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The gate to the entrance was not locked.
Takes.h.i.+ felt dejected that his mother was home.
His brother would be at cram school and his father would be working.
The house had been built around 10 years ago, his father worked a lot to buy the place and hardly ever came home.
It was what a person would consider my home.
However, Takes.h.i.+ couldn’t say it was comfortable in there.
Although Takes.h.i.+ would be instantly be denied if he brought back any other girl besides Kurumi inside his house.
Takes.h.i.+ thought it would be better if he didn’t have anyone, but recently his thoughts have changed.
Perhaps if had brought her, his parent’s thoughts might have changed and they would have been able to talk.
Takes.h.i.+ thought that he might have wanted to see that a little.
He ran away from school with his Kendo Gi, when he got to the entrance of his house he motioned to the person behind to come inside.
Mui looked nervous, it was like she had gone to the house of some unrelated influential person.
Just as Mui was about to go up the stairs, the living room door down the hall opened up.
“Ah, he, h.e.l.lo,” Mui greeted in a loud voice behind Takes.h.i.+.
However, his mother’s expression didn’t change.
“Um, excuse me for intruding on you.”
Mui bowed, while his mother who entered the hall murmured “By all means.”
His mother walked by where Takes.h.i.+ and Mui stood, put on her shoes, grabbed the parasol that was hung next to the s...o...b..x, and quickly left the house.
She was going out to shop in the neighborhood because she had an Eco-bag [1] hung over her shoulder.
Takes.h.i.+ hid his dejected expression from Mui, went up the stairs to the hallway and took off his shoes.
“Don’t let it bother you. That person, she’s always been like that.”
“Eh? Really?”
Mui had been watching his mother leave, when she heard Takes.h.i.+ say that, she looked over her shoulder at him.
“Is she your mother?”
“Yeah. That’s my mom.”[2]
Takes.h.i.+ answered curtly to prevent any further inquiries, Mui slowly closed the door behind her.
“You can go to my room first, it’s on the left side of the second floor, I’m going to get us some drinks.”
“……Okay.”
Takes.h.i.+ left Mui at the door in the entrance and entered the kitchen.
―It probably appeared to his mother that her son had come home in his Kendo Gi with an unknown girl……
Takes.h.i.+ took a deep sight with Haa sound.
Takes.h.i.+ was used to his mother’s indifference and that kind of reaction was good for the people she had never met.
Takes.h.i.+ shook his head several times to pull himself together, then opened the refrigerator door.
Part 2Mui went upstairs as told and entered Takes.h.i.+’s room.
His room had an orderly atmosphere and he did not have a lot of possessions.
His bed was by the wall and his desk was by the window. He had a single small bookshelf standing by itself and he didn’t have a single poster or decoration.
Mui had entered his room but just stood there as she did not know where she could sit.
There was only the chair for the desk and she would feel shy if she sat on his bed.
Mui recalled her earlier meeting with Takes.h.i.+’s mother at the entrance.
She had facial features similar to Takes.h.i.+ and perhaps she had felt that cold atmosphere from her because she wasn’t a very sociable person.
―That person, it feels like she had seen her somewhere before……
Mui went across the room to the only window and shut the curtains because it was less likely that they would be discovered by their pursuers.
Almost unconsciously, she sat down on the bed which was carefully arranged.
Then, once again she recalled the face of Takes.h.i.+’s mother and became puzzled.
―Was she a celebrity?
―She understood that she was a magician the moment she saw her.
Mui’s shoulders sagged. Her beautiful black hair that was similar to enamel like her brother’s, fell down in front and concealed her face.
“Mou, I really am completely useless,” she said, her voice unintentionally loud.
Just what could she do, she knew how serious the current situation was.
For example, the fact that she will receive punishment no matter what will not change.
She had to somehow save her benefactor, that’s right, there was no use crying, it might be cruel but she could not bear to not tell him anything.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. All we had was tea and cola in the fridge.”
Unaware of Mui’s distress, Takes.h.i.+ came into the room with a cup on a tray.
“Ah, er. Please don’t trouble yourself with me.”
Looking at the tray that was placed in front of her, Mui looked up at Takes.h.i.+ and laughed with fufu sound.
“What?”
”Because, you brought both tea and cola.”
Three cups had been placed on the tray.
There was cola in two of them and tea in one.
There were two people, so there was one too many.
“My bad. I didn’t know which one would be good,” said Takes.h.i.+ with a sullen expression.
Taking the chair from the desk, Takes.h.i.+ sat down in front of Mui who was on the bed.
“Thank you. Then, I’ll take the tea.”
Takes.h.i.+ watched Mui take the cup and put it to her mouth. He then said:
“That uniform……”
“Eh?”
“Nah, it’s just that, I don’t think I have ever seen that uniform before.”
“…………”
Mui looked down at her uniform.
It was a navy blue short sleeved blouse with three lines on the sleeve and a green plaid ribbon on the chest. Her legs extended from a dark blue pleated skirt and the socks were self-designated.
“I don’t think I am familiar……which school is that from?”
Mui s.h.i.+fted her gaze away [3] and Takes.h.i.+ shook his head.
“No, it’s fine.”
Mui felt that Takes.h.i.+ wanted an explanation but he wouldn’t pursue it any further.
She felt sorry, but she had considered the fact that she didn’t want to get him involved any further.
Mui wanted to leave things as they were, part from Takes.h.i.+ here and return to her own world.
But, even if she wanted to, that was no longer possible.
Mui quietly returned the cup with its contents half drank to the tray.
“Have you seen it yet?” she asked.
“What?” Takes.h.i.+ asked back.
“Have you seen…………like this?”
Mui stood up and pulled out her gun, and immediately shot it.
“Knock it off!”
Takes.h.i.+ fell backwards out of the chair he was sitting in.
One centimeter away a wind traveled by his ear which made his body shudder.
Light vigorously hit the wall, and with a bachibachi sound it scattered.
But when Takes.h.i.+ looked back at the wall, there was not a single scratch on it.
No bullet had entered.
The bright yellow flash that had been fired instead, seemed to have been charged with electricity.
When it scattered in all four directions, the small flash of lightning branched and then disappeared.
“As I thought, you can see it.”
Mui’s voice clearly sounded disappointed.
“I saw it. It had an aura similar to light.”
“It’s a special type of particle.”
Mui tucked the gun in her skirt, and sat down again.
Takes.h.i.+ who sat opposite of her diverted his look.
“I guess I should give you an explanation.”
Takes.h.i.+ was annoyed that she abruptly discharged her gun, but aside from that it looked she had resolved herself about something, when she suddenly looked at him straight in the eyes for the first time, Takes.h.i.+ started to feel uneasy.
He didn’t want to hear anything.
Not about their pursuers, not about her uniform, not about her gun, and not about all the supernatural phenomenon, it was one thing after another.
But, that did not stop Mui from talking.
“It’s a particle that can only be seen by a magician.”
“That’s what you say!” Takes.h.i.+ stood up from his chair and yelled out in order to reject her words.
Still, she never once turned her gaze away and stared straight at Takes.h.i.+.
“Even I found it unreasonable to give you an explanation. But, it’s impossible otherwise.”
Takes.h.i.+ folded his arms and looked away from her.
“I am a magician.”
Mui said that much too readily, almost as if she was saying something simple like “I am a high school girl.”
“The guys who were chasing me are also magicians.”
Takes.h.i.+ did not feel like listening.
Just now she acted foolishly, if that was the case then maybe he should consider that she wanted to return somewhere.
“You know, I really did not want to hear anything at all, you were being chased and I thought you just wanted to bring someone along with you, it’s okay, however, you just wanted to return home right?” Takes.h.i.+ who was turned away, asked her in a tight tone.
“Did I not just say that a little while ago? Weren’t you listening?”
“…………”
“I told you that the aura or smoke you saw before was a special particle that only magicians can see. In other words, you also bear the burden of being a magician.”
Before, Takes.h.i.+ would have been able to reject everything including her words.
“My bad, I really am troubled by this. I want to be able to stay home.”
“Then listen properly!”
“I, am not religious so therefore I don’t know what kind of solicitation to give.”
“I’m not religious?”
“For generations my family has been Buddhists. Well, they are only Buddhist when it comes to funerals. Besides, no matter how you look at it, there doesn’t seem like there is any money here. Well, the house is two stories, but we’re just barely getting by.”
Takes.h.i.+ started unilaterally speaking about unrelated things, Mui standing up, forcefully grabbed Takes.h.i.+’s shoulder and tried turn him around to face her.
“Listen to me seriously. I am trying to make you aware of the fact that you can use magic!”
Takes.h.i.+ looked over his shoulder which was forcefully grabbed closer.
“…………Is something the matter?”
“When you threw that sword towards the window at school the color of your pupil became purple.”
Mui’s face was earnestly coming closer.
“Ba……bakabakas.h.i.+. If you are seriously saying that, then you are quite messed up in the head.”
In an attempt to escape from Mui, Takes.h.i.+ shook off her hand and separated from her like there was a disease.
Mui bit her lips tightly and glared at Takes.h.i.+.
“Wh, what?”
Takes.h.i.+ tried not to be overpowered by her gaze and glared back at her, once again she approached him with her hand on her chest.
“If I do this, then whether or not you like it, you might start to understand what you can do.”
In that moment, Takes.h.i.+’s body was gently lifted off the floor a few centimeters.
“Uwa!!”
A few seconds later his feet which had been separated from the floor were returned.
“No…… No……No way…………!”
“You can also do this.”
Mui let go of him, there was not a hint of an expression that said she was lying.
Instead, she awkwardly hung her head in shame and then suddenly kneeled down in front of Takes.h.i.+.
“I’m sorry.”
Her head had touched the floor.
Surprised by her sudden action, all Takes.h.i.+ could do was look down.
Once again, Mui bowed down into a position like a cat.
“I really am sorry!”
After Mui said that, she slowly looked up and saw that Takes.h.i.+ was bewildered.
With tears in her eyes, she said, “I changed you into a magician.”
There was too much remorse in her voice for her to have been joking.
Mui’s voice and facial expression, along with the fact that both her fists were trembling told him everything.
Somehow, Takes.h.i.+ couldn’t bring himself to throw her out of his house, his original intention was shaken by her earnestness.
“I didn’t think something like this would happen. Truly. It was not my intention to cause trouble for everyone. But……I just wanted to bring back Nii-san.”
Tears had acc.u.mulated around her eyes and large drops began to fall onto the carpet.
It became painful for Takes.h.i.+ to watch her, with a big sigh, he sat down in front of her.
There wasn’t a single guy who could throw her out after listening to her, watching her bow her head in apology, and then crying.
With a reluctant tone Takes.h.i.+ said, “Maa, I don’t quite understand what’s going on, yet I will still listen to you.”
From Mui’s eyes tear drops continued to fall.
She squeezed her eyes shut with all her strength in order to resist crying aloud. It was so pitiable that Takes.h.i.+ faced away and said, “If you are crying when you ask I can’t hear you properly.”
“I’m not.”
There was a reply, but it had become nasally.
No, she was still crying.
Her retort was as expected and Takes.h.i.+ could only nod his head.
Part 3“Magicians aren’t born naturally.”
When she had finally settled down, she sat on the bed and said that.
“From the start, all humans possess a very miniscule amount of magic power. But as they grow into adults it becomes weakened. It’s approximately around the age of 25 when the pores which release magic power are closed and they can no longer become a magician. When a child comes into contact with magic power, the cells are stimulated and the pores open up in the body and they can create magic. In other words they become a magician.”
“You don’t possibly mean…………”
Takes.h.i.+ suddenly understood something that had occurred to him.
It was at the school infirmary when Mui fired her gun.
“Right. When I shot at you with my gun your body was stimulated. In other words, I believe you became a magician at that time.”
Astonished, Takes.h.i.+ just stared at her.
“As you saw shortly afterwards, among the people who had come was my brother.”
“That person was Tsuganas.h.i.+?”
The tall, scary man with black hair, Takes.h.i.+ was murmuring.
“Un. That was my nii-san. But, he’s different now.”
Mui said in a sorrowful tone.
“His memory has been changed by
“Ghost……?” “
When Takes.h.i.+ heard Mui’s quiet voice, feelings of curiosity helped him calm down. Sitting in front her shoulders were small and slender, with her head hanging down, Takes.h.i.+ outstretched one hand a little bit. Takes.h.i.+ was still hesitant to believe Mui. It didn’t matter what kind of person Mui was, after coming this far, he had to listen to the end, that much had not changed. “They are trying to undermine the ideal of a magician.” Mui had regained her composure. That did not mean that her feelings of guilt towards Takes.h.i.+ had vanished, after this Mui would have to face the reality of this issue. “When you first saw magic, were you afraid? Or were you not afraid?” Mui asked, Takes.h.i.+ did not interrupt. Then, Mui gave a small nod, as if it was natural. “It’s generally the same reaction when a person sees magic. Scared, startled, because they don’t understand it, they reject it. Then, it would immediately change to anger and disdain. Since ancient times humans have always been afraid of Magicians, so it was decided that we would hide our presence. However, there are people who do not think this way. They are in
If one were to speak of the existence of Magicians, then Takes.h.i.+ would not have believed it. However, he had decided to not interrupt her story anymore. For now, he would let Mui tell him everything and afterwards he would think about it. “The Magicians desire a peaceful coexistence with humans. I am the same. In order to facilitate this kind of relations.h.i.+p, Subaru Magic Academy, where I study, forbids the use of magic in front of the human public. “……Magic, Academy?” “Yeah. It’s a school for Magicians. This is their school uniform.” Takes.h.i.+ remembered the magic school in a certain fantasy movie he had seen.[5] No matter what, it was impossible for him to just accept it as reality. “The academy is managed by an organization called
“This world?” “Right. This world. Subaru Magic Academy is located in the Collapsing World where there is another Tokyo.” “…………” Honestly, there was a limit. Several times he saw Mui use magic, but to declare that there was a Magic Academy and another world, it’s not like he was agreeing with a child. “Somehow……your story is beyond absurd……” Noticing that Takes.h.i.+ was dumbfounded, Mui had a wry smile. “Yeah. It’s probably difficult to suddenly accept everything at once. But, I wanted to share it with you because you are a Magician. I couldn’t just go and leave you behind without saying anything.” “You must be joking. I have nothing to do with this.” “That was before. But it’s different for you now.” Mui stood up slowly. “
“What do you mean?” “They should have realized that you became a Magician as well.” Takes.h.i.+ looked up at Mui who was standing in front of him, the two of them stared at each other. Takes.h.i.+ saw himself reflected in Mui’s pupil, he couldn’t say that his face didn’t look exhausted. With a small sigh Mui said, “When
“Wa, wait a minute. Then why would those guys chase me?” Mui stopped Takes.h.i.+ and continued her story. She told him about the present situation between her and her brother. He couldn’t believe what she said. She couldn’t understand what their reasons were, or why they would aim for her…… Nevertheless, Mui readily bowed her head. “Yeah. Once you are caught they erase key memories and then replace them with others.” It’s like gasping for breath after an impact. Why did she grab his shoulder and cry, Takes.h.i.+ wanted to give Mui a final warning, but he couldn’t do it. "No matter how unpleasant it is for you, I want you to come with me. I have no choice but to protect you.” “Protect me huh. [6] “When you get captured by
With a deep bow Mui pleaded. “…………Please.”[7] Mui remained bowing, Takes.h.i.+ could not tell her to get out. Why had it become like this? While he still didn’t believe everything Mui said, it was true that she was currently being chased by those guys. Among the things Mui had told him was that those guys were also chasing him, because of his encounter with them earlier, he could safely say that this was a realistic fact. With a look of half resignation on his face, a sigh was mingled within his words. “So based on what you have said, what is my best course of action?” With a look of triumph on her face, Mui slowly surveyed the room. “Do you have a large mirror? Something like a full length mirror.” “Mirror? There’s a big one in the bathroom.” Takes.h.i.+ had a puzzled look on his face, he wondered why Mui would ask such a thing. “Before that, you had better change your clothes, your appearance looks conspicuous.” Takes.h.i.+ still wore his Kendo Gi. Takes.h.i.+ wanted to say he knew that without her suggestion but for now he changed his clothes. During the time he changed, Mui waited outside in the hallway. Takes.h.i.+ changed his clothes to a T-s.h.i.+rt and a pair of cotton pants and walked out of his room to where Mui was. “Well, let’s go. To the place where only Magicians can go.” Downstairs was quiet because his mother had gone out. Takes.h.i.+ informed Mui of the location of the bathroom, she had taken their pairs of shoes from the front door and then stood in front of the mirror that was in between the was.h.i.+ng machine and the bathtub. Takes.h.i.+ stood beside her. Mui and Takes.h.i.+ were reflected in the mirror, as usual it looked like just a pair of high school students. If they had been in the same cla.s.s, Takes.h.i.+ probably would not have talked to Mui even after a year, he was usually never seen with any girls nor did he ever talk with them. However, whether it was the large eyes with black pupils, small raised nose, the slightly reddish tint of her round cheeks, and her tiny and tight mouth, she was quite lovely and left a nice impression. She was the type that young men secretly dream about. Takes.h.i.+ became aware of this after seeing Mui in the mirror. Under her slightly long bangs, dignified black pupils stared straight at the mirror. Mui’s hand was on her waist, she pulled out her gun. Takes.h.i.+ stepped back involuntarily. “……No way, that gun……” It was unexpected, immediately following she rose up. Mui turned the muzzle around and shot at the mirror without hesitation. From the gun, a distinctly yellow shape erupted like a destroyed battle position, a yellow particle collided with the mirror at lightning speed. The particle rebounded, then scattered and dyed Takes.h.i.+’s view in yellow. “It’s connected.” No sooner had she said that, she stood on top of the sink and without looking at the mirror took a deep breath and jumped in. “Eh!?” When Mui jumped in and disappeared she caused ripples on the surface of the mirror, similar to what the surface of water would have. Takes.h.i.+ cried out in wonder and involuntarily staggered backwards. “Wai, how can she enter? It’s got to be a lie!” He timidly stretched out his hand and touched the surface of the mirror a little bit, once again silver ripples appeared in a vortex like drops of water had hit it. “Hyaku![8] If you don’t pa.s.s through it will close on your body halfway.” Mui’s voice came through from the other side. “Bo, body halfway……” Takes.h.i.+ released a gokuri sound with his throat. His heart beat was fast and audible. ―To tell him to jump…… ―Still, he could not completely take in the situation, and being told to go…… Takes.h.i.+ was puzzled, that being the case, all he could do was raise himself up onto the sink. It was unexpected, Magic and an Academy……in another world…… A person’s common sense would label it as absurd. Mui’s voice was calling out on the other side telling him, “Hurry.” Takes.h.i.+ put his foot onto the sink, he tightly closed his eyes. He did not what to believe anymore, he still didn’t understand a single thing. His eyes certainly saw something resembling supernatural phenomenon, that was magic, [9] the science that he always believed in had no explanation. The exception would have been what Mui said. However, Takes.h.i.+ did not distrust Mui, concerning her brother she had on such a sad expression when she talked about him, she was not acting and the gloomy expression on her face was not a lie. It was hard to believe in magic and another world, but her frank desire to regain her brother reached Takes.h.i.+. Takes.h.i.+ imagined that he would b.u.mp his head on the mirror and while his knee was still in the sink he would get thrown to the floor. It would be real painful, he might crack his head. Still, he had to go, with his jaw tightly clenched Takes.h.i.+ jumped into the mirror. Two hours ago, before Takes.h.i.+ had pa.s.sed through the mirror. The Kendo Club, Judo Club, and Karate Club conducted club activities during summer holiday in the underground gymnasium’s dojo of Sakuraya Senior High School. Recently as a countermeasure to heat stroke, it had been decided that it was necessary for practice to be held in the morning. At the end of the dojo that had been divided into three areas, the Kendo Club was about start practice. “Oi, what is Nanase doing?” A haughty, second year student who had become the club president half a year ago questioned the first year who had just barely made it on time. “I just came from the club room.” The first year student who was also Takes.h.i.+’s friend, replied to the club president who had scowled. “He’s late.” The bamboo sword he held in his hand made a bis.h.i.+tsu sound when he slapped it into the palm of his other hand. To correct the club member who had slacked off on his training, the president led their practice with a fiendish expression. To somehow avoid his wrath, all the club members started to move quickly. Meanwhile, Kurumi who stood alone by the wall was puzzled. “That Takes.h.i.+, I wonder what you’re doing.” Kurumi was the Kendo Club Manager, she had walked to school with Takes.h.i.+ this morning so there should have been enough time for him to make it to practice. Be that as it may, Kurumi would usually wear a jersey, but today she was wearing her uniform. After she verified the time on the clock which was hung on the dojo wall, Kurumi calmly decided to leave behind the situation. If Takes.h.i.+ was delayed in changing his clothes, then she would have to go towards the locker room in the clubroom and tell him to hurry up. However, when she had left the gymnasium and had walked through the school’s grove of trees, she was unexpectedly greeted by someone from behind. “A, ano! Isos.h.i.+ma Kurumi-san!” When she looked back over her shoulder, she saw a handsome male student with a good physique wearing a Judo Gi. “That’s right, who might you be?” “Ah, I, I am……that is……” The boy with a spa.r.s.ely grown beard started to squirm and was red in the face. “It’s the middle of club activities, if you’re not in a hurry, can we leave this for later?” Kurumi’s cold att.i.tude gave the feeling of ‘you should go away.’ “Ma, matte!” “Kyaa!” Kurumi flung off the hand that had grabbed her shoulder. “Sawara naideyo!”[10] Being glared at like that any male student would flinch twice. “Gomenasai!”[11] Hiding both his hands behind his back, the boy drooped his head down, Kurumi let out a sigh. “Haa, what is it?” “I, I, always thought before that Isos.h.i.+ma-san was a bea, bea, beautiful person.” “I see.” “Ah, I, I am Endou from Cla.s.s 7. You probably don’t know me, I just joined the Judo Club.” “So what?” Kurumi had to look up at the male student, she only came up to where his nose extended from. “Li, li, I like you!! Please go out with me!” Before the boy who was red in the face and looked like he might suffocate from nervousness, Kurumi never changed her expression, on the contrary she bluntly declared: “I am going out with Nanase Takes.h.i.+ in Cla.s.s 2.” However, the male student raised his face and denied it outright. “I know that! But I also heard that you are pretending to go out with him.”[12]) Kurumi’s mouth slightly twitched. “Who said that?” “Eh, well that is…………” “Takes.h.i.+ and I are properly going out.” “Is that so? But.” Little by little resentment started to surface on Kurumi’s face, but he failed to notice it. “Besides, even if I wasn’t going out with him, I wouldn’t go out with you.” “Why not? I am taller than him and I think I have a better body build.” Kurumi stomped her black loafers on the ground and sc.r.a.ped the surface with them. “It looks like you don’t understand. I have no motivation to be part of ‘Beauty and the Beast’.” [13]) The male student blinked his eyes. “Eh? That……” After Kurumi finished saying that she turned her back on him. Her derision was plain to see. “I’m saying I won’t go out with just anyone. Well, I have to hurry.” Leaving the dumbfounded Judo Club member behind, Kurumi quickly headed towards the clubroom building. This was an everyday occurrence for her. I like you, I love you, I want to go out with you, I’ve fallen for you and want to go steady. She could say there wasn’t a great difference from before when guys approached her. “Disgusting, really. All men besides Takes.h.i.+ ought to go extinct.” [14]) Irritated, Kurumi moved in a half jog, when she got to where she could see the club building she happened to see the school gate beyond and tilted her head in doubt. “Takes.h.i.+? What situation……” Even though they were quickly leaving through the gate, she had this feeling that it was Takes.h.i.+. Moreover, he was holding the hand of a girl. After Kurumi quickly glanced at the Kendo Club building, she changed her direction towards the school gate. The senior high school Takes.h.i.+ and Kurumi attended was around 20 minutes walking time from the neighborhood they lived in. Takes.h.i.+ was fortunate no other girl saw him leave the school, Kurumi hurriedly chased after them but for some reason the two of them were desperately running away and she could not catch up to them. Yet it was still morning, Kurumi felt like she was going for a midsummer run, by the time she would get to her house somebody would be waking up. “……I, I don’t beli……eve this……” Haa, haa, she was breathing quite heavy and needed to take rest, she put her hands on the fence surrounding her house, suddenly she felt crowded. “In the end, Takes.h.i.+ returned home, just what is he doing?” Nevertheless, she wanted to press a question on Takes.h.i.+, somehow she stood up and stumbled her way over to the gate in the middle of the fence. Kurumi’s house was called Isos.h.i.+ma Residence in the neighborhood and was a mansion. Someone came out of the residence, she was an oba [15] named Kayo and she had been their maid for many years. “Ara, ojou-san. What a quick return home.” You could see that she was holding a dust pan and broom in her hand, afterwards she went around the area and started cleaning. However, Kurumi adjusted her breathing there and just pa.s.sed by. “Gomenasai, Kayo-san. I am in a hurry.” As she approached Takes.h.i.+’s house she straightened her back. She did not want to let Takes.h.i.+’s family see her staggered and out of breath. “At any rate, that girl……I wonder who she was……” The girl who was together with Takes.h.i.+ bothered her. Kurumi had only seen her profile for a moment, but it was a girl she did not know. “Ahh, mou” Her thoughts were all messed up, she just couldn’t agree with it.[16] As usual, she just needed to hear Takes.h.i.+ out. Kurumi rang the entranceway’s intercom. A loud sound was heard twice. Kurumi waited for a little while but there was no answer, she pressed the intercom again. She waited, but there was still no sign of anyone coming out. Unpleasant thoughts rose to the surface of Kurumi’s mind. All of his family was out, but she was certain Takes.h.i.+ ran here with the girl. ―It was possible that he was in a situation where he could not come out. She rang the intercom several more times. But, there was still no answer. “Just what are you doing Takes.h.i.+?” Kurumi went to the front porch without permission and knocked on the door. Kurumi had a relations.h.i.+p with Takes.h.i.+’s family since primary school. Although she hesitated a little, she grasped the doork.n.o.b and easily opened the door. “It’s opened……” Kurumi quietly looked inside, she checked for Takes.h.i.+’s shoes by the entrance, they weren’t there. The girl’s shoes were also not there. “I wonder if he did not go home.” Even so, it would be impossible for him to leave without locking the door, she loudly shouted towards the second floor. “Takes.h.i.+, I am coming in!” She had the belief that even if n.o.body was home, they would not get upset at her for entering without permission. She politely took of her shoes and arranged them, then she went up to the second floor. She was familiar with Takes.h.i.+’s room, she went to it but it was empty. “n.o.body……is here?” But, she knew someone had come. There was a tray placed on the carpet with cups on it. “Takes.h.i.+, where are you?” The curtains had been closed, she quickly pulled them open. From there she could see the garden of her house. However, Kurumi saw something else she had not expected. There were two men floating in the sky and looking at the window. “Kyaa!” The window suddenly shattered in front of Kurumi, she involuntarily screamed as the gla.s.s fell down. She put her arms up in front of her to protect her face. Kurumi was prepared for the broken gla.s.s to hit her, instead her arm were hit by lumps of something else and felt no pain. Together with the summer heat, the men came in through the window. A man with a good physique and evil looking eyes grabbed Kurumi’s arm and made her stand up from her crouched position. Kurumi slightly opened her eyes and saw that the man’s muscles stood out from his big arms and thick waist. She saw a sword hung from his leather belt. “I’m sorry, did I injure you?” Inquired another man who came in through the window after and peered at her face. He wore a green s.h.i.+rt with a creepy amoeba on it. “Ohh, it’s a bibin-san,”[17] the guy said in admiration. Kurumi looked at the man who had grabbed her again. From the front she timidly looked up at him. The man did not look at Kurumi. His gaze was presumptuously scrutinizing the room. “Hanas.h.i.+te!!” [18] Kurumi tried to shake off the man’s arm and he easily let go, now he looked down at her with a terrifying expression on his face. “Were……you guys……flo, floating…………” She saw it with her own eyes and she could not believe it. Kurumi could brag that she was a realist since her childhood. She didn’t watch anime or fantasy movies. She was not manipulated by the opportunistic adults. However, she had never felt the fear she did now. Two people who were human, floated through the window from outside. The gla.s.s from the window that had shattered was scattered throughout the room. She did not know what the cause was. Kurumi took several steps away and placed some distance between her and the two people. The men searched around the room, they opened the desk draw and examined the closet. However, they did not find what they were looking and once more their attention returned to Kurumi. The man lowered his waist for the sword and came closer. “St, stop……don’t come any closer!” Kurumi fled to the corner of the room, almost immediately her arm was caught again. “Itai!”[19] Kurumi screamed when the grip was tightened. “Where are those two people?” “Two people?” When she heard that Kurumi asked in return but was interrupted by another voice. “Oigami, Us.h.i.+waka, that’s enough. Let’s go.” When she looked, another man had floated in through the window. It was a man with black hair, he looked a little older than the other two. Kurumi’s arm was released, the two men turned around and were about to exit through the window. At that time, Kurumi was in low spirits, she reached for the hem of the pants of the man who had grabbed her arm and pulled on them. “Wait just a minute!” Anger had overcome her fear. Kurumi slapped the man on the cheek with all her might when he looked over his shoulder. “……This woman.” The man ferociously bared his teeth, he raised his arm. Kurumi stared back at him defiantly. This Isos.h.i.+ma Kurumi was different. She wasn’t like the old Kurumi. She was hurt and she wasn’t going to accept it meekly, she believed that she was not a weak person. She recalled the many times before when she was unilaterally attacked and then ran home and how she thought that it was fine, she strongly disliked that kind of person. Even if she hit him with all her strength and then was retaliated against she would have no regrets. The mouth of the man formed into a thin smile when he raised his fist above his head. “Heh, what a strong-willed beauty, but this is reality.” He swung down his arm. “It’s not like I hate you or anything.” He pretended to turn his back on Kurumi and immediately walk away, however the man quickly turned around and Kurumi received a strike on the nape of her neck. “……Ah…………” Her vision blurred and she collapsed onto the floor. Kurumi felt the short fur of the carpet brush against her cheek as she simultaneously lost consciousness.
