Chapter 1 | July 13^th

 

With July now well past its midpoint, this year’s summer has finally reached its peak.

These days, with the declaration of the end of the rainy season just around the corner, the sky stretches high and clear, the billowing cumulonimbus clouds seem to pierce through to the edge of the stratosphere, and the sun, backed by the southern high-pressure system, scorches everything on the ground relentlessly, as if it has never heard of the word “restraint.”

The cicadas, awakened from years of dormancy, chirp loudly, mirages stretch long across the asphalt, and every time a gentle breeze blows, wind chimes play elegant melodies—

Indeed.

It is summer.

The most dazzling season, when everyone’s hearts leap with excitement, and the flames of life burn high, fierce, and fleeting.

The most flamboyant, open, and hopeful time of the four seasons, brimming with the anticipation that something might happen, overflowing with dreams and beauty at its finest.

“Man, what a great season, huh?”

At the dining hall of the St. Liliana Academy dormitory.

I voiced my heartfelt thoughts while savoring breakfast.

“This season is just, you know, everything feels so intense, right? The sun, the clouds, the sea, the mountains, and above all, people. It’s like, sure, it’s hot and exhausting, but deep down, it’s like, ‘I’m gonna do this!’—that kind of energy just wells up inside you. Don’t you all feel the same way?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, Ginbei, the student council president, and Arisa.

My words were met with five distinct flavors of silence.

It was the morning after the ghost commotion, the day following the incident where Arisa had slipped into my bed, completely naked.

“And the food is so delicious in the summer, isn’t it? Take this okra in dashi, for example—it’s amazing. The dashi is perfect, and it’s nicely chilled. Right, Akiko?”

“…”

I tried directing the conversation her way, but my little sister kept her expression cold and focused solely on eating, showing no sign of responding or even glancing at me.

“Uh, right, right. And not just the okra, but this cucumber pickle, too. I think it’s ridiculously good. The way it’s marinated is just right, and the saltiness is exactly to my taste. Don’t you think so, too, Nasuhara-san?”

“…”

This time, I turned the topic to the student council vice president, but her reaction was much the same as Akiko’s—no, maybe worse. She silently kept eating, acting as if I didn’t even exist, which made her even harder to deal with than Akiko.

“Uh, um, oh, right! Above all, this grilled mackerel today is fantastic, isn’t it? No fishy smell at all, just perfectly fatty, and the flesh melts in your mouth, so sweet. I bet this is mackerel that was caught fresh this morning, right? Probably something Ginbei asked a fishmonger acquaintance to specially set aside for us, I’d wager. What do you say, Ginbei?”

“…”

I tried talking to her without giving up, but my best friend’s reaction was, unsurprisingly, unfavorable. With her appearance, which could almost be mistaken for a cute pet, her silence carried an odd intensity that made me shrink back, or rather, feel a bit intimidated.

“U-Um!”

At that moment, a brave voice tried to break through the heavy atmosphere.

“I’m so sorry! Because of me, things turned out like this—I truly apologize for upsetting everyone, and I’ll apologize as many times as it takes. So please, forgive Onii-sama. After all, this whole thing is entirely my responsibility—”

“Oh, no, Arisa-chan, you’re not at fault at all, you know?”

Interrupting Arisa, Akiko spoke up.

And with a loving expression, completely different from the attitude she’d shown me earlier, she said,

“It’s something everyone experiences—holding onto strange habits from childhood. Some can’t let go of their pacifiers, others can’t stop wetting the bed… and stripping off your clothes while sleeping isn’t unheard of, either. So, Arisa-chan, you’re not bad at all, not one bit.”

“Himenokōji-san is right.”

Then, surprisingly, Nasuhara-san backed Akiko up, adding,

“Arisa-san, you have nothing to worry about. Everyone makes mistakes, and for a young girl like you, it’s even more natural. To nitpick every little thing would be far too lacking in generosity. Besides, if someone had just given us a heads-up about your habits beforehand, we could’ve handled it in any number of ways. Don’t you think so, too, Gin-Gin?”

“Indeed. I completely agree with you.”

Even Ginbei joined in, with a solemn face and voice, saying,

“Arisa-kun is acquitted, free of blame. That ruling was already finalized this morning. So, rest assured and go about your life as usual. Of course, if you insist on continuing to defend Akito, the story might change a little… right?”

“H-Hauu…”

“Just give up, Takanomiya Arisa.”

The student council president, Nikaidō Arashi-san, who had been staying out of it and merely observing, spoke as if to console her, saying,

“Those three are completely sulky, no matter how you look at it. They seem to have accepted that the incident of you slipping into Himenokōji Akito’s bed naked was just because you’re a kid and have a habit of stripping, but even so, their anger hasn’t subsided. Even though the misunderstanding that Himenokōji Akito is a lolicon and was secretly doing naughty things behind our backs has been cleared up, it’s not something they can easily let slide, I guess.”

Right.

And so, right now, I’m taking the full brunt of their ire.

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei, all in spectacularly bad moods, are treating me as coldly as if I were Judas betraying Christ, refusing to listen to anything I say or any attempt at smoothing things over.

“Auu… because of me… I’m so sorry, Akito Onii-sama.”

“Haha… no, it’s okay. You don’t have to worry about it, Arisa. Everyone’s saying the same thing, after all.”

“Um, President Nee-sama.”

Arisa looked at the president with pleading eyes, saying,

“Please, I beg you. Can’t you use your authority to convince everyone somehow? At this rate, Onii-sama will be too pitiful.”

“Well, I’d love to help if I could, you know?”

Scratching her head, she said,

“But if I stick my nose in here, it’ll probably just backfire. The best course of action is to sit back and wait for things to cool down, I reckon.”

“Uu, no way…”

“Hey, it can’t be helped. Those three aren’t as magnanimous as I am, you see. If anything, I’d be the opposite—if you’d managed to outmaneuver me and do naughty things with Himenokōji Akito, my opinion of you would’ve skyrocketed. I’d be like, ‘Not bad for a kid!’ or something.”

“Uuu… sniff…”

“…Well, I guess I’ll say something, at least.”

Perhaps moved by Arisa’s tears, the president surveyed the three angry girls and said,

“Hey, you lot. I get it—you misunderstood that Himenokōji Akito and Takanomiya Arisa were an item, got all riled up, then found out it was just a misunderstanding, and now you’re left with nowhere to direct your raised fists, feeling frustrated and all. But honestly, isn’t this just you taking it out on him? Forgetting about her stripping habit isn’t even that big of a deal, so how about you cut him some slack already, huh?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

Akiko, perhaps stress-eating, refilled her fourth bowl of rice while saying,

“Cut him some slack? I’m not even angry to begin with. It’s just that, unfortunately, my chronic headaches are acting up, so I end up looking sulky and staying quiet, that’s all. Right, Nasuhara-san?”

“Yes, exactly. I’m merely dealing with my chronic migraines, which happen to make it seem like I’m ignoring Akki’s comments, but there’s no deeper meaning to it. Truly, none at all.”

“I’m in the same boat. Today, purely by coincidence, my chronic toothache is acting up, so my words might come off a bit sharp, but that’s purely an act of God, as they say. It’s quite unfortunate for me to be misunderstood in such a strange way.”

“More importantly, everyone!”

Akiko clapped her hands, her expression brightening, and said,

“I’ve come up with a great idea. Since it’s a day off and the weather is nice, how about we go out somewhere? Let’s do something really fun!”

“That’s a good idea. We could go to an amusement park, a movie theater, or even enjoy some shopping—any of those would work, wouldn’t they?”

“A picnic wouldn’t be bad, either. In that case, I could put my skills to use and make us a special lunch.”

“It’s settled, then! Let’s get ready right away so we can head out by noon. Arisa-chan and President-san, you’ll join us, right?”

“Oh, yes. If that’s the case, I’d love to join as well.”

“Sure thing. A little outing might be just what we need to change the mood.”

“Oh, of course, Akito Onii-sama will come along as well—”

“Arisa-chan.”

Akiko sharply cut off Arisa, who had tried to include me, saying,

“You mustn’t misunderstand. This is what’s known as a ‘girls’ day out,’ so only girls are allowed to participate in today’s fun, fun event.”

“Exactly.”

Nasuhara-san added,

“This event is exclusively for pure maidens. A place where we can giggle and have fun isn’t somewhere a smelly man is welcome.”

“Now that I think about it, we haven’t really had the chance to organize something like this.”

And Ginbei followed up, saying,

“It’s been a few months since we started living in this dorm, and during that time, we’ve been so busy that we haven’t had the chance to go out or take the time to bond properly. Let’s use this as an opportunity to truly deepen our friendship. Of course, someone will need to stay behind to watch the dorm, right? After all, there have been some unsettling incidents in the neighborhood lately, and with the lax security of this building, you never know when some unsavory character might sneak in. Ideally, we’d want a dependable man, not a woman, to take on that role… What do you all think?”

—And so, I humbly ended up taking on the role of house-sitter.

Not only that, but I was also tasked with cleaning up the kitchen after making a ton of picnic lunches, tidying up the unused rooms in the dorm, and even preparing dinner before everyone got back.

If I’d just been house-sitting, I could’ve used the time to work on the novel manuscript that’s nearing its deadline… but with all this, I’m basically slaving away like a workhorse, and I can’t help but let out a dozen sighs all at once.

President-san muttered something like, “Those guys, for all their brains, are such kids inside,” and I completely agree. For people reputed to be so capable and part of the student council, I can’t help but think Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei are sorely lacking in magnanimity, you know?

Well, whatever.

It looks like the three of them will stay in a bad mood for quite a while, but I’m partly to blame here, too. I guess I’ll just have to grit my teeth and endure, waiting for the thaw to come, resigned to my fate.

 

◆◆◆

 

…Or so I thought, until that very night.

After returning from the picnic, the three of them continued to needle me relentlessly, and just as I lay down in bed, exhausted both mentally and physically, turned off the lights, and started to doze off—

I heard a faint knock at my door.

“…Mmm? Who is it?”

“Onii-chan, it’s me. Akiko.”

“Mmm?”

Rubbing sleepy eyes, I couldn’t believe my ears.

What could my little sister, who had treated me so coldly all day, possibly want? Was she still not done complaining and had come all the way to my room to continue?

Feeling a bit nervous, I opened the door, and Akiko, looking apologetic, said,

“Sorry to bother you while you’re resting. Can we talk for a bit?”

“Oh, uh, sure. Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Thank you.”

She said, glancing around the hallway cautiously as if on guard, before slipping into my room.

“Phew. Looks like no one spotted me.”

“Uh, okay. So, what’s up, coming here this late?”

“Of course, I’d love to say I came to sneak into your bed—but not today. I realized there are some things I really need to say face-to-face.”

“…I don’t quite follow, but standing around feels awkward, so want to sit? I can at least make some tea.”

“No, that’s fine. I’ll leave as soon as we’re done talking. Oh, and no need to turn on the lights, either. It’d be a hassle if someone noticed.”

“Uh, I still don’t really get what’s going on here.”

“Onii-chan, I’m sorry.”

Peko.

Akiko bowed deeply, politely.

“Even if it was for a reason, I ended up treating you harshly. I apologize sincerely, like this.”

“…Uh… I’m even more lost now…”

“Actually, I’m not angry anymore at all.”

My little sister said something unexpected.

“Huh? Not angry? You mean about the whole thing with Arisa, right?”

“Yes. I was definitely shocked by the situation, and it was absolutely unacceptable, but the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up. So, there’s really no reason for me to be angry with you, Onii-chan.”

“Then why did you go out of your way to treat me so coldly?”

“Well, um, that’s because… For one thing, it’s like President-san said. I got so incredibly angry before I understood the reason that I felt like I had to at least keep up appearances, or I’d lose face, you know?”

“…So, what you’re saying is, you pretended to be angry just to save face? But, uh, it felt like you were being pretty harsh to me for just that…”

“I’m really, really, really sorry about that!”

Akiko bowed again, almost as if she were about to prostrate herself.

“Because of my weakness, I made you feel uncomfortable, Onii-chan. I’ve failed as a sister who loves you. Please let me apologize from the bottom of my heart.”

“I see… Well, I’m relieved, honestly. I’d never experienced you treating me like that before, so it really shook me up, like my blood ran cold. But I’m glad. Really glad you weren’t seriously angry.”

“Mmm, you really do look relieved, Onii-chan. It’s a new expression I’ve never seen before. This kind of expression might actually be quite enticing… Maybe every now and then, I should pretend to be seriously angry to uncover more of your hidden expressions. It could be fun.”

“Hey, don’t get carried away already.”

“Ehe, sorry.”

Akiko stuck out her tongue and laughed, but her expression quickly turned bitter as she said,

“But, Onii-chan, regarding this incident, it’s not just my fault.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, to tell you the truth, Nasuhara-san and Ginbei-san are also responsible.”

“…I’m starting to lose the thread of this conversation again.”

“Here’s the thing—right after we found out why naked Arisa-chan was in your bed…”

According to Akiko, at that moment, she’d received eye contact from Nasuhara-san and Ginbei-san.

It was something along the lines of, “If we just let this end as ‘Oh, it was all a misunderstanding,’ it’ll hurt our pride, so let’s keep up the act of being angry for a while,” or so she was supposedly signaled—or not.

“Looking back, I deeply regret it, but I gave in to temptation and went along with it. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have strayed from my true path as a sister… Ugh, this is truly a painful mistake!”

“I see.”

“So, that’s why I think those two bear some responsibility as well. I’m not trying to blame everything on others, but I hope you’ll take that into consideration and reconcile with me, Akiko.”

“Got it. I understand the situation, and I’m all for making up, so how about we say we’ve reconciled as of this moment?”

“Yes, of course! —Or I’d love to say that, but I’m sorry, it’s not that simple.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Because I have my own position to consider, you know.”

Akiko crossed her arms, looking troubled.

“In my heart, I absolutely want to reconcile right now, but with Nasuhara-san and Ginbei-san in the picture, it’s not so straightforward…”

“Uh, I don’t really get it, but is that how it works?”

“That’s how it works. Even this conversation we’re having is, in political terms, an ‘unofficial meeting.’ Even if we reach an agreement, it’s not something I can easily make public.”

“…I see. I’m not entirely convinced, but I guess it’s a delicate issue for you, Akiko, probably.”

“I’m glad you understand. What we discussed here tonight won’t be recorded, but I’ve properly conveyed my intentions to you, Onii-chan, and secured your agreement. In the future, I’d like to formally announce our reconciliation to everyone in the dorm, so I’d appreciate your cooperation when the time comes. …Well, that’s all for tonight.”

Wrapping up the secret meeting, Akiko left my room, cautiously checking her surroundings.

Hmm.

I don’t entirely get it, but I guess there’s a lot going on, huh?

Well, sure, I suppose.

If it were just me and my little sister, things would be simple, but with so many people in the dorm involved, even something like making up requires all sorts of considerations, I guess. If I were in her shoes, I might also be running around trying to resolve things as smoothly and cleanly as possible. Maybe the right way to interpret Akiko’s actions is as a thoughtful effort to make dorm life run more smoothly.

Reaching a mostly satisfactory conclusion, I slipped back into bed.

At the very least, this has set the stage for reconciling with Akiko, so I should be able to sleep peacefully tonight. While the issue isn’t fully resolved yet, making progress in negotiations with my biggest concern—my sister—is a major win. —Or so I thought as I started to doze off, but—

Knock, knock.

I was jolted awake by the sound of knocking on my door.

Just like with Akiko earlier, it was a very faint, polite knock, so quiet that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I’d already fallen asleep.

“…Akiko?”

Thinking she might have forgotten to mention something, I opened the door, only to find—

“Good evening. May I have a moment?”

“Nasuhara-san? What brings you here so late? This is unusual.”

“I have something important to discuss, so I steeled myself to come here. More importantly, let me in quickly. It’d be troublesome if someone saw me.”

“Uh, okay.”

I nodded, and Nasuhara-san slipped into my room with the deft movements of a cunning cat.

“Phew. No one saw me, right?”

“I think so. Probably.”

“Good. Then let’s begin our top-secret meeting.”

“…Top-secret meeting?”

“I can’t stay long with others around, so I’ll be brief and to the point—I’ve decided I’m willing to forgive you.”

“…Meaning, about the thing with Arisa?”

“Precisely.”

Crossing her arms and nodding grandly, she said,

“Sleeping naked with my angel, Arisa-chan, and getting ahead of me, no less—it’s an act that could be called godless, but given the various circumstances, it’s clear it was an unfortunate accident with no ill intent. Therefore, logically speaking, it wouldn’t be right to continue treating you coldly, Akki.”

“…So, you’re saying you’re not angry about it anymore, Nasuhara-san?”

“Rather, I was never angry to begin with. It’s true that seeing you and Arisa-chan sleeping together like that in that moment made me snap, but the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up, and it’s insulting to think I’d still be angry.”

“But, uh, if that’s the case, couldn’t you have said so earlier? I was pretty stressed out, feeling like everyone was giving me the cold shoulder, and it honestly felt like I was barely hanging on…”

“That responsibility lies mainly with your sister and Gin-Gin. They were sending me constant eye signals, practically saying, ‘We absolutely can’t forgive Akki, let’s team up and punish him.’ Even someone like me, under that kind of pressure, can’t exactly force my own stance through.”

“…That part, I don’t really understand. From an outsider’s perspective, it didn’t look like you were all holding each other in check like that.”

“It might be something a guy like you, Akki, can’t comprehend. But it was undoubtedly, unmistakably real. Your inability to grasp the subtleties of such delicate dynamics just shows how inexperienced you still are, Akki.”

“I see.”

“By the way, while I’m prepared to forgive you, that doesn’t mean I’m ready to reconcile with you immediately.”

“Huh? Again with that?”

“Again?”

“Oh, no, never mind. Go on.”

“In short, the ‘fact’ of reconciling with you must be carefully timed and revealed in the most optimal way possible.”

“…I don’t really see the need to stage it so deliberately, though.”

“You don’t understand. While it’s fine for me, things won’t go so smoothly with your sister and Gin-Gin. Those two harbored feelings close to murderous intent toward you, so they might hold a grudge over this for months, or in the worst case, years, nagging you endlessly.”

“No way… I don’t think it’ll go that far. I’m pretty confident it won’t.”

“Do you have any basis for that?”

“No. None whatsoever. Nope.”

“In any case, that’s how it is.”

Nasuhara-san put her hand on the door and said,

“I won’t stay long, so I’ll be going. I’ve conveyed my intentions, and I’ll handle the rest, so don’t worry. Oh, and under no circumstances should you tell anyone that I visited you tonight. Understood?”

With that, she hurriedly disappeared down the hallway, as if avoiding being seen.

…Ugh.

I’m left with this weird, squirmy feeling.

Honestly, my most straightforward thought is, Couldn’t they just hurry up and make up with me already? But since both Akiko and Nasuhara-san have sworn me to secrecy, I can’t exactly play mediator, either.

I mean, both Akiko and Nasuhara-san are doing this, but it feels like they’re fighting some invisible enemy or something. They’re overanalyzing each other’s reactions, being overly considerate, and as a result, making things even more awkward.

Still, knowing that neither of them is as upset as they appear on the surface is a relief, at least in that regard. But seriously, isn’t there a better way to handle this? I mean, really, sincerely.

Thinking such thoughts, I slipped back into bed.

In any case, the information Nasuhara-san brought me is very much appreciated. While I still feel a bit squirmy, confirming that the situation isn’t as serious as I thought is a good outcome. With this, I should be able to sleep soundly tonight. I’ll leave the full resolution of the issue for later and just focus on resting my mind and body tonight—

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Akito, are you awake? It’s me.”

“Yeah… Oh, right. Ginbei, huh.”

Rubbing sleepy eyes, I opened the door, and my best friend, looking extremely apologetic, said,

“Sorry to bother you so late. There’s something I really need to talk to you about—”

“Let me guess, it’s about how you’re actually not angry at all about the thing with Arisa, right?”

“Huh? How did you know? I mean, did you already figure it out?”

“Well, something like that.”

“As expected of Akito. I thought I was doing a pretty convincing job of acting upset, and I was sure you’d been completely fooled… but it turns out that was just your feint, huh? You got me good.”

“Uh, yeah. Sure.”

“Well, if that’s the case, this’ll be quick. The reason I came here tonight is none other than—”

“Of course, I’m all for making up. If possible, I’d love to reconcile right now. But with Akiko and Nasuhara-san in the mix, it’s not that simple, right? So, I’m thinking I’ll leave the timing of all that up to you, Ginbei. How does that sound?”

“Uh, um. That’s exactly what I was going to say. As expected of Akito, you anticipate my thoughts perfectly, like a well-timed echo. My opinion of you was already high, but it seems I need to revise it upward even further.”

“Nah, I don’t think it’s that big a deal, though?”

“In any case, I’ve accomplished my goal here. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see this meeting, so I’ll take my leave. Good night, Akito.”

With that, Ginbei returned to her room, looking satisfied.

…Well, well.

I never imagined things would unfold like this. It feels like something that should’ve been simple got weirdly complicated because everyone was trying so hard to be considerate of each other.

That said, what should I do…? I’d love to resolve this quickly, but girls’ issues are the kind of thing where a guy sticking his nose in might just make things worse. Especially with those three, I have this gut feeling that my mediation would be the most counterproductive thing, somehow.

Alright, I’ve decided.

I’ll just sit back and observe.

It’s a hassle, but meddling in a problem that time will likely solve on its own feels like it could bring bad luck.

I’ll stick to watching how things play out—that’s the only move here. With that resolve in mind, I finally managed to fall asleep that night, but—

 

◆◆◆

 

The next morning.

The breakfast table was, as expected, filled with an uncomfortable atmosphere.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, Ginbei, President-san, Arisa, and me.

The dining hall was filled with six distinct kinds of silence, creating an indescribably heavy mood—or at least, that’s what I would’ve thought until yesterday. But now, I know this silence is entirely deliberate.

Akiko is moving her chopsticks silently with a haughty expression, Nasuhara-san exudes a tense vibe despite her usual blank face, and Ginbei is cloaked in an aura colder than mere coolness. But I understand that all three of them are putting on this act for their own reasons (which I don’t quite get, to be honest).

Man, they’re all really good at acting, huh?

Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t have seen through it at all. I can believe it of Nasuhara-san and Ginbei, but even Akiko pulling off this kind of subtle performance… It makes me realize she’s actually pretty put-together when she’s not being all lovey-dovey with me. I’m both impressed and exasperated.

By the way, in this situation, President-san is maintaining a calm and unshaken silence, a stance she hasn’t wavered from since the beginning. I thought she was just sitting back because she knew this was a problem only time could solve—but now I’m wondering if I misjudged her. Knowing her, it’s entirely possible she’s accurately read everyone’s mental states and is deliberately pretending not to know anything. Yeah, that’s probably it. When it comes to understanding the nuances of girl dynamics, she’s definitely leagues ahead of me. She’s as shrewd as ever, really.

So, anyway.

Compared to yesterday, I’m able to sit in this atmosphere with a much calmer state of mind.

But there’s one exception among us.

“…Hauu~”

That would be Arisa.

In this deliberately heavy atmosphere, she’s not eating at all, glancing left and right, trying to gauge the other dorm residents’ moods.

As for Arisa’s own expression, she looks extremely anxious, with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, on the verge of spilling over, clearly at the height of panic.

Hmm…

She’s probably taking all the responsibility for how things have turned out on herself. She’s a kid with a strong sense of duty, incredibly earnest, and unlike President-san, not the type to scheme cleverly. Plus, it’s true that she was the trigger for this whole mess. It’s not surprising she’d end up with such a tragic expression.

If I could just tell her, ‘Actually, this is all a farce,’ it’d probably ease her mind a lot. But since I was just sworn to secrecy last night, I feel hesitant to spill the beans so soon, and I ended up coming to breakfast without taking any action. I might’ve messed up here. It’s like something out of a manga—her eyes are swirling spirals, steam practically shooting out of the top of her head. While that version of Arisa is cute in its own way, I can’t help but feel sorry for her. If I’d known it’d come to this, maybe I should’ve broken the agreement and leaked the info to her—

“U-U-U-Um, everyone!”

Just as I was thinking that,

Arisa broke the silence, her voice trembling with nervousness.

“T-This whole incident is entirely my fault. I knew it was a bad habit, but I couldn’t fix it until now, and because of that, I did something shameless like yesterday, making everyone angry. I’m really, truly sorry!”

“No, no, Arisa-chan, you’re not to blame at all—”

“No, it’s my fault!”

Cutting off Akiko, who tried to reassure her with a smile, Arisa insisted, still in a panic,

“This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me! So, I believe all the responsibility lies with me! And on top of that, I’ve been entrusted with the role of dorm manager! Even though I’m still a kid, I’m supposed to be a role model for everyone!”

“Well, that may be true, but—”

“So, I want to take responsibility honorably!”

With a determined look, gazing around at everyone, her voice resolute,

“As of today, I will step down as dorm manager!”

She declared.

 

“…Whaaaat!?”

“—!?”

“Wait, wait, Arisa-kun!?”

Akiko, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei each reacted in their own way.

“What are you saying, Arisa-san!? Stepping down as dorm manager—that’s ridiculous! You didn’t do anything wrong!”

“For once, I completely agree with Himenokōji-san. No one doubts your abilities as dorm manager, so why would you say you’re quitting? I absolutely cannot accept that.”

“Exactly, calm down, Arisa-kun. You have no reason to feel responsible. Even though you were the trigger, this is fundamentally a problem that has nothing to do with you.”

“That’s not true!”

Arisa stubbornly insisted,

“Even if I’m inexperienced, I’m the dorm manager. If there’s a problem among the residents and I can’t find a way to resolve it, that’s clearly a failure on my part as manager. So, I believe I need to take responsibility by stepping down!”

Well, sure, that’s a bit extreme, but it’s not an illogical argument. For someone as responsible as twelve-year-old Arisa, this might actually be the most proper way to settle things, in her mind.

“So, please, everyone! Since I, the root of all this trouble, will be gone, in exchange, please forgive Akito Onii-sama!”

“…Uh, um…”

Akiko, looking completely at a loss, glanced at me, Nasuhara-san, and Ginbei with pleading eyes, but both Nasuhara-san and Ginbei were equally stumped.

Of course, I’m in the same boat. Even though it wasn’t intentional, it feels like we’ve troubled an innocent kid with our silly adult logic… Ugh, this is the worst. I want to crawl into a hole. Arisa’s pure and guileless nature just makes the backlash hit even harder.

At this point, we can’t keep fussing over political maneuvers or the delicate psychology of girl dynamics. Isn’t there some good solution—

“I’ve got a great idea.”

And then,

President-san spoke up.

Unlike the rest of us, who were panicking or at a loss, she alone remained calm—nay, her eyes gleamed like a cat that had found an amusing toy, as she said,

“A wonderful way for everything to work out without Takanomiya Arisa having to take responsibility. Want to hear it?”

“…Is there really such a method?”

That was me.

“Of course I want to hear it, if it’s a way for everyone to make up, right?”

“Oh, yeah. I think this is probably the cleanest way to resolve things. A cool, perfect idea where everyone’s satisfied, no one loses, and it can be done right now if you’re up for it.”

“Is there really such an idea…?”

“It’s simple, really.”

With the face of a kid who’s just come up with the best prank ever,

President-san raised her index finger and laid out her plan.

“If everyone here just puts themselves in the same position as Takanomiya Arisa, that’s that. That way, everyone’s equal, and no one can complain, right?”

“Uh, and how exactly do we do that?”

“Everyone just needs to sleep naked with Himenokōji Akito.”

“…Huh?”

“The problem is that only Takanomiya Arisa slept naked with you, right? So, if everyone does the same thing, there’s no room for complaints, and no one can make any, either, yeah?”

“Wait, wait, wait!?”

Akiko hurriedly interjected,

“What kind of ridiculous nonsense are you spouting, Student Council President!? There’s no way we could accept such an outrageous idea!”

“Why not? You’re always saying you want to sneak into your brother’s bed, aren’t you? Sleeping naked with him shouldn’t be a big deal, then, right?”

“Well, that’s, um, maybe not a problem for me personally! But for other people to sleep naked with Onii-chan, that’s just—”

“Takanomiya Arisa has already done it as a done deal, hasn’t she? I’m saying we level the playing field, make everyone equal, and use that to make peace. Naturally, everyone besides you gets the same deal. If it were just you who got to sleep naked with your brother, wouldn’t that cause more problems?”

“T-That might be true, but even if I’m okay with it, to drag Nasuhara-san and Ginbei-san into—”

Ah!? Wait a minute, ‘everyone’ includes you, too, doesn’t it, President!? That’s unacceptable! I could maybe concede to others, but giving you that right would be—”

“Nah, I’m fine sitting this one out.”

President-san said nonchalantly,

“I don’t need some granted right to sleep naked with Himenokōji Akito—I can make that happen anytime I want on my own. If anything, seducing a man with my own skills is a woman’s pride. I’d rather not have some right handed to me on a platter.”

“Tch—Well, if you’re fine with that, President, then—”

“Takanomiya Arisa, what about you?”

President-san directed the question to Arisa, saying,

“What do you think of my proposed idea? I think it’s pretty good, myself.”

“It’s a wonderful idea!”

Arisa, breathing heavily through her nose, said,

“If everyone’s equal, everyone can be happy. Of course, I consider myself Onii-sama’s fiancée, so it’s a little disappointing that Onii-sama would sleep naked with others, but still, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. As expected of President Nee-sama!”

“…There you have it, Himenokōji Akiko.”

“Ugh! B-But, there’s no way such a ridiculous plan could possibly—”

“I’m in favor.”

“Wha!? Even you, Nasuhara-san!?”

“It’s not a bad idea, for the president.”

With her usual poker face, Nasuhara-san nodded grandly, saying,

“But I’d like to add some conditions. One, there’s no obligation to exercise this right. Two, the right doesn’t have to be exercised immediately. Three, no complaints against anyone who does exercise the right. Four, the right can only be exercised once. …How’s that, President?”

“Oh, yeah, sounds good to me. I’ve got no issues.”

“And you’re really, truly giving up your right in this, President?”

“Yeah, I don’t need it.”

“Very well. Then I’ll vote in favor. —What about you, Gin-Gin?”

“M-Me!?”

Ginbei’s voice cracked as she said,

“There’s no need to even ask—there’s no way such a thing could be acceptable! I mean, think about it with common sense, please, common sense! Wasn’t the original issue about how to repair our slightly strained relationships? Arisa-kun sleeping naked with Akito was just the trigger, but the real problem lies elsewhere, doesn’t it? This is an egregious logical fallacy—”

“It’s no longer about that, Gin-Gin.”

Nasuhara-san, ever calm, said,

“But, well, it doesn’t matter. If you really don’t want to, you can just abstain, like the president. Whether you oppose it or not, things will proceed smoothly regardless.”

“Kuh—How did it come to this—”

“So, what’ll it be, Gin-Gin? Personally, I could eat three more bowls of rice just imagining you struggling to sleep naked with Akki, so I’ve already gotten my money’s worth. And even if you do oppose it, I’ll push to implement the president’s idea. You can boycott it alone and stay on the sidelines if you want. I did just add the condition that ‘there’s no obligation to exercise the right,’ after all.”

“Guh… Nn…”

“Come on, let’s hear your answer. Though, to be honest, in this situation, there’s really only one answer you can give, isn’t there? To borrow Arisa-san’s words, the advantages should far outweigh the disadvantages.”

“…!”

Provoked by Nasuhara-san, Ginbei ground her teeth with a fierce expression,

But eventually, she sighed, ruffled her hair, and said,

“…Fine. I’ll accept those conditions.”

“Whaaaat!? Even you, Ginbei-san!?”

“Alright, it’s settled.”

Cutting off Akiko’s scream, President-san declared,

“With that, four people—a majority—have voted in favor. This issue would just drag on and get messy if we postponed the decision, so I’m adopting my proposal. As the student council president of St. Liliana Academy, this is my ruling. If anyone wants to object, you’d better be prepared for the consequences.”

“That’s awful! It’s tyranny!”

“It’s not exactly a bad deal for you, is it, Himenokōji Akiko?”

President-san shrugged, looking puzzled as to why she was so opposed, and said,

“You get to do it legally, don’t you? The right to do naughty things with your brother. You and Himenokōji Akito are actual siblings, so normally, everyone would stop you at full force, right? But this is a one-time chance to spend sweet time with your brother without anyone interfering—maybe. If you miss this opportunity, it’ll never come again.”

“Mmm… Guh…”

“And with that, it’s decided, but…”

President-san now turned to me and said,

“If you have any opinions, I’ll hear them out, Himenokōji Akito. Even though it’s settled, this plan wouldn’t work without you, after all. I’ll respect your wishes.”

“…Is running away with my tail between my legs an option?”

“It is. But I’d rather not go down that route, if possible. I don’t want to see you being a coward, and besides, it wouldn’t solve the problem. For Takanomiya Arisa’s sake, too, how about you agree to this?”

“…”

Scratching my head, I let out a sigh.

“…Can I add one condition?”

“Oh, yeah. Go ahead.”

“Can we set a deadline? How about making the right valid only during the upcoming summer break?”

“I see. Sure, I’m fine with that. A time limit adds some excitement, and it’s probably the limit of the burden we can put on you, Himenokōji Akito. No objections, right?”

 

◆◆◆

 

…And so,

Somehow, the situation reached a bizarre conclusion.

Man, I ended up agreeing to it because of the atmosphere, but this is a pretty ridiculous turn of events, isn’t it…? Well, the right is just about ‘sleeping naked together,’ and nothing beyond that is specified, so maybe it’s not that big a deal… I try to convince myself, but it feels like a stretch. It might be fine if it were just a kid like Arisa, but this time, well, you know?

Oh, well.

It’s not like the right will necessarily be exercised, so for now, I guess I’ll just sit back and watch how things unfold, right?

Besides, even though it was a forceful approach and kind of like kicking the can down the road, peace has returned to our dorm, at least for now. I guess I’ll just have to be satisfied with that for the time being, yeah.