Chapter 98: Testing Memories

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Translator: Soafp

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“Hey, both of you! Stop being so rough!”

I approached the two. Konatsu, who was being held in a headlock, flailed her legs, looking like a small animal caught in a trap.

“Doing that is dangerous.”

Unable to suppress my concern for Konatsu, I gently tugged at Kagura’s clothes. She briefly looked up at me, puffing her cheeks like a sulking child.

“Because this girl gave Hajime chocolates!? And she did it before us!”

“How could she… someone like this junior…”

“I can’t forgive it!”

“Please, let her go. It’s dangerous to shake her like that.”

I tried to convey my feelings, but I was having a hard time.

“Agh, fine! If Hajime says so…”

Kagura let out an exaggerated sigh and reluctantly released Konatsu.

“You’re too kind, Hajime-kun…”

Marin also released Konatsu, looking dissatisfied.

The two of them then ran over to me.

Kagura snuggled up to me, glaring at Konatsu. She looked like a cat protecting her territory. Marin, not to be outdone, clung to my other arm.

“Hey, both of you, you’re too close!”

I could feel my body heating up as I was squeezed from both sides.

Konatsu let out a deep breath and started fixing her disheveled uniform.

“That’s terrible treatment! Are all of Hajime-senpai’s girlfriends this scary?”

She glared at us as she spoke.

“”I am not his girlfriend!””

Kagura and Marin shouted almost simultaneously, then both added in a whisper, “yet.”

“Okay, okay, calm down. We're not getting anywhere like this.”

Miyabi's calm voice took control of the situation. Aoi nodded beside her, and everyone lined up at the edge of the rooftop. As the cold wind stirred their hair, a sense of tension began to build. I tried to suppress my restless feelings while observing everyone's reactions.

“Now, let's get back to it…”

Konatsu cleared her throat and looked up. Her expression changed suddenly from her usual light-hearted demeanor to one of serious intensity. At that change, I couldn't help but take a sharp breath.

“Miyabi-senpai, Aoi-senpai, Hajime-senpai… Do you remember a girl named Suz Suzumaru?”

The moment I heard that name, a wave of nostalgia and pain ran through my chest.

—Suz-chan.

Hearing her name after so long brought back memories of my childhood so vividly that I was surprised by how clear they were.

“I remember… She was my first childhood friend.”

I opened my mouth slowly, recalling the past, as if looking far off into the distance.

“We were together since kindergarten. Before I met Miyabi and Aoi, Suz was always by my side.”

The memories from that time came rushing back in full color. Holding small hands and walking home together, the days we laughed and spent time together. What seemed like ordinary moments are now cherished memories.

“Suz? Who's that?”

Marin tilted her head, and I heard her whisper to Kagura.

“I don't know either. But it's the first time I've heard Hajime talk about her…”

Kagura also tilted her head. The two of them blinked, trying to gather information.

“Could it be… Hajime’s ex-girlfriend!?”

Kagura snapped her fingers and shouted, pointing dramatically.

“No! It wasn't like that.”

I immediately denied it. It wasn't like that, but for some reason, my face grew hot.

Konatsu watched this reaction coldly, her lips curling into a slight smile, almost as if she were observing my reaction.

“Why do you know about Suz-chan?”

I asked her, and she smiled meaningfully.

“Don't worry, you'll find out… in time.”

She said in a cheerful tone, though her eyes carried a cold gleam. Aoi furrowed her brows but continued with the conversation.

“I remember her too. At the summer festival, she got lost and Hajime helped her, and after that, she started hanging out with us, but by that time, Hajime was already with that girl.”

Aoi's voice was tinged with nostalgia.

“Back then, I was in third grade… I introduced Miyabi to Hajime. After that, the three of us started hanging out together… But looking back, Suz had been Hajime's childhood friend long before we showed up. She had always been with him.”

Aoi lowered her eyes slightly.

“Suz… liked Hajime, right? Even I could tell back then.”

Miyabi nodded quietly.

“Yeah… Suz was always attached to Hajime. Both Aoi and I, at first, we…”

She hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

“We were a little… resigned.”

Miyabi whispered quietly.

“Looks like even the assertive sisters weren't that confident at the start~.”

Kagura muttered, impressed, and Marin whispered, “That includes you, right?”

At Marin's comment, Kagura turned away with a huff.

Konatsu was listening to the conversation while maintaining a charming expression on the surface, though at times her gaze became sharply cold. I couldn't help but notice that she was carefully observing our reactions, as if testing the impact of her words.

“But then, one day…”

Miyabi's voice changed. It became a little more subdued.

“The three of us were playing, and suddenly… Suz appeared, looking all beaten up.”

That moment was burned into my memory as well. That day, I had been playing in the park with Miyabi and Aoi. Suz was supposed to join us, but she said she couldn't come due to some errand. Then, she suddenly appeared.

Her clothes were covered in dirt, her hair was disheveled, and her eyes looked vacant.

“I couldn't help but say it… ‘Why are you so dirty?’ But the look on her face after that…”

Miyabi murmured, sounding apologetic.

“I also said… ‘Your clothes are dirty.’ Of course, I was worried… But Suz's face at that moment… I still can't forget it.”

Aoi also lowered her head in silence.

And I remembered what I had said that day.

—It was just two word.

“How sad…”

I had muttered, feeling pity for Suz's dirty appearance. I was concerned about what had happened to her, wondering if something was wrong.

But then…

“At that moment, Suz… her face became like she had lost her soul.”

I continued, my words faltering.

“After that, she ran off… and that was the last time I saw her. Shortly after, she moved away and I never saw her again.”

A heavy silence spread over the rooftop. Only the wind passed between us.

I had always thought that Suz had hated me. I thought my words, “How sad,” might have hurt her. Though I didn't know the circumstances, those words might have been decisive for her. If that was the reason she disappeared, I had unknowingly hurt her.

The regret that had been simmering deep inside me continued to stir as I spoke.

“So that's what happened…”

I heard a small voice. Looking over, I saw Konatsu clenching her fist. Her expression had changed. Her usual cheerful smile had vanished, and her face twisted in a way that seemed like she was enduring something. Her lips were tightly pressed together, and her trembling fingers revealed her emotions. There was a cold flame burning in her eyes.

“Konatsu-chan…?”

When I called out to her, Konatsu snapped out of her thoughts and quickly tried to regain her usual smile. But it was awkward, not quite right.

“Oh, no, it's nothing. Don't worry about me…”

Her voice sounded almost like an excuse, and she looked away. She let go of her smile and, slowly, began to brace herself. Her eyes briefly flashed sharply.

“I have a suspicion.”

Her voice was cold, almost icy. The soft atmosphere from before completely vanished, replaced by words that cut through the air like a sharp blade.

“Suz's death… is likely connected to someone named Amano Mizuki.”

Miyabi's brows furrowed slightly.

“…What do you mean? And why is Mizuki involved with Suz-chan's death?”

Miyabi's voice was laced with confusion. Though surprised, she quickly regained her sharpness, trying to understand Konatsu's words.

Kagura and Marin exchanged confused glances, not knowing Mizuki's name, and could only watch the unfolding situation.

“…But is that true?”

Miyabi carefully asked, though she wasn't quick to deny it. She was trying to calmly sort through the situation.

“Hey, Marin, do you know who he is?”

The two of them were still confused, struggling to piece together the information.

Konatsu showed no interest in their conversation, quietly watching everyone's expressions. It was as if she was testing how her words would affect us.

I stared at Konatsu.

“Konatsu-chan, I'm asking you again… What kind of relationship do you have with Suz-chan?”

Konatsu met my gaze calmly. She smiled faintly, her eyes holding an unreadable emotion as she slowly opened her mouth.

“That… you'll find out soon enough. Whether you like it or not…”

The wind on the rooftop felt a little calmer, but in contrast, a cold unease spread through my heart.