Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 2nd Episode 06 (section)

===Part 5===

Himeko grasped the bar tightly as she murmured.

“I don’t need this kind of power…”

Mari was right in front of Arisu.

Floating in the air, her face was only a few centimetres away from Arisu’s.

“A power that causes fear in people… a power that shows what a person fear most is…!”

Arisu widened her eyes.

''A power that shows what a person fear most—.''

She stared back at the smiling Mari.

''Does this mean that I fear Mari…?''

Staring at the truth that she could not even imagine, Arisu shuddered.

“Mari…”

Mari slowly moved her lips.

<br>

''—Hey Arisu, listen to me. I am…''

<br>

With a jump, Arisu’s expression froze.

On that day.

The words that Mari spoke on the last day Arisu saw her alive.

What was it that Mari wanted to say?

What was it that Mari wanted to tell Arisu?

“Kou-chan… Kou-chaan…”

She heard the voice of Himeko cowering.

''—I’m afraid to ascertain Kou-chan’s feelings…''

Arisu came to a start.

“I…”

I am afraid to ascertain Mari’s feelings… her dream?

[[File:Mushi Uta Bug 2nd p109.jpg|thumb]]

She bit her lips.

<br>

''—I am actually…''

<br>

The Mari in front of her smiled.

Arisu’s face twisted.

Her hastening heartbeat was not due to Himeko’s ability. It was unquestionably due to the fear of hearing the words that followed from Mari.

For the sake of ascertaining Mari’s feelings—in order to find out why did Mari entrusted the morpho butterfly to her, she had fought her way till now.

Mari was Arisu’s dear friend.

However, what was she to Mari?

Why was it that Mari never told Arisu anything while she was alive?

Was it because she couldn’t reveal the fact that she was a Mushitsuki?

The smile of the imaginary Mari distorted.

<br>

''—Because Arisu is kind… you will definitely listen to my request, right?''

<br>

She felt as though her heart stopped.

“…!”

The heart drummed loudly in her chest with dokun, dokun.

What did Mari thought about Arisu?

A dear friend?

Or perhaps, was she going to make use of her for some ulterior motives —.

“Kou-… chan…”

She heard Himeko’s weak voice.

Arisu regained her senses and turned towards Himeko. Her cheeks were flushed, and her head drooped strengthlessly.

She must have overused her power. In exchange for using the power of the Mushi, their host will have their dream and psyche gnawed away.

If this continues, Himeko will have her dream completely consumed and lose her life.

Death—what that word brought up was none other than thoughts of her deceased close friend, Hanashiro Mari.

“Mari…!”

Arisu looked back at the illusionary Mari.

The morpho butterfly gave off a silver light.

Its wings morphed into feelers that combined with Arisu’s body and the safety handle bar. The ends of the bar snapped off from the rail car, transforming into a spear in an instant.

Arisu held the spear and stood up on the seat.

“I’m sorry, Mari… I may have been afraid of finding out the truth all these times.”

The Mari she turned to made a sad expression.

Arisu is the same as Himeko.

She must become stronger than she ever was. At least till she is able to ascertain Mari’s true feelings.

Before she gets stronger, she has no choice other than to believe.

Arisu was connected to Mari through the morpho butterfly. She would definitely find out the answer that connects the past to the future.

“But, I still… want to know. No matter what you were truly thinking, I will accept your wishes without fail…!”

Silver light spilled from the spear.

<br>

''—Arisu…''

<br>

Engulfed by the gust of silver scales, the illusory Mari disappeared.

What appeared in return was a large millipede. It was Himeko’s Mushi.

Arisu hesitated.

The power of the spear was most likely effective even against the millipede that lack a corporeal form. Arisu surmised this from how the morpho butterfly had protected her against the millipede all this while.

However, if she were to eliminate the Mushi in front of her, its host, Himeko would—.

Right at that moment.

An explosion occurred at the tracks in front of the rail car.

Although she could not see through the fog, the wall must have been broken down from the side.

“Himeko!”

Two figures appeared from within the fog that was blown away by the explosion.

The one in front was the boy who is Himeko’s boyfriend. With a start, the limp figure of Himeko shook.

The other was a youth covered in a green pattern. He moved onto the track with speedy movement, prepping up his hands.

“Daisuke!”

“We mustn’t let this thing go outside. I’m going to stop it!”

Saying so, he stood before the rail car.

“W-wait a second—”

Ignoring the flustered Arisu, he grabbed the rail car with his hands. Although their speed had already been falling, with Daisuke’s otherworldly arm strength, the sound of metal screeching could be heard.

The rail car eventually came to a stop, along with a burnt smell.

“''Kyaah!''”

“''Uwaah!''”

When the rail car came to a complete stop, Arisu who was standing on the seat fell over Daisuke due to the momentum.

“Y-you idiot! Why didn’t you step aside!”

“S-shut up! Couldn’t you have thought of a gentler way to stop the car?”

The sound of water splashing passed by the entangled Daisuke and Arisu.

It was Kouta.

He ran towards the trembling Himeko.

“Himeko…”

But, she did not raise her head. She must have been terrified to find out what Kouta thought now that he knew that she was a Mushitsuki.

“You know what, I—”

“I-It’s impossible!”

Cutting off his words, Himeko shouted.

“I tried to get strong enough such that I would no longer get scared, but… it’s impossible. I can’t do anything without Kou-chan…”

Her quivering voice was tinged with sobs. Tears fell onto her laps without stopping.

“I want to be together with Kou-chan forever… I can’t stand it, for us to be separated…”

Looking at her, Kouta seemed like he wanted to say something. But, he could not make out any words and only kept silent.

Unconsciously, Arisu’s tried to open her mouth. However, she could not think of what to say either and just bit her lips.

The two staring at each other reminded her of the past her and Mari.

If she had known that they could no longer meet each other, what could she have said at that time?

As she did not know that, she could not think of what to say to those two.

“She…”

The low voice echoed in the dark tunnel.

Surprisingly, the one who broke the silence was Daisuke.

“Daisuke?”

Arisu turned to look at Daisuke who was pinned underneath her. Collapsed in the water, he spoke tiresomely.

“Doesn’t she just need a promise.”

Kouta looked at Daisuke in surprise.

“There seems to be some things that can’t be conveyed without words.”

Arisu too stared at him in wonder. She thought for sure that he would just apprehend Himeko who was a Mushitsuki without words. With a glum look, he added, ‘I am going to take her to the SEPB now. Don’t regret not saying whatever you want to say now.’

Kouta deliberated in silence for a while before turning back to face Himeko.

“Himeko… I met you on the way towards here.”

“…!”

“Daisuke mentioned that whatever you see is an illusion of what you fear the most.”

Himeko’s sobs stopped abruptly. Looking at her from the side, it appears that even her breathing had stopped.

“I was so scared… when the you that appeared before me said this.”

Kouta clenched his fist.

“She said, ‘Bye bye’.”

Himeko’s expression changed. She lifted her tear-stained face.

“When I knew that you were a Mushitsuki, truthfully, I was a bit frightened. But… much more than that, I was afraid of being separated from you. I will be going somewhere far away, and you will also be going through some tough moments, but… I’ll try my best to meet you as much as possible.”

Scratching his head bashfully, Kouta spoke.

“That’s why, wait for me. I want to always be with you.”

“…”

Himeko started to cry once again. However, contrary to before, her lips were curved into a smile this time.

“Kou-chan!”

Himeko jumped onto Kouta and hugged him. And he reciprocated with a bitter smile.

—After a few more minutes passed, the tunnel returned to silence.

The two of them must have been exhausted, as they fell into slumber on the seat.

“Just what happened to you, Daisuke. Saying all those things unlike you.”

“That was nothing.”

In response to Arisu’s question with a smile, Daisuke averted his face with a disgruntled look on his face as expected.

Having contacted the SEPB, they would be arriving in a short moment for cleanup measures. Arisu did not really understand, but it would be troublesome if the police arrived before they did.

“Hey, that child’s power shows what someone fear the most, right? What did you see?”

At her question, Daisuke remained reticent for a while. But, a while later, he uttered.

“It was myself.”

“Eh?”

“It seems that Kakkou is hated not only by others, but also abhorred by himself.”

Daisuke laughed in self-mockery.

''—Those of us may eventually have our dreams completely consumed and our Mushi mature.''

Arisu recalled the words he spoke the other day.

“It seems that you need to get stronger too. More than you are now.”

“Shut up.”

The smiling Arisu was glared at by Daisuke.

“Can I say something too?”

“I’m not telling what I saw.”

“No, that isn’t it…”

“Fine then, what is it?”

“…When do you intend to get off me…?”

In a position with half of his body submerged, Daisuke asked.

“I feel like I’m always getting pinned under you no matter what happens…”

Arisu, who was sitting on top his waist, grinned.

“It feels surprisingly comfortable to sit.”

“Get off already, you’re heavy—”

“A chair shouldn’t be talking, right? Right?”

A large number of footsteps could be heard as bubbles emerged from Daisuke’s head underwater.

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