Hina leads a quiet, solitary life—gaming marathons, school, and the familiar four walls of Nitta Yoshifumi's apartment. She doesn't care about much. She definitely doesn't care that Nitta won't stop talking about Anzu, the former assassin-turned-waitress who smiles too brightly and makes gyoza that are apparently "on another level."
...Except she does. And she has absolutely no idea why.
When the culture festival approaches and her class decides to recruit Anzu for their café, Hina's carefully
Hina and Anzu's Great Misunderstanding Operation - Cultural Festival Finale ~Our Answer-Checking, Just Gazes Locked~
The atmosphere in the classroom was different from yesterday.
The afternoon of the culture festival's final day. The autumn sunlight slanting through the windows had already begun to tilt, dyeing the classroom orange. A small "Closed" sign sat on a desk, and on the long table draped with a white cloth, a few unsold cookies remained forlornly.
Hina sat by the window, gazing outside. Her long black hair flowed down her back, bangs falling over her eyes. Her deep, dark-brown eyes stared vaguely at the rooftops of the shopping district visible beyond the schoolyard.
(It's over.)
The culture festival was over.
The clamor of the past two days felt like a lie now, replaced by stillness. From beyond the hallway came the faint voices of students preparing for the after-party. But inside this classroom, it was quiet — like something left behind.
"Hina-san, I've finished tallying the sales."
At the voice, Hina turned slowly.
Mishima Hitomi stood at the podium. Her straight black bob was neatly arranged as always, and her narrow black eyes were fixed on the notebook in her hands. Despite her small frame, she carried an air of command that filled the room.
"Thanks to Anzu-chan, the gyoza sold like crazy. That was really something. Both days, we were completely sold out by early afternoon."
Hitomi spoke with satisfaction, glancing at the numbers in her notebook.
Hina said nothing.
But somewhere deep in her chest, she felt a small sense of relief.
(Anzu came.)
Yesterday, at Rairaiken, she'd eaten the gyoza and said they were delicious. In that moment, tears had welled in Anzu's eyes. And after that, it felt like things had mended, just a little.
"Hina-chan, you're in a good mood today too, huh."
Hitomi looked up from her notebook at Hina.
"Not really."
Hina answered curtly.
"There you go again with 'not really.' But it's written all over your face. You look a little softer than yesterday."
Hitomi chuckled. There was no malice in it. She was simply stating a fact.
Hina turned her gaze back outside the window.
(Softer face.)
She couldn't tell herself.
But maybe it was true. She'd been able to tell Anzu the food was delicious. Could just that make such a difference?
The restless churning deep in her chest had quieted, just a little.
──
The school building, now preparing for the after-party, had a different kind of liveliness from the daytime.
The hallways were lined with candles to light the darkened school and colorful decorations. Students ran to their posts, laughing happily.
Hina walked along the passage leading to the back of the school building, as if avoiding the crowd.
(So noisy.)
She thought it in her mind.
The culture festival had been fun. But this feeling afterward — she'd always found it a little hard to handle.
Behind the gymnasium, the school building cast a shadow, making it hard to be seen. That was where Hina was headed.
She wanted to catch her breath somewhere no one was around.
The gymnasium wall, lit by the setting sun, cast a long shadow. When she turned the corner at the end of the passage, she was in the blind spot behind the gym.
—Someone was already there.
Hina stopped in her tracks.
A figure leaned against the gymnasium wall, gazing up at the sky alone.
A chestnut ponytail.
Translucent in the sunset, glowing gold.
It was Anzu.
Hina's heart skipped a beat.
(Anzu.)
Why here?
Should she call out, or not? While she hesitated, Anzu slowly turned around.
"...Hina-chan."
Anzu's voice held surprise. But more than that, there was a note of relief in it.
Hina couldn't say anything.
An awkward silence flowed between them.
The wind sent fallen leaves skittering dryly across the schoolyard.
"Hina-chan, are you bad with crowds too?"
Anzu said with a small laugh.
"...Not really."
Hina answered briefly.
"I see. I got a little tired myself. I thought it was nice and quiet here."
Anzu said that and looked up at the sky again.
Hina, drawn along, looked up too.
The sunset dyed the western sky red. The edges of the clouds were rimmed in gold.
"Hey, Hina-chan."
Anzu spoke while still gazing at the sky.
"Was the culture festival fun?"
"...Normal."
Hina answered.
"Normal, huh. I had fun. Your class's café was really bustling. And everyone ate the gyoza and said it was delicious."
Anzu smiled.
That smile wasn't the forced one from before yesterday.
Something deep in Hina's chest warmed gently.
(Good.)
She thought it in her heart.
Anzu was smiling.
That alone was enough.
"Hina-chan."
Anzu's voice suddenly turned serious.
Hina looked at Anzu.
Anzu was still gazing at the sky, her lips pressed tightly together.
She was trying to say something.
"I... about you, Hina-chan..."
Anzu started to speak.
Hina watched her with an expressionless face.
Anzu's profile, lit by the sunset, was dyed red.
(What are you trying to say?)
Hina thought.
She had to say something too.
She thought that, but the words wouldn't come.
The words caught in the back of her throat.
Anzu, feeling Hina's gaze, slowly turned toward her.
Their eyes met.
Anzu's amber eyes, catching the sunset, sparkled brilliantly.
Those eyes looked straight at Hina.
"...Never mind."
Anzu said that and smiled.
But that smile was just a little sad.
"Never mind. Forget it."
Anzu said that and turned her back.
"Wait."
Hina started to open her mouth.
But no voice came out.
"...I see."
Hina murmured softly.
Anzu's back grew distant.
The chestnut ponytail swayed in the sunset.
Hina just watched that back.
(What were you trying to say just now?)
(What did I want to say?)
The answer was nowhere.
The wind blew through the schoolyard.
The sunset stretched the gymnasium's shadow long.
──
Night.
The culture festival was over, and the lights in the school building went out one by one.
Hina was heading home alone.
The autumn night wind was cold.
She rubbed her arms over her uniform as she walked the road toward the shopping district.
Most of the shops in the shopping district were already closed. Streetlight fell faintly on the shuttered storefronts.
Hina stopped.
She was in front of Rairaiken.
The shop was already closed.
But on the rooftop, she could see a figure.
Sitting near the water tower.
It was Anzu.
Gazing up at the starry sky.
Hina quietly hid herself in the shadow of a utility pole.
(Anzu.)
Her heart was pounding.
Anzu hadn't noticed.
Alone, gazing at the stars, murmuring something.
"I wonder if... I like Hina-chan..."
Anzu's voice rode the night wind to Hina's ears.
It was a small, faint voice.
But Hina heard it clearly.
(Like.)
Hina's chest tightened.
(Anzu likes me.)
She repeated the meaning of those words in her head, over and over.
Deep in her chest, something churned restlessly.
It was a strange sensation she'd never felt before.
Whether it was happiness or pain, even she couldn't tell.
Hina watched Anzu's back from the shadow of the pole.
She wanted to call out.
But she couldn't.
What could she possibly say, here, now?
"I wonder if it's... like..."
Anzu murmured once more.
That voice reached no one, dissolving into the night sky.
Hina bit her lip.
(I don't know either.)
She thought in her heart.
She didn't dislike Anzu.
That much she knew.
But whether that was "like," Hina still didn't know.
She just knew that on days Anzu didn't come, she felt restless.
When Anzu smiled, she felt relieved.
When Anzu cried, her chest ached.
What was that supposed to mean?
Hina couldn't take her eyes off Anzu's back.
Anzu sat hugging her knees, gazing up at the stars.
The autumn night wind swayed Anzu's ponytail gently.
(I want to call out.)
But Hina's feet were stuck to the ground, unmoving.
She didn't know what to say.
She didn't know what face to make.
Hina left the spot in silence.
Killing her footsteps.
Her heart was still pounding.
──
When she returned to the apartment, the living room light was on.
Nitta Yoshifumi sat on the sofa, watching TV. His blond slicked-back hair was neatly arranged as always, and the old scar on his left eyebrow stood out in the living room light.
"Welcome back. You're late."
Nitta said without taking his eyes off the TV.
"...I'm home."
Hina said quietly and sat on the sofa.
A comedy show was playing on the TV. The comedians were laughing happily.
Hina stared at the screen.
But her heart wasn't here.
(I wonder if it's like.)
Anzu's voice repeated in her head, over and over.
"Speaking of which,"
Nitta said, as if remembering something.
"I heard Anzu-chan is officially listed as killed in action by the organization."
Hina's body twitched in reaction.
"Utako told me. She doesn't have to worry about being hunted anymore."
Nitta said casually, still watching TV.
"...Killed in action."
Hina repeated quietly.
"Well, it means she's free now. That girl's been through a lot. Apparently she was homeless at one point."
Nitta picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.
Hina stared at the TV screen without moving.
(Listed as killed in action.)
The words echoed heavily in her mind.
(Anzu was abandoned by the organization.)
She lost her place to go, became homeless, and still survived.
Now she's at Rairaiken, smiling.
(And yet.)
Hina clenched her fists on her knees.
(And yet, Anzu smiles like that.)
A sharp pain stabbed deep in her chest.
"...I see."
That was all Hina said.
Nitta didn't notice Hina's state.
"Anzu-chan really is doing her best. I should follow her example."
Nitta said with feeling.
Hina stared at the TV screen.
On the screen, the comedians were laughing.
But Hina's heart wasn't laughing at all.
(Anzu was abandoned by the organization.)
That fact sank heavily, darkly, into Hina's chest.
──
The same night.
Anzu was on the rooftop of Rairaiken.
Sitting near the water tower, gazing up at the starry sky.
The autumn night wind swayed her chestnut ponytail.
"I wonder what Hina-chan thinks of me..."
Anzu murmured to no one.
"I said 'never mind' back then, but really... really, I wanted to tell Hina-chan properly."
Anzu pressed a hand to her chest.
Her heart was pounding.
"I wanted to tell her, but I was scared and couldn't. If Hina-chan ended up hating me — when I thought that, the words caught in my throat."
Anzu's voice reached no one.
Only the starry sky quietly listened.
"I was so happy when Hina-chan told me it was delicious. The tears that came then — they weren't because I was sad. It was because I was happy."
Anzu hugged her knees.
"Hina-chan is quiet and expressionless, and I can never tell what she's thinking, but... when she's eating gyoza, she makes such a happy face. I love seeing that face."
Anzu looked up at the sky.
The stars twinkled quietly.
"Whether this is love as a friend, or a different kind of love — I still don't know. But when I think about Hina-chan, my heart races and it hurts, and yet I want to be closer to her. What is that supposed to mean?"
Anzu let out a small sigh.
Her white breath puffed softly into the night sky and vanished.
"...I don't know."
Anzu murmured softly.
Those words reached no one, dissolving into the night sky.
The stars twinkled quietly.
Anzu stayed still, gazing up at the sky.
Deep in her chest, something was certainly budding.
Anzu still didn't know its name.
But it was certainly there.
──
Hina lay on her bed in her room.
Staring at the ceiling.
(I wonder if it's like.)
Anzu's voice wouldn't leave her head.
(Listed as killed in action.)
Nitta's words, too, sank heavily in her chest.
(Anzu was abandoned by the organization.)
(And still, she smiles.)
(She cried when I told her it was delicious.)
Hina closed her eyes.
Behind her eyelids, Anzu's smile floated up.
Anzu's profile, lit by the sunset.
"I... about you, Hina-chan..."
The words she'd started to say and swallowed.
What had Anzu been trying to say then?
Hina gripped her blanket tightly.
(I don't know either.)
Something churned deep in her ches
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.