Infinite Stratos, Volume 7, page 4
“Be quiet! Just leave me alone! I want to do this by myself!”
“C’mon. We were invited to this together, we should do it together. Plus, you’ll probably get lost by yourself.”
“Stop making fun of me! There’s no way that would happen!”
It was Sunday, and we were on our way to meet up with Kaoru’s sister, the magazine editor. Of course, we were in street clothes, not our uniforms. Actually...
“Houki.”
“W-What?!”
“That’s a nice outfit. When did you pick it up?”
“Ah, I... A little while ago, when I went shopping with my friends.”
She was wearing a black miniskirt and a white blouse, under a light parka for autumn. It was the color of dandelions.
“Those, what do you call ’em, frills around your collar. They’re nice.”
“You think so? I mean, I like it too.”
“I always just think of you as that kid in kendo gear, but I guess you can be pretty feminine when you feel like it, eh.”
“Hmph. I don’t need your flattery.” Houki crossed her arms and looked away.
C’mon, I don’t admit it that often, at least you could play along. “Anyway, we don’t have to be there for a while. We can slow down.”
“I guess.”
As we continued to walk I noticed Houki turning slightly toward me, only to turn away again.
“Hm? What’s up, Houki? You keep looking at me.”
“Oh, nothing!”
“Really.”
“You... Your clothes look cool, too...”
“Huh? Didn’t hear you.”
“N-Nothing! I didn’t say anything! Yeah! Ahahaha...”
What had gotten into her today?
“You know, it’s pretty cold out. There’s a coffee shop right there, why don’t we stop?”
“Eh? Well, um... Mumble, mumble.”
“Come again?”
“I-If you’re cold, we could j-just hold hands!” Her words were far more forceful than the timid extension of her arm.
“Sounds like a good idea. Let’s do that.” I took Houki’s hand as we walked toward the subway turnstile.
“Ah—” Houki was quiet until we made it to the meeting.
“Hi, I’m Mayuzumi Nagisako, editor for Infinite Stripes. Pleased to meet you.”
“Hi. I’m Orimura Ichika.”
“And I’m Shinonono Houki.”
The meeting room was spacious, with three sofas facing each other like chunks of a sliced tomato.
“Why don’t we jump straight into the interview? We can do the photoshoot later.” Nagisako took out a pen-shaped digital recorder and showed us it. She was wearing a checkered suit, with her legs poking out stylishly from a tight skirt.
“So, first question. Orimura, what do you think about going to a girls’ school?”
“Starting with the tough ones, huh?”
“Everyone wants to know! You wouldn’t believe how many people mentioned it in our survey.”
“Well... It’s tough not having many male bathrooms.”
“Pfft! Ahahahaha! My little sister was right! You really are the thirstless harem king!”
Harem king, huh.
“Hey, tell me. What’s it take to get a visa approved?”
“Who are you, Dan?!”
“All right, how about you, Shinonono? Tell me about your sister.”
Houki stomped her feet down as she stood up. It looked like Tabane was still off-limits for her.
“You won’t get the dinner invites if you do that,” Nagisako remarked.
“Ugh!” She sat back down on the sofa.
“Good girl. I like that honesty. Anyway... What do you think of the IS she made for you? Any plans to become a national cadet? Maybe you’re a bit tired of Japan?”
“I’m grateful for Akatsubaki. Currently, while I’ve received a number of requests, I have no plans to become a national cadet. As for Japan, well, it’s where I was born and raised, so I can’t complain too much.”
Houki answered each of Nagisako’s rapid-fire questions. She always took things a little too seriously.
“Okay, okay. Orimura, Shinonono, which one of you is stronger?”
“Me!” Houki immediately answered.
“Really?”
“Well, umm...” Houki had a slightly better win rate in our mock battles.
“Wow, that’s no good! What kind of hero can’t protect the girl?” Nagisako grinned cheekily, and I looked away shyly.
“I’m fine not being a hero. I’m just a soldier.”
“Nice line. That’s the kind of thing you’d hear in a movie.” Nagisako, grinning, mimed a film camera with her hands. She was just as energetic as Kaoruko. “Sergeant Orimura! What is your mission?!”
“U-Uh, err...” I glanced over at Houki. I didn’t want to say anything too embarrassing, but... “To protect my comrades!”
“That’s it! That’s what I want to hear from a boy!” Seemed like I’d been demoted.
“Now that I think of it, you’re also on the student council, right? Isn’t Tatenashi wicked awesome?”
‘Wicked awesome?’ She was kinda dating herself there.
“Honestly, it’s a lot of work. Along with IS training and the executive branch, I also take part in a number of other club activities.”
“That’s right, Kaoruko was complaining that you haven’t made it to the newspaper club yet.”
“That’s... Well, they do a drawing to see who gets me.”
“I guess it’s to be expected, then. She always had bad luck. I remember the time when she bought twenty grab bags and every single one had a pack of tissues in it. She almost cried.”
We chatted until the interview was over and it was time for the photoshoot.
“All right, the studio is in the basement. There are dressing rooms attached, you can get changed there. After that, we’ll get you made up and get shooting.”
“Huh? We have to change?”
“Yeah. If I don’t get shots of you in the sponsors’ clothing, my head’s gonna roll,” she said as she made a slicing motion across her neck. Wow, it must be tough being an adult.
“All right, let’s go!”
◇
As Houki entered her dressing room, she clasped her hands in front of her chest and let out a sigh without even looking at the outfit laid out for her.
“Ahh...” A passionate sigh.
‘I’ll protect Houki!’ I can’t believe he actually said that... She banged on the wall, a smile plastered across her face. On the fourth blow, the white panel dented. It may have only been a deliberate mishearing, but once the idea was in her mind, her teenage hormones were impossible to stop.
“That’s it! That’s it! Ahahahahaha!”
It was only after she picked up the clothes she’d be modeling that she realized how daring they were.
“Wow... These are kinda...”
It was an extremely low-cut blouse, a cute frilly miniskirt, and a short denim jacket. They expect me to wear this? Me? Me of all people?! As she looked at the kind of outfit she’d never pick for herself, she tensed for a moment. But... Well... I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to dress like this again... She wanted to show Ichika that she could look good like this too. With determination welling up in her, two minutes later she made up her mind.
“All right! I’ll do it!” Raising her clenched fists, she began to undo the buttons of her blouse.
Isn’t Ichika done yet? I can’t calm down when I’m wearing this. Houki felt uneasy as she sat in the studio.
A pro makeup artist had done their best to make her astonishingly beautiful. The assistant cameraman and a few other men had been audibly breathing more heavily when they glanced in her direction. If he’s kind enough to flatter me, I’ll ask him if he wants to have dinner on the patio. I’ll... I’ll ask him out myself. I’ll ask him out... I’ll ask him out... As Houki chanted the phrase in her head like it was a magic spell, she heard a voice from the next room.
“Sorry that took so long. Orimura’s ready now.”
Ba-dum! Ichika’s coming it... Ichika’s coming in... Even more anxious, now, she began to push her bangs back and forth.
“I look pretty weird in this getup, don’t I.”
Ichika’s voice! Her pulse raced even faster.
“No way! It looks great on you. There’s nothing quite like a young man in a suit.”
A suit?! Unable to hold back her curiosity any longer, Houki turned to look.
“Ah......” It may have just been in Houki’s lovestruck eyes, but Ichika, in a casual suit, looked incredibly, fabulously cool. “I-Ichika...”
“Hey. Sorry I took so long, Houki.”
“Mhm...” Houki was at a loss for words. She twiddled her fingers, until she finally managed to half-whisper something. “It looks good on you... Um, uh, n-not bad.”
“Sure. Thanks. You look... Cute, too.”
“Cute?!” Houki’s heart suddenly pounded. She squeezed her eyes shut as if her cheeks were actually on fire.
Ichika said I look cute... He said I look cute... Clapping her palms to her face, she could feel the heat rise. Not wanting to let Ichika see her like this, she spun around.
“All right, let’s get started with the shoot. We’re a bit pressed for time, so let’s make this snappy,” Nagisako said as she clapped her hands. The staff sprang to work and the shoot began.
◇
Well, I wasn’t expecting that. In the photography booth, Houki and I went through pose after pose. I tried not to spend too much time looking at her as it dragged on. I can’t believe how different she looks. The makeup sure does wonders.
When I first saw her all made up, I wasn’t sure it was really her. And I was really surprised by how much cleavage and how much of her thighs the outfit showed off. She’d never normally wear that kind of thing. The unexpectedness, the out-of-the-ordinariness of it was exhilarating. I couldn’t help but think that she was cute. Hmm. I guess she looks a bit more mature than usual, too? Or something... I couldn’t quite find the right word.
Anyway, with how hard my heart was already racing, I did my best not to make eye contact with her.
“C’mon, Orimura. Don’t just be in the frame next to Shinonono, you need to be there with her,” Nagisako suddenly spoke up.
A bit reluctantly, I scooted closer to Houki on the couch and asked, “Um... Like this?”
“Still not there. Closer! Closer!”
“Really?! But if I get any closer...”
I peeked over at Houki. I had thought she’d be angry, but instead, she was looking up at me, almost entreatingly. Whaa?! This definitely wasn’t the Houki I was used to. I already knew she was different today, but this was like the opposite of normal. My heart burning up, I shifted over to sit directly next to her.
“Ah...” As I brushed against her arm, she let out an unbelievably cute sigh.
Ba-dum! My heart leapt.
“Hmm, nah, just lining up doesn’t quite do it. Orimura, put your arm around her waist.”
“...Huh?”
“Arm. Around. Her. Waist. Hurry it up, we don’t have all day.”
“O-Okay!”
Being put on the spot like that, I reflexively said I’d do it, even though I still wasn’t sure. So I have to put my arm... As I began to panic a little, Houki shifted to make it easier. When we rubbed together, I could suddenly smell the sweet vanilla notes of her perfume. The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears as I pulled her toward me with a wavering arm.
“Ahh...” A quiet sigh escaped Houki’s lips. The sound escaping from between those two lines of faint pink gloss was enough to steal my heart.
Calm down. Calm down. Calm down. I gulped down the saliva filling my mouth as I chanted to myself in my head.
“Hmm. Not bad, but I want something with a bit more impact.” Nagisako pulled her face back from the viewfinder and crossed her arms as she stared at the ceiling in thought. “Oh, I know what. Shinonono, maybe wrap your arms around his neck? Yeah, that’s it. That’ll do it!”
She snapped her fingers.
“All right, go for it!”
Her face was plastered with a wide grin. Isn’t that a bit too... As I thought, I looked over at Houki, and her eyes were not even ten centimeters from mine.
“Ah...”
We gazed into each other’s eyes. It was as if time had stopped, as we sat, unmoving. Houki’s eyes are beautiful... Within them burned the same fierce determination I’d always known. But today, there was something else there too. I didn’t know what to call it, but it was a face of hers I’d never seen. The mystery of it called out to me.
Snap! The sudden flash brought us both back to reality.
“Ooh, that’s a good one. Honestly, I should’ve gone with that to begin with.”
“Er, um...”
“.........”
We snapped apart in embarrassment, unable to say anything to each other. I don’t know if she knew what was going through our minds as we sat silently, but Nagisako grinned lightheartedly while giving us a thumbs-up and said, “All right! Good job! You can go get changed now. Feel free to keep the clothes.”
“S-Sure...”
“Understood...” We both answered faintly as we tried to look in opposite directions.
“Okay, I’ll email you the dinner invitations later, so be sure to remember to leave your address on the way out. Thanks for coming!” Nagisako, like Kaoruko, was swift on her feet, already looking through the results of the shoot on her phone.
“Anyway, Houki.”
“What?”
“Let’s go get changed.”
“Oh, right.”
Still a little bit nervous, we kept our distance as we headed to our dressing rooms. Of course, we didn’t speak a word on the way there. My face was burning so hot that I needed to fan it with my palm.
◇
He... He liked how I looked... Ichika liked how I looked... He said I looked cute... Houki stood in the dressing room staring into the mirror, stripped down to her underwear, clenching her clothes in her fists. Her heart throbbed, held in by her pure white bra.
And... And... Remembering how her heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, her cheeks flushed pink. We looked at each other... Up close like that... It had felt like her chest was going to tear open then, but now, it swelled with exultation. Their eyes meeting like lovers’ do... His warmth, the sensation of his breath on her skin, that closeness... The memory of each of these thrilled her. If... If we had been alone then... Inside her heart, she imagined kissing Ichika.
“Mmm......” Closing her eyes, she traced a finger along her lips. The blissful sensation mixed with a pang of guilt.
All right... She opened her eyes, her decision made. I’ll ask him out to dinner tonight. Just pick somewhere that looks good and go for it. As she thought, something tugged at her memory.
I know! There was that one place in the magazine I borrowed from my roommate Shizune. Wasn’t it right by the subway station? Thinking of the big ‘Top 10 Date Restaurants’ on the cover made her face burn even hotter. I’m on a roll today. I can do this. Just calm down and ask him. Yeah, that’s it, she repeated to herself as she dressed. A shy, but bright, smile spread across her face.
On the way home, Ichika and Houki walked side by side. Each carried a bag with the clothes they’d worn during the photoshoot.
“Well, uh. That sure was something different.” Ichika, maybe still thinking of Houki as a woman, stumbled over his words.
“You’re right. It was definitely an experience.” They made idle chatter to fill the air as they walked down the steps to the subway station.
All right. Say it. Say it! Pressing her hands to her chest like she was trying to hold her heart in, Houki opened her mouth, “I-Ichika... Let’s, uh, let’s have dinner together tonight.”
“Hm? Oh, sure. We’re gonna have to hurry to get back before the dining hall closes, though.”
“N-No! Not the dining hall... I mean... Go out to eat...”
“Oh, dinner out? Well...” Ichika thought for a moment. For Houki, it felt like hours. “Sure, why not.”
“Really?! All right!” Houki’s smile gleamed.
“Okay, where to? The diner by the station?”
“N-No! I know a good place. Let’s go there.”
“Okay.”
Houki basked in the thrill of victory. But—
“Looks packed.”
It being dinnertime on a Sunday, Spruce Forest—the restaurant she remembered from the magazine—was full. Most of the customers being couples only added to her dismay.
“What do you want to do? The sign says it’s a two-hour wait... Should we just go to the dining hall?”
“N-No! Let’s find another restaurant!”
This was her chance at dinner out with Ichika. She didn’t want to let it slip away.
Where do we go, though? The only other places I know are, like, diners, or the mall food court, or ramen shops... None of those were what she wanted.
Houki strained, trying to remember the magazine’s other suggestions. Two was in the opposite direction... Three’s a long way away... Where was four again...? As she pondered, Ichika took her hand.
“Hey, I know a place. Let’s go.”
Whaa?! He... Ichika’s holding my hand?! Her heart leapt up her throat.
“It’s a bit of a walk, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, that’s fine... Just... Just lead the way...” Houki was so focused on Ichika’s hand in hers that she could barely find words to respond.
She was so focused she almost forgot to walk along with him, and finally set off a half-pace behind, still hand-in-hand.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived.
“Here it is.”
“O-Okay?” It wasn’t the romantic getaway she’d been hoping for. In fact, it was a greasy spoon.
“Go... tanda’s?”
“Yeah. Didn’t I tell you about here? My friend’s family owns it.”
“I see...” Houki slumped in dejection. Then again, this was Ichika, wasn’t it? She shouldn’t get her hopes up that much. Letting out a sigh, she followed Ichika inside.
