Ichijou Rikou Can Lie

[We’re about to set off—]

I touched the wristband and spoke softly to the badge.

That was when I was still some distance away from the school gate, contacting Ichijou Rikou to move out.

[Okay, Higashiba-san.]

[Remember not to expose your whereabouts, Ichijou-kun.

Just follow far behind me like a stalker.]

[Have you already decided I’m a stalker, Higashiba-san?]

He complained lightly.

[Hmm, if Ichijou-kun really wanted to stalk me, I actually wouldn’t mind.

As long as it’s not seen by the heroines you need to攻略.]

[Do you really think I’m that kind of person?]

[That’s hard to say.

Recently I’ve found it harder and harder to grasp Ichijou-kun.]

[Didn’t you say before that you understood me very well?]

[That’s because the Ichijou-kun in the game is different from the one now.

You have your own thoughts now.

You’re a living person.

As long as someone is human, their thoughts can’t be fully grasped.]

[Just like me.

I can’t know what Higashiba-san is thinking either.]

His words brought about a brief silence.

At least for now, I didn’t want to answer.

[Ichijou-kun doesn’t need to know.

You just need to know that I’m a rotten person.

You only need to help this rotten person get home, and let the real Higashiba Hazuki return.]

[Higashiba-san really doesn’t need to keep calling yourself rotten.]

[Hmm.]

Even though we weren’t walking home together, thanks to the earphones, it felt like he was still beside me.

Well, it wasn’t that boring.

[Ichijou-kun—]

[Here.]

[Thank you very much.]

[Eh, you mean this?

It’s nothing really.

Higashiba-san is troubled by being followed, right?

It’s great if I can help.]

[That’s not what I meant.]

[Eh—]

I took a small breath.

Even while talking to him, my eyes stayed on the street, as if I were seriously watching where I walked.

[There’s already a situation, Ichijou-kun.]

That gaze watching me was very obvious.

As if it wanted to see straight through me completely.

I don’t know who I provoked.

Who could it be?

[Ding—]

My phone made a sound.

Someone had sent a message.

As the enthusiastic Higashiba Hazuki, of course I wouldn’t miss checking it.

When I opened my phone, I saw a message from Kamizumi Tsuki.

It was from the group chat the three of us had created to maintain a basic connection.

Usually, hardly anyone talked in there.

But this time, the message made me stop walking.

—I’ve decided to follow Rikou-nii and see what he’s actually doing.

—Eh, are you really going to do that?

Shimizu Meya replied quickly, asking in surprise.

—Of course.

Ever since coming here, Rikou-nii has rarely spent time with me.

We can only be together at night now.

—Isn’t that fine?

—I’m not satisfied.

Even through the screen, I could see how unhappy Kamizumi Tsuki was.

—Back in the village, Rikou-nii and I always went to school and came home together.

We played together during holidays too.

Rikou-nii was always by my side.

—Most importantly!

—This time, Rikou-nii actually rejected me.

I really can’t stand that!

—Tsuki, you shouldn’t demand too much of others either.

After hesitating, I still sent a message and joined the conversation.

—This might make people dislike you.

—I know.

But I still want to investigate.

She replied with many messages, clearly quite agitated.

After all, something that belonged to her was being taken away.

Kamizumi Tsuki was the type who would never let go, no matter what.

That’s why she was the most troublesome one.

—I want to know what kind of thing would make him reject me.

I want to know all of it!

—I’ve already decided.

I’m heading in Rikou-nii’s direction right now.

—Ah, I’ve spotted Rikou-nii.

But what is he doing?

He’s hiding there sneakily.

It looks like he’s stalking someone, just like me?

—Could it be that Ichijou-kun likes another girl and is following her?

What a perverted stalker.

—No way, no way.

Rikou-nii isn’t that kind of person.

In my heart, he’s always, always a hero.

So gentle, so passionate.

She had completely entered a frenzied state.

The blow was too great.

Even her thinking had become extreme.

Next, something hard to accept would definitely happen.

I didn’t want to face Kamizumi Tsuki so soon.

I sighed lightly and pressed the earphone.

[Ichijou-kun—]

[What is it, Higashiba-san?]

[I’m really sorry for asking you to help me.]

[I’ve already been thanked for this kind of thing.

You don’t need to keep saying it.]

Those really were the kind of words a galgame protagonist would say.

Taking everything upon himself without a single complaint.

That kind of sucker-like behavior was practically standard equipment.

[I just want to say that Ichijou-kun needs to come up with a reason now.]

[A reason?]

[A reason for why you’re sneaking around like you’re stalking someone.]

[Are you saying I’ve been discovered?]

[And not by an ordinary person.]

The task of catching the culprit would have to wait.

There was nothing we could do in the face of such an unexpected situation.

Only—

It seemed the unexpected situations didn’t stop at one.

Just as I was about to tell Ichijou Rikou, I heard a startled cry.

[I see her, Higashiba-san.]

Her?

Could it be Kamizumi Tsuki?

[She’s hiding behind the pillar right behind you!]

Or rather—

Was it the one who had been stalking me?!

I turned around and saw a head quickly shrink back behind the pillar.

[I’m coming over right now, Higashiba-san.

Be careful!]

Ichijou Rikou ran very fast.

I could already see him.

At the same time—

[Ding—]

My phone vibrated with another message.

—Rikou-nii is running.

There must be some target.

I’m going to chase too.

I’ll contact you in a bit.

—Mm, good luck, Tsuki.

I sighed as I looked at the message.

Then I lifted my head and met Kamizumi Tsuki’s eyes as she arrived.

So many unexpected turns.

Ichijou-kun, we’re really done for now.

[What are you trying to do?!]

She was trembling, only able to speak pitiful words with her usual aggressive tone.

Nangou Rin.

I never expected it to be her, yet it also made sense.

After all, we had had an unpleasant encounter not long ago.

[Careful.

I’ll call the police and say you’re kidnapping a child!]

She shrank into the corner with a show of toughness hiding fear.

Using her short, elementary-school-like stature and childish face to threaten us.

[Tsuki, why are you here?]

Compared to that, Kamizumi Tsuki looked confused.

She clearly hadn’t expected these things to be connected.

Honestly, the situation was really difficult now.

[Higashiba-san and I are in the same club.

Tsuki, do you know Higashiba-san?]

Ichijou Rikou spoke up.

And he showed no sign of panic at being discovered.

It seemed we weren’t completely doomed yet.

[Yeah.

She’s a friend I met during sprint training, the one I told you about before, Rikou-nii.]

[So the Rikou-nii you mentioned is Ichijou-kun.]

At this moment, I also showed a look of realization, as if I’d only just figured it out.

I used my proud acting skills to dispel Kamizumi Tsuki’s doubts.

Even though she was still looking at us suspiciously.

[Then why was Rikou-nii following Tsuki?

So this is what you meant by “having something to do”?

Did Rikou-nii really become a pervert who stalks girls home?]

A very dangerous gaze.

It wasn’t directed at me, but even so, I could feel an indescribable pressure.

So she noticed it after all.

Well, there was no way to gloss over it.

This was a crisis that Ichijou-kun and I had to face together.

If handled poorly, it would become extremely bad.

[I was investigating the incident of Higashiba-san being followed.]

What surprised me was that even under Kamizumi Tsuki’s gaze, he could remain calm and answer steadily.

[Eh—]

Kamizumi Tsuki froze for a moment and looked at me.

[Tsuki was being followed.

Is that true?]

[That’s right.]

I told the truth.

[It was probably my own wishful thinking.

Tsuki, you know I’m the kind of person who wants to help others.

From childhood until now, it’s a bad habit I can’t get rid of.]

Ichijou Rikou scratched his head.

[I’d heard Higashiba-san mention before that someone seemed to be deliberately targeting her, and that she felt like she was being followed.]

[So after club activities, I planned to secretly follow behind her and check the situation.]

[I see.]

Eh—

I blinked and looked at Kamizumi Tsuki, who was no longer emitting that dangerous aura.

In some sense, she was surprisingly easy to fool.

[I trust you, Rikou-nii.

You wouldn’t lie to me.]

It was clearly based on her trust in Ichijou Rikou.

So—

You’re overdrawing your credibility, Ichijou-kun.

I narrowed my eyes and observed Ichijou Rikou, whose expression remained perfectly normal.

There wasn’t the slightest flaw as he casually resolved the crisis.

But compared to that, what surprised me even more was—

Ichijou Rikou, who should have been an extremely honest, kind-hearted man, had lied.

Was this another unforeseen variable?

[So that’s how it is, Ichijou-kun—thank you very much.]

I added gratitude and bowed to Ichijou Rikou, cooperating with his lie.

[Rikou-nii is just that kind of person.

But Tsuki, so you were being followed.

Why didn’t you tell us?]

[It felt like it would trouble people, and it didn’t seem like a big deal.

Maybe it was just my imagination.]

[How is that not a big deal?

It’s very dangerous, Tsuki.]

Kamizumi Tsuki sighed, still sounding a bit dissatisfied.

[But it’s dangerous for Rikou-nii to be alone too.

You should have called me along.

After all, Tsuki is my friend too.]

[At that time, I didn’t know you two knew each other, did I?]

Ichijou Rikou shook his head.

[Alright, we should ask this kid here—]

He looked toward Nangou Rin, who was trying to sneak away.

[Why were you following Higashiba-san?]