[TSSIM] Chapter 392: Deja Vu

Kotori listened to Honoka's words as she felt the sudden extra weight on her body, leaving her both amused and exasperated.

"I really can't handle you sometimes..." Kotori said helplessly. "Since we were kids, you've always been like this, Honoka-chan... But I was indeed conflicted before. I've been leaning towards it a bit more since Homura-kun said I had talent in fashion design."

Homura: "..."

As everyone turned their gaze to him, Homura started sweating nervously.

'How is this my fault? It's like being blamed for something out of nowhere!'

After thinking that, Homura turned his head and casually started to whistle.

"But yesterday I decided..." Kotori suddenly smiled. "I'm not going to that school!"

Upon hearing that, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Huh? Yesterday?" Hanayo felt something was off.

"Then why didn't you say so earlier?" Homura's face darkened.

"That's right, that's right!" Honoka immediately sided with him.

"Hmph~ But it's true that Honoka-chan didn't notice~" Kotori turned her head away.

Honoka: "..."

Eventually, Honoka quickly went back to feeling down.

"Good thing I drew this story..." Homura sighed. "It managed to make Honoka change a bit."

"Hehehe~ Homura-kun, don't you feel like you swung and missed?" Nozomi asked him with a grin.

"Not really, just that the rebound force was a bit strong." Homura shook his head with a smile.

"What should we do with this manga?" Umi asked, looking at the manga manuscripts on the coffee table. "How about we leave them for Honoka?"

"To remind her not to mess around? And to pay more attention to her friends?" Eli pondered. "I think that's a good idea, it can serve as a warning."

"Okay, I'll go with what you all decide." Homura nodded. "This manuscript is only useful to Honoka anyway."

"Eh?" Honoka freed one hand to touch her own face. "Do I really have to keep it? It feels weird..."

After saying that, she glanced at Umi.

Umi's face darkened instantly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?! I didn't slap you!"

But in the next second, she added.

"But if you really acted like you do in this manga, I think I'd react the same way."

"Who would do that on purpose... an idiot?" Honoka muttered.

Umi: "..."

Her mouth twitched as she neatly organized the manga manuscript papers and shoved them into Honoka's arms.

Honoka looked disgusted but accepted them anyway.

"It's the first time my work has been so disliked..." Homura sighed.

"Maybe it's us in a parallel world..." Maki sighed lightly. "They just made different choices than we did."

"A single thought can lead to completely different outcomes." Eli reflected. "I feel like I've learned a lot from this manga."

'Maybe it really is like that...' Homura sighed inwardly.

"Speaking of fashion design..." Utaha seemed to remember something. "There's someone in my class who's particularly good at making clothes."

"Really?" Eriri asked curiously. "How come I haven't heard about it? Homura, do you know?"

Homura frowned, trying to think.

So much had been said, but none of it triggered a memory. Was it someone else? Or had he really never come across this person?

He felt that this should be an important character. After all, in high school, if someone was described as particularly skilled by Utaha, they had to be special.

"It's not surprising you haven't heard." Utaha shook her head. "She doesn't attend class often. I only see her occasionally."

Upon hearing that, Eriri glanced at her.

"You used to miss classes a lot too, y'know..."

"That's true, which makes her even harder to see." Utaha nodded graciously.

"Her? A girl?" Megumi caught the detail.

"Yeah, during the last school festival, we were in the same class. For some reason, my class project ended up being a cosplay cafe." Utaha rolled her eyes as she spoke.

'Cosplay?' Homura stroked his chin, thinking.

"Then she showcased her talent by making all the cosplay outfits herself. What's more? She finished them quickly."

'This feels oddly familiar...' Homura's mouth twitched.

"Heh... so you also—" Eriri hinted.

"No!" Utaha interrupted while shaking her head. "I ran away that day."

Everyone: "..."

Who else would dare to run away on the day of the school festival other than Utaha?

"By the way... I think she has heterochromia?" Utaha said uncertainly. "I saw it by accident. It seems like her eyes are different colors."

Homura's eye twitched continuously.

The sense of deja vu was getting stronger!

Could it really be her? Was it that obvious? Only after so many clues did he finally recall the shadow of the last school festival.

Kotori who listened with great interest soon asked.

"Cosplay outfits, huh... Shouldn't they have something in common with idol outfits?"

"Maybe?" Nico replied, a bit uncertain. "Aren't magical girl outfits kind of similar?"

"There are people who cosplay as idols from anime, right?" Hanayo chimed in. "In that case, aren't they basically idol outfits?"

"There definitely are..." Utaha nodded. "Even though I ran away, I did see the outfits. How to put it... they're just impressive, especially the magical girl outfits, the level of detail is incredible."

"After all this talk... you haven't even mentioned her name?" Elf asked curiously. "We might not know, but maybe Homura, Megumi, or Eriri have heard of her?"

"...Mainly, I can't quite remember..." Utaha frowned. "I've only seen her a few times. I don't even remember all the names of the people in my class, let alone someone I've barely met."

"You just don't want to remember, do you? You're probably thinking something like, 'We don't have any interactions anyway, so why bother remembering these strangers' names'?" Eriri retorted.

Utaha averted her gaze.

Was Eriri really right?!

Everyone was truly speechless.

Utaha's personality was just too difficult. If it weren't for Homura, she wouldn't be interacting with so many people now, and surprisingly getting along quite well!

"Let me think harder..." Utaha said and truly started to think.

"Homura-kun, did you think of something?" Nozomi asked. "Your expression has been getting weirder since earlier."

Upon hearing Nozomi's words, all the girls' attention instantly focused on Homura, who slowly lifted his head.