Volume 8 - CH 2

When thinking of a literature club, the first image popping up in my mind…would probably be a secluded and calm space with people reading books. Granted, I had heard of some clubs here and there, but as a member of the go-home club, I was never too involved with school life outside classes. I was told our school had such a literature club at one point, but because of the lack of proper club activities, it was eventually abolished. Right now, it’s more of a get-together than an actual club. And the people came together voluntarily to create these picture books. That’s how they managed to set up a whole event like this for the cultural festival. I dare say, that’s some massive progress.

“Pretty lively here, isn’t it?”

“Because it’s picture books.”

This being different from a regular bookstore, both Ashida and Natsukawa were excited. The multipurpose hall was filled with mostly children, too, as they screamed and laughed about whatever they could find, almost making me feel nostalgic. I can understand why they had the library open just for today. Checking the members, I could see a third-year female student, a second-year boy and girl, and a first-year male student, which was a lot smaller than I expected. They didn’t seem to be from prestigious families known for their writing success or the like, more belonging to the artistic side, now answering questions from the parents or looking after the children.

“Oh, there’s even a winner’s corner.”

“Winner? Like, from our school?”

“Seems like it. Wait…I think I know this book.”

“Ah! I’ve seen that before, too!”

“Same here…”

The title of the book was ‘The Dog Doing Paw.’ Explaining the summary in light novel flair, the story is about a dog who expresses himself using his fingers, and he then proceeds to play with a girl who felt lonely while she was alone at home. After they had a lot of fun, the girl suddenly woke up in her mother’s arms, realizing it was all a dream. However, the puppy she dreamed of actually waited for her in reality! And from then on, they had a new family member…and that’s how the story ends.

“I think…I read this in kindergarten. I vaguely remember this being pretty popular.”

“Me too. I’m pretty sure I went to ask Papa if we could keep a dog because of this.”

“…I guess that’s why we didn’t have one at home.”

I guess the reason a lot of families here in the area have a dog as a pet might be because of this picture book, too. Since I’m more of a manga reader, I always gravitated toward cats, though. And Big Sis said she’d probably keep a Persian cat, sounding like some rich person, so she’s probably more into cats, too—Especially since she loves to start catfights on the regular.

“Does Airi-chan have a preference for this stuff?”

“Well, she’s already five, so…Maybe she’d prefer something more intermediate.”

“O-Oh…Intermediate?”

Intermediate…Oh no, because I was thinking about catfights and whatnot, I have the absolute wrong image in my mind right now. Specifically, a German suplex from Big Sis…But, I can fight back…!

“Oh…so like adventures and whatnot?”

“Surely, but I don’t think there’s going to be much of that with picture books here…Maybe something where a young child or a dog goes on an adventure…Something to get you excited?” Natsukawa suggested.

“Yeah. I wonder if they have anything like that.”

“Let’s check out the corner with those children over there.”

“Wait, I should make my voice higher.”

“Why are you trying to sound younger?” Natsukawa asked.

We approached the corner overseen by one of the volunteer students, as a young girl turned around to look at me. She jumped ever so slightly and then walked away with a scared face. What…is this emotion? Am I feeling…sadness?

“Guess you scared her.” Ashida snickered.

“Well, three random students just appeared behind her. I can’t blame her for being scared,” Natsukawa commented.

“Should I leave? The school, I mean.”

“You don’t have to be this shocked.”

But seeing her run away just because I came closer means that this isn’t just on the level of being bad with children. And each time Airi-chan sees me, she keeps attacking me and says “So you’ve come, evil monster!” so that tells me enough. Maybe my potent ability was (forcefully) drawn out by Big Sis whenever I appear in front of young children. So…it’s gotten this bad already? But I decided to let that slide and talk to one of the male students looking after this place.

“You’ve got a lot of variety here, huh?”

“Indeed. Some we just made on a whim without even handing into a contest.”

Unlike the prized winners we just went through, the rest of the picture books stood on the shelves or the vertical display. Some were placed on expensive-looking satin fabric cloth, making it look like a mountain of treasure. Maybe there’s even a legendary book here…

“Wow…Oh, there’s something for boys.”

“Ah, that’s…”

Let’s see…’The Sword of Legend’: A long, long time ago, the ultimate evil, the Demon Lord, was reborn and planned to rule the world. Many people tried to fight against the Demon Lord, but nobody could defeat him. But then, a Brave from an isolated village appeared. Blessed with a heart for justice, he set out on a journey to find the Sword of Legend. Reaching the capital of the kingdom, he hears a girl’s scream as he passes through a nearby forest—

“…This is…”

“Yes. It was made back in 2003.”

“Right…”

So this is…the grandfather of fantasy, eh. Flipping through the pages, I saw illustrations in shonen manga style with an equally-fitting beautiful girl. Even just that touch made me feel incredibly nostalgic, filling me up. Even though I wasn’t even alive at the time. In a way, this is a treasure. It had the size of a regular picture book, thick unlike a picture book, and the writing is so basic that it makes it hard to fully follow at times. And to uncover the secrets hidden, I started my journey deeper into the world.

“…”

Flipping over more of the pages, it turns out the that Sword of Legend’s name was actually “Excalibur.” It was made with dragon material, more solid than any material in the world, and a swing sent forth wave attacks. As a fellow man, I want to appreciate and treasure the courage of the person who left this masterpiece at this alma mater. I want this book to continue for the future so that the generations after me experience this rush. So after gently caressing the book, I placed it back on the fabric.

“Look at this, Aichi, there’s a picture book about a love story between a five-year-old girl who gets called an ‘interesting woman’ by the hottie prince of a country.”

“Put it back.”

Picture books…sure can be deep.

*

“It’s really hard to tell which one’s a prize winner now.”

“Guess writing something for all ages isn’t just enough, huh…”

“That’s not good enough!” said Natsukawa as she swung around the adorable shopping bag in her hand.

Inside were two picture books. The stories themselves seemed to be nothing groundbreaking, but the beautiful art and details in the drawings stood out especially, and she seemed confident that Airi-chan would like this.

“Where do we go next?”

“There’s a fashion show from the textile arts and attire club happening at the gym hall that I’d like to check out.”

“Sajocchi, you wanna ogle at other girls while being with us…?”

“There’s a popularity vote, and one of my friends asked me to vote for her. That’s all.”

On the first day of the cultural festival, meaning yesterday, I happened to run into my lady Shinonome Claudine Marika, who asked me about this. I managed to finally remember her name. Although she still uses the wrong one for me. But if a girl asks me for something, then I have to act. Because I…am a gentleman.

“We’re here already, so we might as well. And you should probably use the QR code on the pamphlet to install the app so that you can vote.”

“A friend asked you…Who is that girl? This sounds pretty rigged if you ask me. Oh yeah, was it some kind of contest?”

“It’s not like there will be a Miss Kouetsu or anything like that.”

Most participants are in their third year, no less. It’s basically like a final memory. But I have to praise Miss Shinonome’s nerves of steel to actually join this event as a meager first-year student. Then again, with her genes of foreign blood and her looks, there shouldn’t be anybody who could beat her.

“But…we still have some time until then,” Natsukawa commented while checking through the pamphlet.

The way she phrased that made it apparent that she wasn’t against the idea of checking out the fashion show, at the very least.

“Then can we check out another art club?! I think it’s the ‘Handicrafts Project’ or something. They’ve gotta have accessories, right?!”

“I wonder. We can check it out.”

“You come too, Sajocchi!”

“What kind of system are you operating today? I’m your ally here, you don’t have to check the box each time.”

What are you, the supporter of a party of solo players? I mean, we were in a different party yesterday…But, fine. Leave it to the tank. I’m confident that I can take a beating. Either way, Ashida waltzed on ahead, so Natsukawa and I had to follow after her. Honestly, she didn’t seem like she was particularly into wearing accessories and all that, but I guess you never know. Still…the handicrafts club, huh? Unlike the visual arts type from before, this one’s skilled at everything that involves fabric, as well as beyond. That’s probably why they split it up between handicraft and attire. And I bet the club members are all very feminine, too. Maybe they have some silver accessories? Well, I doubt they’d be too expensive considering the occasion.

“H-Hey…”

“Hm?”

I felt someone poking their fingers at my arm, so I raised my head. I was greeted by Natsukawa walking right next to me…and her facial color looked about the same as before we headed off to check out the picture books. Because she moved close to with an upward gaze, I felt my heart naturally racing faster. Even more than feeling pure joy at this, it’s getting really heavy on my poor heart.

“You just said…that girl asked you to vote for her, right?”

“H-Hm? Oh, you mean the fashion show?”

That had me confused. For a second I was wondering what Natsukawa was talking about. Even though she asked me to choose and vote for her like I was the judge. She just loves playing with my heart, doesn’t she…But, I know. She’s not doing this out of ill will or spite, she’s just a genuinely good person.

“Were you talking about…your sister?”

“Nope, not her.”

“Wha…”

Big Sis would never dare to indulge in some fixed game, and she probably wouldn’t even expect me to vote for her. Plus, before working as the student council’s vice president, she was a yankee. Someone who stayed in the shadows. So stepping out into the light to gather attention probably isn’t her thing anyway. And even if she was, I wouldn’t go watch the show just for her.

“Th-Then…is it Shinomiya-senpai? Maybe someone else from the public morals committee?”

“Nope, not a senior either. She’s in the same year as us.”

“The same year…”

“C’mon, you met her before summer break started. The blonde-haired rich lady who’s half-Japanese.”

We’re talking about the same person who ranked second in the end-of-term exams and then came rushing over to brag about it to Natsukawaw’s face. I remember how aggressive she was back then. And she even talked about wanting to become a member of the student council…That might be the reason she worked on her grades so much.

“Blonde-haired…rich lady…half-Japanese…”

“She looks like a model, right? With her western facial features. Just her participation alone’s gonna make me feel like I’m watching the Fashion Week in Paris.”

“Um…Who are you talking about again?”

…What?

*

As expected, the handicrafts club was filled with nothing but girls, all seeming filled with nothing but pride. I guess they mostly belonged to the ‘West Side.’ Since the people from the student council, the ‘East Side’ had always been barked up by them, I was mentally preparing myself for trouble, but I couldn’t feel any difference…but for that reason, they kept on talking and talking. Especially their salesman talk toward Ashida grew even stronger the more accessories she tried on.

‘With your looks, something more on the offensive would probably fit you better. From your hairstyle and your figure, you’re probably part of a sports club, but that’s exactly why you have the perfect chance to show off that gap. Especially that faintly pink lips of yours have a much brighter charm than any high-class accessory. So, now is your chance to make that shine.’

Or so they gave advice that could come straight from a jewelry shop employee. This wins over Ashida immediately, so she buys an earring from the store. They even taught her the proper way to wear it. Are they professionals or something? That senior’s future surely will be bright and promising.

“And? And? Do I look good?”

“You’re very cute.”

“Hee hee~”

“You’re in a good mood, eh?”

“Because this is my earring debut, after all!”

Ashida twirled around on the spot in sheer joy as she showed off her pearl earring. Though, it seems to be just a replica, smaller than an original pearl, the faint peachy color of it matched Ashida’s appearance and interest.

“Aichi, take a pic! Take a pic!”

“Yes, yes. Cheese.”

“Hehe!”

“…It’s a video, you know?”

“Geez, you bully!” Ashida complained but still smiled nonetheless.

Watching her this gleefully must have gotten Natsukawa just as happy, as she even teased Ashida a bit. Aw man, I wanna be teased by Natsukawa, too. That being said, the way she’s smiling like a blooming flower right now is probably wasted as just a single picture and should instead be recorded and preserved. That’s probably what Natsukawa’s true intention was. Taking a different pose, another picture followed. And as Natsukawa edited it, Ashida looked over at me.

“Hee hee hee!”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. It looks great on you.”

The way she’s giving me that confident grin is asking me to praise her. But it’s rare to see Ashida brag about her feminine charm this much. Especially since this looks to be like she’s doing it subconsciously…What a formidable opponent.

“That’s so weak! Praise me properly.”

“Your face is gonna blow up online.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear!”

I can’t believe I would avert my gaze in the face of Ashida because I was feeling bashful, despite being in Natsukawa’s presence. But just as the student said, the earring Ashida wore emphasized the color of her peachy lips. My eyes just keep wandering toward them, making me feel even more bashful.

“…Hey, Sajocchi.”

As I regretted feeling this way despite it being Ashida and not Natsukawa, this sporty girl used this chance to move her face closer and whispered with a somewhat reproachful expression.

“Shouldn’t you be buying something for Aichi?”

“But you heard what that senior said.”

“Sure, but still…”

I understand where Ashida is coming from, but after hearing that professional’s advice for Natsukawa, an amateur like me had no confidence to choose something for her. Maybe if I had gotten a push on the back, but still…

‘I don’t think there is anything here that fits you. Your eyes, shining like gemstones, are overflowing with charm. That’s why you should not be trying to raise your stylish looks any more than this. It sounds cynical, but if you were to put on an accessory, you might as well cover your face in the dirt, because that would emphasize your beauty more.’

Or so she said, but of course, Natsukawa wasn’t some survivalist who would do that. At the very least, this advice made that senior a failure of a professional, telling the customer not to buy anything…Well, she was not a professional.

“Plus…I’ve already got something prepared for Natsukawa…”

“Huh? Ah…” Ashida looked worried for a moment, but quickly changed her expression.

At the end of this month, on Halloween no less, is Natsukawa’s birthday. And I’ve only told Ashida about what I had prepared as a present.

“Maybe I should not give her a ring after all…Even that senior said it’d be better if she didn’t wear any…”

“Wait, that’s your reasoning? Isn’t there a more…fundamental problem?”

“Because any more radiance for Natsukawa’s beauty will only be a burden…?”

“I think she’ll feel an entirely different kind of burden.”

She gave me a regretful gaze like I had missed something crucial. I could see the pearl shaking ever so slightly. And then, my gaze wandered toward her lips…I swear…what licentious lips she has! Granted, she still didn’t like the idea, but it was definitely better than the expensive brand present I got her last year. And the price is fitting for a regular birthday present, I just took more time to prepare it. It also just happened to be a ring of pure coincidence.

“I don’t think that senior was talking about all and every type of accessory when she said Aichi wouldn’t need any more.”

“Huh?”

“Silver stuff or gemstones. I don’t think that’s the big issue.”

“O-Oh? So basically…?”

“…Kei, I sent you the picture.”

“Ah, really?

“Wait, I’m not…”

Called out by Natsukawa, Ashida quickly checked her phone. Man, I couldn’t even listen to the end. And as an average high school student, I have no idea what to make of this. And no sense to resolve this. I guess I have to reach this answer before Natsukawa’s birthday comes around. Well, I still have a bit of time, I should just ask during my next chance. And as I was thinking that, I checked my own phone.

“…Wait, where’s the picture?”

“I only sent it to Kei.”

“Oh…Right.”

“What’s this? You want a picture of me? Should I send it to you?”

“Oh shut up…But gimme it. I’ll have Big Sis learn from it.”

“No way! I can’t do something so rude!”

“Why can’t you just show some respect for your older sister…”

Ashida leaped at me with a screech, hitting me with her small fists, but even though I would be laughing at the cuteness of it all, her muscle power trained through her rigorous training made those attacks hurt quite a lot. The pearl on her earring shook aggressively, this mature equipment completely unbefitting Ashida’s usual behavior.