Why Not Make Both Twins 'Girlfriends'?-Volume 2 Epilogue - After the Closing Ceremony...?
Epilogue
After the Closing Ceremony…?
『Let’s move on to the next segment! It’s the Newspaper Club’s career interview, but──』
『Yes───! I’ll explain that part!』
『Wait? …Huh? Two Hikari-sans!?』
Ishizuka is surprised by Usami Hikari’s sudden appearance in her gym clothes.
『So, then, this Usami-san is…?』
『Hehehe————Okay, Chii-chan, introduce yourself.』
『Um, I’m… the twin sister, Usami Chikage…』
『『『『Whaaaaat───!?』』』』
The scene was enveloped in voices of astonishment.
After all, everyone had been convinced up to this moment that she was Hikari──
***
“──Quite an interesting twin swap prank, huh?”
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freёnovelkiss.com.
Tachibana chuckles while looking at her smartphone.
By the side of the road leading to the staff parking lot, in front of a hydrangea flower bed, Sakuto and Tachibana lean against a wall side by side, watching yesterday’s video.
“It turned out to be a prank just by chance. Plus, it’s something only those involved can enjoy.”
“Hehe, even so, it seems that the story has come together as a prank that the Newspaper Club set up for the Broadcasting Club. The Broadcasting Club was thrilled. They even edited in sound effects for the prank… Look at the YouTube comments section──”
The gist of the comments is, “They were twins?” or “What part was the prank?” showing that to those unfamiliar with the Usami sisters, it indeed felt like a failed insiders joke.
However, the reason the video had more views than any they had posted before was due to enthusiastic support like “Hikari-chan is so cute!” and “Chikage-chan is the best!”
“Typical Usami sisters.”
“Well, yes indeed.”
“Maybe this will be the start of them entering ntertainment industry or marrying an IT company president, huh?”
“Are you saying that too, Sensei…?”
“What do you mean by ‘too’?”
Tachibana tilts his head in confusion, but Sakuto is not in the mood to explain Matori’s comment.
“So, was this really okay for me?”
“Hehe, it was more than I expected. As expected from Takayashiki?”
“Flattery won’t get you anything, you know?”
Tachibana smiles as she puts her smartphone back in her pocket.
“I’m grateful. Thank you, Takayashiki. There’s one thing I haven’t mentioned yet.”
“…What is it?”
“About the Newspaper Club matter. Actually, I received an SOS from the club president, Uehara Ayaka, before it came to you.”
“Before? What do you mean by an SOS?”
***
──The origin of this turmoil goes back to May.
The Newspaper Club’s publications are shared among the staff, reviewed to see if they are okay to distribute, and then handed out.
However, the issue published in May was so bad that it couldn’t possibly be distributed.
During the severe student guidance that followed, a remark was made by the club president, Uehara Ayaka.
——She wanted to improve the Newspaper Club but didn’t know how, so she was wondering what to do.
Ayaka, who is serious and has a strong sense of responsibility, is timid and unable to control the unique members of the club.
She was encouraged to do her best since she is the club president, but the June newspaper also ended up undistributable.
The first time was a warning, the second led to a staff meeting, and a third would mean disbanding the club—this was the consensus among the teachers—
“──I read last year’s articles, and Uehara Ayaka and Kousaka Matori were originally excellent. The wrong direction was simply due to a lack of supervision on the teacher’s side. It’s not solely their fault.”
“Does that mean… you’ve just dumped this big problem on me, Hikari, and Chikage?”
“Well, I thought you guys could handle it, but as you say, it was a complete hand-off. Sorry about that.”
“Sorry, huh…”
“However, it turned out to be a blessing that Usami Hikari was in the Newspaper Club this time.”
Tachibana said this and closed her eyes in relief.
“If she hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have asked you to take on this issue. As for Usami Chikage, I had originally intended to ask her to take on the role of an auditor.”
“Is it because Hikari is a genius?”
“No, it’s because she was looking for a place to belong.”
Tachibana kept her smile as he looked at Sakuto.
“Despite appearances, that girl is as delicate as glasswork. Handle her with care, okay?”
“You’re treating people like objects…”
“It’s a metaphor, just a metaphor. I thought it might be too much for you alone. That’s why I thought it would be good if she had another place to belong.”
“And that place is the ‘soil’… the Newspaper Club?”
“Yes. To put it metaphorically, she’s also like fertilizer. The Newspaper Club has regained its luster remarkably. On the other hand, your role is that of a caretaker. You’re there to put the soil, water the plants, and so on. That’s your role, you’re there to prepare and maintain the soil.”
“What about Chikage then?”
“She’s like the weather, I suppose? There are sunny days and days when she brings thunder. She provides strictness, and that’s why I asked her to take on the role of auditor this time.”
“I see…”
The metaphors are easy to understand, but they’re a bit roundabout.
“You should’ve just said that from the start…”
“If I had told you from the beginning, wouldn’t you have refused?”
“Yes, definitely.”
If it hadn’t been for the chance that Matori and Wakana weren’t targeting him with a scandal, he would not have been involved in this matter.
While there were gains in creating a place for Hikari, it seems that Sakuto himself ended up with a relationship with the Newspaper Club, which is less of a connection and more of a bad bond.
“I guess you could say that I won this time.”
Tachibana said with a chuckle, but then she showed a sly smile.
“You’re quite the strategist yourself, aren’t you?”
“Me? What do you mean?”
“For the sake of the Newspaper Club, you even went out of your way to ask for help from Ishizuka.”
Sakuto made an awkward face.
“…You knew?”
“I think it was last Thursday. I happened to be patrolling the school and saw you talking with Ishizuka. So, what did you say to convince Ishizuka?”
“…It was nothing special. I just went to the third-year classrooms to ask for help. Ishizuka-senpai is genuinely a good person. He listened to me attentively and was cheerful and serious. When I talked to him, he immediately thought it would be interesting to feature the Newspaper Club in a broadcast and set up a plan right away. He even exchanged contact information with me and showed concern for the progress of the Newspaper Club.”
“Hmm, that’s typical of Ishizuka. If he weren’t that kind of person, the Broadcasting Club wouldn’t have become as popular as it is.”
“Yes, it’s all thanks to Ishizuka-senpai. And I’m not some mastermind, you know. It was too blatant, and I almost got caught by Matori-senpai, plus there were unexpected incidents like getting locked in the storage room on the day… It was one thing after another.”
“A strategist drowning in their own schemes…”
Tachibana chuckled amusingly.
“Well, even so, you managed to pull it off with the Usami sisters. By the way, I think we could build a good partnership too. What do you think?”
“I respectfully decline──Please take it easy during the summer break.”
“No, I’ve got various things to do, and I have to go on business trips here and there. Teachers don’t really get much of a break, you know…”
“That sounds tough, thank you for your hard work.”
Taking it as sarcasm, Tachibana let out a small laugh.
“Indifferent, are you… Well, have a good summer break. As an aside, next time, try to stand out more instead of just supporting from the shadows. It’ll be for the Usami sisters’ sake.”
Though he thought it was superfluous advice, Sakuto smiled and left the scene.
***
After the conversation with Tachibana was over──
“What were you and Tachibana-sensei talking about?”
“!? Hikari!?”
Suddenly, Hikari popped out from around the corner of the school building, surprising him.
“Seems suspicious… What were you talking to Tachibana-sensei about?”
Sakuto shoved his hands into his pockets.
“…Just a greeting before the summer break.”
“Hmm… Well, whatever. Let’s go to the clubroom! Chii-chan seems to be heading there too!”
With a bright expression, Hikari linked her arm with his.
“We’ll draw suspicion if we walk around the school with linked arms… Well, whatever.”
Sakuto chuckled wryly as Hikari pulled him along.
Then, just as they started walking, Hikari spoke softly.
“…Really, thank you for everything, okay?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been doing a lot for me and the Newspaper Club. I actually didn’t notice what was going on with the Broadcasting Club. At that time, my head was so full of Newspaper Club stuff…”
“I see…”
That explained why Matori suspected something, yet Hikari didn’t say anything.
“No, I had fun. It was nice seeing how you’ve changed, Hikari.”
“I’ve changed?”
“Yeah. That’s why I’ve come to like you even more.”
“Wha──!?”
Hikari suddenly stopped in her tracks, her face turning bright red.
“Wha-what…”
“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”
“You, what’s wrong with you!? I mean, you suddenly said you liked me?”
“Huh… As far as I remember, I thought I had already conveyed that I liked you before…”
“Not when it’s just the two of us!”
Indeed, he had no recollection of saying he liked her when they were alone.
“Oh, right… sorry…”
“No, it’s not that, I was just surprised because it was so sudden… but I was happy…”
There was a slight sense of relief amidst her confusion.
Perhaps she had been feeling insecure. Realizing this, Sakuto felt a pang of regret for not having paid enough attention to her feelings.
“But, even if you say you like me, I── eh!?”
Before she could finish, Sakuto had embraced her.
“Sakuto, this is a school…”
“It’s a love spot within the school.”
“Ah…”
It was just in a blind spot.
“Hikari, I like you. Please take care of me from now on.”
“──!? I’m…I’m so happy right now that I don’t know what to say…”
Hikari, with her eyes closed and lips presented, was met with Sakuto’s kiss.
This was not a casual goodbye kiss.
It was the passionate kind that Hikari had mentioned just before going live on her broadcast──
***
In the Newspaper Club’s room, Ayaka, Matori, and Wakana were gathered.
“We did it! We managed to distribute all the newspapers! I’m so happy!”
“Everyone seemed interested and took them willingly. Yeah, it feels great.”
“The live broadcast yesterday really helped! There was even a crowd around the school’s bulletin board!”
The three of them were happily discussing the day’s events.
Sakuto had been watching the Newspaper Club members distributing the newspapers since morning. He felt relieved seeing them energetically handing out the papers, including Hikari.
Many students took newspapers from Hikari, who seemed to have gained popularity thanks to yesterday’s broadcast.
Students who had seen the broadcast told her it was interesting, and Hikari responded with genuine smiles, not just social ones.
“Still, I’m a bit jealous of Hikari’s popularity. I worked hard too…”
“Wakana, that’s the problem. Girls who sulk don’t get popular.”
“That’s mean! Matori-senpai, you’re not one to talk about being popular!”
“I have my camera as my lover.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!”
Matori and Wakana were having their usual banter, but something was off.
Matori’s chest was missing the precious KANON Hug model camera she always wore around her neck. It must have been broken when she was helping Hikari.
Then, Chikage cleared her throat with a “cough” and stepped forward.
“Everyone, can I have a moment? I’ve prepared the audit report and submitted it to the committee chair. It will be discussed in the budget meeting after the summer break… but there should be no issues.”
“No issues, you say…?”
When Ayaka timidly asked, Chikage responded with a smile.
“It means it’s the same as every year.”
“Is that really true!?”
“Yes. So please continue to publish a wonderful newspaper, okay?”
” ” “Yes!” ” “
The three of them beamed with joy.
“And then… here, Hii-chan.”
“Ah, yeah.”
As Hikari stepped forward, tension returned to the faces of Ayaka and the others.
Hikari knew that after this matter was settled, she would leave the club.
“I was only here for a few days, but I really enjoyed it. Everyone was so nice to me, and I’m truly grateful to have had the chance to work with everyone…”
The three looked sadly downcast—
“That’s why I want to continue working hard in the Newspaper Club!”
“””…What?”””
“Please continue to work with me!”
When Hikari smiled brightly, the members of the Newspaper Club’s faces lit up with joy.
“Of course! We’re looking forward to working with you, Hikari!”
“You’re very welcome! We’re counting on you from now on!”
“Hikari〜 I’m so glad〜 I won’t be the only first-year anymore〜 Thank youu〜!”
As the three crowded around Hikari, she smiled happily.
It wasn’t a social, guarded smile but one genuinely coming from the heart. Sakuto felt relieved seeing this and pulled something out of his bag.
“Um, while we’re at it, Matori-senpai──please accept this.”
“Eh? ──Takayashiki, this is… KANON-chan!?”
What Sakuto placed on the table was a KANON single-lens reflex camera released the year before last.
“Yes, well… I mentioned Matori-senpai to my aunt, and she said she bought it but hardly used it, so… if it’s alright with you, please use it.”
“Is it really okay!?”
“Well, if you don’t need it, it could be equipment for the Newspaper Club…”
“I need it, I need it! Thank you, Takayashiki!”
Sakuto had been worried about being refused or declined, but he was relieved that it was accepted so easily.
By the way, the camera he gave to Matori was the high-end model called KANON KissMark IV, a piece of equipment that even professionals use, costing around three hundred thousand yen.
According to Mitsumi, it was “it’s a useless piece of junk, so give it to someone who needs it.”
However, this was also for the future.
Sakuto decided to curry favor until the very end, but not for the sake of the Newspaper Club and certainly not for Matori.
He reminded himself of that.
“Well, with that said, I’ve also been in your care.”
“Why don’t you just join the Newspaper Club too? We’d welcome you.”
“No, I’ll pass on that. Instead, please write serious articles like this time, not scandalous articles, okay?”
“I get it. Thanks, Takayashiki.”
Matori casually extended her right hand.
“Thank you as well. If there’s another chance…”
“Ah, you’re always welcome at our place.”
Sakuto and Matori firmly shook hands──
***
──but then.
“…Matori-senpai, what are you doing!?”
Thirty minutes later, Sakuto had cornered Matori against the wall of the Newspaper Club’s room.
“I… I’m not taking sneaky photos or anything, okay!? I made sure to get permission!”
“That’s not the issue… why are you making Hikari and Chikage wear cosplay!?”
Sakuto was truly livid, but at that moment, Hikari and Chikage approached.
“I actually like this outfit, so it’s fine by me.”
While saying this, Hikari spun around to show off her outfit, which was quite something.
A maid outfit──it was, but with the stomach and back fully exposed and an extremely short skirt, it was a rather sexy version of a maid outfit.
The white tights maintained the so-called absolute territory, adding to the provoking design.
One could imagine that any master would be overjoyed to see their maid dressed like this.
“I thought I was going to wear a shrine maiden outfit…!”
Chikage, who was blushing and embarrassed, was also dressed rather striking.
A shrine maiden outfit──it was, but again with the stomach and back fully exposed, and while the sleeves were wide, the hakama had been transformed into a mini skirt just as short as Hikari’s, stimulating sinful thoughts rather than conveying any sense of purity or sanctity.
Even Sakuto was taken aback by this.
One could imagine that even the gods would grant any wish if they saw their shrine maiden dressed like this.
“What are you planning to use these photos for!?”
Sakuto pressed Matori even further.
“Um, for the newspaper after the summer break…”
“Rejected! We don’t need a gravure page in the school newspaper! And how did you even get these cosplay costumes!?”
Then Ayaka timidly raised her hand.
“They’re mine… Sewing is my hobby…”
“What kind of things are you making!? Didn’t you have enough money for fabric!? The amount of fabric is clearly off!”
“Eek!? B-but, shorter things are cuter, so…”
Then, having been silent until now, Wakana shyly raised her hand.
“Um… I’m supposed to be a witch…”
“Huh? Oh, yeah…”
A witch outfit──it was. There was no “but,” just a plain witch, like something out of a Western painting, properly clothed from top to bottom, with no cutouts, no playfulness, and no interesting features, just holding a broom──
In other words, Wakana was… just Wakana.
Tragically, she was just standing there holding a broom.
“It’s fine? It suits you, I think. Probably, though I don’t know…”
“What’s with the temperature difference!? What’s with that look!? You just compared her to the Usami sisters!”
“…Matori-senpai! Anyway, this kind of thing is not acceptable!”
“Don’t ignore me──! Get excited──!”
In any case, the idea for a gravure page in the newspaper was strictly forbidden.
…Wakana’s witch outfit, pitifully, ended up being used for the Newspaper Club’s recruitment section.
***
“Really, that person sometimes…”
“Well, it’s Matori-senpai, after all… But that maid outfit was so cute〜”
“Hii-chan, that’s not really a reason, you know? Sigh, it was so embarrassing…”
“You know, if one step went wrong, it could have leaked to the outside…? You need to learn to choose not to wear it before putting it on…”
At the Western-style Dining Canon, Sakuto sighed in exasperation.
“But still, not just Matori-senpai, we need to be more careful from now on…”
“Are you talking about yesterday’s broadcast?”
“Yeah. It seems like the two of you got quite popular…”
Originally, it was only supposed to be Hikari subtly appearing in the video, but Chikage ended up on camera too, drawing more attention to them than expected.
There was a concern that if things continued as they were, their secret might eventually be discovered.
“First of all, the main issue is that Chii-chan was showing off her boobs, right?”
“I was not showing them off! I was just imitating Hii-chan’s usual style!”
“I planned to button up my shirt before the broadcast, you know?”
“Ugh… Just thinking about it makes me feel embarrassed again…”
“By the way, isn’t the archive still up on YouTube?”
“I’ll ask the Broadcasting Club to take it down!”
Chikage, now blushing all over again, looked rather adorable.
“Well, to be serious for a moment, about what’s to come…”
“Is it going to be tough after summer break?”
“No, we might need to be careful even during the summer break.”
“I want to spend the whole summer break all lovey-dovey with Sakuto〜”
Watching Hikari chuckle while pushing her cleavage together, Sakuto turned red and muttered, “Uh…”
“Let’s set aside the serious and gloomy talk and discuss our summer vacation plans?”
“That sounds good!”
“Let’s make it a fun summer break──!”
Despite feeling exasperated on the inside, Sakuto thought about Hikari and Chikage.
Wanting to protect the smiles of these two was probably a luxury. Not just one, but two.
One would be a luxury in itself, but two is extravagantly so.
As the semester came to an end, he wondered how long their secret relationship would continue—
“By the way, Sakuto-kun, you’ll do anything I ask of you, right?”
“…Yes? What are you talking about?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Sakuto looked at Chikage with confusion.
“Because, you know… when I substituted for Hii-chan in the broadcast, you said, 『Chikage, well done, huh? As expected of my girlfriend! I’ll grant you any wish you have!』.”
“What!? I didn’t say that! What’s that about!?”
──It was just Chikage’s fantasy.
“Anyway! Since I worked hard, please let me be super clingy during the summer break!”
“Uh… well, that is… okay…”
Then Hikari looked at him with mischievous eyes.
“I also got a lot of help this time, so I want to do something to thank you~”
“No, really, don’t worry about it… Not at all, that sort of thing…”
“Ah, I know! How about we do it Newspaper Club style!”
“Newspaper Club style? What do you mean by that…”
Hikari giggled and gestured towards her chest.
She flashed a glimpse of her bra through the gap in her shirt, causing Sakuto to hurriedly avert his gaze.
“Want to compare me with Wakana-chan?”
“No, I don’t want to compare! And Hikari, don’t let the Newspaper Club corrupt you!”
“Hey, Hii-chan! That should be me! Sakuto-kun, between me and Hii-chan, who do you think has the ‘perfect body’?”
“Chikage, that’s not right either! …Also, your English pronunciation is quite good?” (TN: She’s saying Perfect Body in English.)
“Hehehe… I’ll have to learn a lot more from Matori-senpai and the others♪”
“Hikari! That’s it, you need to quit the club───!”
──And so.
The days they spent together flew by, and before they knew it, summer break was upon them.
Solving the problems of the Newspaper Club.
Creating a place where Hikari belongs.
Having cleared these last two challenges set before them, a fun new problem awaited: how to make the most of their summer vacation.
Their relationship, having grown a bit more, was moving on to the next stage.
Next is──
” ” “A trip for the three of us──!” ” “
