Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 1st Episode 03 (section)

===Part 2===

In Akamaki City, several establishments operated around the underground train station.

Especially at the city centre, various walkways crisscrossed each another to form a complex maze. All leading to the station, the walkways formed an underground street.

Arisu nodded to herself in a high-class boutique at the corner of the underground street.

“Well, this should be fine.”

The mirror in the fitting room reflected the figure of Arisu in a silk one-piece dress. Her usual ponytail was missing, replaced a bun above her ears.

Leaving the fitting room, Arisu could smell the fragrance of a luxury perfume. She walked across the store, passing by a shelf lined with custom-made perfumes.

“Here here, Kusuriya-kun. Try this next! It’ll definitely suit you! Ah, can you give him a swept back hairstyle?”

“Certainly.”

“Jeez, Ena-san! I think this look suits him much better.”

“Then, try that next! If’s it Kusuriya-kun, anything would look good on him!”

In the menswear corner, voices in high spirits could be heard.

Ena and Takako were standing in front of the fitting room with bright smiles and several outfits in hand. On the other side, the curtain opened to reveal Daisuke inside.

“Ahaha…”

To describe him as a carp on a chopping board would have been apt. With an empty smile on his face, he looked to have given up on any resistance. The clerk attending to him used a comb to style his hair as Ena and Takako requested.

“Come on, Daisuke-kun! Hurry up and change your clothes! You may need to wear that next time—oh, Arisu. That looks good on you!”

“You look very cute, Arisu-san!”

“That goes without saying!”

Arisu flashed the victory sign.

Sparing Arisu just one glance, the two girls immediately turned back to Daisuke.

“We’re almost out of time! Just bring all these outfits along! Get changed in three minutes!”

“I’m sure they will fit you, Daisuke-san.”

“…Ichinokuro-san…”

Daisuke implored Arisu with his eyes, causing to feel just a bit of pity for him.

“You can refuse a little, Daisuke…”

“Stop dragging your feet! Come on, hurry up!”

The current Daisuke who was being chased into the fitting room by Ena seems much more haggard compared to yesterday.

By the time his outfit was decided, it was already near evening.

Dressed in a black suit with necktie, he almost appeared to be a different person.

[[File:Mushi Uta Bug 1st p125.jpg|thumb]]

“''Kyah!'' You look so dashing, Kusuriya-kun! The girls on the other side will definitely, definitely fall for you at first sight!”

“You look superb, Daisuke-san!”

“T-thank you.”

He replied with a bitter smile in a low voice, looking as if he was trying very hard to hold back something.

Daisuke made to stop Arisu from making the payment by card, saying, ‘I’ll pay for my own’. But, after seeing the price tag, he instantaneously went silent. They seemed to hear him muttering to himself, ‘''Kuh'', you could buy a car with that…’.

“Do you understand, Kusuriya-kun? Those young ladies from the Emilia Women’s College don’t have much worldly knowledge or anything. If you just whisper some sweet nothings to them, you can easily trick them. Want to learn some pick-up lines?”

“What do you mean trick them, Saionji-san…”

“Do you have a handkerchief? To not appear impolite, make sure to greet them crisply when you meet them for the first time. See now, your necktie is crooked.”

“I-I can do it myself, Kujou-san.”

Before leaving the store, Ena and Takako each gave their advice to Daisuke. Finally free from their attention, Daisuke and Arisu headed to the venue. Ena waved them off with a final, ‘Good luck!’, while Takako had a look of nervousness on her face.

The place where they were going to ‘deepen their acquaintance’ as put by their classmate seemed to be a restaurant in the underground street. It was within a walkable distance.

Arisu and Daisuke walked side by side down the main walkway of the underground street.

“Cut me some slack… Why do I have to do something as pointless as this anyway.”

Grousing with a sigh, Daisuke messed up his styled hair with his hands. Shaking his head left and right like a dog, his hairstyle returned to its original look.

“Ah, hey. To think it was set so nicely too.”

Arisu said as she elbowed him.

And then, she hit something solid underneath his clothes.

“…You’re bringing along something like that even now?”

Arisu glared Daisuke having deduced what it was.

A butterfly which appeared out of nowhere landed on Arisu’s shoulder.

Spreading its silver coloured wings, it was the morpho butterfly.

“Isn’t that obvious. Who knows when your… no, Hanashiro Mari’s Mushi would do something.”

When he pointed his sharp gaze at the morpho butterfly, it flew away.

Hanashiro Mari’s Mushi—.

The silver morpho butterfly started appearing around Arisu nearly one year ago. Around that time, Arisu’s close friend, Mari, had left the world.

Daisuke walked ahead of Arisu, preventing her from seeing his expression.

Kusuriya Daisuke was also a Mushitsuki, just as Mari was.

Despite living together in the same house, he never interacts with Arisu beyond what was necessary. She could not imagine what he was thinking at all.

—Could I ever hope to understand the feelings of a Mushitsuki… what do you think, Mari?

In her heart, Arisu spoke to her deceased close friend.

As if in response, the morpho butterfly resting on Arisu’s shoulder seemed to be hanging its head down.