Chapter 18: That Kind of Thing, Please Don’t
Star Academy.
Erika hummed a lively little tune with a casual touch, gently resting her fingers on the doorknob of the dormitory room.
She wore the academy’s uniform, and beneath her white jacket, the tailored shirt showcased an astonishingly upright silhouette—her chest almost straining the buttons, the curves forming an exaggerated yet tasteful perfect arc in the light, the contrast between her brown skin and the snow-white fabric of the uniform striking.
Her sun-kissed light brown hair fell in soft, fluffy waves, the ends slightly tousled, probably from a recent morning workout at the beach or playground. A few strands that had been dampened by sweat clung to her forehead.
As the door slid open with a soft sound from the fingerprint lock, Erika swayed in, holding a bottle of orange sparkling water she had just bought from a vending machine.
What caught her eye was the back of Nagomi.
Although Erika felt a bit surprised that Nagomi, who had left early in the morning, was back so soon, she still flashed a sunny, optimistic smile:
“I’m back! Miss Takane, guess what I just saw—”
Before she could finish her sentence, her steps stalled at the threshold.
Because upon entering the room, she sensed a strong wave of melancholy emanating from the black-haired girl in front of her, who had her back turned.
“Wha-what’s wrong?!” Erika’s initial hesitation quickly turned into panic.
This was the first time she had felt such an atmosphere coming from Nagomi.
In Erika’s mind, the black-haired girl in front of her was always confident and composed, maintaining a poised demeanor. She had never seen her look so dejected, troubled, and anxious.
“Miss Takane, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” Erika rushed closer to Nagomi. “Did someone bully you—ah no, that shouldn’t be possible for you… or did you lose your wallet? Did you have a breakup?”
“Anyway, if there’s anything I can do to help, please make sure to tell me—” Erika summed up, lacking in confidence.
But upon hearing this, Nagomi’s dim eyes lit up.
“……Help? You’re right, Erika, I have something I want your help with—” Nagomi’s reaction was like catching a ray of light in darkness as she quickly turned around and grabbed Erika’s arm.
“Y-yes! If it’s something I can help with—” Erika felt very uneasy.
She had no idea what could have caused this seemingly omnipotent girl to become like this, worrying whether she could actually assist her, but she was determined; as long as it was a request from the person who saved her, even if it cost her life—
“Please help me choose a dress for tonight’s freshman banquet—!!!”
“Eh, eh, eh?!”
The unexpected request made Erika involuntarily let out a strange sound.
……
……
After a moment of impulsiveness, Nagomi decided to take the professor’s suggestion and asked Tsukimi Kanade to be her partner.
As she gradually calmed down, her inner turmoil grew.
Her feelings became more intertwined and complex.
Although the End of Days Nagakage had assured her that even Kanade could never see through her currently fractured soul, the anticipation of meeting Kanade again, someone she deeply cared about, still made her nervous.
Moreover, the beige dress she had initially prepared, the same one that Amakasu’s granddaughter used to wear, seemed inappropriate for such an occasion.
Deep inside, she longed to appear before Kanade in the most beautiful, perfect, and adorable form.
Yet, on one hand, Nagomi worried that Kanade might find her unappealing, and on the other hand, she feared he would find her current self charming.
After all, in his eyes, the current “Kamishiro Nagomi” was not the real her.
If he truly fell for the current version of her, would that be considered fickle? Was it cheating? Is it NTR?
But it seemed she was already dead to him—
That didn’t really count as being unfaithful to herself, but, but—
Nagomi felt her brain was in chaos, almost wanting to sit in water and scream: please, not that kind of thing.
What once seemed a ridiculous comic trope.
Now, when it was happening to her, she realized what feelings it encompassed.
At the same time, Nagomi felt a small sense of relief—her feelings for Kanade were not fake; she genuinely liked that gentle and kind boy, and even though her soul had been shattered and reformed by him, her heart for him remained unchanged.
How she wished he could maintain his affection for her.
But Nagomi knew she couldn’t be greedy.
She had exploited him too much.
Now he had ample reasons and rights to choose the life he wanted—
Yet even just a little… she wanted to leave a tiny spot in his heart.
—————–
“S-s-class!?” Erika exclaimed in shock upon learning the truth of the matter.
Erika had indeed heard a bit about Nagomi not having found a partner for the dance.
However, she thought it was merely part of Nagomi’s concealed plan or just a simple lack of interest in the freshman banquet.
But she never expected it to escalate into such a big event, or was this part of her plan?
In her heart, Erika couldn’t help but hold immense respect for the black-haired girl before her.
“Do you know, Erika? The S-class esper from the Moon Academy.” Nagomi, who had never discussed such topics with Erika before, was now curious about how much she knew.
According to End of Days Nagakage, Kanade’s current identity was widely known in the special circle SEMAA and the three major academies, while she had focused too much on Professor Amakasu Shinkou and missed this.
Though Nagomi could sense that End of Days Nagakage wasn’t lying to her, she still felt a bit skeptical about this assertion.
After all, in the past, the S-class category held significant meaning and had been the only symbol.
And regarding what the protagonist was planning, the special circle SEMAA and the three major academies had always been filled with secrets, yet now it felt as casual as a weather report on a news channel?
Nagomi vaguely felt that she was falling behind the times.
The sense of defeat and loss was quite overwhelming.
“Of course! After all, when it comes to the S-class from the Moon Academy, it’s that tall, handsome, cold, taciturn, yet aloof gentleman, Tsukimi Kanade!!!” Erika’s excited and thrilled expression did not seem fake at all.
She sparkled like a fan discussing her favorite idol, her eyes almost radiating light.
But upon hearing this, Nagomi tilted her head in confusion, nearly to a ninety-degree angle.
Cold and taciturn?
Aloof and indifferent?
Is this the Kanade I know? Or is it possible that the so-called S-class is just another person with the same name? Nagomi’s mind began to unconsciously escape reality.
Regardless, she couldn’t match the character Erika described with her memory of the pure and gentle boy.
Only at this moment did Nagomi genuinely feel the weight of the so-called “era.”
Three years had passed since she “died.”
Whether in this world or among the people she was familiar with, everything had become unfamiliar—
“Alright, if the person is that ‘Black Flame King,’ I’ll definitely help Miss Takane choose the most beautiful dress and makeup!” Erika’s excited voice interrupted the melancholy brewing in Nagomi’s heart.
At the same time, a certain term in her words piqued Nagomi’s curiosity.
Black Flame King???
Shouldn’t it be the Star-Eclipsed Beast???
