Chapter Two: “The Princess Wants to Appeal to the Prince” — Part Seven

“Could you wait just a moment while I check the data?”

Tanoura-san asked us that once the shoot was done. We moved to a corner of the classroom so as not to get in her way.

For someone who’d said she wasn’t very used to modelling, Senpai had been absolutely flawless in front of the camera. Anyone who saw the finished prospectus might end up as a rival in love.

I was unquestionably the cutest one — but too many rivals was still a problem.

“Himena-chan? You’re looking very serious. Is something the matter?”
“No, nothing. I was just thinking that every new student next year who enrolls because of this prospectus is probably going to end up a fan of yours, Senpai.”
“You do exaggerate, Himena-chan.”
“I’m not exaggerating at all! They hand it out at open days, don’t they? The thought of a mountain of rivals arriving next year — I just—!”

I put my head in my hands and crouched down. Senpai laughed, and when I looked up at her, I was struck all over again by how impossibly long her legs were.

That incomparably beautiful face. A figure that would make even a goddess feel insecure. The graceful ease of every movement that made you want to stare.
How was anyone supposed not to fall for her. I certainly hadn’t managed it — I’d fallen on the very first sight.

“…Um, Senpai.”
“Yes?”
“What was last year’s open day like? Do you remember it?”

The first time I’d ever seen Senpai was at last year’s open day at Sakuraba High. Since that day, I’d been in love with her.
She almost certainly wouldn’t remember, though.

“I wasn’t there for last year’s either — I had club activities.”

Senpai said exactly what I’d expected. I felt a faint flicker of disappointment — but also something that felt oddly like relief.

Yuuri had been the one to drag me along to Sakuraba High’s open day. I’d happened to run into Iori-senpai in front of the vending machine beside the gymnasium — just by chance.
Not that anything remarkable had happened. On the contrary — I hadn’t even managed to speak to her.

We’d made eye contact, and she’d smiled at me. That was all. Barely a moment, and of course Senpai wouldn’t remember it.
But that had been more than enough for me to fall in love.

And then I studied like my life depended on it….

Sakuraba High had been Yuuri’s first choice to begin with — a school far out of my reach academically. Before that open day, it had never even crossed my mind to sit the entrance exam.
I’d begged Yuuri to tutor me, but honestly, exam season had been among the hardest periods of my entire life.

Still — it had been worth it. Because now I got to be here, with Iori-senpai.

“Hanasaki-san, Yaoji-senpai — the photos came out really well!”

Tanoura-san came trotting back, having finished her review. It was nearly noon; the shoot was probably wrapping up for the day.
Senpai had club practice this afternoon, after all.

“Thank you both so much for taking part.”

She bowed deeply, then produced two small envelopes from her bag.

“These are a small thank-you from the school for taking part in the shoot. Oh — they’re from the school itself, so please don’t feel you need to hold back!”

The envelope, pressed into my hands with cheerful insistence, contained a three-thousand-yen book voucher. Iori-senpai’s, naturally, was the same.

Wait — could this be an opportunity?!

“Iori-senpai. Would you like to go to a bookshop together? Please — let’s go on a bookshop date!”
“A bookshop date?”
“Yes! I mean, the voucher works online too, but browsing in person is so much better for actually seeing what’s inside — and besides, we got these as a thank-you for the prospectus shoot, so a bookshop date would be the perfect way to mark the occasion, or something like that — !”

Even as I spoke, I could hear myself grasping. If it had been cinema tickets or an amusement park, inviting Senpai would have felt so much more natural.

But I absolutely could not back down here. I wasn’t backing down.

“Oh — I’m sure there’s a big bookshop near the nearest station, isn’t there?! Something like that? I’ll work around any time or day that suits you, Senpai — completely!”

I pressed my hands together and bowed. Even I could tell I was being desperate — but I really was desperate, so there was nothing to be done about it.

“All right. Let’s go together, then.”
“Really?!”
“Yes. Weekdays might be tricky, though — by the time practice ends, bookshops are probably closing.”
“That’s true… Oh! What about today? On days off, practice finishes earlier than weekdays, doesn’t it!”
“You know that too?”
“…Well, yes, more or less.”

She knew the general practice times. She knew the basketball club’s annual schedule. But that wasn’t because she was a stalker — it was because she was a girl in love.

“Shall we go this evening, then? You’d have to wait for me.”
“Please, yes! I’ll study in the library until practice is over — the midterm exams are coming up anyway.”
“…Midterms?”
“Yes. They’re coming up soon, aren’t they?”

Iori-senpai’s expression faltered, and she looked away.

Could it be that Iori-senpai is bad at studying?

“Do you hate exams, Senpai?”
“I do.”
“Are you not very good at studying?”
“…”

I knew it!! Iori-senpai is bad at studying… that is dangerously, unbearably cute.
Someone this brilliant and perfect at everything — and she has a weakness! How am I supposed to react to that except to be completely and utterly charmed by that gap?!
Oh honestly, Senpai really is just too wonderful.

“Iori-senpai. I’m so looking forward to our bookshop date!”