Day 2 of the Truth's Revelation, Remaining Time for Mission: 4 Days
The morning mist had not yet dispersed, and the damp, dewy air permeated the hallway of the apartment building. As Okabara Kyogumichi walked out of his home with his school bag, he happened to see Shiina Mahiru coming out of the opposite door.
The girl was dressed in a clean university uniform, her long hair draped smoothly over her shoulders, but the gentle smile she usually wore was gone, replaced by a faint sense of detachment. Her steps paused, and her gaze fell on Kyogumichi, as if she had something to say, but she pursed her lips tightly, simply stepping aside to let him pass first.
Only then did Kyogumichi realize that he hadn't gone to Shiina Mahiru's house for dinner in two days. Since that evening when he had dinner at her place, the two had tacitly formed an unwritten agreement—whenever he had time, he would go to her place for a free meal, and she seemed to enjoy it too.
But these past two days, first he was busy investigating the basement, and then dealing with the subsequent media liaison, he had almost forgotten about it.
"Morning," Kyogumichi spoke first, with a hint of an imperceptible apology in his tone.
Shiina Mahiru, however, did not respond, only lowered her head and quickly walked towards the elevator. As the metal door slowly closed, Kyogumichi saw her slightly furrowed brows, as if she was sulking.
The atmosphere in the elevator was a bit stagnant. Their reflections appeared in the mirror, and Shiina Mahiru kept her face turned away, her gaze fixed on the flickering numbers, without saying a word. Kyogumichi wanted to explain several times, but didn't know where to start—he couldn't very well tell her that he had been busy exposing a ten-year-old school secret these past two days and was almost silenced.
It wasn't until the elevator reached the first floor that Shiina Mahiru finally seemed unable to hold back, stopping and turning to look at Kyogumichi. The morning light streamed through the glass door onto her, giving her fair cheeks a soft golden edge, but her eyes held clear indignation.
"Okabara-san," her voice was very soft, but carried an undeniable seriousness, "Why haven't you come for dinner these past two days?"
Kyogumichi was stunned, not expecting her to be so direct. Looking at the girl's slightly puffed cheeks, like a neglected kitten, he suddenly found it a little amusing, but his guilt grew even stronger.
"Sorry, I had something going on these past two days and forgot because I was busy." Kyogumichi scratched his head, his tone sincere, "It wasn't on purpose."
"Something?" Shiina Mahiru raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with the vague answer, "No matter how busy you are, you could have said something, right? I made your portion every day, and in the end, I had to throw it away."
There was a hint of grievance in her voice, which made Kyogumichi feel even worse. He was silent for a moment, then decided to tell her the truth.
"Actually, something happened at school." Kyogumichi looked into her eyes and said seriously, "Chitanda-san and I discovered something from ten years ago that involved many people, and we've been dealing with the aftermath these past two days."
Shiina Mahiru's gaze softened slightly, but still held confusion: "What happened? Was it very serious?"
"Yes, it was quite serious." Kyogumichi nodded, briefly telling her the ins and outs of the Shadow Box incident, omitting the overly bloody and dangerous parts, "It's finally come to an end now. Although the result isn't perfect, at least the truth has come to light."
Shiina Mahiru listened quietly, the indignation on her face gradually fading, replaced by surprise and worry. "You... are you okay? It sounds very dangerous."
"I'm fine, don't worry." Kyogumichi smiled, "It's all over."
"Okabara-san, you are truly brave." Shiina Mahiru looked at him, a hint of admiration in her eyes, "If it were me, I might not have the courage to face these things."
"It's not bravery; it's just that some things have to be done by someone," Kyogumichi said modestly.
Shiina Mahiru lowered her head and said softly, "Then... can you come to my house for dinner tonight? I made your favorite."
Kyogumichi felt a warmth in his heart as he saw the anticipation flickering in her eyes, and he nodded vigorously: "Of course, I'll definitely be there."
Hearing his answer, Shiina Mahiru finally showed her long-lost smile, like sunshine after a rain, warm and bright. "Then let's hurry, or we'll be late."
The two walked out of the apartment building side by side, the morning sun dispelling the mist and falling warmly on the street. Shiina Mahiru seemed to suddenly remember something and took a small box out of her school bag, handing it to Kyogumichi.
"This is for you." Her cheeks were slightly flushed, "I made these cookies a few days ago, I originally wanted to give them to you as a snack, but I never had the chance."
Kyogumichi took the box and opened it to see neatly arranged cookies, emitting a faint buttery aroma. "Thank you, Shiina-san."
"You're welcome." Shiina Mahiru said with a smile, "Quickly try one and see if it's delicious."
Kyogumichi picked up a piece and put it in his mouth; it was crispy and sweet, with just the right flavor. "It's delicious, even better than those bought outside."
Hearing his praise, Shiina Mahiru's smile became even brighter. The two chatted and laughed all the way, as if the previous unpleasantness had never happened.
When they reached the school gate, Shiina Mahiru stopped and said to Kyogumichi, "See you tonight."
"See you tonight." Kyogumichi waved, watching her disappear into the crowd, his heart filled with warmth.
He looked down at the cookie box in his hand, then thought of the girl's indignant look that morning, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into a smile. Perhaps, in this world full of unknowns and dangers, such warmth is the most precious thing.
Kyogumichi took a deep breath and turned to walk into the school.