chapter 1

“Sigh”

I let out a sentimental sigh and continued walking with heavy steps on my way to school .

It was only natural . Today was Monday after all .

For some reason, I looked up at the sky and caught sight of another student who was flying towards school . I immediately turned away and looked at something else .

Ah! It’s such a good thing to have a floating ability .

While thinking about these things, I quickened my pace a little bit .

At that moment, I heard someone call my name from behind .

“Oi, Kazato!”

Kamiya Kazato . 1 This is my name .

And the one who called out to me is Midou Tsurugi 2 .

“Tsurugi?……”

“Today you look even worse than usual . ”

“Because it’s Monday . ”

He’s an old friend of mine . One of the reasons we got along was the fact that both of us were normals, a very small group of people who haven’t manifested any ability .

However, there was a fundamental difference between us .

“Tsu – rugi ~!”

A girl called out and started running towards us .

Her name is Oohashi Hitomi 3 .

She is a beauty, to such a degree that she is believed to be able to make anyone fall for her at first sight . She’s also the school’s madonna .

This girl is Tsurugi’s childhood friend . He doesn’t realize…… . or maybe he doesn’t want to (at least that’s what I’d like to think), but she is in love with him .

“Morning . ”

“Morning, Hitomi . ”

After she ran all the way here, Oohashi immediately started to cling onto Tsurugi’s arm .

Watching these flirty scenes so early in the morning was bitter, to be honest .

“Oh! Morning to you too, Kamiya-kun . ”

She said to me, like she just realized I was there as well .

“……Morning . ”

I answered . Just after that, I heard someone calling out from behind us again .

“Morning, Tsurugi!”

I turned around and, at the same time, I saw Furuya Rin 4, who was already clinging onto Tsurugi’s free arm .

“Morning, Rin . ”

“Meh, Hitomi……!”

“… . . Rin-chan, morning . ”

Instantly, the Tsurugi contest started to unfold right in front of my eyes .

Rin is actually my childhood friend, but she is in love with Tsurugi .

I’d like to tell her that she should be more devoted to me, since I’m her childhood friend, but unfortunately, Rin and I don’t get along that well .

It’s like an undesirable but inseparable relationship .

“Hey Kazato, you were here?”

Rin asked me as well, as if she just realized I was around .

“………”

Yes, this is the difference between me and him . The popular one and the unpopular one .

Tsurugi is extremely popular .

The two girls are in fact only a small fraction of Tsurugi’s followers – called the Tsurugi Harem .

During these moments I really want him to rot away, but it actually can’t be helped .

Ah! Only if I was also blessed with good looks…

When I think about this, I always get the urge of punching some holes in my old friend’s face .

“If we don’t hurry, we’ll be late . ”

______

I was looking outside the far away window, from my lonely seat in the middle of the classroom .

I caught sight of a Self-Defense Force soldier who was flying about in the sky; he was patrolling .

The Self-Defense Force is the so-called supporter of justice .

It’s an organization mainly composed of ability users .

From a normal’s point of view like myself, their existence is much appreciated . They are the ones who always eliminate the demonic beasts that show up in our city from time to time .

And, they also protect us from the evil organization “Anonymous”, the SDF’s main opposing force .

Even though I called it an evil organization, I actually have no idea what their objective is . According to rumors, it’s something about world domination .

There are all sorts of groups that think about stupid things, but with the SDF around, everyone feels safe .

“Eh, abilities are divided into two major categories, namely the manipulation type and the enhancement type; however there are many abilities that don’t fit in any of the two groups . The ones that don’t match any type of categorization are……… . . ”

I ignored the lesson .

It’s no use to listen to stories about abilities I’ll never be able to use anyway, and this common knowledge level story is annoying to begin with . That’s because the possibility that I will manifest an ability now is already zero .

Most people manifest their abilities until the age of 10; 15 at most, in case one has a late manifestation .

I’ll be 17 soon . I already surpassed the period when I thought about how cool it’d be to control the wind or such .

To be honest, I do have an inferiority complex .

I will obediently aspire to become a government worker; that’s what I’ve decided .

“So, about Kazato’s birthday party……”

“Yeah, we should leave it to Tsurugi . Uhihi, I’m sure Kamiya-kun will be surprised . ”

“However, throwing a party for that guy sure is annoying . ”

“Rin, it was you who suggested it after all . ”

Despite their conversation was taking place during the lesson, I heard it as if they were talking right behind me, so I looked over my shoulder .

Having done that, I caught sight of Tsurugi and his followers whispering in the back of the classroom . They even brought their desks together .

However, they somehow realized I turned around and stopped talking .

Come to think of it, tomorrow is my birthday .

Are they throwing a party for me? If that’s the case, isn’t it bad for me to hear about it?

Anyway, I’ll just make sure to be free tomorrow after school .

I decided and turned to look again outside the window .

______

The next morning, I left home earlier than usual .

It didn’t really mean anything, I just woke up early .

I thought that the road leading to my school might have fewer people than usual, if it’s this early in the morning .

So I left the house and walked towards school, choosing the streets that had as low a pedestrian traffic as possible .

Mornings are rather chilly .

I was about to return home for my blazer, but it’ll get warmer around noon, so I changed my mind .

I left the shopping district and crossed the main road .

And then, I chose another empty street and continued on my way .

A detour isn’t really that bad, right? I thought about it and turned the next corner only to find myself bumping into someone .

I was pushed away . It was a man .

“…… . Sorry . ”

“…… . . Be careful . ”

It was the only thing the tall man said to me, and I continued on my way .

There was another person behind (her face was covered by food, but probably a woman), accompanying that man .

“……… . ”

This pair was giving off a very bizarre aura .

I looked at their retreating figures for a moment, but the man turned around and glared back, so I panicked and averted my eyes .

“……Just now?”

“It could be . However, it can also be wrong . The Observer doesn’t always get it right, after all . ”

What? Why are they talking so loud?

Was it about me……? I don’t really get it, but I shouldn’t get involved in this .

I started walking faster .

I was planning to take a detour and arrive at school at the usual time, but in the end, after this incident I abandoned my initial plan and hurried straight to school, until I got inside the classroom .

I placed my bag on my desk and sat down .

“Sight… . . ”

I like it when it’s quiet .

The only present sound was the creaking of my chair .

In a few dozen minutes, however, it will get pretty noisy .

I looked up at the ceiling . I heard someone’s steps down the corridor .

And then the classroom door opened .

I turned around, but the door was still closed .

It seems that the sound came from the next classroom .

Hmm . I really felt it like the sound was pretty close though .

Well, it doesn’t matter .

I felt somewhat sleepy . I was not made for early mornings .

So, I rested my head on the desk and closed my eyes .

Before one knew, I fell asleep .

OOOOOoooooo!!

Some noise made me jump up to my feet .

It was so sudden, my heart was beating violently .

What is this? What kind of sound is this?

It was far from loud . I felt I was at a concert or something .

Sweating, I turned to look around me restlessly, but nothing was out of the ordinary . The same old classroom .

Almost everyone was present now since the lesson was due to start any minute .

Hmm?

The noise started to settle down gradually .

“Morning, Kazato . ”

“Ah, Tsurugi? Morning . ”

“What’s wrong? You’re drenched in sweat, you know? . ”

I wiped away the sweat on my forehead and told him it was nothing . It happened because I was half asleep, maybe?

That or my ears behaved buggily .

“By the way, are you free today after school?

Everyone is gathering at my place . Feel like joining us?”

Such an awful way to invite someone over .

“Who’s everyone? It’s only Hitomi and Rin after all, am I right?”

“W…well, you are . Want to invite someone else?”

“Nope, it’s okay . I’m coming since I’m free anyway . ”

“……All right . Then, see you after school . ”

“Right . Still, I wanna go back home for a moment first . ”

“Yea . That’s great for us too actually . ”

Tsurugi returned to his seat right when the door opened and the home room teacher entered .

The classroom fell silent and everyone took their seats .

“Rise . Bow . Good morning!”

With this, another peaceful day at school began .

______

I went straight home after the classes ended .

For some reason, I was feeling more tired than usual today .

I threw myself down on the sofa in the living room .

Not a single member of my family was at home . They said something about being late today, if I remember correctly .

Since I’ll go to Tsurugi’s place, my house will be empty .

A ringtone .

I checked the email I got on my phone . It was from Rin .

‘Don’t come until 7 . Having said so, you would’ve been late anyway . ’

That’s what she said . I’ll be there earlier .

I thought, and after I drank a glass of water, I laid down on the sofa again .

I fell asleep the next minute .

The sound of a ringtone woke me up .

“Too damn noisy . ”

The sound of the ringtone was reverberating inside my head so much that it annoyed me . I grabbed my phone roughly and looked at its screen .

I was too late to answer .

However, I was startled to see I had 32 missed calls .

…… . . What time is it?

It was 8 .

I hurriedly changed my clothes . I grabbed my phone that started to ring again . It was Rin .

“Hello!”

‘Hello? What the heck are you doing?’

“Sorry, I slept!”

‘What? Come here already!’

She let me hear her long sigh then hung up .

I hurriedly changed my school uniform for some random plain clothes and rushed out of my house .

It’s been a long time since I was in such a hurry . I never imagined I would fall asleep . Precisely when they prepared a birthday party for me, how comes I did such a thing…

I stepped strongly on my bicycle’s pedals .

Tsurugi’s house is at a 5 minute distance from mine .

I’ll be there soon .

At that moment, I heard a loud buzzing in my ears .

“Wh… . . !”

I tumbled down vigorously .

“It hurts……What the… . ”

I was used to ear buzzings, but this time was different . It was the first time they got this loud .

…… . Leaving this aside, I must hurry!

I grabbed my bike and started pedaling again .

_______

“I’m really sorry . ”

“Really now, it’s not normal for the main guest to be this late . ”

After Rin scolded me for an entire year’s share, my birthday party was about to start, even though I was already feeling exhausted .

“The food got cold……”

“……Sorry . ”

Still, you both made this food for Tsurugi anyway . Why should I even bother?

I put these thoughts away and lowered my head .

“Well, it’s all right . I was worried he got himself in an accident or something .

Now, let’s eat . ”

You little bastard……You chose to display your good guy abilities with such a nice timing……

“Yea, let’s eat . ”

“Itadakimasu . 5”

As I looked at the three of them starting eating, I stretched my hand and grabbed something too .

“Oh, it’s actually good . ”

“How is it, Tsurugi?”

“It’s tasty . ”

“What about mine!?”

“Yea . A bit disappointing . ”

“Huh? Disappointing?”

It seems it’d be okay for me not to express my thoughts .

I was eating silently while trying to digest all these flirty scenes spreading around me .

This is my birthday party, right?

After a short time, we finished all the food and ate some cake together .

“So, what about presents?”

“There aren’t any . ”

So it seems .

Well, this is already good enough .

After that, we played some TV games and, before one knew, the clock was pointing towards 11 .

“It’s already this late?”

“Seems so . We should probably go, Hitomi and Rin are here too, so… . . ”

“Should I stay for the night?”

“Then I’ll stay too . ”

“What are you two talking about?”

Actually, it’s the same as usual .

“After all, it’s dangerous for normal girls to go out at such a late hour . ”

By the way, everyone here was a normal . We have no special abilities whatsoever .

No, actually Rin is not a normal .

However, she has such a useless ability that calling her a normal would not make for a big difference .

“Then, I’ll send you both off . ”

“ “Heee?” “

Just do it somewhere else .

I restrained my feelings and put on my jacket .

“Well, I’ll be going home ahead then . Thanks for today . It made me happy . ”

I thanked them and quickly left Tsurugi’s house behind .

_______

On the way back home, I ended up dragging my bicycle along .

Yes, I got a flat tire .

Even though it was my birthday, I was pretty unlucky today .

Inside my head, I was using all sorts of abusive words against the gods, but kept on dragging my bicycle along nonetheless .

However, this evening was awfully noisy .

And it happened right at that moment .

Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin .

A sound so loud, that made my head feel like breaking apart, was shaking my brains .

“Ha……! Ugh…… . What……the… . . hell…… . is this?”

I couldn’t put up with it, so I cowered down on the grown pressing onto my ears with my both hands .

I felt something dripping from my ears .

What’s this? Blood?

“Ughh… . . !”

A painful noise that didn’t go away .

My eyeballs felt like jumping out .

‘That bakery looks rather tasty . ’ ‘That’s right . ’ ‘Yes, I’m sorry……Yes……Yes, I’ll make sure to finish by tomorrow……’ ‘I want another ramen!’ ‘Sure thing!’ ‘Ah, I don’t wanna do my homework . ’ ‘I wanna die . ’ ‘Because you are here . ’ ‘Listen to me . ’ ‘Go to sleep!’ ‘The bath is ready . ’ ‘Don’t you wanna eat!?’

Too loud .

Too loud, TOO LOUD . What’s going on? Shut up…… . . !

“…… . . Hey you, are you alright?”

A middle-aged man poked my shoulder lightly .

“SHUT UP ALREADY!!”

Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiin .

An echoing sound .

All the glass windows in the area broke apart in an instant .

The guy touching my shoulder fell on the ground, blood oozing from his ears .

Then, the sound of a siren echoed .

‘Emergency manifestation warning . Emergency manifestation warning .

The manifestation of an ability user is confirmed at point B-56 .

Danger level = Above the norm . Therefore, the target is to be eliminated .

Self-Defense Force sub-lieutenants and above are requested to promptly exterminate the target and rescue the citizens .

To the citizens living here, please don’t go out of your houses no matter the reason .

I repeat…… . .