V2Ch3: Black, white, and iridescent despair

Posted on April 19, 2022by Soafp

Translator: Soafp

　Tsukiyo Kuromine approaches.

She is one of the “four colour goddesses” of Tenkain Academy, and is known as the Black Goddess. She is overwhelmingly popular among the girls at the school because of her cool and straightforward appearance. Her true identity is that of a shy, reserved girl. She seems to be troubled by her front and back personalities.

　Currently, she wears her hair down, glasses off, and makeup in school style. She was dressed in a simple, unadorned shirt and pants, but when worn by the tall and stylish Kuromine, it looked like a fine fashion statement.

“What a coincidence, Onee-sama!”

A squealing Kanon jumped on the approaching Kuromine.

Kanon is not a tall person, but when she is with Kuramine, they look like an adult and a child, partly because of the difference in tension.

Kuromine seemed to love Kanon a lot and was smiling kindly at her. After lightly patting her head with a pompon, he gently stroked it. They looked like a mother and daughter.

　My heart was calmed by the sight of the two of them.

　Kuromine turned to me.

“……Osu”

“Ou.”

Kuromine in this style makes me less nervous. Maybe it’s because her appearance is too different from the past. Maybe my brain is judging her as a different person.

“Shopping?”

“Hanging out. Are you siblings shopping together?”

“Kind of.”

　In Kuromine’s hand is a familiar bag. Apparently, she had come to buy some clothes.

“Onee-sama, you were shopping today, right?”

“I found some clothes I wanted.”

“If that was the case, I wish you had invited Kanon to join you.”

“Sorry, I’m the type of person who likes to shop alone.”

It was a coincidental encounter, but I was glad Kanon was there.

Kuromine and Kanon chatted for a while.

　I sat down on a bench nearby and watched the two of them being friendly with each other.

　They had exchanged contact information and had been in touch with each other frequently, but this was the first time they had met since the summer vacation began. Kanon was talking about the events of the first few days of summer vacation with a happy look on her face.

　It’s going to be a long story. I reached for the phone in my pocket to get the login bonus for the app I couldn’t activate earlier.

　It was just then.

“—–Ara, what a coincidence.”

　When I turned around to look at the familiar voice, I saw Mayuki Shirase standing behind me.

　Shirase’s appearance made me freeze.

She is one of the [Four Colour Goddesses], the pride of Tenkain Academy, and is known as the White Goddess. She is the daughter of the president, and is characterized by her petite and mocking appearance. She is popular with many boys because she seems to be firm but has a screwed-up personality.

　It was a surprise.

Kanon noticed Shirase’s presence when she was bewildered by her unexpected appearance. After saying goodbye to Kuromine, she approached us.

“Shirase-senpai, it’s been a while.”

“……Good day to you, Kanon-san”

　Shirase smiled awkwardly.

“Senpai is still insanely cute as ever.”

“Thank you …… Kanon-san, you look so much prettier now than you did in middle school. I could have looked at you wrong.”

“Hehehe, it’s my high school debut.”

　Do these two know each other?

I tapped Kanon on the shoulder and moved closer to her ear.

“…… You know the white goddess?”

“Huh, didn’t I tell Onii-chan? Kanon is from Himemiya Jogakuin, the same school as Shirase-senpai, and I was in club activities with senpai. I even visited their house once.”

　I had never heard of it.

　Did she know more about Shirase than I did? Was that good news or bad news? It was definitely sad news.

“Or rather, were you acquainted with Shirase-senpai, Onii-chan?”

“…… well, more or less”

　I don’t know how to answer that. My relationship with that girl, though, is that we’re supposed to be friends. At least that’s what that girl said. Her younger brother thinks she’s my girlfriend, but that’s none of my business.

I was thinking about it when I heard the conversation.

“Ara, isn’t that Kuromine-san?”

‘…… Chi.’

“You’re as unsociable as ever.”

“Shut up. Don’t talk to me like that.”

　They are not getting along as well as ever.

　Kuromine’s attitude had changed from before, and she was completely quarrelsome.

　However, Shirase didn’t seem to be interested in Kuromine. She just chuckled and didn’t care about Kuromine.

“By the way, Kanon-san, are you shopping with your brother?”

“Yes. To buy a swimsuit.”

“…… Swimsuit?”

　Shirase glanced at me. Then she looked at Kanon and then at Kuromine.

She froze for a few seconds and then looked as if she had a flash of inspiration.

“If you like, we can go to the pool later with this group.”

　An outrageous proposal popped up.

“Haa?”

（Haa?)

　The words from Kuromine’s mouth and the voice in my mind overlapped.

“You came here to buy a swimsuit, didn’t you? It must be some kind of fate that we met here. I think that Kuromine and Kanon are good friends, and I and Nijitani are friends, too. If that’s the case, there’s nothing strange about going out to play together.”

　Wait, this is bad.

　That’s too sudden. I don’t think my mentality can handle a swimming pool with this group of people. There’s no way I’m going.

“I–“

“Waa, that’s nice. If we go in July, then Kanon and Onii-chan will definitely be there!”

Oi, stepsister.

　I pull Kanon by the arm and move into the shadows.

“Don’t decide on your own.”

“Eh, but Onii-chan, you said you didn’t have any plans, right.”

“That’s true, but–“

“Onii-chan you don’t have a girlfriend, so this is your chance.”

“……”

“I mean, you were friends with Shirase-senpai. That’s a super chance. She’s a goddess, and it’s not every day you get to go to the pool with her. No need to worry about it, right?”

She tilts her head slightly with an innocent look on her face.

　Yes, that’s right.

Kanon’s opinion is a very common one.

My stepsister does not know about my past. So there is no way she can understand my feelings of not wanting to be close to these two people.

　I don’t intend to talk about my past. Originally I had no intention to, but now that Kanon has become good friends with Kuromine, I can’t say anything about it anymore. I can’t imagine how Kanon would go berserk if she knew the dusky black nature of the goddess.

　–Goddesses and swimming pools.

　I wonder if there are any boys at Tenkain Academy who would refuse this event. I’m sure many girls would like to go too.

Kanon knows I don’t have a girlfriend. So this is also a sign of concern for her brother. In other words, it is kindness.

　That’s why it’s so hard to deal with. I can’t be angry at her good intentions. And on top of that, I told her with my own mouth that I’m free during the month of July.

　…….I have to do something about it

“Ah, I see. You mean it’s tough for you because you’re the only male.

“Eh, uhm, that’s right”

　Nice assist.

Umu, of course that’s not it. If I think about it calmly, three women and one man is not a good balance. I’m not saying that Kuromine will join, but if she does, it will definitely be unbalanced.

“You’re right. Look, three women for one man is a bit awkward, isn’t it? And besides, if the school found out about it, it would cause a lot of trouble. They’re going to want to kill me like I’m building a harem.”

“Certainly.”

“That’s why the girls can—-“

　Just as I was about to say, “Go,” Kanon spotted something and ran out.

　I, Shirase and Kuromine stared in that direction. Kanon seemed to be talking to someone. Then, after exchanging a few words, she pulled a man in front of us.

　The tall, handsome man looked familiar.

I thought I heard a “Gee,” next to me, but it was probably just my imagination.

“I got a guy who looked bored. Yakumo-kun Shirase from the same class. He’s the younger brother of Shirase senpai. He’s not a stranger, and I’m sure Shirase-kun would be okay with him coming too.”

Ahem,” Kanon says, puffing out her chest.

Yakumo-kun is puzzled by the suddenness of the situation, and Kanon continues.

“Shirase, this is Kanon’s Onii-chan.”

She introduced me.

I was the one who was confused by the sudden introduction rather than Yakumo-kun. Even just being in contact with two goddesses at the same time was confusing my mind, and then a new bomb was dropped on me.

　The relationship between him and me is hard to describe.

When I was dating Shirase in junior high school, he appeared as her true love. Later, he turned out to be Shirase’s younger brother. But now he seems to think that Shirase and I are in a relationship. It is a very complicated relationship to put it into words.

“N-Nice to meet you.”

　A handsome man bows his head in front of me.

　It’s not actually nice to meet you. No, I know this guy very well, even though it’s a first time for us to exchange words.

“….I’m Shota Nijitani, sophomore.”

“I’m Yakumo Shirase, freshman.”

“It seems Kanon has been in your care”

“No, I am always being helped by Nijitani-san. But I didn’t know Nijitani-san had an older brother.”

　…… eh?

Isn’t this strange?

He probably thinks me and Shirase are lovers. Shouldn’t she have talked about that when I dated Shirase before? Nijitani is an unusual last name, so normally he would know.

　But I read the air.

　I felt it was better to act like I knew nothing here. At least that way, I felt, it wouldn’t cause any unnecessary trouble.

“I guess so. Kanon and I went to different junior high schools.”

“I see, that’s what happens when you go to different middle schools. I was in a different junior high school from my sister, too, but after I entered Tenkain, it was very difficult for her to know that I was her brother.

“Hahaha. I see. I see.”

　What kind of face am I supposed to make at a time like this?

　All I could do was smile wryly.

“……”

　Kuromine, who had been watching the situation quietly, let out a big breath.

“Oh, uhm, …… Onee-sama, you are going too, right?”

Right, there is still hope.

When it comes down to it, all I ask is Kuromine. If she says she won’t go, Kanon’s tension will drop, and I can talk her into not going.

　Kuromine has a complex. She has always said that her breasts were a problem for her, and in junior high school she complained that she hated participating in swimming classes. So there’s a good chance she’ll say no.

My eyes meet Kuromine’s, who is looking puzzled. Kuromine then looked at Kanon and then glared at Shirase.

“…… I understand. I’ll go.”

　Seriously. Just say no.

“Yay, pool with Tsukiyo Onee-sama!”

“……”

Kuromine’s tension was not the same as prior to going to the pool, although she said she would go, but it was not very exciting. She was as desperate as I was, or maybe even more so.

　I don’t know, was she harassing me?

　The goddesses don’t get along with each other for some reason, and Shirase knew this was going to happen, so she invited her? If so, she’s too much of a bad character. White is just a name, oi.

　……Shirase?

Can you explain to me why you are looking so hopeless when you are the one who invited me to come join ? Come to think of it, you haven’t spoken at all since a while ago.

　In contrast to my sister, Yakumo-kun looked happy.

That’s right, you are excited, aren’t you?

　It is so if it is a normal feeling. I don’t know what his relationship is with his sister, Shirase, but at the very least, he should be excited to be able to go to the pool with the goddess, Kuromine. That’s normal.

“Thanks for inviting me. I’m looking forward to going to the pool with Nijitani-san and the other senpai’s.

“Right. Kanon is looking forward to going to the pool with Onee-sama”

　Yakumo-kun and Kanon were smiling.

“……”

“……”

“……”

　Me, Kuromine and Shirase each looked like we were dying.

In a chaotic situation where three out of the five had faces stained with despair, the decision was finalized to go to the pool.