Ch.101Chapter 16. Worries and Concerns (1)

Two weeks had passed since then.

Daily life was frighteningly peaceful.

Well, that’s not to say nothing had changed.

I still haven’t accepted becoming a symbolic figure in the Society. But Kagami seems to have tentatively reached that conclusion after our last conversation.

Well, this place may look shabby on the outside, but it’s actually quite important to the Society.

Besides my place and where the young man next door lives, it’s still where Koko’s body remains sealed.

Koko doesn’t seem interested in fully retrieving and using her body yet.

And Kagami doesn’t seem to want to move what’s in the refrigerator elsewhere either.

“Oh.”

These days, I occasionally run into the man next door in the mornings.

His name… I think I heard it before, but I can’t remember well. Actually, judging by how he doesn’t call me by name either, he probably doesn’t know mine either.

There’s not even a name on the nameplate. Is that because it’s a monthly rental? Well, even in Korea, apartment units rarely have names attached to them.

Seeing him out at this hour, it seems he’s finally found a job with normal hours. Kagami’s promise to find him a decent workplace must have been sincere.

“Going to school?”

“…Yes.”

Koko hid behind me as I answered.

I’m starting to understand what kind of people Koko tends to hide from.

Koko doesn’t show much wariness toward girls my age. The reason is probably because of my existence.

She seems to have learned that humans who look “similar” to me aren’t particularly dangerous.

Of course, that’s a misconception in some ways. The girls she’s seen so far have mostly been friendly or neutral toward me, but there have been some who attacked me before.

Well, let’s just think of it as a good thing and move on.

On the other hand, she’s still quite wary of adult men. She doesn’t tremble in fear or become unable to speak, but she does hide behind me and wants me to handle the conversation.

…Though I suspect she’d jump out and kill them immediately if I were attacked, but anyway, on the surface…

“Did you find a job successfully?”

“Ah, yes.”

Perhaps feeling a bit strange being asked such a question by a high school student, the man answered with a complex expression. A grown-up expression that conveyed both happiness and a hint of bitterness.

“I actually met someone good and got a job where I can use my major.”

“…”

Somehow I get the feeling that workplace is deeply connected to the Society.

But I didn’t bring it up explicitly and just nodded.

“Congratulations.”

“Haha…”

Well, he’s the only neighbor in this apartment. It doesn’t hurt to be familiar with each other’s faces.

And if he’s connected to the Society, it’s even better to know about him. Though he still seems close to being a civilian.

After exchanging brief greetings, we walked to the train station keeping a good distance from each other.

Since we came out from the same place and had a conversation, walking together might attract attention from other residents.

Fortunately, there are many people who commute to Tokyo by train like us. Seoul’s land prices are murderous, but Tokyo’s are even more terrifying. A veritable boiling cauldron of monthly rent. This country doesn’t even have the jeonse system.

Walking at a distance, we blended into the crowd and became strangers to each other.

As we merged into the throng of people flooding into the station, I firmly gripped Koko’s wrist. I wouldn’t really lose Koko even if I let go, but I still felt uneasy.

After being squeezed into the train heading toward Minato Ward, we get off at Tamachi Station.

The walk from here to school isn’t that far. At least it’s much closer than walking from Omiya Station to our home.

And from here, I started to sense a strange presence.

Saying I “sense a presence” might sound too much like fantasy, but it’s nothing extraordinary.

There are people in suits who follow the path from the station to our school.

They don’t acknowledge us. And the people change each time. Sometimes they’re in their early to mid-twenties, sometimes they’re elderly with graying hair. But the fact that they change is precisely what makes me suspicious.

Think about it. If they were just commuters whose route happened to overlap with my way to school, the people walking that path should always be the same.

Maybe it’s just my meaningless suspicion. Perhaps I’m just being overly sensitive because of my past experiences.

…I just don’t think those people have negative feelings toward me.

*

“Wow!”

Kaoru’s bread fishing continued as always.

But now there was someone who reacted before me.

And unlike me who never catches the bread on the first try, Koko skillfully darted forward and grabbed the bread placed on the floor.

“Hehehe, so cute, so cute~”

As always, Kaoru hugged Koko who had taken the bait and stroked her head vigorously.

“Kut-chan doesn’t show me this side anymore.”

“…I never showed it in the first place.”

When I looked at Kaoru with an expression that clearly said “what are you talking about,” Kaoru made her mouth into a cat-like shape and chuckled.

“I wonder if that’s true? You don’t know the expression you showed back then, Kut-chan.”

No, I do know. I manage my expressions too, you know.

…

Well, I’m not entirely sure.

“Have you become more mature since getting a little sister? This big sister is sad…”

Who’s a big sister?

I let out a small sigh and entered the literature club room.

By the way, Kaoru’s way of addressing me has returned to normal. For a while after the break, she had called me by my name rather than my nickname.

She probably thinks Koko has gotten used to the nicknames by now.

Actually, when I told Koko people’s names, she was only confused at first, but eventually understood as they kept calling her. Kaoru hadn’t listened to my full explanation back then.

Still, we ended up calling each other by name, and thanks to that, Yuka and I also started using each other’s names, so I guess it was a win for me.

“Hello, Kotone, Koko.”

“Hello, Izumi-senpai.”

“Hello!”

After my greeting, Koko, who was in a good mood with bread in her hand, energetically repeated my words. Izumi smiled warmly.

I sat in my usual spot. Koko sat next to me and opened the bread package.

Inside was castella cake.

Koko cut the bread in half without hesitation and handed half to me.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

I wonder if she learned this from watching me share food with her. Thinking it was good that she wasn’t growing up selfishly, I accepted the bread without refusing.

As I was enjoying the soft, sweet bread, Kaoru spoke up.

“Where are the first-years going for their school trip? Kyoto, right?”

I nodded.

I remember going on school trips in both my first and second years of high school, but that doesn’t seem to be the norm in Japan.

Come to think of it, in slice-of-life stories, school trip episodes usually only appear once. Maybe they typically only go in the second year?

Third-year students are considered exam students who need to focus on studying, even in Japan.

“Where are the seniors going?”

At my question, Kaoru and Izumi looked at each other and became triumphant.

Then they shouted simultaneously.

“Hawaii!”

…

Well, that’s quite grand.

I guess this is an expensive private high school after all.

I forget that sometimes.

Hawaii, huh.

As someone who’s never been outside the Korean peninsula, let alone to nearby countries, it’s somewhere I’d like to visit.

It’s famous, after all.

Whether I’ll be able to go or not, I’m not sure.

*

Well, for me, just going to Kyoto will be enjoyable enough.

In some ways, my current situation is already like a trip. Even with the lurking dangers, it’s similar to traveling.

It’s also a bit exciting to take a different train than the one I usually ride.

Besides… there might be differences between schools, but Japanese school trips are often depicted as having students form groups for free activities.

That was the case in “Tokyo Slayers” too. So we’ll probably do the same.

“Classmates, huh…”

On the way home.

The walk to the subway with Yuka wasn’t that long, but we always walked together when we could.

Of course, we chat along the way.

There are quite a few things we can’t discuss in front of Kaoru or Izumi.

“Why?”

“No, just thinking.”

Yuka frowned slightly as she answered my question.

“Not close with them?”

“It’s not that I’m not close.”

Yuka glanced at me with an incredulous look as she replied.

Well, several months have already passed.

Yuka’s personality isn’t particularly difficult, and since she’s not infatuated with Sasaki, she has no reason to be sharp with others, so she must have naturally made friends in class.

If that wasn’t the case, she wouldn’t have participated as a class representative in the sports festival.

“But why?”

“Well…”

Yuka thought for a moment and then said,

“I’ve been on school trips before, you know?”

Of course she has.

Yuka must have had middle school years too.

Even if she moved between several schools, she would have participated in school events when nothing unusual was happening.

Skipping would make her stand out too much.

“But… to be honest, when I went on school trips, I wasn’t that close with the other kids.”

“…”

I see.

If transferring schools became routine just as she was getting close to people, Yuka’s school life couldn’t have been very smooth.

She might have even gone on school trips twice in one year. It’s already awkward enough to sleep with unfamiliar classmates, and to do that multiple times…

…

In that sense, I can somewhat understand how ambivalent Yuka’s current situation must feel.

For Yuka personally, it must feel like a very stable life. She doesn’t need to move to another school and can continue attending this one.

But ironically, the reason she can do so is because “extremely unstable things” are happening at this school.

Until recently, I thought it was because they hadn’t caught the yokai yet, but thinking about it now, there’s no need to stay stationed at this school if the yokai has ceased activities in that way.

And the reason Yuka is stationed at this school… doesn’t take much thought to figure out.

It’s me.

And Koko.

Beings closely related to the Society, and who could be judged as not quite human by a hair’s breadth.

I think Yuka would be upset if I told her this thought, but the higher-ups probably keep her here to eliminate me if necessary.

“…Then, how about hanging out with your classmates?”

“With my classmates?”

Yuka looked at me with a complex expression.

“You could even walk home with them sometimes.”

“With them?”

I brought it up cautiously, but Yuka didn’t seem particularly shocked.

I absolutely didn’t mean it that way, but I didn’t want her to think I disliked walking with her.

“Hmm…”

After thinking for a moment, Yuka said,

“Honestly, wouldn’t it be a bit strange to suddenly ask to hang out with them now?”

Is that so?

Well, awkwardness is an issue at the beginning of the semester, but after spending a term together, everyone has formed their own groups.

These groups don’t easily break unless a new semester forces them to make new friends.

They might even continue eating together in the next grade.

“…I don’t think you need to rush.”

“I’m not rushing.”

Yuka sighed deeply at my words.

“Well, there’s still time anyway… I’ll have to hang out with my classmates at some point. Maybe I should try talking to them more until then.”

“What about going with Sasaki?”

At my question, Yuka thought for a moment, then said,

“Nakahara would probably hate that, wouldn’t she?”

Yes, of course. She’ll try to close the distance while Hagiwara, being from a different grade, can’t follow.

And with Shii not around, she won’t have to worry about her either.

In the original story, Yuka also clung to him and engaged in a cat fight.

Thinking about this makes me angry. Even though the future has changed, he still has a harem.

…By the way, wouldn’t Shii be uncomfortable with this too?

She’s the one who dragged me in because she didn’t like girls clinging to her brother.

In the original story, there was a scene where Shii lectured Sasaki before the school trip.

She told him to behave properly and not do strange things to girls… something like that, and of course, our dense protagonist Sasaki didn’t understand exactly what she meant.

When she said to behave properly, she meant don’t attract other girls.

…

I felt intensely irritated again.

Even if I had really been born a boy, I wouldn’t have messed with girls out of conscience, but it still annoys me.

“Don’t worry too much.”

Seeing my expression, Yuka said to me,

“We’ll probably be able to meet there too. It’s free activity time, right? People start out moving together but eventually split up to find their friends. And.”

Yuka looked at Koko walking beside me.

“If your homeroom teacher has any sense, they’ll put you and Koko in the same group.”

“I guess so?”

It was really nice to have a teacher who didn’t need to worry about that point.

Right.

Let’s think about what happens in Kyoto when we get there.

There’s no point worrying about things that haven’t happened yet.

With a lighter heart after talking with Yuka, I was able to return home.

*

And then Thursday came.

Despite appearances, I’m someone who keeps in regular contact with acquaintances.

Of course, I wasn’t like that in my previous life, but anyway, I am now.

To be precise, being surrounded by young girls who are at an age of sensitivity and chattiness gives me many opportunities for such conversations.

Shii was similar. In the original “Tokyo Slayers,” Shii was established as quite popular in her class. Well, it would be strange if she wasn’t popular with that face.

Perhaps because of this, she would send me emails without hesitation despite me being her senior from a higher school. Since Shii’s own way of speaking was quite polite in the first place, she never risked being disrespectful in her emails.

Conversely, not having separate contact for a few days was also natural. Unless you’re incredibly close friends, or even if you are, as long as you’re just friends, you don’t chat every day.

That’s why I didn’t think much about Shii not contacting me this week.

We were working at the same place anyway, so we’d see each other soon, and if there was anything to talk about, we could do it then or at the ramen shop after work.

However, when I met Shii after a few days,

“Hello, senpai.”

Her face was terrible.

No, her expression wasn’t that different from usual.

But her skin was rough and there were dark circles under her eyes. She looked like she hadn’t slept properly for days.

“…Is something wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, no, nothing.”

Shii averted her gaze slightly and avoided answering my question.

After thinking for a moment, I could quickly recall one of the problems that could happen to Shii.

In the original story, Sasaki and Shii were caught up in the freight car incident. Sasaki could avoid serious injury, but Shii ended up inhaling smoke and was hospitalized for several days.

And Sasaki felt guilty for not protecting Shii properly, and above all, no matter how unpleasant a person might be normally, a parent is still a parent.

The person who died was her mother. It must have been a huge psychological shock.

Meanwhile, her father wasn’t much help.

In the original story, there was a scene where Shii’s mother came and made various demands, but she died before those demands could be met or rejected.

So, here…

“…”

But I can’t say I know about this.

That would seem too much like stalking.

“…If you’re too tired, should I talk to the manager?”

“No, I’m fine! I just didn’t sleep well!”

“…”

If she insists that much, there’s nothing more I can say right now.

I nodded and went to change my clothes.

*

What should I do?

Shii’s expression still looked drained as we finished work and left together.

Even the manager asked, “Is something wrong?” which shows how obvious it was.

Even while eating ramen, Shii was lost in thought and ended up eating less than half of her bowl.

She looked so serious that I changed my mind about just watching and waiting.

As we walked from the ramen shop to the train station, I tried to think of a way to get Shii to open up—and one method came to mind.

Hmm, but will this work?

It’s how I used to talk with friends when I was in college.

Well, why not. I can’t think of anything else anyway.

“Let’s talk for a bit.”

“Huh?”

“I just have something I want to talk about.”

“Oh, okay…”

Shii cautiously followed behind me as I walked.

Sometimes, when graduation was approaching but the future looked uncertain, when friends felt anxious, they would suddenly call me or other friends and ask us to come out.

As students with no money, we didn’t go to bars. We’d just buy a can of beer and a bag of snacks from a convenience store and sit in front of it, or find some dimly lit place to chat.

For some reason, conversations held in dimly lit places late at night allowed us to share deeper thoughts.

…Ah, but we’re middle and high school students.

Where should we sit?