There is this legend at my school. When you take a picture of someone you like, and you set it as your wallpaper on your phone, and you make sure no one sees it for three weeks, you'll end up together with that person. They call it the Charm's Effect.
I first heard it from Taisuke. He tried it a million times, but it never worked.
"Of course it doesn't, baka."
The girl who just called him an idiot is Saionji Sekai. She sits next to me.
She has dark blue eyes and brown hair.
She wears the uniform of Sakakino Seiryou Gakuen: thigh high socks, a short skirt, a dull white blouse, a black blazer with gold buttons and a red ribbon. But she also wears a carefree smile.
Not right now though. She even looks angry.
"The Charm's Effect doesn't work like that. You think you can get any girl you like just by taking a picture of them?"
That would be nice though.
"It just doesn't work," Taisuke says.
"You're using it wrong."
"So, how do you use it then?" I interject.
Saionji-san looks at me and smiles slightly. "In order for the Charm to take effect your feelings for the other person have to be pure and real." She turns back at Taisuke. "Any ecchi thoughts will render it useless."
Oh, that explains a lot.
He doesn't say that out loud though.
"So, when you truly love someone, the Charm will work?"
"Of course it will."
"Did it ever work for you?"
She turns slightly red. "Baka. You can't ask a girl something like that."
"Fine.
Do you know someone for whom it worked?"
"You can't ask that either."
"Is that a no?"
"Homeroom is about to begin."
I knew it. That Charm stuff is total crap. And the way she said it. Pure and real. I thought she was floating for a moment. Truly a girl who believes in fairytales.
"Hey, Makoto."
For reasons beyond my understanding she's using my first name without any honorifics.
"What?" I whisper back.
"Do you believe in the Charm's Effect?"
"Not really." I decide to be honest with her. Besides, it's quite obvious I don't.
"Will you do something for me?"
She looks straight at me.
Hey, we are at class you know?
Luckily, we're sitting at the window aisle of the last row.
"Sure. What is it?"
"Will you try out the Charm? Surely there must be someone you like. Just try it, and then…"
"Fine. I'll try it."
She's stunned momentarily by my quick response. "Thanks, Makoto."
She's right. There is someone I like.
Her name is Katsura Kotonoha. She's in class I-4.
I saw her on the train.
Of course, it's not really surprising we're taking the same train, but…
She just caught my attention.
I only know three things about her.
She likes reading (she's always reading a book on the train.)
She's in class I-4 (confirmed by Katou, a childhood friend of mine who's also in class I-4)
She has huge breasts.
Until now, I was perfectly happy staring at her from a distance. But since I sort of promised Saionji I would try out the Charm, I guess she's my only option.
After all, she said my feelings have to be real.
Now, I don't know much about love, but I like Katsura-san. That's all there is to it, right?
/
/
I sigh. Do I really want to do this?
I don't believe in this Charm for one minute, but there is this 'what if'. I like Katsura-san, but I'm happy keeping things the way they are.
"What are you looking at?"
"Hey, don't startle me like that."
Saioinji-san is sitting next to me. While I look, her face turns pale.
"I'm so sorry," she blurts out. "I didn't mean to, I just…"
Oh, right. No one is supposed to see this picture.
But, wait. I didn't set it as my background yet, so technically speaking this doesn't count as breaking the Charm.
Or does it? And if it does, can I just take another picture of Katsura-san and try again?
Somehow, I don't think it works that way.
"Don't worry about it."
"No, I ruined the Charm. I…
Wait. I've never seen you with Katsura-san." She narrows her eyes.
"Yeah, what about it?"
"So you never actually met her?"
"Not really," I admit.
"I see."
"What are you planning?"
"You'll see. Let's go get lunch."
"Are we allowed to go up on the roof?"
"Not really. But I'm the president of the Astronomy Club, so I have a key."
"I see. And how many members does this Astronomy Club have?"
"Two."
"I hope you're not including me in that."
"Of course I am." She turns around and gives me her carefree smile.
Then, she takes the last flight of stairs, pulls out a key and opens the door.
For some reason, there is a bench up here. A white bench, like you see in parks.
The both of us sit down on it and take out our lunches.
"So, what are you planning?" I ask once again.
"I'm gonna set you up with Katsura-san. I'm gonna provide the effect myself. The Sekai-effect."
"You can forget that."
"Well, I could also tell the others about that pretty picture you have on your phone."
"Don't."
"Maybe I will. Now behave yourself and let me…"
...
Somehow we ended up on the ground.
If I remember correctly, I grabbed her hand, she pushed me away, I pushed back, and now I'm on top of her.
"Don't tell anyone."
"I won't, I swear. Now get of me before anyone sees us like this."
Oh, right. It will be pretty bad if someone saw us like this.
I stand up and take a few steps back.
She also stands up and brushes the imaginary dirt from her skirt. "Well, then. Let's start with stage 1. I'll find out if she has a boyfriend."
"Does she?" I never considered that. She could have a boyfriend.
"That's what I'm going to find out, genius. The last stage will be setting her up as your girlfriend."
"What are you talking about?" This girl just keeps going on and on.
"I will help you actually get somewhere with her. Without me, your odds are beneath zero."
"I don't need your help."
"Then why did you try out the Charm?"
Check.
The next words take away any resistance I had left.
"It takes more than a photo and some wishful thinking to get a girl. Right now, it's looking pretty hopeless."
"I know that."
"Do you?"
"It's not like I want to go out with her or anything." Now I totally sound like a tsundere.
"There we go again. Come on, tsundere, let's get you a girlfriend."
"Just shut up."
She laughs and gives me a wink. "Just leave everything to Sekai-san."
"..."
"If you don't, I'll tell everyone."
"All right all right. I'll leave it to you, Saionji."
"Sekai."
"Huh?"
"Just call me Sekai. As in 'world'. A big name, don't you think? I really like it."
"Too big."
"What?"
"Yeah. Kinda cool. Sekai.
Sorry I yelled at you."
"It's fine, Makoto."
And so, our plan for me to get closer to Katsura-san…
Was set in motion.