Ch.383IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (80)

If Yuka hadn’t known about Kotone’s background, she might have tried to become closer friends with her.

Of course, if that had been the case, the two would never have met in the first place. Just as Yuka occupies a somewhat special position compared to her peers, Kotone is in a similar position.

And that special position was determined by the bloodline that both Yuka and Kotone inherited.

The fact that Yuka lost her mother as a child, that she had to move from school to school, that she had to fight against beings who threatened people’s lives with blades—

All of it was a kind of tradition.

Something only Yuka could do.

…Even in such circumstances, Yuka couldn’t give up on all relationships. Though somewhat tired, whenever children at new schools approached her warmly, she would respond gently in her own way.

Even while resigning herself to the fact that these relationships would eventually end, she wondered if just one of them might become a proper, lasting connection.

Knowing full well that relationships of just a few months were too shallow to last until the end.

That’s why—if Yuka had met Kotone at just another school she had transferred to, she might have been somewhat moved by the way Kotone approached her.

However.

“Kurosawa…”

After hearing the explanation about the girl Yuka would be paired with, her grandfather had warned her.

“Yuka. Be careful. The Kurosawa family is… secretive.”

His voice had been serious.

“At least they’re not like us, who go around exorcising yokai. There are rumors about that secretive family. …I don’t think they would have volunteered to cooperate directly with the government without some conditions attached.”

After pondering for a moment, her grandfather said,

“Perhaps they’re assigning you a surveillance role.”

“Surveillance…?”

“…Yes. They said she’s the same age as you.”

There was something significant in her grandfather’s voice as he said this.

Yuka was… an unusual existence even within the bloodline of a family that had dealt with yokai. No, perhaps it would be more correct to say she was exceptional.

Blood that had continued unbroken from the distant past until now, finally bearing its finest fruit in her birth.

To Yuka, it felt like words carrying a rather heavy weight. And because of that weight, Yuka beneath it couldn’t easily escape.

Then, was this girl called Kotone Kurosawa similar?

If she was someone to be wary of, someone Yuka needed to monitor, then perhaps she was under similar pressure and might think like Yuka—

“Okay, then I’ll look into the festival first. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

But the person she met, Kotone Kurosawa, was in many ways an incomprehensible being to Yuka.

How could she maintain such a bright attitude under such intense pressure?

How could she maintain a calm expression when faced with someone who should naturally inspire fear?

She fought while splattering blood in situations where she was bleeding profusely, and even showed Yuka her abnormal healing speed, so different from ordinary people. She revealed this alien ability—something anyone else would naturally try to hide—to reassure Yuka, whom she had only met a few times.

She knows she’s being monitored, and even knows why. At the same time, she knows her body is clearly different from other people’s.

No, more than that, what was that healing power? Could it be that blood other than that of ordinary humans flows in her veins?

…If what those in high places wanted from Yuka was “surveillance,” she could understand why.

But the person being monitored didn’t seem to care about it at all.

It wasn’t resignation. There was no sense of the helplessness that people with such feelings usually exhibited. Rather, there was a certain determination visible in those clear eyes.

That’s why Yuka couldn’t help but be wary. She couldn’t understand why this girl kept approaching her, or what she wanted while knowing everything.

“Hmm…”

Even though Yuka had said she would “follow her lead,” Kotone Kurosawa muttered as if somewhat dissatisfied, lost in thought.

But soon she shrugged as if satisfied for now and gave a slight smile.

With that, their meeting for the day should have… ended.

*

The reason Yuka came to this place today to meet Kotone Kurosawa was because Kotone had called her out.

She had called Yuka out without having anything particularly important to discuss or any issues to resolve. As if they were old friends.

Perhaps Yuka, who had followed her here, was also somewhat expectant. It had been a long time since she had been called out like this.

And somehow they ended up making plans for a summer festival—and then somehow.

“Senpai?”

They met a small, cute child who hadn’t even entered middle school yet.

Yuka wondered if there was something special about this child too, but seeing the puzzled expression as the child looked back and forth between Kotone and Yuka, she dismissed the thought.

The encounter was completely coincidental. They had just left a store and were walking in the same direction when they ran into each other.

“Shii!”

Kotone called out to the child with great delight, waving her hand.

“Oh, where’s Souta?”

Souta?

“Ah, my brother said he had plans with his friends and went out.”

Brother?

Souta was a common name, so Yuka could tell it was probably the name of this child’s older brother.

But, “my brother” in such formal language?

In all her time moving between schools, Yuka had met children with “older brothers,” but never once had she met anyone who referred to their brother in such a formal way. Even if they got along well, they never used more respectful terms than “big brother,” and she had even seen cases where they used expressions like “that thing,” “that one,” or “that guy.”

But such formal language?

“And who might this person be…?”

Yuka was also somewhat perplexed by the next words that came. “This person”? Even among children who put on airs because they’re about to enter middle school, few would speak so formally.

“Oh, this is my friend.”

Before Yuka could say anything, Kotone introduced her as a friend.

“Oh, I see?”

The child called Shii gave a slight bow toward Yuka.

No, it wasn’t slight at all, considering she actually bowed.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Shii Sasaki. Please feel free to call me by whatever name you prefer.”

“Ah, yes. I’m Yuka Yuuki.”

Though somewhat taken aback by the extremely formal self-introduction, Yuka was still able to respond normally.

It felt like observing some strange creature. Different from Kotone beside her.

That unique, unidentifiable discomfort wasn’t present.

“Then, may I call you Ms. Yuuki?”

“…Sure, call me whatever’s comfortable.”

“Yes, Ms. Yuuki.”

Watching the light exchange, Kotone spoke to Shii again.

“So Shii, where were you going by yourself?”

“Oh, I wanted to buy some groceries for dinner tonight. There’s a sale at the supermarket.”

“Souta should have helped you a little.”

“Sigh, I know, my brother really, I don’t know what he’d do without me.”

Wait, she’s saying that while smiling?

With her hand on her cheek, grinning broadly? Is this “brother” of hers actually not her brother? Some kind of sugar daddy?

…Well, since this Shii is an elementary school student and talks so normally with Kotone, that can’t be the case.

Kotone fell into thought after hearing the story.

Then, glancing at Yuka, she said,

“Shii, shall we hang out for a bit? After we finish shopping.”

“Oh, but you’re with your friend right now…”

Kotone’s gaze fell on Yuka.

It took Yuka a moment to process the situation.

“Oh, you mean me too?”

“If you’re okay with it.”

Yuka stared at Kotone for a while.

*

In the end, they hung out together.

Shii seemed very comfortable going shopping with Kotone. And strangely enough, following the two of them into the supermarket and walking around was almost amusing.

Walking side by side like sisters, they helped Shii buy various things, then headed toward Shii’s house.

It wasn’t far from where Kotone lived.

After briefly dropping off the groceries and coming back out, the three headed to the busy district.

Shii had a friendly personality.

“As long as it’s not related to her brother.”

Kotone advised in a low voice. Of course, she said it with a smile, so Yuka couldn’t tell if it was a joke or serious.

No, more than that, she wouldn’t be interested in the brother of someone she just met today. She didn’t even know who he was.

However, the situation itself was amusing.

Yuka wondered what she was doing. Somehow she was being led around by Kotone, looking at various things, eating, and chatting.

It wasn’t something she had never done before. She had done similar things with friends she briefly made in elementary school. Yuka enjoyed having fun too.

That ordinary pleasure gradually shook her suspicions about Kotone.

Shii said she needed to prepare dinner for her brother. Kotone also said she needed to go home for dinner. And the same was true for Yuka. Someone would surely be preparing and waiting for her at home.

“I had fun today.”

As Yuka stared at Shii politely saying goodbye and entering her house,

“Let’s go. I’ll walk you to the station.”

Kotone said.

“Okay.”

Rather than choosing to refuse, Yuka found herself wanting to ask something.

Surely Yuka had been cold toward Kotone. She had tried not to get too close, and Kotone must have felt it.

Yet, why.

“…It’s a struggle.”

But before Yuka could ask anything, Kotone spoke softly as if she had read her thoughts.

“A struggle?”

“Yes.”

Kotone looked not at Yuka but somewhere further away as she spoke.

“…I may not be normal, and my surroundings may not be normal, but it’s my desperate attempt to hold onto what little normalcy I have in my hands.”

“…”

“I’ve lost too much until now. Just running away helplessly.”

Yuka was on the chasing side, but because of that, she had to let go of many things too. Their circumstances were different, but their situations weren’t all that dissimilar.

“So I want to struggle. I don’t know if it will work or not, but somehow find a way out in the end.”

Walking alongside Kotone, Yuka thought for a moment.

Could this also be an act to deceive her? An attempt to lower her guard while knowing she was being monitored?

…Somehow, she didn’t think that was the case.

There was still so much they didn’t know about each other. It would probably take a very long time before they could truly say they “knew” each other.

But yes. The friends she had briefly made after just meeting them, they were all like that too. There were plenty of kids who would ask to play together even when they knew nothing about each other.

Kotone might just be one of those ordinary children.

“…”

After being lost in thought for a moment, Yuka answered.

“Let me know when you think of a date.”

“Huh?”

“The festival. You said we should go.”

“…”

Kotone’s expression became momentarily blank.

Seeing that face, Yuka smiled slightly, gave a small wave, and entered the subway station.