A World Only for You (3)
"Wh-what? You're already here?"
Misaki looked back and forth between her phone and me, her expression completely dazed. I let out a short laugh and nodded.
"Yeah. Happened to be in the area."
"Liar! You're dripping with sweat. We've got plenty of time—you didn't have to run."
She pulled a tissue from her bag and gently dabbed at the sweat on my forehead.
"Geez, were you that desperate to see your big sis? What if you'd tripped and fallen?"
A flicker of worry passed through Misaki's smiling eyes.
I'd shown up unannounced; she had every right to be annoyed. Yet she showed no sign of it, thinking of me first.
"Big sis, my ass. We're the same age."
I answered gruffly, suddenly self-conscious, while sneaking a look at her.
Long blonde hair and pink eyes. A dazzling face that turned heads wherever she went. On top of that, an unguarded smile and a bright presence that put people at ease.
I felt anew just why everyone loved Shinohara Misaki.
Shinohara Misaki.
The only color in my world. The sole value of my life. The only woman who shone in a world painted black and white.
…Huh? What the hell. Why am I thinking that?
It was the line Ren repeated every time he looked at Misaki in the original. It must have just popped into my head.
I sat down across from her and changed the subject.
"More importantly—what about that re-taker? Her name was… Nagase Yui, right?"
"…You even remembered her name?"
Misaki's eyes went wide.
"I don't forget a name once I've heard it."
"Heeh, for real? I forget stuff all the time."
She gave an awkward little laugh and shrugged.
"Yui still isn't here. And she's not answering."
"Is she usually like that?"
"Mm… she was late sometimes. But this is the first time I couldn't get ahold of her at all. She always treated her phone like treasure."
Misaki checked her screen one more time and sighed.
"Won't pick up, won't read texts. Something really happened, right?"
"Have you tried going to her place?"
"No. I heard she lives in a studio, but… there could be other reasons. It's only been one day without contact."
"…"
Silence settled between us. Misaki hit the call button again, but all that came through was the mechanical voice.
"The person you are calling is currently unavailable…"
Click.
"Haa, this is weird."
Misaki's shoulders slumped.
I watched her for a moment.
Better just tell her.
In the original, Misaki only went to Yui's place after three full days of silence. By then it was already too late.
I wasn't going to let that happen this time.
"Misaki. There's something that's been bugging me—is Yui an Awakened?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah…"
Misaki flinched and looked away.
I already knew Yui was Awakened. She'd probably asked Misaki to keep it quiet.
In a world without gates or monsters like reality, Awakened didn't get the warmest reception.
Awakened-related crimes never seemed to stop, after all.
"It's fine. You and I are both Awakened anyway."
"Re-Ren! What if someone hears you…!"
"I'm actually working as a mercenary."
"…What?"
Misaki's face went rigid.
Not every mercenary was bad, but most of them dealt in violence and illegal work.
Misaki took it pretty hard when she found out Ren's real identity in the original.
Ren had always played the ordinary, mild-mannered college student in front of her. Suddenly claiming to be a mercenary might be hard to swallow.
But if I wanted to fix this situation, I had no choice…
"Whoa, no way! For real?"
Misaki's eyes sparkled as she leaned in close. Completely different from what I'd expected.
Before I could even process why, the soft scent of her body hit me. My head spun for a second and heat surged downward.
I tried to keep my gaze locked on her face, but the large shapes beneath kept pulling my eyes.
"W-wait. You're way too close…"
She always left the top buttons undone, complaining her chest felt tight, so her cleavage was on full display. The black bra only made it look more provocative.
Misaki ignored my protest and peered straight into my face.
"What's this~ Ren? You always act so pure and innocent, but behind the scenes you've been doing dangerous stuff like that?"
"I'm not joking."
"I know. You're the type who doesn't even get jokes."
She giggled and propped her chin on her hand.
"Still, kinda surprising. Mercenaries kill people and stuff, right? I just can't picture you ever doing something like that."
"…Why do you think that?"
"Because Ren's a good person."
Misaki said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I scratched my head, embarrassed.
So that was it.
In the original, Misaki hadn't learned Ren's identity this way.
To save her from Orca's pursuit, Ren had slaughtered the organization members without so much as blinking.
Surrounded by the thick stench of blood, Misaki discovered he was a mercenary. How big that shock must have been needed no explanation.
But this time was different. I'd told her myself first.
At the very least, she wouldn't think I'd been lying to her.
That psychopath Ren. His image management was flawless. And she just lets it slide.
Anyway, this was a relief. Being hated by her was the last thing I wanted.
I cleared my throat and continued.
"Anyway, what I wanted to say is—there's been some weird talk going around in my circles lately."
"What kind of talk?"
"Apparently some guys have been targeting Awakened for kidnapping. Yui's one too, right?"
Misaki's face hardened in an instant.
"No way…"
"I'm worried Yui might have been taken by them."
"…!"
Misaki's pupils trembled violently. The anxiety showed plain on her face.
I looked straight into her eyes.
"Let's at least go check her place. If she's fine, then great."
Misaki gripped her phone without a word. She swallowed hard, then nodded.
"…Okay."
Misaki knew Yui's address. She'd dropped her off a few times after tutoring sessions.
"This it?"
"Yeah. Here."
What stood before us was an ordinary studio apartment building you could find anywhere.
The old gray exterior was cracked in places, and narrow corridors stretched along each floor. Exactly the kind of cost-effective place a college student would live in.
"Yui's on the third floor."
Misaki led the way up the stairs. We soon reached room 302.
She pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong.
"Yui! It's me, Misaki! Are you in there? Nothing's wrong, right? If you're there, say something."
No answer. She rang again, but there was no sign of life inside.
I tried the doorknob.
Click.
The door wasn't locked.
"…It's open."
"What?"
The color drained from Misaki's face in a flash. She immediately moved to shove the door open.
"Wait."
I caught her arm.
"Someone might be inside. I'll open it."
Misaki bit her lip. She was Awakened, but her physical durability was no different from an ordinary person's.
She took a steadying breath, then slowly nodded.
In the original no one was here, but this isn't three days later.
I stepped forward and pulled the door open.
It creaked slowly inward. I heightened my senses and carefully entered.
Can't see a thing.
The interior was dark. Curtains were drawn all the way across the window.
"…Yui?"
Misaki, following behind, called the name carefully. No reply.
The moment I raised my phone and switched on the flashlight, something caught against my toe. Looking down, I saw shards of a broken mug scattered across the floor.
"Oh my god…"
The room was a wreck.
A small desk lay overturned with one leg snapped off; a chair was jammed against the wall. Torn notebooks, workbooks, and clothes were strewn everywhere.
"What… is this?"
Misaki's voice trembled.
I surveyed the room in silence.
Long gouges that looked like they'd been clawed by fingernails ran down one wall. Faint dried bloodstains were smeared here and there.
These are the marks left from dragging one girl away?
I didn't even know Yui's Awakened ability. The last time Misaki saw her—when she'd gone alone to rescue her—Yui had been asleep inside an experimental tank.
The kidnappers were definitely physical-type Awakened too.
Yui's ability must have been something serious.
She hadn't been a major character, so I'd decided to save her mainly for Misaki's mental state, but…
It might be a pretty useful ability.
The corner of my mouth curled up on its own. If I played it right, I might build a bond and pick up a decent skill.
…Wait.
My foot froze mid-step. I rewound the thought that had just flashed through my head.
Save Yui. To get a skill…?
"…!"
What the hell was I thinking just now? Putting a skill ahead of a human life?
No way.
Something clicked. I immediately opened the system window.
Entered Manga: A World Only for You
Synchronization Rate: 24%
Would you like to exit? Progressed story will be saved.
Thud.
My heart plummeted.
Twenty-four percent…?