Kaguya Nakano's Secret

Nakano kept her promise. A note appeared in Yuta’s locker the next school day. It was carefully placed inside one of his shoes. ‘How does she know my locker number?’ Yuta pushed the thought away and read the note.

Yuta, apologies for making you go on a date with me when you didn’t want to. You already know I wrote the letters to Ozaki and the student council president, so I will move on to why. The reason I sent that note to her was because I like you, and I was afraid you were getting too close to Ozaki. Well, I say me, but I should really say the other me. If that doesn’t make sense to you, find me during lunch in my classroom.

Regardless, the way I handled the situation was pathetic. I took advantage of the fact Ozaki was being bullied and tried to chase her away from you. As for why I sent the note to the president, it was because I overheard Ichinose’s friends talking about getting them to break up, and I thought that was the perfect cover. If I sent a note to make them break up, everyone would think they did it. At least that’s what I thought. I won’t bother Shiori anymore, but could we at least be friends? Sincerely, Kaguya Nakano.

“So, she did all this because she likes me… There’s no way I’d be friends with her after what she’s done.” Yuta crumbled the note and stuck it in his pocket. ‘Still… Maybe I should ask what she meant by “the other her.”’

…

Before class started, Yuta stood next to Shiori’s desk. “It looks like I solved the mystery behind the note.”

Shiori looked up from her book. “Y-You did?”

“Yes. Nakano was only jealous of you. She apologized to me for writing the note, but it would make more sense for her to apologize to you, since you’re the one she hurt.”

“I-It’s alright… She doesn’t have to if she doesn’t want to…”

Yuta bit back a remark. ‘Shiori’s too nice for her own good.’  “The only reason she sent the note to the president is because it would look like someone else sent the letters.”

The bell sounded, forcing Yuta back to his seat.

When lunch started, Yuta snatched his bag and headed to Nakano’s classroom. She sat alone in her seat, removing a sandwich from its bag.

“Nakano, I got your note.” He sat on the desk in front of her.

She adjusted her glasses and glanced up at Yuta. “Y-You did, huh? That’s good…” She mumbled something to herself, but Yuta couldn’t quite catch what it was she said. “What brings you here?”

“You asked me to meet you during lunch to ask what you meant by the other you.”

Her eyes widened, as if she hadn’t expected that response. She shifted and her eyes darted to everything except Yuta. “Oh! Um, okay… Well, you see…”

Nakano cleared her throat and straightened her posture, returning her gaze to Yuta. “I’m surprised you came. I thought you either wouldn’t care or would prefer to study.”

“You’re right about the studying part.”

She took a bite out of her sandwich. “If you’re smart, you must have realized by now when the switch happens.”

Yuta furrowed his brow. “What switch?”

“Have you really not figured it out yet?” Nakano removed her glasses and set them on her desk. “You asked me why I put on an act, remember?”

“Yes. What about it?”

“I don’t put on an act.”

This confused Yuta even more. “What do you mean you don’t put on an act? One minute you’re almost as shy as Shiori, and the next minute you’re like this.”

“All that studying and you’re still this dense?” She sighed, shaking her head. “Why did Kaguya fall for someone so oblivious…?”

“Did you just… refer to yourself in third person?”

“Look. I’ll spell it out for you.” She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “I’m not the real Kaguya. She’s the shy one.”

“Wha–?” Understanding dawns on Yuta. “Oh…”

Nakano returned to eating her sandwich. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, will you be her friend? She’s done nothing wrong, you know. That was all me.”

Yuta pushed himself off the desk. “I don’t make friends. They’re a waste of time.” He started to leave.

“What do you call Ozaki, then?”

He stopped only a few steps away. “An exception.” Yuta didn’t waste another second in Nakano’s classroom.

…

“S-She has a split personality?” Shiori stared at Yuta as they walked to the student council room together.

“Apparently. As for which one is the original, I’m not sure.”

“...I think you should try to be her friend.”

“What? Why?”

“I-I don’t know… She might need it. She doesn’t have any friends, right?”

“That’s what the nurse said.”

“T-Then she needs one…”

“You know, she’s almost as shy as you are. I bet you would be a better friend than me.” Yuta stopped in front of the door that separated them from the student council. ‘Then again, she was trying to hurt Shiori so she could get closer to me…’

Shiori was silent. Yuta could only guess what she was thinking.

“Come on. The student council is waiting.” He opened the door and allowed Shiori to enter first.

“Ah, Ozaki, Ichikawa. Welcome.” The president smiled from behind his desk.

Yuta glanced from him to Kanna and back. “Do you two ever move?”

The president chuckled. “Only when we are required to. Now, do you have any more information about the notes?”

“I do, actually. Nakano confessed that she wrote the note to Shiori because she was jealous of how close we were getting. She wrote yours because it would put the blame on someone else. Didn’t look like that worked, though.”

“It certainly did not.” He drummed his fingers against the desk. “Since she confessed, I’ll have to kick her from the student council.”

“P-Please don’t do that…” Shiori still stood next to Yuta. “S-She didn’t do anything… it was her alter…”

“Alter?”

Yuta continued the conversation for Shiori. “She has a split personality.”

“Oh. That’s good to know.” He wrote something down on a slip of paper in front of him.

Kanna spoke up. “That would explain a lot of her strange behaviors…”

“Yes, yes, it would.” The president turned to Shiori. “The poster you’re working on is the last one we need. Thank you for all your help, Ozaki. The culture festival is only a few days away, and we’ve been able to get most of our tasks done thanks to you.”

Shiori fidgeted, uncomfortable with the compliment. “T-Thanks…”

“Once that poster is finished, you’re free to go.”

She nodded and got to work.