Who are you Smiling for?

Under Itsuki's leadership, preparations for the cultural festival were proceeding smoothly. This was their second time preparing for a cultural festival, so they were used to the procedures, but more importantly, the boys and girls in the class were all clearly focused and worked together in unison to fulfill their selfish desires.

Amane was busy preparing while also taking care of his daily class schedule, but for once, he felt so content with the work that he didn't feel busy at all.

"Hey, there's a typo on the pamphlet. It hasn't been printed yet, so make it again. It'd be bad if we got the school's address wrong."

"Do you know where the tablecloths are? I heard we bought some, but they're nowhere to be found!"

"Even if the cost is set to be low, the amount will be about this much…"

Amane and the others were also feeling the clamor of their classmates, who were each doing the work they'd been entrusted with, and were also receiving instruction from the waitress in charge of teaching them.

"Fujimiya-kun, umm, smile!"

*…smile*

"It's twitching, it's twitching."

Amane, who could only muster up a fake smile, looked at Kido Ayaka, a girl from the class who was working part-time at a café, in charge of preparing the costumes and training those on customer service. But she gave Amane an awkward expression, seeing the way he smiled.

They had a few conversations before summer vacation, but they hadn't had any particular contact since then, and now that they were interacting like this again, he was having a hard time dealing with her. She was doing her best to teach him the basics of customer service, despite how anti-social Amane seemed to be, but he still couldn't get used to things he wasn't comfortable with.

From Amane's perspective, it wasn't like he couldn't smile, but from Ayaka's point of view, it looked somewhat awkward.

"Hmm. Your usual smile is much better, though. You're giving an awkward smile because you're being overly conscious of it. Relax, relax."

"You say that, but when I think about serving customers, I just can't help it." "Just think of them as potatoes."

"Potatoes, huh?"

"It looks like you'd prefer eggs, Amane-kun." Mahiru, who was similarly receiving instructions for how to serve customers, chuckled and teased him.

Given that she had cooked for him for nearly a year, Mahiru was well aware of his fondness for eggs. Though, it wasn't like he was just going to start smiling at eggs, so nothing changed in the end.

That's not the issue here, he thought, but Mahiru seemed to be having fun, so he decided to stay quiet and simply scratched his cheek.

"Well, I've heard some say it looks better when you're naturally smiling than when you're forcing one, so let's try and find a way for you to relax."

"And who said it's better when I act natural?"

"The girls from our class? You know, the smile you give when you're with Shiina-san."

"Can't say I enjoy being watched." "You weren't flexing?"

"Not a chance."

He glared at Itsuki, who had assumed it was on purpose, but the latter was exasperated and said, "You're not aware of this, are you?" so Amane just replied, "Shut up."

Mahiru's cheeks were slightly flushed as she smiled modestly. Her embarrassed eyes were aimed at him, and her cheeks were even more flushed than before. Likely, Mahiru was aware of it herself. Starting with Ayaka, the other girls nodded in agreement.

"Though I'm sure you're most relaxed when you're with Shiina-san, Fujimiya-kun."

"What do you mean…?"

"Your atmosphere. You know, the kind of vibe that you give off when you're with her."

"Vibe?"

"Yep, your vibe. I'm stunned by it sometimes."

He wasn't too sure what she was saying, but Mahiru had an idea of what she meant and was trying her best to hide her embarrassment. It was just that her eyes seemed to waver slightly in the midst of that shame, and Ayaka, who seemed to have noticed the change, smiled and waved her hand dismissively.

"Shiina-san, Don't worry, don't worry. I have a boyfriend. I'm not interested in getting another."

"I-I wasn't worried about that."

"You don't have to hide it. I'd be worried if my boyfriend got attention, too. But I won't be interested in someone unless they've got muscle. Fujimiya-kun's too thin, so he's out of the question!"

"I feel like I've just been called a bean sprout."

He thought he'd gained more muscle recently, but his reputation for being too thin made him a little depressed. Itsuki had praised him for having more muscles than before, but it could have been him having low standards for praise.

"A-Amane-kun isn't a bean sprout. I do think he is fair-skinned, but… umm… w-when he strips, he has… a lot of muscle."

"Eh? He's amazing when he strips?"

"Don't say it like that, Mahiru! You don't want people to get the wrong idea!" "…But you're very firm, it's true."

"Fine, then. You'll be so embarrassed later, though, Mahiru."

Mahiru had just confirmed in front of others that she'd had chances to touch his bare skin at least once before, and Amane wished she had realized her little slip-up.

The reality was that they were clinging to each other in swimsuits, so it wasn't like anything risqué happened, but depending on who heard her, it wouldn't be strange for them to think they'd already gone further. Despite this, Mahiru had mentioned that Amane was very gentlemanly, so they probably realized that he hadn't done anything.

Mahiru calmed down after he pointed it out, and Amane was relieved. He looked around and many warm stares were directed at them, so he clicked his tongue; mostly at Itsuki.

"Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?" "Your grin pisses me off."

"Hey, you can't just blame me for everything. Come on, let's stop fooling around and get practicing."

Putting his affairs aside, he clicked his tongue at the provocative Itsuki once more, and when he looked at Ayaka with a sullen expression, she started laughing.

"Well, I understand how passionate you two are, no problems there. It'll be fine as long as you greet the customers with a smile. Your mannerisms are elegant to begin with, so I think there'll be no problem if I show you around like I taught you."

"Never thought my mannerisms were elegant, though."

He doesn't think he acted rough, but he wouldn't go so far as to call them elegant, so he could only tilt his head in confusion when she said it in such a way, but Mahiru understood and smiled at him.

"Amane-kun, it must be because you grew up watching your parents. Those two are very refined."

"I'm not sure if Mom acts elegantly or not, but her movements aren't dull." "So you went out with Fujimiya-kun and his whole family, Shiina-san."

"K-Kido-san…" "Sorry, sorry."

Amane turned to her with a sour look on his face as Ayaka giggled at him, but that only amused her more, and in the end, neither Amane or Mahiru could escape the heartwarming smiles of their classmates.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

Just two weeks before the cultural festival was planned to be held, they received word that their ordered outfits had arrived.

"Okay, these are the costumes that arrived. I'll hand them out to everyone, so wait a minute! I'll give you instructions on how to properly wear them, so hold tight~"

Ayaka smiled as she handed each of them their outfits, and she came over to Amane to hand his outfit to him while smiling cheerfully, saying, "Here you go."

"Ah, Fujimiya-kun, there's a different classroom for you to go change in. Head there later."

"Why am I alone?"

"Hmm. Special measures?" "What do you mean by that?"

"It's just a small request from Shiina-san, and I want to grant it to her.

Shiina-san said she wanted to show it to you first, Fujimiya-kun, so..."

"All the other girls agreed too, of course." Amane felt a little guilty at the lengths they went to grant her request, even if there wasn't much need for them to be concerned about it. At the same time, though, Amane was thrilled that Mahiru had gone to such lengths to make sure he was the first to see her.

Amane smiled, "Thank you," as he thanked the girls, starting with Ayaka, who gladly accepted Mahiru's wish.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

And so, at a special time given to him, Amane waited in front of the door to the classroom where Mahiru seemed to be changing.

The curtains were closed, of course. From what he heard, the original plan was to have everyone head to the changing room, but they borrowed a spare classroom to put their costumes on and to practice serving customer meals afterward. Additionally, not only would they stand out in their maid dresses and fluffy skirts if they went into the hallway, but as it was overflowing with various equipment and paint, they could easily tear or stain their clothes, which would be a big problem.

I'm kinda nervous.

It was somewhat awkward and nerve-wracking to think that a girl was changing on the other side of the wall. She was his girlfriend, and it was true that he had seen her in an underwear-like appearance once before, but that aside, he still couldn't calm down.

As he leaned back against the door and waited in silence, he heard a somewhat stiff voice from the classroom saying, "You can come in now."

"Maybe Mahiru's nervous in her own way, too," he murmured with a small smile and followed her urging into the classroom; only to find Mahiru standing a short distance away from the door.

Closing the door behind him, he looked at Mahiru, who was standing directly in front of him. The maid dress that Mahiru was wearing was the type with a long skirt that reached down to her ankles, and also had long sleeves. It was a classical type of maid dress that also incorporated a moderately modernized style in some parts, and it was a combination of long sleeves, a long navy blue one-piece dress, and an apron that puffed up around her upper arms, looking as though there was air inside.

Kido once mentioned that when it came to wearing miniskirts, they would often wear another skirt underneath to prevent it from swaying upward; but as Mahiru was wearing a long skirt, she didn't do so, and the dress formed a lovely and neat silhouette of her figure.

Though she wore frills on her apron as a decoration, there was almost no skin exposed, giving her a prim and pure air. He could see that her ankles were covered in black tights through the hem of her long skirt. The black tights themselves must have been from Mahiru's personal belongings. At school, she wore them all year round so she could hide her skin, and that was exactly what she was doing here.

"What do you think?"

Mahiru tilted her head freely, and her flowing hair swayed about smoothly as she did so.

Mahiru's tasks were to both serve the customers and carry their food to their table, so she had tied her long flaxen hair into dumplings so they wouldn't cause any problems while she was working.

Her styled hair was supported by a maid-themed chignon cap for good measure.

"…You look a lot better in it than I imagined."

"Is that so? I'm glad. This is my first time wearing a costume like this…" Amane praised her without a hint of flattery, and she replied bashfully.

Mahiru's innate beauty was a major reason that it suited her, but more than that, Mahiru's atmosphere matched the maid dress much more than he was expecting. She had always been the type to take care of others, and that nature of hers complimented the look even further.

As Mahiru smiled at him softly, Amane couldn't help but believe it would be ideal if she wasn't sent out to serve customers.

"Amane-kun?"

"Huh…? Oh, sorry. It looks so great on you that I didn't want to show it off to anyone else. It's way too effective."

"Hehe, what is it effective on?" "My sanity?"

"I'll give you headpats later, so please bear with it for now. I don't want anyone else to see you in your butler uniform either…"

"They won't be coming for me, so don't worry." "It's not okay!"

For some reason, Mahiru got rather heated, so he obediently apologized, "Sorry," and Mahiru seemed to think she went too far, "I should be the one apologizing," and softly gave an apology of her own.

"…You've become easier to get along with since you changed your image, and, um, I've heard other girls talking about how good-looking you are now."

"First time I've heard anything about that, though."

"Of course, they won't tell the person himself. It's something girls will only talk about among each other… I'm here with you, so they can't be so open about it."

A slight shiver ran down his spine, wondering just what girls talked about when they gathered, but from the way Mahiru talked, it seemed that he was generally favored positively. Despite that, he didn't dare think they fancied him. At best, they were simply giving them warm stares. In the first place, it was hard to accept a woman who would try to seduce a man who was already dating someone; or rather, it warranted a definite refusal. There were no female students like that from what he saw, though, so Mahiru's words didn't strike him as reality.

Mahiru pursed her lips cutely, apparently sensing from her expression that Amane wasn't taking all her words at face value.

"Did you know that when a group of girls get together, they can talk very bluntly? They chat about which boy has a relationship with which girl, their personalities, and experience. Honestly, they're all things they don't want men to hear about."

"Just what is my girlfriend involved with?"

"That's how girls talk. They tend to be very frank, without much sugar-coating.

…I've heard them say you're a wonderful person, Amane-kun, so I can't help but feel uneasy."

Mahiru began to fidget and had a hard time saying it. To Amane, she resembled the image of a lovely and adorable maid, and he felt a little sadistic at the thought, but also guilty nonetheless.

"By the way, what did they say about me?"

"Umm, that you're kind, or very gentlemanly… And that when you love someone, you won't pay attention to anybody else."

"Well, that might be true. I only ever look at you, Mahiru."

It was only natural to only look at your lover. It would be rude and dishonest to be interested in someone of the opposite sex when you're already dating someone else.

Amane hadn't started dating Mahiru with such half-hearted feelings. He had heard that the personalities of those in the Fujimiya family were often of the affectionate sort, and they would only ever be interested in one person; and as it turned out, Amane had no intention of looking at anyone but Mahiru, either.

"It's the same for you, isn't it, Mahiru? Would you ever steal glances at any other boys?"

"That's impossible!"

"Then, there's nothing for either of us to worry about. You're the only one for me, Mahiru, and the only girl I've ever fancied. But putting that aside, I still don't want others to look at you the same way, and that's why I was against letting other boys see you wearing this outfit."

Mahiru frowned a little as Amane returned to the original topic. She then pressed her forehead against his upper arm several times, as if headbutting him.

"…Let's both put up with that." "Yeah, let's."

"But still—I want to monopolize you, Amane-kun."

"Same for me," Amane gently patted Mahiru on the back as she pressed her forehead against him, and she looked up and stared at him.

"…I want to see you in your butler uniform as soon as possible, Amane-kun." "The boys will be renting a room for the unveiling next, so please wait just a bit."

This time, thanks to the kindness of Itsuki, Chitose, and Ayaka, Amane was allowed to be the first to see Mahiru in her dress, but the original plan was a simultaneous unveiling.

It was time for the boys to put on the clothes they had borrowed as well. "…It's nothing special, okay?"

"That's not true. I'm looking forward to it."

Mahiru wasn't flattering him; she really felt that way, and it was clear in the way she smiled at him. Amane felt an indescribably ticklish feeling and scratched his cheek, "Don't get your hopes up, just wait," and replied so.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"Shiina-san… how did she look?"

"What do you mean…? It looked great on her."

It was decided that the boys on customer service were to get changed as well, but the boys themselves seemed more interested in Amane, who was the first to see Mahiru in her maid outfit. When asked how she looked, all he could say was that it looked good on her. His classmates were clearly disappointed by Amane's indifferent impressions, and he gave them exasperated looks.

"There's gotta be more to it than that, man? What didya think?" "What else can I say, really?" Amane tried to pick his words carefully.

"…There's no way it wouldn't look amazing on her."

"True that. It is Shiina-san we're talkin' about, after all."

"I so wanna be served by her, man," another classmate chimed in. "I wish she'd call me master and give me a big smile…"

"I'll never let Mahiru serve you guys, though. I can say that for sure."

"How cruel…! You're so harsh… At least let us dream, dude."

"That dream of yours will never come true, I'll shatter it for your own sake." "Way to be harsh."

Through the course of the preparation period, Amane had opened up to his classmates enough to banter with them. Some of them were truly wallowing in despair, though. He started talking to the other boys and was able to joke around with them; he would get the occasional, "I'm so jealous," and a pat on the back, and he would respond in the same manner. Fundamentally, Amane was reluctant to form new relationships with them because his circle of friends was small, but his classmates were all good-natured students deep down, so he naturally made friends with them as he worked alongside them for the festival.

As they conversed lightly, he joked and purposefully responded with blunt words as he changed into the clothes prepared for him. The boys were wearing simple navy-blue jackets, slacks, and dark-gray waistcoats that were close to being pure black. It was a slim design that matched each of their physiques, giving them a refined atmosphere. As an added bonus, the white gloves they wore made them look the part. Of course, they borrowed both the maid and butler outfits from the same place, so they were very in line with the girls' maid outfits. They gave off the same atmosphere and were matched, and when looked at together, they would appear more like genuine servicepeople.

At first glance, Amane thought it would be hard to move around in, but once he actually put it on, the fabric was more elastic than he initially expected, and he had no problem with the outfit's mobility.

"It's amazing, somehow Itsuki looks flirtatious even as a butler. Exactly the kind you often see in manga."

"Huh? What's with the roasts?"

Itsuki seemed to have finished changing as well, and the other boys were quick to start teasing him.

Taking a quick look, Amane saw that he was as cheerful as the other boys had said, but it was more like he had a somewhat frivolous air about him.

"Yeah, you definitely look frivolous."

"You're so mean, Amane! The way that you… Damn, you've got a real slick style right there, the one you show to Shiina-san."

"Of course. Why're you saying something so obvious?"

Naturally, if Amane was going to be seen by Mahiru, he would make sure to dress up properly, and tidily. With a comb, he styled part of his hair back and it made him look very polished and fresh. He gave off a more distinct impression than usual. Even so, he had no intention of styling it all to the back, similar to what's commonly depicted in illustrations, but even Amane could do this much without hesitation.

"He ain't pulling any punches… This guy's serious…"

"Look at you all motivated now. And to think you weren't at all enthusiastic before."

"For some reason, Mahiru's expectations of me are sky-high right now," Amane explained. "So of course, it's about time I pull all the stops."

"Y-You're so carefree about it all…"

"Nah, just think about it. I'm sure you guys would try your best if your girlfriend got her hopes up, too."

"Stop right there, Fujimiya. Show us some mercy, dude. The rest of us are single."

"Huh…? My bad, then…" Amane apologized, albeit a little confused. "Don't apologize for it. Now I just feel miserable…"

Amane embraced the casual side jabs from his classmates, staying silent. He then looked over and shrugged at Itsuki, who was still dejectedly grinning at being labeled frivolous.

"I bet Chitose'll be all giddy when she sees your outfit, Itsuki."

"No doubt. Though it's also the perfect chance for her to go, Ikkun's so frivolous, and laugh at me."

"Can't deny that."

Amane could imagine Chitose saying that without any hostility, and chuckled to himself silently. This time, it was Itsuki's time to jab at Amane's sides, so he returned the favor with a pat on the back to cheer him up.

"Still, it looks like they're going to be popular next to Kadowaki."

"Nah. Apparently, 'There's a demand for the prince type, the frivolous type, the cool type, and the shota,' or so I heard from the girls."

"I really pity Kokonoe. He always gets labeled as the shota. Also, the frivolous archetype is definitely taken by you."

Makoto was forcibly sent out because of his appearance. In that regard, he was unique. He was shorter compared to the other boys, but he himself was rather dissatisfied when told he was the cute type, but this time around he was much more worked up about it. Glancing at Makoto, Amane immediately noticed his malcontent face. For better or worse, he was delicate and had a babyface; so he could probably satisfy people with certain needs.

Incidentally, Kazuya, who was on good terms with him, was working in the back. The reason was that he was relatively rough and had a firmer physique in comparison to the other boys. It was decided that it would be better to have him do manual labor than be at the front serving customers.

"…Kazuya, you traitor… Damn you…"

Amane pretended he hadn't just heard a curse coming from a certain babyface.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"Oh, Ikkun, you look great in it! Very frivolous, though!"

It was time for the people in charge of customer service to gather in the classroom and unveil their outfits, but sure enough, Chitose described it as frivolous with a bright smile. Even Itsuki himself seemed to be somewhat aware of it, but he looked off into the distance, saying, "So that's how it is…" But since it was how he usually acted, Amane didn't deny it.

Incidentally, Chitose was going to serve the customers, so she too was wearing a maid uniform. There must have been two different designs, because her uniform differed from Mahiru's traditional-styled maid outfit, her skirt was knee-length and was designed to be fashionable and emphasize cuteness. There were fills peeking out from her hem, and her slender legs were covered in white knee socks. Combined with her short stature and frilly apron, she gave off the impression of a modern-style maid.

"Anyway, what do you think? Do I look good in it?" "Of course. You look great in anything, Chi."

"You're the one who laughed when I borrowed Mahirun's clothes and showed them to you the other day."

"Well, that's because the size was…" "Ikkun."

"I'm sorry."

Even the (allegedly) frivolous Itsuki became docile when it came to Chitose. It was Itsuki's fault for triggering her complex, and Amane had no intention of backing him up. Well, part of it was that he could imagine Chitose getting on his case if he did intervene.

In addition to Chitose, he could see the other girls in charge of serving customers wearing maid uniforms, and he couldn't help but be impressed by how amazing things had gotten for their own event. If it was a café that was welcome to such gorgeous employees as theirs, it was bound to become a hot topic.

Ayaka, who was in charge of the unveiling, was wearing the same type of maid uniform as Mahiru, and she walked over to Amane with a smile.

"Ah, Fujimiya-kun, you're looking sharp with that style. You're really fired up."

"Mahiru had high hopes for me, that's why."

"Hehe, you're a good boyfriend, aren't you? Look, Shiina-san, he's wearing a butler outfit."

"Come on, come on." Ayaka beckoned her over with a cheerful smile, and for some reason, Mahiru didn't approach him. Amane thought she didn't want to at first, but as she was blushing and fidgeting, that didn't seem to be the case.

Looking at Mahiru's behavior, Ayaka smiled and told him, "She was looking forward to it, but now she's fidgeting. It probably turned out better than she imagined." She then went back over to Mahiru.

"Alrighty, Shiina-san. It'd be a waste if you didn't see him up close. Besides, you two are both on the same shift, so you need to get used to it while you can!"

According to the arrangements made by his classmates—mainly Itsuki—his shift was set at the same time as Mahiru's. He was worried about her potentially being sexually harassed, and he wanted the two of them to be able to stroll around the school together when their shift ended.

Ayaka gave Mahiru a push, and Mahiru approached him, albeit hesitantly. "It doesn't look good on me?"

"Th-That's not true! It's so wonderful, it's like you're not the usual Amane-kun…"

"That much? Just how do I look to you?" "…You're sexier than usual."

"If anything, I'm wearing more than usual. I don't usually wear so much fabric, and definitely not when we're home."

"There are times when it's better to wear more!"

Amane was bewildered by the emphasis of her words and her insistence, but for some reason, the other girls nodded with understanding expressions, it wasn't an atmosphere where he could deny her assessment.

As usual, Mahiru was blushing and fidgeting with upturned eyes, and the boys were dropping like flies in the face of her cuteness, so he had to stop them soon.

"…Mahiru, don't let anyone see your face like that. There will be casualties." "You too, Amane-kun."

"Yeah, yeah."

"S-so nonchalant…"

Mahiru seemed dissatisfied, but when it came to their expressions, there was a major difference in power between Mahiru's and Amane's. It was impossible for Amane to charm both girls and boys alike in the way Mahiru would.

In that regard, there was nothing to worry about, and he ignored her sentiments.

However, Mahiru continued to nudge at Amane's upper arm a little, as if she wasn't convinced.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"Welcome."

"Ugh…"

After the unveiling, they practiced their customer service, but it couldn't really be called practice.

Their eyes were burning from the bright light. The light, of course, was Mahiru's professional smile. It left the boys unable to move—they were rendered useless. All the boys who had volunteered to be her customers were shattered before her smile. As expected, her angelic smile was terrifying. Those who had withstood the first attack finally gave in after they were shown to their seats and were given a smile. Seeing this, Amane's cheeks began to twitch, thinking that it might take a turn for the worse if she didn't hold back.

"The Angel is terrifying… Amane, you need to stop Shiina-san. Fast." "Mahiru's smile isn't at full strength just yet."

"No way! You're telling me this isn't her full power…?" "Not the time to be amused, man. I ain't kidding around."

From Amane's perspective, who was watching from the sidelines, Mahiru's smile was still artificial. She smiled amiably. Of course, it was a professional smile, an elegant smile tailor-made for customer service. He felt like the boys wouldn't be able to continue functioning seriously if Mahiru smiled even more sincerely.

Even the girls were captivated by the current situation, so the effect of the Angel's smile was clear to all onlookers.

"…This isn't customer service practice."

Even Ayaka, who had been watching the situation, smiled bitterly.

Perhaps because he was used to being by her side all the time, he underestimated her destructive power, but Mahiru always had a beauty and atmosphere that captivated onlookers. He should have expected this to happen.

"I don't think there'll be any problems with the customer service itself, but… it'd be a problem if the customers started overheating."

"Sorry, Kido."

"Well, it's not like you or Shiina-san did anything wrong, Fujimiya-kun…"

As Ayaka said that and looked off into the distance, he felt extremely sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do about it, either.

"…Maybe I should prepare a bunch of cold drinks." "Yeah… Let's cool things down."

The Mahiru effect seemed to engulf the entire classroom in what felt like a sweltering heat, so the two of them decided to keep tabs on the air conditioning as well.

"Still, it'd be a problem if she doesn't hold back," Amane mused. "Yeah, think of the poor victims…," Ayaka said.

"Well, that's part of it, but… having to watch this is frustrating for me."

Ayaka gave him a puzzled look when he spilled the beans and told her how he honestly felt.

"It's not fun watching her smile at other boys, even if it's just in a friendly way.

Call me narrow-minded, but that's all there is to it."

Logically speaking, he was convinced of the reason. She was only fulfilling her responsibilities for the work she'd been entrusted with, and the smile Mahiru wore was one she showed to the majority. It wasn't the pure, innocent smile that she would only show Amane, or the faint, alluring smile of a little devil. Even so, he was aware that the reason he felt something swirling deep in his chest was because of his jealousy.

How pathetic. Amane shrugged his shoulders in self-deprecation, and Ayaka gave him a blank look with no implication whatsoever.

"You know, you really dote on Shiina-san, don't you?" "…Could you not say things like that so directly?"

"Ehehe. I can tell from looking at her that she's madly in love with you, but you don't lose to her in that sense either… I thought you weren't the type to get too attached to things, Fujimiya-kun, but when it comes to Shiina-san, you completely change."

"Think about how I feel when you're telling me all this."

"I mean, when I look at you, I can tell she's very important to you and that you cherish her, don't you? Fujimiya-kun, you can be a little scary when you're emotionless, but when you're with Shiina-san, you smile so happily that it's easy to tell she's someone special to you."

She wasn't talking as if she was teasing him, but rather, she said it solemnly, so Amane couldn't reject her words. Ayaka greeted him with a genuinely cheerful smile as his gaze darted around.

"Well, that's why seeing you jealous made me smile when I realized that you're a boy too, and that you love Shiina-san. Anyway, I just thought it was nice. …I'm not in love with you, so don't worry, okay?"

"What's with that ending?"

"No, I mean. Shiina-san's staring right at me."

"You're looking at us, aren't you?" Her carefree voice made him realize that Mahiru was looking their way.

What she was giving him wasn't a doubtful gaze, but one of slight dissatisfaction. He didn't think she suspected him of being unfaithful. Just as Amane had mixed feelings about the smile Mahiru directed at others, Mahiru was unamused that Amane was acting so friendly with other girls around her.

On the other hand, Mahiru seemed to like Ayaka as a person, so her gaze was only a little uneasy.

"You're so loved, Amane." Itsuki appeared out of nowhere and seemed to be listening to their conversation.

"She loves you back a great deal, Fujimiya-kun," as if following his lead, Ayaka followed suit with a cheerful smile, and Amane frowned for a moment before turning toward Mahiru with a relaxed smile.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

And so, just as the girls finished their customer service training, it was the boys' turn. "I wanna be Kadowaki-kun's customer!"

"Eh?! That's not fair!" Said another classmate.

"Hold it right there! Don't make that decision on your own! If that's the case, then me too!"

"Since when was this based on nominations?"

The girls had volunteered to be Yuuta's practice partner first, and Amane admired them from a distance, thinking how amazing the girls were. Yuuta currently being free was probably one of the reasons for his enthusiastic appeal.

As far as he was concerned, Amane, who treated him as a friend, knew that Yuuta was a good-natured young man, and that he was attractive both as a friend and as a man, but even so, seeing how popular he was made him feel both admiration and slight pity. He had been watching from the sidelines, wondering if there was any time to relax.

The person in question, Yuuta, had a troubled, tired look in his eyes as he smiled.

"What a sight," Ayaka commented.

Ayaka didn't join the circle. She just gazed at it at her leisure. It was like she was watching some kind of event from afar, as if it was all someone else's problem. She looked at Yuuta with a hint of pity in her eyes, more like the look Amane gave rather than an amused one.

"Kido, you… have a boyfriend, don't you?" Amane asked. Remembering how she'd told Mahiru not to get the wrong idea because she had a boyfriend the last time they talked, Amane could see why she wasn't interested in Yuuta.

"Yeah, I do." Ayaka confirmed. "We're in different classes, though. And we're childhood friends. He's actually got really big muscles."

"That's one hell of an introduction."

"Well, he is my ideal. I think he's wonderful, so I ought to praise him any chance I get." Ayaka insisted. "…Ah, of course I like his muscles, but not only his muscles. You get me? He's clumsy, but kind and calm." Ayaka smiled as she said so. "If the opportunity presents itself, Fujimiya-kun, I'll introduce you," so he nodded in response.

Without realizing, Amane's image of Ayaka's boyfriend was that of a macho. Ayaka smiled and slapped her palms hard to calm the fight for the role of customer that was becoming a light commotion that drew attention.

"Listen up! Kadowaki-kun's practice partners are in order. I'll make a list for you, so talk it out amongst yourself and decide on the order. You'll have to practice a few times anyway, so just take turns. This is fair, isn't it? Actually, Akazawa-kun, you're in charge, so it's time for you to show off your skills as a man."

"Well, this isn't something a guy should be doing." Itsuki replied. "I thought you might be able to handle it better."

"Eh? Don't leave it to Kadowaki-kun! And Chi-chan, don't just stand by and watch!" said Ayaka.

"What do you mean, Eh?"

"That's against the point. For now, let's decide on the order of the applicants and report it to them later. Come on, the other boys are free, so let's practice!"

As Amane smiled wryly at Ayaka, who was much more reliable than Itsuki, who was supposed to be in charge at times like this, Mahiru quietly approached him and stood next to him.

"It seems I'm your first customer, Amane-kun."

"So it seems." Amane replied. "And why's everyone nominating themselves for Kadowaki?"

"Perhaps everyone thinks he's doing a wonderful job?"

"Well, Kadowaki's refreshing as a butler. That's one of his good traits, I'd say."

Yuuta, who had a troubled smile, was being swarmed by girls with sparkling eyes, and was also wearing a butler uniform. He was a calm, gentle, and cheerful, orthodox boy with a refreshing aura around him. He was the very picture of a prince, which he hated being called. His clothes suited him very well. It didn't seem like they wouldn't suit him unless they're something out of the ordinary.

Yuuta himself wasn't doing it on purpose, but he conducted himself so handsomely that he seemed to sparkle at times. As far as Amane was concerned, he'd find it troubling if he was going to be compared to Yuuta later on.

"It does suit Kadowaki-san…," Mahiru clarified. "But that isn't what I meant." "If you're talking about preferences, it'd be a problem if you didn't choose me

Mahiru… I'm actually the one you want, right?"

"Naturally," she said immediately, which made Amane feel a little embarrassed. But then she smoothly followed it up with, "You're the best, Amane-kun," so he was at a loss for words.

…It's proof that she likes me.

It was embarrassing, but at the same time, it made him happy, so it was probably inevitable that his face would loosen up a little. Mahiru covered her mouth with her white-gloved hand to cover up her embarrassment, but then smiled very lady-like, as if she could see through everything.

And so, around the time the uproar over Yuuta's practice partner had subsided, Amane and the others had started practicing customer service as well. It went without saying that Amane's practice partner was Mahiru.

"Welcome. Allow me to guide you to your seat."

He tried to smile naturally at Mahiru as she entered the classroom, as a customer, but for some reason, she froze in her tracks. She didn't smile the same way as she did at home, instead she showed one meant for strangers, but Mahiru's gaze fluttered around for some reason.

"Dear customer, is something the matter?" "N-No, it's nothing."

Mahiru shook her head vigorously, and her long braided hair swayed like a whip. Amane realized that she maintained an appropriate distance from him, her waiter, so as to not bump into him. If she kept her usual distance, it was likely to happen.

Relieved that he had enough time to think about such things, he guided Mahiru to her seat. He made sure to check the number of customers beforehand at the reception located at the entrance to the classroom to ensure that there were seats available.

"Please take a seat and wait for a moment."

Mahiru twitched as she pulled her seat back and smiled at him. It was probably out of embarrassment and nervousness, but the embarrassment was that he was sending her a customer service smile prepared by Ayaka. He didn't know why Mahiru was embarrassed, and if anything, Amane was the one who was embarrassed.

Since it was practice, for the time being, he decided to ignore Mahiru's reaction, and told her what he recommended on the menu. Then he wrote down her order on the note, and headed for the simplistic kitchen, which was hidden by curtains in the room.

✧ ₊ ✦ ₊ ✧

"…This is like an ambush."

"Not sure what you mean."

After they took their orders, customer service practice continued on, and after watching them until they left the store, it was finally over.

When he finished practicing with Mahiru and headed over to his instructor, Ayaka, she nodded solemnly. Incidentally, Mahiru seemed restless the whole time, so he was worried that he might have made a mistake somewhere.

"Oh, there were no problems with your responses and the way you moved." "What about Mahiru? Why's she acting like that?"

"Isn't that because you were cool? You looked really good, Fujimiya-kun. Want to work part-time at our café? The manager would be happy."

"I'll think about it when I need money personally."

Ayaka smiled regretfully as Amane implied he had no intention of doing so at the moment, and then glanced at Mahiru, who was fanning herself with Chitose's file.

"Looks like Shiina-san's going to have a rough time at the cultural festival, too~"

"Well, no doubt there would be a lot of customers coming for her." "That's not what I meant."

"What do you mean?"

"Her boyfriend might attract a lot of attention, you know? I think you'd be popular if you always smiled that way."

She poked his cheek with the end of her ballpoint pen, and he brushed it away with his fingers.

"Personally, I don't think I'm popular or anything."

"Fujimiya-kun, did you know? It's true that people judge people by their appearance, but their appearance isn't just about their facial structure… There's cleanliness, and then their atmosphere, their movements, and their expressions. It might be rude of me to say, but I think there are people better than you when it comes to their face. But I don't think that's enough to decide who is favorable."

"Well, I get what you're trying to say, and I think so too."

When Amane first became involved with Mahiru, he didn't have much affection for her. He recognized that she was a beautiful girl, but he didn't harbor any feelings for her. Part of it was that he wasn't particularly interested in the opposite sex at that time, though.

"At least agree that you could be popular. Your smile is wonderful." "No, if I agree to that, It'll make me arrogant."

"Ahaha. But it's true that you should smile more. You're no match for my boyfriend, though!"

"You just casually dropped that on me after all that?"

"If you say that much, I vote for you to meet my boyfriend." "Hm… Well, it might be possible."

Even Amane, who had only known her for a short period of time because of her honest, cheerful, and caring nature, was interested in her boyfriend. He wanted to see who she was so in love with. All he knew at the moment was that he was a good person and had a good body.

"Well, that's fine. Anyway, you pass the customer service test. Here's a flower for your good work."

Ayaka pulled a sticker with a flower circle drawn on it out of her apron as proof that he had passed, and handed it to Amane.

Itsuki was watching from the sidelines and had a "Failed" sticker on his forehead. It wasn't so much that it was pasted on more than that it had been given to him by Ayaka, though. As it were, Itsuki smiled way too much, and it earned him a failing mark. He was warned not to smile too flirtatiously.

"Anyway, I'll attend to the other girls now, so why don't you go see Shiina-san?"

"…I'll go do that, then." "And if you start flirting…" "I won't do that."

He appealed to her with his gaze, wondering who would do such a thing in front of so many people, but she brushed it off with her usual cheerful smile.

He was drained of any discontent he had, and he felt an indescribable itchy feeling and scratched his cheek as he made his way over to Mahiru.

"Mahiru."

"Uu, ah, Amane-kun…"

"Oh, here comes the cause of Mahirun's drowsiness."

By drowsy, Chitose must have meant that Mahiru's cheeks appeared feverish.

Her white cheeks were colored even as she was serving customers.

A maid with slightly moist eyes on her red cheeks leaned back in her chair as she looked up at him, which was extremely bad for his heart.

"You know, Amane has the ability of being a Mahirun Killer, so don't bully her too much, okay?"

"What's with that ability…?"

"A special-attack ability that only activates on Mahirun?"

"…I don't think I'm Amane-kun's only target right now," Mahiru muttered to herself, and she smiled awkwardly as Amane sat down next to her, her body quivering.

"Did I really look that good?" "…Yes."

"It's a good thing I'm your boyfriend. …Well, at least understand that I don't intend to look at anyone other than you, Mahiru."

"I-I know that, but… I still feel complicated."

Mahiru was fidgeting uncontrollably and shrinking down, so he patted her head to soothe her, and she blushed even more.

"…Perhaps it's more like an attack that's super effective on Mahirun, or an area of effect annihilation ability. By making Mahirun blush, she can cause catastrophic damage to the surroundings."

"Did you say something?" "No, nothing at all."

He gave Chitose a sharp look when she started saying these weird things, and she looked away, feigning ignorance.