A youth story of a passerby at the end of the world

"I will try my best to speak to you."

"Hmph~, ...that won't be necessary." Hearing the voice on the other end sound no different from usual, he gradually stopped taking it to heart.

"So what's going on?"

"I just wanted to ask about the progress of your new work."

She published her first light novel, "Love Metronome," under the pen name "Kasumi Shiko" in the Fantastic Bunko section of Shinazugawa Shoten, and the response was surprisingly good. As a top-ranked second-year high school girl, she is a true talent.

Incidentally, Uesugi Genshin also deliberately chose the same place as her as his debut starting point.

"Oh, you're experiencing writer's block, aren't you?" After all, even for a novice writer, writer's block is a common occurrence.

What's more, the other person had never been in a relationship before, but ended up writing a romance novel!

It's probably a longing...

"..." There was silence on the other end. "No, the general direction has been confirmed, but there are still a few doubts about my final episode."

"So, is it Sayuka, who appeared in the first volume and whose romantic storyline has been driving us crazy, or Mayu, who appeared halfway through the second volume but is the most popular character among readers?"

"Of course it's Sayuka. Didn't you say that since she's the main heroine, she should win in the end?"

"Hmm... It's really a bit unreasonable that 'childhood sweethearts' can't beat 'suddenly appearing'. It's really hard to accept that the time spent getting to know each other and the time spent together can't compete with love at first sight."

But this is just an outsider's perspective. The reality is that people are too familiar with each other to make a move, and if they do make a move, it's mostly just an impulsive act of lust.

"So this isn't the ending you were hoping for? After I finish writing... I hope you can take a look at my original manuscript beforehand."

"Great! My new work is basically finished, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, the final volume will be published next month." Uesugi Genshin was quite proud of this.

"Congratulations! For someone as insignificant as you, Cheng-kun, you've done quite well." The word "insignificant" was emphasized heavily by the other party. "Chi-tsai is indeed very charming. If I had a sister like her, I would fall in love with her too."

"So thank you again for your help; the research was a huge help."

"You're welcome, it's just mutual help. But I've been really lacking in inspiration lately, I wonder if you're free this weekend, Cheng-kun?" Although it was a question, it gave off a strong invitation that you couldn't refuse.

"..."

"What's wrong? Answer me!" the other party pressed.

"I'm free this weekend, so it's fine if I help you find inspiration." He really wasn't free, since he didn't have many social activities, and he had very few friends.

"Hmph, then it's settled." The other person's voice was filled with a triumphant pleasure.

"Hmm." It seemed like the other person was alright.

“Hey, Kasumigaoka…” Uesugi Genshin said at this moment.

"what happened?"

Do you believe in ghosts?

"...What serious illness have you contracted? You're way past the age of being a chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) sufferer. Living in a fantasy world all day isn't something a man should do, Makoto-kun." The girl named Kasumigaoka Utaha thought the other person was joking with her, so she activated her passive skill.

"Do you remember what I told you about what happened to me today?" Uesugi Genshin just wanted to say that he really thought the incident was very strange.

"...What happened?" Kasumigaoka Utaha became somewhat unsure of what the other person meant.

"I saw a woman whose head was about to fall off stand up and walk."

"A prank?" That's probably the first reaction most people would have. The possibility that someone is cosplaying or playing a prank is far greater than the possibility that you actually encountered a ghost, not to mention the variety shows that are unique to Japan and are known for their pranks.

"No, it's the scene of a car accident," Uesugi Genshin denied.

"..." This made Kasumigaoka Utaha even more confused. Was Makoto telling a ghost story?

"I must have seen wrong." Hallucination or illusion was her second guess.

"That's because I didn't see wrong." Uesugi Genshin still believed in his eyes.

Whether it was bloodstains, car skid marks, collision debris, or the driver's subsequent calls to the police and ambulance, he saw them all clearly, and without exception, they were all genuine.

What happened next?

"...I left afterwards."

"..."

"Kasumigao Hill?"

"I wasn't there, so maybe what you saw was just an illusion?" Kasumigaoka Utaha still didn't believe that there were really any strange phenomena in the world.

"...Do you think our world might not be so ordinary?" Uesugi Genshin gave the other person a hint.

Kasumigaoka Utaha twirled a strand of hair at her temple with her fingers and scoffed, "...Isn't that just chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) talk?"

"..." Uesugi Genshin didn't know how to explain it to the other party.

"..." Kasumigaoka Utaha was also at a loss for words due to the silence on the other side.

"I'm not joking... In case, in case something happens, in case something happens to you."

Uesugi Genshin felt that they were still just friends, and asking him for help would probably cause trouble for him.

"Remember to call me. I'll come find you if I'm free."

Although it was just a coincidence, without this phone call, Uesugi Genshin probably wouldn't have said anything, and he wouldn't have even told Hachiman.

"...Chengjun?"

"Remember to keep an eye on the news; it might just be my imagination," Uesugi Genshin added.

Is this news?

"If, if possible, don't go to school for the next two days. Take leave and stay home. I'll see if there's anything else."

"..." Although she can catch up on sleep at school anyway, not letting her go to school is...

"Lock the doors and windows at home and be careful."

"......" This is a basic awareness for a girl living alone.

"I see."

Is this some kind of ghost story? If so, she hoped that Chengjun would suddenly say jokingly the next second, "Just kidding."

Kasumigaoka Utaha was very troubled after finally hanging up the phone.

It's very troubling.

She knew very well that the other person was a reliable guy, which was why she was so troubled.

Like the protagonist in a story carefully reminding their family to be careful before going out, this kind of reminder... is usually a flag, right?

"Tomorrow..." Tomorrow is Tuesday. She is a celebrity at school, so she knows that much. Should she really ask for leave to rest?

She is very self-aware of her own way of doing things, so does she really need to take a break?

Even when she stayed up late creating or studying, she would only catch up on sleep at school...

"Makoto-kun..."

Kasumigaoka curled up her fleshy, long legs, her heels resting on the edge of the chair as her arches bent.

He held her legs like that, and she remained quiet for an unknown amount of time.

"!" I looked up suddenly at the clock; it was 7:20.

What time did you call Chengjun? Six o'clock? Or seven o'clock?

Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped thinking about it, shook her head, put her legs down, and stood up.

A woman with her head severed...

For some reason, his words suddenly jolted him awake, and he began to look around the room.

A self-deprecating thought rose in my mind; I never expected she would scare herself like that.

Hmph, I'll go see a horror movie with him next time, and maybe gather some material while I'm at it.

Although Chengjun said that, she still doesn't plan to take the day off tomorrow.

With that thought in mind, Kasumigaoka Utaha carefully checked every room in the house, making sure they were locked properly, and also drew the curtains.

Even I wonder if I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but more importantly, it's the inspiration that strikes.

Suddenly inspired by what had just happened, Kasumigaoka returned to her chair at her desk and continued writing, unconsciously shaking her leg.

-----------------

It has been conveyed; it has been conveyed.

Uesugi Genshin stared blankly at his phone, which had already gone black.

It was indeed a coincidence, and he wouldn't bother others because of such uncertainties.

But when I think about the possibility that something might happen, and that it's something I wanted to say but didn't, I'll probably regret it.

He said these things, which others would consider eccentric, so that he wouldn't regret it in the future.

"It's self-satisfaction."

Normally, no one would believe such a statement until they actually see it, even if it has appeared countless times in movies, novels, TV series, and games.

But as a normal person, no one would believe that. Even if Kasumigaoka Utaha still went to school the next day, he wouldn't blame her for anything.

Because if he had encountered something like this in his first life, he would have done the same thing; after all, "he" was also a normal person.

He swiped his thumb across the phone screen; his fingerprint was set to his thumb, but he didn't intend to unlock the screen.

He kept swiping back and forth until he finally stopped; he wasn't going to call Hachiman anymore.

I looked at the clock and it read 7:20.

Go cook.

Chapter Five: The Wind Rises

"Ring ring ring..." It was the alarm clock on my phone.

She abruptly sat up, turned off the alarm clock which was about to reach its climax, because it would get even noisier afterward, and then put her head back on the pillow.

Five minutes later, Uesugi Genshin sat up abruptly, no longer intending to sleep.

Unless I'm really exhausted, the anxiety of being late makes it impossible for me to continue sleeping.

After getting out of bed, I started rummaging through the closet for clean clothes.

There's another set of school uniforms that you can wear on a rotating basis. I washed all my clothes yesterday, hoping to wash away the bad luck and dirt.

The desire to sleep in a little longer means that there's never any time left to properly prepare breakfast.

The idea that eating breakfast is healthy originated in the 70s, made by "experts" who used cereal marketing tactics. The story has been distorted and has no factual basis, just like the urban legend about cell phone radiation.

So on his way to school, he would buy a meat bun at a convenience store. If he had time on the weekend, he could make the buns himself and freeze them. He could just microwave them every morning. Unfortunately, he hasn't thought about that lately.

After washing up, I checked the time and realized that even if I left now, I would have plenty of time to get to school.

He put on his Soubu High School uniform and shoes, and said to the room, "I'm going out." This was a phrase he had become accustomed to over the past 17 years, but there was no response.

A morning just like any other, a sky just like any other, a town just like any other, and peace just like any other.

I ate a meat bun from a convenience store that wasn't very substantial but tasted alright, and then boarded the tram.

My apartment is four stops away from Sobu High School, which is not as economical as riding a bicycle, but there is no need to save money.

"You've worked hard." A student who knew the teacher greeted the teacher guarding the gate.

Uesugi Genshin completely ignored the teacher he didn't recognize and went straight in from a distance.

The school is structured in a grid pattern. From above, it resembles the Chinese character "口" (mouth). Adding the AV building slightly below creates an aerial view of the school. Teaching buildings line the road, while a special building stands opposite. Corridors on the second, third, and fourth floors connect these buildings, forming a quadrilateral.

The space surrounded by this quadrilateral building is the atrium, a sanctuary for those who embrace modern life.

During lunch break, boys and girls ate lunch together, played badminton together to aid digestion, and after school, they would talk about love against the backdrop of the school buildings at sunset, and gaze at the starry sky while enjoying the sea breeze.

Yes, Sobu High School is also located by the sea, right by Tokyo Bay. It is situated in Mihama Ward, the coastal part of Chiba Prefecture. Although he had doubts about the water quality of Tokyo Bay, wouldn't the sea breeze carrying some strange characteristics?

I changed into indoor shoes at the entrance, then entered the classroom through the back door, sat down in my seat, and started flipping through the comics I had bought yesterday.

Then, ignoring what the teacher said during the morning meeting (which I didn't understand), the first class began.

The first lesson was biology, and the first thing he had to do was write a short essay about animals... This sparked his creative desire.