Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume15 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 5===

Although they had decided to take naps in turns, it was impossible to sleep soundly. Haruaki woke up far earlier than expected, just as the sky was beginning to glow from the rising sun in the east. Communications from Konoha and Kotetsu had arrived just before the nap, merely a text message saying "Staying in touch regularly. No progress, still searching." Haruaki wanted to receive a call saying that Kirika had been found. Not yet? Hurry.

Haruaki clutched his cellphone tightly and decided to go to the living room first. Passing through the corridor, just as he was about to reach the living room, he suddenly saw something light up inside the room. Surprised, he looked into the living room.

"What... It's you, Kuroe?"

Kuroe was standing inside spacing out with a blank expression. After blinking, she said:

"Woah, Haru, you really scared me there."

"It's because you were spacing out, right? What are you doing?"

As soon as he asked, Kuroe suddenly looked down at her body then said as if something abruptly occurred to her:

"Oh right! I knew I'd leveled up... Thanks to the special training, I've finally finished my new move! Oh my, I never thought I'd succeed! This is really amazing!"

"Oh~ Sure sure, amazing amazing."

What, just the same as usual? Haruaki responded half-heartedly. Now that she mentioned it, the brightness just now did resemble the momentary glow produced when injecting healing powers into hair. Kuroe had apparently focused on doing special training recently to develop new moves and today's was just another session of special training... Taking a closer look, Haruaki found her collar a bit crumpled and crooked. He really wondered how seriously she was doing her training.

"Muu~ You won't believe me~" Leaving behind the slightly dissatisfied Kuroe, Haruaki walked to the kitchen to boil water. During this time, he thought over many things. About Kirika, about Konoha, about Honatsu, about Kuroe just now. Kuroe was doing weird things as usual for this was her special way of acting considerate, to prevent the mood from getting too heavy, right? Thinking that, Haruaki decided he really needed to prepare her a good cup of tea.

Returning to the living room, Haruaki placed his cellphone on the table as though enshrining a divine statue so that it was within arm's reach anytime. While drinking tea, all he could do was wait. In order not to disturb Fear during her nap, he turned down the volume after switching on the television. Regional news. Any phantom slasher incidents? No.

While he was dallying in this manner, the sun rose. It was almost time for Fear to rise from bed.

Any time was fine. Preparations were already in place. Konoha, Kotetsu, still not yet? No news yet&mdash;

Then&mdash;

"...!"

The instant the cellphone ringtone's first note was heard, Haruaki picked up the call.

"Hello!"

'Hi~ Hello~?'

Haruaki felt his vision suddenly go black. Due to his panic, he did not have time to check the screen&mdash;The caller was not Konoha but someone whose importance was less than a billionth, someone who only added to his impatience.

The father who had gone missing since last night, claiming he had things to do.

'I already heard from Gab-chan, it seems like quite a crisis.'

"If you know that... Please don't call. I'm very busy."

Due to call waiting, Haruaki did not have to worry about missing Konoha's calls even while he was talking to Honatsu like this. However, he was in no mood to be chatting with his father.

'Yes yes, I will go look for Kirika-chan next, but I just wanted to talk to you first. I know many people in this town so I plan on asking my acquaintances for leads first.'

This was&mdash;probably a good thing. Given the current circumstances, of course it would be better to have an additional person helping. Kirika must absolutely be rescued. However, Haruaki could not bring himself to say thanks honestly.

At this moment, Honatsu suddenly changed the subject.

'Oh right&mdash;How's the present? Did you use it?'

For an instant, Haruaki did not understand what he was talking about. After a moment's delay did he realize suddenly with instant rage that Honatsu was referring to yesterday's birthday present. What the heck was he talking about at this kind of time!?

"Where would I find the time for that!? I haven't even opened it!"

'...Oh, I see...'

Honatsu's response sounded neither disappointed, nor angry, nor confused. For some reason&mdash;His voice become very calm and solemn, to an unbelievable degree.

'I would best advise you to open it. Or rather... Now might be the best time to open the present. Perhaps you ought to look inside then contemplate.'

"Wha...?"

'&mdash;Open the present and look at what's inside, Haruaki. I left a note, didn't I? How to use that present is entirely up to you.'

Honatsu's tone of voice was not forceful, even giving a gentle impression. However, there was a certain commanding sense of realness to it, like when a sage declared the truth, absolute certainty.

As though waiting for his words to permeate Haruaki's heart, Honatsu remained silent for a while.

Then his breath suddenly became gentle and he said:

'I will find a suitable time to return. Goodbye now.'

"Ah..."

Before Haruaki could say anything, the call came to an end unilaterally. Unilaterally. Always like that. Haruaki disliked this too.

"...What the heck..."

"Haru?"

"Nothing, it was Pops calling."

Haruaki briefly replied to Kuroe who had her head cocked in puzzlement, then closed up his cellphone.

However, he still felt unpleasant in his heart and he knew the reason.

(Damn it... Always saying incomprehensible things with hidden meanings...)

Haruaki only hesitated for a few seconds.

Then he left Kuroe behind and walked out of the living room to return to his own room. Where did he put it? Right, he remembered it had stayed on his desk.

Walking over to his desk, he saw that the box was definitely there. Still pushed to a corner with the feelings from Haruaki's refusal to accept it.

"Seriously... What the heck is it?"

Biting his lip again, Haruaki untied the ribbon roughly before tearing open the wrapping paper. Then he picked up the box's lid&mdash;and gasped.

"No way... right...?"

At this moment, he heard a thud behind him.

Haruaki looked back to see Fear standing there, apparently just woken up.

"Haruaki, over... there..."

With a face of shock, she was staring near his hands.

In other words, contained inside the birthday present's box&mdash;


''Indulgence Disks, more than ten of them''.