CH 43

43 - The true identity of Kiyokawa Ayane ②

"This time is the second time I'd visited Senior Ayanokouji's room, am I right?" (Ayane)

"I guess.", I respond appropriately and urge Kiyokawa to sit on a chair.

After school. Kiyokawa had really come to my house, so I have no choice but to let her in.

Kiyokawa takes a glance at my room, which is as messy as ever and sits down on the chair at the computer desk.

"Let us get right down to business. How long have you been following me?" (Ayane)

"......Since the beginning of lunch break, I suppose." (Kazuto)

"In other words, you knew about the special case in the aforementioned school building?" (Ayane)

In the aforementioned school building....... Did she mean the lavatory meal?

I nod to Kiyokawa, whose face was strained with nervousness.

It's useless to lie and say I didn't know it. I can't provide any proof of that after all.

"I see. I was convinced now. I was not sure why Senior Ayanokouji asked me to stop the surveillance only today.......So it was to follow me and take advantage of me, wasn't it?" (Ayane)

"No, I've been wanting you to stop the surveillance for a while now. And I never imagined that Kiyokawa was having a lavatory meal." (Kazuto)

"......" (Ayane)

When I say "Lavatory Meal", Kiyokawa shuts her eyes and falls silent.

I don't know what to say, so I fall silent too.

I guess it's a mistake to say "lavatory meal".

It's just impossible for Kiyokawa to have a lavatory meal.

The fact that she is silent now might be because she thinks I've misunderstood her and is about to lose her temper.

After a few seconds of silence, Kiyokawa gets up as if she has made up her mind.

She stands up and drops a proudful declaration to me.

"Yes,....... I, Kiyokawa Ayane, am a loner! I am unquestionably a loner!" (Ayane)

It's a wonderful declaration of her being a loner.

If anything, it's full of pride.

She's shouting unabashedly as if to say that this's her genuine self.

"So, what would you do now?" (Ayane)

"Pardon?" (Kazuto)

"Senior Ayanokouji had grasped my weakness. Ermm, if the fact that the neat and tidy idol in the reality was a loner...... became known to the world, it would surely damage my image. In other words, Senior Ayanokouji had taken hold of my life as an idol." (Ayane)

"I-I don't think that far ahead." (Kazuto)

A neat and tidy idol is actually an all-alone one. In fact, I feel that somehow that gap will increase her popularity.......?

While I'm thinking about that, Kiyokawa, whose face is bright red, and with a trembling voice, drops some shocking lines.

"Y-you're taking advantage of my weakness, blackmailing me, a-and then, ordering me to do something n-naughty, aren't you!" (Ayane)

"H-HUUUUUHHHHHHHH!" (Kazuto)

What is this girl saying all of a sudden? She's making a terrible assumption.

"What were you going to do to me...... by taking me into your room?" (Ayane)

"What do you mean by "taking me in"? You came here of your own volition!" (Kazuto)

"It was Senior Ayanokouji who made me do this, wasn't it? If I hadn't told you I was coming, you would have said, "I've got your weakness, you know! Guhehehe"." (Ayane)

"I'm not saying that! I'm not even going to take advantage of your weakness." (Kazuto)

I absolutely won't.

I'm further surprised by the fact that a neat and tidy idol who had been having a lavatory meal is actually won't stop delusional.

"This was the worst! Ah, now all the mysteries were solved! Senior Ayanokouji had also grasped the weaknesses of Senior Rinka and Senior  Nana, that's right!" (Ayane)

"Aren't you thinking too much? Mainly in the erotic area." (Kazuto)

"Please let me tell you, my body is inferior compared to those of seniors! ......Who's inferior! I'd cry⁉︎" (Ayane)

"Let's take a deep breath, okay? You're talking all by yourself and you're angry all by yourself." (Kazuto)

She let her imagination run wild, getting out of control, and self-destructing herself.

Such an idiotic girl is right in front of me.

Yes, this is the true identity of the popular idol Kiyokawa Ayane.

The inside of her head must be dyed pink.

"AAAH, I never thought I would lose my chastity in this way....... But I would not give in to my heart. No matter what kind of condemnation I received from Senior Ayanokouji, this Kiyokawa Ayane, would never be drowned in pleasure! ......Ah, if you were going to tie me up with rope, please made sure you didn't leave any marks." (Ayane)

"This girl is hopeless, I have to do something soon...... No, it's already too late. My deepest condolences." (Kazuto)

In front of Kiyokawa, who holds out her hands for me to tie her up with rope, I raise my hands in a pose of capitulation. I even will raise the white flag if I have to.

"...... Would you like to know the reason why I became a loner?" (Ayane)

"Eh, you're going to tell me yourself?" (Kazuto)

"After all this far, I thought it would be more comfortable if I just told you everything, or perhaps, I just wanted someone to have an ear......" (Ayane)

"I-I get it. I'll listen." (Kazuto)

"Thank you very much......." (Ayane)

Kiyokawa, who seems to have regained her composure, sits back on the chair.

"I knew a lot of people. I had a lot of acquaintances, I talked to my classmates normally, and it was not like anyone hated me." (Ayane)

"I guess so. I could see that at lunch break today." (Kazuto)

Rather, they looked at her with admiration. That's why I'm surprised that Kiyokawa is a loner.

"But we couldn't be friends, or rather, everyone was reserved with me." (Ayane)

"Because you're a young lady and a popular idol?" (Kazuto)

"Yes. I'm often told that we have different views of the world." (Ayane)

Well, that may be true.

I remember what happened during lunch break today, and it was extraordinary. Everyone was giving way to Kiyokawa.

~"(This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~)"~

"Some of them wanted to be friends with me,............ but after we got to know each other a little, they simply left." (Ayane)

"For what reason?" (Kazuto)

"There were several reasons. First of all, I didn't spend much money." (Ayane)

"......What do you mean?" (Kazuto)

"The common knowledge was that I was rich, right? But I only spent the minimum amount of money I needed. Simply put, I was a stingy person. Among the ones who approached me, many of them were looking for money." (Ayane)

"Seriously?" (Kazuto)

Kiyokawa, her eyes sadly downcast, says "Yes......." as she nods.

"Whenever I went to a clothing store or something, they would ask me to buy something for them. Of course, I refused. And eventually, the number of people around me decreased." (Ayane)

It's such a terrible story that it hurts my ears just to hear it.

If I have such an experience, I'm sure I would lose faith in people.

"And the second reason. This was due to my natural personality........ I had a tendency to nitpick and tried to look after others. I also had too much imagination and make strange misunderstandings....... That was why the people around me had started to distance themselves from me." (Ayane)

"I know what you mean. I know. I've experienced it firsthand." (Kazuto)

I was treated like a womanizer and a lolicon........

I was annoyed and retorted it, but some people might not like it wholeheartedly.

And by the way, Kiyokawa had a hard time with Nonoa-chan.

Well, let's not mention this.

"In the end, everyone told me that the world of a neat and tidy young lady and themselves were different." (Ayane)

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

"In other words, it was my character that was all the reason why I became a loner." (Ayane)

"Are you not going to improve yourself?" (Kazuto)

"No. In fact, the way I live now was more in line with the image of Kiyokawa Ayane. She behaved neatly, elegantly, and gracefully without being crowded with her surroundings...... What did you think? It was very young lady-like, wasn't it." (Ayane)

"Except for the lavatory meal." (Kazuto)

"Well, I couldn't help it! I didn't have any other friends I could spend time with, and if they found out that I was a loner, it would ruin my image....... So, I had no choice but to have a meal in the lavatory." (Ayane)

~"(This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~)"~

Kiyokawa looks somewhat forlorn. Ahaha, she lets out a dry laugh.

......I wonder what it is, but what Kiyokawa has saying bothers me.

I'm not sure how to put it, but isn't it as if she was protecting the image of Kiyokawa Ayane as "a neat and tidy idol" as hard as she can?

Of course, idols are supposed to create their own characters. It's a way to gain popularity.

But in Kiyokawa's case, she's indeed a young lady, right?

If so, I think we should just be normal.

"By the way, do Rinka and the others know? Do they know that Kiyokawa has become a loner?" (Kazuto)

"I didn't think they knew. I hadn't told them. If they knew that I was a loner, I was sure they would come to visit me during lunch break." (Ayane)

She's right. If I think again about the nature of Kurumizaka-san, she will definitely go to see Kiyokawa.

Rinka is also going to see her regularly with good reason.

'Well, umm..., do the members of Star☆Mines hate you?" (Kazuto)

"No, they didn't hate me. The five of us were good friends. There was a time when we didn't get along, but now everyone respected everyone's individuality and abilities." (Ayane)

"I see. It's a really good group." (Kazuto)

"Of course it is. Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today......." (Ayane)

Perhaps having pictured the members in her mind, Kiyokawa smiles softly.

That smile is so innocent that makes me forget that Kiyokawa is a neat and tidy young lady, it reminds me of an innocent girl.

......I wonder if it's because I saw such a Kiyokawa.

I can't help but say to myself.

"Then, will you be my friend? I already know everything about you after all." (Kazuto)

"......Eh?" (Ayane)

Kiyokawa blinks, seemingly unable to understand.

"Would you like to...... be friends with me?" (Kazuto)

I feel embarrassed and hesitate to say again in a conscious way.

"...... Is it because I'm a loner? If you're feeling sorry for me, please don't." (Ayane)

"You're wrong. I was genuinely interested in becoming friends with Kiyokawa. The reason I was observing Kiyokawa in the first place was to gather information so that I could become friends with her." (Kazuto)

"You were kidding, weren't you? I'd said rude things to Senior Ayanokouji many times. I'd even been monitoring you......." (Ayane)

"I know that act is to protect Star☆Mines and us......, though I'd like you to take it a little easy on me. Also, about you've been rude to me....... Well, we can just leave it, right?" (Kazuto)

"W-were you okay just with that?" (Ayane)

"It's okay. I've been retorting back for some reason." (Kazuto)

"W-was that so......" (Ayane)

~"(This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~)"~

Kiyokawa turns her head down again.

I can't see the expression on her face, so I can't guess what she's thinking.

But, she's cowering a bit and shrinking.

"I was surprised. There was someone other than Star☆Mines who would still want to be my friend after learning about my personality......." (Ayane)

"I don't think you have to be that surprised." (Kazuto)

"......This is the gentleman that Senior Rinka has chosen, he does have a broad-minded." (Ayane)

"No idea. but it'd be nice if you don't overestimate me." (Kazuto)

Speaking of myself, I don't think I have such broad-minded.

I just think it's a normal thing.

"...... I understood. Then I'd tell Senior Ayanokouji my secret." (Ayane)

"Secret?" (Kazuto)

"Yes. This was a fact that only Star☆Mines' members and related people knew....... This was my, Kiyokawa Ayane's true identity." (Ayane)

As she says that, Kiyokawa grabs a handful of her own hair.

And then, spontaneously, she removed her half-up hairstyle――――.

"What......." (Kazuto)

Kiyokawa's head is covered with a hairnet that keeps her natural hair together.

It can't be......

"Yes, my half-up hair is――――a wig." (Ayane)