Bizarre Love Triangle - Chapter 4.2
——She switched.
This was the first time her expression changed at this time. And just a few seconds later,
The color of astonishment appeared on her face.
As she had just switched, Akiha raised her face from the textbook, looked around and grasped the current situation.
Her face scrunched up in impatience. Her eyes widen and she stands there silently.
[….Minase-san?]
Apparently, she has noticed the strangeness coming from Akiha. Chiyoda-sensei’s voice was tinged with seriousness.
[What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling well?]
[No, just…]
Akiha fumbled.
A bead of cold sweat broke out on her pale cheek.
Seeing that, a little commotion broke out in the classroom.
And so when she bit her lip, unable to do anything about it.
[Oh, perhaps…!]
Suddenly, Chiyoda-sensei raised her voice in an unnaturally cheerful way.
[You couldn’t read the next kanji?] (T/N : just think of it as spelling in English for those who don’t know)
When I looked at her face, a smile formed in her face.
[It’s very unusual for you, Minase-san. This one is read as “Brilliant.” So this five line order is “Fire of Brilliant stars.” Can you read it again from there.]
The follow-up seemed to have helped her understand what she needed to do.
Akiha stared at her textbook and then wiped the sweat off her forehead.
[….Y-Yes. I’m sorry]
The recitation begins once again.
[The fire of a brilliant star, if you put it in the dark sky, you can see it clearly, but it becomes a snowflake like a heron that falls down—-]
Apparently, the crisis had been averted.
I took a sigh of relief and looked at my wristwatch, the time was around 15:15. [ED: 3:15.]
It has only been about 40 minutes since she LAST switched from Haruka.
…I rethink about that event.
As expected, no matter how much I think about it, I can only think that something is definitely happening with Haruka and Akihi.
Something very important must be happening between the two of them.
To both Akiha and Haruka, it must also be something unexpected.
Then I—-.
As I stared at Akiha’s back as she continued reading her lines, I made a small decision in my heart.
*
[Umm, there’s something I want you to hear]
It was past sixteen o’clock.
In the corner of the hallway leading to the elevator, I called out to Akiha, who was leaving alone.
[About Haruka… What’s happening to her today…]
I was a little reluctant to talk to her in this way after the exchange we had yesterday.
I still couldn’t understand what Akiha’s thinking.
I couldn’t guess at all, I couldn’t understand the meaning behind her words. But I didn’t feel like taking it in an easy-going manner anymore.
I couldn’t help but feel awkward. But I still want to know what’s going on with the two of them.
Still, I want to understand what’s going on between them.
Akiha looked down and didn’t speak back.
I continued to ask her a few more questions.
[…The time that Haruka is out is getting shorter and shorter. What’s more is, it’s getting shorter and shorter throughout the day. It didn’t even last fifty minutes in the morning and it barely lasted about forty minutes earlier.]
Akiha still didn’t reply back to me.
[I hope it’s nothing… but I’m a little worried. Even for Akiha, it seems like something unexpected is going on. That’s why, I hope you can let me know if you know something. If something has happened… I’d be really worried.]
I tried to be as sincere as I could. I was concerned about them and wanted to help them as much as possible.
I should have included such intentions properly.
——–But.
[……..]
Akiha continued her silence, looking down.
[………Hey, Akiha.]
There was no reply.
[You aren’t going to tell me anything…?]
Akiha remained silent.
A little past dismissal time, in an empty corner of the hallway.
Not to mention words, she didn’t even show any emotion on her face—.
I feel a burning sensation in my stomach and realize that I’m getting frustrated.
Up to now, I have tried to talk with Akiha countless times.
I want to help them if they are in trouble, if it’s possible, I hope she can confide it to me.
But, Akiha didn’t say anything in the end.
All she does is sit in silence with a pensive expression on her face..
[……Is that so]
When I said such words mixed with a deep sigh, even I was surprised by my sudden harsh voice.
But—-I can’t stop now.
[…..is Akiha not going to talk again? Are you going to keep silent about this? All alone?]
The anxiety of not being able to read her expressions and the loneliness of not being able to come to grips with them come out from my mouth in the form of words of condemnation.
The heat on my forehead covered up my awareness of my selfish anger.
[Then that’s fine. I will not ask Akiha. Do whatever you want.]
I said as if to sort my feelings out and walked towards the exit.
I was upset with myself for spitting out those words so violently, but I also felt a little relief from doing so that I couldn’t deny.
My hands were shaking, my body was sweating, and the air was cold against my cheeks.
And then,
[…….]
The sleeve of my uniform was pulled down.
When I turned around to look, I saw Akiha looking down while gripping my blazer.
[…..!]
I gulped a small breath.
Deep blue skin, like a tanned portrait. Weak and Haggard eyes. Her cheeks were stiff due to the tension.
[…That’s right.]
[Yano-kun is also angry… that’s also the same for me. Everyone is determined to be that way.]
She looked as if she would fall apart at the touch of a finger.
Being in front of her, I couldn’t say a single word.
[I’m sorry. It’s all my fault…..]
Then Akiha said,
[Going to disappear…]
[What….?]
With a pale face and a terribly hoarse voice, she informed me.
[Haruka is going to disappear soon…]
*
In the park after being driven out of school after school had ended.
Haruka, who had just switched personalities, had a soft expression on her face as usual.
And I, whose mind has gone blank, don’t know what kind of face I should make for her.
Should I cry or should I smile?
Should I make a serious face or a face where I’m poking fun at her?
In the first place, even if I knew what I needed to do, there was no way I could act like that.
I just stared at her while biting my lips.
[…Oh, it seems like Akiha told you.]
In the light of a cheap street lamp.
When Haruka heard the detailed story, she gave a small laugh like a child who had been caught in a prank.
[Well indeed, when it’s told like this, it’d be hard to hide. Yes, it can’t be helped…]
[…is that the truth?]
With a parched throat, I asked as if clinging to a small glimmer of hope.
[Haruka is going to disappear…. isn’t it some kind of misunderstanding or that you might have just guessed it wrong….?]
Unpleasant sweat didn’t stop overflowing from my body after hearing about that.
Both my hands and feet were trembling so awfully that I felt like I would collapse on the spot.
——-Of course It’s not possible!
——–I was just kidding!
In all honesty, I was anticipating such an answer.
But,
[…Yeah. That’s what the current situation looks like.]
—–After all, it was the flu. (T/N : why suddenly flu)
—–My bones are cracking.
Haruka continues to say such words with a light tone.
[I’m going to disappear slowly, as the time for me to come out is decreasing…]
*
[Originally, this was a story that was bound to happen sooner or later…]
In the after-school club room, where there were only the two of us, she sat down on the chair across from me.
Akiha, who looked as if she was in a mayhem, spillt out these words from her ghastly pale lips falteringly.
[The problem in my house… was solved last year. There is no longer any reason for the dual personality, that’s why… the time of us switching… is getting shorter.]
[…Ah, y-yes]
I nodded awkwardly, agitating from seeing Akiha who has lost her usual composure.
Although I didn’t survey it clearly, I definitely felt like their time between switches was getting shorter.
[When I had the dual personality disorder, the timing was around 200 minutes….. When I met Yano-kun, it was around 130 minutes.]
[Before going out, it was getting shorter and shorter, and it ended up around 109 minutes…]
[…I can’t believe it was getting that much shorter]
When I looked at the numbers again, I was horrified for some reason.
I had a distinct feeling that the number was a countdown to —– something.
And just as I thought,
[When this number decreases, the time keeps getting shorter.. .and finally when the timing reaches 0…]
Then after saying that, Akiha squeezed the hem of her skirt.
[I was told that…… the double personality disorder will end, and that Haruka will disappear…]
——I felt my head lurch in shock.
The scenery shook, and for a moment I didn’t know where I was.
——Being told that she was going to disappear was…