Chapter 5: The Decisive Battle

Our class, 1-A of Tenjouin Academy, which won both the boys’ and girls’ tournaments at the recent ball game competition, received tickets to one of Japan’s leading theme parks, “Wonder Festival Land,” as a prize.

It was decided that Eito, myself, and the thieving cat, Habataki Otoha, would go together using those tickets.

…To be honest, I’d prefer it to be just Eito and me. There’s no doubt that would be the best.

As a countermeasure because I’d read Otoha’s moves in advance, it ended up being an outing for the three of us, but… this time, it’s what you’d call a theme park date.

I can compromise on other things. But when a theme park date is on the line, I refuse to compromise. I want to come out on top.

“And besides, I already lost to Eito the other day…”

I’d steeled myself to ask for a reward, but in the end, I was the one who was soundly defeated by Eito. Considering more thieving cats will keep appearing from now on, I really want to go on the offensive here.

“…”

The moment I gathered my thoughts, steeled my resolve, and picked up my phone—an incoming call. The name was “Habataki Otoha.” I was just about to call her, but to think she’d call me first.

“What is it? Shouldn’t you get to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow?”

“A discussion. I figured you were thinking the same thing.”

“…You’re right. I was just about to contact you myself.”

It seems she had no intention of quietly following my suggestion either.

“About tomorrow’s date. Let’s make sure we both get some time alone with Eito.”

“…Very well. I, however, will be the one to set the rules.”

“That’s my line. First of all—”

After that, we exchanged opinions and established the rules.

I, of course, had my ideas, but Otoha must have also put together her own cunning thoughts beforehand. The rules were settled in less than five minutes.

“…I’ve sent you the rules. Confirm them.”

“….Confirmed. No issues.”

“All that’s left is to decide who goes first.”

““…”“

A moment of silence. In my mind, I pictured two samurai, swords drawn, each trying to read the other’s next move.

“…Let’s say it on ‘go’.”

“Understood.”

““Ready, set… go!”“

“Going first.” “Going second.”

Another moment of silence. But this wasn’t like before, where we were sizing each other up. It’s more likely she was having trouble figuring out the intent behind my move.

“Oh, my. Is it so surprising that I’d choose to go second?”

“Not really. Hoshine, you always seem to be on the offensive, but you often end up going second as a result.”

“…………….”

Just the other day, I thought I was on the attack, only to be forced into a disadvantage by Eito’s “teasing.”

“…Well. True, I suppose? It’s possible I’ve been spinning my wheels a little… until now.”

“A little…?”

“Hey, now. Don’t add a question mark.”

I bet she’s tilting that pretty head of hers charmingly.

It was easy to imagine just how beautiful and cute her expression must be.

“Unfortunately for you, I’m always one step ahead. I’m always at the cutting edge.”

“I’ll let you believe that.”

It’s partly bravado, but it’s not just bravado.

In reality, I’ve approached Eito in various ways so far. But all of them failed… no. I was soundly defeated each time. That’s why I’m changing my approach. Changing my methods.

If I’ve failed by going first, then I’ll dare to go second.

I’ll simply seize the initiative after she makes her move.

“This is a challenge. A fair and square one.”

“I accept.”

☆

“Eh? I’m going alone…?”

“That’s right.”

On the day of our trip to Wonder Festival Land with Ojou and Otoha-san.

The words suddenly delivered by Ojou at the breakfast table made my eyes widen in surprise.

“Weren’t you looking forward to today’s outing too, Ojou?”

“Don’t misunderstand. I’ll be joining you in the afternoon… I’m going second, after all.”

“? I don’t quite understand, but if it’s from the afternoon, I should contact Otoha-san and…”

“It’s fine. I’ve already gotten Otoha’s consent.”

“When did you do that?”

“Last night, for a little while.”

That was a real “when did you do that?” moment for me.

“…What is it? You look pleased.”

“Not at all. I was just thinking it’s wonderful that you and Otoha-san seem to be getting along so well.”

“…………….”

She made the most indescribably conflicted face.

“Anyway, you go on ahead to the meeting spot. I’ll join you in the afternoon.”

—And so, with that.

I left the mansion first and headed for the station front, our meeting place.

Being a holiday, there were a lot of people at the station front. This place is usually full of students in uniform, but today, the vast majority of people are in casual clothes.

“…Eito.”

A voice like the clear chime of a bell made me turn around involuntarily.

“Otoha-san. Good morning.”

“Good morning. …And, sorry for the wait.”

“Not at all. I just got here myself.”

“…There’s still an hour until our meeting time, though. Why are you here so early, Eito?”

“Ahaha. I was so excited about today that I guess I got a little ahead of myself.”

“…You were… looking forward to it.”

“Of course. I get to spend the holiday with someone like you, Otoha-san. I think anyone would be looking forward to it.”

I mean, Ojou must have been looking forward to it, too.

“…Yeah. I was looking forward to going out with you, too, Eito.”

“I’m happy to hear you say that.”

Today, Otoha-san was wearing a hat, her hair was tied up, and she even had on a pair of non-prescription glasses. Although she’s on hiatus, she’s still a celebrity. This is probably for a disguise.

“I haven’t seen you in casual clothes since the last holiday, Otoha-san, but your outfit today is lovely as well. I’m sure it’s part of your disguise, but I think it’s amazing how you’ve managed to properly wear something that makes use of your cool charm, Otoha-san.”

“…Thanks. I’m happy.”

Otoha-san let out a soft smile, looking genuinely happy.

She must have been really looking forward to today. That’s why it’s such a shame that something urgent came up for Ojou. Even when I asked what the urgent matter was, I didn’t get a clear answer. If I could’ve taken care of it for her, I would have.

“I apologize. I’m sure you’ve already been informed, but something urgent has come up for Ojou today…”

“…It’s fine. I’m going first, after all.”

“? Huh…”

Going first, going second… I feel like Ojou and Otoha-san are on the same wavelength somehow today. Though I have no idea what their words mean.

“Ah, that’s right. Otoha-san, would you mind waiting here for a moment?”

“What’s wrong?”

“I have a quick errand to run. I’ll be right back.”

“…Okay.”

Alright, then. First, I should probably contact my colleagues who serve the Tendou family… Ojou will be joining us partway through today, so let’s get this over with quickly.

☆

Today was his lucky day, the man smirked from the shadows.

He just happened to be passing by when he spotted a girl who looked like the diva on hiatus, “Habataki Otoha.” No, not “looked like.” His journalist’s intuition was telling him. That girl was, without a doubt, Habataki Otoha.

When she first went on hiatus, the world was in an uproar. And the news that she had transferred to a certain academy spread in the blink of an eye. For a short while, the media swarmed the school, but around the same time, a certain politician’s corruption was exposed, and public interest shifted there.

The world wasn’t one to maintain interest in a diva on hiatus for long anyway.

However, there was a rumor that the exposure of the politician’s corruption was brought about by the Tendou Group to protect Habataki Otoha. It’s not certain if this is true, but it’s a fact that the Tendou family has enough influence to make the entire industry tremble.

At the same time, there’s Tenjouin Academy, which she attends. Various rumors have been flying around about that place for a while now.

They say that among the students are those with special powers.

They say it possesses immense power, enough to influence the political world.

In fact, his own colleagues had warned him, “Don’t get carelessly involved with anything around there.” Even the mass media that had swarmed the academy for interviews were said by some to be the reckless actions of the ignorant.

How ridiculous.

He spat the words out in his mind.

What a truly ridiculous story. Just one company, one academy. How much power could something like that possibly have?

The man had crushed many companies and celebrities with his articles before.

There was no reason. He just liked watching people fall. He just wanted to see those with status, wealth, and power, those overflowing with talent, grovel on the ground.

He never cared about the means to that end. Fabricating articles was a given.

“Habataki Otoha’s hiatus… the reason being she got a man, perhaps?”

In his line of sight were the disguised Habataki Otoha and a boy with handsome features.

His posture and demeanor were flawless. From the man’s perspective, he was the type of person he hated most.

“No. That alone is too weak. …Perhaps Diva-sama fell for some guy and is showering him with gifts… no. As long as I have the pictures (the material), the rest can be whatever I want…”

As he tried to capture the two on camera—he noticed the boy was gone.

“Huh? Where the hell did he…”

—Crunch.

A sound like something being crushed.

“Wh-!? M-My camera…!”

His beloved camera was smashed to pieces. As if it had been crushed in an instant by an incredible grip.

“D-Damn it… What? What happened?”

He realized it. The storage medium where he saved his data was also gone from his pocket. Then, crack, creak, a sound like something hard being broken. A strange, distorted sound that stirred a sense of terror. And when he looked, the shattered remains of the storage medium were on the ground at his feet…

“Hiiih…!”

The man ran. He just ran. He didn’t know what he was running from.

Still, he ran with all his might from the murderous intent he felt on his skin.

Run. Run. Run—

“Gah…!?”

A sudden impact. His body was dragged into a narrow alleyway. He could tell he was being held down by someone, but he was pressed against a wall and couldn’t see his opponent’s face. The grip was like a vice. Even when he tried to move his face, it wouldn’t budge an inch. On the contrary, a greasy sweat began to bead on his skin.

“——■■■■”

The name that someone whispered was the man’s real name. They had to be using a voice changer. It was a strange voice, its gender impossible to determine.

Furthermore, that someone whispered detailed information about him: his address, his parents’ names, the location of his family home, the shops he frequented, and even the brand of the bottled drink he bought at a convenience store yesterday. As the fact that his enemy had a grasp on his personal information sank in, something cold gradually rose from the pit of his stomach.

“Stay away from Habataki Otoha.”

“…………!?”

And then, the man’s consciousness gradually faded into darkness.

“…It’s me. …Yes. Please handle it as usual. …No. It doesn’t seem like Ojou was the target. …Yes. Please handle it.”

What suddenly came to the man’s mind was the time a friend had warned him.

—Stay away from the Tendou family. That house has a guard dog.

Why did he remember the Tendou family now? Without even understanding that, the man’s consciousness completely faded into darkness.

☆

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

After finishing a small errand, I immediately returned to Otoha-san’s side.

“…Was that work?”

“Not at all.”

Otoha-san looked apologetic. She may be on hiatus now, but she’s a diva. She probably hasn’t had many opportunities to go out and have fun with someone like this.

In preparation for this day that Ojou had been so looking forward to, I had briefly looked into Otoha-san’s past schedule, and it was not one that would allow for a relaxing holiday.

That’s why I want her to enjoy today, and I don’t want her to worry about things like this.

If any uncouth intruders appear, it’s a simple matter of dealing with them.

Above all, Ojou would surely be sad if an uncouth nuisance were to bother her friend.

“I’ve made a few preparations so that you can enjoy today, Otoha-san.”

“Preparations…?”

I offered my right hand to Otoha-san, who was tilting her head charmingly.

I opened my palm, letting her see it was empty… then poof, I made a small flower appear.

“Here you go.”

“…Amazing. Thank you.”

Otoha-san accepted the flower with sparkling eyes.

“This is my favorite flower… did you know?”

“You mentioned it in a magazine interview before, didn’t you? I happened to see it at that shop over there.”

“…So the preparations were for this magic trick.”

“Yes. I plan on having you enjoy yourself today, Otoha-san.”

I’m glad one of the skills I learned for Ojou’s sake came in handy.

I’m glad the research I did so Otoha-san could have fun came in handy.

I’m glad that, by pure coincidence, a nearby shop was selling Otoha-san’s favorite flower.

“Well then, shall we go?”

“……Yeah.”

Having met up, we transferred trains and headed for Wonder Festival Land.

From here it’s about thirty minutes on a single train. It’s not too long, but it’s not too short either. Since it’s a holiday morning, it’s not packed, but there are a fair number of people. The disguise seems to be working perfectly, as no one besides that journalist from earlier has noticed that the girl next to me is “Habataki Otoha.”

“This car is crowded, so we can’t sit… Otoha-san. Shall we move to a less crowded car?”

“…No. It’s alright. Instead, is it okay if I hold onto you, Eito?”

“I don’t mind. …Ah, Otoha-san. There’s an empty hand strap over there.”

“…Don’t need it. I’m holding onto Eito.”

“I think the hand strap would be more stable, but…”

“…I prefer Eito.”

“Is that so?”

Ignoring my tilted head, Otoha-san leaned her body against mine.

Maybe she’s not good with hand straps. In that case, I have to support her properly. I’ll do my best so that Otoha-san can have fun today.

☆

A multitude of attractions that looked like they had jumped right out of a picture book.

Thematic BGM that colored the park’s atmosphere echoed throughout, and from the roller coaster came screams that lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s best. The costumed characters put on high-precision performances, entertaining the visitors.

“…Amazing. It looks real.”

“Is this your first time at this theme park, Otoha-san?”

“…First time. So, I’m very excited.”

Otoha-san’s eyes were sparkling at the surrounding attractions and the pamphlet.

It’s a shame Ojou isn’t here. It would have been even more fun for her with her friend by her side. …No. There’s no point dwelling on it. Ojou had an emergency, and if anything, that just means I have to work harder to show Otoha-san a good time in her place.

“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“…What about you, Eito?”

“Please don’t worry about me. Today, I will do my utmost to ensure you have a good time, Otoha-san!”

“……”

It was at that moment.

“—…?”

Otoha-san’s slender, pretty index finger came to rest on my lips.

“…There’s no point if only I have fun.”

Since her finger is on my lips, I can’t move my mouth to speak.

If I carelessly try to speak, her beautiful finger might slip into my mouth by mistake. As if she could see right through that. No. As if she wouldn’t mind even if that happened, Otoha-san didn’t move her finger.

“…Today is my date with you, Eito. We have to have fun together, okay?”

It’s true… with my attendant-like attitude, Otoha-san can’t relax and have fun. The kind Otoha-san would probably end up worrying about me instead.

This is my mistake. I feel pathetic for making her point it out. …No. I’ll reflect on it later. If I don’t switch gears quickly, I’ll really make Otoha-san worry.

“…Right?”

Otoha-san’s finger left, and my mouth was freed.

“…You’re right. I’m sorry. I was about to slip into work mode.”

“…That’s very like you, Eito, but today… no. When you’re with me, forget about work. I’ve decided to forget about it too.”

Just like that, Otoha-san took a step forward, stood on her tiptoes, and sweetly whispered into my ear.

“…Today, I’m not the ‘Diva.’ In front of you, I’m just ‘Habataki Otoha’.”

The ‘voice’ of the diva that captivates the world was whispering sweetly in my ear. Directed at me, and me alone.

“Eito, just for now, forget that you serve Hoshine… In front of me, I want you to just be Yagiri Eito.”

…Is this the destructive power of the ‘Diva’? A sweet numbness ran down my spine from her voice.

Until now, I’d had a vague image of Otoha-san as something like a fairy.

But in this moment, as she moves away from my ear with a somewhat bewitching smile… she reminds me of a little devil. Her fans might be a little surprised if they knew, but this too could be said to be one of her charms.

“Understood. If that is what you wish, Otoha-san, then just for now, as a simple Yagiri Eito, I will escort you.”

“…Yeah. Please do.”

Otoha-san took my offered hand with a soft smile.

…As just Yagiri Eito, huh.

Does that mean being myself, without serving Ojou?

Honestly, I can’t really imagine it. Since the day I was abandoned by my family and taken in by Ojou, Ojou has been everything to me.

Now and forever, I will always serve Ojou and strive to be of use to her. I had decided to live my life that way.

…So. If that were taken away from me, if I became ‘just Yagiri Eito,’ what in the world would be left?

I’ve really got to give this my all.

What Otoha-san wants is that ‘just Yagiri Eito’.

I’ll do my best to make sure she enjoys this day.

☆

“That was amazing! It went all whoosh, and kaboom, and bam…!”

After finishing the world-famous, scream-inducing roller coaster, Otoha-san was very excited.

Her relying on onomatopoeia… it’s just as I thought. As expected, Otoha-san is the instinctive, genius type.

During basketball practice, she also said something like, “…The pass is too fast. You have to do it more like ‘thwump’ and then ‘whoosh’ for me.” And Ojou, being the instinctive type herself, retorted with something like, “What are you talking about? I’ll go ‘whap,’ and you just need to go ‘zwoosh’.”

That aside, it’s not like I didn’t prepare for today at all. I had already done my research on Wonder Festival Land so that Ojou and Otoha-san could enjoy it to the fullest.

And I’m glad I made a plan, just in case.

We went on a few attractions, and it seems Otoha-san was satisfied.

“It’s almost noon. Let’s go on one more, and then have lunch, shall we? Ojou will be joining us soon, after all.”

Yup. Right on schedule. By the way, I’ve already picked out the next attraction and a place for lunch.

“…Almost, noon…”

“Is something the matter?”

Otoha-san, who had been so excited about the attractions, suddenly froze.

“……Eito. Next, I want to go on this one.”

The map of the theme park drawn on the pamphlet. Otoha-san pointed to a certain spot. It was the newest attraction, a horror house that opened just last year… in other words, a ‘haunted house’.

“Ah, this one? Are you interested in this kind of thing, Otoha-san?”

“…Yeah. I’m interested. Very.”

“It’s true, this attraction is very popular, isn’t it?”

“…I know. Apparently, it’s especially popular with couples.”

It seems she’d researched this attraction beforehand. Otoha-san must have really been looking forward to today.

“Understood. Then, let’s head over right away.”

Fortunately, the horror house we were aiming for is close to our current area.

Even more fortunately, we managed to slip in during a momentary lull in the crowd, so we were able to get in with little waiting time.

This attraction is a very simple one where a pair who have wandered into a certain mansion make their way through the interior, aiming for the exit.

However, the creatures that appear inside are made with great precision, and the production that appeals to the five senses, making full use of the latest technology, has been very well received.

There’s even a warning that says it’s not recommended for people who don’t have a tolerance for it.

But since Otoha-san said she wanted to go after researching it beforehand, she must be confident in her ability to handle horror.

“Otoha-san, do you like this kind of horror?”

“…Not really. In fact, I’m bad at it.”

………Eh?

“I-Is that so? You said you wanted to go yourself, so I thought for sure you were good at it…”

“…I’m very bad at it. So, you have to protect me, Eito. Okay?”

As she said that, Otoha-san wrapped her arm around mine, as if entrusting her body to my arm.

To an outsider, we might have looked like a real couple.

“Umm… I don’t mind, but if you’re not good with this sort of thing, we can still go back outside…”

“…No need to leave. I’m fine.”

“I-Is that so?”

That said, isn’t there something that can be done about this position? I’m well aware that I shouldn’t think such things about Ojou’s friend, but since Otoha-san is also quite… well-developed, having her press this close against my arm is…

“…Eito. How is it?”

“By ‘how,’ what do you mean?”

“…My chest doesn’t lose to Hoshine’s, does it?”

“…………….”

What a difficult question to answer…! It’s true, judging by the sensation through my arm, her volume is on par with Ojou’s… no, no, no, no, no. What am I thinking?

“…And what’s more, I paid special attention to my underwear today.”

“Th-That’s wonderful to hear…”

Why does she sound so proud?

“Anyway, are you sure you want to proceed like this?”

“…Yeah. O-kay.”

But why would she purposely go to a horror attraction she’s bad at…?

…Wait a minute. This attraction is extremely popular with couples.

And Otoha-san came in here with me. Of her own volition… I see. I get it now. If I connect these pieces of information, there’s only one possible answer.

—Otoha-san is trying to conquer her fear…!

That would explain it.

This attraction is for pairs.

That said, she doesn’t want to show an unseemly side in front of her friend, Ojou.

She must be uneasy about going in with a stranger. Plus, Otoha-san is a celebrity.

If she were lining up in a place like this by herself, she would stand out.

And that’s where I come in. If she lines up with me, a boy, she’ll blend in with the surrounding couples and won’t stand out. She can concentrate on conquering her fear to her heart’s content.

To use a holiday to conquer her weakness… Otoha-san is such a hard worker.

She must have kept working hard like this to become known as the ‘Diva’.

I wonder if that’s another reason she and Ojou get along so well.

“I understand. In that case, Otoha-san, I’ll gladly go along with you!”

“……You seem to be misunderstanding something, but yeah. Go along with me.”

Together with Otoha-san, we proceed through the dim mansion.

The interior is so realistically made that it’s hard to believe it’s a set. If you brought someone in blindfolded, it wouldn’t be surprising if you could trick them.

Furthermore, I can hear the floorboards creaking and feel a moderately cool air.

The BGM volume is also exquisitely adjusted, to the point where I almost forget it’s an attraction.

“……”

Otoha-san next to me doesn’t seem particularly scared. But she’s still clinging to my arm, so she must be forcing her fear down. I have to do my best to support her.

Paying respect to Otoha-san’s determination to conquer her fear, we proceed deeper into the mansion.

—Clatter… clatter… clatter… clatter.

A sound comes from beyond the dim darkness. The sound of something moving.

Combined with the realistic interior of this mansion, it creates quite an atmosphere.

I’m fine, but it might be a little much for Otoha-san.

“Are you alright, Otoha-san?”

“…What is?”

Otoha-san cutely tilted her head.

It seems like she doesn’t understand my question, but… no. There’s no need to ask again. She must be putting on a brave face. If I make her too conscious of it, I might just fan the flames of her fear.

“If you’re alright, that’s good. Shall we move on?”

“…Mm.”

Otoha-san nods. There doesn’t seem to be any other path, so we proceed ahead.

Eventually, the sound we’ve been hearing gradually gets louder… and we reach its source.

Placed on a stand in the hallway was a blood-soaked Western-style doll. It was moving and laughing on its own, clattering away.

…Hmm. This really doesn’t do anything for me. When you’re dealing with the types who target the Tendou family, you see this kind of thing often. Come to think of it, the guy who tried to sneak into the mansion the other day was using a doll like this. It was a pain because he’d hidden knives and guns inside it. It was no big deal though; once I knocked them all away and engaged him in close combat, it was over in an instant.

But my reaction doesn’t matter. Surely even Otoha-san will be…

“…………(stare)”

Otoha-san was staring intently at the bloody doll.

She doesn’t seem particularly scared. Her reaction was a dry, “what an elaborate doll.”

“Otoha-san?”

“…What is it?”

“Umm… are you okay?”

“…About what?”

Otoha-san looked at me with a blank expression in response to my question.

She’s not hiding her fear… no. Yeah. This is definitely not it.

“Ah, no. I was just wondering if you weren’t scared by this doll…”

“…………! (gasp)”

For some reason, Otoha-san gasped at my words, and,

“……K-Kyaa. Sooo sca-ry.”

The delivery was incredibly monotone.

“Otoha-san, you’re not scared, are you…?”

“…That’s not true.”

“No, but your delivery was completely deadpan…”

“…I was so, so scared that I couldn’t help but speak in a monotone.”

Is it possible to be so scared you become monotone…?

“…Look. See? I’m so scared, I’m clinging to Eito’s arm.”

“You’ve been doing that pretty much from the start, though…”

“…Was I?”

Yes, you were. Believe me, after what you said earlier, I remember it all too well.

“Well, anyway… shall we move on?”

☆

…This was not in my calculations.

According to the information I researched beforehand, this horror attraction is highly popular with couples. …And, apparently, many couples get together because of this attraction.

And if it’s a horror house, I can cling to Eito very naturally while being scared. It’s a truly perfect plan… or so I thought. But then I realized that my—Habataki Otoha’s—plan had a fatal oversight.

…Come to think of it, this kind of thing doesn’t scare me at all.

An atmospheric mansion, dolls that shake and make noise on their own, and now, the skeleton monster that just appeared… I don’t find them scary at all. And because they’re not scary, I can’t figure out the right timing to act scared. At this rate, I can’t create a good atmosphere with Eito.

…It’s too early to give up.

First, I’ll admit it: my plan had an oversight. But it’s not like I can’t recover.

This horror house is still in its early stages. The further we go, the bigger the scares should get.

…First, I’ll wait for a big one. When it comes out, I’ll go ‘Kyaa!’ Yeah. Perfect.

Having revised the plan in my head, I once again proceeded through the horror house with Eito. …My eyes were getting used to the darkness. And since I have some knowledge of stage production, I could vaguely tell where the scares would come from.

All that’s left is a big one… If only a big one would come, one that would let me naturally act sweet on Eito in the darkness out of fear, it would be perfect…!

…A dog with its bones exposed and covered in blood. Nope. Next.

…A zombie with knives stuck all over its body. Meh. Next.

…A tasteless art object made of human bones. Not enough punch. Next.

“Phew… We’ve come quite a long way. We’ve reached the upper floor, so we must be near the end, don’t you think?”

“……!?”

No way. While I was carefully deliberating on the scares and timing, we had reached the end before I knew it…!

“Otoha-san?”

“……It’s nothing.”

I never thought the super-popular horror house would be this lame.

If Hoshine had a hand in this, I wish she’d have improved it properly. At this rate, I’ll just end up enjoying the attraction normally with Eito… wait a minute. I feel like that would be fine, too…?

…Okay, for now, I’ll pretend to be scared no matter what comes next…!

Steeling my resolve, I proceeded onward in anticipation of a scare.

…Yeah. There are still scares left. If I open this door, something is sure to come out.

Hoping for a very scary trick… I opened the door with a prayer.

“This place is…”

The room beyond the door was crisscrossed everywhere with something like threads.

Hanging, wrapped in thread, were… probably humans (or realistic fakes). Human bones (or realistic fakes) were scattered in various places around the room.

And at the far end. At the very back of the room, with bloodshot-red eyes, its whole body covered in fur-like skin, its multiple legs moving suspiciously… a giant spider (a realistic fake) greeted us.

“Haaah………………”

I was so disappointed.

Why a giant spider? I can see the lazy reliance on the “dimly lit mansion” setting. Honestly, they could have done better. If it’s a mansion, a vampire or something would work… no. That’s not the point right now. There probably aren’t any more scares after this, so I have no choice but to make do with this giant spider.

“K-Kyaa… sca-ry…”

I’ll just cling to Eito… no. I’ve been trying that and failing. It’s less effective now. There’s only the spider in this room… I need to play up my fear more.

I ran out of the room as if to escape the giant spider.

“O-Otoha-san!?”

Ignoring the surprised Eito, I just ran through the dim mansion, ran, and ran—

“…………….I’m lost.”

Once I was alone, I remembered that I have no sense of direction… no, that’s not it. I’m the owner of a unique sense of direction.

“…What am I even doing?”

I suddenly calmed down and came back to my senses. I feel like everything I do is just spinning my wheels.

…I really didn’t want to admit it. But now that it’s come to this, I have no choice.

It seems my plan has failed. Or rather, I feel like I’ve been overlooking something fundamental from the very beginning.

…Maybe I was getting impatient.

Since transferring, I’ve come to realize that, one way or another, Hoshine and Eito are close (whether her feelings are getting through is another matter). Then there was the prize from the ball game tournament. I might have gotten too carried away, thinking it was my chance.

…No. That’s just an excuse. Something I tacked on later.

Deep down, I know the truth. I was… getting carried away. By my first-ever crush.

I couldn’t hold back, the reins came off, I couldn’t see what was in front of me, and I was just spinning my wheels… It’s all a first for me.

I never knew. That love could change a person this much.

“Otoha-san.”

“…Eito.”

“Why did you suddenly run off like that? I was looking for you.”

“……”

It’s hard to explain why, even if he asks.

Especially to Eito himself. There’s no way I can.

“Umm… it was nothing.”

I had no choice but to be evasive. Because I can’t possibly explain it to him.

“…Even I can tell you’re lying, you know.”

“Ugh…”

I had a feeling. No matter how dense Eito is, he’d probably notice that something was off about how I was acting.

“…A-Anyway, we should get going.”

Even if he knows I’m being evasive, I can’t explain what I can’t explain.

I tried to just vaguely move on, but…

Thud. Eito’s arm slammed against the wall, blocking my path.

“Ei-to…?”

“It’s not right to make someone worry and then try to brush it off, is it, Otoha-san?”

Eito was smiling brightly as he said that, but… he felt a little different from usual.

When I involuntarily looked away, Eito’s hand gently cupped my cheek as if to forbid even that.

“Where are you looking?”

“Ah, um… well…”

“We’re talking right now. Please look at my face.”

“Ah…”

Eito’s hand was touching my cheek. And that hand wouldn’t let me look away.

“It’s dangerous to run around in a dark mansion like this, isn’t it? Especially since you have no sense of direction.”

“Th-that’s not… I’m…”

“It is, isn’t it?”

“…………Yes……”

“…In that case, isn’t there something you ought to say?”

“Eh?”

“To me. The one you made worry.”

“……”

Today’s Eito… he feels a little different.

Like he’s being a little teasing. But I don’t dislike it, I don’t hate it. In fact… my heart might be racing.

“If I say it… will you forgive me?”

“That depends on you, Otoha-san.”

Chuckle. Eito laughed. His expression and gestures were bewitching, and somehow alluring.

“…I’m sorr—ah…”

Eito’s hand gently caressed my cheek. Slowly, deliberately.

It was ticklish, and pleasant. And made me squirm. As if enjoying my reaction, Eito’s fingers slid across my skin.

“Nnh…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Auh… i-it tickles…”

“If you don’t say it properly, I can’t hear you.”

“You’re being mean, Eito…”

“That I am.”

Even though he’s teasing me, there’s a part of me that’s thrilled by this side of Eito.

“The me right now is a mean person. Because you, Otoha-san, who I was so worried about, tried to be evasive, I became mean.”

I want him to touch me more. I want him to whisper to me more. I want this moment to last forever.

“…In that case, Otoha-san, do you like being teased?”

“Why…?”

“You’ve been making such a desirous face for a while now.”

“N-No way.”

Startled by Eito’s words, I involuntarily touched my own face. If there was a mirror, I’m sure I would have checked my expression immediately.

“I’m kidding.”

“Ah… uh…”

…I’m glad it’s dark in here. Because I’m sure my face is bright red right now.

“Try saying it. ‘I’m sorry’.”

Right now, that request from Eito seemed like a monumental task.

Because my heart was pounding so much, my tongue wouldn’t move properly.

I have to say it. It’s a fact that I made Eito worry, so I have to apologize properly for that.

…No.

No. I understood immediately. That was just an excuse I tacked on.

The truth is, I… I’m hoping…

That if I try to say I’m sorry, Eito will tease me again.

“…Sowwy…”

Was I unable to say it properly because my tongue wouldn’t move, or was I… asking to be teased by Eito? Even I didn’t know.

“Well done.”

“Ah……”

Eito’s hand left my cheek. The feeling of relief that I wasn’t being teased didn’t come; in fact, I found myself regretting its absence.

“…Well then, shall we press on? We’re almost at the exit.”

“Y-Yeah……”

Led by the hand by Eito, who had completely returned to normal, I proceeded through the dim mansion and managed to reach the exit safely.

When it was all over, not a single one of the plans I had made had gone well.

…If anything, I was the one who was counter-attacked.

I was supposed to be on the offensive, but before I knew it, I was the one being cornered.

…I might be, a little weird.

This pounding in my chest. I feel like it’s not just from love.

…A teasing Eito might be nice, too.

☆

“I went too far…”

After finishing the horror attraction, I found myself wallowing in self-loathing.

Thinking about this morning, I was worried about Otoha-san suddenly disappearing in the dark space. No, looking back on it now, maybe I was too worried.

I was worried, I rushed over, and I was relieved she was safe.

But then Otoha-san lied to me. I know she didn’t mean any harm. I wasn’t particularly angry, but the mischievous spirit I was supposed to be suppressing just started to ache sweetly.

Seeing Otoha-san with her teary eyes, my self-control just kept slipping away.

How did it come to this? How did I become this kind of person?

…No matter how many times I think back on it, the trigger was probably that ‘reward’ for Ojou.

Since that time, the ‘teasing me’ has started to show its face. Honestly, I’m surprised myself that this side of me existed.

“This time, I really have to control myself…”

“…Eito.”

As I was firming up my resolve, Otoha-san tugged on my sleeve.

Her face was flushed, maybe because she had just come out of the enclosed space of the horror house.

“…I, have an errand to run.”

“If it’s an errand, I can accompany you.”

I’m aware that I went a little too far just now, so I want to help if I can.

But Otoha-san shook her head.

“…No. It’s okay. Hoshine will be here soon, so go around with her, okay?”

Leaving only those words, Otoha-san quickly left before I could stop her.

“She said that as if she knew exactly when Ojou would arrive…”

As I was tilting my head at Otoha-san’s words,

“Eito.”

“Ojou.”

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at Ojou, who appeared on the scene as if in exchange. Otoha-san’s words were like a prophecy.

“I’m sorry, Ojou. It seems Otoha-san had an errand…”

“I know.”

I wonder if they’d been in contact beforehand. If so, Otoha-san’s words would make sense.

“Because I’m going second, after all.”

“Going second?”

“That’s my business. Anyway, Otoha will be fine. She’ll be back eventually, so until then, let’s have fun together.”

“As you wish.”

If they’ve come to an agreement, then I guess it’s fine.

I can’t say I don’t feel a little lonely, wishing they’d told me too, but more than that, I’m many times happier that the two of them are growing closer.

“Ojou, which attraction shall we go to?”

“Let’s see… going to an attraction with you would be lovely in its own way, but why don’t we have lunch before that?”

“Lunch?”

It’s true that it’s about time. Otoha-san said she had an errand, but I wonder if she’ll be able to get lunch.

“Eito.”

As I was thinking about Otoha-san who had just left, Ojou suddenly started to pout, her cheeks puffing up. …This is bad. Did I do something to upset her? But I have no idea what it could be…!

“Wh-What is it…”

“…You were thinking about another girl just now, weren’t you.”

“Heh?”

The words that came out of Ojou were completely unexpected.

At the same time, they were spot on, so even though I had nothing to feel guilty about, my heart skipped a beat.

…Why do I feel so guilty right now?

“Not another girl, per se… I was just a little concerned about whether Otoha-san had gotten lunch or not.”

“She’s fine. She should be having lunch.”

I assume they’ve been in contact about that as well.

“So, for now, just look at me.”

Ojou’s characteristic way of speaking unintentionally brought a smile to my face.

I wonder if she’s a little sulky, thinking I’m going to be stolen away by Otoha-san.

“It’s alright. I will always serve you, Ojou.”

“……That’s not what I meant.”

She gave me a very conflicted look. I had intended it as a declaration of my loyalty.

“Anyway. Let’s get lunch. All right?”

“As you wish.”

“Then, let’s go right away. …You know? I’ve actually got my eye on a place. It’s popular with couples on social media—”

“Then, let’s head outside the facility at once. I have the Tendou family’s chefs and a truck loaded with ingredients and equipment on standby outside.”

“…………….”

The light vanished from Ojou’s eyes.

“O-Ojou…?”

“…………….Why?”

“Eh?”

“…………….Why is something like that on standby?”

“Well… um… considering I must provide a meal suitable for you, Ojou, I determined this would be the best course of action………”

Huh. That’s strange. The smile Ojou usually shows is always lovely… but why is it a little scary right now?

“…I see. By the way, can you get in touch with the chefs who are on standby outside?”

“That… yes. Of course…”

“…I have something I’d like to discuss with them, so could you call them?”

I couldn’t ask what on earth she was going to talk about, so for the time being, I connected the call and handed my smartphone to Ojou.

A little while later,

“The chefs said they have a sudden errand and will be leaving immediately.”

“Eh? No, I haven’t heard anything like that…”

“They said they want us to have a meal at one of the restaurants inside the facility.”

“Ah, yes…”

There was an undeniable forcefulness in her tone.

But what’s going on? This time, I brought the Tendou family’s personal chefs. They’re the ones who have been making Ojou’s meals every day since she was a child. They know her tastes and are mindful of nutritional balance. I even selected them based on their skill, track record, and trustworthiness, and had them wait on standby… What could she have been displeased with…?

☆

When one hears the place is a theme park, anyone would probably look up the attractions.

That’s not wrong. It’s unthinkable to come to a theme park and not ride the attractions. Rather, what else would one do besides ride attractions?

…But. That’s only when you’re just playing.

When it comes to a date (though he probably has no intention of it being one), you need to broaden your perspective. In that regard, I have to say that Otoha’s perspective is narrow.

I had one of the Tendou family’s staff monitor them with a camera, and when I saw the two of them going into a horror attraction, I knew what Otoha was aiming for.

She probably plotted to cling to and hug Eito all she wanted under the pretext of the horror attraction, but how naive. If he fell for such a straightforward approach, Eito would have fallen for me long ago.

To think that such a conventional move would work was her first mistake.

No, from the moment she only had her eyes on the attractions, Otoha had already failed.

A theme park isn’t just about the attractions, you know.

That was my aim in daring to go second.

The timing of the switch is right at lunchtime. This means I can have lunch with Eito. And not just any lunch.

It’s just a sandwich that can be bought at a food stall in the park, but it became massively popular thanks to a hit romance drama.

It’s trending on social media for couples to sit on a bench in the area used for filming the drama and eat the same sandwich from the show…

Yes… this is my aim. I’ll do this with Eito. Eito will notice too. “Ah, this is the same one from the drama,” he’ll think… and his heart will start pounding for me.

Good grief. What a perfect plan. It’s so flawless that I’m scaring myself.

Furthermore, my decision to dare to go second truly shines.

Because if I go second, I can make full use of the lunchtime advantage.

Sorry, Otoha… but this time, I’ve already won.

If I invite Eito to a meal, victory is just around the corner.

There isn’t a single flaw in my perfect plan!

“Then, let’s go right away. …You know? I’ve actually got my eye on a place. It’s popular with couples on social media—”

“Then, let’s head outside the facility at once. I have the Tendou family’s chefs and a truck loaded with ingredients and equipment on standby outside.”

“…………….”

My plan was shattered on the very first move.

“O-Ojou…?”

“…………….Why?”

“Eh?”

“…………….Why is something like that on standby?”

“Well… um… considering I must provide a meal suitable for you, Ojou, I determined this would be the best course of action………”

That’s true, but…!

Uselessly competent…! My attendant is too damn competent…!

…No. It’s too early to give up, Tendou Hoshine.

How will you overcome this predicament? Isn’t your very aptitude as the daughter of the Tendou family being tested?

“…I see. By the way, can you get in touch with the chefs who are on standby outside?”

“That… yes. Of course…”

“…I have something I’d like to discuss with them, so could you call them?”

For now, I take Eito’s smartphone and get connected with the chef in question.

“Hello? It’s me.”

“We are deeply sorry, Ojou-sama…!”

The voice of the chef, who has been serving the Tendou family since before I was born, sounded more apologetic than I had ever heard before.

“…Why are you apologizing?”

“Eito denied it, but… you had a date planned for today, didn’t you?”

What a perceptive chef.

“That’s right… That was my intention, at least.”

“I thought so too, and tried my best to refuse, but… after he spent about five hours explaining the significance of providing Ojou-sama with healthy and appropriate meals, as one who serves the Tendou family, I simply couldn’t refuse…”

“I’m sorry about my Eito…”

I never thought he’d give a five-hour speech. I wish he’d direct just a little of that passion towards chipping away at his own denseness.

“I’m sorry for making you wait on standby. You can go home now. I’ll tell Father and Mother to add a little something to this month’s salary.”

“No, no. Please don’t worry about it. More importantly, we are praying from the shadows that your date goes well.”

What a considerate chef.

He’s too competent even in areas unrelated to cooking. I’ll have to negotiate with Father and Mother to raise his salary. Maybe he should get a special bonus, too.

“The chefs said they have a sudden errand and will be leaving immediately.”

“Eh? No, I haven’t heard anything like that…”

“They said they want us to have a meal at one of the restaurants inside the facility.”

“Ah, yes…”

Phew. There was a slight stumble, but now we’re back on track.

Once I clear the first hurdle, the rest is smooth sailing.

My perfect plan starts now!

☆

“I’m sorry. We’re completely sold out.”

The sandwich that Ojou had her eye on was unfortunately sold out.

“This stall has other locations, right? Maybe they’re selling it there…”

“Well… due to the influence of the drama, it’s been so incredibly popular that lately we’ve been selling out everywhere by morning.”

And since this sandwich seems to be exclusive to this area, it would be difficult to get our hands on one today.

“That’s a shame. Ojou, let’s get something else…”

“………………………………”

The light had vanished from Ojou’s eyes again.

And what’s more, it feels like a new layer of despair has been added.

That’s strange. Until we came to this stall, she was in such a good mood, as if certain of victory (though I’m not sure what victory she was certain of).

“My… perfect plan……”

For someone who just couldn’t buy a sandwich, she’s awfully depressed… was she really looking forward to it that much?

Come to think of it, Ojou was watching that drama where the sandwich appeared very intently. She’s always been the type to watch romance dramas so intently that she takes notes. That’s how much she was looking forward to this sandwich, and why the shock of not being able to buy it is so great.

“Ah, um, Ojou? If it’s a sandwich, I can just buy you one another time…”

“That would defeat the purpose…”

Defeat the purpose? What does she mean?

I watched that drama too, but… the sandwich itself is a normal one. The ingredients are higher quality and it tastes better than what you’d find at a convenience store, but it’s not so special that you could call it unique.

…Did I miss something? I wasn’t watching as intently as Ojou was. How pathetic of me. I should rewatch it when I get home.

“…No. Not yet. It’s not over yet!”

Apparently having pulled herself out of her state of shock, a powerful light returned to Ojou’s eyes as she regained her composure.

“Eito, we’re moving.”

“As you wish. As for lunch…”

“We can eat while we move. Let’s buy something around here.”

“With all due respect, is eating while walking really appropriate for a young lady of the Tendou family…?”

“The Tendou family? A young lady? You can feed such a useless title to the dogs.”

“Ojou!?”

Surely that’s not okay. It’s too expensive for dog food. The dogs themselves would probably be confused, too.

“Listen, Eito. In this world, there are things far more important than such trivialities.”

“I don’t think the name of the Tendou family is trivial… so, what might this important thing be?”

“The drama’s filming location.”

“Ojou???”

It’s true that a drama’s filming location is also important… probably. In fact, I hear that several locations have become popular due to the influence of that drama. Yes. It’s important.

However. However, still.

More important… than the Tendou name… is it, really…?

She said it with such confidence that I’m getting confused.

This is strange… no. Since Ojou is so confident, am I the strange one? Huh?

Confused, I follow after Ojou.

“Ojou, I’ll go buy us lunch, so please wait a moment. Do you have any requests?”

“At this point, anything that fills my stomach is fine. Getting there is the priority.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am…”

Isn’t “anything that fills my stomach” a bit too wild for a young lady, I thought, as I purchased hot dogs and drinks from a nearby stall. I was torn on whether to get churros, but I chose hot dogs as they seemed closer to sandwiches.

“Sorry for the wait.”

“Thanks. Now, let’s go, quickly.”

Hot dog and drink in hand, Ojou proceeded ahead at a brisk pace.

Her eyes, burning with some purpose, were fixed forward. Not even glancing at the hot dog, she bit into the bread with her small mouth while walking… she actually looks surprisingly cool doing it.

This theme park is divided into several areas based on various “stories.” In the drama, they linked the areas based on those stories with the characters’ feelings, if I recall.

Right, right. The most famous scene from the drama was when the hero and heroine were on a date, eating sandwiches on a bench next to an object designed after a rabbit and a pocket watch.

…Oh. I can see it. The object designed after a rabbit and a pocket watch. On the bench over there…

“…It’s… completely packed…!?”

Ojou was aghast.

Around the bench in question, couples were swarming, flirting and taking pictures, enjoying their date.

…I see. So that’s why the sandwiches were sold out.

But to put it this way… there’s no atmosphere like in the drama. In fact, the crowd of people seems to completely shatter the romantic atmosphere. Well, for those couples, as long as they can have their date, that’s fine, and more to the point, as long as they can take a picture, it’s probably not a problem.

“Ojou, what shall we do? We could wait for our turn…”

“…………No. Let’s not. It doesn’t seem like there’d be much of an atmosphere anyway…”

Ah… what a shame. Ojou looks so dejected. She must have been really looking forward to visiting the drama’s filming locations.

☆

This was completely outside my calculations. Or rather, nothing has gone right from the very beginning.

I was supposed to be running up the stairs to the glory of victory, but instead I feel like I stumbled on a stone and am tumbling down.

No. It’s still too early to give up, Tendou Hoshine.

One’s true mettle is tested in a crisis.

If I just count what I’ve lost and get discouraged, the situation will never improve.

Look carefully. For something I can do now. A clue to break this deadlock…!

Observing my surroundings closely, I see a couple on the bench I was supposed to use, feeding each other the churros they bought.

One is plain. The other is probably chocolate. “Mmm, this chocolate is delicious~♪ I wanna try the plain one, too. Can you let me have a taste?” “Sure. Here, say ‘ahh’~” “Ahh~… Mmm, so good! You wanna try the chocolate?” “Totally! Ahh~” they say, feeding each other a bite of the churro the other is holding… Th-This is it! Yes, with this, I can do it without being tied to a specific place! And… I-I can even get an indirect kiss out of it. In a very natural way…! This time, what a perfect plan!

“H-Hey, Eito. Could you let me have a little taste? I’ll give you some of mine.”

“Ojou. A taste of what? We have the same hot dog…”

D-Damn it…! Why did I settle for a hot dog…!?

Now I can’t ask for a taste! If we had gotten churros… at least with churros, I could have suggested we feed them to each other under the guise of ‘tasting’!

No. It’s still too early to give up. I’ll just make up some reason and definitely get a taste…

“Thank you for the meal.”

He’s finished… already…!?

“Y-You finished that rather quickly, didn’t you?”

“In my case, I often have to eat between jobs.”

Now that he mentions it, that’s true. It all makes sense.

But wait a minute.

Eito. You’re still a high school student, right? Aren’t they working you a little too much? Shouldn’t you be able to eat a little more slowly? I think I need to have a word with my father… no, not a word. I need to file a formal protest…

“That can’t be enough to fill you up, can it? I’ll share some of mine.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not so hungry as to take your food, Ojou. I appreciate the thought.”

“Eat more! You’re a growing high school boy!”

“Why are you being so insistent!?”

Of course I’d be insistent! When nothing has gone right so far!

When all the perfect plans I’ve come up with have completely fallen apart!

“Don’t worry about me, Ojou, please take your time and enjoy your meal.”

“(Munch munch munch munch gulp) Eito. Don’t you want something sweet for dessert?”

“So fast…!? O-Ojou!?”

“You want something sweet, don’t you?”

“Ah, yes…”

I won’t give up over something like this…! I’ll at least get to do the ‘ahh’ feed…!

The problem is what to eat. I can’t repeat the same mistake I made with the hot dog. I must quickly run through the possibilities in my mind and derive the best move in the shortest possible time. This is a difficult problem… more difficult than getting a perfect score on all subjects in the academy’s exams. In fact, tests that have answers are far too easy. I wish someone would make a strategy guide for this. I’d pay any price. No. My thoughts have strayed. The problem now is what to eat. Churros are out. No, they’re not bad, but Eito might warn me about eating while walking again, and I just failed with the stall food. I can’t repeat the same mistake. In that case, an actual restaurant would be better. I’m sure there was one nearby. I can just order a dessert there. And in a restaurant, Eito won’t warn me, and we can eat slowly. It’s decided. I have the theme park map memorized from corner to corner and I know my current position down to the coordinates. The shortest route to the restaurant has been calculated. Okay. This time, it’s really, truly perfect! (All this in 0.002 seconds)

☆

“I feel like Ojou’s brilliant mind was just used for something very pointless.”

“That’s not true. In fact, you could say this is the most I’ve ever put it to use.”

The academy’s tests are a far bigger waste of time. I can fill out all the answer sheets for something like that in five minutes, and for the rest of the time, I can’t move. So, I use all the remaining test time to think up strategies to make Eito fall for me. Well, since all the strategies I’ve thought of like that have failed, tests really are just a waste of time.

“Eito. Let’s get dessert at the restaurant.”

And so, we headed to a restaurant together.

It was crowded for that time of day, so we had to wait, but that can’t be helped. Considering the time Otoha is supposed to return as per our initial agreement, this will be a loss, but it’s within an acceptable range. No, I just have to force myself to accept it. I will accept it. You will accept it, me.

The place is called a restaurant for the sake of its theme, but its actual format is closer to a food court. You order at the counter, find an empty seat, and sit down. When your food is ready, you go back to the counter to pick it up.

I ordered the dessert I wanted (I made sure to buy different flavors) and then sat down at an empty seat. We’ve been walking around so much, so it’s nice to be able to sit down and relax. …Ah, the cold water feels so good. It’s as if it’s rewarding and comforting me for everything going wrong.

“I never knew water could be this delicious…”

“The water you normally drink at the mansion is of a quality so high it’s presumptuous to even compare.”

In terms of price, that may be true, but the water at the mansion doesn’t comfort me.

“…Oh, it looks like the dessert we ordered is ready.”

The device we were given at the counter vibrated and rang an electronic alarm to signal the food was ready. Eito, who took it, stood up immediately.

“I’ll bring it right over, so please wait a moment.”

I was about to go with him, but I quickly thought better of it.

Either way, one of us needed to save our seats.

“Okay, I’m counting on you. Come back soon, okay?”

“As you wish.”

Leaving behind a smile that would make my heart skip a beat just by looking at it, Eito smoothly went to get the dessert.

I wanted to keep watching Eito, but he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

With nothing to do until Eito came back, I closed my eyes and listened carefully. It’s not that I’m expecting anything interesting. This is also part of my research. I’m listening to the conversations of couples and families to use as a reference for my Eito conquest. …Though it hasn’t borne any fruit so far.

I’m not bragging, but I have good ears. Not only can I hear well, but I can also distinguish between sounds. Even now, I can clearly distinguish between a baby’s crying and the surrounding conversations that are almost being drowned out by it. I could even tell you the baby’s gender just from its cry.

In fact, it’s not just my ears; my eyes are good, my nose is sharp, and my palate is refined. And on top of that, my figure is great too. An outstanding figure—that’s me. I’m aware that I have the looks to be liked by most boys.

If anything, they might feel intimidated because I’m so outstanding. That might be a problem, but I’m Tendou Hoshine. It can’t be helped.

…Well, the one who doesn’t notice my feelings at a————(omitted)————ll is Eito, though.

“—OI, SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!”

As I was sighing to myself, such an unpleasant shout came from a nearby table.

“STOP YOUR DAMN WAILING! IT’S ANNOYING!”

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…!”

It seems there’s some kind of trouble.

The ones getting irritated at the crying baby are some college-aged men sitting at a nearby table. There are two… no, three of them. They’re well-built. The shortest one is 183 centimeters tall (an estimate, and they were sitting, so there might be a few millimeters of error).

“DON’T BRING A BRAT TO A PLACE LIKE THIS! YOU’RE BOTHERING EVERYONE!”

“We’ll leave right away… I’m sorry…”

The father must be a timid person by nature. The man, who must be over thirty, is bowing his head repeatedly to the young men who are younger than him.

Seeing this, the college students are smirking with superiority, but from my perspective, that father is the more admirable one.

Because he can endure humiliation to protect something truly important.

“How pathetic. You’re a man too, old guy, aren’t ya?”

“Bowing like that, aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

“Hey, brat. Don’t grow up to be a pathetic man like your papa, got it? Hahaha!”

That was clearly directed at his child, a statement that is nothing but cowardly.

“You’re being an eyesore, so could you please close your mouths now?”

I felt the place fall silent. No, silence actually did fall.

Is it a coincidence? The baby has stopped crying too.

Well, I did go out of my way to leave my seat and get a look at its face, so maybe it was so moved by my beauty that it stopped crying.

“…Huh?”

“Hey. You talkin’ to us?”

“Who else could I be talking to but you? Honestly, are the brains of filthy humans simply rotten?”

“Heeh. You’ve got some nerve.”

The three college students stood up from their seats and loomed over me.

It was the behavior of those who were well aware of their physical advantage.

“What? You got a problem with us or something?”

“Of course. Crying is a baby’s job, you know. It can’t be helped that strangers like you find it noisy, but to go so far as to intimidate them is just childish.”

“You little bitch… don’t get carried away.”

“Oh, my. Not as much as you, surely?”

You reek of alcohol, and from the looks of it, you’re pretty drunk. They shouldn’t be selling alcohol here… did you sneak it in? I’ll have to tell them to be stricter with the baggage checks.

“Did you think we wouldn’t hit you just ’cause you’re a woman!”

A large fist came flying at me. But it never reached me.

Because before it could—Eito’s hand grabbed the arm swinging the fist with a vice-like grip and squeezed.

“I believe I told you to wait.”

“I was waiting. That’s why I’m doing this, isn’t it?”

“I don’t mind you being a tomboy, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t act with the assumption that I’ll back you up.”

“That’s impossible. I’m always counting on you. More importantly… is he alright?”

The man whose arm was grabbed by Eito is turning pale, his mouth agape.

It’s beyond just painful. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s lost all feeling in his arm.

“It was self-defense.”

He’s smiling a refreshing smile, but… oh, he’s angry.

“Wh-What the hell are you!”

“You messin’ with us!?”

The remaining two lunged at Eito. To resort to violence in front of such a large crowd is proof that they have no awareness of their surroundings at all.

Against the two who had turned into thugs, Eito coolly rolled one onto the ground and dislocated the other’s shoulder. It was so fluid that to the people around, it probably looked like the two thugs just fell over on their own.

“Well then, I’ll go have a little chat with these gentlemen outside.”

“I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t you worry. I’ll handle it discreetly so as not to tarnish the family name.”

Eito gave a bright, refreshing smile, then easily grabbed the three college students and carried them out of the store.

“Ah, um… thank you so much.”

The father of the family that was left behind bowed his head politely to me.

“Please make some happy memories here.”

Leaving only the necessary words, I followed Eito out of the store.

In the end, I didn’t get to eat dessert, but I suppose that can’t be helped. I couldn’t allow myself to pretend I didn’t see that and let it slide.

When I went outside, Eito, who had already finished his business, was waiting for me.

“Eito. Let’s go eat dessert this time.”

The plan has changed a little, but what we’re doing hasn’t.

There’s still time, and we can just eat dessert at the next shop. And this time, I’ll do the ‘ahh’ feed.

Or so I thought…

“You really are… a naughty person, aren’t you, Ojou.”

“Auh……”

Thirty minutes later.

I was cornered against the wall by Eito in a room of a nearby hotel.

☆

After the commotion at that restaurant, I tried to go eat dessert, for real this time.

Because I still hadn’t done the ‘ahh’ feed. And we still hadn’t gotten into a romantic mood.

“Ojou.”

“Eh. Wh-what…?”

But Eito suddenly took my hand and started leading me somewhere.

“Wh-Where are we going…?”

“…………”

He didn’t answer my question. While this was happening, we were outside the theme park before I knew it, and still Eito didn’t stop. I wondered where we were going and followed him silently…

A h-hotel…!?

Without a moment’s hesitation, Eito led me into the hotel affiliated with the theme park. He immediately rented the highest-ranked room available for walk-ins and took me there without any room for argument.

“Um… Eito…? Why… a hotel…?”

“…………”

I tried asking in the elevator, but again, no answer came.

At this point, I had no choice but to fall silent. Or rather, my heart was pounding so much from Eito’s forcefulness that I couldn’t think of anything else.

…A hotel. A hotel is that, right? A place to stay the night. You rent a room and sleep there.

But for a man and a woman to stay in the same room… that’s what it means, right? It’s fine. I didn’t expect this to happen, but I’m always fully prepared. I always make sure to wear proper underthings.

…No. Wait.

Calm down. I got all flustered, but I need to think about this carefully.

Remember the patterns so far. How many times have I gotten my hopes up like this, only to be shot down?

I am Tendou Hoshine. I do not make the same mistake over and over again.

…Well? Maybe a little. Yes. It’s possible I’ve made the same mistake, just a little bit. But that’s in the past.

It’s probably just my misunderstanding again. …But why did Eito bring me to a hotel?

I ran through the possibilities in my head, listing what came to mind.

Hypothesis one: To let me rest because I’m tired from walking around.

…Yeah. Not impossible. But would he go so far as to take me to a hotel? Resting on a nearby bench would be enough. Even if we can’t use the last restaurant, we could just go to another one. This hypothesis is rejected.

Hypothesis two: To eat.

…This isn’t impossible either. There’s a restaurant in this hotel. But, then wouldn’t he at least explain? There’s no need to forcefully bring me to a hotel like this… and even now, the elevator has passed the floor with the restaurants. This hypothesis is also rejected.

Hypothesis three: For me and him to do… what men and women do… in a bed.

…Absolutely not. Impossible. I’m crying just thinking about it.

In the end, with no idea what was going on, the elevator stopped, and Eito led me to a room on the top floor of the hotel.

I was brought in, but I was at a loss for what to do. To be precise, I was just too nervous to do anything.

Because this is different from usual.

It’s a world away from being alone with him in my room at the mansion. …No. The time we slept in the same bed in our sleepwear was a pretty big deal. But let’s set that aside. Nothing happened.

Being brought into the same hotel room… this has never happened before.

…Ah. No. Now that I’ve calmed down, I’m getting really nervous.

“Ojou.”

“Wh-what…?”

“Please get undressed.”

“Eh…?”

I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing and couldn’t help but ask again.

“E-Eito? What are you…?”

“I said, please get undressed.”

“Not… my clothes, right?”

“Your clothes.”

“Fugyu!?”

I bit my tongue. Of course I bit it. It can’t be helped.

“Y-Y-Y-You want me to take off my clothes!?”

“Yes.”

“Wh-Why!?”

“There’s no ‘why’ about it. Just take them off, please.”

“Auh, auh…”

It’s no use. My head isn’t working properly. This is impossible. For that Eito to take me to a hotel and tell me to take off my clothes… it must be a dream. This has to be a dream. Because it’s just too good to be true…!

“How long are you going to stay in those clothes?”

Eito took a step closer.

In response, I took a step back.

But Eito didn’t stop. I was gradually being cornered against the wall…

“You really are… a naughty girl, aren’t you, Ojou.”

“Auh……”

As if to prevent me from escaping, Eito slammed his hand against the wall.

No. I can’t escape. …No. Is it even okay to try and escape? I shouldn’t, right? Ah, but I’m a little nervous. I’m fully prepared, but I didn’t think the real thing would come so suddenly.

“I want you to take off those clothes as soon as possible, Ojou. If I could, I’d rip them off with my own two hands.”

“…I-I understand, but…… but…”

“But?”

“M-My legs are trembling… I can’t walk on my own…”

I feel like my knees are about to give out. Not because I’m scared, but because my heart is pounding too much.

Eito might even be able to hear my heartbeat.

My face must be bright red, too. Because it feels so hot.

There’s no way I can walk to the bed on my own two feet.

“Very well.”

To me, in this state, Eito smiled and whispered in my ear.

“But, please take your clothes off yourself.”

“……You won’t take them off for me, Eito?”

“Of course I would never do such a thing. Please take them off yourself.”

By myself. In other words, he wants to watch me intently as I embarrassingly take off my own clothes.

“S-So that’s your hobby…”

“Hobby?”

Eito is tilting his head, but I wonder if that’s also part of his preferences.

He might be the type who’s particular about the situation.

“Well then, allow me to carry you.”

“Ah……”

As he said that, Eito lifted me up effortlessly in his arms and started walking.

“……”

I couldn’t help but squeeze my eyes shut. I was so nervous and embarrassed that I couldn’t look directly at Eito’s face. I was at his mercy. But it’s fine. This is fine.

I never thought it would be today. But I’m prepared. It’s okay. It’ll surely be okay.

“Please open your eyes, Ojou.”

“Nn……”

I open my eyes. The light from the lamp enters my vision, and the room is revealed…

“……The bathroom?”

Where I was brought, princess-carried, was not to the bed, but to the bathroom.

As I stood there bewildered, Eito gently set me down.

“Ah, um… Eito?”

“Once you’ve taken off your clothes, please put them in this bag.”

“Eh……”

“There’s a bathrobe there for you to change into.”

“Y-Yes……”

Leaving only those words, Eito left the bathroom.

……Why the bathroom?

Left alone, a question mark floated above my head. But it soon clicked.

“R-Right… First, I have to take a shower…”

Eito must be someone who values the proper order of things. For my part, I’m grateful to be able to clean myself first. I’ve walked a lot today, so I’m all sweaty.

With that, I took a shower, changed into a bathrobe with trembling hands, and walked over to Eito, who was sitting on the bed.

“Ah, um… Eito… I took a shower…”

“Is that so?”

Eito stood up from the bed and walked over to me—

“……”

I couldn’t help but close my eyes. …Ah, I’m going to be carried to the bed like this. After that, Eito will push me down, have his way with me, we’ll climb the stairs to adulthood, and we’ll have five children. Two boys and three girls. The boys will surely look like Eito and be handsome, and they’ll be popular with the girls, and the girls will be confident like me. On our days off, I want to go on outings with everyone, and I want to tell them all about how we fell in love. Ah, but before that, we have to go on dates as a couple. After that is the wedding… wait? I feel like the order is reversed… no. At this point, the order doesn’t matter anymore. First, the act. As long as the act happens, everything else will work out. After all, I am Tendou Hoshine. The daughter of the Tendou family. I have more money than I know what to do with. I can just sweep away anyone who gets in my way with my overwhelming financial power.

“Ojou.”

“Ah. E-Eito! I, I want a boy first—”

“I’ll dispose of these clothes immediately and arrange for new ones.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll have an identical set of these clothes prepared for you later.”

“Um, Eito?”

“What is it?”

“……Is that all?”

“All of what?”

“I mean… um………”

“…Ah, don’t worry. The replacement clothes I have prepared will also be something that doesn’t compromise the beauty and dignity you possess, Ojou.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

I feel like we’re on different wavelengths.

…Calm down. In times like these, you have to unravel it from the beginning.

How did this happen in the first place? Let’s see… right. From when he suddenly brought me to the hotel.

“Hey… why did you bring me to the hotel in the first place?”

“Because I wanted you to change your clothes, Ojou.”

“…Change my clothes? You brought me to a hotel just to change my clothes?”

“I brought you to a hotel just for you to change your clothes.”

“And nothing else?”

“What else would there be?”

“…………….”

I couldn’t help but collapse to my knees.

The nervousness, the excitement, all of it instantly crumbled to dust.

☆

“Changing clothes… just for that…… Does that mean I’m a pervert who gets excited about changing clothes…?”

The light has vanished from Ojou’s eyes, and she has collapsed to her knees.

She must be tired from walking all day. And she hasn’t even eaten dessert yet. Once the change of clothes I arranged for arrives, we’ll go to the hotel restaurant right away. At least the food there should be more suitable for Ojou than what’s at the theme park.

“……”

My gaze falls on Ojou’s clothes in the bag.

What flashes through my mind is the incident at the theme park restaurant. The image of Ojou standing tall and defiant in front of the drunken college students.

…Honestly, the smell of alcohol was quite strong, even just from grabbing his arm.

The fact that those lowlifes were right in front of Ojou is unforgivable, and the thought that the stench of those scumbags’ alcohol might have clung to Ojou’s beautiful hair and clothes makes my blood boil. I never want her to wear these clothes again.

“……This is a little too overprotective, isn’t it?”

I know that myself. That this is, without a doubt, being overprotective. …No. Or is it different? Could it be… possessiveness?

“How pathetic……”

By what right am I feeling so possessive?

Ojou is the master I am meant to serve, and I am nothing more than a mere servant.

Why am I arbitrarily feeling possessive of her? It’s disrespectful to Ojou as well.

“……”

I can’t help but wonder.

Is it okay to continue like this?

If I’m this overprotective, won’t I just get in Ojou’s way?

I might be hindering Ojou’s growth and experiences. The reason she didn’t have many friends until Otoha-san appeared might be because I was always by her side. I was so focused on supporting my master that I may not have been looking at the bigger picture.

“…I might need to think about this a little.”

Honestly, I never thought I was this possessive. And I never thought I’d feel possessive towards Ojou. Lately, I’ve been discovering sides of myself I never knew existed, but is any of it really for Ojou’s sake…?

“I guess I still have a long way to go.”

☆

By the time the arranged clothes arrived and we came out of the hotel with Ojou, the sun was already setting. Otoha-san, who had returned from her errand, joined us, and we were finally able to move as the promised trio, but unfortunately, there was almost no time left to enjoy the park.

“……”

“……”

Above all, both Ojou and Otoha-san were completely dejected.

Even when I called out to them, they were absent-minded and their reactions were minimal.

““Haaah……””

I can tell that something depressing happened, but for some reason, the two of them are perfectly in sync. Even their sighs are in unison.

“U-Um… Did something happen, you two?”

““If anything, nothing happened…””

“Th-The parade is about to start. There are going to be fireworks, too.”

““Oh, great…””

N-No good…! Their eyes are both completely dead…!

No matter what I say, their reactions are faint. I guess I have no choice but to wait and see.

The parade and fireworks are this theme park’s main event.

I just hope it cheers them up, even just a little…

☆

A lively parade of characters decorated with LED lights passes by on the main street. Above, colorful fireworks are launched, and vibrant flowers bloom in the night sky.

…Yeah. I’m surprised at how my spirits aren’t lifting in the slightest.

“……”

Next to me, Otoha is also staring blankly at the night sky, her reaction just as faint.

No, she was always a girl who didn’t show her emotions clearly, but now she looks truly emotionless. I mean, her eyes are dead.

“…Hoshine. Your eyes are dead.”

“Yours too…”

“…I’m aware.”

“I’m sure you are…”

Ah, how beautiful… the fireworks and the parade. If I were watching this with everything having gone well, I’m sure it would have been breathtaking, but… for the current me and Otoha, that brilliance is just too cruel…

“I guess we’ll call it a draw this time…”

“…More like we both lost.”

“I was trying not to say it…”

This date, in my heart, I thought of it as a competition with Otoha. Otoha probably thought the same. But we were wrong from the start.

In a way, this was a competition with Eito…

The moment we weren’t looking at the right opponent, our defeat was set in stone.

““Haaah……””