Hinata and the After School of You Who Aren't Honest
In the studio of Tensai TV-kun, the day begins with cheerful voices. Momoka, a first-year middle school student, is a bright mood-maker who gets along with everyone. Fellow TV warriors gather around her—Yura teases her playfully, Sonia watches over her gently, and Yuma looks after her like an older brother. Genta, Shota, Haruto, Tessho, Rion, Mei, Sonoma, and Riku join in, making every day lively.
Momoka has a partner named Denky. He is a boy of few words, a bit tsundere. He is always by her si
Hinata and the After School of You Who Aren't Honest - A Nameless Relationship, the Morning Studio
The rain had stopped.
Sunday morning. The sky was still covered in thin gray clouds, but through the gaps, a pale, translucent light was leaking through. The asphalt, wet from yesterday's rain, reflected the morning light, glittering brightly. A single sparrow hopped along the edge of a puddle.
Momoka stopped in front of Twinkle Studio.
Tucked in a corner of Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, it was the home base for the terebi warriors. From the outside, it looked like just a six-story building. But step inside, and it was another world. A massive space stretching three hundred meters in every direction, with a ceiling twenty meters high. Rainbow-colored lights poured down from above, and monitors covering an entire wall displayed vivid imagery, just as they did every day.
(What kind of face am I supposed to show Denkiya today?)
Momoka clenched both hands in front of her chest.
The emo-crystal at her chest caught the morning light, glowing faintly in rainbow colors. A small pendant that every terebi warrior wore. A precious stone that connected her to the Emotion Grid. They said this stone changed color with your feelings. Red for happy, blue for sad, yellow for anger, purple for jealousy.
Yesterday evening, under the eaves in the rain, Momoka had faced Denkiya.
"Why are you angry?"
That's what she'd asked. After a long silence, Denkiya had said in a small voice:
"...Because you won't look at me and only me."
Denkiya's voice from that moment still lingered in her ears. It had been trembling. It had sounded so lonely. It wasn't his usual blunt voice.
Back then, Momoka had cried out through her tears.
"I do look at you, Denkiya! More than anyone!"
"You're the most important person to me!"
Denkiya had grabbed her sleeve. His small hand had clutched the cuff of her hoodie tightly. His fingertips had been trembling.
(What happened after that again?)
(We stayed under the eaves together until the rain let up.)
(Denkiya's hand never let go of my sleeve the whole time.)
(I squeezed his hand back.)
(And then...)
Momoka looked at her right hand.
(Denkiya's hand was cold.)
(But just a little bit warm, too.)
Her heart was pounding.
(Why? I'm just going into the studio.)
(I'm nervous.)
(I wonder what Denkiya thinks about yesterday.)
(Is he angry? Or...)
Momoka took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Okay."
She murmured softly, as if convincing herself.
"Let's go."
Momoka pushed open the glass doors at the studio entrance with both hands.
Inside the studio, it was so bright it made yesterday's rainy gloom seem like a lie.
Rainbow lights pouring from the ceiling. Monitors covering the walls. Somewhere, staff members were preparing for today's recording. The sound of equipment being moved, voices in discussion, footsteps. All of it blended together, creating the studio's unique atmosphere.
"Good morning!"
Momoka greeted cheerfully.
The staff members smiled and waved.
"Morning, Momoka-chan."
"You're energetic today too."
Momoka grinned.
(I'm fine. Same as always. Same as always.)
(I'm Momoka. The bright, energetic terebi warrior.)
(Nothing's changed. Yesterday was yesterday.)
(...But.)
As Momoka walked down the hallway toward the rehearsal room, she glanced around.
(Is Denkiya here already?)
(Or not yet?)
(What should I say when I see him?)
("Good morning"? Just normally?)
(Or should we pick up where we left off yesterday?)
(...I don't know.)
She turned the corner of the hallway.
The rehearsal room door came into view.
Momoka stopped.
Someone was standing in front of the door.
Short black hair. Long bangs that mostly hid his eyes. A hat pulled down deep. Both hands shoved in his pockets. Leaning against the wall, looking down.
It was Denkiya.
Momoka's heart leaped.
(Denkiya...)
(He's already here.)
(What's he doing in front of the door?)
(Could he be... waiting for me?)
Momoka took a step forward.
Denkiya raised his head.
From behind his bangs, sharp, slightly upturned black eyes caught her.
Their eyes met for an instant.
Denkiya immediately looked away.
"...You're late."
His voice was blunt.
Momoka felt relieved.
(Ah, it's the usual Denkiya.)
(He's not angry... right?)
"Denkiya! Good morning! Were you waiting for me?"
Momoka trotted over to him.
Denkiya didn't turn toward her.
"...Not really. I just happened to be here."
"Whaaat, 'happened to be'? In front of the door?"
"Shut up."
Denkiya turned his face away.
But the back of his ears were slightly red.
(Wait, is Denkiya embarrassed?)
Momoka stared at his ears.
Denkiya must have noticed her gaze, because he pulled his hat down deeper.
"...Let's go."
He said that and put his hand on the rehearsal room door.
That's when it happened.
Denkiya's left hand grabbed Momoka's sleeve.
The cuff of her hoodie.
The exact same spot he'd grabbed under the eaves in the rain yesterday.
Momoka looked at his face in surprise.
Denkiya, still facing forward, said:
"...Don't get the wrong idea."
His voice was trembling, just a little.
"This is, um... so you don't go wandering off somewhere."
Momoka looked at his hand.
Denkiya's fingers were gripping her sleeve tightly.
A little tighter than yesterday.
(Denkiya...)
(You say "don't get the wrong idea"...)
(But you're not letting go of my sleeve?)
(What is that?)
(...But.)
Momoka's lips naturally curved into a smile.
"Yeah. I won't get the wrong idea."
She laughed.
"You really like my sleeve, huh, Denkiya?"
"Th-that's not it!"
Denkiya raised his voice.
"That's not what I meant! It's not about liking your sleeve or whatever!"
"Ahaha, sorry, sorry."
Still laughing, Momoka gently squeezed his hand back.
Denkiya's hand was a little cold, just like yesterday.
But beneath that, she could definitely feel something warm.
"...I won't let go, so it's okay."
Momoka said in a small voice.
Denkiya said nothing.
But his hand gripping her sleeve tightened just a little.
Together, they opened the rehearsal room door.
The rehearsal room was already bustling.
"Momoka, good morning! Wait, huh?"
A girl with long black hair curled loosely at the ends blinked at Momoka. Her left fang peeked out. Sasaki Yura. Bright and fun-loving, one of Momoka's good girlfriends. She loved talking about romance and always found Momoka and Denkiya's relationship entertaining.
Yura's gaze was drawn to Momoka's sleeve.
Denkiya's hand was still gripping it.
Yura's face broke into a grin, wider and wider.
"Wha—wha—wha—wait a second! What is this?! Are you holding hands?!"
Yura shouted loudly.
Everyone in the rehearsal room turned to look at Momoka and Denkiya at once.
"Huh, hands?"
"For real? Let me see, let me see."
"Oh, finally, huh."
A boy with short, neatly trimmed black hair in a sports cut. A small blue piercing in his left ear. He approached with a laugh, his voice calm and low. Sakagami Yuuma. The big-brother figure of the terebi warriors, dependable and caring. Someone who noticed the anxiety behind Momoka's cheerfulness — a reliable presence.
"Th-that's not it! We're not holding hands!"
Denkiya shouted, his face bright red.
"It's my sleeve! I'm just grabbing his sleeve!"
"Just grabbing his sleeve, huh."
Yura glanced at Momoka and smirked.
"That girl hasn't let go either!"
"Shut up! There's just no reason to let go!"
Denkiya said that, but he didn't try to release Momoka's sleeve.
If anything, he seemed to be gripping it tighter than before.
"Denkiya, you're in a good mood today."
"Yeah, yeah. Normally he won't even make eye contact with Momoka."
Genta and Shouta teased him, laughing.
"Shut up. My mood's the same as always."
Denkiya looked away.
But his ears stayed bright red.
"I'm so glad, Momoka-chan."
Fluffy, bright chestnut hair. Loose waves. Gentle, slightly droopy brown eyes. A small mole under her left eye. Maus Sonia. A laid-back, kind girl who doted on Momoka like a little sister. Sonia came to Momoka's side and smiled softly.
"Denkiya-kun was waiting for you the whole time since yesterday, Momoka-chan."
"Really? He was?"
Momoka looked at Denkiya.
"Sonia! Don't say unnecessary things!"
Denkiya glared at Sonia.
But Sonia wasn't scared at all.
"But it's the truth. Denkiya-kun was standing at the entrance the whole time before you got here, Momoka-chan."
"...That was a coincidence."
Denkiya's voice grew smaller.
Momoka's chest grew warm.
(Denkiya was waiting for me.)
(That's why he grabbed my sleeve.)
(Even while saying "don't get the wrong idea"...)
(...He's so bad at being honest.)
Momoka let out a small giggle.
"Everyone, don't tease him! You're making Denkiya uncomfortable!"
She said that and stood in front of Denkiya.
"Oh my, Momoka's protecting Denkiya."
"Nice, nice. I like that."
"Momoka, your face is red."
"What?! My face is red?"
Momoka hurriedly pressed both hands to her cheeks.
They were definitely hot.
(Why am I the one getting embarrassed?!)
"...You're red too."
Denkiya muttered under his breath.
"I don't want to hear that from you, Denkiya!"
Momoka gave him a light glare.
But she quickly returned to smiling.
(Ah, this is really fun.)
(Until yesterday, Denkiya was always outside the circle.)
(Now he's right beside me.)
(Holding my sleeve, not letting go.)
(Just that makes me this happy.)
Momoka squeezed Denkiya's hand once more.
Denkiya flinched, but didn't pull away.
"Momoka-chan, Denkiya-kun, good morning."
Sonia smiled at them both.
"There's a meeting before rehearsal today, apparently."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Final check for next week's recording."
"Right! It's the new skit!"
Momoka's eyes lit up.
"I'm really looking forward to that skit! I feel like I can finally do the Little Prince role properly!"
"Momoka, you still haven't memorized that script."
"What?! How did you know?!"
"Because you were reading the script during yesterday's rehearsal."
"Ugh... that's, well..."
Momoka was at a loss for words.
"...You still haven't memorized it?"
Denkiya said, sounding exasperated.
"But yesterday, I couldn't focus on that!"
Momoka pouted.
"Because you said all that stuff, Denkiya..."
"...So it's my fault."
"Yes, it's your fault, Denkiya!"
Momoka gave his sleeve a tug.
Denkiya sighed.
"...Fine. I'll teach you."
"Huh?"
Momoka stared at Denkiya's face.
"You'll help me practice reading the script?"
"...If you don't want me to, fine."
"I do want you to! I really do! Please!"
Momoka wrapped both hands around Denkiya's hand.
"Yay! I get to practice with Denkiya!"
"...Shut up. Let go."
Denkiya said that, but he didn't shake off Momoka's hands.
"Those two really are so bad at being honest."
Yura whispered to Sonia.
"But they're doing well, aren't they?"
Sonia smiled gently.
"Yeah. It finally feels like Denkiya's joined the circle."
"That's because Momoka-chan is properly looking at Denkiya-kun."
"Right. Momoka finally noticed."
The two looked at each other and giggled.
The pre-rehearsal meeting was held on the studio's main stage.
The terebi warriors gathered on the stage.
Momoka stood at the edge of the stage, side by side with Denkiya.
Denkiya's hand was still gripping her sleeve.
(Denkiya's been holding my sleeve this whole time.)
(Will he not let go even during the meeting?)
(...Somehow, that makes me happy.)
Momoka looked at her sleeve.
Denkiya's fingers were firmly gripping the cuff of her hoodie.
(Denkiya's hand is still cold.)
(But this coldness feels nice right now.)
(I want to squeeze his hand back.)
(...But I'll hold back for now.)
(Because Denkiya's shy.)
Momoka smiled quietly to herself.
"Everyone, are you all here?"
Yuuma stood in front of everyone and called out.
"Today is the final check for next week's recording. Run-through of the new song's dance and the skit 'The Little Prince.' After that, we'll start preparing for the Color Change Session."
The Color Change Session. A monthly all-hands meeting. Each person announces the color of their emo-crystal and shares their emotional state. One of the terebi warrior
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