This side story is an alternate scenario assuming Trinity won the summer festival.
*
While Makoto was doing wall exercises with a frustrated expression, I stood next to Saori, who was reporting on the operation’s results. Their expressions were similar but rather different.
Behind Saori’s blank face was a sense of pride, with the corners of her mouth secretly ready to curve into a soft smile at any moment. In contrast, Makoto’s blank expression was filled with rebelliousness and an unjust look in her eyes.
“This operation was tough too. How are the kids doing?”
“Not a single soul got hurt. They’re energetic enough to move on to the next operation right now. But what about you, Mika? It seems like you haven’t left the office since the festival ended.”
“Hahaha… I’m fine, I’m fine! It just took a bit more effort than I expected. So, you all should take a break today and start the next operation tomorrow☆”
“Got it. And Mika, don’t forget to take care of yourself.”
“Saori-chan, you really don’t have to worry so much. My health is top-notch!”
As Saori wrapped up her report and left the office, she glanced back at Makoto. Whether she felt that gaze or not, Makoto turned her head toward her.
“…What? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“I just don’t understand why Mika would take care of someone like you.”
“What… You think I’m the one taking care of you?! How dare you say such nonsense—”
“Do you even realize that half the reason Mika has been in the office longer than usual is because of you? Honestly, it’s infuriating how dumb and self-centered you are.”
“Huh? A tool like you is spouting off too much. As a tool, you just need to follow the wishes of those above you. An overly strong sense of self is a seed for conflict. Just like now— cough!”
It’s definitely not easy creating a person, I thought, as I turned my gaze away from Makoto, who had been unexpectedly hit by the tiny Shinpi and was clutching the back of her head.
“Don’t hold it against me too much, Saori-chan. Our Makoto-chan is still a bit under-socialized.”
“Th-That’s… nothing, Mika. I’ll be going now.”
After Saori left with a slightly sullen look, I pulled Makoto over to me and casually threw her a topic.
“Makoto-chan, the relationship between superiors and subordinates isn’t as extreme as you mentioned. There are formal relationships and ones that lead to slightly more personal connections. And in the case of Saori-chan, she belongs to the latter for me.”
“…What does that even mean?”
“Just wondering if you genuinely think what you said a moment ago.”
“Kikikikit. That’s a strange question. Of course! The world revolves around the great Makoto! If those fools follow my words in the process…”
“But isn’t Iroha-chan someone you can’t use as a mere tool?”
“…Huh?”
Makoto said, shuffling through documents. There’s something odd about her. Sometimes, when she shows a spark of brilliance, it’s almost surprising how sharp she is, but most of the time, I can’t tell what she’s thinking.
Because of that, when I throw her a topic and leave it to her, it doesn’t go well. I have to guide her thought process directly to reach a conclusion.
“My bringing Iroha-chan in is…”
“I-I told you that’s absolutely not allowed! No way! If you want to take Iroha, you’ll have to step over my corpse!”
“Well, seeing that reaction proves my point. What do you think? Is Iroha-chan really just a tool you can use at your convenience?”
“…”
When Makoto is at a loss for words, she usually shuts up or raises her voice instead. She seems to have chosen the former this time.
“That’s right, Makoto-chan. Of course, there are subordinates who feel uneasy about developing personal relationships… but even in those situations, it’s important to respect each other, right? I want Makoto-chan to grow into a proper leader. I’ve heard that many students in Gehenna don’t even know who the chairperson of the Manma Battle is…”
“There’s no way that’s true! There isn’t a single fool in Gehenna who doesn’t know my name!”
“I just seem to recall quite a few reactions like ‘Who is that?’ when you stood in the commentator’s booth at the last festival.”
“…Oh, that’s a misunderstanding! It can’t possibly be true! They were just blinded by my brilliance!”
“Brilliance is what’s above my head. Well, I think, as a true leader, you need to at least make minimal efforts to make your name known to those you call subordinates.”
With a look that seemed to be slowly understanding, Makoto turned her head and muttered to herself.
I might be throwing empty words at a wall right now, but if Makoto changes her mind, even just a little, that’s enough to feel like I’ve done my job.
*
“Mika-san.”
“Yes?”
“I think some explanation about the current situation might be needed.”
This was during a recent moment where everyone was struggling with the cleanup after the festival, after I had thrown away my work at T-party. It was one day before Makoto was to return to Gehenna.
“Why, doesn’t it fit quite well? Since Makoto-chan has such a good outfit fit, it’s hard to deny that a sharper-looking uniform suits her more… but still, it looks kinda cute.”
“Even so, wearing a T-party uniform in front of outsiders… Ha.”
“Well, if you’re going to say that, I often wear the school uniform from SRT when I do outside work these days!”
“That does have a very clear reason as to why the outfit stands out less… And besides, I don’t recall you doing much outside work in the first place.”
“Nagi-chan is also cute for obsessing over trivial details.”
“…Huh?”
“Nothing at all☆”
As I was playing with Makoto’s hair, Nagi approached and slapped my hand lightly, pouting.
“Who gave you permission to touch someone else’s head like that?”
“Oh, were you really that bothered? I didn’t think so…”
“Of course, it bothers me…!”
Even as she said that, she naturally started braiding Makoto’s hair alongside mine, so it seemed that Nagi was secretly interested in this too.
Before I could reproduce a hairstyle myself, Nagi used to help me a lot, and this moment reminded me of those days.
“By the way, this person can sleep anywhere.”
“Hahaha, true!”
Just as Nagi said, Makoto was soundly sleeping with her arms crossed on the railing of our T-party office. The hidden halo confirmed that fact.
“You’re pretty impressive, Mika-san. I wouldn’t be able to withstand being in the same place with this person for even an hour.”
“Makoto-chan really is that way.”
As Nagi continued braiding Makoto’s hair, she brought up the subject.
“We received a message from Gehenna.”
“Eh? Why? Did something important get written in it?”
“They requested that we keep this person a little longer at Trinity. In fact, the longer, the better…”
“Aha! No morals at all. They should at least offer 10 million yen a day to make it worthwhile.”
What a twisted negotiation with a quasi-terrorist.
It’s not really kidnapping, but after not only asking for their own people back but also to keep her longer? I could understand that too well—too well, in fact, it makes me want to send her off a day early just out of spite.
“By the way, isn’t it fine?”
“…What are you talking about?”
Seeing me point at Makoto with a displeased expression, I could guess what she was worried about. Sure, Makoto is handsome but…
“Nagi-chan, I won’t deny that I’m a bit infatuated. However, I also care about personality a lot. Makoto-chan is…”
I know this might be unconvincing since Nagi embodies both aspects perfectly, but I generally prefer those whose dispositions align with me. The only exception might be someone with the princess-level beauty like our dear princess. At the very least, if she can’t confidently say, “I’m pretty!” without causing discomfort, then her personality needs to be great.
“Right, if they asked me to keep her for another week, I might genuinely lose it.”
Unless one day Makoto gets struck by lightning and suddenly becomes a genius, and then starts communicating really well with me, I doubt Nagi would have someone worth the trouble.
Right now, I’m holding her on a leash, but if someone demanded I live with them for a week without any restrictions, my fist might fly first.
“I’m relieved. If a devil was added, it wouldn’t be three devils but four…”
“…”
Nagi’s statement sent a shiver down my spine; it didn’t sound like a mere joke. After all, for me to develop any romantic feelings toward Makoto, she’d have to completely change into a different person, which seems unlikely. Nagi’s concerns shouldn’t need to be there.
“Hehe.”
As I continued braiding her hair leisurely, a tune unconsciously escaped my lips. I wasn’t doing it to make it look nice; I was just braiding randomly enough that I couldn’t wait for Makoto’s reaction when she realized it.
Then, at that moment, like a light turning on in the room, a halo appeared over Makoto’s head, signaling that my braiding was coming to an end.
“Yawn… Huh?”
As Makoto stretched with a big yawn and raised her hand to scratch the back of her head, I batted it away and she turned in surprise, finally sensing something was strange.
“What, what is this? What have you two done while I, the great Makoto, was meditating?!”
“Yep! Did you sleep well, Makoto-chan?”
“Very well… No! I said I was meditating! See, this is why doves are…”
“Wow, you’re no longer calling yourself a dove? That’s significant progress! Who knows, you might just become a person after 99 more steps.”
With her scrunched face, Makoto touched the strange texture behind her head, dazed as she kept patting it. Noticing she needed a mirror, I quickly pulled out my handheld mirror from my belongings and presented it to her.
“…You guys.”
“How’s it? Pretty, right? It’s my magnum opus☆”
As Makoto touched her hair from various angles, her hands were trembling a bit. I also quickly snatched the mirror away to avoid any accidents.
“What have you done to my hair!!! This style gives off no sense of dignity at all!”
“But it’s cute! What do you think, Nagi-chan?”
“Even without horns, it still looks like it could stand out as a unique presence in T-party.”
“Ugh.”
Hey, Nagi. That’s not a compliment, is it?
“Kraaah!!! Hurry, return it to the way it was! Otherwise…!”
“Well, what if I don’t?”
“…Damn it. I’m begging you, please return it to the way it was.”
Unbelievable. Did my teaching from the last few days truly reach the point where she felt so bad she automatically switched to polite speech…?
This was a bit shocking.
“Hurry!!!”
Thanks to Makoto’s sacrifice, I learned a valuable lesson that I should always have my hair done by someone else. I will never forget your sacrifice.
*
In this world, there are indeed things you’d miss if you didn’t have them.
Thankfully, Makoto was not one of them.
After noting down a week of shameful servitude, which was really a butler experience before returning, Makoto sent a message via Momotalk the next day that would leave me chuckling.
[Annoyed☆]
[Hey.]
[You should prepare for next year’s Get Competition.]
[Deliver a shaming servitude that feels terribly painful.]
It’s hilarious. Who would accept such a bet again next year?
After gently reminding her that a loser should be appropriately called a loser and not use a code word, I found myself buried once more in a mountain of documents in the now-empty office.
“Makoto-chan, can you fill this cup…”
And just like that, without thinking, I called for someone who wasn’t there and realized that perhaps it wouldn’t be too disappointing if they were actually missing.
