Volume 6 Chapter 5 The Fifth Force
The sound of a doorbell echoed throughout the room.
When Hinata Yukari turned towards the door, a noticeable red-haired man was entering the store. It wasn't particularly crowded. Kongou Souji also noticed her and walked over.
"Sorry, did I keep you waiting?"
"No, I just arrived myself."
She shook her head in response. She had actually arrived a few minutes ago, and the iced tea she had ordered earlier still hadn't arrived.
Matsuda Munenori, who was the first to arrive, chuckled.
"Everyone is so bad with time. You should come with some extra time like me."
"Don't act like you have so much spare time when you're desperately writing reports here."
"It's about priorities, Souji."
Matsuda closed his tablet PC that was open.
"It seems like it will take a while for the lecture to resume, but it's boring to only submit reports. Are first-year students the same?"
"Yes, it's the same for us."
The three of them attended Seijo University, which was currently closed. Some professors had assigned report submissions since lectures couldn't be held.
It was all because of an incident that had happened a little while ago.
During the third day of the Souten Festival, the cultural festival that Seijo University was proud of, a mass fainting incident occurred. Officially, it was announced as heat stroke, but anyone who was there knew. It was an abnormal incident that couldn't be explained with such words.
Fortunately, none of the three of them had close friends who had collapsed, but if the circle expanded to friends of friends, it was easy to learn about the damage.
But the reason the three of them gathered today was different from that.
"So, what do you two think about Yuusuke and Isumi-san?"
As Hinata's iced tea arrived and Souji ordered coffee, Matsuda spoke.
It happened just yesterday. Yamamoto Yuusuke had contacted the three of them.
The contents were:
[I'm going back to my hometown for a while, so I'll be taking a leave of absence from university.]
"It's obviously suspicious, right? And he's not the only one."
It was surprising enough that Yuusuke alone had contacted them, but at the same time, Isumi Tsukiko had also sent a similar message.
There was definitely a sense of unease, which is why they gathered like this.
Souji said,
"Well, considering the situation, something must have happened. Knowing him, if he's not telling us, it must be something important."
"Is it related to Tsukiko-san?"
"I don't know. They haven't had much contact recently, so I can't think of anything in particular."
"Maybe they eloped?"
Hinata's smile froze at Matsuda's casual remark.
"Don't say such random things..."
"I don't think it's appropriate, but those two seemed to be together on the third day of the cultural festival, right? It seemed like Isumi-san had reasons for breaking up too. Isn't there a high possibility that they'll get back together?"
Hinata looked down and stirred her iced tea quickly. The ice collided and made a sound.
While watching her like that, Souji replied.
"Even if they get back together, there's no need to elope."
"Maybe it's because her family is prestigious and they don't approve of their relationship. If that's the case, I can understand why Isumi-san broke up with him. It could be a romantic escape for the two of them."
Splat, splat! The drops of iced tea reached its centrifugal limit and scattered.
Whether the others knew it or not, Matsuda spoke proudly.
"They might have found refuge in a distant hotel by now. ...Oh, but then what about Lisha-chan and the others? They definitely wouldn't be together."
If Yuusuke were here, he would have shouted, "Your eyes are clairvoyant, youkai begone!"
Thud! A loud noise echoed.
"Matsuda-san."
"W-What is it, Hinata-chan?"
That's when he realized. He had been carried away by the amusement and had tap-danced in a minefield of girls' emotions.
Matsuda was a pervert, but not stupid. He was foolish, but not dull. Naturally, he knew that Hinata had feelings for Yamamoto Yuusuke and that they had gone on a date together on the second day of the cultural festival.
Hinata spread the menu on the table and looked over at him. Her face was smiling, but her gaze was freezing.
"I feel like eating cake. 'Can I order one?'"
There is a meaning behind a junior girl using those words. Originally, it went against his aesthetic to pay money to satisfy desires, but Hinata, who always playfully manipulated men, rarely showed such raw emotions. That was...
——An unpleasant gaze.
Accepting this, Matsuda laughed refreshingly.
"Of course, you can order as much as you want!"
"Matsuda... Well, it's your fault for what just happened, so it's fine. I won't pay though."
"Of course. It gives me joy to have money taken from me while being looked down upon by a junior girl, Souji"
Hinata and Souji looked at Matsuda, who was trembling with joy, with a disgusted expression.
"W-Well, cake is fine after all. It's not a problem, or rather, you're disgusting."
"Why!?"
"I gave you a reason, didn't I?"
Ignoring the crumbling Matsuda, Hinata let out a deep sigh.
In reality, eloping was a plausible story. In that case, it would make sense for them to take a break at the same time.
Matsuda might have said it as a joke, but it was immediately obvious that Tsukiko was born into the upper class. Hinata attended a private girls' school from elementary school. Because it was that kind of school, there were also many genuine young ladies. Tsukiko exuded the same aura as those people.
Now, she imagines Yuusuke and Tsukiko holding hands and feel down.
In the past, she would have given up there. She doesn't have any elements that can beat Tsukiko herself.
But she can't back down anymore. No matter what the reason, the other girl was the one who let go of Yuusuke once. If it were her, she wouldn't let go of the hand that was once connected.
But there's nothing she can do if she can't see them. Just contacting each other has its limits. If Tsukiko really is near Yuusuke, the situation is hopeless.
"It can't be helped."
"What are you going to do, Souji?"
"It's uncomfortable to not know what to do, so it's best to ask. If it turns out to be an illness or something, we'll have to go and scold him."
"Yes, I agree."
That's the problem. Not only eloping, but the possibility is bothering Hinata, and she couldn't sleep well yesterday.
Souji took out his cellphone and immediately called Yuusuke. Fear and the desire to know the truth clashed.
'Souji? Sorry for not being able to contact you.'
After a while, Yuusuke's voice could be heard from the cellphone in speaker mode.
"Were you busy?"
'I'm busy, but for now, I'm fine.'
"So, what was that contact all about?"
'Sorry, the situation was complicated and I couldn't explain. Anyway, I won't be able to go to school for a while, so please apologize to club president for me.'
From the other side of the speaker, the sound of footsteps and Lisha's voice could be faintly heard. It seems that he is with Lisha and Kanami.
'Anyway, I'm sorry. I think it will be difficult to contact you from here for a while. I'm sorry for the trouble, but I'll be back in the new year.'
"That's fine. Are you okay?"
'I don't have any injuries or illnesses, so there's no problem.'
Hinata let out a sigh of relief.
At that moment, a sound like something falling and a surprising voice could be heard from the cellphone.
'Yuusuke, are you free?'
'Hey, Sharla, didn't I tell you not to come in?'
'I'm fine.'
'I told you because I have a problem!?'
"""......"""
The three of them were dumbfounded.
The voice they just heard was something they had never heard before. Even through the cellphone, it was a clear, beautiful voice that evoked her beautiful appearance. As if adding to that shock, another voice interjected.
'What on earth...'
It was a small voice, but everyone realized that it belonged to someone they all knew well――Isumi Tsukiko. It wasn't just the three of them who were surprised, Yuusuke also said in a trembling voice.
'Wh-Why is Tsukiko here too...'
'I was trying to stop Sharla-san...'
But noticed that the call was still connected and Souji heard everything until there, Yuusuke talk to the phone.
'Sorry, it looks like it's going to be tough to make phone calls! Those guys we were talking about attacked!'
"Well, I feel like one of those guys was already identified."
'What are you talking about?! I'm about to start a fight, so I'm hanging up!'
'A fight? I don't sense any enemies though.'
'...'
'Well then, goodbye!'
Yuusuke loudly said and hung up, drowning out the surrounding voices.
For a while, no one said anything, and Souji reluctantly spoke up.
"Well, it doesn't seem like they eloped for now."
"But the situation got even worse!"
Upon Hinata's anguished scream, Souji and Matsuda quietly looked down. As expected, the fifth force appeared.
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