I Really Don't Notice

‘Phew. Looks like we’re finally done cleaning up after that serious of events, Monyumi.’

‘Yeah. Now that we’ve finished hunting down the buggle stragglers, we can finally catch our breath.’

‘But we really were in danger back there. Falling smack dab into an enemy trap, you know. When you think of where we’d be if the kid didn’t call—sends a shiver down yer spine.’

‘… Back then, I thought, “Don’t call me in a pinch!” but if it hadn’t been for Kagoshima’s call, it wouldn’t be strange if we would up dead. I’d never be able to avoid that attack…’

‘I really don’t get what the brat’s up to, sometimes.’

‘My thoughts exactly… by the way, Gakuta. It’s been bothering me for a while now, but isn’t your voice higher than usual?’

‘Say what? … Yeah, now that you mention it, that might be right… ‘n wait, something’s been bothering me too, but my field of vision’s kinda higher than usual.’

‘Hmm. How strange. I was just thinking I was shorter than I remembered.’

‘……’

‘……’

‘O-oy, wait a second… why can I see my marvellous pretty body on the table?’

‘W-why am I looking down over myself from above the table…?’

‘’Don’t tell me!’’

*BREAK*

“”We switched!?””

Just as I slid the clubroom door open, Kagurai-senpai and Gakuta-kun cried out—meaning, Kagurai-senpai was lonesomely practising ventriloquism on her own.

“W-what’s happened here!?”

“Oy, oy, oy, this is real f-king sudden. That body switch thing that gained a dubious level of popularity in Heisei Literature…”

With faces of shock, a cold sweat flowing like a waterfall, Kagurai-senpai and Gakuta-kun conversed. She’s as high strung alone as always, this senpai of mine.

“… Come to think of it, I’ve heard of it before. As I recall, around the time the B3 World was first opened, there was a bug that made human personalities swap upon simultaneously returning from their avatars to their real bodies, it occurred at around once in a million, or something…”

“When the B3 World first opened… just how many hundreds of years ago are you talking about? Why would that happen with our level of technology?”

“You say that, but right now, we’re just making use of the B3 World Reloader forcefully opened up with this era’s internet as the groundwork. It ain’t strange if these malfunctions occur.”

“I guess you have a point… ah come to think of it… this stuffed animal you use as your container is considerably old. Barely anyone uses ‘Personality Transfer Type Self Propulsion Model Automata’ in this day and age.”

“Doesn’t matter, I like it quite a bit, this cute plushie body.”

“H-hey! Don’t use my hand to hit this head! Forget that, for now, we have to do something about this situation… wait, Kagoshima!?”

There, the two of them finally noticed me.

I had already entered the room, used the teapot I brought in from home to brew the tea leaves Kikyouin-san’s family sent her, and was drinking it from the tea set Kurisu-chan brought in, “Yeah. Good leaves really make the difference,” I let out a breath of hot air.

A tremendous skill to live and let live, if I do say so myself. Paying mind to each and every one of Kagurai-senpai’s eccentricities was a waste of time.

“Pleasure. Sorry to intrude.”

“Y-yo, kid. Well, just take it easy.”

“Eh?”

I tilted my head. Huh? Was that how Kagurai-senpai talked?

“H-hey Gakuta! You’ve got to properly act like me!”

“Ah, right. My bad, my bad, completely slipped my mind.”

Kagurai-senpai and Gakuta exchanged some words before they looked at me once more.

“Oh me, oh my, I seriously want to kill some normies.”

“That’s how I am in your head!?”

“Ahaha. Classic Kagurai-senpai.”

“And he accepted it!?”

“What am I, what am I…” Gakuta-kun on the table sorrowfully muttered.

I get the feeling Gakuta-kun was supposed to be more overflowing with self-confidence, but come to think of it, Gakuta-kun’s just a doll, and a fictitious character acted out by Kagurai-senpai. I wonder if she’s at the stage where she’s begun exploring new characters? As always, this person was never negligent in polishing her own ventriloquism craft.

So there, I asked what had been bothering me a bit.’

“So both you and Gakuta-kun are using the same voice today.”

“Eh?” the two of them exchanged a look.

When Kagurai-senpai would usually sound like a completely different person, today’s Gakuta-kun was just using Kagurai-senpai’s normal voice. Maybe her throat was out of it.

“Come to think of it, you’re right. When I’m supposed to be in Gakuta’s body, I’m still using my own voice.”

“Right you are… that there‘s probably my ‘natural voice reconstruction program’ producing a timbre that matches Monyumi’s character.”

“I see, so that’s how it—wait, Gakuta!”

Gakuta-kun wrung out his voice. When I chased the stuffed animal’s light of sight, I found Kagurai-senpai lifting up her own bust.

… Just what is she doing, this senpai of mine.

“S-sorry there. No, the bra’d up part was reeeally botherin’ me, see. Are you always wearing these bunching, raising things? It feels like I’m being strangled; weird.”

“Shut it, shut it! O-oy, don’t touch the skirt!”

“But these skirts you know, when you actually wear one, they’re ridiculously low security. Too breezy for me to calm down. ‘n wait, Monyumi, why are you wearing such frisky panties?”

“Stop! Don’t play with my body, you pervert!”

“Oh shove off. Don’t know what you’re getting so worked up over, but I ain’t gonna lust after my own little sister’s body.”

“Hey hey! You’re not even trying to hide that fact anymore!? Weren’t you taking on the, keep it ambiguous for the time being sort of stance!? At least put in the effort to hide it!”

“Weeell, it’s kinda a pain in the ass, so does it really matter anymore?”

“G-g-give me back those feelings! The sorrow when you died, and that misery when you told me, ‘I ain’t your brother anymore. I’m just your AI pet Gakuta…’ with that hardboiled air, give it back!”

Kagurai-senpai and Gakuta-kun’s fun and loud exchange went on. I really couldn’t understand what was so interesting about today’s ventriloquism act, so I silently sipped my tea. Yep. Delicious.

Even so.

Today’s Kagurai-senpai is a little different than usual.

She calmly corrects the position of her bra and panties right in front of me, she scratched her head painstakingly, and she’s a little bowlegged.

In other words, her girly components had suddenly decreased.

Normally, no matter what crazy things she said, not losing her refined disposition was Kagurai-senpai’s charm… ah, could it be this is her real face? Did the makeup finally come off?

…… ‘Tis a pity.

“H-hey, Gakutaa… I’m begging you act right. Kagoshima’s looking over here with exceptionally cold eyes… as it is, my dignity as a senpai had been lost as of late, but I just heard it disappear entirely…”

Gakuta clung to Kagurai-senpai’s hand—or so Kagurai-senpai made it look. Even if she had lost her girliness, her puppeteering was in good health.

“But look here, Monyumi. When you boil it down, do you really have to push them up like this? No matter how stacked that Orino girl is, this ain’t a competition.”

*BREAK*

[IMAGE]

*BREAK*

“Wha!”

“Yes, that lass’s chest is certainly splendid. But that’s nothing to be jealous about, eh? Don’t worry about it, I think you’ve got a nice thing going for yourself.”

“Wha, wha, what!?”

“Come to think of it, ever since you met her, you suddenly started adjusting your avatar’s chest to a larger size.”

“Say one more word and!”

I pulled back a bit as Gakuta-kun exclaimed in Kagurai-senpai’s voice. So she held that much envy towards Orino-san, this person. No, I don’t really mind if a girl is mindful of her chest size, but… why is she using ventriloquism to reveal that to me? Knowing that just makes it awkward.

Is it that? Is this that reverse sexual harassment thing?

… Yeah. I see. I’m sure Kagurai-senpai’s tired.

“Gakutaaa… now he’s sending really warm eyes. He’s giving the smile of the Buddhaa. He’s definitely thinking, ‘I should treat her with a heart of compassion’…”

Gakuta-kun sounded like he’d burst into tears at any moment, but, “Gyahaha,” Kagurai-senpai laughed for joy.

“A-anyways, there’s not a minute to lose, let’s get back to our original bodies as soon as possible, Gakuta. I’m already sick of this erratic situation. Let’s think up a serious solution strategy.”

“Yes ‘m. But there’s no real need to panic. I already know how to solve it.”

“Say what?”

“Despite the damages, I heard these ‘personality swapping’ type bugs are actually quite simple after all. In essence, they never became too big of a problem. Like rebooting a system, just dive into the B3 world again, and once we return, we should be back to normal.”

“Oh… so it’s that easy… then we’re getting right to it, Gakuta. I’ve had enough of this stuffed animal body.”

“That’s what I’ve got to live with, kid. But hey, I’ll have to pass on your body too. You’re too tall, your legs are too long, and you’re trained, so it’s easy to move around. Been a while since I’ve had a human body, so I was just a bit moved. Since I’m usually stuck in that restrictive stuffed animal body, it’s like a dream…”

Kagurai-senpai suddenly quieted down and gazed over her own body. She started to quiver.

*BREAK*

“Huh? Wait a tick, right now, aren’t I free? Isn’t this the best?”

*BREAK*

In that instant.

Kagurai-senpai’s eyes filled with hopes and dreams, while Gakuta-kun’s fell into despair.

“That’s right, that’s right… I can go wherever I want like this. I usually can’t even take a stroll if I don’t have Monyumi carry me…”

Kukekeke, an extremely malicious smile floated over her face.

“O-oy, Gakuta. Calm down. Let’s take a deep breath and calm down. Okay?” Gakuta-kun desperately tried calling her to a stop, but—

“Gyahahahahahahaha! I’m freeeeeee~!”

Raising a high low-brow laugh, Kagurai-senpai left the clubroom at a maddened pace.

“O-oh crap!”

Gakuta loudly exclaimed and held her head.

“Dammit! To think it would come to this. Just what does that Gakuta take his sister’s body for!?”

“……” I kept silent.

“The fact he took off with my wallet is the real kicker! This is bad… that guy’s definitely going to waste a pretty penny. It’s always been like that, if you give him any money, he’s the sort that uses it all up come tomorrow…”

“……”

“What are you doing, Kagoshima!? We have to give chase. We’re chasing after Gakuta—no, I mean my body. This body isn’t going anywhere in a hurry, so you have to carry me and give chase!”

“……”

“Ah… umm, uh, e-even if I’m telling you to carry me, don’t touch anywhere strange, please carry me gently… this Personality Transfer Type Self Propulsion Model Automata boast high functionality in the strangest places, and it’s made so I can feel all sensations taken on by the stuffed animal body… a-anyways, hurry up!”

“……”

“You have to hurry, Kagoshima! Gently take me in your arms!”

I got the feeling I just heard an amazing line, but putting that aside, I simply had to exclaim at this mysterious phenomenon that showed no signs of correcting itself.

“… How is Gakuta-kun talking when Kagurai-senpai isn’t here?”

When Gakuta-kun’s a stuffed animal who can only talk through Kagurai-senpai’s ventriloquism?

“……… Ah”

After sounding out as if he attained a sudden grasp of the situation, Gakuta flopped down on the desk. In a truly stuffed animal-ish way.

“What, so I was imagining things.”

That’s right. There’s no way Gakuta-kun could talk or move on his own. The reason he kept talking must be because Kagurai-senpai was still nearby the room using her ventriloquism, and the reason he was still standing was because Kagurai-senpai left him that way, which he remained until he lost balance. It all has a logical explanation.

“Now then.”

Since everyone had left me alone, I stretched out my back.

“The bother’s gone, so I guess I should study.”

“(Who are you calling a bother!?)”

“Mn?”

“……”

For a second, I felt like I was retorted to in an extremely small voice, but Gakuta was silently stretched out.

It seems I was imagining things.

*BREAK*

I thought someone would come if I waited long enough, but even after twenty minutes, I was alone in the room. Light poured through the window into the desolate space. Despite the fact this was surely the optimal environment to study, I found I couldn’t concentrate in the slightest.

The reason being…

For the whole while, I got this slight inkling that Gakuta-kun was moving.

“……” (shuffle shuffle) “……” (staarre) “……” (flop) “……?”

“……” (shuffle shuffle) “……” (staarre) “……” (flop) “……?”

“……” (shuffle shuffle) “……” (staarre) “……” (flop) “……?”

Why do I feel like I’m playing red light green light?

It felt like Gakuta-kun was secretly moving only when I wasn’t paying attention.

“Aah, it’s no good. I can’t concentrate at all.”

Putting down my pen, I leaned my back into the chair and looked at the ceiling.

“Good grief, this is all your fault.”

My inability to study was solely due to my own lack of concentration, so I was well aware I was simply taking out my frustration. But I just kinda got the urge to push against the stomach of Gakuta-kun lying face up on the table.

I was dealing with a stuffed animal, after all.

Not holding back, I gave a slightly strong—push.

“Fgwah!”

Gakuta-kun suddenly let out what sounded like the voice of a girl prodded relentlessly in the abdomen.

“(C-crap!)”

“W-what was that!?”

I was startled into a panic. Flustered into a panic.

It seems that Gakuta-kun was panicking all the same, his body fixated stiff and unmoving. Though I say that, he’s a stuffed animal, so he wouldn’t move anyways, but when there’s no one else in this room, why did such a strange sound come from pushing Gakuta-kun’s—

“D-don’t tell me.”

“…!”

“Gakuta-kun was actually a squeaky toy this whole time!?”

“…”

What a shocking revelation.

I knew he was no ordinary stuffed animal, but to think such a new function had been added on; who would’ve guessed? I got the feeling Gakuta was looking at me in a, “I’m glad he’s an idiot,” sort of way, but that doesn’t matter. Why not play around with this new find.

“As expected of Kagurai-senpai’s partner.”

I mused as I reached out my hand again, and—pushed.

“Fgwah!”

Push, push, push.

“Fgwah! Fgwah! Fgwah!”

Push, push, push, push, push, push, push, puuuuush.

“Gwah, gwah, gwah, gwah, gwah, gwah, gwah, gwaaaaah!”

Now then.

While this is sudden, the time has come for I, Kagoshima Akira, to unveil one of my seven secret techniques, ‘Sixteen Consecutive Strikes’!

Pushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpushpush!

“Agyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyahgyah!”

For some reason, the stuffed animal’s squeaks sounded like its death throes.

After taking on my Sixteen consecutive strikes, twitch! Twitch! His body convulsed as he seemed to show the whites of his eyes.

“Boring.”

Well, I’m not a kid. I’m not going to be entranced in playing with dolls forever. Softly putting the doll I’d finished business with beside me, I restarted my studies.

In the corner of my eye, “(… I won’t forget this grudge… I’ll take it with me to the grave …)” I got the feeling Gakuta breathed out the line of a big bad on the brink of ruin, but, well, that must be my imagination.

*BREAK*

Just when I thought I’d finally be able to concentrate—

Beepbeepbeep, beepbeep, beep, beep, beepbeep, beepbeepbeep.

A tone with a characteristic rhythm resounded through the room. It was most likely a ringtone, and as it wasn’t mine, it was probably Kagurai-senpai’s.

It was easy to forget, but Gakuta-kun was the phone strap. He was stuck to the phone with a fashionable cable run down by countless white fibres. Since he was larger than the cellphone itself, it honestly looked to me like the phone was the part that was strapped on.

The peculiar rhythm wouldn’t stop.

On that tone, I suddenly thought back to a certain episode with Kagurai-senpai.

*BREAK*

‘… Yes, this is Kagoshima. What is it, Kagurai-senpai? At a time like this…’

‘Kagoshima, big trouble. We’re in a race against time. The fate of this era hangs on your shoulders.’

‘Huh!? W-what are you talking about, Kagurai-senpai!?’

‘About that manga you lent me the other day, only volume six was missing!’

‘……’

‘Volume five’s ending was a dreadful cliffhanger. At this rate, the world will be left in limbo, unable to die, unable to live on!’

‘… And you called me at three in the morning for something like that?’

‘What do you mean something like that? This is serious business.’

‘Just give me a second… …… Ah, it was in my room. It looks like I just forgot to put volume six in. I’ll bring it tomorrow. My apologies, Momimomi-senpai.’

‘It all rests in your… wait, what did you just say!?’

‘Ah, I’m sorry. I’m half asleep, so my mental notation slipped…’

‘Mental notation!? That’s what you’ve been calling me in your head!?’

‘It was a joke. That name only comes up when I’m really irritated.’

‘… Eh? Could it be you’re angry, Kagoshima? Not a morning person?’

‘……’

‘D-don’t go silent there! It’s scary. Guys like you are the scariest when angry.’

‘……’

‘I-I’m sorry, Kagoshima. So you don’t have to be so…’

‘… zzz’

‘Wait he just fell asleep!’

*BREAK*

… Wrong. Not that trivial episode. What I really wanted to recall was—

*BREAK*

‘Kagurai-senpai, you customize your ringtones for different callers, don’t you?’

‘Yeah. It’s quite convenient that way.’

‘Then what was that one?’

‘That one was—the melody for when an urgent message comes in.’

*BREAK*

That’s right.

This characteristic rhythm playing right now is from back then. Meaning at this very moment, an urgent mail’s come to Kagurai-senpai’s phone-

Eventually, the tone stopped, the prior stillness returns.

… Well, it’s that person we’re talking about, so even if it is an urgent message, it’s probably just her mom saying, ‘today’s dinner is curry’ or something like that.

While I was a little curious, I couldn’t peek at someone else’s messages, so I left the cellphone on the table be and returned to my studies.

……

How strange.

I got the feeling Gakuta-kun just moved again.

“……” (shuffle shuffle) “……” (staarre) “……” (flop) “……?”

I sent a careful look, but he didn’t even twitch. It really was my imagination. But wasn’t his face even more desperate than before?

“……!”

Gakuta-kun’s body suddenly shook as if he’d been struck with a miraculous idea. Huh? He did move!?

I was surprised, but that surprise was already dampening.

“Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv!”

Gakuta began to lightly vibrate.

“Vvvvvvvvv!”

It was definitely a vibration. The vibration feature you would definitely find furnished in every phone. Ah, I see. So the reason Gakuta-kun began to sway was due to the vibrations transmitting down the phone strap.

“Vvvvvvvvv.”

… No, but his movements kinda seem extremely unnatural. His vibrations aren’t as minute as a normal vibrating phone’s, and the rhythm isn’t uniform. A human-like quality was oozing out into his movements.

Especially in the bottom. His bottom was shaking something dreadful, that bottom.

Those were the hip movements of the Nohara House’s eldest son.

(Note: Nohara Shinnosuke, AKA Shin-chan of Crayon Shin-chan)

On top of that, the “Vvvvv” sound seemed to be coming from his mouth… is that phone alright?

“Vvvv. hac hac. Vvvvv.”

It choked!?

The phone just choked along the way there!

“Vvvvv… haaah, haaah. Fff. Vvvvvvvvvv!”

It’s tired!?

It’s getting worn out!

I took a deep breath. Good grief. It looks like the vibrate feature on the phone Kagurai-senpai uses is having a fatal breakdown. I’d better tell her to get that checked up on next time I see her.

Just how long is it going to shake? I thought, as I watched over the movements of the phone and Gakuta-kun ant noticed the two were gradually moving.

This is that.

Since they’re on top of a solid table, the phenomenon where a phone’s movements carry it. That thing that sometimes makes it fall onto the floor.

As luck would have it, the route of Gakuta-kun and the phone seemed to be aiming for precisely that ending, moving in the shortest possible distance to the nearest fall. As they reached the ledge, I got the feeling their movement speed increased.

“Ah. That was close.”

I brought them to a stop. Just out of good will.

… I didn’t know why, but I was gripped with a sense of guilt as if I had in an instant wasted the entirety of someone’s earnest effort. The Gakuta-kun stopped by my hand let off the dull aura of despair only held by those who had given up on life, but,

“—(Kuwah!)”

Immediately after, an undying will to fight blazed up in his eyes!

“Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv! Vvvvrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnn!”

“It’s accelerating!?”

This phone really is done for!

Is it loaded with a nitro engine!?

Before a vibration that surpassed the extent of my kinetic vision, there was nothing I could do as the phone and Gakuta veered by my hand and leapt off the table with incredible force.

“(I-I did it! Wait, now’s no time for joy. I have to open the message before I hit the ground- Fgwah!)”

It was a strangely lively landing sound.

The stuffed animal and phone landed in the shadow of the table. I stood from my seat and went to retrieve them.

The cellphone had been flipped open by the impact of the fall. What’s more, I’m not sure how it could have happened, but for some reason, the messaging screen was open.

*BREAK*

High Importance

Report pertaining to the ‘Mini Garden Plan’

This mail has been sent only to those related to the Inoue Big Three (Kagurai, Shakujii, Shingai) Houses.

Today’s board meeting has reached the final verdict on the ‘Mini Garden Plan’ under prior consideration.

Kagurai House. Shakujii House. Shingai House. The representatives of these three houses have unanimously decided on the execution of this plan. In accordance with this decision, the provisional name of, ‘Mini Garden Plan’ shall remain as the official name of this project. We pray that this plan will bring hope to humanity.

In regards to individual roles, you shall be informed the moment any changes are made. Kagurai Monyumi shall continue to—

*BREAK*

I didn’t intend to look the moment I picked it up, but the mail screen entered my eyes. It wasn’t good to intrude on someone else’s privacy; I instantly closed it and placed it on the table with Gakuta-kun.

*BREAK*

— The way we’re going, humanity will be destroyed, right?

— Well, the higherups hold pretty much the same outlook. And of course, they’re searching for other ways to prolong humanity’s existence.

*BREAK*

Kagurai-senpai’s ventriloquism I happened to overhear a while back revived in my head.

Why?

I wonder why I was recalling that conversation come so far.

“… Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

I stopped thinking, I sat in the seat again. It was in bad taste to dig too deep into someone else’s mailbox.

When I took a glance at the table,

“……”

Gakuta-kun was sullenly silent, not moving a muscle.

How truly stuffed animal-like of him.

*BREAK*

The light entering from the window gradually put on the colors of red, as the clock needles were about to round six ‘o clock.

“… It’s about time I went home.”

Putting down my pen, I took a stretch in the chair. While there were a few things disturbing my heart, I was able to accomplish some commendable studies.

“Even so…”

I muttered as I shifted my gaze to Gakuta-kun.

“……”

For a long while, Gakuta-kun hadn’t moved or spoken in the slightest. He cast his eyes down all the way. When that was supposed to be perfectly natural, for some reason my chest was astir—

“…… (Sss, ssss, ssh)”

Ah, my mistake.

His form was more like he was in a deep and sound sleep.

My chest’s at peace, full stop.

“… I wonder when Kagurai-senpai’s going to get back.”

She had run off with a grand laugh, but more than two hours had gone by since. If only she hadn’t forgotten her cell phone, I’d be able to contact her.

But for Kagurai-senpai to forget her phone was—quite a surprise.

I always pictured her with her phone as a set. Across the world, cellphones were becoming an indispensable accessory for high school students, but even ignoring that, her phone fit her like a glove.

Her phone strapped to the large stuffed animal called Gakuta-kun.

“Seriously. For her to forget her precious partner, what a terrible senpai I have.”

I said as I heaved Gakuta-kun up.

I didn’t really mean anything by it, but I kinda wanted to push his stomach.

“Fgwah!”

It was the same sound as before. Looks like he really was a squeaky toy.

“(… haah, haah. You just had to pick the worst possible wakeup call.)”

I got the feeling Gakuta-kun glared at me with the surprised eyes of someone who just woke up, but, well, this stuffed animal always had a bit of a harsh look in his eyes.

“Gakuta-kun.”

In that empty afterschool room, I called out to the stuffed animal. It made my blood run cold imagining someone might see me like last time, but even so, I wanted to talk to him.

“Thanks for always helping out Kagurai-senpai.”

“……”

Naturally, Gakuta-kun didn’t say anything. I went on without paying heed.

“If you weren’t there, I’m sure her heart would’ve broken long, long ago. Having a partner like you’s what’s letting her maintain a stable mind.”

“(… A stable mind… good grief…)”

I got the feeling he said something cynical in an extremely soft voice, but mixed in with the calls of sports clubs and the practicing pitches of the wind instruments, I couldn’t catch it. There’s no way something as occult as a stuffed animal talking could happen in the first place.

“It’s troublesome how she can never let go of her dolls. Honestly, I was struck off my feet by her loneliness. In my seventeen years of life, I’ve never seen someone as lonely as her.”

“(… Who are you calling lonely? Who?)”

Gakuta-kun made a mildly offended face… I think.

But I,

“No, you’re wrong on that one, Gakuta-kun.”

I rebutted even if I knew there was no meaning to it.

*BREAK*

“Kagurai-senpai… is lonely.”

*BREAK*

Dignified and strong when looked at from afar.

A small touch, and she’s bright and friendly.

But just another step in—and you can feel her fleetingness and frailty.

“When we’re together, she acts like a ‘slightly off but reliable older sister’ but… that’s not who she really is.”

“……”

I continued my words at the silent stuffed animal.

“Kagurai-senpai’s actually a coward, she’s actually quite delicate, she’s actually a weak young girl, I think.”

She’s a girl with a considerably fun personality, but at times, she makes a lonely sorrowful face that sends shivers down my spine. Every time I see that face, something closes in on my best. That was no expression for a high school student of this peaceful era to make.

“Maybe she lost someone too close to her?”

“(…!)”

“That’s why she”

As if terrified of losing again, perhaps that’s why she keeps herself so close to those around her. For instance, the reason she gathered members to try creating the community called the ComClub might have been because it was too lonely to go on alone.

Did she get scared of the loneliness?

She said something about the student council, but with her debate skill and brains, there were surely plenty of ways to go about it. Studies were something she was incapable of, but it wasn’t as if she had a bad head on her shoulders.

I tried to continue on my words but—stopped.

I realized, I reflected. It was far too selfish of a conjecture to come to on my own. Both my parents work overseas, so I live alone in a vast house. The loneliness that hits abruptly with isolation, I knew it just a bit.

Though that was likely a trivial loneliness that couldn’t even compare to Kagurai-senpai’s.

“That’s why, Gakuta-kun.”

I gazed straight into the stuffed animal’s eyes.

“Let’s work together, the two of us, to support up Kagurai—senpai.”

I knew I couldn’t do anything big. I was well aware.

Even so, I wanted to do as much as I could.

If I was able to divert that person from her loneliness in even the slightest, that was enough.

“(… Just how bad does your timing have to be, Kagoshima…)” f𝔯𝒆𝚎𝚠𝑒𝚋𝓃૦νℯƖ.co𝘮

Gakuta-kun’s head flopped to the side. He took on a posture as if he was trying to avoid making eye contact.

“(Right when I’m the one inside… w-why do you have to say something so embarrassing…… you could’ve just said it to Gakuta……)”

Gakuta-kun didn’t say anything after all, but, “Yeah, thank you,” I arbitrarily exclaimed, and came to the decision he accepted my proposal.

Perhaps that’s the sort of thing ventriloquism is.

Right.

Ventriloquism.

“Now then. How about we play a little more Gakuta-kun?”

“(?)”

I momentarily placed Gakuta-kun on the table.

“Play along with my ventriloquism today.”

I said with a bright smile.

Fu fu fu.

Kagurai-senpai did it so frequently, and at such a high level, I kinda wanted to do it myself. To tell you the truth, I’ve been practising it at home as well. Thanks to the buildup of earnest effort, I think I’ve gotten to the level I can perform at a modest school arts festival.

Gakuta-kun’s always with Kagurai-senpai, and I could never find the opportunity to borrow him, but… now’s my chance. I’ll cast my ventriloquism on him, as I did once before.

I grasped Gakuta-kun (coincidentally pinning him to the table), looked into his eyes, (coincidentally looking down on him from above,), and said with a smile.

“I’ll properly put my hand in your behind.”

“!”

In an instant, Gakuta began running rampant in my hand. Were the vibrations running up him again? I concluded and continued on without paying mind.

“Ever since Kagurai-senpai once did an extremely dirty joke, I’ve never seen her put her hand inside Gakuta-kun. If there’s a hole, she might as well use it.”

I said, as I turned to Gakuta-kun’s behind, and reached out my hand.

“(Wai, wai, wai, wait a second! Whawhawha, what a-a-are you trying to dooo…!?)”

I got the feeling I heard a panicked voice come out of the pinned-down Gakuta-kun’s mouth, but that definitely couldn’t happen. I mean, Gakuta-kun’s just a stuffed animal.

My hand approached the hole.

“… If (it’s come to this, then a maiden’s purity takes precedence over the rules! Stop it, Kagoshima! It’s me, me! I’m inside of Gakuta right now! If you’re wondering how I can speak, then I’ll arbitrarily explain it, so for now, get that hand away from me!)”

“Hmm? If?”

For just a moment, I thought Gakuta-kun let out a yell, though all I could hear was an if.

And there, those movements as if he would slip out of my hand at any moment came to a sudden stop.

“(H-huh… w-why can’t I let out my voice anymore… what’s more, my body won’t move… d-d-don’t tell me I’m suffering a mechanical failure now!? D-did I force this body too much in that vibration from before… no, was it this idiot’s sixteen consecutive strikes… you’re joking… it just had to be now of all times…)”

It seems the vibrations had finally stopped.

Okay, now I can concentrate on my ventriloquism.

My hand approached the behind.

“(S-stop it Kagoshima! Do you think you can get off with this!? I’ll definitely, definitely never forgive you! You’d better remember this, I’ll be back for revenge!)”

… I wonder why.

When I’m not supposed to be doing anything wrong, more so, this was the correct way to play with this sort of puppet, a fearsome shroud of guilt and immorality budded from my chest.

Well, that’s just my imagination.

My hand approached the behind. Another twenty centimetres.

“(E-eek! W-wait, you have to wait, Kagoshima. Let’s talk this out. Right? If it’s you, I know you can hear my voice. We’ve got a thing going, no matter how different I look, we can understand one…)”

My hand approached the behind. Another ten centimetres.

“(… Wait, wait, wait. No, there’s no way. It ain’t happening. Why do I have to go through something like this… w-w-what have I been doing all my life…? You can’t… U-urgh…)”

My hand approached the behind. Another five centimetres.

“(…… U-urgh, eep… s-stop it… urk hic… I don’t want it, I don’t want this… I don’t want my first time to be up the…)”

My hand approached the behind. Another four centimetres.

My hand approached the behind. Another three centimetres.

My hand approached the behind. Another two centimetres.

“(K-Kagoshima… I-I’m begging you, please, be, gentle…)”

My hand approached the behind. Another centimetre.

Just a little longer, the moment I’d touch Gakuta-kun’s secret place (?)—

*BREAK*

“I’m home! Gyahaha! Maan, it really kicks ass to be able to walk free. Hey, Monyumi. I ended up spendin’ just a little bit, but don’t you worry about it!”

*BREAK*

The clubroom door was forcefully slid open, and in came a Kagurai-senpai with both her hands full of bags from the game shop.

Now then, now then.

How about we look at the present situation objectively.

One man pinning Gakuta-kun the stuffed animal on the table, his hand about to enter his behind.

And the stuffed animal’s owner who happened upon it.

……

Huh? Why does it feel like my life’s over?

There’s nothing strange about that description at all!

“… Bastard.”

Kagurai-senpai called me bastard. In a super low voice, no less.

“H-huh? You’re angry? No, I definitely touched your stuff without permission but…”

*BREAK*

“What do you think you’re doing to my sister, dammitt!”

*BREAK*

And so, Kagurai-senpai beat me black and blue.

She didn’t have to be that angry… I thought, but for some reason, I thought I’d done enough to warrant it.

*BREAK*

This is something of a continuation.

The next day, Kagurai-senpai called me to the club room.

After school I opened the door to the room and tried to give a light greeting of, “Hello”, but right after getting out a “Hell,” I collapsed onto the floor.

“Fu fu fu… good of you to make it, Kagoshimaa…”

Mounting my body, Kagurai-senpai made a smile malicious to no end.

“W-w-what’s the matter, Kagurai-senpai…?”

My fear was such that I could only manage a quivering voice out of my throat. What do I do? When a female senior’s mounted me, an event straight our of my wildest dreams, I’m not happy in the slightest.

Strike that, I’m terrified.

“… You sure got one on me yesterday.”

*BREAK*

*BREAK*

“What… no, the person who got done in yesterday was me.”

I was beaten all over. My joints were still sore.

“The one who did you in yesterday was Gakuta. My grudge still remains…”

She spat some incomprehensible words as she loudly cricked her fingers.

“… It’s all your fault Gakuta’s body broke, Gakuta used up all the money I’d been carefully saving, a-and… putting me through such humiliation…”

“I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

And I get the feeling she just threw in something completely irrelevant to me as my fault.

“Doesn’t matter! Let me take out my anger on you!”

“You’ve shown your true colors!”

“First, sixteen blows to your stomach!”

“Why!?”

“Revenge. Do unto others what’s been done unto you! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!”

“Objection! That revenge has no validity…”

… Wait it does!

For some reason, I get the feeling it does. I ended up thinking there was no helping if I was hit around sixteen times. How peculiar.

“Eat this! Sixteen-hit nail punch!”

“Nail punch!?”

I had abandoned myself to sixteen consecutive blows, but a nail punch!?

To think she would apply that gourmet battle manga I lent her here of all places!

… After that.

I took on sixteen powerful punches, “Now try vibrating as finely as you can,” she asked for the impossible, and at the very end, “Turn your ass this way!” she sexually harassed me. She bullied me to such an extent I began wondering if I had no choice but to become Kagurai-senpai’s groom.