Bonus Short Story
Precocious Kaguya-hime
In a hypothetical world where Amakawa Haruto was a second-year student at a Tokyo high school, the student council was putting on a charity show in collaboration with the drama club. As a member of the student council, Haruto and his friends were preparing to perform a new stage play.
The show was called Kaguya-hime. One day, an old bamboo cutter goes into the mountains to harvest bamboo and comes across a single shining bamboo stalk. He cuts it out of curiosity and finds a cute little girl inside. It was a play based on the famous Japanese folktale “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.”
It was a hot summer day in August during the school’s summer break, and Haruto and his friends were visiting the apartment Satsuki’s parents owned for a meeting about the Kaguya-hime play.
“Welcome. You’re the first to arrive, Haruto. The others should be here soon, so come on in,” Satsuki said.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
Just as Haruto stepped into the room, the doorbell rang.
“Speak of the devil.”
Endo Suzune, a student from the primary school affiliated with their high school, arrived next. She exchanged greetings with Satsuki through the intercom and waited for the automatic lock to open. A few minutes later, she entered Satsuki’s room as well.
“Hello, Satsuki, Haruto!” she said cheerfully, beaming with a carefree smile. There was another small girl who seemed to be in the lower primary years beside her.
“Welcome, Suzune. Is this the girl you wanted to introduce to us?” Satsuki turned to look at the other girl.
“Yup! I think she’s perfect for the role of Kaguya-hime! Her name is Sora. She transferred here before summer break started.”
“Yeah, she’s adorable. She should fit the outfit we’ve prepared perfectly,” Satsuki said brightly, looking at Sora with great curiosity.
“Wah...” Sora’s gaze was fixed on Haruto, who was beside Satsuki. She seemed to be so enamored, her eyes were practically sparkling.
Haruto remained silent. It was his first time meeting her, so he was a little taken aback. He stood on the receiving end of Sora’s gaze with an awkward smile.
“Not again, Haruto. What a sinner...” Satsuki sighed tiredly.
“Wait, what does that mean?” Haruto argued back.
“H-Hello! I’m Sora! It’s an honor to meet you, Master Haruto!” Sora shouted, greeting him excitedly.
“Master Haruto?” Satsuki echoed, shooting Haruto an unimpressed look.
“Why are you looking at me? I didn’t say it!”
“Hehe. Sora’s been obsessed with Haruto ever since I told her about him! She didn’t actually want to do the Kaguya-hime role at first.” Suzune giggled in amusement.
“I see. But it looks like she’s willing to take the role now.”
“Master Haruto will be the old bamboo cutter, right?” Sora asked Satsuki.
“That’s right.”
“Then leave it to me! Sora will play the perfect daughter of Master Haruto!”
“Um, Haruto. What exactly did you do to this girl?” Her devotion to Haruto was so earnest, Satsuki glared at him with even more suspicion.
“I’d like to know myself!” Haruto protested in a near screech.
“Okay then, Sora. How about you change into the Kaguya-hime outfit right away and show Haruto? You’ll look super cute,” Satsuki said excitedly.
Sora’s reply was immediate. “Okay!” she said, and they promptly started their changing session.
After that, Haruto waited alone in the living room while Satsuki took the girls to another room to change. The other stage play members like Miharu and Rikka arrived while he was waiting, and roughly ten minutes later...
“We’re ready now!” Satsuki announced, returning to the living room with Sora and Suzune in tow.
“Wow...”
Everyone cheered in wonder at the sight of Sora in Kaguya-hime’s kimono.
“H-How do I look?” Sora asked, fidgeting before Haruto with a blush.
“Great. You look very cute,” Haruto said bashfully under everyone’s watchful gaze...
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