Walking along the streets before dawn, Kotomi exhaled lightly. Although it wasn't quite cold enough for her breath to turn white like in winter, the drop in temperature was already noticeable.
"It's a bit chilly..."
Kotomi let out another breath. It was already October, and the weather was changing unpredictably. Just a few days ago, summer had felt never-ending, yet today, it seemed as if winter was fast approaching.
Since Hibiki Naegi's house was conveniently along the way to the train station, they had arranged to meet up and go together. Once they arrived in Tokyo, they would then meet up with Mashiro.
I wonder if Chihiro Sengoku will be joining us for Kyoto...
Probably not. Though she was arguably the most carefree teacher at Sobu High School, only holding art classes a couple of times a week, her role as a teacher still kept her occupied. More often than not, she was the designated "substitute brick," always sent to supervise self-study whenever a class needed a teacher.
In Chihiro Sengoku's own words: "At first, I was a bit annoyed. I had dreams of becoming the kind of teacher loved by all students. But forget about being loved—now, I'd be satisfied if at least half the students in the school have attended my art class. Just going with the flow, I've come to realize that having fewer classes and getting paid to slack off isn't so bad."
The music teacher wholeheartedly agreed with her.
Kotomi walked for about eight minutes before reaching Hibiki Naegi's house. However, there was no sign of her.
Don't tell me she's still asleep… Kotomi thought to herself in exasperation. Today was the day they were heading to Tokyo for the art exhibition. As the president of the Art Club, if Hibiki was still in bed, Kotomi was definitely going to make sure the entire club heard about it when they returned.
Shocking! President Naegi oversleeps on the day of departure! Is this a mere lapse in judgment, or a complete moral downfall? Stay tuned for the next episode of Into the Twisted Mind.
Kotomi pulled out her phone and called Hibiki. She wasn't worried about disturbing her—if anything, she was doing her a favor by acting as a backup alarm clock.
After a few moments, the call was answered, and a weak, hoarse voice came from the other end, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.
"...Hello… Kotomi? Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?"
In the background, Kotomi could hear the rustling of blankets, as if someone next to Hibiki had been woken up as well.
Choosing to be tactful, Kotomi ignored the implications. She had no interest in meddling in other people's love lives.
However, the fact that Hibiki asked why she was calling was enough to make Kotomi roll her eyes. Who had been the one to insist they wake up early to catch the train?
"President Naegi, I can tell you're exhausted, but do you not remember? Today is the day the three of us are leaving for Kyoto. It's almost 5 AM."
"..."
There was a moment of silence on the other end before Kotomi heard the frantic sounds of Hibiki scrambling out of bed and hurriedly changing clothes.
"Sorry, Kotomi! I completely dozed off and nearly forgot. This is so embarrassing. Please, whatever you do, don't tell the other Art Club members… Give me ten—no, seven minutes! I'll be right down!"
With that, Hibiki hung up in a rush.
Kotomi sighed. She hadn't expected the always reliable President Naegi to slip up today. Then again, she herself had forgotten to pack her suitcase last night and had to rely on Aimi to do it for her—so she wasn't in much of a position to judge.
Pot calling the kettle black. Forget it.
Hibiki Naegi's efficiency was impressive—so much so that it almost seemed like she was timing herself with a stopwatch. Exactly seven minutes later, she emerged from her house, dragging a suitcase behind her, looking flustered.
"Kotomi, sorry for keeping you waiting. Let's hurry to the station."
She was out of breath and sporting two massive dark circles under her eyes. Last night had been... intense with Seiko. From 7 PM straight through to 2 AM, they had gone at it non-stop—about thirty times in total.
Completely drained and fast asleep, she had been startled awake by Kotomi's call, which had woken both her and Seiko.
Hibiki had originally intended to ignore the call and ask Kotomi what it was about later. But since it was a pre-dawn call, she figured it must be important and forced herself to answer.
Then, just as you'd expect, Hibiki was stunned. She had completely forgotten they were leaving for Kyoto today. She had slept so soundly—and maybe too enjoyably last night—that in her half-awake state, she thought the trip was the day after tomorrow.
Kotomi's words might just have been the most terrifying thing Hibiki had heard all year—no exaggeration!
She instantly sprang out of bed and completed her entire morning routine at lightning speed. Seven minutes—three for washing and changing, and the remaining four to kiss Seiko goodbye.
This is the terrifying discipline of the Art Club President!
Kotomi glanced at Hibiki's very noticeable dark circles and was momentarily speechless. Should she praise her senior for her tireless work ethic? Or marvel at her courage to bring her girlfriend home for the night? Sure, Kotomi knew Hibiki's parents were often away, but didn't she still have a younger sister—Seiko Kirigiri?
Senior Naegi, bringing your lover home and ending up this exhausted—does Seiko know what you're doing? Kotomi wondered, but she held her curiosity in check. After all, Hibiki was her senpai—one had to preserve some dignity.
Before leaving, Kotomi glanced at the Naegi home, where only one bedroom light was still on. Given how rushed Hibiki was, she definitely hadn't eaten breakfast. Even if she wanted to, there was no time.
"President Naegi, is it okay you didn't eat breakfast?"
Hibiki shook her head. The cold morning breeze cleared her head a bit: "No time for that. I'll grab a rice ball and some coffee milk at the station to tide me over. Hopefully, the shinkansen gets to Kyoto before lunchtime."
"Isn't this what they call getting up early just to be late? President Naegi, what were you doing last night to get such dark circles?"
Kotomi asked casually while fiddling with her phone. In Japanese high school social etiquette, asking a question while looking at your phone signaled that you weren't pressing for a real answer—it could be brushed off, dodged, or even lied about without worry.
Just say something, even if it's a lie, and you won't have to stress about your little secret being exposed.
Naturally, Hibiki didn't waste Kotomi's kindness and answered with a lie: "I stayed up too late doing homework. Didn't get much sleep."
She silently thanked Kotomi. One of the reasons she found it so easy to get along with her was this very trait—Kotomi knew how to interact with others smoothly, how to spare someone from awkwardness. Having a junior like her—no, a friend like her—made for genuinely pleasant company.
Still, I hope Kotomi didn't realize it was because I was with Seiko all night. She probably just thinks I had someone over. That misunderstanding is still better than our relationship getting exposed…
Hibiki let out a long sigh and pressed the bandage on her collarbone.
Besides that, she also had bandages on her fingers and inner thighs.
She wasn't actually injured—the bandages were just to cover things up. It made her look like a bullied schoolgirl, but that was better than letting others see the marks Seiko had left on her on purpose.
Kotomi glanced at the bandage on Hibiki's collarbone and smiled knowingly.
—That bandage is so out of place. It's the most obvious cover-up ever. When it comes to bandage placement, I'm way more experienced than you!
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