a good feeling that I could pull it off too.

Taking both of those as fuel, I want to make even more fun memories for Himari next year.

…As I was seriously thinking about this, for some reason, Himari looked back at me.

“Hey, Yuu.”

“W-What?”

Feeling guilty for secretly staring at Himari, my voice unintentionally went up a pitch.

And amidst the live music and the cheers around us that threatened to drown it out—she said it clearly.

“I’m thinking of quitting ‘you.’”

It took me a moment to process the meaning of those words.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ms. Araki glance at us. Then, without a word, she walked off in the other direction.

That’s when I finally registered her words as reality and ended up asking back.

“W-Why?”

“It doesn’t feel like I’m really helping your activities much, Yuu.”

“That’s not…”

The words “true” were cut off by Himari.

“No, I realized it at this sale event. It’s not for me. If anything, everything I’ve done so far feels like it was to pass the baton to someone more suited for it… Thinking about it that way, I actually feel kind of refreshed. Like, ‘I did it!’ or something?”

Even if she’s satisfied with that on her own…

“But I’ve been making accessories to become a creator worthy of you…”

I desperately tried to cling to her.

But Himari shook her head.

“Yuu, I want you to aim for something bigger.”

“Something bigger…?”

I repeated it, not understanding what she meant.

“Becoming a creator worthy of me—that makes me really happy, but if that’s your goal, you’ll end up limiting yourself. You told me during summer break, didn’t you? That you’d become a strong creator who could grab everything and take it all.”

“Ah…”

That summer break, the whole thing with Kureha-san.

Back then, I’d sworn that to Himari and we became lovers.

Himari had seen through how narrow my perspective had become. It was embarrassing… but at the same time, it made me happy to realize she really was my greatest supporter.

And then Himari smiled gently.

“I want to watch you soar out into the world as your most important lover.”

“…Himari.”

I clenched my fist tight.

…This morning, Enomoto-san said something cryptic, but it was probably about this. Thinking about it, that must be why she said she’d return to “you.”

Honestly, I want to hold Himari back.

But she must’ve agonized over this too. After all, we started “you” together. I know her personality—she’s not the type to just say “I’m bored” and ditch it.

If I clung to her out of lingering attachment here, it’d mean trampling over her resolve.

I made up my mind.

It’s a little… no, pretty lonely, but if it’s what Himari decided, I’ll accept it. Just like she accepted the stupid dream I showed off at the middle school culture festival way back when.

“…Got it. From now on, I’ll do ‘you’ with Enomoto-san.”

“Yeah.”

The live performance was heating up.

The final song they picked was a straightforward love song that became a hit this year as a drama theme.

Amidst that music, we held hands firmly.

This isn’t the end.

It’s a new beginning for us.

“Even if our relationship changes from what it was, I’ll keep making accessories for you, Himari.”

“Even if our relationship changes from what it was, I’ll keep cheering you on, Yuu.”

Feeling a bit lonely… and lost in that sentiment, Himari suddenly poked my cheek.

When I jolted and turned around, she grinned and said,

“From now on, as lovers, let’s keep being all lovey-dovey, okay?”

“…”

My face heated up instantly.

“Stop saying stuff like that!”

“Pfft!”

Himari laughed cheerfully.

That’s right.

Nothing’s changing.

No matter what kind of relationship we have, we’ll absolutely stay the same.

♢♢♢

…Just kidding.

While the live show was getting lively, I smirked to myself.

Yuu was looking at me with this super sentimental face, full of tender affection. Seeing that, I knew my strategy had worked perfectly.

I call it the “Selflessly Stepping Back for Yuu’s Sake, the Lovely and Beautiful Me ♡” strategy!

If I lost at producing the sale event, I’d just find my win outside that competition.

This is what you’d call “losing the match but winning at life.”

I’ll enjoy my lover life with Yuu to the fullest. Meanwhile, I’ll completely distance myself from “you”’s activities. And then what happens?

Yuu, feeling unsatisfied with his creator days without me, will eventually come back to get me—that’s the plan.

Plus, by framing it as “I stepped back for Yuu’s sake,” his “I’m so pathetic for making her do that” gauge will skyrocket in his head.

Yuu’s too serious—he won’t be able to betray me now. His feelings for me will be unshakable!

Once I plant this bomb, all I have to do is flirt with Yuu and wait for the moment he gets lonely and comes for me. Happy ending achieved.

My place in “you” will be rock-solid.

And I casually made Enocchi promise too.

“Enocchi becomes my partner-in-fate, and in exchange, she doesn’t interfere with my lover life.”

That way, I can leave them alone together without worry.

Unlike me, Enocchi’s the type to keep her promises properly.

True “femme fatale” energy is all about turning even setbacks to your advantage.

As long as I keep being lovey-dovey with Yuu as his lover, I’ll naturally slide into the winning heroine route. That’s when the detox of the new “you” will be complete!

Puhahaha!

A capable woman uses everything like this!

A vicious strategy like this? No way Enocchi could pull it off. Sorry, but this bad girl’s got years of experience on you. Years. Ohohohoho.

A true heroine should elegantly control everything from behind the scenes, right? ♪

With that, Ms. Sasaki’s live show wrapped up.

It was getting late, and the area was starting to shift into cleanup mode. We headed off to tidy up the sale venue too.

Thinking about our dazzling future, my steps naturally felt lighter.

“We’re here!”

We arrived at the sale venue in no time.

Enocchi and Mei-chan weren’t there yet. Wonder where they’re hanging out. Eh, whatever.

I pumped my fist in the air.

“Alright! Let’s get this cleanup done quick!”

“Yeah.”

Since Yuu’s tall, he started taking down the blackout curtains covering the multipurpose room.

Meanwhile, I figured I’d tidy up that partition… With that thought, I stepped into the little room.

“This fish tank and the queen of the night pot—crazy how we pulled this off… Huh?”

I froze when I saw it.

One of the queen of the night pots had a single flower blooming.

For a split second, I thought I might be seeing an illusion.

Queen of the night only blooms at night.

It’s still evening—not even close to blooming time. …No, even then, it’s a summer flower. Why’s it blooming when it’s this chilly?

Could it be because of the “night” partition Yuu made?

Or maybe the warmth from the lights confused it?

No, no.

It’s not about logic.

Somehow, I just felt that.

For some reason, what came to mind was a memory still vividly etched in my brain.

That April incident—

“Natsume-kun’s flower—it’s definitely reaching that girl.”

The scene where Enocchi confessed to Yuu that she was his first love.

That vivid memory somehow overlapped with this queen of the night flower.

As if it were fate itself declaring it.

As if it were blessing Yuu and Enocchi’s success at the sale event.

As if hinting at the future of that perfect pair.

“—!”

Without thinking, I tore the flower off.

When I snapped back to myself, Yuu peeked in.

“Himari. Ms. Araki said on LINE she’d take the queen of the night pots in her car… What’s wrong?”

“Oh, n-no! Nothing!”

I instinctively hid the flower behind my back.

I forced a smile at Yuu, who tilted his head. It was probably super awkward, but he didn’t seem to mind and went back to taking down the blackout curtains.

My heart was pounding loud.

A cold sweat I didn’t understand was soaking my back.

It’s fine, it’s fine.

I’ve already got what I wanted.

As long as I hold tight to this love, it’ll be fine.

As long as I grip it with all my strength so it doesn’t slip away, it’ll be fine.

I’ll never let go.

Not this love, not this friendship.

It’s my first time being this serious about something.

The one who laughs last will absolutely be me—