Chapter 122: The New Constellation

The awkward descent from the rooftop was nothing compared to the awkward silence that now fills my living room in the wake of the "Childhood Fiancé Revelation." Kenji is sketching wedding invitation designs. Rina is radiating silent, murderous fury in my general direction. Haruka is watching me with an unnerving, analytical intensity. And Aiwa looks like she might spontaneously combust from sheer embarrassment.

"So," Miki says finally, breaking the silence with her usual, blunt pragmatism. "To summarize: Matsuki-san is LUNA. Hinamata-kun is Matsuki-san's childhood hero and potential fiancé based on a legally non-binding playground promise. Hinamata-kun knew Matsuki-san was LUNA but kept it secret. Matsuki-san suspected Hinamata-kun might be her childhood hero but was too embarrassed to ask. And Rina-san and Ito-san are both varying degrees of furious and/or intrigued by this development, primarily as it relates to their ongoing competition for Hinamata-kun's attention. Have I missed anything?"

"Only the part where Rui is clearly destined to be with LUNA-sama!" Kenji adds enthusiastically.

"Shut up, Kenji," Rina, Haruka, Miki, Hana, and I all say in perfect unison.

This new, horrifically complicated reality needs a new set of operating instructions. We spend the next hour in the world's most awkward group therapy session. Rina grudgingly accepts that my past with Aiwa is not an active betrayal, but reserves the right to be extremely suspicious of all future interactions. Haruka seems to view the childhood promise as just another interesting wrinkle in her ongoing analysis of my "character profile." Kenji is gently but firmly told that there will be no wedding.

Aiwa, however, is the one who undergoes the biggest transformation. Now that both her secrets are out, a huge weight seems to have lifted from her shoulders. The crippling shyness is still there, but it is mixed with a new, quiet confidence. She no longer has to hide.

"I am still LUNA," she says, her voice soft but steady. "That part of me is real too. But I am also Aiwa. And I am Rui-kun's childhood friend." She looks at me, a small, hopeful smile on her face. "It is… nice. Not having to pretend anymore. At least, not with you guys."

The dynamic of our group shifts once again. We are no longer just Team Ectiqa plus Haruka plus the mysterious new girl. We are a bizarre, tangled constellation of artists, rivals, friends, siblings, and maybe-childhood-fiancés.

Rina and Haruka's "Grand Alliance" against LUNA is still technically active, but it has lost its edge. How can you strategize against someone when you now know their deepest insecurities and childhood traumas? Their rivalry shifts back towards its natural state: competing over me, but now with Aiwa as a recognized, legitimate third player in the game.

My life does not get any simpler. In fact, it gets infinitely more complicated. Now, instead of just juggling Rina and Haruka, I am also dealing with Aiwa, who is no longer just a shy classmate, but the girl who remembers me as her hero, the girl who is also a cosplay goddess, and the girl who looks at me with an expression that is rapidly evolving from nostalgic fondness to something… more.

As the study session finally breaks up, and Aiwa is leaving, she pauses at the door. "Rui-kun," she says, her cheeks flushing pink. "About that promise… I know we were just kids. But… it was important to me." She gives me a quick, shy smile. "Thank you for being my hero back then."

She leaves, closing the door softly behind her. I am left standing in the middle of my living room, flanked by my still-suspicious sister and my calculating rival, my mind reeling from the events of the day. The past has officially caught up with the present. And the future looks like it is going to be one hell of a ride.