Chapter 49 â The Fireworks and the Realisation and the Stalking [1]
The incident this time begun with a single word from Hasumi in the gymnasium.
Having had errands to run in school, I dropped by the gymnasium while I was at it and got to watch Soutarou and Hasumiâs practice matches. Needless to say for Soutarou, Hasumi from the Girlsâ Basketball Club also played pretty well.
The dazzling duo, omnipotent at sports, are completely incomparable to me whoâs bad with ball games.
âCome to think of it, did you know that Mitsukiâs going on a date with Takayanagi-senpai?â
âEh?â
âTakayanagi-senpai invited her the other day⊠uh was I not supposed to say this?â
This fireworks festival probably refers to the Tachibana City Fireworks Festival held on the 30th of August.
This big bro had no idea that Mitsukiâs going on a date with Takayanagi. Although I was a little shocked, doesnât this mean that Takayanagiâs favourability rating of Mitsuki is higher than I thought? There wasnât any occurrence of CGs or events during beach episode previously, making it a failure. I was worried but so this was it. It was Takayanagi instead.
I feel slightly regretful as I had been aiming for Princeâs route. However, Takayanagiâs the son of a university hospitalâs director, is kind, level-headed and earnest. This route isnât bad.
âHey, Sakurai, are you okay? Did the shock blow your mind away?â
âNah Iâm fine. Besides, itâs not like Iâm shocked or anything. Mitsukiâs so cute after all, itâs no surprise for her to get a boyfriend. So much so that itâs strange for her to not have one till now.â
âSheesh, how much do you like Mitsuki.â
If you ask âhow muchâ, my answer is âa lotâ.
You may be sick and tired of hearing this but Mitsuki is suuuper super cute. Sheâs so cute that I want to place her on my lap and pat her head for 3 hours. I want to rub my cheek against hers and get scolded: âGeez, stop it already, Mako-chan!â âCos an angry Mitsukiâs freaking adorable too.
âStill, I see. Mitsuki and Takayanagi-senpai going on a date huh.â
I had a yukata prepared previously. The yukata is deep blue in colour with images of carnations.
It may be a bit too mature-looking for Mitsuki but I chose it thinking that that may serve to be a nice gap. It may come in handy even more as her company for the date is Takayanagi.
If possible, Iâd like to trail them and inspect if things are going well. However, that would probably feel uncomfortable as one would expect. Canât be helped, letâs ask Mitsuki for the details at a later time.
âWho are you, um, going to the fireworks festival with, Sakurai?â
âNah, I havenât really made plans with anyoneâŠâ
âGo with me then!â
Casually joining in our conversation is the Boysâ Basketball Clubâs Soutarou, whoâd been in a practice match so far.
Clad in a refreshing white attire with a blue line, Soutarou gives off the floral scent of an antiperspirant. âTis the epitome of a high school boy.
I was loudly invited to the fireworks festival by such a refreshing high school boy. Iâd have been shot to death by the girls from Soutarouâs fan club at the gallery of the gymnasium if Iâm female.
Had my nape not been bitten at the sea, Iâd have replied twice: âIâll go, Iâll go!â. However, I get second thoughts when I think about that incident. Besides, I donât wanna get pushed down again.
âAhăŒâŠâ
âIâll invite Kaname too.â
âAh, in that case, Iâll go. Are you coming too, Hasumi?â
I doubt Iâll get pushed down or kissed if Kaname comes.
Always being in trepidation that Soutarou will come attacking seems overly self-conscious and I donât like being like this but I donât know what to do anymore. Iâm not sure how I should treat someone acting so bold and assertive. Iâd like to keep Soutarou at an armâs length but I canât cast him too far aside because I like him.
When I casually lower my line of sight, I see Hasumi with her face red, fidgeting with her bangs. Moreover, Iâm not sure what sheâs so restless about but sheâs muttering indistinctly as her gaze swim.
âEh, ah, âŠ. Iâve, plans with others already. Of course, itâs with girls because I donât have a boyfriend! Uhm, I didnât think youâd invite me, Sakurai! Rather, I thought some other girl would invite youâŠ!â
Whatâs she getting so restless over?
Hasumiâs bangs are pinned up so I donât think it gets messy much.
Did throwing away the opportunity to go on a date with Soutarou make her so sad? I might have done something awful in that case.
âWhat are you getting so restless over, Hasumi. Thereâs no way a girl will invite me right? Anyhow, I see. Regrettable but it canât be helped.â
Smiling at Hasumi whoâs making a miserable face, I turn back to Soutarou.
âIâll contact Kaname.â
âOkay, please do. Letâs go back together later alright?â
âAh, yea. Iâll be waiting at the library then.â
The two, whose break ended, return to the court.
Itâs current 3pm so club activities should end in an hour. Letâs kill time by reading the new book arrivals in the library.
Watching these two put their all into club activities really makes me want to join a club.
I take out my smartphone and open an app.
A read receipt appears immediately after I send âWhoâs up for the Fireworks Festival?â. As expected. Subsequently, a reply comes in: âMeee me me meee!â with dazzling emoticons that put high school girls to shame. I kind of want to take a leaf out of his book with regards to correspondence.
Partly because summer breakâs about to end, you can see students working on their summer break homework here and there in the library.
Just as I place my hand on the door to enter the library, someone hugs me from behind. This guy stinking of perfume must be my natural enemy. Itâs definitely that always-in-heat idiotic rabbit.
âItâs been a while, Bunny-chan. Youâre as cute as always. Are the watchdog and watchcat doing well?â
I shake off Junyaâs arm and turn around.
Clinging earrings, a necklace with some sort of loop charm, and a leather bracelet that perturbs even the lax rules of Izumino. His uniform is such that one isnât sure whether to judge it as overdressed or not. On top of that, he has on a shocking yellow jacket with bunny ears.
And this sickly-sweet, masculine perfume. Thereâs no room for doubt; itâs my schoolâs student council president, Narahashi Junya.
âHello. Goodbye.â
Thinking that the noisy Junya wonât follow me in if I enter the library, I try to leave immediately but he deftly and firmly grabs my arm.
âWait for me~. Canât you see Iâm lonely?â
âReally. Goodbye.â
âIf you neglect me too much, I might, do this and that to Mitsuki-chan out of loneliness?â
How gutsy of you to take Mitsuki hostage.
Still, I canât let Junya contaminate Mitsuki. I reluctantly stop and direct my gaze towards Junya.
Heâs blushing as though heâs truly embarrassed so itâs seriously disgusting!
His S, M and Pervert specs are so high that itâs a turn-off.
âHurry up and state your business. Iâm leavingâ
âWait, wait, letâs kiss?â
âGo away.â
I prepare to deal a palm strike to Junya whoâs approaching with a kissy face.
I muster all my strength at the bottom of my palm with the intention of smashing that high nose bridge and that straight nose. However, Junya appears to be used to receiving hits. He dodges with a relaxed expression. What a pity.
âJust kidding. From the student council room, I saw Bunny-chan walking so I ended up coming~. So itâs not like I have any business.â
â⊠Oh.â
âUwah, what a cold reaction! Well, that side of you is cute too. I love Bunny-chan.â
As he speaks in a voice so sweet like thereâs a heart attached to the end of the sentence, donât even mention my chest tightening, I can only feel myself shuddering.
âThere you go again. Getting Sakurai-kun involved. It is time you return to the student council room.â
The one coming out from the student council room is Takayanagi.
The fair-skinned glasses-boy with soft, curly reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. Although the make of his eyes may appear cold, heâs one of the few with a conscience in Renai Kakumei.
âIt has been a while, Takayanagi-senpai.â
âYes, it truly has been a while. I often see Mitsuki-san in club activities but I have not seen Sakurai-san much.â
Takayanagi called Mitsukiâs name with no hesitation. It was âSakurai-sanâ up till now, just a few months ago. When did they become so close?
I might have put in effort in the wrong direction. I was busying myself to stick her to Prince. But how about Mitsukiâs feelings? I thought that Mitsuki had no interest in romance but is that really so? If Mitsuki likes Takayanagi, since when did she come to like him?
Itâs been like this ever since the incident before.
I may have been progressing things at my own convenience, neglecting everyoneâs feelings.
This world may be the world of a game to me but itâs reality for them. Itâs the only precious, precious life they have.
âIâll drop by the student council again. Only if you need help, though.â
âOf course we do. Even if there is nothing to do, Junya gets motivated with you there. Feel free to visit anytime.â
I see off Takayanagi as he ruthlessly pulls the grumbling Junya away by the back of his collar.
As expected of Takayanagi. He shows no mercy towards Junya.
Who does Mitsuki like?
What about Takayanagi? Or Junya? ââWho does everyone like?
If this was an otome game, I could manipulate the heroine, Mitsuki, as I please. Regardless of who Mitsuki liked, I could pair her up with whoever I wanted to stick her with. However, this Mitsuki has her own will.
This isnât a game but reality. Youâll get hurt deeply if youâre rejected by the one you like and your heart will warm when youâre loved. Therefore, if you can lovers with the one you like, youâll surely be so happy that youâll feel like crying, that it hurts and that youâll be out of your mind.
I plunge in deeper and deeper with that realisation.
Wanting to return, not being able to return. Wanting to remain here, not being able to remain here. Wanting to like, not being able to like.
In front of the entrance to the library, the rays of the sun stream in through the window, shining on me.
So bright. As I narrow my eyes, I donât understand why but I feel extremely sad.
ââŠâ
Wanting to be saved from this painful feeling, I thought of calling someone but I couldnât think of a name to place on this dry tongue of mine.
Even though Iâm coming close. To the name of the person whoâll save me.