爽やかな立ち風

As the Enju tree flowers scatter to herald the summer's end, I return to my ordinary days.

Just as before summer began, I enter and leave the school and my house, make outings with my friends, spending the time every placid day.

There aren't many differences between the times before and after summer...

From my house, the companion to whom I would say "I'm home" and would say "welcome home" in return, had gone. That alone.

There are times where I become so sad that I can't do anything, and I cry, but even that is sucked up into the framework of daily life.

And, this summer, I experienced yet another parting...

My precious person took the once-oni, Kei-kun, and left to somewhere far away, but...

If you compare it to losing my mom, it's not that big a deal.

We're both alive... that's good enough.

I thought I'd become a faraway shining symbol of the ordinary... of course we'd part ways.

Because my living this daily life becomes the hope that supports that person's back, and gives her the confidence to take pride in her battle...

That's why I chose to accept my progress in this daily life.

Because I thought that, I can't help but worry about the condition of that thing, catching Youko-chan's eye as I take out my cell phone.

It certainly isn't nothing... but I pretend that it is, shutting away my phone.

...Like I thought, it's getting thinner.

They say the power of the charm that hides me from oni appears as the color of this jewel.

The time at which this blue, reminding me of that person's right eye, disappears, it will herald the end of my daily life.

What should I do...

If an oni attacks me here, I'll probably wind up bringing trouble to Youko-chan, too.

Unto my dejectedly lowering head, she delivers a flat-handed chop, surprising me. It is a complete surprise attack.

I hastily smooth my face over with a calm expression, but it doesn't look like it's going over well.

Though I don't think she figured out anything in particular...

And so she repeats.

Surprisingly, it's exactly the same as before... It seems she intends to repeat it until I come clean (or until I fool her well enough).

What do I do...

Having an acute instinct in strange matters, Youko-chan has her eyes on my cell phone. There's nothing that would jump out at a layperson, but she probably would search me as far as my stomach.

...and, at that moment.

At that moment of observation, the melody sounds for an incoming call.

Though I'm hardly ever called by anyone but Youko-chan... I wonder who it is.

Maybe a report from the tax counselor regarding the mansion, maybe Sakuya-san, or if not, wrong number...

It's already been long enough as it is. I can't keep them waiting any longer than this.

At my onset of awkwardness at the sudden phone call, Youko-chan's hellishly sharp ears gobble up the carelessly leaked personal info.

At the same time as the phone's slightly noise-broken voice, my ears catch a cool voice from the other side.

The footsteps exuding a formal air stop, and the sunlight, still dragging the presence of summer, darkens.

Sensing a familiar presence at my back, I hurriedly turn around.

No way...

Shutting her phone away, Uzuki-san smiles.

She reaches out her hand and lifts away the phone, still pressed against my ear.

Ahh, now that I think of it...

Didn't she say before that since she knows the power-weaving method, it can take her wherever I am?

Even though we had no promised meeting, to this conscientious girl who would come out of her way to meet me, the best I can do in return is...

...give her back a spirited smile of my own, to show my happiness right now.

That's right. We should all go out for tea, the three of us.

Even if it's only this afternoon, I'll have her know the happiness I'm feeling now.

And sometime... maybe at night, too...