Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4 Chapter 4 (section)

==4.08 The Others==

The shockwave propagated upwards from below.

“''Tch…!''”

Reiji clicked his tongue and released the compressed water vapours in his left hand.

“''Kyaah''—”

The squall bisected the flames, causing it to go by Reiji and Shiika’s side and hit the above floor.

There was only one impact from the explosion. After it passed, only small patches of fire were left and the surroundings quietened down. Black smoke accumulated around the ceiling, but there was probably time before it went down to Reiji and Shiika’s height.

Shiika looked down at the floors below with a troubled expression. Looking at the girl worrying apprehensively, Reiji thought serenely that she was someone who couldn’t keep her calm.

“J-just what was that…?”

“It’s the same as what caused the explosion in the underground parking lot. There were probably lots of gas pipes on that floor seeing as it had lots restaurants. Perhaps it was propane. The fire from below just lit it up, that’s all.”

“W-what should we do…? There’s nowhere to escape…”

“After the explosions have passed, we can just use my power to deal with the fire afterwards. That way, we can just turn back and descend from here. But… sorry, I feel a bit…”

Reiji collapsed onto one knee on the staircase landing. Blood mixed with sweat streamed down from his forehead onto the ground.

“Aijisupa-san…!”

He had long passed the limits of his body and spirit.

This had been the first time he used his ability till this extent, in addition to fighting an opponent as monstrous as that masked man. He had also never bore an injury as serious as such. Despite him experiencing all these for the first time, those were all under extreme circumstances.

“Let me just rest… for a while… If I don’t recover some stamina, I don’t think I can even make one floor—”

Shiika caught Reiji’s shoulders as he was about to crumple onto the ground.

“E-erm…”

The weary Reiji didn’t even have the energy to resist the weak Shiika. Unable to do anything, Shiika placed his head on her laps having sat down.

“…”

Lying in that position on the girl’s lap pillow, Reiji caught his breath. Shiika herself seemed to be bashful, her cheeks flushing red as she took out a handkerchief and wiped at Reiji’s face.

“Erm… thank you very much, Aijisupa-san. For coming to save me…”

“…”

“Are you… alright?”

“Yea.”

Breathing heavily, Reiji nodded frankly. In reality, Shiika’s lap pillow felt pretty comfortable. It was not say the first time that he had been in contact with a member of the opposite sex, but the body temperature that he felt currently was warmer than anything he had experienced. It seems that he would be able to recover faster than he thought. He shut his eyes and focused on recovering.

“E-erm… would you please listen to me?”

“…”

“I’ve gotten something that I want to do. …No, it’s something that I must do no matter what.”

“…”

“B-but, I myself do not know what should I do… that’s why, erm…”

“…Fine. I’ll listen to anything.”

Reiji bared a smile.

—Fine. I’ll listen to anything.

That time, he had said that without putting much thoughts into it.

Of course, he was not lying when he said that, that was truly what Reiji had hoped for.

He thought that he wanted to do everything that was in his power for the sake of the only friend he had.

However, Rina’s request had far exceeded Reiji’s wildest expectations.

He finally realised that now.

“Eh?”

“I’ll listen to anything… I would do anything that is within my ability.”

—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.

Recollecting Rina’s words, he raised a smile.

Good grief, Rina… your request is truly outrageous. Did you already know that I would do anything for the sake of this girl? The things we do not have… apart from having strength, this girl carried her ‘weakness’ as well. Did you already know that her life would be entrusted to me—.

“I-is this really fine?”

“Yea.”

“You will… lend me a helping hand?”

“Yea.”

“…”

“…”

“E-erm…”

“I don’t know if Mushibane would help you out, but if it comes to the worst, the two of us can do it by ourselves… I’ll forever remain by your side.”

He opened his eyes and looked up at Shiika. Her cheeks were a rosy red. —That sounded just like a proposal, even Reiji thought so in his mind.

“I’m also pretty interested in you myself…”

“Eh? …Eh?”

“Just say anything… As long as it’s something within my reach, I will…”

Right before he entrusted himself to the sleeping bug, he gazed at Shiika’s flustered and unsure face.

Reiji closed his eyes.

“…I feel that Rina and Aijisupa-san are very alike.”

Shiika’s soft and tender voice felt soothing to his ears.

“The two of you are so strong… that’s why I think that the two of you surely couldn’t ask for help even when you wanted to. Because you felt that if you had received help, you would have become reliant… that you would lose your strength…”

Reiji revealed a faint smile.

That’s just so. That’s why, the two of us—.

He continued to listen to Shiika till his consciousness was ferried to dreamland.