I returned to my room and reflected.

“…Why did I have to show off like that…”

I wanted to curse the nature of men which makes you want to show off in front of cute girls. Nature like destiny. Not like gender.

“Oh well, too late now…”

While I lied down on my bed, I kept thinking.

This is all about creating a chance, huh?

At times when the hooks had went into everyone that deep, you needed some kind of setting.

But what kind would…

And then Aika came in through the door.

“Club activities are on hiatus today.”

“Eh? Why?”

“It’s been a week since you’ve created the club. It’s an anniversary holiday.”

“Oh, I see… Then see you tomorrow.”

When she was about to close the door…

“——Wait, it hasn’t even been a week! You almost tricked me!”

“You’re really amazing.”

“A COMMONER IS MAKING FUN OF ME?!”

“But, well, today’s really——”

“…How’s Arisugawa Reiko?”

“Eh?”

“You went to see her, right?”

“Why do you know?”

“……I saw you going there.”

“How so? Our places are pretty far apart.”

“It’s been weighing on my mind, so I tailed you.”

After saying that, she got fl.u.s.tered and covered her mouth.

“It’s too late to do that now, you know?”

“I-It’s fine anyway, isn’t it?! …So, how is she?”

“Pretty down.”

“…Hm…”

“The cla.s.s is how it is too, pretty difficult, isn’t it? If I leave it alone too much, it might get stuck like this.”

“…………”

“Aren’t you glad?”

“OF COURSE I’M NOT!”

“Ah… yeah, of course not. Sorry.”

“Anyhow, you’ve been thinking about what to do?”

“How do you know?”

“‘Cause that’s how you are. Wandering around restlessly, like the male version of a maid.”

“Wouldn’t you call that a butler?”

“I-I wouldn’t! You’re merely some busybody commoner!”

Oddly enough, she had said something that reminded me of my middle school nickname.

Why, I wonder? I was pretty sure I totally wasn’t like that.

“Then don’t just stand around and sit down here. Ah, do we need some tea?”

Aika sat down on a cus.h.i.+on.

“…So? Did you come up with something?”

“Nope, nothing yet. Only that I’ve gotta create some kinda chance.”

“Chance?”

“In these situations, it’s important that others set some kinda stage, you know? To give it some new vibes. Well, the most simple thing would be for someone to step in and talk it out with them, but…”

“…………”

“This time, the whole cla.s.s is involved, and everyone has this complicated feeling they’re not used to. Thinking about Arisugawa-san’s situation… some kinda ‘event’ could be needed, I guess…”

Aika listened and opened her eyes with an ‘Oooh!’ feeling.

“That’s probably the first time that I feel like rethinking my impression of you.”

“Heh. When it comes to this, commoners know their stuff.”

“And commoners get c.o.c.ky right away.”

“Anyway, that’s how it is. The problem now is what to do for that event… we probably need something with a certain impact. It has to s.h.i.+ft their mindset and it’s gotta be something that Arisugawa-san can summon up the courage for to see it through… maybe something ‘commoner’ related? Something that they still don’t know of, that we can handle, and that can get them to reconcile…”

“Don’t we have that already?”

“Eh?”

“This might be just the right thing.”

At the end of Aika’s gaze was—— the box with the utensils for the ‘Commoner Party’.

——Now I get it. That’d really be ideal.

But…

“What now? Got any complaints?”

“Not really, but… you see…”

Isn’t that the thing you’ve given your everything to prepare recently?

“Maybe we should think of something e——”

“It’s fine already!”

Aika said and folded her arms self-importantly.

“I can’t come up with anything else!”

Figures.

“Whatever you say, I’m the one who came up with it!”

The trump card you’ve thought up to give yourself a way to escape your loner life, to become popular in cla.s.s, and the one thing you have the courage for to see through, huh…?

“…You sure it’s fine?”

“I just said so, didn’t I?!”

I see.

If you’re putting it that clearly, then you’ve gotta be dead sure.

“I get it. Then let’s go with this.”

Aika with her arms still folded faced away.

Thereupon the evening sun was illuminating her through the half opened curtains.

“You’re a good person.”

Aika squinted her eyes while facing the dazzling evening sun.

The dust sparkled in the sun rays between the curtains. The air was clean and the place elevated, so the rays were really clear.

While her uniform was basking in this pure golden coloration, Aika’s face was red like an apple.

“…Truth is… IT’S NOT FINE!”

She screamed, closing her eyes shut.

“I don’t want to hand it over! Got any complaints?! I’ve came up with this after all! I’m the one who wants to become in cla.s.s! I wanna be able to spend a fun school life with everyone! It’s mine!”

But…

“I don’t like this tension in the air, and I can’t even leave Arisugawa Reiko alone… so there’s nothing I can do, right?! I hate handing it over, but I hate having this depressing atmosphere continue even more…! Don’t you think so too?! Don’t you?!”

She pressed me for an answer, she stared directly at me.

“…You really are a good person.”

I thought so from the depths of my heart. Pure-hearted and tsun, Tsunpure-san.

Aika’s expression changed into some kind of bewildered surprise, she let her eyes wander aimlessly.

I thought that this bashful gesture was really kinda—— cute.

“Shall we prepare something?”

*WHONK*—! Out of the blue, she had dealt me a headb.u.t.t.

“OUCH—?!”

While Aika held her head, seemingly in pain too, she stood up.

Then she opened the door, and turned around…

“STUUUPID!”

She declared loudly and left.

“…………”

NOT CUTE AFTER ALL!

None.