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22. The city favored by women
Sit in front of me in class was, Ayano Toono. And her state looked a little strange.
Her body was shaking little by little, and she was stepping.
All while she was still sitting in her chair.
Most likely, she was playing popular music in her brain.
Surely, the teacher would warn her soon or later, but the person herself was in high spirits and didn’t seem to care.
“Hey, Toono-san, I couldn’t concentrate at all.”
At break time, Kikuie-san complained. Well, that was of course.
“Ah, sorry, did I bother you that much? You see, I want to learn a song quickly, so I listened to it all night, and just now, the refrain was playing in my head.”
“Of course. I thought, the school had driven you crazy, though it’s just a few days after it started. I even thought about what flowers should bring to the hospital soon, you know.”
It was unexpectedly pretty sharp. In the case of Kikuie-san, it stung harder because she seemed serious about what she said.
Well, Toono-san who was stepping non-stop in class was at fault.
“I didn’t think I was bothering the people around me, but well
”
Toono-san scratched her head, while laughing.
“Look, just by being in a group with a boy, you’ll get a lot of attention, so be careful.”
“That’s, right
 Well, I’ll be careful.”
“Don’t forget your role as the group members.”
Saying so, Kikuie-san glanced at me.
After the group was decided, I went home, but four of them went to see the homeroom teacher.
It was the same as in middle school, but there was a special class for girls who were in the same group as boys.
It was a lecture so that the boys could spend their time with peace of mind.
Forming formations to guard the boy against other girls, going in his place when called, and so on.
It was probably the first experience for the girls who came from outside the Special Ward.
And it must have been quite difficult just to remember.
“Kikuie-san, you don’t have to worry so much about me. More than that, Toono-san, do you like music as well?”
I wondered if it was surprising that I called her, but Toono-san was startled before answering in a voice that wouldn’t raise the attention of the surroundings.
“Yes, I like music very much. I don’t think the song I’m into right now is in the special ward yet, but I think it will definitely be popular here.”
“

?”
Seeing me tilting my head, Toono-san then explained.
It seemed that it was normal for things that were popular within the Special Ward to go out of the Special Ward.
If something that was popular outside the Special Ward becomes popular inside the Special Ward, that would get a certificate.
Then, it seemed that it would be re-distributed outside the Special Ward once again.
“No matter how popular it is outside the special ward, if it’s not that accepted inside, it won’t become truly mainstream. And, it will be treated as a “baren flower”, as it’s only popular outside. “
I thought that as long as the product was good, it wouldn’t matter whether it was made inside or outside, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“If it doesn’t become popular in the special ward, it won’t be really recognized as good, is that it?”
“Yes. You see, in the future, I want to be an influencer. And for that, even if I have to pass through a troublesome procedure, I’ll do it, as long as I can visit the special ward frequently.“
“Come to think of it, if you want to come from outside to inside the special ward for sightseeing, you have to go through quite a complicated procedure.”
“Right now I can enter with just my student ID card, but when I was in middle school, I used to submit application documents one by one. Copied my ID every single time
.. Huff, can you how happy I’m, that I don’t have to do that anymore?”
Hearing the word, I couldn’t help but think that Toono-san must be a person who got into this school through “sheer will”.
“But, an influencer, is it
 specifically, the one has something to do with fashion, I guess?”
“That’s probably the best one. To be honest, I want to be a designer, but recently people started using 3D modeling for clothes, and, I’m not good at that sort of thing
”
In the past, it used to be drawn on paper, but now it seemed that by putting clothes on a 3DCG mannequin, the design could be printed with the push of a button.
This kind of computerization was, one of the characteristics of this world.
“I see
 Hmm? Was there such a trendy clothes shop in the special ward?”
I can only remember mountains and greenery

“The trendiest one is, must be around ‘there’, a place men may not visit much.”
“Do you know it, Kikuie-san?”
“Yes, it’s around the Central station.”
“Speaking of Central Station
 Ah, so that was it huh? I’m sure, my mom and sis go shopping there sometimes.”
There was a recognition that the Central Station area was a shopping district for women.
When I was an elementary school student, I was told that I shouldn’t go there because of security reason.
The Central Station
 the route for the subway looked like a “no entry” mark, the Central Station was located in the middle of the horizontal bar.
“Only those that are in the top three in the industry can open a store in the special ward, so they must be on the cutting edge of fashion, the trendiest shop.”
Among the many clothing stores, only the top three could open a store.
It was just so carefully selected.
“There are all sorts of top-notch shops, from elegant shops to somewhat vulgar ones. I love that place.”
“For someone from outside the special ward, it’s always an aspiration to shop there.”
“The bags you get from each store are also custom-made bags, so you can use them on a regular basis too.”
Toono-san and Kikuie-san seemed to be polar opposites, but they both had the same opinion regarding this.
“Sounds interesting. Then, I’d like to go there once.”
When I said that, Toono-san and Kikuie-san were startled.
“S-Souya-kun

 Most of the people who come from outside the special ward are aiming for that place

 I-it might be dangerous for going there alone

”
“I-I think so too. There are hardly any young men walking there.”
“Is that so?”
Come to think of it, neither Mom nor Sis ever invited me to go there.
If here it’s regarded as a women-only district
 then it’s like the “Kabukicho” in the original world, right? [TN: It’s a district, that can the said the center of the nightlife in Tokyo]
“And if you go because of our recommendation

”
“Ah, this is dangerous
”
Somehow, both looked terribly frightened.
I don’t think it’s dangerous, I mean, I can go there by train in a short time, you know?
“Then, would you like to go with me?”
” “Eeeh!!!?” “
“That’s right, this weekend
 I have plans already, so how about next week? Are you free, Kikuie-san?”
“Eh, yes

”
“What about you, Toono-san?”
“I’m free too, but
”
“Then, it’s decided. So, I’ll be going out with the two of you? I’m looking forward to it.”
Yeah, I’m looking forward to it!!
Despite my good mood, Kikuie-san and Toono-san, were conversing with each other with eye contact.
「In this kind of situation, what should we do?」(Toono’s eyes)
「In this kind of situation, we should talk this with the other members.」 (Kikuie’s eyes)