text23489;"""I returned home long past midnight and immediately fell asleep.""" text23490;"""I was so tired I couldn't remember a single dream, if I even had any.""" text23491;"""Come morning, my head was foggy and I couldn't concentrate.""" text23492;"""But I had no time for self-pity — unsolved problems kept piling up.""" text23493;"""It was beyond my ability to solve most of them, but I could still do something!""" text23494;"""Kagome's black eye kept bothering me.""" text23495;"""I didn't know what was stronger — the care for her I didn't even understand myself, or the fear of what her emotions could drive her to. Did it really matter right now?""" text23496;"""Keeping her sensible was in my best interest — Kobayashi Jun had made that very clear.""" text23497;"""There wasn't much to make breakfast with, so I headed right for school.""" text23498;"""I found Kyosuke, who was clearly bored of doing nothing, and immediately took him aside to talk:""" text23499;"""I have something only you can help with.""" text23500;"""I trustingly put my arm around his shoulder and lowered my head so that he could hear me clearly.""" text23501;"""It's about Iwamura…""" text23502;"""Hold up! I'll say right away, I have no desire to listen to another lecture like yesterday.""" text23503;"""Nick, we…""" text23504;"""She's being bullied, right?""" text23505;"""Kyosuke took his time to reply and looked genuinely concerned.""" text23506;"""Well… yes… I guess…""" text23507;"""Kyosuke, I'm not about to moralize at you. I just need information! Who else can I ask if not you?""" text23508;"""Nick, are you sure you want to get any deeper into this?""" text23509;"""You don't understand…""" text23510;"""Maybe I don't. But what I do understand is that the people you're going up against are practically forces of nature!""" text23511;"""I might pity Iwamura too, but do you want to take her place?""" text23512;"""What…?""" text23513;"""Nick, you know this isn't a regular school… And even if it was! There's always people who need some way to prove their status.""" text23514;"""By beating others?""" text23515;"""Beat… what? No!""" text23516;"""I turned and quickly looked around the classroom — but Kagome was yet to arrive.""" text23517;"""You'll see for yourself soon.""" text23518;"""Nick, I'm just trying to stop you from doing anything rash, that's all! You might think you're doing the right thing for the right reason, but in the end you'll only make things worse!""" text23519;"""Both for you and Iwamura-san…""" text23520;"""I appreciate your concern…""" text23521;"""Kyosuke looked at me with such pain in his eyes that I couldn't help but feel ashamed for snapping at him and Michael yesterday.""" text23522;"""Fine…""" text23523;"""My friend finally sighed and dragged me out to the hall.""" text23524;"""I don't think anyone will hear us here.""" text23525;"""So?""" text23526;"""You must know Asakura-san from our class.""" text23527;"""Let's say I do.""" text23528;"""I vaguely recalled that she was the girl sitting next to Michael.""" text23529;"""Nick, come on, get it together! She was with Ellie-sama in the canteen that time.""" text23530;"""Apparently, he was referring to the accident with the orange juice.""" text23531;"""Alright…""" text23532;"""And she wasn't there alone. There were a few other girls. For example, Kawashima-san.""" text23533;"""I know that one.""" text23534;"""How come?""" text23535;"""Kyosuke immediately squinted, making a sly expression.""" text23536;"""I'm the one asking questions today.""" text23537;"""Alright, alright…""" text23538;"""So you want to say that all of them are a part of Ellie's clique?""" text23539;"""Something like that, yes.""" text23540;"""It was hard for me to believe that all that bullying was happening with Ellie's silent approval.""" text23541;"""But it was even harder to believe that she didn't know about it.""" text23542;"""Where can I find this Asakura? I didn't see her in class.""" text23543;"""They might be behind the school building now… Opposite the swimming pool, on the far side.""" text23544;"""Got it, thanks!""" text23545;"""Nick, I warned you…""" text23546;"""He said after me.""" text23547;"""Kyosuke wasn't lying — I found her exactly where he said she'd be, surrounded by several other girls I didn't know. Kawashima was there too.""" text23548;"""Ladies, would you spare a cigarette?""" text23549;"""Get your own!""" text23550;"""One of them replied with disgust in her voice.""" text23551;"""Wait, I know you! You're in my class.""" text23552;"""Apologies. The name's Anokhin, at your service!""" text23553;"""Well, what do you want?""" text23554;"""The plan I had had in my head on the way here seemed pretty good, but at the last moment I lost my confidence.""" text23555;"""Perhaps what I was going to say was correct per se, but who was I to accuse them of anything?""" text23556;"""I wasn't their father, their teacher, a policeman, or even a friend!""" text23557;"""But no pain, no gain!""" text23558;"""I want you to leave Iwamura alone!""" text23559;"""Who?""" text23560;"""She's that beggar girl from my class. Remember, yesterday we…""" text23561;"""She didn't finish, only grinned even wider.""" text23562;"""And what do you care? Is it love? Would you look at this knight in shining armor! Did you lose your steed on the way?""" text23563;"""It's none of your business! Just leave her alone! She hasn't done anything to you!""" text23564;"""And what if we don't?""" text23565;"""Then…""" text23566;"""I really had nothing to threaten them with.""" text23567;"""Then I'll tell the principal!""" text23568;"""Haha, go ahead! Do you think we're leeches like your beggar?!""" text23569;"""Our parents are quite generous with their donations to the school!""" text23570;"""I doubt the principal would risk losing their money over some garbage that found its way here!""" text23571;"""Was this what Kyosuke was talking about?""" text23572;"""These were the insurmountable forces of nature?""" text23573;"""Sure, you could call the KGB and the Corporation that, but these arrogant girls…?""" text23574;"""If they were guys I could at least try and solve the problem with my fists.""" text23575;"""A bruised face tends to hurt less than a wounded pride.""" text23576;"""Well? Why so quiet, lover boy?""" text23577;"""You know, in my country you'd be sent to a prison camp!""" text23578;"""What?""" text23579;"""To dig a Belomorkanal with a spade!""" text23580;"""He's completely crazy! They're two of a kind!""" text23581;"""I really had no idea what to do next.""" text23582;"""Unfortunately, I couldn't actually send them to a camp, couldn't prescribe prophylactic slaps to the face, and, for some reason, couldn't even bring myself to berate them.""" text23583;"""A growing anxiety nagged at me to run away already.""" text23584;"""Of course, I didn't want to acknowledge defeat and be reduced to the lowest form of life in their eyes, but…""" text23585;"""That's what Kyosuke was talking about, right?""" text23586;"""Run Away""" text23587;"""Stand your ground""" text23588;"""On the other hand, I'd made myself clear and couldn't do much more here.""" text23589;"""Sometimes, it's wise to retreat, to gather your thoughts and regroup.""" text23590;"""Fine, I've warned you!""" text23591;"""He's warned us!""" text23592;"""She broke into a revolting laugh.""" text23593;"""Next time, we won't be talking this nicely! It's in your interest that there never is a next time!""" text23594;"""I turned around and ran back to school with my tail between my legs, their ringing laughter my only company.""" text23595;"""…""" text23596;"""No, seriously!""" text23597;"""What was I supposed to do?! Pull their hair? Drown them in the swimming pool?""" text23598;"""Sure, right now they feel completely invincible, but next time they'd pick on Kagome they'd at least know she isn't alone.""" text23599;"""My excuses didn't sound convincing even to myself.""" text23600;"""It was hard to think about my failure. I returned to the classroom and tried not to meet Kyosuke's eyes.""" text23601;"""It seemed like he understood everything and didn't ask me a thing.""" text23602;"""Class started.""" text23603;"""You think you're invincible?""" text23604;"""I barked at them, which made them deflate a little.""" text23605;"""Want me to give you a black eye too?""" text23606;"""Or you?""" text23607;"""What, weren't expecting that?""" text23608;"""What's going on here?""" text23609;"""I turned around and saw the idiots I'd run into at the school gate a week ago. The ones I first saw bullying Kagome.""" text23610;"""Guys!""" text23611;"""The girls dropped their cigarettes and ran to them.""" text23612;"""Hey you!""" text23613;"""One of them called to me.""" text23614;"""Well, if you stand your ground, you stand it to the end.""" text23615;"""I came closer.""" text23616;"""Asakura was the only one left, the other girls having run away.""" text23617;"""Not so brave now, are you?""" text23618;"""You think might makes right? Having the numbers puts you on top?""" text23619;"""Wait a moment… I think I know you!""" text23620;"""Guys, that's the prick we fucked up behind the bar.""" text23621;"""Guys, that's the prick we saw in the bar.""" text23622;"""Ain't you perceptive.""" text23623;"""You didn't get the memo last time? We can give you another one!""" text23624;"""He took a step forward, but then I heard a familiar voice:""" text23625;"""Nick!""" text23626;"""Michael approached me quickly and stood by me.""" text23627;"""Is everything alright?""" text23628;"""I could see the signs of strained thinking on the thug's face.""" text23629;"""Pfft! You're not worth getting my hands dirty!""" text23630;"""Of course, they still had the numbers — three against two.""" text23631;"""But people like them attack only when they feel they have an overwhelming advantage.""" text23632;"""They can't take the risk of losing.""" text23633;"""I found myself thinking that, to an extent, you could even call it a good strategy.""" text23634;"""Let's go, lads! We'll deal with him later.""" text23635;"""Although they probably wouldn't have started a fight at school in the middle of the day.""" text23636;"""Asakura left with them without even looking at me.""" text23637;"""Well, it was too early to call a complete victory, but we'd taken the first step!""" text23638;"""You literally just saved my life!""" text23639;"""Don't exaggerate.""" text23640;"""Well, only a little…""" text23641;"""Michael seemed to be expecting something from me.""" text23642;"""Aren't you gonna ask me what happened?""" text23643;"""Kyosuke told me.""" text23644;"""And you… immediately rushed to help me.""" text23645;"""Let's say I wanted to make sure that you had everything under control.""" text23646;"""Look, I'm sorry for yesterday! I didn't want to go at you two like that!""" text23647;"""No, it's our fault. Iwamura doesn't deserve to be treated like that, and if you want to… Well, it's your choice.""" text23648;"""Thank you!""" text23649;"""His words sincerely moved me and I firmly shook his hand.""" text23650;"""Either way, the foundation was laid.""" text23651;"""Only time would tell whether anything came of my actions or not, but I was sure that next time they'd at least remember me when they came across Kagome.""" text23652;"""With Kyosuke and Michael's support we could even manage to get the rest of our class on our side.""" text23653;"""After all, every revolution starts with a single cry of protest.""" text23654;"""And this school was long overdue for change!""" text23655;"""I didn't know whether there were others oppressed the same way as Kagome — I'd never cared about them before.""" text23656;"""First they came for the socialists, huh? What's different now…?""" text23657;"""Although, wasn't I just using these noble ideals to distance myself from my own unsolvable problems?""" text23658;"""The Corporation, my parents' death, the KGB, even Catherine…""" text23659;"""They say many great people had nasty personalities and suffered defeat after defeat in their personal lives.""" text23660;"""I didn't have the time to wonder whether I had the right to think of myself as a great person because my lunch was interrupted by an infuriated Ellie…""" text23661;"""Aha, here you are!""" text23662;"""She jumped to my desk and leaned over me threateningly.""" text23663;"""Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Asakura watching us with a spiteful little smirk on her face.""" text23664;"""Well, she wasn't the only one — it's not every day that the great Ellie-sama, the queen of the school, visits our classroom!""" text23665;"""Come with me!""" text23666;"""I decided not to object — after all, I also had something to discuss with her.""" text23667;"""Ellie took me to the roof.""" text23668;"""Stop. Wait…""" text23669;"""I tried to resist, knowing already that we wouldn't be able to talk in private there, but she didn't even turn around.""" text23670;"""It was exactly as I thought…""" text23671;"""Kagome was on the roof, too, as if she'd been waiting for us!""" text23672;"""Ah, you're here too…""" text23673;"""Ellie was surprised first, but then continued in the same threatening tone:""" text23674;"""Well, you're welcome to listen in! It concerns you as well!""" text23675;"""Kagome lowered her eyes, looking like she'd been dressed down at a party meeting.""" text23676;"""What the hell were you thinking? That you could attack my friends?""" text23677;"""She shouted, addressing me.""" text23678;"""I didn't attack anyone…""" text23679;"""So I'm supposed to believe you and not them?!""" text23680;"""You know what, that's a great idea!""" text23681;"""Ellie tried her best to look intimidating, but mostly resembled a boiling kettle.""" text23682;"""What…?""" text23683;"""I'm saying you should be more careful with your choice of friends.""" text23684;"""How dare you?!""" text23685;"""I don't know what they told you, but…""" text23686;"""I looked at Kagome and went quiet.""" text23687;"""Did she even want me to say it all now, to a stranger? Especially Ellie!""" text23688;"""About the black eye, the bullying…""" text23689;"""She tried so hard to look strong and hold her own to Ellie in every way.""" text23690;"""Did I have the right to discuss her problems with someone she would never tell them to herself?""" text23691;"""But there was no other choice!""" text23692;"""But what?""" text23693;"""I still kept my mouth shut.""" text23694;"""You just lashed out at my friends for no reason, threatened them! You're unstable and should be isolated from normal people!""" text23695;"""Tried to scare them with the police, practically told them I was a murderer!""" text23696;"""What do… what do you two need from me?!""" text23697;"""I couldn't let this continue — I had to say something.""" text23698;"""Tell the truth""" text23699;"""Try not to involve Kagome""" text23700;"""I doubted I was really protecting Kagome by trying to shield her from Ellie's wrath.""" text23701;"""Do you know that your friends regularly… pick on Kagome?""" text23702;"""I tried to find gentler way to say it, but eventually gave up on it:""" text23703;"""They bully and humiliate her! And they even gave her a black eye!""" text23704;"""Come on, show her!""" text23705;"""Kagome proudly raised her head, but I couldn't see the black eye from this far away.""" text23706;"""So where is it?""" text23707;"""Ellie smirked.""" text23708;"""You're not the only one who knows how to use makeup!""" text23709;"""Kagome said all of a sudden.""" text23710;"""You can come closer and see if you don't believe it! But I don't need anyone's protection!""" text23711;"""I…""" text23712;"""She looked far less confident now.""" text23713;"""You two set it up!""" text23714;"""And why would we do that?""" text23715;"""Because… Because you need something from me! And this is how you're blackmailing me, or something!""" text23716;"""Not to be too hard on myself, but that's too clever for me.""" text23717;"""Why would I believe you? Just because she got punched in the eye? Well it's long overdue!""" text23718;"""Kagome didn't react in any way, but her look was scaring me more than Ellie's pretend aggression.""" text23719;"""Haven't you noticed anything about your friends? They clearly aren't the most well-behaved people!""" text23720;"""They… they couldn't have done that. Why would they?""" text23721;"""She replied, clearly having lost some steam.""" text23722;"""It seemed like my assumption wasn't entirely unfounded.""" text23723;"""Perhaps you really don't understand why other people would act the way they do.""" text23724;"""But they can — and they do — regardless of whether you and I understand them. Because they want to.""" text23725;"""But it's nonsense! Why would they spend time on someone like… her.""" text23726;"""The way Ellie was talking about Kagome was disrespectful, but Iwamura wasn't reacting.""" text23727;"""To an extent I was even glad that she didn't really understand what was going on.""" text23728;"""If you don't care about a person, you don't bother with them — that's a better attitude than trying to inflate your ego at someone else's expense.""" text23729;"""And yet it's the truth. I'd say it's strange I'm the first person to ever tell you that.""" text23730;"""After all, Kagome—""" text23731;"""I don't need your condescension!""" text23732;"""Iwamura suddenly interrupted me.""" text23733;"""I'm just trying to help…""" text23734;"""I don't want your help nor protection! You think you're somehow better than them… But you're wrong!""" text23735;"""She blurted out and ran away.""" text23736;"""I was left alone with Ellie, the situation having become even more awkward.""" text23737;"""Looks like she doesn't need your protection.""" text23738;"""It doesn't matter! I care about justice first! You don't need to have a good relationship with the oppressed to be against their oppression!""" text23739;"""Is that so? I wonder, would you be saying the same if it was someone else in her place?""" text23740;"""You don't believe me…""" text23741;"""Well, if it's between you and the girls I've known for years, the choice is obvious!""" text23742;"""What about the truth? Will you just ignore it?""" text23743;"""So far it's been your word against theirs.""" text23744;"""Fine, I understand.""" text23745;"""What?""" text23746;"""Ellie asked, surprised.""" text23747;"""I can't prove anything now. Just keep what I said in mind.""" text23748;"""Forewarned is forearmed!""" text23749;"""If that's all, I'll go…""" text23750;"""She said after a moment and left me on the roof in proud solitude.""" text23751;"""Your friend, Kawashima, came at me yesterday! She was saying some garbage about me threatening you with the police!""" text23752;"""As if you two weren't threatening me!""" text23753;"""Well, we weren't… We were just asking for help, that's all!""" text23754;"""Oh, so that's what that's called now?!""" text23755;"""It doesn't matter! What matters is that her story had nothing to do with reality! Why the hell would you even share that with her?""" text23756;"""Because…""" text23757;"""She went quiet for a moment, as if looking for the right words, but then continued with the same fervor:""" text23758;"""Who knows with you! What if you bring me out to a forest and off me there?!""" text23759;"""Stop talking nonsense!""" text23760;"""It's not nonsense! You must be actually crazy! To snap at poor girls…""" text23761;"""Poor girls!""" text23762;"""I smirked powerlessly and threw my arms up in the air.""" text23763;"""Instead of studying, they smoke behind the school.""" text23764;"""They pick on…""" text23765;"""I decided not to involve Kagome.""" text23766;"""… other students, yeah.""" text23767;"""Can't you see your friends aren't angels, to put it mildly?""" text23768;"""Look who's talking!""" text23769;"""Ellie scoffed, turned around, and walked away.""" text23770;"""I was left alone with Kagome, and the situation seemed to have become even more awkward.""" text23771;"""Sorry… I just thought you wouldn't want…""" text23772;"""It's okay.""" text23773;"""She replied coldly, staring at the tile pattern at her feet.""" text23774;"""You don't owe me anything. There was no need to waste so much energy so that she wouldn't find out about… my situation.""" text23775;"""If you really believe that, I can catch up with her and tell her!""" text23776;"""I was a little offended by this reaction.""" text23777;"""Of course, I hadn't hoped for a show of gratitude, but she could've at least not said anything!""" text23778;"""Go ahead.""" text23779;"""What did I do to deserve all this…""" text23780;"""I sighed and sat on the bench.""" text23781;"""Just don't meddle with other people's affairs. Let's limit ourselves to things that concern us both.""" text23782;"""Is this how you react to any attempt to help?""" text23783;"""What was helpful about that?""" text23784;"""She suddenly raised her voice.""" text23785;"""You should've asked me if I wanted your help first!""" text23786;"""So, you talked to them or whatever — you think now everything's going to turn out how you want?""" text23787;"""That we're going to hold hands and sing kumbaya? Is that how you imagined it?!""" text23788;"""Kagome seemed to have gotten seriously angry.""" text23789;"""In reality, all your meddling's only going to make things worse for me!""" text23790;"""People only accept punishment when it's complete!""" text23791;"""Any failed attempt just encourages them!""" text23792;"""Damn, you're practically Freud…""" text23793;"""I muttered in response, although I knew she was mostly right.""" text23794;"""So, what would have been a successful attempt, in your opinion? Should I have gunned them all down behind the school?""" text23795;"""You should've stayed out of all this in the first place!""" text23796;"""She shouted and started panting like she'd just run a marathon.""" text23797;"""But whatever… You only need to come to the meeting with Ichinose tonight.""" text23798;"""Don't forget!""" text23799;"""Having said that, she left, leaving me in the company of the blowing wind and heavy autumn clouds, swollen with rain.""" text23800;"""Maybe next time I'd think twice before rushing to help someone who'd never asked for it…""" text23801;"""I returned to the classroom, sat in my chair, put my head on the desk, and covered it with my hands.""" text23802;"""Literally everything was going wrong today!""" text23803;"""And, for some reason, I felt increasingly sure that it wasn't over yet!""" text23804;"""After the lessons, I long didn't want to leave the classroom, packing my thing deliberately slowly and bothering Kyosuke with empty chatter.""" text23805;"""As if I could feel something bad was going to happen…""" text23806;"""And so it did.""" text23807;"""There was an entire posse waiting for me at the school gate: Asakura, Kawashima, and the thugs who I, unfortunately, had already had a chance to meet.""" text23808;"""Going somewhere?""" text23809;"""I was basically trapped in a corner, there was no way out.""" text23810;"""Run away in front of the entire school?""" text23811;"""No way — it was better to get a couple of honest bruises!""" text23812;"""On the other hand, there was little chance they'd attack me in front of other students and especially the teachers.""" text23813;"""Going home.""" text23814;"""I replied briefly.""" text23815;"""Wait a minute, we've got something to talk about!""" text23816;"""Good thing Himitsu wasn't around.""" text23817;"""Come on, it'll only take five minutes!""" text23818;"""He was saying it in that disgustingly friendly tone Japanese gangsters always use to throw off their victims before an attack.""" text23819;"""You'd be willing to give everything you have just not to hear this smarmy talk!""" text23820;"""I'm listening.""" text23821;"""No man, let's go somewhere else — why talk in front of everyone?""" text23822;"""This place seems fine to me.""" text23823;"""You were braver this morning!""" text23824;"""Asakura smirked, and again I marveled at the fact that Ellie could ever associate with girls like them!""" text23825;"""Yeah, seen nought of your painted face by now to get scared!""" text23826;"""How dare you?!""" text23827;"""She took a step forward, but one of the guys stopped her.""" text23828;"""Come on man! We just wanted to talk to you, and you're being rude already…""" text23829;"""I know how you talk to people…""" text23830;"""I know how you talk to people… I've got first-hand experience.""" text23831;"""Man, don't start…""" text23832;"""What's going on here?!""" text23833;"""A menacing voice sounded behind my back.""" text23834;"""Ellie?!""" text23835;"""Ellie-chan?""" text23836;"""Kobayashi-san…""" text23837;"""It was no exaggeration to say that Ellie saved me.""" text23838;"""What are you guys up to here?""" text23839;"""Seemingly so confident just a second ago, they all looked away.""" text23840;"""You see, Ellie…""" text23841;"""All I see is you ganging up on a single person!""" text23842;"""We just wanted to talk…""" text23843;"""About what, I wonder? What do you have to do with him?!""" text23844;"""She looked at me like I was guilty of something too.""" text23845;"""Nick told me about you… I should've listened!""" text23846;"""Ellie-chan, I was just worried about you!""" text23847;"""And you were going to express your worry by attacking everyone I know who isn't you?""" text23848;"""But you said yourself that he…""" text23849;"""I've said a lot…""" text23850;"""She got embarrassed for a second, but quickly recovered and continued in the same confident tone:""" text23851;"""I'm capable of deciding who I talk to, I don't need your approval! Or your help!""" text23852;"""Indeed, help can be very unwelcome!""" text23853;"""Ellie, but we…""" text23854;"""I'm done talking about it!""" text23855;"""The brave Sonderkommando had no choice but to leave the field of their potential battle with heads lowered.""" text23856;"""Thank you.""" text23857;"""Once we were left alone, I expressed my sincere gratitude to Ellie.""" text23858;"""If you think I did it for you…""" text23859;"""Oh come on!""" text23860;"""Fine…""" text23861;"""She smiled and her cheeks reddened slightly.""" text23862;"""They really were in the wrong here.""" text23863;"""I'm surprised you've never noticed noticed before!""" text23864;"""You know, whatever you might think, I don't have much of a choice of friends.""" text23865;"""You don't?""" text23866;"""My position imposes certain obligations.""" text23867;"""Doesn't seem to bother you much when jump around on stage with a guitar.""" text23868;"""That's not the same!""" text23869;"""She protested fiercely.""" text23870;"""Yeah? And what's the difference?""" text23871;"""The difference is… I don't know! You should thank me for saving you!""" text23872;"""I did.""" text23873;"""Oh, right…""" text23874;"""And I'm not the real problem. There are people who get it way worse from them.""" text23875;"""Like who?""" text23876;"""Like Kagome.""" text23877;"""Sorry, I didn't want to tell you everything on the roof, with her there.""" text23878;"""But your so-called friends have been bullying Iwamura for a long time now. They even gave her a black eye recently.""" text23879;"""I haven't noticed any black eyes on her.""" text23880;"""She used concealer or whatever girls use — I don't know. The point is, she can't do anything against them.""" text23881;"""Of course, it's wrong that they picked on you, but the way you handled Kawashima yesterday…""" text23882;"""Open your eyes, Your Highness! Real life is happening all around you!""" text23883;"""And in real life, even beggars have problems created by rich kids!""" text23884;"""Sorry, I shouldn't have said that yesterday. I don't really think that.""" text23885;"""I believe you. It's just that people have different hobbies — you play music, and they bully people.""" text23886;"""Don't joke about that.""" text23887;"""Ellie was sounding less and less confident.""" text23888;"""Think about it, why would I lie? What for?""" text23889;"""Why would they bully your friend?""" text23890;"""Do you want my professional opinion as a psychologist?""" text23891;"""I asked snidely.""" text23892;"""I don't know why. And I don't need to know them any more than an antelope needs to know why the lion is chasing it.""" text23893;"""You're just projecting.""" text23894;"""I'm just saying that people can be different!""" text23895;"""Ellie said nothing and turned away, as if searching for something in the now noticeably thinner flow of students on their way home.""" text23896;"""I still can't believe you never noticed anything earlier!""" text23897;"""Even if I had — is it that important now?""" text23898;"""She smiled sadly.""" text23899;"""You know, I'm not a judge — you don't need to explain yourself to me.""" text23900;"""I'm not.""" text23901;"""Suddenly, all hostility disappeared from her voice.""" text23902;"""Maybe I just want to convince myself everything's fine.""" text23903;"""Is it working?""" text23904;"""Not really.""" text23905;"""Ellie finally looked at me and smiled.""" text23906;"""Sorry. I'll talk to them. It won't ever happen again.""" text23907;"""Don't make promises for other people.""" text23908;"""They'll listen to me.""" text23909;"""She proclaimed with a confidence out of nowhere.""" text23910;"""I hope so.""" text23911;"""Just recently and with almost the same confidence she had been trying to convince me that her friends were completely innocent…""" text23912;"""How many more wondrous discoveries the world had prepared for this ojou-sama!""" text23913;"""For now, I hope your friends aren't waiting for me around the corner.""" text23914;"""Want me to see you home?""" text23915;"""No way!""" text23916;"""Then goodbye! See you around!""" text23917;"""See you…""" text23918;"""I knew that after Ellie chastised them I had nothing to worry about for a day or so, but I still spent the walk home glancing over my shoulder.""" text23919;"""I stopped at the gate and looked at Himitsu's house.""" text23920;"""What would have I done, had she been there…?""" text23921;"""Maybe somewhere deep inside I actually wanted to find Himitsu in the kitchen making dinner.""" text23922;"""Despite everything that'd happened the past few days, despite our fight and my behavior.""" text23923;"""Just to forget about real life for an hour and immerse myself in that magic world Ellie must be living in.""" text23924;"""But the person at the dinner table wasn't Himitsu…""" text23925;"""It was Irina, sitting cross-legged.""" text23926;"""Finally! I've grown tired of waiting!""" text23927;"""She smiled cutely as she saw me.""" text23928;"""Almost as cutely as that time in the bar, but now her careless hospitality was accompanied by notes of businesslike focus and a desire to keep a polite distance.""" text23929;"""I wasn't expecting you… this early.""" text23930;"""You should have!""" text23931;"""She frowned and seemingly turned into a different person.""" text23932;"""It's only been three days — and you've managed to create such a stir!""" text23933;"""What's exactly is so confusing about the words \""behave normally\"", Nikolai?""" text23934;"""I don't know what you're talking about…""" text23935;"""I lied but still looked away — her observant gaze was piercing right through me.""" text23936;"""Yes you do!""" text23937;"""First, you got involved with that girl, Akira…""" text23938;"""Iwamura.""" text23939;"""I specified, realizing that there was no point denying it.""" text23940;"""So, I was being followed after all? And, apparently, by professionals!""" text23941;"""Iwamura, whatever… We've been working on her father for a while now.""" text23942;"""Do you know where he is? Is he… alive?""" text23943;"""Are you worried about her?""" text23944;"""As a real intelligence officer, Irina immediately seized on a weakness.""" text23945;"""I was in her shoes once, so I know how she feels… Isn't that enough?""" text23946;"""I was doing my best to speak calmly, at the same time trying to find opportunities to glance around for her accomplices.""" text23947;"""I doubted she'd come here alone.""" text23948;"""And yet she's luckier than you — her father is alive. For now.""" text23949;"""A warm feeling spread in my chest — a hope that somehow things would end well.""" text23950;"""Why was information about Kagome's father so important to me?""" text23951;"""I see you're happy.""" text23952;"""Trying to think about someone other than myself.""" text23953;"""Why, that is wonderful!""" text23954;"""She exclaimed in a dramatically loud and cheerful tone.""" text23955;"""Love for the Motherland begins with love for your neighbor!""" text23956;"""Here you go with the Motherland again… I've already told you I know nothing about my father's work.""" text23957;"""Irina frowned and fidgeted in her seat.""" text23958;"""About that… what's her name… Iwamura, you said?""" text23959;"""I nodded.""" text23960;"""I agree with you about Iwamura — she doesn't know anything.""" text23961;"""Really?""" text23962;"""I let out an uncontrollable laugh, but the woman didn't react.""" text23963;"""You mean you suspect me… No, not even like that! You're still accusing me but you believed her immediately without even investigating?""" text23964;"""Why do you think we haven't investigated her?""" text23965;"""I…""" text23966;"""It really wasn't the best time to question her about the KGB's methods.""" text23967;"""Do you want me to stop communicating with her?""" text23968;"""Oh no, quite the contrary! I would never forgive myself if your date tonight was cancelled because of me!""" text23969;"""So you know about that, too…""" text23970;"""I grumbled grimly.""" text23971;"""We know a lot. And what we don't, we soon will!""" text23972;"""Lines straight off of propaganda posters seeped into her speech again.""" text23973;"""Except it's not a date.""" text23974;"""If you're waiting for someone else, I'm afraid he won't come.""" text23975;"""Ichinose-san's open, friendly face appeared before my eyes, sending shivers down my spine.""" text23976;"""We've invited your acquaintance for a little talk. His papers didn't prove very interesting, however.""" text23977;"""Is Ichinose-san alive?""" text23978;"""I asked, afraid to look her in the eyes.""" text23979;"""We're not animals, Nikolai! Who do you take us for?!""" text23980;"""To be honest, at this moment I saw no real difference between the KGB, the Americans, and the Corporation.""" text23981;"""When you can't judge a threat accurately, an asteroid about to crash into the Earth is about as dangerous as a lion laying in ambush.""" text23982;"""Or vice versa.""" text23983;"""Irina was trying to assure me that in the end everything was for my own good, and the fact that both of us were Russian had to mean something…""" text23984;"""But if I put all sentiment aside, this woman was as alien to me as Kobayashi Jun.""" text23985;"""Then what do you want from me?""" text23986;"""She squinted slyly and fixed her hair.""" text23987;"""You've been seen in the company of the granddaughter of Kobayashi Corporation's chairman.""" text23988;"""How come you know so much about my life?!""" text23989;"""I exclaimed, losing every remaining idea of what was going on.""" text23990;"""Do you have your spies behind every tree or something? Should I look for bugs around the house?""" text23991;"""No need.""" text23992;"""She replied coldly.""" text23993;"""Fine…""" text23994;"""But if you think Iwamura knows nothing, what's different about Ellie?""" text23995;"""You think her grandfather lets her in on his business?""" text23996;"""Oh, you've an eye on her as well? Would you look at that!""" text23997;"""I didn't expect that of you, Nikolai! Well, great achievements require ambitious goals!""" text23998;"""We could use our own man in the Kobayashi family!""" text23999;"""Jesus Christ, are you serious right now?!""" text24000;"""I put my head in my hands, walked to the refrigerator, opened it, and took out a bottle of milk that turned out to be long-expired.""" text24001;"""In any case, you've neglected my warning.""" text24002;"""She continued in a more serious tone.""" text24003;"""But it also so happens that you've found yourself in quite an interesting position. A position beneficial to us.""" text24004;"""Nobody knows if you'll actually get anything out of Kobayashi's granddaughter. But we can't rule out the possibility.""" text24005;"""As for Iwamura, since her father is out of our reach now, it seems logical to look after his daughter. And the closer we are, the better.""" text24006;"""I don't remember you hiring me…""" text24007;"""We'll list you as a freelance operative.""" text24008;"""I need some time to think.""" text24009;"""I said carefully.""" text24010;"""Do you really believe you have a choice?""" text24011;"""She pulled out one of the smiles in her endless arsenal, this one mysterious and as such frightening.""" text24012;"""I'll give you some time to collect your thoughts and process all this new information. But remember, you won't get much!""" text24013;"""And don't forget: we are close by.""" text24014;"""With that she stood up and walked past me into the corridor as if she'd forgotten I exist.""" text24015;"""I breathed out heavily and dropped to the chair Irina had just been sitting on.""" text24016;"""Had comrade major really come alone…?""" text24017;"""Whether I had a choice or not, she was right about one thing: I had to decide quickly!""" text24018;"""And at the moment I saw no alternatives — the storm my life had become was throwing me from one black rock onto another.""" text24019;"""From Kagome to Ellie, from Ellie to Kobayashi Corporation, and from there — directly into the loving arms of the KGB Major Irina Mostovaya.""" text24020;"""At least they didn't suspect Kagome of anything…""" text24021;"""Could I believe that?""" text24022;"""In any case, now I felt we were bound by our common misfortune — I had to tell her about the Soviets!""" text24023;"""Tokyo at night seemed different after Irina's visit.""" text24024;"""People were casting suspicious , askew glances at me, sinister shadows were jumping along the walls of every house, and the enemy was behind every corner.""" text24025;"""I was paranoid to the point where even regular car horns made me jump…""" text24026;"""But no matter how hard I tried, I never managed to see my real pursuers.""" text24027;"""Maybe worrying so much wasn't even worth it if the KGB knew where I was going and who I was meeting anyway…?""" text24028;"""The train car lazily spat out the last half-asleep passengers at the station closest to the meeting point.""" text24029;"""This time, there was no point in coming out earlier, so I arrived forty minutes before the agreed hour.""" text24030;"""It was unbearable to just stand on the bridge, so I kept walking in circles, waiting for Kagome.""" text24031;"""And then, five minutes before midnight, she finally appeared.""" text24032;"""You're early.""" text24033;"""She noted grimly, like she was commenting a prisoner who showed up early to his execution and was beaming with enthusiasm.""" text24034;"""I just got here.""" text24035;"""I lied, not even knowing why.""" text24036;"""Sorry for today's episode on the roof. I really didn't want it to end like that.""" text24037;"""Nevermind… Does it matter now? Let's go, we shouldn't make Ichinose-san wait.""" text24038;"""About that…""" text24039;"""I scratched my neck, collecting my thoughts.""" text24040;"""He won't come.""" text24041;"""What do you mean he won't come?""" text24042;"""Kagome asked with genuine surprise.""" text24043;"""I should've told you everything earlier, but I didn't want to create even more problems for you.""" text24044;"""In reality, I, of course, hadn't wanted to create more problems for myself — knowing how she'd react.""" text24045;"""But it was too late to hide anything now.""" text24046;"""Promise that you're going to listen to me and won't jump to conclusions!""" text24047;"""Spit it out already.""" text24048;"""Last Sunday, I came across a woman… a Russian… She works for the KGB.""" text24049;"""Naturally, I left out the circumstances under which I met Irina.""" text24050;"""She needed information about my father's work, some documents and so on.""" text24051;"""Obviously, I didn't tell her anything because I didn't know anything, and I was let go with an order to keep my head down.""" text24052;"""That easily?""" text24053;"""Kagome asked in an unexpectedly calm tone.""" text24054;"""Yeah, that easily… What else could they get out of me?""" text24055;"""And, naturally, you didn't find it necessary to share this information with me.""" text24056;"""These people don't joke around! The less you know, the better.""" text24057;"""Somehow, it seems to me that's not the entire story.""" text24058;"""Yeah, you see…""" text24059;"""I smiled idiotically and suddenly realized I'd scratched my neck bloody.""" text24060;"""That woman… Her name is Irina… She came to my place again today. And this time, she told me more.""" text24061;"""That they've been spying on you and your father, too.""" text24062;"""But they don't suspect you of anything!""" text24063;"""I waved my hands to emphasize the point.""" text24064;"""And she told me your father is alive. Of course, they don't know where he is or what happened to him…""" text24065;"""Kagome's face got redder and redder with every word.""" text24066;"""And you're only telling me all this now?!""" text24067;"""I only found out a couple hours ago, I swear!""" text24068;"""So this whole time your KGB has been after us…""" text24069;"""It's not mine…""" text24070;"""I said carefully.""" text24071;"""… and you knew about it and kept quiet!""" text24072;"""I didn't know anything!""" text24073;"""What if you're with them?! What if this is just a trick to… to…""" text24074;"""She got so angry that she was just huffing and puffing, unable to say a word.""" text24075;"""Would you listen to yourself for once?!""" text24076;"""I told you the truth — and what do I get?! Your hysterics aren't going to help here!""" text24077;"""Hysterics?!""" text24078;"""The way she laughed was actually intimidating.""" text24079;"""It's not your father who's been kidnapped and held hostage! It's not you the KGB is spying on…""" text24080;"""It is, actually.""" text24081;"""… it's not you who has to enter school every day like it's a battlefield.""" text24082;"""And then work at a restaurant till night to make a living…""" text24083;"""Kagome realized she'd gotten carried away, bit her lip, and lowered her head.""" text24084;"""Sorry, I understand you're having it rough…""" text24085;"""Yeah, sure you do!""" text24086;"""You know what?! I'm alone in this country! And now I have no idea what to believe or who to blame for my parents' death!""" text24087;"""You think no one understands your suffering! Well, maybe you're right!""" text24088;"""But you know, everyone looks at life from their own little bubble. You probably think someone else's issues are trivial — but to them, they're vital!""" text24089;"""And the same way, some people would look at you right now and only laugh.""" text24090;"""I guess you're right.""" text24091;"""Kagome replied unexpectedly softly.""" text24092;"""You just get tired of living under the pressure of responsibility all the time, tired of the endless attacks""" text24093;"""Before, I was managing to hold on somehow — I knew my father had it hard and really needed support.""" text24094;"""But who's going to support me? Now that he's not here…""" text24095;"""He'll be back…""" text24096;"""That's all I managed to force out.""" text24097;"""To be honest, I really don't know what to say. And I'm not sure my words would change anything at all.""" text24098;"""Sorry, I should've told you about the KGB right away.""" text24099;"""As my mom used to say: lies always come to light.""" text24100;"""Kagome smiled.""" text24101;"""Yeah, mine used to say something like that too…""" text24102;"""So what about Ichinose?""" text24103;"""She sniffled and wiped her eyes.""" text24104;"""Irina said that they took him in. That there was nothing interesting in his papers.""" text24105;"""But is he… is he okay?""" text24106;"""If we take her word for it.""" text24107;"""Would you?""" text24108;"""I recalled the sly smirk on Irina's face.""" text24109;"""It seemed that she hadn't been lying openly, but instead skilfully manipulating facts, giving them out in tiny portions and presenting them in the light that best benefited her.""" text24110;"""Most likely, Ichinose really was alive — there was no point in lying about that.""" text24111;"""If they had killed him, it'd serve as a nice warning to us.""" text24112;"""And trying to help me and Kagome… Why?""" text24113;"""I think in this case she was telling the truth.""" text24114;"""I just wonder how much easier her truth makes things for Ichinose himself…""" text24115;"""Or my father.""" text24116;"""Your father is way more important to them!""" text24117;"""I'd like to believe so.""" text24118;"""A sudden gust of wind made Kagome shiver.""" text24119;"""Anyway, there's nobody to wait for here. See you.""" text24120;"""Wait. I'll walk you to your place.""" text24121;"""I'll manage.""" text24122;"""She replied without a hint of anger.""" text24123;"""It's not a polite gesture. They're probably following you. And me. I never noticed them — and I don't want to repeat the mistake.""" text24124;"""As you wish.""" text24125;"""Kagome shrugged her shoulders and quickly walked towards her restaurant.""" text24126;"""I silently followed her, glancing around occasionally.""" text24127;"""The street lights were on, but it was still hard to see anything beyond twenty meters.""" text24128;"""If they were following us, they had a significant advantage.""" text24129;"""Kagome walked at a measured pace and didn't look back even once.""" text24130;"""It seemed to me that everything that needed to be said had been said, and by starting another conversation I'd only irritate her.""" text24131;"""At the restaurant, on the stairs, sat a decrepit, seemingly hundred-year-old man.""" text24132;"""Grandpa!""" text24133;"""Kagome shouted and ran to him.""" text24134;"""Why aren't you asleep?""" text24135;"""Huh?""" text24136;"""With effort, he raised his cloudy eyes to her.""" text24137;"""Apparently, he was asleep.""" text24138;"""Kagome-chan! Finally…""" text24139;"""Did something happen?""" text24140;"""Yes, this is for you.""" text24141;"""He took a folder from somewhere behind his back and handed it to Kagome.""" text24142;"""What is this?""" text24143;"""A man came in the evening and asked me to give this to Iwamura-san.""" text24144;"""Kagome impatiently undid the string and quickly flipped through the thick folder.""" text24145;"""A small piece of paper fell out of it.""" text24146;"""I picked it up and read:""" text24147;"""Kagome-chan, I'm afraid I might be followed, so I'm sending you this copy of the documents. Be careful!""" text24148;"""Ichinose-san…""" text24149;"""Kagome said with deep respect in her voice.""" text24150;"""What about your friend…?""" text24151;"""The old man who was beginning to fall asleep again suddenly grew more aware.""" text24152;"""Oh, yeah, that… He's Niko-san, my classmate.""" text24153;"""Nice to meet you.""" text24154;"""I made a demonstratively low bow.""" text24155;"""Grandpa, these are very important papers — we need to read them through. You should go to sleep already!""" text24156;"""You always push me around like I'm a child…""" text24157;"""He stood up, grunting, and walked inside.""" text24158;"""If you really want to look at these documents, we'll need light at the very least…""" text24159;"""Just don't get the wrong idea!""" text24160;"""She said indignantly, opened the door, and invited me in with a gesture.""" text24161;"""…""" text24162;"""A minute later I was standing in Kagome's room.""" text24163;"""Even though it was barely larger than my attic, everything in it was unusually (to me) clean and orderly.""" text24164;"""There was no TV or VCR, and you'd be hard-pressed to find the space for them anyway.""" text24165;"""The furniture looked old, and it probably was.""" text24166;"""In general, I felt uncomfortable there, but couldn't understand why.""" text24167;"""Sorry, this is all I've got!""" text24168;"""Kagome seemed to have read my mind.""" text24169;"""No, it's okay, I just don't visit other people very often. Especially girls… I mean…""" text24170;"""I hope you don't get any weird ideas.""" text24171;"""Me too…""" text24172;"""Kagome sighed heavily, rolled her eyes, and sat down on the floor, throwing the folder onto the bed.""" text24173;"""…""" text24174;"""Endless rows of digits and formulas, speed flow charts, calculations of orbits and trajectories.""" text24175;"""The papers looked like they were copied by an ancient machine with ink that had near dried out, which meant bits weren't legible and others looked more like hieroglyphics.""" text24176;"""Any ideas?""" text24177;"""Why are you asking me?""" text24178;"""You have to have better grades than me!""" text24179;"""What does that have to do with understanding this gibberish? You'd need a PhD to decipher it! Probably multiple!""" text24180;"""No ideas at all?""" text24181;"""Well…""" text24182;"""She said and started thinking.""" text24183;"""With a certain degree of confidence, I can say they were going to launch something somewhere.""" text24184;"""Launch… like a rocket?""" text24185;"""Yes.""" text24186;"""If my father really was building rockets like Ichinose-san said, then that lines up.""" text24187;"""Yes, but my father is a chemist.""" text24188;"""Well, maybe they wanted to launch a rocket to mine resources from asteroids…""" text24189;"""Why the secrecy then?""" text24190;"""I don't know…""" text24191;"""I kept enthusiastically flipping through the documents.""" text24192;"""Enthusiastically — while understanding less and less every minute.""" text24193;"""Numbers and formulas danced before my eyes in bizarre circles, and soon I started hearing their mocking whispers in my head.""" text24194;"""Of course, it was stupid to hope that a normal school kid would understand what must have been years of work by dozens of scientists.""" text24195;"""What do you think the KGB knows about me?""" text24196;"""No idea. Why are you asking?""" text24197;"""It's just not every day you find out that you're being watched by… people like them.""" text24198;"""So you're fine with the Japanese government and the Corporation spying on you? With them taking your father?""" text24199;"""I suddenly felt insulted on behalf of my motherland even though I had nothing to do with the situation — neither in a bad nor good sense.""" text24200;"""I never thought they'd been watching me personally.""" text24201;"""Oh, if you put it that way…""" text24202;"""I grew embarrassed and carefully glanced at Kagome.""" text24203;"""She kept examining the papers carefully.""" text24204;"""You're acting as if this happens to you every day!""" text24205;"""If I freak out too, we'll end up in the madhouse together.""" text24206;"""So I'm freaking out?""" text24207;"""She asked in a suddenly calm tone.""" text24208;"""Sometimes.""" text24209;"""I replied carefully.""" text24210;"""I probably have my reasons, don't I?""" text24211;"""Probably…""" text24212;"""The topic was too dangerous to pursue further.""" text24213;"""…""" text24214;"""I yawned, stretched, and only then noticed that Kagome was snuffling peacefully with her hand under her head.""" text24215;"""Hey.""" text24216;"""I called to her quietly, but she didn't wake up.""" text24217;"""And what am I supposed to do now?""" text24218;"""I stood up to take a walk around the room, only to run into a problem — one step was enough to run into a wall.""" text24219;"""The clock read two at night — it really was late.""" text24220;"""I took another look at the heavy folder with the documents, hesitated a bit, then squatted down, carefully picked Kagome up, and put her on the bed.""" text24221;"""She turned out to be much lighter than I had expected.""" text24222;"""I covered her with a blanket, took the papers, and walked out of the room.""" text24223;"""Her grandfather was sitting at one of the tables with a cup of tea in his hands.""" text24224;"""Leaving already?""" text24225;"""Kagome fell asleep…""" text24226;"""I said apologetically.""" text24227;"""She's having a hard time.""" text24228;"""All of a sudden, his eyes became clear, but only for a moment.""" text24229;"""Especially now, with Shinji gone!""" text24230;"""I understand.""" text24231;"""I don't know what kind of relationship you two have, but I hope you'll take care of my granddaughter. I could tell right away you're a good guy! Cooking for other people for so many years makes you understand them.""" text24232;"""His words might have sounded a bit inappropriate at first, but considering their situation, I could understand the old man.""" text24233;"""He probably wanted Kagome to live like a normal teen instead of working in this dying restaurant just to make ends meet.""" text24234;"""I'll do my best.""" text24235;"""…""" text24236;"""The taxi was bringing me home through a dark Tokyo flooded with electric lights.""" text24237;"""It seemed like the city hadn't changed at all in the last couple weeks.""" text24238;"""It was sleeping, not even suspecting that somewhere deep in its core, something terrible was brewing.""" text24239;"""Was this Project a threat to certain organizations? Countries? Continents? The entire planet?""" text24240;"""I paid the driver and spent a while standing in front of my house, looking into the darkness, pointlessly trying to pick out my silent watchers…"""