Let's be honest. I found it difficult to understand Haruna's feelings. Including today, we had only met twice. And yet, at the end of this second meeting, Haruna had thrown her heart at me.
It made me think that perhaps the depth of a meeting is more important than the number of times you meet. Come to think of it, from the moment we first met, Haruna and I had clicked in a strange way. Could it be that even back then, she had feelings for me that went beyond simple 'like'?
And it was true that Haruna had been far more persistent in asking for a second meeting than I had expected. So much so that I felt pressured by her intensity and kept avoiding giving a straight answer.
I do feel a certain amount of regret that my indecisiveness led to this serious situation, but… getting too close to Haruna felt like too much of a risk. There's a reason they say you are known by the company you keep. Is it really so wrong for me to be afraid of how irresponsible I might become if I, in my current position, were to be even slightly influenced by the ideology of the Gourmet Research Society?
In any case, if this had happened when Haruna and I were alone, I think I would have been purely happy. It was, for all intents and purposes, a public confession, even if she left without hearing my answer.
The Sensei of Blue Archive—the player's avatar—doesn't have a officially defined gender. However, it's generally accepted that Sensei is male. I never thought any differently, either.
Perhaps… in Kivotos, a world where there are no male students, and no human males at all besides Sensei, I had been overly conscious of this fact. Maybe my thought that I should give up on the dream of romance was a bit premature. Haruna's confession just now seemed to prove it.
Yes, that's why if this had happened with just the two of us, I would have been purely happy. Without everyone else's intense reactions, I wouldn't have been so flustered.
The car that had been used to kidnap me all the way from Trinity to Millennium here was in no condition to be called road-worthy. The windows were shattered, and it was so riddled with bullet holes that I wondered if it could even run.
"Well then… I'll see you again, Vice Chief~!"
As Akari, sitting in the driver's seat, shouted and started the engine, the car surprisingly began to roll forward. In the back seat, I could see Izumi with her face pressed against the window, giving a small wave. But Haruna, the one I was most concerned about, was nowhere to be seen.
After the car, which looked like it had been dropped in the middle of a warzone, drove away—after the storm named Haruna had passed—a silence fell over the area. The atmosphere was so frigid it felt like someone would get shot for saying the wrong thing.
And for some reason, I had a feeling that person was going to be me.
For some reason, Hina, who had been aiming her machine gun at the Gourmet Research Society's car, lowered it, slung it back over her shoulder, and walked toward me. She just stood there, silently watching me. Then she let out a small sigh.
"Mika. It seems there's no place you haven't stuck your nose into. It wouldn't be surprising if you were criticized for being a playgirl, a bad woman who plays with people's hearts."
"H-Huh…? W-Well."
Only after hearing Hina's words did I realize it. The fact that Haruna had revealed her feelings for me… meant that these same feelings could come from any of the other girls at any time.
"But I know what kind of person you are… so I can't bring myself to blame you. I know that all your actions are based on good intentions. Ako once told me that the one who falls in love first loses. I think I finally understand what she meant by that."
"Wait, does that mean… you too, Hina-chan?"
Hina nodded silently and, without warning, pulled me into a hug. She cast aside all the dignity she had to maintain as the Head Prefect and threw herself into my arms. I reflexively wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back.
"See? You're doing it right now. You keep giving me openings like this… Never mind, it's pointless to say it. I don't have the courage to be as bold as Kurodate yet, so for now, I'll be satisfied with this."
"Ahaha… Um, I'm not sure what you mean by 'giving openings'…"
"…You mean you've really been acting like this without realizing it? Hearing that, I can't even begin to imagine how many rivals I have. If a war were to break out in Kivotos today, it would probably be your fault, Mika."
Hina pulled back a few steps and looked me straight in the eye. Those cold, demonic eyes of hers, which usually radiated a chilling aura, now held a strange heat.
"Let's make a bet for the festival. The loser has to grant the winner one wish."
"Huh, so suddenly?"
"I'll tell you now, I've already decided on my wish. I want you… to face my feelings for you with your own sincere heart, Mika."
As if in response to my question, Hina's cheeks flushed shyly, but she didn't look away as she clearly stated her feelings.
Clank.
"…Get away from Mika-oneechan."
At the same time, Atsuko appeared from behind me and aimed her gun at Hina. Saori, walking up beside her, had her rifle lowered, but the way she gripped it showed she was ready to fight at a moment's notice. The other Squad girls followed suit, forming up around them. Hiyori, who bowed her head to me as soon as she saw me; Azusa, who was watching me with that unreadable expression of hers; and Misaki, who was staring nonchalantly at the sky.
Hey, don't tell me you guys, too… No, right? Please? I could kind of understand if it was just Atsuko, since she's been dropping hints, but still. I wish you'd just say no. For some reason, I'm getting a mental image of a very large, very crowded ship.
"Seeing this just makes me think I can't leave you in Trinity."
Hina, who had been glaring coldly at the gas-masked Atsuko, took a few more steps back and spoke to me.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You don't need to know."
"…I thought everything the Madam said was a lie. But maybe it wasn't. The words that Gehenna is our enemy. Maybe that much was true. Right, Sacchan?"
"Atsuko… this will only make things more difficult for Mika."
After hearing Hina's cold reply, Atsuko directed her words to Saori. Thankfully, Saori seemed to be holding on to her reason, which was a relief.
"Yes, but. Don't you feel it, too, Sacchan? You like Mika-oneechan, too."
"What…? W-What are you talking about, Princess?"
"That one time, when you were sleeping, you said 'Mika—'"
"M-Mika. We will maintain a perimeter until we are ready to depart…!"
Watching Saori quickly scoop up Atsuko and make a run for it, I turned my suspicious eyes to the remaining three members of the Squad.
"…Well. It's not me."
Okay, so Misaki is out. That's a relief, at least.
"Ehehe… A useless person like me doesn't deserve to wish for a shining angel like Mika-chan… Life is about looking up at what you can't have and feeling pained and miserable. It's a sad and agonizing feeling, but that's what suits me…"
Hiyori kept her eyes fixed on the ground, repeatedly pressing her index fingers together and pulling them apart.
"Wh-What are you talking about, Hiyori-chan! That snipe earlier was amazing! Yeah, thanks to you, I was able to take down Neru-chan more easily! You did a great job today, so you should be proud☆ You're the best!"
As I said that, I thought I heard a shout from the distance, something like, 'HUH??? Who took down who, you bastard! Let's go another round!' But it was probably just my imagination.
"Ah, I helped with that."
"Yes… If Azusa-chan hadn't helped me reload, my sniping would have been useless. So there's no reason for me to receive such praise… Sob!"
No, Azusa, why are you adding that while I'm trying to comfort her…!
"Th-That's not true. Hiyori-chan, you're the best sniper I've ever seen. So, stop crying!"
Since we were the same height, I had to awkwardly bend over to give Hiyori-chan a little hug, gently stroking her head. Next to her, Azusa gave me 'that look,' pouting before turning on her heel and walking in the direction Saori had disappeared.
…Just how many is that now? I'm already feeling dizzy.
Isn't this all just a dream? There's no way I could have charmed this many girls. It just doesn't make sense.
"Have fun."
With only those words, Misaki also left, becoming my sole salvation. The leader's armband gleaming on the sleeve of the Arius coat I was wearing suddenly felt very heavy. At this rate, am I going to be coronated as the new leader of the Arius Squad? No, that position belongs to Mother Saori…!
"…So that's what I should be taking notes on."
No, Hina, why are you talking about taking notes? It's not that I wouldn't want to see Hina with her confidence completely shattered for once, but… that's not what's important right now…! At this rate, my chastity is in danger.
"The Prefect Team should be heading back for today, too. Just thinking about how much Chairman Makoto is going to grill me over this gives me a headache. And since I brought it on myself, I can't even complain."
"…Well, a mistake is a mistake. But still, I was happy you came all this way for me today, Hina-chan."
"Mika, you still haven't learned your lesson. But that's what I like about you."
With those words, Hina left to rejoin her students. I thought I saw Iori in the crowd looking like she wanted to say something to me, but I wasn't sure.
"Whoa-oh…"
You know… I see now. The karma I've been racking up… it was all because I was being nice to people.
If that's the case, is the only solution for me to become the wicked witch Mika?
After being comforted, Hiyori's expression had brightened considerably. For some reason, I got the feeling I had just been used by Hiyori to satisfy some ulterior motive, and I don't think it was just my imagination.
With the entire Squad gone, the only ones left were C&C and the two from Seminar. The C&C members returned to campus without saying goodbye to me. Not that they were really in a position to, anyway. Still, Neru gave me a slight nod, and Asuna waved enthusiastically, so it wasn't a complete ghosting.
"You're quite the sinful woman, Mika-san~. Was your dislike of formal titles all just a ploy to seduce people? I'm starting to get a little scared that I might fall for you, too."
"Ahaha, I swear on the primordial divinity, that's absolutely not it. It's just, um… I'm not sure how things ended up this way, either."
"Fufu, is that so? But I won't fall so easily. After all, I have this cute Yuuka-chan right here."
"W-Wait, Noa! If you say things like that in front of the Tea Party Host, she'll get the wrong idea! W-We're just normal friends, so please don't misunderstand. Honestly, Noa, why do you always…!"
Watching Noa tease Yuuka with a radiant, playful smile, I could tell just how deep their friendship was. It was a sight you could only describe as best friends.
"Well then, Mika-san. We need to clean up the site and prepare for the media, who are sure to come swarming any minute now, so it would be best for you to leave before you get caught up in anything complicated. And I think it would be best if you paid some attention to that person over there as well."
It was obvious who Noa was talking about. Nagisa. I remembered her expression, like the sky was falling, and how she'd held up a hand to stop me when I'd tried to approach her, forcing a smile and shaking her head before collapsing onto a nearby bench.
If Nagisa had shown even a single tear then, I would have run to her side, regardless of who was around…
"Yuuka-chan, Noa-chan, you've both been through a lot, and you didn't even get to eat lunch. I'll treat you to a meal later as an apology! See you next time…!"
"Yes… Ah, by the way, I think Haruna-san is the best match for you, Mika-san~."
"Uh, uhh…?"
I was a little thrown by Noa's out-of-the-blue comment, but anyway. With that, I had said my goodbyes to everyone. Everyone except Nagisa.
"'Yuuka-chan'… Does that person not have any sense of personal space?"
"Fufu, maybe it's a sign that you should call her Mika-san next time, Yuuka-chan? Just like 'Yuuka-chan' is nicer to hear and say than 'the Cold-Blooded Accountant.'"
"Noa, I told you not to call me that…!"
Hmm, now that's what best friends should be like. Just listening to their conversation from behind was enough to make me smile.
But that smile vanished the moment I saw Nagisa, sitting on the bench, fiddling with something. When I looked closer to see what it was, my heart stopped. It was her pistol.
…Don't tell me she was waiting to shoot me?
"Hey, Nagi-chan…"
I walked right up to her and called her name. Only then did she look up at me. She wasn't crying, but from the look on her face, it was more surprising that she wasn't. I should have just gone to her first.
"Mika-san."
Nagisa called my name and silently patted the spot on the bench next to her, gesturing for me to sit. Seeing her fiddling with the gun made me hesitate, but the fear of getting shot made me sit down next to a without a second thought.
I tentatively reached out to take her hand. She seemed to pull away at first, but in the end, she let me take it. That was so like her.
"…Mika-san, you know, until just a little while ago, I thought I had plenty of time… Because I'm a coward with no courage, I thought I would just slowly make you see me. So foolishly."
Nagisa turned her head toward me, and I could see her eyelashes tremble. I could hear in her wavering voice that she was desperately trying not to cry. All my suspicions came together and finally solidified into a certainty.
"But I never thought I would lose you to a student from Gehenna, of all people. You, Mika-san, who hated and rejected Gehenna more than anything in the world… that the one who got closest to your heart was… of all people…"
Just as Nagisa was a coward, I was an oblivious fool.
"I… I loved you first… I love you more than anyone else…"
My desire to make everyone happy. The fact that my ignorance had ended up hurting these girls… it was all my fault, with no room for excuses.
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So we have reached the goal for 5 bonus chapters, and they will be released tomorrow
And please throw some stones my way. yeah
It really helps me get more visibility.