It was very sudden. I mean, Nitta was fine right before she had to leave the karaoke place for her work. On the night of the same day, however, Nagano sent me a message.

   ‘Did you know that Nitta-san has lost her voice?’ she asked me.

   ‘...What? Is this some bad joke?’

   ‘No, it’s true! Just turn on the TV and see for yourself!’

   ‘Hold on.’

   I switch on the television and turned to the news channel. Sure enough, the camera is showing Nitta and her manager Mino-san inside a press conference. And this is shown live.

   ‘...as such, she has to discontinue her idol activity until her voice comes back.’ Mino-san is saying to the gathered mass.

   ‘Has she visited a doctor to find out the reason of her loss?’ an unseen reporter asks.

   ‘She has. Unfortunately, the doctor was unhelpful in finding out the cause, nor could he provide her with a cure. She will be left in this condition for now.’

   Mino-san is the one talking, but my eyes were on Nitta the entire time. Despite her current predicament, her expression is surprisingly impassive. In fact, she’s being so calm about it that I’m starting to think that she’s faking it.

   I immediately shake my head. There’s no way she would do that. Not her.

   ‘I guess things will be very hectic tomorrow.’ I write to Nagano.

   ‘Speaking of which, don’t you dare make fun of her for it!’

   ‘Hey, even I’m not that insensitive, okay?’

   ‘You better keep your word, or I’m going to be mad at you for real.’

   On the next day, our classroom is being swarmed by her worried fans. There are so many people inside I can’t even get in when I arrived.

   ‘Is your throat alright, Nitta-san?’

   ‘Here’s the most expensive cough medicine I bought from the internet! Please use it to cure yourself!’

   ‘Please get well soon! We’ll be waiting for you!’

   ‘Everyone, please calm down.’ I hear Takaki’s voice coming from within.

   ‘That’s right, you all. I’m grateful for your worries, but you should head back to your class. Besides, Yuka-chan is scary when she’s mad.’

   I blink in surprise. The way the person who just talked sounds a lot like Nitta, but that voice is way too mechanical to be her.

   ‘What’s that supposed to mean, Yuki?’ I hear Takaki asking. ‘In any case, all of you are bothering the other students of this class. Please leave immediately before I decide to issue a punishment.’

   With a stern warning from her, the crowd is finally leaving, and I could finally enter the classroom. As I enter it, I see Takaki breathing out a sigh of relief, with Nitta holding her phone and typing something.

   ‘See. You’re scary, Yuka-chan.’ her phone broadcasts a voice.

   Ah, so that’s how she intends to communicate with others, by using a text-to-speech function installed in her phone.

   ‘Oh, shush. It had to be done, you know?’

   ‘Morning, Nitta and Takaki.’ I greet the two of them. ‘Must have been a rough morning, huh?’

   ‘Good morning, Bandou-kun. No kidding. I expect it’s going to be worse during lunchtime.’ Takaki tells me.

   Nitta smiles and waves at me before typing away at her phone again.

   ‘Morning Bandou-kun.’ the phone broadcasts.

   It was then when I noticed lots of stuff on Nitta’s table.

   ‘That’s a lot of get-well gifts.’ I note.

   ‘I guess this is what happens when you’re too famous.’ Nitta says through her phone.

   ‘Well someone’s the epitome of modesty. I guess it’s true, through.’

   ‘Bwahaha. Have you finally noticed my greatness?’

   ‘I already noticed it a long time ago. I’m one of your fan, after all.’

   ‘That’s right, worship me more, and speaking of which, where’s your gift for me?’

   ‘I don’t have any money to spare for someone with a big head like you.’

   ‘Aww, now you’re just being shy.’

   ‘How’s your voice, by the way?’ I ask.

   Nitta paused for a few seconds. Her playful expression has also become solemn. It was a while before she finally typed something.

   ‘I’ve tried to speak again this morning, but no sound is coming out.’ her phone says.

   ‘Well, give it some time. It’ll come back.’

   Her eyes widen in shock. Even Takaki I surprised.

   ‘Wow, you’re actually being optimistic? Is it going to rain blood?’

   ‘Forget blood rain. I think it will rain swords.’

   ‘Hey, the two of you are being very rude, you know?’

   ‘By the way, Bandou-kun. I was hoping that you would do me a favor.’ Takaki says to me.

   ‘What is it?’

   ‘I need you to be Yuki’s bodyguard.’

   ‘...I beg your pardon?’

   ‘You saw the amount of students surrounding her just now. If that happens constantly, forget the student council’s work, she can’t even walk inside the campus peacefully.’

   ‘So you want me to be a bouncer and scare those students away.’

   ‘Exactly.’

   ‘Um, why me though?’

   Nitta starts typing away.

   ‘Because no one else we know is scarier than you.’ her phone broadcasts out what she just typed.

   I stare at her. She stares back while grinning impishly.

   ‘I’m not trying to be rude but well, your reputation does precedes you when it comes to your fighting prowess.’ Takaki says.

   ‘And I’m supposed to do this until they stop bothering her?’

   ‘That’s the plan.’

   I was about to refuse when Nitta looks at me with her puppy dog eyes.

   ‘...Fine. I’ll do it.’ I relent.

   ‘Thanks for your help, Bandou-kun.’ Nitta thanks me.

   ‘Yeah, yeah. Just don’t get used to it.’ I grumble.

   And so, my role as Nitta’s bodyguard begins. During the next break time, I had to stand next to her and shoo students away as she’s just sitting at her seat. It’s actually working. A bit too much for my liking, too. A vast majority of students were terrified and gave up on trying to talk to Nitta when they saw me guarding her. I allowed a small minority to approach her after they promised to be quiet. Throughout the entire time, though, they looked uncomfortable since I was right next to Nitta.

   ‘Say, Suzu. What kind of rumors were being passed on about me in this school?’ I ask my neighbour Suzu after we were left alone.

   ‘Are you sure you want to know?’

   ‘I think so, yes.’

   ‘Well, its nothing new~. Rumor has it that you tamed the giant first year Motozawa Keizo and turned him as your subordinate~.’

   I roll my eyes.

   ‘Seriously? They’re still spreading that lie? I don’t care what they say about me, but I wish they would leave Motozawa out of this. That poor guy doesn’t deserve any of this.’

   ‘Oh, there was also that thing you did on your school trip during your middle school years~. You know, the one where you beat up a bunch of delinquent high school students~?’

   ‘...Hmm, I guess it’s no wonder everyone’s scared of me then.’

   Nitta chuckles heartily. She types something at her phone and lets her phone do the talking.

   ‘Aren’t you glad Bandou-kun? You’re popular.’ her phone says.

   ‘Not as popular as you, apparently.’ I observe while looking towards the entrances and the windows where lots of students who’re eager to talk to Nitta are gathered.

   My duty continues even during lunchtime. I even have to eat my lunch at the Student Council’s office since that’s where Nitta is eating hers. The only good news is that I know everyone in there, so there’s not much awkward moments. Amano did raise an eyebrow when I follow Nitta inside, though.

   ‘There’s a good reason for this.’ I told her.

   ‘I’m sure.’

   Her expression told me that she has lots of questions, but by now I know her well enough that she’s not going to bother herself with something that has nothing to do with her.

   ‘Please make haste in finishing your lunch, everyone. We still have lots of documents to sort out at the storage room.’ Takaki tells the others as we’re eating.

   ‘We are also required to discuss about club funds with Chairwoman Seki, president.’ Amano reminds her.

   ‘Ah yes, thank you for the reminder. I guess we need to split up into two groups. One group to the storage room and the other to the Chairwoman’s office.’

   Nitta raises up her hand eagerly.

   ‘You’re staying here, Yuki. As you are right now, you can’t help with either of the things.’ Takaki tells her.

   The former idol puffs up her cheeks.

   ‘I so can help! I can at least carry a box or two! And my pack mule can help!’ she conveys the words she wants to say through her phone.

   ‘That “pack mule” you mentioned better not be me.’ I warn her.

   She pulls out her tongue to the side of her face and winks in a cutesy way.

   ‘It’s okay, vice president. I’ll handle the sorting. You can just stay back and relax with Bandou-senpai.’ Motozawa tells Nitta.

   ‘You know, I would rather sort the document with you if it would mean I have to watch over her.’ I tell him.

   Nitta is shooting angry glares at me which I ignore.

   ‘That’s how it is. Just stay here with Bandou-kun, okay?’ Takaki says to her.

   Nitta nods her head reluctantly.

   And so, the two of us were left alone. Not long after the other has left, Nitta picks up her phone and starts typing again. After she’s done, she puts the phone in front of my face so that I could see what she has typed.

   ‘I must be pretty useless, huh? Not that I’ve lost my voice, not only did I lose my favorite job, I can’t even help out in the student council.’ she wrote.

   I shake my head.

   ‘Don’t say that. They’re just looking out for you.’

   More typing.

   ‘I know that. That’s why I’m feeling so guilty, and conflicted.’

   I raise my eyebrow.

   ‘Why are you feeling conflicted?’

   This time, it took her a while to type out what she wanted to say.

   ‘You know how my job is. It’s always work, work and more work. My fans are my top priority, and nothing else matters, not even myself. I know I shouldn’t whine since it’s the path I chose myself, but sometimes I’m just tired. And there was my motive in becoming an idol…’

   ‘It was for Furuta.’ I recall.

   She nods her head and continues to type.

   ‘After I basically got rejected by Nao-kun, I still managed to continue with my work like nothing has happened. By that time, I realized that I have fallen in love with being an idol. That’s why I could forget him and concentrate on my work. Until I spent too much time with a certain someone.’

   Her face starts to blush as she’s typing out the next part.

   ‘I have lots of fun whenever I was together with him. For one thing, he’s treating me like a normal girl even though I’m an idol. I was always grateful for that. Then there’s also that time when he saved me from the delinquents who tried to extort Nao-kun. To be honest, he’s the reason I joined the Love Consultation Club.’

   Her cheeks then puffs up. She starts to type furiously.

   ‘Still, he’s being way too disrespectful! He’s tactless, and he enjoys making fun of me! How dare he! He’s such a jerk! Idiot!’

   ‘You know that I’m right here, right?’ I ask her.

   More furious typing.

   ‘You’re supposed to act like a dense anime protagonist.’

   ‘Sorry, no can do. Besides, I honestly doubt someone this dense exists in real life.’

   ‘This is why I say that you’re tactless! Oh, forget it.’ she types.

   We sat in silence for a few seconds. And then, she’s typing on her phone again.

   ‘Just forget what I wrote just now.’

   ‘What’s up with that?’

   ‘You know why. I’m an idol. I belong to everyone.’

   I look at Nitta. Her eyes are still staring at her phone, and her thumbs have not left the screen. It’s like she has something else that she wants to type. A few seconds later, she sighs and continues with her typing.

   ‘Back to what I was saying about being conflicted. I want to be together with this tactless idiot, but I can’t just leave my fans alone.’

   ‘In other words, the reason you lost your voice could be due to this conflicted feelings of yours.’ I deduct.

   She slowly nods her head. And she types some more.

   ‘At least, that’s what I think. I’m no doctor. I can’t pinpoint the exact reason. Heck, even real doctors have tried, but they failed.’

   ‘Well, just be patient and wait it out. Maybe your voice will come back naturally one day.’ I do my beat to comfort her.

   She looks at me sadly before typing something out.

   ‘And then what? Back to being an idol while suppressing my own feelings?’ she typed.

   ‘Hey, remember what I told you when you asked for help from the Love Consultation Club?’ I remind her.

   ‘That I should just go for it?’

   ‘Yup.’

   She was rather hesitant before typing out her next sentence.

   ‘Oh, I don’t know. The blockhead I fell in love me might not like me back.’ she typed.

   While waiting for my reply, she’s keep on sneaking glances at me with her cheeks slightly blushing. I swallow my saliva rather nervously.

   ‘There’s this idol I know. I was saved by her. As to from what, well, let’s just say that it was something related to my family.’ I begin.

   One of her eyebrow is raised, but she didn’t press me for an answer.

   ‘Due to my complicated family circumstances and traumatic past, I used to have trouble in sleeping since I would always have nightmares.’ I explain without telling her too much information. ‘That changed a few years ago when a certain idol debuted. She was, no, she’s still like the sun to me. She’s the same age as me, and yet she’s already so successful. The main reason I got charmed by her is that her songs just magically cheers me up. Listening to them got rid of my insomnia for good. For that, I’m eternally grateful to her.’

   While blushing a bit, she types something at her phone.

   ‘I’m sure the idol would be very happy to hear that.’ she typed.

   ‘Well, it’s true that she’s talented, but always let it get to her head. She’s also stupid and gets bad test results were it not for the help of her friend.’ I begin.

   The more I talk, the bigger her cheeks become. She’s also glaring at me while crossing her arms.

   ‘And she’s flat-chested.’

   Her hands shoot out and strangle me. She’s also shaking me vigorously. She did this for a few seconds before finally letting me go. The glare she’s giving me right now is totally screaming ‘The next time you say something offensive, I’m going to do horrible things to you!’.

   ‘When I realized that I’m in the same school as she is, I was honestly very happy. But I got depressed very quickly since there’s no way I’ll ever have a chance to talk to her. More than a year later, I actually got the chance to do just that, even though it was about wanting help with confessing to her childhood friend. I was kind of sad, but I decided to help her anyway as her happiness is just the same as mine. And then her childhood friend turned out to be a disappointment. I was pretty mad at him for making her cry, and I was especially mad at myself since I felt a tiny bit of relieve that their relationship didn’t work out. ’

   ‘You must be really happy that she joined the same club as you did.’ she types.

   The grin she’s showing me is so impudent I had to stop myself from smacking her head.

   ‘Yes, I’m very happy that she did that.’ I confess. ‘And then, we get to spend some time together, blah blah blah, you know the rest.’

   ‘And?’ she presses.

   ‘And, well, it’s not like I’m trying to take advantage of the fact that the idiotic idol, ow, has lost her voice, but I would be the happiest man in the world if she’s willing to be my girlfriend.’

   Her face blushes once again. She slowly nods.

   ‘I would love to.’ she types.

   ‘I’m happy to hear that. And I’m a bit too late, but I love you.’

   Her entire face has gone red after hearing that.

   ‘I love you too.’

   And that’s how Nitta Yuki became my girlfriend.