<Author's Comment>
Since we've had some heavy (?) stories lately, I'll share a story from the first semester as a little break.
We will return to the main plot tomorrow.
It was during the lunch break on a certain rainy day, just before the School Festival Rock-On at the end of the term.
Yesterday, I had quite a hard time going to the shop with Erina-san, but today I was able to shop alone at my leisure, so I was in such a good mood I felt like humming. Not that I actually would, though.
Then, on my way back from the shop, I saw Ichikawa with her arms crossed in front of the bulletin board near the entrance.
"What are you doing?"
"Ah, Konuma-kun. ...Hey, what do you think this is?"
"What?"
Looking where she pointed, there was an A4-sized paper posted with 'Today's Riddle!' written in large letters.
* * *
Today's Riddle!
『3.5 多』
* * *
"What is this...?"
"Right? I wonder what it is. For starters, how do you even read it? 'San-ten-go Ooi'...?"
"No, not that... I don't get that part either, but what is 'Today's Riddle!'?"
"Ah, you mean what this notice itself is?"
Ichikawa clapped her hands together.
"It seems like the Mystery Club is posting riddles."
"Hoh... Eh, if it says 'Today's Riddle', does that mean they post a different one every day? That's impressive..."
Or rather, I hadn't noticed until now...
"No, I think today might be the first time? At least, it's the first time I've seen it."
"Huh...? Then, is it a project that started today?"
"Maybe? The president of the Mystery Club, Amano-san, seems like the type of person who acts on a whim."
"Heh... But if that's the case, then a riddle will be posted here every day from now on."
That's something to look forward to. I'll come to see it every day.
"Hey, hey, so, do you understand this riddle?"
"Let's see..."
I crossed my arms and tilted my head.
"Does 3.5 being 'many' mean... milk?"
"Are you talking about milk fat? There is indeed 3.5 milk."
"So we convert the '多' (many) into 'milk'...?"
"Ooi is milk, ooi is milk...?"
"What is that even supposed to mean?"
The two of us tilted our heads in unison.
""Uuuumm...?""
Then.
"What are you guys doing?"
The poet appeared, holding a can of Calpis.
"Ah, Yuri! Good work today~"
"Good work."
"Hey, hey Yuri, do you know the answer to this?"
"A problem?"
Tilting her head, Azuma looked at the notice.
"Heh, they have something like this. Eh, 'Today's Riddle!' means they do it every day?"
"We already went over that part. It seems to be a project starting from today."
"Heh, then we can solve riddles every day from now on, how exciting."
"We went over that part too."
Azuma pouted at my response.
"Somehow, thinking that Konuma beat me to it is annoying... So, you don't understand this riddle?"
"Yeah. We got as far as converting 'many' into 'milk', but..."
"Haa, what is that even...?"
She looked at me with an exasperated face.
"Ahaha, sorry Yuri, don't mind him. I'm sure he's wrong anyway."
"Hmm..."
Saying that, Azuma looked at the notice once more.
After saying 'Muu' and 'Hmm' and various other sounds...
"Ah..."
She breathed out as if she felt refreshed, yet also a bit disappointed.
"Konuma, unfortunately, it doesn't look like this riddle will continue from tomorrow... It really is strictly 'Today's Riddle'."
"What do you mean...?"
When I asked, she wagged her finger a little proudly.
"Try multiplying the kanji '多' by 3.5."
"What do you mean, multiply a kanji by 3.5?"
As I furrowed my brow,
"Ah... the '夕' (ta) becomes seven, right?"
Ichikawa said.
"Hoh... and then what?"
"Konuma, try thinking for yourself at least a little bit..."
"Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta...?"
Kenshiro...?
As I thought of that classic masterpiece, Ichikawa clapped her hands again.
"Ah! Seven '夕' (evenings), so the answer is 'Tanabata' (Seventh Evening)!"
"Ah!"
I see. That is certainly July 7th, 'Today's Riddle'.
"Azuma, you figured it out well."
I breathed out in admiration.
"I quite like riddles. But, I see, today is Tanabata, huh..."
Azuma looked out from the entrance with a melancholy expression.
"Orihime and Hikoboshi, they're so pitiful..."
"Pitiful?"
"Don't you even know the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi? The couple, Orihime and Hikoboshi, flirted so much after they got married that they stopped working entirely. This angered God, so he created the Milky Way to keep the two from meeting. After that, he promised to 'let them meet only once a year,' and that day is Tanabata."
"There used to be Tanabata festivals and such long ago."
I had certainly heard something like that before.
"And, it's raining today, right? On rainy days, the Milky Way overflows, so they can't meet."
"Hoh..."
"That's your response?"
"Sorry..."
I lowered my head slightly.
"There's also a story that cloudy days are better than clear ones because they can meet secretly without being seen by people. It's romantic, isn't it?"
"I wonder..."
"You're inserting an unnecessary 'wonder' there."
Azuma glared at me.
"No, but isn't choosing such a day during the rainy season mean-spirited to begin with? That God guy probably didn't have much intention of letting them meet in the first place, surely."
"Well, there might be a bit of that too..."
After letting out a hum, Azuma raised her finger once more.
"By the way! The rain that falls on Tanabata is apparently called 'Sairuiu' (Separation Rain), likened to the tears Orihime and Hikoboshi shed in sadness because they cannot meet."
"Heh..."
Azuma really knows all sorts of poetic things like that...
While I was being impressed.
"Yes."
Ichikawa raised her hand.
"Yes, Ichikawa-san."
Nominated, Ichikawa spoke.
"Doesn't that story sound a bit strange?"
""Why?""
That story... you mean the story about the separation rain?
"I mean, Orihime-san and Hikoboshi-san can't meet because it's raining, right? But if the rain that causes them to be unable to meet is the tears they shed in sadness because they can't meet, isn't the causal relationship circular?"
"What was that?"
"Indeed..."
While I was tilting my head, not quite keeping up with the logic, Azuma nodded while pulling back slightly.
Then, Ichikawa smiled brightly and declared.
"Well, it's a superstition either way, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"
""Uwah...""
That smile was somehow terrifying, causing Azuma and me to twitch our faces.
"Amane is quite dry, isn't she..."
"Even though we're talking about rain..."