Vol 2 Epilogue (1/2)
Future Possibilities
Part 1
The chime heralded the end of the class
Stand up, Bow--- Usually the class representative was in charge of this routine
But today, the assistant class representative of class 1-B did all of it
Because the class representative, Nonaka Yuki was absent
Knowing the reason for it, Naruse Mio looked at the front most seat in her
Yuki's seat that has been vacant since thisin his own seat He, like Mio, was looking at Yuki's seat
”-----”
Mio quietly averted her eyes from Basara's back
---Mio and the others had fought against Yuki and the others three days ago, on Friday last week
After the fight had ended, Yuki obeyed the man called shi+ba and left with the other two
To take responsibility for betraying her comrades in her desire to protect Basara
Therefore she wasn't at school today And she ain
…After all
Yesterday, Mio and the others had paid a visit to Yuki's mansion They knew she wouldn't be there Nevertheless, they couldn't sit tight and their legs brought them there on reflex
However--- They witnessed so Yuki's stuff out of her roouys, but waste collectors
They quickly asked the er of the mansion about the circumstances and they were told that Yuki had cancelled the contract for the roo stuff
When the gang returned hole mail for Basara
It was from Yuki But inside it wasn't a letter, but the key to the Toujou house When the girls asked him about it, he told theht And it was returned now
The three of them realized then that Yuki would never come back here
In the not so distant future, the school would surely be infor out
Seeing how quickly she ot all the paperwork for it done and that they, the students, just weren't informed about it yet
…Nonaka
Yuki chose to do all that by her own accord
But, if Mio had never met Basara, if he had never decided to protect Mio--- then Yuki wouldn't have had to betray her comrades
And if Basara and Yuki reunited before he ht have faced Basara as an enemy as well, not just Yuki
That was the only difference between Mio and Yuki Thinking about that, Mio cast her eyes down at her seat
”…Are you okay, Naruse-san?”
Suddenly, a considerate voice called out to her On a look, there stood two feht next to her seat: Aikawa shi+ho and Sakaki Chika Therefore,
”Eh…m, what do you mean?”
”You have been aloof the whole ti out”
Aikawa gave Mio, who quickly tried to smooth it over, a wry smile And Sakaki asked
”Does it have to with Toujou-kun and Nonaka-san?”
”W- Why…?”
”Toujou-kun is in the same state and Nonaka-san is absent today”
”Uh…”
There had been a co to Basara on his first day here and since then, the others considered the three to be in an eternal triangle
”Froloo has happened”
”That's… not it, really”
Mio hemmed and hawed on their pointer
”Really~?” ”Suspicious…”
Aikawa's and Sakaki's bantering gave her a doubtful look
However, it wasn't harassment to find out about their relationshi+p out of curiosity
They surely wanted to cheer up the depressing looking Mio
---Mio treated everyone at school the same
But since her life was targeted by the current Devil Lord faction, she had made it a principle not to ed into anything
Nevertheless, she enjoyed talking or spending tie and couldn't reject someone, who took the initiative to befriend her
Thus she usually ate lunch together with Aikawa and Sakaki and often was together with the non-classroom lessons like physical education
Those tere the only ones Mio would call friends after getting into high school Then,
”Well… if anything does worry you, you can talk to us anytime”
”Yeah, as trivial as it may be You can always call me without reservation”
Saying so, Aikawa shi+ho and Sakaki Chika grinned
”I mean--- We're friends!”
Part 2
In the end, he finished classes vacantly today
Basara had left the school together with Mio, but they didn't go straight home, but rather dropped by a certain place
The place, where they had fought Takashi+, Kurumi--- and Yuki: The forecourt of the station
It was nearly evening Not h there However, in about 2-3 hours, working hours would end and the place would beco home
”It was only ten days ago…”
He had ether they went into the city to shop The unfa, but Mio and Maria joined theether
”---Basara?”
When Basara looked absentminded in front of her, Mio worriedly pulled on his sleeve from beside
Instead of replying to her, he mumbled quietly
”…I wanted to protect her”
Only that But Mio next to him sed her saliva Then she removed her hand from his sleeve and took his hand Basara squeezed back and started to walk on slowly before long
On their way home, neither Basara, nor Mio spoke a word Shortly thereafter--- they reached their house
”We're home…”
When they entered while announcing their return, a delicious sreeted the dinner Mio went up to the second floor to get changed, whereas Basara headed for the living room
After he opened the door and went inside, his feet took hie and took the milk out,
”S today?”
he asked casually, to which
”…A special beef stew”
a calm voice different froentle voice,
”----?”
Basara turned around in confusion Because he knehoed to
There was no doubt And the girl he expected stood there
”Yuki…”
While he widened his eyes in surprise, Toujou Basara spoke out her name dumbfounded
The naned hiain
”Why are you---” ”I came to take responsibility”
He asked beyond his belief, whereas Yuki said without delay
”No, but…”
For that very reason, Yuki was taken back to the ”Village” by shi+ba And it should've been the conclusion of the battle In fact, she had quickly moved out of her mansion Then,
”The 'Village' changed Naruse Mio back to a Surveillance Target Due to that, an observer was needed again”
He comprehended that
But Yuki, reasons aside, defied the ”Village's” order and betrayed her coet executed, but imprisonment was more than reasonable
Or at least, it was unlikely that she was allowed to leave the ”Village” Despite that, Yuki was right here now--- On top of that, with Basara and Mio, the reason for her betrayal So Basara was bewildered ”Basara… The incident is treated like it never happened to begin with Therefore---”
”……Ah”
Toujou Basara finally understood it Takashi+ and the others had coet As a result, ”Byakko” went out of control during the battle and jeopardized the surroundings The best way to cover up that fact was to undo the decision to turn Mio into a Teret, which started all this
Also--- If that battle was treated as non-existent, then everything that occurred there was dealt with as non-existent, not just the ra Yuki's betrayal
Matters were right back to the tiet
To one week ago, where Yuki was observing Mio To the day, where they were all together However,
”Are you saying the 'Village', the elders turned a blind eye…?”
Basara was due's” kind decision, whereas Yuki shook her head
”I don't know… At first, I should've been ie' But yesterday, everything was suddenly dealt with as if it never happened”
”Why so suddenly…”
Yuki said to Basara, who still couldn't believe it, with a calm voice
”Kurumi told me--- that Jin-san called the elders”
”---My dad?”
Basara was surprised to hear Jin's na Basara five years ago, Jin hated the ”Village” and elders' guts
It would be one thing if they contacted hiet in contact with them on his own accord
Then why? ---That was only obvious
Basara remembered what Jin told hiht Yuki and the others
”I'll take responsibility It doesn't matter that the opponent has 'Byakko'--- Go beat him up”
Right Jin had certainly said that Basara had thought for sure that it ht with them if the situation called for it But that wasn't the case
Then the idea to treat everything like it never happened came from Jin
Basara didn't kno he ree to it It was possible that he threatened them in some kind of way, too
Either way--- Toujou Jin helped Basara from afar, with a method only possible to (for) him As Basara realized this,
”……”
a shi+ver ran through every fibre of his body
”…Basara?”
The girl in front of him looked up to him puzzled
She was his precious childhood friend, whom he wished to protect The only Hero in this world that would take their side So Basara couldn't hold himself back anymore
He high-handedly pulled Yuki closer and embraced her Yuki winced; surprised in his arms for a hter To get a good feel of Nonaka Yuki's existence
It was a wild hug based si pain On the contrary, she hugged Basara back ---And then, the two of them embraced each other for a while