Chapter II | “Love Confession” for Flag 2.

♣♣♣

That day, I couldn’t focus on class at all.

Well, of course not. Why did things turn out like this? I never expected Enomoto-san to join the study session. And that tone of hers… she’s totally planning to stay over.

While I was worrying about that, a message popped up on my phone. It was from Enomoto-san on LINE.

“Yuu-kun, what should I bring?”

…Seriously? You’re asking this during class?

Since I’d already read it, I replied anyway.

“Are you seriously planning to stay over?”

She sent back a “Yes!!” with an anime sticker of a red-haired handsome character. …Enomoto-san, your sticker choices are way too energetic.

“I don’t think it’s good to decide so suddenly. Don’t you need your mom’s permission or something?”

“It’s fine. I already got permission.”

“But she doesn’t know I’m here either…”

“I told her Yuu-kun would be there too.”

After that, she sent another anime sticker of a blue-haired character shouting, “No problem at all!”

No, there’s a huge problem! Even though I’ve met her mom briefly during the GW photoshoot, I can’t believe she’d give permission so easily, even if it’s Himari’s house. …And Enomoto-san, stop spamming that “No problem at all!” sticker. Are you really into that anime right now?

“Did she really not say anything?”

“She said it’s fine since Yuu-kun isn’t a bad person.”

It’s not fine.

To be specific, her parenting style isn’t fine. She seemed like a soft-hearted mom, but I wish she’d be stricter about this.

As I was holding back a headache, a message popped up in Himari’s chat.

“Sensei~ There’s a failing student flirting with Enocchi during class~”

I flinched.

When I glanced at the seat next to me, Himari was grinning at me. I quickly replied.

“I never said it was Enomoto-san.”

“Oh, come on. I’m also being asked by Enocchi about what to bring.”

Seriously? How excited are you?

I see, Enomoto-san has no intention of paying attention to class right now, huh? Meanwhile, I’m stuck in the terrifying guidance counselor’s class.

“By the way, emergency situation.”

“What?”

“The place for today’s study session is gone.”

“What do you mean?”

When I looked at Himari, she stuck out her tongue with a “Teehee~☆” expression.

“When I told my brother Enocchi was coming, he threw a fit and said, ‘Not a single strand of Enomoto’s DNA will enter our house!’”

“That much? Is he really that against Enomoto-san’s sister?”

The red-haired anime character’s “Yes!!” sticker came back. Hah, so you two are into the same anime right now, huh?

“But what should we do? I can bring my brother’s problem sets, but without a place, it’s tough.”

“What about McDonald’s or something?”

“There’s one along Route 10 that’s open 24 hours, but if we get caught, it’d be counterproductive, right?”

I sent an “NG” sticker.

[T/N: NG – No Good]

What should we do? I feel like I could review on my own, but I’m not confident I’ve perfectly memorized yesterday’s material. Also, Hibari-san is way too childish, isn’t he?

…Hmm?

For some reason, Himari was staring at me with a meaningful gaze.

“Yuu, you’re always so desperate when it comes to Enocchi, huh?”

I choked.

“What are you talking about?”

“But it’s because you said it was fine that things turned out like this, right?”

“Maybe, but it’d be rude to turn down her offer to help.”

“Hee~? Hoo~?”

W-What’s with that?

Himari suspiciously tapped away on her phone.

“Could it be… you’re expecting something like yesterday with Enocchi?”

The incident in the bath yesterday flashed through my mind.

I reflexively shouted at Himari.

“That’s not it at all!!”

…Huh?

Himari was trying to hold back her laughter, desperately covering her mouth. One more push and she’d burst out laughing.

Then I looked around. The other students were staring at me.

“Naatsume~?”

A voice that sounded like it came straight from hell called out. I slowly turned around.

The guidance counselor, known as the scariest teacher in school, was standing there with a vein popping on his temple.

“You. You’re on the verge of failing, and you’re messing with your phone during my class?!”

Eeeek…!

That’s right! I’m currently the guy closest to failing in this school!

“B-But, this is because Himari was messing with me…”

“Oh? Then why is it that while Inuzuka is diligently copying the board, your notebook is completely blank? Care to explain?”

“Huh?”

On Himari’s desk…

…was a beautifully written set of notes. She’d even jotted down questions she had in the margins. What a model student.

(…Damn it! Himari magic!!)

My shoulder was grabbed with a firm grip. A black belt in judo during his student days, rumored to have thrown a bear during a trip to Hokkaido—his strength made my bones creak.

“Natsume. If you think there’s even a shred of leniency for Sunday’s retest, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“I-I’ll do my best…”

♣♣♣

And then class ended. Since that was the fourth period, it was finally lunch break.

I took out a convenience store bread bag from my bag and stood up. Himari followed me with a refreshing smile, completely devoid of guilt.

“Yuu~, where are you going~?”

“Shut up. Stop following me like a penguin.”

Himari stopped for a moment.

Then she stretched her arms out, hooked her slippers on her toes, and started waddling while making “Ga ga ga” penguin noises. …Seriously, the quality of that impression is annoyingly good!

“I’m eating somewhere else today. You can eat in the classroom, Himari.”

“Eh~, I’m coming too.”

“…It’s Makishima’s place, you know.”

Instantly, Himari stuck out her tongue. Silently waving her hand, she joined a group of girls in the class, saying, “Let’s eat together~?”

…As always, she really doesn’t like Makishima. Well, considering their past, I can’t blame her.

I left the classroom and peeked into the class three doors down.

(Let’s see… Makishima is… there.)

The tea-haired playboy was chatting with some guys in his class. The amazing thing about this guy is that despite having an absurd number of female troubles, he’s never resented or disliked by the guys.

By the way, what should I do about this situation? Makishima’s desk is, of course, in the worst possible spot—by the window at the very back. It’s the worst position to call out to him from the hallway.

The usual method is to ask someone in his class to call him over. At least make sure it’s not a girl…

“Ah! It’s Natsume-kun!”

Huh?

When I turned around, there were two girls who seemed to have just returned from the school store. One had a voluminous adult ponytail, and the other had mid-length blonde hair. Both were cheerful and had a modern vibe.

They seemed to know my name. I feel like I’ve seen them before…

“Hey, hey, hey, hey! I asked Himari-san about this yesterday, but…”

“Huh? Wh-What? Uh, um…”

“Ah! Don’t tell me you don’t remember us? We were in the same class last year!”

“Ah, no, that’s…”

Oh no. Now that you mention it, I think I remember.

This is bad. This is way too rude. But we never really talked, right? They’re really pushing hard, though…

While I was panicking and at a loss for words, the two of them laughed.

“Natsume-kun, you really don’t make eye contact, huh~? Kinda cute!”

“Yeah~. Like a little animal or something~”

“Even though you’re super tall~”

“The gap is so moe~”

…Huh?

What are these girls talking about?

Wait, are they making fun of me? No, it doesn’t feel like that… They’re saying it so sincerely, it’s kind of refreshing.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey! By the way!”

“Ah, y-yeah. What…?”

“So, about this Instagram thing…”

They held out their phone.

On it was Enomoto-san’s Instagram post showcasing her new accessories from the GW photoshoot. Alongside it was a picture of me devouring a cake.

(Ah. Now that I think about it, Himari mentioned that “you” got exposed to our classmates…)

So it’s these two.

Come to think of it, I never properly talked to Himari about that. The retest was more important, and honestly, I never expected them to approach me like this.

“This ‘you’ is Natsume-kun, right!?”

“Himari-san kinda dodged the question!”

They were so carefree, but their eyes had the glint of predators. I could feel their determination to “make me spill the beans.” There’s no way a socially awkward guy like me could handle this.

I desperately tried to think of a way out.

“Ah, no, um. If it is me, then…”

Then the two of them burst out laughing.

“If, you say?”

“It’s already confirmed, duh~”

…Well, yeah, I guess that’s how it is.

First of all, starting a topic with “So, my friend…” is just code for “This is about me, but read the room, okay?” Even a loner like me knows that.

“So, if it is me, what do you need…?”

I gave up. Completely waving the white flag. Do whatever you want with me.

Then the two of them said with great enthusiasm:

“Make accessories for us too!”

…Ah, so that’s what this is about.

“W-Well, if I have time. I’m kinda busy with the retest right now…”

“A retest!?”

“Natsume-kun, you look so smart though!”

They were laughing so hard, clearly enjoying themselves.

It’s not like I was trying to make them laugh, though…

(Wait, what was I here for again?)

I feel like I’m forgetting something important… Wait, whoa! Don’t suddenly grab my arm and try to drag me into the classroom!

“Hey, hey, hey, hey. Natsume-kun, let’s have lunch together over here~”

“Hey, hey, hey. How do you make those accessories?”

“Ah, by the way! I’ll bring my friend. She said she wants Natsume-kun’s accessories too.”

“Sounds good~. I’ll introduce my friend too~”

“W-Wait, hold on…!”

Gyaaah! These two are way too friendly! Is this how normal high school girls are? Himari is more… ah, no, she’s like this too.

“Natsu. What are you doing in front of someone else’s class?”

“Ah, Makishima!”

Before I knew it, Makishima was there. …That’s right, I came here to see him.

Makishima tapped my shoulder and casually waved at the two girls.

“Shoo, shoo. This guy’s my guest. Go away.”

“Ew, so rude!”

“You’ll catch his womanizing germs!”

The two of them ran off, squealing. …What a storm those two were.

As I slumped over, Makishima pointed down the hallway.

“If you have something to talk about, let’s go to the school store. It’s annoying if people eavesdrop in the hallway.”

“S-Sorry. Thanks…”

As we walked down the hallway, Makishima laughed cheerfully.

“Nahaha. Natsu, you’ve become quite the celebrity, huh?”

“Himari said you were the root of all this.”

“That’s correct.”

“At least act a little guilty.”

I’ve already given up, though.

It’s not like I have a problem with being exposed.

“More importantly, can you talk Enomoto-san out of this?”

“Talk her out of what?”

“Well, we’re having a study session for the retest, but Enomoto-san said she’s staying over…”

I briefly explained what had happened since this morning.

To my surprise, Makishima burst out laughing.

“Nahahaha! Rin-chan’s playing quite the bold move, huh? As her childhood friend and love advisor, I’m proud.”

“So it wasn’t your idea?”

“First I’ve heard of it. I did advise her to ‘be pushy since Natsu’s the type to go with the flow,’ but I didn’t hear the details.”

Going with the flow? Mind your own business.

“…I thought if it was your idea, I could get her to stop.”

“I see. Natsu, you’ve got the wrong idea. We’re childhood friends, but we’re not as clingy as you and Himari-chan. In fact, she’s told me not to talk to her unless necessary.”

“…Wait, are you disliked?”

“We’re on good terms, but Rin-chan and I are like siblings, you know? For example, if your older sister was at the same school, would you go talk to her every break?”

“…Definitely not.”

In fact, I’d hate it if people thought we were close siblings.

Now that he mentions it, ever since Makishima first asked me to fix his accessory, I’ve never seen him and Enomoto-san together at school. Even in our first year, I was close with Makishima, but I had no idea about Enomoto-san…

“So, Natsu. What do you want me to convince her of?”

“Well, it’s not good for her to stay over with a guy she’s not even dating, right?”

Makishima nodded with a mocking smile… and then flatly refused.

“No.”

“Wha!?”

Makishima poked my chest playfully, looking genuinely amused.

“Nahaha. Isn’t this great? A thrilling sleepover with the girl you like and the girl who likes you. Even I, who’ve juggled up to five girls at once, have never experienced such a dangerous situation. And both Himari-chan and Rin-chan are among the most beautiful girls in school… Natsu, are you secretly the protagonist of a rom-com?”

“Stop joking around and think seriously about Enomoto-san for once.”

“Who cares? I’m not so uncool as to interfere with my childhood friend staying over with the guy she likes. You’re high schoolers now, so do whatever you want.”

Ugh!

This guy, with his vast romantic experience, is way too nonchalant. His argument is so logical that it makes me feel like I’m the one throwing a tantrum.

Makishima smirked.

“Besides, I’m on a brutal diet because of you. I don’t have time to deal with such trivial matters.”

“A diet? And it’s my fault?”

What’s he talking about?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Makishima stretched out his left arm.

With a sharp motion, he slammed the wall behind me. I was completely frozen by the unexpected “wall slam” from a guy.

…Makishima’s eyes looked suspicious.

With a dark emotion in his voice, he spoke in a low tone.

“The day before yesterday, you and Himari-chan were all lovey-dovey in front of Rin-chan, huh? That night, I was forced to eat mountains of cake and baked goods at a consolation party. Thanks to you, I gained 3 kg! If this affects my summer preliminaries, how are you going to take responsibility?”

“I’m sorry about that…”

Now that I think about it, he did mention that.

Makishima may be a womanizer, but he’s serious about his club activities.

“Seriously, Rin-chan’s fat goes straight to her chest!! She doesn’t think about those of us who gain weight easily!”

“We’re in the hallway! Stop shouting that!?”

I tried to calm Makishima down.

It seems hopeless to ask for his help. He’s clearly enjoying this.

“Well then, go ahead and make a mess of things. I’ll pick up the pieces.”

“Don’t expect me to save you from any love triangles.”

“Nahaha. Don’t worry, I’m not stupid enough to rely on you, Natsu.”

…In the end, Enomoto-san’s participation in the study session was finalized.

♣♣♣

After school that day…

I hurried home and quickly cleaned my room. I’m not the type to make a mess normally… I think, but still.

…In the end, my house became the venue. I managed to convince her not to stay over, but it’s impossible to have girls from school over with nothing prepared.

As I was rushing around, my room door opened without a knock.

“Yuu, you’re being noisy! I just woke up, so keep it down!!”

It was Saku-neesan.

I thought she wasn’t in the living room, but she must’ve still been sleeping. Her eyes were narrowed like in a manga. She was really angry about having her sleep disturbed.

“S-Sorry. Some girls from school are coming over today…”

“Huh?”

Saku-neesan’s angry aura disappeared.

She seemed to have misunderstood something and immediately calmed down.

“Is it Himari-chan? Wasn’t the study session at her place?”

“W-Well, yeah. The venue got changed, so…”

If Saku-neesan starts interrogating me, I’m done for. I brushed it off and continued cleaning.

“Then you should’ve said so. I’ll bring some snacks from the store.”

“No, that’s not necessary. More importantly, Saku-neesan, shouldn’t you get ready? You’ll miss your shift change.”

“Tch. If I’d known Himari-chan was coming, I’d have threatened someone to cover for me…”

My sister is way too scary.

Half of this is my fault, but is it really okay to leave the future of our family’s convenience store to her? What if she gets reported to the labor board?

Saku-neesan grumbled as she got ready and left for the store.

(Phew. That was close. I can’t let Saku-neesan see Enomoto-san…)

I continued cleaning.

About 20 minutes later, the doorbell rang.

I barely finished cleaning in time. I rushed to open the door.

As planned, Enomoto-san was standing there.

“Yuu-kun. Hello.”

“Welcome. Enomoto-san…”

Enomoto-san bowed politely. As always, she’s well-mannered.

She must’ve gone home first, as she was in casual clothes. Today, she was wearing a blouse with a large ribbon tied at the hem and a long, flowing flare skirt. The contrast between the white blouse and black skirt was striking.

Seriously, she’s so cute.

To be specific, her outfit screamed, “I’m totally ready to meet your family.” Her hair was subtly curled too.

…Meanwhile, I’m just in my loungewear. What if she thinks, “Do you only own hoodies?”

“Anyway, come in… Ah.”

I noticed something near Enomoto-san’s ear.

(She’s wearing the tulip hairpin I made…)

Of course, it’s fine. I gave it to her, and I’m happy she’s using it. But honestly, having her wear it the first time she’s in my room is unbearably embarrassing.

“Was the trip okay?”

“My mom drove me, so it was fine. I found the convenience store easily too…”

Enomoto-san walked down the hallway, peeking into the empty living room.

“Yuu-kun. Is your family…?”

“No one’s home, so feel free to relax.”

“Really?”

“Well, they’re all at the convenience store. Saku-neesan’s on night shift and won’t be back until morning, Dad usually sleeps there, and Mom’s on a business trip half the week. I only see them about once a week, except when I go to get lunch or work part-time.”

Enomoto-san suddenly stopped at the stairs.

When I turned around, she was blushing and hiding her mouth shyly.

“S-So, until Himari-chan comes… it’s just the two of us?”

“Ugh…”

The moonflower bracelet on my left wrist seemed to assert its presence. I felt like it was smirking at me. …This thing, did it gain a sense of self from being cherished by Enomoto-san or something?

“Um, I need to study seriously, or I’ll get expelled. And I have to start working on the accessories soon…”

“Y-Yeah. I know. That’s why I’m here…”

Then, an awkward silence.

This is way too uncomfortable. Himari, please hurry up with the problem sets…

“T-This is my room…”

I welcomed Enomoto-san inside.

My heart was pounding. Himari’s been here a few times, but I wasn’t this nervous then. …Back then, I only saw her as a friend.

Enomoto-san stepped into the room and looked around…

“…………”

Huh? Why does she look slightly disappointed?

Is my room that tasteless? Well, I don’t have any particular hobbies, and I’m not the type to buy unnecessary things.

“…Enomoto-san. Were you expecting something?”

“Ah, no. There are no flowers.”

Ah, I see. That’s what it is.

My room has a study desk, a bed, a glass table in the center, a simple chest for clothes, and a small bookshelf for textbooks and manga.

“Our cat would mess with them, so the flowers are over here.”

I opened the locked closet.

When Enomoto-san peeked inside, her eyes widened in surprise.

LED planters with colorful flowers were packed inside. I’d used boards from the home center to create multiple shelves inside the closet. I’d also added large lights and, just in case, coated the inside with expensive fireproofing.

The flowers were varied. These were more for my hobby, unlike the ones at school. There, the flowers were seasonal, but here I mostly kept perennials—plants that don’t die in winter and bloom again the next year.

Right now, the blooming ones were Lantana with vivid gradient petals and Cherry Sage, which is also famous as an herb.

Enomoto-san’s usual cool expression melted, and her eyes sparkled.

“Yuu-kun. It’s like a fairyland!”

“T-Thanks.”

Her adorable compliment made me blush.

Enomoto-san’s family’s pastry shop is also quite stylish. There are dwarf figurines, miniature trees with seasonal decorations, and sets of baked goods. I ended up buying some as souvenirs.

“Until recently, Christmas roses were blooming. They add color in winter, so I really like them. The plants will grow thicker next year, so they’ll look even better. You should come see them then.”

“Got it. I’ll definitely come!”

Ah, I did it again…

But Enomoto-san’s reactions are just too cute. Her happy “Ehe” smile alone could make me feel like I have no regrets in life.

(Calm down. Studying is the priority today…)

I spread out the textbooks and reference books on the glass table instead of the study desk. I also brought out a pot of Cherry Sage and placed it at the edge of the table.

“Why did you bring the flowers?”

“Cherry Sage is famous as an herb. Its leaves are good for your health, and there’s even an English saying, ‘Eat sage in May for a long life.’ The flower’s scent has a relaxing effect, so I keep it nearby when studying or playing games.”

“Amazing. Combining hobby and practicality…”

“It’s not that impressive…”

But this plant can get really big. It’ll probably grow over 1 meter tall, so it’ll be hard to keep it indoors. I’ll have to find a new place for it and the others.

“Well, let’s review yesterday’s material until Himari brings the problem sets. Enomoto-san, can I ask you if I don’t understand something?”

I laid out a cushion next to me, and Enomoto-san clenched her fists with determination.

“Sure. Ask me anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yeah. I think I can answer most things.”

Enomoto-san opened her bag and took out a cute pink clear folder. Inside were her answer sheets from the recent midterms.

When she handed them to me, I looked through them… and was shocked.

As I gasped, Enomoto-san made a cool V-sign.

“I’m second in the grade.”

“Seriously!?”

The answer sheet showed she’d only gotten one question wrong in classical Japanese. That means she got perfect scores in four out of five subjects. She’s not just a top student—she’s a genius.

“Somehow, that’s really surprising…”

Then Enomoto-san gave me a meaningful look.

“Yuu-kun. Did you think I was dumb?”

“Not dumb, but I didn’t think you were this good…”

No offense, but I never pictured Enomoto-san as academically strong. She’s always being dragged around by Himari, and she usually solves things with her iron claw.

“By the way, if you’re second, who’s first? Someone who aced everything?”

“…………”

Enomoto-san answered reluctantly.

“Shii-kun is first.”

“Ah, I see…”

I could almost hear Makishima’s triumphant laugh.

As expected of the modern swordmaster, his brain is on another level. If only he could use that intellect for something other than avoiding women.

Enomoto-san clenched her fist with strong determination.

“I’ll win next time.”

“H-Hey. That’s an unexpected side…”

…So I’m the only one who’s bad at studying. Sorry for getting carried away. I’ll worry about myself first.

I opened the reference book and picked up my mechanical pencil.

Let’s start with the math test range.

Hibari-san said that for science subjects, repetition is key.

At the high school level, there aren’t many types of questions. By practicing repeatedly, you can grasp as many question patterns as possible, and during the test, you can quickly identify the trends. The time saved can be used for calculations and writing. That’s the first step to passing… apparently.

…Hmm?

“I don’t get this formula…”

“You need to split it into two.”

“Two? Ah, now that you mention it, Hibari-san said that…”

As expected, I’m far from perfect after just one night.

Sometimes my memory has gaps, and it’s hard to recall things. Cramming really doesn’t work. Having Enomoto-san here is a lifesaver.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. It’s good review for me too.”

She’s so kind.

To repay her, I absolutely have to pass the retest.

While I was solving problems on my own, Enomoto-san was admiring the flowers in the closet or reading manga from the shelf.

It was a peaceful time. It made me feel silly for being so nervous earlier.

…The only problem is that Enomoto-san’s actions are naturally erotic.

Once she let her guard down, she got way too close. And since she’s wearing light clothing, she’s way too defenseless. Every time she moves, her skirt rides up, revealing her thighs, or her underwear peeks out when she leans over… Wait, wha, wha, wha!?

“Eh, Enomoto-san! Aren’t you thirsty?”

“Eh? Ah, maybe…”

Good.

I hurried out of the room. That was close. What I just saw was dangerous. I can’t even say it out loud. If I keep seeing things like that, I won’t be able to focus on studying.

…She’s bad for my heart in a different way than Himari.

With Himari, I can tell she’s teasing me, so I can retort. But Enomoto-san does it so naturally that it’s hard to say anything.

I made some tea in the living room.

It’s actually my specialty, so I hope she likes it.

I also added some cookies from Saku-neesan. If I say I gave them to Himari later, she won’t get mad.

I went upstairs and opened the door to my room.

…Enomoto-san was lying on my bed, hugging my pillow and giggling.

“Enomoto-san. What are you doing?”

“…!”

Enomoto-san quickly threw the pillow aside and sat up. She smoothed her hair and shook her head.

Ah, so you’re saying you weren’t doing anything? That kind of vibe?

…Okay, okay. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything. I need to focus on studying too.

I handed Enomoto-san the tea and returned to the problem sets. Let’s see, next is this problem. This pattern is… Hey! Don’t subtly pull my pillow closer!

“Enomoto-san!”

“!”

She flinched and quickly put the pillow back, looking away. She tried to whistle nonchalantly, but it sounded more like a broken pipe.

“Enomoto-san. What are you doing?”

“…The Cherry Sage smelled nice.”

“Yeah. And?”

“Then I noticed that Yuu-kun’s bed had the same scent…”

How sharp is her nose? Ah, but maybe that’s important for baking? I don’t know, but I think I’ve figured out the source of the scent.

“…Probably this.”

“The tea?”

It was the tea I’d brought.

“It’s made with Cherry Sage leaves.”

“Eh!?”

Cherry Sage is also used for herbal tea. It takes some skill to make it taste good, but I managed to get it right.

“The other day, I spilled some while drinking it on the bed. I should’ve washed it…”

I handed the cup to Enomoto-san, who was still sitting on the bed.

“Wow, it’s delicious…”

“Thanks.”

“I want to use this at our shop.”

“No way. I can’t make that much.”

We shared a warm laugh.

“Enomoto-san. Can you let go of my pillow now?”

“…………”

She’s been hugging my pillow on her lap this whole time.

When I reached for it, she dodged. This back-and-forth went on… Ah, come on! I feel like I did the same thing with Himari yesterday!

“I get that you’re bored, but this is kinda embarrassing…”

“…Muu.”

Enomoto-san blushed shyly and then doubled down.

She hugged my pillow with both arms and flopped back onto the bed. Her glossy black hair spread out beautifully on the bed where I usually sleep. It was like pampas grass swaying in the wind on a plateau… No, that metaphor might be a stretch.

She poked the pillow with her finger and pouted.

“But I like Yuu-kun…”

“…………”

Gah…

That was close. I almost lost my self-control. When we went to the Aeon flower shop, I thought the same thing, but this girl really goes for the kill when you least expect it.

“Enomoto-san. You’ve been way less reserved since that time…”

“…………”

Her puffed-up cheeks are so cute, damn it!

By the way, the flower language of Cherry Sage is “Wisdom,” “Respect,” and “Burning Passion.” It’s the perfect flower for a study session where someone says “I like you.” …Not that it matters.

(Makishima, you didn’t foresee this development, did you…?)

This is bad. If I focus on Enomoto-san, I’ll waste time and mental energy. I never expected such a trial today.

My top priority right now is passing the retest.

I’ll forget about what happened back then and focus on studying. Hang in there, me. Show the same concentration that makes you oblivious to Himari’s usual pranks.

“…Fine. Do whatever you want. I’m going to study!”

“Okay~”

She said that and smiled with an “Ehe.”

…Lately, the girls around me are way too cute. Please have mercy.

♣♣♣

The first time Enomoto-san said she liked me was two weeks ago… during the period when Himari and I weren’t talking, on a sunny evening.

In the school’s bicycle parking lot, there’s a courtyard.

There, Himari and I had planted flowers for the gardening club.

I was harvesting those flowers. Since Himari said she was going to Tokyo, I needed to wrap things up with the flowers too. After all, the gardening club was just a front for me to smoothly make flower accessories. Besides Himari and me, there were no other members, and no one else to take care of the flowers.

But doing it alone was tough. There was a lot to prepare, and I had the goal of making a one-of-a-kind accessory to replace Himari’s choker.

The one who helped me was Enomoto-san.

She didn’t say much. Before I knew it, she was working alongside me. …It wasn’t like I didn’t enjoy that time.

My first love, whom I hadn’t seen in seven years.

The reason I got into flower accessories was to give her beautiful flowers. And unbelievably, she still remembered me. Not only that, but she’d held onto her feelings all this time.

But my feelings were already with Himari.

“Yuu-kun, I like you. …I’ve liked you since seven years ago.”

In front of the now-empty flower bed, Enomoto-san said that. Her face was red, and it wasn’t because of the evening sun.

It was after all the flowers had been harvested. Even in such small details, I could tell Enomoto-san was considerate of me.

…Emotions are really troublesome.

For something that drives people’s actions, why are they so fickle? If I were as single-minded as a robot, I wouldn’t have made Enomoto-san cry. And Makishima’s weight would’ve stayed the same.

If I hadn’t realized my feelings for Himari…

What would I have done back then? Would I have coldly sent Himari off to Tokyo? How would I have responded to Enomoto-san’s confession?

♣♣♣

…After solving the last math problem, I found myself lost in thought.

Ah, I need to check the answers. Time’s running out. The retest is on Sunday. Forget about it for now. And Enomoto-san might be bored and asleep.

“Enomoto-san. Let’s check the answers… Wait, she’s really asleep.”

She was lying on my bed, wrapped in a blanket. Her shoulders rose and fell gently. Her blouse and skirt were all wrinkled. The only thing she held carefully was the tulip hairpin I made.

…She’s way too comfortable here.

Is this okay? Are you sure? We’ve expressed our feelings, but we’re not dating, right? Enomoto-san, you’re way too cute, so you should be more careful about this kind of thing.

(Come to think of it, the day after I rejected her confession, she casually greeted me with a “Good morning”…)

Enomoto-san is beautiful, but she’s hard to pin down. Is she just naturally like this? She’s as relentless as Himari’s teasing, and she’s surprisingly resilient.

“Well, I have to wake her up…”

We need to study, but my self-control is in danger. Whether I move or not, she’s attacking my sanity. Isn’t that too much?

Carefully, I touched Enomoto-san’s shoulder.

“Enomoto-san, wake up… Whoa!!”

For some reason, Enomoto-san hugged my neck… Ah, no. I could hear her steady breathing. Good. Enomoto-san really pulls moves straight out of a rom-com manga.

She looks so happy, probably having a good dream. Enomoto-san giggled cutely. …Well, unfortunately, I can’t just giggle and move on.

Calm down. Calm down, Yuu.

Stay cool. There’s no reply from Himari, so she’ll probably arrive soon… Just as I thought that, the door to my room burst open.

It was Himari. She was holding a plastic bag from our convenience store.

“Yuu~. You didn’t reply to my messages, and you didn’t answer the doorbell, so I let myself in… Huh?”

She froze when she saw the state of the room.

At the same time, the cake from our store fell from her hand. It hit the floor, and the shortcake inside the package was crushed. …She probably got it from Saku-neesan at the store.

Behind her, Saku-neesan in her apron peeked in.

“Yuu. You didn’t come out even though Himari-chan was here… Huh?”

The corners of her eyes twitched. She cracked her knuckles. A dark aura rose from Saku-neesan’s back.

“You foolish little brother. You have Himari-chan, and yet you bring another girl into your room? Didn’t I say I’d kill you if you made Himari-chan cry…??”

“Saku-neesan, it’s not like that! We’re studying for the test…”

“Health and P.E. isn’t on the high school midterms, you idiot!!”

“That dad joke is the worst!”

Even with all this shouting, Enomoto-san isn’t waking up!

I patted her cheek.

“Enomoto-san, Enomoto-san! Wake up… Wait, I can’t move because of her iron grip!?”

So “Ehehe” isn’t cutting it!!

As I struggled to escape… Huh? Saku-neesan isn’t attacking…? When I looked, Saku-neesan was staring at us with a blank expression.

“Could she be… Enomoto’s sister?”

“Huh…?”

As we froze, Himari muttered behind us, “Ah, so that’s it.” She sighed and picked up the crushed cake.

“Yuu. Enocchi has a habit of hugging people when she’s asleep, so be careful.”

“You should’ve told me that earlier!!”

♣♣♣

Ten minutes later, in my room.

Enomoto-san woke up and apologized profusely, her face bright red.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was lying on Yuu-kun’s bed, thinking, ‘This is where Yuu-kun sleeps every night,’ and I got so relaxed…”

“Enomoto-san? I get it, so can you stop? I’m already getting weird looks, you know?”

Himari was glaring at me, poking my side.

“Yuu, you’re totally enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Can you not say that here? What if Saku-neesan believes you?”

Saku-neesan was plating the crushed cake on a small dish. She placed it in front of us and stared intently.

“…So, she’s Enomoto’s sister, huh?”

Her gaze, of course, was fixed on Enomoto-san. Naturally, the Enomoto Saku-neesan was referring to was Enomoto-san’s older sister.

“Saku-neesan. Do you know Enomoto-san’s sister too?”

“You, knowing that I’m friends with Hibari-kun, should’ve figured it out. We still drink together when Enomoto comes back. She was here for New Year’s too.”

Seriously?

Even Himari seemed surprised, as if she was hearing this for the first time.

“Sakura-san. Does my brother know too?”

“Of course. Haven’t you heard?”

“Nah. My brother gets in a bad mood whenever Enocchi’s sister is brought up. So I’m kinda surprised they still meet…”

“That’s so like Hibari-kun. He doesn’t like showing his weak side to people he’s close to.”

She chuckled, her shoulders shaking.

…I feel like I’ve seen a different side of Saku-neesan. Come to think of it, I’ve always been scared of her and never really talked about her private life.

“But how do you not end up fighting?”

At my muttering, Saku-neesan laughed.

“Unlike you kids, we’re adults.”

…She said that so coolly, but why is this adult casually hanging out in a high schooler’s room? I appreciate the snacks, but if you don’t have business here, please go back to the store.

Saku-neesan gave Enomoto-san an appraising look.

“So? How do you know Enomoto’s sister? Don’t tell me you like my foolish little brother?”

She cut straight to the point.

The neighborhood auntie doesn’t bother wrapping her words in niceties. Her directness left the three of us silent.

“…Eh. Seriously?”

And the one who brought it up, Saku-neesan, was the most surprised. Well, I get it. A girl this cute suddenly showing such feelings is dangerous, right?

“Hmm… You’re cute, but your taste in men is just like your sister’s.”

Can you not say that so pitifully? I completely agree, but hearing it from a third party hurts a bit.

Saku-neesan nodded to herself and then mocked me.

“Yuu. I always thought you were a dull little brother, but I never expected you to have such luck with women. That mediocre face of yours makes sense now.”

“Looks have nothing to do with it. Sorry, but you share the same blood, Saku-neesan.”

And Himari, stop laughing like “Ah~ I get it~.” You’re the girl I like, you know?

Saku-neesan looked back and forth between Himari and Enomoto-san, then groaned seriously.

“But it’s hard to choose between the two…”

What are you talking about?

Sorry, but this isn’t a beauty pageant for your retirement plans.

“Yuu. If you were a bit more capable, I’d tell you to take both without hesitation…”

“I’ve never been so glad to be unattractive. More importantly, Saku-neesan. Isn’t your break over? Shouldn’t you head back?”

“Honestly. You’re starting to take after Dad.”

Saku-neesan stood up and patted Enomoto-san’s shoulder.

“Come over anytime. Ah, next time, bring some of your family’s cakes. Your sister never shares.”

“Y-Yes. I’ll bring some!”

Can you not casually extort snacks from your junior?

After Saku-neesan left, I looked out the window at the road. …Good, she went back to the store.

“Saku-neesan always says unnecessary things.”

“I think she’s a good older sister.”

Enomoto-san, of all people, had a good impression of her.

Himari also seems to like Saku-neesan, so what’s so great about her? …Just as I thought that, Enomoto-san muttered gloomily.

“At least she’s better than my sister, who doesn’t even contact me when she comes back for New Year’s…”

Whoa. You just stepped on a landmine.

Because Saku-neesan said something unnecessary, there’s now a rift in someone else’s sibling relationship. Makishima mentioned it briefly, but do they really not get along…?

As I was savoring the awkward silence, Himari poked at the crushed cake with a fork and tilted her head.

“By the way… I just thought of something.”

“Wh-What is it?”

She looked back and forth between me and Enomoto-san.

“Yuu and Enocchi, even after being teased by Sakura-san, you’re acting pretty normal…”

She awkwardly hid her mouth with the fork.

Now that I think about it, we did act kinda normal about it. Well, it’s not like we’re hiding it, and I thought Himari would figure it out soon enough…

“Enomoto-san confessed while Himari and I were fighting.”

“Guh!?”

“Hey, don’t choke on the cake.”

“Eh? Ah… Eh?”

She was completely caught off guard, flustered. The cake in her hand was being mercilessly stabbed.

“Eh. Yuu, you said you’d go to Tokyo with me after that? What does that mean?”

“…………”

It was too awkward, so I looked away.

“Well, I turned her down.”

“Ah, I see…”

She seemed somewhat relieved.

“But you’ve been acting normal since then, right? Did you start as friends or something?”

“Not exactly friends…”

I glanced at Enomoto-san.

She nodded calmly.

“I’ve been confessed to three times…”

“Three times!? What do you mean!?”

Himari was so shocked her jaw almost dropped.

She’s usually so carefree, so this is a rare expression. I almost want to take a picture and post it on Instagram just to get likes.

“Ah, if you count earlier, it’s four times…”

“Earlier!? What happened while I wasn’t here!?”

Me and Himari looked at Enomoto-san.

Enomoto-san groaned with a serious expression, then held up four fingers.

“Four times.”

Yes. Four times, thank you very much.

I clapped lightly, and Enomoto-san smiled shyly with an “Ehe.” Her smile when she lets her guard down is seriously cute. It’s the kind of charm I don’t want to post on Instagram.

Then Himari cut in.

“Wait, wait, wait!!”

“What’s wrong? You’ve been acting kinda off lately.”

“This isn’t the time to critique my reactions! Yuu, what’s going on!? Are you taking advantage of Enocchi’s feelings to keep girls around!?”

Himari put her hands on my knees and leaned in closer.

Whoa, stop. Don’t bring that pretty face so close. Your breath is rough, and I can smell Yoghurppe. It reminds me of the “Should we try it?” incident in the science room.

“No, it’s not like I’m keeping her around. Even after I turned her down, Enomoto-san didn’t give up. The next day, she casually greeted me with a ‘Good morning’ and brought delicious cookies.”

“You’re being fed cookies!? That’s not healthy! No matter how much she’s your first love, this ambiguous relationship is no good!”

“I don’t want to be lectured about healthy relationships by you. And why did you casually bring up first love in front of her?”

It’s beyond embarrassing to talk about this in front of her. And besides the embarrassment, there’s another problem…

“Yuu-kun! Is that true!?”

Here it comes.

Enomoto-san is usually cool, but when it comes to love, she’s relentless. She’s like a piranha, biting down hard.

Enomoto-san grabbed Himari’s hands and leaned in close.

“Hii-chan. Tell me everything.”

“Eh? Ah, well, you see… Actually, I heard about the time Yuu and Enocchi first met at the botanical garden. Yuu’s been saying he liked Enocchi since middle school. So I thought if Enocchi confessed, it’d definitely work…”

Overwhelmed by Enomoto-san’s intensity, Himari spilled everything. What a great friend, so kind it brings tears to my eyes.

I couldn’t stand the awkwardness and tried to explain.

“First love is first love, right? If you ask me if I still like Enomoto-san now… I’m not so sure. I can’t just say yes because Enomoto-san is cute…”

“Yuu-kun…”

I looked at Enomoto-san.

Surely, saying something like this would disappoint her. But maybe that’s for the best. As Himari said, my relationship with Enomoto-san isn’t healthy. If the person she’s been thinking about for seven years says something so pathetic, Enomoto-san would… Hmm?

Enomoto-san tapped something into her phone, then clenched her fist.

“Got it. I’ll use this as reference for next time.”

“Way too positive.”

I’ve always wondered, what’s going on in this girl’s mind?

Himari took out a Yoghurppe carton from her bag and took a sip. She must’ve needed to cool down.

“…Yuu. I’m kinda creeped out.”

“No comment. I’m aware.”

I stabbed the crushed cake with a fork.

“By the way, what about you two?”

“Us?”

“Yeah, you were kinda awkward this morning…”

To be specific, Enomoto-san was completely ignoring Himari.

Then, for some reason, Enomoto-san reacted.

“Ah.”

She covered her mouth in a panic and quickly moved away from Himari. She sat up straight and looked away.

…Eh? Is she trying to ignore her? But you’ve been texting back and forth all day…

“Enomoto-san. This is kinda forced, don’t you think?”

“…Sigh. I forgot.”

She quickly gave up and explained.

“I was ignoring Hii-chan.”

“What? First I’ve heard of it.”

“Since the day before yesterday.”

“That’s short.”

This level of intensity.

And she forgot about it the moment the study session moved to my house. What’s with the two-week cold war between me and Himari?

Enomoto-san pouted and said,

“Hii-chan. You said you’d support me, but then you tried to take Yuu-kun away.”

“Ugh…”

Himari faltered under Enomoto-san’s intense gaze.

“B-But, I didn’t expect Yuu to come along…”

“Well, that’s partly my fault too…”

Enomoto-san sighed softly.

“That’s a lie. Hii-chan, you knew Yuu-kun would stop you. Honestly, I’m not even sure if you were serious about going to Tokyo.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hii-chan. You’ve done this before. When your grandpa got mad, you’d pretend to run away and hide in the mansion. Your mom even called my house once asking if you were there.”

“…………”

Hey, Himari, don’t look away. Look at me.

Himari put on her most beautiful smile. She covered her mouth with her fists and struck a cute pose, complete with a wink.

“Nfufu~. But Yuu, because of that, we got to confirm our strong bond, right? What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, as they say. We’re set until we’re 30!”

“Eh, you think you can brush it off like that? Himari, aren’t you taking this too lightly?”

I was seriously scared, you know?

I’d already imagined being abandoned by Himari in Tokyo and dying alone.

The one who stopped the tension between me and Himari was Enomoto-san’s words.

“But I’m the one at fault here.”

It was such an unexpected statement.

As me and Himari stared in shock, Enomoto-san looked down. She clenched her hands on her lap and spoke awkwardly.

“Shii-kun told me. ‘Complain after you’ve done your best to be number one.’ Hii-chan spent two years becoming Yuu-kun’s number one. It’s wrong for me, who hasn’t done anything, to think I can take that place. He said those who leave everything to others deserve to have the rug pulled out from under them.”

“…………”

I couldn’t say anything.

It’s not Enomoto-san’s fault. This is just me and Himari selfishly clashing. Enomoto-san got caught up in it.

The one at fault is me, not Himari or Enomoto-san. I’m not good enough to deserve such pure feelings.

So hearing Enomoto-san blame herself hurts. It’s my selfishness that caused this. I’d rather she called me the villain.

That’s something I absolutely have to say here.

“Um, Enomoto-san. It’s weird for me to say this, but you’re definitely not…”

Just as I was about to speak, Enomoto-san declared with great determination.

“So, I’ll become Yuu-kun and Hii-chan’s number one.”

A moment of silence.

After processing her words, a strange sound came out of my mouth.

“…Huh?”

Me and Himari spoke in unison.

In contrast to our stunned reactions, Enomoto-san’s eyes burned with determination.

“If I can make Yuu-kun like me the most and be Hii-chan’s best friend—everything will be okay, right?”

“…………”

“…………”

This girl is scary! Her mental strength is insane!

So she’s saying, “I feel bad for breaking up Yuu and Himari, so I’ll just make both of them mine,” right? Who even thinks like that? If she were born in a different era, she’d be a famous warlord in history textbooks.

“Um, Enomoto-san?”

“It’s fine. I’ve been thinking about this since what happened. It’s only natural to respect Hii-chan’s efforts as Yuu-kun’s model, and I should continue to do so.”

“Enomoto-san? Wait, listen? Can you stop for a second?”

“To do my best for Yuu-kun, doing the same things won’t work. So, I’ll work behind the scenes. That way, Hii-chan can focus on modeling, and I can help Yuu-kun with his accessories more, right?”

“Y-Yeah. That’s a good idea, but…”

“Yay! And this division of roles works for me too. I’m in the brass band club, so working behind the scenes fits my schedule better. Plus, if I learn about online orders and shipping, it’ll help our family’s shop too!”

“I-I see. If it helps Enomoto-san too, then that’s good…”

“Ah, but I get it. You’d be worried if I suddenly said, ‘Leave it to me,’ right?”

“Worried? Well, more like…”

“Enomoto-san? Are you listening?”

Enomoto-san ignored me and reached into her bag.

She pulled out a notebook. It was filled with detailed records of her family’s pastry shop’s profits. She also held up her midterm answer sheet.

“I keep the household accounts, and I’m second in the grade!”

She’s really emphasizing that.

Losing to Makishima must’ve been a shock. Well, if it was just one question, it’s understandable. …By the way, she’s pretending it’s no big deal, but she’s pretty competitive, huh?

I exchanged a glance with Himari.

She looked tired, sipping her Yoghurppe. “Once she’s like this, Enocchi won’t listen,” her expression seemed to say.

Then, we both nodded.

I bowed deeply to Enomoto-san.

“T-Then, please take care of us.”

“Yeah. I’ll do my best!”

…I don’t really get it, but if Enomoto-san says it’s fine, then it’s fine.

With my approval, a fiery aura burned behind Enomoto-san.

“So, first, I’ll make a good impression at this study session.”

“Uh, specifically…?”

She smiled coolly and pulled out a small frying pan and spatula from her bag. …That bag, what doesn’t it have? How much can it hold?

“Yuu-kun. Look forward to dinner tonight.”

“Really? Awesome!”

But honestly, I’m really happy about that.

Mom’s on a business trip, and Saku-neesan’s on night shift. Neither me nor Himari can cook, so I thought we’d be having takeout or convenience store bento tonight.

Enomoto-san picked up her bag… Wait, a bunch of tulle is spilling out.

“Ah, I forgot. Yuu-kun, the cat!”

…Now that I think about it, she said she wanted to play with our cat last time.

“She’s probably sleeping behind the TV downstairs.”

“Then I’ll look for her while cooking!”

She left the room, the sound of her slippers fading away.

Shortly after, I heard our white cat, Daifuku, let out a pitiful “Nyaaa!” …I think it’s better not to know why she sounded so distressed.

Himari sighed and poked at her Yoghurppe carton.

“Wow. Enocchi’s amazing.”

“Yeah…”

She elbowed me.

“Nfufu~. Yuu, you’ve caught the eye of a dangerous woman, huh?”

“Don’t say it like that. Enomoto-san is just sincerely supporting me.”

The Yoghurppe carton made a slurping sound.

Himari folded it and placed it on the table.

“Well, while Enocchi’s preparing dinner… Let’s do something fun, Yuu.”

“Eh?”

Suddenly, Himari placed her hands on my shoulders.

Then, she leaned in close. Even as I tried to back away, she held my neck with both arms. …Eh? What’s this all of a sudden?

“Nfufu~. No need to be so surprised. If you’re not dating Enocchi, there’s nothing to feel guilty about, right…?”

“It’s not about whether I’m dating Enomoto-san or not…”

As I said that, Himari’s face got closer.

My body stiffened, and my heart skipped a beat. Himari seemed pleased with my reaction. She stroked my cheek and licked her lips.

Then, she whispered in my ear.

“I won’t let you sleep tonight.”

“H-Himari…”

…I said that, but I already knew what was coming. We locked eyes and shared a meaningful smile.

What Himari showed me was… Hibari-san’s problem sets.

“Let’s study♡”

“Was that whole act necessary?”

“Well~. Enocchi’s all lovey-dovey with Yuu, so I thought I’d join in~”

“Join in? What kind of logic is that?”

…Well, it feels like things are back to normal, I guess.

It’s almost 7 PM. …No way I’m getting to bed tonight.

♢♢♢

Midnight.

We worked until the last minute, and then I saw Enocchi off from Yuu’s house.

Enocchi really came prepared to stay over. I managed to convince her to leave, saying we’d continue at my place tomorrow.

My brother drove Enocchi home. Her mom was busy with preparations for tomorrow, so I contacted her from our side.

“Bye, Hii-chan.”

“Ah, yeah. See you tomorrow…”

Enocchi left like it was nothing. …What even was the whole ignoring thing from this morning?

On the way home, my brother kept grumbling.

“To think I’d have to let an Enomoto into my car… This is a lifelong disgrace!!”

“Brother. You’re still going on about that…”

“Of course! Why did I have to drive her? I should’ve called a taxi.”

“She’s coming to our place tomorrow. It’s good to get used to it, right?”

“Look at my arm. I’ve been breaking out in hives since earlier!”

I sighed. My brother’s always like this when it comes to Enomoto’s sister.

“But, Brother, I heard you still meet with Enomoto-senpai?”

“…Sakura-kun, huh? That girl’s always been too talkative.”

Huh. So it’s true.

I was skeptical when Sakura-san mentioned it, but I’m kinda surprised.

“Hey, hey. Could it be… you still have feelings for her?”

“No. We just happen to meet when our old friend group gets together.”

“Eh~? Brother, you’re not the type to go along with that. Do you still have lingering feelings~?”

“…………”

At a red light, my brother flicked my forehead.

“Ow!”

“Worry about yourself. Do you even realize what you’re doing by bringing Enomoto’s sister into your group?”

…Muu.

I rubbed my forehead and pouted.

“What else can I do? She’s so straightforward, calling me her friend.”

Honestly, I feel terrible about what I did.

I tried to steal away the person she’d been in love with for seven years, even though I’d only been with Yuu for two years. And after saying I’d support her, I turned my back on her the moment my feelings changed.

…I’m the worst. I acted like I was fine when Enocchi sent me that LINE message saying she wouldn’t talk to me anymore, but I couldn’t sleep that night.

(Why did it have to be Enocchi of all people…)

As I stared out the window, my brother chuckled.

“So even you can’t be a complete devil, huh?”

“…Sorry for being immature.”

You too, I thought, but didn’t say. I didn’t want to provoke him further.

“Himari. To be honest, I deeply… no, I truly think I should disown you and throw you out on the street for your foolishness this time.”

“Eh? You’re kidding, right? You wouldn’t, right?”

“…………”

“Brother!?”

Ah, wait! Don’t pull over on this empty street!

As I tried to escape to the back seat, my brother grabbed me firmly with his right arm. Hey, my skirt! My skirt’s riding up!

“Well, that was a joke. But I’ve reflected on my mistakes too. …I misjudged your ability to stay calm.”

“Ugh…”

I returned to the passenger seat, and my brother spoke seriously.

“Himari. I’ve already scolded you enough yesterday, so I won’t bring it up again. But it’s important to align our future plans, don’t you think?”

“Future plans?”

“Yes. …Our promise to support Yuu-kun’s dream together.”

I hurriedly denied it.

“B-But, I can handle that myself…”

“No, you can’t. The fact that you’re so easily swayed by Enomoto’s sister proves you’re unreliable.”

“I-I’ll do my best…”

“Trying your best isn’t enough when someone else’s life is at stake. Don’t you think it’s unethical to gamble Yuu-kun’s future on a method you’re not sure about?”

I fell silent.

My brother’s words were always right. There’s no way to counter his logic… unless I had an even stronger argument.

But I didn’t have one.

“…Are you saying I should stop supporting Yuu?”

“It’s too early for that. Doing so now would only burden Yuu-kun emotionally. It’d be counterproductive to his accessory-making.”

“Ah, right…”

It’s all for Yuu’s sake, huh?

Well, I knew that. But in moments like this, I really feel like my brother likes Yuu more than me.

“If you feel sorry for deceiving me, show me your sincerity.”

“Sincerity? What do you mean?”

Is it different from “Support Yuu’s flower accessory shop for life”?

“The problem that came to light this time… the power imbalance between you and Yuu-kun, despite calling yourselves best friends. Do you understand?”

“Eh, really? I’ve been working hard too, promoting Yuu’s accessories…”

My brother honked the horn.

That wasn’t it. He let out a huge sigh.

“That’s just about the business goal of opening a flower accessory shop. I’m talking about basic human decency.”

“Wh-What do you mean…?”

“Sigh. You’re quick-witted but so clueless. …If you make the wrong choice, Yuu-kun will have to bear the responsibility and give up on his dream. You just learned that, didn’t you?”

“Ugh…”

It’s about the time I said I was going to Tokyo.

I used a very sneaky method to make Yuu apologize… and as a result, I pushed him into a situation where he had to stop making accessories.

The downside of our fateful partnership had shown itself.

“Your无敌 begging is a double-edged sword if used wrongly. If Yuu-kun gives up on making accessories, you’ll be the one most affected. Don’t forget that.”

“Yes. You’re absolutely right…”

“This time, both you and Yuu-kun crossed the line between business and personal matters. Of course, Yuu-kun is also at fault. But because you misjudged the power balance and acted on your emotions, Yuu-kun now bears more than half the responsibility and burden.”

He glanced at my neck.

The ring on my choker, Yuu’s masterpiece… “Best Friends.”

Yuu worked tirelessly for two weeks to make this. He gave up everything else to show me he’d let me go to Tokyo.

…Even the first love he’d held onto for seven years.

But I haven’t done anything. I haven’t paid anything. I just got my usual selfishness indulged.

“One result of that is this unnecessary retest. Understand? You call yourself his best friend, but in reality, you’re holding him back. If you can’t help each other grow, it’s better to dissolve your partnership. That’s why I’m giving you a new task to become Yuu-kun’s true ‘best friend.’”

He glared at me.

“Any objections?”

“No…”

My brother cleared his throat.

I braced myself, and he presented the task.

“From now on, don’t lie to Yuu-kun.”

“…Don’t lie?”

I thought about it and nodded.

It’s true that there’s a power imbalance between me and Yuu. That’s because I’m a liar, and Yuu’s too honest. The power dynamic is one-sided.

…The reason this whole thing escalated was because I lied to Yuu about going to Tokyo. If I misuse my power, things like this happen.

“This task is also to correct your bad habits. You always ensure an escape route instead of a path to success. Unless you fix that, you’ll never be equal to Yuu-kun… or even beat Enomoto’s sister.”

“…………”

I understand.

I always leave a “just in case” option with Yuu. That’s the key difference between me and Enocchi. I was shown that clearly today.

…Who would’ve thought she’d already confessed? And three… no, four times? It’s like a joke, but it’s not funny at all. How can both of them act so normal about it?

Two months ago, when I asked, “You’ve dated guys before, right?” she was so shy. “Enocchi’s so reserved,” I thought, taking it easy. That was a mistake.

My brother finally ruffled my hair and said,

“Show me your resolve. If you do, I’ll forgive you for deceiving me.”

“…What if I fail the task?”

Would I get an even worse scolding than yesterday…?

As I trembled, my brother smirked triumphantly.

“You’ll be removed from your current position. You’ll spend the rest of your life watching me and Yuu-kun run a flower accessory shop together, grinding your teeth in frustration!”

“Ahh! Brother, you’re the worst! Devil! Monster!!”

“Hahaha! Fool! There’s no rule saying you have to support Yuu-kun’s dream. If you’re unfit, I’ll adopt Yuu-kun into the Inuzuka family! Then your first love will be over!”

“Grrrr…!”

My brother’s personality is the worst.

Ah, but that means Yuu and I could live together risk-free, right? In a way, it’s not a bad deal for me… Ugh, that’s exactly what’s wrong with me!

(…The ‘front-row seat’ next to Yuu is the only one that matters to me.)

I slapped both my cheeks hard.

“Understood. I’ll do the task.”

I nodded firmly.

My brother smiled gently.

“Well, Himari. You must be tired from helping Yuu-kun study today. Depending on Sunday’s mock test results, you’ve done well for now.”

“Ah, thank you…?”

“Hahaha. Don’t be so stiff. The lecture’s over. …Ah, right. Let’s stop by the convenience store for something sweet before heading home.”

“Eh? At this hour?”

“Today’s study session falling apart is my fault for not accepting Enomoto’s sister. You made up for it, so you deserve a treat.”

Besides… my brother shrugged.

“Himari. You need to put on a bit more fat if you want to compete with Enomoto’s sister.”

“…Brother, you think so too?”

“In the GW Instagram photos, she was wearing an apron, so it wasn’t as noticeable. But in person, it’s overwhelming. I’m not into 3D breasts, but Yuu-kun’s inexperienced. If she seriously turns on the charm, his self-control will vanish like a leaf in the wind.”

“Ah, I get it~”

We laughed together.

My brother’s usually strict, but he makes jokes like this sometimes. It’s the Inuzuka family DNA, I guess. …Probably to keep me from getting too nervous.

We headed to the convenience store in a relaxed mood. There’s a FamilyMart on this road. I love their broth-less tantanmen. It’s high in calories, but I’m starving, and my brother gave permission, so it’s fine!

We arrived at FamilyMart. The car parked in the lot.

Before getting out, I asked something that had been on my mind.

“Ah, Brother. By the way…”

“What is it, Himari?”

“About the ‘don’t lie’ thing… where’s the line?”

—The temperature in the car dropped instantly.

Huh? Did he turn on the AC?

But the engine’s off, right?

“…Heh, heh, HAHAHA!”

My brother, who was about to get out of the car, turned to me with a laugh.

His smile was completely different from three seconds ago. To be specific, it was the same as when he scolded me last night. …No, it’s even colder now.

He grabbed my head like an eagle snatching prey.

The pressure was overwhelming, like he was squeezing a rugby ball. A pitiful scream escaped my lips! Enocchi’s iron claw feels like child’s play compared to this!

Then, in a voice that seemed to rise from the depths of the earth, my brother said:

“Himariiii. That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!! I just asked reflexively! I wasn’t trying to find a loophole or anything!!”

I apologized profusely. If my brother gets serious, my head would be crushed in an instant!

“Those unconscious remarks are what rob Yuu-kun of his peace of mind! You, of all people, should know how abnormally sensitive he is!!”

“Yes! I understand! To become Yuu’s equal as a best friend, I’ll be honest from now on!!”

Late at night, in the convenience store parking lot, I prostrated myself. In the end, the broth-less tantanmen was a no-go.

…Well, it’s better than being tied up in the shed. Teehee☆