Chapter 1 | I've Been Plotting | Remake our Life!
Part 10
Shinoaki,
who had class and was late coming to the club room, and for some reason Nanako
were also asked to join, and the art club's standard newcomer party began as
usual on a hill near the club building.
"I'm
Sugimoto Mikio, a third-year Music Department student! Here is Donguri Koro
Koro!
"Fourth
year student, Department of Theatrical Arts, Kakihara Masaru! Will dance!"
The same
scene that I saw last year is unfolding in front of my eyes. As always, there
is a point where I wonder if this is the very thing that is keeping new members
away from the club. However, after a year, it has become a fun event in its own
right, and I guess this kind of thing can be solved by getting used to it.
However,
it is true that the hurdles are quite high for students who have just entered
the university. The new member, who was supposed to be the star of the day, was
in the middle of the circle, but looked quite confused.
"I'm
sorry, it's always like this."
Unable to
resist, I decided to approach her and talk to her.
"Ah
no. This is more like a university circle, I was rather impressed."
Saikawa
quickly adjusted her expression, but she was clearly confused earlier. Is she a
girl who tries to be brace herself in the strangest ways?
I sat down
next to her and Saikawa immediately opened her mouth.
"Uhm,
I... came to the circle because I had something to do."
Then she
looked at me,
"Hashiba-senpai,
what is it that you need from me?"
She seemed
to have remembered what I had said before.
"Is
that what you came for?"
Saikawa
nodded, saying "yes". It's a firmly determined will.
The real
purpose was to make Shinoaki and Saikawa meet. By making them aware of each
other and improving each other, I hope that Shinoaki will be motivated and
Saikawa will be able to improve.
But that's
just my opinion. If I told her honestly, she wouldn't understand why I would
address a complete stranger there.
So, I
decided to slowly fill in the gaps of my objectives.
"I
once bumped into Saikawa on the way up Geizaka. Do you remember?" (Note:
University slope)
"No...
I remember bumping into someone, but could it have been that time?"
After a
puzzled look, she lowered her eyes in embarrassment.
"C-Could
it be... is that game related?"
Actually,
I do, but it would complicate things if I talked about it here. Besides, I
don't think she would want that herself.
"By
chance, I found your sketchbook open, and one of your drawings left a deep
impression on me."
"That
drawing? I didn't draw anything that impressive..."
"You
might think so, but for me, it was different."
It was a
short time, but I was sure that her drawing had caught my attention. Later,
though, it was pushed a little deeper into my memory by a more surprising fact.
"I'm
not looking to do something right now, but I'd like to make something with you
someday. That's why I reached out to you."
Saikawa
listened to my words earnestly, but she didn't seem completely convinced.
Well, it
can't be helped if I approach her with "such an excuse" and she
thinks I actually have a ulterior motive. I have to leave it up to her to
decide if she can trust me.
"I
haven't fully trusted senpai yet."
"Eh?"
"This
is a test. Join the circle, observe senpai carefully, and find out if you
really approached me for the sake of creation!"
With a
sharp look, Saikawa turned her piercing eyes on me.
"Ah,
yes, please treat me well..."
"Yes,
I look forward to working with you."
Saikawa
bowed her head. I was reminded once again that she will be a great artist in
ten years' time, because of her straightforwardness and strength of her
character.
I
understood Saikawa's thoughts, so I moved from her side to another place. In
the midst of the chaotic drinking party with all the cheering, or rather
shouting and yelling, there was one girl who looked like she fit right in, she
looked around with an upward gaze, trying to figure out where she was.
I called
out to her and sat down beside her.
"They
call me that as a matter of course, is that okay?"
Only the
atmosphere is paripi, but she is a simple girl on the inside. (Note:
Party people, a person who often goes to night club and enjoy dancing or
hitting on girls/boys. Clubber.)
"It's
okay, people I've never seen before seem to be enjoying it more than the club
members."
Just like
last year, Kiryu-san and his acquaintances had joined the party without any
prior notice. In an atmosphere where it would be considered bad form to
criticize, I felt it was useless to think of NG things.
Nanako
looked relieved, "That's fine then".
"So
the new student Kyoya was talking about is that girl?"
Pointing
with the hand that held the glass, she continued.
In the
distance, there was a girl in the middle of a drinking party.
"Yes,
that's right. The long-awaited new student of the Art Department. It's been a
long time since we had her in Art Research Club. So the seniors got more
excited than usual."
I didn't
say anything about what I was trying to find for the time being. The
explanation seemed to be too complicated, and there seemed to be no advantage
to it.
"Fu~hn..."
Nanako
blushes a little and takes a sip of her citrus sour from her cup.
"She's
cute, isn’t she"
"Eh?"
When I
questioned her again, Nanako took another sip of her sour. This time, she drank
it down in one gulp. Then she poured more sour into the cup.
"Cute...
You can't fool my eyes. That girl is cute. There's a pretty high-level girl
behind the glasses. She's a little strong character and firm, which in turn
makes me want to protect her, and even her long skirt has an erotic quality
that makes me want to flip it up. Yes, it's erotic, that is~. "
"Uhm,
Nanako-san?"
I mean,
this girl, I see! She's already turned 20, so she lifted the ban of alcohol!
It's just that the law says so, but she's so weak!
"I~
understand it~!"
Nanako
crushed the empty cup and grabbed me by the chest,
"Hey,
you're catching a new cute girl again~, you're~ just trying to be nice to her
and take care of her, and before we know it, you'll have her in your
possession, right! Am I right?"
"Y-You're
wrong! In fact, I haven't even talked to her that much yet."
"Hoho~hn,
you have done something more intimate than a conversation, so you don't need to
talk anymore, huh! Oi! That kind of innocent, natural, and wonderful way of
doing things, why don't you think it's making a lot of girls cry! Kora! Don't
look away, look at me properly!"
Ah, this
is bad. There are things that are leaking out that the usual Nanako wouldn't
say.
If I'm not
careful, I might even say something dignity-related,
"Nanako,
let's stop drinking for now, drink some water and get some rest, okay?"
Trying to
change the mood, I suggested that she take a break somewhere else.
Nanako
turned away from me and let out a fu~. I thought her mouth mumbled
something, so I put my ear close to her.
"Eh,
Nanako, what did you say?"
And then,
"...me"
"Ha?"
"Kiss
me too. Then hug me tightly. If you do that, I'll be quiet."
Before I
knew it, Nanako's expression had returned to a straight face. No, her face was
even more serious, her eyes were a little moist, and she looked at me as if she
was pleading.
"Ah,
u......."
I couldn't say a word.
I didn't
expect Nanako's stiff talk to come at this time. Maybe she hadn't been drunk
all along. Maybe she wasn't drunk from the start, but was pretending to be, and
was looking for an opportunity to make a decisive attack on me....
As if
captivated, I was unable to move. It was an atmosphere that I would never be
able to escape unless I did or said something.
I can't
make a joke here. It would be rude to Nanako if I didn't talk to her properly.
I
desperately tried to compose my answers so that I could answer all the
questions about what I was thinking now, about my love life, and about my
relationship with Shinoaki.
"Nanako,
uhm... I am"
As I
opened my mouth, Nanako leaned over me.
"U,
uaah..."
The
unexpected direct attack made me moan out loud.
W-What
should I do? If Nanako is this aggressive, there's nothing I can do about it.
"N-Nanako..."
Her
breathing only became more ragged. I could feel the heat on her shoulders, and
the sweet smell was beginning to melt my brain. The reddish nape of her neck is
vivid, and her breathing is-
"Nanako?"
"Kohyu......
Suhyu...... Nmyu......"
All at
once, the tension dissipated.
"Hiyama-sa~n"
In this
kind of situation, there is no choice to dump it to a girl. This idea is like
putting a curse on a curse.
"Hmm?
What's wrong, Hashiba-kun"
"Nanako
fell asleep drunk, can you take care of her?"
I said,
pulling Nanako away and pushing her towards Hiyama-san.
"Oh,
okay, I got it. Look, Nanako-chan, come here."
Hiyama-san
lured Nanako to her chest, held her there, and patted her head.
"Fumyu...
Un..."
Nanako
didn't seem to understand what was going on, but eventually, as if relieved,
she hugged Hiyama-san tightly and leaned her head.
Hiyama-san
looked relieved,
"It's
under control"
"Thank
you, that was very helpful."
As
expected of the person who have been watching this kind of drunkenness for a
long time.
"But
this girl thoughtlessly got Hashiba-kun involved. It's not usually like
that."
"Drinking
changes things, it's drunken interaction or like that..."
The
alcohol in the beef stew was enough to get her drunk, and I should have told
her that more firmly.
Hiyama-san
patted Nanako, who was breathing peacefully in her arms,
"...Somehow,
it sounds like there was more to it than that, though."
"Eh?"
"It's
nothing. Well, do your best not to become an enemy of girls, Hashiba-kun."
She said,
and fluttered her hands in the air as if to say, "Go somewhere".
I left the
scene and moved towards the other place.
(It looks
like Hiyama-san already figured it out...)
If you're
in front of a girl who's asking you to kiss her or something, you'll be able to
tell that much about the relationship without even bothering to guess. Or
rather, didn't she say "me too" just now? As matter of course, she
shouldn't know about me and Shinoaki, but...
Anyway, at
this rate, the day of decision is coming soon, or rather, the day when things will
explode in unexpected ways is expected.
"If
anything, I should be the one to tell her... Maybe."
It's going
to be a talk that uses a lot of physical strength.
Well, if
you were to ask people on the street who is to blame, 58 out of 100 would say I
am the cause of the problem, but for now I just want to think about my work.
Even if they say I'm a big evil person who doesn't understand people's
feelings.
I didn't
come back here to flirt.
"Saikawa
is... ah, she is there."
Saikawa,
who had been nervous in the middle of the large circle earlier, was sitting on
the floor with Shinoaki at a little distance, talking about something.
"Hee~
So you're an Art Department student, what kind of art do you draw?"
"Y-Yes,
I've always been a pencil artist, but since entering university, I've been
really interested in oil painting."
"Amazing,
I've never tried oil painting before because it seems to take so much work.
Will you teach me next time?"
"Of
course, though, I've only just begun to learn about it..."
Apparently,
without me having to introduce them, they started talking to each other.
(Thank
goodness, this place is properly connected them, huh)
The
conversation seemed to be focused on the common theme of painting. It seemed
that the conversation had evolved into a very detailed discussion of how they
drew, and the differences between analog and digital painting.
"It's
kind of strange."
Ten years
later, they were two strangers who influenced each other in the world. But now,
they are talking directly to each other as senpai and kouhai.
What they
experienced in the world of 2018 led to their meeting by my hand in the world
of 2007. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, I can't tell.
"Hee~,
oil painting looks interesting, too. I'd like to try it too."
"Yes,
you should try it, Aki-san, I'd love to see it!"
I wanted
to believe that what was in front of me now was a happy encounter.
(Yes,
let's mention about that)
About how
I came to recognize her in this era in the first place. I have to tell her that
Shinoaki is the one who was in charge of the original drawings for that Haru
Sora.
I took a
step closer to the girls,
"Ah,
um, Saikawa, this Shinoaki is..."
When I
tried to interrupt,
"That's
no good, Kyoya-kun. I'm still talking to her."
Easily, it
was blocked by Shinoaki.
"Ah,
s-sorry..."
"Fufu~,
I'm not going to give Minori-chan to Kyoya-kun ~"
Shinoaki
then grinned and hugged Saikawa tightly.
"A-Aki-san..."
Saikawa
didn't seem too unhappy about it either. She looked embarrassed, but gently
placed her own hand on Shinoaki's arm.
(Well, I
guess we'll have to talk about that another time)
Akishima
Shino and Minori Ayaka.
This was
the moment when the future, which had never mixed, became a single route here.
(I guess
this is finally the starting line)
From here
on out, will this route be happy or bad? No one, including me, knows for sure.
But I will
do what I can. To make the possibilities I wrote in my memo a reality.
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