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Tokyo Ravens - Volume 5 - Chapter 4.1




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Chapter 4 - The Girl's Determination 
Part 1 
The sky was still dusky when Touji woke up. 
Tenma next to him still hadn't woken up, and most of the students were still snoring in slumber. Weak rays of light passed through the gap in the wooden door, and he could faintly hear the sound of bird songs outside. Maybe dawn had just broken. 
Anyway, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep if he went back to sleep. Judging this, Touji decided to leave his bed a bit early, making as little sound as he could and quietly walking out of the room. 
He washed his face in the bathroom, then walked out of the auditorium. 
Behind him was a forest. Fog pervaded the surroundings of the auditorium. He walked straight to the courtyard, clearly appreciating the beautiful scenery of Mount Fuji bathed in the light of dawn. Touji didn't have much interest in natural scenery, but the scene before him made him inadvertently squint his eyes and gaze in a trance. 
"Touji?" Just then, a voice sounded from behind him. It was Natsume. She walked to the courtyard from the forest behind the auditorium. 
She had already changed to her uniform. It seemed that she had been up for a while. 
"Can't sleep?" 
"Yeah...... I slept for a while, but I didn't sleep well. I kept waking up in the middle of the night." Natsume answered Touji's question, seeming a bit embarrassed. 
Though she hadn't slept well, she didn't look too bad. She even seemed more refreshed than yesterday night, right after they had finished their discussion. 
Touji glanced towards the forest behind Natsume. The warehouse was in the direction she had walked from. Maybe she wasn't using the morning to go stroll outside, but returning to the place from last evening instead, going back and re-thinking the talk that time by herself. 
"......Things seem cleared up--" 
"Huh?" 
"But actually, there haven't been any developments at all. But in the first place, it's very easy to stall when everyone gathers to talk." Touji turned towards Mount Fuji, speaking casually. He had brought about that congregation behind the scenes, but still said those kind of opinionated words. It was extremely like his style. 
"Honestly, yesterday really wasn't like something you would do." Natsume said, not comprehending. 
"Really?" 
"Yeah, you always give off an independent, solitary feeling." 
"Preconceived notions are truly frightening." 
"But...... thanks." 
"You don't need to thank me, it's too early now - but since you want to, I'll accept it graciously." 
Upon hearing Touji's supercilious remark, Natsume laughed lightly, her body shaking slightly. Then, she gazed at the distant, beautiful Mount Fuji along with Touji. 
The sun shone on the summit, showing a kind of mysterious beauty. The beautiful scene was reflected on the surface of the mountain lake, like a famous painting. 
"You and Harutora... When you run into critical times, you're always extremely loyal to your own ways of thinking. I really admire you two." Natsume suddenly spoke up. 
Touji looked at Natsume's face, puzzled. He was silent, not saying anything, realizing that Natsume's words contained no intention of wanting him to reply. 
Natsume didn't notice Touji's expression, staring straight at Mount Fuji. 
Then, she seemed to finally make her decision. 
"......Touji, Dairenji-san hates me." 
"......I thought as much." 
"She has a lot of reasons for hating me, and I don't know how to deal with her, so I can't... face her openly. But, this didn't just start after she learned I was a girl, and I don't think it's because she caught on to my weak point...... Of course, she's a Divine General, and maybe her specialty in Yakou research is a reason. But...... the most fundamental reason is......" 
"............" 

Natsume's remark seemed like a confession. Touji didn't reply to her with carefree words, very clear as to the meaning in her words - Touji could understand the implication in those words without any extra words of explanation. 
"......She hates me." Natsume said it again. "But, I hope that I can face her with more of a sincere and honest attitude. I believe I have to do that, and I hope I can manage it. That's why I was troubled for the whole night, thinking about how I could eliminate the space between us." 
"......From your tone, it seems like you've already reached a conclusion." 
"Yeah...... But...... If I could, I wanted to hear your opinion." She asked a bit bashfully, her cheeks reddening from tension. 
Touji's reply was very clear. He shrugged his shoulders, saying indifferently: "Go then, go clear things up with Harutora." 
"............" 
Natsume's face flushed, and Touji couldn't help but snicker upon seeing. 
Suzuka always made fun of Harutora, which was the main reason Natsume wasn't good at dealing with Suzuka. Moreover, Natsume might vaguely feel what kind of attitude Suzuka truly held towards Harutora - though Suzuka herself would deny it. After all, she wasn't a fool. Suzuka was always talking big, but she was extremely happy when she spoke with Harutora. It was really hard not to notice that demeanor. 
That's why she didn't know what to do when she faced Suzuka. She inadvertently - feared. 
"But..." Touji spoke lamentingly. "So you finally had the thought." 
"Uh, I, I don't want to...... c-confess...... Don't misunderstand. A, Anyway, I just wanted to f-first confirm what Harutora thought, I wasn't thinking about anything else...... I wasn't thinking about anything else at all......!" 
She spoke in a stammer even more severe than Kon's, also forgetting to lower her voice. She rigidly made meaningless resistance - pointing out what she believed was an extremely important and crucial difference - of course, Touji didn't take those words as true. 
But come to think of it, the conclusion Natsume had reached was actually identical to Touji's opinion. 
It wasn't easy to learn of Suzuka's true feelings, but if she could understand Harutora's thoughts... Natsume could come forward and face Suzuka if she grasped Harutora's feelings to a degree. Natsume believed that she wouldn't change her mind regardless of what kind of answer she got in the end. 
"Alright, strike when the iron's hot. Go wake him up." 
"I, It's not that urgent! Also, going over especially to wake him up...... I, I can't do that!" 
"Don't think too much of it. The conclusion won't change no matter how long you drag it out anyway." 
"This is modesty!" 
Natsume firmly refused, unable to throw away her modesty as a girl. Touji showed annoyance on his expression, but just then-- 
"Ah, found you! Natsume! Touji!" The person in question - Harutora - walked out of the auditorium, surprising Natsume so much that she jumped. 
"What are you doing here! Everyone's putting their futons away." 
Harutora spoke while walking out of the courtyard. Natsume was flustered, and Touji patted her on the back, but she hastily shouted out: "Okay! I'm coming right now!", rushing quickly towards Harutora who walked towards her without even looking at him. She ran into the auditorium entrance, practically in a full sprint. Stunned upon seeing her react like that, Harutora gaped and stopped his feet. 
Touji narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction Natsume left, and bluntly cursed: "......Coward." 
Harutora scratched his head, walking towards Touji in confusion. 
"What's up with Natsume?" 
"It's nothing, she's the same as usual." 
"Uh, Touji, that's very different from usual." 
"That's where you're wrong, Harutora. The difference is whether she expresses it or not. She's actually the same as usual." 
Harutora faced Touji who seemed to know everything, full of doubt. "Wah, Mount Fuji's so pretty." Then, he noticed the scene before him, slowly breaking into a smile. These two were practically of the same mold...... Touji seemed to have something else to say, casting a cold gaze to his side. 
"But...... Poor Dairenji, she completely lost at the starting line." 
"What? What does that mean?' 
"Nothing much - Alright, it's about time for breakfast. Let's go, Harutora." 
Touji patted his good friend's shoulder, walking towards the auditorium in the direction Natsume had left. Harutora first frowned, and then looked at Mount Fuji again, smiling slightly and following in Touji's footsteps.



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