Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 6 - Chapter 4.5

Literature Club Report - Special Edition

<I Choose You> by Anna Yanami

I'm standing in front of the usual convenience store.

But I can't go inside. The sign is down, and the windows are covered with sheets.

Someone spoke to me when I stared at the building.

"Hey, Ako-san. Did this convenience store close down?"

The clueless interloper is XX-kun. Oh dear, he knows nothing.

I saw them bringing new shelves into this building yesterday evening.

That means the convenience store will open again once the renovations are complete.

I took out 3 different types of boneless chicken from my bag after giving him a half-assed response.

XX-kun widened his eyes. My my, I know you won't understand.

The large sign along the road was also taken down, so a different chain store might move in once renovations are done.

That's why I got up early and bought boneless chicken from three different chains.

I plan to compare them and predict which chain will move in next.

Let's start with the first one.

When I bit into it, the aroma of spices filled my mouth. But the taste doesn't lose out, either. After the fragrance escaped through the nose, the meat's flavor spread throughout my mouth. Yes, this is the one I've decided on.

Though it's decided already, to be fair, I must also evaluate the second one.

The crunchiness upon the first bite is exhilarating. The juicy meat further boosted my already skyrocketing mood. This is it. It's decided.

But having said that, I must not let the third option cool down.

Despite its crunchy appearance, the finely textured breading danced on my tongue.

Each chew changes the texture and fragrance. It's bewitching, to be honest. This one is also a definite choice.

...Well, it seems I've decided on all of them.

Since I had no choice, I began planning a second round of evaluation, but XX-kun was staring at me.

Perhaps he wants some, too? How greedy of him.

However, since he always shares his food with me, I guess I should be kind occasionally.

XX-kun shook his head when I said he could take a bite.

"I'm not a fan of eating after someone else. I'll pass."

What's with this guy? So rude.

Annoyed, I stacked the three pieces of chicken and took a big bite.

He's still watching me as I savor the feast fit for a king.

"Ako-san, where will you eat breakfast once this place closes?"

I'll eat at home.

Because the only reason I started coming here was to go to school with OO-kun, but now that he has started going out with Jko-chan, there's no reason for me to come here anymore.

But I kept feeling better and better upon seeing XX-kun's anxious look.

I ignored him and shoved the rest of the chicken in my mouth.

Let him be anxious. He'll understand everything once the new store opens.

*

The day after the race is the last Sunday of March.

I stood alone in front of the south gate of Tsuwabuki High School, watching the clouds drift by.

The air already feels like spring.

There was no trace of winter left. The season was relentlessly moving forward.

I pushed my aching body to come here for no other reason than that Tamaki-senpai and Tsukinoki-senpai planned to show up before leaving Toyohashi.

"Hey, you're early, Nukumizu-kun."

As Yanami lined up next to me, she was nibbling on a small strip of kelp, possibly entering another phase of her diet with pacifier kelp-

"Isn't that kelp for making broth? You'll hurt your teeth, you know?"

"It's fried chicken."

…Ha? I did a double-take, but Yanami was unmistakably munching on kelp.

"Uh, do you ever hear voices from the walls at night? Are you okay with that?"

"I don't hear anything. Nukumizu-kun, people can get burnt by a cold spoon if they believe it's hot enough. Kelp can be fried chicken or even beef jerky if you believe hard enough."

By that logic, you could also gain weight from eating kelp out of sheer belief, right?

Yanami glared at me sharply while gnawing on her kelp.

"...What did you talk about with Remon-chan in the infirmary yesterday?"

"Didn't I tell you on the phone yesterday? She's switching to middle-distance running and aiming high."

"I heard about that, Nukumizu-kun. But that's not what I'm asking."

It seems that wasn't the conversation she was referring to.

Yanami bit off a piece of kelp with her front teeth.

"Remon-chan asked us to leave you two alone, and you're telling me that's all you two talked about?"

"We just made normal small talk. Nothing worth mentioning."

"You can tell me if it's nothing, right? Nukumizu-kun, you can't sneak ahead of me, okay?"

…Why are you being such a pain in the ass this time?

I recalled my conversation with Yakishio in the infirmary as I answered Yanami half-heartedly.

She was slightly different than usual. But that's also a part of her.

What I touched that day was just a fraction of her.

If I had reached out just a bit more, what would I have seen?

I still know nothing about the girl named Remon Yakishio-

"...Hey, something must have happened, right?"

Yanami was staring at my face while I was lost in thought.

"I told you, nothing happened. Isn't Yakishio supposed to come today? Wonder where she is."

"That's exactly what someone who's hiding something would say!"

Ignoring the troublesome girl, I saw a petite Tsuwabuki girl walking toward us from the school building. It's Komari.

"W-What are you two making a f-fuss about?"

"Hear me out, Komari-chan! Nukumizu-kun is definitely hiding something that happened yesterday!"

Komari snorted dismissively at the clingy Yanami.

"R-Relax. N-Nukumizu ain't got b-balls."

"...That's true. It's Nukumizu, after all."

Yanami, being suddenly convinced, left me feeling somewhat unsettled.

"Komari, have you seen Yakishio?"

Trying to change the subject, I asked, and Komari nodded.

"Y-Yakishio's binding the magazine. S-She'll be here when it's d-done."

"Remon-chan finished her manuscript!"

Yanami clasped her hands together, relieved.

Indeed, Yakishio had agreed to contribute to the club magazine being prepared for the senpais, and we had been waiting for her to finish her manuscript.

It seems like she'll make it just in time.

"Hey, the senpais are here!"

Yanami waved her hands energetically.

Following her gaze, I saw a minivan pull up in front of us and stop.

"Thanks for the send-off, everyone!"

Tsukinoki-senpai left the driver's seat excited and greeted us.

She's dressed in straight jeans and a plain collared shirt, with a towel draped around her neck.

"Koto, make sure to thank everyone properly. Thanks for gathering, everyone."

Tamaki-senpai stepped out from the passenger side, rolling his eyes as if weary. The very picture of a boyfriend burdened.

Komari and Yanami hugged Tsukinoki-senpai while I exchanged a quick handshake with Tamaki-senpai.

"I heard it, Nukumizu. You managed to beat Yakishio."

"It was with a handicap. It was more of a mercy than anything."

Tamaki-senpai glanced over at the girls and leaned closer to me.

"I won't ask what happened between you two-"

"Nothing happened, okay?"

"Well, it's all good if you two are fine with it. I won't ask what happened."

"I said nothing happened."

…Fine with it, huh? I don't know what Yakishio gained through our competition.

In a world where winning and losing matter, you can't avoid hurting or taking from someone.

Sometimes, that someone might be a person you care about.

And yet, she chose to continue.

"Nukumizu, take care of everyone, okay?"

Tamaki-senpai patted my back as he said that. It made a loud noise, but it didn't hurt.

"You too, senpai. Please keep your girlfriend at bay."

"I don't know if I can do that."

We smiled at each other.

I'll probably continue to see the senpais around.

But the time we spent together in high school is over, and we'll meet again as individuals.

Rebuilding our relationships from a different standpoint is unsettling, but I'm also looking forward to it.

"By the way, is Yakishio-san not here yet?"

"Uh, she had something to take care of and is running a bit late..."

I saw sparrows flying off the building as I looked around.

Yakishio burst from behind the school building just as I thought another group had taken flight.

She ran up to us quickly, presenting a stapled booklet.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! I made this club magazine just for you two!"

Sweat streamed down her forehead, outshone only by her radiant smile.

"You guys made this just for us?"

Tsukinoki-senpai seemed incredulous as she hesitantly accepted the magazine.

"Please take one as well, Tamaki-senpai!"

"Thanks. Wow, this actually means a lot."

As Tsukinoki-senpai opened the magazine, she removed her glasses and wiped her eyes.

"Ah, man, I was trying not to cry. You got me at the very end."

Tsukinoki-senpai browsed the content with wet eyes, and then her expression immediately disappeared.

"Komari-chan, you didn't write another Dazai reverse pairing, did you?"

"E-Ehehe, I just had to w-write it…"

Komari blushed with a shy smile. Tsukinoki-senpai smirked devilishly.

"Komari-chan, let's have a nice, long talk about your story next time, okay?"

"O-Of course."

Komari responded with the same evil grin as Tsukinoki-senpai.

Tsukinoki-senpai glanced at her watch and then turned back to me.

"Well, I'm counting on you to look after the Literature Club, Prez Nukumizu. I'm about to start my trembling days, fearing repeating a year in a new place."

"Putting the repeating part aside, I hope you're looking forward to your new life."

Tsukinoki-senpai made a lightly troubled face at my offhand remark.

"Honestly, I'm more anxious than excited. It wasn't until autumn that I decided to leave Toyohashi, after all."

"Eh, really?"

"Yeah, I actually love my hometown. I thought it would be nice to keep hanging out here forever, having people say 'oh, there she is again' as I walked into the clubroom-"

Tsukinoki-senpai slowly looked around at all of our faces.

"I felt motivated to strive toward my goals after seeing everyone. I wanted to set a good example as a senpai."

Tsukinoki-senpai tried to laugh it off jokingly but soon looked down with a serious expression.

Tamaki-senpai placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's time to go, Koto. We'll enjoy the club magazine later, everyone."

"Right, we don't have much time left. Thanks, everyone. I'll read it thoroughly once I'm settled in after moving."

Tsukinoki-senpai lifted her head, her face breaking into her usual sly smile.

As she waved and moved to get into the minivan, she turned back and pointed sharply at us.

"Everyone, graduation comes in the blink of an eye! So live without regrets and do what you love!"

We watched the minivan drive off hurriedly, and we stood silently, rooted to the spot.

They were here for less than 10 minutes.

But it felt like everything wrapped up neatly with their departure.

"Alright, I'll go for a quick run. Wanna join, Yana-chan?"

Yakishio broke the silence with her abrupt suggestion.

Yanami's eyes bulged as she munched on the second piece of kelp.

"Why me!?"

"You're eating kelp, so you must be dieting, right? Running is the best way to lose weight."

"Running? No way, my knees have been hurting lately."

Is Yanami so heavy that her kneecaps have begun to buckle under her weight?

As the two bickered, I subtly moved away, noticing Komari, who had already distanced herself.

I approached her discreetly and handed her a wrapped gift.

"W-What…?"

"It's your birthday tomorrow, right? You gave me something on my birthday, after all."

"Ueh!? T-That's…"

I looked away to hide my embarrassment after pushing the wrapped gift into her hands.

"Even though it's just a keychain, it has star sand inside. Don't open the bottle, okay?"

"T-Thank you…"

Komari muttered quietly and then froze in place.

I can't tell for sure, but I hope she's pleased about it.

Feeling awkward about the moment, I turned to leave, but Komari caught the hem of my jacket with her fingers.

"...What's wrong?"

"U-U-Uh, I-I'm mad at you, y-you know?"

Maybe it wasn't the best idea to give her a souvenir from a date with Yakishio for her birthday.

Komari tightened her grip on my jacket hem and plopped her head down as I mentally reviewed the choice of the gift.

"M-Making weird bets on your own, saying y-you would quit the club if you l-lost..."

Oh, that.

"But I won- alright, yeah, I'm sorry."

I can't argue with her being upset this time.

I apologized sincerely, and Komari muttered sulkingly.

"M-Make sure this is the only time you c-cheat, okay?"

I think it was more of a failed attempt. I didn't join the going home club, after all.

But silence is gold in times like this. While quietly letting her hold onto my jacket, I notice a piercing gaze fixed on us.

"What are you two whispering about? What do you mean by cheating?"

"We're talking about the Literature Club. Right, Komari?"

I smoothly passed the ball to Komari.

We won't be under any suspicion if she just snaps at me as usual-

"I-It's not something I-I can tell others…"

For some reason, Komari fiddled with her fingers embarrassingly.

Hey, why are you acting so suggestively?

Yanami's expression made a 180-degree turn, and Yakishio hugged her from behind.

"Did Nukkun cheat? With me? So what happened yesterday counts as cheating!?"

"Huh!? What are you talking about, Yakishio!?"

Yakishio's BS made Yanami's face even more messed up.

"You did something in the infirmary, didn't you!? You cheated, Nukumizu-kun!"

"I keep telling you nothing happened! Right, Yakishio?"

-I realized my defeat the moment I turned to her for confirmation.

Yakishio wore a mischievous expression over Yanami's shoulder.

"Well, I think it's not something to tell others. Should we keep it our little secret?"

Yakishio grinned slyly.

Komari gripped the hem of my jacket even harder upon hearing that.

"...G-Go die."

What do these girls have against me?

Yanami thrust a piece of kelp toward my face.

"You still have time to confess your mistakes now, Nukumizu-kun."

"C-Confess your sins a-and die."

"Nukkun, I'll carry our secret to the grave. Please relax."

I couldn't help but stare at the sky upon being encircled by three troublesome girls.

The cotton-like clouds are looking down upon the hustle-and-bustle on the ground with leisure.

I stared at the floating clouds and sighed quietly.

…Do I really have to take care of these girls alone from now on?

Perhaps I should've lost the race.

*

Literature Club Report - Special Edition

<Run, Run, Run> by Remon Yakishio

Run, run, run

I run fast.

Faster than my friends, faster than Dad, I am the fastest.

When I look back, I see Mom smiling a lot.

I was so happy that I ran even faster and became even faster.

Run, run, run

To make her smile more, I ran with everyone in town.

There were many fast people, but I was the fastest.

When I looked back, everyone was smiling, so I was happy and tried even harder.

Run, run, run

Wanting even more people to smile, I ran in a big city.

But in the big city, there were so many people who ran faster than me.

I didn't want to lose, so I ran a lot, but everyone kept passing me.

No matter how hard I tried, everyone just kept overtaking me.

I became so scared that I couldn't look back.

What if everyone isn't smiling anymore?

Thinking about this scared me so much that I couldn't run, and tears started falling.

Crying under a tree, a turtle challenged me to a race.

Much slower than me, Turtle-san kept challenging me.

I asked him if he wasn't afraid of losing because he kept challenging me even though he lost every time.

"It's scary, but I run because you are crying." He said.

Running with Turtle-san over and over, my tears dried up completely.

Before I knew it, I could run alone again.

I stopped looking back.

Not because I was scared, but because I knew without looking-

Everyone had always been pushing me forward.

So now, I just run straight ahead.

Run, run, run