Part 5
After getting through the morning classes, it was time for the noon break.
"......Can I have some of your time?"
Harutora was originally thinking about how the yuba udon he ate last time was really bad, and this time he was going to change to tempura udon. Just as he was preparing to walk to the school cafeteria, Kyouko who was waiting around called out to him.
The events that had happened yesterday were still vivid, and even Harutora felt it unexpected that she would call out to him. He stayed wary, first quietly warning: "Kon, don't come out." ...He was already adept at controlling his shikigami.
An unwilling presence came from around his feet and Harutora couldn't help but sigh. Even with the defeat they had just experienced yesterday, Kon's fighting spirit seemed undiminished.
...I never noticed that Kon had this kind of fierce personality when she appeared in the dorm......
In the end, he couldn't just keep timidly evading it, and since the effects had already extended this far, he had to resolve it. Harutora therefore replied to Kyouko, who couldn't conceal her surprised look: "alright, no problem," and followed behind her.
Kyouko brought Harutora to an emergency escape stairwell in the back of the academy building. Not only did people not come by this place, they didn't need to worry about being seen either. If it were a normal high school, there would be a very high chance that juvenile delinquents would be squatting in this place to smoke in secret, hiding from the teachers' monitoring.
"......What do you need me for?"
Anyways, Kyouko had definitely come about yesterday's shikigami fight. Harutora had originally thought Kyouko had cooled off after winning the fight, but it seemed that she still wanted to vent some.
Just as Harutora was troubled, thinking that he really wasn't good at dealing with these kinds of stubborn girls, Kyouko suddenly spoke:
"......I'm really sorry about yesterday."
He couldn't help but doubt his own ears.
He gazed at Kyouko, unable to say anything out of surprise. Kyouko's face reddened awkwardly, and she turned her head, her beautiful hair whipping through the air.
"......Even though things ended up like that, I didn't want to bring out my shikigami at first, and all of my resentment was originally directed at Ohtomo-sensei in the first place...... Anyways, I'm really sorry that I made things go out of control."
"No, please don't say that. The entire thing was Kon's fault for suddenly charging out, you don't need to apologize to me......"
Kon's discontent presence came from nearby, and naturally Harutora chose to completely ignore it.
...What was going on?
Could it be that the atmosphere in the classroom had changed, leading to a reversal in her attitude as well? No, his impression of Kyouko definitely wasn't one that would readily yield to whatever changes. Especially since she had dared to openly challenge Ohtomo and advocate firmly for herself, she wouldn't change her own philosophy even if the entire class sided with Harutora.
Then, her attitude had suddenly reversed into something that could even be called humble courtesy. Harutora was baffled again, and he unavoidably doubted that there was some secret hidden behind this.
...Ugh, but......
Regardless of what devious ideas Kyouko had behind her back, this was a good opportunity, since he needed to have a proper talk with her.
"......Hey, let me ask, you don't actually hate me, you just want to use me to attack Natsume, isn't that right?"
Strike while the iron is hot, the saying went. He asked straight to the point, and as expected, Kyouko's face pained.
"Why do you want to do that? What reasons do you have?"
"......Those are my personal affairs."
"What personal affairs?"
"You know, when a girl talks about personal affairs, it's polite not to continue asking."
"But you pulled me into your so-called personal affairs, right? I promise I won't tell that person, but do you really hate Natsume that much?"
Kyouko went silent, unable to conceal her own irritation. Harutora waited quietly for her reply, which finally made her sigh in resignation.
"......I met Natsume-kun before, when we were...... very young."
"W, What did you say?"
Harutora was greatly surprised upon hearing the unexpected confession. "Really." Kyouko murmured, twisting her body, a feminine action that seemed extremely cute.
"You don't have to be that surprised. I'm a direct descendant of the Kurahashi family, and Natsume-kun is also from the Tsuchimikado main family."
"Uh...... so you're saying that you met each other because your families are famous?"
Harutora confirmed seriously, but Kyouko's gaze jumped around in astonishment like she had seen an alien.
"Are you serious?"
"W, Why do you ask, did I say something wrong?"
Kyouko sighed deeply, and Harutora felt like he was becoming more and more like a fool.
"Listen carefully. The Kurahashi family was originally a branch family of the Tsuchimikado, we were just named differently from 'Tsuchimikado'. The Kurahashi family separated a long time ago."
Harutora gaped from ear to ear in surprise, only then noticing that he was even more of a fool than he had expected.
"W, Wait! ......What does that mean? Is that for real? Could it be that we're relatives?"
"You don't need to doubt, it's correct that we're relatives."
Harutora shook his head at a loss upon hearing Kyouko reply so straightforwardly.
Then, he asked quietly: "......Kon, did you know that?"
Though he didn't get a response, he clearly felt that Kon was deliberately not replying out of worry for his own feelings. That was a positive answer. The fact that he was clueless when even his own shikigami knew of his family's relationships shocked him greatly.
"Uh...... I, I understand! Never mind the Kurahashi family's business for now - So what? You met Natsume before, so could it be that you had a big fight at the time, and you haven't quelled your resentment even now?"
"......He doesn't remember."
"What?"
"He forgot that we met before."
Kyouko mumbled silently. Harutora closed his mouth without speaking, not because of Kyouko's words, but because of the downcast look on her face.
Only then did Harutora realize that though he had seen Kyouko's stern and angry appearances, it was his first time truly looking at that face. A sudden, unguarded depression had now taken over her face, and Harutora unconsciously panicked.
"......Was your relationship very good back then?"
"We only met once."
"What! Then you can't blame her for not remembering! Wasn't it just something that happened when you were small?"
Indeed, Harutora couldn't have not known of this person if Natsume and Kyouko's child relationship had been intimate enough to leave deep memories. Even if they had been alienated for some time, the two of them had still played together often during elementary school after all.
But--
"I remember very clearly."
Kyouko spoke as if she had been wronged, her look quite grave.
"Because we had a promise......"
"W, What promise?"
"............"
Kyouko didn't reply further. She didn't reveal any words, just a regretful and sorrowful air.
Then, she suddenly cast a doubtful gaze towards Harutora.
"......Let me ask something. After summer vacation, Natsume-san suddenly began using a ribbon to tie his hair, is that......"
"Huh?" Harutora exclaimed, immediately noticing that this problem was extremely troublesome. Not only was that elegant hair Natsume had rare among males, she even tied a ribbon into it, so it was natural that people would doubt.
"Th, Th-Th, That? And that hair, you feel it's like a girl's, right? Actually, there's magic inside it. That ribbon isn't an ordinary ribbon, it's a Tsuchimikado family tool, and so that’s why he looks just like a girl even though he's clearly a guy, hahaha."
Harutora lied as he clumsily concealed it with a smile.
Harutora didn't know why Kyouko seemed like she had received a strong blow upon hearing his explanation. "From the Tsuchimikado family......" Her murmur sounded like she was being forced to accept a truth she had long since had a premonition of, but was unwilling to recognize. Harutora didn't get why Kyouko would have this kind of reaction, and he couldn't help but wonder.
Kyouko bit her lip, completely unheeding of the confusion appearing on Harutora's face.
"......I see, so I was right, I knew it would be that."
"W, What do you mean by that?"
"Do I even need to say? Natsume-kun doesn't see anything other than himself and the Tsuchimikado family...... No, his attitude towards Onmyoudou is the same, in the end everything is to keep from shaming the Tsuchimikado name, that's why he trains his abilities so actively. The Tsuchimikado name is everything in his mind."
"Hey, that's too......"
"What? Am I wrong? Everyone knows this, there's not a single person who can't tell. Maybe you're excluded, but he only came forward to defend you because you were his - the Tsuchimikado family's shikigami - right? Isn't that right?"
She was wrong.
Harutora wanted to deny it, but he couldn't open his mouth.
Natsume who had said 'let's do our best' with a smile, Natsume whose whole body had been shaking out of shame, Natsume who had turned a blind eye to the shikigami battle but who had run over to roar at him after it ended.
He knew Natsume worried about him, but if he were asked why Natsume worried, he wouldn't be able to respond. He believed - he wanted to believe, but his heart stubbornly resisted.
Kyouko gazed solemnly at the silent Harutora, continuing to say:
"......Ato-kun also told me."
"Huh? T, Touji? What did he say......"
"He said you were becoming a shikigami and serving Natsume-kun to obey family tradition. That's why I finally understood why Natsume-kun would choose an outsider like you to be his shikigami. It doesn't have anything to do with whether it benefits him or not, nor has he considered your feelings. He just acts to comply with the Tsuchimikado family tradition, which is the most important thing to him."
Hate. Anger. Regret. Sadness. Those negative emotions were discernible everywhere in her words, completely contrasting with the first impression she gave off of straightforwardness and speaking her mind.
Kyouko looked into Harutora's eyes. What was surprising was that her gaze showed compassion and an intriguing resonance. She pitied herself, and pitied Harutora the same.
...Ah.
That moment, he understood everything.
Kyouko - after listening to Touji's words, believed that Harutora and herself were the 'same' with regard to their relationship to Natsume. Harutora didn't understand the relationship between Kyouko and Natsume, but in her heart, Kyouko had overlapped her relationship with Natsume and Harutora's relationship with Natsume. That was why such a one hundred eighty degree reversal had appeared in her attitude.
But--
"Hold on, you're wrong, Kurahashi."
This time, his tone was natural and sincere without a trace of hesitation, and that strength made Kyouko come to her senses.
"......What?'
"You're wrong, I was the one who asked that person to let me become his shikigami."
Kyouko's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Tsuchimikado-kun - Natsume-kun! Wait up."
He quickly chased after Natsume who ran through the halls like she was fleeing. But, she still moved forward without turning around even if his voice called out to her from behind.
He had hurriedly gone searching around everywhere since Natsume still hadn't showed up even when their agreed-upon time had passed, and as a result had happened upon that scene. The person in the stairwell just now had been the shikigami he had seen yesterday. They had probably fought. Natsume's small back trembled with her breathing.
He couldn't help but sigh.
On one hand, he pitied Natsume, and on the other hand he was filled with an unpleasant feeling from seeing that ugly scene. His mind understood this was unalterable, but he felt pained from the great king's immaturity and ugly appearance. In particular, this was all the fault of that worthless shikigami, which pushed him over the limits of his tolerance.
"......There's no choice."
"Right, no need to wait any longer."
He could no longer tolerate it, and that callous tone different from the usual made Natsume stop in surprise.
"Natsume-kun, there's actually no need for you to be troubled by such a small thing. Let's begin now, even though it's premature." He spoke to Natsume.
"Wh, What are you saying?"
Natsume finally turned around to face the man.
Even though her heart was wavering, she was on alert, but unfortunately her reaction was still too slow. The quarrel with her shikigami was still hanging over her head, leading to her being unable to change her mood in that instant. What an immature action, but he wouldn't have to endure it in the future. He rapidly took out a charm.
"Stupefy, seal, bind. Order."
The charm flew out from his fingers, making Natsume momentarily unconscious. He stuck both hands into his pants pockets, snorting as he overlooked the collapsed Natsume.
"Should have done this long ago."
"Don't be impatient, next is the real highlight."
Would taking this person away impede the 'education' later? Moreover, regardless of how Natsume complained, that young shikigami was definitely his pillar of support, and they had to resolve that recipe for disaster as soon as possible.
"In any case, it's an eyesore to just leave alone."
"I understand. Leave things to me to deal with."
A cold smile emerged on his face as he said this.
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