Episode Sixty-Seven

“I’m sorry, it must have looked like I was jumping the queue.”

“Not at all. It’s first come, first served with things like that.”

When I said that, Hiname-chan, who had finished paying and was holding her paper bag, bowed her head again and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Honestly, don’t worry about it. Truth be told, I was still undecided.”

“Hearing you say that…”

The confectionery section was already closing up shop for the day.
Well, that meant I’d have to rush to get everything ready tomorrow. If I finished on time, it should be manageable.
Hiname-chan and I left the shopping centre together and headed for the station.

“Actually, I was surprised. Do you live around here, Hiname-chan?”

“Ah, yes. I can’t say exactly where, but I live with my parents in a nearby apartment building.”

I glanced around.
A prime location by the bay, close to the shopping mall and with excellent transport links.

“…A young lady?”

“Eh? I, I suppose so?”

At the very least, she couldn’t be called common.
　A beauty, an idol, a top student, a young lady, and a genius actress.
Hiname-chan, who possesses everything in this world, was in the same off-duty mode as when we met at the cat café before.
Her knit hat, thick-rimmed glasses, hoodie, and jeans combo perfectly concealed her overflowing idol aura.
Still, her natural beauty shines through, and if you looked properly, she was undeniably cute.
　That aside.
I noticed the paper bag Hiname-chan was carrying, white with black trim.
Inside was expensive chocolate costing over three thousand yen.
And just one box.
Hmm.
………….
Wait, isn’t this the kind of thing you’re not supposed to witness?
Aren’t idols forbidden from romance?

“Um, Hiname-chan—”

I lowered my voice.

“I know it’s none of my business, but… Are you sure it’s alright? You could just buy chocolate normally at the department store…”

“Eh? Oh.”

After a moment of blank surprise, she seemed to realise and flushed.

“It’s fine. I’ve never been recognised in this form. Besides, this is a prize.”

“A prize?”

I’d thought I’d witnessed a scandal, but apparently not.

“Tomorrow, there’s a Valentine’s event for ‘Charles’, and they’re holding a raffle there. If you win the top prize, you get special chocolates from the members.”

“Ah… I see.”

Normally, it’s just three Tirol chocolates, but if you hit the jackpot, you get the main chocolates.
Still, I thought.

“Don’t the staff usually prepare those?”

“Ahaha, yes, I suppose so.”

But, Hiname-chan looked down at her hands.

“Since it’s such a special occasion, I want them to receive something I’ve personally chosen and bought. They’ve gone to the trouble of buying a ticket and coming to the venue, after all. I want to do everything I can.”

“H-Hiname-chan…”

She’s too good.
What is this feeling? Could this be what Momono-chan meant by that “worth rooting for” feeling?

“Well, I’m just copying what that girl did last year, really.”

“That girl?”

“Ibara.”

Hiname-chan continued.

“Last year, we had the same event, and Motomura-san prepared chocolates for everyone. But Ibara alone, she handed over chocolates she’d bought herself.”

Saying this, she narrowed her eyes slightly. As if reminiscing about a past now beyond sight.

“When I asked why, she said exactly what I just said. Isn’t that amazing? Because the customers would never know who prepared whose chocolate, you see.”

“You’re just as amazing, Hiname-chan.”

“Yes. That’s what I aspire to be.”

She pressed her lips together tightly and looked straight ahead.

“Otherwise, Ibara wouldn’t feel at ease watching over me.”

I find her strength dazzling, yet at the same time, I worry she’s pushing herself too hard.
Probably none of my business, though.
But surely Ibara was banished from the Land of Sleep because she was too strong. Not because she was weak.

“You mustn’t push yourself too hard. Are you getting enough sleep?”

Seeing my expression, Hiname-chan waved her hands flutteringly. “I’m fine, really.”

“I rest properly when I need to. I couldn’t be as serious as Ibara.”

“Serious… huh.”

Looking at Ibara before me, it’s hard to believe, but watching footage from back then makes it clear.
　Ibara’s live performances, the culmination of days spent racing through life, even skimping on sleep, were breathtaking even to an amateur eye.
Now she eats parfaits at night, acts as selfishly as she pleases, and if you let your guard down, she’ll immediately make some borderline sexual harassment-like physical contact. Compared to back then, she’s surely gained weight too (though probably still below average).
　But looking at it another way, perhaps I’m someone Ibara can relax around, someone she doesn’t have to be on guard with. If that’s the case, I’d be happy.

“I bet she’s different in front of Amami-san, isn’t she?”

As if seeing right through what I was feeling, Hiname-chan said:

“In front of Amami-san, she’s a ‘Shinomori Ibara’ I don’t know. Honestly, I’m a bit jealous.”

With eyes that held a transparent, quiet loneliness somewhere inside them.

“I thought I was her best friend. And yet Ibara went and secretly got cosy with such a lovely older sister like this…”

“Hiname-chan…”

“Cosy, she says.”
But, I see. From Hiname-chan’s perspective, I might be the homewrecker who stole her precious friend.
I was sitting with a vague sense of guilt when she murmured quietly:

“…I’m so jealous.”

“Eh?”

“I’m jealous. So jealous. I’m so envious. I want to be spoiled rotten by a beautiful, kind older sister too, and have her stroke my head and say ‘there, there’.”

Somehow, the atmosphere surrounding Hiname-chan had changed.
She pointedly pouted her lips, then peered up at me seductively from beneath her askew glasses.

“Well, what do you say, Amami-san? Could you heal me too… without telling Ibara?”

Suddenly, a coquettish idol aura flooded out of her. With a hint of a little devil flavour, too.
Or rather, she could turn that aura on and off at will. Did she have some kind of super power?

“Heal… you?”

“Well, you see. Like, a hug, or sleeping together…”

Hiname-chan pressed her body against mine.
Unlike Ibara, she was slender, with a perfectly proportioned model figure. A soft, sweet scent wafted from her. Not citrusy, but vanilla.

“Hii!”

Her smooth hand touched my hipbone.
A whisper tickled my ear.

“Or… is it me you don’t like…?”

Her moist eyes looked up at me. Long lashes and cool-looking eyes.
Her face, perfectly harmonising coolness and cuteness, was dizzyingly charming.
But.

“No way. Don’t tease grown-ups.”

My hand, brought down like a sword, stopped inches from her face.
I couldn’t possibly damage an idol’s precious features.
Seeing my hand touch her forehead, Hiname-chan broke into a grin.

“Oh dear, I’ve been found out.”

She swiftly adjusted her glasses.
That single gesture made the lingering pink atmosphere vanish like a phantom.

“Honestly. If I didn’t know you, Hiname-chan, I’d have thought you were serious.”

“I’m flattered.”

Her acting remains impeccable. She should seriously consider a career as an actress.

“…Actually, I might have been a little bit serious…”

“Eh?”

“Never mind!”

Hiname-chan shook her head vigorously from side to side.

“Ah, but it’s true I do get a little jealous sometimes. Ibara, just keeps talking about Amami-san all the time too.”

“Huh, really?”

So that’s how it is. Is that so?
　Near the station, Hiname-chan stopped walking.

“Right then, I’ll leave you here.”

“Ah, yeah. See you later.”

“Yes. Um, Amami-san…”

I stopped my retreating steps and turned back towards Hiname-chan.
Hiname-chan bowed her head slowly and said.

“Please look after Ibara for me.”