Chapter II: Maidens, Sound Your Victory March

“Mm-hmm-hmm~♪”

Ling’s roommate, Tina, muttered ‘This again?’ to herself as she watched Ling be in entirely too good of a mood for what time it was. In her hands was a cup of high-quality—and high-calorie—ice cream. Charlotte will be there, but whatever. That doesn’t matter. I’m going shopping with Ichika. And that’s a date, right? A date! In her own mind, she was the center of the universe. Another privilege of a girl in love.

“All right, that one!” Ling had finally picked out which outfit to wear, and after pointing to it quickly began to dress. Tina, meanwhile, had gotten bored of watching her and turned her attention back to the morning talk show on a floating projection display.

“All right, here I go!”

“Of course. Have fun.”

A second after the door slammed shut behind Ling, she sighed at who awaited her in the hall.

“Good morning, Cadet Huang Lingyin.”

“Good morning...”

The woman was in her late twenties. Her narrow eyes sat behind a pair of thick-rimmed glasses, and she wore a form-fitting suit. She could easily be mistaken for Chifuyu by description alone, but one thing set them apart: her perpetually irritated expression.

“Why, whatever could it be, Director Yang?”

Ling could feel a foreboding tremor run up her spine. I thought she was back in China! What’s she doing in Japan?!

Making that foreboding a reality, Director of Cadets Yang Lei-Lei pushed her glasses up with her right hand and replied, “The ‘Feng’ high-mobility package for Cannonball Fast is ready. We’d like to begin setup, install, and initial trials as soon as possible. Get ready.”

“What? No way! Uh, I mean, I had already made plans for today, so...”

Yang’s gaze narrowed and muttered, “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“U-Understood...”

Ling’s shoulders slumped as she quickly punched a text into her phone. [Sorry, something came up.] That was all she wrote—all she could bring herself to write—to Ichika.

“...Is the impact cannon still available with it installed?”

“The output power has been reduced, and its pattern changed to a short-range spray, but it is still usable. The auxiliary thrusters are the new kind, so you’ll need to get used to their feel.”

“Understood.”

For everything else she was, Ling was definitely also a national cadet, and when she had to switch modes she could in a snap. As they set off for the IS setup room, Ling checked over the package’s data, occasionally questioning Yang about details.

Hmm... This honestly isn’t half bad. Ling had a keen eye for details about IS. Her eyes gleamed like those of a cat. But... I really got screwed here, didn’t I.

Ichika was still going shopping. Meaning, he’d be alone with Charlotte. Ugh! We’re definitely going to make up for this, Ichika! Ling gripped her IS computer so tightly that it only took two seconds for it to display a high-pressure warning.

◆

Does my hair look right? I should probably check it again. Charlotte, who had made it to where she was meeting the others 45 minutes early, anxiously checked her hair for the twelfth time. In her hand was a Wajima lacquerware folding compact, which she had ordered online on a whim a few days prior. Its design was susuki grass on a hill in front of a full moon, perfect for the season.

“Mmn...” As she teased her bangs from side to side, she groaned quietly to herself.

I just can’t decide... Neither way was noticeably better or worse, but for Charlotte, today was a special day. She wanted to be at 100% for the boy she liked. It was only natural. I really did get here too early, though.

Putting away her compact, she checked the watch on her right wrist. Still 40 minutes left. Phew... I’m taking this way too seriously. I need to relax. She practiced her smile. Unluckily for her, she looked up with an expecting grin only to make eye contact with a pair of shifty-looking playboys.

“Hey there, sweet cheeks!”

“What you doin’ today? Huh? Wanna go have some fun?”

With most countries moving toward women’s superiority, the position of men had taken quite the tumble. But that just meant that those with the right looks—the kind of man who would have been a host or an idol in the past—were even more drawn to the idea of latching on to someone. Meaning that this sort of catcalling pretty girls in the vain, in more ways than one, hopes that it would pay off still happened.

“Sorry, I have plans.”

“Really? C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

“My car’s right over there. We can go anywhere in the world! Come on, I’ll tell you all about French cars while we drive.”

French—was enough to set Charlotte off.

“French cars? You drive something with mileage that bad in Japan? Seriously?”

The duo, shot down with a venom-laced smile, wilted. If they pushed it any further, Charlotte’s mastery of the Rapid Switch meant she could fill them both with lead in under a second.

Ugh, they’re ruining my morning... She imagined at least five ways she could do it. The grin this brought to her face just convinced them they had a chance, though, and one of the men moved to clasp his hand on her shoulder.

“Ow! Ow! Oww!”

The moment before he made contact, Charlotte turned and twisted his arm like a pretzel. She definitely remembered the basics of CQC.

“Can you keep your hands off? I don’t want the reek of that cheap cologne to rub off on me.”

“Wh-Wh-What?!”

“Hey! Let him—”

The second man was confused but still about to help his buddy—until he was felled mid-sentence by a punch to the side.

“And what are you doing to my companion?”

“Ichika!” Ichika had gallantly appeared to protect her from the evildoers! ...Was probably overstating it, but certainly, Ichika’s smile was positively glimmering in Charlotte’s eyes. Amazing! He’s like a fairytale prince! Charlotte was so enraptured that she didn’t notice she was still twisting the man’s arm.

“Gyaaah!”

The satisfying crunch of something dislocating and the man’s screams echoed through the plaza in front of the station.

◆

“Getting that pushy with women is a crime, you know. C’mon, right this way. Atta-boy.”

The middle-aged sergeant’s words were oddly out of place with his tone as he led the two men to the holding room in the train station. Thus, the morning’s festivities concluded.

“.........”

“Ichika?”

“I’m so sorry I was late!” I clapped my hands together apologetically. Charl was puzzled by it.

“Well... You’re still here early, right? Thanks for saving me, too.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

She seemed really grateful to me, in her own modest, reserved way. Honestly, it was a little embarrassing to be thanked so much. Anyone would help their friend in a situation like that.

“.........”

“.........”

Sure enough, we’d run out of things to talk about. Charl had worked up a sweat with the judo or whatever she did earlier, and was fanning herself with her palm.

“Ling’s pretty late, though.”

“Oh! Right! Rin isn’t coming today. Something came up.”

“EHH?!”

Charl’s sudden exclamation drew the attention of people around us. It was a sunny Sunday, and we were by the statue in front of the station. So plenty of people were around waiting for others.

“So today it’s just the two—”

“What do I do?!”

“Huh?”

“Just... It’s so sudden, I’m not ready...”

“Ready? Huh?”

“Anyway! What do I do?!”

Well. I wasn’t really able to answer that. What was I supposed to say? ‘We’ll go find her, then’?

◆

Why? Why isn’t Ling coming? What do I do?! This is too much, too soon! Charlotte was ignoring the puzzled-looking Ichika in front of her in favor of diving full-throttle into her own inner panic. Sometimes being an expert at the Rapid Switch had its own problems. What do I do?! What do I do? It’s too soon being together... on a d-d-date like this... Interpreting things how best works for herself is yet another privilege of a girl in love. W-W-What do I do?! What do I do about this?

Calming down, she realized that it was a great opportunity. She couldn’t let the chance to get as much out of ‘returning the favor for that bracelet’ as she could. Charlotte intertwined her hands behind herself, rubbing it as if to make sure it was still there. The courage feeling it gave her was enough to let her go through with betting it all.

“Then, um...”

“Yeah.”

“L-L-Let’s spend the day walking around together!”

“Sure!”

Charlotte was so emphatic that Ichika couldn’t help but follow along. The bemused gazes of passersby were enough to send her walking off to the neighboring shopping mall while blushing.

I’m alone together with Ichika... I’m alone together with Ichika... Sh-Should I hold his hand? Wait, no! He’ll probably think I’m a weirdo if I do. But his hands are so big and wa—wait, no! No, no! Charlotte shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She gripped her hands into fists, remembering the feel of Ichika’s hand in hers.

“I don’t need to!”

“Huh?”

“I don’t need to, Ichika! Yeah! I don’t need to at all!”

“I see. That’s good. So, where should we go?”

“Er, uh, there!” Charlotte was so flustered that she didn’t realize she was pointing directly at a lingerie shop.

“Eh? Uh, that’s, umm, a bit...”

Only as Ichika’s face flushed bright red did Charlotte realize where she was pointing. Her own face turned the same crimson, and she began to rapidly wave her hands.

“So-Sorry! I didn’t mean that one! It was a different one! A different one!”

“Okay...”

Both blushing, they looked at each other for a moment before staring at their feet. The next time Ichika raised his eyes, by chance, he noticed what looked like a familiar face in the lingerie shop.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong? Ichika?”

“I just... Hey, Ran!” he called out, figuring it had to be her. Ran tensed up with a start at the sudden yell.

“I-Ichika?!”

She quickly hid the underwear she was looking at behind her back, before freezing up, not knowing what to do. Did he see me?! I was just picking out panties, did he see me?! This was the first time they’d seen each other in a long time, too. She blushed a deep crimson, and wished she could crawl in a hole and die.

What do I do? I mean, after I put this back... Ran stealthily slipped the black-and-white striped panties from behind her back onto the shelf. With the clearance sale, they were a great find at three for 1,000 yen, but she still didn’t want to be spotted by her crush carrying them.

Hey, wait... Who’s that girl with him? She’s— She wasn’t Ling, and she wasn’t Houki. She was no one Ran knew. She’s a beautiful blonde, too. She looks like a model. Rin anxiously compared Charl’s hair to her own auburn locks. The Gotandas both had natural auburn hair without bleaching, but for a girl in love, it was still anxiety-driving. After realizing how she felt about Ichika, Ran had often been tempted to dye hers a flat black. Anyway, he said hi, so I guess I should go see what’s up. The aura of the girl next to him—Charlotte—made her hesitant, though.

I can do this! It’s okay! I can be forward even if I am the younger one! Five little Rans cheered her on inside her head. Yeah! My idiot brother already cost me the chance to go to the school festival. This is the least I could ask for. I guess...

She’d found out that Ichika had dressed—and worked—as a butler through the back channels that only teen girls seem to have. Once for getting the ticket. Once more when she saw the photos. She’d smacked Dan twice for this already, but this is the innocent heart of a girl in love we’re talking about. Twice was nowhere near enough.

I’ll be fine! It’s Ichika’s birthday this month! I’ll see him there too! Ran had actually planned on shopping for a present today, but then she got distracted by clothing and things for herself—especially the panties. Her mind was under brutal occupation by the self-consciousness of being seen doing something embarrassing, but her heart was doing its best to liberate territory.

Yeah! I’ll be fine! With hands clenched and a formal stride, Ran approached Ichika. She looked every inch the student council president of St. Marianne’s Junior Academy for Girls.

“Hello, Ichika.” Her smile gleamed with every ounce of girlish purity she could muster.

“Hey. You alone today?”

“Ah, yes. I was just browsing.”

“I see. Sorry about before. You wanted to come to the festival, didn’t you? Especially since you’ll be attending next year.”

“Well, yes. So it would be wonderful if you’d think of me the next time you have tickets.”

As their friendly banter started up, Charlotte was the one left feeling like a third wheel.

Especially since Ichika being friends with girls from outside the academy wasn’t exactly pleasing.

“Um, Ichika...”

“Ah! I’m sorry! Let me introduce you!”

She picked the perfect timing, and Ichika broke off from his conversation. The little bit of consideration from Ichika made her feel a lot better.

Woooow, she’s gorgeous when she smiles! I can’t let her beat me! Do your best, Ran!

She must be younger. Ichika’s always extra-extra-thoughtful and considerate with younger people. I wish he’d be that way with me, too...

“This is Charl. She’s a classmate, and a French National Cadet.”

“Charlotte Dunois. Pleased to meet you.”

“I’m Gotanda Ran. P-Pleased to meet you.”

Charlotte took the upper hand, at least metaphorically, in the handshake. Ran’s mind clouded over, feeling the silky delicacy of her skin.

“Hey, remember my friend Dan from the festival? She’s his little sister.”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

“I’ve heard she’ll be enrolling in IS Academy next year. So she’s going to be one of our underclassmen.”

“Yes! Yes I will! It would be wonderful if you’d show me the ropes!” She swiftly bowed 90 degrees, then straightened up, her blood rushing to her head.

“Oh. Speaking of tickets. Ran, do you have your phone with you?”

“Y-Yeps!” Ugh, I totally screwed that up! I’m so embarrassed... Pairing the phones, Ichika sent the ticket data over. “Huh, what’s—”

“A VIP ticket to the Cannonball Fast next month. You wanted to see it, right?”

“Oh. Yes! Of course!”

“Just like the festival, I only get one to give out. So I don’t have enough for your friends too.”

“No, that’s okay! It’s fine! All my friends will be perfectly happy to just watch it on TV!”

“I see.”

After the transfer completed, Ichika put his phone away. A few seconds later, Ran put hers back in her purse.

Ugh, I should have peeled off the stickers already. He must think I’m such a little kid... For Ichika, it just seemed cute, but for Ran, who wanted to be seen as a potential lover, that still would be a failure. I... I need to make up for that... But how? Charlotte’s beautiful, I have no chance...

‘That’s not true!’

‘Go for it!’

Ran could have sworn she heard voices cheering her on, and it was enough to make her speak up one more time, “Um, why don’t we look around together?”

“Sure.”

A casual OK. The sudden anticlimax deflated Ran so much that she nearly crumbled to the floor, before Charlotte swiftly caught her.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeps...”

She’s incredible! Like some knight in shining armor! She’s so cool and so cute and so beautiful, it’s so unfair! There is no God! Ugh!

“All right, let’s look around then.”

At Ichika’s nonchalant call, Charlotte and Ran nodded to each other before fanning out beside him.

◆

“One, two! One, two!”

“There you are!”

“Target lock! Firing!”

Third IS Arena. Even on a day off, students eager to improve their standing were there practicing in their IS from dawn to dusk.

“Haah... Phew...”

On one side of the arena, Cecilia was catching her breath. Over and over, she’d commanded her bits to fire while in a high-speed roll, envisioning the laser bending in her mind. But not once had she succeeded in BT Flexible Fire, and the exhaustion was beginning to show on her face.

Once again, she focused, lifting the BT rifle Starlight Mk.III to her shoulder. Envisioning a pool of water, she fired above the target balloon.

Bend!

But rather than her vision, the laser pierced straightforward until it hit the backstop and dissipated.

“That’s enough for today...” Sighing, she stowed her rifle. It evaporated from her right hand, transforming into sparkles of light.

As she returned to the waiting room, her face grew more and more glum, showing only frustration and exhaustion.

“Blue Tears, standby mode.”

Cecilia, bathed in light, was carried slowly to the ground by the PIC as her IS faded. I need a warm shower. Maybe that will cheer me up. Upon reaching the locker room and opening the door, an unexpected face awaited her inside.

“Oh? Cecilia? What’s up, getting some practice in?”

“Ling... Yes, that sort of thing.”

For some reason, Cecilia felt the need to feign a smile for her regular practice partner. Not just for appearances, but as a matter of pride.

Whether she recognized it for the recognition of an equal it was or not, Ling moved on to the next topic. “I’m going to be trying to deploy my new gear. I was going to use the sixth arena, but it was booked full.”

“New gear? I suppose you mean your high-mobility package?”

“That’s the one. Just you watch, Cecilia. I’ll put up all the fight you can handle.”

“Perhaps. I’m quite looking forward to it.”

The challenge from a rival was enough to stoke Cecilia’s passion. It may even have been enough to take away her mental exhaustion. Ling had always been sharp at figuring out what made people tick.

“See you later!”

“Indeed. Farewell for now.”

As Ling waved, Cecilia smiled—an honest smile, this time—back, and they parted. I will not lose! Not to anyone at this Academy! Refreshed, Cecilia entered the locker room with a spring in her step.

◆

“So, does anything catch your eye?”

“Hmm...”

Looking over the display of watches, I hummed. I didn’t know how to choose between them, so I couldn’t tell what was good and what was bad. Honestly, even if you’d asked me to choose by design, nothing really stood out. But Charl wants to get me one as a birthday present, so I want to seem happy about what I pick.

“This one is especially popular. What do you think?”

“Oh, that? It’s not really...”

“I see.” Even the watch salesman was having trouble nailing me down. Dammit, I needed to do something.

“Oh, Ran, do you have a watch?”

“Me? Well...”

“Hm?”

“I don’t... I normally just check the time on my phone.”

“See, I’m not the only one.”

I nodded along as Charl placed both hands on her hips and began to jokingly scold, “Come on, both of you. Especially you, Ran. Girls should be more on top of fashion than that.”

“Really? I see.”

Looking at it, Charl was already taking Ran under her wing. Ran, meanwhile, was looking up to her. It seemed seniority had already been established.

“But it’s hard to buy a watch on an allowance...”

“Oh, right. As national cadets, we’re considered public officials, so we receive a stipend.”

“Oh really?” To be honest, I was extremely jealous of this fact.

“Yes, we do. You’re not a cadet yet, are you, Ichika?”

“Well, uh, it’s still hung up in red tape at the International IS Agency.”

“Mm-hm. It’s been a while, hasn’t it.”

“It sure has.”

It was already September, and still no progress. This was the trouble with being the only boy in the world who could pilot an IS. And probably, though I wasn’t sure, Tabane’s involvement in Byakushiki’s creation was also an obstacle. They seemed very insistent on making sure that Japan didn’t have a lock on the latest technology. It was really a pain.

“Anyway, if we keep this up we’ll never pick out a watch.” Charl brought things back on topic. She must have felt sorry for the poor salesman.

“I guess. Hmm...”

“What if I pick the one I think would look best on you?”

“Oh, that sounds great. You have good fashion sense.”

“Really, you think so? Thanks. All right, I’ll come up with something!”

“.........” As much as that lit Charl up, Ran seemed frustrated for some reason. What’s up with her?

When Charl realized Ran’s mood, she called out to her, “Why don’t you give me a hand, too, Ran? You don’t get the chance to do this very often.”

“Eh? Oh, yes!”

“Don’t worry about the price, either.”

“Okay!”

“Hey, hold it. I can’t have you spending too much.”

“Oh? And what’s it to you? After all, you’re the recipient.”

“No, well, maybe, but... Don’t you kind of get a little worried whenever you put on something expensive?”

“Something a high school student can buy with a part-time job, then. Will that be fine?”

“Well, uhh... Just remember I need to get something similar for your birthday in return, Charl.”

“Me? Oh, thank you!”

“And on your birthday too, of course, Ran.”

“Really? Thanks so much!”

With that, Charl and Ran spent 20 or so minutes choosing me a watch. Eventually, they returned with their selection.

“How about this?” It was an alloy that glimmered like white gold. “I think it suits you better than silver. See, it matches the gauntlet on your right hand.”

Listening to her, I pulled my right sleeve up. Under it was a white gauntlet, the IS Byakushiki in standby mode.

“You’re right. They match.”

“I think it’ll look good on you! Really good!”

“Yeah. Thanks for helping, Ran.”

“Oh, no problem! It was a piece of cake!”

That must have struck something in Ran’s mind, as her stomach began to rumble. She blushed. That’s right, it was noon. Time for lunch.

“Hahaha. Let’s go get something to eat after this.”

“Yeah... Thanks...”

Even her ears were red. It was adorable, and I patted her head. Meanwhile, Charl was having the salesman wrap the watch.

“Charl, what do you want for lunch?”

“Not sure, how about you?”

“Ran? Anything in particular? My treat.”

“No, that’s fine! I’ll cover mine!”

“You don’t have to. How about that terrace cafe across the way?”

“It seems pretty expensive.”

“I told you, I’d treat. Or have you been there before?”

“Just for drinks...”

“Then it’s decided. We’ll get lunch there.”

“Okay. Thank you!” Ran was fidgeting her fingers together while looking down, blushing in visible discomfort. She must have really been embarrassed by her stomach rumbling earlier. I felt like it was mean of me to remind her of it.

“Anyway, let’s get going.”

“Sure.”

Charl took the bagged watch and led us toward the cafe. I and then Ran followed her inside.

“Wow, this place is really fancy. On a warm day like today, it’s the perfect choice.”

Charl smiled as the wind seemed to pat her hair. At times like these, she really seemed like a young noblewoman. My heart skipped a beat.

“Welcome!”

“Can I ask about today’s specials?”

“Of course. Today’s special is spaghetti in crab cream sauce. Dessert is a pear tart.”

“Three of those, please.”

“Very well.” Having taken our order, the waiter left for the kitchen. I noticed Charl and Ran looking at me intently.

“W-What?”

“You seem really accustomed to this kind of thing.”

“Well, just, uh. I don’t eat out at restaurants often, but Chifuyu always told me that I should at least learn how to order smoothly.”

“Mm-hm.”

“Do you come to this kind of place often, Ichika?”

“Nah, like I said, I don’t eat out much, except for at your place.”

“Ours is nothing like this...”

“C’mon. There’s no reason to be embarrassed. The lunches at Gotanda’s are delicious.”

“Just calling it that embarrasses me.”

The thought processes of a teenaged girl were hard to understand. Personally, I would have been proud of it.

“Anyway, ah...” As she looked at Charl, Ran’s mouth moved as if she were trying to say something. Whatever it was, it seemed like she was having a hard time getting it out.

“Yes?”

“Ichika and Charlotte, are you two going out?”

“What?!”

“Hey, where’d that come from?”

“Just... You get along so well together...”

“Well, I mean, we did team up that one time. Right, Charl?”

“Mm. I guess...” Charl was shocked by the sudden question, and she blushed red. Something had definitely gotten into Ran today. I wonder what?

“...That’s good. At least they’re not dating...”

“Huh?”

“Oh, nothing!”

As we spoke, the waiter had already returned with our lunch. He carried three plates to our table. They looked amazing. With a “My apologies for the wait.” he placed them in front of us. Each plate of the spaghetti in crab cream sauce had a claw perched on top of it, as if to beckon to us. The smell of crab in the cream sauce was mouthwatering. I wanted to dig right in.

“I’ll return later with your desserts.” The waiter left again. Each of us took up our fork and spoon and prepared to dine.

“Let’s eat.”

“Yes, let’s eat.”

“T-Thank you!”

Me, then Charl, then Ran, put our hands together, and began our meal.

“This is great!”

“Yeah. The sign said they’re using fresh pasta.”

“It’s delicious.”

The lunch special included free refills of iced herbal tea, and it was the perfect match. For a while, we stopped talking to eat, and simply kept our forks moving. This really is delicious. I wonder what they season it with.

“Mm? Hey, Ran, hold on a second.”

“Huh?”

I picked up a napkin and wiped her face.

“......?!”

“You had some sauce on you.”

“You could have just told me! I could have wiped it off myself.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

“Ah, er, I mean, it’s not like I mind... Thank you.”

Ran turned a beet red. Perhaps I wasn’t delicate enough about it. I should learn from this.

◆

Oh, oh wow... Ran softly held a hand to her chest, as if to hold back her pounding heart, as she replayed what just happened in her mind. I-I-Ichika just wiped my mouth! She may have felt it through a napkin, but the tender sensation of his gentle fingers still throbbed through her mouth—through her lips.

It’s okay, right? I was sure to put on my lipstick today, so I’m fine, aren’t I? Ran asked everyone and no one in her head over and over. Thoughts of the pasta she’d been enjoying 120% until now were completely driven from her mind. Half in a panic, she simply cycled her fork like a machine.

Him saying he’d treat made him seem really mature, too... When he had in the past, it’d always been something like a can of soda or a shooting game at the arcade. He was always really good at those games, too... Ran thought back to her own quick game overs. She remembered watching Ichika out of the corner of her eye as she pretended to pay attention to the game. When he fired, so quickly and precisely, he seemed as cool as the hero of some action movie.

But Charlotte’s so beautiful and so adorable at the same time, and she’s a national cadet too... It doesn’t seem fair... Once Ran decided to apply to IS Academy, she had spent all summer cramming up on everything about IS. Eight or nine out of every ten national cadets accepted to IS Academy had their own personal IS too. In other words, they were the elite of the elite.

I saw on the news that that Houki girl had her own IS now, too. They even said that it was built by Dr. Shinonono herself... Ugh... Ran bemoaned the unfairness of it all, not realizing her own advantages as Ichika’s best friend’s little sister.

“By the way, Ran.”

“Eh?!”

“The ticket for Cannonball Fast I gave you is for the same day as my birthday. You okay if we start the party at my place a little bit late?”

“Oh, that’s fine! That idio—uh, my brother will be there too.”

“Oh, yeah. That makes sense.”

“Yeah...” Ran suddenly realized another problem, beside just getting home. “Is anyone from IS Academy coming?!”

“Why’s that matter? I mean, of course they are, but...”

“H-How many?!”

“Oh, five or so.”

“Five...”

The world spun around Ran. Ling, Houki, and Charlotte were strong enough rivals. The thought of two more sent her almost into a panic.

This is bad, this is really bad. There’s no way a handmade cake and something small will be a good enough gift... Her self-confidence began to collapse. She was pretty proud of her own cooking, but Ichika was handy in the kitchen in his own right, and just thinking of the price of the watch Charlotte bought made her shrink back into herself. But I can’t ask for an advance on my allowance, and my school forbids part-time jobs... Ugh!

As she stewed, Ran’s thoughts turned to Ling. I wonder what Ling’s going to do... She’s a national cadet too. So she must get plenty of money from the military... She thought back to when Ling was in middle school and seemed much more of an even match. Though maybe that was just the clash between Japanese and Chinese food.

Phew... I’ve got too way much competition... Ran slumped down gloomily. As she stopped eating, Ichika became worried and asked, “What’s wrong? Full already?”

“N-No! Er, I mean, yeah, I’m fine! I’m done!”

“I see. That’s great, if you’re full I can finish yours off.”

“T-Thanks.”

Even as she spoke, Ran realized the implications of giving him food that had touched her lips. Imagining that maybe-indirect kiss, her cheeks turned red again. Ichika’s probably already kissed someone... With the thought racing through her mind, she felt more and more self-conscious about the parts of her own lips he had just touched. As she casually reached her own hand up and ran her fingertips softly over them, they seemed to almost burn. I wonder what a kiss feels like... Ran wandered lost in her own thoughts until lunch was over and it was time for dessert.

“Huh? Each of our ice cream flavors are different.”

“Looks that way. I wonder why?”

“Hmm, mine is strawberry, Ichika’s is vanilla, and Charl’s is chocolate.”

“You’re right.” As Ran watched Ichika nod, a crazy thought filled her head. Are... Are we meant to share the different flavors between us? An involuntary grin sprung to her face as she imagined asking Ichika to open wide. Shaking the fantasy off, she gazed at her ice cream.

“Hey, why don’t we feed it to each other.”

“Whaa?”

“Hmm?”

“Err, what did you just—”

“I dunno, it just seems like what you’re supposed to do.”

“......!” Ran wondered if it was just a dream. If it was, pinching her thigh should wake her up. Pinch!

“Oww!”

“What’s wrong?!”

“Oh, nothing! Nothing at all!”

It wasn’t a dream! The pinch of the pain had brought her back to reality, but Ichika was still there and he really had just said that! Ahh, I can’t believe it! It’s like a dream! Ichika’s gonna feed me!

“All right, let’s start with my vanilla. Charl, say ‘ahh.’”

“Ahh.”

Charlotte swallowed the spoonful of vanilla ice cream. The blush on her face was all the proof Ran needed that she was a romantic rival.

“This is delicious.”

“Oh? That’s good. You’re next, Ran.”

“Okay!”

“Say ‘ahh.’”

“Ahh...”

Chomp.

Ahhhh, what do I do? What do I do?! I can’t even tell how it tastes... But it feels so good... Ran, in a daze, continued running her tongue over the spoon even after the ice cream was gone.

“Ran.”

“Mm?”

“Done yet?”

“Huh?! Oh, of course! That was delicious!” Flustered, she pulled the spoon from her mouth. I can’t believe I just did that... Student council president Gotanda Ran wouldn’t be caught dead doing something so embarrassing. But this wasn’t her. This was just another girl in love.

◆

Hmm, looks like she likes Ichika too. As she watched the two interact, Charlotte confirmed her suspicions. I guess he really does just attract women without even thinking about it. With a quiet, private sigh, she took another bite of ice cream. Do your best, Charl!

“I-Ichika, let me give you some of mine.”

“Sure.”

“Say ‘ahh.’”

“Ahh.”

Chomp.

“How is it? Is it any good?”

“Mmm! This has cocoa powder streaks in it too! It’s incredible!”

“Ohh! That’s interesting.”

In her heart, Charlotte was a little bit disappointed that Ichika was seriously breaking it down so intently. C’mon, Ichika, I’m feeding you. You don’t have to focus that hard. Can’t you just relax and ignore the food itself for a little bit? A little Charl ran around inside her head, pounding her fists. Still, though, Charlotte was sincere and conscientious enough to share with Ran as well.

“You next, Ran. Say ‘ahh.’”

“Ahh.”

Chomp.

Wait, huh?

“It is really good.” Ran smiled. Meanwhile, Charlotte was anything but calm on the inside.

Did... Did she just get an indirect kiss with Ichika? She’s so lucky... Charlotte’s jealousy shone in her eyes. Without really even thinking about it, she was consumed with the urge to lick the spoon too. No. No, I can’t. That’s going way too far.

Only her iron will held her back until a realization struck. Oh, right! It’s my turn next for an... For an indirect... kiss... Her heart pounding, she looked again at the spoon in Ran’s hand. Her eyes burned, and her cheeks shone a cherry-blossom pink.

“A-Anyway, Ichika! Say ‘ahh’!”

“Ahh.”

Chomp.

“Mmm! This has fruit in it, too! It’s great.”

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum... Charlotte’s heart pounded like a drum.

“You next, Charlotte. Say ‘ahh.’”

“A-Ahh.”

Chomp.

A-A-An indirect kiss with Ichika! I’m indirect kissing him! What do I do?! She couldn’t even taste the ice cream. She could feel the almost crisp sherbet-like texture, but even that was faint and distant.

“It... It’s nice.”

“Oh! That’s good.”

Charlotte sorrowfully watched the spoon recede as Ran took it from her mouth. The realization of how shameful her own behavior was brought a deeper blush to her cheeks. Ran... Ran really is a good girl. She had deliberately fed Ichika first or the indirect kiss wouldn’t have happened. Or maybe she had just wanted to feed Ichika first, but Charlotte was happy to consider it as considerate.

Oh man. What do I do? My heart won’t stop pounding... She felt like her chest was going to explode from sheer glee. As they finished their desserts, she couldn’t taste her chocolate ice cream at all.

◆

“Thank you for walking me home.”

“Mm. Say hi to Dan for me.”

“Sure.”

It was shortly past four in the afternoon. Ichika, Charlotte, and Ran were standing in front of Gotanda’s in the early fall twilight. After lunch, they’d each done their own shopping, until finally, Ichika offered to walk Ran home—which brought them here. Ran was almost tempted to offer them dinner, but as it was still only 4 PM, she gave up on the idea. It was still way too early.

“Anyway, uh, see you at the party.”

“Yeah. Don’t forget to cheer for me at Cannonball Fast!”

“Of course! Do your best!” As she spoke, Ran couldn’t bring herself to look directly at Ichika, and instead kept glancing around. It seemed almost like she was worried about being spotted by her family, or what they’d say after. Please... Please, just don’t let my idiot brother walk out the door... Not dad either... Please...

As she thought, she took one last look at Ichika’s face. He really is soooo cool... Ran thought back to the first time they met. The day she fell in love in 0.1 seconds. ‘Love at first sight doesn’t exist. That’s just silly.’ The day she learned how foolish she was for thinking so. People fall in love over the smallest things. A more complex reason can be figured out later. What matters is that first impression which never fades. And once it starts, it will never stop. Love cannot be stopped.

“I-Ichika.”

“Yes?”

“Um... Uh, well...”

Holding her hands behind her, Ran twisted her index fingers around each other. Fidget, fidget. Hunting for the words she wanted to say, but failing in her search, she eventually left off with a regretful ‘Goodnight!’

Ugh, I’m such an idiot! A big dumb idiot! She walked into her house, climbing the stairs quickly while berating herself.

“You’re back?”

As she stepped on to the second-floor landing, she came face-to-face with Dan. In his hand was a cup of expensive ice cream she’d been saving.

“YOU MORON!” Ran released all of her pent-up frustration with a kick.

◆

I’m walking home alone together with Ichika... Alone... Together... Charlotte and Ichika walked back to IS Academy, enveloped in a strange quiet. Mostly, it was due to Charlotte’s fretting, but Ichika’s consideration for her made him silent as well.

“Today was fun.”

“Ah? Yeah! Yeah, it was!” Charlotte had been stumbling in a haze of confusion over how to use this chance and frustration that she couldn’t think of a way since they arrived at their bus stop. The tiny Charlottes inside her head were embroiled in heated debate. Ahh, we’re almost to the gate. This is no good, once we get inside we’ll probably run into so someone. What do I say... What do I say...

“Hey, Ichika.”

“Yes?”

“Do you listen to music a lot?”

“A friend of mine used to lend me CDs all the time in middle school, but I haven’t really bought anything lately. I’ve been too busy with my IS.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Heeey, speaking of which.”

“Yeah?”

“The new gear I got shipped in from France is really good! It’s got a really high rate of fire, and a big magazine!”

“Really? That sounds cool. That must mean you’ll be even better at shooting, then.”

“Y-Yeah! Ahahahah...”

Argh, I’m so stupid! That wasn’t girly at all! I need to think of something better to say! If Ichika hadn’t been there, she would have pounded on her head in frustration.

“Oh, there’s Houki.”

Too late. Charlotte’s heart sunk.

“Hey! Hey, Houki!” Ichika called out to Houki, like Charlotte knew he would. And of course, she turned around and rushed over to meet them.

“Ichika and Charlotte. Did you two go out somewhere?”

“Yeah, shopping. Right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“To-Together?!”

“Nah. Ran was there too. Well, we ran into her. Right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Houki furrowed her brow at Charlotte and her conspicuous guilt.

“Well, I guess it’s okay if it wasn’t just you two.” She cleared her throat as she stood with her arms crossed. “But if you’re going to go shopping, you should invite me along. It’s not like I don’t need to pick up things for myself, as well.”

“Sure thing. I’ll text you next time.”

“Yes. That’s fine,” Houki nodded, her cheeks a pale red. “Anyway. Since you’re returning just before dinner, why don’t we eat together?”

“Sure!”

“I guess I’ll join in.”

“Very well. Why don’t we each go back to our rooms, and then meet at the dining hall entrance? Say, in around ten minutes?”

“If Laura’s in, should I invite her too?”

“Sure. It’s more fun to eat as a group. I’ll try to get a hold of Rin too.”

“Why does Ling need to be involved?!”

“Well, she was gonna come along today, but then something came up. She should be done by now though.”

“...She really worms her way into absolutely everything...”

“Huh?”

“Oh, nothing!” Flustered, Houki cleared her throat to change the subject. “Anyway, see you then.”

“Got it!”

“Yeah!” Charlotte and Houki each answered energetically, with a smile.