Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I stood alone in the observation deck, staring out onto the skyline ahead of me. It's a beautiful sight to behold. I’ve been up the Tokyo Tower a few times before with my family, but it has never failed to make an impression. The capital has a way of making you feel small.

I couldn’t get Komari out of my head. The call with Tamaki-senpai had forced my eyes open.

Looking back, it should have been obvious to anyone else.

Why did it take so long for me to realize it? Am I that dense?

Or have I been subconsciously ignoring her efforts?

How would I feel if I was aiming for a girl and she brushed off everything I did to get her attention? Would I even have the courage to do it?

That’s an easy question to answer.

I wouldn’t have tried to begin with, because I was more afraid of failing than not having something.

I couldn’t even make friends on my own, let alone pursue a girl.

If it wasn’t for others actively making an effort to befriend me.. If I hadn’t been dragged to start actually showing up for the Literature Club.. I would still have nobody.

I’d like to think I’ve gotten better with people. I’ve barged into a student council meeting to save a stuttering Komari who could not deliver her report. I could speak just fine in front of all the first years during orientation day. 

But I’ve never had a problem with speaking in front of people. It doesn’t take much effort on my part to do so. 

Is it really brave to do something you have little trouble doing? Of course not. Real bravery is bracing yourself to do something you’re deathly scared of.

To be outdone by a girl who can barely put two sentences together without stuttering.. I really am a spineless coward..

...

I’ve made up my mind.. When she comes back, I have to take the initiative and tell her I know how she feels.

I owe it to her, after everything she’s done for me..

Komari returned soon after that. She joined me on the railing to watch the city lights ahead of us.

She was scarlet red. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought she sampled some wine from the spirits store downstairs.

I’m not doing much better either. I couldn’t look at her for too long before my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. 

It’s the same Komari as always.. but every part of her seems to shine a little bit more.. How did it get like this?

Although she was right next to me, we kept averting our gazes from each other and stayed silent all the while.

There’s no running away now. I have to do it!

“Komari!”

“Uweh!?!”

She jumped away from me in shock. 

“W-what is it?”

“..Just now when you were gone, I had a call with Tamaki-senpai.”

That seemed to calm her down. She rejoined me on the railing with a smile.

“Y-you did? W-What did you two talk about?”

“I told him we made it to Comiket.. He sounded really proud of us.”

“T-that’s good..I’m really glad.. we got to keep their legacy alive..”

All the anxiety on her face disappeared. She stared into the skyline with a deeply content smile.

“..Me too.”

She turned her head towards me with a wide grin. Her warm smile, tinted by the blue glow of the floor lights was a truly mesmerizing sight.

“It’s all thanks to you, Nukumizu.”

“M-me? I didn’t do anything..”

“D-don’t say that.. T-This club wouldn’t have survived without you..”

“You really think so?”

She nodded gently to my question.

“I-I never got to say this while we are at home but..”

Komari pushed herself off the railing and turned to face me. She held her arms behind her back. With a slight bow and her cheeks as red as her hair, she gave me the sweetest smile I’ve seen from her. 

“I’m so glad it was you who became our president, Nukumizu!”

She stood there smiling at me, flanked by all of Tokyo’s city lights. It was just like after the Tsuwabuki festival..

It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen.

I can’t make any more excuses or stall further.

All of me wants to do this here and now.

I grasped both of her hands.

Komari squealed and her already blushing face was now entirely red.

“Hyah!! ...N-Nukumizu.. W-what are you d-doing?”

“..When I was talking to Tamaki-senpai, we were talking about you as well-”

This is too hard.. I don’t know if I can do this.

“A-about m-me?!”

“..He told me to pay more attention to you, and everything you did for me.. ”

I feel a lump in my throat. My heart’s beating faster than ever. This was even more exhausting than the time I raced Yakishio. I felt I could overheat and melt if I didn’t do this quickly.

“-Sorry.. It took me so long to realize.. I never responded or appreciated- I thought-..”

I can’t do it.. My courage is starting to fail me now.. 

Komari stared at me with her mouth agape, and her eyes quivering as they stared into mine. 

Come on! Finish it!

I took a deep breath to find my words once more.

“..I started to remember all the things you did for me and then I realized.. How you feel about me..”

“Una!?”

Her confused face turned anxious and uneasy.. She must be preparing for the worst..

No.. I will never let her hurt like that again.

“Y-your feelings have reached me! I’m really happy someone feels that way about me! I want you to know.. I.. feel the same way about you as well!”

I did it.. I really did it..

Komari was frozen for a moment, taking a few seconds to process what just happened. Her anxiety disappeared, and a tender and loving smile came upon her face. Her eyes started to well up.

She ran to me and embraced me while crying into my shirt.

“..I’m so happy!”

 Instinctively, I returned her embrace while ruffling her head the way she likes it.

“..I tried so hard to get you to look at me! I was always worried..if it was just like last time!  ..I’m so glad they reached you!”

“..I’m sorry I didn’t realize earlier.. I’m such a jerk..”

“..Every time we got close, I always got scared and pushed you away! ..I couldn’t be honest with you! ..I was so scared I’d push you away for good! ”

She wasn’t stuttering at all even as she cried.. These must be her real feelings..

And to think last time, she still needed to use her phone to finish the job..

It was like a huge load had been taken off my back. My head feels so light now.. But there are still matters that need addressing.

Seeing Komari’s joyous tears made it a thousand times harder.

“..I wanted you to know my feelings as well.. I don’t want to sound like I rejected you.. But even after this, we can’t be together! Not yet.. The literature club will fall apart if we do..” 

I anticipated the worst. To dash her hopes after all that.. 

Komari pushed herself from me while still holding both my hands. Though her eyes still sparkled with tears, her face wore a warm and heartfelt smile.

“This is what I like about you.. Nukumizu.. Even right now, you’re still thinking of the club.. You’re still keeping your promise to me..”

I could only gasp when I heard those words..

This is what I like about you..

A simple reversal of what she usually said to me when I annoyed her.. It left me completely speechless..

So this is what it’s like for someone to truly have feelings for you..

“Are you OK with this? I’m really sorry..”

“I understand.. That was tearing me apart too.. Knowing Nukumizu noticed my efforts.. And how I feel.. That’s more than I can ask for already..”

Komari tightened her grasp on my hand. She seems to be bracing herself to say something.. Her voice started to crack again.

“..B-but the rest of the club isn’t here right now! J-just for today..w-while it’s the two of us..”

She took a deep breath, and stared deeply into my eyes.

“...Can we be together?”

With that, the last of my resolve crumbled. I can no longer pretend to be the responsible club president.

I wanted this too.

“..Yes.. Just for tonight..”

Komari looked at me with expectant eyes, her mouth slightly open and her cheeks flush red.

Even an unpopular background character like me knows what happens next..

I lowered my head and moved my face closer to her.

She didn’t move away from me.. 

The coward in me hoped she would..

Now I really have to do this..

I could start to feel her breath..

She raised her head slightly to meet mine. 

I can’t believe I’m doing this.. In public too..

“..Is this what you wanted?”

“..Y-yes..”

She started to close her eyes.. 

I closed mine too..

My heart feels like it could jump out of my chest. My head’s running in circles.. I don’t know what to do next..

Ah... there’s no more room to do anything now!

I edged my face forward.. and forward.. till I finally met her lips..

It was like all the fireworks at the Obon festival exploded in my head.

Her lips were so soft and tender, yet it felt electrifying, as if I touched a live wire.

It lasted only a few seconds, but at the moment, it felt like hours had passed..

We pulled back from each other after that, finally opening our eyes. Both of us were breathing heavily, and blushing like never before.

I did it.. My first kiss was with a classmate on the top of the Tokyo Tower..

Komari’s eyes were locked to mine. She was panting heavily as well, and her pupils looked larger than usual..

That was it.. right? I don’t know how much more I can take..

She had other ideas. She let go of my hands and placed them on my shoulders instead.

“A-again..”

Is she crazy? We’re out in public.. We should stop..

Ah..it’s no use.. I can’t resist her anymore..

My own hands instinctively reached for the back of her head and I went in for a second kiss.

The second time was no less electrifying than the first. 

I have no idea what I’m doing.. All of me wanted to back away and shrivel in embarrassment but it felt too good to give up now..

This time we stayed together a little longer. She felt so warm to the touch.. I want to stay like this a bit more..

It was just like before.. A minute felt like hours had passed by before we broke off the kiss.

We’re back to staring at each other once more. I might be seeing things, but it looked like her face was glowing red..

We stood still for a few minutes until I forced myself to say something.

“..Did you like it?”

“Y-Yeah..”

“Me too..”

It’s over now.. 

My head is slowly starting to settle back down..  

When I came back to my senses, I found myself still holding a female classmates’ head while she embraced me while out in public.

In a flash, our sense of shame hit the both of us like a truck at the start of an isekai novel, and we both recoiled away from each other.

We locked lips just half a minute ago, but now we’re back to being so conscious of each other again.

I searched around the observation deck to distract myself. Everyone started to look away, but I caught their stares for a split second. They were all focused on us..

They saw it all.. Damn it.. What have I done..

I wanted to curl up and hide in the bathroom until closing time.. I can’t believe I just kissed a girl in public like that! And that was my first kiss too!

My only solace was that we’re both far away from home.. If something like this happened in Toyohashi, I don’t want to imagine the mess it would cause.

I scurried off to one side and she went off to another. We’re both too embarrassed to be close to each other right now.

Okay.. Calm down..

This is normal. I just confessed to and kissed Komari in public. There’s no reason to be so self-conscious.  

How can I not be?!

I got caught in the heat of the moment and skipped 200 chapters worth of development and hints.. This isn’t how things are supposed to go..

I could spy Komari hiding her face in her hands on the other end of the observation deck. She’s not taking this any better than I am.

How long are we going to stay like this? We can’t avoid each other forever.

I slowly gathered my courage and walked up behind her.

She hasn’t even noticed me, but walking up to her gets harder and harder with every step. It’s like a repelling magnet, but eventually I managed to get right behind her.

“H-hey, Komari..”

“U-Una!?”

She jumped away in surprise as usual.

“Y-you said you wanted us to be together right? We shouldn’t stand so far away then..”

Komari still couldn’t look me straight in the eye, but she took my hand again.

“Y-yeah.. okay..”

We stood there for 5 minutes without saying a single word. I have no idea what to do next.. This is killing me.

“..W-what do we do next?”

Does she know who she’s talking to?

“Why are you asking me of all people?!”

We’re so useless.. This is what happens when two loners get together.

“T-think of something!”

“T-then what do you want to do, Komari?”

Yes. Throw it back to her. Now I look good and I don’t have to make the first move.

“T-then.. H-hold me from behind.. L-let’s watch the skyline together like that..”

“Ah-uh, sure..”

It’s a simple request but I was left completely dumbstruck. How do I do this? Where am I supposed to hold her?

Does this come naturally to normal people? We really are built differently then..

No time to think further. I’ll hold her like I do with Kaju. Please forgive your onii-sama!

I placed my arms under her shoulders and held her close. She’s roughly the same size as Kaju, but a little bonier.

“...Is this okay?”

“Y-yeah..”

“T-that’s good.”

I am awful at this.. It’s a good thing that she’s equally terrible at this too.

“This is a lot harder than the light novels make it out to be.”

“W-well, no one wants to read 12 volumes of two losers s-struggling to do anything.”

“You don’t think there’s an untapped market there?”

“N-not really.. E-even if there was.. e-easier to sell a story where a perfect beauty becomes your n-neighbor and starts liking you out of n-nowhere..”

“Oh.. You’re thinking like a professional already.”

“Y-you get exposed to it early.. E-even in “Let’s Become an Author”.. Write what people like or get buried..”

I did not realize the world of amateur publishing was this cutthroat. Writers sure have it tough.

“Well.. while you’re still in high school.. Why don’t you write what you really want to write?”

“N-no one will read it..”

“I will. Is that not enough for you?”

I couldn’t see her face, but I could feel her heat up slightly after that.

“P-promise?”

“Of course. Besides, I’m the president, I have to review everything you submit anyway.”

“A-alright.. Promise to read it properly when it’s finished!”

“I said I loved your novels, didn't I? Of course I’ll read it properly.”

She started shifting more of her weight onto me. 

“Y-yeah.. You did..”

*

We stayed at Tokyo Tower until closing time at 11 pm before heading for her relative’s apartment. It was all the way in Yokohama so we still needed to board a train to get there. 

It was an older part of town. All the buildings here looked like they were older than my parents. They were mostly low rises and danchi apartment buildings. Her apartment was in one of those.

We climbed laboriously to the sixth floor. A whole day of walking made these steps so much harder to climb, especially with all the books in our bags. I had to help Komari climb up halfway through. 

“What.. is with you?.. Hah... You used to train with Yakishio and now you can’t.. climb a simple stair?”

“G-go die! huff-huff.. Y-you’re out of breath too!”

“Why’d she.. choose the sixth floor!?”

Eventually, with much effort and suffering we made it all the way up. Komari unlocked the door, with a spare key, and we both headed in to finally get some rest.

“Pardon..hah.. the intrusion..”

Well.. from what I know she’s a single professional woman working the night shift at the hospital, so I should keep my comments about the state of her apartment’s neatness to myself. Unwashed dishes piled up in the sink. There was nothing outwardly dirty, but this is indeed, the room of someone with too little time to spend on cleaning.

Thankfully, she’s prepared a futon for us in the living room. I’ll let Komari take that one, and I’ll use the couch next to it. I hope she will like the pastries I bought.

As soon as I dropped my bag to the floor, I  could feel all the bones in my body breathe out a sigh of relief at no longer needing to lug around several kilos worth of hen-.. fan works. 

I took them out and placed them one by one on the floor to properly admire my haul.

Komari was unimpressed, apparently blind to the fact that she also had a whole anthology of naked Sengoku warlords embracing each other spread out in the open.

“S-showing all this to a girl.. Y-you’re horrible..”

“It’s just 2D..“

She started pulling on my shirt in anger.

“Y-you’re my boyfriend now! I-I don’t like it when you look at other g-girls.. e-even if they’re 2D..”

Someone’s getting territorial.

Ah.. but it’s not a bad feeling to have someone stake a claim on you..

“Boyfriend”.. 

Even if it’s just for today, being called her boyfriend was still a critical hit.

“F-Fine.. I won’t look at anyone else while I’m with you. Happy?”

“I-it’s a start..”

She went back to her books after that. Let’s leave her to admire her Comiket haul. I am going to take a hot shower before I crash asleep.

It was just a stand-in shower, so there’s no bathwater to prepare. That’s good, I certainly don’t have the patience to wait for a tub to fill now.

Feeling the hot water wash away all of today’s dirt and grime was heavenly. What a day indeed.

Going out with a classmate to the capital secretly to buy R18 doujins.. And then I ended up kissing her in the heat of the moment..

Although we both agreed we can’t be together openly back home, I knew our relationship will never be the same again. It can’t be, after what happened.

No matter.. We’ll deal with that when we get there, together.

For now.. I’m just glad I can make her happy and reciprocate her feelings.

That was a good shower. After drying my hair and changing to my pajamas I was more than ready to crash and sleep.

“Bath’s empty. Go shower.”

Komari scuttled into the bathroom, leaving me alone once again.

I wanted to sleep, but I could feel Risa-chan call out to me from my bag.

“Onii-chan”

No.. I have to resist. I promised Komari I wouldn’t!

...

It’s not cheating if it’s your little sister right?

I quietly reached in and started to flick through the pages..

This.. is exquisite. It is absolutely worth the trouble going here. Minami-sensei’s art is impeccable as always, and she truly understands the appeal of an imouto.

What a day indeed. I got to visit Tokyo, realized and confessed my feelings to Komari at the top of Tokyo Tower, and I managed to get all this illicit treasure, and no one at home is any wiser.

I started feeling suspicious, as everything seemed too good to be true. Could there be a disaster waiting for me at home?

Nah, no way. My plan is foolproof. Short of extreme bad luck, there are no holes where anyone would find any reason to be suspicious. I’ve made sure to separate everyone dangerous from Sakurai-kun, and the nosy ones can’t do anything on their own.

Never underestimate the lengths a man will go to for his treasure.

I heard the bathroom door open and I quickly snuck my book back into the bag before she could see anything.

Komari walked out wearing a towel on her head.

Well.. I’ll go to bed while she cleans herself up.

It has been a long day so within seconds I was starting to fall asleep. I braced myself for the sound of the hairdryer about to pierce my eardrums..

Where is it? Is she not drying her hair? Could she not find the hairdryer?

My eyes were forced open by curiosity. I could hear some water drop from her hair. She gave a light a rub with the towel... and did nothing else..

“G-good night, Nukumizu.”

She walked lazily to the light switch and turned it off, leaving just a small night light on.

She’s really going to sleep with her hair still wet. 

Unbelievable.. 

No wonder her hair’s such a mess..

“Oi.”

“Hyah?!”

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“G-going to sleep?”

“Not like that, you aren’t.”

“Una?! W-what are you talking about?”

“Sit up. Now.”

Komari squealed but did as she was told with little hesitation. 

“W-what’s gotten into you?”

I moved closer to get a better look at her hair to see what I’m working with. Komari flinched and started squirming around. Does she hate having her hair done this much?

“Hya?! N-Nukumizu, n-no! N-not yet!”

This is like bathing a stray cat. Stop resisting already. 

“Stay still.”

And with that she seemed to cease all resistance immediately. She started blushing deeply out of nowhere. 

“..P-please... b-be g-gentle..”

Of course I’ll be gentle. Otherwise, it’ll ruin your hair further.

I reached out and started to sift her hair through my fingers.

“Uwah?!”

“As I thought, your hair’s still soaked. No wonder it’s in such poor shape.”

“M-my hair?”

“Why do you seem so surprised? Whatever, sit still for now.”

She seemed frozen in place as I left to retrieve a brush and hairdryer from the bathroom. 

I sat behind Komari and started to dry her still soaked hair, sifting through it from time to time to make sure it was properly dry.

“You need to take better care of your hair. Look at this.. There’s split ends and stray hairs everywhere..”

Komari was hunched over in front of me. She seemed a little uneasy but didn’t raise any complaints so I’ll keep going with this.

“Wet hair breaks easier. If you sleep without drying it properly, it’s going to fall apart quickly.”

“I-it’s a waste of energy..”

“Taking care of your appearance isn’t a waste.”

“..N-No one looks at me anyway..”

“How can you say that when I’m here?”

She fell silent after that. Her hair is very fragile from years of neglect so I kept the heat setting low to minimize potential damage. We have to be very careful with this one.

“You know your siblings look up to you, right? Your younger sister even copied your hairdo. So please, take care of yourself...”

Her hair is starting to dry up properly now. I went through each strand with my fingers to ensure all moisture was gone.

“N-no one’s ever done this for me.. in a long time..”

“Ah.. What can you do.. It’s just how it is for us as firstborns.”

“M-my parents were always so busy.. T-they never had time.. A-and then came the two rugrats..”

“Sounds familiar. Kaju thought I was her dad at one point since I took care of her most of the time.”

Alright, her hair’s ready to brush. Gently does it with this one.

I heard Komari’s voice start to quiver slightly.

“I-It’s nice.. being d-doted on..”

“Mhmm. Aren’t younger siblings so lucky?”

With careful brushing I managed to get some of her stray hairs to behave. The split ends needed more time, but I did what I could. Some luster is returning to her normally dull red hair.

“D-do you do this for K-Kaju-chan often?”

“Every night. That’s how her hair stays so beautiful and strong even when it’s so long. I’m quite proud of it!”

She started whispering under her breath. The sound of the hairdryer made it difficult to hear, but I managed to catch one word.

“Nii-chan..”

Oi Oi Oi.. That’s getting into dangerous territory here. I nearly dropped the dryer in shock..

Let’s pretend we didn’t hear that. 

“D-do you mind doing my hair again.. w-when we get back?”

I can’t help but let out a satisfied sigh as I finished my final touches.

“Sure.. Anything for you, Komari.”

I held some strands and showed it to her to display the fruits of my labor.

“See? Touch it. It feels much smoother now doesn’t it? Look, even the color is starting to pop out more..”

Komari touched her own hair in shock, as if in disbelief that her own hair could feel this smooth.

“Y-yeah..”

“I’ve said it to you since the start, right? You’re a cute girl, so please start taking care of yourself.”

I got up to put the brush and hairdryer back into the bathroom. Komari suddenly pulled my shirt and stammered out. 

“N-Nukumizu! T-Thank you! ..F-For everything today.. And everything you’ve done for me since the beginning!”

“A-ah.. No problem..”

“I’m really happy.. That I’ve met you! Thank you for looking at me.. and acknowledging my efforts!”

This girl’s really deredere when she finally breaks past the tsun phase. It’s too much for my heart.

“I should be thanking you as well.. You saw something in me that I didn’t know existed..”

To be seen on the same level as her first love.. I still don’t think I deserve it. But I guess it’s not for me to decide after all. 

“I’m really touched that you found me worthy of your feelings, Komari.”

*

Next morning, we got up really early just like yesterday to catch the 6 am train back to Toyohashi. I’ve notified Sakurai so he can come and bring my phone to me at the station.

I wrote a thank you note for Komari’s relative for letting us stay the night for free. After what happened last night, I couldn’t imagine how disappointed I would be if I had to leave early.

Komari and I held hands all the way to the Shinkansen station. It felt like the natural thing to do by now.. Less than 24 hours ago, I would’ve found it unthinkable.

We took our seats on the bullet train just in time. Just 2 hours we will be back home in Toyohashi.

I’ve had enough of Tokyo for now, but it seemed a little somber leaving it to go home. I’ll always have fond memories about the capital after yesterday.

Komari started to lean on my shoulder almost immediately, not even waiting for me to fall asleep anymore.

“Hey.. you’re not even asleep yet.”

“S-so what?”

“I didn’t say you could use my shoulder as a pillow.”

“Go die... I’m your girlfriend, that’s automatic p-permission.”

“Is that how it works?”

“Mhmm.”

I’m not sure she knows this works, but it’s not like I knew any better. Most light novels end when they get together.

Well.. I guess I can do this too.

I rested my head on her own, just like in Shibuya.

Her hair felt magnitudes better than before. The texture was far silkier and it no longer dug into my cheek with every movement. It is a beautiful feeling to be able to admire your handiwork like this.

The train started to move. And just like that.. We were on our way home.

When we walk past those doors again, we can’t go on like this any more.

..It’s for the best.

“Y-your confession was really lame, Nukumizu.”

Would you prefer if I blew up a firework on my face first to make it more dramatic?

“I can’t help it.. I could barely get those words out as is.”

“N-not good enough.”

“Fine, Fine.. In about a year or two.. When we no longer have to hide anything from anyone.. I’ll confess to you properly. Will that be OK?”

“I-In a year or two.. Hmph.”

“What’s wrong with waiting a little? It took Tamaki-senpai and Tsukinoki-senpai 10 years before they did anything.”

That seemed to calm her down.

“A-a year or two acting like them doesn’t sound too bad..”

“Just don’t slap me on our third year camping trip.”

“C-confess properly and that won’t happen.”

And just like that, the Tsuwabuki Literature Club has gone full circle.

When we said we’d continue their legacy, I certainly didn’t think it would turn out like this.

Well.. I’m not going to complain. 

Chapter 5-S: Spiral and Escape

“Would you like some more tea, Hiba-nee?”

“Yes. Thank you, Hiroto.”

Several hours had passed since a message popped up on Nukumizu’s phone. Sakurai was convinced her cousin’s involvement would only lead to catastrophe, but it seemed she managed to use her people skills to defuse all the situations today properly.

“Hiba-nee really is great with people. To handle so many different people so skillfully.., she’s really amazing!”

“You should let me make the tea sometimes too.”

“That wouldn’t be necessary.”

“It was just that one time.. Allow me to prove myself!”

“There’s no need for that.”

“I’ll be a university student soon. Certainly I have to be able to do something as simple as that.”

“I’ll come to your apartment and make it for you, so don’t you worry about that, Hiba-nee.”

Sakurai kept a gentle but assertive smile.

“Ah.. Uh- Thank you for caring for me then, Hiroto.”

“That was close. My stomach was starting to flare up for a moment there.”

Hokobaru scribbled the last lines on her notebook, before closing it triumphantly. Despite her earlier adventures on Nukumizu’s phone, the relative quietness of the past few hours allowed her to meet her review targets.

“That’s Japanese History cleared. We’re making good progress.”

Although the entrance exams won’t be happening till next spring, it’s never too early to start studying.

“Third years have it rough..”

“Keep it up, Hiba-nee!”

“Thank you for the support, Hiroto. Though I’m the student council president, even I have my limits with studying.”

She eyed Nukumizu’s phone sprawled on the living room table.

“Did anything come up in the meantime?”

“No, thankfully it’s been quiet for a while now.”

“I see.. Though I shouldn’t admit it, managing Nukumizu-san’s responses was more fun than I expected.”

“Is that so? I felt like I was going to have a heart attack on every text.”

“That is indeed what makes it so thrilling. Knowing Nukumizu-san’s reputation is on the line.. gives me some kind of forbidden pleasure in trying to find the right responses. It’s like a game when you think about it.”

“She’s treating it like a dating sim! I’m so glad that’s over with!”

“You shouldn’t be so careless then..”

“Of course not. Maintaining his reputation was always the ultimate priority. Just cause I find it entertaining doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten the stakes.”

“Well in any case, you managed to deal with them well. You’re really good with people, Hiba-nee.”

“You can’t become student council president without being able to understand the hearts and feelings of others. You should learn too, Hiroto. You’ll be succeeding me soon.”

“I think I’m good at staying treasurer..”

“Even in that capacity, it doesn’t hurt to learn. Basori-kun will need all the help she can get.”

“I guess you’re right..”

*Knock *Knock

“At this hour? Who can it be?”

Hokobaru rose from the dining table, while stretching herself out.

“I’ll handle it. I need to stand up after hours of reviewing anyway.”

“Better her than me. If it was someone annoying, Hiba-nee can scare them away just from a glance..”

Sakurai could hear the door slowly swing open. An ominous aura started to pour into the room. He recognized who it was an instant, and his blood started to freeze at the realization.

“What is she doing here?!”

“...Good evening.. Prez Hokobaru..”

The normally unflappable Hokobaru could not help but take a step backward in shock. 

“Shikiya, Basori-kun and.. the Literature Club? What brings you here tonight?”

“How!? All of them too?! Oh no, our cover’s completely blown now!”

“...I brought some friends.. Can we come in?”

Seeing no way out of this at the moment, Hokobaru relented a few steps, but she still kept her imposing upright stance. Hiroto quickly took his place next to her, but he was already starting to waver.

“..So what can we help you with?”

Shikiya motioned Yanami to speak up. Hokobaru glared at her intensely.

“Prez is so scary! I don’t know if I can confront her like this!”

“P-president Hokobaru! We’re looking for Nukumizu-kun, is he here?!”

The two cousins audibly gasped as their ruse was finally uncovered. Nevertheless, Hokobaru will not go down that easily.

“No.. Why would he be here?”

Having used up all her courage, Yanami tagged out and pushed an unwilling Yakishio ahead to take her place.

“Ah-.. A-noo.. Nukkun said the student council called him out for help with paperwork! Baa-chan and Shikiya-senpai had no idea anything was going on, so we wanted to know if he was with you!”

Sakurai started clutching his stomach heavily.

“We’re done for! But how?!”

“I didn’t call him for anything. He must’ve just used us as an excuse. Either way, I don’t know where he is.”

In a rare moment of defiance to her idol, Tiara stood her ground and bellowed out.

“We have to take this seriously, Prez! Nukumizu-san’s caused so much trouble using us as cover! He has to be punished!”

Hokobaru maintained her stone faced demeanor but it was obvious cracks were starting to show.

“Indeed.. Find him and we’ll punish him for using the student council as an excuse.”

“...That’s the problem.. Hibari..”

At Shikiya’s signal, Kaju held up her phone with the tracking app active.

The cousins could only stare in shock as they saw it home right onto their current location.

“...We’ve already found where he is..”

“He expected to be tracked.. But no one would think they would actually chase him here!”

“I’m running out of options here.. But I’m not ready to give him up just yet!”

“..Nonsense.. How could he be here?”

Shikiya slowly strutted forward ahead of the 2nd years.

“..Give it up.. Hibari..”

Hokobaru was undeterred and started going into a defensive stance.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Shikiya.”

The clash between two third years was intense. The 2nd years were helpless against such displays of power. The ever-stoic and intimidating aura of Prez Hokobaru against the eerie yet overwhelming shadow of Shikiya. 

“Our senpais are crazy! I’ve never seen such intensity in my life!”

“Is this what Nukkun deals with everyday?! This is insane!”

“High school students are amazing! Kaju is in the student council too, but it was never like this!”

“I never thought I’d see those two clash like this.. But if Prez is hiding Nukumizu-san, we need to get past her!”

Basori took her place beside Shikiya in a show of determination.

“I don’t know what’s going on between Prez and Nukumizu-san, but please give him up!”

The terrified and defeated Hiroto could only clutch his stomach in pain, while Hokobaru desperately looked for a way out. She eyed the window behind them intensely..

“Five on two.. If it was just me.. I don’t see a way out of this that wouldn’t lead to more trouble for Nukumizu-kun..”

Defeated, Hokobaru let out a great sigh and put her arms up in the air.

“Alright.. The jig is up. You’ve figured out the ruse, so nothing I can do will get you off his back now.. There’s no point in resisting further..”

“We’re finished.. I’m so sorry Nukumizu-san!”

“But tell me one thing.. How did you figure it out?”

Yanami stepped up now, her face beaming with pride.

“Pure dumb luck! We met Shikiya-san by total coincidence at a cafe earlier and figured out something was wrong!”

“Is that something to be proud of?”

“I see. So our defeat was purely dictated by fate! Then, Hiroto, we should not despair over this, as we have done nothing wrong.”

“How does that solve anything?! Nukumizu-san’s still in big trouble!”

“Now give him up, Hiroto-kun! Where is Nukumizu-san hiding?”

“He’s.. not here.. He knew you could track him, so he gave me his phone to pretend to be him and throw you off for the whole day.”

Kaju started nodding approvingly with a proud look on her face.

“That’s onii-sama for you! Kaju will have to work harder from now on!”

The whole room looked at her dumbfoundedly.

“Eh.. You track him at all times, Kaju-san?” 

“Of course! It’s important for siblings to know each other’s exact location up to the nearest 5 meters at all times!”

“...I don’t do that with my brother.”

“Then you are missing out! If Basori-senpai is willing, Kaju will show you proper sibling bonding techniques, such as constant surveillance and making detailed notes about everything your brother does, such as his eating and sleeping habits, and even down to small but important details such as preferred bath water temperature and passwords to all devices!”

“..I think I’ll pass for now.”

“Senpai is always welcome to consult with Kaju if you change your mind!”

“The Nukumizu siblings sure are.. intense..”

“Wait.. If it had been you two who had been responding to our texts all day.. Then?!”

Hokobaru nodded and gently placed her hand on Basori’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize your troubles earlier, Basori-kun. Come to me at any time for help with schoolwork!”

“That.. was Prez?!”

“On my honor as the Tsuwabuki High School Student Council President, I shall help you turn that rank 220 into a rank 22!” 

The whole room fell silent at once. Basori was trembling in shock, with both her secrets uncovered in a single day.

“Hiba-nee!?”

“Oh.. Did I say something wrong?”

Yakishio gave a playful slap to Basori in the back.

“Don’t feel too bad, Baa-chan! I’m ranked 240!”

“Remon-chan.. I don’t think that’s going to help...”

Basori completely lost it and started screaming in frustration.

“Uwaaaaaaa!! How is all this happening to me?! This is all his fault! My reputation.. I’ll never be president anymore!”

Her screams of anger turned into sobs. Hokobaru motioned her upstairs to the spare room she used whenever she visited.

“There’s no need to be upset. Come and let’s talk this over upstairs. Shikiya-san, come with me.”

“..Okay..”

The Literature Club girls were left downstairs in silence as Hokobaru and Shikiya walked the unconsolable Basori away. They could hear her constant denials about being a fujoshi even from afar.

That leaves them alone with a frightened Sakurai downstairs.

“Now.. Tell us where he went!”

After much hesitation, Sakurai could see no other way out and relented.

“He’s.. in Tokyo.”

“What?! Why?”

“..He went to visit the summer Comiket with Komari-san.”

It was like a bomb exploded right in the middle of the room.

“...With.. Komari-chan?”

“..Nukkun and Komari-chan..?”

“..Onii-sama..”

Yanami spoke up, attempting to maintain a calm demeanor but there was an obvious edge in her voice.

“..What else do you know about those two?”

“Nothing! That’s all I know! They just didn’t want you to know what they were buying over there..”

Kaju’s eyes suddenly grew and she started hopping in place.

“Onii-sama is staying the night over with Komari-san in Tokyo?! This is amazing news! I’m going to be an aunt soon!”

“Hueh?!” X2

She held Yanami and Yakishio’s hands while shaking in excitement.

“Yanami-senpai, Yakishio-senpai, let’s go shopping for dresses tomorrow! We have to start preparing for their wedding soon!”

“K-Kaju-chan!? Wedding?! We’re only 16!”

“B-besides, I’m sure Nukkun and Komari aren’t like that yet!”

Completely undeterred, Kaju went on.

“Kaju understands, it is difficult to accept such changes in your friend group! But please do not delay, we have to plan their wedding and baby shower at once!”  

“Baby shower?!! Kaju-chan please.. Calm down!”

“Please excuse Kaju for now, I have to start preparing!”

With that, she bolted out of the door.

“...Should we run after her?”

“..I could catch her but I don’t think I can change her mind.”

Yanami and Yakishio turned their attention to Sakurai once again.

“So when are you planning to give his phone back?”

“..Tomorrow morning.. At the Shinkansen station.. They will be arriving around 9 AM..”

Yakishio snatched Nukumizu’s phone from the table as insurance.

“Now, we’re coming with you to welcome him tomorrow morning!”

The defeated Hiroto could only look down on the floor.

“..How did it all fall apart like this?”

*

Chihaya Asagumo stood by the train terminal, waiting for someone. She wore a sundress and a hat nearly as tall as her head. Her boyfriend, Mitsuki Ayano was right beside her.

“Sorry to keep you here all night, Mitsuki!”

“It’s all good. Who are you meeting at this hour anyway?”

“You’ll see.”

Soon, Kaju Nukumizu arrived, panting and sweating, but it did not dampen her excitement.

“Asagumo-senpai!”

“Kaju-chan! I came here as fast as I could. Did you manage to find your brother?”

“No, but we know where he is! I’ll explain on the way!”

Ayano could not help but overhear their conversation.

“Those two are looking for Nukumizu? I don’t feel good about this.. I better warn him! He told me if anything comes up to contact this new number over the weekend.. Is that what this is about?”

Ayano distanced himself slightly behind a pillar while those two discussed their plans.

“Sorry, Chihaya! But as a guy we have some codes we must live by..even for someone like me..”

As he started to write his warning, Ayano suddenly felt a chilling touch on his shoulder. He slowly turned his head around to find Chihaya smiling warmly, but he knew better than to take it at face value.

“How did she-”

Asagumo held up a finger in front of her mouth.

“Mitsuki.. Shhhh.. Okay?”

And with that, his resolve was completely shattered. There was no fighting her. He could only watch the two leave, frozen in place.

*

Kaju and Asagumo stepped out from the bus alone. The Toyohashi suburbs were nearly devoid of activity late at night, and the two walked alone on the desolate streets.

“Is this the right address, Kaju-chan?”

“I’m certain of it. I ran a check on Komari-san when she came to our house. Onii-sama’s been here before too.”

“I really didn’t think Kazuhiko-san could pull that off. He’s grown quite a bit hasn’t he?”

“When onii-sama puts his mind into it, nothing can stop him!”

“Indeed, we’ve really underestimated him. But.. as members of the Tsuwabuki Investigation Advisors, we have a reputation to maintain! We can’t let this go unanswered.”

“What are you talking about, Asagumo-senpai? Kaju is just very happy about this amazing development and would like to share the news with everyone!”

“Ah, yes of course! It is indeed a most joyous occasion! Kazu-kun’s really grown as a man. As sisters, what could be better?”

The pair stopped in front of an old house. The lights were on, much to their relief.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. Did senpai prepare the document like Kaju requested?”

Asagumo pulled out a slip of paper from her bag.

“I managed to get it printed before I met you. Let’s share the good news!”

The two girls knocked on the door with great news to bear on the Komari household. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but keen eyes will be able to spot the title on the suspicious document in Asagumo’s hands. It read “Marriage Registration Form.”

Epilogue: TOKYO

In 15 minutes, we will be arriving back in Toyohashi. Sakurai-kun said he’s already on his way to the station to meet me. I will need to find the right time to hand him his present..

What a trip indeed. 

We came to Tokyo as mere clubmates and came home as.. a little more than that.

Though it only lasted a day, nothing could ever be the same after this.

Now, we have to do our best to pretend that nothing happened.

It will be a difficult journey ahead, and I’m not sure how long we can keep this up.

But I’m determined to make it work.. For everyone’s sake.

Komari is still asleep on my shoulder. Her sleeping face is quite the precious sight.

I better wake her up soon..

“Hey.. Komari. Wake up.. We’re going to be in Toyohashi soon.”

She started to rouse herself awake slowly. I started ruffling her hair out of instinct.

“M-morning..”

“Did you manage to sleep well?”

“N-not really.. Y-you're not very comfortable as a pillow..”

You are more than welcome to use the one provided by the train if this is not to your liking.

“Then don’t lean on me..”

“I-I have to..”

“Why?”

Komari suddenly gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

“H-hey!”

She backed off and gave me a sweet smile.

“I-if I don’t use it, I’ll lose it!”

..Doing like this so early in the morning.. That’s not fair..

She really is like a stray cat. Aloof and frightful at first, but once she warms up to you she’s quite assertive in expressing her affection.

Then again, I shouldn’t be too hard on her. The moment we cross those doors, we have to start acting like usual again.

But what is our “usual”? Yesterday has completely warped my sense of what’s “usual” with her.

I can’t imagine they would react well if we held hands the entire day in school.

“What will you do when you get home, Komari?”

“R-rest and play with my siblings. I-I’ve left them long enough..”

“Maybe I’ll do the same.”

It’s not the best idea to leave Kaju alone for too long.

The train soon started to slow down as it approached Toyohashi.

And just like that, our Tokyo Expedition came to an end.

I helped Komari up and held her hand the entire time while waiting to disembark.

As we approached the door, we knew soon we had to let go of each other.

“Nukumizu, come to club more okay?”

How can I say no to that?

“Of course.. Why don’t we have a president’s meeting tomorrow to finish the summer report? Just the two of us.”

“S-sounds good.. D-don’t be late like usual!”

Now it's our turn to exit the train. 

I let go of Komari’s hand and let her exit first. 

It felt strange to let go of her, as if I was missing a part of me that I didn’t know existed.

Now we are just back to being ordinary clubmates.. 

...

Let’s go look for Sakurai-kun then.

We exited the terminal and headed outside, looking for a redheaded boy among the crowd.

Ah there he is, by the bench.. He looks really worried for some reason.. And is that Prez next to him?

It’s no big deal. I honestly expected he would blab to her, but I’m sure she’s trustworthy enough to not let anything slip past. She could keep the wedding operation a secret after all.

As I got closer, I noticed both cousins looked very somber and their heads hung low.

Am I heading for a funeral? Well, too late for that now, I have to get my phone first.

“H-hey.. Sakurai-kun, Prez Hokobaru.. Thank you for covering me yesterday. I’ll make it up to the both of you soon.”

Sakurai could only look towards the floor, as if he’s regretting something deeply. Prez did not fare any better.

“Nukumizu-kun.. We are so sorry..”

What’s gotten into them? Did they lose my phone? This is starting to scare me..

“Wha- why? What’s going on?”

“Kazuhiko Nukumizu!”

“Chika Komari!”

My blood froze in its veins when I heard those voices. Every syllable dripped with poison. I heard a loud whimper from Komari as well.

It can’t be! How?!

I desperately looked at the two cousins for an explanation. Prez Hokobaru could only respond bitterly.

“Sorry, Nukumizu-kun.. Our cover was blown.”

No No No! How could this be? Our plan was foolproof!

“Both of you! Turn around and face us!”

No.. This is not happening. I refuse to believe it. Those must be delusions from improper sleep.

When I turn around, there’s not going to be an angry blue haired girl with the appetite of an entire construction crew. There won’t be an academically hopeless tanned tomboy track star either. These are all figments of my imagination.

I slowly turned around to face my fate.

Sure enough.. There was Yanami, joined with Yakishio, who was holding my phone hostage.

“Were you looking for this, Nukkun?”

They have my phone?! Then all this..

But how?

I could only drop to my knees in despair. My foolproof plan was completely busted!

Yanami stomped towards me and grabbed my collar roughly.

“You are going to answer every last question we have, or I’m going to hand this over to Kaju so she can unlock it and I'm going to personally inspect your browsing history, understand?”

She looks serious.. I've never seen her this angry before!

“Ah..uh.. Let’s not get hasty, Yanami-san! I’ll answer anything you want so please just give me back my phone!”

In the corner of my eye, I saw Komari start to distance herself away from me.

“W-wow.. Nukumizu, lying to Yanami-chan and Yakishio-chan like that.. Y-you really are an enemy of women.. N-now if you’ll excuse me I have to go see my siblings at home..”

Traitor!

Before she could try to bolt away, she was quickly intercepted by Yakishio with a sinister smile.

“Where are you going, Komari-chan?”

“Ah-uh.. I-I have to go make lunch for my s-siblings!”

“We can get them food later! Please stay with us for a little bit!”

Despite Yakishio’s kind words, she forcefully pulled Komari by the hoodie back and held her in place.

Now we were both under their mercy.

“Start.Talking.Now.”

“Okay Okay! Please don’t do anything crazy! Let’s discuss this over a parfait?”

“Trying the same trick twice on me won’t work, Nukumizu. Besides, you owe me three!”

Hah?!

I looked towards the cousins for an explanation and they could only mouth off a “Sorry”.

My toolbox for Yanami is looking drier and drier..

“Okay.. We wanted to go to Comiket in Tokyo to buy some books. It’s like a really big festival for self published books so we thought we should get some for our next club report!”

Komari nodded vigorously next to me to back me up. 

“That’s nice. Can we see them too?”

“Ah.. Uh.. I haven’t read them either so please let me read them first before I show it to others..”

“How can you say that, Nukkun? We’re part of the Literature Club too! Aren’t all the books free for all members to read?”

“Ah..uh.. It’s more advanced reading material.. Right Komari?”

“Y-Yes! W-we have to review it first before we know its s-safe for others to read too!”

“Ehhh... So you two went out to buy books without knowing if they’re OK for us to read?”

“..We should keep an open mind after all!”

Although we were in the middle of the crowded station, it felt like the group fell completely silent as Yanami thought of a response.

“Yakishio, we’re opening their bags.”

“Got it, Yana-chan!”

This is a disaster beyond my wildest imagination

“No! Please! You can’t!”

“N-No.. S-stay away! I-It’s f-forbidden for high schoolers to read these!”

“Then why are you carrying it around, Komari-chan?”

They pinned us down to the station floor and started rummaging through our precious cargo. Komari and I looked at each other in dread.

Our elaborate plan.. It’s all gone in flames... 

“Nukumizu-san!”

I heard another familiar and unwelcome voice in the distance, paired with that eerie melody that can only come from that person. What are they doing here?!

I stared up from the floor to find Tiara Basori and Yumeko Shikiya staring daggers down on me.

“Ah uh.. Tiara-san, Shikiya-senpai.. What a coincidence seeing you here!”

“...Naughty boy...”

How did she get involved?

Yanami got off me, only for Basori to pull me by my shirt collar in a rage.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!”

“...No?”

I could see Yanami in the background motion apologies to me all of a sudden, and if my lip reading skills were right, she’s calling off my parfait debt to her. 

What have you done with Basori?!

“Thanks to your lies, they thought I invited you to study at my house! They came looking for you and turned my house upside down looking for you! Don’t you ever think of the consequences of your actions?!”

How did-.. Huh? But I said I was going to Sakurai’s place?! What did Yanami do to her?  Not like she’d believe me anyway..

“I’m sorry Basori-san, but I’ve never intended to involve you in this! Please let me go!”

“No can do! You’ve made a mess and now you’re going to face the consequences! Let’s see what exactly is so precious that you need to go this far to keep it a secret from us!”

No. No. You can’t do this to me!

I tried to break free but Yanami and Shikiya-senpai held me in place with surprising strength. From an outsider’s perspective, being held in place by two of Tsuwabuki’s most popular girls would sound like a dream come true for any red-blooded male. But when you’re carrying 13 volumes worth of contraband like me, this is a complete nightmare. Nevertheless, I was not going to stop struggling.

“Nukumizu-kun! Sit still!”

“...You can’t escape..”

“No! I won’t let you have Risa-chan!”

“I knew it was ero-manga! Damn you! Stay still”

Komari wasn’t faring any better, but her captor was Yakishio. No one could break free from that.

“Komari-chan, stop struggling!”

“L-let me go! T-this isn’t safe for you to see!”

I felt them reach for the zipper in the bag... It’s over. 

I looked at Komari who shared my impending dread as our contraband was going to be exposed for all to see.

The contents of our bags were now out in the open. They all picked a volume each.

How did it come to this... Damn it......

“You two went all the way to Tokyo, made up an elaborate plan to lie to us.. for this?!”

“This is really.. something Nukkun..”

“..Can’t be helped.. He’s a young boy after all..”

“..Pervert..”

You can’t be saying that with a straight face while you’re ogling Komari’s doujins. 

Basori cleared her throat, but she still couldn’t take her eyes off Komari’s stash.

“T-this is a most outrageous discovery.. As vice president of the Tsuwabuki Student Council, I’m confiscating all of these until further notice! I have to verify the contents myself!”

“N-No! W-We came so far to get them!”

“Think about what you’ve done and how much trouble you caused!”

They finally released us from their hold. Komari and I were still on our knees, next to Prez Hokobaru and Sakurai-kun.

“Now.. how should we punish the guilty party?”

“You have to make it up to us personally, Nukkun.”

Ahh.. Do whatever you want to me.. I don’t care anymore.. My books..

Yanami spoke up first.

“Then..Uh.. You owe me three parfaits! And you’re paying for all of them!”

If she’s serious about her earlier apology, then I guess I just need to accompany her for this one. It won’t be too bad.

“You’re going to train with me for Nationals every morning! I’m going to swing by your place so you can’t skip out on me!”

Now this, I have to try and weasel out of.

“Yakishio-san, you know I can’t keep up with you.. I’ll only slow you down...”

She pointed her finger to me accusingly, unsympathetic to my pleading.

“Should’ve thought of that before you tried to sneak away, Nukkun!”

Shikiya knelt down and lifted my chin up while staring into my soul.

“..Board game cafe.. Until closing.. Okay?”

“T-that place closes at 1 AM! Please think of your exams senpai!”

“...I’ll take it as a yes..”

Basori was last. She packed all of our doujins into her bag, holding them hostage.

“You are going to help me review every single subject! Only when we’re done am I going to give these back!”

No.. My peaceful summer.. It’s all gone..

How did it all go so wrong...

Prez Hokobaru suddenly spoke out.

“I am equally culpable in this! It is unfair for Nukumizu-san to shoulder the penalties alone. Therefore, allow me to be punished as well alongside him."

Yes! Hopefully with Prez involved, they’d be too scared to follow through and leave me alone!

“Huh? Wait.. It’ll be weird if Prez comes..”

Perfect. Now, everyone else should get cold feet too! 

“Hoooh! I get to run with Prez again? I’m so excited! Let’s do it!”

In hindsight, it was obvious this wasn’t going to deter her.

“..Sounds fun..”

“Studying with Prez and Nukumizu-san!? W-well I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Eh.. Why is everyone else OK with Prez budging in?”

No.. My summer..

“Why am I getting all the punishment? What about Komari!?”

“Hyah!? T-traitor!”

Sorry, Komari but you’re going down with me!

Yanami and Yakishio flanked her with sinister eyes.

“Don’t you worry about her. We’re going to have a private girls talk with Komari-chan after this.”

“Someone needs to be reminded about the rules in the Literature Club, isn’t that right Komari-chan?”

I have never seen Komari so terrified before, but that was deserved for trying to ditch me earlier.

My perfect weekend trip turned into a complete catastrophe.. this can’t possibly get any worse..

Just as those thoughts passed through my head, I heard another voice that caused my heart to stop for a few seconds.

“Onii-sama, you’re finally back!”

No... I’m beyond done for..

Kaju rushed towards me and hugged me dearly. I hugged her back naturally, but I started praying dearly, bracing for whatever she has in store for me.

“Kazu-kun.. Sneaking out and lying to your sisters like that isn’t very nice..”

You are not my sister.

Asagumo-san and Kaju found out too.. Now it is truly all over for me. How did every part of my perfect plan fall apart so catastrophically?!

“Please don’t be too harsh on him, Asagumo-senpai. Onii-sama is just too shy, so that’s why it’s our job to spread the good news to everyone!”

“N-news? What did you mean, Kaju?”

“Onii-sama snuck out and lied to everyone so you could elope with Komari-senpai on a honeymoon trip to Tokyo, right?!”

Hah?! X5

“No, Kaju please.. It's not like that!”

“E-Elope?! W-We didn’t do anything like that!”

Yanami herself was caught completely off guard too.

“Kaju-chan don’t you think you’re thinking too far ahead?”

“It’s okay! Kaju completely understands onii-sama's need for privacy, but you should share your happiness together with everyone! We have to start planning for the wedding at once!”

“Una?! W-wedding?!!”

Asagumo clapped her hands together while wearing a sweet smile that belied her sinister intentions.

“Yes.. We’ve already notified Komari-san’s family as well. They were so overjoyed by the news, your father fainted from happiness!”

“Hyah! O-Oto-san!?”

This is even worse than I could have imagined. None of the other punishments compare to this..

I stared in horror as Kaju pulled out a form. It is unmistakably a marriage registration form.

“Now, if you both sign here, we can formalize your engagement and Kaju will have a new sister-in-law!”

I fell to my knees, mouth completely agape and utterly beaten. The other girls were trying to dissuade Kaju in my place while I wanted to shrivel and cry in defeat.

Everything’s all gone wrong.. My plan.. My books..

And now I have to explain to Komari’s family how we’re not actually engaged..

Tamaki-senpai said I should learn to enjoy the present a little more instead of worrying about the future too much..

But now.. I think I’d like to jump into the future for a little bit..

Literature Club Report - Summer Edition

<Everyone Has To Know The Engagement is Voided> Chapter 10

By Chika Komari

I am Sylvia Luczel, the former daughter of the baron.

In my previous life, I was just an ordinary high school girl. I’ve been reincarnated into the world of my favorite otome game.

It’s been around a year since I’ve lived as Sylvia, and much has happened.

To achieve the True Ending, first I had my engagement with First Prince Gustave annulled..

I was sent to a neighboring country to work with Prince Phillip, just like the original game..

It should have been easy sailing from here on out. Only a spoiled and happy ending awaits me..

Yet even here, I find myself unable to close the gap between us..

All I can do is talk about work with Phillip.

Countess Elisa Volta comes by often to visit him unannounced. She was his good friend and classmate.

They were so close to each other in a way I can never be.

Even in a world of an otome game, I’m unable to be more than friends with the male leads while other characters swoop in like nothing..

I really haven’t changed at all.

So when the opportunity came by to inspect the outskirts of the country with Prince Phillip, I jumped at the chance to accompany him.

It will just be the two of us for a few weeks. No other attendants.. No other friends..

I had him all to myself..

We surveyed the villages in the far reaches, talking to the peasants, listening to their concerns and fixing whatever problems we could.

It was here where I saw Phillip for who he really is.

Initially, I fancied him because he looked handsome and he was kind and charming. But he really has everyone’s best interests in his heart, no matter who they are.

He treated the most humble peasant no different than a member of the elite houses, hearing out their problems warmly and making a genuine effort to make things better for them.

When he couldn’t solve their problems immediately, he spent all day thinking about how to address them, no matter how insignificant it seemed to a person of his standing.

Truthfully, he could handle this assignment himself. I wasn’t of much help throughout our journey.

I was just an average city girl in my past life, and in my current one, I was still a cosmopolitan noble. I’ve never seen the actual world outside my little bubble.

Even with my magic, I was completely useless at helping Philip perform his duties. If anything, I was a hindrance. I couldn’t work the farm. I had no idea how to deal with the livestock. I didn’t know how to do anything practical.

But even as I stumbled over and over again, he never stopped coming back for me. Sometimes I saw shades of frustration in his face, but he never once abandoned me. 

Whenever I was too scared to move forward, he gave me the push I needed to follow through. When I was being stubborn and insisted on doing things myself, despite knowing I did not have the strength to do it, he saved me from my own mess.

I’m young and inexperienced, but now, I think can say certain:

I love him.

I’ve had crushes before, where I felt butterflies in my stomach whenever I saw them. It was a feeling of want and desire, where I thought if I had him, it would make me feel good and accomplished.

 But this is different. I want to stay by his side forever. I want to make him happy in everything he does, because that’s how he makes me feel. I hope to be strong and capable enough one day, just so I can try to start doing for him what he did for me.

Perhaps this is the True Ending that I sought all this time.