I just want to mention that my next update might take longer than a week due to some things I need to work on to. That's all hehehe
Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!
"First of all, thank you very much Rin for this."
"It's nothing Umi-senpai nyaa~ Rin is glad to be able to help you!"
The next day after her first encounter with Nishikino Maki, her junior, Hanayo, brought Rin to their clubroom for Umi to interview. Hanayo left with Honoka afterwards to go on with their own work. Kotori is again going around the campus for her article. The only ones in their clubroom at the moment other than Umi and Rin are their president and vice president who are also busy on their own paper works.
"I'll just ask a few questions about your classmate Nishikino Maki-san for our feature in the school paper. Hanayo must have explained this to you already, right?" After the junior gave her a nod, Umi started the audio recorder and proceeded with her questions.
Maki transferred to Otonokizaka seven weeks ago. According to Rin, from the very first day she transferred, their classmates are already afraid of talking to her because Maki gives off the unapproachable aura. She doesn't talk to anyone unless she needed to, like when the teacher asks her a question about the lesson. She leaves the classroom during lunch break and no one knows where she goes. Rin tried following her once but failed.
"I lost sight of her when she went in to the cafeteria. As usual, it was crowded that time nyaa."
"So you're saying that she must have noticed you?"
"Yes. Nishikino-san always have a packed lunch so there was no need for her to go to the cafeteria in the first place."
"How do you know about that?"
"Rin wants to be friends with Nishikino-san. There are times when I observe her because Rin wants to know more about her."
This got the attention of the three other occupants of the room. Nozomi said before that people are curious about the transferee but not in the same way with the orange-haired junior. Most of the first years they've met seemed to be either scared, or cautious of Maki. Not to mention, there's only one class of first years, which means all of them must be her classmates. Umi looked directly at Rin's face before asking again.
"Why do you want to be friends with Nishikino-san?"
"Both Rin and Kayo-chin want to be friends with her nyaa~ Rin knows that Nishikino-san is not as bad as the rumors say about her."
Before her seniors could ask, Rin began telling about an incident that happened some time ago. It was one afterschool and the orange-haired freshman was walking around the school ground during her break from the track team's training. It so happened that when Rin got to the school yard, the redhead fell from a tree with her back facing the ground. She rushed over to check if Maki was okay. When she got closer, she saw the girl hugging a cat.
"Were you hurt?" was what Rin heard Maki asked to the cat. It meowed to her in response rubbing itself into the redhead's hands.
"Nishikino-san are you okay?"
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Sorry to have surprised you Hoshizora-san." The redhead got up still holding the cat.
"What just happened nyaa?"
"N-Nothing really. Just that, this foolish cat almost fell from that tree and I prevented that from happening. Anyway, I need to get going now. See you in class."
Maki turned her back and walked away carrying the cat in her hand, without waiting for Rin's reply. The orange-haired freshman watched her until she was gone.
"Is it this cat?" Umi asked handing out a printed copy of the picture Nozomi took last time. Rin looked at it closely before confirming that it was the same cat.
"Yes that's the cat nyaa~ Maybe she's taking care of it after that incident?"
"If that is so, the next question would be, why didn't she took it home with her." their blonde senior pointed out.
"There may be some circumstances we don't know about and that is for Umi-chan to find out." Nozomi said winking to Umi.
"For now I will note of that. And Rin for the last question, what do you think of the rumors about Nishikino-san?"
"Honestly, Rin doesn't care about the rumors whether they are true or not. All that matters is that, Nishikino-san is a good person. She won't hurt anyone for no reason."
Her seniors smiled at her sincerity with that statement and they nodded to her happily. After thanking Rin for giving her time for the interview, Umi volunteered to escort her out of the clubroom. They were already saying their goodbyes when the blue haired archer suddenly remembered to ask for any scar or bandage on Maki. The first year thought for a while before giving a negative answer. Rin said that the redhead was as flawless as always before walking away taking her leave. Umi walked back into the clubroom to gather her things.
"Going to your archery practice now?" Eli asked watching her junior organize her things on her bag.
"Nope. I got permission from the club president and our adviser to let me take some days off. From here on, I will focus more on observing Nishikino-san herself."
"Heh.. Isn't our Umi-chan enthusiastic about this?" Nozomi teased standing up from her sit to put the papers she was organizing, inside the filing cabinet.
"T-that is just natural! I am just as serious as my archery on this after all."
"But Umi, are you really okay with the task? Nozomi and I have been discussing about this. We are worried that this might be too much for you."
"Is this because of what happened last night?"
"That is an addition to our worry too Umi-chan."
"Isn't it too late to be asking that?" The looks of worries her seniors were giving her just now was then changed into surprised when Umi suddenly smiled to them confidently. "We won't have enough time to come up with a replacement topic, nor the time to finish it before deadline if I give this up. And besides, I am already interested with Nishikino-san myself, so I'll see this mission through the end. I'll just try my best to follow her advice of not getting myself involve with her matters."
The blonde sighed in relief feeling proud of her junior. Meanwhile, Nozomi took the chance to tease the blue haired archer. "I see. So you are interested on her now too? Heh~" She eyed Umi deviously with a smirk. The emphasis on the word 'interest' gained the blush on the archer's cheeks.
"D-don't give any deeper meaning to that Nozomi-senpai! I-it's just like with Rin's meaning of interest on her! That's right, it's just like wanting to be friends with her!"
"Why are you so defensive Umi-chan? I didn't even said anything."
"Stop teasing her Nozomi. Look how troubled Umi is right now. We should wait for her to say it herself when the time comes." Eli winked playfully.
"Not even you Eli-senpai!"
"Sorry Umi, you're just so fun to tease! Ahaha!"
"Yeah right. I'm leaving you two alone now so you can have your precious time together. I still have a redhead to follow around. See you tomorrow."
Both seniors tried to suppress their laughter as Umi waved goodbye to them and left the clubroom.
"She said to have precious time together Elicchi." Nozomi said winking at the blonde bringing some tint of red on her cheeks.
"S-stop that Nozomi. We still have to finish these."
"Just promise to have parfait with me later and that will do."
"O-okay, that works for me."
More than thirty minutes after leaving their clubroom, Umi found the redhead by the lockers. It didn't took her long to realize that Maki is getting ready to leave the school ground so she walked fast to her locker too and change into her outdoor shoes. She caught up to the redhead in the school gate. Umi kept her distance as she follows Maki all the way through the crowded streets of Akihabara. She deduced that the redhead is about to meet up with her escorts, but just then she remembered something Rin said earlier.
I lost sight of her when she went in to the cafeteria. As usual, it was crowded that time nyaa.
Too late for her realization, when Umi looked around, the redhead is nowhere to be found. She kept her composure and tried to look for her target.
She couldn't have gotten away so quickly. The blue haired archer thought to herself walking in a faster pace. To her surprise, a hand grabbed her arm pulling her into a narrow alley. Umi closed her eyes and let out a grunt when she felt her back hit the wall. Umi opened her eyes and was met with amethyst ones directly looking at her. A light tint of red came upon her cheeks as she looked deeper into those eyes. The redhead she was following has now captured her.
"Why are you following me? Wait, aren't you the one from last night?"
"Ah- umm.. Well, yes."
"So it wasn't just a coincidence that you were there?"
"What? N-no, it was a coincidence last night."
"Then how can you explain this senpai?"
"Nishikino-san, for starters, will you let go first. My wrist is starting to hurt."
"O-oh right. Sorry." Maki apologized as she slowly let go of her senior. "Please answer me honestly, are you stalking me?"
"I-It's not exactly like that!"
"Then what?"
The redhead inched her face closer to the archer with the intention of intimidating her. But instead, it only caused Umi's light blush earlier to turn a shade deeper, and a skip on her heartbeat.
"U-umm.. C-can we talk about this in a more proper place? I mean, it kind of stinks here, you know."
"Okay. Let's eat by that restaurant near here. I didn't have lunch yet."
Maki grabbed the sleeve of Umi's blazer and dragged her out. She led her until they got inside the said restaurant. After buying their food, they chose a table by the corner of the restaurant where there isn't much people. Maki asked her senior to start explaining herself while they were eating.
"What would you call that if it isn't stalking then?" the redhead asked when Umi finished telling her everything.
"I-I supposed I'm really stalking you But, it's not like you will let me interview you or anything right?"
"Yes, normally I would reject if you were to ask. In the first place, it is none of my business if the other students are curious about me. And seriously… I know I am being talked about in school but, to think there were such ridiculous rumors like that?"
"I know right. Especially that one about you not being human. Ha ha.."
"What if I tell you that, it is true?" Maki asked with a serious expression smiling to her senior evilly. She laughed hysterically when she got Umi dumbfounded. "S-sorry senpai, of course I was just kidding!"
"Uuuh! D-don't make fun of me like that!"
"I said I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd fall for it. Ahahaha!"
"Just stop laughing already!"
"Okay, okay. Like what I've said earlier, I normally would reject. It is troublesome for me. But it is more troublesome for me to have you following me around. So I'm giving you a chance to interview me."
"Really? Are you serious?" The redhead's statement brought excitement to Umi that she slapped her hands on the table and leaned over to Maki.
"Yes I am serious, now go back to your seat."
"Oh sorry." Umi then also apologized to the people she accidentally disturbed.
"I will let you interview me in the condition that you will never get yourself involve with me ever again after it."
There was a slight pause before the second year gave her affirmative answer. Umi wondered if the first year has zero interest in making friends. She felt kind of sad of the thought.
After they finished their food and decided on when and where they would do the interview, they walked out of the restaurant. When they got outside, the two men in black suits from yesterday was waiting for Maki.
"I'll see you tomorrow, ah- Oh right I haven't asked for your name."
"Yeah and it took you this long to ask. Here."
Umi handed her a piece of paper. Maki unfold it and saw the name of her senior along with a phone number.
"Just in case you need it, that's my number. Feel free to call me."
"I will do. See you tomorrow Sonoda-senpai."
"See you tomorrow." Her junior flashed her a small smile before walking into the car with her escorts. She waved to her in response.
It was already starting to get dark when they parted so Umi decided to also head home. Little did she know that her day is still far from over. All she could remember was that, someone came from behind her and immediately covered her mouth with a cloth, and then blackout. She was awoken by the growling sounds around her. Fear surged inside her because of the thought that she might be surrounded by wild animals. It doesn't help that the perpetrators covered her eyes to keep her from seeing anything. She tried making little movements only to realize that she was tied up.
The growling sounds continued, but this time there were slashing sounds too as if the animals are fighting against each other.
What in the world is going on here?!
Fear and panic is all Umi feels at the moment. She doesn't want to die without putting up a fight. But what can she do? Her body feels so weak. She doesn't have the strength to try and break out of being tied.
This is a dream. This is a dream. This is a dream! She continued to mutter in her thoughts to try distracting herself away from what she think is going on around her. She heard what seemed like a final blow before it was replaced with cries that became distant little by little.
What was that? Does that mean they are gone now?
As if to answer her thoughts, Umi suddenly heard footsteps coming close to her. Before she could even react, the cloth that was covering her eyes was suddenly pulled off. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting. The figure in front of her worked next on cutting her ties to free her.
"Are you okay senpai?"
Wait that voice…
Umi looked up to the source of the voice and found amethyst eyes looking at her worriedly. She blinked a few times before confirming that the figure in front of her is Nishikino Maki. But then she noticed something different. Hairy animal ears on top of her head, claws on her hands, and those fangs…
"N-Nishikino-san?"
"Yes it's me Sonoda-senpai. And I wasn't really kidding earlier. I am not a full human."
Top rumor number three, Nishikino Maki is not human, confirmed.