Ephemeral Ability Reflects the Heart

「I think the principal really cares about you」

「No, he doesn't」

A cold voice denied Chihiro's words.

「Yuu-chan doesn't care about me. He just wants to keep me like a pet or a princess」

「That's not true」

「Yes, it is」

Squeeze... her body is pressed tightly against him while she saying that.

Then, he feels Suzu's weight on both his feet. It's quite a frightening position with the stairs right in front of him, but Suzu doesn't seem to mind.

He wondered if she thought it would be better if she just fell down.

「Chihiro-kun, take responsibility for taking my virginity」

「...Eh?」

A chill runs down his spine.

If he doesn't regret it, the lips that told him it was fine to be saffle will speak threateningly.

He then felt a drop of water fall on his neck.

「Call my name. Hold me, screw me. It's okay as long as no one finds out. So... there's no need to marry me, just do it with me like you always have」

「Why are you insisting?」

Is Suzu so obsessed with Chihiro?

Well, she said that Chihiro's "color" was a rare color when he asked her before, but he doesn't know if she would go this far just because she was interested with his "color".

And his question is answered by Suzu.

「It's true what I said before. Because Chihiro-kun's color was transparent. To be precise, I saw several different colored films overlapping on the transparent color」

「Films...?」

He asked back and then realized.

If another color was overlapping his own color, then it must be another person's color, honestly speaking.

Perhaps it was someone who was deeply involved with Chihiro - Maria, Aika, or Riko.

The colors of the girls are overlapping with his transparent color.

「That's why I thought that this person would accept all of me. After all, no one has ever accepted me」

All of her.

Suzu's confession struck him with a heavy heart, due to the gap between her and him.

But still...

「I can't betray the Principal」

「Why not?」

「Because if I betray him, I'll ruin myself. And the people I care about」

The first thing he can think of is expulsion.

If that happens, Chihiro will have to go back to his parents' house.

He can't have the same relationship with Maria, Riko and Aika as before. In particular, it will be very difficult to keep a relationship with Aika because of the problem of reputation.

It will also be difficult for him to go on to the next level.

The best thing Chihiro can do is to be a [Lost Item], but if he is expelled from Shibahou, his career as a [Lost Item] will be greatly limited.

「So, if I can just cut off all ties with Suzu-san, I will do so」

「...」

The hand grasping his side is filled with strength. A sharp pain ran through his body as her nails were clawed.

Suzu's nails are rather long. He wonders if she's too lazy to cut them.

「Liar」

She whispered in reproach.

「You're just saying that for my sake, aren't you?」

「I'm not lying」

He meants what he said.

Of course, it was true that he felt that it was not in Suzu's self-interest to continue the relationship against her guardian, but Chihiro himself did not know exactly what the percentage of the reasons was.

A silence fell then descended.

As of now, they have been standing in front of the stairs for several minutes. Thanks to Suzu's ability, he didn't have to worry about people finding him.

「Okay」

Suzu said in a dark voice.

...It must have left a deep scar in her heart.

Even though she understood that, Chihiro was relieved that Suzu had given up.

「Enough. I won't give up, no matter what you say」

「Eh?」

What's that?

Chihiro was about to ask, but Suzu used the movement of her arm away to turn him around. Then, the two of them face each other in front of the stairs...

Boom!

His footing wobbles.

As his body is about to fall with a floating sensation, his hands are pulled back and his movement vector is reversed.

Chihiro fell to the floor in front of the stairs and looked around, but could not find Suzu anywhere. There was no way that Suzu had fallen onto the landing instead of Chihiro, though.

Threats from the Principal.

The changed Suzu.

And a sense of chaos.

Chihiro shuddered at the feeling that his foothold felt as if it was rapidly collapsing.

☆　　　☆　　　☆

「...Really」

After being tossed aside by Suzu, Chihiro walked back to the apartment with a heavy heart.

At the apartment, there was Aika, who had been visiting more and more often lately, and Maria and Riko.

「We need to talk」

He felt a faint sense of familiarity from the previous problem.

So, he told the girls who were all in the living room and told them what had happened.

Maria exhaled and scowled. Aika's expression darkened and she fell silent, while Riko opened her mouth first with a difficult look on her face.

「This Suzu-san, does she try to push Chihiro down the stairs?」

It was a question that skipped all other confirmation, but the eyes told him that it was important.

So Chihiro answered earnestly, thinking back to what had just happened.

「...No. If she was going to push me, there's no need to help me when I will fall. I don't think she really wanted to push me down」

In the sense of showing the "determination", Suzu was probably serious.

But he didn't dare to say anything about this fierce speculation.

Furthermore, Maria said to Riko in a calm voice.

「In any case, this is not a problem to be solved by killing or committing the woman. Either way, it will break the premise of "Non-Interference"」

「...That's right」

Riko nodded with a mysterious look on her face, and Aika looked up and protested.

「Wait. Before that, it's not right to talk about killing or committing」

「Aika-san. There are times when we have to do that」

「No, there isn't!」

「We have a difference of opinion. It's a matter of priorities, I should say」

"But there is no higher priority than Chihiro-sama", Maria said.

Still, Aika was unconvinced, but she stopped poking her head in because that was not the point of this discussion.

"Huh~", Maria sighed.

「Such a troublesome woman. ...Chihiro-sama, now that this has happened, we'll consider her an enemy for now. If she intends to harm Chihiro-sama, then we will put Chihiro-sama's safety first」

「...Harm Chihiro-kun?」

「Yes. Aika-san, you know that a woman with a strong desire could do that, right? What would you do if that happened?」

「...」

Aika bit her lip and squeezed her hands together.

Seeing this, Maria smiled with satisfaction and told everyone.

「For now, all we can do is wait and see. We need to be vigilant, gather information, and lay the groundwork」

In the event of an emergency, they will work together.

If the situation arises, they'll use force.

...the same as they have always done. This time, Aika is joining them, and perhaps because of Maria's words earlier, she too is motivated.

In the midst of all of this, Chihiro's heart began to fill with an undefined feeling, different from his usual cold thoughts.