Chapter 23: His news

Her brother still wasn’t answering the phone.

Yukina pressed her lips together, rested her face on her knees, and buried it in her arms.

“Yukina, are you not feeling well?”

When she noticed, Yonomikenami had come to her side.

Yukina looked up.

“No, I’m not unwell…”

But Yonomikenami could probably see it easily.

A thick layer of anxiety was visible in Yukina’s eyes.

Yonomikenami noticed that Yukina’s phone screen was still lit.

“Still… worried about your brother?”

“Mhm…”

“I see. You two are really close siblings… always talking about your brother. I wish I had a little sister like that.”

“N-It’s not what you think, so please don’t tease me…”

Shaking her head in embarrassment, Yukina buried her face again.

Being judged like that brought her a strange sense of joy, but more than that, it was a sense of loss.

‘In other people’s eyes, are my brother and I really that close?’

Yukina wished it were true, but the reality was that while their relationship wasn’t cold, it couldn’t be described as “close” either.

“Did you call your brother?”

Yonomikenami asked.

“Mhm…”

“She didn’t pick up?”

“No…”

‘Of course she wouldn’t pick up.’

Yonomikenami looked at Yukina with an unreadable expression, then suddenly smiled and offered comfort:

“I see. Maybe the signal is bad, or maybe she dropped her phone by accident, or maybe she just didn’t hear it… But, no matter what, little Yukina, you don’t need to worry.”

Yonomikenami suddenly took Yukina’s somewhat cold hands in hers.

“Because Ephnel is there, your brother will be absolutely fine, I promise! Ephnel is very strong. She even eliminated the most powerful ‘Erosion organism’ to date all by herself. This time will be no different. No matter what, little Yukina, please believe in Ephnel! And… believe in your brother too…”

“Mhm…”

Yukina nodded.

Yukina trusted Ephnel completely.

Ephnel was strong, the most powerful Agent in this city.

Any Erosion organism would be pierced like tofu in front of her.

Of course, Yukina believed that Ephnel would protect everyone.

“In that case, relax a little and wait for your brother to come back.”

Comfort wasn’t always effective, but it could make one feel warm.

Miss Yonomikenami’s hands were beautiful and soft.

Holding them like this calmed one’s heart.

“Mhm…”

Yukina nodded without a word.

“By the way, little Yukina, when did you become a fan of Ephnel’s?”

Yonomikenami glanced at her watch and threw out a topic.

“That… when was it… probably about a year ago… around December last year.”

“Eh? That’s amazing! You’re a veteran fan! That’s rare. You have more seniority than I do. I hadn’t even been assigned to her side back then.”

Yonomikenami’s smile was gentle, like a big sister from next door, which made Yukina a little embarrassed.

“Not at all…”

“By the way, how did you notice Ephnel? I remember she wasn’t particularly famous back then, right?”

“Eh…? Th-That…”

For no reason, Yukina’s cheeks flushed red, and her speech suddenly became hesitant.

Yukina didn’t often talk about the first time she had met Miss Ephnel.

—Because it wasn’t an experience she could recount casually.

At that time, Ephnel had pulled her out of the water and firmly protected her from the siege of the Erosion organisms.

Because she had been drowning, her memory of that time was not very clear.

In the hazy fragments, Yukina only remembered that Ephnel’s hands were soft and cool, and that her stubborn and resolute gaze was a match for her own brother’s.

What happened after that?

She had fainted, and then found out that she had been saved by Ephnel.

Her mouth had been covered, and she had been given artificial respiration.

The touch of Ephnel’s lips reminded one of pudding just taken out of the refrigerator, cool and soft.

Perhaps this was also because she had just gotten out of the water at that time.

Yukina still remembered that Ephnel’s breath had a faint fragrance.

At that time, she had rested her head on Ephnel’s shoulder.

The warm and reliable touch had made her feel safe.

The sunlight filtered through Ephnel’s damp, silver hair, turning into a rainbow of colors.

Recalling the romantic scene of that day, Yukina gently pressed her lips together.

Of course, Yukina knew that Ephnel’s actions had no other intentions, so she never thought of it in any other way.

She herself had never cared.

Probably?

Because Ephnel, as an Agent, was gentle.

But… for no reason, a sharp pain suddenly pierced her heart.

Yukina suddenly realized something that had always felt a little “off.”

It was precisely because Ephnel was gentle that Ephnel protected the people here, fighting again and again… but… was that a matter of course?

Because she was only thinking about her brother, she had pleaded “please” to Ephnel, and Ephnel had responded with a smile.

Yukina, like everyone else, had selfishly pushed her own wishes onto Ephnel.

That felt very despicable.

‘I want my brother to be safe, so I shamelessly asked Miss Ephnel. But if… if Miss Ephnel gets hurt, who will protect her? In fact, Miss Ephnel looks even younger than I am. What kind of burden is she carrying on those shoulders?’

Because Miss Ephnel was always smiling, she had intentionally or unintentionally ignored many facts.

It was common for Agents to die in battle.

Why could she so calmly ask Ephnel for help?

Even though she knew that ahead lay a battlefield where life and death were uncertain.

A bitter taste filled Yukina’s heart.

This indescribable emotion felt as if she had made a choice between her brother and Ephnel.

In fact, Yukina wanted neither her brother to be harmed, nor did she want anything to happen to Ephnel.

In Yukina’s heart, her brother was the one who had given her warmth, while Miss Ephnel was the one she admired, the one who was giving her warmth and hope now.

But in the end, she had cowered behind Miss Ephnel, asking her to step into danger from a safe position.

Wasn’t that a little too shameless?

“Um… Miss Yonomikenami…”

Yukina started to speak, but then hesitated.

She was definitely not this kind of person usually, but there were times when her heart just couldn’t be at peace.

“If there’s something you want to say, little Yukina, just tell me directly. If I can do it, I’ll help you. Consider it compensation for the wonderful lunch that was ruined.”

Yonomikenami smiled and said.

“N-It’s not that… I just… suddenly wanted to ask…”

Yukina looked up at Yonomikenami.

“Miss Ephnel… what is she fighting for?”

“Why do you ask that?”

Yonomikenami was a little surprised.

Yukina quickly apologized.

“I-I’m very sorry… I just blurted it out without thinking… If I said something wrong, if it was an presumptuous question and it’s troubling you, please pretend you didn’t hear it…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Yonomikenami suddenly smiled and blinked ambiguously.

“Actually… I was just a little surprised. Even among her fans, very few people ask such a question.”

“Is that so…”

“You’re the first.”

“The first…”

Yukina gently lowered her head.

Disappointingly, she couldn’t help but feel a little happy.

“Well, in any case, most of them have their reasons for becoming Agents. Most of them are driven by hatred, and then there are those who have other reasons. As for Ephnel…”

Yonomikenami glanced at Yukina.

“Although it might not be appropriate for me to say, in my opinion, Ephnel chose this path for the person she treasures. Would you believe me if I said that?”

“Eh? Miss Ephnel… she…?”

Yukina blinked in surprise.

“Does she already have someone she’s going to marry? Even though she’s still so young…”

“No, she and that person are not in that kind of relationship yet…”

Yonomikenami cleared her throat and denied it.

“Does that mean… they’re about to…?”

“Well, who knows… If you’re curious, how about asking her in person next time?”

Yonomikenami pressed a finger to her lips and smiled faintly, leaving her in suspense.

“Will there be a next time? I’ve already messed everything up today…”

“Don’t worry, Miss Ephnel is a very gentle person. She won’t mind those things. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Ephnel actually quite likes you.”

Yonomikenami’s teasing was intentional, but in Yukina’s ears, it immediately took on a different meaning.

Nothing particularly interesting had happened between Yukina and Ephnel, but to Yukina, Ephnel had already become an indispensable person in her life.

And Yonomikenami’s words were like a poke to her heart, reminding her of what Ephnel had said to her before.

‘Could it be… that I’m not the only one who remembers the kiss from that day? Does Ephnel remember it too?’

Just thinking about it made Yukina’s face feel hot.

“…What a cute reaction. Are you feeling a little better now?”

“Mhm…”

Yukina was still burying her face, but after a short chat with Yonomikenami, her expression had softened a little compared to her earlier gloom.

“It seems there are no problems here then.”

Seeing Yukina’s improved mood, Yonomikenami let go of her hand and stood up.

“Although I’d like to chat with you a little longer, little Yukina, Ephnel is waiting for me. Seeing that you’re alright has put my mind at ease, so it’s about time I get back to my post.”

Yukina also stood up.

“Th-That… I-I’m very sorry… Miss Yonomikenami, I’ve caused you trouble…”

“Don’t worry about it. Ephnel entrusted you to me, so you are like a little sister to me.”

Yonomikenami smiled gently.

“So you don’t need to be so polite with me.”

Yonomikenami left.

Yukina silently held her phone, waiting quietly.

Her mood had improved a lot, and she even felt a little excited, which made her feel very guilty.

She put down her phone and prayed for her brother.

Just then, from somewhere, the faint sound of gunfire could be heard.

It was probably an attack initiated by the Special Disaster Response Mobile Division.

But weapons like guns had no effect on the “Erosion.”

The bullets passed right through the “crows'” wings as if they were falling on a shadow.

This futile attack was more for “maintaining order” during the chaos and as a “warning” when the Erosion organisms attacked, rather than for “offense and defense.”

Beep, beep—

Her phone suddenly received a text message.

Yukina flipped it open, but when she saw the screen light up, she froze.

Sender: Onii-chan.

“Onii-chan!?”

Yukina hurriedly picked up her phone and unlocked it.

[“Save me”]

The content of the text message was very simple and clear, yet suffocating.

The phone slipped from her frozen hand and fell to the ground, the screen cracking in a large patch.

Yukina leaned against the wall in a daze.

The people around her were noisy and clamoring.

No one looked at her.