“Damn, I haven’t finished this assignment at all …”
While facing the study desk in my room, I muttered this involuntarily to myself as I wrote words in my notebook.
“There’s too many, and there’s not even an upcoming test…”
French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, Vienna Settlement…
I realized I forgot to do this assignment and started working on it in a hurry… No matter how much progress I made, I couldn’t see the end of it. Or rather, judging from how much of the textbook is left, this is going to take another hour or two, isn’t it? There’s still about half of the textbook left, right?
Looking at the clock, the time was about to hit midnight. At this rate I’ll be going to school tomorrow with a lack of sleep…
“… Haah”
A sigh escaped my lips. Why is it that only urgent tasks take so much time and effort?
<This will take a lot of work … is what I thought, but then I was already done!>
Why doesn’t something like that ever happen?
<Isn’t this going to be a walk in the park? … Huh, isn’t this surprisingly large? Actually, I’m never going to finish this!>
Is there only a pattern like that?
Why is God so cruel…
“Haa… Guess I’ll do it while listening to a stream.”
While talking to myself, I picked up my phone. At times like this, I could use a change of pace. It’s kind of depressing to just keep working away alone.
I opened an app for a manga site and navigated to the list of current streamers. The streams recommended for me were displayed in a row. It seemed like there were many streamers streaming on their channels today.
“YouTubers, VTubers1, comedians… Oh, looks like a high schooler is doing this internet radio…”
It was a streamer I’ve never seen before.
They weren’t a very famous YouTuber, but they were a decently popular streamer. The thumbnail was a free-to-use image of a simple landscape.
“150 viewers, and it just started. Guess this’ll be the one.”
Without thinking, I clicked on the thumbnail of the stream. After confirming that it had started playing, I put my smartphone down on the desk. I don’t know what kind of stream it is, but as long as my ears aren’t lonely, it’ll be ok.
“… Eh, is the volume ok? Seems fine to me.”
A voice like that trickled out of the speakers along with the background music.
“Well then… Love is difficult to understand, isn’t it? Good evening, I’m Saki.”
“Huh, so the streamer is a girl…”
I mumbled to myself as I moved my mechanical pencil through my notebook.
She had a calm voice that suited the chill beat quite well. However, her voice was rather cute, with a high pitch that sounded pleasing to the ears, and the contrast between her voice and her calm tone was quite interesting.
Well, personally I didn’t care either way.
“The radio program ‘Love Crosses the Night Sky’2 has started again this week. I think it will last about an hour again tonight. If possible, I would like to talk with all of you, so please stay with me until the very end. … Now then, how has everyone been this week? It’s gotten a lot cooler lately, and it’s been great for reading, especially considering how nice the weather has been.”
“… Hm?”
After listening until that point, it suddenly struck me.
“Somehow, this voice…”
I felt like I’d heard that voice before. It felt like I had been talking to a girl with a similar voice quite recently…
“I was reading books after I got home until just a little while ago. It’s been a while since I found a good novel, and I was even reading it during dinner. Haha, of course, I was scolded for doing that. “
“Eh… Misuno?”
I soon realized who it was. I stopped writing and reflexively looked at my phone.
“That voice… Isn’t that Misuno?”
──Misuno.
──Misuno Saki.
My junior at my high school, and a first-year student who was part of the library committee with me.
This streamer’s voice, including their tone, sounded exactly like hers──or rather, it was totally hers.
Unaware of my bewilderment, “Saki” continued to talk.
“Everyone, let’s keep our hobbies in moderation. Although I may be the only one who’s this sloppy. Ah, by the way, regarding love… yeah, there’s no progress there.”
“Love!?”
I yelled out while dropping my mechanical pencil.
“Um, actually, I’ve had a bit of a setback. I hope we’ll be able to talk about this more over email again later.”
“Seriously…!? That Misuno Saki is talking about love!?”
I reflexively grabbed my phone.
Love… Misuno, you’re not the type of person to talk about such things!? After all, she… is always so cold… She has a difficult personality and is only interested in books…
“… No wait, calm down. Is it really her?”
I put down the phone and took a deep breath. Although my heart was pounding and I felt strangely upset and confused… for starters, let’s calm down.
“Calmly remember. Misuno’s voice… What I talked to her about at school…”
In my head, I reflected back on the conversation that I had with her at school.
*
“These two books are due next Wednesday.”
In the library after school, just before closing, Misuno was lending out the last book of the day.
“It’s a public holiday that day, so be careful not to forget.”
While putting the returned books back onto the shelf, I glanced over at her. She had short black hair, and eyes like a cat. Despite her short stature, if you looked closely, her face was mature and well-developed. She handed books to students without any wasted movements, already exuding the aura of a seasoned library committee member despite only being a first-year student.
While laughing a little at how reliable she was, I returned the paperback book back to its proper position on the shelf.
──Misuno Saki.
A first-year student who, along with me, was responsible for Wednesdays on the library committee.
Ever since the two of us were assigned to Wednesdays in April, we’ve been meeting in the library every week after school, busying ourselves with committee work such as lending out books and placing books back on their shelves.
In terms of her interests, I would say that Misuno prefers novels more on the niche side.3 She loves literary fiction4 and is always reading books, but these aren’t her only hobbies. She also follows the latest culture, arts, and entertainment. She’s apparently even interested in dressing fashionably. Even now, she wears a hoodie underneath her school uniform, and even a stranger would recognize her good fashion sense.
On the other hand, I, Hasegawa Soichi, am… well, normal.
Not an ounce of taste or literary sophistication at all. That’s why, even though I’m a second-year student, she ended up helping me out on a few occasions, so it feels like I can’t hold my head high around her.
“Whew, thanks for the hard work Misuno, I’m all done returning the books over here.”
I said, approaching her as the last student was leaving.
When Misuno looked up at me, she spoke in a flat voice without a smile.
“Thanks for the hard work, senpai5. But your voice is really loud. Please be quiet in the library.”
“Huh? Everyone aside from us already left, so isn’t it fine? It’s not like I’m causing problems for anyone else.”
“That’s not the problem. These are the rules.”
“…I see. Sorry, I’ll be careful next time.”
With a serious look on her face, Misuno warned me. Although I felt like she was being a little too harsh, she had a point.
Certainly, it’s not a good idea to break the rules. Incidentally, the hoodie Misuno was wearing was considered acceptable by school standards. She’s quite diligent in that regard.
After sincerely apologizing, I picked up my bag from the counter.
“… Ok, it’s about 4:30 now so it’s about time to close up.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
After nodding to each other, we carefully locked the doors. Then we left for the staff room.
*
“──Pardon the intrusion.”
After returning the key to the key box, we exited the staff room. I walked through the empty corridors to the entrance alongside Misuno. Looking out the window, I could see the baseball team cleaning up their practice equipment in the school yard. The sky above them was changing from pale blue to orange.
“… Still, Misuno, you’re really fast when lending out books.”
On a whim, I called out to the girl next to me.
“Even though you only joined the library committee half a year ago, we finished on time. If it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to handle it yet. Your progress has been amazingly fast. You work as precisely as a machine, and your fast handiwork has no wasted movements. Your skills have already surpassed mine, and I’ve been working as a library committee member for a year and a half. It’s already at the level of a craftman’s art, and if it were turned into a video and posted online it would probably be a hit overseas. Something like ‘Amazing Japanese school girl (in Library)6‘.”
However──
“This is normal.”
Misuno responded with a nonchalant look on her face.
“I’m just not making any unnecessary movements. If anything, senpai is too slow.”
“Is that so?”
“You’re too careful when reading the barcodes, and you stare too long at the covers. Also, you sometimes talk to people who come to borrow books. It’d probably be better if you didn’t do that.
While we were arguing with each other, we reached the entrance. Even as I changed my shoes, I still wasn’t quite convinced.
“Eh──. But, don’t you ever feel like talking to someone who borrows a book you’re interested in?”
“I don’t. In the first place, talking is strictly forbidden in the library. What will we do if we break that rule?”
“Well, you have a point.”
After leaving the entrance and passing by the fountain, we exited the main gate and headed towards the station along the residential street.
“By the way, senpai?”
“Hm?”
“How long do you plan on following me?”
“… Eh, but Misuno, you said you lived in Ni-chome7 didn’t you? I also live around there, so I thought I’d stay with you until we got there.”
My house was in San-chome, and Misuno’s was in the neighboring Ni-chome. Relatively speaking, we lived fairly close together. Our houses were probably less than a ten minute walk away from each other. I had no idea, but it seemed like we went to the same elementary and middle school.
In that case, rather than walking home alone, I thought it would be better to walk home together while making idle talk. It’s been quite hectic until now, but having a day like this isn’t so bad once in a while.
That’s what I thought, so I walked next to her without a second thought, but──.
“…You know.”
Misuno suddenly stopped and looked back at me.
“I would like to walk home on my own.”
“… Eh──”
“There’s a lot that I want to think about, and I happen to like the peace and quiet.”
“Ok… But can’t we talk a little more?”
“About what?”
“Ummm… ah! Like what about your favorite books?”
“We don’t even have the same tastes, right?”
“Well, that’s true. I don’t have any idea about what Misuno likes…”
“I, on the other hand, think the books that senpai likes are too simple. I’m sorry, but that’s why we should part here.”
“Haa…”
If that’s what she thinks, then I guess I can’t force her… It’s not like I have a reason to want to go home together with her either…
“Got it… Then take care. See you next week.”
“Yes, see you next week.”
Nodding her head with a quick bow, Misuno quickly walked away.
While watching her walk away, I thought she looked kind of like a stray cat and sighed again.
*
“──I’m home──”
After separating with Misuno, I arrived home. After taking off my shoes in the entryway, my little sister came out from the living room.
“Welcome back. You’re late, onii8.”
“Yeah, I was in charge of the library committee today.”
“I see, today’s Wednesday after all.”
My sister, Hasegawa Nico, peeked at me while saying this in a carefree attitude. With a smaller body than the already petite Misuno, hair tied up on both sides, and a face that looked a lot like mine, she looked at me innocently.
…Well, only parts of her resembled me. Her whole appearance was very much that of a girl. In fact, she had the kind of charm that made even me, her brother, think she’s “cute”.
…Humans are truly mysterious creatures. Even if they look exactly the same, the overall impression they give off can be totally different. Well, they also tend to have some differences deep down inside, and I don’t mean just their charm or cuteness.
Then, an idea suddenly struck me──
“Actually, would you hear me out?”
As I walked down the hallway, I called out to Nico.
“My junior was super cold to me. I kept trying to talk to her about various topics but she was totally indifferent to them.”
“Huh. Are you sure it wasn’t because you were being too pushy, onii?”
“It’s possible I was a little pushy, but as fellow members of the library committee, wouldn’t it be good to deepen our friendship?”
“Yeah…”
While nodding, Nico looked a bit thoughtful.
“… By the way, is that person a girl?”
“Yes, but──”
“Then there’s no helping it. If you act nice in such a situation, there are quite a few guys who will misunderstand and approach you.”
“Is that so? Just from talking together on the way home…”
…Is what I said, but if I were walking home with the girl I liked, it’s possible that I might get the wrong idea. If I were leaving school with the person I had a crush on, I have a feeling that I’d be pretty excited. Although that’s never happened to me before.
… Huh? How does Nico know about something like that…
“… Wait, Nico, does that mean someone’s hit on you before!?”
“Of course. I’m actually quite popular, you know.”
“Seriously…!?”
Nico…! Even though she was only an elementary school girl just a little while ago! Even though she was an innocent child who liked Nichi Asa Kids Time9 and didn’t care about love! When did she grow up so much…!
… But I see, Nico’s already a second-year middle school student. If even I, her older brother, thinks she’s cute, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if she had a love affair or two…
“But don’t worry, I’ve got it all under control.”
Nico followed up with that statement, making me wonder if my thoughts were showing on my face.
“And if it’s like that for me, then it has to be even worse for people who are beautiful. Maybe that person is also really beautiful?”
“…Now that you mention it I guess that’s right.”
I had never really thought about it, but I think Misuno is quite beautiful.
Her face is well-proportioned, and her uniform is stylish, so it wouldn’t be surprising if someone liked her. In that case…
“I see, so maybe she’s also been pestered by guys getting the wrong idea before.”
“Like I said, that’s exactly what you did to her just now.”
“Are you serious!?”
“Well, please be careful not to get reported.”
After saying that, Nico pattered back to the living room.
“Report…”
Although I was surprised by Nico’s exaggerated warning, I responded,
“… But, I’ll be careful.”
Somehow, it felt like being too careless would be dangerous, so I subtly braced myself.
… What Nico says often happens to be right.
*
──That evening.
After finishing my preparations for tomorrow and completing my assignments, all that was left was to take a bath and go to sleep.
I picked up the guitar and started playing a phrase that came to mind.
“… Fufufufu~n”
This time was one of the happiest moments of my day. A time when there is nothing that I need to do, when I can simply do what I like to my heart’s content.
The phrase that I came up with earlier was surprisingly good and fun to play. I wish I could stay like this forever, just carefreely playing the guitar and humming a song.
“──Hey, onii!”
At that moment, there was a knock on the door to my room.
“Ah, you can come in.”
When I responded in a loud voice, the door opened and Nico peeked inside.
“Your guitar playing just now sounded good. Is it a new song?”
“Yeah, I also like it. Should we use this next time?”
“Sure. When it’s all done email it to me.”
…Hmm. From the looks of it, this is going to be the “next work”. I don’t really have any objections to that, so let’s hurry up and record the idea so I can send it to Nico.
“Also, the bath is empty now.”
“Thanks, I’ll go in now.”
I put down the guitar and got up from the chair. ──At that moment, a printout, which had been left on the desk, fell down onto the floor.
“… Huh? What’s this?”
I picked the printout off the floor and checked what was written on out──
“Ah! Crap, I totally forgot!”
“Oh? Is something wrong?”
“I had a world history assignment today. I forgot to do it…”
Mr. Suginuma is infamous for coming up with problems out of the blue. Once again, he suddenly said, “Please submit a notebook containing the contents of this week’s lesson in the form of this printout.”
It completely slipped my mind… No, I actually may have not wanted to do it so badly that I purged it from my brain…
“I see. So should our parents go in first?”
“… Yeah. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I guess that’s how it’s going to have to be.”
I really don’t feel like doing it, but since I remembered I guess I don’t have a choice. If I don’t submit it, it could affect my grade… I guess I have to do it now.
“Got it. I’ll let them know.”
Nico quietly left the room. While seeing her off, I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.
“Ahh, what a mistake. Well, at least I remembered it.”
… Yeah, that’s right. There’s no point crying about it. Since I remembered about it, I should just finish it quickly without complaining.
“… Yeah, let’s do this.”
After nodding once, I pulled out my notebook and textbook and grabbed a pen.
*
The notebook’s pages were still almost completely blank. My hand holding the pen and my body were almost completely rigid.
And then──
“Now then, this week as well, I would like to continue hearing about the issues you are facing, and think together with you on how best to solve them. Now, for the first letter.”
As usual, the sound of “her” talk came out of my smartphone.
The streamer “Saki”. A high school girl with a voice that is both calm and cute. And that sound──
“… No matter how much I listen to it, that has to be Misuno’s voice, right? I can’t help but think that it’s her.”
──I was practically convinced I was right.
Looking back on what happened today, I replayed my conversation with her in my head and thought again.
They’re the same. Misuno’s and “Saki’s” voices are exactly the same. I think it’s almost impossible for them to be different people. But──
“Thank you for the anonymous submission. Um, the email says, ‘There’s a person I like, but I’m too scared to take the first step. I feel like I’m about to explode, but I just don’t know what to do. Saki-san10, do you ever feel like that?’”
On the other side of the phone, Saki continues talking.
There’s just one thing that’s bugging me.
“Yeah… Well, I really get that feeling. You can’t take the first step towards the person you like, since you feel uneasy and you somehow want to keep some distance from them. You know, today I also pushed away the person that I liked. I was scared of getting close to them.”
“… She pushed him away because she was scared. Misuno would never do something like that…”
That’s right… It’s not like her. There’s something that doesn’t match up between how Misuno usually acts, and the streamer Saki’s statement. Misuno is more curt and strong-willed, and she’s definitely not the type to talk about love.
On the other hand Saki is delicate, interested in love, and even streams online.
Their voice is exactly the same, but their personalities are too different.
That’s why… just a little more. If I can find a few more things that they share in common, I can be more confident…
While I was thinking that, at that exact timing──
“Um, I’ve talked about how I like novels before right? At school, I’m a library committee member.”
──Without thinking, I got up from my chair.
“I think that is also because I am afraid to interact with people. If what you’re interacting with is a story, then it’s impossible for you to hurt them right?”
──Likes novels.
──On the library committee.
… They’re the same. They’re exactly the same interests as Misuno’s.
“Even though I’m like this, this spring I found someone that I liked… Yeah, that’s why I started this radio. If possible, I’d like to get used to dealing with people. Not directly, but… what it is called again? I wanted to practice engaging with people through the thin veneer of the radio, or something like that. That’s why I think you should also find some way to practice this──”
“──With this, isn’t it practically confirmed?”
As I sat back in my chair, I realized that my heart was pounding.
No matter how many times I go over it in my head… yeah. I think it’s safe to say that it’s confirmed. Saki is without a doubt Misuno…!
“So she was a streamer. She didn’t seem like the type at all… But at this point, the possibility of them being different people is… Also, the streamer’s name is Saki… the same as Misuno’s given name…”
Even though it was almost autumn, I was drenched in sweat. What is this… For some reason, I feel really anxious.
An acquaintance of mine may have been livestreaming, and I happened to find it by coincidence… I don’t know why, but I’m really shocked.
Unaware of how I was feeling, Saki continued answering email consultations on the other side of the phone.
“──I think you should apologize for this. I understand that you are shocked, and that it hurts being treated like a child, but the man you are talking to is… in his late 20s. On the other hand, Biwako-san is a first-year high school student, right?”
“She answers questions so politely. I’m amazed she can put her thoughts into words like that. Not to mention, the number of viewers keeps on growing.”
Saki’s speech was as smooth as a major streamer’s. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to do this, so she probably has a lot of experience.
So Misuno could talk like this, huh. Words flowing smoothly one after the other…
What’s more…
“Whoa, there’s already two hundred people… This is pretty popular isn’t it? Isn’t it pretty amazing that a high school student is able to gather this many viewers?”
I think I watch live streams fairly frequently. I like watching famous YouTubers and VTubers, and I also like watching music-related streams. Although she can’t compete against professional streamers, the normal high school girl Misuno is talking in front of two hundred people. Assuming a class has forty people, a total of five classes worth of people are coming to hear her talk…
… That’s seriously amazing.
You’re famous, Misuno…
And──there’s one more thing I’m curious about.
“… So you had someone you liked…”
… That’s right. Saki said that in the middle of the stream without hesitation. The line about finding someone she liked this spring.
“… I didn’t realize at all. What kind of person is that boy?”
Leaning my body on the backrest, I tried thinking about it.
“What kind of person would Misuno like? Is it someone I know…?”
For the time being, we have several common acquaintances. For example, the members of the library committee and the associated teachers.
However… Yeah, I didn’t really get that feeling from any of them. There wasn’t really anyone that she seemed like she might like.
“──So, Biwako-san, thank you for your letter. I didn’t think it was someone else’s problem as well. Saying horrible things to the person you love…”
On the other side of the screen, Saki just happened to start talking about her own love life.
“Um, I also messed up today… “
“Haha, Misuno’s even tough on the person she loves, huh. It must be rough for them as well…
I couldn’t help but start laughing alone in the room. For some reason, I thought I could imagine that scene. A scene where Misuno loves the other person so much, that she says horrible things to them.
… Yeah, I think it could happen. If it’s her, then she might do that to the person she loves.
“Haah… why did I turn him down?”
On the other side of the phone, Saki is still lamenting her mistake.
“At that time, I should have just honestly accepted Senpai’s invitation…”
“Hmm…?”
──That line. Saki’s words made me remember my unease.
… Senpai?
… Invitation?
For some reason, it feels like I remember something like that…
And then──I had a strange premonition.
I began to sense that something was about to happen──
As if to confirm my suspicions, Saki continued.
“──Even though we had the opportunity to walk home together…”
… Walk home, together…
… Senpai, invitation…
… In other words, the one she likes…
“──Me!?”
──I yelled out loud. The sound echoed briefly in my room at night before eventually disappearing.
Translator Notes
1. VTubers, short for Virtual YouTubers, are streamers who use computer-generated virtual avatars. Hololive and Nijisanji are examples of VTuber agencies.
2. Title drop. The name of her stream is the same as the series title. Hopefully there’s no Shingeki no Kyojin situation where the title has a hidden meaning.
3. The raw uses サブカル系, which means subculture-oriented, as opposed to main culture.
4. The raw uses 純文学, which is “pure literature”, or literature as a form of art, rather than for the sake of appealing to readers. This is often contrasted against popular literature.
5. Probably doesn’t need mentioning, but this is a way of referring to someone with seniority over you. Can be someone in your school who’s a grade or more above you, or a work colleague with more experience. I try to translate honorifics only when it makes sense in English, otherwise I’ll leave it as is, since they’re pretty ubiquitous.
6. He actually says this in English.
7. An area in Shinjuku.
8. Also probably doesn’t need mentioning but this is a way to refer to older men, usually your older brother(s) but can also be used as a form of “mister”.
9. The raw uses 日アサ which I think refers to this. It’s a Sunday morning TV time slot for kids.
10. Gender-neutral honorific. Tends to indicate the characters have a certain degree of distance (whether it be age, or just familiarity), but this may not always be the case.
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