Following chapter 2, another epilogue and string of extras! Just like last time, the epilogue is a wrap-up to the first while filling out what might have been missing in the chapter. This time around, the extra 4-koma's are focused around Marika...or should I say Marika and how Jun is indirectly connected to her surroundings...!
Well, please enjoy the epilogue and extras!
Epilogue
The quarrel has died down and, seeing that it is already reaching 6am, some of us have gone to sleep after the all-nighter. After I take a quick shower and Jun-san takes care of my ankle, I too go to sleep.
By the time everyone is all awake, it's already close to noon. We plan to drive out now to reach back home before midnight. Jun-san outside gets the car ready and running. MEanwhile Maiko-senpai is commanded by Ruri-san to take care of the luggage. Kirisaki-senpai, Tachibana-senpai and my sister yawn as they get themselves straightened out by the several hours of sleep they had. Tsugumi-senpai carries Paula-san, who is still fast asleep, to the car to place her in the trunk among the comfy luggage.
I sit on the edge of my bed, nodding off and almost blanking out. I still feel sleepy, even after the few hours of sleep. I think I might sleep more in the van and on the train, but I still can't get myself to wake up fully and stand up from this bed. At least I'm ready and dressed to go, but it doesn't change the fact that I don't want to stand up from this comfortable seat.
As I doze off a bit more, Fuu-chan seems to approach me. "All the luggage is in the car. You coming?" She says with a pleasant smile. I look at her, shaking my head slowly as I want to nod off for a while more. She giggles.
She looks back and notices someone's coming. I don't know who it is, but she whispers into the person's ear something. The person gives a sigh and approaches me as Fuu-chan leaves to the downstairs.
"Well it can't be helped." Wait, this voice is…!?
I am immediately picked up, just like he did for me hours ago, in the princess carry. This surprising gesture by him completely wakes me up. Out of surprise, I ask Ichijou-senpai who is carrying me, "Wha-what are you doing!?"
"Your friend...Fuu-chan, was it? She told me you can't walk, so I'll carry you to the car," Ichijou-senpai says with a look of fatigue on his face. He must have been up all this time.
"You...you don't have to. I can walk myself and-"
"No you don't," Senpai responds abruptly. "Do that and you'll only make the injury worse, making Onodera worry more later on. There isn't a crutch to use, and carrying you is probably the best."
I look silently at him as he blushes. He must be nervous from carrying a girl in a princess carry. Yes, I'm a girl to him.
"Senpai!" I say to him. He looks at me as I continue on with a smile. "Thank you."
He averts his gaze with a blush and replies promptly with a "you're welcome." He starts carrying me downstairs where everyone else is. I notice his leg is all better as he doesn't limp much. Jun-san must have used some painkiller or disinfectant to help it.
Senpai's big hands and arms, wrapping around my back and legs as he carries me. His warm body that I lean against. And his heart, beating a little abnormally, showing that he is a boy and I am a girl.
I finally understand what Fuu-chan and Jun-san were saying earlier. I may be a simple star, dim in the sky, but to certain people, because I am so dim and noticeable to only them, I am figuratively brighter than even the brightest star. I can't be ignored. I don't need to down myself that I'm significant, because I am quite significant. Significant to Ichijou Raku.
He sees me. He's able to. And he is not the kind of person to let it pass. He'll consider me...as a star, even if at the moment, I'm not as bright as the star my sister is to him...I'm sure that he will...
Extras
1.
"Hey, Tachibana?" Raku calls out to Marika."I wanted to ask."
"Anything for you, Raku-sama!" Marika replies with all her giddiness.
"I wondered. Honda-san is always with you right?"
"Yes, that seems to be the case…?"
"Then why wasn't she with you on the trip?" Raku makes a good point. "Whenever you go to anywhere, she seems to be somewhere within your reach, right? So why didn't she come this time?"
"That's very true. I wonder why?" Marika gives a face of questioning too.
Raku's obviously responds, "That's my line, you know."
"Well, if this means anything, for the first time I saw Honda-san look timid when I talked about Jun-san," Marika says while imagining the face of her attendant Honda-san, which seems to look like the everyday Honda-san. The exception being, Honda-san seems to be averting her eyes.
Raku, unable to tell the difference, asks "What's timid about that face?"
2.
Few days before the trip.
Marika is going out to meet Raku during this New Year break. Angerika (angel Marika) and Devirika (devil Marika) float around her shoulders, agreeing to her ploy of visiting Raku.
As she leaves the door though, she notices that Honda is talking to Jun somewhere down the hall.
"-been long, hasn't it, Honda-san?"
"You haven't change at all have you, Sen-...Jun-san?"
As Marika attempts to eavesdrop out of curiosity, Honda seems to notice Marika's presence but doesn't avert her attention from Jun.
"So, if it's fine with me being at her aide...?" Jun says with a smile.
"Of...of course, all is rest assured in your hands," Honda-san says while averting her gaze from Jun. As Marika, Angerika and Devirika observes, seeing Honda avert her gaze is an unusual gesture, only done to someone you might detest or just feel the need to ignore.
"What's their problem?" Devirika questions, wondering if the two are actually spiteful of each other.
"Doesn't seem like…?" Angerika answers, noticing how there doesn't seem to be such a bad ambience between Jun and Honda.
Marika though can tell the two know each other well, with Honda having a lot of trust in Jun.
At that moment though, Jun proceeds to gently give a kiss to Honda's hand, which can be depicted as mutual loyalty. At that moment, from Marika's viewpoint, Honda's body shakes in almost an unnoticeable way, although Marika is able to see it. Marika is surprised to see Honda caught off guard in this manner. Jun gives a chuckle and a smile to see Honda's new expression, which is not visible to Marika.
"You never stop to amuse me," Jun states as he walks off.
After a short pause, Devirika and Angerika simultaneous make a puzzled gesture.
"...What was that just now?" Devirika doubts.
"Err...it seems…!" Angerika says with a puzzled blush.
Marika stands blankly, absorbing all the information she's been taking in and processing. After a good minute, Marika finally makes a conclusion.
Marika, true to her assumptions, questions to her angel and devil counterparts, "Could it be that she's...smittened by Jun-san?"
Devirika devilishly smirks as she snickers at the remark, seeing how tasty of a topic it is.
Marika gives a slight chuckle as she covers her smile with one hand.
Angerika has both her hands to her mouth, blushing at what may be seemingly romantic.
"Let's ask later!"
3.
Later, in the Tachibana household.
"May I inquire?" Marika says casually.
"What would it be, my lady?" Honda simply replies back.
"Did Raku-sama need me of something?"
"An invitation to a trip. I'm sure you would agree. Why ask?"
Marika grins on the inside, thinking that she usually doesn't think in this manner, but…
"Well, I saw you talking to Jun-san, so I was wondering…"
Although she doesn't flinch, the fact that Honda remains silent without a word piques Marika's interest.
"You seem to have some trust in him, don't you," Marika teases.
"He was my teacher in the arts. Of course I would," Honda mentions while averting her gaze.
"Oh, she averted her eyes again," Marika thinks to herself in self-amusement. She might have done it before, but not in the manner of a sharp aversion. Marika goes in to poke in more.
"Oh, is that all…?"
Honda remains silent, keeping her eyes looking away from Marika. Marika continues to sense an unique relation between Honda and Jun.
4.
My everyday is just perfectly normal. I finish my morning preparations and walk out for errands. I come back, with no change to the everyday.
Jun is on his way back from the bank. He then sees that an old lady is having trouble crossing the streets, so he goes over to aid her.
Meanwhile, a criminal is running away from the police.
"Stop right there!" The police booms into a speakerphone. But the criminals do not seize.
And as they drive at full throttle, they are about to crash into a certain man and an elderly lady.
"Get out of the way, bimbos!" the driver shouts without a care for innocent lives.
*k-chink*
The man and old lady are nowhere to be seen in an instant, but in the next moment, the car spins out of control, eventually stopping in the middle of the road, causing no accidents at all.
Jun, as he walks the old lady across the street. He then notices an oncoming car. He proceeds to lift the old lady and her luggage in one arm, while swiftly drawing and sheathing his blade. His blade makes cuts in the tires of the oncoming car as he smoothly dodges it by jumping over. As he lands in a spot of safety on the sidewalk, he places the old lady down and gives his farewell. The old lady, unaware of what had just happened, simply thanks him for his kindness.
The police capture the criminals who are in shock as to what had happened. One policeman inquires, "What happened?"
Aiba Migisuke, captain of the first riot police squad, leans on one of the police cars, looking at Jun walk away. "Saving the day again, Shishou?" Migisuke says with a smile.
"Did you say something, captain?"
"Ah, nothing. Get those criminals detained."
Just a normal day, all and perfectly normal, nothing abnormal. -Jun
ただ普通、何もない日々、過ごさせる。 準
"How do you call that normal!" Raku interjects.
Devirika and Angerika make a comeback! (If you haven't read enough of the manga, refer to chapter 129; it's an extra chapter, so there is no worries of being spoiled of the plot at that time)
And I notice, this time around, the epilogue is little more brief than chapter 1, but the extra is much much longer than chapter 1's. Seems like I enjoyed writing about Marika, Honda-san and Jun-san's awesomeness a bit too much. テヘペロ ;P
That aside, just a note for you all, I am not shipping Jun-san with Honda-san if any of you suspected. If anything, Jun-san is a tease to Honda-san, and in return...let's just say Honda-san has some deep gratitude to Jun-san and some other stuff. Sorry for being round-a-bout, but just wished to clear my intentions of the two.
Goodness, loved writing this chapter! Please forward to the next chapter which will come in the near future!
Preview hints: Rain, Dreams and Random Days of Colds