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The theme park incident concluded safely, excluding the fact that I’m out of the field trip. As expected, the students’ return was delayed, and they’re currently still boarding the bus. Having retrieved my luggage, I’m just standing outside.

“I’m definitely going to have you make amends for this, okay?”
“I can’t make any promises.”

In the end, I’ve left some fond memories for the other students, but I haven’t made many with my friends. For me, this trip ended up being a school field trip only in name. I might have interacted too much with the past and lost a sense of reality.

“I’m really sorry about this.”
“You aren’t the only one at fault, Shuu, so don’t worry about it.”
“Who?”

Seeing the man politely apologizing to me, Kaori asked with confusion. It’s Shuu’s first appearance outside his mascot costume, so it’s natural that Kaori doesn’t recognize him.

“The guy inside the mascot.”
“How do I say this? He’s a lot different from how he first seemed.”

Her first encounter was pretty awful, after all. Because of his looks and personality, he was easily toyed around by our classmates. Shuu is short and adorable for a man. Adding the fact that his biological sex becomes unidentifiable when dressed in female clothes, it made for easy teasing and caused him to find solace in wearing mascot outfits.

“He’s generally on the normal side, after all. His personality just changes when he’s wearing the mascot outfit.”
“I don’t think that counts as normal.”

He’s shy and has a hard time conversing with people he doesn’t know. When wearing a mascot outfit, he becomes extroverted and even causes trouble sometimes, but his usual appearance also tends to get him into trouble more often than not.

“I know it’s really rude to say this, but it’s as everyone said. You’re so similar to Souji, Kotone. It makes me feel at ease.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to it by now.”

The others already treat me as if I’m the same person, as if it’s normal. Shuu’s reaction, being a bit reserved about it, feels refreshing. Still, I guess getting a job helped him improve his shyness significantly, which is good since it could negatively affect his work otherwise.

“I’m curious about this Souji who’s similar to Kotone!”
“No decent stories will come up, so stop that.”

Kotori brought up a risky keyword, so I shut her down. Saying that in front of Shuu is dangerous. He admired the past me as an older brother, but I will never forget the weird rumors that spread because of that admiration.

“I’m also interested in Kotone, so I’d love to hear about her too.”
“Let’s exchange contacts, then.”
“Oi, listen to me, you two.”

It seems they’re on the same wavelength. Revealing my past to Kaori was still manageable. But who knows what could happen if my past and present intertwine, especially dealing with someone from the twelve families. I can already foresee this ending badly.

“In the first place, Kotori, what’ll you do if your father interrogates you about this?”
“With Shuu, it should be alright.”

There’s no predicting the uproar Kotori’s father might cause if he finds out she exchanged contact details with a man. But with Shuu’s appearance, he could be mistaken for a woman with some picture editing. Her father will find out eventually, but this can buy some time.

“I’ve already given up on my appearance.”
“Live strong.”
“You say the same thing Souji says.”

I recall saying that when the two of us were made to cross-dress. Shuu then asked, “What does it mean to live strong?” and I told him about a time I went on a rampage as an example. Enough about that. The real problem is how to handle these two if they ever team up.

“No more thinking.”

There’s no point in thinking about it right now. More importantly, the exhaustion from the all-nighter and the singing has reached an all-time high. I don’t even want to think anymore. I’m confident that I’ll instantly fall asleep if I slip into a blanket. Still, I want to at least send them off properly. I want to avoid making them worry.

“Kaori, it’s time.”
“Reach home safely, okay?”
“I know. Take care of Harumi and Miyako for me.”

The truth is that I haven’t told Harumi and Miyako that I’m leaving. The only ones that know are the faculty, Kaori, and Kotori. It’s because it might become another cause for trouble. And so Kaori’s bus has now left.

“They’re gone.”
“That they are.”

After seeing the buses off, the only people remaining are Sherry, the park staff, and me. There aren’t any park guests in the vicinity. In other words, there’s no need to worry about the public eye anymore.

“Time for an after-party!”

Hearing our synchronized declaration, the staff members were taken aback. Shuu reacted with a knowing wry smile, clearly having anticipated our antics. There’s no need for any brooding atmosphere. Although I’ve been given instructions for what to do once I get home, my actual route back wasn’t specified.

“Kotone, meat or fish? Which do you prefer?”
“Meat, please.”
“Alright, this older sister is going to treat you to a feast.”

I’m not about to respond to that. Any instinctive reaction might have turned the situation sour. Regardless of the passage of time, women always want to be seen as young. Even I’m irked by being perceived older than I am.

“Still, there aren’t many shops open this late at night.”
“I’m fine with anywhere I can eat. Even a retail chain wouldn’t bother me.”
“But without a private room, it would be problematic for me.”

Her face is widely recognized, after all. A failed attempt at a disguise, if discovered, could lead to an instant mob. I’d rather not get caught in a crowd. Even with some free time on our hands, it’s best not to wander around in public too much.

“Looks like that place is still open. Shall we go?”
“Time to head out, then.”

After a respectful bow to the park staff, signaling our departure, we made our exit. They were all still recovering from the surprise, except for Shuu, who waved us off with a grin. As someone raised in the thick of it all, he has truly unshakeable composure.

“I’d love to try your cooking sometime, Kotone.”
“Please don’t, or my mother and the twins will have my head.”

She brought up the topic during our journey, which could wreak havoc in our household, so could we not? I’d be inundated with complaints if my family didn’t get the first taste. It seems my culinary exploits have been shared by Aya and Rin. Although, all I did was whip up some curry.

“How about you bring your bass next time, and we have a jam session?”
“Some others might gatecrash, so please don’t.”

If EXIST decided to show up uninvited, my resolve would crumble. Sherry, the artist whom Isami looks up to, and Hajime, her avid fan, would be too much for me to manage solo. And there’s a real possibility the rest would cause a commotion as well.

“What can I do to get you on board with me, Kotone?”
“I have a query too. Why are you so keen on steering me toward a career in music?”

“I just think that with your level of dedication to others, you’d excel in the music industry. Your vocal talent even seems more promising than my daughter’s.”

“Are you insinuating that Aya lacks enough talent?”
“Not at all, I believe she has plenty. She’s quite adept at singing already, purely through self-learning. I’m confident she would excel with formal training. But you, you’re already leaps and bounds beyond that, which is truly remarkable.”

That’s the result of the training from my past life. Having those memories allows me to share the stage with Sherry to a certain extent. Kotone’s innate talent undoubtedly contributes as well, but that’s essentially the extent of it. What’s more impressive to me is Aya’s self-taught skill.

“So, you won’t be coaching Aya?”
“I don’t want her to lose sight of her student life. Starting intensive training now might lead her to forsake school in favor of singing. That would rob her of the chance to savor her youth as a student.”