Denpa Teki na Kanojo - Volume 1 - Chapter 6

 The Confession

When the chime that signaled the end of the last lesson rang, a sigh of relief erupted all at once from various parts of the classroom.

Everyone shared the same sense of liberation. After all, it was the final lesson of the first semester, so all that remained was tomorrow’s closing ceremony. Then, summer vacation would begin in earnest.

Merely thinking about what they were supposed to do with more than a month of vacation was fun in its own way.

Precisely because the holidays were so measly, he felt grateful and happy. Surely, if the holidays were more frequent, he wouldn’t feel as such. But then again, maybe he’d start feeling grateful for the lessons during vacation...

While pondering about such things, Jyuu stuffed his textbooks and stationery into his bag, before slumping on his desk.

Various topics swirled in the classroom. He could hear some complaints about the report card that’d be distributed tomorrow, but Jyuu didn’t really care. After he started middle school, his parent no longer cared about his school performance.

‘You’re as stupid as everyone else.’

Such was his mother’s line after seeing his report card. In terms of parents’ leniency, there was a fine line between comfort and loneliness.

While stifling his yawn, Jyuu wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes. Nakamizo—the homeroom teacher—appeared as he did so. He began to inform them about the closing ceremony that’d be held tomorrow.

As he listened, Jyuu looked back on the events of the past few days.

What a very exciting development it was. But afterwards, normal life ensued, and he soon became dizzy from the busy schedule.

The final exam started the day after their confrontation with the killer. During that time, he’d be busy every day. Studying for an exam while wearing a cast on his arm was quite taxing.

He was both thrilled and anxious about his grades. Then, there were more classes—and before he knew it, the closing ceremony was approaching. Thanks to Ame, his score was the highest since he entered school. Although, if he were to look at it as a whole, it was still below average. 

Nevertheless, Nakamizo—the homeroom teacher—was quite impressed. Earnestly, he said to Jyuu, “Keep up the good work.” Apparently, he believed that Jyuu had turned a new leaf.

While the reality was somewhat complicated, it didn’t matter, so Jyuu nodded in assent.

As for Ame, she seemed to have aced all the subjects. Despite what she went through, it did nothing to rattle her concentration.

The summer vacation would begin the day after tomorrow, so Jyuu decided to organize his desk for the first time in a while.

In a week, he’d be able to remove the cast on his left arm.

The doctor was amazed at how quickly Jyuu recovered, but that wasn’t surprising to Jyuu. From long ago, even when his mother had abused him severely, he’d recover with a night’s sleep.

While she may be like that, Jyuu wanted to thank her for giving birth to such a resilient body.

He wondered if he should just leave the book containing all the clippings he’d gathered, but decided to take it home. 

If Fujishima Kanako was still alive, she’d surely scold him.

Speaking of which, some sports newspapers were also stacked up on his desk. As he avoided Nakamizo’s gaze, Jyuu sneaked a glance at it. The oldest dated back to the day after the culprit of Random Street Murders Case was arrested.

The article on the arrest of the killer itself wasn’t that big of a deal. It also covered a two-run homerun, while the article highlighting the serial killer itself was smaller than the article for a popular comedian. According to the article, the killer was turned in by a commoner. Not wanting to divulge their identities, Jyuu and Ame neither came forward nor left anything that could be traced back to them.

The night they caught the murderer, they left before the police could arrive at the scene. Jyuu didn’t mind explaining to the police, but Ame advised him against that. To put it bluntly, even if they didn’t do anything shady, the police would still suspect them regardless.

If anything, the police might even suspect Jyuu of being an accomplice.

Certainly, up until that point, Jyuu had been prowling the streets at night in search of his classmate’s killer. His classmate—who was neither his friend nor lover. Then, purely by chance, he stumbled across the killer and knocked him out. Even if Jyuu managed to prove his innocence, he’d probably be subjected to 250 interrogations before being let go. 

That didn’t sound very fun.

Thus, Ame insisted that they left him to a bona fide third party. Jyuu, who didn’t care about receiving a letter of appreciation from the police, agreed. To prevent the criminal from escaping when he woke up, the two tightly secured his hands and feet, before calling the police. Other than saying that they’d apprehended the culprit at the park, they didn’t give any other details and hung up.

Since there was a mangled corpse of an office worker nearby, along with the fact that the culprit was covered in his blood, the police could probably figure out the rest.

Afterwards, the two fled the scene and went to Ame’s house to apologize for staying up until so late at night to study.

The moment they arrived at her house, her parents greeted him, and Jyuu subsequently apologized. When Jyuu bowed his head, Ame followed suit and apologized. After telling them that Jyuu drove her home, her parents were reassured, and they had a long talk. ...Although, when the two were seen bowing their heads togethers, Hikaru resentfully glared at them. Nevertheless, her parents took it as being sincere. Without paying Hikaru any heed, Ame’s mother smiled and asked him to please get along with her daughter.

Despite what his appearance suggested, Ame’s father was somewhat flexible. 

Regardless, hearing his low, somber voice still intimidated Jyuu, causing him to earnestly bow his head several times.

Involuntarily, Jyuu compared him to his own father. Jyuu’s father wasn’t only strict, but also hated losing—even to his own son. It went to the point that he felt slighted if he didn’t know the content of Jyuu’s conversation with others. He was kind at times, but it seemed to stem from a sense of obligation. Jyuu never saw him smile, either. 

Contrary to the fact that he was competent as a businessman, Jyuu’s father was severely lacking as a parent. Eventually, his father began to turn a blind eye to his flaws, forgetting Jyuu’s existence entirely.

Even when they still lived together, it felt more like a roommate rather than a parent and child relationship.

His father seemed to have an avoidant attachment issue. In which even if Jyuu were to reach out to him, his father would draw a line in an instance. Jyuu could confidently say that he wasn’t good at dealing with his mother, Benika. However, he didn’t know what he was supposed to feel towards his father.

Compared to that, Ochibana Ame grew up blessed.

Upon being reminded of how he felt at that time, Jyuu quickly dismissed the thought.

The article in the sports newspapers also went into details about the serial killer.

His name was Kakura Kiyoshi. A 29-years-old salary worker who was employed at a certain major trading company.

Of course, he was no secret government agent.

In the next day’s newspaper, the news coverage was even smaller, but there was a follow-up report. 

Before attending university, Kakura Kiyoshi hailed from the countryside. He was known as a good-looking, reputable youth in his neighborhood. He was also popular at the company he worked for—especially with the female employees. When he was still a student, he joined the boxing club. He was said to be a healthy youth who went to gym twice a week to get in shape. 

However, despite his attractiveness, he had a small circle of friends. But that didn’t mean he was dedicated to his job, either. He’d always go home precisely on time.

Out of a sense of duty, Jyuu bought a sports newspaper to keep himself updated on the case. After the arrest, there was almost no follow-up news on the TV. Only once did the case get featured, and it was on Wide Show, after that, there was no more. Thus, the only way to get information was from the sports newspaper.

The news of the arrest seemed to surprise everyone in Kiyoshi’s neighborhood, but Jyuu didn’t care because it was a common pattern. Even Jyuu, who’d direct contact with him, doubted if he was actually culprit, even if for a moment. Therefore, no wonder those around him didn’t suspect a thing.

The investigation proceeded swiftly at first, but further progress was slow. Kakura Kiyoshi admitted to the charges and confessed that he was behind all of the Random Street Murders—but that was when a new problem arose.

His motive was unknown.

To be precise, it was too vague. Apparently, the man told the exact same story to the police, and none of them would believe him.

He told them that he was a secret agent for the government, and that he killed all those people for the sake of his mission.

“—What mission?”

“Earth defense.”

“What are you defending against?”

“Creatures from another dimension are planning to invade the Earth. They wore human skin and pretended to be human, but I could see through them because of my special training. Therefore, only I can fulfill this task.”

Such was the gist of Kiyoshi’s interrogation. Rather than maintaining his innocence, he probably saw it as preaching the truth to the masses.

Not only that, he also claimed that his job as a salaryman was an attempt to deceive an evil organization in a certain country. He claimed to be a secret government agent, and that if in doubt, they could consult with the prime minister.

Thus, the police determined that Kakura Kiyoshi—who proudly proclaimed so—needed a mental evaluation from experts in case he was acting.

“There's a cold virus going around, so take care of yourself. That’s all. Stand up.”

In response to Nakamizo, the students all stood up, Jyuu included. While thinking that standing up was an act of discipline, Jyuu bowed to Nakamizo. Afterwards, the classroom began to get noisy as the students went home.

Jyuu sat down and looked through the last sports newspaper he bought.

The suspected serial killer committed suicide in prison—such was what the little headline entailed. On the night of the day after a brief discussion with a psychiatrist, Kakura Kiyoshi bit off his tongue and died. His cause of death was profuse bleeding and suffocation due to his severed tongue lodging in his throat.

Since the suspect committed suicide before the trial, the case remained unsolved.

Jyuu didn’t know—or wanted to know—why Kakura Kiyoshi took his own life. Either he awakened to the truth, or he just thought that he’d been caught by the evil organization. He could also be tormented by what was left of his conscience.

But of course, there was no way to know for sure. 

Jyuu didn’t even know who called him that night.

In the end, the case only left him with more questions.

Jyuu dumped all the sports newspapers into the trash bin in the corner of the classroom.

It’d be more useful to move on from the incident and plan his activities for summer vacation.

When Jyuu was trying to lug around his bag—which was several times heavier than usual—Miya, who was also about to go home, came to his side.

“Wow, that bag looks heavy.”

“Because I stuck to my routine.”

“...I don’t get it. By the way, Jyuu-kun, after school tomorrow, do you have time?”

“After the closing ceremony?”

“That’s right.”

“I don’t have any particular plans, but why?”

“I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“Then just say it here.”

“Eh, in this place...?”

‘Please, please...’ Miya clasped her hands and pleaded, making him guilty. Well, it wasn’t like he didn’t want to go with Miya...

On the first day of the final exams, he didn’t have time to go to the doctor, so he put a splint on his left arm and bandaged it on his own.

Miya asked in concern, “Are you alright?”

Jyuu laughed. “I’m right-handed.”

Perhaps, Miya didn’t pursue the matter out of consideration.

Apparently, despite her immense curiosity, she could hold back, too.

Still, why’d she ask for him?

She told him to come to the audio-visual classroom at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. Looking at how Miya left with a smile, Jyuu entertained a certain thought, but soon dismissed it.

“Well, let’s see.”

The case was settled, the exam was over, and most of the hassle was done. 

Now, it was time for him to act befitting like a student.

—Well, before anything else, he should probably see a dentist...

Jyuu left the classroom, probing his broken molar with his tongue.

When he arrived at the shoe cupboard, Ame was already waiting for him.

At the familiar sight, Jyuu couldn’t help but smile wryly. Then, he looked up towards the dim sky. Even when July was about to end, the rainy season went on.

—Will tomorrow’s closing ceremony be sunny?

***

After almost falling asleep while listening to the principal’s speech in the gymnasium and receiving his report card from Nakamizo, Jyuu had completed most of his tasks for the first semester. 

While the students in the classroom were excited about the summer vacation, Jyuu merely let out a yawn. Despite knowing that most of his students didn’t pay attention, Nakamizo still briefed them about the preparations for summer vacation.

When was the last time he looked forward to summer vacation?

Back when, how did he usually spend it?

Usually, when summer vacation arrives, he’d sleep as much as he wanted, go to places he liked, and then...

Realizing how lackluster it was, Jyuu groaned and folded his arms.

Looking outside, the sky was as gloomy as yesterday, and it looked as if it was about to rain.

Rain, huh...?

What’d Ochibana Ame do during summer vacation?

Would she still follow him around, or was she going to prioritize her own activities? Jyuu didn’t know whether to deem Ame as a blessing or a nuisance. Like she previously mentioned, there were many things in the world that made people afraid to draw conclusions—

—especially when it comes to human relationships. 

Just because it failed, it didn’t mean that they had to start all over again.

—It just meant that they had to carry on with their failures.

Perhaps, that was why he was hesitant and cowardly.

“Stand up.”

At the end of the final lesson of the first semester, the students stood up following Nakamizo’s command.

As he stood up, Jyuu thought to himself. Before he knew it, he’d grown accustomed to it. Originally, these commands were done by the class representative. However, Fujishima Kanako’s successor would probably be decided during the second semester. Most likely, around that time, the seats would be rotated, and Fujishima Kanako’s seat would disappear.

A person could only contemplate death while he was still alive.

While thinking about such an obvious thing, Jyuu started preparing to go home.

He put a lid on the sentimental mood, opting to just think about it some other time.

For the time being, he recalled his after school appointment, and glanced at Miya. She seemed to be discussing her vacation plan with her friends.

Jyuu strapped his bag to the handle at his desk, before stretching his legs and resting his body against his chair. 

There’s still time.

Let’s catch some sleep.

He didn’t intend to sleep that long. But when he woke up, more than half of the students in the classroom were gone, and not a trace of Miya could be seen.

It was just past 1:00—the scheduled time for his meeting with Miya.

“...What, he should’ve woken me up.”

Groggily, Jyuu left the classroom. As he walked through the hallway, he could see that in some classes, the homeroom teachers were still giving a lecture. It was safe to assume that Ame’s supplementary class wouldn’t be concluded yet. 

Perfect, because Jyuu had an appointment with Miya.

Meanwhile, the meeting place—the audiovisual classroom, was on the same floor as the classroom for art, music, and science classes. Usually, the place was seldom visited.

Therefore, it was frequented by the delinquents, and cigarette butts would be found scattered about. But today, the place was empty. Certainly, it’d be smarter to go home early and do whatever they liked rather than to stay at school.

While stopping at the restroom on the way, Jyuu meandered through the hall.

Anyway, what does Miya have to say to me?

Is it good news or bad news?

Well, good news would be...

“...Oh.”

Along the way, he passed by two figures at the landing of the stairs.

A boy and girl who seemed to be in the same grade. Although he didn’t recognize them, Jyuu decided to hide out of awkwardness. He listened quietly—apparently, the girl was confessing her love. Upon hearing that, the boy was perplexed, but soon answered. Both of their faces were bright red. As he watched them, Jyuu also became flustered.

Unable to stand it, he left immediately.

He was somewhat curious about the result, but it didn’t really matter.

A confession, huh...?

While trying to erase the blush on his cheeks, Jyuu pondered.

No, no way, THAT Miya, towards me...?

...If so, how should I answer?

Whether to accept or reject; whether he reciprocated the feelings or not; whether to stay as friends, or to become a lover... As he racked his brain, he arrived at the audiovisual classroom. The surrounding area was so empty, it was difficult to believe that he was still in school. 

At the same time, it was the exact kind of place someone would pick to confess.

Calming the anticipation and anxiety in his heart, Jyuu exhaled deeply.

Should he knock? But that’d make him look foolish. Instead, he put his hand against the door. The door casually opened.

Is there a need to pick such a place?

As Jyuu entered the classroom, he briefly thought so.

The classroom, almost utterly devoid of light, was rather dim.

Due to the cloudy sky, the light seeping through the window was faint. At the very least, he could still make out people’s faces.

Thus, Jyuu could immediately tell that the girl who was staring outside the window was Miya.

“...Yo, it’s me.”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

As she turned around, Miya was unusually serious, and Jyuu’s heart skipped a beat.

Desperately suppressing his inner turmoil, Jyuu stepped closer to Miya.

Then, Miya offered Jyuu the canned tea that was placed nearby.

“Jyuu-kun, since you were asleep, you must be thirsty.”

“There’s only half of it.”

“It’s an indirect kiss.”

“No way.”

However, his throat was indeed sore, so Jyuu received the can from Miya. While the drink itself wasn’t very cold, the bitterness was somewhat nourishing. He drank more than half of it.

Then, Jyuu put the empty can on a nearby desk, before taking a deep breath.

Only the two of them were in the classroom. 

Somehow, the chirping of cicadas echoing through the open window was a bit loud.

If it was an important matter, then they should just cut to the case.

Thus, Jyuu and Miya sat side by side on the window frame.

The atmosphere was somewhat different than usual...

While it wasn’t the first time for him to be under such a close proximity with Miya, it was a first for him to be in a situation where no one else was around. 

...And since no one else was around, no one would be there to stop them.

Jyuu sneaked a glance at Miya.

Isn’t this girl too defenseless?

Wasn’t this girl so popular? Not only that, she was competing for the first rank in class. To be alone with someone like Jyuu in such a place... What was she thinking? Did she think that she was safe with Jyuu? Or, was it the other way around?

Since Miya didn’t say anything, Jyuu’s thoughts ran wild.

“Don’t you have any appointment today?”

“Nope?”

“But... Let’s put it this way. I’m sure that there’s another guy who’s better-suited for this kind of talk? Moreover, it’s almost summer vacation, so now’s your chance.”

What a roundabout and unpleasant way of asking, and even Jyuu was aware of that. Still, it wasn’t an easy subject matter.

Not only that, it also sounded as if he was jealous, and the notion made him bitter.

Whether or not she was aware of Jyuu’s turmoil, Miya raised her right index finger and casually said.

“Actually, I was asked out, but I decided to see you instead. By the way, Takamine-senpai, Nakauchi-kun, and Kumagai-kun were the ones who invited me.”

While he wasn’t acquainted with them, Jyuu knew that those three were quite popular among girls. After all, the girls would often gossip about them in class. The three were good-looking, smart, athletic, and sociable.

...Compared to me, they’re—

—He quickly dismissed the thought.

“Then, let’s get to the point. Don’t you have to meet them after this?”

“No, I rejected all of them?”

“All three? But why...”

“Don’t you understand?”

Suddenly, Miya looked straight at him, leaving Jyuu speechless.

“...Don’t you understand?”

As she peered into his eyes, Miya repeated that.

Jyuu, who hesitated to avert his eyes, could only stare at her.

Round eyes. Refined eyebrows. Adorable nose. Delicate and soft-looking lips. 

Fully believing that he’d grown accustomed to her, the realization that she was cute dawned upon him once again.

His heart was beating nearly twice as fast, and blood was rushing to his head.

“Jyuu, what do you think of me?”

Blushing, Miya bashfully asked so.

Her fist lightly brushed against her lips, which seemed to represent her restless heart—

—What should I say?

The rumbling of his heart interfered with his mind, and he couldn’t get himself together.

I... I just got confessed to, didn’t I?

Miya had asked how he felt towards her.

T-the answer to that is...

How do I feel towards her?

Seeing the silent Jyuu, Miya hesitantly asked.

“...Do you, not like me?”

—There’s no way!

I quite like you, and it might develop into something more...

...Was what he meant to say, but he couldn’t muster a word.

Was he too nervous to speak?

In order to calm himself down, he slowly inhaled, before exhaling it slowly.

He was dripping with sweat. He felt greasy, already.

Somehow, the classroom was hot—but why was he sweating bullets?

To ease the tension, Jyuu tried to smile, but his facial muscles were tense.

As he forced a smile, he managed to answer Miya.

“I, I-I, a-actua, lly...—”

—He could barely form a word.

It was as if his tongue had cramped.

Even though he’d just drank tea, his throat was strangely parched.

What’s wrong with me...?

“Nice, it’s working.”

After the cheerful statement, Jyuu was pushed by Miya.

Without any resistance, Jyuu toppled over and crashed on the floor. As he stared at Miya’s face, demanding explanation, Jyuu tried to get up—to no avail. He felt limp. He could barely feel his legs. Meanwhile, his heart was pounding uncontrollably.

He felt so drowsy, as if he’d been jogged awake from a deep slumber.

At the same time, he was awash with fatigue; as if he’d used up all his stamina in a sprint. 

Not knowing what was going on, Jyuu—who was puzzled by his sudden health deterioration—heard Miya’s cheerful voice.

“Jyuu-kun, look at me.”

Jyuu obeyed and turned to her for help. But instead of anything, he received an impact from sideways which shook his brain.

As pain and nausea assailed his head, Jyuu managed to prop himself and negate the fall.

“Ugh, gah...”

Instead of words, groans and saliva spilled from his mouth.

Not expecting it in the slightest, he was unable to grasp the situation right away.

—Just now, did someone hit me...?

But why...?

Jyuu started looking for the culprit, and his gaze soon landed upon Miya.

With a faint smile on her lips, Miya clutched a metal bat in one hand.

“Jyuu-kun, are you okay? You’re still alive, right?”

The one who hit me was... Miya?

But why...?

Why would she do such a thing?

“The drug seems to be working properly. Oh, I bought it online by the way. I don’t know much about it, other than it’s a quick-acting paralytic drug. Apparently, it’s often used to spike a girl’s drink. Usually, by mixing it with their alcohol?”

...Paralytic drug?

He suddenly recalled the canned tea he drank earlier.

Jyuu immediately tried to gag and spit out the tea, but before he could, he suffered another blow.

Miya raised her metal bat and struck Jyuu’s right arm with all her might.

“Guwaaaaaah—!”

The pain reached even his bone, and Jyuu inadvertently screamed, before wriggling on the floor.

Jyuu writhed in pain as he slammed against the nearby desks and chairs.

“Jyuu-kun, you’re right-handed, aren’t you?”

Miya’s voice was as ecstatic as ever.

She asked while holding the metal bat.

“Hey, did I manage to break your right arm properly? If not, I’ll have to do it all over again?”

Seeing that Miya had raised her metal bat again, Jyuu hugged himself and shook his head.

Witnessing how frightened he was, Miya’s smile deepened.

“Wow, so it can still move. Then, one more time—!”

She swung the bat—

“It’s still moving, one more time—!”

—and again.

“Huh? It’s still working? That’s amazing. Alright, once more!”

With the fourth impact, the bones in Jyuu’s right arm were completely fractured.

The dizzying pain dissolved both his thinking and breathing, reducing Jyuu into a convulsing mess.

“Alright, this one’s next.”

Miya contemplated for a while, and eventually swung her bat once again—

—this time, it burrowed into Jyuu’s right leg.

Apparently, she was trying to decide whether to break his left or right leg next...

As she confirmed, Miya indifferently listened to Jyuu’s screams.

“Alright, how’s that? Did it break?”

Then, after pummeling his right leg five times with the bat, Miya was finally satisfied.

“Now, you can’t run. You’re done for. That’s a good workout.”

Miya observed Jyuu while wiping the sweat off her forehead.

As if he’d lost even the will to thrash around, Jyuu continued to scream in agony as he shivered.

“By the way, this metal bat belongs to the baseball club. There are a lot of them in the club room, so I borrowed one. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to return it later. Still, since our baseball club is barely managed, it probably will go unnoticed.”

Miya spoke in her usual tone, which was neither excited nor sad. She was just being cheerful. Listening to her voice made him think that he was only dreaming, but his pain ascertained that it was reality.

With his left hand pressed against the floor, Jyuu sat up while gritting his teeth, before turning towards Miya.

Not only did the drug ravage his senses, the pain also debilitated him. None of his bodily functions seemed to work properly.

He was about to cry from the sheer pain.

Still, he couldn’t help but look at her.

For the first time since he met her, Jyuu glared defiantly at Miya.

“Y-y-you...”

“Would you like to hear my story?”

“W-what? What is this...?”

“Well, if you want to, be quiet.”

“Wh-why...”

Miya slammed the metal bat against Jyuu’s face.

Jyuu crumpled on the floor again. A metallic taste pervaded his mouth, and when he spat out, his saliva was red. 

“Jyuu-kun... Right now, I’m the protagonist—someone with the highest authority. You can’t go against me. Do you understand? If you do, please be quiet.”

After that, Miya went to the entrance of the classroom. On the way, she stepped on Jyuu.

To avoid any interruption, she was about to lock the door.

However, when she was about to reach for the door, it abruptly opened on its own—

—the one who opened the door from the other side was none other than Ochibana Ame.

“Ochibana Ame...”

“Hello, Satsuki-san. Thank you for your cooperation this semester.”

With her bag in her hand, Ame—who seemed about to go home—spoke in her usual nonchalant tone.

What is she doing here?

In a matter of seconds, the bat had disappeared from sight, and Miya showed Ame a pristine smile.

Regardless of how she might feel, Miya always sported a smile on her face.

“Did Jyuu-sama come here?”

“Jyuu-kun?”

“Yes, I heard that he went this way.”

Apparently, Ame went to pick up Jyuu at his classroom. But when she saw that Jyuu wasn’t there, she explored the school in search of him and arrived here.

As the two went on chatting, Jyuu tried to cry for help, but he found himself whimpering.

He thought of flailing around or knocking a nearby desk, but the pain and numbness soon overcame him.

Behind the door, Miya could be seen tightening her grip on the baseball bat, ready to pounce.

“If it’s Jyuu-kun, he left a moment ago.”

“Where did he go?”

“I don’t know, maybe he went home? Are his shoes still in the shoe cupboard?”

“Not that I recall.”

Miya was crafty enough to hide Jyuu’s shoes when he was unconscious.

The metal bat, the paralyzing agent, and the key to the audiovisual room already attested to her foresight.

“Then, he must’ve gone home after all. I still have a bit of cleanup to do. After all, the teacher agreed to lend me the key under that condition.”

“What were you doing here with Jyuu-sama?”

“...This is a secret, but—”

“Yes?”

“...The truth is, I confessed to Jyuu-kun.”

“How did he respond?”

“He reciprocated it.”

“Is that so?”

Was that a hint of disappointment in her voice?

After a brief silence, Ame bowed her head.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Ochibana Ame-san.”

“With this, I shall excuse myself. If I hurry, I might be able to catch up with Jyuu-sama.”

Thus, Ame left.

Miya saw her off for a while, and after confirming that the hallway was empty, she locked the door.

Then, she approached the window, stepping on Jyuu in the process. Through the open windows, a slight breeze, along with the shrill cries of cicadas could be heard. Even if Jyuu were to scream at the top of his lungs, it was unlikely to reach anyone. After all, most of the students had gone home.

“Look, Ochibana-san went home. Are you disappointed?”

With a smile plastered on her face, Miya asked bluntly while looking down at him.

“Did you know? I’ve killed people before. Five in total. I’d wring their neck—like this. Quite easy, actually. Even if I’m a girl, I can kill someone twice my height. Although, of course, I’ll have to disarm them first. Thankfully, wires can be bought online. Convenient, right? You can buy anything online these days. I’ll show you later—and how to use it. After all, without gloves, you’d leave some fingerprints, and that’s... problematic. But don’t worry, I’m sure I can kill you just fine, yes!”

After talking so far, Miya clutched her forehead and smiled wryly.

“Even though I’d rehashed what to talk about, when it comes down to the actual thing, I got nervous...”

Clearing her throat, Miya continued.

“It happened when I was in the second grade of elementary school. A youth moved into our neighborhood. He’s older than me and was a university student at the time. One day, I fell over and cried. He saw it happen. He gently wiped my tears with a handkerchief and asked if I was okay.

“Afterwards, I visited him often—or rather, I looked into his address. Due to having a hard time making friends at college, he seemed so lonely. Thus, we quickly became friends. I was his number one friend. We had a lot of fun together. We even went to many places.

“You see, that Onii-san, he’s good at sports. Well, except for swimming. And yet, whenever I invited him to go to the pool, he’d always accompany me. Once, I was drowning and he rushed to my aid—even though he can’t swim! In the end, we were rescued by an adult nearby. It was tough...

“...During my freshman year of middle school, he raped me. At that time, I had a crush on a boy in the same grade. He was nimble and energetic, and I really liked him. However, I couldn’t talk properly to boys, so I went to consult Onii-san. After all, it’d be embarrassing to confide in your parents. ‘If it’s Onii-san, he’ll surely be able to teach me various things!’ Or so I thought...

“But then I got raped. I was so scared. It hurt. I cried and cried—but he wouldn’t stop. When I asked about it later, he told me that something awful happened at the company he just joined, and it enraged him. Of course, that was unacceptable. I really didn’t like it—I hated it, but, but I just thought that it couldn’t be helped—yes, it couldn’t be helped... Because that was just how it was...”

Then, Miya showed a smile—a bright smile.

She acted like her usual self.

—Did it further prove that this wasn’t an act of spontaneity, but pre-planned?

Jyuu listened to Miya’s story while struggling against the numbness. The thought that he could at least answer was crushed when all he could muster was a series of labored breathing.

While tapping the bat against the floor, Miya spoke quietly as if digging up bad memories.

“—You see, Onii-san despised things like self-reflection. In his own words, people who were trapped in the past are worthless. As a result, he became an individual that’d sooner forget about his failures. Actually, the same goes for anything he disliked. He’d just forget about them.

“He’d forget that he’d hit me, kicked me, yanked my hair, or raped me. In fact, there was a time when he plainly asked me after seeing my bloody nose, ‘Miya-chan, who assaulted you?’ Right after he’d beaten me, too. Then, Onii-san proceeded to comfort me. ‘Who’d do such a cruel thing?’ He said.

“Weird, isn’t it? It was so out of nowhere, I ended up laughing. I might be weird, too. I felt sure I was smiling at the time, but in truth I wasn’t. It was as if a circuit in my head was fried. Not like I know how to fix it, though. So I left it be, and it got worse with time.

“I tried warning him, saying that my mother would get mad if she saw my bruise. From then on, he’d kick me on my stomach instead. It was especially rough when I was on my period. After all, Onii-san hated birth control. He’d kick me at the mere mention of it. Afterwards, he’d comfort me again. And something in me would break again. Then again, I don’t know how to fix it, so I leave it be...”

Miya was staring into the distance; a smile perennially etched on her face.

She rhythmically tapped the floor with the bat with her speech as an accompaniment.

—Is she speaking without any emotions?

On the contrary, is it her emotion speaking?

It didn’t seem to matter to her whether or not Jyuu was listening.

As for him, he didn’t even know if she was merely spinning a tale or not.

He also didn’t know what she was trying to say.

A chime rang.

It was an announcement for the remaining students to go home as soon as possible.

As hustle and bustle faded from the school building, the darkness in the classroom grew all-encompassing.

As if to resist the darkness, Jyuu took a deep breath, wading through the numbness.

“Well, uhm... It happened this year. Onii-san turned to me and proclaimed; ‘Truthfully, I’m a secret agent for the government.’ Apparently, he was on a top-secret mission, and had to follow orders when they came in.

“Of course, I didn’t believe it. I confronted him, ‘What are you talking about?’ Then Onii-san replied, ‘I suddenly remembered it.’ I thought he was joking. I’m not saying that his jokes were usually funny, though. But soon, I found out the truth. The very next day, a murder of a certain middle school girl was covered on the news.

“—Thus, Onii-san pointed at the TV. ‘Miya-chan, while at a first glance, she may look like a normal human being, she was from another dimension.’ Then, he added, rather proudly, at that. ‘I was the one who got rid of her.’ That was how I knew. Apparently, the longer you’ve known each other, the more you’ll understand. In that respect, Jyuu-kun and I still have a long way to go, don’t you think?”

In response, Jyuu could only stare back at her.

Confirming his helplessness, Miya went on.

“I don’t know where he got that from—or if he’d been wanting to do it all along. But whenever Onii-san killed someone, he’d make up fiction to justify it. Well, to me it was fiction, but for him, it was reality. From then on, he called himself as a secret agent for the government, while his murder victims ‘creatures from another dimension.’

“At the same time, considering he preferred to forget about loathsome stuff, I don’t think he objected to killing. I tried to stop him, because killing is bad. But it wasn’t like I could force him to stop, so I decided to follow him. I fully intended to call the police and have him arrested for the crime. Besides, my cell phone has a camera, so I can take pictures for evidence. Although, it went downhill from there...”

Miya laughed nostalgically.

She covered her mouth and laughed cheerfully.

The sight of her laughing as she stared into the distance seemed merciless to Jyuu.

—I’ve never seen this side of her before.

...Is this the true Satsuki Miya?

“That day, Onii-san targeted a middle-aged salaried worker on the way home. By the time I caught up with him, he’d been beaten to pulp. His nose was crushed—and yet, he could still cry. It was... amazing. He spewed a lot of things. Like ‘help me’, ‘I’ll pay you’, ‘I’ll do anything’—and even prayed to God! Despite being an adult, he was a sobbing mess, he even clung to my leg. He wept like a dog. When I saw that, I got chills running down my spine.

“...Before I knew it, I found myself taking pics after pics of him. I did it until my memory was full. But it still wasn’t enough. So, I used the disposable camera I had brought with me just in case. I took a lot of pics because it was really amazing.

“After all, it felt like I’m exposing them. The inner workings of a human being—I’m laying it out bare. Everything that was otherwise hidden—it’s now out there for everyone to see. I took more pics—and then some more—and some more—and when I realized it, that man had died.

“At that moment, I thought to myself—I want to see more. So, I asked Onii-san to do his best.”

After listening up to that point, Jyuu finally understood something.

However, even if he did, he refused to accept it.

Upon seeing how conflicted he was, Miya lit up.

“That’s it! That’s the kind of expression I’m looking forward to seeing! Under normal circumstances, I’d never get the chance to see it! Hence why I decided to help Onii-san! For you see, while he was good at fighting, he wasn’t good at killing.

“Occasionally, there were times where I had to step forward and finish what he started. After all, he never bothered to check. So, I’d wrap the wire around their neck, before tightening it—like this! The trick is to squeeze it all at once. It’s really easy. Also, don’t leave anything that could serve as evidence at the scene. You have to dispose of it properly.

“Onii-san was a clumsy person. When he got absorbed in something, he forgot his entire surroundings. He was a bit... difficult. Even though he started it himself, he often thought of quitting in the middle. Since it couldn’t be helped, I came up with various ideas to motivate him.”

“...The... wea... ther...”

Hearing Jyuu’s whimper, Miya’s eyes went wide open.

“—Amazing! Jyuu-kun, you figured out my Onii-san’s behavior pattern! Exactly! That’s what I came up with! That way, Onii-san will feel obliged to continue his work. Then again, not many noticed that. Jyuu-kun’s pretty good. You figured everything out almost immediately.”

Seeing Jyuu’s puzzled expression, Miya added with a smile.

“Remember the call from that night? That was me.”

Miya was the one who led him to the park.

“I saw that Jyuu-kun was having a hard time with the case, so I thought that I’d lend you a hand. As it was, your long-awaited summer vacation will be ruined! We can’t have that? Jyuu-kun, let me tell you, you were on the right path. However, weather forecasts alone weren’t enough to track him down. After all, he wouldn’t kill someone just because it happened to rain that day? That’s boring and a bit too extreme...”

“It’s just... a poll...”

Immediately, all traces of expression vanished from Miya’s face.

She said flatly.

“...Huh, so you figured that out as well. Jyuu-kun, you’re smart.”

“Not me... that girl... she—...”

Miya understood that he was referring to Ochibana Ame and frowned in dissatisfaction.

“Hm, that’s a bit annoying. Or rather, I didn’t see it coming? I mean, Ochibana-san is... How should I put this, a weirdo? Yet, she managed to figure me out. Won’t that make me the same as her? That’s just disturbing.”

Jyuu reflexively braced himself, and she laughed.

“Ahaha, relax. As long as you don’t go against me, I won’t hit you anymore.”

“Did you... really...”

Miya smashed Jyuu’s face with a bat.

“I told you, don’t act up. I already said it before—I have all the power here.”

As if to make sure, Miya went on while scoffing at Jyuu.

“Of course, that also goes for Kiyoshi Onii-san, obviously. Still, I was surprised. Who would’ve guessed that Jyuu-kun would look for the culprit? I thought you weren’t interested in that sort of thing, so it was a bit of a surprise. No way... Is it because Fujishima-san died? Just because one of your classmates died? Really?”

Jyuu responded with a piercing glare.

At first, he thought that Miya was talking about something else entirely—

—but apparently, she was in denial.

Miya’s neighbor—the ‘Onii-san’—was none other than Kakura Kiyoshi.

True to Ame’s words, there was an accomplice—a level-headed female accomplice who colluded with the psychopath, who was in charge of cleaning up after him.

“Fujishima-san was really surprised, you know? She kept asking me; ‘Why are you doing this?’ ‘Why is it you?’ Quite unexpectedly, Fujishima-san was rather dumb, wasn’t she? So, I decided to be frank with her; ‘Because it’s fun.’ After hearing that, she begged for her life!

“’...Please help me, spare me, please, please spare me.’ With such a fantastic look on her face! I can’t possibly pass on that? Later, I uploaded it on the internet. On the internet, there are many like-minded people who share my interest, and they were fascinated by it. Deep down, I’m sure that everyone wants to witness such a thing at least once.”

Jyuu recalled the images he saw in Ame’s house.

Kanako Fujishima, who was face-to-face with her impending doom, was full of despair.

However, that wasn’t the only expression that could be inferred from her expression.

There was also shock.

The shock of being betrayed by someone close to her.

She must’ve been overwhelmed by the fact that her own classmate plotted with a serial killer to bring about her demise.

Although he couldn’t say for sure, perhaps the tears that Fujishima shed that day was also for Miya’s sake.

“Did you know that I was also present at the park? During your confrontation, I was weighing my options. ‘Should I commit to being a spectator?’—but that’d be a waste. So, I weighed the two of you instead. As the two of you went at it, I seriously thought about it. ‘Should I help Onii-san? Or should I help Jyuu-kun?’ At that moment, I came to realize that you placed somewhat above my Onii-san. Hence why I abandoned him. It’s a waste, but I’ve had my share of fun. Besides, I might get caught if I keep doing it for too long. My Onii-san has no self-control at all, hence why he was of lower priority than Jyuu-kun.”

It turned out that was what ‘making the final decision’ meant to Miya all along.

At Jyuu’s house, they spoke at length about finding the answer.

At that time, Miya said that if he couldn’t determine what he should hold on to, and what to let go of—

—Otherwise, in case of an emergency, it’d be troublesome.

Thus, Miya ultimately let go of Kakura Kiyoshi, and held on to Jyuu.

“...Now that I think about it, the reason I abandoned my Onii-san might be because I didn’t want Jyuu-kun to be killed. Maybe, because I wanted to do it myself. Apparently, I made the correct decision. What a lovely situation. How romantic. Don’t you agree, Jyuu-kun?”

Miya was smiling at him, but he didn’t have the time to respond.

He struggled to get up over and over again, but his limbs were still sluggish.

With the look of ridicule plastered all across her face, Miya went on.

“Jyuu-kun, you’re strong. I was surprised when you defeated my Onii-san. You didn’t even need any help. Is it because of your mother? She’s quite a woman.”

With the bat sitting on her shoulder, Miya began to dig through the sports bag at her feet.

She took out a digital camera and said while adjusting it.

“Even so, Onii-san’s last stand was something else. His death was exactly as intended. After all, I reminded him over and over again that it’d be over if he got caught by the police. Can you imagine how I felt when he died without divulging my identity!? ...With this, it’s alright.”

With a digital camera in her left hand, Miya turned to Jyuu with a smile on her face.

“Well then, let’s get started.”

Jyuu shuddered.

What does she mean by...?

In the next moment, Miya raised her bat and smashed his face in.

“Gaah—!”

Jyuu was sprawled on the floor as blood trickled down from his mouth and nose.

“That’s not good. I can’t shoot if you don’t face me properly?”

Miya approached Jyuu while dragging her bloody bat.

“Hey, hey, look this way. Show me your face.”

In a daze, Jyuu turned to face Miya, abandoning his broken nose.

As she looked through her viewfinder, Miya’s smile deepened. She was grinning from ear to ear.

“...I was right. This is amazing, Jyuu-kun. Real amazing. Usually, you’re always so nonchalant. As such, to have someone like you at my mercy, it’s simply wonderful. Again, I didn’t make a mistake in judgment.”

“...Judg... ment—?”

“At first, I was unsure about you. Everyone was scared of you, saying that you seem scary. But to me, you look... lonely, and it piqued my curiosity. You pretended to be a delinquent, but are kind at heart. After talking to you a few times, I started to get interested in you. You always seem so haughty, so I began to wonder; ‘How do you actually feel? How’d you look when you smile? ...Or when you cry?’

“Before I knew it, I was yearning to see all the different faces you can make. But what I wanted to see the most is that expression. That expression when you are baffled by reality, unsure of what to do. What’d happen if you break? And when it does happen, will I be able to witness your true nature?”

Jyuu looked back to their first meeting.

Despite it being their first meeting, Miya was already friendly, pushy, and meddlesome. At the same time, there was just something about her that made Jyuu able to tolerate her presence. Even though she was a brazen fellow, he just couldn’t get angry at her.

Miya knew that about him, too.

Hence why she managed to lure him out, and the rest was history.

“Jyuu-kun, do you have feelings for me?”

Miya chuckled as if making a fool of him.

“No way, Jyuu-kun, did you think that I like you? Did you think that I fell in love with you? My acting skills deserve praise, then. I know the normal method wouldn’t work on you. Knowing Jyuu-kun, even if you were done in by my Onii-san, you’d just resist until the end.

“Thus, if I want to give you the greatest shock of your life, I better start preparing. In your case, if I don’t prepare anything, then there’d be nothing to destroy. If Jyuu-kun falls for me, it’d be a huge success, and my hard work will be paid off.”

Upon seeing the bewilderment on his face, Miya burst out laughing.

Even as she laughed, the digital camera didn’t let go of his expression.

She must’ve gotten used to it due to her collusion with Kakura Kiyoshi.

—Pshia... pshia... pshia...!

The camera flashed rapidly, capturing his expression.

“I especially chose the school as the shooting location because this is the place with the most memories. ...Ah, right, I went to your home once. But that was an exception since there was an obstacle. Oh, and I guess the other reason is because I like seeing you in uniform.”

Miya continued shooting while subtly changing her angle.

“In a sense, this is where it all began, and also where it’d end. Isn’t that kind of poetic? At first, it was just a line. But now that the start and the end points meet, it becomes a circle. A circle that encompasses our memories—the memories of me and Jyuu-kun...”

In the darkness of the classroom, white flashes flickered again and again.

Jyuu shivered as the glare of the flash forced him to narrow his eyes.

His legs shuddered, his shoulders trembled, his fingertips shivered, and his lips quivered—

Exhaling deeply, he went agape as if to release the accumulated tension.

“Hm? You want to say something, don't you? Go ahead. I won’t hit you, so you may speak.”

What kind of criticism would he spew at her? What kind of insult would he hurl at her?

Miya waited eagerly.

No, she even carefully set up her camera so she didn’t miss the pivotal moment where Jyuu begged for his life.

As if to negate Miya’s wistful gaze, Jyuu glared back at her.

The emotions that ran amok through his body, causing his blood to sizzle, he spat it out—

“—You idiot!”

So powerful that it was, it shook the windows of the classroom. Meanwhile, the numbness in his body had yet subsided, and he couldn’t even stand up. In the midst of all this, only his tongue submitted to his sound revolution.

Miya’s eyes went wide when Jyuu conveyed his thoughts.

“Why, didn’t you say anything—!?”

“W-what are you...?”

“If you were in trouble—if you were in pain, why didn’t you tell me!? Before all of this could happen, you had plenty of chances to tell me! It doesn’t have to be like this! So why didn’t you say a goddamn word!?”

“...Even if I told Jyuu-kun about it, how’d it solve anything? Jyuu-kun, are you an idiot?”

“—You are!”

Miya was taken aback by the ferocity of his gaze.

“—It doesn’t even have to be me! You could’ve told someone else! So why didn’t you!?”

“Because it’s useless! It won’t solve anything! My father is too busy to care about anything else, and my mother is too meek to stand up for herself! Even if I told them, it won’t lead to anything!”

“You have a lot of friends—!”

“It’s only a superficial bond! No one actually cares about me!”

“—Then you should’ve told me!”

“It’s not like you can do anything about it—!”

“Don’t decide that on your own! You won’t know unless you try!”

“Then if I had told you, would you do anything? What would you do!?”

“I would!”

“What can someone like you do—!?”

“—I’d save you!”

“How!?”

“I’d listen to your story and come up with proper solutions together!”

“There’s no solution to begin with!”

“—Only because you gave up!”

“Then, should I have gone to you for help!? Would that be enough!?”

“That’s right!”

He was sweating endlessly, all the while his numbness refused to abate. Not to mention, his throat was sore.

Still, Jyuu persisted—

—Amidst the rough breathing and coughing, Jyuu persevered, with all his might.

“—If you’d asked for help, I’d have helped you! You can take my words for it!”

“...How stupid you are. As if you can do anything.”

“Sure, I’m stupid, but you did something stupider! I’m your friend! If you’re suffering, or if you’re in trouble, of course I’d like to do something about it!”

“That’s...”

“You thought that you had me all figured out, didn’t you? But in reality, you didn’t. Regardless of what you may think, everyone likes you! Whether you are acting or not, you are popular! They’d be eager to help you!”

“...It’s too late now. It’s way too late...”

Miya’s shoulders shook as her expression contorted.

She seemed about to laugh, and also about to get angry—

—Ultimately, she failed in both.

Could it be an accurate representation of her current state of mind?

“I mean, even if you're desperate to have someone listen to you! That’s why you went so far as to tell me!”

Behind Miya’s confession, Jyuu could sense her desire for both repentance and redemption.

Although, it may be wistful thinking on his part.

Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be that far-fetched—

—At the very least, he’d like to think so.

“—You may think it’s too late, it’s useless, or that you’ve given up, but that’s not true, you idiot! Besides, you’re still 17-years-old! What is so good about all of this! In truth, you’re in despair, you moron!”

“...Who’re you calling stupid. I thought about it properly...”

“Then you should’ve come up with something else! What do you want to do!? Did you really want to do this?”

Set on dissuading her, Jyuu went on. He didn’t have any back-up plans, nor did he believe his words could reach Miya’s heart. Still, he couldn’t help but say it out loud.

As she stared straight at him, Miya bit her lips hard—so much that they bled. A single drop of tear rolled down her right cheek.

She covered her face with the hand that was holding the digital camera, and continued to sob.

“...Jyuu-kun, you’re so cunning.”

Miya’s voice was so fleeting, it was almost inaudible.

“After hearing what you said, I began to wonder if I should have sought help. Jyuu-kun, you’re skilled at begging for your life.”

“Who’s begging for—”

 “—I did!”

Miya roared, drowning Jyuu’s words.

“I’ve always been quick to change my mind. Even if I don’t like something, I can just force myself to like it—just like Onii-san. I have a trash can in my heart. It’s for memories that I want to burn—memories that I want to bury—or memories that I want to exaggerate and recycle, and so on. I shall commit your words to my memory. After all, it’s a really good ‘begging for life’ moment. Oh, how I wish I’ve recorded you. I’m sorry, I did an oopsie.”

When she dropped her hand, Miya had fully regained her composure.

Just like she said, she’d forcibly altered her mind.

Her heart, which had previously been stirred by Jyuu’s words, had been sorted out.

In short, she’d discarded the previous feelings to that trash can.

“Well, seeing that you can blabber so much, it seems that Jyuu-kun has regained his ability to move?”

Miya tried to swing her bat, but Jyuu was still paralyzed.

Heck, it took him everything to raise his body, let alone stand up.

Still, just in case, Miya hit him with the bat.

The blow, which connected to the top of his head, almost took him out.

His head was throbbing, but a surge of emotion seemed to hold himself together.

“Great, it seems that you’re okay. Well then, it’s time for goodbye. I do feel sorry for deceiving you, but I want you to die. Jyuu-kun, you’ll die here. Don’t worry, I have experiences. I’m confident that I’m better at killing people than your average high school girl. I won’t make a mistake. I’ll definitely kill you. But first, I’ll let you suffer. I’ll make you go back and forth between the boundaries of this world and the next, before ultimately ending you.”

“...Is it fun to do this?”

“It is.”

With such a lighthearted remark, Miya put the bat against the wall, and took out a pair of gloves from her sports bag. They were made of leather, and were used for handling sharp objects. Miya left them on her desk for the time being.

Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled.

Fine raindrops splashed on the window, showing that the weather had broken down in earnest.

Miya glanced at the window and muttered that she was glad she didn’t forget her umbrella.

Rather than escaping or fighting, Jyuu thought that he had to stop her at all cost. To do that, he had to get up—but his legs refused to budge. It was as if they weren’t connected to him. Such that when he crumpled on the floor, he could barely feel a thing. Sweat trickled down his forehead into his eyes, but his hands were too wobbly to wipe it off.

What do I do...? What do I do...!?

Of course, Miya didn’t waste any second.

“There, there.”

Her leather-gloved hand tightened around the metal bat.

Having accustomed to it, Miya fluidly set up the bat.

She swung with all her might, scoring a clean hit on Jyuu’s head as if it was just a ball.

“Gah...!”

His vision blurred for a moment. His left eardrum must’ve been ruptured. Jyuu collapsed, hitting the back of his head on the floor. His breathing was ragged as he struggled to maintain his consciousness.

No matter how tough he was, Jyuu could only stand being hit with a bat so many times.

As his strength left him, Jyuu felt shivers down his spine.

Miya probably didn’t care about what would happen next.

Right now, killing Jyuu was her priority. She didn’t care about what’d happen to her afterwards. She was not only utterly desperate but also suicidal, which is why she didn't have the slightest hesitation.

Jyuu braced for his impending doom.

“—This is the end!”

Jyuu was left without any choice but to be on the receiving end of Miya’s gaze, and the bat that would eventually slam against him.

—But then, they heard a voice.

“Excuse me.”

When the two turned their gazes, they were graced by none other than Ochibana Ame—who climbed on the window frame of the classroom, before casually entering from outside. Before Miya could even grasp what was happening, Ame lunged towards her like an arrow.

Despite Ame’s smaller frame, Miya was caught off-guard and toppled over. The two soon became entangled and rolled on the floor.

“—You!”

Unlike Miya—whose venomous hatred oozed from her voice—Ame’s emotions could only be surmised from her actions.

She elbowed Miya, before kicking her in the stomach.

After seeing Miya writhing on the floor, Ame ran over to Jyuu.

“Jyuu-sama, I apologize for the delay. Securing the infiltration path took some time.”

Jyuu didn’t even feel the need to ask. After all, he was fully aware that Ame had sufficient skills—or rather, sufficient willpower.

Even more so after he’d once witnessed her in action.

Apparently, to get into the locked classroom, Ame moved from window to window, navigating her way along the walls of the school building just to find him. This time, however, there was no scaffolding for construction work. It was also raining heavily.

“How did you know I’m here?”

“It’s because of our bonds from our previous lives.” Then, Ame added. “—Well, there’s one more thing. Something stood out to me about Satsuki Miya’s account. Despite the fact that you accepted her confession, the two of you didn’t go home together. Jyuu-sama isn’t that kind of person—and so is Satsuki Miya.”

“Thus, you concluded that I’m still in this classroom?”

“Oh, there’s also another. I couldn’t take my mind off the fact that Kakura Kiyoshi had an accomplice, who most likely betrayed him by calling Jyuu-sama. I’m sure they’re also the one who reported the scene of the crime. From that action alone, I felt that the accomplice had their eyes set on Jyuu-sama. Perhaps, it was a bit of overthinking on my part, but it turned out to be true. Who would’ve thought that she was the accomplice?”

After Kakura Kiyoshi was arrested, Ame examined his belongings, but couldn’t find any camera. The report also made no mention of it, while a search of the house didn’t find anything of the sort. Kiyoshi shouldn’t have had any time to dispose of it. If so, it could only be done by his accomplice. The mysterious call Jyuu received only served to deepen Ame’s suspicion.

Ame propped Jyuu up, but then he saw that Miya was slowly getting up.

“Call someone. I’ll keep her busy.”

“No, I’ll—”

—the loud bang of a table being flipped interrupted their conversation.

With trembling fists, Miya glared at the two of them. She licked the blood on her lips, and even made a display of savoring it.

“...Why are you getting in my way? Things were getting good between me and Jyuu-kun, but now you’ve ruined them!”

“I’m Jyuu-sama’s knight. It’s only to be expected for me to rush to his aid.”

“An attendant, a servant, and now... a knight? Well, aren’t you busy? Let me be honest with you, Ochibana Ame-san, you’re a weirdo. You have telltale signs of a sicko.”

“The same can be said about you.”

“Ahaha, don’t lump me in with you.”

“Be it your thought process, your mindset, your decision, your sorrow, your suffering, your goal, and your subsequent action—I’m not interested in any of them. Compared to Jyuu-sama’s personal safety, they’re nothing. Satsuki Miya, I’ll eradicate you.”

“...I should be the one saying that.”

To proceed with her plans, Miya drew the knife she’d been concealing under her uniform. Overall, it was small, but the blade was long enough to pierce the internal organs. Miya lovingly caressed the gleaming knife, which seemed to have been sharpened many times.

Before Jyuu could do anything, the two moved at once.

Miya hunted Ame down with her white blade, but Ame evaded her every move with fluid motions.

After being swung a few times, her blade shredded Ame’s uniform. However, Ame skillfully took advantage of obstacles such as desks and chairs to avoid the blade from tearing her skin.

“Certainly, it’s a skillful move, but you haven’t killed anyone with that knife yet.”

“So what—!?”

As if provoking Miya—whose eyes were bloodshot—Ame circled her, looking for an opening.

In Ame’s room, among the occult and anime books, there were also books pertaining murder and martial arts.

The knowledge wasn’t wasted on her.

“—Stop getting in my way!”

As if she’d been waiting for that exact moment, Ame kicked the floor.

With great agility, she leaped from the chair onto the desk, before finally jumping into the air. Miya was in too much of a daze to dodge her next attack. In the next moment, Ame’s flying kick—carrying her full weight—hit her squarely in the chest, and Miya was blown backwards along with the nearby desks and chairs. Ame also fell, but quickly regained her balance and swung her fist down on Miya.

Miya’s body bounced on the floor with a thud.

Ame maintained her stance for a while, and after more than 10 seconds had passed, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“You, just now...?”

As if to answer Jyuu’s question, Ame showed him a black rectangular object in his hand.

“It’s a stun gun. It’s small, but it’s powerful enough to make you faint.”

“...Why would you have such a thing?”

“My father gave it to me as a birthday present. I carry it around for self-defense.”

Her strict-looking father crossed his mind, and Jyuu thought that it was plausible.

With her agile movements and well-preparedness, Ame’s ability to respond to emergencies seemed to be several steps above Jyuu’s. Maybe she'd been training on a regular basis.

As expected, Ochibana Ame was a character full of enigma.

After seeing Miya lay motionless on the floor, Jyuu held out his hand to Ame.

“I’m sorry, but I need a hand.”

“Of course.”

Ame, who was about to take his hand, sensed something and turned around.

Miya, who should’ve collapsed, was standing there.

She still had the knife in her hand. Ame was frozen in her tracks.

“No way...”

As if mocking Ame’s calculation that it was too early for her to wake up, Miya wobbled forward—

—and spoke:

“Do. Not. Move.”

As if she’d recited a spell, Ame fell down.

Miya’s eyes were opened to the limit, while her mouth was curved into a grin. Her gait—which seemed to put her whole weight on each step—along with her tenacity overwhelmed Ame.

Miya had let go of everything, and the entirety of her beings was focused on a single thing—

—killing.

It was simply beyond Ame’s comprehension.

The former’s ghastly atmosphere had deprived her of freedom. Even when Miya’s knife was clearly trained at her, Ame couldn’t move.

I have to dodge—

—and yet, her body refused to budge.

The overflowing cold sweat only clouded her consciousness even further.

Even though Miya had started running, Ame was left motionless.

Her shrunken body was left vulnerable in front of the blade.

“—Ame!”

Like a flash, his scream pierced through her consciousness, and in the next moment, Ame was pushed to the side.

The moment she fell, her body regained its freedom, and Ame immediately lifted her face—

—only to be met with the sight of Miya’s knife sinking into Jyuu’s stomach.

Blood gushed out from the wound, dying her hand bright red. Despite this, Miya drove the knife even further in.

Miya probably didn’t even know—or care—that it was no longer Ame that she was stabbing. At that point, all she cared about was digging the knife into someone else.

It was as if she’d concentrated all the resentment she’d ever felt into that one, single act.

“Hooo... Haaa... Hooo... Haaa...”

With her face still down, Miya took a deep breath as if to adjust her breathing, before exhaling deeply. Her teeth chattered with excitement, and the tremor traveled down her legs.

‘Did I do it? Was it a success? Was it the right thing to do? Shouldn’t I haven’t done it?

—I don’t understand.’

After all, the moment Miya looked up to find an answer, all that was reflected in her eyes was Jyuu’s face.

Even as he was sweating profusely, Jyuu suppressed the pain with sheer willpower.

“...Are you, feeling better, now?”

“...Jyuu-kun...”

“...You, fool.”

Then, he smiled.

As if finally waking up from a dream, Miya released the knife. She began to tremble as her face contorted at the sight of her hands, which were drenched in blood.

“This, this isn’t—I, Jyuu-kun, I didn’t mean to, this isn’t, this isn’t how it was supposed to, believe me, I was, I was really—”

—Before she could finish her sentence, a gurgling sound escaped her mouth as she crumpled on the floor.

Ame threw the stun gun and caught Jyuu’s body as he fell.

“Jyuu-sama!”

Too powerless to answer, Jyuu could only laugh weakly. His face was drained of color.

Ame quickly laid Jyuu’s body on the floor, took off his uniform, and examined his wounds. The knife was still stuck, but she mustn’t pull it out. With a blurry vision, Jyuu stared at Ame, who was desperately trying to do something, perhaps a first aid.

Ochibana Ame, who was always so composed, could be so flustered...

For her to be so worried...

“You’ll be okay! Everything’ll be fine! Jyuu-sama, you won’t die! You absolutely won’t die!”

It was as if she was trying to convince herself.

Jyuu could no longer feel any pain.

As she brushed away her sweaty bangs, Ame frantically administered first aid.

She was desperately trying to save him.

“Please don’t die. Even though we’ve finally been reunited—even though we can be together... Jyuu-sama, please don’t die. I don’t want you to die...”

Ame was weeping.

When she cried, she finally looked like her age... and also more, approachable?

As Ame sobbed over and over again, Jyuu thought to himself that she was unexpectedly cute.