The post-peak slump will be summarized in a narration-style recap.
 
After that, we went to Round One for bowling, where we got mediocre scores; Senpai dominated a Gundam arcade game with ten straight wins; Hikami-sensei guzzled beer at the food court; we hit karaoke and chugged highballs; and someone randomly declared, “Now it’s only robot anime songs!” before soloing for hours, turning it into a de facto anime screening.
 
Hikami-sensei paid for everything except the arcade. I’m usually against the idea of teachers footing the bill (like renting a villa?), but during regular club parties, it’s normal to … Read the rest

“Ko… Komori-kun…? Ah—”
 
She seemed to have called me without thinking, then jumped in surprise at her own slip, covering her mouth with both hands. That voice… I recognized it immediately. Looking closer, she did have that sharp-eyed gaze and sharp nose I remembered. But the image clashed too much with my memory of the composed top student I saw in class.
 
“Ah… Maihama, right?”
 
When I asked hesitantly, she let out an awkward laugh, scratching her cheek with a resigned expression.
 
“Good morning… Or should I say, good afternoon?”
 

---

 
“Hello.”
 
“Wh-What a coincidence! Are … Read the rest

Chapter Three: Because There’s Only One in This World
 

 
Whether it’s healthy or unhealthy, I’ve long since stopped questioning it.
 
After school, I head to the clubroom—studying alone, reading novels, sometimes dragged into someone’s brilliant new games, trying (and sometimes failing) to rein in the chaos.
 
These routines are etched into my daily schedule like math or English class—a daily obligation. It’s exhausting, but the upside is that weekends finally mean freedom from all of it.
 
To sum up: I’m lucky. Today was no different—just as blissfully ordinary.
 
I woke up at almost the same time as a weekday, … Read the rest

 
By sunset, dusk painted the sky as baseball players yelled “Last one!” on the field.
 
“Tomorrow’s another day!”
 
Shishihara beamed, waving “Later!”
 
We parted at the gate—her home lay the opposite way—while Saku-senpai and I walked most of the route together. Too drained to reignite our squabble.
 
“My bad. Even I think I took the prank too far this time.”
 
“I share blame for failing as the voice of reason.”
 
Not carrying grudges is key to lasting bonds.
 
“Relax. If needed, I can craft an advisor from water, carbon, ammonia, lime, phosphorus, … Read the rest

 
First: by process of elimination, this should’ve been Saku-senpai. Yet to my knowledge, she was all talk—a tease who mocked virgins but turned into a flustered child the moment she was targeted. No way she’d pull this stunt.
 
Second: if this was Hikami-sensei, it’d be even more insane. She’s a teacher. A high schooler’s teacher. What kind of adult does this? Lock her up for corrupting minors.
 
Third: Shishihara wasn’t this big.
 
[When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains—however improbable—must be the truth.]
 
Thanks to Holmes’ quote, my thoughts only spiraled further.
 
My initial deduction (Shishihara first, Hikami-sensei second) had … Read the rest

“Absolutely. And we’ll prove it!”
 
It was obvious they were about to launch some ridiculous scheme, but people who are alike can go ahead and destroy each other on their own.Watching a sinking ship with a sense of resignation gave me a strange sense of pleasure.
 
“With the help of Tsubasa-kun here!”
 
“…Huh?”
 
The fact that I couldn’t predict that stray bullet coming my way just shows how much I still lack in crisis management.
 

 
A succubus, a werecat, a yuki-onna, and a bat.
 
This cheerful party (definitely not a harem) had banded … Read the rest

 
“Hikami sensei, are you… by any chance, related to the [Hikami Group]?”
 
“Hikami Group?”
 
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one hearing this for the first time—Shishihara tilts her head alongside me.
 
“It’s the conglomerate that owns this school, along with its subsidiaries. Family-run since its founding, last year’s net profit was roughly—”
 
She starts rattling off corporate details—business segments, M&As—like a financial news segment.
 
Watching Shishihara’s eyes spin, she adds, “Well, recently they’ve been leaning on foreign consultants, so it’s not exactly high schooler-friendly.”
 
“From what I recall, the parent company’s CEO was … Read the rest

“What the hell are you doing, Saku-senpai?!”
 
“Fuuuuu~… Oh my? Welcome, you two~”
 
A woman in a school uniform draped with a red dotera (winter haori) holds chopsticks in a battle-ready stance.
 
Somehow, a portable gas stove sits on the table, boiling a pot of broth. Wisps of steam curl upward.
 
The ingredients laid out on plates—chicken, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, tofu, mizuna greens—suggest a simple mizutaki hot pot. The savory dashi (likely kombu-based) teases the appetite.
 
“Wow, that smells amazing,”
 
Shishihara sniffs the air, and I can’t blame her.
 
“Where do I … Read the rest

 
“Hmm, I don’t really neglect skincare…”
 
Rolling up her sleeve and rubbing her upper arm, Maihama tilted her head and said, “I can’t tell for myself,” before extending the back of her right hand toward me. “Well? Smooth, right?” The firm, youthful glow of her skin was visibly undeniable.
 
“If you’re asking me to touch it, I’ll pass.”
 
“Waaah, what a shame. I wanted to know whose skin feels better—mine or Saku-senpai’s.”
 
What is she even saying? I don’t remember touching her enough to compare.
 
“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Then how about I—”
 
Just … Read the rest

Chapter 2: The Snow Woman Wants to Be Scolded
 

 
Musashidai Academy High School. That’s the name of the school I attend.
 
It only offers a general curriculum, with nine classes per grade. Its deviation value is decent, as is its local reputation.
 
It’s one of those typical prep schools established during the baby boom and geographically located right in the heart of Tokyo—but to be honest, it’s more like a semi-suburban area far from the city center.
 
The only famous landmark nearby is a racetrack, making it a sort of “Derby” region, but thanks to that, the city’s finances … Read the rest