《Ashita, Hadashi de Koi.》 Volume 1 - Prologue Prologue ¨C One Thousand and One Second Stories After school. I could hear the sound of time ticking away. Spring. Freshman year of high school. It was a rainy afternoon, and I was alone with her in a small club room. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s say, after about ten years¡­¡± Nito spoke as if a thought had just occurred to her. ¡°We¡¯ve already graduated from high school, we may or may not have gone to college or something, we may or may not be working¡­ anyway, when we¡¯re all grown up.¡± I looked up and saw her. She was hunched over, adjusting the angle of her phone and tripod. ¡°I thought that this was how I would remember my time in the club room with you, Meguri. That such a time existed in my life. A page from my youth.¡± ¡°¡­Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I had a hunch.¡± Nito looked at me and smiled. ¡°And my hunch is often right!¡± ¡°Hmm. Then I¡¯ll have to remember what you just said for the next ten years¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, please. I¡¯ll probably forget about it.¡± That may be the case for Nito. Even what she just said was a fleeting thought. It might not have a deep meaning or intention. But it now seemed special to me. I felt like those words meant so much to me, and I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t forget them in ten or twenty years. ¡°¡­Okay, all set.¡± Nito nodded and sat down at the piano. To test it out, she danced her fingers across the keyboard and played a strange melody. ¡°Well then, I¡¯m going to record now. Just be quiet for a minute, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm? What¡¯s up?¡± Nito turned to face me, her fingers still on the keyboard. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you today, Meguri?¡± Her head tilted in wonder as she locked her gaze on me. ¡°You seem disoriented and sluggish.¡± Indeed, I¡¯m acting strange today. I had a pretty awful FPS match earlier, and I was having trouble keeping up with my conversation with Nito. It¡¯s all¡­ because of the view in front of me. The warm colors that blotched her silhouette. The light blue pedicure on her bare feet. The melodies played through her fingertips, the shimmering dust in the air as the sun set, and the uncertain ten years into the future. I was on the verge of being overwhelmed by the scenery, and I couldn¡¯t seem to suppress my feelings. ¡°I like you, Nito.¡± I had already blurted out those words before I realized it. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if you¡¯d like to go out with me¡­¡± The smartphone camera was probably already recording. I was caught in the act. Still, I couldn¡¯t stop. Nito was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. ¡°Um, how can you say that in this occasion?¡± ¡°¡­Right, sorry.¡± Yes, it was too abrupt. I should have planned a more thoughtful setup. Being confessed to on the spur of the moment most likely irritated her. Anxiety began to creep in. Regret has taken over my brain¡¯s CPU. I¡¯ve failed. I¡¯m going to be rejected¡­ I bit my lip, and at that very moment¡­ ¡°¡­Please take care of me.¡± Nito said. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with me¡­ the please take care of me.¡± I looked down at her pedicured feet, which were neatly lined up on the floor. Her gaze was fixed on me. ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No kidding?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± ¡°With me?¡± ¡°Who else would it be¡­?¡± She got all bashful. ¡°Yes, you.¡± When she said that, I cheered. I held her hand, almost dancing with joy. ¡°This is like a dream. Thank you!¡± ¡°Huh, you¡¯re that happy¡­?¡± ¡°Of course! Because, after all, you¡¯re going to be my girlfriend, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. I¡¯ll be your girlfriend. Ahh, saying that out loud was so embarrassing¡­¡± Nito looked at me modestly, her hands on her flushed cheeks. She paused for a moment, trying to decide what to say, and then¡­ ¡°¡­From this point forward, I hope we can get along well.¡± The look on her face¡ªI was convinced. I felt it in my gut. I was sure. I¡¯m confident that many happy days lie ahead. A lot of joy and happiness awaits us. I thought, ¡°This is where it all begins.¡± My high school journey with Nito will begin on this day, in this place. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll both be happy!¡± I found myself shouting that. And then¡ª [End of Prologue] Volume 1 - CH 1.1 Three years flew by in the blink of an eye, and high school was over. After the graduation ceremony, I sat on a bench near the main gate, remembering the day of the entrance ceremony. ¡°That didn¡¯t take long¡­¡± A lustrous scent that dissipated into the air. The late-afternoon sun grazed against my uniform. The countless petals of cherry blossoms dancing in the spring breeze drew my attention. Pale pink petals undulated, swirled, and flowed like living creatures. The darkness of the graduates¡¯ uniforms stood out well against that hue. A sense of elation hung in the air, like the final scene in a movie. ¡°It¡¯s like a well-written comic book.¡± I said to Makoto, standing next to me. ¡°I¡¯ve been playing scenes from the first and last chapter on a loop. They could be the only saving grace in this high school journey.¡± ¡°Apart from that, everything else is tossed out the window.¡± Makoto, while admiring the scenery, laughed, clearly amused. ¡°Events and high school-like happenings¡ªpoof.¡± She sneered at me, her short golden hair swaying. A petite body and a stylish uniform. The entire ensemble, which is generally against school rules, complemented her surprisingly mature face. ¡°Well¡­ I guess.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t so bad. I¡¯m talking about you squandering your youth.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Makoto laughed again, but I was actually quite depressed. I wanted to spend my time more meaningfully. Studies and club activities. Friendship¡­ and romance. I wanted to do my best with those things and make the best of my high school days. However, it was as Makoto had said. For three years, I couldn¡¯t really work on anything, couldn¡¯t give my all when the occasion demanded it and spent the rest of my life procrastinating. My grades were terrible. I didn¡¯t have many friends. I only have a few fond memories. I¡¯ve always been a slacker since I was little, and it¡¯s cost me opportunities. I have no right to complain because I deserved it. ¡°I would¡¯ve preferred a more exciting and memorable three years¡­¡± ¡°I understand your desire for it. But not everyone is capable of doing so.¡± ¡°Only a few, I suppose¡­¡± It¡¯s clich¨¦, but I think ¡°being able to do your best at something¡± is a talent. There are those who can and those who can¡¯t. A large portion of it is likely genetic, though some may be acquired. Of course, focusing on it won¡¯t help, and it¡¯s no reason not to try. But I just had no talent. ¡°The gifted ones are seriously amazing¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re way out of our league.¡± ¡°They work their butts off endlessly.¡± ¡°How do they manage it?¡± As we gossiped, I knew we were thinking of the same ¡°girl.¡± Makoto and I were members of the Astronomy Club. That girl was also a member. ? Nito. Chika Nito. ? After the most grueling three years of any high school student¡¯s life, she achieved success. Now she¡¯s beyond our reach. She didn¡¯t attend the graduation ceremony today. She was probably too preoccupied with her career to bother attending such an event. That¡¯s no surprise. She¡¯s moved out of her parents¡¯ house and is now living in a downtown dormitory. She also went to school between work. She said all this in an interview I saw online. I remember meeting her for the first time on the day of the entrance ceremony. It was near the main gate. ? ¡ªOh, I¡¯m so sorry! I was so fascinated by the cherry blossoms I could see nothing in front of me. ¡ªHi. I¡¯m Chika Nito. ? I swear I heard her voice just now. It was the same lines as that day¡ªher pleasant voice echoed in my ears. But then¡­ ¡°According to reports, Nito-senpai now has over two hundred million views!¡± Her voice was drowned out by Makoto¡¯s. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± ¡°She was also named as one of the candidates for this year¡¯s Kouhaku[1].¡± ¡°Damn. She¡¯s at that level?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that an international tour has been planned.¡± ¡°Wooow¡­¡± As I stood in awe, I tried to imagine Nito¡¯s various expressions. Laughing, crying, and getting angry. Expressions I should have witnessed during our time in the club room after school. But it just didn¡¯t work out that way¡­ ? ¡ªMeguri-kun. ¡ªMeguri Sakamoto-kun. ¡ªHmm, that¡¯s a nice name. ? I thought I heard her voice again as it faded into the wind. * ¡°Well then, thanks for the past two years.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Somehow, I¡¯ve got a feeling you and I will still end up getting involved with each other in the future.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We might even end up being classmates in uni.¡± ¡°Or you might end up being my junior.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯d like to avoid¡­¡± I had one final lighthearted conversation with Makoto, who saw me off at the front gate. This spring, I¡¯ll be a ronin[2]. I didn¡¯t get into any of the universities I applied to because I didn¡¯t put enough effort into studying for the entrance exams. I brought this on myself. But, as I said before, it would be too much for me to bear if I became Makoto¡¯s junior. If that were to happen, my last ounce of self-esteem would completely disappear. The wind blew through the area as soon as I sighed. The petals obscured my vision¡ªonce again, I could smell the nostalgic scent of¡­ ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Nito-senpai, aren¡¯t you?¡± Makoto hit the bull¡¯s eye. ¡°¡­Well, you know.¡± ¡°So pathetic. He¡¯s still hung up on his ex-girlfriend.¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be helped if it¡¯s someone like her.¡± Makoto was right. Also, Nito and I were together for a while. Looking back¡­ it was probably love at first sight. I ran into her near the main gate on the day of the entrance ceremony and instantly fell in love. It didn¡¯t take long for me to confess my feelings for her, expecting my heart to be broken. The beautiful long hair, the smile that bloomed like a flower, the sound of light footsteps, and the soft blue pedicure are all firmly etched in my mind. ¡°Let¡¯s just try to forget about it and move on.¡± Makoto then smiled, her face showing an uncharacteristically gentle expression. ¡°From being the most popular person in school to becoming a nationally recognized musician. She¡¯s always lived on a different wavelength to us.¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± She was right¡ªNito was way out of my league. I hate to admit it, but I¡¯m just a regular guy, slightly below average. My face is ordinary, as are my personality and abilities, and I¡¯m a bit of a nerd. So I¡¯m not sure why Nito, popular with all the guys, agreed to go out with me. I¡¯m sure plenty of other guys made advances on her, so I¡¯m curious why she chose me. I sighed and looked up at the school building. My high school years are nearing the end of the epilogue. Ending in regret. How did my high school journey end up like this¡­? ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Makoto sounded as if she had noticed something odd. ¡°Look, everyone¡¯s acting weird.¡± I followed her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Everyone had been conversing and taking pictures and videos of each other just moments ago. But they were now gossiping, with worried expressions on their faces. Some were staring at their phones, while others were typing and swiping furiously. ¡°Is this for real?¡± Someone exclaimed. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen her in a while.¡± Another person stated. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on. Was there a big incident?I hope it wasn¡¯t a disaster or something. ¡°¡­No way! Why?!¡± A loud voice suddenly rose from among the graduates. It was a petite, flamboyant female student. Her lips were twitching. She seemed familiar. As I recall, she had known Nito since childhood. ¡°Since the 20th?! That was a week ago! I haven¡¯t heard anything!¡± As if a catalyst, disorder erupted instantly, and the uproar grew even louder. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­Senpai.¡± While I was trying to make sense of things, Makoto beckoned me, looking at her phone. ¡°Look¡­¡± She then showed me the screen. I absentmindedly read the displayed news article, and¡­ ? [Breaking News] Singer Nito disappears after leaving a suicide note? March 27 ¨C Singer Nito (18) was unreachable for days, according to her agency, Integrate Mag. According to the press release, they lost contact with Nito after a rehearsal in Tokyo on March 20, and when they paid her a visit at her home, where she lives alone, they discovered a letter addressed to an acquaintance. The singer has been filed as a missing person, and the Metropolitan Police Department is actively searching for her whereabouts. Nito is a singer-songwriter who made her debut in high school during her freshman year after a music cover of hers went viral on an online video-sharing platform. Her enigmatic presence has made her popular among the younger generation. Her new songs have received critical acclaim not only in Japan but also internationally, and she was scheduled to perform in the US, the UK, China, and other countries. ? ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I was in denial. I understood what was in the article. I knew the implications. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to accept¡­ That Nito disappeared. That they haven¡¯t heard from her in a week. That she left a suicide note¡­ ¡°S-so, how about we try calling her?¡± Makoto navigated her phone. Her fingers twitched slightly, and I could see she was agitated. ¡°You see, it may just be a false alarm¡­¡± Makoto looked up Nito¡¯s phone number and called. She held the phone to her ear, waited a few moments, and then¡­ ¡°¡­It¡¯s no good. I can¡¯t get through.¡± She raised her head and leaned in closer. ¡°What are we going to do now¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer. All I could think about were my recollections of Nito. She was always smiling. She was always working hard. She was sweet, yet she could be obnoxious. ? ¡ªLooking forward to our high school life. ¡ªI¡¯m excited to work with you for the next three years, Meguri-kun. ? Her voice echoed in my thoughts. ¡°¡­Senpai? Where are you going?!¡± The next thing I knew, I was walking away. My feet seemed to drag me toward a ¡°certain spot.¡± It¡¯s probably not the time for such things, and going there wouldn¡¯t make any sense. Yet, somehow, I couldn¡¯t stop. I wanted to feel Nito¡¯s presence, even if only a little. ¡°Hey, Senpai! Wait!¡± I walked back into the school building in a daze, ignoring Makoto, who had followed me. [1] NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, more commonly known simply as Kouhaku, is an annual New Year¡¯s Eve television special produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. The program divides the most popular music artists of the year into competing teams of red and white. The ¡°red¡± team or akagumi is composed of all female artists (or groups with female vocals), while the ¡°white¡± team or shirogumi is all male (or groups with male vocals). At the end of the show, judges and the audience vote to decide which group performed better. The honor of performing on it is strictly by invitation, so only the most successful singing acts in the Japanese entertainment industry can perform. [2] In Japan, a ronin is a student who has graduated from middle school or high school but has failed to enter a school at the next level, and consequently is studying outside of the school system for entrance in a future year. Volume 1 - CH 1.2 I came to a stop in front of the Astronomy Club¡¯s room. In front of the small room where I used to hang out with Nito and Makoto. After noticing the door was unlocked, I entered the room. Makoto quickly followed. ¡°¡­Senpai.¡± ¡°For what reason¡­?¡± I could feel my strength leaving my body. I slumped into a chair beside me, unable to respond to Makoto, who appeared concerned. ¡°Why did she disappear¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°And leave a suicide note on top of that?¡± I considered my memories of her and the contents of the news article, and nothing made sense. In this room, I spent a lot of time with her. I raised my head and looked around. School supplies lined up. A world map, with Germany, still divided into East and West. A broken boombox, a desk covered in graffiti, and a dusty plaster cast. Even though it was a room for the Astronomy Club, it was more of a junkyard, with many old and worn-out items lying in the musty air. And then, there was the piano. The upright piano was in the corner of the room. My gaze was naturally drawn to it. Nito used to compose songs on the piano in the early days of her career, recorded videos of herself playing them, and uploaded them to a website. Now it felt like an old part of her, like a shell. ¡°¡­Senpai.¡± Makoto called out to me in a soft tone. ¡°Settle down for a bit. Can I get you something to drink or something?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± I didn¡¯t feel like drinking anything. For a moment, I considered whether there was anything I could do but quickly realized there wasn¡¯t. The police were already on the case. Anything extra would only get in the way. The least I could do was try to remember Nito. Her expression, her words, and her moments with me. The scenery, and the melodies of her voice, should have been burned into my memory by now. I¡¯m supposed to remember it easily. When we were alone together, I kept thinking, ¡°I¡¯ll never forget this view.¡± And yet¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± It was blurry. My memories of her had faded in my mind. ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­¡± I tried searching, but nothing came up. It had been nearly three years since we dated. And almost two years since we broke up. My days with Nito seemed so distant after all that time. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot. Oh.¡± A thought occurred to me. Then I moved in front of the piano. I opened the lid and reached for the worn-out keys. And¡­ ¡°¡­Senpai.¡± I played slowly, trying to imitate the melody of Nito¡¯s song. I¡¯ve rarely played the piano, and I¡¯m not an expert in music either. Still, one note at a time, I tried. I was afraid that if I failed, her existence would vanish. I kept making mistakes, but it all came together gradually. ¡°¡­You remember it well.¡± Makoto laughed bitterly next to me. ¡°I¡¯d almost forgotten about it.¡± ¡°I loved it. It was the best.¡± I responded while my fingers rested on the keyboard. ¡°It¡¯s been stuck in my head for a long time.¡± That was what I said to make myself feel better. To be honest it wasn¡¯t something I considered for Nito. That she¡¯d one day be driven into a situation like this¡ªher disappearing. I had convinced myself that she wasn¡¯t the type of girl who would be involved in such a tragic event. If only I had realized. Would the future have been different had I understood Nito better? Would I have been able to ease her suffering? ¡°¡­As I thought, you¡¯re still into her.¡± Makoto said resignedly. ¡°Into Nito-senpai.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, I guess I am.¡± I nodded. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± And then, I finished playing. I then told Makoto my true feelings. ¡°Nito still has my heart.¡± ? At that moment. A light obscured my vision. ? ¡°¡­Hmm?!¡± It was a brilliant flash of light. I closed my eyes instinctively. The bright light which had overwhelmed me disappeared a few seconds later. When I opened my eyes cautiously¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I was adrift in the dark. The previous scenery had vanished, and I was floating in total darkness with no end in sight. I felt weightless. It was neither hot nor cold. Everything felt numb. Then I noticed several wisps of lights circling me. They were dazzling, with varying speeds and sizes, similar to planets in orbit. ¡°What the hell is this¡­?¡± The speed of the lights revolving around me gradually picked up, perplexing me. They then turned into a whirlpool, spinning around me at breakneck speed and covering my vision with pink light. ¡°This is¡­¡± The view was nostalgic. It was a comforting sight. After a brief pause, I realized. Cherry blossoms. The petals looked like they were dancing. I smelled their lingering aroma. And I could feel the warm spring breeze caressing my skin. Then a thud. Something hit my chest. ? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± A voice said. ? ¡°I was so fascinated by the cherry blossoms I could see nothing in front of me¡­¡± ? It was a very familiar voice. It was the voice of someone I¡¯d known for a long time, someone I cared deeply about. The wind died down, and the flurry of cherry blossoms dissipated. Gravity returned to normal, petals fluttered and fell beneath my feet, and my vision cleared. ? A girl¡­ was right in front of my eyes. ? She had a bright, well-rounded smile on her face and was holding her long black hair with her left hand. Her lean frame. Her delicate fingers. Her shiny school shoes. ? ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Chika Nito.¡± ? She told me. ? ¡°You¡¯re also a freshman, right?¡± ? Her shiny black hair, innocent yet curious eyes, porcelain-like nose bridge, and pale, thin lips¡­ ? It was Nito. No doubt about it. Chika Nito was undeniably in front of me. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but look around. The two of us were standing in front of the main gate. An old mossy gate, typical of public schools. Nearby was a bleak-looking car turnstile. It¡¯s the entrance to Amanuma High School, which has been operating for fifty years. Students in the same uniforms gathered around us, as did adults who appeared to be their parents. An upbeat buzz and a festive day-like exuberance filled the air. I¡¯ve seen this view before. It was the entrance ceremony. Three years ago, at the entrance ceremony, Nito and I met. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± Nito looked at me, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You zoned out.¡­¡± ¡°O-oh¡­¡± I cleared my throat and responded automatically. ¡°I¡¯m a freshman, yes. My name¡¯s Meguri Sakamoto.¡­¡± I realized it was the exact same line I had said to her three years before. That time, yes. We ran into each other on the day of the entrance ceremony, in a blizzard of cherry blossoms. That was the start of it all. ¡°Meguri-kun. Meguri Sakamoto-kun.¡± Nito repeated my name. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a nice name.¡± She then chuckled. Seeing her expression, I finally figured it out. Hallucination. This was a hallucination brought on by my grief over Nito¡¯s disappearance. And it was exemplified by everything being the same as it was three years ago. The scenery, Nito¡¯s words, and the firmness of her shoes were all identical. Everything was a mirror image of what had occurred three years ago. When I looked closely, the Nito in front of me was far less sophisticated than her older self. Her style evolved significantly over her three years in high school, but what I saw in front of me was her freshman-year look. She was the same Nito I met that year when she still had the demeanor of a middle schooler. And I, too, have reverted to the person I was. My head was a little cold from over-cutting my hair, and my bag was brand new. My school uniform was stiff and a little too large for me. I remembered buying a larger one in anticipation of growing taller. I guess¡­ I¡¯m hallucinating. I¡¯m reliving the parts of my memory convenient to me. I¡¯m attempting to shield myself from the shock¡­ ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s how it is¡­.¡± I felt much better after I realized what was going on. It¡¯s no surprise that Nito was right in front of me if I hallucinated. I wondered what had happened for a moment, but then I realized it was simple. Well, for a hallucination, it¡¯s certainly detailed. Each student around me was in the same place they were three years ago. I even recognized a teacher I had forgotten about after transferring to a different school. But maybe that¡¯s just how it was. Despite my looks, I may have been concealing an ¡°exceptional memory.¡± ¡°Chika!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A voice called out to Nito from somewhere, and she responded. ¡°Sorry, I have to go.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see.¡± ¡°Looking forward to our high school life. Best wishes for the next three years, Meguri-kun.¡± Nito waved her hand at me and ran toward the voice. Then I remembered. Oh, right. She made that wave gesture. And as soon as I heard her light footsteps, I knew I was in love with her. Volume 1 - CH 1.3 ¡°¡­It¡¯s been way too long for a hallucination!¡± The entrance ceremony and class orientation were over. I walked down the hallway, finally free, talking to myself. I initially thought it was a pleasant hallucination. I got to see Nito again and reminisce about the good old days. Yes, I felt more at ease. When I return to reality, I believe I¡¯ll be able to act more calmly than before. But the thing was, the hallucination had been going on for about three hours. What¡¯s happening? Do you ever hallucinate for this long? Maybe I¡¯m slipping out of reality? And¡­ ¡°Every detail is overly realistic. Isn¡¯t this almost a reality¡­?¡± I¡¯m thinking it was. Everything was so vivid that I couldn¡¯t get over it. Is this what 5K is? Aren¡¯t many parts of this type of thing usually hazy? Since it was so realistic, I tried to make up for some mistakes I made in real life. For instance, when I introduced myself in class. Three years ago, I tried to be cool and made a fool of myself. As a result, I became an outcast at the start of my high school life. In this hallucination, I chose a much safer self-introduction. I also remembered a later incident where I left a printout for my parents at school and was severely chastised for it, so I neatly tucked it into my bag. This will give the Meguri in my hallucination a better start than in real life. Best of luck to you, self. But I was reminded of reality once more. ¡°Nito¡­ sure was amazing.¡± She was in the same class as me. And she was still a ¡°superheroine,¡± just like in real life. Because she had the highest score on the entrance exam, she was tasked with delivering the welcome speech at the entrance ceremony. In the classroom, she was immediately appointed to the class committee, and she proudly greeted her classmates from the first day. She wasn¡¯t just a pretty face¡ªshe was also a charismatic girl who drew the attention of many boys and was trusted by her teachers. ¡°That¡¯s right, she¡¯s been like that since the beginning¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic. When she wasn¡¯t yet the singer Nito. When she was by my side and laughing with me. Even though I was seeing her for the second time and knew who she was, she was as stunning as ever. For the first time in ages, I remembered that. However, I should be able to see a slightly different ¡°side¡± of her soon. ¡°And¡­ she¡¯s supposed to be here right now.¡± I muttered as I came to a halt in front of a room. The Astronomy Club room. It¡¯s still the day of the entrance ceremony. In real life, I ran into her again here. Astronomy fascinated me and inspired me to become a scientist one day. With that goal in mind, I joined the Astronomy Club to make the most of my high school years. And it was in that club room that¡­ I unusually met Nito. ¡°¡­All right.¡± I braced myself. I put my hand on the door and opened it emphatically. Then¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Sure enough, Nito was there. She was sitting on a chair in the old, worn-out room. She has gorgeous black hair, which I had gawked at a few times in class. And her pale cheeks and round eyes diffused the after-school sunlight. However, her posture betrayed the impression I had of her in class. First, she has taken off her indoor school shoes and socks. In addition, she had her bare legs crossed and placed on the desk across from her. To top it all off, her shorts underneath her skirt were exposed. It was unladylike. Nito was sitting in a carefree state. To make matters worse, she had a game console in her hand and was playing an FPS game, which she appeared to be completely absorbed in. ¡°Whoa!¡± Nito tipped over in her chair, making a loud noise. ¡°A-are you okay?!¡± ¡°Ow¡­¡± I dashed over and extended my hand. ? Nito grabbed it with a frown and staggered to her feet. ¡°Ah. I¡¯m so sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have shown you something silly. Meguri-kun, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I mean, I¡¯m sorry I came in without warning as well. I didn¡¯t think you were here¡­¡± ¡°I know right? Ha-ha.¡± As we talked, I felt strange once again. Isn¡¯t this too real for a hallucination¡­? ¡°Well, you¡¯ve witnessed me in a bad light.¡± Nito chuckled as she rubbed her butt. She may have hit it a little too hard. ¡°I was trying to conceal it here, in this place.¡± ¡°¡­He-he, what a terrible first day.¡± The nostalgia brought by the interaction made me laugh a little. She was nothing like the real, present-day Nito. That phenomenal singer, that honor student, was playing a game languidly in the clubroom. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not surprised?¡± Nito looked at me with curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ve just seen that I¡¯m not the same person I was in class.¡± ¡°A-ah, about that! No, I was surprised! I mean, it¡¯s nothing like the impression I had before!¡± ¡°Right?¡± She smiled wryly. Then she fiddled with her pedicured toes and¡­ ¡°At school, I would become the quintessential honor student.¡± That¡¯s right. This was the type of girl Nito Chika was. The Nito I knew had several facets. First, there was Nito the Honor Student, with excellent grades, good looks, and a strong sense of integrity. Another was Nito the Beauty, who drew admiration from both men and women. And then there was Nito the Singer, who sang against the backdrop of a clubroom. To the general public, she was Nito the Mysterious Artist. Lastly, Nito the Club Member. A high school girl who was rambunctious, messy, and slightly disheveled. I¡¯m sure each was genuine. Nito was a girl with many sides, and they weren¡¯t all fake. But the carefree Nito in front of me was the easiest for me to deal with. ¡°Oh, by the way, Meguri-kun. Are you planning to join the Astronomy Club?¡± ¡°Yeah, that was the plan.¡± ¡°I see, I see. Me too. Well, I¡¯m not interested in astronomy, and I just wanted to use this room.¡± Then Nito laughed mischievously. ¡°I have an older sister who¡¯s an alumna. She told me that the clubroom would be vacant this year.¡± ¡°So you went right over here and was just lounging around when I found you.¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± She giggled and then bumped me on the shoulder. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t expect someone to show up on the first day, you know? I guess I made a mistake.¡± She smiled wryly. Her friendly skinship and the scent of her shampoo were both very nostalgic. ¡°Well¡­ a lot of things can go wrong.¡± I scoffed to myself as I approached the piano. I felt like talking to her for a bit. ¡°I had a lot of expectations at the time, too. I hoped to have a good high school experience, make many memories, and get closer to my dream.¡± I placed my fingers on the keyboard. With a gentle press, a rustic tone echoed throughout the room. ¡°But before I knew it, it was over and I couldn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m left with a lot of regrets. I knew it would end up that way, but I never changed.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Nito looked at me dubiously. ¡°It was over? Never changed?¡± ¡°Yeah, I knew you¡¯d react like that.¡± It¡¯s such a realistic hallucination. Fortunately, Nito was unaware of the details of my regrets. To console myself, I started playing Nito¡¯s song. ¡°¡­!¡± Nito¡¯s eyes were wide open. I see. That¡¯s the kind of reaction I¡¯m getting. She has yet to compose this song. And someone in front of her was playing the melody that she¡¯d later create. I¡¯m not a musician, so I can¡¯t imagine how it felt, but it had to be an odd sensation. ¡°But, well¡­ it was nice to see you again.¡± I smiled at Nito as I said that. ¡°I¡¯m glad I got to see you, Nito, even if it was just a hallucination.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that¡ª¡± I had just finished playing when Nito opened her mouth. At that moment¡­ A light obscured my vision. The area went utterly dark after a brief moment. Then several wisps of light circled me. ¡°¡­?!¡± It was the same mysterious space I had seen when I started hallucinating. And then, the speed of the lights revolving around me gradually picked up, painting the area in front of me white. ¡°¡­Senpai?! Senpai?!¡± The voice caught my attention. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You suddenly spaced out¡­¡± ¡°O-oh¡­¡± Makoto was in front of me before I knew it. I looked around and realized I was back in the clubroom. However, the furnishings differ from those in the clubroom where Nito and I were just now. The map and boombox were worn, and the curtains¡¯ color had faded. Then, on the chest of my uniform, which had become so familiar to my body, was a small flower decoration for graduates. The hallucination was over. When I finally understood Nito had disappeared, I went into shock and hallucinated. It ended, and I returned to reality. ¡°¡­No, sorry, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Is that so? Okay, then.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. Well, I guess it¡¯s time to go home.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We left the clubroom. At the entrance, we changed into our outdoor shoes and walked to the main gate, where many students remained. A dream¡¯s end is always a bittersweet moment. I wished I had more time with Nito. I had things I wanted to say and questions I wanted to ask. I wanted to apologize to her too. But¡­ yeah. I guess I¡¯ve calmed down enough. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± I took a deep breath, and a faintly sweet aroma wafted across my nose. There was no point in moping any longer. I have no choice but to await further developments. I just have to accept that. Whatever happens, Nito will most likely no longer be a part of my life. Volume 1 - CH 1.4 ¡°Oh, Sakamoto, there you are!¡± As I walked toward the main gate, one of the graduates standing nearby approached me. I looked up and saw Nishigami, a boy I had been in the same class with in my first and third years. Several of his friends were present as well. They approached me with concern. ¡°Are you¡­ are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, after what happened to your ex-girlfriend and all¡­.¡± ¡°Igarashi-san, you know, was rushed to the hospital after she passed out¡­ So we¡¯re concerned.¡± ¡°O-oh¡­¡± I became perplexed as one person spoke after another. ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯m honestly freaking out.¡± Igarashi-san. She was the girl who raised her voice earlier. So, she passed out. This is really turning into a much bigger deal than I thought¡­ By the way, I didn¡¯t have great memories of Nishigami and his clique. During my self-introduction on the day of the entrance ceremony, I failed to make friends with them after messing it up. We had talked briefly before that, but they had grown distant from me after what happened. They weren¡¯t bad guys, but they probably thought I was a ¡°weird guy.¡± Well, that was to be expected, given how miserably I failed. That was my first blunder in high school, the first of many. That¡¯s also why I was uncomfortably sensitive when they all spoke in such a friendly manner. Also, there was something else bothering me. ¡°Did I tell you I was dating Nito¡­?¡± I never told them about it. I didn¡¯t keep it a secret, but only a few people knew Nito and I were dating. I never went out of my way to tell them because I was embarrassed. So why would Nishigami, with whom I had had little interaction, know it? Maybe he heard about it from a rumor I wasn¡¯t aware of? ¡°¡­Come on, dude.¡± Nishigami was chuckling with a look that said, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°You consulted us a lot during our freshman year, remember? Where to go on dates, what to wear, and so on.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You know, you asked us for advice while we were eating our lunches together.¡± ¡°It seemed like you were showing off to us single folks.¡± Nishigami and his friends laughed. Wait, I asked them for advice? And over lunch, no less? No way. That¡¯s not something I would do. ¡°In any case, if you need anything, let us know.¡± Nishigami placed his hand on my shoulder and gave me a sincere look. ¡°We can¡¯t help you much, but we can offer advice.¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t hesitate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­.¡± They then left the main gate. I looked behind them in a daze as they walked away. Even so, I tried hard to organize the conversation in my head. ¡°¡­Has history been rewritten?¡± I mumbled. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think so¡­.¡± After messing up my self-introduction, I rarely spoke with Nishigami and the others. I¡¯m certain I never consulted them or had lunch with them. But, in my hallucination¡ªthat strangely too vivid vision¡ªI avoided making a mistake in my self-introduction. In that case, did I return to an alternate future? ¡°¡­Senpai.¡± Makoto, who had been standing behind me the entire time, anxiously called out to me. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m remembering things differently.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I stared at her. ¡°You hardly had any friends in your class, Senpai. So you¡¯d come to the clubroom for lunch, and I¡¯d accompany you. But¡­ when you played the piano¡­ when you played Nito-senpai¡¯s song earlier in the clubroom¡­ things are suddenly coming back to me differently.¡± Makoto¡¯s gaze then wandered erratically. ¡°You normally have friends. And I remember you eating lunch with them.¡± Her words¡­ Makoto¡¯s words sparked an idea in my mind. I thought what I was seeing earlier was a hallucination. I assumed it was just a fleeting fantasy born of my heart¡¯s desire. If I actually rewrote the past in such a way¡­ Had reality been altered to conform to what occurred in my hallucination? ¡°¡­Did I go back to three years ago?¡± Those words escaped my lips. ¡°Back when I first met Nito¡­ during our freshman year?¡± That¡¯s probably it. ¡°Time travel,¡± as seen in science fiction novels and comic books. That¡¯s what happened, isn¡¯t it? Something supernatural happened when I played Nito¡¯s song in the clubroom. And I returned to my freshman year and made different decisions. ¡°¡­If so.¡± A thought occurred to me. ¡°If I could go back to that time again. If I could redo everything from the beginning¡­.¡± My heart fluttered with hope, even though it was a long shot. I said it aloud to confirm it. ¡°I can save Nito, right?¡± Volume 1 - CH 2.1 ¡°Prediction¡± is such a fascinating game. It never gets old for me. For example¡­ If I study hard for the test tomorrow, I can avoid a failing mark. If I get involved with the people around me this year, I can easily make friends. If I talk to Nito during the next break, I can rekindle my relationship with her. If I work hard for the entrance exam starting this summer, I can get into some universities. I¡¯ve made such predictions before, reassured myself of the possibilities I still have, and deliberately postponed action. And it was too late when I realized they were delusions rather than predictions. There was nothing that could be done. It was irreversible. I squandered time in vain, resulting in a very regrettable present. And now my high school life has come to an end. Today, too. I was also making a number of predictions as I approached this juncture. Just this time, they¡¯re no longer delusions¡ªthey¡¯re real. ¡°Having said that, it¡¯s still just a hypothesis.¡± As I said that, I was writing down the notes I had scribbled in my sleep the night before. I pointed out the hypotheticals I¡¯d written all over the page to Makoto. ¡°I want to test it first. I want to see if I¡¯m right¡ªthat I can really rewrite the past!¡± This is possibly the most motivated I¡¯ve been since starting high school. Something unusual and hot is raging in my chest, possibly hope or something similar. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from wanting to get moving as soon as possible. However, in contrast to my enthusiasm¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± Makoto, seated across from me, sipped her iced tea through a straw. And then she stared out the window. ¡°Change the past and save Nito-senpai¡­ huh.¡± The day after the graduation ceremony. Even though it was past noon, the fast-food restaurant near our school was packed. There were men in suits who appeared to be working, as well as young people of the same age who appeared to be studying. On the other side of the table, there was a group of flamboyant college students, and as a confirmed ronin[1], I¡¯m losing a lot of mental energy just by looking into their eyes. But I can¡¯t say anything about it right now. I wanted to put to the test my hypothesis, which was based on yesterday¡¯s mysterious phenomenon, that the past could be rewritten to save Nito at any cost. ¡°And I need your help, Makoto!¡± I pleaded with her once more. ¡°I¡¯ve already graduated, you see. I can¡¯t get into the school without the assistance of an existing student like you, Makoto.¡± Playing the piano most likely triggered the time travel. Playing Nito¡¯s song transported me back to the day of the entrance ceremony three years ago. I then returned to the present by playing that song again. Given this, I can only surmise that the trigger is the piano. More specifically, pressing the keyboard. So if I play Nito¡¯s song in the Astronomy Club room, I might be able to travel back three years. But of course, there are some uncertainties. There¡¯s no guarantee that the piano is the real trigger or that I¡¯ll get transported to the same time period. Anything can happen. If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no choice but to experiment. I can¡¯t just think about it¡ªI have to put it to the test and see what happens. I needed Makoto¡¯s help, so I met with her. She was, however, surprisingly indifferent. ¡°You know, Senpai, you sometimes act like this.¡± She sighed. ¡°You¡¯re like a huge science nerd. You just keep coming at me with these technical terms.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re right. Sorry.¡± I probably get worked up and ramble because I used to want to be an astronomer. Well, some say I¡¯m just an otaku who speaks fast. In addition, my grades didn¡¯t make a strong case. ¡°And.¡± Makoto finally looked at me. ¡°Frankly¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Not possible? What is?¡± ¡°Anything and everything.¡± Makoto tilted her head slightly as she folded her arms. ¡°Time travel? Rewriting the past? It just doesn¡¯t seem possible, does it?¡± ¡°¡­Uh.¡± ¡°How can you expect me to believe you when you discuss things like this all of a sudden? It¡¯s asking too much.¡± She has a point. Going back in time is a science fiction phenomenon found in manga and anime. And saving Nito by doing so is a massive leap of faith. ¡°But you said your memories had changed, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Makoto lightly nodded. ¡°My memories of you having no friends shifted to you having friends.¡± ¡°Right? That, you see, is proof. That I rewrote the past.¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. We were both confused and shaken, so we acted strangely.¡± ¡°You really think so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more plausible than going back three years.¡± ¡°¡­Uh, hmm.¡± That¡¯s something I can¡¯t argue with. ¡°And besides, what are you going to do if you can rewrite the past? How will you save Nito-senpai?¡± ¡°Oh! Yeah, yeah, about that.¡± I moved from the ¡°Phenomenon Analysis¡± section of my notebook to the ¡°Nito Rescue Plan¡± section. Of course, I had a detailed plan for this section as well. ¡°I can think of a lot of things. First and foremost, I¡¯d make it my first priority to keep the Astronomy Club alive.¡± ¡°The Astronomy Club?¡± ¡°Yes. The club had disbanded by the end of my freshman year. After that, I squatted in the clubroom for a while.¡± Astronomy Club. The place where Nito and I met. When I started school, it barely existed as a club, but it eventually fell below the minimum number of members required for its continued existence that year and was dissolved as soon as I entered my sophomore year. Consequently, this was also a deciding factor in Nito and my estrangement. Well, I continued to use the clubroom as I pleased, and Makoto, who showed up later, also used to hang out there. This deepened the rift between Nito and me. By the way, Makoto wasn¡¯t exactly a ¡°junior member¡± of the Astronomy Club. I¡¯d say she was more of a fellow squatter in the clubroom. ¡°So, first and foremost, I¡¯m going to attempt to rally the club¡¯s members and prevent the club from disbanding.¡± ¡°What? How does that save Nito-senpai? Is Nito-senpai not going to vanish if the club stays?¡± ¡°¡­Well, you see, I was reflecting on a lot of things yesterday.¡± I crossed my arms and looked over the table. I noticed a leaflet on the tray advertising a part-time job opening. ¡ºWant to join our crew? An hourly wage of 960 yen. Students and housewives are welcome.¡» ¡°That girl sure seemed to be having a seriously hard time with her music career. Especially after her sophomore year. She rose to fame and became even more depressed than before. Even at school, she exuded the same energy as her artist persona.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so? I guess I didn¡¯t really notice.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize it either at the time. But, you know, I was looking through old photos on my phone and realized. For some reason, all I could think about was how incredible the gap between us two was. Then I noticed the signs of change in her.¡± They were photos of Nito in her first and second years, as well as some videos I took for fun. It¡¯s subtle, but I could see the changes in Nito. Her face became solemn, and her voice lost its usual timbre. She spoke less frequently, and her comments were sometimes pessimistic. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not sure if that would explain her disappearance.¡± That¡¯s something I¡¯m willing to admit. In fact, no new official information has been made public since then. There have been various theories about the cause, mostly on the Internet, but they are all just rumors. It¡¯s possible she vanished for reasons I can¡¯t fathom. ¡°But I figured the first step was to be there for her and to be in a relationship that allowed me to listen to what she had to say. In fact, I gave up on it before and we grew apart. But this time, I thought I could give her the support she needs.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°So I need to give it a try first. I need your help to play the piano in the clubroom.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Makoto fiddled with the paper straw wrapper with her fingertips. As it became wet, her fingernails were slowly ripping it to shreds. It didn¡¯t appear to be an indication that she agreed with what I had just said. ¡°¡­Why are you so opposed to it?¡± I asked, terrified. ¡°You¡¯re still unconvinced, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still unconvinced, yes.¡± Makoto leaned her elbows against the table. She sighed languidly as she looked out the window. ¡°Hey, you.¡± A voice from behind suddenly called out. ¡°Huh?!¡± I turned around, freaked out. ¡°¡­Who is it?¡± Behind me stood a young man who I didn¡¯t recognize. He has an intriguing face, small wrinkles between his brows, strong-willed thin lips, and a toned body. He was probably around the age of 20. And, how should I put it, he appeared menacing. A burly older guy was looking down at us. What¡¯s happening? No way, are we being mugged or what¡­? ¡°I was eating there with a friend when I overheard you two talking.¡± ¡°O-oh, I¡¯m sorry! Were we too loud?!¡± ¡°No, no, no. I was just wondering¡­¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°¡­Do you know Nito?¡± ¡°¡­O-oh.¡± I see. He must have overheard me say her name. Oh man, I should have kept my voice down. How am I supposed to respond? Is it okay to tell him I know Nito and that she¡¯s a celebrity, or should I keep that information hidden from him? Also, this guy gives me the creeps. When I looked at Makoto for help, she was still looking out the window, pretending not to notice. I suppose that¡¯s normal. Even I, a guy, would be freaked out by this situation. ¡°That¡¯s right. We went to the same school.¡± I answered honestly after some hesitation. I had a feeling it would be difficult to keep a lie from this person. ¡°Well, you know, I¡¯m concerned¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He let out a deep sigh. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m an alumnus of that school, too. I graduated last year.¡± ¡°O-oh. So you were our senior¡­¡± ¡°Right.¡± He nodded. His demeanor is like of a young boy, and I think he may not be as much of a delinquent as he looks. But at first glance, he totally looks one. And¡­ ¡°¡­Oh! Rokuyou-senpai?!¡± I suddenly realized and yelled. ¡°You¡¯re Haruki Rokuyou-senpai, right?¡± The chiseled face and imposing, solid build. There¡¯s no doubt about it. I remember seeing him a lot at school. He was well-known, and not a single student didn¡¯t recognize him. He was the central figure of his clique and an all-around athlete. But he was a single-minded and hard-headed individual who challenged his teachers and seniors if he didn¡¯t agree with them. He reminded me of a heroic character from a fighting manga. ¡°I am. How do you know my name?¡± ¡°I mean, anyone who went to that school knows¡­¡± By the way, the Rokuyou family is also said to be the family lineage of a landowner in the Kichijouji[2] area, and one of their ancestors is in a Japanese history textbook. In comparison, the Sakamoto family¡¯s most notable family member is my cousin Kippei, who managed to win the Minister¡¯s Prize in an invention contest when he was in elementary school. ¡°So, Nito. I was also shocked when I saw it on the news.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how it is. Do you two know each other, Rokuyou-senpai?¡± ¡°¡­You could say that.¡± Rokuyou-senpai¡¯s expression darkened slightly for some reason. ¡°We¡¯d meet up at events and chat for a bit¡­¡± Ah, it¡¯s true that Nito and Rokuyo-senpai often worked together as committee chairs or representatives, which is how they became acquainted. But I didn¡¯t think that was the only reason for his expression. He seemed to have something on his mind about Nito. ¡°¡­Did something happen?¡± I asked without thinking. ¡°Did you two get into a fight or something?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Rokuyou-senpai laughed after saying that. Then he bitterly pursed his lips. ¡°I have a rivalry with her¡­ Nah, it wasn¡¯t even like that.¡± What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯m curious what happened between them that caused Rokuyou-senpai to react the way he did. But before I could ask him¡­ ¡°Well, anyway, that¡¯s why I¡¯m concerned about her.¡± He continued, as if to cut the conversation short. ¡°Then I heard something about needing help. I couldn¡¯t help but talk to you.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not too sure about it either¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Rokuyou-senpai reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. ¡°Let¡¯s exchange contact information, by the way. Contact me if you find out anything about Nito. And if there¡¯s anything I can do to help you, please let me know.¡± ¡°Oh, um, r-really¡­?¡± It¡¯s unexpected, but if he says so, I can¡¯t say no. After we exchanged LINE IDs, Rokuyou-senpai simply said, ¡°See you,¡± and went back to his seat where his friends were waiting for him. The tension appears to have finally subsided. Makoto breathed out a huge sigh of relief. ¡°Somehow, it felt like it sucked dry the life out of me. It was scary.¡± ¡°I guess. I never thought we¡¯d be tangled up with that guy in a place like this.¡± He didn¡¯t seem like a jerk, but he was still very imposing. I could feel my strength sapping just by being exposed to his aura. ¡°Also, I no longer have the energy to think about things¡­¡± Makoto gulped down her drink with a sluggish look on her face. She then rested her chin in her hand, as if contemplating. ¡°¡­Shall we go to school for the time being?¡± She spoke so quietly that it seemed she was talking to herself. ¡°I still refuse to believe it. Even so, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± ¡°Thanks, you¡¯re a lifesaver.¡± [1] In Japan, a ronin (ÀËÈË) is a student who has graduated from middle school or high school but has failed to enter a school at the next level, and consequently is studying outside of the school system for entrance in a future year. [2] Kichijouji (¼ªÏéËÂ) is a neighborhood in the city of Musashino in Western Tokyo, Japan. Volume 1 - CH 2.2 ¡°¡­Hey, aren¡¯t you pretty bad at it?¡± And now we¡¯re in the Astronomy Club room. Makoto took a deep breath as I struggled in front of the piano for nearly twenty minutes. ¡°Why can¡¯t you play it correctly even once?¡± What was the deal with yesterday?¡± ¡°C-chill out!¡± I wiped the sweat from my palms on my pants as I listened to Nito¡¯s song on my phone once more. ¡°I was able to get by on the spur of the moment yesterday, you see¡­ But right now, I¡¯m having a difficult time relaxing, ha-ha¡­¡± I can¡¯t play it. Nito¡¯s song has a difficult melody that I can¡¯t get right. I wasn¡¯t musically gifted, and the music she composed was complicated. I have to use both the white and black keys, which is difficult for an amateur. But wasn¡¯t it a miracle I could play so well yesterday? ¡°Oh man, what should I do? Should I prepare some kind of sheet music or something?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything like that. Anyway, a few more tries. Come on. Play, play.¡± ¡°Hmm, okay, fine.¡± I played again. Still, my fingers didn¡¯t move the way I wanted, and I had to start all over again. ¡°It would be easier to play if there was some kind of prompt, like in a rhythm game.¡± I muttered to myself as my fingers pressed against the keys. ¡°If the notes fall from the top, I¡¯m confident I can do it without making any mistakes¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to break it to you, but that only exists in video games.¡± Makoto folded her arms as she dismissed me coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t have much free time either. If it takes too long, I¡¯ll go home.¡± ¡°Come on, aren¡¯t you free? You don¡¯t have a part-time job, and you don¡¯t have plans to hang out with friends, do you?¡± ¡°I still have plenty to do. I want to play Apex[1] and watch the archived livestream of my favorite Vtuber[2].¡± Makoto¡¯s expression changed abruptly after I said all that as if she realized something. She then looked over at the keyboard and my hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t something just¡­ click?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I took my fingers off the keyboard and focused my attention on the piano. Makoto may be right. I may have just played making no mistakes. ¡°Yeah, something clicked¡ª¡± ? A flash of light blinded me. Several wisps of light encircled me in the darkness. It¡¯s the same thing. The same phenomenon as yesterday¡ªit¡¯s happening again. Then the speed of the lights gradually increased, blurring my vision, and¡­ ? ¡°¡­Meguri-kun?¡± Nito was in front of me before I knew it. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What are you doing?¡± Gleaming black hair and curious eyes. A uniform that fits well with a straight back and a supple body. ¡°¡­O-oh, no, um.¡± I looked around, stunned. Sun-faded curtains and the smell of dust. An upright piano, an old boombox, and a world map with Germany still divided into East and West. Without a doubt, it¡¯s the clubroom. It¡¯s the clubroom of the Astronomy Club. I returned on the day of the entrance ceremony, as expected. ¡°I¡¯m just, well, thinking about stuff¡­¡± I looked at Nito again. ¡°Sorry, I spaced out¡­¡± This is the second time we¡¯ve met. I saw this scenery the day before. When I¡¯m near her, my heart is unquestioningly full. Just knowing she¡¯s present makes me helplessly happy because I¡¯ve lost her before. I¡¯m not even sure why I¡¯m feeling this way. ¡°Hmm? Hey, hey, hey, something¡¯s fishy.¡± Nito got closer. The faint smell of shampoo and the warmth of her body¡­ ¡°Did you space out because you were allured by me? The charge is 600 yen per second by the way.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s too expensive! One minute and it¡¯s almost 40, 000 yen!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a given. I¡¯m not cheap.¡± ¡°Girls who aren¡¯t cheap don¡¯t put a price tag on themselves¡­¡± We burst out laughing. Yeah, Nito and I were always joking around and laughing like this¡­ ¡°¡­Right. Um, I just wanted to ask.¡± I stepped back and cleared my throat. ¡°What month and year are we currently in?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s April 5th, 20xx.¡± I expected her to be suspicious, but Nito responded more easily than I expected. ¡°I mean, you can see it on your phone¡¯s screen.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! Of course. Ha-ha¡­ Indeed, April 5th.¡± I pulled my phone from my pocket. It was the latest model at the time. The date that Nito had mentioned was displayed on the screen. ¡°I see. I knew it¡­¡± I¡¯m convinced of a lot of things as I put my phone away. This has answered some of my questions. First, I know for certain that the trigger is the piano. Then, to return to the present, I must play Nito¡¯s song on the piano again. I know it¡¯s tough to travel back and forth, but it¡¯s still reassuring to know that I won¡¯t be in a situation where I can¡¯t return home. Next, about the rules of time travel and stuff. Looking at the situation, I picked up where I left off the last time. Every time I play the piano, I alternate between the past and the present. Also, time doesn¡¯t appear to move forward in the other period while I¡¯m in the other. If that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°Hmm, sounds easy enough¡­¡± Then the past can be rewritten conveniently. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± Nito voiced her discontent. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You¡¯ve been acting weird, Meguri-kun.¡± ¡°O-oh! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Oh crap! I was too preoccupied with my thoughts! I cleared my throat and gathered myself. ¡°Um¡­ I was just thinking about the future.¡± ¡°About the future?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to continue using this club room if possible.¡± I nodded slowly to Nito, who was tilting her head. ¡°That¡¯s why I was wondering if we could reorganize the Astronomy Club.¡± If I¡¯ll make a move, the sooner the better. I need to get right to the point with Nito. I¡¯ve done my research beforehand. I¡¯ll tell Nito about the plan I¡¯ve been considering in the ¡°present.¡± ¡°As I recall, the minimum number of students allowed to form a club at this school and receive a clubroom is four. If you join, Nito-san, we can gather the remaining two members and use this room from the second year onward.¡± We learned this when the Astronomy Club was disbanded. The club was disbanded because the number of members fell below the required four. That means I only need to overwrite that development this time. ¡°So I thought I¡¯d do some recruiting. I know it¡¯s still early in the school year, but I believe I can handle a couple of students.¡± Actually, I¡¯m under a lot of pressure to get those two students¡­ It¡¯s terrifying to approach people you don¡¯t know¡­ But¡­ Nito¡¯s future is at stake. This girl¡¯s life is at stake. In that case, I can¡¯t just cower here. I¡¯ve returned from the future, so I should be able to easily gather a couple of people. ¡°¡­Ehh.¡± Nito¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯m in. No problem.¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly a lifesaver.¡± ¡°But why did you have that sudden thought?¡± I had anticipated being asked that question. This question¡¯s answer is also planned ahead of time. ¡°¡­Well, as you said before, Nito-san, it¡¯s a very cozy place in here.¡± I approached the clubroom window. ¡°High school can be stressful at times. I thought it would make me feel better if I had a place where I belonged. If that¡¯s the case, this appears to be the best option for me right now.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Nito then giggled softly. ¡°Given my behavior, I assumed you wouldn¡¯t want to stay here. But if you feel that way, Meguri-kun, this could be a good place for you.¡± ¡°Right? And, uh¡­¡± I stammered. Actually, there¡¯s another reason I¡¯d like to reestablish the Astronomy Club. My true feelings, which I couldn¡¯t even share with Makoto. I want Nito to know. ¡°I¡­ want to be an astronomer.¡± I stated it clearly. Nito fixed her gaze on me. ¡°It¡¯s been a childhood dream of mine. I¡¯m curious about what¡¯s out there in the distant universe. I want to discover and name my own new planet.¡± A dream I had given up in high school. It was a dream I had forgotten about as I spent my days with Nito. Looking back, I visited this clubroom for the first time hoping it would one day lead to my dream. ¡°So I¡¯m hoping to get ready for it. It doesn¡¯t have to be serious, but I hope that by reading literature and conducting astronomical observations, I can lay the groundwork for more serious study¡­¡± Being by her side isn¡¯t enough. I want to be someone worthy of being with her. That¡¯s why I have to rewrite myself. I need to turn the three years I¡¯ve squandered into something worthy of Nito. ¡°¡­Ehh.¡± Nito smiled happily. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± She intoned as she looked into my eyes. Her moist, glassy eyes met mine. And then¡­ ¡°I like people who work hard.¡± When she said, ¡°I like¡±, my heart nearly exploded. My body felt hot, and my mind numb. ¡°I see, yeah. Got it. We¡¯ll work together to recruit members for the Astronomy Club.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks. It was going to be difficult for me to handle it on my own, so I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°I figured as much, ha-ha. Oh, but I have a request.¡± Nito then took a seat in front of the upright piano. She placed her right hand on the keyboard and played a melody in an unusual cadence. ¡°Let me play the piano after club activities. I actually do some music, you know. And I was thinking of making an original song video or something.¡± ¡°¡­E-ehh.¡± ¡°So, after club activities, I¡¯d like to be able to play it.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I might have given a dull reaction. It was probably because I already knew Nito does music. When I was told again, I almost inadvertently reacted with an ¡°I know¡± type of response. But, yeah, it was supposed to be the first time I¡¯d heard of it. So perhaps I should try to be more surprised. ¡°¡­Seriously, that¡¯s awesome! I admire people who can play the piano. It must be pretty hard to move ten fingers like that, right?¡± I was having trouble just playing the melody a few moments earlier! ¡°Ha-ha, not really. Anyone can do it with enough practice.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not true¡­ In any case, I don¡¯t own this clubroom, so you¡¯re free to use it however you see fit.¡± ¡°Seriously? Nice.¡± Nito sprang from her seat. Then she came up beside me as I stood near the window and pressed her shoulder against mine. ¡°Well then¡­ let¡¯s do our best to gather members.¡± She said while looking me in the eyes. Then she drew her body closer to mine and¡­ ¡°Looking forward to working with you, Meguri-kun.¡± That was the first time in this timeline she addressed me in that manner. My chest swelled with emotions. I could feel Nito¡¯s warmth through her uniform. Nearby echoes filled my ears. A sweet scent tickled my nose. Nito was well-liked by many people. Strangely enough, she didn¡¯t seem to do this with anyone other than me¡ªengaging in skinship. I lost count of the number of times this girl¡¯s behavior embarrassed me in high school. And now¡­ I¡¯m overcome with nostalgia. So much so that it¡¯s painful. I¡¯m reminded of how much I still love Nito. My determination to save her and stand by her side was reaffirmed. ¡°Yeah. Me too, Nito.¡± I nodded at her, putting all my feelings into those words. ¡°Let¡¯s start tomorrow.¡± And so, Nito and I recruited members for the club. This time, I have a solid plan. And it¡¯s my second time through high school, so I¡¯m confident we¡¯ll be able to find enough members in a flash! * The next day. ¡°Sorry, no can do.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± ¡°Why not?!¡± Rejected. I approached Nishigami, Takashima, and Okita, members of the Nishigami clique, about the club during lunch break, but they turned me down within seconds. I couldn¡¯t help but get riled up and get up from my chair. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be working hard during activities! Come on!¡± ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Nishigami grumbled as he ate his mom¡¯s homemade bento. ¡°You see, we¡¯re about to start our high school life, right?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be very busy having fun and pursuing romances.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to draw a comic book or something.¡± ¡°So, you know.¡± Nishigami then summed up their decision. ¡°We¡¯ll pass. Sorry¡­¡± ¡°¡­For real?¡± Pass, huh? I didn¡¯t expect them to refuse so easily. I was hoping they¡¯d at least consider it¡­ Hey, Nishigami, Takashima, and Okita! All that talk, only to do nothing for three years! You¡¯ll spend your high school years as slackers and members of the Go-Home Club[3]! I can¡¯t say them out loud though! ¡°But it¡¯s pretty fun to stargaze!¡± Desperate, I refused to back down. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful and romantic! Perfect for reminiscing about high school!¡± ¡°Hmm, stargazing with you guys, huh¡­¡± ¡°You gather at the railway crossing at 2 a.m. or so, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not fond of going out late at night¡­¡± You guys really lack imagination. Also, the club¡¯s members aren¡¯t all men! But I don¡¯t want the situation to get weird, so I¡¯ll just keep that to myself! ¡°So, how about simply lending me your names? You don¡¯t need to come to the clubroom. Add your names to the list to become ghost members¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you think of that?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound fraudulent?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to follow the rules.¡± You¡¯re totally right! I¡¯ve no excuses! So you¡¯re the type with a strong sense of ethics, huh? That wasn¡¯t something I expected. ¡°¡­I see. All right.¡± I¡¯m really out of luck. I gave up and sat back in my chair. Then I sighed deeply. ¡°What do I do¡­?¡± I¡¯ve only been turned down once, but I already feel like I¡¯m at my limit. I guess I¡¯m still the same old me¡­ I was ready to start the three years of high school all over again, and I was confident that I would succeed. I was all, ¡°It¡¯s New Game Plus!¡± Right. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. Hang in there.¡± Nishigami chuckled as if to console me. ¡°You still have about a month to find new members, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ha-ha, well, yeah.¡± This school¡¯s clubs are currently recruiting new members. Recruitment events occur throughout April, with club activities for the upcoming school year beginning in earnest in May. The number of existing club members will be counted at that point, so if we can get two new members by then, everything will be fine. ¡°The other clubs are also scrambling to find new members. You should try to be as persistent as possible, Sakamoto.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yeah.¡± Well, Nishigami¡¯s right. This is not the time to be down in the dumps. There¡¯s still time, so I should put in a little more effort. And¡­ How should I put this? While I couldn¡¯t persuade Nishigami and the others to join the club, I¡¯m somewhat relieved that I discussed it with them. I¡¯m honestly grateful for their encouragement. No one in my previous high school life would ever say such a thing. After that, I continued to eat my bento. Lunch alone isn¡¯t bad, but lunch with friends is better. [1] Apex Legends, often shortened to just Apex, a free-to-play battle royale-hero shooter game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. The game is highly popular in Japan. [2] A Vtuber, or virtual YouTuber, is an online entertainer who uses a virtual avatar generated using computer graphics. [3] Go-Home Club or kitaku-bu is a well-known Japanese slang and mildly derogatory term for students who aren¡¯t actually part of a club or active in club activities, and simply go straight home once school is over. Volume 1 - CH 2.3 That day, after school. In the club room. ¡°I see. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Nito said that with a wry smile when I told her that my recruitment strategy had failed. ¡°Well, it is unlikely that people will readily agree to join. After all, the Astronomy Club can be quite complicated.¡± Today, as usual, she took off her shoes and socks and sat down barefoot. Even in our previous high school life, Nito was always like this. In this club room full of warm shades, the light blue color of her pedicure stands out. ¡°Well, maybe. But I¡¯m sorry. If only I had succeeded, things would have been easier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, really. Here, look what I have!¡± Nito then took a piece of paper from her bag. ¡°I made a design for a recruitment flier. What do you think?¡± ¡°Ooh! That¡¯s good!¡± It was fancy. The words were designed to look like constellations. They were set against a pitch-black background that resembled the night sky. ? ¡°The Astronomy Club is recruiting members!¡± ¡°Come see the stars with us.¡± ¡°Beginners are welcome!¡± ¡°For more information, come by the Astronomy Club room after school!¡± ? ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± I was impressed by the quality. ¡°Nito, I didn¡¯t know you could design something like this.¡± It was distinct, clear, and lively at the same time. The work was of such high quality I would have believed her had she told me it was done by a professional. I had no idea that she could do these things as well as she plays the piano. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s just amateur work. I thought it would be more likely for people to pick it up if it was cute.¡± Nito chuckled. She looked like she was melting into orange against the backlight of the setting sun. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start handing these out tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m not sure how we¡¯ll do, but let¡¯s give it our all.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s right!¡± Her face lit up with an idea. ¡°Ah, well, let¡¯s get ourselves pumped up for tomorrow.¡± She said as she walked over to the upright piano. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to play?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been working on an original song lately, and I¡¯m thinking of posting it as my first video. Can you do me a favor and listen to the preview?¡± Oh, right. It happened this way before. The day after the entrance ceremony. In the club room after school, Nito played the first song she had ever written for me. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d love to.¡± ¡°Let me know what you think.¡± With that, Nito sat down on a chair and turned to face the piano. At that moment, I could feel a complete change in her demeanor. In an instant, she went from being a carefree high school girl to a talented musician. I could already see the artist called ¡°Nito.¡± I could clearly feel the aura of the genius musician. Then she put her hands on the keyboard and played. After the prelude, she sang. The melody was dynamic and had a nostalgic feel to it. The lyrics, which still needed to be refined, consisted of random English phrases and words. Even in our previous high school life, I could already recognize her talent in music from the first time I heard her. Compared to her older self, she¡¯s still rough around the edges. Her music and lyrics still have room for improvement. But there¡¯s definitely the essence of her charm in it. I nearly burst into tears when I heard her perform live for the first time in a long time. While I was absorbed in listening to the song, it ended. As the afterglow of the sunset faded, Nito relaxed her shoulders and returned to her usual self. And when she turned to me, she tilted her head anxiously. ¡°¡­How was it?¡± She asked. ¡°I think I made a pretty good song.¡± Unusually, she seemed unsure. Her pedicured toes were fidgeting. This may be the first time Nito had let someone listen to her music. And so I told her in a straightforward way how I really felt. ¡°Marvelous.¡± She laughed heartily, thinking I was joking. * ¡°Come and join the Astronomy Club!¡± ¡°The club room is located on the 4th floor of the South Building!¡± With our voices raised, Nito and I handed out fliers to the students coming to school. There were varied reactions. Some read the fliers and showed interest, others simply put them in their bags, and some glanced at us briefly or ignored us. However, as I continued to distribute the fliers, I became more excited than expected. ¡°We¡¯ll have to print more as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Right, we¡¯ll ask for more paper copies in the teacher¡¯s lounge after school.¡± Things were going unexpectedly well. Initially, I made a hundred copies in the teacher¡¯s lounge. I thought it would be great to give them out during the recruitment period, but after three days, it¡¯s as thick as a thin booklet. It turned out to be a happy miscalculation. We stood in front of the entrance to the school just before it opened. This place is our school¡¯s leading site for club recruitment at this time of day. Many members of other clubs were also recruiting around us. ¡°We¡¯re the Tennis Club! Let¡¯s play tennis together!¡± ¡°Brass Band Club! Last year we went to the nationals! Let¡¯s strive together to become number one in Japan!¡± ¡°Judo Club! Judo Club! Judo Club! Judo Club!¡± The sports clubs wore their uniforms and protective gear, while the brass band and light music clubs brought their instruments and performed live. We, the Astronomy Club, were plain compared to them. But somehow, we still put up a good fight. At first, I was like, ¡°I knew it would be a piece of cake the second time around!¡± and ¡°Has my hidden talent come to life?¡± But then it hit me. ¡°¡­Ooh, Astronomy Club, huh?¡± ¡°Yes! If you¡¯re interested, please do join!¡± ¡°Are you a member of the club?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m a little intrigued¡­¡± Nito sure is popular. Among this year¡¯s new students, she has gotten the most attention. Her enthusiasm drew a lot of interest. ¡°Do you come to the club room almost every day?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. That¡¯s the plan for now!¡± ¡°Ooh, I see, I see¡­¡± A male student nodded his head and had a grin on his face. His ulterior motive was quite obvious. Man, guys are like this all the time! Has the club even crossed your mind? But if you looked closely, it wasn¡¯t just the boys who were attracted to her, but the girls. ¡°Oh, Nito, are you joining the club?¡± ¡°Yeah! You can join us as well, Rina, if you want to!¡± ¡°Hmm, what shall I do?¡± Man, Nito¡¯s popularity is unmatched¡­ How can one be so popular so soon after starting school¡­? Well, I understand that Nito is in the so-called ¡°honor student mode¡± when she¡¯s out in public like this, and she doesn¡¯t seem disliked by anyone¡­ Moreover¡­ ¡°Good morning, Chika.¡± ¡°Ah, Mone, good morning.¡± Some students even come to mingle with her every morning. The representative of this group is a petite gal-type girl with brightly colored hair, colored contacts, and well-done makeup. Her name is Mone Igarashi. On the day of the graduation ceremony, she was rushed to the emergency room after receiving the news of Nito¡¯s disappearance. The two seem best friends, just as they were before the rewrite. ¡°Hey, how much longer are you going to do this?¡± Igarashi-san hugged Nito as she said that. ¡°I go to school alone. I feel lonely.¡± ¡°Sorry, I think I¡¯ll do it for the rest of the month.¡± ¡°That long, huh¡­?¡± Igarashi-san pouted as she said that. Then¡­ she turned her face and gave me a blank stare. Yikes, she doesn¡¯t like me¡­ She must be upset that her chance to go to school with Nito has been taken away from her¡­ I want to apologize, but I doubt she¡¯ll accept it. You¡¯re a high school student, though. So why don¡¯t you just go to school on your own? It¡¯s not a good idea to be too clingy¡­ ¡°¡­Oh well.¡± Igarashi-san slumped her shoulders. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to do, Chika, I¡¯ll support you.¡± ¡°Hmm, thanks.¡± ¡°Well then, good luck.¡± Igarashi-san waved and left. Shortly after, another student approached Nito. Seriously, what kind of crowd-puller is she? A mascot in an amusement park? I then realized I didn¡¯t hand out a single flier during the spectacle. I¡¯m just a deadweight on Nito, aren¡¯t I? Come to think of it, the number of fliers I have in my hand has hardly decreased since I started today¡¯s activities. All I remember was that I handed them out to about a dozen people¡­ ¡°Oh, seriously¡­ I¡¯ve barely done anything!¡± I felt anxious about the situation, which I¡¯m now aware of. Even though I wanted to help her, now I¡¯m the one being helped! ¡°W-we¡¯re the Astronomy Club! I¡¯m looking forward to having you join us!¡± As I panicked and raised my voice, I thought further. I can¡¯t just piggyback on her anymore. In that case, I need to strategize and come up with a way to attract a larger number of new students¡­ When I looked up in thought, I saw the light blue sky like a watercolor painting and a pure white crescent moon floating alone. If we were to push through, I think it would be best to use a recruitment strategy unique to the club. If we can¡¯t convey our appeal, we won¡¯t be able to interest people in us in the first place¡­ And I¡­ ¡°¡­Ah.¡± I suddenly had an idea. ¡°I see. I have to show them the stars!¡± * On the morning of the following week. After preparing the recruitment strategy I created, I have the whole picture in front of me. ¡°Ooh, I like it!¡± Nito was in childlike high spirits. ¡°This is amazing! It really does look like a starry night sky. It has the necessary amount of pizazz!¡± Just as she said, countless stars were strewn in front of her. The school¡¯s dark brown getabako[1]. There, my handmade ¡°glow-in-the-dark star-shaped cards¡± are glued to countless numbers of them. And each has this¡­ ? ¡°The Astronomy Club is looking for new members!¡± ¡°For more information, please visit the club room on the 4th floor of the South Building!¡± ¡°You are free to take this card home with you!¡± ? Incredible calligraphy. The opportunity to view the beautiful starry sky is the essence of the Astronomy Club. Personally, my interest goes in many directions, such as discovering new celestial bodies, gathering information about dark matter, and pursuing new theories about ¡®Oumuamua[2], but the common attraction for many people is still this¡ªthe stars shining brightly in the night sky. So, I thought, why not show them? Show something like the starry sky to leave an impression. And this was the outcome. There are one hundred fifty in all. It was crazy hard to make and put up because I did it all alone, but I hope this will help attract the freshmen to the Astronomy Club. Moreover¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a glow-in-the-dark card, you know.¡± I picked one up and gave it to Nito. ¡°It gets really dark at the entrance of the school in the evening. So when you go home from school, it lights up and looks like a real starry sky.¡± ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Nito pulled both my hands to cover it. She wanted to make sure the card would glow in the dark. ¡°Nice. I¡¯m surprised you came up with this idea.¡± ¡°I-I know right¡­? Well, yeah, it glows when it gets dark¡­¡± I felt her pulling me closer as I said that. The softness of Nito¡¯s stomach pressed against me made me secretly uneasy. Again, with this skinship. She¡¯s thin, warm, soft, and I don¡¯t know anymore¡­ It¡¯s more than enough to excite a teenage boy ¡­ Meanwhile, classes were about to start, and the students were on their way to the entrance. They passed by the other clubs also recruiting, and when they got to the getabako¡­ ¡°¡­Whoa! What¡¯s this?!¡± ¡°Wow, stars!¡± It was a surprise for many to see the changed scenery from yesterday. ¡°Ooh, Astronomy Club¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know such a club existed.¡± Listening to what they said, Nito and I unconsciously looked at each other. ¡°¡­Yay.¡± ¡°Oh, I have a feeling people will be interested in this one.¡± Students arrived at the entrance one after another. They were all surprised by the star cards¡ªsome said, ¡°Can I take them?¡± and took them home. Yes, yes, it¡¯s okay! If you¡¯re interested in the Astronomy Club, please take it home with you! I made it easy to peel off the card on that assumption! One by one, the cards stuck on the getabako disappeared. Still, there were enough left that they wouldn¡¯t miss seeing them again. Yeah¡­ that was part of the plan. It was worth it to get up early in the morning and post them all over the place¡­ ¡°By the way, how did you get permission to do this?¡± Suddenly someone spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think there has ever been a club that has done this kind of recruitment strategy before. How did you get through to the faculty?¡± ¡°Hey, if you did it without permission, they¡¯d be so mad!¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Permission. Get through to the faculty. ¡°¡­I forgot I had to talk with them in advance!¡± I shrieked. ¡°Seriously? You haven¡¯t told even one of them?¡± Nito, who was standing next to me, widened her eyes. ¡°Yeah¡­ I was busy making the cards!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± I see¡­ That¡¯s right! Even the distribution of fliers usually requires an application. And for this particular recruitment strategy, one must first obtain permission to do so! ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go to the teacher¡¯s lounge right now. And then explain the situation.¡± ¡°A-agreed! Worst case, we¡¯ll be forced to rip everything off¡­!¡± We nodded to each other once more, and Nito and I made a beeline for the teacher¡¯s lounge. ? The result. For the time being, we got permission to post it during the recruitment period¡­ I got a scolding from my homeroom teacher, Chiyoda-sensei. He also told me to clean up the mess every day because it might pollute the area. Of course, I¡¯ll look after that as well¡­ [1] A getabako is a shoe cupboard in Japan, usually situated in the genkan, an entryway or porch of the house or building. Usually there are big getabako in schools, and each student has their own section. Sometimes students store personal things there as well, or use them to leave love letters. [2] ?Oumuamua is the first interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System. Formally designated 1I/2017 U1, ?Oumuamua was discovered by Robert Weryk using the Pan-STARRS telescope at Haleakal¨¡ Observatory, Hawaii, on 19th of October 2017, approximately 40 days after it passed its closest point to the Sun on 9th of September. Volume 1 - CH 2.4 ¡°All right, then.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, see you tomorrow.¡± It has been almost two weeks since we changed our recruitment strategy. After finishing today¡¯s work, Nito and I parted ways at the main gate and went our separate ways. The days have been going like this for some time now. We meet in the club room and start recruitment activities. After school, we stay in the club room and wait for those who want to join us. When it¡¯s time to leave the school grounds, we go home. I sighed. I looked up at the sky in a daze. The clouds were tinted gold and the sun was shrouded in lavender. A small light twinkled in the eastern sky¡ªif I were an astronomer, I¡¯d probably be able to tell what kind of star it was. A moped drove by me, and I heard children cheering in the distance. ¡°¡­Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t work out.¡± It has been a long time since we started recruitment activities. We had handed out nearly two hundred fliers, and a huge number of star cards were taken from the school¡¯s getabako. Quite a few students had come to visit the club room. There were about five students total, male and female. They seemed cool and interested in getting involved. But for some reason, none of them joined the club. I didn¡¯t expect them to be so reluctant to join the club after making the effort to come all the way to the club room¡­ ¡°¡­Well, it sure is hard to get into.¡± I muttered as I tried to put myself in their shoes. ¡°The club currently has only two members, and they¡¯re quite close, I should say¡­ It¡¯s a pretty uncomfortable situation to get trapped in.¡­¡± If I was in the same situation, I¡¯d probably be thinking something along the lines of, ¡°I¡¯d just be alone if I joined this club, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± or ¡°I mean, these guys are actually dating, right?¡± That would make it difficult for me to join. ¡°I wonder what we should do about it.¡­¡± How do we find the third member? The recruitment period for new members was almost halfway over. Still, I was getting impatient with the fact that we had yet to secure any new members. And¡­ ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± As I was walking through a residential area, I saw someone standing across the street. There was a dark silhouette of someone backlit by the setting sun. They had also struck an intimidating pose in the middle of the road¡ªcrossing their arms and staring straight at me. ¡°¡­Uh, hmm.¡± Something about this whole situation seemed a bit off. Standing on a street where cars also drive by. It looked like trouble. The best thing to do is to stay as far away from such matters as possible. I¡¯ll just walk by as if nothing is happening Luckily, there¡¯s a fork in the road between us. I¡¯ll retreat in that direction with a nonaggressive look on my face. I turned the corner with a look on my face as if to say, ¡°My house is that way¡­¡± and just when I thought, ¡°Thank goodness I¡¯ve managed to avoid this¡­ ¡°H-hey, wait a minute!¡± The suspicious person came running at me. And the voice was that of a girl who sounded familiar. ¡°Igarashi-san?!¡± This girl has been Nito¡¯s best friend since junior high. She feels bad about not being able to accompany Nito to school every day. She¡¯s also the one who was the most distraught after learning of Nito¡¯s disappearance on the day of the graduation ceremony. It was Mone Igarashi. ¡°Why are you running away?! I was waiting for you!¡± ¡°I mean, who wouldn¡¯t run away if you¡¯re standing in the middle of the road like that?!¡± I¡¯m also aware that you hate me! Even now, I still want to get out of here! ¡°Huh¡­ Well, whatever. So, Sakamoto. I wanted to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°Talk¡­ Wait, how do you know my name?¡± ¡°Well, there are a lot of ways to find out, like digging through social media and listening to gossip.¡± ¡°¡­Scary.¡± So Igarashi-san is that kind of person? Does she often act like a stalker? Well, if she just wanted to know my name, I guess that¡¯s okay¡­ ¡°Anyway, Meguri Sakamoto-kun. A graduate of Shimendo Junior High School, born on the 30th of May, blood type O.¡± ¡°No, seriously, that¡¯s scary! How do you know so much?!¡± I was stunned, but Igarashi-san simply pointed me to a nearby park and kept a poker face. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s sit down and talk for a bit.¡± Her voice sent shivers down my spine. ¡°¡­Ehh?¡± Am I being backed into a corner? Will she demand I return Nito? Does she resent me because she can¡¯t go to school with her? * ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been friends with Chika since kindergarten.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± We sat side by side on the swings in the park. As I expected, Igarashi-san started the conversation like this. ¡°Our families are close, we¡¯ve been in the same classes since elementary school, we¡¯ve had a lot of sleepovers together, and¡­ in short, we¡¯re best friends.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, it sure feels that way.¡± I responded appropriately to this unpredictable turn of events. Actually, Igarashi-san and Nito complement each other well. Both are upper-class, stylish, remarkable, and popular with boys. Plus, Nito¡¯s dark hair perfectly complements Igarashi-san¡¯s light hair marvelously. ¡°But you know¡­¡± Igarashi-san spoke slowly. ¡°Lately, since you two started organizing club activities, we¡¯ve been growing distant from each other. You guys are together all day from morning until after school, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°She used to give me that kind of time.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Chika just walked out on me and went to the Astronomy Club. I don¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t stay with me like she used to in junior high school.¡± Well, I guess she¡¯s telling me that Nito is her best friend and that I should back off. That must be her purpose in dragging me out here for a talk. However, I can¡¯t just give up on recruiting new members, especially since there are only two of us. Nito is a core member of the Astronomy Club, and it will fall apart if she decides to leave. But Igarashi-san, I can tell by your voice that you¡¯re really attached to Nito. When I look around, I occasionally see people in this sort of codependent relationship. To be honest, I can¡¯t really wrap my head around it. Igarashi-san¡¯s desperation is something I can¡¯t understand. ¡°¡­Why are you so fixated on Nito?¡± To explore compromise, I asked. ¡°I know that you¡¯re best friends, but why are you being so clingy to her?¡± ¡°¡­Well, there are many reasons.¡± Igarashi-san looked down at the toes of her loafers. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­Why would I want to tell you that?¡± ¡°You see, I need to know a little more about you so I can meet you halfway.¡± ¡°I see. Hmm¡­¡± As if lost in thought, Igarashi-san was silent for a short while. ¡°¡­I was a bit of a brat in preschool.¡± She spoke in a low, guttural voice. ¡°I had a shitty personality and was manipulative to everyone around me.¡± ¡°Huh, you were like that in preschool¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to think that I was mature for my age. To be honest, I admired PreCure[1] and wanted to be a heroine, but I just couldn¡¯t do it. I treated everyone meanly.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Frankly, I know the feeling. It¡¯s as if you want to be the main character but are only an annoying supporting character at best. It¡¯s unusual for a kindergartener to be aware of this, but I suspect it¡¯s not an isolated case. ¡°At that time, Chika was in the next class. We were in the same class for the first time in kindergarten. We immediately had a big fight. She got mad at me for being mean to her. But as we clashed again and again, I started to realize something. She was the kind of person I wanted to be, and everyone liked her. The ideal image I had of myself had already been realized¡­¡± Igarashi-san was surprisingly forthcoming. Maybe she was looking for a chance to open up to someone. ¡°¡­I know what you mean.¡± I mumbled unintentionally after hearing about her history with Nito. ¡°Oh¡­ I know what you mean. Nito knows exactly who she wants to be.¡± Before I knew it, I was completely sympathetic to Igarashi-san¡¯s sentiments. I see. I¡¯m not the only one who felt that way about Nito. ¡°Huh?! You do?!¡± Igarashi-san¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°So you get it, too, Sakamoto?!¡± ¡°Yes, I do. You know, I try my hardest when I hand out fliers, but she¡¯s the only one who gets people to come. It¡¯s just like that.¡± In fact, over the next three years, she¡¯ll make her dreams come true. I know too well what it feels like to be struck by that brilliance. ¡°Really, Sakamoto¡­? I see¡­¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry for interrupting you. What happened after that?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, um¡­¡± Igarashi-san then cleared her throat. ¡°So one day, we had an activity in class. The two of us had to pair up for a recital practice. I was afraid she¡¯d hate the idea, but she didn¡¯t. In fact, she was just as nice to me as she was to the other kids.¡± She mumbled shyly. ¡°That¡­ was when I decided I wanted to be friends with this girl¡­ be best friends.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± It seemed like a fateful moment. A person who seemed like your mortal enemy has shown you an act of kindness. Moreover, if it happened in kindergarten, it was only natural it would have a great impact on Igarashi-san¡¯s personality development. Suddenly, she turned to face me. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ I want to be Chika¡¯s number one.¡± She said it plainly as if it was a confession. She was like the protagonist. She spoke softly like a true heroine at the center of the story. ¡°I want to treasure her and be treasured by her.¡± It was lovely. Igarashi-san¡¯s feelings were crystal clear. If anything, I fell for Nito and felt the same, too. Nito¡¯s brilliance has long been a source of fascination for me. Igarashi-san and I are more alike than I thought. If she¡¯s so concerned about Nito, there¡¯s one thing she can do. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you join the Astronomy Club!¡± I said with full conviction. ¡°You can join, Igarashi-san! That¡¯ll take care of everything!¡± Whatever you think, it¡¯s the most logical course of action. Igarashi-san can be with her beloved Nito. The club gets a new member. It¡¯s a win-win for all involved. Besides, I think that only someone like Igarashi-san can be the third member of the Astronomy Club in this situation¡ªshe¡¯s the only one acquainted with Nito and me. ¡°H-hold on a minute!¡± Igarashi-san looked flustered for some reason and dismissively waved her hand. Huh? Did I misjudge? Maybe she didn¡¯t want to join the club? ¡°I have considered it! I have considered joining the Astronomy Club!¡± I knew it. ¡°But I also want to know what you¡¯re up to, Sakamoto!¡± ¡°What I am up to?¡± ¡°Yeah. Somehow¡­ you¡¯re working really hard to keep the club afloat.¡± Yeah, well, that¡¯s true. I suppose it was obvious. Even from a distance, I was desperately trying to recruit members. ¡°Why is that? Maybe to get closer to Chika? If so, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m worried about her. She¡¯s so earnest. I don¡¯t want you taking advantage of her like that.¡± ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± I shook my head in panic. ¡°I seriously want to be an astronomer! That¡¯s why I want the Astronomy Club to carry on!¡± ¡°¡­Oh? Is that so?¡± Igarashi-san tilted her head. ¡°Watching from afar, I thought you liked Chika¡­¡± After hearing these words, I regretted my reflexive denial. I lied. I¡¯m working hard to bring back the Astronomy Club so I can be there for Nito. That¡¯s my primary objective. I should have said it. I know how much Nito means to Igarashi-san. Many details in her story correspond to her behavior at the graduation ceremony. When she heard that Nito had gone missing, she let out a heartbreaking cry. That could only be done by someone who genuinely cared about Nito. ¡°¡­Sorry, I lied.¡± I decided to come clean. ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯m working hard to recruit members to be with Nito. But I wasn¡¯t lying about wanting to be an astronomer.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Igarashi-san looked at my face calmly. ¡°Does that mean you like Chika?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I told her the truth. ¡°I¡¯ve liked her for a long time.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but add an extra line. ¡°For a long time.¡± Not even a month has passed since Nito and I met in this timeline. It was obviously a weird thing to say. I got carried away. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Igarashi-san looked down and seemed convinced. ¡°You seriously like Nito.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± Argh, I¡¯m getting so embarrassed! What the hell?! Why am I talking about romance so seriously?! Well, now¡¯s a good time to discuss it, but I confessed with such a straight face! I can feel my face burning! But, as if to add to the shame I feel¡­ ¡°¡­In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to just stay out of the way?¡± Igarashi-san looked terribly sad. She sounded like she was about to cry, but she tried to smile and hide it. ¡°If you¡¯re really serious, Sakamoto and Chika don¡¯t seem to mind¡­ won¡¯t I just be a bother if I join the club?¡± I didn¡¯t expect to hear those words from her. I thought she wouldn¡¯t let go of Nito that easily. ¡°¡­Of course, I know better.¡± Igarashi-san had a bitter smile on her face as she spoke. ¡°I also think that this kind of dependency isn¡¯t good. Now that I¡¯m in high school, I need to get my act together.¡± Those words also surprised me. Just like that, she viewed herself objectively. ¡°But it just doesn¡¯t feel right to push myself away from her. That said, I don¡¯t want to be too dependent on her and make things more complicated. I wonder what I should do¡­¡± Once again, what Igarashi-san said struck a chord with me. Before the rewrite, I had never come across anything like this. I had almost no friends and was never exposed to the issues that other people my age faced. But now I get it. Even a flashy girl like her, who seemed to have nothing to complain about, has worries. And that got me thinking. Maybe she had some regrets at the graduation ceremony. Perhaps she thought there was something she could have done to prevent what happened. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you try finding a new relationship?¡± I mumbled to Igarashi-san. ¡°One without dependency. A relationship that will allow you to be truly at her side. Why don¡¯t you try looking for it at the Astronomy Club?¡± Her eyes widened instantly. The strange tint of her contact lenses turned directly toward me. Looking at her facial features, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how youthful she looks. Unlike Nito, who looks more like her age, and Makoto, who appears to be more mature, Igarashi-san¡¯s face resembles that of a middle school or even elementary school student. I think that¡¯s where she gets her air of innocence and purity from. She looked at me for a moment, dumbfounded, then moved her gaze away. ¡°¡­Grrr.¡± She suddenly had a scowl on her face and squeezed the swing¡¯s chains. ¡°Huh? Hey, what¡¯s wrong¡­?¡± ¡°¡­I wish you were a jerk.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°I wish you were an asshole, Sakamoto.¡± ¡°Huh? Why¡­?¡± ¡°Because if that¡¯s the case¡­.¡± Igarashi-san raised her head. She stared at me, her eyes welling up with tears. And then she went on, clearly frustrated, but also pleased. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t let you stand in our way, can I?¡± [End of Chapter 2] [1] The Pretty Cure series (also titled PreCure) is a highly popular Japanese magical girl anime franchise created by Izumi Todo and Bandai and produced by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, Asatsu-DK, Toei Animation and Bandai. Volume 1 - CH 3.1 ¡°¡­So what happened?¡± I¡¯m back in the present timeline, in the club room, the day after the graduation ceremony. ¡°Hmm, not much has changed.¡± Makoto, who was sitting at the desk, responded curtly. ¡°Igarashi-san did join the Astronomy Club. However, the three of you didn¡¯t meet the required minimum number of members. After the second year, you became estranged from one another, and Nito-senpai disappeared again.¡± ¡°Of course, that would be the outcome¡­¡± I nodded and looked around the current club room. Somehow it felt refreshing. I was in the past timeline for three weeks. During that time, I had grown accustomed to being a first-year student once more. I also felt an odd sense of discomfort in my long hair and tight-fitting uniform. As Makoto stated, Igarashi-san joined the Astronomy Club after the incident in the park. And Nito seemed quite pleased about that. When Igarashi-san entered the club room, they were immediately all so lovey-dovey with each other. I was almost awakened to the idea of girls¡¯ love. However, as Makoto also stated, we fell short of the required minimum of four members. As a result, the future has remained unchanged¡­ ¡°It seems like we have a long way to go.¡± ¡°I guess. But it also clarifies a few things.¡± I sat down on a chair next to Makoto as I said this. ¡°Clarifies a few things?¡± ¡°Yeah. To begin with, I can and have traveled back in time. I can go back and forth between three years ago and the present day, and it¡¯s been confirmed that I can change the past.¡± I now know for sure this isn¡¯t a hallucination but actual time travel. I went back in time and altered reality. That means¡­ I can actually save Nito. I felt a sudden burst of energy. ¡°Also, for some reason, you¡¯re able to perceive the changes caused by the rewrite, Makoto. Nishigami and the others are only aware of the present, but you remember what happened before.¡± I thought about it before. Only in Makoto¡¯s case was there a coexistence of two memories. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s the only one in whom such a phenomenon occurred, given my previous encounter with Nishigami. ¡°Now that you mention it¡­ I see.¡± Makoto then furrowed her brows and crossed her arms. ¡°Why is it just me¡­?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s because you were with me when I first went back in time, and again when I returned to the present. I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± That¡¯s about the only explanation I can think of right now. That she remembers what happened before the rewrite doesn¡¯t bother me. Rather, I¡¯m relieved to be able to discuss it with her. It would be difficult for me to save Nito on my own¡­ ¡°¡­All right. I guess it¡¯s time to go back.¡± I told Makoto. ¡°Eh? Back so soon? You won¡¯t take a break?¡± ¡°Yeah. Nito is still a source of concern for me over there. Also, I feel bad always asking you to accompany me.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yeah. Point taken.¡± My real reason for returning to the present was to confirm a few things. I wanted to know whether or not the future would actually be altered. I also wanted to ensure that I could return to the club room and pick up where I left off. Besides, I was intrigued by how things had changed. Since there was a big moment like Igarashi-san joining the club, I figured the changes would be more noticeable than last time. And the results were exactly what I had hoped for. Now it¡¯s time for me to go back. But then I suddenly remembered something. ¡°¡­So, I¡¯ll have to play the piano again, which will be a pain in the ass.¡± I said, smiling at Makoto. ¡°I know it will take some time, but please bear with me. I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She replied curtly. Then she looked down and seemed to be trying to find something to say. ¡°You¡¯re leaving now, huh.¡± Makoto¡¯s voice was weak and shaky. She spoke with melancholy, which is uncharacteristic of her. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± I said as I watched her, her head bowed. But then she looked up and spoke in her usual brusque tone. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Good luck.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm? Well, okay, then.¡± I nodded and then rendered the melody of Nito¡¯s song with my fingertips. But I still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease. Why did Makoto have such a sad look on her face? Why did she sound so gloomy that I was leaving? And wasn¡¯t she a little distant? Why do I have the feeling that there¡¯s some disconnect between us? I could be wrong. Maybe it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t seen her in a long time. But after some thought, I realized something. Is it because the past has changed? After rewriting the past, I became friends with Nishigami. In addition, Igarashi-san joined the Astronomy Club, and I got to know more people. So some of the time I spent with Makoto before was now used up with them, wasn¡¯t it? And I¡¯ve grown estranged from her as I¡¯ve grown closer to others. The time I spent with her was also important to me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m unsure if it¡¯s okay to overwrite it without her knowledge. But before I delve into that¡­ ? A blinding light shone in front of my eyes. Several wisps of light surrounded me in the darkness, their speed gradually increasing. Apparently, I succeeded in playing the melody. My vision slowly returned to normal, and gravity returned to my body. ? ¡°¡­Phew.¡± I¡¯ve returned to the past. The club room is nearly identical to the one I was in just a few minutes ago but has a different vibe. Igarashi-san¡¯s arrival appears to have brightened the mood here. Her belongings are all over the place, making the room feel livelier. There are makeup products, mirrors, comic books, video games, etc. It¡¯s looking a little messy. Besides that, I¡¯ve noticed that the air has gotten lighter. I feel like this is proof that I¡¯m steering Nito toward a happy future, and I¡¯m secretly pleased. Suddenly, I heard rumbling footsteps from across the corridor. It then came to a halt, and the door slammed open. ¡°¡­Oh! Meguri-kun, there you are!¡± Nito entered the room in a rare burst of excitement. And just like that¡­ ¡°Hey, listen!¡± ¡°Ooh!?¡± She tackled me. You¡¯re overdoing it! If this was Pokemon, it would be super effective! Igarashi-san, who was trailing behind her, was stunned. This girl, as expected, has this effect on people. Nito quickly removed her shoes and socks, oblivious to our reaction. ¡°Guess what? Someone saw the video and reached out to me!¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Minase-san.¡± Minase. I know that name. Even before the rewrite, she was a significant character who changed Nito¡¯s life. In other words, she¡¯ll play a critical role in Nito¡¯s rescue plan. ¡°Y-you see, Minase-san is a blogger I really look up to!¡± Nito sat back in her chair and continued her story with a twinkle in her eye. ¡°She¡¯s now a college student, but the blog she started in high school is still very popular. The new novelists, musicians, and cartoonists she recommended have all gone on to become highly acclaimed. Those creators are even collectively referred to as ¡®Minase¡¯s Circle.¡¯¡± ¡°Ehh, I had no idea such a person existed¡­¡± I responded as if I had never heard of her, which is obviously not the case. Minase is a critic-like figure whom Nito has long admired. Nito¡¯s musical taste was apparently heavily influenced by her blog. When the two first met, they hit it off right away. Minase later established her own private firm, Integrate Mag, and took on the role of Nito¡¯s manager and creative partner. ¡°Well, such a person just showered me with praise in an email!¡± Nito quickly tapped on her phone and displayed what was on the screen. ¡°I told her I was a fan of hers and had been following her blog for a long time, and she asked if I wanted to meet¡­ It truly is a dream come true!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been talking about it all morning, Chika!¡± Igarashi-san slumped in her chair. She looked exhausted. ¡°My ears are clogged. Enough already about this Minase-san¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m just so happy!¡± Nito had a dreamy expression she clutched her phone to her chest. ¡°I see, that¡¯s good,¡± I thought as I smiled at her. When Minase contacted Nito, I saw no sign that would lead to her disappearance. Instead, I couldn¡¯t help but be excited about what would come. Nito was gradually gaining popularity on the Internet. Her first original song has already garnered 30,000 views¡ªthe most recent one she posted was on its way to surpassing it. Rumors quickly spread among music fans that a young lady with incredible talent had emerged. I mean, 30,000 views are nothing to sneeze at. That many people listening to her songs is bewildering. Anyway¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure this is where she¡¯ll start having issues. And it will all come to a head with her disappearance and suicide note. In that case¡­ ¡°Man, I¡¯d like to meet Minase-san as well! I remember seeing her blog before now that you brought her up. I¡¯m curious to see what she¡¯s like.¡± ¡°¡­Ehh, what are you playing at?¡± Nito looked at me with skepticism. ¡°Are you planning to pick up a female college student or something?¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not true! I just want to meet her normally!¡± I¡¯m just trying to get to know her better to help you! ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not even sure what kind of person she is. Now, how could I possibly have an ulterior motive like that¡­?¡± That¡¯s right. I know nothing about her. Who is Minase? Who will Nito work with in her future musical endeavors? So, to be honest, I¡¯m apprehensive. Depending on the circumstances, I may have to brace myself for the possibility of clashing with Minase. But then someone said something. ¡°¡­She¡¯s a real beauty, you know.¡± It was Igarashi-san. She had a big frown on her face for some reason. ¡°She has short black hair and a stylish appearance. She has the look of someone who could be a model.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­?¡± ¡°And she just lives nearby. Looks like Sakamoto is going to shoot his shot.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going after her!¡± I like Nito! And you¡¯re well aware of it, Igarashi-san! Wait, Igarashi-san, you seem to know a lot about Minase. How do you even know where she lives? ¡°¡­Igarashi-san, have you seen Minase¡¯s blog before?¡± ¡°Nope. Today was the first time Chika told me about it.¡± ¡°Then how is it that you know so much about her¡­?¡± ¡°During class, I read through her entire blog.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± ¡°I had a look at all three years¡¯ worth of content and was able to identify her address, real name, and so on.¡± ¡°How scary¡­¡± A total Internet stalker. Do you really care so much about Nito¡¯s friendships? I thought you wanted to stop being so clingy. But maybe it¡¯s just a matter of gradually becoming more independent. ¡°For the time being, I¡¯ll tell Minase-san that a friend wants to meet her as well.¡± Nito interjected. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯ll be okay with it, but I¡¯ll say it anyway. I also have something I¡¯d like to propose to everyone today.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± It must be about recruiting new members for the club. There¡¯s one week left until the recruitment period ends. In other words, we¡¯re in a bind. ¡°I know we always plan our recruitment strategy here, but I don¡¯t think we can finalize anything because it¡¯s almost time to leave school. It¡¯s difficult to plan something in a hurry.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Nito raised her index finger. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about our plans¡­ at my house?¡± She looked at me as if to say, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a great idea!?¡± ¡°We only have a limited amount of time in the club room to plan¡­ So instead, let¡¯s meet up at my house during your free time!¡± ? * ? ¡°¡­Your appearance is off-putting.¡± Weekend. I arrived at Ogikubo Station, where I was to meet Igarashi-san. She was waiting for me with her arms folded and a disgusted expression on her face. ¡°Going to someone¡¯s house all dressed up like that is seriously revolting.¡± In response to her extreme reaction, I raised my voice in protest. ¡°Huh!? What¡¯s your problem!?¡± ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t this your first visit!? You might get to meet her family¡­ but that¡¯s just way over the top!¡± We stood in the rotary before the station, where many people come and go. Among the many outfits I saw, I¡¯m definitely eagerly dressed. I¡¯m wearing a shirt and jacket I bought in a hurry at a high-end clothing store. My hair, usually messy and unkempt, was styled with pomade. And the leather shoes I¡¯m wearing were borrowed from my father. I spent a lot of money, but I have no regrets. After all, this is my first visit to Nito¡¯s house! Naturally, I agreed to her proposal the other day right away. I mean, we¡¯re talking about her house! Of course, I¡¯d like to go! In my three years of high school, before the rewrite, I never had the opportunity to visit! Igarashi-san had no valid reason to stop me, so she caved. We walked and made our way to Nito¡¯s house. Man, I¡¯m curious to see what kind of room Nito has. I wonder if it¡¯s filled with expensive furniture and cute clothes. I¡¯m really excited about it, and the suspense is killing me. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± For some reason, Igarashi looked at me with disgust. ¡°Sakamoto, you¡¯re imagining how Chika¡¯s room smells, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± How did you know!? Was I thinking out loud!? ¡°No, you weren¡¯t. It¡¯s written all over your face.¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± You can read that too!? Are you a mind reader or something!? Also, there¡¯s something else that¡¯s been bothering me. ¡°¡­By the way.¡± I turned to face Igarashi-san. ¡°Why are you dressed in a tracksuit? It¡¯s as if you¡¯re going on a workout¡­¡± I¡¯m puzzled by her outfit. She¡¯s dressed so sportily¡ªwearing a black tracksuit from a well-known sports brand. She¡¯s the type of girl who¡¯s more concerned with being fashionable. She¡¯s wearing Jirai kei[1] makeup and is carrying a backpack, and she looks like she should be dubbed ¡°Ogikubo¡¯s Darling.¡± But why is she dressed in such a casual manner? And, come to think of it, she seemed to have a subtle look of distaste when we were told by Nito to come over her place. Why? Is there a reason? ¡°¡­Well, you¡¯ll know when we get there.¡± Igarashi-san let out a sigh and walked away. ¡°One look and you¡¯ll see why I¡¯m dressed like this. Come on.¡± ¡°¡­O-okay.¡± I nodded and walked after her. [1] Jirai kei, which literally means ¡°landmine style,¡± is a very cute, girly, and feminine Japanese fashion style, but with a slightly darker aesthetic. It originated from the term jirai-onna which means ¡°landmine girl.¡± This refers to young women whose looks and personalities have a huge disconnection from one another. The term had negative connotations, but since Japanese models made it a popular style trend in 2020, many women started adopting it. Volume 1 - CH 3.2 ¡°Welcome!¡± We¡¯ve arrived at Nito¡¯s house and are heading to her room. ¡°Make yourself at home!¡± ¡°¡­Hehe.¡± At last. Behind that open door. I gulped as I imagined the view that awaited us there. But when we finally got inside, the first thing I saw was clothes piled up. Literally, and I wonder whether they¡¯ve been washed or not. Lots of unfolded clothes were piled on her bed. Clothes were spread out everywhere. Pants and skirts littered across the floor. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. I thought I would be excited to see such a thing from a girl I like, but instead, I was let down. My excitement dissipated. It was a harsh reality. Books, comics, printouts, and whatnot also cluttered the room. The electric piano in the corner of the room was covered in dust. On top of that, a table clock, stuffed animals, and towels were scattered about. On the study desk, the situation was similar. An empty box of disposable contact lenses, a single earring, stationery such as ballpoint pens and erasers, and a box of painkillers with pills peeking out were all lying around. It was a filthy room. Nito¡¯s room was a complete mess, the likes of which would cause a stir if a photo was taken and shared on social media. The fact that there were no food or beverage leftovers in the room was a blessing in disguise. If a classmate who only knows Nito as the quintessential honor student came to visit, they would most likely pass out. If a teacher discovered this, Nito would surely be kicked from her position on the class committee. And amidst such chaotic scenery¡­ ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve been here, Meguri!¡± Nito smiled happily. ¡°Also, this is probably the first time a boy has ever come here! You should be glad because you¡¯re very special!¡± Dressed in a relaxed cut-and-sew and a long loose skirt, she had a bright smile disproportionate to the setting. ¡°Oh, ha-ha¡­ thanks¡­¡± ¡°My parents, by the way, are away on business. My older sister is in her college club. That being said, don¡¯t get any strange ideas.¡± ¡°¡­Gotcha.¡± Was this all some kind of joke? Did she deliberately set up this messy room to surprise us? Yeah, that¡¯s it! Nito can¡¯t have a messy room when she writes such beautiful music! Ha-ha, that makes sense. This has to be a joke! I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get this out of the way quickly and move on to discussing our strategy. Well, that was what I thought. ¡°You can sit wherever you want, although it¡¯s pretty cramped.¡± Nito said that while moving items off the floor with her feet. Then there was a space in there that seemed big enough to accommodate my butt. ¡°¡­O-okay.¡± It finally dawned on me that this was real and not some prank. I see. So that¡¯s why you¡¯re dressed in a tracksuit, Igarashi-san. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Igarashi-san and I sat slightly apart from one another. Sure, I was given some space, but the shoes and the printouts that were still poking me in the butt were unsettling. And wait, where will the host sit? There¡¯s no more room on the floor. As I was still pondering about it¡­ ¡°All right, then!¡± Excitedly, she sat on the bed atop the unfolded pile of clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s get started with the first Astronomy Club Strategy Meeting!¡± ? * ? ¡°With the way we¡¯ve been doing it up until now, it¡¯s tough to bring on new members before the deadline¡­¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± We figured since Igarashi-san and I had traveled all the way to Nito¡¯s house, we should have some fun on the side. The discussion continued leisurely, with Nito and I playing an FPS game while Igarashi-san read a manga. ¡°Most freshmen already know about the Astronomy Club, don¡¯t they? We¡¯ve been handing out fliers and posting star cards for quite some time¡­ Oh, and Nito! The enemy went that way!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on him.¡± ¡°If we still don¡¯t have any applicants for the club, we¡¯ve no choice but to change the way we do things¡­¡± In retrospect, our recruitment strategy hasn¡¯t been all that bad. Even though the club was on the verge of being scrapped, we attracted quite a bit of attention. At the very least, we¡¯ve reached a point where very few students say they didn¡¯t know we existed. But we still didn¡¯t get any new members. Igarashi-san, Nito¡¯s best friend, was the only one who actually joined. Repeating the same recruitment strategy will no longer be effective if that¡¯s the case. ¡°But the thing is¡­¡± Igarashi-san said with a pout on her face, while she kept her eyes glued to a trendy youth manga. ¡°What exactly are we gonna do? How can we pique people¡¯s interest even more than before?¡± ¡°¡­Hmm, maybe I can play and sing?¡± Nito chimed in casually, her attention still focused on the game. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t the Brass Band and Light Music clubs draw a large crowd with their performances? We still have a chance if we can stand out like that, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Ehh!?¡± Igarashi-san quickly looked up. ¡°I kinda dislike that idea. It might attract the wrong crowd, don¡¯t you think? I don¡¯t want people like that to gather. I only want people with my permission near Chika.¡± She said that with dignity. She just wants Nito to herself, doesn¡¯t she? I wonder if she really intends to amend her relationship with her. ¡°¡­By the way, Meguri.¡± In response to Igarashi-san¡¯s objection, Nito crossed her bare legs and looked at me. ¡°Got any ideas?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± I put down the controller. Yes, I did think of something. It was the last thing I thought of last night after much grumbling and groaning at home. But¡­ ¡°There is one, but it isn¡¯t particularly good, and it¡¯s a bit of a challenge¡­¡± It¡¯s tricky. It lacked the punch when compared to the fliers and star cards. And I suppose you could also say it¡¯s ¡°inconvenient¡± to carry out. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, can it? There are no better options.¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± Well, it¡¯s like Nito said. It can¡¯t be helped. ¡°Um, let me explain then¡­¡± I explained the recruitment strategy I devised, despite my lack of enthusiasm. ¡°We¡¯re going to try to recruit a whole different set of students than we¡¯ve ever had before.¡± ? * ? After that, we hung out at Nito¡¯s house for the rest of the day. We played video games and chatted until 6 p.m. Then we adjourned as it was almost time for dinner. ¡°Well then, take care, you two.¡± ¡°Now that we have a plan, let¡¯s work on it slowly but surely.¡± ¡°See you next week.¡± Igarashi-san and I left Nito¡¯s house after this exchange. ¡°¡­So, how was it?¡± On the way to the station, Igarashi-san asked. ¡°You¡¯ve just visited your crush¡¯s room¡­ What do you think about the reality of it? Be honest¡­ did it turn you off?¡± ¡°¡­Oh that.¡± Yes, it was shocking. Girls have always struck me as lovely creatures. Unlike boys, they¡¯re cute, sensible, and bubbly. They can blossom into something wonderful even when left alone. But it turned out to be an illusion. I finally realized that real girls, like us boys, leave their rooms dirty, don¡¯t do laundry, and regularly procrastinate on cleaning. And so my answer is¡­ ¡°¡­I think I might have liked her even more.¡± ¡°¡­Huh!?¡± ¡°I kind of got to see the real her¡­¡± Yes, my perspective has shifted slightly. I was definitely surprised, but it¡¯s more because what I saw made Nito even more attractive. That¡¯s how it seemed. Nito¡¯s made of flesh and blood¡ªa human just like me. That¡¯s what makes her such a talented artist. She¡¯s not a being from another world, but a girl my age who lives in the same world as me. When I realized this, I felt a warm sensation inside of me. However, I could have done a better job of communicating this to Igarashi-san. ¡°You gotta be kidding me¡­¡± She seemed more disgusted than ever before. ¡°A guy who has a thing for dirty rooms? That¡¯s really gross¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± I was so flustered that I screamed. ¡°It¡¯s more on the normal side! I got to know Nito better after seeing her true self.¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so¡­?¡± Igarashi-san still has a doubtful expression on her face. I¡¯m curious about how untrustworthy I am to her. Isn¡¯t her prejudice against me too strong? ¡°¡­Well.¡± She looked away, sighing. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a lot better than brooding over just a dirty room¡­¡± She muttered to no one in particular. ? * ? The following week. North Building. Where the classrooms for each year level are located. In the hallway outside the sophomore classrooms on the third floor. ¡°We¡¯re the Astronomy Club¡­¡± ¡°¡­Our club room is on the fourth floor of the South Building.¡± ¡°We look forward to seeing you¡­¡± As agreed, we tried a new recruitment strategy. And it was a failure. The strategy I proposed over the weekend at Nito¡¯s house was doomed from the start. We continued conducting our recruitment activities with a weak voice, as if we had been drained of all energy. ¡°If you¡¯re interested¡­ please come by.¡± ¡°Astronomy is fun¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you just want to come and hang out¡­¡± It was like we had eggs on our faces. The sophomores asked, ¡°What the hell are they doing?¡± and ¡°Are they trying to recruit us?¡± It was so embarrassing to hand out flyers under their watchful eyes. Recruiting upperclassmen was my idea. Typically, only freshmen are targeted for club recruitment. In fact, we mainly distributed fliers to them and put star cards on their getabako. So this time, we targeted the upperclassmen. If they¡¯re not already in a club, there¡¯s a good chance we can find someone willing to join our club. With that in mind, we immediately printed more fliers. Just before classes started, we went to the upperclassmen¡¯s floor. ¡°¡­Please consider joining.¡± ¡°¡­We look forward to your visit.¡± ¡°If you please¡­¡± It was nothing more than an armchair theory. It was wishful thinking to think that going after upperclassmen would go well. Man, I can¡¯t bring myself to hand out fliers any longer. The sophomores were probably not expecting to be recruited. They just gave us a suspicious look and didn¡¯t take our fliers. This is painful. I never imagined it would be so challenging to recruit sophomores. It¡¯s not that they¡¯re overbearing or anything. It¡¯s just that being around older people makes me extremely nervous. I want to leave. I want to go home, take a warm bath, play games, and sleep comfortably on a soft futon. Nito and Igarashi-san seem to share the same sentiment. Still in honor student mode, Nito had a drawn face and a low voice. Meanwhile, Igarashi-san¡¯s face turned pale. Is she all right? She¡¯s not going to faint or anything, is she? I recall being told she passed out after the graduation ceremony. I sighed as I looked at my watch. There¡¯s still a little time before the school bell rings, but I think it¡¯s time to go. We¡¯re in a bad situation, but we don¡¯t have any more time to waste on an ineffective strategy. We¡¯re all exhausted. We should make a tactical retreat here. ¡°¡­What the hell are you guys doing?¡± A guy with a rich baritone voice called us out. The three of us looked over to see where the voice came from. ¡°Are you recruiting us sophomores for your club?¡± He looked very familiar. Short hair, wrinkles between the brows, a chiseled face, and a tall, toned body. Also, an intimidating aura. ¡°¡­Oh, Ro-Rokuyou-senpai!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but raise my voice. ¡°H-hi, it¡¯s been a while!¡± Haruki Rokuyou. A tough-looking guy approached us a while ago when Makoto and I were talking alone inside a fast-food restaurant. That was him. He was with his friends at the time. Usually, had it been someone else, I would have shrunk back and stayed silent. I would have been so frightened that I could only muster a faint smile. However, in this difficult situation, I was relieved to be approached by someone whose face I recognized. ¡°Well, we¡¯re looking for new members for our club¡­ but we have yet to have anyone accept our fliers, so we¡¯re in big trouble. And if we can¡¯t get one more member, we¡¯ll be forced to disband¡­¡± I babbled. Well, maybe I¡¯m becoming too familiar with him after only having met him once, but I think it¡¯s all right. After all, we did exchange contact information. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re in dire straits, huh?¡± Rokuyou-senpai said in a light tone. But he was looking at me with curiosity. ¡°Wait¡­ ¡®It¡¯s been a while¡¯? We¡¯ve never met before, have we?¡± ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Ahhhhhhh!!! Oh shit! I messed up! We¡¯ve never met before in this timeline! It wasn¡¯t until three years later that I would finally speak to him. By then, he had graduated and was a college student! I got careless! I was so disheartened by our failed recruitment strategy that I couldn¡¯t think clearly! What do I do!? How do I get out of this situation!? Use your head, Meguri! Now¡¯s the time to wake up those dormant brain cells of yours! ¡°¡­Oh, tee-hee. We never had a conversation before, huh?¡± After a brief thought, those words were the first things out of my mouth. ¡°I apologize for the confusion¡­ It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a big fan of yours, Rokuyou-senpai¡­ and, well, I¡¯ve been imagining conversations between us for quite some time¡­ Tee-hee!¡± Disgusting! You came up with such a cringey setup! Look! Igarashi-san looks so repulsed by it! And Nito is in shock! Even Rokuyou-senpai¡¯s having a hard time reacting! He¡¯s not going to hit me and tell me to fuck off, is he¡­!? I stiffened reflexively, bracing myself to be smacked. But¡­ ¡°Ha-ha, what a guy.¡± For some reason, Rokuyou-senpai chuckled. ¡°That was definitely a lie. But, well, it was kinda funny.¡± What? Did I make it through? Have I overcome my blunder? Rokuyou-senpai is surprisingly tolerant, then? ¡°Hmm. So, you¡¯re looking for new members for your club. Gotcha.¡± He then took one flier from my grasp. ¡°Well, best of luck. If anyone comes to mind, I¡¯ll introduce you.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡­? Thanks¡­¡± I bowed my head as Rokuyou-senpai followed his friends across the hallway. Did he just say he¡¯ll introduce us if anyone comes to mind? What? For real? Is he really going to do that? An upperclassman like him? Well, I doubt that. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone who would want to join the Astronomy Club. And yet, he said that. But there was no doubt that he meant well, and there was no reason for me to refuse. I¡¯ll be grateful just for those words. Thank you, Rokuyou-senpai.