063. Nan Qinli (1)

Minami Kotori was a second-year student at Otonokizaka Academy. Aside from attending an all-girls’ school, she seemed no different from any other ordinary high school girl. At least, that’s what she had always believed—until the start of this new term.

Just before the semester began, Kotori received a subtle warning from her mother, who was also the chairwoman of Otonokizaka Academy: because of declining birth rates in the country, the academy might be forced to close. Kotori thought her mother was joking and quickly brushed the matter aside, not mentioning it to her two closest friends. Yet, try as she might, Kotori couldn’t entirely shake a faint sense of unease that lingered in her heart.

The opening ceremony of the new school year arrived as scheduled. Now a second-year student with juniors beneath her, Kotori learned, along with the rest of the students, that the school was indeed facing possible closure. After the ceremony, her childhood friend, Honoka Kosaka, dramatically fainted in front of the bulletin board displaying the notice.

After taking Honoka to the nurse’s office, Kotori discussed the troubling news with her other close friend, Umi Sonoda. Before long, a dejected Honoka returned to the classroom, slumping over her desk with little enthusiasm.

Kotori watched her friend with concern and said softly to Umi, “Honoka seems so down… I didn’t realize she cared this much about our school.”

Umi replied, “That’s not quite it. I think she’s misunderstood something…”

“Misunderstood?” Kotori asked, puzzled.

Suddenly, Honoka shot upright, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked at Kotori and Umi, her face contorted in distress. “What am I going to do? I haven’t studied at all! Ugh…”

“Eh?” Both Kotori and Umi stared at her in disbelief.

Honoka explained, “If our school closes, we’d have to transfer to another high school, right? There are entrance exams and transfer tests and all that…”

Umi sighed, as if she’d expected this all along. “I knew it…”

Kotori managed a wry smile. “Honoka, calm down.”

Honoka turned away, grumbling, “It’s easy for you and Umi. You both have good grades, but I…”

Umi frowned and said firmly, “That’s why I told you to calm down! The school isn’t going anywhere before we graduate.”

“Huh?” Honoka looked at them, utterly confused.

...

During lunch, as they ate in the courtyard, Kotori told the now cheerful Honoka, who was happily munching on bread, “Even if the school does close, it won’t happen until all the current students have graduated. So, the soonest would be in three years.”

Relieved, Honoka beamed and said, “That’s great! Today’s bread tastes extra good! Ahh—!”

Umi, watching Honoka’s rapidly shifting mood, wondered whether to call her carefree or simply oblivious. She sighed, “...You’ll get fat, you know.”

Kotori’s expression turned sorrowful and she murmured, “But once it’s official, there won’t be any new first-years enrolling. Next year, it’ll just be second and third years left…”

Umi’s spirits fell as well. “The current first-years will never have juniors beneath them again…”

Honoka’s smile faded upon hearing her friends, and she set her bread down, murmuring, “I see…”

Their gloomy mood was soon interrupted by the student council president, who came over to speak with them. Naturally, her main concern was to question Kotori, as the chairwoman’s daughter, about the rumors of closure. Unable to provide any concrete answers, Kotori could only apologize for not knowing more. The aloof president left in disappointment, though the purple-haired girl beside her offered a gentle, “Goodbye.”

During the afternoon break, Honoka, who had seemed distracted in class, suddenly brightened and said to Kotori and Umi, “The notice said the school would close if admissions didn’t meet the required numbers, right?”

Kotori nodded, agreeing with her.

Honoka continued, “So if we get enough new students, the school won’t have to close, right?”

Umi nodded as well. “So, what are you getting at, Honoka?”

Honoka declared with excitement, “Well, if we just promote the good things about our school, we can attract more students, can’t we?”

...

After school, the three of them discussed the merits of Otonokizaka Academy and even went to the reading room to look up the school’s history. Unfortunately, aside from being “long-established,” there wasn’t much to boast about.

Disheartened, they each went their separate ways. When Kotori got home, she asked her mother about the issue, only to be met with an enthusiastic counter-question about where they should travel next…

Sharing this with Honoka and Umi over the phone, the three girls found their passion for “saving the school” had faded, at least a little.

But the very next morning, Kotori and Umi were caught by an exuberant Honoka, who was clutching a stack of magazines. “Let’s become idols together!”

Kotori found the idea intriguing, but Umi vehemently objected. Umi scolded Honoka, saying things like, “Do you really think doing something like this will attract new students?” “The school idols in those magazines work as hard as professionals, taking it seriously,” and “Someone like you, Honoka, who only acts out of curiosity, could never pull this off!”

With each pointed remark, Honoka shrank back, her confidence crumbling. Kotori wanted to say something in Honoka’s defense but didn’t know what.

Finally, Umi ended the conversation on a somber note, “I’ll be honest with you—becoming idols is impossible!” and stormed off.

Kotori glanced at Umi’s retreating figure, then at Honoka standing there, dejected. After a moment’s thought, Kotori returned to the classroom to research school idols, hoping it would help her decide what to do next.

She concluded that becoming an idol actually sounded fun, and so she ran to the archery club to find Umi and persuade her to join. On her way, however, she stumbled upon Honoka practicing diligently by herself in a quiet corner of the school.

Kotori called Umi over to watch Honoka’s efforts and smiled. “Hey, Umi, I want to give it a try. What about you?”

Umi was silent.