Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 1st Episode 03 (section)

===Part 1===

The lunch break at Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School was relatively long.

Students had nearly an hour to do whatever they want. Be it moving their bodies playing on the sports ground, using the computer room, reading in the library or chatting with friends in the classroom.

Ichinokuro Arisu, Saionji Ena and Kujou Takako all belonged to the ‘stay in classroom’ faction.

Arisu already had plenty of exercise during her morning practice, while Takako was a computer idiot and was generally bad with electronics. Meanwhile, Ena fared above average at all she tried, but she did not have a particular interest in any of them.

Kusuriya Daisuke had also remained in the classroom. He was engaged in a friendly conversation with several other boys.

“Before we even realised, Kusuriya-kun sure got friendly with the class. Aren’t you lonely now, Arisu?”

Sitting at the desk in front of her, Ena teased Arisu. That attitude of hers had not changed at all since from before.

—Just a few days ago, Ena had ben caught up in a certain incident.

Together with Arisu and Takako, they had visited a Ferris wheel that was a place of interest in the city. The incident had occurred there.

''Mushi''—.

Infesting young boys and girls, they were an existence that fed on their hopes and dreams in order to grow. In one sentence, that would be how those monsters, which have since permeated into society, could be described. The people who were infested by the Mushi were known as ''Mushitsuki'', having since become synonymous as agents of fear. At the Ferris wheel, Ena had witnessed the Mushi with her own eyes.

That was not the first time that Arisu and Takako had saw a Mushi. In fact, it was during an incident caused by Takako’s childhood friend who was a Mushitsuki, that Arisu met Daisuke. Daisuke was actually an agent of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—a secret government organisation that employs Mushitsuki in order to capture other Mushitsuki, so as to maintain the government’s stance of “Mushi do not exist”.

Ena was sent home that night after fainting when she saw the Mushi. Even so, she had attended school as per usual the next day.

When Arisu had touched on that topic gingerly to her, she had replied, ‘I don’t ever want to be involved with that kind of monsters ever again’, putting an end to that matter.

The warning by SEPB not to disclose of the happenings came as expected, but it seems to be unneeded as the person herself did not ever want to have anything to do with the Mushi again. Still, Arisu needed to take care to not divulge her possession of the silver morpho butterfly, or that of Daisuke’s true identity.

“…”

Arisu bit on the straw of her milk packet, staring at Daisuke intently.

No matter how one looked at him, the boy known as Kusuriya Daisuke was just an ordinary student. He had an unremarkable appearance and a sociable personality, able to have a friendly chat with just about anyone.

However, Arisu knew that that was just a facade. Whenever he was dealing with Arisu, his attitude would be a complete flip from when he was at school, behaving as an agent of the SEPB, a Devil without a single shred of mercy.

“Arisu-san?”

Takako looked at Arisu strangely.

“He definitely didn’t open his heart!”

Arisu smashed the milk packet onto the desk with a ''don!''

Ena and Takako looked at Arisu in puzzlement.

“The one who didn’t open his heart… you mean Daisuke-san?”

“Is that so? It seems to me that he’s behaving very naturally though.”

“The two of you just don’t understand! You have no idea what kind of lousy attitude he has at home, tyrannising around like a hooligan! Just this morning when I went to wake him up with a ''jumping dive'', he wouldn’t stop complaining the entire time!”

“…That sounds more like you’re not sparing a thought for Kusuriya-kun’s feelings.”

“I feel bad for Daisuke-san…”

Arisu glared at the sighing Ena and Takako.

“The fact that he changes his attitude based on where and who he’s talking to proves that he has not opened his heart to anyone! I can’t let this go on. I must strip away his mask of deceit!”

“Where does all your enthusiasm even come from?”

“As the master, it is my responsibility to relieve the pain and suffering of my servants!”

Looking at Arisu who was clenching her fist, Takako craned her neck questioning, ‘Is that so?’, while Ena grinned happily, saying, ‘Well, this seems interesting, why not?’

Arisu and Daisuke had been living under the same roof for one month already.

However, rather than finding out more about him, all she had were more questions. What is the SEPB? How was he able to capture other Mushitsuki so cold-heartedly. On the contrary, why is he acting so cheerfully when facing the others.

There was a reason why Arisu was so interested in Daisuke.

That was because of her late friend, Hanashiro Mari.

Mari had been a Mushitsuki, but Arisu had not known.

After Mari passed away, her Mushi began appearing around by Arisu’s side. And thus, she realised that Mari was a Mushitsuki.

Arisu wanted to know what exactly were the Mushi. She thought that if she knew what the Mushi and Mushitsuki are, she would have some clues about what Mari had been thinking about.

And right now, the Mushitsuki closest to her was Kusuriya Daisuke.

“I hereby announce! The ''‘Remodel Daisuke Project’''!”

Ena and Takako gave an applause along with the sound of ‘''ooh''’s at Arisu’s declaration.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Of course, that’s what we’re gonna brainstorm about right now! Now, feel free to spit out any ideas you have!”

“I should’ve guessed that we’d the ones providing the ideas, huh.”

The girls faced each other in deliberation.

During this time, Daisuke’s conversation with his classmates came into Arisu’s ears.

“Hey, Kusuriya-kun. You free tomorrow?”

The one calling out to the chatting Daisuke was a male student with a baby face known as Mihayashi. He asked Daisuke with an affable smile on his face.

“Eh? What’s up?”

“You know our sister school, the Emilia Women’s College, located at Higano City next door? We are having a gathering with some girls from there to deepen our acquaintance, but we lack some heads. If you are free, how about joining us?”

“From what you’re saying, that sounds like a mixer… Firstly, why me?”

“That’s because you seem like a nice guy. You don’t look like the type to ditch us all of a sudden last minute… and, I’d rather not invite those who can’t read social cues.”

Mihayashi said so with a transparent smile.

In other words, he was saying that he wants to be the highlight. Although his way of speaking was frank, the combination of his childish face and bright smile seemed to halve the brusqueness. Daisuke smiled bitterly.

“Although you came out of the way to invite me… I’m sorry to have to reject you as I’m bad at that kind of stuff.”

Arisu and the rest lifted their eyebrows.

The three girls all stood up at once with a ‘''gatan!''’, casting the spotlight of the class upon them.

“You will go!”

Arisu stuck her index finger out towards Daisuke. Ena and Takako whispered to each other behind, with, ‘Indeed, that would be interesting to see’, ‘But, that has nothing to do with opening his heart, doesn’t it… And I was also caught up in the momentum and stood up so suddenly…’.

“That’s right, you’re plain and boring and have nothing to show! But, put some guts to it and show that you can seize the limelight!”

Daisuke plainly revealed a look of annoyance.

“This has nothing to do with you, Ichinokuro-san. I have already said I do not want to—”

“Fuyuhotaru…”

Arisu said softly.

Daisuke’s reaction was much greater than expected. With his eyes wide open, he stared at Arisu.

“…!”

He walked towards Arisu briskly with a strict expression. Pulling her by her arm, he brought her to a corner of the classroom.

“Why does someone like you know that name?”

With his back facing the other students, he questioned Arisu sharply. In contrast to his previous smiling face, there was a look of intimidation in his eye.

But, Arisu was unperturbed.

“So that was actually the name of a person. Seeing as how you called Neiko-san with a codename as Nene previously, I thought that this might’ve been one as well.”

“Answer the question!”

“You were talking in your sleep this morning. Also, you had a look of sadness.”

Arisu grinned. Daisuke looked like he could not find his words, his face turning red.

“That reaction… Fuyuhotaru must have been referring to a girl, right?”

“!”

“…That is really the case?”

Seeing Daisuke visibly discomposed, Arisu was surprised.

I can make use of this—thought Arisu with a plain smirk.

“You will attend the mixer tomorrow, right?”

“No way. Why do I have to attend something like that? In the first place, my mission is to monitor you. Not to mention, the investigation into Hanashiro Mari hasn’t been progressing at all…”

“''Heh'', I see. So you’re going to go against my order. …Hey, Ena. Did you know, Daisuke already has a girl he likes. Her name is ''Fuyuhota''—”

Daisuke quickly covered Arisu’s mouth.

“…Who likes who? Since when did I ever say anything like that.”

“Gyu’ill affend gomolows mider, yight?” (You will attend tomorrow’s mixer, right?)

Even with her mouth covered, Arisu repeated. Their classmates looked from a distance at the two who were glaring at each other.

Clicking his tongue, Daisuke released his hand from Arisu. His despondent sigh was a sign of his defeat.

“I just need to go, right. Just go…”

Arisu exchanged a thumbs-up with Mihayashi.

“Mihayashi-kun, include Daisuke too!”

“''Oui, Mademoiselle!''”

Daisuke sighed so deeply that it seemed as if his soul would come out with it.

“…Why do I have to attend a mixer…”

“Be grateful for your master’s kind consideration. Don’t act so savage all the time, take a break once in a while.”

“I just need to attend it right. In return—”

Daisuke returned to his seat and turned back to look at Arisu. His cold gaze causing Arisu to take a gulp.

“Don’t ever mention that name out again. Got it?”

“…I know already.”

Daisuke sat down on his seat, grumbling in a soft voice, ‘Why do I have to… if I do this… what about the mission…”

“If it’s about that, don’t worry.”

Arisu puffed up her chest and said.

Having a bad premonition, Daisuke slowly turn behind and asked.

“…What do you mean?”

“Of course, I’ll be attending too! This way, it’s convenient for you too, right?”

Arisu declared unreservedly.

This time, Daisuke clearly fell into despair.