Chapter 46 of 60

Vol 5 Chapter 4

12 min read2,969 words

Chapter 4: An Opened Door Cannot Be Closed Again

Month: O – Day: X – Sunny

Something is definitely strange. The senpais in the club are all strange — even as I say this, and rack my brains trying to think of how they are strange, I draw a complete blank.

What to do… I want them to become the way they were before and do stuff to the best of their abilities…

So I’m trying to understand all of this with them. This time, I’ve certainly tried my very best.

But I still didn’t achieve anything… Whatever, someone like me can’t achieve anything anyway… N-no, I can’t think like that! Negativity is prohibited! Next time, next time I’ll do it for sure.

Anyway, I feel like Chihiro-kun’s been acting a little weird lately… He’s seeming to be pretty strong, or rather, he looks more pretentious… or, as though he’s received <something>from <someone>.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Uwa Chihiro’s household — the Uwa household, was a normal family.</someone></something>

<something><someone>The four people of Uwa household were Chihiro, his brother, and their parents, living in a 3LDK [18] separately sold apartment on a 25 year mortgage. His father worked at a firm and earned a pa.s.sable income — although there would never be the chance of getting a promotion, at least he would never be fired, and it was enough to sustain the mortgage and the family’s living expenses. In other words, a normal middle-cla.s.s family.</someone></something>

<something><someone>One morning, Chihiro, his father, and his brother sat around the table stacked with plain salad and simple toast. His mother was in the kitchen preparing bentos for him and his brother. Chihiro b.u.t.tered his toast and chewed it slowly.</someone></something>

<something><someone>There was no special conversation at the table.</someone></something>

<something><someone>His father read the newspaper, sipping his coffee. His brother was half-asleep, moving his jaw; he had probably played games late into the night.</someone></something>

<something><someone>This type of scene had played out for several, dozens, hundreds of times. A morning that never, ever changed.</someone></something>

<something><someone>His father stood and began adjusting his clothing. At the company, Chihiro’s father had transitioned from fresh new member to full steam ahead, and it was nearly time to go to work.</someone></something>

<something><someone>What would I do for a living? — Chihiro sometimes thought. It was likely that he would inevitably walk the same path as his father and finally achieve what someone like him in the world should be able to achieve.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Chihiro wasn’t dissatisfied by that. Although he wasn’t outstanding, if he looked at the average income for the entire j.a.panese population, no doubt he’d be among the leaders, so what was there to be dissatisfied at?</someone></something>

<something><someone>No matter how good you think you are, there’s always going to be someone out there who’s better; Chihiro understood this simple principle. He couldn’t force himself to rise continually, either — Chihiro understood this as well. So Chihiro was neither unsettled nor envious of that which he could not reach. Those who stood above him are undoubtedly fated to do so — sitting on talent, status, or wealth — those who already had an advantage at the starting line.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Those who had and those who hadn’t; it was an immovable truth that this world contained that decisive difference.</someone></something>

<something><someone>For example, the genius in the karate dojo by the name of Kiriyama Yui.</someone></something>

<something><someone>This girl was intrinsically talented. After practice ended every day, she would be all smiles, radiant, like she was celebrating her own good fortune. Although she wasn’t relaxed by any means during practice, but she had never undergone any sort of grueling training; she’d relied on her own talent to obtain enviable scores, and in everything other than this, she was the same as everyone else, enjoying her normal, everyday life. Also, due to her attractive appearance, she was supposedly popular among boys. Like a perfect human being.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Chihiro had never considered the possibility of defeating her — or even, establishing the true difference between them. He had simply viewed her as an existing on another dimension, viewing her from afar — even though they seemed to be friendly on the surface, that matter hasn’t changed.</someone></something>

<something><someone>But one day, Yui never came to the dojo again.</someone></something>

<something><someone>And another day, Yui appeared at the dojo once more, and Chihiro had transferred to her school.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Fate is a magical thing.</someone></something>

<something><someone>He’d heard that she hadn’t touched karate for many years, and her personality had matured quite a bit. So had she decreased in her abilities? Chihiro thought.</someone></something>

<something><someone>—But she seemed even more brilliant than before.</someone></something>

<something><someone>It was like her very existence should be illegal. In terms of karate, she went through minimal practice and regained her past level.</someone></something>

<something><someone>So-called human life was truly determined and destined at birth.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Because the world is just like this — he deeply understood. So he was completely different from those idiotic people who held idiotic dreams and idiotically failed. He had been walking the right path all along.</someone></something>

<something><someone>—Even as Chihiro firmly believed that—</someone></something>

<something><someone>“I’m leaving.”</someone></something>

<something><someone>His father said towards the kitchen, and walked out the door.</someone></something>

<something><someone>His mother replied.</someone></something>

<something><someone>His brother stood up wordlessly and went for the bathroom. He was probably going to spend time messing with his hair, as usual.</someone></something>

<something><someone>His brother’s plate was left with tomatoes, which had been ignored as usual. His mother should have noticed that his brother doesn’t like tomatoes, so she should have left them out of his plate.</someone></something>

<something><someone>The Uwa household was a normal, unchanging scene.</someone></something>

<something><someone>But, there actually had been intensive changes.</someone></something>

<something><someone>Helped by <fuusenkazura>, Chihiro’s world was no longer the same. He himself had changed.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro actually hadn’t accepted his fate. Even though he himself said that he’d already seen through the truth of the world, he hadn’t given up after all.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>What is going to happen, what is going happen out of the blue to me — Chihiro had been praying deep down in his heart.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>He, who refuses to mix with the uncouth.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>He, the one with the right to become extraordinary.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>He, who would have more worth than others.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Today, his wishes can truly be realized.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Have you heard? Some cla.s.ses have already begun practicing for their events in the Sports Festival.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Shimono was saying at the end of their period in the portable cla.s.sroom, on the way back to homeroom.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Oh, really? They’re all second and third years anyway.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>This school really is pa.s.sionate about some meaningless things. — Chihiro thought as he replied.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“No, it’s like the first years are influenced by the second and third years, and they’re doing it too.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Ehhh, how’s that possible—?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Tada repeated Chihiro’s words, turned and grabbed Chihiro’s shoulders, twisting his wrists.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“We’re gonna lose anyway — but it’s really hot right now—”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Get your mitts off if you’re hot. I’m already hot.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro calmly shook Tada off. Shimono suddenly pointed towards the field.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Hey, look over there!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“On the field, there were seven or eight students practicing pa.s.sing sticks for relay races, without changing from their school uniforms.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Tsk tsk, there’s still three weeks, these guys really wanna win.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Shimono said.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Yeah. If it were up to me, we’d be practicing two or three days before, at most.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro nodded in agreement as Tada quipped:</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Isn’t our cla.s.s supposed to wait until a day before?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Probably not… If our cla.s.s… If a miracle happens we should be able to wait until a day before… Ah, it’s impossible.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“So a miracle is also impossible!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Shimono and Tada grinned tacitly. Their smiles felt like they had been squeezed out to relieve stress.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>— Enjouji Shino thought as she watched the field from afar. She hugged her textbooks and notebooks, her soft tea-colored hair blowing about in the wind.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Without noticing — and truly without noticing, Chihiro slowed his pace, increasing the distance between him and Shimono and Tada, and stood there, waiting for Enjouji to reach him.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“What are you looking at, Enjouji?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“The half ‘Chihiro-kun’ that you said sounded a lot like the name that Nagase-senpai usually calls me…”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Is she calling me “Chichi” in a roundabout way?</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“S-sorry… I wasn’t careful, it’s force of habit…”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Looking at Enjouji’s lowered head and timid appearance, Chihiro sighed.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Really. It’s fine to call me ‘Chihiro-kun’ in the cla.s.sroom. You can’t correct yourself anyway.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Mm, I’m sorry, I’ll definitely remember next time, and before I talk to you next time I’ll take a deep breath and prepare to talk to Uwa-kun… Eh? I can call you Chihiro-kun?!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“So you’re not doing it on purpose…”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Something similar had happened the last time he talked to her, was she bearing a burden from last time?</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“I’m s-sorry… I really didn’t do it on purpose… Uh, um, umm. I… What was I looking at again…?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“At least remember what you look at, Enjouji.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Although her processor wasn’t fast by any means, at least she wasn’t to the degree of being dumb.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Over there, look…”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Enjouji turned towards the field again.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Iori-senpai is with Taichi-senpai and they’re — Uwa!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Enjouji raised her hand to point at them and her books and pencil bag clattered onto the ground.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>… Correction. She isn’t very bright after all.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro also looked towards the field. Sure enough, Taichi and Iori were among a group of four boys and four girls. Iori was holding a relay baton.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>They were gathered together, chatting. Someone was probably saying something interesting; a few were roaring with laughter. Although he was out of earshot, Chihiro felt like he could hear their laughter.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>His chest itched for some reason.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Those two… They’re from Cla.s.s 2B.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“I always feel like… They’re really amazing.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Enjouji murmured.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“…How are they amazing?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Enjouji tilted her head, smiling warmly. There was an expression of secrecy on her face, sending the message ‘Think about it, you should be able to understand”.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>He felt slightly dissatisfied.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Don’t you feel that they’re really amazing?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>He understood that she was merely playing dumb and felt slightly embarra.s.sed.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro looked towards the field again. Nagase held her hands out in front of her as everyone else stood in a line. Taichi seemed to say something stupid; a tall girl was laughing so hard that her shoulders quaked.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Chihiro-kun…!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Enjouji seemed overly bold, causing her outburst to go slightly wrong…</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro glanced at Enjouji, who was staring at him. Having the other person strangely think of you as a companion is very distracting.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“No…Nothing…”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Enjouji closed her lips with a melancholy expression. Seeing her pitifully creased eyebrows and wet eyes that reflected her air of being abandoned, Chihiro became slightly annoyed.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Talking with Enjouji — and gazing at Taichi and the others — was there any reason to it? Was there any value to it? Was there any meaning to it?</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>The side that Taichi and the others are on and the side that Enjouji and the others are on — he, was an existence that crossed this limit.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>I should get back to homeroom, Chihiro thought. He crossed the courtyard and walked away.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Ah, wait, Chihiro-kun~!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro kept silent. He didn’t stop, either.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Coincidentally, he saw Kiriyama Yui and Aoki Yoshifumi. They seemed not to notice him.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro slowed his pace, perked up his ears, and watched the two from a distance. As long as they didn’t turn around, they wouldn’t notice him.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“You broke your promise yesterday.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Yui spoke fiercely in a voice dripping with rage. There was no one around, so Chihiro heard every word clearly.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Huh? Promise?”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“You’re still playing dumb…! You jer… Forget it.”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Yui left those words and spun around to leave.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Wait! I really don’t know what you’re talking about!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Aoki shouted, but Yui completely ignored him.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Yui, didn’t you… You’re suddenly stopping it now… I don’t know anything about that order that you gave me!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>“Order? What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?!”</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Just then, Yui noticed Chihiro’s gaze and turned around. Their eyes met, and Chihiro nodded in acknowledgement as Aoki also noticed.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Yui raised her hand slightly with a terrible expression and left. Aoki waved as well and walked off in a different direction.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>It seems like the seed he planted had raised something else somewhere he didn’t know.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro’s heart was soaked in a complicated tangle of fear and excitement.</fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura>Chihiro was using his own body to personally experience his own <new>.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“— Hey, Chihiro-kun.”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>This voice seemed to seize Chihiro, freezing his heart in an instant.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>It was only Enjouji’s voice, but its clear sound, free of any impurities, gave the impression that she had seen through everything.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Chihiro turned toward Enjouji with a poker face.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“Don’t you feel… that the senpais have been strange lately?”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Enjouji carefully watched Chihiro’s eyes, seemingly reading something from within.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“I just feel like… they’re unnatural…”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“Who knows. Maybe it’s because the Sports Festival is beginning soon, so they’re just in high spirits.”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“Re…ally? It doesn’t seem like that at all… Um, maybe, it’s because…”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Enjouji lowered her head as though she was showing her hair to Chihiro.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>To break this hesitant situation, just as Chihiro was about to leave without her, Enjouji raised her face. Chihiro met Enjouji’s gaze; within Enjouji’s eyes, sparks and embers were burning.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“It’s just my personal guess, but…”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Chihiro’s brain sent out an instinctive warning. She must not continue her words.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“So? What exactly are you trying to do?”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Send a preemptive strike before being questioned and use a question to dodge this temporary danger.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Enjouji’s words stuck together.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>Although he didn’t know what was going on, this was an opportunity. Seize and floor the accelerator, misleading her train of thought.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“Yeah. What are you trying to do? You.”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>The glow from her burning eyes dissipated and became a patch of black. Enjouji suddenly looked like she wanted to cry, but it was clear that she hadn’t noticed a thing.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>“Let’s go, back to homeroom.”</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>After that, Enjouji didn’t come with him.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>That night, Chihiro crashed onto his bed and thought.</new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new>As the price for receiving “Fantasy Projection”, he must make those five people more interesting — this wording made him hesitant and confused. According to <fuusenkazura>, it seemed like as long as giant waves disturbed the emotions among the five, he would feel “interesting” (This was Chihiro’s unproved theory. <fuusenkazura>merely said “About that… If possible, please think about it on your own…”).</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>If he wanted to shake up the relationships among the five people, effectively, he’s have o completely destroy their connections. Since <fuusenkazura>noncommittally commented “Ah… That’s not preventable anyway…”, he should be going in the right direction.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Obliterate the pentagonal relationship of the Cultural Research Club and destroy the bond between the five. Destroy and disappear.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>He suddenly felt a kind of fear. Was it really acceptable to commit a sin like this?Chihiro questioned of himself deep down in his consciousness.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>But the answer to this rhetorical question presented itself easily.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>—This couldn’t be helped.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>had promised Chihiro that as long as Chihiro brought about sufficient entertainment to the five people, he would extend the effects of Chihiro’s “Fantasy Projection” to people other than those five.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>If he could use “Fantasy Projection” on all of humankind, then he would be able to do as he desired.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>He wouldn’t be swallowed up by wicked desires, but instead would absorb then and progress beyond. Because he was far from mediocrity.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>He must ascend to higher ground. Therefore, they were his stepping stones. His current everyday high school life was nothing worth remembering anyway. Seizing the opportunity to destroy everything and awaken them to reality isn’t a bad idea either.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>The next day, at school.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>When Chihiro made sure that Inaba was alone.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“[I am the one who Inaba Himeko is most likely to obey.]”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“Oh, Taichi.”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>The one who fulfilled this criterion would of course be Taichi. As predicted, without fail.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Inaba approached, grinning. But within her smile, things seemed hazy, probably because she had been stymied on things lately.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“Inaba, can we speak alone for a second?”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Chihiro [Taichi] extended an invitation.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“A-alone… Eh, r-right now?”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Inaba’s face turned crimson and her eyes began to wander. If Inaba is so shy in front of everyone else, then when she is alone with Taichi… Hm, she’s full of that 'shy girl feeling”.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Being stared by her like this is very uncomfortable, but if she’s really into him, she’s one h.e.l.l of a cute girlfriend.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“Yeah, right now.”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>After a moment of brief hesitation, Inaba nodded.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Chihiro [Taichi] led Inaba to a room in a cla.s.sroom building. This room was about as big as the Cultural Research clubroom; except for a pile of old desks and chairs, there was nothing inside. Almost no one used it and it could be locked from the inside — Chihiro had personally confirmed this.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“There’s actually a room like this…”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Inaba couldn’t help but exclaim. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt and short skirt with beautifully curved legs wrapped in black stockings; from behind she looked pleasantly slender and gave off just a hint of suggestiveness.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Chihiro [Taichi] entered the room behind her, turned around and surrept.i.tiously locked the door.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“So, what’s up, specially bringing me here—”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“Inaba, take off your clothes.”</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Chihiro [Taichi] commanded.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>Inaba stood still, as though she needed time to process the words, her face reddening instantly.</fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura>“Are, are, are we, we, we going to have our <first>in this place…!”</first></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><first>Inaba’s eyes darted around frantically as she wildly waved her hands in the air.</first></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><first>“Um, wait, is this, uhh, does this mean, you can’t wait any longer? Al-although there isthis sort of situation in H-manga…”</first></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></fuusenkazura></new></fuusenkazura></someone></something>

<something><someone><fuusenkazura><new><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><fuusenkazura><first>Taichi and Inaba seem to be in an exceptionally