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CHAPTER 77 – BATTLEFIELD’S REST STOP (PART 1-1)
Kirigamine safely escaped and in her place arrived the two troublemakers. It seems like my time of peace has ended. Kotori, who’s right next to me, is my only source of healing.
「C’mon, smile, smile~」
No, you suddenly hugged me, that’s why my face is stiff. Why’d you suddenly hug me after getting here? Still, I don’t think that this is an impulsive act but instead a calculated one.
「No matter the angle, it really doesn’t look like you’re smiling. You face is too tense.」
「Ehh~ It’ll be a problem if we don’t seem like friends, though.」
Hearing Hadzuki’s comment, Aya whispered quietly in her true personality. I guess I should’ve expected these to be the same as usual even in this sort of venue.
「Anyways, could you please let go? Also, I already have a slight idea, but could you explain the meaning your actions?」
「It can’t be helped. It’s bothersome, but I guess I’ll put my mask on.」
Don’t worry, my brain automatically translates into your real tone, you see. Even I think of it as a pointless ability, though. Also, for some reason Kotori looks a bit miffed.
「I’m showing everyone that Kotone and I are close friends.」
「We’re close, so it’s fine but what merit does this give you, Aya?」
「So Kotone will now be invited to parties as my friend.」
I knew it. When inviting someone famous, you’d first invite a close friend of theirs to start with. By doing that, it raises the chances of them coming. But all I want to say is don’t drag me into this.
「Either way, you’ll likely get mountains of invitation letters from now on. Take a look over there.」
Facing the direction Hadzuki was pointing at, I see Kirigamine engulfed in a ring of people. She’s definitely getting questioned thoroughly over there. About her connection to me, or about my current situation.
「It’s getting really big.」
「It’s because there’s a lot of rumors because of how much you’ve changed. I even heard one saying you had plastic surgery.」
「For me, it’s the speculation that the new Kotone might actually be a different person. There’s also the long lost twin theory. It’s so fun to hear about them.」
Meanwhile I’m already feeling worn out. Is there anyone out there who thinks that maybe I just got a decent personality now? I’m not expecting it to make me look good, but for some reason the rumors tend to be negative.
「I always wonder about it, but am I really that different from before? I’m self-aware about my personality, so I’m asking specifically about my appearance.」
「You’ve changed your hairstyle after all, and you don’t smear pĂątĂ© over yourself anymore either.」
Don’t lump it with a spreadable meat dish. Despite how it looked, that was actually meant to be makeup, at least to Kotone. Damn, now that I’m imagining it, I can only see it as pĂątĂ©.
「They do say that your appearance reflects who you are on the inside. With present Kotone, I don’t have any bad feeling at all, so you feel more approachable.」
「In those days, I was practically berserk. These days, I don’t intend to pick fights with anyone.」
「If that wasn’t the case, we would never even think of approaching you. We still have another goal, though.」
「Another goal?」
「If we twelve families gather in one place like this, the other noisy folks shouldn’t swarm us.」
I see. True, while they are staring at us from afar, no one is coming near us. I guess as long as we talk intimately, other people would think that they shouldn’t disturb us. That they shouldn’t displease us.
「I suppose it’s quite convenient.」
「It’s so exhausting every time, you see. We’re not insect light traps, people.」
「Though in exchange, they seem to be having a tough time.」
By they, I mean Nagatsuki and Minadzuki. Since people can’t talk to us, they instead went towards the two of them. A few attempted to talk to Minadzuki but left with darkened expressions as they usually do.
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「Seems like a few have already gotten shot down.」
「It’s him, after all. Even if it’s ill advised to talk to him, they don’t notice that they’re stepping foot into a poison bog.」
Talking to Minadzuki is practically diving into a poisoned bog from the get go. The longer you talk with him, the higher the chances of him insulting you. And from there, you get continuous damage.
「He’ll likely come here. I’ve properly informed him about you, you see.」
「You were the one who invited him to the after-party, right Hadzuki? I’m surprised you got him to join.」
「He hasn’t really been too affected by the old Kotone, you know. Since you’ve already changed with he joined the academy.」
So he’s a junior, then. I didn’t meet with him at all, so I forgot. Come to think of it, where’s the other junior? I expected her to be with her older sister.
「Aya. Where’s Rin right now? I was sure that you two would be together, but
」
「Since I forced myself out of the crowd, she’s probably trapped back there in my place.」
What a horrible sister. To think that she’d leave behind her own sister as a sacrifice. Still, Rin will probably join us here eventually. Since she likely can’t leave her troublemaker of a sister alone on her own devices.
「Come to think of it, Kotone, have I told you about Rin?」
「I heard about her from Akane.」
「Having your personal information leaked is quite frightening.」
You’re not the one to say that. I don’t even know how much of my personal information you’ve gathered. You might even know more about me than I do myself. Well, the past information is probably mostly useless, though.
「Since it’s a good opportunity to ask, why don’t you interact with Aya that much, Hadzuki?」
「Her real personality’s enthusiasm exhausts me.」
「How rude.」
No, I completely agree with Hadzuki. The only people I know who can keep up with her energy are probably Akane and Isami. If Isami and Aya hit it off with each other, I absolutely don’t want to be anywhere near them.
「I’m scared of the after-party already.」
「Yeah. Aya’s enthusiasm might just explode.」
「I’ll make it explode.」
「Don’t guarantee it.」
What’ll happen if she explodes? Even if her stopper little sister is present, I have a hunch that she won’t be able to contain Aya. Still, since Akane and Shizuo are around, we should be able to manage. Though if they collude, there’s nothing I can do.
「Big bro will be there too, right?」
It seems like her way of calling Shizuo doesn’t change even when her mask is on. Is it because she’s called him that way for a long time, or is it because they’re family? I can’t say for sure. Still, in that case, I wonder what she calls Akane?
「When I informed him that you and Rin will be coming, he said he’ll close up shop for the day.」
「Alright!」
Did you really need that fist pump? Still, I know Shizuo closes his shop occasionally, but is his business doing well? I haven’t heard about his bar having trouble though. And I haven’t heard any related grumblings from Akane either.