Love is Triangular△, Love is Smooth● (1-10)

thanks Ai, Vivi for reviewing!
==============
恋は三角△ 愛は円満 ●
Behold, the event title that can be written 500 ways!

-Opening sequence-

Akari: "Don't take away my Onii-san!"

-Story tab-
Akari: "Told you I'm growing every day. And now I'll prove it to you."

-Challenge tab-
Hotaru: "...Mm~...? I'm going toooo~...? ...I'm sleepy, sooo... Let's finish it quickly, 'kaaay~..."

-Ex Challenge tab-
Yuuna: "There is a disturbance in the air, is there not... I will lend whatever meager assistance I can provide."

==============

-1-

Akari
There it is.

Hotaru
Mm~...doesn't seem that tough~...

Akari
That doesn't mean you can just go sleeping, got it?

Hotaru
I know, I knooow~...

Akari
Then let's get moving!
Yaah!
Good reaction! I'll end it in one swing.
Hotaru, back me up!

Hotaru
...'Kaaay~... I'm throwin' iiit...here comes the pillooow~...
Heeere~ we gooo~...

Akari
And with that...
It's over!

Witch
…………!?!?!?

Akari
Huu... It really wasn't strong at all, was it?

Hotaru
Mm~...Akarii...you thiink...you got a little bit stronger~...?

Akari
Eh-! Really?
Ehehe~...

Hotaru
Must be a growh spuurt~...
Alrighty theeen... I'll take yaa...let's head hoome~...

Akari
…………
Why are you always taking me home after witch hunting?
Like when we go play, you walk me home too.
Even though you end up falling asleep on the ground nearby...

Hotaru
'Caauuse~...Akarii...
Even when you transfooorm... And you're sixteeeen...
You're reeaally...still a grade schoooler~...

Akari
Mu-...

Hotaru
It's about that time when grade schooolers... Shouldn't be wandering around alone~...

Akari
Don't treat me like a child!

Hotaru
Don't poouut~... Think of it being for my saaake~...

Akari
...For you?

Hotaru
If I let you go home alone, Akariii... I'll be the one getting scoldeeed~...

Akari
...Ahh, public image, you mean.

Hotaru
Yup~...

Akari
Guess it can't be helped then...
I'd feel awful if you got scolded,
so I'll forgive you for treating me like a child.

Hotaru
Hooo~ray... Akariii...you're so kind~...

Akari
Alright, let's go home.

Hotaru
'Kaaay~...

---

Hotaru
Mm~...sleepy~...

Akari
It's hard to tell who's taking who home when it's like this...

Hotaru
I'm okaaay~... We're almost at your home, riiight~...?
'Til then I won't...sl...ee...p...

Akari
Aren't you falling asleep right now...!?

Nikaido Haruto
Akari.

Akari
Haruto Onii-san! I'm back!
Were you waiting?

Haruto
I was just thinking it was about time you came back.
Yura-senpai, thank you as always.

Hotaru
Mm~...that's my liiine...
'Cause Akari iis...alwaays...taking good care of meee~...
Alright...I'll be off theeen~...

Haruto
Oji-san and the fam are eating at my place today.

Akari
Papa and everyone are!?
(Awesooome!)
(I get to eat dinner with Haruto Onii-san!)
I'll hurry back to my place and get ready!

Haruto
We're neighbors, it's not like you have to rush yourself.


-2-

<The next day>

Akari
Good morning, Haruto Onii-san!

Haruto
Morning, Akari. You're up earlier than usual.

Akari
Hotaru has class duty today, so I'm off to wake her up earlier than normal.

Haruto
So that's why you're so full of spirit.

Akari
Guess so.
(...What I said isn't a lie,)
(but the main reason I'm so motivated)
(is because Hotaru leaves her house early on class duty days,)
(so I get to be together with Haruto Onii-san on his way to school)
(for his morning club training while passing by Hotaru's house.)

Haruto
What's wrong, Akari?

Akari
...Um, Onii-san, the tie on your uniform is crooked.
You mind crouching a bit so I can fix it?

Haruto
Oh - It's 'cause I was in such a hurry...

Akari
There, fixed it.

Haruto
Thanks. You really are a reliable one, Akari.
Since I'm like your older brother,
I oughta become more reliable too...

Akari
…………
(Still treating me like a younger sister...)
(Even if you've been watching over me since the moment I was born,)
(I wish you'd like me as a girl, not a younger sister.)
(I've put so much into appealing to you,)
(so it'd be nice if you noticed a little...)
(...The wall between five years is just that thick, isn't it.)
(If we were in the same grade, we could be going to our clubs together.)
...Haruto Onii-san, clubs are fun, aren't they?

Haruto
They are fun.

Haruto
You're pretty curious about club activities, huh?

Akari
Because, Haruto Onii-san, you've been doing lots of club activities lately.

Haruto
Ahaha...
When I think it's now or never I just get fired up.

Akari
(Well, that's true...)
(You are following Oji-sama's footsteps)
(since you have to lead the Nikaido group,)
(so I do understand why you want to do what to do while you still can.)
(...It's because of that)
(I get so lonely spending less time with my Onii-san, though.)

Haruto
Though I'm going to have to take a day off from today's after-school activities...

Akari
Why?

Haruto
Father's got stuff for me to do, so he told me I have to hurry on back.

Akari
Oji-sama did? Is it to help the company?

Haruto
Uhh...he didn't really give me the details.
Some kinda "good prospects" for me apparently though...
He's been in some wacky mystery mood since he got back from dinner last night.

Akari
(...Huh? Come home early-)
Maybe we could walk home together today?

Haruto
Fine with me, but would Yura-senpai be okay?

Akari
She's fine!
Even Hotaru should be independent from time to time!
So Haruto Onii-san, will you go home with me?

Haruto
Alright, let's do that.
When class is over I'll come meet you at your classroom, okay?

Akari
Yeah-!
(Scooore!)


-3-

Akari
…………
Hoootaruuu! It's morning-! Get your butt uuup!!

Hotaru's Voice
Au-~...!?
Whyyy~...would you knock meee... Outta my beeed~...?

Akari
S-sorry... I was a bit too forceful there...

Hotaru's Voice
Ehh~nn... You're horribllle~...

Akari
That was wrong of me... I apologize, so cheer up.
I'll help you change your clothes.

Hotaru's Voice
Mm~...I'm not angry with you thouugh~...
But if you're gonna help meee... Then please dooo~...

---

Hotaru
Huwaaa~...

Akari
Be sleepy all you want, but at least walk straight.

Hotaru
Mm~...todaaay... You're in a good mooood~...
'Cause you alwaaays...
Tell me... "Go walk on your own"~...
And you neeever...chaaange...my clothes for meee~...

Akari
That's because Haruto Onii-san's walking home with me today!

Hotaru
Heeeh~... Nikaido-kun...doesn't have club stuff todaaay~...

Akari
It's not that there isn't, it's that he's going to be absent.
Oji-sama told him to come home early today.
So that's why I'm not going to be looking after you when school's out.
But your class duties... You can do them by yourself, right...?

Hotaru
Mm~...I'll tryyy~...
Buuut...that's unusual, isn't iiit~... For him to miss out on his cluuub~...

Akari
Now that you mention it, maybe it is? School is top priority for him...

Hotaru
Maybe they're planning soooome~... New PuchiUsa merch or somethiiing~...?
Pretty suuure...PuchiUsa relaaated... Business iiis...
Almost entiiirely...Nikaido-kuuuns... Responsibility, riiight~...?

Akari
It's also experience for when he inherits the company.
But...I think this time it's different.
Haruto Onii-san said he didn't even know what he had going on either.

Hotaru
...Mm~...?

Akari
But it's some kind of "good prospects" for Onii-san.

Hotaru
In other wooords... It's a surpriiise~...?

Akari
That's right, Oji-sama seemed like he was in a happy mood,
so it's got to be a super nice surprise.

Hotaru
Mm~...mmm~...
(Excitement's spreading all arouuund... For this surpriiise...)
(It's prooobably... Not anything amaziiing~...)
(...At leaast... That's what I'm thinkiiing~...)

Akari
Ehehe~... Can it just hurry up and be after school already~...

Hotaru
(Akari's as happy as can be thouuugh... Whaaatever~...)
(If I dampened her moood... I'd feel real baaad~...)


-4-

Haruto
Akari, sorry for the wait.

Girl (Left)
Ah-! It's Akari-chan's Onii-san!

Girl (Right)
Coming all this way to pick her up, you're so sweet.

Akari
He is kind...but...
(He's not actually my brother.)
(He's a distant relative who lives in the neighborhood, you know.)
(Every we go, people see us as older brother and younger sister.)
(Papa and Mama, even Nikaido's Oji-sama and Oba-sama.)
(They all treat us the same...!)

Haruto
Are you maybe... Not ready to go home yet?
Can Onii-san give you a hand with anything?

Akari
Nope, I'm set! Let's go-!
(I get to spend more time with you than normal. I need to enjoy it-!)

---

Akari
We gathered everyone in the class
to look for our bunny that ran away,
but we couldn't find him at all...
There wasn't anything we could do, so I went back to the rabbit hutch.
And that's when...

Haruto
Yeah?

Akari
Before I knew it, there he was, back on his own
in front of the rabbit hutch. It surprise me so much.

Haruto
Think he got tired of playing and decided to come home?

Akari
Probably, yeah.

Haruto
But it's a good thing he was safe and sound, huh.

Akari
Yeah-!
(Just a little further and we'll be home...)
(The truth is I want to spend more time with you, Onii-san...)
(But to tell you something that selfish - I can't trouble you with it.)
.....Ah-!
(That shop over there has a ton of PuchiUsa goods in it!)

Haruto
Wanna take a little detour?

Akari
Can we!?
...Ah, but...you have to get home early, don't you...?

Haruto
It'll be fine if it's just for a minute.

Akari
Th-then, just a peek...!

---

Akari
Ehehe~... PuchiUsa is so cute!

Haruto
I'll buy it for you if you want.

Akari
――っ!?
Ah-! Y-you got it wrong...!
PuchiUsa is a character you drew for me, Haruto Onii-san, so it's just special to me is all...
I don't like childish stuff like this...!

Haruto
Ahaha...so that's how it is.

---

Haruto
Good to go?

Akari
...Yeah, ready.
(What, just because you're charming you think you can be pushing me like that?)
(Hmmph-!)

---

Haruto's Father
You're finally back!

Haruto
Tou-san!? You didn't have to wait outside...

Haruto's Father
I just couldn't stand still.

Haruto's Mother
Akari was with you, was she? Welcome home.

Akari
I made it back, Oba-sama!

Haruto's Father
Alright, Haruto, let's go and meet your fiancée!

Akari & Haruto
.....Ha-...?
FIANCÉE!?

Haruto's Father
It's great you're here too, Akari,
since I hadn't told you yet either.

Haruto's Mother
Huhu, he was so overjoyed
he went and told Akari's parents first, you see.

Haruto's Father
Only because they're practically second parents to Haruto.

Haruto's Mother
Huh? Akari, are you listening...?

Akari
Fi...ancée...


-5-

Hotaru
Suu...suu...

Akari's Voice: HOTARU--!!

[*SLAM!*]

Akari
So you were sleeping after all!
Get up! What about your class duties!?

Hotaru
Mmm~...they're finiiished!... I'm tiiired...so I'm nappiiing~...

Akari
Eh-! Is that so? Isn't that just great.
...Not!
Get up! It's awful!

Hotaru
..Mm~... Akarii...?
Did youu... Not go hoooome~...?

Akari
I went home but I came back! It's horrible!

Hotaru
Horrible~...?

Akari
Haruto Onii-san's getting married!

Hotaru
...Heeh~...married, huuuh...
(Knew iit... It was some bad surpriiise...)

Akari
Anyway, listen!

-Flashback-

Akari
Fi...ancé...
Huh, Haruto Onii-san... You had a fiancée...?

Haruto
This is the first I've heard of it too...

Haruto's Father
It was a spoken promise long ago,
but thankfully she remembered too.
Now that Haruto's a high schooler too
we decided to get the serious talks rolling.

Haruto
This is so sudden...

Haruto's Father
You said you didn't have a special someone, didn't you?

Haruto
...Is this what you meant when you asked me
if I had a special someone a while ago with no context...?

Akari
Haruto Onii-san...! Come here a second!
Haruto Onii-san, you have someone you like, don't you?

Haruto
――っ!?
I do, but...well... Even if I wanted to meet up...I can't...

Akari
But you like them, right?

Haruto
...Yeah.

Akari
Then go tell Oji-sama and Oba-sama and they might think twice!

Haruto
No...it's because it's a one-sided love...
That I don't think I can convince them...
I mean just look at them.
They're all in on the idea...

Akari
Uu...
(NO NO NO!)
(Haruto Onii-san, you can absolutely CANNOT get married!)

Haruto's Mother
No need to get all worried before you meet her.
Your partner's a very wonderful young lady.

Haruto's Father
I figured it would make us look better, I'm trusting you here!

Haruto
…………

Haruto's Father
It'll just be introductions this time, alright?

Haruto
I get it...

Akari
Eh-!?

-End Flashback-

Akari
...That's what this is all about!
What do I do... Haruto Onii-san's getting married!

Hotaru
Nikaido-kuuun...
Can't get married yeeet... 'Cause he's not old enouugh~...

Akari
I know, but! You know what I mean, right?

Hotaru
Mm~...if we don't do anything, you meaaan~...?

Akari
Right!

Hotaru
Refusing out of the questiooon~...?

Akari
Onii-san...?


-6-

Hotaru
Refusing out of the questiooon~...?

Akari
Onii-san...?

Hotaru
'Caauuse...Nikaido-kun... He's got someone he likes, riiight~...?

Akari
...Yeah. It's too complicated for me, though.

Hotaru
There's some special little probleeem... With who Nikaido-kun likes, isn't theeere~...?
And what's mooore...he treats youu... Like a little sisterrr~...

Akari
...Even if I try showing I like him, he doesn't even notice.

Hotaru
Mm~...setting that asiiide...
Nikaido-kun iis...being takeeen~...
Right nooow...to go see Ms. Fiancééee~...
If he ends up looking forwaaard... To this marriage proposaaal...
Then things end up bad for you, Akariii~...

Akari
...Yeah.
Oji-sama and Oba-sama want it, so they're probably pushing him to go for it...
And Haruto Onii-san, he's not good with handling pressure from family...

Hotaru
(He's so sweeet... To Akari tooo~...)

Akari
On top of that, this partner of his – she's some daughter of the Kaharu group!

Hotaru
Kaharuuu~...?
Mm~...Now wheeere... Have I heard that befooore...?

Akari
They're a super rich family!

Hotaru
I knooow... That much, buuut~...
Besides thaaat... I heard that name...from somewhere befooore...?

Akari
What do I do if Haruto Onii-san ends up taking a liking to her?
If that happens, I'm sure they'll get married...
It's that Kaharu family...
No matter how much prestige the Nikaido family has, there's no refusing them...

Hotaru
Mm~...for the time beiiing... Let's go to your house, Akariii...
The introductions should be overrr... Nikaido-kun's going to be on his way baaack...
I'll wait with youu...
And theen... We can listen to him togetherr~...

Akari
...Okay. Thanks, Hotaru.

---

Hotaru
...Huwaah~...

Akari
...You not sleeping feels weird...

Hotaru
Mm~...I want to sleeep... But I promiiised...that I'd wait with youu...

Akari
……………Ah-! I just saw Onii-san's family car!
Looks like they're back!

Hotaru
Theeen~...shall we gooo~...

---

Akari
Haruto Onii-san!

Haruto
...Don't tell me you were waiting for us to get home?

Akari
Forget about that, how did it go!?

Haruto
...Well, uh.

Akari
You didn't refuse, did you...?

Haruto
Yeah...
I guess the whole point was to introduce us.
They left out any marriage discussion...
And I didn't feel like I could get a word in...

Hotaru
Aaand...your pareents... They wanted thiis~...?

Haruto
There's that too...
Kaharu-san's parents were the same way...

Akari
...I knew you'd get swept away.

Haruto
Ahaha... Sorry I'm such a pathetic Onii-san.
But I do plan on refusing.
...Because I like her.

Akari
…………
(I'm worried...)
(Haruto Onii-san is so nice,)
(but if Oji-sama and Oba-sama tell him to)
(there is absolutely no way he could ever turn her down.)
(I have to do something here...)


-7-

<The next day>
<St. Liliana Academy>

Hotaru
...Heey~ ...Akarii~...
Is hiding necessaryyy~...?

Akari
We're here to observe the enemy's movement. We have to be careful...

Hotaru
Mm~...that sooo~...
Come to think of iit~...
Akarii... Whyy...Sakae Comprehensive anywaaay~...?

Akari
Eh-? Why ask this all of a sudden?

Hotaru
Nikaido-kun, tooo...
Considering the sizeees... Of your guys' hooomes...
I'd think you two wouuuld... Go to a rich kid's schoool~...
You knooow...like St. Lilianaaa... Or somethiing~...

Akari
…………
Haruto Onii-san went to Sakae Comprehensive,
so I asked Papa and Mama if I could go there too...

Hotaru
Mm~...theeen... What about Nikaido-kuuun~...?

Akari
Onii-san... Why'd he go? Because it's close?

Hotaru
But if he went to a rich schoool... He'd be able to take a car thoouugh~...?

Akari
Hmm...ah-!

-Flashback-

Haruto
[In that case, maybe I'll go to Sakae Comprehensive since it's close.]
[So don't cry anymore, Akari.]

-End Flashback-

Akari
There was a video of me from before I could remember.
Mama showed it to me,
but I guess I wanted to be with him so much I cried and cried...

Hotaru
Mm~...if the school's far awaaay~... He'll be late coming home every daaay~...

Akari
I was still just a baby so it's not like I can remember much...

Hotaru
Sooo...to stay close to home~... He decided to go to Sakae Comprehensiiive~...

Akari
What's more important is that we figure out how to get in.

Hotaru
"I'm going to go scout out Haruto Onii-san's fiancée", you saiiid...
And here we aaare... At the spur of the momeeent~...
But unauthorized peopllle~... Aren't allowed iiin~...

Akari
Uu-... I can't just sit still...

Hotaru
So now whaaat~...
We're not exaaactly... Acquainted or anythiiing...
With that Kaharu ladyyy...
Calling her down wiill... Probably be a probleem~...

Akari
Any way we could get help?

Hotori
Ummmm...are you having trouble...? Is there anything I could do to help?

Akari
Eh-? Ah...thank you kindly.

Hotaru
Waah~...that's some luuuck~...

Akari
Well, there's actually someone we want to see...

Rion
Hold it, Hotorin!
What do you think you're doing running off without me!?

Yuuna
Is something the matter?


-8-

<Moments ago...>

Yuuna
Now then, shall we return home? Hotori-san, Rion-san.

Rion
So, how'd it go?

Yuuna
How did what go...?

Rion
Your fiancé! You met him yesterday, didn't you?

Hotori
A-actually...I was wondering too.

Yuuna
That subject, is it?
I did speak with him one on one,
and I found him to be quite sincere.

Rion
Does that mean you have a good feeling about him?

Yuuna
No, during our discussions we mutually agreed
to wipe the slate clean.

Rion
Eh-!? So he wasn't a good guy at all?

Yuuna
There is no mistaking that he is a wonderful person.
However, there are matters I must attend to.
The person who I admire... To become an equal who can face Mami-sama,
there is much I must still learn...
Now is not the time to be getting preoccupied in other matters!

Rion
In other words, you're more interested in admiring than loving.

Yuuna
That is how it is.
We did talk about this when it was just the two of us.
We have yet to inform our own parents...
But he...Haruto-san seems to have a special someone in his life!

Rion
A lover!?

Yuuna
No, it is more of a secret crush, but it seemed quite romantic...

Rion
Romantic?

Yuuna
When Haruto-san was in poor health and fell,
his lady of interest came to his aid.

Rion
Clichéd as hell, but not bad.

Yuuna
And, though they had only just met, he became attracted
to the warmness of her kind heart.

Rion
So getting some TLC when he's down is all it took to win him over.
That's a cliché right out of a shoujo manga too, but it's nice, isn't it?

Yuuna
And listen to this...
It's a secret love that they cannot reveal to their parents.

Rion
――っ!?
A secret love!? What's that supposed to mean?

Yuuna
There isn't much regarding it... Due to their circumstances.
Though it seems he can only think of her in secrecy.

Rion
Kyaa-! now that's romantic!
Right, Hotorin!? You think it is too, right?
…………
Wait – where's Hotorin!?

---

Hotori
Ummmm...are you having trouble...? Is there anything I could do to help?

Akari
Eh-? Ah...thank you kindly.

Hotaru
Waah~...that's some luuuck~...

Akari
Well, there's actually someone we want to see...

Rion
There! How could you leave me behind!?

---

Rion
Hold it, Hotorin!
What do you think you're doing running off without me!?

Yuuna
Is something the matter?

Hotori
Au...sorry... They seemed like they were having trouble...
So, umm... There's someone you want to meet, you said...?

Akari
Y-yeah... Haruto Onii-san's fiancée...
Onii-san is too nice to speak up,
so I thought I would get to the bottom of it.

Hotaru
And I aam...her chaperooone~...

Rion
Ha ru to...Onii-san...? Haruto as in Kaharun's...

Akari
Kaharun...san? Ah – Kaharu Yuuna-san!?

Hotori
This person here is Kaharun... She's Kaharu Yuuna-san.

Akari
You are...

Yuuna
――っ!?
(T-this is...)
(The other day I borrowed a shoujo manga from Rion-san...)
(The heroine Haru-chan said "jump right over the age gap!")
(The rival upperclassman being scouted. This is entirely the exact same situation...)

Akari
(S-she's just standing there...staring...)

Yuuna
(...I full understand the situation now!)
(This is Haruto-san's special someone.)
(I'm certain the age gap is what he was so worried about.)

Akari
(...Are you glaring me down? 'Cause I'm not afraid of you!)

Yuuna
(And this girl,)
(just by her looks I can tell she is in love with Haruto-san...)
(Meaning the two...)
(Have a crush on one another!)


-9-

Yuuna
(To come all this way for your beloved...)
(how incredibly sweet you are!)
(I simply MUST give her all my support.)
If I may, could I ask for your name?

Akari
...It's Mai Akari.

Yuuna
Akari-san... An incredibly lovely name that is.

Akari
Eh-? Uhh, thank you very much?

Yuuna
I have only met Haruto-san once,
but I found him to be courteous, honest, and very nice.

Akari
Wha-!
(Oh no, she also likes Onii-san!?)
I-I know that all too well! 'Cause we've been in such a long relationship-!

Yuuna
Well, of course.

Akari
(This is the composure of his fiancée!?)
(Uu...and this ojou-sama's a closer match in age, too.)
(I have no ammo to win with!)

Hotaru
Mm~...? They're kindaaa... Starting to miss each otherrr~...?

Hotori
They're not meshing well together, are they...?

Yuuna
(This is a maiden in love.)
(Devoting oneself entirely to their love,)
(it's as if my eyes lay upon the very heroine from that shoujo manga!)
There is no need for worry,
for we have already met and confirmed our feelings for one another.

Akari
Eh-...!?
(H-Haruto Onii-san said he turned you down though!?)

Rion
Ah, hold it – she's phrasing it vaguely!

Hotaru
This is turniing... Into a skit, isn't iiit~...

Yuuna
And for that reason...
Please allow me to support your pursuit of love, Akari-san.

Akari
…………Eh-?

Rion
You, you think this is amusing?

Hotaru
Mm~...you guuuys... Find it funny too, don't yaaa~...?

Rion
I don't care!

Hotori
Hey...Rion, let's go clear up the misunderstanding...

Akari
Umm, what do you mean by support me?
Yuuna-san, you like Onii-san too, right...?

Yuuna
I find myself having respect for him,
but I claim no desire for him.

Akari
...Thank goodness!

Yuuna
The love you two share is quite romantic,
so I rather hope and want a happy ending for you.

Hotaru
...Mm~...that theeere... Is also kind of a misunderstandiiing~...
So Nikaido-kuuun... Isn't in love with an elementary schoolerrr~...
And Akariii...is a distantly related relatiiive... More like a younger sisterrr~...

Yuuna
Oh, I thought...
Then, Akari-san's unrequited love...?

Akari
...Frustratingly, that part's right.

Yuuna
Then who is Haruto-san's special someone?

Akari
…………

Hotaru
It's a looong story... So how 'bout we take a walk~...?

Yuuna
In that case, let's go to a shop I simply must recommend.
I will have someone at the house arrange for a car.

---

Hotaru
That waaas... A suu~uuper long limousine~...

Manaka
Welcome! This is an unusual combo.

Akari
Ah, Manaka-san...

Yuuna
An acquaintance of yours?

Akari
Well...

Hotaru
~ We're mahou shoujo from the same uniooon... So we have a connectiooon~...~

Yuuna
~ Ohh... So you are all mahou shoujo then. ~

---

Yuuna
Huhu, how unexpected of us to have a common interest...

Rion
Let's get to ordering! I'm starving!

---

Manaka
Orders taken! And now...

Everyone
――っ!?

Manaka
~ A witch's signature...it's near the store! ~

Yuuna
~ You are occupied with running the store, ~
~ so allow us to go in your stead. ~

Manaka
~ Asking you to do that – is it really okay...? ~

Hotaru
~ ...Won't your servaaants... All start asking questions if you go~...? ~

Yuuna
~ There will be no issues. ~
I wish to have a little private chat, if you would be so kind as to excuse yourselves.

Man Servant
As you wish.


-10-

Rion
We didn't even need everyone to come handle this!

Hotaru
...Aaand... How is heee...?

Akari
Looks to be okay...
But why did it have to be Haruto Onii-san...

Hotaru
Mm~...shoulda knooown... He's popular with the witches tooo~...

Yuuna
Has he been in harm's way before?

Akari
Yes, and I've saved Haruto Onii-san before too.
Actually, back then...

Haruto
…u…………

Hotaru
Looks like he's come tooo~... We gottaaa...go hiiide~...

Akari
Eh-!? Wait...!

Hotaru
And with thaaat...you'll figure oouut... Who Nikaido-kun's...special someone iiis~...

Everyone
...?

Akari
(D-don't leave me out here alone!)

Haruto
...uu~n...? What was I...doing...?

Akari
...You've woken up?

Haruto
――っ!?
Y-you are... You saved me before...!

-Flashback-

Haruto
...What in the world was I...?

Akari
Umm, you didn't look too well, so I was looking after you...

---

Haruto
Not only did you save me, you're taking care of me.
Honestly, I don't know how I can thank you...

-End Flashback-

Haruto
To think I'd get to see you again...
Well, did you come to take care of me again today?

Akari
...Something like that.
(Back then...I saved Haruto Onii-san from a witch,)
(and now he's thinking I'm someone that's not Mai Akari...)

Haruto
Haha, all I'm doing is showing you my shameful side...

Akari
No you're not.
More importantly, are you resting well? You seem like you might be fatigued...

Haruto
...You're...right. Recently so much has happened...
But being cared for like this has lifted my spirits.

Akari
Still, be careful not to overdo it. You need to take care of yourself.

Haruto
Thanks so much.
Are you filming today too?

Akari
...!
Y-yeah... I am.
(When we first met I just came up with a lie on the spot.)
(And you still believe it, don't you...)
(I'm so sorry, Haruto Onii-san...)

Haruto
…………
By the way, that costume...
That's the one you were telling me about for your upcoming program about a transforming heroine, isn't it?
Is PuchiUsa a part of the costume?

Akari
Eh-?

Haruto
That mascot character...
I make those at the company my dad manages.
If we're collabing with your program I figured my dad would know you...

Akari
(Ah-! Crap...!)
T-this is just something I like! I'm in the middle of a break so I was just wearing it.

Haruto
So that's it then. I'm happy you like it.

Akari
Umm...well... I should get back soon...

Haruto
Ah-...I'm holding you up. Excuse me...
You're in the middle of work still after all.

Akari
Alright, I'm off. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?

Haruto
Yep, thank you very much.
...Haa... I knew she's such a wonderful person...

Everyone
…………

Yuuna
...Umm, what is the meaning of this?

Rion
I think I get it...

Hotori
Yeah...

Rion
Akari saved Haruto the same way as last time,
and back then she quickly made up a lie about her mahou shoujo form,
saying she was in the middle of filming as a transforming heroine, am I right?

Hotaru
Yup~...
So Nikaido-kuun... Likes the kid as she is right nooow~...
Buuut...
He hasn't notiiiced... That it's actually Akariii~...

Yuuna
...! Ahh...!
You certainly did say that Haruto-san's special someone
was the one who saved him when he fell ill.

Hotaru
Yup~...and this is what I meaaant~...

Rion
Hey...so you're saying this...
This is a love triangle between Akari, 16 year old Akari, and Haruto, isn't it!?

Yuuna & Hotori
――っ!?