Chapter 17
I wake up .
Raising my body from the bed and going to the large sliding window, I open the curtains .
The morning light shines beyond the lace .
“I’ll work hard . ”
I resolved anew in the room .
There are many things I must do .
Surely, this will be the toughest it’s been so far .
Even then, I’ll show you I can do them all .
Spending the days with everyone .
Living together .
If there are issues that can be settled, let me settle them .
Having gotten changed, the dresser reflects my figure .
The school uniform-clad me reflected in the mirror, appears different from the me before .
Chako may have accepted that she will disappear .
There may be something she wants to accomplish by disappearing .
She probably would not want to change her wish .
Even then .
――I’ll show you I can make her take my hand .
A weak, pathetic and awful woman .
Who’s greedy and bad at giving up .
A me like that will stand next to Chako .
Tell me Chako’s wish .
Because I’ll show you that I will grant it .
Leaving the house, I head to the entrance ceremony with my parents .
As expected, perhaps as an effect of repeating, they’re worried even though it’s just the entrance ceremony .
I’ve been walking in front but, feeling anxious gazes on my back, I slowly turn around .
There, my parents are staring at me as they walk side by side .
I’m sorry for worrying you .
I secretly apologise in my heart, putting a smile on my face .
“Father, mother . Even though I’m like this[1], please take care of me in the future too . ”
Then, I lower my head just a little .
They’re probably surprised at my abrupt words .
After looking at me with widened eyes, my parents face each other and exchange glances .
Mom goes, “What’s wrong, is she nervous about the entrance ceremony?” in confusion, while dad frowns as though he’s stumped .
Finding their expressions somewhat strange, I start to giggle .
I’ll surely feel depressed, get angry or cry again, causing them trouble .
Well, it’s as father said, I’m greedy so it can’t be helped .
Therefore, do take take of me from now on too .
Turning my back towards my bewildered parents, I begin walking to school again .
So let’s start anew, again, hereon .
Unable to suppress my flushing cheeks, from the main gate to the school, I step forth .
Waving to my parents, I enter my assigned classroom .
Chako’s already in the seat before me, her black hair swaying in the wind .
Yuusei-kun’s in the frontmost seat by the corridor, sitting alone and reading a book .
Finally, Kousuke-kun seems to already have made friends . Surrounded by about 3 people, he’s joking around by the window .
I’ve returned .
To the place I’ve been .
My chest squeezes in pain and I take a small, deep breath .
Although it’s greedy of me, sure enough .
I can’t give up this place .
Let’s work hard .
Even though there will probably be lots of painful and difficult things .
Everything I worked hard for, will surely be repaid .
Time passed . We moved to the gymnasium and the entrance ceremony begins .
When I call out to Chako who’s in the seat next to mine, she laughs, “Ehehe” in response .
A nostalgic laugh .
While my chest hurts a little, something warm spreads in my heart .
Ah . If Chako’s willing to laugh, it makes me feel that I can work hard for anything .
Perhaps due to distancing myself once, I want to treasure that laugh even more now .
I’m already head over heels huh, I laugh a little when I think that .
The entrance ceremony has finished, and so has HR .
After tidying up my stuff, I call out to the Chako sitting in front of me .
“Shall we go home together today?”
“Yeah . Sure . I’m happy to get along well after the entrance ceremony . ”
Sponsored Content
“… Indeed . ”
I really am happy .
It’s also been a while since I went home with Chako .
If, there’s also an effect on Chako when I turn back time .
Just a little is fine, it will be nice if she finds this nostalgic .
I giggle at my selfish wish .
Seeing such a me, Chako laughs, “Ehehe” .
“Ah, but there are some errands I have to run . Do you mind waiting? I think it will take about 20 minutes, but…”
While I want to always be with Chako like this, there are things I must do from now on .
I feel apologetic because I was the one who invited her to go home together, but please wait just a while .
“Sorry”, when I put my hands together, Chako goes, “It’s fine” with a nod .
“It’s fine . Besides, looking at the printouts we received today and filling out the forms will probably take around that amount of time . ”
“Yeah, thank you . I’ll head off for a bit then . ”
“Nn . ”
I thank Chako, stand up, and head to the frontmost seat by the corridor .
As I can sense Chako being slightly surprised behind me, I turn back and nod twice .
Although Chako probably doesn’t quite understand, un un, she nods with her eyes widened .
“Yuusei-kun . There’s something I want to tell you alone . ”
Even while laughing a little at Chako’s state, I turn to Yuusei-kun and speak .
The black eyes behind the glasses look at me, shining with suspicion .
“Sure thing, follow me . ”
With that, he exits the door and walks through the corridor .
Seeing that back, fu, a laugh ends up escaping .
You haven’t changed huh, Yuusei-kun .
“What is it you want to say?” or “Don’t call me so over-familiarly”, things like that . You should’ve said something .
However, it’s definitely more like Yuusei-kun to not ask for reasons .
Unable to stop my face from brightening, I follow Yuusei-kun .
Then, at the Occult Research Club, I speak of the happenings up till now .
Yuusei-kun listens with amusement, and once again believes it all .
“I see . In short, this is the 6th round for you huh, Naba?”
“Yeah . ”
Yuusei-kun sits in a chair, his black eyes shining as he thinks about something .
Sponsored Content
I feel somewhat relieved at the Occult Research club room that’s the same as always .
“Still, that so-called effect of turning back time is interesting . ”
“Yeah . I don’t know if it really exists or not though… There’s isn’t anything that Yuusei-kun remembers or the like, is there?”
I gaze up at him .
While I can’t ask Chako and Kousuke-kun, I can also ask Yuusei-kun about his memory because he knows everything .
He likely doesn’t remember though…
“… Let’s see . Yeah, unfortunately, I don’t remember this entrance ceremony repeating for multiple times . Naba, too, I only know that you’re the Priestess of Ominous Clouds . ”
“Is that so…”
Sure enough, he doesn’t remember .
Yuusei-kun scratches his head roughly .
“Ah, my bad, to think that I can’t remember something so interesting… However, I think I kind of get that so-called effect of turning back time . ”
“Really?”
“Yeah . When you spoke to me, I thought『Ah, she finally came』 . ”
“… Yeah . Yuusei-kun said to return even if I fail . You said, “Explain to me and I’ll surely believe you” .
I’m sorry for being late .
Thank you, for believing me again .
“I probably remember it deep in my heart . I suppose it’s like déjà vu . ”
“I see . ”
Déjà vu, huh .
Is it so uncertain for those who don’t remember?
As expected, he doesn’t remember . Although I already knew that, my heart pricks a little with pain .
It really is lonely to be forgotten .
Yes . Still, that’s fine . Even this pain will be my provision .
Closing my eyes for a short while, I exhale .
The ends of Yuusei-kun’s mouth raise into a smirk at such a me .
“So, how was shutting yourself in for 2 months? Was it fun?”
If not at nakimushitl . wordpress . com, this has been stolen .
Eh? My eyes widen as I look at Yuusei-kun
He’s not saying that out of sarcasm . His eyes shine with nothing but deep interest .
“… There’s no way it’s fun . ”
“Really? Don’t you get to game and read all you want? You live alone after all . I’m envious . ”
“… It wasn’t fun at all, alright . ”
Sponsored Content
Shutting myself in alone, being delighted when Chako’s mails come, having my chest hurt when I can’t reply .
Being scared even when grocery shopping, doubting everyone involved .
There’s no way such days are fun .
What are you saying?, when I glower at Yuusei-kun, he laughs, “Hahaha . ”
“Ah, my bad my bad . ”
“Sheesh . ”
Haah, when I add on an exaggerated sigh, Yuusei-kun laughs with the ends of his lips again and speaks .
“At any rate, you’re going to train again, right?”
“Yes . I’ll work hard . Please take care of me . ”
“Yeah, knock yourself out . [2]”
Yuusei-kun laughs like he’s having fun .
Finding that expression and those words nostalgic, my face laughs on its own too .
“… Ah, it’s my 2nd time so I think I’ll memorize at a great pace . I may surpass someone like Yuusei-kun in no time at all . ”
“Ahh?”
“The only time you can be so condescending is only now, alright . ”
That’s right .
I’ll become Yuusei-kun’s rival soon .
Yuusei-kun laughs with amusement at my provocative line .
After we laugh for a while like this, I look up at the clock hung on the wall .
About 15 minutes have already passed .
“Ah, I have to return to Chako . ”
“I see . ”
It’s about time to go, I stand up .
Yuusei-kun’s looking up at me while still seat, probably planning to see me off like that .
“Come too, Yuusei-kun . ”
“Aah?”
“Alright! Let’s go . ”
Huh?, Yuusei-kun looks up with a silly face . I take his hand and walk .
Even as Yuusei-kun gets gradually flustered, he grabs his bag with the hand not holding mine and follows me .
After walking for a while, although he was flustered at first, he eventually becomes obedient as though he’s given up .
[1] That’s the literal translation . Kind of a humbling statement with connotations of ‘While I’m this lacking, … . ’ .
[2] He said the same thing in chapter 12 . 1 .