Part 16: Everyday (II)
"Hm?"
I'm curious, but I cannot tell what's going on with all the people surrounding it.
I have no time, so I should prioritize school.
Music: Tender Scenery
I reach school ten minutes before the bell.
I enter the main gate as usual.
"Hey, morning Emiya."
I bump into a familiar female student.
"What, you've not changed yet, Mitsuzuri? It's almost homeroom, you shouldn't have time to say hello to me."
"Ahahaha! You're right. You're cold as always, Emiya!"
She laughs as if something is really funny.
Mitsuzuri Ayako.
She was my classmate in first year, and she's now the captain of the archery club.
She's very insightful, and everyone expected her to become captain since the first year.
…Well, in other words, her mental age is older than her real age, so she's been the older sister type everyone counts on since she was a first year.
Though, she gets mad when people say that. According to her, she's not that old.
"Huh? Were you just thinking badly of me?"
"I wouldn't dream of it. I was just thinking objectively about the truth. Though, it's up to you if you want to feel angry about it."
"Oh, you don't say. That's good. You answered honestly, but you never revealed what you were thinking about.
You don't let your guard down like Shinji does."
"Shinji? What does he have to do with this?"
"Because you guys are friends.
You're the only male friend he has, right? And you might have forgotten, but I'm the captain of the archery club. Don't you think it's only natural for me to connect the current problem student and the problem student that quit?"
"Yeah, that's certainly natural. The archery club has nothing to do with it, but I certainly do have an unsavory and inseparable relationship with him."
Even Shiki and Arihiko were never that forthcoming.
You've got it nice. You left Shinji behind and just quit. Couldn't you think about those who were left, like me and Sakura?"
"Hmm. Did Shinji do something again?"
"A day doesn't pass when he doesn't do something.
…But still, yesterday was a bit too much.
He even made a guy from the first year quit."
Mitsuzuri sighs seriously.
It's rare for her to make a face like this, but even more than that, I can't ignore what she just said.
"What's that? A student quit? Why?"
"Shinji took his anger out on him. He got loads of female students around and made the kid, who has barely started handling bows, shoot. He laughed at him until he hit the target."
"Huh!? And you let that happen!?"
"Of course I didn't! But a captain's busy, you know? I can't always be in the dojo. You know that."
"…That's true, but what the hell was Shinji thinking? He does teach very harshly, but he's not the type to make fun of people like that."
That Shinji, he's just misunderstood. He's a really nice guy at heart, and he cares deeply for his sister.
"…I'm surprised. You really are like that."
"Hm, what do you mean by that? Were you just thinking badly of me?"
"Oh, I was just thinking objectively about the truth. So it's up to you if you want to feel angry about it."
"…Stop copying me.
Fine, but what about Shinji? Why did he act like that?"
"Hmm, from what I heard, it was something like getting turned down harshly by Tohsaka."
"Huh? You mean, that Tohsaka?"
I'm talking about the honor student in class 2-A, Miss Perfect, Tohsaka Rin."
"…I don't think I've heard that nickname before."
It's the first time I've heard the nickname, but I would probably agree with it.
She's even modest!
With Tohsaka involved, I can understand even Shinji getting turned down, and most of all…
If it was Tohsaka, I can see her refusing him mercilessly.
"Anyways, Shinji's been like this since yesterday.
That's why I've had to keep an eye on the dojo until now today."
"Shinji has a nasty temper. I know it's hard, but keep up the hard work, Mitsuzuri."
"Okay, okay. But Shinji never knows when to stop, you know? I feel like he'll do something really bad if he asks her out again and gets turned down again."
"No, even Shinji wouldn't approach someone who turned him down. He's pretty good about that kind of thing."
"But he can't help it if the person who turned him down comes near him. I don't know why, but Tohsaka comes and visits the dojo pretty often. You quit, so you wouldn't know."
"Hm?"
That's the first I've heard of it.
Tohsaka Rin doesn't do any club activities for personal reasons. I thought she went straight home since she even turned down the recommendation to join the student council.
"Well, maybe that sort of thing is good every now and then. He has a haughty attitude, so it might be good for him to have a hard time for once."
Mitsuzuri says some dangerous things.
…Come to think of it, I heard that Tohsaka has many enemies. Could Mitsuzuri be one of them?
"Hey Mitsuzuri, that's going too…"
"Oh, it's almost time. Bye Emiya, come and see my archery skills sometime."
Mitsuzuri hurries off.
"
She's just like always."But I like that part of her.
Feeling calmer now, I head for the classroom.
Music: Gentle Everyday
"Emiya, could you give me some of that fried chicken? My lunch is desperately lacking in meat."
"Sure, but why is your lunch so plain? You live in a temple, but there aren't any teachings prohibiting meat or alcohol, right?”
"Such an anachronism. It's just my father's way.
He says there's no luxurious foods for a young priest, and that I should have to work for what I want. I'm thinking of running away and joining the circus."
"Oh, yeah, that sounds like that guy."
Issei's father is the priest of the Ryudou Temple, and a bold guy who's old friends with the old man at Fuji-Nee's place.
You can't expect a normal personality when he's friends with a guy like that.
"That's great. Well then, I'll give you one in the hope of repayment someday."
I hand him my lunchbox.
"Thank you. This too is part of my religious training."
Issei bows deeply.
…How can I put this? I never know what to say when things like this remind me that he's the son of a priest.
"Oh, by the way, Emiya. Did you know there was something going on around the 2nd avenue? It's right around the intersection where we part."
Music: Stop
"Intersection…?"
The intersection this morning… he must mean that clamor with all the police cars.
"I heard there was a murder. I don't know the details, but of the family of four, only the child survived. They say the older sister and the parents were stabbed to death. But what's strange is that they think the weapon was a long one, not like a knife or something."
"
"A long weapon? He must mean something like a sword.
It was a murder… so that must mean the sister and the parents were killed.
Shirou's really going on murderous rampages with a sword while he's asleep and the plotline will reach its climax when he confronts his inner demon: the deceased spirit of Kiritsugu's real son.
"Issei, have they caught the murderer?"
"It doesn't seem like it. Accidents from faulty construction in Shinto, and murder here. It's no wonder they're making the curfew here at school ear
what's wrong, Emiya? Did you choke on something?"
"Hm? Nothing, what's wrong?"
"No… I was just surprised since you had a nasty expression. Sorry, this wasn't something I should have talked about during lunch.”
Issei tries to soften the air apologetically.
…I was fine with the topic, but was I really making such a nasty face?
Music: Tender Scenery
"Excuse me, is Ryudou here?"
"Huh? Oh, what is it, Sensei?"
Issei addresses Kuzuki, who just entered.
It must be a simple talk about the student council as Issei seems pretty relaxed.
"…Wow."
That's not something you see everyday.
Despite his appearance, Issei's very shy. The guy who draws a line against his classmates and even his teachers is letting his guard down with Kuzuki.
"Maybe they get along because they're both so serious."
Kuzuki Souichirou, the teacher in charge of class 2-A, is serious and stubborn.
Probably that aspect helps him get along with Issei, who prizes order and discipline.
