OreShura: Volume 2 Chapter 9

#9: The Gray World Split Apart is Mayhem

A few days after that, it was Sunday afternoon.

Although it was a rare day off at school, we of ｢Jien-Otsu｣ were ordered to clean the school’s swimming pool, otherwise known as punishment by labor. While exposed to the intense sunlight during the height of summer, we brushed the deck and the pool drained of water; this bitterness was enough to make me want to curse all the world’s living things.

"Why does a waterless swimming pool exist in this world? We obviously don’t need it."

Chiwa resting her chin against the handle of her brush muttered nonsense to herself.

"Even swimming pools with water have no reason to exist in this world."

Masuzu indifferently moved her brush.

The two of them wore their gym clothes, and because of their sweat it stuck to their skin… As a result the outline of their underwear was visible. It made me unsure of where to look.

Incidentally, we did not ask Hime to come. If she got heatstroke working in this hot weather, it would be bad.

"Ah --- Do you mean, Natsukawa is useless?"

"You’re quite rude. I can swim."

"But before you almost drowned, right? How can you drown at a depth where your feet can touch the bottom of the pool? Why don’t you tell me the details?"

Having identified her enemy’s weakness, Chihuahua-san, unable to contain her joy, drew closer to Masuzu, but ---

"I refuse. To compensate, should I describe to you the flavor of Eita-kun’s lips?"

Chiwa was wounded by the response, and the corner of her mouth trembled for a moment.

Thousand and was sharply riposte, mouth shaking a bit.

Then, for reasons I didn’t understand, she stared at me and said,

"Ei-kun, you’re about to drown! I’ll give you artificial respiration to eliminate the memory of this bitch!"

"Wouldn’t it be better if Harusaki drowned? That way, I’ll give you artificial respiration, so that way you can have an indirect kiss with Eita-kun. You’d be happy, right?"

--- They were really at their wits’ end.

I tried to clean far away from the sparks and flames shooting out from the two of them. If I were caught in it, it would be unbearable. But even though Masuzu said that she’d ｢forget about the artificial respiration business｣, she let herself be provoked by Chiwa. I couldn’t understand why.

After we cleared the bottom of the pool filled with filth, a black limousine pulled into the parking lot as we sprinkled the side of the pool with a hose.

Just as I was thinking that I had seen that somewhere before ---

"Hi --- Nii-san ♪"

Natsukawa Mana showed up.

Masuzu’s little sister shook her blond hair and got off the limousine. Her bodyguard dressed in black also got off from the driver’s seat, and followed from the side.

"......You again?"

I firmly stared at her from the pool deck, very much wanting to spray her with the water hose. Because this girl kissed me and caused so much trouble for me.

Mana condescendingly returned the stare,

"It looks you made up with Suzu. How boring, especially after all my trouble to start some chaos."

"Mana, what are you doing here?"

Masuzu spoke, with her face stiff and body frozen next to me.

"This is my school, and I don’t want you to take one step in here."

"Such a rude greeting, even though I particularly came here to apologize."

"Apologize?"

As Masuzu and I tilted our heads, puzzled, Chiwa finally returned from putting away the deck brushes.

"That’s weird. Ei-kun, who is that girl?"

At that moment, Mana gave out a ｢Wahh- ♪｣

"Is this girl Harusaki Chihuahua? Huh --- she’s quite cute."

This girl even knows about Chiwa?

When she said she even knew ｢the headmaster of Suzu’s school｣, she wasn’t lying? Perhaps she even found out that we would be at the swimming pool today through that means.

"So, Nii-san must be really popular, with this girl in one arm while holding Suzu in the other---"

Chiwa stared at her intently, feeling quite uncomfortable.

Masuzu spoke in an irritated voice,

"Get to the point. What are you apologizing about?"

"Ah, well ......"

Mana deliberately clapped her hands together as if pretending to beg forgiveness from Masuzu:

"You know that time I said I’d take care of things with Dad? It was no good. ♪ Dad got extremely angry, and I couldn’t do anything about it."

Masuzu’s expression visibly froze.

"He wants you to go home right now, and he doesn’t want you to wait until the end of the semester. If you don’t, he said he’d even go directly to your apartment and drag you back."

"No!"

Unexpectedly, Masuzu cried out in an emotional voice.

"My apartment is the only thing I don’t want him to touch! I absolutely don’t want that person to come!"

"If that’s the case, you can only listen obediently, right?"

A triumphant smile emerged on Mana’s face.

"I’ll arrange your luggage and so forth, so Suzu-chan can just go home. If you don’t leave by tomorrow or the day after...... well I can’t say for sure what will happen, hm?"

Masuzu did not respond.

Masuzu was sweating so much it seemed like a lie, and she shivered slightly.

"Nii-san, why don’t you use this to throw a goodbye party for Suzu?"

Mana took a purse from the man dressed in black, and grabbed a ten thousand yen banknote and stuffed it inside the fence of the swimming pool. Even if she was a stupid middle school student, she was rich.

"I don’t want it, take it back."

"Really? It’s better to turn down gifts of money. Is that how your aunt raised you?"

"......Why do you even know about that?"

"Haven’t I said it already? I have investigated. Everything."

Mana tored apart the ten thousand yen bill into shreds, and let it be scattered by the wind.

The man wearing black opened the door, and Mana got into the limousine.

"So, to each of you young maidens in the club, farewell---"

Mana waved her hands like a naïve child and left.

......Damn, she really did what she wanted.

Chiwa watched the taillights of the limousine and said,

"What?! That girl is so arrogant! Does Natsukawa know her?"

"That girl is Masuzu’s little sister."

"S-sister? Really? But their hair color isn’t the same!"

Although I was also curious about this, I didn’t want to ask Masuzu, so I could only ignore it. My best guess is that they didn’t share the same mother or father, and perhaps they had a very complicated family.

Even at this point Masuzu still had her head bent down, wordless.

"What are you going to do, Masuzu?"

"......I can only go back. Go back home."

"Ah, there’s nothing you can do about it, right? Since your father even said it to that extent… at least it’s almost summer vacation."

Chiwa probably still did not understand the situation.

She thought that ｢go home｣ meant ｢visiting relatives｣.

I was afraid that ---

"Where is Natsukawa’s family from? Kanto? Northeast? It can’t be Hokkaido?"

"From Sweden."

"............"

Chiwa was stunned.

"I'm afraid I might never come back to Japan."

"Really?"

Masuzu did not meet my eyes, as she nodded slightly.

Then, she suddenly spoke out in a refreshed voice,

"Ah --- it looks like my relationship with Eita-kun will end here. I can’t try to maintain a long-distance relationship while separated by an ocean. Although our time together was short, I was very happy to be together with you."

"......"

Only Chiwa was speechless. As for me, this was not so surprising.

Because, after all, I was fake.

If she dropped out of school, the ｢boyfriend contract｣ didn’t make any sense.

For me, it was pretty much my wish fulfilled. Without a ｢girlfriend｣, I would be able to return to my previous life. This excessive mayhem was finally coming to an end.

But......

"Do you think this is okay?"

"After all, I’m not the kind of person to get sentimental about the past. Since I’m going to leave this school, I don’t intend to prolong my relationship with you."

Masuzu’s cold indifference was astonishing.

"Eita-kun, dump me right now."

"......"

"Heh, I knew it would be impossible for Eita-kun."

Masuzu exposed a slightly lonely smile, and said,

"Then let me do it...... I'm tired of you, I hate you, and I don’t even want to see your face. I will return you to your childhood friend, and ask both of you to be happy. When the two of you have your wedding --- don’t bother looking for me, I don’t care."

"Ei-kun was mine in the first place."

Chiwa, who had been silent the entire time, whispered resolutely.

"I don’t remember when I gave him to you. From the beginning, I didn’t intend to invite you to the wedding."

This was beginning to turn quite extraordinary, but now was not the time to tsukkomi.

Chiwa glared at Masuzu and said,

"Why are you giving up so easily? What did you just tell me? Weren’t you going to tell me what Ei-kun’s l-l-l-l-lips tasted like? Even if it was just artificial respiration, you had such an arrogant expression. You aren’t attached to the past? Who do you think you are? It’s really pitiful for Ei-kun! More importantly, it’s pitiful to me! Just because you showed up, I..."

I patted the speechless Chiwa on the back.

"Masuzu, I think you misunderstood."

"......Misunderstood what?"

"When I asked, ｢Do you think this is okay?｣ I wasn’t talking about myself. I was talking about the young maiden’s club, and Hime’s business."

Masuzu’s icy expression was obviously shaken.

"The person who proposed to let Hime join the club was you, right? The person who gave her the assignment was also you, and she’s taking it very seriously. Even though she is surrounded by electric waves, is extremely shy, and lacks a model for communication skills, she’s taking a new step out despite her worries to attempt ｢club activities｣. And you, who suggested this is going to run away?"

"I can’t do anything about it."

Masuzu just said that one phrase.

"That man will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. If I don’t go back, I don’t know what means he’ll use, perhaps even hurt you all. Mana said it already. He already knows about my situation at school here."

When Masuzu said ｢that man｣, she probably meant her father.

"Then what?"

"There is no, ｢then what｣, so ---"

"Then what do you want?"

Masuzu distinctly gasped.

"What do you want? Natsukawa Masuzu, do you want to stay here? Or do you not want to stay?"

"......I don’t have the power to choose."

"You bastard!"

I didn’t ask you this!

I don’t want to hear you say that kind of thing.

Do you want to stay here, or do you not want to stay? That’s all I asked.

If you say, ｢I want to stay here｣, then......

I will… we will---

"Ei-kun, let’s go?"

Chiwa ignored Masuzu with her head down, and pulled on my arm.

"Do not worry about her, okay? Hey! Today I want to eat a hamburger steak. Make it for me, Ei-kun. We can go shopping at ｢Wonder｣ and then go back."

I reluctantly nodded.

I grabbed my bag hanging on the wall, and walked out with Chiwa.

While I was leaving the pool, I only looked back once.

As the sunlight began to tinge orange, it illuminated Masuzu’s pale profile.

"Hey, Masuzu!"

I shouted to her.

"E-even if you go back, at least collect Hime’s assignment! Can you do that at the very least? Hey, Masuzu---"

"Hey, Ei-kun, let’s go!"

Chiwa kept pulling my hand away.

Masuzu.

My ｢girlfriend｣ was getting farther and farther away from me.

♦

I was eating dinner with Chiwa.

With a huge hamburger steak as the main dish, Chiwa refilled her big bowl of rice three times. Since she normally only eats three small bowls of rice, she was approaching nearly twice her usual. Although she must have been hungry from cleaning the pool, this amount of food was simply too frightening.

"I’m so angry --- angry, angry! Rawr!"

Chiwa whined while she crunched and snapped at a mixed carrot dish. And what was the meaning of that rawr? It wasn’t cute at all.

"Why are you so angry?"

"What? --- Ei-kun isn’t angry? Natsukawa’s attitude is really unbelievable! Even if her parents ordered it, why is she suddenly breaking up?! Really! Really!"

She turned into a cow again, which definitely was not cute.

"No, for me, it’s not that I’m angry......"

It’s a lonely feeling.

If Masuzu were upset or resisted it all, then I would try to do something.

But since she gave up, it made me feel lonely.

It felt like I was rejected.

Our relationship as ｢Fake Lovers｣ only went to that degree.

"I’m more surprised that you’re angry."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because your natural predator Masuzu is going to disappear. I thought you would definitely be happy."

Chiwa drank her barley tea in one gulp, and slammed the drinking glass on the table.

"You, Ei-kun. You know my personality."

"Personality?"

"If I don’t have a rival, I can’t get fired up! That’s because my goal is to become someone more popular than Natsukawa! If she slips away after beating me, that’s what I can’t accept."

"......I see."

Right.

Chiwa was that kind of straightforward person.

"Even though I hate Natsukawa, I still like our ｢Young Maidens Club｣. After all this trouble, she leaves just when we’re about to get more members. She’s really too irresponsible, too headstrong!"

"Aren’t you against Hime joining the club?"

"............I used to be against it."

Chiwa’s momentum suddenly disappeared, and she looked down.

"Because that girl always sticks to Ei-kun’s side, and said stuff like ｢it’s vulgar to be popular｣. If her only goal is Ei-kun, I originally did not want her to join our club, but......"

Chiwa took out her cellphone from her pocket, and placed the screen in front of me.

"Woo, wuahh!"

I couldn’t help but let out a sound.

Displayed on the screen is "guh!" the face of Hime rolling her eyes.

Bloodshot eyes.

Saliva dribbled from the corner of her mouth.

I think this must have been a mental breakdown......

"This one too. Look, and then this."

Every time Chiwa pushed the buttom, the image switched, and each one was of Hime rolling her eyes.

"What is this? You wanted to get pictures of supernatural things?"

"This was practice for looking up with the eyes."

"Eh?"

"Hime-chan used a digital camera to take pictures of the entire drill of looking up with the eyes, one hundred times."

Now that you mention it, Chiwa was the one who previously advocated that Hime should undergo ｢basic training｣.

I didn’t think Hime would actually do it......

"Last night, she sent a lot of texts to my phone. The subject was, ｢Eyes Really Tired｣. Once I saw her perseverance, who could oppose it?"

"I see."

Hime really intended to become more courageous.

Maybe this is what she meant by the first step that could ｢split apart the gray-colored world｣.

"Let’s talk to Masuzu again at the club room."

I mumbled to myself.

If ｢Jien-Otsu｣ ended in this kind of way, it didn’t matter if it was Hime or Chiwa or --- of course, me --- our hearts would not be happy.

Even if Masuzu intended to leave, I had to settle this uncomfortable mood.

"I won’t go."

Chiwa shut up as she chewed the last piece of hamburger steak, and turned away.

"Tomorrow our class is having a party to celebrate the end of exams, and everyone’s going to a barbecue buffet. I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time."

"Well, leave it to me then."

Right.

Even if it was for this totally un-cute ｢childhood friend｣, I had to try to get Masuzu to stay.

♦

The next day, Monday.

As expected, Masuzu did not come to school.

The class rep claimed she was cutting classes… so did she intend to drop out of school?

Based on yesterday’s conversation at the pool, Masuzu was going to leave today or tomorrow, but she’d probably return to the clubroom once, since her first edition set of ｢JOJO｣ was still here. Although she had another set at home, she would definitely be back to get it. Even if she was the kind of woman whose actions and thoughts were impossible to guess, I could only have confidence in her love for JOJO.

As soon as the school bell rang, I ran to the club room, but Hime was already waiting inside. Like always, she got there early. Don’t tell me she could actually leap across space?

Hime scurried to my side and said,

"Eita, I finished it. ｢The Ideal Maiden｣"

"Oh! You’re finally done?"

Hime hugged her notebook tightly to her chest and nodded. Even though she still wore a poker face, what was really pitiful was her nose ｢Gururru｣-ing up, exposing how satisfied she was with herself.

"Where is it? Let me look."

Seeing my hand extend towards her notebook, Hime quickly retreated backwards with her face flushed.

"N-n-no, let’s wait until the club president is here."

This time she was clearly embarrassed. When we just met, I thought this girl was an alien, but recently she has been full of rather rich expressions.

Then ---

"Wha---? Don’t say that, let me see~"

Thinking it was Masuzu’s voice, I turned my head back to find --- next to the door that I forgot to close, there was a young maiden of blond hair and blue eyes, and next to her a bald man in a black suit wearing sunglasses.

Natsukawa Mana.

In the end, she even turned up at our club room!

"Hey, let me see that notebook! I’m very interested in Suzu’s club activities, and I want to investigate what kind of things you do to report back to dad.

Mana entered the club room, and snatched the notebook right from the hands of frightened Hime.

"Stop! Give it back to her!"

When I was about to grab Mana, the man in the black suit stepped in, and I was instantly swept and pinned to the ground.

"St-stop ......"

Barely able to breath, I was nearly overwhelmed by the weight the of man in the black suite riding my back, when I shouted,

"Hime spent all of her effort writing that notebook! Give it back to her!"

"Oh wow, really? I want to read it even more now ♪"

Mana sneered while she sat on the table and began to flip through the notebook.

Hime gave a very frightened and pitiful look, and shuddered and sneezed as she clung to the window curtains. Right, she was an extremely shy person. Because she was always in a tangle with Chiwa and Masuzu, I nearly forgot she practically has never spoken to her other classmates---

--- ♪ a real maiden (REAL PRINCESS) will never give in. 

Ah ---

She’s reading it aloud!

Against all expectations, she’s reading it aloud.

Like her older sister, she was such as excessive character!

But when Masuzu did it, it didn’t matter so much.

Because the person she did it to was me, it wasn’t important.

After all, I once had "past • eighth grade syndrome."

When she exposed it all, it was such a big humiliating blow that I wanted to die. But that was the past, and it wasn’t now.

However, Hime was ｢active｣.

Reality was so frightening to her that she made up a fictional world of delusions and hid inside of it.

If this delusion were to be exposed, ridiculed, and destroyed, she would have nowhere to go ---

"Kuwahahahahahahahhahahahahaha!"

Mana’s obnoxious laughter rang across the club room.

"RE, REAL PRINCESS! It’s written like maiden, but you reading it like PRINCESS! Please! Is this about her royal highness coming? There’s nothing wrong about it? From the beginning it was such a hilarious thing ---?"

Hime’s hands clenched the curtains.

Tears trickled down her face, and the cream-colored curtains became gradually wet as if sprinkled by rain.

"Stop it!"

I tried to use my arm to push myself up, but this bald guy was too heavy! What did he eat to become so muscular he’d never fall!

Then Mana turned to the next page:

♪ A real maiden (REAL PRINCESS) won’t be hurt. 

♪ Even during difficult times, she’ll keep smiling forward. 

♪ Even if alone, she won’t cry. 

"So cold ~ ahh."

Mana gave a nasal laugh, and looked back towards Hime.

"Didn’t you write, ｢Even if alone, she won’t cry ♪｣, right? But you’re a total mess right now? That’s not like a REAL PRIN-CESS. This is what you do for club activities? I don’t get it --- are my brains no good? Or is your brain completely broken?"

Hime didn’t say a single word in reply. She just cried, clutching the curtains.

♪ A real maiden (REAL PRINCESS) won’t be afraid. 

♪ Even when meeting new people, she’ll smile and say hello. 

♪ No matter who it is, she can instantly become friends. 

"I’m starting to feel...... as opposed to an ideal, this is actually closer to a delusion, right?"

Mana smiled wryly.

"Suzu’s been participating in these kinds of club activities. No wonder Dad is that angry. He hates these kinds of people the most. People who have neither brains nor power. Only delusions. And I have the same opinion. Really, it’s so annoying."

♪ A real maiden (REAL PRINCESS) won’t be discouraged. 

♪ She’s always filled with love. 

♪ No matter what happens, she’ll never give up. 

♪ She’ll be able to walk to his Royal Highness’s carriage, and meet her prince one day. 

"Wuaahhahahaha! Look at that! There’s even a Prince here!"

There was nothing funny about it, but Mana continued to slap the table in laughter.

"Really, just because there’s a princess, a royal prince will come? Does he ride a white horse? Puhaha, is this really a high school? It’s more like a nursery school."

Maybe because her tears were completely dried up, Hime only stood expressionlessly.

Mana muttered a phrase, "How boring ---"

"It’d be better if your club renamed itself to be ｢Delusional Maidens Club｣. Abbreviated: Delusional-Club. Awesome ♪"

Hehehehahahahehaha.

Mana’s laughter echoed against the windows and walls.

Then, Mana had a mocking face as she took ---

What Chiwa suggested…….

What Masuzu gave out…….

What Hime desperately tried to write with all her effort……

The assignment notebook........

And with a sharp sound --- tore it apart.

.....Stop joking.

"Stop..... joking!!! You bastard!!!"

I focused all of my strength to my feet, and strained so much to stand up, I think I nearly broke some blood vessels.

I overcame the body weight of the man in the black suit, and stood up!

Was this a scene of fiery spirit driving one to insane strength?

Or the man in black’s carelessness?

Whichever it was, it didn’t matter.

As long as I can stop this bastard woman’s giggling laugh, I don’t care!!

"Someone else's delusions aren’t things you can laugh at!"

I ferociously cried out, scaring Mana expressionless.

"Every person has some kind of humiliating delusion! I have one! My brain has a pile of delusions that will make people roll around everywhere! Among delusions, mine are incomparable! I am the reincarnation of a dragon, and receive the welcoming favors of Beauty • Dance • Angels. I also fight with invisible enemies, know everything about Western music, play guitar, and can ride a monster motorcycle--- I’m just that kind of humiliating guy! Of course I reality, none of those things will ever come true! I don’t remember a thing about past lives. And angels? Even the girls in my class think I’m ｢disgusting｣! About guitars, I can’t even play a recorder. And when I say motorcycle, I can only ride a bike! Not a single one will turn into reality! I’m already sick of myself! I might as well just die!"

Mana, struck dumb, shrugged and gave a call.

"Yasuoka, shut this guy up."

Bang! There was a loud noise.

Sparks scattered around my eyes, and I found my cheek glued to the ice-cold wall.

--- Ah, I was punched?

By the time my head cleared, my nose was already dripping blood.

"Eehh!"

I heard Hime’s quiet shriek from the side.

I fell to the floor where my dripping blood stained the ground.

......Damn!

How can I lose!?

I clenched my teeth and stood up.

"Even so, I can’t help but to continue with my delusions. Because I am alive, people have hope, and it’s a more positive way of living, isn’t that so? Compared to yesterday, today is better; compared to today, we try to make tomorrow even better, right? That’s why we have delusions. Because of that, I’m cool --- I’m awesome! If I imagine a thousand delusions, maybe one day at least one will come true. Those hopes are the only thing I absolutely won’t give up! If we stop dreaming delusions, we can only wait to be crushed under reality!"

My ears rang with a cracking sound, and my head spun wildly for spell.

Strange? I’ve been punched again?

To stop myself from collapsing, I tried to grab the steel bookshelf, but I only scattered a JOJO books from the shelf. I tried to twist my body to avoid them, but I still stepped on a few books.

Hirohiko Araki-sensei, I'm sorry!

This would definitely make Masuzu angry!

Compared to being punched, Masuzu’s angry hits were definitely much scarier.

"Are you an idiot?"

Mana sniggered.

"How can delusions possibly come true? The fact that you’ve been beaten to pulp, is that good enough evidence for you?"

This girl said things that could make the dead angry.

She was really powerful, like a genius evil queen.

But --- thanks to her, I was filled with strength.

"It will come true."

I wiped my nosebleed, and stood up again.

"No, I will make it come true just for you to see."

The man in black punched in the cheek.

My vision wavered.

My body burned hot like I had a fever, and the depths of my brain felt numb.

--- I won’t budge!

If I fall, Hime’s poem will only be treated as a ｢delusion｣, and it’ll all be over.

But no.

Her Prince will come.

He’ll definitely come!

"......W-w-w-wait, what’s going on?"

Mana’s easy-going expression finally turned rigid.

"Why are you pushing yourself to this extent? You’ve been beaten to pulp by Yasuoka. If you heard about his experience, it’d make you want to pee in your pants, so you better lie down. I don’t deliberately mean to---"

"Apologize!"

I growled, as I brought my bloodstained face closer to Mana.

"Apologize to Hime! Apologize for tearing the notebook. Apologize for mocking her poem!"

"What?"

Mana repeated, as she took a step backwards.

I stepped forward.

Mana drew backwards.

"W-w-w-what are you? ......What kind of person are you?"

"I am ---"

I drew in a big breath.

I faced Mana, as well as Hime who hid in the curtains, and said,

"I am Natsukawa Masuzu’s boyfriend, Harusaki Chiwa’s childhood friend, and Akishino Himeka’s ex-boyfriend ---｢Holy Dragon Knight of Dawn｣ Kidou Eita! Remember that, you bastard!"

When I finished, Mana was backed up completely against the wall next to the window ---

"--- That’s enough, Mana."

I looked back, and Masuzu was standing in the doorway.

She looked grieved, as she looked around at the devastation in the club room.

"Eita-kun and Akishino-chan haven’t done anything wrong. As long as I go back, that’s all?"

"Y-you understand, right?"

Mana distinctly gave a sigh of relief.

"Right? If Suzu was this obedient from the very beginning, I wouldn’t do this sort of thing, right? I didn’t mean to do it on purpose. Oh --- silly me, I was careless."

"Hey, Masuzu."

With my nose still bleeding, I approached my ｢Girlfriend｣.

Masuzu had an expression that seemed like she was about to cry, and she took out a handkerchief.

"Eita-kun, your injury looks serious."

I pushed away Masuzu’s hand, which had approached to wipe away the blood on my nose.

"Hey, listen to me."

"Eita-kun, let me deal with this......"

Masuzu’s hand extended once again.

"Listen to me, Masuzu."

I shoved away her hand.

"Please, let me treat your injury......"

Masuzu’s voice was mixed with tears.

"Why did you have to try doing this sort of thing? Am I even worth it, that you’d do this to yourself? I don’t deserve it. I am a fake, so ---"

"Listen to me, Masuzu!"

My shout caused Masuzu’s shoulders to shake.

"Please listen to me! If you still want to leave after hearing me, I won’t say anything more. So please, listen to my last request as your boyfriend."

"......What are you saying?"

I looked back at the curtains, at the silhouette of Hime who was still hiding.

"The person who has something to say isn’t me. It’s Hime."

Hime poked her head out slightly.

With big wide eyes, Hime stared straight at me.

"That was a very cute poem."

"......"

"But, as a poem, it won’t express the meaning you want to convey. A poem by we, who have ｢Eighth-Grade Syndrome｣, are always self-centered, and self-minded...... it can’t convey the sincere feelings that you have. So to really express it, it’s probably better to just say it aloud."

Hime stared straight at me.

"Wait a minute, what are you starting to do all of sudden?"

Mana impatiently pecked in.

"This isn’t Onii-san’s stage time, just rewind past it."

"This is our club problem, so you back down, you stupid blonde!"

Mana’s face twisted with humiliation.

"Hey, Yasuoka, get rid of this guy."

The man dressed in black clenched his fist, made a few smacking sounds, and leaned over.

Not good......

The effects from just being hit around the first time, it was inconceivable how I was still standing right now. Compared to the time in front of the train station, my injuries from this time were much worse than the time I fought with four people. This guy was really a worthy bodyguard, and he had really professional skill.

When I thought it was all over for me, a little figure appeared in front of me.

Hime.

She stretched her arms open wide.

"Don’t......"

Hime’s voice was accompanied with tears, as she shook her head left and right.

"Don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t hit Hime’s Eita! Stop messing with our club! This is Hime and Eita’s place! It was really, really hard to this place! This was the place---

President and Chihuahua were going to have club activities together! S-so go away!!!!!"

Masuzu’s body was clearly shaking.

She’s not afraid.

Rather, Hime’s ｢Club Application｣ was full of inner shaking.

"Well said, Himechi!"

The door opened with a loud noise.

Everyone turned back simultaneously, to see Chiwa with a shinai in the center position.

"What Himechi just said is absolutely right! This is our place. All you non-members get out, otherwise---!"

Whish! The sharp edge sliced through the air.

This look made one remember the time when Chiwa was known as ｢Sword Ace Chihuahua｣. She used her brimming spirit to pierce through Mana with her glaring eyes.

The man in black’s face turned pale. Maybe he sensed Chiwa’s extraordinary ability. He left me, in order to stand in front of Mana to protect her.

Good.

There was one final person.

"Masuzu."

I called out the name of my stupefied ｢Girlfriend｣ who stood there blankly like an idiot.

"I’ll ask you yesterday’s question again --- what are you going to do? Do you want to stay here? Or not?"

Masuzu stared at my face, and then at Chiwa and Hime.

Her expression was gradually restored with vigor.

Gradually filled up with strength.

She came back with a fearless smile!

"Eita-kun."

"Eh."

"Who are you talking to, with that extraordinary look?"

Masuzu casually combed her silver hair upward, and smiled.

She looked back to see Mana stunned.

"I want to stay here."

"Eh? W-what is this?! You just said you were going to go back!"

"Yes, I thought about saying it like that to you once, to feed your insignificant self-ego."

"In-insignificant? Don’t joke, Suzu! You’re going to ignore your family’s orders? You’re not afraid of dad?"

"I do not understand the convict’s statement."

"Who’s the convict?"

"I hope they’re light on the prison sentence. You go make the confession."

"What are you talking about?"

"Then go self-destruct."

"It’s even worse?"

If she could come out with such a malicious tongue, then there was no problem.

Natsukawa Masuzu was completely revived!

"Miss, it’s about time to......"

The man dressed in black whispered in Mana’s ear.

When I noticed, the door had been drawing huge crowds, all people from the cultural clubs. After all the commotion with the door wide open, it was impossible for them not to gather.

"Get out."

Masuzu pointed at the door, and said firmly.

"In this room, only maidens with excellent qualifications are permitted to enter. Of the male sex, only Kidou Eita is allowed --- okay, so those without qualifications, get out now!"

Masuzu’s cold attitude caused everyone in the cultural clubs to go "woaah," and then burst into cheers and applause. Only Yamamoto-kun from the football club; and I don’t know how he managed to sneak in, clenched his fists and shook them...... what happened to your practice?

Mana very unwillingly clenched her fists.

"Suzu, you will regret this."

"More importantly, apologize to Akishino-san right now. Say, ｢I’m sorry｣. Come on!"

"N-no!"

"Mana."

Masuzu suddenly narrowed her eyes.

"You’re going to disobey the words of your older sister?"

"......!"

Suddenly shivering, Mana bit her lower lip.

"......Sorry."

"I can’t hear you."

"I'm sorry! It was my fault!"

No matter how you look at it, she forced herself to apologize…. Well, we can’t expect anything more. Hime noddedly slightly. It seems like she didn’t want to drag this issue out any longer.

Then, Masuzu directly glared at Mana and said,

"Tell that person, I will never go back. Tell him I’ll be waiting in that room, waiting for mom whom he threw away."

Mana whimpered like a child, and exposed a few tears,

"Fool! You really, really, really are a fool! At this point, it’s impossible for that person to come back! Just like last time, you’re going to cry from being deeply hurt!"

The man in black pulled strongly on Mana’s resisting arm, and took her away.

The two of them pushed away the crowd and left, and the crowd itself slowly dispersed. The door was shut --- and once again the club was left in peace.

Me, Masuzu, Chiwa, and Hime.

This was the space for the Society of Young Maidens Club.

"It’s finally back to normal ---"

I was about to laugh when I suddenly felt my consciousness slipping away from me.

Ah, no good.

As soon as I relaxed, it seems like the damage from being injured….

"Eita-kun!"

"Ei-kun!"

"Eita!"

I listened to their three voices overlapping ---

I fell to the ground facing the scattered JOJO books on the floor.

---

Notes

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