Chapter Ten: Ako's Coolness (Happy Dragon Boat Festival~)

"Ah... ah..." At some point, she had already risen to her feet. Her dazed eyes repeatedly confirmed that the person by the door really was Hina—her little sister, the one who could always leave her far behind, the one who was always barging into her room, the one who would bring her an umbrella whenever it rained...

Her only little sister.

"Is this a dream?" Sayo walked toward Hina with trembling steps. "Hina can't possibly be here."

"Mm, it's a dream." Hina walked toward Sayo as well. "So you can do anything you want."

Sayo pinched her own arm and looked away.

"I see."

"Sis, how long has it been since we last saw each other?"

"...For me, it's been about four months." Sayo recalled. "What about you?"

"It's also been four months since I saw you, Sis." Hina pressed close to Sayo. "Sis... Sis...!" She buried herself in Sayo's arms, her voice tinged with sobs.

"Hina!" Sayo hugged her tightly. Her warm body heat. Hina, Hina was right here. There was no mistaking it...

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Hina..." Sayo began to cry as well. "I... I..."

"Why are you crying...? We finally got to see each other... Sis..."

"I... I regret it so much." Sayo confessed by Hina's ear. "I... I clearly wanted to improve our relationship... But just when things had finally gotten better, I..."

"So stop crying, Sis!" Hina turned Sayo's face toward her. "I'm right here now..."

"But... but dreams wake up..." Sayo didn't dare look at Hina's face.

So Hina leaned close to Sayo's ear. "In that case, then in this dream, say everything you want to say."

Hina sat down in front of Sayo's bedroom door.

"Sis, where are you now?" Hina said, leaning against the door. "It's been four months since you suddenly disappeared."

"Everyone's looking for you. Poppin'Party has disappeared too, but Afterglow, Hello, Happy World!, and Pastel*Palettes—everyone is doing their best to find you."

"I asked Pastel*Palettes' fans for help, and they were really enthusiastic. Look, they even sent me some care packages." There was tea beside Hina. The tea leaves had been sent by fans, who claimed they had a calming effect.

"And it wasn't just tea leaves. There were flowers, postcards, and even several boxes of fish..."

"Although I haven't taken part in any Pastel*Palettes activities for a long time..." Hina's tone grew slightly lower as she said this.

"I haven't gone to the astronomy club in a long time either. Because whenever I look up, I see the Gemini stars you pointed out to me..." Two tears fell uncontrollably onto the wooden floor.

"...Me too. Whenever I see rain, I think of the day you came to bring me an umbrella." Leaning against Hina's back, Sayo poured out her longing. "When I watched you walking toward me through the rain, and the moment I took the umbrella from you—all my memories came rushing back at once. So I weakly broke down crying. Did you know? After that, I stored all the umbrellas at CiRCLE. At the time, I thought that no matter how heavily it rained, I wouldn't trouble Hina again..."

"I gained a superpower here. It's called Sudden Autumn Rain Umbrella Layers. Whenever I use it, I feel as though I've returned to that day. But no one comes to bring me an umbrella anymore. Even CiRCLE, where I stored the umbrellas, is gone..."

"Right now, I actually... hic... really want to trouble Hina a little..."

"Sis, are you still keeping our promise? Are you still playing guitar?"

"I... I've kept playing... No matter how busy I am..."

"I believe you. Because you're my favorite big sister."

"I've kept playing guitar too. Although I didn't go to a talent agency, I kept playing. I played and played, every single day." Hina raised her hand, which was covered in Band-Aids.

"I want you to know, Sis. When you come back, I want to show you how much I've improved..."

"Sis, where are you? Sis, when are you coming back? Can you come back?"

"...Did you know? A few days ago... Miss Marina's body was found at CiRCLE."

"We held a funeral for her."

"So many people came to Miss Marina's funeral. Most of them were girls from bands that had once performed at CiRCLE."

"When I went to offer flowers to Miss Marina, I saw that her expression was very peaceful."

Hina asked the air, "What did she face? Is Sis facing the same situation as her?"

Sayo answered Shiko, "If even someone like Miss Marina could die, then how can I say that I'll survive and see you again, Hina?"

"...But I believe you can, Sis." Shiko pressed against Sayo's back and said firmly.

Shiko said, "No matter what happens, no matter how dangerous the situation is, my big sister will come through it safely."

"So I'll keep growing stronger so I can return to your side. Then I'll tell Hina all about the stars here." Sayo stood up.

"So I'll keep practicing guitar for that day. Then I'll let Sis see how hard I've worked." Hina stood up.

A slight sound came from the room behind Hina.

"Sis?" She pressed against the door and clearly heard footsteps inside.

Hina took out an iron wire she had prepared long ago. Although her mother had locked the bedroom door, a lock of this level couldn't stop her at all. Her hand trembled so badly as she pushed the wire into the keyhole that it took several attempts before she succeeded.

The door opened. The room's furnishings had not changed at all since that day.

A thick layer of dust covered every piece of furniture. But there was a letter on the desk. It had been placed there recently.

Hina's hand touched the paper. It was real—the texture of paper beneath her fingers. She pulled the letter toward herself, leaving a trail across the dusty desk. Finally gripping it firmly, Hina turned it over and over in her hands. There was nothing unusual about the envelope. Next, she would have to open it.

Hina felt nervousness for the first time in a long while. When had the last time been? It was hard to say, but it seemed to have been something related to her sister as well.

She slowly unfolded the letter. On it was her familiar big sister's handwriting—

"I don't know when it will be, but I'll return someday. Please give my regards to everyone."

"Sayo Hikawa."

Sayo had drunk the alcohol Shiko gave her and was already asleep. Shiko tucked her in, then quietly walked out the door.

Everyone was standing outside. Shiko gestured for them to be quiet and led them a little farther away.

"Did it work?" Although her face was still stern, Yukina was the first to stand up and ask.

Shiko hesitated, then nodded and shook her head.

"You're this Shiko?" Ichiri noticed something strange from the change in her presence.

"Yes. I switched places with her halfway through, though I think I did a pretty good job acting." Shiko looked toward the pitch-black interior of the cavern.

"Then..."

"But I think she saw through me." Shiko's expression didn't change.

"What...!"

"She didn't point it out." Shiko silenced the others' exclamations. "Whether I should apologize or pretend nothing happened depends on how she acts from here on."

"But that's a truly dreamy idea, Kokoro." The tall purple-haired girl who had just climbed out of the Hikawa residence's window looked at the blonde girl before her.

Kokoro Tsurumaki smiled expectantly. "That's right. Sayo will definitely come back. Until then, we just need to make Hina believe that. That's enough, Kaoru!"

"Do you really think Hina will be able to smile like that?" Misaki looked at the window of Sayo's room, deeply doubtful. After all, this was no small matter.

"Sayo, you seem to be doing much better." After their next practice session, Yukina spoke to Sayo.

Sayo smiled. "Yes. I had a good dream a few days ago."

"A good dream?"

"That's right." Sayo held her guitar. "But having a dream like that once is enough." Her gaze drifted, almost imperceptibly, toward Shiko nearby.

Shiko casually looked away.

At least she didn't have to apologize... right?

Chapter Ten: Ako's Coolness (Happy Dragon Boat Festival~)

"Dawn of Atonement! This very moment is the moment of sunrise!" Kita struck a cool pose for the camera and unleashed her strongest attack ahead!

As the sky suddenly turned crimson, large swathes of monsters wandering across the plains turned to charcoal.

"...That was so cool! Kita!" Ako gazed at Kita in admiration. Only after seeing Shiko, who was holding a camera, nod at her did Kita finally lose her strength and collapse into Ichiri's arms. As her strength had increased, she no longer fainted from using this move without any bonuses, but temporary exhaustion was still unavoidable.

It was nighttime. They had made camp on a plain far from the riverbank, and the people on watch had discovered approaching danger and awakened everyone. Monsters that had been nowhere to be seen during the day were now approaching from all directions in groups. They fought back with all their strength and achieved impressive results.

"But there are too many..." Yukina stopped walking. She no longer knew how many times she had unleashed thorns, yet enemies continued pouring out of the earth without end. Individual monsters posed no threat to them anymore, but their overwhelming numbers forced them to avoid a direct confrontation. Her brain throbbed painfully. Her abilities mainly boosted her [Physique] and [Reaction], but constantly generating thorns also placed enormous pressure on her [Intelligence]. Since she trained every attribute, the result was that none of her attributes could be called outstanding. In prolonged battles, Yukina tired the fastest.

Yukina pressed her left arm. During the enemies' high-density assault, the defenses in that area had been breached briefly, leaving a wound behind. Although Idochi-kun had immediately noticed and treated it, it still hurt a little. She frowned and returned to the battle. That night, the sounds of the organ and bass never ceased, while blue roses bloomed eerily beneath the starlight.

As the brilliant sun burst over the horizon, large numbers of monsters began retreating underground, leaving only a few stragglers.

Everyone collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat.

"Everyone, thanks for the effort..." Even though she was exhausted, Lisa hadn't forgotten to say it.

"...I'm sorry. This was my responsibility." Yukina said, "Our campsite was too conspicuous."

After a night of intense exercise, everyone desperately needed rest. They found a secluded spot and set up camp. Apart from Shiko, the others drew lots to determine who would stand watch. Ako was first.

"Are you really... okay...? Should I take the first shift instead...? I'm not sleepy yet..." Rinko looked worriedly at the dark circles beneath Ako's eyes.

Ako forced herself to stay awake and flashed a confident smile. "It's fine, Rinrin! I'm Archdemon Ako! This much... This much..."

"No need to trouble yourself, is that it?" Shiko finished for her. "Don't worry. I'll keep watch beside you too." When one Shiko appeared, the other was effectively asleep. Although the current Shiko had also fought all night, she was in much better shape than the others. She couldn't take a watch shift, but making sure the person on duty didn't fall asleep was no problem.

"I see~ Then do your best~" Lisa left behind several matcha-flavored cookies that helped keep people awake. Everyone gradually entered the tents.

Only Ako and Shiko remained outside.

"Want some coffee?" Shiko handed her a cup.

"Thanks, but if I drink it now, I won't be able to sleep later." Ako sat on a large rock and called down toward the ground. "Shiko, come up quickly! The view is great from here!"

Shiko walked forward while drinking her coffee. The earth rose beneath her feet of its own accord, and with her clothes fluttering, she climbed the newly formed steps until she reached Ako's side. Ako's eyes lit up at the sight.

"So—cool—"

"Shiko is really cool everywhere. In battle, in daily life, while performing..."

"I have another me do the performing." Shiko admitted without the slightest shame that she had been slacking. She sat down cross-legged. The view really was quite good, with a much wider vista opening up before them. The only flaw was that traces of their earlier battle filled the landscape, greatly ruining its natural beauty.

"Then the other Shiko is cool too—But Shiko was really cool just now—Especially that thing—"

"What thing?" Shiko saw Ako trying hard to imitate her posture from battle. Her hand gesture and expression were seven or eight tenths of the way there.

Shiko rubbed her chin and recalled it together with her.

"Was it this?" Shiko drew a crimson talisman and struck the pose from earlier. "Universal Illumination: Pure World Blazing Sun!"

"Yes, yes, that's it!" The moment Ako heard the skill's name, she became so excited that she no longer seemed like someone who had stayed up all night. "And that Taishang... Xuánmíng..."

"It's Taishang North Pole Xuánmíng Demon-Subduing Treasure Talisman." Shiko recited the name without finding it tongue-twisting at all.

Ako's cheeks flushed red. "Mmm—so cool! It's not the same kind of cool as Ako's, but it's still so cool!"

"Speaking of which, your skills are like that too, aren't they?" Shiko said. "Things like Pact of the Infernal Source."

"Yes! I came up with some of them myself, Rinrin came up with some, and I found some in NFO!" After saying that, Ako proudly crossed her arms over her chest, clearly waiting for praise. NFO was the online game Ako liked.

"Skill names in games are often a little cooler than the ones we come up with ourselves. I also think the skill names in a lot of web novels are pretty good." Shiko deliberately pretended not to understand what she wanted, formed a hand seal, and scattered petals began to drift around them. "I don't seek immortality, only to wait for your return amid the mortal world! Flowers Bloom with a Single Thought, You Rule the World!"

Ako wasn't disappointed. She grinned as black energy rose beside her. "Do you dare challenge the... pitch-black... darkness... that came from the Netherworld..." Her pose froze in midair as her face turned red from straining.

"Rin..." She instinctively turned to the side, only to see a patch of empty air. "Ah, Rinrin isn't here."

She turned her head back. The two met each other's eyes and burst into laughter at the same time.

"Ha ha ha... Shiko..." Ako's tiny body trembled with laughter. "Why does Shiko pursue this kind of coolness?"

Shiko looked up at the sky. "...I feel like I naturally become a little chūnibyō whenever I'm under too much pressure. I was terribly chūnibyō during the period when I was taking the college entrance exams."

"I see." Ako's voice sank.

Noticing the change in her tone, Shiko turned toward Ako. A smile still lingered on Ako's face, and her twin tails fluttered in the wind. Her crimson eyes gazed uncertainly toward an unseen distance.

"Actually, there's another thing about Shiko that Ako thinks is cool." Her tone sounded as though she were talking to herself, but her words were not.

"What?"

Ako turned around to face Shiko, but she kept her eyes lowered, not daring to look at her face. "If Ako says it, will Shiko get angry?"

Seeing how adorable she looked, Shiko couldn't resist reaching out to rub her head, but when she extended her hand, it stopped in midair. "...No, I won't. Go ahead."

After receiving that assurance, Ako let out a sigh of relief. "Actually, Ako thinks Shiko's split personality is cool."