Chapter 4 | October 1^st

 

(Liliana Festival③)

I don’t think it needs explaining at this point, but Sawatari Ginbei Haruomi is an exceptional person.

Possessing a sharp intellect, despite her petite frame, she boasts consistently high athletic ability, excels in academics, is proficient in all household chores, and is profoundly knowledgeable in the family trade of economics.

Her report card would undoubtedly be filled with nothing but perfect scores, and her school evaluations would likely be lined with glowing praise. If one were to pick a standout trait among them, it would have to be her calm and composed execution. Her ability to devise practical yet maximally efficient plans, skillfully managing budgets and personnel to deliver results, has already reached a master’s level despite her young age.

This time, Ginbei proposed a project themed around “cooking and economics.” Honestly, it’s a combination of concepts I’ve neither seen nor heard of before, but since it’s her idea, she must have some kind of vision. Surely, she’ll bring a fresh, unprecedented perspective to the Liliana Festival. After all, both themes are areas where Ginbei excels, so logically, the success rate should be extremely high. Especially since she’s openly declared her aim for the “Jewel of Liliana” title, she’s likely approaching this with considerable confidence and conviction.

Alright, I’m excited!

Let’s see what surprises await when the curtain rises—I’ll be watching the results with bated breath!

◆◆◆

…And then.

What awaited me when the curtain rose was the sight of my best friend slumped over, clutching her head.

“…What’re you doing, Ginbei?”

The location is Classroom A-1 in the special building, the cooking lab.

I stepped outside to double-check, but there’s no mistake. This is the prime spot for the Liliana Festival, the largest and best-equipped room, one that would typically be secured only after fierce competition. As a respected member of the student council and a popular figure, Sawatari Ginbei Haruomi managed to reserve this platinum venue for her pet project. No doubt about it—especially since the planner herself, Ginbei, is right in front of me.

“…Can’t you tell?”

My best friend slowly raised her head, her lips twisting with bitter self-mockery.

“I’m at my wit’s end. Isn’t it obvious?”

“At your wit’s end…”

I scanned the cooking lab.

A clean white tablecloth draped over the table. Stylish chairs, clearly brought in for today, distinct from the usual classroom ones. The plain walls were adorned here and there with tasteful decorations, and rows of Styrofoam boxes, likely filled with ingredients, were neatly lined up. A whiteboard for lectures was also prepared without fail.

“If anything, it looks like everything’s perfectly in place.”

“Perfectly in place, huh. I see. That’s how it looks.”

Heh.

Ginbei let out a weak laugh, averting her gaze.

I pressed further.

“By the way, where are the assistants? Weren’t a bunch of volunteers supposed to gather today to help you out?”

“I sent them all home. There’s no work left for them.”

“No work left…?”

I glanced at the clock.

Far from no work, Ginbei’s event is about to start soon.

What’s going on here? I looked at her again and noticed something off. Nothing seemed particularly wrong, but there was an undeniable, subtle sense of unease.

…Hm. Got it.

It’s too perfect. That’s the problem.

This is supposed to be Ginbei’s confident bid for the Jewel of Liliana, a special event. Yet, this setup—flawless but unremarkable, just well-prepared—lacks the spark to make it stand out. It might draw a crowd and be a hit, but it’s hard to imagine it reaching beyond that.

“Heh. You’ve figured it out, haven’t you?”

Ginbei’s nihilism cranked up a notch.

“Exactly. In this state, there’s no way I can deliver the ultimate satisfaction. It’s nothing but a generic, slapped-together affair. Go ahead and laugh. I’ve messed up enough to deserve it.”

“No, but the core of it matters, right?”

Sure, at first glance, it might seem like just a well-executed event. But that shouldn’t be the deciding factor. Ginbei’s culinary skills, her eloquent speech, and her vast knowledge—combining these to break new ground is supposed to be the crux of this event.

“There’s no such thing.”

Ginbei, now at maximum self-deprecation.

“Nothing like that exists. I thought about it but came up empty. All I could manage was combining cooking and economics without any ingenuity, and I couldn’t find any synergy whatsoever. I had a nagging feeling about it, but I have to admit I lack creative ability. You think so too, don’t you, Akito?”

“Huh? Well, uh, I’m not sure.”

I hedged my words, but denying it was tough. She might be right. Ginbei’s not the type to excel at wild, unconventional ideas. She shines brightest when she sticks to the straightforward, orthodox path.

But then, why?

I assumed she had some kind of trump card when she decided to combine such disparate fields like cooking and economics.

“That’s…”

Ginbei looked sheepish.

“Your point is valid, but I had no choice in that moment.”

“That moment?”

“You remember the day the festival committee, Jūjōji-san, asked the student council to come up with our own projects, right?”

“Sure, but… what about it?”

“I had no choice but to dig in my heels.”

With a sullen expression.

“Nasuhara-kun went all-in with her specialty, stand-up comedy. Right after, Akiko-kun pulled some mysterious connections and announced she’d coordinate a signing event with Shindō Kōichirō. In that situation, I couldn’t back down. If I didn’t pull off something bigger than their plans, I’d lose face.”

“No, no, hold on. Shouldn’t you have just stuck to what you’re good at instead of getting caught up in pride? The usual clever Ginbei could’ve done that, right? Self-destructing by taking on something beyond your reach—it’s so unlike you.”

“Mgh…”

“So, what now? There’s barely any time left before the event, and canceling isn’t an option. Changing the content now isn’t realistic either.”

“Mgh… gnh…”

“Well, guess there’s no choice but to go through with it. You’ll serve food, give an economics lecture, and even if there’s no synergy between them—maybe I’ll pitch in somehow. It’ll still draw a crowd, so that’s something. As for satisfaction, well, can’t help it. Some people might be a bit disappointed, but your fans are kind. It’ll work out. Let’s do this. Come on, let’s get pumped! Here we go—ei, ei, oh! Together now! Ei, ei, oh!”

“Ughhh!”

I meant to encourage her, but she ended up teary-eyed.

This isn’t good. I always seem to mess up in these situations. I can tell my best friend’s mood is sinking, and as her assistant, I want to lift her spirits somehow.

“…It’s your fault, Akito.”

Apparently, it backfired.

Ginbei glared at me resentfully.

“This happened because you didn’t help me. If you’d just contributed to my inspiration, it wouldn’t have come to this. It’s all your fault.”

“What!? No way, that’s not fair. Sure, I’m your assistant, but we agreed I’d only help on the day of the event. You knew I’d be busy today, so you told me to focus on my stuff, didn’t you?”

“That’s… well, true.”

She mumbled, her mouth twitching.

“But still, as a human, I can’t help but want to throw some blame your way. Please understand that. No, you have to understand.”

“? I’m not quite following… but why did this even happen? You mentioned pride, but the real you wouldn’t dive into something with no prospects. That’s what I don’t get.”

“Mnh…”

She faltered, then.

“—It happens sometimes. Even monkeys fall from trees, right?”

“No, that’s not it. This is more like the world’s best supercomputer messing up basic multiplication—an anomaly. It’s not just some random glitch. That’s how shocked I am, and it shows how much I trusted you. When you said you could do it, I believed it would happen, like predicting the weather after reading tomorrow’s paper. That’s why I keep asking—what went wrong?”

“…I appreciate the high regard, but…”

“Why did you say you could do something you couldn’t? Tell me.”

“There’s no point dwelling on it now. It’s too late.”

“That’s not true. Figuring out why you failed leads to future success. And there’s still a chance. The event hasn’t started or ended yet, right? We might find a way to turn this around. I just need a clue—anything.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint, but there’s no special reason for my failure. It’s just my own shortcomings, nothing more.”

“Ginbei.”

I looked straight into my best friend’s eyes.

She averted her gaze.

I didn’t back down. There’s no room for half-measures between me and Ginbei. Especially now that our bond has grown stronger, I can’t retreat here.

“…Don’t you get it?”

She glanced at me briefly before looking away again.

“Or are you trying to make me say it, Akito? If so, you’re either a sadist or clueless—maybe both.”

“? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then you’re both. You’re an infuriatingly difficult man who doesn’t grasp the subtleties of the heart. Why do I have to feel like this…? Oh, I know. I know it’s my own doing, and whining now won’t change anything. I’ve relived this pain countless times since that day six years ago…”

“You’re being so cryptic. Get to the point, Gin. Time’s ticking, and every second we waste shrinks our chance to recover—”

“Argh, are you seriously this dense after all I’ve said!?”

Furiously.

Her face flushed red.

She stomped to her feet, then closed the distance between us.

“It’s because I love you, Akito! I love you and don’t want anyone else to have you! That’s the only reason I got so stubborn!”

“…Huh? Uh?”

“Back then, when the student council members were picking our projects, Nasuhara-kun and Akiko-kun chose their paths without hesitation! And they picked things that were likely to succeed and be popular! Right in front of you! So of course I wanted to show off too! Isn’t that natural!?”

Step, step.

Ginbei kept closing in. I backed away with each step.

“Laugh if you want, call it childish, but that’s what I thought. I couldn’t lose to Nasuhara-kun or Akiko-kun, even in a field I’m not good at! But it was tough, and I couldn’t rely on you like I usually do, so I dragged things out until today… Oh, what a mess. This humiliating feeling—I thought my confession back then was bad enough, but why do I have to go through this shame again…?”

“I see. Okay. Got it.”

“No, you don’t! You don’t get it at all!”

“Alright, alright. Calm down.”

While trying to soothe her.

“I understand the reason. Maybe not every detail of how you feel, but I get the big picture. And knowing that, I think…”

“What!?”

“You should’ve pulled back earlier, right? I get that you got caught up and couldn’t back down, but you’re Ginbei. You could’ve stepped back and revised the plan.”

“Hmph, no way. You’re overestimating me.”

“No, when it comes to you, I’m certain I’m not. The reason you just gave isn’t enough to make you mess up.”

“……”

“There’s something else, isn’t there? A reason you haven’t told me.”

Her green eyes glared at me sharply.

Already teary, they now seemed to harden in that moment.

“You want to know that reason?”

“Of course. I want to hear it.”

“Fine. If you insist, I’ll tell you.”

Ginbei’s face, as she looked up at me, could only be described as one glaring at a sworn enemy.

Too late, I realized I might’ve stepped on a landmine.

“You talk like it’s some mystery, Akito, but the reason that sealed my fate and cut off my retreat is simple. It’s because of that incident.”

“That incident?”

“The thing with you and Jūjōji-san.”

“…Oh.”

Not a landmine.

This is straight-up self-destruction, no matter how you look at it.

“I didn’t want to bring it up if I could help it. It’s not exactly a pleasant topic, no matter how you spin it.”

“Ugh. Yeah. I’ve got no excuses for that…”

“You made me say it, Akito.”

“Yes. One hundred percent my fault. Completely on me. Yes.”

“And just so we’re clear, that issue is only on hold temporarily. It’s not resolved, and I haven’t forgiven you.”

“Yes, I fully understand… I’m well aware, yes.”

I want to rewind time by a minute and smack myself.

To self-destruct like this at a time like this… It’s beyond ridiculous, but I don’t have the luxury to dwell on it.

Ginbei’s eyes were growing fiercer.

“Akito.”

“Y-Yes, what is it?”

“You know what you’ve done by making me say it.”

“W-What might that be?”

“I’m going to press you. Thoroughly. Until I’m satisfied.”

“No, no, calm down, Gin. There are other things we need to deal with first—”

“Of course, I know this isn’t the time. My mistake has put the ‘cooking and economics’ event at risk of becoming a failure. But at this point, I’m going to follow through with my own selfishness. You’re the one who should be blamed, right? I’ve held back and held back, but the stress that’s built up is now exploding, and there’s no avoiding it.”

Step.

Ginbei began her advance.

I backed away the same distance she closed in.

“What are you even thinking, Akito?”

“Uh, well, what do you mean?”

“So many women have confessed their feelings to you—Arisa-kun, Nasuhara-kun, and yes, even me. The student council president might act playful, but she’s no different, and while it’s out of bounds due to blood ties, Akiko-kun has been clear from the start. To varying degrees, we’ve all had significant relationships with you. I’d even say we’ve lived under the same roof, closer than blood in some ways. Yet you—what do you do? Even if it was for official duties, you got cozy with some random nobody, and to top it off, you came home in the morning looking like a fool. How am I supposed to accept that? If you’d chosen someone from our group, I could’ve at least nodded along.”

Step.

Ginbei didn’t stop her advance.

I had no counter. Everything she said mirrored my own thoughts exactly.

“I know this confrontation is pointless. It’s worse—it’s detrimental. It’s just uncontrolled emotions, barely more than whining, only meant to trouble you. It probably won’t help find a solution, and it’s so ill-timed it’s practically self-destructive. But I can’t not say it. I can’t not demand an explanation. That’s how furious I am—Akito, what are you thinking!?”

“I… I have no excuses…”

“No, that won’t do. You will explain yourself.”

Step.

Ginbei kept advancing.

I backed away again.

I tripped.

Of course, it was me. I stumbled over something.

Crash. By the time I realized the culprit was a cardboard box on the floor, I was already slamming back-first into a pile of coolers.

Pain.

Shock.

The ceiling in my line of sight. And Ginbei’s face.

“Ouch… Geez, Gin! This is your fault! I fell! My best outfit’s ruined now!”

“……”

Seizing the moment, I tried a cheerful, joking tone, but it flopped. Ginbei just stared down at me—in a straddling position.

I vaguely recalled a similar situation from before, but I wasn’t giving up yet.

“Hmm, maybe we should start over? We were in the middle of an important talk, but this kinda killed the mood. I’ve said it a bunch, but we’re running out of time before the event. Gotta start prepping for real, right?”

“……”

“I mean, I haven’t even gotten the script yet. Even if I’m just assisting, I can’t do much without prep. We need at least a quick run-through to keep things looking decent. So, come on, Ginbei.”

“……”

But my partner’s eyes remained fixed, unyielding.

Worse, her cheeks were flushed like she had a fever, and her eyes glistened with a heated intensity.

“The event doesn’t matter anymore. Not at this point.”

“What!? No way, it totally matters! The Liliana Festival’s success is on the line! Your reputation, the student council’s dignity, and all the fans looking forward to this—”

“That’s all trivial. I have a clear priority, and compared to that, everything else is insignificant.”

A deep sigh.

“…I never thought I’d need to muster more courage than I did back then, especially not so soon. Fine. It seems there’s no choice but to take drastic measures.”

With that, Ginbei started undressing.

Her clothes?

Yes, her clothes. The garments she was wearing. In this case, the Liliana Academy uniform. She began removing it slowly, hesitantly, but with resolute movements.

This wasn’t a changing room or her bedroom.

“Whoa, what are you doing!?”

“Taking drastic measures.”

Firmly, Ginbei declared.

“I’m going to unite with you, man and woman, right here, right now. TPO be damned. I’m absolutely doing this.”

“No, no, no, no!”

All I could do was laugh.

What is this girl saying? I don’t want to think it, but has she lost her mind?

“Uh… just to be sure.”

“What?”

“Are you serious? Not joking? For real?”

“Dead serious. Not a joke. Completely real.”

“Haha, no way, come on. Maybe the president or Akiko would pull something like this, but you, Ginbei, making a move like this? Hmm, maybe it’s a dream? Yeah, a dream ending, right?”

“Then test it. That’s the quickest way.”

“Wait. Quick, sure, but that’s reckless. Okay, other possibilities… Oh, it’s a prank! A nasty prank! Yeah, that’s it—they got me with this just the other day, so I’m not falling for the same trick twice!”

“If you think it’s a prank, go ahead and check. Behind the door, in the cabinets, wherever you want. But only after we’re done.”

“……”

I was running out of escapes.

No, stay calm. Just because I’m cornered doesn’t mean I should give up. This is bad. If things keep going, it’ll really go too far.

“I-I’ll scream!”

“Scream if you want. Resist if you want. But I won’t stop myself.”

“Actually, I didn’t shower today.”

“What a coincidence, neither did I. Too busy and stressed to bother. We’re even.”

“Actually, I’m… uh, impotent.”

“That’s fine. I’m not trying to make kids. That’s not what this is about.”

“Uh, well, uh—”

“Quiet down already.”

Snap.

Her words lashed out like a whip.

“Akito. You’re a terrible guy. You always have been, but today you’re especially awful. Can’t you at least try to understand how I feel doing this?”

“No, I mean, yeah, but… come on?”

“…Fine. Then I’ll resort to my final measure. The most cowardly thing I’ve ever said in my life, right here, right now.”

Glaring down at me with faintly teary eyes.

With poignant emotion, she forced the words out.

“Jūjōji-san was fine, but I’m not?”

….

……….

…………….

I see.

That’s definitely cowardly. I’m cornered now. To hear that from her.

“…Alright. I surrender. I’m done.”

Still pinned down, I raised both hands.

“You’re absolutely right, and I’ve got no rebuttal. Ginbei, you win. I’m out of ways to resist. Do what you want. I’ll accept it.”

“……”

Sniff.

Ginbei wiped her nose.

“I won’t hold a grudge either. And to be clear, my surrender isn’t sarcasm or a roundabout rejection. This is my honest attempt to show sincerity to someone irreplaceable. I hope you take it that way.”

“Uh, yeah. Okay.”

Maybe my earnest response caught her off guard.

Ginbei blinked, looking a bit flustered.

Alright. It’s my job as a guy to take the lead here somehow.

“So, Ginbei. Shall we start?”

“Uh, yeah. Let’s do it. Yeah.”

“Do you, uh, know how? I’m not exactly experienced, and my knowledge is pretty limited, so I can’t really lead well.”

“Tch, that’s—well, it’ll work out. Probably. I’ll just count the ceiling stains, and it’ll be over before I know it.”

“That’s the line of the one being attacked.”

“Mgh, yeah. Mgh.”

“Want to switch positions? I could be on top. Might make things easier.”

“W-Wait, no. If you loomed over me, I’m pretty sure my heart would stop.”

“Hmm. So what do we do?”

This is getting surreal.

I was the one being cornered, but somehow I’ve taken the lead? I meant to escort her, but how did the one on top end up so passive?

Man, this whole man-and-woman thing is tough! When two amateurs try to dive in without prep, you get this awkward back-and-forth? How do people make this romantic?

“I-I have a suggestion.”

Ginbei spoke hesitantly.

“I just realized, in my excitement, I might’ve rashly started a fight I can’t win. Could we, maybe, postpone this for another day…?”

“No, that’s a bit… too late for that, don’t you think?”

“I-Is it? Yeah, no, you’re right. Of course. Sorry, that was a foolish suggestion. Please forget I said it.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Then another suggestion. Not a full postponement, but maybe we could reschedule for sometime today or tomorrow? That way, I could prepare properly and approach it with full readiness—”

“That’s basically just postponing it.”

“Then how about changing venues while staying like this? On second thought, doing it here seems problematic. No one’s likely to come by for a while, but it’s hardly an ideal location. So, you know? It’d be better elsewhere. Yeah, let’s do that.”

“No, that’s pointless. I hate to say it, but that’s like taking one step forward and two steps back.”

“Ughhh!”

Big tears welled up in Ginbei’s eyes.

I feel like I’m bullying the weak here, and it’s uncomfortable.

On the other hand, my feelings are complicated too. Like I’ve said, she’s special to me. If she’s mustered this much courage, I want to meet her halfway. But if she’s coming at me as a woman seeking me as a man, I’m hesitating three, four steps back. Yet when she brings up the Jūjōji-san incident, I’m completely out of moves.

“—Whoa! Perfect timing!”

That’s when it happened.

A carefree voice rang out in our deadlocked situation.

“Oh, shoot. I let my voice slip. Sorry, sorry, my training’s lacking! To barge in and ruin such a juicy moment—man, even if a horse kicked me dead, I couldn’t complain. Really, sorry!”

“…Ugh.”

I couldn’t help but grimace.

That over-the-top Kansai dialect needs no introduction. My number-one nemesis, the self-proclaimed big sister, Takanomiya Miyuki.

“—!? Wha? Ngh!”

But I’m not the one to pity here.

The one left wide-eyed and stunned by the cheerful intruder is, of course, Ginbei.

“Ohh! Ohh, ohh, ohh!”

Miyuki-san barged into the cooking lab without a hint of shame, sauntering over to us in our compromising position.

“I’ve got it! Green eyes, silver hair, and a slightly lonely petite figure! You’re Sawatari Ginbei-chan, right? Man, I’ve heard about you tons, but this is our first meeting! Thanks for always looking out for my little bro! Oh, I’m Akito’s big sis, Takanomiya Miyuki, by the way. And you’re buddies with Arisa too, yeah? I’m her big sister! Really, we’re indebted to you from all directions—truly grateful!”

“Uh, um, well.”

Miyuki-san grabbed Ginbei’s hand, shaking it vigorously.

Ginbei, still straddling me half-undressed, had no choice but to go along. I remained pinned beneath her.

“Gotta say, you’ve got some guts. On the first day of the festival, before noon even, trying to get it on right in the event venue? That’s not something just anyone can pull off. Respect, seriously.”

“N-No, um, that’s not—”

“No need to be shy! You’re pinning down Himenokōji Akito, the guy with a fortress for a guard, the ultimate stick-in-the-mud. Even if I tried, I couldn’t get this far. He’d slip away with every trick in the book… Man, you’re incredible. Amazing.”

“Uh, no, there’s a deep reason for—”

“Oh, my bad! Yapping like this probably kills the mood, huh? Alright, I’ll sit right here and observe! Your technique in winning Akito over—let me take notes!”

“N-No, um.”

“Oh, and from now on, I’m calling you Sensei! Looking forward to learning from you!”

“Stop… calling me Sensei… It’s too humiliating…”

“Go ahead, Sensei! Go for it!”

“…Ughhh!”

That was the limit.

Already on the verge of tears, Ginbei finally snapped, shouting, “Waaah! Akito, you idiot!” like a child before scampering out of the cooking lab like a small animal.

“Aww, cute.”

Watching Ginbei’s retreating figure, Miyuki-san nodded with a warm smile.

“…Miyuki-san.”

“Hm? What’s up, Akito?”

“That was totally on purpose, wasn’t it?”

“Huh? What’re you talking about? I’ve got no clue!”

Miyuki-san pressed a finger to her cheek, winking and sticking out her tongue.

Ugh.

I really want to punch her.

“Fine. You bailed me out, so I’ll let it slide.”

“Cool, cool. No idea what you’re on about, but if you’re grateful, that makes your big sis feel like she scored a win.”

“So, how long were you watching?”

“Hmm? Let’s see… From around when you were talking about the event failing and what to do. When Ginbei-chan got mad and started coming on strong, I was gripping the doorframe, peeking through the crack.”

That early!? I’ve got some blame here too. Even if I was caught up, I should’ve noticed someone lurking like that.

“Well, I am a Takanomiya, after all.”

Miyuki-san perched on a nearby sink, pulled a flask from her pocket, and took a swig. What’s in there? Whiskey? I can smell the alcohol from here.

“Gotta favor my cute Arisa, you know. If possible, I’d love for her to be the one to claim Akito’s virginity—that’s a big sister’s heart.”

“So you sabotaged Ginbei?”

“And it saved your butt, didn’t it?”

Gulp, gulp.

Miyuki-san took another swig.

Man, she drinks a lot. This is a high school, you know.

“As for me, being talked about like some prey to be devoured feels a bit… off. Where’s Arisa, anyway? Weren’t you with her?”

“She’s off playing on her own. Letting a cute kid explore is the basics of education, right?”

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

Phew!

Emptying the flask, she continued.

“Alright, I’m off to wander around some more. Have fun at the festival, and don’t slack off! Catch ya later!”

No time to stop her.

Miyuki-san floated out of the cooking lab with airy steps.

Left behind were me, the thick smell of alcohol, and an event still unprepared—wait, what do I do now? Ginbei’s gone, time’s ticking, and—oh crap! The clock says we’re out of time! Find Ginbei first? No, call for backup? Or announce a delay? Ugh, what do I do…

◆◆◆

—And so, that’s how it went.

You can probably guess the rest.

Somehow, I managed to drag Ginbei back, rallied her despite her shattered mental state, and frantically negotiated with the festival committee and the next group scheduled to use the cooking lab. We delayed the event significantly but managed to present the “cooking and economics” project. The result was, to put it mildly, disastrous, and I’ll leave it at that.