Escape Galge Chapter 5

v

Chapter 5 – Horror

　The weather is good today.
　The clear blue sky spreads out beyond the window.

　Sure enough, today…

　It seems like I can finally have a pleasant trip to school. Should I take some detours? I open the front door with such thoughts on my mind.

“G’morning, Kii.”
“… Not again? You really don’t learn your lesson, do you?”

　Perhaps I should hire an exorcist.
　Should I look for one in the yellow pages?

　Good grief, is this guy a M?

　For him to be able to show up all fine and dandy despite how we parted ways yesterday, something in him is broken.

“I’d love to spend the whole day with you today.”
“‘Whole’? … It’s Wednesday today, you know?”

　I look at him while suppressing the surfacing goosebumps.

　Sheesh, can it be that it’s already MAXed so there’s no need to go?

“Didn’t you tell me yesterday? I thought I understood you, but that wasn’t the case. I want to get to know you. Can’t we start over? From our first meeting, when that feather was picked up…”
“…”

　When that feather was picked up――.

　I was happy.

　As though it was telling me that this person was my destined one.
　Now that I think of it, I might have fallen in love that very first instance I saw him.

　However, it had been nothing but『lies』.

“That’s… obviously impossible!”

　Perhaps even the feelings of love I have are created by the『system』.

　Nah, such a thing doesn’t matter.

　My chest doesn’t have to feel all prickly.

“Don’t bother with me!”

　I ran away.
　Enough is enough; don’t unsettle me anymore!

　※※※
()

　I head to school in a quick pace and as fatigue plague me both physically and mentally, the lesson for the first period ends.
　Although there isn’t much time till the next lesson, my friends and I leave the classroom and head to the corridor where we chat while looking at the scenery outside the window…

“Kii.”
“Yikes!”

　I believe it can’t be helped that I let out a scream.

　From the flow of events yesterday and this morning, how is he able to appear as per usual!?
　Are your nerves connected normally!

　How do I get rid of you?
　Seriously, what the heck…

“Kii, senpai is calling you!”

　My friend hit my shoulder with what seems like excitement.

　If he’s a ghost…it’d great if he’s a ghost bound to the school…

　Gross-man, with his handsome features, is also popular with the general students.
　Even my friends applied pressure by telling me ‘Don’t make senpai wait!’.

“I’ll be going to the restroom.”
“Eh? What about senpai!?”

　Leaving that guy and my friends behind, I escaped to the toilet.

　Aah, this really gives me a peace of mind.
　I waited for the chime that indicates the start of lessons before I returned to the classroom.

　I was chased around for the subsequent break times too and finally started to sense the danger.

　The genre of ‘Destinied Gakuen’[1] isn’t romance, but horror, right?

“Hm?”

Somehow managing give gross-man the slip, I returned to the classroom only to be surrounded by friends I’m on good terms with.

“Hey, Kii. That’s rude to Aoi-senpai.”

“Eh…”

　Although they aren’t truly enraged, their expressions are unamused.

　What on earth’s with this event…

　Dammit, making allies out of the girls…!

　… It feels uncomfortable.

　Without any allies, I can only struggle on my own.
　Don’t lose, me!

“Kii!”

　Persistent! So noisy, going ‘Kii’, ‘Kii’!

　How tenacious.
　This stickiness is at a level where it’ll shock even a natto yuru-chara.

　I feel annoyed everytime I think about how the criticism towards me piles up while the favourability rating towards gross-man increases when more female students spot us as I fled.

　I hasten my pace, wanting to give him the slip this time too.

　Gross-man, too, pursued in order to not be given the slip.

　What’s going on!? I panicked, but the one who pulled me wasn’t gross-man but he, the supreme background character.

“Kii-chan!”

“This way!”

　I enter the classroom with my arm still being pulled. It’s the first-years’ classroom.

　Apparently the committee Ei-kun is in had a meeting.
　Moreover, it seems to have ended not long ago and everyone else had left.

“Thank you. But, why…?”
“I saw Kagurazaka-senpai looking for you just now, so I wondered if you were fleeing.”

　For a classmate whom I’m not on particularly close terms with to figure out the situation… it sure hurts my stomach.

“Kii-chan!”

　My thoughts were about to sink in the sea of defeat but having my hands suddenly grasped brought my consciousness back.

　Eh? What’s happening?

“All of us guys believe Kii-chan! We believe that Kii-chan will be the last fortress!”
“…?”

　What is he talking about?

　He’s staring at me with shining eyes.

“A-also… I promised not to steal a march but… I…!”

　Although I completely don’t understand what’s going on, Ei-kun’s growing increasingly passionate.
　The strength he put in his hands also continue to increase.

“Um… my hands hurt.”
“Ah, sorry.”

　I feel bad for doing this when he’s getting fired up, but I cannot remain all laidback here.

“Sorry, I’ll be going, okay. Thanks!”
“Ah, wait a moment, I still haven’t…!”

　He seems to have something to say, but let’s leave it till next time.

　… It’s a person.

“Kii.”
“YIKESSS!

I’ll likely be dead if it really is a horror game.
　Nonetheless, my heart’s beating so rapidly it’s probably enough to kill me.

　I returned to the classroom in a panic and hid behind Ei-kun.

　Erohim Essaim![3]

“You are…”

　When I peeked out as I hid behind the shield that is Ei-kun, I saw that he[4] had a grim expression on.

　It’s quite intense when such an expression is made with a well-chiselled face.

　Don’t lose, background character-kun!

“Ki-kii-chan does not like it! Please do not chase her around!”

“Uu.”

　Why are you throwing in the towel from a single word? Do your best!

　You are the true ‘last fortress’!
　Perhaps my feelings got through; Ei-kun’s face reddened and he prepped himself, drawing close to that guy.

“I-I don’t want to!”

　… He’s doing his best!

　Even though I’m using you as bait and biding my time!

“Such a plain… guy like the previous me…”

　The scum’s muttering about something.

　The furrow between his brows deepen and the glint in his eyes grows sharper.
　I can almost see a black aura.

“Ei-kun, sorry!”
“Kii-chan!?”

　I will not waste your valuable sacrifice!

　My feet did not stop although I saw the two’s shocked expressions.
　Ei-kun, it’s regrettable losing you…

　… Let’s apologise next time.

[1] Shortened version of the game’s title, ‘Hanazono Gakuen ～The Destinied Encounter～’.

[3] Link. This chant appeared in Akuma-kun as a spell to summon demons and in Shigatsu Kimi no Uso before a character before her concours.
[4] Aoi.

Chapter end