Chapter 15: With a Little Help from Alcohol

"Mmph! Mmmph!"

"Be quiet. Traitor."

Nagisa spoke, looking down coldly at Mika, who was writhing on the floor. Three thin but long roll cakes were stuffed into Mika's mouth.

"How dare you break your promise? Wasn't it you, Mika-san, who first suggested that we should join forces since that strange girl appeared? And yet you stab me in the back?"

"...Gulp, I didn't betray you! I just went out to play like we promised a long time ago!"

"Shut up."

"Ah, no! No more roll ca— Mmmph!"

Nagisa continued to replenish the roll cakes in Mika's mouth. Mika struggled as if she didn't want it, but Nagisa's hand didn't stop. Mika, perhaps knowing she was in the wrong, didn't break the ropes that bound her and run away.

Still, what was infuriating was infuriating.

The day after they met Seia, Mika had come to Nagisa to talk about her. She said that it was obvious she was after Kenji, so as his close 'friends', they should prevent him from falling for a strange woman.

But in reality, it was a proposal to 'not fight amongst ourselves while keeping Seia in check'. And as a bonus, not to cut in line.

Thanks to that, Nagisa knew what kind of feelings Mika had for Kenji without even having to ask. No, even without that proposal, she had a rough idea.

Thinking about it logically, would anyone set a sleeping man's face as their smartphone's lock screen if they didn't like him? The same went for stealing the clothes he had taken off, using them a few times, and then returning them, and for storing the clothes he had lent her and buying a new, identical one to give back.

'Mika likes Kenji.'

That was Nagisa's conclusion.

Since she had done the same thing multiple times, she couldn't help but notice, even if she didn't want to.

So she had accepted her proposal. She didn't know about the future, but for now, she didn't want to get into a love quarrel with her. First, they would deal with their common enemy, Yurizono Seia, and then she would think about what to do next.

But she had been splendidly stabbed in the back. Who would have thought that the very person who had made the proposal would betray them so openly?

"...Hah."

Mika flinched at Nagisa's sigh. She mumbled the roll cakes she had finished eating and glanced at Nagisa.

"Since you broke the promise first, I will be going to meet Kenji alone today. Don't follow me."

"No!"

"Yes. If I catch you following me, we'll be strangers from that day on."

"...Ugh. Nagi-chan, you're so mean! Your heart is as small as your chest!"

"Do you want to die?"

Nagisa spat out in a cold voice. Mika lowered her gaze at her icy demeanor and grumbled.

It was only for a moment.

She soon compared Nagisa's chest to her own and let out a series of giggles. It was a smile for an unknown reason, but Nagisa, for some reason, didn't like that smile and shoved the largest roll cake into Mika's mouth.

*

After school.

Before going to meet Kenji, Nagisa first stopped by her dorm room. It was to change out of her uniform and into casual clothes. The casual clothes that Kenji had complimented her on a few days ago. She hadn't thought much of it at first, but after that day, those clothes became one of Nagisa's most treasured possessions.

The middle school dormitory was a two-person room, not a single. Because of that, there was another student in the room besides Nagisa. A student who was far from a model student.

"Ah, Nagisa. You're here."

She was holding a transparent bottle in her hand. It wasn't... water. Nor was it a soft drink. It smelled somewhat like disinfectant.

"What is that? It smells strange..."

"This? It's alcohol, of course! I bought it myself from the Black Market yesterday. It wasn't expensive, but there were a lot of people trying to buy it, so it was a bit of a hassle."

"...Alcohol?"

"Yeah! Oh, do you not know what alcohol is?"

"I know that much, Chiyo-san."

Nagisa replied with a deep sigh.

Alcohol was a surprisingly common item. It was sold in restaurants and convenience stores in the autonomous district. But it was strictly forbidden for students to buy it. Without the school's certification mark, which meant it was for cooking purposes, it was one of the things that, along with cigarettes, they could never touch.

But in the Black Market, there was no need to worry about such things. It was a place where you could do anything as long as you had money, so you could get as much alcohol or cigarettes as you wanted. It was a popular item among students, so there was some competition, though.

"Didn't you get caught going to the Black Market last time? If you get caught again, it won't just end with school service."

"I just won't get caught! Then it's not a crime."

"And it's okay to show it to me?"

"...Uh... you're right."

Chiyo scratched her head with a dazed expression. Nagisa looked at her with a pathetic expression and opened her closet. Then she took out the clothes she managed with much more care than the others and placed them on her bed.

A black skirt that was a little shorter than her uniform skirt. Black pantyhose to match. A white turtleneck sweater and a long women's coat, and a scarf. They were all clothes that Kenji had complimented her on at least once. Nagisa skimmed over the clothes, checking for wrinkles or smells.

Fortunately, there were no problems.

"Hey, Nagisa! You're not going to tell the president, are you?"

"Well. I'll think about it."

Nagisa replied perfunctorily and sprayed perfume on her body. She wouldn't have normally, but unfortunately, today was a gym class day. She had sweated, so she had no choice.

"Don't tell! I-I'm begging you! If I get caught again because of demerits, I'll be suspended! I can't get suspended when graduation is just around the corner!"

"You reap what you sow."

"No! Waaaaah! Please, let me off the hook! H-here! This! Alcohol, I'll give you about half of it. So just turn a blind eye for today!"

"I don't need it."

"No, you'll need it! That person. The name you desperately call out in the bathroom every night! For his sake too!"

"...Chiyo-san."

Nagisa's neck snapped around. At her murderous gaze, Chiyo let out a hiccup.

"I. Have never. Done that."

"B-but yesterday, you were in the bathroom saying 'Kenji... Kenji...'—"

"Chiyo-san. I've never. Done that. Have I?"

"...Y-yeah. I don't think you have."

Chiyo nodded. Nagisa smiled in satisfaction and slowly changed her clothes.

"By the way, what did you mean, for his sake? Of course, I've never said his name."

"...You're really shameless."

"What did you say?"

"Ah, nothing."

Chiyo cleared her throat once, then shook the bottle of alcohol and said.

"The person who sold me this said that alcohol is one of the best things for building friendships and a way to confirm each other's feelings. They said that adults can become friends quickly with just alcohol."

"...Elaborate."

"Uh, th-and! When you're drunk, you can see a side of people you've never seen before! They said that a strict person might suddenly act cute or cling to you like a child!"

"..."

Nagisa imagined Kenji acting all cute and clinging to her. A foolish smile spread across her face. Chiyo, seeing her idiotic smile, rubbed her arms, which were covered in goosebumps.

"N-Nagisa?"

"Give it to me."

"H-huh?"

"The alcohol. I won't tell, so give it to me."

"Ah, okay. But... Nagisa, your eyes are a little scary."

"It's just your imagination."

Nagisa smiled brightly. Chiyo felt a chill run down her spine.

*

After finishing his part-time job, Kenji sat on a bench outside the convenience store and looked up at the sky. The winter sun was quite short, so even though it was only five o'clock, the sky was filled with the colors of the sunset.

Thanks to the halo and countless stars floating in the sky, the sky here was much more enjoyable to watch than on Earth. So much so that stargazing had become a hobby.

'The sunset isn't bad either.'

Kenji drank the coffee he had bought at the convenience store and blew a puff of white air into the sky. As he was doing so, a voice came from beside him.

"Kenji-san."

"You're here?"

Kenji grinned and turned his head. Nagisa, wearing casual clothes unlike her usual self, smiled gently and waved at him. Kenji handed her a can of warm coffee.

"Here. I bought it for you."

"Ah, thank you. I'll enjoy it."

Nagisa accepted the coffee with a gentle smile. Then she sat down next to Kenji and sipped her coffee. As the warm liquid went down her throat, her cold body began to warm up. Was it really because of the coffee? She asked herself a question with an obvious answer and turned to look at Kenji. He was also looking at her.

"No uniform today?"

"Yes. Something got on my uniform, so I had to send it to the cleaners."

"Is that so?"

Kenji shook the coffee in his hand and let out a small smile.

"You look pretty. You dress well."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Would it be an insult?"

"Haha..."

Nagisa, feeling embarrassed for no reason, fiddled with her scarf. She was afraid that Kenji would hear the pounding of her heart.

"By the way, isn't Mika with you today? I don't see her."

"Mika-san said she had something to do at school today, so she couldn't come."

"Is that so? That's a shame."

"By the way, Kenji-san, would it be alright to enjoy some refreshments in your room today? For some reason, I'm in the mood to serve you tea myself..."

"At the kindergarten? I don't really mind."

"Ah, that's a relief."

Kenji answered without much thought, and Nagisa smiled brightly, conscious of the water bottle she had put in her bag.

Her eyes gleamed insidiously.