Kokoro Connect Volume 5: Clip Time (eBook)

Sadanatsu Anda (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2019
317 Seiten
J-Novel Club (Verlag)
978-1-7183-2608-8 (ISBN)

Infos

When not enduring the supernatural phenomena that turned their first year in high school upside-down, the members of the Cultural Research Club were just average kids... give or take a standard deviation or three. Whether it's just trying to get their paper out there (despite the headline being a gossipy scandal piece), or navigating a relationship chart that looks like an anarchy symbol, they're out to live life as only they can. Perhaps this is why they attracted the attention of a bored omnipotent trickster. And who is that on the front cover? Sadanatsu Anda's saga of minor hiccups and critical junctures on the road of life continues.

Textauszug

And with that, their mission had ended in perfect success. All that was left now was to sit back... and enjoy the fireworks.

Taichi had no way of knowing what would happen from here, but the next thing he knew, he was laughing. No, not just him—they were all laughing uncontrollably, clapping their hands, clutching their sides, and otherwise generally making fools of themselves. And down on the ground, he was sure Nagase was laughing right along with them, radiant as the sun, maybe even jumping for joy.

Below, they could hear voices—secretive murmurs, angry shouts, yelps of surprise, squeals of delight. And the knowledge that they had caused it made it all the funnier.

“What in god’s name is going on?!” the emcee exclaimed over the loudspeaker. “Is this article the real deal?! Oh god, it is, isn’t it? After all, our first-year Miss Yamaboshi is the club president! Huh? What do you mean, that has nothing to do with this? Screw you, pal!”

Evidently he’d picked a fight with an audience member.

“And what do you mean, ‘our sources say the two are not yet official’?! Just get together already! What are you, twelve?! What was that? ‘Hirata-sensei was my dream girl’? Pssh! You and me both, pal!”

At this point, it sounded like he’d forgotten he was still on mic.

“What? They need to decide if they’re dating or not? Trust me, I agree completely. Hmm? Make them choose right here and now?! Well, how’s about it, folks?!”

The audience went wild.

“Thank you, thank you! Now then, we need to get our would-be couple onstage, pronto! Actually... Let’s drag them up here to kick off the after-party! Alright, folks! LET’S FIND HIRATA-SENSEI AND TANAKA-SENSEI! And get that bonfire ready, on the double! LET’S GOOOOO!”

Thunderous footsteps filled the air as the crowd of students broke into a run. Powered by the enthusiastic emcee and the general giddiness that pervaded all festivals as a rule, the entire school worked in tandem to spontaneously throw together a bonus event.

...All things considered, this outcome was, perhaps, a bit excessive.

□■□

And so, under the fading rays of the setting sun, the after-party began.

A bonfire dyed the athletic grounds in a scarlet glow. Meanwhile, the energetic emcee and his crowd-turned-mob were still in full force, and soon the two teachers were cajoled into a public confession in front of not just the entire student body, but all the visiting guests as well. At first they were opposed to it—rather, Tanaka-sensei was—but the tipping point came when a large majority of the faculty members took the students’ side, urging them to “just get it over with already!”

In the end, the students got their happy ending; their efforts were rewarded with a love confession so cheesy it was almost painful, and this marked the birth of a brand new school-sanctioned teacher-teacher couple. Now the question remained: would either of them be able to teach their classes with a straight face after this?

Immediately following the end of the... ceremony(?), a few classmates took their jealousy out on Taichi, but fortunately they cooled off over time. Meanwhile, quite a few guys decided to use the romantic vibe to their advantage to spontaneously confess their own feelings. But while the big moment had everyone feeling a little emotional, surely the girls weren’t so stupid as to let that sway them...

Part of him dreaded to think what the mood in the classroom would be like come Monday morning.

Upon that thought, he spotted Inaba headed over from the school building and called out to her.

“Inaba! Where have you been? People have been jumping down my throat, asking me where we got that photo!”

“Oh, right. I bet you stuck it out like a champ. Anyway, sorry to disappear on you, but I had some stuff to take care of.”

“Like what?”

Inaba regarded his question with a scowl that said are you braindead?

“You really think we could get away with sneaking a paparazzi photo of our teachers and spreading it around the whole school without making at least some kind of apology to the people directly affected by the scandal? Is that what you think? God, you’re such a moron.”

...He couldn’t argue with that. Instead, he decided to apologize.

“Right... Sorry.”

“Hmph! Well, anyway, I got it all taken care of, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Dare I ask how you managed that...?” He found himself sorely wishing he could’ve been a fly on that wall. “Seriously, I’d love to know where you even got the pic... but I won’t ask. What made you want to make an article of it, though? You must’ve known there’d be consequences.”

It was a question that had lingered on his mind for quite some time, considering he knew how much Inaba disliked excessive effort (to the point that she would generally go to great lengths to avoid it).

After a pause, she said, “Well, I knew their feelings for each other were mutual. I knew they were just waiting for the right opportunity. And I figured if I could help that old coward, he might eventually repay me in kind... Of course, first I had to convince him it was a debt to be repaid in the first place, but that’s what the apology was for.” She smirked. “Did you know Tanaka’s got a hand in determining the budget allotment for each club? Maybe I’ll get him to adjust our funding. Heh heh heh!”

“You’re a monster...” More than ever, he was dying to know where she got her information. “So you were just doing it for your own benefit?” He laughed. That’s our Inaba, I guess.

But she didn’t seem to hear him.

“...Then again, that’s not the only reason. Part of me just wanted to goof off with you guys,” she muttered. “After all, if I were purely after a budget increase, there’s plenty of other ways I could go about it.”

This wasn’t quite what he had expected to hear from Inaba of all people. “I didn’t realize you thought that way.”

“Goof off” wasn’t a phrase he generally associated with a pragmatist like her... but somehow it made him smile. She wanted to have fun with us.

Instantly, she blushed bright red. “HEY! Don’t you smirk at me, mister! Wipe that sick grin off your face!”

“What’s wrong? Embarrassed?”

“I am NOT embarrassed!”

But her frustration only made him grin all the more.

“I told you, quit smirking at me! Rrrgh! Goddamnit! I always end up running my mouth when I’m with you!” She clutched at her hair, pouting slightly. “...Huh? Oh, Iori’s calling for you. Get over there, Taichi! Run along, now! Shoo!”

Taichi turned to find Nagase, now changed out of her yukata and back into her school uniform, jogging over. When he spotted her, she waved at him.

“I’ll make myself scarce. See ya.” She was hardly a third wheel, and yet she walked off regardless.

Meanwhile, Nagase came to a stop in front of him. “Sorry it took so long! A bunch of people asked me out for some reason!”

This nearly gave him a heart attack. “For some reason?! Yeah, right! Who was it?! Dudes from our class?!”

“Some of ‘em were, yeah. Not all of ‘em, though.”

“...So how’d it go?” he asked nervously.

“Oh, I shot ‘em all down, easy!”

“Don’t say it was easy! Have some respect!” he retorted, and yet somehow he felt relieved to hear it... but why?

“I mean, I’m glad they like me so much, and it’s not like I hate them for it or anything... I’m just not sure I’m... up for it, y’know? Not sure I’m capable of it,” she finished in a shaky, fragile voice, her carefree attitude suddenly gone.

It was such a sudden, drastic change, Taichi wasn’t sure how to handle it... but then she bounced back like it was nothing.

“Aaanyways! We sure kicked butt today, didn’t we?! We put on a heck of a show, made someone’s fairytale romance come true... and just look at the aftermath! Love is in the air! I’m tellin’ ya, this is one for the history books!” With a grin, she held up her fingers in a V for victory.

“Yeah, for sure... Even I’m a little touched.” He never dreamed that they could create this domino effect... bring so many people together... inspire change.

“The five of us made this happen as a team,” Nagase declared, an expression of contentment on her face.

“Ordinarily I’d love to agree with you, but... I don’t think I really contributed much this time around...”

“I mean, okay, Inaban was obviously the brains of the operation, and Aoki made a great suggestion, and I kicked butt in the pageant, and I’m told Yui got up to all sorts of trouble today... I guess by comparison, yeah, you were kinda just there!”

“Guh...!” He clutched his chest. He knew it was true, of course, but it still hurt to have someone else say it to his face.

Nagase snickered. “But I still think you’re the most important member of the club. We need you.” Her frighteningly beautiful eyes gazed into his. “Sure, sometimes someone else has a turn in the spotlight, but when it comes down to it, the one who seems the most useless is often the key player,...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 6.5.2019
• Reihe/Serie: Kokoro Connect
• Reihe/Serie: Kokoro Connect
• Illustrationen: Shiromizakana
• Übersetzer: Molly Lee
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• Schlagworte: body-swap • Comedy • Drama • Friendship • Paranormal • Psychological • Slice of Life
• ISBN-10: 1-7183-2608-4 / 1718326084
• ISBN-13: 978-1-7183-2608-8 / 9781718326088