Translator: Soafp “…Ahh, this is seriously the best.” Being sandwiched between two beautiful girls like this was truly a supreme moment. Yesterday’s feeling of unfinished business had already disappeared. I hugged Agatsuma, who was quietly sitting in my arms. Every so often, I had her change positions so I could bury my face in her chest or smell her hair, doing whatever I wanted. “Hugging Agatsuma like this is great, and being hugged by Mari is great too.” That’s right—Mari was hugging me from behind as well. “Does it feel good?” “Yeah. It’s the best.” “I’m happy.” I was the happy one. When I turned around, Mari leaned in as if she had been waiting for it and kissed me. It caught me by surprise, but I had no resistance to kissing her while she was hypnotized. “…Heh… hehehe.” This was bad. An incredibly creepy laugh kept slipping out. Using the delayed hypnosis state I had started calling “scheduled hypnosis,” I summoned the two of them here like usual. Naturally, I had made them do all kinds of things. “You two don’t need to fully undress. Just open up your shirts.” “Good. Now come up behind me and press your ch*sts around my face.” “All right, then have both of you hold me between them like that!” Just remembering it was exciting—and also...

Translator: Soafp “Hey, food’s here.” “…Just leave it there, damn it.” It was somewhere inside a prison. In a solitary cell occupied by only one man, a meal had been quietly placed down. The man looked at it with a sulky expression. Still, since he was in prison, perhaps a bad attitude like that was nothing unusual; the guard simply turned around and walked away. “…Why… why is this happening to me…!?” The man muttered as he bit into a plain piece of bread. “Wasn’t the hypnosis… wasn’t that app supposed to be perfect!?” The words “hypnosis” and “app” coming out of his mouth were extremely relevant. The reason he was in prison was simple: he had been arrested for sexually assaulting multiple women. He believed that he would never be caught. No matter how horrible the things he did were, he thought nobody would ever find out. But now, the result of that betrayal was his arrest. “It was going well at first… So why did they get their memories back!?” The hypnosis app had somehow appeared on the man’s phone. Using its power, he ran wild according to his desires. When he spoke to women normally, they gave him unpleasant looks. But once he put them under hypnosis, they became obedient and he believed he could do anything he wanted to...

Translator: Soafp “Stop…” “I’m scared… Don’t touch me…” “…” My hands were still resting on both of their chests, but even though they were under hypnosis, seeing the two of them sobbing and shedding tears made me lose any desire to torment them further. Their reaction was entirely different from Mari, Honma, and Agatsuma. I removed my hands. “…Again. Is it happening again, God?” God, you really are the worst, I cursed internally. Sasaki and Someya were expressionless under hypnosis, yet tears streamed down their faces as they choked back sobs. It felt as though they were not afraid specifically of me, but of men themselves. “What happened?” Honestly, I no longer wanted to touch them. Well, I was still looking at their fresh, naked bodies, but forgive that much for the sake of a scumbag like me. Sasaki was the one who answered my question. “Two years ago, we were nearly assaulted.” “…Whoa.” A rather heavy subject had come up—coming from me, that was saying something. Perhaps remembering it made Someya’s shoulders shake. Sensing that unconsciously, Sasaki tightly took her hand. Even in a hypnotized state, the strength of their bond and love for each other was clear. It made me truly understand once again why people said a man had no right to insert himself between a yuri couple. “The people...

Translator: Soafp The day after I decided to target the two beautiful girls from a girls’ high school whose names I did not even know… It had been too late to make a move that same day, so I had given up. But the next time I saw them, I would definitely enjoy both of their bodies. “…Well, assuming I can even find them again.” That was the problem. I had only spotted them by chance in town yesterday. I did not know their names, where they lived, or anything else that could help me search for them. All I knew was which girls’ school they attended. I had selected them as targets, but whether I could actually encounter them again was another matter. “Maybe I’m not as interested in girls’ bodies now because I spend time with Mari and the others? No, no, there’s no way that’s true.” Maybe I was satisfied with my current situation, which meant that although I wanted new stimulation, I did not crave it quite that desperately. Still, the er*s inside me had locked onto those two girls. There was no question that I still wanted stimulation. I would definitely make it happen! “Hey, Kai, want to go to the bathroom?” “I’m good. I’m going to buy a drink from the vending machine.” I told Akira that...

Translator: Soafp “Looks like another brave hero has fallen today.” “A tragic loss… amen.” “Nobody died.” I replied to Akira and Shogo while eating lunch. Honma’s confession rejections had become something of a regular attraction by now. It seemed another boy had confessed to her today—and, as always, nobody had succeeded. What made it worse was that he was from our class. At that moment, he was surrounded by his friends, being comforted. “Damn it… I got to talk to her a little the other day, so I thought I had a chance… I really thought I had a chanceee!!” “Don’t think you have a chance just because you talked to her…” “Still, even someone with a good-looking face like yours gets rejected by Honma.” “Isn’t she getting a little full of herself lately?” “Right?” Oops. This might be turning into an unpleasant situation. Sure, because she was so popular, maybe people thought she was arrogant. It was not exactly that “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down,” but it was perhaps inevitable that some people would see her that way. “Hey, don’t say bad things about an underclassman just because of that. If someone confesses and she isn’t interested, it’s natural for her not to date them. Honma-san hasn’t done anything wrong by rejecting him, has she?” “Mari… You’re right. I...

Translator: Soafp “What are you doing, you little naked-running brat?” I said that as I approached the two of them. “Ah, Masaki-kun!” “…You!” The moment Aisaka saw me, she moved away from him—Honda, I think his name was—and ran over to my side. I had no idea why Honda was approaching Aisaka now. It was impressive, in a terrible way, that he could still speak to her after what he had done. “I might not be the most reliable guy, but stay behind me.” “…Masaki-kun.” Well, even without relying on hypnosis, a man wanted to show a girl his cool side. With Aisaka behind me, looking strangely moved—or perhaps emotional—I stared back at Honda, who was glaring at me. He was still as handsome as ever, but the shame of having run naked in public was now permanently attached to him. Everything he had built up until then had probably come crashing down. “I’ve heard all kinds of rumors. Sounds like you did something pretty incredible.” Honestly, I could not deny that everything going well lately had gone to my head a little. Maybe my words and expression looked especially provocative, because Honda raised his voice so loudly it was as though he might spit while shouting. “You… Ever since I met you, something has been wrong. Everything went wrong because you had...

Translator: Soafp About two weeks had passed since the situation with Agatsuma. July had arrived, and the temperature was steadily rising. It was getting hot. “Man, it’s hot.” “Yeah, seriously hot.” Akira and Shogo muttered beside me. It was not unbearably hot, but it certainly was warm. Still, there was enough visual enjoyment to make enduring the heat worthwhile. “What a nice sight.” I said that while looking at the girls, who were showing slightly more skin because of the seasonal uniform change. The boys had changed uniforms too, but the girls were now wearing white shirts under their jackets, which made for an excellent view. You could faintly see underwear lines, and when they got wet in the rain, the fabric clung to their skin enough to show its color through it… Damn, I really was a massive pervert. “Well, it’s kind of late to realize that.” After all, I was still using the hypnosis app to play around with Aisaka and the others. I had no right to say anything. That said… there had been a small change in me. For some reason, I had stopped looking at the erotic manga and similar things I used to browse online all the time. (It’s not that I don’t want to look at them. I just don’t feel like looking at them to...

Translator: Soafp “…Phew. I’m glad they were such reasonable grandparents.” The day after my encounter with Agatsuma’s father, I immediately went to visit her grandparents. Even with clear video evidence of what her father had said, I had wondered whether they would believe it. But they turned out to be a far more understanding elderly couple than I expected. “We’ll take action right away. Thank you.” I put them under hypnosis just in case and drew out their true feelings, but they were not lying. They genuinely intended to help Agatsuma. I had told them that she was staying somewhere else for the moment, so I could leave the situation with her father and mother to them for now. “From how they acted, they’ll probably take her in. If they find out he’s been like that since she started high school, then no matter how much he reforms, it’ll probably be… impossible.” I showed them the video of him saying everything, including that he might as well assault his daughter because she had such an attractive body. There was no way they would allow Agatsuma to return to him after that. There would probably be moving arrangements and other complications. Fortunately, Agatsuma’s grandparents lived in the same town, so the sudden environmental change would likely be less overwhelming for her. “…Maybe I’ll go...

Translator: Soafp “Hello. I’m nobody worth introducing myself as… though I suppose that would be inappropriate in this situation. I attend the same school as your daughter.” “…That’s rather sudden, isn’t it?” There was a slight pause before he answered, but his expression did not change. It was late in the evening, so the area was dark. It was rude to say so, but combined with the impression that he might be someone prone to violence, he was a little intimidating. “Sorry to approach you out of nowhere, but you hit your daughter, don’t you?” I started with a light jab. His eyebrow twitched, but he put on a playful smile as he denied it. “What are you talking about all of a sudden? There’s no way I would hit my own daughter. Did that girl tell you?” The instant he said, “Did that girl tell you?” I felt that he had visibly become irritated. Dealing with a person like this was still scary, but the only reason I could stand here so confidently was thanks to the hypnosis app. “Yes, she told me directly. She also showed me the bruises on her body. It seems you’ve made her suffer for quite a long time. What kind of parent does that make you, huh?” My wording came out a little provocative. Maybe possessing...

Translator: Soafp “...All right. For now, I’ve got their names and photos.” I lay on my bed in my room, looking at my phone screen. Displayed on it were photos of Agatsuma, her father, and her mother. I could have simply waited near their house, but knowing what they looked like would make a difference. “Still, abuse, huh? It comes up in the news all the time, but it really is one of society’s problems.” It happened to students and children, of course, but lately you also heard plenty of stories about newborn babies being abused to death. To me, it still felt like something from another world. But Agatsuma, someone close by, was actually being subjected to violence. “…Even if she was hypnotized, seeing a girl cry like that makes me want to do something for her.” How easy would it be if I could simply decide that I didn’t care what happened to her, as long as I could enjoy her body? But apparently, I could not bring myself to be that much of a scumbag. “If Agatsuma’s grandparents really care about her, I think they will take her side. If they don’t, I’ll have to resort to force again—but first, I need to get Agatsuma out of that environment.” I had at least thought through the general plan. I had...

Translator: Soafp “………” “……….” After realizing that every girl I had set my sights on since getting the hypnosis app was dealing with some kind of serious issue, I let out a sigh. Aisaka had a history of self-harm. Honma was an extreme masochist and had been stalked. And now Agatsuma, standing in front of me, was being physically abused by her father. “What about sexual abuse?” “That hasn’t happened yet.” “Yet…?” The way Agatsuma said it made it sound as though there was a chance she could be assaulted in the near future. Well, with a girl as attractive as her around, I could almost imagine someone trying something sexual with her. “Just as I thought—you do have a pretty face.” Agatsuma looked beautiful once her bangs were lifted. But her lifeless expression ruined the entire effect. She was similar to Aisaka in that way, but the darkness in her face was even worse. “Since when?” “…The violence started after I entered high school.” “You’ve endured it all this time?” “Yeah. I don’t have anyone I can rely on.” “…” There it was again. That feeling. I had felt it with Aisaka too: while I spent my days happily with my family and friends, there were people living painful lives as though it were normal. For a child, family was supposed to...

Translator: Soafp About a week had passed since I drove away the stalker who had been following Honma. Since Honma was directly involved, the police apparently questioned her about various things. From what she had learned, it seemed the man had turned himself in just as I had ordered him to. “Um… Apparently, he seemed somewhat strange, but his answers were clear. But after some time had passed, he began denying the allegations… The police officers apparently found it unsettling too.” Even after that incident, I continued seeing Honma. Well, it was a one-sided relationship where I hypnotized her, called her out, and did whatever I wanted. But during those times, just like with Aisaka, I heard various updates about what had been going on in her life. “Good morning, Senpai.” But there was one unexpected development. She had started talking to me whenever she saw me, even when she was not hypnotized. “…Well, in a way, I’m like her benefactor.” I had overlooked the fact that trying to hypnotize a second person while one person was already under hypnosis would cause the first person to return to normal. I never expected Honma to regain her senses and follow me all the way to the police station. In Honma’s eyes, I was an upperclassman who had somehow driven off her stalker. Every time...

Translator: Soafp “This hypnosis app is primarily intended to target one individual at a time. You cannot hypnotize another person while someone else is already under hypnosis; if you do, the person who was hypnotized first will return to normal. However, hypnosis is effective when multiple people are present before you at the same time.” “…There he is.” I quietly stepped outside Honma’s house, but the man I suspected was stalking her was still hiding behind the utility pole. He had been there since before I started doing whatever I wanted with Honma, which meant he had probably been standing there for around an hour. “He’s just blatantly suspicious.” It was strange no one had reported him. I had asked Honma about him in a little more detail. She said she didn’t recognize the man and had no idea where she might have met him. Apparently, he didn’t show up every day. But whenever he did appear, he sometimes stayed there until around six in the evening. “Well, even someone with perverted thoughts has to draw the line at a stalker.” I gave a wry laugh at that obvious realization. All right, then. Just as promised, it was time to meet the stalker. “Hey.” “!?” I called out to the man hiding behind the utility pole. He jerked, his shoulders trembling, and turned...

Translator: Soafp “...?” I noticed it while looking over the app’s description again. “This app is by no means all-powerful. Depending on how it is used, it may cause the target to develop strong feelings. Whether those feelings become hatred or affection is up to you, so please be careful.” That sentence made me tilt my head. The target wasn’t supposed to retain any memories from their hypnotized state, so maybe this was a warning that forcibly changing someone’s feelings through hypnosis could cause something like that. “Well, it has nothing to do with me. Sure, forcing a girl to develop feelings for me might be exciting in its own way, but I’m fine as long as I can do whatever I want.” In other words, there was no problem. I was simply going to use this hypnosis app to live however I pleased. Manipulating someone’s feelings too would be a truly despicable thing to do. “…Wait, isn’t that a little late to be saying?” Sheesh. Realizing that thinking too hard about that kind of thing was enough to kill my mood was one of my bad habits. After what I did with Aisaka yesterday, there was nothing left for me to fear. I just needed to act confidently. No one would ever find out. “Let’s go to the bathroom.” “Sure.” Akira called...

Translator: Soafp Looking up at the night sky, a pale yellow moon floated lazily above. It should have been no different from the moon you see in the city, yet for some reason it looked more beautiful than usual. The handle of the plastic bag holding the ice cream dug slightly into the fingers of my right hand. From my left hand, which was holding Shinonome’s, her warmth seeped gently into mine. She blushed shyly, then pressed her lips together as if trying to hold back a grin. “Hehe.” “What is it?” “Nothing, nothing at all.” I matched my pace to hers. The walk to the convenience store had felt faster, but on the way back everything seemed more relaxed, and her short steps were even shorter than usual. It was summer, so if we didn’t hurry, the ice cream would probably melt, but pointing that out would likely be tactless. “Hey, Hatsukade, I know it’s not really my place to say this, but I think it’s kind of questionable to hold hands with girls this easily. You look like a player.” “Is that so? I only did it because you seemed to want to. Should I stop?” “N-No, it’s fine for now. I mean, it’s bad with lots of people, but if you limit it to just one person, there’s no problem,...

Translator: Soafp “………” “Kai?” “What’s wrong?” “…Huh!?” Akira and Shogo called my name, snapping me back to my senses. “…It’s nothing.” “??” “You’re completely different from yesterday.” I wanted to loudly declare that of course I was. Yesterday after school, I hypnotized Honma and went into her house. Naturally, my goal was to do something lewd while going “Kukuku,” but I ended up learning an unexpected secret she had been hiding—and it scared me instead. “…Damn it.” Honestly, I wanted to punch myself for what I was doing. I hypnotized her because I wanted to do something s*xual with her, and yet after learning about her preferences—or rather, her secret—I was the one who backed out. If anything, that should have made me even more determined to go through with it! “…No. A day has passed, and I’ve calmed down. Today, I’ll do it.” To be honest, I had definitely been aroused enough by imagining her naked and revealing those preferences. For the first time, I had seen a real woman’s body rather than one on a screen. The color, the shape—those details had been burned into my memory. “…Heh.” Even after hearing her confess to those kinds of preferences, if I thought it through, Honma was unquestionably a beautiful girl. And if I considered that preference something exciting instead… I could do...

Translator: Soafp “You’ve been in an awfully good mood lately, haven’t you?” “Have I?” “Yes. Did something good happen?” The night I decided to make the junior known as the Ice Queen my next target, my older sister came into my room and suddenly said that to me. It was normal for her to barge in without hesitation like this. Maybe she was trying to look imposing with her hands on her hips, but somehow it only made her seem endearing. “Well, you could say something good happened.” “Hmmm? What is it? Tell me.” Grinning, my sister came over beside the bed where I was lying down. She hopped onto the bed and lay down next to me. She was very close, and since she’d just gotten out of the bath, a pleasant scent drifted from her. Of course, the person beside me was my sister, not some stranger, so it wasn’t like I was getting excited or my heart was racing. “…Heh.” “What was that supposed to be?” Oops. I’d creeped my sister out. What I remembered was my exchange with Aisaka. The memory of doing whatever I wanted to her while she was hypnotized was truly wonderful. The feeling in my palms, the sensation of having her press her face against me, that sweet fragrance—every bit of it was the ultimate...

Translator: Soafp "Hasn't he seemed really happy lately?" "Ah, yeah. I've noticed that too." "...Have I?" It was during break. Two friends I usually talked with had said that to me, and it was true that I'd been having a really good time lately and was in a great mood. Why? Obviously, it was because I had the hypnosis app. "...Heh." "You're creepy." "...Seriously, what happened to you?" Oops. I'd let a creepy grin slip out without realizing it. "Don't worry about it, you two. I'm just the same as always." Though I didn't particularly like the idea of them thinking this creepy behavior was normal for me, that was just how good my mood had been lately. My two friends looked at me suspiciously. I'd known them since middle school, and we were actually quite close. "Hmm?" The suspicious-looking guy with the shaved head was Akira Mukai. Much to my annoyance, he was a fairly good-looking guy. He was on the soccer team, and while he wasn't quite the ace, he was good enough to make a real contribution whenever he played in a match. "Don't tell me... you've awakened some kind of mysterious power!?" "What the hell are you talking about?" The guy who'd displayed an unexpectedly sharp insight was Shogo Endo. His chubby build was his trademark, and he was...

Translator: Soafp One afternoon after school, I found myself standing in front of a certain pair of people. "What do you want?" "Who are you?" The two of them, a boy and a girl, stood close together as they stared at me. Just as the two of them had said, we weren't acquainted. Today was the first time we'd ever seen each other face-to-face. (So... these are the two. Aisaka's ex-boyfriend and the girl he cheated with.) That's right. These were the two people Aisaka had told me about. I knew what the guy looked like because there was a photograph of him, but I didn't know what the girl looked like. Still, considering how lovey-dovey they were together, there was no mistaking them. "……………" Honestly, now that I was actually here, I couldn't help wondering why the hell I'd come. I'd only used the hypnosis app because I wanted to do something naughty with Aisaka. But after learning about the past she'd kept hidden, I'd ended up taking action like this. There was nothing in it for me. I couldn't exactly demand that she thank me for saving her, either... "...Haa." "What are you sighing about?" "He's kinda creepy~." Of course I wanted to sigh. I looked at their faces. The guy was handsome, unlike me, while the girl was a black...

Translator: Soafp "...Why do you have scars like that?" Aisaka had stripped down to her underwear right in front of me, but before I could focus on her alluring body, my eyes were drawn to the scars on her arm from cutting herself. To be honest, even though I had been aroused by her body, seeing those scars made me lose all of it in an instant. "……………" Under the effects of hypnosis, Aisaka said nothing. She simply stared straight at me. She had no sense of self right now. She was nothing more than a puppet who would obey whatever I told her. "What am I hesitating for? If there's a woman right in front of me who isn't going to resist, then I can do whatever I want with her..." She had invited me into her house, and she shouldn't even retain any memories of me having my way with her. Sure, I'd have to take care of various things afterward, but as long as I was careful about that, she'd simply believe that nothing had happened and go back to her normal daily life tomorrow. "Why..." That said... If she would answer anything I asked, maybe I should ask her what had happened to her. "What happened to those scars on your arm?" "Ah..." Aisaka's body jolted at my question....

Translator: Soafp “Ah… I wanna spend a sweet-and-sour youth with a girl!” That voice echoed through the park, where no one but me was around. Of course, that voice belonged to me. What I’d just said out loud was my honest wish—my desire—about high school life. “…Haa.” Just saying things like this without ever actually doing anything is why I can’t get a girlfriend, and why a rosy, perfect school life like all those “normies” have is nothing but a dream within a dream. My name is Kai Masaki, and I’m just sitting here on a swing after school, lost in thought. I’m an utterly ordinary male high school student, and my age is exactly equal to the number of years I’ve gone without a girlfriend—a pretty lonely track record. “Not having had a girlfriend even though I’m a third-year in high school… man, that’s just sad.” I do love anime and manga, so there was a time when I’d get attached to tons of characters and call them “my wife.” Because of that, I used to think I wasn’t lonely even without a real-life girlfriend, but after spending my entire school life alone like this, I’ve started to feel lonely after all. I don’t mean I have no one—I do have friends, and we hang out often—but still, there’s no sparkle, no...

Translator: Soafp The three of us walked together beneath the summer night sky. Unlike the muggy heat of the city, the night breeze cooled the warmth on our skin. The croaking of frogs could be heard coming from the rice fields. Shinonome, walking through the dark streets with few streetlights, was incredibly awkward. "G-Great weather, huh? The stars are really pretty too..." "...Yeah." Our conversation continued like this, consisting of nothing but short, broken exchanges. She really should just relax a little. Maybe because she had such a strangely determined look on her face, I was having trouble figuring out what to say to her as well. "The convenience store is farther than I thought." "That's the countryside for you. About fifteen minutes on foot each way." "That's way too inconvenient... Maybe I'm actually more of a city girl after all." Finally, we'd started having something resembling an actual conversation. If I let it die out here, she'd probably get awkward again, so I should try to keep it going from my end. "I like the countryside. You know, there was actually a time when I seriously thought about where I'd want to live in the future." "Ugh, that's obviously an easy choice. There are tons of bugs, there's nowhere to hang out, and you can't just casually go to cute cafes. I...

Translator: Soafp Starting today, we're going to help out a watermelon farmer. There was a large warehouse on the grounds of Uncle Tomiyasu's house. That's where we'd be bringing the watermelons. And today, we were going to harvest the watermelons we'd be taking there, but... After gathering in front of the warehouse, Sakura stretched in the morning sun and called out energetically. "Man, this is gonna be fun! Let's pull those watermelons out like crazy!" "Wait, 'pull them out'? Watermelons aren't buried in the ground." "Since they're fruit, I wonder if they grow on trees?" Shinonome and Nakina immediately shot back with exasperated looks. Incidentally, Nakina, watermelons don't grow on trees either... Everyone, myself included, had already changed into work clothes. We were wearing the rubber boots and work gloves we'd been provided, along with the hats we'd brought to protect ourselves from the sun. The girls were casually chatting among themselves while waiting for Uncle Tomiyasu to drive us to the fields. It was certainly nice to see them having fun, but did they actually understand what kind of work we were going to be doing? "Sorry to keep you waiting! All right, let's head to the fields." Uncle Tomiyasu called out to us, and we climbed into the car. "My arms are dead!" Shinonome's scream echoed across the vast watermelon field...

Translator: Soafp “—The cultural festival has now come to an end.” With everything that had happened with the president, this year’s hectic cultural festival had finally drawn to a close. Had I ever put this much effort into a school event in my entire life before? All the strength suddenly drained from my body. “Ren-kun, are you going to the after-party?” Airi asked while supporting me. “No, not at all…” “Hehe, I thought so. Then, shall we enjoy our own little after-party?” “Huh? Did you prepare something?” She smiled brightly and nodded. Then, as though she had coordinated it with Nodoka, she took my arm and started walking. Before I even understood what was happening, they led me to the rooftop. Just like earlier, there was no one else here. “Yui-san, then please do as we discussed.” “Yes…!” Had Yui been in on this too? Before I could even wonder about it, Yui moved behind me and whispered softly into my ear. “Just sit down and relax.” “O-Okay.” I sat down on the rooftop floor, and Yui immediately wrapped her arms around me from behind, covering my eyes with both hands. I could vividly feel her chest against my back. Airi was quite well-endowed herself, but Yui was clearly on another level. “Um, if I make you uncomfortable, please tell me. I’ll move...

Translator: Soafp After we finished playing at the dog run, we visited a few dog-friendly establishments before eventually going our separate ways. On the way home, I wanted to tell Naginaki something, so the two of us stayed behind for a little while. We walked along a quiet park path at dusk, with few people around. Naginaki fidgeted nervously as she looked up at me. “H-Hatsukade-kun, w-what did you want to talk about?” “It’s nothing important, so don’t get so worked up.” This was starting to look like I was about to confess to her. I didn’t know what to do with that hopeful look in her eyes. “It’s basically just some casual conversation.” “R-right, I figured! Yeah, yeah, that’s what I thought, so I’m not disappointed or anything!” ...Really? Well, if that’s what she wanted to believe, there was no point in calling her out on it. “A long time ago, I told you about my childhood friend. The girl who gave me that fake confession.” “Ugh... Of course I remember.” Naginaki turned her face away. She was probably feeling awkward because she was still bothered by the fact that she had done the same thing to me. “I went to see her last week and talked things out.” “Huh?” “We made up.” I told Naginaki everything that had happened, including the...

Translator: Soafp The brilliant sunlight befitting July poured down upon the dog run in a large park in the heart of the city. According to the forecast, today’s high was supposed to be around 36°C. The heat was intense enough to make my skin sting. Normally, I wouldn’t even consider going outside unless I had somewhere to be, but today my steps were so light that I felt like skipping. “Come on, let’s go. Rooney-kun, Pii-chan!” I threw a pink ball, and the Siberian Husky and Samoyed happily chased after it. As I watched the two dogs compete with each other, I crouched down and stroked Hulk, the German Shepherd relaxing at my feet. “You’re always so calm.” As I enjoyed the fluffy texture of Hulk’s fur while he lay there leisurely with his front paws crossed, the corners of my mouth naturally lifted. “Hehehe...” This is it. I couldn’t get this kind of excitement anywhere else. I was so excited about today that I could barely sleep last night. “Hey, Hatsukade.” I raised my head when someone called my name and saw Shinonome looking down at me with half-lidded eyes. Her voice carried an unusually cold tone. “What?” “This gathering is nothing like what I imagined!” Standing beside Shinonome, Naginaki vigorously nodded her head. “We’ve already been at the dog run for...

Translator: Soafp The next day, I packed my things to take the Shinkansen home. “You could stay a little longer.” “That’s right. Why don’t you stay for about a week?” Satsuki and Jun suggested it. “I’m sorry, but I’ve had a lot going on, and my attendance is already in pretty bad shape. I can’t afford to miss school.” The two of them visibly slumped their shoulders. “That’s too bad. But you’re always welcome here, Subaru.” “Yeah. Come visit again and spend some time with Miko, just like you used to.” Even though I had shown up out of nowhere, I couldn’t thank the two of them enough for treating me so warmly. When Miko and I returned home from the park last night, the two of them had been shocked to see her eyes swollen from crying. But when we told them that we had made up, they let out relieved sighs. Satsuki even had tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she silently stroked both Miko’s and my heads. She had acted cheerful in front of me, but she must have been worried about our relationship all this time. I said goodbye to Satsuki and Jun at the entrance of their house. Miko accompanied me to the station where I would catch the Shinkansen. Along the way, we...

Translator: Soafp Miko, whose hand I had grabbed, tried to pull her arm away. But I tightened my grip so she couldn’t get away. “W-what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?” “I don’t want our relationship to end with a ridiculous fake confession like that.” We had spent all those years together. I couldn’t accept having those days end with something as stupid as a fake confession. So I was going to tell her. I was going to tell her everything I had been keeping bottled up inside my chest... “Miko, you might have been right. I think I was looking for a reason to forgive you. And when I couldn’t find one, I took my frustration out on my other classmates and drove them into a corner. The truth is, I just wanted to stay by your side, Miko... But because it was you, and no one else, I couldn’t forgive being betrayed by you.” I continued as I watched her bewildered expression. “You were everything to me, Miko. I genuinely believed that supporting you because you were always so clumsy was my role in life. So when you told me in middle school that you didn’t need me to pick you up anymore, I was honestly furious. I thought, ‘There’s no way that’s true.’ I was so in love with...

Translator: Soafp We walked along a quiet road in the residential neighborhood. We had no particular destination. I simply wanted to talk with Miko, just the two of us, without anyone getting in the way. Miko, walking beside me, had been frowning in confusion ever since I told her that we were going to continue what happened with the fake confession. Perhaps she was wondering why I was bringing it up again now. But maybe we were both still trapped on that rooftop, on that day. Not just her. I was too. That was why we needed this time together. As we walked away from prying eyes, we eventually arrived at a small park. We should be able to talk calmly here. “Shall we sit on this bench?” “…” We sat down side by side. “Being here brings back memories of the past. When we were kids, I was always playing with you, Miko. In fact, it’s probably harder to remember the times we weren’t together.” “Yeah… it is.” After Miko and I were separated, I spent a while wondering how to use my time. There was no one left for me to get revenge on, and the classmates who remained didn’t want to come near me, so I had no idea what to do. “Thanks to that, I got good at exploring...

Translator: Soafp Miko was reluctant to invite me into her home. But I had already made arrangements with her parents. When I convinced her that resisting now was pointless, she gave me a despairing look and reluctantly nodded. After changing trains twice, I arrived at the station nearest to Miko’s house. Her home was a detached house in a residential area. There was almost no dirt or damage on the exterior; it looked like it had been built fairly recently. Even though several years had passed since we split up, I couldn’t help feeling that we had spent that time apart, each of us living in completely different places. When we entered the house, a fresh, clean scent greeted us. Miko’s parents, Satsuki-san and Jun-san, came out to welcome me. “Welcome, Subaru-kun.” “It’s been a while. You’ve gotten big.” “Yes. Just for one day, but I’m in your care.” I had already spoken with them on the phone and arranged many details. They had already apologized to me many times in the past, so I had asked them to act normally when we met again. I thought that would make it easier for Miko to talk… “Come on, Miko, don’t just stand there silently. Say something too.” “…Welcome.” At Miko’s cold, minimal greeting, Satsuki-san gave a wry smile. Miko’s expression was completely stiff,...

Translator: Soafp The night I came home after the class observation day, my father scolded me harshly. Although, it seemed he was angrier about the fact that I hadn’t consulted him beforehand than about what I’d actually done… I had expected to be lectured. I knew that if I had talked to him, he would have stopped me anyway, so I accepted it as a necessary cost. Miko’s parents came to apologize that same day. They clearly hadn’t expected things to escalate this badly, and they were extremely flustered. Miko’s mother kept bowing her head to me. “I’m so sorry, Subaru-kun. This is our family’s responsibility. Come on, Miko, apologize too.” Saying that, she urged Miko to bow her head as well. But… “…” “What are you doing? Apologize!” “…” Even at this point, she only remained silent. Her face twisted and her lips pressed tightly together. Maybe she was holding back tears; a faint sob could be heard. “Miko!?” Why wouldn’t she look at me? Even she must have understood that this was no longer a situation that could be glossed over… Because of Miko’s attitude, the atmosphere became completely unsuitable for continuing the discussion. Of course it did. If the perpetrator wasn’t showing any remorse, the conversation had no meaning. Her father left together with Miko, and her mother, who remained,...

Translator: Soafp The classroom, completely silent, was wrapped in a strange atmosphere as if time itself had stopped. The male teacher, frozen with a piece of white chalk in his hand, had tightened his usually loose tie. On some days his hair was messy, but today it was neatly arranged. He must have been putting extra effort into this class observation day. “H-Hatsukade, what are you suddenly saying? Hahaha, don’t take jokes too far, okay?” When the teacher spoke, the air in the classroom began to move again. Whispers could be heard from the parents seated in the back rows. Amid that, the gazes my classmates turned toward me varied. Some sat with wide eyes, unable to move. Some hurriedly bowed their heads. Others looked at me with curious, interested stares. The male teacher wore a strained, pleading smile. I’m sorry, but I had no reason whatsoever to worry about his position. For this long, some of them had treated me in ways I could clearly call bullying. There was no way he hadn’t noticed at all. He had either pretended not to see, or he was an utter fool. In that case, I had no need to hold back, right? “No, it’s not a joke. There is bullying in this class.” “O-Okay, I understand. We’ll hear the details after class. Is that...

Translator: Soafp Ever since middle school, I hadn’t been the type to get close to people. Most of the time, if I talked to someone, it was only with Miko in between us. And once I ended up half-cutting ties with her, I became blatantly isolated in class. I noticed that she often looked at me during class and lunch breaks. Did she think that if she kept doing that, I’d eventually talk to her? It was far too childish a way of thinking. Then, one day: I was ignoring her gaze like usual when Ayano came over, grinning lazily. “Oh, look. It’s Hatsukade, the one dumped by his childhood friend.” “…” “Why are you so quiet? Oh, right, that must be awkward. You’ve got someone you’re in love with right here in class.” The classroom fell completely silent. After the fake confession, I heard myself being talked about everywhere, but usually it was just people whispering and mocking me. This was the first time someone had said something directly to my face. “So what?” “Pfft, what’s with the tough act? Come on, don’t get so mad. That was just a prank. Or are you so shocked about being rejected that you’re just putting up a front? In that video, you looked super happy when Miko confessed to you!” A small laugh rose...

Translator: Soafp Honestly, my legs felt like they were about to start shaking. I never imagined singing in front of so many people would put this much pressure on me. Even so, I somehow managed to sing my heart out. I focused only on Airi and Nodoka’s faces in the audience, pretending as though I were singing at karaoke. “Haa… haa…” I had only sung one song, yet sweat was pouring down me like a waterfall, and I was gasping for breath as though I had just sprinted at full speed. I had no idea whether I had sung well or not. That was probably partly because I had been keeping an eye on the president out of the corner of my eye the entire time. The president was completely absorbed in playing the bass, and she seemed to be getting more and more excited, but so far there wasn’t even the slightest sign that she was about to fall. (Now that I think about it, when exactly is she supposed to fall?) All Takagi had said in the “nightmare” was that he had gotten so absorbed in the performance that his excitement had gotten out of control while he was onstage. That was why I had assumed it would happen during the live performance, but so far there was absolutely no sign...

Translator: Xre After standing in line for about twenty minutes, we finally made it into the dome where the pool was located. Ii-chan and I exited the men's locker room and sat under a parasol near the concession stand. We'd agreed to meet the others here. Girls take longer to change than boys. It was a bright, sunny day. Through the transparent ceiling, we could see a flawless blue sky and the shining sun. Thanks to the glass-covered dome, the indoor temperature was comfortably warm—hot enough to feel like summer, but not so hot you'd break a sweat. It felt like midsummer. I wanted to strip right down, but I couldn’t take off my hoodie until I got in the water. There was a reason I couldn’t undress in front of others. I always changed with my back to the wall during PE class. Ayaka had once caught a glimpse, though. That concern was shared by him, too. “Boo, this is boring. I wanna swim with you, Kazu-nii.” Still not changed, Ii-chan clung to my side, mumbling under his breath. He gently rested his head on my shoulder. Seems he was planning to soak up as much affection as he could before the others arrived. “You came along knowing how this would be, right?” “I just… feel uneasy thinking the senpai might get...

Translator: Soafp Three days after the fake confession. I had stopped going to school with Miko, and by now I wasn’t even walking home with her anymore. I didn’t talk to anyone in class. The classmates around me seemed to have filmed the rooftop confession, and they were laughing while bringing it up. Especially Ayano, who went out of his way to spread it even to people who hadn’t even been there, using it as a joke. It would be a lie to say I felt absolutely nothing about that, but honestly, I didn’t care. If anything, joining the circle of people I looked down on and fighting them on their level would only annoy me more. So I just left it alone. The problem was Miko. She kept trying to speak to me, but every time she hesitated and backed away. In the end, the first real conversation we had was on the third day, Friday afternoon. “W-Wait!” On the way home from school, she ran after me and stepped in front of me. “…Subaru, you’re still mad, right?” “Does it matter if I’m mad or not?” When I answered that way, Miko’s shoulders trembled fearfully. I was honestly annoyed. Did she even need to ask? We had spent so long together, and then she betrayed me like that. How could I...

Translator: Soafp We got on the private café’s into the café together. Miko didn’t seem to come to places like this very often, so she had apparently just picked it at random by looking up nearby shops on her phone. Soft classical music drifted through the store. Sitting across from each other, we listened to it in silence. She kept turning her face away awkwardly, looking pale and as though she wanted to bolt from the place at any moment. “Have you been doing well?” “…Yeah.” “You’ve gotten a little taller.” “…Yeah.” No matter what I asked, Miko only nodded. This wasn’t a conversation. Then, finally, Miko looked up at me with gloomy eyes and opened her mouth heavily. “Why did you come to see me?” “I don’t really know either. I just wanted to see you once.” “…” “Can I ask you one thing too?” “What?” “Do you think what you did to me was wrong?” “…!” Miko’s face crumpled. “I know it was wrong. I did something I can never take back.” “Do you regret it?” “I do. That’s why I moved away—I thought I couldn’t face you anymore.” “Then why don’t you apologize now that we’ve met again?” “That’s because…” If she really regretted it that much, a normal person would bow their head. Carrying that guilt forever must be...

Translator: Soafp The Shinkansen window scenery rushed by at high speed. It was Saturday today, the perfect day to go see Miko, who had moved far away. Last night, I asked my father again whether he could contact Miko’s parents. My father didn’t press me for details, as if he had known from the start, and simply put me in touch with them. I wasn’t feeling nearly as composed as usual either, so I was grateful for that consideration. My parents and Miko’s parents had originally been friends through neighborhood ties, and before Miko moved away, our families had gone camping and on trips together, so they had apparently kept in touch even after we drifted apart. Still, was this the first time I’d seen her in three years? It felt much longer than that. Maybe that was because I had deliberately tried not to remember her. That fake-confession incident had torn Miko and me apart completely. Back in middle school, I had accepted a confession on the rooftop without realizing it was fake, only to be made a laughingstock in front of everyone when the truth was revealed. Honestly, I didn’t care how much those bystanders mocked me. I paid each of them back later, but that was just an extra little bonus. What really shocked me was being betrayed by Miko....

Translator: Soafp June was almost over. As for me, I was still treated like some kind of hazardous object in the classroom. About half the boys glared at me as if they were always one step away from punching me. And those three girls came up to complain to me directly once a day. What was going on with them? I had been making a point of treating them kindly, too. What were they even thinking? One Friday, while I was reading in the clubroom, Nakina spoke to me. “…Hatsukade-kun, are you free after this?” “I don’t have any plans after school.” “Then… would you like to go on a d-date with me?” I stopped turning the page and looked up. It was unusual for Nakina to say something like that… No, this was probably the first time. “What brought this on all of a sudden?” “I realized something. Things are bad if they stay like this. The second I take my eyes off you, Hatsukade-kun, you start getting friendly with even Suzuki and her friends. If I don’t do something before it’s too late, a plain girl like me might just fade out of the picture.” “What kind of logic is that? Besides, I’m obviously not friends with Suzuki and the others.” Nakina made a sour face and leaned toward me. “I’m...

Translator: Soafp The three girls’ faces twisted. They narrowed their eyes at me and shouted. “What do you mean, ‘fallen so low’!?” “I mean exactly what I said. You whisper behind people’s backs, badmouth them, and try to drive a wedge between Shinonome and me. However you look at it, that’s shitty behavior.” “N-No, I only said it because I was thinking about what was best for Hatsukade—” “There it is. That classic selfish line: saying ‘I’m doing this for your sake’ when all you really want is to make someone stop doing something you don’t like. You really are awful.” “…” If they wanted to gossip behind someone’s back, they could do as they pleased. Everyone probably had moments when they wanted to vent. But saying it directly to me, someone who had gotten close to Shinonome, made their malice completely obvious. “You wanted me to speak badly about Shinonome too, didn’t you? Sorry, but unlike you, once I trust someone, I intend to keep trusting them until the end.” Upon hearing this, Shinonome, who was standing behind me for some reason, seemed to be affected by it and exclaimed in a groaning voice, "You've opened your heart to me!?" “W-Well, I trust Hatsukade too. A-And I heard you call me cute, so… hehehe.” Why was she so excited when she was...

Translator: Soafp Every classmate’s gaze was fixed on me. Heh. This feeling was strangely nostalgic too. It really felt like I was back in the classroom. “H-Hey! Explain it already!” “…Calm down.” “Ghh, you’re way too calm!” For a moment, I wondered what he was even talking about. But then I remembered—Nakina, Shinonome, and Sakura were the sort of gyaru girls everyone viewed as representatives of the popular crowd. Well, one of them was a dark beast who didn’t suit the label “sunny” at all. If people found out that I called those three by their given names, had exchanged contact information with them, and had spent an entire week together while skipping school, of course this would happen. Especially since the other party was the most hated guy in the class. Hmm. This had become complicated. As I considered how to clear up the misunderstanding, I noticed a certain fact. “You’re… Akiyoshi, right?” “Y-Yeah!” “My relationship with those girls is…” “…Gulp.” “Exactly what you think it is.” “Pffft!” Gross. Spit actually flew this way. “W-What the hell are you saying!? What I think it is? There’s no way!” “Weren’t you suspicious that Nakina and the others had gotten close to me and spent their day off together with me?” “…Well, yeah.” “Then you were right.” “Damn it.” That’s right. When I thought...

Translator: Soafp “Hm... You don't look very cheerful today, Yamato.” “Do I? ...I always look like this.” After dinner, I opened my reference book and notebook and began writing. Shizuku sat across from me, drawing me as I studied in her sketchbook. “Yamato really is amazing...” “What are you talking about? There's nothing amazing about me.” Shizuku closed her sketchbook and leaned over to get a closer look at my face as I stared at my reference book. “You're the top student in the school, aren't you?” “Well... that's because the school I went to before had a higher academic level than this one, so I suppose it's only natural. Not that I'm saying that to look down on this school.” “I know that. You're a kind person, Yamato. What I'm saying is that you're amazing enough to get into a school like that.” I'm really not that amazing. Shizuku didn't know what had happened to me, so I couldn't blame her for thinking that way. Lately, Shizuku had been making an effort to talk with her classmates at school. But the Shizuku in front of me now was clearly different from the expression she wore at school. I think that was probably because she trusted me, at least to some extent. Her expression was softer than when she was at school. Her...

Translator: Soafp Our home was just as relaxing as ever after a week away. As I lounged on the living-room sofa and stretched, the stiffness throughout my body gradually melted away. I guess I’d been tense the whole time, one way or another. “Here you go, Subaru. Some tea.” “Thanks, Mom.” “The squid crackers you brought back are delicious. You can really taste the ingredients.” Mom… those are octopus crackers. Well, if she’s enjoying them, I guess it doesn’t matter. “Still, the sea is nice. Maybe we should all go during summer vacation this year?” “If it’s the place where I stayed, I can show you around.” “Ara, that sounds nice. Don’t you think so, Hiroshi?” “…Hmm.” My father let out a low grunt, then murmured without looking away from his book. “Subaru. During the time you were absent from school, did you properly accomplish what you needed to?” “Yes… Things didn’t go exactly the way I wanted, but I think I learned a lot.” “I see. Then that is fine. Make sure you catch up on the studies you fell behind on. That is the proper way for you to make amends to us for this.” “Of course.” Now then, what should I do from here…? This wasn’t something I particularly wanted to ask, but I should at least confirm it. “…Dad,...

Translator: Soafp At my words, Shinonome froze where she stood. “Hatsukade… what did you just say?” “I said I like you too, Shinonome.” The octopus cracker in her left hand shattered into crumbs with a crisp snap… The shop owner had gone through the trouble of making it round and perfectly baked. What a waste. Shinonome, much shorter than me, fidgeted as she looked up. “Ugh, I know you didn’t mean you like me that way, but hearing you say it directly is…” “Is it bad?” “It’s just… kind of embarrassing.” “I see.” I wasn’t embarrassed at all. It felt much the same as saying you disliked something you disliked. Since Shinonome had gone out of her way to tell me how she felt, I thought I should be honest too—but apparently that was no good. Shinonome took a sip of ramune, sat down, and muttered quietly. “But compared to how things were at first, maybe I’ve made at least a little progress?” Our first meeting had been terrible, so even I was surprised that I now felt this way about her. I think Shinonome’s remorse over what she had done, and her actions to move forward, had made a deep impression on me. Because that was the other path Miko and I had not chosen. “Hmph.” Nakina puffed out one cheek and...

Translator: Soafp “Haa!? What the hell are you talking about!? Are you actually a different person!?” “……” Well, I couldn’t exactly blame him for being wary. After all, even I was aware that what I was saying was completely ridiculous. The method I had come up with to avoid this particular “nightmare” was to switch the target of the precognition from the light music club president to someone else. In other words, someone else would have to take the president’s place, trip onstage, and expose their underwear. Maybe there was no need to go as far as actually exposing his underwear, but I decided it was better to be overly cautious just in case. (What should I do…?) To convince Takagi any further, I would have to tell him about the theory Airi had come up with regarding my precognitive abilities. No matter how much he liked the club president, asking him to expose his underwear in front of everyone wasn’t an argument that was going to work anymore. Maybe I should do it myself. Or perhaps I would have no choice but to accept that the live performance would be ruined and make the president wear shorts underneath her skirt. As I pondered what to do, Takagi, who had been staring intently at my face, suddenly said something I never expected. “If...

Translator: Soafp Phew. It looks like she’s finally calmed down. I gave Amanatsu, who was standing rigidly at attention, a few pats on the head. “Do you understand now?” “Y-Yeah.” “Then let’s go back.” “…It’s not fair that Sakura gets special treatment.” “Not fair?” “I was the first one to become friends with you, but you’ve always called me by my last name… I want you to call me Nakina.” Amanatsu said this with her face bright red. “Let’s go, Nakina.” “O-One more time.” What a hassle. “Nakina.” “Nngh… I-I can’t breathe. I can’t take even one step.” You made me say it. What’s with that reaction? When I turned around, exasperated, Sakura and Shinonome—who had somehow appeared behind me—were staring at me with reproachful, half-lidded eyes. “Casanova.” “Con man.” Why was Sakura against me too? Had I really done something that bad? “…There’s no point standing around talking here. We all have things we want to say. We should go somewhere we can settle down and talk. Leave it to me—I know just the right place.” “I’ll ask just in case: where?” At Sakura’s question, I gave her a smug grin. “A well-known shop that serves this town’s specialty.” Naturally, it had an excellent four-star rating online. Its customer satisfaction was top-tier, and I had wanted to visit at least once. Its...

Translator: Soafp Amanatsu and Shinonome both stood there speechless. Both of their eyes were fixed on the hands I was holding with Sakura. Now then, what was I supposed to do about this situation? I let go of her hand for the moment and shrugged in my usual way. “Yo, long time no see.” “No, you can’t brush this off with a greeting!” Even Amanatsu wasn’t that easy to fool after all. She looked completely flustered, her gaze darting around wildly. Her face kept turning pale and red in turns. “H-Hatsukade-kun, you really were lying to me!” “There are complicated circumstances behind this.” “That’s a lie! You told me every day that you were bedridden with a cold!” “That was unavoidable. More importantly, why are you two here?” “We... we were worried because Sakura wasn’t coming to school, so I came with Shi-chan to check on her location and see how she was doing... and I also wanted confirmation that the person in that photo wasn’t actually Hatsukade-kun.” So basically, stalking. And Shinonome was in on it too. I remembered the two of them having a really awkward atmosphere before, but apparently they’d made up. “Amanatsu, I’m glad you and Shinonome made up.” “Eh... yeah. Thanks.” “And Shinonome, you’re back after suspension, huh. Has the classroom stopped feeling awkward?” “Me? W-well, thanks to...

Translator: Soafp Sakura panted her mouth open and closed like a goldfish short on oxygen. “Eh? Hatsukade, so that means—” “Stop using that fake-sounding way of calling me. Just call me Subaru.” “...Subaru.” She lightly pinched the sleeve of my raincoat. “...You know I’m going to take you seriously, right?” “I’m serious too.” “You made me fall for you first, so it’s your fault. I’m not giving up, and I’ll make you fall for me.” “If you can.” “I’ll explain everything to Nakina too. Don’t blame me if I declare war and it turns into a mess.” “I’m prepared for that...” For a brief moment, Amanatsu’s devastated expression flashed through my mind, but... well, these were fair conditions. For me, Amanatsu, Shinonome, and Sakura all started on equal footing. Saying it like that makes me sound arrogant and leaves a bad impression. But right now, I don’t like anyone in particular, so there’s nothing I can do about it. “Well, romance is such an uncertain thing. Even if we’re saying all this now, a few months from now Sakura might get sick of me, and I might fall for someone else.” “You might, but not me. I’ve had a one-sided crush for seven years, after all.” She made a bright smile and a tiny fist pump with her right hand so as not...

Translator: Soafp A few months had passed since I transferred schools, and I had become a third-year high school student. Even after moving into a new class, my classmates continued to casually come up and talk to me. Perhaps because everyone was preparing for university entrance exams, the quality and amount of lessons and assignments had become more demanding, and the students’ attitudes were changing as well. During self-study periods and breaks, many students could be found reviewing their textbooks and notes. “Aizawa, could you teach me something?” It was no longer unusual for a classmate sitting nearby to ask me that. “Yeah, sure.” If I were still the person I had been when I first transferred here, I probably would have kept my distance from everyone around me. I don't know if it would be accurate to say that I had been mentally unwell, but I had certainly shut myself away inside my own shell to that extent. “Hey, could you teach me too?” “Ah, me too?” Little by little, people began gathering around me like this. The reason everyone was willing to come and talk to me was because I was better at studying than they were. If I weren't good at studying... If my grades suddenly plummeted from here on out... Would these people show even the slightest bit of...

Translator: Soafp The next day was Friday. Amanatsu had messaged me again, to the point where she seemed ready to come here even in a typhoon. But the trains were scheduled to be suspended, so physically that was impossible. There was no need to worry. The wind was blowing outside. As time passed, the trees visible from the window leaned more and more strongly. The typhoon was expected to hit at night. Toshie-san gladly took us in for the duration of our stay. I was grateful he agreed without asking for the details. Normally, anyone would want to worry and ask a ton of questions. That was how strange Sakura’s condition was. Since our conversation yesterday, she’d clearly been speaking less. There was only one reason. She was trying to break the promise to give up cleanly and go back to school after one week of dating. She probably hadn’t meant to lie from the beginning. But after spending a few days with me, she’d ended up not giving up at all—if anything, she’d just complicated her feelings even more. “Waaaah, I want to go eat hamburgers with Fujimaru!” It happened while we were eating lunch in the living room of Toshie-san’s house, with nothing to do in my room. Shizuka-chan’s whining voice echoed through the house. “You can’t today. The weather’s bad.”...

Translator: Soafp On Thursday, I replied to Amanatsu, which had almost become part of my routine. Of course, she had said she might go visit the place where Sakura was staying. Officially, that was the reason. But in truth, she probably wanted to find out whether I was there too. “Do whatever you want. But just so you know, a typhoon is coming tomorrow.” By the time the typhoon passed, I’d already be gone. Once I got back home, I could send her a photo proving I was in my own room, and Amanatsu would have no choice but to accept it. If Amanatsu came here, it would only make things messier. This was a peaceful solution. After handling that before work, I got started with Toshie-san. Just as he had warned me, every task was heavy labor. We hauled the boat up, put away the benches and equipment outside Blue Note, and by the time everything was done, the sun was already setting. During the work, I called out to Sakura a few times, but she only gave distracted, half-hearted responses. She’d been like this since last night. After all that back and forth, the final task was finally done. Toshie-san smiled broadly and slapped me on the back. “Whew, you really helped me out. It was a short stay, but thank...

Translator: Soafp If Airi's hypothesis was correct, then there should be a way to avoid the nightmare using the plan I'd come up with. The problem was whether the person at the center of it all would actually agree. So first, I decided to find out how the light music club president really felt. "President, answer me honestly. You don't like that Senpai anymore, right?" "Of course not. I regret that I ever dated someone like him, even for a moment." "Then is there anyone else you like now?" "Not particularly." "Anyone you're interested in?" "Someone I'm interested in, huh..." The president rested a hand against her chin, letting her gaze wander into the distance. Judging by her reaction, there probably wasn't anyone. That was going to make things a little difficult. Or so I thought. "...!" Suddenly, both of the president's cheeks flushed red. Then she began muttering to herself. "Huh? W-Wait, seriously?" Apparently, even she hadn't been aware of her own feelings until that very moment. "Who was the person you just thought of?" "Huh? I-I mean, that's..." "Takagi?" The president's shoulders jolted. Honestly, I'd only been fishing for a reaction, but apparently I'd hit the mark. "J-Just don't ever tell him. No, don't tell anyone!" "Of course. I'm good at keeping secrets." Well, even if I didn't say anything, Airi...

Translator: Soafp Monday, Amanatsu kept messaging me. “Are you still sick today?” “I trust you, Hatsukade-kun, but in the photo Sakura posted on social media, isn’t there someone who looks like you in the background????” When I checked the photo she sent, I found my back-view silhouette barely visible far behind Sakura, who was taking a selfie on the beach. How did she even notice someone my microscopic size? For now, I told her it was probably someone who just looked like me, but I was starting to feel like I was nearing my limit. “Hey, Subaru, good work today too.” Because there weren’t many reservations on Wednesday, we finished early. When I clocked out, Toshie-san called out to me. “Thanks for your hard work.” “You really saved us by covering for Murata-chan too. Honestly, if you hadn’t been here, the whole operation would’ve collapsed. Well, if you hadn’t been here, Murata-chan wouldn’t have taken time off in the first place, though.” That was a pretty nasty way to put it. What exactly had I done? It sounded like I was the reason she’d taken time off. “Right, right. A typhoon’s apparently going to hit hard on Friday. So tomorrow we’re canceling reservations and all pitch in to prepare before it comes.” When he explained it, it sounded like a big job. Hauling...

Translator: Soafp “That’s Aizawa-kun, right?” “Yeah. He’s amazing, isn’t he? He came in first place by a huge margin on the end-of-year exams.” I could feel people’s eyes on me just from walking down the school hallway. “So, Aizawa-kun, what do you usually do? What are your hobbies?” Even in the classroom, all kinds of people came up to talk to me. “Do you have any tips for studying? I’m really bad at science subjects.” A transfer student who had arrived only a short while ago had suddenly become the top student in the school. I had expected to attract attention, but... “What are you thinking about doing after graduation? Going to university, I assume? With your grades, you could definitely get into a good university.” Ah... Right. It used to be like this. When I first entered Kaimei Gakuen High School before transferring, everyone gathered around me and tried to talk to me. “Ah... As for my plans after graduation, I’m still... thinking about it.” At both my previous school and this one, the reason people treated me so well was simply because I was a little better at studying than everyone else. But eventually, my grades dropped, and I became someone nobody paid any attention to... “With grades like yours, Aizawa-kun, you’re definitely going to university, right? Though there are quite...

Translator: Soafp Monday, Amanatsu had messaged me again. “Are you off again today!?” “Sakura says you’re vacationing at the beach, but that means Hatsukade-kun is bedridden at home, right!?” “Can I come visit you!?” Having her show up for something as small as a cold would be a problem, so I told her to please stay away. She kept asking for my address, but if I told her, she really would come, so I dodged the question. That should buy me some more time. So, after Friday, I ended up skipping school again, but Blue Note was so busy from morning that I didn’t even have time to worry about falling behind in class. Reservations were packed, and I, working behind the scenes, was sent running all over the place. As usual, I washed wetsuits, but before they could even dry, I was already handling the next reservation. “Can you take this cylinder down to the beach for me!” “Understood.” Since Toshie-san asked me to, I lifted the diving tank. “Oh, you’re skinny, but pretty strong, huh.” “I’m used to heavy labor.” “Done that before?” “My relatives in the countryside run a watermelon farm. I help out there every summer.” I don’t really have anything to do during summer break except read books, so it’s more meaningful to earn some pocket money. I...

Translator: Soafp I contact Hiiragi's parents every night. It was to keep them updated. That said, I was keeping quiet about the fact that we were dating. If I told them I’d become her boyfriend for one week only, it could create all sorts of unnecessary misunderstandings. Worst case, they might take it to mean something indecent. So I blurred the details and only told them that things were looking good for her to return to school. Today is the third day of our stay, Sunday. If we can get through one full more week without any problems, then our usual high school life should come back. Oh, and there was Amanatsu too. She had been bombarding me with questions, asking whether we’d be able to meet again on Monday. Of course, there was no way that would happen, so I just told her I’d come if I could. If I said I’d caught another cold on Monday, I could buy myself a few more days. I finished my shift in the morning. It was a bit of a shame that Murata-senpai’s sudden time off had left a hole in the schedule, but Toshie-san told me not to worry and to go enjoy my youth, so I decided to accept his kindness. Well, from my perspective, this didn’t feel like youth at all....

Translator: Soafp In short, because of a strange superstition that had taken root regardless of how it started, the light music club president had ended up wearing revealing underwear every time she performed live. And without spats. "...What would happen if you wore normal underwear and put on spats?" "That's the thing... You might not believe me, but the live performance goes horribly. I start making mistake after mistake, and everything falls apart." It really was hard to believe. Then again, I'd heard that some athletes wear the same underwear or other items for good luck, so perhaps it wasn't entirely strange. Maybe the tension of performing live while wearing revealing underwear had become ingrained in her body, and wearing ordinary underwear made her anxious instead. Perhaps that was the psychology behind it. (There's no way I can make her overcome this superstition right now.) I never imagined there would be a reason like this. There were probably very few people in the club who knew about it. Even I had only heard about it secondhand from Takagi, so there was no way I could have figured all of this out from the fragments of my nightmare. "President, just to make sure... you're not willing to wear normal underwear and put on spats?" At my question, the president's body flinched. She lowered her...

Translator: Soafp Now that Sakura and I were officially boyfriend and girlfriend... What exactly was I supposed to do? Since I had accepted her confession, I needed to act like her boyfriend, even if only for one week. Even if, in my heart, I had no feelings for Sakura. That was the absolute condition for her to return to high school. But if you asked me what I was actually supposed to do, I honestly didn’t know the answer. Was holding hands and going on dates enough to make her my girlfriend? If we just said “I like you” to each other, even if it was a lie, would that count as dating? This... was a hard problem. It was like the question of where exactly the line is between friends and not friends. That boundary was different for everyone, and ultimately depended only on personal feeling. As for me, I didn’t actually like Sakura, so the best I could do was at least act like a boyfriend... but I didn’t have any couple nearby that I could use as a model. No, wait. There were perfect people for that. So I’d use them as my template and spend this week following their example. I called out to her in the back area, where she was standing around dazed like she’d been overboiled....

Translator: Soafp Hiiragi, now bright red in the face, shouted at me. “Come on, Hatsukade, calm down. What about high school?!” “If you come back to school, the problem is solved.” “That’s... that’s exactly what I don’t want.” “Then negotiations are broken. We’ll stay at an impasse until one of us gives in. I’d appreciate it if you gave up sooner rather than later.” Hiiragi and I were complete strangers. Maybe she didn’t even need to go this far to help me. Still, if she ended up repeating a year because of me, in any form whatsoever, I’d feel awful about it. Toshie, who had been seated across from me, stood up. “Oh, so Sakura’s crush was you, huh, Subaru.” “I only found that out recently myself.” “So even a handsome guy like you can get Sakura to fall for you, huh? I don’t know all the details, but I’m rooting for Subaru.” “W-Why, Uncle Toshie!?” “Come on, Sakura. No uncle wants his precious niece to get her heart broken.” With a grin showing his white teeth, Toshie gave Hiiragi a thumbs-up and smiled. “Anyway, once you finish breakfast, I’m going to work you guys hard.” Leaving only those words behind, he walked away. I got up too, and Hiiragi, her neck and ears flushed red, tugged at my sleeve. “...Hatsukade.” “What?” “...Ugh,...

Translator: Soafp Hiiragi stared at me, trembling, and pointed. “You’re coming... why is Hatsukade here?” “I’m accompanying you on your trip.” “Whaaat!?” Her shriek echoed through the ticket gate, drawing the attention of passersby. “Wh-what, no, what are you saying!?” “I mean exactly that. Your parents also asked me to keep you from being alone.” “My mom and dad did!?” “As proof, here—your parents’ contact info.” I showed her the screen on my phone. Hiiragi hurriedly leaned in and stared at it, stunned. “I can’t believe this... We haven’t even exchanged contact info ourselves...” “I already exchanged it so I can give them daily updates on your situation. Hurry up. We’ll miss the train we planned for. By the way, where are we going?” “...The ocean.” Hmph, how clichéd—going to the sea for a heartbreak trip. Still, well... “That means there’ll probably be good seafood.” “Yeah, sorry, I can’t keep up with your thinking.” I passed through the ticket gate using a mobile payment app. When I looked back, Hiiragi had lowered her head in defeat and stared into space with dead eyes. At the platform, I waited for the limited express while drinking coffee I’d bought from a vending machine, stealing glances at her unconvincing profile. Well, of course. If I’d been about to take a solo trip and some classmate suddenly...