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—Akira’s Perspective.

There’s no telling when she’ll run off again for whatever reason. After all, there wasn’t any hint of it occurring this time around. The thing different with her from normal is how she collapsed and got hospitalized. Maybe something changed within her again.

「Well then, you two. See you.」
「We’ll likely meet again soon. I look forward to more material for Ruru.」
「Take the initiative to join the fun. That’s my favorite motto!」

No more of this, please. Actually, I’d rather they don’t get recruited. If they teamed up with Kotone, I can only imagine trouble brewing. The same goes for the band people. It feels like they’ll have a weird chemical reaction.

「Nako, get ready to check out ASAP. We’re going after Kotone.」
「The scent of new material, huh. This is going to be interesting.」

I heard a faint whisper from the leaving pair, but I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. I don’t need any more unease than this. I’m already exhausted. I don’t want any unnecessary trouble.

「Let’s head to the station by car and travel by Shinkansen. You’re fine with that, right? Kotone?」
「I have no issues with that. All of today’s activities are finished, after all.」

If that is true, then I can expect nothing more to happen today, right? However, I can’t lower my guard. It’s because I feel like the Kotone right now could do something unpredictable even after saying that. Ever since she collapsed, I feel like she’s been acting strange.

「I’m asking just to confirm, but do you plan on doing something like this again in the future.」

While in the car, Kyousuke and I were sitting in the back seat with Kotone between us, so I tried asking her a question. It’s not like she can escape in this situation and I wanted some confirmation. It’s possible that she won’t answer honestly, but I have trust that Kotone would answer.

「This time was a practice rehearsal. I’m still not sure when the actual performance will happen, but I plan on doing it.」
「「Please don’t, we beg you.」」

Hearing Kotone’s answer, Kyousuke and I begged her in unison. I’m already surprised that this was a rehearsal but calling it an actual performance means that she’ll put effort into preparations. It’s obvious that it’ll be much worse than this time. I don’t want to be in that situation.

「Don’t worry. When that happens, you two won’t be assigned to me.」
「「What?」」

That’s a bolt out of the blue. So in Kotone’s plan, we’ll eventually be dismissed from our assignment? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of it, though. Maybe Kotone plans to recommend our dismissal? Did we do something wrong!?

「Wait, wait a minute. Is that because you have an issue with us?」

I don’t remember starting any trouble ever since being assigned to Kotone. Rather, we’re the ones that got into her troubles. The twelve family gathering and today’s runaway incident. Both of them were orchestrated by Kotone. We were just desperately running around trying to deal with the situation.

「That’s not the case. You people are guarding me under the contract with my mother. But the ones I’m against are the ones under the contract of my father.」
「True, we are working under the contract with your mother. The people contracted by your father are a bit… infamous.」

Rather than being my personal assessment, I believe it’s a pretty objective one. They do their job properly, but they’re famous for using forceful methods. Also, they’re so conspicuous for how they boast about being exclusively contracted with the Kisaragi Family.

「You’re going to have them as your bodyguards?」
「Please think of it as a temporary thing. Personally, I can’t take being guarded by those lot.」

This is Kotone being selfish. I don’t know what happened with them in the past, but she seriously seems to hate them. This might be the first time I’ve seen her hate someone. I had the impression that Kotone can generally mingle with any sort of person.

「That’s unusual, for you to talk like that.」
「I’ve had an experience with them in the past. I’d love to crush them.」

Kotone’s words gave me chills. Her face didn’t have any emotion and I can’t tell whether she’s being serious or not, but her mood changed so much. It’s not her usual composure, it’s like she’s trying to hold her emotions back from erupting.

「That’s why I’m going to deal with them seriously. It would be convenient if they choose forceful methods, though.」
「Just what are you planning to do?」
「I’m thinking of exhausting all my connections as Kotone to mess with them.」

They’re just dead. This time, Kotone only had the help of two people. If she ever has more accomplices, I don’t even want to think of how much damage she can cause. And to start with, she has members of the twelve families among her acquaintances. I can already tell how worse it could get.

「You’ll seriously destroy their company.」
「Isn’t that just fine? A company that can be crushed by the likes of me is unneeded.」

I don’t quite agree with that statement. Does she not realize that it also applies to our company? Even with just this practice rehearsal, we were dancing on the palm of her hand. With an increased difficulty, I don’t know if we can even locate her.

「Afterwards, I’ll return home as I should. Naturally, by my own two feet. Then I’d wallop and kick father to the ground and once I get him on his knees, I’d be satisfied.」

I’m wrong. I was naive in thinking that Kotone is comparatively decent among the twelve families. She’s not insane but she’s disturbed. That’s the only way I can describe it. I don’t think there’s anyone who can sound as extreme and violent as her. Besides, her change is so intense.

「Kotone. You’re exaggerating, right?」
「I’m still trying to be kind about it, though. Honestly speaking, I’m not confident I would be able to keep calm in front of father. I might even get more extreme.」

Ever since the topic of her father came up, her face has been devoid of emotion. And yet she sounds so cheerful talking about such dangerous stuff. From her tone, I wouldn’t be surprised if she actually kills him. Is the person beside me really the Kotone I know? Right now, she seems like a complete stranger to me.

「Don’t worry. No harm will come to you two. Rather, I won’t allow it.」

Even with such a kind tone, that doesn’t relieve me at all. Just thinking what would happen if we ever become the target of her rage is scary. At this moment, I understood what being Kotone’s enemy would be like.

「If there’s anyone I don’t want to make an enemy of, it’d be you.」
「There are barely any people that I see as my enemy. The conditions are quite strict, you see.」

I guess the strictness of those conditions serve to explain how she can be so harsh. Still, no matter how you put it, it seems really excessive. I suppose it was only natural for a seed of anxiety to sprout in me at this moment.

And it goes without saying that the conversation was cut there.