Chapter 2: After School. Break_Time.[Part 6]

They had already spent 8,000 yen just by making a round of the shops.

"Ho…ah, so interesting. I'm satisfied already, Touma."

"…Ah, Mr Kamijou's all satisfied as well. Oi, calico cat, we'll eat bread crusts for our meals from today onwards, is that alright?"

Kamijou said wearily. Like a snake, the calico cat let out a 'woah! Meow!' threatening cry as he refused this proposal.

"Touma, Touma, what will we play next?"

"…Let me rest for a while."

"Touma, how about another round?"

"PLEASE DON'T! I'LL GO BANKRUPT FOR SURE!"

Kamijou cried out in agony.

At this moment, as if grabbing the opportune time, Kamijou's cell phone let out a voice breaking hoarse ringing. It was not because the features weren't adequate, but because he had mistreated it badly in the past, causing the speakers to have some problems. However, to this Kamijou who passed through such a joyous summer, it was a miracle that the cell phone still worked.

Kamijou picked up his phone and looked, it seemed to be a phone call instead of a message. The screen displayed a number that he had never seen before. He turned his back on Index and Kazakiri and pressed the button on the cell phone. Seeing this, the acutely sharp Kazakiri said,

"…How about…we go get a drink?"

"Hm? Then let's get Touma along…"

"We'll buy his at the same time…"

After saying that, Kazakiri grabbed Index's hand and left Kamijou. Kamijou raised his empty hand, gently gave a 'thank you' hand signal, and used his other hand to agilely reach inside his wallet, take out some spare change and toss it at Kazakiri. Kazakiri was somewhat shocked by this as she frantically reached out to receive it.

After seeing both of them leave, Kamijou focused on his cell phone.

Unexpectedly, even though he specially created a space when Index and Kazakiri weren't around, the noise within the cell phone was rather serious, he couldn't hear clearly at all.

"…pssstt…hello…hello…bsssstttt…hear…bsssttt…this is Hime…bssttt…"

And also, this was the inside of a video arcade, there were electronic sounds overpowering everything else.

"…bsssttt…where's…bsssstt…Ka…Hyouka…? Bsssttt…I heard…bsssttt…incredi…bsssttt…bbbsssssssttttt!"

Hua! The call suddenly cut off.

He could barely hear that it was the voice of a female, but he couldn't hear the contents. Though the voice seemed somewhat familiar, there was too much excessive noise, so he couldn't tell.

"Can't be helped. This is an underground street…"

There were cell phone communication centers in the underground, but once he was too far away from it, he wouldn't be able to receive the signal.

"What's going on?"

Feeling puzzled, Kamijou folded his cell phone back together and put it back into his pocket.

"Touma's not scary at all."

Inside the vending machine and smoking area deep inside the arcade, Index said this. Kazakiri Hyouka stared back at her through the spectacles, and replied,

"…Eh?"

"So Hyouka doesn't need to be so afraid. Touma won't do anything bad to you."

"Ah…mm."

Kazakiri slightly lowered her head and said,

"…It's not…that I'm…afraid or hate him…no…"

"???"

"…I don't really understand myself…it's like…I don't dare to touch…a woolen sweater with lots of static electricity gathered on it…"

"Oh…"

Index blankly nodded her head. In all truthfulness, she didn't understand what static electricity was. Seeing Index reveal such a puzzled look, Kazakiri said,

"…Maybe this is because…this is…my first time talking to a guy…"

After that, both of them remained silent for a while.

After a while, Kazakiri changed the topic and said,

"Speaking of which…those games were really interesting…I saw you being quite happy…"

"You too, Hyouka. Do you come here often?"

"No…this is my first time as well."

Kazakiri forced a smile, pulled out some 100-yen coins and placed them on her palm.

"What…do you want to buy?"

"Uu…I don't want to touch a vending machine again. I've no idea of how to use that thing properly. You do it, Hyouka."

Index puffed her cheeks as she said this, and Kazakiri forced a smile. Seemed like the incident involving the school cafeteria's coupon vending machine had affected her really badly.

"…This is my first time…I don't know what's nicer…I'll press, you choose."

"Eh, Hyouka, you never drank before?"

Index casually asked. Index didn't have any knowledge regarding modern times at all, so she didn't understand what was wrong with it.

And Kazakiri Hyouka again said in a tone that was no different from before,

"Mm, today's my first time."