Approaching a Settlement

A long night had already passed, but plenty more time underneath the moon still remained. The four teenagers regrouped after the long run. Yumi apologized profusely to Fumiko and Seiji for her actions. Fumiko quickly accepted and dismissed Yumi’s need to apologize for the incident. Seiji gave in after Fumiko glared at him to stop scaring Yumi. While he didn’t seem to be upset with her, a remaining sense of something bothering him lingered.

Yumi was simply glad to have everyone back and nothing bad happened because of her inability to control her powers. All of them continued their march to where the Atlanteans held Yori. None of them felt in the mood to rest further. Their breaks before were necessitated by Yumi. ‘I’ve been slowing everyone down…’ Her conversation with Chiharu distracted her from the core problem. It still gnawed at her like a bug bite on the back of her neck, invisible and difficult to reach. It was always unsatisfying and festered.

A few minutes after their walk began, Fumiko, who held back a little, noted the position of Chiharu in their group. ‘She’s closer…’ She looked over at Seiji to her right, judging them. ‘She’s still the same distance from him, but something’s different…’ The distance Chiharu had always remained the same distance from everyone. Fumiko only had seen her get closer with Saki, even though it looked like she had mixed feelings. She felt a little change in the way Chiharu acted. ‘I wonder what happened between them… I’m happy to see her acting a little more comfortable with someone, but she’s still too distant…’ The thoughts running through her mind made her curious.

She didn’t immediately realize it, but her feet began to outpace Seiji. When she came close to Chiharu, it left her in an awkward position. While she wondered in curiosity, she didn’t plan for the next step. She felt nosy, but didn’t actually want to show it. The personality of Chiharu, she knew, would react poorly to unwanted approaches. Even on the ship, Fumiko tried to improve their relationship, but she only got brushed away. ‘I thought at first, being the youngest in the group made her feel out of place, but that’s not the case with her.’ Fumiko combed her finger through her waist length hair considering her next action.

Unfortunately, Chiharu’s awareness was very high. She immediately noticed the difference in location of Fumiko. While she didn’t make a change in her body, she did speak to Fumiko behind her. “Is there something you want?”

“Ah?!” Fumiko jumped back a little, startled by Chiharu. She didn’t try to be sneaky, but she didn’t think that she made any sounds. ‘…scary girl…’ However, her yelp drew the attention of the others. They looked at her confused and concerned that something happened. She flailed her arms flustered by her failure. “Everything’s fine!” Another moment of uncertainty passed before they gave in to her and returned to normal. Her failure made Fumiko sigh.

Not content with the outcome, Chiharu tilted her head a little back at Fumiko. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“…well…” The feeling of being put on the spot and the sideways partial glare ruined any chance that Fumiko had to form a sentence. She regretted approaching with no plan in mind. She wanted to tie up her curiosity and stuff it down a pipe to disappear forever. “…it’s nothing,” she managed before stepping away.

Chapter 136 – Approaching a Settlement

Unknown to Fumiko, a reason drove Chiharu’s position in the group. After all of the debating that the two had in private, some things only became more muddled for her. She still had questions. The love-struck girl bothered her. Chiharu didn’t feel satisfied with the outcome, especially with the unnecessary talk of friendship. ‘I don’t need that weakling’s help… He’ll just get in the way…’ She quickened her step to come beside Yumi.

Yumi became more familiar with the presence of Chiharu after their talk. It made her more aware of her approach, that it didn’t surprise her to see her out of the corner of her eye. “Hi, Chiharu! Is something wrong? You normally keep to the back.”

Chiharu restrained a verbal tick from escaping her lips. It left her a little unnerved that someone so inexperienced and fragile noticed her with no reaction. Chiharu worked for tireless years to refine such awareness. The girl was granted it with the slightest amount of effort. ‘…damn powers from that weakling…’ Yet another thing that she hated.

However, her presence did demand a response. Chiharu wanted her questions answered. She wanted to see the picture clearly. Her eyes slid over towards Yumi, while keeping her body forward. “There’s something that you never answered.” Chiharu acted as though she needed to keep looking natural and uninterrupted, like their topic was secret.

The strange response from Chiharu introduced her own curiosity for Yumi. She tilted her head over to her, but kept walking forward. “Oh? What is it?”

“You never answered my question. Why are you doing all of this?”

“Huh?” Yumi turned her eyes away in thought back on everything that they talked about. “I’m pretty sure I already told you.”

“I’m not talking about that,” she rebutted, though still remaining painfully vague.

Handed the abstract answer, Yumi felt like they were having two different conversations. It felt like Chiharu spoke with someone that knew exactly what she said. Yumi felt distant and divided from it. “That?”

“Yes.”

“What’s that?”

A sigh charged out of Chiharu’s lips. She managed to keep her features under control, but directed her piercing gaze further into Yumi. “Are you really this dumb and you just act intelligent?”

“Yup, I’m stupid!” grinned Yumi. She leaned over at Chiharu with an expression that would have done Yuki proud. “It’s all just an act. My brother’s the smart one.”

Chiharu tried to ignore the proximity and attitude, while forced to look at her so close. “Are you trying to mock me now?”

Yumi pulled back away, looking a little pleased with herself. “Just softening the mood a little.”

“I think the weakling’s starting to influence you.”

“You think so?” she asked, already starting to blush.

“I wasn’t giving you a compliment.”

“It’s fine!” After Yumi settled out from her excitement, she leaned back in at Chiharu. “By the way, you keep calling Yuki weakling. Why don’t you call him by his name?”

Turning away quickly, Chiharu made the best of the closeness. “I don’t bother with those that are weak,” she stated in a grave tone.

“But Yuki isn’t weak at all!”

“Yes, he is.”

“Yuki’s the strongest in the group. What about the others then are we all weak to you?”

The cornered feeling that Yumi easily brought on came back. She hated such questions and how easily it occurred. “It’s a different type of weak.”

“Oh? So you don’t think he’s weak!”

“Of course, he’s weak!” Chiharu leaned a little caught up with Yumi’s words. At the edge of the words, she found herself in a position she despised. She pulled herself back in to check. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the confused stare of Yumi at her. Her last statement fell easily into a paradox. The meanings lost their significance. In the end, Chiharu sighed once more. “You’re straying from the original topic.”

Yumi pulled back to rest at a straightened walking stance. “Huh?”

“My question.”

“Oh, right! But I already answered that!”

The repeated answer in annoying airheaded fashion made Chiharu want to fall over, but she resisted. It threatened her balance dealing with Yumi. Her actions still did not make any sense to her. ‘She’s being unusually absentminded. What’s with the change?’

In the rear of the group, Seiji and Fumiko carried on in silence. However, Fumiko watched the two girls going back and forth. She didn’t understand most of what they said, as they didn’t get too loud. The occasional shout or excited word came through, but it wasn’t her intention to spy on them. Chiharu still had difficulty with her. It made it feel a little more at ease to see them. “They look like they’re getting along,” she commented to Seiji. It still confused her a little what happened between them in the short time they were away.

Seiji held his arms crossed for the last few minutes. He remained in the position since they started walking. A slightly furled brow also seemed permanently taped to his forehead. “They look like they’re fighting to me. I don’t think that they’re getting along.”

Fumiko shook her head lightly. “Arguing can be a sign of getting along as well, especially in Chiharu’s case.”

“Eh? That brat?” The thought of Chiharu made Seiji’s eyebrows wrinkle further.

“Chiharu keeps at a distance with everyone. She also limits her interactions. But she approached Yumi and is carrying on a conversation. Even if they might be fighting, it’s an important sign for her.”

“I think you’re thinking too damn much of things.”

Hearing Seiji made Fumiko giggle a little. “Not straightforward enough for you?” She glanced over at him and caught him turning away. “Well, it does go both ways. It seems that Yumi’s become more relaxed as well. It’s pretty clear why she came along, but she still isolated herself. She’s been using her brother as insulation from everything. Without him, she’s exposed.”

“Tch!” Seiji grumbled at all of the introspective talk occurring. His arms tightened up around his chest acting like a defense. “Done talking like a shrink?”

A dangerous thread exposed itself to Fumiko. She ignored it previously, but couldn’t help poking something that she knew that she shouldn’t. “Are you still upset that a frail girl like Yumi’s faster than you?”

Sounding like a branch breaking, Seiji snapped and turned to face Fumiko. “Who the hell would be upset over something like that?!” He stopped walking and tightened his hands into fists, though not actually planning to use them.

Fumiko expected such a reaction, giving her the preparation not to be startled by his aggression. “You know if you overreact it only makes it easier to read you.” She glanced over to the front of them. Yumi and Chiharu looked back at him. “Also, it seems you’ve gotten unwanted attention.” He didn’t immediately understand her words, but her finger pointing ahead of them redirected his eyes.

Once he figured out what his actions caused, Seiji straightened up. While he forced down his embarrassment, he played everything off as if nothing happened. A few awkward moments passed before everyone silently seemed to agree on ignoring the matter. Fumiko and Seiji resumed their even pace in the back.

Back in the front, the two’s interruption had been well timed, for Chiharu. They got off on a tangent and she found herself playing to the pace that Yumi set. It bothered her that she got distracted from the matter. She only wanted a satisfying answer and then to be left in peace for the rest of the walk. “Can you return back to answering the question?”

“Huh? What question?” asked Yumi.

The shallow formation of an angry vein slowly began to surface on Chiharu’s forehead. She reigned herself back in before it went out of control. “You’re doing this on purpose.”

Yumi smiled, appearing innocent, while quietly agreeing with Chiharu’s statement. “But it’s been a while since I got to talk to a girl the same age as me about things like this.”

“We aren’t the same age! I’m in middle school.” Chiharu felt at the end of her rope. Every trained thread in her core was threatened by the actions of the girl. It dangerously teetered on the brink for Chiharu. Each answer worked tirelessly on her nerves to undo them. She didn’t know how much longer that she could last against the barrage. Chiharu exercised her hands by tightening and relaxing them to focus her energies away. Her calm center held too many vibrations. It didn’t make any sense. She needed more answers. “Why are you acting differently?”

“Hmm?” Yumi tilted her head over at Chiharu, a little confused. She didn’t make complete eye contact.

“You’re not this flippant. You’re acting like how that weakling acts.”

The smile dropped from Yumi’s face. She pulled her head back in and straightened out. Her stature altered and fell in line with the sudden change in atmosphere around her. Yumi placed her hands behind her back and looped her fingers together to tie them off. “You’re right. Is it a little too forced?”

All of the changes caught Chiharu a little off guard. She narrowed her eyes trying to read everything that Yumi did. The new position that Yumi took only confused her further. She found more things that made no sense to her. “What were you trying to do?”

Yumi lifted her head up to the stars in the night sky. It made her mind run through the memories of the evening she had with Chiharu. “I guess it was an answer to your question.”

“Eh?”

“I guess that’s a little vague, huh?” She pulled her gaze back down to the dark plains that surrounded them. Her eyes moved to her side looking at Chiharu. “Revenge for your ambiguity from early.”

Chiharu raised her eyebrow a bit, marking her confusion. It took her a few moments to filter through finally understanding everything to Yumi’s meaning. “You did all of this because of that?”

“No, I think you’re missing the point,” laughed Yumi. She pointed her sights forward again. “The vagueness, not the question. But I was answering your question.”

“How is all of that an answer?”

“Because I want to change myself!” Yumi turned her head back to Chiharu to meet her fully. Her features emitted the determined resolve of her choice. “That’s my answer.”