Author: Inaida Sou
Translator: Kei of ChocoCats

○ 318 DAYS AGO

“Sigh, thank you very much, Yukari-chan…”

I sighed while cutting the drawing paper with a cutter. During the council meeting, Nojima-sensei scolded me because my work did not have any progress. I definitely do not want to cut corners in providing my brother with surprises, so I decided to have Yukari help me on weekend. Now there are three people, including Iwai, surrounding the living room desk.

In such a dangerous situation, I can’t help feeling burdened with her keep coming to my house. To be exact, it’s because I feel indebted to Yukari-chan’s father, who seems to drive Yukari-chan and Iwai to my house, pick them up at night and return them home.

“Don’t worry about it! Yukari already promised to help after all!” (Yukari)

“Thank you… Yukari-chan, please don’t ever hesitate to tell me if something is troubling you!”

“Hehe, actually yesterday Yukari’s brother was fighting with father. And if Yukari stays at home today while they are still fighting, she will have to stop them. So, it’s good that she could come to Mai-chan’s house.” (Yukari)

“That’s why let’s do our best today?” said Yukari-chan while she tilted her head. My feelings moved with her pure heart.

“Yukari-chan…!!”

As I and Yukari-chan hugged each other, Iwai made a displeasure voice. “Oi,” he called us, “if you don’t move your hands, it will never end.”

“Yes, yes.”

After replying, we continued working. My brother is taking an online English conversation class in his room today, and it seems that he will join us after that.

“By the way, it seems like the murderer is a man.”

After a while, Iwai muttered with tremendous tension. You can see that by watching the news. However, he continued talking as if looking back at the suspicious gaze of me and Yukari-chan.

“The victims are always women. And in addition, he seems to be able to control fireball.” (Iwai)

“Fireball?”

“The incident happened quite close to us on the other day, right? There is a grandpa nearby, who claims to witness it.” (Iwai)

Is there such an unscientific thing? But it’s kind of stupid, and I feel a little less worried that my brother might be involved. There is no such unexpected setting as Makoto Kurobe can control fireball.

“Oh, there is Yukari-chan and Iwai-kun?”

As I was talking, the living room door opened and my mother who was working in her room came out. Aside from Iwai, Yukari-chan often comes to my house. All the sutras at my maternal grandpa and grandma’s funeral were made by Yukari-chan’s father, so our family have acquaintance with Yukari-chan’s family.

“You both have grown taller, aren’t you? It’s subtle because you are sitting, but I can see that you are growing more and more every time I meet you. It’s amazing.”

Yukari-chan replied, “Yukari may not grow more than this,” while Iwai replied, “I will grow more!” The living room door opened again when I was watching the exchange between them.

“Oh, Mom, there you are… Do you have time now?”

“What’s the matter?”

My brother has a troubled look with a camera in his hand. He seemed to like the camera so much that he started to carry it with him at school. He even puts it on his desk at the council’s meeting, it’s not a smartphone so it’s fine.

“It looks like there isn’t enough space. There is a video of a family trip, so I don’t know what to do… It seems that it can’t be used as a webcam unless there is a certain amount of space… Ah.”

My brother looked at us and added, “I’ll join you later”. While I said my gratitude, my eyes are glued to one place.

My brother’s camera, the lens part glows red. As if to inform its recording, the light glows blazingly. Seeing the strong and sharp light, I remembered the words Iwai said earlier.

–– The murderer seems to be able to control the fireball.

The fireball is about the camera… An old man who wasn’t familiar with the camera saw it, so he just thought of it as a fireball… However, if you use it as a webcam, what’s the purpose to bring a camera even though you have a smartphone?

Slowly, I turn to my brother. I could see that the inside of his eyes was as dark as ever, but today it looks eerier.

◇

T/N: It’s really short. Hope you enjoy and see you next week!

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