CH 105

(**Kirara’s POV**)

“Ugh… I’m so scared…”

I was alone walking in the mountains, relying only on moonlight.

I didn’t use the light source from my phone because if I used the light in these mountains, I might attract dangerous animals and a lot of insects.

When the full moon was being hidden by the clouds, I would stop walking.

And so I continued on through the mountains― and now I was beginning to regret it.

Was it still a mistake to go into the mountains…?

But maybe Momoi is here…

I thought better of it and walked around in the mountains― but I still couldn’t find Momoi.

“I knew it… maybe she wasn’t here after all…?”

…Kaito …What should I do?

Momoi, I can’t find her…

The pitch-dark mountains, which seemed to be haunted at any moment, made me feel very uneasy.

The hooting of owls made the atmosphere even more eerie.

I thought that Momoi was not on this mountain, and I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, so I started to head home.

But then I realized the worst.

“…Which way was back home again…?”

I was so preoccupied with finding Momoi that I didn’t really check the road itself.

I should have just gone back the way I came, but that made me lose track of which way I came from now that I had once completely taken my mind off the road.

Because of the darkness that’s surrounding the area, I can’t see a bit further away from here.

And all around me, no matter where I looked, all the trees looked the same.

I quickly pulled out my phone to check my location, not caring about attracting insects or anything else.

But― even my trusty phone was useless in the mountains.

What should I do… I’m completely lost…

If I walked aimlessly and thoughtlessly, I would end up further in the mountains… But I couldn’t just stay in the mountains and wait for the morning to come.

“Kaitoo~…”

The fact that I was lost in the mountains caught up with me.

It made me unconsciously mutter the name of the person I miss the most.

My life is really a tramp.

I had lived without any inconvenience until halfway through middle school, when Aria suddenly destroyed my life.

And I have lost my way as a human being because of that.

As soon as I finally started to work positively and tried to atone for what I did, I was suddenly lost…

I must have been a very unlucky woman.

…No, that’s wrong.

I was the dumb one.

If I had thought about Momoi and treated her properly, she would not have run away.

And I was too stupid to go into the mountains without much preparation… without even being sure if Momoi was here…

If it had been Kaito, I am sure he would have found out about Momoi right away.

I really hate my own inadequacy.

“―Hiccu~…Uuu~..”

“Hiii―!”

As I was alone and depressed, I heard a strange voice.

It sounded as if a ghost was crying.

No more… I can’t believe that it’s actually haunted…

I didn’t want to see a ghost, so I immediately tried to leave the place.

However― from that ghost, I heard some worrisome words.

“Gusu~… Umi-kun… Umi-kun… Help mee~…”

“Eh…?”

The name the ghost called me was the name I had been hearing for the past few days.

Could it be―?

“Momoi……?”

I hurl the name of the person I was looking for into the darkness.

“W-Who’s there!?”　

I called out her name, and she immediately responded.

The moment I heard the response, I ran towards her.

When I spotted her, I hugged her.

“Momoi!”

“Eh…?”

Momoi, who was suddenly embraced by me, gave a bewildered yelp.

I hugged Momoi tightly, not caring about her attitude.

“I’m glad… I’m so glad…” 

“W-Why…? Why are you here…?”

“Of course I was looking for you! I’m so glad you’re safe…”

When I said this, Momoi did not say anything.

But she clung to me silently.

When I found Momoi, she was crying.

So I suppose Momoi was feeling lonely, just like me.

For a while, Momoi, who should have hated me, clung to me silently, and I just kept on hugging her back―.