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!

---

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---

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Tashinami’s been taken over by another group. Thank goodness.

---

It hadn’t been that long since the school year began, but the class reps were already having meetings to prepare for the excursion.

Speaking of which, we would be going to London, Paris, and then Rome in May.

We were going to be spending 3 days in each.

Usually the first was scheduled sightseeing, the second was free time, and the third was used for travel to the next city.

Quite a packed schedule.

I wonder why they even picked May for it.

The new 1st years were looking for a club to join, so I had my duties as the President of the Handicrafts Club as well.

I grumbled as much to Satomi-kun as we headed to the meeting room.

“But I’m glad I’m doing this with you, Kisshouin-san. Some people really cut loose during the excursion, but they’ll all listen to you. I’m counting on you, Kisshouin-san.”

So he said, but in 1st Year he did quite a good job himself.

And he wasn’t one of those dead serious types, so he had the flexibility for it too.

I’ll be counting on you, Satomi-kun.

When we arrived, the other class reps, and members from the Student Council were already waiting.

Oh, it was Class Rep.

When our eyes met I gave him a small wave, which Class Rep and Miharu-chan next to him returned with a smile.

This year Class Rep wasn’t in my class anymore, but managed to make it into Miharu-chan’s class. The two of them were the class representatives for it.

Not only that but he had taken my advice on the White Day present.

During the spring holidays the two of them went with Iwamuro-kun and Nonose-san to an amusement park together.

Class Rep had told me all about it in his and Iwamuro-kun’s first report since school began.

“Thank you, Kisshouin-san!” he had said. “As expected of my master! You see, the four of us went on all sorts of rides but since I was a bit scared about going on the rollercoasters, Honda-san tried to cheer me up while I was depressed about it. Geez, I really don’t have any face left as a guy~ But when I actually did ride them, they weren’t as scary as I expected. Just a day wasn’t enough to try all the rides, so the four of us agreed to go there again, and…”

The four of them basically had a double date, didn’t they.

So jealous…!

Group dating was what spring was all about!

I wanted to try going on a double date to an amusement park too!

In the end I just listened to the two of them talk fondly about the girls, before they handed over a cute set of sweets as both souvenirs and thanks.

Mn, thanks for that. It was delicious.

Anyhow, right now Class Rep and Miharu-chan were happily chatting as they looked over the printouts for the class trip.

Maybe they were planning on spending time together during the second day of the trip.

Unuu, weren’t they enjoying a little too much romance?

Had I blessed them too much?

While they were off enjoying themselves, their master was the chief of the Forever Alone village.

Weren’t disciples supposed to be a bit more considerate of their masters…?

No, no, a master was supposed to be happy for their disciples.

They were members of the Fulfilling Romance village now; a village separated from mine by a large river…

Although this meeting was mostly to get the class reps familiar with each other, we still discussed group and room allocations, as well as what to look out for during the second day’s free time.

Although the groups and rooms were basically split within the class, during the second day you were free to join your friends in other classes, so special care had to be taken to avoid any trouble.

The class reps from Kaburagi and Enjou’s classes already looked a little exhausted.

Free time was going to mean a flood of girls about them, after all.

Good luck…

*

*

Anyway, what most of my grade were discussing these days was the class trip.

“Where are you going during the second day?”

“Paris is going to mean shopping, of course. There are handbags that haven’t made it to Japan yet.”

“I was thinking of getting some shoes. Although handbags would also be nice. Got a shop in mind?”

“Let’s watch a musical at Piccadilly Circus!”

“That sounds amazing! In that case, the Phantom of the Opera would be nice. I saw it in London with my family once, and it was great.”

“I think I’d like to see Les Misérables.”

“Isn’t that a bit dark…?”

“What about a ballet then?”

“I want to watch an opera in Rome!”

Musicals, ballets, and opera?

If we’re watching a ballet I’d like to see Le Corsaire.

And maybe buy some nice stamps for my secret hobby.

Maybe I could buy some at the Vatican City and send some air mail to my friends and family.

But what if I got back to Japan before the letters did?

Changing topics, Moriyama-san from cram school had gotten together with her boyfriend during her class trip.

You do hear a lot of stories about new couples forming on these.

Maybe I’d have a dreamy encounter as well…

*

*

I was wondering where Wakaba-chan would be going during the class trip, so I gave her a call.

“The British Museum, hands down! I want to see the cat mummies! I want to see the Rosetta stone! And best of all, the admission is free! What a big-hearted country! Hmm, aside from that though, I want to try gelato at the Piazza di Spagna!”

It was going to be her first trip overseas, so no wonder she was excited.

“Unfortunately, eating at the Piazza di Spagna might be forbidden…”

“Ehh!?”

Wakaba-chan seemed crestfallen, but you could still see the plaza from the gelato stores nearby.

“Oh yeah! Since you warned me about getting the passport in advanced, all the paperwork went smoothly. Thank you!”

“You are very welcome.”

Since I had been to the three cities before, Wakaba-chan listened fervently as I told her my impressions of them for a while.

“By the way…” I began, before asking her if she made much progress studying at the library.

“Yeah, I did. It was pretty quiet~ Made it easy to concentrate.”

“I am glad to hear that. So you went by yourself?”

“More or less. I did go a few times with Mizusaki-kun though. Oh, and once with Kaburagi-kun as well.”

“My. With Kaburagi-sama?”

“Yeah. Kaburagi-kun suggested we go to a library to study. He didn’t seem to be familiar with any, so we went to the place that Mizusaki-kun told me about. When we got there, Mizusaki-kun was coincidentally there as well, so the three of us found a place to study together.”

“I see~”

That lined up perfectly with what I heard from Kaburagi.

The moment when he was thrust from Heaven into Hell.

“Did the three of you have fun?”

“Well, not so much fun, but it did help with our studies. Mizusaki-kun showed us the questions from his cram school, and Kaburagi-kun told us which textbooks he was using.”

That really wasn’t a date but a study group.

The pitiful Kaburagi.

“Anyways, more importantly we going to make teppanyaki with a hot plate at my house. Wanna join us?”

“Eh!? I do, I do!”

After that we worked out a time.

Teppanyaki~!

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

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!

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T-T-The Tashinami chapters are coming. Honest! Seriously. Really.

---

Yang Yuhuan , often known as Yang Guifei (literally: “Imperial Consort Yang”), was known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Yang was known for having a full and voluptuous figure, which was a much sought-after quality at the time. She was often compared and contrasted with Empress Zhao Feiyan, the wife of Emperor Cheng of Han, because Yang was known for her full build while Empress Zhao was slender.

Lychee was a favorite fruit for Yang Guifei, and the emperor had the fruit, which was only grown in southern China, delivered by the imperial courier’s fast horses, whose riders would take shifts day and night in a Pony Express-like manner, to the capital.

Also Aoyama is a rich people place.

---

The new middle school 1st years had their first tea party with us today.

As the president, Kaburagi gave a brief greeting, before the new faces began introducing themselves.

After that we all just had desserts while chatting about our spring breaks.

Speaking of the dessert, it was ispahan macarons today.

The rose, and raspberry, and lychees came together like the dreams of a maiden made manifest.

It was one of my favourite desserts.

Aah! It was so precious and cute that I could hardly bear to eat it.

Truly, a dessert fit for I, the Rococo Queen!

Mmhu!

I was sitting in my usual seat on my own and enjoying the dessert.

Of course, that was when my unworthy new disciple traipsed along.

“I’ll report what happened first.”

Not even a ‘hello’?

Well whatever.

Hm!?

Oi, disciple, you’re going to sit next to your master without invitation?

What is the meaning of this?!

“Coro was a girl.”

I know.

Aah~

The tartness of these raspberries was to die for.

And they looked as lovely as they tasted.

Rapsberries were the best.

“Oi, are you listening?”

“I certainly am. Please continue at your leisure.”

And lychees brought to mind Yang Guifei, didn’t they~?

I didn’t think I liked them as much as she did though.

She liked them enough to have them brought over the Silk Road, after all~

If I was Yang Guifei, I wonder which food would be my equivalent to lychees.

“I mentioned her friend Gorou-chan to her, just like you said. She laughed and said that it was Coro-chan, not Gorou-chan.”

I think I like cherries.

I wish it was cherry season already.

“She’s a girl, and Coro is her nickname. What a false alarm.”

But when you’re eating cherries, it’s a bit scary, isn’t it?

There’s that old wives’ tale about swallowing seeds and appendicitis.

I know it’s fake, but it’s still a bit nervewracking, isn’t it~

“Oi.”

“I am listening. She is a girl, and Coro is her nickname, you said. And then?”

Kaburagi looked at me in dissatisfaction for a while, but he said “Just listen,” in defeat and continued.

“On the last day of spring break, I invited Takamichi to the library.”

“I see.”

I discreetly surveyed the room.

Somebody was playing the piano right now, and nobody was in our immediate surroundings.

Given how quiet he was being, I probably didn’t need to worry.

“Apparently she’d been going there to study almost every day of the holiday. Since that was the case, I casually suggested we go together.”

“Well good for you, then.”

“It was, up til that point.”

Kaburagi’s expression turned bitter from reminiscence.

“When we arrived at the library that she recommended, of all people Mizusaki was there!”

“Mizusaki-kun!?” I exclaimed.

“Yeah. He was surprised to see us too. But it turns out that he was the one who told her about the place to begin with. And that’s not all! Apparently the two of them had already studied together a bunch of times!”

“Aahh~”

Wakaba-chan did mention something like that.

“Well what happened then?” I asked.

“The three of us studied together. Aside from a short break at the café there, the rest was just studying. That wasn’t a date; that was a study group!”

“My~”

“To be honest I was planning on inviting her to dinner after that, but when it was closing time for the library she said she had to help out around the house and that was it. I didn’t even have a chance to ask her.”

“Dinner, is it? Did you not arrange it with her beforehand?”

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t.”

What on earth was he doing?

“I mentioned last time that you should be asking her what her plans are first. Where were you planning on taking her, anyhow?”

“A French place in Aoyama.”

“Are you a dumbass!?”

“Aah!?”

Oh!

I accidentally voiced what I was thinking.

“You. Just now you called me a dumbass, didn’t you?” he accused me angrily.

Oh dear…

“Heavens, no! I asked if it was Le Café Dumas. You must have misheard me,” I insisted.

He was still looking at me in suspicion, so I continued the conversation to distract him.

“You know, Kaburagi-sama, if you suddenly invite a girl to dinner at a French restaurant then she is more likely to be troubled than glad.”

“How come?” he asked, clueless.

This guy really was a dumbass…

“Some casual restaurant would be a different story. But a French restaurant, especially a high class one at Aoyama? Suddenly bringing her along in whatever she’s wearing is basically a form of torture. A girl wants to look her best when she visits a place like that!”

Looking fashionable is a girl’s weapon and armour, you know!

And choosing her outfit in anticipation is just part of the enjoyment.

To be taken there in your casual clothes…

And worse than just lunch, it was dinner.

Looking at all the gorgeously dressed adults around you, and then looking back at yourself.

Would any girl want to stay there?

“It’s not a place with a dress code, you know. I go there in casual dress all the time.”

Your casual clothes blow the casual clothes of a normal high school girl out of the water, you know!

Plus, even if someone like Kaburagi wore rougher clothing, the natural grace would still shine through.

Far from being criticised, girls would squeal over how unpretentious and dreamy he was.

An Emperor like him couldn’t understand the feelings of a commoner.

“You really do not understand…” I sighed.

Kaburagi was peeved.

“What don’t I understand?” he demanded.

“Anything…”

For the sake of Wakaba-chan, I realised I’d have to give it to him straight.

“The way you are going about it is just going to cause her trouble! You have neglected a number of things to begin with. That you need to set a time and date with her beforehand. That you need to explain to her what exactly you even plan to be doing. That you need to respect that she has her own life and schedule. If that is not clear enough, then for example, you should have invited her to a place she would normally visit on her own if you were planning on casually inviting her. If you really wanted to bring her to a fancy French restaurant, then at least let her know in advance!”

Kaburagi stared at me wide-eyed.

I was familiar with what Wakaba-chan liked to wear.

Her casual outfits were cute, normal clothing that you’d find with any regular high school girl.

If she was heading to a library a bit further away, then maybe something just a little more stylish.

Being suddenly dragged to a French restaurant while she still had her bag full of textbooks would just trouble her.

Kaburagi sunk into thought.

He stood there, looking like he was solving a difficult problem for a while, but eventually he nodded.

“I get it. From now on I’ll do my best to accomodate for her.”

Oh!

He gave in!

Was this the power of love!?

*

*

*

“Kisshouin, what is love?” he whispered to me.

It was the next day, and we had just happened to pass each other in the hallway.

“Hah?”

“What is love, Kisshouin?”

What was this guy on about?

‘What is love’?

Was this some koan now?

Love, love…

Oh. Right…

“A star, enshrouded in mist.”

“Good answer,” he nodded.

Satisfied that I had the correct answer, he walked off.

Annoying…

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stand it if he was going to drop these stupid pop quizzes in the future.

I had to quickly find an elegant solution to deal with that poem anthology, or else…

---

The poem above was probably translated wrong into Japanese.

Du fragst mich, Kind, was Liebe ist?
Ein stern in einem Haufen Mist.

You ask me, child, what is love?
A star mired in dung.

I guess they thought Mist was the same as in English.

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

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!

---

Join the Evil God Army on discord!
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T-T-The Tashinami chapters are coming. Honest! Seriously.

Also sorry for the delay of this chapter. Had a busy week at work last week, and didn’t want to use more brainpower while I was at home.

Also got stuck into this, which is hilarious and adorable:
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/unruly-phoenix-xiaoyao/

---

Today Oniisama and I were going to a French restaurant for some duck.

It was a little late, but this was his White Day present to me.

Apparently the reason he had been so busy recently was because he was given responsibility for a major project.

He really had come back late every day, and even when he was home I often caught him in front of his PC.

It was rough being an adult, wasn’t it.

Anyway, since things were finally easing up on that end, tonight he was taking me to the dinner he had promised me.

It was the first time in a while that he had taken me out to eat. So happy.

I put a bit more care than usual into my curls tonight.

My dress was a new favourite as well.

With Oniisama escorting me, I felt like a princess~!

“Sorry that this took so long.”

“Please do not be! I know how busy you are with work, so please do not mind it.”

Beyond the candlelight, Oniisama smiled kindly in response.

“I do hope that you are not pushing yourself too hard though,” I said. “You must take care of your health, Oniisama.”

“Thanks. It’s just that this project had to succeed. Everyone knows I’m going to take over the company. If I didn’t get some achievements on my own, they’d look down on me for being a useless rich kid. I’m hoping that with this I’ve changed their minds across the board.”

“My!”

You’re so admirable, Oniisama!

Not just coasting on the fruits of your family, but working hard to make everybody accept you.

That was my prided Oniisama for you!

“I really respect you, Oniisama! As your younger sister I could scarcely be more proud!” I said with a clenched fist.

“You’re exaggerating,” he laughed between sips of wine.

“How is it, Oniisama? The wine today,” I clarified.

“I think you’d like it. It’s not too strong.”

Since he liked it, I had the sommelier take the label off for me.

I was collecting the labels of wines that my family enjoyed.

If my family hadn’t fallen into destitution by the time I was 20, I was planning on trying every one of them.

Oniisama said that the company was going well, so happy days of chugging expensive wines were soon to come.

My past life experience with alcohol was more or less limited to the sour I had at an izakaya.

That’s why I was really looking forward to this.

I wasn’t the best drunk in my last life, but I was pretty sure it would be fine this time around!

Hmm, but wow.

Mr. Duck was pretty delicious.

I opened wide for another bite.

“By the way, Reika, how have you and Kaburagi Masaya-kun been recently?”

Guhoh!

The duck was stuck in my throat!

I couldn’t do anything shameful in a place like this, so I tried my best to swallow it.

“Are you okay, Reika?”

“…Yes, Oniisama.”

As expected of Oniisama.

Cutting to the chase just as his opponent was about to inhale.

That shook me up.

His interrogation tactics were top notch.

“Even if you say ‘recently’, nothing in particular has changed…”

“Really? But at the flower-viewing party the two of you were pretty close, right?”

So he noticed…

But we were mostly definitely not close!

“We do speak to each other, yes, but neither do we particularly like nor dislike each other,” I explained.

I didn’t have anything to feel guilty about, but it still felt a little awkward.

I pretended to concentrate on the food and avoided looking at him.

“I see,” he said. “Then what about Shuusuke-kun from the Enjou family?”

Guheh-!

“…Same as the above.”

Give me a break…

I want to talk about Enjou even less…

“He had a pretty girl with him that night. Do you know her?”

“I have heard that she is a relative of the Enjou family…”

“Oh? A relative, huh?”

Oniisama gave a meaningful smile.

Eh? What now…?

“Ah well, if anything happens, you let me know, alright?”

“Yes, Oniisama,” I nodded obediently.

“I’ve been pretty worried recently. You’re hiding so many things from me now.”

“Eh…!?”

I looked up in shock to find Oniisama smiling happily at me.

Oniisama, just how much do you already know…?

*

*

*

Today was Buddha’s Birthday.

At the temple I placed hydrangeas by the Buddha statue.

Lord Buddha.

I am a pious, and diligent buddhist.

Unlike the masses who are influenced by Western culture, I have never celebrated such heathen events as Christmas or Valentine’s Day.

Today on your birthday, I have come to pay my respects to you.

Please, grant me a dreamy romance!

And also a peaceful year at school!

*

*

*

There was an class trip scheduled for 3rd years later on.

That’s why it was a big deal who ended up in your new classes.

When I nervously checked the class roster myself, somehow I managed to get both Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan in my class this year!

I don’t think this had happened since primary school!

“We’re in the same class, Reika-sama!”

“The three of us are going to have a great year!”

“I’m so happy! Please keep looking after me this year!”

We were all overjoyed.

Could this be the power of Lord Buddha at work!?

“But it’s a shame that Kaburagi-sama and Enjou-sama are in different classes this year, isn’t it~” Serika-chan said regretfully.

Kaburagi, Enjou, me, and Fellow Stalking Horse.

All of us were in different classes.

Maybe this was a deliberate move from the school with the power balance in mind.

It was going to be a rough class trip for whoever was in Kaburagi or Enjou’s classes, so I was really very lucky.

Could this be the power of Lord Buddha at work as well!?

Anyway, I ended up as class rep again.

It was pretty much custom by now, so I just stayed silent and accepted it.

My partner was Satomi-kun from my class in 1st Year.

I was pretty happy about that.

Since I already knew what kind of person he was, the job had just gotten easier.

“I’ll be in your care, Kisshouin-san,” he said.

“Likewise,” I replied.

There was one other person of note in my class.

Sitting in the classroom, looking towards us like he had seen the Four Horsemen, was Tagaki-kun.

In the end, Tagaki-kun had been terrified of me the entire Spring Holiday cram course.

I headed over to give him an extra gentle hello.

With Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan, the three of us surrounded the seated Tagaki-kun at his desk.

“Tagaki-kun, I have been entrusted with the role of class representative this year. I trust that you will cooperate with me, no?”

Hmm?

The plan was to speak to him kindly, so why did it come out like I was threatening him?

Um, Tagaki-kun’s complexion had turned from ashen to deathly white.

Serika-chan, Kikuno-chan, maybe if you could stop asking him ‘Capisce?’

Tagaki-kun, don’t cry?

*

*

After the opening ceremony finished, I headed to the Pivoine salon.

Greeting the new 1st years was one of the reasons, but another was a message I received last night from Kaburagi.

‘Went to the library with her today, but had an incident. Details tomorrow, so come to the salon!’

Ahhh geeez~

I guess I was stuck going along with his romance consultations again…

Going back to the message though, Kaburagi had always been the type to immediately put my suggestions to action.

Would I call this being willing to learn, or being an idiot?

When I reached the salon, Kaburagi was already waiting for me.

 

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

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!

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Join the Evil God Army on discord!
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T-T-The Tashinami chapters are coming. Honest!

---

An obi is the belt sash on traditional Japanese clothing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obi_(sash)

---

Bringing your lover along to view the sakura, huh?

Tch, what an eyesore.

To begin with, they remembered to hold this happy flower viewing event, but not the Festival of Appeasing the Flowers?

From ancient times, the end of March, when the sakura bloomed, necessitated a purification ritual to appease the evil gods of pestilence.

That’s right.

This was spring. A most terrifying season, when the gods of pestilence most exercised their power.

Making out? Flirting with your lover at a time like this…?

Those louts were just asking for divine retribution! Kiii!

Out of sight of the two, my cowardice had transformed into hatred.

What the hell was that attitude?

Acting as though I was some kind of third wheel…!

As if that wasn’t enough, my anger had now made me hungry.

You think I would let the tightness of my obi stop me!?

I grabbed some food and sat myself down in the closest chair.

As I sat there, people came to chat with me from time to time.

Some of them were my parents’ acquaintances.

Others, I knew because of the circles I moved in as a Pivoine.

More importantly, for some reason they really believed in the rumour that I was a fathercon, and made comments to that effect.

Sometimes older men even asked me for help, like,

“My teenage daughter is really cold to me these days. What should I do…?”

In the end I just gave them some vague advice.

Don’t make lame dad jokes.

Pay attention to your appearance.

Don’t go on and on about stories from when you were young, especially if you’re lecturing them.

Don’t leer at young women.

Praise her, but don’t try to flatter her too much.

Basically stuff like that, and all of it with Kaburagi’s stylish gentleman of a dad in mind.

Any girl would be proud to have a dad like that…

Gasp!

Bad Reika!

You need to accept reality! The tubby tanuki over there is your father!

After facing reality, I went back to eating when two beautiful women came my way.

“Reika-chan, it’s been a while!”

“Aira-sama! Yurie-sama!”

Uwahh!

It really had been a while.

Although we still messaged each other on occasion, Aira-sama had gotten even busier since her 3rd year in university started.

But wow, the two of them were as gorgeous as ever.

I was really happy to see them!

“Have the two of you been well? You must be positively swamped.”

“Yeah. You really need to commit to a path when you’re our age, so everyone has their own stuff to do,” said Aira-sama.

“Have you two already decided on what you want to do in the future?”

The two of them shared a glance and broke into hopeless smiles.

“I mean, I’ve got something that I want to do, you know? But my parents are adamant about me joining the family company, or the company of one of their good friends,” said Aira-sama.

“My parents don’t agree with what I want, so I’m having a lot of trouble as well,” said Yurie-sama.

They let out a huge sigh.

Finding a job was hard stuff, wasn’t it.

And when it came to the parents of rich women, they probably didn’t think of this as much more than decoration for one’s marriage profile.

Of the girls from Zui’ran that actually joined the workforce, most just landed a job through connections, and plenty just treated it as something to do until they could get married.

That made Aira-sama and Yurie-sama all the more admirable for trying to strike it out on their own.

I didn’t want to join my family’s company either.

I’d just be nothing more than the chairman’s daughter.

I’d be given a wonderful position, but they’d tread on eggshells around me, and I’d basically be isolated.

And the political marriage that lay at the end of that road?

Ueghhh~

I didn’t want my family to crumble, but I wasn’t fond of that option either.

I was going to marry for love!

“Yurie, if it comes down to it, wanna run off overseas with me?” asked Aira-sama.

“What the heck are you saying?” Yurie-sama laughed.

The two of them really had it rough.

“Hey, hey, more importantly. Reika-chan, I hear that something interesting’s been going on with Masaya.”

The two of them sat down on either side of me and leaned in, eyes gleaming for gossip.

They seemed to be enjoying this quite a bit.

“Interesting, you say?” I asked.

“He’s found a girl that he likes,” said Aira-chan.

“Do you know who it is, Reika-san?” Yurie-sama followed up.

“Eh!?”

How did they know!?

Did Kaburagi tell them!?

“Going by your expression, it seems that you do, huh?”

“Did you hear this from Kaburagi-sama?” I asked.

“Tell her, Yurie.”

“He was all nervous at Christmas, so I suspected. I asked him, ‘Have you found a girl you like?’ and he actually said ‘I did…’! Geez, when he came to my house he even suddenly started looking through my women’s fashion magazines, and around Valentine’s he got all down. Such an open book~”

The two of them guffawed together.

“I mean, when he gave up on Yurie I’d already suspected it was because he’d found someone else.”

“It was pretty suspicious, come to think of it,” mused Yurie-sama.

“Do you know who it is?” I asked.

“An External girl, right? Do you know what kind of girl she is, Reika-chan?” asked Aira-sama.

“Well, yes…” I said evasively.

Since I didn’t know what Wakaba-chan wanted, it wouldn’t do to say anything careless.

Diseases come in through the mouth, but disasters come out of it.

After chatting for a while longer, the two of them left after some other senpai from the Pivoine went calling for them.

Since that was the case, I decided to move a little to help with the digestion.

I wandered the area for a while when I happened to make eye contact with Kaburagi, who was surrounded by girls.

Oh.

“Kisshouin.”

He immediately excused himself and headed my way.

“Gokigen’yoh, Kaburagi-sama. Thank you very much for extending your invitation to me this evening.”

“Yeah, thanks for coming.”

Kaburagi led me near the wall, where even the sakura couldn’t be seen anymore.

Nobody was nearby here, so the chances of being overheard were slim.

As expected of the host’s son. He knew the location quite well.

“Well, sit down.”

“Then excuse me… Well then, what did you want to discuss?”

“Well that was blunt. Basically… I want to talk about her.”

“I understand.”

What else, right?

“Starting at the beginning, the two of us were involved in a little accident during the summer.”

Kaburagi began telling me about how the two of them became closer, and that sometimes he went to her house to buy cakes.

Mhm. I knew it all, already.

“But things haven’t progressed since then.”

“Haah.”

“What do you think I should do?”

Eh!? That’s where he was going to start!?

“Why not just confess?” I suggested.

“Wha-, you-!” he spluttered.

You were about to call me an idiot, weren’t you?

“Not yet! That’s still way off!”

“I see.”

Kaburagi was so flustered that his eyes were swimming.

Wow, as a man, this guy was even more useless than I thought.

“Well then how about inviting her to a date to deepen your bonds?”

“I thought about that too. But I just can’t find the right timing to. She’s pretty busy in her own right. And besides, I have a lot of things on my schedule too. Like just the other day I’d finally found some time, but she already had a friend over so I couldn’t invite her out.”

Ah, that was me…

“Why did you not contact her beforehand?”

“Uh, I wanted to surprise her…”

You’re bothering people by doing that!

People like me! I was so surprised that my stomach hurt, okay!

“I think that showing up unannounced and uninvited can only cause trouble for the other party.”

“Really…?”

“Most certainly! From now on, please do not forget to schedule an appointment with her first!”

Mn. Because if I bumped into you while I was at Wakaba-chan’s, it would really cause me problems.

Actually I would prefer that he never came at all, but that was just me being selfish.

If I had to compromise though, then I wanted some forewarning at least.

Seriously.

“But I haven’t actually been coming there to meet her. I’ve been going there to buy cakes,” he said.

“As an excuse to meet her.”

“Well… yeah,” he admitted.

“In that case, why not tell her that you were planning to come down someday to buy some cakes again, and casually ask her when she might be there?”

“Got it. I’ll take measures,” he nodded obediently.

What is that even supposed to mean…?

“Anyway, going back to that friend who was over when I came…”

My heart stopped.

Don’t tell me he noticed!?

“…Yes?”

“Apparently their name is Coro-chan.”

“…I see.”

“What’s Coro-chan?”

“Hah?”

What do you mean ‘What’s Coro-chan’?

“Coroyama? Coroda…? Coroko, Coromi, Coroe… None of them sound like real names. What’s ‘Coro-chan’ supposed to be?”

“Haah…”

The correct answer is ‘cornet’.

“Then, I realised it. I had actually just misheard… the boy’s name ‘Gorou’!”

“…”

To think that he concluded that it was actually ‘Gorou-chan’…

I was suddenly exhausted.

“So what do you think of my theory?”

“Who knows…”

“Come on, give me a proper answer, Advisor.”

Apparently I had become his advisor.

“If you are truly bothered about it, then why not just ask her? ‘So who was your friend Gorou-chan from last time?’ If she corrects you and tells you it’s ‘Coro-chan’ then it might be a girl, and if she does not, then it means that they are a boy.”

“Hmmmm…” he hummed indecisively.

It’s me.

I’m a girl!

“Well then, shall we discuss inviting her to a date first?”

“Right! Where would be good?”

His expression had turned bright.

“Hmmm, a place that would constitute a casual invitation… Ah, I know. How about inviting her to study at the library together?”

“Library!? How the hell is that a date!?”

Don’t look down on my fantasy library date, damnit!

I began explaining to him that because we were all 3rd year students it was low risk with a high chance of success.

I honestly thought it was the best place for him to start.

Fellow Stalking Horse has already cleared the library date event, you know!

Anyway, as the son of the host he couldn’t be hiding in a corner forever, so right after that Kaburagi had to head back.

Oniisama would be taking me back, so we went and had one final look at the sakura together.

Chatting with sensuous beauties in front of the sakura was Imari-sama.

Since he hadn’t seemed to notice us, we headed around to avoid disturbing him when we suddenly heard him passionately quote the Kokinshuu anthology.

“A mountain cherry. Through the drifting mists, faintly seen thus there is a lady I long for all the more…”

In the face of the natural talent displayed by the Casanova Village Chief, Oniisama simply clicked his tongue, while I could not help but prostrate myself in awe.

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

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!

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Due to how quickly the flowers stop blooming, as well as various legends and myths (and classic literature) regarding them, sakura are connected to the concept of death in Japanese folklore.

---

There lie cadavers buried under the cherry blossoms!

This is a truth that you must accept. For how else could the flowers of the cherry tree be so magnificent in their bloom? I spent the past several days feeling terribly ill at ease, as I was unable to accept such a beauty. But now, at last, the truth has finally sunk in. There lie cadavers buried under the cherry blossoms. You must accept this.

My house is one that contains a multitude of tools and implements⎯-so why then, from among such trinkets and baubles, did the blade of a safety razor come to me like a vision to a clairvoyant every night on my way home? You say you know not why, whereas I myself cannot comprehend it⎯-the two of which verily amount to the same thing.

A flowering tree, on the other hand, gives forth its essence when it reaches that stage known as full bloom, and in doing so, it emanates a mysterious aura comparable to the state of perfect stillness approached by a fast-spinning top, or perhaps the fleeting sensory impressions roused by a spectacular musical performance, or something like the afterglow that follows the burning act of consummation. It is this beauty, wondrous and vivacious, that never ceases to captivate the human spirit.

Nonetheless, yesterday and the day before, it was the selfsame thing that caused my heart to fall under an intense spell of gloom. I was unable to accept such a beauty. On the contrary, I became anxious and fell into a state of melancholy, and a feeling of emptiness overtook me. But now, at long last, I understand.

You see, beneath the splendor of those cherry trees blooming in profusion, cadavers had been buried one by one, if you can imagine for a moment. Then, soon enough, you’ll understand just what sort of anxiety I’d been feeling.

The cadavers of horses, the cadavers of dogs and cats, and it seems, the cadavers of human beings too. Rotting cadavers, crawling with maggots, reeking of a most intolerable stench, all the while seeping a liquid so pure and clear. The cherry tree, as if it were the rapacious octopus, extends its roots outward to grasp. Like the feeding tentacles of the sea anemone, its roots enfold to partake of that liquid.

What could form such a petal? What was behind the creation of such a stamen? I had envisioned it in dreamlike detail: The roots had gathered silently, matter-of-factly, to siphon that pure, clear liquid into its vascular system.

How you must be grimacing at the very thought! Not a very pretty way of looking at things, is it? Finally, I had come to see the cherry blossoms for what they were, and it freed me from what had been an unsettling mystery yesterday and the day before.

A few days earlier, I had descended into a nearby ravine, scrambling down the rocks. There in the splashing water, hither and thither, doodlebugs were coming into being in the manner of the birth of Venus herself. I watched them soar into the hollow where, as you may know, they perform their beautiful mating ritual. After walking a little further, I came across something horrifying. On the banks of the river, where the shallows ought to have been, there was no such water to be seen. A brilliant shimmer resembling an oil slick drifted across the entire surface. You must be wondering what it was. There, the countless thousands of cadavers of doodlebugs perforated the water’s surface. They lay piled in mounds, their wings curling in the sunlight, glistening like spilled oil. There, after they had finished spawning, became their grave.

At the sight alone, I felt as if I had suffered a blow to the chest. In bearing witness to the gradual process of decay that appeared to be taking place in that grave of doodlebugs, I had tasted a cruel delight.

There was not a single joyous thing to be found in this ravine. The warbler and the tit, the pale sunlight, and saplings too, were but a distant notion. That tragic fate, it seemed to me, was unavoidable. It was then that the picture became clear in my mind for the first time: It was a counterbalance. My heart had been pining for melancholy as if I were an evil spirit. That state of melancholy had been brought to an end, and now my mind was at peace once more.

By now, your armpits must be damp with sweat, just as mine are. Nothing to be ashamed of. After all, they are certainly no stickier than semen. And on that note, let us conclude our melancholy.

Alas, there lie cadavers buried under the cherry blossoms!

As for what on earth brought about such a wild flight of fancy involving cadavers, it appears to be anyone’s guess. That it may be part and parcel of the cherry blossoms is a notion I cannot seem to shake out of my head, no matter how I try.

I believe I have hereby earned the right, like the many locals flocking to the festivities taking place under those flowering trees, to drink merrily in celebration of the cherry blossom viewing season!

– translated by Bonnie Huie from Kajii Motojirou’s ‘Under the Cherry Blossoms’

---

My parents thought that since I went last year, I was obviously going to the flower viewing party again.

Ask me first! Say something at least!

I bet they kept it on the down-low on purpose!

I didn’t wanna go.

But neither did I have the courage to try getting food poisoning again.

Never again, Reika.

I seriously thought I would die.

I swear I saw a bright light at the end of a tunnel…

Okaasama was determined to pair me up this year so she enthusiastically dressed me in a furisode.

Cherry blossoms at night, and a furisode.

Scary…

Please, no.

Maybe if it rained then all the sakura would be washed away, along with the party.

*

*

*

The skies were clear.

Oniisama was busy with work, so he’d be arriving later.

He was busy quite a lot, recently.

He still hadn’t taken me out to eat like he promised for White Day either.

“My! Reika-san! Thank you so much for coming!” greeted Mrs. Kaburagi, with literally open arms.

As usual, she was eye-catching and beautiful.

And Chairman Kaburagi still had that mature adult charm!

His legs were so much longer than Otousama’s!

And he wasn’t overweight, either!

Haah, so cool…

Anyway, after Madam Kaburagi gave me some truly ridiculous praise for my furisode, the topic changed to her son.

“I hear that that boy actually became the President of the Pivoine. Will that surly kid really be able to manage?”

“Masaya-sama is very popular, so I do not believe there is anything to worry about.”

“You think? He isn’t causing you any problems, Reika-san?”

“Heavens, no. Masaya-sama is competent and always has it together. And his grades are always at the top, and…”

Since we weren’t all that close I was struggling to find things to praise him for.

Hmmm…

Good points, good points… What are his good points…?

Too bad. Nothing comes to mind.

“Don’t hesitate to let me know if that stupid boy of mine causes you any trouble. I’ll really let him have it.”

“My… Ohohoho…”

He was causing me trouble right now, actually.

“Anyway, please look after Masaya, okay?”

“I am in his care…”

I really didn’t want to look after him though.

Uu, even my smile had gone stiff.

The Kaburagi pair gave me brilliant smiles before leaving to greet other guests.

After that, Otousama brought me around the venue to greet people.

It was exhausting keeping this act up…

After we were done greeting my parents’ closer acquaintances, I was finally given my freedom.

Recently a lot of people had been recommending their sons to me, so I was having a rough time dodging all the bullets.

Thanks to that I had no appetite, despite the feast before me.

I picked up some sakura jelly and helped myself to a few bites while I took a breather.

Oh. This was pretty good.

“Good evening, Kisshouin-san.”

“…Gokigen’yoh, Enjou-sama.”

Someone thoroughly unpleasant had come my way.

“So you’re wearing a furisode this time, in… deep scarlet, I think you call this? It suits you. You look lovely tonight.”

“Thank you very much…”

Haah, his smile was suspicious…

I wonder if he was holding a grudge after that White Day rumour.

I just wanted to make a break for it…

“Aren’t you going to look at the flowers?”

“I admired them up-close not too long ago. At any rate, I think that the night-time sakura should be enjoyed from a little further away.”

I could hear the guests praising the weeping sakura again. It had bloomed as gorgeously as last year.

And the yoshino cherries had bloomed just as well.

It almost looked like another world, which to be honest was a little scary.

“I think I know what you mean. Don’t the sakura seem a bit scary at night? It’s almost like they bloomed by using human lifeblood as fertiliser. Say, isn’t there a tale about burying-”

“A corpse under the roots of a sakura tree!”

Exactly! Exactly!

Sakura are scary at night, right!?

I mean I like sakura, and they’re beautiful at night, but it’s because they’re so beautiful that it creeps me out!

Why?

Why did anybody think it would be a good idea to have a night-time banquet under the sakura?

“You know, when I read Kajii Motojirou’s poem, I thought, ‘I know exactly what he means.’ There’s just this indescribable discomfort when you see them in the night like this, isn’t there?”

Yeah! Yeah!

I know what you mean!

“But they hardly seem so frightening in the daytime, do they?”

“It’s because of the way the flowers seem to float in the darkness. It feels like you’ll get pulled in too.”

“That makes sense.”

“The weeping sakura here isn’t too bad, since it’s just barely 50 years old. But as for those sakura that have lived for hundreds of years… I can only imagine how much human blood they’ve drunk.”

“You are scaring me, so please stop!”

You’re going to make me imagine it.

“How mysterious. Even though they are all flowers, neither the plum nor the peach blossoms feel at all scary at night, do they?”

“Shhh. If Masaya’s mum hears you say that she’s going to plan something big, and all because ‘Reika-san likes peach and plum blossoms’ okay?”

Oh dear.

I quickly clamped my mouth shut.

Madam Kaburagi loved her events, so I could actually see her doing it.

Enjou smiled at me in amusement.

“But as scared as you seem to be of the sakura at night, you’re fond of sweets made from them, no? For example, sakuramochi.”

Why and how did he know this?

Flower-themed sweets from the West tasted a bit strange, and I wasn’t sure what I thought of them. Rose jam for example.

The Japanese equivalents on the other hand, I was quite fond of.

Sakuramochi for example, or umegaemochi.

Huh. It was all mochi.

“Yes. I enjoy eating them because of how festive they are. It really drives home that spring is here. I think this is the same for all the desserts of each season.”

I made very sure to emphasise that I wasn’t some glutton character.

Didn’t mean I wasn’t gulping down green tea at home as I nommed on sakuramochi though!

“I see. Wow, you’re so refined, Kisshouin-san.”

That’s right. I am refined. I’m not a glutton at all.

Damned Enjou.

I could see the laughter in his eyes.

He didn’t believe me in the slightest, did he?

“As expected of you, Kisshouin-san. No wonder you seem to be enjoying that sakura jelly so much.”

See? There he goes.

I had to get back at him somehow.

“Speaking of which, Masaya was looking for you.”

“Is that so?”

So Kaburagi was serious about talking about his love troubles in the middle of this huge crowd?

“Speaking of which, are you not together with Kaburagi-sama this evening? How novel.”

“Why does it feel like you think of us as a set?”

“Well, you two are famous for being awfully intimate…”

“Come on, you wouldn’t call that intimate, right? Kisshouin-san, did you just choose that wording to mess with me?”

Ah, did I go too far with my teasing?

This snake could show his true colours.

Oh dear.

Was he going to do it?

Was he going to attack!?

While I was looking at him guardedly, somebody else appeared.

“Here you are, Shuu.”

Coming in from my five was a white hand that softly took Enjou’s arm.

It was Yuiko-san.

So she was here too…

“Yuiko.”

“I was worried when you suddenly disappeared like that, you know?” she looked up at him, leaning into his shoulder.

Yuiko-san, beautiful and fragile, had drawn the attention of all the males around us.

“You seemed to be having fun with those guys, so I thought it would be fine to step away.”

“My, is somebody jealous?”

“Who knows.”

I looked around at all the men staring jealously at Yuiko-san and Enjou.

Apparently they had all been fussing over her until very recently.

Unfortunately they didn’t stand a chance against Enjou.

The two of them were picture perfect, after all.

Enjou gently tapped the hand on his arm.

“Yuiko, this is Kisshouin Reika-san. She’s in my grade at school.”

“Kisshouin… Reika-san?” she asked as she distractedly turned my way.

Big, dark eyes took me in.

I shivered a little.

“You know about Yuiko, don’t you? She’s a relative of mine. Uryuu Yuiko.”

“Gokigen’yoh. My name is Kisshouin Reika,” I smiled, as confidently as possible.

“Uryuu Yuiko. Have we… perhaps met before…?”

“Why, yes. At the Zui’ran School Festival.”

Languid eyes gazed at me for a while, before Yuiko smiled softly.

“Ah, I remember now. You were wearing a lovely china dress, no? I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Huhu,” she laughed, seemingly pleased with hitting the mark.

That smile had entranced everyone around us.

“Hey, Shuu? I’m a bit thirsty.”

“Then shall we go get something for you to drink? Kisshouin-san, will…”

“I think I shall admire the sakura from a little closer. Please excuse me, Enjou-sama, Yuiko-san.”

Enjou frowned faintly.

Yuiko-san looked at me again with those jet-black eyes of hers, and smiled at me.

Good joke, Enjou. Who on earth would go anywhere with you two?

Scaryyy.

To escape as quickly as possible I busted out my ultimate skill, power-walking, but my furisode was making it impossible!

I messed up!

A penguin!

I looked like a penguin right now!

Ahh, and somehow I could feel Yuiko-san’s eyes on me from behind…

Happy thoughts, Reika, happy thoughts.

---

“I swear I saw a bright light at the end of a tunnel…”
was actually
“I saw higanbana(red spider lilies).” 彼岸が見えた。
These are said to bloom in the Buddhist underworld.

“Happy thoughts, Reika, happy thoughts.”
What she actually said was tsurukametsurukame, a charm to ward off bad luck. Cranes and turtles are fortuitous symbols of longevity.
鶴亀鶴亀(tsurukametsurukame; crane, turtle, crane, turtle)

---

Fan art by moya. Relevant chapters are linked for your convenience.

Primary School Year 1: Summer Party
– Sherbet-green dress
– White flower in hair
– Rather tan
– Elegant sandals with heels

High School 1st Year: Summer Party
– Powder pink layered chiffon dress
– Cute design

High School 1st Year: Flower-Viewing Party
– Ribboned flare dress in champagne gold
– Nails are sakura pink
– Sakura motif hair accessory

High School 2nd Year: Firefly Catching
– Turquoise kimono
– Hair done up

High School 2nd Year: Kisshouin Company Party
– Wine red dress

High School 3rd Year: Flower-Viewing Party
– Deep scarlet furisode

High School 3rd Year: Tanabata
– Intricately designed white and light blue layered organdy dress
– Black scarf

---

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

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!

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Join the Evil God Army on discord!
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Hi guys! Looking for experienced cleaners, redrawers or type-setters to help with the Tashinami scanlations.

Please contribute: http://kenkyokenjitsu.wikia.com

---

Sorry for the lateness. Bad stuff at work. Projects being late etc.

---

Oh no, oh no! What was I supposed to do now!?

He could not know that I was here!

I shook my head furiously at Wakaba-chan.

She nodded in understanding before leaving for the entrance.

I’m counting on you, Wakaba-chan!

My palms felt sweaty, and my heart thumped while I waited.

“What’s wrong, Cornet?” Kanta-kun asked.

“I do not want Kaburagi-sama to know that I am here,” I said.

“Why? Don’t you go to the same school?” he asked.

“That is exactly the problem,” I replied.

Lord in heaven, please protect me!

Kanta-kun looked at me for a moment before sinking into thought.

“In that case, let’s watch them in secret.”

Ehhh!?

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious, so I agreed.

He led the way into Wakaba-chan’s room on the 2nd floor.

“Kanta-kun, is this not Takamichi-san’s room? Should we be here without her permission?”

“It’s fine. Look, I knew they’d be down there.”

Her window overlooked the back of the store, which was where the two of them happened to be chatting.

Wakaba-chan was holding a bouquet that she definitely hadn’t had earlier.

I wonder if Kaburagi had brought it.

The two of us peeped, one-eyed, through the small gap in the window curtains.

“…I haven’t found them yet. But I will.”

“It’s fine, already. I don’t want it to blow up any further.”

Mn?

From what I heard just now, were they talking about finding the culprit behind the locker?

Ah, but Wakaba-chan didn’t want her family to know about the bullying, so maybe it wouldn’t be good to have Kanta-kun here…

“Did something happen to Neechan?” whispered Kanta-kun.

I hummed noncommittally.

I couldn’t think of anything on the spot.

What now.

Maybe I could distract him somehow.

“Say, Kanta-kun? Does he come over often?”

“About once a month to buy cake.”

Ugehhh.

Monthly visits?

This was definitely not the last time I was hiding then.

Damned Kaburagi, you sure have been busy in places I wasn’t looking.

Come to think of it, the teddy bear on the shelf over there was his Christmas present too.

“Hey, hey, are Kaburagi-san and Neechan going out?”

“I suspect not, but…”

“But Kaburagi-san definitely likes Neechan, right?”

“Hmmm. Did Takamichi-san say anything?”

“She keeps saying that he doesn’t and gets mad when we bring it up.”

“I see.”

At some point the two of them had started chatting about the break, and the mock exams we had just before it. As expected of our top students.

But although they were talking about studying, for some reason Kaburagi sounded oddly cheerier than usual.

Wow, he even laughed.

Mn, it’s nice being able to talk to your crush, isn’t it.

“By the way, Takamichi, what are you doing over the spring break?”

“Helping out at the store, studying at the library, that kind of thing.”

“I see. Say-”

Whatever it was he was going to say, it was cut off by Natsumi-chan coming back home.

“I’m home. Ah, Kaburagi-san, hello.”

“Hello there.”

Wow, so you’ve been over enough that her little sister remembers your name, damned Kaburagi.

“Oneechan, Oneechan,” she suddenly said to Wakaba-chan. “Is Coro-chan over?”

Uewaaaaahaah!

For a moment I went blind.

That almost gave me a heart attack.

“Oi! Are you okay, Cornet!?”

Huh. Apparently my eyes had rolled back into my head.

“Coro-chan…?” Kaburagi muttered curiously.

Oww! My stomach!

“Did you have a guest over?” he asked.

“Umm, yeah. Actually, a friend came over today! Nacchan, go inside, okay?”

“Okaaay.”

“I see. A friend came over…” he muttered again.

Hey, you better not be thinking of inviting yourself in as well.

You better not be!

Read the mood, Kaburagi!

“Then I’ll be heading back now.”

He read the mood!

“Thanks for going out of your way to visit. Ah, and for the flowers, too.”

“I was just in the area. Love the cakes, too.”

As if you were just in the area!

And you even brought a bouquet!

Think of a less obvious excuse, Kaburagi!

Huh. But had I not been here, then his plan to spend time with her would have worked.

Oops?

Kaburagi gave a casual wave to her before getting into his car and leaving.

Haaaah.

But wow, that surprise attack from Natsumi-chan really did a number on my stomach.

I decided to ask the whole family to only refer to me as Coro-chan from now on.

And just now Wakaba-chan called me her friend, didn’t she. Do you think she meant it?

*

*

*

After seeing Kaburagi off, Wakaba-chan came back into the house and placed the flowers in a vase.

“Oneechan’s been learning flower arrangement at school. She’s always teaching me, you know?” her little sister said proudly.

“Hey-! Can you please not say such embarrassing things to Kisshouin-san?” complained Wakaba-chan.

But Natsumi-chan’s next comment sent her into an embarrassed panic.

“Why? You tell us how to drink tea too. Gotta turn the tea bowl in your hands, right?”

So Wakaba-chan had been telling her family about what she learnt at Zui’ran.

It was nice to know she was enjoying the lessons, then.

Wakaba-chan turned to me and laughed shyly.

“Ehehe, actually I’ve been thinking about taking calligraphy in 3rd year, now that I’ve tried flower arrangement and tea ceremony.”

It was nice that she was looking forward to it, but wouldn’t she just get ink poured on her head?

Natsumi-chan said that she was hungry so Wakaba-chan was going to make okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki!

Wouldn’t this be the first time in my current life!?

Wah, I could see the katsuobushi bonito flakes waving in the steam!

And the smell of the okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise was irresistible!

I loved battered food like okonomiyaki and takoyaki!

Wakaba-chan’s other little brother came home too, so we had a little okonomiyaki party with a hot plate, cooking and then eating, cooking and then eating.

The one that I flipped myself broke apart completely. Why.

Kanta-kun gave me one look and benched me from the cooking team. Sob.

Wow, Wakaba-chan was just demolishing that cabbage with her knife.

“Want one more, Kisshouin-san?”

“No, I am afraid I am quite full. Ahh, but if there are still some ingredients left over, then perhaps just a bite…”

This was so fun.

Being here was so comfortable.

*

*

*

“It feels as though I always make you treat me,” I said apologetically.

Before I knew it, every visit to Wakaba-chan’s house had involved her feeding me.

Just how shameless was I?

Maybe I ought to bring them some nice meat next time.

“Seriously, don’t worry about it~ Everyone has a great time eating with you. Come over again, sometime?”

“Thank you.”

Geez, if you say something like that I’ll be back over in no time, you know?

“Speaking of which, about Kaburagi-sama…”

“Ahh, yeah. He was in the neighbourhood so he came to buy some cakes. Also he came to tell me that he hadn’t found the culprit behind the locker yet.”

Yes, I know. I was eavesdropping, after all…

“Do you want to find out who it was?”

“Not really. I just don’t want it to get any bigger. I told Kaburagi-kun the same thing, and that he didn’t have to keep looking.”

“I see.”

If he was involved, it was bound to get bigger after all.

“Takamichi-san, what do you think of Kaburagi-sama?”

“Eh!?”

She looked really startled to hear that.

Should I not have asked?

“Erm, I mean, I was simply wondering what you thought of his character…”

In the manga she would have already been head-over-heels for him, with story arcs about misunderstandings and overcoming obstacles.

The real pair wouldn’t be overcoming anything, I didn’t think.

“Hmmm~ At first I thought he was really unapproachable, like somebody from a different world, you know? But my impression changed after talking with him for just a bit.”

“How do you mean?”

“Hmmm… Well that time with the car accident he was really earnest with his apologies, and came to take me to the hospital each day.”

“Is that not the normal response?”

“I’m not sure. I guess I was just impressed that he didn’t try to solve it with money and wash his hands of it.”

“Hmmm~”

“We talked quite a bit during those visits. I was surprised that he’d laugh at jokes told by someone like me. I mean, this was the Emperor of Zui’ran, you know!?”

Yeah, but that nickname came from a children’s cavalry battle.

Not that an External Student like Wakaba-chan would know.

“Anyway, I guess I just felt a bit closer to him after that. It’s a bit strange. He’s usually so mature, but sometimes he acts just like a kid.”

Oho?

So the way Wakaba-chan saw him was just like the Kaburagi from the manga then.

Don’t tell me he actually had a chance?

She was spinning things in an awfully positive way though.

Rather than “sometimes acts just like a kid” I’d go further and say ‘his mental age is lower than Kanta-kun’s’.

I really wanted to ask if she liked him or not, but that was definitely prying too much.

She looked so startled earlier.

Aah, but I really wanted to know…

“What’s wrong?”

“Eh? Nothing. Are you going to be studying at the library during the spring break?”

“Yeah. Hmm? Did I mention that to you? Anyway, the kids are too noisy at home, so I like to study at the library nearby. Sometimes I go a bit further and travel to a bigger library too. Mizusaki-kun told me about it a while back. It’s even got a café.”

“My, Mizusaki-kun did?”

Studying together…?

“Do you study with Mizusaki-kun in the library too?”

“Sometimes. Usually I just go by myself though. Ah, but we’re planning on meeting there and studying again.”

Wasn’t that the library date that I was dreaming about for myself?

Geez, Wakaba-chan!

“The truth is that we’ve been talking about claiming the 1st and 2nd ranks for the Student Council. Taking down the Pivoine and all that. Ah, that was just a joke though! We’re not really trying to overthrow the Pivoine! Sorry, I hope I didn’t offend.”

“Not at all. But Kaburagi-sama and Enjou-sama will be tough to beat, you know?”

“That’s true~”

Kaburagi!

The distance between Fellow Stalking Horse and Wakaba-chan is steadily closing without you realising, you know!?

This isn’t the time to be pretending to buy cake, you know!?

“But yeah. Since coming to Zui’ran, I’ve really realised how different a person can be from your first impression once you talk with them a little.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. When I first entered the school I never would have thought we’d become so close, Kisshouin-san.”

“I see.”

She thought we were close.

Wah, that was really nice to hear.

And earlier she told Kaburagi that her friend was over.

Maybe she really considered me her friend.

“Did I come off as such an atrocious person?”

“That’s not what I thought at all! It’s just that, you know, like Kaburagi-kun you seemed to be like someone from another world.”

“And now? Do you still think of me like that?”

“Nope. Although I can’t quite say you’re from my world either.”

“Oh? I would be overjoyed to consider you a friend, though…”

“Really? Ehehe, to be honest I’ve already considered you one for a long time now.”

Wakaba-chan!

I emotionally took her hands into mine.

After that I advised her to change her mind about the calligraphy club and we said goodbye in front of the ticket gates.

“Come again, sometime~ We’ll all be waiting.”

“Thank you!”

A gale passed us by, and fluttered my hair in the wind.

Ah, my hair kind of smelt like okonomiyaki!

I had better take a bath when I got home.

Still, today was a great day!

*

*

I took out my phone while I was on the train and realised I had a message from Kaburagi.

‘I want to talk about what we discussed earlier.’

Ugeh.

Heading to Wakaba-chan’s house, and then immediately messaging me about advice, huh?

What a botherrrr.

Hm!?

Don’t tell me he realised that I was Coro-chan!?

Still, as bothersome as this was, I was the one who got in his way today, so I felt just a little bit guilty.

Especially after seeing how happy he seemed to be around her.

I guess Kaburagi wanted to spend time with Wakaba-chan as well.

…Sorry.

I decided to be especially generous.

‘Rather than text, let us speak over the phone. It will have to be quick, however.’

His replied said:

‘In that case, let’s take our time and talk at the sakura-viewing party.’

Haaaaah!?

When the hell did I end up RSVP-ing for the Kaburagi family flower-viewing event!?

---

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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!

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Here’s one more as an apology.

---

Like I’d promised, today Mao-chan was invited to my cooking lesson with Akimi-san.

Because I wanted to recreate the food that my mum made in my last life, most of the recipes that I was learning from her were for Japanese home-cooking.

And since most of it was brown and boring-looking, I suggested that we do something a bit more interesting for Mao-chan’s visit.

After some discussion, we decided that it would be gratin for today.

“Wah! I love gratin!” exclaimed Mao-chan in her cute little apron.

Kids do love their western dishes.

First we had to mix the flour and milk until there were no lumps.

I already knew the importance of removing the lumps, thanks to my lessons with Wakaba-chan.

Akimi-san taught us that it would be good to remember how to make the bechamel sauce, because it was used in a lot of other dishes too.

Ohh?

Come to think of it, Mum always used supermarket roux in her dishes, didn’t she.

Maybe I could just use that…

I mean, it was delicious, okay?

Besides the gratin we also made minestrone.

This dish needed vegetables, so I was a little worried.

Somebody was going to have to cut them, and I really didn’t want mess it up in front of Mao-chan.

The carrots I managed, because I had practised a lot at home.

I used a vegetable peeler on it, and then cut them into 1 cm cubes.

Always considerate, Akimi-san took care of the things she knew I was bad at, and somehow I managed to save face in front of Mao-chan.

“That’s a lovely necklace, Reika-san.”

When the two of them realised the pearl necklace was from Imari-sama they began to squeal and compliment him.

I told them a few stories about him and they seemed really taken with him.

Mao-chan had Yuuri-kun so that was one thing, but I really didn’t think it would be good for Akimi-san to be too adoring of him.

And Oniisama always grimaces and tells me “Anybody but Imari.”

Apparently beyond just the crazy stories I’d heard about, he had caused countless other incidents.

Imari-sama…

*

For lunch we had the gratin and minestrone, along with some baguettes that Akimi-san made.

It was delcious!

Bread was good stuff.

I’d been looking for a good bakery, but making it yourself was fun too.

Mao-chan said her mother baked bread too, sometimes.

Hm, maybe I would learn to bake bread next.

Akimi-san told us that making baguettes was difficult, so maybe we’d start with bagels first.

Bagels!

I loved bagels!

Bagel sandwiches were great too.

*

In just the course of the day, Mao-chan had become good friends with Akimi-san.

Akimi-san was gentle and kind, and she was a bit round too, so she was relaxing to be with.

Mao-chan asked if she could come next time when we were making bread, so Akimi-san told her that of course she could.

Oniisama wasn’t at home today, so I told Akimi-san that I’d get a driver to send her home.

Instead, Mao-chan suggested that she drop Akimi-san off as well.

They were really getting along~

The one picking her up turned out to be Ichinokura-san.

“Good afternoon. We’ve really troubled you with Mao-chan today. Thank you for everything, Reika-san.”

“Not at all. Thanks to Mao-chan we all had a great time.”

“Haruto-niisama, this is Narutomi Akimi-san. She was our cooking teacher today!”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ichinokura Haruto, Mao-chan’s uncle.”

“Ah, I’m Narutomi Akimi…”

She seemed a bit nervous about meeting a stranger.

“Haruto-niisama, can we drop off Akimi-san too? It’s fine, right?” Mao-chan asked.

“Um, Mao-chan, I can catch a taxi…” she demurred shyly, but Ichinokura-san was already answering Mao-chan.

“Of course we can. Akimi-san, please let us drive you home.”

She must have been nervous because instead of some old Sawarabi chaffeur, we ended up with a handsome young man instead.

Mao-chan’s invitation was hard to turn down though, so in the end she agreed and left with the three of them.

Hmmm~

I wondered if Mao-chan was trying to matchmake them.

She was really acting like a meddlesome aunty just now.

*

*

*

Since it was spring break, I decided to visit Wakaba-chan.

It was a bit blunt to just say ‘Let’s hang out’ though, so instead I sent her a message that said,

‘I was thinking of buying some of your cakes. Would it be fine to come over?’

‘Yeah, let’s hang out!’

came the reply.

Man, it was convenient having an excuse like that.

And so today she was waiting for me at the train station again.

“The brats at my home are always asking me, ‘When is Kisshouin-san coming over again?’ you know.”

“‘When is Cornet coming over?’ more like.”

“Ahaha~ Sorry. I keep scolding them about it but they just won’t listen.”

“Nothing to worry about. To be honest I have already resigned myself to it.”

Besides, it sounded closer than the distant-sounding ‘Kisshouin-san’ anyway.

“How were things afterwards?” I asked. “The bullying, I mean.”

“Mmn, nothing really happened since the locker incident. It really blew up, so everyone was being watched too carefully to try anything, I guess,” she said.

“I see. It would be nice if that continued until graduation,” I said.

“It would be,” she agreed.

Since she was the smartest girl in our grade, I think people would have respected her more if she seemed a bit more together.

I think people thought she was an easy target because she looked a bit dopey or undignified sometimes.

“It’s pretty hot, huh~”

Like just now. Her mouth was still hanging open.

She was the most relaxed-looking person I knew.

“Say, Takamichi-san? Your mouth is still open,” I couldn’t help but say.

“Wahwah!”

In a panic she clamped it shut.

“You seem to have a habit of that…”

It was a little rude, but I tried asking about it anyway.

Maybe she hadn’t even noticed herself.

In that case, addressing it would be the first step to making her look capable.

“Ahhh, yeah… It’s because I have a bad habit of clenching my teeth.”

That was surprising.

“Clenching your teeth?”

“Yeah. When I sleep I tend to grind them, so I actually have a line on the inside of my mouth where my teeth meet. My dentist told me that it would wear down my teeth in the long run, so it would be better to address the habit while I was young. Since then I loosen my jaw a bit whenever I remember.”

What the hell!?

So her stupid-looking expression actually had such a reasonable explanation behind it!

“It wouldn’t be a problem if I could just keep my lips shut, but my whole mouth opens when I’m not paying attention,” she laughed.

Still, it wouldn’t make sense to tell her to stop doing it then.

“So your gums have a clench mark?”

“It’s pretty obvious in the mirror. It looks like a horizontal white line. I can feel it with my tongue too.”

Huh.

I curiously licked my own mouth and found that I had one too.

Eh!?

Was I clenching my teeth as well!?

Maybe it was the stress…

It wasn’t because I had fat cheeks or anything, right?

But when I ate, sometimes I ended up biting them…

*

Kanta-kun greeted us when we arrived.

I followed the recipe and the fondant au chocolat turned out well, I reported.

He pridefully huffed that of course it would.

I commented that I was thinking of learning to bake bread, and got a whole lot of points to be careful about when baking it.

Apparently it was quite similar to baking desserts.

And then again, I got an earful about the importance of following the recipe.

Okay, okay, I get it already.

The three of us had a chat, and ended up deciding to just make something since I was here already.

I was excitedly discussing what to make with them when Wakaba-chan’s mother came into the house from the storefront.

“Wakaba, Kaburagi-kun is out front in the store.”

Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

---

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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!

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Sorry for the lateness. I’m really trying to get back into the habit of daily morning tls but the waking up bit is hard.

---

It was here!

Finally, the spring break was here!

It was a thorny path getting here.

The rumour strategy backfiring, the tense atmosphere that resulted, trying to change that by using the school idol Enjou, and then immediately being found out by him. That was some scary stuff…

After that, every time we met in the salon or in the hallway, Enjou would give me this smile that sent me trembling.

Stop giving me that look, Enjou.

Yes, it was my fault, but my stomach hurts so stop.

I learnt my lesson this time. It was important to think before you acted.

*

*

*

Spring break was basically an escape from all that.

Of course, I still went to cram school.

Umewaka-kun and co. were doing the spring break course as well.

I still had sessions with my private tutor though, so I spent a bit less time there than they did.

Since this was going to be our last year in school, everybody was preparing for the university entrance exams now. Everyone was studying seriously.

I sat with the others and we chatted for a bit before class began.

Moriyama-san was messaging somebody on her phone the whole time.

Apparently she had a boyfriend now.

It was a boy from her grade at school.

I guess despite how long she had crushed on Umewaka-kun, all the encounters with his Beatrice obsession gave her pause.

That time at the school festival where he started kissing and nuzzling the Beatrice doll in public was really something.

I think it might have been the last straw for her.

Anyway, around that time their school went on an excursion and Moriyama-san started dating a boy that she hit it off with.

That kind of event is a staple for co-ed schools, isn’t it~

Kaaah, I’m so jealous!

Coming back to Umewaka-kun though, I wondered if he’d ever get a girlfriend.

I mean Moriyama-san was crushing on him hard and he even scared her away.

I turned to have a look at him.

Umewaka-kun noticed my gaze and spoke to me.

“Oh, did you notice?” he pointed at his earring.

The design was round, with two depressions.

At a glance it seemed to be a skull motif, but when I looked carefully it turned out to be dog’s nose.

It really suits you, Umewaka-kun.

How silly of me. Why would he need a girlfriend when he already had an everlasting romance with Beatrice?

May they live happily ever after.

Anyway, going back to the spring cram course but Tagaki-kun was in our class.

He probably enrolled before his slip-up during the incident.

Sitting in the classroom, it was obvious that he was terrified of me.

I mean like, it-looked-like-he’d-seen-the-apocalypse-every-time-our-eyes-met terrified.

“Kisshouin-san, what’s up with him?”

“Hmmm… Something of a misunderstanding, but at the same time not.”

According to the rumours, Tagaki-kun had been living every day in fear for his life after his careless comment got me in hot water.

Not that I was still mad after Kaburagi believed me.

The tongue begets disaster, they say.

That was something both Tagaki-kun and I had learned personally.

And speaking of Tagaki-kun, it wouldn’t do to leave him like this.

I decided to speak to him at lunch.

“Tagaki-kun,” I began gently.

He jumped in his seat and began to apologise madly.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” he repeated.

Wha-, hey!

“Um, Tagaki-kun…”

“Waaah! I’m sorry! Forgive me! Save me!”

Everyone else was starting to stare.

What the hell.

Didn’t it look like I was bullying him now?

Stop that!

“What’s that guy’s problem, Kisshouin-san?”

My friends stared wide-eyed at him.

Don’t look at me. I don’t get it either.

At any rate, I had to calm him down.

“I am not angry, Tagaki-kun. Shall we calm down a little?”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Uh, I’m not hitting you so you don’t have to cover your head like that.

“Tagaki-kun,” Umewaka-kun patted him on the shoulder, “Kisshouin-san has something to say, so could you hear her out first?”

Everyone else joined in too.

“It’s okay, calm down~”

“Come on, take a deep breath.”

Although he kept his hands on his head, he finally quieted down.

Tagaki-kun slowly looked up at me with teary eyes.

Just how scared of me was this guy?

“I accept your apology, so there is no need to be so frightened, Tagaki-kun,” I smiled kindly.

He looked even more scared now.

Why!?

“Huh? Did Tagaki-kun do something to you?” Kitazawa-kun asked in interest.

“It was not anything big. Since Tagaki-kun seemed to be hung up about it I wanted to tell him not to worry, but…”

Everyone hummed in thought as they looked at him.

“Hey, Tagaki-kun, are you afraid of Kisshouin-san?” Umewaka-kun asked bluntly.

The boy in question struggled to answer as his eyes swam.

“Hmm~ While we don’t know what the situation’s like at Zui’ran, Kisshouin-san isn’t really somebody you need to fear like that.”

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

“You really don’t have to be so afraid of her. She’s not a bad girl,” said Moriyama-san, clapping him on the back. “Besides, if Kisshouin-san ever does something to you, I’ll save you!”

Tagaki-kun finally lifted his head from his hands and looked at me properly.

“It cannot be comfortable living in fear like that either,” I said. “How about you forget about that incident and just live normally again?”

I gave him one last smile before returning to my seat.

I had my doubts, but hopefully he’d act a bit more normally now.

I didn’t know how I’d deal with the guilt if he failed his exams because he was feeling pressured about me.

It would be nice if I seemed more approachable.

The next day Tagaki-kun gifted me a whole heap of luxury creme caramel from the food section of an expensive department store.

Apparently the boys had told him that desserts were a good way of apologising to girls.

Thank you very much.

At lunch I invited Tagaki-kun to share them with me, and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

He ran away the moment he finished his.

Am I really that scary?

“He’s downright terrified of you, isn’t he. Where in the Zui’ran hierarchy are you, anyhow?”

I’m part of an exclusive club with powerful privileges, and happen to lead the largest group of girls in my grade.

---

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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!

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“Ririna…”

The biggest troublemaker of all had appeared.

From her expression, she was positively raring to go.

No seriously, somebody had practically sharpied ‘Which bitch-ass needs a smackin’?’ onto her face, it was that obvious.

“I know everything, Reika-san! Somebody’s been putting you through hell with slander. Why didn’t you come to me for help!?”

Because if I came to you for help then something like this would happen!

“Well, whatever. So these girls are the enemy, then. I’ll help! Hey, you lot! Pick on somebody your own size!”

I knew it!

Stop!

Stop!

Don’t make this any bigger than it has to be!

My feelings failed to reach a single person, however, and in front of my eyes Ririna donned phantom knuckledusters and a deuce deuce.

“Are you serious!? You have nothing to do with this, you first year!”

“I’m Reika-san’s cousin! If you have a problem with her, tell it to me!”

“I don’t care whose cousin you are! It’s none of your business! Unless of course you were part of her plan!”

“We’ve already told you to stop slandering Reika-sama! Who do you think she is!? She’s a member of the Pivoine!”

“The Student Council doesn’t care if she’s Pivoine or not!”

“And we don’t care about you! The Student Council should mind its own business!”

“You low-bred Externals dare behave like this in front of true-blood Zui’ran students!?”

“Exactly! You’re just Externals!”

“You think that just because you’re part of the Student Council that you can suddenly forget your place!?”

“‘External, External!’ How does attending a school since primary give you the right to think you’re better than us!?”

“Right!? The Internals are basically all idiots, anyway!”

“What was that!?”

“Hey! Don’t you dare ignore me!”

“What the heck!? Let go of me!”

“Kyaah! You’ve done it now, you bitch!”

“Oww! Don’t pull the hair!”

“Get her! Ririna-san! We need to avenge Reika-sama!”

“Ah!? Tsuruhana-san! Those are piercings! That’s a violation of school regulations!”

“Shut it, External! You don’t have a boyfriend because you dress like that, you ugly bitch!”

“What did you say!?”

A group of rich girls were screaming and shouting, wearing terrifying expressions as they yanked at each others’ hair and clothing.

Hiiiiie!

It was like a vale tudo free-for-all in here!

What happened to Zui’ran being a good school with good kids!?

“What the hell are you all doing!? Cut that out this instant!” roared Fellow Stalking Horse.

The girls all turned to glare daggers as the crowds parted for him.

Ririna even had a clump of hair in her clenched hand.

When he realised exactly what had been going on, Fellow Stalking Horse’s went as stiff as a board.

He was an exceptional Student Council President, true, but no boy would ever want to butt in on a cat fight like this alone.

They began flooding him and showering him with complaints.

“They were the ones who picked a fight first!”

“Haah!? That was you bitches!”

“As for us, all we did was try to stop a pointless quarrel.”

“Stop playing the goodie-two-shoes! You’re the one who hit me!”

“Reika-san’s enemies are my enemies!” a certain somebody declared.

“Alright! Alright already!” Fellow Stalking Horse shouted. “I get it, so just calm down!”

Each faction regrouped, checking their warriors for harm, and giving them thanks and encouragement.

“So what started all of this?” he asked once they seemed calm enough.

“Tsuruhana-san’s group suddenly picked a fight with Reika-sama.”

“Reika-sama was the one who tried to slander me with false accusations!”

“As part of the Student Council, I was just giving them a warning…”

“We’re supposed to be stopping the trouble,” he sighed. “What good are we if we magnify the issue…?”

There was a pause, and then he turned to Ririna.

“You’re…”

“As Reika-san’s cousin, I couldn’t just ignore her crisis!” Ririna declared grandly.

Fellow Stalking Horse looked at her, and then brought a hand to his forehead.

“Right, it’s time for you to leave…” he said as he chased her off.

“Anyway! If you girls have a problem with each other then talk it out calmly. A group of young ladies getting into a fistfight is ridiculous!”

“President!”

The girls all surrounded him and tried again to bring him to their way of thinking, but another voice interrupted.

“Shut up,” Kaburagi eyed them coldly. “Not only are you an earful, but you’re disgraceful too.”

The cafeteria turned to silence.

The girls in question looked awkward as they flushed in embarrassment.

“We still haven’t discovered the culprit for Takamichi’s locker,” he continued, “so enough causing trouble with your pointless guessing.”

He was overwhelming.

Totally different to the child who threw a tantrum about giving a tiny little blood oath.

“Are we clear?” he asked, prompting.

They all nodded.

Seemingly done with this, Kaburagi turned to leave.

“Please wait!” called Serika-chan.

“U-, Um, Kaburagi-sama!” called Kikuno-chan, as the two of them stood a little fearfully in his way.

“Kaburagi-sama, Reika-sama has never bullied anybody. If you have to believe anything, please believe that!”

“It’s true! Everything with Reika-sama is just a misunderstanding!”

That was surprising…

The pair had been huge fans of Kaburagi as long as I could remember.

They adored everything he had done, as far back as our days in primary.

I’d never have expected them to confront him like that.

They had chosen my side over him.

I was more than a litte touched.

Kaburagi looked at them for a little while before giving his reply.

“I do believe that.”

With that, Kaburagi left the cafeteria again.

There was silence for a while after he left, before the room exploded with the passionate screams of girls.

“Reika-sama! Kaburagi-sama believes you!”

“Isn’t that great, Reika-sama!?”

I was surrounded by my group as they cheered.

“…Yes. Thank you, Serika-san, Kikuno-san. Everybody else, too,” I told them earnestly.

They all smiled brightly at me.

Really, thank you.

*

*

Thanks to Kaburagi’s statement of belief, the last few people who suspected me were convinced as well. As expected of the Emperor.

Back to my other problem though, I wasn’t sure what to do about the tension.

I mean, yes, I had inflamed it with my actions, but still…

Wasn’t there some fun topic to help people forget about the locker incident?

That was the only solution I could think of.

Something that both my girls and Tsuruhana-san’s would really care about…

Oh! I know!

I sacrificed Enjou.

“I have heard that Enjou-sama enjoyed a date with somebody on White Day,” I informed them.

As expected, it erupted into a huge scandal.

Good… Good…

It was better for Zui’ran to be flooded with talks about romance, rather than talks about conspiracies and ploys, so I spread gossip like there was no tomorrow.

One day I was walking down a hallway, happy at how well my plan had gone, when somebody tapped me on the shoulder from behind.

Enjou stood there, smiling.

“Since I have a debt to you, I’ll overlook things just this once, okay?”

The cold sweat wouldn’t stop.

“Anyhow, have a nice day,” he chuckled darkly.

Aaaahhh!

Why won’t spring break come already!?

 

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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!

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The next Tilea chapter is over half done.

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How to play Bozu mekuri

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_(game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_(card_game)

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After ten of those messages, I finally replied.

Strange.

Even though his test messages were all blank, somehow I could feel the anger.

I think I even hallucinated the word.

Scary.

I chickened out and told him I didn’t notice because I was walking.

He complained, so I replied that patience was a virtue when it came to romance.

I was simply testing him.

I wonder what he’d say if I actually told him that.

It’s going to be a huge problem if you only ever think about yourself, stupid Kaburagi!

Bleh.

Going back to the original topic, getting messaged all the time like this was going to be a pain.

If it got to be too much, would it be better to drop my phone into some water, or have a car run over it…?

*

*

*

My plans to make the locker look like a frame job from Tsuruhana-san’s crowd went surprisingly well.

It wouldn’t work with the girls in my group since they seem like they would stand up for me no matter what.

Diligent-looking girls like Miharu-chan and Nonose-san, or the girls from my Handicrafts Club on the other hand…

“I feel so bad for Reika-sama. She’s been made out to be the culprit…”

“I’ve never seen Reika-sama harass anybody.”

“She just happened to be there. How can people be blaming her like that…?”

“Why does Reika-sama have to be suspected like this?”

It didn’t take them long at all to net me a bunch of sympathy votes.

My group followed up on it afterwards of course.

“Reika-sama has been framed.”

“By whom?”

“Wasn’t there some group that told everybody that they were going to replace her?”

“Ehh? They said that?!”

“Takamichi-san said that it wasn’t Reika-sama who was responsible, but she never said a certain somebody wasn’t. That says it all, don’t you think?”

How you behave in everyday life is pretty important, Tsuruhana-san.

Anyhow, pretty much everybody was convinced that it was some plot by Tsuruhana-san to frame me.

And somehow there seemed to be more solidarity in my group now.

I guess it’s true what they say about making up an enemy to bring a group together.

In the end nobody ever found out who had done it, but the harassment had cooled off since that day, for now at least.

But hopefully the peace would continue until I was a 3rd year at least.

*

*

“Hm hm hm~”

I was happily enjoying tea in the salon until Enjou came along.

“Kisshouin-san, given that tomorrow is White Day, apparently Yukino wants to hand you some sweets in person. Do you think you could find some time tomorrow?”

“Gosh, Yukino-kun does!? Gladly!”

And it was almost spring break so I wanted to visit the other kids before that.

“But spring break is already so close. The kids in primary school are already having half-days.”

“Don’t worry about that. Lately he’s been bringing the boardgames you showed him at his birthday party to the petit salon. Apparently the kids there have all been playing.”

“My.”

The Petit salon, previously filled with children gracefully talking as they sipped tea, was now basically a playhouse?

“I suspect he wants to play them with you, but if you have plans then don’t feel bad about refusing.”

“Plans?”

My plans were the same as always.

Oh, was he worried that I’d be busy because of White Day?

No need to worry, I’m completely free.

“Speaking of which, are you also going on a date tomorrow, Enjou-sama?”

“Basically.”

I was just making conversation, but surprisingly got an answer.

I was a little surprised.

And kind of felt like a loser.

Hmmmm, a date on White Day huh?

…Tsk!

Well how awfully nice for you.

A dateless woman like me will just go and play cards with the Petit Pivoine then!

*

*

*

“Welcome, Reika-oneesan!”

This place was a soothing paradise.

I entered to Yukino-kun and the other children’s adorable smiles.

Haaah, so warm and fluffy.

“Over here, Reika-oneesan.”

“Why thank you, Yukino-kun.”

My White Day present from him was rusk in a cute little jar.

Rusk is great, isn’t it.

I love it too!

It’s crunchy and light, and you can’t stop eating it!

I decided to just open it now and try a piece.

Mm, yummy!

“How delicious. Thank you for the lovely gift.”

Yukino-kun laughed shyly next to me.

An angel!

Still, despite the lightness in your mouth, rusk was heavy on the calories.

I made a note not to overeat.

After that I talked with him and Mao-chan and stuff about what we were going to be doing during the spring break.

For me, I was going to be taking some cram courses, as well as lessons from Akimi-san on cooking.

She had already taught me a few times before.

Akimi-san was kind and never mocked me, even when she had to teach me things as basic as chopping vegetables or making stock.

With her, it was easy to admit what I didn’t know, so I was glad I had come to her.

For now we were just following the recipes and practising different dishes.

Maybe once I had mastered the basics I could start looking for my own flavour.

And then I could start getting popular on the internet with them.

‘Give a boost to your romance with Reika’s cupid recipes!’

Maybe nikujaga for appealing to the male instinct…

“That sounds so nice, Reika-oneesama. Do you think I could come too?” Mao-chan asked entreatingly.

Come to think of it, she said something similar a while back.

“Hmmm, I shall have to ask Akimi-san for her permission, but how about coming to my house to have a look?”

Mao-chan gave a happy cheer.

How could anyone refuse a cute girl like this!

I sure couldn’t!

Yes, it was going to be a bit rough revealing just how bad at cooking I was, but I could always use a vegetable peeler, and to be honest Akimi-san was praising me more these days.

“You’ve gotten really good at cutting vegetables, Reika-san.”

“You’re really fun to teach since you’re so enthusiastic.”

“You’ve got really good taste in food presentation.”

I was the type of person who reacted really well to compliments.

Hearing them made me happy, and want to try harder, so Akimi-san was the perfect teacher for me.

“Reika-oneesan, wanna play a game?” said Yukino-kun as he pulled me by the arm.

Ohh! I’d forgotten about that!

Come to think of it, kids were already playing jenga, cards, and other things here and there around the room.

It was like some high society nursery.

At first I was peacefully playing games like Bozu Mekuri or Concentration, but at some point we started playing Speed instead.

Somehow my memories as the Speed Queen in my old life flared up, and I ended up playing seriously against small children.

I know, I know, it was childish of me.

I’m reflecting on it, but just so you know, I beat them all.

Some of the older boys seemed pretty frustrated about it.

Train harder, boys.

*

*

*

My wish to get to spring break without any further troubles was of no avail.

My propaganda campaign against Tsuruhana-san had pushed her so far that she apparently decided that confronting us in the cafeteria was the answer.

“You’re a scary girl, Reika-sama,” said Tsuruhana-san. “Pinning the blame for your own crimes on us without batting an eye.”

“What are you talking about? The one who tried to frame Reika-sama was you!” yelled my group.

Ehhh~?

Come on, not out here, girls…

Just as the two groups were starting to really yell, another group of girls came along.

“Please be quiet.”

They were from the Student Council.

“Haah? Externals like you lot don’t have the right to tell us what to do,” Tsuruhana-san glared venomously.

“What does this have to do with being an Internal or External Student? We’re the Student Council,” the girl replied.

“And I’m saying that your Student Council doesn’t amount to anything,” she sneered, causing the girl to flush with anger.

Things got even more heated, except now it was a three-way fight.

Come onnn guys, let’s just stop!

Look, everyone’s looking at us, so let’s just calm down!

They’re seriously all staring!

“Who’s causing problems, Reika-san!?”

Of course that was when Ririna decided to swagger in with her own underlings.

Why did an even bigger troublemaker show up!?

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