Volume 2 - CH 1.2

Chapter 1: When She Stepped Down the Train.

Part 2

We ended up spending the rest of the break talking about nothing in particular. Fujimiya and Reiji lead the conversation, with the rest of us jumping in occasionally. The rooftop became much livelier than usual. That was a change of pace I could get used to.

“And Minato, Fujimiya,” I called out before leaving the rooftop.

“H-hm?” 

“Just… Can you two keep a distance from me at school?”

“Huh…” Minato froze, her face becoming pale.

Fujimiya’s eyes darted to Minato then asked, “Hehh? Why?”

“Everyone knows that you two are in contact with the Angel, right? If we’re seen together, you know.”

Especially Minato, she knew no male students. If I was seen with Fujimiya, then I might still be able to pass it off.

“Hmm, I see… Right, right.”

“Our case’s finished, and we’re in different classes anyway, so I think there’s no need for this warning, but just to be sure.”

“Um… B-but!”

Then the sound of the bell washed over Minato’s protests. With an urging call by Hiura, we hurried through the door.

On the stairs down, Minato tugged my sleeves. “Io, can you tell me until when?”

“Hm? Uhh, long enough to throw people off track? There might be persistent guys like you, so until I can make sure.”

“O-oh…” she sounded a little dismayed.

Eh, she wants to meet me? But didn’t she say that our consultation was over? Or was there something left?

“Remember what I said? I do an aftercare, so if your Peculiarity mutates or something, LINE me.”

“…”

“I’ll see you to the end, I said that, didn’t I?” At the ramen we went together that evening. I waved my hand. “I think my power could be of some help.”

“Will do… Thank you, Io.”

“The Angel does aftercare, after all. Every business does this nowadays, gotta stay up to the trend.”

Only when I said it did I hear how corny that joke waas. Well, whenever I said any joke, the only reaction I got was just a soft “Hmph,” anyway.

And yet she chuckled softly instead this time.

◆　◆　◆ 

[To Shida Souta.

I am aware of your precarious position with love. If you wish for my assistance. If you wish to move forward with this love…

Come see me tomorrow night, here.

The usher of love, the Angel of Kuze High.]

“No typos… hyperlink functional… ‘kay… the message was read.”

I was on twitter, checking the message once more before logging in to the chat room. Yep twitter was the best when it comes to this. I had tried many sites, but twitter was the best of them all. I got into the chat room and patiently waited for my consultant.

[TN: Bruh, Discord’s better.]

I sat back, sipping the Pepsi in my hand. I usually save Pepsi for special occasions, just like today.

“Please, Shida…”

I put my hands together in a praying pose and wished on the screen. I felt exactly like when I was waiting for an entrance exam announcement.

Even with Minato’s case over, my work as the Angel continues. I was just returning to the same routine as before, that’s it. 

To push the backs of those who can’t take the plunge, so that things can end without regrets. That was my passion as the Angel, what I seek to accomplish. Finally, I could be back to my own grounds.

“Come to me. Trust the Angel, I will lead your love…”

Since the broadcast, the Angel had changed from an “urban legend” to “reality” in the eyes of the students. That has its own merits and demerits. Nonetheless, my job remained the same. 

So now all I could do was to pray for him to accept my invitation. “Come on, come on…There!”

I held my hand in the air in a victory pose when I saw the notification.

[A guest has entered the room]

I had cleared the first step.

[Um… You’re the real one?] came an anxious message.

Hmph. No need to be scared, I’m the real Angel.

[Do you mind calling?] 

First message, call suggestion, it was all about tempo.

In the past, I preferred text over call, unless there was an absolute necessity. That way, the Angel would be more like an enigmatic being.

But I had to throw the procedures away at this stage. Here comes the first advantage of being “real” in the eyes of the students: I could call with them right off the bat, no beating around the bush.

The guest, Shida, replied with an [OK]

Hmm… that’s fast.

I took a breath, tested my voice change and proceeded. 

I know I had been acting high and mighty a moment before, but yes, actually, I’m nervous.

Okay, work mode: on.

“Can you hear me?”

After a rustling from the other end. –“Ah, um,” he cleared his throat. “I can hear you… woah, you’re real…” said Shida excitedly, oohing and ahhing.

That was… a better reaction than I expected.

Shida Souta, third year, second class, male. Vice captain of the basketball club. In reality, he was my senior. Well, as long as I’m the Angel, that doesn’t matter.

–“I guess it was since last fall… It was love at first sight…”

Naturally, I had every information necessary on him. But the perspective of the person in question is always welcomed.

–“Ah! But I liked her for real when I got to know her more! Really, I swear!”

“Why are you trying to excuse yourself…”

–“Ukuk..! R-right. But, don’t you think people who fell in love just for the looks feel wrong… you get that, right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

So… he’s mad in love. 

He’s a communication monster at heart, he can hit it off with literally everyone and be compassionate at the same time. However, he was unassertive and easily bended. 

That amounts to his popularity with the quieter girls. But unfortunately for him, he had no girlfriends throughout high school. 

End of the report by Reiji. That lackadaisical guy… he’s way more observative than anyone would give him credit for. 

–“I know, she’s one of the Kuze’s Top Three, supre cute, but that’s not all to her…”

Kuze’s Top Three. As the name goes, the top three girls in Kuze High. At the keyword, my head habitually referred to Minato.

But it wasn’t Minato this time.

–“Waah… Mikage-san. Just by thinking about her…”

Second year, room ten, Mikage Saeka.

She was my– our target this time.

“Tell me the exact reason or event that made you like her when you finish fantasizing, then,” I sighed.

–“O-oh… Okay. be back in a sec.”

As soon as he said this, I heard a rustling. What was he even doing? Meditate?

That’s… by any standards, over the top. But well, he might have liked her just that much.

While waiting for Shida’s return, I ran over Mikage’s profile. Her looks alone would prove to be a good match for Minato. I saw her in the hallway today. Her long braided light brown hair looked smooth and silky. It was said that her skin was so pale that you could see the veins underneath if you looked hard enough. Even from a distance, it seemed soft enough for me.

Her eyes were almond-shaped, the bridge of her nose high, and her lips plump and thicker than most people, all contributed to her unique charm. She was neither cute nor beautiful, but rather, she had her own unique type of beauty.

She was tall, perhaps not as tall as Minato, but remarkably tall nonetheless. Her shape was sleek and slender, ideal in its own way. Unlike Minato’s regal and poised image, Mikage Saeka was a well-rounded beauty without any dominant attribute.

Ah, maybe I’m saying too much here. To justify, her appearance did indeed deserve my every praise. Kuze’s Top Three are really a different breed.

–“Fuu…,” he breathed, “What was it again?” 

“How did you fall for her,” I prompted.

–“Yep, yep, that.” Aside from her looks, her real charm was elsewhere. “She got down a train just to help a lost child.”

“Lost child?”

–“It was around the final exam that time, so there was no club act. I had nothing better to do and decided to go home, at the Zezehonmachi Station.” Zezehonmachi, a Keihan Line station near Kuze High. Almost all students who commute by train use this station. “Because of that, I got there at the same time as Mikage-san. We’re going the same way, so we waited at the same platform. That might not mean much since it was packed back then though.”

“But she stood out among the rest?” I suggested.

–“Of course, why wouldn’t she. People from the opposite platform were looking at her, station staff, everyone. Me included.”

“I thought you’d be better than that.” Well, that’s creepy but I probably do so myself. How could you not look at her?

–“When the train came, well, I kinda thought, gotting on the same car as her wouldn’t hurt. Ah, no, no, don’t say I’m disgusting! Not just me, everyone thought the same thing! That car was the only one crowded.”

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Pause

Unmute

“‘Kay, ‘kay. Just get on with your story.” Really, I’m waiting for this lost child of yours to appear.

–“Just before the door could close, Mikage-san jumped out of the train.”

“And you?”

–“I was in a daze, kind of, but I got down too, and was stunned there, not knowing where to go. She knew where she was going, though. She went out the ticket gate and out of the station, there was a boy crying there.”

Hmm, I see…

With a sudden burst of excitement, Shida went on.

–“That was amazing. Every one of us saw the child, but who would go down? There’s people on the other platform too, or even the station staff. Besides, it was so far that we can’t really see if the boy’s parents were there or not.

Perhaps everyone thought the same thing… At least I think so, there’s nothing I can do. We might have felt a little concerned, but that was it. We’re already on the train, someone will probably help him anyway. No one would have thought of jumping down a train that’s about to depart and help a lost boy”

And yet… Mikage-san, she got down the train without any hesitation, ran out, and comforted the boy. She threw her bag on the ground and crouched down, patted his head and gave him the cutest smile in the world. While I stood there, staring at her.”

He ended the story with a note of bitterness at himself, and an evident admiration toward Mikage.

“And then?”

–“At last, a lady appeared. From the looks of it, she’s the kid’s mom, she came running not long after. So the child wasn’t lost, not actually, but it was dangerous enough. There was a railroad crossing there too. She got thanked again and again, that’s it.”

“That’s when you fell for her?”

–“Not actually, but that has quite the damage, so almost.”

“Then the exact reason…”

–“She got back to the station. I was still there, my eyes were glued on to her, afterall, our eyes met. Hehe, she remembered me as the one that got on the train, then she blushed, her mouth quivering shyly. Ahhh, that was the cutest thing I’ve ever seeeeen, ahhhhhhhh.”

“Wasn’t the smile earlier the cutest?”

–“Update, update! Even the world record must be updated, right?!” Is that so, Shida-san. “Then, she said, I still remember her exact words!”

–Thank the stars, he wasn’t lost, I’m just an oaf.

And she smiled.