Part 58

"I was all about to die and stuff, and then I was like... damn... those are some cool boots."

......"Huh?" Senpai tilts her head.
She frowns like she doesn't understand my words completely, and then denies it.

"Um, I don't quite understand, but you're saying that I was near your house two nights ago, looking like that?"
"Yeah. Senpai, that was you, right?"

"No way. Tohno-kun, are you saying I look like I really have that much free time?"
---Senpai is really angry.
She can't be playing ignorant or lying.

"What do you take me for, some creepy otaku cosplayer?!"

Certainly after having her say that, she is right.
Ciel-senpai and the person that night aren't related at all.
In the first place, Senpai's just a normal person, and if she was actually there---she had to have seen me kill that vampire with my knife.
If she saw such a gruesome scene, there'd be no way she could talk with me normally like this.

"...... Sorry, please forget about it. I guess it was just someone else."

"That's fine, but...... did that person really look like me? That weird person?"
"Well, I'm not too sure. It was dark, and far away............ huh?"
Yeah, it was far and I couldn't make out her face.
So why did I think it looked like Senpai......?
"...... Hmm... Maybe there is something wrong with me."
I cross my arms and think.

Music: play track 3

"What's going on, Tohno? I never heard you were skipping class. It's a lot of trouble. You have to tell me when you skip school and go play!"
Arihiko says those preposterous words with an unbelievably happy expression.
"...... Why should I have to tell you when I don't go to school?"
"Isn't it obvious? When you don't show, neither does Senpai, so it's bad unless I think of something ahead of time."
...... What's bad for this guy?

"But seriously--What happened? Since middle school, you've had anemia, but never skipped school. Well, you did a cool trick several times, leaving as soon as you arrived."
"It's kind of like that. I made it to the intersection and felt bad, so I went back home."

If by 'felt bad' you mean 'saw a girl I killed'

"Hmmm... Both you and Yumizuka seems to be acting like bad students lately."
"--Well, I'm guilty as charged, but ...... is something wrong with Yumizuka-san?"

--While we are talking, the homeroom chime rings.

"Well, I'm off. Since you skipped Saturday, make sure you study hard today."

Arihiko goes back to his seat.

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Fourth period ends and the class erupts into pandemonium all over again.
The guys dash off to the cafeteria, the girls eat their lunches at their desks, and Inui Arihiko's carrying a sandwich and coming over to me.

"Yo Tohno! Lunch, lunch."
"---"

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