372. Rewriting Memories
However... Shuya thought about it again and again, but still couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Yukino nor Shuya could utter a word; they simply sat there blankly in the living room.
"... I don't think I can figure it out. Go take a shower."
Finally, Yukino said absentmindedly.
"Alright, I think we should have our men keep an eye out for intelligence tomorrow, in case someone is secretly plotting against us?"
Shuya offered what he considered a more likely answer.
Yukino opened her mouth, but ultimately only managed a soft "Mmm."
She watched Shuya go up to his room to get a change of clothes, the worry never fading from her eyes.
Frankly speaking, Shuya's speculation is highly unlikely.
But with no other possibilities in mind, this is the only option.
The two, preoccupied with their own thoughts, didn't play games today but went back to their rooms to sleep.
Then the next day arrived.
Shuya and Yukino finished their morning practice, he suddenly asked while eating breakfast:
"Speaking of which... when I got home last night, you were waiting for me in the living room. Did we talk about something?"
Yukino raised an eyebrow. "Have you gotten that old? How could I possibly wait for you? You're so narcissistic, it's disgusting."
She looked at Shuya with disdain.
Shuya thought about it and was actually convinced by her.
"Well... it seems I was mistaken. Maybe I was dreaming about something?"
After Shuya finished speaking, he felt as if something was slipping out of his mind.
Section 390, Chapter 372: Memory Rewriting
Shuya stopped eating.
He instinctively pulled out his phone, logged onto Twitter, and started scrolling through a list of people he knew.
However, he didn't find anything wrong, and didn't even know why he had opened Twitter.
Shuya looked up and gazed ahead.
That was Yukino had also stopped eating at some point.
She was lost in thought, her gaze unfocused.
"... Yukino- chan?"
Shuya asked in a low voice.
"I think... I really was waiting for you yesterday?"
She frowned.
It's as if something is about to surface from my memory.
"Oh, right, I remember now."
Yukino said uncertainly, "I waited for you yesterday to discuss modeling work. I haven't been there for a while, and I was planning to ask you when you have any photoshoots."
"So that's what it is."
Shuya nodded, somewhat puzzled.
Because of this question, Yukino doesn't necessarily need to ask him; she could ask Kirino, Ayase, Maeda Saori, Hirai Ryuji who would surely know the answer.
On the contrary, Shuya might not know.
But Shuya readily accepted this explanation.
He said, "I'll ask around for you."
Yukino said, "Hmm. If there's a photoshoot today... then I'll go after school."
"I'll come too. Now that you mention it, I realized I haven't been there recently."
Shuya entered a period of inactivity; not only has he reduced his voice acting, but he's also reduced his photography.
Speaking of photography, I wonder when we'll be able to collaborate again...
Hmm...? Who is "she"?
Shuya was taken aback.
Hyakka -chan? Haruno? Little Senior Sister?
"..."
Yukino saw him standing there in a daze but didn't pay any attention.
He just said casually, "Hurry up and eat, you'll be late for school."
"... Surely it's not like I should be late."
Shuya made a comment, Yukino had already looked away, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the table.
She was clearly distracted.
Shuya quickly finished his meal and, before heading out, planned to contact Hirai Ryuji.
He took out his phone and was stunned:
"Hey, Yukino- chan, today is Saturday, so we don't have to go to school?"
"... What?"
Yukino glanced at her phone, then buried her face in her hands, saying, "It really is... If it were just you Inoue -kun, being confused, that would be one thing, but I got the time wrong too, this is really..."
Shuya said, "Alright, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, filming doesn't depend on what day of the week it is. It depends on Hirai -san's schedule."
He contacted Hirai Ryuji and said that he and Yukino- chan were free to film today.
He replied quickly, saying it would be all set by this afternoon.
After Shuya explained to Yukino, she nodded to indicate that she understood. Then he went to wash the dishes, but he was lost in thought as he did so.
Yukino was reading a novel in the living room, but her eyes weren't on the book; her attention seemed to be elsewhere.
Not long after Shuya finished washing the dishes, his phone suddenly rang.
Upon closer inspection, it was a call from Shizuka Hiratsuka.
She spoke up, "Hey, kid."
"What?"
He expressed his doubts.
"By the way, have you noticed anything unusual these past few days?"
"..."
Shuya remained silent for a few seconds, Yukino suddenly looked up.
They remembered at the same time.
Yukino waited for him yesterday, not for any filming at all.
Shuya and Yukino Shizuka Hiratsuka and saying, "Yes, Yukino- chan and I both feel uncomfortable. So you feel the same way?"
"Ever since I came back from my trip, I've felt like something's not right."
She whispered, "When I woke up today, I suddenly felt that I should tell you."
"All right."
Shuya pondered for a moment and said, "You're different from us. Yukino- chan and I only started having this feeling yesterday... probably."
He added "approximately" because the timing might be slightly different.
He may not have realized the problem.
Shuya asked, "Do you have any clues?"
"No, and my Power of Will and qi didn't detect any signs of interference from supernatural abilities."
"... Me too."
That's why it's difficult.
If Shuya are the only solution, it doesn't fully explain the problem.
However, Shizuka Hiratsuka's Heavenly Demon Body is different; she is very adept at sensing malice.
Moreover, she is not a growing Heavenly Demon Body, but a mature physique that has undergone sufficient cultivation.
Shuya at his peak either, but he wasn't exactly weak either.
Neither of the two individuals with exceptional physical abilities detected any signs of being harmed.
If this is an enemy secretly attacking from the shadows, then it must be a terrifying enemy beyond reason.
If you have those kinds of methods, why bother with secret schemes? Just go for it!
So the matter went in circles, and it's still a mystery.
What are your plans?
Shizuka Hiratsuka asked.
Shuya replied, "Perhaps we should gather our subordinates to discuss it, or maybe we should ask Heavenly God -sama?"
"Is that so... then I'll leave it to you to find it."
Shizuka Hiratsuka said.
She stated that she was alone and lacked the energy to seek the truth.
She paused for quite a long time after she finished speaking, and the only sound on the phone was faint breathing.
After a long pause, she finally asked, "How are the club activities going lately?"
"The event was alright, I guess."
Shuya said a few words to her and then planned to hang up.
"... Okay, you guys keep up the good work."
Shizuka Hiratsuka had no desire to continue the conversation.
She frowned and hung up the phone.
"... What on earth happened? Why did I suddenly call that brat?"
Shizuka Hiratsuka put down her phone and muttered to herself.
She felt strange about herself today.
Let's go back a little earlier.
When she woke up in the morning, she found a note in her living room with a line of words scrawled on it:
"Find that brat, (handwriting blurred)."
What the hell is this?
Shizuka Hiratsuka was very puzzled at the time.
She could recognize her own handwriting, but had no recollection of writing it down.
She thought about it for a moment. Yesterday, after getting home from work, she was bored and turned on a live broadcast featuring Shuya. That's when she saw the Danmaku, and some of Danmaku really bothered her...
"By the way, what was I thinking about back then?"
Shizuka Hiratsuka covered her head, staring at the words on the note, completely unable to recall what Danmaku she had seen yesterday.
The more she thought about it, the more suffocated she felt.
Suspecting she was under some kind of Strange Arts, she subconsciously used her Heavenly Demonic Qi and Power of Will to examine herself both internally and externally.