Chapter 17: Rainbow-colored suspicious person Part 1

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Translator: Soafp

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[Hatsune PoV]

“Sorry… who are you?”

In the middle of the city, a poor boy who had been forgotten even as he spoke.

I—Momo Hatsune—witnessed it.

“Ah, Momo. Welcome back.”

“Ahaha, I saw someone talking to you earlier.”

“Yeah. I wonder if I did something wrong…”

“It's not a big deal.”

The truth is, I know about him.

Since first year, he had occasionally greeted Ayanon, but they never had a conversation. Even though he sat next to her, he never made much of an effort.

To be honest, he seemed like a suspicious person.

His name is Hajime Toumachi.

I thought he'd probably end up as one of Ayano's victims.

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“Eh?”

One day in the classroom.

I saw the unmistakable rainbow-colored hair.

It was him. He instantly went onto the list of strange people.

At that time, I thought maybe he had gone astray mentally and become a delinquent.

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“…Inexpensive… curry…”

“?”

Then.

During lunch break, I saw him muttering incomprehensible words in front of Ayanon.

I thought this was bad.

Maybe he was stalking her due to some personal grudge—

“At this time of year, cabbage is cheap, so maybe a Japanese-style curry would be good—”

“—! Thank you.”

“Well then!”

“? Eh.”

But, perhaps Ayanon's angelic presence purified him… the conversation started normally.

I was relieved.

Still, I thought he was someone to be wary of. With such suspicious behavior, there might be police involvement—such worst-case scenarios crossed my mind.

With that in my sights.

I needed to protect Ayanon.

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And then, on Saturday. This time, there was a suspicious person who was trying to spin on the horizontal bar.

He wasn't spinning at all.

Spinning in double meanings… yeah, I made a clever remark.

So, early in the morning—at this time.

Did he know that Ayanon and Kanon-chan often come here to play?

Was he staking out this early?

I don't know.

But he seemed very earnest for some reason—

“—Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Ah, uh, uh.”

“Um~, that person is a classmate of mine—”

It seemed too pitiful.

When he was being questioned by the police, I couldn't help but step in to help.

“I run here every day at this time, but I haven't seen you before.”

“…I just started today. With the horizontal bar.”

“…Hmm?”

“Just felt like it…”

“….Come to think of it, how do you know me?”

“Because a ‘suspicious person' was talking to Ayanon.”

“Eh?”

“Besides, I don't think it's because of your hair color that you're recognizable.”

“…Ah.”

“You’re a strange person, Toumachi-kun. Suddenly talking about curry.”

“…Ugh.”

Even when questioned, he seemed to be hiding something. Suspicious.

But, strangely, he didn't seem like a ‘bad person.'

I don't know.

“—Thank you for helping me, Hatsune-san. I'll repay this favor someday.”

“!?.”

He suddenly got all serious. It was a bit unsettling.

In any case… he's still a suspicious person.

---

And today.

At Ayanon's request, I was at the movie theater with Kanon-chan.

And then I spotted him.

At that moment, I was convinced once again that Toumachi-kun was Ayanon's stalker.

“Go for itーーーーー!!”

…And then, with his voice joining the other audience members' cheers from behind—the certainty began to waver.

“So—Toumachi-kun, were you watching something?”

“Eh?”

“Oh, were you about to watch it?”

I teased him playfully.

It wasn't out of jealousy for how close he seemed with the angelic Kanon-chan.

Even if he wasn't a stalker, if he said he was watching that movie… it would surely reflect poorly on him in Ayanon's eyes.

The moment he said, “I was about to watch it,” I planned to question him later. It was too pitiful to do so while still with Ayanon.

But.

“Actually, I just watched ○× Cure.”

“Eh?”

“Eh, why did you say that yourself—”

“—Rainbow colors!”

“It was interesting, ○× Cure.”

“○× Cureー!”

“Everyone did their best.”

He admitted it himself.

And ended up talking happily with Kanon-chan.

“Oh. I should be going to watch the next movie soon!”

“Eh?”

“Well then. Uh, Kanon-chan, Hatsune-san, and Kisaragi-san.”

“Bye-bye!”

He then disappeared into the screening room.

…Now, I'm completely confused.