New Moon

After the castle visit, we went to the beach. We arrived there during lunchtime. I am still not successful in my attempts to talk to Hiroisora.

"What am I going to do?" Now I am talking to myself due to desperation. I was eating the boxed lunch I bought at the nearby beach house. I'm eating together with Jirai and Nariyuki.

"For someone who is just a friend, you're way too concerned about this, aren't you?" Nariyuki bothered to comment on my ramblings.

"…" I don't know how to respond to that.

"Just go talk to her. I've given you my blessing, so what's the problem?" Jirai's head is pretty messed up, isn't it?

"First, you're not the problem. Second, I don't think I need your blessing. Third… I don't have a third…"

"See? Your problem is that you don't think things through." Am I really hearing this from Jirai? "If you just think about it, the solution is easy." Oh? This I gotta hear. "You kidnap her and-" I knew it was stupid to expect something useful from him. I ignored the rest of the stupid idea he said.

---

We didn't come to the beach to swim. It was to observe the organisms that live near the shore and the corals, seaweeds and other plants nearby. We had until the afternoon at the beach. We would need to head back to the hotel by dinner, since there was this surprise activity tonight.

I went to a beach stall selling shaved ice.

"Hey, Takaiyama, what are you buying?" Jirai saw me and followed me.

"Shaved ice, isn't it obvious?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'? It's hot here. And…"

"And…?"

"…They say sweets cure the kind of pain I'm feeling right now."

"Why did I concede to this gay person?" He asked himself while shaking his head.

"Shut up." He left after that.

As I was enjoying my sweet and cold shaved ice at a bench, someone sat beside me.

"That looks delicious. Can I have some?"

"I really am not a fan of sharing this sweet and cold shaved ice, but sure- Hiroisora?! Wha- why are y-you talking to me?"

"I'm sorry." She bowed to me. "I misunderstood things. I thought that…"

"How did you…?"

"Nariyuki told me. She said you weren't the one who spread those rumors." I let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm just glad things got cleared up…" Yup. I'm really glad. Sweets do cure this kind of feeling, huh.

"So… Are you going to give me some?" She was smiling again.

"Sure. But don't you think people will misunderstand this and spread rumors again?"

"Ah. Yeah. You're probably right…" Her sad expression surprised me.

"No, no. I was just joking!" I really was. "Does it really bother you to be rumored having a boyfriend or something? Or maybe because it was me being linked to you in the rumors? Hahaha."

"…" She fell silent. "I… well, see you around." She stood up and left. Did I say something?

---

We got back to the hotel at dinner time. While eating…

"Hey, Nariyuki."

"Yup?"

"Thanks… for talking to Hiroisora for me."

"I was so overcome with pity that I had to do it." Pity? "You looked like a sorry excuse for a boy. I couldn't stand it." Hey! If you didn't just help me, I would…

"You would do what, exactly?" I didn't say anything! How can people keep on hearing my inner thoughts! "You should really control your facial expressions. We can read you like an open book." There it is again! Oh, wait.

"My facial expressions?"

"Yes. It is an asset in acting, though, which makes you a suitable actor." I see. "Also, another reason I helped you is that I need my star actors to be able to act and work together." Makes sense.

As we were conversing, a teacher stood up and announced the surprise event.

"Everyone, listen up. We will be having a special activity tonight. Please finish up your dinner and meet us up at the shrine entrance beside the hotel outside in 30 minutes."

---

Everyone was standing outside in front of a stairway. The stairway leads up to the shrine on top of the hill. People are all wondering what we are going to do here.

"Everyone, settle down." One of the teachers shouted. "Our special activity tonight is a tradition of our school. Every student of Chiheisen Academy has gone through this rite." It sounds really important, being a tradition and such. "Now, it is your turn to prove your worth as students of our school." Our teacher's voice was very serious. Everyone is in eager anticipation to know what this rite is. "We will be doing a..." Everyone is holding their breaths. "...Test of Courage!" What?

---

The teachers were all laughing at our expressions of disappointment that turned quickly into nervousness.

"It is true that this has been a tradition. When I was a student of this school, we did this as well." The teacher explained, less the serious tone of his voice.

"I just knew it would be like this." The all-knowing Jirai said this while holding his chin as if he was a detective.

"Please enlighten me."

"This is all part of the gods' plans to make all the broken-hearted girls fall for me."

"Oh, you don't say?" I'll listen to him this time. I feel like I owe him from earlier, even if just a little.

"Well, since they all believe you are taken, their carefully prepared confessions will be such a waste. And when they see me, they will realize those expressions of love were really meant for me." Listening to him was a waste of time. "These types of events are usually when people confess their feelings. In case of a Test of Courage, they will find an opportunity to be alone with that someone and confess."

"You know a lot about these things, don't you?"

"You can practically call me an S-class being of dating."

"S-class what?"

"S-class beings, you know, the most powerful type of dem—"

"Forget I asked."

"Well isn't this an interesting conversation." Nariyuki joined us. "So, do you plan to confess to anyone?" She seemed to be teasing me about something. I think I get it.

"Well, no, not really..." I don't want this to be an issue again, so I changed the topic. "So what are the rules in this test of courage? I was too busy listening to Jirai's enlightening speeches."

"The teachers will be drawing pairs. One boy and one girl. Since there are fewer girls, the last to be picked will be pairs of boys. Each pair will have a 10 minute interval from one another to climb the stairs and enter the forest at the top then finally walk to the shrine at the end. If we make it all the way to the shrine, there is a box with folded papers inside. The pair will get one each and come back here then show it to the teachers. It will be the proof that we finished the test. If we come back empty handed it's ok, but those who can present their pieces of paper to the teachers will have bonus credit or something."

"Well, seems easy enough."

"You're not scared Takaiyama-kun?"

"Not really."

"Wow, you must be really brave. Even after hearing that this hill was a place where a lot of soldiers died during the war. They say soldiers with either a lost arm or leg wander around at night, hoping to escape and avoid death. Those are probably ghosts, though."

"..."

"Why do you look pale all of a sudden? You're not scared, are you? Hmm?"

"N-no... Of c-course not..."

"Oh. That's good, then. It would be a shame if you're a scared-y cat, being so good-looking and all." She's mocking me. I'm sure of it.

"I will now be drawing the first pair." One teacher shouted. I will be alright if I don't go first. As long as I know someone is ahead of me, if ever something happens to them, I'll know and be able to run away. What are the odds of me being picked first, right? "Takaiyama!" Like I said, what are the odds of me being picked first? "Hey, Takaiyama!" Hmm. I keep on hearing my name. I wonder why? "You're going first, Takaiyama!" Why do the gods favour Jirai but hate me?!

---

As I was awaiting my inevitable demise, most of the girls were cheering.

"There is still a chance for me! I just have to be picked as his partner!"

"Maybe they are still not a couple; this is my chance to confess my love!"

"I can die if I can be alone with Takaiyama-sama!"

...I still haven't lost my 'desirability', huh. That's the least of my concerns now. I wonder how many seconds I will last in this test.

"He will be going with..." Who is the lucky girl who will witness me as I scream and run away? "...Hiroisora!" The gods are on a roll tonight.

As Hiroisora's name was announced, a unified scream of disbelief by everyone (boys AND girls) was heard. Then it became screams of anger. I think I should be more afraid of disappointed adolescent males with their dreams destroyed rather than ghosts.

"Wow, I could feel the bloodlust in here." Jirai comments excitedly. "Which would get you first, the boys or the ghosts? Hehehe." He seems like he's enjoying this.

"Please take care of me." Hiroisora came and jokingly said this. She even slightly bowed while smiling at me.

"O-of course." I should be the one saying that to her. Wait, how lame would that be?

"Takaiyama! Hiroisora! It's time to start now. Hurry up here." The teacher called us to start at the bottom of the stairway.

As we were starting to walk up the stairs, I could hear the boys talking loudly as if to make sure I hear it. To sum it up, they are saying that if I do something to Hiroisora, I'm dead. Also, if I don't do anything to protect her, I'm dead. Oh yeah, just by being with her on this Test of Courage, I'm dead. Basically, I'm dead.

"Are you scared, Takaiyama-kun?"

"Wh-what made y-you say th-that? Hehehe..."

"Besides the fact you're shaking?"

"Am I n-now? Hahaha. Th-that's news t-to me." I have to act tough.

"Oh. Then what about the sweating? Are you ok?" Why does she keep on questioning my manly-hood?!

"It's j-just hot tonight."

"Oh. Okay. If you say so. Hehe."

We continued to climb the stairs. I could hear different sounds, from the wind blowing to the rustling of the leaves to the ghosts that wander around. Ok, I just misheard that last part. I hope.

"Takaiyama-kun." Hiroisora suddenly spoke after a while of silence from both of us. For my part, I'm just trying to keep myself from running away. "Can I ask you a question?"

"S-sure. What is i-it?"

"About those rumors..." I thought we were done with this issue. "...you really don't know who started it or where it came from?"

"No, why...?" Is it really that bad for her to be linked to me?

"You had nothing to do with it?"

"No." I wonder where she is going with this.

"Um..."

"Yeah?"

"So... you don't have anything... to say to me?" She looked at me with a curious face. I don't know how I will answer this. Do I take the opportunity to confess, or just wait for another chance? "Well, Takaiyama-kun?"

"...Not really." I can't do it.

"I see."

I hoped she would be disappointed with my answer. She answered while smiling to me, as if she's happy.