Witch and Mermaid - 2

"Aotsuki-san?"

Her voice was quivering. "I…I…"

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She lifted up her gaze from the notes, and directed it at me. A strong conviction filled her eyes.

"I…want to search for the owner of these notes!" She said with a clear voice.

I've never seen Aotsuki-san like this. She always lives on a whim, but this might be the first time she wants to do something herself, or searching for something she wants to do. Since she is this serious, I want to wholeheartedly support her, but…

"But, these notes don't have any name written on them…"

Even at the back of the notes, or on the numerous pages we flipped through, there was no name of the writer to be found. Even in the diary itself, it's all first-person. There's some names in there that belonged to friends, like 'Acchan' or 'Yuupon', but no clue what their real names are.

The diary entries after the 31st of August changed drastically, as there were a lot of days between the entries, and it's only a few lines every time. However, reading up until the very end, it was clear that the owner had already graduated.

"For now, let's get the cleaning done and report to Sensei. Maybe she'll know something that can help us."

"Eh? That'll be impossible~!"

And this is the response we got from Shirahama-sensei after showing her the notes and saying 'We want to look for the owner'.

"I mean, I don't know that student, and if I had to guess, they probably

graduated quite some time ago. Then I'd have to tell you what all these graduates are doing right now, so that won't work, never never!"

"…Sensei, I really need to find out where that person is right now."

"I get that, but you know…" Sensei showed a troubled expression towards Aotsuki-san. "If we don't know their name, and what year they graduated at, searching for them is practically impossible. Even if we found a teacher who recognized the handwriting, we cannot leak any personal information like phone number or anything of the sort, as this is against the school rules."

She was perfectly right about that. Just think about how the person in question must feel after we look into their personal life just because we selfishly read that diary entry. Though they're partially to blame as well since they forgot their diary here in the first place.

"B-But…!"

"Why are you so determined to find the author of this diary in the first place, Aotsuki-san?"

Asked by Sensei, Aotsuki-san got her words stuck in her throat, and averted her eyes.

"…There's no real reason."

That's gotta be the worst choice of words here. I don't know her reason at all, but she could have just come up with anything instead of that. At this rate, she won't get Sensei's support.

"Thanks for cleaning up that room. But, properly dispose of those notes, okay? And, it's late, so go home."

Being sent off with a smile, the two of us left the staff room. Now then, what should we do about this? Since Aotsuki-san's home is close, we'd probably end up going home together. Walking to the train station, taking the same train home…Although there's barely any students around, if someone saw us on our way home, it'd just invite a misunderstanding.

"I'm going ahead. Can't you just take a quick detour somewhere?" "Eh? I mean, we don't need to go that far…"

However, she didn't even listen to my words, and went straight ahead.

"…I'm saying that I don't want to go home with you. I'm not being considerate or anything."

…That way of phrasing it is screaming consideration 100%. She's figured out what I was thinking. That I don't want our other classmates to find out about how the two of us regularly talk. But, exactly because Aotsuki-san isn't blaming or reproaching me for this, I can feel the guilt bite into me. At times like these, she could just say 'How idiotic', and call it a day.

On the way home, I took a quick stop at the nearby bookstore, and read through the recent male-oriented fashion magazines (sadly not light novels because somebody might see me here). Following that, I hopped on the train, and walked home—

As always, Aotsuki-san sat on the swing in the usual park. However, the difference compared to before was that she simply sat on the swing, no book in her hands. It was apparent that she was in low spirits. Was it really that much of a shock that finding the owner of those notes was pretty much impossible? Why? Why are these notes so important to her?

Maybe it was someone she knew? No, we don't even know the name of that person. I have no idea. But, I can tell how grave it must be, considering how dejected she was. Not like another person can understand what people go through. The only example I can give is when people insult me and call me gross for liking anime, despite it being something very important to me.

Since I don't want others to step on what I like, I hid it out of my own desire. That's why I know that other people have things precious to them that I might never understand.

"…Ah…"

In the meantime, Aotsuki-san had raised her head, and saw me.

"You're still here, huh."

"You don't need to force yourself."

Or so she said, and I was reminded that I still practically ignore her at school. But, since I'm a coward, I change the topic.

"About these notes." "…Yeah."

"The owner of these notes…I don't know who they might be, but they were important to you right, Aotsuki-san?"

"..."

Silence meant affirmation. Though, I bet her personality would forbid her to tell me any more than that.

—Even so, I want to help her. Of course, it's pathetic that I want to feel that way, despite us not even being friends. The person I want to save is myself first and foremost. I want to help my past self, who had no allies whatsoever because I was bullied for being a disgusting otaku. I see myself in her solitary and clumsy attitude.

In the end, humans only exist to help themselves. It's disgusting. That being said, even if it's just a pretense, it's better than doing nothing at all. It's perfectly fine for Aotsuki-san to hate this selfish me.

"Can you show me these notes one more time?"

Sensei told us to dispose of it, but I bet Aotsuki-san hasn't thrown it away yet. As expected, she took out these notes from her bag. Given them, I looked through them one more time. There might be some crucial information in there. Can't rely on the school after all. As I figured, the final page was extremely interesting.

With this, I will graduate.

I'm happy that I managed to get accepted to my desired university, but since it's a university far away, I won't be able to stay in this town.

To be perfectly honest, I'm sad. Because, this is the town I met Shell at.

Ever since that day, I never met her again… But, I still remember Shell.

Hey, Shell. You called my feelings temporary and fake, but…I still remember you.

You said that you hated me, but I still love you even now.

Of course, I don't really understand how I could fall in love with you like this just over the course of a summer.

But, you were the person who caught on to my loneliness. That may be the reason I fell in love with you.

Shell, you tried to act cold, but you're the type who gets lonely easily. I tried to keep up a smile, but in reality, I was lonely, and sad. I wanted someone to see right through me. Since we were both similar, you understood me. But, not enough in the end, it seems.

It's not fair for you to leave me, saying that it's for my sake even. I'm lonely, Shell. But, if I were to cry, then you might hate me even more. That's why I'll leave this city with a smile.

—But, I loved this town, and the school. So, I want to come back at least once a year…Maybe for the culture festival. Every year, the classes work really hard, so it might be fun to see. Not to mention…

No matter how lonely or sad I may be, I don't want to forget this town. "…Maybe we might be able to find the owner at the culture festival?"

Aotsuki-san's lit up like a star in the night. That being said, there's no guarantee that the owner really comes to the culture festival every year. They might be busy with university, or their own work even, not giving them enough time to come home. I just can't come up with any other method at this point.

"But…how are we going to look for them at the culture festival?"

Since I'm still a first-year, I never experienced the culture festival myself, but I came to visit last year, so I have a general conception of how a culture festival is. Just as the diary said, our school's culture festival has a lot of effort packed into it, with a lot of visitors stopping by. There's no way we could ask every single person there. If we just announced that the person lost it, they would probably hate us for it, and I doubt we can get permission from Sensei for it.

"This is pretty complicated. I'd be so much easier if they had just named themselves in the diary."

"…But, leaving out a note for them to come to us would be nothing short of bullying." Aotsuki-san cast her face down. "I guess it's impossible."

Since 'Bad mood = hurry up and do something' is the mentality in my head, I forced out a cheerful voice.

"Then what about this!? We could set up a public announcement only the person in question can understand!"

"Eh…what do you have in mind?" "Well, you know! Just an idea!"

The thing is, I was thinking along as I was talking, so I don't even know what I'm trying to say myself. But, leaving an awkward silence would be even worse, so I just kept on talking.

"A part of that diary is like a manuscript, right? There's names coming up towards the end of it, and it even talks about this witch called Shell. So, why

don't we use that part for the culture festival." "Use that part?"

"I mean, for example...like a play?"

It's a development that happens often in light novels, right. Talking about culture festival events, there's always the two choices between a play, and a live concert. Maybe even cosplay cafes with all the beautiful heroines.

"But…it technically is a diary, so if we just put that into a play 1-to-1, it'd be like a violation of privacy."

"Well yeah, the diary part is no-good. But, if we arrange the manuscript- esque idea of it into a play, then shouldn't it be fine? We leave only the original material behind that the person in question will understand, and adjust the rest."

"Arrange…leave behind only the original material…"

"Yup. We'll use the part of the witch, and make the stage not modern Japan, but rather a fantasy world. A witch often appears in those kinds of settings, right? So then, we only have to add important events and phrases that make it easy for the owner to understand."

Even while explaining my reasoning, I thought that I was being ridiculous. That's just ludacris thinking. Not to mention that we'd need the help of everyone at the class in order to do that at the culture festival. On top of that, we'd have to create a script that everyone agrees with. Although we could force it through ourselves, it's much easier with their help. That being said, it's pretty much impossible. Especially considering Aotsuki-san's position in class. Then again, I doubt Aotsuki-san would even be okay with this idea.

"…Well, you know, I'm sorry. I can't think of anything else." "…You really are >useless<, Yafune-kun."

"Haha, how harsh."

"Eh, no, wait…"

"…Hm?"

"…No, it's nothing. I can't say it anyway." Aotsuki-san swung on the swing, and jumped off, sticking a beautiful landing.

I might have been seeing things, but it felt like the dejected expression she had until now completely vanished. If anything, she seemed motivated—

"Yafune-kun."

"Eh, wha—"

Right when she called out my name, Aotsuki-san approached me with her face. To be perfectly honest, she was super close. We were at a distance close enough for our lips to touch.

…Eh? What? Is she giving me the signal to kiss her? But, her eyes aren't closed. She's staring at me, even. Also, why would she even go for a kiss here? We're not even a couple. But, seeing her this up-close, she really is a beauty.

"Um…Aotsuki-san?"

This is bad. Because she's this close to me, I can pick up a sweet scent from her. I wonder what kind of treatment she's giving that glossy hair of hers… Not to mention what shampoo. However, before a dangerous impulse got the better of me, Aotsuki-san moved her

"…Aotsuki-san? What was that about?" "…Nothing really."

"You say that a lot, I feel like…I mean, that just now was…" "…? What, do you have a complaint or anything?"

"I mean…if you get that close to me, I can't help but think you're going for a

kiss."

In response to my words, Aotsuki-san tilted her head in confusion, frozen stiff. Crap, I was trying to act all calm and…well, non-creepy, but my voice was quivering all over the place. Did my gross thoughts leak out completely!?

Inside my heart, I was panicking like crazy, and it seemed like Aotsuki-san finally caught on to what I was talking about, as her eyes shot up.

"Wha…w-w-what are you thinking, you pervert!"

"I mean, with your face that close…Also, aren't you panicking a bit too much?"

"I-It's because you suddenly brought up a k-k…kiss! So lewd! R18!" "I'm pretty sure that a kiss goes into all-ages!?"

At first, I thought she was just acting like a tsundere, but I guess she's just inexperienced.

"J-Just to let you know, but I don't see you in that way at all!" "Yup, I know."

Even if she really were to hold some sort of positive affection towards me, that is something that should not grow in any shape or form. Of course, I don't hate Aotsuki-san or anything. However, as we aren't even friends, there's no way we could go beyond that.

Not to mention that Aotsuki-san doesn't know who I really am. Knowing that she would hold affection towards a fake self would just be too ironic.

However, she's not the one at fault for that. It's all mine for hiding my true self. It's utterly selfish to hide your true self only then to beg for being understood. I'm the one deceiving her, and the one who deserves all the blame.

—That's why I won't act affectionate towards Aotsuki-san, and I want her to

do the same towards me.

"It's time to decide what you want to do for the culture festival, so properly talk it through with everyone~!"

Coincidentally enough, during the following morning's homeroom, Shirahama-sensei brought up this very topic.

"I have other things to take care of, so I'll leave the rest to the class representatives! Bye bye~" And with these words, Sensei left for good.

She's as relaxed as always, huh. The class representatives stood in front of the blackboard, asking for everyone's attention.

"Does anybody have a special wish?"

Sileeeeeence.

Like it was a contract, everybody stayed silent. Well, it's a tough situation. Especially as the first person. You don't really want to stand out, nor be ridiculed for your idea. For most people, it'd be their preferred result that someone else would just decide for them. Nobody wants to carry the responsibility.

This'll turn into a long run, for sure. No way anybody would raise their hand in such a situ—

"...…"

As I observed my surroundings, meeting gazes with other people, I spotted it in the corner of my view. There was a hand, raised by a single individual.

"Eh…A-Aotsuki-san."

Called out by the class president, she slowly stood up.

—Don't tell me…No, no way. This must be some misunderstanding, right. Aotsuki-san gently walked towards the front of the class, and when she

arrived at the blackboard, she turned towards everyone— "Our class…will hold a play."