What is going on here—?!
“…Y-you, hand the phone to her…” Motoko frowned deeply, rubbing her temples with one hand as she forced herself to wake up.
A moment later—
“Miss Motoko, there are three people here claiming to be your friends…”
“Let them in. All three of them.”
She hung up immediately, tossed her phone onto the bed, and pressed both hands against her temples.
“Sister, is it…?”
“Kotoka-chan…” Motoko closed her eyes, drowsiness and awareness battling fiercely inside her mind. “Three people… probably Saya-chan and Kotonoha-chan too.”
“Eh?” Tamako blinked, then cleared her throat. “Um… they’re coming over?”
“Yeah… I probably called Kotoka in my sleep or something… I vaguely remember it…”
Motoko opened her eyes slightly and saw three blurry figures in her vision.
“The two next to you… could they be Rina-chan and Etsuyuki-chan? I just dreamed Etsuyuki was shouting at me… Am I still dreaming?”
Her groggy, half-asleep state gave her a strangely cute and silly aura. All three girls couldn’t help but laugh.
~~~~~~~~
]“Yaaawn—”
Motoko, now changed and practically dragged outside, greeted the newcomers with a sleepy yawn.
“Welcome, Kotoka-chan, Saya-chan, Kotonoha-chan~”
“Oh, sorry to intrude, Motoko-chan.” Saya smiled.
“Excuse us.” Kotonoha added stiffly—still bothered by the overly “serious” attitude of the gate guard.
—Kotoka, however, completely ignored Motoko and walked straight toward Tamako, Etsuyuki, and Lirina.
“Welcome, President Kotoka.” Tamako quickly bowed slightly.
“Oh, no need to call me ‘President’ outside of school. Just like before is fine.” Kotoka smiled and gently patted Tamako’s head, then turned to Lirina and Etsuyuki. “Rina-chan and Etsuyuki-chan too? What a coincidence.”
“Oh—yeah…”
Lirina and Etsuyuki were both surprised by how close Kotoka and Tamako seemed.
“Um… President Kotoka, what are you doing… I’m already in high school now…” Tamako stepped back, her cheeks turning red. “And… there are so many people here…”
“Well, we’ve known each other for so long.” Kotoka laughed, though she didn’t reach out again. “Ah, you two didn’t know, right? Tamako, Motoko, and I are basically distant relatives.”
“Ohhh—”
Lirina and Etsuyuki nodded.
Etsuyuki didn’t think much of it—but Lirina’s face flushed slightly.
That sweet scent again… when Tamako-chan was being patted just now…
So that’s what it means… I see…
“Um… Kotoka-chan?”
Motoko walked over after finishing her conversation with Saya and Kotonoha. “Why are you ignoring me?”
Kotoka turned back—
And in that instant, her gentle smile froze into something icy.
From afar, Saya and Kotonoha—and up close, Motoko—felt the sudden shift. Her expression turned as cold as a polar glacier.
“Eek!” Motoko shivered.
Kotoka said nothing and turned away again.
Lirina and Etsuyuki looked at Motoko in confusion, then at Kotoka, whose gentle smile had returned as if nothing had happened.
Tamako, meanwhile, smiled helplessly—she had clearly seen the six missed calls labeled “Kotoka-chan” on her sister’s phone.
“Oh wow… that expression just now… it’s like the ‘Snow Woman Kotoka’ from back then has returned,” Saya whispered, sticking out her tongue.
“Haha.” Kotonoha chuckled. “Motoko still manages to make Kotoka angry every time.”
The two walked over as well.
“…Um…” Motoko scratched her head and adjusted her glasses. “Kotoka-chan?”
Kotoka turned again. This time, the coldness had faded—
—but had been replaced with anger.
“Ah, the angry Snow Woman,” Saya whispered, rubbing her hands together. Kotonoha couldn’t help but laugh again.
“W-wait… what did I do wrong…?” Motoko forced a smile, though she was sweating under the pressure.
Kotoka frowned, still silent.
Tamako’s helpless smile grew even more helpless, while Lirina and Etsuyuki cautiously stepped closer—only to flinch at Kotoka’s icy expression.
“Ah… if you don’t say anything, I… I don’t know what to say…” Motoko muttered, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
…
She knew very well—when Kotoka got like this, she would only stop when she felt like it. And the conditions for that were always… unpredictable.
“…Even though I don’t quite understand why you’re upset, Kotoka-chan… I’m really sorry. Will that do?” Motoko scratched her head, avoiding eye contact.
“Six.”
Kotoka finally spoke. As she did, the icy expression melted away.
“I called you six times. You didn’t answer. So you need to talk to me six times before I’ll respond properly.”
“Eh?”
Motoko froze, then quickly pulled out her phone—six missed calls, just as she said.
“Ah… ah…”
Kotoka crossed her arms lightly. “Well? What were you doing?”
“I… I fell asleep and didn’t hear it… would you believe that?” Motoko forced a smile.
“…I believe you. But you must have been sleeping very deeply. Not long before that, you even called me and asked me to come over… what’s that about?”
“…If I said I called you in my sleep… would you believe that…” Motoko’s voice grew smaller.
“Motoko—”
Kotoka was about to respond with her usual “serious childhood friend” tone, but paused.
…That really was the only explanation.
“Um… President Kotoka, I can confirm it…” Tamako stepped forward with a helpless smile. “I was trying to wake my sister up, and I heard her talking to herself… then I saw her making the call…”
“…I see.”
Kotoka’s expression softened. “Fine, since Tamako says so, I won’t pursue it. But… I want compensation.”
“Eh… alright, alright. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.” Motoko laughed awkwardly.
“Who wants your compensation?” Kotoka shot back, then turned to Tamako. “I want Tamako’s compensation.”
“Eh? M-me?” Tamako blinked.
“Mm.” Kotoka smiled. “From now on, when we’re alone, you’re not allowed to call me ‘President Kotoka.’ Call me ‘Sister Kotoka’ like before.”
“Eh…” Tamako’s already flushed cheeks turned bright red. “S-suddenly like that…”
“Well, Tamako-chan,” Kotoka said gently, patting her head again, “you’ve always called me that. Calling me ‘President’ outside of school… it feels distant.”
“Ah… mm.” Tamako bit her lip. “Then…Sister Kotoka.”
“Yes~!” Kotoka beamed happily.
The courtyard filled with cheerful energy.
—Mm.
~~~~~~~~
A/N:
Lirina: “Anya, who do you think writes the best novels in the light novel club?”
Anya: “Me.”
Lirina: “Eh? It’s not good to lack humility…”
Everyone: “No, no—Anya really does write the best!”
Anya: (looking very pleased)
Lirina: “Ah… I see… um…”
Lirina: “Ugh… Anya, what are you… suddenly lying on me so early in the morning? You’re heavy…”
Anya: “Kiss time.”
Lirina: “Huh? What… ugh—”
Anya (getting up): “Hehe, thank you for the hospitality~ feeling satisfied.”
Lirina: “Ugh… come back here…”
Anya: “? What… huh?!” (pinned down)
Lirina: “I want… too…”
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