Mushi Uta:Volume 2nd Episode 06

Episode 06. The Vows of the Separated Dreams

Amidst the sound of angry cries mixed with screams followed by explosions, the Central Headquarters of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau was in complete disarray due to the uprising of the inmates.

Arisu took in the scene motionlessly.

“Kakkou… I do not understand you at all anymore.”

The youth wrapped in a black coat, Aki said.

Trapped under a huge shard of broken glass, Daisuke groaned with his face blood-soaked.

“You idiot…!”

“That’s why, I’ll stake on Rina. Rina is different from those of us in SEPB… she truly fights for the sake of us Mushitsuki.”

“…You are mistaken on what our true enemy is …!”

Both the faces of Daisuke and Aki who glared at each other at a distance had pained expressions.

“Daisuke…”

Next to the injured Daisuke, Arisu could do nothing but watch their separation—.

Part 1

The sound of waves crashing flowed from the speakers installed throughout the facility.

Harsh sunlight filtered down from around ten metres off the ground.

The smell of chlorine wafted over in place of the smell of the sea in the direction of the sandy beach beyond the shimmer of hot air.

“Come on, next up is this!”

Atop a man-made hill, Ichinokuro Arisu declared jubilantly. Before them was the mouth of a tube-shaped water slide.

Next to her was Saionji Ena, whose fists were clenched as if she could not stand to wait. On the other hand, Kujou Takako looked at the scenery below absentmindedly. The two of them were also from Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School, and were Arisu’s classmate.

“I’ll slide down at the speed of light!”

“Yahoo!”

“Yay!”

Arisu punched her fist into the air and Ena jumped ecstatically. Takako beamed along with them.

“Haah…”

The sigh came from Kusuriya Daisuke who stood behind them. Making sure that Ena and Takako could not see, he displayed a frank bothersome look.

There was a line of beach demarcated by concrete and a pool. Further in was a man-made hill next a small castle. Various shops lined the walkway and the latest pop music streamed from someplace.

They were inside the indoor dome water theme park, ‘LUPY’. It was a popular all-season establishment located next to Akamaki City at Kurobishi City.

Making use of their holiday, Arisu and the rest came here to ‘LUPY’ to play.

There were two factors that led to their decision. One was that Takako’s father had received free tickets due to his corporation being the sponsor for the facility. The other reason was—.

“Are you all ready? What will be our order of attack?”

Arisu held back her enthusiasm and turned around. After much indecision, she had chosen to go with a two-piece swimsuit with floral design on a white base, and short pants paired with miniskirt. In her hand was the free pass she had received from Takako.

“How about Takako be first to go occasionally?”

Ena suggested, smiling mischievously dressed in a neon bikini. With her short hair and slender body, she exuded the impression of a healthy feline beauty.

“You mean me? But, I feel a bit nervous.”

Takako gently tilted her head. With her appearance of a twist bra swimsuit with a pareo around her waist combined with her tall stature amongst the three, it would not be strange for people to think that she was a high school student.

“…”

Daisuke stared at another direction in thought, looking completely uninterested. He was dressed in pants and singlet, a waist pouch hanging off his midriff.

“Then, Kusuriya-kun shall decide!”

“Eh?”

He immediately lifted his face in surprise at Ena’s statement. His lack of attention was blatant.

“Kusuriya-kun is first up! Or is it that… you want to slide together with me?”

Ena interlocked her arm with Daisuke’s. From the back, they probably looked like a couple going to slide down alongside.

Daisuke nodded his head flusteredly.

“N-no thanks, I’m fine. Erm… I go by myself.”

“There’s no need for you to be shy.”

Ena puffed up her cheeks.

Arisu laughed grinningly.

“Then, I shall go next. I’ll catch up immediately and kick you straight to purgatory.”

“Coming from Ichinokuro-san, it sure doesn’t sound like a joke…”

In reality, the slender and light Arisu descended the slide smoothly without stopping. Right before Daisuke exited the slide, she caught up brilliantly and succeeded in booting him into the water with her entire body weight.

After that, the four of them had lunch before tackling all the various attractions. Their last station was the man-made beach known as ‘Twilight Beach’. It was a wave pool complete with a waterfall on a plastic rockface.

In contrast to the still-lively girls heading towards the beach, Daisuke looked completely bushed.

“Once we conquer this area, our conquest of ‘LUPY’ would be as good as finished!”

“Preparations for attack are ready, Captain Arisu!”

“It’s complete~.”

Behind Arisu and the rest who were posing, Daisuke raised his eyebrows.

“What conquest… Hmm? Isn’t there still one place left? I recall it’s a haunted house called ‘Horror Laboratory’—”

“Arisu Straight~!”

“Ena Bodyblow~!”

“Erm… Takako Kick~!”

Spinning around, the girls’ attack beat into Daisuke consecutively. Holding his cheek and stomach, Daisuke mumbled, ‘E-even Kujou-san…’ with his shoulders shivering.

The girls had an implicit agreement to treat the attraction known as ‘Horror Laboratory’ to be off-topic. In other words, ‘Such a place does not exist, consequently, none shall speak of it’—even for the three girls with varying personalities, that was a common viewpoint they all shared.

They then proceeded to the beach with smiling faces, as if nothing had happened.

“Come on, Daisuke. Stop dillying-dallying around and come over here.”

“Whose fault do you think that is… No thanks, I’ll just take a break here. Don’t mind me and have fun.”

Hearing Daisuke appeal for a break, Ena grumbled unhappily, ‘Eeh? You’re not joining us, Kusuriya-kun?’ Arisu had no choice but to stay behind as well, leaving Ena and Takako to head towards the beach with disappointed looks.

Daisuke breathed out with a phew. Replacing his phony smile with a look of disgruntlement, he sat down at the edge of the empty beach.

“I know exactly what you are thinking right now. ‘Tch, why do I have to come to place like this. Now is not the time to be playing around’, or something like that, right.”

Arisu sat down next to Daisuke.

The sunlight streaming down from the ceiling along with an unnatural light shone down on the two of them.

It was the morpho butterfly. It fluttered down energetically onto Arisu’s shoulder, as if ridiculing the large number of man-made objects in the dome.

“If you knew that, then how about having some self-awareness about your own position. There’s got to be a limit to your lack of tension, geez.”

Saying so, he laid down on the beach. Using his arms as a pillow, he just stared at the ceiling.

Mushi—an existence that possesses people and feed on their hopes and dreams. Although the government officially denies their existence, the morpho butterfly belonging to Hanashiro Mari is in fact an actual Mushi.

When Mari left the world due to her illness, she entrusted Arisu with the morpho butterfly. Meanwhile, Kusuriya Daisuke belongs to the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, a governmental organisation tasked with capturing and isolating Mushitsuki. Thus, his reason for staying by Arisu’s side was to monitor her.

“The one who needs to be more self-aware is you, Daisuke.”

Arisu said with a sigh as she looked down at him.

“What do you mean by that.”

“Ena and Takako were worried over how you looked so listless the past few days. It was also for that reason that they suggested to come here, for you to cheer up.”

“Hah? Who are you saying is listless?”

“Both in school or at home, you seemed to be in deep thoughts and wouldn’t even respond when someone call you out. Of course, they’d be worried.”

“No one asked for their concern…”

Daisuke turned to face the opposite direction, shielding his face from Arisu’s view.

“What do you mean no one asked for it, idiot Daisuke! In any case, you’re probably fretting over what happened that time, right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s useless to feign ignorance. I’m talking about the uproar that occurred at the Central Headquarters. You’re still bothered over Aki’s betrayal of the SEPB, right.”

His reticence all but affirmed Arisu’s words.

Arisu had tagged along with Daisuke to visit the Central Headquarters of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau the other day.

Over there, Arisu witnessed the uprising of the inmates at the Central Headquarters—as well as the betrayal of Aki, one of Daisuke’s comrade.

“I thought that he of all people should have understood…”

After a brief silence, Daisuke muttered.

“Dreading the Mushi and fearing the organisation… Even in the gathering of cowards known as Central Headquarters, I thought that he alone was different. And yet, just what is the idiot thinking.”

In a tone of annoyance, Daisuke narrated. His heavy injuries sustained during the uproar was treated on the spot by the Mushitsuki with a restoring ability, Nene.

“I also can’t read the Central Headquarters at all. Despite their severe dogma regarding failures, they didn’t even dish out a single punishment for me who failed so spectacularly. In the first place, why the heck did they even assign the mission of investigating Hanashiro Mari’s Mushi and Central Headquarters’ own mission to me who belongs to another jurisdiction? …Damn it, nothing’s gone well at all ever since I came to Akamaki City.”

It was rare to see him to vent his frustration. He must have been pondering about this all by himself this whole time. Arisu uttered amazed.

“Stupid Daisuke.”

“Wha-…”

She pointed her index finger right before Daisuke’s nose as he turned over.

“Setting the other matters aside, it’s very much your responsibility that Aki turned that way.”

“How is that my—”

“You said he alone should have understood… how and what is he supposed to have understood. Have you ever had a heartfelt talk with him? He said this to me: that no longer understands what you are thinking.”

Seeing him widen his eyes, he must have been shocked.

“See, you didn’t understand his feelings either. No matter how long you guys were war buddies for, there are plenty of things that you wouldn’t know if you do not speak out.”

Daisuke kept silent.

You wouldn’t know if you do not speak out—at her own words, Arisu turned to look at the morpho butterfly on her shoulder.

Mari too had departed without saying anything to Arisu. What was she thinking about at that moment, Arisu had no idea at all.

A shrill quarrelling voice reached the two who fell into taciturnity.

“Why don’t you understand no matter times I repeat myself!”

“W-why is Kou-chan shouting!”

“That’s because you are being so wilful!”

“Wah, Kou-chan is angry! It’s over for us!”

A bit further from the beach, a young couple was quarrelling in front of a tropical juice stand.

The taller one was a boy who looks to be in the upper grades of primary school. His face, which looked like it would be popular amongst the girls of his class, was presently distorted in anger.

On the other side was a petite girl. Her hair was tied above her left ear, and she wore a two-piece swimsuit adorned with a belt. As she was covering her face with both of her hands, her face could not be seen.

“—Mari?”

Arisu raised her face.

The morpho butterfly had suddenly flew off. Flapping its wings towards the couple, its silver scales glistened in the light.

“Kou-chan is an idiot!”

Culminating with that shout, the girl ran off.

The boy yelled at her to stop with an ‘Oi!’, but the girl appears to have no intention of stopping. He then sighed deeply and stood on the spot hanging his head.

Unrest sprouted in Arisu’s heart. She felt like she must not leave the girl be just like this—.

“Daisuke!”

“What is it.”

“Go and bring the boy over!”

Arisu got up and chased after the girl. Daisuke eyes immediately widened.

“Wha-… What the heck are you thinking! We have no business with those people!”

“It will be dangerous for her to run in that condition! Just do it, I’m counting on you!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me, why do I have to—”

Not heeding Daisuke’s protest, Arisu ran. As if guiding her, the morpho butterfly flew in the direction in which the girl vanished.

She ran past the boy who just stood there motionlessly and squeezed into the walkway filled with people.

However, her footsteps stopped instantly.

“Eh…?”

It was a mysterious scene.

In the crowded dome, a pocket of deserted space suddenly appeared.

At the centre of the space was the familiar-looking girl. The tottering steps of the girl was directed towards the ‘Horror Laboratory’ that was dyed bright green from the moss growing on the walls.

Goosebumps rose all over Arisu’s body.

“…!”

An unsettling chill assaulted her, feeling as though there were insects crawling about on her back. Her heart thumped wildly, and all her sense were screaming at her to leave the place as far as she could.

—Diorestoi’s Mushi… are just hindrances.

Arisu widened her eyes.

A cold voice flashed through her mind like lightning. The voice sounded familiar, but also very low and devoid of any emotions.

What was that voice just now…? More importantly, what’s with this place—.

However, the oppressing atmosphere disappeared without warning.

Looking back, she found the girl lifting her head in wonder. She was looking up at the morpho butterfly releasing a silver glow.

“Butterfly…”

As if it was just an illusion, the walkway returned to its original state. The girl joined the queue for the ‘Horror Laboratory’.

Coming to her senses, Arisu lined up next to her.

“Hey, you. Are you alright?”

“Eh?”

She looked up at Arisu with tear-stained eyes. Her rotund facial structure was somewhat cute.

“W-who are you?”

“Ah, don’t be scared. I just saw you fighting with the boy just now and… was worried for you.”

She looked at Arisu in a shock before the tears welled up in her eyes again.

“That’s right, Kou-chan yelled at me. He probably hates me now.”

“Ah, ah, please don’t cry, okay?”

Arisu promptly pacify her, barely stopping her from bawling out her face. However, she was still leaking some sobs, ready to burst into tears anytime.

Other customers began lining behind them, urging them to proceed along with the queue.

Looking up at the ‘Horror Laboratory’, Arisu’s cheeks started to cramp up. —Since young, Arisu had been afraid of the spiritual phenomena which are not affected by material means.

“H-hey? Wouldn’t it be better to for you to calm down at a different location? You see, this looks like a very scary place. I-I’ll be fine, but I’m not sure about you.”

“…”

“Aren’t you guys a couple? In that case, I think it would be better for you two to have a composed dialogue.”

“We can no longer talk to each other.”

However, the girl did not leave the line and proceeded forwards.

“Kou-chan is going to a faraway place tomorrow.”

She said with a sniffle.

So, that’s the case—.

Arisu made a guess behind this small couple’s circumstances. The two have been together for some time, but the boy is going somewhere far and the two will be separated. The reason could be that his parents were moving or something like that.

Arisu stooped over with a smile and wiped away the tears welling up in the corner of the girl’s eyes.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Isa Himeko…”

Biting her lower lips, Himeko answered.

“Himeko-chan.”

Arisu flashed her a grin.

“…Do you really intend to enter here? Are you sure you are not doing so in desperation?”

The girl looked up at the ‘Horror Laboratory’ palely. With each step, the entrance became more and more like a doorway to hell.

Following her gaze, Arisu’s face turned pallid as well.

“I-I’m going in…”

“You can’t be hasty, okay. Being young as you are… you ought to withdraw from such a fin de siècle and dangerous place as soon as possible.”

With both of her hands on the girl’s shoulder, Arisu spoke gravely. However, Himeko’s face turned into a smile instead.

“You know, this is the place where Kou-chan and I had our fateful encounter.”

“Fateful encounter?”

“It was just last year, when we were still in primary four. When I came here with father, the one who sat next to me was Kou-chan. When I was scared… I got mixed up and grabbed onto Kou-chan accidentally. When I apologized, he just said, ‘Nevermind’, and smiled at me. The Kou-chan at that time was so, so cool! So, I immediately confessed and got his number!”

“You immediately confessed… I see that the recent primary schoolers are extremely proactive…”

“I was born in this world to meet Kou-chan! I was often told that I am very timid and reckless, but whenever I think that Kou-chan would be by my side always from now onwards… I get so happy.”

Just as she said, she had a look of happiness on her face. Being gushed with talk about the power of love, Arisu was the one blushing instead.

However, a shadow came over Himeko’s expression.

“Kou-chan is a quiet but extremely kind person. Even though he always forgives anything I say… maybe he doesn’t like me anymore? Seeing how he got so angry…”

“What did you say to him, Himeko-chan?”

“I said that I am going to go with him together.”

Himeko said decisively, causing Arisu’s thoughts to come to a stop.

“C-can you repeat that again?”

“I told Kou-chan that I would go along with him! It’s not impossible! And I get along so well with Kou-chan’s father and mother too…”

“That… seems kind of impossible, isn’t it? You see, there are lots of problems—”

About to continue, Arisu swallowed her words.

Tears starting welling in her eyes again. Watching her grit her teeth, Arisu realized it.

Himeko herself knew the absurdity of what she was suggesting. However, she probably couldn’t give up on him despite knowing that.

“Kou-chan also said, that it’s impossible… But then, we’ll be separated like that. I don’t ever want to be separated from Kou-chan! Kou-chan too, he didn’t say anything more… surely, he must be sick of me… Not to mention, if he knows about that secret, I’m sure that Kou-chan would…”

Unable to hold back her tears any more as she speaks, Himeko bawled. Arisu couldn’t anything other than stroke her head while holding her.

A sound rang out from pouch hanging by Himeko’s waist. It was most likely the sound of her ringtone.

“You’re not gonna pick up?”

In response, Himeko only pouted and averted her face. Left with no choice, Arisu opened the pouch and retrieve her mobile phone.

“Hello.”

When she pressed the button, she was greeted by, ‘…Are you the person called Arisu?’, in a voice of a boy with his voice unbroken. This must be her boyfriend.

When asked about their present location, Arisu informed him. With that, he curtly cut the call after a, ‘I understand. I will come and fetch her.’

“He’s coming to fetch you.”

Arisu said so to Himeko as she ended the call, but she still looked incensed.

Eventually, the two of them were right at the front of the queue.

Standing in front of the mossy building, Arisu and Himeko could not reply when the staff asked them to show their passes.

“H-hey? How about we at least wait until he comes?”

“I-I don’t care about Kou-chan anymore!”

“Please don’t trouble big sister like that… please…”

Like this, the two girls were pushed into the attraction by the snaking queue behind them with frozen expressions.

Part 2

When they left the male changing room, Daisuke took a heavy sigh.

“Why do I have do this… Damn it, it’s all that stupid Arisu’s fault, sticking her neck where she doesn’t belong.”

The boy by his side lowered his head to him after keeping his mobile phone in his pocket.

“I’m so sorry for causing you all this inconvenience.”

His expression was pretty much the same, but his tone sounded very apologetic. It did not show on his face, but he must have felt quite bad. The two of them had come all the way to the male changing room to retrieve his mobile phone.

“Yea, this sure inconvenienced me all right. If you’re gonna have a fight, have it somewhere other people won’t see.”

Saying so grouchily, Daisuke walked ahead. Unlike Ena and Takako, this boy had nothing to do with his day-to-day mission. He had absolutely no reason to be courteous.

It appears that his name was Sugihara Kouta. Kouta followed after Daisuke hurriedly.

“Erm… I’ll be alright from here on.”

“I also need to go retrieve the idiot who is together with your girl.”

“I see.”

Different from the impression of him when Daisuke saw them fighting, Kouta was rather calm, or perhaps even cold.

Arisu and the girl seemed to have joined the queue for the ‘Horror Laboratory’. Daisuke walked briskly towards their destination with no intention of matching the boy’s footsteps at all.

“If you had just chased after her then, we wouldn’t have had to gone through all this trouble. Why didn’t you run after her straight away.”

“That is…”

Kouta’s tongue was tied. Maybe there was some particular reason, but he did not voice them.

Daisuke also did not really want to pursue his reason and just gave another sigh as he walked.

After walking a while in silence, Kouta asked Daisuke suddenly.

“Erm, is the person called Arisu Daisuke-san’s lover?”

“I see. So, you want me finish you off right here.”

When Daisuke heard his name, he had given him his as well. Seeing Daisuke crack his knuckles, Kouta flurriedly shook his head.

“N-no, thank you, if I was wrong then nevermind. It’s just, if that was the case, then I have something to ask.”

“Something to ask?”

“That is… how do I patch things up with her.”

“…”

“Even though we got separated like this today, I… couldn’t say anything. It was because she said something ridiculous that we ended in a fight. Because this is the first time this happened, I don’t know what to do at all.”

“Like hell I’d know. That has nothing to do with me, and neither am I interested. Go figure out something by yourself.”

Daisuke replied grumpily.

Kouta was somewhat annoyed.

“I guess that is so, sorry for asking you. …I’m sure you wouldn’t have understood it anyway.”

“I can hear you loud and clear. Or rather, did you purposely intend for me to hear that, Huh?”

“I’m sorry, please don’t get violent.”

“So, you revealed your real nature eh, you brat…”

The two of them glared at each other in front of the ‘Horror Laboratory’.

“In the first place, I hate wilful girls. Like that idiot Arisu, your girl seems to be one of those as well. How could I possibly understand a guy who willingly get together with such a girl.”

“She’s not wilful at all, okay. I know because I’m always with her.”

Shaking off Daisuke’s hand that is holding his neck, Kouta proceeded to enter through the entrance.

“It may be true that there are times when she just jumps into things without thinking, but… she also thinks about various things, much more than I ever do. Just like the time she confessed to me, she can be very reckless, but she is in fact a coward at heart… She’s the type of girl that gets uneasy whenever I’m not around with her.”

Is this guy showing off his girlfriend to me? Daisuke thought with a sneer.

“Haah, then why didn’t you chase after her immediately.”

“You think I didn’t want to…!”

“What is it? Is there a reason you can’t chase her?”

Facing Daisuke who grinned provocatively, Kouta bit back his lips. He flipped back a question with a glare.

“What about you?”

“Ah?”

“Do you know anything about that person called Arisu? She may hold some secrets that you are unaware of for all you know. Aren’t you also not trying to find out about them?”

He questioned Daisuke in a tone unlike that of a primary schooler.

—There are plenty of things that you wouldn’t know if you do not speak out.

Daisuke recalled Arisu’s words and the face of his war buddy who had betrayed the SEPB, Aki. But, with a mocking smile on his face, those thoughts disappeared.

“Ha, lame.”

“…You’re probably just jealous yourself because you do not have a girlfriend.”

“Like I was saying, I hear you just loud and fine.”

“I’m sorry, please don’t raise your hands towards a kid.”

“You this snotty brat…”

Releasing his hand from the boy’s neck, Daisuke headed to join the queue.

However, his feet stopped.

All of a sudden, a chilly gale assaulted him.

What is this—.

A sense of insects crawling up his body assailed him, causing a chill to run down his back.

Kouta’s countenance too changed dramatically. His face was frozen in fear, turning deathly pale.

“Hey, somehow, it feels extremely scary all of a sudden… Let’s not enter?”

“There’s probably a breakdown. It feels kind of off-putting. Let’s go somewhere else.”

The people making up the queue left in droves.

In a matter of moments, the people in the surroundings all left. It was as if there was an invisible wall placed over here, creating an empty pocket of space.

“…!”

A vast green fog seemed to be wrapped around the mossy building. The green fog coalesced into a single form with a long torso—into a silhouette that resembled a millipede.

The only ones who saw it were Daisuke and Kouta. All the other people had either left, or were facing the other side from the building, none looking in this direction.

A Special Type Mushi…? Is its host inside here?

Daisuke had reflexively moved his hand over to his pouch. There was only his usual mission-use goggles stored inside the waterproof pouch. For an instant, he hesitated over whether to retrieve his weapon back at the changing room.

No, a weapon would be ineffective against a Special Type. …Not to mention, this one seems to be especially troublesome—.

A figure dashed past Daisuke who was running simulations in his mind. It was Kouta.

“Himeko…!”

“You idiot, wait up! Inside, there’s a—”

The staffs tried to instruct the people with a, ‘C-currently, we’re experiencing a malfunction…!’ But, with him crouched on the ground, he did not stop the two from entering.

The insides of the building led to a dark tunnel. It appears that people were meant to ride on a rail car that lay on a track submerged in water.

Kouta leapt into the water without batting an eye. Creating splashing sound, he ran through the shallow waters into the dark tunnel.

Daisuke chased after him, clutching his shoulder to bring him to a stop.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait! You go wait outside!”

“I have to stop Himeko or else…!”

When he turned around, Kouta had a desperate look as he spoke.

Daisuke’s expression changed.

“Stop…? What do you mean?”

As Daisuke questioned him, an unpleasant premonition spread in his heart.

Part 3

“It’s alright, Arisu. They’re just made-up objects, that’s all. Ghosts are just a figment of imagination made up by mankind; wouldn’t it be weird to fear something which doesn’t even exist. Indeed, that’s just weird. It’s totally weird that your heart is thumping so hard it’s about to burst out.”

Staring into the darkness that propagated in front of her, Arisu murmured to herself.

“Please wait a moment while our staff checks the safety bar.”

Arisu and Himeko sat next to each other aboard the rail car. The rail car had four seats, two in front and two at the back. Arisu and Himeko were in the front seats.

Seeing the young girl seated next to her, Arisu braced herself. Being the elder one, there was no way she can appear to be scared.

“A-are you alright, Himeko-chan?”

She asked the girl in a shrill voice.

But, she did not receive a response.

“Himeko-chan?”

She called out once more. With that, Himeko got up with a jump and raised her pale face.

“Y-yes! I’m fine?”

Himeko tried to raise a smile, but her expression was stiff. Arisu began to worry.

“Are you sure? If you are so scared, there’s no need to go out of the way to ride something like this.”

“…I want to get strong.”

“…?”

“The more I like Kou-chan… the more we are together, the more afraid I am. Afraid that someday, Kou-chan will grow to dislike me. I keep liking Kou-chan more and more, but Kou-chan is always the same. I’m afraid to ascertain Kou-chan’s feelings…”

Biting her lips, Himeko clutched her fists tightly atop her laps.

“The more I like him, the more scared I become. I don’t want that! That’s why I must become stronger…! Even though I got this power because I wanted to become stronger… But, whenever I get scared, the power spontaneously…!”

“Power…?”

“I must get stronger no matter what. If I get scared, that thing will… If I get stronger enough that this place no longer scares me anymore, then… And then, Kou-chan will also—”

Himeko drooped her head with teary eyes, as if she was desperately trying to hold back her fear. At this point, Arisu began to regret boarding this ride just as Himeko wanted.

“I’m sorry, please let us alight—”

Arisu’s voice was cut off by the buzzer signalling the start of the ride. The rail car gradually picked up speed.

The dim surroundings revealed a laboratory that fell into disuse. On both sides of the track, there were broken desks and blood-stained laboratory coats lying haphazardly.

It happened right after the rail car accelerated and made a curve.

“Kyaah!”

Along with the deafening noise of glass breaking, a rotting corpse dressed in a lab coat fell down from the ceiling. Arisu involuntarily screamed loudly in terror.

Only after they passed the doll of the corpse did Arisu realized.

“H-H-Himeko-chan? Are you alright?”

Turning to look at her, Arisu found her in a daze with her eyes wide open. She seemed to have been so shocked that she could not even raise a scream.

“Himeko-chan!”

As she shook her, Himeko’s expression twisted. Her shoulders shuddered, and large beads of tears fell down her face.

“Kou-… chan…”

Himeko opened her mouth widely.

“Kou-chaaan!”

Green fog spilled out from Himeko’s entire body as she screamed.

“…!”

Arisu’s breathing stopped for a second.

The emergency brake for the rail car activated.

The green fog enveloped the rapidly decelerating rail car.

The fog eventually formed into a silhouette of a large insect with a long body—a millipede with its jaws gaping wide at the passengers.

“…!”

The moment the millipede passed through her, Arisu felt goosebumps rising all over her body. An uncontainable terror likened to falling off a cliff besieged her.

The screams of the passengers echoed in the darkness. The moment a scream terminated, it was immediately followed by another.

Arisu too felt like she was going to shriek again.

A baseless terror.

A fear which targeted the instincts slashed at Arisu’s body like blades.

“No—”

Just as she was about to let out another scream.

“!”

A silver light shined upon Arisu.

It was the morpho butterfly.

Brilliant silver scales descended on Arisu.

As if blown away by the silver scales, the green fog around her dissipated.

“Ah…”

Seeing the morpho butterfly circling around her, Arisu came to her senses.

Although slow, the rail car was progressing forwards nonetheless. But, all the props placed in the darkness were covered by the green fog and could not be seen. The passengers at the rear seats were all knocked out without exception.

“Himeko-chan—”

About to call out to her, Arisu gasped.

A large green millipede was coiled around Himeko’s petite body. Arisu instantly tried to pull it away, but her hands only went through it.

“T-this is… a Mushi?”

Mushi are categorised into various types. Mushi that fused with their owner like Arisu and Daisuke are Fusion Types, while Mushi with a corporeal body are known as Minion Types, and those without a physical body are known as Special Types. Arisu had previously met a Mushitsuki with the same type of Mushi called Yomori Neiko.

“Himeko-chan… you are a Mushitsuki?”

“Please…”

In a position where she clung onto the safety bar, Himeko moved her quivering lips. Her eyes that were staring down at her laps were losing consciousness but still opened widely.

“Don’t tell Kou-chan… If he knows that I am a Mushitsuki… Kou-chan would hate me… If that happens, I will…”

Her eyes slowly closed.

“I…!”

The millipede wrapped around her body screeched. It flew off towards the front like a bullet, spewing green fog along with it.

Unable to comprehend the situation, Arisu only watch as the millipede disappear into the distance blankly.

“…”

And then, the figure of a person appeared in the fog.

That’s, impossible—.

Arisu could only stare speechlessly at the person who appeared in bewilderment.

“I never wanted this power!”

Himeko’s shout drummed heavily in Arisu’s ear.

The figure that appeared in the fog fluttered gently.

Lowering itself towards Arisu who sat in the rail car was a girl in a pure white hospital garb—.

“Ma-… ri…?”

The girl which placed both of her hands on Arisu’s cheeks smiled.

Part 4

Standing enshrouded by the fog, the only thing they could see was a track running into the fog.

Taking a deep gulp of breath, Daisuke plunged his head under water. He placed his ear by the track.

“Puhaa… The rail car seems to still be moving. The track is still vibrating.”

He emerged from the water and spoke as he turned around.

There, he saw Kouta shivering with a pale look. The green fog entwining around his legs almost looked like millipedes.

Clicking his tongue, Daisuke unhesitatingly slapped the boy.

“…! That hurts!”

“Are you awake now?”

With those cold words, Daisuke glared at the boy who was holding his cheek. The millipede wrapped around his legs reverted into fog.

“When did you realized.”

Kouta knotted his eyebrows at Daisuke’s question.

“You said that that Himeko girl is a Mushitsuki. When did you realized?”

“…It was just recently. I only saw the Mushi when I was with her, I never would have thought…”

Kouta spoke, not bothering to use honorific language any longer.

“So, knowing that she was a Mushitsuki made you scared? No, you were definitely afraid. The fact that you didn’t chase her just now was also because you couldn’t get over that.”

It seems that Daisuke hit the mark. Kouta struggled for words and glared at Daisuke.

“That has nothing to do with you, right.”

“No, it does. If you had just reported her to the police out of fear, the information would have automatically been passed down to us as orders. In that case, we could have secured her at an earlier stage.”

“Secured…?”

Kouta’s expression changed.

“Who the hell are you…? What are you intending to do with her!”

Daisuke stretched his hand out into the fog. The hard sensation he felt must have been the wall. He was practically blind in this fog.

This is bad, the Mushi is going berserk… Will I make it in time if I chase them now?

As he deliberated over what to do, Daisuke looked into the tunnel.

Arisu is next to Himeko’s side. The morpho butterfly entrusted to her by Hanashiro Mari is powerful, but there are many unknowns to it. It would probably be best to expect that she cannot handle this situation.

Right at this moment, Daisuke’s heartbeat continued to rise. A chill that felt as if the scythe of the grim reaper was held at his throat riddled him.

“A mental manipulation, no, a mental erosion type, is it. Is this emotion ‘fear’? An ability that gives rise to terror in humans… How troublesome.”

Daisuke followed the rail tracks.

“Oi! I’m asking you what are you intending to do to Himeko—”

The hand that Kouta placed on Daisuke’s shoulder was violently swatted off by him.

“Special Type Mushitsuki—especially those with this kind of abilities are extremely dangerous. Not only to other, but also to themselves.”

“Wha-…”

“Shinpu… The bastard that gives rise to Special Type Mushitsuki enjoys instigating people to be possessed by Mushi. Also, most of them are unable to fully control those powers, especially those with abilities which can manipulate the mind. These host are often shown what they fear they the most. If their power continues to get stronger without training, it is only a matter of time before they self-destruct.”

Before Kouta who stared at him in surprise, Daisuke opened his waist pouch. From there, he retrieved a mechanical goggle and equipped it.

“I am going to secure that girl you call Himeko. Don’t get in my way.”

The sight of the grinning Daisuke must have scared him and Kouta bit his lips.

“You… Are you really the same person as just now…”

Daisuke perked up his head.

The movement of the fog was weird. It was being accumulating inside the tunnel as if being absorbed.

“Does it still have some other ability?”

Perking his ears, Daisuke could hear the sound of something running in the water.

A shadowy figure appeared from within the dense fog.

Daisuke’s face twisted slightly.

The one that emerged from the fog was a person completely decked out in black. The coat with belts all over was awfully familiar to Daisuke. Their legs, arms and finally a pair of red spots came into view.

The red spots came from the goggles that covered the majority of his face. It was the exact same model as the one Daisuke wore currently. On one hand of the figure with a devil-like smile was a large handgun.

That person was someone who should not have been around—someone that could never have come face-to-face with Daisuke.

“What’s with you, keeping quiet all of a sudden…”

As if he couldn’t see the person in front, Kouta looked at Daisuke suspiciously.

Daisuke closed his eyes tranquilly.

He had practiced intensively in keeping his mind calm and clear. He maintained a void in his mind that swallowed all anxiety, fear, anger and any other emotions.

“So, this is another effect that comes from amplifying the fear in people’s heart. This would probably have a great effect on normal people. But—”

Daisuke opened his eyes and glared at the person in front with a strong gaze.

“It’s useless. I won’t be affected by this kind of attacks.”

The person in black coat burst and reverted into fog.

The surroundings returned into silence.

Daisuke breathed out and glanced at Kouta who stood there in a stupor.

“Since something tried to attack me, there’s a high chance that they will target you as well. It may be dangerous to just chase them like this… Kakkou!”

A green insect landed on the arm that Daisuke held out. It was a checkered beetle with antennas several times the length of its body.

The checkered beetle transformed. It expanded into countless feelers that fused with Daisuke’s body.

“Wha-…!”

Before the dumbfounded Kouta, Daisuke’s body was covered by a green pattern.

“The exit should be at the other side of the building. We’re going to circle around there first!”

Daisuke raised his fist towards the wall.

However, right then, Kouta seemed to have noticed something and raised his face. What he was looking at was beyond the fog in the tunnel.

Daisuke could not see anything, but he seemed to have. His eyes widened to the size of marbles.

“Himeko…?”

Is it too late—.

Daisuke clenched his teeth.

Part 5

Himeko grasped the bar tightly as she murmured.

“I don’t need this kind of power…”

Mari was right in front of Arisu.

Floating in the air, her face was only a few centimetres away from Arisu’s.

“A power that causes fear in people… a power that shows what a person fear most is…!”

Arisu widened her eyes.

A power that shows what a person fear most—.

She stared back at the smiling Mari.

Does this mean that I fear Mari…?

Staring at the truth that she could not even imagine, Arisu shuddered.

“Mari…”

Mari slowly moved her lips.

—Hey Arisu, listen to me. I am…

With a jump, Arisu’s expression froze.

On that day.

The words that Mari spoke on the last day Arisu saw her alive.

What was it that Mari wanted to say?

What was it that Mari wanted to tell Arisu?

“Kou-chan… Kou-chaan…”

She heard the voice of Himeko cowering.

—I’m afraid to ascertain Kou-chan’s feelings…

Arisu came to a start.

“I…”

I am afraid to ascertain Mari’s feelings… her dream?

She bit her lips.

—I am actually…

The Mari in front of her smiled.

Arisu’s face twisted.

Her hastening heartbeat was not due to Himeko’s ability. It was unquestionably due to the fear of hearing the words that followed from Mari.

For the sake of ascertaining Mari’s feelings—in order to find out why did Mari entrusted the morpho butterfly to her, she had fought her way till now.

Mari was Arisu’s dear friend.

However, what was she to Mari?

Why was it that Mari never told Arisu anything while she was alive?

Was it because she couldn’t reveal the fact that she was a Mushitsuki?

The smile of the imaginary Mari distorted.

—Because Arisu is kind… you will definitely listen to my request, right?

She felt as though her heart stopped.

“…!”

The heart drummed loudly in her chest with dokun, dokun.

What did Mari thought about Arisu?

A dear friend?

Or perhaps, was she going to make use of her for some ulterior motives —.

“Kou-… chan…”

She heard Himeko’s weak voice.

Arisu regained her senses and turned towards Himeko. Her cheeks were flushed, and her head drooped strengthlessly.

She must have overused her power. In exchange for using the power of the Mushi, their host will have their dream and psyche gnawed away.

If this continues, Himeko will have her dream completely consumed and lose her life.

Death—what that word brought up was none other than thoughts of her deceased close friend, Hanashiro Mari.

“Mari…!”

Arisu looked back at the illusionary Mari.

The morpho butterfly gave off a silver light.

Its wings morphed into feelers that combined with Arisu’s body and the safety handle bar. The ends of the bar snapped off from the rail car, transforming into a spear in an instant.

Arisu held the spear and stood up on the seat.

“I’m sorry, Mari… I may have been afraid of finding out the truth all these times.”

The Mari she turned to made a sad expression.

Arisu is the same as Himeko.

She must become stronger than she ever was. At least till she is able to ascertain Mari’s true feelings.

Before she gets stronger, she has no choice other than to believe.

Arisu was connected to Mari through the morpho butterfly. She would definitely find out the answer that connects the past to the future.

“But, I still… want to know. No matter what you were truly thinking, I will accept your wishes without fail…!”

Silver light spilled from the spear.

—Arisu…

Engulfed by the gust of silver scales, the illusory Mari disappeared.

What appeared in return was a large millipede. It was Himeko’s Mushi.

Arisu hesitated.

The power of the spear was most likely effective even against the millipede that lack a corporeal form. Arisu surmised this from how the morpho butterfly had protected her against the millipede all this while.

However, if she were to eliminate the Mushi in front of her, its host, Himeko would—.

Right at that moment.

An explosion occurred at the tracks in front of the rail car.

Although she could not see through the fog, the wall must have been broken down from the side.

“Himeko!”

Two figures appeared from within the fog that was blown away by the explosion.

The one in front was the boy who is Himeko’s boyfriend. With a start, the limp figure of Himeko shook.

The other was a youth covered in a green pattern. He moved onto the track with speedy movement, prepping up his hands.

“Daisuke!”

“We mustn’t let this thing go outside. I’m going to stop it!”

Saying so, he stood before the rail car.

“W-wait a second—”

Ignoring the flustered Arisu, he grabbed the rail car with his hands. Although their speed had already been falling, with Daisuke’s otherworldly arm strength, the sound of metal screeching could be heard.

The rail car eventually came to a stop, along with a burnt smell.

“Kyaah!”

“Uwaah!”

When the rail car came to a complete stop, Arisu who was standing on the seat fell over Daisuke due to the momentum.

“Y-you idiot! Why didn’t you step aside!”

“S-shut up! Couldn’t you have thought of a gentler way to stop the car?”

The sound of water splashing passed by the entangled Daisuke and Arisu.

It was Kouta.

He ran towards the trembling Himeko.

“Himeko…”

But, she did not raise her head. She must have been terrified to find out what Kouta thought now that he knew that she was a Mushitsuki.

“You know what, I—”

“I-It’s impossible!”

Cutting off his words, Himeko shouted.

“I tried to get strong enough such that I would no longer get scared, but… it’s impossible. I can’t do anything without Kou-chan…”

Her quivering voice was tinged with sobs. Tears fell onto her laps without stopping.

“I want to be together with Kou-chan forever… I can’t stand it, for us to be separated…”

Looking at her, Kouta seemed like he wanted to say something. But, he could not make out any words and only kept silent.

Unconsciously, Arisu’s tried to open her mouth. However, she could not think of what to say either and just bit her lips.

The two staring at each other reminded her of the past her and Mari.

If she had known that they could no longer meet each other, what could she have said at that time?

As she did not know that, she could not think of what to say to those two.

“She…”

The low voice echoed in the dark tunnel.

Surprisingly, the one who broke the silence was Daisuke.

“Daisuke?”

Arisu turned to look at Daisuke who was pinned underneath her. Collapsed in the water, he spoke tiresomely.

“Doesn’t she just need a promise.”

Kouta looked at Daisuke in surprise.

“There seems to be some things that can’t be conveyed without words.”

Arisu too stared at him in wonder. She thought for sure that he would just apprehend Himeko who was a Mushitsuki without words. With a glum look, he added, ‘I am going to take her to the SEPB now. Don’t regret not saying whatever you want to say now.’

Kouta deliberated in silence for a while before turning back to face Himeko.

“Himeko… I met you on the way towards here.”

“…!”

“Daisuke mentioned that whatever you see is an illusion of what you fear the most.”

Himeko’s sobs stopped abruptly. Looking at her from the side, it appears that even her breathing had stopped.

“I was so scared… when the you that appeared before me said this.”

Kouta clenched his fist.

“She said, ‘Bye bye’.”

Himeko’s expression changed. She lifted her tear-stained face.

“When I knew that you were a Mushitsuki, truthfully, I was a bit frightened. But… much more than that, I was afraid of being separated from you. I will be going somewhere far away, and you will also be going through some tough moments, but… I’ll try my best to meet you as much as possible.”

Scratching his head bashfully, Kouta spoke.

“That’s why, wait for me. I want to always be with you.”

“…”

Himeko started to cry once again. However, contrary to before, her lips were curved into a smile this time.

“Kou-chan!”

Himeko jumped onto Kouta and hugged him. And he reciprocated with a bitter smile.

—After a few more minutes passed, the tunnel returned to silence.

The two of them must have been exhausted, as they fell into slumber on the seat.

“Just what happened to you, Daisuke. Saying all those things unlike you.”

“That was nothing.”

In response to Arisu’s question with a smile, Daisuke averted his face with a disgruntled look on his face as expected.

Having contacted the SEPB, they would be arriving in a short moment for cleanup measures. Arisu did not really understand, but it would be troublesome if the police arrived before they did.

“Hey, that child’s power shows what someone fear the most, right? What did you see?”

At her question, Daisuke remained reticent for a while. But, a while later, he uttered.

“It was myself.”

“Eh?”

“It seems that Kakkou is hated not only by others, but also abhorred by himself.”

Daisuke laughed in self-mockery.

—Those of us may eventually have our dreams completely consumed and our Mushi mature.

Arisu recalled the words he spoke the other day.

“It seems that you need to get stronger too. More than you are now.”

“Shut up.”

The smiling Arisu was glared at by Daisuke.

“Can I say something too?”

“I’m not telling what I saw.”

“No, that isn’t it…”

“Fine then, what is it?”

“…When do you intend to get off me…?”

In a position with half of his body submerged, Daisuke asked.

“I feel like I’m always getting pinned under you no matter what happens…”

Arisu, who was sitting on top his waist, grinned.

“It feels surprisingly comfortable to sit.”

“Get off already, you’re heavy—”

“A chair shouldn’t be talking, right? Right?”

A large number of footsteps could be heard as bubbles emerged from Daisuke’s head underwater.

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