Wonder Game - blue bird, red queen 3

Location: Dance Room

Sora: ...Senpai? Your whole body is giving off a terrible "color", what's wrong~?

Tsumugi: Sora-kun! Aah, I’m glad you’re here, you’re good at finding things, right? Please, help me find Natsume-k--

Umm, huh?

Nagisa: ………..

Tsumugi: Sora-kun, why is Nagisa-kun carrying you on his shoulders? I guess you two have really become friends while I wasn’t looking~♪

Nagisa: …..I wonder about that.

…..I don’t really understand it myself. But somehow, this child is always by my side.

Sora: Yes! This person is “hard to see”~, or in other words, light passes right through him!

He must get chilly from that, so Sora is warming him up with a hug...♪

Nagisa: …..I see. Usually, everyone keeps their distance from me for some reason, so it makes me a little happy to be touched like this.

Tsumugi: Ahaha. Nagisa-kun has a rather frightening expression, so you look downright terrifying when you stay silent.

When one talks to you it becomes evident that you’re a kindhearted good boy, but people don’t usually dare to take that first step.

Nagisa: …..Mhm. But, I am not the issue at hand right now.

…..Tsumugi-kun, your face really is terribly pale. Did something happen?

…..I’m worried. We just walked past Ibara, who seemed to be in a great mood. Did he do something?

…..I am sorry. He was raised in an environment where he was surrounded by nothing but people who were stronger than him, so in order to win against them and survive, he developed a tendency to be overly aggressive.

…..He has only treated me with kindness and consideration as long as I’ve known him, though.

…..I wonder why?

Tsumugi: Fufu. Anyone would hesitate to trample all over an innocent child that doesn’t hold a single ounce of ill will within him.

You’re harmless, and you don’t go out of your way to take others down, Nagisa-kun.

Nagisa: …..I’m no longer a child, though.

Sora: Senpai! Don’t stand there chattering away without a care in the world! Something’s the matter with Shisho~, isn’t it? That’s the kind of “color” you give off, and you said so, too! Right?

Tsumugi: Ah, that’s right! Natsume-kun didn’t come on set today, and on top of that, it seems like Saegusa-kun did something reprehensible to him…?

I am worried about him, so I thought I’d go look for him! Sora-kun, how about we split up and and look around some places?

Sora: Hm~... Sora thinks there’s no need for that, though~?

The one who knows Shisho~ best is Senpai after all.

Sometimes even Sora gets envious of the bond you two have, even if Shisho~ and Senpai don’t want to acknowledge it for some reason.

As long as you don’t sulk and act stubborn, or avert your eyes out of guilt… Sora is sure that Senpai is the one who can “see” Shisho~ clearly.

Even if you don’t have strange eyes like Sora does! All humans have this ability! Right, “Nagishan”?

Nagisa: …..My name isn’t “Nagishan”, it’s Nagisa. 

…..However, everything else, aside from that, was correct.

…..Tsumugi-kun. Back when you were in fine, you would always find me whenever I wandered off and lost my way.

…..And every time, you’d look so happy when you called my name in a kind voice, and reached your hand out to me.

…..And then you guided me to a future that I couldn’t have ever imagined from my tiny, cramped room.

…..We may have grown distant since then, and a lot of idle time may have passed.

…..But still, I want to believe that “this part of you” hasn’t changed.

Tsumugi: H-huh…? I guess you’re praising me, thank you very much!

Nagisa: …..Mhm. Enough of this, go already. You can leave Ibara to me.

Tsumugi: Hoeh? Is something up with Saegusa-kun? Don’t tell me he’s keeping Natsume-kun confined somewhere..?

Nagisa: …..Mm-mm. This is between me and him, it’s our story.

…..Until they intersect once again, let’s keep struggling on our separate chess boards.

…..My old friend.

Tsumugi: …….?