After returning to Butei School, I sent a mail report to the Masters describing the act of larceny that we had committed. I was expecting an Armed-Prosecutor or something to go after us but...
Just like what Aria had mentioned before, my report was completely ignored.
In exchange of reply, what I got was an Express Delivery package containing a thick document about "Plea Bargain".
The massive document consisted of compiled reports from various police branches. Summarizing all those details using my Normal Mode's brain, the incident about Vlad is a perpetual non-disclosure. By abiding with the agreement, the illegal deed upon which we committed within the last 30 days will not be blamed.
I signed the documents with my signature. It seems the agreement will established if I put it inside the reply envelope that it came with and send it by mail.
Wow. What a convenient system.
And what surprised me further was the battle that happened between Vlad and us had never gotten to the media. Thanks to the person who fabricated it, the incident about the landmark tower was explained as an accidental lightning strike.
...I learned the hard way how strictly taboo I-U's matter was in this country.
"I'm baaaackkk!! Riko made her return from the capital of the moon!"
Riko showed up in class 2-A, as if the thing with Vlad had never happened.
Rikorin! Rikorin! A portion of guys shouted and gathered around Riko.
Those swaying hands again...?
(T-That Riko...!)
Beside me, Aria, who scowled so deeply that it probably formed a hundred wrinkles on her forehead, is vacantly staring out the window, with her fist under her chin. Huh? You're not gonna get mad anymore?
Hey, what are we gonna do about Riko now!?
Ignoring her anxious slave who's awaiting for orders, Aria matter-of-factly left the classroom upon hearing the first ring of lunch break, and went off somewhere.
(...Hey, hey. What happened to arresting Riko?)
Troubled with that doubt, I attended the Inquesta lectures with a jittery mood.
During every break between classes, Riko would talk about gal-games with her fellow gamer classmates. It's the usual Riko.
I considered engaging her in conversation without consulting Aria, but it's pretty awkward muscling into their talk with that kind of topic. The words they use are very outlandish, I couldn't understand even a single bit.
And finally...school ended.
In the end, I didn't get a chance to talk to Riko. As I was about to leave the Inquesta building...
"Ki-kun."
Riko appeared from the lobby, and scampered to me.
I was surprised, and at the same time, steeled myself for her usual sexual assault.
I was expecting a hug or an entangling of arms. However... Riko just stood beside me, with a manner of an ordinary girl.
"...Ah, umm.... Shall we go home?"
W-What's wrong with you today?
She also said a clichéd line of an ordinary girl.
I've been inside Inquesta building the whole time so I didn't notice that it was raining outside. The rain had let up around the time we departed the place. At this rate, it won't be long until the rainy season is over.
We walked along the street side by side.
When I stole a peek at Riko, Riko appeared to have been stealing a peek at my face as well.
"Ah..."
Our gaze met. Riko immediately turned her eyes away.
Her face is tense with nervousness, and her cheeks have a tinge of red.
Somehow, she became retiring all of a sudden.
(Really... What is up with her today?)
I also averted my eyes towards the Rainbow Bridge beyond.
"Do-Don't make any misconception. It's not like Riko has switched over to your side."
"Yeah, I knew that... Somewhat."
I answered Riko without looking at her.
I am at a loss on how to treat her right now.
"But... Check your mail when you get home."
"Mail?"
"Riko had sent you a mail regarding your brother's lead. Riko had said this before: 'She will keep her promise'."
Nii-san's... lead!?
When I turned to her direction... Riko was already gone.
What was there... is just a trace of rainbow between the line of buildings as if it depicts the colorful Riko in the sky.
I finally got home. I was rushing towards my room when I bumped into Aria, who was just about to go out.
"Kinji!"
Aria pointed a finger-gun gesture at me, and shot me with it as she winked.
W-What!?
Yes, it was cute... but what was that all about?
She was profusely exuberant today. It was a huge discrepancy of mood from what she had at school.
"I've got a mail from Riko yesterday. It was fishy so I've been keeping quiet about it until now. Riko said she's meeting mama's lawyer right now. I'm about to head there as well!"
Aria planned on going out in her school uniform without changing. She slipped her feet into her shoes as she jostled at me in the narrow space of the front door.
"And I got a call from the lawyer too! He said once we procured Riko's testimony, a remand is almost guaranteed!"
Remand, in this case, is a law system that if there was a problem found about the evidence in the case, the trial will be moved from Supreme Court to Appeal Court to start another hearing.
In other words, Aria's mother, Kanae Kanzaki-san has come closer in proving her innocence.
"Riko...!"
Riko kept her promise to us that she made back at the dorm's rooftop.
"That's great Aria... I'm happy for you."
I said that to Aria, while stooping low to provide a space for the narrow threshold.
"Yeah!! Yeah!!"
Aria, with her petite body...
Hugged me out of her celebration!
A gardenia aroma wafted from her swaying hair.
A-Aria...
"......"
"Ah......!"
Aria regained herself, and when she realized that she was hugging my body firmly with both arms...
Her face gradually turned crimson from bottom to top. Her blush meter instantly reached its limit.
My face followed suit.
"Eh...? Umm... Ah!!"
Aria was petrified for a bit. And then after a few moments, she let go of my body... backing herself away until she hit the wall. And...
*Thud*
She bumped the wall with the back of her head out of confusion.
Aria stammered for words. She lowered her head.
Then she took an upturned-peek at my face.
"S-Sorry... I got carried away."
Are you seriously thinking you can wave it off with that excuse?
Hmm... she just got carried away, huh?
Oh well... whatever.
Let's leave it like that then.
"......"
"......"
Aahhh!!
What the hell is this silence?
This is too awkward!
Aria didn't get mad, nor run away, and of course hugging me again is out of the question. Aria didn't do anything.
"......Umm... We-Well, I'm off."
"......O-Okay. You take care."
We exchanged awkward greetings with each other. Aria, taking a last peek at my face as she left, closed the door and went off.
Phew. I let out a sigh of relief.
Oh yeah...
I think Aria had said something before. What was it?
That's right. According to the book Shirayuki had brought:
"Girls can't do that aggressive thing to the boy that they really like!"
Hmm...?
So what about it?
What is going on with you Kinji? Why are those words suddenly crossing your mind?
There's no way Aria would like me. Judging by how she constantly points a gun at me. No, it's impossible. First of all, the source was Shirayuki's book. It's wrong to expect credibility out of it.[1]
Hahaha.
So with these, the case is...
...closed, I guess.
But is it, really?
Yes, it is.
It is. Right, Kinji?
After Aria left... I turned on my PC and checked my mail.
(---It's true! I've got a mail.)
It seems Riko's mail has a large flash file (.SWF) attached to the mail.
The subject was: Ki-kun Stole my Precious Thing
It contains no message.
I double-clicked on the attachment and the flash played an anime video.
First, it showed a character which I think was Riko, chasing around a guy that looked like me as a song played in the background.
Wow...
Riko did you make this?
Next, it showed Aria's back figure who apparently had her neck hanged. Shirayuki reading books. Reki flying around like a sprite. Muto conducting an orchestra. Shiranui, eyes spinning dizzily. It showed each one and disappeared before the next.
If you look carefully at the background, there was a hidden message that showed a time and place.
Riko, your mischief and the tendency of doing roundabout things has never changed.
In other words, this is some sort of an invitation mail.
You want me to come at this place at that time, right?
Lastly, a character resembling Kana appeared. She said this dialogue to Riko with a bubble speech:
"Kinji had stolen a precious thing... It was your heart!"
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