Ch.353IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (50)

There were no bears or dead people, but the campsite staff had arrived.

Naturally, our plan to stay one more day fell apart.

Just like I had cried, Mako cried too. Mako cried much longer than I did.

Strangely enough, those tears weren’t from fear of the bear.

“Kotone, Kotone.”

“…Yeah.”

“Are you okay? Are you really okay?”

“…Yeah.”

I nodded stiffly.

In truth, I wasn’t okay at all. But how could I admit that I wasn’t okay, that this was hard to accept, in front of an elementary school child?

Kagami seemed to have lost all her energy and couldn’t even cry anymore.

Actually, what worried me at that moment wasn’t just that our camping trip ended early.

…Would I have to leave again?

Would I have to leave without spending all my remaining time with Mako?

I wasn’t sure.

Mako’s father stared at me silently for a while. Was he in shock? It might have been closer to a rigid, expressionless face.

He gently comforted the crying Mako, and we quickly packed up our tent.

It seemed better to leave before meeting the police. Though I figured they’d probably know where we lived and come find us anyway.

But even as we packed our things, the police never arrived. That was a bit strange, but well, sometimes there are incredibly incompetent police officers. Or maybe the campsite owner was reluctant to report the incident.

I suppose it makes sense since no one was hurt and there was no bear. Would they dismiss it as my prank?

I’d rather it ended that way.

It’s okay if Mako hates me. It would be better if she hadn’t seen me being attacked, if she could think it was just her imagination.

At least Kagami and her uncle seemed to think that way. That it was lucky we weren’t caught by the police.

They probably wanted to just leave everything behind—the tent and all.

…But Mako was there. Because of our connection with that child named Mako.

Right in front of her, they couldn’t bring themselves to act that way. Having someone watching us was more important than moral obligations.

“…”

On the drive back home.

The car was quiet. I couldn’t think of what to say, and it seemed Kagami felt the same.

Kagami just held me tight.

That warmth helped calm my heart a little.

…I think it was the same for Kagami too.

*

Though I really, really hated it, we started packing our bags as soon as we got home.

Her uncle suggested it first, and Kagami nodded with a pale face.

I wanted to say let’s stay a little longer. I wanted to become closer friends with Mako, and I had more things I wanted to share.

I wanted to say goodbye to my classmates too…

But I knew there was no time for that.

Twice now, whenever we fled, we always left only brief farewell notes.

Kagami and her uncle seemed to think that bear wasn’t just an ordinary bear. I thought the same. I’d seen news about bear-related incidents happening every year in populated areas, but if that had happened there before, there would surely have been warning signs.

To think it came from far away…

…But could someone control a bear? Or if it wasn’t a bear, what was it?

Last time, that woman who followed us used strange means of attack.

As I stared blankly at the house becoming a mess, Kagami came over and put an arm around me.

“I’m sorry.”

There’s nothing to be sorry about.

It’s all because of me.

Rather, because of my existence. Everything happening now.

Even in this situation, not a single wound remained on my body. Even the wound on my neck that almost killed me had left no trace.

I… don’t seem to be just human.

Perhaps this world operates under strange phenomena I don’t understand.

Or maybe I’m just dreaming—

No.

It’s not… a dream. I want to believe that. Because I can feel the warmth of Kagami holding me.

I couldn’t bring myself to say those words to Kagami.

After all, Kagami must be the one suffering the most in this situation.

If I said such things, Kagami would surely be hurt. She might scold me for saying it’s my fault or that I’m not human.

In the end, I moved silently too.

I filled my bag with things I wanted to take.

The already broken magical girl wand.

A few books Mako had given me.

…Other than that, just my clothes, underwear, and a few disposable items I might need immediately.

Just as I finished packing my bag and stood up—

Ding-dong, someone rang the doorbell.

All three of us froze. We put down our bags and came out of the room to look toward the entrance.

Ding-dong.

Judging by the second ring, it must be someone who really needed to see us.

Maybe it was those men who helped us escape before.

Suddenly I felt scared.

What if someone else gets hurt? What if someone dies?

Her uncle raised his hand to us first, then put a finger to his lips.

Then he slowly approached the entrance and checked outside.

Thinking it was someone safe, he opened the door.

Mako’s father stood beyond it.

“Hello.”

“…Mr. Miura. I’m so sorry about today. Because of us…”

Her uncle played his role as our father, just as he usually pretended.

“It’s nothing.”

Mako’s father shook his head.

“No one was hurt.”

But his gaze was directed at me, who was peeking out from a short distance away.

I felt Kagami grab my shoulder.

Something feels unsettling. That gaze.

Is it because of Mako? Because Mako was put in danger because of me—

…No, an ordinary person wouldn’t think that way. Looking at the situation, it’s clear something happened. Even though we left like we were running away before the police arrived—

“May I speak with your daughter for a moment?”

Mako’s father asked in a very calm voice.

“Pardon?”

“I think I need to know what happened today.”

“…Mr. Miura, I’m sorry, but that—”

“Two children saw a bear. One was able to run away, but one remained. In such cases, the chances of survival are slim, as I’m sure you know.”

“…My wife went right away.”

“Bears are not creatures that get scared just because one more person shows up. Not unless they’re holding a gun.”

Mako’s father’s gaze moved toward me.

I found that a bit frightening.

Looking up at Kagami, I saw her staring at Mako’s father with wide eyes.

“—You.”

“No, it’s not what you think. There’s no need to worry too much. If necessary, we could even offer you help.”

Mako’s father said.

“Who are you?”

Her uncle’s expression instantly turned hostile.

Though he wore his usual neat attire, his expression was truly yakuza-like. A face closer to his original occupation.

But Mako’s father didn’t look scared.

He became even calmer. As if he had confirmed some fact.

“What if I said yokai?”

Mako’s father said.

“What if I told you that the bear you saw today was actually what we call yokai from various folktales and myths?”

“…”

“Yokai roam around looking for specific prey. There were some in this area too—I never thought we’d encounter them again in such a distant place. We thought we had finished the work around here, but perhaps there was one more task left.”

“…What are you trying to do?”

Kagami said.

“Who are you?”

“Let me say again. There’s no need to worry too much.”

Mako’s father’s voice remained calm. As if he were really telling us about some condition favorable to us.

“I’d just like to hear your story. As a government official, I need to confirm what situation is unfolding.”

How much emotion was in that voice?

What feelings did he have toward me, who had become connected to his daughter?

About the fact that Mako almost died today.

“…”

Her uncle turned to look at us.

Neither I nor Kagami could say anything.

It was already too late. We had missed our chance to escape.

Surely there would be more people in town who could help us, but Mako’s father had clearly mentioned the government.

…Even yakuza probably couldn’t win against dozens of police officers. If they start chasing us, things would obviously become much more tiresome. And they wouldn’t just let us go in this situation.

In the end, her uncle and Kagami nodded. At least they would hear what he had to say.