Takumi didn't move.
Silent in the midst of the rapid-fire exchange between the two young girls.
Several times he wanted to speak, but in the end not once could he find a chance to get a word in.
Every time he wanted to say something, either Kaguya or Maki would say exactly what he was about to, and then quickly carry the topic forward. Before long they'd moved on to the next matter, so fast that Takumi couldn't keep up at all, with no place left for him to add anything. After a while he could only sit in a daze, seriously listening to their analysis, completely giving up the idea of participating.
Between people, there really are quite a lot of differences.
At this moment Takumi felt that this little three-person team before him was like two big bosses, and one utterly useless tagalong. Hm, of course—that useless one was himself.
"In any case, the point now is whether we should open the door and investigate outside. Oba-san, you think we should probe, but my opinion is that we should observe a bit longer, at least wait and see whether those other two people hiding in their rooms make any move. We can't be the ones sticking our heads out. By the way, Takumi, what do you think? Do you have any ideas?"
As the discussion neared its end, moving to the matter of immediate action, Shijō Maki suddenly looked over at the silent Takumi and began asking his opinion.
"I'll be the one spamming 'GG EZ!'"
Expressionless, Takumi raised his right hand and answered with utter seriousness.
"What?"
Maki furrowed her brows, not understanding.
"I mean, big boss, please carry me—I'm just a newbie, boo-hoo-hoo."
Still expressionless, Takumi went on.
"What kind of inexplicable fake cutesy nonsense is that? I was seriously asking for your opinion!"
Still completely unable to understand what Takumi was talking about, Maki stomped her foot in anger, her sharp little canine teeth flashing into view.
In the end, the plan the three settled on was still to stay inside the room for the time being, waiting to see whether the other two would be the first to act.
With the situation outside still unclear, moving first really wasn't a good idea. Thus Shinomiya Kaguya, with her sharp hearing, stayed by the corridor near the main door, keeping constant watch on the sounds outside. Shijō Maki made a more careful search of the room, looking to see if there were any overlooked clues. Takumi, meanwhile, assisted this girl, helping her investigate the various things inside unit 208.
"From the clothes, it looks like it belonged to a young man living alone."
Having pulled some plain men's clothing out of the wardrobe, Maki spoke while frowning and wiping her hands several times.
"And the kind that lives like a really sloppy bachelor."
Takumi stared at the moldy boxer shorts and socks with yellowish stains thrown beside the bed, in the end unable to bring himself to touch them, only kicking them over to the wall with his foot.
"Too bad we didn't find any diary or record. Looks like the last person who stayed here didn't leave anything useful behind."
After searching without much result, Maki showed a disappointed expression, patting her barely-there chest and letting out a long sigh.
"Generally speaking, not many people would keep records by writing diaries. Usually only elementary school kids, forced by teachers, write diaries every day. Once they get to middle and high school, hardly anyone writes that kind of thing anymore."
Walking over and opening the kitchen door, Takumi casually followed up.
"That only proves you don't understand human diversity well enough. Plenty of people do have the habit of keeping diaries—especially those sensitive on the inside, who like to think. But you—are you really some kind of novelist? Usually people like you are the ones more inclined to scribble things down when they're bored, aren't you?"
Not wanting to touch those dirty clothes again, Shijō Maki spoke as she used her foot to kick that pile over to the wall, right next to the boxer shorts and socks, the two piles of filth mixing together like that.
"That's why I always say I'm just a web novelist. My job is simply to write stuff without much depth, things people can relax with—how could I have the problems of those who write serious literature? The stove still has gas, and the water runs, too. It even seems to be clean tap water. This place looks like a wreck, yet the water, electricity, and gas are all still running—what's up with that?"
Testing the stove and the faucet at the sink, Takumi felt puzzled, and when Maki heard, she walked into the kitchen as well. Seeing the blue flame spring up from the stove, she showed a look of delight.
"In that case, at least we're guaranteed hot water."
She glanced at the wok sitting to the side of the room. Being stainless steel, it hadn't rusted, only gathered a layer of dust. As long as it was cleaned, it could be used to boil water or cook noodles.
Originally Maki thought the coming days would mean living on raw, bloody scraps, but seeing that the water and gas hadn't stopped, she felt this was the best possible news.
"Though it's good, the only things we have to eat right now are instant noodles and compressed biscuits. Well, better than nothing, I suppose."
Takumi himself had always been on the instant noodle side. In his view, instant noodles are meant to be soaked. Cooking them was entirely unnecessary. Usually he would only bother to cook them when he was especially free. Come to think of it, the reason he ended up transmigrating was because he'd gone out to buy eggs and ham to cook with instant noodles.
"No matter the situation, maintaining quality of life is important—it does wonders for one's state of mind. Even with limited ingredients, since we've got water and gas, tonight's dinner will be handled by me. Hmph, don't think I'm just some sheltered young lady who can't do anything."
Disagreeing with Takumi's thoughts, Maki shook her head, patting her flat chest with a slightly proud look on her face.
"Is that so? Although I've been to visit Shuchiin before, I don't really know anything about the students there, nor do I have any idea what kind of person you are (that was a lie). But I have heard that both the Shinomiya and Shijō families are very powerful corporate houses. Mm, I'll open that fridge over there. After sitting unopened for over two years, I bet what's inside is pretty awful—not really something a girl like you should have to open."
Even though he'd clearly read the original work of Kaguya-sama, Takumi still shamelessly lied with a straight face, stepping past Maki with the intent to check the fridge at the far end of the kitchen.
"Ha, what, you think I'm only strong because I have a family backing me? Hmph, how ignorant. I'm a true all-rounder—in any situation I can handle myself. The skills I've mastered are beyond what you can imagine. Mathematics, combat, kendo, homemaking, the arts, foreign languages… and my knowledge of everyday life isn't something a shut-in otaku like you can compare to. Step aside—what's a fridge? You think I'd be scared or disgusted just from seeing some rotting vegetables and meat? Don't underestimate me. Get out of the way, I'll investigate. This way you can see what the Shijō family style really means!"
Speaking at high speed, Shijō Maki stretched out her hand to block Takumi, giving him a slightly disdainful look. With a huff, she then marched straight toward the fridge.
Judging purely from her tone and attitude, one would have to say it wasn't very cute; someone who didn't know her might truly think she was despising Takumi. But in reality, it was because she'd heard his words and worried that in such a bizarre place the fridge might indeed contain something bad, so she decided to investigate herself rather than let Takumi take the risk. That was why she said it deliberately.
Yet before her boastful words were even finished, by the time she stood before the fridge, the girl's calves were already trembling ever so slightly, and the hand reaching to pull it open wavered uncertainly.
Could it be that something really would leap out once the fridge was opened?
Maki's courage wasn't very great, and at this moment she was already shrinking back, yet she still forced herself not to reveal her weakness before others.
'So that's how it is—this is tsundere.'
Observing Maki's small movements, Takumi simply stroked his chin and gave a slight nod, sighing inwardly over the difference between tsundere personalities in 2D and in real life.
When reading manga, the tsundere feeling could be sensed at a glance, but actually facing a real person, unless one carefully observed all the little movements, one might really have thought she was despising him just now. Mm, mm. So a tsundere girl really only seems cute once you understand her, huh?
If I were to ask her something about feelings right now, could I lead her to say a famous line like, "I'm a master of love"? Ah, suddenly I really do want to hear her say that line. I bet it would carry a special kind of delight.
Though Takumi's mind still wandered in its usual way, his feet were already quickly moving closer, until he stood right beside Maki.
"Looks like the fridge still has power. Be careful—who knows what the situation inside might be."
Takumi said this as he stepped to Maki's side, reaching out first to pull open the refrigerator door.