EDIT: 7/1/15
Okay. New rule. No more talk about Suzuya.
Seriously. The guy won't be around for long, it gives our characters a chance to flesh out a bit…
Just… Hm…
What baffles me is that it's not even the guy's fault. All he did was write a love letter, and Tsugumi cracked under the pressure of her peers. He's just acting as her scapegoat. And that doesn't seem like a particularly lasting arrangement, now does it?
So, for the fifth or sixth time. Please stop complaining about Suzuya. It's not gonna' change anything.
Also, fuck that guy. He still owes me like, $20.
Hoo, alright.
Hey guys! Been a little while!
Yeah… a while.
Nisekoi's ending. Chapter 200 on Christmas. I'm calling it. It makes the most sense, tying in with the oneshot and all.
I'm really gonna' miss this manga, guys. Like, you have no idea. There will be a locket-shaped hole in my heart.
In the 8 months that have passed since the last update, I've been focusing on YouTube. Since then, the Nisekoi ENGLISH DUB's 2nd Episode went up, I covered Heart Pattern, Recover Decoration, Trick Box, OrderXOrder, HanaGonomi, and Rally Go Round. I plan on covering Souzou Diary for the series' conclusion.
Future plans aside...
Yeah, there've been more complaints about Suzuya. It sucks, I know, blabbity blah.
But like, come on guys. Maybe he'll grow on you.
...Probably not.
Alright! I have a few things I want to outline for you all.
Chapter 12 covers Episode 12-13 of the anime, and Chapter 30-32 of the manga.
Chapter 13 covers Episode 14-15 of the anime, and Chapter 33-36 of the manga.
Chapter 14 covers Episode 15 of the anime, and Chapter 36-37 of the manga.
Chapter 15 will be a filler chapter once again.
Chapter 16 covers Chapters 72-73 of the manga.
Chapter 17 will be another filler.
Chapter 18 covers Episode 16 of the anime, and Chapter 38-39 of the manga.
Chapter 19 covers Episode 17 of the anime, and Chapter 42-43 of the manga.
Chapter 20 covers Chapter 40 of the manga.
Chapter 21 is a filler, and concludes the arc.
And that's all I can say for now.
Here's Chapter 12.
Chapter 12: Nickelback
"Do the words 'Zawsze in Love' mean anything to you?"
"Wh-What? How did you…"
"...know about that?"
BeeHive HQ
Balcony
June 9, 2017
8:35 P.M.
(Raku)
"So? Do they ring a bell?"
I felt my heart pound against my ribcage. It didn't matter that it was cold outside, leaves in the wind slapping me in the face. I was sweating like crazy.
"Where did you… hear that?"
She fidgeted. Despite the strawberry tips of her hair waving about, her ribbon kept its rabbit ear-like shape in the breeze.
"So they do…" she bit her lip, "I thought so."
'Wh-What's going on?' I gulped.
'Those are the words she said… when me made that promise!'
I grinded my teeth a bit.
"The other day, I found an old diary in my closet," she said, averting her gaze, "Because of it, I was able to remember some of the stuff that happened a long time ago…"
"When I was 5, I met a little boy," she said, not meeting my eyes, "We spent a summer playing together, and grew really close. And when we had to leave each other, we made a promise."
I swallowed.
'A promise…?' I thought, 'But wasn't Onodera… wait, wasn't Marika…?'
"I don't remember his name, or his face…" she said, looking down, "Just that phrase: 'Zawsze in Love'."
"Oh… and this…" she reached into her dress, "This was tucked between the pages."
The object sparkled in the light.
"Wha!?" I pointed shakily, "That's the key?!"
"Huh?" she stepped toward me, "You recognize it?!"
"A-Ah, well… no… but…"
'It does remind me of something… I feel like I've seen it before, but I'm nowhere near certain...'
The faceless Promised Girl appeared in the blackness of my mind.
'Prior to today, I only had a few things to go on. That book she was reading on the rocks, and her long, flowing hair...'
'...But what color were her eyes? Celeste like Chitoge's? Amber like Onodera's? Or Honey, like Marika's?'
As I listed what I knew, the girl changed. First, she had Chitoge's long blond hair, her childlike smile, and adventurous look. Then it went to Onodera's shoulder length brunette, the smile of an angel, and a heavenly countenance. Finally, she shifted to the mahogany pixie-cut Marika had, her eyes closed, smiling sweetly.
And her face turned blank again, as she faded away.
The three girls stood in a circle, rotating as I spoke.
'Chitoge, Onodera, or Tachibana?' I murmured.
'Which is it?'
"So what?" I heard, "Do you know it or not?"
The girl's words brought me crashing down to earth. Right. There was something I had to know.
"I made a promise with the girl I met," I said, holding up my locket, "When we would meet again, we'd unlock this pendant. And that she would treasure that key, until that day came."
"W-Wait a sec…" the girl took a step back, "You mean… this key?!"
We stood there for a moment, our mouths unable to form words.
…
…
…
"Ahaha! That's impossible! No way that's true!" she laughed nervously.
"Ha! I know, right? I mean, gimme' a break! What're the odds a' that?!" I added.
And of course, it delved into arguing.
"For one thing, I don't remember laying an eye on your stupid face!" she said.
"Yeah!" I affirmed, "Your gorilla-mannerisms are nothing like the girl I remember!"
"Heh! Obviously!" she smirked, "This is just some bizarre coincidence! The boy in my diary was nothing like you!"
She looked to the side, dreamily, "He was charming, chivalrous… like a prince!"
"Hmph! Is that so?" I scoffed, "Well, the girl I met was sweet, delicate, and beautiful. A total Yamato Nadeshiko! Nothing like you at all!"
(A/N: That's the 'ideal Japanese woman' archetype. Onodera, Yui, and Marika technically fall under this category.)
"Oh yeah!? Well, whoop-dee-fuckin'-doo!" she shouted, "Why the hell would I make a promise with a Beansprout like you!?"
"Ha! Likewise!" I countered, "I'd never think of you as 'ladylike' for even a second!"
We both took another moment to catch our breath.
…
…
…
"...Fine. Let's test it."
She looked at me, "What did you say?"
"If that's the real key… which it isn't…" I said, causing her to 'Hmph!', "...then it should open this pendant. And if it doesn't... then we can rest easy, knowing we had nothing to do with each other!"
...
"...Sure, why not?" she sighed, trying to look uninterested, "There's no way you're him."
"Unlike you, he was like a knight in shining armor!" she gushed, 'Fangirl Mode' back on, "Strong, capable, always coming to my rescue…"
"Well ain't that sweet?" I grumbled, "And what if that guy really was me, huh? Then what?"
"Ha! As if!" she scoffed, "I'd do anything you say! If you really were that boy, I'd kiss you right now!"
…
…
…
…
"Wha?"
BeeHive HQ
Common
8:26 P.M.
(Naruto)
"Woo-hoo!" Shuu cheered, "This party's totally rockin'!"
I quirked an eyebrow in amusement, "Glad to see you're having fun, man."
It was almost half-past-8, and the party was still going strong. Kosaki, Ruri, the Supernatural Studies Gang and I were sitting at a table near the buffet line. Convenient for the shortest of us, who'd returned for her thirtieth plate mere seconds ago.
"Why wouldn't I be!?" he laughed, "Everyone's having fun, the buffet is incredible, and the girls? Hooo…"
He put his left arm around my shoulder, "Leeet me teeell you abooout the giiirls!"
I blinked, suddenly skeptical.
"Dude, I was chattin' up these two hotties in the corner there?" he pointed with his left hand, "Totally into me!"
I looked over and sighed.
"Those are Ritsu and Ami. They're Honey-Trappers," I deadpanned, "So I'm pretty sure one of them at least swiped your wallet."
"E-Eh!? My wallet?!"
"Serves you right, Maiko…" Ruri muttered after swallowing, "Using Chitoge-chan's birthday to further your own selfish needs… scum."
She resumed stuffing her face.
Toranosuke nudged her, "Jealous?"
She only glared in response, to which he backed down. Kosaki blushed lightly, and I chuckled again.
Shuu finished patting down his pockets, "Well, my wallet's still there, but I could've sworn I had four of these tickets, not two…"
I shrugged, back to amused.
"I'll go get 'em back for you later," I patted him on the shoulder, "Until then, just sit tight."
He sat down and lay his head on the table, anime tears streaming down his 83 face. Everyone present sweatdropped.
(*BZZT*)
The comm in my ear crackled to life.
"This is Tiger, to Kage. Come in, Kage."
I sighed, and buzzed in.
"Tsugumi, we've been over this. We're not in the field. No one's tapping this line. There's no need for codenames."
"Yes, we have. But this is business."
I frowned.
"I'm listening."
"Sorry if you had any, but you'll have to cancel any weekend plans you have," she said, the static a bit annoying, "Claude-sama is planning another Training Exercise this weekend."
I choked on air.
"A-Another one of those!?" I hissed, "But why? I thought we already passed them all!"
The 'Training Exercises' I were referring to were a set of grueling workouts that Claude had us do, over the six months before my official promotion to Chitoge's bodyguard. Walking around the entire HQ on our hands for the day, jumping in and out of a twenty foot hole until the sun went down and came up again, withstanding five-hundred pounds of force to 'gain tolerance'... If they were that simple, they'd be easy.
Now imagine doing that with weight seals plastered all over your body.
Trust me, this guy was insane when it came to training… or even just insane in general. It's a wonder he was related to Kakashi and not Gai.
I blinked.
Man, I hadn't thought about Konoha in a while. Crazy what time on the other side of the barrier does to you.
"I thought we did too, but we're leaving for America once Summer Break begins, remember?" she said, the connection suddenly crisp, "So he decided to give us one final test."
My plans with Cross 'crossed' my mind, "A test that'll take the whole weekend?"
"So he says."
I clicked my tongue. So that was a no-go on the hospital trip then.
"Alright. I'll see you back home."
"Right. Also, he says not to wear your normal gear. An old shirt you'll never wear again, and some old sweatpants would be preferred."
I gulped, "He doesn't want me to use my gear? How rough is this training gonna' be?"
"Who knows?" she stipulated,"I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
And the line went dead.
I sighed. Great.
Better tell Cross the news.
BeeHive HQ
Balcony
8:46 P.M.
(Raku)
…
…
…
…
"Um…" she stuttered.
I sweatdropped, "Umm…"
She crossed her arms and looked away.
"I'll do it! I totally would!" she said, crimson cheeks not helping her confidence any, "That's how sure I am it's not you!"
"O-Oh yeah?!" I challenged, "Bring it on then!"
I lifted the locket to shoulder height, as she positioned the key's blade before it.
"Here goes nothing!" she said, sounding as if she were trying to convince herself, "I know it won't open, but since you're so persistent, let's do it!"
"Yeah, go on! Do it!" I encouraged.
"Just wait! You'll see!" she said, "You and I have absolutely no connection to each other! None!"
"Good! Go for it! Don't hold back!" I agreed.
"You'll see! I'll prove it to you!" she said, "There's no way we ever liked each othe—"
"Will you hurry up!?"
I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I could see our hands tremble as they grew closer and closer…
(*K-CHAK*)
My eyes widened.
"It's in!"
Her face took a mortified expression, before she steeled herself and began to—
"Well, don't take that out of context."
"!"
The two of us leapt back in surprise, the key falling out as we did so.
"N...N-Naruto!" the girl cried, flustered, "Wh-What are you doing?"
"I could ask Cross the same thing," he said, walking over, "You're really trying a key already? So impatient."
I blinked.
"What does that mean?"
"I already told you we were gonna' check out Marika's hospital on the weekend," he said, quirking an eyebrow in amusement, "You couldn't wait until then?"
"I was going to…" I looked away, "...But then she told me…"
I turned to him, and uttered those words. His eyes widened slightly, before he started to grin.
"Looks like things just got a little more interesting."
BeeHive HQ
Hallway
9:07 P.M.
(Naruto)
"So both yours and Kosaki's keys fit then…" I murmured, "How peculiar."
Cross nodded in agreement, Chitoge shaking her head silently.
"I can't believe this is happening…" she mumbled, "Kosaki-chan has a key too?"
The three of us were walking from the balcony back to the party. Our pace was a tad slow, but considering the gravity of our conversation, I was willing to put up with it.
"And likely that Marika girl as well, wouldn't you say?" I looked back to Cross, "Did you see one in your vision?"
He shook his head, "No… None that I saw. For all I know, Yui-nee has one too."
I clicked my tongue, "Four keys, huh?"
I tilted my head back and looked up at the ceiling.
"Sounds like a nightmare… to try and figure out, I mean."
"I guess… though the key's ends are all similar shapes, right?" he offered, "Maybe that's why the two fit."
"Hm, likely," I admitted, "And you said you didn't try turning either of them?"
"Right," he confirmed, "You actually interrupted us… both times."
To that, I chuckled and scratched my head.
"Yeah… but it was for the best, right?" I shrugged, "Worst-case scenario, Chitoge's monster strength snaps it in half."
The girl giggled, "Probably, yeah."
"Hey, why can he call you out on it and I can't!?" he spouted, irritated.
"Because he's not a total ass about it, beansprout," she crossed her arms, "And besides, if I tried to punch him, I'd end up breaking my fist."
I shrugged again, "'Probably, yeah.'"
The two of us laughed at Cross' expense, while he tsked and looked away.
"Hey… should we tell Onodera?" he said after a while.
"About what?" Chitoge cut in, "The keys?"
"Everything we talked about, yeah…" he said, scratching his cheek, "I mean, she deserves to know."
I nodded.
"And on that note, I think I should say: I feel like this information should be on a need-to-know basis," I spoke, "So no Shuu, no Ruri, no Yamada… Only the people involved should be in the loop."
The boy nodded back, "That should be fine."
The girl nodded too, "Yeah, I think it'd be better that way."
"Good," I grinned, "Then let's—"
I snapped my fingers.
"Oh, right!" I pointed, "Cross, I'm gonna' need a rain check on that hospital visit; I can't make it. Something came up."
He waved it off.
"Ahh, it's fine," he said, "I think I've had enough of a breakthrough today to hold me over for the next few years."
"Marika's hospital? From ten years ago?" Chitoge asked, "You think she might still be there?"
"Slim chances are better than none," I said, "Even if we can't find her there, there's no harm in trying."
We stopped walking. We'd arrived.
"Alright," I tossed a wave over my shoulder, "I'll see you guys tomorrow. We'll talk more then."
"Right," Cross returned it, "I think we'll hold off on telling Onodera 'til tomorrow too."
And we parted ways there.
Bonyari High
June 10
2:35 P.M.
(Raku)
"Class! Your attention please!"
I blinked in confusion. It was lecture. She'd been teaching. It was silent. Of course she had our attention.
"The pictures from the school trip have arrived!" Kyoko-sensei announced, "They're on display on the bulletin boards in the halls."
"Haiiiii~..." we droned.
"Write down the numbers of the pictures you want on these forms," she said, holding up a paper, "Submit them to me when you finish. Got it?"
"Haiiiii~..." we replied again.
"And be sure to order a shot of your crush!"
"Haiii— Wait, what?"
Halls
2:46 P.M.
(Raku)
"Wow!" Chitoge's eyes were sparkling, "We can order as many as we want!?"
Her childlike excitement brought a slight smile to my face. Better than her earlier melancholy.
"Hmph," I closed my eyes, "Don't get too carried away though."
"They're kind of a rip-off for a hundred yen," I opened them, "Just buy the ones you really wa—"
"Ooh! I want this one!"
The girl'd slipped away while I wasn't looking, leaping from board to board. I couldn't see how many she'd written, but it looked to be about half a page.
"And this one too! We're all in this together!"
Tsubaki sneezed.
I sighed. It was in one ear and out the other with this girl…
"So? Should we take a look?"
I jumped.
"S-Sure! Good idea, Onodera!" I laughed nervously.
I tilted my head over my shoulder to look out the window.
"I hope there's a good one of you and I, Ruri!"
"Whatever."
"H-Hey!"
'Well, it doesn't matter…' I thought, 'I hope I find a good one!'
I walked over, subtly scanning the sea of photos for a picture of my dream girl…
"How about this one, Kosaki?" Miyamoto pointed, "Photo 486. We're all in it."
"Ooh! Which one?"
It was a photo of me. On the night of the Test of Courage. Squinting, I could make out Onodera and Miyamoto as specks in the background.
"Um, this one?" Chitoge frowned, "We're a little small…"
"There's gotta' be a better one than that…" I muttered, "Besides, it's mostly me anyway."
Beside me, I saw Naruto writing down some numbers. He was smiling slightly, and I grinned back. It was nice to see him happy, even if just for a little bit. Especially considering how rough the past few days must've been for him.
I walked further down the hall.
'Hmm… I wonder if there are any of us all together…' I thought, 'That'd be nice.'
"Ohoho~! Step right up good sir!" called a familiar voice, "I think I have juuust what you're looking for!"
I turned, "Hm?"
Shu was smirking, a sort of ominous aura surrounding him. His eyes were covered by his glasses, and he rubbed his hands together evilly.
"Would you care to peruse my wares?" he asked in an all-too jovial tone, "I assure you, they're unbeatable!"
I sighed and walked over, muttering to myself.
"What is it you're selling?" I asked cautiously, "And if they're magical masks that'll bring the moon crashing down on us in three days, no thank you."
Ignoring me, he continued his sales talk.
"A collection of the most exceptional shots of the girls in our grade!" he made a sweeping motion with his arm, "They're selling like hotcakes! Don't miss out!"
"Maiko! I'll take a Number 13!"
"I want Number 94!"
I blanched. Ninety-four? How many of those things did he have!?
(*~~~*)
An aura of death exuded from Tsugumi and Miyamoto, as they glared over.
"What's this… selling dirty photos of the girls?" the girl's glasses flashed, "You pig…"
"Pervert."
"Sicko."
"Scumbag!"
"Die!"
"Noot at all, laadies~!" he wagged his finger playfully, "And I'll thank you not to slander me with such harmful words."
He pointed at them, sparkle in his eye.
"Selling straight-up dirty pictures goes against everything I believe in!" he declared, "Nay! My specialty lies in exquisitely embarrassing shots!"
"Here!" he skipped over to Onodera and Miyamoto, handing them pictures, "As a token of our new partnership!"
Miyamoto scoffed, "What the hell are you—"
…
…
…
"Well? Do you like them?"
(*KA-BOOM*)
"AUGH! RURI-CHAN, WHAT'RE YOU—"
(*BA-KRAAMM*)
"AIIIIEEE!"
Miyamoto'd taken one look at the photo in her hand and immediately tackled him. Beside me, Onodera tore hers to shreds, and let the pieces scatter in the wind.
'Man…' I murmured, 'Kinda' wish I saw it...'
(*Pmmf*)
A scruffy hand placed itself upon my shoulder.
"Oh, yes, Raku…" Shuu said, his face bloodied and beaten, "Before my body registers the head trauma and ensuing memory loss… here."
He pulled out a photo and handed it to me, "I saved a masterpiece… just for you."
I took the picture from his twitching fingers.
"!"
…
…
…
"How much?"
"Five-hundred Yen," he replied cheerfully, all traces of injuries gone.
"I'll take it," I said without hesitation.
I walked away with a lighter wallet and a heavy heart.
"Aha! Thank you for your business, kind siiir~!" I heard him call behind me.
"Yeah, yeah…" I muttered, placing the new item in my student handbook.
Halls
2:50 P.M.
(Tsugumi)
"Ah, Tsugumi-kun," I heard, "There you are."
I turned, "Kyoko-sensei? What is it?"
My smile quickly faded at her serious expression. I could tell whatever it was, it wasn't good.
"Can I speak to you in private?"
I nodded, and matched her brisk pace, following her into our empty classroom.
"Have a seat."
I complied, taking the desk closest to hers and bringing it forward with little effort. Meanwhile, the woman sat at her table, her demeanor lightening a bit.
At the same time, my mind was in a frenzy.
'What happened? Did I do something? Is the gun in my sleeve visible? Is it the case of C4 in my bag? Did she find the pictures of the Mistress in my bag?'
"I want to start this off by saying, you aren't in trouble," she said, seeing my distress, "So relax."
And so I did. The tense atmosphere still had me a bit on edge though.
"Now, this isn't really anything to worry about for now, but it is a safety issue," she continued, "And as such, it's my duty as your teacher and counselor to discuss this with you."
At the 'safety issue' bit, I was put on guard again. Maybe she had found the napalm in my bag.
That proved not to be the case, however, as she withdrew a picture from her desk drawer.
"The issue at hand is this," she said, laying it on the table, "Look at this photograph…"
I glanced at it and did a double-take, holding it up to make sure what I saw was real.
Yep. Looked like it.
Somehow… through some kind of bizarre, near-impossible coincidence, one of the cameras had snapped a picture of myself dragging 'Kushina' through the halls.
"I'm sure you know where this is going," Kyoko said.
She proceeded to give me a 15 minute lecture on stranger danger.
Halls
2:52 P.M.
(Raku)
I don't know if you've ever seen a wall of photos before, but this was certainly that.
As I walked further down and the halls grew less and less populated, I really started to notice. The photos were set up on the corkboards that the school had always had, and each had a set of around 30, in a 6-by-5 photo form. And considering how many corkboards we have...
Our halls weren't exactly narrow, but when these photos went as far as the eye could see, they almost felt suffocating.
Our school was like that. It wasn't too spacious, and it wasn't too tight either. It didn't feel empty, it felt… homey. Just the right amount of space and people for it to feel comfortable.
And a good thing too. While I wasn't particularly claustrophobic, I knew a couple people who were. Yui-nee for one. She'd get lonely easily too; I remember she used to climb into my futon a lot when we were kids.
I think I remember her getting stuck in some mountain crevice one time. I'd heard her crying and told her to hang tight until I could get some help.
At least, I think it was Yui-nee.
Well, whatever. It doesn't really matter, does it.
I glanced at the rows and rows of photographs, my eyes snapping to one of Chitoge flashing the peace sign at the camera.
I smiled lightly. Maybe I should buy this one. ...Not because it's something I'd look at often, of course. Just something to help further the ruse.
I walked in closer. Photo #438. I pulled out my sheet to mark the number down, when something else caught my eye.
"HAAAWAUGHAAAMPH!?"
Brown hair? Check. Fair skin? Check. No clothes…?
Check.
'Onodera!? A shot of Onodera changing!?' I screamed in my head, 'I can't believe Ms. Kyoko posted this!'
'What if someone finds this and orders prints?'
I gulped.
'I don't think any other students have been down here yet, so that's good,' I pulled the photo from its place, 'I'd better let Sensei know, so she can delete the photo before anyone sees.'
I moved to jam the thing in my pocket as I turned the corner back to the class when—
(*PMF*)
"Ah! Sorry…"
"Oops! Excuse me!"
Speak of the devil?
Or in this case, angel.
I guess Lucifer was an angel, right?
Wait, Onodera's not Lucifer.
Speaking of.
'Crap, it's Onodera!' I thought, 'Wait, where's the...'
"Oh! Ichijo!" she stooped over to pick something off the ground, "Is this yours?"
!
"HYAAA!"
I snatched the picture before she could get a good look at it.
"Thanks for the help Onodera!" I called, as I jogged away, "I'll see you later, okay?"
I turned my attention ahead of me again, as I continued to walk.
'Shoot, that was a close one!' I muttered, 'She would've thought I was a total perv!'
I turned another corner, unaware of her gaze on me.
Moments Earlier
(Naruto)
"What about that one, Kosaki?"
"H-Hey! Ruri, stop that!"
I stifled a laugh. That Miyamoto.
I looked on, as the girl continued to point out pictures of Cross to her friend. With Tsugumi and her Mistress otherwise occupied (the hitman having been called into class by Kyoko, and the latter too busy writing down as many numbers as she could to notice), Maiko manning his own booth, and with the crush in question, Cross, checking out photos down the hall, Ruri was open to tease Kosaki as much as she wanted.
Eventually, the Patissiere had enough, and walked off, face aflame. I smiled lightly, as I wrote down the recent number.
"What's that?" I heard, "Doesn't look like the standard purchase form."
"Oh, it's not," I said, not looking up, "My friends have their eye on a couple photos that they're too embarrassed to purchase themselves. You know, pictures of crushes and all that. I just figured I could help them out with that little problem."
"I see," the voice replied, "Any of those for your roommate?"
I quirked an eyebrow, "Who wants to know?"
"Her boyfriend."
That got my attention. I looked up to see the slightly amused face of Suzuya.
"Hey Uzumaki," he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder, "Can we talk?"
(Shuu)
I saw Suzuya and Naruto head off together, with Seishirou nowhere in sight.
I smiled to myself, moving to follow them. This should be good.
"You're walking off?" I heard, "What about that little shop of yours?"
I turned and looked over my shoulder at Ruri, standing with a hand on her hip.
"While I'm surprised you care…" I smiled, "I got Miyamura to take care of it. More importantly, I just saw Naruto and Suzuya headin' to the roof together."
Her face blanked, "Really?"
I grinned widely at the response.
"Really," I confirmed, holding up my camera, "Wanna' come with?"
She was already past me, dashing down the hall.
I looked back to see Kosaki rounding the corner behind me, a reserved look on her face.
"Onodera-san!" I called, turning to her, "Ruri and I are gonna' go eavesdrop shamelessly. We have room for one more?"
"Hm?" she looked up from her feet, "Erm, no, I'm fine here. Thanks."
"Suit yourself," I shrugged, "Hey, you feeling alright?"
…
For a moment, she didn't say anything, shifting awkwardly on her feet. She fiddled with the bottom of her skirt— a nervous habit of hers.
"Say… Maiko-kun…" she started, "You know… about Chitoge-chan and Ichijou-kun… right?"
"About their relationship?" I asked, quirking a brow, "That's right. What about it?"
She gripped the fabric tightly.
"D-do you think…" she stuttered, "...do you think that Ichijou might…?"
She looked up at me, and smiled.
"N-Never mind. It's nothing."
She turned and went back to the classroom.
I pursed my lips in concern. Yep, that smile was fake, no doubt about it.
'Raku… you really need to stop leading girls on like this…' I grumbled.
Roof
2:58 P.M.
(Naruto)
…
It was June. The last few days of spring. And you could tell. There was still that breeze in the air, but the days were definitely a bit warmer. It still rained, but even that felt like a drizzle compared to the showers of April. It was going to rain tomorrow too.
How did I know that? Well, being a sage, I was rather attuned to the natural world around me. I could feel the moisture in the air.
Also, I was on my phone's weather app. There was that too.
And why was I on my phone's weather app, you ask? Because we'd been standing on the roof for three minutes, and Suzuya hadn't said a damn thing.
He was staring out into the courtyard, leaning over, putting his folder arms on the railing. I was about ten feet away, leaning back against the rail with my elbows. And I was on the weather app because I'd gone through all the other ones already.
'Looks like the rain's going to be start and stop for the next few days,' I mumbled, 'Perfect ramen weather though… Oh who am I kidding, any weather is perfect ramen weather.'
I looked up at the sky in boredom, the action stretching my neck a bit.
'What'll I have tonight? Shio? Shoyu? Oh, there's always miso. Can't go wrong with a classic…' I continued to murmur, 'Or maybe I'll go for something different tonight. Like that Tsukemen stuff Ayame-nee once tried to sell at Ichiraku. I might've complained at the time, but in retrospect, that was really goo—'
"For the love of the Sage of Six Paths, stop talking about ramen."
I blinked, 'Oh, hey, fuzzbutt. How's it going?'
"Terribly," he grumbled, "And your noodle fantasies are to blame."
'That so?' I tsked, 'Well until the guy speaks up, I've got nothing better to do.'
"You're one of the most powerful beings on the planet, and you have nothing in your brain but pasta," the fox demon growled, "I can't believe you defeated the Uchiha brat as you are."
'Someone's pissy today…' I narrowed my eyes, 'And to clarify, which Uchiha brat are you talking about? Because half of the ones I know kicked your ass.'
"Mind control and ass-kickings are not the same thing," he snarled, "And hey, the guy's gonna' talk soon."
I turned my head toward Suzuya.
"Naruto."
Huh. Wonder how Kurama could tell?
"What is it?" I asked him, jamming my phone in my pocket.
He hesitated for a moment. His breathing was irregular, and his eyes averted, before looking straight into mine.
"Naruto…" he said again, "There's something I have to know. And I need an honest answer."
"Depends on the question," I shrugged, "But let's hear it."
He took a deep breath, and steeled himself again.
"Do you have feelings for Tsugumi?"
I quirked a brow and looked over at him.
"What kind of question is that?" I frowned, "Of course I do. She's my roommate, and a good friend of mine. Of course I care about her."
"No, that's… not really what I meant…" he frowned back, "I'm asking if you hold any romantic feelings for her?"
I frowned, facing him fully.
"And what does that matter?"
He looked up in surprise.
"Even if I did have any romantic inclinations towards my roommate… which I don't..." I affirmed.
"Even if I did, what would it matter?" I sighed, leaning back against the rail, "She chose you, didn't she? That's gotta' mean something."
"Does it really?"
I glanced over at him. He ignored my look and sighed, taking his original position on the rail— leaning over it. He stared down at the courtyard below.
"Does it really mean anything…?" he murmured, repeating himself, "Sure, she chose me, I guess… and we're technically dating now? I guess?"
I blinked.
"But… I dunno'..." he continued, "Sometimes it really feels like nothing's changed. We might talk a bit more, but even that's slight. We don't hang out much, and we don't really do anything together…"
I quirked a brow, "Well, to be fair, you've been dating for two weeks or so, yeah? You can't expect to be that far along so quickly."
"I know, I know, but…" he gave a small, sad smile, looking down, "It feels… like I was... lucky."
I gave the same smile, assuming a similar position over the rail.
"Of course you're lucky…" I said, shrugging, "You're dating Tsugumi, aren't you?"
"That's not what I meant."
I frowned again, "So what did you—"
"What I mean is…" he sighed, "I feel like if you'd have been the one to accept that love letter… she would've accepted you in a heartbeat, you know?"
My frown deepened, "So you feel like she was just looking for—"
"Well, no, that's not what I meant either…" he said, cutting me off again, "I don't know if she's with me because she feels it's socially appropriate, like she feels she's obligated to humor me… Or maybe… well…"
He looked at me.
"My point is, that if you'd confessed first, she would've taken you in a heartbeat," he said, letting his shoulders droop, "That's what I feel like."
I gave a small smile, laying a hand on his shoulder, reassuring.
"Well, you don't have to worry about that kind of thing," I said, "Even if I did have feelings for her… again, which I don't…"
I looked up at the clouds passing by.
"I'd keep them to myself. Locked away," I sighed again, "History tends to repeat itself after all. I'd much rather stay friends with her than ruin what we have right now."
"...Uzumaki…" I heard.
I glanced over at him, "Hm?"
He was standing with his hands clenched at his sides, looking down. He seemed to compose himself and settle though.
"S-Sorry, that just…" he scratched his face nervously, "That kind of thing kinda' pisses me off. I would've punched you, but I don't think that'd work out too well for me."
My eyes narrowed slightly, as I raised an eyebrow, "Sorry, what pisses you off?
"Football… erm, soccer... is a very offense-heavy sport," he said, stumbling over his words, "It's not the kind of game where you can make a goal and run away for the rest of it. It's not basketball. The field is too massive; you'll never win that way."
He pointed at me, "And so hearing someone not willing to go for something they really want…"
I exhaled. "I see."
"Look, Uzumaki…" he mumbled, "If you have any kind of feelings for your roommate… I want you to tell her."
My eye twitched, "And why the hell would I do that? Did you forget that she's in a relationship? A relationship with you?"
"She deserves to know, Uzumaki," he said calmly, "And you might deny it all you want, but you have to admit there's something there. And besides, it's not healthy to keep feelings bottled up inside like that. ...I'd tell Ichijou something similar, but I've never really met the guy, so it'd seem out of place."
"And what if… and this is a huge what if…" I stood up, putting my hand in my pocket, "What if she says yes? What if she chooses me?"
"I could live with that."
I met his eyes. There was something… familiar about them. Something I couldn't place.
"I started to have feelings for Tsugumi because I saw how she acted around you," he said, "You two acted like… well, a couple. But not a cheesy, head-over-heels, mushy-gushy fluff-fest like Kirisaki and Ichijou..."
I snickered. Maybe I could grow to like this guy.
"You two really connected. You were on the same wavelength, never tripping over each other, or stepping on toes. You knew each other so well that making each other happy came subconsciously. You weren't trying to put a smile on their face, it just happened. Like a second nature. You were more than partners, you were two halves of the same whole."
"And I wanted that…" he looked to me, ashamed, "I wanted what you two had. A kind of feeling so passionate that it doesn't seem like it's there at all. It comes naturally… And so I confessed to her selfishly, without a second thought."
…
"Don't get me wrong though, I… I really like this girl…" he said, pursing his lips, "And I feel like the luckiest man alive to call her my girlfriend. But…"
"If she chooses you… if that's what makes her happy, then…"
He grinned, looking down at the courtyard. I followed his gaze to see Tsugumi, walking home with Chitoge and the others. She was smiling, and laughing.
"I'll just have to live with that."
I stood in a bit of a stunned silence. This guy… Suzuya. He'd fallen fast, and he'd fallen hard. And he was mature about it to boot.
My gaze fell. Damn it… And what the hell have I been doing? Telling everyone I'm okay, only to mope about it when there's no one around… I'm a horrible person, aren't I?
It was that moment I made up my mind.
I walked up to Suzuya and grabbed him by the shoulder, and looked him dead in the eye. He looked confused at first, but his look soon turned serious.
We both stood in silence for about a minute.
…
I let his shoulder go. He rolled it out as I took a few steps back.
"And what was that about?" he asked.
"Nothing in particular," I said, not turning around, as I made my way to the stairs, "Oh, and Suzuya?"
I could sense his frown of confusion, "Yeah?"
I opened the door with a small smile.
"Take care of her, will you?"
And I left the roof.
Shuuei-Gumi Faction Base
6:23 P.M.
(Raku)
…
…
…~
I couldn't help but crack a smile as I glanced at my new treasure. Man, I really owe Shuu this time. I'd frame this, but that would mean I'd have to hide it every time someone came in my room.
I stirred the cabbage soup absentmindedly.
After everything that happened, I still don't know who the promised girl is… What should I do…? Naruto said I should wait, but I hate sitting on my hands like this…
I glanced at the photo again, before finally pocketing it. I poured a bit of the broth into a saucer and took a sip. It blended perfectly. Time to call the men for dinner.
Dang. If only we kept any photos from back then… Maybe something there would give me a hint.
Having made the announcement over the intercom, I walked back to my room. I had homework to do.
"Eh? Raku, you're not going to eat with us?"
I looked up, "Oh, hey old man. No, I've got some school stuff to take care of, sorry."
Dad put a hand in his kimono and scratched his chest, "Ah, yes, diligent as always. Carry on."
He walked by me, before I remembered.
"Wait, Dad!" I called, "You know the trip we took to that one town, ten years back?"
He scratched the stubble of his beard in thought, "Yes, of course. That's where you met Kirisaki-san for the first time, wasn't it?"
I blanched, "You knew about that and didn't tell us?"
He quirked a brow, "Would that have changed anything?"
I shrugged, "Fair point. Anyway, we wouldn't happen to have… I dunno', any photos laying around here from that time?"
"Eh? Photos?" he blinked, "Yes, I think there's the one."
My jaw broke through the floor and touched solid earth.
"Are you serious!?" I cried, "Where is it!? I've scoured this place top to bottom for years looking for something like that!"
"Well, of course you didn't find it then," he said, picking his ear out from my scream, "We keep all the old junk in the storage shed, remember?"
I tsked. Why didn't I think of that? It made so much sense.
"We don't have a lot of pictures from back then," he said, "...but I believe there's one. It'd be buried under the year's worth of other stuff though."
'F-For real!?' I thought, 'A clue that valuable was sitting under my nose all along!? Hell, Chitoge and I would've been less than three feet away from it! Maybe this'll bring me one step closer to the truth!'
"I remember you asked me to take a shot of you and a little girl with a key," he grumbled, "Something about a special promise, or some mumbo jumbo…"
My eyebrows rose past the hairline and my pupils were the size of atoms. Without another word, I bolted for the shed.
Raku's Quarters
1:51 A.M.
I climbed into bed, absolutely exhausted.
I'd searched until midnight before I realized how late it was. I put everything back rather messily, and returned to my room covered in dust and cobwebs. I had a clean uniform for tomorrow, but still.
After I shed the disgusting layers of cloth, I changed into my usual housewear and finished homework as fast as I could. I didn't want to be too tired tomorrow.
I sighed, looking up at the ceiling in the dark. All that searching, and I only covered about two-thirds of the place… It's gonna' be at least another three hours of work tomorrow…
Dammit, I just need to know. Chitoge, Onodera, or Marika? Who was it?
...Marika.
That's it. That was something I could do.
I hopped out of bed to the desktop on my work table. The monitor hummed to life.
"If I'm remembering that vision correctly…" I muttered, typing into the search bar.
In the vision, I remember seeing the tremendous signs, on the tremendous walls of the tremendous building. The place was called "Hope Hospital".
A quick Bing search revealed the official Hope Hospital website. At the top was a logo of a strange, snake-like staff with wings on either side, atop a shield. Apparently it was called a Caduceus. Symbol of the Greek God Hermes. From what I hear on the news, Caduceus was a federally-sponsored medicinal and health research organization. The front-line of modern medicine.
Moving on, I read the description of the hospital itself. Apparently, they only treated extreme cases there. A lot of terminally ill patients underwent treatment there… AIDS, Cancers, Anemia...
I pursed my lips. So Marika's condition must've been really serious then.
I shut the computer off, and lay back in my bed.
…
"Marika…" I murmured, "Wherever you are… I hope you're okay…"
Chapter End.
Yeah, I'm trying to get back in my groove with this. Sorry if this chapter isn't up to par with the old stuff. It's been 9 months, after all.
I'll see you all soon!
H-Hopefully.
'Til then!
- Objection234 (Akane Sasu Sora on YouTube)
