“Mm. I can’t help but be a bit upset that I still can’t wrap my mind around Byakushiki. That one definitely didn’t turn out like I planned.”

  “You don’t look upset.” Tabane was visibly pleased with herself, and Chloe grinned to match. “Anyway, whatever made you decide to create the IS in the first place?”

  Tabane took a sip of tea, and then spoke quietly, “To give girls wings.”

  Strength for those without strength. Wings for those without wings. A voice for those without a voice. Created almost as if by providence.

  “So, what’s the plan?”

  “It’s time to move on to the next phase. Next on the list...” Tabane swallowed the last of her tea, and spoke again. “America.”

  She smiled cheerfully.

  ◇

  “Orimu! Welcome backsies, no take-backsies!” No one really had any clue what Miss Casual was going on about.

  “We’re back, Miss Casual.”

  The members of the student council who’d stayed behind were waiting at IS Academy’s main gate.

  “Er, Orimura. Did you really meet Dan in Kyoto?” Utsuho’s normal dispassionate shell had cracked a little.

  “Yeah, he said something about a present.”

  “He must have meant my birthday present. Ugh, I told him the thought was what mattered!” Utsuho’s frustration was met with jealous whispers from the cadets. “Ah— Ahem. Anyway, Orimura! The class trip is next week, so make sure you don’t wear yourself out before then!”

  “Of course!”

  “And also, we’ve come to a conclusion while you were gone.”

  “Yes?”

  “Bananas are not snacks!”

  “Y-Yeah...” Ichika couldn’t quite figure out why her expression was so serious.

  ◇

  “Wait, shopping again?” It was the weekend, and as usual, Ichika was out shopping with the girls.

  “Problem with that?!”

  “Nah, I wasn’t complaining. I need to stock back up on massage oil anyway.”

  Houki and the others blushed.

  “Wait, so I can get another oil massage then?” Ling’s heart started to pound.

  “Eh? Nah, I just promised Chifuyu and Ms. Yamada one to make up for the trouble I caused.”

  “Well, you caused us trouble too!”

  Realizing they meant the battle with the berserk Byakushiki, Ichika lowered his head apologetically and replied, “Listen, I’m really sorry about that.”

  “Ah, er. Really, it’s nothing to be quite so apologetic about.” The smile came back to Ichika’s face as Cecilia hastily smoothed things over.

  “Okay. Thanks, Cecilia.”

  “Ohohoho, it’s nothing.”

  Charlotte glared suspiciously at Cecilia as she said, “Well, you definitely know how to make yourself look good, Cecilia.”

  “Ohohoho! I wasn’t even trying to do that.”

  “Oh, did you want a massage too, Charl? You should just say so.”

  “Eh?! Really, can I?”

  “I don’t see why not. How about an aromatherapy oil? I could use an essential oil, too, but...”

  “Ehe. I think lavender would be nice.”

  Now it was Laura’s turn to glare at Charlotte’s smile. “‘Friends today, enemies tomorrow.’ I see, I see. So that’s who you really are, Charlotte,” Kanzashi chimed in.

  “Ehh? No way! I wasn’t trying to...”

  “Really?”

  When even Kanzashi had something to say about it, Charlotte knew she’d gone too far.

  “Make mine rosehip~” Tatenashi giggled as she wrapped an arm around Ichika.

  “What are you doing?!” Angry objections in 5.1 surround sound.

  “Anyway, uh, I’m gonna go check out the oils.”

  He ran away. That was something they could all agree on.

  “Phew, I made it out of there.”

  Even Ichika agreed, to himself. But it was out of the frying pan and into the fire as he saw just who else was at the massage oil counter.

  “Oh my. If it isn’t Orimura Ichika.”

  “Squall! Er, Ms. Meusel!” Even in this kind of situation, Ichika wasn’t the sort to be impolite to his elders. As he watched guardedly, Squall browsed through the oil selection, an absentminded smile on her face. “What are you doing here?!”

  “Well, well. Aren’t you the cautious one. Don’t worry. I’m just here to shop.”

  “I can’t beli—”

  “What’s so surprising about it? After all, I am a woman.” Squall crossed her arms under her breasts, jerking her shoulders up to emphasize them, and Ichika awkwardly looked away. “Aren’t you the most adorable little thing.”

  “Ahh...”

  While he was still looking away, Squall pressed up close to him and whispered, “Be careful around Orimura Chifuyu. And especially of Kuramochi Engineering’s plans.”

  “What do...” Before he could even finish the sentence, she danced away to the register. Unwilling to follow, Ichika watched her leave. “What was that supposed to mean?”

  Now that the question had been raised, suspicions about Chifuyu and about Kuramochi Engineering were beginning to well up in his mind.

  ◇

  “All right, let’s play Old Maid to decide who gets to sit next to Ichika on the train!”

  The day before the class trip to Kyoto, Miss Casual had gathered the first years in the cafeteria. Not just the cadets, but the entire class. They were spread out across the entire cafeteria.

  “No matter what happens, I—”

  Houki was left holding the Old Maid.

  “Ohoho. I was born for this!”

  Cecilia was left holding the Old Maid.

  “Hmph. Is that all you have?”

  Ling was left holding the Old Maid.

  “C’mon, we shouldn’t be taking this that seriously.”

  Surprisingly, Charlotte was left holding the Old Maid.

  “I’ll trust my instincts!”

  Laura was left holding the Old Maid.

  “What matters is data and proper analysis.”

  Neither of which stopped Kanzashi from being left holding the Old Maid.

  As that one cursed card made its way around the circle, Miss Casual suddenly spoke up, “Oh, wow! I’m out!”

  After the winners of each table gathered for a playoff, the final winner was Miss Casual.

  ◇

  Meanwhile, Ichika was in his room, going through the prints he’d gotten back from the developer.

  “These two, I’m going to need enough of for everyone.” One for each of the girls, one for himself, and one to archive. As he took his notes, one print slipped from his stack and fluttered down to the floor. “Oh, whoops.” Bending down to pick it up, Ichika saw that it was the photo of them all at the station. Alongside them were Daryl Casey and Forte Sapphire. Just seeing their carefree smiles made his heart ache.

  “Why...” He knew, now. But knowing was different from understanding. “Just why...”

  The only person who heard Ichika’s throaty whisper was himself.

  Chapter V: Re:Kyoto! Return to Kyoto

  “All right, I’m on my way!” Ichika bid farewell to the student council members who’d come to see him off, and set off alongside Miss Casual.

  “Ehehe, I get to sit next to Orimu! Someone up there’s looking out for me.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  As they walked along, the cadets looked rather displeased with this course of events. In fact, they were glaring at Miss Casual.

  “What really matters is when we get to Kyoto.” It wasn’t clear who had said it, but the idea definitely cheered all six of them up.

  “You’re right. That is what really matters.”

  “I bet the foliage will be beautiful.”

  “I’ve been there so many times it’s basically a second home.”

  “The Gold Castle is famous, isn’t it? I’d like to go see it with you.”

  “The matcha! I want a real matcha latte!”

  “Everyone’s getting so excited...”

  They’d already made their way to the platform at Tokyo Station. With every first year coming along, they’d reserved several cars, and there was no need to form neat lines, so instead they just relaxed while waiting for the train. Or at least tried to, unsuccessfully. The reason was obvious: Miss Casual had wrapped herself around Ichika’s arm.

  “Hey, hey, Orimu! What are you getting for lunch?”

  “Something light. The ryokan we’re staying at is supposed to have really good food.”

  “Oh, wow! They have masuzushi from Tomiyama! I need to get some!”

  “...You’re not listening, are you.”

  Miss Casual was greedily clutching a box labeled ‘genuine masuzushi,’ all without letting go of Ichika’s arm.

  “Honne’s so lucky...”

  “Isn’t she being a little too clingy?”

  “That’s just how she is.”

  Miss Casual’s friends sighed resignedly. The big sister who couldn’t tell a lie, and the little sister who could only say what she meant. The Nohotoke sisters from the student council were famous for their forthrightness.

  This didn’t mean that the cadets were particularly pleased about it, though. However baggy her normal pajama-like clothes were, she had the body of a supermodel. Even her outsized school uniform did little to hide it. Ling and Laura, especially, were worried that he might get a little too used to the extra cushioning.

  Dammit, Ichika! Stop drooling all over her!

  She’s trying to steal my bride!

  You could pack a surprising amount of darkness into hearts without much space in front of them.

  “Oh, there’s the train. Let’s board.”

  The crowd of first year IS Academy students began to line up. As they did, the other passengers noticed their uniforms.

  “Oh wow, they’re from IS Academy!”

  “Wait, that means Orimura Ichika’s probably here.”

  “Where is he?! I’ve been really into him ever since I saw him on TV!”

  “You say that about every guy you see on TV.”

  “Like you weren’t talking for a week about how they get to customize their uniforms.”

  “That’s different! That’s because I want to be a designer!”

  As the crowd buzzed, the first years walked onto the train like it was a parade.

  “Okay, is everyone here?” As the voices of 150 or so of the flower of humanity rose up, Chifuyu nodded.

  “Masuzushi! Masuzushi!” In the seat next to Ichika, Miss Casual began to unwrap her bundle of Tomiyama deliciousness.

  “Mm? What’s with that?” Inside the package was a tiny bamboo box.

  “The thing with masuzushi is, you’ve gotta wrap it up reeeaaaalllll tight to keep the fish fresh.”

  “I see.” As a chef himself, Ichika was intrigued by the prospect of learning about a new dish... Well, at least as someone who did the cooking.

  “Can you take the rubber band off for me, Ichika?”

  “Huh? Oh, sure.” He picked up the masuzushi and slid the rubber band off. And as he did—

  “Oww!” It immediately snapped back on his hand.

  “Ahahahahaha! That happens to everyone the first time they do that.”

  “You should’ve told me!”

  The cadets squinted in suspicion at their happy domesticity.

  “Why can’t Ichika be like this with us?”

  “Just because she gets to sit next to him, she thinks she can do whatever she likes.”

  “If you’re sitting across from them, keep an eye on him.”

  “I wonder if he’s really that disloyal.”

  “My chicks... I had to leave my chicks behind again...”

  “Laura, you can buy those pretty much anywhere.” Laura was the only one with a different reaction, and Kanzashi took it as an opportunity to get a jab in.

  And then it was time for another train ride.

  ◇

  “Ahh, it’s so much fun riding the bullet train!” Miss Casual remarked as they got off the train in Kyoto.

  “You ate the whole time, Miss Casual. Not that I can complain, it kept me fed too.”

  Starting with the masuzushi, she had moved on to a banquet of snacks, drinks, and even some appetizers. Meanwhile, Ichika was a one-man photography crew getting dragged around by the girls in his class.

  “Orimura! Take a picture of me!” He’d already gone through two rolls of film just from that repeated request. Traveling with this many women meant he wasn’t going to have much downtime.

  “All right, then, let’s—”

  Yes, sightseeing in Kyoto! Just as Ichika was ready to go, Chifuyu caught him by the collar.

  “You’re doing the photography. At least to start. Go to Kiyomizu-dera.”

  “Got it...”

  As Ichika nodded, Miss Casual was the first to catch his hand and said, “Let’s go, Orimu!”

  “Sure!”

  But if Ichika was going, pretty much everyone there wanted to go too. He shrunk back from the rapidly-forming... less a line. It looked more a great migration.

  “Let’s fly, Miss Casual,” Ichika whispered in her ear.

  “Mm? Okay!”

  As she nodded, Ichika opened Byakushiki and lifted her up before soaring into the sky.

  “They ran away!”

  “No fair, Miss Casual!”

  “Ichika, you cheater!”

  Chifuyu, though, chose to overlook this unapproved use of his IS. She must have had her own plan for this.

  “Let’s fly too!” Houki was the first to suggest it, and the other cadets opened their own IS, only to be blocked by Maya.

  “Remember, that’s against the rules.” She had a perfect, and perfectly menacing, smile. There was no arguing with that, and the cadets’ breath caught in their throats. “If you object, you’ll have to get through me first.”

  The white flag went up. And thus, Ichika and Miss Casual’s date at Kiyomizu-dera began.

  “Wow, that was quick.”

  “IS are fast. Was the ride comfortable?”

  “Anything would be with your arms around me. And I was inside the shield barrier, so I was fine!”

  They’d landed toward the back side of the temple to avoid attention, and there were fewer tourists than expected around. But more importantly...

  “There’s no one here. What’s going on?”

  “That’s funny.”

  As they entered the grounds, a woman angrily rushed over.

  “You two! What are you doing here?! It’s closed for filming! ...Wait, are you Orimura Ichika?!” She was so worked up that it was hard to tell what she wanted.

  “Oh, sorry, we didn’t know that it was closed. We can leave.”

  “Wait, hold it! Orimura Ichika, can you be our special guest? People will love it! We’ll sell millions! I might even get a raise!” Her voice shaking, the woman pressed a business card into his hands. “I’m Yukizaki Iwana, a talent agent. Pleased to meet you.”

  She was a competent-looking career woman in her early 30s.

  “Ah... Wait, you’re making a movie? There’s no way I can do that!”

  “Don’t worry! It’s an easy role!” Her words were reassuring, but her handshake was insistent.

  “Er, well, um...” Ichika was dragged along, and Miss Casual followed along with him.

  “Everyone, I’ve brought a special guest!” The mood on-set had been tense, but seeing Ichika, the cast let out a surprised cheer.

  “No way! It’s really him!”

  “Mankind’s, or at least men’s, last hope! Orimura Ichika!”

  “Wow, I saw him in a magazine and he looked awesome!”

  “Director! Director! Let’s change roles!”

  “He can be the lead! But Orimura, can I get your autograph? I’m a huge fan! Ahh, this is wonderful! Can I shake your hand?”

  The set suddenly livened up, and Ichika was dragged along by the enthusiasm.

  “Okay, okay! I’ll be the lead!” A wave of applause arose. But the director, a man with scraggly stubble, was shaking his head while ‘hmm’ing. “So it won’t work? Okay, then, we’ll—”

  “Okay, you’re the female lead!” He suddenly thrust a finger toward Miss Casual.

  “Whaaa?” As she blinked in confusion, he walked up to her and took her hand.

  “Writer! You’ve got thirty minutes to fix the script! Stylist! Get them ready! Lighting! I want illumination, not a laser cannon! Sound! Tweak the mics! Everyone else, go back to filming, but be ready!” Amidst the confusion, Ichika and Miss Causal were pressed into the studio bus. Was Japanese cinema really reduced to this?

  “All right. IS Academy uniforms look good, so you’re fine in those. A little makeup, and you’ll be set!” An androgynous stylist with rolled-up sleeves ran their fingertips over Ichika’s cheeks. “Oh my. You have fabulous skin. Perfect for makeup. Ahh, such a healthy boy.”

  “Y-Yeah...”

  “Such a good boy. I hope I still know you in two years.” The stylist winked, and Ichika laughed nervously. “Now you, on the other hand. Why on earth do you wear such a baggy uniform?”

  “Because it’s comfy!”

  “Ah! That’s no good at all! Fashion needs immediacy—needs impact! You’re a woman, you need to show it!” The stylist’s own muscles rippled under tight clothing, though Ichika was unsure what exactly they were trying to show. “Maybe you two should change. All right, undress, undress.”

  “Umm...” Ichika was flustered by the suggestion, but Miss Casual immediately pulled off her blouse and skirt. “Bwah?! W-W-Wait, what are you doing?”

  “Whaaat? They said to undress!”

  Ichika was half-panicking as she stood there in her underwear. Her breasts were even bigger than Houki’s. She had the body of a fashion model.

  “Oh myyyyy. You’re amazing! This won’t take very much work at all. Ichika, darling, could you step out for a moment? I’ll lay something out for you. Don’t worry, I can tell your size by eye.” The stylist winked again.

  Not wanting to just stand there staring at Miss Casual in her panties and bra, Ichika stepped out of the studio bus.

  “Whoa...” It wasn’t going to be any less hectic for him outside.

  “Can you sign this?”

 

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