Baka to Tesuto to Syokanju:Volume6.5 Me and the Seaside and the Festival Uproar Second Half

Me and the Seaside and the Festival Uproar (Second Half)

Me and the Seaside and the Festival Uproar (Second Half)

“Arre…? This, where is this…?”

I seem to see a very pretty flower field there…but it’s covered with fog, so I can’t really tell.

“That’s weird…I remember I was playing at the beach, right…?”

What I see in front of me is a wide river. That’s definitely not the sea.

Butterflies[1] are fluttering amidst the blooming flowers. I can vaguely smell sweet flowers and fruit. It’s like I’m in an imagination.

“It’s so pretty it looks otherworldly…”

I can’t help but mutter to myself.

Yeah. If I have to say it, this place looks like it links to that world or something—

“Wait, not good! Will I really die if I don’t go back!?”

Isn’t this the real Sanzu river in the first place!? Am I dying!?

“Over here! Hurry over here!”

“It’s nothing scary! This is a good place!”

“There’re all sorts of nice things to eat. All sorts of entertainment everywhere!”

Hiii! They’re calling me! Those unfamiliar people on the other side are waving at me and calling me to go over! Speaking of which, isn’t the one on the right most side my dead grandfather!? Not good! It’ll be bad if I listen to them!

I look closely, and see my great-grandmother and my relatives who died in a traffic accident. It’s a gathering of the dead people I’m familiar with! I have to hurry up and say goodbye to this place—

“Don’t be scared, Akihisa. This side is a nice place.”

'“NOT THERE, YUUJI! WHY ARE YOU WAVING AT ME!? CAN’T YOU JUST MIX AROUND WITH THE PEOPLE OVER THERE! YOU’LL REALLY BE UNABLE TO COME BACK!”'

“Hahaha, don’t be scared, Akihisa. Can’t you see that I’m very healthy here? There’s no need to worry about coming here, right…”

“WAKE UP, YUUJI! FASTER! YOU’RE BECOMING AN EVIL SPIRIT! HALF OF YOUR BODY HAS BECOME A SPIRIT!”

“Ah really, I’m sorry here. But that’s not the case, Akihisa. It’s really good here. I’m happy here everyday—”

“Is, is that so? Is it really alright? You aren’t lying, are you, Yuuji?”

“Yeah, of course it’s fine. It’s really fun, very fun, fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun—!!”

“FAREWELL, YUUJI! I WON’T FORGET YOU!”

I turn around and dash away from the riverbank with all my strength. So that guy’s a lose cause…! Farewell, my bad friend. I’ll continue living for your sake at least…!

“I can’t accept that you’re the only one being saved…”

The curse rained on my back feels abnormally real and scary.

☆

“We’re actually still alive…”

“Ahh…I can’t really remember, but I think we really went to hell once…”

“To be honest, I’d thought that you guys lost it when you were sleeptalking…”

The four of us are in the pension living room, sitting on the sofa, glad that everything is over. It’s really a wonderful thing to still be alive. Looks like we didn’t have any amnesia; we definitely must thank God for giving us a strong body.

“But this is really unexpected.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“See, didn’t we do something really bad, Yuuji?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“…And you went off to hook up other girls even though you’re with girls. It’s very rude.”

Muttsurini tells us off. Yes, we’re reflecting on it…

“But don’t you find that the punishment is a little too light?”

“Yeah. It’s really soft of them to let go of us like that.”

“I’d feel that it can’t be considered light of you to be punished till a near-death experience…”

Unfortunately, the people around us seem to be different from the world, so I guess we shouldn't be bothered about it.

“That means.”

“Yeah. There’s still that move later.”

As expected…how depressing…

“What should we do? Shall we run?”

“No, we can’t run until we understand their intentions. If they forgive us, we’ll end up angering them even more.”

“In other words, we’ll end up alerting them?”

Yuuji’s right here. It’s a happy trip, so maybe everyone’s in a good mood and forgave us. If we think of it this way, it’ll be really stupid of us since we’re going to be pursued again if we run.

“And aren’t we going to a festival in a town nearby? They can’t possibly do anything outrageous even if they want to—I, believe…”

“Well, so we’ll be holding food for them or treating them to something…”

“…Isn’t that just like normal?”

Well, that sounds like it.

“Well, whatever.”

“Yeah. We’ll die if we run anyway. We’ll just lose out if we’re concerned here.”

“Yeah.”

“…How optimistic.”

This is the trick of not feeling pressurized in life.

“But they sure are slow. How long does it take to change anyway?”

Yuuji looks at his watch. It’s been past 30 minutes since the girls said they’re going to change. Even if it’s not like they’re going to beat us guys for changing in 5 minutes, they really spent quite some time changing. Is it really troublesome to change out of their swimsuits?

“““Kept you waiting!”””

The sweet voices ring, and the bedroom door’s opened at the same time.

“You people really spent some time—ohh!”

“Oh, amazing. So you’re preparing for such things.”

“…It’s understandable why you spent time.”

“I see. Yukatas. Everyone’s really suited for it.”

The girls (except Hideyoshi) walk out from the other side of the door, wearing yukatas of all sorts of colors. There’s blue, purple, pink and white. No, not just the colors, even the patterns are different. There’re Morning Glories, Peonies, even grapes. It’s just feels like we’re at a model exhibition of new yukatas as we see the line of people there. Of course, one of the reasons is that they’re all pretty and have nice figures.

“Heh~ pretty~ you girls look rather attractive after changing hairstyles.”

“Is, is that so?”

Himeji-san raises her sleeves and spin around a few times. Yes yes. That’s cute.

“I didn’t expect myself to wear these too.”

My sister is looking at her own yukata in a rather lost manner beside Himeji-san. Speaking of which, I don’t think I see a yukata in nee-san’s luggage…

“We secretly measured the sizes for everyone before this. Akira-san’s yukata was prepared by Shouko-chan.”

Kirishima-san and nee-san are around the same height, so I guess the height should be perfect.

“This is the first time I’m wearing a yukata.”

“Ah, that’s right. You came back from overseas, Minami.”

“It’s a little hard to walk it. it feels weird.”

Minami uses her hand to move the obi and skirt to try and make herself comfortable. And then, she reaches her hand in to loosen the back collar. The white slender neck that was covered in sunblock before enters my eyes.

Wha, what should I say…

“……Hoo……”

“? Wha, what is it, Aki?”

“Ah, ahh, no! it’s nothing!”

I frantically look away from Minami’s neck.

Why…? Why is it that I find Minami’s especially attractive even though it suits everyone…?

(Yoshii-kun. Did your heart just flutter when you looked at Shimada-san?)

Kudou-san quietly moves towards me and whispers.

(Wha, what are you saying, Kudou-san! I’m not—)

(Fufufu. Shimada-san looks really cute in that yukata, right? You see, a yukata doesn’t need to worn by people with large breasts just to look good, right? In that case, Shimada-san looks really cute when she has outstanding aspects everywhere else. Yukatas are saving graces for Shimada-san and me since we have smaller breasts.)

(Eve, even if you say so, I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.)

(Hmm…? Is that so? If you don’t understand, I’ll teach you. Watch this, okay?)

Kudou-san says as she puts her hand on the collar and turns to Muttsurini.

“Here.”

“……!? (SPLLAATTTTEEEERRRRR)”

Muttsurini’s face release fresh red flowers as he sees the skin revealed from the opened yukata. At that moment, my bad friend suddenly collapses to the brink of death.

“Mu, Muttsurini-kun!? What happened to you!?”

“…What, exactly, did I do to you…?”

I see Muttsurini saying this begrudgingly from far away as he collapses.

“See? Muttsurini-kun’s more excited than usual, right? It’s because I’m wearing a yukata even though I have small breasts, so I look more attractive.”

“Hm…about this, I don’t really understand how it’s any different from usual, and I don’t have a feeling…”

Is it psychology at work? I think I’m seeing Muttsurini spurting more nosebleed than usual.

“Are you still alive, Muttsurini!? Who did such a cruel thing to you!?”

“……I, probably won’t be able to make it…”

“Pull yourself through, Muttsurini! You can’t die yet!”

“……But, this might…be a good way to die…”

“…Well, I’d say that I’m a fool for worrying for you…”

Speaking of which, I think Muttsurini brought enough blood bags to last till tomorrow.

Anyway, I hand over the blood bags Muttsurini kept chilled to Hideyoshi. Behind me, Kirishima-san is saying something to Yuuji.

“…Yuuji, how’s my yukata?”

I can’t tell from her expression, but Kirishima-san seems to be moving towards Yuuji and showing off how she looks in the yukata. The black long hair and the bright purple yukata do match each other.

“Hm? Ahh, yeah~…it suits you, doesn’t it?”

Yuuji may be guilty over trying to talk up other girls as he praises Kirishima-san. What a dishonest guy. He deserves a thousand deaths.

“…Then, do you want to want to get married with me?”

“Not at all.”

“…Then, do you want to want to get married with me?”

“Chances of it are as big as a speck of dust.”

“…Then, Yuuji—”

“Not even a speck.”

“—Do you want to live…?”

“Ohh! You’re really so cute, Shouko! I’ve changed my impression of you!”

“…You’re really dishonest, Yuuji.”

“You…that was a ‘threat’ when I said it before you continued…”

“…Mother-in-law taught me that methods of earning love are unscrupulous.”

Kirishima-san’s really not giving off.

“Let’s go to the festival then. We might not be able to catch up if we often do such things?”

My sister claps her hands to prompt everyone. Is it this time already to say that we might not able to make it? The sun just set; I think it’s still too early to close shops.

“That’s right, Akira-san. It’ll be bad if we can’t make it.”

“Let’s hurry. This is the second time I’m at a Japanese festival. I’m really looking forward to it~”

“…It’ll be bad if we’re late.”

“I’m really looking forward to it. let’s hurry off.”

“Let’s hurry”. The girls continue to repeat. Well, I just feel a little weird here.

“Yuuji, why are they so urgent?”

“Who knows? Maybe the food’s better than the sightseeing? I’m hungry too. It’s not like I don’t understand how they feel.”

“…Takoyaki, yakisoba, Sukiyaki.”

Now that they say that, I’m hungry too. I can think of the burnt chili sauce for some reason.

“Aki-kun, you all should get ready.”

“Yes—eh? Nee-san, we’re going there by car?”

My sister’s holding onto the car keys. I thought we’ll be walking there…

“Yes. It takes a longer distance to reach that place than the seaside, and it’ll be more convenient for us to have a change of clothes if we want to carry them.”

“Oh~”

It’s not easy to walk in yukatas? I think it’s more restraining to have a spare set of clothing just in case. It’s true that we have to be concerned since Minami’s not used to wearing yukatas.

“Then, after the seaside, let’s enjoy the festive spirit summer provides.”

“Yeah.”

“…We might get some good shots.”

“Sure feels like summer.”

We’re already elated just by imagining the festive songs we will hear.

☆

We use the nearby school field as a carpark, and after a 5 minute walk, and see that the park where the summer festival is held is packed full of people.

“Eh…? That’s rare. It’s a doner kebab.”

Nee-san muses as she sees the nameplate of the stall.

“It’s rare? Not really. You never saw it before, didn’t you?”

“It’s been 5 years since I last saw it. this kind of thing can only be seen at stalls, right?”

“I don’t really know about that, but it’s common. It tastes good after all.”

“Really? I’ll try it then.”

Ah, not good. I might have said something I shouldn’t have said.

Nee-san’s chatting to me normally, but I don’t feel that what Yuuji and I did at the seaside has been forgiven. If nee-san says to me ‘Aki-kun, buy one for me’, I’ll have to shed tears and exchange the secret stash of money I worked so hard to save for this Doner kebab. How stupid I am, I said so much nonsense—

“Do you want to have some, Aki-kun? I’ll buy some for you.”

“Alright, I’ll go buy it…eh, ehhhhh!?”

“? What is it?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing…”

How is it possible! It’s beyond what I expected! My sister didn’t ask me to buy, but is treating me here! There’s definitely something fishy about it!

“Then, I’ll share it with you then, nee-san. I want to try other things too.”

“O, okay.”

Nee-san holds onto the purse full of money with one hand as she joins the queue. I don’t know if it’s because there weren’t a lot of people or not, but she quickly arrives back with the Doner kebab.

“This looks delicious. Do you want to try it, Aki-kun?”

“No, I’ll go last. You can have it first, nee-san.”

“Really? I’ll treat myself then—ah.”

Nee-san bites on the kebab that’s sizzling hot. My stomach starts to growl as hi see nee-san enjoy the food.

“Here, have some too, Aki-kun.”

“Oh, thanks.”

I take the kebab nee-san hands over and takes a bite just like her.

The meat sauce and spices that came oozing out of the kebab mixes with the zesty chili sauce, and the combination stimulates my appetite. The taste of beef spreads in my mouth, filling my empty stomach.

“Un, it’s nice.”

The light and refreshing flavors of the bun, lettuce and onions match perfectly well with the oily and greasy taste. The combination of meat, vegetables, bun and the spicy flavor of the chili sauce is the strongest combination. It seems that all the strength I used to spend the hot day rises up in me. It really matches the mood of this festival. It’s really delicious.

“Ara ara, Aki-kun. Your mouth is that wide open…so you really want to eat it.”

Nee-san says this, and I find my unable to wake up from the ecstasy. Ah… I ate more than half of it.

“Sorry nee-san. I accidentally ate too much. I’ll go buy another one.”

“No need. You can have it if you want, Aki-kun?”

My sister snickers as she says this. She’s really enjoying this.

“I won’t hold back then.”

“Here. Please do.”

I then finish off the rest. Ahh, it’s really delicious…

“Turn over here, Aki-kun.”

“Hm? What is it?”

I wolf down the last bite and swallow it, and hear nee-san calling me. What is it?

“You’re eating it too quickly. See? The sauce’s on your face.”

Nee-san says this and takes out the handkerchief from her pocket, and then reaches her hand to my face.

“Why are you rushing? There’s no one fighting against you for it.”

Nee-san uses the handkerchief to wipe the part covered in sauce. I can taste a sweet orange smell from the hankerchief.

“Tha, thanks, nee-san.”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a small thing.”

My sister smiles as she keeps the handkerchief. For some reason, it feels different from the usual atmosphere…did something happen…

I tilt my head in a puzzled manner as I crush the bag after eating. I then hear another voice from beside me.

“Akihisa-kun, I bought takoyaki here. Do you want to have some?”

Himeji-san shows a cute smile as she hands over a box of takoyaki with one hand. This looks good too.

“Thank you. Can I have one?”

It doesn’t look like Himeji-san made it anyway, so I’ll gladly accept it. it’s really happiness for me to gain lots of nutrients today.

“Okay, then—”

Himeji-san uses the toothpick to pick up a piece of takoyaki.

“Ah—“

“Eh?”

I can’t help but let out a startled voice due to this unexpected action.

“? What is it, Akihisa-kun? You’re not eating it?”

“Eh, well. I am, but…”

Himeji-san smiles as she brings the takoyaki near my mouth. It’s a little embarrassing to play this ‘aahh…’ game here.

“Ah, ahh-n”

“Yes, here you go.”

I open my mouth, and Himeji-san’s hand brings the takoyaki to my mouth. The soft skin and the chewy octopus mix really well with the spiciness of the sauce. This thick fragrance is really irresistible.

“Un. It’s good, it’s good.”

“Really? That’s great.”

Himeji-san then uses the same toothpick to pick up another takoyaki and puts it in her mouth. Why do I feel that this act looks like what couples do—well, not good!

“So, sorry, nee-san! This isn’t an illicit relationship!”

I cover my head to defend. I nearly got careless because of the sudden kindness! So I can’t escape from this fatal crisis after all!?

As I’m having wild thoughts.

“? Why are you covering your head out of a sudden, Aki-kun?”

The expected vengeance from my sister didn’t come.

“Eh? Arre? What’s going on?”

“You’re really a weird kid, Aki-kun. See, you’ll block other people’s way by squat ting at this place.”

“Akihisa-kun, you didn’t make your sister angry, so you can relax.”

Both of them chuckle as they look at me.

What’s going on? Is this the magic of summer? Is this what they mean about how summer vacation will make people mature?

“Aki, why are you squatting here? You have a headache?”

A teasing voice comes from right above my head.

I stand up to look and see Minami wearing a mask, holding a yoyo and a bag on her right hand and cotton candy on her left.

“No, it’s nothing. Don’t mind.”

It’s not that there’s a commotion caused by me squatting here, but I still stand up immediately. The stares of the people around me are really making me embarrassed.

“Did you get dizzy because of excitement? You’re really a kid, Aki.”

“No no. What about you, Minami? Aren’t you enjoying youirself too?”

“Eh? Re, really? I don’t really think so.”

“You’re holding so many things in your hands. Who’ll believe you when you say that you aren’t enjoying yourself.”

“Thi, this is, you see…the big brother at the stall chose them for me, so I accidentally…”

Looking at her getup that looks like it can fit into a picture, I think she’s full of options, ready to try goldfish scooping and apple candy.

“You spent quite a long time living in Germany after all, Minami-san. It can’t be helped.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy too, Minami-chan.”

Nee-san and Himeji-san are giving happy looks to Minami.

“Aki, do you want some cotton candy? You can try some.”

“Cotton candy~? It’s been a while since I last ate it. I’ll try a little then.”

“Un. Okay, here you go.”

Like Himeji-san just now, Minami brings the cotton candy to my mouth. Wha, what’s this? Why’s everyone doing this to me? They’re rather kind here…?

“? You’re not eating?”

“Ah, I’ll have some then.”

I take a bite off the bamboo stick, and the sweetness of the candy that’s just like cotton as its name implies spreads in my mouth and melts. This taste is really memorable. I think I haven’t eaten it since primary school, have I not?

“There’s a shooting stall there. How do you play that?”

“Ahh, shooting. You shoot the prizes lined over there with a toy gun, and if you hit them, they belong to you. It’s that kind of game.”

“Heh~ looks interesting! I’ll have a look at it!”

“Wa, wait a second, Minami! Your yukata will go out of shape if you run off like that!”

“It’s fine! I’m already used to it!”

Minami seems to be in a good mood. Maybe this is the power of the festival at work.

“…Yuuji, do you want yakisoba?”

“Oh, ohh, I do.”

“…I even bought sukiyaki.”

“That, that’s really kind of you.”

“…Here, lemonade.”

“For some reason, it feels chilly to have such gentleness here..”

“…It’s nothing. This is very normal.”

This heavenly like time lasts for half an hour or so.

“Hm? There seems to be some even here.”

Yuuji sees a sign near the open-air stage of the park. Let’s see, what’s this…?

“‘Summer Night, Miss yukata contest! Let’s find the first summer beauty in town!’. Is this the grand event of the day?”

“A beauty pageant. Looks interesting.”

I often hear about it, but this is one of the shows I don’t get to see. I’m really lucky.

“This festival also bears the responsibility of developing the town, so it looks like they spent quite some effort on it.”

“Amazing. It looks like they rented out yukatas too.”

“…A chance for photos.”

“Heh~ I didn’t know there’s something like a pageant here~”

Everyone gathers as they surround Yuuji and me, looking at the panel. Does everyone have interest as well?

“…Looks interesting.”

Kirishima-san says as she grabs Yuuji by the sleeve. This is unexpected. However, I can’t really tell that Kirishima-san looks interested in any sense.

“Then, how about you sign up for it? I think everyone can definitely do well in it.”

There’re beauties around us, and they’re very suited for yukatas. Maybe they can win. No, they’ll definitely win if they appear.

First, the problem is whether everyone will appear.

I can only give a wry smile at my own thought.

“Ahh, it feels good too. How about everyone try this? We’ll definitely have wonderful memories of it.”

Himeji-san’s reply is really unexpected. She’s joining—this pageant?

“Ehhhh!? Are you serious, Himeji-san!? You don’t hate it!?”

“Yes. I’m a little embarrassed, but I can ignore that!”

Really, what exactly happened here…this reply is too unexpected…

“Really really? You’re okay with it? You have to go onto the stage, you know?”

I ask again. Maybe Himeji-san is talking about something else.

“Yes, it’s fine. I’ll work hard with everyone to make wonderful memories.”

Himeji-san is still smiling. Is that so? Making wonderful memories…it’s true that there won’t be a second year summer. It’s rare for everyone to be together like this. it’ll be interesting if we can increase the number of memories we make.

“Then, let’s go register. Since everyone’s cute, you’ll definitely win.”

On hearing that, Himeji-san’s giving me a smile—a radiant smile that’s making my spine chilly for some reason, and tell us clearly.

“Yes, let’s all join in!...... Everyone here.”

““SCATTER!!!””

CRAK!

“Aki, where’re you running to?”

“…Yuuji everyone here has to attend the pageant.”

In an instant, Yuuji and I tried to escape, but Minami and Kirishima-san were standing beside us, and caught us. Their smiling faces aren’t changing, and the alarm within my body is ringing loudly.

“Wha, what are you saying…? I don’t understand at all…”

“Tha, that’s right. I don’t know the reason why we’re in an armlock at all.”

It’s summer, and my body is trembling for some reason. Even if it’s evening, it’s a little chilly for this season. Haha, haa…

“Akihisa-kun, Sakamoto-kun. Did you actually think—”

“…That your accosting in the day—”

“Can be forgiven just like that?”

Absolutely chilly voices and smiles.

At this moment, I finally realized.

Why we’re still alive and standing even after doing that.

Why they’re miraculously so gentle to us.

That’s right. Everything was—

“Everything was a trap for this…!”

“““A sin has to be repaid by punishment. Losers dogs have to be trained by whips”””

Not good. Himeji-san and the rest are gradually infected by the atmosphere in F class. Kirishima-san’s in A class, and the representive…

“But, but even so, it’s impossible to have us in female costumes, right?”

“Ye, yeah. We’re guys after all, you know?”

I was forced to wear a girl’s outfit during the school festival, but it was prepared beforehand. We can’t possible join the pageant in this getup anyway—

As I’m thinking about this, the girls fold their arms while looking like they’re laughing at Yuuji and me.

“Even your observation skills aren’t acute enough, Sakamoto-kun.”

“…Yuuji, you have to use your head.”

“Yeah. Leaving aside Aki, haven’t you noticed it, Sakamoto? When we’re on the carr”

When we’re on the car…? What’s going on?

“Aki-kun, nee-san said before, didn’t I? ‘We’re driving over to prepare a change of clothes’.”

““—!!!””

We didn’t expect that! So the change of clothes isn’t made for Minami, but for us!?

“Wa, wait a sec! it’s fine for the skinny Akihisa, but my size doesn’t fit a female outfit! Just let Akihisa wear it alone no matter what!”

Yuuji puts his hands together and lowers his head to beg. Damn it…!

“Yuuji, you bastard! You’re only thinking of getting yourself saved, you traitor!?”

“Let go of me, Akihisa! I’m not like you! I’ve no interest in crossdressing at all ACK!”

“I don’t have a crossdressing fetish either!”

Such an uncouth man! You should be ashamed of yourself for only caring about yourself to run away!

“Putting me in this contest is going to drive people away here! I look like a guy no matter what.”

“…Yuuji and Yoshii, you don’t know how to give up.”

“Really, you should be mentally prepared like a man, Tsuchiya.”

“…!? (Fidgets)”

GAK!

“No you can’t, Tsuchiya-kun. How can you abandon your friends and run away? Right?”

“…It has…nothing to…do with me! (struggles)”

“I know about it, Muttsurini-kun. I know you took photos of us in siwimsuits and got hooked up with those big sisters at the seaside, everything.”

“……!!! (Shakes head violently)”

“You don’t have to be ashamed of it or anything. you’re cute in the girl outfit just now. You’ll definitely do well♪”

“……!!......I’m, just a victim…!”

Muttsurini continues to resist as Kudou-san grabs him. It can’t be helped. It’s basically impossible for us to take part in a pageant in the first place.

“And even if you want us to take part, it’s impossible for them to accept it in the first place!”

“Tha, that’s right! It’s just like what Akihisa said!”

Even if we want to take part, we won’t be able to pass through the registration phase. This isn’t even a crossdressing contest. This is a contest for girls.

“AH, then, let’s do this.”

I don’t know if Yuuji and my prayer requests were heard. Himeji-san claps her hands as she raises an earnest idea.

“Go prepare first. If you can’t pass the registration, we’ll just have to give up. But if you’re accepted, you boys will have to enter obediently, Akihisa-kun. How about it?”

I think quickly.

Using my common sense, we’re guys even if we crossdress. It’s impossible for those at the registration corner to not realize it. I have confidence in my own manliness, and there’s Yuuji around. No matter how much he’s dressed up, Yuuji’s a guy. If they realize that he’s crossdressing, they’ll start to suspect me. In that case, I’ll get what I want, and they’ll stop Yuuji, Muttsurini and me from appearing.

“Hm, is that…so?”

“It can’t be helped…since they say so, I’ll endure this shame for now…”

“……I’m an innocent bystander involved in this…”

As long as we endure this registration time and wait for the girls’ anger to subside, this would be a good strategy. I’ll endure it for now.

“Great. Then, let’s begin preparations. I’ll leave it to you, Kinoshita-kun.”

“I’d understand.”

The one being the make-up artist is my friend, Kinoshita Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi will definitely understand our feelings and hold back. That’s great.

“I’ll leave it to you then, Hideyoshi.”

I’m surrounded in this atmosphere as I show a look to Hideyoshi.

“Un, leave it to me. I’d definitely let you appear in the pageant.”

Why such an answer? I’m screaming with my eyes here. Eh…? For some reason, it feels weird…? Hideyoshi will do up a disguise for us that’ll expose us, right?

“We, well, Hideyoshi…?”

“Sorry everyone. Makeup’s an important part of acting too.”

Hideyoshi says as he gives an angelic smile.

“—Sorry, but I’d won’t be able to hold back.”

☆