Editing City Series:Volume7 Layer 7 (section)

===Record 112: That is What I Want to Say===

'''02/17/1999

'''18:03

What now? I more or less knew where Senpai was: Kanda, at that one used bookstore that was open 24 hours a day.

But what was I supposed to do about that? For once, I was at a loss. I knew all too well what I had come here to do, though.

The Boss was leading the Chancellor’s Officers for now, but no one other than us knew about this yet. I honestly just wanted to hear your voice, but that felt like having you alone determine everything for me, which I didn’t like.

I had no choice but to call someone who didn’t know Senpai all that well: Sensei in the faculty building.

The red phone’s ringing soon ended and she answered.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing skipping school!?”

“That’s the first thing you have to say? And how did you know it was me?”

“Intuition. And if I had been wrong, I would be apologizing right now.”

Did she have guts, or was she just stupid? Anyway, she knew of Senpai as the Chancellor but nothing beyond that. She was my homeroom teacher. Of course, anyone who went to the Mountain like me would have the academic skills of a college graduate, so they wouldn’t need a teacher. But I called her Sensei anyway.

“Sensei, can I ask you something?”

“No.”

“Really, you’re going to refuse? I’ll admit I’ve nonchalantly asked about your measurements and the color of your underwear in the past, but I have a more advanced question for you this time.”

“Eh? P-please don’t. I’m not ready for something more advanced than my measurements or underwear. Especially not in the faculty room.”

Please. I know you’re an idiot, but get a grip. Sometimes I had my doubts if she was really a teacher. Or an adult for that matter.

“Not like that, Sensei. For example, Tokyo – or Japan as a whole really – is in a precarious situation. But there’s just one person left who could send it all up in flames. And I’m the only one who can stop him – no, who can kill him. So what should I do?”

“Why would you kill him? Does he want you to do that?”

“Probably. Because if I don’t…someone he cares for will cease to be human. I think he attacked her knowing I would come after him to kill him.”

“But what if she…yes, what if she wants to cease being human?”

“That isn’t possible.”

“Why not? How can you be so sure?”

“If she wanted it, she wouldn’t have come to me for help. If she wanted it, she wouldn’t come to me to tell me I’m #2 and tell me what I should do about it like she did in the past.”

“I see.” Sensei nodded and I heard her sigh over the phone. “When she told you that you were #2 in the past, did you become #1?”

“No. I had convinced myself that was a lost cause.”

“Do you want to change that now?”

That question reminded me of a few things from the past and the future.

There was only one possible answer. I gave it and Sensei laughed quietly.

“Remember her. If she told you that you were #2, then she must want to hear something from you as well.”

“Is that something I can tell her once I’m #1?”

“Yes, but I do not know what that is.”

“I see,” I said before nonchalantly asking what color her underwear was and hanging up.

I turned around and faced the used bookstore that still had its lights on.

'''Author Comment:

In this conversation with Sensei, she isn’t aware what is going on in the Chancellor’s Officers.

I think the protagonist only called her because she is a grownup. I have serious doubts whether or not she really is one, though.

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