CH 3.4

Chapter 3 Part 4

Tima's POV

(Wh, where did everyone go !!)

I'm so nervous that I'm about to die now.

My heart is also screaming, "Help me, help me."

(Why, I'm alone with Mars-kun before I knew it! Far from Ai and Somia-chan who were next to me, Nozomu-kun and Ena-chan were gone too before I knew it! Why! How come!!)

Honestly, I don't know what to do!!! I was screaming in my heart, but in reality, I couldn't speak anything, and I was so nervous that I was overwhelmed.

"What happened to Nozomu and others? Before we knew it, they were gone ... Did we deviate?"

"Yea~h, I think so, too..."

I managed to answer with a small voice, but I'm so nervous that it ended up with a high-pitched voice.

(Wh, what should I talk about! ... I've never talked to a boy alone like this ... Ai! Help me!)

In my heart, I asked for help from my bestfriend who is not even here. I've never walked around the city alone with a boy like this. Whenever I went out, I was with Ai and Somia-chan. I had been confessed to by a boy, but I never accepted his feelings, and I never go on a date before.

"Chi, they got us. The roads are complicated around here, so it's difficult to find if we deviate from them ....... It can not be helped, if we can't find them after walking for a while, let's go home and wait. Is that okay?"

"Y, yup. Please ........."

With that, Mars-kun started walking, and I followed him a few steps behind.

“……………………………”

“……………………………”

We walked in silence for a while. I honestly don't know what to do, with my face down, I looked at the boy walking in front of me as if I was looking inside of him.

When I first met him, I was very scared. He was suddenly glaring and intimidating me. My legs were quivering, and my hips might have been loose without Ai at that time.

The next time I met him, he was with her sister at Somia-chan's birthday party. I was scared when I was waiting for Nozomu-kun and others at Ai's mansion, but it was until I saw him when he was having a quarrel with his sister in front of Ai's mansion.

The two had a big quarrel in front of another person's mansion and were the focus of attention from the people around them. What's more, even though they had been fighting for a while, as soon as they noticed the crowd around them, they put it aside, and the two, brother and sister, asked Nozomu-kun "Why you didn't stop us?"

When I saw such a scene, my tension was naturally loosened, and I was giggling without even noticing it. 

And that incident happened.

In order to help Somia-chan whose soul was about to be pulled out due to a past contract, I caught the contract familiar with my strongest binding magic, but Rugato-san couldn't leave me alone, and I was about to be killed by his magic.

It was Mars-kun who helped me at that time.

I never thought he would help me, I was completely stunned,

"...What are you stunned for. You should concentrate on your magic. I'll do something about that old man's magic."

Mars-kun turned his back on me and confronted Rugato-san.

Although he hadn't tried to hide his frustration from me until now, at that time, I clearly felt that my and his feelings were united.

“……….. What's wrong?”

"U, uh! It's nothing!"

"……Is that so……" 

Maybe he noticed my gaze, Mars-kun stopped, looked back, and talked to me. I say nothing, I'm nervous and awkward. Silence flows between us.

“………… It was my bad at that time ……”

"…………eh……"

"That ... I got irritated when I first met you ......... I haven't apologized properly yet ... "

He scratched his cheek and apologized for the first time we met. Perhaps he was still worried about that, his expression was a little dark and awkward, his gaze was looking down a little.

"It's okay! It's doesn't matter anymore! Also, at that time, you helped me …………"

I was surprised at his strange behavior that was different from the usual him who was always full of confidence. I thought he wasn't the same as Ai, but just like her, he was as confident in his actions as she was.

It seems that Mars-kun was worried that he didn't apologize to me, but I haven't thanked him yet ………….

I always lack courage and hide behind Ai. Even during the lunch break, I couldn't thank him by myself, and I could only say it when I was accompanied by Ai.

But now I feel like I can say thanks to him, face to face. My heart is still throbbing, but I dare to raise my face. 

"I, I haven't said thanks to you properly yet ... A, at that time, I think I couldn't help Somia-chan if Mars-kun didn't keep up."

"Y, yeah …………"

Mars-kun looked surprised, but I was so nervous that I didn't notice it. His voice turned inside out and may seem like a very weird kid, but he just screamed what was in his own heart.

"Th, that's why ... that ......... thank you ........."

I was finally able to convey my words to him with my own voice.

===================================== 

Mars' POV

Tima raised her face and said to me, "Thank you". After saying that word, Tima's face is not the dark, unconfident, and gloomy expression I have seen so far, but a natural smile that is truly relieved from her heart, and it was completely aimed only at me.

……………… I don't know why, but my face feels hot. I can't see her face properly.

“………………………”

I moved my mouth to say something, but the essential voice did not come out at all. I’m almost like a fish on the verge of suffocation.

“………………..Mars-kun?”

Perhaps she noticed something was wrong with me, Tima's expression gradually darkened. It's bad if I didn't say anything!!!

"Y, y~eah, is that so ..............."

(No, it's not that! What's this! It's not a decent reply!! Why at such a time! )

When I was searching for the next word while I was thinking inwardly, for some reason Tima smiled with a deeper smile on her relieved face.

It was the first time. I saw her heartfelt smile.

(………………………………………………)

This time, even my thinking stopped. Not only my face but also my chest gets hot. At the same time, my whole body feels like hit by lightning and I'm suffocating. I found out that something is wrong with me, and I turns my back on Tima because I didn't want to be suspected by her. Contrary to my actions, she is still worried about the guy in front of her.

"? Is something wrong??"

"... N, no. It's nothing .......... It's about time we go now."

"Ah~, y, yup ..."

I started walking with my back turned to disguise my feelings, Tima hurriedly followed me.

Once again, we continued walking silently to each other. But unlike before, Tima is walking side by side next to me instead of following me from behind.

*Thank you*

How long has it been since someone else said that to me? Maybe this is the first time.

Since I was a kid, I was strong, and when I fought, most of the kids of the same age were crying and going back and forth in a quarrel with me. At that time, the adults around me were scolding me, but as I grew up, neither children nor adults confronted me head-on but started to hit my back without my knowledge.

Those things affected my offense to increase further.

I didn't like everything, those who couldn't say anything by themselves but sneaky in the shadows, those who looked at my complexion with depression, and those who return remarks many times, such trash.

That's why I kept getting stronger and venting my irritation to the surroundings somehow. I knew it was a nuisance to Ena, Dell, and others, but I just couldn't recognize their weaknesses, I couldn't admit it.

Did I overdo it? Even the meritocracy Solminati Academy is out of hand, I was dropped into the lowest class, but I still didn't want to admit that weakness.

But what is it? At first, Tima was just as irritating as the others, but the word "thank you" she just said made my uncontrollable irritation gone like a lie.

It's not only that, what is it …………………. 

I stare at the girl walking next to me, looking sideways so that she doesn't notice. Her drooping bangs were hiding her face because she was looking down a while ago, but she wasn't looking down anymore, exposing her true face to the sun.

Her small face and big eyes, her nose-lined contours, and her hair beautifully cut to her shoulders show a white nape under her hair.

The thunder-like shock that ran through my entire body had disappeared, but this time, my heartbeat of *badump, badump* hits my ears. I don't know why, but it seems that my heart is beating faster and faster.

(What is it? This is ………………)

"B, By the way, do you have siblings?"

I continue to have emotions that I don't even understand and talks to her as if I had something to say. Anyway, I just wanted to do something to deceive my feelings that I had never felt.

"Y, yup, I have one younger brother ..." 

Tima joins on my story. Somehow the appearance of her is also strange. Her face is strangely red, and her movement is more jerky than usual. It looks like a bad golem.

"Is, is that so?"

As I thought, my reply is also strange. I can't make a voice, my legs are heavy, my heart doesn't stop beating (no, I'll die if it stops), and everything is wrong.

We walked towards the main street while making strange movements, and during that time, my heart didn't calm down at all. 

================================================

The main street of the commercial district. The direct road from the outer edge of Arcazam to the vicinity of Solminati Academy in the center, and is the only one place where many shops lined up inside the commercial district.

When two girls, Somia and Ena, were walking side by side on this main street, many store clerks talked to them. Both Somia and Ena are beautiful girls, but they mainly talked to Ena.

"Yaa Ena-chan. Are you on holiday today? If you eat this you will be healthier."

"Ena-chan. I have delicious meat, please bring it with you."

"Yahho Ena. I appreciate your efforts in taking care of Mars. I'll give you this, so please continue your hard work!"

The people who talked to her gave her various things, so in a blink of an eye, the two small arms were filled with souvenirs.

"Woa~~~. It's amazing. To get this much ..."

"Well, Onīchan was always rampaging, I wonder if it was because I help various stores in stopping him………… ”

As with helping, in her case, she also plays a big role as a stopper for the rampaging Mars. Ena was relied on by the people of the commercial district as one of the few who could stop her brother, Mars.

"But was Mars so violent? I thought he was a moody person, but I think he's a kind person deep inside"

"Well, Somia-chan hasn't seen Onīchan rampage ... I've been watching Onichan for a long time, but he picks fights with various people wherever he is. I wonder why did he become such a violent person ... I hope he didn't do anything terrible to Tima-san. "

Ena is worried about Tima because she knows Mars' behavior so far, but Somia wasn't too worried.

"But I don't think it's such a terrible thing. You’re just worried about Tima-san after all."

"You're right, but…………"

Ena knew that Mars was concerned about Tima, but she still felt uneasy.

At that time, a wave of people rushed over with a loud noise. The two hurriedly evacuate to the side of the road.

"Wh, what is it !!"

"Fu, Fue ~~~~~!"

The rushing people flee like mice that predicted a big earthquake.

"Sorry, please step aside!!"

"Kyaaa!"

"Aah! My store!"

The big tsunami of people overrun the main street, involving street stalls, goods, livestock and even carrying horses.

When they noticed, there is no one on the main street, and all the open shops and stalls are gone.

=========================================== 

Mars and Tima arrived at the main street while passing through a complicated side road like a spider web in a commercial area.

This is the only commercial center of this city, and there are many lively shops and stalls lined up. The crowds make Tima, who had lived in the city for several years, a little overwhelmed.

"As I thought, It's amazing ..."

"For now, Let's go back to Ushitotei through the main street, hopefully, we'll be able to meet Nozomu and others along the way, also, Irisdina and others will stand out, if that the case, you may have seen them."

When Mars took a step forward, he met a clerk at a nearby store.

"Ma, Mars ......... I, I'm sorry. The store is closed today!!"

The clerk who met Mars suddenly said that the store would close and started closing the store. Other stores that heard it also started closing in a hurry one after another.

"I'm sorry! I'm out of products today, so it's closed!"

An aunt at a general store started closing the store even though there were still many products on the shelves. 

"U, uo, there's a hole in the bottom of this pot! Can you sell such defective products? !!! That's why the store will be closed! "

The blacksmith's father retracted into the back of the store, perhaps because he found a hole that couldn't be seen in a pot with a solid bottom.

"It, it hurts! I have a stomachache! It looks like I was selling rotten products ... That's why I will be closed for a while !!"

A butcher shopkeeper who disappears from the store at a speed that does not seem to be a sick person, spitting out words that are likely to cast a shadow on future business.

The strange behavior of the surroundings is not limited to the store clerk ………….

"Oh! I remembered my errands !! I have to hurry home !!"

"Th, that's right! It was my sister's wedding today! I have to hurry home !!"

"Oh right, it's my date right now!"

"I feel like my grandmother is in critical condition! Need to go home !!"

The customers who were shopping at various stores a while ago suddenly run away. Tima was completely standing in such sight. People are disappearing in front of them as if the tide is pulling out. What's different from the tide is that those who are gone will not come back.

Mars walks to one of the stores.

"Awawa wa! I, I have to hurry ... now!"

Crash !!

The shopkeeper was in a hurry trying to put away the products, perhaps because it took time to close the store, on the contrary, he knocked down the products. He hurriedly tried to get it back, but by that time Mars was already in front of the shopkeeper.

"……Oi"

"A, aa aa! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't break the store !!"

"...... Listen to my stories ... "

The shopkeeper begging loudly to block Mars' words. Mars was completely releasing malicious air by his desperation.

At that time, someone with a nice voice spoke to him

"What are you doing? Onīchan"

"Eh? The stores suddenly closed, what happened?"

It was Ena and Somia who came. For some reason, they have a glass of sweets and food in their hands. The shopkeeper saw Ena as a savior. It's a big difference from the sad face he used earlier.

“………….Onīchan. Did you do something again ?!”

"Haa ... I didn't do anything ......... I just tried to ask if he saw you ..."

Ena, who alternately looked around Mars and the shopkeeper, thought that Mars had something to do, and began to question him, but Mars' reaction was pale. He's always aggressive towards her, but today he's strangely quiet and obedient.

Ena stares at Mars, who is too strange, with a suspicious look.

(Somehow  Onīchan looks different from usual)

"......... What's wrong, Onīchan? You're kind of weird, isn't it?"

"Is it so strange that I answer honestly …………"

Mars, who is said to be strange even by his younger sister, drops his shoulders as if he had endured it.

"Given what Onīchan has done so far, the actions of everyone in the town are natural. How many stores do Onīchan ran over and destroyed?"

“………………………….”

Mars can't say anything to Ena's words.

“………………… I have no intention of doing something like that ……” 

Mars murmured while somehow grieving. For him, this is where the irritation in his chest disappeared and he became calm. Honestly, he was keenly aware of what he had done and was depressed.

"......... But, that Onīchan would be so obedient ..."

Ena mutter so as cannot be heard by the surrounding. Beyond her gaze was Tima, who looked anxiously, and behind her was Somia who tighten her feeling and said, "How was that!"

"W, what is it?"

"Y, yup, it's nothing. It's about time for dinner, and I have to help the store ..."

Mars looks at Ena with a suspicious look, but Ena shakes her head and says it's about time. Certainly, the sky was colored red and the wind was getting colder and colder.

"That's right ... but Nozomu and Irisdina are still"

"A, ane-sama!!"

"Wait, Wait a minute! Somia-chan !!"

".... Looks like we found them."

When Mars looking beyond Somia's waving hand, he saw Nozomu and Irisdina walking from the other side of the main street.

Mars dropped his shoulders as if relieved, and when he exhaled, he saw Tima, who was smiling at Somia. Mars and Tima gaze meet, and Tima diverts her gaze for a moment, but she looks back at him and smiles. Mars naturally smiles back at her.

Somia started running toward her sister. Ena, Mars, and Tima,  looked and smiled again at each other and started chasing after them.