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Chako can’t be found.
Chako can’t be found anywhere.
The desks in the classroom decreased by one after summer break.
The girl with long black hair, who should be sitting in the seat before mine, disappeared.
What our homeroom teacher told us during the HR period after summer break, was that Chako quitted school due to family circumstances.
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Family circumstances when Chako doesn’t have parents?
Impossible.
I ran around searching for Chako.
I tried to get more information from the homeroom teacher and even personally asked Tomotaka-senpai, whom I’m not close to.
However, the homeroom teacher said it was a private issue and wouldn’t tell me. On the other hand, Tomotaka-senpai only gave a troubled smile as though he didn’t know what to say.
It was the first time Chako did a thing like quitting school so I didn’t know what to do.
Numerous times, I visited Chako’s house and the shops we went to together but I didn’t find the girl with long black hair.
“What should I do… Chako can’t be found.”
After class, I sit down with Yuusei-kun in the usual Occult Research Club and discuss.
For the most part, we’re currently pursuing Chako’s whereabouts.
“My bad, Naba. I tried investigating the Kamo family too but… the Kamo family’s defense is tough after all, I’m not too sure.”
“Un… I see.”
“A young girl with long black hair… I’m keeping a look-out but no one has seen anyone fitting that description so far.”
Chako vanished all of a sudden.
Even though I finally found a way to save her and got stronger, I can’t do anything at this rate.
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Sensing the stalemate, I heave a sigh.
Looking at such a me, Yuusei-kun continues speaking after some consideration.
“I can ask Kamo personally but… if he didn’t answer when you asked him, he’ll certainly not answer if I ask.”
“Are you on bad terms?”
“Ah, rather than being on bad terms, I guess it’s like we don’t attempt to be on good terms…”
Yuusei-kun says evasively.
I nod: “I see.”
Tomotaka-senpai has a complex about Yuusei-kun.
I really can’t imagine the two of them being on good terms.
“Does Kamo-senpai avoid you, Yuusei-kun?”
“Ah, nah, he doesn’t. He conducts himself normally around me… It’s just that, I hate Kamo.”
Yuusei-kun’s eyes are filled to the brim with irritation.
My eyes widen at his words.
I had the impression Tomotaka-senpai wouldn’t even think of being on good terms with Yuusei-kun because he’s being compared to him. However, it didn’t cross my mind that Yuusei-kun hates Tomotaka-senpai.
“I’m surprised that you hate someone, Yuusei-kun…”
Yuusei-kun has confidence in himself and an unquestionable capability.
Perhaps it’s the ease of someone who stands above others; he behaves as though he completely disregards other people. Yet…
『Kamo’s an enemy!』floats up distinctly in Yuusei-kun’s eyes.
“Kamo, that guy… is popular.”
“Eh?”
Shock crosses my eyes at the abrupt words.
Yuusei-kun merely glances at the shocked me, before continuing with a resentful expression.
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“… When I was 4. There was a girl called Rika-chan who was of the same age and trained together with me.”
“? Okay.”
Tilting my head at the reminiscencing that began all of a sudden, I nod.
Yuusei-kun has a faraway look, like he’s recalling something.
“She was a little clumsy, you see. Because I’m good at everything, I thought at that time: “What’s with this moron?””
“… Right, that’s mean.”
“Yeah. Even then, on Valentine’s, she gave me chocolates.”
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What a good girl.
Surely, she was intensely threshed by Yuusei-kun just like I am now. On top of that, she gave him chocolates despite being thought of as a moron.
“Being the first time I got them from someone other than my mum, I was excited. Once I think that this brat likes me, even though she’s a moron, I come to find her kind of cute.”
“… I see you’ve been condescending since you were a child.”
It appears that Yuusei-kun had the ease of someone who stands above others when he was 4 years old too.
He sounded so arrogant even though Rika-chan should have been of the same age as him.
Yuusei-kun gives a small sigh when I glare at him with narrowed eyes.
“Deciding to cherish Rika-chan, I searched for her. I wanted to answer her feelings… At that time, there were many people gathered in that meeting of onmyoujis or whatever. Rika-chan, whom I finally found within the crowd, was giving Kamo a chocolate.――One of those small parcel types.”
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Perhaps recalling what happened back then, his eyebrows furrow tightly.
Having an idea of the following event, my eyebrows furrow too.
It’s as though I can see the pitiful, young Yuusei-kun before me.
“Mine was palm-sized. Kamo was a small parcel-sized.――That’s the difference between obligation and true feelings[1].”
Although it was a heart-throbbing and pure first love that even she didn’t know whether it could be considered such, it was probably a cruel scene for the overjoyed young Yuusei-kun.
Yuusei-kun raises the corner of his mouth and speaks self-derisively.
“Rika-chan’s face was red to a never-before-seen degree as she spoke to Kamo with all she had. She wasn’t like that with me so I understood immediately. That she liked Kamo… My first love died the moment after I became aware of it.――It was Kamo’s fault.”
“… That’s, unjustified resentment…”
I softly mutter to Yuusei-kun who has irritation dwelling in his eyes.
However, Yuusei-kun progresses on as though to say that he didn’t hear my words.
“This repeated every year after that. Yuuko-chan, Rei-chan, Yui-chan, Elise. Kamo gets true feelings. I get obligation.”
“… Every year?”
“Yeah. There were other matters too. On top of these, Kamo that guy started dating in middle school. One after another. Ahh, so irritating.”
“Eh? Was Kamo-senpai like that?”
I was surprised by the unexpected content of Yuusei-kun’s words.
There’s no signs of women around the current Tomotaka-senpai.
It was the same in all iterations so even though they say men are like that, I thought he was a chaste person.
“Yeah. Though it didn’t seem the same after he entered high school. Isn’t that irritating? Ending his womanizing in middle school, how popular was he, dammit. Stop messing around!”
Yuusei-kun’s eyes turn increasingly sharp.
“Besides, he gets the senpai buff because he’s a year above. It’d have been great if I were older than him. Both Rika-chan and Yuuko-chan went『Yuu-kun seems childish in comparison to Tomo-kun.』, can you believe it? Ah, shit!”
Perhaps recalling what happened back then, Yuusei-kun musses up his hair.
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“Snatching all the people around me――Get lost, ikemen. Explode, riajuu.”
Keh, he spits out strange terms.
Not understanding those terms, I tilt my head in confusion.
“Riajuu?”
“Yeah. Being the Student Council president, making a cute girl his familiar, being gushed at by his juniors… Isn’t his life fulfilling? What it means is that people like that should explode and die.”
“… Did you say that to Kamo-senpai?”
Don’t tell me, he actually told him?
When I look at Yuusei-kun apprehensively, he snorts.
“I say that to him. Whenever we meet.”
“… Yuusei-kun.”
“That’s why, I think he won’t answer even if I ask… My bad.”
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When I look at Yuusei-kun with narrowed eyes, his gaze makes a quick escape.
I sigh at the sight of that.
“Okay, I got it. Thanks.”
It looks like there’s quite a bit between Yuusei-kun and Tomotaka-senpai too.
In the first place, I only requested Yuusei-kun to searched for Chako so nothing can be done about him being on bad terms with Tomotaka-senpai.
“Anyhow, we haven’t found Tomonaga but there must be a way. Don’t give up and continue to think, alright.”
“Yes.”
Yuusei-kun hasn’t given up.
That’s right. I haven’t given up either.
“Hey, isn’t Yuusei-kun an ikemen too?”
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Unintentionally, I let spill what I’d been thinking.
Yuusei-kun’s long and narrow eyes look cool and so does his straight nose and smirking mouth.
Although he gives a slightly cold impression maybe due to his glasses or expression, I believe he still counts as an ikemen…
Yuusei-kun nods: “I know,” at my question.
“Yeah… that’s right. The makings of my face isn’t bad. But my personality isn’t likable. Women like handsome, gentle and princely guys after all.”
Tch, he clicks his tongue as though recalling Tomotaka-senpai.
“Kamo’s the Student Council president. Everyone likes him, right? He’s good at grasping people’s hearts. Unlike me.”
He then looks straight to the front.
“I’m strong after all. Phantoms don’t meet my gaze and onmyoujis treat me like a separate existence somehow. Well, it’s because I’m strong. It can’t be helped.”
I see.
Yuusei-kun wasn’t just talking about being popular with girls or not.
‘Different from me, you’re a genius’ others draw a line between them.
He might’ve felt a little lonely even though he accepts that.
“I’m the same as Yuusei-kun.”
“… Yeah.”
“We’re cheats, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
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Yuusei-kun laughs out loud too when I chuckle.
“Also, you know, Chako has high communication skills. She’ll definitely get along well with you.”
“Oh, I wonder.”
“Kousuke-kun’s a phantom too but he’ll be friends with you regardless of your onmyouji identity.”
“Oh.”
Yuusei-kun frowns with a complicated look.
You don’t have to make a face like that.
You will definitely be friends.
“Let’s do lots of fun things after we save Chako, okay?”
“… Yeah.”
Yuusei-kun smiles a little at my words.
It’s a small smile but, different from The Peerless Onmyouji’s, it’s a gentle one.
“Alright! Let’s ponder about the new body while searching for Tomonaga. Heard that?”
“Yes!”
The sun had fallen outside the window and the sky’s dyed in violet.
Yuusei-kun and I continue to discuss in the clubroom after class, searching for new possibilities.
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[1] Giri choco/Obligation Chocolates are usually given to male friends, classmates, co-workers etc. basically guys you don’t have romantic feelings for. Honmei choco/Chocolates of True Feelings are the opposite. It kind of works as a confession if given to someone you’re not already together with.