Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

OreShura: Volume 5 Chapter 4

2014-03-21T09:58:58Z

107.3.152.253: /* #4: #4: Masuzu, Hunting the Lovestruck */

[[File:Oreshura v05 172.jpg|thumbnail]]
<div style="background-color:#EEEEEE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Queen of Self-Performing】'''Natsukawa Masuzu

Max: LV. 60

Attack: 5000

Defense: 1

Special: Read Chuuni Notebook Aloud

♥ Profile ♥

｢When you write my name, Masuzu, it really is truly refreshing. Hehehe...｣<ref>Masuzu's name (真涼): 真 means "true", 涼 means "refreshing".</ref>

♥ Love Level UP ♥

｢I'll forgive youu｣.

♥ Love Level MAX ♥

｢For each time you talk to another girl, I'll stab you that many times｣.
</div>

==#4: #4: Masuzu, Hunting the Lovestruck ==
[[File:Oreshura v05 173.jpg|thumbnail]]


It was a certain morning just a short period of time before the end of summer vacation.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【From】''' oraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraora@xxxx.mail.ne.jp

'''【Subject】''' Morn'g, Ora-Masuzu!
</div>

Crap......

Even though it was a text message from my girlfriend, just looking at the subject alone made me to want to trash it!

However, I reluctantly opened the message because the consequences of ignoring it would have been more terrifying.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
【Message】 We are going on a 《 Hunt 》. Please make preparations.
</div>

What ''hunt''? After I sent my response, I received another message.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Subject】''' Oh my oh my

'''【Message】''' It's of course a 《 Hunt on the Lovestruck 》.
</div>

"......"

I could smell the scent of danger from that response.

It looks like this girl was finally going to stain her hands with a criminal act. Was she planning to go about massacring couples indiscriminately?

''I won't go along with it if it's something dangerous''—I replied—

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Subject】''' Rest assured

'''【Message】''' We won't be breaking the law. Just barely though.
</div>

"Which one is it!?"

With a hint of gloominess in my voice, I threw a remark at the text message. State clearly whether you are actually crossing the line or not!

As I was thinking about how to reply, another message came before I could do anything.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Subject】''' Please

'''【Message】''' I need your strength to defeat the lovestruck.

Holy Dragon Knight of Dawn 《 Burning Fighting Fighter 》.

Lend me the strength of your light.
</div>

She suddenly said something that Hime would say.

Since the direct attack didn't work, she went for a back-sided assault, huh? That probably showed how much she wanted me to go with her on this 「Lovestruck Hunt」.

Well, whichever way it was, I couldn't go against the will of my great "Girlfriend". And, she did say something pretty scary while we were arguing with Hime's big sister. I was originally planning to go study in the local library, but it seemed like I needed to change my plans.

"Besides......"

Regarding the matter where I was kissed by Chiwa during our summer training camp, Masuzu had yet to cross-examine me on that—I wondered what she really thought about it.

I really couldn't predict what kind of actions she would take.

That was why I was worried.

"I just hope she doesn't go on a crazy rampage......"

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

Although we normally meet at the cafe in front of the station, today we decided to scrimp and chose a fast food restaurant instead. After all, we had used up quite a bit of our allowance at the training camp and whatnot. We had to be frugal.

However, that somehow turned out to be a bad idea—

"Woah."

As I looked at the crowd of people in the restaurant, not counting the line at the payment counter, I came to realize that I had erred in my judgement.

A 「Masuzu doughnut phenomenon」 had occurred.

What was the 'Masuzu doughnut phenomenon'? It was a way of describing how people put a 「strange distance」 away from the gorgeous looking yet seemingly hard-to-approach Masuzu, and form a circle around her. A white space had cleared a three-meter radius away from Masuzu, resembling the 'hole' of a doughnut, which was what led to the coining of that term. By moi.

"She's cute." "Beautiful." "Go talk to her." "No way, you go." I pushed through the crowd of curious onlookers and stepped into the hole of the doughnut.

"Eita, aren't you late?"

Masuzu, who was sitting uncomfortably, looked up at me with a sign of apparent relief.

Her hairstyle was different from usual.

Her trademark silver hair was tied with a white ribbon at the back. Masuzu, who normally appeared to be older, looked more like a high school girl. Her current hairstyle probably made her look younger.

Her outfit, also different from usual, was made up of a sleeveless one-piece dress and a pair of red mules. Usually preferring something comfortable, it was rare for Masuzu to wear something that revealed her shoulders and thighs in such an alluring way. I wonder what kind of change had come over her.

"Anyway, let's get out of here."

"Roger."

Masuzu stood up, and as if losing her sense, she entwined her arm around mine.

A murmuring of sighs arose from around us, and looks of resentment from the guys locked on to me.

"What are you up to?"

"Let's just get out of here. There are too many onlookers here."

Dragged by Masuzu by the arm, we exited the restaurant.

After walking for a while in the opposite direction of the ticket barriers of the station, we sat down on a bench along the riverbank by the roadside trees.

"We can talk more leisurely here."

"Yeah—But before that."

Masuzu, who was sitting beside me, suddenly brought her face close to me,

"Isn't there something you ought to tell me after seeing my appearance today?"

On saying that, she bent her body, and her largely open bosom was almost visible, aah, the base of her white bulges arrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

"W-well, nothing actually?"

I averted my gaze and coughed.

"Fuhn. Even when my Jojo-cute charm was making you so lightheaded."

"It didn't though. And what's Jojo-cute, aren't you being too liberal with your Japanese?"

"......dummy."

Masuzu pouted with a hint of boredom.

"More importantly, what's up with that text message, about the 『Hunt on the Lovestruck』?"

"Yeah. First, look at this."

Masuzu took out a magazine from her tote bag, flipped to a page which was tagged and showed it to me.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''''Special Feature: Take This Chance ♥ Hanenoyama Town's {{Furigana|Roadside-Kiss|Rojou-Chuu|0.9em|color2=#2222BB|margin=12|spacing=2px}} Spots!'''''
</div>

"What's this? They even do features on good {{Furigana|roadside parking|Rojou-Chuusha|0.9em|color2=#2222BB|margin=12}} spots?"

I initially thought this was from some antisocial magazine, but it actually turned out to be from 「Hanenoyama Walker」, a normal magazine covering information about the town.

"{{Furigana|Roadside-Kiss|Rojou-Chuu|0.9em|color2=#2222BB|margin=12|spacing=2px}} is short for 'Kissing by the Roadside'. In other words, it's referring to outdoor spots where you can kiss."

"Huuh......? Why would people kiss outside? Is that to show off to others?"

"It's to tell others that, the man who steals my red lips in front of others, lays bare his virginity."

"Wha, idiot... it's just that kind of event so it can't be helped right!"

And, it has nothing to do with virginity!

He doesn't lay it bare, don't be so disrespectful to the boyfriend hey you!

"It just means that, doesn't it? It's because it's more wild and hot to have others watch."

"I see. A beast huh."

There really were such terrible people. Did the morals of the folks in Hanenoyama town fall so much?

"As people who have a good amount of pride in our anti-love views, we can't allow such loose people to continue their atrocities. That's why Eita, you shall disrupt them."

"Me!?"

You do it! Why are you making others do your dirty work?

"Just kidding. Let's shake hands and hunt together, shall we?"

"......"

At any rate, it was decided that I would be involved.

"I get what you mean. But how? I don't want to commit a crime."

"It'll be fine. We are just going to point our fingers and laugh at them. 'Oh my, these guys are kissing. How shameless!'. Even the lovestruck ones will be embarrassed and run away."

"......sounds like what elementary kids would do......"

I kind of felt that it would be just as embarrassing for us though.

"Well, if you die, I'll be with you."

"I don't want to die."

"Now, L-E-T-'S H-U-N-T! Otherwise, K-I-L-L Y-O-U!"

"I don't want to die, I said!?"

As she uttered her strange English (even though she had come back from a foreign country), Masuzu stood up and walked briskly.

For a moment, I was thinking of going home—but then I thought about the nightmares that I would have as the "boyfriend" if I saw Masuzu's name decorating the headlines of the news tomorrow.

In order to prevent her from losing her head and staining her hands from a criminal act, I had no choice but to follow along to keep an eye on her......

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

And so.

We came to the junction west of Hanenoyama Elementary School, one of the 「Roadside Kiss Spots」 as listed in the magazine.

Masuzu pointed to the stairs of a pedestrian bridge,

"It's likely that a crime will take place on top of that."

It was a place that hardly any people passed through, apart from elementary students commuting to school in the morning. But it was not totally nil, as there were times when a housewife buying things from a nearby supermarket would walk by. It seemed like a place where one could experience the thrill of 'being seen'.

"So, how do we stake this place out?"

"Yeah......"

Masuzu looked around, and then pointed at a sign, which was in the shape of a policeman beside the bridge.

"We shall hide behind that, and wait for foolish couples. When they start climbing the bridge, we will secretly follow behind. When they kiss, we'll cry 'Shameless'."

"......"

No matter how I looked at it, it was pretty childish.

Besides, the sign was a little too small for the both of us to completely hide ourselves behind it.

"Hey Eita, stick closer to me."

"Nah, it's fine. It's uncomfortably hot."

Masuzu glared at me with displeasure when I kept my distance,

"This is a hunting ground you know? It's either kill or be killed. Hot or cold aside, what if we get seen by our prey?"

She said it unsparingly.

I had no choice but to comply with Masuzu's wishes, however—

"......?"

Hnn?

Why was her face so red?

Her fists were clenched.

Her feet were fidgety. It wasn't like Masuzu to be so unsettled.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Masuzu tried to act normal.

But it was weird.

Just now, we were just sticking shoulder to shoulder, but before I knew it, she was leaning against me, clinging on to me.

Additionally, her head rested on my shoulder, and her eyes were closed, absorbed.

Her head slid down and slowly got closer to my chest.

"Our prey's not coming."

"......yeah."

Masuzu gave a small sigh. Her silver ponytail dangled before my eyes.

I frantically tried to change the topic to calm my thumping heart.

"Ah, but, you know. Speaking of pedestrian bridge, it reminds me. The summer vacation special episode of 'Punishment Extreme'<ref>'''Maguke (Punishment Extreme):''' A fictional TV show mentioned in earlier volumes<br/><br/></ref>."

"...... mo-nyo."

"How Yasu-san managed to persuade the perpetrator who was going to jump off the pedestrian bridge with his tears! That heated scene really kept me on my chair. Although, I think he would have been alright if he just opened his parachute."

"Mo-nyo, mo-nyo."


"Although despising crimes and not the people is just one of the many themes of 『Maguke』, this episode really emphasized that to the fullest. You could say it was one of the strongest plots this year, right?"

"Mo-nyo—"

"—Hey, hold on a second!"

I grabbed Masuzu's shoulders as she was repeatedly rubbing her face against my chest.

"What in the world have you been doing!"

Masuzu immediately straightened herself up and sternly collected herself.

"I was concentrating my five senses to their utmost limits, attempting to detect the ｢spiritual energy｣ of the lovestruck."

"You're lying. You were totally saying things like ｢Mo-nyo｣."

"Yes, I was practicing my shouts for using Ripple Powers.<ref>Ripple is a JOJO reference, previously alluded to a lot in the series.</ref>"

"Why are you practicing using Ripple!? Where do you see zombies!? <ref>Zombies are a kind of subordinate of Dio, a major antagonist in JOJO</ref>

"Also the more I train, the better the color changes." <ref>Don't know what this is a reference to.</ref>

"Why are you mixing up your references!?"

Anyhow, I better keep my distance from Masuzu. Besides, there was a heatwave today in the 30's<ref>30'C = 86'F</ref>, so it was so hot it was unbearable.

Masuzu looked grumpy and she mumbled things like, ｢But I'm your girlfriend... But I'm your girlfriend... But I'm your girlfriend｣. Did she actually forget the goal that we started out with?

Honestly...

It's so exhausting to have a ｢girlfriend｣ with Jojo-cute charm.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

About two hours later—

We continued our unproductive stake-out, but there was not a sign of any 「Roadside Kiss」 couple.

By the way, we did legitimately see a roadside ''parked'' car, but ten minutes later a police car came and gave it a parking ticket. While it's there, can't the police take a detour and stop this annoying girl beside me?

"We weren't able to HUNT in the end."

"Yeah…"

We sighed under the light of setting sun as we bought juice from the vending machines next to the pedestrian bridge.

"But isn't that a good thing? It means our town hasn't completely abandoned morals yet."

"No that's not enough. How is it okay if we didn't accomplish the original goals we started out with? What will happen to our self-respect as Anti-Love (lol) individuals?"

"Did you just add a (lol) to the end of that? Really? Really?"

This girl really was contradicting herself. I couldn't make any sense of it.


"So what are we going to do? Come back another day?"

"No."

Masuzu definitively shook her head back and forth.

"Instead, we'll perform roadside kiss."

………………………………………………………………………Huh?

"Huh? What did you say? Come again?"

"Perform roadside kiss."

"With who?"

"...M-Me and you."

"Huh?"

Masuzu spoke very loudly:

"Natsukawa Masuzu and Kidou Eita w-will, on top of the pedestrian bridge… kiss!"

"..."

What kind of junk was this girl saying with her entire face blushing red…?

"Wait, why?"

"It'd be too boring if we left without witnessing any roadside kisses. It'd be stupid."

"So?"

"S-So at the very least—we'll be the ones to kiss to warm up the stage."

"..."

Honestly—

Honestly. Honestly. This really was Jien-Otsu!

"No thanks. I'm going home. Bye."

I tossed my empty can of Coca Cola into the trashcan and took a step forward.

Masuzu chased after me and walked by my side:

"But you even kissed with ''her''."

She glared at me with eyes that looked like they were staring at her enemy… but why was she hugging onto my arm so tightly? Honestly, her actions didn't match with her words today at all.

"That wasn't on the roadside, and she was the one who initiated it. Did you see it?"

"I saw it alright. You're entire existence is so perverted, it's obscene. Before you know it, you'll get pregnant."

"No way you s-stupid—idiot!"

We fought like little kids on the way home.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

Three days passed without any messages from Masuzu.

I was happy to be studying without any disturbances, but when I thought about how she'd retaliate once the new school semester starts, I started to feel depressed—

Just when I was eating cold soba for lunch at home, I received a text message, sweeping away all the feelings of happiness and depression.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【From】'''oraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraoraxxxx.mail.ne.jp

'''【Subject】''' Mo-nyo

'''【Message】'''Mo-nyo—?

Mo-nyo mo-nyo, mo-nyo! Mo-nyooo. Mo-nyo—

Mo-nyo mo-nyo! Mo-nyuuu, Mo-mo-nyo!
</div>

"...She's…"

She's finally...

She's finally broken!

Ever since the club trip, I felt like she's been out of control. But I had no idea that she had worsened to this extent. I profoundly felt the weight of responsibility as her ｢boyfriend｣.

Just as I was contemplating whether I should match her enthusiasm and respond with ｢Mo-nyo~?｣, I received a follow-up message soon afterwards.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Subject】''' Apologies and a Correction

'''【Message】''' Earlier I sent a text message with many typos. Apologies for my lack of manners.

I am sending this again.

Would you like to go to karaoke with me later?

I look forward to your satisfactory response.
</div>

It was completely different from earlier, and the content was very serious.

How the hell could you make such a different a message from typos? It was way above the level to merely be considered a typo.

"That being said, karaoke…"

Such an unexpected invitation.

Did that girl like karaoke? But she didn't look like the type of person who liked singing.

When I thought about it carefully, Masuzu and I have been dating for three months. If you included the amount of time before we agreed to be a fake couple, it was barely five months. It wasn't strange for us not to know each other's interests.

"...No, wait a moment."

Perhaps her real plan was something like ｢Hunting the Lovestruck｣ from several days ago.

Karaoke was also a place people went for dates, and if we went in the afternoon during the summer, there would certainly be at least a few couples there. Don't tell me she planned to massacre those people…?

Just then that cursed text message ringtone sounded—

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Subject】''' Why?

'''【Message】''' Why did it take you 5 minutes, 38 seconds, and 03 (milliseconds) to type the three letters 「Y」「E」「S」?

Do you hate me?

If you do, say it clearly mo-nyo! Mo-nyo, mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.

Mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.

Mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.

Mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.

Mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.

Mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.

Mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo mo-nyo.
</div>

"........How terrifying!"

It was pretty ordinary for Masuzu to be terrifying, but this time I was struck with a different kind of terror.

So basically, the point was I had to respond with a YES? Why did she have to measure the time and send it back to me? How much ill did she have for her fake boyfriend? It simply didn't make sense!

…Ugh.

If I had responded NO this time, I couldn't imagine what kind of actions she would have taken.

It looked like arguing was not an option today, too.

"I'm beginning to feel like she's starting to turn into a very troubling little sister."

This was in contrast with Chiwa's declaration that she'd stop being a ｢family member｣.

Perhaps girlfriends tended to walk on opposite roads than childhood friends.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

Having learned my lesson from last time, today we met at the usual coffee shop.

I came a full five minutes earlier than our appointed time, but Masuzu was there already. Now that I thought about it, it was always like that. She's never arrived later than I did.

"What it is, Eita? Why don't you come and sit right here?"

Masuzu tilted her head sideways with a questioning look as she held a coffee cup.

Like usual, she was monopolizing all of the attention inside the shop. Including the male and female restaurant employees, there wasn't anyone who didn't steal glances at Masuzu from time to time.

However, today's stares were a different kind than usual.
[[File:Oreshura v05 195.jpg|thumbnail]]

"...Why are you wearing that kind of clothes?"

"Huh?"

Masuzu looked at me with a surprised expression and then glanced back at her own clothes.

"What's so weird about this outfit?"

"Well, you can't quite call it weird…"

It was a formal evening gown.

Not the fluffy and wavy type. Rather, it was a long dress with a sleek design. It bared her glossy shoulders and revealed a rather dangerous curves near her stomach. Quite incredibly, it carried an extremely graceful aura. Even the silver color of the dress was high-class, which shimmered with a dazzling brilliance even under the cheap lighting of the cafe. It was woven almost like real silver.

Though, Masuzu's silver hair was the most dazzling—

"...Hey, are you going to sit?"

Masuzu looked like she was hugging herself, her cheeks red.

Perhaps it was because I had unintentionally started staring at her.

"A-ahhh, sorry."

I shook my head substantially and sat opposite of Masuzu.

"Which party were you planning on attending, dressed up like that?"

"Ah, my goal is to be the number one warrior."

"Not a fighting party! <ref>They're homophones in japanese. They both sound like "butoukai".</ref> I'm talking about the dancing one! I'm asking if you're going to a ballroom party."

"What are you talking about? I said we're going to karaoke."

"..."

This didn't fit at all.

"No one wears evening gowns to karaoke."

"Why? I thought that since we're going to a public singing venue, this kind of attire should be expected."

Masuzu looked blank.

It looked like she wasn't deliberately acting stupid for once. Rather, she really didn't understand this time.

"Could it be that you've never gone to karaoke before?"

"Mh, you could say so."

"Is this very normal in the country you used to live in?"

"We didn't have a karaoke culture. Instead, when we entertained guests, we brought them to operas or concerts."

"I see."

Until three months ago, Masuzu's lived outside of Japan since she was nine years old.

Nine years old would be third grade, which was before the age most went to karaoke. Even I didn't go to karaoke until I was in fifth grade, when Chiwa's dad brought us for the first time.

"Do you know what the karaoke place is like?"

"Yes. It's a place where one is shut up in a private room with one's intimate lover, in which they pleasure themselves with drinks and food while publicly singing and sharing love."

"That's about righ—wait a second, what was that last thing? Sharing love?"

"Chestnuts three years, persimmons eight years."<ref>This proverb means that everything takes time before results can be had (presumably because those are the number of years before those trees bear fruit). The front half the proverb sounds the same as "sharing love".</ref>

"A proverb!?"

What kind of deceptive ideas were those? That being said, as someone who grew up outside of japan, how did she know something like that?


Anyways, it made me feel a little relieved now that I knew we weren't trying to ｢hunt the lovestruck｣ this time.

"But, what made you suddenly want to go to karaoke?"

When Masuzu heard this, she took out a ticket from her purse with a very pleased expression on her face. It was a discount voucher for a karaoke box a couple minutes away from here by walking.

"Woah, a 30% discount? Not bad."

"Right? This was with a flier in the paper this morning, so I figured we'd just go."

That was such a commoner's way of thinking, it clashed with the outfit she was currently wearing at MAX levels.

"Yeah, after all, seventy percent is pretty good for a high school student—"

"...That's not the point…"

I ignored Masuzu who continued to whisper things, and started moving forward.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

The front desk of the karaoke store had a lot of students.

Middle school students, high school students, and college students filled the place with a mood like they wanted to have fun straight until the end of summer and reality flushes everything out. It was quite dangerous. For a elitist person like me, I was afraid of suffocating from it.


"We'll have to wait an hour for an empty room. Want to go somewhere else?"

"Nah, we rarely come anyways, so let's just wait."

There were a lot of people similarly waiting for empty rooms on the couches in the reception area.

Because of Masuzu's outfit, we tried to sit in a relatively inconspicuous corner, but—

"Hey? Is that Kidou-kun?"

"Natsukawa-san as well~ Hello!

The two people who called out to us were Sakagami-san and Akano Mei-san from our class.

Sakagami-san was the little brother of Sakagami-senpai who Chiwa once beat up during the ｢Popularity Fight｣.

Akano Mei-san was a girl who had many friends and good relationships with everyone. You could say she had a pretty close relationship with Chiwa.

"H-Heyyy, what a coincidence."

I quite awkwardly responded while I tried to confirm if there was anyone else with them. What was with these two? Were they dating? Wait, but friends also went to karaoke together too, right? I wasn't very familiar with what was the norm nowadays.

As for Masuzu, she quietly said ｢Hello｣ rather gloomily. Afterwards, she just lowered her head.

How strange.

Normally, Masuzu would switch to ｢interacting with strangers mode｣, give a perfect smile, and respond suavely and thoughtfully.

"Haha, it's quite a surprise—you two don't give the impression that you're the type for coming to this kind of place—"

"Hahaha, w-what kind of type is that? Isn't that rather impolite to the most famous couple in our school?"

Sakagami-san and Akano-san sat down on a nearby sofa and started chatting.

"Natsukawa-san's wearing such a beautiful dress—is that an evening gown?"

"It looks like the rumor that she's a rich ojou-sama is true—heey, how much did that outfit cost?"

"Aren't you an idiot!? You don't normally ask those things—"

"It doesn't hurt to just ask once—"

Sigh...

They seemed rather incompatible.

Why did it this conversation give vibes like they were ｢making cutting remarks about our flaws｣ ? It wasn't like they were bad people.

After a little while, Sakagami's name was broadcast over the intercom.

"Excuse us, but we'll be going in first—"

The two of them gave a small wave and disappeared into a room.

I gave a relieved sigh. However, Masuzu pinched the back of my hand quite forcefully.

"Ouch——————that hurts! Masuzu-san what the hell are you doing?!"

"Why were you watching that girl the whole time?"

Her eyes were inflamed as she peered at my face. How terrifying!

"What were you thinking? I was sitting right next to you! Don't tell me you think that girl is more beautiful."

"O-Of course I wasn't looking Akano-san the whole time! Sakagami-san was right next to her!"

"Huh? Sakagami-san was also there?"

".......You didn't notice?"

Masuzu nodded.

Sakagami-san was talking about her, and he even greeted Masuzu. Why didn't she notice?

Masuzu's expression was totally awful as she stared at me:

"Hey, tell me clearly. Is Akano Mei-san more beautiful than me? Hey!"

"...and if I say YES?"

"First, I'll stab out your eyes."

"There's more after that?!"

Even though the air conditioning was on, I had already started sweating.

I didn't have a choice. Looks like I had to tell the truth.

"M-Masuzu-san is more beautiful."

"By a significant margin?"

"Yes, by a significant margin…"

When Masuzu heard this, she suddenly became bashful and shy. She traced a 「の」on the sofa as she spoke:

"I h-hate it! Honestly Eita, don't say such lovestruck words."

"If you're going to be embarrassed, then don't ask me to say that from the start! Besides, you're the one who added the significant margin part yourself—!"

My shout was met by an echo that overlapped with my voice. At nearly the same time, my name had been called over the intercom.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

After we were led into a private room, we ordered drinks and snacks. Then, I sank deeply into the sofa.

"H-How exhausting…!"

I had no idea waiting for karaoke could be so tiring. Before we even started singing, I had been bombarded non-stop with maliciousness and my stomach hurt because of my ｢girlfriend's｣ jealousy.


As for Masuzu, she energetically fiddled with the buttons of the remote control while she sat next to me. It looked like they didn't use songbooks here. Everything was completely electronicized, so songs were input through the controller.

"How do you use this device?"

"Uh—can't you just randomly push it?"

"Like this?"

Masuzu spoke as she lightly used her finger to poke my left cheek.

"W-What the hell are you doing?"

"Well you said I could push it randomly."

"I said you could press the controller!"

Enough! Give it to me! I grabbed the the remote from her.

"I'll operate it. Tell me the name of a song."

Masuzu stared blankly when she heard this:

"Huh? Song? Who wants to sing?"

"You of course. Didn't you want to sing karaoke?"

"Yeah, but I was lying."

"Lying?!"

The astonishing fact had just been revealed.

W-What was the point for all of today's troublesome work...?

"What do you mean by you're lying!? I'd sue you regardless of the circumstances!"

Masuzu's tone was completely calm as she responded.

"If you want my honest reply, I didn't really want to ｢sing karaoke｣. Rather, I wanted to ｢go to karaoke｣."

"...?"

What did that mean? Wasn't that the same thing?

"If you go to a karaoke bar but don't sing karaoke, what else are you supposed to do?"

Well, I have heard of people using it as a conference room or as a hotel for staying the whole night. However, I didn't think think this girl would think of it for those kinds of applications.

"This well…"

Masuzu's articulate words stopped again and she leaned against me as she peered at my face.

Her expression was incomparably serious and tense.

How did that make sense…?

What did she so desperately want in a karaoke box that would make her act like this?

"Recently... I've… always…"

I could hear Masuzu's heart racing with her chest pressed so close. Like this, she'd also be able to hear my heart beat.

I held my breath as I waited for Masuzu to continue.

—Mo-nyo.

"...Huh?"

"Recently… I've… haven't been able to mo-nyo…"

I gazed into the depths of her blue eyes, trying to interpret the meaning of her words.

I asked her:

"Mo-nyo?"

Masuzu nodded.

"Mo-nyo."

I asked again:

"Mo-nyo?"

She nodded and said:

"Mo-nyo."

I flipped out:

"Mo-nyooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!"

What the hell was with this giiiiiiirlllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!?

Now I understood why that text message she sent was so terrifying!

All along, it was a ｢clinical deficiency of Mo-nyo｣! So basically that was her motive from the start?!

"The condition of my body falls apart if I don't perform mo-nyo at least once a week."

"No way!"

My body was the one that would fall apart like this!

"Because you never let me do it in the past, and since I thought you'd find it embarrassing, I lured you to private places where no one else would see us, Eita."

"Your existence seriously is such an annoyance for others!"

"...You won't let me do it?"

Masuzu gazed up at me with eyes like an abandoned puppy.

They were heartfelt eyes that appealed to a man's—no, more accurately, humanity's, conscience.

I felt extremely embarrassed and averted my eyes:

"That being said, why me? Aren't there others you can do it with?"

"How could there be anyone else?"

She returned the question.

"I don't have friends or lovers. I don't even have parents; the only thing I have… is my accomplice."

"...Masuzu…"

I stared at my ｢girlfriend｣ for a while.

Lively singing noises reverberated from other nearby rooms, and it made me feel empty as if I was living in another world. This was a space that only Masuzu and I shared. It was like we were drifting away in a separate dimension.

Ordinary high school students could be expected to talk about love, but for us it was impossible.

We could only make a shoddy and forged imitation.

"...I get it."

I sighed and spoke:

"I'll lend you my chest, so rub it however you like."

"Thank you."

Masuzu had an innocent and honest smile like a child.

Sigh...

Though it did seem to circulate a slightly serious aura.

But if all she wanted to do was ｢mo-nyo｣...

"Well, then I'll be helping myself."

"G-Go ahead."

"... ♪"

When I spread apart my arms and opened up my chest, Masuzu immediately buried her head inside with delight.

I held this soft tender body that pressed up against me.

The texture of her glossy dress fabric rustling against my shirt felt really good, but I could also feel the full weight of those two amply plump and swelling objects squeezing under there—but I didn't react. Masuzu was so carried away!

Accompanied with minute sighs, she repeatedly rubbed her face against my chest many times.

This was the so-called ｢mo-nyo｣.

I had no idea how it had gotten that name, but the instinctive feel for it was rather fitting.

Aah, even so, it was so soft...

"Here's your order of Oolong tea and Coca Cola. Sorry for the wait—"

In the split second after the waitress opened the door, Masuzu was the first to react.

Like a thunderbolt ignoring the limitations of speed, she sent me flying with shove and immediately picked up a remote. She spoke loudly, ｢I wonder what we should sing next, hehahaha｣.

However, I didn't lose to her. Although the momentum was ferocious enough to send me rolling on the ground, I immediately recovered myself and sat up.

"That's weird? The microphone? Where'd the microphone go?

"Excuse me, miss and mister?"

"MY NAME IS MIKE DAIVIS! Yeah! Hahaha!"

"...Excuse me…"

The waitress had been standing at the entrance carrying a plate of drinks the entire time.

"OH EITO-KUN, IT SEAMS LAIK THE DRINKS WHEE ORDERED CAME!"

"OH REALY, I DIDN'T NOTISE AT ALL HAHA."

We took the plate of drinks while acting like robots and watched the shocked waitress with a smile.

When the door closed, the two of us practically sighed at the same time.

"Looks like we barely passed that one."

"That was dangerous… if we were seen at a time like that, our names would have disgracefully gone down in history."

After all, since we had the self-esteem as anti-love individuals, we couldn't allow ourselves to be caught in an act that would be misunderstood as head-over-heels in love.

Masuzu took a gulp of Oolong tea.

"I feel quite disappointed."

"Was that mo-nyo enough?"

"Yes… although I feel quite dissatisfied, I'm about four fifths full."

"Does that even go to your stomach…?"

It gets absorbed after digestion into nutrients? What kind of digestive tract did this girl have?

"Well, let's sing karaoke normally for the rest of the time."

"Let's do that."

And just like that, we sang for the remainder of the time.

At first, Masuzu didn't want to sing because ｢she didn't know any songs｣, but after realizing there were nursery rhymes on the playlist, she slowly started to sing as well. It looks like she didn't actually hate singing.

"Hey, can you put ｢Inunoomawarisan｣ on next?" <ref>The song if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrqVkdGHJZs</ref>

"Wan wan wan wan?" <ref>Dog sound effects in Japan</ref>

"Wan wan wan wan ♪"

Woahh, Masuzu-san was just like an angel!

If she should cute always stay cute like this, it'd be great. Though, this probably wasn't something I should say to my ｢girlfriend｣. Could you consider this an impossible wish?

The happy hour flew by and soon it was time to return the private room. But we felt like we hadn't sung enough. Should we extend it? Leave? We discussed it between ourselves—

"Masuzu, I suddenly realized something."

"Hehe do you want to order something before we extend our time?"

"Not that… but don't you feel like we've almost become like normal lovers?"

We were sitting in a private room where there was no one else.

So basically there was no reason to go out of our way to act as a couple.

It was an ordinary date.

"..."

Masuzu was stunned, and she stared at me for a while.

She suddenly slapped the table with some force, causing the empty glasses to jump.

"H-How the heck did that happen?! Without realizing it, we actually became so… lovestruck!"

"But it was just you."

"We can't, Eita! This is just like… when you become a freak even though you're trying to fight freaks! While battling lovestruck beings like Harusaki-san and them all, we've unconsciously corroded."

"R-Really?"

I had only wanted to try saying what was on my mind, but I didn't realize Masuzu would take this kind of thing so seriously.

Masuzu cleverly stood up and returned the microphone and remote control on the battery charger.

"We better keep our distance for the being. The next time we meet will be in prison."

"Why?! Can't we meet again while we're free?!"

"Oh, my bad. The next time we meet will be at school."

How could you misspeak something like that?

That being said, there was only about a week left of vacation, so it made sense?

"Text messages are forbidden, and of course phone calls as well. Is that alright? Eita, even though I know you really want to hear my voice, you'll have to show restraint. Show some restraint, okay?"

"Okay…"

Ah—

Let's talk about her voice later, but I still kind of wanted to hear another nursery rhyme from Masuzu...

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

The next day after the karaoke incident—

The cursed text message ringtone that I wasn't supposed to hear until the next semester promptly rang in my room.

"What's going on…?"

I put down the english translation problems I currently working on and opened my cellphone.

I even thought it would be something urgent—

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 26-Aug 15:02

'''【Subject】''' A Special Exception

'''【Message】''' I figured you'd probably be lonely by now.

So in the few days until the next school semester, you can just keep re-reading this one text message and restrain yourself.
</div>

"What do you mean by, 'by now'? Hasn't only one day passed since yesterday?"

Furthermore, when I said goodbye to that girl yesterday, it was seven o'clock in the evening. So in other words, not even twenty four hours have passed. How was I supposed to be lonely?

I ignored the message and continued studying, but after a while the cursed melody beeped once again.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 15:33

'''【Subject】''' A Particularly Special Exception

'''【Message】''' I know Eita also has the innate drives of a young man.

This, I'm very understanding of.

I'm also a very lenient woman, so I've decided that was a very pitiable thing about you.
</div>

"...Huh? So?"

What was the point of this text message?

I couldn't understand what she was trying to express. All I could sense was an indescribable arrogant attitude.

Compared to this, this last few days before the end of the summer vacation was much more important. If you study and do your work well, this can have a major impact on your grades the next semester. Even if I was number one at Hane High, I wasn't impressive at all compared to everyone else who was applying for medical school. I had to study hard in order to make it.

But within twenty minutes, another message came.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 15:48

'''【Subject】''' Last Special Exception

'''【Message】''' You can stop being so hard on yourself.

You must be desperately thinking about seeing me like crazy.
</div>

"Huh? But I'm not?"

Besides, we'll meet each other in a couple days at school. Right now, I wanted to concentrate my mind on studying.

In the time it took for me to put down my cell phone and pick up my mechanical pencil, another one came.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 15:58

'''【Subject】''' Last Special Exception 2

'''【Message】''' How unfair...

Am I that unimportant to you?
</div>

"Arghhh, this girl so annoying!"

That was supposed to be the last one! If she doesn't understand she has the finish the things she starts, honestly it'll perpetually be in disarray!


Even with my emotions riled up like this, I still couldn't reply! I threw my phone onto my bed. At least wait for me to finish this problem set. Before that, I won't look.

My cellphone continuously received deadly cursed text messages, but I cold-heartedly ignored them all.

—About an hour later.

"Huff…"

Finally at the end of a set, I closed my notebook and relaxed the muscles in my shoulders.

"Let's take a look… how is Masuzu-san?"

I opened my mail inbox and found a whole string of consecutive text messages from my ｢girlfriend｣.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 16:07

'''【Subject】''' No more than three things

'''【Content】''' Be careful!

I might be under attack by an enemy Stand!<ref>Stand: JoJo reference</ref>
</div>

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 16:19

'''【Subject】''' Fourth Special Exception

'''【Message】''' Saaveeee me! There's a man I don't recognize in front of my apartment.

So scary…!
</div>

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 16:30

'''【Subject】''' Perhaps… a Fifth Time?

'''【Message】''' Now, can you see my face slightly in your mind's eye? (lol)
</div>

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 16:41

'''【Subject】''' You're making me angry

'''【Subject】''' Curse you curse you curse you curse you curse you curse you curse you curse you.
</div>

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 16:42

'''【Subject】''' I apologize

'''【Message】''' Sorry, I was lying earlier. Please forgive me.
</div>

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 16:58

'''【Subject】''' I SINCERELY WISH YOU HAPPINESS! <ref>In English</ref>

'''【Message】''' I've had enough. I don't care if you're like this.

As long as you happy with Harusaki-san or whoever, that's fine?

arriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarri

arriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarriarri

arriarriarrivederci! (Until we meet again) <ref>Italian for goodbye. It's also a reference to a catch phrase of a certain character in JOJO</ref>
</div>

"...Why does she seem happier than I imagined…?"

Even though her message was so upsetting, for some reason her texting seemed so indescribably full of energy?

Just then, the newest message arrived.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 17:20

'''【Subject】''' No subject

'''【Message】''' I'M IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE
</div>

"That's too sudden, isn't it?!"

Practically confirming the content of the text message, the electric doorbell of my house started buzzing non-stop like a monsoon.

Simultaneously, another message came.

<div style="background-color:#FEFEFE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">
'''【Date】''' 17:21

'''【Subject】''' OPEN THE DOOR! <ref>In English</ref>

'''【Subject】''' open open open open open

door door door door door

open open open open open

door door door door door
</div>

"Okay I get it, I'm coming! I'm opening the door now!"

I stretched my lungs and shouted with a voice that could even be heard from outside. Then I ran down the stairs and rushed for the door.

When I opened the door—

"You're so mean, Eita."

Tears were emerging from Natsukawa Masuzu's pale blue pupils. Her silhouette masked the overpowering glare of the setting sun as she stood outside the door.

"Didn't you say 'arrivederci'?"

"You're so mean."

"Didn't you say we weren't going to meet until the new semester?"

"You're so mean, so mean, so mean…"

Masuzu barely forced those words out with great difficulty. Then, she jumped into my open arms.

"Eita, remember this. I'm your girlfriend."

"I know."

"I'm a girlfriend that gives you headaches."

"Why do you think that is!?"

If you were aware of it yourself, then do something about it!

"Yes, I'm the type of girl who can't do anything if I don't have you. That's why—please don't look away from me right now, please."

"...ahhh."

I comforted Masuzu's back to calm her down, and I distinctly felt the changes in my ｢girlfriend｣.

Right now, this Masuzu couldn't tell the difference between real or fake. Ever since that time I confessed to her on that stage, she's gone out of control. The fake acting and real actions were too much to handle, and she couldn't tell them apart anymore.

As for me… it was the same.

Like right now, as I hugged Masuzu's body, if I wasn't careful, I'd mistake her as a real girlfriend.

...but, we were still fake merchandise.

If we wanted to become real, we still needed to settle everything about the Chuuni notebook and ｢Jien-Otsu｣.

But that was already impossible.

Chiwa, Hime, and Fuuyumi, as well as Kaoru, Mana, Saeko-san, and even those others at school were involved with us. Our lie was no longer just our own private problem. Until the day we graduate and everything resets, we could only maintain this lie.

Just then, Masuzu suddenly raised her head.

Still hugging me, her eyes were fixated upwards towards the left.

Upwards to the left was the second floor of the Harusaki's house.

Chiwa's room was on the second floor.

And beside the window—there was the shadow of Chiwa with her hair down.

"..."

"..."
[[File:Oreshura v05 219.jpg|thumbnail]]

Masuzu maintained her position hugging me.

Chiwa maintained her posture at the window, slightly leaning forward.

They didn't say a word to each other or have any changes in expression. They only met with their eyes.

Like this, I was frozen in between these two girls.

I was helpless.

No matter what I said, I'd be stepping on a landmine.

"Hahahahaha…"

Even if I didn't say anything, I still gave a morbid laugh.

Cold sweat started dripping.

Even my tears… I think I'm going to cry.

There's too much mayhem between my girlfriend and childhood friend!

<noinclude>

==Translator notes and references==
<references/>

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[OreShura: Volume 5 Chapter 3|#3]]
| Return to [[Ore_no_Kanojo_to_Osananajimi_ga_Shuraba_Sugiru|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[OreShura: Volume 5 Chapter 5|#5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

OreShura: Volume 5 Chapter 2

2014-03-06T09:35:15Z

107.3.152.253: /* #2: Ai, Discipline and Love is Difficult to Manage */

[[File:Oreshura v05 072.jpg|thumbnail]]
<div style="background-color:#EEEEEE;border:solid 2px grey;padding:15px;width:70%;">

【Cutepopular School Disciplinary Committee Member】Fuyuumi Ai

Max: LV. 50

Attack: 3700

Defense: 2000

Special: Go Outside for a Run

♥ Profile ♥

｢The discipline of this school will be upheld by me, who has a boyfriend!｣

♥ Love Level UP ♥

｢Ai-chan Mini-Victory ♪｣

♥ Profile ♥

｢Ai-chan Epic Victory! I'm going outside for a run ♪｣
</div>
==#2: Ai, Discipline and Love is Difficult to Manage==
[[File:Oreshura v05 073.jpg|thumbnail]]

It was lunch break at summer cram school.

Just when I disposed of my lunch at the cram school cafeteria—

"Hey, Ta-kun, when you are going to break up with that girl?"

Fuyuumi Ai asked this across from me while eating her bento, nearly causing me to drop my rice ball.

"...Huh?"

"What do you mean by, ｢Huh｣?"

"I didn't… ｢Huh｣?"

"Huh?"

As we meaninglessly exchanged repeated ｢Huh｣'s, Asoi Kaoru, who was sitting next to us, switched looking between the two of us.

"What's Eita and Ai-chan talking about?"

''Don't leave me out of this''—Kaoru patted my shoulder. What was with this guy? He's so cute.

"Last week during our club trip, Ta-kun stamped it!"

"Huh? What does 'stamp' mean?"

"This!"

Fuyuumi happily took out the ｢Marriage Registration Forum｣.

In the spot below the place where I had written my name in kindergarten, there was a red thumbprint. This was the place that my finger had accidentally touched when I was bleeding.

I already told this to Fuyuumi many times already, but—

"It's still best if we submit the application form after the two of us return from our high school graduation ceremony. Though, last night I was dreaming… no, I was considering if we submitted it a day earlier and announced our marriage to the entire school on the stage during graduation, that wouldn't be bad at all ♪"

She wasn't willing to listen to me at all, since she was entirely bent on her plan to get married immediately.

"It's great, Eita. I wish you happiness."

"Wait a second! Kaoru, why are you running so far away?!"

For some reason, my best friend had shifted to the seat farthest away on our table!

"Oh dear, I never expected there would be a wedding contract in this. This time, even I am shocked."

"I just said it was a misunderstanding! There's no way I can get married, right? This girl is just rambling things by herself!"

"Heyyy, Ta-kun, when are you going to break up with that girl?"

Fuyuumi Ai simply wasn't listening. She was apparently very adamant about her first question.

"By 'that girl', which girl are you referring to?"

"Natsukawa Masuzu. Even if you put Chiwa and Himecchi to the side for now, you'll at the very least need to dissolve your relationship with your girlfriend."

If you took the marriage part out, those words did actually have a little bit of sense.

Since my agreement with Masuzu was supposed to last until we graduated from high school, by the time that came, I needed to have an answer.

"Fine, I won't announce it right now. Until Ta-kun's made a decision, I'll protect the secret of our marriage."

"...ohh."

I gave a sigh of relief. I was actually worried that she'd start spreading this news everywhere. Fortunately, we've apparently avoided that bad outcome.

Kaoru returned to a nearby seat, and tilted his head out of incomprehension.

"But is that alright? If you announce your engagement, you'd even perhaps be a step ahead in the battle for Eita."

"Hehe! Ai-chan is a woman that knows how to wait, hm?"

Fuyuumi Ai had the look of an expert at love (no qualifications of having a boyfriend = age). What was up with this girls lovestruck brain?


Fuyuumi gingerly folded up the marriage contract, and put it back into her makeup bag.

After Kaoru finished his strawberry milk, he used his handkerchief to wipe his mouth.

[[File:Oreshura v05 077.jpg|thumbnail]]

"If that thing is so important to you, wouldn't it be better if you didn't carry it around with you?"

"Exactly. This obviously isn't the original copy."

The chopsticks clattered as they slipped from my hands.

"You photocopied it?"

"Yup! Only about a thousand copies."

"..."

The back of my shirt slowly started to become soaked with cold sweat.

"I photocopied it at the convenience store, but I actually forgot the original copy when I left. The cashier even went out of her way to chase after me."

The scene seemed to emerge in Fuyuumi's brain, and she was immersed in it.

"The cashier lady smiled at me and said, ｢You're so blessed!｣."

"Don't you think she might be laughing at you for some other reason—?!

Why was it like this...

Normally she was such a steadfast disciplinary committee member, but the moment this girl encountered love, she's become an idiot!

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

"Ta-kun, can you come see the president?"

Ai brought this up on the way back from cram school.

"Which president are you talking about?"

"Of course it's the president of the disciplinary committee."

The two of us were walking on a street by the shopping center arch near the cram school. Kaoru went home first because of prior engagements, so it was only the two of us.

Walking with Fuyuumi on the street wasn't as bad as it was with Masuzu, but we still gathered the envious glares of boys around us. In the very beginning, I hated it, but recently I've become more and more happy about it. This wasn't because I was basking in a sense of superiority. Rather, when I thought about how many people would flee once they realized there was a ｢Marriage Registration Form｣ involved, it made me feel pleased; I realized it was probably sadistic of myself to think that way.

"Does Ta-kun know the Hane High School disciplinary committee members much?"

"You could say so."

The members of the Hanenoyama Prefectural High School disciplinary committee wielded incredible power. Among the alumni, there were presidents of famous companies and politicians. They had unmatchable influence over our school. There's even a rumor that as long as one can become the president of the disciplinary committee, one can easily go to a local top-tier company and get hired.

I heard that the current president of the disciplinary committee was a rich third-year girl pampered by her father who was a county representative. I've only ever seen her at school assemblies, and I felt she was completely that kind of high-class person.

"Why do I have to meet such an intimidating person?"

"Before vacation, wasn't there that incident when the club was about to be shut down?"

"Yeah, after you brought up shutting down the club, you canceled it yourself in the very end."

That really was Jien-Otsu! <ref>'''Jien-Otsu''': Self-pretending or talking snark to yourself. Refer to the terminology document.</ref>

"Even now, there's still pretty big clamor among the disciplinary committee that the Maiden's Club is a problem. Although I said I'd strictly supervise you all, they weren't willing to accept it without convening a conference—"

"So that's why you want to me go?"

That really didn't make sense. Why did it have to be me?

"In this kind of situation, shouldn't you ask Natsukawa since she's the club president?"

Fuyuumi immediately dished out an astonished expression from the bottom of her heart.

"Hey, what do you think will come out of it if we drag Natsukawa-san to that kind of place?"

"...oh, right. Sorry."

In front of the serious disciplinary committee, Masuzu would almost certainly talk back with her venomous tongue and JOJO references. We knew this already.

No person would enjoy a taste of that kind of shocking experience.

"Also, I want Ta-kun to meet with the president once."

"Huh? Why is that?"

"Because during our marriage, I want to ask her to become our witness."

I abruptly stopped in my tracks.

"Huh? What? What did you say?"

"Is Ta-kun thirsty? Want to stop by the convenience store?"

"Don't change the subject! What did you just say?!"

Fuyuumi ignored my shouts and quickly walked into the convenience store.

...

I was starting to feel like the moat around me was gradually being filled in.


Marriage registration form, marriage ceremony, marriage witness.

How serious did you intend to go, Ai-chan?!

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

Maybe it'd be better to pick an unlucky day as opposed to a good-luck day? <ref>In asian cultures, people try to pick the luckiest days for the marriages via horoscope (or plain intrinsic lucky numbers).</ref>

The next evening, after cram school ended, Fuyuumi and I went to the disciplinary committee room together.

"So you're Kidou Eita-kun?"

She gracefully tilted her porcelain teacup as she asked.

Her huge shapely eyes, graceful curved eyebrows, and fully straight nose, put together with extremely soft-looking, wavy and smooth hair gave her entire body the look of nobility and grace.

Although she possessed the air and merits of a rich girl, she had this one droopy strand of hair that stuck up (in other words, an ｢antenna｣), so it actually looked kind of funny. Like this, you could say instead of a ｢President｣, she's become a ｢Preside~｣. <ref>The Chinese TL references note says that the last syllable of "President" (ぃぃんちょぅ) was left out so it reads (ぃぃんょ). I have no clue what this is supposed to allude to, though. xD</ref>

This was the third-year president of the Hanenoyama High School disciplinary committee: Ishige Mari-senpai.

"Thank you for taking a trip out here. It must have been a hassle for Fuyuumi-san."

"Please don't worry about us, Ishige-senpai!"


Fuyuumi's back was very tight and straight. Was she nervous? Her expression was rather stiff.

There were more than ten girls crammed in this room that was about the same size as the ｢Jien-Otsu｣ clubroom. I had heard the rumors before, but the really wasn't a single boy among the disciplinary committee. Since It literally was a matriarchy, it made a boy like me very uncomfortable.

"So, let's sit?"

Fuyuumi and I sat on seats next to the door, while the president sat in a seat across from us flanked by three committee members. The remaining members without seats stood ｢at-ease｣, and waited beside the president. It was practically a military brigade.

"This is practically like a military brigade—is that what you were thinking?"

Ishige-senpai revealed an elegant smile, as if she could see through my thoughts.

"Their loyalty and sense of responsibility is indeed comparable to that of soldiers. However, they're not exactly loyal to me—they're defending the values of the school discipline. I hope you won't forget that, because I'm simply loyal to responsibility, that's all."

"I see…"

I responded absentmindedly, as my eyes stayed fixed on the hair antenna that swayed in the air conditioning. If I kept my eyes there, I wouldn't get nervous at all.

"Kidou-kun is always number one in the grade for midterm exams, right? From my understanding, you are a serious student deeply committed to your studies."

"That's right, I can attest that he is an extremely outstanding student."

Fuyuumi stuck out her chest as she said this, and the senpai nodded her head substantially.

"I heard that when you started high school, your grades abruptly skyrocketed. Is that because you had a change of heart, and got born again wholly dedicated to studying?"

"No, that's an overstatement."

There was an itch in my back.

What was with this praise? The reason they called me here couldn't have been to praise my grades.

Since earlier, Senpai's eyes looked like they were examining me and making an evaluation.

The two committee members to her left and right had similar actions. A second-year with glasses and braids gazed steadily at me as she took notes. On the right, a third-year with a ponytail had her arms crossed as she stared.

"However, considering your personal lifestyle, there's nothing worthy of praise."

After the praise from seconds ago, it switched to belittlement.

"You clearly already have Natsukawa Maszu-san as your girlfriend, but you still continue to seduce Harusaki Chiwa-san and Akishino Himeka-san. Whether you look at it ethically or from common sense, there's definitely something very suspicious here."

The committee members around us echoed with ｢that's right, that's right｣. I even heard some brazen and filthy-sounding voices.

"That wasn't me seducing, They're initiating it themselves—"

"Are you saying that they're taking their own initiative to tangle with you? You don't look particularly like that kind of bishounen<ref>'''Bishounen''': A male character that is both handsome and extremely popular</ref> character."

Senpai used a slender finger to press down on the teacup dish, which clattered slightly.

"Actually, I've come up with a hypothesis: ｢The Society for Bringing Out Your Maiden Self｣ is actually a harem that Kidou Eita set up after exploiting the weaknesses of pitiable girls."

"Why me?!"

"Of course, that's only my fantasy. But considering your circumstances, the people around you take that perspective and think it's strange."

"No way!"

Fuyuumi kicked her chair aside and stood up.

"Ta-kun definitely isn't hot at all! He's one of those mass-produced models, and you couldn't get more ordinary than this ordinary idiot! But then again, a man's value isn't just in their looks!"

"...Who's Ta-kun?"

Senpai looked stunned. Even her hair antenna looked like it was in a ｢?｣ shape.

Fuyuumi deeply lowered her hand and said ｢I'm sorry!｣. This was Ai-chan Epic Loss. That being said, was she taking advantage of the mess to hit on me?

Senpai gave a sigh and stood up with a nod. She opened the window to let the air inside.

The white curtains wavered slightly, and the damp evening breeze entered the room.

"It look's like I've said too much."

Senpai's tone turned soft.

However, her expression continued to be cold.

"Anyhow, I hope you understand my perspective. I dispatched a very important underclassman to an unknown club. It's very uneasy experience—"

Her antenna hair wobbled from the wind that blew in from the window.

I pretended I didn't see her antenna hair and asked:

"When you say 'uneasy', specifically what do you mean?"

"That Fuyuumi-san would also suffer from your evil scheme!"

Her hair antenna snapped straight like a fang with a ｢snap!｣.

"When I graduate, Fuyuumi-san must have the ability to prop up the disciplinary committee. It is not an overstatement to say that the future of this school rests on her shoulders."

The third-year with a ponytail nodded her head in agreement.

"Fuyuumi's understanding of discipline is incredibly high. Even upperclassmen like me cannot help but learn from her."

The second-year with glasses also repeatedly nodded.

"Ai-chan also needs to balance clubs, yet she doesn't leave any work unfinished. She goes to the Maiden's Club after school, but in the morning she gets here very early to clean and arrange the papers. I really admire her."

From around us, heavenly praises like ｢Ai-chan is awesome｣ or ｢Ai-chan is the best!｣ echoed.

In contrast, how low was my evaluation? Though, some parts of it were overestimated.


"If Fuyuumi gets rolled into your ｢mayhem｣, it'll be immense damage to the disciplinary committee. I'm going to retire in the fall, so I want to leave without any worries on my mind.

"I see."

From the disciplinary committee's perspective, we were the one who's dragged Fuyuumi in. Though to be honest, Fuyuumi jumped in herself and worsened the mayhem.

"Then, how can I prove it to you all that I won't put a hand on Fuyuumi?"

"—come take a test."

Senpai straightened her finger and hair antenna.

"Let us test if you're really a morally upright and honest guy ourselves. If you fail, I'll forbid Fuyuumi-san from going to you club."

"Why is that…?!"

Fuyuumi protested, but after Senpai silenced her with a glare, she quieted down.

"Okay, then let's test it."

I made a firm resolution and nodded.

After all, I had foreseen long ago that it would end up like this. Even though I didn't know what kind of test it would be, I'd just have to demonstrate my true nature as an anti-love person.

"Then, what is the test?"

"Go to the roof."

Her hair antenna towered in the sky as if pointing out directions.

"My eyes have seen through many students who have violated the rules of the school—I'll let you experience it for yourself!"

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

I led the hoard of disciplinary committee members to the roof.

On the way there, students who were at school for club activities raised their eyebrows at me. ｢Kidou-kun has a bunch of new girls again｣｢There's so many…｣｢Does he plan to make the entire disciplinary committee to join his harem?!｣ They seemed to look at me quite incredibly. Just by listening to these comments at school, Ishige-senpai's concerns were starting to make sense.

It was four thirty in the afternoon, and the sky was still bright.

The afterglow of the setting sunlight reflected on the tiles, as the crowd took in the panorama from the roof. My back was against the wall, and I faced the legion of disciplinary committee members. Fuyuumi stood between us, looking distressed.

"So, how do you intend to test me?"

"Hmph… if you thought we were merely reserved disciplinary committee members, then you've been gravely mistaken!"

Senpai gave a fearless smile and pointed at me.

"In order to suppress the improper relationships between boys and girls, we've realized the need to develop proficient skills in love. In other words, we need to be the people in this school who can love the best and best and best and best! We must be familiar with this!"

Yeahh—! The committee members gave cheers.

That being said, Ishige-senpai's face was very red. Could she be less embarrassed, please?

"R-Right now, the elite members of the disciplinary committee will try to s-s-s-s-s-seduce you! And if you're tempted, you lose! If you remain unaffected, then you pass!"

Wasn't this just like something ｢Jien-Otsu｣ would do? I guess you could say they were just as bad.

"Then, let us begin."

Senpai raised her right hand, and the the second-year with plaited hair braids immediately walked in front of me.

At first glance, she looked rather plain. However, upon careful examination, she was actually a pale-skinned beauty. She overflowed with a empty-headed sensation, a little bit like Hime.

Hime's lookalike was expressionless, and she only stared at me.


I had thought she would say something enticing, or use some sexy methods to seduce me. I never expected she would just stand there blankly without doing anything.

"You…?"

Just when I was starting to get impatient.

Hime's lookalike slowly took off her glasses, and closed her right eye.

Then she immediately put her glasses back on, and returned to her original expressionless look.

"What was that?"

"A wink."

Yeah, I knew that.

"When I take off my glasses, aren't I cute?

"Yeah, I guess you could say you're cute."

"Are you captivated by me?"

"No, not to that extent."

When I said that, Hime's lookalike had a shocked expression:

"W-Why is that!?"

"Well, you asked me why…"

Did this girl read too much shoujo manga? Basically, she was about the same as Chiwa?

Senpai came forward and made an announcement: "Let's stop here."

"Let's consider that you passed the first test. Are beauties who take off their glasses too old-fashioned?"

I don't think this has anything to do with being old-fashioned or new.

"Hmph. Let's see if you can withstand the next one."

Senpai snapped her fingers, and this time the tall third-year with a ponytail walked forward. Her appearance was very proper, but her eyes were too sharp and seemed rather intimidating.

She lifted her chin and crossed her arms:

"Don't misunderstand me, because I don't like you one bit."

—It sounded like she was reading from a script.

"Don't misunderstand me, but I'm just passing by, that's all."

"...Okay."

"Don't misunderstand me, but it's not particularly because I want to see you."

"I know."

"Don't misunderstand me, it's not particularly, that, um. In other words, don't misunderstand me."

"..."

What kind of move was this?"

I simply didn't understand what this was doing. No, actually I did know, but I didn't want to know.

The disciplinary committee members watched me and whispered:

"So he's even unmoved by Yamada-senpai's hellish 4-hit tsundere COMBO? <ref>Combo is in English.</ref>

"What's wrong with that guy? Is he GAY?" <ref>"Gay" is in English.</ref>

They quite rudely misunderstood me.

But these guys... they really are an exceedingly pitiful group. If they had a competition with ｢Jien-Otsu｣, it should be rather interesting, huh?

"Then, I guess I can get going now."

"Don't joke around! The test isn't over yet."

Senpai's antenna hair swayed left and right, and she walked in front of me.

"I will be the final one to s-seduce you! But, since this is just a test, d-d-don't think it's the real thing!"

Her face was fully red, and her voice was rather sharp.

Fuyuumi anxiously wrinkled her brow.

"Um, Ishige-senpai, you don't have to go to this extent, right?"

"No! Fuyuumi-san! If we retreat now, it'll harm the disciplinary committee's reputation. I will definitely rout him for you to see!"

Senpai brought her fingers to the ribbon on her uniform, and with a swish she undid it. After she loosened it, her face grew red again, as if she surprised herself with her own behavior. Her teary eyes seemed to say, ｢What am I going to do with myself!?｣.

"I-I'm going to make my move now."

Senpai's voice trembled, and then she collapsed in my direction.

Instinctively, I used my chest to catch her.

Senpai's knees continued to tremble unceasingly, and she was shaking so much it transferred onto my body.

Since her upper body was tightly pressed against mine, I could hear her heartbeat with zero delay.

...not good.

Even I was starting to get perturbed.

"W-What do you think? Is it no big deal even like this?"

Senpai actually very nearly made me feel breathless with her teary eyes staring at me... it really made my heart beat.

Her fair floated with a scent like flowers, and there was this feeling of some bulging object that certainly wasn't small under her uniform. Her shuddering eyelashes and her soft lips all made my heartbeat accelerate.

"If you're going to surrender, feel f-free to anytime. Otherwise, I'm going to fall over..."

This girl was so cute.

Even if she was a senpai, this expression was just like that of a little girl.

...n-not good.

If this continues, I'll fail this test.

N-No! I won't be moved by her!

Even if Senpai's cute, she doesn't match up with Chiwa.

Even if Senpai's beautiful, she doesn't match up with Masuzu.

Even if Senpai's delicate, she doesn't match up with Hime.

Even if Senpai is fascinating, she—

"Noooooooooooooooooo————!"

Suddenly, someone crashed into me from the side.

I gave an embarrassing ｢Wuahh!｣ as I rolled across the roof and collided into the wall.

Senpai didn't roll, but she tumbled onto her butt on the floor.

The person who crashed into us was—Fuyuumi.

Out of breath, she snuffled through her nose like a child.

"Ta-kun is Ai-chan's! Even the revered Senpai can't touch him! I prohibit anyone from touching him!"

—Ah, now she's done it...

Why can't you control yourself, Ai-chan? Now all the effort we spent is going to fizzle away!

As expected, the disciplinary committee members were dumbstruck.

Senpai was also similarly awestruck, but not after long she coughed and trembled:

"I-Impossible. Could you have already fallen to this man?"

Fuyuumi's eye went wide with a ｢Ah!?｣, and she looked at me with a face that looked like it was about to cry.

"Did Ai-chan really do that?"

"I had no idea about this!"

This really was very frightening.

But the damage was already done.

Senpai's face flushed red, but this time it was with a completely different feeling than earlier.

"Is the reason why you wanted to monitor the Maiden's Club because of him? You're disciplinary committee member, but you've become captivated by a boy?"

Fuyuumi was like a soaked rabbit, and she trembled.<ref>Not sure what kind of idiom a soaked rabbit is, but that's what it says.</ref> Without any real comprehensibility, she tried to explain herself: ｢No, thats—｣｢That one...｣

But not after long, she realized it was pointless.

"...I'm sorry. Senpai is right, I'm already his girl."

She crestfallenly admitted the facts.

"I've misjudged you. So you were this kind of person...!"

Senpai's hands forcibly turned into fists.

Her antenna hair, seething with anger, pointed at Fuuyimi.

"You are no longer a part of the disciplinary committee! I don't care if you go with that guy together to that club!"

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

I chased after Fuyuumi who ran off the roof.

"Wait, Fuyuumi!"

I chased after her fluttering hair and the back of her uniform, and sprinted as fast as I could in the hallway that connected the east and west buildings.

Since it was summer vacation, there weren't any students or teachers. I could run as much as I liked, but it wasn't something I was particularly happy about.

"Come back and say everything clearly! Hey, Fuyuumi! Ai-chan!"

But Fuyuumi didn't stop running. She skipped two steps of stairs and ran downstairs, and rushed outside even though she was still wearing her indoor shoes.

"H-Her legs are so fast!"

This was the second time Fuyuumi made me run.

The first time, I was actually running away from Fuyuumi, but this time it was the opposite.

We chased circles around the school walls, after which we ran towards the flowerbed.

When we ran by the athletics fields, the baseball club that was putting away their equipment stared at us with unfathomable expressions.

"I said Ai-chan! Wait a moment!"

I didn't know if it was because of my shouts or because she's simply ran herself tired, but Fuyuumi finally stopped her steps her the flowerbed.

We didn't talk for a while as we wiped our sweat and waited for our breaths to adjust.

After some difficulty, the first thing that came out Fuyuumi's mouth was this:

"Damnnnnnn itttttttttt! That was so badddddd! Ai-chan Epic Loss!"

She completely blamed herself.

"I specifically didn't want to do that kind of thing! But I actually betrayed Ishige-senpai whom I like so much! I'm so stupid! Ai-chan is stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid!"

She crouched down in the flowerbed, and started ripping the weeds that had grown unrestrained during the summer out of the group. She was actually doing a big help for the gardening club.

"Let it pass. It's done already, so there's nothing you can do."

I lightly patted Fuyuumi's arched back:

"Today, Senpai's head was also overflowing with blood, so so after a while bring it up with her again, okay?"

"I can't face them ever again."

Fuyuumi shook her head as she crouched.

"All the effort I've spent developing the image of a disciplinary committee member went up in smoke today. I'm completely powerless. No one will listen to me anymore. Even if I step up and remind people, they won't follow the school rules, and the school will grow completely out of control. Everyone's going to butt heads and shout ｢Yahaa!｣ as they go to school!" <ref>The reference is to the manga, Fist of the North Star.</ref>

That's way too pessimistic. I looks like her wound really was deep.

"Don't be that dejected. It's not like you."

"B-But..."

Fuyuumi lifted her head, and her eyes were glistening with tears. I was shocked speechless. She really was crying.

"If you knew you were going to regret it so much, why didn't you control yourself?"

"My body moved by itself."

"It can't move by itself, you..."

Fuyuumi sobbed and sniffed, sucking in with her nose.

"Whenever I run into you, Ta-kun, I become really weird. Did you know that?"

"...Yeah."

Should I say I knew it, or because I learned it through experience?

I couldn't think of what else to say, so I sank into silence.

The athletics clubs seemed like they had all finished club activities today, and I didn't hear any more sounds from around us. A school that didn't have any people in it was actually really peaceful.

"Hey, Fuyuumi."

I suddenly thought of something.

"Why do you like me?"

Fuyuumi's red eyes opened wide in a daze.

"Why are you asking that kind of thing?"

"...no, it's nothing. I just suddenly thought of it."

Even if it was a shy and vague dismissal, there actually was a reason.

Because if she liked me to the extent that she could even let her extremely important disciplinary committee duties fall apart—

What kind of reason could there be if she liked me to that extent?

"This well..."

Fuyuumi tilted her head.

"I've never thought about it before."

Her expression was fully serious, and I couldn't see a trace of embarrassment similar to the kind I was trying to hide.

"Because by the time I realized it, I already liked you. I can't remember how it started."

"So it's like that?"

Well, if it was something that happened in kindergarten, it made sense if you couldn't remember.

"But, there has to be some kind of reason, right? If there isn't, there's no way you could like me."

When Fuyuumi heard this, she revealed a rather lonely smile.

"Why does there have to be a reason for me to like you?"

"..."

This was the strongest, most intense feeling of ｢cuteness｣ I've felt towards this girl up until today.

Fuyuumi smiling with tears in the corners of her eyes was seriously too dazzling.

I couldn't help but lower my head.

"I don't understand this kind of thing very well."

"Liking other people, you mean?"

"Perhaps so."

After all, I was anti-love.

Even when I look at perfectly happy sweethearts, I think, ｢When are they going to break up?｣

Even when I look at sweethearts who have a great relationship, I think, ｢They must be lying to each other behind their backs｣.

I am twisted person who can only think like that.

"—Well, that being said."

Fuyuumi stood up and gave a big stretch:

"I'm the only one who hasn't demonstrated my ｢dere｣ for you yet."

"Huh?"

"Did you forget? This was from the ｢OreDere Beauty Pageant｣ during our club trip. Natsukawa-san, Chiwa, and Himecchi all did it, but I never did because I was disqualified... so, want me to do it for you now?"

"You can't win the prize, and Saeko-san won't see it."

"I don't care."

Fuyuumi smiled and shook her head. Then she used her handkerchief to dab away at her tears.

"I've felt like my mind's been in a huge mess, and I want to get it off my chest."

"...I see."

I was the factor that got Fuyuumi expelled from the disciplinary committee.

As such, I had a duty to receive the feelings that Fuyuumi had right now.

Fuyuumi took a big breath, and as if she assembled all of her power within her body, she shouted:

"Ta-kun, I wub you the most——————!"

How...

How embarrassing!

Why does she always mispronounce ｢love｣ as ｢wub｣? But I won't complain about it at this point.

"When I'm in front of you, I get restless. My head gets hot and my chest feels tight. I can barely understand how I feel. I don't understand. I lub you too much! Dammit ♪"

Ai-chan waved her arms in circles as she shouted.

She added love-marks to the end of all of her sentences, and they echoed off of the school walls.<ref>Love punctuation marks? I guess that's the little <3 and music punctuations marks you see in video games...</ref>

"I tried to protect my decent image. For my father, little brother, and my deceased mother, I needed to pull myself together. I was a first-rate disciplinary committee member, but when Ta-kun was around, I'm no good. I become soft and flimsy. The time when we met during the opening ceremony, I nearly fainted. ｢Ah, it's Ta-kun!｣ I nearly shouted and jumped at you. I tried my best to control myself. I worked really, really, really hard to control myself, but Ta-kun didn't notice me. You weren't with me. Rather, you looked happy together with your childhood friend. You weren't with me, but you looked sugar sweet with your girlfriend. I cried in the bathroom! I became muddle-headed, soft and flimsy, but even so, I loved and lubbed you!"

W-Wow—

The weather's really hot.

No, I'm the one who's hot.

Hime's confession was pretty powerful, but Ai-chan's was... this, how do I put it... it really hit the core of my body? Or did it go to my pores? My sweat was already pouring incessantly.

"It's enough if I'm the only one who like's Ta-kun. It's fine if no one else understands Ta-kun's strong points, but if I'm the only one in the universe who understands, that's enough. I'm the only one who lubs you the most—! The end!"

After feeling the ending was a little rude, Ai-chan lowered her head.

And then she refused to raised her head.

"A-Ai-chan?"

"Don't come here!"

She used her hands to prevent me from walking closer as she kept her head lowered.

"I-If you come over right now, A-Ai-chan won't know what to do..."

Her voice was starting to become incomprehensible.

Because she kept her lowered posture, I couldn't see her expression, but I guessed her face must be blushing.

And just then.

—The sound of a thump.

Because of the noise, I naturally turned my head around to look.

Probably because a lazy gardening club member forgot it, but a bamboo broom that had been leaning against the school wall had fallen over.

There was a girl who had been standing next to the bamboo broom for quite a while.

There was one very obvious antenna hair that stuck up from that student.

...As she stared in our direction, her eyes opened wide with an expression as if she were thinking, ｢Damn!｣

She was the disciplinary committee president, Ishige Mari-senpai.

"A-A-A-Ahhh—"

When Fuyuumi noticed Senpai's presence, her expression filled with despair and a loss for words.

"W-W-W-Wahh—"

Senpai was equally at a loss for words.

That being said, behind Senpai there were another ten or so disciplinary committee members. All of them had covered their mouths with their hands were blushing as they stared at us.

Fuyuumi trembled with fear and asked:

"D-Did... Did you hear everything that I just said?"

The disciplinary committee members nodded simultaneously.

And then Ishige-senpai—

"I-I-I-I've never heard such an enthusiastic l-l-l-love confession. It's m-my first time hearing something like that... wump."


The sound of a wump.

Ishige-senpai very attentively added the sound effect herself, and fainted.

The hair antenna wilted just like its master. The little thing was was stretching around earlier, so maybe it was some kind of unknown parasite.

"P-Please pull yourself together President!"

"Keep your cool!"

"It's no good, she's suffered acute love poisoning!"

The committee members repeatedly tried to shake their senpai's body, and even when as far as to call it some strange disease.

Fuyuumi on the other hand—

"Damn it I want to die! Ai-chan is going out for a run—!"

"Hey, wait a minute! Don't run away, Ai-chan!"

In other words, don't leave me by myself!

In this kind of situation—even I'm embarrassed to the point I want to die!

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">♦</span></center>

Later in the infirmary.

The committee members and I later carried the fainted Ishige-senpai to a bed, and used a wet towel to cool her forehead until she awoke. The nurse took her temperature and pulse, and thankfully there wasn't anything unusual with her body.

Fuyuumi also returned to help out when the nurse left. Looks like even when her embarrassing confession's been heard, she can't leave her senpai aside. She mentioned she wanted Senpai to become her wedding witness, so she probably liked Ishige-senpai a lot.

While Fuyuumi sat on a folding chair, and used a circular fan to fan Senpai—

"Strange... why am I here?"

Senpai sat up on the bed, and the wet towel on her forehead fell down.

"Sorry, Senpai. It's all my fault."

"I also want to apologize to you. I'm so sorry!"

Senpai sluggishly stared at Fuyuumi and I who had our heads lowered.

"...I lost consciousness."

Senpai looked as if she was thinking about something as she stayed silent for a while.

Then, she lifted her head, and stared straight at Fuyuumi.

"Fuyuumi Ai-san, when you said, ｢Love does not have to have a reason｣, were you serious?"

Fuyuumi nodded.

"But, Kidou-kun already has a girlfriend. The thing you want to do is basically equivalent of robbing someone of something they cherish. This kind of shameless love is certainly not permitted, but you still plan to press forward?"

Fuyuumi immediately lowered her head.

She tightly clutched her skirt, stared at her knees, and sank into silence. Then—

"I won't let myself turn into a shameless disciple."

"What does that mean?"

"If I get snatch him straight from Natsukawa Masuzu's hands, I will make Kidou-kun think I'm interesting, and then he'll like me—I will become that kind of incredible maiden for you all to see."

The infirmary fell into absolute silence.

The other disciplinary committee members all held their breath as they watched the situation develop.

Not after long—

"I lose."

Ishige-senpai gave a bitter smile.

She faced the disciplinary committee and asked:

"To all you members who have a responsibility for discipline at our school, even though Fuyuumi-san was distressed by all this shameless love, she still tried her best to maintain her purity and honesty. With her like that, is she qualified to be one of our comrades?"

"Of course, President!"

The voices of the committee members overlapped beautifully.

"After all, the school committee members are all girls, so there are times when they'll fall in love."

"Although improper male and female relationships are a violation of the school rules, I do not consider merely liking someone against the rules."

"Though, Fuyuumi-san, you are a little too excessive."

"When there comes a time when you do too much, it'll be up to us to to stop you!"

Fuyuumi fell dumbstruck upon hearing these words.

"I-Is it really okay? I... can continue to be a disciplinary committee member?"

"Yes, please continue."

Ishige-senpai unhesitantly spoke:

"Your present assignment is to strictly supervise ｢Society for Bringing Out Your Maiden Self｣, and take care of those students who easily deviate from normal practice. Of course, you cannot neglect your responsibilities as a disciplinary committee member. Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

Fuyuumi responded loudly, and then immediately stood up and hugged me.

"Did you hear that Ta-kun!? I-I can continue being a disciplinary committee member! I don't have to resign!"

"Yeah, that's great Ai-chan!"

I was honestly as happy as if it were my own problem.

After all, if she didn't have the disciplinary committee armband, it wouldn't feel quite like Fuyuumi Ai anymore!

"Also, there's one more thing."

Senpai was speaking her mind.

What is it? If she could delineate some borders that Fuyuumi shouldn't overstep, I would be really happy.

"As the disciplinary committee of Hanenoyama High School, we wholly support Fuyuumi Ai's romance!"

...........Huh!?

"Listen everyone! We will overthrow Natsukawa Masuzu, and overthrow Harusaki Chiwa!"

"Understood, President!"

Faced with identical cry of the committee members, I interrupted, flustered.

"W-Wait a moment! Why do you support it? It's fine if you just implicitly accept it!"

"It'd be boring like that~!"

Ishige-senpai acted like a mischievous little girl and shook her head:

"After hearing Fuyuumi's confession, maybe r-romance is a pretty impressive thing? I think I've changed how I think."

Her cheeks flushed red, which was cute, and her curvy hair antenna was also pretty sexy.

But as far as I'm concerned, there's no hope left for me!

"Uh—so—we'll think about it? If we do things like that, it'll be rather troublesome for me?"


After that, no one paid attention to me. Other committee members agreed and said things like, ｢I'll also try confessing to him｣ or ｢I think I'll send a text to that guy from middle school｣. Their lovestruck minds have been awoken.

Then—

"W-Whaa!?"

A pitiful cry came from my mouth.

That was because Fuyuumi, who had been hugging me the entire time, suddenly exerted force with her arms.

She lifted her head from my chest, and revealed a wide smile I had never seen before.

"Hehehehe. Ta-kun, the entire world is a cheerleading team for our love ♪"

"!?"

Lov-

Lovestruck power just leveled up again!

Fuyuumi's eyes looked like they were hazily dreaming as she stared at me.

"Our wedding celebration needs to be held in an extremely big place. Hey, Ta-kun, should we start saving money for it now? Let's buy a brand new piggy bank, and we'll deposit a hundred yen every day."

"...Whatever you want..."

Following Senpai's sentiments, the disciplinary committee really was like a real cheerleading squad. They drummed up enthusiasm and shouted: ｢Use our assistance and take a leading role in the mayhem—｣｢Yeah—!｣

Seriously, the uproar was getting worse and worse.

How did the entire school become involved in my mayhem?

[[File:Oreshura v05 113.jpg|thumbnail]]

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==Translator notes and references==
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