Authors: JIN
"Mhmm, we do had that kind of inference, but to add that thing that happened to Momo, the reason to these power activating is undeniably "that". What’s more Kano said that he saw the same thing, for now it’s…… like that. Just that……….."
"Just that?"
As if she was concerning about something, Kido laid her hand on her lips.
Just like solving a jigsaw puzzle on the clock, her eyes were staring at the bit of the table.
"Just makes people, frustrated. Same as Momo, we all almost died "with some certain person". I heard that Kano was with his mother, and Seto was kinda with his friend and became like this"
Kido said that while staring at the table as if she was still considering about something.
"However, the ones who were saved are us only. What’s more the people who were with us perhaps had "disappeared" in some way."
After listening to Kido, I had a big realization.
"Nee, when your house was on fire, your family…… that, were their bodies found?"
"Ahh, they were found. Just my father’s and mother’s…. only. However, my sister’s body wasn’t found. The only one who was found alive in the piles and debris was me."
"That means…………"
Double event. The power in the eyes. “Huge mouth”.
And according to Hibiya who said “There’s a girl who might be dead now, I need to save her”, an inference gradually popped out from my mind.
"You all, were swallowed by ‘something’ together with someone, later then only yourselves got the powers and came back……..?"
Kido immediately continued as if she was trying to catch my words.
"And those who were together with us were swallowed in and were not found till now. If that’s the case, means that they are still been swallowed up in there."
This unexpected bizarre truth, it may be a coincidence, but it makes sense as an inference. Momo’s power, disappearance of my father, the undiscovered “truth”, as if for sure, were inferred bit by bit.
"Actually we had thought that that is the truth. ‘Perhaps inside the [mouth], our important people are still in there’ as we convinced, and trying our best to discover its truth. However, the most important key that is our memories that happened ‘there’ were completely gone…….."
Kido sighed again, and leaned on the sofa. Losing parents, relatives, important people and now living like this, these guys had a really hard time.
Maybe after becoming lonely, because of those weird powers they were always abused.
In that kind of life, I wonder how do they feel to live on like that.
Me who couldn’t imagine that, who always live on freely with my own will, kinda got the feels.
That’s right. Me who gave up on everything, and chose to be lonely, how can I understand how these guys feel.
And because these guys know how “hard” it is that it hurts so much, that why they told the fallen Hibiya “We’ll help you.”.
"Well, that’s the case then. Just think that for now the process to getting the powers is still unlikely known. Just that, before Hibiya can control his power in some way, I think it’ll be for us to take care of him. After all we’re pretty familiar with dealing this"
Kido said as the nervous atmosphere was calmed.
"I don’t know whether the child who was swallowed together with that kid is safe or not, but it’ll be better to find her bit by bit…………"
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"NO, WAIT"
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Kido was about to end the topic, but this topic, is not over yet.
As if it’s for sure, as if someone pointed the way to move forward, the direction to the next step was in front of my eyes.
"You said you ‘don’t remember what happened in there’ right? I think you even said ‘everybody’s the same’."
"Ahh, yeah. It’s true. We could only remember the things after we woke up"
Kido showed a face that she didn’t know what was I trying to say, and replied with a slightly timid voice.
"NO, IT CAN BE REMEMBERED. Hibiya even said to Konoha ‘you were just standing there and watched’. Perhaps THAT KID………………."
When I said till here, Kido wide opened her eyes as noticed my intention.
"He remembered don’t he? The thing that happened after he was swallowed inside"
Just when I stopped Kido immediately stood up, as she was heading to somewhere.
"O-oi where are you going!? Isn’t that kid sleeping right now!?"
And after she heard me, Kido suddenly reacted, and sat back on the sofa again.
Perhaps she was embarrassed because of her impetuous action, Kido blushed and lowered her sight.
Such action compared with her serious talk made me had a mind passing by my head “Ahh, this person is a girl”, such words that I might be punched away like Kano if I say out those words.
"Well, that’s also true…… even me. It’s been years since I ever met my father, so if I get to meet him again………."
What to do when we meet up?
What should I say?
Seeing his son being a neet for years, being rotten, I wonder how will my father think.
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"Shintaro?"
"hmm? Ahh, sorry sorry. ………Well, let’s just leave the rest for tomorrow. I guess Kano isn’t coming back"
There were different kinds of clocks like cuckoo clocks and digital clocks everywhere in the basement. Even on a tiny shelf, there was a machine that kinda drips some kind of unknown liquid, perhaps it was a clock too. Those clocks equivalently, showed with their own styles that it was 10.30 p.m.
"Hmm, yeah. What the heck is that dude doing…….. Still anyway today is a tiring day. Bringing a bunch of people back here, it’s really the first time"
Kido looked at the entrance, sighing, but saying in a way that she couldn’t refrain from being happy.
"That ‘leader’ name, sounds like it’s pretty tiresome"
As I said that, maybe I accidentally made her shy, Kido’s face became redder than before.
"sh-SHUDDUP! Don’t keep saying me like that! I-I’m going to sleep! okay!?"
After saying, Kido was clumsy back then, but this time she was so agitated that she stood up with a loud klunk! , and went towards her room.
I was speechless as I stared at her figure, but Kido suddenly stopped down and turned back “You can share the blankets with Konoha I already took it out it’s right there” and pointed the blankets piled beside the entrance, and just disappeared into her room.
"What’s up with her seriously……….."
No matter how serious she looks, she’s still a girl okay. If it’s that then she is some creature that I will never ever understand. I should stop thinking.
As I suddenly stopped thinking, perhaps I was at my limits already, the sleepiness suddenly attacked my body.
"Haa……. I’m so darn tired……….."
I stood up from the sofa, as expected my body felt as heavy as lead.
After I finally reached the blankets, I took two from above, and returned to the sofa.
After covering the blanket for Konoha who was sleeping like a dead log on the floor, I realized that I didn’t ask Kido where to switch off the lights.
"Uhm…… where is the switch where is it"
Looking around the room, I couldn’t find anything that looked like a switch.
Ahh, this is really annoying, I want to sleep so darn badly, what should I do. Anyway if I sleep with the lights open it’ll be………..
As I was slowly searching in the room, I felt someone’s breath behind me.
I turned as I was shocked, there stood Mary with fluffy hair, wearing a white fluffy gown, and she stared at me, using such suspicious eyes.
"……… What are you doing? Shintaro"
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"LET ME EXPLAIN! WHEN SHINTARO WAS BEING STARED INTENTLY BY A YOUNG GIRL, HE COULD RELEASE A BIG AMOUNT OF COLD SWEAT!"
My mind was ringing such an intense explanation. I had done nothing wrong, but just like that explanation I perspired cold sweat, and replied with a strained smile.
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"o-ohh!! MARY!! Nothing, I just wanted to switch off the lights, but I’m not sure where it is!"
After I reasoned out, Mary returned to her usual look, and pointed at the dartboard on the wall.
"The switch is there. Just press the center."
I sighed for relief, and pressed the center of the dartboard like Mary said, and with a ka-cha, the hanging bulbs all went off.
"EE, EEEEEEEEKKK! DON’T SWITCH OFF SO SUDDEN!"
Suddenly Mary’s scream made me so shocked that my heart jump at my throat, as I quickly pressed the switch again, Mary gave me a suspicious look again, with tears at the corners of her eyes.
"…….. What are you doing?"
"no, NO! I was just testing okay!? uhm…… aaaAAAA i’m sorry i’m sorry!"
Ahh, this is SO annoying. I really wanna sleep ASAP, why did this kind of thing even happened.
"I understand………."
Mary simply changed her direction, and headed to her room.
Why did Mary woke up. I wanted to ask, but if she goes away, it is better to not stimulate her with weird stuffs again.
"g-goodnight~"
I waved my hand, watched Mary as she returned to her room, and switched off the lights.
Haa…… I sighed, and fumbled to the sofa.
I lied down, covered myself with a blanket, and looked at my phone as usual, it seemed like Ene was still in her blanket just like before.
"Annoying brat………."
I said, but there was no response from her blanket.
I put my phone on the table, and close my eyes.
In the dark, there were only echos of the air conditioner growling.
To recall again, it feels like today is not just one day, but a very very very long day.
I just met the Mekakushidan members like, this morning……… no, to be precise I met them at the shopping mall, but they are such people, that can easily hang along with me within such a short time. To think about it carefully it really is the first time for this to happen.
Being invited by friends to their house, eat together, talking about each other’s stories, while discussing for tomorrow’s plan.
Just by hearing this, it’s just like hanging out with normal friends in daily life.
Although it’s quite strange, I had never thought that this chance will be given to me.
………… is this really good. Really.
Feels like the more I meet, the more the fun, the more it gradually becomes thinner.
Still, still at least at this time, at least during this hols, letting me to understand the feels of meeting these guys, is acceptable right.
In the dark, I asked some certain person, who didn’t exist but wasn’t myself.
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"Hey, Shintaro."
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”………..What”
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"You have made so many friends, isn’t that great. Together with them, are you happy?"
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"Impossible. I have never thought of that"
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"Liar. Because Shintaro today seems to be very happy. It is my first time seeing Shintaro smiling so happily"
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"Told you there is no such thing. I’m just being led by the nose. I’m pretty tired here"
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"Hey, Shintaro. Do you remember me?"
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"What are you saying, of course I remember?"
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"Then, why don’t you call my name?"
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"eh…….. what’s with the sudden, what’s the matter"
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"Hey, Shintaro. Why don’t you call my name?"
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"S-STOP……….. please stop it………….."
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"Of course……… you can’t? About me, you can’t remember?"
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"enough………. stop. Please, I’m begging you"
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"HEY, SHINTARO."
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"U, AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
"UWAAAAAAHHH!!??"
"U, AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"
"UWAAAAAAAAAHHH???!!!"
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"y-y-y-y-you scared me to death! What’s wrong?!"
My vision suddenly became bright, the basement view I saw back then, showed out without any changes.
As I turned my head, I saw Momo looking at me with a worried face, with her hand on the dartboard-shaped switch.
"Ahh, it’s you. N-nothing. Just had a nightmare"
"w-what kind of dream…… you don’t look well you know?"
Momo worriedly ran towards me, and stared at my face.
"I told you it’s nothing. Anyway what about you, what’s wrong? I thought you slept"
"Eh? Nothing, just kinda woke up…….. so I thought maybe I can check out that kid’s condition or whatever~ like that"
Momo laughed in such a manner like she was sorry for waking me up.
"……. I see. But I didn’t wake up because of you so don’t worry"
"uu~mm. But we had a lot of activities yesterday and today, so Brother is pretty tired right. Take a good rest okay?"
"I will…… ahh, anyway"
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As I said I stood up from the sofa, and looked down and directly into Momo, who was blushing.
"w-what……? What’s the matter Brother……."
"Why, are you doing this?"
Facing my question, Momo gave an anxious and scared look.
"e-eehhh………. i don’t know what do you mean………"
Forming a clear difference with me who didn’t move my sight, Momo couldn’t resist to move her sight towards the floor.
"Once Momo sleeps even if you use an iron to pry her she’ll not wake up. So it’s pretty tiresome. Also, Momo had an argument with Hibiya. I don’t think she’ll be worried about him that she’ll check out on him. Plus….."
When I said till here, Momo was completely speechless. Perhaps because she was staring at the floor, I couldn’t look at her expression.
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"Momo calls me ‘onii-chan’, KANO"
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(((((6010: the “Brother” that fake Momo calls here is Nii-chan, but real Momo calls Shintaro Onii-chan)))))
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Just a moment the air wobbled, and the next moment Kano stood there, with his silly smile that was always same as day, looked at me.
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"………iyaa~, you’re really interesting, Shintaro-kun. Fantastic"
"Thank you. Now, let’s hear from you. Why did you purposely disguised as Momo during such midnight"
With such attitude that he wouldn’t take a step back even facing me, Kano’s expression didn’t change at all, and he still had his sly grin on his face.
"Haha, I’m kinda being hated huh. But there’s no way you won’t, after all it was your very important little sister being disguised……… right?"
Kano blinked his eyes, with such a manner as if he thinks I’m stupid.
It wasn’t just a prank that Ene will usually do to me, but it was like, molesting the most sensitive part of a person that no one will ever want to touch it, filled with such ugly attitude.
"Not really because of that. Why did you disguised as someone else when you are at YOUR home. I want you to clearly explain that reason"
"Mm~ hmm. Of course I was doing something that benefits me. However, what will happen if I say out the reason? After knowing the reason, what will Shintaro-kun do huh"
Kano suddenly swiftly turned his body, facing his back to me, with his hands wide opened.
"Because isn’t this strange. I’ll only become energetic at this kind of time. Am I forgetting some, IMPORTANT THINGS~ as I was thinking about that"
As Kano remained his pose I couldn’t read his expression.
However, the difference is, those words were like looking deeply through my heart, tightly reined my chest.
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"…….. what do you wanna say"
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"Mmm~? oh nope nope, I mean it literally. Shintaro-kun you arr~ee, showing a face that you almost forgot about something important you know"
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Suddenly the bulb above Kano started to flicker.
And every time it flickered it was like a flash, as it flickered at Kano’s back.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT……!"
"Ah~ bingo? How frustrating, this is getting exciting. Seems that you really forgot about that, Shintaro-kun"
Facing Kano’s manner, my anger reached the boiling point.
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"I SAID I DIDN’T FORGET ABOUT ANYTHING!!!!!!"
As I said that I grabbed Kano, forcing him to turn towards me, just at that moment the bulb fiercely flashed a while.
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The next moment, my loud-thumping heart, was crushed into dust.
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"THEN, WHY, DIDN’T YOU SAVE ME?"
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Shoulder-length black hair, with red scarf like it was burning.
With a smile that I will never mistaken it, Ayano appeared right there.
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"a- AAHH…………."
My legs started to tremble, as if I was going to fall.
My mind gave up comprehending the situation, and my mouth spilled out sounds that couldn’t form a sentence.
"Hey. Answer me Shintaro. Or is it that, you forgot about me?"
Ayano’s face suddenly approached with a lifeless smile, her eyes staring at me like artifacts without gloss, I couldn’t even breathe at all.
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"n-NO…….. I……………"
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Till now, those thoughts that I was thinking for years were trying to spill out, but I couldn’t turn them into words, in the end I couldn’t say anything.
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Ayano, didn’t wait for me. Just like that day, I couldn’t tell her anything.
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"Fine. Goodbye, Shintaro. Be happy"
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The next moment all the bulbs in the room went off, after a moment of darkness, when it became bright again Ayano disappeared in front of me.
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My legs suddenly became unstable, and I kneel on the ground.
Supporting my body with my trembling hands on the floor, as if something had burst out, big teardrops spilled out and fell.
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As if induced, my refrained feeling one by one spilled out, my body couldn’t move at all.
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………… is this a punishment. Is this a punishment for me, who didn’t listen to that person and couldn’t lend a hand.
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"I’m sorry…………. i’m sorry………………………"
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That word that I finally spoke out, quietly echoed in the room, and unknowingly, quietly disappeared.