Chapter 6

A totally unexpected character overlap had occurred.

I thought I was the only mysterious girl at this school...

“Futaba Misao. That’s my name.”

—Why this kind of character overlap of all things!?

I was completely caught off guard and nearly peed myself in surprise. But the fact remained—right in front of me was a real mysterious girl.

Apparently, she was the library’s resident mysterious type.

“I want to know your name.”

“…Nn.”

What if mysteriousness became too common and lost its value…?

“Tsubasa. Recommendation.”

“…”

And then, for some reason, this rival girl kept calling me by my first name and handed me book after book she recommended.

…Why?

“I don’t need these.”

I was about to say, “You can only borrow three at a time,” but once again, I totally failed at expressing myself clearly.

I mean, seriously, what am I supposed to do with all these books? She piled several Dazai Osamu books into my arms, and my muscles were secretly trembling from the weight.

“You do need them.”

But more than that, the girl in front of me—Futaba-san—was the strong-willed, expressionless type.

Probably a different breed of mysterious girl than me.

For that, I guess I should be at least a little grateful.

…Still, what is this situation?

“What is?”

While teetering on the edge of my limits, I tried to ask what this intense Dazai love was all about—and seriously, what was even going on right now?

Then, despite her expressionless face, her eyes sparkled.

“──Dazai is omnipresent.”

Suddenly, she began to show the full extent of her library-type mysterious girl powers.

“Omni…present?”

“Yes. Dazai is everywhere.”

Omnipresent Dazai… Wait, what? That’s terrifying.

I couldn’t help but imagine what she meant.

—In my head, I saw Dazai Osamu turned into a Cerberus.

His face split into three, attached to a dog’s body. I could almost hear him muttering, Kill me… kill me… or something.

…Is that why he tried to commit suicide so many times?

“Tragic.”

I mumbled my impression of the pitiful Cerberus-Dazai, and Futaba-san gave a single nod.

“Dazai clings to you whether you want him to or not.”

Overflowing with Dazai love, she began to talk passionately about his novels.

“When you read him, he takes root in your heart without even being called. Then he whispers, ‘I understand how you feel,’ deep inside. Whether in joy… or in pain.”

Though her face stayed blank, her eyes sparkled, and she clenched her hands tightly as she spoke. Apparently, she could go on for quite a while about the things she loved.

“That’s why Dazai is omnipresent. He just plants himself in the minds of those who read him.”

…She might be a rival mysterious girl, but I’m starting to feel a little closer to her.

Even though she was expressionless, Futaba-san’s glowing eyes showed she was the type whose emotions were easy to read.

“──So, Tsubasa.”

After all that, Futaba-san suddenly stepped in closer. Then, she grabbed my shoulders.

“I’ve shared.”

She peered intently into my eyes from up close. Her golden eyes were practically saying, Come on, come on…

“So now, I want to hear your Dazai.”

With eyes that couldn’t hide her excitement, she tried to get me to start talking about Dazai too.

...Kh, at this rate, I’m going to get swallowed up by her mysterious aura and lose the Mysterious Domain Battle completely!

If that happens, I’ll end up as her loyal mysterious underling, forced to preach the gospel of Dazai as “Cerberus Shirogane.”

There’s no way I’m letting that happen!

...Alright, I need to give her a firm rejection so I don’t get overpowered!

I have to stick to my own brand of mysteriousness!

“…You’re being too familiar.”

Ugh!?

That came out way harsher than I expected.

I-I wonder if Futaba-san is okay…

Worried, I glanced over at her—and for some reason, she was nodding in approval.

“I get it.”

She nodded with that expressionless face, somehow managing a smug look.

Wait, what? Is she invincible or something?

...This is bad.

Futaba-san’s too much of a powerhouse—I can’t even picture a way to win.

M-Maybe I should make a strategic retreat for now.

When I think about it, this is pretty much her home turf. Of course I was at a disadvantage!

A-Alright, time to make my escape!

Next time we battle for mysterious dominance, I’ll drag her up to the rooftop!

I’ll let you off for today—but don’t think this means you’ve won!!

“Futaba is leaving now.”

But… apparently my mouth isn’t good at dramatic exits either, because it came out sounding like I didn’t care about any of this.

Even though I’m burning with competitive spirit inside!

I tried to shove the books she forced on me back into her arms and leave, but…

She grabbed my sleeve again.

Like she was telling me, I won’t let you get away that easily.

“That’s wrong. It’s Misao. Tsubasa should call me that.”

Right to the very end, she was a high-pressure, mysterious, pushy girl—and a real tough opponent.

I-I feel like she’s closing the distance between us way too fast.

Forcing me to call her by her first name out of nowhere… that’s seriously indecent!

“…You’re being too familiar.”

“Yeah. Dazai is too familiar too.”

That comeback is too overpowered. Please, someone ban it already.

Also, I’m not calling you by your first name. I don’t even call Kishine-san that yet… Huh? Kishine… san?

…Ah!?

Oh no—I completely forgot I left Kishine-san waiting this whole time!!

I-I have to hurry!

If Kishine-san ends up hating me, that’d be the worst!!

“──Shirogane-san.”

………………Ah.

---

“—So now, I want to hear your Dazai, Tsubasa.”

“…Too familiar.”

“I get it.”

“Futaba, I’m leaving now.”

“No, Misao. Tsubasa should call me that.”

“…Too familiar.”

“Yeah, Dazai is too familiar.”

For some reason, Shirogane-san was chatting quite comfortably with a girl I didn’t know.

She’d left me waiting all this time.

“—Huh?”

I couldn’t help but let out a low voice. Please forgive me—I just couldn’t hold it in.

I was glad she said “See you tomorrow.” For the first time in a while, I waited for tomorrow in bed with a pounding heart.

I thought Shirogane-san only had me, that she only looked at me, so I wouldn’t feel lonely.

I thought she could live alone without loneliness.

But she seemed a much cuter girl than I had imagined—maybe she didn’t want to be alone after all.

That’s why, after seeing her yesterday, I thought I wanted to be number one for Shirogane-san.

Yet now, Shirogane-san was leaving me behind and talking to a girl I didn’t know.

—Tsubasa was being called by her first name, without honorifics.

By the time I noticed, I had already taken a step forward.

I’d never interrupted a conversation before. But before I could think, impulse pushed my body.

“—Shirogane-san.”

I cut into their conversation. I didn’t care now.

“...Who?”

“Kishine.”

Right now, I wanted to ask Shirogane-san why and what she was doing. So I glared at her as hard as I could.

But the moment she saw me, Shirogane-san hurried over to me. Expressionless, she stared straight up at my face.

...That alone almost made me forgive her, but I didn’t want my feelings to seem cheap, so I forced myself to look away from those innocent eyes.

“…Kishine.”

“I’ve been waiting—always.”

Looking away, I tried to show I was angry.

“Didn’t you care about me at all, Shirogane-san?”

So my tone was as resentful as possible, like blaming her for my unhappiness.

...My chest stung a little, but Shirogane-san was the one who painted this haze of confusion inside me.

“…Sorry, Kishine.”

With her voice came a gentle tug on my sleeve.

Her usual soft voice sounded somehow apologetic.

“Why didn’t you come sooner?”

“...A little…”

“A little isn’t enough.”

I kept looking away, asking more. If I met her eyes, I’d forgive her for sure. I wanted her to feel some of my frustration.

Then, suddenly…

“Hey.”

The girl who called Shirogane-san “Tsubasa” spoke up again. Because of her, I probably hadn’t made it to the rooftop.

“What is it?”

I answered coldly, curtly.

That girl then asked…

“Do you like Dazai?”

For some reason, she suddenly asked a completely off-base, weird question.

…Huh? Dazai?

Dazai Osamu, the author of Run, Melos! and all that?

“Shirogane-san, who is this person?”

“Weird.”

Without any detailed explanation, she summed that person up perfectly with a single word. I glanced at Shirogane-san, but she was staring right back at me, and our eyes met immediately.

Transparent, pure, like a mirror.

…Even though I was feeling all mixed up inside, I couldn’t bring myself to get any angrier.

It’s unfair, Shirogane-san.

“Not ‘weird,’ Misao.”

“Weird Futaba.”

So her name is Futaba Misao.

She’s trying to get Shirogane-san to call her by her first name.

…And I still haven’t gotten there yet.

“Kishine?”

Without thinking, I grabbed Shirogane-san’s hand.

A low, faintly warm hand.

Then, clearly and firmly to this girl Futaba, I said:

“Shirogane-san’s number one is me, and my number one is Shirogane-san.”

Ever since we promised to travel together.

That’s why I can’t give her to anyone else.

Pouring all that willpower, I glared at Futaba.

I stuffed all my feelings into that glare—don’t meddle with Shirogane-san.

Futaba just tilted her head in confusion.

She looked up at the sky a little, then said one word:

“—Lesbian?”

“Huh?”

Lesbian? Me?

I instinctively looked at Shirogane-san, who blinked more than usual and silently stared at me. Maybe she was a little surprised too.

Realizing that, I was suddenly overwhelmed by intense embarrassment, and couldn’t help but shout out loud:

“No way!!!”

Futaba might be Shirogane-san’s friend.

Including that, I grew to really dislike this person.

Shirogane-san, please don’t believe her.

I’m only number one to Shirogane-san—I swear, there’s no ulterior motive!