**Chapter 36: Leaving**
The young girl said nothing, only buried herself in Sato Shinichi’s embrace, quietly sobbing, her shoulders trembling. That feeling of despair and helplessness was fully conveyed to the boy’s heart.
Sato Shinichi opened his arms, allowing Kazumi Shimizu to hold onto him. Since their heights were similar, Kazumi was just able to rest her head on Sato Shinichi’s shoulder.
Her soft hair brushed against Sato Shinichi’s face, like the gentle paw of a cute kitten, lightly scratching at his heart. The girl’s body was pressed close, thin and small, without any excess fat, as if she could be lifted effortlessly. The fresh, faint fragrance emanating from her filled Sato Shinichi’s nostrils, and he couldn’t help but entertain a fleeting, romantic thought.
“Shimizu-san, you’ll be fine. You’re just an innocent person caught up in this. You won’t be taken away!”
Feeling the girl pressed closely against him, still sobbing softly, Sato Shinichi gently stroked Kazumi’s back, patting her lightly to comfort his frightened little girlfriend.
“Re—really?”
After hearing the boy’s unwavering reassurance, the girl’s sobs gradually subsided, and she gently turned her head, revealing tear-stained cheeks and a face filled with helplessness and fear. This expression, so unlike her usual emotionless demeanor, made one unable to resist wanting to hold her close.
Sato Shinichi did just that.
He embraced the girl again, no longer afraid or evasive. Now was the time when Kazumi needed him the most, and he couldn’t let himself escape with flimsy excuses.
“Shimizu-san, please believe me! You won’t come to harm!”
The boy’s way of comforting was clumsy; before the girl, he struggled to articulate his words, repeating himself, hoping she could feel his sincerity.
At the moment Sato Shinichi actively held Kazumi, she was momentarily stunned, then immediately leaned against his shoulder as his strength enveloped her.
“Mm…”
The girl’s whispered murmur reached Sato Shinichi’s ear, infused with a hint of attachment, contrasting with her usual cold tone.
“So… Sato-kun, do you… know what will happen to me?”
Her soft words struck at Sato Shinichi’s heart. The sudden change in how she addressed him filled him with joy. He gently released Kazumi and said,
“Everything will be fine, Shimizu-san. You were just caught up in this situation; the one they need to capture is Uncle Fukada. You won’t be taken.”
Once he had eased Kazumi’s emotions somewhat, he helped her to a nearby chair. Sato Shinichi took a few tissues from the box on the table and handed them to the girl, who still had her head down, wiping her tears.
“Sato-kun… just call me Kazumi.”
Receiving the tissues from Sato Shinichi, Kazumi looked at the boy across from her, her red eyes filled with strange emotions. She turned slightly, hesitating as she spoke those words.
“Ah… okay… Kazumi… is it alright to call you that?”
Seeing the girl like this, Sato Shinichi understood her feelings. This was his plan all along; he wanted to remove the ‘classmate’ title from Shimizu-san, with the ultimate goal being to reach a closeness that allowed them to call each other in a more intimate manner.
This fragile feeling of helplessness only made Sato Shinichi feel an immense compassion, wishing he could shield her from all harm.
“Mm… Sato-kun.”
Kazumi nodded. It seemed she was tired from crying, her entire body slumped in the chair, her eyes blankly staring at the floor.
Indeed, a typical high school girl had lost her parents’ love at a young age and had been raised by the uncle she always admired. Now she learned that her uncle was a member of an evil organization, and he was about to be captured by the hero organization.
This feeling of the world collapsing was something a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl should never have to bear.
Sato Shinichi pursed his lips. From Kazumi’s reaction, it seemed he could largely confirm his initial assumptions. But even so, he hadn’t forgotten the purpose of his visit here and looked up at Kazumi.
“So, Kazumi, can I ask you a few questions? I hope you can answer them, as they are very important for your current situation.”
“Mm… Sato-kun, go ahead…”
[Sure enough! He is connected to them!!!]
As predicted by Kazumi, her boyfriend came here because of her. He didn’t know if it was due to his grandfather’s favor or some other reason, but at the very least, he was here to understand her situation and help her!
This was probably going to be okay.
Kazumi nodded, sobbing a couple more times in response.
Hearing his girlfriend’s distress, Sato Shinichi felt another pang of pain in his heart, but to help Kazumi escape this whirlwind, he had to ask these questions.
“Do you know about your uncle Fukada Akihiko’s work?”
“Mm, he’s a supervisor at Shomyow Machines. He’s a good friend of my parents and has been taking care of me since I was ten. He helped pay for my living and school expenses.”
Kazumi nodded, sharing the prepared statements she had rehearsed in her mind.
“Okay, could you share about your parents’ work situation?”
Sato Shinichi nodded, pressing a button on his wristwatch, as if recording something.
“Mm, my parents worked at Tōmei Pharmaceutical as employees, both in the laboratory. Their work seemed to involve developing medication and related things, but they rarely came home when I was very young. I spent most of my time living in a caregiving institution.”
Kazumi spoke faintly, as if recalling some bad memories, her originally downcast eyes dimming even more, her whole being appearing soulless.
“Kazumi…”
Seeing his girlfriend in such a helpless state, Sato Shinichi felt another pain in his heart. Although he had learned about the girl’s past from the documents, hearing her recount everything firsthand brought forth an overwhelming sense of despair that broke his heart.
“It’s okay, I’m used to it.”
The girl lifted her head, revealing a forced smile that seemed like it was being held together with two strings tied to the corners of her mouth—helpless and despairing.
Sato Shinichi did not remember how he left Kazumi’s home. The profound sense of despair in the girl and his own lack of power left him feeling somewhat dazed. His mentor had told him he possessed the power to save this era.
Yet now, he couldn’t even save the girl he cherished most.
The machine had recorded the last question in his watch. Sato Shinichi sincerely comforted the girl for a while longer, but he wondered if the repeated words he uttered had any effect; even he didn’t know.
And just at the moment he reluctantly bid farewell, closing the door.
The previously tearful Kazumi instantly regained her former cold expression, waving a hand above her head. A jet-black coffin descended from the sky, once again vanishing into the ground.
Looking at the closed door, she snorted coldly and walked back to her room.
