A booming chime signals the arrival of after school.
　It's a typical student's simplicity that their minds, which had been bored earlier in the day in class, seem to jump back into action.

　The teacher, who had been teaching world history a while ago, smiles at the students' obvious change in attitude.
　I just hope he doesn't give them extra homework if they get too carried away.
　Well, this teacher is not one to be so arrogant.

　As I'm getting ready to go to club activities like that, a boy sits in the empty front seat.

''........What is it, Shogo?
What an awful thing to say, Shunsuke. I brought an interesting rumor with me today.

　My friend Takumi approached me with a sullen expression on his face.
　He's a gossip-monger and always has something to talk about, but most of the rumors are eyebrow-raising, and it's rarely the case that the rumors are true, which is more than the fingers of one hand.

It's just the same old rumors, isn't it?　I don't have time to listen to that, but...
Well, wait a minute. Today's is a well-supported, credible story!　It's a constant rumor, especially during this year.
'During freshman year, it's only two months into the school year, you know?　How does that get through to second year students in such a short period of time?
'You're bringing the story to me like this because it's coming through!　I mean, even the third-year seniors are raving about it.
I'm not sure I trust that anymore than I trust the rumors, but... what is it?

　I urge him to go ahead and see if it's a very good rumor that it's spreading not just to second year students, but to third year students who are entering exam season.
　I'm not sure if he's happy that I'm interested, but Takumi Takumi raises the corners of his mouth as if to say that he's been listening to me.

''Oh. That rumor is.........





　We have four beautiful girls from the first year that came in this year that are high level.
Okay. Bye.
'Ooh!　Don't you lose interest so fast?

　I was a fool for expecting it.
　I can't afford to be late for club activities because of idle talk, so I get up from my seat and try to head towards it, but Takumi Shogo, who looks flustered, grabs my arm and stops me.

'You, don't you have anything more to offer me?　I want her or I want her or I want her!
'That's Takumi's wish, right?　I'm still fine with that sort of thing.

　I don't want to be wishing on a shooting star like that, but....
　I've been embarrassed to face girls ever since I hit puberty.

I can understand if it's just one person, but four girls are just plain lying.
I said I've got it all backed up!　Seriously, all four of us are beautiful girls, and they call us the 'Four Princesses of the East, West, North and South'...
'What's with that old ronzo setting, lol?'
'Don't laugh!

　Just because he's an eighth grader doesn't mean he really has to suffer from eighth grade disease....
　But Shougo seemed to be seriously regretting it, so he was pretty confident in this rumor.
　Well, that doesn't mean I believe it though.

''d*mn it!　Then a picture is worth a thousand words!　I'm going to show you now, and we're going to the first year classroom!
You know what? I have to go to my club...
I'm not going to let you laugh at me like that!

　The fact that I was laughed at by me may have been very hard to bear, but Shougo pulled on the arm that was still in his grasp and forcefully walked away.
　That's why I wasn't allowed to go to club activities, and I was too busy trying to keep my balance so I wouldn't fall down to resist.

　When I finally arrive in front of the first year's classroom, they finally release my arms, but if I come this far, I'll be late for club activities.
　I'm sorry, boss.

Look. Look, there's the window seat!　Those four over there are the beautiful girls we've been hearing about.
No, only one of them has his back to me, so I can't see him.

　With a single-minded desire to have the rumors affirmed, I turned my attention to the window seat as instructed by Shougo.

　There, indeed, were four girls gathered in one seat, chatting and laughing.
　I can't hear the content of their conversation well, but I can see from their cheerful smiles that they are enjoying the topic.

　The important thing about their faces is that they are....well, they are certainly not as good as the girls in my class.
　But for me, that's all there is to it.
　I can't talk to the girls in that class properly, and seeing those pretty girls won't change my embarrassment in the end.

'First one. The boyish girl with her back to the window is Nishiyama Rensui-chan. He joined the karate club as soon as he entered the school and is a promising hope for the club. Apparently, she's so good that she won the national championship in the elementary school division.
What, is it like Takumi is going to explain everything to you?　I'm not particularly looking for that kind of thing, and it's kind of like a commentary mob, you know?
Shut up!　It would be easier to explain it to you if you watched him!
'I don't see the point of that objection...'

　But, yeah.
　She certainly has a boyish vibe, but her face is firmly girly, so she looks like the type that would be popular with the same s*x, if anything.

''Then there's the girl with glasses on the right side of Rensui-chan. She is an honor student who won first place in the first year's midterm exam and is also apparently the class president. At first glance, she appears to be a serious and hard-hearted person, but in fact she is quite a screw-up and is secretly recognized as the mascot of the class.
The Gap.

　Isn't the attribute of a screw-up disguised as a committee chairman character too strong?
　The chairman of the committee, who is stuffy at the crucial moment to take the lead...he may indeed be the mascot.
　But it's a position where he's likely to get a bad look on his face if he finds out.

　At the very least, I hope he remains unaware of anything.

"The third person is Higashino Kana-chan, who sits across from Tomoyuri-chan. She's my guess.
Guess.
She is half-American, also known as 'everyone's sister' because of her small stature and quiet nature among the four, and her popularity is due to her vulnerability that inspires her patronage as much as it does.
It's not a secret because it's leaked to me right now?

　I mean, what 'everyone's sister'?
　I thought Shougo was weird for the first time.
　Maybe that's why I can't have a girlfriend.　

　It's not a nod to simple cuteness, but it seems like a better way to stare at him from a distance.

''And lastly. I can't see her face because her back is turned, but she's the most beautiful girl of the four, Hayakawa Amana.''
Only at the end is 'South' not in your last name?

　I thought it was the same rule as the other three since it's called the Four Princesses of the East, West, North, and South, but it was strangely uncluttered and tight.
　He also said he couldn't see her face, but he couldn't see her face when she was called the most beautiful girl in the world.

I've heard that her parents remarried and her last name was changed. Before that, she was definitely of the southern s*x.


　I almost flushed it down the drain normally, but what do you mean about knowing people's family situations?

What's wrong with you?　Because that's what he said, right?
'Oh, thank God. If I'd crossed the line, as you say, we'd have been crossing the line.
You....

　I was thinking about when to disengage in anticipation of my friend's criminally bizarre behavior, and I got a correction.
　Even though he looked at me like it was our fault, it seemed to me that the problem was the way he said it that was misunderstood.

　When I was dismayed that I had it coming, the four girls who were chatting with me got up from their seats.
　Is it time to go home or go to club activities?

　Thinking so, and trying to move out of the way, Hayakawa-san, who had her back to us, looked back at us and said....







　─ For a moment, I was so captivated by her eyes that I forgot to breathe.

　Her bright brown hair was tied up in a double knot with a red ribbon, and her lapis lazuli eyes were so clear that it was the first time I had ever felt someone's eyes were beautiful.
　Her stringy nose, china-white skin, and above all, her unadorned, unadorned expression seemed to express her inner self.

　It's just that Shogo is the most beautiful girl out of the four of them.
　Rather than that, she was hot as if her whole body was on fire, and all I could hear in my ears was a quickening heartbeat.
　As I was confused by the unknown sensation, my eyes met with Hayakawa-san and she smiled at me.

　Then, my already noisy heart beats even louder.

''Hello.''
Well, I mean, hello...

　A voice like a rolled bell enters my ears.
　The euphoria that fills my ears and my heart, and the fact that I'm not used to being a girl by nature, causes me to stammer out a response.

'Do you have something to do with someone in our class?'
I was just on my way to my club and...
''That's right. From the looks of it, you look like a senior.......what kind of club are you in?
Shogi club...

　It's true that it's a chess club, but the special building where the club rooms are located and this one are located in the opposite direction.
　Although it was an unseemly excuse, the new student, Hayakawa-san, didn't seem to notice it.

　Incidentally, no one has the talent of a genius chess player, even though we are a shogi club.
　It's just a hobby.

　However, what do they plan to do when they hear about a person's club activities?
　Before I could twist my head around the question that suddenly came to mind, she announced her intention to ask the question.

'The chess club........would that be okay? I'm in the home economics club, but maybe I'll have a chance to share some of the sweets I made with you.
What the hell...?

　I felt like a bomb had been dropped on my head that I couldn't process the situation.
　
　I mean, what do you mean by "sharing"?

　It's true that the home economics club gives the snacks they make to other clubs, but that's only supposed to be the main athletic club.
　As for the treatment, I can't think of any reason to bring it to the culture club's chess club.
　I wonder if they demand some kind of compensation........　

''.........?　Because shogi uses a lot of brains, doesn't it?　Then I just thought if I ate some sweet snacks, I could concentrate on my club activities a little bit more, right?
Ehhhh... uh, that sort of...

　Mr. Hayakawa told me the reason as if it was extremely natural.
　It didn't look like he was telling a lie, and I was convinced, even though I felt some disappointment.

　What can I say, despite my embarrassment, I don't have a hard time talking to Hayakawa-san.
　When I talk to girls, I always stammer out of nervousness.
　Because of the many times I was ridiculed and made to feel weird for doing so, my sense of dislike grew even stronger.

　But she doesn't take that attitude and listens carefully to what I say in return.

　The feeling of wanting to keep talking to her grows in my chest as it does.
　Just as I was about to fall into that feeling....

Amaci. What's the matter with you~?
Hurry up or you'll be late for Yuri's pickup!
Come on!

　The conversation came to an end, regrettably, when the other three called out to me.
　I feel an inexplicable surge of joy when I think about it, that you talked to me while you had things to do.
　Of course, there's also an apology for stopping me.　

'Oh sorry!　Well then, senpai. Please take care of me when you're sharing.
Uh, yeah...

　Her smile as she turned to me as we parted, and I felt my heart tremble with unbearable elation.
　As I watched her back as she walked away in a daze, I realized that her chest, which had been bouncing around so much a moment ago, had become so depressed that I thought it would sink to the ground.

　I can't misrepresent my feelings when I get to this point.

　I've fallen in love at first sight with Ms. Hayakawa, which I thought was only in the story.

　When I became aware of this, a hand was unexpectedly placed on my shoulder.

　When I turned around, I saw Takumi's grinning face reflected in my eyes.

　At that moment, the sentimentality vanished at once.
　At the same time, anger came up........what a mess.

　But Shougo is not intimidated by my glare, far from being intimidated.

''I didn't expect spring to come to Shunsuke~''
Wha...?

　I didn't know it, but he made fun of the exact feelings that had grown in my heart.
　Of all things, my face heats up as if it's burning hot after being found out by this evil friend.

''There are many rivals aiming for Hayakawa-chan~?
"~~~~ Shut up!

　It's obvious that the other boys are after such an attractive Ms. Hayakawa.
　But I couldn't even give a good rebuttal to Takumi's teasing, and I continued to be toyed with after that....