Absolute Duo:Volume 6 Chapter 2

Status: Incomplete

Chapter 2 『I Will----Steal Your Time』

A week passed since I got discharged.

The plaster cast was taken away, and I started rehabilitation.

There remained a scar, but I couldn't feel pain anymore.

If I'm careful, after dedicating some time to the rehabilitation it should disappear.

But the frustration from losing was something that didn't heal, aside from that, I had pretty much recovered on the mental side.

–––And with that, I was able to view the rematch with Sakaki from a different angle.

And so, I was considering a lot of different stuff.

First, since when did Sakaki obtain his current strength?

During that last battle, I did think that he had managed to get to higher level of strength during those two years, but actually, that was wrong.

I remembered that Ougi-san had labeled him a monster even before those two years.

So, when could Sakaki have been able to gain that strength?

According to my memories, that time in summer, Sakaki should not have reached his current strength, but...

Next, the weapon Sakaki used in the middle of the fight–––about that «Ogre».

He had said–––This is my «Soul».

It was similar to a «Blaze», but instead of being born from a «Blaze» it came from «Light», what could that weapon be...

As bad as it might be, «Gleam» is a complete mystery to me and there's not a single thing I have clear about it, but there where some remarks in the conversation we had that time that are bugging me.

“This is different to what you all have”

Sakaki was aware of the «Gleam».

I don't know how much, but it definitely is knowledge that those living a normal daily life will never get.

I can't help it to feel a dark presence.

Third–––Why was Sakaki at that place?

The reason he was at the remains of the dojo, he probably had something to do–––but, that too, was only left as a mystery.

I don't think it would be like he moves around for the sake of the people he murdered.

And last, after that battle was over, there's one thing, as vague as it may be, that I understood.

That is–––

“Kokonoe...!!”

“!!”

I was called by a strong willed voice, and I was brought back to reality immediately.

“If you're having trouble concentrating then you don't have to force yourself to continue”

Talking while frowning, it was the girl described best as “strict”–––Tachibana.

“S, sorry. I'm probably just a bit sleepy or something, my mind is just going blank...”

Returning to reality, I noticed I was just in the middle of the morning training.

Yesterday I was issued the permission to take part in the training, and so this morning I was once again training together with Tachibana.

“Yeah... I can understand your feelings but, I'll also say you're distracted. Training is not only about repeating the movements you know, someone like you who has learned martial arts before should already be aware of that”

“Right, that's true... Sorry for that, let's continue”

I apologize again, and I start focusing on the training more intently.

These are the basics.

This won't polish a «Fang» able to reach Sakaki.

But even so, I think I'm going to continue this training.

(Those who seek the span of a tree, will definitely strengthen their roots... was it, Master)

I'm not a prodigy like Sakaki.

Ougi-san even told me I don't have talent.

So all I can do is to pack my way with training, and the «Level Up» that follows will have to produce a body and mind that can withstand anything.

But after that fight, even if just hazily, I realized.

Something–––is lacking.

“That's enough!”

After a while, Tachibana voiced the finishing signal.

We had finished the accorded count of rounds, and I wiped the sweat running down on my brow.

We didn't had a lot of time, so at the start we would decide the number of rounds and so, we could concentrate more instead of going one round at everything, or so we thought.

But it was only recently that we were able to finish all the rounds before the time ran out.

First was to get used to the moves with practice–––

And second, since my «Level» became «IV», I should be able to move faster.

“As expected you became faster. ...Though, if at the start you wouldn't have been spacing out, we would have finished faster”

“Haha, I'm really sorry for that...”

While I scratched my head, Tachibana suddenly smiled.

“Then, though we went from start to finish, and there is still time–––”

Tachibana fixed her posture, and said the following.

“Let's see how you handle being thrown from behind. We already did this before so there's no need to explain it again, right?”

“We, well, no, or, how should I say it...”

“What is it. It couldn't be you forgot?”

“I, It isn't that but–––”

I haven't forgotten–––or should I say, there's no way I can forget.

Or instead, could it be that Tachibana forgot she's a girl?, that's the real question.

I can stop her attempt at throwing me until she's right behind me, but then, if her chest would touch me–––actually, if it would be pressed and squashed in my back, I would immediately be unable to focus on the training.

“So, shall be begin”

This enthusiast of martial arts training–––or should I say, even famous girl, smiled happily and “Come on” invited me with her hand outstretched.

“Tha, that's right! The remaining time, I thought maybe I would prefer to run a bit...!!”

“Yeah. Considering the state of your body, running would certainly be more beneficial”

Strong legs can become the foundation of a strong attack.

I'm running for that–––with that excuse, I was able to escape and luckily Tachibana showed no signs of noticing it.

“Alright then, see you again when it's time for breakfast–––”

“Hold on a second”

My hearth pounded violently, my legs stopped.

(It, it can't be she found out? ...no, it should be alright. If she had found out she would have yelled at me calling me shameless or insolent...)

Thinking like that, I turned around with accelerating hearth beats–––

“Take this with you. It would be good if you eat it after running”

Tachibana took a plastic box out from her bag, and gave it to me.

The contents were pickled lemons in honey.

“Lemons have a energy restoring effect, so it would be good if you ate it after running. ...Though it's already close to breakfast time so you should take care not to overeat”

“Okay, got it. Sorry, you ended up having to prepare even this”

“What's with that, you don't have to think about it so much. There are a lot of people who get exhausted from the heat, so I prepared a lot”

Probably I should say it was to be expected from the dependable class's main existence.

She's not only strong, but because she is always considerate like this, Tachibana became someone who is relied on by everyone.

(How nostalgic, I remember Otoha always made this...)

I took the pickled lemons, and because of those far memories my face loosened up a bit.

The very first time she made it, she wasn't sure how much honey to use, I can still remember that it turned into some really sweet lemons.

“...”

“Wha, what is it?”

She was staring intently at me, so I asked what it was a bit bewildered and–––

“No, it's nothing, it's just that you–––well, you just saw like you were remembering some nostalgic past or something, it was the first time I saw you look like that so...”

Tachibana made a wry smile like trying to tell me she was sorry for seeing me like that.

“Haha... , that was embarrasing. You see, a long time ago I had a little sister who used to prepare this, and I ended up remembering that...”

“Hoh, you had a little sister”

“Well, yeah...”

But she's already gone.

If I were to say that, I would definitely make things awkward, so I stopped before blurting that out.

I couldn't find anything worth to say anymore so I ended the conversation in a bit forceful way, and went away from there.

“Goo, Good morning, Tooru-kun”

I catched up with Miyabi–––well, actually she stopped to wait when she saw me–––and she greeted me before I could say anything.

“Morning, Miyabi. It's alright even if you don't stop, you know”

“Yes, I know”

She nodded, and started running at my side.

“Tooru-kun, did something happen today? It's not saturday...”

That was her first question.

After all, the days I had promised to run with her, were Saturday in the mornings.

So it as obvious, that if I showed up in the middle of the week like today, she would find it strange.

“Err... T, the training with Tachibana ended quickly today, so I thought that maybe I should pass the time until breakfast running”

I didn't say a single lie.

“So that happened. Well, at least it was a pleasant surprise”

“What was?”

“Even though it wasn't a Saturday, I was able to be together with you”

Seeing Miyabi smile happily like that shocked me.

I was aware that she had said that because of her affection towards me, in a bit excessive way.

Even with her breath distorted from the running, Miyabi was smiling.

“B, by the way. Your running pace has become quite fast, hasn't it?”

Being unable to hide the blush on my cheeks, I changed the topic–––but actually, what I just said is true.

Ever since she started running in April, in these five months or so Miyabi's body became quite strong.

Her power output being low, so for this girl that sublimated to «Level 2», training her stamina has more priority.

“Huhu. It's all thanks to that time you told me about trying to run a bit more”

“It's not like that, Miyabi. It's because you kept continuing that you are like that now”

She starts talking about the time when we just enrolled, and I tell her it was all her own effort.

“I just prefer to think about it this way. Because of what Tooru-kun told me that time–––even if you have no talent, you can change yourself, because of that, until today...no, also from today on, I feel like those words will keep pushing me forward”

(This is getting a bit awkward...)

If what I told her that time, has been helping her in this unexpected way, then that definitely makes me glad, but at the same time, also makes me feel a bit embarrassed.

Unaware of the situation I was in, Miyabi continued saying:

“You see. I'm really glad I enrolled to Kouryou Academy, I really think so. After all, here I learned that even someone like me can change herself... And also–––”

Somehow it seemed like she wanted to suddenly face away and stopped talking, and after a brief pause, she said he following:

“...ppy I was...who also...me that...”

Completely opposite to what happened at the confession on that island, her words were almost completely erased by the noise of the windy weather and the sea.

“Err...”

“Tooru-kun?”

Lamentably, from the flow of the previous conversation I had absolutely no idea what she might have said.

So, feeling really sorry, I ended having to ask her to repeat herself.

“Sorry, I couldn't hear correctly because of the sea waves, could you say that again?”

“...Huh? One, one more time?”

Miyabi asked me with round eyes, I only answered with a nod.

After that, Miyabi murmured “Uuh...”, and looked away embarrassed.

“Li, like I said, you see...”

For some reason, Miyabi started stuttering.

Even though she just said a moment ago, what could be happening with her?

“I'm re...”

(re?)

I started wondering what she would say after that–––

“I'm really happy I was able to meet you, who also teached me that...”

She repeats what she had said in a bashful manner, and my cheeks started burning again, even though I had tried to change the conversation topic seconds ago.

“Ma, making me repeat something embarrassing, maybe you are quite a bully...”

“N, no, the first time you seemed fine, so I never thought it might have been something like that...”

I started getting flustered at her blaming expression, but Miyabi immediately made a bright smile.

“Huhu, I'm joking. I know you are a really kind person. … after all that's the reason I started liking you”

She seemed kind of embarrassed when she said her last statement, and I blushed for a third time–––and was unable to say anything.

Lately, Miyabi has become less reserved, but still, when she saw how I was, she too blushed slightly and turned silent.

And we just continued running like that–––

Until at last, we started getting near a corner of the outer wall.

Further away from the corner the school gate and the station could be seen.

“Now, now that I remember, your wound is already healed, isn't it?”

“Yeah, I guess it should be healed. Though I got told I should only start using my arm with full force only after the rehabilitation is over. But there's no problem to move my body”

I answered while lightly hitting my arm.

“I see. Also then–––I thought maybe we could make a race from when we turn at that corner until the school gates, maybe”

“Well, I don't really mind, but...”

I feel a bit bad for Miyabi, but, how it would end was already clear for me.

Currently, I'm running carrying a considerable weight, but even so, it's not enough to completely cover the «Level» difference.

“Oh, also. Maybe you should have some kind of handicap, is that alright with you?”

“Yeah. Then–––I'll wait here for a bit, and when you turn around at the corner, I'll start running. What do you think about that, Miyabi?”

“Well... I feel like it might be too much of a handicap, is it really fine for you?”

I answer her that it's a good handicap while smiling, “Your fault if you regret it later”, says Miyabi and laughs.

“Okay then, I'll start ahead, right?”

We end the conversation and stop there–––

“A-and... Go!”

In cue with the signal, Miyabi ran with all her strength through the fresh air of the morning.

As soon as her figure was at the corner, I too, followed her as best as I could.

With the handicap in work, I had some difficulty catching up to Miyabi.

But at the very end, the one who arrived first at the school gates, was me.

“Hah...Hah...Go, Goal...”

“Good work, Miyabi”

When I raised my voice towards Miyabi who arrived at the goal–––

Unexpectedly, she seemed to be almost out of air–––or actually, she was a bit out of air.

And on top of that, she was a bending forward, supporting her body with her hands on her knees.

Or in other words, Miyabi's most noticeable feature–––that chest with a size that gave a feeling that could burst out, was being pulled by the gravity and kept pulling in my attention.

They really are melons (※Figurative expression).

Anyway, my conscience was screaming to me telling me to look away, but my eyes wouldn't move as if they were glued there–––

“I thought that maybe because you had a handicap we would be on more or less equal terms, but there was quite a difference back then, don't you think?”

“! W, Well, there was already a difference on the distance we had ran before, ahahahaha...”

Miyabi stood up with a bitter smile, and quickly turned away.

Luckily, it seemed she didn't notice where I was looking at before, but still, my heart started beating faster and faster–––

But, when Miyabi said the following words, my heart shook for a different reason.

“I see. All what I ran until now wasn't enough”

Throb–––

Wasn't enough.

The words she inadvertently had said, bothered my thoughts.

“I have to run more and more, and do my best to catch up to Tooru-kun”

Only from having found a new objective, Miyabi talked happily–––

On the other hand, I was doing the opposite, becoming silent absorbed in my thoughts.

“Tooru-kun, did something happen to you?”

Noticing that I was silent ,Miyabi turned around to me.

“Huh? Ah, yeah. I was thinking that it was almost time for breakfast, and then it seemed like my stomach would start rumbling...”

I try to deceive her while laughing, and Miyabi seemed to get convinced, and nodded strongly.

“Huhuh, that's true. Maybe mine will also start rumbling soon. Should we return and have something to eat soon?”

“Yeah. If this continues my stomach might adhere to my back”

I answer her while putting my hands over my abdomen, and Miyabi starts giggling at me.

“Oh... Right. About what we were talking a little while ago, about running more, try to not overwork yourself”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks for worrying though, Tooru-kun”

We headed towards the dorms, while trying to rehydrate ourselves.

At some point, I stopped to look upwards, and the sky was really clear.

But–––

The inside of my mind was the opposite, enveloped in dark thoughts.

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