Chapter 291: School Trip (4/4) ; (Spoiler) (1/2)
”Finally,” Natsumi says as the three of us approach her and the girl beside her.
”Hey, what are we going to be doing?” the girl, Miina, says while casting an anxious glance at me.
”What, afraid of me?” I remark while raising my brows, ”Don't worry, my mind is currently preoccupied with much more important things to bother with you.”
Annoyed by my admittedly rude statement, Miina puffs her cheeks and mutters, ”I don't even want to hang out with you all...”
She has a good point. All the blame for this can be pinned on Natsumi, but knowing that she did this out of loneliness makes it hard for me to berate her at the moment.
Releasing a sigh, I shift my focus over to the line of excited students as Tamae tries to keep them from raising their voices too much, while Reine just watches everything from the side.
”Shido, can you hear me?” a voice suddenly reaches my ears.
”Kotori?” I mutter.
”Finally,” she says in an exasperated manner before letting out a long sigh.
Hm? Was she unable to contact me for some reason?
Seemingly answering the question for me, Kotori's voice once again reverberates within my ear, ”We had been trying to contact you for the past hour up to no avail. Did anything happen?”
”No?” I respond, perplexed over the situation, ”Don't you have anything like a satellite to provide you a direct feed of the island?”
”Of course not,” she responds, ”Do you know how easier everything would've been if we had something like that? At most, we have an enhanced radar.”
”So, you're basically unable to see whatever transpires over this island?”
”Yes, so, for that reason, I need you to be extra careful.”
”Alright, alright, don't worry. Your big brother can take care of himself and any troubles that may occur just fine.”
Kotori doesn't say anything as a response to my words, so I just shrug my shoulders and look up at the sky.
”Say,” I mutter, ”Kotori, did you say you were unable to contact me for the past hour?”
”That's right,” comes an immediate response, ”There was unquestionably no signal at all before it abruptly returned.”
”I see. Thanks for informing me.”
Yeah, this is suspicious as heck. If I'm not mistaken, this has something to do with the enemy's movements. The question is, why would they do this?
Perhaps mask their appearance on the island? Could be. How had they accomplished that anyway?
My thoughts don't last long as I feel a stinging gaze on my face, causing me to focus back on reality, only to find myself being stared at by all four girls.
”Who were you speaking with just now?” Natsumi takes it upon herself and asks me with curiosity apparent in her voice.
”My sister,” I respond, ”She wanted to check in on us and see if we landed safely.”
Before anything else could be said, I raise my hands and clap twice before adopting a grin and saying, ”How about we go ask the teacher for permission to look around the island by ourselves? From the looks of it, they're waiting for someone or something, and I'm starting to get bored.”
It takes them a moment, but all girls agree with my suggestion and follow me as I make my way over to the front of the row.
”Tch. Look at him,” I hear a male student remark as I pass by.
”Leave it,” another one responds, ”Get used to it already. All girls now like guys like him.”
”Yeah, playboys,” the first one adds.
They sure are a rude bunch...
Not sparing them a glance, I continue until all five of us are directly standing in front of Tamae.
Looking at her, I notice that she seems to be confused and distraught about something, so, out of sheer curiosity, I ask her, ”Tamae? Is there something wrong?”
As if just noticing me, a shocked look appears on the young-looking woman's face for a split-second before it fades as she says, ”Itsuka, please don't refer to me in such a casual manner.”
”Come on, there isn't a need to act so distantly,” I say in a teasing manner, to which a red hue covers her face, most likely due to remembering the thing that happened between 'us'.
”Ugh,” I hear a groan with hints of undisguised disgust as Miina takes a step away from me.
In contrast, Natsumi just presses her palm against her mouth to hide the grin that has formed on her lips, while Origami and Tohka simply stare at Tamae, with the latter being utterly confused.
”Anyway,” I say, ”You didn't answer my question.”
”Ah! Well, ehm,” Tamae coughs once before looking me in the eyes and saying, ”There was supposed to be someone waiting for us here, but they aren't present for some reason.”
”Who?”
”A photographer. We even had the time and location all set up...” she says, practically muttering the latter half to herself.