Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Volume 3 Chapter 6

It’s been about just over a year since I’ve been working on this…

I originally planned on getting this out at start of May, but that didn’t happen (I totally wasn’t playing FFXV instead). While the next chapter is shorter (10 pages less), there are exams coming up, and so the next chapter will probably be in two months time-desu.

Hopefully I can finish translating this by the end of year.

Also, for those curious:

Chapter 6: Sleeping Funny Man

"You see… even if I utilised the power of the Devilish Truth Stare, the pollution of the Earth wouldn't immediately cease. It's not going to be good if this continues…!  Ugh… Yuuta, you head there first…!"

September 3rd. Today, school only lasted until noon - right now, cla.s.ses were finished for the day.

There were 6 days till the cultural festival.

There was barely any time left to practice for the play at all.

Because of how little time we had left, I wanted to head to practice as soon as possible. However, when I asked Rikka to come along, she rejected me with that amusing line.

Incidentally, the way she was holding the cleaning broom with both hands made her look like a hero who was about to depart. It was very cool.

"Ah, right. You were on cleaning duty today. Got it, I'll head there first. I'll go tell our uppercla.s.smen that you'll be a bit late due to cleaning duty."

"Roger, operation 'Earth's Normalisation' start! Incidentally, Yuuta. The Earth isn't currently under attack right now!?"

"Where did that come from!? No, it not! In fact, it has never been attacked! Not even once! Why would you even think that it is!?"

Then again, to be fair, there were lots of movies and anime where the Earth got attacked!

If the Earth didn't get attacked, the story in those works would never begin!

"I see. However, I often hear stories about the Earth being attacked. Does that mean that there's lots of people with the desire to attack the Earth?"

"Don't put things like that! There's n.o.body with such a desire!"

"In that case, does that mean Earth-san has a strong desire to be attacked? I see, so those desires are played out for Earth-san in stuff like movies. Roger, it has been understood!"

"You think Earth-san's a M…?"

And, like that, we got swept up by the mood and started chatting.

"HEY! START CLEANING ALREADY!"

Rumour has it that she was the dance club's future president.

She was also the popularly-supported committee chairman in charge of our cla.s.s' program for this cultural festival.

She was the girl who boasts an overwhelming popularity with the boys of our cla.s.s.

Within our cla.s.s, she was the cla.s.s king - with a demon-like expression, Nibutani Shinka came by to reproach us.

Or to a.s.sault us.

We-we're going to get killed…!

I was trembling with fear to the point where I couldn't even let out my voice. Rikka, however, was undaunted, delivering a firm reply to Nibutani.

"Mori-sama, we were in the middle of a very important discussion. The discussion of Earth's future. Also, the discussion of our future together."

"You still weren't finished with that!?"

I was so surprised that my voice came out.

Or rather, what are you declaring so jovially, Rikksan!

No, wait, eh!? Hearing all that does makes me happy though!

"Pardon? Earth? There's no point worrying about something like that! When it'll explode it'll explode, and there's nothing that can be done about it! Now get to cleaning!"

"Grrr. Looks like it can't be helped, Yuuta. See you soon."

"Oh, okay. See you."

Parting with those words, Rikka trotted out of the cla.s.sroom to go clean diligently.

I was left behind. I could more or less foresee how things will develop from here on out, and it was scary…

Nibutani's facial expression towards me reminded me of a Hannya mask[1]. How did she become even scarier than before…?

"But aren't the two of you flirting a bit too much? Are you a, what's it called, an oranyan[2] when people are around?"

"What part of that conversation just then was us flirting!?"

It was only about the Earth! Moreover, that only flowed on from Rikka's outlandish conversation starter!

Also, what did you just say? That in public I was an oranyan? Looks like Nibutani's vocabulary was still as ancient as ever…

"Anyone who saw that conversation of yours would have thought that the two of you were flirting."

Supporting her arms with a broom, Nibutani stared at me with a normie-despising cold gaze, before letting out a deep "haaa".

Were things really to the point where you felt the need to sigh so exaggeratedly…?

It was merely a discussion about Earth.

"By the way, there's something I wanted to ask – it's about what Takanashi-san's up to. She's come up to me and said "I am still trying to master the dance, but for the time being I will practice at home, as I cannot make the dance rehearsals. Is permission granted?" What is that all about?"

"Why do you keep slipping impersonations in every now and then…"

Furthermore, her impersonations do seem to subtly resemble the real deal…

Then again, it may have just been the case that Rikka was easy to imitate.

"She was lending a bit of a hand to help out an uppercla.s.sman with her play. As a result, she ended up being the leading actress of the play. As expected, it's a problem, isn't it?"

"Mmm, not really. Takanashi-san: she's quite skilled. Even I was surprised by how good she was. It's not really a problem if she skips out on practice, since all she'll be doing is perfecting the dance even more. Still, why is she helping out with the play on such short notice?"

"Well, it's a long story."

"Hmm, is that so… Takanashi-san, she's changed a little," murmured Nibutani.

It seemed that those were her true thoughts.

It was rather surprising to be hearing those words from her.

"When I first met with her - I guess you could say that I had a few concerns about her, but it seems that she'll be fine now. Even without me rehabilitating her."

"You were still intending on rehabilitating her, huh…"

"Wasn't that obvious? However, if things turn sour - if she becomes Dark Takanashi-san - then her rehabilitation will commence straightaway."

"…"Dark Takanashi-san", huh. Right, guess from your perspective she's changing in a good way."

"Hmm? Yeah, I guess. It's only natural that I want to rehabilitate her, since it's irritating how she and Kazari keep pestering me with "Mori-sama Mori-sama"."

…Wow, really?

Does that really happen? I've never once seen it happen, but it's Rikka after all.  She's incredible.

"Still, it's just by a bit, but my way of thinking has changed."

"Way of thinking?"

"- I, if back then, if I too had someone like you, someone who would stay with me - maybe things like my dark history would have never occurred."

"…That's -"

"Just kidding! For the sake of maintaining White Takanashi-san, you need to keep being her wonderful boyfriend, Geruzoni."

"Eh?"

I was surprised by how normal that was.

It wasn't her words that surprised me, however - it was her smile. Nibutani… When did she become such a nice person? Maybe it was during summer vacation.

But when we met during the summer vacation, it didn't seem like she had changed.

"Hey, what's with the surprised face! It's making me mad. I'm geki oko-stic finaleality punpun dream[3] mad."

"…That choice of words is quite chuunibyou-ish."

It was like saying 'Eternal Force Blizzard'.

"Eh, really!? Ah… AH, I'm geki oko punpun maru mad!"

"It's too late to rephrase things in a cuter way."

"Drop dead!"

As she said that, Nibutani looked down at me in her usual s.a.d.i.s.tic att.i.tude.

I personally hated the m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.tic feeling I got from our exchanges, but, yeah, as expected, our exchange just doesn't feel right without it.

"Enough! You're a hinderance to cleaning, shoo!"

"Ahh, right. Sorry for interrupting. Oh, right, there's something that came to mind when you were extremely angry, and it's about the play - if you'd like, Nibutani, you should come and see the play. I'm also appearing it in."

"Geruzoni's taking part? Ahahahahahahahaha!"

Nibutani was bursting with laughter, with her hands on her belly.

For her to laugh so much… It seemed that for her, me acting was something laughable…

"I can see it already! You doing something like forgetting your lines halfway in and adding to your dark history! I'm looking forward to-!"

"Something like that won't happen! I'm quite confident in my acting skills: I play house everyday-"

And, as the words left my mouth, I realised what I accidently let slip out.

As per usual, I make mistakes when I talk with Nibutani.

Moreover, it wasn't just a careless mistake, it one of my biggest mistakes of my life. If a mistake like this happened in the workplace, I would be fired.

Naturally, when Nibutani heard my mistake, she didn't miss the chance to let loose her s.a.d.i.s.tic smile.

"Ohh? So you play house. Hmhm, what, are you pretending to be a newlywed?"

"You-you're wrong!"

"What is it then? Playing out a second marriage?"

"There's no such scenario in playing house like that!"

You know, when you put things like that, you're making it seem as if society views make-believe as a joke. I will definitely never forgive you for that. You need to be more romantic.

"Well, even if it was about you re-marrying, or about you pretending to be Saigou-san[4], or about whatever-"

"What the h.e.l.l's "pretending to be Saigou-san"!?"

"You're being so picky with every single thing! It's a big mistake if you think that it's a good idea to retort to everything!"

In response to my light retort, Nibutani blew up.

With a backhanded blow - it was my friend, the retort. It seems the chain of set-ups has been broken.

"AN.Y.WAY! Go away, shoo. Go loaf somewhere else."

You were the one who called out to me first… But if I actually said that, she'll unleash her s.a.d.i.s.tic side again, and so I decided to leave things at that.

"…Okay, sure. Well then, do your best with cleaning."

"Geruzoni too, with, well, the play. In hang there?"

After saying that, Nibutani turned her back towards me and started to clean.

With what seemed to be words of encouragement from Nibutani, I left the cla.s.sroom happy, thanking her for support in my heart.

◆

As soon as I left the cla.s.sroom, for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about how enjoyable that brief after-school exchange was.

Once I was able to leave both my regrets and the cla.s.sroom behind, I contemplated about dropping by cla.s.s 1-3 to invite Shichimiya to head to the club together with me. Unfortunately, however, Shichimiya was also on cleaning duty today.

Since the two of them were both busy, I had no choice but to traverse through the school building, which was becoming increasingly lively due to the after-school preparations for the cultural festival, by myself. I lightly jogged my way to the princ.i.p.al's office.

Given that I was alone today, unlike yesterday I arrived the princ.i.p.al's office right away.

I was now before the princ.i.p.al's office - like yesterday, it was dead silent here.

Since it's quite possible that the princ.i.p.al is here this time around, I took a few deep breaths.

- I'm ready.

I thought I was ready, but as it turns out, taking deep breaths did not help ease me at all. I was still rigid with nervousness when I knocked on the princ.i.p.al's door twice.

Due to my extreme nervousness, I made very loud knocks.

More importantly, however: what would be an appropriate first thing to say to the princ.i.p.al?

As I deliberated in my head as to whether the princ.i.p.al would understand if I introduced myself as a helper to the Eccentric Drama Club, a few seconds had pa.s.sed. There was no response from the room.

I opened the door and looked inside.

It seemed that all my worries were all for nothing, as the princ.i.p.al was absent from the office today as well.

And - just like yesterday, I was greeted by the same surreal sight.

In the princ.i.p.al's office by herself, k.u.min-senpai was sleeping, with drool hanging from her mouth.

Every time I first catch sight of her, this person's been asleep…

There was a point of difference from yesterday though, in terms of the pillow… Is that her personal pillow?

Either way, given how defenceless she was, I was a little worried that someone would come while she's asleep and attack her.

I contemplated about leaving her asleep, but it would be a problem for my sanity (not because I was on the verge of attacking her, but because I was worried about the drool) if she kept sleeping. I guess I should wake her up after all…

"Since you're asleep, sorry", I mentally apologised as I approached the defenceless k.u.min-senpai.

Wow, she's completely full of openings… S-she might as well be naked.

With thoughts like that entering my head, my mind was thrown into complete disarray.

Deep breaths…  Regaining my calmness, I adjusted my voice to match the same volume I had the last time I woke her up.

"Umm, there's drool hanging out."

…She didn't wake up.

It appears that she was in a much deeper sleep than last time.

Hmm, why was that the case?

Still, regardless of why, I couldn't leave her like this, and so I grabbed onto her shoulders lightly and shook her.

"Excuse me, pleeease wake up, you have drool hanging out from your mouth."

Seemingly in response to my shaking, k.u.min-senpai woke up, slowly raising her body as she let out "Kayy" in a half-awake voice.

As soon as she moved - I released my grip. This was a delicate situation, after all.

At the same time, k.u.min-senpai - who had prepared a handkerchief in her hand in advance - wiped off the drool from her face, before turning her face nimbly in my direction. She then blinked twice, as if to confirm the current situation.

Then, while staring at me with eyes still half-shut, she opened her mouth.

"…Was that just now an interplate earthquake? Or was it an intraplate earthquake?"

"Aren't you overreacting!? It was just a just a light jolt! Moreover, with the way you phrased that question, it doesn't sound like you believe that an earthquake had happened at all! Aren't you being too calm!?"

"…So, it wasn't an earthquake? …Zzz"

"No wait, please wait a minute! Please don't fall asleep again now that you're relieved!"

"Hehe, there's no need to worry. I was merely saying "zzz"."

"You were saying it after all!? Do you think that it's fine to say something like that in the middle of the conversation!?"

"Hehe, there's no need to worry. It was a set-up for a joke - I made a mistake, and so I pretended to be asleep[5]."

"Are you setting up for another joke!?"

Was this entire exchange a setup!?

That's amazing, k.u.min-senpai…!

She's only just gotten up, and yet she's already prepared the set-up for a joke… It was marvellous to the point where it made me want to repeat our exchange again.

But even though it was enjoyable - sigh.

Well, then again, I was just thinking how fun it was waking her up again. I'm low-key looking forward to doing this again, if there's a next time.

As k.u.min-senpai rubbed her eyes to wake herself up, I quietly took a seat.

I sat opposite of k.u.min-senpai. It's not like I could sit right next to her, after all.

"Yeah, I'm up, I'm up. Oodning."

"…A greeting that's not even seen in manga and novels!?"

Another setup!?

Is this too setting-up for joke!?

"Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I'm still a bit half-asleep. Good morning!"

As k.u.min-senpai said that, she stretched out her body, letting out an "Mmmm". She still looked quite sleepy. That "Mmmm" was pretty cute…

Moreover, although she's my uppercla.s.sman, she didn't look that much older than me. Her face when she's just woken up was quite cute too.

Although she had a short stature, her height wasn't short to the point where her figure could be described as childlike (in fact, her figure was the complete opposite of childlike). It was just her face - which, for some reason, reminded me of the elder younger sister -  that was extremely childlike. Although I've previously used this metaphor to describe someone else, there really was no better way to describe her appearance than "resembling a princess of a ruined country".

She felt like someone you had protect.

"Good morning, k.u.min-senpai. Um, I'm not sure if you want to hear this from an undercla.s.sman that you've just met, but… it's probably better for you to not be sleeping where you're so defenceless…"

"Hmm? Ah, you're worried about me! Thanks for the concern~. Since I can sleep anywhere, I do get careless. I'm usually fast asleep in the nurse's office though, so there's no need for you to be worried about me, kay~?"

… Ah, I see. So back then, it was also her.

But, back then, wasn't there - before I could finish my thought, k.u.min-senpai raised the thing that was on my mind herself.

"But, then again, it's not like the nurse's office is completely safe either. Once in a while, I get doodled on. It's annoying when Hideri-chan does that."

"Good grief," were what her shoulders seemed to say as she shrugged them.

I see, so it was Amaniji-senpai's handiwork.

Although the doodle was probably made with a non-permanent marker, I could still understand k.u.min-senpai's annoyance. It would have still been embarra.s.sing to be walking around without realising that there was that on her forehead.

Looks like I was right to leave a mirror for her back then.

"I think I saw something like that during one of the times I visited the nurse's office: was that Amaniji-senpai's handiwork? It is Amaniji-senpai-like to write something troublesome like 'demon' on someone's forehead…"

"Eeeh, you saw that? Oof, how embarra.s.sing."

k.u.min-senpai didn't seem embarra.s.sed as all as she held her forehead.

It may have been the case that she actually was embarra.s.sed since she got a little red in the face. Still, as she wasn't panicking or anything, it was a little hard to tell.

She appeared a bit too relaxed.

"Hideri-chan tells me that my looks aren't very amusing; when she can she'll doodle on my face when I'm asleep. Me, am I really that dull? What do you think, Yuu-chan?"

…What a difficult question to answer.

If she was going to be pleased it, I'd be happy to tell her that her looks were amusing. Still, when you think about it, people aren't normally pleased to hear that they look amusing….

Then again, judging from her words just now, it seems that she's worried about not being amusing. Perhaps telling her that she's amusing is the right thing to do.

"Er, well, I guess it's a little amusing…"

"Eh? Yuu-chan, that's horrible, Yuu-chan: I'm on the verge of tears here."

It was a trap.

I was called horrible…! However, I had countermeasures planned out for something like this!

"No, what I meant by that was that it you shouldn't worry, since it's only a little amusing."

"Eh!? That's horrible! Me, I am amusing!"

It was a double-layered trap.

How formidable…! Still, I was only limiting it to her looks when I called her amusing - rather than about her looks, it seems her intention was to create the setup for the joke; to come and deliver that punchline… As expected, she really is a strange person.

Guess in that sense, it's no wonder that she gets along with Amaniji-senpai so well.

"By the way, k.u.min-senpai, I'm a bit curious - why are you in this club?"

"Heh heh, it's because I'm Hideri-chan's best friend!"

k.u.min-senpai answered with her chest full of pride.

To k.u.min-senpai, this apparently was something to be proud of.

"Hideri-chan doesn't have any other friends. That's why I'm her best friend!"

"Don't say something so cruel so nonchalantly!"

"Huh? But I don't think that's a terrible thing, having only a few friends. I too don't have many either."

k.u.min-senpai gave me a gentle smile.

That's true, I thought.

I wasn't proud of the fact that the number of friends I had could be counted with both hands, but I wasn't overly pessimistic about it either.

k.u.min-senpai - she gave off a frivolous impression, but it very well may be the case that this girl, at her core, was a strong-hearted person.

"…You're right. I'm sorry for saying something like that…"

"Ah, there's no need for you to apologise, Yuu-chan.  It's unprecedented how difficult Hideri-chan is!"

I didn't point it out, but the nonchalant way that it was phrased was extremely cruel.

Then again, in my eyes, Amaniji-senpai really was a rather unprecedented person in various ways.

She was a strange, distinctive, different, eccentric, unique, and peculiar person.

"Hideri-chan is, well, like you see, very individualistic - but I like that part of her very much~. She's the world's number one Hideri-chan."

"The world's number one Hideri-chan."

I tried repeating it, but it still didn't make much sense.

Perhaps what she's trying to say was that the only Amaniji-senpai-like person was Amaniji-senpai.

It is said that there are three other people in the world who resemble you, but that's definitely not the case for her. I'm doubtful as to whether a doppelganger can even exist for her.

"Either way, it's fun being together with Hideri-chan, and so I joined the same club as her. I'm not very good at stuff like acting though~."

"Haha, she's certainly not a person that you'd get tired of."

"Eeeh, is that so? Well then, I'll turn the same question to you then: what made you want to help out this strange club, Yuu-chan?"

"Strange… Err, well, it's - it was because Amaniji-senpai was troubled before my eyes."

When it comes down to it, my reason for helping was simple - it reached me. That hidden, earnest side of Amaniji-senpai.

The things she told me yesterday - it was the reason why I had to help Amaniji-senpai out.

I wanted to help her out. Her feelings had definitely reached me.

In addition, I wasn't sure why, but I was both curious and anxious about Amaniji-senpai's circ.u.mstances.

Perhaps - her circ.u.mstances had resonated within me somewhere.

"I see, it's because Yuu-chan is very kind~. Surely you're Mr. Popular~. Hehehe, alright, now let's talk about love[6] for a bit."

"Koi?"

I tilted my head upon hearing that unexpected mysterious word.

Did she want to talk about carp?

"While it's true that I do love to sleep with a Slyly[7] plush body pillow, and that I did want to talk about carp - I wanted to talk not about koi, but love!"

k.u.min-senpai was mad. She leaned forward in anger.

Wh-what a strange, entrancing sensation.

The gentle k.u.min-senpai getting mad - what a feeling of ecstasy!

…Well, see, even though I couldn't help but have thoughts like that, it didn't mean that I suddenly mutated into a pervert. I was just so surprised to the extent that it made me think things like that.

Please don't misunderstand; I'm not like that at all.

"Well, I guess boys do play dumb when it comes to the word called love~."

"No, that's not the case at all. Even men love talking about love. In fact, men are nothing but enthusiastic when it comes to talking about love."

"Excellent. Girls too also nothing but enthusiastic when it comes to talking about love. Especially when it's about someone else."

"I see. Everyone wants to be in love! Hmm? I seem to have heard something strange added there at the end…"

Yeah, it appears I'm getting a little caught up by the mood. I feel willing to talk about anything right now!

Hrm, it seems that her being mad just now triggered Ecstasy Mode in me.

Henceforth, a new setting for me, Yuuta (Ecstasy Mode), which triggers when k.u.min-senpai gets mad, has been established! The use of this mode from now onwards, however, is forbidden.

k.u.min-senpai also noticed that I had entered this state. She made a serious-looking face and stared right into my eyes.

"Well then, let us begin our talk about love."

"Go ahead."

"Rikkchan, Satone-chan, Hideri-chan, and me: who do you like out of us four, Yuu-chan?"

"Rikka!", I declared definitively.

There was no hesitation behind my response. This is the power of Ecstasy Mode!

…This person, what is she making me say all of a sudden!?

"Reject, I got rejected…"

"Ah, no, that's… Err, well, see, me, I'm currently going out with Rikka, and so that's why…  umm… so it's not that I hate you, k.u.min-senpai, and of course not Shichimiya or Amaniji-senpai either…"

"What!?"

"You didn't know!?"

"It's the first I've heard of this. Is that so, I didn't know."

It seemed that this was a revelation for her. Since Amaniji-senpai knew, I thought for sure that k.u.min-senpai also knew, but it seems that wasn't the case.

Normally, you wouldn't know about the relationship status of your undercla.s.sman… Only now did that thought cross my mind.

Then again, it's not like it's going to troublesome if she knows, so as long as she's fine with learning about my relationship with Rikka only now, there shouldn't be any problems.

"I see~. Now then, have you kissed?"

k.u.min-senpai had a huge grin as she asked me that strange question.

She was like an annoying uncle…

Unfortunately, it seems that my time in Ecstasy Mode has come into an end. It seems that I can only remain transformed for three minutes. From now onwards, I'm my normal self.

"There's no need to be embarra.s.sed, Yuu-chan. Isn't it something that everyone can do~?"

"While it is something everyone can do, your question is unfortunately one I cannot answer."

I'm invoking my right to remain silent. Even if what she was telling me was true, there's no need for her to know.

"I haven't done it~."

"Were you expecting me to speak up about my own experience since you were frank about yours!?"

"Hideri-chan hasn't either~."

"Even if you're frank about someone else experience, the answer's still no!"

It was revealed without permission too.

Poor Amaniji-senpai.

"Hmm, to not playing along and lay bare your heart: you're heartless, Yuu-chan[8]."

"Even a nonchalantly delivered bad pun won't help. I have no desire to be sympathetic to such an appeal."

"Well, whatever. There's a scene in the play where Cinderella and the Prince kisses, so I can see for myself whether you have kissed before then~."

"There's a scene like that!?

But yesterday, I checked over the script, and there wasn't such a scene present!?

As I was quickly working myself up into a panic, k.u.min-senpai - who had a large grin on her face - placed the script on the table. The script was flipped open to the page with the scene in question.

"Here, at the very end. There's a heart, right? That's the scene."

"W-wh-why is the only scene that borrows from the setting of the original Cinderella the ending!? N-no, no way! Besides, what's to say that the heart signifies a k-kiss…!"

I was in such a state of turmoil that I started quivering. I was fumbling my words too.

Eh!? Wait, you were being serious!?

"It's a kiss~."

k.u.min-senpai made that remark definitively, unimpeded by my inner turmoil.

Her complete lack of hesitation in making that remark - or you could say, in talking about someone else's affairs[9] - helped me to come back to my senses.

For the time being, let's put the subject of whether I've missed - d.a.m.n it, I'm still shaken.

Let's put the subject of whether I've kissed on hold for now.

"Well, it's fine, isn't it? Since you're going out with her. Honestly though, I'd would have been fine with two girls sharing a pa.s.sionate kiss~."

"Just because there is a large demand for such a thing, it -"

As I was in the middle of my sentence, I remembered.

I remembered - the story from yesterday.

"What's wrong, Yuu-chan? Your face is all tensed up. Do you find girls kissing disgusting?"

As usual, my face was quite honest with how I was feeling.

Her secret… Maybe it would be better for me to come out and talk about it, since I wasn't able to hide it.

"No, that's not what I meant at all - I'm sorry for being unclear… Yesterday, I heard… I heard a little about your uppercla.s.sman… and so I… or rather, for me to do that…"

"Ah, did you hear it from Hideri-chan? Right, right, Catgirl-senpai was the person who was meant to take Hideri-chan's first kiss. In other words, what you're trying to say, Yuu-chan's, is that you've stolen Hideri-chan's first kiss."

"No, that not what I meant at all!?"

With my choice of words, I was just begging to be misunderstood.

Plus, since I said it all with a serious face, it probably further added to the misunderstanding.

"Ahaha, it was a joke~. Did it cheer you up?"

"No, it didn't - but thank you for trying."

Ah, to be honest right now… I was feeling miserable.

I made someone worry about me once again.

However, like before, the kindness of these uppercla.s.smen - it really saved me.

"Still, for Yuu-chan to speak of Catgirl-senpai, Hideri-chan must have said something."

"That's right, but I was the one who asked her about it."

"I see~.  Since she can't meet with senpai anymore, Hideri-chan - she hasn't talked about senpai in forever."

"Ah -"

I didn't know what it was that I originally wanted to say, but I wasn't able to say anything else.

Noticing my predicament, k.u.min-senpai gave a gentle smile.

"There's no need to worry. Even if they are unable to meet, senpai will live on in Hideri-chan's heart for all of eternity. Hehe, in fact I think that good thing that Hideri-chan has told you about her. I'm sure that Hideri-chan's told you about senpai since she's really fond of you, Yuu-chan."

"That's… that's wrong, I forced -"

"You really are Mr. Worry, Yuu-chan. Normally - even when forcing her - if she didn't want to talk about it, then she wouldn't have said anything about it at all. Not to say that Hideri-chan is normal, but - to Hideri-chan, Catgirl-senpai is 'special'."

"…Special."

"She's such a child, that Hideri-chan."

As she said that, k.u.min-senpai nodded her head as if to agree with herself.

Special to Amaniji-senpai, huh?

It sounded like she was a very special person.

I was extremely curious as to the type of person that Catgirl-senpai was. However, it didn't seem right for me to enquire and hear about her any further. Just when I was about to change the subject -

"Do you want to hear an amusing story about Hideri-chan and Catgirl-senpai?"

k.u.min-senpai said that. Moreover, she continued:

"Are you interested?"

"You've raised quite the high bar…"

"Ahaha, it's because you've told me that you know about Catgirl-senpai. I was wondered if you wanted to hear a bit more about her~."

"…Err, in that case, please go ahead."

"Yay! You see, Hideri-chan, she seriously admires Catgirl-senpai - she admires her so much that one time, she came to school wearing a cat costume, and said things like "We've become Catgirl-senpai". The teachers got so mad at her, they made her write an apology letter! Well? Amusing, wasn't it~?"

As a result of the bar being set so high, it was questionable as to whether I could say that story was amusing: rather, it just seemed like a very Amaniji-senpai-like thing for her to do.

She's someone who goes out of their way to be extraordinary.

At any rate, Amaniji-senpai… Is it that you're fond of mascot costumes?

Rather, for that to be deemed against the rules even at our school… looks like I was mistaken in my belief that at our school, anything goes.

"Huh, was that not amusing to you? Ri-right, this next one will definitely be amusing!"

"No, it's not that it wasn't amusing, but rather… the bar you've set -"

"Wait, let me tell one more! If this one isn't amusing, I'll give you my pillow!"

"You're setting the bar even higher!?"

k.u.min-senpai's honestly incredible.

Normally, you'd be begging for the bar to not be set any higher.

I wonder if this too was due to her airheadedness… looks like every member of the Eccentric Drama Club is extraordinary!

"Umm, let's see, Catgirl-senpai really was a bit strange. Speaking of her being strange, she was a strange person in that she was always wearing cat ears -"

k.u.min-senpai began to reminisce about Catgirl-senpai slowly.

You could tell that she missed Catgirl-senpai.

Since there's this nostalgic mood, I'm deeply sorry for this, but I couldn't resist. My bad habit - the need to retort to everything - showed itself.

"Eh!? At this school, wearing cat ears is fine!?"

"Ahaha, but you see, Catgirl-senpai only wore them during club activities. She really was a peculiar uppercla.s.sman. She would say stuff like "It's my ident.i.ty! Heh heh heh, since this is the Eccentric Drama Club, I must show off my individuality!""

"Ah, so it was only during club activities… Sorry, I just…"

"However, it was probably also fine if she wore them all the time too. There was even a period of time where the princ.i.p.al mimicked her~."

Really, that princ.i.p.al. Nothing's out of bounds for that person.

Hearing this made me really want to know the reason why mascot costumes were deemed as against the school rules.

"Yeah, so that was the sort of person she was. A person who cherished having great individuality. And a person who's always doing strange things. Like adding strange menu options to the school's cafeteria asking the cafeteria staff to make it, or like conducting after-school lessons despite not being a teacher. She was a third-year student, and yet she gave off the impression that she was set for the university entrance exams."

"…She sounds like a really amazing uppercla.s.sman."

"Yep, that's right. She was an amazing uppercla.s.sman. And a funny uppercla.s.sman. A wonderfully kind uppercla.s.sman too. Hideri-chan and I were the only other club members back then - first years who still didn't know their left from their right. Even so, she still taught us all sorts of different things. In fact, the current play is also related to Catgirl-senpai -"

"I've already heard about all this from Amaniji-senpai. It's why - why she wanted to perform the play no matter what, right?"

"Oh, you've already heard all this before? It's rather unusual though, for Hideri-chan to be talking about this. That's right - it was actually the script for the play we were meant to perform at last year's cultural festival, but Catgirl-senpai hurt herself. As a result, this play was meant to be shelved, but Hideri-chan - see, she wanted to make this make sure that this was the club's last play at all costs."

"…Is that so?"

"Hideri-chan - even now, she has almost no interest in anything but "strange people", right? That's why, I'm of the belief that she earnestly reveres the things that Catgirl-senpai had left behind. This play too is no exception -this script, I wonder if senpai wanted for it to be performed as a guerrilla play?"

For no more than a brief moment, k.u.min-senpai looked towards the skies as she spoke. Her eyes appeared to be looking at the distant past.

It seemed that a great deal of Amaniji-senpai's feelings were also contained in k.u.min-senpai's words just now.

These earnest feelings- they've reached me now.

That's why.

In response to these thoughts - I couldn't reject them out of hand. It was impossible. I couldn't ignore them.

The feelings of k.u.min-senpai, and the person called Catgirl-senpai - I didn't want for their wishes to not be met.

However, it might just be my own selfishness that's making me feel this way.

Unconsciously, I -

"The guerrilla aspect about this play too - you want that be a success, right?"

- let that slip out.

It really was done unconsciously.

I was still hesitant about its guerrilla nature, which might have been an annoyance for her - if she got mad, I'll apologise to her by prostrating myself.

"That's right, and so everyone will need to work hard~! Ahaha, sorry, I was supposed to be telling you an amusing story, but instead I told a memorable one. Guess I'll have to give Yuu-chan my pillow…"

"It's fine, there's no need for that. It was an amusing story. So that was the sort of person your uppercla.s.sman. Still, wasn't the script that she had had in mind really unreasonable? The club only had three members, and yet the script had five main roles."

"Right? However, it's persuasive when she says stuff like: "Aren't things more interesting when you're given lots of roles? It's impossible for the leading actress to have another role though, as she's on the stage the entire time." Incidentally, I originally also had the 'Lord of Witches' role~. Although it was sad to have been dropped from the role, I'm still full of spirit! "

"That's not the sort of line the Witch of Cinderella would say."

It was as out of place as if a witch gotten on a deck brush.

Still, if she really did say such strange and compelling words, I could see how they got convinced.

I could sort of understand why Amanij-senpai admired her.

"But, I do think that it's more interesting to be able to work together with Yuu-chan and friends~. With more people, there'll be a lot more individuality. That's why I'm so glad that you guys are helping out~!"

"Hearing something like that, it makes me -"

Right when I started to say something -

BAM! It was the sound of the door opening.

Turning my eyes towards the door, there happened to be three people there - Rikka, Shichimiya, and Amaniji-senpai entered the princ.i.p.al's office together, stating in unison "delayed due to cleaning duty!"

The three of them were getting along quite well. Incidentally, only Rikka was 'delayed due to cleaning duty'.

With their arrival, all the members of the Eccentric Drama Club have now gathered.

…Now what do I say?

It's rather uplifting to have everyone present.

I'm probably feeling this way largely as a result of having just spoken with k.u.min-senpai about the circ.u.mstances surrounding the play.

At first only wanted to help her out little by little, but now it's different.

Now - I too want for this play to be a complete success.

That's what I'll say.

And so I said it. Earnestly. Sincerely.

"Amaniji-senpai! Me, I'll give it my absolute all with the play! Even the guerrilla aspect of it, let's do it and shock everybody with it!"

Amaniji-senpai was completely dumbfounded, with eyes turning into dots from surprise as I added at the end, "Let's give it our all with practice!" She then grinned, and -

"It's so like you, Yuu-chan, for you to surprise us! However, it's normal to practice normally! As such, we'll never do something like the usual full run-through to practice! The play will be more interesting if it's performed with no rehearsals! Ah, but please do properly memorise all the dialogue and the flow of events! That's all for today! Now then, let's all have lunch together!"

- announced all that.

This time, it was my turn for my eyes to become dots.

"Give my determination back to meeeeeeee!!!"

I couldn't help but scream.

[1] A mask in Noh theatre (which is a major form of cla.s.sical j.a.panese musical drama) that represents a jealous female demon.

[2] An oranyan (オラニャン) is a male who's cold to almost everyone but sweet to the girl he loves.

[3] This string of nonsensical words, along with the following "geki oko punpun maru" is meant to be gyaru talk for being mad. Out of the 6 stages, 'geki oko-stic finaleality punpun dream' is the most mad, while 'geki oko punpun maru' (which also sounds less ridiculous) is only the fourth-most mad.

[4] Potentially referring to Tanomo Saigou, a famous j.a.panese samurai. Yuuta did mention he wanted to be a samurai.

[5] I didn't have a good way of translating this pun. One way of interpreting the original sentence, ネタ振り――間違えた、寝たふりだから, is that k.u.min was making setting up for a joke (ネタ振り) and so she pretended to fall asleep (寝たふりだから) after making a mistake (間違えた). The pun here is that the two phrasesネタ振りand 寝たふり are read in the same way (netafuri). However, ふりis 振りin hiragana, which, in this case, means either to pretend or to lead in (a joke), meaning that another way of interpreting this sentence is: "I pretended to joke - whoops, I mean, I pretended to be asleep."

[6] Love (こい, koi) shares the same p.r.o.nunciation as koi, a type of carp.

[7] One of the two mascots for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team.

[8] Literally translated, the sentence is: "Hmm, to not playing along and confess: you're heartless, Yuu-chan." The original pun here was between the words白状し (meaning to confess) and 薄情 (meaning heartless), as they are both p.r.o.nounced はくじょう (hakujō).

[9] An untranslatable pun. Here, Yuuta makes the connection between the word remark (一言) and the phrase someone else's affairs (他人事), as they are both share similar p.r.o.nunciations (ひとこと [hitokoto] and ひとごと[hitogoto]).