"If I could ever see that red once again.
Will I still be like this?
Are you angry that I'm like this?
Why do I feel like,
I've forgotten something very important?
More important than you..?"
"Why..?"
Chapter 2
Hope or Despair
"Seems like we'll be having a magic exam.." Kousuke sighed, throwing the empty soda can in his hand into the trash can from where he sat. Marry, who was right beside him, was still enjoying her orange juice, clueless of the dangers of the such exam. "Is there something wrong with the magic exam..?" Tsubomi asked, also enjoying her homemade lunch box.
"Nah, maybe it's just Shuuya who I'm concerned about." Kousuke replied to Tsubomi's questions, smiling kindly; but deep inside, there was a lot of concern in his heart. "Shuuya also seemed kind of off when he returned yesterday, did anything happen?" Kousuke asked Tsubomi, who could only blink at the black-haired lad.
"Uh, yes.. And do you live with Shuuya?" Tsubomi questioned, slightly smiling. Kousuke nodded at her question. "Well, we met a senior called Shintaro Kisaragi.. and I.. don't know.. I asked if his magic was a magic that could deceive people.." Tsubomi tried explaining. "Shintaro Kisaragi.. I wonder who he is.. You must be kind of curious about me and Shuuya, judging by how you two are looking at me so intently." Kousuke chuckled at the gazes he received, only to receive a tap on his shoulder from the back.
"Yo, what you guys chatting about?" a happy Shuuya took a seat beside Kousuke, and placed his arms over Kousuke's shoulder. "Ah, Shuuya, are you okay?" Tsubomi asked, worried about the blonde. Shuuya could only nod with a happy expression. "Duh. But seriously, are you okay? I mean, that Shintaro guy, he lifted your skirt." Tsubomi's face immediately turned red.
"Well, if you're talking about me and Kousuke living together, then, let's just say that we're not from this district. Instead, we came here from elsewhere, so we rented a house to stay in. Our families are friends." Shuuya explained clearly, and Tsubomi nodded in understanding; but apparently, Marry was in her own world of imagination. "Anyways! Kisaragi-san's holding a concert again! I'm seriously going!" Shuuya grinned, clenching his fists.
"Momo Kisaragi..? W-Where?!" Tsubomi asked excitedly. Shuuya's grin turned into a rather mischievous one as he replied. "Did you know that this school is where Kisaragi-san schools..? The school requested for a contest this Saturday at the gymnasium.." Tsubomi's heart started pounding even faster, and now she was even more excited.
"M-Must be why I bumped into her on the way to school!" Tsubomi gaped, and the three others present stared at her with jealousy in their eyes. "I'm lucky I even befriended her.." Tsubomi smiled proudly, and there appeared Momo Kisaragi, the girl they were just talking about. "Ah, Tsubomi-chan! It's been such a while!" the four students could only widen their eyes at the sight of Momo.
"I-Is that really you, Kisaragi-san?!" Marry held Momo's hand tightly, her face red. Momo nodded, flustered by how cute Marry looked. "U-Uwah! T-This is the first time I've seen you in person!" Marry's grip became even tighter.
"Ehehe.. sorry.. but I'm kind of in a rush.." Momo scratched her head nervously, and Marry immediately released her grip over Momo's hands. "Well.. I'm actually looking for my brother.." Shuuya's eyes immediately widened.
"Kisaragi-san's brother.. Kisaragi.. Shintaro Kisaragi..? W-What?!" Tsubomi gaped in surprise, and Momo was also surprised by how Tsubomi knew of Shintaro; her own brother. "T-Tsubomi-chan, you know him?! Have you seen him anywhere?!" Momo asked desperately, and Tsubomi could only shake her head. Momo sighed in disappointment, her facial expression showing depression.
"Shintaro is your brother, huh.." Shuuya gazed at the blonde, who nodded at his question. "You must have been that girl who was always trying to chase him.." Shuuya teased, and Momo blushed fiercely upon being teased. "Y-You know onii-chan?! Don't tell me you're Ayano-san's brother!"
"Ayano..?" Tsubomi asked, curious. Shuuya, on the other hand, widened his eyes upon hearing the very name of his sister. ".." Kousuke immediately intervened, gently pushing Momo away. "Alright, you better hurry, Kisaragi-san. We'll let you know if we see Shintaro-san." Momo thanked the black-haired lad in advance, and left as told.
"We better hurry to class, recess is nearly over." Kousuke suggested, placing his hand on Shuuya's back, bringing him with him to their classroom, leaving Marry and Tsubomi alone, still eating their lunch. "Shuuya does act weird often.." Tsubomi said to herself, and sighed.
"Seto-san, have you seen Shuuya anywhere?" Tsubomi asked, rushing to the black-haired lad who was loitering around the corridors. He blinked at her, and shook his head. "Shuuya? I don't recall seeing him anywhere. Why, what happened?"
"I'm just worried about him.. Will he be okay?" Tsubomi questioned, a frown showing on her face. Kousuke could only frown in return, also somewhat concerned about his best friend. "Hey, Kido, would you like to know about Shuuya?" Upon being asked the such question, Tsubomi widened her eyes, and nodded.
"Shuuya had an adoptive older sister, you see." Kousuke stated, his hands busy holding two cans of soda. He passed one of them to Tsubomi, "You alright with soda?" Tsubomi nodded.
"Shuuya is actually an orphan, his mother died when some robbers trespassed his apartment. He was put into an orphanage by his aunty, who not want to take him in." Kousuke explained, taking a sip of his soda. Tsubomi did the same, using both of her hands unlike Kousuke who only used one hand. "The Tateyama family happily took him in. The sole child of that family was a very kind girl, and her name was Ayano Tateyama. She treated him as though he was her real younger brother."
"In addition to that, it was so obvious that Shuuya was in love with her, although she was two years older. But unfortunately, she was in love with another guy; I don't know who he is, but Shuuya probably knows." Kousuke scratched his cheek, realizing that he had just broke the secret of his best friend. "That's supposed to be a secret, so shush. Well, continuing, something terrible happened, which made Shuuya the way he is now; often using his magic to deceive everyone."
"What happened?" Tsubomi asked, tilting her head. Kousuke could only gaze at the floor, depressed. "I don't know.. but, something happened to Ayano-san." Kousuke replied in a rather sad tone.
"..Is that so.." Tsubomi muttered, and gazed at the floor too. "I can't help him, can I..?" Tsubomi asked, to which Kousuke replied with a 'no', which made her even more depressed. Fortunately, Tsubomi managed to find a topic to continue the conversation.
"Seto-san, could I know more about magic, and also about Shuuya's magic?" Tsubomi requested, earning a look from Kousuke; then a chuckle. "Sure, my magic is to read people's minds. Basic magic is the elemental magic; fire, ice, water, grass, wind and earth. There's a rumor that one of the seniors has mastered all these elements flawlessly, but has no maxime magic; which is also known as one's main magic. As I said earlier, my maxime magic is to read people's minds."
"And, Shuuya's one is to deceive. He can make people see the fake him; his deceiving magic resembles an illusion. What people see right now, the him right now, is most probably fake. He can change one's view of him easily." Kousuke thoroughly explained. "Take this as an example; if you go to a night club and you see a crossdresser; a crossdresser who 100% looks like a girl; Yes, he can do that."
"..That seems useful.. So you're saying that he uses it everytime?" Tsubomi finished her soda, and threw it into the rubbish can which was right beside her. Kousuke nodded at her question, and Tsubomi could only look away. "Thanks for telling me.. Seto-san.." Kousuke smiled at her warmly, "Just call me Kousuke. Could I call you Tsubomi?"
"Ah sure." Tsubomi turned towards the lad, and nodded in return. "By the way, the concert is next week, on the Saturday night of next week. You can get the tickets from the school convenience store; I'm not sure if it's pricey or not though. And also, we'll be having a magic exam on this Friday; I heard some rumors of it being dangerous, so becareful." Kousuke reminded the green-haired lass, to which she thanked him for.
"Thanks, Seto. Now all we have to do is make that idiot remember that he has us." Kousuke widened his eyes upon hearing a familiar voice, and looked at Tsubomi who was eyeing him with admiration. "Hey Tsubomi, did you say something?" he asked, to which she shook her head to. "Oh, is that so.." Kousuke laughed, assuming that it was just his imagination.