Chapter 20 - The Best That Comes with the Consequences

"To be honest, you're amazing. I don't think there's a single mother in the world who wouldn't be happy to have you as a member of the family."

Those were the words spoken to Shokuhou Misaki a few days ago. They made her incredibly happy, as if a weight had finally been lifted off her back. But what came next made her worry again.

"Touma-san, could you leave us alone? There's still something I want to ask Shokuhou-san."

The queen of Tokiwadai swallowed dryly when the two were finally alone again, that judgmental look returning. No. It didn't really seem to be a judgmental look anymore, at least not an external one.

"This is an incredible city, isn't it, Shokuhou-san?" said Shiina, sounding rhetorical, almost ironic. "A place full of opportunities... although that comes at a price. That's what I heard from a friend of mine, Misaka-san."

"Hmm?"

It didn't take her long to realize that the woman was probably referring to Shokuhou's rival's mother. She vaguely remembered seeing them together during the Daihasei festival.

The woman suddenly sounded so somber. Misaki watched in silence as she gracefully drank some of the tea that was left, then looked at the small leaves left in the cup.

"Are you superstitious?"

"No." Misaki's response was instantaneous, but she didn't feel satisfied answering that. "I mean, I shouldn't, considering where I live, but maybe... What are you getting at?"

"I sent my son to this city because of that," she explained, pausing with a sigh. "Superstitions. I've always wondered if my choice was right. I wonder to this day, in fact. So, Shokuhou-san, could you answer me a simple question? Don't worry about giving me peace of mind, just be honest."

Misaki just nodded; it was as if she couldn't speak, her lips seemed to be burning for some reason, her throat dry.

"You've lived here a long time, so knowing what you know, from your perspective, did I make a good decision?"

x-2-x

Misaki's own heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears, the drumming sound increasing with each throb of pain in her head. If she looked in the mirror, she wouldn't have noticed anything wrong, but it seemed as if her head had doubled in size. That was the feeling she had after that horrible experience. Veins pulsed at her temples, her complexion was pale and flushed with sweat. Her hair was a mess, tangled and disheveled, as if she had been running her hands through it in frustration.

"Misaki... hey, Misaki... damn it, Misaki..."

That distant voice kept calling her name, but it was as if her body was floating in an empty space, dark, cold, an absence of colors. The taste of bile rose in Shokuhou's throat as she fought to suppress the nausea brought on by the intense pain in her head. She had to force her tired eyes open. Slowly, her heavy eyelids moved, just enough for the light to bother her, as if tiny needles were piercing her retina.

"Thank God."

A moment of relief washed over her as she felt the boy's arms around her, holding her tightly. It was as if he didn't want to let go of her. Moments ago, she had been lying on the bed, but now, nestled in his embrace, she forced herself to sit up, allowing the warmth that came from him to grace her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"No."

It certainly wasn't what he wanted to hear, but she responded by reflex, feeling her stomach lurch. She almost threw up. The only thing that stopped her from emptying her stomach right then and there was the remote control she pressed to her temple. A simple command kept her calm enough too.

It wasn't as if that girl hadn't seen things that would leave permanent marks on someone her age, but this was different.

"We haven't finished yet," she said, her tone eerily calm for such an absurd situation.

"What? No way. That's enough. Way more than enough."

"Touma... I need to see the rest." She gestured with the remote control, but the boy held her wrist, gently but still firmly. He shook his head, which made her respond with a sigh. "I don't want to force it, but you have to let me get on with it."

"You've been out for three hours," he said gravely, snatching the remote control from her hands. "Three hours, Misaki. I didn't even know what I was supposed to do. Calling an ambulance must have crossed my mind about 10 times, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been much help."

It shocked her a little. She knew that some time must have passed, but not that much. Of course, it made sense. The mess she had found, however, made no sense at all. Humans have a limit to how much information they can store. One's mind wouldn't simply explode if that capacity was reached, a human being could store more than a century's worth of memories. But, even so, Shokuhou Misaki doubted that anyone could store memories from a millennium ago. Or even... a million years ago... or maybe before that? A cold sensation gripped her body as she thought about it.

"I'll prepare better this time," said Misaki. Somehow, the constant pain she was receiving made her remain calm and rational. Aided by her powers, of course. The truth was that she wanted to burst into tears, but it was too soon. "Just answer me, how much is there left?"

"It doesn't matter, it's enough."

"Kamijou Touma, for how long—"

"It doesn't matter."

"You're hurting me," she said, trying to get her wrist out of his grip.

Kamijou released her instantly. It was easy to see that the thought of her question had made him nervous to the point of tightening his grip. She didn't notice her pale skin reddening slightly, she just continued.

"You have to trust me."

"I already have. You know what happened. I expected a different reaction."

"I need to see the rest." Even now free, she didn't want to point the remote at him. She wouldn't do that without her boyfriend's consent. "Touma—"

"No."

"At least tell me how much more is there."

"How much did you see?"

"A few... months..." The girl had to take a deep breath. Something she wanted to keep hidden was leaking to the surface. "Actually, more than that. Too many fragments. Touma, I need to know, how long are we talking about?"

"I... I don't know."

"Touma—"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

That shout was accompanied by a frustrated punch to the bed mattress. Misaki didn't jump back, she didn't move away from him. Instead, she removed the glove from her other hand, then held his head between her two palms. Her forehead rested against his, and she felt his breathing calm down.

"Go on," she said, only in a delicate, almost inaudible whisper. "Just get it off your chest."

"I have nothing to say."

"Why? Have you talked to anyone about this?"

"How could I? The most I could do was talk about the dead end... the perfect ending... for everyone else."

"I need to see everything. No matter how much it is. If it's too much for me, then I just have to cheat. What do you say?"

A weak sigh escaped his lips, she felt his warm breath, so comforting. Misaki wondered if she had the same effect on him.

"Why are you so willing to hurt yourself? " asked Touma.

"You have to ask yourself that question, maybe you'll find the right response. But if you want a simpler answer, wouldn't it be because I love you?"

The boy's breathing became calm. He didn't say a word, but the girl saw him bite his lip for a split second, although she wouldn't be able to tell if it was frustration or something else. But he nodded in the end.

x-3-x

It was past noon now, and time was of the essence. Two certain girls were on their way back from Komoe-sensei's house after enjoying lunch.

"That girl's probably gone by now," said Othinus, from her position with her arms crossed on Index's shoulder. "I can't believe that foolish human let himself get carried away. Didn't he already have a super rare blonde right here?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Index, stepping into the elevator and pressing the floor button.

"Nothing."

It had been a single word, but there was so much disdain hidden there that it was palpable.

Two minutes later, Index reached into her pocket for the spare key Touma had given her for such occasions, but the goddess on her shoulder sighed in exasperation and stopped her.

"Better call the human, just to be sure."

"Eh? Okay." Index put the key away and continued, "Toumaaaaa! We've arrived."

There was no response.

That was strange, enough to make Othinus narrow her vision. A few things crossed her mind. If those two were enjoying each other's company in the way she thought, normally the boy would reflexively respond with an embarrassed "wait a minute" or something. That was what the goddess could expect from him, so as usual, when her expectations were betrayed, she could only sigh and consider the next step.

Suddenly, the door opened. An expressionless and silent Kamijou Touma emerged.

"Othinus, Index... would it be too much to ask for a little more time?"

"Is there a problem, human?" The goddess held back a little at that question. For a moment, the chance of something going wrong between those two crossed her mind, which made her slightly happy. "Number 5 is gone and needs some time alone to process something or—"

"On the contrary."

The interruption didn't come from the boy through the ajar door. The female voice, mildly irritated, sounded loud and decisive. Shokuhou Misaki put her head on Touma's shoulder and whispered something to him. The boy's head shook from side to side, symbolizing a negative response.

"Leave us alone, Touma," this time Misaki spoke aloud.

"Misaki, I need you to calm down first."

Instead of paying attention to her boyfriend, she glanced in Index's direction. Misaki's hand reached for her golden purse, from which she pulled out a bill and slid it towards the girl.

"Here, Index. How about you and my boyfriend going for a walk together? This is a good time, considering my plans. Buy some cotton candy or a cake, I don't mind, as long as it's far from here."

"Wow! Touma—"

"You'll have to go alone, Index," replied Touma, looking at Misaki.

"No, you go with her."

Othinus tilted her head at that moment, an almost grimace forming on her face. When number 5 had told her to leave them alone, she hadn't planned on spending any more time with her boyfriend. The goddess was her target.

This raised a question, one that Othinus only had to think about for a moment to come up with the answer.

"I don't know what to think about that, human," said Othinus to Touma. She sounded disappointed. "But let's get this over with. Take the grimoire library with you."

"Wait, are you sure—"

"Go."

x-4-x

Shokuhou Misaki began by taking a deep breath. After Touma gave his consent for her to delve deeper, she wasted no time. If a soul had a physical form, it wouldn't be too far from the truth to say that hers was full of scars, now not only increased in numbers but in severity as well. She felt like she was going to explode at any moment.

But even though she felt that way, after she saw the truth, the whole truth, she spent the time afterwards trying to comfort the boy. But it wasn't enough.

"If you're going to do something, make it quick," said Othinus, sitting on the edge of a kitchen worktop. Her small form had her arms and legs crossed, and her tone bore no trace of intimidation or anything of the sort.

"Then you already know what it's about."

"I'm not sure, but I assume the human didn't do it of his own free will."

Misaki smiled at that, there was no holding back. That seemed to irritate Othinus greatly, so much so that she snorted, her face turning incredulous for just an instant, so brief that anyone would have failed to notice.

"Don't mistake this for a victory, human girl. Even if you've managed to see it through to the end, which I doubt. You don't strike me as someone with the stomach for it, but if you have, know that you were left behind long ago."

"Keep telling yourself that; maybe it'll make you feel better."

"I don't need to. Unlike you, human girl, I'm a goddess. I didn't have to cheat my way to where I am."

"Cheat? Really?"

Misaki's head shook from side to side. She was keeping herself composed, but as she had mentioned, she felt like she was about to explode at any moment.

And explode she did.

"I really thought I could do it, you know?" began Misaki, a tear nearly springing from the corner of her eye. "That I could just listen more from your side and maybe forgive you like he did. But now I understand how stupid I am."

"Are you going to get to the point?"

"So that's what's been going on between you all this time? I thought there was some special story behind it, but why did it have to be something like that? And after all this time, this is how you act? Do you have any idea how much this bothers me? Did you even bother to apologize to him? A simple 'I'm sorry for treating you like a piece of garbage for eternity' would have sufficed, but looking at you now I doubt you'd even be able to do that. How could you? Someone with no sense of scale ability is way above that. It was expected. How stupid of me to think that I could come to an understanding with you, the person who takes one of the kindest people in the planet and throws him into a world where he is absolute evil. Points of view? All that nonsense is lost when it's a single person who decides what's right and wrong. Why the hell did he have to go through all this?! Just him. Just the person who deserved it the least. Just the person who has to deal with a damn misfortune every single day because the universe hates him, or god hates him, and then another god comes and plays with him for eternity and all that for what? Couldn't you have stopped halfway and gone to find a friend or whatever somewhere else? But no, you had to go there and put him through hell because you were sad and felt lost or whatever. But guess what, Goddess, you're not the only one who feels that way. But you're the only one who played with life and death and put a bunch of fake smiles on a fake world just to break one person. Do you want to know what's worse? That idiot spent the last hour trying to convince me that everything was fine, that I couldn't possibly know the whole story once I'd pieced it together, and that if we talked, I'd be able to understand. Damn idiot boyfriend. I feel like my brain is going to explode at any moment. I've spent so much time watching that hell, again, again, again... and again, that I'm not even sure I'll be able to live a normal life after this. If merely watching it has fundamentally changed me, what the hell happened to him anyway? Have you ever stopped to think about it for a single second? Have you ever stopped to think? Huh? Great Magic Goddess? Or do you just stand there sighing, in your arrogant pose, as if you didn't need to. Because guess what, he's actually not well at all. If his soul had a physical form, it would surely be broken. Congratulations. You've done it. Let me clap for you here, goddess. You must be very pleased to know that you got exactly what you wanted after all this time. My opinion must be worth as much to you as a random stone on the sidewalk, but know that I don't care what that kind idiot says, I don't forgive you, I never will, and I'm not obliged to just sit back and watch you monopolize his company either. What? Did you think that karma ability wouldn't finally get around to hitting you in your arrogant face? Guess what, your real punishment has finally arrived!"

After shouting that last sentence, she took a deep breath and lunged toward Othinus, holding her tightly between her fingers. It took all her willpower not to increase her grip until she heard something break. There was no telling how fragile that doll-sized girl's body was, but Misaki felt in that instant that she would crack it like an egg if she tried hard enough. Perhaps she should use her remote control to temporarily give herself superhuman strength by removing the limits of her muscles. She really thought about it, even if only for a moment.

"You're talking too big for someone with so many sins," said Othinus, remaining calm, even though her face showed signs of lack of blood circulation due to the firm grip. "You're wrong if you think I'm not being punished, human girl. Because I am, every day."

"And you think I didn't go through it too?" Misaki didn't even let her finish properly, her voice full of pain. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be forgotten? By the one you love on top of that? To have to watch while everyone around you can have the life they want with him, while you continue to live in another world? One that he can't be a part of?"

Othinus remained still for a moment. This was the first time she had looked away in contemplation.

"In a way, yes," the goddess finally replied. "Maybe in the end, we're not so different."

"But we are. In fact, we're very different. If you stop to think for a few more minutes, you'll realize where my path ends and yours begins. I surrounded myself with friends after all that. I didn't have everything, but I was able to say that it was enough. Could you say the same about you?"

"You're just projecting, #5." Othinus crossed her arms, an indication that her grip was no longer so firm. "You know, this wasn't meant to be. You should never be in the position you are now. This is nothing more than an anomaly... a miracle perhaps. Whether it's someone tinkering with the density of the phases, or some gods smiling at you somewhere... the truth is that you should have remained forgotten."

"Well... you're a goddess, so I won't try to dispute whatever it is you're trying to say. But I can at least say with absolute certainty ability that something isn't always impossible just because someone says it is. Intelligent people used to say in the past that bees shouldn't be able to fly, but here they are, challenging what those people who thought they were authorities on the subject said. Sometimes the world is strange, or maybe, for those with a strong mind, the impossible is just a matter of opinion."

Misaki finally let go of the little goddess and put her back on the counter top, where she sat down as if nothing had happened. The way she acted bothered her so much.

"Don't think it's over," said Misaki. "As I said, I've come to deliver your punishment ability. You're not just going to stand there next to him until the end of your lives. You'll now have to watch as another girl stands next to him, in a position you'll never be able to be in. Maybe after a few years, you'll be able to understand that his forgiveness is no big deal. He'd forgive anyone after all."

"Better watch what you say."

"Don't get me wrong. That's not a criticism of him, in fact it's part of his charm. But this is my way of showing you that you're not so special."

"Keep thinking like that, you'll feel better."

"You know, I'm sure that if there is a hell, there's a special place for you there, Othinus. But it makes no difference if you're a goddess and live forever. So I should start creating a little hell right here. I just need to convince him of something first."

The girl didn't bother listening to what Othinus had to say after that. All she wanted to say for the time being had already been said. Focusing on what mattered most was now her priority. All this talk of punishment and hell was nothing more than an allegory she used to distract herself momentarily, to clear her head. Time to put all that behind her.

x-5-x

Misaki was in a park now, but this was no ordinary park. This was one of the places she had frequented with that boy that summer. This was the place where Kamijou Touma had given her that cheap silver whistle, the one she had become attached to and made her most precious treasure. Was it a coincidence, or had that boy chosen that park on purpose at that moment?

"That's it?" asked Touma, biting into a cotton candy. He put a hand in his pocket, walking at the same pace as Misaki. "I confess I was afraid that you'd... well, you know."

"It's better this way."

Her mind was a mess before, so it made sense that the boy thought she would go too far. But the truth was that she just wanted to vent a little, she knew that if she kept it all to herself, one day she would explode in a much worse way. It was a pity that boy didn't realize that he needed to do the same.

With a decisive step towards him, the girl slipped her arm around his shoulder. Dissatisfied, she stopped walking, realizing that this alone was not enough. She pulled him into a tight hug, holding the back of his neck and guiding his head to rest on her shoulder.

"Misaki?" Touma sounded briefly confused.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, the warm summer breeze failing to change the bitter expression on her face.

"For what?"

"For not doing this earlier."

She stepped back slightly, allowing them to walk again, but she kept a hand on his shoulder, now resting her head against his.

"I realize now that my focus was in the wrong place," Misaki continued, her voice as calm as possible. "I need to make up for that."

"I don't know what you mean."

Misaki was referring to the fact that she hadn't thought of a way to comfort him after initially seeing all that. When she woke up after that horrible experience, she felt something bubble up inside her. She let that slow-burning anger get out of control, her mind focused on knowing everything else, knowing the extent of the suffering the person she loved was forced to go through.

It had been a mistake, she knew all too well.

Knowing everything didn't change what she had to do. Neither did thinking about stupid punishments.

But it was time to get back on track. Although to do that, she had to be a little bitter once again.

"Touma, I need to tell you something. It's about the conversation I had with your mother."

"Hmm?" His curious gaze rested on her for just an instant. "Isn't it better to keep that secret?"

Misaki shook her head, taking a deep breath as if to gather her courage.

"She told me a bit about why she sent you to this city." The girl stopped talking when she noticed Touma suddenly stiffen. The two of them sat down on a bench in the nearby square. "And... she asked me if the decision she made was the right one."

The uncomfortable way Touma moved signaled that he didn't want to hear the answer.

"Just to make something clear," said Misaki, "her question had nothing to do with what I think of her point of view at the time. A mother trying to protect her child from stupid superstitious people, not knowing the future, it's obvious that her decision was the best one. What she wanted to know were the results."

A curse was uttered silently at that moment, only in the girl's mind. She didn't appreciate Touma's reaction to all of this. Nevertheless, she pressed on. His mother's question had rattled her as well. At first, she thought about offering a supportive response, something like, "If he hadn't come to this town, we would never have met, so the outcome has been positive." However, she found herself unable to do so.

With a determined look, she left something that she should talk about more often.

"Touma... I hate this city."

The words came out dark, filled with pain. She might not have noticed her lips trembling slightly. The intensity was so profound that it caused the rigid expression on the boy's face to shift into one Misaki couldn't quite define. He seemed uncertain.

"I know what you're thinking of saying," she continued, as soon as the boy opened his mouth to say something. "Don't get me wrong. I've made a lot of friends here. Hokaze, Kobayashi, Mitori... Dolly." The last she spoke in an exceptionally different way. "But that doesn't change my opinion of this place one bit."

Sometimes, results and parameters are cold, hard to swallow, but they represent the truth nonetheless. It was this kind of unyielding honesty that the boy's mother sought when she asked for an opinion. She wasn't looking for a friend to reassure her that it's okay if her pants were ruined after too much washing, as faded and torn clothes are fashionable after all. No, she wanted the unvarnished truth.

"I think that if you had never come here, your life would be much better."

"I doubt it," Touma replied reflexively. He raised his right hand. "Misfortune follows me no matter where I go. It wouldn't make any difference, believe me."

"That's exactly my point," she continued calmly, wrapping that right hand with both of hers."If misfortune would follow you no matter where you are, how does being forced to stay away from the only two people who really loved you, serving as a guinea pig for a bunch of greedy adults, and being ostracized for being a mere level 0 for so long seem like the best option?"

"That made me feel safe in a way..."

"Don't get me wrong. Your parents made the right decision, and I'd do the same if I were them. That's not the point. The point is that a blessing in disguise is still a curse. I already thought things were bad, but after today... my god, Touma..."

She felt like she should hug him one more time, but instead, she just tenderly held his hand and then guided it to her cheek, where it rested cutely. It made him smile. She knew it would have that effect.

"I want to get out of here," she said, her voice a little dry, although she had tried hard not to make it so. "Your mother asked me to be honest with her, and now I'm being honest with you. She told me it would be good if I convinced you to do the same."

"Leave?" His voice rose a little, more in surprise than anything else. "Leave Academy City?" He wanted to be sure of what he had heard.

"Yes. It doesn't have to be permanent just yet. I mean... summer vacation is just around the corner. Don't you think it would be nice to spend some time with your parents?"

"Hmm... my mom said something like that to me."

"So you've made a decision?"

Touma still looked rather undecided, but Misaki smiled at him in a comfortable way, which seemed to erase all doubts.

"Maybe it's not so bad," he said, flashing a small smile. "You're coming with me, right?"

"Of course. I need to meet my future father-in-law, hehe."

"You're incorrigible."

After this last exchange, the two of them took the opportunity to buy some more treats to eat. Misaki opted for a large bag of popcorn, which was warm and melted in her mouth with its soft buttery taste. She stopped tasting for a moment when she looked at Touma's free hand right next to her.

"This is my chance ability, hehe." Misaki held his hand, intertwining their fingers as they walked around, as couples used to do.

Touma found her excitement amusing.

"Wow, we're holding hands," he said in a slightly ironic voice. "Not that we haven't done something similar before. But look at those intertwined fingers. Damn, that's lewd. Shouldn't we use some protection? You're going to end up pregnant."

"Who are you? Kobayashi-san?"

They both laughed at her comment. The Number 3 in the clique must have been sneezing somewhere. Luckily, Misaki had explained a few things to that girl after a certain event in the past, she probably wasn't so innocent anymore.

"Ah, damn... damn."

Unfortunately for the queen, uninvited guests got in the way. Attracted by the defenseless food in her hand, a troupe of pigeons attacked the poor girl, who broke free from Touma to try and defend herself.

The boy prepared to act, but to his surprise, Misaki grabbed the handle of her branded golden handbag and began swinging it fluidly towards the hungry attackers. It was a brief scuffle, and the girl emerged victorious, albeit with a few feathers stuck in her long golden hair, fluttering in the wind.

"Take that, you bunch of rats with wings!" she shouted, punching the air in celebration. "And don't come back!"

When the girl turned to look at Touma, she saw a special look in her direction. It made her feel something different, something she had never felt before.

"They grow up so fast," said Touma. She was sure she saw a tear form in the corner of his eye. "Seriously, you even look older than me sometimes. It doesn't make sense, it's not even two years since that day."

"Um... you went past the fact that I protected myself with all the ability in the world and went straight to looking at my breasts again, what a disappointment." She protected the area mentioned by making a cross with her arms in front of her body. "Is that all I get? Be a little prouder, damn it."

"All right, all right. How about a reward then?"

Having a superhuman boyfriend was a bit strange. She didn't even notice when the boy closed the distance between them; in the next instant, he had already leaned in and stolen a quick kiss from her. Misaki bit her lip when she felt him pull away, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and forcing another kiss. This time, she took her time.

"Okay, does that serve as an apology and reward for being a big girl now?"

The girl licked her lips, then placed her index finger on his as if to play. Her answer seemed negative if judged by the movement of that finger alone, but the real answer was right there, on her lips.

She wouldn't forget all that hell... but... she would smile anyway.

Author's note: This was a tricky chapter to write.

Hey, dear readers. Sorry for the delay, but here we are. I used this chapter to give a bit of closure to all the foreshadowing that Misaki would find out what happened to Kamijou.

The scene in which she lets it all out was somewhat inspired by a similar scene in the webnovel, and of course also that other scene that needs no comment. Originally, it was a bit longer and Misaki was being a bit more aggressive. However, when I revised it, I decided to shorten it and change the tone a bit. The reason for this is that I don't want it to sound like a "character bashing", I'm not a fan of that, so I avoided it as much as possible. Did you find the reaction appropriate and in character?

I lightened the mood a bit at the end, which I always do in chapters that have a lot of drama, since my goal is to keep this story on a light tone.

Let me respond to your reviews:

Draco Mercer: I completely agree. She'll help him with that soon.

Markoz89: Thank you very much. Good question, maybe something to do with dragons, or maybe even an empty world. That's a good description. I played with it in that chapter inside Kamijou's mind, where they're in a luxurious place in the middle of the forest.

5queso: I'm glad I managed to write enough with the limitations to please you. I could go further, but I'm sure I wouldn't be able to write something like this decently. She saw practically everything here, but it was full of fragments. Kamijou says in the novels that he can remember everything, but he has rearranged some memories so that they look like a "straight line" (I don't know if that's the term). Basically, Misaki hurt herself a lot doing this maneuver. Thank you.

Amad0: Well, that's the result when someone not so athletic faces someone with infinite endurance. Lol. Misaki cheated with her powers, but she had to pay the price. You're getting all the references, you have no idea how happy that makes me. Just wait, the next chapter will be called "One More Day". Just kidding xD. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Kuroshiragami0: I hope you enjoyed it.

Nicko2545: Things are never easy between these two, are they? Misaki thought it was totally worth it, lol. Thanks.

Cainabel201X: Thank you very much, it means a lot. By next arcs do you mean the current ones? Complicated, especially with what happened to Kamijou recently. For now, this story will remain a canonical detour.

Until next Time!

We'll have a family reunion soon. Stay tuned. That's all for now. Moon leaving.