Lie:verse Liars:Chapter 5

When the weather is bad, I feel bad too.

　This is what is commonly referred to as a low-pressure disorder.

When the sky clouds look like they are about to start raining at any moment, I often find myself in a daze, unable to think clearly.

　Looking up at the gray clouds that are the cause of my sluggishness, I always think to myself...

If that is the case, why do I have the surname "Haizora"?

It must be that. My ancestors must have done something terribly wrong, and some angry god must have given me a cursed surname.

If it is true then it's a terrible shame. I didn't do anything wrong at all.

　It seems that I have failed in the surname gacha. How much would I have to pay to try rolling again?

If I went to a nearby shrine and threw a 500-yen coin into the coin collection box, would my surname be changed?

　I was on the train, thinking about such things with an even worse temper than usual.

　After school, I look out the window as I stand next to the door of the train, which is full of people as usual.

　The scenery was flowing past, and occasionally, a reflection flashed on the train window showing a dull-looking bastard staring at something.

　......well, that dull-looking bastard is me.

The train soon arrived at its destination.

Center of Kita Ward, Morihama City.

Due to the good timing of the train transfer, I arrived much earlier at the family restaurant meeting place posted on the SNS "Cain" an application made exclusively for the "Awakened".

I went through the door thinking that I might be the first one to arrive, and as I looked around the restaurant, I spotted a familiar face.

I approached a high school boy who was sitting at the table as he was silently writing something in his notebook with a pen. He then looked up and saw me.

"What? who the hell are you?!"

"....How many times do you have to say that? That greeting..."

"I don't know! Haizora gives a totally different impression when he wears his glasses!"

　This guy's name is Tanaka.

He's a second-year high school student who lives in Morihama City.

I sit down on the sofa across from Tanaka, get the case out of my bag and put my glasses back in, and throw them back into the bag.

"I've been wondering for a while now, what's the point of those glasses anyway?"

"It's because it's fashionable."

"No, no matter how you look at it... those glasses are so ugly."

"Well. I didn't know that Tanaka was so stylish that he would criticize other people's fashion sense."

"I'm just saying that those glasses don't even suit you as much as even an average person like me can tell. It's almost like ...... you're a different person. Like you're disguising yourself to look like a mob character?"

"In today's society, blending in without standing out is trendy, Tanaka."

"Don't talk about society like you're a celebrity, you're just a mere student."

"Actually, Tanaka-kun, between you and me, I'm not just a student. I am someone who has awakened the ability to fight against threats to the world."

"What a coincidence, Haizora-kun. I've been silent until now, but actually, I'm exactly the same as you."

After the usual silly exchange, the waitress came over and I ordered a drink from the bar.

I look out the window as I sip my iced coffee.

"The weather isn't great today, so I'm not feeling very excited."

"You sound like one of those girls in class who can't help but say what's on her mind."

"What have you been doing since a while ago?"

"Are you even looking? It's just homework. I always become tired and unmotivated when I come back from "False World", so I'm doing it first."

He said, looking at his math textbook while writing more stuff in his notebook.

"You're a really serious person huh Tanaka."

"Are you really sure about that?　Your high school is a very famous prep school, and you have a lot of homework too, right?"

"I only do my homework when I feel like doing it. If I don't feel it, I won't do it."

I answered in a daze, and Tanaka looked up at me.

"....Hey dude, do you think you're a badass or something for saying that?"

"I knew it! For all intents and purposes, you really are a serious person!"

I took my glasses out of the case and put them on again to appeal to him, but apparently doing that didn't resonate with Tanaka at all.

"A truly serious person wouldn't say that he himself is serious."

"That's prejudice. In my opinion, a serious person is someone who shows they are serious. That is why they naturally appeal to others and are able to do things properly."

Tanaka's expression turned sullen at my opinion as I put my glasses away again.

"You still have a twisted way of looking at things, don't you, Haizora? Then that means Haizora himself is also a serious person. Yeah, yeah, I guess that's admirable, to say the least."

　I grinned at Tanaka, who said that statement sarcastically while slow-clapping.

"Heh, I didn't know that being serious was taken as a compliment."

"That's why I never take you seriously."

"I see. That makes sense."

And again the sound of Tanaka's pen scratching against the notebook begins to continue.

"By the way dude..."

"I want to finish my homework before we have the meeting, so can you shut up for a while."

"Ugh suit yourself then."

"....Oh my god, what the hell do you want?"

"There's a problem with question 3. You've got the wrong equation."

"Huh? What's wrong with it?"

We are staying in an ordinary family restaurant you can find anywhere.

What would the people around us think when they see me and Tanaka from another school sitting casually in the same seat as this, even though we are from different high schools?

Former classmates, who went to the same junior high school?

Well, that's incorrect.

What we have in common is that we are both "Awakened" who can recognize the "False World" and belong to the same "Clan". The only thing we have in common is that we are both on a team with other people, and Tanaka is the team leader.

While I was having a silly exchange with Tanaka, two guys wearing different uniforms came into the store.

"What's up!"

I simply raise my hand in greeting the familiar faces who have come this way to meet us.

The stern guy is called Gouda. The slender and delicate one was Hosoda. Those two went to different high schools from mine and Tanaka's and are also "awakened". They are also members of our team.

"Hm? Where's Sasamiya-san?"

Tanaka shook his head at Gouda's question as he sat down in an empty seat.

"She isn't here yet. I think she's going to be la-.....or not."

Tanaka turned his gaze out the window as he saw a petite girl running toward him. She rang the doorbell of the family restaurant and ran quickly to our table.

"I'm so sorry for being late!"

"No, you came before our meeting time anyway, so don't worry about it."

The girl bowed her head as she caught her breath. It seems that she is Sasamiya-san, the new "Awakened" who has been taking care of the team recently.

Sasamiya-san, who shows a fresh appearance, notices me and straightens her posture.

"It is nice to meet you. I'm Sasamiya, a newcomer. I look forward to working with you."

Sasamiya-san bows her head properly. She seems to be a very polite girl.

"I'm Haizora. Nice to meet you too."

When I greeted her for the first time with my signature sales smile, which did not indicate that I was suffering from a low-pressure disorder, she looked as if she had noticed something.

"Are you Haizora-san? I've heard a lot of rumors about Team Ash and especially about you."

Immediately, the fake smile on my own face disappeared.

"Isn't that just a silly rumor?"

"Not at all. Your abilities are amazing. People say you're able to overthrow "B.E. Butterfly Effect", you know that famous clan."

"B.E." is one of the five awakened clans officially recognized by the false world countermeasure organization Caliburn. Compared to them, our team is said to be similar to B.E.

"Do you know what Ketsumochi means?"

"I don't know, so I looked it up on my phone and it says that they are people who are like the ultimate weapon, capable enough to solve any problems that the organization faces."

"I see. I mean it's not wrong in terms of its definition. But that's just a general term for the public. In our clan, it's a general term for the poor people who are forced to do things that no one else will do."

When I smiled at her, Sasamiya's expression became stiff and she turned her attention to Tanaka who was next to me as if asking for help.

"Haizora, don't bother Sasamiya too much."

"But it's true, isn't it?"

"It's your twisted interpretation of the truth."

"I'm sorry, Tanaka-san.....did I say something rude?"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about it at all, Sasamiya. Haizora is a cynical person. He'll only make strange jokes, so it's just right to dismiss Haizora's words half-heartedly."

After hearing Tanaka's advice, Sasamiya-san became annoyed.

"Mr. Haizora. I know it's presumptuous of me, but I think words need to be sincere, so I don't think it's good to be sarcastic like that."

Kyun ♡

At that moment, my heart was pounding. Or rather, I was a bit moved.

I had never imagined that a serious-looking girl would say such a thing to my face.

The punch of an extremely honest argument, which I had not expected, was a very pleasant feeling.

"Tanaka-kun. She's a gem, isn't she?"

　In response to my high praise, both of Tanaka's eyes were fixed on me.

"If you mess with Sasamiya in any way, I'll actually beat you up."

Tanaka was serious about her.

As expected of a man who has both seriousness and sincerity. He could not take a joke. No, he was almost half serious.

So, before the originally scheduled meeting time, all four members of the team led by Tanaka gathered on the other side of the table.

In contrast, I was the only one sitting on the other side.

Well, this isn't a good balance. What is this pressure? Are we in an interview or something?

"Haizora, who do you think are the team members that are on your side?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure there's someone around here who is."

"Did you call me Ruu-kun?"

"Whoa! What a surprise!"

I suddenly jumped on the sofa when I heard a voice from behind me. When I turned around, another team member named Komame was standing there behind me before I knew it.

Tanaka and the others were simply astonished by the sudden appearance of the girl without a sound or a sign of her presence.

She was a quiet girl with glasses who looked like she might be reading a book by herself in a corner of the classroom. Her gentle smile exudes a somewhat relaxed atmosphere.

That is the impression that Komame gave from her appearance alone.

"Um, Koma-san. Did you arrive just now?"

Tanaka asks with an awkward smile, and she smiles at him.

"No. Ruu-kun and I entered the store together."

She points at a table just out of our sight.

"I didn't notice you at all."

"I'm good at hiding."

"I mean, why didn't you join us?"

In response to Tanaka's question, Koma just smiled sweetly at him.

"It's just my personality."

What kind of personality is that?

That was what Tanaka and the others were thinking. It showed on all of their faces.

"Um...is this person also from Team Ash?"

Sasamiya, puzzled by the smile on her face, asks me quietly.

Hmmm, now how do I explain this to her...

"The girl is Kon Komame, a member of our team. She's a ......uh......a 'ninja'."

"A-a ninja?"

"Yes, a ninja. No, she's a woman, so she's a kunoichi. She serves me for a reason, so that's why she always hides at a certain distance from me......" (TL note: A kunoichi is a female ninja)

"I'm not like that at all. I'm actually Ruu-kun's stalker."

She somehow has a dedication to smashing my obnoxious follow-up, which is intended to smooth out future relationships, far away with the bat of the egregious truth.

　And naturally, Sasamiya-san's expression freezes.

"Suu...... eh?"

"Yes, I'm a stalker. Ruu's stalker."

I always wondered how Koma could calmly speak such psychedelic words with a pretty smile that could be seen with a field of flowers in the background.

"I am looking forward to working with you, Sasamiya-san."

Kon Komame smiles and asks for a handshake, and Sasamiya-san takes her hand with an awkward smile.

"Oh, first of all, I'd like to tell you that you should stay away from Ruu-kun."

Huh? What did she just say?

"Oh. Uh sure. That's all right. I don't think I'm going to like Haizora much anyway."

Well, that was an unexpected turn. With this, flowers bloom on Kon's expression, saying, "I think I can get along with Sasamiya-san."

"Um...... Komame-san, why don't you sit down for now?"

Tanaka, who couldn't stand looking at Kon just standing there menacingly, said so while staring at me.

"Can I sit down, Ruu-kun?"

"Do whatever you want."

"Where should I sit then?"

According to the agreement between me and Kon, without my consent, Kon will not be able to get close to me any more than necessary.

"Just sit next to me."

"Yes, I understand. I will do that now."

With my consent, Kon sat down next to me with a happy look on her face. We were so uncomfortably close that our shoulders were touching each other perfectly.

"You're too close. There's plenty of space on the sofa, so use the space effectively."

"But Ruu-kun's said to sit next to him."

"Fine then. I'll rephrase my sentence. Just sit a little further away from me."

"I don't want to."

She refused.

"Oh, what's the matter, Ruu-kun? Why are you putting your hand on your forehead with a look of anguish? Has your low-pressure disorder worsened which results in you getting a headache too?"

"I'm just disappointed that I just met a girl I've wanted to get close to for a long time, but now I've lost the chance to be friends with her."

"It's okay. Don't worry, sooner or later, it's obvious that the twisted Ruu-kun will be hated even more."

"At least I was able to have fun until I was hated."

"But I'm not going to be able to ever hate Ruu-kun. I like Ruu-kun in a twisted and creepy way too."

"I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop liking me."

"That's a very difficult thing to request. I sadly can't do anything about that."

Sasamiya-san, who had been watching our repeated exchanges, looked next to me.

"...... Um, Tanaka-san?"

"Don't think too much about it. Just remember that these are the kind of people Team Ash has."

That was a fair statement.

“Well then, Tanaka. Let's start the meeting now.”

Just as we were about to start the meeting, Sasamiya-san again looked at me with a puzzled look on her face.

"Um... I think there should be another member of Team Ash?"

"As you say, there is another person on our team besides me and Komame."

"Don't worry about it, Sasamiya-san. He's an extremely tardy person. It's better for your mental health to assume from the start that he won't show up."

Due to my crude introduction of my colleague, Sasamiya-san looked at Tanaka three times.

Tanaka's answer to the silent appeal of the rookie "Awakened" was simple.

"I've been an Awakened for some time now, and I've noticed something. Their personalities have nothing to do with the Awakened themselves."

I applaud to Tanaka's assertion in my heart.

That's right on the mark.

"I'll keep that...... in mind."

"That said, you'll find out later. Why are these people called our clan's Ketsumochi?"

After a friendly meeting between Team T and Team Ash of the clan "B.E." at a certain family restaurant chain, the two teams were about to begin a joint briefing on the "Operation to Annihilate the False World."