Yuki-chan and Sasaki-san stood there, eyes locked in mutual astonishment. They were the same age, so I suppose it wasn't that strange for them to have crossed paths before. They even shared the same surname, phonetically speaking; perhaps that coincidence had left a lasting impression on both of them.
"Wait... is that really you, Yuki-chan?"
"Fuuka-chan...? What’s with that outfit...?"
"Y-Yuki-chan, your whole... vibe... it’s different..."
...Hold on. Was the mood turning sour? Neither of them looked particularly happy to have reunited. The outfit... the vibe...? Was there something weird about them? To me, they both looked perfectly normal.
"Ichinose-san, do you know anything about this...?"
"..."
Peering at the two of them from behind my back, Ichinose-san gave a tiny, hesitant shake of her head. Sensing the unsettled atmosphere, she looked up at me with an anxious expression. I wanted to protect her. My fatherly instincts were overflowing. I just wanted to give her some Senobic.
"Did you two know each other?"
"Ah...?! Y-Yes! We went to the same middle school. We’re at different places now, but we were in the same class until last year!"
"Wait... Yuki-chan, you went to Mishirohama Junior High...?"
"What’s with that face, Sajou-san? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Isn't that a bit rude? Do you have some kind of problem with me being from Mishirohama? I’m Big Brother’s sister, you know. It’s only natural. I’ll kill you."
Her eyes snapped wide as she glared up at me. Scary, scary... She looked ready to pull a stun gun out of her crossbody pouch at any second. Or maybe a personal safety alarm. If she set that thing off in a crowd like this, I’d be expelled before I could blink.
But seriously... Yuki-chan went to Mishirohama Junior High? Somehow... yeah, I hated it. My image of that school as some pure, pristine sanctuary was crumbling. I’d imagined it as a flower garden filled with middle schoolers just like Sasaki-san. I never expected it to house a dark-eyed, self-proclaimed beautiful Brocon Yandere.
"Hawawa... Yuki-chan is talking so much."
"Wh—Fuuka-chan...!"
Just when I thought she was busy intimidating me, Yuki-chan started to panic under Sasaki-san’s steady gaze. She was being unusually emotional. Strangely, the gloom seemed to vanish from her pitch-black eyes. It was a rare sight to behold.
"What, does Yuki-chan not talk much at school?"
"Yes! She’s very Cool-headed!"
"Cool-headed, huh?"
"Fuuka-chan...!"
I didn't expect a word like that to come out of Sasaki-san’s mouth. I felt like she was being steadily corrupted by my secular influence. Wait, Yuki-chan is "Cool-headed"? Are you sure you don’t mean "Yandere"? Is there even a single "cool" bone in her body?
So far, she just seemed like a bratty young lady with a brother complex who might show up as the protagonist’s sister in a rom-com.
"So, are you just playing a character?"
"I—I’m not playing anything! I just have zero interest in anyone besides Big Brother!"
"Don't go shouting that in a school hallway."
Several people of all ages gave us startled looks. She just casually completed the demographic sweep. She could honestly aim to be the nation’s favorite Yandere sister. We were entering an era where wiretap jammers would sell like hotcakes. Eventually, she’d probably be chosen as a brand ambassador for ALSOK. I could see the commercial now: her stuck to a corner of the ceiling, firing beams from her eyes.
Still... I suppose it made sense. Since it was a girls' middle school, she had no connection to Sasaki while she was there. I could see why she wouldn't be "acting out" in that environment. If you removed the Sasaki factor, she really was just a brat who wasn't interested in other people.
"F-Fuuka-chan, what about you... what is that outfit?! Since when did you start wearing such mature clothes? When we hung out a little while ago, you were dressed like an elementary schooler—"
"W-Waaaah?! Stop! Stop right there!"
Fuuka-san panicked and tried to cover Yuki-chan’s mouth to cut her off. At a glance, it looked a bit like a university student was attacking a middle schooler, which was a dangerous visual.
After silencing Yuki-chan, Sasaki-san kept shooting glances toward Ichinose-san. The reason she didn't care about her reputation with me was probably because most of her secrets had already been exposed. I’d heard bits and pieces during the Trial Enrollment and through our various chats. Still, the fact that I hadn't been able to see that "elementary school" look for myself was agonizing. If we were alone, I’d be throwing a tantrum right now.
"Um..."
Ichinose-san looked on with bewildered eyes. It seemed she hadn't quite grasped the situation. This was her first time meeting Yuki-chan, after all. It was only natural for her to be troubled by the sudden appearance of a "friend of a friend." This was probably the exact type of social encounter she was worst at handling.
"Sasaki-san and Yuki-chan are acquaintances from middle school, but it seems they’re both reeling from discovering unexpected sides of each other."
"..."
Ichinose-san stared at the two of them as if to say, "I see." For my part, I was just as shocked to learn that Yuki-chan’s Yandere Brocon mode wasn't her default setting. So you actually have light in your eyes normally, do you...?
From the look of it, although they were on a first-name basis, they weren't the type of friends who spent every waking moment together. They were more like girls from neighboring classes who could chat comfortably. If I let them both come along as things were, Sasaki-san might feel like she had to walk on eggshells. As the common denominator here, I needed to take charge.
"Well, now that Sasaki-san has joined us, shall we get going?"
"Eh?"
"Yuki-chan, good luck finding your brother. If anyone tries to pick you up, feel free to use a concealed weapon, a stun gun, a chain, or whatever else you’ve got on you."
Sasaki-san looked at me with a slightly bewildered expression.
It was fine. I was sure Yuki-chan could manage on her own. I truly wanted her to give it her all. I believed that Yuki-chan was the type of person who could cross over to the other side of the law if she really put her mind to it...
Our adventure is just beginning...!
"Please wait. I’m not letting you escape."
"Why though?"
My arm was grabbed firmly. Ordinarily, I would have been thrilled to have a girl initiate physical contact. For some reason, I felt nothing but a sense of hassle and a lingering trace of fear. The word she’d tacked on at the end was too powerful... Why was the Australian continent flickering in my mind? I could practically see myself fleeing to Sydney, only to find her waiting there ahead of me. Hey, Sasaki, maybe the deep sea would be a better hiding spot?
"Are you insane, trying to leave a delicate middle school girl all alone here? Big Brother would never do such a thing. Besides, rather than searching aimlessly through a school building when I don't know the layout, it’s much more efficient to follow Sajou-san and the others. So, I’m coming too."
"T-That’s right, Sajou-senpai! Leaving her alone would be a bit much..."
"Wait, don't you have the school map memorized so you can track Sasaki’s every move?"
"Big Brother’s range of activity isn't that wide."
It seemed that even Yuki-chan hadn't fully mastered the school map yet. That made sense... even in Resident Evil, you can't grasp the whole layout depending on which character you're playing. I could relate.
"..."
"Sajou-senpai is making a face like he hates this..."
"This person is really irritating, isn't he...?"
Being around Yuki-chan, who was so strong-willed and prioritized her brother above all else, felt like an invitation for trouble. I had been looking forward to a soft, fluffy time touring the school while entertaining Sasaki-san alongside Ichinose-san, so the disappointment was real. Also, did it just feel like the "chaperone" vibe increased the moment Yuki-chan arrived...? Ah...! Don't tell me I’m being seen as "one of the people being chaperoned" too? I mean, Fuuka is a university student, right? Actually, I wouldn't mind being chaperoned.
"...Fine. I’ll show Sasaki-san around the attractions. We’ll be walking all over the place anyway, so we’ll probably run into that guy eventually. Besides, even if we find him, I don't know if Sasaki will bother to pick you up. Oh, I mean Yuki-chan’s big brother."
"What do you mean 'pick me up'? The moment Big Brother’s eyes meet mine, he’ll rescue me from your evil clutches, Sajou-san."
"Maybe I’ll just leave her behind after all..."
"There, there..."
When I muttered that through half-lidded eyes, Sasaki-san soothed me. Like I was a horse... Hmph, not bad. Sasaki-san would probably look great in a jockey outfit. Following in Airi-chan’s footsteps, I’d love to become a horse and have her ride on my back, telling me to run, run—and being struck with... a whip...? O-Oh...? Gulp...
A reminder.
Salivating: Saliva that flows naturally when seeing or imagining something delicious or sour, or when one is feeling unwell, excited, or nervous.