We finished off the leftover broth from the sukiyaki by cooking udon, and after tidying up, we started getting ready in my room.
Koga-san naturally put on my cat-themed animal pajamas.
Of course, it didn’t matter since I wasn’t going to wear them anyway, but…
What should I say?
I feel a bit sad that the fresh feeling from when I first wore them last year seems to have faded.
And Akabane-san…
“I haven’t worn pajamas like this in a long time!”
She was wearing another animal pajama, a panda one, that Mom bought two years ago.
I wore the cat, my older sister wore a dog, and Mom was the panda.
Of course, no one in our house wears those pajamas anymore.
“It feels like going back to the old days.”
Saying that, Akabane-san moved around and chuckled, looking like a girl who had returned to her childhood.
“Mm…!”
I couldn’t help but give a thumbs up in praise.
Anyway, after we all changed into our clothes, we sat in a circle on the floor and chatted about trivial things.
“Isn’t it almost time for Izumi again for the cultural festival?”
“Ah, yes… Oh, we actually talked about that two days ago.”
Last year, we did a cosplay café, so this year, the talk was about doing a play.
Of course, nothing was decided for sure yet, so we needed to wait a bit more.
…Honestly, I don’t really care what our class ends up doing for the cultural festival, as long as they give me something I can handle alone.
“Are you going to invite me to the cultural festival again this year?”
“Ah, yes…”
“….”
“Wha?!”
I nodded and answered Akabane-san’s question. Suddenly, Koga-san poked me in the side and glared at me.
“Uh, um… why are you doing that?”
“Make sure to invite Suzuha this time. She was super jealous last year.”
“Ah…”
“Th, that’s not what I meant?!”
Thinking back, Koga-san really did help me a lot during last year’s cultural festival, but I only ended up giving her a dessert set with iced chocolate instead of inviting her to the festival.
I remember Koga-san being super angry about that.
But that’s just a memory now… a memory, right?
“Oh, let’s all go have fun at the cultural festival this year! Hehe…”
Speaking of which, it now feels natural to invite friends to the cultural festival.
In the past, I could have never imagined this.
In other words, right now, I must surely be the strongest social butterfly ever, even gods wouldn’t know!
“…Ah, seriously!”
As I was thinking about that and laughing, Koga-san strangely turned her eyes away from me and scratched her head.
As if my suggestion was unwelcome.
“Uh, um… do you… dislike it?”
“…Huh?”
“I thought you seemed mad just now…”
“If you don’t want to, then that’s fine. But I’m definitely going! I’m really looking forward to it this year.”
What a shock.
Of course, it would definitely be fun to roam around with Akabane-san, but to be rejected by Koga-san?
Could it be that my thought of becoming the strongest social butterfly was an illusion?!
“Oooh…”
“I’m not mad?! I’m going! So don’t worry!”
“R-really?!”
“Yes. I was curious last year too. Yurika kept bragging about how much fun it was.”
“It was really fun! There were quite a few serious things too.”
Well, last year, I was led around by Akabane-san, so I don’t have much to say about the cultural festival, but that’s not the point.
What’s really important is being able to hang out with friends during the cultural festival.
“Hehe…”
“…I’m curious about something. You’re not like that at school, are you?”
“Huh?”
“…Oh, never mind. Just wondering if you’re getting along well with your classmates.”
Classmates…
Thinking about it, there were times last year when I didn’t even talk to them once a day.
But what about now?
Miyauchi-san, Tateyama-san, Onodera-san.
I have three people I can talk to at school.
Of course, I’m not sure if I can call them friends, but most of the time, I’m in the listening position… still, having someone to talk to is important, right?
“I’m… getting along well now…”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Oh, but how many people can we invite to the cultural festival?”
“Hmm… If I remember correctly, the basic number is two… but if you want, it might be possible to invite up to four.”
I remember Tateyama-san invited four of her middle school friends last year.
Hearing that, I realized how different the true social butterflies are.
Of course, I’m the strongest social butterfly ever too, but I still can’t help but be impressed by her prowess.
“Then should I invite Ayaka and Nekoto? They would definitely like it.”
…This is crazy.
If Utsumi-san and Aki-san also come to our school’s cultural festival, I would be inviting four friends.
In other words, this means I would be on the same level as Tateyama-san.
That’s terrifying.
How strong do you plan to become, Kayanoh Mina…!
★
Late at night. Before we finished getting ready for bed, we discovered a tremendous fact.
My room… is a bit too cramped for three people.
To be precise, it’s a little cramped for two people lying on the floor with a futon spread out.
Koga-san’s petite frame might allow for squeezing in, but I didn’t want to inconvenience the guest who was staying over because of my request.
So in the end, we decided to sleep together in the living room.
At first, Akabane-san mentioned she’d sleep in the living room with just the two of us, and I almost nodded, but…
GRRRAAAAHHHH!
Thinking about it, I was the one who asked them to stay because I was scared to sleep alone, and if I ended up alone in my room, it would defeat the purpose entirely.
So we agreed to all sleep in the living room instead.
We had plenty of blankets and pillows.
“Hehe…”
On my left was Koga-san, and on my right was Akabane-san.
It was an absolute defense formation—surely there was nothing to fear now.
I was invincible.
“Now that I think about it, I tried that thing Nekoto recommended last time…”
“Oh, that was definitely fun. The next series…”
As Koga-san and Akabane-san quietly chatted, I closed my eyes, nestled between their warm bodies.
“Good night, Izumi.”
“Let’s talk again tomorrow.”
“Yeah…”
With those last words, I slowly drifted into sleep.
★
“Haah…”
Seeing that Izumi had completely fallen asleep, Suzuha let out a quiet sigh.
And upon seeing this, Yukari couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You’re really struggling, Koga-mama.”
“I told you not to call me that.”
Suzuha shot a genuine glare, but Yukari’s mouth only curled up more in amusement.
“Aren’t you being a bit too protective of Izumi? It’s like you’re treating your sister better than everyone else.”
At Yukari’s teasing remark, Suzuha sighed once again.
“Are you seriously jealous over a student?”
“Well, it’s hard to argue with that.”
With Yukari’s surrender declaration, this time Suzuha smiled.
“Though I won’t deny that I pay a bit more attention to Izumi than the other members… I think Izumi is as much to blame here.”
“…That’s definitely true.”
Yukari nodded earnestly at Suzuha’s words.
The nickname “the Siren” that had started to spread among the members of Star’s Flow was already well-known.
It’s not just Suzuha and Yukari who thought that way.
Even Natsune acknowledged the Siren, and that was Kainoh Izumi.
But Izumi had no awareness of this at all.
She thought all her actions were possible because they were friends, because they were comrades.
Sometimes, when Izutomo or the other members would tease her, she would tilt her head in confusion and pout if they directly asked her if she was joking.
Izumi had no awareness of how her actions were perceived by others.
She was actually the one who was scared of Nekoto being the Siren.
“But touching Izumi is a crime…”
“It’s really not like that?!”
At Yukari’s bombshell statement, Suzuha snapped her mouth shut.
“Haah… You know, Mom is always busy with work, and my sister is living alone, so Izumi can be pretty lonely. That’s why I’m worried about her.”
“That’s true…”
Even if she claimed to prefer being alone, the contradiction of Izumi wanting communication with others was obvious to their peers in the second-year class.
And being the eldest, Suzuha merely argued that she was concerned about her more.
“So you have no ulterior motives?”
“…Honestly, I used to think she was trying to seduce me. But I now know that’s not true. I just get startled every time it happens. Isn’t that the same for all of us?”
“…That’s certainly true.”
Yukari, too, couldn’t refuse Izumi’s request to sleep over, and she could only nod in agreement with that statement.
“Scary…”
“Really scary…”
Even if there might be things they were concealing from each other, both of them were sincere in that sentiment.
And Izumi, whether she knew their thoughts or not, murmured.
“Umm… Hehe…”
Tucking herself closer to Yukari, she burst into a soft laugh.
“…Seriously scary.”
“Truly scary…”
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