Author’s notes: The hopeless sister’s new chapter. This time it’s the best friend and mistress’s (?) turn.
(I honestly didn’t know what it meant to give her the button) I safely entrusted the second button of my own uniform to Ren-chan, a kouhai student. I had finished my school lookup and was returning to my classroom.
I spent quite a lot of time exploring the school, but there is still time before the ceremony. So now what do I do to pass the time? When I come to the front of the classroom thinking about this…
“”Aah!””
I bumped into her at the door. I ran into my best friend.
“If it isn’t Mako. Good morning. You’re here early again.”
“Un, morning. Isn’t Kanakana who is here early?”
The one saying that is my best friend, Kanai Kanae—– Kanakana and I enter the classroom while we greet each other with a high five.
“I only came early as Koma’s attendant who went to the graduation address meeting. I’ve just gone round the school because I’ve split up with Koma and I’ve had some free time anyway.”
“Aah, I get it. I… got here somehow.. When I thought that today would be the last time, I couldn’t stay still for any longer, and I was here before I realized.”
Kanakana says that a little shyly. Hmm, I know that feeling. When I think that I’m graduating today, I’m filled with so many feelings that it feels like a waste to stay at home.
“By the way… Mako. I was just a bit interested so is it fine if I could ask you something.”
“Fueh!? What is it, Kanakana?”
“Why do you have the second button removed? You look indecent like that, don’t you? Did you properly dress yourself?”
Kanakana points curiously at my chest and asks.
“Aah, this? No, actually, I met Ren-chan just now. I don’t know much about it, but she asked me for my second button. Well, as far as I’m concerned, there was no particular reason to say no, so I gave it to her.”
“…. Heeh. Is that so.”
“Hm… Ah? Kanakana?”
As soon as I explain it, Kanakana, who had been having a friendly conversation with me, narrows her eyes and her voice grows cold.
Wha, what happened? She has a very dignified face, but… My back tingles from seeing this kind of face on Kanakana….
“…. (*Mumble*) That girl is also a strong rival in a different way to Koma… Aah. She has beaten me to it?”
“Huh? Did you say something, Kanakana?”
“Nothing at all. More importantly… I don’t want to think about it, Mako. But, you’re not intending to go to the graduation dressed like that, are you?”
“Eh? Is it bad?”
Kanakana gives me a look of being fed up when I tilt my head and wonder how it is a problem.
“Isn’t it obvious that it’s bad. You’ll have this graduation ceremony only once in your life, right? If you don’t dress properly, you’ll regret it.”
“Muu… You may have a point. But… I don’t have any spare buttons.”
“Good grief, Mako is hopeless till the end…. Okay. Leave it to me. I’ll do something about it.”
Saying such reliable words, Kanakana takes out a sewing set from her bag. And then, her chest… she puts her hands on her second button….
“Eeih!”
“Wai… What are you doing, Kanakana!?”
“It’s fine. Come on, stay still, Mako.”
Just like I did in front of Ren-chan just a few minutes ago. She ripped her own second button off her uniform with great vigour.
Despite my surprise, Kanakana takes out thread and needles from her sewing set. In no time at all, she’s sewing her button onto my uniform.
“Okay, I’m done… Un, you seem alright. How does it feel? Do you feel any discomfort or anything?”
“Eh, etto… Un, I feel fine. But, Kanakana… If you do that, then Kanakana’s will remain unbuttoned too…”
“No problem. I have spare buttons.”
“Ah, I see. Then, it’s oka—- Hn? Hmmm?”
…. Huh? If you have a spare button, then it would’ve been fine if you just put that one on me from the start? Why did Kanakana go to the trouble of putting the second button of her uniform on my uniform…?
“Putting that aside. Thank you, Kanakana. You saved me.”
“No, no. I’m the one who should thank you, Mako♪ ….. (*Mumble*) Thanks to that, I could legally give Mako my second button♡.”
“….?”
Why is she saying thanks to me…? I don’t understand… Ren-chan and Kanakana too, I have a bit of trouble keeping up with their behaviour today. What could it be? Are they both getting excited before the graduation ceremony?
“More importantly, Mako.”
“Feh? Eto, what is it, Kanakana?”
“There’s still time… If you don’t mind, Mako, would you like to go to the rooftop now?”
“… To the rooftop?”
◇ ◇ ◇
“Nnhh…! It feels pleasant!”
“It does. It’s warm and fluffy. I’m glad knowing it’ll be a great graduation ceremony.”
I was invited by Kanakana to come to the rooftop. I feel it again when I come to the rooftop. That today is a great day. The spring weather, the clean air and the cherry blossoms in bloom. It’s like a warm send-off for those of us who are about to graduate.
“… These three years passed so fast.”
“I know, right. I thought I had enrolled just a few days ago, and now I’m graduating. It was quick.”
Kanakana and I, looking down from the rooftop, talking side by side earnestly.
“It’s well said that time flies like an arrow… Good grief. No matter how much time I have with Mako, it’s never enough.”
“Ahaha! What’s with that? Do you want to say that I’m a busy person, Kanakana?”
“That’s not it. I want to say that the fun and fulfilling time you spend with the person you love passes quickly.”
“Hauuu…!?”
My best friend suddenly catches me by surprise. I was completely caught off guard and it was so critical…. Ah, not good… My face is hot…
“Really, these past three years I spent with Mako were the best. So much has happened. The entrance ceremony where Mako spoke to me. I will never forget that moment. You gave light to me who was heartbroken and was at rock bottom in despair.”
“Eh, ettooo…”
“Luckily, we were in the same class these three years… and I was able to stop Mako from getting out of line and follow up on her when she was angry. The days were so hectic and shocking. As the days went by… I fell in love with Mako. I realised the joy of falling in love.”
“Aauu…”
“And I hold the accumulated feelings in my chest. Just this place last year… I confessed to you. I also received your lips.”
Kanakana happily talks about her memories of me and her feelings for me. I can’t say anything, as I keep getting critically hit, and I can only exclaim *Awa, awa* and have my face turn red at Kanakana’s speech.
“The result was, I got rejected, but I fell more and more in love with Mako. Even after Koma and Mako became lovers, I continued to attack Mako in an attempt to steal her. I know I’m saying it, but they were unproductive and unfaithful days…. But, every day was complete and wonderful.”
“Uhm, uhm…”
“… However. Those days are coming to an end today.”
“Ee….”
Just as I thought I can say something. Suddenly Kanakana mutters lonely in a somber voice.
“From now on, we… We are going to take different paths. We’ll probably spend much, much less time together than we did in junior high school…. I’ll be lonely.”
“Kana, kana…”
“… Hey, Mako. Before we graduate and move away from each other. Before leaving this school. I just want to say one last thing.”
Kanakana looks at me with a passionate gaze, takes a step closer and starts to say. And…
“Just again. Let me say this one last time. Tachibana Mako-san—– I, love you. I’m consumed with desire for you. Please, with me… go out with me.”
And she confessed her love to me.
“…. Etto. Uhm…”
“… How, about it?”
Strong feelings in her heart. Her passionate confession. Really, till the end, Kanakana is… I think she’s amazing. I can’t believe that she can turn so much passionate emotion towards me.
Now… Now that she’s confessed to me, I’ll have to respond. However… before that, before.
“…. Kanakana. Before I reply, I just want to say a few words too. May I say them?”
“… Yeah, please. If it’s Mako’s words… They’re like a treasure to me no matter what they are.”
“Thank you. Then I’ll speak without reservations—–
I don’t know why, but Kanakana, you’re giving off the air of a lifetime goodbye. Me and Kanakana… We’ll go to high school together, right?”
‘We’re going different ways’, ‘we’ll have less time together’, ‘we’ll be apart’ saying things like that. Me, Kanakana, and also Koma and Himecchi. We’re supposed to go to the same school in April.
For a moment I too was almost fooled by the atmosphere created by Kanakana. Instead of growing apart, this inseparable relationship should continue for at least three more years, right…?
“Eeh? I’m not lying at all. We’ve been in classes together for three years now, but high school programs are different, so we’ll be split up by elective classes. We’ll have less time to see each other than ever?”
“Well, that’s true, but… Why did you put it in such an easily confusing way?”
“I had no other meaning… It’s not like I’ve seen it written or anything like that on an internet forum that the ‘confess on the rooftop on graduation day before you say goodbye’ situation you can use to surely make someone fall in love with you, okay? ‘Even if we go to high school together, I can always make her fall by giving off the right mood.’, I didn’t believe in something like that, okay?”
I see, so that’s what she was aiming…
“So? What’s your answer to me, Mako?”
“It hasn’t changed… Sorry. I keep saying it, but I can’t go out with you because I have my wife Koma who I love.”
“*Tch*…. As I thought, you can never rely on love forums.”
Don’t rely on such shady forums in the first place.
“Whatever. I can still spend time with Mako from now on in the future. In high school, as before—- No, I’m going to make Mako fall for me more seriously than ever before, so I’ll let you off with this for today. Be prepared even more when we become high school students, Mako. I’m going to make you melt for me for sure.”
“… Ahaha. Please go easy on me.”
I think while smiling bitterly at the powerful words of my unwavering best friend. Thank you Kanakana for liking me so much and for the miracle of meeting me at this school.
“Hey, Kanakana.”
“Hn? What is it, Kanakana?”
“I like Kanakana, too.”
“Ngh!?”
“I like you as a best friend, but only as a best friend.”
“…. That’s cowardly, Mako. How much more are you going to shake my heart till you’re satisfied?”
While being led by my hand back to the classroom by Kanakana. I’m looking forward to spending happy days with her from April onwards, and in return for shaking me up so much today, I’ve decided to say a few words to Kanakana as well.
Well, it’s that. Please look after me in future as well, my best friend.
Author’s notes: Thank you for reading. She’s been beaten to the second button? In that case, the strong-styled Kanakana gives her own second button to Mako. She’s strong. I think Kanakana and Koma will continue to get on well with each other and fight for Mako in the future.
I write this now because, in the early days, Kanakana did not exist. After all, because this was twin sister yuri novel? But as soon as I hear from readers ‘I want to see a love triangle with a character who is in love with Mako’, I can do this…! And Kanakana was born out of this result. I didn’t expect her to be such an interesting character, so easy to expand on…
Tintan 