On a small countryside road.
Two figures were walking. Among them, the woman wore sunglasses, while the man dressed more casually.
"Ichika, is your work really that busy now?"
Sakurai Saki pulled the luggage, while enjoying the umbrella-holding service Ichika was providing.
"Why are you asking that? But yes, it's super busy. Ever since I said I wanted to take a break from school, the manager has been crazily scheduling everything, I'm about to die from exhaustion. After the Obon festival ends and I return to Tokyo, I'll still be busy for a long ti. Modeling for fashion magazines, auditioning for films, and promoting the movie from before…"
Ichika reached this point and switched to a helpless tone: "You were clearly the male lead, yet you don't have to join the promotions, isn't that way too sneaky?"
"I didn't sign with any agency, not even the previous actor contract — that was only temporary."
What Sakurai Saki said made Ichika even more jealous, but that feeling didn't last long. After all, Ichika was extrely stubborn about becoming a celebrity; it would be very hard for her to give up just because she was tired. She had overco so many temptations and difficulties before; now that she had dropped out of school and bet everything on this, of course she had to go all out!
"How nice."
"Ichika, are you wearing sunglasses so people won't recognize you?"
"No, it's just too hot, and I'm scared sunlight will hurt my eyes." Ichika described: "If I suddenly lift my head and a beam of light shines straight into my face, don't you think that's terrifying?"
"..." Girls really are troubleso. Sakurai Saki wanted to say that, but didn't.
This morning he had already been counterattacked by two girls for teasing them about deodorant spray — this was completely a lesson learned through blood and tears.
"Ah right, sensei-chan. Tonight don't make a move on , Yotsuba is still ho, you know." Ichika smiled at him, completely unaware of the disastrous 'battle' that happened last night.
If she knew, she would probably run straight back to Tokyo — a much safer place.
...
"Hai hai! Sisters! I'm ho!!"
Ichika mimicked Yotsuba's voice, waving cheerfully at everyone in the room, and… she realized their reactions were extrely bland.
They weren't even welcoming her.
'What is this?' She had used her ultimate imitation skill, so Ichika expected everyone to respond with much more enthusiasm.
"Oh. Ichika, welco back." Nakano Nino lay on the tatami floor, flipping through a manga.
Yotsuba was doing howork.
Itsuki was preparing items for the upcoming offering, including hemp stalks and a few paper talismans.
As for Miku, she had just run out of the room earlier to go et Sakurai Saki.
"I ran all the way back from Hokkaido, even had to take a plane, wasted so much money just to see everyone sooner, yet seeing your attitudes… Uwu, I'm so sad." Ichika instantly activated her actress talent — it took only a few seconds for her crying voice to co out.
"So noisy, Ichika, stop talking, Yotsuba is doing her howork." As the "mother" of the house, Itsuki was sotis even more dignified than the eldest sister Ichika.
So, very quickly, Nakano Ichika sat down quietly beside Yotsuba.
Then, she glanced at the problems and realized she could barely solve any of them.
"Yotsuba, aren't these way too hard?"
"They're fine. At first I almost died doing them, but after doing a lot with Sakurai-san, I got used to it."
"Doing together? Doing a lot?" Ichika shook her head, pushing all the dirty thoughts out of her mind.
She suspected she might be a bit too deprived lately. Wasn't that so? She had only t Sakurai Saki for a few hours, and her desire already felt like bursting bubbles in her head.
"If you're free, Ichika, go get the waterlon. We've been soaking it in cold water for you for a while." Nino flipped to another page as she said that.
"Uh, okay."
Indeed, the sisters' personalities were still the sa — Ichika sighed internally.
She had thought she would be treated like a precious treasure with everyone fussing around her, but instead, no one even cared.
...
August 14th.
Tonight, there would be the Obon festival and Obon dance, combined with several nearby villages, held next to the local shrine.
The five Nakano sisters, of course, said they had to go join the fun.
In the countryside there are no fireworks festivals; large events are rare, so it would be a waste not to go.
Before heading out, the five sisters changed into light yukata, each holding a round fan.
Under the night sky.
The town center was brightly lit, as if gathering all the liveliness within dozens of miles into one place.
Various stalls, the calls of the vendors, children and elderly gathered together, and occasionally a few stylish young people could be seen — sothing rare in the countryside — and just a glance was enough to see they were different. Probably they had returned to their hotown for Obon to honor their ancestors.
"Hey, Miku, stop fanning him already."
Nino complained at Miku.
We ca out here, not like we're landlords visiting the fields. You look exactly like a little maid standing there fanning him. And on a hot night like this, Miku, what's the point of starting an Internal war?
"None of your business." Nakano Miku's voice was cold as she ignored the strange looks from the people around them and continued fanning Sakurai Saki.
"...Tsk."
Nino pouted, having no choice but to silently admire how terrifying won in love were.
Was I this stupid before too? …Probably not, right?
"Nino, don't talk about Miku anymore. A year ago, you were even crazier than she is." Ichika gently comnted.
"You're wrong, I still super like Sakurai-san even now."
After saying that, Nino let out a small laugh, then also copied Miku's posture and fanned Sakurai Saki.
Internal war, right? Who's afraid?
"Alright, everyone stop. I'm not hot."
Sakurai Saki felt like dying from embarrassnt as the elderly people around kept staring.
"Itsuki and Yotsuba still not done over there?"
"That shooting ga — neither of them is very good at it." Miku explained.
Ichika asked: "Want to go see? They're right up ahead."
Sakurai Saki nodded: "There are a lot of people at the festival today, don't get separated again."
Getting separated once was enough — people must learn from experience.
Hearing him say that, Miku gently tugged on the corner of Sakurai Saki's sleeve.
"Let's go."
The four of them gathered and walked toward the area where the other two were playing the shooting ga.
Before seeing them, their voices were already audible — Yotsuba's lively voice was unmistakable even in the noisy environnt—
"Almost there! The next shot will definitely hit!"
And there was also Itsuki's utterly helpless voice—
"Yotsuba, stop wasting money! Three shots are 300 yen, ten shots are 700 yen, you've already fired 20 shots and only hit two. There's absolutely no way this is profitable."
Thinking the stall owner of a shooting ga would go bankrupt… Yotsuba's ideas were truly filled with a sense of "dreaminess."
Sakurai Saki felt that she needed to study more and understand concepts like profit margins, costs, and labor fees.
Most importantly, she needed to know what sunk cost was and the importance of cutting losses at the right ti.
Very quickly, Yotsuba noticed the group approaching, and a hint of joy appeared on her face—
"Sakurai-san! Co save ~"
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