Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 7 - Chapter 4.3

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Shiratama-san has vanished.

Prez, Yanami, and I gathered in the chapel where she was last seen.

"She didn't come out after I gave the signal. I went to check, but no one was there."

Yanami said as her limbs flailed around.

Prez looked up from her phone and shook her head.

"Asagumo-kun also confirmed that she didn't see her leaving the building."

Which means…Riko Shiratama is still hiding somewhere.

She must be planning something if she disappeared without a trace.

I straightened the wig's bangs, trying to refocus.

"There's no point in just standing here. Let's split up and search for her."

"Agreed. Fortunately, the guests haven't started arriving yet."

"Hey, can I have Shiratama-chan's bouquet later? Holding it is supposed to mean you're the next to get married, right?"

The first girl who took it didn't even get a chance to be rejected, not to mention getting married. But you do you, I guess.

We left the chapel and entered the venue's main building.

If Shiratama-san is hiding somewhere, it could be in the family dressing rooms. Or maybe the restroom or a storage room…

As I walked toward the entrance, thinking about the possibilities, I noticed two men at the reception desk talking to each other.

Camera bags are hanging from their shoulders- the real photographers have arrived.

"...Kazuko-kun, let's back off."

Prez grabbed my arm and pulled me back the way we came.

Yanami followed us, looking confused.

"Wait, what do we do now? What should I do?"

"Yanami-san, it's better if you're not with us. We're splitting up here."

Prez and I left Yanami behind and exited the building, returning to the front of the chapel.

"Let's hide first, Prez."

"Is there a good spot?"

"Over here."

I led Prez into the bushes between the chapel and the wall.

While the sides and front of the chapel have large windows, there's one corner that's out of sight.

We both let out a sigh of relief once we were sure we were hidden from view.

"This isn't good. We won't have any excuses if we run into the real cameramen."

"We have no choice. We should escape while we can."

"Going through the front entrance is too risky. They might be looking for us."

Prez pinched the brim of her newsboy cap and looked up at the high wall.

"We can just climb over this wall. I'll give you a boost, so climb up first."

The objective has been achieved. It's clear that deciding to escape was the wisest choice.

But then there's the issue of Shiratama-san. She could either come to terms with her feelings and return to her usual life.

-Or resolve to make a drastic move and abandon everything.

"...I'm staying."

I continued, addressing the surprised Prez.

"I can't just leave Shiratama-san like this. I need to see if there's something more I can do."

"Then I'm staying with you. I can't leave you here alone."

I shook my head.

"There's a large black duffel bag in the Drama Club room. Could you bring it here and toss it over the wall?"

Prez, frozen for a moment, looked at me with a surprised expression.

"...Did you anticipate this? From the beginning?"

"More like I was prepared for it."

My smartwatch showed the time as precisely 10:00 AM. The wedding is set to begin at noon.

In that time, I have to find Shiratama-san, convince her, get her changed, and ensure she participates in the ceremony.

...Yeah, that's all. I gave Prez a thumbs-up.

"Leave it to me. I'm used to situations like this."

Shit like this happens all the time in the Literature Club, and despite my looks, I'm the president, you know?

Just after 11:00 AM, guests began arriving at the reception.

As the waiting area and garden started to fill with people, I made my move from the hiding spot.

Not as Izumi Kazuko, the camera assistant, but as a plain high school boy, Student A.

Prez brought me the black duffel bag.

It contains a boys' uniform from Kirinoki High School borrowed from the Drama Club.

Students typically attend weddings in their uniforms, making this a perfect disguise that wouldn't draw any attention.

"Yeah, pants just feel so much more comfortable..."

I'm still not used to that breezy feeling, though it might be surprisingly refreshing in the summer…

Thinking about the hot summers of Toyohashi, I entered the indoor waiting area.

Chairs and tables line the walls, with glass doors opening to the garden on one side. The doors are wide open, letting in a refreshing early summer breeze.

I scanned the chatting guests for any sign of Shiratama-san, but it was clear she wasn't there.

As I reached the bar counter, I decided to grab some oolong tea and take a moment to calm down.

It's been over an hour since Shiratama-san went missing. She's probably hiding somewhere and hasn't moved.

The first floor is too crowded, so I guess I should search the second floor next…

Two ladies walked up beside me as I sipped my oolong tea.

"Wow, Noritama-chan looks so cute. She's too good for Tanaka-sensei."

Huh!? This is- Amanatsu-sensei!?

I quickly turned my face away, and then I heard the second lady speak.

"Ara, that girl is perfect for an older gentleman. She's so responsible. She needs someone who'll let her relax and be spoiled."

Konuki-sensei too. I slowly edged away, trying to stay unnoticed.

"I want to be spoiled too, okay…? Should I have bought that apartment…?"

"Konami, have you been drinking already?"

"This would only be 1% of my power had I drank."

She's like this even in her personal life? I slipped away while the teachers were caught up in their conversation.

Shiratama-san clearly isn't in the crowd. That means she's probably hiding somewhere quieter…

Avoiding attention, I made my way down a dimly lit hallway leading to the back area.

A little further along, I found a door marked <Storage>. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, I turned the doorknob. It's not locked. I slowly opened the door.

"Shiratama-san, are you in here…?"

The storage room is pitch black. As I fumbled for the light switch- someone suddenly grabbed my hand violently.

"Hya!?"

"Where did you go, Nukumizu-kun!?"

She's- Yanami. She pulled me into the storage room and quickly shut the door.

The light from Yanami's phone illuminated our faces in the darkness.

"Why are you here, Yanami-san?"

"All of Shiratama-chan's relatives arrived right after you left! I would've been dead if her parents found me! I've been running around like crazy to avoid them!"

Before I could respond, Yanami got right up in my face, not giving me a moment to speak.

"And get this! One of her uncles caught me right before I hid in here! He kept saying it was good to see me after so long, but I had never met him before! And he called me fat five times! Five friggin times! After I lost three whole kilos, you know!?"

"Uh, well, it's good you didn't get caught. But we need to focus on finding Shiratama-san."

I tried to calm Yanami down as I checked the time on my phone.

It's already past 11:15. The wedding is set for noon, so we're running out of time.

Once Yanami had vented her frustrations, she seemed satisfied and put on a blue mask.

"Alright, Nukumizu-kun, help me out. She wasn't in the bathroom, so the only place left to check is the second floor."

So, it really comes down to that. I nodded silently and opened the storage room door.

The second floor houses the bride and groom's waiting rooms. While it appears that no guests ventured up there, relatives and friends often come by to offer greetings, so there's a fair amount of foot traffic.

We started by exploring the area opposite the bridal suites, heading left after ascending the stairs.

At the far end of the hallway, we checked out a meeting room about the size of a small classroom.

This was the place where we first received our briefing during the tour, and today, it seems to be temporarily used as a storage area.

I even checked the balcony through the large window at the back, but there was no sign of Shiratama-san.

As I exited the room, Yanami, who had been checking the other rooms, shook her head.

'She's not here either."

-That leaves only the area with the bride and groom's waiting rooms.

Yanami gulped nervously.

"You don't think something drastic happened, right? I don't want to be the first one to see someone getting stabbed by a knife. You go first, Nukumizu-kun."

"There's too much foot traffic for anything like that. She's more likely hiding in the banquet hall just beyond."

"The banquet hall…?"

Yanami crossed her arms, deep in thought.

"What's wrong?"

"I've got it. It's the cake…!"

"Are you hungry?"

"I am, but that's not it. You know how at weddings there's that huge cake that's taller than you? What if Shiratama-chan ate her way into it and is hiding inside?"

Wait, is she serious? Of course, she is. This is Yanami we're talking about.

"You know, aside from the part they cut into, that cake is usually just for show."

"Eh? The cake is a lie? You've got to be kidding me."

The 16-year-old Anna Yanami stands stunned by the revelation.

I get that she's shocked, but this really isn't the time.

"Look, I'm sure you could order the whole thing to be real as an option. Come on, let's go."

"Was it all real during the real estate bubble era…? Maybe back then everything was real cake...?"

"Yeah, let's hope the bubble era comes back."

I said, urging Yanami to hurry up as we made our way back toward the stairs.

Just as we reached the staircase, a middle-aged woman who had been coming up stopped in front of us.

"Ara, could you be Riko-chan? Do you remember me? It's Aunt Mitsue from Kosai."

What?! Shiratama-san's relative, here of all places?