It was Saturday. I had ordered a cup of coffee at a hamburger chain in front of the station and was relaxing in a seat in the corner, fiddling with my smartphone. Suzu had invited me, so we agreed to spend the day together. I was free anyway, so there was no problem there. And besides, I needed to sort things out with her. That's why I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. ...Somehow, spending time with Suzu had become a natural part of my life. Was she slowly but surely digging a moat around me? If so, Suzu was a cunning strategist. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Naoto-san.” "...Huh?" I turned around... and was left speechless. It was Suzu. But she didn't look like her usual self. She was wearing light makeup. The childishness of her elementary school appearance was gone, and now she looked like a middle schooler. Her hair was different, too. It wasn’t the cute, childish style she’d had before. It was a lot more subdued and invoked a more mature aura. She wasn’t wearing a ribbon, but instead had her hair tied up with hairpins. Even the hairpin had a mature design to it and accentuated her appeal. Obviously her height was still the same. But that was about the only thing that hadn't changed. The cute Suzu was gone, and in her place a beautiful girl emerged. “Suzu, that outfit...” “Heh-heh, are you surprised? Women can do a lot with makeup, you know.” “Ah, yeah... To be honest, I’m very surprised.” There was the reason that she looked different from her usual self. But that wasn’t the only thing. She wasn’t just cute anymore, she was beautiful... and I found myself completely captivated. I hadn’t really noticed because she was in elementary school, but this girl was really pretty. So this is what happens when a beautiful girl puts real effort into her makeup, huh? Women are a force to be reckoned with. “How do you like it, Naoto-san? Please tell me your honest thoughts.” “You look beautiful.” “Huh?” “You look really beautiful. Not cute, but beautiful.” “Uh, umm... Well, uh...” Suzu’s ears turned red. She looked like an apple. Even though she was the one who’d done this to herself, she got embarrassed when I complimented her.

Suzu was surprisingly weak to flattery. “...Yeah, you really do look beautiful.” “Ahh” “You look like an actress from a TV drama. No, even better than that.” “Eep…” “You know about Cinderella, right? This is like modern-day Cinderella. It’s like you’ve transformed into a gorgeous beauty right before my eyes.” “Hawaa...” Suzu was really flustered. ...Just as planned. She always teased me, after all. I had to pay her back in kind sometimes. Hehehe, how do you like them apples? You must feel embarrassed. You must feel self-conscious. You should reflect on your actions. “Um...” Suddenly, Suzu’s demeanor changed. Her cheeks were still blushing, but she was staring straight at me... After a moment, she smiled mischievously. “Ah-ha... You’re teasing me, aren’t you? You’re trying to get back at me, aren’t you?” Busted. “Hmph, to think you’d do something like that... He, Hehehe.” “Huh?” “Eheh, eheheheh♪” I thought she might get angry, but instead she seemed happy. “Come on♪ For a high school boy, you sure act like a kid sometimes, Naoto-san.” “Huh?” “You want to tease me. In other words, you’re acting like a boy who bullies the girl he likes!” “Wha...” “That’s right! You teased me back because you like me. You’re always thinking about me, worrying about me, and paying attention to me! Isn’t that right?” “N-n-no, it’s not like that...” “But you were acting just like that right now, weren't you?” I couldn’t deny that at all. What was happening? Not only had I lost the battle of wits, but I’d also been branded as a boy with a crush. “Ugh... I guess I really can’t beat you, Suzu...” “Hee-hee, you almost had me there. But you’re still not quite up to my standards. Too bad! Ti-hi♪” Suzu had evolved from being a mischievous imp to a full-blown rebellious girl.

Or had she actually degenerated? “But anyway...” This moment in my life was the most fun yet. Whether online or in real life, I had made many friends. We had spent a decent amount of time together. But out of all of them, I got along best with Suzu. Our compatibility was so good that sometimes it felt like she could read my mind. That’s why... “...That's why?” I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t think any further than that. What was happening? What was I trying to think about anyway? “Naoto-san?” “...No, it’s nothing.” I had gotten lost in the labyrinth of my thoughts, so I decided to stop thinking for now. “More importantly, why are you dressed like that?” “I wanted to make you feel excited seeing a different version of me.” And just like that, I was caught in her trap, and my heart started beating faster. What a schemer she was. “Also, I wanted to refocus your attention on me.” “Hmm? What do you mean?” “I still haven’t figured out the identity of this so-called older senpai you supposedly met the other day... If we just sit here doing nothing, you might end up losing interest in me!” “So you dressed up like this to compete with her?” “Yes!” Suzu looked very proud of herself. She still had that childish side to her. And her thought process was just the same as well. “I've told you before, I'm just friends... well, maybe not even friends, just acquaintances. With my senpai, I mean. You don't need to worry about him, Miyanoshita.” “Hmph, not very convincing,” Miyanoshita said with a very serious expression. “My intuition tells me that your senpai is a very dangerous foe. She’s my romantic rival, you see. That’s why I have to take the lead now, before it’s too late.” “You're making a big deal out of nothing.” I smiled wryly. It was ridiculous to think of my senpai as a rival. Nothing had happened between us since that day. In fact, I hadn't even seen her again. It was hard to imagine that anything would happen between us. “Huh? Yuki-kun, is that you?” Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. “Wow, what a coincidence running into you here.” “Huh...? Koyanagi-senpai?”