“No matter how hard I stare at this guy, nothing comes out of it…”
Because of an unexpected guest who suddenly arrived from Abydos, there were too many people to gather around a single table. So we tried to push two tables together, but the tension between Saori and Hoshino was palpable.
“How shameless. Since when did aiming a gun at the back of a stranger’s head become something to treat as a joke?”
“Haa~ But I made sure the chamber was empty, and Mika-chan doesn’t seem too bothered… Is that really a good thing~?”
“Hah, just because Mika is overly nice to everyone doesn’t justify your actions.”
“You’re so uptight~ But I have to say, this guy can agree that Mika-chan has become way too nice. I honestly didn’t expect it to be like this…”
At first, the relationship was one-sided, with Saori aggressively trying to bite at us. After all, seeing Hoshino threateningly pointing a gun at us, it’s natural for Saori to see me as her benefactor.
“Hehe~ The reason this guy came to the festival was just to punish Mika-chan.”
“…You came to punish Mika?”
“Haa~ To explain would take a bit… This guy and Nonomi-chan are attending a school called Abydos High School, you might have heard of it?”
“It used to be the most powerful and wealthy place in Kivotos, but due to decades of desertification, its past glory can hardly be found.”
“Hmm… That sounds a bit heartbreaking, but it’s true~ Abydos is in massive debt to Kaiser Corporation. We were struggling just to pay the interest…”
Surprisingly, Hoshino was a bit different from the original character I knew. The piercing atmosphere oozed from her eyes, which seemed so laid-back before.
Right, just like the Hoshino of her first year.
But if I had to define it, she lay somewhere between the original and her first year. Considering that Hoshino was now in her second year, I suppose it wasn’t too surprising.
“Then one day, suddenly, guys like the Helmet Brigade started causing a ruckus in the Abydos Autonomous District… Man, I really thought things were going to go down then.”
“If it weren’t for the anonymous sponsorship that started right around then, neither me nor Hoshino-senpai would have had the resources to even come to this fun festival! Thanks to that sponsorship, we were able to settle the supply issues, and now we have enough left over to cover three months’ interest.”
“Hehe~ That anonymous benefactor is like a savior to us~. Because of that support, this guy could get his act together a little bit faster.”
“I don’t even have to ask who that anonymous sponsor is…”
Saori shot a sly glance at me while trying to suppress a laugh. Since I had taken off my mask for a meal, I felt the urge to pinch her cute cheeks.
“Hahaha… That’s the extent of what I could do. By the way, Hoshino-chan, how did you find out the sponsor was me? My name shouldn’t be written on the checking card…”
“Hehe— Well, Mika-chan sent over a card that never seemed to run out, so I went to the bank, and the name of the card owner popped right up~. Does Mika-chan often hear that she’s a bit careless?”
“Wow—oh…?”
How does that even work? Why are those bank employees allowed to process things like that? They could easily go around checking lost cards or whatever, geez.
“Hmm, still, I should say thank you for your kindness. Thank you for the sponsorship, Mika-chan. It really helped a lot.”
“…Haha, I’m glad it helped—”
“But you know, I think this guy thinks Mika-chan needs a bit of punishment to properly come to her senses~.”
“…Huh? Me? Why?”
What Hoshino rummaged out of her bag was…
“Gah, I knew it, it’s torn!”
“Hehe~ I don’t know what that means, but I kind of feel like I want to tear Mika-chan apart~.”
“…”
It was a letter, completely covered in pink and showing signs of being torn and slightly rumpled. It was the first and only letter I had sent to Hoshino a long time ago, a memory that stayed vividly in my mind.
Hoshino opened it. While the envelope was all crumpled and torn, the letter inside was almost pristine, with just a slight crease.
“Let’s see… “An angel who learned of your circumstances☆”
…Ah.
Excuse me, Hoshino. No, really?
You can’t be seriously thinking of reading out loud the letter I wrote right now in front of four others besides me, right…?
“To the Vice President of Abydos High School. Hello? It’s my first time sending a letter to someone, so it feels a bit awkward! So for that reason, I want to do a simple icebreaker.”
“…Kyaah!!! S-stop! Hoshino-chan, if your intention was to embarrass me, you completely succeeded! Please stop!”
“Huh~? I didn’t really have that in mind, you know. So now onto the next part…”
“If you don’t stop, I’ll forcibly make you stop…!”
Just as I was about to get up to put an end to this dreadful humiliation, someone grabbed my wrist from beside me. It was Atsuko, looking at me with bright, eager eyes.
“Mika-onee-chan, I want to hear that… Can I?”
“…N-no way. No matter how much you ask, Atsuko-chan, I can’t let that happen.”
“Really…?”
“Mika-chan… I also really want to hear it… Ah, no. Please pretend you didn’t hear that… It’s definitely something I shouldn’t hear, right?”
Ah, why are you two trying to test me like this? Normally, in games, unless it’s a mystery, letter reading is supposed to be skipped with ESC, you know!
Those little brats… How could they repay kindness with cruelty!
“Hahaha…”
Though I said that, in the end, thanks to our little spoiled brats, I reluctantly allowed the public reading of my embarrassing letter.
Ugh, damn it…
“First of all, let me talk a bit. I’m a student with a somewhat high position in Trinity. That’s right— a pretty high position, pretty much at the top of Trinity. Isn’t that too humble, Mika-chan?”
“…”
For some reason, I felt like I could guess what came next. Honestly, even now, it wouldn’t be too late to just punch Hoshino and put an end to this.
“Pretty impressive, right? Just so you know, this is the point where you should be surprised, so if there’s someone next to you, at least pretend to be surprised!”
“Oh. Ugh, ow…”
I felt a sudden urge to call the Peroros. Hifumi, since I promised some Peroro goods, how about supporting some Peroros from the joint medical headquarters in return…?
“Oh really, was that written in there? Unfortunately, Hoshino-senpai read that letter by herself, and until now, she’s never told me about it. If you want, I can pretend to be surprised right now☆”
Oh no. Nonomi is so kind she’s practically glowing.
“Thanks, yes-yes-you…”
“…Huh?”
“Pfft.”
All eyes turned toward Saori, who was covering her mouth with her fist, trying to stifle her laughter. Now that I think about it, I remember seeing somewhere that Saori has an unexpected fondness for comedy.
Turning slightly red, Saori averted her gaze to avoid everyone’s eyes.
“Saori-chan. Do you know why rabbits are strong?”
“…?”
“Because they have guts and guns.”
“Pfhuh… Huh. Ugh.”
As Atsuko threw out that dad joke, everyone else responded with awkward smiles or blank stares, while Saori burst into laughter, and she looked even cuter than I’d imagined.
By the way, she suddenly mentioned rabbits. Truly a bunny bunny-like remark.
Hmm… Hey guys, how about we participate in the Bunny Chaser event on the line and transform into true Bunny Bunny Squad in bunny girl outfits?
“Hehe~ This guy might have just found that a bit funny.”
Thinking about it, since it’s a dad joke, it wouldn’t be strange for Hoshino, who calls herself the “uncle,” to like it.
But I already saw it. The moment the words “guts and gun” came out of Atsuko’s mouth, Hoshino’s eyes turned icy cold, almost murderous.
“Now that Saori-chan seems to have calmed down a bit… Shall we read the letter again~?”
Seeing Hoshino casually start to call Saori in a friendly manner, I think we’re really similar in this regard. Or maybe Hoshino is copying Yume who’s similar to me.
Thus began the resumption of letter reading disguised as “make Misono Mika embarrassed” time. I tried to shut my eyes and ears and endure, but soon enough, it started to get to a crucial point.
“So personally, I decided to support you! It’s really sad that Trinity, the Student Council, and no one else is helping you.”
The rest of the letter continued with details of how I sent Hoshino a checking card filled with personal funds and that I wanted to help some other kids, so I couldn’t provide a bigger support.
“I hope everyone can find happiness; that’s how the letter ends! Wow, Mika-chan really. Not only supporting us, but also being busy helping other kids. And on top of being the Student Council President of Trinity, that’s probably way more than a handful. Saying ‘I hope everyone can be happy’ is like something from a dream. Yes, a dream.”
Contrary to her lips curling into a generous smile, Hoshino’s eyes bore no smiles at all. Her peculiar odd-eyed look created some eerily mystical atmosphere.
“What a foolish idea. The idea that everyone can find a happy ending, something like that can’t possibly exist in this world. Right, Misono Mika?”
The unique, relaxed atmosphere usually surrounding Hoshino had vanished. The Hoshino present now was closer to the prickly first-year version rather than her original portrayal.
“It’s not about what’s written in the letter; I came here to hear your true feelings. Because when someone at Trinity’s upper echelon speaks, they say to question it twice or three times.”
“My true feelings… They haven’t changed, then and now. I genuinely wish that everyone here in Kivotos can be happy.”
“You’re really an idiot, Misono Mika. Just like that person.”
The only person Hoshino could refer to as “that person” would undoubtedly be Yume, the former president of the Abydos Student Council who is now deceased. I never thought I resembled her, but when discussing ideals, I guess the truth is I am indeed quite the fool.
“Don’t live so foolishly.”
But that’s the nature of ideals. The more foolish and unrealistic, the stronger the desire to achieve them.
“No, don’t live foolishly when you’re not a fool. This world isn’t kind to fools. You, as Trinity’s Student Council president, should know that those fool types always get hurt, hurt the people around them, and always end up losing.”
As I was silently listening to Hoshino’s words, I tried to open my mouth to refute her.
But before I could say anything, it was another person who jumped in.
“I can’t listen to this any longer. Thanks to that fool you speak of, some people here have got a new life. Right here, in this room. The one who showed us the proper path and guided us, that’s the ‘fool’ you’re referring to.”
Saori’s face hardened like ice as she glared at Hoshino. While not to the extent that I thought she’d get angry at me for what I did to Atsuko, it was clear frustration was boiling within her.
…Honestly, until now, I thought their relationship had soured beyond repair.
