3.2
The evening sky darkened into a deep indigo as night enveloped us.
The sound of crickets and the distant cries of frogs echoed all around. The rustling trees joined the chorus, creating a lively mountain symphony I hadn't noticed before.
At the end of Tsukinoki-senpai's outstretched arm, a sparkler traced a yellow arc into the air. The light shifted from yellow to green before finally turning red, scattering a burst of glowing embers before vanishing into the night.
Tsukinoki-senpai smiled with childlike delight. Her gaze, however, is fixed on Prez Tamaki.
But Prez, oblivious, is busy rummaging through the box of fireworks, choosing his next one. Without a word, senpai delivered a sharp kick to Prez's back.
"At least watch the fireworks once in a while."
"I am watching. I'm just trying to pick the next one we'll do."
"Ugh, whatever, here, look! This one's big, so you need my help! We'll do it together!"
"You can hold it by yourself! Ow, okay, okay, stop kicking me!"
What is with these two? Seriously, just get married already.
I sighed, placing the remaining piece of meat on the grill. This time, I'm determined to carefully tend to it with the dying embers of the coals. Yes, I would nurture it. Its name? Setsuko.
The popping of fireworks echoed nearby. When I looked, I saw Yakishio scattering spinning fireworks, sending Komari screaming and running for her life.
"They have gotten so close, haven't they?"
Yanami crunched on the leftover green peppers, munching away as if they were a casual snack.
Close? Yeah, let's go with that.
"Aren't you going to do some fireworks, Yanami-san?"
"I thought I would make desserts first."
"Oh, for a barbecue, dessert would be..."
"Hehe, exactly, this!"
"Marshma-"
"Offal mix!"
Yanami triumphantly held up a pack of assorted offals with the biggest grin on her face. Of course.
"At my place, we always finish off a barbecue with this!"
As with most things involving the Yanami family, it's best not to question anything. I decided to just go with the flow.
Meanwhile, Setsuko's first side has been grilled to a golden, fragrant perfection. If Setsuko were human, this would be her first day of elementary school. A bright red backpack would suit her so well. Now, it's time to flip her over and let the other side cook through thoroughly.
"Oh, I'm eating this."
Before I could react, Yanami deftly snatched my carefully nurtured Setsuko with her chopsticks.
"Setsuko!?"
All the memories I had imagined with Setsuko, my tender, fleeting dreams, flashed before my eyes like a kaleidoscope.
"Setsuko?"
"Uh, I mean…"
Yanami grinned mischievously, holding out her chopsticks towards me
"If you wanted some, you should have just said so. Here, ahhh~"
"Ehh? Huh!?"
I glanced around nervously to make sure no one was looking before cautiously opening my mouth. The taste of blood and fat spread across my tongue.
"Good, right?"
"Y-Yeah…"
"And how much are you paying for it?"
Eek!? Of course, she would pull something like that. This girl is toying with the innocent heart of a young man.
But still, if I have to put a price on it…
"7-700-"
"Sheesh, I'm just kidding."
Yanami said, laughing heartily.
"Huh? Weren't you about to say something just now? What? 700 yen?"
"I-I didn't say anything..."
Unable to meet her gaze, I looked down. Yanami leaned in with a teasing smirk.
"Oh, so me feeding you is worth that much, huh? Interesting~"
"Well, that's not the point. Girls shouldn't just do that kind of thing so casually. You know, rarity value or, uh, something like that. It's all about maintaining that."
"Yep, yep, you're absolutely right. Oh, want another bite? I'll even give you a discount."
She's completely messing with me. As frustrating as it is, I can't seem to win against her.
I turned my attention to the other club members, who were playing with fireworks.
Yakishio, having run out of spinning fireworks, is now twirling around with sparklers in both hands, shouting with glee. The sparks dance around her like glittering stars, melting into the night. From a distance, she looks so energetic and adorable, absolutely perfect if you don't have to deal with her directly.
As for Komari, she has been entirely focused on burning the ground with her fireworks for a while now. Did the ground murder her family or something?
Everyone has their own way of having fun. Yanami? She's more of a meat person than a fireworks person.
Anyway, Setsuko's story has come to an end. With Yanami still absorbed in her meat, I figured I might as well join in on the fireworks.
Standing up, I picked up a small firework from the pile. It's a cheap one with a gun-shaped handle, but I remember it being my favorite as a kid.
Pretending to shoot, I aimed the sparks at the little rocks on the ground. Feels like I'm pulling a Komari here.
Lighting the firework, I casually glanced over to see what Komari was up to.
Through the whitish flame, I could see her struggling to light a large handheld firework. She tried several times before it finally caught fire and started to sparkle.
But just as quickly, the sparks died out.
Maybe the firework is damp. As I idly pondered that, Komari flipped the firework over and peered into the open end.
"Don't!"
I shouted before I could stop myself.
Bang! A loud crack of gunpowder exploding filled the air.
The flash left me momentarily blinded.
When my vision returned, the first thing I saw was Prez holding the firework tightly in his hand. His face twisted in discomfort as he crushed the remains of the firework and tossed it aside.
"Komari-chan, are you hurt!?"
"I-I'm fine-"
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
Prez carefully checked Komari's hands, then suddenly grabbed her face and peered into her eyes.
"Can you see properly? Nothing hurts, right?"
"Y-Yes… I-I'm fine, r-really…"
"Good... What would you have done if you ended up with a scar on your face?"
Prez's expression finally relaxed with relief.
"M-My face getting a scar... it's not that b-big of a deal... But, um, P-Prez, your hand... it's injured..."
"Don't be stupid. Like that's okay."
He casually slipped the hand he had used to grab the firework into his pocket.
"B…But no one looks at my face anyway..."
"You do, at the very least."
"Huh... Uh, w-well..."
"Every day when you look at yourself in the mirror, you would feel awful seeing it, right? I don't want you to go through that."
"P-Prez…"
"So don't say things like that. Take care of yourself, alright?"
"Prez Tamaki!"
Komari's voice cracked and echoed into the night sky.
I could hear her take a deep breath, even from where I stood. And then, in the very next moment-
"I-I love you!"
Time froze at her sudden confession.
Yanami flipped the meat on the grill. A dragon firework shot up, scorching the tips of Yakishio's hair as she stood there dumbfounded.
Prez, who had been stunned by the situation, finally spoke.
"Komari-chan? Uh, what exactly do you mean by that-"
But Komari took another deep breath and blurted out her feelings in a rush, words spilling out like a flood.
"I-I mean, I love you! I-I've always l-loved you! I-I-I've been in love with you this w-whole time!"
Komari's words poured out like a dam breaking.
"Y-You always look at me, and it makes m-me so happy! I love you, Prez, so please… go out with me!"
Her voice cracked at the end, and as she finished speaking, her head drooped, tears welling up in her eyes as if she had used every ounce of her energy to get the words out.
In front of this scene, Tsukinoki-senpai froze like a statue.
Yanami kept eating. Yakishio slapped at her scorched hair. What's with these people?
"Uh... well, this is kind of sudden, so I'm just… surprised."
Prez Tamaki finally said, breaking the long silence. He started speaking, then stopped, clearly struggling to find the right words.
After a few false starts, he finally managed to get something out, and with it, the moment that had come to a standstill began to move once again.
"Please give me some time to think about it."
Komari gave a slight nod. After glancing at Tsukinoki-senpai with a look of fear, she turned and bolted from the scene.
Wait a second, is this…
The three onlookers exchanged wordless glances. Slowly, Tsukinoki-senpai walked toward Prez Tamaki.
"...Shintaro, what's going on here?"
"What do you mean, Koto…? I mean, it was just so sudden-"
Before he could finish, Tsukinoki-senpai yanked his hand out of his pocket and doused it with water from a plastic bottle.
"My bad, it's just a bit of soot. The burn isn't that bad."
"...Still, saying something like 'let me think about it' is cruel. Don't lead her on."
She skillfully wrapped a handkerchief around his hand.
"Hey, Koto-"
"Being clear and rejecting her outright would be kinder!"
She grabbed his hand tightly and glared up at him.
"Hold on a second, Koto."
"Why!? Why didn't you just reject her right away!?"
Prez Tamaki averted his gaze awkwardly, unable to answer her direct accusation.
"Accepting or rejecting her... that's between me and Komari-chan. It's not for you to decide."
Another silence fell. Between the chirping of insects, the only sound was the occasional sizzle of fat from the grilling meat.
"...You're right. After all, we're just childhood friends."
Tsukinoki-senpai said flatly. Then, after a brief pause, she wound up and slapped him hard across the cheek.
"Just childhood friends, huh!"
She shouted the words again before turning on her heel and running off, leaving Prez Tamaki standing there in stunned silence.
At Yakishio's feet, a wriggling snake firework crawled along the ground.
...Man, I wish I could forget everything and just play with a snake firework right now.
As I tried to escape the situation mentally, Yanami and Yakishio shot me knowing glances, urging me to do something. They were practically signaling, "Go on, say something!" with their exaggerated facial gestures.
I hesitated, but Yanami and Yakishio kept silently mouthing, "Go, go!" to egg me on.
"Uh, Prez…"
His hollow eyes turned to meet mine.
"Nukumizu, huh... Sorry, this was supposed to be a fun training camp."
"N-No, it's fine! We'll handle everything here. Um... you should go after her."
"Which one?"
Do whatever you want. I almost said it reflexively, but I swallowed the words.
"That's something you need to decide for yourself."
...Not much better, but oh well.
"Got it. ...Sorry, I'll leave the rest to you."
With those words, Prez staggered off into the night.
Left behind, the rest of us collectively let out a deep sigh. I mean, who could have expected things to escalate like this out of nowhere?
"Um, excuse me… Could you start wrapping things up? It's about time to put out the fire."
The timid voice came from a staff member of the campsite, who approached us hesitantly. His awkward, uncomfortable expression somehow struck a chord in my heart.
He must have been standing at a distance, unable to intervene while watching the entire mess unfold.
"Ah, sorry, we'll clean up right away."
"Sorry about that. You guys, uh, seem to have a lot going on."
What a kind person. Feeling a little flustered, I hurriedly began gathering the dishes.
"Got it."
Yanami, meanwhile, nodded solemnly, her expression serious.
"I'll finish eating everything immediately."
*
"Wow, so that's how Komari-chan felt? Whoa, bold move!"
At the campsite washing area, Yakishio is holding a soapy sponge as she gazes dreamily up at the starry sky.
"Confessing under the starlit sky to the one who risked himself to save her! So romantic! Girls are in the era of taking the initiative now-"
Before she could finish her dramatic monologue, her enthusiasm took a nosedive. The sponge slipped from her hand and fell onto the plate with a dull thud.
"Yeah. Just waiting doesn't get you anywhere. I really learned that tonight..."
Why do these losing heroines insist on reopening their own wounds? Feeling a bit melancholic myself, I tied up the trash bag in silence.
"But hey, Nukkun, aren't Prez Tamaki and Tsukinoki-senpai dating?"
"Apparently not. I always thought it was only a matter of time, but..."
From what Prez said, does that mean Komari still has a chance? I can't believe it. Tsukinoki-senpai might actually be a losing heroine candidate.
"Phooo, mmphff hmm mmphf mphphfh pmmph mphhm..."
Nom nom nom. With her mouth full of grilled horumon, Yanami nodded knowingly as she spoke.
"Right? Prez and Vice Prez really are a good match."
"Mmph hmm. Mmph mm, mmph mmhh phmhng mm hhmm mphrhph..."
"I know, right? I feel it, too."
Somehow, their conversation made perfect sense. Yakishio apparently has a surprising talent.
Feeling a strange sense of exclusion, I quietly slipped away. When it comes to disappearing unnoticed, I've got some serious skills. Sure enough, the two of them didn't even realize I was gone.
...After walking for a bit, I spotted the dim glow of the campsite bathrooms in the darkness. Might as well take care of business while I'm at it.
The bathrooms here have a peculiar design. Above the row of urinals, the wall opens up at eye level, revealing the swaying silhouettes of trees in the darkness outside.
The silence is unsettling. It's scary being alone here, but the thought of someone else suddenly showing up is just as bad.
"…Nukumizu."
"Whoa!"
A voice from behind startled me so badly that I almost lost control. Luckily, I'm already in the middle of my business, so disaster is averted.
"Hold on, Prez! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Nukumizu, please listen to me..."
"Please wait until I'm done! And stop grabbing my shoulder, seriously!"
I zipped up and washed my hands thoroughly, buying myself a moment to think.
"...Wait, Prez, have you been in the bathroom this whole time?"
"...Well, sort of. I'm not sure what to do."
Shouldn't you be chasing after one of them instead of loitering in the bathroom, unloading your problems onto your kouhai? This is a serious misuse of your time.
"Hey, Nukumizu. Let me ask you for some advice."
You're kidding me. Is this guy seriously asking me for romantic advice? I stared at my senpai in disbelief.
Not to mention, we're talking about a love triangle. This is like asking a worm for tips on how to defeat a goldfish.
"Um, Prez... You're obviously popular. Why are you even asking me for advice?"
"Hold on, you've got it all wrong. I've been single my entire life. I've never even been confessed to, let alone gotten chocolate for Valentine's Day, well, except from Koto."
"There you go, see? You have gotten some."
"Every year, ever since we were kids, she gives me chocolate with 'obligatory' written on it. Like, where does she even find those?"
Two guys. Talking about this in a bathroom. What is this, a Western RPG?
"I'm the one who never gets invited when girls go out somewhere. I mean, if anyone's a romance loser, it's me."
Please lift your head. I'll show you who's a real romance loser. You're looking at him.
"Still, though. The fact that you're hesitating after Komari confessed... doesn't that mean you like her at least a little?"
"Komari-chan is adorable as a kouhai. But, as far as seeing her as a girl, I've never really..."
"Then why did you say you needed time to think about it?"
"When a guy like me, who never gets attention, suddenly gets confessed to by a kouhai like that... Of course, it makes you flutter a little, or at least think about it."
...Is that really how it works? I don't get it. But one thing is clear: there's a fundamental flaw in his logic.
"But you have got Tsukinoki-senpai, right? Isn't she the one you actually like?"
Actually, isn't she the reason you've never gotten chocolates or confessions from anyone else?
Prez's shoulders slumped heavily.
"Well, since I've dragged you into this mess, I guess I might as well tell you."
"Okay…"
"...I confessed to her and got rejected."
"Huh?"
No way. If even that kind of confession doesn't work, what are we supposed to do?
"Wait, wait. That must have been, like, when you were four or five years old, right?"
"No, it was last Christmas."
That's uncomfortably recent. Suddenly, Prez's reaction earlier made a lot more sense. Rejected by the person he liked just a few months ago, and now, as he's trying to move on, an adorable kouhai confesses to him.
No wonder he's conflicted, even if the person confessing is Komari.
"That's why I've been avoiding going to the club room lately. But then Koto, acting like nothing happened, still gets all close to me like usual."
Prez crouched down, hugging his knees. We're in a bathroom, you know?
"And then, for some reason, I have to deal with this kind of thing from the person who rejected me. I just don't get it."
Honestly, considering Tsukinoki-senpai's outburst earlier, it really doesn't add up.
"Either way, you should go back and have a proper talk with her."
I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"...Nukumizu, are you secretly a romance expert or something?"
Where on Earth did he get that idea? I gave him a reckless smile.
"Believe it or not, I'm a love master."
*
After making sure Prez was heading back to the lodge, I returned to the washing area, where Yanami and the others were finishing the cleanup.
And so, everything is resolved- or at least, out of my hands now. All that's left is to trust Prez's ability to handle the situation. Rolling up my sleeves, I prepared to get back to cleaning, but Yanami marched over to me with an annoyed expression.
"Hey, Nukumizu-kun, where have you been!?"
Oh no. She doesn't look happy. Was leaving the cleanup halfway through a mistake?
"Uh, I just…went to the bathroom."
"That doesn't matter!"
Then why did you ask? That's harsh.
"Tsukinoki-senpai grabbed her stuff and started walking in the opposite direction from the lodge!"
Wait, seriously? In this darkness? That's dangerous. As I stared blankly in the direction Yanami was pointing, I realized she was giving me a look, a mix of exasperation and disbelief.
"Hello? Earth to Nukumizu-kun?"
"Huh? What?"
"A girl walking alone at night is dangerous!"
...Does she want me to go after her? Ugh, it's dark and creepy out there.
As I hesitated, stalling for time, Yanami smacked me on the back hard.
"Remon-chan went to check on Komari-chan, and I'm going to look for the president. So hurry up and go after her!"
"Me? But it's already dark and- uh, okay, I'll go."
Yanami's scariness officially outweighed my fear of the dark.
Reluctantly, I grabbed my phone and switched on its flashlight before heading off down the shadowy road after Tsukinoki-senpai.
After walking for a while, I spotted her ahead under the faint glow of a bus stop light. She was holding her luggage, and I called out her name as I ran to catch up.
"Oh, it's you, Nukumizu-kun…"
When she turned and saw it was me, her face immediately showed obvious disappointment. Sorry, I'm not Prez.
"Senpai, where are you going? This isn't the way to the lodge."
"I'm leaving. I can't stay with someone like him anymore."
She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and quickened her pace.
"Wait, hold on. The buses aren't running anymore."
"I'll walk to the station. I'll figure it out from there."
It's quite a distance to walk, especially with the dark road ahead barely lit by any streetlights.
"For now, why don't we sit down and talk a bit? Look, there's a bench at the bus stop."
"Hey, wait, Nukumizu-kun!"
Ignoring her protests, I took her bag without asking.
"I'm in a hurry. Give me my bag back."
"Let's just rest for a bit."
I said, sitting down on the bench and pulling out some drinks I had bought earlier.
"Afternoon Tea or Kocha Kaden? Which one do you want?"
"...I'll take the Afternoon Tea."
She said with a sigh, probably realizing it wasn't worth the effort to argue with me. She sat down next to me, visibly reluctant but resigned. Good, at least I managed to make her stay.
Now, what do I talk about? I should've asked Yanami for advice. I glanced down the dark mountain road, stalling for time.
"Did Shintaro say something to you before you came after me?"
"Uh, well…"
Tsukinoki-senpai frowned as she studied my hesitant response.
"...Or not?"
"Well, um... Prez is looking for you. He went toward the youth center, so it seems like you two might have just missed each other."
I hope that's true. Come on, Prez, don't let me down here.
Tsukinoki-senpai took a sip of her tea and slumped forward, her shoulders drooping with exhaustion.
"Sorry. This was supposed to be a fun camp."
She said the exact same thing as Prez. Guess they really are alike in some ways. As I thought about that, I opened the cap of my own drink.
If it were just between Prez and Tsukinoki-senpai, this would probably resolve quickly. But with Komari involved, the whole thing has turned into a messy love triangle, which is why I'm definitely out of my depth here.
"How's Komari-chan doing?"
"I'm not sure, but Yakishio went to check on her, so I don't think there's anything to worry about."
Senpai fell silent for a while, her expression uneasy. Then, she muttered softly, almost to herself.
"...Do boys really prefer girls who seem like they need protecting?"
Ah, a romance talk. Of course. First Prez, and now her. Why does everyone keep dragging me into this? They must all be feeling seriously cornered.
"Well, I guess that's a pretty common trope."
"So girls like Komari-chan are the ones who get all the attention, huh..."
No, that's definitely not true.
"The real issue isn't general trends but how the two of you feel about each other. From an outsider's perspective, well... you and Prez look, uh, like you're into each other."
"...I thought so too, until just now."
What confidence. But didn't Prez say he was rejected? What on Earth is going on here?
"I really think you two should sit down and have an honest conversation. From what I've heard, there might have been some misunderstandings."
"Misunderstandings, huh? Well, that idiot put Komari-chan's confession on hold. Isn't that basically saying he's seriously considering dating her?"
How far can I go here without making things worse? Picking my words carefully, I ventured further.
"About Prez... I think, um, he might believe you dislike him."
"What!? Why would he think that!?"
I knew it. This whole "rejection" thing has got to be some kind of misunderstanding. I can't risk making things worse by prying too much, but maybe I can nudge her in the right direction.
"About last Christmas... you two were together then, right?"
"He told you about that?"
"Well, yeah, kind of. Did Prez... uh, bring up anything important during that time?"
"Important? I mean, we talked, sure. We were together, so of course we talked."
"I mean more like...his feelings, maybe?"
"Feelings...? Let's see... He did go on and on about his deep love for Dom Dom Burger. While eating a Mos Burger."
...That's what he considers a Christmas date conversation? Even for Prez, working burgers into a confession seems far-fetched.
"Well, aside from that. Were there any romantic moments? Like looking at illuminations or enjoying a nice view together?"
"That guy? There's no way he would take me to a place like that."
"It doesn't have to be about the location. Did he hold your cold hand, share a scarf, or maybe surprise you with a ring hidden in a cake? Or maybe the moment you locked eyes, the illuminations all turned on, and Kazumasa Oda's intro started playing?"
"Isn't that last one kind of old-fashioned?"
Then how did he confess? Was there really a chance for Tsukinoki-senpai to miss it, even under the magic of Christmas?
"Oh, but now that I think about it, he did say something in front of the tree at the station on the way back."
There it is! Prez, you did it! You went for the classic romantic Christmas setup! Forget the Dom Dom talk. This is what counts!
"So, what did he say!?"
"If I remember correctly... after grumbling and complaining about me for a while, he said, 'If you don't find anyone and end up alone, I'll take you off the market, so don't worry about it,' or something like that."
Could that have been the "confession" Prez was talking about? That's so much worse than I imagined.
"I just told him to get lost or something like that, I think."
Senpai looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if she couldn't quite follow the flow of the conversation.
"Nukumizu-kun, what's all this about?"
"...Well, yeah, exactly. That's not really what you would call a confession."
Prez Tamaki… that's what you're like, huh? Doesn't match your appearance at all. Maybe I should lend you a good rom-com recommendation or something.
"…Confession?"
Tsukinoki-senpai muttered in a low voice.
"What!? That was!? That was supposed to be a confession!?"
Her voice rang out into the night.
"Well, I mean, maybe it's something like, 'I would love to try your homemade miso soup,' you know?"
Ah, so she didn't notice after all. Wait, was it even okay for me to say that out loud?
"It's Christmas! A Christmas confession in our second year of high school- what the heck was that supposed to be?! Is he an idiot?! Does he want to die?!"
Shit. I completely crossed the line. If this mess escalates, it will be entirely my fault.
"Uh, well, I mean, it's one possible interpretation or just a hypothetical-"
"I'm gonna kick his ass!"
Her angry shout was accompanied by the sound of shoes kicking up gravel.
"Hey, come on, don't do that…"
When I turned around, I saw Prez Tamaki approaching, shoulders heaving as if he had run all the way here.
"Prez!"
Great, I'll leave the rest to them. I turned on my heel and quietly started walking back to the inn.
Whatever happens now isn't my responsibility. Yeah, I'm off the hook.
Or so I thought until someone suddenly clamped a hand over my mouth and dragged me into the bushes.
"Eek!?"
"Shh! Be quiet!"
This voice- it's Yanami. Overwhelmed, I nodded quickly.
"As club members, we have to watch over this. Now, get down a bit."
Yanami whispered in my ear. It felt oddly ticklish.
"Um, isn't this basically spying-"
Pinch! Yanami wordlessly pinched my side. I decided it was best not to argue.
Huddled in the bushes, we strained to catch what Prez and Tsukinoki-senpai were saying. Every now and then, Yanami's arm brushed against mine, and the scent of grilled meat, sweat, and deodorant tickled my nose.
…Tsukinoki-senpai, her head lowered, stood still as Prez scratched the back of his head awkwardly, inching closer to her.
"...Uh, sorry about that."
"Nukumizu-kun told me about it. Is what he said true?"
"You mean…the Christmas thing?"
Instead of answering, Tsukinoki-senpai began to speak.
"We've been together for over ten years now, haven't we?"
"Yeah, that's true. Ever since first grade, we were even in the same classes for some reason."
"…Because of my personality, which isn't exactly cute or charming, there were times when even the girls in our class didn't like me."
She closed her eyes and bit her lip as if recalling something painful.
"You don't have to say it if it's too hard."
"But… Shintaro, you always stood up for me, didn't you? Even when people teased you for it, you didn't seem to care."
"That's because I would rather be teased myself than let you be bullied."
Prez answered plainly, without any sign of bravado.
"And that's exactly why…"
Even from a distance, it's obvious she's blushing as she covers her mouth with the back of her hand.
"From middle school, when you started growing taller, I had to deal with a lot, you know. Swatting away all the pests buzzing around you."
"What? You're making it sound like it's your fault I wasn't popular."
Uh, actually, it is. I made a mental note to myself.
"I've been waiting this whole time, you know. Waiting and waiting… for so long."
Tsukinoki-senpai gathered her resolve, taking a deep breath. Then, with everything she had, she shouted at him.
"And after all that, that is what you call a confession?! No way! Even a love a hundred years old would die on the spot!"
Out of breath, she glared at Prez.
"…Yeah, you're right."
He smiled sheepishly, looking a bit troubled, and gently patted her on the head. Tsukinoki-senpai flinched in surprise.
"Then I guess I'll just have to make you fall for me for another hundred years."
"…Go ahead and try if you think you can."
Tsukinoki-senpai leaned her head lightly against his chest.
After a brief hesitation, Prez slowly and nervously wrapped his arms around her as if handling a delicate piece of glass. Gently.
*
"Ah, so emotional…"
Yanami clasped her hands together dreamily, gazing at the two of them. But seriously, this is getting to be too much.
"Let's go, Yanami-san."
"Huh? But it's just getting to the good part-"
"This is bad. Any more, and it's full-on spying."
Well, to be fair, it's already spying. I grabbed Yanami's hand and started to leave.
"Hey, Nukumizu-kun."
"Let's leave them alone now."
"…So, how long are you planning to hold my hand?"
Wha!? I quickly let go of her hand. This is bad. I had let the proximity and romantic atmosphere get to me, making me act bolder than usual.
"S-Sorry! I didn't mean anything by it!"
"You don't have to apologize that much."
Did she notice how red my face was? Yanami's expression suddenly shifted into a teasing smirk.
"Oh? What's this? Nukumizu-kun, are you confessing to me?"
"I'm not."
"It's okay, you can confess. I'll reject you, though."
"I said I'm not."
I started walking quickly, trying to put some distance between us. Yanami kept up, her face still plastered with that smug grin.
"Aww, didn't seeing that just make your heart flutter? Don't you feel like falling in love, too?"
She leaned closer, peering mischievously at my face.
"Well, not that I don't, but…you would just reject me anyway, right?"
"Yeah, of course I would."
Why is she suddenly so serious about it?
"But hey, maybe if you're lucky, you could get a kiss on the cheek?"
"But you would still reject me, wouldn't you?"
"…Wow, you're really fixated on that, Nukumizu-kun."
Yanami sighed in exaggerated exasperation, shrugging her shoulders.
"Anyway, more importantly-"
"Wait, more importantly?"
Yanami's eyebrows twitched upward. What was that reaction?
"You know, I'm worried about Komari. We should head back."
"Yeah, that's right. It is, but…"
She tilted her head slightly and murmured once more.
"...More important?"
*
As I turned the doorknob to the boys' room, I finally remembered it was locked.
And, of course, the key to the boys' room is with Prez. Great. Waiting for him to return isn't exactly an exciting prospect, and heading to the girls' room in the meantime? Yeah, as if that were an option.
Thanks to Yanami's cold attitude at the end, my courage is now in the negatives. She had been so chatty and forward up until then, but out of nowhere, she turned frosty. Girls are just impossible to understand.
I sighed and started wandering around the youth center. Maybe I can find a stag beetle or something.
As I passed beneath a window, the lively sound of voices reached my ears. Right, I think I saw a sign somewhere mentioning a joint student council training camp here.
Keeping my distance from the lit windows, I continued walking until I spotted a small crouching figure. An orange glow flickered in their hands.
It's Komari. What is she doing here alone? Where's Yakishio?
"Uh, Komari? So, you're here."
"O-Oh, it's just you, N-Nukumizu."
Crap. I had almost forgotten. She just got rejected, didn't she?
The image of the two senpais I had seen earlier, their shadows overlapping as one, flashed in my mind. No way could I be the one to tell her about it. That's definitely something Prez needs to handle himself.
As I stood there awkwardly, Komari wordlessly held out a small pouch to me.
"H-Here. Sparklers. I-I can't do this a-alone."
Following her lead, I crouched down and lit one of the sparklers.
A small, vigorous orange flame shot out, not quite how I remembered it. As I watched, the tip had somehow transformed into a tiny round orb.
After a brief pause, familiar delicate sparks began bursting from the orb, branching out like shimmering little fireworks.
"…Yeah, this is what sparklers were like."
It has been years since I last played with sparklers. Maybe when I got home, I could invite Kaju to light some fireworks with me for the first time in forever.
By the time we had burned through several sticks, I glanced at Komari nervously, trying to gauge her mood. By sheer coincidence, or maybe not, our eyes met.
"…W-What?"
"I mean, weren't you with Yakishio earlier?"
"I-I was. We lit one s-sparkler together, b-but then she got bored and w-went back to our room."
Well, sparklers don't explode or shoot off into the air, so I get it.
"Still, it's good to see you and Yakishio getting along."
At my casual comment, Komari's eyes widened as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"G-Getting along? Do we look like we're getting along? Are your eyes just holes?"
Holes, huh? I guess my eyes aren't even a proper entity, just a conceptual one at this point.
…Alright. At least we're talking like usual. She must still be riding the adrenaline from confessing earlier.
I should better escort her back to the girls' room before she learns the full extent of her heartbreak. After that, it's best to leave this to her friends-
"P-Prez came by b-before you got here…"
Plop. A freshly formed spark from the fireball fell to the ground.
"Oh, really? And then…?"
"...H-He rejected me."
She said it matter-of-factly as she handed me the next sparkler.
"O-Officially rejected me."
She spoke in a flat tone, devoid of emotion, as she lit my sparkler.
"I-I see… I mean, that's… yeah, that's how it went, huh? Prez gave you a proper answer, then."
If it were me, I would probably keep her on hold while confessing to my real crush.
"N-Nukumizu, y-you would totally just keep m-me on hold, wouldn't you?"
"How did you know?"
"...Y-You suck."
I have no response to that.
The tip of the sparkler glowed dimly, forming an orange orb.
Both my sparkler and Komari's burst into sparks at the same time. The glow illuminated Komari's face from the side.
"Prez really thought about it… seriously thought about whether or not to go out with me."
Komari smiled weakly, her face trembling as if she was on the verge of tears.
"Hehe… j-just for a little while, I beat T-Tsukinoki-senpai."
Her small shoulders shook. The dying spark of her fireball fell to the ground with a faint crackle.
Komari stared at the spot where it had landed, whispering in a hoarse voice.
"I-I'm going to cry… so… just go somewhere else."
Still holding the burned-out stem of her sparkler, her voice was faint, barely audible.
"Please…"
I returned silently to the building and sat down on a bench in the lobby. I pulled the tab on a can of coffee, but for some reason, I didn't feel like drinking it.
Everything that happened today is too much for my head and emotions to process.
The fluorescent light in the lobby buzzed faintly, flickering on and off intermittently.
Staring at the ceiling for a while, I let my thoughts wander to everyone.
Just a little while ago, the five of us barely even talked to each other, and yet here we were, gathered in the same place.
What's going to happen after this camp ends?
Yanami and Yakishio aren't particularly interested in the Literature Club. They are like birds taking shelter under a tree during a passing shower. Once the skies clear, they will likely take off again.
Komari might start feeling out of place and stop coming. Or maybe the senpais will feel awkward and step back themselves.
Next week is the closing ceremony. What will happen to my lunchtime meetings with Yanami?
I took a swig of the canned coffee.
I feel like writing something.
*
The next morning, in the assembly room of the lodging facility.
"Alright, I'm posting the first chapter."
With a satisfying click, Prez struck the keys of his laptop.
The first chapter of my debut work,
"This is a bit different from the plot we came up with, isn't it?"
I can't blame the president for saying that. Until yesterday, the plan was for an isekai slow-life story. Now, it has turned into a rom-com set in a small-town shopping district. Honestly, I'm the most surprised by the change.
"Well… I just suddenly felt like writing something like this."
I had only written a short introductory part, so short that it wouldn't even take three minutes to read.
"I'm planning to take it slow and write at my own pace."
"I think that's the right approach. Oh, by the way, Yanami-san's piece that we posted yesterday already has some comments."
"What? Really?"
Yanami, munching on a melon bread for breakfast, leaned over to look at the screen. Her eyes sparkled as she read the comments, and after a moment, she smirked and glanced sideways at me with a mischievous grin.
"This is from you, isn't it, Nukumizu-kun?"
"Uh, yeah, it is."
For some reason, it feels embarrassing. It's funny how, instead of the author blushing from having their work read, it's the reader getting shy from having their comment seen.
"Hmm… still, I'm kind of happy. By the way, what are these 'points' about?"
"Oh, readers can add points by bookmarking the story or giving it a rating. Oh, look, there's another comment from someone else."
Sipping from a jelly drink pack, Prez reached for the mouse.
"T-That might be me."
Komari, dressed in her gym uniform, entered the assembly room. The atmosphere grew awkwardly quiet.
Komari ignored the tension in the room and walked straight toward Prez.
"…Good morning, Komari-chan."
"Good morning. I-I just sent my story, so…could you help me post it?"
She bowed her head politely. Prez nodded a bit stiffly and pulled the laptop closer to him.
"So, this is the main text… and here's the title and synopsis. Yep, everything's here."
Prez moved to paste the title into the submission page but suddenly froze.
"Komari-chan. Are you sure you want to go with this as it is?"
"Yes. T-The title stays as it is."
Komari swallowed nervously and continued speaking.
"I-I'm not splitting up the content, either. I-I want people to r-read the first c-chapter just as it is."
She said it firmly, without hesitation.
Seeing Komari's determined eyes, the stiffness in Prez's expression finally softened.
"Got it. Yeah, I think that's the best way to convey the charm of your story, Komari-chan."
Smiling gently at her, Prez turned his attention back to the laptop for a while.
"Alright, it's posted. Look, it's already showing up on the new releases page."
Komari stared at the screen for a moment, then broke into a bright smile. Keeping that smile, she turned back toward Prez.
"T-Thank you. I don't r-really know much about the w-website, s-so please teach me more f-from now on."
"Of course. Leave it to me."
I have never seen Komari make an expression like that before. Whenever she looked at me, it was always as if she were looking at a pile of garbage.
Another person seemed to be feeling out of place. Tsukinoki-senpai had been sitting quietly at a table in the corner since this morning, all by herself.
Komari fidgeted nervously, opening and closing her hands, before sitting across from her.
"S-Senpai, good m-morning…"
"O-Oh, good morning, Komari-chan."
The two of them fell silent. The heavy quiet filled the entire room, and it was Komari who broke it.
"I-I just posted my story, so p-please read it."
"Yeah… I'll write a comment for you."
"T-Thank you very much."
…The silence returned.
After another awkward stretch of time, Komari spoke again.
"Um… p-please keep coming to the c-club room from tomorrow, okay? It's l-lonely without you, senpai."
Lowering her head shyly, Komari added, her voice a little quieter.
"A-And…the scary student council person is coming too."
"Y-Yeah! Leave it to me. I'll chase her off for you!"
Finally, a smile returned to Tsukinoki-senpai's face. But just as quickly, tears began to spill from her eyes.
"Ah… huh? Sorry, I… suddenly… what's this…?"
Komari hurriedly moved to sit next to Tsukinoki-senpai.
"S-Senpai, I-I'm okay, so… please."
"Komari-chan… I thought you wouldn't come anymore. Thank you… thank you so much."
Komari wrapped her arms around the quietly sobbing Tsukinoki-senpai.
After some time, when senpai calmed down, she wiped her eyes and lifted her head.
"…Your stories are always so fun, Komari-chan. I'm really looking forward to this one too."
"T-Thank you. D-Didn't you also write s-something, senpai?"
"Well, I did, but when I edited it to be an all-ages version, it ended up being only about 20 lines long."
Tsukinoki-senpai sniffled, staring at her phone with a puzzled expression.
"At this point, it feels like my story was only about the… um, explicit stuff."
Well, that's probably accurate. Numbers don't lie.
"L-Let's go join the o-others, senpai."
"Yeah, let's."
…Hand in hand, the two of them walked over to the table where everyone else was gathered. Prez greeted them with a smile.
Of course, this doesn't mean everything is happily resolved. Prez Tamaki and Tsukinoki-senpai are now dating, and Komari was rejected. That hasn't changed.
Things won't go back to how they used to be. The only way forward is to build new relationships like this slowly. Even though I kept my distance, this is how everyone lives: adjusting, rebuilding, and moving on. As long as you're alive, you can't escape it.
My time to face the same won't be far off, either. After all, I'm already a part of these changing dynamics among my clubmates.
As I watched the group from afar, feeling oddly like I had come a long way from where I started, a piece of paper was handed to me.
"Here you go, Nukkun. You're gonna put this on that site or something, right?"
The hand holding it out is an even deeper shade of tan than it had been yesterday.
"Is this… a picture diary?"
"Yep! There were some colored pencils in the lobby, so I used them to draw a diary entry."
It was a scene from yesterday's trip to the beach. Wait, this person-shaped blob lying on the ground, hand-in-hand with what looks like Yakishio…
"Is that supposed to be me?"
"Hehe, you guessed it! That's you, Nukkun."
Depending on how you look at it, it kind of looks like Yakishio is dragging a corpse.
"Hey, this is great! It's hilarious."
Prez said, peeking over my shoulder with an impressed nod.
"But, uh, we can't post this there. That site's only for writing, after all."
"Then how about we create a Literature Club account and post it on Twitter?"
Prez clapped his hands together enthusiastically.
"That's a great idea. We've got an old club account we haven't been using, so we can repurpose that."
Tsukinoki-senpai sniffled as she picked up the picture diary.
"I think there's a scanner in the office. I'll ask if we can use it. Yakishio-chan, come with me."
Tsukinoki-senpai and Yakishio left the room together.
I glanced at my phone and casually checked on my novel. My story, posted online for everyone to see, is a strange feeling.
"Huh? My novel already has ratings and comments."
Heart pounding, I checked. The rating? A rock-bottom score. The comment? Just one short line:
Huh!? How rude can you get? Can't I block this person or something?
…Wait a second. How does this person know I'm a virgin?
"...Komari, is this you?"
Komari gave me a sly, wicked grin.
"W-Write the next part properly. T-Then I'll reconsider the r-rating."
"…Just you wait. I'll make you give it a perfect score."
Intermission: They Are There Even Without Looking Back
The dining hall of the lodging facility is filled with a lively crowd of young boys and girls.
Among them, a particular girl stood out. She casually tied her light brown hair back and glanced up at the paper pinned to the wall.
"Toyohashi Student Council Union: Joint Camp for High School and Middle School Students."
Standing in the serving line is a second-year student from Tsuwabuki High School and the student council secretary, Yumeko Shikiya.
Through her clear-colored contact lenses, she observed the kouhais working busily.
One in particular caught her attention, a student who stood out among the others.
The girl in question, wearing an apron, bustled around with energy.
Handling all the curry serving on her own, she is dishing out rice and curry onto plates faster than the line could even move.
She seems to portion out more for hungry boys and less for the girls.
Curious, Shikiya casually picked up one of the "boys' plates" and couldn't help but chuckle.
…The boys' plates have the same portions as the girls', actually.
The girls' plates have their rice carefully shaped into a neat, rounded mound, with the base subtly spread out thinner. The curry is poured over the rice in a way that hides the skimpier portion underneath.
"Ladies, please pick up your plates from this table. I'll bring out the salad in just a moment."
"You… you're quite diligent…"
When Shikiya spoke to her, the girl froze for a moment, then her gaze fixed on Shikiya's exposed shoulders and midriff.
"Lewd…"
"Excuse me… what…?"
"Oh, nothing. I just thought the Tsuwabuki High student council members were so mature and fashionable!"
"…We do… hear that a lot."
The girl handed off trays of salad to students from other schools while continuing to direct the serving operation. Under her guidance, the dinner preparations proceeded without a hitch.
"Are you… thinking of applying… to our school?"
"Yes! My brother is a first-year at Tsuwabuki. I would love to go there and attend school with him the year after next."
She flashed a bright smile as she untied the scarf from her head, letting her glossy black hair cascade down.
"I've learned so much from the conversations today. Would you mind telling me more about the school later?"
"I don't mind… if you would like… why not join us at our table?"
Shikiya glanced toward the Tsuwabuki High student council president, Hibari Hokobaru, who was beckoning her over.
"I would love to. I'll come over right away."
As she folded up her apron, she glanced around the room. It seemed everyone had received their curry rice.
"By the way… didn't I see you cooking something… earlier at lunch? Was it… red rice?"
"Yes, just a little something as a greeting."
The girl replied with a mysterious smile, raising a finger meaningfully.
"I see… I am Yumeko Shikiya, secretary… of the Tsuwabuki High student council. And you are…?"
Balancing a heavier-than-expected plate of curry rice, the girl gave a radiant smile.
"I'm Kaju Nukumizu, secretary of the Momozono Middle School student council. It's a pleasure to meet you, senpai."