NOVEL NEXT If someone sent me a message this morning saying, “Don’t be surprised, but you’re going to meet Kurodate Haruna for a pseudo-date tonight and even enjoy some friendship,” there’s only one possible reaction.
What the heck kind of nonsense is that? Did you get hit in the head?
It’s such a ridiculous story that it almost feels natural to react like that. Especially considering it’s Misono Mika, who openly loathes and rejects Gehenna more than anyone else, enjoying a fun time with Haruna. If Kirihouji Nagisa saw this, she would probably doubt her own eyes first.
But I’m not Mika, right? I don’t outright hate Gehenna either; I can consciously suppress it. So, isn’t it fine if I just make one Gehenna friend?
Anyway, the time spent with Haruna turned out to be way more enjoyable than I expected. If you serve cola to a lady who usually drinks only fancy tea, she might be shocked at first but soon fall in love with the fizzy taste. This is a metaphor for my current situation.
“Gehenna doesn’t place excessive importance on student grades. So, if you transfer to Gehenna now, you could let your studies slide a bit…”
“Haha! No way! There are plenty of things I like about Trinity as much as I dislike, you know. So, regrettably, I’m going to firmly put my foot down on that transfer.”
And what’s the point of not placing importance on grades? Aren’t you thinking about life after graduation? Isn’t it okay for you because you’re a silver spoon lady?
“Hehe…”
“Wait a second? Hold it right there. Haruna-chan, just because you offer me that while saying ‘Ah~’ doesn’t mean my thoughts will change?! You can’t think I’m that easy!”
“Oh my, was that not the case? I was so happy thinking I could easily draw Mika-san into our Gourmet Research Club with that method…”
What in the world does that even mean, Haruna? How many times do I have to say I’m not interested? I’m not going to get kicked out of T-party or be marked as an outcast!
So put down that fork!
“No, that won’t do. And more than anything, I don’t have any precious friends in Gehenna, so no matter how much you wag your tail and tempt me, I won’t be swayed.”
“…You’re not being swayed, are you?”
“Right? I said I wouldn’t be swayed. Haruna-chan probably heard that wrong.”
“Hmm.”
And even if I were chased out, why would I skip a cozy retirement in Abydos to go to Gehenna? Though, maybe the desert isn’t too appealing. I should seriously reconsider Abydos.
So, is the future in Millennium after all…?
“Hehe, while I’ll let that one slide, there’s no way I can overlook the previous conversation. Are we not even precious enough to be considered great friends after sharing an indirect kiss? Ah, my heart feels like it’s being ripped apart! Playing with the pure heart of a naive devil like me and trampling it so mercilessly. I really doubt Trinity is an academy for angels.”
Haruna clutched her chest as if wounded, pouting like a child. What kind of destructive power is this! Such overwhelming cuteness that it makes my heart flutter…!
Ugh, I’m starting to feel a sense of crisis. At this point, haven’t I already become half a member of the Gourmet Research Club? This is dangerous. If I don’t keep my wits about me, I might get caught.
No, more than that, if I say that, it sounds like I’m a bad girl! Someone might think I’m some overtly dark Gehenna devil trying to slander her!
For your information, if it were Trinity, I’d definitely tease them, getting under their skin more than enough before then I’d blow up. After that, if I lose my temper, they’d go “Oh my, Mika-san, are you angry? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize your boiling point was so low.”
I’m not trying to slander Trinity, you all know that, right? Trinity just…
Well, you know. It’s just talk, the chances of that actually happening are zero. What kind of crazy student would mess with the head of Pater who can physically fold themselves in half? If I say one word, they’ll go “Please, just let me off with a warning…” while their head buries into the floor.
But honestly, if the sneaky Trinity mob acted like that, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
Anyway, it’s time to refute! Trying to counterattack while saying I can’t just sit by is my pride’s way of reacting.
“You know, Haruna-chan, aren’t you overemphasizing that indirect kiss too much? Hmm?”
“Hearing you say that after being so embarrassed for so long makes you just seem cute. It might even be a charm of yours.”
“Wait, what do you mean by that?! I wasn’t particularly embarrassed!”
“Hehe… You are quite cute.”
No, of course, I definitely showed signs of embarrassment that anyone could pick up on. You too, Haruna! You were just as embarrassed!
But how can you use that against me? That shouldn’t be allowed! She’s sharpening her knife too well; I can’t even fight back…!
“If Mika-san really wasn’t embarrassed back then, then it’s clear I wouldn’t be embarrassed now. Right? Hehe.”
“Now, wait a second! Haruna-chan, can you put down that fork? We really don’t have to do this! Haha, right! Let’s just erase that incident from our memories. That’d solve everything, right?”
I give in, Haruna. So please stop. I still have our poor Nagisa and adorable Hifumi, along with a few underclassmen I haven’t met yet!
“Your tongue is too long, Mika-san. Now, say ‘Ah~’.”
As Haruna holds a forkful of tiramisu toward me, it’s hard to refuse seeing her try hard not to spill the crumbs with one hand.
“Hehe, come on~ Mika-san needs to experience the embarrassment I felt, right?”
“I really was embarrassed though…”
Watching the trembling eyes offer me the tiramisu, I end up shutting my eyes tight. I wish I could at least feel awkward with the gentle aroma of coffee and the sweetness filling my mouth, but the unfortunate reality is that it only tastes delicious.
Now I can’t get married… no, I wasn’t planning on it anyway.
“Oh look… This is surprisingly…”
Hey, could you not drop such a suggestive line? I’m already a ruined mess! If it goes any further, I’ll be tea-bagging.
The conversation that had been flowing well suddenly faltered at some point. Haruna, with her complex expression, nibbled at the tiramisu, while I couldn’t shake the thought, Am I really just that easy?
While Haruna was lost in thought, I quickly paid with my card. It was quite pricey, but the T-party Gold Express is unbeatable! Of course, I don’t actually have such a card, but it’s just talk.
“Mika-san, this is problematic. You can’t just pay without asking…”
“Haha, if you have complaints, next time, Haruna-chan can pay first~ Of course, that’s if you can!”
It’s true that Haruna has money, but that’s money she could spend on other things. I’m someone who can only afford to pay for places like this. Therefore, I’m saying it’s perfectly fine for me to cover it.
In fact, if it were Haruna, she was bound to spend the money she didn’t use today on dining out anyway. But if I wrap this up early, it creates a good excuse for us to meet again, just like now with Haruna making the first appointment!
“Ah, right… Okay. Next time, I’ll invite you to the best restaurant in our Gehenna autonomous district, so don’t try to run away!”
Right, just like that. But that sounds a bit…
“Whoa, I don’t really want to go to the Gehenna autonomous district!”
“You said ‘don’t run away’, and yet you’re apparently trying to escape right away? That won’t do, Gourmet Research Club Vice President.”
“What on earth are you talking about, really! Our relationship is perfectly suited for this level— just meeting occasionally to enjoy gourmet food together as friends! That’s not a bad deal for you, right? Isn’t it?”
“Hehe, are you starting from that level of distance? Fine. Later on, I’ll make you beg to let me into the Gourmet Research Club.”
“Sure, sure! Go for it! No matter what you do, that won’t happen!☆”
…To be honest, I never imagined that things would end up like this when I first saw Haruna’s back. I thought I had to watch her carefully so that she didn’t blow up the store, but once I opened the lid, it turned out we both had a wonderful time.
The overall atmosphere was pretty relaxed, suggesting we probably have a good vibe going. If it were the original Mika, things would have been completely different, but…
Maybe it’s because my period of being influenced by my innate Shinpi was too short, or perhaps my perspective on the world is simply different, but I was relieved that Gehenna didn’t feel as terrible as I thought. Thanks to that, I was able to make a new friend!
After all, it turned out that we clicked surprisingly well, and I can’t deny that the meal spent with Haruna was unexpectedly delightful. Above all, it felt a bit like a pseudo-dating experience, and the thrill of that was rather large.
Honestly, it’s perfectly clear that Haruna would never view me as a romantic interest, but still, she has set my unhealthy desires ablaze, and she should be responsible for that.
In other words, this is what you call fulfilling one’s selfish desires. The thought of dating students from Kivotos was as distant as dreaming, making it hard to resist this feeling like a refreshing rain during a drought.
“Hey, Haruna-chan. I had way more fun today than I expected! When you put it this way, it doesn’t seem like Gehenna people are all that bad, right? And since I’m in a situation where it’s hard to advocate for Gehenna, I find this situation pretty intriguing.”
“Hehe, so that means… Yes, Mika-san is a hardliner, huh? Even someone like that can temporarily set aside the hatred for Gehenna. Isn’t gourmet simply great?”
“Haha, it’s hard to deny that.”
Still, I hope this doesn’t reach the ears of the Pater kids. They wouldn’t have been able to track us down when we vanished from sight.
“Mika-san, I’ll be on my way now. If I get caught by the Justice Realization Department, I’ll be in a tricky situation. Because my belongings are questionable.”
Haruna points at her bag, glossing over the fact that it contains a bomb.
“Haha, what if I was from the Justice Realization Department?”
“Then I’d have no choice but to ask for you to let it slide just this once. Like this.”
Bringing her hand to her mouth, she does a hush gesture, winking mischievously with one eye.
…Honestly, even if I was truly from the Justice Realization Department, I’d have let that slide once.
“Then, let’s meet again next time. If I happen to be in the area, I’ll get in touch. It’s about embarking on a journey to find the ultimate taste!”
“…But leave the bomb behind. I won’t just watch if it goes off, but it’s just rude.”
“Hehe, I’ll consider that positively.”
You mean that’s just a roundabout way of declining, right, Haruna…?
As I got up, facing her, I suddenly realize how much shorter I’ve become.
Haruna is in heels while I’m dressed in casual clothing, so I’m not in heels either, but the nearly 10cm height difference feels a bit strange. I’ve never had to look up to anyone when they wear heels, and now I find it normal to look up at her.
“I really enjoyed today, Mika-san. And,”
Saying that, Haruna does something entirely unexpected.
“Devils are generally honest about what they want, Mika-san. Not joking here; I will definitely make you part of the Gourmet Research Club. So, look forward to it?”
Suddenly closing the distance and pulling me into a hug, Haruna whispers in my ear before gathering her things and leaving without looking back. Watching her tail sway makes me feel like I’ve really been enchanted by a devil. For a moment, my legs almost gave way.
…Haruna, couldn’t you just take me along with you now?
Wait, no.
“Indeed, I must steer clear of Gehenna…”
If I don’t, I feel like I’ll be in danger.
*
“Oh? President, you made it back safely! I thought I wouldn’t see you for a few days since you were going to Trinity!”
“Hehe. Thanks to meeting a good person, everything went great, Izumi-san. The restaurant I reserved exceeded all expectations.”
If that good person had thought a little differently, I would have been caught without a doubt. They felt a lot like the Student Council President; I’m glad they appreciated gourmet food. It could’ve turned into a dangerous encounter where I wouldn’t even have tasted the meal.
“Oh my, to hear you met a good person makes me curious about who it is~”
“You will have a chance to meet them later, Akari-san. They’re an excellent talent fit for the position of Vice President of our Gourmet Research Club. So, I’m definitely going to recruit her. Hehe…”
Having such a cute person nearby would undoubtedly double the enjoyment. When the two of us are together, someday we will…
Find the ultimate gourmet, right?