Editing Tasogare-iro no Uta Tsukai:Volume1 2nd Play (section)

===Part 1===

Large groups of small birds could be seen flying outside the window. With still about half an hour left until the start of homeroom, the other students were still doing their club’s morning activities. Right now, there were not many students in the classroom. 

“Oh, Kululu, what’s wrong? You came very early today.”

Mio was an exception, being one of the few people currently in the classroom. She seemed to arrive earlier than anyone else in the class, but still secretly studies diligently by herself every morning. Although she herself wanted to conceal that fact, this became something that everyone in the class knew a long time ago. 

“Although there was morning practice, I didn’t go. Think carefully, the recital contest is almost here. Also, my injury from yesterday must also heal quickly.”

“That’s true. Then, in the end, will Kululu choose a bird? It will be bad if you still don’t start practicing.”

“Oh, I was considering it all the way until I fell asleep yesterday, but I still haven’t decided.”

It would be bad if she didn’t decide soon. Kluele clearly knew this. However, like Mio pointed out before, the only thing she had thought about was birds. She totally hadn’t considered any other things.

……If a bird wouldn’t work, could she use the flower she had tried out yesterday? 

While she was thinking with her arms crossed, another student walked into the classroom. 

It was a boy with grape-colored hair and a childish face. Although he wore a small-sized school uniform, the sleeves were still too long, causing it to wrinkle everywhere.

“Neight-kun, good morning!”

“Ah, Kluele-san, Mio-san, good morning!”

“’Morning. You arrived pretty early.”

“Ah, speaking of that……”

After quietly saying those words, Mio closed the textbook she had been reading.

“While I was walking to school, I think I heard the third-year or fourth-year students talking about Neight-kun.”

Because of those words, Neight’s expression became stiff.

“……Well, I did cause the laboratory to be filled with smoke.”

“Ah, not that, not that!”

Was it opposite from the reaction she had anticipated? Mio rarely showed such a forced smile. 

“Isn’t Neight-kun only thirteen years old? Attending high school at such an age is truly very strange.”

“Is that so?”

As if he had relaxed, Neight’s tone of voice rose.

“Yeah. Also, it was called Night Color Recitation, right? I think they also mentioned that.”

The teacher, Kate, definitely knew about it, so the other teachers should also know. During homeroom or some other time, they had probably mentioned it to their students. 

Mio was still not done speaking, but the boy holding the black bag suddenly showed an expression even more child-like than yesterday’s. His eyelids seemed heavy, and his eyesight wavered as if it could not stay in focus.

……He looked like he was sleeping. 

She silently gazed at him, but in the end their eyes happened to meet. 

“Because I recently transferred schools, that…… I’m still nervous, so I can’t sleep well.”

Neight, who had narrowed his eyes, indeed looked like he lacked sleep. He embarrassedly scratched his head.

“Don’t worry, Kate-sensei is a good person. Even if you come late, she won’t be angry. Next time, take your time coming to school.”

“Hey, don’t teach him about false things.”

Mio acted just like she used to do, smiling while she spoke irresponsible words. Kluele lightly poked her on the head, and continued to place the stuff in her bag on the table.

Throughout the campus, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first class. 

However, there was no sign of the teacher who should have been standing on the stage, and there also weren’t many students. 

There were two days left until the recital contest. Because the combined test had already ended, except for homeroom, the other classes consisted of students planning by themselves. They conducted Recitation exercises on campus, went out to purchase catalysts, or studied theory in the library. When the bell rang, more than half of the students had already rushed out of the classroom. 

Therefore, after the bell had rung, the only people still sitting motionless in the classroom were herself and Mio.

“Mio, do you have any plans?”

The person being questioned was currently leaning on a table and staring at the ceiling. 

“Yeah— I have already decided the thing I want to call out, so right now, I’m considering what to use as a catalyst.”

“Eh? Aren’t you using drawing paper?”

“I need to think it over again. If I can’t find a better catalyst, my Recitation is likely to fail.”

A high-level Recitation requires the use of a matching catalyst. Exactly what was she planning?

……However, considering Mio’s personality, even if I asked her right now, she surely wouldn’t tell me.

“Want to try randomly mixing a few catalysts?”

“Mm. But isn’t Kululu still unsure of what to Recite? Is it okay for you to accompany me?”

“Instead of continuously thinking about it, I’d rather do something else. Perhaps I’ll have a sudden inspiration. So don’t worry.”

What did Neight intend to do? If he had no other plans, she should invite him to come with them. Despite having such an idea, when Kluele immediately looked at his seat, she noticed that he had already left a long time ago. 

“Did Neight-kun also leave already? It couldn’t be that you were planning to invite him……”

“It doesn’t matter, let’s go.”

Kluele walked towards one end of the hallway, and Mio hastily chased after her. While she walked down the stairs, she looked at Kluele. 

“Eh, why is Kululu acting so cold?”

“I’m not. I think Neight probably left already.”

Last night, she had escorted Neight to the boys’ dormitories, and then returned afterwards. When they talked about the recital contest, once she mentioned that she didn’t know what to choose as a catalyst— Kluele suddenly remembered the words that he had whispered quietly. But if she were to say it out loud, Mio would definitely interrogate her about it. In order to stay away from the friend at her side, Kluele moved rapidly down the hallway. 

The laboratory was located at the northernmost side of the first floor. In order to prevent the chemicals inside from being exposed to the sun and go bad, only this classroom was located in such a place that it would not be exposed to sunlight even in the middle of summer. Inside there, the dizzying summer heat suddenly changed so that even the wind blowing past the hallway contained coldness. 

It was a close distance from Laboratory One to Laboratory Three. Among these, only in the innermost Laboratory Three, was a light leaking out from the classroom into the corridor. 

Stealthily peeking inside, she saw a boy wearing a white school uniform. 

—See, he’s here!

After expressing this with only her gaze, Mio suddenly turned around. 

“Stop sulking. Hurry up and go in.”

After the door opened, the boy immediately turned to face them. 

“Ah, Kluele-san, and Mio-san is here too.”

Kluele didn’t speak, but instead lightly waved her hand. Alone at the table meant for six people, Neight silently prepared experiment materials. 

On the table were five triangular flasks, ten test tubes, and two measuring cylinders, in addition to a pipette, scales, Bunsen burner, and even a microscope. There were also a variety of other reagents, from solids to liquids, totaling about twenty different types on the table. ……You certainly are a person who tries hard. 

Although the preparation was thorough, one could not help but feel speechless.
 
“Do you have an idea for a catalyst?”

Mio asked him while stroking the Bunsen burner. 

Catalysts, used during all Recitations, can be classified into two categories: natural materials, and manmade materials. Out of the former, the research about which catalysts were the best was approximately complete. However, because manmade catalysts were dependant on combining various materials, an almost innumerable amount could be made. 

“Eh…… Not a clue.”

Neight shook his head bluntly while mixing reagents.

“Anyhow, I figured that I would just try randomly.”

However, this was also fairly convenient for the two girls. If he already had an idea of what to use and they hung around him like this, he would be unable to concentrate and it would cause complications. If he hadn’t decided what to use yet, then it didn’t matter even if the two of them were here. 

“Can we work together with you? We are also discussing it, and we hope to find some good catalysts.”

“Of course you can, but…… other people have already come before you.”

Other people were here already? After showing a questioning expression, Neight focused his glance on the shadow of the desk. 

[Hm…… little girls.]

Sitting alone on the chair was that arrogant lizard.

“Eh? Why is Arma here?”

Mio’s tone of voice did not indicate surprise, but rather, that she found the situation simply inconceivable. 

[Today, if something like yesterday were to happen, I wouldn’t have the nerve to face this guy’s mother.]

“Just recently, when I looked inside my backpack, I found that he had somehow sneaked in unknowingly……”

Neight hung his shoulders as if he was tired. He had opened his backpack to take out a textbook, but instead discovered a large lizard inside —Kluele didn’t even want to think about this type of thing. She finally understood why Neight had hurriedly left and hid in the laboratory without saying a word to them. 

“Are you knowledgeable about catalysts?”

The lizard roughly waved his tail from side to side to substitute for shaking his head.

[Not at all. If it was something about Recitations, then I would understand it somewhat, but a Recited creature does not meddle with stuff like catalysts.]

“That's no good!”

Kluele sighed exaggeratedly, deliberately wanting to make him feel her disappointment. 

……Then, for what reason are you here?