Episode 293: Cousins of a Kind

Everyone headed to their assigned tasks, leaving just me and Uesaka-san at this tent to handle guest inquiries.

Sara-san and Hanako-san went on patrol together, so I won’t see them until the next shift change.

I do feel a bit bummed that we won’t get much time alone during the festival, but I know Sara-san feels the same, so I’ve got to suck it up.

Besides, even though it’s work, truth be told, there isn’t much to do here unless something comes up.

At most, I’m just giving directions to guests or handling the occasional school official.

「Oh, look, someone else is here.」

「Maybe an official?」

Cars stop at the gate periodically. Not taxis or regular cars, but a luxury car like that is likely an official.

In that case, we need to guide them or fetch a teacher.

「Former President, Vice President, hello. Good luck with your work.」

「Oh, Kusuhara-san. Hello.」

「…Hello.」

The stuck-up girl popped up with a perfectly calm face.

I haven’t seen her since then, but I consider our relationship completely hostile. She probably thinks the same.

And yet, she can speak so casually with that nasty attitude.

Compared to the beginning, her smile is clearly fake. Well, not that I care.

「What brings you here?」

「I’m here to pick someone up.」

「Pick someone up?」

After she said that, the stuck-up girl walked toward the car parked at the gate. A person was getting out, and as I watched, they joined up.

So that car belonged to someone she knew.

「They don’t look like her parents, so maybe a sibling or a relative? Or maybe a fiancé like you two?」

「Who knows? Either way, I’m not interested, so I don’t care who it is.」

Oops, I accidentally said what I was really thinking. Well, whatever.

From where I’m standing, they look pretty young, so Uesaka-san is probably right that it isn’t a parent.

It’s hard to imagine her having a fiancé, so that leaves a sibling or a relative. But really, I don’t care.

More importantly, I just want them to leave as soon as they’re done.

「It looks like they’re coming this way.」

As if to spite me, the two of them walked straight toward us.

They kept glancing over as if explaining something with gestures. They’re definitely coming here.

「Hey, hello.」

「Hello.」

「…Hello.」

The man greeted us with a raised hand, radiating a forced sense of coolness.

He was dressed in a sharp suit, and while he was young, he was definitely older than us. Maybe in his early twenties?

The way the stuck-up girl clung to his arm made them look more like close siblings than a couple. That was the impression I got.

But more than that, his smile… it looked strangely unpleasant, and it really bothered me. Maybe I was just being cynical, or maybe it was an intuition based on experience.

「I’ll introduce you. This is my cousin, Kusuhara Yutaka-san. He is the sales manager of our company.」

「Nice to meet you. Thanks for always looking after Rena.」

「Nice to meet you, I’m Uesaka. I’m the former…」

「Yeah, I’ve heard. You’re the former President, and that one is the current Vice President, right? We probably won’t meet again, but nice to meet you anyway.」

「…Nice to meet you.」

He’s older, so a certain amount of arrogance is expected, but I already have a bad impression of him after just that.

Then again, it makes sense if you consider he’s the stuck-up girl’s cousin.

Wait, did he just say「our company」?

「…Nice to meet you. There are many events going on today, so please enjoy yourselves.」

「Thanks, I plan to. But the main reason I’m here is to see Rena win her second victory in tomorrow’s Miss Contest.」

「Big brother, you’re getting ahead of yourself.」

「No, no. Just like last year, you’ll be in the lead all by yourself, won’t you? If anything, the people entering even though they know you’re in it are just being hopeful, or maybe their heads are… oh, I guess it’s for the memories. That makes sense.」

As I watched this farce with cold eyes, Uesaka-san suddenly looked at me and gave a mysterious head-shake and eye contact.

Is he telling me not to get angry?

I didn’t plan on being that short-tempered.

Well, the result is already obvious, so I kind of wanted to tell him he should start thinking of some words of comfort now.

「Wh-Whoa, what is that…」

「Wait… for real!?」

Just as I was thinking that, a massive stir broke out near the school gate.

I looked over to see what was causing the commotion and… wait, that?

「Y-You’ve got to be kidding. Arriving at a place like this in a limousine?」

「Wait, they’re standing out even more than Big brother… what is that!?」

It was a car I recognized all too well, a pure white luxury car of absurd length.

It stopped sideways in front of the school gate. From this angle, it looked like it fit perfectly from one end of the gate to the other. That sight made it look even more impressive… or was it flashy? I couldn’t look away.

Eventually, the driver and a man in a suit from the passenger seat got out and respectfully opened the rear door. Of course, the person who stepped out was…

「What!? Th-That’s!?」

「Ni-Nishikawa-san!?」

「…Wh-Why is that woman here!?」

Nishikawa-san stepped out of the car with slow, elegant movements.

The reactions were all shock, but they were split into three very distinct ways.

Uesaka-san was just happy, but that man suddenly started smirking unpleasantly. Maybe they were acquaintances?

And the worst was the stuck-up girl.

It was a given that she knew Nishikawa-san, but she looked visibly disgusted.

I still didn’t know the reason, but it felt similar to the hostility she showed toward Sara-san. It was probably for some stupid reason anyway.

While she was the center of everyone’s attention, Nishikawa-san said something to the driver, looked our way, and gave a small wave.

I was about to wave back when that man suddenly stepped in front of me to block my view and started waving wildly at Nishikawa-san.

…What is with this guy?

「Haha, Nishikawa-san is the same as ever…」

「Fufu, it seems Nishikawa-san remembered me well…」

「「!?」」

The two of them realized they’d both said Nishikawa-san’s name at the same time and jerked their heads to face each other. They stood frozen, glaring at one another.

Um… what is even happening here?

「…Hey, aren’t you being a bit overfamiliar?」

「Even if you say I’m overfamiliar, I had a connection with her when she attended this school. If anything, you should have a valid reason for saying such a thing to me, shouldn’t you?」

「I’ve been formally introduced to her. Besides, that greeting just now was for me…」

「That wasn’t for you, was it?」

「I should be saying that!」

The two of them didn’t look away, continuing to glare at each other while trading words.

It was the first time I’d ever seen Uesaka-san show his emotions and clash with someone like this.

Wait, does this mean… Nishikawa-san is that popular!?

Well, if you think about her potential, it shouldn’t be a surprise at all.

By the way, I feel bad saying this to Uesaka-san, and I don’t care about the idiot, but the person Nishikawa-san was waving to just now wasn’t Uesaka-san or the idiot…

It was me!

「Hey, look, isn’t that Nishikawa-san!?」

「Whoa, for real!? That means… they’re both here for the first time in forever!!!!????」

「This is huge!!! No way, is she entering the Miss Contest tomorrow too!!??」

「Call them! Call everyone!!!」

The people who noticed Nishikawa-san started making a scene, and it spread to everyone else.

I’d never heard much about it from her, but seeing this made me realize that Nishikawa-san was just as popular as Sara-san.

And since I’d just gained a new appreciation for Nishikawa-san recently, it was even more obvious.

「…Still as annoying as ever.」

The stuck-up girl was muttering something, but I ignored her.

Nishikawa-san saw off the limo and began walking slowly toward us.

She was stopped and greeted along the way, responding happily as she gradually made her way over.

When she finally reached the tent, the idiot standing in front of me suddenly put on a triumphant expression. He glanced at Uesaka-san next to him and gave a sickeningly fake smile.

「It’s been a while, Nishikawa-san. Today is a very…」

「Hello, Takanashi-san. Are you here to welcome me by any chance?」

But Nishikawa-san herself slipped past the idiot as if he didn’t even exist and walked straight to my side.

Man, is this what they call「serves you right」?

Oh well.

More importantly, it’s Nishikawa-san.

「Welcome, Nishikawa-san. No, I’m just on duty at the headquarters tent right now.」

「Takanashi-san, it’s a gentleman’s duty to say yes even if it’s a lie, you know?」

「Then I’m here to welcome you, Nishikawa-san.」

「’Then’… honestly. I won’t ask you to treat me like Sara, but could you at least handle me with a bit more care?」

「I’m joking. You’re very welcome here.」

「Fufu… thank you.」

Nishikawa-san laughed with a slightly mischievous smile.

I’d thought this when we went to buy the ring, too. Exchanging banter like this is fun and comfortable.

Nishikawa-san calls me her best friend, and of course I feel the same. But it feels like we’ve moved one step further, like we can interact even more casually as friends.

「Fufu…」

「What is it?」

「Nothing… it’s just the first time I’ve found it fun to trade banter with a man. It’s a bit funny even to me.」

「Haha. What a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing.」

I see.

Nishikawa-san felt the same way I did.

That makes me purely happy.

「Um… sorry to interrupt while you’re enjoying yourselves…」

Uesaka-san suddenly cut in, looking a bit apologetic.

He had a stiff, dry smile on his face as he looked back and forth between me and Nishikawa-san.

…Crap.

I might have forgotten about Uesaka-san for a second.

Just a second, though, really.

「Ah, I’m sorry. It’s been a long time, Uesaka-san. It’s good to see you’re well.」

Nishikawa-san finally seemed to notice him and gave a polite bow with a smile… it looked a bit like her business smile, though.

And Uesaka-san looked happy… he was wearing a truly delighted smile.

「N-No, same here. It’s been a while, Nishikawa-san. You look as b… healthy as ever.」

For Uesaka-san, who usually speaks so calmly, he sounded strangely high-pitched. Is he actually nervous?

He doesn’t look like the man who calmly set a trap for me at all…

「Thank you for all your help back then. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a proper farewell when I transferred.」

「N-No! Not at all! I’m just happy to see you again!」

「Fufu, even if it’s flattery, I’m happy to hear that. Unlike last year, I’m here as a guest this time.」

「Y-You’re very welcome!」

I’ll refrain from pointing out that he just repeated what I said.

Anyway, this is too easy to read. If you knew the usual Uesaka-san, you’d notice the difference instantly, so why doesn’t Nishikawa-san notice… ah!

Right… maybe Uesaka-san has always been like this around Nishikawa-san?

So from Nishikawa-san’s perspective, this is normal and she doesn’t feel any weirdness?

Yeah… that’s possible…

「By the way, today…」

「Ahem. M-May I have a moment?」

Too bad. He’d been completely frozen, so I thought I could keep ignoring him, but he finally rebooted.

He’s trying to keep up appearances, but his face is clearly twitching.

And it looks like he plans to join the conversation.

To be blunt, he’s a nuisance.

「Yes, what is it?」

Nishikawa-san responded with a polite smile for now, but she tilted her head curiously as she looked at the man.

「Well, Nishikawa-san…」

「Um, you seem to know who I am… but who might you be?」

「!? L-Last year, at the Saba Group party, we were introduced…」

「…Ah.」

「D-Do you remember…」

「I’m sorry. There were so many people I was introduced to at that party.」

「Ah… I, I see…」

The idiot looked visibly disappointed after his brief moment of hope.

He acted so confident that I thought he might be an associate. I can’t believe he thought they had a connection just because they exchanged greetings once.

「Wait a minute, Nishikawa-san… isn’t that being rude to Big brother!」

「…Ah, it’s been a while, Kusuhara-san. Are you two siblings?」

「Cousins. More importantly!!」

「Even if you say I’m rude, I did apologize, didn’t I? Besides, let me tell you, when you’re being introduced to a hundred or two hundred people in a single night, it’s impossible to remember every face and name from just one meeting. Aside from people I absolutely must remember, most people are just someone I met once and never had any contact with again. Or are you saying you can remember everyone after just one greeting? You were at that party too, right? Can you name every single person associated with us that you were introduced to? If you can, I’ll start asking you questions.」

「!?」

Man… that’s what they call being left speechless.

Faced with Nishikawa-san’s logical bombardment, the stuck-up girl shut her mouth instantly.

Personally, I think what Nishikawa-san said is perfectly normal, and her complaint was nothing but a groundless accusation.

But setting that aside… a hundred or two hundred greetings in one night… what kind of party is that…

「Anyway, putting that aside, Uesaka-san.」

「Y-Yes!」

「「Putting that aside!?」」

The two idiots took extra damage from that unconscious finishing blow. The man looked completely defeated… or so I thought, but now he was glaring at me with pure hostility.

If Sara-san or Hanako-san were here, it might have been bad… but for now, I’ll just ignore him.

「May I borrow Takanashi-san for a little while?」

「Eh… T-Takanashi-kun?」

「Yes. Is that alright with you too, Takanashi-san?」

「I’m fine with it, but…」

Even if things are slow… or rather, calm, if I leave, Uesaka-san will be all alone. I gave him a look to check if he was okay with it.

But Uesaka-san himself looked extremely disappointed… and he gave me a look that seemed to imply something more.

No, no, I have Sara-san, so please don’t get the wrong idea.

「U-Understood. It’s fine here…」

「Thank you. Well then, Takanashi-san, shall we?」

「U-Understood.」

Once she saw me nod, Nishikawa-san began leading the way… only to stop suddenly for some reason. What is it?

「That’s right… Kusuhara-san?」

「W-What is it?」

On the surface, she looked like she was just casually speaking to the stuck-up girl. And yet, I felt a chill that couldn’t be called friendly.

It was more like she was dismissing an inferior opponent with a cold attitude, which only highlighted the gap between her and the small-time stuck-up girl.

「Confidence in oneself isn’t bad… but overconfidence will destroy you.」

「!?」

With that meaningful parting shot, Nishikawa-san began walking again as if she were finished.

I followed after her, and as I stole a glance to the side…

The stuck-up girl was just looking down in silence, unable to say anything back… and the idiot man was showing clear hostility toward me.

Haa… I hope this doesn’t turn into something annoying.