Mushi Uta:Volume 4 Chapter 2

2.00 The Others

The morning.

In a certain general hospital in Ouka City, a few people were walking down a passage in a quick pace.

From just one look at the building, one could not be able to tell the difference between the hospital and any ordinary building. But, if one were to take a closer look, they would be able to tell the slight differences the building had.

Unlike the central block which housed the outpatient clinic, the glass of the windows around the passageway connected to the west block was surrounded with a thin metal mesh. It was reinforced glass. As one looked even more carefully, they would find that the view through the glass was faintly distorted, possibly due to the considerable thickness of the glass.

As for the building itself, it seems that only the west block was constructed with asphalt of a different composition. Granulated concrete used for the sake of hardening was mixed into the walls, turning it into a colour more grey than white. In addition, the lightings that was installed on the ceilings most likely hid surveillance cameras. They were installed every ten metres and on every floor.

Ouka City Third Municipal General Hospital—although it has outpatient clinics typical of that of hospitals, only the west block was special.

It was the hospitalisation facility for the East Central Branch of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. It was one of the facilities built with the purpose of medical treatment for injuries sustained by the members of the East Central Branch during missions.

“She just woke up yesterday and still looks very languid. I already met her and had a few words with her, but her attending doctor wanted me to avoid having a long discussion with her.”

“It’s good as long as she’s alive. I have some things to ask her.”

“Haah, please don’t be so rough with her. Although Nene-san’s ability can mend wounds, it can only recover what is in the range of her song. There’s nothing she can do for large amounts of blood loss. I think her limbs are also in a somewhat numb condition.”

The ones walking down the passageway was a woman in her early twenties and a boy in his mid-teens.

“Where’s that Nene? Is she still in Ouka City?”

The boy was walking half a step ahead of the woman. He was wearing a blazer, probably the uniform of some school. His face was plain, lacking any particular features other than the plaster on his cheek. Likewise, he had a medium build that was within the average range.

“No way.”

As for the woman, she was holding onto a large stack of documents in her arms with a sociable smile on her face. Although the shape of her face was not bad, the reasons that people who passed by her would turn to look back were probably due to her hair and her suit. Her bed hair which was not combed was standing up, furthermore, a portion of her shirt was hanging out from her belt. Looking closer, one would find that her spectacles was crooked too.

“There’s no way that that is the case, isn’t it. She was immediately taken back by the Central Headquarters, very swiftly too in fact. If it was possible, I would have wanted her to take a look at the rest of the patients in the East Central Branch, but it seems that one person was already the limit. Ahaha.”

Laughing frivolously, the woman—acting Director of the East Central Branch, Goroumaru Touko said so.

“It’s futile for you to expect anything with my level of abilities. When word of the outburst the other day against the vice-director reached the ears of the audit committee, I got a salary reduction! Now, I wouldn’t say anything extra anymore, that sure scared me. … Ah! Listen to this, Daisuke-san! The loan for my beloved car, the Beetle is almost fully repaid!”

“Aah, of course. I did not have any expectations of you though… Please try to put in at least some effort, Touko-san.”

The one who said so with a sigh as he placed his hand on his forehead was Kusuriya Daisuke. He was a member of the East Central Branch, at the same time, he was also one of the highest ranked Mushitsuki, the Rank 1 Blaze Class Mushitsuki known as Kakkou.

“So? Who was the one being healed? As expected…”

“Yes, it was Haji-senpai.”

There was a slight gloom behind Touko’s smile.

Haji Keigo. He was the young Branch Director of the East Central Branch. After sustaining a serious injury last year during the fight against Mushibane in Hashiba City which was under the jurisdiction of the East Central Branch, he had been in a coma since.

Daisuke’s expression turned sharp as well.

“How was it?”

“…There wasn’t any change. His wound has more or less been healed, now we only need to wait for him to regain consciousness… He’s in the special ward on the third floor, shall we visit him on our way back—was what I wanted to suggest, but.”

“?”

“Haji-senpai’s sister… Senri-san has been by his side the whole time. Furthermore, Akatsuki-san is together with her today. Wouldn’t it be, erm, bad for you guys to bump into each other now…”

Haji Senri. She was Haji Keigo’s biological sister, and was a Rank 3 Irregular Class Mushitsuki. Previously being classified as a Secret Class due to presenting an unknown risk, she was reclassified as an Irregular Class after demonstrating a certain degree of control over her power. According to documents submitted by the Central Headquarters, there may be plans to classify her as Blaze Class in the near future, although that is yet to be confirmed. There have also been words that the Central Headquarters may retract that.

Ogata Akatsuki referred to another person who is a Rank 2 Blaze Class member. He was Senri's friend, and also held a deep hatred for Daisuke since the past.

—…

The East Central Branch was supposed to have weakened due to the retirement of Haji Keigo, but they were currently steadily stabilising their position. There were no doubts about that.

Daisuke and Touko exited the passageway, arriving at the west block.

After walking a bit more, they reached a room on the second floor. It was a single-person room, but it was a general room completely lacking anything apart from the necessities. The windows were completely open, causing the curtains to flutter.

“Good day, hello. How’s your condition, Karasu-san?”

Touko opened the door and entered, carefreely greeting out loud. Daisuke too entered the room.

“Feels so-so, acting Director-san”

A girl with long hair and a grown-up appearance greeted her with a smile in her unique wording. Lying down on the bed, faint burn scars could be seen peeping through her bangs. Her complexion was slightly pale, but one could tell from her expression that she was exceedingly lively. She was not even using the intravenous drip lying in the corner of the room.

She was an unranked member of Central Headquarters codenamed Karasu, Shirakashi Ubuki.

“Didn’t I tell you to call me Ubuki? Cause I hate that codename.”

“Ah, sure. Then, I wouldn’t mind if you called me Touko too. Ahaha, since my actual status is nothing but a salary leech.”

“Ahaha. You’re so interesting, Touko-san.”

“This isn’t a situation for us to be exchanging pleasantries, Touko-san…”

Seeing the boy standing at the side sighing with a worn-out look, Ubuki smiled at him.

“Hmm? Who’re you? Making that expression would be a waste of your cute face, you know?”

“Leave me alone.”

“Ah, our introductions are a bit late. This is Kakkou-san. I’m sorry to do this while you have just woken up recently, but he has something to discuss with you—what’s the matter, Ubuki-san?”

Touko tilted her head.

The smile had disappeared from Ubuki’s face and her eyes were opened wide.

“Aha… Ahaha, that’s a bad joke, Touko-tan. This child is Kakkou? The Kakkou that I saw before was—”

“Whoever I am is not important. Let’s get down to things quickly.”

About to lose his patience, Daisuke glared at Ubuki who was lying on the bed. His visage turned sharp unlike before, causing Ubuki to frown.

“That voice… certainly, that belongs to Kakkou. I saw how he struck down other Mushitsuki like as if he was clearing the trash. Just hearing that voice made me nauseous.”

“N-now, now, don’t say that. Despite how he looks, Kakkou-san is actually pretty kind—”

“You saw the contents of the disk?”

Interrupting Touko’s words, Daisuke cut straight to the point.

“Don’t get us wrong, we’re not shielding a useless unranked trash like you out of sympathy or anything. You better tell us honestly what you know if you know what’s good for you.”

“Kakkou-san… you just ruined my follow-up for you though…”

Ubuki returned a threatening glare to Daisuke.

“Yuu-tan should’ve entrusted it to you. You didn’t watch it?”

“Only till the middle. There was a strange laboratory… it was being used to experiment on the resurrection of the Fallen. It seems that the experiment was a success, and two people were resurrected.”

“…Can you openly say that sort of things here?”

“Ah, it’s okay. This ward and the premises are currently being patrolled by a team led by Kabuto-san. Of course, the room has been thoroughly checked clear of wiretaps.”

“One of the ones resurrected was Centipede. And the other was most likely…”

“If what Daisuke-san heard was true, that would overturn the fundamental facts we knew about the Mushitsuki. Till now, Shiika-san—Fuyuhotaru was the only exception, which led to her being chased by all organisations. However, from now on, that would no longer be the case…?”

Listening to Daisuke and Touko’s exchange, Ubuki sneered at them.

“So, the resurrection succeeded. That’s what I thought so at the start too. Seeing how those who were turned into Fallen but still had to undergo that horrible treatment, I was so angry I stopped watching halfway. —However, there was a continuation of that. Before I returned it to Yuu-tan, I was curious after all and watched the continuation…”

“…The continuation?”

“That was not an experiment to resurrect the Fallen. After all, that was… the two that returned were… they were not human.”

Daisuke and Touko’s countenance changed immediately.

“W-what do you mean? That they were not human…”

At Touko’s further questioning, Ubuki did not respond. It did not seem like she was keeping quiet on purpose, as a look of fear was clearly displayed on her face.

When she finally started to speak again, her voice was quivering.

“Those dark eyes… that did not belong to humans. There was the sound of a bell… and the two’s mouth opened, speaking in a disgusting voice… ‘Thy two vessels who seek thee king… lend thy thee body’…”

“…!”

The one who was rendered speechless was Daisuke.

“The sound of a bell?”

Surprisingly, Touko was calm. She put her index finger and her thumb onto her chin and thought.

“It can’t be… Shinpu? There was a voice saying, ‘Diorestoi’s fragment’, in the recording, right. As far as Kakkou-san has determined, Diorestoi should have been Shinpu’s true name. However, why would that appear in Central Headquarters base…”

Ubuki may have been frightened from remembering that scene, as she held her hands together tightly without speaking.

…Dio-res-toi—.

She had unquestionably saw Touko forming that name with her lips. In addition, that that was Shinpu’s true name.

She burned that name into her memories.

“…! Touko-san!”

All of a sudden, Daisuke covered Touko’s mouth. And with his other hand, he grabbed Ubuki’s shoulders and brought her close to him.

“Kakkou-san?”

“W-what are you doing, you pervert.”

Daisuke hardened his expression, brought the other two’s faces close to the wall and said something to them.

After hearing him out, the other two nodded their heads.

—…

The secret conversation between the three ended promptly.

“Yes, I understand. But, will Kakkou-san be okay by yourself?”

“I too want to go out and fly.”

“You’ll just be a burden. The injured should just rest obediently.”

“S-see what I told you? Isn’t he kind? His words may be tough, but he is actually watching out for you—”

“I have no intentions of listening to your words. I’m just going out to return what was ‘lent’ to me. My limbs may be a bit numb, but flying is not a problem at all.”

“Hmph, suits yourself.”

“E-erm, the two of you, please get along together… after all you are both Fusion types…”

The three of them looked just like they were casually having an idle chat.

However, two small shadows appeared all of a sudden above their heads.

—…?

They were small insects.

One of them was a green checkered beetle with very long antennas.

And the other was a black raven dragonfly whose wings was vibrating.

And then, in the next moment—.

“…!”

Kusuriya Daisuke looked in this direction.

“S-shit…! C-cancel assimilation…!”

The ward’s window, the exterior of the hospital, the townscape of Ouka City—the telescoped view she had till then was being retracted consecutively.

“Kuh… I need to get out of here quickly…!”

On the rooftop of a building a few kilometres away from the hospital, Konoha, who was spying on the ward, hurriedly tried to retract her Mushi.

Sandwiched between two leaves, a large goggling eye wriggled. A long appendage connected the goggles mounted on Konoha’s head to the centre of a leaf.

I was discovered…? T-that’s impossible… from such a long distance… though it’s true that light will reflect off my Mushi’s eye when it is focusing on something, that can’t possibly—.

The last scene she saw using her Mushi’s ability was that of Daisuke and Ubuki fusing with their Mushi and jumping out of the window. She clearly saw the scene of Daisuke landing on the ground with his strengthened legs and wings sprouting out of Ubuki’s back and she accelerated into the skies.

“…!”

Looking in the direction of the hospital with her bare eye, a black spot was heading towards this direction.

It was Ubuki.

There were no longer any doubts about it. Those two people were heading towards here.

M-monster…! How was he able to notice me from that distance…? It was just as Owl said… he is far too different from the other Mushitsuki…!

She raised the goggles onto her forehead, her other hand grabbing onto her Mushi. The large Mushi that resembled a Leaf beetle adhered to the side of the building, sliding down the building with Konoha on board.

Once her feet touched the ground, the Mushi blended into the scenery of the surroundings.

Searching and tailing enemies under any conditions, as well as manipulating the refractive index of light to camouflage itself was the ability of Konoha’s Mushi. Footage captured by the Mushi can be digitised and sent to Konoha’s goggles. It’s camouflage ability was able to be extended to Konoha herself, allowing her figure to disappear, the problem was that the movement of the Mushi was extremely slow.

She could foresee the arrival of the East Central Branch agents if she continued to remain at this position now that she had been discovered. Even if she disguised herself, the risk of being discovered was high. She judged that her priority should be to withdraw from this spot immediately.

“Haah…! Haah…!”

Konoha had not come to Ouka City for a mission by the Central Headquarters. Obviously, there was no support. She couldn’t even wear the SEPB’s coat, but that was a good decision on hindsight. Once she came out of the back alley into the shopping district, it would be possible for her to conceal amongst the general public.

Konoha ran while gasping for breath, knocking over the polyethylene buckets in the back alley. Just as she turned around the corner which led to the fence, her legs stopped.

“!”

“Tah-dah! This is the end of the line.”

Across the alley, a girl with wings on her back was waiting.

It was Shirakashi Ubuki in inpatient clothing. With black patterns on her face resembling a tattoo, she grinned towards Konoha.

She’s fast—.

It had only around one minute since she was discovered. If she flew here in a straight line, she must have been flying at a speed of around sixty kilometres per hour.

“…Tch.”

Konoha turned to her right and tried to return to the alley. Running with her full speed, she ran in the opposite direction.

“It’s-the-same-here.”

Ubuki landed from the sky, obstructing her way.

Konoha’s face distorted, and she headed down the remaining passage.

A boulevard with pedestrians could be seen in front of Konoha who was running. But, Ubuki got in front of her before she could reach as expected.

“Will you just give up already?”

“…Don’t underestimate me… Karasu…”

Konoha glared at Ubuki in irritation. Her Mushi hid its outline and came by her side swiftly. She did not have much confidence in her combat ability, but she did not think that she would lose to Shirakashi Ubuki.

The figure of the green Leaf beetle suddenly appeared and slid towards Ubuki.

“Don’t forget that I’m Rank 4 Blaze Class…!”

“Kyaa, Konoha-tan is angry. How scary~”

With a smile on her face, Ubuki readily jumped into the sky. She had evaded the ramming blow of the Leaf beetle, but now the path to the boulevard was clear.

Konoha stepped off the ground, aiming for the boulevard.

Konoha tried to dash out of the back alley, heading towards the commotion of the crowd. But—.

“—Don’t move.”

A hard sensation was pressed onto the temple of her forehead.

“…!”

Before she could leave the alley, a single boy appeared from shadow of the building.

The spine-chilling solid object that was pressed onto Konoha’s forehead was Kusuriya Daisuke’s large-calibre automatic handgun. Similar to Ubuki, a green pattern covered his face as he spoke.

“If you make any suspicious movements, I’ll blow off your head. Don’t tell me that you have some naïve thoughts that Kakkou doesn’t kill people?”

The boy’s cold gaze and chilling voice caused Konoha’s throat to dry up. There was not a shred of mercy in his voice; it was truly a pronouncement from a demon.

…Putting aside Karasu, even Kakkou managed to rush here…? Just how fast is he… n-no, more importantly, how did he manage to contact Karasu and corner me here—.

Daisuke instantaneously grabbed Konoha’s lapels and threw her into the dark alley with all his strength.

“…Kuu…!”

Thrown into the deserted alley, when Konoha raised her head, she was faced with the barrel of the handgun. Ubuki landed next to Daisuke who was pointing the handgun at her.

“Well, I’ll take back the statement that you were useless. Looks like you are at least capable of stalling for time.”

“Are your eyes just for show? Can’t you see that I purposely incited this girl to head here by predicting your movements.”

“No, that’s wrong. I predicted your movements and came here.”

Konoha widened her eyes.

…These people… didn’t prepare any cues beforehand…?

She finally understood why did vice-director Miguruma of the Central Headquarters and Owl, in other words Konomura Chami, viewed Kakkou and the East Central Branch specially.

Kakkou and Karasu… in addition to Kaguya and Himiko as well as Kabuto… although their ranked members were small in numbers compared to the other central areas, it was not a problem to them… this branch, could possibly already have regained the strength of their prime…?

A classic car came through the entrance of the alley into the view of the stunned Konoha. If she remembered correctly, that was a Beetle made overseas.

“Wew, I so surprised when the two of you jumped out of the window. Oh my, is that person the one who was spying on us? She looks pretty cute. I had thought they would be more tough-looking.”

“So, it’s only one person. Guess there wasn’t any need for me to come then.”

A youth alighted the car together with Goroumaru Touko and approached them. He was Kabuto, dressed in the full equipment of the East Central Branch with a black coat and goggles. If she recalled correctly, Kabuto was a Rank 6 Blaze Class member.

“Touko-san. This one may be a diversion. How’s the hospital?”

Still keeping the barrel of the handgun to Konoha’s forehead, Daisuke questioned. Touko replied coolly.

“Akatsuki-san and Senri-san has moved to the rooftop and are on high alert keeping a lookout. This is the first time Senri-san is participating in an actual battle, but Akatsuki-san alone should be more than enough. With those two’s powers, any Mushitsuki within a hundred metres would almost certainly be annihilated, ahaha.”

“Senri too?”

“The only one who received order was Akatsuki-san actually. Senri-san voluntarily offered to help. Before we reached here, she had used her ability, which at this point is able to confirm the presence of Mushitsuki, to verify that there were no one in the premises and contacted us.”

“…I see.”

Daisuke could be seen biting the end of his lips for only a second. He immediately resumed his pointed glare at Konoha.

“So, who are you? From that white goggles, you must be from the Central Headquarters. What were you doing on that rooftop.”

“…”

“Konoha from the Central Headquarters, she is Rank 4 Blaze Class.”

The one who answered was not Konoha, but rather Shirakashi Ubuki. Being one of the old-timers from the Central Headquarters, Ubuki knew her as one of the many people she knew about from the Central Headquarters.

“So this is Konoha. The one who was spying on me in Housawa Town.”

There was no surprise in Daisuke’s voice, as if he had already expected the existence of someone like Konoha.

“Why is it… that you were able to detect me…”

“At Housawa Town, some guy gave me a warning. From then, I kept vigilant about my surroundings.”

“…”

“You still haven’t answered my question. What were you doing there? …Did you hear what we were discussing?”

Daisuke’s voice went lower by a pitch. Immersed in his unforgiving gaze, Konoha’s shoulder began to shudder in fear.

Amongst the people there who held hardened expressions, the only one who still had a thoughtless and civil smile on her face, Touko, squat by the side of the girl.

“Let’s see here, based on the circumstantial evidence we have, we have a right to interrogate you. Having said that, I know that Central Headquarters’ system is unusually severe and moreover ruthless. You may be unable to tell us anything if you consider about your own self-protection. If Haji-senpai was here, he would have been able to carry out a leading interrogation splendidly, but alas, those of us here do not have that talent in negotiation. What a bind.”

“That doesn’t matter. If she won’t speak now, we’ll just restrain her and force it out of her regardless of whether she want for it or not.”

“Praise, praise. This girl had caused me various troubles following me around previously. If it’s alright with you, wouldn’t you let me assist in the interrogation? Though it would no longer be an interrogation but a torture.”

“Have you made your preparations to be sent to Hashiba City?”

“Wait a minute, everyone. Please stop raising your bloodlusts. Look at what you’ve done, you’ve caused this girl to be this frightened.”

Konoha was trembling unstoppably.

She did not know what was the system in place like apart from the Central Headquarters. In the event that Central Headquarters captures a spy from the other branches, she did not know what kind of punishment did they enact, but—thinking about Miguruma Yaeko’s vice-like smile, she shivered in fear. It might be the case that they would actually be tortured. No, if the fact that she had been moving independently and was captured by the East Central Branch was revealed, her fate might’ve been the same even if she returned to Central Headquarters.

After remonstrating her subordinates, Touko cleared her throat with a kohon. She turned back to Konoha, revealing an unguarded and sociable smile.

“How about this, Konoha-san? We can make a deal here.”

“…?”

“We will release you here as you are, and we would also not report nor protest to Central Headquarters. In other words, it’s like we ‘pretend nothing happened’.”

Including Konoha, the other members were all astonished.

“In return, you just answer our questions truthfully. Of course, we would keep your answers within our heads, and not reveal it to outside parties. …How’s that? Isn’t this a fantastic idea? Shouldn’t you praise me, Daisuke-san! Aren’t I currently just like Haji-senpai right now?”

Looking at Touko frolicking in high spirits, Konoha frowned.

…I heard that this person was an incompetent person, but I can’t tell what’s really in her mind… There’s no guarantees that these people would not report me to the Central Headquarters, but…

“Do you think that you have any room for choice?”

Daisuke pressed the handgun onto her head, causing Konoha to groan. It was just as he said.

“Do you understand? Yes, she understood. Now then, here’s the first question: Is there anyone else from the Central Headquarters apart from you around us or around the hospital?”

“…”

Konoha thought for a while before shaking her head. —As far as Konoha saw, there were no such people around.

“Thank you very much. Then, under whose order were you following did you to come here for?”

“…I was moving independently…”

She answered in a subdued voice.

“That’s obviously a lie. Isn’t it Central Headquarters orders?”

“But if that was the case, she’s far too defenceless. If they wanted to infiltrate Ouka City, it would be unnatural for them not to send out at least a unit of a team. Especially for a surveillance type like her.”

Ubuki’s words were refuted by Kabuto. Daisuke was silent.

“Hmm… I forgot to tell you this earlier, but don’t even try to lie to us. The moment we find out that it’s a lie, this deal is ineffective. After we report you to the Central Headquarters, no one can promise your safety.”

“It’s true…”

“I understand. Next, what’s your motive?”

“…”

“What’s the matter?”

“…I want to know the contents of the disk delivered to Kakkou by Ebina Yuu…”

Everyone was silent.

—She deliberately spoke the truth. She thought that letting the Central Headquarters know of her own unauthorised movement would be the worst scenario. She must not let Central Headquarters have any ideas about her own actions.

“Why do you want to know? vice-director Miguruma—Central Headquarters should have already known that he has already seen the contents of it. Are you interested not about whether or not he has seen it, but about the contents itself?”

“…”

“Is there a personal reason for that?”

“…Yes.”

“So that’s the case, I shall not ask then. Seems like you do not want to answer either.”

“You’re too trusting, Touko-san.”

Daisuke, who had been silent for a while, reproached Touko. However, Touko only smiled wryly with a, ‘You think so?’.

“The last question. You saw our figures in the hospital. —But, did you ‘heard’ our dialogue?”

Touko’s expression flipped, turning completely serious. Along with Daisuke, Ubuki and Kabuto’s sharp gaze, Konoha was surrounded from all four directions.

“…No…”

Konoha answered nervously with a gulp.

“From that distance… did you think I could hear your voices…?”

This was a lie.

Konoha spent most of her training on practicing how read lip movements. With her level of lip reading skills now, she is even able to convert the words she sees through her Mushi into voices.

Indeed, Konoha would continue to grow and mature even further, so as to fulfil her own objective. She could not let herself be obstructed at this kind of place.

…If they knew that I heard the contents, they would not let me go… I can’t let myself by stopped here…!

“Konoha-san.”

Touko asked calmly.

“Why do look like you are angered?

“…Eh…?”

Only when she was told did she realised that she had been biting her lips so hard that blood was oozing from her lips.

She wondered, when was it that the anger hidden in the deep recesses of her heart had swelled to such an extent that she began to display it unconsciously.

“—I understand. The questioning is over. Thank you for the trouble. Come now, let’s return, Daisuke-san, everyone.”

“…”

Right in front of Konoha who was still glowering, Touko and the rest really let her off and left. Starting from Daisuke, Ubuki and Kabuto also looked like they had some protest, but Touko swept it over with her friendly smile and they reluctantly retreated.

Left in the back alley all by herself, Konoha spent some time coming into terms with the flames of anger raging within herself.

2.01 The Others

“Touko-san.”

“Ugh… Please don’t glare at me with that look, Daisuke-san.”

Seated in the front passenger seat of the Beetle, Daisuke was glaring at Touko who was in the driver’s seat with her face cramping.

The classic car which was made overseas was cramped. Ubuki and Kabuto who were sitting in the rear passenger seats looked like they were constricted. The vibrations of the engine were transmitted directly to the seats above and the car made a dull sound whenever Touko changed gear.

“The last answer was a lie. That Konoha person, somehow or another, managed to comprehend our conversation.”

“Yes, that seems to be the case.”

Touko swiftly agreed with Daisuke’s words, causing him to widen his eyes. The two people sitting at the back were speechless too.

“But, I think that her statement that it was not an order by the Central Headquarters was true. I doubt that the Central Headquarters or any other branches underestimate us East Central Branch so much that they would send out a lone girl. On the other hand, I do not think that that girl would do such a reckless thing by her own will. There must be someone in the shadows tugging at her strings.”

As the traffic light was about to turn red, the Beetle stopped before the pedestrian crossing.

From the direction they were headed to, they were not returning to the hospital but the base of the East Central Branch. As Ubuki was looking better than expected, maybe they were going to take down her testimony. Touko had mentioned that they were going to do that after she recovered.

“Then, who is the one manipulating Konoha-san? Is it Mushibane? Or perhaps Harukiyo?”

The traffic light turned green and the Beetle’s engine started again.

Daisuke frowned his eyebrows.

“Harukiyo is part of the Central Headquarters’ Annihilators, wasn’t he? Didn’t we find that out during Senri’s escort mission.”

“In fact, I met the real thing in person… that person, does he look like someone who would obey another? Even if that whoever was the SEPB’s Central Headquarters.”

“…”

“I think that there is definitely some link between him and the Central Headquarters. But, if you were to ask if Central Headquarters have full reign over him… I don’t think that is the case. From his conversation with Daisuke-san, Harukiyo has some interest in other Rank 1 Mushitsuki. That’s why, he only appears in cases related to the Rank 1s.”

At Touko’s explanation, Ubuki praised her, saying, ‘You have a good head, Touko-san!’. That seemed to raise her mood, making her more loquacious.

“And regarding Konoha-san, there is one other possible pattern.”

“?”

“That is, someone completely unrelated to both Mushibane and Harukiyo is interested in the contents of the disk. If this continues, the contents of the disk—if they continue to probe the link between the Central Headquarters and Mushitsuki, Central Headquarters will set their sights on them someday. Perhaps, this yet to be seen under-the-radar organisation will eventually come to clash with the Central Headquarters, yes.”

“You only realised that now, Touko-san…?”

“…After all, without there being somebody to cause turmoil in the Central Headquarters, there’s nothing that we can do, isn’t it? Just now, I was just thinking that wouldn’t be good for us if only there would be someone who would go and stir things up with the Central Headquarters…”

“So, acting Director Goroumaru, you’re saying that for the sake of letting that somebody go and make a splash, you decided to let Konoha go. …Still, I guess all this talk is just us taking a shot in the dark.”

At Kabuto’s spot-on words, the four of them sighed.

2.02 Chiharu Part 3

Dispensing with the preliminaries, how is everything going?

It seems that I am still right at the height of youth as always.

Last night, I experienced a common page of youth as expected; I had a quarrel with my parents. —I had unintentionally fallen asleep at Urban Dome again, resulting in me returning home late. As to be expected, mother was livid. I’m glad that she was worried for me, but she may have been too overprotective… Anyway, when I awoke, that girl was gone, I wonder why.

Hey, how are you over there?

Are you well?

“Senpai… what are you in a daze for? Aah! Your organisation of the documents has not progressed at all!”

Only when Chiharu heard the voice of her junior did she awake from her ‘narrating quirk’, returning to the real world.

After lessons ended before noon, the usual four people gathered in the student council room.

Apart from Chiharu, there were the first-year pair of Tsushima Ayumu the secretary, and Noda Saori the accountant. The last was the second-year in charge of general affairs, Kanadome Naoki.

“Please do your work properly, vice-chairman!”

“You’re wasting your efforts. Ayukawa’s concentration is practically non-existent. Her ability to take action being a different case.”

In contrast to Saori whose cheeks have swelled up, Naoki had a look of having already given up and was silently continuing on with his work.

Even Chiharu thought that Naoki’s words were on the spot. Chiharu could be distracted by anything, so long as it enters her sight. That’s why, if there was someone completely opposite from Chiharu—someone who thinks of everything and always plans ahead, she felt like she would complement perfectly with them, no matter if they were just a first-year. Alas, there did not seem to be anyone like that around her.

“Fine, fine, I’m the type to move before thinking after all. That’s to say, my body moves by itself?”

“What are you doing as you say that, Ayukawa-senpai…”

“From what I’m seeing, you are just distributing your portion of the work to all of us…”

“How can you do that, vice-chairman…”

“I’m sorry, everyone. For being such a worthless vice-chairman.”

As she pretended to be wipe her tears, Chiharu briskly distributed her portion of the work to the three’s stack. When she returned to her seat, she could hear the sigh of three person in unison. As if they did not even have the spirit to protest anymore, they wordlessly arranged the extra portion into their stacks. What a bunch of truly endearing companions, she thought.

Surely, these fun and warm days would continue on tomorrow and the day after that too. Ah, it’s already spring now. Once spring break arrives, perhaps I’ll go somewhere. All by myself to somewhere far—.

It was right at the moment when her ‘narrating quirk’ resumed.

“Noda!”

Suddenly, the door to the student council room was violently pushed open. Chiharu and the rest turned around with a startle.

“If it isn’t Ue-chan. Yo!”

It was a face Chiharu knew. He was the captain of the Swimming club known as Ueda.

Ueda ignored Chiharu who raised a hand enthusiastically, heading straight to Saori and grabbed her arm.

“I could see you from the window and so I came… didn’t you say you were taking a break from club activities due to a cold! If that’s the case, why are you here? Right before the sports meet and here you are slacking?”

“E-erm, err…”

“Do you have any awareness of being a first-year regular? Hurry up and come with me! If you have the free time to waste here, come and practice!”

Facing Ueda who was forcefully trying to drag her away, Saori contracted. She looked as if she was petrified by his threatening attitude.

“W-wait a moment! Don’t get rough!”

“Oi, that’s our junior you are getting touchy with. You can’t just do whatever the hell as you please here.”

“Aa? This is a problem for our club activities, so shut up!”

Ayumu and Naoki stood up from their seats and glared at him.

A dangerous atmosphere came over the student council room in an instant.

However, there was still one person seated in her seat. It was Chiharu.

“Well, well, just calm down, Ue-chan. Your stormy face when you are angry is pretty scary, probably much more than you think so.”

“Don’t use Noda at a time like this, Ayukawa! Didn’t council activities ended last week!”

“I-it’s not like that, vice-chairman didn’t—”

“Understood, roger, okay. Then, I shall first apologise to you. I’m sorry, Ue-chan, Noda-chan.”

When Chiharu apologised with some lamentation, Ueda was taken aback. His mouth which was about to yell back came to a shut. Ayumu and Naoki looked like they were about to protest, but Chiharu spoke before they could.

“I didn’t know that the sports meet was just arriving, but to make Noda-chan help out for our work was my failure at management. I’ve certainly caused some trouble to the Swimming club and Noda-chan.”

“T-that’s all because I didn’t say anything—”

“But, you still need to respect the will of the person herself. Why did Noda-chan lied that she had a cold? Because she thought that if she said the truth, you wouldn’t give her time off? What Ue-chan is doing right now is like saying, ‘Just neglect the council’s work!’.”

Ueda looked as if he had some words stuck in his throat.

“Coming here even if it meant that she had to lie—see, doesn’t that show that she has a sense of responsibility. She just wanted to clear up what’s left of the council’s work. Really, that’s all.”

Truthfully speaking, that was not the case. As far as Chiharu saw, Saori was not so much focusing on work as much as she was at the same year student seated next to her—That is, she was referring to the complicated thing known as a girl’s feelings. Chiharu figured it was better left unsaid out of Saori’s privacy.

“Being the case, Ue-chan, you need to apologize to Noda-chan.”

“Why do I have to…!”

“Yelling angrily at her and pulling her arm roughly—that’s not what you call acceptable behaviour towards a junior, right. This has nothing to do club activities nor council work. You need to respect the will of the person herself no matter what. You see, there’s something called motivation? She won’t improve if you force her to practice.”

“…”

“If you won’t apologize, then please leave this place.”

Chiharu smiled wryly at the silent Ueda.

“I understand that you are angry at my cute junior, but you need to cool your head a bit, Ue-chan. Don’t worry, Noda-chan will be returning very soon.”

The student council room was still. Ueda stared at Chiharu for a while in silence, and then took a deep breath to calm himself. He apologised to Saori with a, ‘Come back quickly, okay’, before leaving the room.

“E-erm… vice-chairman…”

“No problem, I have high hopes for you, Noda-chan. To think you were a regular for the sports meet?”

Standing up with a smile, Chiharu took Saori’s portion of the documents. She then distributed the documents to her own together with Ayumu and Naoki’s.

“We’ll have to cheer you on too, right? I’m sure no one has any disagreements.”

“…I have. It seems like Ayukawa-senpai’s portion of the extra work is excessively small compared to ours.”

“I’m sorry for being so useless.”

“That’s fine already.”

Ayumu and Naoki showed their support with smiles and Chiharu faced Saori.

“Now then, we will split the rest equally amongst ourselves so hurry up and return to your club activities. Don’t forget to apologise to Ue-chan properly too.”

“I’m sorry… and thank you.”

“Thanks for your help so far. It’s very much appreciated.”

Following after Chiharu, the other two repeated, ‘Much appreciated’. Saori bowed with a look of being moved to tears and replied, ‘Thank you’, before leaving the student council room.

“Now I feel kind of tired. …Can I just nap for a while?”

“I’ll hit you.”

“But, it feels like something changed about you after all, Ayukawa-senpai.”

Just before he resumed working, Ayumu looked at Chiharu as he spoke.

“What’s with that, saying something rude all of a sudden. Are you at your rebellious period?”

“It’s not that… How to say it, you look like you’re always in a daze, but when the necessity arises, you are calmer than anyone else. How do I say it, you seem adult-like… that’s not it either.”

“From how I see it, it seems that Ayukawa has overcome quite a bit of difficulties thus far, despite how she looks though.”

Listening to Naoki’s joking remarks, Chiharu tilted her head.

“It looks like that to you? Am I actually not just an ordinary highschool girl?”

“Well, even if you ask us that… wouldn’t you know that yourself.”

“I guess you’re right. Why do I feel this way?”

…What do think about this? Am I weird?

Directing that question at nobody in particular, Chiharu started sorting the documents.

—By the time the three of them finished up, the school building was already dyed in the orange shade of the evening sun.

As Ayumu and Naoki exited the school gates walking next to each other, Chiharu stopped her feet.

“Thank you guys very much for the trouble this half a year. You’ve really helped me out for lots of stuff. Thank you, the two of you.”

Thanking them with a sweet smile, the two youths were startled. They looked at each other before smiling bashfully.

“No problem, it was fun. —Don’t forget about our promise. When the new school term begins, let’s assemble with these members again.”

“Yep, it would be great if it’s like that.”

“See you.”

“Thank you for your work!”

Waving her hand, Chiharu turned her back towards the school.

She hesitated about whether to head home first to put down her bag and change her clothes or not. But, contrary to the turmoil in her heart, her legs were headed straight for the town centre. It seems her body had already decided on her destination even before she did.

Humming along as she walked, she emerged at the sidewalk along the national highway which was led to the station. Shops lined the street including fast food restaurants, cafes and clothing stores.

There were all kinds of people walking about. It goes without saying, but all those people had all sorts of past as well as possessing a myriad of possibilities for their future.

Without breaking her hum, a slight smile formed on her face as she passed by the station.

—Strictly speaking, the memories that Chiharu lost were those of before she was twelve. It was around the time right before her mother married her stepfather. She could not remember a single thing before that.

Just what kind of life had she led up till then? Just who was her real father? And also, just what kind of child was Chiharu like?

She had posed all these questions to her mother before. Was that when she was still in middle school?

—There’s no difference between now and then.

Her mother had ended the conversation with just this one line. At that time, her mother had a hardened expression, looking extremely sorrowful. Since then, Chiharu had never touched on the topic about her memories. Rather than to say that it was out of concern for her mother, it was more like she realised that her mother would never say anything about it to her.

Her mother was the one and only person who knows about her past, yet she refuses to speak about it.

That’s why, Chiharu did not know a thing about her past at all.

Chiharu led an exceedingly ordinary and full life… yet she was always bound by this groundless feeling of guilt.

Humming as she walked along, Chiharu start talking to a non-existent somebody.

This kind of thing is known as a trauma, right. I even went to search it up. I may have experienced a horrible shock for all I know. There were lots of examples of people with this condition after being mistreated when they were young written in books… but, I don’t think I’m like them. If you were to ask which am I, it seems more like I was the one to have done something to somebody… right? What do you think?

Before her stood a tower and a dome shimmering in silver light. She climbed over the fence which had a sign prohibiting the entry of unrelated personnel. It was right as she was about to enter the premises of ‘URBAN’.

“!”

She saw the figure of a person in front of Urban Dome.

Her slender body was faltering as she walked in unsteady steps, her hair draped down. Her pale face coupled with shaky footsteps made her look like an apparition from a ghost story. If one saw her at night, they would definitely be creeped out.

This was the first time that Chiharu had seen her awake. She was the girl that Chiharu had seen sleeping in the forested paradise on the second floor lounge. Today too, Chiharu had come here to meet her.

“Is she… heading out? Or perhaps she is returning?”

Chiharu hurriedly distance herself from the fence and hid in the shadow of a car parked by the roadside.

—…Why do I feel the need to hide. But, well, my body had moved before I even realised.

Hiding herself like this, she made up some excuses in her heart.

Whether she discovered Chiharu or not, the girl continued with that wobbly footsteps and crossed the fence, heading in the direction of the station.

“This kinda feels like I’m going on an adventure. To shadow the mysterious beauty! That kind of feeling?”

Leaving the shadow of the car, she followed behind the girl.

Much unlike what she was saying earlier, what she was doing was far too crude to be called shadowing. If one turned around, they would clearly be able to see her. In the midst of her chase, she had even started to hum.

Chiharu and the girl walk with a fixed distance between them.

Not a single person turned around to look at the girl although she was only wearing a thin piece of clothing for some reason. She seemed to be surrounded by a space that belong to another world, a space that segregated her from the crowd and the exhaust noise of cars on the street.

The girl stopped as she reached a roundabout near the station.

“…?”

She lifted her head and looked upwards. The only things in her line of sight was the station, followed by the most luxurious hotel in Nishito City, the Nishito Imperial Hotel.

Looking at the side view of the face of the girl, there was a change. The mouth of the girl slowly curved into that of a smile—.

“Eh…? What? How come?”

In an instant, the slender girl had disappeared into the crowd. When the pedestrians cleared from the spot, there was no one left there.

Chiharu ran to the spot where she last saw the girl, it was right next to the ticketing machine. She turned and looked around at the surroundings, but she could not see the figure of the girl anywhere.

“Did she enter the platform? When did she…”

She stood there stunned for a moment, but the simmering curiosity and rebelliousness in her heart came to a boil.

“Huhu, I see. Is this a challenge directed towards me? Fine, the one you are challenging is this Ayukawa Chiharu. I, attendance number 23 of Class H of the Second Year of Nishito Sousei High School, vice-chairman—former vice-chairman of the student council accept your challenge! …Eh, uwaah! I don’t have enough money. Not even sufficient to buy a ticket… D-dang, if only I didn’t buy that roasted ginger set meal from the school cafeteria and settled for the curry udon instead…!”

Leaning on the ticketing machine, she hung her head down crestfallen.

“E-erm.”

“All because of that aroma which piqued my interest. Now that I thought about it, that was the biggest culprit. How devious, the school cafeteria aunty…”

“Erm…?”

Chiharu, who was beaten down by a sense of defeat, heard a reserved voice calling out to her. When she finally realised that and raised her tear-stricken face, a small-statured girl came into her view.

It was a girl around the age of a middle-schooler who had a red ribbon tied around one of her forelock and wore a dress which she looked good in. She had cute features that seemed to captivate the eyes, but even more so, Chiharu had a strange impression looking at her.

That even though she looks very fragile, she was in fact very strong—.

At one look, she might look like an upper-class lady unknowing to pain and worldly matters, but in reality, she looked as if like a work of art that had been shaved and beaten at countless of times—indeed, one could feel a deep sense of composure from her.

“What’s the problem? If you’re lost, you should look for the station staff for help.”

“…!”

Hearing Chiharu’s first sentence, the girl was shocked. After being stupefied for a moment, she came to her senses and held out a hand.

She was holding out a note of cash.

“Please use this.”

It seems that her soliloquy just now had been overheard. Chiharu scratched her head and sighed.

To be pitied on by a younger girl like this… just what am I doing?

“Thank you. I’m happy for your gesture, but it’s not like I’m actually that troubled. How do I explain it, this is just something like a reckless act of youth? It’s like a, ‘if it doesn’t work out, okay, let’s give up and try again tomorrow’, kind of trouble.”

The girl stared at Chiharu in puzzlement and then burst into laughter.

“But, you look like you really want to go.”

Hearing this, Chiharu smiled wryly.

This child… unexpectedly, her words hit the point.

“Yeah, I really want to go. Really, this is so troubling if I say so myself.”

With a smile, she accepted the note from the girl’s hand.

“You, what’s your name?”

“Ah… it’s Anmoto Shiika.”

“Thank you. I’ll return this to you later.”

Chiharu put the money into the ticketing machine and chose the cheapest fare. Taking the ticket, she quickly passed through the gantry.

“Eh? Return it…?”

She did not turn around even when she heard the girl’s bewildered voice.

She ran and weaved through the human traffic.

Yes, I really, absolutely want to know! Just who is the girl and why does she interest me so much! I want to know it so awfully much!

Breathing wildly, she searched for the figure of the girl.

However, she could not find the lightly dressed figure inside. Maybe she had already boarded a train, or perhaps, she did not even enter the station in the first place.

“That’s why, I can’t give up here…”

Trying to control her breathing, she gave a smile.

“Okay, I’ll try again tomorrow!”

In front of Chiharu, a limited express train sped by.

2.03 The Others

With his hands in his pockets, Reiji looked up at the station and mused.

It was now the evening rush hour and the roundabout in front of the Nishito City station was congested. Buses and taxis were constantly passing through and pedestrians flooded the walkway as well. In front of the gantry, the area around the ticketing machine was crammed full of people too.

Teenage boys and girls were sitting on the guardrails that separated the roundabout and the sidewalk and were chatting happily or staring at their mobile phones. Similar to them, Reiji was sitting on the guardrail. He took out a cigarette packet from his pocket and held a cigarette to his lips. However, he did not lighted it.

—Listen to me, I want you to stay by the side of a certain girl.

In the past, the girl known as Tachibana Rina had said that to Reiji. That had been the very first and last thing that she had requested of him.

Since the moment he first met her in a nursery school in Akamaki City, the girl known as Rina already had the charm to attract people. There was always somebody gathered around that girl who had a cheery smile.

In contrast, Reiji did not have a single person which he could call a friend. As he did not feel lonely, he did not see the point of making friends either. It was around that time—that Reiji thought that there was surely something crucial missing from his heart ever since he was born.

“…”

Reiji took his hand out of his pocket and clenched it into a fist as if he was grasping something. A white mist formed around his arm. A pishii sound like that of when a carbonated drink is opened rang out.

Smoke rised from the cigarette that he held in his mouth. —Before one even knew, Reiji’s cigarette had been lighted up. He returned his hand into his pocket.

—Since nursery school and primary school, he had been looking at the figure of Rina.

He had already forgotten who was it that had first called out to the other, except that it had surely begun from something small and insignificant. However, Rina was always at the places where Reiji went to, and the chance of Reiji being at the place where Rina was at was quite high.

From nursery school to primary school, Rina had been the popular person in class. The bright and kind her would always be surrounded by friends, yet whenever she was in a place where no one could see her, she would have a contemplative look.

It was probably around the time during the upper grades of primary school.

While Reiji was smoking alone on the rooftop, Rina came to him.

She would always approach Reiji whenever she wanted to take a breather. That was probably because there was never anybody around Reiji and that Reiji himself was always aloof. Whenever Rina wanted to be alone, she would come to his side. That’s what he thought.

—Please give me one of that too.

—Nn.

—…

—…

—Hey, Reiji.

—Hmm?

—Do you know about… Mushitsuki?

—Only rumours that those things feed on people’s hopes and dreams to grow. I’ve also heard that they eat humans.

—Yea, mine was eaten by it. But, that was only mine. I don’t think others eat humans though…

That was the day that Rina became a Mushitsuki.

Listening to her speak about it indifferently, Reiji opened his mouth.

—You want my help?

—Nope, what I want was probably… a punishment. I thought that if it was Reiji, then you would do so.

—You want me to kill you?

When he coolly asked that, Rina bit her lips with an anguished look. That was the first time that Reiji had seen her look like she was about to cry.

However, Rina only took an instant to conceal that face, immediately showing a smile again. She even told off Reiji about how smoking was bad for his health especially now when he was still a minor. In the end, she did not light the cigarette. She then left with a, ‘See you’.

It seems like Reiji was the only one that Rina said farewell to. From that day on, she never attended that primary school again.

The next time they met was more than one year later.

On the way back from the local middle school, he happened to see Rina in the streets of Akamaki City. She was together with some youths of around the same age as Reiji whom he did not know. He could tell that they were most likely from other city as he had pretty much memorised the faces of the pedestrians he passed by on his way to and from school.

He had heard that Rina had been admitted to a middle school in Higano City next door through the arrangement of a certain person. But, she would occasionally come here to Akamaki City for some errands.

Having met Rina again since a while, he found that she was as beautiful as always. Furthermore, compared to the time when they were in primary school, her current smile was more lighthearted. He thought that she must have been doing something she liked.

—Seems like I’ve also become a Mushitsuki somehow or another.

When Reiji mentioned that casually, Rina was surprised. But, she immediately leaned forward and asked him what his dream was. It seems that to become a Mushitsuki, one must have a dream.

Reiji only tilted his head saying, ‘I wonder’.

The something that had turned Reiji into a Mushitsuki had said some incomprehensible words to him. It was something about, ‘Thou shalt become the one to protect the king’.

Rina slumped her shoulders dumbfounded, but showed an odd smile right after.

—Are you alright?

Before they parted, Reiji asked that of Rina. He wondered if Rina understood what he was referring to. She was taken aback.

When Rina revealed a lonely smile, the youths around her were stunned.

—I’m still in the middle of a journey, but it hasn’t been going very well.

Just like in the past, Reiji asked if she wanted his help. But, Rina only smiled mischievously and stuck out her tongue at Reiji.

—Reiji really is… really, it’s because you are always like that that you always cause me to waver. No, it mustn’t be anything but like this. Because we’re… that’s why, even if it’s just Reiji alone, you must stay on ‘that’ side.

She said a bunch of things that Reiji did not understand at all.

—Fine, I’ll reserve a request from you first then. Someday, I’ll make such a huge request of you that you would definitely regret it. And that will be something that would shake up your entire life.

After that, he did not see Rina for quite a while. However, Reiji thought that Rina would undoubtedly appear in front of him unexpectedly again for sure

Reiji’s prediction was on the mark, and once again, she appeared before him right as he entered high school.

—I’m gonna head to Ouka City. I’ve been thinking about various things, but I’ve made up my mind now. There’s something I must do no matter what. I’ve finally found my dream.

At that time, Reiji had already received a recommendation to attend a local high school. It was just an ordinary high school as he did not have anything he wanted to do.

Reiji listened to Rina’s words without speaking. He vaguely remembered and felt that there was something odd about the order. One should have a dream so as to become a Mushitsuki, but she was saying that she had just found her dream.

When Reiji asked if she was alright, Rina showed the exact same expression as she did in the past. It seems like she has yet to find a place where she can find peace.

The last time he heard Rina’s voice was through the phone.

—You know. I might die tomorrow.

—…

—That’s why, I have a request for you.

—Fine. I’ll listen to anything.

Reiji answered instantly. There was no falsehood in those words at all, he thought that he would anything that was within his power.

Rina probably knew that as well. That was something like an ‘agreement’ between the two of them.

—Are you okay with that? Don’t regret later after blindly making a promise.

—I won’t do that.

—I see. Just to be clear, this is not me getting even with you, okay? Didn’t I say it before? It’s because Reiji always cause me to be waver.

—Fine, just say it.

—…Thank you.

—…

—Listen to me, I want you to stay by the side of a certain girl. In the case that I fail in what I am going to do from now on… I want you to watch over with your own eyes what that girl would do. She’s my important friend.

—So, you’re saying you want me to protect her? Is that for her sake?

—No, that’s wrong. You just need to stay by her side. This is for the sake of Reiji.

—My sake?

—I want Reiji to watch over that girl, Shiika. That girl has something that neither Reiji nor I have.

—I don’t get what you’re saying at all. This is your request? Something for the sake of myself?

—Haah… As expected, you still have not noticed. You—no, more like the both of us…

The girl known as Tachibana Rina was a strange person right till the very end.

She would come by the side of the always solitary Reiji who possessed nothing, just like a freshwater fish that swims to the surface of the water for a breather, leaving just a lonely smile before disappearing. Till the very end, Reiji still couldn’t figure out her true intentions.

In the end, his relationship with Rina was a questionable and inseparable one.

But, the next day following his final exchange with Rina, he gave up attending school.

It was for the sake of finding out what the girl who he had an inseparable relationship with meant by ‘getting even’ with him.

“…”

Several months had passed since Rina found her place of belonging.

When he visited Rina’s family home, he was told that she had gone missing since a few years back. Even so, they had not made a report to the police to conduct a search. After combing through the middle schools in Higano City, he finally discovered the school which Rina went to. She had apparently gone to a certain Moira High School in a place known as Housawa Town.

However, that was just a pretence. Despite receiving the notice of enrolment as well as paying the tuition fees, she did not attend the school.

Reiji trusted her words and went to search through the high schools in Ouka City. He eventually found the public high school she attended, but he also heard that she was missing there. He even got ahold of her classmates that were her friends, but they did not have any idea where she lived either. Being a public school, they had a tough policy on the privacy of their students and stubbornly refused to reveal Rina’s address to Reiji. On the contrary, they seemed to readily accept her notice of absence from school.

Left with no choice, Reiji snuck into the school at night and stole a look at the student’s personal information. Having found the location and visited it, he found that the name of the tenant of the room in a condominium did not even exist.

After that was just a use of force. Stealing the management documents from the landlord’s house, and then checking out the tenant’s bank account—just when he was doing all this, he was contacted by Munakata Kaiji.

Having had the intention of fishing out the relevant people, he had purposely acted flashily. Thus, he was not surprised when Munakata reached out to him. And then, when Munakata told him what happened to Rina after that, he remained unsurprised.

“…”

As he smoked his cigarette, a girl with a small stature sat down next to him.

It was Shiika. —In the first place, the reason they came from the hotel to here in front of the station was because of her saying that she wanted a change of pace after being worn out from staring at the documents.

Shiika stared into Reiji’s face intently. Being so close, she looked all the more childish.

“Hmm?”

“You are… smoking the cigarette?”

“Can’t you tell just by looking.”

“S-sorry…”

Her face turned red and she hung her head. But, she seems to want to say something and kept stealing glances at Reiji’s face.

It was not as if Reiji was trying to stare back at Shiika or intimidate her. It was just that his normal gaze usually caused the other party to think that he was. It frequently happened that he would anger his addressee just by answering their question.

The two of them just continued to look at the hustle and bustle of the crowd in front of the station in silence. Taking a fleeting glimpse at Shiika, Reiji saw that she was enjoying herself just by gazing at the peaceful scenery. This was in contrast to when she was browsing through the documents in the hotel, where she had a look on her face like that of a puppy being cornered.

When Shiika noticed Reiji’s gaze, she looked at his direction too. But, she seemed embarrassed from having their gaze met and she averted her eyes. watching her behaviour like this, Reiji felt a rare sense of irritation.

Rina… is this person really your ‘friend’?

He did not know if Rina noticed this herself, but she almost never called anyone her friend. For her who was constantly surrounded by others, she always referred to them by ‘everyone’ or ‘those people’. After she moved to Higano City, she would often use the word, ‘comrade’.

“E-erm, is Aijisupa-san…”

Shiika timidly spoke out in a voice that was being drowned out by the buzz of the people around them. It appears that she was not used to being around so many people.

Munakata had been the one to give him the name known as Aijisupa. The reason being that he was not used to being called by his name, Shirotani Reiji.

“You are Rina’s childhood friend, right?”

“…I wonder. She was just someone I knew since young, an inseparable existence.”

“From young… What kind of child was Rina like when she was young?”

That was a question that Reiji had heard for the first time. Being labelled as an outsider by Mushibane, there was no one who had asked that of him. It was like they were trying to say that they knew Rina—or the girl known as Ladybird better than him.

“She was just a normal kid.”

He answered honestly. If he had said that to the Rina-worshipping bunch of Mushibane, would they have gotten angry?

“There are many things about her I do not know of either, but she was just like any other person.”

“I see.”

Shiika looked glad. It seems like she did not have any doubts about Reiji and Rina being childhood friends at all.

Reiji answering her question straightforwardly seems to have calmed her down, as her nervous face softened. The reason that they had not conversed much despite all the time they spent together was due to them not having a common topic.

“What kind of fellow was Rina?”

Reiji asked Shiika the same question back.

“When Rina was at Ouka City… what kind of person was the one called Ladybird like?”

Shiika looked surprised but smiled right after. It was a reserved smile with only the corners of her eyes and lips slightly loosened, but it was very frank. Reiji could feel his little remaining irritation being washed away by her smile.

“She was just an ordinary girl.”

“I see.”

“Did you know? Rina had someone she liked.”

“I see.”

“She also had someone she hated too.”

“I see.”

“She had also cried in front of me.”

“…I see.”

Just these few sentences all revealed a side of Rina which Reiji never knew.

“Thank you.”

Those words reflexively came out of his mouth. Shiika only looked at him in puzzlement.

“Surely, you were the only one that she had shown that to.”

“…Yes.”

Shiika nodded and hung her head. She raised her right hand once to rub her eye.

“The only thing that Rina requested of me was to stay by your side.”

Reiji said.

“For me to watch over what you would do. That’s all. She did not intend for me to help you. Even if you die, that would have just been your ending.”

“Yes.”

When Shiika raised her face, her eyes were slightly red, but there was a light-hearted smile too.

Reiji narrowed his eyes and spat out the cigarette. With the sound of pushii, the cigarette falling through the air contracted as if it was squeezed, before turning into dust and scattering. Shiika widened her eyes in astonishment.

“Don’t you want to request for my help?”

“Eh?”

Reiji gazed at Shiika who asked a question in return. Her perplexed face was replaced by one of hesitation.

“If you say that you want me to help, then I guess I’ll help out.”

“…”

“I would do anything that you ask of me, seeing as I have nothing to do anyway. But, she did not request for my help even at the very end. …What are you going to do? If you want my help, then I’ll help?”

Reiji and Shiika stared at each other. The noise from the streets seemed annoyingly loud then.

Knowing that Reiji was waiting for an answer, Shiika reveal a thin smile.

“Because I am still lost… what am I going to do from now on, what should I do from now on, even I have no idea.”

—That was all.

A genuine doubt sprouted in Reiji’s mind.

Rina… Is the reason she did not ask me for help the same as yours?

“!”

Feeling a chill down his back, Reiji's gaze turned sharp. The commotion in front of the station felt very distant all of a sudden, as if the surrounding area had been transported into a different world.

So, it appears again… and it’s close—.

It was the presence that had appeared around Shiika’s vicinity at every turn that followed them for Ouka City to here in Nishito City. The air turned stagnant and it felt like a sticky gaze had set its sights on Shiika and Reiji.

Moving only his eyes, he kept on high alert at the surroundings.

It was not in the station beyond the gantry. It was not at the street left and right of them either. He looked at the roundabout behind, turning his head around just very slightly. But, he couldn’t find any suspicious figures there either.

“Is something the matter?”

He looked at Shiika who was asking him with a unknowing look—and saw it beyond her shoulder, in front of the ticketing machine.

For merely an instant.

A girl with fluttering long hair was looking in their direction with a loose smile hanging on her face. The eyes of the girl who was wearing a thin cloth that looked like that of a hospital garb was a deep black that seemed to suck one into darkness.

“…”

After her figure was swallowed into the crowd, she disappeared.

It’s really a monster… but, compared to the time at Ouka City, its presence seems much thinner now. It must have been worn out from the journey to here, or perhaps it’s being on guard… looks like it’s not planning to make a move yet though. Perhaps, ‘observing’ is the best it can do before it rejuvenates its strength…

Shiika had said that she did not need his help. He did not know just what kind of person was she that a monster like that would be chasing her. As long as she did not request for his help, even if she were to be killed by that monster just like that, that would just be the conclusion of the girl known as Anmoto Shiika.

However, something doesn’t feel right.

From their conversation, Shiika was undeniably Rina’s friend. But, unlike Rina, that girl was far too defenceless.

“Just how long do you plan to dawdle around here for?”

“Eh?”

“Aren’t you being chased? Don’t you think that you are being too conspicuous staying here?”

Shiika jolted in understanding after being warned in a roundabout manner. Getting flustered all of a sudden, she got down from the guardrail.

“Y-you’re right. Somehow, it seems like I was feeling relieved…”

“Relieved? Why is that so?”

“I-I wonder why is that…? Maybe it’s because Aijisupa-san is here.”

“Didn’t I say that I wouldn’t help. Since you did not ask for it.”

“O-oh, right. My apologies.”

Reiji could feel his irritation rising again.

Is she an idiot…?

Sighing out, it seems like it was time for him to return to the hotel with Shiika.

“Fine, the one you are challenging is this Ayukawa Chiharu. I, attendance number 23 of Class H of the Second Year of Nishito Sousei High School, vice-chairman—former vice-chairman of the student council accept your challenge! …Eh, uwaah! I don’t have enough money. Not even sufficient to buy a ticket… D-dang, if only I didn’t buy that roasted ginger set meal from the school cafeteria and settled for the curry udon instead…!”

The sight of a girl leaning on the ticketing machine and grumbling came into his view. Shiika too seemed to have noticed the girl. They looked at the girl who was called Ayukawa Chiharu.

Wearing a casquette on her head, she looked to be around the same age as Reiji. The figure of her writhing her body exaggeratingly was extremely eye-catching. Her sense of presence was so strong such that she would probably draw attention even if she were to just stand there quietly.

It appears that Chiharu could not buy a ticket as she did not have enough money. It wasn’t any particularly uncommon occurrence. Reiji started to walk towards the hotel.

“Erm… Aijisupa-san.”

Reiji turned around. Shiika was pulling onto his clothes. He understood what she wanted to do even without her saying anything and thrust his hand into his pocket.

“I don’t really mind. Do as you want.”

He took out a note from his wallet and passed it to Shiika. If she wanted something to do something like that, he didn’t mind helping her out.

“Thank you very much.”

Shiika smiled sweetly and ran towards Chiharu’s side.

“E-erm.”

“All because of that aroma which piqued my interest. Now that I thought about it, that was the biggest culprit. How devious, the school cafeteria aunty…”

“Erm…?”

“What’s the problem? If you’re lost, you should look for the station staff for help.”

“Please use this.”

“Thank you. I’m happy for your gesture, but it’s not like I’m actually that troubled. How do I explain it, this is just something like a reckless act of youth? It’s like a, ‘if it doesn’t work out, okay, let’s give up and try again tomorrow’, kind of trouble.”

“But, you look like you really want to go.”

“Yeah, I really want to go. Really, this is so troubling if I say so myself.”

“You, what’s your name?”

“Ah… it’s Anmoto Shiika.”

Reiji was gobsmacked.

As I thought, she’s really an idiot …Even though she is being pursued, she still used her real name—.

“Thank you. I’ll return this to you later.”

“Eh? Return it…?”

Leaving Shiika standing behind, Chiharu rushed through the gantry.

“Come on, let’s go. Idiot.”

“O-okay. Eh… idiot…?”

With Shiika in tow, Reiji began to walk back to the hotel.

Curious about the girl whom she exchanged sparse words with, Shiika turned back to look at the station countless of times.

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