The Next Day, Sasaki Residence
By noon, both of them showed up at my place as planned. Okayu was carrying a suspiciously large paper bag—probably the Gunpla for the contest. That's gotta be an MG kit. What did she pick?
"Okay, let's go over the rules again," Okayu said. "It's a speed-building contest. First to finish their Gunpla wins, but if there are gate marks or damaged parts, you lose points. Too many deductions, and you lose, even if you finish first. Sound good?"
"Yup, I'm in," Korone nodded.
Here's the scoring breakdown:
Finishing first earns 20 points. The second finisher loses 1 point for every ten minutes after the first. After completion, we check each other's Gunpla. Each visible gate mark deducts 1 point; each damaged part deducts 2 points. Highest final score wins.
"And we'll be building these: the MG Gundam Origin Version!" Okayu announced, pulling out two kits from the bag. "The Solid Clear Version, no less. Found these from a Banpresto lottery!"
MG Gundam Origin Version (Solid Clear) From Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, this is the Gundam piloted by Amuro Ray. A reimagined take on the original series, it features additions like a shoulder cannon and lacks the core fighter. These particular kits are the 2019 Banpresto lottery versions: the A Prize has clear red, blue, and yellow parts, while the Last One Prize has clear white parts.
"Normally, each kit has some clear parts, but I thought we'd swap parts to make one standard-color Gundam and one full clear-color Gundam," Okayu explained. "Korone, which one do you want?"
"I don't care either way," Korone said confidently. "I've built this Gundam before, so it's all the same to me. You pick."
"Really? Then I'll take the standard colors, and you can have the clear one," Okayu said, handing Korone the clear-color kit.
That's when it hit me: Korone's at a massive disadvantage. And I noticed something else—Okayu's faint, triumphant smirk.
"Okay, Korone, we start at 1 p.m. Rei-kun, no interfering, got it?" Okayu said.
"Y-Yeah, got it," I mumbled.
"I'm ready whenever!" Korone declared.
"Alright, then… Start!"
They tore into the kits, following the manuals with fierce focus. Korone had said she'd built this Gundam before, but would that be enough?
(Heh, I've built this one already, so I know exactly where the parts go! This is in the bag! Let's start with the head…) Korone thought, confidently cutting parts off the sprues. But as she reached for the clear parts to clean the gate marks, she froze.
(…Huh? These parts feel kinda brittle. Just my imagination? Okay, time to clean the gates… Wait, what?! I cut them clean with nippers, but the marks are so obvious! And sanding them makes the plastic cloudy! The edges feel like they'll snap!)
Korone had finally realized the trap. Clear plastic parts are weaker than standard ones, prone to breaking, especially on delicate sections. Gate marks show up more prominently, and sanding can cloud the finish. There are ways to handle clear parts properly, but in a speed-building contest, those methods eat up too much time.
"Aw, Korone, your hands stopped. Something wrong?" Okayu teased, her voice dripping with mock innocence.
"You knew! You gave me the clear parts on purpose!" Korone accused.
"What? I let you choose first, and you told me to pick," Okayu said, feigning innocence.
Korone and I both saw it now. Okayu had played her perfectly. She knew Korone had built this Gundam before and would feel confident, maybe even cocky. By letting Korone "choose" and then assigning her the clear parts, Okayu had set her up for failure. It was a brilliant, ruthless strategy—Korone had fallen right into her trap.
"That's dirty, Okayu! You totally set me up!" Korone growled.
"Set you up? You said I could pick, didn't you?" Okayu replied smoothly.
Korone couldn't argue—she'd handed Okayu the choice. If she'd picked the standard colors, Okayu would've been stuck with the clear parts. It was a gamble, and Okayu had won.
"You better keep building, Korone. I'm already on the torso," Okayu said, her focus unbroken.
"I'm not done yet!" Korone snapped, her eyes blazing. "You'll see what I'm made of!"
This isn't looking good for Korone, I thought. Okayu's mind games had thrown her off, and she was starting to panic. Mistakes were bound to follow. (Sorry, Korone, but I really want this trip with Rei-kun. I don't care if it's dirty—I'm not giving this up!) Okayu thought. (I'm not losing to you, Okayu! This trip with Reiji is my chance to get ahead of everyone else! I'm winning this!) Korone's eyes, though, still burned with determination. Maybe she could pull off a miracle…
That Night
Silence.
"…The final score is 18 to 17. Okayu wins," I announced.
"I… I did it…" Okayu exhaled, exhausted but victorious.
After a grueling build with a one-hour break, the contest was over. Okayu was the winner, but it was closer than expected. Korone actually finished first, but the clear parts were her downfall—her Gundam had one gate mark and one damaged part, costing her 3 points. Okayu, ten minutes behind, had one gate mark but no damage, securing the win.
"So, Korone, I won fair and square. The ticket's mine, and I'm going with Rei-kun," Okayu said, waving the ticket triumphantly. I'd almost forgotten about the stakes in the heat of the contest. But Korone… she was just staring at the floor, silent.
"…Sniff… Ugh…" Korone's shoulders trembled.
"Korone, you okay—WAAAAHHH!" I barely got the words out before Korone let out a wail that nearly blew out my eardrums. "Korone?!"
"Okayu, you jerk! That was so unfair!" she sobbed, her voice a mix of anger and heartbreak. "I wanted to go with Reiji so bad! WAAAAHHH!"
"Korone…" Okayu started, her usual confidence faltering.
I was about to say something when Okayu cut in. "Hey, Korone," she said softly. "I'm sorry. I was so focused on winning, I didn't think about how unfair it was to give you the clear parts. That wasn't a real contest."
She held out the ticket. "Take it. You and Rei-kun should go."
"B-But, Okayu, you won…" Korone stammered, tears still streaming.
"It's fine," Okayu insisted, her own eyes glistening. "I played dirty, and you finished faster anyway. You deserve it."
"Okayu…" Korone sniffled, looking at the ticket and Okayu's teary face. These two, man—they're too kind for their own good sometimes.
"Hold up, Okayu," I said. "You don't have to force yourself to give it up while crying like that."
"Huh?" they both said, turning to me.
"Use the ticket together," I said. "I'll cover my own way and tag along."
"What?! Rei-kun, that hotel's expensive!" Okayu protested.
"It's fine. I don't spend much outside of Gunpla, so I've got savings. Let's all go to Yokohama—deal?"
It hit me then: this was the solution from the start. No fighting, no drama, just the three of us having fun. Sure, my wallet's gonna take a hit, but it's worth it.
"Alright, that's settled!" I said. "The trip's next week, so get ready."
"Rei-kun… thank you," they said in unison, still a bit teary-eyed. They packed up their Gunpla and left, and I started planning for the trip.
On the Way Home
"Sorry, Korone," Okayu said as they walked, hand in hand.
"Nah, I'm sorry for being so stubborn," Korone replied.
"It's just… Rei-kun's so kind, y'know? Even if it costs him, he's taking us both," Okayu said, smiling.
"Totally! Reiji's always been like that, hasn't he?" Korone grinned.
Over a Decade Ago
When Okayu and Korone were four, they were playing in a park when Korone got distracted chasing a butterfly. Okayu followed, and before they knew it, they were lost in an unfamiliar street, crying their eyes out.
"Sniff Okayu, I'm sorry…" Korone whimpered.
"Korone, are we… gonna get home?" Okayu sobbed.
Exhausted and scared, they wandered aimlessly until a boy, maybe in elementary school, approached them. "Hey, what's wrong, little ladies?" Behind him was a shy girl, about their age, peeking out. She looked like a cat… or something.
"Are you lost? Where'd you come from?" the boy asked.
"We were chasing a butterfly…" Korone mumbled.
"Do you remember where you were before that?"
"…The park," Okayu sniffled.
"Park, huh? There's a few around here, so that's tricky," he said, scratching his head. The girl tugged at his sleeve.
"Um, Rei-kun, I think they were at the park Shirakami was playing at," she said.
"Really, Fubuki? You know where it is?" he asked.
"Yup, it's that way!"
"Nice one, Fubuki!" He ruffled her hair, and she blushed, her eyes squinting happily.
The girl—Fubuki—led the way, and when Okayu asked if she was a cat, she huffed, "I'm a fox!", which was kinda cute. They reached the park, where their moms were waiting, furious.
"Korone! Where have you been?!" her mom scolded.
"Okayu, we were so worried! Are you hurt?!" Okayu's mom added.
"Waaaah! Mommy, I'm sorry!" they both wailed, getting an earful.
"Thanks for finding our girls," Korone's mom said to the boy.
"No problem, just doing what's right. C'mon, Fubuki, let's head home," he said.
"Okay," Fubuki replied.
As they turned to leave, Korone and Okayu instinctively grabbed the boy's pants. "Um… can we play with you again?" Korone asked shyly.
"Play? Sure, whenever I'm around. Fubuki could use some friends too," he said with a grin.
"Really? Promise you'll play with us, big brother!" Okayu said.
"Promise. See ya!" He and Fubuki waved goodbye.
They played together almost every day after that, but when the boy hit middle school, they lost touch. Still, Okayu and Korone never forgot him—their first crush.
Back to the Present
"Man, who would've thought our first crush would end up at the same idol agency?" Okayu laughed.
"Right? Reiji totally forgot us, but we knew it was him right away!" Korone said.
Years later, Okayu and Korone joined Hololive and reunited with that boy—Sasaki Reiji—and Fubuki Shirakami. Reiji had no memory of them, but their animal instincts kicked in, instantly recognizing their childhood hero. Fubuki remembered them too and was not thrilled about new rivals.
"Rei-kun hasn't changed a bit. Still our kind, dependable Rei-kun," Okayu said warmly.
"Yup, but that's why we've got so many rivals!" Korone groaned.
Every Hololive idol, to some degree, has a thing for Reiji—some to an almost obsessive level. That's why Okayu and Korone are determined to stand out and get closer to him.
"Hey, Korone," Okayu said.
"Yeah?"
"This trip's gonna be fun, right?"
"Totally!" Korone beamed.
With that, they headed home, buzzing with excitement for the week ahead.
The Day After the Trip
The three of us had a blast in Yokohama. We hit Gundam Factory Yokohama, snagged exclusive Gunpla, marveled at the moving Gundam, and stuffed ourselves silly at Chinatown. The bill stung a bit, but it was worth every yen.
Back to work today, though, and—
"Hey, Rei-kun, got a sec?" Fubuki's voice was syrupy sweet, but her smile radiated menace.
"Uh, what's up, Fubuki? Why the scary face?" I asked, a bad feeling creeping in.
"I heard from Okayu and Korone that you three went on a trip. Same room, huh?" she said, her tone icy.
"Y-Yeah, we did, but—"
"Ohhh, really? And why didn't you invite your childhood friend Fubuki, hmm?"
"I-I mean, it just—"
"What's this about a trip, Rei-san?" another voice cut in. "You took Okayu and Korone but not me?!"
"Big bro, that's not fair! Why only them?!" another chimed in.
"Reiji-san, you have a fiancée like Lamy, and you're off traveling with other girls? Is this cheating?!" Lamy added.
Fiancée?! Lamy, stop mixing your delusions with reality! Of course, the others caught wind because those two blabbed! Now I'm surrounded by a mob of angry idols. Damn it, Okayu, Korone, what did you do?!
"Let's have a nice, long chat, shall we?" Fubuki said, her smile terrifying.
"…Yes, ma'am," I sighed.
What a mess. I managed to smooth things over by promising each of them a one-day date, but my wallet's screaming in pain. Worst. Day. Ever.