Chapter 109
Sensing that Yukina was upset, Efnir gave her a gentle smile.
"The atmosphere in the hospital must be unpleasant, right?"
"A little bit..."
Yukina pouted, but did not deny it.
Of course, hospitals are such places. Who would want to come here if there wasn't an urgent need? Most patients here are filled with anxiety and depression, and this feeling permeates the air, making it hard to breathe.
This is especially true in special wards.
During the days she cared for Efnir, Yukina experienced this firsthand, having received the wounded soldiers from the West Line Corruption disaster, where the somber smell of medicine was always mixed with the suffocating stench of blood.
Furthermore, seeing Fengling Shiyin and Shiina Rin naturally made Yukina worry about her and Naoko's future.
Is there really a future? It's not wrong to protect those you love, but the ending that awaits them is far from happy.
Yukina inherited her Beacon "Fifina" from Fengling Shiyin, who remains in a coma. As a fellow holder of "Fifina," Fengling Shiyin's current situation seems to be telling Yukina, "This is your end."
An uneasy feeling was raging within her, preventing Yukina from escaping the oppressive atmosphere until the warm touch of Efnir seeped into her breath.
"Don't think about bad things," Efnir and Yukina as they walked toward the taxi stand. "We have plenty of time today, let's enjoy this rare weekend."
Efnir gently took Yukina's hand.
Yukina naturally returned the handshake, their fingers intertwined tightly, and the warmth from Efnir's hand made Yukina feel at ease.
"Ms. Shiina is such a strong person..."
She looked at Efnir and asked softly:
"Naoko, if it were you, what would you choose?"
"I'll probably do the same as her... I don't know what I'll do, but I understand her decision. Every agent has their own reason to fight, and for Rin and Saori, it's each other."
"A reason for fighting... must there always be something like that?"
"Yes, a clear and unwavering belief is inherent in agents."
Yukina turned around and looked up at the hospital.
The view from inside the ward was so open, you could see everything clearly, but looking in from the outside, it was just a dark pane of glass.
"Then, Naoko must also have a reason to fight, right?"
"Yes, I have."
Can I know?
"Of course," Efnir chuckled, her eyes narrowing into crescents, "But don't laugh when I tell you, actually all I wanted at first was to survive."
The opportunity for her to become an agent was an accident during her university years. If it weren't for all those coincidences, "Ephnel" would have ended up in Yukina's hands, and she would probably have lived as an ordinary Yanase Naoto, " under the protection of Yukina and other agents.
She could never stand in front of Yukina to protect her.
You're lying.
Yukina puffed out her cheeks, while Efnir looked completely innocent.
"Where did I lie...?"
"If it were just about survival, Naoko, all you had to do was run away. If it were just you, you could have gotten out of there safely. But you went back to save others, didn't you?"
"Hmm..."
That's what it means...
"I just don't like the embarrassment of failing..."
Yukina remained noncommittal to Efnir's explanation, gave a soft snort, and then asked, "And what about me?"
Like a kitten desperately seeking its owner's attention, Yukina clung tightly to Efnir's arm, gazing intently into Efnir's eyes.
She spoke softly, "Among the people Naoko protects, and the reasons she fights, is there a place for me?"
"Yes, I have."
Efnir and Yukina stood in front of the taxi stand sign.
"You, and my parents, you are the people I cherish most. If I have a reason to keep going until now, it must be because of you."
"Really?"
Yukina's eyes shone brightly, sparkling in the midday sun.
Evnir gently took Xue Nai's hand, leaned closer, and, using the bus stop sign as cover, lowered her head.
"Of course it's true, after all, you're my only sister."
"Just a younger sister?"
"Still lovers."
Strands of hair fell down in their line of sight, blocking the gazes of passersby.
At the same time--
Futaba Erii silently held her phone, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. Just like yesterday, she stood guard in this spot where she could see the entire hospital. Her phone was on a call, and a girl's voice came from the other end.
"I think... you won't get anywhere by searching like this. The agent lives in a different world from us. Efnir saved you only because it was her duty. Why bother for just one sentence? You've been looking for her for so long, and what's the result? Besides, even if you find her, what then? She might not even recognize you anymore."
The phone call was filled with endless advice, but it did nothing to shake Futaba Erii's resolve.
"As long as you persevere, there will always be results."
Futaba Erii's simple words left the girl on the other end of the phone speechless.
Futaba Erii sets her mind on something, she's determined to do it, no matter what. The girl knows Futaba Erii's personality perfectly well, so she knows that Futaba Erii hasn't taken her earnest advice to heart at all, and can only keep her mouth shut and sulk.
After a brief silence, the girl on the other end of the phone let out a soft, irritated hum.
"Ugh-whatever! No matter how much I say, you won't listen anyway, you don't even care about me! But that's how it is, anyway, I understand!"
The girl on the other end of the phone grew angrier and angrier, "You idiot sister! Go ahead and drown yourself with your Efnir! Don't come back tonight! And don't expect me to bring you an umbrella! Humph!!"
Then the call was disconnected.
Futaba Erii sighed helplessly. After a pause, she opened the chat app and found her sister. She then saw that her sister had sent her many messages, asking about her situation, telling her to eat on time, telling her that it would rain that night, and giving her advice, but she hadn't replied to any of them.
With a slight twitch of her eyes, Futaba Erii typed out apologies and words of comfort in the chat box and sent it.
Just then, a slender and graceful figure flashed by in the distance, Futaba Erii subconsciously looked up.
At the end of the line of sight, two girls walked hand in hand across the sidewalk and stopped in front of the taxi stand.
Futaba Erii's hands unconsciously stopped moving. She stared straight at the prettier girl among the two, whose attire was slightly more mature, and her lips moved slightly.
Who else could it be but Yanase Naoto?
She had been searching for a girl for a whole year, the figure she longed for day and night, the special person whose true identity only she knew.
A few days ago, Efnir was injured and went to the hospital. She found the United Hospital from the view outside the window in the corner of the photo and the speculation in the comments online. She came every day, just to try her luck and hope to see "Yanase Naoto". What was originally just a mundane routine of "waiting and leaving" turned into an unexpected meeting.
Without thinking twice, she quickly ran towards the girl with the flow of people, but as soon as she took a step, she saw a scene that shocked her - "Yanase Naoto" lowered his gaze slightly, got closer and closer to the girl next to him, and then, their lips touched.
Futaba Erii stared in astonishment at the figures of the two people in such an ambiguous pose, her slightly raised hand freezing in place.
156. Past Events
Efnir and the girl got into a taxi and drove away. Futaba Erii.
"Yanase Naoto," no, perhaps it should be called Efnir.
Having finally seen her before she transformed into an agent, Futaba Erii suddenly realized that she had changed somewhat from the way she remembered her.
She still had that beautiful and charming face, but now Efnir started to smile more.
In Futaba Erii's memory, she rarely smiled.
The scene from just now flooded back into Futaba Erii's mind.
--Efnir... is kissing a girl.
Is Efnir attracted to girls?
Such blissful smiles, their eyes meeting only for each other's gentle touch—such a scene, belonging only to lovers, makes it difficult for anyone to have any other misunderstandings.
It turns out that Efnir is "on this side".
Futaba Erii didn't know whether she should feel happy or sad about this reality; a complex mix of bitterness and trembling welled up in her heart for no reason.
She was convinced that Yanase Naoto, or rather, Efnir, would never accept a girl.
"This side" and "that side" are thousands of miles apart.
Yet they are separated by only a thin line.
Thoughts that were once buried deep in my heart are sprouting again, threatening to burst through my heart.
Futaba Erii suddenly realized that she should have run up to her and confessed her feelings long ago, instead of just standing there watching that unattainable figure.
Regardless of the outcome, at least she could convey her feelings. But now, Efnir already has someone she loves.
She was too late again.
Futaba Erii was a classmate of Yanase Naoto.
If she had to describe Futaba Erii in one sentence, she would say she's a "trend-chasing model student."
The "rigid honor student" is Yanase Naoto.
From the very beginning, the two were on completely different paths.
In fact, Futaba Erii didn't really understand this male classmate who consistently ranked higher than her academically. At that time, in her eyes, "Yanase Naoto" was just a boy who wasn't very likable.
Despite being a student council member and a class leader with important responsibilities, he often acts alone, detached from the group.
Although he had excellent grades, his personality made him difficult to talk to.
Futaba Erii is always popular with her classmates. She grew up in a good family and has some knowledge of calligraphy, painting, dance, and tea ceremony. She has a high-quality social circle. Compared to Yanase Naoto, who is a loner and has no friends, Futaba Erii sometimes feels a sense of superiority.
But Yanase Naoto is one of the few guys who doesn't treat her differently.
Call Yanase Naoto reserved or introverted, in short, Futaba Erii believes that she and Yanase Naoto are not on the same wavelength. Their only common ground is that one and only "Annual Scholarship".
Although it's called an "Annual Scholarship," it's actually backed by the Human Alliance and is an opportunity to gain favor and support from higher education institutions in the Central Province.
Her father suddenly fell seriously ill, and she needed the high prize money and the opportunity to pursue further studies in Gordon.
She swallowed her Yanase Naoto, just once, to give her that year's scholarship. She even promised to do whatever she could for him.
Having always lived as a "young lady," she rarely asked for favors, but was ruthlessly rejected.
The reason given was that it "made no sense".
It certainly didn't make sense. Other boys were adoring her, but Yanase Naoto had no reason or obligation to do so, and even less reason to hand over the readily available scholarship to someone he barely knew.
Giving up her naive fantasies, she worked hard to catch up.
In this respect, they are competitors.
However, Futaba Erii still lost the competition by a huge margin—despite being second overall, she was miles behind that guy.
Even if she had another year, she still wouldn't be able to beat him.
She didn't feel resentment, after all, the other person hadn't cheated, but had won through undeniable hard work and ability. But deep down, she also felt... "If only this person didn't exist."
Later, this person really did cease to exist.
The disaster struck suddenly that day, and the City Defense Authority didn't even have time to react before the school gate was completely destroyed by the Erosion Entity. She ran in panic, like a withered tree destroyed by a flood.
At that moment, Yanase Naoto appeared in front of her and saved her.
Later she learned that Yanase Naoto, the person who had always seemed like one of her two rivals in class, was actually a girl.
Moreover, she is the agent fighting on the front lines in this city, "Efnir".
After that incident, "Yanase Naoto," whose identity had been exposed to her, left the school and officially became an agent active in the battle against the Erosion Disaster.