CH 26

26 - The Cool Idol's Closet

"Whew...... that felt so good." (Kazuto)

After finishing my dubious lunch, I excuse to Rinka to the bathroom.

Let me tell you something.

I don't come here to throw up.

I just wanted to do a little thing.

I come out of the bathroom and wash my hands in the washroom.

And when I want to return to Rinka, my smartphone rings.

...... How many times have been today?

Sorry to say, but your advice is completely useless, Kurumizaka-san.

"Well, I can't just ignore her............. Hello?" (Kazuto)

"Ah, Kazu-kun. What's going on there now?" (Nana)

"I just finished a bowl of fried rice that had something special in it." (Kazuto)

"Something special, what is it?" (Nana)

"I want to know about it....... No, I definitely don't want to know." (Kazuto)

Once you know, there may be no turning back.

Let's just remember it as the fried rice that was dαmn so good.

"What are you going to do now?" (Nana)

"Right....... I don't feel like going out right now, so I might just stay in this room." (Kazuto)

"No waay~. How long do I have to stay behind the telephone pole?" (Nana)

"Why don't you just go home already? You're not doing anything there, are you?" (Kazuto)

"Uuu. I want to do something that will make Rin-chan happy, even if only a little. Please cooperate with me." (Nana)

"...... I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now, why do you work so hard for the sake of Rinka, Kurumizaka-san?" (Kazuto)

"That is......" (Nana)

"You do it not just as a friend. And It's not just for fun either." (Kazuto)

"......" (Nana)

A heavy silence drifted from my phone.

After all, there seems to be something.

I've been feeling the desperation in the actions of Kurumizaka-san for some time now.

No matter how much energy she has, it's too much.

......Well, if that's her personality, I can't say anything about it.

"Actually, I'm the one who invited Rin-chan to be an idol." (Nana)

"So that's it, huh." (Kazuto)

"Yes....... But you know, I made Rin-chan go through a very difficult time." (Nana)

"It's not your fault, Kurumizaka-san. Besides, you two are successful now." (Kazuto)

"That's not true. If it weren't for Kazu-kun, I'm sure Rin-chan would have been broken. I feel that all the responsibilities are on me....... I made Rin-chan suffer a lot by getting her involved in order to make my own dreams come true." (Nana)

It's not her usual cheerful tone of voice.

I can feel the guilt painfully coming from the painful words of Kurumizaka-san.

I don't know the past of the two.

A few weeks ago, I had asked Rinka about when she started working as an idol.

But Rinka blatantly muddled the subject and diverted it to another topic.

Even I, who is dull, can tell.

It must be a past that she doesn't want to be touched.

And it's the same for Kurumizaka-san.

"So, if it's for Rin-chan's sake, then I'll――――" (Nana)

"Ah! That's Kurumizaka Nana-chan over there, right?"

"You're right! Gosh, she's real! ......Why are you dressed like a prowler?"

Voices that seem to be that of ordinary women are heard.

It seems that Kurumizaka-san's identity has been exposed.

"Nana-chan! I'm a fan of yours! Please shake my hand!"

"Eeeh!? N-no, that is...... Ahahaha." (Nana)

"Why are you dressed all in black? Are you returning from some kind of event?"

An ordinary female fan seems unable to stop her excitement.

Of course, she does.

She's met the center of the most popular idol group in the world, after all.

"Eh, Nana-chan's here?"

"I heard that Kurumizaka Nana of StarMines is sneaking around behind a telephone pole!"

The commotion is getting worse and worse.

The voices coming from my phone are getting louder and louder.

"Kurumizaka-san, are you okay?" (Kazuto)

"Haha, thanks for the support~............. I think I'm a little not okay." (Nana)

"I don't know what I can do, but should I go help you?" (Kazuto)

"No. Kazu-kun, you stay with Rin-chan." (Nana)

"But......" (Kazuto)

"I'm fine! Please take care of Rin-chan, yes!" (Nana)

Beep!♪

"......" (Kazuto)

I stare at my smartphone, which has been disconnected, and I'm enveloped in an indescribable feeling.

"Kurumizaka-san...... she didn't give me decent advice until the very end." (Kazuto)

Well, let's hope she can get over the fuss safely.　

That's all I can do.

□

"Sorry to make you wait. Is there anything you want to do?" (Kazuto)

I come to Rinka's room and ask her who is sitting on her bed.

"I want to do, yes? .......I don't mind anything as long as I can be with Kazuto-kun......." (Rinka)

"I-I see......" (Kazuto)

She says it in such a direct way that I feel embarrassed by just hear it.

If we're officially lovers, what should we do in these situations?

......After all, is it such a thing or that thing?

I'm so focused on planning outside that I haven't thought about the pattern if we move into a home date.

"I'll be frank with you. I want to make out with you, Kazuto-kun." (Rinka)

"That's too frank ......!" (Kazuto)

Even though she'd get blushed if I held her hand, yet she's just amazing with her statements.

I thought, but Rinka's cheeks had faintly dyed in cherry blossom.

Even so, it does not break the cool atmosphere she has.

"'Kazuto-kun, you feel the same way I do, don't you? Even though it was Nana's suggestion, you invited me on a date." (Rinka)

"......So you know it, huh." (Kazuto)

"Rather than 'knowing', I think 'noticing' is the right word. And besides, Nana was following us around in a strange outfit." (Rinka)

Everything seemed to be completely seen through.

I tend to forget this because of her usual wifely behavior, but the original Rinka is a cool idol who behaves coolly and perfectly.

It's hard to fool Rinka's eyes with just me and Kurumizaka-san.

"Probably, that you brought me to your home to get slipped of Kurumizaka-san?" (Kazuto)

"It's also one of it. I want Kazuto-kun to eat my home-cooked food, besides, there was no way could concentrate on the date if Nana was following around in that weird outfit." (Rinka)

"Indeed." (Kazuto)

"It'd have been nice if, including Nana, the three of us could have hung out together, but ............ I'm sure that's not what you two are after, right." (Rinka)

"......Yes." (Kazuto)

How far are you seeing through?

This cool idol, scary......!

"That's why Kazuto-kun...... Do you want to do something like a married couple?" (Rinka)

"――――" (Kazuto)

Rinka, with her enchanting eyes, gets up from the bed and leans against my chest.

She's as aggressive as ever when it comes to attacking.

But I haven't confessed my love to her yet.

"That's right, Rinka! I've been wanting to ask you something for a while." (Kazuto)

"...... What do you want to ask?" (Rinka)

Rinka's lips pouted in annoyance at being interrupted.

The slightly grumpy look on his face is also cute.

......Then, what should I do?

It was something I had said to get the place back on track, but in reality, there was not a single thing I wanted to ask.

Is there, or is there not...... no, there is one.

I decided to ask the questions I had when I came to this room before.

"Rinka. What's in that closet?" (Kazuto)

"Why...... are you asking me that?" (Rinka)

"The other day, when Nonoa-chan came home, you made me hide on the bed, right? But if you really don't want me to be found out, wouldn't it be better to hide me in the closet?" (Kazuto)

In the end, I was exposed by my shoes, but the closet was the only place I could find a suitable place to hide.

An intelligent girl like Rinka must understand this.

"The reason why did you go to the trouble of pushing me onto bed...... I was just wondering if there was anything in the closet." (Kazuto)

"............ There, was. As Kazuto-kun is looking at, I have something hidden in the closet." (Rinka)

"Have something?" (Kazuto)

"Eerm." (Rinka)

Rinka nods with a mysterious look on her face.

"It bothers me when you say it like that." (Kazuto)

"...... I don't want to show it too much. If I show it to Kazuto-kun, he'll definitely think I'm a weird girl." (Rinka)

"That's not true. I'll accept whatever Rinka is doing." (Kazuto)

"Really?" (Rinka)

I nod confidently to Rinka, who is anxious to confirm.

"... I understand. I'll show you." (Rinka)

Rinka walks away from me and heads towards the closet.

She puts her hand on the handle of the closet, glances at me once, and hesitantly opens it.

"......" (Kazuto)

The clothes in the closet are gorgeous, ranging from casual clothes to idol costumes.

There is nothing wrong inside.......

Wait, there are four felt dolls underneath.

They're slightly smaller than a human head.

The felt dolls look familiar to me.

No, it's not just that they look familiar.

If you look in the mirror, you will always see the reflection of.......

Yes, that's me.

There are four cute deformed felt dolls of Ayanokouji Kazuto――――sitting proudly in Rinka's closet.

"Th-these are......?" (Kazuto)

"Kazuto-kun dolls." (Rinka)

"......" (Kazuto)

I remain silent as I look at the four adorably made Kazuto-kun dolls.

Are they made by Rinka herself?

Even though I am the subject, I can tell that they really well made.

"That's, you know. I always hug my Kazuto-kun doll whenever I go to bed......." (Rinka)

"O-oh." (Kazuto)

"Recently, The desire to be wrapped up in more Kazuto-kun dolls has been developing............. Even Kazuto-kun, as expected, will be repulsed, right?" (Rinka)

Rinka asks me fearfully, her face is red and she looks embarrassed as she's fidgeting with her left and right hands intertwined