Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru

After the dismissal of the congratulatory party.

Seven o’ clock in the evening, I went to the usual café to meet up with Masuzu.

The waitress walked towards me, with a spring in her step.

“Welcome! Is a cup of c.o.ke alright for you?”

“……Yes.”

“Please go to that seat right over there! Your partner is already waiting for you—!”

She is familiar with everything concerning us. Has it finally reached this state after five months?

Masuzu sat beside the window as usual.

She looked bored, looking at an art alb.u.m while swiping her silver hair upwards with her white hands. The small café in this small town looks like a trendy café in a foreign country just with her sitting there. The fact that she was looking at the “Jojoveller” art book is a flaw that can be disregarded.

Masuzu saw me, and smiled.

“Take a seat?”

“Alright.”

I hardened my heart and sat down, ignoring the whispers of “I wish for your fortune in the battle[1]” from the waitress behind me.

“Eita-kun, have you slimmed down?”

“Hmm? Really……”

I touched my cheeks. Since I only measure my weight when I go to the public bath, I am not too sure about it.

“Maybe it’s because the midterm exams and school festival kept me busy.”

“How did you place in the midterms?”

“…second.”

The first place was taken by my cla.s.smate, Mogami Yura, again.

I wasn’t feeling well to begin with, and coupled with a few careless mistakes, this became one of the exams I regretted the most. I must have my revenge in the finals. Now that the school festival is over, I shall start working like a fool again now.

“Oh, and, why are you talking this way?”

“This way?”

“Isn’t this how you talked to me when we first went out?”

Not long before the summer holidays, Masuzu started calling me “Eita” without honorifics, but under the condition that she would only use it when we are alone together.

But, the way she is talking right now is just like Chiwa and the girls are around us.

“Because we are no longer lovers, so I added the honorific “kun” just like before.”

Just because of this.

“You said you wanted to remove the fake relationship, are you serious about this? Is this really alright?”

Masuzu looked surprised.

“You were the one who said that we can’t continue doing this, right? Didn’t you say that to Akishino-san?”

“Weren’t you against that at the time?”

“That should be because I was surprised, I’m sorry for losing my head.”

Admitting her mistakes just like this, I can’t continue probing her anymore.

I adjusted my posture, and sipped at my c.o.ke. A note was stuck on the saucer, with a circular handwriting, saying “Haste makes waste♥[2]”. What is this, are you a professor of proverbs?

“I left the notebook at your house, do you understand what I meant by that?”

“Ah, I did received that.”

The chuuni-notebook with my black history sealed in it is currently sleeping in a locked safe above my ceiling.

Originally I wanted to burn it, but I can’t get myself to do it no matter what.

It’s not that I still miss my past self.

It’s just that I feel like if I burn it, Masuzu will never return.

“If the word of us breaking up gets out, the storm of confessions will come again, do you have any plans?”

“No, but I will think of one.”

“What is with that……”

Didn’t you want me to become your fake boyfriend because you can’t think of any?

“I don’t want to stir up any more trouble for you and Harusaki-san. Although I am not someone who should be kicked to death by a horse[3] or anything, I still know the limits.”

“……really?”

Although it sounds fairly logical, this line just doesn’t seem to fit this selfish woman.

“Let me ask you something. When you came to return my notebook, was Chiwa in the living room?”

“……”

Masuzu has been maintaining eye contact, but she looked down for a little.

Just by this little gesture, I understood everything. There’s no doubt Masuzu saw what happened that day.

“Because I don’t want you to misunderstand, I will say it first, that is just an accident.”

“Accident?”

“We were arguing whether we should take me to the hospital, and it turned out that way, there is no meaning behind it.”

“So, you didn’t go out with Harusaki-san?”

Masuzu’s blue eyes locked onto my eyes again.

“This is—rather disappointing.”

“Disappointing?”

“I think it would be nice if you can become real lovers with Harusaki-san.”

She’s saying weird stuff again.

Hoping that others’ love life would blossom, this is really rare, coming from someone like Natsukawa Masuzu.

“We are anti-love, we hate, dislike and look down upon lovers. Probably from now, till forever, I will maintain this stance. However, Eita-kun still has a chance.”

“What chance?”

“A chance to become happy[4].”

Masuzu answered, full of pa.s.sion.

“As someone who was your “girlfriend”, only me, who read the notebook understand the bond between you and Harusaki-san more than anyone else. Despite what Akishino-san might say, or however Fuyuumi-san disturbs you, you would definitely end up with her.”

She probably is talking about the “I must become a doctor to cure Chiwa” part.

But—

“Sorry for making you give such a pa.s.sionate speech, but I’m afraid that is impossible. We are not in the type of relationship you are talking about.

“Why? Both of you clearly like each other.”

“I spoke about this with Chiwa before, I will only treat her as a family member, not a love interest.”

“Even if this is the case, it might change.”

I was starting to get annoyed.

“Why must you be so stubborn? Is there any advantage to hooking me up with Chiwa?”

“There is.”

I was surprised to see Masuzu tear up.

“Even for someone as cunning and despicable as me, I feel happy just by thinking that there are people as beautiful as you two. I can live on just by knowing this.”

“……”

“So, please, become happy with Harusaki-san.”

I turned my eyes away from Masuzu, and finished the iced water in one gulp.

This girl……

Such a kind request, it is hard to imagine that she is “Natsukawa Masuzu”.

The waitress came and refilled my cup, it seemed that she wanted to give me another slip of paper again, but maybe she sensed the heavy atmosphere, she dragged herself back. What proverb was it supposed to be?

“We were dreaming all this time huh.”

Masuzu said while folding the wet napkin on the table.

“Both of us are anti-love, we fabricated the daydream of becoming lovers, a lot of things happened, both happy and sad, but a dream will always end.”

“By that, do you mean now?”

“When we break up……do it cleanly.”

Masuzu raised her head and smiled.

“I am planning to use my own way to help the both of you. This is the aim of the newborn “Society for Bringing Out Your Maiden Self”.

“I can’t make do with that.”

I frowned at the seemingly happy Masuzu.

“Is this really for the best? I don’t mind it if you had always treated me as a fake. I don’t mind if there is nothing real between us. But, from now on, will you—“

“But.”

Masuzu cut me off halfway.

“Your aim, is to help Harusaki-san right?”

“That’s right.”

Even if it is just me who wants this, I won’t compromise.

“If that’s the case, you should accept my proposal, because by doing this the both advantages and disadvantages are the same. Is this wrong?”

“…...it isn’t.”

I sighed.

It is the same as that time, Masuzu’s heart is still closed to the outside, not budging under my hand.

Do I have no other choice but to accept this—

“It was you who forced me to become your boyfriend, why is it like I am the one begging you not to leave now.”

Masuzu giggled.

“You are right about this. You are the one who doesn’t want to leave, I obviously dumped you.”

“Huh!? Was I dumped?”

“I said you should ‘be happy with other girls’. Isn’t it obvious who is the one dumped by the other?”

“……I can’t accept this……”

It seems that we can’t discuss what we want to anymore.

The most important thing is we don’t just stop being friends from now on.

Without using the twisted fake boyfriend relationship, we might be able to build up a more positive relationship.

“I understand.”

I shook my head, removing all my doubts, and told her.

“Let’s break up.”

“Okay.”

Gashaangaragaragaran! The café was filled with a loud noise.

The other customers turned to look, but I don’t need to see to know. It is probably the waitress dropping plates or whatever, I’m sorry, you even supported me.

Masuzu took the bill and stood up.

Her silver locks danced dazzlingly under the light.

The chances of looking at such beautiful hair at this distance will probably decrease from now on.

“Goodbye, ‘Eita’. Also, please take care of me from now on, ‘Eita-kun’.

♦

After leaving the café, en route back home.

Masuzu stopped where our routes split.

“Say, doesn’t this make me your ‘ex-girlfriend’?”

“Yeah.”

To be exact, an “ex-fake girlfriend”, but I didn’t have the need, time and energy to think of a t.i.tle like this.

“This is quite the problem, I now hold the same t.i.tle with Akishino-san.”

“That doesn’t even matter, does it…….”

An ex-girlfriend from the previous life, and an ex-girlfriend from this life, I can still balance this out, barely.

At this time, a small-framed silhouette approached us.

Even under the dim streetlight, the ribbons can be seen dancing, it’s Chiwa.

I was afraid for a second from habit, but I instantly changed my thoughts.

Because I am no longer lovers with Masuzu, even when we meet the childhood friend, there will be no mayhem.

“Good evening, Ei-kun, Natsukawa.”

For some reason, the Chiwa tonight felt so soft, even if she waved her hand and ran as energetic as usual.

“Did you guys just finish talking?”

“Yes, without a hitch.”

Masuzu smiled and approached Chiwa.

“Thanks to you, we are able to break up properly. Sorry to make such a huge commotion.”

“……really? Ei-kun.”

“At least it wasn’t a fight.”

Chiwa looked relieved.

“I won’t ask you the reason for breaking up, but please tell me this: Natsukawa, won’t you regret this?”

“Of course not.”

Masuzu answered immediately without hesitation.

“Because this is different from the sudden rush of emotions during the summer training camp, this is something I concluded from a lot of thinking.

Masuzu held Chiwa by her shoulders, and pushed her towards me.

“I—decided to support you two.”

“Su-support?”

Chiwa blinked.

“You can’t lose to Akishino-san and Fuyumi-san. Please hold on tightly to Eita-kun, don’t let him leave. Because your love is the hope of humanity!”

“Is it even at such a scale?”

Chihuahua-san was taken aback by the flattery. After all, she, who was the rival up till now, proposed to help, of course she will be surprised.

“Chiwa, why are you here?’

“I wanted to buy something at the supermarket, we are out of soy sauce.”

Masuzu patted my back.

“Eita-kun, accompany her.”

“Huh?”

“Accompany her! Do you want to let your cute girlfriend shop alone this late?”

This late? It’s just eight o’ clock.

Sigh, never mind, the sky is pretty dark, I can go with her.

“Is it alright? Ei-kun.”

“It is just around the corner anyways.”

Looking at us walking away, Masuzu started shouting banzai.

“Ahh, what a dazzling start! Totally like a bright light illuminating a dark street! It’s just like stars[5] on Earth! Gold! Diamond! How blinding! I’m getting dizzy! I’m getting purified—!” “Shut up, you’ll bother the neighbors!”

The nearby white collar workers and middle schoolers stopped walking, and looked at us, bewildered. Although I wanted to interview them one by one, “What do you think is the relationship between the three of us?” but I can’t do that right now, how embarra.s.sing.

Chiwa ran up to me, who quickly left the scene.

“Hey, what is Natsukawa thinking[6]?”

“No idea!”

Just when I thought I got out of the fake boyfriend mess, I feel like new troubles are brewing.

In the end, am I still surrounded by mayhem?

Shuraba Collection[7]

~ShuraColle~

Standard Aircraft Carrier

Natsukawa

Carry weight 93

Radar 40

Anti-Aircraft 42

Armor 1

Primary Armament: Aerosmith[8]

I, Natsukawa, am the proud flagship of the Jien-otsu.

The countless aircrafts sent from this beautiful ship will bring an absolute advantage.

It can destroy the dust-like destroyers[9] in seconds.

Vola, vola, vola, Volare via (Fly away)[10]