Mushi Uta:Volume 1st Episode 03

Episode 03. The Rest Day Crushing Dream

Ichinokuro Arisu starts her morning grumbling about pain.

The cold morning wind deeply permeated her fiercely beaten shoulders. The birds chirping brightly in the courtyard seemed as though they were laughing at the scowling Arisu.

“Doing this everyday, every morning. Surely, there’s no other middle schooler who thinks of dying other than me.”

The wooden floor was as cold as ice. Creaking sounds could be heard as she walked down the passage barefooted.

The Ichinokuro house had a side building separate from the main building, and even further away was the training hall. Arisu stayed in the main building with her parents and grandfather, while the servants and her instructor occupied the side building.

Dressed in a dougi and hakama used for training, Arisu walked down the passage leading to the main building with a sullen expression. She had just finished her early morning practice, an old custom in the Ichinokuro family.

“In this modern era, what’s the point of learning all these obsolete self-defence techniques—”

“Good morning, young lady.”

Crossing each other by the side building, an old lady wearing an apron greeted Arisu. She had served the Ichinokuro family over three generations, having taken care of all the needs of Arisu, her mother and grandmother.

“Good morning.”

Arisu walked past her with a sour look, but turned back again.

—It’s frustratingly…… but it’s good to have her around.

She reluctantly admitted, thinking back about all that’s happened to her recently.

“What about Daisuke? Has he woken up?”

“No, I think he is still sleeping.”

A vein popped up on Arisu’s forehead. She ignored the ‘because it is still early in the morning’ coming from behind her, and hastened her footsteps.

Practically rushing down the corridor, Arisu came to the main building. She walked past the antique corridor lined by paper sliding doors.

Currently, apart from Arisu’s family, there was also a special guest staying in the main building.

The circumstances that led to him living under the same roof was complicated, but more importantly—.

“It’s simply unforgivable for a lowly freeloader like him to wake up later than his master!”

Arisu stopped in front of a sliding door.

She opened the sliding door stealthily. In the middle of the dim room, a teenage boy was sleeping in a futon.

He was Kusuriya Daisuke.

Having met Arisu due to a certain incident, he was on a mission to observe her by enrolling in the same school as her.

“Looking at that blissful sleeping face pisses me off till no end.”

Entering the room sneakily, Arisu moved to a corner. Taking a deep breath, she estimated internally for the right timing.

“Taste some of my agony! Arisu dive—”

With a running start, she was just about to throw herself atop the futon when.

“……Fuyu-…… hotaru……”

The boy’s mouth moved, his face twisting into one of anguish for an instant.

Arisu came to a stop.

“Fuyuhotaru……?”

Arisu hadn’t heard of that term before, nor seen such an expression of pain on his face before.

“To cause Daisuke to make such an expression…… Fuyuhotaru, just what is……?”

With a look of contemplation, Arisu once again distanced herself from the futon.

“—Oh well, that’s that.”

She cleared her throat with a kohon.

“Once again, feel the divine punishment of your master! Arisu dive~!”

Building up her momentum with a short dash, Arisu threw herself at the futon.

That morning, a scream of pain could be heard coming from the main building.

Part 1

The lunch break at Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School was relatively long.

Students had nearly an hour to do whatever they want. Be it moving their bodies playing on the sports ground, using the computer room, reading in the library or chatting with friends in the classroom.

Ichinokuro Arisu, Saionji Ena and Kujou Takako all belonged to the ‘stay in classroom’ faction.

Arisu already had plenty of exercise during her morning practice, while Takako was a computer idiot and was generally bad with electronics. Meanwhile, Ena fared above average at all she tried, but she did not have a particular interest in any of them.

Kusuriya Daisuke had also remained in the classroom. He was engaged in a friendly conversation with several other boys.

“Before we even realised, Kusuriya-kun sure got friendly with the class. Aren’t you lonely now, Arisu?”

Sitting at the desk in front of her, Ena teased Arisu. That attitude of hers had not changed at all since from before.

—Just a few days ago, Ena had ben caught up in a certain incident.

Together with Arisu and Takako, they had visited a Ferris wheel that was a place of interest in the city. The incident had occurred there.

Mushi—.

Infesting young boys and girls, they were an existence that fed on their hopes and dreams in order to grow. In one sentence, that would be how those monsters, which have since permeated into society, could be described. The people who were infested by the Mushi were known as Mushitsuki, having since become synonymous as agents of fear. At the Ferris wheel, Ena had witnessed the Mushi with her own eyes.

That was not the first time that Arisu and Takako had saw a Mushi. In fact, it was during an incident caused by Takako’s childhood friend who was a Mushitsuki, that Arisu met Daisuke. Daisuke was actually an agent of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—a secret government organisation that employs Mushitsuki in order to capture other Mushitsuki, so as to maintain the government’s stance of “Mushi do not exist”.

Ena was sent home that night after fainting when she saw the Mushi. Even so, she had attended school as per usual the next day.

When Arisu had touched on that topic gingerly to her, she had replied, ‘I don’t ever want to be involved with that kind of monsters ever again’, putting an end to that matter.

The warning by SEPB not to disclose of the happenings came as expected, but it seems to be unneeded as the person herself did not ever want to have anything to do with the Mushi again. Still, Arisu needed to take care to not divulge her possession of the silver Morpho butterfly, or that of Daisuke’s true identity.

“……”

Arisu bit on the straw of her milk packet, staring at Daisuke intently.

No matter how one looked at him, the boy known as Kusuriya Daisuke was just an ordinary student. He had an unremarkable appearance and a sociable personality, able to have a friendly chat with just about anyone.

However, Arisu knew that that was just a facade. Whenever he was dealing with Arisu, his attitude would be a complete flip from when he was at school, behaving as an agent of the SEPB, a Devil without a single shred of mercy.

“Arisu-san?”

Takako looked at Arisu strangely.

“He definitely didn’t open his heart!”

Arisu smashed the milk packet onto the desk with a don!

Ena and Takako looked at Arisu in puzzlement.

“The one who didn’t open his heart…… you mean Daisuke-san?”

“Is that so? It seems to me that he’s behaving very naturally though.”

“The two of you just don’t understand! You have no idea what kind of lousy attitude he has at home, tyrannising around like a hooligan! Just this morning when I went to wake him up with a jumping dive, he wouldn’t stop complaining the entire time!”

“……That sounds more like you’re not sparing a thought for Kusuriya-kun’s feelings.”

“I feel bad for Daisuke-san……”

Arisu glared at the sighing Ena and Takako.

“The fact that he changes his attitude based on where and who he’s talking to proves that he has not opened his heart to anyone! I can’t let this go on. I must strip away his mask of deceit!”

“Where does all your enthusiasm even come from?”

“As the master, it is my responsibility to relieve the pain and suffering of my servants!”

Looking at Arisu who was clenching her fist, Takako craned her neck questioning, ‘Is that so?’, while Ena grinned happily, saying, ‘Well, this seems interesting, why not?’

Arisu and Daisuke had been living under the same roof for one month already.

However, rather than finding out more about him, all she had were more questions. What is the SEPB? How was he able to capture other Mushitsuki so cold-heartedly. On the contrary, why is he acting so cheerfully when facing the others.

There was a reason why Arisu was so interested in Daisuke.

That was because of her late friend, Hanashiro Mari.

Mari had been a Mushitsuki, but Arisu had not known.

After Mari passed away, her Mushi began appearing around by Arisu’s side. And thus, she realised that Mari was a Mushitsuki.

Arisu wanted to know what exactly were the Mushi. She thought that if she knew what the Mushi and Mushitsuki are, she would have some clues about what Mari had been thinking about.

And right now, the Mushitsuki closest to her was Kusuriya Daisuke.

“I hereby announce! The ‘Remodel Daisuke Project’!”

Ena and Takako gave an applause along with the sound of ‘ooh’s at Arisu’s declaration.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Of course, that’s what we’re gonna brainstorm about right now! Now, feel free to spit out any ideas you have!”

“I should’ve guessed that we’d the ones providing the ideas, huh.”

The girls faced each other in deliberation.

During this time, Daisuke’s conversation with his classmates came into Arisu’s ears.

“Hey, Kusuriya-kun. You free tomorrow?”

The one calling out to the chatting Daisuke was a male student with a baby face known as Mihayashi. He asked Daisuke with an affable smile on his face.

“Eh? What’s up?”

“You know our sister school, the Emilia Women’s College, located at Higano City next door? We are having a gathering with some girls from there to deepen our acquaintance, but we lack some heads. If you are free, how about joining us?”

“From what you’re saying, that sounds like a mixer…… Firstly, why me?”

“That’s because you seem like a nice guy. You don’t look like the type to ditch us all of a sudden last minute…… and, I’d rather not invite those who can’t read social cues.”

Mihayashi said so with a transparent smile.

In other words, he was saying that he wants to be the highlight. Although his way of speaking was frank, the combination of his childish face and bright smile seemed to halve the brusqueness. Daisuke smiled bitterly.

“Although you came out of the way to invite me…… I’m sorry to have to reject you as I’m bad at that kind of stuff.”

Arisu and the rest lifted their eyebrows.

The three girls all stood up at once with a ‘gatan!’, casting the spotlight of the class upon them.

“You will go!”

Arisu stuck her index finger out towards Daisuke. Ena and Takako whispered to each other behind, with, ‘Indeed, that would be interesting to see’, ‘But, that has nothing to do with opening his heart, doesn’t it…… And I was also caught up in the momentum and stood up so suddenly……’.

“That’s right, you’re plain and boring and have nothing to show! But, put some guts to it and show that you can seize the limelight!”

Daisuke plainly revealed a look of annoyance.

“This has nothing to do with you, Ichinokuro-san. I have already said I do not want to—”

“Fuyuhotaru……”

Arisu said softly.

Daisuke’s reaction was much greater than expected. With his eyes wide open, he stared at Arisu.

“……!”

He walked towards Arisu briskly with a strict expression. Pulling her by her arm, he brought her to a corner of the classroom.

“Why does someone like you know that name?”

With his back facing the other students, he questioned Arisu sharply. In contrast to his previous smiling face, there was a look of intimidation in his eye.

But, Arisu was unperturbed.

“So that was actually the name of a person. Seeing as how you called Neiko-san with a codename as Nene previously, I thought that this might’ve been one as well.”

“Answer the question!”

“You were talking in your sleep this morning. Also, you had a look of sadness.”

Arisu grinned. Daisuke looked like he could not find his words, his face turning red.

“That reaction…… Fuyuhotaru must have been referring to a girl, right?”

“!”

“……That is really the case?”

Seeing Daisuke visibly discomposed, Arisu was surprised.

I can make use of this—thought Arisu with a plain smirk.

“You will attend the mixer tomorrow, right?”

“No way. Why do I have to attend something like that? In the first place, my mission is to monitor you. Not to mention, the investigation into Hanashiro Mari hasn’t been progressing at all……”

“Heh, I see. So you’re going to go against my order. ……Hey, Ena. Did you know, Daisuke already has a girl he likes. Her name is Fuyuhota—”

Daisuke quickly covered Arisu’s mouth.

“……Who likes who? Since when did I ever say anything like that.”

“Gyu’ill affend gomolows mider, yight?” (You will attend tomorrow’s mixer, right?)

Even with her mouth covered, Arisu repeated. Their classmates looked from a distance at the two who were glaring at each other.

Clicking his tongue, Daisuke released his hand from Arisu. His despondent sigh was a sign of his defeat.

“I just need to go, right. Just go……”

Arisu exchanged a thumbs-up with Mihayashi.

“Mihayashi-kun, include Daisuke too!”

“Oui, Mademoiselle!”

Daisuke sighed so deeply that it seemed as if his soul would come out with it.

“……Why do I have to attend a mixer……”

“Be grateful for your master’s kind consideration. Don’t act so savage all the time, take a break once in a while.”

“I just need to attend it right. In return—”

Daisuke returned to his seat and turned back to look at Arisu. His cold gaze causing Arisu to take a gulp.

“Don’t ever mention that name out again. Got it?”

“……I know already.”

Daisuke sat down on his seat, grumbling in a soft voice, ‘Why do I have to…… if I do this…… what about the mission……”

“If it’s about that, don’t worry.”

Arisu puffed up her chest and said.

Having a bad premonition, Daisuke slowly turn behind and asked.

“……What do you mean?”

“Of course, I’ll be attending too! This way, it’s convenient for you too, right?”

Arisu declared unreservedly.

This time, Daisuke clearly fell into despair.

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.

“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.

Part 3

Arisu and Daisuke came to a stop in front of a restaurant.

“Looks like this is the place. Let’s hurry up and enter.”

Arisu took a step into the restaurant. However, Daisuke was still standing outside the restaurant in a daze.

“What’s the matter? Hurry up and enter.”

“……Since it’s a mixer, I thought that it would be at a karaoke or something but……”

The place Mihayashi had specified was a so-called high-class restaurant. The kind of restaurant that seemed to serve primarily French cuisine. In front of the restaurant, there was a wooden sign which read, ‘Customers in improper attires are not allowed in the restaurant.’

“What a fool. Didn’t I say that we need to be in formal wear. You should’ve expected this much.”

“If you ask me, who would’ve expected that middle schoolers would come to a restaurant as lavish as like this……”

The moment they entered the restaurant, they were approached by attendants dressed in tuxedo. After Arisu told them Mihayashi’s name, they were escorted inside.

The atmosphere of the restaurant exuded splendour.

Beyond the entrance, there was only a passageway that led into the restaurant. The brick laid walls were lighted dimly by lamps placed evenly along the wall. Each table was covered by a beautifully embroidered cloth and had a glass shade with a candle in it. Potted planted were placed throughout the restaurant and classical music played in the background, contributing to the elegant atmosphere. As a matter of fact, most of the other customers were adults.

“O-oi, is it really this restaurant? It sure doesn’t look like a place for kids.”

“Stop acting so flustered. Gosh, you’re so timid in some strange areas.”

The table which they were led to was the biggest and furthest one inside. There were already four teenage boys and girls seated around the table.

“Good evening, Ichinokuro-san, Kusuriya-kun.”

The one who stood up and greeted them was Mihayashi.

“This restaurant is managed by my father, isn’t it endearing? Right above our heads, the boutique in construction is already in a deal with us to advertise our restaurant.”

Mihayashi disclosed that as Arisu and Daisuke found their seats. The female students from Emilia Women’s College showered him with words of praise such as, ‘That’s amazing!’ and ‘Isn’t the great!’.

However, when he glimpsed a look at Daisuke, his cheeks spasmed for a second.

“Is that so. I do think it looks pretty good compared to other restaurants.”

“……What’s the matter, Daisuke? You’re suddenly acting pretentious.”

“For some reason, I feel irritated. If I keep acting nervous, I’ll just look like a loser.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Arisu and Daisuke whispered in soft voices.

“Can you please wait for just a bit longer. There’s one more girl who left her seat.”

Listening to Mihayashi’s words, Arisu suddenly felt something wrapping around the table.

“…… Vines?”

That was the vines of a tree. The gnarly vines crept up the leg of the table, stretching itself along the dining table. Touching one of the vines under the table, Arisu quickly withdraw her hands.

“What is it?”

Daisuke looked at Arisu. Arisu shook her head, saying, ‘O-oh. It’s nothing.’

It feels warm—.

There was some warmth in the vine, feeling as if it was alive. Thinking that it was creepy, Arisu looked away from the vine.

“Ah, seems like she returned.”

Hearing Mihayashi’s voice, Arisu raised her head.

She saw the figure of a girl walking towards them.

“S-sorry. It looks like everyone has arrived.”

Having a small figure, her short haircut fitted her. She wore a blue dress with a sense of translucency and had a blue ribbon on her bangs above her right eye.

“……”

Also in her gaze, she saw Daisuke widening his eyes as he fixated on the girl.

—Looks like he has decided on his target for today.

Arisu grinned broadly. It was no surprise that Daisuke was focused on her. Out of the three girls, she was the most eye-catching.

“I hope for us in sister schools, Horusu Seijou Academy and Emilia Women’s College, to get to know each other better than ever before! Cheers!”

Along with the voice of Mihayashi, everyone raised their glass of orange juice and toasted.

The girl with the ribbon introduced herself as Hasegawa Inori.

Inori sat opposite to Arisu and Daisuke who had arrived later.

“E-erm……”

“Um……”

Both Inori and Daisuke spoke out at the same time. And so, they both kept quiet awkwardly.

“What are you being so formal for, Daisuke. Even though you seemed to be just fine messing around with Ena and Takako.”

“What! Idiot, who are you saying I messed around with! That was Saionji-san……”

“There, there, no need to air your dirty laundry in public.”

Seeing Arisu and Daisuke squabbling, Inori chuckled.

“The two of you are very interesting. You look like you’re quite close.”

“Aah, please don’t mind me. I’m sort of like his guardian.”

“Who are you saying is my guardian……?”

“Hey, Daisuke. Why don’t you speak to Hasegawa-san more instead of complaining to me. Ignoring her is rude, you know.”

Following her words, Daisuke turned around to face Inori with a look of reluctance.

“Um, Hasegawa-san.”

“Yes?”

With a slightly reserved atmosphere around them, Daisuke and Inori faced each other. Instead of starting off with a self-introduction, Daisuke had a look of worry on his face.

“Your complexion looks a bit bad. Even when walking here just now, you seemed to be staggering. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Inori was surprised.

Now that he mentioned it, Arisu could see that Inori’s cheeks were pale. Although Inori seems to be hiding that fact, she was seen through with one look.

“If you are sick, you shouldn’t force yourself and should go home to rest.”

In contrast to the concerned Daisuke, Inori smiled.

Arisu whispered secretly to Daisuke.

“I see. So that’s your plan to get close to her by sending her home yourself. …… You should know better than to strike so early, Daisuke. Things have to follow a certain order—”

“You’re being annoying, shut up.”

As expected, Daisuke replied in very soft voice.

“Thank you for the concern, but I’m fine.”

Inori shook her head.

“I…… want to visit many place, and meet many people. I want to cherish the memories of visiting many places and meeting many people, in addition, I would be happy if there were memories of me left in those places and people.”

The girl said while smiling happily.

“Ah…… I guess that was quite weird, right? To suddenly say something like this…… even though we’re not that close. Saying something strange like that…… I-I’m sorry.”

Seeing Inori hang her head in embarrassment, Daisuke’s expression softened. It was the first time that Arisu saw him with a kind smile.

“That’s not true.”

“Eh?”

“I think it would be great if that dream comes true.”

Under his kind smile, Inori’s cheeks reddened.

“T-thank you. You’re a kind person, aren’t you, Kusuriya-kun.”

Saying so, Inori regained her smile.

It was now Daisuke’s turn to blush—thinking so, Arisu turned to look at him, but for some reason, he was biting his lips for a moment. The look of anguish he had was immediately replaced by a friendly smile.

—An hour later.

“No matter how many times I tell you, you seriously lack self-awareness skills. Even in situations unrelated to you, you like to stick your neck unnecessarily into trouble……”

“You too, also lack the awareness of being my servant. Just last night, you went to use the bath before I did. It unthinkable for a servant like you to use the bath before your master.”

“That reminds me. The one who put the sign saying, ‘In use. Daisuke prohibited’, was you, isn’t it. Even a monkey wouldn’t want to peek at you bathing.”

“That’s what all the peekers would say. In the first place, the fact that you saw that sign means that you came in while I was in the bathroom—Wait a minute, idiot Daisuke. What are you doing, only speaking to me.”

Arisu hit Daisuke’s head with a pechin.

Before they realised, they had been talking in a world of their own.

It seems like the other two boys had been leaving a good impression of their own on Hasegawa Inori as well. Especially Mihayashi who have been proactively asking questions, receiving a clear response from Inori. In the end, Daisuke had not had a proper conversation with Inori other than the short exchange they had in the beginning.

When Daisuke looked towards Inori, she also returned the look. Despite looking like she wanted to speak to Daisuke, her attention was immediately taken away by Mihayashi’s voice.

“Heh, so Hasegawa-san family belong to a lineage of doctors. So, Hasegawa-san too?”

“Well, no.”

Averting her gaze from Daisuke, she turned to her side.

“I…… have something else I want to do.”

“Something else you want to do?”

“I want to visit many places, meet many people…… that’s why in the future—”

Inori’s words cut off suddenly. All expression seemed to be drained from her face.

Looking cautiously at the surroundings, she had a look of surprise on her face.

“S-sorry…… Erm, I was talking about my future, right. I want to travel overseas. Something like a diplomat……”

Inori has a smile on her face, but it looked transient. Taking short breaths, she looked like she was exhausted.

“You can’t do that as a doctor?”

“Do you know the foreign museum in the neighbouring town?”

Signs of life returned to Inori’s face. Even Arisu, who was of the same gender, thought that the joyful smile on Inori’s face looked cute.

“When I was young, my parents brought me there and I saw many things. The photographs and flowers and the people working there…… I thought it was fantastic—I began to think that one day, I want to see it for myself with my own eyes. It was at that place where I gained my dream…… that’s why, someday I’ll go back there.”

“Aah, the foreign museum at Higano City. I had also been there before when I was still young.”

Mihayashi smiled as if he was interested.

“It is truly a pity that that place is now gone.”

Inori widened her eyes.

“…… Eh……?”

Arisu had been to the foreign museum before as well. But, this was the first time that she had heard that it was being demolished.

“I see, there are still many people who had not heard of this news. Due to the operations being unprofitable, the sponsors withdrew. As my father’s company was involved as well, I had heard of it. I think they had already began the demolition work at part of the site. A few years later, a shopping mall will occupy that area instead.

“……”

The eyes of the now silent Inori was wavering.

Arisu nudged Daisuke’s arms.

“You go join into the conversation too.”

“…… That has nothing to do with me. In the first place, I had already mentioned that I have no interest in this sort of meeting.”

Daisuke averted his face.

“Again, you are withdrawing into your shell.”

“What shell.”

“Can’t you be honest for just a bit. Hasegawa-san’s matter interest you, right?”

“Nope, not at all.”

Arisu glared at Daisuke, who remained indifferent.

“She resembled somebody I knew…… that why I was a bit surprised, that’s all.”

“Who is it, the one whom you say she resembled?”

“That has nothing to do with you.”

Being refused so bluntly, Arisu raised her lips.

“Well, I had already expected that you would respond like that. I was just worried that you would be lonely by yourself, so you can just talk to me.”

To the grinning Arisu, Daisuke turned his face with a ‘humph’. Seeing his childish gesture brought a smile to Arisu’s face. Arisu tried to raise her glass to order to waiter to refill her orange juice.

“……!”

Startled, she pulled back her hands.

Arisu could not move her glass. The bottom of the glass has been entwined by a wooden vine.

Looking closely, there were red swellings on the vine. Buds of flowers could be seen wriggling on the vine as well. “W-what is this……?”

At the same time as Arisu shouted.

“Hasegawa-san?”

Arisu and Daisuke looked towards the direction of Mihayashi’s voice.

Inori seemed to have dropped her glass. Her body lied limply on the chair and her eyes were hollow.

“What is that……!”

“Kyaah!”

Screams sounded from the restaurant.

Arisu was a loss for words looking around the restaurant.

Countless vines had emerged from the ground, occupying the inside of the restaurant. Besides grabbing the customers, the vines also reached for the chandelier in the ceiling.

The flower buds on the vines all opened at once, releasing a pink powder.

“Arisu……!”

Daisuke responded quickly. Grabbing Arisu, he leapt off the table, avoiding being captured by the vines.

The people who inhaled the powder fainted one by one.

The thing which they thought was a flower, was in fact not a flower. Inside of the flower buds that were open, rows of teeth could be seen. It looked like the mouth of some creature.

This is—.

Arisu opened her eyes.

“It can’t be…… a Mushi?”

Daisuke moved to an area with not much vines, releasing Arisu.

“Tch. At a place like this, who and where is the culprit……”

Speaking in a low voice that seemed to belong to someone else, Daisuke reached under his suit. He unsheathed two black objects from the hidden holder underneath.

He put on a huge goggle with practised movement. Lights flickered in the lens portions, which covered the whole region above his nose. On his right hand, he uncovered a large automatic handgun.

“Before it affects the outside of the restaurant, I’ll clear up this mess. You move back.”

The boy in front of her had transformed into the agent of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, Kusuriya Daisuke. All expressions were gone from his face even without the goggle hiding it, his cold voice devoid of emotions.

The powder spewing out from the flower-resembling mouthpiece seemed to have a sleep-inducing effect. Starting from Mihayashi, the other customers other than Arisu and Daisuke began to lose consciousness.

“To defeat such a big Mushi, we must strike its centre body…… Or perhaps looking for its host is—”

The boy stopped speaking halfway.

The vines began to expand explosively in front of Arisu.

In no time, the vines reached the height of the chandelier, several times of Arisu’s height. The vines pierced through the asphalt wall shaped like bricks as well as the beautiful paintings lining the wall.

“Wha……!”

Arisu and Daisuke’s voice overlapped.

Along with the explosive growth of the vine, the flowers on the stem grew to gigantic proportions. The buds opened one by one, releasing a spore-like powder.

In the destroyed restaurant interior, the classical background music riddles with noise approached its climax.

Amidst the cracking music, a silver Morpho butterfly landed on Arisu’s shoulder.

“Mari……?”

The Morpho butterfly flew towards a tall standing light. Its body morphed, turning into silver tentacles that fused with the standing light.

The Morpho butterfly that turned into a shining spear released silver-coloured scales in all directions. The powder approaching Arisu and Daisuke that came into contact with the scales dispersed.

“What is happening……! Is it just a Mushi?”

Holding the spear in her hand, Arisu turned towards Daisuke. He only stared at the scene, biting his lips.

“There’s no control over the movement of this Mushi…… it’s maturing!”

Maturation—.

Arise recalled what Daisuke had told her before.

Mushitsuki can make use of their Mushi’s power in exchange for their dream. If their Mushi is killed, their dream disappears as well, turning them into Fallen which has no emotions or thoughts. Even if their Mushi is not killed, one day they will die when their spirit will burn out from having their dream eaten by their Mushi.

Mushi which completely devours the dream of their host are no longer bounded to their host, maturing into its adult stage which can move about independently.

This is what maturation refers to.

Matured Mushi gains incomparably strong strength.

“That is…… maturation?”

“The Mushi has already left its host. Nothing can stop it from growing and rampaging.”

Arisu could feel the ground vibrating under her feet. Who knows whether the vines which had pierced through the walls and ceiling had already penetrated the foundation of the underground street.

“Wait a minute…… that means, the owner of the Mushi has already……!”

Arisu came to a realisation. Daisuke clicked his tongue.

“The host should be quite weak by now. At this rate, not only will the host die…… the whole underground street may collapse as well. Before that happens, we need to find the main body of the Mushi and kill it.”

“Kill the Mushi…… then wouldn’t the host turn into a Fallen!”

“……”

Daisuke did not reply to Arisu’s words. He just looked around the restaurant mechanically, the light from the goggles standing out in the darkened interior.

“Stay where you are. If you used the power of Hanashiro Mari’s Mushi here, it would blow away the rest of the customers as well.”

Hearing that, Arisu bit her lips. The power of the spear she held was absolutely unparalleled. As Daisuke mentioned, its force is too strong to be used in an enclosed area like this.

“If it completely matures, even I would not be able to handle it. Once it reaches that state, it would be too late. …...Tch, seems like there’s no other members nearby. Looks like reinforcement will not arrive in time.”

Daisuke said with one hand on the goggle. Looks like the goggles also came with communication functions.

“It can’t be too late……”

Turning back, Arisu widened her eyes.

—I would like to travel to many places and meet many people.

Arisu recalled that cute but reserved smile.

“It can’t be……”

Arisu’s face distorted. Seeing her expression, Daisuke followed her line of sight.

“……!”

Daisuke was shocked speechless.

At the table where Arisu and the rest were dining at earlier, a gigantic flower bud had appeared. The pale pink petals fluttered, trying to open up.

The gigantic flower bud floating in the air looked down on a girl whose whole body covered in vines.

The girl—Hasegawa Inori, was looking at Arisu and the rest with hollow eyes.

Part 4

Above the head of Inori whose limbs were bound by vines, a gigantic flower bud was slowly opening.

“Hasegawa…… san……?”

A stunned Daisuke choked out the words.

A deafening roar resounded through the underground street—no, throughout Akamaki City.

The flower’s colour deepened from pink to dark red as it opened.

What the petals protected was neither stamens nor pistils. It was rows of hundreds of sharp fangs.

Carnivorous flower—.

That phrase found itself from Arisu’s mind.

Arisu recalled the insect exhibition she visited when she was young, she saw a crab spider that mimicked itself as a flower to attract prey. But right now, what was right in front of her face was an irregularly shaped monster that undoubtedly consumed people.

“……!”

The sound of destruction drowned out even the classical music, inundating Arisu and the rest like a wave.

When the rumbling subsides, the world was silent.

In front of the overwhelmed and immobilised Arisu and Daisuke, Inori’s lips made small movements.

“…… I was……”

Already losing consciousness, Inori could not move her hands and legs. Her slightly opened eyes were gradually becoming vacant.

“…… Even when my dreams were eaten by the Mushi…… even if it was scary…… and painful…… even so, I persisted……”

Inori’s pupil moved. In her sights was Daisuke.

“To go to many places…… I became an adult…… I still want to go to the foreign museum…… I want to return to there…… To thank them for giving me a dream……”

The girl smiled. It was a fleeting smile, one filled with sorrow.

“But…… it seems…… my dream is…… disappearing……”

The vines began to expand again. All the people who had lost consciousness on the floor were being covered as they watched on.

“Hasegawa-san……!”

Arisu shouted reflexively.

Inori became expressionless, her eyelids closing.

What would happen when she fully closed her eyes—just thinking about it caused Arisu to feel dread.

The moment when their dream is completely consumed by their Mushi, the Mushitsuki dies.

“……!”

I wouldn’t allow something like that……!

Arisu inserted strength into her hands holding the spear.

Mari—.

Arisu recalled the face of her close friend who had departed this world one year ago.

I have no idea what are the Mushi. I can barely understand what the Mushitsuki are thinking as well.

However, I will not allow anything to deprive Hasegawa Inori of her life.

Even if I have to kill her Mushi and turn her into a Fallen, I will not let her life be extinguished right in front of me. I will not let Mushi kill anyone else……!

I will not remain unknowing and helpless like what happened with Mari to happen again. Holding these feelings, Arisu jumped towards the flower.

However—.

“Kuu……!”

She thought otherwise of swinging the spear. If she used its power here, the rest of the customers would be caught up in the destruction as well.

“Daisuke!”

Arisu turned towards the boy.

Daisuke was an agent specialising in capturing Mushitsuki. Till now, he had turned countless Mushitsuki to Fallen.

Arisu had no doubts that Daisuke would be holding on to his handgun cool-headedly.

“…… Daisuke?”

But contrary to her expectations, Daisuke was just staring at Inori’s figure in a daze. His hand holding the handgun was trembling slightly.

“What are you doing, Daisuke……! Get a hold of yourself!”

Arisu’s reprimand did not seem to enter Daisuke’s ears. Large beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he stared at Inori. “How can you…… still smile in this situation……! Right in front of me……!”

Daisuke yelled, gnashing his teeth.

“Don’t give up! Don’t you dare lose such an important dream in a place like this!”

Raising his voice, Daisuke screamed.

Seeing the boy baring his emotions for the first time, Arisu was stunned.

“Daisuke……?”

“Just like her, like Fuyuhotaru!”

Even with his face hidden by the goggle, one could tell that he was grimacing.

“To have to turn into a Fallen by my own hands…… someone with the same dream as me……!”

Then, Inori fully closed her eyes and the gigantic flower gave a huge roar, shaking the whole underground street.

“……!”

The Inori who has run out of strength.

The wildly blooming Mushi.

Daisuke who looked like he was suffering, hesitating.

The figure of the Mushitsuki who was suffering was reflected in Arisu’s eye.

—This is, for me?—

Arisu’s field of vision was dyed completely white.

“!”

Even without the time to quiver, Arisu’s consciousness was clouded.

—Yes. This present is from me to Sensei—

Arisu—no, Mari was in a white hospital room.

A young man was standing next to the bed which Mari was lying down on.

The young man had received a silver necklace. Hanging around the necklace was a golden ring.

Indeed, Mari was giving a present to him.

She was inside of her memory.

Inside of a dream that was about to disappear.

—This is another proof that I had lived……

Hearing Mari’s words, the young man had a look of pain.

On the other hand, Mari was smiling brightly.

—The other proof, I leave with Arisu…… if she knew what my dream was, surely she would hate me for it.

“……!”

Arisu awoke from her brief daydream.

—Again, that mysterious scene……?

The memories Arisu remembered did not belong to her. The one sleeping on the bed in the hospital room was not Arisu. Arisu also did not recognise the young man.

The Mushi mimicking a flower roared again.

Arisu returned her sight to the girl who has closed her eyes.

“Since it came to this, I’ll do it……!”

Arisu recalled Inori’s smile when she was talking about her dream.

Inori must live on.

She must live on and realise her dream.

Arisu would not let Inori’s wish disappear just like that right in front of her. Even if Inori had to turn into a Fallen and lose her emotions, Arisu would not let her life and dream end just like what happened to Mari.

She did not know to what extent must she suppress the power of the spear. But, she must do what must be done.

Right when she was about to jump towards Inori.

“Kyaah!”

“Uwaa!”

Countless vines flew out from the blooming flower above Inori’s head. The vines slammed the stationary Arisu and Daisuke against the wall.

Vines creeped up the wall and bound the two of them.

“Ah……!”

Arisu had let go of the spear from the impact of the slam. Several tens, hundreds of vines headed towards Arisu and Daisuke.

Inori closed her eyes—.

“…… Kusuriya Daisuke!”

Arisu shouted.

Arisu looked into the eyes of the boy who was similar bound by the vines.

“Where did the usual stupidly composed you went to! What should you be doing now, aren’t you the one who should know that the clearest?”

“……!”

“I don’t know what happened to you in the past, but stop hesitating now! Take responsibility for your own actions till the end!”

“Someone like you…… who isn’t even a Mushitsuki, what would you know!”

Unable to withstand it anymore, Daisuke bellowed.

“For the sake of my dream, I could only deprive other Mushitsuki of their dreams…… Someone like me—”

“If that’s the case, then why did you live up till now!”

“!”

At her words, Daisuke was struck speechless.

“Even so you wanted to fulfil your dreams, right! You want to continue to live on, right! Didn’t you turn the Fuyuhotaru who had the same dream into a Fallen! Then don’t hesitate! As the one to live, you have that much of an obligation!” A vine climbed up Arisu’s neck. With a warm and woody sensation, it began to tighten around her neck.

“Open…… your eyes……! Idiotic…… Daisuke……!”

Her field of vision was being covered by the vines.

Just before her view was completely covered.

She saw a green Kakkou insect landing by the bound Daisuke’s side.

“I know that even without you telling me…… No matter what I have to do, I will continue to live on……”

She could hear the sound of something being torn off.

“Indeed, I made a promise…… with Fuyuhotaru……!”

The vines restraining Arisu was torn off in one motion.

“……!”

Freed from the vines, Arisu fell to the floor.

Lifting her head, she saw Daisuke pointing the handgun straight ahead. The Kakkou insect fused with the handgun, green tentacles spreading from the handgun up till his face. He ripped off the vines covering him with his other hand by force. The gigantic flower screamed again.

Vines began to assault Daisuke.

The thick branch hit the thin boy with a dull sound. The torn suit was thrown into the air and the goggles was flung to the back.

Even so, Daisuke did not budge his handgun pointed directly at the flower. A green pattern covered the boy’s face who was looking straight at Inori.

Daisuke pulled the trigger.

A cannon-like blast that did not sounded like it belonged to a handgun roared.

Above Inori’s head, huge flower petals scattered everywhere.

Inori’s eyes lost their light.

The scattering flower emitted a final death scream, before the vines covering the floor of the restaurant disappeared and Inori’s body slumped on the ground.

Daisuke kicked off the ground, rushing to Inori’s side in a flash.

“Hasegawa-san……”

Daisuke’s muttering could be heard.

The destroyed restaurant was covered in a fog of silence.

In the middle of the collapsed customers, Daisuke embraced the girl motionlessly. Although no longer covered by the goggles, Arisu could not see his expression with his back facing her.

Daisuke shook Inori’s head.

All emotions were gone from her eyes. Through her slightly open eyelid, only cloudy eyes looked back at Daisuke. With no will nor emotions left, this was the outcome of a Mushitsuki who had turned into a Fallen.

The Fallen Inori would be taken away by the SEPB and accommodated in their isolation facility.

—Daisuke……

Arisu bit back her words.

He mentioned that Inori was similar to the girl named Fuyuhotaru.

The boy known as Kusuriya Daisuke seemed to have a deep connection to the girl whom he only knows as her codename. Arisu thought that that was unimaginably painful.

She recalled how she had teased him with the girl known as Fuyuhotaru.

“……”

It happened as she bit her lips.

Arisu felt the earth shaking.

The ceiling began to shake with a parapara noise and a powder-like substance poured down. Looking skywards, Arisu was dumbfounded.

The ceiling was collapsing due to the sudden loss of the vine’s support. In the ceiling filled with holes, large cracks appeared.

“Daisuke!”

Quickly turning to the boy, she found that he was still embracing Inori unresponsively.

Arisu picked up her spear that was stabbed into the ground.

It was not just Daisuke. The rest of the customers were unconscious. If the ceiling collapsed, there would be more than just one or two casualties.

“Before it collapses…… I’ve got to do this!”

Silver light spilled from the spear that Arisu was holding.

Three of the four wings combined to form a single blade. The silver scales released from the spear increased in intensity. —The spear’s power…… is increasing?

Looking at her side, the spear’s vibration was transmitted to her arm. The power in the spear was rising beyond that during the past, more than when defeating Harimoto Jun’s Mushi or when facing Daisuke at the Ferris wheel.

An especially big tremor shook the restaurant, causing the crack in the ceiling to widen.

When the chandelier broke off the ceiling with a gakun, Arisu stop thinking.

Putting all her strength into swinging the spear, the restaurant was bathed in silver light.

Part 5

As with her usual routine, Arisu started her morning complaining about her pain.

However, the content was slightly different today.

“Muu, as expected, I’m not feeling up to it……”

Arisu groaned while walking down the corridor in her dogi.

During morning practice today, Arisu’s spirit was in another place. Even when she was scolded by her instructor, she did not register the angry voice at all. She couldn’t even feel the cold air or floor as she walked.

“To apologise or not, that’s the problem……”

There was a plaster on Arisu’s forehead. It did not come from her morning practice. Last night, when she struck the ceiling with the spear, she was hit in the forehead by a fragment of the ceiling.

The power of the spear was amazing, completely destroying the ceiling revealing the ground above. She heard from Mihayashi later that even the boutique under construction above was blown away such that no vestiges remained. Fortunately, because it was a rest day where there were nobody working, the damage was kept to its minimum.

The series of event was covered up as a gas explosion accident in the restaurant. The customers had lost consciousness due to ‘carbon monoxide poisoning’ from which they recovered promptly, and it was reported that most of the casualties only suffered slight injury despite the scale of the explosion.

“Even if he doesn’t know much…… but, he should at least know to bow his head in front of his master……”

Arisu was walking towards Daisuke’s room.

All of a sudden, she stopped.

In the Ichinokuro main building, there was a beautifully maintained garden. Arisu saw a human figure by the side of the small pond.

It was Daisuke. He was staring at the pond absentmindedly in his sleepwear.

This was the first time that he woke up so early by himself. From his fatigued-looking side view, he may not have slept a wink last night.

“Even though he’s just Daisuke, why is he worrying like an adult……”

After pondering for a while, Arisu decided to step into the garden.

Daisuke seemed to have heard Arisu’s footstep. He gave a fleeting look towards her, before turning back wordlessly.

“What are you doing over here?”

“……”

“Say something, idiot Daisuke.”

Even with Arisu’s light banter, he did not respond.

A deep silence descended between the two.

“…… It’s my bad, okay.”

Arisu muttered.

Daisuke turned around with a surprised look.

“For teasing you about the girl called Fuyuhotaru.”

Daisuke looked with disbelief at Arisu who was averting her gaze.

“I’m sorry.”

She apologised, this time looking into his eyes and saying it.

“……”

Meeting her gaze for a while, Daisuke then turned his head the other way in embarrassment.

Looking at his awkward gestures, Arisu revealed a smile.

That’s right—.

A slight warmth spread in Arisu’s heart.

It’s alright if she only understands bits by bits. About the Mushitsuki, about Mari…… and about Daisuke.

But—.

“If you are going to apologise, then don’t involve me with this kind of stupid matters in the first place.”

Daisuke said.

Arisu’s smile froze in a second.

“Don’t involve me with some stupid matters like wearing a suit or attending mixers. You and I are just the observed and the observer, just strangers. Don’t include me in your child’s play.”

Arisu was stunned as Daisuke continued saying.

“Wha……”

She could feel her face burning up.

Daisuke looked away in amazement, as if he was looking at an idiot.

“Idiot Arisu.”

That was the last straw. Blood rushed up Arisu’s head.

“W-w-w-what is with that attitude! Just what kind of life did you lead, that caused you to be so rebellious? And that was even the first time I had apologised so sincerely too!”

“The first time you’ve apologised sincerely? That’s what I want to ask you, what kind of pampered life had you lived till now!”

“That’s enough, I understand now, you do not understand human words. Fine then, I’ll make sure your body understands it! Take this, Arisu dropkick~!”

“Hey, wai……! This is not a game of charades—”

The boy’s voice shattered the peacefulness of the early morning before disappearing into the sound of water splashing.

Notes

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