Volume 4 Chapter 3 (1/2)
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The Onency had ruled that she would enter the Onmyou Academy and study for three years as rehabilitation
To say that person's face didn't flash through her mind when she first heard of this matter That wasn't possible But you couldn't actually bla had happened after all
After things ended, since she couldn't help but be interested, she gathered quite a bit of inforoal was to become an Onmyouji and that he had transferred in to the Onmyou Academy
Hence, once she heard of this punishht to herself that they would ain someday
Also - fear welled up
Once she thought of that person and thought of seeing hiain, various eer Should she still use such means to mess with him, or should she use them to tease him?
'Shut up'
Memories became clearer and clearer
'Don't say another word'
When the memories awakened, a chill instantly spread deep in her heart She didn't care, nor was she angry, but her mood was heavy
What exactly rong, was there a need to take it to heart? Even if she tried convincing herself, her feelings still didn't seeer Even she herself didn't understand
Those kinds of feelings were really powerful
She had originally vowed from her heart to revive her brother, and had lived on this world just for that She hadn't expected that her desire would be destroyed and her firm self-belief would shake with it Precisely because she was this self-aware, her heart was lost and she couldn't stay together
Her y was sealed, her title as a Divine General was confiscated, and she turned back into an ordinary girl
Suzuka was scared
He had tricked her the first tith, obstructing her plans - in the end, he had saved her life instead He was an enemy, but he had saved her s in this world
In the end, only her brother and that person could face her so selflessly
Hoould she change after she saw hiinal de, and entering the Onmyou Academy where he was simultaneously served to find a 'new self' for her
Suzuka felt frightened
But she had no intention at all of escaping
☆
For some reason, the cherry blossoht On the second day of the new term, the scene on the road from the male dorm to the academy felt lamentable to Harutora
”I never thought that going to school would be such a gloomy matter already on the second day after school started” The joy from yesterday couldn't be seen on Harutora's face, and actually he had had a hard tiht
Moreover, he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep
”Bakatora, right now isn't the tiloomy, you should be even more tense than yesterday” Natsume unhappily scolded Harutora since she hadn't slept well, her tone even more tart than usual
Harutora turned his spiritless face
”Natsume”
”What?”
”Those glasses are really unnatural”
”This is all I can do, what else is there? I don't want to wear glasses either!”
Today lasses with a particularly crude frame
Late last night, she had run to a glasses store that hadn't closed yet, buying this pair of fake glasses and planning on saying that she usually wore contact lenses but had accidentally lost them to deceive others Since she was unable to decide to cut her long hair, she could only mask herself in this area
After Harutora returned to the dorotten rid of the students who had come over to find out the truth of the rureeted the new students who had moved into the dorather in his room He first detailed the entire incident of last su, and then he had explained the process contacting Suzuka after school had ended, clarifying the proble countermeasures
They had discussed almost until dawn, but no clever tricks had showed up
”The opponent's very perceptive, and since she's already focused on Harutora, all we can do right now is pray that she doesn't re back a yawn
Natsu: ”It's all Harutora's fault for being too ilasses slipping off her nose ”To think you would run out to find the 'Child Prodigy' before discussing it first And you even went by yourself!”
”Didn't I apologizescolded again for yesterday, spoke back, his expression bitter
When they had discussed in his rooriest about Harutora running out to find Suzuka Harutora believed that neverSuzuka hadn't been a poor judgment at the time
”On the other hand, if I didn't run out to find that person, we still wouldn't understand whether she had noticed your true identity, isn't that right?”
”You didn't need to go find her, I also knew that she still hadn't seen through my identity yet”
”Maybe, but you don't have any definite proof Right noe know the reason that she entered the Ony has been sealed There's a big difference between knowing and not knowing those things, right, Touji?”
”That inforave hied her aura But the opponent's one of the Twelve Divine Generals, and they ht run into each other often afterwards, so it's really doubtful whether the cae can succeed”
Norh the differences between individuals were large,aura and females were mostly yin aura
When Natsuic that turned her original aura into yang aura
When contracting with servant shi+kiga with strong independent shi+kigaa aura Since feah of course there were exceptions to this When it was determined that she would be the next head to succeed the Tsuchiuardian dragon - Hokuto
Dragon auras belonged to yin, conflicting with Natsume who had been born a feon to let her original yin aura and the dragon's yin aura inal ic, the work of Natsume's father, and Natsume herself was unable to cast it This was an important reason why her h by people around her - the practitioners who could see aura
After gaining Touji's approval, ”See! Touji thinks so too!” Harutora called out, going over the ain
”Especially since I cleared up a lot of things after talking with that girl again Her ability's outstanding, but in the end she's a little girl She's indeed cunning, and she's extremely perceptive like Touji said, but she's definitely not an unredeemably bad person” the words Ohtoered in Harutora's heart, and the convincing power of that reht of the similarity between Suzuka and the past Natsuh she's troubleso with her Of course, I don't actually have any way to be certain, but I'll deal with her for now” Harutora tried convincing Natsu that Natsume who had a similar experience could definitely understand his way of thinking
His focus on the problem had been blurred - More accurately, Harutora hadn't noticed that he 'hadn't clearly understood where the problem was'
Not only was Natsuhtly trelared at Harutora Was her almost tearful expression ahis head as if saying 'You're really a Bakatora'
”Why”
”Huh?”
”Why do you always stand up for her?”
”What? I'h?”
”Come to think of it, you were like this last sus and you were still confident that you could convince her” Natsury for some reason
”Last su about since just now?” Harutora asked back, coer staring intently into Harutora's eyes, and swept over Harutora's lips
She tightened her lips, snapping in a low voice, ”Enough!” - her voice sounded like it was a bit depressed - and walked ahead on her own, her black hair whipping around
Cherry blossoentle breeze
Harutora wasn't actually angry, just confused, casting a pleading glance towards Touji Touji shook his bandanna-bound head, showing a difficult expression
”It seems like that brat is Natsume's Achilles Heel”
”Wh, What does that mean?”
Harutora's face sank, and his good friend didn't say anything else, just helplessly shrugging his shoulders
”Anye can't let her see Natsuy's opponent Though we're just trying to trick her, do your best”
”I know that”
”Right now it's enough just to do that” Touji spoke, patting Harutora's back ”Today, let's first think of a way to avoid letting Suzuka and Natsume meet, and as for what to do later - we'll think about it when the time comes”
Touji - whose expression was encouraging for some reason - smiled at Harutora
The cherry blosso on the perplexed shi+kigami's head
Unfortunately, the situation was far ined
”Good , senpai!”
The classroom door was forcefully pulled open, and Suzuka walked in bea with a smile - a devilish smile The entire classroom immediately erupted in a clamor
The second day of the new terht after the first class, instantly hijacking all of the students' attention Of course, Harutora and Natsu these students
Terror and despair were followed by his thoughts stopping Touji was the only person who could be relied on to deal with this sudden situation
In the One seats however they wanted Right now, Harutora and Natsuht next to each other, and Touji sat behind them
”Natsu a whip Natsume immediately ca stealth ic Simultaneously, Touji kicked Harutora's chair from under the table
Harutora suddenly ju up
”U, Uwah, D, Dairenji! I, It's been a while!”
Harutora was panicked, stuet Suzuka's attention focused on hireat side effects Kyouko, Tenazes at Harutora one by one, perking their ears up at the two people
Since his response had been really strange and e out for a while even though she had co suspicious But, as expected of her having experienced h she had doubts
”That's mean, Senpai, what do you mean it's been a while, didn't we just 'meet' 'yesterday' 'after school'? And it was 'just the two of us' Ah, could that be a secret that you didn't want anyone else to know? Sorry--”
”Uh! No, that's not it - But, this is the second-year classroom, so what exactly did you come here for--”
”Well, it would be stupid not to see each other since we're in the sareet you!”
”Liar Ah, it's nothing, so you careet me You don't actually have to co”
He didn't grit his teeth, replacing it with a stiff smile instead He quickly approached Suzuka, which naturally drew Suzuka's attention, not letting her notice the direction of Natsume But to the eyes of the bystanders, maybe they would believe he couldn't wait to come forward to meet her, as after all there was no other possibility on the surface
”H-Harutora You really”
”W, Wow, Harutora-kun, ”
Kyouko's eyes widened and Tenma couldn't conceal his excitement The other students' reactions were about the sarily
”Haha The break will be over really soon, so since you've already greeted me, you'd better return to your own classroom, Dairenji”
”Senpai, you're being too unfamiliar! Just call me Suzuka”
”Stop it, just go back to your classroom!”
Unfortunately, his self-control poasn't strong enough
”Ugh, senpai's so cold” Suzuka deliberately made an overdone reaction under the stares of the audience On soic, and the effects were excellent, with the class's stares focused on Harutora and Suzuka gradually rising in temperature
Aazes, Harutora felt a malice that sent chills up his back that could even be called killing intent For so face iency time he couldn't turn around to check
”Corabbed Suzuka's hand, forcefully pulling her into the corridor Exclanored the happened
”Don't overdo it this much Didn't you say yesterday that it was just a prank?” After entering the corridor, he forcefully lowered his voice and spoke
”Shut up, the first-year classrooazes had vanished, Suzuka quickly showed her original self
”Are you just pulling me in to pass the time? Why don't you use that time to make friends with the new students?”
”What are you joking about, how could the Onmyou Academy's new students have the qualifications to interact with oes for you too”
”In that case, at least choose the new students”
”I don't want to, it's too tiring”
”That's because you're too fake! Co like this for three years? You definitely won't be able to hold on for that long!”
After Harutora criticized her, Suzuka frowned in anger It seemed like these words had perfectly hit the mark
”So annoying”
”It's the truth”
”And you're hurting me”
”Huh? Ah, sorry”
He hadn't let go of her hand since the beginning Once he let go, Suzuka quickly drew back her left hand that had been grabbed, gently rubbing it with her right hand
The two of them went silent for a few seconds, then Suzuka tilted her head, looking at Harutora
”Hey, which one's Tsuchiht?”
Harutora wasn't quite sure whether he was successful in hiding his shaken heart ”Uh, well We're classht” His attitude was casual, but he stammered as he spoke
Once a poor lie was exposed, it would lead to the other beco easily suspicious He had learned this froht talk But he still couldn't conclude how exactly he should deal with this
The situation wasn't unexpected ”Let me see him” Suzuka tried to peek into the classroom, and Harutora frantically stopped her ”Ah, hold on!”
”Why? Is there so I can't see?”
”Th, There's nothing you can't see Anyway, I've had enough of how ht? Hurry up and return to your classroom!”
”What? How can you order me around like that? And why do I have to listen to your instructions?”
”I'h I can't coe to take into consideration and I don't want to have no place in my class!”
Harutora desperately changed the topic, and fortunately the other party accurately sensed how anxious he was ”That doesn't ot, theto tease Harutora Harutora sacrificed himself to try to stall for time
Fivethe start of class finally saved him from his misery
☆
Unfortunately, the calamity didn't end like that
”Senpai, why don't we eat lunch together?”
The next bomb detonated at lunchtime, in the center of the raucous acade towards the table where Harutora and the others were
Harutora accidentally spat out all the broth of his tempura udon, and Natsu on the ground In order to conceal the sound she made, Touji suddenly also stood up from his chair
Natsu noise, desperately casting stealthposture while escaping the cafeteria with all her power In order to distract Suzuka, Harutora also stood up like Touji, waving his hand affectedly ”Yo, D-Dairenji!”
The surrounding gazes stabbed into him mercilessly and his back broke out in a cold sweat
On the other hand, his exaggerated action ain But before she asked, she noticed that she knew the boy standing next to Harutora
”Huh, you are”
”You still remember me? Harutora and I collaborated to trick you back then, sorry about that” Touji spoke caly visible on his face Maybe thinking of the incident during the festival last year, Suzuka replied with an ”Oh”, her face solemn
”You were together back then What, you were also an Onmyou Academy student?”
”I wasn't back then This guy and I only transferred into the Onether after that incident ended”
Suzuka's expression see Touji's explanation Transferring into the famous Onmyou Academy in the middle of a term - there were very few students who could successfully test in like this Maybe Harutora froet in, but to the eyes of soins, such an example was extremely rare
Suzuka was silent for a while, staring at Touji with both eyes But not long after, her ed ”Can I sit here~” She deliberatelythe seat next to Touji and across from Harutora to sit down
Once she sat down, she immediately blinked
”Huh? Why is there a half-eaten bowl of chicken and egg rice here?”
The bowl of rice Suzuka was asking about was placed on the seat adjacent to Harutora - the chicken and egg rice that Natsu just now
”Uh, th, that's--!”
”That's Harutora's” Touji sat back in his seat leisurely, carefully replying in place of the panicked Harutora
”He has to eat enough for two people to be full”
”Yeah, that's right! That's how it is, I' phase, you know”
”Oh, I see, your appetite's really aned, but her tone was cold, her gaze freezing Harutora laughed dryly a couple tirowing phase'” Suzuka ridiculed him with a face full of scorn Harutora cursed this da about it
His temple inadvertently twitched and he forcefully clenched his teeth, forcing a s a thin voice out of his lips
”What do you want this time?”
”Nothing, I just want to eat lunch together”
”Go eat with your classmates”
”I don't want to, they're too annoying”
”They're not the annoying ones, you are! You shouldn't be pretending, it's way too reckless”
”Shut up, can't you be a little ? I can't stand hicks like you--”
”Before you came to annoy me, ays ate very quietly!”
Harutora couldn't hold back his agitated e out to hiaze towards Suzuka by his side
”It seeer hate me or Harutora”
”H is so self-centered Hoould I have the time to care about you small fry”
”That's extre time when you come find Harutora to trouble him?”
”Th, That's right, could there be any other reason?”
”Yeah, it's not like I can't understand your feelings After all, it's hard to pass upperson”
”You're pretty knowledgeable, but those words are flattering him”
”Hold on, Touji, which side are you on exactly And Dairenji, that's not flattering at all”
You two Harutora stared at the two of them upsettedly
Suzuka feigned happiness, raising her pitch and saying ”Hey, you're too unfamiliar, Senpai! Just call me Suzuka!” Harutora became more and more impatient as he listened
”Right” Suzuka changed her tone again ”I didn't end up seeing Tsuchi this, she sized up the surrounding cafeteria a bit
Not again, Harutora's face tightened Unfortunately, Suzuka see all of her attention towards Natsume
”H, He, uh He's usually outside--”
”He's done eating” Touji interrupted Harutora's excuse, grabbing on and continuing to speak ”He wasn't feeling well today, so he went back to the classroo et to warn Harutora with his eyes
Natsu a random student that she always ate with Harutora and Touji Touji had warned that suspicions would be aroused once a poor lie was exposed, and that meant exactly this kind of situation
Touji continued to speak with a composed expression
”What's wrong, are you still very interested in Natsume after that incident happened?”
That incident meant the event that had happened last suht provocation, hastily trying to speak out to deny it, but she probably thought Touji was different frouess I can't say I'm completely uninterested” She unexpectedly admitted honestly
”I told this person the sah they reic pertaining to Tsuchimikado Yakou The Imperial Onmyoudou that Yakou founded still contains many mysteries that we don't understand, and if Tsuchi these nore him no matter how small that possibility is” Suzuka poked her spoon into the o it around
”There's not enough ketchup” Next to the colanced at Harutora Harutora quietly nodded his head to reply with a serious face
The situation was extreent Suzuka would definitely take any measures to find an opportunity to approach Natsume in the future, so how exactly could they stop her actions?
”H to chase him to his classroom anymore now Why don't you tell me what kind of a person Natsume is”
Suzuka rudely waved her spoon at the two, her mouth full of omurice Her appearance was immature and cute, but her attitude was like a queen conificant topic, exaggerating Natsume's masculinity as much as possible
His days of concealing the secret and walking a tightrope hadn't ended
Lunchtime seemed extraordinarily slow compared to the very brief after-class break time
☆
”I like Harutora's idea”
During the time after the first afternoon class, when they were in the e around the classroom, Touji frankly expressed his opinion towards Harutora and Natsume
”What?” Natsume asked back ”Wh, What idea of Harutora-kun's?”
”Hiswith Dairenji I think Harutora should find her again, no, he should find her as much as possible and have open-minded conversations with her”
Touji's sudden turnaround surprised Harutora, and Natsume's eyes also widened In particular, not only did Natsume's eyes widen, but she even shouted: ”No!” She pushed her slipping glasses back onto her nose while saying: ”That's too dangerous! What if Harutora-kun reveals a slip that's even shis own grave!”
Natsume was dissatisfied - that reed his shoulders at the two of the Natsume's opinion
”Harutora's approach has been ined, and it would be best to let hi the opponent's trust, in case we need it in the future”
”In case we need it in the future What does that mean?”
”It means exactly what the words say It's the most direct method in the current circumstances, and all we can do now is take precautions” Touji's face was cally
Touji always acted after thinking, so that profound state of Touji's stateue
”I don't understand what thatin contact with her as much as possible” Natsurave and stubborn Her look showed an unlared at Touji
Touji spoke strangely upon seeing this: ”That's what I ive me if I offended you Honestly, you and that person are very similar”
”M, Me?”
”Right” Touji spoke deliberately teasingly ”Especially how both of you aren't straightforward Right, it's also very similar how your personalities are like a child's”
Hearing Touji say this, Natsuain in surprise
Harutora hadn't mentioned Ohtomo's words to Touji, but Touji had a similar view as Ohtomo It was evident that Suzuka and Natsu carefully, the situation today noon could act as proof, as Suzuka had eaten alone right after entering the academy It really made it impossible to not associate it with Natsume when she had just entered
However, ”I' this matter to me, honestly, I think you're more suitable to be her opponent Your attitude just noasHarutora's proposal, Natsume's expression suddenly lit up, and it seemed like he could hear her yell from her heart: 'That's it!'
She changed her opposing attitude
”Th, That's right, Harutora-kun's right! I can relax if we leave it to Touji-kun - Ah, no, I trust Touji-kun, so let's leave it for Touji-kun to deal with!”
”Tch Natsuht?”
”I, I didn't! I was just Well I, I just believe that we shouldn't let Harutora-kun approach her rashly, and maybe Touji-kun's a more suitable choice!” Natsume frantically explained, short of breath She seemed quite satisfied with Harutora's proposal
However, ”No” Touji refused Harutora's proposal in a breath ”Harutora is theby the current situation, it's only ful if Harutora steps forward”
”Wh, Why?” Harutora blurted out a question and Touji didn't reply directly, just showing a soleaze ”You all believe I'irl, and I decide to leave this matter to Harutora”
”Touji, isn't that a little too much wordplay?”
”Whatever you say Anyway, this matter is left to Harutora”
”B, But!”
”Natsu the opinionated Natsume who refused to rest ”Since we can't find any excuses in ti we can do right now is to escape Suzuka's gaze as much as possible But, we can't escape forever, so if we take the initiative and contact Suzuka, we can restrict her s out for a while We won't need to fear your true identity being exposed for now”
”But, Touji-kun can also be responsible for that--!”
”What's wrong, you trust Harutora that little?” Touji replied maliciously
”I!” Natsulanced at Harutora with no reply She lowered her head, her lips tight, clearly unwilling Harutora wasn't angry when he saw her reacting so unwillingly, but he felt depressed instead that he was so untrustworthy
The expression that Touji looked at the tith became wry Then, he turned his head to face Harutora, who still didn't get it
”No matter what, Harutora, you don't need to be troubled over what to do You just need to find Dairenji and chat like normal, and s” Touji spoke leisurely - even a bit cheerfully
Touji, who loved causing trouble, had pushed things onto hi would definitely happen No, not just Touji, anyone could see that doing this was bound to stir up a lot of controversy in the future
Harutora sighed He had no choice other than nodding his head in assent
After school ended that day, Harutora immediately took action and headed towards the first-year classroom in order to find Suzuka as early as possible
He didn't actually knohat he would talk about afterher, but he would rather strike of his own initiative than cower in the classroo for the opponent to attack
Following yesterday, Harutora had appeared in front of the classrooazes were more excited than yesterday Unfortunately, he had still drawn a blank this time and heard at once that Suzuka had already left the classroom
With the lesson froly left the first-year classroom
”Kogure-san shouldn't have coht? Could it be that she already went back”
Compared to how she always appeared at a deadly moment, he just wasted his tio on the offensive, running around in circles
Harutora decided that today he would go to the academy rear entrance first to test his luck, but he really didn't have any luck to speak of, and didn't notice Suzuka on the way to the rear entrance If she had already left the acade, it would really be difficult to find her by relying on the strength of a single person
”She's not here, huh I'll wait here for a bit” Saying this, he opened the door, checking the situation outside
There were narrow alleys accessing the 's rear entrance, the lanes sh Almost no one traveled these small alleys, but when Harutora walked outside, he noticed that there was a figure walking towards the main road
She wore a pure white unifore and the sleeves overly long He see away
”Ah, Senpai!” Harutora hastily called out and the fe around She was the third-year senpai that he had run into after school yesterday
She seemed to also renize Harutora first yesterday and speak with him
She looked backwards over her shoulder
”Ah, the little girl's--”
”I' before I introduced irl' as soon as you seeat the end!”
”Master”
”At least put 'shi+kigami' in the middle there, please”
Once talk like 'the little girl's master' spread, the criticis Suzuka's ex-boyfriend Doing this and that with a shi+kiga that could be fudged over easily
Harutora decided not toup to the senpai as about to walk onto the road
”Senpai, I have so to ask you--”
”What is it? Little girl shi+kigami's master?”
”I didn't mean I wanted you to call me that”
”You have a lot of requests”
”I don't have a lot of requests at all, I just want you to call me by my name like normal!”
”Young people these days speak really impolitely”
”Senpai, you aren't allowed to say that”