Chapter 11

"You really are dense, you know."

I hovered alongside Shintaro, only a short time after he had demolished the cookie.

"Dense? I didn't realise... although, there is a slight difference in gravity on this planet compared to my home. Maybe that would explain it?"

"No, I mean- nevermind."

"If this is another human custom, then I cannot help if I do not understand. I would like to prevent my prosecution by becoming Shintaro for you, so that my scouting mission on this planet is not hindered. But when it comes to how to act correctly, I have no choice but to turn to you for guidance."

"I guess you're right..."

I was wondering just how many more cliche ideas Yuuna had up her sleeves, but I was worried what this much prodding into Shintaro's character might do. If he slipped up, there'd be hell to pay for me. I had to do something drastic, that'd both put this to a quiet end, and get results.

During the second-to-last class of the day, chemistry, Shintaro stood square in front of Tsugumi in the laboratory classroom. With labcoats equipped, despite how much Shintaro tugged and struggled with his even after it was on him, I lurked behind him as everyone prepared test tubes of acid and metal for the experiments. Me hanging so close to Shintaro was not only to make sure he didn't drop any acid on himself and remove his disguise but also to put my first piece into play.

I puffed a wisp of breath onto his neck and faded into nothingness. He swung his head around.

"Hm? Hm??"

Tsugumi stood behind him, stunned by the reaction.

"Was that you?" Shintaro asked.

"W-Was what me?"

"...I'm mistaken, please ignore me."

I reappeared again and decided to do it one more time. Shintaro again snapped around as if spotted by a predator. Tsugumi was now ablaze with blush, and waved her hands. However, in her fluster, she noticed something.

"Oh, uh, your... labcoat. The back is tucked into your trousers."

Shintaro bent his head over his shoulder to check.

"Thank you" he replied curtly and pulled it out, going back to his experiment.

Well, there was an interaction at least. Not the one she imagined, I bet

Regardless, Tsugumi seemed more than satisfied and perked up her stirring motion as she took a measurement of the acid's PH level and noted it down with a flourish, humming to herself.

If she's this easily satisfied maybe it won't be so hard after all.

Following that period, there was only one class left in the day. I realise that the time limit Yuuna had set for herself was totally arbitrary and, in reality, we had all year to wait until Tsugumi and Shintaro grew closer together, but I found myself being weirdly drawn into the sentiment and fervour surrounding the whole situation. It did also help that if this was sorted out early, it'd tick one goal off my list straight away. Less work for me, and less for me to worry about. 

So I tried a whole array of different subtle influences, such as leaving mysterious messages in textbooks, stealing personal belongings of hers and putting them somewhere near to where Shintaro would be, or even using my Shintaro impression to call out to her, which either fell on deaf ears or she was too perceptive to realise it wasn't him and brushed it off as her imagination. There was only one option left I could think of, one that balanced on the edge of being forbidden, but I was at the end of my rope.

"Hey"

I tossed my hand in the air, doing my best to ignore anything that might make me stand out.

"Hey. Uh, hello. Do I know you?" responded Yuuna.

Physical manifestation, as it is called, is forbidden for story spirits except in emergency situations. So, the fact that I was performing it right now may or may not be a violation of those rules. I'll leave it up to you to decide. I was wearing the girls' uniform of the school at least, which I had the wherewithal to... 'procure' from the homeroom locker of someone in a different class. All that I could do now was act as efficiently as possible and return it without arousing any suspicion.

"Uh, no, actually, I... I'm a transfer student," I explained, my alibi crafted on the spot.

"A transfer student? I didn't see you at the ceremony though."

"Oh, that's because... I was sick on the first day. What a pain, huh... now I have to go around catching up with people I missed."

I'm a narrator, not an actor, okay?

"How about you introduce yourself?" asked Yuuna. "Usually a good place to start. You've met us, after all."

"Oh, I'm... Rena."

"Rena, huh? Sounds pretty exotic."

"In that case, is that your natural hair colour?" inquired Tsugumi. "You may want to consult with a teacher about rule exemptions."

"Y-Yes, this is my natural hair colour. I'm... European, yes. European."

"Oh really? Where from?"

"Lit- no, Po-, no, Germany."

"Oh, really, Germany? Sorry to mention this when you're still introducing yourself, but my parents actually lived in Germany for a while, so I know a small amount."

Crap. Should have stuck with Lithuania. Curse you, German transfer student trope...

"Um... genießt du deinen ersten tag?" spoke Tsugumi, in accented German.

What do I say... what do I say...

"J...Ja."

There was a pause as my words hung in the air, but everyone gave a satisfied nod, even Tsugumi, and I allowed myself to breathe again.

"I would like to speak Japanese here though," I insisted. "You know, cultural immersion and all that."

"I understand."

Thankfully that put an end to the interrogation sequence.

"Who's this chick?" whispered Yuuna to Shigenori. "Someone you asked to help out?"

"No, I thought she might be an acquaintance of yours."

Yuuna then opened the discussion to the rest of the room. "Alright, the next plan is simple. We trap Shintaro in a situation he can't avoid."

So I'm coming too?

---

This time, it was Yuuna, Shigenori and 'Rena' hiding behind the wall. Tsugumi was carrying a tall stack of books beside the closed door to the classroom.

"This idea came to me earlier. It's bound to work," boasted Yuuna

I'm guessing the inspiration was you not opening the door for Tsugumi earlier when she was carrying those papers.

I had no way of being in spirit form right now to guide Shintaro, but he knew the way back to the classroom on his own, and he had every reason to assume I would be there, waiting for him. And it was this I was banking on.

As if on cue, he arrived at the door to Tsugumi. Tsugumi, however, took full advantage of the book pile being too tall and obscured her face. Yuuna clenched her fist and grumbled.

"Come on, Tsugumin... get over it. He's right there!"

But I had other things in mind. I walked out from behind the wall, much to the shock of the other two.

"Hello."

"Oh, um, hello, Rena."

"Hello to you, too, Shintaro." I glared right at him so he couldn't possibly ignore me.

"Hello, have I encountered you before?"

"It's complicated, but let's say this is the first time we've met like this. But that's not important right now." I shuffled behind Tsugumi. "These books look heavy, here, let me take some. This is Tsugumi, also from your class. I think she has something to talk to you about." I motioned to scoop some from the top of the pile, while a red Tsugumi shook her head at me, signals I continued to disregard. Then, with the pile in hand, I opened the door, slid inside, and shut it behind me, leaving the two of them outside.

"Uh... hehe..." Tsugumi peeped.

"You had something to say to me, Tsugumi?"

After I was behind the safety of the door, I realised why Tsugumi had reacted the way she did earlier. Shintaro knew nothing of Japanese etiquette. He was referring to her by her first name, without any honorifics. In short, he sounded intimate.

"I... I..."

I know you're the class overachiever in Japanese, Literature and English, Tsugumi. Use those words.

"I just wanted to know if you were... going to the occult club meeting later?"

"The occult club?"

"Yes. It's Wednesday today, so, um, Genmyou-san might want us to meet up in the clubroom today."

"Oh. Yes. ...Yes, I would do that, I think."

"Really? When were you thinking of going?"

Too many questions. Too many questions

"It is designed for after academy, right? So, I suppose, after our final exercise."

Class, Shintaro. Class.

"That's... of course, after our last class. Which is... uh, soon, actually, so we should get going."

"Yes. I will open the door. I have been practising." He placed his palms on the door and slid it open, turning to her with an eager impression.

"That was... quite the door opening," she responded, hiding a smirk as if what Shintaro had been saying was in any way a joke. "I'll... see you in class?"

"Yes, you shall. I will be in the class."

She nodded, went to lift her hand for a wave, decided against it, bowed a little, turned away, stopped, and then entered the classroom.

Yuuna pumped her fists from her hiding spot. "Yess! Nailed it. Told you my plan would work." Shigenori, bewildered, even took to posing a little bit. Yuuna high-fived Shigenori, but her smile inverted midway and she inspected her hand with mild disgust afterwards, wiping it on her clothes.

Sorry, who saved you there?

By now I had reverted to spirit form and was on my way back from returning the borrowed uniform to the correct girl's bag. There had been some activity in the classroom, but it was still empty, so everything appeared fine.

("Nare?")

(Yes, Shintaro?)

("Ah, you are here. Where did you go? I tried contacting you, and I came to this room again to find you.")

(Not far, and I'm back now.)

("I communicated with a human. The Tsugumi human. We are going to that 'occult club' again with the cockroach-stroking human.")

(That's good.)

("I see, I will go then.")

You don't need my permission every time. Okay, maybe you do.

("There was also an unknown human, who somehow knew my name.")

(I'm sure she's nothing to worry about)

("I said nothing about her being female, though.")

(Oop, er, I saw her on my way back. It's nothing Shintaro should worry about.)

("Well, to be truthful, I think I understand the ideas you mentioned before, when we played the simulation game.")

(What do you mean?)

("This... attraction, that the simulated human experienced. I think I can understand his reaction when I see that human.")

You what?

("Yes, there was something about her appearance and manners... I thought differently.")

(Nope.)

("Nope?")

(Just nope. Now, finish this class and get over to the occult club before I have any stronger words to say.)

Idiot...