Q1: Prove Your Eternal Love. There Shall Be No Heroine Correction.

Chapter 2 The Intent Of The Honey Trap

I have a hard time waking up from dreams.

In my slumber, I always lose track of which is reality and which is a dream. There were times when I thought I was awake, but I was dreaming, and I woke up.

A game for eternal love, the Confession Quartet. I wanted that to be a dream, but my mind, clear from waking up so early, recognized that this situation was undeniably real.

As I walked through the school gate, watched by crows standing on the power lines, my pocket trembled. When I checked, I found that the message I had sent yesterday, 『I have something to do tomorrow, so you don’t have to wait』 had been answered with two messages.

『In return, we will have lunch together today』『and you will make it up to me for yesterday, won’t you?』

I just typed『Okay』and put my phone in my pocket. Then I slowly touched my lips. I felt my body heat up as I remembered that soft touch.

This is not the time to get carried away. The reason I woke up early today was to make quick contact with a certain person. That girl is always in a certain place at a certain time of the day, according to Sakuma.

“No matter how many times I have seen it, I just can’t believe it.”

I unfolded a piece of paper and looked at it. It was a gift from Cupid that had been thrown in the mailbox yesterday. At the top, it says 『The 32nd Confession Quartet』 and 『Period: June 30 – July 20』, and below that is a list of the participants. Next to a blurry mug shot that I couldn’t tell when it was taken, there was a handwritten list of names, classes, and attendance numbers. There is no postmark or envelope, so he must have delivered it directly to the participants.

I checked the names of the participants again, starting from the top.

【Loser】Shirase Suguru

“Each time I look at it, it’s just so pathetic…”

Next to my name were the words that had been printed when I had chosen my trump card. This was the only choice I had, but I was embarrassed. I didn’t expect it to be disclosed.

【The Two’s Happiness】Tokiwa Nagisa

Of course, there are benefits to being disclosed. Nagisa’s trump card seemed to be peaceful. So, depending on her skills, I could determine that I don’t have to be too careful about her.

The problem is with the last two people

【Cunning Trap】Aogashima Yuno

【One More Chance】Kuroiwa Aika

Aogashima-san is, needless to say, the one with the strongest specs of good looks. If she makes a move down the line, we might end up losing immediately. And then there was Kuroiwa. My target, whom I had chosen thinking that anyone would do. I hadn’t calculated that she would be a participant. Nagisa knew my target, and it was inevitable that things would get messy. I can’t help but wonder what the future holds for me now that the correlation has gotten so complicated.

I was just about to put the paper in my pocket when I heard a sigh and saw Aogashima’s back in the distance. I felt a little nervous. With a somewhat limp step, I head towards her.

The flower of the high mountain was standing in front of a small flower bed by the entrance to the stairs, perhaps noticing my gaze, she turned to me and bowed elegantly. This is the kind of destructive power that would make most boys fall in love with her five times over.

It was surprising that her choice of trump card was【Cunning Trap】

“What’s wrong? Shirase-kun.”

—What’s wrong?

Suddenly, a memory comes back to me. Yeah, that reminds me that I was called out like that at that time too.

“Ah, umm. Good morning, Aogashima-san. I have some business to talk to you about.”

Aogashima-san placed the watering can gently on the ground and spoke up, looking somewhat alarmed.

“…Hasn’t it been a while since I last talked to you?”

That’s true. She is now being spoken to out of the blue by a classmate with whom she has little to no relationship. The only relationship between us is that we had a chance conversation outside of school once last year. I felt like we got along a little better then, but we never talked until today.

“Yeah, it’s been a while since last October…Do you like flowers, Aogashima-san?”

She seemed to relax a little and nodded. At her feet, small colorful flowers were neatly arranged in a row.

“…What about Shirase-kun?”

“I guess only a little bit. Ah, but I think I enjoyed growing morning glories when I was in elementary school.”

Aogashima-san simply commented, “Yes,” and closed her mouth. Her gaze was upward, trying to keep the topic going, but I guess she couldn’t come up with any, so she blinked twice and then gave up and started the next topic.

“How about, the Quartet.”

“Um, yeah. That’s what I wanted to talk about. I’m surprised to see you participating, Aogashima-san.”

“Surprised? …Even I have someone I like. Especially at this age.”

Aogashima-san, who was not very expressive to say the least, said back with almost no expression on her face. From the tone of her voice, I could barely tell that she did not seem offended.

“I see. That’s rude of me. So, are you and the other person close?”

“…No. I’m not very good at this kind of thing.”

“That’s what I imagined.”

At any rate, her clear, subdued voice never reached my ears in the classroom before.

“But if I am confident, I could do it. …That is a lie. I’m not confident. Not at all.”

With each break in the words, Aogashima-san’s eyes lowered more and more.

Aogashima-san is popular. There is no doubt about it, but she is not the center of the class and gets approached by a lot of people. If anything, she is more of a symbol. Like a panda in a zoo, she is loved from afar. It seems that she has a hard time approaching the person she likes.

“Then why don’t you work with me?”

“…What do you mean?”

Aogashima-san tilted her head like an owl and asked with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not in it for love, I’m in it for something else. So we can help each other for the time being. I’ll support your love life, and you can help me in return.”

“My love…Shirase-kun would?”

Her emotionless eyes scanned my entire body. There is nothing false about my words. I don’t care who wins, except Nagisa. It’s just that I don’t want her to win so overwhelmingly and obtain love through this way.

I watched nervously as Aogashima-san quietly pondered the situation. Normally, even I wouldn’t believe such a story. We’re enemies by rule. There’s no way that a good story doesn’t have an ulterior motive. In fact, there is a story behind this reason. Of course, I don’t mean to trick her.

“Well, you can’t trust me right away. So, first of all, if there’s anything you want me to do—”

“…Then tell me the effects of Shirase-kun’s skills and trump card.”

As if to test me, Aogashima-san stares at me. Well, I should have expected it.

“The skill to command one thing from the person I kiss. …Would you honestly believe me if I said that?”

“Yes. …If Shirase kisses me now, I’ll know.”

I flinched when she said this without changing her expression. Her perfectly shaped face is brightly colored with a hint of light red. Her lips, which had been twitching just a moment ago, now stood perfectly still, as if waiting for my action.

Gulp. I salivate. No, I know. I shouldn’t comply. I know that, but my face gets hot from imagining it. This is what I call the magical charm of Aogashima Yuno.

As I moved my eyes restlessly, Aogashima-san covered her lips with the back of her hand and looked at me shyly.

“I…don’t want you…to take me…seriously.”

“Ha—! No, sorry. I didn’t think you’d make a joke like that.”

I hurriedly waved my hands in the air. Aogashima-san, perhaps amused by my fumbling, smiled gently and laughed. Somewhat awkwardly, I put my left hand in my pocket.

“And here’s my trump card.”

I took out the card and held it up. The other side of the card is not visible to her.

Aogashima-san stared intently at the text. Her black eyes fluttered back and forth, and she let out a sigh.

“Target…change. In other words, Shirase-kun…You’re gonna let her use this?”

I was so surprised to see Aogashima-san’s cheeks relax a little with a bit of pride that I almost dropped my trump card.

“…Amazing. You can see through all this? Then, you know about Nagisa?”

“I see you two always together in the morning. …You want to maintain your relationship with her, right?”

“Haha, really, it’s scary that you can see through all this.”

Then I’m going to confess my feelings to Nagisa afterwards, though she’ll probably not understand why not now.

On the back of the card, still held up, are the conditions of use.

【However, this trump card could only be used after all other participants’ trump card have been used.】

In other words, in order for me to get Nagisa to use my trump card, I must first get all the participants to use theirs. Moreover, if the effect of the trump card successfully brings love to fruition, then the winner will be decided before I could achieve my goal. It’s a difficult task no matter how you look at it.

Of course, with my skill, it’s an easy mission. If I can trick them into kissing them, I could force it, I could create the situation I want in no time at all. But still, even if they lose their memory, I don’t want to take the shortest route, the one that twists someone’s will in order to achieve my goal. No matter how circuitous the other route may be.

So I try to build a cooperative attitude and control the situation well. This is my basic policy in the Confession Quartet. It’s more difficult, but it’s the only way for me.

“So…what should I do?”

“Well, I guess you could exchange contact information with me. We’ll talk about it later.”

“All right. We’ll exchange contact information and then we’ll have a strategy meeting.”

“I guess so. Thank you, Aogashima-san. Well, I look forward to working with you.”

I held out my right hand. Aogashima-san looked at my hand for a while, then slowly held out her pure white hand for a handshake—It didn’t happen.

“Eh?”

I noticed that my right hand had dropped. Not only that, but Aogashima-san’s right hand too. The handshake that was supposed to be held has returned to its original position by itself.

We exchanged glances for a few seconds as if wondering about each other. Then I heard a chattering voice.

“Good morning, Yuno. How are you today?”

Kuroiwa appears out of the corner of my eye and puts her arm around Aogashima-san’s shoulder. She was unfazed by the distance between them, almost cheek to cheek, and Kuroiwa gave her an innocent smile that she would never show me.

“Better. …I just missed lunch, that’s all. I’m sorry I had to leave so early.”

Aogashima-san replied a little listlessly as she gently pulled Kuroiwa away from her.

“Well, I’ve never taken notes seriously before. My hands were really tired.”

“Fufu. …Thank you very much, Aika.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that. We’re best friends, you know.”

The atmosphere between the two of them was relaxed and warm, and it was clear that they cared for each other.

The only thing that was unnatural was that they never mentioned the Confession Quartet. Kuroiwa and Aogashima-san are now supposed to be competitors who should outdo each other. Yet, the two were talking and talking as usual, as if they knew nothing about each other.

As I was observing them, Kuroiwa suddenly extended her arm around my collar as if she was trying to trap me. I almost dodged her, but she grabbed my shirt tightly.

“Hey, come with me for a moment. Shirase the Loser.”

“Hey, let’s talk peacefully, Kuroiwa. I—”

“Haaa. I’m not going to play that game. I’m not very good at discussing things.”

Wait, if it’s not a discussion, then what’s going to happen? I have a bad feeling about this. I smell violence, to be more specific. In spite of my desperate resistance, Kuroiwa dragged me away.

“Shirase, you should go out with me.”

“Haah? …Haa? What?”

Behind the water tower on the roof. Kuroiwa came at me with her arms at the sides of my head in the so-called kabedon position, confusing me with her unintelligible comments.

Her nose was high and her skin was plastered with makeup. Her false eyelashes drew a curve in the golden ratio, and her lips glistened with gloss. And yet, there was a face in front of me that still looked somewhat young.

“That, is, why. I’m asking you to go out with me.”

Unfortunately, it seemed that I hadn’t misheard.

I was at a loss for words. What the heck? I don’t know what she meant. That Kuroiwa is confessing to me?

“Kuroiwa. Did you just ask me to be your boyfriend?”

“Yes. You are free to do whatever you want with my body. It’s a miraculous proposal for you, a loner reading history books in the corner of the classroom, isn’t it?”

With an expression full of confidence, Kuriowa pointed with her thumb at her own chest. Aside from the counterargument that I’m not a loner because I have my friend Sakuma, I don’t understand even a fraction of what Kuroiwa is trying to say. But there’s only one answer for me. I’m targeting Kuroiwa, and if I agree at this point, I’ll win. I’m not happy about this Real Time Attack at all.

“What happens if I say no?”

“I’ll break your fingers one by one.”

The answer was immediate. That’s just absurd and unreasonable.

“Anyway, anyway, Shirase! You stay away from Yuno. I’ll go out with you instead. I’ll let you do whatever you want.”

After Kuroiwa said that, she started to untie the yellow ribbon on her chest—without hesitation, she opened the front of her uniform to reveal a thin white shirt for summer use.

“What? No, wait, wait, wait, wait!

Her next step was to slowly unbutton the buttons of the shirt, starting from the bottom, as if to show off her chest.

“This is no good. If people show up, no, it’s still a problem even if people don’t show up!”

“Don’t worry. I do this kind of thing all the time.”

Kuroiwa said blithely, like a pure child. What the hell is this girl doing?

The beating in my chest accelerates. What, what can I do? I should just run away. I know that. But this is not the same. I’ve tried to escape many times already. And yet, for some reason, I couldn’t escape. The legs that I have moved will return to their original position.

“You know, Shirase. It’s useless to try to run. I can stop time with my skill.”

“You can stop time…? No, no, there is no such thing like that cheat skill!”

“Haa? It’s an SSR though.”

No, that’s crazy. If it’s a cross-genre battle game then sure, this is still a game where you’re trying to achieve romance. It’s obviously a skill from a different genre!

“K-Kuroiwa, the moment I move, you’re stopping time and bringing me back to my original position? To show off this crazy undressing show? What the hell!?”

While I was shouting, Kuroiwa had already unbuttoned the last button, leaving the front completely exposed. The skin that was exposed was evenly smooth like a ceramic, as if it had been well taken care of. Her blue bra, which peeked out halfway, was carefully fitted with a front hook.

If I blinked again, my fingers could be on the hooks by themselves. I really don’t want to do this.

“In the first place, what do you mean by instead of Aogashima-san? I have no desire to go out with her.”

“Haa? I don’t buy that. Yuno is really the most beautiful girl in the world, she’s really neat and clean, she’s really gorgeous! There’s no way there’s a guy who doesn’t like Yuno!”

“Ehhh…?”

I really don’t understand what she’s talking about. I think I’m going to be really bad at this kind of discussion. Seriously, someone please help me. My vocabulary is getting worse and worse!

“C-Calm down, Kuroiwa. Look me in the eye. And take a deep breath.”

I’m saying this, but my breathing is rather distracted by Kuroiwa’s pace.

This is the worst. I didn’t think the day would come when I would associate such a four-letter word with her bra as she ran her fingers over it. But this situation is not good. Is there any weakness in Kuroiwa’s skills? Even if I thought about it, there was no way I could think straight in this situation. It was at that moment that I gulped down my spit helplessly.

“—W, WWWWWhat are you doing to Suguru-senpai!?”

A pale, wide-eyed girl, Nagisa, peeked out from behind the water tower.

“N-Nagisa!?” “W-Who!?”

A third party intruded. Kuroiwa was distracted, and I quickly stepped to the opposite side. I was able to run from Kuroiwa’s control. I quickly gained some distance and checked the situation.

Holding her mouth and letting out an inarticulate voice, Nagisa looked at me and then at the half-naked Kuroiwa in turn. Nagisa walked quickly past Kuroiwa and stood in front of me, blocking my view of Kuroiwa’s lasciviousness. I knew right away, this is the kind of thing that will complicate things further.

“I heard that Suguru-senpai had been taken here, so I came here, but what is this!? Why are you making a woman take her clothes off! I mean, that’s Kuroiwa-senpai, isn’t it!?”

“No, a lot of things had led to this situation. Anyway, I’m glad that Nagisa is here to help—”

“I-I saw it all, Suguru-senpai! Such, such a shameful thing, I didn’t know that this was a diabolical attempt to humiliate a woman under the sun! A-At least do it by the gentle light of the moon! No, that’s not what I meant!”

Nagisa, who was turning her arms, eyes, and tongue in circles, was very confused.

“What is this, a Shuraba?”

Suddenly, Kuroiwa peeked out from Nagisa’s shoulder and made a very natural comment. Are you even aware of the situation?

“Anyway, I don’t know what kind of trick Suguru-senpai used, but impure s*xual intercourse is a no! Absolutely! Yeah!”

“I want to say that line myself. You see, Nagisa, you have misunderstood. I’m the victim here. The only thing that happened was that Kuroiwa started undressing on her own after I was restrained by the Time Stop skill.”

“Heh? That excuse wouldn’t work with me — No, wait, maybe it is true…Kuroiwa-senpai, is it?

Nagisa was puzzled, and asked the perpetrator about the truth.

“Yeah. I started taking it off on my own.”

“E-Ehhh…? Why would you do that…?”

The truth was reversed as the defendant, Kuroiwa, honestly admitted her actions. Judge Nagisa fell into a state of increasing confusion.

“Why? To seduce him, I guess?”

“What do you mean I guess!? You are trying to seduce me through force!”

“A-At any rate, I understand. But you can’t, Kuroiwa-senpai! How many times do you think I’ve tempted him so far? Unfortunately, that won’t work on Suguru-senpai!”

Nagisa pointed at me. No, what are you talking about now?

“Heee. But isn’t that because you’re just a child?”

Kuroiwa shrugged her shoulders wickedly and went to Nagisa. She hesitantly reached her hand to Nagisa’s chest.

“Faaaah, w-why are you touching me, nyah, s-stop it plea-, nyah!”

Kuroiwa, still fully exposed and showing off her voluptuous body, boldly and carefully rubbed Nagisa’s modest chest. Ah, a brutal contrast.

After a while, Nagisa lost her breath and shook off Kuroiwa’s evil hand and hid behind my back.

“Haa—Haa—, Y-You rubbed them!? I’ve haven’t even been rubbed by Suguru-senpai yet!”

“Because, Shirase…You should move on.”

“What’s wrong with me?”

“S-Suguru-senpai. She’s a lascivious woman!”

“I already know that.”

“Ehhh. I don’t understand. What’s so lascivious about me?”

What is this girl saying with her shirt unbuttoned? There are a lot of things I want to say, but right now the first thing I need to do is get this over with. I looked straight into Kuroiwa’s bluish eyes and slowly admonished her.

“You know, Kuroiwa, you can’t seduce me. I wouldn’t do that with someone I don’t like.”

“Heh, but I can feel your eyes glancing at my chest.”

As she said that, her blue eyes glanced straight at me. My gaze was pulled by a presence that I couldn’t ignore, no, that’s not what’s important right now.

“A-Anyway, no matter how much you like me—”

A twitch. Kuroiwa’s eyebrows furrowed. The languid expression on her face changed, and she glared at me sternly.

“…Haaa? Shirase, what did you just say? What about me for you?”

“I said, even if Kuroiwa likes me, this kind of seduction—”

“Me? Like You? …Ha? What? Haaaaaaaaa—!?”

Kuroiwa interrupted my dialogue and let out the loudest yell I’ve ever heard. Her eyes widened, and her ponytail swung around as she approached me with tremendous force.

“Y-Y-You’re wrong! Correct yourself! Apologize! Crawl on the ground and bite your b*lls while crying and apologizing! Why would I like a person like you!?”

No, because you’re the one who confessed to me. Her peach-colored tongue continued to move, not even allowing me to explain myself.

“I, I, I am — in love with Yuno!!”

A high school girl’s incredible confession now sounded into the endless blue sky.

“…Eh?” “…Huh?” “…Ah.”

After a second, two seconds, three seconds, everyone on the rooftop finished digesting the meaning of her words.

Kuroiwa Aika is in love with Aogashima Yuno.

“…You heard it?”

The volume was minimal, and Kuroiwa asked the question with her face down to the rubber chip floor of the rooftop. There was no way she could fool me at this point.

“Ah, yes. I heard you perfectly.”

When I answered, Kuroiwa clutched her head with all her might and said, “Nah…!” And then, with a mighty thud, she cowered on the floor. Her golden tail jittered as she squirmed and hissed.

“AHHH F*CK! Of all people, Shirase would find out! It totally backfired!”

That’s what happened. She has now leaked deadly information to us, the enemies of this game. The person you thought was your best friend has romantic feelings for you — and if I use it right, I could tear them apart. Of course, neither Nagisa nor I intend to do that.

“…I like her, okay? I like someone of the same gender.”

This time, Kuroiwa asked softly, keeping her hair in disarray and only looking up. I was certainly surprised, and Nagisa was the same.

“I don’t think it’s weird about who likes who. In fact, I’m surprised that you, a person who plays with men so much, am so devoted to one particular person.”

“Plays with men, t-that’s—I was trying to keep the pests away from Yuno!”

Kuroiwa countered, her face turning red as she kneeled on the floor.

“Eh? So you’re saying that you’ve been doing all this just to get rid of the men who approach her?”

Slowly, as if in slow motion, Kuroiwa nodded shyly. Wow, that’s quite a display of devotion…

“What, you got a problem with that?”

Her voice was quiet, but still full of hostility towards me. However, in terms of objective game situations, I definitely have the upper hand. It would be a good idea to draw Kuroiwa in here and now.

“No, I don’t have a problem. That’s how much you like Aogashima-san. …It’s okay, Kuroiwa. I’m not your enemy. In fact, I’d like to help you if you’d like.”

“Hey, Shirase? Are you a surprisingly good guy?”

Seemingly rejuvenated by my affirmation, Kuroiwa stood up quickly and closed the distance between us. However, Nagisa quickly intervened. From Nagisa’s point of view, it was natural that I was trying to get close to Kuroiwa, using our cooperation as an excuse.

“Ah! N-No. Don’t be fooled, Kuroiwa-senpai! Suguru-senpai has feeli—!”
[TLN: Yokoshima is used here and later down, where Yoko means stripe, and Shima means horizontal, but Nagisa couldn’t say it clearly here that Suguru has feelings for Kuroiwa (Nagisa POV). Basically lost in translation.]

Oops, I could tell where this is going. I quickly cover Nagisa’s mouth. “Mugu! Muguu!” The palm of my hand vibrates from her protest, and it tickles a little.

“Yokoshima? Shirase?”

“Ah, no, zebras have horizontal stripes because the animal’s stripes are identified when it is standing.”

“Ah, really? I always thought they had vertical stripes. Shirase knows a lot.”

I think I managed to fool her. In any case, I was relieved. If the lie about me liking Kuroiwa gets through to her, things are going to get really complicated!

“Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!”

—Isn’t it too easy to fool her!?

I thought I heard the screams from Nagisa’s mind. Well, I can’t deny that.

If I can jump into Kuroiwa’s shoes, it will be easier for me to advance my goal. I’m still in the early stages of the game, but it looks like I’ll be able to set things up pretty nicely.

“Of course, as long as we’re cooperating, I’ll need your help. And I’ll do my best to help you. I I look forward to working with you from today, Kuroiwa.

I held out my right hand to Kuroiwa. Kuroiwa crossed her arms as if thinking for a moment, while Nagisa was still protesting with a “fugafugafugafugafuga”.

The next time Kuroiwa turned to look at me. My right hand was lowered against my will.

“Sorry, but I don’t need your help. …I don’t trust you.”

“Well, how can you trust me?”

“You know what they say about a woman’s intuition. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

She’s so perceptive. I can’t say anything back. This was not like the Aogashima-san case, I can’t reveal my purpose here and now. There is also the fact that I can’t let Nagisa know about it in the first place, but I also can’t let Kuroiwa know about the 【Target Change】 effect. Even if Kuroiwa can’t get together with Aogashima-san, if she changes the target, their relationship will remain the same even after the game is over. In other words, this trump card is an insurance policy for Kuroiwa and is likely to be taken away from me if she knows about it.

Tilting her head, Kuroiwa closes the distance between us and unceremoniously puts her finger on my mouth.

“Why don’t you at least tell me who you like right here and now? Hey, Shirase?”

I can’t say it’s Nagisa Tokiwa. I couldn’t even tell Kuroiwa Aika that my target was her.

My answer was silence. Which was more than enough for Kuroiwa to give up on me completely. The bell rang at this time signaling the end of this mess.

“Eh. Ugh, no. Is it already this late? Oh no, if I’m late, Yuno will suspect me…”

As if she lost interest in Shirase Suguru anymore, Kuroiwa didn’t even glance at me and dashed for the door, swinging her ponytail from side to side.

Persuasion failed.

Well, let’s put that aside for the moment. More importantly, Kuroiwa was currently on the verge of a crisis. Nagisa said, “Ah, um…” but it didn’t reach Kuroiwa’s ears. I can’t help it, so I do my best to convert my kindness into volume and call out to Kuroiwa.

“Wait a minute, Kuroiwa!”

Kuroiwa turned around languidly. She seems to be unaware of the gravity of the situation.

“You—forgot to put on your clothes.”

Kuroiwa’s face turned red when I pointed it out, and at that moment, her clothes were already back on. …What a handy skill.

“N-Not like that, you didn’t have to tell me. I knew! Don’t just assume I am going to class in my underwear or do whatever you want me to do, okay!?”

Kuroiwa tied the ribbon back on the spot and opened the door in a messy manner. No, I didn’t say that much…

“I see. Suguru-senpai has a fetish for exposure. This is a memorandum in my memory.”

God, how I could guide this kouhai who was being led astray by demagoguery.

＊＊＊

“So, why did Suguru-senpai run away yesterday strangely?”

Nagisa sits in front of me, staring at me as she scoops up a spoonful of curry with few ingredients, which is typical of the school cafeteria. As promised, I had come for lunch with Nagisa to make up for yesterday.

“No, of course anyone would be surprised if a girl kissed them like that…”

“Fufu. So Suguru-senpai at least sees me as a member of the opposite sex. When did it start? When I was ‘her sister’?”

“Don’t make fun of me. You weren’t in love with me then.”

“That’s… well, yes, but…maybe. But there have been times when I thought that if Suguru-san was in my class, I would have liked you.”

“He-heh. I wonder. I don’t think so.”

I flinched when I saw Nagisa’s carefree smile. I’ll overlook it for now, even though the way she called me has gone back from senpai.

“It’s possible. It’s true that Suguru-san is a bit of a pouting, hard to talk to type, like he’s reading a history book in the corner of the classroom, and he seems to be isolating himself while saying that there’s no point in superficial friendships.”

“Sorry, can we stop for a moment?”

What’s with the accurate analysis? How come everyone knows that I’m reading the history book? Was it written in the list of participants that I didn’t know about?

“Hmm, now that I think about it, it was a bit of a stretch to assume that we were in the same class, wasn’t it?”

“You’re right. I went out with Minagi, got to know you, and the three of us played games together once in a while. That’s the only way it can be.”

If Nagisa and I had been classmates, we would not have had any contact with each other regardless. So there was no point in making that assumption. Even so, I’m happy about her feelings…Well, it’s true.

“Fufu, this brings back a lot. Suguru-san leaning his body while turning in a racing game, or shouting every time he took damage in an action game. Fufu, ahaha!”

“Don’t laugh, why do you keep remembering those things!?”

“You’re always trying to act cool, but when you lose, you look frustrated, and when you win just once at the end, you get excited.”

“That’s not true. The important thing is to enjoy the game, to communicate with you through the game. I’m not going to get caught up in the outcome of winning or losing…”

“Yes, yes. We’ve played many other games, haven’t we? Puzzle games, video games, music games.”

“You were really good at gaming, weren’t you? No, you practiced, right?”

“Yes, I did. I practiced a lot. I thought it was inevitable that I would lose to my sister, but I really wanted to win. I wanted…Suguru-san to praise me.”

“…I see. I can’t believe I’m playing this game now. It’s a crazy joke.”

The air suddenly turns somber. The only thing on our trays are the dishes we’ve already used. When I put my hand on the tray with the words, “Let’s go,” prepared in the back of my tongue.

“Suguru-senpai, what do you like about Kuroiwa-senpai?”

Nagisa initiated. Facing Nagisa’s serious gaze, I removed my fingers from the edge of the tray.

This is probably the first choice. Do I like Kuroiwa or not? Denial or affirmation?

After being kissed, I revealed to Nagisa that my target was Kuroiwa Aika. It was Nagisa’s misunderstanding that I liked Kuroiwa. That misunderstanding is now working well on the board.

In order to make Nagisa use my trump card to change the target, and to maintain the relationship with me even if Nagisa loses, I need to make Nagisa have a sense of crisis that she might lose. The fact that I like Kuroiwa is the perfect excuse for me to never respond to Nagisa’s feelings during this game.

If that’s the case, it would be dangerous to clear up Nagisa’s misunderstanding right now. If I announce that I’m targeting someone I don’t like, Nagisa will realize that I’m up to something. I can’t let Nagisa find out about this plan.

“What do I like about Kuroiwa, huh? Well…uh, looks, I guess?”

“Doubt it. The look that Suguru-senpai likes is similar to my sister. I don’t look as good as my sister…but I’m sure you like me a lot too, because I look like her.”

What’s with that three-step argument? But she was completely on target, so I couldn’t say anything back.

“No, that’s not it…what is it called? Ugh.”

As I stammered, Nagisa seemed to have misunderstood something outrageous and placed her palm on her own chest like an enemy.

“Wh-What, don’t tell me…! This is an unforgivable insult, even if it’s from Suguru-senpai! Now I’m going to have to get at least three baked puddings as an apology!”

“No, it’s a misunderstanding. And you’re eating three of them?”

“No, I’m not. It’s not that I’m a picky eater, it’s just research! Our class is going to have a baked pudding shop for the cultural festival!”

“Heh, so your class already decided on your program? We don’t even have a committee yet.”

“Huh? The committee meeting for the school festival starts tomorrow, right? Haven’t your class decided yet?

“Our homeroom teacher is so lazy. He says we’ll decide by lottery in the next period.”

“Then you’d better clear your schedule for tomorrow. Suguru-senpai, you have bad luck in the lottery.”

She was smiling with ill will. I’m sure that behind that smile, she must be remembering how I always drew the worst one in the mule draw.”

“That’s not true. I’ve been pretty lucky lately. I even got a good seat in the seat change.”

“Heh, I see. Then let’s play a game.”

Nagisa then rolled up the receipt on the tray haphazardly and put it in my right hand.

“It’s a game where I guess which hand has it.”

With that rule, my luck in the lottery is irrelevant, isn’t it? Thinking that, I put my hand behind my back and move the scrap of paper to my left hand. Oh well, I’ll take this win..

“Ah. It’s a good opportunity, so why don’t we bet on something? For example, a date with Suguru-senpai.”

Nagisa smiled a little confidently and tilted her head. I put my two fists in front of her in acknowledgement. If it’s on the left, it’s a date, if it’s on the right, it’s a miss. No, of course there should be a return for me.

“If I win…I’ll ask you to reveal your trump card to me”

“HmmHmm, so that’s what you’re going for? Sure. There’s no way I’m going to choose the wrong one between the two options when my date with Suguru-senpai is on the line. It’s called heroine correction!
[TLN: Yes author-sensei said Heroine Correction, used by Katakana.]

What’s with the confident but unsubstantiated theories…

Nagisa puts her index finger on her chin and compares my hands with a “Mmmm”. After a few seconds of thought, a warm hand was placed on my right hand. Too bad, that one’s a miss. The moment I thought that.

—Suguru-senpai. Can you hear this voice?

I felt a strange sensation as if a voice was reaching my brain directly.

What is this? No, I’ve already experienced this a few times. When Nagisa kissed me, and when I covered Nagisa’s mouth this morning. Don’t tell me this is…Nagisa’s voice from her mind?

“Fufu, are you surprised? This is my skill.”

“The ability to communicate your mind’s voice to those you touch?”

“Yes, that’s right. I heard that this skill is SSR.”

After Kuroiwa’s time stop, it’s another SSR. Sure, it’s a seemingly underwhelming ability, but in terms of achieving love, it’s quite strong. You can directly convey your love to the other person’s heart. It’s hard not to be swayed by the fact that one can express their feelings at a much closer distance than face to face or whispering in your ear.

Nagisa smiled and slowly moved her hands to my left hand, “The answer is this one,” she said, changing her choice to my left hand. Then she flipped my fist over and carefully opened my fingers, one by one.

—Suguru-senpai’s hand, fingers, face, and even the troublesome parts. I like all of them about you, you know?

Nagisa’s voice seemed to reach directly to the core of my body — prying open my heart — and it swayed me. While I managed to keep my composure, I was made aware of the strength of Nagisa’s skills.

“I see. So that’s exactly what you really think.”

“Yes, that is exactly what I really think, I like you, Suguru-senpai.”

It was a critical hit with her innocent upward glance. I couldn’t move my gaze that was met with hers.

“You’ve already said it out loud before.”

As if to hide the exposed piece of paper again, Nagisa intertwined her fingers with my hand. Her fingers are just as slender as Minagi’s, and they fit well with mine. My hands immediately start to sweat.

—I’m going to boldly go on the assault today.

Her hand was hot as she squeezed mine tightly, and I could feel her fast heartbeat. I wondered if Nagisa would be able to feel my pulse as well.

—Come on, Suguru-senpai, just say it. That you like Kuroiwa-senpai.

“I will not say it even if I die.”

Because who I like is not Kuroiwa. I like Nagisa.

I’m not going to say that out loud, I’m just muttering it in my mind, I’m just confirming my feelings, but my heart starts beating out of control. I couldn’t take it anymore and quickly let go of her hand. I heard the sound of crumpled pieces of paper falling onto the tray more clearly than ever.

“T-That’s enough. You’ve won, Nagisa. I’ll go on a date with you.”

I felt too embarrassed, so I looked away from Nagisa. Calmly, I wonder what we were doing. We should be just a pair of senpai and houkai, but I accepted her bet without resistance, and held hands with her.

“Are you sure? Because you, umm, umm, umm, uh, Suguru…senpai—”

Nagisa put her hands on her bright red cheeks to cool them down and swept her gaze around.

“What’s the matter with you, Nagisa? D-Don’t be embarrassed now.”

“Ah, my heart is overwhelmed. I thought I might die if we went any further. Because, you see, I touched senpai like that, right? There’s no way I can be fine from that.”

“I am—No, it’s nothing. Goodness, you’ve got a habit of setting me up.”

“Nah nah, Suguru-senpai’s pulse racing too!”

“…That’s not true. It’s just that I was a little scared to go on a date with you.”

My heart was still beating fast, and I felt as if my veins were shaking right up to my earlobes. Yeah, this is not good. I wonder if I will be able to withstand Nagisa’s assault properly from now on.

God, I wonder what would happen if I fell in love with her even more.

＊＊＊

 

As I slowly walk down the corridor in the evening sun, I draw a correlation chart in my mind.

Nagisa likes me.

I like Nagisa, but Nagisa thinks I like Kuroiwa.

And Kuroiwa says she likes Aogashima-san.

I still don’t know who Aogashima-san likes.

So far, the relationship has been within the participants. This is probably one of the most unusual patterns among the many times this event has been held in the past. Normally, I would just use my skills on a defenseless, unknowing target and shorten the distance between their hearts in a situation where the participants have the upper hand. However, if the contestants are trying to make each other fall in love, it will be difficult to use their skills and trump cards effectively.

But Aogashima-san is different. Her good looks and the skill she has been given in the game. It’s a match made in heaven. Her weakness is that she’s not very good at talking, but if she could only muster up the courage to approach her target, this game would be over in an instant. That’s why I tried to form a cooperative relationship with her as soon as I found out who was participating in order to limit her movements.

“…-kun. Shirase-kun, are you listening?”

“Eh? Ah, I’m sorry, Aogashima-san. I’m a little sleep deprived.”

While replying, I was overcome with sleepiness and let out a dumb yawn as I took in oxygen. The yawn was so big that it protruded from the palm of the hand that held my mouth. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been tied up for too long in the tedious meetings of the festival committee, but my brain is in full-on sleep mode.

As Nagisa had told me yesterday, I had, as expected, demonstrated my bad luck in the lottery. The black number seven that I drew and the red number three that Aogashima-san drew were both the lucky numbers designated by my homeroom teacher. I was lucky in the sense that I got a chance to talk to her alone in this way.

“If you’re that sleepy, you’ll probably sleep better today.”

“I hope so. Yeah, by the way, Aogashima-san, do you have time after this? I’m thinking of deciding how we should work together sooner or later.”

I looked at the side of her face. Aogashima-san nodded her head and replied, “All right.” That’s all well and good, but perhaps it’s just my imagination, but ever since we left the meeting room, Aogashima-san hasn’t given me a second glance. All she did was stare at the printout in her hand while walking.

Our conversation ended in silence. But it’s not an unpleasant silence. In fact, it calms me down. Maybe it’s because of what happened back then.

“Speaking of which, thank you for that time, Aogashima-san.”

“? …What’s this suddenly?

Aogashima-san’s mysterious profile looks blurry. A fierce drowsiness covers my head. Every time I get caught in a swamp-like slumber, memories of the past come flooding back. Half as if I were talking in my sleep, I verbalize the scene that comes to my mind.

“It was last year. I was crying on a bench after breaking up with Minagi…my ex-girlfriend, when you happened to pass by and stood by my side.”

“…It was just unusual to see someone crying so hard.”

—What’s wrong?

Like a dream, I recalled that past. It was a chilly autumn day. When she saw that I was unable to respond to her question, she smiled at me. Then, quietly, she sat down next to me. The tears running down my cheeks were impossibly warm, and the drops fell onto the back of my hand.

“I’m such a wimp, aren’t I? Crying like that.”

“That’s not true. Because that’s how much you cared about your girlfriend—”

Aogashima-san turned to look at me. Our eyes met. Her expression was as expressionless as ever, but I could sense some strong emotion behind her eyes. However, she quickly let out an “ah” and her cheeks flushed slightly, then she turned away and drank the lemon tea from the plastic bottle in one gulp.

…Somehow, Aogashima-san is strange today.

The next thing I knew, we were walking back to the classroom. With the shouts of the athletic team from outside in the background, we moved in unison to look in through the small window. Conveniently, no one seemed to be around.

When I opened the door to the classroom, it was filled with an air of tranquility like a deep hole. For a moment, I hesitated to step inside, but my stumbling legs pulled me in.

My seat by the window was illuminated by the setting sun. I staggered to my feet as if I were being led, and sat down leaning against the wall. Aogashima-san was in the seat next to me — Sakuma’s seat. I’m confident that he would be happy if I told him that Aogashima-san sat in his seat. He would probably say something about indirect seating.

I tipped my bottle in an attempt to shake off the drowsiness. A warm cup of mugi-cha (barley tea) went down my throat, but I couldn’t clear my head.

“Why did you join the Confession Quartet, Aogashima-san?”

As I listened, I almost let go of my consciousness. I felt a sense of security as if I were soaking in a bathtub. I felt as if I could fall into a deep sleep at any time if I surrendered myself.

“A difficult question. …If I had to say, I’d say it’s just a matter of chance.”

“I see. I’m the same way.”

Aogashima-san had also joined by chance, just like I had joined by following Nagisa. If so, what did she want from this game? Was it eternal love, or something else entirely?

“The truth is, I never intended to—”

Her lips, which had been wandering in search of her next words, began to formulate her thoughts. But she can’t seem to find the right words to say. Her voice, like the sound of a bell in my ears, was clear.

“—I wanted to do it—by myself—”

Ah, no. My consciousness is leaving me. I think I’m listening to her, yet I think I’m dreaming. I’m not sure if my eyelids are open or closed right now.

“—kun, Shirase-kun?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, Aogashima-san. I’m feeling a little drowsy today.”

It was an important conversation, but I had lost consciousness. I can’t help but feel a pleasant tiredness, an exquisite warmth, a sense of security, and a gravity-like directionality that I just can’t resist. I felt as if my mind was being forcibly swirled.

Even though Aogashima-san was speaking to me, I couldn’t get my head or tongue to respond to her.

I reached into my chest pocket, but couldn’t get a good grip on the drop can. Is this a dream or a reality?

“…It’s okay. It’s just the drug I put in your drink that’s working.”

My comprehension was so delayed that I couldn’t even speak. The sound her vocal cords made shook my eardrums, and my brain translated the wavelength into meaning. There was a time lag in such an ordinary process, as long as space communication.

Was this a dream? I blinked twice. Wake up. But I can’t wake up. My head is foggy, and I can’t move my body properly.

It’s like I’m not part of this. Like viewing a story being shown in a theater.

All I could think of was the choice to accept what I knew was going to happen.

Aogashima Yuno brushed her beautiful black hair behind her ear.

The sunset shone on her as if she had timed it just right.

The most beautiful girl in the school, with her bright red face tilted slightly, moves forward toward my lips without hesitation, as if she were being sucked in. Just before she landed, I closed my eyes.

What a beautiful ending. I couldn’t believe that it was me, and I didn’t want to think about it, I wanted to escape to reality.

The soft, moist touch lay on my lips for what seemed like an eternity.

“Mmm…”

The slight trembling of my body and the raspy voice that escaped me still did not make me feel real.

Eventually, something else, something soft, touched my teeth in a curious, probing way, and then quickly withdrew as if to escape. The deliberate flavor of lemon tea spreads softly.

“…Pffha!”

When she finally pulled away from me, Aogashima-san wiped the edge of her wet lips with the back of her hand, hesitantly, with a look of ecstasy on her face.

I was stunned, and thought. This can’t be real. It had to be a dream. Then what should I do? What should I say to her? That she doesn’t have to hold her breath? Haha, definitely not.

“…A dream, right?”

The girl in front of me shakes her head cruelly and slowly in response to my question, which I finally managed to squeeze out. On the contrary, she said to me,

“Shirase-kun. Please listen to my request.”

I could see the conviction in her eyes. She was sure that I would grant her wish. No way. She’s lying.

Now that she’s kissed me, I have to do one thing she says.

How did Aogashima-san know the weakness of my skills?

Blood began to drain from my face. My drowsiness bursts like a deflated balloon. The scent of lemon on my lips reminded me that this was unmistakably reality.

“Shirase-kun. The one I love is you. So, with me—”

Please stop.

I’m begging you, please stop.

I shut my eyes. I wanted to shut my ears to prevent the decisive words from reaching me.

Even so, I was overwhelmingly powerless in front of the rules.