The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

Chapter 90: Together

Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

Author's Notes: Thank you, Kaiser dude for the beta as always!

..

For Terada Miyako, she had thought she had seen everything, but seeing Elsi that dangerous look on Elsi's face? Yeah, that was about as much as she could take in one day really, and she felt her knees wobble unconsciously as she took in the sight.

They were at the rooftop, the school grounds was being evacuated thanks to a suspected terrorist attack.

They had just came out from their first and best stage so far together with Kanon.

Speaking of Kanon, she was laying there, probably unconscious behind Elsi after disappearing from sight with Keima.

Haqua too was there and she was wielding a very convincing scythe in her hands while looking pale at how Elsi smiled earlier.

Yes, weird and from henceforth, she has seen absolutely everything.

Including how Keima had texted them to say that they should hurry to the roof of block A of the school immediately. Somehow or another, Miyako didn't find it surprising how everyone agreed to do so without even considering the validity of that statement.

Surely they could suspect that someone had attacked Keima, gotten his cellphone and then used that as a means to meet all of them.

Yes, even to Miyako that sounded ridiculous but whatever other plausible ideas there might have been, this takes the cake.

For them to actually come upon two of their friends in apparently the middle of a dangerous encounter with the Top Idol of Japan?

Yeah, that was more ridiculous then what her over-reactive imagination could ever come up with.

This was probably one of those days.

'What... are you doing, Elsi?'

Miyako asked the million-dollar question and Elsi paused before smiling at her friends again while pointing at Kanon.

'I'm going to punish Kanon-chan.'

Miyako shivered at seeing and hearing Elsi like this and she was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt that way as her fellow friends actually took a quick step back at that.

'Elsi-chan, you're scaring me... you're just joking right? Right?'

Ayumi summoned her courage to ask Elsi even as Haqua shot an aggrieved look at the two of them. They had no idea what they had stumbled into but all of them knew that it was big.

To be very honest, the other members of the 2B Pencils already suspected that there was something different about Elsi and Haqua. They managed to do some inhuman stunts more than a few times, like disappearing from sight mere seconds after they left for their homes, how they managed to get to one location to another seemingly like magic, the way that they talked about the occult and about ancient history (at least in Elsi's case) were disturbing too.

Most importantly, and the clue that they actually were something different came when they noticed Haqua staring intently at something that they couldn't see.

It would be alright just by that but when Haqua was swiping at something in front of her angrily, an act that was mimicked by Elsi a week later and they were pretty sure that they were different.

But they were friends after all, and so they had all decided to dismiss it.

..

Especially so for Ayumi and Chihiro for the two of them had already experienced a particularly odd and weird part of their own lives as a large portion of their memories was revealed to be a fake. If they didn't already suspected Keima as being someone different, they would have had a harder time believing that Haqua and Elsi were one as well.

So in retrospect, and compared to many other people who could have witnessed this, the 2B Pencils found themselves strangely calmer than they should be.

It was a mark of their friend... no, sisterhood that they had forged together. It was enough to make at least one member of their party, Terada Miyako wonder if that was Keima's plan all along.

But those ministrations could be done at a later time as Elsi shook her head and said that she was really going to punish Kanon.

'But why? Why would you want to do that? Did Kanon-chan did something bad to you?'

It was Chihiro's turn to ask their friend, and this, time Haqua actually flinched as she shook her head to stop Chihiro. It was, however, too late and Elsi mused for a while before she clapped her hands together as if in understanding.

'Ah, I see. Chihiro-chan, Ayumi-chan, Miyako-chan... all of you didn't know right?'

When Elsi said that, all three of them froze as one as they knew from instinct that it was something that they rather not hear.

It was partly from instinct, and being in the presence of cheesy soap opera, drama serials and the love for sappy movies that had accompanied them till now, it was never good when that line was uttered.

'Kanon-chan she confessed to Kami-Onii-sama.'

The three girls actually breathed a sigh of relief as Elsi revealed that as it was old news, really old news actually as compared as to the many possibilities that could develop from that onwards.

'Well, I... I confessed too.'

For some reason Ayumi confessed to confessing. Perhaps it was her feeling bad, or perhaps she felt that it was better to clear the air as she looked at Chihiro as well.

With Chihiro knowing that she expected an answer from her, the other 'normal' girl sighed and said that she confessed to Keima as well.

'Well, I know that Miyako she...'

Chihiro trailed off while looking at her friend sheepishly even as Miyako smiled and said that she considered that, but had given up in the end.

'It wouldn't be fair for the two of you.'

Miyako admitted with a sad smile and this would normally set the stage for some hugging, tears of regret and joy mixed together as all of them affirmed their friendship, but it didn't materialize.

For all of them witnessed something even more disturbing then before. From Elsi's back, an eerie black shape took form behind her even as it grew larger by the second.

'Everyone could confess to Kami-Onii-sama and only I couldn't... that's not fair. That's not fair at all. I don't like it, I really don't like it. Neh, Kami-Onii-sama why? Why can't I confess to Kami-Onii-sama? Even if I know why, it's still unfair, unfair... UNFAIR!'

Elsi screamed and in response the thing behind her expanded at an even greater rate. The only exception to that rule was how it started to wrap itself around Kanon's unconscious body like it was a hand or something.

As it, whatever it was, lifted itself up along with Kanon, the girls saw Haqua tense up even more as she tried to calm Elsi down.

'Elsi, calm down now... you don't want to really hurt Kanon-chan do you?'

It was more than surreal to see Haqua panicking slightly, but it was nothing compared to the cold and unforgiving look on Elsi's face as she said that she wanted to.

'Bad girls should be punished.'

'Kanon didn't do anything wrong, did she?'

Chihiro tried to do the same, but that was apparently the wrong question as Elsi fell silent and slowly turned to direct that look at Chihiro instead. This immediately caused Chihiro to take a nervous step back as she felt the pressure from the most loving and optimistic girl that they had ever met.

It was enough to make Chihiro sweat nervously as Elsi said that she did.

'Everyone can confess to Kami-Onii-sama... but Elsi.'

That line alone was enough to make everyone wince but Elsi brushed it aside nonetheless as it was something that she had came to terms with. Like how Miyako had surmised, everyone knew how Elsi worshipped her big brother, and having a brother complex wasn't that far-fetched in Elsi's sense. They had probably just opened up Elsi's old wound by accident, judging from her reaction.

'But Elsi knew that was wrong... Elsi wants to confess to Kami-Onii-sama too... but I know that it's impossible and it's wrong.'

It was then, in the middle of a tense showdown between Elsi and the rest of them, did Haqua's cellphone started ringing.

..

'Eh, Ah... sorry...'

With the tension momentarily dispelled while Haqua picked up the phone, the girls returned to Elsi who looked mildly annoyed at that.

At least Haqua had the decency to look embarrassed as that interruption did in fact remove and diminish the fearsome aura and pressure that Elsi was directing at everyone present, so it wasn't totally a disaster. Miyako noted too that the school grounds were empty now, and it was the final proof that she needed to tell that whatever they were involved in, it wasn't normal. But hey, that thing that was still holding the unconscious Kanon was proof enough, too, that this wasn't normal.

As Elsi dismissed Haqua, who was looking increasingly agitated at whoever was on the other side of the line, the other girls tensed as Elsi continued.

'It's wrong but Elsi knew that even if everyone in the world likes Kami-Onii-sama, Kami-Onii-sama wouldn't be able to accept. Kami-Onii-sama has his own reasons and Elsi likes that part about Kami-Onii-sama.'

The girls didn't push the point about Keima as they knew that there was probably another reason that they couldn't understand as to why he couldn't go out with anyone. They did know however that Elsi wouldn't be able to explain it, at least not sufficiently for them to accept it.

'So Elsi could always be beside Kami-Onii-sama... and that would be enough for Elsi.'

Even as the girls listened to Elsi, all of them felt a sense of awkwardness due to their exposure to drama serials, soap operas and movies like mentioned before. It was starting to feel like a badly written script and for some reason they couldn't really connect with the situation for real as it... seemed surreal.

Not normal... and perhaps that's why they didn't really understand or react accordingly till Kanon gave out a cry of pain as apparently Elsi's rising emotions had in effect made whatever that was holding Kanon to apply pressure on the Top Idol.

'Kanon-chan!'

'Let her go, Elsi-chan!'

'NO! I WON'T!'

Elsi shouted again, and this time it was a like a physical wave that had struck them as the three of them winced as they felt something push them back ever so slightly.

'I WON'T! I DON'T WANT TO! I WON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO STEAL KAMI-ONII-SAMA FROM ME AGAIN!'

All three of them didn't understand what Elsi meant till they got the bombshell that Elsi dropped on all of them.

'KAMI-ONII-SAMA ACCEPTED HER!'

..

Elsewhere there was another individual who was on the line even as he was being supervised by no one else but Nikaido Yuri, the homeroom teacher of class 2-B had picked up the boy, Katsuragi Keima from the door where he had been left alone.

For the record, Nikaido Yuri actually enjoyed seeing Keima being deposited and hung up to dry by Elsi and her Weiss, the two of them had used their raiment to trap Keima in the band's club house.

It had been Yuri who had discovered him but she did not hesitate to show that she was actually searching for Keima now that that happened in school. Even if Keima didn't know who Yuri worked for and how she was connected with all of this, he did know that at least for now she was on his side if she did not cut down Elsi and her Weiss where she stood.

Even if Elsi didn't actually hurt anyone yet, there was a high chance that she would do that if given enough time. The fact that Keima was given time by Yuri to wrap this all up was enough for him.

Asking for her identity could come later on as the two of them sat in the broadcast room even as Yuri leaned against her seat and watched Keima continue on with his plan.

She had no intentions to help Keima, and it was better for Keima his way. The fact was that it would have taken too much time for him to explain what he was trying to achieve and seeing her cooperate in this way was actually better for the entire plan in general.

Haqua, the girl on the line, certainly didn't think so as she struggled hard to not scream at Keima or to raise his name even while she filled Keima in on what was going on now.

The demon knew that if she did that, raising Keima's name at least, it might escalate the situation to a level where even she couldn't deal with it without hurting Keima.

'So... when are you coming to drive away the Weiss, idiot'

As Keima had the phone on speaker, Yuri laughed at that insult, but Keima simply brushed it off as he made his own preparations for this final stage that he could only activate at the right time.

'Put it on speaker, Haqua, I'll need the right timing for this... For now, continue your negotiations with Elsi.'

'Do you even think that would work? She's not listening to me!'

'It doesn't matter, what we need now is to move the 'story' along. Without it, the 'ending' can't be reached.'

Keima replied patiently even as Haqua paused, probably fighting the urge to punch her own phone before he heard her sigh again.

'Fine, Elsi's depending on you.'

..

'W-Wait, you mean Keima-kun and Kanon-chan is really?'

It was really a bombshell for the two of them, Ayumi and Chihiro as they looked at each other in shock. The other parties, Elsi, Haqua and Miyako didn't seemed too surprised by Elsi's statement and the two of them stared at Haqua and Miyako for confirmation.

When the two of them nodded in acknowledgement, Ayumi and Chihiro paled before lowering their heads sadly.

'So it's really true...'

'Katsuragi and Kanon... huh?'

To Elsi's surprise, the two of them didn't seemed too upset at it. Well, they were upset, but they were simply not as agitated as Elsi thought they would be. That certainly made Elsi pause a little as Ayumi remarked that she expected that.

'I guess I just can't compare to Kanon-chan... she got her eyes on him first...'

'Ahaha, Kanon-chan is an idol after all... but actually I think I liked him since I heard of him in the first year...'

Chihiro muttered wistfully and that made Miyako and Ayumi blink in surprise before asking whether that was true.

'Yeah, I think I... did. Yeah... it's odd that I would feel that way before I knew how he is like... but I guess I have good taste in men.'

Chihiro gave herself a thumbs-up even as the other two human girls giggled in amusement.

The other two demons, however, weren't really sure what to feel about this surreal scene. Here they were on the rooftop, in a zone where they were invisible or at least undetectable to humans, were in a standoff with an idol kept hostage, and they were now discussing about how and why they were dumped by a single love interest.

Definitely not something that one would expect from the underlying tones that had developed into this. But hey, what could they say?

'All of us like Katsuragi to some degree... so I guess it's okay for me to lose to Kanon-chan.'

Chihiro spoke that unspoken statement out loud, and it was enough to at least make Haqua smile in amusement as she loosened her grip on her scythe. She had been worried that Ayumi and Chihiro would behave in a similar fashion to Kanon and be all jealous or resentful to the top idol, but it seemed that her fears were unfounded.

'… It hurts and it's disappointing but as long as Keima-kun is happy with his choice... I won't fault her... what I am upset about is that he should have told us...'

'He was going to after the gig you know.'

Miyako added in helpfully and the two of them turned on her instead, asking her why she knew about that when they didn't know themselves.

'Well.. I kind of saw Keima-kun kissing Kanon-chan so...'

Miyako waved her hands in surrender till the other two girls sighed shook their heads while apologizing to Miyako.

'It's not your fault... Miyako has always been a little closer to Katsuragi after all, I thought you were hiding things from us.'

Chihiro narrowed her eyes for a while before grinning good-naturedly at her friend, even if she was, she would probably only do that if Keima told her too.

'We're friends right, best friends.'

'No, sisters!'

The three girls smiled at each other and would have continued on if not for Elsi screaming again and catching their attention.

..

'WHY? WHY COULD YOU BEHAVE THIS WAY? KANON-CHAN, KANON-CHAN SHE... SHE, SHE!'

Elsi and her Weiss couldn't come to terms as to why the three of them seemed to just brush that news away like it was nothing when it had just shredded her heart to bits just like that. Why didn't they feel anger at the girl who had stolen the person that they loved like that?

'She's the one that Keima-kun accepted, desho?'

'If Katsuragi choose her, I can give up without regrets.'

'Katsuragi-kun is the one who decides... I can't force him to choose anyone else...'

The three of them answered without hesitation, it was like they were already prepared and resigned for it and in actuality they did do that. All of them were prepared for the day when they would lose. Logically speaking, they knew that victory for Keima's heart was impossible as Nakagawa Kanon had too much going for her regardless of looks, personality, influence, and of course her strong and undeniable feelings for Keima. She was willing to give him everything, none of them was sure that they could dedicate themselves to that extent.

The only exception to the feeling portion was Elsi as the other girls knew that out of all of them, and possibly even Kanon, they paled compared to Elsi. Elsi, would dedicate her entire life, body and soul to Keima and that was even what Kanon couldn't promise to do, not her soul but Elsi would without hesitation.

But compared to the rest, Kanon had sacrificed too much more than they were willing to pay. How could they match up to them?

Well, another part was that...

'Elsi... we, all of us... we're best friends... we're sisters... but most importantly, we're all love rivals too. I didn't want it to be this way... but I guess we are each our worst enemy.'

Chihiro had difficulty putting it to words but at least Elsi was listening now, she was paying attention to what Chihiro said as she continued slowly.

'But even with that... even if I know that Elsi, Ayumi or even Miyako did win Katsuragi's heart, I know that all of you would treasure Keima as much as I could in my shoes. I wanted... I know that I could trust Katsuragi-kun to all of you and for Kanon-chan too. We were rivals too and more than that, we liked the same person. Kanon-chan might not have said that before, but all of us knew that we were rivals, and Kanon-chan she didn't stop him from meeting us even if she could have. She acknowledged us, Elsi. Before we even performed with her, she had already acknowledged and knew that we were her rivals. Because of that, at long as it's one of us, I can still be relieved.'

'T-That's... That's not enough! Why won't all of you hate Kanon-chan?'

Elsi didn't understand, no, she did understand to an extent, but it was still a little too much for her to accept right now. Were there someone in the world who could accept such a lousy reasoning?

But if it was a lousy reasoning, why then was she faltering? Why was her will and hatred for Kanon being eroded by something so simple? That... that wasn't possible!

'If I were to hate the person that the person that I love, it would mean that I would be hating the person that I wanted to be in the first place.'

Ayumi breathed out softly as everyone's attention was placed on her as she said that.

'I wanted to be the person that Keima-kun liked and loved. If Kanon-chan is the person who Keima-kun liked and loved, then hating Kanon-chan would be hating what I have wanted to become, Elsi-chan.'

It was a circular logic to some sense, but it was enough to calm Elsi down a lot as she just shook her head in disbelief at what Ayumi was saying and the logic that it made for her.

'Elsi-chan... please stop... it's not Kanon-chan's fault nor is it Katsuragi-kun's fault...'

'Then, is it our fault? Is it my fault? My fault for letting Kanon-chan get close to Kami-Onii-sama? Is that it? Have I been the bad girl? Is it me? IS IT ME?'

Elsi was panicking, or perhaps it was her Weiss panicking as she released her hold on Kanon, and despite the idol dropping to the floor a little roughly, all of them actually gave a sigh of relief.

As compared to what could have happen then, a small bruise was nothing!

'It's not your fault, Elsi... well, I guess you could say that, it's our fault.'

'Our... fault?'

..

As if one cue, as if everything was scripted by the Capturing God himself, over the PA system a song was played.

It really wasn't a song, it was a melody and the melody was something that they had heard before recently.

'It's our fault for falling in love with Katsuragi.'

'Ahaha, I guess, that's true... I love Katsuragi too, Chihiro.'

Miyako didn't say her feelings out loud as she was in shock at hearing the melody that was being broadcast through the whole school. It had to be Katsuragi behind all this, it had to be, and to think that he was playing this one out of all the songs that he could pick...

The one song that he had given to all of them as a gift...

'I... I love Kami-Onii-sama too... is that... so even though I lost, even though I can't be the one that Kami-Onii-sama chooses... it's alright? It's... it's really alright?'

Elsi asked uncertainly, her eyes tearing up as she sank to her knees both in shock and disbelief. Wasn't it hard to go through life like that? To know that she lost, to know that there was someone who the person they loved liked even more?

'H-How... how can I... how can we live with that, Chihiro-chan, Ayumi-chan... i-it's... it's so hard because I don't want to lose... I.. don't want to know that I lost, Chihiro-chan...'

It was Chihiro who reached Elsi first and their fearless leader allowed Elsi to hug her with all her strength, Chihiro even grimaced a little at Elsi's grip strength. The demon girl had gotten much stronger after all her practice and lugging of that heavy bass after all.

'I don't want to lose too... but you have all of us, Elsi... you have all of us, so it's okay... we'll get through this together.'

Elsi sniffed and as she felt Ayumi and then Miyako and then Haqua's hands on her shoulders, she nodded and agreed.

'Y-Yes... t-together...'