Part 84

Chapter 4

Shiki has lunch in class with his gay crush, Arihiko. Arihiko complains about the lack of women, but you know Shiki doesn't mind. Ciel shows up and talks to Shiki about his moving into the Tohno mansion. They chat for awhile when Yumizuka calls Shiki out into the hallway.

Following her request, Shiki chats with Yumizuka about being out late at night. He denies it and they chat a bit. Yumizuka reminds him that they also went to middle school together. She leaves, saying "It's okay as long as it's not you," and lunch continues. Arihiko is surprised that Shiki never noticed Yumizuka before, but that's only because he can't take a hint.

Chapter 5

School ends and Shiki decides to return to the mansion. He meets up with Yumizuka on the way home and they walk most of the way together. While they walk, she tells him a story about when they were in middle school. She and the rest of the girls from the badminton club were trapped in an old shed when Shiki came by and freed them by cutting the lock. It was then that Yumizuka realized, if she were ever in trouble, it would be a guy like Shiki that would come and save her. Before they part, she makes him promise that if she's ever really in trouble, he'll come save her. He feels a bit reluctant about it, but doesn't want to let her down and so he agrees. Their paths split there, so she goes a separate way to her house while Shiki returns to the mansion.

Music: play track 1

...... My feelings are a little complex.
The path home is nostalgic, yet fresh.
Up until just now, I had not looked forward to returning to the Tohno household. Now, it doesn't seem so bad.

My mother died from illness after Akiha was born, so the Tohnos had dwindled down to me and my sister.
Being the eldest son, you would think I would stand to become the Tohno heir... but I have no such privilege.

To become the Tohno heir means being bound by a strict upbringing.
I have lost count of the number of times my father scolded me over my dislike of not being able to live freely.
That was when I got involved in that accident, and my body became weakened... My father saw it as a good opportunity to get rid of me.
His reasoning was something along the lines of "someone who could die any moment can't become the heir, even if he is the eldest son".
Sadly for my father, I betrayed his expectations by making a recovery, but my sister Akiha was already deemed to be the heir to the Tohno household.

And so I've heard that Akiha, who was already being raised harshly in order to become a proper daughter of the Tohno household, received an even harsher upbringing since then.
That was a long time ago--I played together with Akiha in the mansion back before the accident. After that, I never saw her again.