V3...

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*****

This was so tormenting, I just wanted to run away. Just let me go home.

I, a perfectly mediocre first year high school student, Amaori Renako, was sitting in my chair and only able to sweat it out.

I felt extremely out of place...!

I glanced at my surroundings, but no matter where my gaze went, only sparkling people entered my vision. Judging by their appearance, they must be people related to this industry. I bet they were talking about important topics crucial for fashion industries. They sure looked busy.

While there were also a few people who appeared closer to my age, from their gorgeousness, they looked like they came from another dimension. Compared with me who could only rely on my attire, I felt like a deep-sea fish who became instantly flattened due to the amount of pressure from these people…

No, wait, could it be that I could actually have two or three organs crushed thanks to this situation…?

I was currently on my summer break, and here I was inside Shibuya Hall, the stage for a fashion show event.

But this time, it didn’t mean that I was tricked again.

My summer break activities were pretty much a cycle of homework-game-game-homework- game-game, and so I sensed danger.

No, of course, I enjoyed the daily activities and felt alive during summer break this year. But if I became too used to this situation, if I forgot about being someone with a bright personality, I could potentially return to the social recluse version of me if I kept it up.

I’d sacrificed a lot of things for the last three months and I couldn’t let them turn into nothing just because of a single summer break. Imagine if I returned to that level-1 small fry again. I would have to redo everything from stage-1, which meant hell all over again. Give me a break.

And during that crisis, the me who had been enjoying the air conditioning and not stepping outside of my room for days received a sudden invitation from my best friend. An invitation that was very convenient for my circumstance...even though I’d already thought that something like that was impossible to come out of nowhere.

In short, with huge gratitude, I instantly agreed and flew out of my nest.

The seats around me gradually filled with people.

Any sense of my existence slowly disappeared, and I became one with the background as I read the pamphlet in my hands once again.

A launch event for the QR apparel brand.

And there I found a photo of a blondie in the pamphlet.

She was elegant. Her hair was braided back, and she was holding a small bouquet, her posture firm and her eyes looking straight ahead. Oozuka Mai.

Our relationship was one where we reveal our true selves to each other, as Rema friends, a friendship-like relationship that we’d decided for ourselves.

And―

That moment, the lights went out entirely and my vision turned dark.

At the same time, the stage was basked in delicate lighting, stealing our focus.

I felt nervous, as if I was preparing for something magnificent that would start soon, and everyone shifted their eyes to the stage.

It was something so different from my ordinary days. The models had appeared and were now walking on the runway.

Uwaa...their faces were so small, huh, what long legs…

Girls who looked close to my age and adult women—everyone was walking smoothly like they were sliding on the floor.

Since it was a fashion show, of course the center of attention were the clothes on their body, but as I thought, I couldn’t stop gazing at the models who were wearing the outfits.

No, y’see, it can’t be helped, right...this place was filled with pretty ladies, all with great fashion sense, so rare that you could only find one or two on a casual stroll around the town after all… I felt like my common sense was getting weirder.

Of course I had no idea which one was good or bad in these clothes!

Haa, I felt like I had slowly recharged what had been lost during the summer break…

But...

Even after a while, Mai never appeared. Not even once.

Could it be that I’d blanked out for a few moments and she’d shown up during that time? I became a bit anxious when I thought that might be possible. As I was busy thinking about that, at that moment—

She appeared.

I was sure that I was already familiar with her presence, but at this moment, I couldn’t help but feel like it was our first encounter.

Her body covered in brilliant colors and shimmering lights, she walked forwards, peering out with tender eyes.

Her steps glided, carrying out the past and envisioning a bright future with those elegant strides, making me forget my nervousness. I only managed to stare at her with my mouth hanging open.

Her movements were so refined, just like a mermaid that was swimming beautifully across the sea.

It was like looking at something that had come out of a fairytale, like seeing a mermaid through a submarine window.

The girl who walked on that runway...her gaze, her fingers, even the strands of her hair, it was like everything was created to charm those who saw her. I felt overwhelmed with her presence.

Mai turned her body and returned backstage, and I stared at her back as she retreated. I took a deep breath like someone who had forgotten how to breathe and just remembered.

Like seeing a brief secret of this world, I couldn’t calm my heartbeat, and it would probably take a while to do so.

***

The show ended, and the overhead venue lights had returned to normal.

It seemed that Mai was the face of this QR brand. I couldn’t really grasp how important her role was, but she was basically someone out of my reach.

What I felt right now was the same feelings I had when I stared at the end credits of a game, the moment where I couldn’t stand up from my chair and wouldn’t budge at all.

Well…

It looked like I’d reached out to a very unthinkable person during that opening ceremony…

Right, she was supposed to be a model...it was a bit baffling even though I saw her almost every day at school. If by any chance I had known her model identity before I’d met her at the opening ceremony, I was sure that I would’ve only gazed at her from afar during the entire three years of high school, with complicated feelings inside my chest.

If that was really how it would go, this was perfectly fine, I think…

Well then, let’s go home…

When I stood up from my chair, Mai appeared before me.

“Hey, did you enjoy it?”

Hiee.

The dazzling lady who had just graced the runway a few moments ago suddenly stood before me. My pulse quickened again.

Waaah, you’re the real thing… Honestly, I am your fan! It is such an honour to be able to talk to you like this~! Uwaa, I no longer have any regrets~~~~!

Before I could spout any hardcore fangirl words while shedding tears of gratitude, I managed to restrain myself.

“Th-that was amazing! You were so pretty!”

And the result was: child-like words without any variety in the vocabulary…!

With just those simple words, Mai looked relieved. She smiled.

“I see. That’s great. You see, I was nervous when I remembered that you were watching me.”

What she meant by nervous, I bet it was something like thinking about the necessary elements to deliver her best performance.

It wasn’t something you could compare with my nervousness, the kind that typically made my head go so blank that I couldn’t say anything. Even the basic concept was really different, eh...

“But is it okay for you to be here right after the show ended?”

Mai’s hair was still pinned in a braid, and her make-up was also unchanged from when she was on stage.

“Aah, it’s alright. Today’s event is a special one for the media and consumers, an official exhibition runway show by QR after all.”

“I see.”

I didn’t understand what she’d said but I just nodded. I would feel bad if I made this model provide a more detailed explanation just for me…

Seeing my reaction, Mai giggled.

“In short, today’s event is to entertain the related parties only, which is my main job.”

“I-I see!”

She smiled gently while I nodded my head stiffly again.

Aah, geez, she could make my heart explode.

So this was what they meant by that, when your hopeless bandman boyfriend looks more charming when standing on a stage! This girl, she looked so different compared to the girl who had laid on my lap a few days ago. A totally different person!

As I struggled with my own thoughts, Mai brought her pretty face closer.

“What’s wrong, Renako? Your face looks red. Could it be that you fell for me all over again?”

“I’d never fall for you in the first place!”

“Really? Too bad. If only it’s just the two of us right now, I could listen directly to your heartbeat to confirm the truth behind your words.”

“Kuh…”

For some reason, I really couldn't be honest when talking to her like this.

The main problem was, why would she like me anyway...she always said that I’m her “Fated Person”, but sometimes I thought that perhaps I’d pulled a lottery with one in seven billion chance after all?

I knew that if I said this, Mai would reply with, “Even if that’s the case, you are the one who pulled that fate,” and tell me to respectfully accept that fate and be happy together...and I knew she would flawlessly coax me to do that. Of course, I would try my best to resist!

“W-well, let’s forget about that for now...but I honestly think that you were really amazing...and I think I l-like you a bit more than before…”

I pushed myself to compromise this much, causing Mai to smile.

“Good grief, you really are stubborn.”

“Th-that’s not true! Since what I said just now...I really did my best to be honest…”

“...you’re right. It makes me happy.”

D-don’t whisper next to my ear, please… It made me more embarrassed than usual, and I hid my face, turning to look down at the ground.

Was this really okay? I wondered. What if people around us started to whisper, “Why are these girls getting lovey-dovey in the middle of a place like this?”

No, it would be alright, because Mai and I were good friends!

“Since you’re here, I thought that we could go somewhere before we go home, but it seems like I still have a few things to do and interviews after this. Even though it’s been a while since we met, it’s really too bad.”

“Ah, I see. You sure are busy during summer break…”

“...yeah, quite. My bad. Even though I’d said that I would make you happy, and we already made vows for our wedding, I only make you feel lonely.”

It seemed like she was so busy that she had started hallucinating. How pitiful.

“Well, whether it’s messages...or phone calls sometimes, let’s do that, okay?”

“Squeeeeze.”

“Geh.”

Stop hugging me in public!

Well, it was okay. A hug between girls wasn’t something that weird anyway and no one would care, but still! It was embarrassing for me! She smelled good!

“Yup, I recharged my Renako battery a bit. With this I can do my best a bit longer.”

“G-good for you…”

“While we’re at it, if by any chance after this you’re willing to spare your time to go finish our registration of pre-marriage, I could do my best more than ever. What do you think?”

“The heck with that ‘what do you think’!”

Only later at home after the event, did I find out from an online search that she was referring to marriage documents that Westerners completed before their formal marriage. I’m Japanese though…

“I can’t go home late today anyway. Wait, no, even though I have time I can’t agree to do something like that.”

“I see. Tomorrow you’re going to Ajisai’s house after all.”

How did she know about that……?

I felt like her smile wasn't genuine like her usual smile. No, it was also possible that this was my own unjust suspicion!

“Th-that’s true…”

“Yeah. you sure are getting along with Ajisai. Since I have work tomorrow, I can’t join you. Too bad.”

“O-okay…”

Eh? She’d planned to join us? I couldn't say it out loud though.

“Too bad, really. Too bad.”

Before, out of her jealousy towards Ajisai, she’d ended up pushing me down as her crime record. That was weird. Even though she could get everyone she wanted with that appearance, why would she insist on me…

No, could it be that since she couldn’t easily make me hers that she became even more eager…? I really had no idea.

I steeled myself, then looked at her.

“L-let’s hang out together, next time…”

“Yeah...let’s do that.”

Mai gave me a gallant smile.

“Well then, I’m going now. I’m sorry if I said something uncalled for. Don’t mind me and have fun with Ajisai. She’s also my precious friend. Of course it’s pleasant seeing the two of you get along.”

Uuh.

Since I knew how deep her desire for me was, it pained me a bit to see her being docile and stepping back on her own accord like this…

I felt like a mother seeing her own financially unstable daughter forcing herself, “I’m not hungry, so you don’t have to worry,” while ordering the cheapest soba so I wouldn’t be concerned...

What I could do right now was to give Mai encouragement.

“M-me too. Thank you for inviting me today. Good luck with your job!” I clasped her hand and said my encouragement. Mai responded with a bright smile.

“Of course. I’ll do my best so you can see me in my most perfect appearance. Thank you for coming.”

After flashing me her pretty smile―so pretty that I thought I was in a dream―she left.

Haah. It’d been a while since I last saw her, and she had really shown me something amazing. My heart still hadn’t calmed down.

My behavior was like I was in love with her……………..as if!

That was dangerous. I needed to stop doing dangerous things like hanging one of my legs off the edge of the rooftop just for a courage test. After all, I could end up in huge pain with a scar that couldn’t be healed.

Suddenly—

“You sure get along with that model.”

A blonde woman was standing right next to me. I wasn’t sure how long she’d been standing there for.

Her long hair was put up into uneven twin-tails. As if she didn’t really mind her outfit, she simply wore a shirt over a tight mini skirt.

She looked like a researcher who was always holed up inside her laboratory. She was a woman who had an aloof air around her.

She was also much shorter than me, and looked to be in her twenties. But since she was here, I was sure that she must be a celeb...she also looked like she was used to places like this.

“Eh, err…”

Shaken by the fact that some stranger was talking to me, I timidly nodded my head.

“Y-yes. Err, she’s my classmate.”

“I see. How close are you two?”

“How close are we…”

That was something hard to answer.

Objectively speaking, we were so close that we’d kissed each other! That was the fact, but of course I couldn’t say that.

“Errr...something like we both think for and treasure each other. A relationship where we trust each other...we’re friends.”

For me, that kind of relationship was the highest level of friendship though.

“And so, did she embrace you then?”

“Eh?!”

The heck was with this woman?! Did she not listen to what I’d just said?

I changed gears and prepared myself so I could flee any time. The twin-tail blondie before me didn’t change her expression a bit.

“That model, her aura has changed greatly since June. Sometimes she burns brightly like vermillion, on other occasions she’s composed like magenta. Sudden changes like that would affect a model’s characteristics after all. If possible, I would like to figure out the main cause of that change. And so, did she embrace you? Or are you the one who embraced her?”

“Both are wrong!”

More importantly, what language was she speaking in during the first half of her words?

“Well, whatever.”

She played with her own hair with one finger and then turned around.

She handed a small piece of paper over to me.

“Excuse me?”

“In the end, what I want is to find out the reason for her change. You’re her friend, right? If you face some problems just give me a call. I have a 15-minute break each day. If you have the right timing, I might pick up your call.”

“That’s 1 in 96, right!”

It was a business card. Like she’d accomplished her goal, she walked away from me.

What was her goal, that twin-tail blondie-san… she really looked like a character who came out straight of an anime…a bit pushy, and that intensity…

What did I expect from a fashion show venue? Everyone here sure had their own unique traits. This was the place where everyone with different quirks gathered… I glanced at the business card.

How flashy! I couldn’t read this!

Uhhh, it seemed like she was somewhat related to commercial affairs or something along those lines. The business card was really not something for some casual position. It wasn’t even in Japanese.

For now, I left the venue and did my best to read the English letters.

Eeeer, uhhh….

I arrived at the Shibuya Station and headed to my platform. While waiting for the train, I stared at the business card again. When the train arrived, I was lucky enough to find an empty seat. Sitting inside the train, I tried to decode the alphabet before me with a voice quiet enough so people around me wouldn’t hear me.

“大塚ルネ................Renée, Oozuka…?”

…….huh?

I hurriedly looked for the pamphlet inside my bag and then opened it.

There was a side-view of her printed inside.

Oozuka Renée. CEO and main designer of the apparel brand QR.

Eh, then...

―she was Mai’s mother?!

Inside the train, my surprised yelp echoed.

***

“I’m home…” I finally arrived home. I looked at the shoes lined up right beside the entrance. Each one of them was cute and sparkly.

Uu, I could sense it with my normies radar...these shoes must belong to my little sister’s friends…!

I did my best to not let out any sound, concealing my presence as I headed towards my own room.

Since a long time ago, my little sister often brought her friends home, mostly for the sake of cornering me...well, thanks to that, now I was good at hiding my presence. It became somewhat of a habit where I, inside my own house, had learned to walk soundlessly.

But the moment I passed by my little sister’s room, I had the worst timing. The door opened.

“Ah, Big Sis.”

“Geh.”

Whenever I saw my little sister during her friends' visits, she always treated me like a wild dog, saying “go away,” to drive me away. (Actually, it was quite painful to get treated that way.)

Lately, however, her attitude was no longer like that. She treated me properly like a human. I wondered if I’d also managed to get closer to the people around me the moment I quit being a recluse.

Wait no, it was better than that. Right now, my little sister was respecting me properly as a big sister. Even inside this house, I was on a higher level, someone who had the same presence as the sun.

And so, the little sister before me wearing her casual outfit looked me over from top to bottom.

“Huh? Did you go somewhere?”

She didn't even realize that I went out, huh?!

Kuh...how dare you talk like that to the me right now…!

“Eer, yeah, to Shibuya.”

As we talked, the other girls inside her room seemed to notice my presence.

“Ah, the rumoured big sister. Sorry for the intrusion.”

“Oh yeah, for real? How cuteee~”

Uwaah, normies.

One looked like a sporty character with a bob-cut, while the other girl with pale skin had her hair dyed in flashy colors. Both of them were quite beautiful.

Even though they were younger than me, I was still not good enough of course in regards to social interactions, so my body turned stiff.

To think that I would find myself in this kind of situation inside my own house...if only I’d stayed for a while in the living room. Then I wouldn’t face something horrible like this...Forgive me, it seemed like I got too full of myself. I was a pebble in the shade, not the sun…!

It was also impossible to ignore them after they’d properly greeted me. In this world, in exchange for not having a loading system, there were no auto-save features when we entered a building. I couldn’t redo this…

“G-good afternoon. Thank you for always being nice to my little sister.”

I was already trying my best to show this small amount of communication skill with a forced smile.

Let’s do this brazenly...this was my house, my territory...a holy ground where I could unleash my full power…

Right, the other opponents were girls younger than me. As long as I showed them the mature and composed side of me, they wouldn’t discover my true colors…

After I said that, the bright-haired girl walked in my direction and grabbed my arm.

Eh, what is it?!

“Hey hey~ why don’t you join us inside~”

With a sweet smile like she was used to getting spoiled, she peered up at me from an angle below me.

Hiii, this girl, she smiled like she perfectly understood her own cuteness and how to utilize it...scary…

She pulled me inside my little sister’s room. The veil that concealed my true identity slowly came off. Crap.

“We were talking about you just now~”

“I, I see.”

The bright-haired girl glued her body onto my arm.

This smooth sensation on my upper arm...so this was how younger girls’ skin felt like. How springy…

“Wait a bit, Seira. My big sis is bothered.”

“Eeeh, that’s not true. Hey, Big Sister, you are Oozuka Mai’s friend, right?”

“Eh? Aah, yeah.”

Deep down I felt relieved since short answers (like yeah and I see) was enough to keep up this type of conversation. This girl had zero interest in me. What she wanted to hear about was stuff regarding Mai.

That was a given. Of course, a girl this cute wouldn’t have any interest in me.

“Waah, so it’s true~”

She clapped her hands, and brought her body even closer.

“Big Sister, you are quite a beauty and have a slim body. I couldn’t help but think that you’re so charming the first time I saw you~”

“Eh?! No, uh, eh?!”

Did she have poor sight? Why would she say something like that out of nowhere…

“Hey hey, let’s get along~ how about exchanging contact info?”

“W-wait, hey, Little Sister...”

I stared at my sister, seeking help. But I was met with an unexpected sight.

It was my little sister’s smug face.

“Well, it can’t be helped, right! Since my Big Sister is Oozuka Mai’s irreplaceable best friend!”

This girl! She really was my little sister, huh?!

Right now, I felt like we really were connected by blood more than ever! We really were a family of small fries who loved to borrow each other’s authority to look amazing, eh!

Could it be that you―you talked about that everywhere in your school…?

“Irreplaceable best friend, uh, it wasn’t that…”

That was my main goal, and I think we will reach that stage someday…

Looking at the sparkling eyes that slowly turned gloomy, I thought to myself.

Crap.

“―well! That’s right!”

“So it really is the truth! That’s awesome!”

My little sister clapped her hands, and I stood up proudly.

The Amaori Family, could it be that we were a house of buffoons since our ancestors' time?

The girls before me clamoured with excitement again.

“Eeh~ that’s wonderful~! Could it be that Big Sis-senpai is also a model?”

“Eh? Uh no, I, I wonder?”

Answering without fully denying it, I flashed a smile while my little sister roared with laughter.

“B-big sis, model…! That, model! Model! (lol) That’s impossible! Big sis as a model is plainly impossible! (lol) It’s impossible (lmfao)”

(TL Note: For those who are wondering, (lol) is (笑) and (lmfao) is (爆笑))

Let’s kill this brat later.

Seeing her laughing enjoyably on the floor really made me want to make her not be able to laugh for the rest of her life…

My body quaking in annoyance, I quickly pulled the pamphlet from my bag and showed it off.

“You’re right, since I’m not suited to be one! But today, I went to a fashion show event since Mai invited me!”

The bob-cut girl who had been quiet since earlier suddenly screamed, “Gyaaa!” Eh, what was it?!

“This is Queen Rose’s fashion show, right? Eh, you went there?! Big Sister, you really went there?!”

“Eh, ah, yeah.”

“This is amazing...hey, Seira, Haruna, this is really amazing!”

“Eh~? I don’t really get it though, but, amazing~!”

“It’s a given since she’s my big sis!”

The bob-cut girl repeatedly struck my back, the bright-haired girl laughed, and my little sister looked superior.

“You see, Queen Rose is Japan’s fashion brand that rose to popularity in recent years and now it’s one of the representative brands of Japan at the global level! Even the products are widely known and used around the world! With their popular collections, right now the brand is known as one of the world’s big four!”

I nodded like I agreed with everything she said. I also finally now understood that QR stands for Queen Rose…

“Minato, you really love clothes, huh. Even though you looked uninterested when we said we were going to Haruna-chan’s house~”

“...e-even though I like clothes it doesn’t mean that I’m interested in Oozuka Mai. No, but, Oozuka Mai is Queen Rose’s star model, of course I don’t hate her… More importantly, even Seira is only following the fads, right?!”

“Eh~? That’s not true~ I really want to be a model in the future though~?”

This was it.

I'd waited for the timing where they shifted their interest from me. Now I quickly stood up.

“W-well then, I’m going back to my own room. Enjoy your time.”

Oozuka Mai’s best friend. Just back from a certain fashion show event. I could feel a huge amount of respect, being the brightest normie among normies. With burning confidence, I walked towards the door to get out of the room.

That was when the bright-haired girl called to me.

“Uh-oh, big sis~, something fell.”

“Eh?”

It was a small paper that I had inserted between the pages of the pamphlet before.

“Ah, that’s—”

The three of them peeked at the contents of the paper.

“—the business card, I received, during the event…”

““Oozuka Renée?!””

The bright-haired girl and the bob-cut girl yelled at the same time.

It was terrible.

“Queen Rose’s Oozuka Renée?! That world-class designer?!”

“'Her Work as Little Witch' was featured on television last time!”

They bombarded me with questions, and my stomach churned in pain with each passing second. In the end I had to really run away from them towards my own room.

The amazing ones were definitely Mai and Mai’s mother. They had nothing to do with me…

I changed out of my clothes and into my casual at-home outfit. Then I took off my makeup.

Not long after, my little sister’s friends went home.

Haaa, I sighed deeply as I rolled onto my bed.

“How tiring…”

I had really done something uncalled for.

At this rate, these young girls would take a liking to me and visit our house everyday, which would be the worst outcome possible. After some time, of course they would find out my true colors and laugh at me. I didn’t want that…“Oozuka-senpai is really awesome but what’s her problem lol. Actually she’s only her lackey, right? Lol.” Or something along those lines…

I couldn’t stand that kind of treatment after all!

If only I hadn’t shown them that pamphlet! I really was a hopeless fool! Just for the sake of brief pleasure I went and did that! You were just a mere shut-in and an ex-social recluse who only knew brands like Uniqlo and GU! Know your place!

Having a taste of my own medicine after taking advantage of someone else’s authority to make myself look good...since when did the system change into something horrible like that?

I was reeling around on my bed, filled with regrets, when my phone rang.

I glanced at the screen with tears in my eyes.

Who would even bother to contact this shallow woman that had buried herself in shameful desires of approval from others…? What kind of human was willing to pay attention to a thing like me? Was there someone like that who existed in this world…?

“Is it okay if we meet tomorrow at one pm?”

Sena Ajisai―a message from Ajisai-san.

Uuuh, my lovely angel...even the letters appeared cute since it came from her.

Ajisai-san, who I had known since entering high school, was a girl who might be the incarnation of kindness itself.

I, who was currently drowning inside a swamp of self-loathing, had received a message from Ajisai-san...her message would be dirtied…

But, to think that this failure of humanity was receiving this kind of attention from the beloved angel Ajisai-san...was it okay for the me right now to take up her time…?

Listen though, if I pretended to be sick now and replied with, “I’m sorry, it seems like I caught a summer cold. Tomorrow might be impossible...”

What if I made her worried……?

And she replied with, “Eeh, are you okay? Rena-chan, please take care of yourself!”

To imagine her sending something like that while I clutched my PS4 controller and gamed...what kind of face would I have while gaming? My heart would be shattered into pieces, you see? Once the summer break ended, I would definitely turn back into a shut-in and stop coming to school.

Not only would I no longer be able to face her, I would also end up not even talking to my own family. Of course I also wouldn’t work part-time, which meant I would stay inside this room playing games for the rest of my life...this would be the proper punishment for me who had deceived an angel…

Let’s end this thought. With my remaining power, I put everything at stake for the sake of replying to Ajisai-san's message.

“Okay~!”

It sure was nice huh, the letters...no matter how miserable your condition was, as long as you used the right punctuation mark, you could still pretend to appear cheerful. I wanted to be the letters themselves.

I turned off my emotion regulation to recharge my emotional strength until dinner time.

At the dinner table, my little sister was in a great mood.

“Hehe, onee-sama, how about a piece of karaage? I will give you mine.”

It looked like her self-esteem was at a max level. She even sounded so playful, much unlike her usual tone. Scary.

“I, I don’t want it.”

“Eeeh? I see. Well then, about my friend who wants to exchange their contact info with you...”

“Listen, my little sister...I’m perfectly aware that I have no right to say this…”

“Wh-what is it?”

I shook my head.

“If you show off people’s achievements instead of using your own strength, it will only bite you back later…”

“......guh.”

My little sister usually looked like a proper functional human being, but now she looked like she had gotten hit right in the bulls-eye, taking damage.

“To think I would get reprimanded by Big Sis, a disgrace for life…”

“You talk too much!”

***

Finally, it was the next day, near the end of July.

I left my house around noon.

Yesterday I had prepared thoroughly, and even went to bed two hours earlier, only to stay restless under my sheets for much longer…

For the sake of keeping up the mood, not being a burden to her, and to prevent getting hated by her, I ran mental simulations about our conversation. That’s when I realized two hours had passed… In the end I’d gone to bed at my usual time, ugh.

Along the way to the station, the sun showered me with its light like it wanted to burn away the rest of my strength. It would be great if the sun went easy on a human like me…

Dragging my feet, I finally boarded the train.

There were only three stations away until I reached our meeting point, the closest station to Ajisai-san’s house.

It was probably thanks to the sudden cold wind from the air conditioning inside the train that my stomach started to hurt.

Even though I’d waited for this day in excitement.

My hands and legs trembled out of nervousness.

Compared to the usual casual invitation after school, it sure was different when you went out of your way in the middle of summer break to hang out with someone…

As I thought, let’s just stop…to think that someone like me had the honour to be invited to Ajisai-san’s house, I couldn’t fulfill that important role…

What if, by some chance, I made Ajisai-san feel bored and think something along the lines of, “Even though we had a fun conversation in school, turns out that spending more time like this with her is impossible after all, lol,”? And then she abandons me? Ah, how terrifying.

Yesterday was also the same, but I wasn’t that great of a person in the first place. I only did my best to make everything look more amazing than what it actually was… I really feared the moment everything collapsed and revealed my true identity.

If I put this off right now and ran away, the probability of her discovering my true self would be none after all.

I stared at my reflection on the window. My complexion looked terrible.

I’d gone with light makeup just like usual. I’d also carefully arranged my bangs. Would it have been better if I had taken more time to prepare myself after all…?

As I was agonizing by myself, the train had arrived at my destination.

I stepped out of the train toward the platform. My heart beat faster when I approached the exit, and when I passed the ticket gate, there was―

“Ah, Rena-chan, over here.”

Like a blooming flower, Ajisai-san was standing nearby.

“Uwaaaah! How adorable!” I naturally yelled.

“Eh, eeeh?”

It was my first time seeing Ajisai-san in her casual clothes.

She wore a sleeveless blouse with a floral pattern, revealing her pale, slender arms. It was refreshing to look at. This hidden side of hers that did not usually come into sight looked so gleaming, I felt so blessed I almost offered my prayers.

A long skirt that fit perfectly on her waist accentuated her curves, perfectly showing the charm of Ajisai-san’s slim figure.

On top of that, her blue sandals (I think they were called mule shoes?) made part of her feet slightly visible. Her toenails had a pink manicure (it’s called pedicure, Renako). When I imagine Ajisai-san getting worked up since we were in the middle of summer break and doing a lot of things to prepare, I couldn’t stop thinking that she was so adorable.

This was the best. I’m the champion.

“Eh, too cute...crap...what happened during summer…? You became too extremely adorable, don’t you think…?”

No, that wasn’t it. Her cuteness level was abnormally high in the first place.

I’d also thought the same when I met Mai the first time. I’d really spent a lot of time with awesome people during my time at school.

It was like I’d eaten a high-quality fatty tuna with Matsuzaka beef bowl everyday for my lunch. When I calmly thought about it, those menu items were pretty awesome, right? That kind of thing.

When she heard my quivering words, Ajisai-san said, “Eeh? If you praise me that much, I can’t answer with anything other than a smile, though?”

Ajisai-san flashed me a smile accompanied with both her hands arranged into peace signs.

As her fluffy hair swayed with the wind, I felt like the scorching sun that had been so hot it could melt the asphalt had become softer than before. Could it be that Ajisai-san was our ultimate weapon to fight global warming…?

But right after that, Ajisai-san folded her arms in front of her chest, appearing a bit restless. She averted her gaze.

“Umm, actually, it’s been a while since our last meeting and that’s why I tried my best more than usual...so I don’t look weird…?”

“Not at all! Wait, no, it’s so weird after all! You look so adorable it feels unworldly!”

“So I’m weird?!”

“Yeah, you’re weird...I thought my vision had gone strange… Could it be that actually Ajisai-san is a fairy that I’m only able to see or what?”

“Y-yeah, let’s hurry and go to a cool place, Rena-chan.”

Ah I made her worry over me…

No, but, yeah.

When I glanced at her face, I felt like my worries had disappeared.

It was like the moment before a roller coaster you were sitting on started its course, after having been in line for a long time. A sense of exultation.

Aah, what was I brooding over? Of course things would be fun when I’m together with Ajisai-san.

What I could do today was to do my best! For the sake of allowing Ajisai-san to enjoy our time together!

With a smile, I told her, “Please take care of me for today, Ajisai-san!”

“Me too, Rena-chan.”

I got a feeling that my summer break had finally started.

Haa! Let’s make today become the best day ever!

*****

Sena Ajisai's Story

Fuu, she let out a deep breath.

She checked the note on her phone screen row by row. Yup, yup, she said while checking things off with her finger.

First was cleaning the room, completed.

Not only the living room, she also needed to clean the toilet, which she didn’t know was really necessary or not. For now, she also vacuumed and tidied up her room.

Next was the refreshments, completed.

Baking cheesecake was her specialty that had improved over time since she started in elementary school. She’d made it yesterday. The drinks, also checked. She’d already secured milk for her little brothers, so they wouldn’t drink the beverage she’d prepared.

Next was the makeup and clothes for today…

“Everything's ready.”

...ready?

Inside her bedroom, in front of the mirror, she checked her bangs from various angles, making sure.

Since the start of the summer break, she’d always had her hands full taking care of her little brothers, so she had the feeling that she had suddenly neglected them for a while.

It was her first time since summer break paying attention to her hair like this, so it took longer than she’d expected.

She especially put in a lot of effort for today after all! ….or not really…… Probably.

But, there was still a bit of time. Just a little bit, let’s fix them for a bit.

“It’s been two months since our first promise and finally it’s happening today. It has been that long, eh.”

This was probably how it felt when waiting for someone.

“That time, Rena-chan was doing her best, and very adorable.”

She remembered that day, and she could feel her temperature slowly rising.

It was her first time to receive that amount of affection so directly like that, where she had only been able to listen to her. To be honest, she had been affected strongly by what had happened that day.

“...I ended up remembering that day again. I can’t, I can’t.”

She shook her head. Her relationship with Renako wasn’t something like that. This one was true.

Renako went out of her way to visit her house, she really kept her promise, and that’s why she was determined to give Renako a warm welcome.

She loved promises. It was like she could connect with others through promises. They allowed you to be frank with each other.

All the more when the two sides related were trying their best to fulfill that promise.

Promises were like an indirect conversation, where it felt that when she treasured someone, she could understand that the other person also treasured her the same.

She understood that she may have exaggerated a bit, but even so, she couldn’t help but feel happy.

In any case, Renako was fulfilling her promise. That was the reason why she was so lively...she could feel her heart beat faster. Just like that. There was no other reason, she couldn’t think of anything.

Soon it would be their meeting time. She left her room and on her way out from it, she stopped by the living room.

“Big Sis will go out for a while to meet my friend at the station and bring her here. I’m going now.”

Before, she’d already told her siblings that a big sister who was good at gaming would come over.

She didn’t know whether her little brothers remembered or not, but she was sure that this year’s summer break would be a lively one with a lot of playing around.

She put on her summer sandals and opened the front door.

“Waah.”

She was greeted by the strong sun.

“Today’s weather will be good.”

She narrowed her eyes while gazing at the bright sky.

Japan's rainy season’s representative flower were Ajisai flowers. The season where it fully bloomed was from May until the start of July.

(TL Note: Ajisai means Hydrangea, I would refer Ajisai flowers as Hydrangea starting next chapter.)

Even though the season had passed, the girl who was fully bloomed walked under the scorching sun of summer.

“Fufu, I’m looking forward to this, Rena-chan.”

Sena Ajisai, first year high school student.

Just like running through the summer, the unforgettable memory of her love story had begun.

*****

Translator's Note:

I kinda have mixed feelings every time I work on the third volume after reading the whole book. Anyway, I'm being fueled with Ajisai-san power right now so I think I could update faster than before. Also, for those who already read the novel/spoilers, please refrain from spoiling stuff in the comment section.

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