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!

---

Evil God Army members, assemble: https://discord.gg/0usrKNKKbEkpFdiV

---

Notice: I still have a report on Monday, and a final exam on Tuesday, so I’m still translating a bit slowly.

---

Aahh, it looks like my class-changing luck has finally run dry…
For my final year of middle school, I finally ended up with His Majesty the Emperor.

*妹*

*妹*

Serika-chan was in the same class as well, and was jumping for joy about it.

“We’ve finally done it, Reika-sama! We’ve really had such bad luck so far!”

I’ve really had such good luck so far.

“This year is looking so bright! Don’t you think so, Reika-sama?”

Thinking about it, nothing has gone wrong since that bad fortune. Should I go get purified?
I wonder if theres a famous place for exorcisms.

As I was dragged along to class by the jubilant Serika-chan, along the way we ran into Enjou, who was surrounded by girls.

“Kisshouin-san. Thank goodness. There’s been something I wanted to talk to you about. This is a great chance.”

“Eh-”

The girls around us all began screaming because of his words.

“What are they going to talk about!?”

“It can’t be, a confession!?”

“A love triangle!?”

Stop it! Stop with your strange guesses! How could this black-hearted schemer do something as cute as confessing!

“It’s a bit hard to talk here, so could you come with me?”

His smile placed a huge pressure on me. I can’t fight back with my coward’s heartt!
My senses are tingling and I’m getting a horrible feeling about thiss! I don’t wanna goo!
But although I screamed that in my heart, I accepted his request with a face filled with composure.
Serika-chan watched with glittering eyes as I was sent to the gallows.
In the end, I was taken to the base of a staircase.
Suspicious. Super suspicious. What part of this smile plastered onto his face is supposed to be trustworthy.

“You see, I actually have a favour to ask of you.”

“A favour?”

“Yeah. You ended up in Masaya’s class, right? Could you become a class rep, please?”

“HAAH?”

Class Rep? Why me! Or rather, just, why!

“You should know already that the girls in Masaya’s class are noisy each year. Since this is the last year of middle school, and a year with a school trip too, I think it’s going to be especially bad. A normal girl won’t be able to handle it. That’s why I thought of you.”

“Eh- …But why do you care?”

Worrying about another class? This guy definitely isn’t doing this because he’s filled with love for the school or anything.
If he was a person like that then shouldn’t he have taken the initiative to become class rep last year?

“Mmmm… The truth is that somebody asked me as a favour. The guy who’s going to be your class rep. Since he didn’t think he’d be able to manage on his own, he was thinking of getting you to act as vice. Apparently your homeroom teacher plans to ask you the same. But you refused last year, didn’t you? That’s why he wanted me to persuade you.”

No way! No way no way!
Just remembering the weary face of last year’s class rep is enough to write the option off forever!
How are you going to take responsibility if I get burdened by stress, go crazy, and start writing poems too!
I’ve already got a previous offence from my last life!
After watching a certain movie I was influenced so badly that I started reading Rimbaud and Verlaine, and I still remember how I wrote crap about sighs and eternity!
As I recall, I came back to my senses the next day and should have disposed of it, but did I actually? I wouldn’t have just gotten lazy and hidden the notepad in a drawer or something, right?
GYAAAAAAAAAHHH! If my family found it and read it, I wouldn’t be able to rest in peacee!

“Kisshouin-san? Are you okay?”

“Eh-, ah, yes. I am fine.”

The past is the past. Forget about it. It’s okay. You definitely threw it away.
UWAAAAHH! But I wrote poems in other people’s signature books! Scary! Actions that leave evidence are scary!

“Kisshouin-san?”

“I am fine.”

Forget it, Reika! There’s nobody who doesn’t have a little bit of dark history, okay!
Poems are something that everyone experiences once.

“Well then, become class rep, was it? I must apologise, but I do not believe I have the ability, so could you possibly ask somebody else?”

I don’t want to get involved with anything troublesome.

“I see. I guess it can’t be helped.”

Enjou showed me a dark smile.

“Say, Kisshouin-san… Don’t you still owe me a favour?”

Hah? Favour? Uh, favour… Favour…?
Ah-!

“When Ririna…”

“Yup. Remember it now? I think it’s time to pay your dues.”

You’re bringing up something from over a year ago!?
I thought that expired long ago!
My old mum was right. You definitely can’t get involved with debts. It’ll come back to get you with ridiculous interest!

*妹*

*妹*

My new homeroom teacher called me out right after.
Next to him was some boy with a buzzcut like a monk. Is this the culprit?
What on earth have you done, Monk Boy!

“Oh geez, I’m really glad that you agreed, Kisshouin-san. If you’re doing it anyway, how about being the lead rep?”

“No, vice please.”

I’m not good at refusing people, but I’m outright refusing this.

“Um, I’m Bouda(坊田). I’ll be in your care.”

Eh-, the Monk’s(坊主;Bouzu) surname is Monk Field(坊田; Bouda)?
That’s way too fitting.

“Yes, likewise. Please take care of me.”

I’m super unwilling about this, but since I’ve already agreed, it can’t be helped. Let’s get along this year, Monk-kun.

*妹*

*妹*

“Bou- …da-kun, are you close with Enjou-sama? To think you would be able to ask him to persuade me.”

On the way back to the classroom, I voiced the question I had been wondering the whole time.
I can’t really picture these two being close.

“Close? Heavens, no. Last year we were in the same class, and he helped me with a lot of things. He’s a really amazing person!”

So Monk-kun is in the Enjou Faction. Looks like he looks up to him.
Enjou just looks like a huge villain to me, though.

“Sensei wanted me to be class rep again, but since there’s the famous Kaburagi-kun in our class, I thought it was impossible for me. At that time, Enjou-kun had just arrived in the staff room by coincidence, and suggested that you act as the vice rep. If you controlled the girls, then everything would be fine, he said. He even said that he would ask you himself. Enjou-kun is just such a kind guy. He’s just so considerate of others, isn’t he.”

Enjou was the one who suggested this!? What the. That’s completely different to what he told me!
That damned schemer! What the heck are you planning!

With no idea what I was thinking, Monk-kun continued praising him to the skies.
Apparently this kid has no eyes for people.

*妹*

*妹*

When I returned to the classroom, it was an even bigger fuss than last year’s Enjou thing.
A huge group of girls were causing a racket.
Uwahh… Am I really going to be this class’ vice rep for a whole year?
And everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten, but I’m technically a Pivoine, okay.
Ah-! And Serika-chan was right in the middle of it all. She was in the very best spot!

“It’s your turn, Kisshouin-san.”

It’s impossible for me, Monk-kun…
My stomach should have been healed, but it started feeling weird again.
Having spotted me, the girls all rushed over with excited expressions.

“Reika-sama, what was that talk with Enjou-sama about? Could it have been a confession? Kyaaa! How dreamy!”

My stomach started hurting again.
What were the foods good for the stomach again…?

---

<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!

---

Evil God Army members, assemble: https://discord.gg/0usrKNKKbEkpFdiV

---

1) First, on Valentines in Japan, women are supposed to give chocolates to guys. Sometimes it’s out of courtesy (obligatory chocolates/giri choco) and sometimes an expensive or homemade one for the person you actually like (forrealz chocolates/honmei choco). It’s also not too weird to give them to friends as a sign of affection (friend-chocolates/tomochoco).
Don’t ask why. It’s some marketing thing, like how people buy diamond rings for weddings now.

2) Shimazaki Touson is the pen-name of Shimazaki Haruki, a Japanese author, active in the Meiji, Taishou and early Shouwa periods of Japan. He began his career as a romantic poet, but went on to establish himself as a major proponent of naturalism in Japanese fiction.

First Love

When I saw you under the apple tree
With your hair swept up for the first time
I thought you were the flower
In the flower comb you wore in front

When you gently extended your soft white hand
And gave me an apple
It was the very first time I loved someone
With the pale red of the autumn fruit

When my sigh unknowingly
Passed through the threads of your hair
I drank of your passion
From the cup of my tender love

The narrow, natural path
Under the trees in the apple grove
Who first trod this path?
Whose steps left the first traces?
You asked, you lovely, I thought

Taken from the Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature

---

Now that Aira-sama and Yurie-sama had gained entry into the schools they wanted to join, all that was left was waiting for their graduation.
Since Yurie-sama won’t be coming to the salon once she graduates, Kaburagi has been secretly depressed under his mask of composure. It seems that he was hit pretty hard by the even greater difficulty of a middle schooler dating a university student. But no matter how hard you try, you can’t really do anything about an age gap.
I heard from Aira-sama that Yurie-sama was spending more time around him out of consideration.
Still, on days when Yurie-sama is too busy to come, Kaburagi just sighs as he looks out the window.
I wonder if he’s going to start writing poems again. Maybe I should teach him flower divination.
Ah, and I also know a good matchmaker shrine, okay? The fortunes are really accurate. You should go too, Kaburagi-sama.

*妹*

*妹*

Speaking of poems, Class Rep made no progress at all despite his daring show of his love.
I had been sure that he would confess after that, but since he showed no signs of it, I went and asked him. He replied that he was too embarrassed to try.
I really don’t get how this guy’s criteria for embarrassment…
Thinking this, I asked him why he did such a thing… and he replied that he was influenced by Shimazaki Touson, and had done it before he realised. That disease really is terrifying.
Apparently he actually wanted Miharu-chan to realise his feelings through that poem.
You think that because ‘Miharu(美波留)’ has ‘waves(波)’ in it, she’d realise because you drew a picture of a sea? Who the heck would!
If you were in the same class and were close to begin with, then sure, maybe, but if she thought it was her in this situation, that would just make her a total narcissist.
In the end he asked me for advice on his next moves, so I suggested that he give her Valentine’s chocolate. In the end I guess he really liked the whole ‘reverse Valentine’s chocolate’ idea because he went and prepared something expensive.
Not only that, but apparently he was too embarrassed to give it to her, so he came and asked me to do it instead. Just how much of a maiden are you.
I even told him to at least include a card with a message or something, but in the end he didn’t have the courage for that either. This would have been the time to use the poem. Hm, or maybe follow Touson’s example and draw a picture of an apple or something?
In the end, for some reason I ended up giving it to Miharu-chan as a friend-chocolate. She was surprised at the sudden gift, but I was troubled too, okay. I just gave an obviously passion-filled chocolate to a girl I’m not even that close with. What if she misunderstands me and weird rumours spread.
Well, she actually did misunderstand, but in a completely different way. Somehow the story in her mind became one where I actually had somebody I really liked, but gave the chocolate to her because I lacked the courage to confess.
Miharu-chan looked at me with understanding and nodded, “Try your best next year, okay?” in a completely unnecessary consolation.
How are you going to take responsibility for this, Class Rep!
And now Miharu-chan thinks I like someone!
As for Class Rep, he was incredibly moved when I passed her White Day present onto him.
I’m getting the feeling that he’s transforming further and further into a maiden. I wonder if I can start treating him like a girlfriend already.

*妹*

*妹*

One day, I received a bit of news from Serika-chan about Tsuruhana-san.

“Tsuruhana-san got ear piercings.”

“Eh-”

Piercings in middle school!? What a delinquent!
Isn’t that forbidden by the school regulations? Ah, well, I guess a drill-hair like me can’t speak.

“Some of the other girls have gotten piercings too.”

“Unbelievable. It’s unacceptable.”

Kikuno-chan and the other girls started joining in too.
Unlike other schools, Zui’ran is filled with kids from good families, so image is a huge deal to them. Thanks to that, the school regulations on personal appearance is strict too.
Dyed hair is basically banned. But well, I hear some girls secretly use just a tiny bit so that it looks natural.
And I’ve got my curled hair too.
But piercings, huhh. I wonder if they’d even do it for a middle schooler without their parents’ consent. Does that mean her parents are fine with it?
Or perhaps, surprisingly, she pierced them herself.
If that’s the case then she’s really bold. Leaving perms and dyes aside, a lot of traditional families frown upon piercings. Okaasama told me that she wouldn’t allow it either.
Anyway, Tsuruhana-san’s group is getting more and more overbearing. My group is still higher than theirs, but the day that changes might be close.
Serika-chan and the others began a sneaky discussion about whether or not to tattle on them.
I really hope they’d stop. Our group has weak points like my curled hair too.

“Let us watch them for a little longer. I do not think it would be a good idea for us to inform the teachers.”

I somehow managed to calm everyone down, but maybe things are going to get even more heated once we become third years.
Gosh, I’d hate that. For some reason people think of me oddly highly, but I’m actually the first to run when it comes to a cat fight. Girls are scary.

*妹*

*妹*

While all this was happening, I heard that Kaburagi attended the high school graduation ceremony with lilies (yuri).
Class Rep, Kaburagi, why are all these guys turning into maidens? I was a little envious.
But lilies, huh. Could it be that he saw the time Oniisama brought me uraras, and actually really liked it?
Actually, there was the time when he danced the waltz with Yurie-sama too.
Leaving Oniisama aside, perhaps Kaburagi should become Imari-sama’s disciple or something.
The other day, Imari-sama came over for the first time in the while, and he gave me some boxed flowers.

So stylish! As expected of Imari-sama!
Kaburagi, apparently men can’t stick to just bouquets, like a one trick pony!

*妹*

*妹*

Around the time cherry blossoms began to fall in full bloom, we all advanced into third years.

---

<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!

---

Evil God Army members, assemble: https://discord.gg/0usrKNKKbEkpFdiV

---

The Staff of oniichanyamete(OCY) Issue a Challenge to All Readers

– Post a video of your saying this as many times as you can in a row without stumbling
– If we judge that you made no mistakes or pauses, we will reward you.
– If you wish to wear a mask, it must not cover the mouth area.

“Kilimanjaro Kirilimanmajanranjo Estelion Sharlulu Asheel Vinchance Celenalia di ef Falufiluu’Luufilaafee (The 35th) da ne!”

The prizes are as follows,

x3 or more within 15 seconds: a bear picture drawn by Estelion
x5 or more within 35 seconds: a picture of your favourite OCY character, drawn by Ame
x7 or more within 55 seconds: a picture of you (a stick figure), hanging out with your favourite OCY character, drawn by Komorebi

---

Term 2 is busy.
Right after the Athletics Carnival is the School Festival.
As usual, I only participated in the events where I wouldn’t hold back my class.
On the other hand, all the gyaru-type girls eagerly signed up for the relays.
Speaking of which, Mochida-san ended up bullied last year because she messed up during the Athletics Carnival, didn’t she.
Well, I doubt that even I would end up bullied, but I’d better be careful regardless.
Enjou signed on for the relays, but apparently not the cavalry battle. How surprising. I would’ve thought he’d be as excited for it as the Emperor.
But thinking about it, I didn’t see him in it last year either. Although if he did join, everyone would be even more excited, wouldn’t they.
When I told him this, he replied with a laugh,

“Unlike Masaya, I don’t really have much zeal for the cavalry battle. When I see him all eager from up close, it really makes me want to avoid it.”

Eventually we decided that the sacrifices would be chosen by rock-paper-scissors, and the unlucky candidates would try to increase their meagre chances of survival through training. It was around that time that Enjou dropped the bombshell,

“Apparently he’s been really frustrated ever since that close game with the Stuco President last year. He’s even reading books on war strategy now,”

sending the already depressed boys into further depression. Thank goodness I was born a girl.

As usual, the girls were drunk on Enjou during practice, so I encouraged them to cheer for the other boys a little more. Those guys are working hard for our class too, so the earlier treatment was a little too pitiful.
I’ve never been in either of their classes before, so I was shocked by the fervour. I remember my peaceful days last year. How nostalgic.
But apparently my class isn’t even that bad. Maiden Class Rep who’s in Kaburagi’s class already looks exhausted, and the Athletics Carnival hasn’t even started yet. And with the girls cheering for Kaburagi in stuff like the baton relays too, all the boys competing with him were being pressured like crazy. I’d hate to be in their place.
Thank goodness Enjou isn’t the hot-blooded type…

In the end, an External from the Student Council survived to the end, but now that Kaburagi had learnt war strategy as well, he wasn’t a match for him.
I wonder if Kaburagi is going to try even harder for next year. Well, good luck, Silver Hair-kun.

*妹*

After the Athletics Carnival was the midterms. And after the midterms was the Cultural Festival. So busy.
It was only optional for classes to get involved, but apparently mine was. There were the options for a haunted house or a refreshment booth, but to begin with, none of these kids had ever had takoyaki or pancakes or the like, so we couldn’t come up with any good ideas.
Somebody suggested a café as well, but all the girls were like, “but it’s our Enjou-sama” and quickly shut down the possibility of him being taken by girls in other classes.
In the end, that only left a handmade candle store.

Together, we made stuff like aromatic candles, gel candles, mosaic candles, flower candles, just lots of candles.
Nobody was ever thinking of making a profit, so we used all sorts of good materials and I think we ended up with fairly good products considering a bunch of middle schoolers made them.
Enjou’s candles already have preorders.
I got involved too, and melted hot wax to make small flower-shaped candles.
They had some pink to them, and were pretty cute. I mixed some blended aroma oils in as well. Isn’t this pretty good for something Reika-made?
Before long, some of the girls started mixing in perfumes and stuff too, and because there were so many smells in the classroom, some people started complaining of headaches and we had to ventilate the area.

Once we all finished our quotas, we were ready for the day of the Cultural Festival.
Apparently we sold quite well.
The customers were people like other students, fathers, brothers, “old girl” alumni as well. To prevent crime, Zuiran’s guests are carefully selected, so most of the people who came were relatives and the like.
Eventually people started bidding for the Enjou candles but since the prices skyrocketed――which was ridiculous for candles――that was eventually put a stop to, and there was a lottery instead.
When I nervously glanced over to see how my candles were selling, I gave a quiet sigh of relief when I saw that a few people had bought some. What was shocking though was that one of them was Ririna, who had brought along her underlings too.
Since we only needed a few people there to take care of the sales, everybody else went to other classes, or their clubs, or just the refreshment booths and exhibits.
I decided to tour the place with my friends as well.
Since we didn’t know where to start, we sat down in a café with high class French tea and helped ourselves to cookies and tea as we read a pamphlet.
Wow. There’s a bunch. They’re all pretty plain though.
It was all stuff like flower arrangement exhibitions that only middle-aged women would go to.
In the end we all decided to give everywhere a once over, and maybe see what was most popular.
When we walked past the literature club, I remembered that Class Rep was in it, so I decided to go in and have a look.
It was stuff like book reviews, or student-written novels, haikus and poems.
As I was having a casual look through them, my eyes became nailed to something shocking.

On a light blue postcard with a drawing of the sea were the words,

“My ashen grey world was painted with vivid colours. I see. So I’ve fallen in love.”

CLAAAAAAASSS REPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!

Class Rep, what the heck are you doing! Are you okay!? What went through your head!?

His name was written clearly underneath the love poem.
I was so shocked that I staggered.
I-, I see. So this is what people meant by “that incurable illness that you contract in eighth grade”.
Class Rep, you sure are bold for a guy who couldn’t even confess.
So after talking about how you were afraid of being rejected, you go and announce your unrequited love to the masses?
Is he tired? It must have been rough taking care of the Kaburagi class through both the Athletics Carnival and Cultural Festival.

“My, isn’t this that Class Rep’s entry? He fell in love!? With whom!?”

“That serious-looking Class Rep huh~”

“How shocking… Does anybody have any idea which girl it is?”

My friends began growing noisy. My heart was noisy too.
Class Rep. I really admire your courage. So go use that courage to freaking confess already.
With just this, I really don’t think Miharu-chan is going to realise, you know…?
Or could it be that you never meant to let her know to begin with? Did you just want to express your poet’s soul?
Aaah, Class Rep… You really gave a shock to little old 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!

---

Evil God Army members, assemble: https://discord.gg/0usrKNKKbEkpFdiV

---

Summer Camp’s finally here.
I cut down on my luggage quite a bit, but my suitcase was still ready to burst. It’s weird to be asking this myself, but what on earth did I bring.
When we arrived at the health resort, it turned out to be on the level of a hotel. Even our rooms were just suites. Rather than a camp, isn’t this basically just going on a vacation?
The girl assigned to my room was Nonose Maho-chan from another class. We’ve basically never spoken, but I wonder if we’ll get along. She seems kinda nervous though.
After resting in our room for a while, we had a barbecue in the hotel garden. All of the ingredients were prepared in advance, so all we had to do was roast them and eat.
Since I’m still technically the leader of the girls, I went with Class Rep to check if everyone had cutlery and a drink. But well, there were full-time staff there, so it was just for show.
Still, this is my first time eating barbecue in this life. It’s a lot more extravagant than I remember it being though.
Ooh! They have roast corn!

Oh my, but they don’t have yakisoba.

I wanted some yaki’ika too.

What a shame.

Since it’s a Zui’ran-style barbecue, it feels more like a refined lunch than what I had in mind, but this kind of thing is fun too.
I decided to try casually sitting next to Nonose-san. None of my group came, so today has been a total away game for me.
I’ll act low key and mix in with them.

“I never thought that you of all people would be coming, Reika-sama.”

“I was surprised too, Reika-sama.”

“Truly? But I have always wanted to try it at least once.”

“You didn’t last year, right?”

Because last year I was stuck in remedial hell.

“Did all of you participate last year as well?”

“This year is my first time.”

“This is my second.”

Over half of the girls here turned out to be first timers. Thank goodness.

“By the way, tomorrow is going to be hiking. Are you going to be all right, Reika-sama?

Uu-, that’s what I’m most worried about. According to the itinerary it’s only going to be a two-hour walk, but I wonder if I’ll really be able to follow.

“I shall do my best,”

I declared with clenched fists.

After the barbecue was a short ceramics course. I used the manual potters wheel, but mine turned out a little warped. I’m just really no good with my hands, am I. Well, whatever.
Once night fell, after dinner was the fireworks event I’d been waiting for!
Perhaps because watching fireworks isn’t something that upper class think is suitable, I’ve never had a chance all this time.
But just the smell of fireworks really brings summer to mind, doesn’t it. Today we only had handheld fireworks, so there was nothing like a rocket firework or one of those dragon things though. When I was a kid, those mouse fireworks really scared me because you could never tell which way they would fly.

Speaking of which, what on earth do people find fun about those snake fireworks. All they do is grow.

I never understood it back then, and I still don’t understand it now. The fact that they’re still selling them means that people are buying them, right? Hmmm.
Anyway, since Class Rep was playing with hanging sparkler fireworks a little further away, I decided to come closer.

“So you chose hanging sparklers? You would not prefer something flashier?”

“I really like these ones.”

Hmm~ As expected of Class Rep, the maiden.

“It seems that Honda-san has not come,”

I whispered, just loudly enough for him to hear.

In shock, the ember of the sparkler dropped to the ground.

“She even came last year, so why…”

“I see. You did not end up in her class either, this year. Have things progressed since last time?”

He shook his head.

“What should I do, Kisshouin-san?”

“What, you ask? Could you not simply confess?”

“That’s impossible. If I got rejected, my whole school life would be over.”

“It might go well though.”

“But Honda-san’s type is Enjou-kun.”

Class Rep began sulking.

“Given that she was class representative with him last year, perhaps she may have changed her mind after all the hardships she surely faced.”

“…Kisshouin-san, could you go ask her for me?”

“We are in different classes, so that may prove to be difficult.”

At any rate, everyone finished playing with fireworks while the two of us spoke, and began to tidy up.

After the firework event ended, I returned to my room and then took turns in the bath with Nonose-san.
To tell you the truth, I actually got a light perm as per Okaasama’s instructions. I really wonder just how fixated she is on this stuff, but well, can’t be helped.
Anyway, as long as I followed the existing bends, it was possible to fashion some decent curls.
Although, I didn’t really want people to know about the perm, so I made sure to dry my hair properly.

“Reika-sama. I find it hard to sleep with the lights on, so would it be possible to turn them off?”

“Certainly. Well then, let us turn off the lights.”

I brought some playing cards too, but it looks like there was no time to play them. I wonder if I’ll get to tomorrow.
Anyway, time to turn off the lights and go to sleep.

*妹*

*妹*

I was woken up early in the morning and after being made to exercise amongst nature, we finally had breakfast. I’m not so good with mornings, so it was pretty tough.
Since we’re hiking today, I made sure to put on sunscreen and a hat.
My rucksack feels so heavy… I’m starting to regret coming here a little.
Before long, the hiking finally began. It was a fairly gentle incline so I thought it would be fine, but it just kept going, and going, and it didn’t take long for my will to break.
And not only that, none of my other soft friends were here. I was now undeniably the last one. The leader of the girls was the last one. Argh, it hurts. I wanna go home.
Nonose-san stuck with me to cheer me on. I’m really being treated like extra baggage now. I wanna cry.
After two hours, I somehow made it to the top. I got to enjoy cold milk and lunch here.
Since I was close to collapse, Nonose-san acted as leader in my place. I really felt bad about it.
On the way back to the hotel, with the heavy rucksack on my back, I thought to myself, I probably won’t be going next year…

Perhaps because of my exertions at lunchtime, at the stargazing event after dinner, the teacher’s explanations felt like a lullaby to me.
Thanks to that, I immediately had a bath when we got back, and slept right afterwards.

And then I woke up in the middle of the night.
…I’m hungry.
I was too tired to really have an appetite. Thanks to that I didn’t eat much at dinner, did I. I might not be able to go back to sleep like this.
But if I remember right, I brought some crunchy ume plums, didn’t I. Maybe I’ll eat those.

Since Nonose-san can’t sleep with the lights on, I put on a white cardigan and brought the pickled ume with me into the hallway.
Before I began eating, I found a dim staircase landing in a corner, and sat there so that I wouldn’t be seen.
They were covered with honey and sweet, which made them easy to eat. Crunch crunch, crunch crunch…

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

Eh-?

I heard the nearby scream of a girl, and then the sound of somebody running away.
Since I didn’t want anybody to find out that I had snuck out of my room to snack, I rushed back into my room in a panic.
Stripping off the cardigan, I tossed it ume and all into my bag to remove the evidence.
As Nonose-san got up, I was all like ‘Uh, yeah, I just got up as well,‘ so we left our room together to see what was going on.
Oh gosh, my bed hair is terrible. I guess this is because I didn’t dry my hair properly before crashing. I’ll tidy it up with my fingers.

“Whatever is the matter?”

“I don’t know either.”

Only girls stayed on this floor. As everybody left their rooms to see what was happening, one of the girls suddenly screamed,

“Over there on that staircase, there was this ghost and it was gobbling on bloody flesh!”

The moment the other girls heard this, they flew into a huge panic, screaming ghosts and goblins, and in an instant the whole place turned into pandemonium.
Uh, could it be that she was talking about me? It’s true that my hair is a bit of a mess right now, and I was definitely eating red ume plums, but I wasn’t gobbling anything, okay…
Apparently the one who spotted me was Occult-san. Occult-san woke up thirsty so she went to get a drink apparently. And then she apparently met a ghost.

And so she started saying stuff like “I have a sixth sense.“ and “There’s a dark presence on that staircase.” and “Her face was just filled with hatred.” and before I knew it, some other girls started saying “Now that I think about it, I got a bad feeling too.” and “For some reason I haven’t been able to stop shivering for a while now.” and started to agree with her too. What do I do…

After all this time, there’s no way I can tell them that it was me. If I tell them that I snuck out to have a snack, they’re definitely going to think I’m some huge glutton.
I feel really bad about slandering the hotel with ghost rumours, but I care even more about protecting myself, okay~
While I prayed that I wouldn’t be busted, Nonose-san and the others came up to me and said,

“It’s okay, Reika-sama. As long as we’re all together, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Right. You don’t need to be so frightened.”

and tried to encourage me. Guh-… my chest hurts!

“Thank you, everyone.”

I’m sorry. I won’t come next year, okay…?

And so the whole ghost ruckus continued until the next morning. With the crunchy ume plums hidden deep in my bag, and with my hair curled to perfection, I set out for home.

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Hanging sparklers, or senkou hanabi (lit. incense stick fireworks) are a Japanese sparkler firework that’s different to the sparklers we know. Instead of waving them about to have fun, you just hold them and enjoy watching them.

It’s uh, quite a cliché in anime, so I think you guys know what I’m talking about:

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