Shiraishi SS: Colorless and Transparent

Inside the two-person tent, for reasons I could not immediately understand, Hoashi-san was sitting perfectly upright in a formal seiza right in front of me.

“Please tell me!”

She bowed deeply— far more dramatically than necessary.

“You’re being awfully formal,” I said, tilting my head. “What exactly is it you want to ask?”

“Well, obviously…” She lifted her head, eyes burning with determination, “Do you have someone you like right now, Shiraishi-san?”

2

I’d noticed she’d been acting strange for a while— so this was it.

Understanding at last the reason for her uncharacteristic stiffness, I gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Shall we stop with the formalities first?” I said softly. “I prefer the usual Hoashi-san.”

“…R-Really?”

Hoashi-san was the type of person who treated everyone the same— boys and girls alike— with an easy, casual manner. That unguarded way of speaking was part of her charm.

“Yes. Please, just be yourself.”

“Okay… yeah, got it. You know, I don’t usually get to talk to you much, Shiraishi-san.”

Perhaps relieved, the quality of her voice changed instantly. The tension melted away, replaced by a warmth that carried her genuine happiness straight to me.

“Why is that?” I asked. “You don’t need to hold back— feel free to talk to me anytime.”

“Well, because Nishikawa-san is always watching. The moment I try to talk to you, she jumps right in, doesn’t she?”

“I think she just wants to be included.”

“Mm, I don’t know… It doesn’t really look that way to me. Earlier, when it was decided that I’d be sharing the tent with you, she glared at me like she resented me.”

She wasn’t wrong. Ryōko-san did have a way of directing a special tone toward me.

Perhaps that’s why, to those around us, our relationship can’t help but look… special.

“Well, whatever,” Hoashi-san said, leaning forward. “So? So…?”

Clearly more interested in my romantic affairs, she brushed aside the topic of Ryōko-san immediately.

“Let’s see,” I said. “Yes, I am in love. I am a high school girl, after all. You want to know who it is, don’t you?”

Nodding her head up and down quickly, Hoashi-san's eyes sparkled.

“I’m drawn to voices, ” I continued. “Regardless of gender. So the people I’m attracted to are those with especially captivating voices. And just recently… I came across a voice that I found very lovely.”

“Recently?” she said, narrowing her eyes playfully. “I feel like I can kind of guess already… Was this person sitting next to you, by any chance?”

“Fufu. You’re quite mischievous, Hoashi-san. You already had a pretty good idea who it was, didn’t you?”

3

Just as I was about to continue, calm, deliberate footsteps approached the tent.

Before I could consciously register it, my mind already recognized who they belonged to.

2

“There's something I'd like to ask of you, Shiraishi,” his voice said, “Do you have a moment?”

His timing was almost too perfect.

As Hoashi-san’s eyes lit up even further, I gently excused myself. Taking the lantern in hand, I leaned out through the entrance of the tent.

“Good evening, Ayanokōji-kun,” I said. “Is something the matter?”

“I’d like to talk for a bit. Do you have a moment?”

“Talk...?”

The timing feels a little off… just what could it be, I wonder?

Even now, the impression he gave remained colorless and transparent. It was difficult to infer his thoughts from his voice alone.

And perhaps that is precisely why his voice is so captivating.

“Oooh, Hey Hey, careful now. You might want to make sure no other boys catch you two sneaking off. Could cause quite the scandal.”

Given what we’d been discussing, her imagination was clearly running wild.

Well then—

Let’s enjoy this little nighttime date.