~ Rewinding time slightly to this morning ~
I hadn't been particularly worried until just now, but as the classroom drew closer, the memories of Saturday came rushing back with vivid clarity.
I had anticipated that things would get rowdy once my relationship with Sara-san was out in the open. But now that the chaos had truly erupted, the scale of it seemed to far exceed anything I had imagined.
Since that day had been Parental Observation Day, I’d had too many other things on my mind to process it with any degree of calm.
Perhaps that was why the sheer magnitude of the stir was only just starting to sink in now.
Or rather, with a scene that big, it was hardly surprising the rumors had spread instantly.
At any rate, this incident had at least ensured that everyone in class understood the nature of my relationship with Sara-san.
If that meant fewer guys would be entertaining useless ideas about her, then I didn't care if I ended up envied or isolated.
If I could nip even the smallest chance of Sara-san feeling uncomfortable in the bud, then that was all I could ask for.
Besides, I wasn't the person I used to be. Now I had Sara-san, I had Hanako-san, and I had everyone else.
So…
Tug, tug.
A small pull on my sleeve snapped me out of my thoughts and dragged my consciousness back to the present.
Startled, I looked to my side to find Hanako-san, who was walking beside me, clutching my sleeve.
"……"
"Hanako-san?"
Without a word, she stared intently into my eyes.
It was the same with Sara-san—whenever I was subjected to such a meaningful gaze, it almost always meant my thoughts were being read.
And what I was thinking just now was… that I’d be fine for Sara-san’s sake. That I was just trying to act a bit cool.
And then… right, I was thinking about how I "had everyone now," which was the kind of thing that felt intensely embarrassing once I reflected on it!
"……"
Even as those thoughts raced through my head, Hanako-san refused to look away. Feeling as though she were peering into the parts of my mind I wanted to keep hidden, I tried to avert my eyes, but…
As if refusing to let me escape, she pulled on my sleeve, forcing us to remain in our silent staredown.
Ugh… please, give me a break already.
"It’s okay, Kazunari…"
"Eh?"
"Kazunari has a Wife. You have Everyone. You have Me. When you're in the classroom, your Big Sister will always be by your side."
So don’t worry… Hanako-san offered me a gentle smile.
"A-Ah, yeah, I know. I’ve got Sara-san, and I’ve got everyone… and I’ve got my Big Sister, too."
I was well aware of how sappy I sounded. To cover the embarrassment, I ended up speaking with a much more blunt tone than I intended.
But even that seemed to be transparent to Hanako-san. Having her see through me so completely made me feel incredibly awkward.
"Fufu…"
Whether she was enjoying my plight or not—no, this was Hanako-san. I was sure she noticed everything.
Still wearing that gentle smile, she squeezed my hand with her small, delicate one.
"Your Wife says Kazunari is cute, and I have to agree."
"No, saying that to a guy is…"
"You don't have to be shy. In a Big Sister's eyes, her Younger Brother is always cute."
I wasn't actually being shy, but it seemed I wasn't going to be allowed to deny it either way.
So now, starting with Sara-san, then Mayumi-san, and finally Hanako-san, I had been called "cute" by all of them. Regardless of whether it was meant as a compliment, it certainly didn't feel like one to a man. To be honest, I couldn't bring myself to nod along with it.
Well, I knew the people saying it had no ulterior motives or ill will, so I understood there was no point in getting worked up about it.
"A-Anyway, I'll be fine. It’s not like I’m shrinking back or anything. If anything, the real challenge starts now."
If the Miss Contest was the main event, then the events of Saturday were just a preliminary skirmish.
I might have been a bit surprised by the gap between my expectations and reality, but my resolve hadn't wavered in the slightest.
As long as I achieved the result I was looking for, I could handle whatever came after. No, I would make sure I handled it.
I wasn't the same person I used to be…
……………
………
…
Rattle rattle.
"Good morning!"
Given the disaster that was Saturday, I couldn't claim I wasn't nervous, but I made a point of entering the classroom as if nothing were different.
A quick scan of the room suggested there were no obvious abnormalities.
It was almost a bit anti-climactic, but that didn't mean I was going to be the one to go looking for trouble.
"Morning, Takanashi!"
"Yo!"
The ones who returned my greeting with their usual morning energy were Yamakawa and others.
Since we’d talked quite a bit on Sunday, I’d been worried about them, but they didn't seem particularly gloomy or depressed. Between Yamakawa and the rest of the class, if everyone was acting this normal, maybe I really was just overthinking things…
Crowding, crowding…
…Or maybe not.
As if they had been waiting for a signal, the Boys converged on me the moment I hit my seat. I couldn't see any negative emotions like anger or jealousy on their faces, but there was no doubt they had business with me.
"Do you have some business with Kazunari?"
Before I could say a word, Hanako-san was the one who questioned the gathered group. She stood close to me, baring her vigilance as she swept her eyes over the surrounding Boys.
"Hanako-san, it’s fine. I’ll talk to them."
I had no intention of being the kind of pathetic guy who hid behind a girl. Since I was the one who had started this, it was only natural that I be the one to handle it.
"…If you do anything unnecessary to Kazunari, I will never forgive you."
She seemed to respect my wishes, offering that one ominous warning before taking a single step back. Even then, she had no intention of leaving my side, remaining tucked right behind my shoulder.
I couldn't tell if I just wasn't trusted, or if this was just her brand of overprotective Big Sister energy…
For the record, I wasn't nearly as on guard as Hanako-san.
Just looking at them, I could tell they hadn't gathered here out of any genuine malice.
Hanako-san probably knew that too, but she’d likely issued the warning just for my peace of mind.
The guys surrounding us nodded with looks of panic and complexity at her threat.
Yeah, it definitely wasn't anything that serious.
"Takanashi… that story about Satsukawa-senpai… it’s not a lie, is it?"
One of the guys finally mustered the courage to speak. Well, of course that was the only thing they’d want to talk about.
"Do you really think it’s a lie after seeing all that?"
"「「「………………」」」"
"It’s exactly what I said on Saturday. I’m dating Sara-san, and we’re engaged. It’s all a matter of fact."
I told them calmly, as if trying to help them accept the undeniable reality that there was no other truth.
Since they had witnessed the scene on Saturday with their own eyes, I didn't think they actually disbelieved me.
This felt more like a simple "fact check" rather than an interrogation born of doubt.
Though, if they still couldn't accept it as reality after seeing that, I would seriously have to question their sanity.
"…I guess so."
"…Honestly, part of me still doesn't want to believe it. But…"
"…I’d just never seen Satsukawa-senpai look like that before…"
Saturday’s shock had clearly been massive. Even knowing it was real, they still seemed unable to fully digest it.
However, having seen a side of Sara-san so utterly different from her usual self, they had reached the conclusion that there was no room for denial.
"Hey now, you guys aren't seriously going to tell Takanashi you won't acknowledge it after all that, are you~?"
The one who broke in with a level of cheerfulness that felt almost out of place was Yamakawa.
Or rather, I should say he "intervened" for my sake.
Thanks to his upbeat tone, the heavy atmosphere seemed to lighten considerably, which was an honest relief.
"Takanashi and Satsukawa-senpai are basically like a married couple already."
"If you saw them together, you guys would probably drop dead on the spot~"
Following Yamakawa’s lead, Kawamura and Tanaka also joined the conversation.
With the three of them involved, a few smiles finally began to reappear among the Boys. It seemed the heavy, serious mood was impossible to maintain.
"What do you mean we’d die… what exactly did you see?"
"No, no, you’re better off not knowing."
"What’s that supposed to mean…?"
"Well, I ran into the Takanashi Couple yesterday. Satsukawa-senpai was already acting exactly like Takanashi’s Wife…"
"Waaaahhh! That’s seriously a shocker!"
"Guhhh, must be nice… A world-class beauty like Satsukawa-senpai!!!"
"If only I’d made a Confession first…"
"As if you had the guts to actually do it."
"That goes for you too!?"
…What on earth was going on?
There was no doubt they were shocked, but this sudden shift felt less like an attack and more like the rug being pulled out from under me.
Given the state they were in on Saturday, I’d fully expected a much more serious confrontation. But looking at them now, while they were clearly frustrated, they seemed to have accepted the relationship itself quite easily.
It felt odd for me to be the one thinking this, but could they really move on that easily after such a huge uproar?
"Takanashi, what’s up?"
As I stared blankly at the scene, Kawamura noticed my confusion and approached, tilting his head.
I debated whether to voice my thoughts, but since Kawamura always seemed to know what was going on, I figured he’d have some insight. I decided to just ask.
"It’s just… they accepted it much more easily than I expected."
"Well, of course. After seeing Satsukawa-senpai act like that, anyone who still refused to acknowledge it wouldn't be in their right mind."
"I thought the same thing, but after all that noise they made…"
"Ah, you mean that. Yeah… it’s just my theory, but I think Satsukawa-senpai was more of an idol to these guys. They might have had romantic feelings, but it was mostly admiration for a distant star. That’s why they were making such a fuss."
Sara-san was an idol?
So, they were acting more like a Fan Club?
…When he put it that way, a lot of things started to make sense.
Even if they’d only fallen for Sara-san’s looks, it was probably true that they held some form of "Romantic Feelings."
But if it were genuine Love, they wouldn't be huddling together with their rivals. Yet they’d all been worked up as a group.
It really did feel exactly like the vibe of an idol’s Fan Club.
"Their feelings were only ever 'if there’s a chance.' After being shown a reality like that, they don't have the resolve to keep fighting. That’s why they accepted the heartbreak so easily. But that sense of admiration doesn't just vanish. That’s why they’re still making a scene about how jealous they are that their idol was taken."
Kawamura understood our Classmates far better than I did, which made his words feel incredibly persuasive.
Looking at it from that angle… it was a perfectly logical conclusion.
In short:
Because their romantic feelings and fan-like admiration had amplified each other, the shock of finding out about us was massive. That was the source of Saturday’s uproar.
But as far as pure romantic feelings went, it was shallow enough that they could share it in a group. It was a surface-level attraction to her beauty. So, once they saw the two of us together, they were able to accept it for what it was quite quickly.
And in the end, only the fan-like admiration remained.
If that was the case, it explained the halfway state these guys were in… I suppose?
"That’s just my personal theory, though. I mean, it still falls under the category of love at first sight, so in that sense, it’s the same as…"
Kawamura trailed off and glanced toward Yamakawa.
Certainly, even for love at first sight, Yamakawa’s seriousness was on an entirely different level.
"…An idol-chasing game. A gathering of fools, as expected."
Hanako-san, who had been listening silently until now, spat the words out with genuine disgust. After sweeping the Boys with a Frigid Gaze, she turned her entire body back toward me as if they no longer existed.
"Hanako-san?"
"Kazunari, you don't need to pay those people any mind. Falling for someone solely for their looks is far too shallow to be worth your time."
Hanako-san’s reaction was only natural.
Everything we’d just discussed was something that both she (and likely Sara-san) would find utterly contemptible. To her, the entire scene probably looked like a cheap farce. If anything, this incident seemed to have only deepened her sense of loathing for them.
Which was exactly why Kawamura was the one wearing a pained expression. I knew the reason, of course. Yamakawa had planned to talk to Hanako-san today, but the timing couldn't have been worse.
"Hanasaki-san, do you have a moment?"
And at that exact, terrible moment, the one who called out to her…
Was Yamakawa, with a look of intense nerves written all over his face.