The four of them walked toward the station, drawing an absurd amount of attention. The head-turn rate was practically one hundred percent.
"Hmph~ Just as I thought! I'm incredibly charming today!"
"No, Marin, you're charming even normally."
"R-Really!? Ahh, that's so... Huh? Sakurakoji-kun, what did you just call me!?" Kitagawa Marin instantly broke character, spun around, and firmly grabbed his shoulders.
"Marin."
"M-My, my name!?" She held her face, which she had deliberately lightened with foundation and CC cream today to complement her white hair. Her expression had practically melted into a puddle.
"Is that not okay?"
"N-No, no, no!!! Of course it's okay!" She glanced aside, blushing as she poked her fingers together. "Then, then from now on, I'll call you..."
"Why did things suddenly change?" Kansai Shizuha clenched and unclenched her little hands before asking.
Walking beside Inui Shinju, Sakurakoji Talent—whose military princess outfit sharply contrasted with Shinju's high school boy appearance—folded his arms. "Now that I think about it, Shinju-chan and I have been calling each other by our names for ages. Calling you Kitagawa-classmate all the time would be too distant, wouldn't it?"
"After all, we're friends who've made costumes together twice and done group cosplay together."
"If you don't mind, can I call you by your name too, Kansai-classmate? And don't keep calling us by our full names either. Though that style is pretty cute too."
"Pfft!" Kansai Shizuha coughed several times on the spot.
"Ah, Sis! Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine." Kansai Shizuha was hardly doing better than Kitagawa Marin. "W-We can talk about that next time..."
Cute... Come to think of it, was that the first time today, other than commenting on her outfit, that he had called her cute?
It was so embarrassing...
"By the way, Shinju! Sakurakoji Talent just told me...