Lunchtime
After class, I decided to start looking for the next rival, Amai Odayaka. Info-chan told me that Senpai joined the cooking club, so she's probably the biggest threat at the moment.
Recently, I started bringing "Meal-drinks" to school instead of a bento. They aren't very tasty, but they're efficient and that's all I need.
I quickly downed the tasteless contents and went to the school kitchen. I know that, unlike other students, the cooking club members prepare their own meals around this time.
Thankfully, I still have the audio recorder from when I eliminated Osana. It was a simple matter of turning it on and hiding it inside a bag of rice and leaving before anyone saw me.
I even found a knife that Senpai touched! I switched it out for my own knife and hid it in my dress.
I quickly walked back to class, where I saw Osana texting on her phone, and Kokona was reading off a piece of paper.
"It has been our pleasure to share our life here beneath the sea with you, to show our appreciation for your kindness to the turtle," she said. "Now, we understand that you wish to return to your own home."
"Hi Kokona," I said.
She looked up from the words.
"Oh, hello Ayano,"
"What are you doing?"
She beamed at me.
"I'm practicing for the school play,"
Oh right. Kokona's in the drama club. And she just might be the key to taking down Kizana.
"It's Romeo and Juliet, right?" I said.
"Well… yes, but I didn't get a role in it. I'm going to be in the ending skit instead,"
"Oh, well that's unfortunate. I think you'd make a great Juliet!"
"Aw, thanks. But it's not really a big deal. I get to be princess Otohime instead!" she twirled gracefully.
"Really? That's great!" I was never really one for fairy tales, but Kokona seems happy.
"And you know what the best part is?" she asked.
"What?"
Osana looked up from her phone.
"Riku got the role of Urashima Taro,"
"I know, right?" Kokona's eyes sparkled.
"Doesn't he, you know, leave the princess forever and turn into an old man?" I pointed out.
Kokona was about to say something, but Osana spoke first.
"The skit has an alternate ending where Urashima heads back to the undersea kingdom and speaks with a turtle to forgive his sins and regain his youth. Then he..."
"...Marries the princess!" Kokona finished.
Well… I can safely say that Kokona isn't a threat anymore. Seriously, all I did was set her up on a rooftop lunch date with him.
"Aren't you overreacting a little bit?" said Osana, staring at her phone screen. Strange, does this have anything to do with her and Senpai?
But Kokona wasn't listening. She stared wistfully out the window at the cherry tree.
"Uh, earth to Kokona!"
Kokona: I can hear the bells.
Osana: What?
Kokona: Well, don't cha hear 'em chime?
Ayano: Well this came out of nowhere.
Kokona: Can't 'cha feel my heartbeat keeping perfect time?
Kokona: And all because he,
Touched me
Osana: What?
Kokona: He looked at me and stared, yes he
Bumped me
My heart was unprepared when he
Tapped me
And knocked me off my feet
One little touch
Now my life's complete
'cause when he
Nudged me
Love put me in a fix, yes it
Hit me
Just like a ton of bricks,
Ayano: Ouch.
Kokona: Yes my, heart burst
Now I know what life's about
One little touch
And love's knocked me out and
I can hear the bells
Osana: Where'd that chorus come from?
Kokona: My head is spinning
I can hear the bells
Something's beginning
Osana: Like a migraine?
Everybody says
That a girl who looks like me
Can't win his love
Kokona: Well, just wait and see 'cause
I can hear the bells
Ayano: Literally nobody says that about you.
Just hear them chiming
I can hear the bells
My temperature's climbing
Osana: Should we get her to the nurse?
I can't contain my joy
'Cause I finally found the boy
I've been missin'
Kokona: Listen!
I can hear the bells
Ayano: When senpai notices you.
Osana: That meme? Really? And what about your Senpai?
Ayano: What?
Round one
He'll ask me out after the play, and then
Round two
I'll primp, but won't be late because
Round three's
When we kiss under the tree
Won't go all the way
But we'll go to tier 3
Ayano: What?
Round four
He'll ask me for my hand and then
Round five
We'll book the wedding band so by
Round six
Kizana, to your surprise
This "second-rate" actress
Takes the prize and
I can hear the bells
My ears are ringing
I can hear the bells
The bridesmaids are singing
Everybody says
That a guy who's such a gem
Won't look my way
Kokona: Well, the laugh's on them 'cause
I can hear the bells
Ayano: Again, you aren't star-crossed
My father will smile
I can hear the bells
As he walks me down the aisle
My mother would be proud
But I can't see 'cause Riku and me
Are french kissin'
Listen!
I can hear the bells
I can hear the bells
My head is reeling
I can hear the bells
I can't stop the peelings
Osana: Huh?
Everybody warns
That he won't like what he'll see
But I know that he'll look
Inside of me.
Ayano and Osana: EW!
I can hear the bells
Today's just the start 'cause
I can hear the bells
And till death do us part
And even when we die
We'll look down from up above
Remembering the night
That we two fell in love
We both will share a tear
And he'll whisper as we're reminiscin'
Listen!
I can hear the bells
"I… I have no words," said Osana.
"Pokemon entry #132," I said.
"What?"
"Ditto,"
Osana turned to Kokona.
"Kokona,"
"Yes?" she replied.
"You're crazy,"
"Says the girl who got rejected yesterday," Kokona playfully teased. Osana blushed.
"Wow… news travels fast in this school," I said without thinking.
"You knew?" said Osana.
Oh, crud. Quick, come up with an excuse.
"Uh… yeah. Miyuji told me."
"Miyuji? As in, president of the light music club and lead singer of the Strawberry Thieves?"
"Uh, yeah? I just joined this morning,"
"SHE LET YOU IN?!" Osana and Kokona said at the same time.
"She did. I just played her a guitar solo," I said.
"You play guitar?" said Kokona.
"Eh, I dabble a little bit,"
Osana frowned.
"I don't know about you, but it takes more than just "dabbling" to get into the light music club. Next, to the drama club, it's the hardest one to get into!"
"I can't wait to hear you play!" Kokona beamed.
"Thanks," I said.
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.