The Crisis World XX

Chap. 50: Kuromichi Anna and Kurobane Mei-senpai

After Herlin and I failed in convincing Kurobane-senpai to join the Black Rain organization, on this Sunday our plan with Oita-san will gather in front of Himawari Orphanage to leave for Tokyo.

But Herlin told me to come early because there was something she needed to do. I don't know what it is. I am currently walking to Himawari Orphanage at 7 am.

"Hooaamm.." I shut my mouth that was wide open from yawning.

"What exactly made him tell you to come so early?" ask Cecilia.

"Well, I hope it's important to interrupt my extra sleep on the day off."

After walking for quite a while, I finally arrived in front of Himawari Orphanage. There also looks Herlin who is standing waiting for me while playing his HP. I also approached him.

"Yeah…"

"You're late."

"It's your fault for telling me to come at this hour. What business is it anyway?"

"You'll know as soon as we get to her place. Come on." He walked away immediately.

I then walked up to him and quickly stood beside him.

**

We walked to a place I had never been. There are actually a lot of places I haven't visited in this city because I spend more time at home. So this is my first time here.

Herlin walked over while continuing to check his HP. He was like someone who was checking whether the address he had on his HP was correct or not.

After turning from one block to the other, we were finally in front of a large, old-fashioned house.

"So here's the place" Herlin murmured.

"Whose place?"

"You'll know soon."

Herlin was already preparing to squeeze the doorbell of the house. But there was someone who walked into the same house we were headed to. Upon seeing them, Herlin immediately ran away from the gate.

"Let's hide first."

"O-Oi! What's up?!"

Although I actually don't know why Herlin behaves like that. But somehow my body moves on its own to hide from these people. We hid behind the walls of another house not far from our previous destination.

"Oi! What the hell is going on?!" my many.

"Deflect your voice."

I saw those people too. They numbered three and fought fierce and creepy. One of them rang the doorbell. And a woman came out whose face was no stranger to me.

"Kurobane…"

"What's wrong?" kurobane-senpai said to the three people.

His face showed his dislike towards the three of them.

"Don't pretend you don't know! It's the last day you'll pay off your father's debts, right?!" say one of them.

"Don't make it up! The final limit is next week! Don't replace it as you please!"

They were arguing for quite a while in front of that gate. Although the streets were still quiet because it was still early morning, but their debate was enough to create a commotion that woke the surrounding residents.

"So the reason he's in The One tournament…?"

"Of course because of the money. It seems like Kurobane-senpai's father can't afford her debt so it's also a burden to her."

"So so…"

I looked back at Kurobane-senpai who was still arguing with the three people.

"By the way, where do you know Kurobane-senpai's house? Did you look for it yourself?"

"No, I got it from someone at school."

"Acschool? Is he your friend?"

"On that…"

**

A few days earlier, at school. Herlin was walking to the toilet to clean his hands and after that was intending to buy a drink. Herlin still had no way of persuading Kurobane-senpai to come with him.

Herlin thought, he accidentally collided hard enough with someone to the point of making the items the person was carrying fall scattered to the floor.

"Ouch…"

"Ma-I'm sorry! I didn't see the road! I'm really sorry!"

The man who hit Herlin bowed deeply in the sign that he regretted his actions.

"It's okay, it should be me." Herlin said.

"… You... who was that time?"

"ah! Shakuta-san!"

The man called Herlin's name happily. While Herlin remembered that this person was the woman he helped when he was bullied on the edge of school by other girls.

"If it's not wrong.. Kurohichi-san?"

"Kuromichi, you know. Kuromichi Anna."

"Ah right, I'm sorry Kuromichi-san. I was so focused that I accidentally bumped into you."

Herlin then picks up Kuromichi's belongings scattered on the floor, a notebook and pencil. Herlin accidentally sees Kuromichi's book. There is writing his name with dots next to it, below it also visible writings such as date of birth, residence, ID Line, etc.

"Kuromichi-san, here…"

"Aah! You can't see the contents!" said panic.

Kuromichi immediately snatched the book in Herlin's hands and hid it in his arms with a reddened face.

"That was..Wouldn't you write my bio in that book?"

"..."

Kuromichi did not answer him immediately. Instead his face was getting reddened by the question from Herlin. After a while, he began to speak even though in a stammer.

"Bu-Not means I want to spread it or how. I-It's just my hobby."

"Hmmm…"

Herlin did not really understand, but he only confirmed Kuromichi's statement. Then Herlin took the initiative to do something.

"Ano... Kuromichi-san, would you like to sit down and talk for a while?"

"Eh?"

The two of them then sat on a park bench around the school area. Since the break was still going on, it would not hurt according to Herlin to talk to him for a while.

Although in the end it was awkward. Kuromichi kept his head down with a red face, while Herlin only watched his behavior in silence.

"So…"

"Yes?!"

"You don't need to be that sweet, I won't ask you weird."

"Ah..I'm sorry Ririsaka-san, I am a person who is too awkward and can not look into the eyes of my opponents. It'll make me uncomfortable."

"Hmm. Then try to look me in the eye" said Herlin.

"Eh…?! I-I told you…"

"Just try it."

"Well."

Kuromichi turned his body towards Herlin. He focused on looking at Herlin's greenish irises. Ten seconds had already passed and Kuromichi's face had gone red and lowered his head back to hide his face.

"I thought it was impossible."

"Maybe you just need some time."

Herlin again watched Kuromichi in silence. He looked at the book in his arms. A book that seems very important to him.

"Kuromichi-san, do you want to know my bio?"

"Eh?! What can?!"

A surprised and happy expression emanated from Kuromichi's face. Although what Herlin gave was just a biodata, but somehow his pleasure was unnatural.

"Yes it's okay. But why are you so happy?"

"It's the first time I've ever gotten someone's biodata from the person in person. Usually I do hard research just to get it."

"Ah. I see." Herlin did not understand.

Kuromichi then opens the book and holds his pencil preparing to write.

"So, what's your full name?!" He asked like a professional journalist.

"Ririsaka Herlin."

"Next, what's your date of birth?"

"31 October."

"Well! Coinciding with Halloween! You must be a person who likes mystical things huh, Ririsaka-san?"

"I don't hate him, anyway."

They both kept doing short interviews for quite a while.

"Gee!" Kuromichi points his book up and sees it like a treasure.

"Are you satisfied?"

"Mrs! Thank you very much, Ririsaka-san!"

"Now can I ask you?"

"Eh? It could be. But it depends on the question as well" said Kuromichi who blushed again.

"You've written a lot of bio-data on people in school, right?"

"Nn, even though I only write biodes of people who interest me."

"Do you know about Kurobane Mei-senpai?"

"I know. He is a famous person in this school. Hah.His beautiful parasites and his nice body, he also won a national level archery race. Truly the embodiment of a perfect woman." Kuromichi praised him to the point of losing focus.

"May I see her biodata?"

"That's all, but for what?"

**

*Now*

Herlin recalled the strange event which he thought was a stroke of good fortune to someone.

"… Yes, you could say we're friends."

"So you're not sure you're his friend?"

"Forget about that for now. Look at that, it seems like their debate is getting hotter."

I looked at Kurobane-senpai like I was holding back my anger. He lowered his head and bit his lips to help him hold back the anger.

"Just…! I don't accept excuses anymore! You have to pay now or you have to get out of this house!"

"…"

"Oi! You hear no?!"

One of them pointed the knife he took out of his pocket at his face. But Kurobane-senpai did not look daunted in the slightest.

"It's terrible!" I tried to get out and try to save her, but Herlin hinted me to stop and just shut up.

While Kurobane-senpai who was silent just now started talking.

"Can…"

"Well?!"

"I said.. CAN YOU... YOU WAIT A MINUTE ?!"

Swuush…

Suddenly a strong gust was created around the body of Kurobane-senpai who flew the knife that was directed at him. Along with the murderous gaze he gave the three people.

"What the hell's going on?"

The other two men left their friends out of fear and they all left.

"Don't think you can get away with your debt!" While running away.

"Goddess..."

When Kurobane-senpai plans to go inside. Suddenly he was surprised by the voice that called out to him.

"Syny senpai way too, yeah. To throw them out."

"Eh…? You you?" Kurobane-senpai looked towards Herlin and then towards me.

I just greeted him with a stiff smile. "Good morning."

"What do you want? Didn't I reject you?"

"Maybe it's true. But what a pity, I will not stop until Senpai accepts my offer" said Herlin.

"Huh... Why are you so insistent on asking me to join? Is there no one else?"

"Senpai is all I know for now. I can't trust strangers either."

"Then you believed me that?"

"At least one school with me. So if Senpai messes around, I can easily find you."

Herlin and Kurobane-senpai spoke for quite a long time on the circling topic, she seemed to remain firm on her stance if she did not want to join us. I who wanted to talk had absolutely no chance of getting into their conversation.

"Cats, Kurobane-senpai!"

"Hn?"

After speaking loudly enough, their attention was finally on me.

"Senpai is in need of money right now?"

"It's none of your business." That short, dense answer seemed to have directly pierced into my chest.

"Me-Even though it's none of my business, but Senpai will do anything to earn a lot of money as soon as possible right?"

"Yes that's right too." His gaze was fixed in another direction as if he was imagining something.

"Why then refuse our offer?"

"Before I answer it, let's go in first" said Kurobane-senpai.

It seemed like his debate with the previous person had already attracted a lot of attention. Instead of our arrival being a talk, Kurobane-senpai finally let us in.

Inside the house, the atmosphere was truly like an ancient Japanese home. With a small flowerbed and koi pond in the yard. We are then welcome to sit in the living room.

"So, connect the conversation earlier. I really need money."

"So why…"

"But I don't want to risk my life. The one who does such a thing is a fool."

"Why does it seem like Senpai should apologize to the firefighters and soldiers for what you said just now" I muttered.

"It's a matter of yes." Herlin then spoke.

"… What if we prove it directly? So Senpai can trust that we can both make you feel safe."

"And how do you prove it?"

"Now Senpai can come with both of us. We will prove that we are not as weak as we think" said Herlin in a serious tone.

"But that doesn't mean I'll accept your offer right away after I see it, you know."

"Whatever, senpai could decide after seeing it for herself. We'll wait in front."

Herlin then stood up and walked out of the living room. I followed him too.

While Kurobane-senpai walks to her room to change clothes and get ready. After he was ready, he then turned to the closed room next to him.

He went inside and saw an old man lying down. Except for the infusion that stuck in his veins, he was like a person who slept soundly as usual.

Kurobane-senpai then approached her and gently stroked her head. He whispered something to the old man.

"I'll pay it off, Dad. I promise."

**

Meanwhile, Herlin and I were waiting in the front yard. I still have a little doubt whether Kurobane-senpai will join or not.

"Nee Herlin, what if she still doesn't want to join us?"

"Just calm down, what he currently needs is money. And we're the right answer for him."

"Hopefully so."

After waiting for quite a while, Kurobane-senpai finally came out in a tidier outfit and was ready to leave.

"Don't take this as my answer. I'll make sure it's there myself" Kurobane-senpai said.

"Yes, yes."

Finally we managed to persuade Kurobane-senpai to come with us to Tokyo. And there's my ability that's gonna be the determinant.

Seriate