By the time I’d grown accustomed to the dog costume and forgotten my shame, we were visiting the haunted house run by the third-years. As expected of a high-quality horror production, my supposed doggy "cuteness" didn't provide even a hair’s breadth of comfort. I was essentially just a pet trailing behind Sasaki-san and Ichinose-san. Wafun.
A wooden board, painted to look blood-stained, fell over with a bang, prompting Ichinose-san to let out a tiny squeak and cling to Sasaki-san. Sasaki-san hugged Ichinose-san’s petite frame back, though she looked a bit jittery herself. Alright, is it the pet’s turn next?
"Um—"
"Gopoh!?"
I was genuinely startled by the voice right in my ear and leaped forward. An undignified sound, like a clogged drainage pipe, gurgled from the back of my throat. That was close... one more step and I would have actually lunged at Sasaki-san and the other.
My heart was racing for two different reasons as I looked back, only to find a girl standing there with eyes that looked capable of casually torturing someone.
"Hah? Isn't that a bit too rude? What's with that face? You look like you're begging for your life. Don't look at me with those eyes."
"O-Oh, it's just Yuki-chan... I really thought a real ghost had appeared..."
"Are you sure you don't need to beg for your life?"
"I want to live, woof."
We were in the Multipurpose Hall on the second floor. Usually, this was a bright space with large glass windows offering a nice view of the Central Courtyard, but now that it had been transformed into a haunted house, a dim, oppressive atmosphere pervaded the area. Perhaps because the theme was "The Future," there were few scares involving actual people; instead, it was a clever setup that made heavy use of motion sensors and traps. It was a bit of a shame that you could occasionally hear the mechanical whirring of the machinery, but considering it was a student attraction, it felt like a very high-level production.
After helping out as a Cultural Festival Executive Committee Member, I’d learned some of the behind-the-scenes details, which had led me to cockily think, "Haha, this is easy," but then this happened. Placing Yuki-chan in a haunted house... those third-years were no joke.
"My big brother isn't within range..."
"What kind of range are we even talking about...?"
Yuki-chan complained—or was that a complaint?—with a completely deadpan face while staring at her smartphone screen. Not that I’d know anything about that...
"Yuki-chan, aren't you scared of the haunted house?"
"I am. My big brother isn't here. Look at this, my legs are shaking."
Is there a doctor—no, is there anyone who can play the role of a big brother here!? Her brocon tendencies have worsened to the point where she's having withdrawal symptoms!
I felt like subjecting this hopeless brocon to the terror of a random older man suddenly saying, "I'm your big brother." No, regardless of the brocon thing, that was just terrifying. Forget a haunted house; that would be scary even on a school route in broad daylight. Knowing Yuki-chan, she’d probably say, "Is that so?" with a straight face, then handcuff the guy and chain him to a nearby curve mirror pole.
Anyway, taking out a smartphone in a haunted house was out of the question. It was disrespectful to the third-year seniors. If you even tried to take a photo, you'd be kicked out immediately. This was definitely a no-go.
"Don't look at your phone. Try to enjoy yourself a little—hm...?"
Just as I was about to scold her, something rose up slowly from beside a mossy rock on the side of the path behind Yuki-chan. It was a stagehand covered entirely in blue tights. Wait, blue tights? I guess it made sense since the floor was covered in blue tarps, but... could you even call that a stagehand anymore? It was so bizarre it was actually scary.
The stagehand put a finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet, then brought a familiar-looking spray can close to the back of Yuki-chan's head. That was...! It was unscented Air Salonpas!
The stagehand had even attached a precision nozzle to the Air Salonpas! It achieved maximum efficiency by cooling only the target area without letting the spray scatter! Moreover, since it wasn't a patch, there was no worry about it peeling off and losing its effect—total reliability! Yes! That was the power of Air Salonpas!
There...! Do it!!
"I-In the first place... I wanted to enjoy this with my big—ngyah!?"
"Ogyah!?"
"S-Sajou-senpai...!?"
With a sharp hiss from the spray, Yuki-chan let out a cry like Styrofoam rubbing together and leaped forward. I took a Patsun Attack straight to the chin and let out a baby-like wail.
"A-Are you alright!?"
"U-Uoh..."
Is it gone...? Is my chin gone?
Panicking, I worked my mouth to check if my jaw was dislocated. When I touched it, my chin was definitely still there. I had feeling in it, and it didn't seem to be out of place. Thank goodness.
Sasaki-san and Ichinose-san, who had been ahead of us, rushed back in a panic. Accepting their help, I looked forward to see that the Air Salonpas stagehand had already vanished. What a professional... he was definitely hiding on all fours in a blind spot somewhere.
"What about Yuki-chan...? Is your hair okay? Is the horizontal line of your bangs still intact?"
"A-Au... G-Ghost... Big brother..."
"Eh, ghost...?"
Her reaction was different from what I’d expected. Yuki-chan was crouched on the floor, reaching out with teary eyes toward an Air Sasaki, seeking help. Wait... could it be that she actually had no composure left? I had imagined Yuki-chan would be the type to say, "A haunted house? What's so fun about this child's play?" while counter-attacking any zombie actors that lunged at her.
"Yuki-chan... could it be that you're actually scared...?"
"..."
Ichinose-san nodded repeatedly at Sasaki-san’s words, clearly identifying with her. Both of them looked at me with eyes that were strangely persuasive. I see... Yuki-chan is human too, so that’s how it is. Well now, she has a cute side after all. If she usually showed her weaknesses like this, Sasaki would probably dote on her more honestly. I suppose it’s my job as the oldest here to put her at ease.
"Yuki-chan, come on, let's get out of here quickly and go find Sasaki."
"Don't touch me."
Smack. With that sound, my hand was swatted away, and Yuki-chan stood up and started walking as if nothing had happened. Haha, look at that, she’s perfectly fine.
"Khoooo..."
"Um... Sajou-senpai, that..."
"..."
My gathered inner energy turned into Kung-fu, awakening the power within me. Just as I was about to discard my humanity—or rather, my dog-manity—and awaken as an asura, the sight of a flustered Ichinose-san waving her hands about entered my vision. The image of a young girl teaching a large dog how to behave floated through my mind.
Sasaki-san looked apologetic as well... Looking at those faces, I couldn't bring myself to stay angry.
"Sigh... Well, I guess it’s useless trying to get on her good side."
The obsessive brocon Yuki-chan and the supposedly Cool-headed Yuki-chan. Having two sides meant she had a public and a private face. Having a side she wanted to hide from others was proof that she cared about her reputation. It meant Sasaki wasn't everything to her. Maybe that "weakness" she showed earlier was a blunder in her eyes. It seemed I wasn't a good enough actor to be someone she could rely on as a senior. Well, since it's Yuki-chan... I guess that makes sense.
"I want her to see her older brother soon..."
"If you say so, Sasaki-san... then we’ll make that the priority."
Normally, the goal was to guide Sasaki-san and let her enjoy the festival, but if she herself was worried about Yuki-chan, then it couldn't be helped. I didn't think I could improve Yuki-chan's mood anyway, so I might as well go along with it.
"Let's head to the schoolyard next. There are stalls there, and we can grab lunch while we're at it."
"...Ah, taiyaki."
"I think I'll go for a crepe. I heard they have all sorts of flavors."
We stood at the end of the hallway, spreading out a school map intended for the Cultural Festival. My heart raced a bit as Sasaki-san and Ichinose-san peered at the map in my hands from both sides instead of opening their own. Perhaps getting excited at the sight of the taiyaki stall, Ichinose-san placed both her hands on my furry forearm as she looked. Stop that, okay...? You'll make me fall for you.
On the other hand, Yuki-chan stood in front of me, looking grumpy with her arms crossed, tapping her index finger rhythmically. She was getting more emotional as time passed... She looked like a heavy smoker who hadn't had a cigarette in ages. Just how deep is this Sasaki-addiction?
"Sasaki might be there too. He said he’d be going around with the Soccer Club guys, so it’ll be a large group. They’re more likely to be outside than inside the building."
"Mu...!"
The attractions at a Cultural Festival are originally meant for visitors, not really for the current students to enjoy. For the guys, the real thrill isn't the attractions themselves, but rather "getting together and making a fuss on the day of the festival," so they’re probably sitting around and chatting somewhere outside.
Yuki-chan looked up with sparkling eyes, looking like someone who had been walking for ages in the middle of nowhere and finally spotted a convenience store, thinking, "Yes...! I can finally buy cigarettes!" She really didn't look like a middle schooler. To begin with, she took after Sasaki and was already taller than Natsukawa. If she stayed quiet, she could easily pass for an older student.
"...Very well. I support Sajou-san’s opinion."
"I suppose it's time to see what you're made of..."
"My arms are itching for action!"
"Taiyaki..."
Let’s go, woof.
---【Emergency Quest】---
◆ Please Find My Big Brother
Reward: The right to provide me with a Periodic Report on my big brother’s movements.
A certain day in October. When I woke up this morning, my big brother was gone. I checked the monitors in a panic and saw that he had already finished getting ready and was heading to school around seven o'clock. When I checked the calendar in the living room, today's date had the words "Cultural Festival" written in small, simple characters. I... missed this? How could that be... Location: The entire Kouetsu High School area. It is too much for my Search Range to handle alone. Upon discovery, please transmit coordinates immediately.
——I'm coming for you now, big brother.