Shika Kagura finally spoke her first sentence and instantly attached the label of a âgood personâ to Seiji for the second time.
âIâve already heard you say that at Drama Club.â Seiji looked at her.âAlthough I donât really think Iâm such a good person⊠But perhaps I am, just a little.â
âSomeone told me that youâre âlight itself.ââ
Seiji was rendered speechless upon hearing this.
A feminine⊠no, the image of a boy in female clothing flashed through his memory. He felt a sudden urge to cover his face!
But he still had to ask to make sure.
âWho did you hear that from? Was it Hoshi Amami? Do you know him?â
Shika nodded in response.
Seiji ended up clutching his face when Shika nodded.
âHoshi, itâs one thing if youâre just thinking it in your mind! Are you really telling others as well!? Itâs too embarrassing!â
After mentally cursing his absent junior, Seiji decided to give Hoshi a proper education with his fist when they next met.
âSeigo Harano?â A confused voice called out his name.
âOh, my apologies, I was justâŠâ Seiji coughed and lowered his hands again.âYouâre classmates with Hoshi?â
âSame club.â Shikaâs answers were rather succinct.
âWhat club?â
âLiterature.â
âI seeâŠâ
So Hoshi was in the Literature Club, hmm. It seemed quite suitable for him.
âNo, wait!â
âHow did he tell you about it?â Seijiâs face began to twitch.
âDid that guy tell the entire Literature Club about his wild fantasies!?â
Shika remained silent.
âHey there, donât remain silent here! Iâm nervously waiting to hear what you have to say!â
Seiji was filled with tension as he awaited Shikaâs answer.
If that idiot junior of his really did tell the entire Literature Club something so embarrassing⊠damn it! This wasnât something that could be taken care of with just one educational punch!
Achoo⊠Hoshi sneezed while doing housework at his auntâs house.
âSenpaiâs work has probably ended now⊠Man, I want to go as well,â he muttered to himself as he wiped down a surface.
But first, he had to clean up his auntâs house.
After all, they were going to live together now. He felt it would be best to get everything cleaned.
Anyway, Aunt Rika seemed to be so strict, but her home wasâŠ
Hoshi couldnât help but smile wryly as he thought back to the chaotic mess in the house when he first arrived.
Aunt Rika seemed to feel awkward about it as well.
Still, she was always busy with work and lived by herself, so it was understandable that her house was messy.
Hoshi felt that the first thing he should do after moving in was to clean up the whole place, both for his aunt and for himself.
He decided that this was more important than going to work at the confectionery store. Even though he really wanted to be next to Senpai at work, he controlled his urge and didnât go to the store.
He should do what was necessary first⊠Did this count as maturing?
âWhen I see Harano-senpai again, Iâll tell him⊠and reveal Aunt Rikaâs true living conditions at home!â Hoshi chuckled to himself as he imagined the conversation.
He had no idea that the next time he met his Senpai an iron fist would be waiting for him.
In the park.
Shika remained silent for a long period of time.
Finally, she averted her gaze before speaking.
âI asked him why it was that⊠he didnât die.â
Seiji who had been waiting for the answer was stunned at the unexpected response.
Why Hoshi didnât die?
This type of question⊠it sounded almost as if⊠she knew Hoshi Amami originally should have died!
Seijiâs expression instantly changed.
âWhy did you ask him that question?â His mind went through various scenarios, but he decided to seek clarification from her first.
Shika gazed off into the night with a calm expression.
âHe also asked me this, just like you.â
âMy answer was that⊠I saw it.â
âHe had an expression⊠that said he wanted to die.â
âAn expression?â Seiji raised his eyebrows in surprise.
âThen, he seemed to understand what I meant, as he thanked me for caring about him. Actually, I didnât care about him⊠I told him that as well. I just wanted to know who had⊠changed his mind when he had wanted to die⊠into someone who saw the light again.â
Shika slowly moved her gaze back on Seijiâs face again as she spoke.
âHe then told me that⊠he met the light itself. The lightâs name was⊠Seigo Harano.â
Seiji was speechless.
Her story was rather choppy, but he could understand her meaning.
For a moment, he thought that Shika had some sort of⊠mystical ability, but it must have been his misunderstanding.
She didnât actually witness Hoshiâs death. She only noticed Hoshiâs dark expression when he was in a mental abyss, and from that she inferred he was going toâŠ
But that didnât end up happening to Hoshi. Instead, he recovered and even surpassed his original selfâs spiritedness.
This made Shika feel something was strange, hence her question.
Hoshi answered her⊠in a rather immature middle schoolerâs way.
Seiji inwardly breathed a sigh of relief after confirming his fears were unfounded, and Shika wasnât someone with mystical powers.
He was also relieved, as apparently Hoshi hadnât informed the whole club about the way he considered Seiji to be the light itself.
âThat guy may have exaggerated a bit too much. His analogy was a little⊠you know.â Seiji scratched his face.âAll I did was help him out a little⊠He was having some difficulties due to a certain issue, and I helped him out. Thatâs all there is to it.â
Shika stared at him.
âWhile he was telling me this, it seemed as if he were exuding an aura of light. That type of aura⊠it was my first time witnessing such a thing. Iâve never seen it before.â
Fine then! This girl and that guy⊠were both part of the Literature Club!
Did all Literature Club members find it so easy to accept the immature thinking of middle schoolers?
âI surrender,â Seiji mentally sighed.
âYou⊠well, whatever you guys want to say, itâs up to you. I donât feel like Iâm light itself; I merely did what I should have as his Senpai and his friend, as it was within my power to do so.â
Shika tilted her head slightly.âSo youâre admitting it?â
âHey, girl, just how did you understand that as I was admitting it!?â
Seiji forced down his urge to retort.
This wouldnât end if he continued to deny it.
Seiji sighed inwardly.âI might as well take the direct approach with her.â
âFine then. I suppose⊠I am the light.â
Damn it, only after he said it out loud did he realize how embarrassing it sounded!
Seiji forcefully clutched his face with his hands.
âI admit it, okay? Iâm the person who gave him light, so he views me as light itself! Iâm the physical actualization of light!! Then? So what!?â
He gave up on himself as he covered his face.
His words sounded way too much like the immature rambling of a middle school student!
âWhy am I acting like this deep into the night in a dark park together with a middle school girl that I barely even know!?â
Seiji could only console himself by thinking that he had just done something equally embarrassing and pretentious two days ago. Compared to how he acted towards the twins, this was nothingâŠ
âŠBut this made him lose even more spirit!
At that time, he had relied on his imposing manner to get by! And after that was class time, which barely managed to help him stop thinking about it!!
Seiji was engulfed by his dark memories. The physical actualization of light was about to collapse.
âI⊠also want to have the light,â Shika stated in a soft, calm voice.
Her voice didnât contain any particular emotions. It was a simple, pure desire.