Why Don't You Make the Twins Your "Girlfriend" Together? Volume 1 Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The Nail That Sticks Out Too Far Won’t Be Hammered Down…?
Late one night, long after his trip to the game center, Sakuto sat in his room, writing a letter by the faint glow of his desk lamp.
“Respectfully, as we greet the fresh days of early summer—”
His hand froze. He meticulously folded the stationery and set it aside on the edge of his desk.
Too stiff, I guess… It sounds so distant.
He took out a new sheet of paper and began again.
“It’s been a while. I hope you’re doing well. As for me, I’ve recently started living with my maternal aunt—”
And once again, his hand came to a halt.
He gently tossed the folded letters into the trash can, leaned back limply in his chair, and stared blankly at the dark ceiling.
There’s not much to write about… What’s happened lately…? Oh, right…
What drifted into his mind were two distinct expressions from Usami Chikage—
The bashful, almost standoffish face she wore at school.
And that innocent, unguarded smile from the game center.
He flicked the desk lamp off, then on, then off again—pointlessly toggling the switch as he thought about her.
Is she really just putting on an act at school? Is her true self the one from the game center…? Maybe she’s just blowing off steam from the stress of keeping her guard up all the time…?
It wasn’t impossible, but it didn’t feel right. It felt as if he were mixing her up with someone else, even though he knew that couldn’t be true.
Sakuto quietly closed his eyes. Beyond the lingering afterimage of the lamp, her two faces blurred together until their outlines became one.
＊ ＊ ＊
Monday, May 30th.
At the start of the new week, third period had just ended.
As Sakuto headed toward the art room, he spotted Usami across the hall, dressed in her gym clothes. She had apparently just finished P.E. and was walking toward him with a languid air, wiping sweat from her cheek with a towel.
With the incident at the game center still fresh in his mind, Sakuto found himself watching her, studying her every move. The arms and legs extending from her short-sleeved shirt and shorts were perfectly proportioned. The faint color and pattern of her pink underwear were just barely visible through her white gym shirt, and her ample bust, which pushed the fabric outward, bounced lightly with each step.
Her figure was so striking that boys passing by couldn’t help but take a second look.
I knew she was a beauty, but I never realized she was this gorgeous—
Suddenly, their eyes met. A blush crept up her face, and she quickly hid everything from the nose down with her towel, averting her gaze. Perhaps she was embarrassed to be seen in her gym uniform.
Feeling a little awkward himself, Sakuto also looked away.
Just as they were about to pass each other, they both stopped at the same time, still looking in opposite directions, and ended up standing side-by-side.
“About the other day—” Sakuto began, his voice a low mutter, almost as if he were talking to himself. “I haven’t told Tachibana-sensei… so your secret’s safe with me.”
“…? What are you talking about?”
“You know, about… never mind.”
“What is it? Now you’ve made me curious. Please, tell me what you mean.”
He found himself face-to-face with her. Her expression seemed more tense than it had last week, but maybe that was just because he was comparing it to the lively smile he’d seen at the game center.
“Ah, p-please, don’t stare at me like that…”
“Oh, s-sorry… I was just…”
They both looked away again, but in that moment, Sakuto’s eyes fell on her left ear. He suddenly remembered the “good luck charm” she had told him about.
“U-Uhm… there’s something I want to check… Is that okay?”
“What is it?” she asked, looking puzzled.
He gently reached for her left ear.
“Eek!? Wh-What are you doing!?” Usami yelped, pulling back before he could touch her earlobe.
“Huh? But I thought you said I could touch it whenever…”
“N-No, you can’t! Th-That’s for when we’re a couple!”
“But you let me touch you the other day, and we weren’t a couple, right? The hug and everything…”
“Th-That was an accident!” she declared, turning her back to him in an angry pout.
…An accident?
Then what was with her being so forward at the game center…?
As Sakuto stood there, utterly bewildered, Usami spun around and glared at him, her cheeks flushed.
“I-If we become a couple, then… well, I’ll think about letting you touch me! But if we’re not, then don’t just go touching me so casually!”
And with that, Sakuto finally understood.
Of course. They were in a crowded school hallway. If they did something that looked like what a couple would do, it would undoubtedly start strange rumors. To avoid that, Usami had intentionally used a harsh tone. She was being incredibly considerate.
“Sorry, you’re right. I was wrong…”
“So you understand? A-And it’s fine if we’re a couple! If we’re a couple, it’s fine!” Usami repeated, deliberately emphasizing the word “couple.”
It seemed she was determined to make it clear to everyone around them that they were not a couple. He never would have guessed she was the type to go to such lengths to protect her public persona.
“Right, I get it. In that case, I’ll never touch you again.”
“…Huh?”
“Yeah, it’s definitely weird to touch someone when you’re not even a couple. Sorry about that. Anyway, I’m in a hurry, so—”
“I’m saying it’s fine if we’re a couple, you know!? Are you even listening!? Hey, Takayashiki-kun—!”
Sakuto headed to the art room, reflecting on his own foolishness.
＊ ＊ ＊
The trouble started during lunch break.
As Sakuto was walking back to his classroom from the cafeteria, he noticed a crowd gathered near the classroom for Year 1, Class 1. Despite the number of people, the hall was strangely quiet, filled with a tense, unsettling atmosphere. Students were whispering to each other, all of them staring in the same direction.
Curiosity piqued, Sakuto joined the onlookers to see what was happening.
There stood Usami and the student guidance counselor, Tachibana Fuyuko, facing off against each other. The air between them was incredibly tense, and the unnerving feeling was radiating outwards. It was obvious this was no friendly chat between a beautiful student and her equally beautiful teacher.
“What’s wrong with a ponytail?” Usami demanded, pointing at her own hair, her voice laced with discontent.
Across from her, Tachibana-sensei stood firm, her posture as stern and unyielding as one would expect from a guidance counselor.
“Ponytails are against school regulations. Fix it immediately.”
“Regarding female students’ hairstyles,” Usami retorted logically, “I believe the rules state that ‘long hair must be tied or braided so as not to interfere with class.’ There is no explicit prohibition of ponytails, correct?”
Did she really have the school rules memorized verbatim?
With Usami, it wasn’t out of the question.
“That’s a matter of interpretation,” the teacher countered, refusing to back down. “Furthermore, the rules clearly state that ‘gaudy hair processing is prohibited.’ In other words, if a teacher deems it gaudy, it is gaudy.”
Did Tachibana-sensei also have the rules memorized? As a guidance counselor, she probably did.
“From a teacher’s perspective? It sounds to me like that’s based on your own subjective opinion, Tachibana-sensei.”
“You have quite the sharp tongue… However, I cannot approve of it.”
It seemed they had dug their heels in, their principles clashing in front of a growing audience, and now neither could back down. Wanting to understand how it had come to this, Sakuto turned to a pair of girls standing nearby.
“Excuse me… what’s going on over there?”
“Oh, um… After class ended, Tachibana-sensei started telling Usami-san off about her hairstyle.”
“Yeah, and then Usami-san shot back that ponytails aren’t forbidden. Is she rebelling? I mean, the reason is pretty unfair, so maybe she’s trying to argue her point?”
Sakuto brought a hand to his mouth.
So that’s the situation… Confronting her head-on isn’t a very smart move… I knew she was strong-willed, but…
The problem was how this standoff would be resolved. He had no intention of getting involved in a dispute between Usami and the teacher. If Usami would just obey Tachibana-sensei’s instruction, this would all be over. It should have ended right there.
He tried to ignore it and was about to walk away, but—
“Usami-san is really something else, huh…?”
“It’d be over if she just fixed it already~”
“Does she think she’s cool for picking a fight with the teacher?”
“Maybe she thinks the ponytail makes her look cute?”
Hearing the hushed whispers, his feet froze in place.
Nothing good ever comes from standing out on your own… Why would you do something to draw attention to yourself…? Whether it’s right or wrong doesn’t even—
But then, her voice echoed in the back of his mind—
“—Why weren’t you serious?”
That voice, those words—they pierced Sakuto’s heart, sharp and true.
It’s a strange thing. Understanding, it seems, isn’t something you do just with your head. Now, after having a few more conversations with her, the memory of those words carried a completely different weight.
Now, he could understand.
At that time, she had spoken those words with the courage to be disliked.
Now, he could understand.
She wasn’t trying to win an argument.
She was desperately trying to stand up against something unreasonable.
And in that moment, inside Sakuto’s mind, “serious” was replaced by “courage.”
—Why didn’t you show some courage?
Without another thought, Sakuto loosened his tie and headed toward Usami and Tachibana-sensei. With a nonchalant expression, he strode right up to them.
“Tachibana-sensei, thank you for your guidance the other day.”
He gave a sudden, perfectly executed bow.
His abrupt interruption startled both Usami and the teacher.
“What is it now? You’re Takayashiki Sakuto from Year 1, Class 3… Look, can’t you see I’m in the middle of counseling a student?” Tachibana-sensei said with a frown.
“Ah, I’m so sorry. I just happened to see you, sensei…” Sakuto replied with a sheepish smile, even as she glared at him. It was then that her eyes fell to his chest.
“…Hmm? Takayashiki, your tie is completely crooked.”
“Eh? Wh-Whoa…! I’m sorry! I’ll fix it right away—”
As Sakuto fumbled with his tie, he caught a glimpse of Usami out of the corner of his eye. She wore an expression of surprise mixed with utter confusion.
I have to do this…!
Sakuto had a plan. Having already stuck his nose where it didn’t belong, he had to commit.
“I’m sorry, the truth is… I can’t tie my own tie.”
He put on the act of a hopeless, clueless guy who couldn’t read the room to save his life, making himself appear as foolish and comical as possible so as not to add any more fuel to the fire.
“Good grief… Well, let me ask you, what do you normally do?”
“I’m living with my maternal aunt, and she usually ties it for me.”
In reality, Mitsumi just enjoyed playing house, and he’d only gone along with her role-playing a few times, but it was a necessary white lie.
The first stage of his plan seemed to be a success, as Tachibana-sensei looked utterly exasperated. At that point, Sakuto moved on to stage two.
“You live with your aunt? I see… What about your parents?”
“I’m living apart from my mother due to some circumstances. As for my father… well, it’s a bit complicated…”
“…I see. Well, I suppose it can’t be helped, then.”
Seizing the perfect moment, Sakuto gave her a bright smile.
“It’s really fine. But honestly, having a teacher who is so ‘dedicated’ to her students, ‘full of affection,’ and so ‘kind-hearted’ like you nearby, Tachibana-sensei, is a real ‘lifesaver’.”
First, show your weakness to the person you’re negotiating with, then praise their strengths. It was a strategy to make his request harder to refuse.
It was a negotiation tactic the brilliant lawyer Mitsumi had taught him, telling him to “use it on his elders.” He never thought the day would come when he’d actually use it, but he executed it flawlessly.
And the effect was remarkable.
It must have struck a chord, because the teacher’s expression gradually softened.
“I see… Well, I am in the middle of counseling, but for now… let me fix that tie for you.”
“Would you? Thank you.”
Tachibana-sensei stood in front of him and gently took hold of his tie. A kindness had appeared in her eyes. Maybe she was a surprisingly soft-hearted teacher after all.
“Alright, here we go—”
The tie came undone with a smooth tug. She moved her hands with surprising skill.
Does she do this for her boyfriend or something?
For now, the plan was simple: get Usami and get out of there. He’d promise the teacher he’d talk to her about the ponytail, and hopefully, she’d agree to call it even. Whether Usami would agree was another matter, but he figured if he asked sincerely, she would probably comply.
But there was one major miscalculation—
“Please wait a moment…!”
A voice cut in, calling a sudden halt to the proceedings.
Surprised, Sakuto turned to see Usami, her face bright red and her eyes narrowed in anger.
“Tachibana-sensei! What are you doing to Takayashiki-kun!?”
“…I was just fixing his tie. What’s wrong with that?”
“That’s cheating—! I mean, that’s something only married couples or couples living together are allowed to do! Or… or only for a man you have feelings for!”
Is that even a rule?
Sakuto thought, astonished. Was she seriously bringing up her “couple theory” at a time like this? At this rate, she’d start claiming a kiss constituted a formal engagement.
“What are you talking about? I was only trying to fix his tie!”
I certainly hope that’s all it is, Sakuto prayed.
“Usami, by your logic, that would mean I have feelings for Takayashiki, you know!?”
“You don’t!?”
“N-No, of course not!”
And just like that, the situation descended further into chaos. To make matters worse, Sakuto was still being held by the tie and couldn’t move. What was he supposed to do?
As he panicked, Usami stepped forward.
“I’ll do it!”
Before he could even ask why, she started pulling on his tie too.
“No! I will take responsibility and do it! I am the student guidance counselor, after all!”
“No! I will, since I went to the same cram school as him! And… and because we’re classmates!” she retorted, bringing up reasons that had nothing to do with anything.
Things were really getting out of hand. Worse, every time the two of them argued, Sakuto’s neck was being choked. They seemed completely oblivious. This was bad—for him.
“G-Giv… Give up, give up…! Both of you, let go…!”
“ “Ah—————!?” ”
When they finally noticed his plight, they saw his face had turned completely pale and immediately let go.
Somehow, he had managed to stop their argument.
But Sakuto had learned a valuable lesson: if you stick your neck into things that aren’t your business, you might literally get choked.
＊ ＊ ＊
After school that day, Sakuto received a very polite apology from Tachibana-sensei in the staff room. After assuring her it was alright before leaving the room.
When he got to the entrance hall, he found Usami standing there, clutching her bag with both hands and leaning against the shoe lockers. Her face was downcast, as if she were a child waiting to be scolded.
“Usami-san?”
“Ah… Takayashiki-kun…” she mumbled, seeming to shrink into herself when she saw his face.
She was probably reflecting on the incident at lunch. Her hair, which had been in a ponytail, was back to its usual side-tail. He found it strangely reassuring.
“Um, about what happened during lunch break… I’m really sorry…”
“Oh, it’s fine, don’t worry about it. It was my fault for sticking my nose in it… More importantly, have you been waiting for me all this time?”
“Yes…”
He wasn’t sure what to say to her while she was being so remorseful, but for now, Sakuto just offered a gentle smile.
“Why did you pick a fight with Tachibana-sensei, anyway?”
“…Because it didn’t make sense. The school rules don’t have strict regulations on how to tie your hair, so I wanted the reason for the warning to be clarified.”
Those were not the words of someone who stops by a game center on their way home from school. She must have her own set of principles, and as long as things were logical, she would probably obey without protest.
“There must have been a smarter way to handle it. You could have just said ‘I’ll fix it’ and moved on, or just followed her instructions… Arguing back in a place like that just makes you stand out, right?”
“Oh, so that’s what it was…” Usami murmured, looking as if she had just had a revelation.
“What do you mean, ‘that’s what it was’?”
“Your midterm exam scores… You have a reason for not wanting to stand out, so you deliberately held back… Is that it?”
Sakuto fell silent, flustered. Seeing his expression, Usami looked apologetic again.
“I’m sorry. There I go again, being intrusive… You hate this, don’t you?”
“…No.”
He shook his head, but his feelings were complicated. He didn’t mind her taking an interest in him, but he didn’t want her to interfere. At this stage, he didn’t want her digging too deep. He also didn’t understand why she was so eager to know so much about him.
But this was a good opportunity. It might be a good time to ask her what had been on his mind.
“…Usami-san, what do you think about standing out? I mean, your grades are always at the top… and you’re an external student, so you stand out even more, right? And it seems like you’re the subject of rumors…”
He thought he had chosen his words carefully, but he immediately realized he had failed. It sounded like he was saying the rumors were a bad thing. Worse, it felt awkward, as if he were talking about himself.
But Usami just gave a small, soft smile.
“I… don’t think standing out is a bad thing, but there are times when I find it scary. I worry about how people see me, you know?”
Sakuto’s own smile vanished.
“…Then, you should just try not to stand out from the beginning. No matter how hard you try, in the end, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down…”
A truth, bordering on resignation, slipped from his mouth.
“I don’t think I can do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m a sore loser. Maybe it’s because I heard a long time ago that ‘the nail that sticks out too far won’t be hammered down’?”
That meant choosing a very difficult path in life. Even if you stick out, someone will always be there to try and hammer you back down. There was likely no end to it.
Usami was aware of this, yet she was trying to push forward, fighting her fear. She called it being a sore loser.
But was that the only reason? He couldn’t believe that was the only secret to her strength.
“That’s… a difficult personality to have, isn’t it?”
“Yes. But, this is who I am,” she said, as if mocking herself. “I’ve always been clumsy and not very cute… I’m just hopeless, aren’t I?”
“No, that’s not… Is being a sore loser the only reason you try so hard?”
“Well, that’s part of my original reason, but—” As she spoke, she began to gently stroke the ribbon on her side-tail. “Right now, there’s someone I really want to see me at my best.”
Just as Sakuto was about to ask who, he found himself unable to look away. He felt as if he were being drawn into the depths of her eyes, about to fall in. He hurriedly turned his entire body away from her.
He felt a hot flush of shame for even daring to imagine that he was the one at the end of her serious gaze. He admonished himself for his own convenient delusions.
“Uhm… ah, no…”
“…? What’s wrong?”
When Tachibana-sensei was about to fix his tie, why did Usami offer to do it instead? According to her own logic, tying a man’s tie was something reserved for couples. So why? He hesitated to put the thought into words.
Wasn’t he just interpreting things in a way that was convenient for him? But if she was someone who always stuck to her principles, then a single, underlying principle would explain all her actions.
As Sakuto stammered, Usami spoke up.
“…So, why did you step in to help me back there…?”
“Oh, that was… just because.”
“I see… just because, huh…” she said, looking down, a clear note of disappointment in her voice. But then—
“I just couldn’t bring myself to leave you alone, Usami-san.”
His voice trailed off at the end, but Sakuto said it without any embellishment. He had intended to convey his true feelings, but had he scared her off? He shouldn’t have been so uncharacteristically courageous.
When he looked at her anxiously, she was red all the way to her ears.
“Um, what I just said—”
“Th-Thank you very much…! I-I have something to do, so I must be going!”
She quickly changed her shoes and left at a jog.
She must have been put off after all…However, he decided not to be ashamed of the step he took in telling her his true feelings. Even if it was a huge failure, he would believe that it was a big step forward, one that would lead to the next.
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