Hearing the words the dumbfounded Kusunoki-san muttered, I also
became surprised as if time had stopped.
[…How did you know that name, Kusunoki-san…]
[...…]
Kusunoki-san doesn't say anything. She just froze with her eyes wide
open, and after a moment… tears appeared in her eyes.
I was surprised by those tears, but I was even more astonished by the
words she said next.
[…I'm…"Hibis"…]
[…Eh? Eeehhhh!?]
K- Kusunoki-san is Hibis-kun!? That is… N- No, she certainly had the
same age as him.
To be honest, I've always assumed that he was a boy since he told me
that he was a boy right from the start but… There are many people who
play online games with false genders, such as Nekamas and Nenabes.
(T/N: Nekamas is a boy pretending to be a girl, well this one should be
quite well known, there are lots of them in MMOs. Nenabes is the opposite,
a girl pretending to be a boy.)
[Kusunoki-san… is Hibis-kun?]
[…Yes.]
Kusunoki-san nodded at my words, holding back her tears as I asked
her, still quite dubious if she's telling the truth.
…The world really is quite a small place, and even though we are in a
different world now, coincidences really happen in places you least
expect it. I never expected to see Hibis-kun again here right at this
moment.
No, to begin with, she's a girl who is four years younger than me… If I
hadn't been summoned to another world, there's no way we would
have even talked with each other like this.
Just accidentally getting caught up in a hero summoning, and among
the people that were also caught up was a girl younger than me, who
just so happened to be someone I met in an MMO with tens of
thousands of people playing, and that girl remembers me… I think
that's already enough to be called a miracle.
[Ciel-san!?]
[Wha!? Wait, K- Kusunoki-san!?]
[Ciel-san… As I thought… You're Ciel-san…]
[…Unnn. Errr… It's been a while, I guess?]
[ ! ? ]
Kusunoki-san, who jumped in to cling to my chest, was slightly
trembling.
And with her voice blurred with tears… She called the character name I
used to use in that MMO many times. Yeah, how should I say this…
Being called with that name in real life feels kind of embarrassing…
[…Why… Why did you… leave…]
[Eh?]
[…I… I'm always… always… feeling lonely…]
[…Kusunoki-san.]
It's no exaggeration to say that me and Hibis-kun… Well, Kusunoki-san
were always together in that MMO.
I just happened to be the one who approached her when she was a
newbie, but Kusunoki-san was always attached to me so much that she
always spends the majority of her short log-in time with me.
When I told her that I was retiring three years ago, unlike usual, she
connected with me for hours and said goodbye to me.
Honestly, I felt like I had a little brother at that time too, and that's why
he was my biggest reason as to why I regret retiring.
[…I'm sorry, I was just taking exams at that time… I lost my parents
back then, and my relatives were the ones taking care of me at that
time… I can't trouble them by becoming a ronin…]
(T/N: A middle schooler/high schooler that has graduated but has failed
to enter a school at the next level.)
[…It's okay. I'm sorry… I'm the one who was being childish.]
The main reason I retired from online gaming was to take college
exams.
I thought that I would cause trouble for my aunt and uncle if I became a
ronin, so I stepped away from online games to concentrate on my
studies.
Once I left the game, I didn't have much of a chance to get back to
playing… and in the end, I never went back to that game until now.
Kusunoki-san said that she's still playing that game.
I may just be being conceited… but perhaps, Kusunoki-san… was
waiting for me to come back for a long time.
[…I see, Kusunoki-san is Hibis-kun huh.]
[…Yes.]
[…Well, it's not like I've seen you before, and I've always thought you
were a boy… But you've grown up huh. I'm glad we met again.]
[…Ciel… -san… I… I…]
Putting my hand on Kusunoki-san's trembling head, I stroked it as
gently as I can.
Kusunoki-san looked like she really was overcome with emotion, and in
the end, with large drops of tears streaming down her eyes, she tightly
clung on my body.
Although being hugged by a lovely high school girl is a great situation to
be in… There's an important problem here.
The place where we're in isn't exactly my room where we have some
sort of privacy, but we're in the main street… Yep, in the middle of the
main street.
A man and a woman hugging each other in the middle of such a busy
street, and the woman is crying while holding onto a man… Even if I'm
the passerby, I would also stop and watch.
[K- Kusunoki-san!? For now, let's change places!?]
[Eh? Ahh…]
Hurriedly grabbing Kusunoki-san's hand, we quickly left the place at a
fast pace as I was exposed to strange stares from all directions.
Kusunoki-san looked a little surprised, but she didn't resist and
followed me looking embarrassed, her head held down to cover her
face.
Reaching a small, sparsely populated plaza and sitting down next to
each other on the wooden benches provided in the area… We were just
fine earlier, but I wonder why? It feels very awkward right now.
Kusunoki-san, still with her head lowered down, with her small hands
clasped in front of her chest, seems to be fidgeting for some reason.
She looks very cute like that, but the silence feels heavy because she's
not saying anything.
[E- Errr, Kusunoki-san?]
[!? Y- Y- Y- Yes!?]
[…Are you alright?]
[I- I- I- I'm alright!]
When I called out to her, Kusunoki-san turned to me with a very
flustered look on her face… But when her eyes met mine, she turned
bright red and looked away.
[…You said "As I thought" earlier… Did you realize earlier that I was
Ciel?]
[…No, I wasn't quite confident with my guess. However, when I thought
about when you retired from online gaming and the age difference
between you and me, I thought that maybe…]
[Is that so. Sorry, I didn't notice it at all on my end…]
[No, I wasn't sure either. Since your name is Kaito, I thought that you
got it from the "Kai" in your name which means "Shell", which had the
same pronunciation as "Ciel", but I thought it was too simple…]
[…I'm sorry I'm too simple.]
[Eh? Ah, no, y- you're mistaken! It's not like I'm trying to make fun of
Miyama-san!]
Just as Kusunoki-san said, the origin of my character name was very
straightforward.
My real name is Kaito, so taking the Shell from Kai, I just used a word
that sounds the as that and used it as my character name… Yep. It's very
embarrassing. I feel like one of my black history is being exposed.
[…I also got my character name from my own name… Hibis was taken
from Hibiscus, which is a Mallow Flower (Aoika no Hana). I've always
said that my online self is different from my real self…]
[I see… No, but then again, this is quite the coincidence, isn't it? I never
thought we would meet again in this way.
[Yes, I'm also surprised… but more than that, I'm glad.]
[…Glad?]
Kusunoki-san once again looks down in embarrassment, and with a
small voice, she muttered.
As I tilted my head at her words, she turned her gaze to me, her cheeks
dyed red, and gave me a bashful smile.
[…I thought it would be great… if Ciel-san… was Miyama-san…]
[ ! ? ]
I could say without hesitation that Kusunoki-san has the appearance
that would define her as a beautiful girl.
Her long black hair is smooth and shiny, and as if it was well-practiced,
her posture and back muscles were straightened, making the term
"Yamato Nadeshiko" fit her really well.
The sight of Kusunoki-san being shy and embarrassed is very cute, and
I can't help but feel the heat rise up on my face without even noticing it.
[Ah, errrr, Kusunoki-sa—- [ Aoi. ] ——-Eh?]
[Please. Please just call me Aoi… by my name. If it's possible, could you
also please don't use "-san"…]
[E- Errr, then… Aoi-chan?]
[Yes!]
When I called her that, Kusunoki-san… Aoi-chan let out a very happy
smile.
Seeing that smile, which shows her straightforward trust for me, I
realized once again that Aoi-chan is Hibis-kun.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I flusteredly called out to Aoi-chan.
[I'm sure Bell is getting bored, so how about we continue our walk?]
[Yes.]
Following me as I stand up from the bench, Aoi-chan also stands up.
And, just as I was about to walk over to Bell who was waiting a few
distance away from us… I felt a slight tug on my clothes.
It's not a very strong tug, but a gentle, but a reserved one as if it was
gently touched… but it made me stop walking, turning my head to Aoichan.
[…Ummm.]
[Unnn?]
[…Could we go for a stroll together like this again?]
[U- Unnn. Of course, I don't mind.]
[…Thank you very much. Once again, I will be in your care. "Kaito-san"!]
Seeing Aoi-chan with a big smile on her face, as if her doubts had been
cleared, a smile also appeared on my face.
Dear Mom, Dad—— Aoi-chan was actually the child who was quite
attached to me in an MMO I used to play a long time ago. While I was
surprised at the amazing coincidence, what bubbled up in my heart was
—— gratitude for our strange connection.