Chapter 97: A Rainbow-Colored Everyday Life

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Translator: Soafp

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The task is in the final stage.

If I mess this up, it's all over.

I attach double-sided tape to a wooden stick, insert it into a bottle, and glue it in place. Then I insert the ship into the bottle again—raising the mast with wire.

Slowly, carefully—

“…Done.”

On Tuesday morning.

Right in front of me is a bottle ship, a sailing ship in a bottle.

It catches my eye.

“It's amazing…”

After admiring it for a while, I carefully put it away in a drawer, making sure not to break it. I'll think about where to display it later…

The time is 7:00.

It's time to go to school.

I pack my textbooks into my bag along with my water bottle and lunch. Surrounded by twenty origami cranes (not a duplication bug), I take one last look at yesterday’s intimidating outfit hanging on the wall.

Then I—open the door.

---

“—Oh, it's the usual rainbow person,” “Didn't the colors increase?” “That's the top student in the grade…”

On my way to school, I hear words from other students from Hoshigaoka. Look well at my rainbow (proud).

I've gotten so used to this attention that I've gone beyond comfort to feeling numb (zero).

“Hey, Toumachi-kun. Good morning.”

“! Good morning, Momiji-san.”

As I enter the school gate, I hear a voice in the hallway.

Huh?

“Did you cut your hair?”

“…Yeah.”

“I just thinned it out a bit.”

“Yes, it still feels a bit off.”

Looking closer, I notice that the density of her bangs has decreased… and I can faintly see her eyes now. That alone changes the impression quite a bit.

Speaking of which—did her voice get a little louder?

“Did something happen, Momiji-san?”

“…Yeah. I think I have to work harder too.”

“Eh?”

“I want to be like Toumachi-kun.”

“Hey, hey, what is that? (Character breakdown due to confusion)”

What's with the sudden declaration? (Embarrassed).

“…Well, I'm going to the library now.”

“Oh. What are you borrowing today?”

“The book ‘Amazing Voice Training!'”

“Oh wow…”

“It's time for me to go!”

Reading that in the library sounds quite surreal, but Momiji-san has changed in a good way.

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“—Gara-rara-ra.”

In the classroom.

Once I take my seat—

“—Good morning, Toumachi!”

“Ou.”

Two gyaru girls are already there. It's a reunion from the mixer.

That's strange. They usually aren't here at this time.

“Did you listen to the CD I gave you?”

“Of course! I even added it to my phone.”

“…I see. I'll lend you some other CDs too.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“Sure.”

…Wait? Is Yumesaki-san really the type to strike up this kind of conversation?

Her atmosphere feels softer. Just like during that mixer—

“Fuhah☆”

Speaking of which, Hiirage-san has been staring at me for a while. I can only sense bad vibes.

“Nyanya☆”

“Ah—…Toumachi, you surprisingly wear clothes like that.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ta-da!”

“Excuse me? (Second time)”

Hiirage-san confidently shows me an image on her phone. …It's from yesterday (confused).

“Why?”

“Why, you ask?☆”

“…Oh. Could it be…”

“Actually, I received remote advice from Yuka-chan!”

“…So that's why you were staring at your phone so much.”

“Correct☆”

There are a lot of things to point out, but thanks to her, yesterday went smoothly.

“Thanks to you, Hiirage-san, I really appreciate it.”

“You're welcome☆”

“Yuka told me to let you know, ‘Hajime-san seems to listen to any requests.'”

“Am I going to be a punching bag now? (Dying)”

“Fuhahaha! You should definitely come to the next mixer in that outfit!”

“Excuse me?”

“I think I should tell Yuka to ask you to do that☆”

“Please don't (kneeling).”

“It'll definitely get more attention than before.”

If Yumezski-san joins in, I'm done for (despair).

“I-I'm escaping (excuse me).”

“Ah! Wait!”

“It's your fault, Rio!”

If this continues, it'll be bad, so I stand up from my seat.

Then, I head to the opposite side of the classroom—

---

The classroom, front row, far right.

While being the center of attention, I finally reach that spot.

“Good morning, Kisaragi-san.”

“Oh, good morning, Toumachi-kun. You've added more colors again.”

“I've added more (with nine colors shining). By the way, you're here early today.”

“Fufu, actually, if I arrive at this time, I can encounter a cat gathering.”

“Really? Does that happen near our station?”

“Yep, yep! To be specific, it's in the shade near the park—”

Kisaragi-san talks happily. I don't know why, but I can now talk to her without getting flustered at all.

I can even make eye contact. …When I look closely, she really is beautiful.

“Oh—Momo!”

“Ahaha, you caught me… Good morning, Ayanon.”

And there she was, at the end of Kisaragi-san's gaze. Peeking in from the front door of the classroom.

“G-Good morning, Icchi!”

“Ah… Good morning, Hatsune-san.”

And she walks over. Her face looks a bit flushed.

“…? Momo, is something going on?”

“N-Nothing at all!”

Hatsune-san sits down. …After what happened yesterday, something feels different.

“…Waking up early makes me sleepy…”

“A-Ayanon?”

“…Suu.”

“She fell asleep.”

“…Looking at you like this, you really resemble Kanon-chan when she's asleep.”

I shift my gaze to Kisaragi-san, who seems to be escaping.

“You're staring too much!”

“No, no, no (caught in the act).”

“Oh, by the way…”

“?”

“This—thank you.”

“Ah.”

That bag. Looking inside, I see my clothes.

Oh right, I lent them to her. It seems she washed them… but there's a faint scent of her.

A sweet fragrance. My heart starts racing.

No, this is definitely not okay; this is completely creepy (suspicious person).

“That white blouse…”

“The stains came out after washing it.”

“I see. That's good.”

If that stupid OG (my nickname for them) had ruined it, that would have been the worst. I wonder if there will be another day when I can see her in that outfit again.

It would be nice if I could.

“Also… I met that OG at our nearest station this morning.”

“Eh?”

“I was surprised. She apologized with such intensity, and then she handed me 10,000 yen saying it was for damages.”

“I see…”

“She said she would never get involved with me or the basketball club again. She even tried to bow and apologize, but I stopped her and ran away.”

“…I see.”

I never expected her to come and apologize directly. Well, if she didn't cause any harm, then that's fine. I guess that “5,000 yen” made quite an impact.

Neither of us will meet that OG again.

“Hey… Icchi.”

“Nice to meet you, I am Icchi… (self-introduction).”

“…W-Well, I also…”

“W-What?”

“To thank you for yesterday, I'll do anything.”

“Eh?”

Huh?

She suddenly says something like that. Just when I thought I felt relieved, my heart races again.

“‘Anything.' Sure—since you did that much for me.”

“…”

I can't look directly into her eyes. It's really strange this morning.

This is weird.

Even though I already took off my magic shoes a long time ago, why does she still look so cute to me?

“…I'll think about it…”

“Ahaha. I wonder what Icchi will make me do~.”

“Maybe you could accompany me shopping…”

“Eh~? Is that good enough?”

“W-We could look at clothes together…”

“That’s the same as before!”

— Ding dong clang

“W-Well then…”

“Yep!”

Once again, I leave that place as if I'm running away.

And so, everyday life begins anew.

“…What does ‘anything' even mean…?”

Even if I mutter that, no one answers me. But when I look out the window, the morning sun shines on me once again.

Just like always—no, a little different.

The world begins to shine in rainbow colors (plus two).

Stronger than yesterday.

For a long, long time—

“It's dazzling…”

However, it feels a little too bright, doesn't it?