“Mmm~~~ But in yuri, having both girls with big breasts~~~I wonder if that would work~~~? It feels like there should be some gap between them~~~ It would be great for a harem though~~~" I decided to leave Isana, who had started to intensely twist her head with a dilemma that was incomprehensible to others. As for me, I should be happy that Yume gained a sincere friend. It was a relationship she had taken action to secure, and most importantly, it meant that Minami, who had held the position of Yume’s best friend until now, wasn’t in a problematic state. Unlike Minami, Asuhain wouldn’t stalk or marry someone she didn’t love just to become Yume’s family. Even if Yume were to come out and say that she and I were dating, Asuhain would probably calmly accept the fact— That’s what I believed. At least until this moment. Entering the arcade shopping street branching off Kokusai-dori Street, the location inevitably reminded me of Teramachi Kyogoku. The storefronts piled with colorful goods, attracting the eyes of passersby, resembled festival’s food stalls. Among them, what caught the attention of Yume and the others were vibrant, floral-patterned aloha-like dresses. They were playfully trying them on, giggling about how they looked on each other. While observing them from a distance, Asuhain suddenly stood beside me. “...I just wanted to say thank you.” Without looking at me, she gazed at Yume, who was happily chatting inside the shop. I responded with a slightly sarcastic smile. “What are you talking about?” “On the first day... on the bus. You accepted me back then. I think I felt comfortable at that moment.” “Well, that’s good then.”
“Maybe, if there were two or three more instances like that, I might have genuinely fallen for you.” Her statement surprised me a little—not the content of the statement itself, but the fact that she acknowledged it. “...But, in reality, that didn’t happen, right?” I responded, and Asuhain nodded. “You’re one of the better guys among the boys. However, I don’t find you attractive enough to allow you into my body.” “...Is that your criteria for considering someone a romantic interest?” “What else is there?” She seemed like a rationalist similar to Isana—if you couldn’t comprehend the concept of romance, you would naturally adopt such a biological perspective. “...Well, for me, that’s convenient. I don’t want unnecessary complications by having someone fall for me.” “That sounds kinda uncanny, but let’s accept it for now. I’ve been rude to you and Higashira-san.” Come to think of it, does she think I’m dating Isana? If her distance with Yume has closed, it’s bothersome to hide it from now on. Maybe I should just be straightforward about it— Just as I was considering this, Asuhain added, “However.” With a gaze filled with murderous intent, like she could kill a puppy just by looking at it. “I know you’re not blood-related to Irido-san, but if you lay a hand on her, I’ll kill you.” A sudden chill ran down my spine. Leaving me unable to say anything, Asuhain returned to Yume and the others. I couldn’t help but track her small figure with my eyes.
Of course. It’s natural that an animal on the brink of danger wouldn’t be able to divert its gaze from its threat. “...Huh? Irido? What’s wrong? Hey.” Kawanami, who was relatively close by, called out to me, but I couldn’t provide a coherent response. Now, what should I do? It seems I have no choice but to accept my fate and get murdered. Yume Irido ◆ Enjoying A Normal School Trip The third day of the school trip was drawing to a close. As soon as we entered our room, Akatsuki-san exclaimed an audible, “Uooh!” Our room for the third day had a clean and unified design comprising of white wallpaper and furnishings. The most distinctive feature was the arrangement of the beds. Although it was a four-person room again today, two of the beds were positioned on a loft reached by a ladder. The other two were directly below the loft, but there was enough space to stand on the beds without hitting your head, especially for someone like Asuhain or Akatsuki-san. It was a dreamy room that made you wish you could live in such a place. Akatsuki-san quickly climbed the ladder and popped her head out from the loft, cheering once again. “This is so exciting! Is it okay if I take this bed!?” “If no one else wants it.” I glanced at the other two as I said this. Higashira-san seemed a bit restless, looking up at the loft. “Do you want the upper one too, Higashira-san?” “Eh? ...W-well, for now, let me take a look...”
Higashira-san ascended the ladder with slightly precarious movements. I’m afraid she might fall if in her half-asleep state though... Watching her go, I sat down on one of the beds beneath the loft. “Come on in!” “Ohhh...! It kinda feels like a secret base!” “No one will disturb us here... So speak out as much as you like!” “Nyah!” Joyful and excited voices echoed from above. Asuhain sat down on the other beds below, and our eyes met. Feeling a bit awkward, I offered a friendly smile. “It looks like fun up there.” “...Yes, it does.” Asuhain still seemed unfamiliar with casual interactions, responding with a slightly rigid attitude. Perhaps she hadn’t fully adjusted to the absence of formal language. It wasn’t a deliberate choice like Higashira-san, who preferred using formal language to avoid confusion, but rather a habit that had stuck. To lighten the atmosphere, I tried making a joke. “Should we do it too? Snuggle up together?” “Ueeh!?” Asuhain-san looked surprised, and her face turned slightly red, reminiscent of someone who had just come out of a bath. “No, um, we aren’t in that kinda frivolous relationship, or rather, as members representing the Student Council, engaging in inappropriate activities is not—!” “It’s fine, it’s fine.” I got up from my bed, kneeled on Asuhain-san’s bed, and pushed her petite body down with a playful “Ei!” She exclaimed her own, “Hyaah!,” clearly taken aback.
“Now now, is this your weak spot~?” “Nngh... not there... ah, nnaahh...!” I hugged Asuhain-san’s body, tickling her around the sides. As a result, she blushed, trembled sensitively, and let out a sweet, delicate voice. So cuteeee~~~! Now I understand how Asou-senpai, who always embraces Asuhain-san like a doll, feels. Isn’t it the best when they’re small, cute, and responsive? Hmm... I could stay like this forever...
“Hey, hey...” Hushed voices muttered from the loft above, which had oddly become silent. “You guys down there...” “Yes...” “...Have you guys done it...?” “...They’ve definitely done it...” “We haven’t!” I voiced a complaint to the floor above. Don’t say things as if you’ve found a couple starting to get affectionate in the next booth over at a net cafe! ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ I descended to the lower floor for dinner and ran into Mizuto. There was a little time before the dinner buffet started. Since we hadn’t had a chance to talk for a while, I thought now was the perfect opportunity and asked, “Can I talk to you for a moment?” “—So, that’s what happened.” I shared the story I heard from Asuhain-san at the beach earlier today with Mizuto. He had helped us make up after all, so I felt he had the right to know. “I see. A confession, huh?” Mizuto seemed particularly interested in what Asuhain-san had witnessed at the pool. “It certainly seems like the right kinda place in terms of the location.”
“Yeah. Maybe they had thought that other students wouldn’t go there, just like me.” “Who knows? It might have been the case where the two of them just happened to end up there with things developing naturally.” I see. That kind of scenario exists too. I had only experienced well-prepared confessions in my surroundings, including myself, so I hadn’t considered such situations. “I want to ask one more thing. Did Asuhain-san mention anything about the time she left the pool with the person who was confessed to?” Mizuto asked something peculiar. I tilted my head and tried to recall the conversation, but I couldn’t remember anything specific. I shook my head after thinking about it. “No. She mentioned they entered the pool around 8:30 p.m, but not when they left. Besides, Asuhain-san doesn’t usually wear a watch, so she probably didn’t know the exact time, right?” “Right... By the way, nobody has a smartphone here, huh?” Without a wristwatch, the only way to check the time is through the flip phone that the group leaders have. Some people wear watches anticipating that, and Yoshino-san is one of them. “...By the way.” Mizuto suddenly changed the topic. “Did Asuhain-san say anything about that? About, um, us living together or something like that.” “What? Now you’re concerned about gossip? Since when were you the delicate type?” “That’s not it... Asuhain-san is a serious person, and I thought she might have some thoughts about living with someone who isn’t blood-related as family.” “Isn’t that a bit late to worry about? Asuhain-san already knows that we’re not biologically related, and I can even tell her about us dating if you want—”
“Let’s not do that.” A sharp and strong refusal. To my surprise, Mizuto continued, trying to justify his reasoning. “Even if she’s okay with us living together, she might not be okay with us being in a relationship.” “That’s true, but... hey, did something happen?” “What do you mean by ‘something’?” How suspicious... He’s being pretty sus right now, but this guy has a really good poker face. I can’t catch any hints from him. “Anyway, should we keep our relationship a secret from Asuhain-san?” “It’s probably for the best.” “If it turns out that you’re actually two timing me with Asuhain-san and that you’re only doing this so that I don’t find out, I’ll kill you.” “You wouldn’t do that...” Mizuto said with a look of disbelief. Of course, he didn’t think I was serious. As we talked, the doors to the banquet hall, where dinner was to be served, began to open. It wouldn’t be good to appear too friendly. As I tried to wave goodbye to Mizuto, he stopped me with a call resembling what Ukyo Sugishita from Aibou would say. [4] “Ah, right. One more thing.” “If Yoshino talks to you, there’s something I want you to tell her.” “Yoshino-san?” As he conveyed the content of the message, I could only tilt my head even more. “Just relay it. That should be enough.”
“Enough for what...?” “Don’t worry about it. Just focus on enjoying the school trip with Asuhain-san. That’s the most important, right?” Turning away from me and walking into the banquet hall, Mizuto left me with these parting words, “I’ll take care of the rest. —Leave it to me.” ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ And so, during the dinner, as if it were a prophecy, the opportunity came around. “Oh, Yume-chan, Yume-chan. I’m sorry about what happened.” As I was going around with a tray, Yoshino-san came up to me, looking somewhat awkward. Today, Yoshino-san was dressed in a fashionable outfit like a model, with a blouse covering the upper body and black skinny jeans that highlighted her long legs. Her fashion conveyed a sense of confidence, but her expression was much more fragile than usual. “I just intended it as a little play, never thought it would be exposed to the person involved—oh well, maybe this is for the best. Anyway, sorry for snooping around like that!” “Ah... Are you talking about the booklet incident?” I finally understood. I had forgotten all about the fact that she was trying to find out about my relationship through coded communication with the booklets, probably because I was so preoccupied with Asuhain-san’s situation. Seeing my realization, Yoshino-san made a surprised face. “You don’t seem to mind at all? Uwa, you’re really forgiving.” “No, it’s not that. I was just distracted by other things... And besides, it didn’t seem like you had any ill intentions. It’s also my fault
for dropping hints about my boyfriend like that every time I was confessed to...” “That’s not true! If I were in Yume-chan’s position, I’d definitely say the same thing. Like, ‘I have a boyfriend, so stop bothering me,’ you know?” “More importantly, I’m worried if there’s a rift among everyone in the class... Did I cause it to split into two because of me?” “Ah, that’s totally fine! Akatsuki-chan and I, you see, took the liberty to smooth things over on the behalf of everyone else!” No problem then, huh? “We kinda had this spy game thing going on between us, and it was pretty amusing! So, everything’s settled! Yume-chan, you don’t have to worry about a thing!” “If that’s the case, then it’s good...” She’s considerate of others; Yoshino-san doesn’t seem like a bad person after all. It’s just that her appearance is flashy and she’s a bit too overly friendly. “Ugh~, the school trip was a disaster... I made a lot of mistakes and brought the mood down~” Yoshino-san seemed unusually gloomy for a moment, but then... “But, but, the beach was super fun, and the dolphins at the aquarium were so cute! If I had to say, it was definitely more on the positive side overall!” “Y-yeah... That’s good to hear...” Her radiant positivity seems to cleanse the introvert in me. She seems so adept at enjoying life, and all I can do is envy her. “Well then! I just wanted to say that in a few words!” With that, Yoshino-san, who seemed to pass by like a typhoon, was about to leave, but I remembered the thing that Mizuto asked me to do earlier.
“Wait a minute! Mizuto asked me to deliver a message...” “Eh? From Mizuto-kun? Why?” “I’m not really sure, but... um—” I recalled Mizuto’s message and repeated it in my own words. “—‘It might be too late now, but you should report it to a teacher,’ he said.” In an instant, Yoshino-san’s expression, which was so radiant just a moment ago, froze like ice. Eh...? Why? However, this seemingly nonsensical message held a meaning that only Yoshino-san could understand. With her expression frozen, she spoke in a delicate voice that seemed on the verge of disappearing. “That... Mizuto-kun said that?” “Uh... yeah. I couldn’t get the details, though.” “I see... Thanks. I don’t really get it either, so I’ll ask him directly!” Although Yoshino-san quickly regained her usual brightness, I couldn’t forget her expression from earlier. It was like her mask had broken. Unbelievably, it felt like a big crack had appeared on Yoshino-san’s face... It was like an illusion I could see. As Yoshino-san moved away from me and returned to her friends, I silently watched her. “I’ll take care of the rest.” That’s what Mizuto said. There’s nothing left for me to think about. If I have to enjoy the school trip with Asuhain-san, then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll fulfill my duties.
I buried the expression I just saw from Yoshino-san deep in my heart and returned to the table where Asuhain-san and the others were waiting. ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ In the changing room, a hero was born. “Eh...? It’s huge... So huge...!” “What do you usually eat!? Do you do gymnastics or something!?” “I knew it! So it’s true that it gets bigger when you have a boyfriend that can fondle it!” “C-Can I, um, touch them too...?” Surrounded by excited girls, Higashira-san stood there, exposing her upper body with her bra revealed. As if a hero surrounded by children, she stumbled, uttering incomprehensible words like “Uuuh” and “Ummm.” The most significant difference regarding our accommodation on the third day was the presence of a large communal bath—a hot spring, to be precise. As a result of the girls gathering in the changing room, we found ourselves in this current situation. It was quite inevitable in hindsight, perhaps... Of course, Higashira-san’s voluptuous bust was already known among the girls in the class. Until now, she seemed to have concealed it with clothes, a slight hunch, and a modest presence. However, when changing into gym clothes for physical education lessons, it was inevitable the other girls would catch a glimpse, and her sheer size already surpasses the realm of being able to conceal it discreetly in the first place. Yet, there hadn’t been many straightforward opportunities to tease her about it. It was because Mizuto, who was publicly acknowledged as her boyfriend, was overly protective of Higashira-san. With only me and Akatsuki-san around, it was commonplace in a closed
setting, but he would never allow any act that would humiliate her openly. Even from the perspectives of the other girls, they didn’t want to incur the displeasure of the popular Mizuto. So as an open secret, or rather, an unspoken agreement, there was an understanding not to lay hands on her chest—such an atmosphere had been established. But arriving here in this space, a changing room exclusively for girls, was the liberating feeling of being naked together. Under these conditions, the girls’ interest exploded. “Alright, alright, alright. Move back, move back.” Instead of Higashira-san, who could only blush, Akatsuki-san intervened, urging the girls to step back like a security guard. “Line up, line up. It’s a thousand yen per squeeze, by the way.” “Too expensive!” “A thousand yen... Uuuuh!” “Te-Ten thousand... For ten thousand yen...!” “I’ll pay! I’ll just use the allowance I was planning to spend on souvenirs for my parents!” “Hey! Don’t take out your wallets!” As a member of the Student Council, I couldn’t overlook this. When I scolded them, the girls scattered like a bunch of spiders fleeing. Higashira-san, who had been freed, let out a sigh and gently stroked her chest. “Thank you, Yume-san...” “It’s fine. I would have gotten scolded by Mizuto later if I didn’t protect you.” “If things had continued as they were, I might have developed a strange fetish for having high school girls take turns groping my breasts” “…Perhaps you’re the one who deserves to be scolded.”
I chose to believe that was just a typical Higashira-san-style joke. I then shifted my gaze to Akatsuki-san, who was already down to just her underwear. “Akatsuki-san too. Don’t make a business opportunity out of someone else’s body!” “I thought that charging them ten thousand yen would be enough to back them off, but I was surprised when they were actually willing to pay! Nahwaha!” “Mouuu...” Well, both Akatsuki-san and I can stay calm because we’ve already fondled her in Kobe before. If that hadn’t been the case, we might have shown the same reaction as everyone else. No, I definitely wouldn’t pay a thousand yen though. Higashira-san finally placed her hand on the hook of her bra and snapped it off. However, I noticed that the girls who had scattered away were peeking at the scene from the corner of their eyes. When the cup of the bra detached from Higashira-san’s chest, and the liberated bulge bounced like a released rubber ball, I heard an audible collective “Uoooh…” of excitement. Well, it’s not entirely bad that Higashira-san is attracting attention. I have to admit that I’ve recently stepped into the world of the well-endowed, but thanks to Higashira-san, I haven’t been noticed much. Above all, Asuhain-san’s surroundings remained quiet. Asuhain-san swiftly removed her clothes, placing a face towel on her curvaceous chest. Of course, such a gesture couldn’t entirely conceal the disproportionately alluring mounds on her petite frame, but Higashira-san had masterfully directed attention away from them. Asuhain-san was likely more uncomfortable with such situations compared to Higashira-san... so it’s a relief that she seems to be spared, despite currently being in a hot spring.
“...Irido-san?” Asuhain-san looked at me with a curious expression, probably because I was taking a while to undress. I took off my blouse and put it in the laundry basket, saying, “I need to tie up my hair, so you can go ahead.” “Is that so...” While saying so, Asuhain-san didn’t move away from my side. It reminded me of my past self, and I found it amusing. Back in junior high, I couldn’t bear to be apart from someone I was comfortable with talking to. Nevertheless, standing stark naked in the changing room might be awkward. I undressed, leaving only my underwear, my back turned to Asuhain-san. “Can you help me tie up my hair?” Looking somewhat uncertain, Asuhain-san raised her face at those words. She replied with a “Yes” and delicately touched my hair as if handling a fragile object. After Asuhain-san combed my hair with her fingers, she skillfully tied it with her hands, twirling the excess hair around her fingers. Once secured with a hair clip, it was done. “Thank you.” As I turned around to say that, Asuhain-san blushed a bit and replied, “No problem.” Afterwards, I took off my bra and shorts, placing them in a basket, and grabbed a face towel. Right around that time, Akatsuki-san, confidently standing fully nude without bothering to cover up with a towel, arrived with Higashira-san. “Yume-chan, let’s go.” “Yeah.”
I nodded and turned around. Asuhain-san stood beside me, and on the other side, Higashira-san, shyly shrinking her shoulders, lined up. Then, Akatsuki-san suddenly fell silent and began to scrutinize the three of us one by one. “Wh-what...?” Akatsuki-san, with an expressionless face, observed our chests, waists, and hips. “Beep beep beep—Boom!” Making a gesture like something exploded near her ear, she abruptly pointed her finger at Asuhain-san. “86, 53, 74.” Then, she pointed at Higashira-san. “Measurement incalculable, 63, 94.” Finally, she pointed at me. “85, 56, 79.” Uttering those mysterious numbers, Akatsuki-san took a quick step back, distancing herself from us. “Sorry. Can’t stand next to you guys, after all.” “Eh?” “My Scouter’s malfunctioned!” [5] Shouting this, Akatsuki-san leaped into the large bathhouse like a startled rabbit. Oh, how dramatic... Akatsuki-san shouldn’t worry about it; it’s not like she has a bad figure just because she’s not tall. But it seemed that it wasn’t only Akatsuki-san who was conscious of it. Higashira-san widened her eyes and stared at my chest.
“E-Eighty-five...” “More importantly, what does she mean by ‘measurement incalculable’?” ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ The bath, constructed from gray stones, was filled with a gentle, light-brown hot spring water that flowed abundantly. As we entered the bathing area a bit late, some girls we knew were making mysterious movements in the tub, giggling and causing a commotion as they moved back and forth. Spotting Nasuhana-san, who was leaning against the edge of the tub with her back, I called out, “What’s everyone doing?” Nasuhana-san turned, swaying her short hair, and pointed upwards with a “This and that.” The ceiling in the middle to the back was open, revealing the night sky. It allowed starlight to shine through as it gently illuminated the open air bath. The breeze that flowed in delicately brushed against our bare skin. “An open-air bath...” murmured Asuhain-san. The girls making noise seemed to be engaged in some sort of chicken race, going out into the area with the open ceiling, then returning bashfully. Although the night sky was only visible through the ceiling, and there was no such thing as a person who could fly, being fully exposed to the outside air did require a bit of courage. It appeared that there were two champions in this chicken race. At the far end of the tub, two familiar faces confidently sat with their shoulders against the stone wall, basking in the starlight pouring down on them. “Oh, they’re here! All three of them!” “Irido-san! Over here, over here!”
One was Akatsuki-san, and the other was Maki-san. Despite their differences in physique, both had slender and sporty figures, stretching their supple legs in the hot water. They innocently beckoned over, but I exchanged glances with Asuhain-san and Higashira-san. After a few seconds of assessing each other’s reactions, Higashira-san took a step back and said, “Please, go ahead.” “Don’t say it like I want to go,” I retorted. Well, guess there’s no choice. I couldn’t involve Asuhain-san and Higashira-san, who already stood out. Timidly, I dipped my foot into the hot spring, cautiously stepping outside the shadow cast by the ceiling. The cold night air caressed my skin. Looking up, a square-cut night sky peered through the opening. It felt like opening the lid of a jewel box, but more intriguing was the sensation of not wearing any clothes on my body. ...I’m outside, naked... An extraordinary sense of liberation, and then— “—This sense of taboo is intense, right?” Returning my gaze to the hot spring, Akatsuki-san had a mischievous look on her face. Maki-san stretched both arms and legs, embracing the night sky above, proclaiming, “The pleasure of the wind reaching every corner of your body!” “This is how primitive humans lived...! It’s kinda addictive~!” While their way of enjoying the outdoor bath might not be wrong, I didn’t want to be considered the same as these two. At that moment, the sound of water being stirred came from behind. When I turned around, Asuhain-san, with a face towel modestly covering her chest, was walking through the water, apologizing for her minimal attempt at concealment. “Asuhain-san? ...You okay?” I thought she might be embarrassed, but she looked up at the night sky and uttered, “Why not.”
“Why not...” It seemed like a phrase she wouldn’t have uttered in the past. She used to believe that anything other than studying was a waste, with the only exception of when President Kurenai invited her. In that case... well, I suppose, I might as well too. Besides, as long as I’m with Asuhain-san, I wouldn’t be perceived the same way as Akatsuki-san and the others. Together with Asuhain-san, I moved next to Akatsuki-san and the others. I placed the face towel I had on the stone edge and slowly immersed my body in the hot water. Meanwhile, I didn’t miss the fact that Maki-san’s eyes were tracking parts of me and Asuhain-san. “...Boing boing. Let me touch them.” “No way.” My chest is reserved for Mizuto. “‘My boobs are exclusive to my boyfriend!’ Kyaa! You perverted woman!” “......” My thoughts and Maki-san’s joke strangely aligned, and I involuntarily fell silent. I-I’m not a perverted woman... I’m just normal... Ignoring us, Asuhain-san next to me looked upwards with a flushed face, gazing at the twinkling stars. “How about it? How do you feel?” After a few seconds, Asuhain-san answered. “Since meeting you... it feels like everything is a first.” Although her response veered away from the question, I replied without confusion, “Is that so?” “Things like losing at exams and feeling frustrated... going on a trip with school acquaintances... sharing ice cream. I thought all of these were things beyond my reach.” “The trip to Kobe was thanks to President Kurenai, though.”
Correcting her with a wry smile, I continued our conversation. “I understand. I experienced a lot of firsts as well since entering high school.” Excluding the fact that my ex-boyfriend became family, I never thought I’d do things such as joining the Student Council when I entered school. The truth is, meeting Asuhain-san was a series of firsts for me as well. Asuhain-san scooped up the light-brown hot spring water with both hands, looking down at the small hot spring pool she created in her palms. “I didn’t necessarily yearn for these kinds of things. But surprisingly, I think it’s enjoyable. Knowing this is probably a positive thing... That’s my impression.” It seemed somewhat rational or theoretical, but it was probably the result of expressing her sincere feelings. It felt like something typically serious coming from Asuhain-san. “Asuhain-san, is it? I think it’s our first time meeting, right?” As our conversation ended, Maki-san, looking over me, addressed Asuhain-san. “I’m Maki Sakamizu! I was in the same class as Irido-san last year, so I’ve heard things about you here and there. Nice to meet you!” Oh... what an amazing extroverted personality. Truly fitting for a member of the basketball club (though that’s a stereotype). But Asuhain-san tends to be reserved with these types of people... I wondered about helping her follow up, but before I could do that, Asuhain-san responded herself. “Nice to meet you... I guess.” A bit stiff—yet, she offered a greeting without putting up a wall. And— “Um... When you say you’ve heard about me, what exactly...?”
—Surprisingly, she continued the conversation herself. To my knowledge, it was the first time Asuhain-san attempted to keep a conversation going with someone she just met. What progress! Mizuto and Higashira-san still can’t (or refuse to) do it! Maki-san looked happy and started sharing stories with Asuhain-san, even though the conversation started over my head. I couldn’t help but smile, finding Asuhain-san’s earnest effort endearing. I began to feel tired as I was taking in the hot spring. Paired with seeing Asuhain-san’s face turning quite red, I suggested that we should wash ourselves in the showers now. “Asuhain-san, I’ll wash your back.” I added that, and Akatsuki-san complained, “Ehhh? Unfair, unfair!” She expressed her dissatisfaction, but I felt like giving a small reward to just Asuhain-san for her efforts. Asuhain-san, feeling a bit bewildered, responded, “Um... I’ll help too.” “With what?” “Well... I’ve been thinking that your long hair is quite difficult to wash by yourself.” “Really? Thanks! It is indeed challenging...” We both stood up and crossed the hot spring to climb up onto the stone ledge. At that moment, I noticed a mark on Asuhain-san’s thigh. There was a faint red line on the outside of her right thigh—an indication of a cut made by a branch from a bush. “Is the cut on your thigh okay now?” “Yes, it’s almost healed.” “I see. By the way, you went into the sea with it too, huh?” I reached out and gently touched the scar. Asuhain-san squirmed slightly.
“I-it tickles...” “Hmm? So you’re ticklish? How about this then!” “N-no...! Hey, it really tickles!” Playfully teasing each other, we left the open-air bath, and I could hear the girls around us whispering among each other. “...Aren’t they too close?” “...By the way, isn’t Irido-san dating...?” “...The smartest person in school, right...? Oh!” “...Asuhain-san aced the year-end exams last year...!” ...Hmm? It feels like a new misunderstanding has risen, but I’ll just leave it as that for now! ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ “Good night.” “Good night.” “Yeah, good night.” I bid good night to Akatsuki-san and Higashira-san, who were in the loft, and turned off the lights in the room. The faint light from outside the window shone through the curtains as I crawled into bed. Adjusting my body’s position, I noticed Asuhain-san in the neighboring bed doing the same. “......” “......” We stared at each other in silence for a while, and I couldn’t help but smile. Sleepiness was still a distant feeling. Besides, the situation of lying in bed and making eye contact with Asuhain-san was amusing. So,
in a hushed voice, I spoke to Asuhain-san, who had half of her face buried in the pillow. “The school trip ends tomorrow.” “...Yes.” “Did you enjoy it?” “In the end...” “That’s good then.” I wondered what we should talk about in these moments. Right after thinking that, I realized that I found myself in a typical situation of youth. The night of a school trip. “...How was Mizuto?” A time for love talk. However, since Asuhain-san probably didn’t have any recent romantic stories, I accidentally mentioned the name of the guy who people thought would be the last person I’m in love with. And on top of that, he was my actual boyfriend. I thought I might have made a mistake, but Asuhain-san didn’t seem bothered. She responded with a calm tone. “He’s not a bad person... He properly supported me.” “I-I see.” It’s better than being accused of non-deliberately hurting her, but it’s a bit complicated hearing my boyfriend being kind to another girl... “But really, going out with him is impossible.” “Eh? ...I-Is that so?” “Yes. He seems smart, but he appears a bit rough, and I feel as if he can see through everything about me which makes me feel uncomfortable. Yet, knowing he relies on Higashira-san’s chest and imagining that is a bit physically repulsive.”
B-Bububu... Moreover, the last part is just pure imagination, right? “He doesn’t seem like the type to be swayed by sexual desires, but he does seem like the type to do suggestive things and mislead girls. I hope you don’t get deceived by him, Irido-san.” She was surprisingly talkative today. Did something happen? That guy... Mizuto... He did strangely emphasize on not revealing our relationship to Asuhain-san as well... Afterward, Asuhain-san and I talked about various things, reflecting on today. As the conversation continued, both of us gradually became less talkative, as our eyelids started to droop. Feeling embraced by a pleasant drowsiness, I realized that I hadn’t fallen asleep with such a satisfying feeling in the last three or so days. —Oh, by the way. In the depths of sleep, a question crossed my mind. —In the end... who was that figure that escaped from the pool...?
[1]: He’s implying she doesn’t study enough. [2]: The supernatural undersea palace of the Dragon God, Ryūjin. [3]: A famous Buddhist temple located in Kyoto. [4]: Aibou is a Japanese television series revolving around the detective Ukyo Sugishita, who often says something like “ああ、そうだ。もう一つ” (Ah, right. One more thing.) [5]: Reference to the Scouter from Dragon Ball, a wearable eye piece often used by Frieza Force that is able to measure power levels.
Chapter 4 - Revelation On The Fourth Day Mizuto Irido ◆ About The Culprit To start with a conclusion, as of the present moment, I have not been able to identify the true identity of the perpetrator who was spying on me and Yume during our secret meeting. After all, there is only one thing that is clear about that culprit. The fact that they managed to elude our pursuit by hiding in the girls’ changing room lockers—indicating that they were most likely a girl. Even limiting the suspects to the second-year students at Rakurou High School lists us approximately 100 individuals, and if we include the idea that it could have been a woman outside of our high school who happened to be staying at the hotel at the time, the list becomes even more exhaustive. However, there is one more thing—just one more piece of information. A piece of information that changes the entire narrative. If there is anything I have noticed, it is just that. With that one single condition satisfied, like magic, only one culprit emerges from over 100 suspects. If we accept that assumption—yes, we can say it like this. I am almost certain about the identity of that shadowy figure. So from here on, I had the task of turning that assumption into a fact. I don’t really care whether or not I figure out who the culprit is, but a sense of dissatisfaction will likely linger in Yume’s heart—above all, if my assumption is correct, the memory of this school trip will remain a dark stain in the perpetrator’s heart. It’s not my style, but someone has to do it. All’s well that ends well. We’ll conclude this once-in-a-lifetime high school trip on a positive note.
What’s more, it’s not even something to get too worked up about. The groundwork has been laid. If we just wait, the necessary information will come to us. That’s right, isn’t it? Yako Yoshino. Mizuto Irido ◆ What’s With Being So Descriptive About Clothing Now? Today was the last day of the school trip—the fourth day. The only and final activity we had was a visit to Shuri Castle [1] . Looking at the solemn gate with familiar red tiles from pictures I had viewed earlier, I had imagined it to be a place like Heian Shrine [2] , but in reality, the surroundings resembled a typical residential area, and Shuri Castle seemed to sit atop a small hill in the middle. However, it seems there were regulations regarding the landscape surrounding Shuri Castle. Most of the town had white walls and vermilion roofs, giving it a distinctive appearance. What excited students from Rakurou High School the most was when we found a Lawson [3] . The iconic Lawson sign, usually blue in our minds, was now vermilion. The entrance with the blue lines, now covered with a red tile canopy, made it almost unrecognizable as a Lawson at first glance. As Kyoto residents accustomed to the brown McDonald’s [4] sign, seeing another place with localized designs was a source of excitement. Climbing up the broad slope bordered by stone walls, a bright red gate came into view. This was apparently the entrance to Shuri Castle Park, and was called Shureimon Gate. Each class took turns passing through the gate. While the basic plan was to enter in groups, once inside, there seemed to be a fair amount of freedom to explore on our own accord. Our group consisted of six members, and we walked along the stone walls of the castle. Soon, we saw another gate to enter the inside of the castle walls.
Unlike Shureimon Gate, this gate was rough and simple, with openings in the castle walls and Shisa statues on both sides, all in a monochrome gray. Passing through that gate, we entered a space surrounded by curved castle walls resembling waves. Stone-paved paths extended through green lawns, leading to stairs and another small gate. This time, it was painted in a beautiful vermilion color. Climbing the stairs and passing through the vermilion gate, a massive wall about five meters high appeared directly in front. The path extended to the left, leading to another set of stairs and a gate. “Th-there are so many stairs, aren’t there...?” Isana said with a weak voice. Feeling a bit tired in my legs too, I replied, “Well, it’s a castle on top of a hill... There are probably plenty more stairs and slopes.” “Uheeh...” Isana sighed in fatigue. Honestly, I felt the same way. After climbing the stairs and passing through another gate, we reached a small square. I wondered what was going on as tourists gathered on the left side, but it turned out that from the height of the castle wall, one could overlook the city below. “Uwaa! We’ve climbed this far! Let’s take a photo, a photo! Kawanami, help us out!” “Alright.” Naturally, Kawanami became the photographer, receiving our group’s phone. The four girls gathered near the castle wall, capturing the view of Naha City in the background. Minami-san, as usual, and Yume were used to being in photos, but Isana had a shy, introverted pose, and Asuhain seemed a bit awkward. I stayed indifferent, but eventually, the entire group got involved in taking a picture, and I was reluctantly pulled into the frame by Kawanami. I’m not really a fan of being in photos myself.
After passing through another gate, a large stone-paved square and the largest gate so far came into view. Hoshinmon Gate—a castle gate with towering height, of which everything from the roof to the walls and pillars unified in a vivid vermilion. Leading us to the main hall of Shuri Castle, it was like the main entrance, a building in itself that could easily be mistaken for the castle. Beyond that gate originally stood a solemn main hall adorned in vermilion and gold. However, several years ago, it was completely destroyed in a fire, and now it is apparently in the process of restoration. In fact, beyond the gate, a large prefab with the depiction of the former main hall could be seen. This brings us to about halfway. Of course, there’s also the return journey, so we’ve only covered half of the outbound route. “Phew~...” At the edge of the plaza in front of Hoshinmon Gate, Isana squatted down, taking a breath. “Slopes, stairs, slopes, stairs... It’s tough for a shut-in like me...” “You’re so lazy. It’s just this much.” Kawanami threw a teasing comment at her, but Isana, not bothering to react to her natural enemy’s provocation, mumbled, “It’s okay... Humans don’t normally need to climb slopes...” Gaining some mysterious enlightenment, she gazed up at the vermilion Hoshinmon Gate while squatting. Observing her, Yume spoke to Minami-san. “Want to take a little break here? The plaza is spacious, so we won’t be in the way of other people.” “Sounds good doesn’t it?” With that agreement, we decided to stay and look around the plaza for a while.
It’s convenient for me too. And if we stay here for a while... she’ll surely catch her breath. I pretended to wander around the stone-paved plaza, discreetly distancing myself from Yume and Isana. In the meantime, more students caught up one after another. Among them— “Hey.” There she was. Addressed by the voice, I turned around. Yako Yoshino with flashy hair and a stomach-exposing look stood there. Her shoulders, stomach, and thighs boldly exposed—her attire unsuitable for such a cultural place like this. She directed a gaze toward me, one that seemed either frightened or suspicious, but definitely not friendly. Fortunately, I had moved near a tree at the edge of the plaza, a place that Yume and Isana could not see me. I calmly turned to Yoshino. “What do you want?” Yoshino faintly furrowed her brow. Perhaps she thinks I was being absurd. “What do you mean ‘what do you want?’ After passing on such a message.” “That was my attempt at goodwill.” “But saying ‘attempt’ means there’s more to it, right? What do you want to say to us? I didn’t think you were the type to make threats.” “I’m not trying to threaten you. You’re just assuming that you’re being threatened on your own.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Besides, there’s hardly any material for a threat—a broken group leader’s phone is hardly enough.” “Ugh!”
Yoshino twisted her lips. I chuckled and continued, “By the way, I didn’t have firm evidence or absolute conviction about that matter. It was just speculation—but just looking at your face is enough to confirm that. You... got your it submerged in water and ended up breaking it right?” “How... how do you know that?” “There are three reasons—want to hear them? Even though I went out of my way to dig them out.” “I won’t be satisfied without hearing!” Well, if that’s the case. “The first reason was that on the morning of the second day when Yume tried to call you, you didn’t answer.” It was when we went to ask about the booklet incident together. Yume, considering it rude to visit the room directly, tried to communicate the purpose through the phone, but Yoshino didn’t respond. If her phone was already broken at that time, it would make sense. “The second reason was that from that day onwards, your group strangely tried to align actions with our group. Even during the visit to American Village, you were oddly close to Yume and the others. Perhaps it was to be close enough to get information in the case of an urgent contact through the phones that the group leaders were given?” Yume had made a promise during the morning talk on the first day that she would cooperate if there were any troubles. It seemed like a prepared move in case they needed help. “The third reason was—the clothes that were drying in your room on the morning of the second day.” “Clothes...?” “The same as the clothes you were wearing after dinner on the first day.” “......!”
Yoshino’s expression twisted faintly. If she didn’t want that incident known, she was being quite careless—perhaps inviting a guy into her room wasn’t a wise decision after all. “As expected, we brought enough change of clothes for the entire school trip—four days in total. There’s no need to wash clothes. If there were, it would be in case of an unforeseen accident requiring a change of clothes—like getting soaking wet and being unable to wear them.” Why did she get soaking wet? The neatly marked event should have occurred the night before. “Yoshino—did you get pushed into the pool by Asuhain?” Yoshino tried to keep her expression from changing. But it was too late now—seeing her so frightened of me, my hypothesis has practically been proven. “I heard it from Asuhain via Yume. On the first night, around 8:30 p.m, she saw someone confessing at the hotel’s pool. Of course, Asuhain didn’t mention who the two people involved were, but recalling the three things I mentioned earlier, I had no doubt that one of them was undoubtedly you. Moreover, you were the one confessing.” “...Why?” “Judging from Asuhain’s story, it’s reasonable to consider that there are only three possible individuals as the other person, apart from you. And all three of them didn’t seem to have a motive compelling enough to confess. I’m sorry, but that’s how it seems.” “Wait... I can’t follow the conversation.” Seeming to calm down, Yoshino, now feigning composure, said, “A confession by the pool? And I got pushed? Why does that have to be me? Just because I had washed my clothes doesn’t mean I got soaking wet. Maybe I spilled juice or something.” “Come to think of it, you’re wearing the same clothes as the first day today. I remember them.” “They dried after hanging them up—”
“I can pick up the smell of chlorine.” “Eh?” Yoshino hastily brought her nose close to the strap of her camisole and then froze. I chuckled. “You’re straightforward.” Yoshino blushed embarrassedly. Even I didn’t expect her to fall for that trap so perfectly. “Ah, jeez! What’s your purpose!? Are you teasing and bullying me!?” “Not at all. I have no intention of commenting on the fact that you confessed. You might have something to say to me, but—more than that, what I want to know is this.” I pointed to Yoshino’s left wrist. More precisely—the wristwatch wrapped around it. “When did you and Asuhain leave the pool, around what time exactly?” “What? What’s the point of that question?” “By that, I can figure out whom you confessed to.” “What does that matter? You could ask me directly.” “You wouldn’t want to tell me anyway. Besides—she would probably be happier if you didn’t directly tell me.” Yoshino narrowed her eyes, staring at my face. I couldn’t discern what emotions were there. But Yoshino, for a while, remained silent, seemingly accepting the reality in front of her. “Fine. I give up.” With a sigh, she looked at me with eyes void of strength.
“But in return, listen to my story. After your reasoning, okay? Once that’s done.” “Fine. I’ll pay that price.” “Don’t call someone’s love story a ‘price.’” Then, Yoshino looked down at the wristwatch wrapped around her left wrist. “Uh, what was it again? The time we left the pool?” “Yeah. I want to know as accurately as possible.” I couldn’t extract that information from Asuhain. After all, she wasn’t wearing a wristwatch, so she couldn’t have checked the time when leaving the pool. “Wait a moment... I’m sure I caught a glimpse of it... Oh, right, right. I think it was around 8:50 p.m.” “8:50 p.m...” About ten minutes before I entered the pool. —It’s settled, then. “Thank you. That clarifies things.” “Hmm. Well, I’ll tell you anyway, just to be nice. Quiz time! Can you guess who I confessed to?” I mentioned a name. Yoshino slightly relaxed her cheeks and said in a resigned tone, “You’re really annoying, seriously.” And then, for a while, she told me her story. A love story that began in secret and ended in secret. Mizuto Irido ◆ The Identity Of The Shadowy Figure After touring the main hall and enjoying the view from the observation platform through narrow paths, we once again passed
through several castle walls and returned to the vicinity of the Shureimon Gate. Near Shureimon Gate was a large grassy square with stalls, where everyone had free time until all the students returned. While other students were browsing souvenirs at the stalls or enjoying ice cream, one person sat under a tree with branches spread out like a roof, unfolding a sketchbook on their lap. I approached them and, without asking for their permission, sat down next to them. “What are you drawing?” The person, Isana Higashira, spoke lightly as they continued to move her pen across the paper. “I saw many picturesque views, so I thought I’d sketch them lightly and maybe create some characters.” “But do you remember the landscapes?” “That’s why I said it’s just a casual sketch. I also took photos as a reference.” Isana had brought an old digital camera for personal use. She mentioned borrowing it from her father, saying she wanted pictures for illustration reference, separate from the memories of the school trip. Watching the rapidly reappearing scenes of Shuri Castle through Isana’s hands, I asked her, “The school trip is finally ending. How was it for you?” “It was so much fun! Way more than in junior high! I didn’t know a school trip with friends could be this enjoyable. It’s something I hadn’t experienced before.” “Well that was pretty emotional, but... well, I mostly agree.” I had a good time too. There were various troubles, but all’s well that ends well. “Isana, while you’re sketching is fine, but there’s something I want to ask you. Okay?”
“What is it?” “It’s nothing major. During this school trip, I had a little trouble with Yume. I thought about how to resolve it, and I want to hear your thoughts. Is that okay?” “Eh? Does it really make sense for me to listen? I can’t really give advice, you know?” “Just listening is enough. It helps me organize my thoughts.” Looking up at the blue sky of Okinawa through the overlapping treetops, I began to tell a story of memories. “It happened on the first night at 9 p.m. Yume and I were meeting at a certain place.” “Yeah, yeah.” “Do you remember the hotel pool? We decided to meet there at nine because no students would be there. So, we met, and we were talking for a while. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from behind. When we turned around, someone was hastily running away from the bushes.” “Ueh?” “We hurriedly chased after them, but when we passed through the changing room and rushed into the hallway, there was no trace of the figure. As you know, it would be troublesome if our relationship becomes widely known. So, before the school trip ended—before everyone gets their phones back, we needed to find the culprit and keep them silent.” “That makes sense.” “But, I had no idea who the culprit was until this morning. The only thing I knew about the culprit was one thing. While we were at the pool, Minami-san was apparently keeping watch at the entrance. According to Minami-san, from the moment we entered the pool until we left, no one else entered or exited the pool.” “Eeh?”
“The culprit didn’t immediately leave the hallway. They hid and waited for us to pass. Since I checked inside all the lockers in the changing room, the only place the culprit could hide is the locker in the girls’ changing room that Yume passed through. In other words, the culprit must be a girl. In that split-second situation, I couldn’t imagine a boy running into the girls’ changing room.” “I see, I see. That makes sense.” “On the other hand, all we knew was that much—however, the event that occurred at that pool on that night wasn’t just that. When I considered that along with everything else, like a puzzle, I realized the suspect could be narrowed down to just one person.” “And?” “Thirty minutes before we entered the pool—around 8:30 p.m, there were three people at the same pool. One of them was Asuhain. Asuhain was hiding in the bushes, witnessing not our secret meeting but another one, where Yako Yoshino confessed to another student.” “I see.” “Yoshino’s confession failed, and it seems the situation escalated. Just when it was about to turn into a scuffle, Asuhain, who was hiding in the bushes, jumped out and pushed them into the pool.” “Oh dear.” “This incident and our incident are not unrelated. That’s because the person Yoshino confessed to—the last of the three people at the pool around 8:30 p.m—was the same person who peeked at our secret meeting and fled, the culprit.” Isana, who had been sketching in her sketchbook while giving occasional nods, stopped her pen abruptly and glanced briefly in my direction. “...Why is that?” “I heard it from Yoshino earlier. After her confession failed, she was pushed into the pool by Asuhain. As she got her change of clothes from Asuhain and was leaving the pool, do you know what time it was? The answer is around 8:50 p.m. Now, there’s something we need to
remember. Earlier, Minami-san was said to be watching the pool entrance. The thing is, this surveillance started about 10 minutes before 9 p.m—around 8:50 p.m. However, of course, Minami-san didn’t see Yoshino and the others leaving the pool, nor did she see anyone entering.” “Hmm...” “Both Yoshino and Minami-san may have a few minutes of difference in their memories, and it might have been a mix-up. However, in either case, the time frame in which the peeping culprit could re-enter the pool was just a few minutes, from the moment Yoshino and the others initially left the pool until Minami-san started her watch. In that needle-threading timing, did the culprit slip back into the pool by chance?” “I don’t know.” “Of course, Minami-san hadn’t told anyone about her watching over us, and she probably didn’t know when she would start. Avoiding her was certainly a matter of chance, no other way to put it. But what about Yoshino and Asuhain? Assuming the culprit is an unrelated stranger to them and their earlier incident, there would be no reason for the culprit to avoid them. Even if they were extremely shy, it would be difficult for them to know about Yoshino and Asuhain without peeking into the changing room even once. According to Asuhain, no one else came to the changing room, and it seems Yoshino and Asuhain didn’t exchange a single word, nor did they show any expressions to each other—in other words, they couldn’t be heard. So how could the culprit have known that Yoshino and Asuhain were there?” “That’s true...” “So I thought that the culprit might have known from the beginning that Yoshino and Asuhain were in the changing room and that they were in a situation where they couldn’t easily confront them. There’s only one person who seems to meet those conditions. In other words—the person who had just rejected Yoshino’s confession.” “......” “Therefore, the person who rejected Yoshino’s confession equates to the person who peeked at our secret meeting. The moment this
equation was established, four conditions suggesting the identity of the culprit formed within me.” I raised my index finger. “The first is what I mentioned earlier, being female.” I followed by raising my middle finger. “The second is being in the same class as Yoshino but in a different group. Asuhain overheard Yoshino probably talking about wanting the culprit and them to be in the ‘same group.’ This dialogue wouldn’t come up unless they were classmates in different groups.” I then raised my ring finger. “The third is having a swimsuit. The person who rejected Yoshino’s confession left the pool alone, leaving behind a wet Yoshino who couldn’t move and Asuhain, who went to get her change of clothes. This could only be possible if they were wearing a swimsuit when pushed into the pool—of which, there was a swimsuit dryer in that pool’s changing room.” Lastly, I raised my pinky finger. “The fourth is—being someone without an alibi at exactly 9 p.m that day.” I then folded the four I raised fingers back. “With just the first condition alone, the suspects to consider were well over a hundred.” I raised my index finger back again after explaining this. “Adding the second condition narrows down the suspects to the 11 girls in our class, excluding the girls in Yoshino’s group.” I raised my middle finger. “And now the third condition. Only the students who chose the marine experience in the afternoon of the second day brought swimsuits on this school trip. In our class, only Yoshino’s group and our group chose the marine experience—Yoshino’s group is excluded by the second condition. So, the culprit must be one of the four girls in our group.”
I raised my ring finger. “Finally, the fourth condition. Among the remaining four suspects, Yume is certainly not the culprit. Minami, who claims to have been watching the pool entrance, has a clear alibi because she was apparently with friends at the time. Asuhain, when Yume returned to the room from the pool, was already in the room. The culprit hid in the locker and passed us by, so they could only return to the room after we left the pool—beating Yume back to the room would have been impossible.” I raised my pinky finger. “Only one person remains.” I glanced at the profile of my best friend. “Isana—it was you, isn’t it?” Isana Higashira—The culprit who had been peeping at our secret meeting in the bushes on the first day at 9 p.m. In complete silence, she looked down at her unfinished sketch. Lowering her head. Her shoulders trembled slightly. The noise of the school trip seemed distant, and only the midday sunlight filtered through the trees, pouring onto us in the shadows. The shadows seemed like a barrier separating us from the outside world. However, for her and me, this was just an ordinary moment. In the corner of the library, on the rooftop during the cultural festival, or at the edge of the sports festival, we had spent countless moments like this. So. Even in this moment, it was just an ordinary day for us. “Amaz—amazing!”
Suddenly lifting her face with a bang, Isana leaned toward me. Coming so close that our noses almost touched, she enthusiastically exclaimed. “I thought I would eventually be exposed, but I never expected it to happen so beautifully! Well done! Impressive! I always knew you were smart, Mizuto-kun!” “Is that the attitude of an accused culprit being exposed? Well, it was mostly as I expected...” I, who wasn’t particularly good at this kind of verbal exchange, enacted this resolution scene, thinking that Isana would probably enjoy it—apparently, she liked it more than I thought. Isana pulled back her leaning body, placed both hands on her chest with a satisfied expression, and took a deep breath. “Ah, I was so nervous. So, this is how the culprit feels when cornered. What a front-row seat!” “As for me, I was imagining more of a, ‘Interesting deduction. Shouldn’t you become a writer?’ kind of scenario.” “Nah, Mizuto-kun, it’s better if you don’t become a writer. Even I know that.” “Ugh...” Well, I knew that too. Isana swung her legs idly and said, “So, what’s next?” as she leaned forward, peering into my face. “What do we do from here? I don’t read many detective novels.” “This is the part where the culprit confesses. Why did you peek?” “Ah... is that so? I guess I still have to say it, huh?” Isana hummed the background music that usually plays when the culprit confesses in a certain boy detective anime while explaining, “There are two reasons.”
“You don't have to force yourself to sound smart explaining them.” “Rude! Seriously, there are two reasons! ...One of them is simply that I wanted to see it.” “...Can that be counted as a reason?” “Why not!? Yume-san said she wanted to take a bath by 9 p.m, and I figured she would meet with you after that, so I wondered what kind of atmosphere there would be when it’s just Mizuto-kun and Yume-san.” “Well, I don’t entirely understand, but... what’s the other reason?” “The other reason... I just wanted to check something.” “Check?” “I guess you could say it’s curiosity... I wanted to see if I would be okay after witnessing Mizuto-kun in that situation. It’s like playing a horror game, a mix of fear and curiosity, unable to resist taking action. I had some free time as well.” “So you thought of sneaking into the pool first?” “I thought about it, but chickened out at the last minute... I was loitering in front of the pool entrance when Yoshino-san found me. When I said I wanted to go to the pool without explaining the reason, she said, ‘Then let’s go together.’” “So at that point, you hadn’t even dreamed of Yoshino confessing to you.” “Of course not! I never expected to experience my first confession—oh, I mean, being on the receiving end—from a girl... Especially not from a gyaru like her.” “That’s understandable...” I had no way of predicting it either. It’s not just because they’re both girls, but more so because Yoshino’s the type who never reveals her true feelings. She always had a cheerful personality, covering everything else, never showing her true self to anyone.
“This is just out of curiosity, but... what did Yoshino say to you?” “She said something like, ‘It’s lonely that it’s just us girls in such a stylish pool,’ and when I agreed with her, she suggested, ‘Why don’t we date?’ in that kind of way...” “She was joking, wasn’t she?” “I think if I had played it off well, Yoshino-san would have backed off quickly... But I was surprised too and gave a genuine reaction, so she couldn’t back down...” I reflected on it. The motive for confessing to Isana Higashira, which Yoshino herself told me just a while ago. Mizuto Irido ◆ A Kind Gyaru Who Confessed To Isana Higashira “...In other words, I fell into the swamp.” At the edge of the square in front of the solemn Hoshinmon Gate, Yako Yoshino murmured as if in repentance. “At first, it really wasn’t anything. I often saw her alone, never talking to anyone. I wondered what kind of person she was... So, I started talking to her. I didn’t even notice that she had big breasts at the start.” “What a truly sunny mentality...” I shuddered at the initiative of a real gyaru. Yoshino responded with a wry smile, saying, “But for a whole year, seriously, I never saw her talking to anyone other than me. Oh, in our class, I mean. I knew Mizuto-kun was close to her. But, in terms of the ratio spent, it would be safe to think I spent more time with her as we were in the same class, right?” “That makes sense.”
“So, I thought, this girl would be in trouble without me... She probably has no one else to rely on... Somehow, unconsciously feeling that way, I started to, you know, develop a kind of possessiveness...” ...I couldn’t say I didn’t understand. Even when I was dating Yume in junior high, or when I was talking to Isana in the corner of the library in high school, it would be a lie to say that there wasn’t a sense of superiority in knowing a charm that no one else knew. Did I fall into that swamp too? “Isn’t it crazy? Feeling like you’ve selfishly owned the other person... So, I tried not to think about it as much as possible, but one day... around last winter, I saw it.” “Saw it...?” “Isana-chan’s drawings.” It clicked for me. Around last winter, after the student council-led Kobe trip ended, when I started producing Isana, that time— “In the corner of the classroom, she was happily drawing on her tablet. I caught a glimpse of it. I was really shocked the moment I saw them. It wasn’t just that she was incredibly skilled... I had seen it before, on social media.” “Oh...” “It wasn’t insanely viral, but it was enough to be widely spread among us common folks... I also remembered liking the illustration. Isana-chan was the artist of that illustration! The moment I thought that, it felt like... fate or something!” “I kind of get it...” I sighed and said. Realizing a value not known to the world. There’s hardly any pleasure humans can experience that could match that. I know it better
than anyone else. I was the first to notice Isana’s talent in this world and got hooked. “After that, it was impossible, huh?” With a self-deprecating smile, Yoshino continued. “My head went crazy. I thought, ‘So this is how people become.’ I desperately hid it from others. Image-wise, I couldn’t talk about such things.” “Maybe that’s why you were oddly teasing me and Isana about our relationship?” “Well, yeah... I heard it from her during our first year, and I knew you guys weren’t actually dating. But, if I played along with the widespread rumor, nobody would think that I’m into Isana-chan...” “After the dinner on the first day, you whispered something to Asuhain. That was...” “Oh, you saw that? Well, I said, ‘Do your best.’ If Ran-chan manages to capture you, it means fewer rivals for me. Ah, looking back, I was so creepy! Ran-chan was probably disgusted too.” Why was Asuhain shocked after witnessing Yoshino’s confession? This was the answer. While Yoshino mocked our relationship and even went so far as to call out Asuhain for us, in reality, she was hiding her own feelings and using it as a pose to secretly try and date Isana. Asuhain, who was struggling with her own feelings for Yume, saw Yoshino’s clinginess to Isana without turning her eyes away and saw her own reflection. She feared she might be that kind of person. That’s why she tried to distance herself from Yume... “So, I was properly rejected.” With an effort to keep it light, Yoshino said, “At that time, I got hot-headed and clung to her, but being pushed into the pool by Asuhain cooled my head... To think that someone like me dared to try something with Isana-chan was just too presumptuous.” “I don’t think you need to be so self-deprecating.”
“I do... I’m a coward who can’t even confess to the teachers that I broke my group’s phone.” Well, the one who probably broke it was Asuhain. Yoshino uttered a “Hngh” as she let out a big stretch. “It felt a bit refreshing to confess everything... Hey, Mizuto-kun, you rejected Isana-chan, right?” “Yeah.” “I envy you and resent you to death, so I’ll tell you, you’ll definitely regret it.” “I won’t.” I confidently replied, “If I had accepted Isana’s confession back then, she probably wouldn’t have drawn those illustrations.” “Oh... yeah, that’s true.” Smiling faintly, Yoshino turned her back to me. With those words, as if bidding farewell to her former self, Well then, continue to make her happy—my precious ‘crush.’ Mizuto Irido ◆ Isana Higashira Is Unshakable As I reminisced about Yoshino’s cheerful departure, I glanced at Isana’s profile. She was no longer someone who could find happiness through mere romance. Both I, who was loved, and she, who loved, shared that sentiment. I’m certain it’s true. Rather than the triviality of becoming a couple together or becoming her boyfriend, a much weightier responsibility now rests on me. In order to meet her expectations, I must shoulder the responsibility I have brought upon myself—the responsibility of having
steered Isana Higashira away from the path of becoming an ordinary high school girl. ”...So? What were the results?” I inquired, and Isana tilted her head, responding with a puzzled “Yes?” “You tried, didn’t you? To see what would happen if you observed me and Yume being together. The results—what were they?” I’ll bear the responsibility of accepting whatever those results may be. Regardless of their nature, having turned her down for Yume’s sake, I have no right to deny them. “Well, you see...” Isana gazed up at the endlessly bright sky, contemplating with a thoughtful expression. I waited nervously for her response. After a moment, Isana murmured, as if raindrops were falling. “I don’t remember.” “What?” I furrowed my brow in bewilderment, struggling to comprehend her words. Isana, with a serious expression, turned her face towards me and declared, “Yume-san was too erotic... to the point where I don’t remember anything else at all.” “......” “That’s because... that’s because! Saying things like ‘Wait until we get home, okay?’ is too explicit! Even though she’s usually so earnest and modest! I couldn’t help but lean forward in excitement because of that at the time!” Perhaps that noise we heard was because of that. “I can’t see Yume-san as anything other than a naughty girl! Last night, just hearing about her bust size almost gave me a nosebleed!” “Come to think of it, it seems like you had slipped into Yume’s arms on the morning of the second day as well…”
“It must have happened unconsciously... When I opened my eyes and saw Yume-san’s face right in front of me, my heart felt like it was about to stop.” With both hands trembling, Isana fixed her gaze on me with determined eyes. “It’s going to be quite a scene... when the both of you get back today, right? After holding it like that... accumulating it for four days.” “I’ll be incredibly tired after a trip so that’s not going to happen.” To begin with, our parents are at home today as usual. “In my delusions, Yume-san has already become quite a spectacle... I saw her naked in the bath, so the details are already incredibly vivid... I apologize, Mizuto-kun, but I think I’ll be having meals with these delusions for a while.” “There are no calories in delusions, you know?” “There is... The desires they fulfill are just different...” At that moment, Isana had a face as if she had received divine inspiration. She hastily flipped through a sketchbook with a partially drawn Shuri Castle, and started to sketch something with tremendous vigor on a blank page. “What’s up? What did you come up with?” As I asked from my perspective as her producer, Isana didn’t stop at all and responded, “Mizuto-kun, you’ve mentioned it before, right? It’s about time we make a poster girl.” “Ah, aaah... Having a character that becomes the face of your work makes a huge difference.” I’ve been planning to have Isana draw a manga for me one day too. Not to make her a manga artist, but because the experience one would gain from drawing manga is unparalleled.
However, it’s difficult to suddenly jump into paneling, so as a preliminary step, I had been thinking of starting a series of single illustrations with dialogues. I had discussed with Isana that we need a standing character for that. “How about this girl for that character?” Isana quickly finished a rough sketch of a girl and held the sketchbook towards me. It was a high school girl with long black hair reminiscent of Yume, wearing a cute beret. The uniform was quite fantasy-like, with cape-like parts on the shoulders. “What kind of character is this?” “An insanely lustful, beautiful girl detective.”