text1173;"""A hundred bells chimed with a hundred melodies in my head, announcing the morning.""" text1174;"""In that medley were the cheerful chirping of the birds, the construction on a neighboring street, the boisterous shouts of street vendors, the damned fan that hadn't quit humming for a second, and the grumpy muttering somewhere close by…""" text1175;"""The fixed gaze of large green eyes, the pouting lips, and the two red braids… Hold on!""" text1176;"""This had already happened before!""" text1177;"""I jumped out of bed, stared in bewilderment at Himitsu, and blurted out:""" text1178;"""What day is it today?""" text1179;"""Tuesday…""" text1180;"""She replied, frightened.""" text1181;"""What's wrong?""" text1182;"""Tuesday, huh? Alright, then… Tuesday it is then…""" text1183;"""I scanned the room meticulously.""" text1184;"""The open notebook I had tried doing my homework in the night before was still in the same spot.""" text1185;"""Which meant that everything was fine.""" text1186;"""It just felt like tomorrow hadn't come.""" text1187;"""What do you mean?""" text1188;"""Well, like when you wake up, and today is still yesterday, like in a sci-fi novel.""" text1189;"""You read too many of those.""" text1190;"""Himitsu laughed.""" text1191;"""Things did seem to be running their normal course.""" text1192;"""Except, I now became aware of a peculiar smell. I sniffed the air.""" text1193;"""Is that…?""" text1194;"""Yes, well… I prepared breakfast ahead of time.""" text1195;"""A big pot of borscht sat on the stove.""" text1196;"""Good Lord, but why?""" text1197;"""Didn't you ask for some yesterday?""" text1198;"""No, I didn't. I just mentioned it in passing. It was a joke.""" text1199;"""Well, you know what!""" text1200;"""She said menacingly.""" text1201;"""You're going to have to eat this joke now!""" text1202;"""Soup for breakfast — now, that was certainly unorthodox.""" text1203;"""Himitsu had outdone herself this time.""" text1204;"""Suppose yesterday I'd said something about foie gras and a 1978 Château Margaux. Would they be awaiting me now too?""" text1205;"""In any case, the borscht tasted quite good. Granted, it wasn't exactly a traditional recipe.""" text1206;"""Well?""" text1207;"""Himitsu was sitting across from me, looking at me intently.""" text1208;"""Why aren't you eating?""" text1209;"""I'm waiting to hear what you think.""" text1210;"""Oh, yeah, sorry. It's delicious.""" text1211;"""Really?""" text1212;"""She didn't believe me.""" text1213;"""Yes, yes, really! Why wouldn't it be?""" text1214;"""Himitsu tried the borscht.""" text1215;"""True enough.""" text1216;"""Now, don't you dare complain about my cooking again!""" text1217;"""When did I ever complain? You just don't get my humor!""" text1218;"""I do get it…""" text1219;"""I thought it was just some lighthearted banter, but Himitsu didn't look her usual self.""" text1220;"""Every so often, a shadow of sadness passed over her face.""" text1221;"""Did something happen?""" text1222;"""No, what about you?""" text1223;"""What about me?""" text1224;"""At that moment, the events of the previous day flashed before my eyes.""" text1225;"""The surprise awakening and the borscht had temporarily made me forget about Catherine and the note.""" text1226;"""Kyosuke must have already told Himitsu everything.""" text1227;"""Everything's fine. Just a bit unexpected.""" text1228;"""Don't worry, I'll be alright.""" text1229;"""Good, if you say so…""" text1230;"""She smiled.""" text1231;"""Let's go, or we'll be late for school!""" text1232;"""…""" text1233;"""We exchanged only a few words along the way.""" text1234;"""Somehow, we just couldn't find a suitable subject for conversation.""" text1235;"""I didn't want to tell Himitsu about the note just yet, and she probably hadn't had anything happen to her overnight that was worth sharing.""" text1236;"""Sure, I could've talked about some random stuff, but that wasn't my thing.""" text1237;"""Finally, we reached the school.""" text1238;"""No incidents today, I hope.""" text1239;"""I hemmed.""" text1240;"""Alright, see you.""" text1241;"""Don't sleep in class!""" text1242;"""Himitsu smiled and headed for her classroom.""" text1243;"""…""" text1244;"""Okay, now I had to think of a way to snag Catherine's notebook without anyone noticing.""" text1245;"""I hoped she'd written something in it. Preferably in Japanese!""" text1246;"""I was walking down the hallway, lost in thought, when someone called my name:""" text1247;"""Anokhin-kun, hold it there!""" text1248;"""The school principal, what was his name…?""" text1249;"""Yes, Kiyama-sensei, what is it?""" text1250;"""Follow me to my office, please.""" text1251;"""But class is about to start…""" text1252;"""I protested like this sort of thing was something new to me.""" text1253;"""It won't take long.""" text1254;"""A wiry old man in his seventies (maybe even older), Kiyama-sensei was always cloyingly polite and cold.""" text1255;"""On top of that, he dressed and carried himself in a strictly European manner.""" text1256;"""I'd always been shocked by how devoted some Japanese people were to the Western lifestyle and culture.""" text1257;"""I could think of any number of sayings on this subject, along the lines of \""To thine own self be true…\""""" text1258;"""Although, here, this had become something of a tradition in its own right. This was, after all, an elite school.""" text1259;"""What's the issue, exactly?""" text1260;"""Anokhin-kun, please come along!""" text1261;"""Well, naturally, he wasn't going to reprimand me in the middle of the hallway, in view of the entire school, was he?""" text1262;"""We went into his office, but someone was already there.""" text1263;"""Huh! Well, if it isn't ojou-sama herself!""" text1264;"""Standing next to the principal's desk was, in fact, \""Ellie-sama.\""""" text1265;"""Ah, the boor from yesterday!""" text1266;"""She seemed equally surprised to see me here.""" text1267;"""Yesterday's cafeteria incident came back to me in vivid detail.""" text1268;"""The madam did give me a kerchief, in the end… To wipe myself.""" text1269;"""And I tossed it into the dirty laundry at home. Whoops… I needed to return it.""" text1270;"""Let me guess: you're a frequent visitor here?""" text1271;"""She asked sarcastically.""" text1272;"""Well I certainly didn't expect to find myself groveling at your grace's feet today!""" text1273;"""That will be all, Kobayashi-san.""" text1274;"""Kobayashi… That last name sounded familiar.""" text1275;"""Ellie bade the principal a polite farewell and walked past me, shooting me an angry look.""" text1276;"""So, Anokhin-kun, do you know why you're here?""" text1277;"""I've got a couple theories…""" text1278;"""The principal sighed and gave me a sad look from behind his glasses.""" text1279;"""Anokhin-kun, I understand that Japanese culture is alien to you. But, here, at this school, we have students of every nationality. We endeavor to provide all of them with the best opportunities.""" text1280;"""In return, we expect an appropriate level of respect and adherence to the school rules.""" text1281;"""Here we go…""" text1282;"""I think you ought to understand this, especially considering your situation…""" text1283;"""What about my situation?""" text1284;"""Let's not make this personal now!""" text1285;"""No, what I meant was…""" text1286;"""Embarrassed, he removed his glasses and began wiping them slowly with a special cloth.""" text1287;"""I meant to say that we make no distinctions between our students. The rules are the same for everyone.""" text1288;"""I understand.""" text1289;"""In that case, you must also understand that you can't just skip classes for no reason.""" text1290;"""He put his glasses back on and gave me a hard look""" text1291;"""And, speaking of your attendance record…""" text1292;"""I understand…""" text1293;"""If you understand, why do you keep skipping classes?""" text1294;"""I…""" text1295;"""Do you know who sponsors our school?""" text1296;"""I shrugged.""" text1297;"""Kobayashi Corporation. This name does mean something to you, does it not? The company's president himself is chairman of our school's board of trustees. The centuries-old traditions…""" text1298;"""At that point, I tuned him out.""" text1299;"""Kobayashi Corporation and Kobayashi Ellie…""" text1300;"""Things were adding up. Interesting!""" text1301;"""I wondered: Would she still be the school queen if she had been born into an ordinary family?""" text1302;"""A family like Iwamura's, for instance…""" text1303;"""Anokhin-kun, what's that smirk for? Did I say something funny?""" text1304;"""I'm very sorry, Kiyama-sensei! This will not happen again!""" text1305;"""I bowed to the ground.""" text1306;"""Alright, alright, that's enough…""" text1307;"""The old man apparently hadn't been expecting this degree of repentance from me.""" text1308;"""I have seen the error of my ways, and I promise this will never happen again!""" text1309;"""Well, that's the most important thing, the fact that you understand… And don't let it happen again…""" text1310;"""Very well, go now, or you'll be late for class!""" text1311;"""Thank you very much! I'm going now!""" text1312;"""I formally took my leave and marched out of his office.""" text1313;"""…""" text1314;"""So why didn't you tell me that this Ellie-sama of yours is a Kobayashi?""" text1315;"""There were still a couple minutes left before the beginning of the lesson.""" text1316;"""I did tell you.""" text1317;"""No, you didn't! You said her grandfather was the chairman of the board of trustees, as if I'm supposed to know who the chairman is!""" text1318;"""That's the problem — you never know anything. Anyway, why do you ask?""" text1319;"""I got called into the principal's office just now…""" text1320;"""For skipping class?""" text1321;"""Why else?""" text1322;"""At that moment, the bell rang.""" text1323;"""…""" text1324;"""Only now did I remember Catherine.""" text1325;"""Her seat was behind me, so I couldn't watch her constantly.""" text1326;"""Was she writing anything down? How was I going to grab her notebook unnoticed, anyway?""" text1327;"""Surprisingly, I was hardly at all anxious.""" text1328;"""Sleep had cleared my mind, and I found the whole situation more intriguing than troubling.""" text1329;"""The closing bell finally rang.""" text1330;"""Catherine got up and left the classroom.""" text1331;"""This was my chance!""" text1332;"""I slowly approached her desk, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.""" text1333;"""I glanced around. My classmates were all minding their own business.""" text1334;"""I leaned down, opened the notebook, flipped through the pages…""" text1335;"""No, the handwriting was completely different!""" text1336;"""But how? Why?""" text1337;"""Sure, I had some issues with Japanese characters, but this much was obvious — Catherine did not write yesterday's note.""" text1338;"""Anokhin-kun!""" text1339;"""I stood at attention.""" text1340;"""Caught, exposed, disgraced…""" text1341;"""Go to the teachers' room with Iwamura-san and bring the printouts for the next lesson.""" text1342;"""That was close.""" text1343;"""I looked at Iwamura. She stood nearby, staring indifferently out the window.""" text1344;"""Right now, I only wanted to get out of the classroom as quickly as possible.""" text1345;"""Uh, hi. Well, should we get going?""" text1346;"""I can go alone.""" text1347;"""She didn't even look in my direction!""" text1348;"""But we were told to go together.""" text1349;"""I'll manage by myself.""" text1350;"""Under different circumstances, I would have gladly agreed with her.""" text1351;"""Listen, I understand and all, but I've already been to the principal's office today, and I'm not burning with a desire to go back.""" text1352;"""Suit yourself.""" text1353;"""Iwamura shrugged and headed toward the door.""" text1354;"""…""" text1355;"""The hallways were unexpectedly empty.""" text1356;"""It was as if the students were hiding away in anticipation of something.""" text1357;"""Iwamura walked in silence.""" text1358;"""This was how she was acting, after I'd defended her a day earlier!""" text1359;"""She was probably mad that I didn't help her yesterday.""" text1360;"""The awkward silence desperately demanded a conversation to break it.""" text1361;"""So, do you have to… do this often?""" text1362;"""I couldn't think of anything better to say.""" text1363;"""She raised her eyes and looked at me in surprise. That was a first.""" text1364;"""So, I had achieved the desired effect after all.""" text1365;"""Well, of course — I'm the class president.""" text1366;"""Oh, yeah, right. Sorry…""" text1367;"""Silence again.""" text1368;"""It's just that we've never really talked. I don't even know your first name.""" text1369;"""Why do you need to?""" text1370;"""It's only natural! Here, I'm Nikolai.""" text1371;"""This visibly embarrassed Iwamura, who seemed to be hesitating with her answer.""" text1372;"""In Japanese culture, addressing someone by their first name is a sign of close, possibly vulgar familiarity. This was especially true in our case.""" text1373;"""But I didn't bother with all these conventions.""" text1374;"""Kagome…""" text1375;"""She said quietly.""" text1376;"""What, really?""" text1377;"""A loud burst of laughter escaped my lips, spooking several passing girls, who went as far around us as they could.""" text1378;"""What's so funny?""" text1379;"""Kagome frowned.""" text1380;"""Nothing, it's just… Well, you know, it's a weird name.""" text1381;"""No weirder than yours!""" text1382;"""What, what's wrong with my name? It's a normal name. Nikolai. Nickolas, if you prefer, or Nick.""" text1383;"""You're all the same.""" text1384;"""She was starting to get worked up, it seemed.""" text1385;"""Who's \""we\""? Gaijin?""" text1386;"""No… The local morons.""" text1387;"""How rude!""" text1388;"""Kagome snorted and turned away.""" text1389;"""Listen, do you have a problem with me?""" text1390;"""I think you have a problem.""" text1391;"""Oh, really? And what is it, I'm curious?""" text1392;"""Who's that new foreigner?""" text1393;"""I opened my mouth in surprise.""" text1394;"""Why would she be asking about that?""" text1395;"""Why?""" text1396;"""You've been staring at her nonstop for two days now.""" text1397;"""Have you been spying on me?""" text1398;"""I'd have to be blind not to notice.""" text1399;"""She responded, unfazed.""" text1400;"""That's… that's really none of your business.""" text1401;"""Of course it's not.""" text1402;"""Kagome smirked.""" text1403;"""But neither is my life any of yours! So why are you prying?""" text1404;"""She had a point…""" text1405;"""Say she's someone you used to know""" text1406;"""We knew each other at one point — we were in the same class.""" text1407;"""I'd say you take an unhealthy interest in your old acquaintances.""" text1408;"""Say the two of you used to date""" text1409;"""We… We were in a relationship at one point.""" text1410;"""Kagome's facial expression was hard to read, and she remained silent.""" text1411;"""Say you don't know her""" text1412;"""She's nobody… I don't know… It doesn't matter!""" text1413;"""I see…""" text1414;"""Kagome drawled. She clearly didn't buy it.""" text1415;"""Why did you bring her up anyway?""" text1416;"""It's not every day that we have a new student in our class. And such a striking foreigner at that.""" text1417;"""I'm a foreigner too, you know.""" text1418;"""She looked me up and down, snickered, and said:""" text1419;"""Yeah, sure.""" text1420;"""I knew it!""" text1421;"""Not only would my face not pass as Japanese, but now I was being denied the title of a proper gaijin as well!""" text1422;"""Are you always like this?""" text1423;"""I was starting to lose my temper.""" text1424;"""We've arrived. Wait here.""" text1425;"""Hey…""" text1426;"""Just in time, too, before I could open my mouth.""" text1427;"""Kagome went into the teachers' room, and before I knew it, she was back with a large stack of paper.""" text1428;"""Carry it.""" text1429;"""What, all of it?""" text1430;"""I couldn't see any way to carry the heap comfortably.""" text1431;"""What if we each carry half?""" text1432;"""Didn't you, yourself, volunteer to come along?""" text1433;"""No I didn't! The teacher sent me, if you recall.""" text1434;"""Fine, give it here.""" text1435;"""Kagome attempted to take all of the papers from me at once.""" text1436;"""No way, that won't do either.""" text1437;"""Which of us looked more pathetic now?""" text1438;"""Spurred on by wounded pride, I walked fast, so the return trip took considerably less time.""" text1439;"""…""" text1440;"""I dropped the mountain of papers onto the teacher's desk with a thud, while Kagome took her seat and returned to her usual window gazing.""" text1441;"""I guess no one deserves to be bullied, but man, I could almost understand those punks from yesterday!""" text1442;"""…""" text1443;"""Judging by the clock, the bell was less than a minute away.""" text1444;"""Catherine's desk was empty.""" text1445;"""I turned to Michael, who sat next to her:""" text1446;"""Did Catherine… The new girl… did she go somewhere?""" text1447;"""Don't know. Wasn't really paying attention. Why?""" text1448;"""Never mind, no reason…""" text1449;"""Bummed, I sat down at my desk.""" text1450;"""Could she have somehow noticed that I opened her notebook?""" text1451;"""No way. Catherine wasn't even in the classroom at the time.""" text1452;"""Did someone tell her?""" text1453;"""How long ago did she leave?""" text1454;"""I'm telling you, I don't know.""" text1455;"""Are you talking about the new girl? I think she went to see the principal.""" text1456;"""A classmate had overheard our conversation.""" text1457;"""Thanks.""" text1458;"""The chair beneath me felt like it was on fire — that's how badly I wanted to run after her.""" text1459;"""But to what end? What was I going to tell her?""" text1460;"""As the bell sounded, my feet seemed to acquire a will of their own. They carried me to the door, then past the teacher, and out into the hallway.""" text1461;"""I turned the corner at a run and stopped.""" text1462;"""What the hell am I doing…? Why all this?""" text1463;"""The school had gone silent, frozen still, as though in awe of the inescapable might of pure knowledge.""" text1464;"""I was slowly tiptoeing through the empty hallways toward the principal's office.""" text1465;"""If I were to run into one of the teachers now, I would have to explain myself all over again.""" text1466;"""On the other hand, it would be no better if I showed up at his office myself!""" text1467;"""Speaking of which, here it was…""" text1468;"""I pressed an ear to the door, but no sound was coming from the other side.""" text1469;"""Either they were playing the silent game, or Catherine wasn't there.""" text1470;"""So, what next? It was too late to go back to class.""" text1471;"""…""" text1472;"""I wandered the empty hallways and didn't even notice how I ended up in the old wing.""" text1473;"""Our school had been repeatedly rebuilt since it first opened its doors right after the war, with new buildings added on as old ones fell into decay.""" text1474;"""Inefficient, if you asked me.""" text1475;"""Why not tear down the old structure first and build a new one in its place?""" text1476;"""Theoretically, there shouldn't have been anyone in this wing, but suddenly I heard music. A guitar…""" text1477;"""The sound was coming from what, judging by the plaque, was the old music classroom.""" text1478;"""I opened the door a crack…""" text1479;"""Hah! None other than Kobayashi Ellie!""" text1480;"""She was the last person I expected to find here.""" text1481;"""She was doing a fine job playing, though. The tune was nice, and the execution was equally good.""" text1482;"""Music, at least, was one area that I knew a thing or two about.""" text1483;"""Ellie herself seemed to be glowing with happiness, looking nothing like the prim princess I'd encountered in the principal's office this morning.""" text1484;"""Cool though this lyrical digression was, I certainly couldn't let a chance like this slip by!""" text1485;"""Well, well, who do we have here?""" text1486;"""The guitar went abruptly silent. My applause was the only sound interrupting the silence that had descended on the place.""" text1487;"""Ojou-sama, I didn't know you played the guitar too!""" text1488;"""Many emotions flickered across her face: embarrassment, surprise, annoyance, resentment.""" text1489;"""You… You…""" text1490;"""Please, pay no attention to me! Carry on!""" text1491;"""You… You! What are you doing here?""" text1492;"""I followed a beautiful siren's song, but I could never have imagined it would be you, Ojou-sama!""" text1493;"""Enough!""" text1494;"""Ellie blurted out, stood up abruptly, and froze, as if not knowing what to do next.""" text1495;"""Hey, come on, don't be upset. I just didn't realize you played the guitar. Somehow, I wouldn't associate you with the instrument. Now, the violin maybe…""" text1496;"""I can play violin too.""" text1497;"""She cut in.""" text1498;"""Really? Well, that's cool.""" text1499;"""And why aren't you in class?""" text1500;"""It's no mystery why I'm skipping. What about yourself?""" text1501;"""I'm not skipping! We… we have a break.""" text1502;"""Alright, alright.""" text1503;"""I smirked.""" text1504;"""You don't have to make excuses to me.""" text1505;"""I'm not making excuses! You, on the other hand, should watch your behavior! What were you doing at the principal's this morning?""" text1506;"""Dropped by for a cup of tea. In any case, it's none of your business.""" text1507;"""I wasn't trying to be rude, but that's exactly how it came out.""" text1508;"""Actually, it is my business, seeing as my grandfather —""" text1509;"""I'm aware.""" text1510;"""She gave me a surprised look.""" text1511;"""What? Is it a secret?""" text1512;"""No, of course not…""" text1513;"""Even so —""" text1514;"""Suddenly, we heard voices in the hallway.""" text1515;"""Hide!""" text1516;"""Ellie whispered anxiously.""" text1517;"""Why? You're on a break, and I'm used to it.""" text1518;"""I said sardonically, albeit in a lower voice.""" text1519;"""She didn't answer but was looking at me pleadingly.""" text1520;"""She must have had her reasons.""" text1521;"""Hide""" text1522;"""Don't hide""" text1523;"""Alright, fine. Except I don't see where we could hide here.""" text1524;"""In there!""" text1525;"""Ellie grabbed my hand and dragged me to a small door, which I had missed initially.""" text1526;"""The door opened into a cramped utility closet.""" text1527;"""What, here…?""" text1528;"""I hesitated; the closet was definitely not roomy enough for two people.""" text1529;"""Get in already!""" text1530;"""But Ellie clearly thought otherwise; next thing I knew, she shoved me inside, then stepped in herself.""" text1531;"""Great, we were now packed in like sardines… And this place reeked!""" text1532;"""Yet, perceptible through the stench of dampness, moldiness, and dust, was the sweet aroma of Ellie's perfume.""" text1533;"""A killer combination to say the least!""" text1534;"""The classroom door opened, and several people entered.""" text1535;"""I think I heard something…""" text1536;"""You must have misheard, Kiyama-sensei.""" text1537;"""The principal was talking to one of the teachers.""" text1538;"""I'm not hearing things. I may be getting on in years, but I'm still more than capable —""" text1539;"""Heavens, no, Kiyama-sensei, I didn't mean anything of the sort.""" text1540;"""Anyhow, this ramshackle place should've been torn down long ago.""" text1541;"""A third voice joined the conversation.""" text1542;"""This ramshackle place, as you called it…""" text1543;"""The principal let out a sigh so loud, I could hear it clearly even from the closet.""" text1544;"""I remember arriving here as a young teacher, right after the war. Traded in my rifle for a pointer, you could say, chalk taking the place of ammunition…""" text1545;"""Who would have guessed that our principal was so sentimental?""" text1546;"""Ellie suddenly fidgeted.""" text1547;"""Naturally, anyone would be uncomfortable hiding in a cramped closet with too little room even for one person.""" text1548;"""Or was she uncomfortable with me in particular?""" text1549;"""I shifted my gaze to Ellie. of course she was uncomfortable!""" text1550;"""But I desperately didn't want to have to be lectured by the principal again because of some ojou-sama!""" text1551;"""Would you be quiet?!""" text1552;"""I hissed.""" text1553;"""She turned red like a boiled lobster, her breathing becoming rapid and irregular.""" text1554;"""It really was an awkward situation. But it was for both of us, and I was still trying to hang on.""" text1555;"""Just because Ellie played the guitar didn't necessarily mean she had experience in the area of…""" text1556;"""I didn't finish the thought — the girl's scent hit my nose with new strength, making my head spin.""" text1557;"""Though who was I to pass judgement on her experience?""" text1558;"""Yes, I'd dated Catherine, but I'd gotten somewhat used to her, whereas here was a completely different girl, standing next to me.""" text1559;"""Not just next to — pressed right against me!""" text1560;"""My heart started beating faster, I swallowed.""" text1561;"""Ellie looked up at me with a frightened look in her eyes.""" text1562;"""What do you want from me?!""" text1563;"""I silently mouthed.""" text1564;"""She didn't respond, just kept fidgeting.""" text1565;"""Although her movements were now making the whole situation uncomfortable for me.""" text1566;"""I made a face that, in my mind, was supposed to mean \""quiet\"".""" text1567;"""She seemed to have understood.""" text1568;"""Meanwhile, the principal continued his oration:""" text1569;"""… and after all of that, you talk of… This is our cultural heritage! It should be made into a museum!""" text1570;"""Certainly, Kiyama-sensei, but let's go now. We have a meeting coming up.""" text1571;"""Yes, yes, forgive me, I got a bit carried away…""" text1572;"""The moment the door closed behind them, Ellie came flying out of the closet.""" text1573;"""I stepped out after her.""" text1574;"""I had to say something.""" text1575;"""It was… a bit tight in there.""" text1576;"""She looked at me, dumbfounded.""" text1577;"""Tight…?""" text1578;"""Tight! You! You pervert! You groped me all over!""" text1579;"""I didn't touch you at all.""" text1580;"""You groped me with your eyes, then! You think I couldn't see it, feel it?!""" text1581;"""Calm down already, will you! How can you grope someone with your eyes? And anyway, it was your idea to hide in there.""" text1582;"""Yes, but —""" text1583;"""That's all there is to it!""" text1584;"""Ellie's expression turned dreary, and she lowered her gaze.""" text1585;"""I suppose it's unbefitting a young lady to behave like this, isn't it?""" text1586;"""She smiled sadly.""" text1587;"""Well I'm not the best person to give advice on these matters, but for what it's worth, I don't think there's anything wrong with playing the guitar. You must enjoy music a lot, huh?""" text1588;"""Yes…""" text1589;"""This time, her smile was more genuine.""" text1590;"""Then I don't see a problem!""" text1591;"""Just then, a distant bell announced it was break time.""" text1592;"""Alright, I've gotta go! See you!""" text1593;"""Her final, parting smile was utterly disarming.""" text1594;"""I was left standing alone inside an empty music classroom of the empty old wing.""" text1595;"""What a strange girl…""" text1596;"""On the other hand, the fun was only just starting!""" text1597;"""There's no place to hide here!""" text1598;"""In there!""" text1599;"""Ellie grabbed my hand and dragged me to a small door, which I had missed initially.""" text1600;"""The door opened into a cramped utility closet.""" text1601;"""No way, I'm not going in there.""" text1602;"""Just then, the principal entered the classroom, accompanied by two teachers.""" text1603;"""I told you I heard something! I'm not hearing things! I may be old, but I'm still in my right mind!""" text1604;"""G'day.""" text1605;"""I smiled crookedly and gave them a wave.""" text1606;"""Anokhin-kun, Kobayashi-san… I think we have already met today in this company. While I am not surprised to see you here, Anokhin-kun, when it comes to Kobayashi-san…""" text1607;"""I…""" text1608;"""Ellie looked completely disoriented and wouldn't even step out from behind me.""" text1609;"""I suddenly felt sorry for her.""" text1610;"""I shouldn't have set her up like that after all!""" text1611;"""It was obvious now that she'd been skipping classes too, but for her the mistake carried much more weight.""" text1612;"""I was playing the guitar in here!""" text1613;"""I picked up the guitar and plucked the strings a few times.""" text1614;"""As for Ellie… Kobayashi-san, she was just going about her business when she heard me, which is how we all ended up here, entirely by chance.""" text1615;"""She had business in the old wing…?""" text1616;"""Well, yeah, you know how it is, making the rounds…""" text1617;"""Do you take us for idiots, Anokhin-kun?""" text1618;"""I wouldn't say idiots exactly…""" text1619;"""I muttered.""" text1620;"""What are you whispering there? Speak up!""" text1621;"""I can speak for myself!""" text1622;"""Ellie finally mustered the courage and stepped forward.""" text1623;"""Yes, I was skipping class and playing the guitar. What now? Are you going to tell my grandfather? Go on! I don't think he'll be surprised.""" text1624;"""Her sudden brazenness took me aback.""" text1625;"""Hang on, Kobayashi-san. You, too, were playing the guitar? What is this, some kind of musical band you have here?""" text1626;"""I could barely keep myself from cracking up with laughter, but Ellie just sighed.""" text1627;"""Anyway, if you want to report me, you know where to call. Now, if you have no more questions for me…""" text1628;"""Confidently, she headed for the door, passing the teachers without even sparing them a glance.""" text1629;"""The teachers, it seemed, hadn't expected to be rebuffed by their model student and stood frozen in a stupor.""" text1630;"""I decided to take advantage of this opening.""" text1631;"""Well, I guess I'll be going too.""" text1632;"""I caught up to Ellie in the hallway.""" text1633;"""Wait… sorry about the way that turned out. We should've hid.""" text1634;"""Yes, we should have.""" text1635;"""She retorted, without even turning to face me.""" text1636;"""I was hoping for a slightly different reaction, considering I had tried to stand up for her.""" text1637;"""It's just, you see, it all happened so suddenly…""" text1638;"""I do see. It's just not your problem.""" text1639;"""It wouldn't have been my problem if you were there by yourself, but now…""" text1640;"""But now — what?!""" text1641;"""She stopped abruptly, turned around, and glared at me.""" text1642;"""Are you going to get called in to the principal again? Get reprimanded? Suspended for a couple weeks? Big deal!""" text1643;"""No, but I…""" text1644;"""Enough then!""" text1645;"""She walked off, clicking her heels loudly on the floor, and I was left standing dumbfounded, just like the teachers a minute earlier.""" text1646;"""Thinking about it, Ellie was actually right.""" text1647;"""I didn't give a damn about any disciplinary action, but what would it do to her?""" text1648;"""A single misstep could shatter her image as a spotless princess.""" text1649;"""If I hadn't been there, she would have hidden herself, and, most likely, everything would have been fine.""" text1650;"""Oh, well, there was no point in dwelling on it now.""" text1651;"""…""" text1652;"""This whole musical interlude made me entirely forget the reason I had wound up here in the first place.""" text1653;"""I'd been looking for Catherine…""" text1654;"""I had absolutely no desire to go back to class, where I could expect another scolding.""" text1655;"""Simply skipping was bad enough, but to have run out of the classroom right in front of the teacher… No, thank you!""" text1656;"""I managed to slip out of the building unnoticed, and here I was — free as the wind — strolling down a sidewalk in one of Tokyo's central districts.""" text1657;"""I just wanted to chill out. This whole day had been a waste; the only thing I achieved was determining that Catherine had not written yesterday's note.""" text1658;"""The note… Unpleasant thoughts crept into my head.""" text1659;"""But if she didn't write it, who did?""" text1660;"""What if it wasn't a prank?""" text1661;"""Just what was going on? More had happened to me in the past day and a half than over the course of the past year and a half!""" text1662;"""That entire time, I hadn't really socialized with anyone, except maybe Himitsu. Well, add to that Kyosuke and, occasionally, Michael.""" text1663;"""Now, Catherine was back, and there was Kagome and Ellie.""" text1664;"""What next? Was I going to turn into a magical girl?""" text1665;"""As if by chance, I ended up near a familiar bar.""" text1666;"""A couple rounds of beer were an absolute must right now! I'd relax, clear my head…""" text1667;"""The inside wasn't crowded, which made sense for this time of the day — people were supposed to be either at work or school.""" text1668;"""Like in that joke about the three-story building and the hurricane.""" text1669;"""Even though I wasn't a stranger here, I always had a fake passport at the ready. A classmate whose father worked in law enforcement had hooked me up at one point.""" text1670;"""There were lots of students at our school who had these \""passes to adult life\"".""" text1671;"""How could you prove it wasn't real? A document's a document, especially when some insolent snot is shoving it in your face.""" text1672;"""Not to mention that the bar's owner was Russian.""" text1673;"""Chuckling, he usually told people that he used to be a pirate who was shipwrecked off the coast of Japan.""" text1674;"""That was a tall tale, of course; most likely, he was just a regular immigrant, like my parents.""" text1675;"""I sat down at the counter and ordered a beer.""" text1676;"""Hey, Kolya, what's up? You're early today!""" text1677;"""Yeah, kinda worked out that way.""" text1678;"""You aren't going to get in trouble at school, are you? You know how strict they are about these things here.""" text1679;"""I giggled nervously.""" text1680;"""Okay, I see — none of my business.""" text1681;"""A good bartender is invariably a good psychologist; it's practically a qualification for the job.""" text1682;"""Beer, at this place, was served in pint-sized mugs, which made me very happy. Squealing with pleasure after downing a tiny glass in one gulp was not my thing. Yuck!""" text1683;"""I took a long pull.""" text1684;"""Catherine's back.""" text1685;"""The Bartender raised his eyebrows and asked with unfeigned surprise:""" text1686;"""And what are you going to do now?""" text1687;"""At times, I wondered if showing empathy to customers was something more than just a professional skill for him.""" text1688;"""What can I do? She hasn't been over eager to talk… and neither have I. At any rate, I'm certainly not going to throw myself at her.""" text1689;"""So why is she back?""" text1690;"""Cause of her mother's work, probably. She couldn't have come by herself, right?""" text1691;"""Most likely not.""" text1692;"""So, I'm in this weird spot now. You know what they say, life is like a zebra: a black stripe, followed by a white stripe, then a black one again, then a white one again…""" text1693;"""Yep, and then the ass!""" text1694;"""We both laughed.""" text1695;"""You know what, Kolya, don't get down.""" text1696;"""He said encouragingly.""" text1697;"""You still have your whole life ahead of you. The two of you will make up a hundred times over yet. And if not, you'll find yourself another girl, lots of them all over!""" text1698;"""The Bartender spread out his arms, inviting apprehensive looks from the few schoolgirls nestled at a table in the furthest corner of the room.""" text1699;"""Thanks for the comforting words…""" text1700;"""There's so much else besides that, anyway! Life is in full swing…""" text1701;"""And each swing hits you on the head!""" text1702;"""Geez, did he keep a glossary of sayings under that counter?""" text1703;"""The bar door flew open, and a group of young people entered.""" text1704;"""Having immediately recognized among them the punks from the day before, I instinctively buried my face in the mug.""" text1705;"""Was I scared? So it seemed.""" text1706;"""They sat down at a table and ordered beer and cocktails for the girls.""" text1707;"""You know them?""" text1708;"""The Bartender asked quietly, leaning in toward me.""" text1709;"""Wouldn't say I know them… But we've met.""" text1710;"""I gave them the occasional sidelong glance.""" text1711;"""I wondered if I should get up and leave. Wouldn't that look cowardly though?""" text1712;"""Then again, to who? They hadn't even noticed me.""" text1713;"""No sooner did I think that than one of the guys got up and walked over to the counter.""" text1714;"""Hey! I know you!""" text1715;"""If you say so.""" text1716;"""I said as calmly as possible, without even sparing him a glance.""" text1717;"""I don't think you know who you're dealing with, gaijin!""" text1718;"""I'm not dealing with anyone.""" text1719;"""So, it wasn't you who punched my friend in the face yesterday?""" text1720;"""If it was me, he deserved it.""" text1721;"""Reeeeally? Then how about we step outside for a little chat?""" text1722;"""I looked at the Bartender, but he only shrugged. Some empathy, damn it!""" text1723;"""Alright, let's step out.""" text1724;"""What else could I do?""" text1725;"""Half a minute later, we were standing in an alley behind the bar.""" text1726;"""A couple older guys joined the school kids.""" text1727;"""Where did they even come from?""" text1728;"""Not so tough now, are you?""" text1729;"""Said the one I punched yesterday.""" text1730;"""That'll teach him to stand up for whores!""" text1731;"""I looked at the girl.""" text1732;"""Compared to her, Kagome was Mother Theresa!""" text1733;"""Well, what next? Gonna beat me up? Four against one? That's impressive!""" text1734;"""What happened to your code of honor? The Yakuza have one.""" text1735;"""I sneered at the largest guy among them.""" text1736;"""You — you've definitely got the mugshot of a thug.""" text1737;"""The older guys clenched their teeth, their expressions hardening.""" text1738;"""What did you say?!""" text1739;"""Let's get it over with already…""" text1740;"""A thought flashed through my mind: What if I struck first? That way, at least, I'd retain a smidgeon of self respect.""" text1741;"""But I had no time to decide, as a strong shove to the back threw me to the ground.""" text1742;"""That was low…""" text1743;"""Their blows hit hard. But they didn't go on for long.""" text1744;"""I curled up into a ball, covering my head with my arms.""" text1745;"""It hurt…""" text1746;"""…""" text1747;"""By the time I recovered my senses, the bastards had vanished without a trace.""" text1748;"""I got up slowly and felt myself all over.""" text1749;"""Nothing was broken, it seemed.""" text1750;"""My face was mostly intact as well.""" text1751;"""…except for a black eye.""" text1752;"""I returned to the bar and sat down in the same seat.""" text1753;"""I no longer felt like carrying a cordial conversation with the Bartender.""" text1754;"""Although, what could he have done? Stand at my side and fight? Call the police?""" text1755;"""Nonsense.""" text1756;"""Hey, there's…""" text1757;"""He pointed off to the side with his eyes.""" text1758;"""I turned my head. Sitting just a couple meters away from me was… Catherine.""" text1759;"""What'cha looking at?""" text1760;"""I really was staring at him without even realizing it.""" text1761;"""The guilt over yesterday's incident must have been to blame.""" text1762;"""Just looking at your school uniform.""" text1763;"""My uniform? What about it?""" text1764;"""Well, it's the same as mine.""" text1765;"""If you dare tell anyone —""" text1766;"""Chill out.""" text1767;"""I interrupted him.""" text1768;"""As you can see, you're not the only one skipping class here. Why would I incriminate myself?""" text1769;"""Oh, yeah, right…""" text1770;"""The guy got all flustered.""" text1771;"""What a moron! A rich, arrogant, hardened bully.""" text1772;"""But thick as a stump.""" text1773;"""What could the likes of him hope for in life? For daddy's money to last to their old age?""" text1774;"""I turned away in disgust.""" text1775;"""Two more guys entered the bar. These ones were older — college students, I guessed.""" text1776;"""They joined the punks from my school.""" text1777;"""There's a whole gang of them.""" text1778;"""The Bartender grunted.""" text1779;"""They come here often?""" text1780;"""Occasionally.""" text1781;"""He replied and continued in a low voice:""" text1782;"""Be careful around them — I've heard all kinds of rumors. These fellas won't stop even at murder. If they get into trouble, daddy will just bail them out, and they'll go scot free.""" text1783;"""I figured as much.""" text1784;"""So, what happened between you?""" text1785;"""Nothing, forget it.""" text1786;"""I had absolutely no desire to tell him that yesterday I'd watched from a distance as they bullied a girl.""" text1787;"""…and that I did nothing but walk past.""" text1788;"""I felt shame and disgust. Disgust, more than shame.""" text1789;"""Kolya, my man, I respect you and all, but you gotta understand that if anything happened, I wouldn't be able to help you. I've got the bar and my family…""" text1790;"""I get it. Just pour me another one, will you?""" text1791;"""Meanwhile, the voices of this gang of gilded youth were getting ever louder, their laughter sounding ever more like the neighing of horses.""" text1792;"""They were discussing booze-ups and parties, who spent how much money on what, who slept with who, and who was next.""" text1793;"""I was about to pay my bill and leave when one of them jumped up and shouted:""" text1794;"""Right! I don't have anyone at home till night!""" text1795;"""A minute later, the bar was quiet again.""" text1796;"""At least they always pay their bills.""" text1797;"""The Bartender smiled apologetically.""" text1798;"""I sighed and stood up, but just then the door opened, and standing in the doorway was… Catherine.""" text1799;"""She noticed me, lingered for a moment, then confidently strode closer. But she passed right by me and sat down at the counter a couple seats away.""" text1800;"""Well, hi, I guess.""" text1801;"""I said a little while later, after waiting for her to start the conversation.""" text1802;"""Fat chance of that happening!""" text1803;"""Hi.""" text1804;"""Catherine replied indifferently.""" text1805;"""I shifted to a closer seat, while she ordered a cocktail for herself.""" text1806;"""What's with the face?""" text1807;"""Nothing serious…""" text1808;"""She wasn't buying it.""" text1809;"""I fell.""" text1810;"""Face-first onto concrete several times in a row?""" text1811;"""Yeah, it got lucky, but I'll get it next time!""" text1812;"""Is that so…?""" text1813;"""Said Catherine apathetically.""" text1814;"""So, are you also skipping school?""" text1815;"""I had to start the conversation in the most neutral way possible.""" text1816;"""\""Also\""?""" text1817;"""She looked at me askance.""" text1818;"""Well, it's nothing new to me!""" text1819;"""I guess it isn't…""" text1820;"""I heard you went to the principal…""" text1821;"""Maybe I did. What of it?""" text1822;"""The tone of her voice didn't change, but her eyes flashed.""" text1823;"""Katya, I don't want to start everything up again —""" text1824;"""Then don't.""" text1825;"""I'm not…""" text1826;"""Or was I?""" text1827;"""Just put yourself in my shoes — how would you be reacting? Wouldn't you be asking the same questions?""" text1828;"""What questions?""" text1829;"""Fine, I understand you're here because of your mother's work. But this particular school… Why?""" text1830;"""What, am I getting in your way?""" text1831;"""Catherine was sipping on her cocktail with an expression of absolute indifference. All signs of yesterday's emotional storm were gone.""" text1832;"""Catherine was sipping on her cocktail with an expression of absolute indifference.""" text1833;"""No, of course not. It's just, when I think about how we parted back then…""" text1834;"""That's all in the past. You don't really think that I should've chosen a different school or changed my life in any way just because of you, do you? Why would I do that? Simply to avoid running into you again?""" text1835;"""That's not what I was thinking…""" text1836;"""She was right, actually. I had no comeback.""" text1837;"""But she was right only if she really didn't feel anything toward me now!""" text1838;"""Everything pointed to that being the case, but I just couldn't believe — didn't want to believe — that she could be so cruel!""" text1839;"""So, everything's alright?""" text1840;"""Of course.""" text1841;"""Then we can remain friends?""" text1842;"""A barely perceptible smirk appeared on Catherine's face.""" text1843;"""Do you want us to?""" text1844;"""Why not? The past is in the past. We have to move on, go on living…""" text1845;"""You sound like someone with PTSD.""" text1846;"""That's when I started to get worked up.""" text1847;"""It's all in the past for me as well, if that's what you mean.""" text1848;"""Is it? Good.""" text1849;"""Great!""" text1850;"""I turned away, pretending to study the menu.""" text1851;"""Was I supposed to get up and leave? That would be it — I'd have to forget all about her for certain.""" text1852;"""Damn it!""" text1853;"""Was I really still hoping for something?""" text1854;"""Each time, Catherine hurt me more and more, but, like a mindless gnat, I kept slamming into the window.""" text1855;"""…as if I was trying to prove something to someone.""" text1856;"""In the course of this year and a half I had become so accustomed to living with memories of her that now, when she was so close, I simply couldn't let go of her.""" text1857;"""These memories seemed like my only hope, the only thing holding me back from doing something foolish and fatal.""" text1858;"""Was I thinking of something specific? Unlikely.""" text1859;"""But I was hoping, naturally.""" text1860;"""I see you're not wasting any time…""" text1861;"""Catherine gave me a surprised look.""" text1862;"""Nothing was worse than indifference — better if she got mad at me!""" text1863;"""I snatched the cocktail out of her hands and said snidely:""" text1864;"""Getting an early start, are we?""" text1865;"""As I raised the glass to my mouth, I heard Catherine's indifferent voice somewhere in the background:""" text1866;"""It's non-alcoholic.""" text1867;"""It really was.""" text1868;"""Sorry.""" text1869;"""I set the glass back down on the counter.""" text1870;"""You, on the other hand, have kept to your habits, I see.""" text1871;"""What do you mean?""" text1872;"""Her eyes shot over to the empty beer mug, which I had tried to move as far away as possible.""" text1873;"""God damn it, Bartender…""" text1874;"""It's been a rough day.""" text1875;"""Yeah, how so?""" text1876;"""Are you really interested?""" text1877;"""Just keeping up the conversation. Or would you rather that I ignored you?""" text1878;"""I sighed and answered:""" text1879;"""I was called in to the principal's office. Yep, same as always — skipping school. Well, you know me. Then there was also a curious episode with a certain Ojou-sama.""" text1880;"""Your new girlfriend?""" text1881;"""Are you mocking me?""" text1882;"""No, just keeping up the conversation, I told you. If I'm disturbing you, I can leave.""" text1883;"""I don't have a girlfriend.""" text1884;"""Nor have I ever…""" text1885;"""I added in a half-whisper.""" text1886;"""I see. And how's Himitsu doing?""" text1887;"""If you're so interested, you could visit her and ask. I don't believe you've had a falling out with her.""" text1888;"""Maybe I will go see her…""" text1889;"""Catherine responded vaguely and glanced toward the entrance.""" text1890;"""Was she about to leave?""" text1891;"""Something stung on the inside — I wanted her to stay. Even if she was going to mock me.""" text1892;"""Himitsu is fine. I don't even know what else to tell you. Same as always, basically.""" text1893;"""Same as always, is she?""" text1894;"""She drawled.""" text1895;"""Are you surprised that someone can actually treat me normally?""" text1896;"""Of course not. I'm happy for Himitsu. And I'll definitely visit her if I get the chance. But now I need to go.""" text1897;"""She set the unfinished cocktail down on the counter and stood up.""" text1898;"""Alright, see you at school.""" text1899;"""Catherine nodded and left the bar.""" text1900;"""Dang, bro, you took a beating!""" text1901;"""Don't even start!""" text1902;"""How about a drink on the house?""" text1903;"""Did he want to make it up to me?""" text1904;"""No, thanks, I think I've had enough for today.""" text1905;"""I left the bar and stretched. As expected, the bruises ached.""" text1906;"""I left the bar and stretched.""" text1907;"""…""" text1908;"""If the past couple days of my life resembled some dumb manga from Kyosuke's collection, then my encounters with Catherine felt more like a soap opera — a viscous, sticky, dark brew with a beginning but no end.""" text1909;"""How long was this going to go on?""" text1910;"""In less than a year, I was going to graduate, and then what?""" text1911;"""My dad's savings weren't going to last long. I would need to get a job (thoughts of higher education didn't even cross my mind), but what skills did I possess?""" text1912;"""Did I want to toil interminably, day after day, like the Japanese?""" text1913;"""Did you know there's even a special word in Japanese that means \""death from overwork\""?""" text1914;"""Questions, questions…""" text1915;"""…""" text1916;"""It was getting late.""" text1917;"""I'd been wandering aimlessly around the city for a number of hours, occasionally stepping inside stores, or just window shopping.""" text1918;"""I was killing time, killing yet another day of my life.""" text1919;"""It was completely dark by the time I arrived at my house.""" text1920;"""The lights were on inside.""" text1921;"""I immediately remembered yesterday's note, and a light shiver ran down my spine.""" text1922;"""Nah, that was ridiculous!""" text1923;"""An assassin waiting for a victim inside their house, with the lights on?""" text1924;"""Still, logical or not, someone was obviously inside!""" text1925;"""I carefully opened the door and saw women's shoes in the hallway… Himitsu.""" text1926;"""I should have guessed right away.""" text1927;"""Who else had any need of me?""" text1928;"""Hi.""" text1929;"""I said nonchalantly, entering the kitchen.""" text1930;"""Himitsu was sitting at a set table. She had, apparently, been waiting for some time.""" text1931;"""Niko-kun! Where have you been? I was worried!""" text1932;"""If, a moment ago, I might have been glad to see her, all that was out the window now.""" text1933;"""Not another interrogation…""" text1934;"""Oh, what happened to you?""" text1935;"""She jumped up from her chair when she noticed my black eye.""" text1936;"""Nothing serious… I ran into some robbers. Made short work of them, but one got me in the eye.""" text1937;"""Stop talking nonsense!""" text1938;"""It's not nonsense! You want to see the police report?""" text1939;"""She pouted but calmed down, having probably realized that I was fine.""" text1940;"""I asked Kyosuke-kun, and he said you weren't there for the last few classes!""" text1941;"""I wasn't, what of it?""" text1942;"""I snapped back.""" text1943;"""Nothing, it's just… So much has happened lately that I was worried.""" text1944;"""Why would you worry about me? Did you think I was going to go drown myself?""" text1945;"""No, I didn't…""" text1946;"""Nothing much has happened anyway!""" text1947;"""I was about to add \""at least not to you\"" but stopped myself at the last second. After all, Himitsu had done nothing wrong.""" text1948;"""Meanwhile, she was looking at me expectantly.""" text1949;"""I had to tell her something. I debated whether I should mention Catherine.""" text1950;"""It's not like it's a secret or anything, right?""" text1951;"""I… We didn't do anything objectionable!""" text1952;"""Still, maybe Himitsu didn't need to know about this.""" text1953;"""Say I was with Catherine""" text1954;"""I… I was with Katya.""" text1955;"""Really now, why was I feeling all embarrassed about this, like an eighth-grader on his first date?""" text1956;"""Really? Cool! And how's Katty-chan?""" text1957;"""Himitsu replied without skipping a beat.""" text1958;"""…as if reading from a script.""" text1959;"""I suppose she's fine… But you know how she is sometimes, you have to drag every word out of her.""" text1960;"""Himitsu smiled.""" text1961;"""Lie""" text1962;"""I just… walked around.""" text1963;"""There was no need to tell her, on second thought.""" text1964;"""Because really, what was the point?""" text1965;"""Ignorance is bliss!""" text1966;"""This entire time?""" text1967;"""Well, yeah, why?""" text1968;"""Nothing, it's just…""" text1969;"""Himitsu turned away, she must've realized I was lying.""" text1970;"""As was to be expected.""" text1971;"""But I didn't feel ashamed at all.""" text1972;"""Alright, sit down and eat. The dinner's cold, of course, but you only have yourself to blame!""" text1973;"""I was, in fact, hungry as hell.""" text1974;"""…""" text1975;"""We ate dinner in silence: without talking, without the TV, and without even looking at each other.""" text1976;"""I could almost feel the charge of tension in the air.""" text1977;"""It was one thing for me to stay silent, but why was Himitsu keeping quiet?""" text1978;"""Just because I lied about Catherine?""" text1979;"""Just because I told her about Catherine?""" text1980;"""After so many years, Himitsu had come to know me very well, so she knew that there were times when it was better to remain silent, and times when it was better to do the opposite!""" text1981;"""So what was she hoping to achieve now?""" text1982;"""She knew I wasn't a fan of small talk.""" text1983;"""But the silence was becoming unbearable.""" text1984;"""How was school?""" text1985;"""Fine.""" text1986;"""That's it, just fine? Nothing happened to Saya-chan?""" text1987;"""No. Why do you ask?""" text1988;"""I set down the chopsticks and leaned back in my chair.""" text1989;"""Probably because you've been quiet the entire dinner.""" text1990;"""I… I'm not quiet. I mean, not on purpose.""" text1991;"""Himitsu got flustered.""" text1992;"""If this is because of Catherine…""" text1993;"""No, of course not!""" text1994;"""Then what is it?""" text1995;"""She was obviously working up the courage to continue. These sorts of conversations had always been difficult for her.""" text1996;"""Because I was worried! Did you even check the time? You could've called, at least!""" text1997;"""Called? Called where?""" text1998;"""H-here…""" text1999;"""She replied in a faltering voice.""" text2000;"""How was I supposed to know you'd be here? We aren't living together, last I checked.""" text2001;"""Maybe we should…""" text2002;"""She mumbled softly.""" text2003;"""I pretended not to hear it.""" text2004;"""The conversation had clearly taken a wrong turn.""" text2005;"""Alright, you know what, I'm really tired today. You head home, and I'll do the dishes.""" text2006;"""But —""" text2007;"""I'll see you tomorrow.""" text2008;"""Himitsu hung her head and stood up from the table.""" text2009;"""Good night.""" text2010;"""When the door closed behind her, I breathed a sigh of relief.""" text2011;"""Right now, I absolutely needed some alone time!""" text2012;"""I felt as though trapped between two fires. Or even three or four…""" text2013;"""…a veritable ring of fire that was slowly, but surely, closing in on me.""" text2014;"""And how was I acting? Sluggishly and indifferently, like a decrepit old man who had long stopped caring about his life!""" text2015;"""On one hand there was Catherine, who I simply couldn't put out of my mind.""" text2016;"""On the other, there was Himitsu, who clearly wasn't happy to see Catherine back.""" text2017;"""Then there was also the note, the new acquaintances, my nonexistent plans for the future, and the future itself, shrouded in a thick haze of uncertainty.""" text2018;"""I stretched out in bed and remembered Ellie.""" text2019;"""Even if the closet episode felt like it had been ripped straight out of some tacky manga, it had still been a pleasant one.""" text2020;"""What if Ellie could help with the note somehow? No doubt, she had good connections.""" text2021;"""As for Himitsu and Catherine… Come what may!""" text2022;"""Maybe things would resolve themselves.""" text2023;"""With these thoughts, I fell asleep.""" text2024;"""…""" text2025;"""I was woken up by the telephone.""" text2026;"""What time was it?""" text2027;"""It cost me some pains to make it to the phone.""" text2028;"""Hello…""" text2029;"""I sounded terribly groggy.""" text2030;"""Nikolai, you are in great danger. You need to be extremely careful.""" text2031;"""A voice said in Russian.""" text2032;"""I was still half asleep, so I couldn't really understand what was going on.""" text2033;"""What? Who is this?""" text2034;"""I repeat: Be extremely careful. Pay particular attention to what you are doing, who you talk to, and what you talk about!""" text2035;"""The voice sounded unnatural, as though the speaker had pressed a cloth against the receiver.""" text2036;"""Who is this? What do you want? Was it you who left the note?""" text2037;"""You've been warned.""" text2038;"""Beeping…""" text2039;"""Now I was really scared.""" text2040;"""Should I call the police?""" text2041;"""And what would I say? An ordinary schoolkid of no interest to anyone, a note, and a telephone call — it all added up to a prank.""" text2042;"""But the first thing I did was to lock all the doors and unplug the phone.""" text2043;"""It could be a prank, but then who was the prankster?""" text2044;"""Michael wouldn't do it, and Kyosuke — it wouldn't even cross his mind.""" text2045;"""And why did all this start just as Catherine returned to Japan?""" text2046;"""Even if she didn't write the note…""" text2047;"""I pulled the blanket over my head.""" text2048;"""Sleep refused to come, but the fear eventually subsided a bit.""" text2049;"""I told myself that I would try to sort all of this out tomorrow, with a fresher head.""" text2050;"""…"""