My Plain-looking Fiance is Secretly Sweet with Me

“Well then, we’ll be heading out first. Nayu, Isami, please close the door for us.”
“…Alright. Take care.”
Isami’s face looked gloomy.
Although her expression seemed normal last night, perhaps Isami had been forcing herself to act that way.
The cultural festival would begin at 9 AM.
To complete the final preparations before opening, we students had to be there by 7 AM.
“Let’s go, Yuu-kun.”
Yuuka said, swishing her school uniform as she tied her hair in a ponytail and put on her glasses.
Yuuka didn’t seem very cheerful either… maybe she was feeling nervous.
Although Yuuka had told Isami she would do her best at the school event.
The trauma Yuuka experienced in middle school—must have been quite significant.
If she felt anxious, she didn’t need to force herself.
“Yuuka.”
Seemingly sensing that tension… Isami suddenly called out to Yuuka, as if worried about her.
After putting on her shoes and grabbing her bag, Yuuka turned to face Isami.
“Yuuka… are you okay?”
“Geez… Isami, you’re babying me too much.”
“I’m worried too. Because, Yuuka, back in middle school…”
Isami swallowed her words as she spoke.
I understood… Isami’s uneasy feelings.
Yesterday, when I heard about Yuuka’s past, even I felt my heart was about to break.
What if Yuuka’s heart shattered once again, and she came to hate going to school like before?
What if Yuuka’s smile disappeared once more?
…The possibilities ahead made me restless.
“I’m no longer the Watanae Yuuka from middle school.”
As if to dispel this heavy atmosphere, Yuuka suddenly spoke decisively—and smiled.
Although my mind was filled with anxiety transmitted from Isami… I was surprised by those words.
“Of course, I’m still me. But you see, my body has grown this much, right? It’s the same with my soul… I’ve met many people, experienced many things, and I’ve changed. So—the crybaby Watanae Yuuka from middle school is gone now.”
“…Yuuka.”
Yuuka gently patted Isami’s shoulder, who still wore a gloomy expression.
“Come on, I said I’d do my best, didn’t I? So… watch me, Isami. Your big sister has to grow up too!”
“Cool guy, why are you hesitating?”
“Ouch!?”
Suddenly punching Isami’s back without mercy, Nayu had no sense of timing.
This girl… at least use your palm instead of your fist.
“If you want to complain, save it for after you’ve seen the main event. Isn’t playing cool too easy for you? Just see them off normally. I’m serious.”
“I got it… Nayu-chan, you’re so rough.”
After the two sisters had their little spat.
Isami, her face still clearly showing anxiety—stared intently at Yuuka.
“If you have any trouble, ask Yuunii-san for help, okay? If you feel scared, call for help right away, okay? Do you understand, sis?”
“…Hah. Isami, you…”
“Gross.”
And so, Yuuka and I left the house.
The cloudless sky today was beautiful.
Now then, for the cultural festival to go smoothly—I need to get myself in gear.
◆
“Alright. Class 2-A, let’s get fired up!”
The class representative for the cultural festival, Nihara-san, was in top form from early morning.
She ran back and forth, boosting the class’s morale while confirming assigned shifts and doing final checks on food and drinks.
“Yo, Sakata! How’s it going?”
“Just normal. I’m a bit nervous.”
“I see, I see. Well, being serious enough to feel nervous is good!”
“How is that good…”
“Because Sakata, your face looks fine. Your expression is natural, like back in middle school. Big sis is happy about that.”
Natural expression?
Ah, if you put it that way… I guess that’s true.
This cultural festival, my mind is filled with so many thoughts—it feels like I’ve been talking to my classmates more than usual.
Thinking about this, I asked Nihara-san directly about the sudden doubt that appeared in my mind.
“Nihara-san, is it possible… that you chose me and Yuuka as vice representatives because you anticipated this?”
Even after entering high school, Nihara-san kept trying to talk to me relentlessly.
Although we didn’t interact in middle school, why then… I had always wondered about this.
After becoming closer, I learned that she wanted me, who had become less open after being rejected by Raimu—to become cheerful again like before. Something like that.
Whether it was meddling, or the chivalrous thoughts of a tokusatsu fan.
Because Nihara-san was that kind of person.
I wonder if she had thought that far ahead when choosing us…
“Nope. I’m not that big-brained, you know? It was just a coincidence! I just thought it would be fun to choose Sakata and Yuu-chan and have you two work together… But the result turned out great, didn’t it!!”
Completely the opposite.
This misunderstanding is embarrassing.
Nihara-san continued speaking without noticing my embarrassment.
“I’m not as cool as you think, Sakata. This time, I just wanted to make you two have fun together… that was just my selfish thought.”
Even so.
Nihara-san smiled as she spoke, scratching her cheek as if feeling shy.
“Well, by chance, even though it was just by chance… I think this has had a good influence on Sakata and Yuu-chan. It’s the same for heroes, right—who knows, maybe I’ll create an unexpected miracle and save the world?”
That strange logic is so like Nihara-san.
But… being a vice representative for the cultural festival is troublesome.
It’s best to leave things as they are. That’s truly the case.
“Well then, Sakata. It’s not often we have a cultural festival… let’s work together to make it a big success.”
“Ah. For now… since we’ve come this far, we have to see it through to the end, right?”
Nihara-san gave a thumbs-up and smiled warmly.
Seeing Nihara-san like that—for some reason, I couldn’t help but smile naturally too.