Vol 3 Chapter 8 (1/2)
Chapter 8: Dance of the Spirit Foxes
“Narita-kun Narita-kun Narita-kuuuuuun!!”
On the street along Matsumoto’s Parco , Yuzuru turned as a shrill voice suddenly called his na towards him
It was the Sunday after final exams in Matsumoto City
Narita Yuzuru smiled cheerfully
“Oh, Morino-san Hi!”
“Wh-hat a coincidence, Narita-kun! Are you out shopping? Going to the bookstore? Or maybe the arcade?”
“I heard that there’s a new CD out, so I came to take a look How about you?”
“I was applying for a part-tiht I’d try the Mister Donutover there, but they said they’ve already found soh— dammit!”
Saori aimed a kick in the direction of the restaurant before re
“Aaaah, anyway, can I come with you? I wanted-I wanted to see the CD too!”
“Sure!” Yuzuru agreed brightly “I’d like to take a look at some musical instruments too, so would it be okay if alked towards Main Street?”
Saori, looking as if she would gladly follow Yuzuru anywhere, nodded rigorously
The two set out down the street side by side
Saori cast a strangely blissful gaze on the pedestrians going in the opposite direction
(Oh no oh no! I wonder if they think I’irlfriend?)
She stole quick glances at Yuzuru’s left ar, (It’d be—it’d be sooo perfect if I could take his arm)
Saori’s breathing quickened Feeling the odd high-spirited vibes co from beside him, Yuzuru involuntarily turned
“Wh-what is it?”
“Eh? Ah, ahahah It’s nothing”
She quickly waved her hand in dis out into a smile
All the passersby were taking notice of them
(Look, look! They all think we reat couple!)
Actually, it was only because the expression on Saori’s face was rather creepy
“Morino-san, so you work part-time?”
“Oh, not yet, but I thought I would during suo visit Yuiko-chan in Tokyo”
“Yuiko? you irl from the other day?”
“Yup We’re writing to each other Yuiko-chan is a fan of Ougi-kun’s, you know I can’t believe she likes a pushy guy like hiroaned when I heard that”
“Ah, but he’s really popular, you know I lost count of how ot on Valentine’s Day”
“Urgh, no way! Wh-what about what about you?”
Yuzuru grinned without answering “At first I thought you liked Takaya too, but ?”
Saori was totally stunned Those words co out of Yuzuru’s mouth
“N-no I don’t! The person I like is the person I like is!”
“Is it okay for you to tell me?”
Stunned again, Saori lost all her nerve
(My feelings haven’t reached hiuess)
But was it really true that Yuzuru hadn’t noticed? If so, then he was beyond oblivious
(Though I really like that ♥)
Blushi+ng, Saori looked quickly up at Yuzuru
“How about you? Do you have anyone you like?”
“Eh? Of course I like everyone”
Saori gave him a blank look
“I mean, there’s not really anyone that I hate Is that weird? There’re people who have faults, and there’re people who irritate me, but I don’t think there’s anyone that I really hate”
Yuzuru didn’t appear to be talking about the same subject
“I feel really fortunate to have the people around uy who’s everybody’s friend”
“Everybody’s friend? Who called you that?”
“Takaya”
Unforgivable! Saori thought with annoyance Fists clenched, she was prepared to go for a surprise attack when she reht
“What’s up with Ougi-kun? He even skipped out on the exams—is he okay?”
“Ahyeah”
The phone call froht, but he hadn’t learned h he had the general sense that Takaya had gotten caught up in whatever Naoe and the others were doing
But
“What in the world has he been dragged into?” Yuzuru caly, “Isn’t there—any way that I can help him?”
Saori looked up at Yuzuru seriously “Narita-kun”
“It hen I got possessed by Takeda shi+ngen that all these weird things started happening to Takaya He’s been dragged into all this strangeness just because of that That powerI don’t knohy he can do things like that, but I know that he’s changing right in front of rown sharper and sharper since then Even though he’s probably not aware of it himself”
“—”
“Before, Takaya had almost no sensitivity to spirits, but now he’s probably more sensitive to theuess it really doesn’t have anything to do with me, and Takaya probably wouldn’t want me to stick my nose into it either But I—” Yuzuru’s eyes fell quietly “I’m worried about him”
The signal turned green But Yuzuru didn’t move
“I want to help hi like the power that he has, so I probably can’t do anything for him anyway, but I’m uneasy when he’s not around At least, I’m not this anxious when he’s where I can keep an eye on him That idiot”
“Narita-kun”
Yuzuru bit his lips, pain in his downcast eyes His gallantry was irresistible, and Saori gave in to her sudden i him Yuzuru closed his eyes for a moment, then smiled at her
“Sorry I should stop whining, shouldn’t I?”
“Ah, you’re not”
“Oh, the light”
Yuzuru walked forward Saori rushed to catch up
“Narita-kun!”
“?”
“Whenwhen you’re feeling” Saori cried after hi sad, don’t keep it all bottled up! I’m an idiot, so I probably won’t be able to help you or anything, but I can listen to you I’ll listen any time you want!”
Saori’s words, though trite, caently
“Thank you”
The sudden blare of a car horn stopped them just as they were about to enter the instrument shop
“Huh?”
They turned to see a gungray metallic Leopard parked next to the at them from the
Yuzuru exclaimed, “Chiaki!”
“Yo!”
It was Chiaki Shuuhei—Yasuda Nagahide Yuzuru and Saori ran up to the car in surprise
“Wh-what’s with the car?! Should you be driving? Do you even have a license?”
“What, you didn’t know? I’m nineteen”
“Kyaaah, Chiaki-kun! A Leopard, a Leopard! You’re like shi+bata Kyouhei or so to your parents? Or is it yours?”
Yuzuru was du a license didn’t ood one
“But it’d be bad if you got found out at school”
“Doesn’t matter Anyway, Narita I came to pick you up”
“Huh?”
Yuzuru and Saori both blinked Chiaki jerked his thumb in the direction of the car
“We’re eloping, Narita-kun”
Ack! The two retreated Chiaki pointed at the huge bag on the back seat
“See? I’ve already brought the luggage Hurry up and get in”
“Wh-hat the heck? And that! You got that from my house?”
“Yup”
“What—you—wait just one ?!”
“You wanna run aith me, just admit it”
“Argh, look here!”
Saori was claround Yuzuru looked at Chiaki wearily
“So where are we going?”
“Sendai”
Seriousness abruptly returned to Yuzuru’s face
“Sendai?”
“There’s sorumbles and whines too much when you’re not around”
“Grumbles and whines? You don’t mean—”
“So hurry up and get in”
Chiaki dragged Yuzuru to the car by the arm and shoved him inside Saori panicked
“Ah, wait, Chiaki-kun! You’re not—are you really going to take Narita-kun?”
“Sorry, but lemme borrow him for a bit”
“Th-that’s not fair! I want to go I want to go I want to go too! Take me with you!”
“Sorry, see you,” Chiaki said, and his Leopard sprinted off with Yuzuru inside
“Wa-wait! Chiaki-kuuuun!” Saori, left behind on the sidewalk by herself, stared after theot kidnapped by Chiaki-kun”
She pressed her hands together in involuntarily seriousness and said to the sky, “Oh God Please don’t let et AIDS”
“Wa-wait! You’re not really planning to drive to Sendai from here, are you?”
“Sure I am”
“No way But I!”
Chiaki give Yuzuru on the passenger’s seat beside hilance and said quietly, “Don’t worry about your fa about school, too”
“Are we going to meet Takaya in Sendai?”
Chiaki nodded “That idiot He’s not really being difficult, but he can’t use his «powers» at all right now He’s not o and help”
“ What should Iwhat should I do?”
“—”
Chiaki replied after a i Takaya’s side You’re probably the only key to awakening hiht, he doesn’t want to use his «powers» for anybody but you”
“? What do you mean?”
Chiaki was silent He didn’t think that it’d been coincidence that Kagetora had perforetora done so intentionally? In other words—
(Can it be that Kagetora knew Narita’s true identity before he sealed his memories?)