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“Honestly, Uikechuke… Must you always forget to return my things when you’re finished with them?”
Atsuage was rummaging through Uikechuke’s side of the dorm room, looking for the phone charger she had lent her the night before. Eventually, she turned her attention to the wardrobe near the bed. Wait, didn't Uikechuke mention this once before? Something about respecting her privacy?
Well, this wouldn't stop Atsuage from going through it anyway. As long as Uikechuke had something belonging to her, it was reasonable to no longer expect the privilege of privacy.
"Hmmm..." Atsuage quickly scanned the inside of the wardrobe. Besides clothes and various books, there didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary. She definitely didn’t see her charger anywhere.
It was at that moment where Atsuage was ready to slam the door in frustration, having to face the incredibly annoying likelihood of Uikechuke taking her phone charger along with her. But just as her rage reached its boiling point, a certain book caught her eye among the other familiar titles. What was this?
"...Maiden Chuke? A compilation?” Atsuage stared at the "book" in bewilderment. It definitely seemed more like a diary or journal than any book she had ever seen. But were diaries meant to have this many pages???
Her curiosity got the better of her. Now that she had this interesting find on her hands, what Atsuage was initially looking for was far from her mind. There was no way she was going to pass up this opportunity. If Uikechuke was concerned enough to hide this from her childhood friend, it must be good.
…
Some time had passed. The familiar sound of footsteps approaching the door snapped Atsuage back into reality. She slammed the book shut and hastily shoved it back into the wardrobe. As she had expected, Uikechuke opened the door.
“I’m back. Yaaawn… Walking all the way back to the dorms is such a pain.”
"... " Atsuage merely nodded in response as she sat on her bed and pretended to look through a magazine.
“Here, your charger. I borrowed it today—I hope that didn’t cause you any trouble.”
“...It would have been preferable if you’d ask first.”
Her belongings were finally back in her possession. Atsuage should have felt relieved. Or maybe she should have been annoyed. However, in the span of a couple of hours, her missing charger had suddenly become the least of her worries.
“Huh? And what’s with all these feathers? Were you snooping through my stuff, Atsuage?”
“I was searching for my charger… the one you happened to take.”
“Tch, could’ve at least tidied up afterward.” Uikechuke sighed in annoyance and gathered the stray feathers off the floor herself. If she had been more observant or less exhausted, she probably would have noticed the implications of Atsuage accidentally leaving such a mess behind.
There wasn't much conversation between them afterwards. The lights were turned off, and Uikechuke went to bed without asking her roommate any more questions. However, this did little to quell Atsuage’s discomfort. After what she witnessed today, her mind was deeply unsettled.
From across the room, Atsuage took a peek at Uikechuke’s sleeping form. There was no way that could be true, right? This girl she had known all her life had become... No, it couldn't be.
Atsuage was unable to sleep that night.
As the week went by, Atsuage made it her mission to keep a close eye on Uikechuke's behavior. Perhaps this was partially her own fault. She should have paid closer attention from the beginning. If she had been, this "problem" could have been nipped in the bud right then and there.
No matter, there was still time. Hopefully.
“Huh? You actually wanna tag along? That’s a surprise.” Uikechuke stood up from her desk, looking slightly surprised by Atsuage's sudden declaration. “I thought you weren’t into Mogu Mogu Burger. Don’t tell me you finally got tired of hiding out in the training room after school?”
“Don’t read too much into it. Let’s just go.”
There was no way Atsuage was going to keep Uikechuke out of her sight for a moment. Not for the next couple of months, at least. After learning just how dire the situation was last night, it was only the responsible thing to do. So far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but...
“Welcome back! What would you like to order?”
“…Welcome back? Do you frequent this place that often?”
“Stop overanalyzing.”
Atsuage watched intently as Uikechuke ordered their meal. There was something a bit off about her demeanor. It was something that only someone who had known her for as long as Atsuage had would have noticed. That look in her eyes. Why did she have such a dreamy look in her eyes when talking to a store clerk?
The oddities continued even after they sat down. This time, it was even more obvious. Uikechuke would look longingly at couples sharing a meal together. She let out a wistful sigh. It was a sound that made Atsuage’s stomach turn. This wasn’t the Uikechuke she knew at all. How long had she been like this? How could Atsuage have allowed such strange behavior to fester for so long?
Unable to bear such a pitiful sight any longer, Atsuage impatiently snapped her fingers in front of Uikechuke’s face to get her attention.
“Wh—huwah?! What? What is it??”
“You’re staring at those people. Do you know them?”
“No… I was just spacing out. Sorry. I suppose I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately…” Uikechuke shook her head softly and went back to eating. Atsuage’s ears twitched with annoyance. That girl certainly had the nerve to casually brush something like this off.
“A lot on your mind? We don’t have any upcoming exams, and you’ve never gone to cram school since you transferred. What exactly has been occupying you?”
“…Why does this suddenly feel like an interrogation? Seriously, it’s nothing. Relax.”
Atsuage responded with an annoyed "tsk." Uikechuke was trying to play dumb, pretending there was nothing seriously off about her behavior. “It’s nothing…” What did this girl take her for? A fool? Never mind that Atsuage had only recently started to notice her friend's odd behavior thanks to her little discovery the other day.
This could be a problem. No, no. This is a problem. The thought of her childhood friend suddenly turning into a boy-crazy idiot was deeply unsettling, to say the least. There had to be something she could do to get Uikechuke back to her senses permanently.
But what…?
“…So that’s how it is. What is your opinion on the matter?”
“I…I see. Look, I get this is troubling you and all but…” Nyanyamo set down her teacup for a moment. “Why the hell’re you telling me about this…? Of all people???”
“You possess an Angel that could be of use here. Don’t you, Nyanyamo-senpai?”
“You want me to use my Angel on your best friend??? Don’t you think that’s a bit too…I dunno, extreme?” Nyanyamo exhaled, her face betraying a clear sense of frustration. “It just sounds like normal puberty shit to me.”
Atsuage scoffed at the idea. The mere thought was utterly ridiculous to her. In terms of physical proportions, maybe Atsuage was a bit behind. But mentally, it was a completely different story. In fact, many tests proved that Atsuage’s mental age was slightly higher!
“Puberty? Don’t be absurd. Uikechuke and I are the same age—barely months apart. She has always been just like me. I’ve never concerned myself with such things, so why should she?”
Nyanyamo could only sip her tea quietly while Atsuage grumbled to herself. What sort of vibes did she give off for this girl to approach her so casually about... whatever this was? Well, to Nyanyamo, it was obvious what Atsuage was truly troubled by. But it's not like she was the advice-giving type. So…
“Alright, alright. I MIGHT consider helping you out. But it’s not gonna be cheap, you got that?”
“I see. As I suspected. I’m prepared to compensate you financially.”
“Perfect ♪ Guess you’re not a complete idiot after all.” Nyanyamo crossed her legs, feeling slightly more at ease.
As far as she was concerned, a girl like this was far too much of a hassle to handle on a regular basis. So, a new servant was out of the question. But at least Atsuage was wealthy enough to be useful. Perhaps doing her a favor every once in a while wasn't such a bad idea.
“I don’t really know this chick too well so you’re gonna have to fill in the blanks for me. You mentioned a diary or somethin’??”
“Yes… that’s what started all of this, I’m certain. The contents are just plain dreadful. Ever since then, I haven’t been able to look at her in the same way…” Atsuage gripped her cup as she thought about the book's contents once again.
“Really now? Like what?”
“…Well, you see…”
Despite her discomfort, Atsuage tried her best to discuss the book's contents with her senior. As she continued, Nyanyamo’s demeanor shifted from slightly disinterested to fully engaged.
“THAT’S the kind of stuff that goes on in her head? Christ, I didn’t take her for that type. But now that I think about it…all those creepy fangirl types are usually bookworms, aren’t they?”
“Tch… that’s so unlike her! Which is precisely why it worries me.”
“Yeah yeah, I get it. Whatever. Look…how about you get me that book and I’ll see what I can do.” Nyanyamo’s Angel didn't need such a silly thing to use its ability properly. But the thought of having it in her possession was too tempting. With such valuable blackmail material, she wouldn't have to worry about doing her own homework for the rest of the year!
“Understood. I’ll retrieve it for you.” Atsuage nodded and rose from her seat. “I’ll return shortly with the book and your payment..”
“Pleasure doing business with you ♪”
That night, Atsuage was set on carrying out her mission. She thought it would be simple enough. She would just grab it while Uikechuke wasn’t around. But the problem was…
“...” She shot Uikechuke a hard stare as she saw the girl lying casually on her bed with no apparent intention of getting up anytime soon.
“…Don’t you have to tutor those other students today?”
“Oh, that? Nah, not for a while. Didn’t you hear? Pucchi and Socks both caught fleas. Best keep your distance from them for a bit.”
Uikechuke returned her attention to whatever she was watching on her phone. Atsuage gazed at her in silence for a moment before speaking up again.
“I heard they’re serving burgers in the cafeteria again.”
“…Atsuage, are you trying to get me out of the room?”
“That’s not what I said. And even if I did, I don’t see the issue in me wanting some time to myself for once.”
“Is that right? Well, maybe you should’ve thought about that before sending in your application letter.”
Atsuage scowled, barely managing to hide her true feelings. Uikechuke was the reason she was even attending this school. After all, she was the one who suggested they go together in the first place.
Because of that, they ended up sharing a dorm. Initially, the thought of living with a bunch of strangers was somewhat distressing to Atsuage. She would have preferred her own room, but being paired with Uikechuke wasn't too bad. At least it wasn't as bad as it could have been. After all, Uikechuke didn't spend much time in the dorm. Not so much these days, of course.
It surprised Atsuage, how quickly Uikechuke adjusted to her new classmates. She supposed that, unlike herself, Uikechuke was a bit better at getting along with new people.
Not that she had a problem with it. Yet, somehow, it felt a little...
“…What are you watching anyway?” Atsuage suddenly asked, interrupting her own thoughts.
“An idol concert… Wanna give it a listen?”
Uikechuke sat up on the bed, opening up some space for Atsuage to sit beside her. It was strange. For some reason, despite having no interest in idols whatsoever, Atsuage sat beside Uikechuke. She had to sit a bit closer than she would have liked, seeing as how the earbud wire only allowed so much space between them. But maybe, just maybe, the feeling wasn’t totally unpleasant.
The music wasn’t her cup of tea. In her humble opinion, all idol music sounded the same. It was just the same regurgitated crap you would hear on popular radio stations. The lyrics were similarly mind-numbing. As for the lead singer himself, she really wasn’t sure what the hype around him was. He just looked like any other guy to her. Maybe he was a bit flashy, but was that really all it took to gain so many fans?
Back in junior high, this would have been the part where Uikechuke made a subtle jab at the absurdity of it all. Perhaps even a sharp comment about how all idols were nothing but manufactured puppets controlled by money-hungry corporations. She would have...
Atsuage took a peek at Uikechuke's face as she watched the recording. There it was. That same expression. The same dreamy one she held the day before. She had seen that face many times before. Usually sported by the classmates she gave no mind to. But on Uikechuke, it was a look completely foreign to her.
A knot formed in Atsuage’s stomach.
“…I’ve had enough. This is dull. I can’t imagine why you’d even listen to that.” She let out a dismissive huff and pulled the earbud away. “It doesn’t sound special in the slightest. What exactly is the appeal?”
Uikechuke's expression hardly faltered in the face of her friend’s harsh criticism. Despite the insult to her tastes, she didn't appear particularly bothered.
“It’s not just the music, Atsuage. It’s the whole style! The vibe, the presentation, the—”
“The man?” Atsuage interrupted.
“Yeah, the guy too. Nothing wrong with cheering someone on, right?”
“But he’s just some guy. It’s not like whatever he shows on stage reflects his actual character. His looks, his personality—most of that was probably decided by a bunch of executives in suits. And besides…he doesn’t even know you exist. It’s not as if you’d ever have a chance to be with him.”
“Hah! That’s just like you, Atsuage. You take everything so seriously. It’s not about ending up with him. Don’t tell me you’ve never had a crush on a boy before?”
A crush? The concept was completely alien to Atsuage. To her, all men just looked like men. None of them stood out as attractive or interesting enough for her to desire a relationship with one of them. If she were to ever get married, she imagined it would be more of a business arrangement.
She could not imagine why Uikechuke would show interest in a man that was unobtainable.
“.…No. That’s absurd. Why waste my time pining after someone impossible?”
“Really? Not a single boy you’ve liked? Not even a little?”
“Not even a little.”
Uikechuke tilted her head slightly, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.
“…Hmm. What about girls?”
Atsuage's ears perked up at the unexpected question. For a moment, she wondered if she had somehow misheard what this girl had just said.
“…I beg your pardon? Uikechuke, we’ve been…associates…for years now. Surely you’ve realized that I am a woman.”
“Of course I know that. But come on, Atsuage—your thinking’s so outdated sometimes. These days, being with the same sex is totally normal.”
“But…why would anyone choose that? Two women can’t reproduce. Neither can two men.”
One could almost see Atsuage’s gears turning as she tried to find a reasonable explanation for this behavior. Uikechuke crossed her arms as she watched Atsuage struggle to rationalize something so simple. This girl could be so clueless when it came to understanding other people.
“You mean you’ve never noticed Conchelle and Lasagna? Don’t tell me you thought they were just good friends.”
“I… Lasagna-senpai already has a fiancé, doesn’t she? It makes no sense to assume the two of them were involved…”
“Wow, you really are naive. You honestly thought what those two get up to is normal between ‘friends’?” A vaguely cat-like grin suddenly crept across Uikechuke’s face. Oh no—nothing good ever came from this look. “…But if I tried something like that, you’d say I was crossing the line, huh?”
Atsuage was ready for Uikechuke to pull something utterly ridiculous. But she never imagined that she would suddenly lean toward her! As the distance between them decreased, Atsuage found herself frozen on the bed. Her mind couldn't comprehend what was happening, so it froze instead of triggering the fight-or-flight response. What was she doing? This was...!
MEOWMEOWIIIE!!!!!!!
The soft surface of the bed likely prevented Atsuage from suffering a concussion. Uikechuke stared at her friend’s limp body in slight bewilderment, not expecting this sort of reaction from someone who was normally…not as skittish.
“…Seriously? She over-heated over a little ear nibbling?”
Last night's attempt to obtain the Maiden Book was a complete failure. Apparently, even Atsuage was capable of failing from time to time.
She wasn’t sure what kind of spell the seductress Uikechuke had cast on her, but it rendered Atsuage out of commission for the entire night. When she woke up, it was already time to get ready for class. How annoying. Maybe she should have just pretended to be sick and stayed home. She would have thought of that earlier if she had been thinking properly. There must have been some lingering effects of that weird spell.
Even during today's class, Atsuage struggled to concentrate on Ms. Satake's lesson (though she typically paid it little mind). Her mind was cluttered with all kinds of anxieties. All of them, of course, centered around Uikechuke. She couldn't look her so-called friend in the eye anymore. Was she even the same person she had known all her life?
Was it already too late? What if Uikechuke had already become a slutty sex-hungry whore, and Atsuage was simply too unobservant to notice until now? That would explain a lot of things. It would explain what happened last night. That girl was so far gone that she would do it with just anybody! Regardless of gender!
No, no! She couldn't give up now. Maybe the effects could still be reversed. Atsuage just had to get a little more creative…
…
“So, not only did you fail to grab the book but now you’re asking me to lend you my roommate? Tch, looks like the only thing you’ve got is some nerve.”
“… It seems I severely underestimated the situation. Uikechuke might be further gone than I thought. Just last night, she was going on about the strangest things...”
“Such as…?”
“…Things that are completely unnatural. You understand what I mean…” Atsuage leaned in a bit closer and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Girls with girls… boys with boys… in a romantic sense.”
Nyanyamo could only stare blankly at her underclassmen in response to that information. Maybe going along with this girl wasn’t the wisest decision after all...Idiots were easy to manipulate but total nutcases were almost never worth the trouble.
“...Right. So, uhhh, I assume you want me to ‘fix’ that as well?”
"Yes, that would be best. As soon as possible. I’m worried that her strange behavior might be of the contagious sort.” A slight shudder ran through Atsuage. “In the worst case… you might have to use that Angel on me as well.”
“What in the world are you blabbering about…?”
”It’s a bit shameful to admit, but I should be upfront about it if you’re going to help me. I…”
”It’s a bit shameful to admit, but I should be upfront about it if you’re going to help me. I…” Atsuage looked to the side, ashamed. “I believe I was influenced by her last night. It was like some sort of spell overtook me. Sitting beside her, my heart suddenly began to race in a way it never had before. Perhaps it was my body panicking, warning me something was terribly wrong. Then she began talking about that nonsense. And suddenly it felt as if I had developed a fever…”
“.......”
“That was when… she got too close. My body completely shut down. It was terrifying. I did eventually awaken, but… I don't think I've fully recovered. Even now, my thoughts are plagued by weird things…”
“Weird things. Right...”
Atsuage nodded firmly, as if what she had just said sounded perfectly reasonable to anyone besides herself. Truth be told, Nyanyamo had never spoken to her much before. But she at least gave off the impression of being slightly smarter than the rest of Class C.
Clearly, Nyanyamo was mistaken. She could admit that.
“Okay, so let’s see. Between you failing to get me that book and requesting me to lend you Nekoashi Otome…wanting extra work done on both you and Uikechuke…I expect you to pay me quadruple the amount we agreed on, capiche?”
“Understood. I can make the necessary arrangements.”
“Good, everything is settled then. But this time, I want it upfront!”
…
The bait was set. Right as classes were officially dismissed, Uikechuke found herself being pestered by Otome. Likely something about not understanding today’s lesson. Perfect—now this would buy Atsuage some time.
She wasted no time returning to the dormitory. Opening the wardrobe, Uikechuke’s diary was right where she had left it last time. The book which had started it all was finally back in her hands. This situation…would finally be over…
So why...? The book had an absurd number of pages. It made sense that it would be heavy. But why did Atsuage's chest feel heavy, too? If she gave this to Nyanyamo, everything would go back to the way it was. Uikechuke would go back to being her usual self. Atsuage would finally be free from this strange feeling.
But, it wasn’t an entirely bad feeling…
“HEY!!! Put that book back exactly where you found it!!!” A familiar voice boomed behind her. Atsuage nearly broke her neck turning her head so quickly. Uikechuke was standing in the doorway. Nekoashi Otome was behind her as well, looking quite frazzled.
“Otome tried to hold her off!!! But she stormed right through me!!!!”
“Uikechuke…what are you doing here? I thought you were busy.”
“You dare ask me that? Don’t be ridiculous, Atsuage. Angel Potted Phantom immediately informed me of what you were up to.”
With the diary held close to her chest, Atsuage stood her ground.
“So? Is there something you’re trying to hide from me? You’ve been acting unusual lately. Since when do you start keeping secrets from me?”
“Stop being difficult! Just hand it over!”
Atsuage clung tighter to the book as Uikechuke tried to pull it away. Clearly, being civil wasn't working. Next, she tried pulling the stubborn girl’s ears, which elicited a yowl from her, but did little to loosen her grip.
Eventually, the struggle devolved into a mostly one-sided cat fight.
“Yeesh, this is pathetic.” Nyanyamo appeared beside Otome in the doorway. “Wanna place bets on who wins?”
“No way! Otome’s not falling for that one!!!”
Having the advantage of not lugging around a stupid heavy book around, Uikechuke managed to at least pin Atsuage against the wall of their dorm room.
“Why do you have to act so suspicious about everything!? If you’re curious, you could just ask me!”
“Tch… that’s rich coming from you! You’re the one acting strange. This book is proof enough!”
“You’re talking nonsense again! Just… hand it over and we can talk this out, okay!?”
Atsuage was having none of it and opted to bite Uikechuke’s arm instead. In a moment of pain, Uikechuke recoiled, but not before delivering a half-hearted kick to the girl's butt.
“Man this is lame. Use your Angels to fight at least…” Nyanyamo yawned.
“Shut up! Don’t give her any ideas!!! Why… why are you even here anyway???”
“She’s distracted! Here! Take the book, Nyanyamo-senpai” Atsuage hurled the Maiden Book in the direction of the doorway, prompting Nyanyamo to swiftly move out of the way. At least seven unfortunate Minipons who couldn’t move away fast enough were probably crushed by the book as it was tossed into the commons area.
“What the fuck??? That would have killed me!!!”
“Enough!!! What on earth is going on here? How come I’m the only one left in the dark here???” Uikechuke raised her voice, frustrated.
Disregarding the intense glare that Atsuage was directing at her, Nyanyamo was the one to speak up.
“She’s mad because you’re interested in boys or something. I dunno.”
Uikechuke stood there, dumbfounded, upon hearing this information. She looked at Atsuage for further confirmation.
“Atsuage… is this true?”
“…I… Can’t you see you’re not acting like yourself anymore? Since when did you start worrying about men and romance…? It’s frustrating… It’s absurd! You’ve never been like this before. So why now…?”
Uikechuke's gaze softened as she finally understood the situation. As silly as it was.
“That’s it? Atsuage… you really overthink things sometimes…” She exhaled. “I’m not suddenly a different person. I mean, isn’t it natural? I’m a girl, after all. Of course I’d eventually take an interest in things like that...”
“Hmph.”
“Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little? Sure, I’ve been a bit distant lately… but that doesn’t mean we’re not friends anymore. And it’s not like you just want to keep me all to yourself, right?”
“.......”
“...Right?”
Atsuage overheated.
“H-huh? Are you serious!?”
This time, Atsuage wasn’t so lucky to fall on a comfortable bed. Uikechuke crouched down, checking to see if she was okay. It looks like Atsuage would be out of commission until morning again…
“Oh dear… hey, can you two— H-HEY!!!!””
In the brief moment she had spent checking on Atsuage’s current state, Uikechuke had completely failed to take notice of the two girls who had helped themselves to her precious, precious diary.
“Holy fuck she was right. I think..I think I’ve seen less cocks in pornos…”
“Nyanyamo big sis, what the heck does this word mean? Otome can’t read it well! This whole story is a buncha naansense!”
“Hey!!! Don’t look at that, dammit! This isn’t appropriate for you! This…this isn’t appropriate for anyone…”