Chapter 4: A Small Misunderstanding
Contrary to expectations, nothing unusual happened at school the following week.
As usual, Shizuku was surrounded by a crowd, while Touya spoke with his few friends. There were no visitors from neighboring classes, and the calm, typical days continued without interruption.
Thus, after several days, Touya reconsidered his thoughts.
About the live concert he had attended without telling Shizuku, perhaps she hadn’t cared about it after all.
Deciding he’d been overthinking things, Touya returned to his daily life as if nothing had happened, but—
“──Thank you for coming.”
It was just past seven in the evening. Touya, working the reception desk at the karaoke place, saw Shizuku approaching.
She wore casual clothes, a hoodie, a cap, and even fake glasses as a disguise, so Touya chose to respond professionally at first.
“Please fill out this form.”
“Thanks. ──Finished writing.”
“Would you like any drinks?”
“Drink bar, please.”
“Certainly—oh, miss. The ‘Number of Guests’ column indicates ‘two’. Is someone else joining you?”
Shizuku didn’t seem to have anyone accompanying her. Touya, curious, asked the question, prompting Shizuku to slightly lower her glasses and respond with a smile.
“What time does your shift end? If you’re off soon, let’s sing together.”
Somehow, an incredible pressure emanated from her.
She was smiling, but it was frightening. Her voice was calm and composed, yet it left no room for objection. Moreover, why she spoke so formally felt unnerving.
At that moment, Touya instinctively realized—she hadn’t forgotten about the live concert incident after all.
The karaoke place didn’t forbid staff from using its services outside their shifts, so joining Shizuku after work was entirely possible.
For better or worse, staffing was sufficient tonight, and Touya’s shift was scheduled to end by eight.
Although Touya preferred to avoid this situation, Shizuku’s forceful aura made that impossible…
“I finish around eight…”
“Then just a bit over thirty minutes. I’ve reserved the room for two hours, so I’ll start singing first.”
It was unclear why Shizuku spoke formally like a customer, but seeing she was pleased, Touya decided not to provoke her further.
Just past eight o’clock in the evening.
Touya, done with his shift, changed into his school uniform and headed toward the room where Shizuku was waiting.
Room 203—it wasn’t the corner room from last time but a fairly spacious room meant for two.
Arriving outside, Touya took a deep breath.
He opened the door cautiously, mentally bracing himself for the possibility of Shizuku yelling again, but—
“──I just wanted to be~ loved~♪”
Hearing a deep singing voice resonate, Touya felt goosebumps rise over his entire body.
Naturally, the person singing was Shizuku.
Touya quickly shut the door and sat opposite Shizuku, placing a table between them.
Shizuku remained deeply focused on her song, eyes never leaving the screen.
The darkened room was lit only by the monitor, illuminating Shizuku’s profile as she transformed into a songstress.
The song playing was by a female singer who was popular recently. Somehow, it sounded completely different when Shizuku sang it, almost mysterious.
Her voice was nothing like the cute idol songs she sang at the recent live event. It was hard to believe she was the same person. Just how wide was her vocal range?
Until the song ended, Shizuku maintained her intense concentration.
As the song concluded, Touya found himself naturally applauding.
“That was amazing. I got goosebumps.”
“Ahaha, thanks.”
Perhaps imagining it, but Shizuku’s cheeks seemed slightly red. Could she be embarrassed?
“Good job on your shift. Here, eat something.”
Shizuku offered the pizza, fries, and other fried foods on the table toward Touya.
“You ordered a lot. Do you usually get this many items from the food menu?”
“Nope. Today’s special. I ordered everything for you, Sezaki-kun.”
“In that case, I’ll gladly have some.”
“Please, go ahead.”
Feeling somewhat awkward, Touya mindlessly ate the fries.
Meanwhile, Shizuku drank some White Water, seeming to calm down a bit.
“Hey, Sezaki-kun. You came to my live event the other day, didn’t you?”
Touya winced inwardly but replied, “Yes.”
Shizuku looked away, leaning back on the sofa and crossing her legs.
“Moreover, you were with a girl. Surprised me, bringing your girlfriend to an idol’s live event—that’s bold.”
“No, that’s not what it was…!”
“Oh? Making excuses?”
Shizuku now seemed openly irritated.
Confused and embarrassed, Touya reached for another fry when—
“Weren’t you supposed to have no interest in idols? That’s why I thought you wouldn’t even come.”
Shizuku asked accusingly, clearly sulking.
Perhaps this was her main concern. Touya decided to respond carefully.
“I wasn’t lying. As I mentioned earlier, I just filled in for someone else who canceled.”
“Hmm, but you seemed to enjoy it quite a bit?”
“It was a good experience. The venue was incredibly energized.”
“I bet.”
“Besides, Himeno, you gave me a thumbs-up back then. I figured that meant you weren’t exactly thrilled but still accepted it.”
“Th-that was just, you know, spur of the moment… Including the panic, that’s something I regret, so let’s not delve deeper into it.”
“Then, we’re done with this topic.”
“As if! I’m nowhere near finished asking!”
Shizuku, becoming heated, leaned forward over the table. Touya motioned calmly for her to sit back down.
“Anyway, um… I’m sorry. For going to the live without telling you.”
“You don’t need my permission in the first place.”
“Yet, you seem pretty upset.”
“I’m not upset.”
“If you say so…”
Her sulky tone clearly indicated otherwise, but Touya sensed pushing further would not end well, deciding to back down for now.
“But really, Himeno, your singing is incredible. Not just idol songs like at the live, but even deep songs like earlier—I was seriously impressed.”
“Enough about that already.”
Shizuku lowered her head again, seemingly embarrassed. Apparently, she was genuinely shy about this.
“Huh, didn’t expect you’d be shy about that.”
“I usually don’t let people hear me sing this style. Especially not at karaoke. Even I surprised myself at how embarrassing it was.”
“Haha, that’s surprisingly cute of you.”
“Shut up.”
Shizuku glared at Touya in irritation. He quickly apologized with a small chuckle.
“But you invited me here specifically to let me hear this kind of singing, didn’t you?”
Touya thought this was why she called him here, but Shizuku lazily shook her head.
“Think about it logically. Obviously, I called you here to question you about the live event.”
“That’s what I initially thought too, but it’s been several days. You could’ve just asked me at school.”
Shizuku irritably recrossed her legs and sighed deeply.
“I was waiting for you to mention it yourself. But you never said anything, Sezaki-kun.”
“Ahh, that’s what it was…”
They had both been aware but ended up waiting for the other to speak first.
Realizing this amusing misunderstanding, Touya naturally smiled.
“Why’re you smiling? Excited because you got yourself a girlfriend?”
“Like I said, she’s not my girlfriend. She’s Kanai from class D. We went to the same middle school.”
“Oh, the girl who called you by your first name?”
“You overheard that…”
“Hard not to, when you two were making a scene in the classroom.”
Was it his imagination, or did Shizuku’s words always carry a subtle sting?
Anyway, since it seemed the misunderstanding still lingered, Touya decided to clear things up.
“She’s a fan of Himeno. Like I said earlier, the girl who was originally supposed to go with her to the live concert canceled, so she asked me at the last minute.”
“Why you, though?”
“Well… I guess because I’ve been hanging out with you lately, she thought I became a fan.”
“I mean, I know it’s weird for me to say, but there are plenty of my fans at school, right? Even among girls.”
“Now that you mention it…”
“And Kanai-san’s in the light music club, isn’t she? There are lots of girls in that club, so it’s odd she’d specifically ask you, a guy, just because you went to the same middle school.”
“Yeah, I suppose…”
Shizuku was pressing him hard. He could sense her staring at him as if to say, “You two are dating, aren’t you?” but being suspected like that only troubled Touya.
The only thing he hadn’t mentioned was that Natsuki had been supporting his club activities since middle school, but it didn’t feel right to bring up casually, so Touya kept it to himself.
“Not that I care who you date, Sezaki-kun.”
“I’m telling you, it’s not like that. If you don’t care, then cheer up already.”
Perhaps seeing Touya’s exasperation, Shizuku nodded, seeming to cool off a bit.
“By the way, did you become my fan, Sezaki-kun?”
“…Well, uh… how do I put it…”
“Haha, even after seeing my live show, you didn’t become a fan? You’re stubborn, Sezaki-kun.”
For some reason, Shizuku laughed happily.
Touya had expected her to get upset, but she cheerfully handed him the microphone.
“Then sing something. Maybe that’ll put me in a better mood.”
“How does that follow?”
“What? Don’t tell me you work at a karaoke bar but get shy singing in front of others, Sezaki-kun?”
“That’s such a cheap provocation. I took this job just because the working conditions fit. But fine. You’re on. If you’re going to go that far, I’ll sing.”
Touya hadn’t planned to just pay for the room and not sing anyway.
If it would improve his prickly classmate’s mood, it was a small price to pay.
“Yay~! Then sing a song from Princia!”
“That’s an unreasonable request!”
So, Touya sang a popular mainstream song he was good at.
As promised, Shizuku’s mood improved, and the two of them sang their hearts out afterward.
About an hour into their singing session,
“Hey, wanna head out soon?”
There should still be time left for the room, but Shizuku suggested leaving.
“There’s still time, though. You sure?”
“Yeah. There’s somewhere I want to stop by after this. If it’s okay, could you hang out a bit longer, Sezaki-kun?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Thanks. Let’s settle the bill then.”
After leaving the karaoke bar, Touya followed Shizuku to—
“Whoa, an arcade at this hour?”
As Touya grimaced, they arrived at a game center near the station.
Shizuku, already looking excited beside him, tilted her head as if to say, “Got a problem with that?”
“This time of night, arcades feel a bit sketchy, and there’s a chance we’ll run into people from our school. That’s a double concern.”
“The sketchy part’s fine since you’re here, right, Sezaki-kun? We’ll have to be careful not to run into schoolmates, though.”
“Am I your bodyguard now…? Being relied on doesn’t feel bad, but don’t expect too much.”
“You were in a sports club, and you’re tall enough. If it comes to it, I’ll make a run for it.”
“Geez, fine. But you really want to go in that bad?”
“I don’t come to places like this often, so I want to check it out, even just for a bit.”
“Well, we don’t have time to linger, so let’s go in quick and get out.”
“As expected of Sezaki-kun!”
“Your praise is so half-hearted.”
With that, they entered the arcade.
True to her word, Shizuku seemed unfamiliar with such places, looking around curiously the moment they stepped inside.
Her excitement felt oddly refreshing, and Touya couldn’t help but watch her with a fond gaze.
“It’s pretty lively, huh?”
“So, what do you want to play?”
“That car one.”
“You sound like an elementary schooler… First, we need some coins.”
After exchanging a thousand-yen bill at the change machine, they sat at a car racing game.
“Let’s bet a juice on this. I won’t lose.”
“Your first time, and you’re that confident? If we’re betting, I won’t go easy on you.”
“Bring it on.”
With that, the game began in earnest.
From the start, Touya skillfully maneuvered the car with practiced ease, while Shizuku crashed into walls repeatedly, clearly a complete beginner.
“So you really haven’t played stuff like this before, huh?”
“I’ve played console games, at least. For now, I’m throwing the first round.”
“What? How many rounds are we doing?”
“Best of three.”
“Alright, alright.”
As time passed, Shizuku’s skills visibly improved.
Initially, she could only crash into walls and lag behind even the weakest CPU, but by the second race, she’d completely mastered drifting.
Despite the arcade seat being different from a real driver’s seat, Shizuku looked inexplicably cool just sitting and operating it.
The three-race showdown ended, and the result was…
“My win! Two out of three!”
“No way! Do you know how much I played this with Shuuichi over winter break?”
“That’s unfair. You didn’t mention that before.”
“Ugh… Alright, what’s next?”
“Fine, whatever. Next is a fighting game, then a shooter, maybe a crane game in between, and finally a photo booth… though that might be a bad idea.”
“We don’t have time for all that. And photo booths are a no-go, period.”
Touya refused, mostly out of embarrassment, but Shizuku nodded without complaint.
“Yeah, I shouldn’t do anything that leaves a record either. Just in case.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Anyway, we only have time for one more. Let’s do the crane game.”
“Alright, let’s do it.”
They entered the crane game section and scouted for good prizes. Thanks to the late hour, most machines were free, so they quickly settled on a target.
Their goal was a plush toy of a popular, soothing character.
“I’ll go first.”
Shizuku eagerly inserted a coin and pressed the operation button.
Struggling with depth perception, she aimed for a spot she was satisfied with, but—
“—Ugh, no good.”
The arm failed to even lift the plush, resulting in a complete miss.
She tried a few more times but couldn’t move it properly, failing each attempt.
“I give up. Isn’t this arm too weak?”
Grumbling, Shizuku stepped aside, and Touya prepared a coin.
“These things require technique.”
Boasting confidently, Touya took his turn.
Ideally, he’d win it coolly and give it to her, but…
“Alright, go—… Nope, no good. The arm’s too weak.”
He aimed to hook the tag, but it failed miserably.
Though he hooked it as planned, it only worsened the plush’s position.
“Tch. We could ask the staff to move the prize to an easier spot. What do you think?”
“Nah, it’s fine. No need to go that far.”
Shizuku looked a bit disappointed, but pressing further would be tactless.
“Sorry. You wanted that, didn’t you?”
“Huh? I was planning to give it to you, Sezaki-kun.”
“Oh, I see. Well, let’s call it a win that we both had fun.”
“Yeah!”
Feeling oddly warm, they left the crane game area when—
“Huh? Isn’t that Touya?”
Hearing a familiar voice, Touya’s shoulders stiffened.
Turning around, he saw, as expected, Natsuki, with two girls from the light music club who were in her band behind her.
“H-Hey, what a coincidence…”
Thinking this was bad, he glanced beside him, but no one was there.
Spotting Shizuku hurriedly slipping away in the distance, Touya felt both relief and a wry smile.
“For a second, I thought you were with a girlfriend, but you just happened to leave at the same time, huh?”
“Haha, if I had a girlfriend, I’d be bragging about it already.”
“Right! Yeah, you’re such a hopeless guy!”
For some reason, Natsuki was unusually hyped, but the two girls behind her were staring at Touya with probing eyes.
This was that look—the one trying to gauge the truth for reasons unknown.
Feeling uneasy with even a hint of guilt, Touya decided to make a quick exit.
“Well, I’m heading home. It’s getting late, so you guys should head back soon too.”
“Oh, yeah… I could’ve won you a prize like before if you wanted one.”
Natsuki’s mumbled words reached Touya’s ears, but he prioritized leaving the scene quickly.
Exiting the arcade, he spotted Shizuku lounging by a vending machine.
She held a can of coffee, and Touya, struck by an idea, pulled out his wallet.
“Here, coffee money.”
He tried to pay for the juice he’d lost in the racing game, but Shizuku sighed.
“You know, this kind of thing could be an excuse to talk again later.”
“I get that, but I figured we’d talk anyway, Himeno, without needing an excuse.”
“Heh, nice line.”
Shizuku chuckled, taking the coins.
She pocketed the change, downed the canned coffee in one go, and tossed the empty can into the trash.
“Alright, I’m heading home. Thanks for today.”
“Yeah. The end was a bit of a scare, but it was fun.”
“Same here. I guess arcades near home just aren’t my scene after all. Bye-bye.”
Shizuku gave a wry smile, turned, and started walking away.
But after a few steps, she stopped and turned back.
“That Kanai girl… she really isn’t your girlfriend, huh?”
“What? I told you she isn’t.”
“Hehe, yeah. Good night.”
This time, Shizuku waved lightly and walked off for good.
Watching her go, Touya shrugged with a sigh of exasperation.
◇
“Sezaki-kun♪”
“Whoa!?”
During a break between classes, as Touya came out of the bathroom, Shizuku called out to him.
This was definitely an ambush. Wondering what was up, Touya braced himself.
“No need to be so on guard. I just want to talk a little, that’s all.”
“…Talking’s fine, but could you pick a better time and place?”
“Hehehe♪”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this already…”
With that, they moved to a different spot.
Since it wasn’t anything sensitive, they decided to chat in the corridor between buildings.
“Actually, I was wondering if maybe we could pair up for the cooking class in Home Economics next time.”
Shizuku continued speaking with her usual idol-like tone, even within the school grounds.
“You mean you want us to be in the same group? But why me?”
“Let me ask you something—can you cook, Sezaki-kun?”
“Don’t answer a question with a question… I can cook well enough, I guess.”
“Yay~! Then it’s settled!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. A mere commoner like me partnering with a famous idol? That’s way above my station.”
Seeing Touya’s lack of interest without a reason, Shizuku kept her smile but furrowed her brows.
“Do I really have to explain?”
“Yeah.”
“Mmm… okay then. Come closer for a second.”
Doing as she asked, Touya leaned in, and Shizuku stood on her toes to whisper into his ear.
A sweet, fruity scent wafted over, and the closeness made Touya’s heart race—only for him to realize they were drawing attention, making him self-conscious.
Even if he wasn’t interested in Shizuku as an idol, having a pretty girl that close would make any guy react.
Just because I saw her live doesn’t mean I’ve started liking her idol persona too, Touya told himself, almost like an excuse.
If he admitted to being attracted to her idol side too, it could complicate their relationship.
That’s why Touya felt he needed to keep himself in check.
“H-hurry up already.”
The truth is, I’m totally hopeless at cooking.
“Huh…?”
Maybe because she was whispering, Shizuku’s voice dropped to its natural low tone.
It wasn’t even that big of a deal, so Touya felt let down by the secrecy. Shizuku, meanwhile, gave a sheepish smile.
Y’know, from an image standpoint, an idol making nightmare food is something I really wanna avoid.
“Well yeah, that makes sense. —Wait, is it that bad?”
“Mmm~, depending on the dish?”
Backing away, Shizuku returned to her idol-tone and answered with a questioning lilt. Touya instinctively understood—yeah, she’s bad at all of it.
“So you want me to cover for you, huh? I don’t mind, but if you’re worried about your image, maybe don’t whisper in my ear like that? I’m not responsible for any weird rumors.”
“Oh, that’s fine. I’m not into dating or anything, so worst case, it’ll just sound like you’re the one crushing on me.”
Just as she said with a smile, Touya could feel jealous and pitying glares coming from nearby boys.
“That’s not fine for me… Man, I forgot Himeno’s got a mean streak.”
“Aww, Sezaki-kun~♪”
Shizuku flashed her idol smile playfully.
Only Touya could see the mischief behind it, while everyone else just stared at her, captivated.
For a fleeting moment, Touya wondered if getting involved with Shizuku had been a mistake.
◇
The day of the cooking class. Groups were made in fours.
Touya and Shizuku were paired with two other girls from their class.
Shuuichi had wanted to team up with Touya, but got pushed aside by girls eager to be with Shizuku.
The task was to make curry using ingredients each person brought. Some had even brought small jars of authentic spices.
Once cooking began, Shizuku quickly handled the vegetables.
Everyone was enchanted by the sight of Shizuku, apron on, cooking.
But Touya was thinking, “She’s using the knife properly… This isn’t what I expected,” and focused on preparing the meat and curry roux.
The cooking went smoothly, despite jealous remarks like, “Man, you’re lucky to eat Himeno-san’s cooking,” from Shuuichi and other guys.
Then, Shizuku casually reached for the spice jars—
“Hold it.”
Touya stopped her, prompting a puzzled head tilt from Shizuku with a smile.
“What’s wrong?”
“What were you just about to do?”
“Season it, obviously! Watching it cook just made me want to add some~”
“You and the other girls—go help plate the dishes with Himeno.”
““O-okay.””
Touya had a feeling he understood Shizuku’s concern.
She probably knew it was a bad idea, but had a bad habit of wanting to tweak the flavors unnecessarily.
She had probably messed up past cooking classes the same way.
Come to think of it, Shizuku often ate convenience store meals—vegetable pasta, soy milk—items that seemed health-conscious. He’d thought it was just for convenience, but maybe that wasn’t the only reason.
She really is something else…
Touya gave her a look that said you poor thing, but Shizuku, still itching to intervene, didn’t seem to notice.
The curry turned out delicious and homestyle.
It followed the classic method. No weird hidden flavors, no gimmicks. That was thanks to Touya taking the lead.
The two girls in the group seemed to know about Shizuku’s cooking troubles—they looked close to tears from relief. They must’ve come in expecting disaster. They were surprisingly nice people.
As for Shizuku, she took one bite and said, “Ooh,” clearly impressed.
After cleanup and the end of class, the two girls approached Touya.
They wanted to exchange contact info.
While Touya was doing so, Shizuku stood behind him with a smiling face.
Distracted by her, the girls teased him.
“Shizuku-chan doesn’t share contact info with guys, so don’t get your hopes up~”
“Yup yup~ Sezaki-kun, you showed off your skills today, but you’ll have to settle for us~”
All Touya could do was laugh it off.
Now that they mentioned it, he hadn’t exchanged contact info with Shizuku either.
There had been times Touya thought it was inconvenient, but he’d never brought it up. If she didn’t exchange with boys, maybe it was just part of her idol image.
For now, Touya convinced himself to leave it at that.
Fifth period was P.E.
Due to rain, both boys and girls had class in the gym, and the boys seemed overly pumped up.
Not that the activities were mixed—boys had basketball, girls had volleyball.
Touya and Shuuichi sat on the floor watching the games.
“Golden Week’s coming up soon. Got any plans?”
Shuuichi asked casually, eyes on the girls’ side of the court.
Touya replied, still half-watching the girls play volleyball, “Just work.”
“Figures. You really oughta get yourself a girlfriend already.”
“If it were that easy, I wouldn’t be struggling. How about you—things going well?”
“Eh, so-so.”
Shuuichi was grinning, so it must’ve been going well enough.
On the court, the boys played basketball, but the girls weren’t watching. Not much of a crowd.
“Himeno-san not playing really ruins the whole point of watching~”
“Can’t be helped. Volleyball leaves bruises easily.”
Just as Shuuichi grumbled, Shizuku wasn’t playing in the game.
Still, she’d changed into gym clothes, tied her hair into a ponytail, and helped with judging and equipment.
She wasn’t trying to stand out—but now and then, she looked vaguely isolated, a little melancholic.
“She’s in the middle of a national tour, right? I bet you were wishing she’d just take off that jersey… Huh, Touya the silent perv?”
“I did not! I’m not like you, Shuuichi.”
“Hey! I don’t think like that either! I always watch with a gentleman’s eye. Besides, I’ve got a girlfriend.”
“Quit bragging so casually.”
“If you’re jealous, get one yourself.”
“Persistent, aren’t you? I’m fine the way I am.”
With that, Touya stood up.
The match on the boys’ side had just ended, and it was his team’s turn.
Shuuichi hopped in place and struck a weird pose like he was provoking Touya.
“Just so you know, I’m not holding back even against a former basketball team member! Besides, today’s crowd is top-tier!”
“I’m not gonna lose either.”
“Let’s bet a drink then!”
“You’re on.”
So, Touya and Shuuichi faced off on opposing teams—but the match became one-sided quickly.
On offense, Touya passed sharply and took shots when open.
On defense, he kept Shuuichi from getting the ball and shut down his plays.
That alone widened the gap, and Shuuichi’s team began to show signs of desperation.
The ball came back to Touya’s team again.
Dribbling with his right hand, Touya stared Shuuichi down.
Then, with a brief glance at the girls’ side, he feinted and broke past in the opposite direction.
“Wha—that’s cheap!?”
Shuuichi fell for it, and Touya made an easy layup.
That pushed their lead even further.
“It’s not cheap. You’re just too simple, Shuuichi.”
Touya replied lightly, and Shuuichi stomped in frustration.
Meanwhile, the girls’ match had gone on break, and the spectators were now hyped, turning the game into a mini festival.
Guess this is just the pre-holiday mood kicking in.
Touya, a bit detached, intercepted an obvious pass.
He could’ve gone for a layup again, but this time he calmly set his stance and launched a three-pointer.
Swoosh.
Three points. The ball didn’t even graze the rim—it flipped the net cleanly.
Cheers erupted from the watching girls.
“You bastard, what was that!?”
Shuuichi glared daggers at him, pure frustration on his face.
As for Touya, he secretly felt relieved.
If he’d missed that, it would’ve been super embarrassing.
Geez, I really tried to act cool… and with basketball, of all things.
Feeling a little awkward now, he glanced at Shizuku.
Their eyes met.
She was sitting with her knees up, watching with the others and cheering.
But her face still carried a hint of that same isolated sadness…
“You’re wide open!”
Shuuichi lunged when Touya got the ball again.
But Touya had already passed it to a teammate.
“If you’re really trying to catch me off guard, don’t shout it out loud…”
Touya replied dryly, while Shuuichi pouted in frustration.
The game ended in a landslide, with Touya’s team winning by a large margin.
“Damn it, total loss!”
Shuuichi complained openly, while Touya clapped him on the back with a refreshed smile.
“Good game. That was fun.”
“Ugh, acting all cool pisses me off! You were way more fired up than usual. Guess even cool guy Touya acts different when girls are watching, huh? Closet perv.”
“Shut up. Don’t turn everything into that kinda joke.”
Though he said that, even Touya couldn’t deny it. Being watched by Shizuku and the other girls had made him try harder.
Wiping sweat off with a towel, he glanced toward Shizuku—and again, their eyes met.
She was staring at him expressionlessly, which made Touya uncomfortable. He went out into the hallway for a drink.
The water fountain was closer from the far end of the gym.
Which is probably why Shizuku was already there, drinking.
The way she drank, her throat moving gently, was oddly alluring, and Touya reflexively swallowed.
No other students were around—it was just the two of them. That made it even more awkward. Unsure if he should speak, Touya waited.
Once she finished, Shizuku took a breath and looked at him.
“Was that supposed to be a show for me?”
“Huh?”
He didn’t get it right away, but her sulky expression clarified—“You were playing all excited right in front of me watching,” that kind of meaning.
“No, not at all. I was just playing like normal.”
“Liar. You looked really into it.”
With no one else around, Shizuku dropped the idol act and spoke plainly.
Thinking something might be up, Touya tried to respond calmly.
“It was normal, really. If anything, I’m an ex-basketball player. That’s all.”
“Hmm…”
“You’re awfully grumpy today. Did you want to play volleyball that badly?”
Shizuku hesitated before answering, then gave in.
“No. It’s just… seeing you having fun reminded me that I’m not like everyone else. I felt kinda left out. Guess it showed on my face…”
Touya almost said “What kind of logic is that?” but stopped himself.
From his perspective, she was just being cute and pouty, but she looked more serious than usual.
So Touya looked away and said,
“…If you’re saying that, then I’m different too.”
“How?”
“That game? I was trying to show off for the girls, but I couldn’t express it the way the other guys did.”
While other boys wore their hearts on their sleeves, Touya stayed aloof.
That’s why friends called him “closet perv”—not something he could change easily.
Hearing that honest admission, Shizuku stared at him blankly for a moment—
“Pffft.”
Then burst out laughing.
“Hey! That’s harsh!”
“Ahaha, sorry! I couldn’t help it.”
“You really are a sadist, Himeno…”
“Then Sezaki-kun must be a masochist?”
“Absolutely not!”
Touya firmly shut that down, but Shizuku just grinned, half-believing him.
Still, she looked brighter now, her energy back.
“Well, Himeno, you’ve got your hands full with idol work. But hey, everyone’s got something they’re dealing with.”
Having said what he needed, Touya finally started drinking water. Shizuku jabbed him in the side.
“Ack!? What was that for!?”
“It’s a deflection!”
Leaving those words behind like a farewell jab, Shizuku quickly walked away.
Her ears were bright red as she left, and Touya realized he might’ve overthought things and quietly reflected on it.
◇
The day before Golden Week began.
While nearly all the students were in high spirits, Touya looked gloomy.
His only plans for the break were work or maybe hanging out with Shuuichi.
His family didn’t do trips, and without hobbies, the holidays felt empty.
“Hey, hey, is it true you can’t hang out during the break, Shizuku-chan?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’ve got the tour and some recordings, so no days off.”
As Touya zoned out, he overheard the girls chatting nearby.
They were discussing their Golden Week plans.
“Wow, idols really have it rough. Still, I hope you can make it to the class party—we already reserved your spot!”
“Ah, yeah. I’ll try to make it if I can.”
“Okay~! We’ll be waiting!”
With that, the conversation ended, and the girls began planning a takoyaki party and day trips—without Shizuku.
The class party they mentioned was set for the final day of break. Nearly everyone was attending, including Touya.
Me and Himeno have totally opposite schedules… Makes me feel kinda guilty.
Watching Shizuku smile cheerfully despite it all, Touya let out a small sigh.
Maybe she really did want to spend time with the other girls over break.
He wished he could share some of his free time with her, feeling a pang of helplessness.
After school, the unfocused classes ended, and the classroom buzzed with excited voices.
“Touya, let’s head out!”
“Yeah.”
Called by an equally hyped Shuuichi, Touya stepped into the hallway, but—
“Sezaki-kun.”
Turning at the sound of his name, he saw Shizuku standing there.
“What’s up?”
“You working today?”
“Yeah.”
“Got it. Good luck.”
Shizuku waved with a smile.
Puzzled but waving back, Touya walked off with Shuuichi.
“Tch, I want someone to say ‘good luck☆’ to me too.”
“Good luck.”
“Not from you!”
Bantering with Shuuichi, Touya’s mind lingered on Shizuku’s words.
He’d soon understand why she’d asked.
An hour later.
While Touya was handling reception at the karaoke bar, a disguised Shizuku walked in.
So that’s what she meant after school—she was signaling she’d stop by. But…
It was the eve of Golden Week, and the bar was packed, with the lobby crowded with waiting customers.
He had no time to focus on Shizuku alone and was about to ask her to fill out the guest list when—
“Sorry, I just came to drop this off. Good luck.”
Shizuku handed him a scrap of paper and left.
Checking the note, he saw what seemed to be her contact info…
“Huh…?”
Touya froze, only snapping back when a customer called out.
He had no idea why she’d suddenly done this.
To an onlooker, it might’ve seemed like a reverse pickup, but the crowded bar meant no one noticed, thankfully.
“Phew.”
Finishing his shift, Touya left the bar with a sigh.
Today’s work was grueling. Dealing with hyped customers was one thing, but Shizuku’s contact info distracted him, causing lapses in focus.
No major mistakes, but his clumsiness stood out. Noting it as something to improve, he sat on a bench and took out his phone.
He registered Shizuku’s contact and sent a message: Sezaki here. Saved your number.
Surprisingly, a reply came quickly:
Too short. I thought it was a work email and did a double-take.
The casual tone made him smile.
Then, his phone rang.
The caller was Shizuku, freshly registered.
Taking a deep breath, Touya answered.
“Hello?”
Hey, you picked up. Sorry for calling out of the blue. You free?
“Yeah, just finished my shift. You?”
Yup, just wrapped up a recording. Surprised you, huh?
Alone now, Shizuku spoke in her natural tone.
Hearing her voice through the phone felt fresh, and Touya’s chest tingled.
Hellooo?
“Oh, sorry. Just soaking in the fresh feeling.”
Hehe, what’s that? You’re so weird.
Hearing Shizuku’s delighted voice, Touya felt that ticklish sensation again.
“Still, you shocked me during my shift. That was practically a reverse pickup.”
That sounds bad. We already know each other, so it’s not a reverse pickup, right?
“I don’t know the exact definition, but why so sudden?”
It’s not sudden. I’ve been thinking we should exchange contacts at some point.
“Really?”
Yeah. I mean, if we don’t have each other’s contacts, we can’t hang out during the holidays, right?
“Well, yeah, I guess…”
Perhaps because they couldn’t see each other’s faces, Shizuku’s usual bluntness seemed even more pronounced.
Her voice sounded slightly higher, as if she was excited or her emotions were running high.
“But do you even have time to hang out? You turned down the class’s invitations, didn’t you?”
Normally, it’d be impossible. So, I might have to ask something a bit unreasonable of you, Sezaki-kun.
“Huh…? I’m free anytime outside my shifts, you know.”
He remembered Shuuichi after saying it, but Shuuichi had said hanging out was just to kill time when his girlfriend wasn’t around, so it should be flexible.
Then, is traveling an option? Like, if we had to go somewhere far?
“I don’t have a driver’s license, so as long as it’s somewhere reachable by train, I’m good.”
Got it. You don’t have to worry about money, so if our schedules align, want to hang out? Is that okay?
“Uh, yeah…”
So far, he’d just been going with the flow of Shizuku’s enthusiasm, but the main point was still kind of fuzzy—Touya couldn’t quite grasp her intentions.
Perhaps sensing his confusion, Shizuku cleared her throat dramatically.
So, I’m a busy idol, right? But it’s a big holiday, and even if I can’t take a whole day, I want to catch a break in between.
“Oh, okay.”
But to do that, I’d probably have to drag you around with my schedule, and more importantly, I can only relax with someone I can be myself around. Get it?
“Yeah, I get it.”
As expected from a guy who reads the room.
“Is that a compliment or are you mocking me? It’s a weird nuance.”
Haha, it’s a compliment!
At this point, Touya mostly understood what Shizuku was getting at.
In short, she wanted him to be her companion—or rather, her break buddy, fitting into the gaps in her schedule.
What remained unclear was what exactly they’d do.
And there was one concern.
“Well, my holiday plans were just work, so I’d love to hang out.”
Sweet.
“But, is it okay? Like you said, I’m a guy. …This might be super late to bring up, but isn’t it a problem for an idol to hang out alone with a guy?”
…Even idols are human. It’s not like it’s a date if we’re just taking a break. As long as we avoid being seen, it’s fine.
“If you say so, Himeno, I won’t argue.”
Thanks.
In reality, it couldn’t possibly be without issues.
No matter how much they insisted it wasn’t a date, a teenage guy and girl hanging out together would be seen as one.
Especially since one of them was a top idol at her peak of popularity. If a tabloid reporter caught them, it’d be a juicy scoop for sure.
Shizuku wasn’t naive enough to be unaware of that.
Knowing the risks and still inviting him meant Touya decided to accept it sincerely.
“Then we should figure out dates, places, and what we’ll do.”
First, tell me your shift schedule and plans. I’ll match my free time and locations, and we can meet up there to hang out.
“Got it. By the way, does your range of movement extend beyond Tokyo?”
Yeah. I’m on a national tour, and there’s movie shooting too, so it’s all over. Of course, I’ve got recordings in Tokyo, so we’ll mostly hang out there.
“And that thing about not worrying about money?”
If we meet outside Tokyo, I’ll cover travel and lodging costs from my own pocket.
“No way…”
Yup, including your share.
“That’s terrifying… Celeb logic is too scary!”
I just want to shout “It’s the holidays!” from the bottom of my heart. You’re not chickening out, are you?
“W-Who, me?”
Wow, your voice just cracked.
“Shut up, I’m a commoner, okay? Anyway, let’s keep expenses as low as possible.”
Sure thing.
They were discussing these plans when Shizuku seemed to have some movement on her end.
Sorry, looks like my ride’s ready. I’ll contact you later.
“Alright, I’ll send you my shift schedule.”
Cool, thanks!
And just like that, the call ended.
Only now did Touya notice his heart was racing like a drum.
It was no wonder he was excited.
What was supposed to be a dull, uneventful holiday suddenly looked like it’d take a thrilling turn.
And with none other than the top idol he’d recently gotten close to (…maybe?).
“If it’s not a date, it might actually be easier to enjoy.”
If it was with Shizuku, Touya genuinely felt like he could have fun—and that made him happy.
Smiling to himself in a way that didn’t suit his usual demeanor, Touya hurried home.
