Chapter 11: The Back I Want to Kick

♣♣♣

Hamanami didn’t seem to like Tachibana-san much.

“Just because she’s good-looking, everyone spoils her too much. If a normal girl acted that aloof, she wouldn’t survive! She’d be ostracized!”

It’s lunch break in the Mystery Research Club room.

I’m sitting on the sofa, eating bento with Hamanami.

Thanks to her blackmail, I’m stuck pretending I’m into her, so here we are.

“Tachibana-san’s pretty popular even among first-years, huh? I saw some guy asking for her contact info.”

Tachibana-san’s the type who doesn’t sweat the small stuff, so she gave it out without a second thought. The guy did a fist pump, thrilled.

“That’s Yoshimi from my class. Total goofball. Started basketball because of a manga, the idiot.”

“He was kinda cool, though.”

“What, you worried?”

“Who knows.”

Hamanami lets out a big sigh.

“What’s so great about Tachibana-san? Going out of their way to see her after school, and she’s just in her ghost makeup anyway. Her face is probably all covered up.”

“Halo effect, probably.”

“The psychological thing where popular stuff gets even more popular, right? People want what others want.”

“You know about it?”

“I’m the type who actually studies.”

Hit products keep getting bigger, and in love, seeing someone popular makes everyone think, They must be special, making them even more desirable.

“Guys are so dumb, falling for such a basic psychological trick.”

Hamanami says.

“What do you like about Tachibana-senpai, Kirishima-senpai?”

Let’s see, I think for a moment before saying:

“……Her face, maybe.”

“That’s brutally honest!”

A straightforward jab.

“You don’t seem to like Tachibana-san, Hamanami, but even if we do this, it’s not like she’d care.”

I get the feeling that even if I live as if I’m into Hamanami, Tachibana-san wouldn’t bat an eye.

“Really? You two were kissing so passionately! She’d definitely be crushed. I’m gonna flatten her!”

“Who’s flattening who?”

“I’m gonna flatten you! Wait, kyoeeeeeeeh!”

Hamanami screams.

Tachibana-san is standing behind her out of nowhere. By the way, from where I’m sitting, I could see Tachibana-san come into the clubroom. Nice reaction, Hamanami—sharp as ever.

“What’s up, Tachibana-san?”

“Just grabbing sheet music from the music room. Then I heard voices from here.”

Tachibana-san studies Hamanami closely.

“Shirou-kun, you like this girl?”

“The rumor that I’m into Hamanami’s already spreading, huh?”

“Honestly, Shirou-kun, you’re such a player.”

With that, Tachibana-san starts to leave the clubroom.

“Wait, nothing else to say?”

Hamanami’s the one thrown off.

“The guy you like is saying he’s into another girl!”

“Yeah, true.”

“Don’t you like Kirishima-senpai? Even with this kind of relationship?”

Hamanami holds up her phone, showing the picture of me and Tachibana-san kissing.

“Or is Kirishima-senpai just a fling? If so, this picture getting out would be even worse. Your reign as the school’s heartthrob ends today.”

“Huh.”

Tachibana-san leans in to look at the picture, then says to Hamanami:

“Shirou-kun, this girl’s super nice, huh?”

“What?”

Hamanami’s eyes go wide.

Her face screams, I’m threatening you, hello?

“It’s a really good shot. Hey, can I have that picture? I’ll make it my wallpaper.”

Tachibana-san snatches Hamanami’s phone and starts tapping away.

“What’s your name?”

“Hamanami Megumi, but……”

“Hamanami-san, can you take more?”

“Take more?”

“I want more pictures with Shirou-kun. Alright, we’re gonna kiss now, so snap some.”

“Uh…… what are you talking about?”

“This summer, some girl showed off kissing someone in front of me. I’ve been wanting to kiss someone while showing off too. Hamanami-san, take more pics. I wanna show off.”

Tachibana-san says it so casually.

Hamanami turns to me, her expression stiff.

“Is this another dimension?”

Her sense of ethics seems to have crashed from this unfamiliar logic.

“That’s just how Tachibana-san is.”

“No, Kirishima-senpai, you gotta say something! This is all kinds of wrong!”

Fair point, I agree.

“Tachibana-san, the wallpaper thing’s kinda embarrassing, so maybe let’s not?”

“That’s not the issue! It’s a minor detail! There’s a ton of weird stuff here—showing off a kiss, wanting to be photographed, what’s with all these bizarre terms!”

If you’re that lovey-dovey, just be open about it! Hamanami says.

“I’m only threatening you because Kirishima-senpai asked me to delete the picture, but it’s not working at all!”

“No, the picture existing is genuinely a problem.”

Before I can finish, Tachibana-san cuts in.

“Because I have a fiancé.”

Hamanami’s eyes widen.

“……Who, by the way?”

“Yanagi Shun.”

Hamanami’s head creaks like a tin toy as she looks at me.

“Uh, the reason I’m even here is because someone named Yanagi-san asked me to.”

“Don’t say any more.”

“No, I’m saying it!”

As soon as the fake rumor about me liking Hamanami spread, Yanagi-senpai sprang into action.

“This super hot guy suddenly walked into my classroom and came straight to me.”

Hamanami’s not great with hot guys, but he was so nice she managed to talk to him.

“He kept praising you, Kirishima-senpai. Said you’re a great guy and asked me to eat lunch with you. That guy’s name was Yanagi Shun, and let me tell you, he was really looking out for you, super considerate.”

Hamanami looks back and forth between me and Tachibana-san.

“This is terrifying! Both of them!”

“Shirou-kun, Hamanami-san’s so lively and fun, huh?”

“Right?”

“Don’t play dumb!”

Hamanami’s breathing heavily, clearly at her limit.

Tachibana-san shrugs.

“That’s how it is, so I don’t care what Shirou-kun does with other girls. I’m not gonna judge.”

My love is a love that’s meant to end, Tachibana-san says.

“It’s just for our high school years. After graduation, I’ll marry my fiancé. No traces left behind. As an adult, I’ll just look back and think, That happened.”

As long as our feelings connect now, the form doesn’t matter, Tachibana-san says.

“I’m like a ghost.”

So that’s how she sees it, I think to myself.

“But it’s not bad.”

Tachibana-san continues in a quiet tone.

“The me that stays in your heart, Shirou-kun, will always be a teenager, always beautiful. I’ll leave behind pretty memories and say goodbye. That’s enough.”

But thanks, she says, holding up the phone to Hamanami with a satisfied look.

“I hadn’t thought about taking pictures, so having one makes me happy. I’ll delete it eventually, but until then, I’ll probably look at it a lot.”

See ya, she says, leaving the clubroom.

Afterward, a silence settles in, like a lake deep in a forest.

We quietly resume eating our bento. Hamanami, who was so lively before, now looks solemn. Even after finishing and setting down her chopsticks, her expression doesn’t change.

“Tachibana-san…… she’s kinda fleeting, huh?”

Hamanami says, sounding downcast.

“I don’t know, it’s making me sad.”

She stares at her toes, fidgeting, then clutches her chest.

“Imagining how Tachibana-senpai feels, it’s…… it hurts. It’s so bittersweet. Oh, but I’m totally not on her side or anything! My original plan hasn’t changed. I’m still gonna crush her flat—”

“Forgot to mention.”

“Eek!”

Hamanami lets out a startled yelp.

Tachibana-san slipped back in without a sound. She’s definitely toying with Hamanami.

“Just a heads-up, Hamanami-san. You’re not seriously trying to get Shirou-kun to like you, right? I don’t know why you’re playing this game, but it’s not a great idea.”

Not every girl’s like me, Tachibana-san says.

“Some girls care about this stuff. Don’t blame me if you get scared.”

With that, she leaves the clubroom for real this time.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Beats me.”

I play dumb.

But a few minutes later, Hamanami finds out exactly what it means.

“Her? The girl Kirishima-kun’s fallen for?”

Hayasaka-san steps into the clubroom, eyeing Hamanami.

With a plastered-on yet angelic smile, she says:

“Hey, Kirishima-kun…… what number am I?”

♣♣♣

Kirishima Shirou likes Hamanami Megumi.

I don’t know why she wants to live with that setup, but going along with it works out for me.

“I totally thought you were into Hayasaka-chan, Kirishima.”

Right after the fake rumor spread, Yanagi-senpai called me.

“I mean, Hayasaka-chan’s super cute, right?”

“You think she’s cute, huh, senpai?”

“Well, yeah……”

Yanagi-senpai sounds a bit shy.

“I tried not to think of her that way, though.”

“Out of consideration for me, right?”

“Didn’t want to get in the way or anything.”

“You’re too considerate. Besides, I don’t have romantic feelings for Hayasaka-san.”

I lied.

“So, senpai, you should give her a fair shot. If you think she’s cute, just tell her straight-up.”

Out of respect for me, Yanagi-senpai was subconsciously avoiding seeing Hayasaka-san as a girl.

He’d labeled her as the girl my junior likes and kept her at a distance.

But now that he knows that’s not true, the label’s gone, and Hayasaka-san’s emerged in his mind as a girl. You can tell from how he called her “cute.”

“This whole thing was a ploy to shift your perspective, senpai.”

I explain to Hayasaka-san.

“Got it. So you’re not actually into Hamanami-san, right, Kirishima-kun?”

“Of course not.”

The conversation in the clubroom continues.

It’s right after Tachibana-san left and Hayasaka-san walked in, asking, What number am I?

After hearing my explanation, the intense pressure from Hayasaka-san eases up a bit.

“So, Hamanami-san knows you’re not serious about her, right? She’s just playing along with the act?”

“Yes! Of course! It’s all a charade!”

Hamanami’s face is stiff with tension in this situation.

“Got it, got it!”

Hayasaka-san, with a kind senpai smile, grabs both of Hamanami’s hands.

“Thanks for helping us out!”

“Uh, oh, sure.”

“It’s kinda exciting. My relationship with Kirishima-kun has always been a secret. But I’ve always wanted to tell someone—I have the best boyfriend, Kirishima-kun. Even if we’re both second place, we’re a real couple.”

Then, muttering to herself, Am I acting too much like a girlfriend? No, I am his girlfriend, Hayasaka-san hesitates before turning to Hamanami.

“Please take care of Kirishima-kun from now on! He might seem unreliable, but he comes through when it counts!”

I went and said it! Hayasaka-san blushes and rushes out of the clubroom.

From the hallway, I hear, I acted like his girlfriend in front of a junior!

Now—

With Hayasaka-san gone, Hamanami glares at me with a sulky look.

“What is this? Nobody told me about this! You’re not just kissing Tachibana-san, who has a fiancé, but also having Hayasaka-san in the mix!? And what’s with that ominous ‘second place’ talk!?”

“Well, you see.”

I explain my relationships with Tachibana-san, Hayasaka-san, and Yanagi-senpai.

“Madness!”

After hearing it all, Hamanami’s eyes widen, and she shouts.

“This is terrifying! What are you doing!? And why are you telling me this!?”

“I just wanted someone to hear me out……”

“I’m not a priest; this isn’t a confession! Telling me doesn’t absolve you!”

“What do you think I should do, Hamanami?”

“There’s nothing to do! Hayasaka-senpai’s totally got you as her number one!”

“You think so too?”

“That talk about wooing Yanagi-senpai? Total lip service, obviously! Hayasaka-senpai’s acting 100% like your girlfriend. If she found out you and Tachibana-senpai are kissing behind her back, it’d be instant hell!”

Hamanami’s eyes widen again.

“Wait, are you planning to keep this hidden until graduation? Taking advantage of Tachibana-senpai’s feelings, being a couple with Hayasaka-senpai, acting like a good junior in front of Yanagi-senpai, and carrying on a limited-time romance with Tachibana-san? Are you serious? Are you insane?”

“Is that bad?”

“It’s a powder keg! I can’t believe you’d live high school like that! Don’t turn our school into a warzone! It’s the Balkans of love!”

Hamanami keeps chanting scary, scary.

“I’m sorry for casually snapping that kiss and blackmailing you, senpai.”

“It’s fine. I kinda know you’re not a bad person, Hamanami.”

“Don’t give me that knowing vibe. You don’t have to keep up with me anymore. I can’t handle this world. It’s too much. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gotten involved, and I’m done now.”

“Don’t say something so lonely.”

“No way, I’m out. I hate unwholesome stuff. Just make sure Hayasaka-senpai doesn’t stab you. Goodbye.”

Hamanami leaves the clubroom.

She wants nothing to do with our messy relationships, swearing to stay out of it forever.

But—

“Why!?”

Hamanami screams.

A few days later, during lunch break, back in the clubroom.

It’s not just me and Hamanami—Tachibana-san, Hayasaka-san, and Yanagi-senpai are all here too.

♣♣♣

“Why this lineup!?”

“All I can say is, stuff happened.”

It all started with a comment from the festival committee chair.

Kirishima, Hamanami, come up with ten compatibility test questions.

We were assigned part of the Best Couple Championship content.

Hamanami and I made the questions, but we couldn’t just jump into the real thing, so we planned a rehearsal.

That day, during lunch break, we gathered in the Mystery Research Club room to test the questions.

The group? Tachibana-san, Hayasaka-san, Yanagi-senpai, me, and Hamanami.

We’re sitting in a circle, chairs lined up.

“This is hell……”

“Can’t be helped.”

Originally, we invited Maki or Hayasaka-san’s friend Sakai, but they had sudden errands, and substitutes were sent, resulting in this crew.

“Fine, if that’s how it is, so be it. But what’s this? There’s something inhuman mixed in! Chaos!”

Hamanami points at a giant bear costume.

It’s Hayasaka-san.

A muffled mogogo comes from inside.

“I can’t understand what you’re saying!”

The bear costume writes on a whiteboard hanging from its neck.

Sorry, sorry, I was doing a costume fitting earlier.

“Why the written messages!?”

This costume muffles my voice. I’ll be serving in it on the day~

“Take it off for now!”

At that, Hayasaka-san removes the bear’s headpiece. Her bangs stick to her sweaty forehead. She’s still in the body of the costume, which is kinda cute.

“And you! Why are you joining as a horror creature!?”

Tachibana-san, in her ghost outfit, sits next to me.

“Your face is hidden by your hair!”

“This better?”

“The face that emerged is still scary! Wipe off the makeup! I’m bad with horror!”

Hayasaka-san hands Tachibana-san a makeup wipe, and she cleans her face.

“A compatibility test sounds kinda fun, huh?”

As Yanagi-senpai says that, Hamanami clutches her chest and looks down.

“That refreshing smile! Why does my chest hurt!?”

Still, flipboards and markers are set up, and we’re ready.

Hamanami will ask the questions, and the four of us will answer.

Just as we’re about to start, Hamanami whispers to me.

“We’re really doing this?”

“Any problem?”

“It’s a compatibility test!”

With this group? Hamanami says, scanning everyone’s faces.

“It’s a minefield!”

“But we’re short on time before the real thing. Better to test it once.”

What if it blows up? Hamanami hesitates, understandably worried.

“It’s fine. Leave it to me.”

“Really? Ugh……”

Hamanami groans but finally says, I don’t care what happens anymore! in a reckless tone.

“Let’s start the compatibility test!”

♣♣♣

“Compatibility Test Corner~ !”

Hamanami reads the questions with high energy.

“Dog or cat, which do you like?”

In the real event, couples get points for matching answers, but since we’re just testing, we don’t pair up, and the four of us answer individually.

We write our answers on flipboards and reveal them together.

Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai pick cat; Tachibana-san and I pick dog.

“Next, question two! Beach or mountains, where would you go in summer?”

Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai choose beach; Tachibana-san and I choose mountains.

“Uh, um, well…… ahem! Question three! Kinoko no Yama or Takenoko no Sato!”

I didn’t expect it, but this splits the same way: Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai, me and Tachibana-san.

Yanagi-senpai gives a wry smile, and Hayasaka-san forces a smile.

Hamanami quickly jabs my side with a hand chop, whispering:

“Isn’t this bad?”

“Leave it to me. I planned for this. I’ve got a solution.”

Please do! Hamanami says, reading the next question.

“Jump or Magazine, which do you like?”

Yanagi-senpai picks Magazine, Hayasaka-san picks Jump. This breaks the earlier pattern, so we’re safe for now. But I took an extra precaution.

“Kirishima-senpai?”

I flip my board. It says—

Spirits.

“It’s a two-choice question! Shueisha or Kodansha, and you pick Shogakukan! And it’s not even Sunday!”

Hamanami jabs while giving me a nice one, senpai! look.

The awkward part of this test would be if Tachibana-san and I always matched.

But if I pick a non-binary answer, we won’t match.

Or so I thought—

“Tachibana-senpai’s answer?”

“Same as me.”

Tachibana-san’s board says—

Spirits.

“What’s going on!? How do you match here!?”

“If you ask me Jump or Magazine, I’d say Spirits.”

“It’s a two-choice question!”

Even Yanagi-senpai looks awkward. He’s missing every answer with his fiancée while her junior matches her perfectly. No surprise there.

Still, he’s a big person, smiling kindly and saying:

“You and Hikari-chan have similar tastes, huh, Kirishima?”

“Maybe because we’re in the Mystery Research Club? We talk about that stuff a lot.”

I give a weak excuse.

After a brief pause, Tachibana-san adds:

“But the only thing we share—is hobbies. Really.”

Realizing she made her fiancé feel uneasy, Yanagi-senpai looks apologetic.

“No, it’s cool, it’s cool. I’m happy you and Hikari-chan get along.”

But, he says.

“This is for the Couple Championship, right? Shouldn’t the questions be more love-related? With an audience, that’d be more fun for them.”

He’s really thinking it through—Yanagi-senpai’s such a good guy.

“We do have some love-related questions.”

“Let’s do those.”

Hayasaka-san says, her usual forced smile in place.

“Is that okay?”

Hamanami’s face says, I’m trying to be considerate of you!

But.

“Checking hobby compatibility is pointless. Let’s do love compatibility. The earlier ones don’t count.”

“O-okay……”

Overwhelmed by Hayasaka-san’s pressure, Hamanami reads the next question.

“Christmas with your lover: park illuminations or chilling at home?”

The result—

Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai pick illuminations; Tachibana-san and I pick chilling at home.

Why is it? My answers keep perfectly aligning with Tachibana-san’s. There’s always been a tendency—late-night radio, mysteries, we share a lot of hobbies. But this much—

The atmosphere shifts completely.

Hayasaka-san’s eyebrows are twitching, and Yanagi-senpai, constantly mismatched with his fiancée, looks understandably awkward.

“Kirishima-senpai…… maybe we should stop here……”

Hamanami gives me a damp, pleading look.

“Yeah, it’s about time……”

But.

“What are you whispering about? Hamanami-san, let’s do the next one.”

Urged by Hayasaka-san’s hollow gaze, Hamanami stammers, “Y-yes!” in a panic.

The pattern doesn’t change from there.

Wanting to watch a romance movie on a date: Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai. A Hollywood blockbuster: me and Tachibana-san.

Wanting to travel abroad: Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai. A hot spring inn: me and Tachibana-san.

Feeling lonely and trembling with the need to see someone: Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai. No particular need to meet: me and Tachibana-san.

Hayasaka-san mutters, “Why…… that’s harsh,” while Yanagi-senpai visibly loses energy.

“Um, Kirishima-senpai.”

Hamanami finally snaps.

“Are you trying to stir things up?”

“I’m not that much of a jerk!”

Hamanami abandons the binary questions, switching to open-ended ones.

“You’re on a date at an art museum. What painting would you want to see with your lover? No choices, just answer freely, all nice and friendly~”

Even with Hamanami’s desperate question, my answer matches Tachibana-san’s. Mona Lisa.

“Kirishima-senpai, you’re doing this on purpose, right? You’re definitely doing it, aren’t you?”

“I’m not. I didn’t plan or collude.”

Hayasaka-san is trembling, on the verge of tears. She should be happy matching so well with Yanagi-senpai, her supposed number one, but she’s not in that mindset.

Unable to watch, I speak up.

“I don’t think matching matters.”

“Huh?”

“Not matching might make for a better couple, like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly. You complement each other’s missing parts. But if you’re too alike, you might not go anywhere.”

“Kirishima-kun……”

It’s probably an eternal question: Is it better to date someone with the same values or someone different?

I just voiced one side of it.

Hayasaka-san’s expression brightens slightly.

Yanagi-senpai perks up, saying, “Yeah, right.”

Tachibana-san raises one eyebrow, looking at me.

“Alright, this is the last one. Answer freely again.”

Hamanami moves to wrap things up.

“What snack would you want to eat with your lover?”

The result—

Kit Kat, Shiroi Koibito—everyone’s answers are different.

Like a youth movie where tangled relationships resolve and everyone moves on, it’s a clean ending.

The warning bell rings, and we start packing up. A happy ending, right?

As everyone leaves the clubroom, and it’s just me and Tachibana-san, it happens.

“The last question—you rewrote your answer after seeing mine, didn’t you?”

Tachibana-san says, eyeing the flipboard in my hand.

“Show me what you wrote first.”

“I didn’t rewrite, so there’s nothing to show.”

“Then let me see that flipboard.”

“No way.”

“I’ll take it by force, then.”

Tachibana-san tries to snatch the flipboard, and I resist.

Truth is, I wrote Pocky first. But when I saw Tachibana-san’s Pocky, I switched to Bisco at the last second, thinking of Hayasaka-san and Yanagi-senpai’s feelings to avoid a perfect match.

But Tachibana-san noticed and is a little mad.

“Just show it, Shirou-kun.”

“No means no.”

“And what was that earlier? Saying if we’re too alike, we won’t go anywhere?”

“That was……”

“Matching hobbies or anything means better compatibility, obviously.”

We grab each other’s wrists, pushing and pulling.

But then we notice the room’s air has frozen. They must’ve come back to check on us since we didn’t leave. At the entrance stand Hayasaka-san, Yanagi-senpai, and Hamanami.

“Hikari-chan?”

Yanagi-senpai, shocked, stares at us, his eyes on Tachibana-san’s hand gripping my wrist.

“You couldn’t be touched by guys, right……?”

Hayasaka-san, expressionless, murmurs:

“Shirou-kun…… what’s that?”

♣♣♣

It’s well-known that Tachibana-san can’t be touched by guys.

Yet Yanagi-senpai and Hayasaka-san saw us grappling.

No wonder the clubroom’s air froze.

Hamanami, sensing a storm, clutches her head.

“I don’t think of the club president as a guy. That’s why I can touch him.”

Tachibana-san says coolly, deadpan.

A brief silence.

“Oh, that’s it.”

Yanagi-senpai breaks the silence, his face relaxing into a smile.

“I’m glad you and Kirishima get along, Hikari-chan. You used to say you didn’t have close friends at school. Kirishima, keep looking out for her.”

“Uh, sure……”

“I’ve got gym next, so I’m off.”

He leaves the clubroom quickly.

Yanagi-senpai was clearly rattled but forced a smile and said that. That’s just who he is. I’m sorry. I think to myself.

With a slight ache in my chest, I thought the moment was over. But—

“Kirishima-kun, Hamanami-san, can you leave?”

Hayasaka-san says.

“I want to talk to Tachibana-san alone.”

“But……”

“Just a little girl talk.”

Is that really okay?

But under Hayasaka-san’s undeniable pressure, Hamanami and I leave as told.

As we close the door, Hamanami suddenly crouches low.

“What’s up?”

“Shh! Something in me says to listen!”

So, Hamanami and I end up eavesdropping outside the clubroom.

Through the door, we hear Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san talking.

“Sorry for keeping you, Tachibana-san.”

“It’s fine. I didn’t want to go to my next class anyway.”

Their tones are calm, but there’s a sharp edge to the air.

“This is weird to ask, but, um……”

“About me touching Shirou-kun?”

After a pause, Hayasaka-san says, Yeah.

“You couldn’t be touched by guys, right, Tachibana-san……?”

“That’s right.”

“You have a fiancé, but you can’t touch him, yet you touch Kirishima-kun…… Yanagi-kun looked so pitiful earlier. I think that’s wrong, Tachibana-san……”

Another silence.

“Like I said.”

Tachibana-san speaks.

“I don’t think of him as a guy, so I can touch him. I don’t feel that from Shirou-kun.”

“That ‘Shirou-kun’ way you call him……”

“Did that bother you? But you and Shirou-kun are just ‘practicing,’ right?”

The air cracks like shattered glass.

This is probably a continuation of the summer camp showdown. A clash along that same axis.

Hayasaka-san, clearly ticked off, lets it slip.

“I did it with Kirishima-kun.”

“Did what?”

“Probably something you don’t know about yet. Kirishima-kun did things with me he’s never done with another girl, and I let him do things I’d never let another guy do.”

Hamanami looks at me, shocked, and we have a silent exchange.

You did it!? No, you totally did it, right? This vibe screams you did it!

We didn’t! It’s several steps before that!

Just touching, in a very unwholesome situation, but still.

“Hmm. I don’t really get it, but didn’t you like someone else, Hayasaka-san?”

“But I did it with Kirishima-kun. And we’ll do more. That’s okay, right?”

“I don’t think you need to ask me.”

“Right. You have a fiancé, and you don’t think of Kirishima-kun as a guy, so it’s fine whatever we do, right?”

“Sure.”

“Good. I was worried you might like Kirishima-kun, Tachibana-san.”

“That’s a misunderstanding.”

“Got it. Then we can stay friends, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Things got weird after the summer, but I’m really glad we became friends, Tachibana-san.”

It’d be hard if we liked the same guy, but we don’t, so it’s fine, right? Hayasaka-san says.

“Right.”

“Let’s have a sleepover sometime. I wanna talk about love all night.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Great.”

I’ll head back now, Hayasaka-san says, starting to leave.

Hamanami and I scramble into the old music room next door, crouching behind the door.

Hayasaka-san steps into the hallway, sniffling.

“I’m the worst……”

Her footsteps fade as she says it.

“Sparks were flying just now, huh?”

Hamanami says.

“Tachibana-senpai held back and endured, so it didn’t explode.”

Hamanami pulls out her phone and brings up the kiss photo of me and Tachibana-san.

“I’m deleting this. If someone saw it, it’d be a disaster.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Looking at it makes me sad thinking about Tachibana-senpai’s feelings. She didn’t argue back to protect this limited-time romance, right?”

“Didn’t you blackmail me because there was something you wanted?”

Hamanami sighs.

“You see right through me.”

Guess so, I say.

“You like that Yoshimi-kun guy, don’t you?”

The handsome first-year basketball player chasing Tachibana-san.

After a pause, Hamanami nods.

“I thought if Tachibana-senpai had a boyfriend, Yoshimi would give up.”

“You saw us at the amusement park by chance, huh?”

“Yeah. Tachibana-senpai looked even prettier than usual, and I thought, Oh, a date. So I followed and took the picture……”

But she couldn’t spread it. Hamanami’s a good girl.

“The setup where I’m into you was to leverage the halo effect, right?”

“I thought if I could make myself seem popular like Tachibana-senpai, he’d notice me. I’m not flashy, and I don’t have any romantic rumors.”

“I wasn’t much of an accessory, was I?”

“Yeah, it was a flop.”

“You don’t have to be that blunt.”

“It’s fine now. That approach just wasn’t me. My feelings for Yoshimi got out of control, and I thought I’d do anything to get him.”

Hamanami and Yoshimi-kun are childhood friends, with Hamanami always looking after the goofy Yoshimi-kun. But he’s smitten with the older, mysterious, quiet beauty Tachibana-san, who must seem captivating to younger students.

“I can help a bit, if you want.”

Hamanami, sitting with her knees up, hides her face and says:

“Then just one thing. Stop Tachibana-senpai from being the escape game prize.”

“The one where the fastest escapee gets to enter the Best Couple Championship with her?”

“Yeah. Yoshimi’s super motivated. If he competes with Tachibana-senpai and wins…… with that marriage jinx……”

“Got it. I’ll tell Tachibana-san.”

Sorry, Hamanami says, staying hunched over for a while.

I wait beside her until she perks up.

Finally, she looks up.

“But Kirishima-senpai, aren’t you using Tachibana-senpai too conveniently?”

“You think so?”

“She got totally one-upped by Hayasaka-san earlier. But to keep this relationship going, she couldn’t fight back. That’s gotta be stressful.”

“Maybe you’re right……”

That’s when it happens.

The clubroom door opens, and I sense Tachibana-san stepping out.

Hamanami and I hold our breath, waiting for her to leave.

But her footsteps stop in front of the old music room door.

She’s not leaving, I think, and then—

A jolt runs through my back.

Tachibana-san kicked the music room door I was leaning against.