Chapter 34 Outside the Window
Early morning, the farthest edge of the horizon emitted a faint light, dispelling the haze in the sky and awakening the entire city.
“Swish—”
Kazumi slowly opened her eyes. The dizziness from staying up all night eroded her mind, but the moment her consciousness returned, Kazumi immediately shifted her gaze to the notebook pressed beneath her hand.
“It’s over!!”
A faint light shone in through the curtains from outside, and the pattering sound of rain outside confirmed that today’s weather didn’t seem particularly good.
Just like Kazumi Shimizu’s current mood.
Shaking her slightly dizzy head, Kazumi sat up and dragged the notebook, filled with various texts, in front of her.
“I actually fell asleep…”
With a long sigh, Kazumi picked up the pen beside her, wanting to write something more, but the notebook was already so full that there was no room to write.
“I’m still too weak…”
Tossing the pen forward, Kazumi slumped back onto the table, feeling a little dejected.
After returning home yesterday, Kazumi’s first thought was about her own way out.
What Fukada Akihiko had told her was a bit vague, and he hadn’t even told her what she should do.
Returning home with fear and anxiety, all Kazumi could do was analyze her situation using the remaining information.
“This feeling of my life and death being in someone else’s hands is really unpleasant!”
Frowning tightly, Kazumi had thought all night without coming up with any solutions. Now, she didn’t want to sit still and think anymore. She stood up, pulled back the curtains, and looked up at the grey sky outside.
Dense raindrops fell on the eaves, making a pitter-patter sound. The morning air was also humid from the rain, and breathing it into her lungs gave a strangely refreshing feeling.
“What terrible weather…”
For some reason, rainy days like this always meant something bad was about to happen.
It was like the surrounding descriptions in a language essay designed to create atmosphere. Whether it was the college entrance exam, a failed confession, or being beaten after school, the weather on all the days that Kazumi had experienced previously was just as terrible.
The breath exhaled from her mouth condensed into faint white mist due to the temperature. The temperature in early spring mornings was still a bit low.
Glancing at the bad scenery outside the window again, Kazumi simply slammed the window shut and then threw herself onto the bed.
“Really, it’s a complete mess!!”
Angrily, she threw the pillow up in the air. As the pillow fell due to gravity, it landed on Kazumi’s face again.
“……..”
“Even the pillow won’t leave me alone!”
Pushing the pillow, which carried her scent, aside, Kazumi sat up again.
She hadn’t even passed the initial beginner phase. It was only the third day since she arrived here. Not to mention adapting to life here, apart from the initial excitement of being a psychic, the biggest emotion was actually the sadness of never seeing her parents again.
Although she hadn’t had real friends for over twenty years and didn’t have anything worth cherishing, the thought of her parents, who had raised her for so many years, never seeing her again made Kazumi’s heart feel as if it were being clutched by something.
“Hoo— The most important thing now is what I can do!”
Taking a deep breath, Kazumi pushed the negative emotions out of her mind. What Kazumi needed now was calm thinking in a crisis, so she could only forcibly suppress those thoughts.
“First is Uncle Fukada’s attitude. Given our relationship, it’s highly probable that I won’t be abandoned as a discard. Of course, it’s not impossible that I had to be abandoned due to the urgency of the situation at the time.”
Sitting on the bed, Kazumi began to recall the analysis results from last night.
“Sato Shinichi probably isn’t lying. Because if he came specifically for Mr. Fukada, he wouldn’t have involved Sato Shinichi, an ordinary person without abilities, so it should just be a chance encounter.”
“According to Mr. Fukada, Sato Shinichi’s grandfather, [Warhammer], has been resisting the [Dark] Organization since the last century and has influence. It’s normal for him to be able to discover Mr. Fukada’s true identity.”
“So, a boyfriend is such a troublesome thing!! I should have just broken up with that thing!!”
Kazumi patted her forehead, feeling a headache coming on, and said with some regret. Of course, this was just a complaint, as such a flimsy breakup would probably cause more trouble.
“But, I can’t do anything right now.”
Feeling a bit dejected, she punched the bed. The only thing she could do now was probably to hope that Mr. Fukada could save her, or that the Heroes Association, seeing that she was just a small fry, wouldn’t trouble her.
“Eh, wait!”
Kazumi, who was utterly dejected, suddenly thought of one, or rather, the only method. She had also considered this way out last night, but since it was too late, she could only postpone it until today.
First, regarding Mr. Fukada’s identity being exposed, the person involved was Sato Shinichi’s adoptive grandfather, the former Professional Hero [Warhammer]. His not making a direct move at the time must have involved considerations of both being able to directly apprehend Mr. Fukada and protect the surrounding civilians.
The subsequent method would definitely be for just her and Fukada Akihiko to investigate and apprehend. Mr. Fukada would surely not have any accidents, as his appearance this time was quite different from the one she had seen before. As a core member of the organization, he should also have his own methods of escape.
As for herself, she needed to confirm one thing first.
Had her identity as an external organization member been exposed? If it had, then she could probably only pray to heaven that the Heroes Association wouldn’t make things difficult for her, a small fry who knew nothing.
But if it hadn’t been exposed, she could probably leverage her identity as the involved person’s relative, Sato Shinichi’s girlfriend, to make something work.
“I just don’t know if he knows our identities? It should be impossible, after all, Grandpa Sato, being a Hero, wouldn’t involve his grandson in such dangerous matters. So, what is his relationship with his adoptive grandfather?”
While pondering these questions, Kazumi silently picked up her phone, opened the chat box with the small flame icon at the top, and lowered her head, contemplating how to compose the message to send.
“Kiyomizu-san—”
“Huh?”
Kazumi, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, seemed to hear a familiar shout.
“Kiyomizu-san—”
Although the pattering rain mixed with the sounds outside, Kazumi clearly heard the energetic shout coming from outside the window.
Somewhat puzzled, Kazumi walked to the bedside, opened the closed window, and leaned out to look down.
What she saw was a blond young man standing alone in the rain, smiling foolishly at her.
“Kiyomizu-san!”
