Thanks to room’s dimensions and thickness of the walls, their surroundings had only heard the uproar, if at all, faintly. Even though numerous rumors had started, in the end it only amounted to ‘What might’ve happened?’.

So nothing had changed.

Aika was pa.s.sing the time in the cla.s.sroom—alone yet again—and after school she played handheld games in my room.

By the way, her favorite was a cat pet communication game.

While the b.u.t.tons were clicking away, she broke into a smile and mumbled, ‘We’ll always be friends, right?’, to herself.

Lame enough to not even be funny anymore.

“Should we think of something again?”

While Aika was playing games on the bed, she pretended not to hear.

By the way, today she had even started to occupy the bed without asking as if it was her own. If she was going to complain about a ‘commoners smell’ on top of that, I was going to throw her off.

“Just think up something good. If it’s you, you can become a commoner master before you know it. You’re not ojou-sama-like to begin with and the way you talk is really just like a commoner would, right?”

That was mysterious after all. Haqua or Karen didn’t use that ‘desu wa’ stuff either, but Aika talked like we would, without it feeling out of place at all.

“…I dunno why either.”

“Eh?”

“I’ve been ordinary like the others too, back in the day, you know? Saying ‘desu wa’ and whatnot.”

“Seriously?”

“When I was in fourth grade elementary, I’ve had an incredible fever and was tied to the bed. When I opened my eyes, I was like this.”

“Ha…? The heck’s with that?”

“I don’t know. My memories from around that time are gone too. Something probably happened back then.”

“Hmm…”

Strange things really do happen.

“Also, it’s fine already!”

*flop*, she turned and faced up.

“Becoming friends with her—not happening.”

She probably meant, well, Arisugawa-san.

“It’s fine like this. Games and manga are fun. Plus, being with you is——”

When she was about to say something, she pressed the pillow onto her mouth and went ‘FUGAFUGAFUMOFUMO!’.

I got the feeling that it had been her real thoughts and that it had been something that she didn’t want to be heard, but more importantly…

“Don’t stain it, alright?”

“I’m not staining anything! I’d rather make it cleaner!”

“AS IF!”

“Anyway—! The commoner club will continue! Got it?!”

“…Fine with me, but…”

“You and I are the members!”

“Yeah.”

*creak*—.

It was Haqua, opening the door.

“Hey. You came for a visit?”

She nodded deeply.

“I don’t want to visit the likes of you.”

That was Karen, closely behind her.

“Then why are you here?”

“There’s no need to answer the likes of you.”

She said and stared down at Haqua.

“Kimito…”

Haqua presented a small envelop.

Written on it was—— ‘Formal Club Application’.

“Could it be for… the commoner club?”

She nodded.

“Why? You’re incredibly busy, aren’t you?”

“Because I want to be with Kimito.”

Her transparent eyes were staring at me.

“I-I see…”

“I don’t want to be with the likes of you.” ← Karen

“I didn’t ask you.”

“However, due to certain circ.u.mstances I’m thinking it’d be fine for me to enter.”

Still having that serious expression, she, however, hugged Haqua tightly looking as if her body hadn’t been able to endure it anymore.

Haqua pushed Karen aside and hid behind my back.

“You—!”

“Don’t draw your sword! It’s dangerous, alright?!”

“Rest a.s.sured. I’ll send it on-spot to your neck.”

“WHY WOULD I REST a.s.sURED LIKE THAT?!”

Karin put her sword away appearing as if it was just inevitable.

And then she took another ‘Formal Club Application’ out of her pocket.

“Take it.”

I, well, took it, I didn’t have much of a choice.

“…Also… frankly, I’m interested in commoners.”

She muttered that in a small voice while turning away as if angry.

“…In short, you two want to join? Well——”

“H-Hold it right there—!”

Aika interrupted.

“What kinda talk are you willfully continuing right now?! V-Veto! I veto!”

“…?”

Which reminds me, when those two came around the other day she had been against it at first too, huh?

“What? …Which of them do you hate?”

“T-That’s not it!”

“Then what is it? They went out of their way to help you with all kinds of things, right?”

While Aika bit her lips, she glared at me with a vigor, that I thought I could hear her teeth grind.

“…Alright! Got it! Do what you want, alright?!”

“Why are you angry?”

Wasn’t it fine?

She had made friends.

She hadn’t been able to become popular in cla.s.s but hey, we tackled problem from another side, right?

Well, if she sticks with being the loner cut off from everyone, then even if we’re doing ojou-sama school club activities, doing them with her alone would lead the term kind of ad absurdum…

*CREAK*—!

That moment——

“Kimito-sama!”

Arisugawa-san entered with a gallant smile.

Positioning herself in front of me, she handed me something over.

It was an official ‘Formal Club Application’—but put into a reinforced envelope and tied with a ribbon.

“Please let me join the commoner club!”

“Hee……? ……Why?”

“T-That’s…”

Arisugawa-san was fidgeting around for some reason.

“If I had to say something, then it’d be for my future…”

“…?”

Ah, I see—— I realized.

Surely Arisugawa-san wants to try and become good friends with Aika.

So she created a chance for that. She’s really a good person, huh…?

“Got it. Welcome.”

When I was about to take the ‘Formal Club Application’——

*s.n.a.t.c.h*—! Aika seized my wrist.

“Don’t wanna! She alone is an absolute no!”

Figured as much, but you know…

“Don’t say that, alright? Quite frankly, Arisugawa-san’s the one reaching her hand out to you here, right? That’s how it is, isn’t it, Arisuga——”

“Wouldn’t it be fine for you to leave if you don’t like it?”

“SHE’S NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT—————————————?!”

“Also, Kimito-sama!”

“Y-Yes?”

“Please call me ‘Reiko’—!”

“…?”

“Wai— What the heck’s wrong with you now?!”

Aika got angry.

“Aren’t you already fine with having your tea parties with everyone in cla.s.s, being all ‘kyaakyaa ufufu’?!”

“Of course. I’ll be good friends with everyone in cla.s.s and will do club activities. Isn’t that normal?”

“Gu…?!”

The loner Aika was at a loss due to the normal’s thrust.

“…Y-You hate me, right?!”

“My, Aika-sama, you silly goose…”

She smiled.

“I’ve never come to hate anyone in my life, you know?”

She expressed a smile like a white rose.

However, different from how it was until now, it had a secret ghastliness to it or as if the rose had sprouted thorns…

“By all means, I want us to become good friends, Aika-sama.”

“UGE—”

Aika made a face that disqualified her as an ojou-sama.

“As far as I’m concerned, it would be a pity, but I will respect Aika-sama’s wish.”

She opened the door with a smile.

“Please, the exit is this way.”

Hasn’t Arisugawa-san’s character kinda changed…?

“YOU LEAVE!”

Aika pushed her. It turned into a haggle.

“I must refuse!”

“Leave!”

“AFTER YOU!”

Uwa, I must stop them…

“Hey, Kagurazaka…”

“What?”

Karen asked me while gazing at the two of them in apparent wonderment.

“Since when have those two become so close?”

Eh…?

“Go back to your cave, normal!”

“Aren’t you the one who wants to rather be in a cave?!”

“Stuuupid, stuuupid!”

“You’re the fool here!”

…Maybe… I can also look at it this way…

Every time this weirdo Aika b.u.mps heads with her, she says exactly what she wants to.

And if I keep going by my commoner sense, for this Arisugawa-san, the living incarnation of a field full of alpine flowers, respected by everyone in cla.s.s, to become like this…

“When did you guys become friends?”

“”WHO IS?!””

“I do not wish to become anything like friends with the likes of you!”

“I refuse all the same! ——You…!”

“Ihyahyahya?!”

Aika pulled Arisugawa-san’s cheeks. Promptly, the favor got returned.

“HIYA—————?!”

It was nothing but a tragedy, as if two parrots on bad terms had been put into the same cage.

“Stop it—!”

When I tried to cut in and stop them, my vision—— *plop*, got covered by some lukewarm and sweet-smelling cloth.

It were grey panties.

“HAKUA—!”

Stark naked, she was scribbling diagrams all over the wall.

“H-How stupid! Totally… haa, haa… stupid—!” ← Karen

“What are you taking pics for?!”

When I was about to confiscate it right away——

Kujou-san appeared.

After she had taken a look at the jostling Aika and Arisugawa-san—— she looked at me.

I was holding the confiscated mobile and pointed it exactly at the stark naked, stretched out Haqua.

Without the slightest tremor in Kujou-san’s—in my case—default despising eyes, she went out to the hallway.

And immediately returned.

“What’s with those huge scissors?! What are you trying to scissor?! Why that intense look on my lower half?!”

No good! If this goes on, there won’t be any heir to the throne!

While I looked at the phone’s display, I raised my voice as much as I could.

“Muscle vids are the best after all, huh?! If I could have a wish, I’d love to live my life between two macho b.u.t.tocks—!”

…Instantly, everything fell dead silent.

Even Aika and Arisugawa-san ceased quarreling, just every human being in this place, every onlooker who had come over to witness the spectacle, grew silent.

“I am sorry to have doubted you. Kagurazaka-sama is a unique person who has no s.e.xual interest whatsoever in anything but macho men, after all.”

Kujou-san bowed and closed the door.

“Eh… What…? What’s the meaning of…?”

“…Kimito-sama?”

Aika was shaking, Arisugawa-san’s eyes were empty.

“…”

“Pervert! There’s a pervert right here…!”

Though it was the same as always, Haqua’s gaze felt like it had hit freezing point.

While holding herself at bay, Karen’s katana was shaking.

“D-Don’t look! Don’t look at me! I mean— Wait! Don’t just try to secretly unsheath it without a word! I’ll explain it! So don’t look at me like this! Please—— PLEASE LISTEN TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE————————!”

To have them quietly listen to me, I’d need a seppuku garment.

None.