Absolute Duo Vol 2 Chapter 1

Part 1

When I woke up, it was already morning.

My head felt heavy thanks to not having enough sleep, and I was still sleepy.

However, before I could fall asleep, when I thought back about the confession Julie made--------the event last night that I kept thinking about over and over again. I didn’t feel like going back to sleep.

“I am also the same as Tooru-------an <

Under the moonlight, when I was told that the silver girl who was exposing the scar on her back was wishing for revenge, I just lost my words to say.

In order to be an inhuman existence------an <

I thought she would have a suitable reason for that.

But, I would have never thought she was the same as me, someone who had their heart burnt from the flames of revenge.

Inside the time carved by silence, although Julie soon said [Let’s go back] and headed back to the room-------even when I entered my bed after that, I could not fall asleep and in the end, I only fell asleep when the sky was starting to turn white.

When I closed my eyes, Julie’s figure carved with a long scar floated inside my mind.

I have no idea what kind of circumstances had happened for her to be scarred like that. But------

(An, <

Those sorrowful eyes Julie made when she said those words.

(The same………..as me. Huh…………)

Maybe I should look for a chance to listen to the continuation.

Or, should I wait for her to tell me.

While pondering, I turned around to my back.

When I averted my eyes from the light, and turned to my back.

Up ahead, the thing I grasped was-------

*Munyuu*.

Something soft.

(What is this………..?)

I moved my hand in a dazed manner.

That something I grabbed had a modest bulge enough to fit into my hand and it was something soft covered with a thin layer of cloth.

It was soft, and that something shape would change when I moved my fingers. It had resilience however and it would turn back to its original shape when I separated my fingers.

If I would to say an example, a marshmallow, mochi, or maybe--------and like that, those kinds of thoughts were floating up………..

“Nuuu…………”

That something let out a voice.

“………………..”

Sweat flowed down.

Right now, in order to gain conviction on what that something I was touching was.

When I timidly opened my eyes, over there was------

Possessing transparent-like Snow Whitesnow colored skin, the Silver blondesilver hair girl was sleeping peacefully there while breathing.

……………Just like my conviction, my hand was touching the silver girl’s breast.

(Why are you sleeping beside me!? Wait, more importantly------)

I regained my composure, and the moment I tried to separate my hand in panic-----

“Hyuuun…………!”

Maybe I hit a stimulating part, the silver girl twitched almost at the same time while making a cute shriek and she embraced her own body.

…………Luckily or unluckily, she was pressing my hand harder on her breast.

“U-wah, soft, wait, Uwaaaaaaaaaah!?”

Maybe it was from the stimulation, or maybe it was from my shouting-------

“----------Tooru………..?”

Her Ruby eyesred eyes pointed towards me, and she said my name.

In an instant, I felt myself getting pale.

“Ju-Julie…………!! Thi-this, errr……….!!”

“By this you mean…………………?”

While asking that question, Julie followed my sights.

And further ahead of course, was my hand being pushed towards her own chest…………..

“Ah………..”

I found out her white cheeks were blushing to a sakura color.

“[……………]”

Julie directed a perplexed expression towards me and I replied back with a stiff face-------

“I-I want to move my hand so, could you relax the strength in your arms?”

“------uh! Ja—…………”

I urged Julie and she relaxed the strength in her arms.

I hurried and pulled my hand away, and mid-way------

My finger pulled on something.

“Hnnkunn…………!”

Once again, Julie embraced her body while dragging my hand along.

Naturally, it caused my hand to fully feel Julie’s softness.

“Julie, wait! My hand, my hand-----------------!!”

“Er-errr, Julie. Sorry about that………….”

Around the time things finally calmed down, we were performing Seiza towards each other on top of the bed.

However, Julie’s sights were at her knees. And her cheeks were slightly blushing in sakura color.

“……………”

The silence hurts.

“I-I did not think you would be sleeping beside me, my hands accidently touched when I was changing my sleeping side………….then when I moved my hands to think what it was then………….”

“…………………Was it something so hard that you have to do that to confirm……..”

I will get scolded, or if I was told about the truth with cold eyes when I was prepared for it, I would get downhearted.

“Uh! N-no, that’s…………….it was the first time I touched a girl’s breast and it was very soft, I completely did not bother about the size of it…………..wait, Nonononono that’s not it…………..”

(Aaaaaah, what am I saying------!?)

“………………….”

Opposite to my panicking, Julie was once again silent.

Maybe just maybe------is this the end for me? Is it that so called social death?

“Ju-Julie…….?”

“……………It wasn’t intentional right?”

Towards that question with upturned eyes, naturally I only swung my head vertically.

“Then it can’t be helped.”

“Errr…………you will forgive me?”

“Ja---. In the first place, the cause was me breaking our promise and crawling into your bed as I pleased.”

After saying that, Julie lowered her head.

“Sorry to break our promise, Tooru.”

“No, I don’t really mind but---------why were you sleeping here?”

The time I fell asleep was at dawn. Julie should have been sleeping on her bed until then.

Which meant, Julie crawled in after when I did that……….

“Because of that talk, I remembered the past…………and felt lonely.”

Julie looked at me apologetically.

“But, Tooru was already resting so, it was painful for me to wake you up…………..”

“……………..Hnn, it can’t be helped if that was the case huh.”

“Thank you very much, Tooru.”

You can sleep with me if you feel lonely. I was the one who said that.

Although I was surprised, it can’t be helped because there was a reason, I thought that.

(Getting lonely from that talk……….which means, perhaps Julie’s father is------)

When I was thinking about the talk last night, it was immediately interrupted by Julie calling out to me.

“By the way Tooru. Although it is in the morning, it is the time when we would usually be sleeping but, should we wake up like this?”

“You’re right. I want to sleep a bit more but, I'm confident in oversleeping if I sleep now.”

“Ja---Me too.”

She smiled and Julie got off the bed.

Just like usual, she was probably going to change her clothes after taking a shower.

“Ah…….Ju-Julie.”

“--------?”

I stopped her when she was about to head towards the dressing room with her change of clothes in her hands.

“Just now………a-about the breast, I am really sorry.”

“………..Nai. I don’t mind it so let’s drop that topic.”

Although Julie made a small swing with her head while saying that, she looked a little bit embarrassed.

The Kouryou academy's cafeteria area was wide enough for any number of students to relax and thanks to that, there wasn’t really a fixed place to have a meal.

But, it had become a normal occurrence for most of the students to have their meals at the same place.

And the partner to pass this time together with had become a normal event---------

“Go-good morning Tooru-kun, Julie-chan. You two are fast today………..”

A familiar voice was called out towards us when we were sitting side by side.

The owner of this voice was a petite girl, and she was someone with a quiet and reserved personality which could be understood by the tone of her voice.

However, the bulge of her chest was contrastive to that, and it drew in a lot of eyes since it was the most voluptuous of anyone in the class.

………As expected, it doesn’t sound like the actual person herself.

“Good morning. We woke up a little bit earlier today." "Good morning, Miyabi."

Hotaka Miyabi. She was a first year like us, our classmate--------it was only normal since there was only one class per year in Kouryou academy but-------this girl took her meals with us almost every day.

“Errrr…….”

“-----?”

After slightly hesitating after directing her sights towards me and Julie respectively, Miyabi sat in front of Julie.

(……………Perhaps, she was pondering about whether or not to sit in front of us?)

Both opposite sides of me and Julie were empty and judging from the current Miyabi, the possibility for that to happen was probably high.

Miyabi was brought up from an all girls school so she was bad with the opposite gender, but it had only been one month from today, after enrolling to the school, I would hear out her worries and after many events, we became close enough that we could call each other by our names.

But even so, I could see she was still nervous, but hesitation over which seat to sit in was something trivial, and I was kind of happy when I thought she might have lowered her guard compared to the past.

“…………Err, Tooru-kun?”

“Hn? What’s wrong?”

While Miyabi was in a troubled state and her cheeks were slightly blushing, she moved her sights from me and the table alternately.

“What do you mean by what’s wrong, that is what I want to ask………….Yo-you were smiling while looking at me from just now but, I was wondering why is that………..?”

It seemed the reason for her troubled expression was me.

I made a wry smile, in order to avoid telling her I was laughing from reminiscing.

“Now that I think back………….you are alone today. What happened to Tachibana?”

In a rare occurrence, there was no sight of Miyabi’s <<duo>>, Tachibana.</duo>

Covered with a dignified atmosphere, she was a girl who holds an adult atmosphere for someone who was the same age as us.

She comes from a martial arts family, she who holds outstanding abilities even in the class, had great results (but bad at English), on top of that she was good at looking out for others so trust would come to her from her surroundings.

“Ah………..Tomoe-chan should be waking everyone up right now.”

“Everyone?”

“Un. There are a lot of people that would oversleep so, she does it so they won’t be late………whenever it is this time of the morning, she would go around everyone’s room and wake them up.”

“Haha, that sounds just like Tachibana.”

I didn’t even need to ask, it was probably done voluntarily.

Only one month has passed after starting a new life away from their parents. Which meant, even though there was a dormitory advisor, it would be up to the female leader Tachibana to regulate the morning which could easily disorder the rhythm of their lifestyle.

I thought it was just like the steady and serious Tachibana.

The sight of her going around the rooms to call out the classmates, was clearly floating in my head.

(However-------)

“If I knew this was going to happen, I should have increased the meat and decreased the vegetables………..”

“Don’t go having an unbalanced diet just because I am not here, Kokonoe.”

“Ta-Tachibana!?”

Right after I murmured that, there was a marginally angry voice coming behind me.

When I turned around in panic, Tachibana was glaring down at me after hearing the conversation just in time.

“Good morning, Tomoe.”

“Jaa. Good morning, Julie.”

Gracefully moving her chopsticks until now, *chirin* after Julie lowered her head producing a bell sound, and Tachibana lowered her eyebrows and made a smile.

Looking at Tachibana’s face loosening up, I took a relieved breath inside my heart.

“Why are you making such a relieved face.”

“N-no, hahahaha………”

I was glared at once again, and I shrunk my body smaller………

“Seriously, a guy like you………….”

While making a sigh towards me, Tachibana sat in front of me.

“I-I can’t help it. For a young male like me, it is only natural to think of eating meat------”

“If you eat vegetables too, then there is nothing I will complain about.”

“Uu…………..”

“In the first place, you only eat meat. Just like I said from before, you should eat more vegetables. Learn from Julie and Miyabi.”

When I looked over to both their trays, since she had a small body the amount Julie took was little, she had Japanese style salad, fried eggs, the main was grilled salmon and the combinations could be said to be a Japanese style breakfast. She also had half a bowl of rice.

It could be said to be quite a low consumption to pass the time until afternoon.

If it was me, my stomach would probably be making flashy growls half-way into second period.

Miyabi had a simple combination of a pot-au-fue and BLT sandwich, her drink was the usual milk.

(……….As expected, is it related to the reason why they are so big?)

I can’t say where but, I secretly sent my sights over there and thought about it.

“Are you listening, Kokonoe?”

“------Uh! A-aah, I am listening and I get it. I will eat vegetables properly…………….!”

“Umu, it’s a promise…………oh yeah, eat this 8 type warm salad. You should be able to eat this right?”

*Don* a plate of salad was placed in front of me.

“Ugeeh………..not that, n-no, won’t Tachibana’s breakfast become less……………”

“Rest assured, I have already taken my share………….muu, while you are at it, how about spinach with kelp dressing on it? And also this cooked seaweed--------”

(Give me a break alreadddyyyyyyyyy!! The meat, the meattttttttttttt!!)

I raised a shout inside my heart from the small plate of vegetables being constantly added up in front of me.

Having several fractures, lacerations on every part of his body, and countless bruises.

Full recovery would take a month. However, this was only because he was an <<exceed>>; if it was a normal person then it would take several months for full recovery.</exceed>

It was the medical examination results of the injuries my friend Tora suffered during that <<newcomer>>--------no, doing her work in the backstage and targeting students with reputation, it was done by Tsukimi who was doing secret work.</newcomer>

“Why is Tora over here?”

After finishing our breakfast chat and everyone headed to the classroom, I saw a familiar small male prostrating himself on the table while sleeping.

“…………………Isn’t it obvious I was discharged from the hospital, you idiot.”

Responding to my mumbling with his sharp-ears, Tora made a yawn while stretching.

“I think there should be around 10 more days until discharge but……………”

“Fuun, I can’t keep resting for that long.”

During Golden Week, we went to visit him in the ward around the premise of the school when we were in a stage where we could move but, he immediately sent us away because of something about showing his pathetic state.

After that, I heard the discharge day and condition of his wounds from the nurse but, it seems Tora was pushy for his discharge.

“What are you going to do if you dragged your wounds just because you forced yourself. Keep quiet and sleep. Also there is that, you know there is a saying that a child that sleeps will grow bigger………..sorry, nothing.”

“Who the hell is small!!”

Hearing that from behind me, Miyabi twitched from that angry voice and hid behind me as if she was scared.

“It’s okay. That retort was for me.”

“U-un………… ……………….. Ah……….!”

When I made a smile towards Miyabi who was grabbing my clothes tightly, she opened her eyes wide in an instant----------

She quickly separated her hands, and took a step back before apologizing.

“Haha, I won’t bite.”

Miyabi slipped a smile from the sentence that reminded her of the introduction we made during the first time we met.

“But, are you seriously okay? The wounds you got from her should be quite serious. Just like what Kokonoe says, I think it’s better for your body to not force yourself.”

“Judging by the way you said it, you already know about the situation too?”

Tachibana swung her head vertically from Tora’s question.

On that day, it was great we managed to break Tsukimi’s <<tebutjefang>> but, I suffered extreme fatigue while the wounds on Julie’s legs were serious, and thus both of us could not move.</tebutjefang>

Then, Tachibana and Miyaba contacted the academy side after looking at our state, and performed emergency treatment on all the injured people including Tora and the rest.

During that occasion, we explained to Tachibana and Miyabi about what happened--------including the secret of the <<blaze>>------so, they were already aware about the situation.</blaze>

“I see, you two did my emergency treatment………Tachibana, Hotaka, it was a life saver. You have my gratitude.”

Tora lowered his head.

“…………………….”

“…………..Tooru. What is with that face?”

“I’m shocked.”

“Why are you shocked, Tooru?”

Julie tilted her head and *Chirin* a bell sound was produced.

“Nooo, that’s because Tora is lowering his head towards someone.”

“Don’t open your eyes wide from something like that! Even I would lower my head when I really want to show my gratitude!”

“That’s because it’s Tora you know!?”

“What kind of image of me is inside of you!!”

“…………….Tooru, Tora. Fighting is bad.”

“*Giggle* *Giggle*, it’s alright Julie-chan, this isn’t a fight.”

Miyabi made a small giggle from our small quarrel, and nodded towards Julie [Is that so?] question.

However, Julie tilted her head because she could not understand at all and *chirin* the bell shook.

“Oh yeah! You said you would lower your head when you really want to show your gratitude right. Then, you were saved by me and Julie during that time, so I’ll have you show that gratitude of yours.”

“Uuu………Gugu, Th-that’s…………kuh, i-it certainly is unpleasant…………”

While I was making a spiteful smile at Tora, Tachibana [Are you a child] muttered that in a tired tone behind me.

After a while, although Tora *un**un* groaned, he made a complex expression while opening his mouth with a desperate tone.

“Al-alright. I will show you my gratitude so be grateful.”

“It should be thank you there right?”

“Muguuh………! Gu-gu-gu……….Tha-tha-thatha……than……… ………..Haah!? No-now that I think back about it, if it weren’t for me saving you in the first place, even you would be defeated too!!”

Damn it, he noticed.

“That’s why we don’t owe each other anything. You get it! However, you will show your gratitude to Julie!”

*Fuun* Tora made a rough snort and turned his back towards us.

“Seriously, I don’t know whether I should call you childish, or you’re existence is mean………….oh, it’s the chime. See you later. Kokonoe.”

Hearing the ringing sound of the chime signifying the start of the classes, Tachibana lightly hit my shoulders and headed towards her own seat.

Miyabi also left with a [see you later] before chasing after her back.

“Tooru. Let’s sit down too.”

Although I went to sit on my seat when I was urged by Julie, there was question that popped up at that moment.

“Wait a sec? It’s okay for the class to start but, what about our homeroom teacher?”

There was no way it was going to be the girl wearing rabbit ears.

Which meant, another teacher should be a replacement-------

“Good Morning--♥ Did you all enjoy your GW? I think this is unlikely but, are there naughty children that played too much and forgot their homework? If there is then, please raise your hands—♥”

“-------Uh!!”

The moment we saw the rabbit ears coming into the classroom after the chime ended, me-------Julie, Tachibana, Miyabi, Tora and Tatsu stood up.

Each of us placed our hands on our own chest, and the instant we were about to say the <<word>>-------</word>

“The class is going to start. Please sit down at your seats.”

We could only stop our thoughts, from the words coming from Mikuni-sensei who showed himself after coming into the classroom after Tsukimi.

“You didn’t hear me, Kokonoe-kun? The other 5 too. The class is going to start.”

Once again ordered to sit down, we lowered our hips while in bewilderment.

(What’s going on………….!?)

“Alright ☆, let’s begin our long returning HR---♪“

Exactly like what the owner of that evil blade that attacked on that day proclaimed, the HR has started.

As if that attack did not happen, she was making her usual, natural smile.

However, we were only bewildered since we know about the face under that smiling mask.

“Okay okay ☆, regarding the <<newcomer>> we had just before the holidays, good work to those who won magnificently and although it is disappointing, to the people that lost too♪ it looks like there were several people that got injured from hustling a little too much but, Sensei is very satisfied to be able to see everyone’s current powers ♥”</newcomer>

The part about got injured------although me and Tora were about to open our mouth to say whose fault was it by reflex, Tsukimi *pachiri* closed one of her eyes while placing her fingers on her mouth.

The matter regarding that attack was a secret; that was probably what she was telling us.

We know that without her telling us but, thanks to the main culprit of that incident lying so calmly, we were just barely maintaining our composure.

“--------With that said, just like what I explained beforehand, the <<duo>>’s with good results will be able to receive the <<sublimation>> as a special prize on Saturday. Errrr, the ones who will take it are--------”</sublimation></duo>

The ones Tsukimi said were me & Julie, Tachibana & Miyabi, Tora & Tatsu, and 2 other <<duo>> groups.</duo>

According to that, it seemed the standard of 3 wins and above was the condition to receive the special prize.

Originally, I would be happy to be able to receive the <<sublimation>> but, now wasn’t the time for that.</sublimation>

(What the hell is going on……?)

My head was in chaos.

I did not have to say the reason; it was about the reason as to why was Tsukimi still our homeroom teacher, and why did Mikuni-sensei------the academy side approved it.

But, during the time I was thinking inside my head, the HR was still continuing.

After that, we were told about the classes from now on, the interleague match with the 2nd year students, and that there would be a seaside school trip in July. Tsukimi then left the classroom from the chime signal and the class started after the general science teacher entered while she left.

The questions regarding Tsukimi, everyone related to that incident felt bewildered.

“What do you make of that, Kokonoe?”

When it turned break time, Tachibana came over to talk to me while making a blatant perplexed expression.

Miyabi was beside her and Tora and Tatsu sitting in front of us turned around to look at me.

Even for Julie who normally doesn’t move her expression much, she was bringing her eyebrows closer.

“Let’s talk in the corridor. Someone might hear us here.”

After saying that, I urged everyone to head out to the corridor. The damages caused from the <<newcomer>> was completely restored during the GW, and there was nearly no one in the corridor with its original aspects restored regardless of it being break time, the class--------rather than saying that, this showed the fact that there are only a few people inside the school including the staff members.</newcomer>

We moved to a place which was quite separated from the classroom just in case.

At that moment, Miyabi was the first one to open her mouth to break the somewhat heavy atmosphere.

“E-eerr…….Tsukimi-sensei was trying to kill Julie-chan and Tooru-kun right?”

“Ja---. If not for Tooru, by now I would be………….”

“I could not do anything if I was alone. That plan succeeded because Julie was there.”

I seriously thought that without being humble. Thanks to Julie stopping Tsukimi’s sword, a chance to slam MjolnirThunder god’s strike in was produced.

[Nai. It was Tooru………….] [Nono, it was Julie…………….]

“Stop it already. We should be talking about why that woman was once again in front of us first!”

Unable to hide his irritation, Tora made an angry shout and we returned back to the main thread.

“Even if you say that………………even I would like to hear why Tsukimi appeared with a nonchalant face.”

The academy was left to deal with Tsukimi but, at the very least we thought we would never see her ever again.

“Kuhah, then let me tell you, <

But even so, I have to continue running towards that end.

In order to understand the meaning of those words after obtaining <