"So, 'maintaining the connection' basically means I can't take my hand off it, right?"
Kitahara remained quite relaxed, showing no signs of impatience or anxiety.
Hana was even more at ease; holding a small cake in both hands, she simply started munching away happily.
A moment later.
A realization quietly dawned on Kitahara—the ability copy had succeeded. He could now use mirrors for rapid travel, just like Hana.
"Let's test it out."
He turned around and reached his right hand toward the mirror; his palm sank into the surface without the slightest resistance.
"Excellent. Copy successful."
Satisfied, he withdrew his hand and looked down at Hana:
"Hana, has your ability disappeared?"
Copying meant duplicating the power; theoretically, it shouldn't affect the original owner, but it was best to double-check just to be safe.
"Nom, nom..."
Hana's cheeks puffed out as she chewed—a sight that inexplicably reminded one of a water buffalo grazing on a rainy day.
"Nope."
"Alright then. Go back to watching Chibi Maruko-chan."
Kitahara waved his hand, shooing her away.
He went to the living room, drank a glass of water, and checked the time on his phone:
"It's already eight o'clock..."
Just as he was preparing to head to the live house in Shimokitazawa, his phone suddenly vibrated, and a message from Taki popped up on the screen.
"Kitahara-kun, something's happened to Tomori!"
"Huh?"
Kitahara slowly typed out a question mark.
Tomori was supposed to be resting at the onsen resort—when could something have happened to her?
Taki: "I messaged Tomori this evening to ask how the songwriting was going, but the message still shows as unread... so something must have happened to her!"
That explained it.
He had eaten dinner with Tomori earlier that evening and then rushed straight to the planetarium. Naturally, he had turned off his phone and left it in a locker to avoid disturbing others, so he hadn't seen Taki's message. Taki: "Kitahara-kun, do you still have any questions left? Why not ask about how Tomori-chan is doing?"
Kitahara: "There's no need to waste a question on that..."
Taki: "Huh?!"
Even through the screen, one could easily picture Taki flying off the handle right now.
Taki: "Tomori has mysteriously vanished—you don't care at all? And you actually have the nerve to talk about 'wasting a question'?"
In a sense, something had happened to Tomori—and it even involved bloodshed...
"That's awful!"
"You're the worst!!"
"You're absolutely terrible!!!"
Taki's messages came in a rapid-fire barrage—pop-pop-pop—like peas from a Peashooter, leaving Kitahara no chance to get a word in.
Only after Taki had calmed down did Kitahara leisurely reply:
"The reason I said there was no need to waste a question is because Tomori is right here with me."
Taki: "What do you mean? If Tomori is with you, why isn't she replying to messages?"
Kitahara: "Tomori was so tired she fell asleep."
"..."
The chat interface suddenly went quiet.
After a long while, Taki finally sent a message:
"You... could it be that you guys..."
Kitahara: "That's right—exactly what you're thinking. Are you jealous, Taki?"
Taki: "As if!"
Although she did feel a dull, aching heaviness in her chest, it was out of indignation on Tomori's behalf—certainly not jealousy!
As for anger... she couldn't bring herself to be angry at all.
Taki knew full well that Tomori's affection for Kitahara had long since maxed out; it wouldn't be surprising if they took that final step at any moment.
Heck, even she herself had already...
Taki's face quietly flushed hot. Flashes of memory flickered through her mind: the time she had possessed Tomori in spirit form and experienced the two of them intimately tending to one another; the time she had accidentally swapped bodies with Soyo and was forced to go to a love hotel to switch back...
"If that time I swapped bodies with Soyo counts... then I actually beat Tomori to it, didn't I?"
Taki couldn't help but mutter to herself.
At that thought, her feelings became even more complex and indescribable.
Kitahara: "Tomori is fine, so don't worry. I shared the [Hero of the Kidneys] ability with her; she'll be up and full of energy after a good sleep."
Taki: "Liar!"
A huge liar!
Sure, stamina might recover, but physical injuries certainly wouldn't heal that fast!
Taki gritted her teeth, suppressing her embarrassment:
"Tomori is physically frail—don't you go too far!"
A strange look crossed Kitahara's face:
"Tomori actually isn't as frail as you think..."
Anon exercised often and competed in long-distance races at sports festivals; she looked like an athletic girl but was actually a total weakling who would whine and surrender at the drop of a hat. Tomori, on the other hand, was the exact opposite: she appeared delicate and frail but possessed astonishing resilience, with combat capabilities several times greater than Anon's.
Taki: "Enough talk—just make sure you take good care of Tomori!" "
Kitahara: "I have to head to the live house in a bit; why don't you come over to the Onsen Dimension and look after Tomori, Taki?"
Taki: "You jerk—so you really just want to hit it and quit it without taking responsibility!"
"..."
A moment later.
A petite girl with long, straight black hair—who was technically an adult—stepped out of the mirror. She first handed a small cake to Hana as a "delivery fee," then crossed her arms and glared indignantly at Kitahara:
"Where's Tomori?"
"In the Onsen Dimension," Kitahara replied softly. "She probably hasn't woken up yet. I shared the 'Hero of the Kidney's' ability with her, so there's no need to worry."
Taki's face tightened, her eyes full of disdain: "Take me to the Onsen Dimension; I'll look after Tomori."
"No rush." Kitahara beckoned her over. "Since you're already here, I might as well share the ability with you, too."
"Huh?"
Taki immediately took a half-step back, her face flushing bright red with embarrassment and anger:
"Stay away! Don't touch me!"
Kitahara looked shocked: "You actually find Tomori off-putting, Taki?"
"Damn it!"
Taki clenched her small fists, so angry she felt like biting someone:
"It's you I find off-putting, obviously!"
"..."
After a bit of banter, Kitahara waved his hand to send Taki into the Onsen Dimension, then headed to the live house in Shimokitazawa to enjoy some music.
He spent half an hour at the venue before it was time for the ability-sharing session.
Nijika, Ryo, and Kita were all straightforward enough, but Seika—the manager—savored the thrill of seizing the initiative; she once again flipped the script and pinned Kitahara against the wall.
After leaving the live house and returning home, Kitahara entered the Onsen Dimension and saw Taki sitting by the bed, watching over Tomori.
Taki shot him an annoyed look:
"It's been so long, and Tomori still hasn't woken up... You really ought to show some concern for her health!"
Kitahara gave a soft, awkward cough: "Actually, Tomori just wouldn't stop..."
"Huh?" Taki looked utterly unimpressed:
"Don't you dare slander Tomori's innocence!"
I really wasn't slandering her; humans have many sides, after all—it's perfectly normal to have a contrasting personality!
"Alright, my bad." Kitahara spread his hands, offering no argument. "Please forgive me, Lady Taki."
"Hmph."
Taki gave a soft hmph and stood up from her chair:
"I'm going to the restroom; you keep an eye on Tomori."
Kitahara nodded and sat down in the chair.
Just as Taki left, Tomori groggily opened her eyes.
"Makoto-kun..."
"You're awake?" Kitahara reached out his right hand and gently rubbed the girl's head. "How are you feeling?"
"Mmm, refreshed and full of energy." Tomori propped herself up on her arms and sat up; the blanket slid down quietly, revealing a glimpse of a smooth, snow-white shoulder. She gazed at him with sparkling eyes. "Makoto-kun, I'm thirsty."
"Here."
Kitahara picked up the water glass from the low table nearby and held it to Tomori's lips.
It was the water Taki had prepared earlier—a perfect opportunity to make a gesture using someone else's effort.
Tomori tilted her face up, her eyes full of anticipation:
"I want Makoto-kun to feed me."
Since becoming his closest person, Tomori had become noticeably clingier.
Simply holding the glass to her lips wasn't enough; she wanted to be fed, and the method of 'feeding' went without saying.
Kitahara took a small sip of water, then leaned down to kiss Tomori.
A moment later.
The glass of water was quickly finished.
Tomori's lips were slightly parted, glistening like the finest jelly; a flush of crimson spread across her flawless, fair face as she gazed at him with sparkling eyes:
"Makoto-kun, I want more..."
"You want more water?"
"Not water." "
Kitahara: "..."
If it wasn't drinking water, then what was it?
Don't get so swept up in it so quickly!
Meanwhile.
Over in the corner.
Taki stood beneath a tree, a can of drink in her right hand, feeling a sense of grievance.
"Damn it, I shouldn't have left; I was the one staying by her bedside the whole time."
"That glass of water was something I poured, too!"
"..."
But before long, Taki's resentment turned to shock; her eyes widened and her left hand flew up to cover her lips as she stared in astonishment at Tomori, who was actively acting clingy and affectionate.
"Tomori is actually... actually making the first move..."
"You're a girl—have a little more restraint!"
"W-wait, what is Tomori trying to do?"
"No way!"
"Tomori wouldn't get addicted to that sort of thing! She must have drunk some weird black tea or something!"
"..."
As the situation rapidly escalated into something R-rated, the heat rose quickly in Taki's cheeks; she wanted to look away or run, but her feet wouldn't budge, leaving her rooted to the spot, blushing furiously.
Half an hour later.
Tomori had fallen asleep from exhaustion again.
Kitahara got up to head to the restroom and spotted Taki stealthily hiding behind a tree, trying her best to keep out of sight.
"Stop hiding." Kitahara walked up to her. "Tomori's asleep again."
"You pervert!"
Taki glared at him, flustered and angry:
"Tomori had only just woken up, and you actually..."
Kitahara replied matter-of-factly, "Tomori was the one who initiated it; Taki, you must have seen that clearly."
"I didn't—I wasn't..." Taki looked away guiltily. "I didn't see anything."
"Tch."
Kitahara clicked his tongue softly and raised an eyebrow.
"Taki, come over here and scrub my back."
"Huh?" Taki looked over in disbelief.
This guy just finished with Tomori—is he trying to do that to me now, too?
Not a chance!
I absolutely won't let you get away with it!
Kitahara spoke in a low, suggestive tone:
"You wouldn't want Tomori to find out about that secret you were spying on, would you, Taki?"
Taki: "..."
With her secret held over her head, Taki had no choice; gritting her teeth and swallowing her embarrassment, she followed Kitahara toward the bathroom.
"Do you want to take a bath, Taki?"
Kitahara turned and asked.
"No need!"
Taki crossed her arms over her chest and flatly refused.
In reality, she desperately needed one; she had been watching for quite a while without realizing it and had worked up a sweat—her clothes were sticky and clammy, so a bath and a change of clothes were definitely in order. But she couldn't admit that under any circumstances, and she certainly wasn't going to bathe with Kitahara.
"Alright then." Kitahara sat down on the bamboo stool. "Taki, help me scrub my back."
"Damn it..."
Taki gritted her teeth and reluctantly took the towel.
The less said about what happened next, the better.
Although Taki was determined to stand her ground and ensure Kitahara wouldn't take advantage of her again no matter what, the high temperature in the bathroom soon made her head swim; in her daze, she ultimately gave in to his shameless proposal that they take turns scrubbing each other's backs.
And so, the days slipped quietly by.
In the blink of an eye, another week had passed.
Kitahara would ride his scooter to school with Hitori in the morning, join Hitori, Tomori, Anon, and Kita for a bento lunch at the onsen resort at midday, and spend the early evening—alongside Soyo, Mutsumi, and Sakiko—entertaining the "Ghost-senpai" with food and fun. At night, he'd head to Shimokitazawa for live music, finally wrapping things up as the girls gathered for a pre-bedtime soak in the hot springs.
Over these past few days, Sakiko—channeling her inner succubus—had gone into overdrive, making rapid progress in winning over Shimizu Rin.
There was also good news on another front: Pandora's Box was finally nearing full charge, and the day of the harvest was fast approaching.
"Let our youth burn bright with no regrets!"
"Let's go, Barbara!"
"The school festival officially starts in three days—time to get to work!"
"..."
As Kitahara walked into the classroom, he was greeted by a scene of bustling activity.
The school festival was a three-day event—running from Friday through Sunday—so naturally, thorough preparations were required beforehand.
They had already sorted out the costumes, props, themes, and task assignments; now, they were in the actual setup phase. This involved clearing the desks and chairs out of the classroom to a vacant activity room and hauling in the props needed for their haunted house attraction.
Kitahara didn't feel a particularly strong emotional attachment to the school festival, so he had opted for the simplest role: manual labor. He worked alongside Sakiko, Shimizu Rin, and a few other classmates—who were mostly just along for the ride—to haul various items around.
Fortunately, high school is an age of boundless energy, and with many hands making light work, the classmates chatted and joked while they labored, ensuring there wasn't a dull moment. "Kitahara-kun, could you please move this table outside?"
A girl with black-framed glasses and braided hair was directing the operations.
"Leave it to me."
Kitahara nodded, effortlessly lifted the table, and headed toward the exit.
But just as he reached the doorway, a startled cry rang out from behind him.
"Rin-chan, watch out!"
The voice was instantly recognizable; Kitahara knew exactly who had shouted.
"Sakiko?"
Kitahara spun around, raising an eyebrow as he looked over. A terrifying ghost-head prop, suspended from the ceiling, had suddenly plummeted—directly above Shimizu Rin, the girl with the eye patch.
After letting out that cry, Sakiko bit her lower lip decisively and shoved Shimizu Rin out of the way, taking the full force of the impact herself.
Fortunately, the prop was designed merely to startle people and wasn't particularly heavy; plus, since Sakiko wasn't human, getting hit by it didn't cause any serious harm.
"Togawa-san, are you okay?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Let us take you to the infirmary to get checked out."
"..."
The curious students crowded around, clamoring with concern.
"I'm fine; there's no need to worry," Sakiko said, standing up while clutching her shoulder. She looked at the girl with the eye patch and asked solicitously, "Rin-chan, are you alright?"
"..."
Shimizu Rin remained silent for a moment, simply shaking her head.
"Togawa-san, you need to go to the infirmary right away." The bespectacled girl with braids wore a stern, unyielding expression. "It clearly hit your shoulder; there's no way you're unhurt."
Unable to refuse, Sakiko had no choice but to head to the infirmary accompanied by the other girls.
Meanwhile...
The students left behind began whispering and pointing at Shimizu Rin. "Shimizu is so cold—she didn't even say a word of thanks."
"Exactly. Togawa got hurt for her sake, yet she didn't even offer a single word of concern."
"With an attitude that cold, it's no wonder she's always a loner."
"..."
Kitahara stood at the classroom entrance, his gaze shifting to land on Shimizu Rin.
The girl with the eye patch was leaning against the wall, her head bowed as she stared at her toes. She seemed oblivious to the gossip behind her back, displaying an indifference that suggested the outside world was of no concern to her.
Yet, Kitahara could clearly sense that the moment Sakiko was struck by the prop, the girl—who rarely showed much emotion—had experienced a sudden, intense surge of feeling.
Possessing over a hundred points of HP, she wouldn't have been injured even if hit by the prop; nevertheless, Sakiko's selfless act of saving her at that critical moment had clearly stirred something deep within Shimizu Rin.
Kitahara looked away, picked up his desk, and turned to leave the classroom.
After placing the desk in an empty club room, he stepped out into the hallway and suddenly spotted the girl with the eye patch standing there silently; his eyes narrowed slightly.
Why was Shimizu Rin in the hallway?
Was she out to clear her head?
Or had she come here on purpose?
Kitahara instinctively assessed the situation... chances were high that she had come specifically to wait for him.
"Sure enough, there aren't that many fools in this world..."
Kitahara exhaled softly, shoved his hands into his pockets, and strolled casually over to where she stood.
The two of them stood in the hallway; for a time, neither spoke, simply gazing silently down below.
Sakiko was making her way to the infirmary, flanked by two other girls. Only after Sakiko had vanished from sight did Shimizu Rin speak calmly, her voice cold and indifferent, as if nothing in the world mattered to her:
"Before this, I only wanted the world to feel pain."
Kitahara glanced sideways at her: "And now?"
Shimizu Rin remained expressionless, raising a hand to her chest as a flicker of inner conflict and confusion crossed her eyes:
"Now... the wicked still deserve to die, but Sakiko... she shouldn't."
To think she'd be so open about it—you've clearly been won over by Sakiko, haven't you?
Sakiko the Succubus—truly a terrifying force!
After a brief pause, Shimizu Rin's expression returned to its icy composure:
"The Divine One is about to descend, and no one can stop it."
Kitahara shoved his hands into his pockets: "How do we know unless we try?"
Shimizu Rin turned to look at him: "I will tell you the Divine One's true name. Once you know it, you will realize just how insignificant humanity truly is..."