Chapter 1

(Brush it back… and strike a balance between the right and left sides, like this maybe?)

(I still want to pin it up like usual, so I should leave some hair in the front too…)

(…Okay. I like this. Now I just need to tie it up with a hairband…)

—And there we go.

Yep, I’m still not used to seeing myself like this. All I did was grow my hair out, but it feels like I’m a completely different person.

Right now I’m just tying it back, but I’d like to play around with the style a little more sometime too.

Am I ever gonna get used to this…?

(…This isn’t the time to be talking to a mirror. I have to think more about Chocolat Fes.)

(Thanks to Tenshouin-senpai’s efforts, the ball really got rolling and now Chocolat Fes can be held without any problems.)

(Or… not without any problems, but we’ve got the chocolate thing all settled, so that’s put us at ease.)

(As soon as everyone caught wind of that, they started going all in.)

(There was so much going on with SS that no one’s had a chance to think of anything else… But now there’s less than a month until Chocolat Fes.)

(We’ve got to get ourselves in gear, too.)

(…We told ourselves we’d come back and talk about it, but since that day we haven’t made any progress at all.)

…Hmm, okay. Here’s what this year’s lineup of popular chocolates looks like.

The art on the packaging is so cute and elaborate. Maybe we can use it as a reference for our costumes and set?

Ooh, you can read an interview with the patissier, too. “Thoughts and feelings on this year’s chocolates,” huh—

…… (absorbed in reading)

Browsing through all these websites, you can see them featuring a bunch more sweets than just chocolates.

Macarons, candies, cakes… There’s even chocolate-covered donuts that give off Valentine’s vibes.

…Eugh, just looking at all these pictures of sweet things makes my mouth feel all sickly sweet.

I’ll cleanse my palate with some tea and senbei…

Yuuuuuta ♪

Yep, gonna cleanse my palate…

I thought you’ve been growing your hair out lately! But it looks way longer from the back, yanno?

…… (ignoring him)

And when you look really close, you can see the tips of your hair are even touching your shoulders. Seriously, when’d ya grow it out long enough to tie it up like that?

…… (desperately ignoring him)

So? How’d you get it in that style? You just grab a big clump and tie it in a loop?

Will you shut up already?!

And can you not touch my hair either? I literally just tied it up all nice!

And another thing! I’m trying to refresh my mind here, and you’re interrupting that! I’d like to enjoy my delicious tea and senbei now, okay?

…The tea is one thing, but is that “delicious” senbei you’re talking about the bright red stuff on the table there?

Yeah, your point?

It’s got extra flavor with a shichimi spice blend, so my tongue is really burning. These red-hot senbei will get you addicted ☆ They’re super yummy… ♪

Uh no, it just looks super spicy.

I’m not giving you any, got that…?

I don’t want ‘em!

Excuse me~? When ASOBI Club got together that one time, weren’t you the first to snatch up the snacks Sazanami-senpai brought?¹

Junjun’s sweets never miss though ♪ Those little assorted mini pies were so good.

I guess he even picked out ones that I could eat too, even though I don’t like sweet stuff. Yeah, they were so good—

…Wait, no. Why are you bothering me during my personal time, Senpai? If you don’t need anything from me, can you just go on your way?

I only came over ‘cause I saw you staring at your phone. And I was wondering what’s up with your hair too.

So how’re you guys gonna be a “twin unit” if you look different from Hina, huh?

Like, did you have some kinda change of heart? I know you cut your hair when they’re nursing a broken heart, but you usually grow it out when you’re making a wish—

I’m not telling you even if you beg.

…I have my reasons. That’s all.