Toko-senpai And Honoka.

Sigh. This past week has been mentally exhausting.

After fourth period ended, I stretched and felt that thought deep in my bones.

“What’s the plan? Heading somewhere today?” Ishida, sitting next to me, asked.

“Nah, I’m going home with Toko-senpai today,” I said with a slight smirk.

“Wait, really? Doesn’t Toko-senpai have lab work late on Fridays?”

“Usually, yeah, but she said she’d likely finish early today. She messaged a little while ago—if I wait about thirty minutes, we can go home together.”

I’ve been tossed around all week by that “trouble-daughter” Honoka, so I haven’t had a moment to talk properly with Toko-senpai. If it means getting to be with her, waiting a little is nothing.

“I see. Well, I’d just be in the way, so I’ll head out first.” Ishida stood, slinging his daypack over his shoulder.

“Yeah, see ya.”

I packed my stationery and textbooks slowly. There was still plenty of time until Toko-senpai’s lab ended, so I left the classroom at a leisurely pace.

It happened just as I was leaving the Faculty of Science and Engineering building. I overheard four male students talking as they walked in.

“That girl just now was insanely cute.”

“She looked like an idol.”

“Great figure, too. Like a gravure model.”

“She was in a uniform, but what school is she from?”

“It wasn’t O-Girls. I don’t recognize that uniform.”

I guess a cute girl is a hot topic anywhere, just by existing, I thought as I stepped out of the building.

Then my eyes met a tall high school girl with platinum-blonde hair standing by the entrance. I did an immediate about-face.

“Wait—Hey! Why are you looking at me and running away!?” Honoka lunged at me and grabbed my right arm.

“If there’s a reason I shouldn’t run away after seeing you, I’d like to hear it.”

“How rude! After I went through the trouble of waiting for you!”

“Who asked you to wait? I know those words would never cross my lips.”

“I had to fend off all these guys while I was waiting!”

As usual, she doesn’t listen to a word I say.

“You were waiting for me?”

Honoka nodded vigorously, still gripping both my arms.

“Yeah, I wanted to talk.”

“About what?”

“About Meika.”

I let out a massive sigh. Not this again.

“I met Meika-chan yesterday. I’m meeting her again tomorrow at noon. End of story.”

“You say ‘met’ but you just showed up! And only for an hour, out of obligation. Meika was so depressed today!”

“So what? That was the deal from the start, wasn’t it?”

“Meika is the type who can’t say anything in front of the person she likes! Have a little consideration for her feelings!”

“I tried to start conversations. Just normal ones.”

“Idle small talk and ‘senpai-to-kouhai’ chatter won’t bridge the gap between you two! You didn’t say anything that would actually lead to progress!”

“Progress toward what? I never agreed to any of that in the first place!”

“Did you forget our promise? I said the deadline was one week!”

“Are you kidding me!? Who promised what? I didn’t promise a thing. Stop making things up!”

Honoka’s eyes narrowed; a dangerous glint appeared.

“Did you forget about the photo? If I show that to Sis, what do you think—”

“Oh, Honoka?”

At that voice my entire body froze. Honoka, still gripping my arm, froze too. When I turned, Toko-senpai was standing there.

“What are you doing here? And why are you… with Yuu-kun?”

My throat seized; I couldn’t make a sound. Honoka, however, was something else in situations like this.

“Oh, um—I came to Shinjuku to shop with a friend and thought I’d take a peek at your university since I was nearby. Then I spotted someone who looked like your boyfriend, so I chased him down and caught him. What about you, Sis? Don’t you usually have lab work late on Fridays?”

I couldn’t believe how smoothly the lies flowed. I had to admire her… talent for deception.

Toko-senpai gave a wry smile.

“I finished my assignment early today. Still, anyone would be startled if a stranger suddenly grabbed their arm. It looked like Yuu-kun was trying to get away.”

Wait—Toko-senpai, you actually believed that lie?

I was stunned by the disconnect. At the same time, I wanted to avoid exposing my prior involvement with Honoka.

“Yeah, sorry.”

When Honoka obediently said that, I thought, Wait—what? She wasn’t the pushy, arrogant troublemaker I’d seen before; she looked like a perfectly normal little sister.

“This is your first time meeting, right? Yuu-kun, let me introduce you. This is my younger sister, Honoka. She’s a second-year at Ichikawa Girls’ Academy.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Honoka Sakurajima. Thank you for always taking care of my sister.”

Honoka put her hands together and bowed politely. She looked like a completely ordinary high school girl.

“This is Yuu Isshiki-kun. He’s in the same Information Engineering department as me, but he’s a year below—a freshman. You remember me telling you about him, right?”

“Yeah. He looks like a kind person, Sis.”

Pffft. I almost snorted out loud. A kind person? How can she say that with a straight face?

Toko-senpai turned to me.

“I don’t know the whole story, but Honoka grabbed your arm out of nowhere, right? Sorry if it startled you. She’s the type to act on impulse.”

I was startled, but for a completely different reason. In front of Toko-senpai, Honoka behaved like a “borrowed cat”—completely subdued.

Then it clicked: Honoka was intimidated by Toko-senpai. Mentally, she looked up to her; she was unconsciously overwhelmed by her presence.

Probably the same for me. I’m Toko-senpai’s boyfriend—or supposed to be—but I still can’t treat her as an equal. I hesitate; something in me shrinks. It’s obvious why: she’s the campus’s famous beauty and genius, my senior in both high school and university, my long-time idol—she’s “the senpai.”

So why was Honoka so timid around Toko-senpai? As I wondered, Toko-senpai spoke to Honoka.

“We’re going home now, but do you want to come with us, Honoka?”

Wait—Toko-senpai. That’s a bit…

Honoka backed away, shaking her head.

“No, I have my friend with me, so I’ll head back with her. I wouldn’t want to get in your way.”

You brat—why are you playing the “good girl” now? Your whole goal was to get in our way!

“I see. Don’t be too late, then. Mom will worry.”

“Yeah, I know…”

With that, Honoka said, “Excuse me,” bowed, then hurried away as if fleeing. I watched her go, like I was witnessing some strange phenomenon.

“Well, shall we go too?” she asked.

I fell into step with Toko-senpai.

“Um, Toko-senpai… about your sister…” I began.

She answered matter-of-factly, “Oh, she has her quirks, but don’t pay it much mind. She’s a good girl at heart.”

A good girl at heart? Her?

It seems the Honoka her sister sees is someone else entirely.