Chapter 40: Saphhire diva Kasumi Reira (2)

Mizuki, Aya, and Kasumi. The three young ladies chatted effortlessly, the conversation flowing smoothly without my intervention.

‘As I thought, it’s more natural for me to just listen quietly. I’ll be the potted plant in this yuri scene…’

Kasumi’s voice was calm and measured, a hint of shyness in her demeanor, yet she seemed comfortable with Mizuki and Aya. They’d all attended Takamari Middle School together, Kasumi being a year ahead. And it seemed the Kasumi family had close ties with the Asakura and Yukikawa families. While I found their easy banter fascinating, I also felt a sense of distance, like I didn’t quite belong in their world.

‘Wow, she’s really cute.’

Cute, with a refined way of speaking and an elegant aura. Kasumi was a perfect blend of seemingly contradictory qualities. If only she were shorter than me…

But she wasn’t. It bothered me slightly, but at least the height difference wasn’t as noticeable when we were sitting down. I poked at my steak with my fork, listening to their conversation.

“Then… I’ll be in your care,” Kasumi said with a gentle smile. “Actually, I wanted to meet with you, senpai. I needed to talk to the high school student council about my group’s performance.”

“Ah~ I see,” Mizuki nodded. “Your group is performing again this year?”

“Yes… if my agency doesn’t have any scheduling conflicts!”

“That’s great~! Right, Aya-ring~?” Mizuki grinned, looking at Aya.

Aya took a sip of her tea and spoke quietly. “Yes, but won’t that overlap with the end of your album promotions?”

Kasumi hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly. “Yes, but it should be fine.” Her eyes sparkled. “It’s an honor to perform at Takamari Academy.”

“Well… that’s true. Our academy’s performances are quite… conservative,” Mizuki said, her words hinting at an understanding of the families’ influence. The Takamari Foundation belonged to the Asakura family, and Mizuki was the eldest daughter.

I chewed my steak thoughtfully. In the novel, Takamari Academy hadn’t been very open to outside influences. It was a typical trope of aristocratic school stories, but experiencing it in real life felt… strange.

It was as if the world revolved around Takamari Academy… and at the center of Takamari were Mizuki and Aya.

“Um, about the social media promotion… would it be alright if I helped?” Kasumi asked hesitantly.

“Ah, that’s why we’re here~” Mizuki grinned, giving her a thumbs-up. Kasumi relaxed visibly, her shoulders losing some of their tension.

“Thank you so much!”

‘…We should be the ones thanking you…’ I thought, smiling at Kasumi’s shy, happy expression as she fidgeted with her phone. Judging by the notification, she’d just posted a tweet.

“Oh~!”

The tweet contained a short message about the Takamari Academy Spring Festival. The rapidly increasing likes and retweets demonstrated Kasumi’s popularity.

‘Wow… she really is a popular idol…’

Kasumi looked at us, a hesitant expression on her face, then spoke softly. “Um, I’ll be coming to the academy tomorrow as well… would it be alright if… we took a picture together?”

“Sure, it’s not really appropriate to take pictures here, is it?” Aya replied calmly, and Kasumi nodded.

“And…” she hesitated, then added shyly, “It would be… an honor to be with the Trinity!”

“…”

Ah, the Trinity again?! I glanced at my phone. Even Kasumi, a famous idol and one of the Four Beauties, used the term “Trinity” so casually. I felt a pang of guilt towards Reina-senpai.

‘I’m so sorry…!’ I sighed inwardly. ‘Reina-senpai, there’s no turning back now…!’

Kasumi, oblivious to my inner turmoil, continued excitedly, “My group members are studying hard so they can attend Takamari High School!”

“It’s impressive that your idol friends are prioritizing their studies~” Mizuki chuckled.

Kasumi smiled, then turned to me. “Kurosawa-senpai, are you… looking forward to the Spring Festival?”

Her sudden question, and her gaze, which seemed to say, “You’re part of the Trinity too, aren’t you?” rendered me speechless.

‘Well… I… I’m just a former background character…’

I picked up my water glass, hiding my flushed face, and took a sip before replying with a calm smile. “Yes… everyone’s working so hard. I’m looking forward to it.”

Kasumi nodded slightly, smiling.

This idol kouhai… she seemed to have a habit of staring. It was mentioned in the novel, but… that was because the protagonist had the “attracts all the heroines” attribute.     

(TL Note-In Japanese, “kouhai” (後輩) means “junior” or “underclassman” in a group, like a student in a school or an employee in a company. It refers to someone who is younger, or has a lower seniority than you within that group.)

‘Ahem.’ I cleared my throat and glanced at Aya. She was quietly sipping her tea, her blue eyes calm and unwavering, but there was a distant look in them, as if she were lost in thought. She’d maintained the same composed expression throughout the dinner, even during my playful banter with Mizuki and Kasumi’s offer to help with the social media promotion.

‘What is she thinking…?’

Aya rarely expressed her emotions openly. She was always cautious, reserved, speaking only when necessary. But tonight, she was unusually quiet.

“Aya?” I called out softly.

She looked up at me. “Yes?”

“What are you thinking about?”

Aya stared at me for a moment, then smiled faintly, placing her utensils on the table. “Just… thinking about a few things.”

“Like what?” I blinked, curious.

Aya hesitated, then abruptly changed the subject. “Kasumi-san, what do you think of Rina?”

Kasumi seemed slightly flustered, but she smiled gently. “I think… Kurosawa-senpai is very cute.”

‘Huh…?’ My mind went blank.

‘Cute…? A cute girl thinks I’m cute…? Ah…’

Right, I wasn’t a potted plant anymore; I was Kurosawa Rina. Aya, listening to Kasumi’s answer, smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.

“Right? I think so too.”

“Aya!” I exclaimed, but her expression was… playful. She leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“But you don’t think so, do you?”

“…W-What?! Of course I do!”

Kasumi, puzzled, tilted her head. “Everyone’s saying you’re the next Trinity.”

“…” That wasn’t something I wanted to hear.

“Yes, I was thinking the same thing,” Aya added, and I realized she’d orchestrated this entire conversation. I pouted, looking at her.

“…Aya.”

Aya, meeting my gaze, smiled mischievously.

‘Aya’s teasing is getting out of hand…’ I puffed out my cheeks and looked away, and Kasumi, who’d been quietly observing us, spoke softly.

“Do you think… I could ever be like you, senpai?” There was a hint of hesitation in her voice.

“Well, Kasumi-chan, you’re already a star, aren’t you? You’re the Sapphire Diva,” Mizuki said, and Kasumi smiled faintly, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

“But… the academy is more important to me. My family isn’t very supportive of my idol activities.”

Huh? I paused. This… wasn’t in the novel.

‘Wasn’t Kasumi supposed to be passionate about being an idol?’ She was a radiant presence on stage, a character with immense pride in her idol career. But the Kasumi before me felt different.

‘Did my intervention change things?’

In the original story, Kasumi and the protagonist didn’t meet until the Autumn Cultural Festival arc. But now, they’d met before the Spring Festival. Perhaps her feelings had changed in the meantime.

“Huh? So, Kasumi-chan, do you want to quit being an idol?” Mizuki asked, and Kasumi hesitated, stirring her drink with a spoon.

“Well… it’s not that I dislike it, but… it’s been difficult lately.”

‘Ah, so that’s it…’ The hesitant look I’d seen in her eyes back in the classroom… it was about her idol career.

Kasumi was smiling, but her eyes… they were clouded with doubt and uncertainty.

‘This isn’t just about being tired…’ I could sense it instinctively. And I had a feeling this struggle would somehow be connected to the upcoming Spring Festival.