“Aha, then I’ll quickly deal with the bomb I set and be right back~!”
Since I couldn’t just stay in the restricted area for non-authorized personnel, I suggested to the Heungsinso kids that we step out and talk again, and that was their reply.
“Set a bomb…?”
Were they planning to lure me there if the first surprise attack didn’t work? Oh, how terrifying.
If we had actually gone there, it would have been impossible not to draw attention, regardless of my desire to avoid causing a scene. I could probably smooth over a gunshot or two, and while entering a restricted area would be a bit tough, I could probably handle that… Hmm, maybe it’s manageable with the power of money?
Anyway, fortunately, it seems to be going smoothly without much friction with the Heungsinso. Just recently, when I clashed with C&C, I had a big fight with Neru, which escalated to the point of being unmanageable… As someone who has to mediate between the two academies, I think it’s fortunate that things ended up like this.
After waiting for Mitsuki to return, I eagerly stepped over the wooden door. I realized it would have been enough to just open the door from the inside after my body floated in the air, but it’s too late now, so it can’t be helped. I still had Haruka’s shotgun with me, so I believed I wouldn’t have to run away under normal circumstances.
One problem remains, but it wasn’t the one I should be worried about.
“Mika-san…! Are you okay? You aren’t hurt, are you?!”
“Huh…?”
As soon as I stepped out of the restricted area, the T-party’s honor guard, disguised in various outfits, greeted me while holding their guns. They were not using standard rifles but had opted for an array of weapons for proper camouflage.
…How did Heungsinso manage to avoid these kids’ eyes? They were only caught after approaching me so openly, meaning Heungsinso must be quite skilled at handling attention and movement. It was a moment where I really sensed that these kids had their own capabilities.
I quickly pondered how to deal with the awkward situation between the four Gehenna fugitives and the T-party’s guard, only to be interrupted.
“Oops… Whoa?!”
Mitsuki, who lightly jumped over the door, slipped upon seeing the crowd around me and fell right toward me.
Catching her or dodging wouldn’t have been a tough choice. However, considering the T-party kids around, receiving her might prevent any factors of conflict, which would be a bit safer. Plus, it would make it easy to explain the other three who would follow.
As I reached out, I caught a glimpse of Mitsuki’s surprised eyes, and then she suddenly smiled while adjusting her position to make it easier for me to catch her. Especially, she was mindful of where her bag and gun were positioned.
If I pretended to catch her and didn’t in the end, I could get a bit of petty revenge for her earlier annoying behavior… But still, that felt a bit too petty.
“Yay~! Thanks for catching me, Angel-chan♪”
And as expected.
Click——
“What, what are you doing?! You, Gehenna horned brat…! Get away from Mika-san!”
It was surely one of Pater’s guards, who pointed their gun at Mitsuki. They reacted slightly late, but it seems they were simply worried and reacted sooner than others after openly approaching me.
“Um… Hey, guys? Can you lower those guns?”
“…Yes, Mika-san.”
Oh, what’s this? It’s a rare sight indeed for the student from Pater, who first aimed their gun, to lower it first. Even after realizing that their target is technically a student from Gehenna, their response is quite encouraging. It means they’re prioritizing my words.
But if you’re prioritizing my words, at least be a bit more confident.
“Hey, I appreciate you rushing here out of concern… But didn’t I definitely ask you to ensure Nagisa-chan was well guarded instead?”
“…Yes, of course, we definitely remember that part. Right now, our team members are monitoring for suspicious movements near the entrance of the performance hall. However, we concluded that Shirasa from Arius Squad would suffice for close protection and took some of our people for backup, just in case.”
Hmm, it seems they have that much faith in Azusa’s skills to spare personnel. That’s quite convincing. They’ve also been careful enough to immediately check for Heungsinso kids trailing behind me.
“Yeah, I see. I think your judgment in this matter hasn’t been wrong. If you’d just said you were worried about me, I might have been a little disappointed, but since that’s not the case, it’s all good.”
Wheeze——
By the way, I was wondering why they hadn’t come over yet when I realized they had been quietly observing the situation with the door left ajar.
“Oh, you all! I won’t eat you, so come over here quickly! Just to let you know in advance, from now on, you’re all my… Hmm, should I say guests for now? That sounds about right.”
I almost called them my party, but that felt a bit premature.
“…I knew the T-party student council president would have guards, but I didn’t expect the level of disguise to be this high. I’m sorry, Kayoko. My judgement was off.”
“Hehe, no need to beat yourself up, Kayoko. This was just us giving you a helping hand. But, Mitsuki-chan? How long are you planning to stay like that?”
“Huh…? Ah, you’re right! Hey, Angel-chan~ you can put me down now! Thanks for catching me!”
“Ahaha, it’s no big deal! Mitsuki-chan is so light that I doubt I’d be tired even if I held her all day!”
“…Eh?”
When I replied to Mitsuki’s remark, noticing Aru’s expression failing to keep her composure behind me, her reaction was a bit subtle. As she subtly glanced at the bag she was holding…
Hey, Mitsuki…? What on earth do you have in that bag that caused such a reaction the moment I said you were light?
Whether I think such pointless thoughts or not, once I set down Mitsuki, Aru caught my eye with what appeared to be a flustered face.
“Mitsuki-chan…?”
It seems my attitude, which had no sense of distance, surprised her. Mitsuki, equally surprised, opened her eyes wide and suddenly broke into a mischievous smile. For some reason, I already felt sorry for Aru…
“Hehehe… Aru-chan, I have something to tell you~?”
“…What is it?”
“I’m quitting Heungsinso today! I’m totally head over heels for the warm and kind-hearted Angel-chan here♡”
As expected, wasn’t this typical? Mitsuki, suddenly launching a psychological attack on Aru, put down her bag and machine gun and instantly hugged me. The sound of something heavy hitting the ground indicates there’s definitely something weighty inside, but what on earth could it be?
Was it the reason we didn’t see any personnel in the restricted area for non-authorized personnel?!
Suddenly, I found myself imagining something ridiculous. I cautiously justify it as due to a familiar melody that unexpectedly started playing in my head.
By the way, it seems Mitsuki is standing on her tiptoes to put her head on my shoulder… I can easily envision her beaming smile while teasing Aru. Just by speaking, it feels like I’ve already inflicted enough damage on Aru.
“W-what? Mitsuki-chan, what are you talking about…?”
“Oh? Aru-chan, we’re still on duty, so you should call me chief… Oh, never mind! I quit, so it doesn’t matter♪”
“Ah, no! Mitsuki-chan, you have to stay with us in Heungsinso! Don’t leave us…!”
“No, president… Mitsuki’s just messing with you, so relax.”
Hmm, this is confusing, confusing. Just like that, Mitsuki easily creates chaos with only a few words, just like the students I’ve met so far.
“Hehehe, this is fun… Hmm? Angel-chan, you can put me down now.”
In that sense, on a golden day like today, I ought to play a light prank on Aru, who came to bother me and Mitsuki, who was being annoying earlier.
It might be a bit cringy or childish, but I’m genuinely stressed and having a hard time. Especially because of you guys from Gehenna. So I think it’s totally legal to relieve my stress and vent my pent-up frustration in this wholesome way.
“Hey, Mitsuki-chan, the crime of carelessly playing with the heart of an innocent angel is deep. You were even trying to run away freely just earlier, weren’t you? So… I’m not letting go. Taking you all the way to Trinity like this wouldn’t be a bad idea either☆”
But after saying that, it felt strangely like there was no response.
No, to be precise…
“What, what did you say——?!”
Mitsuki didn’t react.
Behind me, Aru, with her eyes wide open as though lightning was striking in the background, my gaze shifted back to Mitsuki, only to see…
What is this? Mitsuki, blushing and struggling to regain her composure… No, I never expected to see a sight like this.
More importantly, what is this indescribably cute vibe? Her bashful and flustered demeanor while staring down with her eyes downcast exudes an innocence that makes me genuinely want to take her and nurture her.
Of course, that’s a no-go.
“Ahaha☆ Just kidding, just kidding! So both of you, relax your faces!”
Even amidst all this, I wondered if Haruka might suddenly do something weird, but thankfully, it seemed she was merely aiding Aru in mental care.
“Sh-should we kill her, Aru-san?”
…No matter how I think about it, it’s Aru who needs mental care.
No, and. Why is it that even after I explained I was joking, Aru still looks like her mind is blown, while Mitsuki is covering her face and crouched down?
It’s truly something I can’t comprehend.
*
While waiting for the two to regain their senses, I contacted Nagisa. When I asked if it was okay if the group grew a bit larger, she hesitated for a moment and asked how many.
[Four…? Hmm, wait a moment. I’ll ask Azusa and Hifumi. But, they’re not problematic kids, right?]
“Yeah, well… But since these kids are from Gehenna, if any of you three are against it, we won’t be going together.”
[Gehenna…? Just to check, those include Sorasaki and Kurodate, right?]
“Ahaha, I understand your concern, but… I just met these kids today, and there’s a bit of a circumstance here. Yeah, still, they seem fun, so I thought I’d ask if it was okay to hang out with them a little!”
Having conveyed that to Nagisa, I quietly added while making sure no one overheard.
“…And if we can show the nonchalant scene of mingling with Gehenna kids without any issues, it might influence the Pater kids positively as well.”
[Hmm… I see. That makes sense. Mika-san’s love never ceases to surprise me. I’ll ask those two and contact you back.]
“Yep, please do☆”
After finishing the call with Nagisa, Mitsuki and Aru had finally regained some semblance of composure. Mitsuki, trying to act nonchalant, seemed to be avoiding my gaze for whatever reason, while Aru…
“Um, they said they won’t take you away.”
“Mitsuki-chan… No, Mitsuki is absolutely not for you to take away. Even if I die, I won’t let you retreat!”
“So I said they’re not taking her!”
How did I end up thinking about bringing these kids along?
Ah, right. There’s a little reason I told Nagisa, and given the affectionate nature of Heungsinso kids, if they get along, it could help things in many ways. I figured it might also help when we go catch that person I suspect is half-convinced she’s a client.
In other words, it implies I approached with a comprehensive Trinity-style method.
[Both of them have said it’s alright. I don’t particularly mind, but…]
[The seat next to Mika-san is mine.]
Fortunately, all three showed agreement, so it’s time to share this happy news with the Heungsinso kids.
“Alright, everyone, relax your expressions. We’re supposed to hang out together from now on to get to know each other, so what are you doing looking like that?”
“W-what? Hang out together? Get to know each other?! That’s not why we came here! We came here to kidnap you as the villains!”
“…Oh? Aru-chan, do you think saying that here is wise?”
“President… this is a bit…”
Aru’s shocking declaration suddenly turned the atmosphere icy. With me smiling nonchalantly, it seems the T-party kids are pondering whether they should aim their guns at us or not.
“…Huh?! Hold on! This is, I mean——”
“What? I already knew it wasn’t a good intention from the start. I was planning to ask about the request from the beginning… So, thanks for clarifying, it’s actually a relief.”
“…?”
“I apologize if it sounds dismissive, but since it’s a request that’s bound to fail, it doesn’t really matter, does it? So let’s loosen up for now and just enjoy ourselves, and we can talk seriously later! After all, I do have my reasons for being this relaxed with you guys.”
No matter what you do, you won’t be able to hurt me.
Once I threw out those blatant implications, both Aru and Mitsuki frowned. I could hardly tell whether there were any changes in Kayoko’s expression, and Haruka seemed ready to blow if I inadvertently triggered something, so it would be better to quickly continue talking before it was too late.
“Then, let’s head to the ticket booth first!”
“…?”
Why? If we’re going to hang out, we need to get passes. I’d wager it’s faster than waiting in line for any ride from here to the ticket booth!
