Translator: Soafp Monday had come again. When I grabbed my indoor shoes from the shoe lockers, they felt terribly heavy. As I walked down the long hallway with my head lowered, unpleasant sweat gradually seeped out. Even when I entered the classroom, no one spoke to me. As I sat blankly with my cheek resting on my hand, some plain-looking girl watching me gave a derisive snort. (...Hah. What a nasty personality. Is watching me fall this low really that fun for you?) But I understood how she felt painfully well. After all, I was one of them. I knew I was nowhere close to being an extrovert. My self-esteem wasn’t high, either. I hated being short. I wasn’t as pretty as Sakura or Nakina. I even hated that I was from the middle of nowhere, and that my dialect might slip out if I let my guard down. And my parents ran a ramen shop. It was so plain it was laughable. That was why I could understand exactly what those girls were thinking. They were thrilled. A girl who had been praised as cute and had gotten full of herself had been dragged down so perfectly. Serves her right. A scheming b*tch like that belonged at the bottom. It pissed you off when someone was cuter than you, didn’t it? I...

Uh oh. Mahiro’s eyes were dead serious. At this rate, it was obvious I was going to lose my "Schrödinger's Virginity" in the most unsafe way possible—not on a bed, but in the corner of her apartment living room. Naturally, anything that didn't stay in memory didn't count anyway. "H-Hey, calm down and think for a second, Mahiro. Did you completely forget how Hashizume treated you like a convenient piece of trash before?" "I haven't forgotten. I haven't, but there's no way I think—or could ever think—that you're the same kind of person as that thing, Yuuya. After all, you actually think about me when you speak, don't you?" "...Huh?" "Back in high school, when that guy from the soccer team was taking advantage of me, you lectured me about my stupidity. And when I was wallowing in self-pity over my own foolishness, you comforted me." Wait, what? I have zero memory of that. If she was referring to the time I cheered on her "true love" with Hashizume, or when I hurled insults at her while she was shut in her room drowning in depression afterward, calling that a positive memory was a massive delusion. Still, Hashizume had already been demoted to "that thing." Women really don't dwell on their exes, seriously. Going by that logic, I was supposed to be a...

Translator: Soafp During class, we were told to split into our groups and assign roles. We sat around a table in the library, facing one another. Everyone wore a different expression. Masaki looked cool and composed. Amanatsu was flustered and fidgety. Shinonome kept her face lowered awkwardly. Katsurama kept following Shinonome with his eyes. And Hiiragi... was smiling happily. Why was she the only one acting completely normal? “Okay, let’s start by choosing a leader. They’ll oversee the group, report to the teachers at departure and arrival, and make the final decisions in an emergency. It’s an important role.” Masaki said that as he read the handout we had been given. At the edge of my vision, the blonde gyaru started to raise her hand, so I spoke up immediately. “I think Masaki would be good. He has everyone’s trust too.” The others seemed to have no objection and nodded. Only Hiiragi clenched her fists in frustration. Hiiragi, an obvious troublemaker, was unsuited to the role, so I had gotten ahead of it. “...All right. I’ll do it. Next, the deputy leader and timekeeper...” Hiiragi’s face immediately brightened. But Masaki put a hand on my shoulder. “Wouldn’t Hatsukade be good? He seems like the type to keep things organized.” “...Fine.” Since I was the one who nominated Masaki as leader, I accepted it...

"…I'm home." Today was just like any other day; after university classes ended, I headed straight home without hanging out anywhere. My college life was already halfway over, and with job hunting starting next year, I had to wonder where my earnest desire to sing the praises of youth had completely vanished to. Suppressing a sigh so as not to make a sound, I opened the front door to my house, only to find my Okan already waiting in ambush. "Oh, welcome back. Mahiro-chan dropped by a little while ago and left a message: 'I have something I want to discuss, so please contact me.'" "…Why the hell did Mahiro go out of her way to visit our house just to leave a message?" "Because you never check your Liso or anything like that, right?" "…" She has a point. Well, ever since high school, my Liso had essentially devolved into a dedicated communication app exclusively for Temari. There was absolutely zero chance of me making a habit out of checking it, let alone becoming addicted to it. However, ever since that memory-less mistake we made while drinking, Mahiro had been coming onto me aggressively. If this was going to happen, I would've preferred it during our high school days, or if I were being greedy, before she started dating Hashizume. But life...

Translator: Soafp For the past few days, I’ve often found myself thinking about my childhood friend. The last time I saw her, she looked exhausted after being held accountable for what she had done. I haven’t contacted her since we parted ways, and I don’t even know how to reach her. Maybe I keep remembering her because I told Amanatsu that old story. Or maybe it’s because some of Amanatsu’s mannerisms occasionally resemble my childhood friend’s. Thinking about that, I sat on the sofa in my room, drank coffee, picked up my phone, and sent a message with flick input. Nice to meet you. Hatsukade-kun! I’m so happy you sent the first message! I didn’t expect you to be the type who actually keeps in touch with people! I could easily picture you agonizing for hours over whether to message me. That would be a loss of opportunity, so I sent it first. ...Sorry, I’m suddenly not happy at all anymore. What an awful thing to say in response to my kindness. Did she seriously expect something romantic to come from me? Let me make this clear: if Amanatsu showed even the slightest sign of seeing me as more than a friend, I intended to crush it immediately. Changing the subject... You know, you treated me to bread the other day? What about...

Translator: Soafp In front of the full-length mirror in the living room, I carefully check my appearance. “Hair: good. Eyelash extensions: good. Skin condition: good. Let’s do our best again today.” As I hold up my freshly manicured fingertips to inspect them, Dad—who is sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper—gives me a puzzled look. “What is this, a workplace safety inspection?” What was he talking about? High school is a danger zone where a moment of carelessness can be fatal, a daily minefield of near-misses. It’s a stage where you must never neglect your efforts and must keep performing perfection every day. “Mom, I’m off!” “Fufu, have a good day. Be careful.” Mom, whom I had worried for so many days, smiled as though cheering me on. That gave me courage. I slipped my feet into my loafers at the front door and reached for the doorknob... only to freeze with a little tension. “Woof!” “Whoa.” Hulk nudged the back of my knee. With a wry smile at his expression—which seemed to say, Get going already—I left home for the first time in a week. The scenery flowed past as I made my way to school. The usual train platform, the crowded route to school, the tree-lined road in front of the gates. Every time I saw someone in a school uniform,...

Translator: Soafp After arriving home, I went grocery shopping with Yui. The moment we stepped out of the apartment building, a cheerful voice I'd become very familiar with called out to us. "Oh, are you heading to the supermarket?" It was Kokoa, still in her sailor-style school uniform. I'd gotten pretty used to seeing her dressed like this. Smiling, I nodded. "Yeah. Want to come with us?" "Absolutely!" Kokoa seemed even more cheerful today than she had been yesterday. She was far livelier than when I'd first met her, and every time I saw her like this, it made all the effort I'd gone through feel worthwhile. "Aya-chan suddenly called me today." "Huh? Really?" For a moment, I wondered if this had something to do with the yakuza. The thought made my body tense ever so slightly. "She apologized to me out of nowhere!" "She... apologized?" "Yep! She said, 'I'm sorry for getting jealous and bullying you all this time.'" Apparently, it wasn't about the yakuza after all. Besides, if something truly dangerous were approaching, I would've already had another nightmare. I'd heard that the manager had sat down and talked things through with Ayano, and it seemed she'd managed to resolve things. "Ren-sama, let's duck into an alley for a moment!" "Huh? Wait, what do you—" Before I could finish speaking, Kokoa...

Translator: Soafp My mind went completely blank. Hatsukade-kun and Sakura were both looking at me. “Ugh... ngh...” The back of my nose stung, and tears began spilling down my face. This was a love that could never be discovered. I had meant to keep these feelings locked in my heart. Even if we could only be friends, I wanted to stay by his side for even one second longer. I was afraid to lift my face. Feeling sweat run down the back of my neck, I looked up at Hatsukade-kun. He always wore a scowl in class, but when we were alone together, he would smile just a little, as though he was enjoying himself. But Hatsukade-kun in front of me wore an expression I had never seen before. His eyes were wide open without blinking, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. He hadn’t so much as flinched when the class made him into a laughingstock, yet now he was flustered. How many times was I going to cause him trouble? “...Nakina.” “Don’t touch me!” I slapped away Sakura’s reaching hand. It was the first time in my life I had ever shouted that loudly. Ah... I had spent two months with Sakura, and this was the first honest thing I ever said to her. What a disaster. “I’m sorry, Nakina.” “Stop!” I...

Translator: Soafp Three days had passed since I saw Sota’s LINE. Thursday morning. I woke up like always, got ready like always, and left the house like always.The sky was clear — a break in the rainy season at the end of June. The air was humid, but the breeze felt nice. Just like always. A morning where nothing had changed. — That was a lie. Everything had changed. On Monday, when the screenshots of Sota’s LINE started going around, I learned about it earlier than anyone else in my class. The words lined up on the screen that a girl from Class Two showed me before homeroom. ‘She’s just clumsy lol’ ‘She’s so cold. Well, she always was lol’ ‘Bad at handling things’ All of them — Sota’s words. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t surprised. But I also wouldn’t call it a devastating shock. Because, somewhere in the back of my mind, I had known. I knew Sota was the kind of person who talked badly about others. I just believed he wouldn’t say those things about me. That trust — was a mistake. That’s all there was to it. After school on Monday, Sota apologized to me. I said what I needed to say and turned my back on him. I wasn’t angry. And I wasn’t sad...

Translator: Soafp The classroom had fallen completely silent, as if the excitement from moments ago had been a lie. There was no longer any atmosphere pressuring Amanatsu to confess. Shinonome, slumped on the floor, looked utterly despairing. Her mouth kept opening and closing as faint groans spilled out. Someone muttered: “If what Hatsukade’s saying is true, isn’t Shinonome seriously trash?” “I thought she was always cheerful and cute, but this is such a letdown.” Once one person began talking, voices rose from elsewhere. “Her hidden side is way too nasty. I can’t.” “I’d been wondering about her for a while. The way she acts around Masaki-kun is so obvious. Who does she think she is?” Shinonome slowly got to her feet. Tears gradually filled her increasingly frantic eyes. I was surprisingly detached. I felt neither anger nor sympathy—nothing at all. A fanged beast had come at me, so I had pulled the trigger. That was all. “...It’s made up! I never did anything like that! It’s just your stupid delusion!” “Then why did you push Amanatsu into doing a fake confession?” “...I just thought it would make things more exciting.” “But even now, you were desperately trying to force things into another confession.” “...!” “The more I think about it, the more I realize you were unusually hostile toward me. I wondered if...

For the time being, since Mahiro had completely clammed up and the awkwardness had reached a Tokyo-interior level of vastness, I left the room without waiting for Naegi-san to return. Still, I needed to think about this rationally. My brain had been so thoroughly corrupted by alcohol that my memory had become completely unreliable, but was it really possible that I got overly excited and opened up the Aura Hole like a sex warrior man-boob with Mahiro? If I were an Aura Battler, maybe, but a convenient development like that only existed in thin doujinshi you couldn't buy with a Master(bation) Card. There's no way I can get hard while that shit-faced drunk!! Therefore, I hadn't done a single thing. I couldn't have. So if Mahiro claimed that something had happened, it would be a blatant case of reverse rape. The crime of non-consensual sexual intercourse would be established. ...Alright, I'd go in with a strong front. Having solidified that resolve, I went home. A spectacular walk of shame. "Hey, Yuuya! What is the meaning of this, staying out all night without even a single call?!" "Yuuya-kun, did you have a good time last night? What happens to Mahiro?" The moment I thought that, my hopes were instantly crushed. This was the worst. Why was Chihiro-san here? Retreating to my room became the...

Translator: Soafp Before homeroom the next morning, I watched Katsurama chatting and laughing with his male friends. With his stocky build, he seemed to occupy the role of the group’s good-natured punching bag—the kind they teased affectionately. But when Shinonome entered the classroom, I didn’t miss the quick glance he gave her. He kept talking as usual, but Katsurama’s attention had completely shifted toward Shinonome. “Ah, I think I forgot my homework. I’m gonna check my bag.” Saying that, Katsurama left the group. He casually rummaged through the school bag on his desk, then called out to Shinonome with an apparently nonchalant expression. “M-Morning, Shi-chan!” “Morning, Katsurama-kun. You’re energetic as always.” “Hahaha, that’s about my only good quality, right? Oh, hey, did you listen to ELLIT’s new song yesterday?” “Of course I did! I’m a huge fan, you know.” “I knew it! I figured you’d definitely have heard it, Shi-chan!” ELLIT was some trendy girl group, if I remembered right. They didn’t seem like something Katsurama would be interested in. And then, at lunch break. “Shi-chan, I have some extra snacks. Want any?” “Ooh, those are chocolate cookies shaped like pandas with upturned eyes. Cute. Can I have one?” “Yeah. There were more than I expected, so I can’t finish them all.” And then, during basketball in P.E. “Whoa, Katsurama, that’s awesome!” “This...

Translator: Soafp Despite everything that had happened, we finally started eating lunch ourselves. Since there were other people around today, I figured Nodoka and Airi would show a little restraint— ""Aaah."" As usual, the two of them simultaneously picked up pieces of food and held them out in front of my mouth. The Club president and Takagi both stared with their eyes wide open. "S-So amazing... Is this what a harem looks like...?" "Damn...! I'm not jealous, but I'm jealous...!!" Perhaps because she felt a little embarrassed, Nodoka's cheeks were unusually red. Airi, on the other hand, was completely unfazed as always, carrying herself with enough confidence to make it impossible for anyone to intimidate her. Takagi stood up. "I think I'll go buy a yakisoba bread." Right, he usually bought lunch from the school store. Maybe I should've stopped by there before coming to the clubroom. Thinking that, I felt a little bad for him. "I figured you'd say that. Here, have one of these." The club president pulled two sandwiches identical to the one she was eating out of a plastic bag and tossed them to Takagi. "Huh...? Are you telling me I should go on a diet too?" "It's not like that. They're just really good, so eat them." "Seriously? I can have these? I thought you were planning to...

Translator: Soafp I realized something was wrong on Monday morning. The moment I walked into the classroom, the air felt different. Normally Sakamoto would raise a hand and go, “Yo.” Tanaka would crack some stupid joke and make me laugh. But today — no one looked at me. No, that’s not it. They looked for a second, then quickly looked away. More than one person did it. “…Morning.” I walked over to Sakamoto’s desk and spoke to him. “Ah, yeah. Morning.” He answered. But it didn’t have its usual lightness. His eyes were wandering. “What’s wrong? The atmosphere’s weird.” “No, it’s nothing—” “Sakamoto.” Tanaka cut in from a seat farther away. His face — was dark. “You should tell him.” “…Tell me what?” Sakamoto let out a small sigh. “Sota, sit down. We need to talk.” What Sakamoto told me — was the worst. The group LINE. All the trash I’d been posting about Fujimiya. About Rin. It — had been spread around as screenshots. “Huh… who did that?” “No idea. But someone in the group sent it to another group. Looks like it spread from there.” My head went completely blank. “Spread — how much?” “…I think about half the grade has seen it.” Half. Half the entire grade. “Did Rin — did Himuro see it?” Sakamoto lowered his eyes. “…Probably. It...

"I'm going home. I'm never drinking alcohol ever again... Tell Sara I said bye..." While I desperately tried to piece together what had happened, a completely shattered Temari pushed herself to her feet and stumbled toward the door on unsteady legs. "Are you going to be okay? Can you make it home by yourself? I can walk you back if..." "Having you walk me home, Yuuya, would probably just traumatize me even more, so I'll pass... Sorry..." "...Right. Okay." My attempt at being considerate got completely shut down. That stung. Still, I had stayed out all night without calling home, so I wanted to get back before adding more fuel to my mom's raging fire. But sneaking out before Naegi-san returned felt a bit too awkward. After hearing the front door click shut, I decided to ask Mahiro, who had stayed behind, to fill me in on everything. "I wonder if Temari will be okay..." "Well, she probably has a hangover, but she seems conscious enough, so she'll manage. Putting Temari aside for now, just tell me what happened yesterday. My memory is seriously so blurry I have no clue what's what." "...You really don't remember." "That's what I've been saying." "Yeah... U-Umm, well, first, you grabbed an alcohol bottle and punished all the guys who tried to force you to drink..." "Punished...?"...

Translator: Soafp I’ve been getting an awful lot of looks today. During the short breaks after second and third period, classmates kept watching me from a distance. Some whispered and laughed among themselves; others wore hostile expressions. Well, I had practically made a public confession first thing in the morning, so it was only natural. Originally, if someone from that girls’ group came after me, I had only planned to sarcastically needle them with the copy of No Longer Human I borrowed from the clubroom. But Shinonome and Hiiragi attacked from such an absurdly unexpected angle that things escalated into something much bigger. Honestly, I didn’t care how much they tried to provoke me. The reason was simple: I had no interest in them. Still, if they came after me, I’d hit back. That was my strong style as a lone introvert. If you made it clear that biting you came with poison, even stupid beasts would think twice before attacking. That said, the fake confession had genuinely pissed me off. That was a different matter. I had my reasons. (I should apologize to Amanatsu later.) I had no choice if I wanted to throw her a lifeline, but I had pretended in front of everyone that I liked her. She understood I had no actual feelings for her, so it probably hadn’t...

Translator: Soafp I finished volume three. Friday night. I turned the last page on my bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. It was an incredible novel. The shock when every single foreshadowing came together. The weight of the characters’ choices. And—the quietness of the final line. After I finished reading, I couldn’t move for about five minutes. Now I completely understood why Himuro Rin had been so absorbed in it. This story was about a person who sees with their own eyes, judges for themselves, and takes responsibility for their own actions. It was just like her. I picked up my phone. Opened LINE and pulled up my chat with Himuro Rin. Our last exchange had been a week ago. Her message: “Tell me what you think after you’ve read up to volume three.” My reply: “Got it.” What should I write here? “I finished it.” That’s true. “It was amazing.” That’s also true. But words like that weren’t enough. I didn’t want to send my thoughts about this novel as text. I wanted to see her face and tell her in my own voice. So I typed: “I finished volume three. Can I tell you what I thought at tomorrow’s volunteer? I can’t put it into words.” Sent. One minute later—read. Three minutes later—a reply. “Okay.” Two characters. But...

Translator: Soafp (Ahh, this is the worst. I can’t face Hatsukade-kun. I don’t want to go to school.) As I walked along the route to school that morning, negative thoughts kept endlessly spilling through my mind. I—Nakina Amanatsu—am in love with Subaru Hatsukade. It started on the day of that fake confession. Even though I did something so awful, even though it was a punishment game, he offered me his handkerchief while I was crying. I remember my heart giving a sudden thump at that moment. He wasn’t especially tall, and he looked down at me with that grumpy expression on his face—but there had been a flicker of gentleness in his eyes, as though he was concerned for me. I desperately wished that this low fever making my head feel hazy was just a misunderstanding. But whenever I let my guard down, he was always in my field of vision, even without me meaning to look for him. Seriously, give me a break. Because isn’t that obvious? Even if this happened now, I’d already disqualified myself at the starting line. It wasn’t right for me to have feelings like this for someone I had tried to bully. During lunch break, I hurried after his back as he left the classroom alone. I wanted to confirm immediately that these feelings were all in...

Translator: Soafp I noticed something was off with Amanatsu soon after our conversation in the stairwell. For one thing, our eyes kept meeting at random moments. Yet whenever our gazes met, she would blush—then her expression would suddenly darken, and she’d quickly look away. She still hadn’t returned my handkerchief either. Still feeling unsettled after the final class ended, I was packing my things into my bag when I heard Amanatsu talking with the blonde gyaru. “Finally, school’s over! Seriously, what’s even the point of studying modern Japanese? We can already have normal conversations, can’t we? I’m the evidence. You think so too, right, Nakina?” “I-I don’t know about that...” Then the blonde gyaru said, “Oh,” and pressed her hands together in front of her face. “By the way, I’m really sorry about yesterday’s punishment game. I didn’t think you’d cry that seriously, Nakina.” “It’s okay. You’ve apologized a lot already.” “I thought it would turn out more funny, but when I really thought about it, it was pretty bad. Sakura-chan is deeply reflecting on her actions!” The gyaru stuck out the tip of her pretty tongue with a little “heh.” Several boys were staring at her absentmindedly. Her name was Sakura Hiiragi. She occupied the undisputed number-one position in our class. She had polished looks and a model-like figure. Rumor had it...

Translator: Soafp Lately, Rin has been acting strange. No—what’s strange isn’t Rin herself, but the atmosphere around her. Monday morning. When I entered the classroom, Rin was talking to Yui. For once, Rin had spoken first, and Yui was listening with a smirk. I tried to approach and join the conversation—but Rin closed her mouth. “Good morning, Rin.” “…Morning.” She replied. But the expression from a moment ago was gone. Her usual blank face. Her usual coldness. …That in itself isn’t unusual. Rin is always like this in front of me. But—what was that softness from just a moment ago? I spoke to Yui. “Hey, Ogawa. What were you talking about with Rin?” “Hm? Nothing, just about a book.” “A book?” “Yeah. The series Rin’s been reading lately.” A book. I knew Rin liked books. She’d been spending all her time in the library since elementary school. But—it was rare for Rin to talk about books to someone on her own. Even with me, she wouldn’t talk unless asked. “What series?” “Some overseas mystery series. Do you read it, Mimura?” “Nah, I don’t read much.” “Oh, I see.” Yui was smiling. A smile that seemed to carry some hidden meaning. What did she know? Rin had already returned to her seat. She faced away from me, taking her textbooks out of her bag....

Translator: Soafp “What about making Nakina’s punishment game a fake confession?” “...You mean confessing to someone you don’t even like?” “Yeah, exactly. Sounds like it’d be fun, right?” “N-No, that’s awful! It’d definitely bother the other person!” I—Subaru Hatsukade, a first-year high school student—happened to overhear that conversation while I was alone in the clubroom. Cautiously peering through the gap in the door, I saw four of the class’s popular girls surrounding Nakina Amanatsu. “C-Come on, can’t we pick a lighter punishment game?” “Ehh? You promised you’d do anything if you lost.” “Well, even then, there ought to be some limits, hehe.” Twisting a strand of her pinkish-brown hair around her finger, Amanatsu gave a vague laugh, but she looked genuinely reluctant. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen that expression on her face. At lunch in the classroom, in the hallway after school, even when I spotted her around town—whenever Amanatsu was with that group of girls, she wore the kind of face people made when they were reading the room. You could practically feel how hard she was forcing herself. (There’s no way hanging around with them is worth that much.) Maybe irritated that Amanatsu couldn’t bring herself to give a firm no, the short girl openly complained. “Hasn’t Nakina been kind of a buzzkill lately?” “Huh?” “You’re killing the mood....

Translator: Soafp The plan to have Takagi relay the message to the light music club president didn't seem very promising. In that case, maybe it would be better to leave it to Airi or Nodoka after all. As I was thinking that over, Takagi looked at me seriously. “What's with you all of a sudden? Did something happen to the president?” Could it be that Takagi had started to suspect my ability? I'd warned him directly about the flowerpot falling before, so it wouldn't be strange if he'd begun to wonder... Even so, I had no intention of honestly telling him about my power. “Well, it's just... after seeing the president's stage costume yesterday...” “Yeah? What about it?” “Didn't you think the skirt was really short?” “Really? I mean, aren't mini dresses usually about that length?” “They are, but she'll be performing on stage. Just in case something happens, I thought maybe she should take some precautions.” I'd phrased it indirectly, but I hoped my point had gotten across. After all, this was a perfectly reasonable concern to have before a live performance. Takagi nodded. “Ah... yeah, you've got a point. If that's what you mean, I bet the president would listen if you talked to her seriously. She's not that stubborn.” “Then can I leave it to you?” “Uh... well...” Takagi looked...

First of all, I needed to salvage my memories from yesterday or I couldn't even begin to process this. Let's see, I was force-fed alcohol by those guys who were harboring lustful feelings for Mahiro... and I didn't know if I started feeling good or sick, but my brain got paralyzed from it. Paralyzed... What is this? My sense of self is completely missing. What the fuck, this is terrifying. In terms of objective memories... I got banned from the venue after mowing down the guys who started picking a fight with me. I was challenged to a drinking contest by Yoshizaki-san, who was trying to take Temari home, and I won. The men who were raging for Mahiro gave up on her and set their sights on the dead-drunk Yoshizaki-san instead, which somehow swept the issue of paying for the broken equipment under the rug. I was trying to head home while being guided by Naegi-san. ...Flashes of footage like that remained in my head, albeit covered in a heavy mosaic. Looking around the room once more, I realized that this was probably Naegi-san's apartment. First, I was relieved it wasn't a love hotel. Or rather, no matter how unconscious or drunk they were, there was no way Temari and Mahiro would ever agree to enter a love hotel with me. However,...

Translator: Soafp Something had changed. Wednesday, lunchtime. I was passing by Class 2’s classroom when my eyes met Himuro Rin’s. Normally—lately—she would give a small nod in my direction. Not exactly a greeting, but a sign in her own way that said, “I see you.” Today, that didn’t happen. The moment our eyes met, she looked away. I saw her back as she walked quickly into the classroom. “…………” Did something happen? Did I do something wrong? I had no idea. Last week’s volunteer session—she had said, “See you next week.” The atmosphere back then had been warm. I hadn’t had the chance to meet her at school on Monday or Tuesday, and I don’t remember doing anything strange. And yet—the distance had returned. No, not just returned—it felt like the wall between us was even thicker than before. While eating lunch and thinking, Kaito peeked over. “What’s wrong? Your chopsticks haven’t moved for a while.” “…Just thinking.” “About Himuro Rin?” “………” “Bingo.” Kaito looked at me sideways, sipping on his coffee milk through a straw. “Did something happen?” “I don’t know. It feels like a wall suddenly appeared. Things were fine until last week.” “Hmm… girls can change their attitude suddenly. Maybe you stepped on a landmine or something.” “I didn’t even get the chance to step on a landmine. We haven’t...

"Why the hell are you already wasted, hey, Temari!!" The moment I stepped into the venue, all unnecessary worries flew right out of my head. Naturally, there was no way Temari could give a crisp, coherent answer. Naegi-san looked worried as she acted as a makeshift chaperone by her side. "U-Um, you see, a bunch of people kept pouring her drinks saying 'Congratulations on coming of age!', and she couldn't refuse, so she drank at a crazy fast pace and just like that..." "That's textbook alcohol harassment. You should've stopped her, Naegi-san." "Sorry..." Did the option to refuse alcohol even exist in Temari's head? Well, even if rejecting goodwill was tough, the percentage of genuine goodwill that was 'purely celebrating Temari's coming of age' in the hearts of the people around her was probably less than ten percent. Were they just having fun with it, or were they planning to get her wasted and drag her home... Ah, Yoshizaki-san on the other side was flashing a wicked smile. It was definitely the latter. "Glaaaaaaare!!" "Whoa, eyes like a cannibalistic hamster." "...Did you say something?" "Nope, nothing." Sure enough, Yoshizaki-san had me in check. Was he telling me not to snatch his prey, Temari? But well, as long as Temari wasn't dragged off to a private room, things could be managed. The party had...

Translator: Soafp “Ren-kun, did you have another bad dream?” The next morning. After giving me a light kiss as I woke up, Airi looked at me with concern. At her words, Nodoka—who had been in the middle of doting on me that morning—opened her eyes wide. “W-What!? Another one!?” “No, not that kind of nightmare.” At the very least, it wasn't one where someone died or was seriously injured. Still, it was quite a shocking event for me. I got out of bed and sat down at my desk. Then, as I told the two of them about the nightmare I'd had that morning, I began writing it down in my notebook. “The light music club president suddenly drops out of school.” “Huh? Why?” “Well...” Even in the dream, I'd only heard about it secondhand from Takagi. Even Takagi had been completely flustered. The reason for her dropping out was something I never could have predicted. “She ended up showing her panties to the entire student body.” ““...Huh?”” Not only Nodoka, but even Airi blinked several times in confusion. Seeing Airi react like that was surprisingly refreshing. “Apparently, during the cultural festival performance, she got so caught up in the excitement of playing that she stopped paying attention to her footing... and took a spectacular fall.” “So... when she fell, everyone got a...

Translator: Soafp Before I knew it, I was thinking about Fujimiya Ito more and more. During class, when I was staring blankly out the window. When I was picking bread at the school store. On the way home, listening to music through my earphones. At random moments, his voice would come back to me. The smile he had when he said, “See you next week.” The excited look in his eyes when we got into the cat conversation. His happy expression when I went on too much about the novel. —Stop it. I shook my head and returned my eyes to the textbook. Third period on Tuesday. Classical literature class. I need to focus. The test is coming up. But—words on the page wouldn’t stick in my head. This is bad. I know it. I know it, and yet I can’t stop. Himuro Rin hates this version of herself the most. Being swayed by feelings she can’t control with reason—that scares her more than anything. Lunchtime. I was eating in the classroom with Yui when I overheard a conversation from the group next to us. “Hey, did you hear? Fujimiya was apparently dating someone from Class 3 until last month.” “Eh, really? Did they break up already?” “Ended after about a month. And the one before that was about two months.” “Isn’t that...

"I'm home... Oh? Yuuya-kun?" In the midst of all this chaos, Chihiro-san finished work and returned home. Had it gotten that late already? "Welcome back, Mom." "Pardon the intrusion." "My, my, I wouldn't mind at all if you stayed the night, Yuuya-kun. Actually, it's been a while since you last came over. Did something happen?" Chihiro-san seemed to be in a strangely good mood. Maybe something good happened at her workplace. Because she was in such high spirits, she would probably forgive me even if I asked a slightly rude question. "Um, Chihiro-san, can I ask you something?" "Sure, sure. What is it? Are you wondering if Mahiro has a boyfriend right now?" "I couldn't care less about that. Do you remember the first time you drank alcohol, Chihiro-san?" "...Eh?" It must have been an incredibly out-of-left-field question, because Chihiro-san completely froze for a second. "Well, long story short, I just wanted to ask if you were able to grasp your own alcohol tolerance limit right from your very first drink." "Ah, I see what you mean... Well, that makes sense. But I do remember taking one sip, feeling strangely good, and ending up blacking out after drinking everything I was offered." "It's a miracle you came out of that safe." "..." That silence from Chihiro-san was incredibly awkward. Did she not come...

Translator: Soafp Third time at volunteering. Technically, the penalty should have ended last time. I didn’t have to come anymore. I’d done my duty. I was free. And yet, here I am in front of the community center at the same time as last week. Earlier than last week, actually—twenty minutes before the meeting time. “…I’m messed up, huh,” I muttered to myself, giving a wry smile. It’s humid today. A cloudy sky in the brief pause between rainy days. Moisture clings to my skin. I sip water from the vending machine while waiting, and one of the staff ladies calls out to me. “Oh, Fujimiya-kun. You came again today? Didn’t the penalty end already?” “Yes. But I thought I’d keep going a little longer.” “Well, that’s great. It really helps when young people come voluntarily.” She’s smiling cheerfully. Getting a reaction like that makes me want to keep going even more. Not just for myself, but feeling like I’m actually helping someone. Himuro Rin taught me this. Do what you can, properly. After three weeks, I feel like those words are finally sinking into me. …Of course, the real reason I’m here is to see her. I won’t hide that. There’s no point in hiding it. People start to trickle in. Same faces as last week. Mimura Sota is here too. The...

"For now, please let me know if anything happens." "Yeah... If you're that worried, why don't you join us, Nakanishi-kun...? There are so many people in the club, honestly, I don't think anyone would even notice an outsider slipping in." "...Worried? Me?" "Are you not?" Being told that straight to my face caused a sudden bewilderment to sprout in my mind. Am I actually worried about Temari? Or rather, why the hell should I be worried? Thinking about it calmly, even if Temari charged headlong down the maiden's path of yuri and went all-in on some perverted mission, it had absolutely nothing to do with me, right? That was entirely up to her, and I figured she could easily push through it with her usual "It's like a dream!" logic. "..." "U-Um, I'll contact you the second I notice anything suspicious, yeah." She probably didn’t know what to do with me just standing there like a statue, completely silent. Naegi-san basically scurried off out of sight right after saying that. Hmm. Maybe I should go back to basics and try asking the other main character, Mahiro. —・—・—・—・—・—・— "T-Thank you, I'm so happy you came over to my house after so long..." Since I had no way to contact her, I reluctantly decided to visit Mahiro's house. But for some unknown reason, Chihiro-san wasn't...

Translator: Soafp In the end, on the way to school, I had no choice but to give Kokoa-san a brief explanation of what had happened. That said, I left out almost everything involving Ayano-san and limited it to the story about the debt connected to the yakuza. “So that means... if Ren-sama wants to earn even more money, then I have to work even harder as an idol, right?” “No. Just keep doing what you've been doing. That's more than enough.” She was already working harder than anyone else. If she pushed herself any further, I was afraid she'd really collapse. Watching her from up close, I honestly wished she'd take it a little easier. Kokoa-san smiled brightly. “But I think... I've finally found another goal as an idol!” With those words, she stepped off the train before us. It was the brightest smile I'd seen from her in quite some time. Maybe having one of her biggest worries resolved had lifted a weight off her shoulders. Nodoka intertwined her fingers with mine as she asked, “So... does that mean Kokoa-san's nightmare has been avoided now?” “I think so... but it's probably too early to be one hundred percent certain.” As far as I knew, the only route through which Jirai-chan Syndrome had been connected to methamphetamine was through the yakuza tied to...

Translator: Soafp [Mimura Sota Side] I was certain. Himuro Rin will be mine someday. …No, maybe not “someday.” It’s almost like she already is. We haven’t done any formal confession or anything, but in practice, that’s the kind of relationship we have. Think about it. We’ve known each other since first grade. Our houses are three minutes apart on foot. Our parents are close, too. Summer festivals, first shrine visits, fireworks—we’ve done it all together since we were kids. I’m probably the only one who’s ever seen Rin cry. No one else could have this kind of bond with her. Ten years of history can’t be caught up with in an instant. So—I don’t need to rush. At least, that’s what I told myself. Wednesday lunch break. I was eating my bento with Sakamoto and the others when the topic turned to Fujimiya Ito. “Hey, Fujimiya’s been going to volunteer lately, right? Even after the three-session penalty ended, he’s apparently continuing.” My chopsticks froze. “…Seriously?” “Yeah, for real. Two girls from Class 2 said so. And apparently his reason was something like, ‘It felt good to do it.’” “Sounds fake.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. “There’s no way he’s continuing out of pure goodwill. His motives are obvious.” “Well, I guess it’s for Himuro-san, right?” “Exactly. He never learns,...

Translator: Soafp Monday morning. When I entered the classroom, Yui was already waiting. The moment I placed my bag in my usual seat, she leaned over from the side. “How was Saturday?” “…Good morning, Yui.” “Good morning. So, how was it?” She didn’t even bother with a greeting. “How do you mean, how was it?” “The volunteer thing. Fujimiya-kun went, right?” …How did she find out? What kind of information network does this school have? “He came. That’s it.” “That’s it? That can’t be it. You even called out to him last week, didn’t you? Two weeks in a row?” “I just went to volunteer. He said three sessions for the penalty, so I just went because it was required.” “Oh, really? So you didn’t talk with Rin at all?” “….” “Ah, that looks like you did.” “I didn’t.” “Then why did you look away?” —I can’t lie to this girl. Always have been. Yui usually floats around casually, but at times like this, she’s oddly sharp. “…I talked a little. Just a bit during the work.” “Just a bit?” “Just a bit.” “Just a bit.” “Specifically?” I sighed. Any attempt to dodge now would just make her persist. “He helped me take out some trash from the gutter. And we talked a little about a bee.” “A bee?” “There was a bee...

Translator: Soafp The second volunteer day had come. It was a Saturday in June, in front of the same community center as last week. The difference was my state of mind. Last week, all I could think was, “I want to go home as soon as possible.” But today— I woke up at five in the morning. Five o’clock. Saturday morning, five o’clock. If I told Kaito, he’d ask three times, “You?” I tried to go back to sleep after waking up, but I couldn’t. Whenever I closed my eyes, Himuro Rin’s profile flashed before me. Those straight-forward eyes. That calm voice. “You should do what you can properly.” That phrase had been looping in my head all week. In the end, I arrived thirty minutes before the meeting time. First to arrive. …Yeah, something’s definitely wrong with me. Standing in front of the community center, where the staff were preparing, I idly scrolled through my phone as participants slowly started arriving. Many of them were the same people as last week. The same lazy, relaxed atmosphere. Mimura Sota was there too. Our eyes met briefly, then he quickly looked away. …Weird vibe. Especially since we shouldn’t really have any connection. And then—she arrived. Himuro Rin. Her black hair tied back just like last week, a simple white T-shirt and jeans. Even though...

"…Nakanishi-kun, do you have a minute?" After the fourth-period lecture, right as I was thinking about going to directly negotiate a discount with Mahiro, I was unexpectedly called out by Naegi-san of all people. Talk about a surprise. However, I was naturally fully aware that this wasn't going to be some sweet, sweet business. Would it be sour, or perhaps bitter? "What is it?" "U-Umm, there's a club drinking party coming up soon, and…" "!" What a coincidence, I couldn't even argue if someone called this sheer plot convenience. Now that I thought about it, Naegi-san had also joined the exact same club. "Because there's a really suspicious atmosphere floating around, I think you should warn Mahiro-san, too…" "What do you mean?" Wait, she namedropped Mahiro instead of Temari? "Yeah, well… It seems like there's someone in the club who is targeting Mahiro-san." Whoa there. Because Mahiro went to a different university, Sasou-kun's intel obviously hadn't covered things this far… However. "Huh, Mahiro, you say? Is that girl actually relatively popular?" "Well, she's definitely beautiful and has that untouchable 'flower on a high peak' aura... Wait, seriously? You're really okay with someone else taking Mahiro-san away from you, Nakanishi-kun?" "Hah? Why the hell would I be crying over someone else taking Mahiro?" "…" I mean, seriously, there was no way Mahiro and I...

There was no smoke without fire, and if a club was truly innocent, dicks wouldn't be getting hard. Wondering what was up with the rumors of it being a hookup club, I immediately called Temari out during the lunch break. "…Eh? That's the first time I'm hearing of this." Carefree as ever, Temari twirled the straw in her iced tea like it was someone else's problem at the campus cafe I had called her out to. "Well, obviously they'd try to keep those rumors from leaking out. If it actually leaked out, it'd become a full-blown social issue, not just a matter of unwanted pregnancies." "And why exactly do you, someone who isn't even in the club, know about this potential social issue, Yuya?" "Because I have a valuable protein—I mean, information source in the same department." "What's that supposed to mean? Is that person's information even reliable?" "There are no slip-ups or slime there. After all, that informant caught onto the fact that Nishida was messing around with that whole Naegi-san situation even faster than I did." "Hmm…" Even though I was talking quite seriously, that doubtful vibe never vanished from Temari. Was the club really that comfortable of a place for her? "…Is the club fun?" "Yeah, totally. How should I put it? We don't really have a clear goal or...

Translator: Soafp “Ah... I'm exhausted.” As soon as I got home, I collapsed onto my bed. The moment the tension finally left my body, all the fatigue I'd been holding back came crashing down at once. “Good work today, President.” “You too, Airi.” As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Airi slipped in beside me. When I reached out toward her ch*st, she undid the buttons of her shirt herself. When I'm this tired, nothing is more comforting than her br**sts. “Hehe, the president really loves my br**sts, doesn't he? I'll just collect my usage fee like this.” Airi pressed her lips against mine. By now, she naturally entwined her tongue with mine as well. She had really gotten used to it. Well, considering we did this almost every day, it would have been stranger if she hadn't improved. “Ah! You two already started without me!!” Nodoka entered the room wearing the same secretary outfit as Airi. She climbed onto the bed and buried her face between my legs. “I'll take care of this part!” Nodoka's technique had been improving day by day as well. Seeing how steadily both of them had become more skilled at pleasing me, I couldn't help but notice. To be honest, it might have been a little selfish of me, but there was nothing...

Translator: Soafp At last… Shizuno Soraoka has fallen into my hands. I almost got stabbed from behind, but thanks to that man, I narrowly escaped. Even so… that man truly surprises me. He sensed the possibility without any evidence at all. He’s the one person I absolutely never want as an enemy. Still, Shizuno Soraoka… She had such a wonderful expression on her face. I thought she could never compare to Yuri Soraoka, but as expected of sisters. That humiliated, twisted expression of hers was more than enough to satisfy my heart. Life is going to be fun from now on. This time, I’ll have to treasure her carefully enough not to break her. Yuri, the older sister, was simply too beautiful, and I got carried away. Who would’ve thought she was that fragile? Ah, don’t misunderstand. I truly did love Yuri. It was love at first sight from the moment we met, and from the time I pursued her until we started dating, my feelings were genuine. But more than that… I desperately wanted to see the moment a goddess falls. You understand, don’t you? It’s like wanting to tease the girl you like. I just went a little too far. I never approached her intending to break her from the start. Ever since then, the look on Yuri’s face when she...

Translator: Soafp Monday. Two days had passed since the volunteer work, and my daily life hadn’t changed at all. …Or at least, that’s what I wanted to say. “Ito, has your face changed or something?” Before morning HR, Kaito Ozaki, who sits next to me, leaned over to peer at my face. “No, it hasn’t.” “No, it has. I don’t know… you’re grinning.” “I’m not grinning.” “You are. Look in the mirror.” …No. Absolutely not. I’m aware of it already, so I don’t want to see it. Kaito Ozaki. My best friend and a guy with an unusually sharp eye for observation. He’s usually lighthearted, but at times like this, his intuition is way too good. Honestly, it’s annoying. “Something happened, right? Saturday’s volunteer work?” “…Nothing.” “When you say ‘nothing,’ it’s always when something’s up.” Shut up. How can he know me so well? “Wait, I heard about it. You talked to a girl during the volunteer work.” “Huh? Who told you that?” “Sakamoto. He was in the same volunteer group, right? He said, ‘Ito was talking to some girl who looked serious.’” Sakamoto — the guy from the group chat. Unnecessary. “So, who was it?” “…………” “Hey, don’t hide stuff from me. How many years have we known each other—” “Himuro Rin.” I gave up and said her name. Kaito froze for...

Translator: Soafp To expose Yokomizo’s true nature, I visited the student council room again today. “Good afternoon, President. Thanks for your hard work today.” “Ah, Shizuno-chan. Good work to you too.” I gave a small bow to Yokomizo, who had arrived before me, and sat down on a nearby folding chair. As always, his outward appearance was flawless. But I could tell. That unmistakable stench unique to evil people practically radiated from him. Behind that mask, the devil who destroyed my sister had to be smirking. Yet Yokomizo was cautious. He refused to show his tail easily. I had even joined the student council and approached him while using myself as bait, yet I still hadn’t obtained any decisive proof. Without evidence, I obviously couldn’t accuse him of anything. But it’s fine. It’s only a matter of time now. I’ve gradually begun to understand how Yokomizo operates. He most likely has accomplices—the delinquents at this academy. He manipulates them skillfully to further strengthen his own position. He deliberately lets problems happen, then swoops in to solve them himself, earning the trust and admiration of everyone around him. The recent decline in public order at Shirosaki Academy is probably his doing. Seriously… what a disgusting fraud. But his mask is starting to crack. All I have to do now is stay vigilant and wait...

Translator: Soafp It was a Saturday in June. From early morning, I had work gloves on and was holding a garbage bag. Yeah? That “what the hell?” look on my face — I’m aware of it myself. Fujimiya Ito, seventeen. Second-year in high school. I have a lot of hobbies. A lot of friends. My weekends are always packed. …They were supposed to be. And yet here I am, taking part in a neighborhood cleanup volunteer. The reason is simple. Last week after school, I was riding my bike while using my phone and got caught by Yamaoka from student guidance. Apparently a written apology wasn’t enough, and I was sentenced to three rounds of volunteer work. Three times. Three times, seriously. I was supposed to go to the shopping mall with Kaito and the others today. I resent the clear blue sky. At the meeting spot in front of the community center, there were a few students who looked like they’d been dragged here against their will, just like me. The rest were local volunteer staff. No familiar faces. …No. There was one profile I recognized. A girl with black hair tied back. A second-year at our school. She should be in a different class. I’ve passed her in the hallway before. A sharp-eyed girl with a dignified air around her. Her...

And so, I was dragged around by Temari to check out the clubs, but it seemed she had finally decided which one to join. "...'Kutabiremouke'? What's that club?" "Hmm, it looks like a club for enjoying various sports. They do exchanges with other universities, and I heard there's something like a branch at T Women's University too." "T Women's University...?" "Yeah, apparently Mahiro is a member of this club over at T Women's University. She said they have a lot of members, it's pretty laid-back, and really fun, so I'm thinking of joining too. You should come with me, Yuuya." No, you go to different universities, so why the hell do you have to do activities together with Mahiro? Or rather, what even is a general sports club? I only have experience with Shorinji Kempo, so I probably wouldn't enjoy it even if I joined. Thus, refusing was the only option. "I'll pass for now. If it isn't fun, it's just a waste of time, after all." "Eh? Why not? If you join a club, you might even end up getting a cute girlfriend, you know?" "Hahaha, those fleeting hopes were smashed into tiny pieces right after I enrolled." "Oh, really... Though I bet there are tons of cute juniors around, too?" "I'm perfectly content with just you as a junior, Temari. First...

Incidentally, the reason I knew Nishida had moved up in the world at a host club was because I heard about Mami through Temari. Ah, in the end, Mami's host club addiction was never cured. I thought she might have reflected on it a bit after catching a disease, but danger past, God forgotten, huh. What an idiot. Long story short, Nishida joined the exact host club Mami frequented as a cast member, which was simply how that information made its way to me. Mahiro, perhaps because of what I told her, seemed to have cut ties with Mami. Well, severing a relationship with the kind of person who forces even her friends into the sex industry reduced the risk of Chihiro-san's tits sagging, which was a joyous occasion from my perspective. Even so, the fact that Temari still hadn't abandoned Mami was just so very Temari-like, or whatever you want to call it. By the way, being "currently enrolled at TH University" apparently served as a powerful weapon when working as a host, so Nishida was technically on a leave of absence. However, I personally didn't think the chances of that guy returning to university were high. The basis for that was this. "I've woken up. My only hope now is to start over with Sara, so I'm going to go cleanse...

Translator: Soafp "W-what are you talking about, President...?!" The first to react was the manager. While the manager had known about the company's debt, it seemed they hadn't been told anything about Ayano. The president hurriedly shouted, "Th-That's not true! Don't make up lies!" "Would you like to see the evidence? Airi." "Yes." Airi immediately took a photograph out of her bag and placed it on the table. The moment the president and the manager saw it, the color drained from their faces. The photo showed Ayano being escorted by two muscular men covered in tattoos near the rehearsal studio and getting into a van. "We followed that vehicle. It eventually arrived at a villa deep in the mountains. Do I really need to tell you what kinds of sounds were coming from inside?" "..." "Furthermore, we've confirmed that both of those men have ties to organized crime." Of course, I couldn't completely rule out the possibility that Ayano herself had been involved with shady people, or that she'd already known those men beforehand. But the suspicious circumstances didn't end there. "Several hours after entering the villa, one of the men was also seen burying garbage in the ground." According to the detective, he'd been terrified. The men were connected to the yakuza, and the location was private property deep in the mountains....

Translator: Soafp At my question, the president's eyes darted away. "Haa... To tell you the truth, I've been at my wit's end over that matter as well." Hesitating, the president began explaining why he'd had no choice but to borrow from the loan shark. Most of it, however, was already exactly what the detective's report had led me to expect. Honestly, all I heard were excuses. "I see. Starting a business is certainly no easy task, so I understand how you feel. That said, how exactly do you intend to resolve this?" "Uh... W-Well, it's not something that can be solved overnight..." Apparently, he hadn't come to this meeting prepared to face the issue. If anything, it seemed he'd hoped to talk me into accepting the situation. "I fully understand your concerns. Even so, we've been taking every possible precaution to ensure the idols under our agency never come into contact with the yakuza." "Specifically?" "F-For now, our revenue has been increasing recently, so we've been keeping up with the repayments. As long as we're paying them back, even the yakuza wouldn't do anything reckless, would they?" "So if your income dries up again and you can no longer make payments, you're saying you won't be able to protect them?" "N-No. If that happens... even if they sell me off in their place,...

Translator: Soafp Several days had passed since I received the detective's interim report. I still couldn't decide what I should do. The situation was even worse than I had imagined. "Hey, Fukagawa. What's wrong?" In the light music club room, Takagi called out to me from behind while I stood absentmindedly holding the microphone. "Oh, sorry. I've just been a little tired lately." "What's going on? Something bothering you?" "Well... I'd be lying if I said nothing was." "When you say it like that, it sounds pretty serious. If there's anything I can do, just let me know." "Alright." To be honest, I wanted to dump everything on Takagi and let him carry the burden instead. But that wouldn't be asking for advice or help. It would just be shirking my own responsibility. The club president glanced at me. "Then how about we call it a day here?" "Huh? Is that okay?" "You're tired, aren't you, Fukagawa-kun? Besides, your singing has become really stable. Since you're already here... have you thought about joining the light music club?" Before I could answer, Airi—who had come to watch practice again today—cut in from the side. "Nope. Ren-kun is absolutely staying in the Going Home Club." "Aww, really? Don't you want to see your boyfriend looking cool more often?" "It's enough to see that once in...

Translator: Soafp [Shizuno Pov] After school, I stopped by a convenience store to buy dinner before heading home. When our parents are going to be home late from work, my older sister, Yuri Soragaoka, and I usually eat dinner together. Sometimes we go out to eat, sometimes we cook together, and other times—like today—we just buy convenience store meals. It’s been a habit since we were kids. …Though, for the past few years, it’s been nothing but convenience store meals. “Onee-san. I bought dinner.” I called out from outside her door without going into her room. —No response. It’s not like she’s out. She’s definitely inside. The lights are on, and I can sense her presence. But no matter how long I wait, she doesn’t reply. “I left your food in the living room.” After a while, I said that and headed to my own room without ever seeing her face. Then I dropped my bag beside my desk and collapsed onto my bed. “…Haa.” Letting out a deep breath, I stared into the void. The soft mattress slowly absorbed my physical exhaustion. But it did nothing for the fatigue in my heart. “…Onee-san…” I muttered quietly in the empty room, wondering how things had ended up like this. About two years ago, my sister Yuri stopped making eye contact with me. It...

Translator: Soafp It seemed they weren't going to perform an original song after all, but instead cover a famous one—so famous that even I knew it. Takagi played the original on his phone. "So? The vocals aren't that difficult, right?" "What? They sound insanely difficult to me." This was supposed to be easy? I'd have to hit some seriously high notes. Or was this just considered easy by the light music club's standards? Maybe I never should've agreed to fill in as the vocalist. The regret kept circling around in my head. "Alright, let's try playing it together once." "Huh? Right away?" "It'll be fine. We'll match our playing to you." Easy for him to say, but I hadn't really practiced this song. Sure, it was famous, but that didn't mean I remembered all the lyrics. Takagi turned toward the girl playing bass. "Captain, that's okay, right? I want to see what he can actually do." "We don't mind at all. Honestly, the fact that Fukagawa-kun agreed to fill in for us is already more than enough." So the bass player was the club president. "Come on, Fukagawa-kun. Don't feel pressured. Just imagine you're at karaoke and sing however you like. Think of us as your personal backing band." "O-Okay. I might end up disappointing you, though..." "Don't be so nervous. Honestly, we're...

Translator: Soafp This was from before Reita lost his memories—around just before graduating elementary school. "Hey, Shizuno. You’ve seemed down lately. What’s wrong?" "...It’s nothing." "There’s no way it’s nothing. You forgetting your homework two days in a row? That’s not like you." "Even I forget things sometimes." "No way. You’re not the type to make careless mistakes. Something must’ve happened." "I said it’s nothing." "Come on, just tell me." "You’re so annoying. Maaya is waiting for you, right? Just go already." Even though Reita was worried about me, I brushed him off in a sulky way. I was never very good at relying on others. Because every time someone helped me, it reminded me of how powerless I was. I had a goal—to become someone admirable like my father. My father was a lawyer who worked hard every day, yet never abandoned those in need. To me as a child, he looked like a hero. Even when he came home late at night, he never showed fatigue—just smiled and said "I’m home." Watching his back, I wanted to become like that someday. If I wanted to follow in his footsteps, then at the very least, I needed to be able to solve my own problems. That’s what I believed, so I tried to live without relying on others as much as possible....

Around the time the spring winds started blowing through Tohoku, TH University’s entrance ceremony began. In other words, that meant I had become a second-year university student too. Incidentally, after all that, nothing in particular had happened during my first year of university. Well, I would admit that, after going through that much awful crap, it would not have been strange if I had sworn off women for good. However, just as every protrusion had its indentation, my belief that men needed women had not changed. Of course, I did not necessarily have to insist on the flesh-and-blood kind. Well, reality was reality. “Yuuya, sorry!” “You’re late, Temari. At this rate, we’re barely going to make it in time.” “What do you want from me? Women have all kinds of things to deal with.” Temari, who had successfully managed to get into the university this year, came hurrying over while proudly showing off her made-up face. To be honest, judging from things like her mock exam results, I had thought she was probably going to fail again this year, but maybe she had gotten lucky, or maybe she was the type who was strong when it counted. “Actually, hold on.” “Hm?” “From now on, Temari, you have to call me ‘seeenpai.’” “Ghk…” Well, with Temari having come to the same university as me,...

Translator: Soafp "Heh, so that's what happened." Kokoa came over to our place again today, and we had dinner together. While we were eating, I told everyone about what Takagi had asked me during lunch. ...I was clearly unhappy about it, while Nodoka, Airi, and Yui all seemed to be enjoying themselves. "Ah! I just thought of a great idea!" Kokoa's face lit up. I had a really bad feeling about this. "I'll personally train you to be a vocalist, Ren-sama!" I knew it. "I'd definitely appreciate the help, but... aren't you busy, Kokoa-san?" As far as I knew, she was juggling idol work, attending school, and preparing for high school entrance exams. Honestly, twenty-four hours couldn't possibly be enough for her. If it were me, I'd have given up long ago. "We can practice together during my own vocal training! But in exchange, I want you to do one thing for me." "If it's something I can do, then of course." There was no questioning Kokoa's ability as a vocalist. Even if it was only crash-course training, she surely knew countless practical techniques that could be used immediately. In a way, this was vocal coaching you couldn't buy with money. "Please help me study for my entrance exams!" "...Me?" "Yep! Because I'm applying to the same high school as you, Ren-sama. And...

Translator: Soafp After being examined by the nurse, it turned out that Shizuno was suffering from mild anemia. She was diagnosed as having it caused by stress and lack of sleep. For now, as long as she rested, she’d recover quickly. It was a relief that it wasn’t anything serious—but unless the root cause was resolved, it would likely happen again. I was told to return to class, but I lied and said I was her boyfriend so I could stay by her side. Then, sitting in the chair next to the bed where she was lying, I spoke to her. “Are you okay?” “…Yes. I just felt a little dizzy. I can go back soon.” “Don’t push yourself.” “I’m really fine. You should go back.” Shizuno tried to act tough again, but of course, I had no intention of leaving. There was no way I could just leave her like this. Besides, Maaya had entrusted her to me too. “Hey. Don’t you think it’s about time you told me what’s going on?” “…I’m sorry.” “Enough already. At least tell me what’s happening—I can’t just sit here calmly otherwise.” “Even if you say that, I can’t talk about something I can’t talk about.” With that, Shizuno pulled the blanket over her face. Why was she being so stubborn about this? “Just tell me...

Translator: Soafp "Can I think about it for a little while?" That was Kokoa's response to my suggestion. She seemed hesitant about meeting Yuna. I wondered if something had happened. Or perhaps she was afraid of seeing how much Yuna had changed and getting hurt all over again. With such severe lasting aftereffects, it might be impossible to find any trace of the girl she used to know. (I guess I need to figure out how to arrange the meeting too.) I might have to rely on the detective again. Obviously, asking Nagasawa-senpai directly wasn't an option. Once we entered the supermarket, we immediately started shopping. Yui and I began placing the ingredients Nodoka had asked for into the basket one after another. "Kokoa-san, what are you having for dinner today?" "Hmm... What are you all having tonight, Ren-sama?" "Judging from these ingredients, probably nikujaga." "Ooh, nikujaga! That sounds delicious! And Nodoka-san is making it, right?" "Yeah." Our kitchen was practically under Nodoka's control. "Then I'll have nikujaga for dinner too!" "Are you making it yourself? If so, I can ask Nodoka to send you the recipe." "What are you saying, Ren-sama? Of course I mean Nodoka-san's nikujaga." "..." So she'd planned on being treated from the very beginning. I didn't really mind. More importantly, it was much better than leaving Kokoa alone...

Translator: Soafp Time passed without anything noteworthy happening— and before long, the first exam period of our second year finally arrived. Until now, it had always been a meaningless stretch of time to me, but this time, I studied like my life depended on it. Not only had I completely caught up on everything I’d missed, but I was in seriously good shape. This time, I could definitely aim for the top ranks. I might even have a shot at first place. …No, that’s probably pushing it. For a moment, I could actually picture myself pulling it off—but then I remembered someone. Shizuno Soraoka, the girl who had taken first place all of last year. Honestly, she was the kind of person who should’ve gone to a much more prestigious school. Tests at Shirosaki Academy were probably a joke to her. Thinking that, I glanced over at her. Even though the test was starting in five minutes, Shizuno was just sitting there, spacing out, doing nothing. It had been four years since we were in the same class, so I didn’t know if she was always this relaxed. But in my mind, she was the type to give her all, no matter how easy the test was. …Something was definitely still off about her. What exactly was weighing her down? What could possibly...

Translator: Soafp On the way to the nearby supermarket, the three of us—Yui, Kokoa-san, and I—chatted about all sorts of things. Before long, though, the conversation naturally returned to the phone call at the ramen shop. Kokoa-san gave a slight shake of her head. "Lately, during lessons, I sometimes catch myself thinking... Was everything I worked so hard for just so I could meet a man like that again? Whenever that thought crosses my mind, all my strength just drains away." "But you're not being an idol just for him anymore, right?" "That's right! That's the only thing keeping me going." The fact that she could only say she was " the only thing " made it obvious. Kokoa-san was mentally exhausted. And who could blame her? Then perhaps... Couldn't she replace her lingering feelings for Nagasawa-senpai with something else? (What matters are the memories themselves.) She had wanted to see Nagasawa-senpai again because she wanted to reconnect with those memories. If that was the case, then maybe the person she shared those memories with didn't necessarily have to be Nagasawa-senpai. ...Of course, unlike what we'd talked about in the park before, making up fake memories wasn't the answer. Ah. I knew someone. "Kokoa-san, how close were you with Yuna-san?" "Yu-chan...?" "Yeah. I was wondering... maybe you don't really want to see her?"...

Translator: Soafp After parting with Shizuno and leaving the school, I stopped to do a bit of shopping before heading home. I bought new notebooks, stationery, and reference books—things I used to pick up little by little, but this time I made sure to properly stock up. Money was a bit tight, but if I wanted to keep this motivation going, I couldn’t afford to hold back. When I got home, I went straight to my room. I put my bag down and was about to plug my phone into the charger when— something strange caught my eye. “Whoa… what is this…” There were over thirty messages on Lean. My phone, which was usually dead silent, was now flooded with notifications. Hesitantly, I opened it… Every single message was from Maaya. "Good evening♪ What are you doing now?" "Eh? Are you busy?" "Are you okay? Did something happen?" "Reita-kun?" At first glance, it looked like she was just worried about not getting a reply—but the messages were sent every five minutes. It’s one thing if I hadn’t replied for half a day, but five minutes? That’s way too impatient. And there were still more messages below. "Are you ignoring me…?" "Hey, you’re actually reading them from the notification screen, right?" "At least mark them as read" "Don’t be mean" And now she was...

Yuuya: Heh. It just means I understand those two better than you do. I am their friend, after all. Yuuya sent me that message with a smug little air to it, and it honestly pissed me off a bit. I had wondered what was going on when he suddenly messaged me out of nowhere, only for the content to be the kind of thing that made me doubt my own eyes. No, no, there’s no way that’s true~ I snapped back in my head, but I could already see exactly how it would go if I actually replied with that. It would turn into a pointless back-and-forth where neither of us backed down. So I decided not to waste my time and turned off my phone screen then and there. The truth was, during that whole mess, I had ended up connecting with Naegi-san on Laiso, though Yuuya didn’t know that either. Thanks to that, I also knew what Naegi-san’s current condition was like. The official reason I had added her was because I wanted to thank her, but… somehow, I could sense the heartbeat of a loner in Naegi-san too. From what I had heard from Yuuya, she had started living with her boyfriend right after entering university, so she probably never even had time to make friends. And I could also...

Translator: Soafp Maybe Airi left it here on purpose. ...She really doesn't leave anything to chance. Unaware of it, Nagasawa-senpai continued speaking. "You aren't serious about Miyo anyway, are you?" "I already told you. I'm not dating Kokoa-san." It was like he wasn't listening to a word I said. No, it didn't even seem like he had any intention of having a real conversation. How someone like him had managed to win over so many women was beyond me. "Just so you know, Miyo may not look it, but she's a very fragile girl. If you hurt her, I won't let you get away with it...!" Did he think he was Kokoa-san's father or something? Her real father, Burn-san, had entrusted her to me, telling me to look after his daughter. I let out a deep sigh before answering. "Of course I care about Kokoa-san. I'd never do anything to hurt her." After all, I was her sponsor. I might spoil her, but I'd never neglect her. "More importantly, there's something I want to ask you." "What?" "The person who jumped at school today... it was the club president, wasn't it?" "..." Nagasawa-senpai didn't answer. He simply kept eating his noodles in silence. "Don't you feel anything?" "...What if it was?" "Even if she wasn't your girlfriend, she was someone you slept with...

“Is your body all right now?” Facing me again in the backyard, Naegi-san wore an expression like she had finally shaken something off. In other words, she had made up her mind. In that case, the only thing I needed to worry about was her physical condition. “Ah, yeah… I caused you all kinds of trouble. I’m sorry.” “It’s way too late to worry about that now, so don’t let it bother you. So, Naegi-san, what are you planning to do from here?” “Um… I thought I’d try to make a fresh start and do my best. So I’m planning to drop out of university and work. My credits for the first semester were already hopeless anyway.” “I see.” I see. So Naegi-san intended to work too, even if only to help Nishida pay back a little of the debt he was carrying. Still, even then, I felt like she did not have to go as far as dropping out of university. “So, what’s Nishida planning to do? That’s the important part.” “I-I don’t really know… but he did say he’s going to get a proper, honest job and pay back the debt. It seems like he’s changed his mind a little.” “…Is he not planning to come back to university either?” “I wonder… But I feel like university is the least of...

Translator: Soafp "A third-year female senior." Of course, there were countless girls who fit that description. But only one person came to mind. Yui seemed to reach the same conclusion. She turned toward me and spoke in a trembling voice. "C-Could it be... t-the club president...?" Exactly. If the person who had died in Airi's place was the Photography Club president, everything would fit. She matched the conditions, and there was even a plausible motive. (Pushed to her absolute limit, and then abandoned even by Nagasawa-senpai...) Most likely, Nagasawa-senpai hadn't been lying when he said he had cut ties with all the women she had stolen from others. On top of that, she had been accused of offering female club members to Nagasawa-senpai. Whether the accusation was true or not, causing a scandal like this must have earned her severe criticism from the alumni who had entrusted her with the position of club president. Especially since the Photography Club had such a strong reputation. Takagi looked back and forth between Yui and me with a puzzled expression. "Eh? What? Do you guys actually know something?" "No, it's not like we have proof, but..." Making sure nobody else could hear, I leaned close to Takagi's ear and quietly whispered the Photography Club president's name. "Ah... yeah, that does sound pretty likely..." "...You think so?"...