Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 6 Chapter 3 (section)

==3.01 The Others==

After school, Shiohara Shachito waited for Rio to change her shoes, pulling his motorbike along with him.

"Let's go together until your bus stop, Rio-chan."

His whole face covered by wet compresses, Shachito wore a carefree smile.

Her classmates near them all turned gazes of curiosity towards the two. Rio blushed, exiting the shoe racks in quick steps. Today her lessons were delayed, so her time to return home was the same as other students.

"D-don't come all the way here to meet me! You should've just waited at the parking area…"

"Hmm? Why?"

While pulling his motorbike, Shachito tilted his head as if he was not thinking of anything.

"T-that's, umm… There's recently been all sorts of rumors…"

"Rumors? Of what kind?"

Walking side by side, Shachito made a puzzled face. Rio was at a loss for words, averting her eyes.

It had already been Rio's loss from the moment she had accepted his invitation for lunch the other day. Starting that day he came to Rio's class to meet her and she started eating lunch in the cafeteria with him.

No matter whether he acted overly familiar toward anyone in the first place or if it was like that just with Rio, she became unable to turn down Shachito's invitations that seemed to be serious.

It didn't mean she hated his attitude.

She was simply different from Shachito who was so used to speaking with members of the opposite sex to the extent there were rumors of him being a "playboy".

Since until now Rio devoted herself for acting practice, even just having a boy call out to her was a major event. And since it was even an upperclassman she just couldn't help but feel embarrassed. 

"Hmm, I don't really get it, are you telling me to stop because I'm causing you trouble or I'm annoying or something? C'mon, tell me everything you think!"

Shachito displayed a cheerful smile—or, if she had to express it frankly, a silly smile.

Not good. What Rio wanted to convey wasn't being understood at all. She puffed her cheeks.

"It's not like you're particularly causing trouble for me…"

"So, if it's no problem, let's just keep going! Okay?"

"…Okay."

Seeing Shachito vigorously raise his index finger, she gave up on retorting. She would be happy if he'd just asked her out a bit more modestly. 

But even if she conveyed this to him, it no longer had any meaning.

Rio made a single resolution.

She also couldn't allow herself to be caught up by Shachito's pace today.

"Do you have something today?"

When they exited the school gate, Shachito suddenly inquired.

Rio raised her face with a start. She apparently made a brooding face without realizing.

"Huh?"

"It feels like you've been growing quieter every day. You usually had this sort of desperation like a hamster running on a wheel that made me feel healed every time I saw you…"

"Hamster?! H-have you really been looking at me like this, Shachito-senpai…?"

As he unhesitatingly nodded with a "yeah", Rio received a small shock. But she couldn't allow herself to be manipulated, so she took a deep breath and was somehow able to remain calm.

"I have an audition today!"

As Rio clenched her fist, full of fighting spirits, Shachito looked at her, puzzled.

"Audition?"

"Yes. There's a missing actor for a play about to be performed in Oranje Land soon… I'm going to the final audition for that."

She unconsciously tightened the hold on her bag. 

Yes, Rio's talent was about to be tested during tonight's final audition. She planned on bringing out everything she'd done so far. She couldn't fail.

"A play in Oranje Land… Is that the thing they've been talking about on TV lately? I don't really know about it but that thing done by a famous company. Are you going to appear there, Rio-chan?"

"No, as I said… since it's the final audition now, I'm not necessarily going to…"

Her shoulders suddenly slumped. It was obvious, but Shachito had no idea about how hard it was to pass the audition.

"Where are they doing it? Somewhere in the city?"

"In a building in front of the station. The one recently remodeled."

"I see. …You're amazing, Rio-chan."

No matter if he knew how she felt or not, Shachito seemed strangely impressed. The wet compresses on his face looked painful, but he himself didn't seem to mind it. She heard that he'd fallen from his motorbike again.

"Alright!"

For some reason Shachito also raised a fired-up voice.

"Do your best, Rio-chan! I can't do anything for you, but I'll at least cheer you on."

Seeing his carefree grin, Rio's cheeks reddened. 

So far Rio had done her best all by herself. She thought of trying to make her dream come true without relying on anyone but her own powers, but now that she was encouraged by someone she could feel a different sort of power welling up inside her.

"Yes! I will do my best!"

She made a pose as if acting on the stage.

The tension she had before the final audition slightly dissipated. She regretted thinking of Shachito as someone unnecessary.

''Shachito-senpai is cheering on me. I have to do my best—''

Since she had worried too much all by herself, she was glad to have someone else as her ally.

"I know! If you pass I'll grant you one wish. I can take you to some place you'd like or treat you to something good. You can even ask for something naughty."

"…"

"Wah, so cold! You're so cold, Rio-chan! A look like that will triple the amount of damage from that failed joke!" 

Seeing Shachito playing the fool, she burst into laughter without thinking. But once she laughed honestly she felt her shoulders slumping again.

If she passed then she would immediately begin concentrated practice. If that happened she would become much busier than before and so would have even less time to meet up with Shachito. But as thanks for cheering her on, if it's only for a little while she would make up some time to go hang out with him, she thought.

"Senpai—"

Only her being cheered felt bad, so she calmly raised a question.

"You've said that you have no dream, but is that true? Like something you'd like to do or something you're aiming for."

She simply thought it strange. 

If Rio didn't have the dream of becoming an actress she would have nothing. Even if she gave up that dream and started playing around every day like Shachito, she didn't have the confidence she would be as lively as him.

Shachito smiled lightly. He shook his hand.

"Nope. I have no dreams or hopes."

"Haa…"

Rio tilted her head. She couldn't tell whether he was serious or joking.

"Haven't you said you're busy lately? It seems like you're having a tough time. You are also falling off your motorcycle too much."

"Oh? Are you worried for me, Rio-chan? That feels fresh."

As he poked her cheeks, Rio curled her lips.

But now that Shachito said this she recalled.

Now that she thought of it, this might have been the first time she'd asked about him. Since it was always Shachito who spoke to her she realized that she knew nothing about him.

''I was only thinking about myself—''

Seeing Rio about to fill with self-hatred, he smiled.

"To be honest, I have some troubles right now… but well, saying it clearly, it's completely fine? I'll clean it all up in a jiffy and go back to school like usual. Yeah, once I do it I'll have to compensate everyone for neglecting them."

He spoke in a cheerful tone typical of him. However, for some reason he seemed stronger than usual to Rio. Perhaps he had been doing some sort of training, as his body seemed burlier than it was when Rio had first met him.

"Oh right. Once it becomes spring maybe I'll get a license for a medium vehicle. I'll work part time and buy a real motorcycle… Then I'll be able to take you for a ride, Rio-chan! Wow, I'm amazing. This's a super good idea!"

Shachito got excited all on his own.

He seemed very happy just finding a small goal like that.

Looking at the happy-seeming Shachito, Rio hesitated if she should talk about her resolution. She knew she should speak about it, but she wasn't quite able to get it out of her mouth.

If she were to pass the audition, Rio would have to—

"I-I'm…"

She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated.

Shachito erased his smile. Still dragging his motorbike, he gazed straight ahead with an indescribable, complex expression. Rio fixed her gaze on his profile without meaning to.

"Thinking about it, I wonder why I'm so fascinated by you, Rio-chan."

"…Eh?"

She ended up letting out a silly-sounding voice. As Shachito's line of sight moved toward her, she blushed without thinking.

"They say people end up liking those who possess what they don't have, right? It's probably the same here."

"…"

[[File:Mushi Uta 6 p189.jpg|thumb]]

"I have no dream. But you do, Rio-chan. So it's like this. —I feel like I finally got it."

While he grinned at her, Rio's expression stiffened. 

What did he mean by that?

She couldn't really understand the meaning of Shachito's words. —No, she had the feeling she did get it, but was it really so?

Was this possibly a confession—

And if so, was it fine saying it so lightly?

"Bhah! What the heck, Rio-chan! You're making such a weird face!"

As Rio opened her mouth thinking that she had to say something, Shachito pointed at her and laughed.

"Wha—"

Rio blushed and tried to protest, but Shachito pointed ahead with his head.

"We're here."

"What? Huh?"

"The bus stop."

Being told this, she finally noticed the bus schedule in front of her eyes.

Rio and Shachito stopped in place at the same time. 

As Rio stayed silent while holding her bag, Shachito parked his motorbike and got closer. He apparently intended on waiting for the bus with her.

—No, perhaps he was waiting for Rio's response?

Since the conversation had such a light flow she had already lost her chance to ask back. She couldn't judge whether or not it had been a confession.

A silence fell between the two. Shachito was humming while looking at the road, but Rio focused everything on suppressing her palpitations.

"U-umm! Shachito-senpai, about a second ago—"

It happened just as she decided to ask.

"…!"

A cracked metallic sound shook her eardrums.

It was the sound she had heard a few times before, audible only for her. Every time she heard it Rio felt a horrible discomfort welling in her chest. This creepy sensation soaked in, steadily encroaching her as if it were a filthy mud permeating the depths of her body.

"Hmm?"

Shachito asked back, yet she couldn't reply.

She heard the conversation of two students passing behind her.

"—She's being completely deceived, huh."

She turned around in shock.

The students, wearing a sinister smile, glanced at Rio as if they found it amusing.

She probably heard them wrong—just as Rio thought so, a woman that seemed to be an office lady passed next to her while talking on her phone. 

She could see something black moving from the students over to the woman.

"—She's taking a playboy seriously and even feels happy about it… so stupid."

The woman's smile transformed. Something like black mist stuck to her as she wore a sinister smile.

"Rio-chan?"

Shachito was apparently unable to see the black object. Not only that, he apparently couldn't hear the voices of the people passing nearby either.

As Rio gulped, a youth riding a bicycle passed in front of her.

Something resembling a cloth born from the coagulating mist passed from the woman to the bicycle-riding youth.

"—If you don't pass you'll lose your reason for meeting him."

The youth mumbled in the instant they crossed each other. His sneer was directed at none other than Rio.

Her shoulders trembled.

Rio could feel, slowly but steadily—something foul taking hold of her heart.

Foul emotions were encroaching the elated Rio. 

''I-I'm—''

She started feeling angry without any warning. How could she let her heart be swayed by something foolish like love just before a huge audition?

Unless she passed, never mind meeting Shachito, it would make everything meaningless.

It would deny all of her desperate efforts, and yet she still—

''"—You're not going to pass anyway."''

The voice echoing from a line of elementary school students walking nearby became the trigger. Immediately after she heard a hoarse voice which was completely unchildlike, Rio started emitting sweat from her entire body.

Her limbs shook and she couldn't even let out any voice.

"Ah… Ah…"

She was scared.

She was scared of having everything she'd done so far tested by an exam that took less than an hour.

She had no confidence. Ever since the first examination, Rio hadn't even a slight confidence.

She felt only pressure.

The tension, pressing ever closer, assaulted her with the urge to escape. 

—Giving in to her oppressive urges, Rio was on the verge of panic.

"I feel… something weird."

Shachito, his hand stuck in his pocket while leaning on the motorbike, muttered.

The next instant, an orange light passed in front of Rio's sight.

The bad presence that loomed over the area until now caused a sound and withdrew. The metallic sound reverberating in her ears vanished.

"If you feel anything unusual first of all expand your domain—was that it? I unconsciously acted just as I was taught but… oh well. Nobody saw it, probably."

Scratching his head, Shachito muttered to himself absentmindedly.

"But what was that just now? I've never felt anything like that before…"

Shachito made an expression Rio had never seen before.

"Hihah."

It was only for a split second—but Shachito showed a bizarre smile. His eyes became sharper and he gazed at his surroundings like a famished beast looking for its prey.

Calling it twisted would be somewhat wrong. It was more dangerous, fragile, fleeting—

—He was breaking down.

Thus Rio felt.

The creepy presence drifting around was gone, but now she felt fear from Shachito. Trying to suppress her body trembling, she hugged herself with both hands.

"Ugh, so she came to see me off before you."

By the time Rio returned her gaze to the front of the road, the previous Shachito had returned.

Following his gaze, she could see a small red vehicle heading towards them. The Vespa, raising light engine sounds, got on top of the walkway and parked. 

Stylishly getting off the Vespa was the raincoat-wearing girl that had been with Shachito a few days ago. With her goggles lowered to her neck, she looked at the opposite side road.

"Seems like the bus has come. You're boarding that, right?"

Turning back after being told this, Rio could see that her scheduled bus has finally come.

"Do be careful. ''There seem to be plenty of accidents lately.''"

Staring directly into Rio's eyes, Inuko smiled.

For some reason she got the chills.

The gaze of the raincoat girl in front of her eyes made her feel really bad. It felt like a beast that caught sight of its prey; a sense of intimidation as though she would never be able to run away from her.

Rio immediately became unable to calm down.

The presence earlier, Shachito's change, the mysterious girl in front of her… there were too many unknown fears for Rio there.

"Shachito, I've felt your power's wave. Don't use it thoughtlessly."

"No, I just felt something weird so I ended up doing it."

"Something weird? Thinking of it, I have felt an abnormal power wave for a second."

"Wave?"

As Rio waited for the arrival of the bus, the two people behind her tiled their heads at one another.

"Rio-chan."

Being called, she raised her head. Shachito smiled at her.

"You were about to say something just now, right? What was it?"

It was the usual, carefree Shachito.

Yet right now Rio couldn't even look him in the face.

Only fear was swirling inside her. And the scariest of all was the final audition she was heading to right now. 

She hadn't the leisure to think of anything unnecessary.

"Do your best in the audition, Rio-chan!"

As Rio was about to board the oncoming bus, Shachito cheered her. 

She glanced at him, but soon averted her gaze.

"…I will do my best even if you don't tell me to."

Rio got on the bus, muttering in a voice no-one would hear. 

As she sat down, a black object that appeared from nowhere suddenly fell on her collar. 

It was—a small, black, filthy piece of cloth.