Although it was mysteriously hot during the night, Kotomi Izumi still managed to sleep comfortably until her alarm rang.

It was Saturday. Normally, Kotomi’s habit was to laze in bed until 8 AM, eat breakfast, then return to her room to nap until 11 AM. After lunch, she would watch some anime, take another two-hour nap, and then…

She would lie in bed, torn between getting up to write or staying in bed to read manga.

One part of her brain would say she needed to get up and write, while another would insist on staying in bed to read manga. Meanwhile, her hands would be occupied with scrolling through short videos on her phone.

Before she knew it, the day would pass without writing a single word. Then she would eat dinner, snack on some fries, play games, and go to sleep.

Such a productive weekend schedule!

But today was different. She needed to send Arisu Sakayanagi home first, then meet Iroha Isshiki at the station.

The two of them would ride the train, transfer, and head to Fujisawa City in Kanagawa to visit Enoshima.

Even now, Kotomi thought, Why are we going all the way to Fujisawa just to buy a phone?

But since Iroha was so insistent, and Kotomi didn’t feel comfortable letting her go alone, she decided to accompany her.

Going out for a bit on the weekend was a nice change of pace, anyway.

After washing her face, Kotomi stood in front of her wardrobe, contemplating what to wear. This wasn’t just a casual trip to a nearby phone shop, where a simple T-shirt and jeans would do. She was heading to Fujisawa City with her sister’s friend, Iroha Isshiki.

As Aimi’s older sister, she had to dress properly.

Before long, Kotomi made her choice. It was a bit cold today, so she could finally wear one of her favorite outfits: a short black trench coat.

Everyone has their chuunibyou moments, and Kotomi was no exception. In fact, her chuunibyou phase had lasted longer than most. During that time, she developed a special fondness for trench coats—whether long or short.

Whenever Kotomi wore a trench coat, she would imagine herself as a figure clad in a white coat, walking alone through the dark streets of a city drenched in heavy rain. In her left hand, she held a pitch-black umbrella; in her right hand, a long, silver briefcase.

Amid a series of chilling cackles, a grotesque monster would appear before her. Kotomi would raise her sharp gaze and press the hidden switch on the briefcase handle. The case would instantly transform into a long sword glowing with a crimson light.

The black umbrella would soar into the air, signaling the start of the battle. As the monster charged forward, Kotomi would dash to meet it, her crimson blade slicing through the darkness.

When the battle ended, blood would splatter everywhere. Her short boots would step over the monster’s remains, and the sword, plunged into the ground, would gleam with its red light. Her face, stained with blood, would remain stunning and fierce—yet her white trench coat would remain spotless, swaying gently in the rain.

Yes, every time she wore a trench coat, Kotomi would imagine herself wielding all sorts of weapons—swords, spears, lances—and using forbidden black magic to fight imagined enemies and monsters, carrying the title of a witch as she ascended to her dark throne.

She would often listen to music through her headphones while doing this, mentally transforming the songs into the theme songs, ending songs, or insert songs for her “anti-hero dark witch” saga. This was also why Kotomi liked listening to music while walking outside.

Incidentally, during her chuunibyou phase, Kotomi always imagined herself as an anti-hero protagonist—a figure from the abyss who would one day ascend to the throne of purgatory, holding a crimson Holy Grail to bring about the world’s destruction.

Logically, after growing out of the chuunibyou phase, one would look back at such items and feel embarrassed.

But Kotomi was different. Not only did she not feel embarrassed, but even now, she would put on a trench coat and mentally choreograph epic battle scenes where she was the protagonist. Whether it was in a fantasy world, a near-future urban setting, or another dimension, Kotomi had endless storylines in her head.

Yes, Kotomi Izumi, a first-year high school student, still held onto her hidden chuunibyou heart!

“Uh, Kotomi, why are you standing in front of the wardrobe with your hands on your hips?”

Arisu Sakayanagi, who had just woken up, rubbed her eyes and stared at Kotomi, who was striking various poses in front of her trench coat and muttering strange lines.

Kotomi snapped her head around abruptly, realizing Arisu had been watching her this whole time.

“Y-You… when did you wake up?”

“Five minutes ago.”

At that moment, Kotomi, who had been immersed in her chuunibyou fantasy, stopped thinking entirely, overcome by sheer social embarrassment.

During Breakfast.

“Arisu, how’s breakfast? Does it taste good?”

“Mm! It’s delicious, Akina-san. This potato salad is absolutely amazing.”

“Haha, if you like it, eat as much as you want. Do you need another bowl of rice? There’s still plenty of miso tofu soup.”

“Sorry to trouble you, Akina-san. I’ll have another bowl, thank you.”

“By the way, Kotomi, what’s wrong with you? You don’t look so good.”

“Mom… my Dark Witch’s Tale has been exposed.”

“Oh, I see. Then, oh great witch burdened by both heaven and the abyss! Lead your demons to shatter the false sanctuaries and halt the hypocritical hymns of desire sung by the elite. Raise the bloodstained flag of hell while riding atop the black goat of the forest that births thousands of young, and chant the bloodied anthem of chaos!”

Akina dramatically recited, perfectly matching Kotomi’s chuunibyou mood.

“Aimi, what exactly are they doing?” Arisu asked, genuinely bewildered by the bizarre scene before her.

Aimi let out a long sigh. “It’s nothing. My sister gets chuunibyou sometimes, and my mom is patient enough to play along. The two best tabletop RPG players in the Izumi household are my mom and sister.”

After breakfast, Arisu bowed slightly. “Thank you for the hospitality. Sorry for troubling you last night and this morning.”

“Haha, don’t be so polite. Come by anytime, Arisu. I’ll make more good food for you. Kotomi will be so happy.”

“Take care on your way back!”

“Understood. Akina-san, Izumi-san, Aimi-chan, goodbye!”

Arisu stood up to leave, and Kotomi went with her to escort her home.

Even though the plan today was to buy a new phone, Kotomi carefully stuffed a power bank and charging cable into her pocket, just in case. She hadn’t brought any cash, so her phone was the only way she could pay for things. If her phone died in Fujisawa City, that would spell disaster.

Not to mention buying the phone—she wouldn’t even be able to purchase a train ticket home.

Today’s the day I stop worrying about my phone’s battery! Kotomi clenched her fist in determination.

As they walked down the street, Kotomi and Arisu suddenly made eye contact.

“Kotomi, do you know where my house is?”

“Ah, now that you mention it… I guess I don’t. But that’s fine! I’ll just follow you.”

“Hahaha. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kidnap you? Besides, even though you’re the one who said you’d follow me, you’ve been walking in front this whole time. I’m the one following you,” Arisu pointed out, waving a finger for emphasis.

“Ahaha…” Kotomi awkwardly scratched her head, trying to cover up her mistake. “Sorry about that. Arisu, where do you live, anyway?”

“My family home isn’t in Chiba City, but to make commuting to school easier, my parents rented an apartment for me. I live there with Toko. The address is Hiiragi Apartments, Building B, 29th floor. Remember that, okay?”

Hiiragi Apartments? Kotomi thought. Given Arisu’s status as a refined young lady, it made sense for her to live in such a luxurious place, even if it was rented. Kotomi couldn’t even fathom how much the rent for Hiiragi Apartments would cost.

Looking around, Kotomi noticed a white shared bicycle nearby. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an electric one.

“It’s pretty far from here to Hiiragi Apartments. To save time, let’s just ride this bike.”

“But I don’t know how to ride,” Arisu said, wiggling her small feet. To be precise, it wasn’t that she didn’t know how—her legs simply made it impossible.

Arisu, who needed a cane to walk, riding a bike was completely out of the question.

“That’s fine. See the seat at the back? It’s just the right size for one more person.”

“Oh~ I get it. I didn’t expect you to be such a delinquent, Kotomi. Double-riding a bike—what a bad girl you are!” Arisu teased playfully, her eyes shining with anticipation. It seemed she had never ridden on a bike like this before.

In no time, Kotomi had paid the deposit and unlocked the shared bike. Sitting on the seat, she patted the back.

“Humph, I’m a pretty decent cyclist, you know. Just sit back and relax—I’ll have you home in no time.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, my adorable little knight~”

Arisu sat down and, as she finished speaking, tightly wrapped her arms around Kotomi’s waist.

The distance to Hiiragi Apartments was farther than Kotomi had imagined. As she pedaled the bicycle, she once again felt glad about her decision to rent it. Normally, with her stamina, such distances wouldn’t be much of a concern, but now that Arisu was riding with her, Kotomi couldn’t help but consider whether walking so far might have been too much for her.

Beneath Kotomi’s exterior was a surprisingly considerate heart.

Arisu, seated on the rear rack, watched the scenery on both sides blur and retreat as they passed. This was her first time riding on a bicycle like this. The cool breeze brushing against her cheeks, combined with the unfamiliar sensation of the ride, made her heart feel inexplicably light.

At this moment, she recalled her childhood—how she once stuffed Kotomi into a small cardboard box after Kotomi had eaten too much, tied it to a string, and pulled her home while riding a wobbling toddler tricycle.

Back then, she had transported Kotomi in a little box; now, it was Kotomi carrying her on a bicycle.

Arisu’s lips curved into a gentle smile. She hugged Kotomi’s waist a little tighter, leaning her head against Kotomi’s back, taking in her familiar scent.

Feeling Arisu’s hold tighten slightly, Kotomi thought she might be scared, so she inconspicuously slowed down the bicycle’s speed.

They passed by a commercial street, and Kotomi’s nose twitched as the sweet aroma of roasted sweet potato wafted through the air. However, having just eaten breakfast, she wasn’t particularly hungry. Besides, her main priority was getting Arisu home. For once, Kotomi resisted her urge to stop for snacks.

In front of a love hotel, Seiko Kirigiri walked out with her hands clasped behind her back, followed closely by Hibiki Naegi.

“Wow… I didn’t expect to wake up and see it’s almost noon. Sister, how about we grab lunch before heading back? I feel like eating tonkatsu. As for you, how about some red bean rice?”

“You little brat! Just because I let you off easy last night, you’re getting cocky?! Red bean rice?!” As she spoke, Hibiki knocked Seiko lightly on the head. It stung just a bit.

As for why the two of them were here… that was a story that began yesterday afternoon.

After school the previous day, Seiko and Hibiki had been walking home together when Seiko couldn’t help but share her lunchtime misunderstanding with Kotomi. She explained her suspicion that Hibiki might be losing interest in her.

Hibiki had been shocked. She insisted that during lunch, she had only gone to deliver the art clubroom keys to Kotomi. In her rush to return to class, she hadn’t explained things to Seiko properly.

Fridays were especially hectic for Hibiki since she had to attend the weekly club presidents’ meeting in the afternoon. These meetings were essential for summarizing the week’s progress. Being the end of the month, they also had to submit budget applications for their clubs.

This was one of the perks of being in a club—funding wasn’t too much of a concern. As long as there was a legitimate need, a written proposal could be submitted during the monthly presidents’ meeting.

However, securing funds wasn’t easy. The student council, in charge of approving budgets, was notoriously stingy. Writing a convincing proposal required considerable effort, as club presidents fought tooth and nail to get as much funding as possible, while student council members devised all kinds of tactics to cut costs.

The school had implemented this system to give students a taste of real-world struggles.

A good school not only taught academics but also prepared students for life in society—teaching them how to interact, negotiate, and problem-solve. This way, when students graduated and faced the choice between university and employment, they could make decisions that suited their goals.

Caught up in her responsibilities as a club president, Hibiki had been preoccupied and frazzled, leading her to unintentionally neglect Seiko.

Realizing her mistake, Hibiki pulled Seiko into an embrace. “You idiot. How could I ever lose interest in you? Right now, I have only one goal: to get into a good university, find a stable job, and save enough to build a home for the two of us. That way, after you graduate from university… you won’t have to worry about anything when you marry me.”

“Hi-Hibiki…”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself—call me Sister. Forget it, let’s just go to a hotel!”

Just like that, the two of them walked into the love hotel.

Initially, it was Hibiki who had suggested going to the hotel. However, when they walked out today, it was Hibiki who was holding her waist in pain, while Seiko emerged looking radiant and refreshed.

“Hmph, what nice weather. Let’s take a photo,” Seiko said, pulling out her phone. The moment she pressed the shutter, however, she froze completely.

“What’s wrong?” Hibiki walked over.

“Take a look, Sister.” Seiko turned the phone toward Hibiki. In the picture she had just taken, there were two very familiar figures.

They were riding the same bicycle.

“What’s so strange about that? Or are you so particular about traffic rules that you want to stop people from riding double on a bicycle?” Hibiki asked with a smile, unable to see what was wrong at first.

“I’m not talking about that. Look, Sister, don’t the two people on the bike look familiar?”

Hibiki squinted at the photo. Although it was slightly blurry, the figures were still recognizable. After staring for a long moment, the two of them suddenly shouted in unison:

“It’s Kotomi?!”

“Kotomi is riding a bicycle, and someone’s sitting behind her… Let me take a closer look. They look kind of familiar too. Eh? Isn’t that Arisu Sakayanagi, the class president of 1-A?”

Seiko quickly recognized the girl sitting behind Kotomi. Arisu had come to Class 1-F several times before, leaving a lasting impression.

Hibiki naturally knew who Arisu Sakayanagi was, but her recognition only added to her confusion. “Why is Izumi spending her weekend with Sakayanagi?”

“And riding the same bicycle together so intimately… They look just like a couple…”

Seiko pondered this for a moment before suddenly hopping onto Hibiki’s back and throwing her arms around her neck. “Ah! I’m so jealous! Sister, you’ve never carried me on a bicycle before! I don’t care, I don’t care! If we’re not riding a bike today, you have to carry me the whole way!”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad deal for me,” Hibiki said with a smile. She patted Seiko lightly on the backside, slid her hands under Seiko’s thighs and calves, and began carrying her.

“What about that photo? Shouldn’t you delete it?” Hibiki asked.

“Eh? Delete it? Why would I delete it? I was planning to ask Kotomi about it at school on Monday. Hmph, my gossip spirit is burning up!”

Kotomi brought the bicycle to a stop, gently pulling the brakes as they reached a parking lot near Hiiragi Apartments. She had wanted to ride all the way to the entrance of Arisu’s apartment building, but as expected of a luxury residence, shared bicycles were not allowed inside.

“Arisu, can I go in?” Kotomi pointed to the entrance not far away, where well-trained security guards stood watch.

“Normally, you wouldn’t be allowed in. For example, if you came to visit a friend, you would need to register at the entrance first, then call your friend to come down and meet you before being allowed inside. Oh, by the way, you can’t operate the elevator just by pressing the floor button; you need to scan an access card, and the elevator will automatically take you to your floor.”

“That sounds really inconvenient…” Kotomi muttered. What if someone forgot their access card? Wouldn’t they have to take the stairs?

Glancing up at the 30-story building, Kotomi shivered slightly. She thought to herself that even if she lived in an apartment someday, she would never pick one so high up.

“That’s what makes it safe,” Arisu said with a gentle smile.

Then, as if nervous but expectant, Arisu suddenly grabbed Kotomi’s index finger and slowly raised it, asking softly, “C-Can I?”

It seemed like she was asking, “Can I hold your hand?” Since suddenly grabbing Kotomi’s hand might startle her, Arisu had learned to ask first—a small sign of her growth and progress.

“Go ahead,” Kotomi nodded.

As soon as she said that, Arisu’s hands moved like scissors, quickly wrapping around Kotomi’s hand. She stared intently at the small hand she was holding, her lips curling into a foolish smile.

“Hehehehe…”

Hand in hand, Kotomi and Arisu walked into Hiiragi Apartments. Arisu felt as though they looked like a pair of lovers, but Kotomi couldn’t help thinking they looked more like the parent-and-child duos often seen on Japanese television programs.

Once they reached the entrance of Building B, Kotomi released Arisu’s hand, feeling that her task was complete. At the moment their hands parted, Arisu’s face visibly showed a hint of disappointment.

I wanted to hold her hand a little longer…

Arisu rubbed her fingertips together, savoring the lingering warmth and softness of Kotomi’s hand.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep