Vol 9 Chapter 3 (2/2)

Softly cutting into my words, she showed another smile through tears.

“I noticed it at the splash. I was watching you. Because I love you, my eyes always chased you. Therefore I can tell, at whom you were looking… I knew long before… yet… I…”

Biting on her well-formed lips, Hijiri cast her eyes down.

“Sorry, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun. I would like you to keep up with my selfishness for a little bit longer…”

A modest request leaked from her trembling lips. Before I could answer it, there was an announcement in the train. We had to get off at the next station. Having lost my timing, I closed my opened mouth, whereas Luna rubbed her eyes and said, as she woke up from the announcement just now.

“…Excuse me for falling asleep. Where are we right now?”

“We’re just getting to our station. So it’s better you stay awake.”

“Yes…”

Even while replying to me with a nod, Luna still looked sleepy and was kind of absent-minded, but she seemed to have completely woke up when it was time to get off the train. Also, Hijiri showed nothing of her earlier expression and continued to chit-chat with Luna happily.

At that time, Luna’s cell phone suddenly rang from her pocket.

Upon that, Luna pulled out the cell phone with widened eyes, mumbled “It is from the Manager” and doubtfully answered the call after excusing herself from us.

Judging by the word Manager, the call must be from that pervert.

“…h.e.l.lo, Luna here… Eh? Is that so? Yes… I am at the station right now… Ehm, please wait a moment.”

Temporarily removing the cell phone from her ear, Luna looked at Hijiri and me.

“What’s the matter?”

“Well, it was a call from my part-time job. Two people who are supposed to have a s.h.i.+ft today are absent with a cold. And if possible, she wants me to fill in now…”

“Then I guess you better go, Luna-san.”

Hijiri gently declared to Luna, who was checking our reaction.

“We have no more plans and even if we hang out some more, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, since you’re worried about the job, right? Let’s end today’s date here.”

“…You are right. I understand. Thank you.”

Replying to Hijiri with a smile, Luna pressed the cell phone against her ear again and after ending the call,

“Then I will head to the restaurant now. s.h.i.+n.o.bu-san, Hijiri-san, let’s go on a date again.”

Luna headed for her part-time job by leaving these words behind. On the other hand, Hijiri waved her hand small while seeing her off.

“….Another date, huh.”

Leaking a faint whisper, she smiled somewhat sad.

Afterwards, Hijiri quietly bid me farewell, turned her back to me and walked away.

But for some reason, her back appeared cruelly small and until that appearance completely vanished from my vision, I remained standing there…

—I would like you to keep up with my selfishness for a little bit longer.

I couldn’t get Hijiri’s words out of my head. The whisper hinted at an ending. I believed that Hijiri already noticed my feelings.

Almost a week past since that date.

In that time, weird rumours spread at school like always, but I approached Hijiri normally and in the short time between periods at least, I continued to face my emotions to reply to her feelings.

However, I probably should put an end to it at this point. Keeping this up any longer might just hurt Hijiri instead.

Sunday evening. Hijiri was in the living room of our house. Apparently Elni was going to show off the magic tricks she learned lately, so she invited Hijiri over.

By the way, Luna was at her part-time job and Machina announced her abstention by saying “I don’t to become the guinea pig for Elni’s magic tricks anymore” with a weary expression. In addition, Kaorun seemed to have other plans and the Elni in question was preparing in her room with Nazuna and her friend Miichan, so right now I was alone with Hijiri in the living room.

Amidst that, Hijiri sat on the sofa together with me and tilted her head while pressing her index finger against her cheek.

“Still, why did Elni start to learn magic tricks?”

“Ah, apparently she did it, so she can teach Nazuna.”

…I’ll put off telling her my feelings until after the magic trick show.

It might be better to bring it up when I escort her home.

While thinking so at heart, I answered her question.

“Nazuna’s friend is going to run for the student council and Nazuna was entrusted with the election campaign, where she’ll to use the magic tricks.”

“Magic tricks for an election campaign? What can I say… Th- That’s unique.”

“Why don’t you speak out what you thought: It’s weird.”

“B- But, it does have impact. You know, most people won’t know about the candidate, so it’s important to make an impression. Besides, Nazuna-chan is cute. I would give her my vote.”

“No, it’s not like Nazuna herself is running for the election. She’s just a supporter. I just hope she won’t make a bad impression and trouble her friend…”

Even while I said that, I wasn’t actually worried that much. Nazuna was fundamentally liked, no matter how she screwed up. If needed, her friend could stop her too, so it should be fine.

When such thoughts crossed my mind,

“Speaking of the student council elections, our own are about to start too.”

Hijiri suddenly said so, then raised a matter with “Actually,”.

“I’m invited into the student council election too.”

“Invited… for a support speech?”

If that was the case, I got the feeling that she better pa.s.s on it.

I predicted that when a beauty like Hijiri stood on the stage, no amount of support could prevent the actual candidate from going under instead, unless having a charm on Machina’s level.

I showed a wry smile upon imagining it, whereupon Hijiri shook her head a bit and replied.

“s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun, not for a support speech, but as a candidate. Sorry, I was a bit imprecise. The other day, the current student president asked me to become the successor.”

“…You’re amazing as always.”

Well, Hijiri was popular and respected at school and even had a strong sense of responsibility. I believe she could become the ideal student president.

“But what are you going to do about it? Will you run for it?”

“…I turned it down once. There’s the matter with my job and even club activities. I don’t know if I’ll get elected, but if I do become the student president, I’ll have less time to be with you. That’s why I turned it down. But the student president still hasn’t given up and keeps pa.s.sionately asking me, so I’m a bit lost.”

Less time to be with me.

A small pain ran through my chest upon hearing these words.

Things might get somewhat awkward and it might even be hard to stay as friends like before when I speak out my answer.

If my time with Hijiri decreased like this… it would be tough after all.

I reached out my hand for Hijiri with these feelings.

“…Student president or not, I’ll always help you out, no matter what happens.”

“Yeah, thanks, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun.”

When I petted her head with the sentiment of wanting to stay as friends, Hijiri smiled somewhat sadly and leaned her cheek against my shoulder, albeit a bit hesitant.

“…It certainly does feel good. You’re the only one who pets my head like this outside my family, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun. If possible, I would like to stay like this forever…”

Even while softly narrowing her eyes, the sadness didn’t vanish from her expression.

When I continued to pet her head nevertheless, there was a knock on the door of the living room to change the atmosphere here and a girl with a warm-hearted aura showed up by saying “Excuse me”.

She was Nazuna’s best friend, Miichan aka Sakurai Mizuki-chan.

That she, who helped Elni prepare, came here might mean that they finished their preparation. But Elni and Nazuna weren’t with her though. While I tilted my head perplexed, Miichan got teary eyes for some reason as soon as she noticed us.

“A junior should have it’s own charming point…”

Convincing herself like that and tightly clenching her fist, she approached me and quietly sat down besides me, then she leaned her cheeks against my shoulder like Hijiri, albeit hesitant.

“Ehm, Miichan? What’s up?”

While tilting my head once more, I tried petting her head with my free hand for now, but for some reason Miichan dropped her shoulders dejected.

“Uhh… The patting is completely different. Just like between an adult and a child. Would I have gotten a different petting if I were tall as Hijiri-san and had big b.r.e.a.s.t.s like Luna-san?”

Leaking bitter words, Miichan looked envious at Hijiri.

By the way, Hijiri and Miichan met once before.

It was before the sports festival, when I went out together with Hijiri and Minami after they made me cross-dress. There I ran into Miichan and her friend Tamaki. And apparently Miichan held a strong admiration for Hijiri, but also a quite thin rivalry.

“I also want to become a cool and dignified grown-up woman like Hijiri-san.”

There she showed a warm-hearted expression, miles away from dignity. Still continuing to pet her head, I opened my mouth softly.

“That aside, Miichan, did you guys finish the preparations for the magic show? Where are Elni and Nazuna?”

“Ah, yes. All arrangements are done… I think, but it seems Elni-san isn’t mentally prepared yet. She was reading a book about magic tricks together with Nazuna and told me to go ahead. But I believe the two of them will come down soon.”

“…Can I get my hopes up?”

“O- Of course!”

Contrary to her rea.s.suring tone, Miichan averted her eyes for some reason. Seeing her reaction, I shrugged my shoulders lightly, whereas Hijiri showed a bittersweet smile while s.h.i.+fting her gaze towards Miichan.

“Mizuki-chan, Elni asked me with ‘I’ll show you some magic tricks, so tell me your opinion about them’, but is that for Nazuna-chan’s support speech? Does Nazuna-chan really plan to show magic tricks at the support speech when we give our thoughts on it?”

“It is a really fantastic idea, isn’t it! Elni-san is amazing. Arisugawa-san, the candidate who asked Nazuna-chan for the support speech, raised a happy scream too with ‘I‘m speechless!’ after hearing about the magic tricks.”

“W- Was that really a happy scream?”

Changing her bittersweet smile into a wry one, Hijiri asked reserved, whereupon Miichan replied with a nod.

“Arisugawa-san said ‘Nothing less from my rival! I did not think of that! Now the seat of the student president is practically mine! Oh~hoho!’ with her usual loud laugher. She was really happy.”

…That girl was a bit stupid too.

When a somewhat rude thought like that crossed my mind, I suddenly remembered.

If I was right, Arisugawa-san’s first name was Chihaya and she was the girl, who picked a quarrel with Nazuna at the sea side school. Reminded me, Nazuna was quarrelling with Chihaya-san at the department store during summer vacation, but unknown to me they got closer and became good friends?

While I tilted my head yet again, this time Elni and Nazuna showed up in the living room, as their preparations were finally done. Nazuna looked kind of worried and in regards, Elni greatly puffed up her chest with confidence.

“Thanks for the wait! The G.o.ddess is here! The other day a fortune teller comforted me with ‘It’s just a simple fortune telling, so don’t worry about it’! Therefore I’m not worrying about it at all!”

“You are so wild, Elni-san!”

“So cool, Elni-chan!”

Miichan replied with loud applause to Elni. Nazuna showed a smile. In contrast to them, Hijiri intensified her wry smile.

…I didn’t know what horrible things the fortune teller told Elni.

But apparently the person in question really didn’t worry about it. Nazuna held out the silk hat she had hidden behind her back and Elni put it on without hesitation. She pulled out cards from her pocket, shuffled them cool and dived them into two stacks on the table, then she s.h.i.+fted her gaze towards Hijiri.

“Okay Hijiri, I’ll show you an impressive magic trick now. Pick any card you like. After you confirmed what card it is, put the card back without showing it to me.”

“O- Okay…”

Still with a wry smile, Hijiri drew a card on Elni’s instructions and I casually snuck a peek at her hands. Mhm, the card was an ace of hearts. When Hijiri put the card back after confirming it’s kind, Elni combined the two stacks of cards and shuffled them quickly. Then she handed Hijiri a single card along with a fearless smile after spreading the cards.

“Fufu, the card you drew… was this one, right?”

“…Eh? Ah, yeah! That’s actually right! H- How did you know? You pulled off an amazing magic trick so let’s put back the card now.”

As soon as she looked at the presented card, Hijiri averted her eyes and lapsed into fast-talking. The instant I snuck another peek at her hand with a doubtful feeling, Hijiri quickly pressed the card against her voluminous b.r.e.a.s.t.s

“Y- You can’t, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun! Please don’t look!”

“What’s the problem. Not like you’re losing anything from it.”

“Still, you can’t! I can’t show it to you!”

“…If you’re that against it, I certainly…”

“Give up already?”

“Nah, it actually makes me want to see it even more.”

“D- Don’t touch it! Stop it, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun! Please! Don’t look!”

“Hehehe, resist some more, ‘cause that turns me on.”

Making suspicious kneading movements with both my hands, I cracked one of my usual jokes, whereupon Elni, who had watched quietly so far, stared at me and mumbled isolated.

“Somehow, when I’m just listening to you two, it sounds like s.h.i.+n.o.bu is a pervert that is forcefully doing something lewd to Hijiri against her will. Just like a beast.”

“…I’m unexpectedly wild, right?”

Cracking another joke in desperation, I casually reached out my hands for Hijiri.

There Hijiri turned bright red from the commotion, so I could easily s.n.a.t.c.h away the card from her hands, but

“Ehm, Elni, Hijiri drew the ace of hearts. Not this is four of spades.”

Dropping my gaze onto the card, I reluctantly pointed out the mistake, whereupon Elni hung her head dejected and seeing that, Miichan and Nazuna raised an encouraging voice.

“Do not worry, Elni-san! Everyone makes mistakes!”

“Just like Miichan said! It’s okay, Elni-chan! This falls under warming up! Don’t worry about it and show the next trick!”

…Would it be all right to continue with the next one, even though her warming up screwed up already?

I inadvertently wanted to interject like that, but retorting now might be indiscrete. Elni tilted her head with “Strange. It worked with Nazucat…”, then somehow got her enthusiasm back and pulled out silver-glittering handcuffs from her pocket this time.

…It were trick handcuffs, right? For that, they looked quite well made. Completely different from the plastic toy model. I couldn’t tell the difference to real ones. After spinning these handcuffs around with her finger, Elni opened her mouth triumphant.

“Okay, these handcuffs in my hand are genuine ones, who are as st.u.r.dy shackles as they appear. Once you put them on, the only way to remove them is with the keys. Next I’ll show you a magic with these handcuffs. Okay, that cool person over there, could you come over for a bit?”

“Looks like it’s my turn.”

“No. Sorry, s.h.i.+n.o.bu, but I didn’t mean you, but Hijiri.”

“…d.a.m.n, I screwed up.”

As Elni replied with a serious face, I felt bad for interfering and readily pulled back.

There Hijiri stood up in response to Elni’s beckoning.

“Ehm, what should I do— wait, Uwah! Wh- What are you doing?”

Midway in the sentence, Elni put the handcuffs around Hijiri’s right hand with a click and next she pointed at her straight.

“Hijiri! You always hide a j.a.panese sword in your bamboo blade pouch! I arrest you on the charge of violating the weapon control law and being a sullen pervert! Give up yourself!”

“I, I’m not a sullen pervert! Wh- What’s this all of the sudden! To begin with, I need my sword for my job, so I properly have a license for it!”

…Exorcists like Hijiri were allowed to carry swords?

While my interested was piqued a bit, I fleetingly s.h.i.+fted my gaze, whereupon I saw the profile of Miichan, who faintly frowned. She might have gotten sceptic about Hijiri carrying a sword. Miichan placed her hand onto her chin with an unusual serious expression.

“…It certainly needs a bit of drama like this for the magic show at the support speech. The similarity to Mag*-san made it funny. What do you think, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-oniisan?”

“I think Ma*y-san is really funny.”

Apparently my fear was ungrounded. Miichan changed her expression into a smile. When I replied to her with a vague smile, Elni faced me and beckoning once again.

“That natural Gigolo over there, come over for a bit.”

“Now that was rude.”

While giving a soft retort, I stepped forward, whereupon Elni put the handcuffs around my left hand wordless.

Mhm, in no time I was tied to Hijiri with handcuffs. The chain of the handcuffs was rather short and a faint fragrance of flowers hung in the air next to me. It was a nice fragrance, but it was awkward and unsettling.

“…Elni, I didn’t do bad, did I?”

“No! You stole something very precious! My heart!”

“Want it back then?”

“D- Don’t give it back! It would ruin the story! For now put it into a vault or something!”

Turning around somewhat hurried, Elni threw a glance at Nazuna with att.i.tude, as she still planned to keep up the play.

“Judge Nazucat! Your verdict for these two criminals please!”

“—Guilty!”

Nazuna judged us guilty with a smile. Hearing that, Elni shouted undauntedly.

“Judge Nazucat! I ask for a review of the verdict!”

“Still guilty!”

“Judge Nazucat! I’ll give you snacks!”

“Nevertheless guilty!”

“Judge Nazucat… I love you.”

“I love you too! But they are guilty!”

“Muh! I see that you insist on guilty no matter what, Judge Nazucat!”

“Well then, acquitted of charge.”

…What a fickle mood. While I became totally astonished, Hijiri smiled with “Nazuna-chan is really cute…” and Elni pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket with a side-glance to us, quickly covering the handcuffs with it.

“Okay, somehow I managed to get you acquitted, so I’ll remove the handcuffs with my power now!”

“…How do you dare to say that, when you selfishly handcuffed us!”

“With my mouth.”

“Oh my, what a cute mouth— Not! Good grief! Even making such a cute face! Whatever, just take them off already.”

“Leave it to me! I’ll free you from the handcuffs with my magic! 1, 2, 3!”

Along with a super energetic call, Elni stripped off the handkerchief with att.i.tude.

But, my vision fell onto… the still locked handcuffs.

“H- Huh? That’s strange.”

Tilting her head perplexed, Elni clattering fiddled with the handcuffs, as she was looking for a way to unlock them, but the shackles didn’t come off from Hijiri and my hand.

Upon that, Elni lowered her head apologetic.

“…Sorry. Looks like I failed again. I can’t get the handcuffs off with the magic trick. So I have no other choice but to use the key.”

While showing a somewhat bitter expression, Elni reached her hand into her pocket.

She must be searching for the key. Elni rummaged through her pocket, search in her breast pocket next and then searched her pockets again, turning pale in the end.

“H- Hey, why are you getting pale? Don’t tell me you lost the keys?”

“…I’m afraid so.”

The instant Elni said so isolated, Miichan and Nazuna approached Elni panicked as soon as their face turned pale.

“E- Elni-san, did you really lose the keys?”

“Not good, Elni-chan. If the keys are gone, who’s going to remove the handcuffs? At this rate, Brother and Hijiri-oneechan will be tied together forever.”

“…I would love that.”

Different from the confused girls, Hijiri mumbled quietly.

She was smiling, but her profile looked rather sorrowful…which made me be at a loss for words for a moment. But the other girls were here. I breathed out a bit and decided to behave like always for a little bit longer.

“Ehm, Hijiri, that’s certainly a bit troubling, isn’t it? Think about it. How are we going to take a bath like this?”

“…Indeed, I might not be able to wash your back like this.”

“No, no, before that, we can’t even take our clothes off because of the handcuffs. And there are other problems. What about sleeping?”

“I think it’s better to sleep together in this season. It keeps you warm. If you like, you can use my arm as a pillow.”

“…To be honest, I don’t want to bring this up, but, well, what about the toilet?”

“I, I’m sure we can somehow manage by both closing our eyes and covering our ears…!”

“No way. Sorry, but return to your senses.”

There was no need to force yourself to the extent of turning bright red like this. I leaked a wry smile and s.h.i.+fted my gaze from Hijiri to the handcuffs.

“Okay, it should be possible with this kind of opening. Gimme a sec. I’ll dislocate my joints a bit and do something about the handcuffs.”

“…Your joints?”

“Yep, the novel I read before wrote about it to remove handcuffs. I’ll try it out on this occasion. First I dislocate the metacarpals and proximal phalanxes. The small finger, then the thumb and middle finger…”

“St- Stop! Hold it, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun! I can’t let you do something so painful alone! To begin with, these are trick handcuffs, right? There should be some kind of mechanism to take them off! Isn’t that so, Elni!”

Stopping me, who was trying to dislocate my joints, Hijiri sent Elni a hopeful glance.

But, Elni just squeezed herself apologetic after all.

“I’m really sorry. I forgot how to remove them. But I borrowed the handcuffs from Kaorun, so she must know how and might even have a spare key.”

“…Moreover, if it’s her, it seems like she could even lock pick it.”

But apparently Kaorun had some other business and sadly wasn’t here.

“For now, I’ll try calling her just in case.”

After giving Elni an agreeable response, I pulled out my cell phone and decided to call Kaorun. Upon that, the call connected surprisingly fast and I could hear Kaorun’s voice right away.

“—Here a sudden question: Where am I right now?”

“In my heart, forever…”

“Uhm, please stop that, since it sounds like I am dead.”

“Sorry. I didn’t know the correct answer. Tell me where you are.”

“—I am Kaorun. Right now, I am behind you.”

“For real…”

It wasn’t unthinkable for Kaorun. I turned around to check… but I only made eye-contact with Nazucat. She tilted her head puzzled with “What?”.

“Meh, you’re not behind me. So much for getting my hopes up.”

“You had your hopes up!?”

A surprised voice raised through the phone, then a faint sigh reached my ear.

“…s.h.i.+n.o.bu-sama, this is not a horror, so it troubles me if you wish for me this much. Please retort properly. Incidentally, I am on my way back from a job right now, but unfortunately I stuck in a traffic jam, so I do not know what to do with my boredom and hot body. Since you already called, please talk to me. Perverted topics are okay too.”

“I didn’t call you to have some lewd chatting. I’m in a bit of a pinch right now.”

“You do not know what to do with your l.u.s.t?”

“Nope. I’m handcuffed to Hijiri right now. And we can’t get these handcuffs off.”

“…Lewd stuff right off the bat, I see. This delusional situation is possible in my opinion. That said, are you the type that wants to put on handcuffs? Or rather the type that wants to be handcuffed?”

“Neither. ‘Cause I don’t need handcuffs.”

“I see. In other words, you want to say ‘Even without handcuffs, I catch women with my great charm’. Such wonderful shackles— well, the jokes aside, what do you mean you are handcuffed? What happened?”

“Yeah, actually…”

Kaorun stopped her joke and corrected her tone, whereupon I explained the circ.u.mstances. When I hung up the phone after talking with Kaorun for a while, everyone looked at me awaiting.

“…No good. According to Kaorun, the mechanism of the handcuffs might be broken. She seems to have a spare key, but she’s stuck in a traffic jam. It’ll take some time until she’s back.”

When I told everyone the contents of the call with a shoulder shrug, Miichan and Nazuna frowned baffled together.

“Th- Then it means s.h.i.+n.o.bu-oniisan and Hijiri-san will be handcuffed together for a while? I am a bit envious— No, this is a serious problem.”

“Yeah. I’m sure Mom, Luna-oneechan and even Machina will get the wrong idea upon seeing them like this. Specially Luna-oneechan might get a shock and cry.”

…I didn’t want Luna to cry. And it was annoying to have my mother or Machina misunderstand too. It mostly likely would take a lot of trouble to clear up the misunderstanding.

“Hijiri, for now let’s retreat into my room. It would be bad if Luna and the others see us.”

“Y- You’re right. Let’s hide until Kaoru-san is back.”

As it was a precarious situation, Hijiri coloured her expression with tension.

There Elni suddenly raised a fl.u.s.tered, small voice.

“G- Guys! Trouble! It’s Machina!”

“Ehh!? Now!? Let’s run, s.h.i.+n.o.bu-kun!”

Hijiri reacted quickly on Elni’s words. She either forgot about the handcuffs in her agitation or it was a conditioned reflex, but she instantly turned on her heels and started running with att.i.tude at the same time.

…Normally that wouldn’t have been a problem.

However, I couldn’t keep up with Hijiri’s speed.

My handcuffed hand was suddenly powerful pulled jerkily, so I lost my balance and my feet even tangled up, so I fell down while dragging Hijiri with me. Along with a loud noise, I felt two big, round swellings on both my cheeks. The squishy sensation on my cheeks were pleasant.

But, these were without doubt Hijiri’s b.r.e.a.s.t.s. As soon as I noticed it, I straightened up my body right away.

“S- Sorry in various ways, Hijiri! Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. What about you? Sorry for running all of the sudden.”

With no signs of anger, Hijiri looked at me worried. Her finely chiselled features were at a close distance. When my heart beat accelerated inadvertently, Elni raised another small voice.

“There’s no time for this, s.h.i.+n.o.bu, Hijiri! Hurry up and run! I’ll distract Machina!”

Calling out to us, Elni then stepped on the floor of the living together with Miichan and Nazuna. My eyes chased the direction, into which the girls turned to, the accordion curtain that separated the dining kitchen and living room. Through it’s cap I could fleetingly confirm Machina’s appearance. Badly enough, she was approaching into my direction doubtful.

“Hey, what’s the ruckus about? I heard that Elni is showing magic tricks, but is it that funny? As I was her test object before, I can say it’s another fail—”

“M- Machina! Don’t come over here! Stop there!”

“She is right, Machina-oneesan! It is dangerous here!”

“Definitely don’t come over! Stay there, Machina-chan!”

Closing the distance in no time, Elni, Miichan and Nazuna stopped Machina with fast-talking. Machina apparently still hadn’t noticed us, as our laying on the floor was in her blind spot or we were hidden by the girls, who stretched themselves.

“Hey, are you hiding something? Why can’t I come over? If you’re doing something, let me in too.”

“Sorry, Machina! It are pressing circ.u.mstances! Please, don’t come!”

“It is quite complicated! Stop, Machina-oneesan!”

“Really sorry, Machina-chan! I’ll explain later! So for now, don’t come over!”

“…What the. I don’t know what’s up, but in the end, you’re keeping me out of the loop. Saying ‘Don’t come’ all together is too much!”

“M- Machina, no, you don’t need to cry…”

“I’m not crying! I’m used to this after all! I’m perfectly fine! Don’t say weird things, Elni!”

Contrary to her words, Machina looked incredible sad.

…Sorry, Machina.

While mumbling so at heart, I exchanged glance with Hijiri, who had an apologetic expression, then we snuck out of the living room.

Following, we approached the stairs with still sneaking steps, whereupon the front door opened with the worst timing and Luna showed up with a smile, as she came bac

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