Chapter 3: He is an ordinary high school boy, and that is a lie
1 ─side Kai Rou─
Kai Rou was an ordinary high school boy.
Seventeen years old, living in an apartment about fifteen minutes on foot from school.
He had average grades and athletic ability, and was of average height and weight. The only notable feature was his dull white hair, but this wasn’t an expression of any particular policy or fashion sense. It was simply his natural hair color.
“It’s already summer, huh?”
“Indeed,” came a cool reply from beside him.
Walking next to the boy was a girl who seemed to have rocketed far above the concept of the average high school student, beyond even the stratosphere.
Her name was Kurono Shia.
Top grades, superhuman athletic ability, and stunning beauty.
Her long black hair shimmered in the morning sunlight, and her skin was as white as snow. Her faintly reddish black eyes were like jewels, perfectly matching her doll-like, composed expression. The curve of her body, framed by the short-sleeved uniform, and the slightly shorter indigo checkered skirt she wore, highlighted her long, dazzling legs.
She walked with a straight posture, her steps measured and poised, her presence resembling a polished blade. Despite the scorching early summer sun, she exuded an air of calm serenity.
In short, she was a cool and exceptionally beautiful girl, unlike any other.
This was the scene that had already become familiar to him during their daily walk to school, almost a year’s worth of routine.
“Hm? So, Kai-kun, did you eat breakfast properly today?”
With a wry smile at the comment about forgetting breakfast, he met her eyes, and she gave him a faintly reproachful look.
“Yeah. Rice, miso soup, a piece of grilled salmon, and asparagus.”
“Healthy. That’s very good, I think.”
“Thanks. But when you praise me for something like eating breakfast, it makes me feel a little embarrassed.”
Kai Rou scratched his cheek. Being praised for something so ordinary made him feel self-conscious.
Perhaps it was also because it was Kurono who was doing the praising.
Though he had grown used to it, Kurono was a beauty who made eleven out of ten people turn their heads when they passed by. As a teenage boy, it was hard not to be conscious of her.
(Still, though…)
To Kai Rou, Kurono was just a neighbor, a classmate, and a friend from the same club.
She was not a romantic interest. At least, that was what he hesitated to think.
There was a deeper reason for that…──
“──!!”
Suddenly, Kurono, walking beside him, lost her balance and began to stumble backward.
In an instant, Kai Rou reached out his arm toward her.
Barely managing, he managed to get his arm between the girl’s back and the asphalt, successfully catching her.
It was a quick response. — As if he had known she was about to fall just moments before it happened.
“Eh...?”
Kurono stared up at the boy who was now looking down at her in a daze.
One second, two seconds... The warmth of the girl’s body was transmitted through his arm as they stayed in that position.
Embarrassed to be gazing into her flawless face, Kai Rou instinctively looked away.
“Kurono-san, are you alright? …That surprised me, you suddenly fell.”
“Y-Yes... I’m fine,” she replied, her voice faint.
Kai Rou swallowed back what he wanted to say.
What had truly shocked him was the fact that her hand had suddenly grabbed his and then she had spent nearly an hour gently stroking it.
If he had said that much, it would have been clear by now.
Kai Rou. He was—
Once again, time stopped.
—He was caught in a world frozen by Kurono Shia's ability.
(You’re stopping it again...?)
He fully and completely recognized it.
Which meant that, at that very moment, in the middle of the frozen school route, Kurono screamed.
Probably, no—definitely, something she never intended for anyone else to hear.
“Ah, I can't take it anymore~~!! Kai-kun, I love you──!!”
Kai Rou heard it loud and clear. And on top of that—
(Ahh, seriously, what are you saying so early in the morning, you idiot~~!!)
His heart was probably beating just as fast as hers.
2 ─side Kai Rou─
The beginning of it all was about a year and a half ago.
Kai Rou, at the time 15 years old, in his third year of middle school, during winter.
"I'm home!"
Returning from the local archery dojo, where he had gone to take a break from his exam preparations on a weekend, Kai Rou noticed that no one was home.
Kai Rou's family consisted of his father, his mother, and himself, along with their pet cat. While his parents were often out, it was strange that their cat, Nuruhachi, who usually rushed to the door when he came home, didn't appear today.
Suspicious, Kai Rou entered the living room and found a note on the table.
With a growing sense of dread, he read it.
"To Kai Rou. Actually, we have a debt of 200 million yen, so Dad and Mom are skipping town.
I think you’re old enough now, so you’ll have to manage on your own from now on.
Also, the loan sharks are coming to collect, so please handle that.
P.S. I’m taking Nuruhachi with me because it’s sad."
Kai Rou threw the letter aside and quickly pulled out his phone.
He tried to contact his parents via LINE, but there was no response. Of course, phone calls went unanswered too.
In frustration, he grabbed his black hair and screamed.
"Those damn parents... what the hell?!"
How could they accumulate debt on the scale of a typical office worker’s lifetime earnings?
And to leave their only son behind with nothing but a casual letter?
And where was Nuruhachi? He was definitely the one who was closest to me in this family.
But the person he needed to direct his anger toward wasn’t in this house anymore.
"...I knew something was off."
Kai Rou muttered. There had been signs.
The summer of his first year in middle school, his father suddenly said he was going to retire early thanks to some investment and quit his job.
A week later, Kai Rou saw his father in a suit, heading out to an interview for a part-time job.
In the fall of his second year in middle school, his mother casually mentioned she had started a side job that could earn her a million yen per second.
Three days later, a large shipment of bottled water, labeled as "natural hydrogen water," arrived at their house.
...If he had been thinking clearly, maybe he should have consulted with some other adult by this point.
But now, it was too late.
Cold sweat, colder than the midwinter room temperature, ran down Kai Rou’s spine.
He could deal with his foolish parents, but what really terrified him was the uncertainty about his own future.
Would he even be able to attend high school if he took the entrance exams? What would he do if the debt collectors came? And could he still use the electricity, water, and gas?
All sorts of problems, far beyond the capabilities of a minor, swirled in Kai Rou’s mind.
He just wanted some adult to help him.
His eyes dropped to the smartphone stuck to his palm from the sweat. Should he call one of his parents’ relatives, or maybe the police first? His trembling fingers fumbled between LINE, the contacts, and the emergency dial, going back and forth. It was at that moment.
Ding-dong. The doorbell echoed through the empty house, too loudly for one person to handle.
The sound pushed Kai Rou, already at his limit, into a state of mental paralysis.
Without thinking, he reflexively went to the door.
Standing there were two men dressed in black suits.
"Where are your parents?"
"…They're not here."
Ah, this is bad. These guys are definitely from that kind of group.
Kai Rou, for the first time, truly understood what it felt like to be face-to-face with people he never wanted to meet, even more so than when he stood in front of a teacher after forgetting his homework.
"You know about your parents' debt, right?"
"…Yes."
"Then I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to pay with your body."
Before he could even think to resist, Kai Rou was dragged into a car.
Blinded and taken somewhere, Kai Rou found himself in a place that resembled a hospital.
He couldn’t be sure. It only seemed like a hospital because he had been injected with something there.
Of course, no one explained what kind of injection it was. As he briefly thought that it probably violated some medical law, he quickly lost consciousness.
When he woke up, he found himself on a bed.
The first thing he felt was a headache. When he touched his head, it seemed like there was a bandage wrapped around it.
"Success... now for the practical test... on him..."
He heard a voice from somewhere, but the sharp pain in his head made it impossible to focus on it.
How much time had passed? After waking up and dozing off several times, Kai Rou found himself once again face-to-face with the men in black suits.
Then, he was forcibly dragged out of the bed, put into a car, and—
Finally, he was dropped off in front of his house.
The men in black silently pushed him out of the car and drove away without a word.
"…Huh?"
Kai Rou, left behind, had no idea what was going on.
However, as he looked at the familiar front door of his house, he felt a sense of relief, so profound that everything else seemed insignificant.
He had come home. Once the relief settled in, hunger hit him. He wondered if there were any leftover cup noodles, and as he stepped into the living room—
"Welcome home, Onii-chan."
"────Huh?"
There was a completely unfamiliar girl standing there.
Though it was winter, she was wearing nothing but a black camisole and hot pants. Her pale skin was so striking, it looked almost sickly, and for some reason, she was wearing an apron.
Beneath her short, puppy-like blonde hair, which had streaks of white, she flashed a cheerful smile, and her gaze was directly fixed on Kai Rou.
Frozen in shock, Kai Rou couldn’t say anything as the mysterious girl began to introduce herself.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Sotomichi Koa. I’m going to be part of your family from today, so I look forward to getting along with you, Onii-chan."
"............Ah, okay."
This was bad—she was a stranger. Reacting instinctively, Kai Rou tried to turn around and escape.
But for some reason, at that very moment, his body wouldn’t move.
"Ha!!"
From behind, he was hit with a dropkick and slammed onto the floor.
"Ugh!"
"Don’t try to escape, Onii-chan."
As Kai Rou struggled to get up, the small girl’s bottom settled directly onto his back, pinning him down on the floor.
Looking down at Kai Rou, the girl—Sotomichi, grinned and spoke softly.
"That’s because I’m a member of a certain evil ‘organization.’ You’ll be helping us with our experiments as repayment for your parents’ debt."
3 ─side Kai Rou─
"Won't you eat, Onii-chan? As a token of our friendship, it's my homemade love curry."
After the shocking first contact, Kai Rou found himself in the familiar living room, being offered a plate of curry by the unfamiliar girl who claimed to be his sister.
What kind of situation is this? It's so incomprehensible that my mind can't keep up.
Since my parents disappeared, it felt like I had been trapped in a dream without any logic.
Then, the girl in the apron—Sotomichi—sat across from me and spoke.
"I told you, didn’t I? We are members of a bad 'organization' that conducts various crimes for profit. We came to your house because the debt collectors from the loan sharks your parents owed sold your family's information to us. So, as the only son, you’ll now cooperate with us in a certain experiment."
"That still doesn't make sense. Besides, even elementary school kids know—"
Sotomichi slammed something onto the table with a loud thud.
A gun.
At the exact moment Kai Rou thought, It's a fake, a model gun, Sotomichi seemed to read his mind. She hooked a finger around the trigger, spun it, and fired it upwards at the ceiling.
The deafening sound of the gunshot echoed. As Kai Rou froze in his chair, he cautiously looked up. A small, singed hole was now in the ceiling.
"How’s that for persuasion? Now, let’s continue."
Placing the gun on the table, Sotomichi went on with her explanation.
Kai Rou had no chance to interrupt anymore.
"Now then, my name is Sotomichi Koa. I’m a minor operative sent by the 'organization' to monitor and manage you, and starting today, I’m your 'sister'—according to the setup."
"…What kind of kanji is in that name?"
"Sotomichi Koa."
"No way! There's no one named that?!"
Without a hint of concern, Sotomichi smiled and continued.
"Onii-chan, you’ve already undergone the surgery, haven’t you?"
"Surgery?"
Kai Rou repeated, realizing how foolish the question was. The hospital (?), the bandages on his head. What exactly had happened to him? Sotomichi calmly explained.
"The surgery you underwent was the anti-time stop surgery."
"Anti... time stop... surgery?"
"Yes. It’s a procedure developed by our 'organization' to counter a certain individual with special abilities."
"Special abilities...?"
Click. The gun barrel on the table shifted, now pointing straight at Kai Rou.
"Apologies. Please continue."
"Very well. Let’s start by discussing a girl named Kurono Shia."
What followed was an explanation so absurd it sounded like something out of a comic book.
A secret international police force, operating in the shadows, tasked with handling heinous crimes beyond the control of world governments.
Among their ranks was a girl known as Chronosia—Kurono Shia. And she, somehow, possessed the ability to stop time. Naturally, that made her absurdly powerful.
Because of her alone, criminal organizations worldwide had suffered catastrophic losses. The organization that Sotomichi belonged to was no exception.
And so, to eliminate her, the organization developed the Anti-Time Stop Surgery.
“—It allows the recipient to move even within frozen time. That being said, it’s still in the experimental phase, which is why we need you to conduct a live test.”
"A test? What do you expect me to do?"
"It’s like a clinical trial. You know about those, right? No? Well, just think of it like taking new medicine and letting the doctors observe the effects. Since you’ve undergone the surgery, we need data—how it affects your health and, most importantly, whether it actually works."
Kai Rou took a moment to process before pressing for specifics.
"So... where exactly am I supposed to go, and what am I supposed to do?"
"Kurono Shia. This spring, you will enroll in the same high school as her and spend as much time as possible near her. Put simply, your task is to befriend her."
With that, Sotomichi placed a tablet on the table.
Her slender fingers flicked across the screen, switching through documents—an admission guide for a private high school in Tokyo. Then, she stopped.
Displayed on the screen was a photograph of a girl with long black hair.
“This is Kurono Shia.”
The photo, cropped just below the collarbone, showed a girl as delicate and refined as a finely crafted porcelain doll.
Kai Rou found himself staring.
“…Your eyes are looking indecent, Onii-chan.”
"The hell they are!" he snapped. "So, that’s it? I just have to befriend her? That’s all?"
With a cautious glance, he asked, to which Sotomichi nodded.
"For now, yes. If we gather enough useful data, you’ll be free to go after graduation. However…"
She let the word hang ominously before continuing.
“…Your body has been implanted with a listening device, GPS tracker, and a micro-camera. The moment you try to reveal anything, I’ll know immediately. In other words—"
With that, she suddenly reached out and grabbed Kai Rou’s collar.
A firm tug, far stronger than her small frame suggested, yanked him forward.
Now face-to-face over the table, he found himself locked in her dark, murky gaze—eyes that held an unsettling intensity far beyond that of any ordinary teenage girl.
"This is important, so listen carefully—if you tell anyone, I’ll kill you."
The low voice that seemed to reveal her true nature carried a weight that was no less intimidating than that of any grown adult, a palpable sense of seriousness behind her words.
A cold sweat trickled down Kai Rou’s spine. He unconsciously swallowed, his throat dry.
Then, suddenly—a loud growl echoed from Kai Rou's stomach.
Thinking back, he realized he hadn't eaten anything since he woke up in that bed and was taken away in the car.
Sotomichi blinked in surprise, her eyes wide, and she quickly released her grip on his collar.
"Ahaha, you're so calm even though you're being threatened. The curry’s ready, go ahead."
"...Thank you."
Kai Rou reached for the plate of curry that had been sitting on the table the whole time.
His mind, a muddled mix of fear and embarrassment, gave way to instinct as he brought the spoon to his mouth.
One bite. Two. As he ate the now lukewarm curry, his thoughts began to sort themselves out.
His family was gone. And now, he had an odd new sister, along with threats hanging over him.
What was he supposed to do?
He could tell the black-clad men, the hospital-like place, and Sotomichi were dangerous. Following their orders was likely a bad idea.
But then again, becoming friends with that Kurono girl didn’t sound like a huge danger, nor a crime.
Moreover, if nothing else, he would get to attend high school.
Even if his parents were the ones responsible, it was his own fault for the debts they’d left behind.
If he resisted, he had no idea what they might do to him.
Though he was slowly realizing these thoughts were just his way of justifying himself, in the end, Kai Rou reluctantly accepted the situation.
"...By the way."
"What is it, Onii-chan?"
"This curry tastes like crap."
"Uwaaah! You idiot, Onii-chan!"
4 ─side Kai Rou─
Two months and a little over passed, and in April, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom, Kai Rou entered a private high school in Tokyo.
Asagi Academy. It wasn’t one of the top-tier schools in Tokyo, and its academic standing was only mid-level at best, but for Kai Rou, who had barely scraped by with his grades, it was questionable whether he had even made it into the safe zone for acceptance.
However, thanks to the "organization" pulling some strings, he managed to secure a backdoor entrance.
He thought to himself, I hope this doesn't come back to haunt me later, scratching his head in frustration.
What truly worried him, though, was the color of his hair. It had turned a dull, off-white shade.
—Two months and a bit ago, on the day he first removed the bandages from his head, Kai Rou’s scream echoed through the morning bathroom.
"What the hell is this!?"
"What is it, Onii-chan? You're so loud this early... Oh, is it that?"
Sotomichi, who appeared groggily, said this.
"It’s a side effect of the ‘time-stop’ surgery. Even if you dye it, the color will fade back to white, and once that happens, there’s nothing that can be done."
"I have to go to school with this hair...?"
"Well, it’s not that rare nowadays."
True enough, people with light brown or blonde hair were everywhere, and Kai Rou had thought about dyeing his hair at some point. But to have it suddenly turn off-white? That was a bit much.
So here he was now, feeling the weight of everyone's stares.
"Hey, did you dye your hair yourself? You're really going all out for your high school debut."
"Ah, no. It’s my natural color, just a bit of a... condition."
"Oh... I see. I’m sorry."
Kai Rou offered an awkward response to the person who had asked, his small way of taking out his frustration.
After all, it wasn’t like it was a lie, since it wasn’t his choice.
After the entrance ceremony, the class broke into individual homerooms for self-introductions.
"I’m Kai Rou. My hobbies are manga and games, and my special skill is... uh, I’m hard-headed. Nice to meet you."
There was a sparse round of applause. Kai Rou bowed and took his seat.
Immediately after, there was the sound of someone standing behind him, in the seat directly behind, arranged in alphabetical order. Then.
"──I am Kurono Shia."
Kai Rou instinctively turned around.
Standing there was the same girl as in the photo he had seen. She had long black hair, a perfectly proportioned body, and slender arms and legs, all neatly positioned as she stood with an air of dignity. She was an extraordinary beauty.
"I have no hobbies. My specialty is physical exercise. I have no intention of becoming friends. That is all."
Her faintly red eyes seemed to show disinterest as she flatly finished speaking.
And Kai Rou immediately realized.
(Oh, this girl has no intention of making friends.)
—That afternoon, after school, Kai Rou found himself at the archery club's trial session.
The reason was simple—he actually planned to join the club.
After all, following the self-introduction session, he hadn't been able to talk to Kurono no at all in the classroom. It was as if she had created a one-meter radius around herself, a space that rejected anyone near her.
(What should I do...)
There was nothing to be done; he’d just have to muster the courage to talk to her tomorrow.
So, when Kai Rou spotted Kurono no among the other trial members, he couldn’t believe his eyes. It was a double take.
(Wait, wait, how can you possibly snap a bow like that?)
If it were compared to baseball, it would be like swinging a metal bat so hard that the air pressure breaks it. It was a physical phenomenon that shouldn’t happen with a human body. In fact, it seemed more plausible to think of her as not human, but a gorilla. Although, even a gorilla wouldn’t be able to do that.
Before Kai Rou could close his gaping mouth, Kurono exchanged a few words with a senior member and then moved to the far corner of the dojo. It seemed like she had been told to either be isolated or simply observe.
(Well, that makes sense...)
It seemed like the archery club was short on members, as several of the upperclassmen were busy dealing with other trial members, and no one was paying attention to Kurono.
Kai Rou, on the other hand, after informing them that he had experience, was immediately handed a bow and told, "Feel free to observe," and was left to his own devices. In other words, it was a chance.
It wasn’t like he couldn’t talk to her tomorrow in the classroom. He could approach her then.
Besides, nine times out of ten, she likely wouldn’t respond in a friendly manner anyway.
However, when Kai Rou saw Kurono standing alone in the corner with a blank expression, he couldn't shake the feeling that it would be cruel to just leave her there.
So, Kai Rou gathered his courage.
"...Who are you?"
Her long black hair, tied up in a ponytail, swished as she turned around. Her face was completely devoid of any warmth, and there was no trace of humanity in her cool expression—just a piercing, irritated gaze.
Kai Rou immediately felt his courage deflate, but he resisted the urge to turn around and walk away.
"Sorry for suddenly talking to you. Uh, I'm in the same class—"
"...A paramecium."
"Why the heck would you call me that?"
It was an extremely odd way to address someone, especially for a first meeting.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember the names of my classmates."
Kai Rou thought to himself: What kind of education did this girl receive? She has a serious problem with communication. It’d be better if she were really a gorilla. I could probably be friends with her if I bought her a banana.
But once he had started talking to her, there was no turning back.
Kai Rou handed her the bow that had been lent to him.
"Here."
"...You're really going to lend it to me?"
Nodding, Kai Rou said.
"Next, try pulling it without using your arm strength."
"Huh?"
At this, Kurono glared at him with narrowed eyes, as though questioning him.
"What are you saying? If you don't apply strength, you can't pull it at all."
"Well, yeah, that's true, but that's not what I meant. The thing is, when you use your arm strength, you tend to pull too much. And since you seem... well, a little inhuman, if you rely on your arm strength, like you did earlier, the bow can't handle it."
"Even so, you can't pull it without applying physical force."
"Yeah. So, what you need to do is use your back to pull, so you don't overdo it."
Just like when he was teaching beginners at the dojo he was familiar with, Kai Rou explained.
"Move your shoulder blades in your back, and imagine your body entering the bow as it opens. Your arms should only assist—just keep your elbows in mind so they don't get pulled out of place."
Kai Rou demonstrated by pulling the bow a few times, and Kurono imitated him. After a few attempts, she had stopped breaking the bow and her posture started to stabilize.
"Um, not 'paramecium'... you are..."
"Uh, Kai Rou. I introduced myself in class earlier, but..."
"I see. I’ll remember it now. Anyway, are you joining this club?"
"I'm not sure yet, but for now, I think I will."
"Then, I will join as well. And—"
She glared up at Kai Rou with a sharp, upward gaze.
"I will never lose to you."
5 ─side Kai Rou─
Kai Rou placed two servings of curry on the table and called up the stairs.
"Food's ready!"
With soft footsteps, Sotomichi, barefoot, came down from the second floor. Her hair was messy, and she wore an oversized T-shirt and hot pants, clearly indicating she hadn’t gone out today.
It seemed that Sotomichi didn’t attend school and stayed home while Kai Rou went to class.
"Freeloader..."
"How rude. I’m just not attending school or working," Sotomichi replied with a slight tone, then glanced at the table. "So... curry?"
As soon as Sotomichi looked at the table, she murmured with a strange tone.
"Do you not like it?"
"No, I love it. But it reminded me of something awful you said to me the other day."
Sotomichi shot a resentful glare at Kai Rou.
"Yeah, but your homemade curry was honestly really awful… It was undercooked, too watery, the onions were burnt, and the meat was tough."
"Excuse me? It was made by a girl, you know. Do you have any sense of delicacy?"
At that remark, Kai Rou had no choice but to remain silent.
The two of them exchanged an "Itadakimasu" that echoed in the living room.
Since their mother got caught up in a strange side job, Kai Rou had been handling the household chores, so compared to his peers, he was confident he could cook decently.
"Now then, let’s see how your cooking skills compare to the one you so eagerly mocked."
Sotomichi glared at Kai Rou with a look of resentment before taking a bite with her spoon.
"So? How is it?"
However, for Kai Rou, it was his first time cooking for someone outside his family.
He asked, slightly nervous, and Sotomichi slowly moved her throat before saying,
"Dammit."
"Huh?"
It was such an unusual comment about food that Kai Rou couldn’t help but ask again.
"Did you say... ‘Dammit’?"
Sotomichi, looking genuinely frustrated, continued eating, her spoon moving quickly.
"Despite being my Onii-chan, it’s really delicious! Damn it."
Sotomichi was eating with gusto, clearly irritated, yet enjoying it.
"...You know, I could eat curry every day from now on."
"I’d hate that."
During the meal, Sotomichi suddenly brought up the topic.
"So, how was school? No, I mean, how did things go with Kurono Shia?"
She clapped her hands by herself, as if holding a little celebration for the "first official mission report."
Kai Rou calmly reported the events as they were: what happened in class and how they ended up in the same club.
Once she finished listening, Sotomichi deliberately wiped her eyes and said dramatically,
"Ugh~~ I’m so moved! The sis-con who always declared he would marry his sister has finally started talking to other women…! I’m overwhelmed with relief and emotion, I can’t stop crying."
"Don’t hit my honor with memories that don’t exist. And besides…"
"Huh?"
"Why the hell are you my sister?"
"Because it’s the most natural setup."
Sotomichi replied, as if it were the most obvious thing.
"Is it that you don’t want me to be your sister, by any chance?"
"Yeah, honestly, I’d really prefer not to."
"I see. Then, from now on, I’ll be a girl you kidnapped on your way home from school. At least, that’s how I’ll explain it to anyone we meet."
"...Sorry, please, just stick with the sister setup."
"Understood," Sotomichi nodded.
"By the way, did the target stop time?"
"No, it didn’t seem like it."
Sotomichi nodded lightly. "I see."
“Well, as long as you're close, there will be opportunities. That’s the most important data, so I’m counting on you, dear brother.”
—About a week had passed since Kai Rou and Kurono joined the archery club together.
During that time, nothing in particular had changed between them. He never felt like time had been stopped.
However, there was one clear difference.
“No way…”
Kai Rou muttered in disbelief at the archery dojo after school. She was getting worse. Who? Kurono.
After all that confidence, this was the result. Stunned, Kai Rou overheard voices from the others.
“Man, that’s rough.”
“You should talk to her. She’s pretty. If you help her out, maybe you could get close.”
“I tried, but she’s cold as ice. Barely reacts, totally unfriendly.”
Kurono stood in a corner of the dojo, repeatedly drawing her bow with stiff, awkward movements, her face devoid of expression. She was completely absorbed, almost as if she were being backed into a corner by something unseen.
Kai Rou suddenly recalled the first time he had held a bow.
When he was in elementary school, his parents had taken him to observe a nearby archery dojo. That was how it all started.
At first, he couldn’t draw the bow at all. It wasn’t fun. He got frustrated. But even as he sulked, the kind instructor continued to teach him patiently. However, by the time Kai Rou entered middle school, the instructor stopped coming to the dojo. Later, Kai Rou learned he had passed away from a stroke due to old age.
Now, Kai Rou believed that the kindness he had received should be passed on to someone else.
“Um, Kurono-san?”
“What?”
Kurono shot him a freezing glare, sharp enough to send shivers down his spine. He hesitated slightly but forced himself to speak.
“If you’d like, we could practice together and give each other advice?”
“No, thank you.”
Shot down instantly. But Kai Rou had expected that much.
“I see.”
So, he simply started practicing beside her.
Almost immediately, Kurono spoke up.
“W-What are you doing?”
“What? Uh, practicing.”
“There is no reason for you to do that near me.”
“Well, I figured practicing alone wouldn’t help me improve.”
“I don’t believe that. Besides, you have plenty of other practice partners. Why do you need to be next to me?”
“That’s… well…”
Kai Rou was at a loss for words as Kurono’s rapid-fire criticisms left him struggling to respond.
In the end, he decided to express his true feelings.
“Hey, Kurono-san, are you having fun right now?”
“No.”
Kurono answered immediately.
“Fun is unnecessary. I have decided to improve. So, I will simply repeat until I achieve my goal. My emotions have no bearing on this.”
“I see… but, I think it’s better to practice with a positive feeling, if possible. People often say that the one who enjoys something the most wins, right?”
“────Huh?”
“When I first started, it wasn’t fun at all either. But, you know, after getting advice from others, being praised, and gradually getting better, I started enjoying it.”
“Archery is pretty interesting. So, it feels like a waste to do it mechanically like that. I know it’s a bit of a bother, but I’ve been doing it for a long time and I have a lot of affection for it, so I want you to at least experience the fun of it too.”
Kai Rou bowed deeply as he spoke.
“Please, let me practice with you. I’m asking you.”
After a few seconds of silence, a small mutter fell over Kai Rou’s head.
“If you insist... do as you like.”
From then on, Kai Rou began practicing beside Kurono.
About a month later—
“Alright!”
With a sharp pan! the sound of a successful shot rang out. Kurono had hit all four targets in a row.
Watching the scene unfold, Kai Rou let out a relieved sigh.
It had been tough. Kurono would relentlessly pursue him with cold eyes if something didn’t quite make sense, and it wasn’t easy getting her to accept advice.
But, in the end, all that effort had been kind of enjoyable.
After practice had finished, as Kai Rou was packing away his bow, he suddenly sensed someone behind him.
Turning around, he saw Kurono standing there.
“Ah, um, well…”
Her usual sharpness was gone. She hesitated, as if she were trying to say something to Kai Rou.
What was going on? He wondered, carefully observing her to gauge her next move. Finally, she spoke.
“...It’s because of you. Thank you.”
Saying that, Kurono gave a small bow.
“────”
"You're welcome," Kai Rou thought he should simply respond with that.
However, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
The surprise, along with a vague sense of unease, swelled from his chest and lodged in his throat.
From that point on...
"Um, Kai Rou-kun..."
Unlike before, Kurono began to initiate conversations with Kai Rou from time to time.
"How is it? It's hard for me to see for myself."
"Well, I think it's pretty good, but if I had to say something, maybe your bow hand elbow could—"
And then, Kai Rou suddenly realized something about himself.
(...I don't feel as nervous talking to her as I did before.)
6 ─side Kai Rou─
On one particular holiday morning...
"Hey, you troublemaker."
"What is it?"
"Help with the cleaning for once."
"No thanks, I'm busy right now."
Kai Rou called out to the figure sprawled out on the living room sofa, a person who, by all appearances, certainly didn’t seem busy.
At first glance, her loungewear, a large T-shirt, was incredibly unappealing. It was still somewhat more tolerable than someone like Kurono, who had such a flawless figure.
"Onii-chan. Did you just think of something rude?"
"No, not really. Wait, that's my phone..."
When she rolled over, she was holding Kai Rou’s smartphone.
However, it was the old one. The phone Kai Rou currently carried in his pocket had been handed to him by the troublemaker, and it was locked with a mysterious system that made it impossible for him to contact anyone or post on social media.
"This is now mine, so I’m just checking it," she said, scrolling. "Hmm, oh, there are family photos on the cloud. Oh, look, here's a picture of you when you were little."
"Stop it, that’s embarrassing."
Kai Rou reached out to snatch the phone from her.
But she rolled over again and dodged his attempt, and in the process, the hem of her oversized T-shirt lifted, revealing her pale thigh all the way to the hip.
"…"
"Oh? What's wrong, Onii-chan?"
Kai Rou reached for the phone again, irritated as he avoided his gaze from her exposed white thigh. It was like she was playing with him, and it annoyed him even more.
"By the way, Onii-chan, I have something important to tell you."
"…What is it?"
Finally giving up on chasing her, the troublemaker spoke.
"We’re moving."
"Huh?"
—Three days later, after school during club activities.
"Um… Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Yeah. What’s up, Kurono-san?"
Kai Rou was approached by Kurono, and for once, her voice sounded a bit down, unlike her usual self.
"No, it's nothing serious. It's just that… I heard you're moving."
The rumor spread quickly. As soon as Kai Rou mentioned in passing, during some casual conversation, that he was moving, it quickly became common knowledge. Kai Rou nodded, feeling somewhat exasperated.
However, he didn’t realize that the rumor also included the detail that he was transferring schools.
"Ah, yeah. It’s just that my parents’ circumstances changed, so I’m moving out of my parents’ place and living on my own now."
"I see," Kurono replied.
(What was that about...?)
That was the end of the conversation with Kurono for the day.
—The following Saturday morning, moving day.
"Why is it such nice weather today of all days?"
Recently, it had been mostly cloudy, but today the sun was shining brightly.
Kai Rou was helping unload his belongings from the truck of a moving company.
Why the sudden move? According to the troublemaker, this was the reason:
Apparently, this apartment complex was where she, Kurono, lived, and Kai Rou was moving in there to observe her up close, as per the orders of the "organization."
Naturally, Kai Rou had his objections, but he couldn’t resist. So, here he was, dutifully carrying boxes up and down in the elevator.
(And why the heck isn't that idiot sister helping...?)
She had said she didn’t have the strength, but Kai Rou was pretty sure she was just slacking off.
Muttering about this, he was in the middle of hauling a load of belongings into the room when the refrigerator got stuck in the narrow entrance.
He bumped it a few times against the doorframe, but eventually managed to get everything inside.
Kai Rou sighed, then took a sip from a sports drink he bought from the vending machine across the hall.
At that moment, the door to the apartment next door suddenly slammed open with a loud bang, almost as if to warn him.
Although he had been careful, it seemed the noise and vibration had carried over.
Just as he was about to apologize and turn around, he saw who was standing there.
"Kurono-san?"
"……Huh?"
It was Kurono Shia.
For some reason, she looked like she had just woken up and slept the whole night in her wrinkled uniform, without any makeup, but even so, she was still remarkably beautiful.
The girl stared at Kai Rou with wide, round eyes.
She seemed surprised, and Kai Rou felt the same way.
He never expected her to be living in the room next door... but then, a thought struck him.
(This must be her doing...!!)
Kai Rou immediately realized that this situation was no coincidence.
The smirking face of the troublemaker flashed through his mind, and he unconsciously clenched his fists.
At that moment, Kurono's murmuring snapped Kai Rou back to the present.
"Transfer."
"Huh?"
"…You weren’t supposed to transfer?" she asked.
"No, I'm not transferring," Kai Rou replied.
After that, Kurono didn’t say anything more.
Kai Rou had a bad feeling.
"Kurono-san, you’re angry, aren’t you...?"
There was no answer. The girl simply lowered her head and shook slightly.
It seemed that the noise from the move had really upset her, or perhaps Kai Rou’s presence as a neighbor was something she simply couldn’t tolerate. Or maybe it was both.
"I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have made such a loud noise—"
But in the next moment, Kai Rou saw it.
Kurono slowly raised her face, and her right eye shone a bright crimson.
And then, time stopped.
In an instant, all sound disappeared from the surroundings.
The presence of moving things vanished from the world.
Only one person remained, the girl before him.
(────This is)
Time stop. Kurono’s ability.
This was Kai Rou's first encounter with it. And he was certain now that he recognized it.
However.
(…My body won’t move.)
He clearly remembered the troublemaker saying that he should be able to move even in frozen time... but there was no sense of being able to move even a single finger.
It felt as though his entire body, except for his ears and eyes, had completely vanished.
Just as he thought it was a strange sensation, he heard a soft step.
Kurono, right in front of him, had moved closer.
Cold sweat ran down Kai Rou’s spine—although it couldn’t really have, given his body’s complete stillness—but he couldn’t shake the illusion of it.
(…Wait, why is she stopping time right now?)
Could it be? Had she already figured out the truth—not just about his surgery, but about his entire identity?
A shudder ran through Kai Rou’s immobilized body.
Kurono was now so close he could hear her breathing.
Her crimson right eye and softly flushed left eye gazed up at him.
"That’s right. This is… all your fault, Kai Rou-kun."
Her expression was unreadable.
—No, that wasn’t true.
Her trembling, tear-filled eyes overflowed, and glistening drops traced down her flushed cheeks.
"Because of you… I ended up feeling this way."
Kai Rou had no idea what she meant.
And then, the unmoving body he inhabited—was suddenly held in her embrace.
(────What?)
"But… I’m glad this isn’t goodbye."
His frozen form felt nothing.
Only his heart did.
"──I love you, Kai Rou-kun."
The unexpected confession sent a shock through him.
And there was nothing he could do but tremble in the silence of stopped time.
7 ─side Kai Rou─
The move was over.
In the empty new apartment, Kai Rou sat slumped against a pile of unpacked boxes, staring blankly ahead.
He had no energy to move. Nothing felt right. From his brain to his core, he was completely paralyzed.
All because of that one single sentence spoken during the time stop.
From somewhere distant, he heard the sound of the front door opening.
"Onii-chan, is the move finished? ...Your face is red, what happened?"
Sotomichi approached, her footsteps light, and crouched down to peer at Kai Rou.
"Nah, it's nothing..."
Seeing his vague reaction, Sotomichi tilted her head as though she couldn't quite understand.
But then, as if remembering something, she grinned slyly.
"By the way, have you already introduced yourself to the neighbor?"
She really was a schemer. But at this point, Kai Rou had no energy left to be angry.
"You’re being awfully dull. Did something happen? Tell me."
Kai Rou calmly recounted everything that had happened: meeting Kurono, experiencing the time stop ability, and then, being confessed to.
Sotomichi widened her eyes in surprise.
"...I see. Hmm, so that happened."
For some reason, she pouted, as though disappointed.
"So, in the end, your body couldn’t move, and you couldn’t respond to her confession, while she pulled back and left you there, alone and pent up, huh?"
"No, it’s not like I was pent up or anything!"
"Sure, sure. Anyway, thanks for the report. It seems like the surgery has had a certain level of effectiveness, so that’s good to know. Keep it up. You might gradually be able to move your body as you keep getting caught up in these situations. Plus, her actions while time is stopped will provide valuable intel for the organization."
With that, Sotomichi stood up from in front of Kai Rou.
Looking up, Kai Rou, as though chasing after her, asked,
"Hey, so... what do you think I should do?"
"Do about what?"
"Well, I mean... I got confessed to by Kurono..."
"You don’t mean... you’re actually thinking of responding to her, are you?"
Sotomichi’s cheeks puffed up in blatant displeasure.
"You can’t, Onii-chan. She confessed to you while time was stopped, right? And if you reply, it’s basically like revealing your true identity. If you do that, the international police will arrest you, dissect you, and who knows what else."
"...Wait, Kurono and the others are the good guys, right?"
"Hah... did you even complete your basic education? 'Good guys' don’t mean nice people. It means people who’ll do anything for justice, no matter the cost."
With that blunt remark, Sotomichi let out an exasperated sigh.
"By the way, Onii-chan, you really dodged a bullet. If the surgery had been completely successful and you could move, we wouldn’t have known what would happen. Though, from the organization’s perspective, it’d still be a proof of success."
"...”
"So, with all that in mind, asking me what to do means you must have feelings for Shia Kurono, right?"
"Eh? N-No... I mean... not like that."
At the pointed question, Kai Rou found himself at a loss for words.
"Like?" Those two words made him feel embarrassingly flustered.
To cover his discomfort, Kai Rou started speaking.
"I don’t really get these things since I have no experience... but, if she says she likes me, then... I guess I’d, like, think about it or something."
"Ugh, what a scumbag."
"W-Why!?"
Sotomichi snorted, clearly unimpressed.
"You’re clearly aware of it yourself, but trying to maintain the stance of ‘Oh, she confessed to me, so I have no choice’ is just creepy. Also, here’s some advice—there is no more pathetic creature on Earth than a man who tries to maintain his petty pride while pursuing a relationship."
"Ugh…!"
Whether it was logical or not, the unrelenting words from Sotomichi pierced Kai Rou’s chest.
For a few seconds, he scratched his head, then finally couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted.
"Ah, I get it, I get it already!! I was nervous when she confessed! I didn’t know what to do, so I was just zoning out! But when I think about it, it makes me happy, and, maybe... I think I’d be okay with dating her! Is that what you want to hear!?"
"Clap clap. Well said, Onii-chan. Wow, what a monster of a guy."
"Why are you calling me that!?"
"Because, really think about it. The information you’ve gathered near her and the data from your surgery are going to be used by us, the organization, to bring her down. In other words, dating her while acting all lovey-dovey, only to secretly undermine her from behind, what else would you call that if not monstrous?"
"Ugh…"
It felt like cold water had been thrown over him, and once again, Kai Rou fell silent.
Now that he thought about it, he had completely forgotten about the shady surgery he’d undergone and his role in all of this.
But if that’s the case…
"Then, should I distance myself from Kurono…?"
"No, that would interfere with the experiment, so please don’t. Why do you think you moved in?"
"That’s counterproductive." Sotomichi said with an exasperated sigh.
"In the end, Onii-chan, a foolish teenager like you just needs to keep things as they are and maintain that distance. That’s the best way to deal with the guilt."
"…"
Kai Rou’s silence wasn’t meant as agreement.
But, within his mind, he couldn’t find a proper counterargument.
"But, but..."
As Kai Rou fell silent again, Sotomichi suddenly flashed a sweet smile.
Her slender fingers reached out and wrapped around Kai Rou’s hand.
"If Onii-chan really wants a girlfriend, I suppose I’ll have no choice. If you grovel and beg, I might consider you as a candidate♡"
Her teasing expression made Kai Rou feel like he was being taunted over an unexperienced heartbreak.
"No thanks."
Kai Rou said, mixed with irritation, while looking back at the mountain of cardboard boxes behind him.
But upon a moment’s reflection, he realized it might indeed be too much to ask for.
Kai Rou was an ordinary high school boy. He was just a regular teenager whose parents had run off due to a debt and who had been subjected to a strange operation, now living with a suspicious girl who claimed to be his sister.
What right did someone like him have to desire anything more?
"…I like you, Kai Rou-kun."
She was so beautiful, so cute. A girl like that...
Could someone like him even hope for a relationship beyond just friends?
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