REIKA-SAMA -249

For the first time in several days, Wakaba-chan's desk was dirty this morning. This white dust is probably chalk. The magic rag should do the trick.


"It was easy today. If would be simple if it were always chalk dust." We were done in a few minutes, so Fellow zashiki warashi started to wipe another desk. Who's getting the lucky mark today? "But thanks. To help Takamichi ever morning with me."


I tilted my head in my mind. I only do this because Wakaba-chan is my important friend. "I'm doing this out of my own will. There's no need for you to thank me." I felt him mean 'My Wakaba' from his last statement, so I wanted to slightly rebel.


And I remembered my discussion with Kaburagi on Monday.


As usual, we were in the small meeting room.


"Yesterday's date was a miss."


"I would think so…"


"How!?"


"You appear so displeased, it's easily discerned."


Kaburagi took her to a movie on Sunday after being at the spot of Wakaba-chan's harassment. I think it was a spy movie.


"So what went wrong?"


"I didn't mess up. I was planning to take her to a café after the movie, but Takamichi already had plans."


"Oh."


"And… it was to study with that Mizusaki."


"Oooh."


"So we only saw the movie together…"


"I see. You could have refused to take the hint and gone with her." He glared at me. Sorry. "We have entrance exams this year, and Takamichi-san is an external student as well as a scholarship student. It would be difficult for her to take an entire day off. We have tests coming up soon. You should be thankful that she took some time out for you."


It's similar to Aoi-chan in a severe study environment.


"…I guess…" Kaburagi agreed. "But that Mizusaki bothers me, appearing near Takamichi now and again."


"Well, they're in the student council together, so they're undeniably closer." I screamed, pierced by Kaburagi the Killer's glare.


Fellow Stalking Horse who thanks in the place of Wakaba-chan… Kaburagi, you're 2 and 3 steps behind him.


"Even so, I wanted to thank you. Because of this cleaning, Takamichi hasn't even noticed the vandalism."


"That's nice."


"Yes."


I'm glad Wakaba-chan can spend her time in peace.


"But we need to make the vandal stop. It's painful to be harassed as such." Fellow Stalking Horse gave me a strange look. "Is something wrong?"


"That almost sounded like you've been picked on. Like that ever happened."


"…"


Thankfully, nobody's ever picked on the present me. Tsuruhana-san and the Kaburagi-loving Maihama-san may make snide comments, but there aren't many who could pick on the daughter of the Kisshouin family and Pivoine member. But the past me was a normal person, so there were times that it happened. I was suddenly ignored, and they laughed behind my back. I've experienced some of what Wakaba-chan's been through. I had a rough time. Breaks and group study time were a bed of nails, and I prayed for it to end quickly. Ugh… I didn't want to remember that. My time didn't last long like for Wakaba-chan, since the target shifted.


"…I can imagine how it would feel being harassed."


Fellow Stalking Horse went back to work without inquiring further. "Kisshouin. What would you do if the culprit was a Pivoine member?"


"Huh…?" I stopped cleaning, and looked at Fellow Stalking Horse. "You believe that a Pivoine member is the vandal?"


"Only asking what if."


"…" What would I do…? "What would you do, Mizusaki-kun?" A bit unfair, but I throw it back.


"Obviously, bring it out into the open and make him apologize to Takamichi. Ask for a proper punishment as necessary." As expected from the student council president. But the Pivoine is allowed a certain leeway and forcing someone like that to apologize to a 'lesser' external student, Wakaba-chan, would likely make things worse. "If it comes to that, a confrontation between the student council and the Pivoine would be unavoidable."


"…" A direct confrontation between the student council and the Pivoine…


"Well, we'll definitely lose if it comes down to that," he admitted self-deprecatingly.


"That's awfully diffident of you. To think you would lose before it happens."


"Of course. We're said to oppose the Pivoine, but the difference between us is obvious."


"You're awfully calm about it." I thought that he would be willing to fight to the end for what he believed to be right. But… "It's not set in stone that it's the work of the Pivoine."


"That's true."


I don't want him accusing the Pivoine before then. "Mizusaki-kun may be prejudiced against the Pivoine, but plenty of members want nothing but peace." At the very least, Fuyuko-sama doesn't look down on others, and the bookworm, Salala-sama won't use the Pivoine's authority.


"That's true… Sorry," apologized Fellow Stalking Horse. "It's true. There are those who flaunt their power, and those who help external students in secret."


"Huh…?" Was that a compliment? I'm not sure how to react.


He chuckled at my confusion and sighed heavily. "I'm still no good," he muttered. "I really wanted to get rid of the antagonism between the student council and the Pivoine when I became president."


"Really!?"


I smiled wryly at my surprise. "Yeah. But it was tougher than I realized. All that built up animosity wouldn't just go away. If I try to patch things up, there's the worry that people would see the student council submitted to the Pivoine." I didn't' realize that at all. So he secretly wanted that? "And I was still prejudiced myself… like just now…"


"Well, there's a lot of history." I didn't think that Fellow Stalking Horse would believe me, either.


"That's true," he laughed. "And your boss works in his own way."


"Boss? Don't refer to him like the head of the mafia. I don't deny that the president works in his own way, however."


Fellow Stalking Horse burst of laughing. "Is it okay saying that?"


"Let's keep that between the two of us."


"Understood," he laughed. "…Let's change the subject. Have you messed up buying something off TV?"


"Failures…? Something ordered that didn't work out… There are several things I haven't really used." Primarily dieting goods like the stepper. The stepper is slanted, so I can't even place things on top of it.


"Oh, like what?"


Like… "The Taishou koto (Japanese harp variant)"


"That's sophisticated."


I've been interested in a Taishou koto ever since I saw it on an informercial in my past life. It's called a koto (harp) but it's set up like a typewriter, and interested the kid in me. Since I had money to waste, I couldn't help myself. I immediately ordered one when I heard it came with a musical composition book.


"I bought it several summers ago, and I played it every day that summer, but…" After I finished going through the book, school started and I quit playing… It's kind of plain. A regular koto gives off the vibes of a sheltered ojou-sama's interest, but a Taishou koto seems like an old lady's hobby. It's sitting in the warehouse, but I'm thinking of playing again sometime. I'm just resting right now. That's my excuse.


"You're familiar with infomercials, but have you bought anything, Mizusaki-kun?"


"Me?" He looked up into the air. "…Let's see… Not exactly, but I've subscribed to a monthly magazine that comes with parts to construct a…"


"What!? You've ordered partwork before!?" Unexpected! Too unexpected! "It's that thing!? The initial volume for a special price, right!?"


"…" He looked away from me.


"And the first order comes with a convenient binder. Right? Right?"


"…" Fellow Stalking Horse turned his head to the side.


"I've never seen anyone who ordered partwork before! Wow! So Mizusaki-kun… You ordered partwork. Sooo unexpected."


"…"


"And? And what? What series are you buying?" I hit him on the arm to make him look at me. "So? So? SO?"


"…Japanese castle series…"


"Castles! Even more unexpected! I didn't know you were interested in castles! I see, castles. And? Was it Himeji castle?"


"… Matsumoto castle."


"Matsumoto castle! That's some taste you have! When you complete it, you want me to play the Taishou koto to celebrate? I only know how to play Moon over the Ruined Castle, though."


"…No thanks. It's already finished."


"Oh, wow!" He didn't give up and made it to the end. Well done. But I picture Fellow Stalking Horse in front of the enshrined model of the castle in his room, and laugh.


"…It's been bothering me, but Kisshouin, you're speaking differently from normal. You're awfully rough."


"Huh!?" Oh, no. It slipped out from excitement. How could I allow that to happen, Kisshouin Reika of the Pivoine! "Is that not your imagination? I am as I always am."


Fellow Stalking Horse looks at me suspiciously as I laugh ohohoho.

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