NOVEL NEXT Knock knock knock—
“Come in.”
The T-party’s office actually has two places. One is a terrace-style office that offers a panoramic view of the outside, and the other is a cozy little space inside the building. Two spots, indeed.
Normally, when calling external students, meetings are held in the outdoor office. But today, we decided to meet indoors. After all, Mika will be here soon, so it would probably be more comfortable for both of us.
“Um… Ah, hello…? I’m first-year student Ajitani Hifumi. I was called by the T-party, and they guided me here… Aww…”
“Yes, I wanted to meet you, Hifumi-chan, so I’ve specially arranged this.”
To describe my first impression, she seems quite shy. When I picture her with Mika, no matter how many times I think about it, I can only see Mika leading the relationship. If Mika suggests something, I can imagine her responding with a timid, “Yes, yes…” and just going along with it.
“Um, if it’s not too rude, may I ask why you called for me…?”
“Of course. Hifumi-chan was invited as a guest, so you don’t need to be too nervous. I just wanted to ask you a few personal questions.”
Why does Mika maintain such a close friendship with this girl? Just thinking about it makes me somewhat uncomfortable. I can’t quite pinpoint what’s bothering me, even I’m confused.
“Ah, before I ask anything, I should introduce myself. I’m Kirihouji Nagisa, a second-year student representing the Filius Faction in the T-party. I sincerely hope this meeting will be fruitful for both of us.”
“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you, Kirihouji-senpai… Wait? Representing the Filius Faction… the Student Council President?!”
“Oh my. You’re quite sharp, aren’t you, Hifumi-chan?”
“Aww… So, um, Kirihouji-san…?”
…Watching this, I can somewhat understand Mika’s feelings. Her reactions are just so amusing. Yet, I still feel a lingering annoyance towards Mika!
“Hmmm. The title Kirihouji-san feels somewhat distant to me. It’s just a matter of position; we’re all students after all. You can simply call me Nagisa-senpai, Hifumi-chan.”
“Is it really okay for me to call you that… Aww…”
Of course! You can call me Nagisa-senpai as much as you want. After all,
“Yes, indeed. Hifumi-chan calls Mika-san ‘senpai’ too, so there’s no reason it wouldn’t work for me, right?”
You’re on friendly terms with Mika, aren’t you? Mika certainly doesn’t hold back in using nicknames like Hifumi-chan, showing no distance whatsoever. It’s annoying how effortlessly sociable she is.
“…Ah, A-Ah? Wait, does that mean Mika-senpai… I mean, Mika-san is also one of the Student Council Presidents?!”
“Of course. Mika-san is the head of the Pater faction and is currently the host of the T-party.”
“…Aww. To think someone like me could casually call such a person ‘senpai’! I can’t believe it. How could someone so amazing be hanging out with an ordinary student like me…?”
I was curious about that too, Hifumi-chan. I want to know what Mika sees in you. I have a feeling I know, but it’s still not quite enough.
“Well, it’s probably just because Hifumi-chan is cute. Mika-san tends to wag her tail at anyone, not knowing what decorum is.”
“…Y-Yes?”
Oh dear, that slipped out a bit. But it’s true, and since it seems Hifumi-chan didn’t quite catch it, I guess it’s not really a problem.
“It’s nothing… Hehe. If it were Mika-san, she would’ve chattered here for a while under the pretext of ice-breaking. But I prefer to get straight to the point. So first, I’d like to know how you met Mika-san.”
Of course, if it’s something difficult to talk about, you can skip it.
I added that last bit, but really, if you skip it, I won’t be okay. So I hope you can read the room and respond well, Hifumi-chan.
“Ah, um… I was contemplating whether to enter a new dessert café when Mika-senpai… I mean, Mika-san approached me first, saying that overthinking is a bad habit, and she pulled me right inside… Aww, actually, I was just wishing to see it after leaving my wallet in the locker…”
“That sounds just like Mika-san… Haah. The fact that you continued to hang out means that she found you appealing.”
“Ahaha… I wonder what she liked about me. I’m just an ordinary member of the returning home club…”
Is that so, Hifumi-chan? I think I might have figured it out.
You have a purity that brings peace just by being looked at. It’s a rare character in Trinity, where most students harbor a snake or two in their hearts.
Perhaps Mika was drawn to that and approached you for that reason. I get the feeling that even without Mika, I would’ve had a chance to meet you eventually.
“…In contrast, Mika-san has a princess-like aura that’s obvious to anyone. It’s a combination that doesn’t match well with friendship, right? If anything, I could see myself as her attendant…”
“Oh my, do you want to join the T-party then? I feel like Mika-san would like it if she got to see you more often.”
“Y-Yes? I-I think that’s too much pressure for someone like me… Aww…”
Hmm, perhaps she’s someone without any ambitions. It doesn’t seem like she’s trying to take advantage of Mika. I could set my heart at ease about that, but… what’s this strange feeling? It feels oddly irritating.
Could it be that I’m jealous of Hifumi-chan? If it’s just that I’m bothered by the fact that Mika found value in building new friendships with others, separate from me… Then it would explain the dry sensation in my mouth and that strangely constricted feeling in my chest.
…Yeah, that’s it. I’m sure of it. I just couldn’t accept the differences in our positions, having been Mika’s longest friend.
I had been willfully blind to the fact that the memories she has with me no longer exist for Mika. I was foolishly jealous of you, Hifumi-chan… Turning my back on the reality that, for Mika, the most precious friendship can change from me to someone else at any time, while clinging to the empty belief that our relationship would never change if I tried hard enough.
…Hehe. It’s pathetic, Mika. Even though you’re not to blame for making me feel so miserable. That way, I can’t really blame anyone.
I am…
“Aww… Nagisa-san, are you alright? You don’t look so well…”
“…It seems I’m not feeling too well today. Perhaps it’s best to end this meeting here. I truly enjoyed my time with you, Hifumi-chan. I do hope you’d accept my invitation next time as well.”
Hehe, it’s not even funny. There’s no way I could be feeling unwell. Who am I trying to fool?
I just thought I might embarrass myself if I stayed any longer. Making up such a flimsy excuse is pathetic.
“Aww… I wonder if it’s really okay for me…”
Hehe… Of course! I, along with Mika-san, have concluded that you’re a student worth making friends with. So there’s absolutely no problem with that.
Honestly, I’m a little scared that if I push Hifumi-chan away, I might end up distancing myself from Mika as well. What I was relying on was just the friendship from the years I spent with Mika, but you’re different, Hifumi-chan. After all, you’re the first new friend Mika has made.
Click—
When the door opened without warning, my irritation surged. This person didn’t even bother to knock or show the slightest courtesy…
“Nagi-chan, look at this!”
“…Mika-san, where did you leave your manners?”
If it weren’t for the sight of the princess of Trinity shining like the stars in the night sky, I would’ve chewed her out…
“No, no! Forget that little detail! The important thing is this! Right here, this teaspoon! What do you think? Isn’t it super cute? I thought it would suit you perfectly the moment I saw it, so I nabbed it right away~☆”
Mika, who had been sitting right across from Hifumi-chan, immediately approached me and presented a small box. Just like Mika said, the teaspoon inside was designed beautifully enough to capture my attention at first glance.
“…Yes, it’s pretty, really.”
Realizing the handle reminiscent of our wing feathers and the single blooming lily at the end, I came to understand that just a minute ago, I had been the biggest fool in the world. Mika still cares for me this much, and here I was acting the part of the pitiful idiot all alone.
“Oh? Nice to meet you, Hifumi-chan☆ Sorry for the late introduction! I was focused on delivering a gift to Nagi-chan, so I didn’t notice until now. But… Ah, could this be that scenario? I heard that you’ve been getting close to a junior lately, and Nagi-chan, filled with jealousy, wants to test if you’re worthy of hanging out with Mika-chan, right?!”
“…Could you not arbitrarily change how I address Mika-san?”
“Huh? But you called me that once before~”
…That’s something that won’t happen again in this lifetime.
“Aww… That’s not it, Mika-senpai… Ah! I mean, Mika-san! Nagisa-san has been nothing but considerate of me since I walked in here…”
“Oh? Hifumi-chan, what’s with that distant title! Mika-san? It’d make me a little sad if you call me like that, you know… Oh, could it be that Nagi-chan has told you everything?!”
“Yes, Hifumi-chan is aware that Mika-san is seated as the host of the T-party. Aww… But if someone like me were to call Mika-san casually ‘senpai’, it would be a disaster!”
“Ahaha☆ What are you saying, Hifumi-chan? They’re all beneath me anyway, so come on—actually call me ‘Mika-senpai~’ in a cheerful tone!”
Now, even as I watcH Mika banter with Hifumi-chan, I don’t feel that dry sensation in my mouth.
The oppressive feeling that tormented me in the back of my mind had vanished like smoke.
Mika still regards me as her precious friend. I was the only one lost in my foolish delusions—how utterly pathetic!
Still… Thank you for proving that I was the foolish one, Mika.
“M-Mi-Mika-senpai… Aww… I can’t do it…!”
“Impossible… If that’s the case, I guess I have no choice but to keep you here until you feel comfortable calling me that again. So let’s give it another shot☆”
But something feels off.
Even though I’ve realized that it was all just my own delusion…
Yet still, what is this strange feeling of discomfort that has returned?