Chapter 9 — Roots of Doubt

Lunch break started a few minutes ago; the pressure from the draw had eased a little, though the mystery that is Tsukishima Mori lingered. But right now, something really important was happening.


Beep. Beep.


The vending machine emitted a satisfying beep as I pressed the buttons. It was actually my favorite at this school; everything about it was perfect.


Its tucked-away location in a corner of the third floor makes it pretty isolated. Sure, it was a three-minute walk from my class, but Ichigo-Chan cartons are even more enjoyable when you work for them. That's how I see it.


My purchase dropped in the slot as I kept looking at the buttons. Maybe another wouldn't hurt...


Another good thing about this vending machine was that no matter how many Ichigo-Chan strawberry milk cartons I bought, it would be restocked the next day. We were destined to meet. To show my gratitude, I will buy another one.


"Oh? Isn't that my dear Yuuki-kun!♡"


Kaname Anko appeared from behind me, her hands clasped behind her back. She leaned in close, peering at the machine.


"Wait? Were you about to buy that strawberry thing again? Yuuki-kun isn’t creative at all. Here, let me pick one for you!♡"


I grabbed her oversized sleeve before she could press the button for chocolate milk.


"Don't do that, your tastes are bad, so I'm sure I won't like it."


"... That's rude. But I get you, I know that you aren't a fan of chocolate.♡"


I let go of her sleeve, but she grabbed my hand in return. Anko kept it tight, for some unknown reason.


Her wry smile was a dare to read her mind, but maybe it's better for my mental health that I don't.


"Kana-chan, don't just disappear like that. Aren't we supposed to meet your ex's friends?"


From the same hallway, two other girls approached us.


One of them was Shirakuma Kibana. A tanned-skinned girl with thick twintails. They sure looked heavy.


Just like Anko, she wore her uniform in a gyaru style. Short skirt, plunging neckline, loose socks, and colorful fingernails.


I'm starting to believe in Ryûko's 'You can wear whatever you want' theory.


At her friend's question, Anko tilted her head cutely, a finger on her cheek.


"Did we? I totes forgot. It's all Yuuki-kun's fault, so don't blame me, Kiba-chan.♡"


"We were talking about it just a minute ago before you disappeared..."


Shirakuma gave me a silent, narrow-eyed stare. I wouldn't mind her believing Anko. We are in the same class, and we never talked, so...


"I apologize for the disturbance. Please, take her back; she gets in my way too much."


"Weren't you getting all chummy just now? Holding hands and all?"


"Don't misunderstand our relationship, please," I said, waving my hand dismissively.


"Is that so...?"


Yeah... She doesn't believe me. I don't care anyway.


Another drink fell in the slot. Another drink? I didn't pick one... I turned around, and it was Anko; she took her chocolate milk after all.


Anko shot me a glare with a cat-like smile, baiting me to react. I hope she realizes her ragebait is worth only 400 yen.


Silently, I inserted another coin in the machine, this time picking the right drink; I would finally have my fifth strawberry milk of the day.


"Eh...? So you are a milk guy..."


Shirakuma stood before the machine as well, scanning every drink it held.


The sweet scent of her perfume invaded my nostrils, a mix of vanilla and coconut. The scent was acceptable, but the proximity was definitely a violation of my personal space.


I stepped back slightly, but right on the other side, Anko sandwiched me between them. Was it some kind of gyaru trap?


"There is so much choice..."


I agree with her. But in my opinion, there was only one choice, and it was Ichigo-Chan.


As I picked up my drinks in the slot, I noticed something. There was another bottle along with my purchase.


The bottle was blue, with a transparent drink inside. Bubbly Summer Splash. What a funny name, I thought.


The bottle was designed with bubbles all around the packaging with two small mascots. A cool-looking dolphin with sunglasses and a depressed-looking wolf... A wolf?


"Oh? I know that thing. It's just like the one on Tsu-chan's phone."


I slightly glanced at the third girl. Inugami Tsubaki, another gyaru from my class. She had long black hair fading into a deep purple. She was dressed like the others, though her appearance was less flashy.


Her makeup was edgier; she also had ear piercings and a mole under her mouth. Her nails were painted black, and as I noticed it, I also looked at her phone.


It had an accessory with the same wolf on it... Maybe she was a fan?

I handed her the bottle silently. She answered me with a neutral expression; she looked a lot calmer than the other two.


"You can have it, my treat."


" ...Why not..."


Inugami took the bottle from my hands, our fingers brushing slightly.


She checked it over and noticed the collab on it. Then, she froze. Her eyes widened a bit, too; maybe she was more than a fan. At least I made someone's day with it. I used my psychokinesis to bring the box into my hands.


"Yuuki-kun, you can't leave just yet.♡"


"I can," I said as I took three steps away. "See."


"Can't even catch a joke, Yuuki-kun's so boring these days... Anyway, tell that little girl to meet me here after school? I need to talk to her a little.♡"


"Do it yourself."


I didn't have time for her drama; I had a lunch appointment to attend and Ichigo-Chan cartons to drink.


*


Back in class 1-C, the usual group greeted me. Except for Waguri, everyone had pushed their tables together.


"Took you long enough, Newbie! I was about to start without you!"


I looked down at Ryûko's round face; given the grain of rice stuck on her cheek, she just lied.


I ignored it and sat down beside her, just in front of Akira, who turned his head away as our gazes met briefly.


"Hm... Don't be shy, Toshinori-san. I'm not that scary, am I?"


"The hell is that coming from? I'm not looking away because I'm flustered or anything."


"Classic tsundere line."


I waited for Yôsuke to follow up on my joke, but nothing came. Yôsuke had his eyes glued to his phone, scrolling mindlessly. I'd actually never seen him use his phone when we spent time together; "maybe something serious had come up? Speaking of which...


"Ryûko, Bakenoko told me that she had something to ask you after school."


"Bakeneko? You mean Kaname-san?" Ryûko answered, her mouth full of food.


"Yeah, her."


Ryûko swallowed her food with a big gulp. Then, she searched for Anko in the class.


"Weird... Why didn't she ask me directly? We don't have any beef, do we?"


Akira sighed deeply. "Do you think that's the only reason she might not want to talk to you? You aren't the easiest person to talk to, Ryûko."


"But Shin-chan talks to me all the time, no? 'Even when he's on dates, or when we're supposed to be sleeping. Doesn't that make me easy to talk to?"


"No, it does not. Jeez, you are such a pain sometimes." Akira looked at me. "Knowing her character, she probably wanted Harumaki-san to know about their conversation, right?"


"I think so too; Bakeneko handles her problems in her own way. If she involves me, it's because she'll talk about me."


"Then I'll learn about the Newbie! That's a good thing!"


I couldn't blame her excitement; Ryûko was that kind of person, after all. If Anko was planning something, I couldn't do anything but trust Ryûko.


I may have a small guess about what they are going to talk about... so why ask it that way, then? Bakeneko knows what I think about my past, right?


"That sly girl is just trying to manipulate you. That's all she knows how to do anyway. Playing with people around her." My mind-mate replied.


"..."


"What is it, Yuuki-kun?"


"You never talk to me when I'm at school these days, Himeguro. I thought you were upset or something."


"Well, I am. Yuuki-kun teamed up with them against my will, remember?"


"Does it matter that much?"


"Of course. It's our dream, isn't it?"


Our dream. That's one way to put it. Himeguro and I have been talking like this for so long; we share the same body but not the same mind. However, I know Himeguro was fond of Marie as well, though they never interacted.


"I see. I've been insensitive, Himeguro. My apologies."


"It's already done anyway, I can't do anything but accept it. I'll trust Yuuki-kun until the end."


I still wonder... Was it the right choice? Given how strong I am, I can make a difference; my logic forces me to think so.


I'm the strongest—it should be enough, right? What would you have done if it had been you, Marie?


These thoughts stayed with me for the rest of the day. My gaze followed the changing sky as time passed. I often use the sky as a focal point when I want to reflect or reminisce.


Bittersweet memories of Kyoto, or more often, memories of Marie, help me move forward. I wonder why I do this so often? Perhaps out of simple nostalgia, or... out of fear of forgetting those moments...


"Harumaki-san...? Harumaki-san! Hey, are you still with me?"


The sound of Yôsuke's voice woke me up. The soft orange glow of dusk already tinted the sky before I realized it. We were the last people left in class.


As I shook off my drowsiness, I looked at the time on the class clock. 3:30 pm, way past the end of class. The day had passed in a flash, even though it felt like three thousand words of events had happened.


"Sorry. I fell asleep."


"It's alright, I was supposed to wake you up, actually. Ryûko wanted us to hang out somewhere after her talk with Kaname-san."


Yôsuke sat on the desk in front of me, looking down at me, his expression soft, almost tender.


"Oh? Then why didn't you do it, right away?"


Our gazes met. His eyes still had that yellowish glow, leaning toward orange.


Yôsuke is the laid-back type, but I think he is the most observant of the group. If he chose to talk to me alone, it was certainly for a good reason.


"Harumaki-san's smart, so he probably knows why we're here alone. I'll say it right away..."


Yôsuke took his phone out of his pocket, scrolled a few times, and then smiled.


"Do you remember our first meeting, Harumaki Yuuki-san, or should I call you by your other name?"


He showed me his phone, and on it, there was a picture of me from two years ago. If I remember correctly, it was from a photo shoot. There was a magazine called ICONOS about young rising stars in Japan that wanted to feature me in their monthly selection.


My face was slightly different from now; it was rounder, and I had a smile on my face. At the time, it was common for me to smile in interviews and such, even though they were all fake.


In the same picture, right by me, there was this boy. Just like me, he had a big smile on his face. It also felt calculated, but on an entirely different level from mine, because it still had candor to it. There was no mistaking it. It was Yôsuke.


I looked up from his phone, meeting the same smile from that day.


"Ah, you remembered after all. It's been a long time, Negoro Yuuki-san."


*


At the same time, as Yuuki had told her, Ryûko went to the third floor to meet with Anko.


"So Yuuki-kun did call you? Here I was, thinking he'd ignore me again.♡"


"Um... If you thought that, why did you come anyway?"


"Fufu~ Have you ever heard that only idiots answer questions with another question?♡"


Ryûko tilted her head.


"Kaname-san just did the same, didn't she?"


Anko sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping.


"Hinata-chan is an idiot. That's why it's annoying to talk to you sometimes.♡"


"Oh...? So that's what Shin-chan meant...?"


The question hung in the air. Anko, even with her malicious attitude, couldn't tell whether it was a joke or real information. In any case, she wasn't there for that.


"Anyway... Did you come alone?♡"


Ryûko nodded. "Waguri wanted to come with me but—"


In the blink of an eye, Ryûko found herself in a classroom, alone with Anko. She looked around, slightly panicked, trying to sense the Reiki of the people who had been walking through the corridors moments ago. But they had vanished, replaced by the constant presence of Anko.


And in front of her, the instigator of all this, Kaname Anko. Sitting on a desk, her head resting on her hand.


Her appearance was slightly different. She had fox ears on top of her head and a tail wiggling gently as a small ragweed-colored flame burned at its tip.


"Say... Hi-na-ta-chan~ Do you think I'm an idiot?"


Anko's voice echoed in the room, as if it came from every wall.


"Did you really think that I wouldn't notice your little friends hiding behind you? Like seriously?"


Ryûko swallowed hard. None of this seemed real, yet she had been transported to a space that appeared to be under Anko's control. She faced her fox-eared classmate and had to answer quickly.


"I... I didn't ask them to follow me. I indeed sensed them, but I thought it was just a coincidence, haha."


"A coincidence...? Are you serious?"


Ryûko nodded, scratching the back of her head. It made Anko laugh out loud. How could someone be this stupid, she thought.


The tension in the air eased significantly. A chair appeared out of nowhere in front of Ryûko, and Anko gestured for her to sit.


"Let's have a little talk, shall we?♡"


"Sure..."


Still on her guard, Ryûko sat down.


"Nya~ Don't be scared, Hinata-chan. You're more of a danger to me than the opposite, you know? I'm just a small and weak little kitty. I wouldn't hurt a fly, and certainly not you.♡"


"I thought you were a fox," Ryûko said, pointing at Anko's ears. "Now that I think about it, the Newbie calls you Bakeneko..."


// Neko means cat in Japanese. More precisely, Bakeneko are cat-like yokais that possess supernatural powers, such as walking on two legs, impersonating humans, and cursing those who mistreat them. However, illusions and fox-fire are trademarks of the Kitsune, another species of yokai.//


"I can be a fox or a cat to you, it doesn't matter; what matters is that... Ryûko got ahead of herself with Yuuki-kun.♡" Anko's tone was firmer. "I should've warned you explicitly, since Hinata-chan has issues using her brain."


"I-I—"


Ryûko's lips shut against her will as if they were sealed.


"Negoro Yuuki-kun is the greatest. He isn't like any of you; he was born to achieve the highest highs humans could ever reach, and you..."


Anko's fur bristled a little.


"You are interfering with him way too much for your own good. Yuuki-kun is nice, too nice. He will always meet your expectations, give you what you were searching for in him, but can you do the same for him?"


Ryûko's lips parted, but as if by magic, they refused to move, leaving her frozen in a worried expression.


"The answer is no, and in the end, you'll realize that you can't give him anything he can't already achieve by himself. One by one, you will find it better to drift away from him, or else, you'll get swallowed. And at that moment, Yuuki-kun will be alone, as he should've been from the start. But what's worse for Yuuki-kun, going on his path alone, or facing several losses because he was just himself? Will you make Harumaki Yuuki suffer the same fate as Negoro Yuuki? Do you have the answer, Hinata Ryûko-chan?"


The seal on Ryûko's mouth wore off, yet she had no immediate comeback. Anko's words were confusing. Yuuki is human, like everyone. A superior being? He may be talented, but wasn't she going too far...?


"If you don't have an answer, I'll gently ask you to leave his team right away. That's the least you can do if you really think of him as a friend."


Ryûko stood up abruptly, slamming her palms violently on Anko's desk. She stared defiantly at the girl with fox ears. For Ryûko, Yuuki was her hero, but above all, one of the people who had entrusted his hope to her.


"I won't leave him! Yuuki chose to trust us, and I'm planning to do my part of the deal! Superior human or not, Yuuki's my friend, and you see, I have an issue with leaving my friends with anything other than a smile on their face!!"


"Oh...?"


Anko held Ryûko. A hopeful idiot, that was the thought that crossed Anko's mind as she sighed deeply.


"Hinata-chan... Did you listen to me properly? I—"


Anko cut herself off, her lips turning into a smile as she noticed the presence beside Ryûko.


"Oh... I didn't expect you to come here so soon, Yuuki-kun.♡"


My only comeback was the same calm glare I always had as the scene around us seemed to burn away. We were now back in the corridor with the sacred vending machine.


"Ryûko!"


Akira shouted as he dashed to catch Ryûko before she could fall.


"Shin-chan...? Huh...? But wait? I thought we were elsewhere just now."


As questions tumbled from Ryûko's lips, Anko's appearance returned to normal. She stretched nonchalantly before walking past me to leave.


"Are you satisfied now?"


"Was that spectacle enjoyable? I did my best to give that dramatic feeling."


"Answer me, Bakeneko."


"Fufu~ I'm more satisfied than you think. Once doubt takes root, it will eventually blossom. And while waiting for that to happen..." She got closer to my ear. "Know that I will always be on your side, Yuuki-kun.♡"


Then Anko walked past Waguri and Mori, disappearing down the same hallway where we'd met earlier, with her hands clasped behind her back.


God only knows why she acts this way... Anko is a real enigma — even to me. One thing is for sure—I noticed something in my pocket... Another carton of Ichigo-chan strawberry milk... It had Anko's Reiki on it, but it wasn't an illusion.


Was she trying to buy my forgiveness with this? Because it wouldn't work, I thought as I was already sipping the carton.


Since the day we met, Anko had kept getting in and out of my business whenever she pleased, or so I'd thought... On my side, huh? That wasn't entirely wrong. As far as I could remember, we had rarely been on opposite sides.


Was that a coincidence, or... had that been her doing all along...?



To be continued...