CH 1113

On today’s sunny morning, I went for a jog and went farther than usual to do some light shopping. Thereupon, I saw a familiar back in front of me and called out to her.

[Good morning.]

[So, you’ve come…… Do you know what day it is today!?]

[Huh? Eh?]

[Yes, it’s Serious Day! In other words, it’s my day!!!]

When I called out to her, thinking it was Shea-san, she started to say incomprehensible things with high tension, and that’s when I realized that the person in front of me wasn’t Shea-san.

[Ahh, it’s Senpai. I see, it’s that time already huh.]

[No, don’t make it sound like my appearance is something like a season……]

No, what I actually feel is that she’s an unusual person who appears only once a year, so it’s a misstatement to say that she’s someone who appears like a season.

This self-proclaimed incarnation of seriousness, Serious-senpai, was apparently normally confined in a strange room and could only come out once a year.

It sounded like she was involved in some kind of strange incident, but it didn’t seem like Senpai felt super tragic about it, showing up once a year to go sightseeing.

[However, I sure meet Senpai everytime you come out. Senpai only comes out once a year, right?]

[No, I feel like every time I’m able to go outside, I get hurled near your location…… so I guess basically when I leave my room, you will always be nearby.]

[……I don’t have anything to do with that strange room though……]

[You’re the only one who thinks so…… Well, nevermind.]

After looking at me with astounded eyes, Serious-senpai cleared her throat, before she looked straight at me and spoke.

[……This is the third time we’ve met! You should already know what I want, right!!!?]

[Ah, yes. Then, where should we go today? If you haven’t had breakfast yet, there’s a good bakery nearby, so why don’t we check it out? They allow dine-in there.]

[Ahh, that sounds nice. Bread and coffee in the morning really gets you——-not!!! It’s the seriousness I want, seriousness!!! The heck do you think my goal is for coming here!?]

[……Isn’t it for your once-a-year sightseeing trip?]

[……It hurts that I can’t deny that at all.]

As usual, she was a person with quite the tension around her. I never got tired of watching her expression and seeing her excitement jump from one thing to another.

Well, of course, I know that she’s looking for something serious, but even she doesn’t know the specifics, and she just ends up sightseeing every time.

This time too, she started walking towards the bakery with me, so I wonder if the person herself intended to just go sightseeing? Well, I don’t think she would admit it even if I pointed it out though……

[Ah, right, right, listen! I got double Vs! Isn’t that great, you can compliment me, you know?]

[Double Vs? ……Were you part of some kind of contest?]

[Yes! I was voted number one in the Popularity Poll two times in a row! Also, it’s an overwhelming victory……. Awesome, right?]

[That’s amazing. That means many people love Senpai.]

……Popularity Poll? What kind of Popularity Poll is that? She mentioned how she usually stays in a strange room, but who in the world is she competing with for popularity?

Well, Senpai saying strange things is just the usual, so I guess I shouldn’t worry too much about it. Since Senpai seemed to want praise anyway, I decided to just give it to her.

[Fufufu, more, gimme more!]

[Since you’ve won twice in a row, it means it isn’t just short-term popularity, but popularity you’ve gained from a long time. It’s great that you’ve been able to maintain their support, so I’m sure many people find Serious-senpai charming.]

[Ehehe.]

[In fact, when I’m with Senpai, things get bustling and fun, making the atmosphere around you cheerful. That kind of personality is what makes Senpai so appealing, isn’t it?]

[……Auuu…… U- Ummm…… I think it’s time you st……]

[You’re also beautiful and have a very attractive smile. It’s rare for someone to possess so many different kinds of charms, so you should be proud of yourself.]

[Stoooooooop! I get so embarrassed when people praise me like that! I’d end up getting captured!]

As I praised her while walking, Serious-senpai shouted with a face that was red to the ears. She was still saying things that I didn’t understand…… but it seemed like she was feeling embarrassed.

……Even though she herself asked for praise……

[……Haahhh…… Haahhh…… D*mn it, he’s more used to women than last year. However, don’t underestimate me, Flag King! I won’t fall for just that much……]

[Ahh, Senpai, that’s the path for carriages, so move this way.]

[Hyaaahh!? H- H- He suddenly held my hand…… Awawawa…… P- Please be gentle……]

[……Ahh, I see the bakery.]

[Ignored!?]

Wryly smiling at Senpai whose tension kept changing and was shouting around again, I decided to enter the bakery.

After breakfast, the sightseeing continues in the guise of a search for seriousness.

[Does Senpai have any interior decorations in your room?]

[I don’t think so. Just a table, a chair, and a sofa.]

[That’s a rather simple room. Couldn’t you put something on the table, or have a plant or something on the side?]

[Well, I suppose…… that would be nice.]

As we were walking along while having such a conversation, I found a portrait shop in one corner of the plaza. They would apparently draw the portrait of whatever we request and frame it.

[That looks interesting. Since we’re at it, why don’t we have a portrait of us together painted?]

[T- Together? W- Well, if Kaito insists that much, I guess it can’t be helped…… I also owe you, so it can’t be helped!!!]

While emphasizing that she had no choice in this matter, her face blushed a bit, so I guess she’s probably embarrassed. She’s not quite a tsundere, but I suppose she’s not being honest in some way.

Well, thinking how that’s also a part of her that makes me smile, we walked to the portrait stall.

[Welcome~~]

[The heck are you doing here, idiot……]

[I’m just trying to earn some extra cash.]

[She seriously went and said it……]

The shopkeeper was a man wearing a beret…… but I somehow realized it was Alice again, so I astoundedly called out to her, and she said she was making some extra cash.

""

I’m sure the one in front of us is a clone, but just as usual, this guy is seriously all over the place…… Well, since it’s Alice drawing us, we can be assured of the quality.

[……Wait, if it isn’t Serious-senpai? Ahh, I see, today is April Fool’s Day back in Japan huh.]

[You’re also treating my appearance as something seasonal huh……]

[You on a date?]

[We’re not! I’m on an endless journey in quest for seriousness, pursuing seriousness!!!]

……There’s a lot of semantics involved in that quest and pursuit though…… W- Well, I guess that’s another part of Senpai’s seriousness. Rather, it seems like these two really know each other huh.

When she wears that black cat costume though, she claims she isn’t Alice, even though it is quite obvious……

[Now, now. So, you want me to draw a portrait for you?]

[Yeah, one with both of us together.]

[Alrighty~~ Here, finished.]

I don’t know if I should say it’s to be expected or not, but Alice seemed to have completed the drawing in just a few seconds, and she handed the portrait to Senpai. From where I stood, I couldn’t see the drawing Senpai was holding, so I moved my body a little to check it out…… but Senpai suddenly folded the drawing and moved away from me at a great speed.

[……Eh?]

[You b*stard…… Stop messing around!!! What the heck is with this picture you painted!!!?]

[Haven’t I painted it well?]

[You’re fabricating things here!!!]

Hmmm, I’m not sure what the circumstances were, but I guess Alice felt like pulling a prank again and drew a strange picture, which she gave to Senpai. The fact that she didn’t want me to see it and hid it away means that it wasn’t me, but Senpai who was drawn in a weird way.

[……Then, should we throw that away?]

[……N- No, I’ll take this one…… but make sure to draw another one properly.]

[Yes, yes, you sure got lots of requests.]

It was a rather strange exchange, so, confused, I tilted my head and called out to Senpai.

[Ummm, Senpai?]

[D- Don’t you dare!]

[U- Unnn?]

[D- Don’t you dare come near right now. This is a very dangerous item…… and I will definitely not let myself be captured!!!]

[……Yes?]

Hmmm, I really had no idea what she meant……. but her face was red again. Hmmm, from the exchange she had with Alice, I have the feeling that Senpai is the type that gets teased.

Well, I don’t really mind this boisterous atmosphere……

The picture Serious-senpai was desperately trying to hide so that it wouldn’t be seen by Kaito…… was just as they requested in the beginning, a picture with both Serious-senpai and Kaito on it.

However, because of Alice’s teasing mind, the picture drawn was of Serious-senpai kissing Kaito on the cheek, with a level of quality that made it look like a photograph.

Serious-senpai (Affection Meter: 99999) : [No, the heck is with that title!? It’s getting shorter! Can you not cut things off with an etc!?]

? ? ? : [……Doesn’t it seem like you’re pretty captured already?]

Serious-senpai (Affection Meter: 99999) : [……I wasn’t. My heart didn’t go kyun or anything like that. There weren’t any flags or anything of that sort that rose at all.]

? ? ? : [……But you have a picture of you kissing over there.]

Serious-senpai (Affection Meter: 99999) : [That’s fabrication! I didn’t actually do that…… W- W- W- Well, I can’t bring myself to just throw it away…… I really don’t have any choice!!!]