Minato Aqua's School Romance Brain Battle!? ~Reborn with Five Childhood Friends~ - Alone together in the library! Or so it seemed, until their best friends' misguided scheme backfired.

The sunlight streaming through the classroom window had turned just a little orange. Homeroom was over. Everyone was heading off to club activities or chatting with friends. I stared at the Japanese history textbook on my desk and let out a sigh. "Auu... I knew it. The Sengoku period has so many names, I get them all mixed up..." The Battle of Sekigahara from today's lesson. The names of the warlords and which side they were on got all jumbled together, and my brain felt like it was about to explode. (I was listening seriously, too. I even took proper notes.) My fingers had started their habit of twirling the twin tails of my waist-length black hair. The left and right sides are slightly different lengths, so I have to be careful when I fiddle with the left one, or the ribbon hairpin slips out of place. "Aqu-tan! Wanna stop by Café Lupo on the way home? They've got a new crepe today!" A voice suddenly sounded right by my ear, and I jolted. Fubuki was leaning over from the next seat, looking at me. Her waist-length silver hair swayed softly, and the red ribbon at the end of the braid on her left side bounced up and down. "F-Fubuki! Don't scare me like that...!" "Sorry, sorry! But you had such a serious look on your face, I wanted to cheer you up." Fubuki narrowed her golden eyes in a smile, and her fang peeked out just a little. "Actually, I'm going to stop by the library to look something up before I go home. I want to review the stuff I didn't get in class." "Whoa, that's rare! Aqu-tan studying on her own initiative!" "That's mean! I can get serious when I need to, you know!" I puffed out my cheeks, and Fubuki laughed again. "Okay, okay. I'll head home first, then. Don't push yourself too hard." Fubuki gathered her things and left the classroom. Watching her back as she went, I stood up too. (Alright, time to focus in the library!) --- The library was on the second floor of the main building. After school, it's usually pretty lively with students doing research for their clubs, but today, for some reason, it was incredibly quiet. Walking between the shelves, the smell of old books drifted around me, and it was kind of calming. I searched for the Japanese history section, scanning the spines one by one. "Let's see... Sengoku period, Sengoku period..." I traced my finger along, looking for the book I wanted. Oh, there it is. A book with a colorful cover called *The Illustrated Complete Guide to Sengoku Warlords*. I reached out to grab it—and that's when it happened. "—Huh?" There was someone on the other side of the bookshelf. Chestnut-brown hair, shimmering in the evening sunlight through the window. Tall, with a really beautiful profile. He was reading a thick book in his hands with serious eyes. (K-Kanata-senpai...!?) My heart suddenly started pounding like crazy. (Why is senpai in the library...!? He's supposed to be in the student council room after school!) I panicked and hid in the shadow of the bookshelf. But then— CRASH! My hip bumped into the shelf, and the books on the top came tumbling down like an avalanche. "Kyaaa!" A rain of books came fluttering down on my head. Ow ow ow... "Are you okay?" Before I knew it, senpai was crouching down beside me. His clear, blue eyes were looking straight at me. Close. His face was so close. I was already bright red up to my ears and couldn't make a sound. "Ah, you're the one who tripped at the entrance ceremony... Minato Aqua-san, right?" "Y-You remembered me...!?" "Of course. It's not every day you see a new student with that much energy." Saying that, senpai started picking up the fallen books. I hurried to help. "U-Um, I'm sorry! I got in your way..." "No, don't worry about it. I was so absorbed, I didn't notice either." Senpai showed me the cover of the book he'd picked up. *The Sanada Three Generations*—a book with detailed information about Sanada Yukimura. "This book is really interesting. I've been wanting to read it ever since I saw that anime." "...Huh? Anime?" "Yeah. It's an anime called *Sengoku Soul*... Oh, do you know it?" My breath stopped. (K-Know it? That's the one I record and watch every week! Senpai watches it too!?) But as a closet otaku, saying "I love it!" here was way too dangerous. "U-Um, well... just a little, um..." "Sanada Yukimura is especially cool! That charge scene in the final Siege of Osaka—I get goosebumps no matter how many times I watch it. In his crimson armor, charging into the enemy lines all alone—that is truly the way a man lives!" Senpai's eyes were sparkling. Not his usual gentle smile, but an innocent, childlike expression. (No way... Senpai talks like such an otaku...) It was so... the gap was so huge, it wasn't just cool, it was cute. "And then, the story of the Sanada Ten Braves is also amazing—" "I know! Sarutobi Sasuke is especially cool, right! That free-spirited attitude, but underneath he's incredibly loyal, it's just...!" —Crap. I got carried away and said it. "Oh...! Minato-san, you really know your stuff!" "A-Auu... N-No, that's not it! That was just, a coincidence...! My big brother likes it, I don't really...!" That wasn't an excuse at all. But senpai smiled, looking really happy. "Wow, you're the first person I've met who I can talk to about this anime! Would you like to talk a little more? Oh, right, this book here also has an interesting episode—" (This is bad. Alone with senpai, and we're getting excited talking about a shared hobby...! This is a chance!) Inside my heart, a tiny Aqua was doing a little dance. "W-Well then... just a little." When I nodded, senpai's smile grew even wider. --- For the next ten minutes or so, senpai and I talked, completely absorbed. When it came to Sengoku warlords, senpai really couldn't stop. "Nobunaga's innovative spirit is amazing, but I'm still drawn to Yukimura's way of life. He stuck to the path he believed in until the very end—that integrity." "Right! And that line Yukimura says in the final episode of the anime is just..." "'I have not a single regret in my life'—right! That part, even I cried." "Huh, even you cried, senpai!?" "Haha... just a little. But it really is a great series." My heart was so full. (To think I'd get along with senpai this well... We like the same anime, the same character...) It was like a dream. I wanted to talk more, so much more. —That's when it happened. "Hooooold it!!!" A tremendous voice rang out from the library entrance. Senpai and I turned around at the same time. There stood Fubuki, with a curtain wrapped around her body like a cape. And for some reason, she'd drawn a black eye mask on her face with marker. It was badly smudged. "Phantom Thief Fubuki, has arrived! The treasure... or rather, your chat time with Kanata-senpai, is mine!" "...Huh?" Senpai was looking at Fubuki with a blank expression. (F-Fubuki!? Why are you here!? And what's with that disguise!?) "It's not fair if it's just Aqu-tan! I want to talk to senpai too!" Making the curtain flap noisily, Fubuki marched closer. "H-Hey, Fubuki! Be quiet in the library—" "Oh my, so you're all here." This time, Mio appeared from the entrance on the opposite side. Her back was perfectly straight, and she was holding an envelope with documents in her hand. "Kanata-senpai, I've brought the urgent documents to be submitted to the student council. Please check them immediately." "Urgent documents? That sounds serious. Here, let me see." The paper Mio pulled out of the envelope— The moment we saw it, Fubuki and I stood there with our mouths hanging open. On the paper, in huge letters, it said "School Lunch Duty Roster (Week 1)." And there was even a doodle of takoyaki in the corner. "N-No, that's wrong! That's...! H-Huh? I'm sure I put the urgent documents in here...!" Mio turned bright red and started rummaging frantically through her bag. "...Fufu." Senpai laughed softly. "Are you all interested in Sengoku warlords? If you'd like, why don't we talk about it together?" "Yes! Of course!" "P-Please... if you would..." As if their panic from moments ago had been a lie, the two of them immediately secured the spots on either side of senpai. I stood a step behind, watching. (...I wanted to talk with him alone more, though.) Something pricked deep in my chest. A fuzzy, unsettled feeling I'd never felt before. But senpai started talking happily, so I hurriedly put on a smile. --- In the end, the four of us talked until the library closed. Senpai's Sengoku warlord talk didn't stop even with three people listening; if anything, it powered up. "And then, at the Battle of Sekigahara—" "Yes, yes! I want to know more about Sekigahara!" "I-I as well, about the strategic differences between the Western and Eastern armies, please..." (Fubuki and Mio definitely have zero interest in history...) I thought something a little mean in my heart. (Ah, but I can't really talk. I'm just happy to be able to talk to senpai.) Thinking that, my chest pricked again. --- After leaving the library and parting ways with senpai. The three of us walked down "Out-of-Breath Hill" toward the station, and for a while, no one said a word. Mio stopped in front of the vending machine partway down the hill. "...Aqua, why were you in the library today?" "Huh? Like I said, to look something up for Japanese history..." "...I see. So you just happened to run into Kanata-senpai." Mio's voice trembled just a little. "But it's not fair, Aqu-tan. I wanted to talk to senpai alone too." Fubuki muttered it, not in her usual bright voice. (...Auu. She's mad, isn't she.) Not knowing what to say, I looked down. "Well, but... it can't be helped. It was just a coincidence this time." Mio said it with a sigh. "Yeah, that's true. But... next time, I won't lose." The evening sun stretched our three shadows long. The lights of Hanamichi Street Shopping District were starting to flicker on, one by one. "...I'm going home first." Saying that, I turned my back on the two of them. "Huh, what about Café Lupo?" "Sorry, I'm just... a little tired." Saying just that, I started running. Behind me, Fubuki and Mio were saying something, but I pretended not to hear. --- The second-floor seating of Café Lupo. On the sofa seats by the window, Fubuki and Mio sat facing each other. A cream soda in front of Fubuki, a hot coffee in front of Mio. "...So, what do we do? We're not just going to sit around twiddling our thumbs, are we?" Mio placed her coffee cup on the table. It made a small clink. "Of course not. If things keep going like today, Aqu-tan will just get closer and closer to senpai all by herself." Fubuki's golden eyes were much more serious than usual. "...You're right. We need to be more proactive too." "Let's form an alliance. An alliance to keep Aqu-tan from getting too close to senpai." Fubuki reached her hand out across the table. "...You mean, get in Aqua's way?" "'Get in her way' is... well, I guess that's what it comes down to. But if Aqu-tan ends up alone with senpai, we absolutely cut in. We can cooperate on that, right?" Mio hesitated for just a moment, then took her hand. "...Fine. But this is also for Aqua's sake. If she doesn't choose someone soon, that girl will just keep getting hurt." "...Right. Yeah, let's go with that." The two of them shook hands. But— Inside Fubuki's heart, another voice whispered. (Truth is, Mio is a rival too. But for now, keeping Aqu-tan in check comes first. I can deal with Mio later.) And inside Mio's heart, she was thinking. (Fubuki says she'll cooperate, but... I want to get closer to senpai too, you know. Who knows how long this alliance will last.) Outside the window, the veil of night was beginning to fall over the town of Kasumigaoka. The neon lights of the shopping district flickered, and in the distance, a railroad crossing alarm was sounding. --- Aqua's room. On the walls of the six-ta

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Episode 3

Name: Minato Aqua's School Romance Brain Battle!? ~Reborn with Five Childhood Friends~
Author: Novelia

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