Chapter 77

Still, it's a lot of hard work. I was hauling the large props from backstage onto the stage, helping with the rehearsal practice.

"Hyoga-kun! Move that rock to the right! Hurry, hurry, we're out of time before the next cue!"

That's Senior Kiriyama barking orders. Just hearing his voice you'd think he's acting big, but in reality he's lugging rocks and pillars too. Several other guys are also involved in moving the set pieces, and their sweat drip-drops onto the stage.

Even though winter is almost here, this stage alone feels wrapped in a tropical low-pressure zone.

As soon as the man in front of the stage calls out, "All right, next performance!" Kiriyama-senpai and I plop down on the backstage floor.

We look at each other at the same time and share a laugh. Then his face clouds a little. Pressing his gloved hands together, he apologizes to me about today's work.

"Hyoga-kun. I'm really sorry. It was sudden, I know. But you were literally the only person I could ask for help. You're the only one I feel strong enough with to even request a favor."

"It's fine, really."

"Can yakiniku really make up for this?"

"It's okay, okay. I'm happy I can help like this."

"R-really?"

Yes. I wanted to be of use to Kiriyama-senpai. Ever since elementary school I've wanted to thank him for what he did.

Back in grade school, when classmates teased me on the way home, calling me a "jinx who causes incidents wherever he goes," he showed up. Wearing a middle-school uniform, he said just one line: "Cut it out." The ever-kindhearted passer-by noticed how uncomfortable I looked and stopped them for me.

Thanks to that, my walk home became a little more enjoyable. Because he listened whenever I talked about the incidents, I tried telling him.

Before I started hating detectives, I even chatted with Mom about mysteries. For an elementary-schooler to discuss mystery novels on the way home was probably a little unusual.

After I started hating them, he still talked about other things. When we entered high school and drifted apart a bit, he told me he'd joined the drama club I loved and gave me a ticket that normally costs money, for free.

I wanted to repay that kindness. Unlike some president somewhere, he's truly sincere, you know. Helping him out every so often makes me happy too.

I nodded, brushed off his worry that "I'm forcing you to help," and offered a different topic—something that had been bothering me just a bit.

"It's fine. More importantly... why are there so few people? University drama circles... I thought they were popular. And the woman onstage now is beautiful too."

"W-well, someone like me with Misora-san..."

Kiriyama-senpai scratches the back of his head, embarrassed even though I hadn't asked. Seems he's interested in her—the woman onstage. Misora. Part of it's the stage makeup, but she looks great without it too. When I arrived at the university gym, I passed her; the sweet citrus scent drifted from her dyed-brown hair. Another guy might already be in love.

With a beauty like that in the circle, you'd expect people to join just for her or volunteer to help with the stage.

"I get how you feel, senpai. So why, with such a beautiful person around..."

"Ah... you're asking why I called you, Hyoga-kun. Well... we do have members, but several quit, and one's on leave."

"Huh?"

Something happened? Smells like a case. Don't tell me someone committed suicide... I started imagining mystery-like scenarios, then scratched my head in frustration. Why am I thinking like a detective when I hate detectives... I got mad at myself.

"Hyoga-kun? What's wrong?"

"Ah, no... I was thinking something disrespectful."

"It's nothing that dramatic. Simple. Several of them got rejected by Misora and left the circle. And another went on leave after writing a love letter and getting turned down too. Yeah... I could kinda see that coming..."

"...More like a chain-reaction explosion than a glorious defeat, huh?"

"Ah... some of the guys who quit called a bunch of girls together to ask 'Who do you like?'... the girls yelled 'Don't mess with us!' and walked out on everyone."

"They've got wonderfully chaotic personalities."

That made me think of the president. He wouldn't go that far. Yeah, I believe in you, President.

After checking that the President inside my head was making an uneasy thumbs-up, I gave a wry laugh at Kiriyama-senpai's story.

That's when it happened.

"Get lost. What are you outsiders doing here?"

A cold voice from behind. Kiriyama-senpai and I jumped to our feet and turned around. A narrow-eyed girl—no, a woman shorter than my neck—stood there. Naturally, as her tone suggested, she looked displeased.

Kiriyama-senpai protested at her words.

"Hey... this guy's a high-schooler who came to help."

He seemed about to make her apologize, but it backfired.

"Then instead of standing around, go get drinks for the people onstage and the professors."

"Ah... ah... yeah."

Out-argued, Kiriyama-senpai and I crept out of the backstage area. Under the bright open sky he bowed to me again and again. I stopped him right away, my mind reeling.

"Senpai, you'll break your neck! You don't have to bow over and over!"

"Sorry, really! Reira got demoted from lead to second act and has no scenes till then, so she's cranky. Been like that for months."

"Come to think of it, she wasn't smiling when I got here either."

"Sorry! Really! I'll apologize! She's mad because Misora-san took the first act from her. That woman!"

Reira. Apparently a rather eccentric ojousama-type circle member. She probably thinks the world revolves around her.

I gave a polite smile and assured him it was "okay."

"Well... nothing we can do. She's tense before her cue. I'll go buy the drinks like she said. There's a convenience store nearby, right?"

"Ah, is that alright?"

"Sure!"

He pulled a bill from his wallet and bowed again.

"Then I'll leave it to you. Juice causes fights... so maybe tea if possible."

"Got it. I think there's a convenience store right around the corner."

"Ah. Turn there and..."

I hadn't known universities had convenience stores on campus.

Convenient, I thought, and dashed through the festival-buzzing campus. Today was open campus. College students desperately handed out flyers to recruit high-schoolers, and clubs sold goods to boost their name.

I was enjoying the sights and about to head to the convenience store—

When an impossible pair burst into my view.

One of the two, a woman, shouted loudly.

"Hey, hey! Isn't that your kouhai over there!"

The man's eyes nearly popped out as he waved frantically.

"Whoa! It really is! Hyoga! It's Hyoga, right! You're here too!?"

I almost let out a dumb sound—and something else—but held back. Why are President Ishii, the faculty adviser of my club, and Detective Chikage, the college girl who loves social media, on a date here!?