“This really feels like a huge problem. What are we supposed to do?”
“Hmm... I know all knowledge, but the way to handle a case like this...”
“No, no. I’ll look it up first.”
“Ah... yes! Then, Haruta, please make the call quickly!”
“Right, that’s true. First, I should call...”
Haruta lifted his [Akashic Records].
“But what should I call this thing you’re in right now?”
“Hmm... just call me whatever feels comfortable!”
“Then... how about Record?”
“Hmm.... I like it!”
“Huh... I just thought of it because I wanted a decent name.”
“Anyway, call Mika.”
Haruta looked at the whiskey in his hand.
“Hoo... this is the only way for now.”
Then he downed it in one shot.
“Gahh!!”
Even Haruta could feel the alcohol hitting his body and the haze of drunkenness starting to creep in.
“Hoo.... All right.”
“Hmm... I’ll call Misono Mika! Hang in there!”
“Yeah, thanks.”
[Haruta!! Where are you!! Don’t tell me you’re in Gehenna?!]
[Uh... huh? Mika... Mika...?]
[Where are you right now! Haruta, hurry up!]
[Hehe... it’s Mika...]
From beside Mika, Nagisa and Seia’s voices could be heard.
[Haruta-san!? Where are you right now!?]
[Huh? I... I’m h...here...]
[Don’t tell me you passed out from drinking?]
[Hehe... Nagisa....]
[Sigh.... Tell us your location right now.]
[I don’t know!! Hehe.]
Haruta acted as drunk as he possibly could.
Of course, he really was a little drunk—almost at the point of being completely wasted—but not quite there yet, so he had no choice but to act.
[Mm... Mika..... Nagisa.... the army stew is walking around....]
[We’ll just track your location and come to you.]
[Mm...! Hurry and come!!]
“Haruta-san!”
“Haruta!!”
“Haruta! Are you all right?”
“Ohh? It’s Mika...”
Mika flew at Haruta and hugged him.
Haruta’s body couldn’t take it and toppled backward.
“Huh? What’s wrong? Mi...ka?”
“I was worried!”
Mika’s fist slammed into Haruta’s stomach.
“Kuhh.”
Then Nagisa and Seia hugged him too.
“Mm... you guys.... I love you...”
And with that, Haruta’s memory cut off.
--------------------------------------
“Huh!?”
Haruta looked around and searched for the girls.
“Agh!! My head!!”
“I told you not to drink, didn’t I, over and over...”
“Mika...? Ugh... my head!”
“Haruta, if you make us worry like that again, I really will kill you!”
Mika hugged Haruta and lay down beside him on the bed.
“Kuh... I can’t breathe.”
“That’s your punishment!”
Mika pressed her weight down on him, but Haruta was still grateful it ended at this level.
“But where are Nagisa and Seia?”
“They’re downstairs cooking right now.”
“Ugh!”
“Huh? Haruta? Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah, I’m fine.”
Haruta groped around for his phone.
“Hey... Mika, did you happen to see my phone?”
“Hm? Ah... that expensive-looking phone?”
“Yeah, that one.”
“That’s... here!”
Mika took [Record] out of her pocket.
“Oh... thank goodness.”
Haruta went downstairs and saw Nagisa and Seia making soup.
“Hoo... Nagisa?”
“Haruta-san?”
“Haruta! Are you truly all right?”
Nagisa and Seia rushed over and hugged him.
“Yeah, yeah. But did I do anything weird yesterday?”
“...You just collapsed flat as soon as you arrived...”
“Yes, you stretched out and slept very comfortably....”
“....Sorry. When I drink, the buzz just rises slowly.”
“Sigh... next time, drink inside the house, or better yet, don’t drink at all.”
“Yeah... but smok...”
Nagisa took out a roll cake, and Seia’s expression turned stern.
“I’m sorry. I won’t act up.”
“Sigh... do you think it makes sense to say that right now?”
“Haruta, keep this up and you really might die.”
“Sorry... I was just a little worn out.”
Haruta could smoke without any real issue; fear and mystery had already erased anything foreign entering his body, so it wasn’t much of a problem.
“Fine. I give up.”
“But did you girls make breakfast?”
“Yes... we tried making the army stew we ate yesterday...”
“Ah... no, it’s fine. I’ll eat it.”
“What kind of thing is that to say to the person who made it?”
“No, no, thank you.”
Haruta sat down and ate the army stew and rice.
----------------------------------
“Hah... that was good.”
“It never gets old, no matter how many times I eat it... truly.”
“Indeed...”
“Nagi-chan☆ Did you really put something in this?”
“No. I think our tastes just happen to suit this food.”
“Right, that must be it.”
There were about three days left now. They had to enjoy themselves to the fullest before then.
“But there are only three days left, and Seia came by... I didn’t get to eat anything delicious...”
“No, this army stew? That was enough.”
“Well, that’s a relief...”
“Ahaha☆ Then should we try beach volleyball today, with Seia too?”
“...I don’t think that’s a good idea, do you?”
“...I can control my strength, but... Mika, you...”
“What?! I can control my strength too!”
“Mika? Then please pick up this spoon.”
“Okay!”
Crack
The moment Mika grabbed the spoon without thinking, it split with a crack.
“...And thus Mika is a goril—”
Smack!
“Ow... sorry!”
“...Mika, is the purpose of beach volleyball to kill me?”
“...I think so too. The day Mika really starts hitting the ball seriously, someone’s going to be holding a funeral.”
“Grr!!”
“No, no. I can just stand on the opposite side from Mika, right?”
“Oh, that’s a good idea.”
“I agree as well.”
“What? Haruta! You have to be on my team!”
“No, seriously, someone might actually die...”
“...Fine...”
“Good. Thanks.”
Haruta stroked Mika’s head to reassure her.
When Haruta tried to pull his hand away, Mika caught it and placed it back on top of her head.
“Mmm... more...”
“Sigh.... Fine.”
“Ahem... Mika? We really should head out now.”
“Indeed. Mika, you’re not the only one who wants headpats!”
“Hmph!”
Mika climbed down from his lap and looked at Haruta.
“...What? Is there something on my face?”
“...Nothing.”
-------------------------------
A sandy beach soaked in the sun’s heat, and the shining sea.
Their match was held right in the middle of it all.
“All right... let’s have some fun.”
“Hehe, lovely...”
“Mika, do take this seriously.”
“Mm☆ I was planning to do exactly that!”
----------------------------------------------
Two hours later.
“...Mika? If you keep going like this, our arms are going to break...”
“Mika... do you always spike it that hard when you’re passing to your teammates?”
“...Sorry...”
“Wow, I thought my arm was going to break just from receiving Mika’s ball.”
“Grr!!”
Haruta dodged Mika’s backhand smash and immediately mocked her.
“Hehe, can’t hit me, can you?”
“Ugh... ughhh!!”
“Haa.... Haruta-san really is as consistent as ever....”
“Isn’t that why you like him, Nagisa?”
“Yes.... That’s why I like him too...? Ahh!! Seia-san!!”
“Hehe, so that’s how it is. I didn’t know you felt that way too, Nagisa.”
Seia smiled as she teased Nagisa.
“Seia-san! If you get caught, I’ll shove a roll cake down your throat!!”
“Nagisa? I feel the same way...”
“What?? Seia-san too...”
“So let’s just keep it between us.”
“Ahem... I shall also remain thoroughly silent on the matter.”
“I don’t know whether Haruta is just dense, but it’s a relief he doesn’t know.”
“I agree.”
--------------------
“Hoo... so we really are going back to school soon...”
“Still, I’d say you enjoyed yourself plenty, no?”
“No... I didn’t get to enjoy it enough...”
“Well... that is your own opinion, so I won’t argue it.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Then what will you do once you return to school, Haruta?”
“Just... probably go around with Nagisa and Mika like usual?”
“...I see. Then do come see me from time to time.”
“Yeah, I was planning to come find you myself anyway.”
“...Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
-----------------------------------------------
Three days later.
“...Maybe because vacation still hasn’t ended?”
Haruta sat in a chair in his dorm room and thought for a moment.
“Ah, Akashi?”
“Yes! Did you call for me?”
A bright, lively voice came from the phone.
“Does that [Akashic Records] thing contain everything?”
“Hmm... it contains all the knowledge in the world.”
“Then does it have stuff like a 100% guaranteed confession success method?”
“Hmm... yes... I believe it does.”
“Oh, I should read that later.”
Haruta chatted with Akashi, smiling broadly.
“Huh... can you do hacking and stuff too?”
“Yes! Of course. I know all the knowledge in the world!”
“Wow... impressive.”
“Hehe!”
Her personality was somewhat similar to someone with blue hair, but definitely different.
“All right, let’s head out for now.”
Vacation was ending soon, and Haruta could feel the season slowly changing.
“Haa.... I wonder how Hina’s doing?”
Hina still lingered in his heart.
She was certainly one of the driving forces that had once held up the biggest pillar in Haruta’s life.
“Haa... seriously.”
He looked at the ring on his finger.
“Hmm... come to think of it, wasn’t this ring supposed to be invisible?”
The moment he touched it, something turned.
“Whoa!”
The ring flashed brightly once.
“? What was that? What changed?”
Haruta set the thought aside for the moment and tried to sleep.
“Haa....”
-------------------
“Mm.... what time is it?”
Haruta lifted [Record] to check the time.
“? 9:58?”
Haruta checked [Momotalk].
[Haruta-san? What happened this time?](29)
[Haruta? What now?](76)
[Haruta, what happened? This won’t do, I’m coming to find you right now.](102)
“Haa.... seriously, I can’t even sleep properly.”
---------------------------------------------------------
“Haruta..... where are you...”
Hina was still thinking about Haruta.
“Sobs... I’m sorry.... I’m sorry... Haruta..”
The memory of that day still wracked her body.
“If I’d caught Haruta back then... would I have changed something?”
“I’m sorry.... Haruta...”
“Guhh!”
“Ugh....”
Hina still had that memory lodged in her head.
Go back to the dorm. I’ll come again.
It had already been nearly eight months since she said that.
“...Haruta... someday... I’ll come find you again...”
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