Sekai de Ichiban “Kawaii” Amamiya-san, Nibanme wa Ore. Volume 2 Chapter 8

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And that’s the last chapter for now. No clue when Volume 3 comes out, but I feel like I’ve had my fill of the series, so don’t be surprised if this is the last release I do for it.

This Is Where We Begin

Without even needing confirmation, the event time ended up as a huge success. As one would expect since hikari showed up wearing lolita fashion. Messing that up was close to impossible. However, I barely remembered anything from when I stood on that stage. What would you call it? Being mentally absent? Being in the zone? It’s like a flip switch that made me invincible for a few minutes, and by the time I returned, Butterfly Hatakeyama-san was already in tears screaming “Bravo! Amazing!”

When I appeared on the live stream, the amount of comments skyrocketed, and so did the viewer numbers. Even though I was only up there for a good 15 minutes, I already ended up as a top trend on social media. Well, what do you expect? It’s hikari (me) we’re talking about, after all. The comments on the stream I could see glimpses of because Kokoro-san showed me.

‘I was just watching a random lolita fashion contest but suddenly hikari-chan showed up out of nowhere?!’

‘Link. Nao.’

‘Lolita fashion hikari! Lolita fashion hikari! Lolita fashion hikari! So cute, so cute, so cute, so cute!’

‘Hold on, where can I watch that?! Tell me more!’

‘This is SSR footage! Lolita hikari!’

‘The hearts and wings are so adorable! I want the outfit!’

‘She looks so good, I think I’m gonna try lolita outfits myself.’

And so forth. Since a lot of people awakened a new interest in the lolita world, I would say the surprise visit was a blooming success. Though some comments I saw hit especially close to home…

‘The cupid as a theme for the fashion show? So hikari is trying to support someone’s love? But if you ask me, it looks like she was the one in love!’

‘So Cupid herself is a maiden in love? Then her acting is way too good. She could totally become an actress.’

‘Isn’t she even cuter than before…?’

‘Yeah! I can see that look of love! It’s beautiful!’

…Some of them were really on the mark, huh? Can’t underestimate my fans. I guess the secret to looking cuter is being in love…and that works for crossdressing boys as well. Although my memories while on stage are vague, I can still vividly remember thinking about nobody other than Amamiya-san. I want to rush to her side and see her face right now. I want her to always smile and only make that kind of smile in front of me. But at the same time, I want everyone to know just how cute she is. Everything included, I guess the average person would call this love. Now that I’ve become aware of how I feel toward her…

“Come on, you damn traffic light. Change already!”

After my performance ended, I immediately changed out of my outfit and removed my make-up, let Kokoro-san handle the rest, and rushed off to the park where Amamiya-san is waiting for me. Rather than relying on buses or taxis, walking there was actually the fastest way of traveling. However, right before I got into the park, I got stopped by a red light. Isn’t this traffic light lasting way too long? It felt like it stayed red for half an eternity. I began feeling even more restless, just waiting for that beautiful green color. Yet, it got even worse…

“Huh…? Are you kidding me?!”

Drops of water started to fall from the sky. Since I was a bit sweaty from running here, I could distinctly feel the cold sensation. The chances of rain were supposed to be low according to the forecast…The weather goddess really does not smile upon us today.

“Amamiya-san better not be getting wet while waiting for me…!”

I was starting to get worried for her. It was still just faint rain, but she might catch a cold if it picked up from now on. And if she were to collapse from her cold, it would trouble her family. Rei-kun would probably have a mental breakdown. As for myself, a bit of rain won’t hurt me. I just hope Amamiya-san brought an umbrella with her, or at least evacuated to below a roof.

“I should text her with my phone…But it’s right over there…Oh!”

As I was thinking back and forth, the traffic light in front of me finally changed to green. It felt like I was an Olympian athlete as I resumed my mad dash.

“Huff…Huff…”

With my breathing out of rhythm, I entered the green park, where I saw several people panicking because of the beginning rain. It might have been a coincidence, but there were also a lot of couples. Rushing past them, I headed for the fountain where we agreed to meet. This park was also the place where I had a photoshoot as hikari and helped Raika with her own photoshoot, but I never once actually went near the fountain.

“There she is!”

The water fountain was round, and built in a European style. Standing in front of that was the girl I’d been dying to see, protecting herself from the rain with a blue-checkered umbrella.

“Amamiya-san!”

Hearing my voice, she slowly turned around. The umbrella she carried was a small one that fit in the bag she carried. Her bangs she had kept up using the pin I gave her as a present, her short bob hair curled inward. As for her clothes, she wore a summer-themed white one-piece with a thin ivory-colored cardigan. At her feet, she wore clear heels and a belt, creating a peaceful and prim image. Met with such a well-balanced outfit, and considering I was used to the exact opposite from her, I found my heart racing faster. She was cute. Incredibly cute. Not only that, the loose-tied collar and the ankle-length, paired with the simple design…This one-piece…could it be…?

“H-Harema-kun! You’re drenched! Get under my umbrella!”

“Huh?”

I was so entranced by her beauty that I completely lost myself. Only her calling me by my name pulled me back to reality. She rushed over to me and held the umbrella above my head. I figured it’d be too strenuous for her, considering our height difference, so I took it instead. With her hands free, she took out a blue handkerchief to try and wipe my hair and back.

“S-Sorry, just let me…” She pushed her body even closer to me.

This distance between us was barely non-existent and reminded me of what happened back at her home. She also tried to wipe my wet shirt and completely disregarded any kind of distance or shame. But that’s why she doesn’t understand the severity of the situation. Her umbrella wasn’t even that big, not offering much space, so I could see her lips right in front of me. At this rate, my consciousness is going to blank out again…This is a red card! Stop fouling my ability to reason!

“Amamiya-san!”

“I guess the handkerchief isn’t enough…I should’ve brought a towel instead.”

“I-I’m really grateful for your help, but you’re a bit too close right now…”

“Huh? Ah, s-sorry!”

Amamiya-san’s face was red to the point she might explode any moment, as she jumped backward. Then again, we were still under the same umbrella, so there wasn’t much more space between us. Either way, I have to hurry and confess…No, I need to calm down a bit first. I’m sure she would want a brief break, too. I just wanted to confirm something.

“Say, that outfit you’re wearing…is that the same one I wore when I debuted as hikari?”

“Oh, you could tell after all? Maybe it was that obvious?”

“Of course it is.”

It’s the one-piece I wore for my first shoot under CandyCandy. It spread the name of hikari like wildfire, selling out almost instantly. But how is she…Did she have it from the very beginning? I asked her about this, and she awkwardly explained that she found it on sale while going shopping with Raika.

“They happened to have a restock, and so I suggested that Konatsu-chan should buy it, but she said that she prefers plain clothes that made it easier for her to move in…”

“Is she some elementary school kid or something?”

I get that a sporty look would fit her greatly, but I’m sure she’d rock it either way.

“She did say she might have bought it back when hikari’s debut boom was happening.”

“But I’m still popular…”

“A-And also, she said I should get it, so I did on a whim…How do I look?” She asked while putting away her handkerchief, and grasping the hem of her skirt.

“It…It’s the best! It’s like the whole outfit was made only for you, Amamiya-san!”

Even that bashful attitude of hers was just the cutest, I screamed at the top of my lungs. Two couples walking past us turned around and laughed.

“Are they in high school?”

“How adorable.”

Sorry that I couldn’t hold back at all…

“As always, you praise me too much,” she happily responded. “But I’m glad. Thanks.”

Even those simple words of gratitude made my heart race. Instead of calming down, I only felt more nervous now. The rain still continued to fall and the fountain sprayed water everywhere, yet I could only look at Amamiya-san. It’s like she lit up her surroundings like the sun itself, sucking in my gaze.

“I’m wearing these clothes to show my determination…And since Raika-chan told me some special information, I just had to meet you today.”

“What is that special information?”

“There’s actually a jinx with this water fountain.”

“A jinx…?”

Amamiya-san slowly looked toward the water fountain and continued.

“I actually looked it up online,” she said. “Fifty years ago on this day, this water fountain was built. And if you…c-confess your love in front of this fountain today, it’ll make that love come true. Something about the Cupid statue supporting your love…”

When I heard the word “love,” my heart skipped a beat.

I remembered that this park itself was a popular date spot. It makes sense why there’d be a jinx like that. Still, a Cupid statue of all things? Maybe it’s some kind of fate. I never really thought about it…I looked away from Amamiya-san and gazed at the water fountain. The statue was formed like a girl wearing a dress, carrying a large bow in her hands. From her back grew two big wings. It reminded me of the outfit I wore as hikari up on the stage earlier. Maybe one day, they’ll make a statue out of me, too…Well, leaving aside those jokes. The sight of it just filled me with weird thoughts. Almost like it was rushing me to go and confess to Amamiya-san already. I took a deep breath and prepared myself. I’m going to tell her! Confess to her! Just a simple “I like you” will be…

“Hm…?”

But then, I remembered something. Amamiya-san wanted to meet specifically on this day, in front of the fountain, all because of the jinx…Does that mean…

“I even watched some people confess in front of the fountain, and it worked. They all looked so happy.”

“A-Amamiya-san, I…”

“I was jealous, really. But at the same time, it motivated me.”

“Wha…”

Before I could reach the obvious answer, Amamiya-san moved. She looked away from the water fountain, directly into my eyes. I made sure to move the umbrella so that she wouldn’t get wet, either. On that adorable face of hers, I could see a glimmer of determination. I could feel my throat move up and down when I gulped.

“Actually, I wanted to take you out shopping for clothes and accessories today. Eat delicious dorayaki, and then come back here at the end of the day.”

“But…I made all of that impossible because I helped Hibari and then even jumped in for the fashion show…”

“That’s fine, really!” Amamiya-san shook her head.

The sleeves of her cardigan widened.

“You helped both Hibari-san and Kokoro-san, right? I really like that about you, and I respect your willingness to help others.”

“Y-You’re giving me too much credit.”

Even though it wasn’t enough to brag about, she kept on acting like I was some sort of saint. That said…it told me she actually looked at me for who I was, not just when I was hikari.

“The truth is that I wanted to spend the whole day with you. To make you fall for me just a bit…and raise my chances with my confession.”

“Chances…? Confession…?”

My head couldn’t keep up. What is she talking about? What am I even being told right now? She tightly grasped the hem of her skirt, as the rain around us suddenly stopped. Instead, a warm breeze blew past us.

“I’m one of the people you helped, right? Do you remember when I told you that I wanted to change?”

“O-Of course!”

“I’m still…not very outgoing or confident. I’m nowhere near as radiant as hikari…but I do like myself more than I did before. And that’s all thanks to you.”

No…It’s because you worked so hard to change. And although I wanted to tell her that, I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt her words.

“I…didn’t want to lose you to another girl, so when I was told about this fountain from Konatsu-chan, I made up my mind that I would tell you today.”

She began sounding more formal and polite. It’s another of her adorable habits. I guess she’s also nervous, just like me. My heart was beating painfully loud. Come on, what are you going to do if you can’t hear what she has to say? I would have wanted for my heart to just stop for a few minutes, but that’d mean I would die. And I couldn’t do that. Not yet. With a quivering voice, Amamiya-san called my name one more time.

“Harema-kun…I told you this before, but from now on, I want you to only look at me…”

You don’t have to tell me that. I can’t bring myself to tear my gaze away from you. Since that day I accidentally watched you from the dusty lockers, the day I saw your peaceful smile, my eyes were always following nobody but you. And worst of all, she now said the words I wanted to say from the very beginning.

“Harema-kun, I…like you.”

The wind made her short hair and outfit flutter. At that moment, I was reminded of the legendary photo that made hikari so popular. But…it was even more than that. And there I was, utterly frozen stiff. Her cuteness overwhelmed me. I couldn’t find the right words. I don’t know how she took my silence, but Amamiya-san lowered her gaze.

“S-Sorry…I guess I’m just troubling you more. I figured that I’m not good enough yet…”

“H-Huh?! No, wait!”

“But…I’m sorry. I don’t think I can give up this easily! I’m going to work hard to become even cuter and worthy of being your girlfriend, so when that time comes…!”

“L-Listen to me, Amamiya-san!”

Despite us being so close, I could barely pick up on her voice. I’m sure I wasn’t just seeing things when I saw her eyes getting all watery. Even so, the courage she showed to confess her feelings pulled me back to reality. Because I was such an idiot and couldn’t process what happened, I hurt her. I can’t forgive myself. Also, did she really say “worthy of being my girlfriend?” How cute can she be? Am I hallucinating?

“I…I like you, too!”

Her cuteness overwhelmed me so much that I just screamed that out loud. My voice reverberated beneath the umbrella. In shock, Amamiya-san raised her head. My face feels like it’s burning up, but I can’t stop until I’ve finished this confession!

“You’re the one who’s always dazzling, Amamiya-san! Without hikari, I’m just a nobody! Some random guy on the side of the road! And not too long ago, I wasn’t even able to see a girl other than hikari as cute! You changed me!”

“I-I didn’t…”

“No, you did! You even changed the hierarchy inside of me! The cutest girl in the world is no longer hikari…It’s you, Amamiya-san!”

This is something of a revolution to me. I’m sure I must have been in love with her from the moment I watched that afternoon.

“I’m too late to realize. I’m so dense I feel like an idiot, but…I’ve always loved you! Won’t you please become my girlfriend?!”

At the very end, the formal language she often used even influenced me, which made me sound rather pathetic. And the way I lowered my head made me feel like I’d already gotten rejected. I’m the representative of every pathetic guy out there. And as just Kouki, there’s no way I could ever hope to change that. But, I wasn’t rejected. Amamiya-san confessed to me, and I responded with my own feelings! As for that very Amamiya-san, she seemed like she was at a loss for words, not moving at all. However, I could tell how her face was slowly turning red. Raika must have taught her some tricks with make-up because I could see the foundation adding to her innate cuteness. And then, with a quivering voice, she asked.

“Is that…true?” She continued. “C-Can I really be your…girlfriend…?”

“Girl…! Y-Yeah, that…sounds nice. Let’s do that! Let’s go out!”

“Go out…I like the sound of that! I’d love to go out with you!”

It was clear from just a glance that both Amamiya-san and I reached our mental capacity. We were both so desperate that we started laughing at the same time.

“Haha…Even my confession is all messed up…Is there even any hope for us?”

“Y-Yeah, but…I’m fine with anything as long as I get to be with you.”

“That’s the same for me, Amamiya-san. Let’s work through this together.”

“I’ll be in your care, Harema-kun.”

Now that we’re dating…would it be fine to hold hands? To hug her…or maybe even, you know, k-kiss her? All these desires grew inside of me, but seeing a flustered Amamiya-san was far too cute that I already felt satisfied.

“Ah, Harema-kun, look! The sky…”

“Oh?”

Amamiya-san pointed up at the sky, so I moved the umbrella out of the way. The clouds above us had passed, letting us see a clear blue sky instead. Even the rain stopped some time ago. The sunlight shining down at us hit the pin in Amamiya-san’s hair, making it shine bright like a star.

“It cleared up!” She said with a smile.

As of today, she’s my girlfriend. But even so, she’s always been the cutest in the whole world.

*

A few days later, bringing us to a clear Monday. Amamiya-san and I might have started dating, but neither of us ever had any experience going out with someone, so we couldn’t just switch over and act like a couple. What does it even mean to act like a couple? Should I start calling her Shizuku? Honey? I feel like that’s way too hard for me to do. Though I would love it if she’d call me “Kouki-kun”! We did talk about that some time ago, but…we’re not friends anymore, right? One day! I’m sure! Either way, we decided to go at our own pace…which meant that, at least right now, nothing much had changed. I thought I might as well tell Mikage that Amamiya-san and I started dating…but after everything, I felt too embarrassed. I can just tell him once I’m ready. It seems like Amamiya-san hasn’t told her family yet, either. Although I’m scared when she actually does. And so, not much has changed in my life…

“You sure you were okay with that, Hibari?”

“What do you mean?”

Most things stayed the same, but I would be lying if my brain was just not going at full capacity. And so, the next afternoon arrived. Hibari invited me and Amamiya-san over to the Candy in the Candy PINK! branch store where she worked. They would open in three days, and because all the advertising at the contest worked like a charm, they were already unsure if they’d make it in time. During this busy time, she asked the manager for permission to fulfill a certain goal.

Currently, Hibari and I were waiting in the staff room. The walls around us were plastered with white, and a plastic table standing in the middle with countless clothes placed on it, the two of us sitting around it. Even the back room of a shop like this has to look cute, huh? As for Amamiya-san…She’s currently in the middle of changing. When we first got here, she said “Is this like…the country of fairies or something…?” and was completely overwhelmed, and so was I because of that cute reaction.

“Well…Showing your face up on stage at the very end, I mean.”

We sat around the table facing each other, and I felt pretty awkward bringing this up to her. It must be a delicate topic for her. And yet, she just responded with a blunt “It’s whatever.”

“Because I went all out, I even won second place. And because they could see my face, it helped raise my overall score,” Hibari sipped on her melon cream soda inside a glass using her heart-shaped straw.

The melting vanilla ice filled the glass only more, with a cherry placed on top. Store manager Melon made this to celebrate Hibari winning second place instead of just getting a regular cake.

“I don’t think you won second place just because you showed your face, though.”

“I know that, of course. It was all because of my own talent.”

“…You don’t hold back at all, huh?”

She’s starting to sound like me when I’m dressed as hikari. But I’m glad to see that she’s satisfied with the results. In fact, Amamiya-san and I received her report right when we were indulging in that sweet atmosphere at the fountain. Amamiya-san and I both expressed our joy for this result, so much so that we even held hands, only to realize what we were doing, blushing aggressively. Either way, this was all thanks to Hibari’s hard work. Including her facing her own family, that is.

“My mother allowed me to continue, too. Did I even tell you about that? When she saw me up on the stage, it reminded her of when she was younger herself.”

“Is that so…”

Her mother also dreamed of being cute a long time ago. Apparently, she always played along when young Hibari wanted to play princess and all that. But because of her work and her environment, she told herself that she’d have to give up on cuteness and all that. And that’s why she forced those same values on her daughter…

“Both my mother and I can’t really be honest with our feelings. She didn’t say it out loud…but I’m sure she’ll let me continue wearing lolita clothes. And I’m satisfied as long as I can keep working here,” Hibari said and scooped up the cherry. “And I did find some unexpected allies.”

Because of her reveal at the show, many people found out about her hobby at school. And that stream went viral, especially after hikari’s appearance. As a result, many learned about the Venomous Princess’ unexpected side. The reactions were mostly positive and supportive, and they even formed a new fan club for her—The [Lolita Hibari-chan Appreciation Committee], which gained an insane amount of members on day one. At the same time, many other lolita fans hid themselves before, so now they approached Hibari openly.

“Hey, Hibari-san, what kind of lolita do you like? Maybe we could exchange our interests sometime?”

“I watched your performance live and it was wonderful.”

“I’m going to attend a lolita afternoon tea meeting sometime soon, so if you’d like…”

And since she attended all these things, soon everyone knew about her. I guess the results speak for themselves. Raika was also burning with passion, wanting a photoshoot with Hibari as soon as she got the chance.

“Guess that means we closed the books on this whole thing.”

“I did lose against hikari. I mean, why are they giving the grand prix to a guest performer?”

“I had no choice in that, remember?” I waved my hands as Hibari glared at me.

After hikari’s performance, many in the audience and online demanded that they could vote for hikari. As a result, I was given first place despite being only the guest. Imagine my surprise when I heard about that after the fact. I wasn’t even there to accept the prize, either. And yet, all the participants had no issues with that, either. Because of that, hikari became the number one lolita girl.

“If Amamiya-san participated, I’m sure I would have lost, though…”

“Are you bragging? Please don’t.”

“D-Does this count as bragging?!”

Just because we’re dating? And right as Hibari averted her gaze, the door swung open.

“Sorry for the wait! Amamin-chan’s all ready!”

Appearing from the open door was the store manager, who had begun to call Amamiya-san just like Raika does. And she was evidently excited.

“I swear, young girls these days are something else. Such raw hidden talent sleeping in not only Hiba-chan, but also Kouki-kun and Amamin-chan…Well, come with me!”

Urged by the manager, Hibari and I headed inside the changing room. Our goal of coming here today was to have Amamiya-san dress up in lolita fashion. She always held an interest in it after becoming friendly with Hibari, and she told her that she would like to try it out at least once. Naturally, the store manager was more than welcoming of that, so she offered to let Amamiya-san try on some of the outfits in the store. My heart was racing with excitement as we came to the curtain that separated us from seeing inside the changing room.

“Here we go…Amamin-chan, it’s showtime!”

In one fell swoop, the store manager opened the curtain like she was some stage magician. Standing there was Amamiya-san after her transformation, and I could feel all the air leaving my lungs. She wore a one-piece with black as its base color, reaching all the way down to her legs. Summarized in one term, it’s a classical lolita. Long and puffy sleeves ran down her slim arms, and there sat a black ribbon right on top of her chest. But what fit her best of all was the white apron she wore on top. She really rocks the apron style. Be it the family kitchen version or the servant version. And then, the white brim on her head with frills…It’s exactly the thing a maid would wear—And that’s what she looked like right now. She’s wearing maid-themed lolita fashion!

“Cu…Cu…Cute…!”

This destructive power would be enough to destroy all of the earth, as I turned into a broken recorder. I could only cover my mouth. Such raw strength…such…moe…Of course, Amamiya-san has always been cute, but when I think about the fact that we’re a couple now, she looks even cuter than before. Meanwhile, the store manager and Hibari talked with each other like they just finished a hard day at work.

“For a prim and proper girl like her, it’s gotta be a classical lolita! I was so sure the maid theme would look great on her!”

“I get that. The skirt isn’t too long or too short, just right below the knees. It’s the best.”

“I knew you’d get it! And you can’t forget about the white brim, either.”

“It wouldn’t be a real maid without it.”

“A maid uniform…is so nice.”

“It’s got its very own, wonderful charm.”

The two were clearly in their own world. But as for me, Amamiya-san was all that I could think about, so I just stared at her. I wanted to burn this sight into my retinas.

“U-Um, Harema-kun, how do I…” Amamiya-san slowly spoke up, her face on fire. “The manager and Hibari-san said you’d like this outfit, but…”

“Amamin-chan! You gotta say the line!”

“Ack…”

The store manager’s comment interrupted Amamiya-san’s desperate attempt to formulate her words.

“D-Do I really have to say it…?” she said with teary eyes, but she eventually made up her mind and looked toward me again.

And then…

“D-Do I look cute in my maid uniform…M-Master?”

I let out a groan and pressed my hands on my chest. It was too much. The store manager gave her a thumbs-up, and Hibari shrugged.

“H-Harema-kun?! Are you okay…?!”

Amamiya-san approached me with a panicked expression. I had lost all energy to even speak, just barely squeezing a “Y-You’re too cute…” out of my throat. Hearing that, Amamiya-san showed a reaction of glee.

—My girlfriend really is the cutest girl in the whole world.