22 Chapter 22: Solstice

We only have a little over a month before the cultural festival. Things may become more hectic because of what Koujou just said.

"I guess she really doesn't want to give up." Hiroisora commented while looking at the script she was holding. I was beside her the moment Koujou went inside the clubroom. I glanced at Hiroisora's reaction, but she seemed to not mind that much.

"As I said before, if I can do anything to help you to be able to talk to her, then I'll do it."

"I know. Thank you. I guess I just don't know what to say to her even if I get the chance." Her expression turns a little bit sadder. To lighten the mood, I decided to make a joke.

"My only concern now is she'll be able to be with me much more than before. We never know what might happen." It was a decision I regretted immediately.

"See if I care." She glared at me and nonchalantly stepped on my foot, then walked away.

---

That afternoon went on without much interruption. Almost everyone was focused on continuing their tasks. The only commotion Koujou caused was about what she will be doing in the theatre club. She said that anything will do, whether a role in the play or behind the scenes. Nariyuki wasn't able to give her an answer and said that maybe it would take time to think about it. Koujou said that she just wanted to say she will join the club, and she still has prior commitments to do before she retires. She left after shaking Nariyuki's hand and then waving goodbye at me. After club hours, I was walking with Nariyuki and Hiroisora on our way home.

"What do you plan on doing with Koujou?" I asked Nariyuki, who seemed to ponder the same thing as well.

"I haven't thought about it. But it would be a waste if she wasn't in the play. I mean, not using her popularity to our benefit will be a missed opportunity."

"It's all about using people with you, isn't it?"

"The only thing the used can do is complain. I'm just glad I'm the user." Nariyuki really has no shame. "What's your opinion on what is happening, Kari-chan?" Her expression quickly showed she wanted a specific reaction from Hiroisora.

"I think it's a waste she is retiring from being an idol… It seemed that she enjoys it." Nariyuki didn't get the reaction she wanted and was visibly disappointed.

"Yeah, I wonder whose fault is it anyway." Nariyuki's gaze then turned towards me.

"I do feel guilty about it. Maybe I'll talk to her and persuade her to change her mind."

"Is it really because of guilt? Or because she'll be a nuisance between you two?" Both Hiroisora and I felt embarrassed. Our faces turned red. "Speaking of which, why am I walking in between you two." Nariyuki stopped walking and was left behind. We were at an intersection. "I'll be going this way now. Take care, you two. Remember, if you wear your uniforms in a love hotel, they'll turn you away."

"We won't be going there!" Hiroisora and I shouted in unison.

"Sure you won't." Nariyuki has her usual smirk in her face. "Bye, then." She was out of our sight after a while.

"She just says anything she wants." I was still embarrassed by that love hotel thing that I couldn't look at Hiroisora.

"Yeah, she shouldn't say those things out loud." Hiroisora was the same.

"Well, then. I'll walk you home."

"Ok." I honestly thought she would decline my offer. I guess I'm lucky today.

On the way to her house, we just talked about silly things. We've started to be really comfortable with each other. When we passed by a shopping district, I offered to buy her crepe. She obliged. When I was paying for the crepe I bought for each of us, someone bumped into me. The person fell to the ground.

"Hey, watch out where you're going!" The person, who I think is a guy, shouted at me. He was wearing a cap, sunglasses and a face mask.

"I was just standing here."

"Oh, I'm sorry then." That was unexpected and also kind of familiar. "Wait, are you on date?"

"Why?" I think I know this guy.

"Even though you have my permission, you should at least inform me! I need to prepare myself emotionally." This feeling really is familiar.

"What are you doing, Jirai?"

"Jirai-kun?" Hiroisora was surprised. "Why are you dressed like that?" Her confusion was obvious in her voice.

"Hey! Quiet down, will you?" Jirai was whispering while signaling us to keep silent. He was still sitting on the ground while looking at his surroundings, as if to verify if he was seen. "I'm on a secret mission." He sounded serious. But knowing him, it must be the opposite of serious. "I'm stalking Tsunagi." I knew it.

"Tsunagi?" Hiroisora was even more confused.

"His little sister." I answered for him. "You'll be arrested by the cops when they see you following a young girl while dressed like that. Not that it matters to me."

"Oh, my dear friend. It should matter to you."

"You have a little sister? How old is she?" Hiroisora became very excited about Jirai's sister. She also completely ignored the fact that he was stalking his little sister.

"She's 15." Jirai stood up and hid behind the crepe stall. We followed him there. "She is in the stage in her life where she's vulnerable to guys' deceptive ways. I must protect her purity from the vile clutches of this so called male population."

"I've always wanted a baby sister. I envy you, Jirai-kun." She still completely ignored his stupid statements. I'm amazed and scared at the same time, for some reason.

"Well, it's hard. But as long as I can keep her safe, I don't mind. Heck, I even saved her from Takaiyama." A chill went down my spine.

"Why did you have to save Tsunagi-chan from Takaiyama-kun?" Her tone turned very serious, threatening even. Her smile was being betrayed by her aura of killing intent. You can definitely tell she wasn't happy.

"Oh, that was when Tsunagi came to his house to confe—" I covered his mouth with the crepe I was holding.

"Shut up already. We need to be quiet, remember?" Jirai still tried to finish what he was saying, though only a muffled and incomprehensible voice was heard.

"Don't interrupt him, Takaiyama-kun. I want to hear all of it, in great detail. How he saved Tsunagi-chan from you." Why couldn't she ignore that? And she's still smiling at me like a madman. But by some opportunistic luck, I was saved.

"Hey, isn't that Tsunagi?" I pointed towards the clothing store across us. She was coming from inside the store, together with some guy.

"You aren't getting out of this, Takaiyama-kun." She's not going to drop this, is she?

"I'm telling the truth!" Jirai then ate the crepe I shoved in his mouth and shouted after that.

"Where?!"

"Hey, I can't see them anymore." I was telling the truth again. Tsunagi and that guy were far from us to begin with. I couldn't see who the guy was, since he was wearing a cap. "Let's follow them."

"Ok." Jirai agreed in a heartbeat. When I was about to run, Hiroisora grabbed my ear.

"Where do you think you're going? Huh?" I stopped dead in my tracks. Luckily, I was able to grab Jirai's sleeve and stopped him from running, too. I am not going down alone.

"We're going to protect Tsunagi!" I desperately answered.

"And why do you care so much about her?" Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in her voice?

"It's not her that I'm concerned about. It's my younger brother."

"Y-your younger brother?" She seemed confused again.

"He might've been the one with Tsunagi. We can't trust him. Who knows what he might do to her." Just the thought of Uryou being in a date with Tsunagi really pisses me off. That lucky bastard. I must make sure it's not him.

"You didn't tell me you had a younger brother." That's what Hiroisora got after all the things I said? "I've always wanted a younger brother."

"Let's save this chit chat for later. The life of my precious little sister is on the line here." Jirai grew impatient. He decided to run off after Tsunagi. Hiroisora and I looked at each other then decided to run after Jirai.

When we caught up with Jirai, he was standing and looking around.

"Where are they?" I asked him while I was mildly catching my breath.

"No good. I can't see her. Dang it!" Jirai was pissed.

"You know, I think we shouldn't bother them on their date." Hiroisora was concerned about us.

"They weren't on a date!" Both Jirai and I refuse to accept that possibility. For different reasons, obviously.

Suddenly, Jirai's phone sounded off a notification.

"I wonder who this is. This better be important." Jirai read the message, and then suddenly shouted. "What the heck is this! No!" He then fell to his knees as if all strength was drained from him.

"What is it?" I grabbed his phone. I read aloud the message that said, "Hi Onii-chan! Just wanted to tell you that I'll be on a date this Saturday. I won't be able to make breakfast for you, so just buy something you can reheat in the microwave. Also, stop following me." Jirai was that obvious, huh. "Tsunagi is such a good sister, thinking about his brother even after her privacy was trampled on by that same brother."

"I was trying to avoid the topic of you being a stalker, Jirai-kun. But since your sister clearly said for you to stop, I guess we should stop." Hiroisora, the voice of reason, has spoken.

"No, we will not stop." I think Jirai has completely snapped from the shock. "Don't you see this is, without a doubt, a cry for help?" What?

"There wasn't anything written—" Hiroisora was interrupted by Jirai.

"It's okay. Only I understand my poor little sister." I felt sorry for Hiroisora. I guess this was the first time she experienced Jirai's craziness. "We will save my sister." I wouldn't be surprised if Hiroisora never talks to Jirai again.

---

Saturday came. The three of us are in front of the train station in the morning. We were all disguised in caps, sunglasses and face masks.

"I know I'm here because Uryou wasn't in our house when I left. The possibility of him being on a date with Tsunagi today is very likely. What I don't understand is… Why are you here Hiroisora?"

"I wanted to meet Tsunagi-chan and Uryou-kun." She smiled at me.

"They are not together!" Jirai and I were both still in denial.

"I thought you were against this?" I asked her for good measure.

"I was. But this seems like fun." She can really be carefree sometimes.

"Hey, you two. Keep an eye out for Tsunagi. Remember our mission." Jirai was really concentrating on the lookout for his sister.

"How sure are you they will be here?" I asked Jirai.

"I asked her last night."

"And how sure are you she didn't tell you a different place so you can't follow her around?"

"Call it faith." I can't believe this.

When all my hope was disappearing, Hiroisora alerted us with that would turn into good news.

"Hey, that girl is really cute. Is she a celebrity?" She pointed at someone near the shopping mall.

"That's Tsunagi..." Jirai couldn't believe what he was seeing. "…With a guy. I'll kill him."

"Wait." I grabbed Jirai's shoulder before he can charge toward Tsunagi and that guy. "We should verify first if it's Uryou. If it is, then… you have my blessing."

"Ok then. Let's go." Jirai briskly walked towards inside the mall. Hiroisora and I followed him closely.

While we were pursuing Tsunagi and that mysterious guy, we were met with suspicious looks. Not surprising, with our getup and all. Tsunagi and her acquaintance stopped at a café. We stood outside and observed them through the glass window. While we were sternly looking at the two eating and talking, someone approached us from behind.

"Excuse me, you suspicious looking lot." We turned around in surprise to see a security guard.

"What can we do for you, sir?" I asked out of courtesy, since I already know why he approached us.

"Why are you dressed like that?" His voice grew more suspicious.

"We are actually doing cosplay of a group of stalkers. We were just getting into character." Hiroisora answered him playfully but with conviction in her voice. That's an actress for you.

"Oh, I see then. Just try not to bother other people then."

"Will do, sir." I answered in relief.

"I don't want to hear any reports about you four, okay." He then walked away from us. Now we can go back to watching Tsunagi. Wait. Did he say 'four'?

"Damn it! Who is that guy?" A familiar voice complained in irritation.

"Uryou?! What are you doing here?" I couldn't believe my eyes. "Then, who is that guy with Tsunagi?"