Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko. Volume 12 Chapter 4

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Moonlight Lost World

“…Hey, Youto. ‘The angel Emi is more invincible than an angel’.”

“Huh?”

“Write that 100 times. Right now.”

“W-Why!?”

“If you don’t, I’ll leave your photos in front of the police box next time.”

“The angel Emi is more invincible than an angel!”

Taken from the Yokodera-kun notes’ fourth volume.

By the end of August, you could hear the dreadful footsteps of the new school term approaching. The track-and-field club’s morning activities ended, and when I stepped out of the clubroom, I heard a faint voice drifting towards me.

“One, two, three…”

I heard it from the back of the clubroom building. In the midst of the various other voices around, a girl’s transient voice stuck out from the masses.

“Seven, eight, nine… Ugh, there’s one missing…”

What is this? An actual recurrence of the Banchou Sarayashiki¹!? Scary! But, if I picture the plate-counting ghost Okiku-san as a cute maid, then maybe it’s not so bad. What a classic story that shows love and affection! I will gladly let myself get cursed by this maid ghost, take responsibility, and live together with her in that mansion! I’d do anything for a cute girl!

When I ran towards the source of the voice, I arrived at the animal raising club’s small animal shed. Several members of the track-and-field club had their arms crossed with complicated expressions, talking with each other. In the middle of them…

“This is even worse than a panda turning out completely black…” I found a sobbing Azuki Azusa.

“W-What’s wrong?” I approached her and immediately found out.

There were cages for rabbits, and there was a large hole in the fence that surrounded the small area. It looked like it was made by a wild beast that had mercilessly torn through it. The other terrified rabbits were hiding inside the corner of the small shed, their ears glued to their bodies.

The small puppy tied to a pole with rope seemed to be bothered by this, and it was howling on the ground.

“…There’s one missing. It’s probably the female Yaji-san who ran away. Or did someone take her away?” Azuki Azusa, passionate about her animal raising club even during the summer, was the first one to notice this catastrophe.

This must be a really bad shock for her, no doubt.

“If they really wanted me to, I would have given them a cage, some food, a brushing set, and a manual. All of that would have been a present like mandarin duck to its partner…”

What a tragedy. For Azuki Azusa, this obviously is a disaster. Especially since her animal metaphors are all over the place.

“Please at least let her be safe. I’ll do anything I can do, so please come back…”

Even the puppy who was always on guard protecting these animals had grown quiet. That’s why Azuki Azusa’s voice could be heard so clearly. I couldn’t even hope to understand the pain she was feeling. As a human being, I couldn’t forgive this.

“I don’t know what to say, but… Cheer—” The second I went to touch her shoulder.

“—Hmpf.” My hand was brushed aside.

Standing between Azuki Azusa and I was the vice club president of the track-and-field, MaiMai. During the entire training just now, she blocked all of my contact with the club president as well.

“Come on, cheer up.” She embraced A-chan’s shoulders, stealing what I had been about to say.

She’s as hostile towards me as always, isn’t she?

“M-Ma-chan…” Azuki Azusa rubbed her head against MaiMai’s chest, slowly calming down.

A-chan’s soft hair combined with Ma-chan’s delicate chest. I’m getting my daily share of yuri right here… Well, as long as she stops crying, that’s all that matters. A girl’s smile is the most important thing of all, so I’ll leave this to MaiMai. I put faith in the future and turned away, when—

“…What is that?” I saw something odd.

Beside the fountain in front of the club room building, adjacent to the rabbit cages, I found a small picture atop a concrete block. It was an island shaped like a boot, with a seven-floor clocktower. Along with several small dancing dolls. These motifs that really resembled Italy were drawn with a crayon. For a moment, I thought this might just be some childish prank, but…

“Is this some hint that could lead to the criminal?”

But why? For what reason? Why would they destroy the fence and let a rabbit escape? Immediately the incident was riddled with questions. A rabbit that disappeared, the mysterious hint, the emotions of the criminal, the cruel reality that was hidden ten years ago—I don’t mean to brag, but I love reading romance mystery novels!

“First, we have to look for more clues on the crime scene and search around for eyewitnesses. This area shouldn’t be visible from the sportsgrounds, so maybe someone from the agriculture club could have seen a suspicious individual…”

“Yokodera, don’t do anything unnecessary. Don’t even think about it.”

While I was speaking out my mind, driven by fantasy and excitement, a cold voice interrupted me.

“I wasn’t doing anything…”

“We already have a witness that saw the criminal.” Private detective MaiMai shrugged her shoulders.

She found the criminal in such a short time!? That’s what I expected of Holmes-kun. It’s your victory today. But the second and third Moriaty will definitely turn you into the dancing doll of Baker Street…

Was this really what a mystery novel is about? I feel like instead of solving a mystery, I’m trying to get a girl to undress in one of the games I played.

*

For now, we decided to look for this rabbit that had disappeared, so everyone there split up to search. The current track-and-field members were to search further away so that more ground could be covered.

“Yaji-san! Come on out! I won’t hurt you!”

I walked around the residential district, calling out to the rabbit. When I had walked about ten blocks, I came to a sudden halt. Atop the jungle gym of the children’s park, I could see the shadow of a person with their arms open wide.

“……Uu.”

I could see her hair tied into twintails, and she looked like she was evaluating me. It was a real grade schooler. But her appearance didn’t look real at all. Her hair color looked like it had been drenched in the strong sunlight of the Mediterranean Sea. Her two twintails seemed like a gift of God, bound together with a charming ribbon. She was wearing a one-piece with a collar, revealing her shoulders and armpits. She possessed a beauty different from what you knew here in Japan.

What stood out the most, however, was the mask she was wearing. It was a mixture of red and black, an ogre mask with horns and fangs. From its depths, I could feel a sharp gaze.

“W-What?” I mindlessly entered the park.

Then—

“Uuuuuyaaaatooooooo!” The ogre mask jumped from the jungle gym, then slipped. “Ugh!?” And then fell to the ground. “Unyaaaaaaah!” Her body spun twice midair.

It was a beautiful moonsault. Anyone who saw it would give it a ten out of ten. As time goes on, techniques advance even further. To someone like me, who found myself always jumping to the ground to beg for forgiveness, this was something I wanted to learn from.

“—Ouch ouch ouch!”

“Uninini!?”

Showered by a kick with the weight of roughly 30 kilograms, I somehow managed to remain standing on the ground like I was a practiced and professional wrestler. Thanks to that, I succeeded in catching the girl. Practice makes perfect!

“Are you okay?” I looked at the girl’s face and tried to touch her head, but she brushed my hand away.

“…Uuu!”

“Ah, are you hurt anywhere? Onii-chan is a professional at playing doctor, so leave everything to me! I’ll run a thorough check on you!”

“Uuuuu!” The ogre-masked girl started to struggle even more.

She twisted and turned in my hands, and her one-piece started to get pulled up and down.

“—Heaven, earth, and people!” She landed on the ground like a hero. “Everyone knows of your misdeeds! I do as well!” She pointed her index finger at me.

Her topaz-colored eyes behind the mask, were shaking in anger.

“…My misdeeds?”

What is she talking about? Maybe about the fact that I’m planning on making picnic children with Tsutsukakushi? Or that I played Daifugō with Steel-san who only used her mouth? That I watched A-chan during the game center date? There’s a lot of things that come to mind, so I don’t know exactly what she’s on about.

“Don’t play dumb, you fiend!” The ogre girl stomped on the ground, which created a cloud of dirt.

Can I become that dirt?

“—Hm?”

Right when I was thinking of trying to get between her sandal and the ground, I spotted a brown paper bag on the ground near the jungle gym. The paper bag was moving like something was inside. For example, a small animal—

“Ah! Don’t come out!”

The ogre girl saw where I was looking and covered the top of the paper bag. I could see white fur peeking out from there, which told me that my assumptions were correct.

“——”

The silence between us lasted only a moment.

“Um, I’d like to ask a few things…”

“I don’t!”

“No, but.”

“Shupapapa!”

Making weird sound effects with her mouth, the ogre girl spun on her heel. She grabbed the paper bag with the rabbit inside and made a beeline for the park’s entrance.

I’m not letting you escape!

I kicked off the ground, chasing after her. Don’t underestimate a member of the track-and-field club!

“Wait just a second!”

“Nope! Leave me alone!”

I made a big jump after the girl as she made a small one, pulled her to the ground, and reached for her with my hands.

“Please just calm down and listen to—”

My fingers slipped inside the hem of her one-piece, which left me with the sensation of soft fabric.

“…Huh?”

My stomach landed on the ground.

“Unyaa!”

The girl fell forwards as well, headfirst into the ground. Her clothes were pulled up to her waist, and I heard the sound of underwear slowly descending to the ground. When I looked up ahead, I saw the forbidden fruit right in front of me.

“…Huh? ……Huuuuuuuuh!?” The cheeks shown from behind the ogre mask were beet red, and she slowly opened her quivering mouth. “Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?”

A girlish shriek filled this otherwise peaceful residential district. After that, windows from various homes opened. I feel like I’ll have to quit being an active track-and-field club member, as well as a member of society, fairly soon.

*

“The angel Emi is more kind than an angel!”

“One more time.”

“The angel Emi is more kind than an angel!”

“One more time.”

“The angel Emi is more kind than an angel!”

“Another 30,000 times.”

“The angel Emi is more kind than… 30,000!? I’ll die before then!”

“I’m keeping you alive in the social sense, so at least die with your physical body!”

“Demon Lord-chan is more kind than an angel!”

I was forced to sit upright on a bench inside the park, chanting some odd sutra in order to beg for forgiveness. Next to me sat a young girl, who had fixed both her clothes and underwear. The ogre girl had a name: Emanuela Pollarola. She came from the far-away Italy. She was a bilingual girl able to speak both Japanese and Italian.

“But seriously, I do feel bad. It’s my motto to take full responsibility for accidentally assaulting any girl, but I didn’t think I’d end up experiencing such a lucky pervert moment. I can’t believe I let something like that be turned into an illustration²…”

“…What are you apologizing for?” Emi narrowed her eyes. “Well, I was the first one to jump at you, so let’s just call it even.” She released me from my seat on the bench.

She really is as kind as an angel!

“We both had the wrong idea about each other. I heard Yaji-san’s voice, so I thought you were some fishy rabbit thief.”

“That’s right, I’m sorry.”

“No, I doubted you. Thanks for finding it.”

“It’s fine as long as you understand! Hmph!” Emi puffed out her chest.

She’s also an honest and gentle Angel-chan! The paper bag she was carrying next to her still-growing chest is from a nearby grocery store. She took out a carrot and gave it to the rabbit on her lap.

“I was near the school when I suddenly heard a loud sound. I went over to look, and I saw a rabbit leaving through the opening of a fence, so I went after it!”

“You were a really big help. This’ll stop a girl who’s crying about the lost rabbit. Well done.”

I remembered Azuki Azusa’s face, which caused me to let out a sigh of relief. When I told her that I found the rabbit over our messaging app, she sent me an onslaught of stamps and emotes. I bet her fingers are shaking even now. Calm down, A-chan!

“That’s a cool magical girl for you.”

“…Magical girl?” Emi tilted her head.

The ogre mask lay next to her.

“This mask looks like something they’d use at Setsubun³, but it’s a bit different, isn’t it?”

When I turned it over, I saw the name of the rightful owner on the back. It was from a transformation-type magical girl anime that airs every Sunday morning. Of course, it’s also popular with all the older Onii-sans out there, but for different reasons.

“Were you trying to be a hero like that?”

“H-Huh!? Can you not say embarrassing things like that!?” Emi blushed furiously, standing up on top of the bench. “Papa just bought this during a festival near the shrine. He said that I could transform if I wore this. He really likes this sort of stuff. It’s not like I believe in it or anything. I’m not at the age where I would, but… trying it once wouldn’t hurt, you know…?” She babbled on and on.

You know, after jumping off the jungle gym like that, every excuse you make sounds kind of weak. I understand your feelings, Emi-chan. As a gentleman myself, I feel the need to support her at any moment. Emi-chwan, twy your besht!

“…Your eyes are disgusting.”

“Can you not switch to an adult face like that in a single instant!?”

“Only if you stop looking at me with those lewd eyes!” She squeezed and tugged on my cheeks.

Ahh, how warm!

“Stronger! At full strength! You can use your legs as well!”

“Can you not come on to me like that!? You fiend, now that’s come to this—I will bring punishment upon you!”

“Ahhh, that’s my favorite Ogre Girl! I was waiting for you! You look so strong!”

“Eat this… certain-kill technique… Uuuuyaaatooooo! There, there! How does this feel?!”

“Ah, that way you stomp me feels great. You’re doing a good job. See, my magical stick is growing so much!”

“Gyanyaaa!?” Emi-chan suddenly stopped. “—Get a grip already!”

“Ouch!?”

“Disgusting! Pumpkin!” She hit me with a direct gut punch, which brought me back to reality.

She hammered right into my stomach, but still showed a bit of restraint. She apparently knew how to hold back at the right time. I want her to make my Mama in the future. Actually, I want to become her Mama!

“You haven’t come back to reality at all! Police officer, this is him!”

“Wait wait wait, reporting other people isn’t fun at all! Look, I’m a police officer myself! Yes, Emi-chan, magical stick high-five!”

“Where are you touching me!? You’re clearly the villain now!” Emi ran away from the bench, taking her distance near the sandpit. “Is it that… your head is actually rotten to the core?”

“How harsh! But I can’t deny it!”

“It’s weird, isn’t it? I mean—” She looked at me from head to toe, as if to confirm something.

And then she spoke.

“…Yup. After all, this is the first time we’ve met, so how can you act so intimate with someone you’ve just met?”

Her words struck me like a sharp blade. Her young eyes were radiating doubt.

*

“Am I wrong? Have we met before?” When I kept quiet, Emi shrugged.

“…No, it’s just like you said. This is our first meeting.”

“Then how can you chase after a girl you’ve only just met without hesitation like that? What kind of person would be so assertive towards a girl you’d just met?

“That’s not exactly it…” I let out a sigh.

The girl was right. She probably grew up how she was meant to. Without being played around by the Cat God, just living her life honestly, dreaming of a bright future. Her Papa is a specialist in folklore, and he’s teaching here in Japan at a university. Her mama apparently is a secretary at some company. I heard that they were on vacation here coinciding with Emi’s Papa’s lecture.

She had lived her life in happiness so far. She wasn’t drawn to a foreign country because of the Cat God, she just lived together with her family. She was never made fun of in the church’s choir, never ran into a weird god, and was never used as a tool. She had a promising future in front of her. Clearly, her current life was better. And even though I knew that—

“I’m sure we were brother and sister.” I blurted out.

“…Huh?”

“I don’t have a little sister in this world, and you surely don’t remember me in this world. But how do I put it… Somewhere sort of like a previous life or world, we were really close.”

“…A previous world…”

“You loved visiting festivals, and were crazy about cosplaying. You always helped others out in times of need. You looked so young, but you acted more grown up than me most of the time.”

Crying, laughing, kicking, insulting me all the time… You were like a little sister to me. But telling her that won’t do any good, because all that never happened in this world.

While I was saying that, Emi stared at me.

“…Disgusting.” She summed it all up in one word.

What a great summary! Full marks for that!

“I don’t get it. Were you brainwashed or something?”

“…Yeah, I know it sounds stupid.”

“It makes no sense. That’s just… not realistic. Also, if you think about it, it’s just awful, really.” She clicked her tongue.

It can’t be helped. A pervert is someone born feeling hatred and fear from girls, raised in the midst of fear and doubt, and eventually vanishes with cheering and thankfulness. I bet that tongue click of hers was meant to portray exactly that.

“…Haaaah…” Emi looked at my face and crossed her arms. “And I was close to you in that world?”

“Probably. At the very least, I really liked you, and I wanted you to feel the same.”

“What did I call you?”

“Um…” I muttered my response, prepared for the repercussions.

“…Hmmm.” Emi let out a sigh, pulling her twintails a bit higher.

She put her fingers on her cheeks, squishing them around, and cleared her throat.

“Youto-onii-chan?” She grinned.

“…Eh?”

“Emi wants to get along with Onii-chan again!” She gently tilted her head, rubbing it against my chest. “So don’t make such a sad face.”

“…Emi…”

“There’s many things Emi doesn’t understand. But, when you’re sad, she’s sad as well. So cheer up. Okay, Youto-onii-chan?” She showed a brimming smile.

It was still clumsy, and her eyes were shaking with uncertainty. The corners of her mouth were twitching, and it felt like a very fake smile. But it still was a 100% smile. A calm and collected girl like her made this smile for me. In this world, with everything that she had been given, she granted me with a perfect and unparalleled smile. It was a kind smile for this kind girl.

“—Thanks. I’m feeling better already.”

“Yay!”

I smiled, and so did Emi.

“Ehehe, Youto-onii-chan!”

“Guhehe, Emi-chuwan…!”

“Ehe… he?”

“Guhehehehe…”

“Where are you touching me!? Stop, stop!”

I was thus beaten into a pulp, and cried. This time, she showed no restraint whatsoever. It almost felt like she was used to beating up people older than her. Like she had been doing this for a long time. That’s why I cried a bit. Only a bit, though.

*

“There’s one thing I don’t understand.”

On the way back to the school, with Yaji-san in my arms, I spoke up.

“That hint?” Emi made an arrogant smile, raising her chin.

“Hehe, that’s actually something famous from Napoli, Italy! I did my best drawing it! Because you see, the story goes—”

“Ah yeah, I’ll hear you out later.”

“Ugh…” Emi seemed dejected that she couldn’t tell her story.

Then again, she did a great job of giving hints.

“So you were the one who did the drawing, Emi. It was something like a hero’s sign to show you found the rabbit, right?”

“That’s right. There was no need to search for a criminal—since he was right there all along.”

The one who destroyed the fence was the stray puppy that belonged to the animal training club. The reason he seemed so depressed before wasn’t because he failed at his duty, but rather because he instigated this entire incident. He probably was running around the pole with the leash and happened to destroy the fence in the process.

“So it wasn’t a guard dog. It was a stray dog, huh?”

Well, I guess the animal training club has their own responsibilities to carry as well, since they were trying to keep a stray puppy as a guard dog. All of that made sense. However…

“I don’t understand why you thought I was some kind of villain and attacked me from the jungle gym.”

If she already knew the criminal, then there should be no reason to be so wary of me. Not to mention that she must have heard me searching for Yaji-san, since I was calling for her.

“Why would you suddenly look that way at me, when I’ve done no evil so far?”

“Phew…” Emi let out a breath. “Is that something you should say with that serious of a face? You reek of evil deeds, you creep.”

“Don’t say that! With proper negotiations, I have met all the conditions that were previously asked of me!”

“You damn pumpkin…” She tugged at her one-piece and took out a rectangular-shaped object from her pocket.

“What’s that, a picture?”

“You know, Emi was taking a walk. Papa is still busy with his job, so Emi is searching for someone in his stead.” She showed me a perfectly normal family picture.

I saw four people standing in the garden of an old Japanese residence, a pond behind them. There was a young girl with her hair tied up with a white ribbon, giving off a wise air, a younger girl with a sunflower pin in her hair, a grinning young boy, and a woman standing behind them.

“…Huh?” I swallowed my breath.

It was too much of a shock. After all, this was our picture. It showed the young Yokodera Youto, Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi, and Tsutsukakushi Tsukasa-san in the back. We all smiled in our own unique way, looking at the camera. It was a picture showing a day of happiness and fortune, which I had read about in the Yokodera-kun notes’ 11th volume.

“Why do you…?”

No, more importantly. Why does this exist in this world?

“Wait… is that why?”

The moment we set foot on the new future—when Tsukasa-san cancelled her wish—happened after we took this picture. If everything changed after that, then it made sense that this picture would still exist.

“…Not everything is gone.”

Emi watched me grab my chest and raised this picture towards the sky.

“This is a picture of the people who saved Papa and Mama. Before I was born, they helped them when they came here.”

“That’s right. It’s been a long time…”

“Papa and Mama always talked about them, saying they wanted to meet them again once they came here. They should be in high school now, and I was looking for them around here, since they might be going to the nearby school. I asked a lot of students, so then…” Emi’s voice suddenly grew more hazy. “Then they told me that there’s a person in that picture you shouldn’t take pictures of.”

“…What’s up with that?”

A person you shouldn’t take pictures of? That sounds almost creepy, like it’s some kind of horror story. Like a ghost picture that has a person in it who shouldn’t be there. But who is the ghost?

“When I saw it in person, I understood what they were talking about.”

“Eh?”

“Even though it was our first meeting, I could tell right away that that person was bigger than in the picture.” She pulled her gaze from the Yokodera Youto on the picture and looked directly up at me.

There was not a sign of jest nor ridicule in her eyes. Nor was she confident or doubtful. She merely looked at me, waiting for my answer. So I was the ghost? Oh my. Ghosts are scary. Is that why all girls run away from me? I guess MaiMai was right to try to exorcise me before!

“I was warned not to talk to them. They looked terrified. And if I break that promise, then something cruel would happen to me as well.”

“…Hmm.”

“But I decided to punish them if that were true. Of course, it’s not like I was doing something as childish as pretending to be a superhero…” The girl who was wearing an ogre mask, who wanted to become a magical girl, mumbled.

“—Hey, what did you come here for?” I asked.

“…Who knows? What business is it of yours?” The moment I responded to her oddly cold voice, Emi jumped away from me.

“Shupapapapa!” She made more sound effects as she turned around. She ran away, almost like she had spotted the person she had broken her promise with.

“…Emi?” I watched her run off into the distance, and turned around to see that we had nearly reached the school gate while we were walking.

I spotted two people standing there.

“Is Yaji-san okay!?”

“How late. Why didn’t you come back sooner?”

Azuki Azusa waved her hand at me, whereas MaiMai’s arms were crossed. She was clearly in as bad of a mood as ever.

*

The other members of the track-and-field club hadn’t returned yet, so MaiMai grabbed her phone, and we made our way towards the sports grounds.

“I’ll be back. Really soon. Don’t do anything weird while I’m gone.”

“I won’t. What kind of weird things do you think I’d be doing?”

“Hurting A-chan. Everything else. Also, Yokodera, you can go home. Go to heaven. Go to hell.”

“Can you stop being completely unreasonable for just one second?”

“If you do anything, I’ll force-feed you the shoes I’m wearing right now. Be happy about that, you psychopath.”

“Isn’t that just your fetish!? You’re more of a psychopath than me, aren’t you!?”

Even up until the last second before she walked away, she warned me over and over. Also, out of all the club members searching, only I was forced to search outside the school.

“I’m glad to see you two are getting along!” Azuki Azusa smiled. I think she was seeing things I couldn’t.

If this is us ‘getting along,’ then you and I are the greatest couple the world has ever seen.

“By the way, who was the person who just came back with you? A friend?”

“Ummm… well, an old friend I just met.”

“What does that mean?” Azuki Azusa let out a snicker.

The girl who had caused Emi’s trauma in the other world tilted her head cutely.

We then walked around the back of the club room building.

“…Still, I never imagined this incident would end in such a way.” Azuki Azusa’s face tightened up.

She put back Yaji-san into the rabbit cage, and lowered her waist.

“I never thought that the criminal would be an insider. I’ll have to apologize to everyone for creating such a ruckus.”

She started reflecting on her actions all alone. Then again, she’s the only one who really needed to reflect on it. She wept a bit, and the puppy came and sat at her feet.

“Listen, I’m not blaming you. Just like how a tanuki lives life disguised as a human being, it couldn’t be helped that you were running around like that. But… you can’t scare or hurt anybody, okay? Let’s all become tanukis together!”

Even I grew emotional as Azuki Azusa scolded the dog gently. I’m sure she’ll be a great mother in the future. However, Azuki-sensei’s persuasion sounded tough when used with humans, so if you were to apply that to a stray puppy—

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

—Woof!

“Kya!? Why are you jumping at me like that?! We were in the middle of talking! Hey, you can’t lick there! Stop!”

I should have seen that coming. Thus, she was conquered by said puppy, laughing and crying at the same time, radiating like the sun personified. What a wonderful day!

What really makes the situation difficult is that she lacks the capability to speak with someone who uses anything other than human language.

“Why? No matter how many times I tell him, he won’t listen…” The club president of the animal training club held her knees, weeping.

To me, the sight just now looked quite dazzling to me, so I don’t see the reason why she needed to be so bothered. All the readers out there sure like the dog, I’ll bet. Especially in combination with this innocent cuteness of Azuki Azusa. It’s like the ultimate form of justice. When I told her that (using more reasonable terms), Azuki Azusa shook her head.

“…It would be fine if I just kept them for fun. But this is an actual club, just like you people from the track-and-field…”

“Ah, yeah…”

“Just like memories aren’t worth anything if you don’t tend to them, if I don’t show some results now, what have I even been doing this for? The school had accepted this club on the condition that I would study healthy cooperative relationships with the animals we keep. This makes it seem like I’m a turtle that’s been laying on its back all year.”

It appears as if the righteous Azuki Azusa felt a great amount of responsibility and regret from the whole incident.

“I don’t want to play around in front of the school gate every morning like that. I’d rather train them properly and make everyone understand how fun it is to get along with animals. I feel like an idiot…”

Her weeping profile overlapped with one I had in my memory. From inside the taxi and when I carried her up the hill with the cedar while she was in her pajamas. I hurt her because I was too focused on expressions and facade. Despite it all, she was kind enough to stay with me through my ups and downs, like the swallow in the Happy Prince.

“Can I really not get along with them? Or maybe I’m not cut out to train animals…”

At this rate, the animal-loving Ms. Earnest-chan will lose her identity! I’m the only one who can do something about this!

“I understand. Azuki Azusa, I have an idea.”

“…What kind of idea?”

“—Woof!”

I put my right hand on Azuki Azusa’s lap. At the same time, I crouched down and made a pose like I was a dog offering its paw.

“I will become your dog!” I announced with pride and let out a howl.

Taking Azuki Azusa’s hand, I barked once again.

“You just have to pretend that I’m a good-for-nothing dog and scold me a lot! Through that, you’ll learn how to scold a dog. It’ll be perfect practice!”

I’m good at this. For some reason, my body remembers this feeling. I just can’t wait to yet again become the pet of this tsundere rich lady!

“Um…” Azuki Azusa blinked in confusion. “I don’t… really get it…”

That was her reaction. Excuse me!? …Well, I guess I’m the weird one in the end. It’d be bad if Azuki Azusa was the crazy one in this situation.

“For now, just try badmouthing me like ‘Are you stupid!?’ or ‘Die, you pervert!’ or ‘Sexy animal time!’, and such while you give me a scornful look.”

“Um, I don’t think it’s very nice to insult people like that…”

“Yup, you’re absolutely correct!”

“You’re a good person, so I don’t want to hurt you, you know.” Great angel Azukiella fidgeted as she looked up at me.

She really is a good girl. It’s almost troublesome! Also, I’m causing her a lot of trouble by forcing an event onto her that would never have happened in this world.

“Thanks. Just forget about what I said. I’ll go home then. To heaven. To the far-away star here in this Milky Way…”

A soldier should vanish without leaving anything behind. Just when I made up my mind to leave, I felt something tug on my shirt.

“…Um…” Azuki Azusa looked at me with her gemstone-like eyes, fidgeting even more. “I’m really happy that you felt like going this far for me.”

“Yeah, sorry that I couldn’t help. I’ll think of something else.”

“T-That’s not what I meant…” It looked like she had trouble putting it into words, and she audibly gulped.

A moment of silence passed, only for her to speak up.

“…W-What about the opposite?”

“The opposite?”

“Y-You know… You’ll be… the owner… and I’ll be your pet…”

“Wait, what? We’ll continue? Huh?”

“N-Not continue, but… you know… um… W-Woo…”

Woof?

She spoke with a voice almost weak enough to be blown away by the faint breeze as she looked up at me. She grabbed the side of my pants leg, shaking like a newborn puppy.

“………”

I can’t even put into words how destructively cute it was. For a moment, I forgot how to even speak, let alone breathe. It felt like my heart stopped working.

“S-Sorry, what am I even saying…? Um, forget about all that… I’ll just go home… and go to heaven…” She was drenched with sweat, smoke emitting from her beet red face.

I gently put my hand on Azuki Puppy’s shoulder.

“—I think that’s great!”

“Y-You don’t need to scream like that, okay?!”

“Let’s go practice right away! Come on, A-chan!”

“W-Woof!?”

“Paw!”

“Wau!”

“Turn!”

“Woo!”

“Beg!”

“Kyun!?”

“One more time! Beg! Beg for it! I wanna see A-chan’s begging!”

“W-Woof… wooo…”

She repeated the begging part again and again. She put her paw on my right hand, on my left hand, on my lap, and then stood tall begging again.

“Great! Great puppy! You are a puppy! As your owner, I am very proud of you!”

“Woof woof… Woooo…” As a reward, I gently rubbed her head, to which Azuki Puppy started blushing, letting out groans.

She rubbed her head against my palm, her body shaking left and right. I could see the dog ears flapping happily on her head. They must be growing on her head now. I’m not having any hallucinations. There’s even a collar on her neck that says ‘Yokodera Azusa’. This is a bit of a twisted way to start our love, but I’m not complaining!

I heard wedding bells ringing on a far-away Italian clocktower. Was that just an illusion? Either way, we were connected now.

“I-I never thought about this before…” Below my palm, Azuki Azusa was rubbing her head against it. “For some reason… this doesn’t seem too bad…” She closed her eyes, smiling like a blooming flower.

Thus, the animal princess found her happiness. And then they lived happily ever after.

If you think about it rationally, is Azuki Azusa’s animal training skill really going to improve through this? If anything, she’s going to turn into an animal at this rate. She’s going to join her club as an animal. Will her club be fine in the future? No clue. The only thing I care about is my children with her. But enough joking.

“…I’m pretty happy.” I muttered in a quiet voice.

Yeah, I was happy. Almost as happy as Azuki Azusa. Azuki Azusa is Azuki Azusa. We are we. No matter what world it is, no matter what memories we have, we can always get along. I smiled, feeling like I had managed to get something back.

I didn’t even try to notice that this phenomenon was merely psychologically suggested, nothing more.

*

“How dare you! Do something like that! To her!”

By the time I felt a presence approaching us, it was already too late. MaiMai came dashing towards us.

“…What are you…?”

“M-Ma-chan!? This isn’t what it looks like, okay?!” A-chan, who was hugging my leg, her tail wagging, started to panic as well. “Th-This is some sort of animal therapy that will help me learn! Why don’t you join in as well, Ma-chan!?”

“There’s no therapy like that, okay?”

Indeed, I couldn’t have said it any better myself. MaiMai flopped to the floor, glaring up at me.

“Yokodera. I told you. Why would you…?”

“Well, I’ve gotta get home and do my homework. I’ll leave the rest to you youngsters today…” Since I felt like I’d get burned by the flames of jealousy, I chose to retreat.

Maybe I can start some sort of magical girl second season therapy now that I’m skilled at it. I searched for her on the way home, but I couldn’t spot Emi anywhere. Instead, I met someone else loitering around a street corner near my house.

“Oh, great timing.” He turned around, looking at me.

“Hm… Ponta? What are you doing?” I asked, looking at the big backpack on his back.

“Nothing at all. Yet, that is. I’m about to do it.” Traveller Ponta swung his arm. “I decided to broaden my knowledge. I turned in all my supplementary homework, so I’m leaving to go on a trip around the world.”

“W-Where did that come from…?”

“No more supplementary lessons, please…”

“Your motivation is actually pretty disappointing…”

“That was a joke, okay? I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Once you leave me behind, what is my reason for being here, and that sort of thing.”

I thought back to what he told me during the summer supplementary lessons we shared, and that distant gaze he had.

‘You’ve really changed, mister.’

He’s got the same expression now.

“It’s not like I wanna do something for this world or whatever. If anything, I wanna do something for myself. Otherwise I’ll be left behind.”

“Ponta…”

“Well, if I don’t start walking, I’ll never see the end of the journey, right?” He narrowed his eyes. He had a distant gaze.

Inside the street of domino houses lined up beside each other, there was someone who aimed for a place higher than the sun. His back, carrying the backpack, looked more dependable than ever.

…In a distant world, something similar had happened. Since I was only a temporary club member of the track-and-field club, he asked me to help out the Mafia Club after I saw him work. Just like I had felt so unimportant back then, Ponta must be feeling the same way towards me right now. I’d be happy if that was the case. Because we’re friends.

“Hehe, don’t make a long face like that. I’m just living the romantic dream of every man. This is my own epilogue. You can’t stop me.”

“I don’t plan on doing so.”

“Damn, I expected more from you, honestly.” Ponta grinned, bumping his fist into my shoulder.

This emphasized how close we were as friends.

“Well, this isn’t a farewell for life. We’ve been connected for years, and this is how far we’ve come. We’re not gonna stay apart now. So see you later, my trusted friend Yokodera Youto.” He waved his hand and walked down the path to where the West sun shone.

I could only stand still, waving after him. When a sudden farewell like this comes, it’s always met with surprise, sadness, but also joy. And I felt like I had experienced this before. Even if the way there is a bit different, I guess that Ponta’s path will stay the same. And since I knew that he was going to work for the good of other people, I thought that it was a pretty great path.

*

After dinner, I was walking down the hallway in my home when my phone rang. It was the melody belonging to my little Baby-chan.

“Senpai, I heard.” It was a cold, lifeless voice, so something must have happened.

Maybe she was lonely and just wanted to hear my voice? What great news!

“So you finally made A-chan your pet.”

“Bad news!”

I guess there’s no law of secrecy when it comes to the female network of information. I won’t make any excuses, so can I talk to my lawyer first!?

“Dear Judge-san, let me just say one thing. Azuki Azusa was just swept along by the circumstances, and all the responsibility lies with me…”

“That’s right. I appreciate your sense of responsibility. You did great.”

“…Huh?”

Her words took me by surprise. I thought she was being ironic, trying to hide her true emotions, but the intonation of her voice didn’t change in the slightest.

“…You’re not angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

…It seems like she really did call me just to congratulate me. It’s just like when we played cards before. The pervert barrier that should be there is oddly weak.

“Since I was hoping the two of you would get along, I don’t have any right to complain. This is your right after all, as stated in the constitution.”

“I wonder about that…”

“A-chan was really happy, too. She felt like she had found a reason for existing, now that she understands what animals go through. She also mentioned the female part deep inside her stomach tightened up.”

“She said that?!”

“She did not. I just imagined it.”

“Falsification! I call falsification!”

“I could tell. I’m well-informed in that regard.” Tsukiko-chan announced in a dignified tone.

You’re well-informed about what’s going on inside the stomach if your friends? I feel quite worried for A-chan’s future.

“…MaiMai was really angry, you know. Aren’t you angry if your friends suddenly change like that?”

“Why did you think I would allow that? I will scold you again and again. Being a pervert is a crime, right?”

“Ah, yeah, that makes sense…”

“But, water will always return to its original shape.” Tsutsukakushi said indifferently. “This is something that cannot be helped. You cannot go against the rules of nature.”

“…Yeah, that makes sense.”

It was too convenient. Almost as if she were trying to convince herself. I understand the reason why she’s been acting weird ever since I started getting in contact with Azuki Azusa. Is she bored? Because I was just trying to act like a gentleman in front of Azuki Azusa, acting like a normal human being. Right now, Tsutsukakushi must be excited at the prospect that Yokodera Youto is a pervert. Even if she denies it verbally, she’s wishing for it. Consciously or subconsciously.

I knew it. Ockham is naked, and so is Tsukiko-chan. She is the king of all nudists! Hurry, plan the naked parade! Show her in all her glory!

…No, that’s wrong. My own desires have nothing to do with this. Not at all. I’ll leave that to the porn mag creators out there. Instead, shouldn’t I think about this more rationally? I feel like something has been twisted to the wrong ends.

“And according to Nee-san… Senpai.”

“……”

“Senpai. Senpai, are you listening?”

“…Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something. What were we talking about again?”

“For crying out loud. About Nee-san’s future. She seems to be aiming for Masachuchu… Excuse me, for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but as of late, she’s even started looking at universities here in Japan, so I was hoping that you could maybe help her with some modern Japanese studies.”

“I don’t mind, but… should I really be teaching her?”

“Of course. Nee-san is hoping that you’ll agree to it, as well. Weren’t you doing great when you helped with her entrance exam studies, Senpai?”

“…In the other world?”

“In the world that definitely happened.” She repeated herself firmly, like she was trying to convince herself.

These exchanges happened a lot between us these days.

“It would be great if everything went back to the way it was.”

“…I wonder about that.”

“I’m sure. I will believe in this bright future ahead of us.” She said, only to continue. “Ah, Nee-san is calling for me. There’s going to be a meteorite shower tonight, so she wants to watch it together. I recommend you do the same, Senpai. We’ll talk later.”

Right before the call ended, I heard the illusion of someone coughing.

*

I didn’t even have time to enjoy the night sky. Instead, I was reading the notes in my own, dark room. I borrowed all eleven volumes from Tsukiko-chan for the sake of the future, although I had already read them just recently.

However, a bad premonition plagued me, and grew stronger the more I read. It’s the same. All of it, the same as before.

“Aren’t we just redoing everything?”

Of course, the details were different. However, in the greater scheme of things, it was the exact same. We went to the cafe, the game center, played cards at the Tsutsukakushi Household, I heard the sound of the Italian bell—

—Water will always return to its natural shape.

That’s what Tsutsukakushi said. In a movie I watched a long time ago, it was said that the world is deterministic. No matter how many times you influence history, no matter what you change, destiny will slowly fall back to its originally intended path. Just like there is ebb and flow, everything will eventually converge back to how it was originally. Even more so for people like us who tried taking certain things back using various methods.

Azuki Azusa was stripped of her noble lady status, slowly turning into a puppy. The fundamentally clumsy yet wise Steel-san is working towards her university entrance exams. The kind Emi was manipulated by us. After this, the field trip event will occur, followed by the Christmas party. We will visit the shrine and celebrate Tsukiko-chan’s birthday. Oh, right, it said in the 8th volume that I’ll receive a postcard from Ponta. Then I’ll be depressed, and I’ll try to read Akutagawa Ryuunosuke’s ‘Spinning Gears’.

A comedy will be repeated over and over, and it will raise the curtains for the tragedy. A future that will eventually arrive. And then—The far-away curse will suddenly gaze us in the face.

The doorbell to my home rang, as if to mercilessly announce the end of the world. I heard someone calling out to me from beyond the door.

*

When I opened the door, I was met with a wave of killing intent and the sight of a familiar classmate.

“Leave.”

“…Huh?”

“Leave this town. Pack your things right now.” MaiMai was crossing her arms, clearly in a bad mood.

She was wearing dark shorts and a tank-top shirt.

“At this rate, you’ll hurt everyone again, and get hurt.”

“Again, huh? So the same thing will happen again…”

“…You remembered?” Mai’s eyes opened wide.

I don’t know if you could really call it ‘remember’ when talking about the future. Maybe she’s talking about the Yokodera-kun notes. That thing’s practically like a Bible at this point. But how does MaiMai know about it? Maybe Tsukiko-chan and I weren’t the only ones who knew of what happened in the other world?

“Did Tsutsukakushi show you her notes by any chance?”

“Notes? The diary Tsuu-chan is writing?”

“Diary… Yeah, something like that.”

“I don’t look at other people’s diaries. That’s bad taste. I remembered from the very beginning.” She spoke like I should have known it from the very start.

Is that even possible? Are there people who can remember what happened in the previous world without relying on the notes where they stored their memories? Isn’t that only possible if you’re a god?

“How much do you remember?”

“Everything.”

“Then… Even when the club president collapsed?”

“Of course. Even when I defeated her.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

I tilted my head in confusion, and she returned a confused reaction as well.

“I’m a bit confused. The club president was sick, right?”

“No, she was as healthy as could be. I was just stronger. That’s why I defeated her. Without any handicap.”

“Why would you beat her up?”

“Because I would have been done in otherwise.”

“What kind of savage tribe did you grow up in!?”

What was she doing while I wasn’t looking? MaiMai is too scary! How many battlefields has she seen!?

“But that’s impossible. I’m sure that the club president must have been aware of her own body, just acting calm so that we wouldn’t see…”

“No. She was a sniveler. Crying all the time. I made her cry. Because I won. I never lost once.”

“Do you hate the club president or something!?” I found myself practically shouting.

In response, MaiMai glared at me.

“What are you even talking about? That is something that couldn’t be helped.”

“It couldn’t be helped!? What were you doing to a sick person!?”

“I mean, that happened in a time long in the past. Before I knew too much about her.”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about the future.”

“The future? What’s up with that? Don’t bring up random nonsense.”

Huh? …Wait, what??? I feel like we’ve been talking past each other for a while now.

“Say, MaiMai… what have you been talking about this whole time?”

“About the past, again. When I beat the club president to a pulp.” MaiMai swung her delicate arm around.

“…Ah! That war between the two of you!” Then I remembered fully.

The young Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi and the always-angry Maimaki Mai would fight all the time back in the day. I guess that would be something that would be remembered, huh? It happened at least ten years ago, which matches with the events in the 10th volume of the Yokodera-kun notes. The two of them had barely met, and they fought whenever they did. Looking at it from a current point of view, it was a story long in the past, at a point in time before Tsukasa-san cancelled her wish, and the two worlds were a single existence.

*

“I didn’t use to respect the club president as much.” MaiMai fiddled with her hair, causing the ponytail hanging down the back of her head to sway. “I thought she was just some annoying brat, who was always thinking she was right. A rival at best. But a few years ago, I saw her during the sports festival. Then I thought she was pretty cool.”

…That’s why she started admiring her, even going so far as to copy her hairstyle. Former quarrel buddies turned into real friends. They were merely one step away from letting the flower of yuri bloom between the two of them.

Anyway, MaiMai had been talking about that past the entire time. The past that happened in this world, and how we all played together. That makes sense. How would she know of any other past, anyway?

“Oh right, you were the one who told Emi that this picture had someone that shouldn’t be shown, right?”

It made sense that MaiMai had seen the perpetrator. She was probably talking with Emi as they walked there.

“I don’t know what you were planning with that, but don’t you think it’s a bit cruel to threaten a girl unrelated to the situation like that?” I was half-joking, but MaiMai’s shoulders started quivering.

“Shut up, moron. I had a reason.”

“A reason why Yokodera Youto shouldn’t be here? Tell me.”

“Because you betrayed me first.”

“I… betrayed you?”

“That’s right.”

It was hard to tell because of the darkness outside, but thanks to the light coming from the entrance, I could see that MaiMai’s cheeks were slightly puffed out.

“We all played around like that. But when we reunited in high school, you forgot about everything. You didn’t even try to remember us. You just spent your days in happiness. You’re a psychopath who stepped on other people’s feelings, acting like our relationship before wasn’t worth anything.” Even though she was insulting me, it felt oddly weak.

“MaiMai…”

“Don’t…! …Call me that…” She raised her voice, only to quiet down again. “You’ll approach A-chan and the others again, only to throw them away, to hurt them. So leave. Before you get too close with them.”

“Hey, MaiMai.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Do you hate it because I called you that in the past?”

“………”

Maimaki Mai bit her lip. It seemed that I had hit the mark. The first time I called her ‘MaiMai’ was when we met ten years ago, in this very world. I broke up her fight with Steel-san and caused her to make up with Azuki Azusa. We all played together, to a level that I even forgot about my original goal of coming back to the past. It was fun, and a time that was meant to be enjoyed… A miniature garden where everyone could laugh.

“We played that much… You were my first friend, and yet…”

It might not seem like it, but Maimaki Mai was sulking. About the fact that I had forgotten about her. It might not look like it, but she gets hurt easily when it comes to human relationships.

‘We went to a different grade school, but we made a pinky promise to always stay friends—’

On a field trip in this different world, I heard these words atop the stone stairs of the shrine. They were written in the notes.

‘It might just be me who sucks at creating worthwhile relationships. Maybe I’m not worth it. Either way, memories aren’t worth it.’

The MaiMai back then was deeply hurt that she had lost her friend Azuki Azusa. In this world, the two of them never lost each other. And yet she had lost a precious childhood friend yet again. Even though it was always the five of them, a certain boy stopped showing up. Now it seems like she’s working hard to avoid me getting too close to the others so that I won’t forget and hurt them again. It’s all just to deceive herself.

Because the one who gets hurt the most, hoping for profound relationships, yet hating a picture of the past like that to such an extent—is Maimaki Mai herself.

“…I’m sorry, MaiMai.”

“Moron. Don’t apologize.”

“Yeah, but… I feel bad for making you sad like that.”

When I lowered my head, MaiMai still seemed a bit angry. She started pouting.

“I don’t care at all, really. Who was sad? Not me. I didn’t like you at all.”

“You didn’t like me…? Not like, but… more…?”

“Huh?”

“You love me!?”

“Are you a moron? I hate you. As a person.”

“You hate me as a person… So you like me as a man!?”

“Idiot. Fool. As a man? Who would see a friend in that way?”

“Friend, huh? Yeah, we’ve always been friends in your mind, MaiMai. I love you, too!”

“…Idiot! You idiot! Shut up already!” MaiMai turned beet red, sulking even more.

*

“What were you talking about, just now?” She calmed down a bit and let out a sigh. “Just now about the club president and the future. It sounded weird.” She stood next to me underneath the street lamp, muttering to herself.

“I just misunderstood you. I thought we were talking about the same thing.”

“What did you think we were talking about, then? Tell me.”

“No, MaiMai… I mean Maimaki-san. This isn’t something you need to hear.”

“Grrr…” She let out a growl, and then stayed quiet for a moment. “…MaiMai.”

“Hm?”

“You can call me that.” From the other side of the street lantern, I heard a hesitant voice.

“Thanks, MaiMai! My MaiMai! Friend MaiMai!”

“Shut up, moron. Not another word.”

I laughed, and MaiMai clicked her tongue in annoyance. I’m glad we’re back on friendly terms.

“—Well…”

I wanted to repay her. That’s why I told her about the notes, the two timelines, and the three-member family. Everything that led to the creation of this world. Even about what I feared the most right now.

“…That’s about it. I’m worried that everything will end the same way.”

Even after I finished explaining everything, MaiMai stayed silent. Maybe she fell asleep because she was so bored? I couldn’t put it past her, but wouldn’t that be a bit too defenseless? Leave your guard to me! I’ll be your security friend!

“—Ah.”

Right when I went to walk around the street lamp, I was greeted by MaiMai herself, glaring at me with the sharp gaze of a fox. Woah, she looks super annoyed.

“I mean, it’s pretty unbelievable, so I won’t hold it against you if—”

“I believe you.”

“Huh?”

“Why are you surprised? Rude.” Her eyes looked oddly determined. “I believe you because of what Tsukasa-san told me.”

“…What…?”

Tsukasa-san told MaiMai something? When? What?

“It was ten years ago, after you stopped coming to the Tsutsukakushi Household.” She explained.

She spoke in a tone like she was stating simple facts. Of a world only MaiMai knew, she informed me.

*

“….What should I do after this?”

When I heard the final words of the person I had loved, I let out a sigh.

“Not my job. Think about it yourself.” A nonchalant response came back.

But I don’t think it was as cold as she made it sound.

“In the world you’re talking about, not many people knew of the club president’s problem, myself included. And yet you only ask for help when it’s convenient.”

“MaiMai, are you…?”

“Not sulking.” Sulking MaiMai averted her face, and continued. “…Honestly, I don’t think it’s good to ask for advice.”

“Why not?”

“If what you said is true, then if someone who appears in the notes were to do something that would ‘correct’ the world to the way it was in that previous world, then the two of us would get along and drift apart again, right?”

“…That might be true.”

We got along during the field trip, and said our farewells midwinter after that at the skating rink. It’s set in stone that the two of us will end up with a gap between us.

“Even the fact that the two of us are talking like this might be enough proof that it’s naturally being corrected. If I had known earlier, we might have done something else instead. Now we can’t get away from the prophecy in the notes. I can’t do anything.”

“…Wait, what did you just say?” I approached MaiMai, who blinked in confusion.

“Angry? But that’s the truth. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Before that! What was that about knowing earlier?!”

“…If I had known, we might have done something else instead…”

“That’s it, MaiMai! That’s our trump card! I expected nothing less from the dancing detective!” I imagined a fox gnawing on the joker card, as I subconsciously embraced the friend in front of me.

I had a feeling of discomfort the entire time, like it was just out of reach. Surprisingly, I can feel it right now, and it’s pretty warm!

“Wha, eh, ugh… that’s not…” Inside my arms, I could hear a mumble.

At first, she resisted a bit, but eventually relaxed.

I moved my mouth closer to her ears and whispered as gently as possible.

“There’s something I need your help with!”

“…ugh… Go…”

“Go? Is that a yes!?”

“…Let… go…”

“Let’s go!? Alright, let me tell you my idea right away!”

“…You… Moron…”

I heard a faint sigh from her lips, and I raised my head. Tsutsukakushi said that we could have a chance at seeing a falling star tonight. And I could see a few up in the starry sky. They all lit up and eventually vanished into the darkness again.

I raised my hand as if to grasp one of them.

---

1This right here, a Japanese horror story.

2Yes, there is an illustration, but it has loli butt, so I’m not uploading that.

3Holiday for end of winter (accompanied by a bean scattering ceremony)