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ramirei · 5 years

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Assertion of the Heart - preparation 10 + epilogue

Takamizawa Arisa is eager to make friends and fit into class at her junior high school. However, she doesn’t fit into the girl groups and the only person she talks to is Enomoto Kotarou who sits in the seat behind her. Though she feels close to Miura Karen, a fellow classmate who doesn’t fit in class, she was scared of being singled out by her peers. Shibasaki Ken, Kotarou’s friend, takes notice of the conflicted Arisa but – “It’s too boring to hate all the time.” What awaits Arisa as she takes a step forward in her own way!?

Find the masterlist with all the chapters here!

Please support Honeyworks by purchasing the novel here! (CDJapan is also a good alternative).

AND I AM DONE! But this isn’t over yet because next up is Mean Encounter!! If the tenses sound weird, don’t worry, they’re weird in Japanese, too. There’s a lot of point of view jumping and tense changes, so once the text changes to I/you and it’s not in quotes or italics, just remember they’re the thoughts of the narrator of that section. (i’m just gonna post this for now and hope it stays alive on tumblr)

preparation 10

On the day of the sports tournament, the entire school changed into their gym clothes and participated in events respectively held in the gym and the schoolyard. Students were supposed to be watching the other ongoing games from the grass in the schoolyard or from the cheering stands in the gym in between their own games. However, everyone freely walked around the school since no one was actually enforcing this rule onto them.

Arisa hurried headed to the back of the gym after the 9th grader’s games ended. The person she was looking for was in the middle of washing his face at the outdoor sink.

Good, there’s no one that will get in my way! After checking that the coast was clear, Arisa stepped up to him, making sure he didn’t notice her.

Lifting his head, he realized that the towel he hung at the edge of the sink had disappeared, prompting him to look around, “Huh?”

“Setoguchi-senpai*, you dropped this.” Arisa nonchalantly held out his towel with a sweet smile.

Setoguchi Yuu, Hina’s older brother, returned her smile with a, “Oh, thank you,” and took the towel from her. He had great looks, he was smart, and, to top it off, he was also great in athletics. He was a prince with everything that a girl wanted in a guy.

“Um…?” Yuu looked at Arisa, slightly confused, after wiping his face with the towel, “Setoguchi-senpai, are you Enomoto-senpai’s boyfriend?” She asked boldly.

Yuu paused, then exclaimed, “Huh!?” in surprise. “Why… this question all of a sudden?”

“It’s because Enomoto… no, a male student in my class is worried about whether or not the two of you are secretly dating.” Arisa said, looking at Yuu with both hands clasped together.

“What, Kotarou? Why would he care about something like that?”

“Eno… it’s because he’s going through puberty. He has all kinds of complicated worries.”

“…All kinds as in?”

“That’s, well, various… so, are the two of you going out?” Arisa approached his face without hesitating, causing Yuu to bend backwards to escape her approach.

After a few seconds of silence, he averted his gaze without thinking. His cheeks were becoming slightly red, “Um, no… I don’t… think we are?”

“Really, really!? You swear to God!?” Arisa cornered Yuu to the wall, thrusting out her hands on either side of him with a thump so he wouldn’t escape.

Yuu’s expression stiffened slightly as his back pressed against the wall, “We’re just childhood friends. On second thought, why are you making me say this?”

Arisa brought a hand from the wall to her chin. Huh, I see. It doesn’t mean they’re going out… However, the elder Setoguchi was no doubt in love with Kotarou’s older sister. Moreover, so was Koyuki.

“Oh, Yuu… and Takamizawa!?” Hina yelled, noticing them after exiting the gym.

“Hina, do you know her?” Yuu looked at Hina, hanging his tower around his neck.

“Well then, Setoguchi-senpai, good luck on your next game.” Arisa said with a smile, then immediately left the scene.

“Wait a second, Takamizawa!” Hina ran after her, leaving Yuu behind, “I said wait a second! Why were you talking to my brother?” She asked, yanking the sleeve of Arisa’s jersey.

Arisa turned with a sigh, “You sure are a busy person.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Koyuki and your brother don’t belong to you. Anyone is free to go up and talk to them, aren’t they?”

“Even if you say that… you’re definitely plotting something, aren’t you!” Hina looked like she didn’t plan on releasing Arisa’s sleeve until she found out why they were talking.

Without a choice, Arisa softly sighed, “Oh, Koyuki.”

“Huh, where!?” Hina reacted immediately and searched their surroundings. Arisa quickly walked away while she did, “Takamizawa, you’re mean!”

Arisa let out a giggle, listening to Hina miffed about the fact that Koyuki was no where to be found, “Really, such a busy person.”

Koyuki, Hina, and even Kotarou. Everyone was doing their best in love. Life surely didn’t feel dull if they lived like that every day.

Surely, the world… appeared even more dazzling to them.

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

“Heeey, Yuu.” Catching sight of Yuu, Kotarou walked up to the gym. Yuu lived in the house next door, was something like a childhood friend to his older sister and was someone he knew well.

“Kotarou…” Yuu looked at Kotarou, grabbing the towel hung around his shoulders with both hands.

Hina was supposed to be cheering for Yuu’s game. That’s why he thought he’d be able to see her if he went to the gym, but…

Kotarou walked up to Yuu, restlessly looking around them, “Did you see Hina?”

“Hina? Oh… she went off somewhere with that Takamizawa girl.”

“With Takamizawa!? She didn’t say something weird again, did she?”

For some reason, Arisa and Hina did not get along. It was apparently due to the fact that Arisa was hanging around an upperclassman by the name of Ayase Koyuki as of late with utmost persistence. Because of that, Hina was recently constantly in a foul mood. That’s why he had nothing but a bad feeling after hearing that they were together.

They aren’t fighting, right…?

Kotarou made an about-face and was about to go searching for them when Yuu called out to him, “Kotarou.”

“Hm? What?”

“Well… how should I say this… sorry.”

Kotarou looked back at him in confusion at the sudden apology. Did something happen that Yuu had to apologize to me for? He had a feeling that there were several incidents in the past that he had to apologize to Yuu for. However, he didn’t remember any of the opposite.

“For not nothing a lot of things.”

“Huh? What’re you talkin’ about?”

“If there’s ever anything you need to talk about, you can come talk to me any time.” Yuu said seriously and patted both of Kotarou’s shoulders consolingly.

I’m getting even more confused though!? Nevertheless, he felt like he was being looked at with an extremely sympathetic gaze for some reason.

“Oh, there you are. Yuu! The next game is starting?” Natsuki, Kotarou’s older sister, rushed up to them while waving.

Kotarou exclaimed a, “Ugh!” at his sister’s voice, “Natsuki!” He unconsciously made to run due to a defensive instinct that was instilled into him since he was little.

“Kotarou, what’s with your reaction? Why are you saying ‘ugh’ at seeing your older sister’s face? Why?” Natsuki, now at their side, lovingly yanked at Kotarou’s ear before he could run.

“Let me go, you ugly woman!”

“You’re so annoying, you monkey!”

“Natsuki, let it go. Weren’t you going to go see Mochita’s game? He’s going to get sulky if we don’t go and support him.”

“Huh, wait, Yuu!!” Yuu grabbed Natsuki’s arm and forcefully pulled her away.

Kotarou watched as the two returned to the gym, stunned. What the heck was that? I don’t understand what happened at all…

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

After returning home, Arisa ate dinner, took a bath, then shut herself in her room. She quickly ran her colored pen across loose pieces of paper that were spread out onto the low table in her room.

The elder Setoguchi likes Enomoto’s older sister (?).

Enomoto’s older sister likes the elder Setoguchi (?).

Koyuki likes Enomoto’s older sister.

Setoguchi likes Koyuki.

Enomoto likes Setoguchi. **

Arisa gazed at the relationship char, resting a cheek on her hand and sighed. Kotarou and Hina, plus Koyuki, Hina’s older brother Yuu, Natsuki… It was as if they were threads that got tangled together. If she pulled at them, she had a feeling that the threads would smoothly come undone, but she also felt like they would do the opposite, instead tangling together and not come undone at all.

“Hmmmmm…” Arisa hummed, lifting her cheek from her hand, “Oh, I get it! In short, if I stick Koyuki with Enomoto’s older sister… then Setoguchi has no choice but to give up on Koyuki! Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone?” Arisa’s eyes sparkled as she hurriedly drew a new line with her colored pen.

There was no choice but to make one person unhappy. Setoguchi’s older brother was popular, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him to experience a broken heart once or twice. If he could valiantly give up just this once for his younger sister’s happiness…

“As if things would turn out that well.” She dropped her head onto the table with a thump. The colored pen she was holding rolled onto the table. Arisa turned her face to the side, glancing at the relationship chart. It didn’t seem like Yuu and Natsuki were going out yet, “But it’s not going to be easy wedging yourself in between them…” Arisa mumbled, recalling Koyuki gazing at Natsuki from a distance.

If Koyuki experienced a broken heart, then it meant that Hina still had a chance. In the unlikely event that things went well between them, then it would be Kotarou with the broken heart this time. It would be better for Hina to give up on Koyuki when she considered Kotarou. She came up with various ways to make it happen, but Hina was earnest in her own way and so was Koyuki. The solution to what would be the best thing to do if their feelings ever came to light was one she couldn’t answer.

“Ugh, seriously.” Arisa was becoming increasingly irritated and rolled onto her rug.

Why won’t things go well?

The feelings of people…

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

Once the week began, the sky looked like it would rain for a while.

After school, Arisa headed to the entrance to find Koyuki standing stock still with an umbrella in hand. He was watching Yuu and Natsuki as they headed to the front gates. In the midst of heavy drops of rain hitting the asphalt, the two walked closely together with different colored umbrellas.

Arisa averted her eyes from Koyuki’s lonely and gloomy figure. She couldn’t even look at him. I mean, it’s because I know. You end up being found out because you’re so obvious.

It seemed like Koyuki was always alone even in class. The only time Arisa witnessed him talking to someone was when he was with Natsuki.

The “him” who became like a ghost in class. How happy and how significant would it be for there to be someone in class that connected with him just like she did with everyone else? It would make him feel like it was okay for him to be here, too, just by her greeting him in the morning and smiling at him. That made him feel like he wasn’t a ghost, but just a normal student like everyone else. That was what Natsuki was to Koyuki.

For Arisa to ask him to give up on her…

Clutching tightly onto the handle of her umbrella, Arisa walked up to Koyuki, “Koyuki.”

Koyuki turned in the direction of her voice, “Takamizawa…”

“Are you not going to talk to her?”

“Huh?”

“To Natsuki.”

“Oh… no…” Koyuki lowered his gaze with a slight smile and did not finish his sentence.

Arisa stood next to him. They could no longer see Yuu and Natsuki now that they passed through the gates. Their surroundings became slightly clearer due to the dark sky and the nonstop rain.

Really… there’s nothing but things that won’t turn out the way we want them to…

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

Hina, now ready to go home after she finished cleaning, was walking down the stairs looking down. She feet naturally came to a stop when she discovered Koyuki sweeping the hallways.

“Koyuki…”

“Oh!” Hina’s heart leapt when she realized Koyuki had heard her. She immediately turned away. “Wha… Setoguchi?”

How many more times… how many more times if our eyes keep meeting… surely… Her heart continued to pound thump after thump.

Hina pressed her back against the wall in the hallway, having returned all the way back to the 7th grade classrooms, and caught her breath. Her hands burned and they were sweating. She tightly gripped her hands.

“Setoguchi…?” A voice called out uncertainly.

Hina jumped in surprise. She turned to find Koyuki looking at her with a worried expression, a broom still in his hands.

See…

It’s because when our eyes meet, you smile so kindly at me.

I’ll end up realizing.

Realizing my own feelings –

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

When Arisa left their classroom after school, she found Kotarou stopped in the middle of the hallway. “…Enomoto?” She called out, approaching him. Kotarou didn’t reply.

He was watching Koyuki and Hina. Koyuki was consoling Hina, who looked on the verge of tears, while flustered. Hina was laughing at Koyuki’s reaction. She looked happy, her cheeks blushed red.

Arisa quietly peeked at Kotarou’s profile. She had imagined that he would’ve been irritated, but his expression was surprisingly calm. “Are you fine with that?”

“With what?”

“Those two.”

Hina’s expression had already become the face of someone who had completely realized her own feelings.

“It’s… fine, isn’t it?” Kotarou stated. He turned to return to their classroom.

Arisa glanced at Hina and Koyuki, letting out a small sigh.

As expected, this was… going nowhere.

People’s feelings were something that others couldn’t do anything about. They don’t even go the way the person themselves want them to. Surely, even when they knew there was no hope.

Humans can’t live without falling in love.

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

Spring – March, the graduation ceremony.

Kotarou went up to the rooftop alone. Once he was there, he leaned against the fence and gazed at the people below. He saw the 9th graders coming out the front gates with their parents after finishing their graduation. There were also students receiving bouquets while surrounded by their underclassmen.

“Is it okay for you to be up here? Isn’t your sister graduating?” Arisa said from behind as she approached him.

He turned to her, “I guess.”

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating? Like going out to eat.”

“Oh… She said that she was going somewhere with Yuu’s family.”

“You’re not going?” She leaned against the fence next to him.

“It’s too much trouble.” Kotarou said, linking his hands together behind his head.

The sky was clear. White clouds were slowly crawling across the sky. The wind was still slightly chilly, but it was mild.

“…What about Setoguchi?”

“Hina has club activities. Thought up until a second ago she was bawling.”

“Oh, because Koyuki is graduating, too… Are you staying back at school ‘cause you’re worried about her? Enomoto, you’re honest, or more like, admirable?” She teased.

Kotarou grimaced, “Shut up.”

“And yet, I wonder why you haven’t entered Setoguchi’s sight at all.” Even though he’s this dedicated.

“It’s fine. Because, before long, I’ll turn into an awesome guy that will make her say that she has no one else in her sights but me!” Kotarou declared full of confidence, but his expression soon became bashful.

“Well… isn’t that fine, too?” Arisa brought her fluttering hair to her face to hide her spreading smile.

It almost makes me envy him because he only sees one person.

“Besides, there’s a phrase called ‘having nothing left to lose’.”

“Go on, keep saying that.”

They laughed, bumping their fists together.

The debt from that time still remained unpaid in her heart. That’s why… She wished upon the clear, blue sky spreading endlessly until the ends of the earth.

May this person’s feelings one day reach her…

epilogue

During the weekend, Arisa was at the shopping mall in front of the station. She had been looking forward to it since that morning and she was slightly embarrassed that she had put so much energy into dressing up.

There was already a long line in the ventilated central event hall. Arisa stood around the middle of the line and was marching small steps in place unable to calm down.

“Please stand in order of the number on your ticket!” An official loudly shouted.

What do I do… what do I do? I’m actually here… Her heart kept rapidly beating ever since she arrived in line.

Three days ago, she found out that Narumi Sena was holding a handshake event as part of a magazine PR event. Arisa wanted to see her even for a few moments despite only ever having seen her on TV and had lined up in front of the automatic doors of the shopping mall before opening hours to obtain a numbered ticket. She intended to come early, but a line had already formed in front of the doors; that only spoke of how amazingly popular Sena was.

It was her first time going to someone’s handshake event. It was also her first time wanting to meet someone this strongly before. She had completely become a fan of Sena ever since seeing her on TV. Without fail, she would buy the magazines that Sena appeared in and she would always set the TV to record if she heard that Sena would be in a morning show so that she wouldn’t miss it. She even bought the lip cream Sena endorsed.

The more Arisa learned about Sena, the more she thought, “Wow, this person is amazing.” She admired her and began to want to follow her. Those lined up here likely thought the same way.

She heard someone say, “Sena is adorable, right!” from around her.

In her head, she agreed, “She is!” If it were possible, she almost wanted to say, “Include me in the conversation, too!”

It would probably be okay for her to talk to Sena for a little bit once it was her turn, right? Or would it be better for her to move aside immediately after shaking her hand because of the people waiting in line behind her? It was her first time at an event like this, so she didn’t know the protocol. She restlessly peeked up at the front of the line.

“My… my hands are getting sweaty!” Arisa realized with a start and hurriedly wiped her hands on her clothes.

As she did so, it was rapidly getting closer to her turn. The girls in front of her in line happily told Sena, “I buy your magazines!” while shaking her hand.

Ok, it should be okay for me to talk to her for a little bit! She quietly clenched her fists in triumph.

A voice called out, “Next person in line.”

“Yes!” She squeaked, her voice raising sharply due to her nerves.

Sena sat in front of her, smiling amicably as she talked with an official.

It’s the real persoooooooooon!

She looked just like she did on TV. Her face was small, her eyes were large and bright, and both her hair and skin were shiny and smooth. Her entire being was adorable. No matter where she looked, Sena was adorable from head to toe.

Wait, no, I have to say something. Something… but what!? Arisa began to panic, making it even more difficult for her words to come out. She even forgot to hold her hand out.

Sena smiled at Arisa, who stood frozen, and held out her own hand, “Thank you for coming here today.”

Arisa broke out of her trance at Sena’s words and frantically shook her hand. Her hand was shaking slightly, “T-Thank you very much!” It took all she had just to say that one phrase and, without properly meeting Sena in the eye, she briskly walked away from the table.

Ahhhh, seriously! That wasn’t what you were supposed to say!! Arisa walked all the way to an empty area before she brought both hands to her warm cheeks.

I’m a really big fan!

I love you!

I admire you!

I was really encouraged by your words after seeing you on TV!

She had had so many things she wanted to say. She even thought of what to say in line.

“What the heck is ‘thank you very much’!?” Arisa came here today because she wanted to tell Sena that, on that day, she had been saved by her words, that she made her happy, and to express her gratitude. That’s why, what she told her wasn’t exactly wrong.

It isn’t… but definitely none of what I wanted to say got conveyed. She sighed, placing a hand on a wall with a poster.

But –

She met her. She looked down at the very hands that shook Sena’s own. I actually met her! Arisa broke into a smile and gripped her hands tightly.

She still hadn’t become the person she wanted to be in the slightest. Things continued to go wrong and the world surrounding her continued to maintain the status quo. She hadn’t been able to resolve anything nor had anything changed. Everyday was a fight with her weak self. She still did not have the courage to firmly walk down the path she found herself with her own two legs like Sena. Even the idea of where she should head was vague and she was still fumbling around for answers. But she couldn’t stand still.

Because that person is also the same. I have to move forward, too…

“Let’s go!” Arisa exclaimed as she walked straight ahead.

Are you ready to get a running start? Head into the direction you believe in and don’t look back. There are new encounters waiting –

♦ ♦ ღ ♦ ♦

“Oh, I just got here. Wait a bit…” Ken said, his phone pressed against his ear, as he walked through the fountain plaza. He headed towards the automatic doors of the shopping mall.

As it was a holiday, the doors were opening and closing without a break as customers filtered in and out of the mall.

“I said I didn’t make any other plans. I’ll be with you all day, y’know?”

Ken stopped. Arisa walked past him as she exited the mall. Her eyes shined and her expression showed that she couldn’t help but be happy as she dashed towards the plaza. A smile crept onto his face without warning as he watched her walk away.

“No… it’s nothing.” He said to the person on the other line and walked into the mall.

With the desire to put an end to the days where they merely passed by each other, the first time he would speak to her would be after they began their first year in high school.

I won’t get serious, y’know? Cause we know that those that enjoy themselves are the ones that win in this “love game.”

You bluntly told me who thought of this as a game, “That must be so boring.”

You denied everything about my world. This was a mean encounter –

* I would usually take out any honorific suffixes, but I needed a distinction between the Setoguchi siblings and the Enomoto siblings, so Yuu and Natsuki keep their -senpai titles since Arisa respectfully calls them by their last names.

** Adding this note just in case anyone gets confused, remember that a majority of this novel is in Arisa’s POV and she addresses Kotarou as Enomoto and Hina as Setoguchi. So in any instances where “Enomoto” and “Setoguchi” appear without the -senpai title, we’re talking about the younger siblings.

#honeyworks #heart no shuchou #assertion of the heart #assertion of heart #vocaloid novel #translation #rei's translations #kokuhaku yokou renshuu #takamizawa arisa #enomoto kotarou #setoguchi hina #setoguchi yuu #ayase koyuki #enomoto natsuki #narumi sena

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