Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 4 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue: A Hidden Secret

It’s been two days since the start of the winter holiday.

The Christmas vibe has faded away. The streets didn’t take a break and started preparing for the new year.

I left the elevator. The sunlight coming in from the expansive windows made me squint my eyes.

The top floor of the eastern section of Toyohashi City Hall. This place is designed to be an observation deck. Everyone is free to enter.

As for why I’m here- it’s because Yanami called me over.

The location for the Christmas party after the closing ceremony is in that karaoke store.

I opened the door to the room while shivering. It was precisely when the previous song ended. Everyone in the room looked at me. I was going to close the door immediately, but Yanami caught me.

“That was hellish…”

Forget about the normies in our class. For some reason, extroverts from the other classes are cheering along too. I was just thrown into the pit of fire.

I only remembered counting the bubbles in my cola at the time. Yanami was shoving potato chips into her mouth next to me emotionlessly.

And then I forgot what happened.

…Why did Yanami call me out today after I’ve spent such a terrible Christmas?

My guess is based on the metabolic syndrome poster at the lobby entrance. It must have something to do with this. I feel like Yanami seems a little more chubby lately-

Then, I stopped stepping toward the observation window.

The massive window clearly shows the sunny sky.

A young woman in a coat is wobbling around as if she’s dancing to a rhythm.

Even though I can’t hear from such a distance, she must be humming a song.

-What a cute girl.

However, I regretted it from the bottom of my heart after thinking about that.

The bottom of the girl’s coat moved around. She turned toward me. It’s Yanami.

…I messed up because her coat was different from the one she had in the karaoke room. That praise doesn’t count.

I convinced myself and spoke up.

“Thanks for waiting, Yanami-san.”

“Ah, Nukumizu-kun. Thanks for coming here.”

With that, she turned around. Her face carries an unexpected helpless smile.

She looks pretty sick. What’s going on? Is her liver having issues?

“Yanami-san, how come I feel you don’t seem well?”

“I still haven’t completely recovered from the Christmas party’s damage…”

Yanami dropped her shoulders.

“Eh, but you were just-”

“Do you get me? I couldn’t sleep well yesterday and roll out of my pillow. My neck hurts if I just laze around.”

Yanami pressed her neck with her palm. It made some weird creaking noises.

Uh, …give me back my unconscious praise.

Come to think of it, it’s hard to blame her. That Christmas party is a real trauma.

Luckily, I overwrote that memory by staying up all night and watching <Documentary of the 15 Years Old Onii-sama> with Kaju. I barely recovered from the nightmare.

“By the way, I saw Yanami-san sighing depressingly after I arrived. What happened? Did Himemiya-san and Hakamada announce their marriage?”

“How come Nukumizu-kun is rubbing salt on my wound upon seeing me…?”

The earlier you die, the earlier you see nirvana, girl.

Yanami frowned and recoiled her shoulders.

“That’s impossible. Those two remain the same. They are mean, but I’m kind of used to it.”

“Then you didn’t need to call me over, right? Don’t you still have your friends?”

Yanami’s face turned dark again. She stared at me and spoke up.

“...Nukumizu-kun, you have been hanging out with Shikiya-senpai lately, right? I saw you flirting with those two from the student council after the closing ceremony.”

We weren’t flirting. If that counts, I won’t fall in love for the rest of my life.

“You know why I’m with them, right?”

“But everyone else doesn’t. People are spreading weird rumors about me because of that, you know?”

What do the student council and I have to do with Yanami…?

“...What kind of rumor?”

Yanami shook her head slowly. She squeezed the following sentence out.

“They say it seems I’m rejected- by you, Nukumizu-kun.”

…Huh? I rejected Yanami?

I was speechless. Yanami frowned and glared at me.

“Don’t you think this is strange!? If anything, I should be the one to reject you, okay!?”

“No, I wasn’t rejected. Also, remember not just to deny such rumors fervently.”

Yanami ignored my calm answer and approached me.

“It’s precisely because Nukumizu-kun has been playing around with the student council people, right!? That incident in the gymnasium is literally hell to me!”

I feel like I’m in hell right now. She had already forced me into the glass window in the observation deck.

Without losing her momentum, Yanami took out her hand. She’s about to poke my face.

“...Confess to me, Nukumizu-kun.”

“Ha?”

I was pressed against the wall like a kabedon. Yanami got her face real close.

“And then I’ll reject Nukumizu-kun! That will solve everything, right?”

I don’t think it will.

“Calm down, Yanami-san. I really didn’t do anything to the people in the student council. Everyone will forget about the rumor if you act normally.”

“Then what about everything I have suffered? Nukumizu-kun, can’t you be considerate to me!?”

Can’t you be considerate to me as well?

I took out snacks from my pocket to please Yanami.

“Calm down, Yanami-san. Here. It’s the mini yokan from Sugimotoya. You like it, right?”

“...It’s matcha flavored.”

She doesn’t like it.

Yanami tore the package and took a bite.

“Ah, but I think matcha is good too. Please bring Toraya yokan next time.”

Are her organs getting energy from the increased blood sugar level? She seems happier now.

I started changing the topic after seeing Yanami’s emotions cool down.

“Aren’t you here for a body check? Go to the reception desk.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? It’s this one.”

Yanami took out two tickets from her bag.

These are- the free lunch tickets from Tsukinoki-senpai.

The store is located on the 13th floor of the city hall, which is here.

“Nukumizu-kun, it was your birthday, right? I wanted to treat you to a meal or something.”

But this ticket is the reward for completing this mission, right…?

I’m not too satisfied. Yanami took out a thin, long box.

“Then, this is the surprise I have for you.”

… Surprise? I opened the box. There’s a blue ballpoint pen inside.

“Are you really giving me this? It looks expensive.”

Yanami curled the tip of her hair and looked outside the window as she spoke.

“Nukumizu-kun, the pen you have been using is in miserable shape, right? I chose this one because you can engrave your name on it- but that’s why I didn’t manage to give it to you on your birthday.”

I see. Also, I don’t think the pen I’m using is that bad.

Yanami raised her head and looked at me worriedly.

“...Do you not like it?”

“No, it’s cool. I was looking at it. My name is on it, right?”

I took the pen out of the box. This should be Yanami’s first time seeing the product too. Then, I looked down at the palm.

Let me see. There are some English letters at the tip of the pen-

The golden artistic letters form a name, Anna Yanami.

…Huh? Why is it Yanami’s name?

“Huh!? I messed up!”

Yanami quickly took the ballpoint pen from me.

“Hey, hold on, Yanami-san.”

“Sorry, let’s just say nothing happened! I’ll deal with this properly! I’ll gift you a new one whenever I have the chance, hmm?”

“I’ll feel horrible if you have to buy a new one after I have received one. Alright, let’s just get rid of the useless name with nail polish.”

“...Ha? Useless?”

Why is she mad?

“Then I’ll give it back to you after changing the name! Alright, let’s eat! No food will be left if we don’t hurry, alright?”

Yanami pushed me and forced me toward the restaurant.

Sigh, …I still didn’t get the pen in the end. Did Yanami give me the one she bought for herself? That’s impossible. Why would she choose the same ballpoint pen as I do?

Alright, Yanami is the same as usual. No point in thinking about it.

I sighed for the last time this year. Then, I saw Yanami glaring at my neck furiously.

“...What is it?”

“Nukumizu-kun, you have worn this type of scarf in school? Eh, did you wear that in the closing ceremony?”

Yanami tilted her head and pondered about it. As for me, I subconsciously gave a casual reply.

“I’ve worn it when it was cold before. I just don’t bring it to school.”

Yanami nodded emotionlessly and went past the restaurant’s automatic door.

I slipped through the door, following her. I’m still incredibly shocked by what I just said.

-I lied to Yanami.

It was a miniscule and trivial lie.

There’s no reason to hide it. Nothing will change if I say it.

However, I just wanted to do that for some reason.

And then I stopped.

Yanami suddenly turned around and stared at me.

“Eh, what’s wrong, Yanami-san…?”

Yanami didn’t answer. She smiled faintly.

After that, she reached her hand out and grabbed my scarf. She strangled my neck with considerable strength.

“Nukumizu-kun, don’t get a headstart before me, alright?”