Chapter 5: Tsumugi’s Proposal

“Tsumugi, listen to this—”
Having just gotten home, Haruka called right away and explained everything that had happened today.

A deep sigh—so clearly audible from inhale to exhale—came through the line, followed by her exasperated voice.
“Hey, are you stupid or what? If an idiot comes up with a plan, all you get is an idiot result, so just ask her straight up, idiot.”

“Don’t you think you’re saying idiot a bit too much? If Nezu had just gotten rejected, everything would’ve been solved, you know?”
Haruka protested, overwhelmed by how harshly she was being talked to.

“Ah—yeah, yeah. Anyway, how do you even know that?”

“I was watching through the lighting window of the gym’s equipment room. There were all sorts of things piled up by the window, but for me, I just extended my neck and had no trouble at all.”
She said, her voice bouncing with pride.
“Ugh… don’t spy on them, that’s gross!”
Tsumugi’s voice came through, sounding thoroughly disgusted.

“Oh, but listen! When I talked to her this morning, I touched her ear, and I even blew on her. In the confusion, my lips brushed against her ear too—and her hair smelled really good!”
She rattled on in excitement, as if her earlier gloom had been a lie.

“That’s already a police matter. Don’t get yourself arrested, okay? You’d be the shame of the village.”
Her voice sounded so exasperated it had crossed over into indifference.

“Like, it sounds like they’re going on a date, so I’m thinking I might go check things out. I bet she’ll be wearing something cute.”
This time, she spoke with clear excitement.

“Don’t. That’s stalking. I’ll hang out with you instead, so seriously—don’t do that.”

“I’m not a stalker.”
Haruka protested with a sulky tone, but Tsumugi didn’t budge.
“That’s what people call stalking. You said before there was a café you wanted to check out, right? Let’s go there.”

“So… does that mean it’s on you, Tsumugi-chan?”
She put on an intentionally sweet, cloying voice.

“Pay for your own share, idiot.”
As usual, Tsumugi hung up the call on her own timing.

After the call was cut, Haruka let out a sigh and then started tapping at her phone.
“Cafés are nice and all… but I really want to see Mao-mao in cute clothes too. All the photos I have are just her in her uniform…”
She quietly opened the folder she’d been secretly collecting—‘Mao-mao — for my eyes only’.
Tracing the Mao in the photos with her finger, Haruka smiled, utterly enraptured.