"Who are those two? Your friends?"
"Which two?"
Nakahara Mizuki instinctively turned around, but she didn't see anything.
"When did Kira-kun start enjoying pranks—"
Nakahara Mizuki blinked and was just about to demand an explanation.
However, at that moment, a fair hand landed on the shoulder on her other side.
Smack!
Nakahara Mizuki's expression froze. She turned around stiffly and said awkwardly:
"Ah, what a coincidence, Chisato, Takina..."
"It really is."
The girl in a red uniform, with short platinum-blond hair, revealed a sweet yet dangerous smile.
"Well then, Miss Mizuki, I think we should find somewhere to have a proper talk."
The black-haired girl with long straight hair wore a similar-style uniform, but hers was blue. She said nothing, merely aiming the dark muzzle of a gun at Nakahara Mizuki under the table as she spoke coldly:
"Miss Mizuki, you should know that even if I killed you here, I wouldn't receive any punishment."
The Blonde loli, dressed in an oversized long-sleeved top and struggling to climb onto a tall stool, acted as though none of this had anything to do with her and raised her little hand high.
"One Gin and Tonic!"
Nakahara Mizuki immediately glared angrily at the Blonde loli. Traitor!
Kurumi remained expressionless. This wasn't betrayal; it was merely making a proper assessment of the situation and going with the flow—
If she was going to cut ties, she naturally had to see it through to the end.
Besides, she had never promised to keep Nakahara Mizuki's secret.
Feeling the little hand on her shoulder tighten slightly, Nakahara Mizuki hurriedly said:
"At least wait until I finish this drink, okay?"
Under the little girl's dissatisfied gaze, Kira Yoshikage handed her a glass of lemonade.
"What would you like to drink?"
"Lemonade."
Inoue Takina discreetly put away the pistol under the table and answered obediently.
Nishikigi Chisato said cheerfully:
"I want coffee!"
"This is a bar, not a café."
"Eh~ Then I'll have a Gin and Tonic!"
"Minors aren't allowed to drink alcohol."
Nishikigi Chisato clicked her tongue softly.
"Then what do you have?"
"Lemonade or cola."
"Cola."
Nishikigi Chisato answered without hesitation.
"I'm not a minor!" Kurumi protested loudly.
Kira Yoshikage countered:
"Do you think anyone else would believe that excuse?"
Smack!
Inoue Takina chopped the Blonde loli on the head, stopping her from continuing to argue.
Kira Yoshikage brought over a glass of lemonade and a glass of cola, then calmly asked:
"So, what brings you here?"
Inoue Takina held her glass of lemonade and answered honestly:
"Kurumi's search found your address and gave it to Nakahara Mizuki, so we followed her here."
"How did she find it?"
Nishikigi Chisato picked up the conversation and quickly explained:
"A student from Shuchiin Academy commissioned us to investigate your identity. We discovered it by accident."
"Who?"
Nishikigi Chisato answered without hesitation:
"Nagisa Kashiwagi and Shijo Maki, as well as Koyasu Tsubame."
"Good grief~"
Kira Yoshikage felt a little troubled.
So their tailing him hadn't been a coincidence either?
He had allowed Shijo Maki to follow him because he had intended to follow the trail and find out who was behind it.
But now, the people behind it were claiming that their appearance had been a coincidence.
Inoue Takina sat upright, not daring to say a word.
"What about Mika?"
Kira Yoshikage looked around, but he couldn't find the black man whose voice was like a southern accent.
Kurumi bit her straw and muttered:
"He's vacationing in Hawaii and enjoying his honeymoon with his lover. Well, if being locked in a basement counts as enjoyment..."
Inoue Takina added:
"Uncle Mika promised he wouldn't give him another chance to return to Japan."
"If he comes back, I'll kill him myself."
Nishikigi Chisato revealed a radiant smile as she spoke horrifying words in a relaxed tone.
"It wouldn't be the first time, anyway."
However, everyone present reacted calmly, as though they considered the matter unworthy of mention.
Seeing that Kira Yoshikage didn't seem to mind their arrival, Nishikigi Chisato asked cautiously:
"How have you been lately?"
Kira Yoshikage's expression was peaceful.
"I've experienced unprecedented peace."
Inoue Takina couldn't help asking:
"Is peace really that important?"
"Very important."
Nishikigi Chisato retorted:
"But even the calmest sea will occasionally have turbulent waves."
Kira Yoshikage nodded frankly.
"Yes, just like now."
Nishikigi Chisato understood his implication and lowered her head, her eyes dimming.
A peaceful life would occasionally have turbulent waves. Kira Yoshikage could accept such waves, but life couldn't remain in a constant state of turmoil.
Kira Yoshikage withdrew his gaze and continued wiping the glasses.
"What about you? How have things been lately?"
Inoue Takina was also somewhat dejected. She said softly:
"Terrible. Although terrorist attacks have decreased somewhat, the number of supernatural crimes has continued to rise. Moreover, such crimes are usually difficult to monitor and cause even greater destruction."
"Fortunately, thanks to the reforms a year ago, Lycoris casualties have instead fallen considerably."
Kira Yoshikage's movements stopped. That wasn't what he had asked about, but never mind.
"It's been ten minutes."
Kurumi yawned as she finished the last sip of lemonade, then jumped down from the tall stool.
Inoue Takina remained silent and got down from her stool.
Nishikigi Chisato hesitated slightly, but ultimately didn't continue pressing him.
Kira Yoshikage slowly said:
"Next time, it would be best if you didn't come looking for me."
"I'm sorry."
Inoue Takina apologized in a low voice.
"I mean, I'm not a primitive man."
"Eh?" Nishikigi Chisato blinked.
"I have LINE."
Nishikigi Chisato immediately perked up. That meant they could contact him through LINE, right? Right? Right?!
"This is my LINE!"
Excitedly, Nishikigi Chisato used the paper and pen at the bar to write down her LINE ID and handed it to Kira Yoshikage.
Inoue Takina, who had already left, immediately turned back, snatched the pen, and wrote down her own LINE ID.
"Then, big sis, I'll also—"
Nakahara Mizuki was eager to try, but before she could, Nishikigi Chisato and Inoue Takina dragged her away together.
Kurumi rolled her eyes. Are you seriously not afraid of being shot to death?
Chapter 57: Overinflated Self-Awareness
Sakurajima Mai silently sat in a corner of the bar. She was clearly a beautiful young woman and a famous celebrity known throughout the country from television, yet no one noticed her. She hadn't tried to attract anyone's attention either, as though she had long since grown accustomed to it.
To her, perhaps she had already been forgotten by the world—or perhaps abandoned by it...
She simply sat there quietly, waiting for Kira Yoshikage to finish work.
To be honest.
She was extremely unfamiliar with this young man named Kira Yoshikage. The reason she had followed him wasn't love at first sight or anything like that. It was simply because she had nowhere else to go.
Before this, she had considered returning home, but every time she did, large numbers of monsters would be attracted to her without her realizing it. She didn't want to stay home alone with a huge swarm of monsters.
At first, she thought the school was safe, so she stayed there for a long time, moving nearly all her daily necessities to the school. When she got hungry, she served herself food in the cafeteria, then left payment at the counter afterward—because no one could see her.
As for sleeping and bathing, she could take care of both in the student council building. The student council even had an independent, fully equipped bathing facility, as well as rooms prepared for resting. However, no student council members actually stayed overnight at the school.
For most people, a deserted, vast, and silent school at night was instead the most terrifying place.
But to Sakurajima Mai, it was one of the rare places where she could find peace.
She simply didn't know when it had happened, but the school's "barrier" had been broken without her noticing.
The monsters that had once been too afraid to even approach the school began openly entering it. Just as they had outside, they gathered around her once again. It happened to be during Golden Week, when everyone was on vacation. The entire school was almost completely empty, and she was the only person who had continued staying there.