Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4 Chapter 4 (section)

==4.01 The Others==

A heavy silence hung in a certain suite on the highest floor of the Imperial Hotel.

Staring at Shiika seated on the sofa were the same few faces from a few days ago.

Seated on the chair opposite was Munakata Kaiji. Kandori Youichi sat on the double sofa by the side while Sugitsu Matsuri was leaning against the fireplace with her arms folded just as a few days ago. They all had stern faces and were staring down at Shiika fixedly.

On the other hand, Reiji was staring out of the window in the sofa by the window.

“In the end, just three days were not enough to assemble the rest of the executives. They all seemed to have headed more to the south which was the original assembly point. They were also unable to stay for long as they have their hands full with overseeing their respective areas.”

Munakata was the one who broke the silence. He continued with his usual straightforward tone.

“That’s why, the only ones who can protect you are those of us here. —Being as Aijisupa does not have the intention to do so, the only one who can fight is Sinica as a matter of fact. Halen is unsuited for battles while I am completely useless in that regard as well. It would have helped if Halen’s sister was here, but it seems she remains uncontactable.”

“…”

Munakata looked towards Matsuri and she only averted her face with an expressionless look. —It was obvious from her behaviour that the long-haired girl was lying, but Reiji pretended as if he did not notice.

“With that being the case, I would like to remind you once again… please refrain from leaving the hotel on a whim like the other day. Even though we are far away from Akamaki City and Ouka City, the fact remains that you are being actively pursued currently.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Shiika huddled her shoulders apologetically. That figure seeming like it belonged to an ordinary girl made it unthinkable that she was in fact an exceedingly powerful Mushitsuki designated as Rank 1 Secret Class.

“As long as you bear that in mind from now onwards. …How is it going, have you memorised the information?”

“E-erm… sorry.”

Shiika apologised again.

Having stayed by Shiika’s side most of the time these three days, Reiji witnessed how she desperately tried to memorise the information. But, with that amount of information, it seems that one-third was her limit. In the first place, this kind of memorisation task may not have been suited for her. To Reiji who committed all the information to his memory within an hour, the wirings in their brains couldn’t be any more different.

“Hmm…”

Munakata remained silent, while Youichi and Matsuri openly heaved a sigh.

Shiika clenched her fist that was placed atop her knees and bore their stares motionlessly.

“…”

The irritation in Reiji’s heart shot up.

There should not have been any need for Shiika to apologise at all. Those of them from Mushibane had willingly said that they would protect Shiika. The ones who had one-sidedly pushed the information to Shiika for her to memorise were them as well. She should have refused them in the first place if she could not do it… at least that was what Reiji would have done. And if it was Rina, she would have classified things into what can be done and what cannot be done and choose the best option.

Rina… why would you call someone like that your friend?

As long he does not understand why, the only thing Reiji can do was to watch over Shiika’s action. That was what Rina had requested him to do.

The thing that neither Rina nor I have… just what is it?

Despite putting up a mask of indifference on his face, irritation welled up in Reiji’s heart. He had never felt his emotions getting so worked up before. It was as if something invisible was stimulating his emotions, and he could not get his worked-up feelings to calm down.

“''Tch''…”

He clicked his tongue softly such that no one could hear it.

Opposite Reiji who was like that, Munakata took a deep breath and inquired in a formal tone.

“Snow—no, seems like it is still too early to call you that. Anmoto Shiika. I would like to hear the answer to our conversation a few days ago. Would you be our leader?”

“…”

Youichi and Matsuri frowned. It seemed like they had yet to change their opposing opinion regarding the matter. But, perhaps they had been notified by Munakata earlier, as they do not seem to have the intention of speaking out.

Shiika seemed to be pondering and remained unspoken. Then, she slowly lifted her head.

“What does it mean, to be Mushibane’s leader?”

Her tone was not strong; however, it was not weak either. Her voice was soft, but resounded in the quiet room clearly.

“…”

Munakata, Youichi and Matsuri all turned their gaze towards Shiika silently.

“If I do become as such, then what do I have to do?”

Reiji too looked towards Shiika. The small-statured girl looked at Munakata calmly.

“If this is something I must decide no matter what… then, I can’t do it. It might be selfish of me to say this after you have helped me, but it is impossible for me… After all, I am different from Rina, I do not have the will to lead people.”

“What if I said that I want you to fight along with us?”

“Fight…”

Shiika lowered her gaze.

“What do you mean to fight… Just what should we be fighting against?”

“Obviously, it’s the SEPB!”

Youichi could not bear any longer and shouted out.

But, Shiika remained unmoved. She only revealed a sad look and slightly creased her eyebrows.

“In that case, I’m afraid… I can’t do it.”

“Why is that…”

Matsuri leaked out a hoarse voice. Her linked arms shuddered faintly, and tears gathered in her eyes. She glowered at Shiika with anger in her eyes.

“Aren’t you very strong! As much so as Lady! Yet, why do you not want to fight? Don’t you loathe the SEPB? Aren’t you mad that they killed Lady? Haven’t you yourself have been subjected to some horrible treatment by them? Don’t tell me that you don’t hate them at all! Then, fight! Along with us! Just as Lady did!”

“Rina was—”

Shiika started to speak, but closed her mouth. However, she raised her face determinedly once more and asserted bluntly.

“I think that… Rina was mistaken.”

Everyone present had their eyes shocked wide open.

“I think that Rina actually realised that herself… after all, she was in doubt too. However, she could no longer turn back… but, she definitely realised it in the end—”

—I’m gonna head to Ouka City.

By the time he met her coincidentally that day—no, she must have specifically come to inform Reiji. For the sake of letting him know about her determination, to let him know that she had made up her mind.

“W-what… are you…!”

“You…!”

Youichi and Matsuri got up from their seats.

However, a loud ''gotan'' sound stopped the two’s movement.

Reiji had gotten up from the sofa. Without any expression on his face, he headed straight in a line for Shiika. He violently grabbed Shiika by her lapels as she looked up surprised.

“Take that back.”

His expression remained the same, only his mouth moving mechanistically. —An alien feeling stirred in his heart, feeling as though his body was being stimulated by sharp needles, causing his body to rouse by itself.

Deep in Reiji’s heart, he wished for Shiika to take up the role as Mushibane’s leader as well. He wanted to know what kind of orders would she dictate, being in the same position as Rina was.

But—.

“You say Rina was mistaken? That her life had been wasted? Rina had called you a friend, and you would say that what she had done was futile?”

“…”

Shiika looked back at Reiji’s face. That sorrowful face made Reiji all the more infuriated.

…You want me to watch over her actions, Rina? This is what you request of me?

“I didn’t say that it was futile.”

“I told you to take that back.”

Reiji raised one of his arms. A white haze—a silhouette with long body and two mandibles followed around his arm. A ''pushii'' sound of gas being released came from his hand.

“Stop it, Aijisupa.”

Munakata grasped Reiji’s arm. But, Reiji was resolute. If she did not take back her words, then he intend to end her right here. Then, he would say this to his late friend, ‘You’ve chosen the wrong person’. —However, in the deep recesses of his mind that remained rational, he was wondering why did he got so worked up over such a thing.

“…Munakata-san, you said that you detest me, right.”

Turning her head, Shiika looked at Munakata. In the eyes of the girl biting her lips, Reiji was not reflected at all, as if she did not even take him into her view. This caused Reiji’s head to chill instantly; if it’s now, then he would not even hesitate to kill the girl in front of him.

“I also detest myself too. Even till the end, I was still requesting for Rina’s help… However, that wasn’t actually right.”

Shiika’s wavering gaze swept across Munakata, Youichi and Matsuri.

“But, even I… detest all of you just a little too.”

Munakata and the rest were jolted.

“The one who was requesting for help was actually Rina… after all, she had been completely driven into a corner. Unable to request for help from anyone, yet having to extend a helping hand to anybody… That’s why she chose the wrong method of fighting right at the very end.”

“…Those of us wanted to help Rina as well. To defend her.”

“For what reason? So that she can be your saviour?”

“!”

With that one sentence from Shiika, the faces of Munakata and the rest changed. The room fell into complete silence.

“Because Rina was strong… that’s why she could not betray the expectations of the people around her. But, actually… Rina wanted to ask for help too. To cry, to laugh, and to find someone she likes… to do things that any ordinary girl could do, did any of you even realised that about her?”

Shiika turned her gaze away from Munakata and the rest who were speechless and stared at Reiji.

“But, the one I detest the most excluding myself… is you, Aijisupa-san.”

Reiji was startled. The normally meek and reserved girl was glaring at him.

“You were the only one who realised that, wasn’t it? That Rina was but an ordinary girl. And yet…”

Even when stared at with a blaming look, Reiji’s expression did not change. However, he was unconsciously grinding his molars.

“If she had asked for help, I would have helped her. But, the only thing she asked of me was this—”

“That doesn’t matter…!”

With tears gathered in her eyes, Shiika shouted out at last.

“Isn’t it weird that you would not help her if she did not ask for your help…! What were you actually thinking, Aijisupa-san? Why didn’t you try to help her? Even though in reality… you wanted to help Rina out so badly!”

“…!”

Reiji’s head blanked out wholly. The hand grabbing Shiika’s lapels lost its strength.

I—.

His crumbling sense of reason and heightened emotions escalating against his will blended together, causing him to lose the capability to think.

“I cannot think that it was right for Rina to fight till her death whatsoever…! To fight like that, I don’t want to do it!”

In the room where everyone kept mum, Shiika’s shouting voice reverberated.

—There’s something I must do no matter what.

Rina mentioned as such. She also said that that was her dream.

—Are you alright?

When Reiji had asked that, Rina had slightly lowered her gaze.

At that time, what was Rina really thinking about? What had he actually realised? Did Rina resented him for pretending not to have notice when he actually did? That’s why she—.

—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.

Rina’s request for Reiji to watch over Anmoto Shiika, could that possibly be her revenge towards Reiji—.

“Then…!”

Matsuri unfolded her arms and shouted at Shiika vehemently.

“Then, what do you expect us to do! Do you expect us to do nothing even though Lady was killed? What kind of battle do you expect us to do!”

“That is…”

This time, Shiika was tongue-tied and she bit her lips.

However, the stupefied Reiji did not even comprehend their exchange.

He was picturing in his mind a future in which the girl known as Tachibana Rina did not become a Mushitsuki, and did not become the leader of the organisation, Mushibane.

Rina would still turn out to be the popular figure in class, and he would only be able to gaze at her from afar. Then, Rina would occasionally come by Reiji’s side to grumble to him. —All that came into his mind was that of such an ordinary everyday scenery.

Indeed, Reiji already knew all along that Rina was just an ordinary girl—.

An electronic sound rang in the room. It was the internal line.

In addition, a small vibration was transmitted to their feet along with a dosun.

“It’s me. —What? A monster… Oi? What’s happening?”

Along with each tremor, the sound accompanying it seemed to be getting louder. Munakata and the rest got anxious.

“What’s going on…?”

“It came from the front. They probably got the internal line as it was cut off halfway… Something seems to be headed towards here.”

“The enemy… is it the SEPB?”

“I don’t know, but their objective is most likely…”

Unrest filled the air and the tremors transmitting to their feet approached. Shiika’s expression stiffened.

However, Reiji could not move his body at all.

As the tremors got more intense, his thoughts got more and more confused. He did not know what he should do, what he wanted to do, and what would be the right thing to do anymore.

“''Uuuu''…”

He did not even realise that the moaning sound entering his ears was produced by none other than himself.

Suddenly, the entrance was blown apart along with a violent impact.

“''Tch…!''”

Munakata retreated back and Youichi moved up front. By his side, a Mushi with a slender tanned brown shell appeared. It had thin upper wings and long antennas. The protruding mouthpiece featured rows of saw-like teeth. Its external appearance resembled that of a Longhorn beetle.

Matsuri too summoned her gigantic ground beetle. But, its movement was slow, and it could not move much in the cramped room.

After the dust surrounding the entrance settled down, the figure hidden behind was revealed.

“Just… one person?”

Munakata exclaimed in surprise.

The one who appeared from the destroyed entrance was but a lone man with a slender build. A mechanical goggle covered his eyes while a mask extending from his neck covered his mouth. His whole body was covered by a black suit, and the only his trivially cut short hair was exposed.

Next to the man who stood in a forward-bent posture, there was an irregularly shaped monster. Its carapace was separated into multiple sections, resembling that of a centipede. It had two heads which were red and blue respectively, and its huge mouthpiece took up the majority of its body. From the gapless rows of teeth, a green bodily fluid flowed nonstop.

The man with the goggles scanned through the room once.

“…”

He stopped his gaze on Shiika.

“You bastard!”

Youichi set his own Longhorn beetle against the man.

The man took one glance at him. The red head of the centipede rised and tried to bite into the Longhorn beetle.

The Longhorn beetle accelerated all of a sudden. Leaving behind a tanned brown afterimage, it evaded the centipede’s teeth. It circled around the centipede’s back in an instant and bit into the man’s torso. It then killed its momentum and slammed the man into the wall.

“To rush in all by himself, what an idiot!”

“Don’t let your guard down, Sinica. There might be others—”

Munakata’s calm voice was cut off midway.

The sound of the longhorn beetle’s body creaking resounded in the room with a ''mekyaa''.

“…”

The goggled man only looked down at the Mushi biting him without any change in his expression. The red centipede had bitten down onto the Longhorn beetle. Under its thin wings, the portions that were touched by the green fluid released a smoke with an irritating odour.

“''Ah—''”

Youichi’s face twisted.

The red centipede twisted its head, peeling the Mushi off the man. Even as fresh blood poured from the wound on his torso, the man’s complexion did not change.

The red centipede released a shrill scream. Holding the Longhorn beetle in its mouth, it rushed into the room with overwhelming force. It rushed towards Youichi, smashing the dresser and the wall in its way.

“''Ooo! Aaaaaaaah…!''”

Like a tank, the red centipede ravaged the room, ramming Youichi along with the Longhorn beetle all the way into the wall behind, smashing a hole in the wall. It then released Youichi and the Longhorn beetle out of the gaping hole, down tens of meter off the ground. —For a moment, they saw the injured Longhorn beetle spreading its wings. But, even if it managed to pick Youichi up from the air, it was no longer in any condition to fight.

““Halen!””

Munakata and Matsuri’s shouts overlapped.

The blue centipede assaulted Matsuri’s Mushi.

“''Guu…!''”

Just one bite was enough to break through the tough shell of the ground beetle. Unable to resist, Matsuri crumbled onto the floor palely like a doll with its string cut. —It did not look like her Mushi had died, but the severe injury had completely sapped her mental strength and she fainted.

The two-headed centipede let out a roar in the centre of the wrecked room. It swung its head around madly, pinning Munakata against the wall viciously. His head strongly hit the wall, causing him to lose consciousness and collapse on the floor.

The man was abnormal in that his expression did not change at all despite his injuries, but the strength of the two-headed centipede was even more exceptional.

“…”

The goggled man looked at Reiji.

The bloodlust radiating from the man’s entire body indicated that he would kill all who stood in his way.

“''U-uuuu…!''”

Reiji could not even take a single step from that position.

He was grinding his molars which produced a ''gachi gachi'' sound, and his whole body was convulsing. His view was flickering, and he felt like he was in a stupor even now.

“…''Hmph''.”

He could tell that the goggled man was laughing at him, scorning him. He probably thought that Reiji was so frightened that he could not move.

However, it was not that Reiji was frightened.

The man faced Shiika again.

The astounded girl who stood there motionlessly opened her shivering mouth.

“Y-you are from the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau?”

“You shall come along with me.”

He walked towards Shiika leisurely.

“If we fight here, your comrades lying on the ground are going to be implicated… you know that, right…”

The man was trying to erase all emotions from his voice—Reiji knew that even as he was seized in a fit. The man was desperately trying to contain his emotions.

Shiika looked at Munakata and Matsuri, and then at the large hole in the wall. Then, she turned towards the man. The girl who could be thought of to be frail was in fact fuming.

“I understand.”

She spoke clearly, and walked towards the man herself.

Wait—.

Reiji intended to call her out to stop.

But, the only sound that leaked out from his mouth was a miserable groan.

“''Uuuu…!''”

It was not that he was afraid.

He had no idea about what was happening to himself at the moment. Emotions that he had never experienced before tormented him.

What do I do…? No, there’s nothing I need to do, all I’m going to do is to watch, that’s all! She did not ask for my help, and all that Rina even requested was me to be by her side…! That’s why, even if she dies here, that’s just the end. I would have fulfilled Rina’s request!

His thoughts circled around in his mind.

B-but…! Would Rina really be fine with this? Did she in fact wanted to ask for my help? I didn’t know anything… no, I knew! She had always suffered all by herself… Was that my fault? Was I the one who killed Rina? In that case, am I just going to watch as that girl dies here…?

“''Uu… Uuuu…!'' S-sa—”

Finally, Reiji’s quivering mouth managed to spin out words.

“Say that you want… my help…”

He finally managed to make out a soft voice that can reach Shiika.

Shiika and the man looked towards Reiji. —The current him probably looked so pathetic that he looks like he is about to cry… looking so hopelessly uncool.

“If you do so, I will…”

He looked at Shiika with imploring eyes.

The man sneered once again.

And Shiika—.

“…”

Only smiled.

—Are you alright?

On the countless occasions that Reiji had asked that of Rina, that was the same smile that she had shown.

[[File:Mushi Uta 4 p261.jpg|thumb]]

Reiji revealed a look of despair.

I see, you were always—.

Looking at Shiika’s smile, Reiji understood.

“''Uuu! Uuuuu…!''”

Right in front of the groaning Reiji, Shiika was brought away by the man.

You… were always afraid—.

Tachibana Rina was always afraid. Afraid about having turned into a Mushitsuki, and about what was going to happen to her from then. Afraid of leading a huge organisation like Mushibane, and shouldering the lives of all her comrades, afraid of every single thing.

But, she still smiled despite all that, just as the current Shiika did.

You had always wanted to cry for help. And you always couldn’t do that—.

“''UU—''”

How many minutes had passed since Shiika’s figure completely disappeared. It felt as if only a few seconds had passed, and at the same time, it also felt like hours had passed.

Reiji widened his eyes.

“''UU…...UoOOAAAAaAAAAAaa!''”

Like a beast, he strained his voice to howl out as loud as he could. He swung around his right arm on which a white haze had condensed. —A gust of wind grazed past the fallen Munakata and completely decimated the wall behind him.

“''UAAAaa! GAAaAa! AAAAAAAaa!''”

He swung his arm wildly, causing the room to be devastated. The ceiling was gone without a trace, revealing the blue sky. The bedroom looked as though a storm had passed through, leaving it in ruins. The carpets near the non-existent entrance smouldered, giving off an unpleasant scorched smell.

“Damn it! Damn it! Daaamn it!”

He wondered if he had gone insane—the miniscule bit of reason in his head informed him as such.

“What the hell is this! What’s wrong with me! Or Rina! Or that kid called Shiika! What the hell are they thinking! I don’t get it! I don’t get anything at all!”

Not caring about Matsuri who was collapsed on the floor, he rampaged in abandon.

“Is this it! Is this what you wished for, Rina! Your revenge intended to shake up my life? ''Haa!'' You’re right, I’m just hopeless! Because I already regret it! I regret not coming to help you!”

This emotion that he could no longer suppress and just keeps spiralling—it was none other than regret.

The words of the unfamiliar girl he met in front of the station yesterday swam in his mind.

—I say, did you ever had anything that you wanted to do up till now? Because you just seem to be so uninterested in everything. Have you ever had somebody you like? What about someone you hate? Have you ever been so angry that you wanted to shout out loud? Did something happened before that made you want to cry? Have you ever been hurt? Or have you hurt others? Have you experienced something heartrending before? What about something that made you feel pathetic? Do you have things you regret? What do you wish for in the future?

It was just as she said.

Reiji never had anything up till now.

Finding everything to be tedious, he did not even know what was he living for. Nobody was able to hurt Reiji, and he himself did not feel the need to be in contact with other people. He only lived his life going along with the flow and never really felt anything.

—You look just like a Fallen.

It was just as what that bespectacled girl had said.

For Reiji who never really felt anything, he might as well have been dead. Just because he was still breathing, that indicated that he was alive. The way he was, holding no desires and feeling nothing was precisely like that of a Fallen.

“''UOOoOOOooOOAAAAAAa!''”

As a result of the shockwaves produced by himself, his clothes were reduced to tatters. His hair that was held up by his headband was made dishevelled, making him truly look like a lunatic to anyone who passed by.

Reiji had never felt anything.

But—.

“''OO…! UOOooO…!''”

Running out of breath and his voice withering down, Reiji collapsed onto the floor on his knees. He grasped his right arm which had been injured from the aftermath of the destruction with his left hand. The white mist entwined around his arm let out a ''pushii'' sound.

But, he became a Mushitsuki.

That was after Rina had confessed to him that she had become a Mushitsuki.

“''OOoO…!''”

He wailed. In the middle of the room which no longer resembled a suite, Reiji choked with tears.

At that time, what had he thought to himself?

Recall it.

That’s right—.

He had definitely thought of as such. As usual, he was being indifferent. It was the same feeling as when the two of them were on the rooftop with Rina grouching to him, and him only replying with a single phrase of, ‘I see’.

—If you said that you have become a Mushitsuki, then maybe I’ll try being one as well.

Why did he think that?

“…………”

After his fit of crying had ended, Reiji recollected.

Duty—.

Perhaps, it could be called something like that.

He had never needed anyone, and never let anyone rely on him. There was only one girl who would call out to him who was like that. And that girl had said so plainly.

—Do you know about… Mushitsuki?

In truth, he had realised. At that time, Reiji had undeniably seen it. On the dry rooftop, there was a single drop of tear.

Ever since he was born, he had lived his life like air, merely going along with the flow.

But, a thought came to that kind of him.

That perhaps he had been born so as to meet this girl.

That he came into this world just so that he can do something for this very girl that was right in front of him, that that was his duty—his dream, or so he thought.

However, he did not know what should he do for that girl—someone like him, what could he possibly do for her. Even up till the very end.

“………''Ku''.”

Laughter spilled from his mouth.

What duty, that just seem to make him sound like an idiot to anyone who heard him speak of it. Speaking of which, the word ‘duty’ made him recall another scene.

“''Kuu… Kuhahaa…''”

When they first arrived at Nishito City, Shiika spotted a cat.

It was a cat with its originally beautiful white fur stained with blood and on its deathbed. That cat’s mouth was curled up, as if it was laughing. —Right then, it seemed as though it was exulting how it had lived a life without regret, rejoicing at how it had completed its duty.

“''Hahaa… Aaahaahaahaahaaha!''”

Even a cat like that was able to die with a smile.

—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.

He recalled the conversation he had with Rina.

I see… so that’s the case, Rina. You were giving me a chance. To someone like me who was just like a Fallen… you want to give me a duty again. You knew that I would regret… or is there another reason? The thing that that girl has that even you do not, do you intend on showing me that? Even at the very end… were you trying to save me? Despite me not having helped you…

“…”

He could feel something trying to force itself out of his body which had run out of even the energy to laugh.

Even though it could not be seen by the naked eye, looking on the floor, Reiji could observe the shadow of a smoke-like entity escaping through the ceiling. The entity formed an outline of bee with defined wings and a needle in the air before dispersing.

“I am going to do it… since this is something you have requested of me…”

In the quietness, Reiji muttered. On his face, a calm smile had formed.

Who knows if it was because the thing that had afflicted him was purged. When he arrived at the conclusion, the whirlpool of regret trapping him evaporated away.

When he raised his head, all that surrounded him was debris.

Around him, there was nothing, and nobody.

“I’ll stay by her side… no matter what happens. From now onwards and forever. —Jeez, Rina. That's so shrewd of you. If you ask me to stay by her side, doesn’t the mean that I’ll have to protect her?”

The regret was gone from within Reiji.

Rina had given him a chance, a chance for him to reclaim his lost emotions.

“Did you already know that I would be able to do at least this much?”

He grinned.

The sound of the debris being stepped on echoed in the devastated room.

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

When Rina had asked that of him, Reiji had replied as such.

“Fine. I’ll listen to anything…”

''Hehe'', he seemed to hear the Rina’s giggling voice.