"It's astonishing how many more people are here today than yesterday," commented Mika as she held up her camera to take test shots. "I thought the audience was big yesterday but it's really nothing compared to the number of people that are here today. When I look into the viewfinder, all I can see are the backs of peoples' heads."
Mika sighed. Although, she had specifically brought her favourite DSLR camera today to take better quality photos of her friends on stage, she knew that the seat that she was in made would it difficult for her to capture the actors' full figures.
"Since that's the case, you should just a break from taking pictures altogether, Mii-chan. Make today the day where you just sit back, relax, and watch the show," advised Fuyuki. "In the mean time, you want to hear some hot gossip I just heard?"
"Hot gossip? What is it?"
"Apparently, there's a rumour going around that the superintendent is here at our culture festival right now in a disguise!"
"Such an uninteresting piece of news is considered hot gossip at this school?" Yoru shook his head. "The students here really are something else."
"Oh how you disappoint me with those comments, Aki-tan. It's obvious that you're not thinking of the implications." A Cheshire-like grin spread across Araki's face. "If what Fuyuyu says is true then isn't it possible that the superintendent is here to investigate some scandalous claim made against the staff at Kigaku? It would explain the need for a disguise, wouldn't it?"
Araki drummed his fingers on leg. "Who knows? Maybe the principal is embezzling school funds. Maybe the vice-principal is leaking exam questions to the students from rich families. Maybe the science teacher produces and sells his own drugs. Don't limit your imaginations, children. Haven't you ever heard the saying, "Nothing is impossible unless you think it is?"
Satoru's mouth was set into a line. By chance he had heard of that saying and in fact, he even knew that it was Paramahansa Yogananda that had said it. As a result, he was almost certain that Araki was misappropriating the preeminent spiritual figure's words.
"If he's really here and in disguise, then isn't it more likely that he received a guest ticket from a grandson or granddaughter who goes to our school? He is about the right age." The group of four collectively fixed their eyes on Mika who was polishing her camera's lens. "Maybe they wanted to hide their relationship since it might be burdensome for a student to have everyone know that their grandfather is the superintendent."
"Bleh. That explanation sucks, Mikkan. It's too cut and dry. I refuse to accept it."
Mika smiled, then waited a moment before changing the subject. "Should we take a group photo before the show starts?"
Her proposal was met with positivity from Fuyuki, Yoru, and Satoru.
Only Araki rested his chin on his palm in contemplation. "Hm, normally, I'd charge people for photos, but I suppose I could make an exception if it's for you, Mikkan."
Mika giggled. "I appreciate it, senpai."
Araki shot her a wink. "Just try not to fall for me after this, babe. A sweet girl like you couldn't handle a bad guy like me."
Fuyuki cringed as she covered her eyes. She reckoned that if being shameless was a crime, her brother would immediately be sentenced for life.
Of course, had Shizuka been present she would've stated that Fuyuki wouldn't be allowed to roam in free in such circumstances either since she was only a tiny fraction less shameless than her brother.
When everyone had scooted closer, Mika took two photos in rapid succession.
After examining the saved images, Satoru flashed Mika a thumbs up. "These turned out great!"
"Wow, if you zoom in you can actually make out the writing on all those signs people are carrying behind us even though they're not that close. Fancy cameras sure live up to their name," mused Fuyuki. "Huh, all nine signs say, "I love 73!" I wonder why."
"I love 73?...Seventy-three...Seven three....Nana-Mi. Oh. It's a pun." As someone who had an unexpected knack for solving puzzles, it didn't take Araki long to figure it out. "There's a Nanami in Shizu-rin's class, am I right?"
"Oh, maybe they're Sakaki-kun's relatives then," replied Satoru after a beat. "His first name is Nanami. I remember him once sharing that he came from a large family as well."
"Heh, as expected." Araki frivolously swung his arm over Yoru's shoulders and pulled him close. "What do you think, Aki-tan? Am I not the greatest? The answer's obvious as day but I want to hear you say it anyways."
"Yes, senpai. Absolutely. I have yet to meet a man more perfect than you," answered Yoru automatically.
Araki chuckled. "Very good, Aki-tan. Your thinking may still be a little dull at times but it seems reaction times have improved. Your surging popularity seems justified to me now. On this topic, what ended up happening after you were dragged away by that one fan girl of yours? Did she show you her face underneath the mask? Was she cute?"
When he recalled the unusual exchange he had with the fox mask wearing girl who claimed to be his fan, Yoru frowned. "I didn't see her remove her mask. All she did was ask me a few questions but she gave me really weird vibes."
"Really? How so?" asked Fuyuki.
"I can't exactly tell you but something was definitely off about her."
Meanwhile, separated from the audience by a set of curtains, the atmosphere between Madoka and Shizuka could also be described as off as they were standing face to face but not speaking.
An eternity seemed to pass before Shizuka finally whispered, "You're not mad at me are you, Madoka?"
Shizuka never thought that there would be a day where she would have to feel guilty about her physical contact with a boy and yet there she was. While she had no qualms about regularly teasing Madoka and seeing his flustered reactions, mentally she did not think that she was prepared for anything beyond that. After all, in regards to male-female relationships she was fairly conservative.
Madoka was astonished by her words. Slowly shaking his head, he answered, "I'm not mad. Are you?"
"No. Not anymore. I guess we can call it even now?" I made you jealous. You stole my first kiss. I found out you were training by yourself and jumped you....
Madoka tilted his head. "I guess so...But Shizuka, can I say one more thing?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm fine with you being rough but I definitely won't allow you to run off after the deed has been done."
What nonsense is this kid saying?!
Shizuka swiftly punched Madoka in the arm, then furiously whispered, "What deed! You should be more clear than anyone that absolutely nothing happened!"
"Except for you forcibly removing my clothes and groping me all overahhh-"
Shizuka pinched his lips shut with her thumb and index finger. With a dark face she threatened, "If you say one more word, don't think that I'll be afraid to squeeze your lips out of shape! I'd like to see you be this cheeky with puffy duck lips!"
After a beat of stunned silence, Madoka wriggled around and tried to protest through closed lips. "Mmmrhnnh. Mnrnhmnrh!"
Shizuka snorted but just as she was about to make another comment, a passing classmate who had been carrying some props stopped and gave her a funny look. "Oi, Shizuka-chan, it's one thing for you to show up late but now you're bullying our female lead too?"
Because the classmate had purposely used a loud voice, everyone suddenly focused their attention on Shizuka and Madoka.
"Whoa, is this how the couple plays? How unexpected."
"Shizuka-chan really is the dominant one between the two of them!"
"Damnit that means I lost five dollars!"
"And that means I've won five dollars! Sweet!"
"So that's ten dollars for me. Ah, I should take a photo to upload it to the forum as proof." Kiri pulled her phone out from a hidden pocket in her dress and began fiddling with it.
....Forum?....Bet?....Proof?
When Shizuka finally got over her initial shock, she darted over to Kiri and snatched the phone from her hands. "Are you guys making bets on our relationship?!"
Her classmates didn't need to reply as the answer was clear when Shizuka saw the various threads on the site Kiri had been browsing.
[Poll/The Battle of the Gods and Goddesses: Who Will be Crowned the Most Beautiful/Handsome/Sexiest/Cutest at Kigaku?]
[Poll/Kiss Kiss Fall in Love: The Best Ships at Kigaku]
[Open/Hottest Gossip: Sightings, Revelations, and Predictions]
[Open/The Meeting of Seigaku's Two Beauties, Yoshino Shizuka x Semi Madoka!]
Shizuka's eye twitched when she reached this last post.
Clicking on the post, she soon realized that the content was even more deplorable than she had imagined.
How are there more than 2000 replies to this post???!!! There are anecdotes from people who've seen us together, fanfics, fanart, photos, stupidly detailed analyses of how people think our relationship is going, and even bets regarding our relationship milestones! People are trying to capitalize on our relationship!!!
It took every ounce of Shizuka's mental strength to resist the urge to hurl Kiri's phone across the room. "Aren't we students of an elite school? How do you all have time to engage with such an unscrupulous website!"
"Relax, Yoshino. Nothing explicit gets posted to the forums," said Hayato.
"Yeah, there are links to some really surprisingly well-written fanfics on there too. Someone wrote this super cute fanfic where Madoka is an alien werewolf king and you're a ice sculpture whom he accidentally brings to life. You should read it, Shizuka-chan. It'll be a good way to unwind. You seemed to get stressed quite easily."
"You people and your unprincipled forum posts are the reason why I'm stressed!" retorted Shizuka. "Besides, why would I want to read a fanfic with myself as a character!"
"Cause it's entertaining?"
"Cause you got nothing else to do?"
"Cause you're egotistical?"
Shizuka's countenance became even more twisted.
Sensing that Shizuka was extremely close to exploding, her classmates' self-preservation instincts finally kicked in and soon after one after the other they all began making excuses to flee.
In the wake of their cowardly retreat, Shizuka trembled in fury. "You can escape for now but you won't be able to escape forever! Just you wait! I'll get my revenge eventually!"
When she finished making this declaration, Shizuka madly shook her fist in the air.
Madoka waited for her to calm down for a moment before he reached for her hand and held gently onto it. "It really isn't a bad fanfic, you know, the alien werewolf king and the ice sculpture one."
Shizuka stared at him incredulously. "You've read it?—Wait a minute, you knew? You knew this forum existed and you never told me?!"
"I thought you already knew about it." Madoka kneaded her palm with an innocent expression. "Does it really bother you that much?"
"Yes!"
"I'm sorry." Madoka naturally brought Shizuka into his embrace and softly rubbed her back to coax her. "I would've tried to put a stop to it if I knew you'd react like this. I just didn't think you'd mind since it's not that much different to the website your fan club runs."
"That's—That's different." Shizuka took a moment to reorganize her thoughts then she hesitantly circled her arms around Madoka but instead of placing her hands on his back directly, she awkwardly clutched the back of his shirt with her fingertips. "Don't you think it's weird that people are so concerned with our relationship?"
"Sometimes but ultimately, what they think and feel about our relationship has and always will be their problem, not ours. They can say whatever they want. It won't change anything. My feelings are my own. What about you, Shizuka? Your feelings. Are they your own?"
Shizuka's heart lurched violently and she was sure Madoka had felt it but she had no words to say.
Her feelings, he asked? Well, they were likely her own but not even she knew what kind of feelings they were, for as easily as everything else came to her, she struggled with emotional matters that much more.
She used to say that she despised Madoka and was only dating him to find an opportunity to confuse him and throw him off his high horse but was that still true? Moreover, what did Madoka feel about her? Prior to her confession he had always given off the vibe of an ascetic immortal but afterwards, wasn't his change in behaviour too great? She hadn't consumed enough shoujo manga and otome games to know what it all meant. However, if she were to use an otome game analogy then she was a rookie in romance playing a game rated SSS for difficulty with no cheat codes or walkthroughs.
Shizuka protracted silence spoke volumes about her inner turmoil and so after a while Madoka eventually relented and pulled back. Poking her cheek he teased, "Look at you. You look as if I asked you to explain a complex astrophysical theory. Where's your princely demeanor?"
Shizuka took a deep breath, then gently pushed his hand away. "Stop poking. You'll smudge my makeup. Megu-chan spent a long time applying it."
Madoka placed a hand over his heart and lowered his head. "I give you my sincerest apologies, your highness. It will not happen again."
His performance succeeded at making Shizuka smile. "Was that how they talked to you in that fanfic where you're an alien werewolf king?"
Madoka was slightly surprised that she'd ask about this given her earlier rejection but soon he mirrored her in smiling. "No. I was only a king on my home planet. When I crash landed on earth I lost my status."
"So how did you bring me to life?"
"Some of the radioactive fuel from my spaceship accidentally drizzled onto you who was being displayed in the park as the winning exhibit in an ice sculpture contest. I end up becoming your caretaker after some stuff happens and later we find out that that was a good decision because you're the only one who can stop me from going berserk when there's a full moon."
Shizuka was gradually becoming more intrigued by the fanfic. "Eh? How do I do that?"
"By feeding me some of your magic snow cones." Madoka chuckled. "It's kind of funny because we later profit from this talent by opening up a frozen dessert shop together. I'm in charge of the advertising and selling while you're in charge of making the desserts."
"That's so silly." Shizuka scrunched up her face. "We'd make so much more money the other way around. I'd be much better at promotions and sales than you. I've seen your business smile; it's soulless."
Madoka could only laugh in response. Of all of the elements in the story that deserved criticism, of course that would be the bit that bothered her the most.
"Did people leave reviews for this story?"
"They did but I didn't read them." While it was true that Madoka didn't read the reviews, he omitted the fact that he had actually written a review for the story himself and even left a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. What had spurred this deduction of two stars? Well, it was no other than the late addition of a love rival for his character!
What had the author been thinking? What had been the point of making the sculptor who had chiseled Shizuka from ice return from Greenland and fall in love with the creation he had made? He and Shizuka had already been living together as an established couple by that point! The end of the story had been in sight! There had been absolutely no need for an interloper! More importantly, why did the author have to clarify that even though Shizuka didn't love the sculptor, she had always considered him to be a rare handsome man?!
"On second thought, now that I'm recalling the plot in more details, I don't think that fanfic was that well-written after all."
Just as Shizuka was going to question him regarding this, Sakaki charged into the backstage area. "I've got bad news, guys! Mana-sensei says that we're going to have to push our start time back indefinitely!"