Chapter II: Girls’ Rhythm
Chapter II: Girls’ Rhythm
IS Academy’s hangars. Structures by the arenas, originally built for the maintenance classes which began in students’ second year. Today, though, one was occupied by Tatenashi’s little sister, Kanzashi.
“It’s still so unresponsive... Why...”
She stared at a projection display while tapping away on her mechanical keyboard. Activating an incomplete IS on her own. It was something Tatenashi was able to do with Mysterious Lady. Kanzashi couldn’t stand to live in her sister’s shadow all her life. She had to at least measure up this way.
“My core synchronization isn’t rising at all... Am I just unsuited to this type?”
The IS, an Uchigane Nishiki, was an all-range fighter which took design cues from the versatile Revive.
“Sigh...”
Not finding an answer, Kanzashi closed the display and put her keyboard away. Maybe I’ll just go home and watch some anime.
Kanzashi’s secret hobby was watching anime. Action shows with a clear-cut hero, of course. The kind where the hero takes down all the villains. She loved that kind of simple, direct plot. Even when she was little, her favorite picture book was Momotaro—Tatenashi’s was Urashima Taro.
What should I watch today... She picked up her things to leave the hangar, contemplating the rest of her day.
“Yo.” The automatic doors opened, and Ichika stepped in. In his hands were drinks. “Which do you like, tea or juice?”
Ignoring him, Kanzashi left. Ichika hurried after her.
“Hey.”
“.........”
“Heeeeey.”
“.........”
“Heeeeey, Kanzashi.”
A loud footstep rang in the air as she stopped and said, “Don’t call me by my first name.”
“Um, Sarashiki then?”
“Don’t call me by my last name either.”
“Then...”
“Just... Don’t talk to me at all.” Kanzashi walked on, Ichika following a pace or two behind.
“At least take a drink. I don’t need two of ’em. Here, yeah, which would you like?”
“Grape, then...”
“Understood.”
Ichika held out the can, and as she took it their hands touched.
“......!” Kanzashi suddenly flinched as if struck by lightning. Seemingly annoyed by his questioning look, she grimaced while taking the can.
“What’s up with you?”
Ignoring his question, and drink in hand, Kanzashi turned to leave.
“Um... You there!”
“.........”
“C’mon, I’m talking to you!”
“Are you serious...?”
“You said not to call you by your name.”
“Is that the best alternative you have?”
“Oh. Kans, then.” She glared at him in response. “Okay. Kanzashi...”
Sighing, Kanzashi sped up.
“C’mon, Kanzashi. Team up with me.”
“I don’t want to...”
“C’mon.”
“Why do you even want me as a teammate?”
“Huh? Um...” Ichika’s mind squirmed for an answer that didn’t involve Tatenashi. Then a light bulb blinked on ever his head. “I want to see your IS!”
“......!”
Smack! The slap echoed through the hall.
“...Huh?”
And with that, Kanzashi silently stalked off.
◇
Back in my room, I rubbed my cheek, still red from the slap. My mind swirled around as I tried to find an answer.
“I wonder what she was so mad about...”
“Oh. That must be it. Her IS isn’t ready yet.”
I clapped my hands together in realization. Now that I thought of it, Tatenashi had mentioned that. How could I forget... I pulled the IS Academy syllabus down from the shelf, and began to flip through it.
“Hmm, let’s see.”
IS Academy has an Engineering track beginning second year focusing on IS development, research, and maintenance. During school tournaments, students, especially second and third years, will be assigned crews from students on this track. Hmm. Maybe Kanzashi can get help from one of those crews.
Knock, knock.
“Hello? Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
Oh, it’s the demon who had sliced my door in half.
“You’re thinking something rude, aren’t you, Ichika.”
“Hahaha. Of course not, Tatenashi.”
“Oh really? Ah well. I bought some cream puffs, would you like to share?”
“Oh, sure. Thanks.”
I led her in. As we sat down, she noticed the thick syllabus open on my desk.
“Oh, Ichika. Are you thinking of asking one of the crews for help?”
“Nah, not me. I thought maybe they’d be able to help Kanzashi out.”
“I see. Well, it might not be that simple,” Tatenashi said as she sat down on the bed.
“Huh, why?”
“Kanzashi wants to put together her own IS.”
“Eh?”
“I did, so I think she thinks she has to, too. You should just let her do her thing.”
“Wait... Did you really put together Mysterious Lady yourself?!”
“Huh? Well, yeah. But it was already around 70% complete when I started.”
Wow... She wasn’t quite the second coming of Tabane, but still, that was crazy to hear.
“But Kaoruko gave me plenty of advice. And Utsuho was there too.”
“Eh? They’re on the crews?”
“Yes. The third year top of the class and the second year expert.”
Well, that was a surprise. Not Utsuho so much, but I’d thought Kaoruko had her hands full with the newspaper club.
“You should have them take a look at yours, Ichika. It’s obvious watching Byakushiki in action that the thrusters are out of sync.”
“I see...” Watching her pick up a cream puff, I rushed to get some tea ready.
“Anyway, how was she other than that?”
“She slapped me.”
“Really?” For some reason, Tatenashi seemed surprised. As we spoke, the tea finished brewing. “I know she doesn’t like to waste time on anything that’s not productive, but...”
“Uhh...”
“Did you touch her butt or something?”
“Of course not!”
“Her boobs, then?”
“C’mon! You know I’m not a creep like that!”
“Well, that’s too bad. I was thinking you could double up and get whichever one you missed.”
“Wait! Why are you undressing?! C’mon, you’re pissing me off!”
“Aww, I was just kidding.” Dealing with Tatenashi was exhausting sometimes.
“Here’s your tea. Sorry, I only had bags.”
“As long as you made it, it’s the best tea in the world.”
“You don’t have to...”
“Lie to you, I know.” I was really getting tired of her. “Anyway, though. I think you just might have a chance with her.”
“Really? Even after she slapped me?”
“Girls like a guy who’s not afraid to keep going after what he wants.”
Even I could tell that was a lie. I imagined how it would turn out with the girls I knew. How it would turn out if I didn’t even know them, and after they slapped me I kept coming on to them.
If I did it with Houki...
“What, would you rather I cut you instead?!”
Guh!
If I did it with Rin...
“What, do you like getting hit? Get outta here, you creep!”
Guh!
If I did it with Cecilia...
“I can’t believe the nerve of you uncivilized apes. Get out of my sight.”
Guh!
If I did it with Laura...
“Did you know? People can live for nearly ten minutes after decapitation.”
Guh!
If I did it with Charl...
“.........”
Guh!
That wouldn’t work at all!
“Stop lying to me, Tatenashi!”
“Oh, am I?” Wow, she was already trying a different tact. “Anyway, I’ll figure out a way to hook you up with Kanzashi. Just do me a favor and be sure to help her out with her IS.”
“Is that an order?”
“Oh, do you enjoy being ordered around?”
“...Why?”
“Aww. You don’t have to get angry about it.”
“Hmm. Thanks for the tea. I’ll see you later.” Tatenashi had said what she had to say, most of it lies, and left.
“I guess I should try the cream puffs.”
Chomp. Munch, munch.
“Pfffft!”
“Ahahahahaha! I got you good, it has mustard in it rather than cream!” I could see her laughing face through my door, which was still cracked open. A devil. A devil was watching me.
“Ta-te-na-shiiii!”
“Eek!”
The door slammed shut, and she fled. I made good and sure, a good five times, that it was locked and she couldn’t get in again.
◇
Kanzashi was back in her room, her blanket pulled over her head to block out her roommate, watching TV on her phone. On the tiny projection display, an invincible hero was foiling the villains’ plans yet again. Her face was blank even as she enjoyed the show. Just like usual.
I hit him... Even though she had kept herself under control the first time they met, the second time, she had gotten emotional and gone too far. Why did I... It was true that it was Ichika’s fault her IS wasn’t yet complete, but he didn’t mean to do it.
Am I just acting spoiled? Kanzashi was self-conscious about lashing out at people. Growing up in the Sarashiki household, as long as she remembered, she’d always been compared to her sister. All of her anguish about trying to live up to that example was something she’d never been able to tell anyone. All of that, she kept bottled up.
Yet— Yet still—
Orimura... Ichika... His image hung in her heart as if he were still there. She remembered his gentle smile.
Without her knowing quite why, Kanzashi’s cheeks turned the pink of a cherry blossom. On the screen, her show had already ended.
◇
“Hey!” I walked faster, trying to catch up. As I did, her pace increased, too, until we were both half-running. “Hold up, Houki!”
“Be quiet! Just leave me alone! I want to do this by myself!”
“C’mon. We were invited to this together, we should do it together. Plus, you’ll probably get lost by yourself.”
“Stop making fun of me! There’s no way that would happen!”
It was Sunday, and we were on our way to meet up with Kaoru’s sister, the magazine editor. Of course, we were in street clothes, not our uniforms. Actually...
“Houki.”
“W-What?!”
“That’s a nice outfit. When did you pick it up?”
“Ah, I... A little while ago, when I went shopping with my friends.”
She was wearing a black miniskirt and a white blouse, under a light parka for autumn. It was the color of dandelions.
“Those, what do you call ’em, frills around your collar. They’re nice.”
“You think so? I mean, I like it too.”
“I always just think of you as that kid in kendo gear, but I guess you can be pretty feminine when you feel like it, eh.”
“Hmph. I don’t need your flattery.” Houki crossed her arms and looked away.
C’mon, I don’t admit it that often, at least you could play along. “Anyway, we don’t have to be there for a while. We can slow down.”
“I guess.”
As we continued to walk I noticed Houki turning slightly toward me, only to turn away again.
“Hm? What’s up, Houki? You keep looking at me.”
“Oh, nothing!”
“Really.”
“You... Your clothes look cool, too...”
“Huh? Didn’t hear you.”
“N-Nothing! I didn’t say anything! Yeah! Ahahaha...”
What had gotten into her today?
“You know, it’s pretty cold out. There’s a coffee shop right there, why don’t we stop?”
“Eh? Well, um... Mumble, mumble.”
“Come again?”
“I-If you’re cold, we could j-just hold hands!” Her words were far more forceful than the timid extension of her arm.
“Sounds like a good idea. Let’s do that.” I took Houki’s hand as we walked toward the subway turnstile.
“Ah—” Houki was quiet until we made it to the meeting.
“Hi, I’m Mayuzumi Nagisako, editor for Infinite Stripes. Pleased to meet you.”
“Hi. I’m Orimura Ichika.”
“And I’m Shinonono Houki.”
The meeting room was spacious, with three sofas facing each other like chunks of a sliced tomato.
“Why don’t we jump straight into the interview? We can do the photoshoot later.” Nagisako took out a pen-shaped digital recorder and showed us it. She was wearing a checkered suit, with her legs poking out stylishly from a tight skirt.
“So, first question. Orimura, what do you think about going to a girls’ school?”
“Starting with the tough ones, huh?”
“Everyone wants to know! You wouldn’t believe how many people mentioned it in our survey.”
“Well... It’s tough not having many male bathrooms.”
“Pfft! Ahahahaha! My little sister was right! You really are the thirstless harem king!”
Harem king, huh.
“Hey, tell me. What’s it take to get a visa approved?”
“Who are you, Dan?!”
“All right, how about you, Shinonono? Tell me about your sister.”
Houki stomped her feet down as she stood up. It looked like Tabane was still off-limits for her.
“You won’t get the dinner invites if you do that,” Nagisako remarked.
“Ugh!” She sat back down on the sofa.
“Good girl. I like that honesty. Anyway... What do you think of the IS she made for you? Any plans to become a national cadet? Maybe you’re a bit tired of Japan?”
“I’m grateful for Akatsubaki. Currently, while I’ve received a number of requests, I have no plans to become a national cadet. As for Japan, well, it’s where I was born and raised, so I can’t complain too much.”
Houki answered each of Nagisako’s rapid-fire questions. She always took things a little too seriously.
“Okay, okay. Orimura, Shinonono, which one of you is stronger?”
“Me!” Houki immediately answered.
“Really?”
“Well, umm...” Houki had a slightly better win rate in our mock battles.
“Wow, that’s no good! What kind of hero can’t protect the girl?” Nagisako grinned cheekily, and I looked away shyly.
“I’m fine not being a hero. I’m just a soldier.”
“Nice line. That’s the kind of thing you’d hear in a movie.” Nagisako, grinning, mimed a film camera with her hands. She was just as energetic as Kaoruko. “Sergeant Orimura! What is your mission?!”
“U-Uh, err...” I glanced over at Houki. I didn’t want to say anything too embarrassing, but... “To protect my comrades!”
“That’s it! That’s what I want to hear from a boy!” Seemed like I’d been demoted.
“Now that I think of it, you’re also on the student council, right? Isn’t Tatenashi wicked awesome?”
‘Wicked awesome?’ She was kinda dating herself there.
“Honestly, it’s a lot of work. Along with IS training and the executive branch, I also take part in a number of other club activities.”
“That’s right, Kaoruko was complaining that you haven’t made it to the newspaper club yet.”
“That’s... Well, they do a drawing to see who gets me.”
“I guess it’s to be expected, then. She always had bad luck. I remember the time when she bought twenty grab bags and every single one had a pack of tissues in it. She almost cried.”
We chatted until the interview was over and it was time for the photoshoot.
“All right, the studio is in the basement. There are dressing rooms attached, you can get changed there. After that, we’ll get you made up and get shooting.”
“Huh? We have to change?”
“Yeah. If I don’t get shots of you in the sponsors’ clothing, my head’s gonna roll,” she said as she made a slicing motion across her neck. Wow, it must be tough being an adult.
“All right, let’s go!”
◇
As Houki entered her dressing room, she clasped her hands in front of her chest and let out a sigh without even looking at the outfit laid out for her.
“Ahh...” A passionate sigh.
‘I’ll protect Houki!’ I can’t believe he actually said that... She banged on the wall, a smile plastered across her face. On the fourth blow, the white panel dented. It may have only been a deliberate mishearing, but once the idea was in her mind, her teenage hormones were impossible to stop.
“That’s it! That’s it! Ahahahahaha!”
It was only after she picked up the clothes she’d be modeling that she realized how daring they were.
“Wow... These are kinda...”
It was an extremely low-cut blouse, a cute frilly miniskirt, and a short denim jacket. They expect me to wear this? Me? Me of all people?! As she looked at the kind of outfit she’d never pick for herself, she tensed for a moment. But... Well... I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to dress like this again... She wanted to show Ichika that she could look good like this too. With determination welling up in her, two minutes later she made up her mind.
“All right! I’ll do it!” Raising her clenched fists, she began to undo the buttons of her blouse.
Isn’t Ichika done yet? I can’t calm down when I’m wearing this. Houki felt uneasy as she sat in the studio.
A pro makeup artist had done their best to make her astonishingly beautiful. The assistant cameraman and a few other men had been audibly breathing more heavily when they glanced in her direction. If he’s kind enough to flatter me, I’ll ask him if he wants to have dinner on the patio. I’ll... I’ll ask him out myself. I’ll ask him out... I’ll ask him out... As Houki chanted the phrase in her head like it was a magic spell, she heard a voice from the next room.
“Sorry that took so long. Orimura’s ready now.”
Ba-dum! Ichika’s coming it... Ichika’s coming in... Even more anxious, now, she began to push her bangs back and forth.
“I look pretty weird in this getup, don’t I.”
Ichika’s voice! Her pulse raced even faster.
“No way! It looks great on you. There’s nothing quite like a young man in a suit.”
A suit?! Unable to hold back her curiosity any longer, Houki turned to look.
“Ah......” It may have just been in Houki’s lovestruck eyes, but Ichika, in a casual suit, looked incredibly, fabulously cool. “I-Ichika...”
“Hey. Sorry I took so long, Houki.”
“Mhm...” Houki was at a loss for words. She twiddled her fingers, until she finally managed to half-whisper something. “It looks good on you... Um, uh, n-not bad.”
“Sure. Thanks. You look... Cute, too.”
“Cute?!” Houki’s heart suddenly pounded. She squeezed her eyes shut as if her cheeks were actually on fire.
Ichika said I look cute... He said I look cute... Clapping her palms to her face, she could feel the heat rise. Not wanting to let Ichika see her like this, she spun around.
“All right, let’s get started with the shoot. We’re a bit pressed for time, so let’s make this snappy,” Nagisako said as she clapped her hands. The staff sprang to work and the shoot began.
◇
Well, I wasn’t expecting that. In the photography booth, Houki and I went through pose after pose. I tried not to spend too much time looking at her as it dragged on. I can’t believe how different she looks. The makeup sure does wonders.
When I first saw her all made up, I wasn’t sure it was really her. And I was really surprised by how much cleavage and how much of her thighs the outfit showed off. She’d never normally wear that kind of thing. The unexpectedness, the out-of-the-ordinariness of it was exhilarating. I couldn’t help but think that she was cute. Hmm. I guess she looks a bit more mature than usual, too? Or something... I couldn’t quite find the right word.
Anyway, with how hard my heart was already racing, I did my best not to make eye contact with her.
“C’mon, Orimura. Don’t just be in the frame next to Shinonono, you need to be there with her,” Nagisako suddenly spoke up.
A bit reluctantly, I scooted closer to Houki on the couch and asked, “Um... Like this?”
“Still not there. Closer! Closer!”
“Really?! But if I get any closer...”
I peeked over at Houki. I had thought she’d be angry, but instead, she was looking up at me, almost entreatingly. Whaa?! This definitely wasn’t the Houki I was used to. I already knew she was different today, but this was like the opposite of normal. My heart burning up, I shifted over to sit directly next to her.
“Ah...” As I brushed against her arm, she let out an unbelievably cute sigh.
Ba-dum! My heart leapt.
“Hmm, nah, just lining up doesn’t quite do it. Orimura, put your arm around her waist.”
“...Huh?”
“Arm. Around. Her. Waist. Hurry it up, we don’t have all day.”
“O-Okay!”
Being put on the spot like that, I reflexively said I’d do it, even though I still wasn’t sure. So I have to put my arm... As I began to panic a little, Houki shifted to make it easier. When we rubbed together, I could suddenly smell the sweet vanilla notes of her perfume. The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears as I pulled her toward me with a wavering arm.
“Ahh...” A quiet sigh escaped Houki’s lips. The sound escaping from between those two lines of faint pink gloss was enough to steal my heart.
Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. I gulped down the saliva filling my mouth as I chanted to myself in my head.
“Hmm. Not bad, but I want something with a bit more impact.” Nagisako pulled her face back from the viewfinder and crossed her arms as she stared at the ceiling in thought. “Oh, I know what. Shinonono, maybe wrap your arms around his neck? Yeah, that’s it. That’ll do it!”
She snapped her fingers.
“All right, go for it!”
Her face was plastered with a wide grin. Isn’t that a bit too... As I thought, I looked over at Houki, and her eyes were not even ten centimeters from mine.
“Ah...”
We gazed into each other’s eyes. It was as if time had stopped, as we sat, unmoving. Houki’s eyes are beautiful... Within them burned the same fierce determination I’d always known. But today, there was something else there too. I didn’t know what to call it, but it was a face of hers I’d never seen. The mystery of it called out to me.
Snap! The sudden flash brought us both back to reality.
“Ooh, that’s a good one. Honestly, I should’ve gone with that to begin with.”
“Er, um...”
“.........”
We snapped apart in embarrassment, unable to say anything to each other. I don’t know if she knew what was going through our minds as we sat silently, but Nagisako grinned lightheartedly while giving us a thumbs-up and said, “All right! Good job! You can go get changed now. Feel free to keep the clothes.”
“S-Sure...”
“Understood...” We both answered faintly as we tried to look in opposite directions.
“Okay, I’ll email you the dinner invitations later, so be sure to remember to leave your address on the way out. Thanks for coming!” Nagisako, like Kaoruko, was swift on her feet, already looking through the results of the shoot on her phone.
“Anyway, Houki.”
“What?”
“Let’s go get changed.”
“Oh, right.”
Still a little bit nervous, we kept our distance as we headed to our dressing rooms. Of course, we didn’t speak a word on the way there. My face was burning so hot that I needed to fan it with my palm.
◇
He... He liked how I looked... Ichika liked how I looked... He said I looked cute... Houki stood in the dressing room staring into the mirror, stripped down to her underwear, clenching her clothes in her fists. Her heart throbbed, held in by her pure white bra.
And... And... Remembering how her heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, her cheeks flushed pink. We looked at each other... Up close like that... It had felt like her chest was going to tear open then, but now, it swelled with exultation. Their eyes meeting like lovers’ do... His warmth, the sensation of his breath on her skin, that closeness... The memory of each of these thrilled her. If... If we had been alone then... Inside her heart, she imagined kissing Ichika.
“Mmm......” Closing her eyes, she traced a finger along her lips. The blissful sensation mixed with a pang of guilt.
All right... She opened her eyes, her decision made. I’ll ask him out to dinner tonight. Just pick somewhere that looks good and go for it. As she thought, something tugged at her memory.
I know! There was that one place in the magazine I borrowed from my roommate Shizune. Wasn’t it right by the subway station? Thinking of the big ‘Top 10 Date Restaurants’ on the cover made her face burn even hotter. I’m on a roll today. I can do this. Just calm down and ask him. Yeah, that’s it, she repeated to herself as she dressed. A shy, but bright, smile spread across her face.
On the way home, Ichika and Houki walked side by side. Each carried a bag with the clothes they’d worn during the photoshoot.
“Well, uh. That sure was something different.” Ichika, maybe still thinking of Houki as a woman, stumbled over his words.
“You’re right. It was definitely an experience.” They made idle chatter to fill the air as they walked down the steps to the subway station.
All right. Say it. Say it! Pressing her hands to her chest like she was trying to hold her heart in, Houki opened her mouth, “I-Ichika... Let’s, uh, let’s have dinner together tonight.”
“Hm? Oh, sure. We’re gonna have to hurry to get back before the dining hall closes, though.”
“N-No! Not the dining hall... I mean... Go out to eat...”
“Oh, dinner out? Well...” Ichika thought for a moment. For Houki, it felt like hours. “Sure, why not.”
“Really?! All right!” Houki’s smile gleamed.
“Okay, where to? The diner by the station?”
“N-No! I know a good place. Let’s go there.”
“Okay.”
Houki basked in the thrill of victory. But—
“Looks packed.”
It being dinnertime on a Sunday, Spruce Forest—the restaurant she remembered from the magazine—was full. Most of the customers being couples only added to her dismay.
“What do you want to do? The sign says it’s a two-hour wait... Should we just go to the dining hall?”
“N-No! Let’s find another restaurant!”
This was her chance at dinner out with Ichika. She didn’t want to let it slip away.
Where do we go, though? The only other places I know are, like, diners, or the mall food court, or ramen shops... None of those were what she wanted.
Houki strained, trying to remember the magazine’s other suggestions. Two was in the opposite direction... Three’s a long way away... Where was four again...? As she pondered, Ichika took her hand.
“Hey, I know a place. Let’s go.”
Whaa?! He... Ichika’s holding my hand?! Her heart leapt up her throat.
“It’s a bit of a walk, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, that’s fine... Just... Just lead the way...” Houki was so focused on Ichika’s hand in hers that she could barely find words to respond.
She was so focused she almost forgot to walk along with him, and finally set off a half-pace behind, still hand-in-hand.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived.
“Here it is.”
“O-Okay?” It wasn’t the romantic getaway she’d been hoping for. In fact, it was a greasy spoon.
“Go... tanda’s?”
“Yeah. Didn’t I tell you about here? My friend’s family owns it.”
“I see...” Houki slumped in dejection. Then again, this was Ichika, wasn’t it? She shouldn’t get her hopes up that much. Letting out a sigh, she followed Ichika inside.
“Oh, hey, Dan.”
“Wow, Ichika? What are you doing here?” The place was around half-full. Dan, in an apron, was waiting tables, earning his allowance while helping out. “Huh, you brought a girl? Wait, is she your girlfriend?”
“What’s that smug grin for?”
“Whaddaya mean? So... Is she?”
“No way. Remember, I told you about her back in middle school. She’s my childhood friend. My first childhood friend. Didn’t you meet her at my birthday party?”
“Man, you crazy? I spent the whole time getting Utsuho’s number.”
“Wait, what was that about Utsuho?”
“Cough. Nothing at all. Anyway, uhh. What was her name? Shinono?” As Dan stood with arms crossed trying to remember, Houki spoke up.
“Shinonono Houki.”
“Oh, right. I’m Gotanda Dan. Pleased to meet you.”
“Yeah.”
Hearing his name, Gotanda Ran came to mind, and she was taken a little aback. Wait, did he come here just to meet up with her? The thought ate at her as Dan led them to their table.
“Just get my attention when you’re ready to order,” said Dan as he went back behind the counter.
Houki struck up conversation with Ichika as she looked over the menu, “So, what would you recommend?”
“Hmm, it’s all good, but if I had to pick something it’d be the seafood. The simmered flounder’s really tasty.”
“Thanks. Hmm...”
Even as they talked, the worry that he only came here to see Ran kept running through her head.
“Er, um... Ichika?”
“Yeah?” Ichika replied without looking up from the menu.
“U-Um...”
Say it! Just say it! You can do it! Even as she tried to push herself into it, she couldn’t quite find the words. Get a hold of yourself, Houki! Where’s all your determination? All right. I’ll say it. I’ll say it!
“Um— Ichika!”
“Hm? What’s the big deal?”
“Oh, nothing... Sorry...”
She must have been too forceful, as the nearby tables were staring. Embarrassed, she shrunk back into her seat as Ichika gave her a curious look.
“You know, you’ve looked really good at kendo club lately. Your posture and everything. Especially how you keep your back straight.”
“Oh, right. Thanks, I guess...” She took a deep sip from her glass of water as she shrunk back again. One more time. I can do it!
“I-Ichika.”
“Yeah”
“Um... Well...” The world swirled around her as she looked up, directly into his eyes. Just say it! “Uhh... Lately, I’ve been practicing my cooking. Would you like to try it sometime?”
Argh! What am I saying!
“Oh, really? Your cooking’s great. I’d love to.”
“Oh, I see! I see... Yeah!” As Ichika smiled happily, Houki nodded, her ponytail swaying. Her joy was written all over her face.
“Anyway, I think I’m getting the grilled fish and fish fry combo. How about you?”
“Me? Well, umm...” Houki, who had forgotten all about dinner, looked back down at the menu.
“The Hellfire stir-fry is good too. I mean, it is their house special.”
“Oh? I’ll have that, then.” Houki had already forgotten all about Ran, and was enjoying her time together with Ichika.
“Hey, Dan. We’re ready.”
“Alright, what can I get you?”
“I’ll have the grilled fish and fish fry combo. And Houki will have the Hellfire stir-fry.”
“Gotcha. Just a sec.”
A few quick jots on the check, and Dan disappeared into the kitchen. It was then that the chef, Dan’s grandfather Gen, noticed that Ichika was there and spoke up, “Hmm? Isn’t that Ichika!”
“Oh, hi there. I thought I’d drop in.”
“I see. Bring your girlfriend for a date? Gahaha!”
“It’s not like that—”
“Hey! Ran! Heeeeey!” Gen turned and yelled upstairs. A faint ‘what?’ echoed back down. “Get down here! Quick!”
“Why?”
“Just do it!”
It seemed like Ran was inclined to listen to her grandfather, as it only took her two minutes to make it out the back door and back in the front. Like usual, she was in somewhat fashionable, but definitely not dressy, clothes.
“What is it, Grandpa? I’m in the middle of my homewo— Whaaat?! Ichika?!”
“Yo.”
“Gahaha!” Gen, who had been laughing the whole time, was so bemused he’d stopped cooking. As Ran compared her own outfit to Ichika’s, and especially Houki’s, her ears turned a bright red and she ran back out the door.
“Waaaaaah!”
“...Wait, what? Hey, Dan. What’s up with her?”
“Now you’ve done it, Gramps.”
“Oh? And why would that be?”
“I’d be more worried about the cooking...” Dan’s mother and the self-described poster girl of Gotanda’s, Ren, stepped in.
“Oh? Oh, my. Is that your girlfriend there, Ichika?”
“I just said, it’s not like that.”
“Oh, I see. That’s good, at least.” Seeing her smile, a smile rose to Ichika’s face reflexively.
Ten minutes later...
“Welcome, Ichika...” Ran, somewhat inexplicably, was in her best clothes, with an apron over them. The arrival of the true poster girl had excited the male clientele.
“Huh, wait, Ran. Did you get changed?”
“Well... Yeah...”
“Are you going out somewhere? It’s pretty late.”
“Nothing wrong with that! I... I just felt like it!” Ran snuck a quick peek at Houki, and her heart dropped. She probably has me beat... Especially in the chest area. Ugh... A loud voice rang out, with no time for her girlish introspection.
“Come on, Ran! Bring them their food!”
“Okay, okay! You don’t have to yell, Grandpa!” Ran picked up the plate and spun away. “Hmph!”
“What...? Hey, Dan. You did something to make Ran mad, didn’t you!”
“It wasn’t me, old man!”
“Don’t lie to me!”
“Gah! Why are you blaming me?! You’re the one who did it!” As the grandfather and grandson bickered, Ren motioned to Ran in encouragement.
“Here you are, Ichika.”
“Thanks.” Having brought Ichika’s meal, she returned to the counter for Houki’s.
“Sorry for the wait. Um... It’s been a while, hasn’t it.”
“Yeah. It has. Thanks.”
With that, Ichika and Houki were both served. But Ran stayed at their table, watching. Why are they here together? Is it a date? I hope it’s not a date... As she stood there overthinking, Ichika spoke up.
“What’s up, Ran?”
“W-What?! Oh, nothing, nothing at all!”
“Well, we can’t really eat with someone standing there staring.”
“Oh! Oh, right! That’s right! Ahahaha, sorry about that!” Ran dashed off behind the counter. Ichika and Houki watched in confusion as they split their chopsticks.
“Anyway, let’s eat.”
“Yes, let’s eat.”
Their chopsticks sprang swiftly to their plates.
“Looks like it’s salmon today. Mmm, this is good.”
Meanwhile, Houki let out a surprised ‘ooh’ as she bit into the Hellfire stir-fry. “This... This is good. It’s got just the right amount of soy sauce.”
“Yeah. It’s great.”
“Would you like some?”
“You sure? Sure thing, then—” Ichika reached out his chopsticks to Houki’s plate, only to be interrupted by a cough.
“I... I’ll feed you...”
“Huh? What?”
“I said, I’ll feed you!”
“O-Okay...” Ichika was a little taken back by how loudly she insisted, but then nodded. Houki picked up a clump of meat and veg and, cradling her hand under it, lifted it to his mouth.
“Say ‘Ahh.’”
“Ah...”
“AHHHHH!” Just as he was about to bite down, a yell even louder than Houki’s echoed through Gotanda’s.
It was Ran...
“See? Ichika’s already got her, you may as well give up.” Dan slapped a hand on Ran’s shoulder, only to squirm as she stomped on his foot.
“Ah— Ahem. I mean...”
“Ah...”
“ARRRGH!” Ran screamed again. The other customers were beginning to gawk at the scene.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s something that couple’s doing, I think.”
“We can’t let anyone make Ran cry!”
“Yeah!”
A group of men started to speak up, only to be met with a ‘quiet it down!’ from Gen.
There was no way that Houki, embarrassed by the sudden attention, could keep feeding Ichika. Why do things like this always happen when I finally get my chance? I swear, every single time! Houki’s chopsticks snapped as she clenched her fists.
“Houki.”
“What?!”
“Say ‘Ahh.’”
Chomp. Houki reflexively bit down on the fried shrimp Ichika held out.
“The fried stuff is good, too. I think they do it a bit differently.”
“I... I guess...” Houki answered after swallowing the shrimp. Meanwhile, Ran glared at Ichika from behind the counter with tears in her eyes, but Ichika was too far away to notice.
Ichika just fed me... Ichika just fed me... Houki’s cheeks blushed a bright red as she tried to still her pounding heart.
“Y-You can have some more of my stir-fry.”
Trying not to let him see her snapped chopsticks, Houki fed Ichika another bite.
“Mm. Mmmm.”
“.........”
Even though she hadn’t cooked the stir-fry herself, Houki found herself nervous as she waited for his reaction.
“Yeah, this is great!”
“That’s good!” Relief blossomed in her heart. They returned to their meals, eating until Ran came by their table again.
“Heeeeeeey, here’s more water.”
“Oh, thanks.”
Ran took the glass with trembling hands, and began to refill it from the pitcher she carried. But with what she had just seen still burned in her eyes, the water poured out wildly.
“Whoa! What’s wrong, Ran? Are you okay?”
“I... I’m fine... Ahahahah...” With shaking hands, she took Houki’s glass to refill it, as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Ran?”
“It... It’s nothing...” Ran wiped her tears away and tried to work up a smile, but she only managed to cry even more.
“What’s wrong?!”
“Uwaaaaah!” Ran’s thudding footsteps echoed through the restaurant as she fled.
“What’s gotten into her? Sorry, Houki. I’m gonna go check on her.” Ichika stood up to follow, only to be blocked by a group of burly men.
“Murakami Shizaburo, age 42, contractor!”
“Juzo Yamada, age 39, carpenter!”
“Yoshioka Shuichi, age 47, delivery driver!”
“Terada Katsumi, age 34, clerk!”
“Chris McKenzie, age 29, self-employed!”
The quintet struck a pose as they introduced themselves. Ichika could almost imagine flames rising up behind them.
“We’re the Ran Fan Club Alliance!”
“Ahh...”
“And you’re about to die!”
The five rushed at Ichika all at once, only to be held back by Gen’s stout arm.
“Gen...”
“Ichika... Let’s take this outside.” A vein swelled up on Gen’s temple. He was furious that someone had made his dear granddaughter cry.
“Ahaha, haha, ahahahaha...”
We interrupt this program to bring you the latest weather update. Some areas will see intense sporadic bloodshed due to an angry grandfather coming in from behind the counter. If you’re going to be out and about, be sure to bring an umbrella.
◇
“Bwahhh....”
Ran sat alone on a swing in a nearby park, depressed. Her cheeks were still red from sobbing. Wahhhh... Ichika’s going out with Houki... The quiet creaking of the chains reflected her own dejected mood.
Sighing, she drew out a ticket from her pocket. It was an invitation to the school festival of her fantastically-prestigious school, St. Marianne’s Junior Academy for Girls. I was going to give this to Ichika, but now... It was a dream which would never come true. She gripped the ticket to tear it in half.
“Hey, Ran!”
“Wha— I-Ichika?!” As Ran saw Ichika run up, gasping for air, she quickly hid the invitation behind her back.
“H-Here... Here you are... I’ve been looking all over for you...”
“I-Ichika... Why...”
“Why wouldn’t... I be worried... When you ran out like that?” Ichika tilted his head back, trying to catch his breath. She could see the red bruises on his face from where he’d been punched.
“I-Ichika? What happened to you?!”
“Oh, these? I... I just fell, ahahah.”
It was an obvious lie, one which Ran could easily see through. She realized it must have been Gen’s doing.
“Sorry... That was my fault...”
“Huh? What was?”
“Well... I mean...”
Ran’s heart soared as she realized Ichika had left Houki behind, taken a beating from Gen, and searched all over just to find her. The sorrow constricting her chest vanished, replaced with a throbbing pain in its own way. He’s really such a nice guy... She clutched her hands in front of herself. Maybe I can ask him now... Having made her decision, she looked up and opened her lips.
“Ichika!”
“Yeah?”
“Here! I’d love to see you there!” She handed him the invitation to the St. Marianne’s Junior Academy festival.
“Huh? Oh, is this for the festival at your school?”
“Y-Yes.”
Looking down at the date on the invitation, Ichika realized something. Huh, that’s the same date as the dinner invitations we got from Mayuzumi. He paused for a moment to think. But it’s a school festival, it’ll probably be done by the evening. Deciding that, he accepted.
“Thanks, I’ll definitely show up for that.”
“Really? Ahhh, when you get there, I’ll be sure to show you around! Just call me when you arrive!”
“Huh? You’re the student council president, right? Aren’t you going to be pretty busy?”
“No! It’s fine! It’ll be fine! I trust everyone else to do their job!” Ran was inordinately proud, at the moment, of not being very relevant.
“Oh, I see. I’ll give you a call then.”
“Yes! Oh, yes!” Seeing Ran’s smile gleam like the sun gave Ichika a bit of relief. He wasn’t quite sure what he had done to make her cry, but he’d been worried about it all evening.
Ran was a girl whose emotions swung wildly, though. Right now, she was overjoyed. I did it, I did it! I’m going on a school festival date! All right! Using their one invitation to bring a boyfriend to the school festival was a dream of girls at St. Marianne’s and IS Academy alike, and Ran’s heart soared at its fulfillment.
Of course, her friends would be watching and judging, but she could be sure that Ichika would meet their standards. After all, he was the one boy in the world who could pilot an IS, and now that the Japanese government had relaxed its gag order he was all over magazines and TV. A smug grin rose to her face as she remembered the abject jealousy on a friend’s face as she recounted her shopping trip with him. And we’ll be walking through the school arm-in-arm as I show him around... Ran giggled.
“Anyway, let’s head back.”
“Oh, right.”
Ichika returned to Gotanda’s, with a grinning Ran in tow. The sheer glee she felt kept her awake all night.