By A Slight Mistake 16

Translator: Silver Editor: Namorax

「16」

“I have a request, will you hear me out?”

On the last day of the final exams, I visited Hayate’s class and sought out Ariwara and Tachibana.

“Ummm, okay. What is it?”

“I’ll be happy to grant any request you have, Mizuki.”

The pair responded in their usual manner and waited for me to continue.

“Thank you. Actually, it’s regarding this.”

I pulled out Nanami-sama’s invitation.

“……An invitation from Otomo-sama?”

Tachibana flipped the envelope over and confirmed the name of the sender.

“It’s addressed to Mizuki.”

“My grandmother is friends with Nanami-sama, Otomo-sama’s wife, so these invitations come every year. Until now, I was too young to attend so grandfather declined on my behalf, but since I’m in high school now it seems I have to start fulfilling my role as a Sagara at social functions. You can look at the contents if you’d like.”

“Oh, well then. Allow me.”

Tachibana took the card out of the envelope and opened it.

After quickly reading it over he passed the invitation to Ariwara.

“It says you can bring a friend along.”

Ariwara’s eyes sparkled as his eyes wandered between the invitation and me.

“Yes, it does.”

“A friend…… I-I can attend with Mizuki?”

“Can I ask this of you?”

“I’ll go!! I’ll attend with Mizuki.”

“Thank you,”

“Of course, I will attend as well. As I said, I will grant any request you have, Mizuki.”

“Please accept my heartfelt gratitude.”

It had been a bit of a gamble when I brought up the invitation.

Receiving an invitation to Otomo’s summer banquet was a sign of status.

It was also a source of envy for the houses who didn’t receive one, so there have been cases where recipients suffered ill-fated accidents, even if the invitation was sent to one’s residence.

“I’m delighted. As Mizuki’s friend.”

Ariwara chuckled with a large smile on his face.

“Huh?”

“This is certainly more valuable than receiving a standard invitation. An invitation that certifies my friendship with Mizuki……”

“……Is that so?”

Was it really something to be happy over?

“I think it’s better that Mizuki acknowledging it herself.”

Tachibana said so with a lazy chuckle.

“Mmm. Acknowledgement…… an in martial arts? No, I am weaker than Hayate…… as Yakumo-oniisan’s younger sister?”

Few people cared about my evaluation of them.

Generally, such things don’t even reach a person’s ear.

“Well, whatever. Since its a costume party I need to get in touch with my tailor to get things in order.”

I put aside my concerns about my own evaluations and informed Ariwara of something important.

“What!?”

“I said, 『Umezaka-sama』was also invited to this party. Fujiwara Umezaka.”

Ariwara’s joyous expression froze stiff.

The mere mention of Ariwara’s self-proclaimed fiancée was enough to get this reaction out of her.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-Yes…… I hope it doesn’t trouble you, Mizuki……”

I shrugged my shoulders at Ariwara’s downhearted mumbling.

“I’ve been keeping the other party away from my home by saying that I needed to concentrate on school…… if only summer vacation never came.”

Tachibana put his hand on Ariwara’s shoulder as I tried to cheer him up.

“I got some information from my older sister. If things go well, you’ll be left in peace at the party. If Umezaka tries to talk to you, just come to me.”

“Huh!? There’s such a convenient solution!?”

“It isn’t a convenient solution. My second oldest sister, Kikka-neesan, seems to have thought up a scheme……”

『Return a stalker for a stalker』, she explained her strategy to me using these words, with an evil queen’s wicked smile on her face.

That seemed related to the acknowledgment Tachibana had been talking about.

Hayate was left in a foul mood when I told him Kikka-neesan’s idea.

“It’s alright Ariwara. Kikka-neesan has the right idea. Things will be fine.”

“So… why was Okabe in such a bad mood?”

Ariwara tried to change the heavy atmosphere by asking another question.

“Please don’t mind it. As long as Kikka-sama’s plan gets implemented, that issue will resolve itself.”

“Hahaha…… Leaving Umezaka-sama aside, it appears that I also have my own stalker. Considering their age, they must be a shotacon.”

“Shota……”

I was left speechless at Ariwara’s statement.

“T-That is… How old is the other party?”

Considering Tachibana’s facial expression, it seemed like he didn’t want me to ask that question.

“About… a decade year older? No matter how many times I refuse, I am beholden to my family. My older brother has even begun speaking with the head of her family. My wants are being ignored for the wants of my house.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s what he said when I asked him.”

“When did you hear that?”

“Last year.”

“And until now, you were just leaving the matter alone?”

“No. I was waiting for an opportunity to present itself, but… it seems like it’s time to give up.”

“……………”

Even Tachibana had a worried look on his face.

Yeah, I felt the same way.

Having a presumed shotacon as your stalker must’ve felt rather unpleasant, but having your own siblings engage you with said shotacon must’ve been just as unpleasant.

Hayate wasn’t in a bad mood because of the plan, it was because of the potential backlash.

It was a good thing that Shinonome Academy allowed for car pickups and drop-offs, making it safe for students to be taken to and from school.

Because honestly, a woman in the latter half of her twenties saying that she wants to marry Ariwara, a junior high school student, was kinda strange, right?

And yet, there had been someone who attempted a proposal to marry me by saying that because of my scars nobody else would be willing to have me, which made my older siblings furious.

Back when I used to receive proposals, most of the would-be suitors seemed to accept my initial rejection and asked for permission to bring up the proposal again once I was older.

They simply withdrew quietly and waited for a better opportunity.

Because the characteristics of the Sagara house were well known, my siblings paid those suitors no mind.

“W-Well…… even though Umezaka-sama can be a bit annoying and frustrating, she’s not a bad person, so……”

“Yes. I understand that. I haven’t heard anything bad about Umezaka-sama either. My older sister is aware of that…… I think.”

“This is a delicate situation…”

Ariwara laughed it off as if it were a bad joke After lunch, I invited the pair to my house to take measurements for their costumes.

I left school that day with a chuckling Tachibana and a grinning Ariwara.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

The costumes were completed the same day the results of the finals were announced.

There was only a single point of difference between 1st and 2nd place.

Well, there were various circumstances, so it couldn’t be helped.

Should I redeem myself on the next pre-holiday break exam?

When I turned around, Ariwara’s face looked like an hanya mask.

“Why is it fourth place again!?”

He continued to scowl at the results board.

“Well, compared to last year my score has risen and I’ve also been ranked higher.”

Confronted with such a terrifying visage, that was all I could come up with on the spot.

“That’s great, but still!  Damn it! It’s so vexing. Looks like it’s no good unless I start dragging down Ookami and Suwa, isn’t it?”

“Eh? Ookami and Suwa? Why?”

“Because those two are standing between Mizuki and first rank!”

Recently, it was becoming difficult to follow Ariwara’s line of thought.

Were my scores part of a bet or something?

“Ariwara, I know it sounds tedious, but students shouldn’t be competing with scores.”

“I know! But this is also really important for me!”

“It is necessary… I see. In that case, hang in there?”

“Mizuki~!! My heart will not waver!!”

When I tried to object, this was the immediate answe,r so I had no idea what to say.

“Then, when the graded exams are returned, how about checking our answers to look for our mistakes?”

“Yes.”

Ariwara was laughing happily when I tried to give a safe answer, all the while still somewhat confused over what he was talking about

“You can not overcome obstacles without knowing your abilities.”

“……Suwa.”

Suwa, who’d come up behind Ariwara, glared at him after listening to our conversation.

“You’re not thinking of such corny things as defeating me with more effort, are you?”

Suwa was the type to immediately crush his opponent in a fight.

“Eh? Are you winning?”

I looked at the results board for the answer.

“It’s different for Sagara!”

When Suwa shouted, I silenced them with a glance.

“Well, then. Ariwara, are there any subjects you ranked higher than Suwa?”

Apart from the overall top scores, the ten highest subject scores were also listed.

Japanese was among them.

Ariwara took second in this subject while Suwa was forth.

It was a five-point difference.

Suwa had the sciences, but Ariwara excelled in liberal arts.

Their pride fluctuated with each subject.

“Hold on, you’re winning!”

Ariwara, let out a victorious laugh.

Suwa’s expression darkened.

“By the way, I’m also an effort type. I don’t have any strong subjects, but I don’t have any weak ones either.”

“You’re special!”

“No, I’m ordinary. Skills are only gathered step by step.”

Only the years accumulated were different.

“Suwa, it would be better if you lost that binary worldview. Neither I nor the world are beholden to it. Ariwara, you shouldn’t provoke others so much either, lest you invite more trouble upon yourself.”

“I will take Sagara-san’s advice into consideration.”

Ookami smiled wryly as he arrived behind an embarrassed Ariwara.

“I said this before, but studying isn’t a competition. It is meant to provide nourishment to your mind like food does for your body. Studying loses its charm if you make that mistake.”

“That’s true.”

Ookami’s smile darkened when he placed his hand on Suwa’s shoulder.

“You should apologize to Ariwara.”

“That’s not necessary.”

Ariwara took a drastic measure in front of a disgruntled Suwa.

“Mizuki, can I visit your house during summer break?”

Was that Suwa’s revenge?

Ariwara glanced over the smug looking Suwa.

“You can come, but I won’t be at home.”

“Eh!? Are you gonna be spending your summer in the southern Hemisphere?”

“No. I wouldn’t want to waste time on unnecessary travel.”

I wasn’t going abroad because I couldn’t stand being trapped on a plane for hours.

It was much more fun to visit the neighboring provinces.

The place called Little Kyoto and its basin had cool mornings and nights.

The delicious water there meant that the local cuisine was also delicious.

It was a place where I could relax.

However, I couldn’t go there this summer.

“In that case, where are you going?”

“I’ll just be in the hospital.”

“……Ah……”

Everyone’s complexion changed when my hospitalization was brought up.

“Then, may I come visit you?”

“Ask Hayate. If Hayate permits it, you can come. I can’t offer you any hospitality in the hospital though.”

“……Sagara, I……”

“I don’t want to hinder you or Ookami. Visiting someone who isn’t a friend will only cause trouble for your families.”

I cut Suwa off before he could say anything.

I could see the pain in Suwa expression at not being considered a friend.

The truth was, I hadn’t had the chance to build up a friendship with Suwa till now.。

Both of us were part of the student council, but that was merely the hierarchical relationship of president and secretary.

Co-workers weren’t necessarily friends.

I used alumni for Ritsuko, but that only meant that we attended the same school.

It was the same for Ookami.

“Let’s get going, Ariwara. We have to find Tachibana.”

“Yes. I think he was with Okabe.”

Ariwara nodded and we walked off together.

I felt Suwa’s eyes on us the entire time, but I decided to ignore him for the time being.