bakemonoremy

Location: Underground Archive

Tsumugi: Natsume-kun!

You’re here, aren’t you? You may have blocked all incoming calls on your phone, but… I pinpointed your location by gathering information and reading what people wrote on the schoolwide SNS!

Fufun. I've still got a long way to go compared to Saegusa-kun, who is affiliated with information bureaus and the like, but out of necessity I've taught myself some intel-gathering techniques!

I still find it difficult to use the kind of magic you’d find in fairytales, so I did my best by just squarely using my legs and all the tools and techniques at my disposal!

What do you think? I bet you see your “Senpai” in a whole new light now!

No, it’s just me, so even if you don’t acknowledge me, it’s all okay! But at least let me clear up the misunderstanding, I don’t want to graduate while you’re still hurting because of me!

Natsume-ku~n...!

...Um, huh? There’s no response? How strange. I was so sure you would be here, though?

Uuu, please don’t make foolish mistakes at a time like this, me!

(.....No, wait. There’s a weird stench drifting out from the back of the underground archive. It’s coming from the “secret room”.)

(It’s a chemical smell that you’d normally never encounter… Aah, it feels kind of nostalgic.)

(This situation is a lot like that time when I first reunited with you here at Yumenosaki Academy. Human memory is strongly influenced by smells, so when you catch the scent of something you smelled once before, the memories of that time come flooding back.)

(Scientific things like that, and a lot of other stuff… You taught me, who knew nothing at all, so many things.)

(You’re so well-read and clever. A genius that someone like me could never compare to.)

(I’ve always admired you so much, even when we were young.)

(Maybe that’s weird, since I’m the older one?)

(Even sneering at me would be enough for me, as long as I can bring back the smile on your face.)

Location: Secret Room

Tsumugi: N-Natsume-ku~n...? I’m coming in, okay?

Natsume: ………..

Tsumugi: Ah, so you were here after all! You probably left the door slightly open for ventilation, so there’s no way you couldn’t hear my voice, right?

Natsume-kun! You may not want to speak to someone like me ever again, but I want to talk things out! Please, I’m begging you, talk to…

Nhyah!?

Natsume: .…. …..

Tsumugi: (H-huh? Natsume-kun, could it be that you’re sleeping? Huh…)

(He’s swaying from side to side, this is dangerous! Was he in the middle of an experiment…? He’s holding a test tube with some suspicious-looking chemical in his hand!)

(If he loses his balance and falls over, the chemical is going to spill on him! I don’t know what it is, but the color doesn’t look like it should get in contact with anyone’s body!)

(I’m not Sora-kun, so I can only see normal colors! But even so, I can tell!)

Natsume: ~.…..

Tsumugi: --Natsume-kun!

(That was dangerous, a real close call! I managed to catch Natsume-kun in my arms just before he fell over!)

(Fu fu fu, I’m not half bad sometimes, huh!)

(...Er, uwaohh!? The moment Natsume-kun tipped over, the test tube was flung in my direction-- GyaaaAAH!?)

Natsume: ….Yawn.

I fell asleEP. Yaaawn. How shamefUL, even though I could last three days without sleep when I was a chiLD.

Tsumugi: Nghyaaah! OgyaaAHH! It’s somehow slimy, and it smells sickeningly sweet… Just what were you making, Natsume-ku~n!?

Natsume: OH, SenpAI. ...Why are you still aliVE?

Tsumugi: Because I didn’t die! And I couldn’t die even if I tried as long as I haven’t apologized to you yet!

More importantly, please do something about this chemical! It’s weirdly slimy and sticky at the same time…!?

Natsume: AaH, while I dozed off carelessLY, the contents of the test tube must have undergone some chemical chanGE.

I doubt it can do any real harm to your boDY, but just for caution’s sake I’ll take a sample to make suRE.

Tsumugi: Please don’t just calmly analyze things, do something about this instead! Could you at least bring me a wet towel or something!? I’m sorry to cause trouble for you, but please!

Natsume: ….If Senpai hates it that muCH, it must feel quite unpleasaNT. InterestiNG. Too much medicine can be poisON, and the opposite of that is true as weLL.

HmmM. My luck must rival that of Noguchi HideYO*. If I use this chemical that accidentally underwent chemical chanGE, I can… *mumble, mumble*

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* Noguchi Hideyo, famous bacteriologist.