「Kurumi, relax.」

     「…But if we got caught, it’d be over for us.」

     「Just project some confidence and nobody will suspect a thing. On the contrary, if you continue to act suspicious, we’ll start drawing attention.」

     「You don’t have to tell me that…」

     This sort of thing really didn’t suit me. It was always Sorahashi-san who had a collar under her scarf. I wasn’t interested in doing that. Well, I did try it out once before.

     It just didn’t suit me.

     「…Speaking of which, before we left…」

     I told Sorahashi-san about what that girl I’d helped said to me earlier. She looked confused for a moment and then laughed.

     「Haha. It doesn’t really suit me, right?」

     「Really? I feel like Tanaka-san has an eye for these things too. Well, in the first place, Tanaka-san isn’t the one that started these rumors, though. It was Murano-san. But I’m sure you don’t recall.」

     I blinked. Was Tanaka-san the name of the girl from before? I didn’t recall the name Murano either. They were probably in a different class.

     It seemed like Sorahashi-san was always in the know.

     I wasn’t sure how, but she had been aware of Mizuki’s name from the very beginning. I felt like there wasn’t a single thing she didn’t know. Where on earth did she get her info from?

     「…What rumors?」

     「Hmm… Do you remember helping Murano-san with some trouble at the start of the year? Apparently, Murano-san thought you seemed quite princess-like at that moment and started telling everyone about it. The rumors have died down by now, but they were quite the talk of the town a few months ago.」

     「I see…」

     I had no idea. Not only had I been preoccupied with worries over my family at the time, all I had been thinking about was how to be of help to someone. I had probably been looking for a replacement for Mizuki. But in the end, I had realized that there was no replacing her. When exactly did I start thinking that, though?

     「Might it be that being unaware of gossip about yourself is what makes you a princess?」

     「Doesn’t that just mean you’re naive?」

     「Ahaha, who knows?」

     Sorahashi-san looked like she was enjoying herself.

     I was certain she knew how she was often called a princess. But regardless of what anyone else said, she was still herself. Personally, I felt a little uncomfortable with being praised behind my back. It made me unsure about how to carry myself from now on.

     I showed my beastly side to Sorahashi-san, but to everyone else…

     What exactly have I shown to them up until now?

     「You seem more like a sheltered young lady than a princess, though.」

     「Aren’t you talking about yourself, Sorahashi-san?」

     「Hmm… if I had to say, perhaps I’m more like that?」

     Sorahashi-san pointed at a person sitting on a bench a short distance away. To be more specific, she was pointing at the crate in that person’s arms.

     Inside, I could see an anxious-looking dog. It looked like… a Maltese.

     Perhaps it was on its way back from the vet.

     「But you don’t get that anxious, do you, Sorahashi-san?」

     「Of course I do. Even I get nervous once in a while.」

     「…Like when?」

     Sorahashi-san smiled. Then, just like usual, she peered up at me from below. The scarf around her neck was a little loose, revealing something black under it. It was, undoubtedly, the collar I had gifted to her.

     Seeming to notice my gaze, she gently tugged at her scarf to hide the collar.

     This was insane.

     It was insane how we were both wearing collars in a place like this. But I was also a little impressed at how far she would go to satisfy herself. More than anything, though, I felt relieved. Somehow, the knowledge that she was also wearing a collar calmed my heart.

     Maybe I was even more of a pervert than she was.

     「Like when you’re not giving me the proper attention.」

     「Huh?」

     「I was staring at you the whooole time earlier, but you didn’t even notice. You just kept spoiling Futami-san. If you keep on doing that, even I’ll end up turning into a feral puppy, you know?」

     She was looking at me?

     No, but our eyes hadn’t met when I looked at her. As I began to feel confused, she chuckled.

     「You have bad timing, Kurumi.」

     At that moment, the train arrived at the platform.

     Sorahashi-san got on first and extended her hand out to me. It was almost like she was inviting me to have a dance. Maybe the word “princess” was getting to my head. I let out a small sigh and returned her gesture.

     I was pulled along by a powerful strength.

     Contrary to how she looked, Sorahashi-san was quite physically capable. As I got on, the doors closed, and the train quietly began to move. We sat down next to each other. Of course, there were other students around us wearing the same uniform, but they were all busy chatting with their own friends.

     「Say, Kurumi. What were you talking about with Futami-san and Nakamura-san earlier? I heard something about nudity. …Were you discussing something naughty?」

     「No, no. I said I was cold, and Mutsuki randomly said that it’d help to share our body heat naked, and then Yume took it seriously.」

     「Haha. Nakamura-san is the same as ever.」

     「…Hehe. She makes every day a lot of fun.」

     As I said that, Sorahashi-san smiled.

     「Would you like to try it later?」

     「Try what?」

     「Warming each other up in the nude.」

     I suddenly thought back to the time we took a bath together. I didn’t really remember how warm it felt then. In the first place, anywhere that you’d end up naked was likely already well-heated, so I didn’t think there was any need to go out of our way to do that.

     「Not really. It’s not like we’re lost in the mountains or anything.」

     「I suppose so. It sounds a bit fun, but it’s not quite something you’d do.」

     I didn’t really get the feeling that getting naked and sharing body heat would be any fun. Sorahashi-san and I had very different values, but even so, perhaps we were still able to be together like this because we were connected by something on a deeper level than our values.

     「Then instead… Let’s do something that feels even better, Kurumi.」

     「Even better…?」

     「Yes, much more.」

     As we continued to chat, my transfer approached.

     All that was left for me now was to head home. This time, I only had one transfer, so it was pretty easy. Sorahashi-san would probably need to transfer at a different station, though. That meant it was almost time to say goodbye.

     Our conversation stopped for a bit, and then the train came to a halt.

     I stood up.

     「I’m transferring here, so see you later.」

     「Okay. Then, shall we?」

     「Uh, Sorahashi-san?」

     Sorahashi-san grabbed my hand and rushed out of the train. I could hear the doors closing behind me, but she just started walking off without a care in the world. Even though she normally wouldn’t be getting off at this station, she confidently walked in the direction where I would be taking my transfer.

     「Not going home?」

     「I am. To your home, that is.」

     「What…?」

     「Mizuki’s coming home late today, right? She has an extracurricular to attend to, after all.」

     How did she…

     My eyes widened.

     「Your parents shouldn’t be home yet either, so I’d like to be the one visiting you for a change. …Is that a no?」

     「Well…」

     I didn’t really mind.

     It’s not like I hated the idea of inviting her over to my house. It was likely that I wouldn’t be able to treat her to dinner, but I didn’t think it’d be bad to just spend some time with her.

     「Sure. I won’t be able to make you dinner tonight, though.」

     「Yay! I don’t mind if there’s no dinner, as long as I can be with you.」

     She said with an innocent smile. I felt like one of her best qualities was how she expressed her affection so directly. I couldn’t help but smile,  and I squeezed her hand. That feeling was so real, as if her hand was my own. It was probably because we had felt each other’s touch so many times.

     A warmth began to slowly spread from my chest.

     I didn’t really understand my own feelings, but I did understand that I held affection for her — that I enjoyed our time together.

     We continued to walk side by side, making small talk along the way.

     Before I knew it, my worries over the collars — both hers and mine — had naturally faded away.

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