"Alright, you lot. I want to see all your faces in one piece for the second semester. Homeroom is dismissed."
As Natsuki-sensei's slightly ominous words ended, the classroom erupted in noise. It was no surprise, considering the students had been waiting for the 40-day summer vacation. It would be unreasonable to tell them not to get excited.
A few students were stuck with remedial classes due to poor grades, but that was their own fault. Of course, I was in the clear.
Right now, I couldn't be bothered with something like remedial classes.
With my backpack on, I looked at the girl who was also packing up her things. She seemed unfazed by the commotion around her, as if a bubble of silence surrounded her.
It was Yami.
Looking at Yami, I couldn't help but remember the last thing Claudia said. I wanted to believe that there was no way that person was involved, not even a one-in-a-million chance. But if I intervened in the experiment, I would find out for myself.
However, seeing how efficiently Claudia worked, I couldn't help but think that the information she gave me might be correct.
I was actually scheduled to raid the research lab for the experiment tonight. I would be the only one on the ground, but Claudia had handled all the preparations.
She created an attack schedule that considered the importance and randomness of the targets, including the lab, the production factory for the "Sisters," and the data center storing the experimental data.
The goal was to throw off the alert system by not just hitting the most important facilities first, but by inserting some other targets in between.
Of course, it was hard to say if this plan was 100% correct, but she had been so cooperative and helpful.
Given that, it was hard not to think about what she said about Tieria.
For now, I planned to go see Mikado-sensei today and ask him some things.
He might know something.
"Yotsuki Sho."
"Huh, oh, what is it?"
Lost in thought, I hadn't noticed Yami standing in front of me.
"That's my line. What do you want?"
"Huh?"
"Are you going to play dumb? You've been staring at me for the past few days. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"
"I guess you're sensitive to gazes..."
I had to admit she was right, so my reply lacked conviction.
"You're right. I could see it clearly from my seat, too. You weren't listening to class and just staring at Onee... Yami-chan."
Stealthily approaching from behind was Mea. She had completely blended into the class and was constantly pestering me and Yami.
"Kurosaki Mea..."
"Hmm? What's wrong, Yami-chan? Why are you glaring at me? Did I say something that bothered you? We're classmates and friends, aren't we?"
"...If you have nothing to say, I don't care. If you're thinking strange things, you'll just end up covered in blood."
"I'm not thinking anything like that!"
Yami ignored Mea's words and started walking away.
"So? What's the real story?"
"It's a secret."
It would be a pain if this girl found out about Tieria. She had no reason to get involved in the "Sisters" incident, so I decided to keep her out of it.
I brushed her off lightly, and Mea didn't press the issue further.
I followed Yami out of the classroom.
"Did Kurosaki Mea say something to you?"
"Well, a little bit."
"It's fine as long as there's no problem. So, what happened after all? It has something to do with me, doesn't it?"
"..."
Should I tell her? I didn't know the details of Yami's past. But considering her relationship with Tieria, it would probably be a shock.
If I told her, what would she do?
What would she do if she found out that someone she knew was involved in a gruesome experiment behind her back?
"Yami, actually..."
"Wha-wha-wha! Get out of the way!"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
We were both hit from behind by someone.
It couldn't have been long since homeroom ended. The hallway was full of students leaving their classrooms, just like us. And someone was running at full speed.
The unfamiliar machine that student was carrying scattered everywhere.
Yami and I didn't fall, but the student who bumped into us—a small girl—fell on her bottom.
She was a complete stranger. At least, a girl like her didn't exist in the series I knew.
"Are you okay?"
"Ouch... Yes... I'm sorry, I was in a hurry..."
"Let's help you pick it up."
"Haah..."
Yami sighed but helped me pick up the things scattered on the floor.
"Ugh, it's broken. This is going to be a pain to clean up."
A bottle had broken, and its liquid contents were soaking the hallway. We were going to get scolded by a teacher for this.
The students who had been watching, realizing nothing more than an accident would happen, lost interest and walked away.
Instead, the girl who bumped into us started to panic.
"A-A-A-AH! Be careful! If you touch it carelessly...!"
"Huh?"
The moment I tilted my head at her warning, my right hand was pulled with tremendous force.
---------
When I first came to this island, I thought it was a place for training Butei.
That was both right and wrong.
This island certainly had schools for training Butei, from elementary to high school and even college.
However, there were also many other types of schools, such as those focused on developing psychic abilities (for example, Misaka's Tokiwadai Middle School), those for magic education, and regular schools.
But there were no schools that taught sorcery. Given its nature, that was to be expected. It wasn't that there were no sorcerers on the island, but the difference compared to the Clock Tower was obvious.
In other words, not everyone on this island was a Butei.
It was a vast academy island, bigger than the original, where science, magic, and sorcery intersected.
Each faction had its own criteria for ranking psychic abilities and magic. There were Butei ranks and psychic levels.
After all that, the Butei on this island were highly regarded outside due to being forged in this environment.
Even if not everyone was a Butei, most Butei were Super-Detectives (a general term for Butei who could use psychic abilities or sorcery), and they were at the forefront of scientifically advanced technology.
It made sense that they would be highly rated if they had been using the island's advanced technology since they were students.
I heard that some students in the Equipment Division were so talented that they were scouted by research institutions.
The girl who bumped into us earlier seemed to be a talented student who had been scouted by one of those research institutions.
However, heaven didn't give her two gifts. She was below average in everything except her research. Because of that, even with a sponsorship contract, she had to spend her summer vacation in remedial classes for her weak subjects. Her work schedule at the lab was completely thrown off, which was why she was in such a panic.
The problem was what she was carrying.
She was so pressed for time that she just held her research results in both hands and rushed out of the classroom, only for them to be scattered all over the hallway when she bumped into us.
The liquid among them was said to react with a person's skin to generate a powerful magnetic force. And only on a very narrow surface, just 1 centimeter deep.
With it, you could climb a metal wall like a certain spiderman.
And now, it had landed on mine and Yami's hands, so...
"So, this is what happened."
"That's right. It won't come off at all."
"I am so, so sorry!"
The girl bowed her head over and over again.
We were currently in the nurse's office. Even when I used my abilities to enhance my physical strength, our hands wouldn't budge. My shoulder would probably dislocate before our palms separated.
I had Asuna, Kurumi, Aria, and Riko come over to explain the situation.
They must have rushed over. All four of them were out of breath when they arrived. I swear, the look in their eyes when they saw us got colder and colder, and it chilled me to the bone.
Aria, especially, was a hair trigger away from firing her gun.
"I thought you two suddenly got closer by holding hands, but that wasn't the case, was it?"
"I thought you called us here just to show off."
"No way... That would be way too cruel."
Kurumi and Riko grinned mischievously. When they heard the whole story, their grins widened.
"You should've explained sooner. Is there no way to get it off?"
"Yes... My hands are like powerful magnets... If we pull too hard, the skin on our palms might peel off..."
My body tensed. I imagined something terrifying.
"It can't be helped. Shall I cut it off?"
"Don't!"
"That's right! The effect will probably wear off in half a day, so...!"
The girl and I somehow managed to stop Yami. Yami had already transformed her fingers into blades, but she listened to our pleas right away.
Was this Yami's difficult-to-understand way of making a joke?
"Anyway! You two, just take it easy at home today! We'll help you with everything you need!"
"So I have to spend the day stuck with this man? ...Haah, it's unpleasant, but it can't be helped."
It was a conclusion we had already reached, but she seemed to accept it again.
And so, my half-day cohabitation with Yami began.
---------
"So, taiyaki, huh?"
"Is there a problem?"
We were told to stay at home, but I decided this was a good opportunity to let Yami take the lead.
I knew that since we got back from our trip, I had been spending a lot of time watching—or rather, helping—Vivio and the others with their training, so I decided to see what she actually did.
In this state, I couldn't carry out the planned attack on the "Sisters" research lab tonight, and I couldn't go to Mikado-sensei for information.
So, I had the brilliant idea of getting to know Yami better during this time! It was the same simple-minded plan Vivio and the others had during the trip.
"But still..."
We were at the athletic park Vivio and the others often used. Summer vacation started on the same day for all the schools on the island, so there were a few couples around.
But there were no couples walking around holding hands the whole time like us. When I saw other couples look at us, then sheepishly turn away and hesitantly hold hands, it made me feel very awkward.
"It's embarrassing, walking around holding hands."
"I find it very unpleasant."
Did you hear that, you new couples? This is the reality for us.
"But—..."
"Hmm?"
There was more to her sentence.
"When I do this... it reminds me a little of my childhood."
"Of your childhood? Memories with your parents?"
"...It's nothing you need to know about. Don't worry about it."
"I see..."
I wanted to ask more, but it seemed it was still too early for that.
"...Tieria-hakase, huh."
"Did you say something?"
"Nothing."
When I said that, Yami didn't press the issue further.
After walking in silence for a while, we saw Nove-san and her little sisters. The other girls weren't there.
"Hey, Yami. Sho's with you today—... Huh?"
Her cheerful greeting stopped the moment she saw our clasped hands.
"Well, well. Well, well, well. Heeh... hmm? So that's how it is?"
"It's not what you think!"
"I didn't say anything."
"I'm telling you, everything you're thinking is wrong."
Nove-san looked at me with a mischievous grin.
"I can't believe out of all of them, you chose Yami. So that's why her attitude has always been like that, so no one would find out."
"I told you! That's not it!"
"But you're still holding hands."
Thinking this wasn't going to get anywhere, I just told her the whole story.
"Oh, what a bummer. But I guess with you, it'd be a pain no matter who you chose. I'm glad you didn't pull this stunt before the tournament, though... There's definitely one person who would get all messed up because of it."
After a while, everyone came back. It seemed they had been running in the park.
The tournament was in a week. At this point, they didn't do any intense training. They just moved their bodies enough to not lose their stamina and not get hurt.
"Ah! Yami-san! And Yotsuki-san!"
Vivio, who was leading the run, came running up to us with a spring in her step that belied any fatigue.
"Good work. Takamachi Vivio. Here's your usual treat."
"Thank you very much."
Yami handed her the paper bag of taiyaki she had just bought.
"Yay! Thank you!"
"Usual," huh? So she does this every day.
"Hey, Vivio. Don't you notice anything?"
"Eh? What do you mean?"
Vivio tilted her head. She was so focused on the taiyaki that she didn't notice we were holding hands right in front of her.
The one who noticed instead was the ever-energetic Rio.
"Ah! You're holding hands!"
"Oh, you're right!"
Vivio, Corona, and Rio suddenly looked excited.
But among them, there were some girls who weren't just excited.
"Senpai..."
"Hmmph..."
"Yami... you've done it now..."
Three girls looked unhappy. Kirin, Einheart, and Chloe. None of them had sunny, cheerful smiles on their faces.
"Yotsuki Sho. You'd better explain..."
"I know, I know!"
I quickly explained everything before it got any more complicated.
"Oh, is that all? I thought you guys finally became a couple."
It seemed I couldn't fulfill Vivio's expectations.
"You know, Vivio. When you're in high school, you don't just hold hands because you're good friends. If anything, holding hands is pretty much the final stage."
"Oh...? Is that so?"
"You're still a child, Vivio. One day, you'll understand."
Chloe was lecturing her from a high-and-mighty position, but what she said wasn't wrong for her age.
"If you go around holding hands in public without a care in the world, people will call you a sappy couple and you'll explode."
"Explode?! Does that mean they'll attack you?!"
That's a wrong... no, I can't say that's wrong. That's the terrifying thing about this island.
"It's okay. Mostly, it's the guy who gets attacked. So, you should be careful, Onii-chan."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Even though I explained the situation, their stares still hurt. And even though Chloe was smiling, I wondered what she was really thinking.
"When you explode, please do it by yourself. Don't involve me."
"Don't say it like I'm definitely going to explode."
Yami's demeanor remained as cold as ever, even though we were holding hands.
--------------------------------------------
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