Sasamori breathed a deep sigh as he walked.
He was on the way from the Border base to the Hisama Branch.
The sun was just beginning to move lower in the sky. The numbers on his phone showed the late time.
The recent B-Rank war match had already been finished, so everyone was begging their next action.
His friends were busy with either stuff for their team or getting their own things done with before deciding to have some free time. Sasamori had thought that going to the Hisama to see one of the Hikigane members may bring some kind of result while he waited for someone to be free, but...
...Is there really a good option there...?
Hikigane Squad had migrated to the Hisama Branch without actually joining it. The youngest member of that specific team could recently be seen near the Hayanuma Branch on multiple occasions. It had been rather strange, but they had all gotten use to the two branches being a meeting point.
Sasamori viewed it as a way for Hikigane Squad to figure out if they enacted to join a branch as well.
The Hisama and Hayanuma branches had always been seen as standard buildings that were simply affiliated with Border. Nothing particularly of note to them.
Sasamori had wondered why those branches would be the focus for Hikigane Squad and now he had an answer:
"They are way more normal than Tamakoma and Yagura."
.
Tamakoma and Yagura.
Those were two branches of Border. They were located on different sides of Mikado City.
According to others...
"The Tamakoma Branch has some of Border's strongest agents and they even go through Gates a few times. The way they go about doing things is also different compared to how the rest of us do things. I guess I saw that firsthand already in our match against them. Even in their later matches, they show that even their newest members are good."
But...
"Word has it that the Yagura Branch also has some really strong people there. I don't really know who is all in there, but I do know that Tsukiko-senpai belongs to Yagura. They showed of that he can take on so many Neighbors at once, so I guess they also have a standard for who they let join. Daigo has also said some things about them that make me wonder..."
Those were true, but it showed how different those two branches were compared to other ones that also belonged to Border.
Was that a way for them to show off that they were supported to the other branches? However...
...Fighting against that kind of thing is kind of fun for people...
It felt a lot like a game when someone found unexpected connections or made predictions.
"The Suzunari Branch that has Murakami-senpai in it also got a new team added to it, didn't it? Shor Squad joined them a bit after the invasion and they have been doing rather well for themselves too..."
One of the other branches of Border had Murakami Kō, the fourth ranked Attacker in all of Border.
Murakami was a high schooler that was both serious during a battle and kind outside of one. It was clear that he could go far if not for the team he was currently on, but that had never sat well with him.
In other words, a strong Attacker had decided that he would continue with the team he was on.
However, Kuruma Squad had decided to ignore those kinds of words, but as for the fox boy who was fond of that team...
...He tells off anyone who says that kind of thing, so there is still a need to be careful.
The official explanation had been that he was just being kind, but for the one who chose to see things differently...
"Social standards are different in every age, right?"
Once someone like Suzume saw that, the hetero and homo factions had gotten into a barehanded fistfight, the faithful and adulterous factions had started using joint locks on each other, and even the height difference, gap moe, friends-to-lovers, and crossdressing factions had rolled up their sleeve to join the brawl.
They had ultimately settled on a gray zone solution of "he had some sort of feeling and just wanted to be helpful", but Yuki had been enraged when he heard of this and he had said the following to everyone he could reach:
"I can't stop Suzu because no one really can, but I sure as hell can make sure that Mei puts you all through the wringer for adding Kō - her favorite underclassman - into all of this. End of story!"
That had led to a response heard over and over in the halls of Border:
"You didn't tell me that!"
And that incident created an odd rumor among the agent of Border:
"Tsukiko will punish you if you make fun of a Suzunari member."
That had lead to an unfortunate misunderstanding for a certain Tsukiko girl.
The somewhat troublesome fox boy was let off the hook due to the misunderstanding, but...
...Some of our senpai seem to spit out the truth on the matter, so some of the other must have a rough time...
This time, the people of the same age group as the fox boy had been set up for making them seem more like rumors.
But Border's first strong branch, the Tamakoma Branch, was also very interesting to Sasamori.
"Even their new members seem to fit their string description."
Tamakoma had come first and Yagura had come last, so Tamakoma would be their branch senpais.
...Some people would probably like this kind of thing and turn it into a story...
In fact, there was no probably about it.
Sasamori breathed in and faced forward.
He was on the familiar path to the Hisama Branch.
...If I change directions just a bit I would end up going to Yagura, wouldn't I?
There was no reason for him to do such a thing.
Going to the Hisama Branch or Hayanuma Branch had just been a quick way to finding Girikage without messaging him. However...
"Hmm..."
Sasamori suddenly came to a stop.
He looked around at where he was now standing.
There were buildings that did not seem as familiar and a park could be seen nearby, which meant...
"...I accidentally changed directions."
He had come to a stop because he had realized that his thoughts had made him change directions, but then...
"Huh? Sasamori-senpai, why are you just standing there!?"
.
Hiura saw Sasamori just about jump off his feet.
He did not actually leave the ground, but his entire body shook as if stretching upwards.
...Is that a normal thing my senpai can do...?
They do always seem to stick with their shtick, thought Hiura as Sasamori slowly turned around.
Hiura predicted Sasamori would be mad or would make some kind of tsukkomi, so she put together a response in her mind. However...
"Ahh..."
Sasamori sighed when he looked back over his shoulder and saw Hiura.
It was a breath of both relief and relaxation. He finally fixed his clothing's collar and spoke.
"Don't scare me like that, Hiura."
"Oh, um, uh."
Hiura had not predicted this reaction.
If anything, it was timid.
...U-umm?
Hiura could not figure out why Sasamori would be acting this way. However...
"Sorry. D-did I catch you at a bad time?"
"Eh? No, not really. ...Why would it be a bad time?"
...I was asking because I don't know!
But once Sasamori brought his breathing under control, he looked the same as ever.
And...
"Hiura, are you going to the Yagura Branch over here?"
"Yeah. I wanted to ask Yuki-san something before tomorrow! And if I ask them, I might get some candy!"
"...If you're hungry, I could give you a piece of candy. It was suppose to keep Daigo in order, but this should be fine."
"I'll take it!"
Sasamori gave her a brown sugar candy wrapped in childish wrapper, so she immediately ate it.
"It's so sweet! Hopefully it will last until dinner."
"I really don't think that's possible. ...Huh?"
Sasamori looked to the Yagura Branch on their right.
Hiura looked in the same direction, although Sasamori was in the way. Sasamori then grabbed her shoulders.
"—"
He wordlessly pulled her back below the eaves of a store.
They were at a clothing store three buildings away from the Yagura Branch. They were now shaded from the sun, but...
"Um, Sasamori-senpai?"
"Oh, yes. Just a moment."
Wondering what this was about, Hiura looked out from behind Sasamori and toward the Yagura Branch.
She saw someone standing in front of it.
They held a phone in front of the entrance.
"Murakami-senpai?"
.
Murakami sweated in the sun.
...I actually came...!
No, there was nothing weird about coming here. People he knew well were here.
And his teacher from the first two years of high school was now the director of this branch. Akasora would sometimes call his former students over for chats and to see how they were doing, but now that he thought about it...
"...He might just start a lecture because of what is going on."
If he had to go through a lecture when not in school, it would be hard not to think that Yuki or Kageura was rubbing off on him, so he wanted to avoid that.
Whatever the case, he was here to see his teacher. He had been called over for an unknown reason, but there was a chance that he did indeed know I what it was about.
And if he was right about what this concerned, his teammates would have a better chance at being safe. And they were clearly planning on keeping up with the rest of them.
As their ace and teammate, it was his duty to help them whoever he could. He wondered how long he would have to prostate himself to make up for it if a floor of a Kurosaki building was destroyed.
An amateur prostration might not be enough.
But he was concerned about something else as well.
...What will happen if Kushikage-san sees me over here?
Yuki had told him many things about his older sister and that she had no intention of not going after him because he was friends with the fox boy. Her attack would be constant and when he would not expect it. But...
"She hasn't made any move toward me yet..."
He felt that he should be okay that Kushikage seemed to be busy with the sponsors, but that had also put a feeling of unease in him since it meant that she would be prolonging her hunt on the matter. Fighting against an attack from her was another matter entirely.
He wanted others to be safe.
That was his honest desire, but if he was not prepared, he would not have a chance at dealing with her.
...The fastest method would be to listen to Sensei or Yuki...
But he was a student to Akasora, a friend to Yuki, and a teammate of Kuruma. Due to the previous showing, citizens, small store owners, and other Border agents would sometimes show signs of trying to build connections with him and that could feel troublesome.
He knew who his friends were, so he preferred to ignore those extra matters, but fighting Kushikage could create such a connection.
So, he decided in his heart. I will stand by them all without worry to show that those connections will not work with me.
However...
...It isn't right to use the relationship with everyone to eliminate a personal annoyance of mine.
More and more thoughts filled his mind.
He had come here because if his teacher, but could he really step through that door?
He knew his teacher would be there, but what would he think when he saw the state his student was in?
"...That's right."
He felt like there would be no saving him if he saw a look of surprise on Akasora's face.
But he felt like it would all work out if Akasora would accept him as a student again.
He felt like he could leave everything with Akasora if he said he was glad he had come.
So what would happen?
He kept thinking, but before any of that, he wondered if his teacher would eventually notice that he was waiting here.
Even if he had his teacher's support, a student was not to set foot inside his teacher's home.
...Wait, has he moved in? I would think so considering where his house is located.
He wanted his teacher to notice he was here. But at the same time...
...It isn't right for a student to make his teacher come out and greet him either.
So he would not call for his teacher.
He was standing perfectly still in front of the office and its door. What would people think he looked like here?
"I think I know."
The thought suddenly hit him.
...A guard dog?
.
...N-no!?
A dangerous word had entered his mind.
No. That is not what I look like.
I mean, a guard dog is watching out for people arriving, so it would have its back to the door.
He was facing the door, so he was not playing a guard dog's role.
Yes, that's right, thought Murakami. This is certainly nothing like a dog sitting at the entrance waiting to be fed. Yeah, those guys compare me more to a wolf than a dog. Unlike Toby. I feel bad for him, but I don't want to be targeted when it comes to Inukai or Tōma.
Then another thought hit him.
...This is the same as a dog waiting for its master!
What was he supposed to do about that?
Yes. He could not face the door and he could not face away from the door either.
"I just have to face sideways!"
.
Sasamori saw Murakami fidget for a while and finally turn to face away from them.
Why was unclear.
Hiura tilted her head while watching along with Sasamori.
"Is that what I think it is...?"
"Hiura, do you understand Murakami-senpai's bizarre behavior?"
"Well...it looks a lot like how a well-behaved dog will sit to the side of the entrance so it doesn't get in its owner's way. I guess that does suit the Murakami-senpai pretty well."
"No, um, that can't be it. Because, uh, Murakami-senpai isn't a dog. Awdry, maybe. Not Murakami-senpai. Actually, maybe we can just call him a wolf. Yeah, let's just go with wolf."
But it was true Sasamori had thought "oh, he's wagging his tail" earlier.
However, Hiura did make some sense.
Murakami was waiting.
One important factor of his relationship with Akasora was gaining his teacher's approval.
A student and Border agent could not beg his teacher and senior member for things, so the teacher and branch director had to accept the student as a matter of course. That was one type of ideal relationship.
Was the black wolf using this to seek that ideal?
Yet if anyone visited, it would be obvious he was waiting.
But as Sasamori watched the boy change position again as he waited in front of the door...
...That is a lot like what I have been told about Murakami-senpai...
He was bold in his actions, but that boldness was always directed outwards. His one weakness was on the inside.
If he did not get the acceptance he needed, he would lose any direction for that boldness.
He would lose all meaning and strength. He would simply lose his destination.
He uses a sword and shield when he fights, so he is more of a knight, isn't he? So instead of a knight going somewhere, he would be more like an unmoving knight who protects his current location.
To Murakami, that would mean no longer being of use to others. He would only be a member of Border who acts only when it would be necessary.
That was of course a valid course for his life.
But he had wanted a different path and it had been given to him.
So he waited.
He waited for his teacher to open the door either coincidentally or intentionally.
He had to understand that this was like a game. And once he was satisfied with his game, he would probably open the door himself. However...
"...Yes."
"Eh?"
Hiura looked over and Sasamori realized he was blushing himself.
"No, um..."
How was he supposed to explain this?
As he watched Murakami in profile, he saw the black wolf tensing his shoulders a bit and occasionally taking deep breaths to calm himself.
"...He looks like he's having fun."
Sasamori started to feel jealous, so he corrected his thoughts.
He reminded himself that he would probably act just like that if he was the one standing in front of the door belonging to a certain someone.
.
Murakami patiently waited.
He was good at waiting. He had waited years before he had found people who accosted him.
The short time spent standing here was nothing compared to the agonizingly long wait to see if anyone would be his friend or not.
"Oh, you're here, you're here."
The door suddenly opened.
The teacher was there.
Right in front of him.
Eh? thought Murakami while unable to react to the sudden occurrence. But before he could take another breath, the teacher descended the Yagura Branch's step and took him by the shoulder.
If he do not go at the same time, he would end up up being pulled along instead of walking. That was when became back to his senses.
"...Um, Sensei?"
"Hey, were you waiting long? I thought you would probably be showing up about now."
Hearing that made his blink twice because he thought Akasora might have seen him. However...
"I knew you would probably arrive by now, so I thought I would open the door so you could come right in."
"H-huh? By how?"
"Did you forget that I use to be your teacher, Kō? That actually shouldn't be possible."
"Oh, uh, well..."
As he tried to figure out how to answer that, Akasora pushed on his shoulder.
They stepped up into the entrance and Akasora guided him inside. For a few hesitant steps, he was unsure if he should let him pull him or if he should actively follow him.
He ultimately decided to "not fight it".
"...Ah."
Once inside, he realized something.
There was no one there.
He was the only other one.
Shokubutsu would of course be somewhere nearby, but there was no one else.
This was best for a student who was meant to stand by his teacher's side.
And a thought occurred to him.
...I'm glad no one else arrived while I was waiting.
If someone else had gone in before him, he would not have been able to feel this emotion.
This was nothing more than being the only one to arrive, but he was glad he had come so despite his hesitation.
...Yes. He cares for all of his students, whether they be current or former.
He breathed a sigh of relief and satisfaction and his teacher gestured toward the bottom of the shoe rack.
"Come on in, come on in. Also..."
He smiled and looked at what he held.
And he asked a question.
"You are going with Yuki, right?"
.
Murakami tried to think about what he meant.
He tried to think about how this would look, what his teacher would say, and what his friends would say, but...
"...Yes."
He managed to say it, albeit quietly. And then...
"Yes...!"
He repeated herself. Meanwhile, he felt heat gathering in his cheeks and in his entire body. He was not confident he could restrain himself once that heat gathered beyond its limit.
...That's right.
There was something he had to say here.
"I look forward to standing next to Yuki, Sensei."
He said it.
He hoped he felt the same way.
And he hoped his teacher had not just been talking about the next couple of days or until things have settled down.
Then his teacher reacted.
"Hm!"
"...Hm? What does that mean?"
"Well, Kō."
"Y-yes, what is it?"
"Umm," said the teacher while raising his hands toward him.
It was clearly a "wait a second" gesture. However...
...Wait. Don't tell me...
Had he been mistaken, so he had to correct him?
He felt the heat in his body begin to fade.
That was exactly when he asked his question.
"You decided on that long ago, right?"
.
Yuki flipped through his phone while lying on her bed.
They would be leaving to visit the sponsors soon. So soon one would need help with information. He knew he could get from himself, Sekai, and the directors over at the Border base.
...Bringing some cooking from Kuruma-san would be good for some laughs, but is that what we want?"
They would all need to work hard regardless, but coming up with a plan in advance was important. So he thought about what they had going for them concerning information and connections as well as what they could get sent over as insurance.
"...Oh?"
He knew his teacher and his friend were speaking in the main area.
But he heard something hard hit the floor in there.
The Attacker had likely hit his head.
He knew what had happened. The wolf would have fallen down to the floor.
He had spoken with their teacher and he had said something he did not expect. Yuki knew that had to be the situation.
...He just have stepped back onto the broken floorboard.
He and their teacher were no longer alone. Shokubutsu and others were there too, but...
,..As someone who stands on the borderline, they are "alone".
Yuki was in a complicated position where he was turned a bit toward those two who were "alone together".
"I'm so thankful for that."
He had always been afraid of what would happen if something happened when he only had his teacher.
And if something happened to one or the other of them, then there would only be the one left.
More importantly, it would mean only one of us would be there for Shobu when he needs it.
But now there was Murakami there to help them more.
Akasora would probably bring in more than just him, but the wolf was the one his teacher was the most aware of.
The boy had arrived as he was meant to and he was always a trusted student that even Yuki could not deny.
...A wolf would probably be so happy he pissed himself... But I guess he isn't as childish as Toby.
What was he supposed to say about a black wolf that fell to the floor while not paying attention?
Yuki made sure there was some rice added into their plan while smiling and shifting in his seat. He felt amusement tickling at his heart.
"They say a happy life can pack on the pounds, but is it supposed to take your legs out from under you?"
.
Murakami thought about standing up.
...U-umm.
He had to stand up.
Besides, he did not even know why he had fallen down to the floor.
Looking down at his feet was how he had been able to figure it out. A floorboard had been broken and he had stepped on it.
He noticed a hand.
Instead of laughing at him, Akasora looked down with an apologetic look and an outstretched hand.
He took it and stood up.
But his teacher then held his palm out toward him.
"Wait just a second, okay?"
"...Eh?"
The teacher ran to the other room. For no apparent reason, he tapped the wall by the entrance, but that was probably a ritual of his.
And his teacher soon came back.
He held a black object and he stood in front of him with it.
"Hey, Murakami Kō."
"You have your lecturing voice ready, so I'm a little worried about this situation."
"Just bear with it for a moment. Hey, Kō."
"Y-yes?"
Akasora had told him to bear with it, so there had to be some meaning to this.
So he waited and his teacher suddenly continued.
"You listening?"
"Yes."
"Kō, I need you to work hard out there with your classmate."
Umm.
"To do this right, I'm supposed to hand this over while shaking your hand."
"Am I suddenly graduating!?"
Why could he not imagine himself doing so without Akasora around?
But he knew what his teacher was doing.
"Are you giving me Shikifuku?"
"Only a part of it."
"W-well," hesitated Murakami. "Will this also be a kept secret?"
"Yeah, I'm just doing this for now. I thought about giving it to Yuki or Jinsei, but...hey, don't give me that look! Anyways...this is just some insurance for when you have to do your job over there with everyone."
But...
"Since it is just a meeting with the sponsors, you most likely won't have to use it."
After that, he fixed it around Murakami's wrist until a yellow band came out to connect it.
"Keep helping out, okay?"
Hearing that, he took in a breath and...
"Yes." Murakami bowed his head. "Until he burns out and I have no more use to anyone, I will keep going."
The ceremony was no more than words. They were not actually binding a contract or exchanging protections.
But his teacher said, "This should make you a temporary S-Rank, right?"
"I think so."
"...I guess giving you ten boxes of onigiri from yesterday wouldn't be right, would it?"
"I-I am not that much of a rice lover!"
"In that case," he said while lowering himself.
...Eh?
He lifted his hand and then Murakami felt something warm and large on his head.
He had pressed his hand against the top of his head and then moved it.
He had clearly petted him.
"There."
"...S-Sensei!?"
The mix of suddenness and surprise led Murakami to quickly raise his head. His teacher stood in front of him and rubbed his head.
"You prefer it this way, right?"
"Well, it does seem appropriate...but why so suddenly?"
"Right. I use to have people pat my head when I was younger and did so with Shokubutsu, so I figured that was the best way to do things."
...Even he was treated like that, Yuki!
But given what happened here, we need to thank some people, Yuki!
You never know what consequences something will have, noted Murakami as the teacher seemed to grab his head to more roughly rub it.
"Umm."
He stood up and hurried back to the other room to put away the remaining parts of Shikifuku.
In the short time that his back was turned, Murakami pressed his right hand against the top of his head.
That was where had had patted him. He pressed the palm of his hand there to confirm the location.
"—"
Then he brought the hand to eye level.
He remembered the few times such a thing had happened when he was still a child. A way to cheer him up when he was sad.
...Nn.
He felt his teacher's kindness.
If he was not himself, a person without his Side Effect, he knew he would forget this warmth and the feeling of the hand. But because he was himself, a person with his Side Effect, he would not forget what happened here.
...He really is a good teacher.
He placed the now completely broken floorboard in the corner of the room.
"Sensei."
"Yeah?" he said while walking back in.
"I am going to be leaving now, okay? ...I want to figure out the best way to use Shikifuku. At least for myself."
.
Murakami entered the Yagura Branch and did not come back out.
Sasamori intently watched that fact.
...Umm.
That meant Murakami had entered the branch office.
There was nothing odd about that. After all, it was a building belonging to Border and was used a point to help the people of Mikado City.
So there was nothing odd about an agent like Murakami to be there.
But, thought Sasamori. Murakami-senpai is the Yagura director's former student, according to Daigo.
That meant he had entered the Yagura Branch building as a student.
...I wonder if there is some meaning to that...
What major meaning could there be?
And was Sasamori simply curious, or was he actually overthinking? However...
"Huh?"
The door opened and someone stepped out.
It was Murakami.
...He's leaving?
It can't be, thought Sasamori as he saw Murakami with a strange object.
Did did have business somewhere, had he forgotten something, or had his teacher asked something of him? However, the visible profile of his face showed his eyebrow raised and his lips smiling. There was no sign of negativity there.
But he descended the step and held his nose a bit high.
"Now, then," he said in a carrying voice. "I'm a little worried about leaving Sensei in there since I saw his paperwork, but I need to figure out Shikifuku."
With that, he began walking along the road to the city.
He was leaving here.
Sasamori and Hiura were left alone again and Hiura chose to speak.
"Sasamori-senpai."
"? What is it?"
Hiura was smiling at him.
"I forgot something, so can I head back real quick?"
"W-wait a second, Hiura! You're running away, aren't you!?"
"W-well, I don't really have a reason to be here yet, so I'm just going to go!"
"Now I kind of have to ask: why were you here?"
Sasamori asked that with a smile and Hiura averted her gaze.
And she answered quietly.
"Because I wanted to check on something with Yuki-san...?"
...Wow, now that was a bit forced.
Well, that was probably how it looked to those who were not a part of it themselves.
And that was why Sasamori felt like he would be selling himself short if he simply went along with it.
...Ah, I guess this might involve what Daigo was muttering about, isn't it?
If even he could figure that out, it had to be pretty bad for the people looking in from outside.
However...
"Huh?"
Sawamura walked up from the city.
She carried a basket of bread on her back and held some largish luggage in her hands.
"Sawamura-san kind of looks like Musashibou Benkei right now, doesn't she?"
"She does..."
Sawamura walked up to the office's entrance.
Sasamori and Hiura ducked down.
Hiura spoke in a mixture of curiosity and seriousness.
"Is Sawamura-san hesitating over a lot of things like Murakami-senpai was?"
Meanwhile, Sawamura casually opened the door and walked in.
It happened right before Sasamori was about to respond to Hiura's question.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...That was casual."
"Yes. ...She didn't even knock."
"...I think that plan was a failure."
"Sawamura-san can be awfully masculine, after all."
Then the door opened again.
Sawamura herself came out. And they heard the teacher's voice from inside.
"Huh!? Where are you going, Kyōko!?"
"To continue my work at the base. I need to be there in case Shinoda-san needs me."
"Eh? So you haven't told him how you feel yet!?"
"Ho ho? So you want to be loud enough that he can hear you? Do you want to be hit?"
"Dammiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! Why do you lose your girlish charm when I'm around!?"
"You sound like a teacher wishing he could get some good students just by signing up."
"You're only getting harsher!"
"No. If we were ranking this, you would only be a 5."
"Out of how many? Is that high or low?"
"...Which would you prefer?"
After rejecting his question, Sawamura continued.
"Besides, you talked big during the early days about being reliable enough to support any student or coworker no matter the situation, but here I find you all alone doing paperwork. What is that supposed to prove? And what happens if you end up sleeping at your desk?"
"Dammit! Dammit! I don't even know where to start with that one, but Kō already showed up! See, there's the floorboard he broke! Well? Don't got a comeback for that, do you!?"
"That floorboard looks like it was already broken, so I can only assume it is a floorboard that you yourself destroyed."
"Every once in a while, even I know when to fix things up."
"I see." Sawamura gave a thumbs up and entered the office. "As far as your reliability goes, I will accept Murakami's willpower and recognize Murakami's decisiveness."
"Huh, huh? What happened to your judgement of me?"
"Oh, dear. What a self-centered man."
"Wait! I'll have you know I'm a top tier teacher! Got that!?"
A strong wind seemed to rush in and close the door.
...That was incredible...
Hiura gave a deep nod while ducking down next to Sasamori.
"I feel like the truth resides in Sawamura-san's words."
"...Then the truth must be a very inconvenient thing for life in general."
But Sawamura started walking toward the city, so the two watched her leave.
...Now, then.
Sasamori sighed in his heart as he tried to figure out what he should do.
.
Shobu thought he saw Murakami walking by shaking a little.
...H-huh?
He came from the direction of the Yagura Branch, but he seriously doubted anything could do something so bad to make him start shaking.
Also, the only people who would need to go to the Yagura Branch so frequently should have been elsewhere or at the branch office already. Only the people going to the sponsors would need to go constantly to go over things with Yuki.
Shobu: "...Boss...is anyone...there...?"
Red Sky: "Oh, Little Plant? Well, Kō and Kyōko stopped by before, but they left. So it's just Yuki and me. Not the best company I could ask for, but it is what it is."
White Fox: "Hey, hey. I'm relaxing right now thinking about what we can do later on, so your messed up uncle is taking care of other things. Or I guess in other terms, my messed up teacher is harassing people. Wait, messed up teacher! When I said 'harassing', I didn't mean you can go and harass me! I'm your student, so I can't believe you would even think of doing that!"
Red Sky: "Idiot! Idiot! That's way too many setups for me to go to jail! Calm down!"
...Uncle has a...hard time...with Yuki-san... thought Shobu.
But something felt odd about this.
Shobu: "...Why hasn't...everyone...gone...?"
GM Aide: "They all hate him... In a gal game, this is where the heroine rejects him in front of the school gate saying, 'Walking home with you would gather too much attention and fill me with shame. You're a creep.'"
Red Sky: "That last part was from you, wasn't it!?"
They were always really harsh with each other. However...
White Fox: "Let's see. I think Akane should be coming by anytime now, so I wonder what's keeping her."
Shobu agreed with that.
Nasu Squad had finished their match earlier on along with Kotowari Squad and Katori Squad, so it would not have been surprising if she had gotten there soon.
...I wonder...why...
With that thought, Shobu arrived at the road to the Yagura Branch.
Just then...
"Oh, hey, you are from Yagura too, right? Hey."
He heard Sasamori's voice and saw a hand waving toward him.
.
...Wah...
Shobu just about shouted out loud when someone waved at him without advance warning that they were going to called out to him. He only managed to restrain herself because of the note of tension in the boy's voice.
Something had happened.
So he followed the waving hand behind cover.
They were between some water buckets behind a storage shed 5 buildings down from the Yagura Branch.
The boy was ducked down low there, so Shobu asked a question.
"...Y-you are...Sasamori-sama...right?"
"Well, um, yes, but that honorifics is a bit... Yeah."
"...Is there...something you...need...?"
Shobu felt rather scared due to not knowing the boy, but he would remain polite.
"Oh, not really. It's just Hiura over there."
When he focused on his eyes, he did indeed see that girl.
Hiura stood in front of the Yagura Branch.
She was all alone with her Trigger in her hand and she was swaying a bit in front of the door.
...Ah...
Shobu knew this girl due to her knowing Yuki.
It was not that he did not like her, but her energetic personality was not a good fit for him.
She had brought nothing else besides herself and her Trigger, which meant that she was only here for a visit.
It felt a lot like she was preparing herself for some kind of rejection.
Shobu nodded and thought about what that rejection could be.
"...I see..."
Knowing what was going on, he could only figure that it was a rejection as a representative of Border to the sponsors.
She was only a part of this because of her connection to Hikigane Sekai. And Hiura herself may not have fully made up her mind on the matter.
She did not know what to do about the possibilities before her eyes.
This may have happened before too.
Shobu had been told some things by both Yuki and Sekai about her. A recent event being her finding out about her family moving.
Adding the situation with the sponsors may have affected her more.
...Oh... ...I should not be worried...
It was not because he did not care about her.
If she was at the Yagura Branch then it meant that she was preparing for the meeting with the sponsors. Minoru would be the one she was going with, but Yuki had been trying to figure out a plan.
"Hm..."
She was most likely here to check on Yuki and what she could do. The swaying of her body was also an indication that she was not here because of uncertainty.
Since she had her Trigger in her grasp, there was a chance that she was also mentally preparing and using the Trigger would help.
Shobu knew that using a Trigger and switching out your real body for a fake one helped at times to settle into reality.
...But what about Sasamori-sama...?
.
The boy next to Shobu had been lurking around the area and seemed to be focusing on Hiura.
...Is he...watch out...instead of just...watching...?
As far as he knew, Sasamori was older than either he or Hiura. It could just be an upperclassman watching out for their underclassman and nothing more. The freckled boy seemed like a plain person, so this may just be the way he did things.
Girikage had spoken to him about Sasamori before. With no one to tell his secrets too, the older boy had said that the likely choices were either Sasamori Hisato or Hanzaki Yoshito. That had lead into information about the both of them being told.
Shobu thought, ...Hanzaki-sama also knows...Yuki-san... ...But Sasamori-sama seems much more...reliable...and cool... ...Maybe I should...speak to him...to get to...know him...
...Just in case...Daigo-san decides to...say any...secrets... It may have been disrespectful to think Sasamori was "convenient" for something like that, but it was surprising to find out he could think that way.
So this had to be the time.
But his hesitation was even greater than normal this time.
This could be a way for him to start doing things on his own instead of having others do it for him.
"...Is there...trouble...?
"I'm not sure. We saw the Murakami-senpai go in earlier."
"...Eh...? ...Kō-san...?"
But his uncle had said there was no one else in there.
Shobu: "...Boss, where is...Kō-san...?"
Red Sky: "You can just call me Uncle... Anyway, he said he was going to go figure something out."
Shobu: "...U-um... ...A moment ago...I saw him...shaking...?"
GM Aide: "Akasora-san, did you do something to make Murakami shake? I see. You seem to have a real issue with your students, so I will promote you from 'creep' to 'scummy creep.'"
Red Sky: "That's not any betterrrrrr! Not better at allllll! And it wasn't me!"
GM Aide: "Then I shall keep your rank as-is."
Red Sky: "I suppose so, but why do I suddenly want that promotion now...?"
The shaking was still a mystery, but since no further problems had come up, it was probably all right.
However...
...Sasamori-sama...
Shobu felt it was best not to lose this chance. So...
...Go for it...me...
Shobu focused his attention to Sasamori's direction and clenched both his fists.
Go for it.
The red room had red carpet, red fabric on the walls, and a red ceiling.
The large room was illuminated by lights embedded in the ceiling and walls. The bed attached to the wall was white, the desk was a dark wooden color, and a girl stood in the center of the room.
"Are these my options?"
She had short black hair, white skin, a white hood, and inner clothes colored red.
She was Shiraishi Chisato.
Colors were spread out before her eyes. The formal outfits in the room's closet had been lined up on the red floor.
"Even if welcoming the representative is an official role, do I really have to wear something like this?"
She sighed, crossed her arms, and looked to the clothing lined up on the thick carpet. Even if they were dress clothes...
"Our business is top tier, so what are we trying to prove by leaving the chest open like that?"
She had chosen them herself, so complaining was not going to help.
Her aides had chosen some and she had been given some others, but she had left them in the living room because she did not think they suited her.
...I'm not a real representative in the first place.
So why did she need something like this now?
Musashi: "Chisato-kun, you always buy clothes or makeup when you're feeling stressed or in a good mood! It's a bad habit or, to put it another way, a nice vice, so how about giving some of that money to the poor who are suffering every single day, by which I mean me!? How about it!? Just 120 yen is enough! Okay, nearly convinced her this time! Oh, and I was wondering why you would buy so many clothes you never wear, but isn't this the perfect chance to wear them all at once!? You could say you're wearing layers because it's cold! You could say it's a fat suit! C'mon, do it!"
Chisato: "That isn't funny, so tone it down a little."
Musashi: "Okay... How should I put it...? Um, are you mad...?"
Chisato: "I always have to wonder how you can switch back and forth like that."
Musashi: "Yeah... It's probably a stimulation of the brain."
Chisato: "So what do you want?"
Musashi took a moment to respond.
Musashi: "Isn't the red one fine?"
"In what way?" she asked with a frown, but she did not type it into her phone. That guy would trip you up in almost everything, but he never missed when it truly mattered.
But...
Chisato: "No, I'll choose for myself."
Musashi: "Are you curious?"
"Of course not," she said without typing it in.
Chisato: "I would never wear something like this, so I want to choose for myself. That's all."
Musashi: "But..."
There was a pause before the rest of Musashi's words arrived.
Musashi: "That means you think this is important."
Chisato: "If you keep interpreting things the way you want, I'll tell Rizu-san."
Musashi: "D-don't do that, Chisato-kun! You always do this! You always rely on others instead of attacking me yourself! Doesn't it hurt your heart that Rizu-san has been getting careless while scolding me lately!? Oh, poor Rizu-san! Do you want to see me moaning in pain as he scolds me!? Do you!? You do, don't you? Well, if you insist, I'll get everything set up to record it and then head on over to Rizu-san's place! Don't you regret it when you see me going all out! Goodbye."
Chisato: "I have a feeling you would fit in at Border. Especially since you seem to know more about them after stalking your brother. And I'll tell Rizu-san to prepare a water-filled cell for you."
Musashi: "You're inciting me to rebel and then punishing me!? How convenient!"
There was a quick follow up.
Musashi: "And I am not stalking him! I am keeping tabs on him so I know when a good time to grab him and go is! Kidnapping your own brother shouldn't get me in trouble! I just need to make sure he isn't doing anything wrong! A good big brother does that after all! You and all your booby-justice wouldn't understand!"
"Enough of that," she said while looking out the southern window.
There were shadows on the ground. They were black vehicles and another colored car accompanying it from Border. They would arrived not two days and a Shiraishi car would bring them in.
Chisato: "How are things on the other side?"
Musashi: "Well! According to the scouts, they've sent out someone to monitor the situation! And a troublesome someone for us! If Ruri-kun reacts, we'll do something about it, so you do things your way there!"
Chisato: "Got it. In that case, I think I'll go with the red one."
She went with Musashi's suggestion. After all...
Chisato: "There's no point in dressing up.
For one thing, she had no one to dress up for.
...That's right.
She was unlike her sisters and she would find any way to go about this meeting. No one would expect it from her and that was the best option. Some had treated her nicely, but due to the issues with her body and personality, she needed up doubting their true motives.
"Not only am I the only one who doesn't have a chance at inheriting the business, but there's also that old failure of mine."
Once this job was over, she wanted to get something to distract her. She wanted to indulge in some entertainment.
But escaping from reality with those thoughts was not going to change who she was. With that in mind, she looked back to the chat log.
Musashi: "You really are a girl, aren't you?"
"What do you mean by that?" she said while looking out the window.
She did not matter. The third daughter of the Shiraishi family was their most different daughter and nothing more than that, so she needed to focus on Shiraishi's future path.
"We're about to start dealing with the troublesome antics of people who don't understand what is really going on."
Chisato stared out the window as she spoke.
"First of all, we need to sacrifice Border."