Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 2 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue – The Other Side of the Happy Ending 

Two days after that night. It’s the morning of the new semester.

“It’s over…”

I sighed while in my uniform as I walked toward the entrance.

Indeed, the summer holiday is finally over.

Not having to be disrupted by the alarm in the morning, playing video games, or reading online manga in my air-conditioned room, and look, it’s already noon.

Reading light novels, manga, or anime in the afternoon. Then, call it a day by randomly leaving a couple of strokes on my work and feeling accomplished for the day before going to bed. …This lifestyle is already declared to be over.

I’ve already checked the date on my phone three times this morning. There’s nothing else I can do aside from facing reality.

“No use to complain if it’s over…”

I convinced myself and looked at the mirror at the door.

My hair and uniform remain the same as the first semester. Just as I’m trying to tidy up my bedhead-

“Are you leaving, onii-sama?”

Step, step, step. Kaju dashed over in her uniform.

“It’s the new semester, after all. I don’t want to be late and stand out.”

I thought of an excuse as I patted Kaju’s head.

“Kaju’s starting a new semester as well. Look out for cars on the road.”

“Alright, take care too, onii-sama.”

Kaju chuckled and looked at me. Then, her personality suddenly turned to that of a caretaker.

“Onii-sama, your tie isn’t right.”

Kaju carefully fixed my tie. My little sister does pay much attention to appearance.

Kaju pinched the tie and stared at my face.

“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”

“Is Kaju imagining things? Onii-sama seems a little happy.”

Happy? Uh, even though the troublesome school life is beginning, Kaju has noticed I’m a bit floaty. Don’t tell me this means…

“Of course I’m happy. Kaju cares much about me, even though it’s just the morning.”

That will do. The sweet talk at the beginning of the new semester put a big smile on Kaju’s face.

“Ehehe, onii-sama. Why don’t the two of us elope together?”

“Elope what? I need to go to school.”

With that, I pushed the door open. Kaju chased after me in her slippers.

“Ah, is something wrong?”

“Please stand still, onii-sama. Don’t move. Just look in front of you.”

I heard two clacking sounds behind my right shoulder.

I turned around. Kaju’s holding a flintstone. Her face is brimming with a smile. [TL: Peasants during the Edo period believed that the sparks from flintstone could eliminate dirty things. It’s meant to be a blessing for a safe trip.]

“Have a nice trip, onii-sama.”

*

I went out of Aichidaigaku-Mae Station’s platform. Then, I merged into the stream of people heading toward my school.

Some are chatting with their friends, while others are heading forward boringly like me.

How do they spend time in the classroom? If some people only contact each other now, naturally, there should be people who use many faces at once.

…I decided to put down my depression and slowly detached from the crowd.

I relaxed the tie tightened up by Kaju a little bit. At this point, someone suddenly knocked on my shoulder gently.

“Hello, Nukumizu-san.”

It’s Asagumo-san. She walked next to me. I lowered my head since I didn’t know how to answer her.

“Well, …hello. Good morning."

“Nukumizu-san takes the tram to school as well. I never knew that.”

I don’t exist in all of your eyes, after all.

Just as I’m searching for the proper words, Asagumo-san straightens her back. She faced forward and spoke up.

“Even though a lot has happened, I still managed to explain everything to Mitsuki-san and Remon-san. I think our relationship can continue as always.”

“Good to know.”

I said what I sincerely thought. Then, I looked around and got close to Asagumo-san.

“Wel, …I’ve been wanting to ask you about this.”

“What is it?”

I lowered my voice and continued.

“Did you put a GPS on Yakishio as well…?”

Asagumo-san’s expression didn’t change at all. She faced forward and spoke up.

“Did you know, Nukumizu-san? A small tracker has limited batteries. It can only work for a few days.”

“Oh, I see.”

What is she trying to say?

“How should I describe a non-functional GPS? A tracker or a piece of trash?”

Asagumo-san reaches her finger out and puts it on her chin. She raised her head and looked at me pretentiously.

“Which one do you think it is, Nukumizu-san?”

Isn’t it just a tracker without batteries? I gave up on getting the answer from her and changed the topic.

“…I feel like Asagumo-san is a lot different than my image of you in the cram school.”

“Ara, what’s your impression of mine?”

I bitterly smiled before she even finished her sentence.

We didn’t even talk before. What’s the point of such an impression?

Asagumo-san put her hand on my shoulders. Then, she stood tall and firm before whispering next to my ear.

“Don’t you know? Despite my looks, I’m actually a bad girl.”

“…I know it already.”

Asagumo-san lowered her head and tried to hold in her laughter.

Her chuckles influenced me as well. At this time, someone suddenly smacked my back.

“Chi-chan, Nukkun, good morning!”

Yakishio gave us an energetic greeting.

Her charming smile seems to be saying that nothing is troubling her anymore. I replied to her with a stiff smile.

“Uh, yeah, …good morning.”

“Good morning, Remon-san.”

Yakishio squeezed herself between the two of us.

“You two are together. Nukkun, I’m sorry to interrupt during your happy moment, but I’m bringing Chi-chan away.”

Is her nickname Chi-chan because she’s called Chihaya? It looks like they are closer.

“Of course.”

“…Thank you, Nukkun.”

Yakishio skillfully winked at me and held Asagumo-san.

“Let’s go, Chi-chan!”

“Alright, Remon-san. Well, we’ll be leaving, Nukumizu-san.”

The two of them left me in a blink of an eye.

“Chi-chan, you really don’t mind me going to your house and taking the shampoo you talked about earlier?”

“Of course, I’ve bought extras. Don’t worry about it. I can also tell you how to take care of your hair if you don’t mind.”

…By the way, aren’t these two too close?

Asagumo-san rubbed Yakishio’s hair, and Yakishio didn’t rebel at all. This is indecent. I’m going to need more.

I stared at their backs with full attention. Suddenly, I can hear someone pressing the break of their bicycle next to me.

A tall guy got off the bicycle and approached me.

“Good morning, Nukumizu.”

“Good morning, Ayano.”

Behold, the prime culprit of everything, the dense MC Mitsuki Ayano. By the way, quit appearing one by one. Do you guys think I’m a checkpoint in those stamp races?

“So, what’s with those two?”

“I don’t know. They seem to be close.”

Ayano sighed.

“She spilled all of my black histories to Chihaya. What a girl.”

Oh, I see how it is. All of you are just going to give me diabetes in the morning, right?

Honestly, I’ll be annoyed if this happens again. I guess I can understand how Yanami feels now.

“Good to hear. Well, please don’t drag me into things like that anymore.”

“By the way, Nukumizu.”

Ayano hugged my shoulders.

“Please tell me if there’s someone you have a crush on. I’ll definitely be your wingman.”

Uh, …I don’t want to tell this guy at all.

Moreover, where do I find a person I have a crush on? The faces of the girls next to me appeared in my mind.

…I would prefer a more normal girl if I have to engage in a relationship. The best would be the kind that doesn’t jump out of a phone screen.

Yakishio and Asagumo-san noticed Ayano. They smiled and waved.

“Ah, good morning, Mitsuki!”

“Ara, good morning, Mitsuki-san.”

Ayano waved back as well.

“Good morning, you two. Let’s go, Nukumizu. We should hurry.”

Sorry, but I’m already exhausted because of you guys, and it’s just the morning. Yanami still has some business with me today after school. I can’t handle her if I don’t save up some energy.

“I’ll take it slow. You should go first, Ayano.”

“I see. Well, see you later.”

I watched as the hot dude and his two chicks passed through the gate. Alright, allow me to chill for the rest of the day. I can sit down and meditate once I’m in the classroom. Then, it’s already after school with my eyes half-closed.

“The young man…over there…”

…Hmm? Is someone calling me?

I stopped. There aren’t any familiar faces around. Therefore, I was planning to ignore it and leave.

“…The young man…from the Literature Club…”

“!”

I jumped from the whisper next to my ears.

It’s Shikiya-senpai from the student council. She’s so close that she’s practically sticking to my back. Aside from the glare, her face is even paler than usual.

“Uh, Shikiya-senpai. Is something the matter?”

Shikiya-senpai silently reached her hand out toward my throat.

I went stiff. She used her slim fingers to fix my tie.

“Eh, well.”

“New semester, …tie, …properly, …wear…”

I was frozen due to the sudden development. As for Shikiya-senpai, she let go of her hand apologetically.

“…Sorry, …I seem to have…overstepped my boundaries…”

Uh, what does that mean?

Shikiya-senpai took out something from the knot on my tie. Then, she put it in my palm and made me hold it.

“Well, I…shall leave…”

She gave me a single long, black hair. This is Kaju’s hair. Why is it in the tie?

“I didn’t expect Kaju to be so clumsy.”

I opened my palm. The hair was carried away by the wind. Then, I looked at Shikiya-senpai’s back.

Ah, I still have her handkerchief…

“N-Nukumizu, …w-what are y-you doing in the m-morning?”

“Not again. …No, it’s Komari. Good morning.”

I’m not surprised anymore. Komari appeared next to me on her bicycle. The white safety hat suits her very well. If only she could wear it at all times.

“I don’t know. Shikiya-senpai helped me fix my tie.”

“B-Before that. T-The guy…”

“He’s Ayano from Class D. That one. The one who visited the club before.”

I don’t know if she’s even listening to me. Komari mumbled something.

“A-After the delinquent, …n-now comes the e-elite student…with g-glasses.”

Komari’s eyes are flashing in an eerie way under her safety hat.

Wait, what is she fantasizing about?

“Hakamada isn’t a delinquent. Even though I won’t stop your criminal fantasies, please don’t talk about them in front of others.”

“I-In other words, …i-it’s a secret relationship?”

A switch inside her seems to have turned on. Komari’s face blushed slightly. She raised her head and looked at me with a bright smile.

You look a bit cute. Please stop. This girl’s brain is filled with weird shit, as usual.

“It’s not public nor a secret. I’m getting late. See you.”

I left Komari and walked to the shoe shelves.

Why am I exhausted on the first day of the new semester?

I decided to take the tram early tomorrow.

*

After school, the emergency stairs in the old school building.

It’s September. The heat from the summer is already gone before we come to our realization.

The evening breezes gently stroke my cheeks. Yanami called me here. We’re observing the playground shoulder-to-shoulder right now.

“…So, why didn’t you tell me everything?”

Yanami tore apart the package of the red bean bread she bought from the nearby bakery.

I stabbed the straw through the milk carton box and answered her.

“You didn’t ask me. Think about it. I can’t just tell you like we’re chit-chatting, right?”

“Nope, nope. I’m still involved in this, right? I was totally dragged in.”

Yanami chewed the bread. She put her hands on the railing.

“Whatever, I’ll forget it if the ending is perfect. Remon-chan’s feelings come first, after all.”

The Track and Field Club members start warming up at a corner of the playground.

We can see a tanned girl from afar. She’s being scolded for dashing out on her own.

“Anyway, Yakishio looks pretty energetic. At least we don’t need to worry about her too much at this point, right?”

Yakishio dealt with her problem perfectly. We’re just outsiders in the end.

Whether it’s relationships or jealousy, the only person who can solve these issues is herself.

“By the way, Yanami-san. Didn’t you say you wouldn’t eat snacks anymore?”

Yanami finished the bread. She clapped chicly.

“I win, Nukumizu-kun.”

“I see. Congrats.”

I planned to end the conversation with a half-assed reply since I felt it would get troublesome. However, Yanami ignored me and continued.

“After improving my eating habits, I’ve successfully taken off 250 grams this week.”

250 grams…?

“Isn’t that just an error-“

“That means I’m losing a kilogram a month. In other words, the promised victory is waiting for me.”

…I should quit complaining whenever I can. Therefore, I tried to calm down and stopped thinking before giving her a half-hearted agreement.

“But then I’ve realized something. Doesn’t that mean I’ll lose 12 kilograms a year if this rhythm continues? Won’t that cause issues to your health?”

I think there are issues as well, especially with Yanami’s brain.

Yanami continued her mysterious theory chicly.

“In other words, I have to gain a kilogram every month if I want to keep my eating habits and figure. In a sense, this is reverse thinking.”

“…Wait, you should calm down and think about this. Are you sure your theory is right? Are you sure this is fine?”

Nope, I didn’t manage to keep my cool. Yanami gave me a confident nod.

“Nukumizu-kun, the weight scale won’t lie. Also, let me tell you this. A kilogram of fat has around 7,200 calories. Converting that into cup noodles means you have to eat 20 cups just to get enough.”

Yanami took out another package of bread.

“Ugh, nom, nom, nom, nom.”

Don’t talk while eating. Yanami swallowed a mouthful of bread.

“This is a positive weight loss method supported by mathematical theory. Perhaps I can write a book about it.”

“Please give me an autograph if you do.”

I think the result can be immediately seen on Yanami’s body, especially her stomach.

I sipped the milk as I leisurely observed the playground.

The first day of the second semester is as usual. The holiday mood is destroyed relentlessly. We went back to our routine.

Also, our class teacher Amanatsu-sensei’s hope of finding a boyfriend during the Ghost Festival seems to have died out.

“Come to think of it. Prez has already finished writing the club magazine. We should go to the club after this.”

“Oh, I just got one. Here’s yours.”

Yanami took out a booklet from her school bag.

It’s the finished club magazine. The cover is two guys staring at each other. The clothes are clearly added on later, by the way. Worrisome. What did the first draft even look like…?

I took the club magazine and flipped through it.

“…Tsukinoki-senpai really put that up here.”

I quickly went through page after page. Then, I stopped at one where the paper color was different.

It’s Yakishio’s drawing diary.

The content is about us going to Grandma’s house.

She drew 5 guys and girls sitting in a car. It’s driving toward a fairy tale castle. The coat of arms on its wall should be Tsuwabuki’s school badge.

But Yakishio wasn’t even in the car…

There’s no point in investigating what Yakishio’s thinking. So, I continued turning the pages.

Yanami’s novel is next. Her previous one is a short story based on a plain unrequited love and karaage.

I wonder what she wrote this time. I ignored the author and started reading it-

Literature Club Report – Summer Edition

<Saying Good Morning to You> by Anna Yanami

This morning, I’m pretending to be reading magazines while observing the opposite of the road through the glass as usual.

The magazine corner of the 7-Eleven on the way to school can see the crossroad perfectly. Obviously, that includes him, who is waiting for the traffic lights to turn green every morning.

I have to greet him today, and then I’ll muster my courage for us to go to school together…

At this moment, I can smell something delicious.

The staff member is yelling, “Fresh smoked sausages!”

I love all of the hot foods in 7-Eleven.

Their smoked sausages are all natural. That powerful crunchiness is its signature. The smoked taste really arouses one’s appetite. The palm-size is perfect for eating one in the morning.

Typically, it’s prepared earlier. However, today’s sausages seem to be fresh.

Right now, he is nowhere to be seen. I quickly lined up before the cashier.

This is the only time you have to line up before the cashier. I can barely contain my excitement. Then, it’s finally my turn.

“One smoked sausage, please!”

“116 yen.”

“Alright. Ah, just right.”

As I was taking money out of my wallet, familiar laughter could be heard from the opened automated door. He’s waiting for the traffic lights with his friends.

Then, it turned green.

“No need to put it inside a paper bag! I’ll just hold it like this!”

I took the sausage. Then, when I was trying to put my wallet back, I realized both of my hands were full.

He’ll leave if this continues.

I hesitated for a moment before biting the sausage horizontally. After that, I barely slipped through the closing automated door and dashed out.

(Warning: Never run with a bamboo stick in your mouth, whether horizontally or not.)

I have to say hi to him.

“XX-kun, good morn-“

I caught the sausage falling from my mouth. My shoulders dropped depressingly as the lights turned red.

He already went past the zebra crossing and departed along with his cheerful friends.

I still…didn’t get to greet him today.

The fresh sausage seems to taste a little bitter for some reason.

*

I closed the magazine after reading Yanami’s novel. I really want to eat sausages for some reason…

“Yanami-san’s novel is quite nice. I can feel your burning passion toward sausages.”

“Really? My effort of going out and tasting them isn’t wasted then.”

Yanami’s expression suddenly turned serious after finishing her second bread.

“Hey, Nukumizu-kun.”

“What’s with the sudden seriousness?”

“…I have a boyfriend now.”

Wut!? What does this sudden confession mean?

“Uh, congrats.”

“No, I don’t have a boyfriend….”

Do you have one or not?

Yanami lowered her head awkwardly.

“I was too flashy on Ins. Now all of my friends know I have a boyfriend now. Everyone says I need to bring my boyfriend to the next gathering…”

“Why not just say no?”

Yanami immediately rejected my idea.

“I can’t. I’ve spent so much effort making them think I have a boyfriend, alright? If I say I don’t have one at that time, doesn’t that mean I’ve been rejected by my boyfriend again?”

“Boyfriend…? Again…?”

Was this girl rejected by a boyfriend? …She’s not mixing things up, right?

I thought about whether a complaint would be helpful. Then, Yanami’s eyes sparkled eerily as she carefully looked at me.

“So, I’ve thought of a solution. Why not just get a pinch hitter?”

“So, you mean a substitute boyfriend?”

“Indeed, won’t I gain face from letting them meet each other?”

So, she wants a fake boyfriend.

Sounds like a rom-com now. I’m suddenly interested in this despite my usual apathy.

“Oh, that sounds fun.”

“Right? So, I have something to ask Nukumizu-kun.”

Me? Don’t tell me she wants me to be her fake boyfriend…?

Half of me thinks I don’t want to deal with this. Another half is slightly impressed because I’ve only seen plots like this in light novels.

“So, …what do you want me to do?”

My head tilted 45 degrees. Yanami approached me.

“Well, I want to ask Nukumizu-kun to-“

“O-Oh…”

Yanami’s face suddenly jumped closer.

“Can you borrow Ayano-kun to me!? He’s handsome and smart. I can’t think of anyone better than him.”

“…Are you serious?”

I don’t even need to hear her answer. It’s because this girl’s eyes show that she’s for real-

I went silent. Then, I put my elbows on the railing and looked at the autumn sky.

The eventful summer is already over.

It’s already the second semester. I should live my days out peacefully…

“Well, Nukumizu-kun. What do you think about that? Can you help me?”

Yanami leans on the railing. She’s giving me a hopeful look.

My answer has already been decided.

I faced Yanami with a gentle smile and spoke up.

“…Yanami-san, how about you get a boyfriend yourself?”