Everybody, please check the FAQ first before asking me questions.
If it’s not on there, please feel free and ask. I only get annoyed at questions when the same one has been asked 10+ times, and by then I’ll have updated the FAQ.
Thank you for your consideration, guys!

---

This is my Christmas present to you, and I’d be really glad if you gifted me back with a review on novelupdates!
Incidentally, Reika graduates from primary school soon, so let’s have one chapter every 15 minutes until she does.

---

Lately, things between Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan have become strained.
The cause was Kikuno-chan being in the same class as Kaburagi.

When we realised it after the class announcements, Kikuno-chan was dancing for joy.
Since then, every day, it’s been talk about Kaburagi.
Stuff like “When he was reading the passage out during Japanese class, it was so dreamy.” or “After Kaburagi-sama used the piece of chalk, I ended up using it too”.
From my perspective it’s just idle gossip, but apparently that wasn’t the case with Serika-chan.

“Reika-sama, don’t you think that Kikuno-san been getting ahead of herself lately? Just because she’s in the same class as Kaburagi-sama, every single day she does nothing but boast about it. What on earth is with her!”

Oh my my~
Even though Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan are like a duo, now that one side’s been stealing a march on the other, cracks are appearing in their relationship.

“Aren’t you frustrated, Reika-sama? Kikuno-san is acting as though she’s closer to Kaburagi-sama than you are! So arrogant!”

I’m not frustrated at all, but…?
I mean, I don’t particularly like him after all.
Only, considering how many fans those two have in school, there’s no reason for me to stir up trouble by admitting that. So thus far I’ve just been randomly following along with everybody and saying stuff like “How wonderful.” when appropriate.

“She says things like how Enjou-sama occasionally comes to visit her class! And lately, that girl hasn’t even been spending lunch time with you, Reika-sama! She’s betraying us!”

Uwahh~ She’s getting all heated up.
I wonder what I should do.

“Perhaps Kikuno-san is merely doing so because she felt that you would be happy to hear such stories. I do not think that she means ill, you know?”

“…I can’t imagine that she doesn’t, but…”

Her expression clearly says that she doesn’t believe me. But well, I also think that Kikuno-chan was just happily bragging.

“After all, Kikuno-san seems to think dearly of you, Serika-san. A while back when she was ill and you waited with her in the infirmary, she told me that she was very grateful to you. She even said that when push comes to shove, you were the one that could be relied on, you know?”

“Eh-…”

This is half truth and half lie.
It’s true that she was grateful about Serika-chan accompanying her in the infirmary.
As for the stuff about being reliable, I said “Serika-san is reliable, isn’t she.” and Kikuno-chan just replied “Yes”.

“Kikuno-san said…”

“I think that Kikuno-san is just ecstatic about joining the class of the one she admires. I am sure that she will calm down, given just a little time. To begin with, Kaburagi-sama is more or less indifferent towards girls, after all. In the end, rather than the far-away Kaburagi-sama, it will be you that she values more.”

“That’s true…”

Oooh, she bit!
In that case…

“Serika-san, please take this.”

“Eh-, a macaron?”

I had given Serika-chan a pink macaron.

“It is a limited time cherry-flavoured macaron. Kaburagi-sama’s favourite.”

“EH-!? Kaburagi-sama’s!?”

“Yes. Earlier when I went to the Pivoine salon, Kaburagi-sama was eating them. I helped myself to one as well, but brought it here without eating it. You should eat it, Serika-san. Keep this a secret from Kikuno-san, all right?”

“Goodness…”

Serika-chan happily accepted the macaron with two hands.

“It isn’t often that you get to see Kaburagi-sama eating sweets, is it.”

“My. That is not the case at all. He has quite the sweet tooth, you know?”

He eats sweets in the salon a lot, and he was a sweet tooth in Kimidol as well.
For a while when he was in Kyoto, he was totally in love with this old tea shop’s matcha chocolate after all.
I don’t think he’s hiding the fact or anything, but to begin with we aren’t allowed to bring sweets to school, so the only chance of seeing him eating them is in the salon I guess.

Since Serika-chan is in a good mood again, I guess that’s good enough for now.

“Umm… Reika-sama. What I said earlier…”

“Of course, I did not hear a thing. After all, it was not how you truly felt, was it.”

“No. Thank you very much, Reika-sama.”

No, no. You’re welcome.

*imouto*

*imouto*

“Reika-sama, what do you think of Serika-san’s attitude lately? She’s jealous because I’m in the same class as Kaburagi-sama!”

This time Kikuno-chan timed it so that Serika-chan wasn’t there, before coming to talk to me.

“If she’s envious, then she should just say so. Even though I went out of my way to tell her stories about Kaburagi-sama, all she does is glare at me. Don’t you think her personality is terrible?”

Oh my, oh my~
That’s quite an arrogant attitude, huh~
I think both of you were in the wrong.

“Serika-san was sulking because all you spoke of was Kaburagi-sama.”

“Sulking?”

“Please keep this a secret, but, Serika-san was complaining to me about how Kaburagi-sama is more important to you than she is. ‘Even though I’m closer to her’, she said. I think that she might be lonely.”

“Eh-…”

“Serika-san likes you very much, after all. But lately all you speak of is Kaburagi-sama. Wouldn’t you feel ignored? Don’t you think that perhaps her jealousy is directed at Kaburagi-sama instead?”

Now this is a total lie.

“But you must not go to Serika-san to confirm this. Serika-san is quite the stubborn one, so if you knew how she really felt, she would likely sulk even more, you see.”

“To think Serika-san said…”

“In this case… What if you act like the mature one, and take the first step? I am certain that if you do so, Serika-san will immediately feel better. She likes you a lot. The two of you are best friends, after all.”

“Best friends… You’re right. We’re best friends, aren’t we.”

It looks like she’s a little happy about the specialness of ‘best friends’.
And it seems like her anger has subsided too.

“Reika-sama, what I said earlier…”

“Of course, I did not hear a thing. After all, it was not how you truly felt, was it.”

“No. Thank you very much, Reika-sama.”

No, no. You two are quite similar, you know.

*imouto*

After that, they immediately made up.
And it looks like my lies weren’t exposed. The two of them are lovey-lovey and following each other everywhere again.
I’m a coward, so absolutely ‘no thank you’ to trouble. It’s scary.
I mean, you never know when you’ll get wrapped up in it, after all.
Peace is definitely the best.

*imouto*

Speaking of which, in 『you are my dolce』, didn’t Kisshouin Reika feed Emperor with lies about the protagonist, that led to a falling out scene…?

 

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>