— This is a day prior to the previous chapter beginning at the night Hikari invited Tamamo for Dinner.
The table, everything there went well.
Tamamo has become a friend of the Sorasaki Household.
After dinner, Tamamo stayed for some time to spend with the family as a guess and after that, she went home not only with her stomach full, but with her heart as well.
And the focus of this chapter... Hikari and Kaguya.
A proper first day of school.
everything seemed fine, but one thing caught Kaguya's eye.
" Hey, Hikari... " asked Kaguya who was lying on the bed to Hikari who himself was lying on a futon.
" What is it this time? " Hikari responded with his eyes close as he was supposed to sleep already but was disturbed by the moon princess.
" Remember that guy earlier? you know, the one you thought was a girl? "
A sudden topic brought up by Kaguya.
" Oh that, good thing you brought that up, I still can't believe that dude was a dude! "
Hikari displayed his disbelief with a change of facial expression and his voice tone.
" Same, but that's not my point "
Hikari kept silent waiting for Kaguya's point to be told.
" Did you notice something about him? "
Asked Kaguya
Hikari then thought to himself.
" Right, he was really cute wasn't he? "
A joke from Hikari... well it's not a joke, he genuinely thinks that guy was cute.
" NO, NOT THAT! " Kaguya scolded, although in a held back manner as it's already night, waking the people up around is a no.
" Something about him strange, his energy signals, they're all different, furthermore, he gives a lot of it... and I believe, that's barely the tip of the iceberg. "
Apparently what Kaguya saw.
" I won't deny that he's cute though, he could give those models and cosplayers a run and win with no effort, no make up needed! "
Kaguya still agreed with Hikari...
" I know right?! " Hikari responded enthusiastically.
but back to the actual topic.
" So, about this different energy signal? "
Hikari decided to dig through the topic.
" Yes, that part. "
Kaguya looked for the best way to explain her point.
" Something simply feels weird, I can't put it properly in words... in my lifetime, this is the first time I've seen this. "
Something she's never experienced before, she's trying to grasp whether it poses threat or not.
" Especially his eyes, those eyes of him holds really deep root, it's basically an abyss of whoever knows what it is. " expressed Kaguya about what she feels.
" That impressive? " Kaguya's words intrigued Hikari.
" If by comparison, it's the same, if not on a higher leagye than your third eye. "
Kaguya doesn't want to believe it but it simply is what it is.
" So, tomorrow, I want you to talk to himM or something, do something to get to know him and get some information about him. "
Kaguya proposed.
She's really wary of this guy.
But Hikari himself, way before this topic, already was interested on forging a friendly relationship with this guy, Hoshino Yozora or so he called himself.
" Alright, I will do that. "
He grasped the chance to put the sense of duty and work to overshadow his anxiety over this.
and thus leads us to the very scene right now, the present —
one of Yozora's eyes has completely turned into golden yellow from crimson red.
Reason: unknown.
After a painful moment, Yozora gained his composure back.
Still, Hikari is worried and Kaguya is cautious.
" Do you want to go to a hospital? " concerned Hikari asked.
but Yozora refused.
According to him, he's alright now, the pain is gone.
but the fact that his eye color changed is the biggest mystery and question here.
Kaguya then handed Yozora a hand mirror to show him that his left eye has changed color.
" It really did— " uttered Yozora as he held his eyelids open.
His first concern was, how would he hide this? going by his personality, he understands that this would attract more attention which he hates.
He was concerned about it more than why or how did it change.
" what do you say about wearing a contact lense? " Asked Hikari after listening to Yozora's first concern.
The idea of contact lense was proposed but was rejected immediately.
Yozora has fear of contact lenses...
" No thanks, I dislike those. "
a straight answer.
" The thought of putting something on my eye is just not really... "
Yozora's body twitched in respond to being creeped out by his own thoughts.
" Then what about—! "
A suggestion that Yozora took.
it was to wear an eyepatch. It makes him look delusional somehow.
It was a suggestion by Kaguya herself.
The 3 of them left the store where they bought one thus earning Yozora's thanks.
It was also Kaguya's money that paid for it.
An opportunity Kaguya seized to make Yozora feel indebted, reducing the likeliness of Yozora being aggressive towards them according to her.
She's really cautious of him.
I may not show it, but deep down I've always wanted to wear eyepatches like this
Yozora thought to himself
Yozora admired cosplayers, so it's one of his dreams to be able to cosplay, although he has not realized it as his lack of confidence kept him from doing so, what a wasted potential.
" Hey, can I see your eye again? " Asked Kaguya.
She's really curious of that golden eye.
Yozora had no problem and showed her his eye, Kaguya was really focused on analyzing it.
After being satisfied, Kaguya thanked Yozora for showing it to her.
Yozora then again covered it with the eyepatch.
" Um, I'm thinking of resting for the whole night now, I'm really exhausted, I'm sorry for interrupting and ending the time in the cafe like this... " Said Yozora as exhaustion started to be visible from him.
" No problem, what matters is that you're alright. " Hikari responded.
" Thank you, it's very kind of the two of you to invite me and even help me with this... "
Yozora thanked the two, it's the first time someone did something for him
The two replied that it was no problem.
" See you tomorrow " Said Hikari as he saw Yozora off.
Yozora walked, thinking of nothing but sleep.
He's so exhausted that even when walking, he might collapse but he will be fine.
" So, what do you think of that? " asked Kaguya.
" I didn't say anything that much about it so that he wouldn't think that much about it himself "
Hikari recalled the color of Yozora's eye.
" That, all I can say about it is that he's amazing... "
Not really the answer Kaguya was looking for
" And somehow, It feels somehow similar to how Lady Amaterasu was, and somehow like you too, I think. "
The best description Hikari could think of.
" Hm, you think that kid possess divinity? Very unlikely. "
Kaguya rejected the Idea, a highscooler can't possibly gain divinity out of nowhere and on top of that, be bind to both phantasmal and material like it's nothing.
" Very unlikely, but not Impossible, we can't rule it out. " said Hikari
Kaguya accepted this fact atleast
" I suppose you're right, for now, let's try staying in his good sides, a guy like that as an enemy is bad news, try not to annoy him or anything. " Kaguya warned.
" I won't. " replied Hikari
" What about you though? What do you think of him? " Hikari asked Kaguya
" My conclusion is that he's a witch descent, witches are said to wield unknown type of sorcery, an energy that's a stranger to this world. " Kaguya answered
She put her hand on her chin as her elbow rested on her arm wrapping around her waist.
" A witch... "
" Let's discuss about this later at the house, and better if we include Tamamo too, the more input we have the better. " suggested Kaguya.
Hikari accepted the suggestion and the two of them went home themselves.
— returning to Yozora
" I'm really tired today... "
My body feels heavy, and so are my eyes.
I kept on holding myself together until I arrived at the apartment.
The moment I entered, I went and embraced the cold and soft bed immediately, I didn't even bother changing clothes.
I just slept. immediately.
Sleeping deeply, I fell into the depths of a strange dream.
A dream where i stood in the middle of the ocean, an ocean with nothingness, just infinitely expanding body of water... I'm not even sure if it's water.
Reflecting the starry night sky, as if i stood between earth and heavens.
It was a beautiful sight.
Then far away, a city appeared, a prosperous yet unknown one.
Slowly, my back touched the floor of sea.
I didn't realize I was slowly falling.
The world twisted, all direction, all dimension, all of it vanished.
The skies and seas merged and I was greeted by the burning sun that appeared out of nowhere.
There, I woke up.
The dream felt so short yet it's morning already.
Dream.... What dream again?
I've forgotten already.
I have no time to sit and think about it, I prepared to go to school the moment I stood up.
The courage and motivation I had from yesterday still remains.
Today, I will say it, I will tell her.
I dressed up and left the room.
To the school.
I held into my necklace.
This is a necklace I had since I was little, not sure where it came from but it's the most important possession I have.
This wing shaped necklace.
I removed it from my neck and put it in my pocket, perhaps I should give it to her.
As usual, on my way, many eyes were stuck on me.
But it doesn't bother me anymore, I got a bigger priority today I can't afford to slow down for.
I feel good today, just today, it feels really pleasant.
I arrived to the school with a smile, a smile, me of all people.
I sat on my seat, ready for what's to come later.
I was greeted by Hikari.
" Goodmorning. " greeted Hikari
" Goodmorning. " I greeted back with a smile.
" How's your eye? "
Hikari asked, he's still worried about it I see.
But I'm okay now, in fact, this is the best I've ever felt like in my whole life.
" I'm okay now, thanks for the concern " I responded.
Hikari smiled in relief.
" Alright then. "
Hikari sat to his seat, where is that Kaguya girl? I just noticed that they are not together...
Nevermind.
I saw Kaguya enter the school with some pack of bread with her.
" Hey Hikari, look at these! " Kaguya bragged of her bread to Hikari
Those two really get along.
I moved my gaze away from them as the class is about to start.
The whole day felt pleasant to me, until classes are finally over and it's lunch time.
This is when I make my move.
I'll ask her to see me later after school.
I got up from my seat and headed for her class.
My heart is racing, filled with excitement and anxiety.
This is the only chance I got, this, or she's forever out of my grasp. Kurone-Senpai
I got closer and closer to her class until I'm one step from the door.
I could her her voice already, a lot of people seem to be talking to her again.
I decided to stop and listen for some time.
" I thought you had a boyfriend " asked a girl to her
" No way, not a single one " said Kurone as she laughed
Romance talk? I'm glad she doesn't have one though, that means...
" Then what about that guy that always follow you around, you know, the one with long hair? " asked a guy to her
That means me...
" That guy? No way!!! Hahahaha! He just follow me around, we're not anything, he's just an acquaintance. "
What?
" I bet he considers me like a close friend or something but I barely even talk to him now, I only talked to him back then out of pity to be honest "
Pity? I am sure that's not true that's...
" poor guy. " said a guy
" Not surprised, with that appearance, he has more chance of getting a boyfriend than a girlfriend. " said a girl.
" True, true, did you also know that he's so insecure of himself, he can't even look to a person's eye when conversing! " said Kurone as she laughed
" I can see why you pitied him. " said a guy.
At this moment, it was as if heavens and earth crushed me.
Everything feels so dark... Is that how she really sees me?
After all the years we were together?
I can't believe this, her words holds the feeling of genuineness.
This is her true thoughts of me.
Looking back, I think I already knew it.
Ever since childhood, I could feel it already.
I just denied it, I wanted to believe it wasn't true.
But hearing it like this, I didn't know it would hurt me.
More words of mockery and insults for me were uttered, the others laughed.
That's right, since the start, she just used me as a means of escape, an escape from her terrible household, it must've been great for her that someone blindly admired her and took advantage of it.
I already knew this but I turned a blind eye to it. A false light.
I'm such a fool, I forced myself to someone knowing damn well she never really wanted... Damn.
I dropped the necklace I was holding like how my tears dropped.
This sounds so stupid, this whole situation, even I, I'm so stupid...
Kurone heard the sound of something falling and saw Yozora's figure.
She realized she fucked up.
She rushed towards the door to see Yozora.
She saw Yozora shed tears upon hearing her mockery and insults, her true thoughts.
" I'm sorry, if that's what you truly think, then i will no longer bother you. I'm such a fool "
These words fell from my mouth, i truly feel like a fool.
Kurone realizing that she truly messed up couldn't utter a single word, she just stood, staring at Yozora's face, unable to mutter a thing.
She knows that she can't take any of it back, after all the laughing they did.
" Well then, i think I'll go home, i don't feel well anyway. "
" See you, or maybe not again. " I bid farewell to her and never looked back
There's just this terrible feeling in my chest, a really heavy feeling.
Ah... I hate this.