Kamiyama-san prepared a secret plan.
The four of us and one panel walked through the crowded downtown area during the holidays, looking for a clothing store for young girls. I don’t know how we were able to walk so leisurely through the streets, even though they were filled with so many people. No, I don’t want to know. I would appreciate it If you don’t tell me even if you know.
After walking around town for a while, we eventually found a clothing store and stopped in front of it. Looking into the store through the glass, we saw several groups of young girls around our age, happily choosing clothes. I stopped in front of the store and turned to them.
“I think this place is good.”
Harusame-san looked inside the store and swallowed her spit with a grim look on her face.
“This… is a strong enemy…”
In what world would “strong enemy” be used to describe a clothing store?
“What in the world is a strong enemy…? What in the world makes it a formidable foe?”
“Because, because, look at… it…”
I did as I was told and looked inside the store. Inside the brightly lit store, several groups of young girls are happily looking at clothes. A stylishly dressed female clerk is looking at a dress. Looking at the sale items displayed at the front of the store, the prices do not seem too expensive.
“It’s just an ordinary clothing store. Is it that you don’t like my taste or something?”
Harusame-san turns her head and mutters in a whisper.
“There’s a guy working at the store…”
I looked again into the store and saw a man among the clerks who were serving customers.
“You know… You came here today to practice that kind of thing, right? Let’s give it a try for now.”
“Well, I see… right, it’s practice, isn’t it? We’re here as a club activity, and we’re here to practice… practice…”
I said in the brightest voice possible, trying to cheer up Harusame-san, who repeats “practice practice practice” with an uneasy look on her face.
“Yeah, it’s just practice. If something happens, I’ll come to rescue you.”
“Right, You’ll be there to help you if I need you. I have to be able to talk not only with A-chan, but also with the store clerks, the clothes, the shelves, and so on…”
No, well yes, but no.
But well, I guess I’ll just have to shut up and watch at first. I shifted my gaze from Harusame-san to Kamiyama-san.
“Is Kamiyama-san all right?”
I called out to her, thinking that she must be sweating profusely from nervousness, and she began rummaging through a small white bag on her shoulder.
“Yes, yes… there are some things that I have prepared for today… ah…”
As Kamiyama-san said this, she took out a paper bag from her bag. Then, crouching in the corner so that no one can see her face, she quickly takes the paper bag she is currently wearing and puts on the one she just took out.
After putting on the new paper bag, Kamiyama-san stands up and looks back at us.
“Well… then… here… here… what do you think…?”
I was speechless when I saw her looking at us.
On the paper bag, there was a girl’s face drawn on it, as if a small child had scribbled on it. The eye holes, which are usually shredded out in a messy manner, have been neatly cut out with scissors or something to match the girl’s eyes.
“Kamiyama-san… that…”
“Yeah… I’ve been preparing for today’s practice session! But I couldn’t draw it very well… so I redrew it many times…!”
These girls are making a huge mistake in the direction of their efforts.
I was wondering what I should say to them, when Arai-san, who was standing next to me, took hold of Kamiyama-san’s hand and said with her usual smiling face.
“Kamiyama-san! You’re so cute! So you’ll be fine, certainly!”
There it is, Arai-san’s baseless “it’s okay.”
When Arai-san told her that she was cute, Kamiyama-san thanked her clumsily, sweating as usual.
Harusame-san also calls out to Kamiyama-san.
“Heh, heh… you did your best Kamiyama-san… It’s really great. I have to do my best too. Today is practice, so I have to leave A-chan here… but what should I do…?”
Harusame-san thought for a moment and then, perhaps inspired by a flash of inspiration, snapped her right hand.
“I’ve got an idea! I came up with a great idea… Kamiyama-san… will you help me…”
I don’t know. I don’t have a good feeling. In fact, I even have a bad feeling about this.
But I have to be patient. They are doing the best they can in their own way, probably. If the need arises, I will be there to help them, so let them do as they please.
As I watched, Kamiyama-san’s hair was dripping sweat from the hem of her paper bag, she clasped her hands tightly in front of her body and said cheerfully.
“Yes! If it’s something I can do, I’ll try my best…!”
“Thank you, Kamiyama-san! Let’s all do our best!”
“Yes! Let’s… do our best!”
The two of them are now motivated to do it. If something goes wrong, Arai-san will be there, and I’ll be watching over them for a while. But, was shopping something to be done with such enthusiasm?
As I was thinking about this, the loud voices of the three girls suddenly echoed through the crowded downtown area.
“CONVERSATION CLUB! FIGHT-O!”
The three girls were forming a circle in front of a store. Passersby glanced at us and looked away as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.
Harusame-san, who had left the circle, turned to me and said.
“Uhmm… can’t you and Arai-san go first? A-chan and Kamiyama-san will go in later… I want to try something…”
Is it the matter that she had asked Kamiyama-san to cooperate with earlier?
I just said, “Okay,” and went into the store with Arai-san. I don’t know what this girl came up with, but everything is practice, probably.
