Chapter 56: Just the three of us.

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Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you're close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it's cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one's older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

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Entrusting narration to a scatterbrained Michiru would likely result in no progress in the story, so reluctantly, I, Takatsuki Shinji, will take on the task, interspersing it with flashbacks to my earlier conversation with Haruna Kokomi.

The timeline rewinds slightly to when we had just arrived at the temple grounds.

I stood on the opposite side of the shimmering, mirror-like pond, gazing at Kitayama's Kinkaku-ji as though I were Ashikaga Yoshimitsu plotting to usurp the imperial throne. It was the same spot as the angle you'd see in the most iconic photographs when you search for “Kinkaku-ji.”

Incidentally, I'd always thought the temple was built directly on the water. Having only seen it in photos, I mistakenly believed it floated above the pond.

But I digress.

“Takatsuki-san, why don't you go out with Michiru-san?”

The first surprise was that Haruna initiated the question. The second surprise was that this harem heroine was showing interest in someone else's love life.

Was that even possible? Even I, the one who'd upended this bizarre narrative, hadn't imagined such a twist. I couldn't hide my astonishment as I stared at the girl in a casual two-piece dress layered with a cardigan.

“The phrase ‘don't go out with her' is incorrect. I just haven't confessed.”

“What a peculiar way to phrase it.”

“It's complicated—nothing to explain to an outsider.”

“Then why haven't you confessed?”

“Why? Do you confess ‘I love you' to a man you're not in love with?”

“Don't you mean ‘please go out with me,' not ‘I love you'?”

“A confession of love and a request to be in a relationship are two different things.”

I teased her slightly, venting some frustration at her intrusive question, leaving her momentarily flustered.

The intent behind Haruna's question was, “Why don't you reassure the girl who's fallen for you?” Meanwhile, I had no desire to reveal my feelings to such a puzzling woman.

After all, I'm not so shallow as to be tempted into spilling my heart by mere attraction to large breasts. That much I'll never admit.

“As always, your words have a striking quality, Takatsuki-san. You utter truths I hadn't even considered, without a hint of pretense.”

“Scary, isn't it, to have your ignorance exposed?”

“Yes, it's terrifying. It's as though strength lies hidden within your courage and effort.”

“Even I think you're overpraising me now.”

“I'm criticizing you. To someone as weak as I am, strength is nothing but a source of fear.”

Apparently, Haruna Kokomi was unexpectedly intelligent. I wondered if she had some sort of literary hobby. Her polished language and poetic expressions certainly appealed to my tastes.

“What's your take on how Hareta has changed?”

“Well, he's gotten cooler. It's as if his eyes have taken on a sharper edge. He used to have this lazy, disinterested sexiness, but now he's fully committed to everything he does, like in that 100-meter dash at the sports festival. Girls find that kind of dedication incredibly attractive.”

Suddenly, she was talking a lot.

“‘Girls,' huh? You know I'm not one of them.”

“You're an exception. You could probably convince not just humans but mechanical life forms and aliens as well.”

“Your backhanded compliments always sound like insults at first, which makes them all the more troubling. Were you born in Kyoto or something? You've got that refined sharpness about you.”

“S-Stop it. You're more easygoing than I expected, so I got a bit carried away. I wasn't trying to pick a fight.”

It seemed Haruna was aware of the stereotypical cynical Kyoto personality as well.

For the record, I wasn't picking a fight either. I just returned her jab with a Kyoto-style quip of my own. Unlike Michiru, it wasn't her distance from me but rather her intelligence that was the sticking point.

“Back to the point—do you still have feelings for Hareta?”

“Yes.”

“And what makes you think those feelings are romantic?”

“I don't.”

Once again, she was straightforward. Despite the effort I'd gone to in gathering questions to probe her feelings, none of it seemed necessary for Haruna.

“Because I trust you, Takatsuki-san. That's why I turned to you. It's improbable, but even if, in some future moment, Kou loses some critical battle, I wouldn't hesitate to rely on you.”

“Don't. It's a nuisance.”

“And if it's you he loses to, I'd kill you. Without fail.”

Perhaps emboldened by her declaration of love for Hareta, Haruna distanced herself slightly from me, flashing a mischievous smile.

“Just kidding. Consider it payback for scaring me earlier.”

Ah, so this was her answer.

This girl loves Hareta more than anyone, almost like a mother. Calling it doting might not be an exaggeration. She can't bear the thought of him getting hurt, and she's determined to protect him, which is why she directed her fiery wrath at Michiru and me, like some vengeful goddess.

Michiru might joke that Haruna doesn't understand the concepts of friendship, romance, or compassion. But from what I've seen, these girls do know love. Just as I cling to my belief in fidelity, they have their own visions of love, forged through deeply personal convictions.

If we were to assign names, Michiru's love would be philia (deep friendship), and Haruna's would be storge (familial love). Each of them bears the scars of past traumas tied to their unique connections, relationships, and experiences.

If that’s the case, her complex in seeking familial love likely stems from the fact that there was no place in her home where she could calm her mind, a place she longed for.

Therefore, if we are to investigate Haruna, it must be through her family relationships. Now, how should we go about learning about them?

While pondering this, I was searching for any information about Haruna on social media when I received a message from Kakeru.

‘Shinji, could you send me a picture with your sister? Ruri-chan wants to see both of you together.’

And so, the time returns to the present. Michiru and I were talking.

“Me, having a deep friendship? Why would you say that?”

“You’re a super idol, and because the people around you elevated you to this pedestal, you couldn’t make any friends. So, you must’ve been desperate not to let go of the harem that has similar emotional wounds, right?”

“Th-that’s something important I wanted you to reveal more dramatically…”

You, too, should start getting used to my blunt personality.

“…If I praise you, you’d say it’s overblown, right?”

“Of course, because it’s only that way.”

“Then, I won’t say anything.”

As Michiru regained her composure during the conversation, she became so fidgety that I almost wondered if she was holding in a bathroom break. Eventually, she forcibly grabbed the half-drunk tea I had in my hand and gulped it down, as though to wash everything away.

It was top-tier gyokuro¹. You can’t even find that kind of thing in town.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Even though the taste was something that was far beyond my usual standard, and not something a poor guy like me deserved, I thought, ‘it’s fine for a trip, right?’ After all, we were in Kyoto, a place we’d likely never come to again in our lives.

“I-I’m sorry to say this, but…”

“What is it?”

“Do you care about indirect kisses?”

“You saw it when my first kiss was forcefully taken by Saori, right? I don’t care about that—Ow!”

Michiru slapped me, then turned away, puffing her cheeks in anger. What’s with her? Until just a moment ago, she would've said “Hmph” and not cared about something like that.

A race queen of all people getting embarrassed over such a small thing after she initiated it herself—it's just weird.

“I don't know!”

She said that, yet she didn't leave, which probably meant she was expecting some form of apology from me. I had respected her dry attitude towards the opposite sex, but now…

Could this behavior be a side effect of overcoming some trauma? Though, to be honest, I don't feel like apologizing for something that's not even bad.

“…Hey, Michiru.”

“What is it?!”

“Give me your drink. It's Aiko’s, right?”

At first, Michiru was trembling. Her pale face gradually turned red, and she bit her lower lip, clutching the strap of her pouch. Her eyes darted left and right, then she extended her hand towards me, folding and unfolding her fingers.

Finally, she pulled out a bottle from her bag and mumbled something like “Hi” or “Fi” in response, before pressing the bottle against my chest with more force than necessary.

“I-it's half-drunk, but…”

“I know, that's exactly why I want it.”

When I opened the cap and sniffed the water, I felt a bit embarrassed. However, if I had said something like “just kidding,” I would've probably been hit this time, so I silently took a sip, screwed the cap back on, and returned the bottle to Tsukino’s hand, which was still holding it.

When I glanced to the side, I saw the health committee member, Nagamine, blushing slightly as she watched us. Hey! This ain’t a show.

“From what you’ve said, Aoyama seems to be seeking filarutia (self-love). That troublesome personality of hers likely comes from a complex of hating herself among the heroines.”

“Then, does that mean Miki-chan's painful past is about something that made her hate herself? It feels too vague to be sure.”

“No, it's more complicated. To hate yourself is, in a way, the process of forming your personality. I suspect it's the result of a series of failures, not just one thing, where nothing ever went right for her.”

I believe Aoyama was someone filled with a spirit of challenge more than others. That's why, after being struck by one major tragedy, she developed unnecessary inferiority complex and, despite the rules, continued to dwell on the past.

Had the path been different, Aoyama Miki could have been someone like the current Kumoi Shizuku, in terms of personality. That's how I see Aoyama Miki.

“…What can we do for her?”

“That’s simple: just tell her, ‘You weren’t wrong.’ Of course, if we offer half-hearted comfort, it might make her feel like we're making her think about it, so the challenge lies in how to give her confidence.”

Just as I finished speaking, Hareta came over with a furrowed brow, walking towards us. I had just called him via Line. If we're going to use the three days of the school trip efficiently, it's best to hear out Yuza's actions here as well.

“I'm not sure if I can speak well, but is that okay?”

“I don’t mind. Go ahead.”

We sat on a bench, with Michiru in the middle, just the three of us, now together.

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1 — Gyokuro is a type of shaded green tea from Japan. It differs from the standard sencha in being grown under the shade rather than the full sun. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyokuro

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