After leaving the house, Izumi Sora didn't rush back. Instead, he went to Mahiru's front door.
He pressed the doorbell.
Angel-sama's voice quickly sounded from behind the door:
"...Sora-kun?"
Izumi Sora lowered his voice: "Hello, your electricity bill is overdue. Please open the door to pay."
Click.
The door opened quickly, revealing a delicate, cute, fair pretty face.
Shiina Mahiru, who had already changed into cat pajamas, stepped aside to let him in. Her voice was gentle and sweet:
"Come in."
As Izumi Sora stepped into the house, he complained:
"It's already the middle of the night, don't just casually open the door for strangers."
Shiina Mahiru glared affectionately with her bright eyes: "Next time Sora-kun plays a bill collector, please change your voice."
If she hadn't heard Izumi Sora's voice, she naturally wouldn't have opened the door for a stranger.
"Excuse me, student, a lap pillow can be converted into cash for the electricity bill."
Izumi Sora changed into slippers, looking at Mahiru with a burning gaze.
Shiina Mahiru's pretty face flushed slightly, and she averted her gaze:
"It's already so late..."
"Then I'll come back tomorrow?" Izumi Sora's eyes lit up. "But tomorrow you'll have to compensate me with two breach-of-contract lap pillow vouchers."
"No, I've changed my mind."
"..."
The two arrived in the living room.
Shiina Mahiru knelt down in a seiza posture first, then tilted up her pretty face, her voice gentle:
"Sora-kun, hurry up."
"It's only Mahiru alone today, and we don't have to worry about being discovered, so there's no rush."
"That may be so, but if Sora-kun doesn't go back for a long time, Sagiri will be worried, right?"
"Yes, yes."
"..."
Izumi Sora sat down first, and then lay down comfortably on Angel-sama's lap pillow.
"Thank you for the meal/treat."
A clear fragrance wafted into his nose, seemingly a mix of the fresh scent of fruit and the tranquil scent of flowers.
Because she had just taken a shower, the fragrance on Angel-sama's body was noticeably stronger.
"Your ears were cleaned yesterday. If we continue today, it might damage the ear canal. Let me give Sora-kun a simple head massage instead, okay?"
Shiina Mahiru looked down, her voice soft.
Izumi Sora looked up curiously:
"Mahiru knows how to give massages?"
A hand swiftly reached over, covering Izumi Sora's eyes:
"Sora-kun, don't open your eyes."
"..."
After withdrawing her right hand, Shiina Mahiru gently bit her lower lip with her pearly white teeth, her voice very soft:
"I secretly learned how to massage before, but I haven't really massaged anyone else. It might be a little uncomfortable..."
That was a long time ago.
One night, her mother came home drunk, saying she had a splitting headache. Shiina Mahiru earnestly learned head massage, looking forward to helping massage her mother to relieve the pain the next time she had a headache.
But when she finally waited for the opportunity and gathered the courage to speak up, she was ruthlessly rejected by her mother.
"Mahiru hasn't given anyone else a massage?"
Izumi Sora's voice quickly rang out, pulling Mahiru out of the quagmire of her memories.
"Please, feel free to use me to practice."
"I'll gladly accept your first massage."
"..."
Shiina Mahiru's long eyelashes fluttered gently. Her gaze fell on Izumi Sora's cheek, and the corners of her pink lips curled up slightly:
"If it's uncomfortable, remember to say so promptly, Sora-kun."
What you lose on the swings, you gain on the roundabouts.
The head massage technique she secretly learned as a child... perhaps it was all for this very moment?
"I trust Mahiru."
"..."
The room quietly fell silent.
Shiina Mahiru simply stretched her fingers and began to massage the acupressure points on Izumi Sora's head.
Although she verbally claimed she wasn't skilled and it might be uncomfortable, the reality was that it was super comfortable. Izumi Sora, with his eyes closed, almost fell asleep.
"Sora-kun, let's stop here for today."
After an unknown amount of time, Angel-sama's voice rang out:
"You should go back and rest."
Izumi Sora opened his eyes and rubbed his head:
"My mind feels clearer than ever before, it's as if I've been reborn."
"It's not that exaggerated." Shiina Mahiru's pretty face flushed slightly, and she glared affectionately with her bright eyes. "Hurry back, if you don't go back soon, Sagiri will be worried."
Izumi Sora looked at Mahiru and said softly:
"Thank you for your hard work, Mahiru. Massaging for so long, your arms must be very sore, right?"
"No."
Shiina Mahiru averted her pretty face.
This was a lie.
Anyone who has gone through military training knows that keeping your arms straight for three minutes will cause soreness, let alone continuously massaging. Not only were her arms uncomfortable, but her calves were also a bit numb and sore. She just didn't want Izumi Sora to blame himself, so she chose to hide it.
"Actually, I also know a little bit about massage techniques..."
Izumi Sora stretched his fingers as he got up.
"Eh?"
Shiina Mahiru looked up in surprise.
"So..." Izumi Sora stepped behind Mahiru and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Now it's my turn to massage Mahiru."
"But it's very late now... Ah~"
With a gentle squeeze from Izumi Sora, the soreness in her shoulders caused Angel-sama to abruptly let out a soft cry.
Shiina Mahiru's pretty face quickly flushed red, and she hurriedly raised her hand to cover her pink lips.
"I'll just massage for a few minutes and then go back... Tell me if I'm using too much force."
Feeling the soreness in her shoulders rapidly dissipate into comfort, Angel-sama's gaze quietly softened.
"Thank you, Sora-kun."
Ten minutes passed in a flash.
Izumi Sora withdrew his hands, preparing to take his leave:
"I'm heading back. Lock your doors and windows at night."
Shiina Mahiru nodded gently, her voice gentle and sweet. Under the light, the girl's eyes were like autumn water, rippling with light:
"Sora-kun, goodnight."
"Goodnight."
"..."
Izumi Sora returned home. It was just past 9:00 PM. After a quick wash, he quickly went upstairs to continue making the game. Unfortunately, he was just a bit short of finishing, so he could only finish it tomorrow.
The night passed without words.
The next day.
It was a school day again.
After a simple breakfast, Izumi Sora pushed the door open and went out, only to see a blonde loli with her hands on her hips under the bright sunlight, her radiant blonde hair sparkling:
"Servant, good morning."
Seeing Izumi Sora come out, a bright smile instantly blossomed on Elf's small face.
"Morning." Izumi Sora stepped up to Elf's side. "How did you sleep last night?"
Elf's voice was crisp as she chattered away:
"I originally thought I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I got sleepy while playing on my phone, and then I just fell asleep. By the time I woke up, it was already bright outside."
As they spoke, the door next door opened. Holding her schoolbag with both hands, the waist-length haired, snow-white skinned Angel-sama walked out, her voice gentle:
"Elf, Sora-kun, good morning."
After moving back to her own house, Elf had messaged the two of them first thing in the morning, telling everyone to head out together. Now there was no need to 'accidentally' meet at the train station.
The three chatted as they walked towards the train station.
The train wobbled its way toward the school.
The time was 8:00 AM, right during the morning rush hour. The train was packed full of people, like a tin can.
"So many people, I'm going to turn into a sandwich cookie..."
Yamada Elf furrowed her small brow and muttered in a small voice:
"If only I could ride my bike to school."
"It's too far." Izumi Sora looked down at her. "If you rode your bike there, your leg would definitely cramp again at night."
"Then never mind."
Yamada Elf quickly shook her head. The feeling of her leg cramping in the bathtub before was truly too terrifying. It could be said to be the most terrifying experience Elf had encountered in her life, bar none. She absolutely did not want to experience it a second time.
"Sora, someone is pushing me from behind."
Yamada Elf's gaze shifted as she looked up.
Hearing this, Izumi Sora glanced over. Behind Elf was clearly a middle school girl who looked very honest at first glance; she definitely wouldn't push someone on purpose.
Sure enough, Elf bent down, ducked, and slipped right under Izumi Sora's arm, arriving in front of Izumi Sora. Her voice was cute and charming:
"Hurry and let me hide."
"..."
Izumi Sora silently turned his head and looked at Angel-sama beside him.
Mahiru's pink lips curled up slightly. She seemed to be in a very good mood, her voice doting:
"Sora-kun, let Elf hide. It really is very crowded on the train."
Yamada Elf: "..."
That look just now was so familiar... I remember now.
It's the look Mom often gives me.
"Ahhhh! Mahiru is so mean!" Yamada Elf couldn't help but complain quietly. "Don't look at me with the eyes of a mother looking at her daughter!"
Shiina Mahiru: "..."
The train wobbled its way to school, and they quickly arrived.
Izumi Sora walked into the classroom and sat in his seat.
"Sora, Sora~"
Elf put down her schoolbag, suddenly slapped her forehead, and quickly turned to look at Izumi Sora:
"I forgot something major!"
"What is it?"
"Last Thursday, I think the teacher assigned homework?"
Izumi Sora looked over expressionlessly:
"So you're saying you forgot to do it?"
"Friday was the Sports Festival, it's normal to forget homework." Yamada Elf hurriedly brought her hands together in prayer. "Help, hurry up and do my homework for me!"
That's too much! Others at most borrow homework to copy, you're straight up asking someone else to do it for you!
Izumi Sora was just about to speak when Yanami, with her ahoge, walked in from outside the classroom and came straight over to him.
"Here it comes, here it comes."
"A carnage is about to begin!"
"One is the 'falling from the sky' Yamada-san, the other is the childhood friend, it's really a hard choice, isn't it?"
"Yanami and Yamada-san wouldn't start fighting, would they?"
"..."
The gossiping classmates in the classroom all perked up, looking over eagerly one by one.
Unfortunately, the subsequent development greatly disappointed them.
Neither did they start fighting.
Nor did a battle over him break out.
"Sora, someone is looking for you outside."
Yanami's voice was bright as she explained her purpose for coming over.
"Someone is looking for me?"
Hearing this, Izumi Sora looked towards the hallway and saw an expressionless gyaru girl standing outside, leaning against the wall with half-open eyes, looking as if she had just returned from pulling an all-nighter.
"It's Yumeko-senpai."
Izumi Sora opened his schoolbag, took out his homework, and handed it to Elf:
"Copy it yourself."
"..."
"Yumeko-senpai, what do you need me for?"
Walking out of the classroom, Izumi Sora quickly arrived in front of the gyaru senpai.
"Sora... come with me..." Shikiya Yumeko reached out her right hand, grabbing Izumi Sora's wrist. "Someone... is looking for you..."
"It's not you looking for me?"
"No..."
Good heavens, so you're just a messenger.
But who would use the gyaru senpai as a messenger?
Why not come find me in person?
Following behind Shikiya Yumeko, Izumi Sora quickly arrived at a deserted corner on the third floor.
A girl who was both familiar and unfamiliar came into view.
Unfamiliar because he had only seen her in photos.
Familiar because he knew who she was...
"Misaki-senpai?"
"Izumi-kun, I am deeply grateful..."
The black-haired girl in front of him clearly had an introverted and shy personality. After seeing Izumi Sora, she quickly bowed ninety degrees and expressed her profound gratitude to him.
Probably because she was introverted, she didn't dare to proactively go to his classroom door to call him, so she specifically asked the gyaru senpai to help call him out.
"No need to thank me." Izumi Sora responded calmly. "I just happened to come across it."
In fact, this was the first time the two of them officially met. If it weren't for Angel-sama's kind heart and desire to save an innocent life, their paths would never have crossed.
"Regardless, I must thank Izumi-kun. My dad has a very impulsive personality, he might have... anyway, thank you so much."
Misaki-senpai continued to express her sincere gratitude.
After thanking him, Misaki-senpai cautiously proposed the idea of treating him to a meal, but Izumi Sora politely declined.
"I'm quite busy these days and don't have time to go out for a meal." Izumi Sora said softly. "If Misaki-senpai encounters anything similar again, you can tell me."
"Okay..."
After expressing her endless gratitude once more, Misaki-senpai quickly took her leave.
Shikiya Yumeko, however, stayed behind and didn't leave.
"Liar..."
Shikiya-senpai tilted her head to look at him, still with a half-open, exhausted expression, but a rare look of curiosity appeared on her usually expressionless pretty face:
"Sora... didn't know... Misaki before?"
Although it was a question, through the conversation just now, she had already confirmed the fact.
He clearly didn't know Misaki, so why would he step in to help?
So strange...
Very curious...
Izumi Sora looked at the gyaru senpai, his expression turning serious:
"Actually, I am an esper."
"Mmm?"
"My ability is time rewind. At the end of the Sports Festival, Misaki-senpai's father snuck into the general building and pushed a girl off, resulting in a bloody incident. To protect the peace of the campus, I chose to reverse time."
"I... see..."
Shikiya Yumeko blinked:
"Sora... is amazing..."
Izumi Sora: "..."
No way, you actually believed that?
A normal person wouldn't believe such an absurd reason, right!
"Goodbye."
Izumi Sora remained expressionless, turning and preparing to slip away.
"W-Wait a minute..."
"Hmm?"
"I'm... running out of battery... shutting down..."
Shikiya Yumeko's voice was intermittent, and as she spoke, her body swayed and fell forward.
Thump.
Izumi Sora helplessly reached out and caught her, unable to resist saying:
"Your body is so weak, hurry up and go see a doctor at the hospital."
"When I was a kid... I saw doctors often..."
Shikiya Yumeko's voice was weak. As she lay on Izumi Sora's shoulder, a faint, cool fragrance quietly wafted over:
"The doctor said... Phew..."
Said what?
Don't stop halfway, hurry up and finish your sentence in one breath!
"The doctor said... it can't be cured..."
It's that dangerous? Could it be some terminal illness?
"I inherited... my mom's genes... As long as... I'm not in direct sunlight... in the shadows... I lose all my strength..."
Are you some kind of cold-blooded animal that needs to hibernate?
Izumi Sora breathed a sigh of relief, looking down at her:
"Can you walk on your own?"
"No... carry me... to the student council..."