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Before me is a kneeling mascot, while Kaori and I are looking down at it from our seats. That’s how it appears from an outsider’s perspective. However, we’re the ones most confused here. Besides, what the mascot said has piqued my interest.

“Anyhow, raise your head. The people’s stares are painful.”
“True. People will think that we did something.”
“Sorry.”

I know he can’t speak with park guests around, but why the placard? Isn’t character immersion important for mascots? Though any immersion might have already been shattered by the dogeza earlier.

“Will you sing?”
“Explain the situation first. I can’t agree when I don’t know what’s going on.”

In the first place, tell me why I have to sing. Also, I don’t even know how well I can sing. I’ve never sung since becoming Kotone. Relying on my old singing intuition is impossible.

“The park is in trouble. My queen, we need your help.”
“Guide us.”

Also, don’t call me queen. I understand you have to play it off like that, but I don’t enjoy being called that. If I’m a queen, then what does that make Kaori? Since Kotori’s the princess, I guess they’d be sisters then.

“This way.”

We followed his lead, but I made sure to check behind us. I don’t think it’ll be necessary, but I have to verify that the bodyguards are with us in case of emergencies. No problem; their sharp gazes still pierce me.

“This is the staff waiting room. It’s fine to have confidential talks here.”
“Is it alright to discuss confidential matters with guests?”
“We’re grasping at straws at this point. I thought if it’s Kotone, who’s been said to be similar to him, then maybe you can help us.”

“Kotone. Is this person…”
“An acquaintance, yeah. Of Isami’s and the others.”

I intentionally tried to keep it a secret. From how I was recognized even when disguised and the handwriting on the placard, I can roughly guess who it is. There’s no mistaking it. After all, he is a pretty unique person, in a sense.

“So, mind explaining why I have to sing?”
“The person who was going to sing for the night show damaged her throat.”
“There should be several people who can take her place in situations like these, right? What about them?”

“One had a death in the family, others caught a cold or influenza; all their days off just overlapped. We tried commissioning help from outside the park, but no one is available.”

That’s really terrible timing. With all the substitutes being sick or mourning, there’s nothing that can be done. Requesting immediate help today isn’t possible either; everyone has their schedules.

“Can’t you suspend it?”
“It’s a long-standing tradition by now, so we don’t want to break it. More importantly, we don’t want to disappoint the guests.”
“But even if an amateur like me performs, there’s still the issue of quality.”
“You won’t do it?”
“It’s more ‘can’t’ rather than ‘won’t.'”

I am sorry to disappoint him, but I can’t sing at the same level as an active professional. This guy helped us caretakers through tough times, so I really do want to help out.

“I’ll lend some wisdom, give me a minute.”

This is the most I can do. I can’t use my drowsiness as an excuse. Still, what can we do? I can’t just summon a professional singer even with my connections. Isami and the gang have their own business to attend to. If I can at least set the stage…

“We’ll just have to provide a justification for the lower quality, right?”
“Have you thought of something?”
“Personally, I’d like to see this end without a fuss.”

Sorry, Kaori, but I don’t think I can listen to your request. If what I’m planning is put into action, there will be a lot of things happening—gathering qualified personnel, asking for permission from concerned authorities, and changing the event details. There’s a lot to do.

“I’m sure they’re busy, but can you call the people in charge? If you’re having a hard time convincing them, you can mention the name Kisaragi.”
“Kotone, I’m just wondering, but why are you being so serious about this?”

It seems like Kaori doesn’t understand why I’m putting so much energy into this. Usually, I’d immediately try to avoid troublesome stuff like this, she says. There’s a reason for that.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime field trip; it shouldn’t be remembered as a disappointment. Miyako, in particular, was really excited about this, after all. Even though we couldn’t go around together, we’re still making memories.”
“We just want to be together with you, you know.”

Her words really sting. However, it’s not just about Miyako. Every student is forced to spend their whole day in this theme park for the field trip. In other words, one less enjoyable event will be a loss for everyone. Unlike me, who’s going through my second field trip, the kids should be given a worthwhile day in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“You should leave too, Kaori. From how it’s going, there’s a high chance you’ll be dragged into this too.”
“We barely made any memories together, Kotone. Though there were some unforgettable happenings, like the confession on the first day and how you kept sending selfies while being chased.”

There were a lot of memorable events, but it’s not like we were together. It’s different from making shared memories. Still, there’s something I’m curious about. Why does Kaori still treat me the same as before?

“Don’t you think differently of me now after what I told you back then?”
“It just doesn’t feel real to me, you know. After all, I don’t know anything about Souji, and I didn’t interact much with the old Kotone either. For me, the current you is just the same old Kotone.”

I guess that’s true. Kaori has never known the previous me. And with Kotone, the most interaction they’ve had is passing by each other. I guess this is the result of me being my genuine self the whole time.

“Kotone, maybe you’ve forgotten, but our field trip lasts until tomorrow. Don’t you have any plans to spend the remaining time normally?”
“I’d honestly love to do that. True, I did go on a rampage for a day, but after that, I really did want to spend time in peace.”
“Even now, you can still escape from this, you know?”
“Kaori, you’re forgetting that the hunter isn’t far from us.”

Have you forgotten the cause of this? The mascot guy wasn’t the cause of this incident. The main cause is the presence of Kotori. She likely told the mascot guy about me and gave him pictures; that’s why he came for me.

“I don’t think I can escape from her.”
“It’s easy to see. Besides, she can do most anything if she chooses to; it’s scary.”

The power of her begging, combined with her cuteness, is immense. If I steel myself, I can decline her pleas, but I’ll definitely be haunted by guilt afterward. And if she’s fully serious about catching me, then it’s possible she has her father’s cooperation.

“That father of hers, is there nothing we can do about him?”
“Kotone! I finally found you!”