Chapter 49 Reunion with the Snow Princess꞉ Hirokazu
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The bedroom was in such a state after the previous night’s festivities that I found myself awake much earlier than usual, broom in hand. It simply wouldn’t do to have Manami¹ scrubbing away at the remnants of our passion. I stripped the sheets and hauled the mattress, which was quite remarkably damp, out onto the second-floor balcony to dry in the morning sun. As I mopped the floor, catching sight of the dried traces of my own exuberance, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sheepishness. I had, perhaps, gone a bit overboard.
When I eventually wandered into the kitchen, Manami fixed me with a look of mock disapproval. “Next time, Hirokazu-san, you’ll have to let me watch you go to the bathroom,” she said, her eyes narrowing playfully. It struck me then, with a quiet sort of certainty, that we were truly a pair of eccentrics.
As was our custom, Manami set off first on her bicycle. After double-checking the locks, I followed on foot. The walk to school, however, was far from the peaceful stroll I had anticipated. The air seemed thick with the weight of dozens of eyes. It wasn’t just the lingering stares; it was the whispers that drifted toward me like unwanted leaves on a breeze. “Is that the guy Nakanishi-san confessed to?”
”He’s really Manami-chan’s boyfriend?”
”I hope she dumps him soon.”
”I’d like to take a swing at him.”
”She’s clearly being tricked.” I had never been the center of such intense scrutiny, and it left me feeling terribly exposed.
Upon entering the classroom, Manami glided over to me with a bright smile. “Good morning, Hirokazu-san,” she chirped.
”Good morning,” I replied, keeping my voice level. Since our living arrangements were a strictly guarded secret, we had to maintain the appearance of a normal, newly-minted couple.
The reaction was instantaneous. A chorus of squeals and giggles erupted from the girls, while the boys’ side of the room grew heavy with sharp clicks of tongues and glares that could have curdled milk. Yuzuki, who had barely made it to class after her morning practice, offered me a knowing nod from across the room.
When the lunch bell finally chimed, I made a move toward the shop, only to be intercepted by Manami and Yuzuki. They whisked me away to the quiet sanctuary of the calligraphy club room. “I’ve finally been able to make a lunch for you, Hirokazu-san!” Manami exclaimed, her face radiating pure joy. We had agreed to keep her cooking under wraps to hide our intimacy, so this was a momentous occasion for her.
”I want to make lunch for Inamori-kun too,” Yuzuki added, her voice tinged with a hint of longing.
”Oh, making one is the same as making two,” Manami said dismissively, though not unkindly. “Besides, don’t you have your morning practice? You wouldn’t have the time.” I sat back and enjoyed the meal, listening to their lighthearted bickering. The outside world was certainly bothersome, but seeing Manami so radiant-knowing she was finally living the schoolgirl dream she had always wanted-made the unwanted attention a small price to pay.
Even though the news of Operation Proposal² and our subsequent coupling had spread like wildfire, the confessions to Manami hadn’t stopped. “I’ve already told everyone I have a boyfriend because I confessed first, and yet they still come,” she lamented during a break. Ordinarily, such a comment might sound like a boast, but coming from Manami, it was a simple, frustrating fact of life.
”They’re so annoying. Maybe next time I’ll just blab to everyone exactly what they said when they confessed,” she threatened, causing a wave of panicked squeaks from the girls nearby. “Can I do that too?” Yuzuki chimed in, looking entirely too amused.
Manami had warned me that since both she and Yuzuki had confessed to me, the girls had taken a sudden, intense interest in my character. And because Manami, who had once been a devoted daddy’s girl, had declared me ‘even more wonderful than Papa,’ my reputation had preceded me in the most exaggerated fashion.
One afternoon, just as Manami was about to lead me off for lunch, a classmate poked her head in. “Inamori-kun, the Snow Princess⁴ is calling for you.” The room fell into a hushed, frantic whispering. “Inamori again?” someone grumbled.
”The Snow Princess? Who’s that?” I asked, feeling a sudden jolt in my chest.
”I think it’s Koga Emilia,” Manami whispered, her brow furrowed. “What sort of history do you have with her?”
”It’s probably the girl Mitsuhiko mentioned before,” I replied, my heart hammering against my ribs. I stepped out into the hallway and found myself face-to-face with a vision of porcelain beauty. She had pale skin, dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders, and captivating hazel eyes. She looked, for all the world, like a living bisque doll.
Koga Emilia. Her father was French, her mother Japanese, and her striking looks had made her a target for bullying back in kindergarten. I had stepped in to protect her then, only to become a target myself. “Hiro-chan?” she asked, a small, tentative smile touching her lips. Beneath the refined beauty of the young woman before me, I could just barely see the traces of the little girl I had known so long ago.
”Emi-chan? Is it really you?” I asked.
”Yes. I’ve finally found you,” she said softly. The students in the hallway were staring openly now. “Hirokazu-san, perhaps we should move elsewhere,” Manami suggested, appearing at my shoulder.
”Emi-chan, have you eaten yet? If not, why don’t you join us?” I offered.
”Yes, I’d like that very much,” she replied. After a quick stop at her classroom, we headed back to the calligraphy room, where Yuzuki was already waiting. “Emilia! What are you doing here?” Yuzuki asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
As it turned out, Emilia was in the same Track and Field club³ as Yuzuki. Despite being only a second-year, she was a formidable hurdler, having made it to the semi-finals of the Inter-High⁵. Her nickname, the Snow Princess, was a tribute to her ethereal, pale complexion. I finally understood the envious groans from earlier.
”Inamori-kun, you really are clueless, aren’t you?” Yuzuki teased. “So, what’s the story between you two?” I explained our shared history from kindergarten.
”Oh! So the ‘Hero’ Emilia was always talking about was you, Inamori-kun!” Yuzuki exclaimed.
”Yes. Hiro-chan, thank you so much for everything back then. I’m so sorry I moved away without even saying goodbye,” Emilia said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She explained that her father’s work had kept them moving, even taking them abroad, before she eventually returned to Japan for high school.
”Don’t worry about that, Emi-chan. I’m just happy to see you again,” I said warmly. I then introduced Manami, explaining that we were engaged to be married. “So you’re the famous Nakanishi-san. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Emilia said. She had heard the rumors and come looking for me on the off-chance they were true.
”I’ve heard quite a bit about you too, so I’m glad we could meet,” Manami said. Emilia looked momentarily startled, likely worried about her past being discussed. “Mitsuhiko told Manami about it. I’m sorry,” I apologized.
”Mitsuhiko-san… oh, you mean Mit-chan! Well, if it’s him, I suppose it can’t be helped,” Emilia said with a resigned smile. The lunch turned into a lively affair, proving the old adage about three women being a noisy crowd.
”Did you make this lunch, Nakanishi-san? It’s incredible,” Emilia praised. “If you had been a mean person, I was prepared to try and steal him away, but that looks like it would be impossible. You’re every bit as wonderful as I heard. I really admire you.”
”Just Manami is fine. I’ll call you Emilia too,” Manami said with a grin. “So, Emilia, do you love Hirokazu-san too?”
”Yes. I’ve loved him since kindergarten,” Emilia answered without a moment’s hesitation.
”Yuzuki, isn’t honesty wonderful?” Manami teased. “Don’t start that again!” Yuzuki pouted. “Wait… was the person who protected you also Hiro-chan, Yuzuki-san?” Emilia asked. “That’s right,” Yuzuki confirmed.
”I knew it. Hiro-chan really is a hero,” Emilia said, as Manami and Yuzuki nodded in solemn agreement. “Emilia, would you like to be Hirokazu-san’s girlfriend too?” Manami asked suddenly.
Emilia blinked, her mouth falling open. “What? I… I don’t understand.” Being told your hero is engaged and then being invited to be his girlfriend in the same breath was enough to give anyone whiplash.
”It’s like a Hirokazu-san Association⁶,” Manami explained airily. “The rules are simple: you have to love him, he has to agree to let you in, and if you ever fall for someone else, you leave. You’re free to quit whenever you like. As for the more intimate things like kisses and such, well, that’s up to you. Does that sound alright?”
I stared at Manami, wondering when on earth these ‘rules’ had been established. “Yes, please!” Emilia agreed enthusiastically. “It’s okay, right?” Manami and Yuzuki turned their twin gazes on me, and I knew there was no point in arguing.
”Emi-chan, will you be my girlfriend?” I asked.
”Yes! With pleasure!” she chirped, her smile bright enough to rival the sun. From the very next day, our lunches in the calligraphy room became even more crowded, as Emilia began bringing her own friends along. My status as a ‘hero’ was quickly becoming common knowledge, and with it, a fresh wave of jealousy from the boys and intense curiosity from the girls was already beginning to swell.
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Summary:
Hirokazu begins his day by cleaning up the evidence of his night with Manami before heading to a school filled with envious whispers. During a private lunch in the calligraphy club room, a new girl named Koga Emilia, known as the ‘Snow Princess,’ arrives to find Hirokazu. It is revealed that Hirokazu saved Emilia from bullying in kindergarten, making him her long-lost ‘Hero.’ Manami unexpectedly invites Emilia to join their unconventional relationship, establishing a set of rules for Hirokazu’s growing circle of girlfriends. The chapter ends with Hirokazu’s social standing at school reaching a chaotic new peak.
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Character Insight:
This chapter highlights Manami’s surprising pragmatism and confidence; rather than being jealous of Hirokazu’s past connection with Emilia, she actively incorporates her into their lives. Hirokazu continues to struggle with his transition from a ‘lone wolf’ to the most talked-about person in school, showing a mix of modesty and bewilderment at his own growing ‘harem.’ Emilia’s arrival adds a layer of nostalgia and reinforces the theme of Hirokazu being a natural protector, a trait that clearly defines why these women are so drawn to him despite his average self-perception.
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Behind the Scene:
The author notes that this chapter serves as a payoff for the foreshadowing introduced back in Chapter 11. The introduction of the ‘Snow Princess’ adds a high-spec character to the mix, balancing the group with a national-level athlete. The casual establishment of the ‘Hirokazu-san Association’ rules signals a shift in the story’s structure toward a more formalized harem dynamic, albeit one driven by the female characters’ mutual agreement and admiration for the protagonist.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Emilia – A second-year student, biracial (French father, Japanese mother), with white skin, dark brown semi-long hair, modest chest, and hazel eyes. A talented hurdler known as the Snow Princess. Looks like bisque doll.
• Mitsuhiko – The protagonist’s childhood friend. Hirokazu’s childhood best friend who attends a different high school known for baseball. He’s a good-natured jock and one of the few people who truly understands Hirokazu.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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