Chapter 32
Chako chose a road .
Working hard to attain everything, to help everyone…
Swaying Chako’s heart, I finally learned various things but Chako chose a road as expected .
The eyes of Chako at that time wasn’t the usual deep blue .
Those eyes had been gold since Chako’s talk with Tomotaksenpai .
That was proof that Chako’s heart swayed .
Talking to Chako, I intended for us to face each other properly .
I intended to convey my wish for Chako to live in this world .
However, surely…
Chako noticed my lie―― .
The day after Chako left .
I informed everyone to gather at Tomoyuki-san’s house .
As Yuusei-kun and Tomoyuki-san gathered faster than the other 3 people, I speak in advance about yesterday and what I want to do today .
The two listen to me seriously, giving approvals for what I want to do today .
Then, Kousuke-kun, Tomotaksenpai and Sensei come to Tomoyuki-san’s house .
As Tomotaksenpai told Chako yesterday that he won’t go to the gatherings, he hesitated to gather but decided to participate after I told him Chako left .
Everyone sits on the dining table chairs .
I sit in the centre, and to my respective sides are Yuusei-kun and Tomoyuki-san .
In front of me sits Kousuke-kun, and at both his sides sits Tomotaksenpai and Sensei .
“Chako’s gone?”
Tomoyuki-san brings out tea for everyone, and I broach the subject when everyone calms down a little .
First is yesterday’s matter . About Chako leaving .
The wrinkles between Kousuke-kun’s brows deepen at my talk .
I look at the Kousuke-kun sitting in front of me, “Un” and nod .
“… Why? She had so much fun yesterday . ”
“Maybe she just happened to be absent from school today?”
Kousuke-kun’s eyes shake with incomprehension .
Sensei looks at me, “Wasn’t it a misunderstanding?”, but I faintly shake my head towards that gaze .
“Chako… always disappears . ”
“Always disappears?”
Tomotaksenpai tilts his head inquiringly at my sudden words .
I look at Kousuke-kun, Tomotaksenpai and Sensei, biting my lips strongly .
“I… have something I didn’t tell you three . ”
Yes . There’s something I didn’t tell .
I’ve always kept quiet about it .
“I thought it would be good to remain quiet about it . ”
Chako chooses someone among them…
That becomes her reason to live, and I thought it would be good if nothing happens and we can welcome spring .
However .
Chako chose a road .
“Surely… this talk won’t be enjoyable for you three . ”
I don’t know if I should tell them this .
Even up till now, I didn’t know at all what I should do .
The me full of failures .
“You may not believe this but…”
When I think of that, my soft voice trembles…
When my eyes are about to close, the Tomoyuki-san sitting next to me takes over the conversation .
He talks to the three sitting in front with a gentle voice .
“… You know that the Priestess of Ominous Clouds has a power, right?”
“Yes . ”
Kousuke-kun nods firmly at Tomoyuki-san’s voice .
And, the amber eyes look straight at me . Kousuke-kun lifts up my eyes that are about to close .
Those eyes are saying he『Believes』…
When I look at both sides of Kousuke-kun, Tomotaksenpai and Sensei are looking at me firmly too .
I breathe out a little as though encouraged by those eyes .
And, I look back at the three sitting in front of me .
“I… am turning back time . ”
It’s a story that’s like a dream[1] .
“Turning back time?”
“Yes .
I nod briefly at Sensei’s words .
“Using the power of the Priestess of Ominous Clouds, I have been turning back time . Repeating the same time again and again…”
Failing again and again .
“Now, it’s the 6th round . ”
I repeated these many times .
I thought I could finally save everyone .
However, Chako ended up choosing a road again…
“… I wanted to save Chako . No matter how many times I repeat, Chako disappears on Valentine’s Day . Therefore, I had to move forward from that day… I’ve always been repeating from the day of the entrance ceremony to Valentine’s Day . ”
Involving everyone, doing over the same time .
“In front of everyone, I believe there were many times I was slightly weird… That’s because, of the things I personally experienced or heard from everyone in the repeated time . ”
Speaking till there, I quietly look at the three in front of me .
All three seem to be thinking a lot about my words .
Surely there were things that came to their minds about my behaviour .
“… Was that why Naba sometimes, said strange things?”
“Un . ”
Kousuke-kun’s amber eyes look at me motionlessly .
I give a small nod to that .
Tomotaksenpai and Sensei sitting on both Kousuke-kun’s sides also look at me, speaking slowly .
“… You knew about me too . ” [Tomotaka]
“Yes… A previous Tomotaksenpai himself told me about Tomotaksenpai . ”
“And you knowing about me not having long to live is also?” [Sensei]
“Yes… I heard from Sensei yourself . ”
I breathe out a little when the three in front seem to be convinced by my replies .
Something about my actions probably had been catching their attention the whole time .
“Truthfully perhaps I should have told everyone earlier… I am sorry . ”
After apologizing to the three, I glance at Tomotaksenpai .
Receiving my gaze, Tomotaksenpai probably understands what I’m trying to say .
Giving a small nod, he looks at Kousuke-kun and Sensei sitting next to him .
“There’s something I kept quiet about too… Chako is my familiar . ”
Tomotaksenpai told Kousuke-kun and Sensei his hidden secret .
Truthfully I wanted to leave it to Chako but, that secret is very significant to the thing I’m about to say .
Kousuke-kun’s eyes widen at Tomotaksenpai’s words .
Sensei gives a huge sigh, looking up at the ceiling .
Surely, Kousuke-kun and Sensei are filled with things they want to ask Tomotaksenpai and I .
However, not touching on that subject, I look firmly at the three in front of me .
“I believe there will only be things that will cause you confusion . ”
Even then, I decided to tell you .
“… The time up till now… please listen to it . ”
[1] unbelievable
And, I speak about the things up till now .
The 1st round . About granting Kousuke-kun power, Kousuke-kun going berserk, Chako erasing Kousuke-kun and Chako disappearing too .
The 2nd round . About my transaction with Tomotaksenpai to exchange Chako and I, and Sensei, Chako and Kousuke-kun ending up in a fight .
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The 3rd round . About finding the method to release the familiar contract between Tomotaksenpai and Chako, and Sensei offering his own body . However, Chako in the end, chose to change places with Sensei .
The 4th round . About me becoming strong after training with Yuusei-kun but, Tomotaksenpai hid Chako . Then, about Chako not taking my hand .
About me staying home in the 5th round… talking to Tomoyuki-san, deciding to attain everything .
And, now .
“I wanted to save everyone… I thought that if I saved everyone, maybe Chako would think about wanting to live in this world too . ”
I think I was able to save everyone .
I think that Chako did come to want to stay with everyone .
“However… Chako is trying to disappear again . ”
… Maybe I failed at something again . …
When I speak of the things up till now, what came out was all regrets…
Suppressing my pained chest, I somehow finish speaking and breathe out, closing my eyes .
It won’t be strange if they spurn me saying they can’t believe it .
It won’t be strange even if they condemn me asking why I kept quiet .
It won’t be strange even if the me full of failures is scorned .
“Naba… Sorry I let you shoulder it all alone . ”
However, the words Kousuke-kun spoke are words of apology…
“… Naba protected us for so long, huh?” [Kousuke]
“… That’s right . Compared to Yuusei or Director, the three of us are full of failures . ” [Sensei]
“You couldn’t say it, could you…? In consideration of us . ” [Tomotaka]
When I open my eyes in shock, the three people in front of me are looking at me with gentle eyes .
Shaking my head, I look at my left and right . Yuusei-kun and Tomoyuki-san are also looking at me with the same eyes .
“… I have the memories . That’s why… the repeated time is a matter of my past…”
It’s a past of failures .
“However, everyone doesn’t have the memories so… Now, even though I told you, I think it could be merely one of innumerable futures…”
Yes . It isn’t the past for everyone .
They don’t have the memories so, the things up till now shouldn’t be things everyone did .
“In other words… everyone involved in Chako’s disappearance, is a matter of the future that may happen . Right now, the road everyone chose is different… That’s why, I think now is the beginning . ”
I was the one who failed .
Not everyone .
That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it .
Because I think, nobody would want to know, such a story .
Unable to look at everyone’s faces, I end up glaring motionlessly at the dining table .
When I do, a gentle voice resounds from the front .
“I… am glad Naba talked about it . ”
I raise my face as though urged by that voice .
“Chako leaving too… Surely, I think she wanted to do something about you working so hard like that . ”
There, are gentle amber eyes .
“Naba . Thank you for trying to save me, when I sought power . ”
And, they are willing to look at my past .
“Nabsan… the me who made Chako a familiar . The me who interfered with you innumerable times . Thank you for always believing in me . ”
When I look beside him, deep blue eyes narrow gently…
“Sorry I wasn’t able to help you even though you sought help… Thank you for helping me . ”
Then, amber eyes of a colour more mature than Kousuke-kun look at me and smile .
It was a pathetic past full of failures .
However, everyone is willing to lift it up .
“I, I… wasn’t thinking about everyone . I was always full of myself…”
Everyone is too kind…
“Keeping quiet towards everyone… Keeping quiet towards Chako, I, only thought about myself . ”
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I desperately resist the thing about to stream down my eyes .
“I simply… Wanted to become Chako’s number one . ”
I wasn’t able to tell Chako about repeating time .
I wasn’t able to speak about my uncool past .
Because I .
Am not the heroine of an otome game…
“I wanted to be the hero who saves Chako . ”
Not abandoning anyone .
Attaining everything, and saving Chako .
I wanted to be such a cool hero .
“However… it seems like I wasn’t able to become Chako’s hero . ”[1]
Looking at the ceiling, I put strength into my eyes .
And, laugh with all I have .
Everyone is so cool, so kind .
The more I come to know, the more I’m made to realise they are heroes .
“Naba is an otoko 漢 . ”
“Otoko?”
Suddenly, Yuusei-kun sitting next to me raises his voice .
Suddenly being told『otoko 男』, I tilt my head in confusion .
“It’s probably, not the one Naba is thinking of . The one I’m talking about is the character『kan 漢』in kanji 漢字, y’know? Alone, you read that as otoko . ”
“What’s with that . ”
“It means the man amongst men[2] . ”
“… I, am female you know?”
“Ah, like I said it’s not like that…”
Yuusei-kun scratches his head roughly .
Then, black eyes look directly at me .
“It means you were cool . Chako too, always says you’re cool right?”
“… Un . ”
Yuusei-kun always says weird things .
Towards such words of Yuusei-kun, I continue putting strength into my eyes, and chuckle .
“I’m glad you didn’t tell Chako about repeating time . ”
Seeing such a me, Tomotaksenpai speaks up .
“I think that if Chako hears such a story, she will choose to leave school… I, too, if Chako says she doesn’t want to no matter what, I would probably afford her a different mission . ”
“Naba has always been waiting for a chance to speak, right? You’ve repeated a number of times, it can’t be helped that you’ve become cautious . ”
Sensei adds on words to Tomotaksenpai’s talk .
I give a small nod to the two’s words that seem to remove my load .
“You’ve always been working hard . You’ve always been giving it your all . ”
Then, Tomoyuki-san gives me the affirmation .
“… It was Naba who brought us here . You didn’t abandon us who made innumerable mistakes and brought us all the way here . ”
Kousuke-kun’s amber eyes look at me .
“Naba is always committed… I think you didn’t make a mistake . ”
And, untangle my heart .
“I’m glad that Naba worked hard… and did it over again and again . ”
Really…
I’m no match for Kousuke-kun .
I knit my brows and laugh and at Kousuke-kun’s words .
When I do, Yuusei-kun goes “Ah”, raising his voice .
“You’ve appeared huh, swindler . ”[3]
Raising the edges of his lips, he looks at Kousuke-kun .
“I spoke up first, followed by Kamo and the older Kuo, and Director was soothing her, why is Kousuke taking the good part?”
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“… Shut up . ”
Yuusei-kun snorts, glaring at Kousuke-kun .
Ah… the usual sight .
“If Chako is here… she would probably say “Unfair, Kousuke-kun!””
Yes . If Chako is here .
“Kousuke-kun, Sensei… Weren’t you shocked, that Chako was a familiar?”
The conversation has always been about me, so I didn’t get to ask Kousuke-kun and Sensei .
The two must have received a shock .
However, Kousuke-kun and Sensei make faces as though they’re thinking a little about my words, and look directly at me .
“… Yeah . But, Chako’s Chako . ” [Kousuke]
“I did think there was something between Kamo and Tomonaga so, it wasn’t unexpected . ” [Sensei]
Sensei glances at Tomotaksenpai .
When Tomotaksenpai firmly receives that glance, Sensei gives a small laugh .
“Ask Tomonaga for the details . ”
“That’s right . Because Chako only left . ”
Kousuke-kun nods at Sensei’s words .
That’s right . Chako only left .
She hasn’t disappeared .
“If it’s Chako’s whereabouts, I think I can grab hold of it… It should also be possible to summon her if I use a technique . ”
Receiving the two’s words, Tomotaksenpai spins his words .
Because Chako is Tomotaksenpai’s familiar .
Now, it should be possible to request Tomotaksenpai to call Chako back .
Then, telling her everything, I can simply embroil Chako .
However, I shake my head at those words .
“If Chako’s chosen a road, I don’t want to stop that . ”
Tomotaksenpai let go of her hand in pain .
After that, Chako’s trying to do something .
I don’t want to forcibly stop that .
“Chako will return on Valentine’s Day… She said herself when we parted and, it had always been that way up till now . It should, be certain . ”
It’s not like she will end up disappearing like this .
She’ll return on Valentine’s Day .
There’s still, a chance to speak to Chako .
“It’s just that when Chako comes back… I don’t know what she’s going to try to do…”
“That’s true… Now, I think Chako is eating phantoms and strengthening herself . Because I can feel my power increasing moment by moment . ”
Chako and Tomotaksama are connected so, if Chako becomes stronger, Tomotaksenpai’s power becomes stronger too .
“Coming back after becoming strong, huh… That’s interesting . ”
Yuusei-kun’s black eyes are shining .
Finding the usual Yuusei-kun strange, I chuckle .
I don’t know what Chako is trying to do .
However――
“Chako is advancing on her road properly… even then, I will save her . ”
Save .
Without fail .
“I want you to help out, everyone . ”
I look around at everyone sitting on their chairs .
And, I chew my lips .
“From now, I will be talking about the method to save Chako . This will be――the last . ”
[1] I don’t think there are intended gender nuances like there seem to be in English . In the raws it’s more Yui wanted to be the savior (hero) not the protagonist (heroine) .
[2] Lol Yuusei… 漢 is homophones with 男, which is the character for man/male . 漢 is like a slang for men too manly for 男 .
[3] Chapter 23 . 1