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

Chapter 4 Calculate The Probability Of A Miracle

“What do you mean?”

In the back of the school building during lunch break. I looked at Kuroiwa with an unusually stern gaze. It had been an hour since I made my counterattack move — declaring my relationship with Kuroiwa. Yuno was not calm after this.

“I can’t help it. Shirase is now mine.”

Kuroiwa roughly grabbed me, who was next to her, and pulled me towards her as if I were her property. I nodded my head.

“Yeah, just like I said in class. I’m going out with Kuroiwa.”

Weakly, awkwardly. Of course, I had to do so, but I confronted Yuno using that lie. Yuno, however, shook her head and denied it.

“Lies. Suguru-kun’s target is—”

“I know. It’s me, isn’t it? That’s why Yuno wants to say that if it were true, the quartet should be over, right? But that’s not true. It is true that I kissed Shirase yesterday and ordered him to go out with me. But that wasn’t the only thing I did, I also used my trump card.”

I looked at Yuno’s expression carefully. The corners of her eyes twitched and twisted for a moment — was she shocked?

“My trump card, 【One More Chance】, can be used when the winner is determined. And the effect is to start a week-long overtime game. In other words, the game is over once already, but it’s extended until next Sunday.”

The effect of the trump card that Kuroiwa proudly mentioned was completely false. But Yuno has no way to deny it. As Yuno herself said yesterday, she hadn’t used her omniscient skills to check the effects of Kuroiwa’s trump card.

“…Extended? Then…what does Aika want?”

“It’s obvious. I want to interfere with Yuno.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Yuno took a step back, as if afraid. Her expressionless eyes wavered quietly.

“Why you say…Yuno already knows.”

As planned, Kuroiwa cornered Yuno. In a voice that was a mixture of anger and sadness, she revealed the truth that had been clear to Yuno.

“I love Yuno. I like you as a best friend, but before that, I’ve always liked you as a love interest.”

If you don’t convey your feelings, they won’t start. But just telling them won’t get it done.

Kuroiwa Aika’s confession had to be done in this way.

“So, Yuno. Choose. Me or Shirase.”

Kuroiwa decided to confess, or rather, I made her decide to confess, right after we announced our relationship. It was a strategy meeting on the rooftop, held earlier.

The attack that Yuno made on me was a move to bring me closer to her and kiss her. I don’t know how much Yuno knew with her omniscient skills, but I had to avoid going along with her plan. In other words, I need to keep Yuno away from me.

That’s why I needed her Royal Guard and asked her to protect my lips with her most powerful time-stopping skill. This was the reason why I pretend to be her lover.

“—I don’t mind. But are you sure you’re okay with that?

When Kuroiwa heard the outline of the operation, she poked me on the shoulder with concern. I’m not sure what to make of it. That made me a little happy.

“Yeah. It’s no problem as long as you let me explain everything to Nagisa so that there are no misunderstandings.

“Right. I don’t want to deceive Nagisa-chan either. But also, are you even thinking about what your classmates will think of you?”

Kuroiwa has approached every man who came close to Yuno, dating them and then quickly breaking up with them, keeping them away from Yuno. Her nickname was “a hundred battle-hardened slayer”. If I go out with such a Kuroiwa, people would definitely think that I was someone who has fallen for Kuroiwa’s gimmicks.

“I’m okay with that. I don’t care what people around me think of me now, it doesn’t change the fact that I love Nagisa. Yeah, but I’m sure Sakuma will be angry with me. What are you doing?”

Or maybe that brain of hers knows what was going on even if she didn’t know about the Confession Quartet.

“Then, we would have to lie to Yuno, but there’s a strong aspect of setting up a rules-based understanding of the game. …I’m just sorry I’m forcing you to confess.”

Kuroiwa bit her lip in frustration and shook her head slowly.

“Mmm. I know exactly what you mean. There was no chance for me to win if I confessed my feelings to her normally.”

Yuno’s answer was already given a long time ago. In order to rise to the top of Yuno’s mind in such a situation, a change was necessary. A change in that Kuroiwa was no longer in front of her. A change in which Kuroiwa becomes an obvious enemy. Make her feel the loss of Kuroiwa, and make her feel that she really doesn’t want to lose Kuroiwa.

That was the only way for Kuroiwa to win.

—To Kuroiwa’s confession, Yuno responded immediately.

“The one I want is you, Suguru-kun.”

“Well. Then your relationship with me will disappear completely after the quartet.”

Kuroiwa quickly cut her off. Yuno took another step back, and the unacceptable fact caused her to turn her head and remain silent for a moment. Because of the way the game was structured, the two choices themselves should have been dangling in front of Yuno from the beginning. But she has been looking away from it. So the impact of presenting it in a visible form like this hits hard.

“But, in this situation, if I can’t go out with Suguru-kun, Aika will be in trouble.”

“Me? I don’t know, I guess I’ll end up engaged with Shirase. Well, I might not like it. But you know what, Yuno? From an objective point of view, it doesn’t matter, right? As long as we can love each other forever, it doesn’t matter who the other person is. —Well, if it’s Yuno, I’ll be very happy.

It was a somewhat original, Kuroiwa-like line.

However, I was sure that Yuno understood that her true intentions were behind it. Probably telling her to think that “it was more fun to be with my best friend Kuroiwa Aika than with Shirase Suguru , whom I don’t know very well.”

“Then, from now on, we’re enemies. You have until Sunday to give me your answer.”

So, it’s already decided. …Aika is my best friend. Whether Aika’s trump card is true or false, what I will do will not change.”

This time, Yuno took a strong step forward and extended her hand toward me. The next moment, however, her hand had changed direction and was resting on Kuroiwa’s cheek. It was her time stop skill.

“You know what, Yuno? Don’t say that. Can’t you think about it more? Don’t you feel nervous when you were with me, Yuno? Didn’t you ever feel like a lover when you were with me and realized how I felt, and didn’t you ever think about going out with me, even if it was just for fun?”

Yuno shook fearfully in response to Kuroiwa’s desperate question.

“I didn’t think about it.”

“Ahh, right. …It’s like Yuno when you say it clearly. So here’s a parting gift for you.”

“Even so, Kuroiwa smiled stoutly and forced Yuno to hold the neatly wrapped cookies.”

“I followed the recipe exactly, what do you think?”

“…Yes. It’s amazing. I’m sure they’re delicious.”

Yuno wrapped the bag she received in her hands around her chest like it was important. But Kuroiwa didn’t see it coming and turned away. She left the back of the school building, swaying her shabby ponytail and worrying only about the distance between us.

　　＊＊＊

As I watched the train go by, I told the caller what I’ve planned.

“…and that’s why I’m going to pretend to go out with Kuroiwa.”

『Haa. Well, I understand that you’re doing a lot of work for Aika-senpai, but why would Suguru-senpai go this far?』

God, I didn’t even dare to explain it. She was innocently hitting my sore spot.

“Kuroiwa’s time stop skill would protect me from Yuno.”

『Well, why are we talking about having her protect you? Also, I’ve been wondering why you’re calling Aogashima-senpai by her first name, it’s like you’re cheating!』

“No, it’s not cheating…She told me to call her that.”

『No, no, no, you can’t, you can’t do that Suguru-senpai, that’s a formless way that she is trying to get your heart, a trap!』

“That’s right. Not only that, but the last time I was drugged with a sleeping drug. It’s natural to be wary, right?”

If Yuno has set her sights on me, then she must really be aiming for my lips from now on.

『A sleeping drug!? That’s beyond my imagination. She could really be imprisoned deep in the mountains or something.』

“Yeah. That’s why I’m staying at Kuroiwa’s place for a while from today. You don’t need to pick me up.”

『I understand. If you are with Aika-senpai for breakfast, lunch and dinner all the time, you will definitely feel safe. It’s perfect security—Eh, what, ehhhhhh!? W-W-W-W-What do you mean-!?』

My eardrums quiver in pain as her scream pierced my speakers. Well, I knew this would happen.

“Ah, no, it’s the guest room of the apartment building where Kuroiwa lives, to be exact.”

I didn’t know what a guest room was either, but apparently some apartments have several rooms for guests to stay in, and they can be rented at a discount if the residents apply.

Kuroiwa’s house and mine are on opposite sides of the school. It was risky to be separated from each other on the way to and from school. If Yuno attacked me from behind and knocked me into a coma and forced a kiss, that would be the end of it. Just now, Kuroiwa had just dropped me off at the station for safety, even though she had to take the bus to school.

『But, but even so… Even if I forgive you, won’t Suguru-senpai’s parents say anything?』

“I don’t know why Nagisa assumes I need your permission, but I’m not asking you. Ever.”

At any rate, my father was long gone. My laissez-faire mother didn’t really care for me.

Once again, the other end of the phone was silent. Only static noise hovered in my ears, and just when I was about to end the call.

『Um, Suguru-senpai If you don’t mind, would you like me to help you your luggage?』

“No, I don’t have that much luggage. I’ll just be grateful for your kindness.”

『…I see. I understand. Please be careful.』

Nagisa gave up surprisingly easily, and hung up the phone.

I got on the train that had just arrived and headed back to my house where the landlord was not home. The door opened inward with the same cold sound as usual, and there were no one’s shoes at the entrance. This house has been empty for a long time now. Maybe it has been empty since the beginning.

I checked the table in the living room and saw that there was a large amount of money for one month’s living expenses. It seemed that my mother had returned after a long absence. And she probably doesn’t plan to come back for a while. She had been coming back every three days until last week, but I wondered if she had found a new lover.

“Well, it is more convenient this way.”

The feeling of loneliness has long since disappeared, and all I could think of was that it was nice to have a clean room. That was the relationship between me and her.

I pulled out my hidden carry-on bag and packed my study gear and a change of clothes. I heard that I could rent bedding and daily necessities there, so I only needed a few things. As expected, I finished packing quickly. I did a little more searching and said goodbye to my home for a while.

I arrived at Kuroiwa’s apartment just as some speaker was telling the kids to go home. Perhaps because Kuroiwa had already taken care of the formalities, I just had to tell the manager my name and he simply let me through, saying, “I left the key with your companion, so just go to your room and you’ll be fine.”

The knob of the designated room turned irresistibly. The door made a rather suspicious sound and opened, giving me a warm feeling.

“Oops, you’re being inattentive, Kuroiwa.”

The front door was immediately around a corner, and I couldn’t see into the back. I’ve heard it was a Japanese-style room, but I wonder what it was like. As I was taking off my shoes with some excitement, I heard the sound of someone running toward me. I looked up and saw her standing there.

“Ah, Suguru-senpai, welcome back. Would you like some rice, a snack, or ME?”

It was Nagisa Tokiwa, making three different gestures with a big smile on her face.

“I don’t know where to begin, but I thought I refused your help?”

“Yes, you did. But I came here to deliver it to you in person so that you could accept my feelings.”

Nagisa quickly grabbed both of my hands and let the feeling flow through her as if she was sending electricity to a beam bulb.

—I’ll help you unpack, even if I can’t carry your luggage!

Nagisa smiled at me. Her carefree smile was a feature that only Nagisa has that Minagi does not. I felt my heartbeat increase as a matter of course, and I knew that I really liked this girl.

“Well, anyway, that thing. …I’m home, Nagisa.”

I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve said the words “I’m home”. It was an obvious greeting, but for some reason, I felt so embarrassed that I weakened the end of my sentence.

“Ehehe, it’s nice, isn’t it? It’s like we’re newlyweds.”

Nagisa was in a good mood and shook our joined hands. I hurriedly escaped her hand.

“How do you know where Kuroiwa lives?”

“I came to visit last week. It was during a discussion to cooperate with Aika-senpai. I already know the way around here, from the convenience store to the cake shop to the candy store!

“It’s all about food. Don’t stay too long, there are many narrow streets around here.”

I patted Nagisa on the head, walked past her, and turned down the hallway. There was a small kitchen, and then a six-tatami-mat Japanese-style room welcomed me. On the shelf was a comic book and some uneaten snacks. Nagisa rushed after me, but I quickly hid them under the table. No, it was obviously too late.

“Don’t worry about the way home. I’ll have my sister picking me up.”

She said it so simply that it took me a while to understand what she meant.

“…Eh, Minagi?”

The pain in my heart felt as if it would shrink. But the taste of mint that was rising in my throat seemed to fade somehow.

“It seemed like she happened to be in the vicinity right now. …Do you want to meet her?”

Nagisa asked with an upward glance, as if she was afraid of something, but also as if she was expecting something.

If it had been me in the past, who was still reeling from Minagi, I would have looked away and simply replied that I didn’t want to see her. Beyond the neatly finished end roll, it was a clear snake’s nest.

But now.

“Yes, I do. If I could see her, I would like to talk to her after a long time.”

Minagi, who was walking a new path, and me, who has started walking. I had a feeling that we would be able to communicate with each other in a natural and normal way, knowing each other well but keeping an appropriate distance.

“Does that mean…that you want to get back together with Onee-chan?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s not about getting back together, it’s about the relationship after the breakup and beyond.”

I smiled at Nagisa. To show that we have been over it.

“In the first place, Minagi already has a new lover, doesn’t she?”

“Eh. Um, you know…you knew about it?”

Nagisa shrank back in awkwardness and turned her whole body away.

“Well, I knew about it because of some things. You’ve been keeping it from me because you thought I’d be shocked. Thank you, Nagisa.”

Now that I think about it, that ema must have been something that Yuno found with her skills. Yuno, who dared to inform me, and Nagisa, who dared to keep quiet. Both of them had their own plans, but still, there was a side of them that cared for me, and that made me happy.

“It’s not like that, though. Ah, I’ve already told you that Onee-chan is on a date, so you can’t really see her even if she’s nearby.”

“What’s with that. Then don’t suggest it. I was looking forward to it”.

It was a great opportunity, but I had no choice. I let out a sigh and folded my knees on the cushions that had been prepared for me. In the meantime, Nagisa grabbed a paper bag from the corner of the room and walked over to me.

“I’d like to apologize, I’m giving Suguru-senpai a housewarming gift.”

With an exaggerated motion, Nagisa handed the bag to me with a “Ta-da!” It was a stuffed kijitora cat. It had a slack tail and looked very cute.

“On lonely nights, think of this as me and hug it. It’s my favorite cat stuffed animal. But wait a minute. A high school boy alone in this bleak room, hugging a catnip as he grows lonely, would be pretty weird. You’d better not do that thing. I would confiscate it.

“It may be true, but how unreasonable!”

Nagisa took the cat from me and held it high, but I was able to protect it immediately. When I brought it above her head, out of the reach of Nagisa who was trying to get it back, Nagisa puffed out her cheeks.

I couldn’t help but laugh, “Haha.” I’m acting like a child, what am I doing? Nagisa also started laughing, “Fufu.” The sound of our laughter filled the six-tatami room, and then we slowly sat down next to each other.

“Ah, by the way, Nagisa. Would you mind clearing your schedule for this Sunday?”

Embarrassed, I kept my gaze fixed on the kijitora cat in my hand and moved my mouth in a whisper.

The mission that Kuroiwa and I had planned would conclude on Sunday. According to the plan, Kuroiwa was supposed to ask Yuno out on Sunday, use her real trump card, and then confess her feelings for her again. So we have to make a decision too. If Kuroiwa did well, the game would be over.

“Ah, yes. Sunday? I understand.”

It was as simple as a dentist appointment. Nagisa answered clerically, and then a few seconds passed.

“Eh, what? What kind of wind is blowing, that Suguru-senpai has invited me out? What is it, what is it? Is it perhaps a date? Is it an invitation to go on a date?”

Nagisa turned her head around and thrust her arms on the tatami mat and leaned forward towards me. I stared at the kijitora cat and answered bluntly, still unable to break the tension.

“…Yeah.”

“Ah…”

As soon as I said that, Nagisa also turned her head down. I could feel the heat coming from next to me. No, why are you reacting like that? If you’re nervous too, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Silence prevailed in the room. I could feel my own heartbeat shaking my eardrums. This was probably the first time we’d had such an awkward time together.

“Hey, Nagisa.”

I crawled my fingers along the grain of the tatami mat and held her hand when I reached it. Something, just say something.

As if in response to the voice in my mind, what came back from the back of her hot hand was.

—W-W-W-W-What’s wrong with Suguru-senpai!? Is this finally the start of my heroine’s route!? Or is this a dream!? Is this me in Wonderland!?

For a moment, I was blown away by the difference.

…Yeah, yes, yes. This is it, this thing. I was relieved, but at the same time, a chuckle escaped my lips. I took out a drop can from my chest pocket, tipped it, and grabbed one of the candies that came out and stuck it into Nagisa’s mouth. The orange jewel was sucked in and made a clicking sound.

“Calm down. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It’s not a big deal?”

“No. We’re just going to play around.”

Don’t get your hopes up too high. My wish and hers will never be fulfilled at the same time. I’m trying to persuade her to change her target, not to confess.

And yet.

Her round eyes stared at me. It was as if she could see through my heart, or if not as if they were looking far into space. Such a transcendental gaze pierced through my iridescence.

—How is this not a big deal??

I couldn’t answer anything. No matter what I said, no matter what words I used, no matter how many words I used, I felt like it went against my heart.

This time, Nagisa placed her left hand on the back of my hand. The distance between us drew closer, and then…

And then…

I heard the door open. We both jumped up and moved away from each other in an unnatural way. I was so surprised by Nagisa’s welcome that I forgot to lock the door.

“Hey, Shirase. You left the door unlocked.”

It seemed that Kuroiwa had come to check on me. Her voice called out to me and hse approached.

“Goodness, you have to be careful. If you’re that careless, Yuno will kiss you and we’ll lose…Eek!”

Kuroiwa came to the Japanese-style room, and when she saw Nagisa’s face, she instantly made a difficult face.

Kiss you and we’ll lose.

This was the absolute rule that bound me. If one kissed Shirase Suguru, one could give me one order. If this fact was noticed, it was inevitable that it would be misused.

The place went rigid. Not a single movement was made, not a single expression was moved. Each of us seemed to be thinking our own thoughts, and I could hear the sound of our brains turning.

The first kiss on the rooftop. I followed Nagisa’s orders and revealed my target.

The second kiss at my house. I asked for the order ahead of time and embraced Nagisa.

And now Kuroiwa has said it. I had all the ingredients for Nagisa to find out.

I’ve learned recently that I’m really bad at making excuses. I’m sure I’ll dig my own grave if I tried to cover it up.

Please, don’t notice—

I tried to pray to the god of marriage in heaven. However, most prayers are not answered.

The next moment I saw Nagisa’s eyes slowly slide towards me. The next instant, her kiss hit the kijitora cat that suddenly blocked my lips.

“I think I made a bad play there? But we can write off the mistake I made earlier with this save, can’t we?”

Kuroiwa was so happy that she was able to activate her skill in time. No, we’ll talk about that later.

“Mu, I’ve been blocked.”

Nagisa, on the other hand, wiped her lips with her thumb and gave a quick victory smile, as if she had found a way to defeat a boss enemy.

“But, fufu, so that’s what it was. I see, I see.”

　　＊＊＊

“So, that combo from the edge of the screen was super awesome—”

We had become a class-approved couple yesterday and were having a rambling conversation in the classroom during lunch break. While the stares from the people around us were piercing, Kuroiwa was surprisingly natural. She sat on top of my desk, a carton of fruit milk in her hand, looking down at me as she played the endless topic on her tongue.

“Hey, Shirase, are you listening to me?”

“S-Sorry. I was distracted by the eyes around me.”

“You can’t worry about it all the time. You have to show it off. Here, give me a peace.”

She said with a sense of insight, quickly took out her phone and snapped a selfie with a fluid motion. The half-eyed me appeared on the LCD screen, and Kuroiwa deleted it with a single touch, saying, “Ew, gross.” Ouch, that hurts.

“You have a lot of guts.”

“Yeah? Isn’t it the 6th today by any chance? It’s the release date of the new drink at that cafe. Hey, boyfriend, let’s go together.”

“Stop hitting me, you’re hurting me. Don’t you have to study for the upcoming exams?”

“Ehhh. Studying is boring. There are so many things you can only do now.”

“This is the only time you can get into the habit of studying hard. You may need to study seriously in the future, but not now.”

“Eh wow. I’m so sorry. Uwa…no, impressive, impressive. You’re as good as Edison.”

“Don’t throw in a compliment. Also, don’t pat me on the head.”

“I need to praise and develop the good qualities of my precious boyfriend.”

We stayed together as much as possible on the way to school, in the classroom, and during breaks. I was worried at first if we would be able to hold a conversation alone, but Kuroiwa was quite talkative and even fun to talk to. I learned a lot about her this morning alone. She has an older brother and a younger brother, she likes gyudon (beef bowl), and she’s good at all kinds of games, not just FPF. But she doesn’t play RPGs because it was a painful journey to level up.

Once you know, you can’t go back. That was what Yuno said.

At first, I didn’t think that was a backward thing to say. But now I think it might be wrong. I don’t think I would ever have a relationship with Kuroiwa. But I think we can be friends. And yet, when this game was over, the days we spent like this would be rewritten. But if we hadn’t joined the Confession Quartet, we wouldn’t have been able to talk like this. So, I’m sure we will be strangers again. It was a very sad thing.

With a sentimental feeling, I left my seat. Kuroiwa tried to follow me, “What’s wrong?” She asked. I knew that if I took her into the bathroom, my student life would be over. I politely declined and left the classroom. However, Yuno was standing in the hallway, as if she had been waiting for me.

“…Suguru-kun. Do you have a minute?”

“No, of course not.”

I was wary and kept my distance from Yuno. …What to do? Should I run to Kuroiwa?

“I just want to talk to you about Aika, that’s all. …We can’t?”

It was hard to refuse when someone tilted their head and said that, even though I knew it was a blatant trap. It was also a chance for me to assist Kuoriwa by listening to what Yuno had to say. I had no choice but to walk behind Yuuno as if I were chasing after the tips of her hair, which had excellent cuticles. Fortunately, it was easy to send a request for protection to Kuroiwa by hand.

We climbed the stairs and Yuno stopped at the end of the landing. I glanced downstairs and let out a long breath. What an excellent position. Really, Aogashima Yuno was a formidable opponent.

“Suguru-kun …Unwillingly, I, too, used my trump card.”

“…What?”

You’re not suddenly talking about Kuroiwa. You’ve deceived me. But I can’t complain, and I have to listen to Yuno’s words.

“Trump card【Cunning Trap】. If you lie to me three times—you will not be able to resist me.”

I looked into Yuno’s eyes. Is that a good fit for Yuno’s trump card? Did she really use it in the first place? I couldn’t tell. Yesterday’s innuendos have misled me wonderfully.

“Did Aika really kiss you?”

Her skeptical look that came with the question monitored my every move.

“Yes. On Sunday, after my date with you, she ambushed me in front of my house and kissed me.”

“How did Aika know about Suguru’s weakness?”

“…No, she just got me. Kuroiwa was very observant and knew that about my lip.

Now I’ve lied twice. And the next question was…

“Is it true that Aika’s trump card was used?”

If Yuno’s trump card was real, I couldn’t lie anymore. Was it true or was it a bluff? Why did she use her trump card right in front of me? To get me confused like this? Ah, come on, when I get confused like this, it was like I’m lying to myself. What should I do?　Anyway, I have to answer. I have to do what Yuno asked.

“Everything Kuroiwa said is true.”

Silence. My back was soaked with sweat. No, my answer must be right. If Yuno’s trump card was really that effective, she could have made me lie three times without bothering to reveal it, that was all.

“…You’re right, Suguru-kun. You weren’t fooled. How boring.”

“It’s not that I was tricked, I just told the truth. Is that supposed to be a double trap?”

“Well done. Surprisingly, you didn’t fall for it.”

Yuno praised me with a quiet small clap.

“I’ll get to the point. You wanted to talk to me about Kuroiwa, didn’t you?”

“No, there was nothing to talk about. The only person I like is Suguru-kun.”

Her attitude hadn’t changed since yesterday. I clenched my fists in frustration. This was my ego. It was not something that should be forced upon her. But even so, I wanted to say it to Yuno.

“Hey, one thing for you, Yuno. …Don’t look away from Kuroiwa. Please face Kuroiwa’s feelings properly. You have a lot more to tell Kuroiwa. There must be something you can tell her. You two were best friends.”

If you choose to end the relationship, you should settle it properly.

“Even when the quartet is over, it would disappear?”

“Yes. Even so, it’s wrong to think that it’s okay to disrespect Kuroiwa who was here now. If you’re going to end it, please do it in the right way.”

“Why? It’s not fair to Aika either.”

“…I won’t deny that. I feel sorry for you.”

Kuroiwa was the one who lied to her. It was Yuno who was deceived. But Yuno was also an accomplice in maintaining the status quo. Aika probably regrets it. I wish I had told her sooner. It was the same for me. I’ve been lying to Nagisa for a long time. Even though I like her, I pretended not to like her, making our relationship so complicated. I should have said more from the beginning, without trying to be cool.

Yuno tightened her lips tightly for a while. A disgruntled exhale escaped through the gap.

“Then!”

She shouted loudly and desperately opened her eyes to me and grabbed me by my shoulders. The fire in her eyes seemed to be much bigger than the emotions she was throwing at me.

“…Let me use your trump card on Aika.”

“Then you’d better kiss me and order me to do so.”

Yuno remained silent, supporting her own weight on my shoulder, and gulped as if she was thinking about it

And then — forcibly — She came to my lips!

But the next moment. The weight on my shoulder disappeared, and Yuno fell on her bottom on the spot. Thank God. She was able to stop time just in time.

I turn my gaze to the bottom of the stairs, to the excellent guard leaning on the railing, breathing over it.

“Thank you for your help, as expected of my girlfriend.”

“Heeh, haa…well, uh? …Damn it, Yuno, I made it in time. How did you know my weakness?”

Yuno replied regretfully as she sat down on one knee.

“…After seeing it many times, I could guess.”

Kuroiwa, breathing hard, cowered at Yuno’s reply and came up one step at a time.

Kuroiwa’s skills have two weaknesses. They are the activation time and starting position.

The first was that the activation time was five seconds. When Kuroiwa put on the uniform on the rooftop, only the ribbon was tied at the time of movement. It was because she hadn’t gotten past the ribbon in five seconds.

Two, after the effect ends, return to the original position. When Kuroiwa used a time stop, her position was exactly the same after the time stop. So no matter how much time she stops, she can’t go to a place she can’t reach in five seconds, and she can’t do things like instantaneous travel.

To explain this time stop, Kuroiwa first stopped time, ran up the stairs as fast as she could, and pulled Yuno away from me. So far, five seconds. After the effect was over, she was sent back downstairs.

“Yuno. You understand now, don’t you? You can’t break the ice between me and Kuroiwa.”

Yuno, however, showed no sign of being disturbed by my words and stood up, She stood up, brushing off the back of her skirt. She stared at Kuroiwa as she walked up to the landing and let out an expressionless sigh.

“It’s only been a day and a half. Yet it’s so painful.”

Yuno clutched her hand to her chest tightly. Her eyes, shaded by her downcast bangs, made me wonder what she was looking at.

“I’m going to miss you, Aika. It’s the first time I’ve ever cried because the cookies tasted so good. …I don’t want to leave Aika. But I probably wouldn’t be able to cry like that.”

I can’t cry like that. What does that mean? Neither I nor Kuroiwa could figure it out. If I forced myself to ask now, Kuroiwa’s chances of winning would disappear. It felt that way.

Instead, I called out to her, “Yuno”. When her eyes returned to me, Yuno opened her mouth and said, “Speaking of which,” as if she remembered. The expression on her face seemed to be testing me somehow.

“I’ll tell you something, Suguru-kun. The truth is, I’ve already used my trump card against you.”

“…Isn’t it another lie?”

“It’s true. I’m looking forward to seeing the effects of the cunning trap I set.”

Yuno touched her finger to my forehead and ran down the stairs, her hair fluttering in the air. As for me, I’m touching myself here and there to see if there are any changes in my body.

“Hey Shirase, what do you think?”

“…There is no change. I like Nagisa as always.

“I’m not saying that. About me and Yuno.”

“Yeah—I guess it’s still not working. But there was definitely a change in Yuno’s heart. How it will turn out, I don’t know yet. But there is hope, right?”

In response to my words, Kuroiwa only muttered “So” in a flat voice. I wondered what she was thinking behind her bluish eyes.

　　＊＊＊

The trap that Yuno has already set. What could it be?

I’ve been devoting my thinking resources for several hours now, but I can’t come up with a single hypothesis. So far, I haven’t found any change at all. I wondered if it would be triggered when some condition was met.

There was a ping-pong sound in the guest room. From the doorbell, I hear a voice say, “Hello! We have pizza for you!” No matter how I listened to it, it matched the wavelength of an unreachable junior who was after my lips.

I called up Kuroiwa on my phone and opened the door with extreme caution — immediately, Nagisa jumped in with her lips sticking out as far as they would go! …But the kijitora cat, who I had prepared in my mouth just in case, easily prevented it. He did a great job.

“Why did you block it!?”

“No, of course I would.”

“Mmm. That’s okay. That’s not the point. Just tell me how to study for the final exam!”

Nagisa took a step forward full of energy. I pushed her back.

“No, I know what you’re thinking. You’re trying to take advantage of an opening and kiss me.”

“Y-You’re right, I am. But about ten percent of me is seriously in trouble about studying, so I need you to teach me. Just ten percent! Please let me in for ten percent!”

“Don’t try to come in all of a sudden with a ninety percent discount!”

She pushed my body into the ground with a lot of force, and in the end, I was overwhelmed by Nagisa’s power.

Either way, I need to let Nagisa use her trump card. Even if I take a certain amount of risk, I think it would be best to invite Nagisa in here.

“I know, but we can’t be alone. We are a man and a woman, and I have a girlfriend now.”

Even if it was a temporary girlfriend, I would have to abide by it. I think I’m a pain.

“Man and woman! That’s right! We are a man and a woman! Yeah, that it’s easy to make a mistake if something happens to us! That’s how conscious we are of each other, isn’t it?”

“That’s a positive way to look at it…”

“It’s one of my strengths to be positive. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have stuck with such a dull person for so long.”

“How should I respond to that?”

“The right answer is a silent hug, followed by a marriage proposal and a Hawaiian wedding.”

“You always ask for so much.”

As we were exchanging the usual pleasantries at the door, the skilled bodyguard arrived behind Nagisa. She arrived just a minute and thirty seconds after the request for protection. It was safe and secure.

“Hello, Nagisa-chan. Don’t you want to get your revenge on me today?”

Nagisa’s shoulders were gripped hard, and she jumped up and turned to Kuroiwa with a “Kyah!”.

Kuroiwa curled the edge of her mouth as if to provoke Nagisa, and took out the “FPF” software from the linen bag on her shoulder.

“If I win, Nagisa-chan will answer one of my questions, and if you win, I’ll allow the two of you to study alone. How about that?”

Kuroiwa glanced at me. I see, this seemed to be Kuroiwa’s way of assisting me. If Nagisa loses, we would be able to find out what her trump card was.

“Eh, no, umm, I mean, I’m more interested in studying…”

Nagisa shrank in embarrassment and held her bag in front of her, squirming and fumbling for something to say before confessing to me. No way, Nagisa, you.

“…Could it be that you’re in serious trouble?”

“W-Well, I was called by the homeroom teacher beforehand, though?”

“Though? It’s not that. You’re in trouble because of your own actions. And how is it only ten percent of the trouble? …I guess I have no choice. Just for today, I’ll forget about the quartet and do my best to support Nagisa. As a senior at the same school

“As expected of Suguru-senpai! I love you! Please go out with me!”

Nagisa tried to hug me, but Kuroiwa stopped her.

“You can’t do that~ Nagisa-chan. Shirase is mine now!”

Kuroiwa’s whispered voice, like a breath in her ear, made Nagisa shiver.

“N-Nou, haa! You said you two were fake lovers.”

Kuroiwa continued to play with Nagisa’s body, tickling her.

“Eh~, But even if it’s fake, I don’t like the idea of someone messing with my boyfriend.”

“No, nyan, stop it, it’s not fair, you can’t, do that! No monopoly, ah fu, market failures!”

Under Kuoriwa’s technique, Nagisa shook her head in unexpected directions from time to time. The charming voice leaked out, her flushed cheeks flushed, this is very…poisonous to my eyes. I turned away and began to set up the table and cushions. I let out a big sigh at the play that still goes on even after the preparations are done.

“Y-You two, let’s study!”

When I gave the order, I got these energetic lines like, “Y-Yes!” “Yes, when this is over!” “When is this going to be over!?” back.

“…I’m in trouble. I have no idea.”

I looked at Nagisa’s hand, who had her head in her hands 30 seconds into the game. It’s a rather complicated graph problem. I point out the key points with my mechanical pencil.

“In times like this, you have to calm down and think. In order to know the angle here, you have to know here. In order to do that, you need to look further here. In this way, you can work backwards from the goal.”

Nagisa nodded her head strongly, but her eyes were staring at me. Umm, are you even listening to me? I was about to hold my head in my hands when a ballpoint pen invaded from next to me.

“You can solve it in a second if you draw an auxiliary line here.”

It was a groundbreaking foundation as if aliens were bringing about a new civilization.

“…Heh?” “…Ha?” “…What? Do you have a problem with that?”

The only thing in Kuroiwa’s hand, which was grumpily resting on her cheekbones, was her smartphone lying on its side.

“Weird. How can Kuroiwa be able to study?”

“Shirase you, what the hell are you doing talking down on your girlfriend? When did I ever say I was bad at studying?”

Deftly manipulating the stuffed kijitora cat, Kuroiwa poked me in the cheek.

“I didn’t realize that Kuroiwa, who spent all her time playing, was an honor student.”

“Heh, I knew it from the start, you know? No matter how you look at her, her eyes are full of intelligence!”

In other words, the reason she was not taking notes was that she remembered everything she was told. She doesn’t need to study because she could do it from the beginning.

“Studying is just like playing a game.”

Kuroiwa said matter-of-factly. I could understand what she was saying. Studying is just like playing a game. The process is the same for both studying and playing games.

But still. I threw my arms out in front of me sloppily, rested my cheek on the table, and expressed my dissatisfaction.

“…It still doesn’t add up.”

“Then you have a problem with me. I’ll take an FPF match any day. The loser will have to lick my toes. Eh, what kind of punishment game is that? Shirase, you’re grossing me out.”

“This is so unreasonable!”

I give Kuroiwa a kick. Kuroiwa wasted no time in to stop time and took the trouble to catch my leg. In the face of such an exchange, Nagisa laughed to herself, “Fufu, ahahaha.”

“It’s kind of…fun to do this kind of thing. I feel very nostalgic.”

Nagisa seemed to be enjoying herself, but she seemed to be looking into the distance.

　　＊＊＊

The next day, the enemy stood in front of us again. We were defeated by Kuroiwa’s fierce push and came to a café in front of the station for a new drink.

“…Strange coincidence.”

Yuno appeared at the round table where Kuroiwa and I were sitting as if it was a natural occurrence. On one hand was a peach drink, the same one we are drinking.

“Yuno, didn’t you hate peaches?”

Kuroiwa immediately pointed coldly at Yuno’s hand and implicitly asked.

There was no way she would come here to drink something she hated. In other words, this encounter was not a coincidence but destined. Did she know about it beforehand with her omniscient abilities, or did she simply follow us?

“…Trying to overcome my weaknesses. To reach higher heights.”

“The heights you reach by eliminating your likes and dislikes, where are they?”

Gracefully ignoring my question, Yuno sucked on the straw. For a moment, she looked like a Buddhist priest, but then she quickly let go of the straw. You really hate it, don’t you?

“You’re staring at me, what is it? …are you going to call a horse? It’s useless. I’ve ridden a horse before.”

“No? I was just wondering if Yuno was lonely and followed me.”

“…No. I’m just here to get Suguru-kun’s lips again today.”

“Hmm, yeah. Well, either way, it’s no good. I can’t be with Yuno anymore.”

Kuroiwa turned to me, shutting out Yuno from her sight. It must be hard for Kuroiwa to deliberately push Yuno away. I was just starting to feel awkward.

“Ah, Suguru-senpai, what a coincidence! I didn’t expect to be able to meet Suguru-senpai when I followed Aogashima-senpai, who was stalking someone secretly!

I don’t know if I’d call it a coincidence. Nagisa came running up to me, waving her hands in the air, but she stood in front of Yuno, not me.

“Hi, nice to meet you, Aogashima-senpai. It looks like you’ve done a lot of work on my Suguru-senpai, huh? This price is high, you know?”

Nagisa tilted her head smiling, but her eyes are not smiling at all. Yuno, who was being fought one-sidedly, responded with a normal, expressionless face.

“Nice to meet you, Tokiwa Nagisa. …It’s worse to allow a thieving cat to break in. …Right, Suguru-kun?”

“Wait a minute, Yuno, are you sure you’re not self-identifying as a thieving cat?”

“Kuu, they called each other by their first names to show off?”

She clenched her hands together and gritted her teeth as hard as she could. She looked like a poor thing… I mean, what kind of mood am I supposed to be in with this scene?

“No, you call each other by your first names too, Nagisa-chan.”

Kuroiwa made a nice point, and Nagisa deflated and calmed down for a moment.

“Ah, that? That’s true. No, but that’s not what I’m talking about, it’s my specialty privilege to do so!

“…I also kissed him.”

Yuno followed up after her as if she were proud of her victory. It was a critical hit to Nagisa as she let out, “Guffff!” Nagisa’s mouth gaped open and she slowly turned to face us like a doll. There was no life in her eyes. No, that’s not it. That’s.

“But, but, but, but, I-I’ve, I’ve already done it twice. It’s double what Aogashima-senpai had!”

Nagisa declared and pointed her finger at Yuno. She was trying to make one difference look big at all costs…!

“Kuu…My lost.”

“Trying to compete with me is not going to be easy.”

Nagisa sniffed and snorted. Yuno, on the other hand, didn’t seem too disappointed and glanced at us.

“But Aika is…going out with Suguru-kun.”

At that moment. I finally realized what Yuno was trying to do.

“Yes, yes, ahh—yes, but—”

Nagisa seemed to have noticed, but it was already too late. She was completely beaten.

“Yes. Tokiwa Nagisa. Why did you pounce on me? The thieving cat here is—”

Yuno pointed straight at Kuroiwa.

“Hey, Yuno, aren’t you being a little rude? Why don’t you just call me his real wife?”

Kuroiwa looked calm and tried to play it off as a joke. But.

“Tokiwa Nagisa saw me as her rival, more so than Aika. …In other words, Aika was lying to me. I knew it. You two were pretending to be together.”

Yuno saw through it without mercy. On the third day of the mission, we were easily exposed. I never thought that telling the truth to Nagisa would be taken advantage of in such a way.

“S-Sorry, Aika-senpai.”

“Hmmm. You can’t help it, Nagisa-chan. But…Haaa, I see, so that’s what happens.”

Kuroiwa stretched as hard as she could. But she didn’t seem to be in a hurry, she looked rather refreshed. Then she placed both elbows on the table and rested her chin on the back of her crossed hands.

“And? What’s wrong with that, Yuno? Now that you know, does it change anything?　The end of the game is just a little bit different. It doesn’t change the situation at all. If Yuno chooses Shirase, that’s it. The me in Yuno and the Yuno in me will disappear.”

As if reopening the conversation, Kuroiwa throws stinging words at her best friend and loved one.”

Did she accept it or did it stab her in the chest? Yuno still didn’t answer anything.

“Hey, Yuno. Let’s have a date this Sunday. I wasn’t really going to ask you out at the last minute, but since it turned out like this, I’ll tell you now.”

Yuno glanced at me as if she was troubled, and then quickly turned to Kuroiwa. I’m sure that Yuno was remembering my words right now in her mind. Kuroiwa Aika said, then continued.

“I’m definitely going to make Yuno’s heart pound. I’m going to make her think that she’ll be happier if she chooses me. So—be prepared, Aogashima Yuno.”

Standing up vigorously, Kuroiwa pointed her thumb at her chest and declared in a high-pitched voice, her face turning red.

“…I’m leaving now, Shirase.”

Without waiting for Yuno’s answer, Kuroiwa snatched the cup from the table with one hand. Without even a glance at us, her ponytail was moving away to the exit. All that was left was Nagisa, standing there looking stunned, and Yuno, looking dumbfounded. It was not a good idea to stay here. I landed from my leggy chair and chased after Kuroiwa.

As soon as I did, however, something hit my right hand. The impact caused me to let go of my hand that was holding the cup. The drink fell. I let out a squeal, but it was too late. It will splash to the floor before I could blink. By the time my thoughts had finished running, the cup was back in my hand. The time stop skill brought about a divine safety.

“Sorry, Kuroiwa—”

When I looked forward, I saw Nagisa’s back in front of me, not Kuroiwa’s. That was when I realized. The person I bumped into earlier was Nagisa, who had passed me. Interrupting my words, Nagisa pointed towards the counter.

“Um, both of you. Uh, isn’t that something strange?”

At the same time, Kuroiwa and I turn our heads toward the waiter, who seems to be new. …Guh, at first glance, an unremarkable sight. What the heck is wrong with it?　This is the moment when your consciousness was taken over by the search for mistakes.

“There’s an opening!”

It was a complete surprise.

Nagisa’s face appeared from out of my consciousness, and when I recognized it, it was already close to my lips. But it was Kuroiwa’s reflexes that won.

“Fu, fuga, fuga!? Pfga Pffgaa!?”

Suddenly, the straw that was put in Nagisa’s mouth moved up and down. …Hey, that’s my straw! What the heck are you doing giving her a rough indirect kiss!

“Ah, well, I’ll see you later, Nagisa. Study hard.”

I patted her on her slender shoulder.

—Indirect kiss, thanks for the meal.

What am I supposed to say to that? Without replying, I caught up with Kuroiwa. But even when she noticed me, she remained standing still.

“…? What’s the matter, Kuroiwa? We’re not leaving?”

“Hmm? Ah, sorry, wait a minute.”

Kuroiwa replied, fiddling with her ponytail awkwardly. Soon after, she stepped out as if nothing had happened. I wonder why. That was the only thing that gave me an inexplicable feeling of discomfort in my chest.

　　＊＊＊

The assaults kept on coming.

Even though Yuno found out about our fake relationship, we didn’t end our relationship. In fact, if we did, it would be unnatural for us to be alone together. My lips are still being targeted.

Yuno seemed to know exactly when to leave me alone. For example, when Kuroiwa was washing her hands for a short time. I had a close call when she bumped into me during gym class, and I was truly surprised when she appeared in the dark while I was shopping for dinner.

Nagisa, on the other hand, used only forceful techniques to get at my lips. She would ambush me near the classroom and suddenly appear from around the corner, she would fly at me in the schoolyard as she did on the rooftop, and she would barge into my guest room every day.

Still, I managed to avoid them and my lips were safely protected until after school on Friday.

“So, Shirase. How’s it going over there?”

“Somewhat poorly.”

I answered Kuroiwa as she walked next to me, looking at the clouds. Even if I believed for a moment that Yuno’s trump card was used that something was going to happen to me, I was not sure I could handle the effect on my own. As for Nagisa’s trump card, there has been no progress at all. It was far from smooth.

“What about you…how are you preparing for your date?”

“I’m doing a lot of research right now. I’m in the process of putting together the best date plan that consists of only the things that Yuno likes. I’m really looking forward to finally having a real date with Yuno.”

The way Kuroiwa waved her arms in the air made me smile, she was so young for her appearance. But then, as the summer breeze blew, her face immediately returned to a serious expression.

“…I wish I could say that.”

“You’re so calm.”

“Because I don’t think I can beat you.”

She kicked a small stone to the side of the road, looking unhappy.

“Is that so? What does Yuno even like about me?”

“Yeah that. What the heck does Yuno like about you?”

“It’s a little annoying when people say that.”

“It’s not that. It’s just that I don’t know what Yuno’s point is. I don’t feel like I can win because I don’t know which side of the ring I should be fighting on.”

“Then why don’t you try crying harder than I do?”

“Eh, I don’t like to do that…We’re high schoolers, remember?”

“Sorry. I’m embarrassed now.”

What the hell is wrong with me? I’m starting to dislike myself. I tried to increase my walking speed to compensate for my bad mood. But Kuroiwa doesn’t follow me. When I turned around, she turned her body with a bang at the same time.

“…So, what’s that stalker-chan over there doing? I mean, stalking, of course.”

To my surprise, I saw a familiar face peeking at me from behind a telephone pole. She was unable to move because her eyes were locked on Kuroiwa.

“No, I’m not. I’m a private detective! I’m not a suspicious person!”

Stalker-chan, who hurriedly hid her face, was wearing a hunting cap, but the mismatch with her uniform made her stand out. In the first place, private detectives are practically stalking people.

“So, Nagisa. What do you want from us? If you’re trying to kiss me, you’re wasting your time.”

When I asked the pole, Nagisa came running up to me, saying, “That’s, why, right.”

“I-It’s a misunderstanding. I’m not jealous, by any means! I was going to go and break into Suguru-senpai’s room, lips and heart and rob him, or rather, have you help me study. See, Suguru-senpai can only stay in that room until tomorrow, right?”

There was a jealousy factor in it.

“I mean, you, you’ve been coming here every day to rob me, but so far you haven’t brought anything back.”

“What do you mean? I always enjoy your snacks and juice.”

No, you’re just relaxing. I was about to make a comment when Nagisa gave a fleeting laugh.

“…Also, it’s fun to be with you two, it’s like I’m back in the old days.”

It’s like I’m back in the old days, huh?

That was something that Nagisa has been saying from time to time lately.

I was immediately able to picture the same scene in her mind. Minagi and I were there, and sometimes Nagisa was in between. Such a relationship.

Nagisa seemed to be overlapping that with me and Kuroiwa right now.

Kuroiwa, who did not share this past, interrupted the regressive time.

“Don’t be so stubborn, Nagisa-chan. You should use your trump card. If you don’t hurry up, Shirase’s going to fall in love with my body. Even last night, Shirase was so excited that he got a hiccup from my back—”

“Hey, wait, don’t suddenly try to insert a fake reminiscence scene. And it’s a little embarrassing.”

Nagisa snickered at our exchange.

“Fufu, you two are a good match.”

…There was something strange about Nagisa today. My chest was buzzing uncontrollably.

“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about. We don’t have that kind of relationship, and you know it.”

Perhaps pulled by Nagisa’s crazy rhythm, I couldn’t help but raise my voice. Undaunted by this, Nagisa took my hand and spoke directly to my mind to calm me down.

—Suguru-senpai, do not you want to go back?

What are you talking about?

The strong sunlight broke through the clouds and shone on me. For a moment, I was dazzled.

“I don’t. …No, it was fun, that’s true. But memories are beautiful because they’ve passed.”

I was fed up with myself as I spit beautiful things out of my mouth like a stream. I do. Of course I want to go back. Of course I do. But it was an escape. It was an act of turning away from the future and ignoring the process you’ve gone through. So I slowly let go of her hand.

“…Is that so?”

Nagisa took a step back, and then came closer to me in her usual way.

“—I’m not trying to hold back, you know.”

Apparently, we were back to talking about trump cards. Before I could notice and phase out, Nagisa continued her words.

“I really wanted to use it. But I just haven’t been able to meet the requirements to use it. I’ll use it when the time is right… To steal Suguru-senpai’s heart with it.”

Nagisa declared, pointing straight at my chest. The tip of her finger just barely reached me.

“This is going to be fun.”

I move forward to fill the small gap. I felt as if a point that I touched just a little bit became hot.

—Why is Suguru-senpai always like that. Always sticking to me or pulling away from me.

I answered the question posted on the door of my heart. It was because I love you.

Kuroiwa looked at us with a warm gaze and let out a deep sigh.

“That’s a bit tedious, Shirase. Look at this.”

Kuroiwa showed me something. In her hand, there is a card. Eh? What is this?

【This Trump Card Can Be Used When The Wishes If The Wielder And Their Target Coincide.】

【Grant The Target’s One And Only Wish】

“I see. This is Nagisa’s trump card, huh?

What was on it was Nagisa’s trump card 【The Two’s Happiness】, the effects and conditions were on written on it. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Wh-Whaaaa!? Why did Aika-senpai take my trump card!?”

“Sorry, Nagisa-chan. Because, you know, it was obvious that you had it hidden. Here, here, I’ll give it back to you.”

Kuroiwa laughed, raising Nagisa’s trump card here and there as if she were fishing a cat. Nagisa was caught so beautifully that she can’t get it back.

“I don’t know why you’re being so mean, but thank you very much!

But she still hasn’t been able to catch it.

“I see. My wish is coming true. Then I want a steak.”

“That’s the direction you want to go? But I’d rather eat sushi than meat.”

“Ah. Sushi is good, too. I want to eat salmon to the limit.”

“I want tempura as well!”

“What are you two doing? My trump card is not a meal ticket!”

Nagisa puffed out her cheeks as she finally got her trump card back. I put my hand on her shoulder, hoping that she would not disappear without my knowledge.

“Speaking of which, Nagisa. Do you remember, Sunday?”

We have a date on Sunday. It was scheduled at the beginning of this week, but it seemed like a long time ago. Nagisa nodded her head, not even giving me a glance.

“…Yes. But, are you sure? I’m already an enemy who wants to get to Suguru-senpai’s lips.”

“If you can promise not to go after my lips.”

I crossed my fingers in front of my lips and made an “X” sign. She smiled and made an “X” as well.

“Yes. I promise!”

She leaped in front of me with a swoop, stood taller with all her might, and stepped with a precarious balance on her toes. She then came close to my lips — but couldn’t reach them due to her height difference.

“It’s just for Sunday, though, right?”

Nagisa giggled and tilted her head to match the end of the sentence. She was so adorable that I felt as if my heart has been clenched.

What a well-behaved junior! I chuckled and looked over at Kuroiwa.

Kuroiwa gave us a mature smile and crossed her arms languidly.

　　＊＊＊

I have a hard time waking up from dreams.

I always lose track of which one is reality and which one is a dream in that slumber.

Minagi was the one who suggested that I eat a candy.

“You know, Suguru. You’re always sleepwalking somehow.”

When I rubbed my sleepy eyes, I found Minagi sitting on my bed, leaning against my pillow with a puffy face. The black catsuit suits her so well that I can’t help but admire her.

“Thanks for the wake-up kiss.”

“I didn’t, though.”

She answered sadly.

“I wish I could wake you up at least once every three times. Should we just meet here?”

Minagi laughed jokingly as she held up the duplicate key I had given her a few weeks ago. But she doesn’t seem to be angry. I guess it was better that she doesn’t worry about me, as she once told me. I’ve been taking advantage of her words a lot.

“Okay. It’s a system that never makes me late.”

“Well, I’ll never forgive you if you fall asleep at the meeting place.”

I joked that this might have increased the difficulty, so I pulled the covers off and stretched.

“Hey Suguru, you know what? I’ve heard that the sensation of dreams varies from person to person. Some are colored, some are not. You may or may not hear voices. Sometimes they don’t hurt, sometimes they feel like they hurt.”

“Heh. I…I wonder. I can hear sounds, I can see colors, and I can’t taste…anything. In my dream earlier, Nagisa made an omelet like the previous one. But it was okay.”

“Uh, it’s possible that your taste buds have been destroyed.”

Minagi chuckled. “No way,” I said, laughing too.

“It’s settled then. Whenever Suguru is confused between dreams and reality, you should lick the candy. You’ll get over your habit of oversleeping then.”

Just as I was about to reply, multiple alarms went off at the same time. I stopped the clock, took out a candy ball from under my pillow, and licked it. It doesn’t taste good. Ah…So this is a dream.

A snap. I opened my eyelids of my own volition. The day has arrived.

Sleeping in a bed that I was used to, it was easy to get rid of fatigue. With a clear head from the start of the day, I try to sort out my situation.

What I needed to do was simple and clear. All I have to do was make Nagisa use her trump card to change the target, and Kuroiwa succeeds in confessing to Yuno.

It was simple to say, but I’m sure it will be a difficult battle.

In the end, Yuno continued to aim for my lips. Can Kuroiwa really make Yuno agree like that?

As for me, I know the effect of Nagisa’s trump card, 【The Two’s Happiness,】 but I’m not ready to have her use it. In addition, as Nagisa and I discussed last week, what we were looking for in this game was the exact opposite of each other’s, and we are not likely to get along. In addition, I don’t know when the【Cunning Trap】that Yuno has set would be activated.

Even so, there were signs of a change in Yuno’s feelings, and I have a line of dialogue ready in my heart to persuade Nagisa. So all I had to do was to trust that it would go well.

I took out a single candy, a mint-flavored one, from a can that was hidden in the far right corner of the room. I stuffed it in a small bag and gently put it in my pocket. I rarely touch a can that contains only mint. Still, today I felt I needed it. If anything, it was a good luck charm.

“I’m not going to lose.”

I muttered a declaration of war to myself and opened the curtains vigorously.

It was raining, drizzling.

The drops dripping behind the window were like someone’s tears.

“…That’s a bad start.”

Our date was to meet at a local station. Nagisa and I shared the same train station, but Nagisa wanted to experience the thrill of meeting up, so we did. …As it was…we happened to meet up in advance at the transfer station.

“Ehehe, we are a good match for each other?”

“Well, I won’t deny it.”

Nagisa squeezed my hand happily. I squeezed back moderately.

“…It’s raining, what a shame.”

“Yeah. When we are going on a date too.”

I looked out the window. The train was running on an elevated track, and the river below was shimmering unhappily. The rain was not strong, but not so weak that we needed a umbrella.

“I made about twenty rain monks, though. It’s funny.”

“Maybe they made too many and got into a fight? It’s possible that the monks canceled each other’s prayers.”

“Well, I got bored, so I hung more cranes than monks.”

“Whose well-being are you wishing for? It’s so noisy that the monk can’t use his full potential.”

“Eh, is it my fault? Isn’t it the monk’s lack of ability? It doesn’t matter how loud Crane’s thousand voices are, if it’s for the customer’s ‘thank you’, can’t they work beyond their full capacity?”

“Stop the black workplace!”

“Next—Next— If you’d like to get off—”

The train’s announcement interrupted our conversation. A warm weight leaned against me in the confusion of the shuddering train car.

“I wish the rain would stop.”

“Yeah, I do too.”

I answered in the same way.

Then Nagisa took out her trump card from her bag, held it between her index and middle fingers, and held it up to the window. The conditional statement on the back of the card, 【This Trump Card Can Be Used When The Wishes If The Wielder And Their Target Coincide.】 was struck out with a double line, perhaps because the condition for use had been met.

“I’ll be Suguru-senpai’s rain girl.”

With Nagisa’s words, the card emitted light, and the next moment, it turned into particles and disappeared.

It was as if it had tunneled through the window, and the sky outside had transformed into a cloudless blue sky.

【Grant The Target’s One And Only Wish】

It was the only thing that matched and made us happiest right now.

“Are you sure you want to use it for this?”

“It’s fine. Suguru-senpai’s and my requests don’t match at other times. It’s a waste, we have to use it now.”

The sad smile on her face didn’t match the beautiful sky at all. Perhaps she really had other wishes to fulfill. I was a little distressed by this, so I smiled vaguely and patted Nagisa’s head.

“Thank you, Nagisa. When the sky clears, your mind clears as well.”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to it. I want to ride a roller coaster that goes around three revolutions!”

“I’m a bad screamer. Do you mind if I watch?”

“No, you can’t. Suguru-senpai, you’re going to ride with me. Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand tightly, okay? And then I enjoyed the closest I could get to Suguru-senpai, who was terrified, and afterwards I gently held Suguru-senpai, who was wobbling, in my arms—”

“You’ve got a surprising amount of desire. I’m never riding it.”

“Mmm. If that’s the case, I think I’ll take your lips.”

She leaned forward and looked up at me like a naughty girl. There was no point in looking at me like that.

“You can’t break a promise. Be a good girl.”

At my trusting attitude, Nagisa jiggled her legs in frustration, saying, “Kuu-”

“By the way, what are you looking forward to, Suguru-senpai?”

“Churros.”

“Isn’t that food!?”

“Because amusement parks are famous for churros. You can’t eat them anywhere else. Besides, I like the deliberate cinnamon flavor of the food stalls at the park. Enough to be memorable.”

Once upon a time, I had been to the very amusement park we were heading to now.

Of course, most people who lived in this area have been there before. But for me, it still held a special memory.

“Memorable?”

“My parents took me there. It was perfect weather that day.”

My parents didn’t love me.

But that day was different. My father was in a great mood and my mother was smiling happily. We played our roles perfectly, like a fake family. For the first time, I felt an illusion of warmth. I wished for an eternity of days like those.

“Really? That must be a wonderful memory.”

The next day, my father didn’t come home.

Instead of answering that question, I quietly closed my eyes. The shaking of the train. My heartbeat. The regular rhythm of the train was strangely comforting. Surrounded by the warmth of the sunlight that had begun to assert itself, I had a baseless premonition. Today was going to be a good day.

“So, let the cheating date begin!”

As soon as we passed through the entrance, Nagisa shouted out these expected words.

“Wait, wait, wait, please just wait!”

The stares around me immediately hurt. I quickly admonished her, but Nagisa asked me back with a straight face.

“But Suguru-senpai is still physically dating Aika-senpai, which means that going on a date with other girls count as cheating, right?

“Yeah, you are right about that. Shirase Suguru, at the age of sixteen, is currently the apparent worst cheater in the world. But that’s the kind of thing you usually keep to yourself, in your mind, a little more discreetly.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help the immorality that came over me.”

Nagisa replied with a brisk and happy shake of her arm.

“Anyway, well, umm, let’s forget about that today and just have fun normally. Okay?”

Because this was a date with the person I love. So I want to have fun without any worries until the time of the battle.

By the way, does the word “have fun normally” include the meaning of spinning a coffee cup at high speed? No, it doesn’t.

The centrifugal force hit me. The expressionless face of me and the innocent smile of Nagisa. My hands were tied to the handlebars with such force that I felt like I was being pulled apart.

“Why am I groggy on the bench from the very first attraction…”

“It’s due to the weakness of the semicircular canal.”

“That’s not what I was really saying.”

As I rubbed my back, the culprit, Nagisa, looked at the pamphlet with a nonchalant face. I think she was checking the route. There didn’t seem to be any room for me to interject my opinion.

The next stop was the haunted house. I don’t remember being scared when I came here as a child, so I was sure it won’t be a big deal. We were both thinking that it would be no big deal.

“Hyah! Something just hit me on the butt! Is it Suguru-senpai? It wasn’t the ghost!? Please say something, Suguru-senior!? If you confess your crime, you can settle out of court, senpai!”

“Could it be that I am now faced with the choice between terrorizing you and accused by you of molestation? I haven’t touched you in the slightest!”

“Ah no! Then the culprit is a ghost! I’ll take my chances at the Underworld Court!”

“What the heck is that!? Whoa!” Aah!”

A shiver hit my cheek in my delirium. Probably hit Nagisa, too. I was horrified for a moment, but about 80% of what hit my body from earlier was konnyaku. By the way, this haunted house aws said to be famous for using high quality konnyaku, which was naturally derived. This was not the point.

“Na-Nagisa?”

Nagisa has her arm around me. I was naturally thrilled when Nagisa put her arms around me in a very natural way.

—S-Suguru-senpai. Please don’t leave me behind…

“You’re talking to my mind all of a sudden.”

—Shh. If the ghost hears you, it will know where we are. See, it’s a foot in and a foot out.

“I don’t know why we’re going incognito.”

Surprisingly, however, the storm of konnyakus stopped. We made our way along a course that resembled a graveyard. The stupa swayed like a metronome, but it was just surreal. At that moment, I was caught off guard.

“Vo-o-o-o-o-o-o!”

Suddenly, realistic-looking zombies appeared in front of us, their eyeballs threatening to fall out of their head at any moment… and they came at us at full speed, dragging its feet!

“Whoaaaa” “Waaaaaa!”

I screamed in terror. But the zombies didn’t stop, they continued to gain momentum and opened their mangled mouths as if to punish us for being naïve. I hug Nagisa to protect her. Eventually, the zombies slipped past us. I see. hologram, huh…

I breathed a sigh of relief. A little embarrassed, I release Nagisa’s body from my embrace.

“If you think about it, the concept is too blurry in many ways. But that was scary, wasn’t it, Nagisa?””

“…”

There was no reply. It seemed that she has fainted.

“Why are we exhausted after each attraction…?”

“…It’s because we’ve grown accustomed to days without fear. Gulp.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

After a second short break on a bench, it was time for the roller coaster. Nagisa was humming and holding my arm tightly. This time, it was not fear that’s holding me, but restraint.

『Don’t run away from the roller coaster…』

I walked up the stairs to the death row by myself, with a mysterious message written on the entrance. My hands and feet were already shaking, and I regretted having come here today.

“Don’t worry, it won’t take your life.”

“I can understand the nuance, but the phrasing is fatally different.”

Nagisa, smiling excitedly, was clearly looking forward to my reaction.

I’d like to see Nagisa’s happy face, but I don’t want her to be pleased by my weakness. I’ll definitely get through this one in a cool way!

“─Listen, Nagisa. Now this coaster is slowly ascending. This is the process. This thrill is all that matters, right? So the result of falling is not so important. In other words, I don’t mind we are going down now—”

While shaking and trembling, the view opened up. The sky was approaching. My heart was beating wildly on its own.

“Don’t talk nonsense, look, we’re going to fall, raise your hands.”

　Nevertheless, Nagisa ripped my right arm from the safety belt and held it up as if she were taking my right arm. I couldn’t help but raise my left arm as well. I was so naive.

“Wait, ha? It’s not safe to let go of────AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

“Aaah─────!”

In response to my earnest screams, and Nagisa let out a well-placed scream as if she was enjoying the moment.

The trolley keeps its momentum going, spinning, spinning, spinning again! My foul scream was unstoppable, and by the time we returned to the starting point, my soul was about to spill out of my crusty throat. I gulped it down with a peach-flavored candy ball. I managed to swallow it down my dry throat.

I got down to the ground, but as expected, I was too wobbly to walk properly. At this point, I’ve spent more time on the bench than I have gone through attractions.

“Fufufu. The way Suguru-senpai, who usually acts cool, gets flustered is pretty cool.”

“You’re quite Malkidic, aren’t you?”

“Are you trying to call me sadistic with that!?”

Take it easy on me. I was in a rather foggy state of consciousness and I was communicating in some weird place in the sky. I took an exaggerated breath, exposing my gaping lips. If she kissed me now, I’d be in trouble. But Nagisa never breaks her promises.

“You fine? I’m fully exposed.”

“Why are you testing me? Don’t you really want to kiss me? Yes, I do want to kiss you. I’ll lend you my fresh lips.”

“More like a fresh fish instead. …I’ll pass. I don’t want to give you orders.”

“Order…Is it?”

Nagisa tilted her head curiously, and as the angle returned, I realized my mistake. Ah…I let it slip. But it was a skill I won’t use anyway. There was no point in hiding it from Nagisa now.

“My only skill was the ability to make the person I kiss listen to my commands. The one you’re after is just a reversed weakness.”

When I revealed my skill, Nagisa backed away from me, looking flustered. That was rude.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to forcibly bend anyone’s will in the slightest.”

“Well, Suguru-senpai is that kind of person.”

Smiling reassuringly, Nagisa casually sat back down, closer than before.

By the time I regained my energy, it was already lunchtime.

“Whoa. I found churros.”

When I find the food stall I was looking for, I wobbled and changed my trajectory to follow the force of gravity there. But Nagisa held me back.

“No, not yet, not yet! We’re going to miss lunch!”

“No, at least one churro—”

“No, just come here!”

Nagisa forcibly pulled on my arm and separated me from Churros, which I was supposed to have an emotional reunion. Instead, she brought me to a wooden bench table.
[TLN: Women, give the man his Churros, I would fight anyone who separates me from food.]

“Suguru-senpai, are you hungry by any chance? It can’t be helped. Let’s have lunch.”

“Eh, well, I guess so.”

What is this farce? What the heck is going on here, Nagisa-san?

“And that’s why ──── tada!”

What Nagisa spread out on the table was a lunch mat and lunch boxes for two people. Could this be homemade lunch!? …Eh, homemade lunch!?

“Um? Why did you give me two meaningful glances?”

“No, it was your imagination. Or maybe it’s for my right eye and my left eye.”

I wondered what was waiting for me inside this box. I slowly and fearfully opened the lid.

What was spread all over the place — fried tofu, fried eggs, sasuage, hamburgers, cherry tomatoes. It was a standard lunch box menu, and it looked quite beautiful and tasty. It was not a dream, nor a hallucination, or an unreliable narrator, but it looked really good. I said it twice because it was important.

“This is amazing. Was this all homemade?”

“Yes, it is. …I worked hard for a whole day yesterday to make it. Onee-chan taught me how to make it…”

Nagisa squirmed and put her fingers together. The end of her words faded out, as if she was embarrassed.

“I see. …Thank you, Nagisa. Thank you for working so hard for me.”

“It’s not for you, Suguru-senpai. It’s for me.”

“For yourself?”

“Because I am in a position to pursuit after Suguru-senpai. In order to obtain your love, which kept stubbornly turn away from me, I have to do it in a no-go, self-centered, calculated way.”

She had a somewhat mature expression. Her smooth hair swayed languidly in the wind. I wonder what she was suddenly going to say. What am I making her say?

“Nagisa—”

If it were true, I’d like to tell her right now that I love her and hug her.

I was nearing the end of my rope. The words I couldn’t say, the feelings I couldn’t express were rising in my throat, and I felt like I was going to choke. I clenched my fists and tried to reason with myself.

“I’m just kidding. Since I succeeded in making cookies, I just took the next challenge. Suguru-senpai is my test subject.”

Nagisa giggled mischievously. I let out a long, slow breath that has tangled in my air pipe.

“The cherry tomatoes managed to grow from seed overnight. It’s the result of extraordinary love.”

“No, what kind of rapid growth is that. That doesn’t have to be homegrown.”

Ignoring my tsukkomi, Nagisa picked up a piece of fried chicken with her chopsticks and brought it to my mouth.

“Come on, Suguru-senpai. Say ahn. Ahn.”

“Seriously? Are we gonna do that? That’s ridiculous.”

There was no way I could do such an embarrassing thing under the sun.

“Please think about it calmly. It’s more profitable to have a cute girl bring it to your mouth for you than yourself, that’s because you get to enjoy the process.”

“Don’t stand on my field with your false setting.”

She’s not my girlfriend yet. I could say that only in my mind. With these secret thoughts in mind, I chewed and tasted the fried chicken that was brought to me. It’s crispy and juicy to the tongue as if it were freshly made. The taste was amazing.

“…Ooh, it’s delicious! That’s great, Nagisa!”

Even with Minagi’s guidance, I was surprised that Nagisa could reach this level in just one day.

“Fufum, if I follow the recipe, I can do this in no time!”

Why are you and Kuroiwa so proud of following the recipe… But that, cookies, or lunch boxes, even kijitora, it’s like I’m getting nothing but gifts from you.”

“It’s okay, you can return the favor with your lips.”

“That’s not good. In many ways.”

“Just kidding. But you’re really worrying too much, Suguru-senpai. You just have to be more honest and just accept my feelings.”

Next came the potato salad. I wondered if she was still going to continue doing such things, but I accepted the potato salad without a fight. I was pondering what to do in return.

After lunch, we slowed down a bit and did some of the more casual attractions like the merry-go-round and go-karts. And now we’re waiting in line with churros in our mouths.

“How was the taste of your family memories?

“Yeah. I am relieved to see that this deliberate taste has not changed.”

We had decided on the Ferris wheel for the final battle to get away from the hustle and bustle of fun to relax and talk together. We were almost at our turn. Kuroiwa was going to use her trump card and confess at 16:00, 20 minutes from now. It would be just as the Ferris wheel was coming back down to earth.

As we took a step to close the line, my pocket trembled.

『I used it.』

The message was simple enough to be conveyed, but it was typical of Kuroiwa.

The actual effect of Kuroiwa’s trump card, 【One More Chance】 was that it could be used after you’ve been rejected once, and although I haven’t heard the details, it seemed to buff the chance of your next confession. The concept of a confession buff was a bit of a mystery to me, but it seemed to mean that if your first confession was close enough, you may be able to get it on the second attempt.

Good luck, Kuroiwa.

Praying instead of replying, I took out my trump card from my pocket and glanced at it.

The text of the conditions of use on the back of the trump card was clearly crossed out with double lines. My trump card was now ready to be used at any time.

I put my trump card back in my pocket and squeezed Nagisa’s hand. I’m almost there. If Nagisa would accept my proposal, I would finally be able to tell her about my secret feelings. I could release the love I have been holding back.

“Erm, what’s wrong? …Are you afraid, perhaps?”

Nagisa looked up at me in surprise, her cheeks slightly tinged with red.

“No way, that’s not possible. At least not up to the top.”

I exaggerated my reaction and took the lead in climbing into the green sphere that came before us. Nagisa sat in front of me and the door closed. At that moment, the air stiffened. I finally realized that Nagisa was just as nervous as I was.

“Um, Suguru-senpai. You have something important to tell me, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Let’s talk about the future between you and me.”

She was probably planning to do the same, so she nodded vigorously and silently.

“…Nagisa. I’ll tell you the conclusion. I can’t go out with you.”

That was my answer. It was the same from the beginning. No matter how much she swayed my heart.

“I’m not going to go out with anyone through this game.”

I am going to stick to my principles.

“Is, that so? So, you didn’t change your mind in the end. …I really tried my best.”

Nagisa stretched with a big sigh, as if after a boring class. The lonely smile was directed at the distant scenery as if to avoid a single core point.

Whether I liked her or not.

Neither of us dared to touch on such a premise, and we moved on to the logic beyond that.

“I can’t accept the result of eternal love. There is nothing that can’t change. I think it’s wrong to force yourself to hold on and not change.”

Nagisa thought about it for a while as she fixed her gaze on the window, and then looked straight at me.

“If you ask me if it’s right or wrong, I know it’s wrong, I know that much. …But even if I know that, it’s no good. I’m afraid that things will change.”

Even as she spoke of her fears, her voice was steady and unshakable. She must have ruminated on it over and over again, and reached the conclusion she did.

“Suguru-senpai is strong.”

Nagisa continued. In a corner of her mind, she recalled that Yuno had said the same thing to her.

“How? I’m not strong.”

“You are strong in trying to do the right thing in which you believe.”

Is that so? Is that strength? I feel it was more like a weakness.

Sometimes it was painful to be only right. Sometimes I think about how good it would be if I could betray myself. Many times. I was still thinking about how much easier it would be if I could kiss her right here.

“Hey, Suguru-senpai—”

Nagisa slowly stood up and sat down next to me. The wall she was leaning against tilted backward.

“Why are you so, so obsessed with the process?”

Nagisa asked. My strength. My weakness.

I gulped down a mouthful of saliva. Then, I stood in front of the door, which I had kept hidden in the back of my mind.

“…It’s because I’ve seen it. I’ve seen what happens to people who want results too much.”

That’s the past I’ve prepared and will only reveal to Nagisa. Using her question as a key, I open the door to my memory.

“My father was a so-called elite. And my mother, who was attracted to him, had a very weak heart.”

This was boring self-talk, a mere boast of misfortune, but it was still the starting point of who I am. In order to tell Tokiwa Nagisa about Shirase Suguru, I searched for the right words and connected my memories.

“My father graduated from a famous university and worked for a famous company. He had a brilliant sales record and was treated much better than his peers.”

“That’s amazing.”

Nagisa gently took my hand. The shaking stopped and only then did I realize that I was shaking. As if speaking directly to the warm hand, I continued.

“But he was a vicious man who would do anything to get ahead and profit. He was willing to kick others down, take advantage of them, and cheat them, he always chose the shortest route to the result.”

As I stared out the window, ignoring the scenery, I saw an empty red seat for two.

“I don’t know what my mother liked about my father, but my mother really wanted his love and chose the quickest way. That’s me. …I was born and she forced him to marry her.”

The Ferris wheel was slowly rising. The roller coaster we rode today and the coffee cups suddenly came into view. I couldn’t find the churro stand.

“I was born to two people who skipped the process, and I was probably unlovable.”

Nagisa squeezed my hand tightly. I don’t squeeze it back.

“My father thought of me only as a work tool. He didn’t talk to me, he didn’t care about me, but on his days off he would take me to business meetings and clients. My mother tried her best to raise me to be a good student as a way to keep my father’s love alive. I had a packed schedule of studies and lessons every day, and if I didn’t stick to it, she would scold me severely. Whenever I got a good score on a test, for some reason, my mother would proudly wag her tail in praise of my father. …So, what do you think happened in the end?”

“What I think, in the end? …I don’t know.”

Nagisa peered into my face, looking worried. I smiled at her, then looked out. Before I knew it, we were about halfway up.

“It was when I was in the fifth grade. My father was caught cheating on a daily basis and lost all his social prestige. …There was nothing in my father’s empty hands to rekindle his life. There was nothing in his empty hands to start over. Competence, perseverance, trust, and everything else. So he simply disappeared somewhere, abandoning us.

Fortunately, we were left with a certain amount of money, so we were able to live comfortably. To put it another way, that was all we had left. There were no memories, no nothing. Or perhaps the only thing left was the deliberate Churro’s taste.

“My mother had lost my father, but there was no bond between her and me. It seems that she can’t help but fill her empty heart with someone’s love, and she still wanders from place to place.”

I think that was when it became difficult for me to distinguish between dreams and reality.

“What about Onee-chan?

“I never told her about it, but I think she was aware of it somehow. At least, I think she was aware of my broken family environment.

I didn’t even want her to hear this ridiculous and boring story. But such an abominable event had meaning for me at this moment.

“There was value in the process of accumulation. It may be good while the results are coming out. But one day, unworthy results will fall out of your hands. It will. At that time, if you have neglected the process, there will be nothing left at the end.”

If you wanted the result of eternal love, and you overlooked the love that was supposed to be built up along the way. The time would come when you would realize that all those connections were empty.

“Even if you lose the memory of the game. That day will come. Eternity is impossible, unnatural, and even if you get it, there will be a break somewhere.”

It was only after I put it into words that I realized I was saying something absurd. I was like a con man who makes assertions without any evidence. But in my mind, it was a definite law of nature, so I had no choice but to try my best to convey it.

“If you don’t change your mind forever, you won’t have to worry, you won’t have to struggle, you won’t have to bump into roadblocks. But in return, you won’t get something more important.”

What that something is, I don’t know yet.

Eventually, Nagisa slowly released her clenched fingers from my hand.

“…I understand enough from what senpai said.”

As Nagisa places her hands in her lap, I took a card out of my pocket and showed it to her. It was my trump card.

“Nagisa. Take a look at this.”

“…Target Change, eh, what is this?”

Nagisa’s shaded tilted slightly to face me.

“I want you to use this. …This was the only reason I joined the Confession Quartet.

Nagisa refused to touch the trump card that was offered to her.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t go out with you. So you will lose. Then our relationship will probably change. But I don’t want to forget the days when you and I walked together, talking and laughing happily. I—”

Because I love you. If I could have said that on a higher place like the rooftop where I was supposed to tell her that day, I wonder what kind of face she would have made. At the very least, she wouldn’t have looked like she was about to cry like she does now.

“No, because the relationship between you and I is irreplaceable and precious.”

“Suguru, senpai—”

Nagisa turned over and squeezed her own knees. Her skirt creased, then stained.

“That’s just too much. It’s selfish. I told you, didn’t I? I said that if I couldn’t have eternal love, I’d rather forget this feeling.”

A drop of water dripped from her soft cheek.

“…I’ve always wished that our relationship could have lasted.”

“The kouhai and senpai relationship that you and I share?”

Or was it the acquaintance that we walked to the station together before she took a liking to me?

“No, it’s not. Onee-chan and Suguru-senpai are good friends, and I hang out with them sometimes. That was our relationship. I can’t explain it well, but it was like having a new family, and it was really fun.”

That was what she suddenly said to me just the other day when she was acting strangely.

“Yeah—Right. Really. Those days were comfortable and fun.”

We played a lot of games. Nagisa adored me like an older brother and sometimes spoiled me. I would pet her like a little sister. The three of us would play together, and Minagi and I would tease her and she would tease us. I reminisce about the days that will never come back.

“But my favorite daily life was broken. When I heard from Onee-chan that they had broken up, I was very surprised. I was shocked. It had nothing to do with me, and there was nothing I could do about it, but it made me so sad that I couldn’t choke down food made by Onee-chan.”

Her inexplicable expression reminded me of the taste of mint. The way I was crying at that time seemed to overlap with her.

Everyone knew that nothing stays the same. But she and I both believed it like children. That the only things that really mattered would never change or be lost.

But the breakup between Minagi and me made me realize that. There are no exceptions in this world.

“I didn’t want to admit it, but I tried my best to keep them together again. I decided to wait for Suguru-senpai every day so that our connection would not be broken.”

Good morning. Suguru-senpai.

I was saved by that innocent smile. I thought it was just her way to comfort me. Of course, there was that too. But I didn’t know she was thinking that at all.

If that was the case. Maybe Nagisa was trying to use her trump card to get me and Minagi back together. After all this time, such a thought came to my mind.

“But before I knew it, the feeling that I wanted to go out with Suguru-senpai was inside me. I was so scared of my feelings. I was already a mess. Even though these feelings were not good for my purpose, and I didn’t want to change our relationship any further, I couldn’t hold back my feelings and confessed my feelings to Suguru-senpai.”

I love you. Please go out with me.

It was on Christmas Eve that I received my first confession, which she had to squeeze out. I politely refused, and she smiled at me in a complicated way. She looked sad, but also somewhat relieved, as if her feet had just touched the bottom of the ocean.

“I was relieved to be rejected by Suguru-senpai. I don’t really understand. I want to go out with him, but I don’t want to go out with him at the same time. I’m afraid of losing him. I’m afraid of changing. Because I can’t do it. Because there’s no way I can do what you couldn’t.”

That’s not true. Minagi is Minagi, and Nagisa is Nagisa. I tried to deny it, but there was nothing suitable to interrupt her monologue.

“I guess that’s why. I like my senpai, and Suguru-senpai doesn’t like me—I thought that this unrequited love was a stable relationship, and tried to force it to continue, and I probably went crazy in the process.

Nagisa opened her clenched palm. With a self-mocking laugh, her hand was pressed against her chest.

“But I realized that even that relationship was coming to an end. It was the day Suguru-senpai received the love letter. If Suguru-senpai gets a girlfriend, it’s all over. …I decided that if I was going to lose that relationship anyway, I wanted to be your lover. What do you think? It’s positive, right?”

I couldn’t give any answer to Nagisa, who kept her head down.

“I was about to put my faith in the rumor of ‘Ocupid-sama,’ that you can always get together with the person you love. But Cupid was already there, and when I heard the explanation of the Confession Quartet, I immediately decided to join. Because whether I won or lost, I wouldn’t lose Suguru-senpai. Isn’t that a good thing?

If you win, you get eternal love. If you lose, you lose your favor with me from the start, so you don’t have to be afraid of losing. That was the ideal ending that Tokiwa Nagisa had in mind, and the worst possible ending for me.

When she looked up, the tears had disappeared from the edges of her eyes. Perhaps because she had let out the feelings she had been holding in, she looked somewhat refreshed. Her expression kept changing.

“So…that’s what it was?”

I have a past of my own. But Nagisa has her own past. Of course. Everyone has a process that they have built up over the years, and that was why I am where I am today.

That was why. It was impossible to convince her, I realized.

“So, Suguru-senpai. No, Suguru-san. It’s time for you to let me know. How do you feel about me?”

At the top of the Ferris wheel, Nagisa leaned on my shoulder and asked me. The softly scented Sabon was a scent I didn’t know existed.

“Nagisa is…very cute. You are straightforward, cheerful, and fun to be with. You are a very important kouhai for me.”

This is not a lie, but it was as close to a lie as I could get. I was hiding the most important thing from her.

But if I reveal it, I will never be able to fulfill my purpose in this game. That meant I would lose Nagisa. The whole process, everything I’ve built up.

And yet.

“No, it’s not. …Suguru-senpai. Please, I beg you, tell me the truth.”

A rare and trembling voice moved my heart. She ruthlessly asked me to be right.

“I’m… I’m—”

See, I knew it was my weakness.

I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to be strong, but I couldn’t do it anymore.

—I like you, I like Nagisa. I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”

Yeah, hot.

My face was hot. My throat was hot. My chest was hot. The blood pumping through me was hot. It was as if my body didn’t belong to me. It was as if I was floating on the surface of the water and then sinking deep into the water.

“Suguru-san.”

Nagisa murmured.

“Suguru-san.”

I heard her voice again, and our eyes met.

“Finally, finally. You said it.”

Her beautiful eyes winced awkwardly, her cute nose tensed, and her small mouth deformed in a way that was hard to describe. This time, large tears came in droves.

To hide them, Nagisa hugged me tightly. The vibration echoed in my buried chest.

But even so, you still won’t go out with me.”

“…Yeah. I can’t go out with you because I love you.”

“What the heck is that?”

She laughed, crying dexterously.

“When this game is over, I want to go out with you. Can you change the target?”

“No, I won’t. I like you Suguru-san, I wouldn’t stop liking you Suguru-san.”

“What’s with that?”

I couldn’t laugh at that as well as she could.

“Nagisa…how long have you been aware of this?”

She just now said, “Finally.” It was as if she had been aware of my feelings all along. When I asked her for an answer, she responded with an explanatory tone.

“My skill is—the ability to read the minds of those I touch.”

“Eh? But your skill is to speak your own mind…No, I see. So that’s it.”

It was the same as the relationship between the effects of my skills and my weaknesses. Nagisa’s skill was that while reading the mind of the person she touched, the voice of her own mind would be transmitted. In other words, every time I heard Nagisa’s mind, she was reading my mind. All my love for her was revealed.

“Ever since this game started, me and senpai have been on the same line no matter how far we go.”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

“And until the end, it is the same line. Isn’t that right, Suguru-senpai?”

Instead of affirming, I hugged Nagisa even tighter.

And I thought of her strongly and sincerely. I want her to feel it directly.

The tears of the two of us fell in drops. Wailing echoes. But it doesn’t reach our ears.

Nagisa. —Suguru-san.

I like you. —I like you.

I like you. I really like you. —I like you too. I really, really like you.

I don’t want to lose you. I want to be with you forever. —Yes, I don’t want to leave you no matter what.

I don’t know why we feel the same way. —I’m just happy that we feel the same way.

Our hearts are melting together. The two of us are piling up our unspoken feelings.

Of course, I wish it could go on forever. Everyone does.

But it’s not. It was precisely because it would not last forever that it has value. What was important was the heart itself, the heart that wished it could go on forever.

I could feel the Ferris wheel going down with my body. The ground, the end, was approaching.

I slowly pulled away from Nagisa. The heat that I could feel on my skin was fading away. The air was getting colder.

As soon as my eyes met with Nagisa’s, I felt like I would never be able to touch her again. In fact, that was probably true. Once we reach the ground, our relationship would be over. The fear that accompanied the reality was far greater than I had imagined.

Is this really what I want? A part of me whispered in my ear. My heart was beating frantically, trying to destroy my reason. It was not over yet. There was still something I can do, I thought.

No, I — I’ve already lost. Breathing hard, I resisted.

But I love Nagisa, and I couldn’t give up on her, and I really don’t want to lose her.

The next thing I know, I was roughly throwing a mint candy into my mouth. I chewed it in one gulp, and forcibly swallowed it with hesitation, and with pride.

With trembling hands, I gently lifted her chin. I was not going to go back to this point.

“…Nagisa, I’m sorry.

“Are you going to kiss me?”

I was not going to answer as I stare into her frightened eyes.

“It’s not fair. …I guess it has been coming. I’ve been trying to do that for a long time too. But it’s not like you, Suguru-san.”

I felt my pulse quicken, but I still didn’t answer.

“It’s okay, then. If it means that you love me enough for me to do that, I’ll be very happy.”

Nagisa’s face turned red, and she looked away shyly as if she couldn’t stand the uninterrupted gaze for even a moment.

“…P-Please say something. It’s embarrassing.”

If I said something, if I spun any more meaningful words, I was going to lose this momentum. I was about to be defeated by reason. I was going to be weak, trying to be right. So I didn’t answer anything.

Nagisa closed her eyes.

I also closed my eyes.

And then… I kissed her. It was a forceful kiss that seemed to take away everything from Nagisa. Even so, Nagisa’s eyes were filled with contentment, and she stared at me with half-opened lips, letting out an upturned breath.

And yet. After all I’ve done. I couldn’t get rid of that part in me after all.

“…Nagisa. Yell at me.”

From beginning to end. My command to her with the skill I had intended to use was too meaningless. I didn’t need to be told, anyone would have cursed me in this situation.

Nagisa looked blatantly disappointed and forcefully tugged at my shirt with both hands.

“…Horrible. You’re the worst. You’re the meanest. It’s terrible. Why? Why?”

With each word, Nagisa slapped me on the chest.

“Why can’t you just, you know, make me feel better!”

For the life of me, I couldn’t force her to change her mind.

“Please. What should I do? How can I get you to agree?”

I bowed my head deeply and profoundly. Nagisa, of course, did not answer. I continue to spin my words frantically against the toe of her shoe.

“Surely you feel the same way, if only a little. Otherwise, you would have resisted more. So, please, Nagisa. Please, please. Please, with me—”

Yeah, what an uncool line. It was a lousy plea. It was not something I could say to someone who has accepted a kiss like that.

“…It’s 1%.”

“Eh?”

I looked up.

“In me, only 1%. I feel exactly the same way as you do, Suguru-senpai. …So if a miracle could happen, I’ll have to believe in you.”

“Believe?”

Nagisa stood up and looked back at me. Her typical smile bloomed in the sunlight.

“Even if I don’t have eternal love, I will believe that Suguru-senpai will love me forever.”

“I understand. …But what is this miracle you’re speaking of?”

Nagisa sat back down in front of me and took out a pen from her shoulder bag. Then she started to write something on the churro wrapping paper so that I could not see it.

“Let’s play a game. Guess the number I’m thinking of now, between 1 and 100. A one percent chance is hardly a miracle, but it is because Suguru-san’s luck is so bad. It is a great yet costly chance.”

While explaining, Nagisa gripped the wrapping paper with her right hand.

One percent chance. I…Can I guess it right?

No, I can. Think, Shirase Suguru. Trace Nagisa’s thought process. Look around. The number assigned to this car is 12. That’s wrong. My birthday is September 5th. So it’s 95. Or is it 14 if you add it up? If it’s Nagisa’s birthday, it’s March 12, and if it’s Minagi’s birthday, it’s August 8. Or it could be today’s date, or… No, no. There was no way to know, even if I think about it.

In the end, there was only one way to create a miracle in this simple game. Just answer the number that came to you. That was it.

“…42.”

Soon, the long revolution will be over. I wonder what our relationship will be like when this box reached the bottom.

Thinking about the future, I swallowed the mint and waited for Nagisa’s answer.

Nagisa opened her right hand and showed me the wrapping paper, which was rolled up into a mess. There was a large, poorly drawn portrait of me on it, and next to it — “2”.

I couldn’t help but laugh. So she chose a single-digit number.

“Why two?”

Even though I had lost everything, my mind was strangely calm.

“It doesn’t mean anything. It was just two that came to my mind.”

The door of the Ferris wheel opened and Nagisa quickly got out of her seat.

“It’s a shame, Suguru-senpai!”

Nagisa’s smile was as bright as ever.

It was like when you win a game. That was all there is to it, a look of joy at the victory. It was not as if love, or eternity, or any such grandiose thing was at stake, it was Nagisa’s usual face.

I hurriedly chased after Nagisa as she left me behind. My pocket vibrated once. I pulled out my smartphone and saw a message from Kuroiwa at the top of the notification box.

『It didn’t work.』

I looked up and saw that Nagisa was nowhere to be found.