Chapter 5: Youth Chronos
1 ─side Kai Rou─
After school that day, Kai Rou entered a family restaurant.
Of course, he didn’t come alone; he was invited by two people—Marusu and Amafuro—to discuss the cafe.
Before leaving, he contacted Gedou to let him know he’d be late, but his phone kept vibrating in his pocket. When he checked the screen, he saw repeated stamps of a rabbit holding a spiked bat and shedding blood tears.
(What’s the meaning of this, and why are you selling these stamps?)
"Marusu, what were you drinking again?"
"Just oolong tea. Thanks."
Kai Rou pressed the button at the drink bar and grabbed four drinks for everyone.
As he did, a serving robot loaded with empty dishes passed by. It happened to cross paths with Marusu, who was serving himself at the soup bar.
A cute AI voice chimed in.
"Move it, nya. You’re in the way, nya."
"...Hey, Kai Rou, isn’t this thing’s customer service kind of terrible?"
"Maybe it doesn’t recognize you as a customer."
"Tch, a lowly robot making less than a hundred yen an hour, getting sassy with me—a guy whose parents are rich doctors..."
"So petty. No wonder you keep getting rejected, red-gorilla glasses. Right, kitty?"
Amafuro, holding a bowl heaped with dessert from the salad bar, cooed as she stroked the robot’s touchscreen panel.
The OLED display showed a cat face squinting one eye, purring as if pleased.
"Meow~"
"Kyaaa! So cute!! Hey, listen! I’ll pay you three hundred yen an hour, so come work at my place starting today!"
"You can’t even afford to put an egg on your instant noodles with that rate. Do you know about minimum wage?"
"Well, it’s not about the money. It’s a homey, rewarding workplace!"
"The world’s a tough place, nya."
Skillfully weaving between Amafuro and Marusu, the robot made its way back to the kitchen.
When the three returned to their booth, Kurono was waiting with her back straight.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Shia-chan. And thanks for watching the bags."
"It’s no problem. Thank you for the drink."
"Oh, I brought this too. Let’s share."
"...I didn’t order the salad bar."
"I added it later, so don’t worry. Of course, I’ll cover the cost."
Amafuro sat next to Kurono, while Kai Rou and Marusu sat opposite them.
"Alright, so we’re officially in charge of the cafe this year. Let’s start the first planning meeting."
Taking a sip of oolong tea, Marusu spoke.
During lunch, Amafuro and Marusu had both invited Kai Rou to join the cafe team.
In the end, Kai Rou had been half-swept along and agreed.
Kurono also accepted, and during club activities, they informed the club president. The four of them were formally assigned as this year's Asagi Academy Archery Club’s cafe team.
And so, the first planning meeting was now underway.
"Why are you leading this? Geez..."
Amafuro sighed, her tone rough toward Marusu.
"Hey, do you two not get along or something?"
Kai Rou asked. Marusu had recently joined the club, and it seemed he and Amafuro were classmates. When they crossed paths at lunch, the atmosphere between them had been oddly tense.
"Not exactly bad, but... we just don’t click."
"Yeah, it’s not like we’re fighting. We’re in the same class, but from the first meeting, it was like, 'ugh.'"
The two pointed at each other and, almost in sync, spoke.
"He’s so smug, thinking he’s all cool. It’s gross."
"She’s so full of herself, thinking she’s all cute. It’s annoying."
"...You two are really in sync."
Deciding to take that as an unintended sign of teamwork, Kai Rou took a sip of his Calpis soda.
"Alright, first, let’s confirm the timeline up to the festival and divide up the roles. I also copied the handover materials from the seniors, so I’ll pass those out."
Every year, the archery club ran a mock cafe at the festival, led primarily by second-years.
The menu consisted mainly of ramen, parfaits, and a token amount of coffee. Though it barely qualified as a "cafe," it was consistently one of the most successful booths in terms of sales.
Suddenly, Kurono spoke up.
"I’ve been wondering—why are ramen and parfaits the signature items at this cafe?"
"According to the materials, they cut out all the low-selling items, and these two were what survived. Basically, they're the battle-hardened veterans of the menu."
Marusu adjusted his black-rimmed glasses as he read through the materials.
"Anyway, I think we should aim for a sales goal of one million yen over the four days of the festival."
"Isn’t that goal way too high?"
Kai Rou had no experience with running a food stall, but one million yen in four days sounded extremely ambitious.
Marusu let out a theatrical sigh.
"Defeatist. Listen, the highest sales in the past ten years were 824,000 yen. So, if everyone gives it their all, one million isn’t impossible."
"I mean, we don’t have to push that hard..."
Despite his casual words, Marusu seemed intensely fired up, even subtly signaling some grand vision.
Kai Rou felt a little uneasy—being dragged along by such enthusiasm wasn’t exactly appealing.
"Kai Rou, lend me your ear for a sec."
Marusu whispered quietly.
"(Apparently, half of the cafe’s earnings can be used for the club’s after-party. Last year, they went pretty big, didn’t they?)"
"(Yeah... I think they went to a slightly expensive yakiniku place.)"
"(Right. But this year, I’m thinking bigger. We’ll go all out—with a beach trip during summer vacation! That’s why we need the one million yen goal!)"
"(I’m fine with just yakiniku though...)"
"(Fool! Think about it—an overnight trip with everyone, including Kurono-san, and swimsuits! It’s the ultimate plan!)"
"(You’re just thinking about your own interests, aren’t you?)"
It seemed Marusu’s burning passion for this plan was fueled by a rather impure motive.
Meanwhile, across the table, Amafuro was chatting with Kurono.
"Hey, Shia-chan! What should we wear on the day? How about we do some cute cosplay and get all the random customers to fawn over us?"
"I’m not interested. If you want to do it, go ahead—alone."
Meanwhile, Amafuro seemed fully ready to enjoy herself. Although their motivations were different, both of them appeared to be highly motivated in their own ways. Perhaps they actually got along better than it seemed.
Kai Rou, thinking that a moderate approach would be just fine, glanced at Kurono.
She remained expressionless, quietly reading through the handout she’d been given.
(She doesn’t seem like she’s having much fun…)
While they were chatting, the food they had ordered finally arrived at their table.
“Thanks for waiting, nya. It’s hot, nya.”
“Thank you, kitty-chan! ...Hey, Marusu, do you think we could somehow use this little one for the festival? Being rich is your only redeeming quality, right?”
“No can do. Last month, my dad caught me using his card to send superchats to my favorite streamer.”
“What an awful reason. Wait, so that red superchat was from you…?”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“N-Nothing at all!! Hey!”
Amafuro crumpled an empty wet towel wrapper and threw it at Marusu. Watching their antics, Kurono spoke up.
“Shall we move on with the discussion?”
“Sorry, Kurono-san! Hey, Amafuro, apologize.”
“Yeah, sorry, Shia-chan! Marusu, go die.”
And so, the discussion began, starting with dividing up their roles.
Marusu, who had quickly finished his mixed grill set (large rice), took the lead.
“Alright, let’s each choose the tasks we want. Pick two jobs for the prep phase and one for the festival day—three in total. If we end up with uneven numbers, we’ll adjust later, but for now, just share your preferences.
"For prep, we’ve got accounting, outreach, interior design, ingredient procurement, and publicity. On the day itself, it’s customer service, cooking, and general support. I’ll take accounting and outreach for prep. I can’t cook, and customer service isn’t my thing, so I’ll handle general support on the day.”
Kai Rou thought for a moment, taking a bite of his limited-time summer vegetable katsu curry.
“Alright, I’ll take ingredient procurement and accounting. For the day itself, I’ll do cooking.”
He chose the two tasks that seemed relatively easy, and since he cooked for himself at home, cooking seemed like a natural choice.
Amafuro, alternating between her limited-time summer mango parfait, the classic tiramisu, and the salad bar, chimed in.
“Okay, I’ll take interior design and publicity for prep. And for the day, I’ll be the poster girl handling customer service! Why? Because I’m cute, of course!”
“That’s one bold signboard. But sure, sounds good. So, Kurono-san, what about you?”
Kurono, calmly eating her freshly baked vegetable doria as before, answered.
“For prep, I’ll take interior design and ingredient procurement. On the day, I’ll help with cooking.”
Amafuro tilted her head in curiosity.
“Shia-chan, can you cook?”
“...No. But I can practice.”
“Then let’s do customer service together! Shia-chan, you’re really beautiful, and I’m cute, so if we team up, sales will definitely skyrocket!”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same. I’d prefer if Kurono-san could do customer service too. Honestly, we’re really short on servers right now.”
“But…”
(…She wants to work with me, huh?)
It felt like wishful thinking, but it was probably true. Yet, faced with the logic of staff shortages and appropriate task assignment, even Kurono couldn’t argue back. Reluctantly, she agreed to work as a waitress.
Suddenly, Kai Rou wondered.
(But can Kurono even handle customer service…?)
“Kai-kun? Um, is something wrong?”
Realizing he’d been staring at her, Kai Rou quickly apologized.
“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking… Kurono-san, you don’t seem too comfortable with customer service.”
Before he could take back the words, Marusu nudged him sharply.
“(Kai Rou, you idiot! I get it, but still!)”
“(Sorry, it just slipped out…)”
But for Kurono, who clearly hated to lose, implying she couldn’t do something was like a forbidden phrase. She looked visibly displeased.
“I can do it. It’s just taking orders and delivering food, right? Even a soulless, right-less serving robot here can manage that.”
Her description of it as mere "work" was concerning, but Kai Rou decided not to press further.
“Alright, I guess that wraps up today. The specifics are in the materials I handed out earlier, so check them over. If anything comes up, just ask me. Oh, we should make a group chat.”
With that, Marusu created a LINE group. Strangely, the group icon was…
“Marusu, why is the icon a selfie of you?”
“Huh? Is that a problem?”
“Of course it is—it’s not cute. I’ll change it to a picture of me.”
“Please don’t do that either.”
After a brief argument, they finally settled on a coffee cup photo, fitting for a cafe.
“Though in reality, it’s more like a ramen shop.”
“We’ve got lots of parfait options, but for coffee, it’s just iced coffee, right?”
Nodding to Amafuro as she sucked on her parfait spoon, Kai Rou thought to himself.
At first, this had all seemed like a hassle, but now that they were discussing things concretely, it actually felt kind of fun.
He had almost forgotten, but if it hadn’t been for his foolish parents’ debt forcing him into that strange surgery, he would’ve been just an ordinary high school student.
And there was no reason he couldn’t enjoy life like one.
At that moment, time stopped.
Kurono stood up from her seat, roughly nudged Marusu aside, and quietly sat down next to Kai Rou.
Without any warning, her slender frame pressed gently against his.
(I forgot…)
The reason why he wasn’t just an ordinary high school student.
“Hehe, Kai-kun. Sitting like this… um, it’s kind of like… w-we’re lovers, isn’t it?”
Then, casting a quick glance at the serving cat-robot frozen in time beside the table, she added,
“Meow, meow… or something.”
With an affectionate smile unthinkable from her usual demeanor, she rubbed against him, her voice sweet and soft.
In that moment, she looked so endearing that any guy would’ve wished to have her as a girlfriend.
(If only she’d give me some warning before these sneak attacks… Well, I guess I don’t really mind…)
That was the biggest issue for Kai Rou.
Sudden, unprompted moments like this were bad for his heart.
For a few more minutes, Kurono gently leaned against him, occasionally poking his cheek. Then, she murmured softly,
“…I really wanted to work with you, Kai-kun.”
She was probably talking about the cultural festival’s job assignments. Her lips formed a small pout, as if sulking.
“But we’ll still see each other when I’m bringing out food… so, it’s okay if we’re apart for a little while.”
If time hadn’t been frozen, those words would’ve surely left Kai Rou’s face burning red.
And after a little while longer…
Time resumed.
"Well, let's call it a day. I'll treat you. I'm rich."
Marusu said, with the bill in one hand, and stood up.
The food delivery robot passing by the table said as it passed by.
"Seishun Nyan"
(T/N: "Seishun" (青春) is a Japanese word that means "youth" or "adolescence." It often carries a nostalgic or romanticized feeling, referring to the vibrant and fleeting period of one's teenage or early adult years. It is commonly associated with school life, friendships, first loves, and personal growth.)
2 ─side Kai Rou─
The next day during lunch break, Kai Rou was about to open his bento in the classroom when he noticed a message on his phone.
He assumed it was from the scoundrel at home—probably another unreasonable dinner request, like "make a seasonal terrine" or "I want to eat Wagyu steak," just to mess with him. But he was wrong. The sender was... Marusu.
"Wanna have lunch together in the cafeteria today?"
"So, let's begin the first official Kurono Strategy Meeting!"
"...What?"
That was the first thing Marusu said when Kai Rou arrived.
The cafeteria adjacent to the main building was bustling with students. Since Kai Rou usually brought his own lunch, he rarely visited, but the cafeteria was known for its generous portions at affordable prices, making it popular among students, especially those in sports clubs.
Kai Rou took a seat and placed the pudding dessert he’d bought next to his bento. Technically, you could sit without ordering anything, but it wasn’t exactly encouraged.
He decided to clarify the strange statement from earlier.
"What do you mean by Kurono Strategy Meeting?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. I, Marusu Aren, have set the ultimate goal of becoming Kurono-san's boyfriend. This meeting is to identify the current obstacles, prioritize them, and discuss strategies to overcome them."
Marusu took a sip of miso soup from his fried chicken set meal (480 yen) and then casually laid out his plan.
Kai Rou mentally translated the nonsense into something more coherent.
"So... you just want to ask for relationship advice?"
"If you put it that way, yeah."
Marusu looked slightly awkward as he admitted it. It was rare to see that kind of embarrassed expression from someone usually so confident. Not that it made him any cuter.
"I get that, but... I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask. I mean, look at me. Other than this weird hair, I’m just an average guy… And, well, I’ve never had a girlfriend."
"Yeah, you definitely don’t give off the vibe of someone who gets around."
Marusu said it bluntly, probably without realizing how rude it sounded.
"But with Kurono-san, it’s different."
Kai Rou stiffened slightly.
"I joined the archery club and have been dropping by your classroom during lunch for about a week now. I noticed it—you're definitely close with Kurono-san."
"Well... we talk sometimes."
"Talk, huh? From what I’ve seen, you’re the only guy in this entire school who can have a normal conversation with her."
Marusu’s eyes narrowed with frustration, and Kai Rou flinched slightly. If Marusu got mad and started a fight, Kai Rou knew he wouldn’t stand a chance.
"But, well, it’s also kind of exciting when she treats me coldly."
Kai Rou suddenly wanted to flee. It felt like things were already way too far gone.
"Anyway, help me out. Tell me how you got so close to her."
With that, Marusu bowed his head deeply.
Kai Rou hesitated. He did feel like supporting him, but at the same time, there was an undeniable, scratchy discomfort in his chest at the thought of Marusu getting closer to Kurono.
After thinking it over, Kai Rou decided to be honest. He explained how it all started when he joined the club and Kurono had taught him how to shoot. That’s when they began talking more.
Marusu listened intently and nodded.
"Hmm... So that means I can't exactly do the same thing."
"Yeah, probably not."
Kai Rou agreed. Thinking back, his bond with Kurono was mostly luck and timing. It wasn’t something easily replicated.
Kai Rou felt a wave of guilt at the strange sense of relief that washed over him.
"But I’ve figured out my angle."
"Huh?"
"You look like you just got hit by a machine gun, Kai Rou."
"That’s a terrible metaphor. And… what exactly are you planning to do?"
"It’s simple. My way in… is you."
Marusu pointed at Kai Rou’s face with dramatic flair.
"First, I’ll become really good friends with you. Like, close enough that I can come over to your house, eat chips, and wipe my greasy hands on the game controller without you getting mad."
"Uh... okay?"
"And then, as your friend, I’ll use that as an excuse to gradually get closer to Kurono-san. That’s the plan."
It was a refreshingly blatant display of calculated friendship.
"You realize that if I hear that plan, I’m not exactly going to be eager to become friends with you, right?"
"What are you talking about? We’re already friends, aren’t we?"
Marusu grinned, flashing white teeth, and gave Kai Rou a friendly pat on the shoulder. It was the kind of grin that wouldn’t seem out of place if followed by, "By the way, can you lend me some money?"
But then, his expression turned serious as he looked Kai Rou in the eye.
"Hey, Kai Rou. Let me just ask one thing… Do you like Kurono-san?"
The question hit Kai Rou like a fist to the chest.
"If you do, just be honest. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. But if you do, I don’t want to just barge in and use you to get close to her. That’d make me a pretty awful guy, wouldn’t it?"
Kai Rou was stunned by Marusu’s straightforwardness.
"Besides, guys like that—who pull sneaky moves—might win at first, but they always crash and burn in the end. I’d rather avoid that kind of fate."
…Slight correction. Marusu’s head was still filled with calculating schemes.
But Kai Rou's mind went back to that day—moving day.
"—I love you, Kai-kun."
That impossible moment, frozen in nonexistent time, resurfaced behind his closed eyes.
—After hearing something like that, how could I not fall for her?
But Kai Rou crushed those feelings deep inside and answered.
"Don’t worry. I don’t like her. Not like that."
"I see," Marusu said with a wry smile.
"Alright! Then I’m good to use you as a stepping stone!"
"Yeah, whatever. Do what you want."
"You don’t sound too happy about it. Don’t worry, I’ll pay the friendship tax."
With that, Marusu pulled out his black leather wallet.
"Hey, cut it out. I don’t want money for something like this."
"Come on, it’s off the books. No one has to know."
"If it’s enough to be taxable, I definitely don’t want it!"
Kai Rou firmly refused. Taking money would’ve felt like being bound by something heavier than words.
Marusu clicked his tongue, as if that had been his plan all along.
"Alright, fine. Lemme borrow your phone for a sec."
"What for?" Kai Rou asked warily.
Marusu grinned.
"I’ll share my top-recommended adult videos. A true sign of male friendship."
"There’s no such thing! And you do know that’s R-18, right?"
Ignoring Kai Rou, Marusu snatched the phone from his hands.
"Don’t sweat the small stuff. So, my top pick lately is this time-stop one—"
"You really are the worst! I don’t care! Just give me my phone back!"
There were still quite a few students in the cafeteria. Even if no one heard, Kai Rou wanted no part of this conversation.
After struggling for several tense seconds, Kai Rou finally managed to snatch his phone back.
And at that exact moment…
—Time stopped.
And no, it wasn’t a metaphor.
Naturally, it goes without saying who appeared with a polite, "Excuse me for intruding."
"There you are, Kai-kun. You weren’t in the classroom, so I came looking for you.
...Well, I started thinking about where you might be, and I realized I wanted to see you, so... here I am."
Kurono gave the frozen Marusu a brief glance.
"Annoying."
With that, she kicked him aside like a soccer ball, clearing the space to sit down.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she began munching on a CalorieMate, her face dangerously close to Kai Rou’s.
"...Munch, munch."
(Too close, too close... No, this is bad. You need to go back, now!)
Kai Rou prayed desperately. But in a world where time had ceased, it seemed even gods were absent.
"? Kai Kai-kun, what were you looking at on your phone?" she asked, glancing over.
Kai Rou, of course, tried to hide his phone with all his might. But when frozen in time, effort was meaningless.
"…………──────"
For a moment, Kurono's eyes widened in shock. Then, as if something inside her had ignited, her snow-white cheeks rapidly flushed crimson, and she whispered in a voice so faint it might vanish into thin air—
"...P-pervert."
And just like that, she fled, leaving only that trembling word behind.
Soon, time begins to move.
"Huh...? Why am I sleeping on the floor?"
Marusu tilts his head and gets up. Kai says carelessly.
"Hey, Marusu."
"Huh?"
"Just break off our friendship."
3 ─side Kurono Shia─
Lunchtime was already half over.
Kurono stood alone on the off-limits rooftop, her back pressed against the heavy iron door, her face flushed as she gazed up at the blue sky.
The reason for her turmoil? It was the shocking adult content she'd glimpsed on Kai Rou’s phone just moments ago—something far too stimulating for her innocent mind.
"I-It’s indecent. Kai Kai-kun is... indecent. Not that I dislike him... I-I like him, but... maybe I should downgrade it from 'love' to just 'like.' N-No, wait... maybe I do still love him?"
But then again, she had been the one to invade his privacy, hadn’t she? Even so, how could something like that be legally sold? What on earth was wrong with the moral standards of this country’s men? Her flustered thoughts spiraled into deeper confusion.
"Come to think of it… What exactly is a 'time-stop' genre?"
Surely, society wasn’t aware of her actual ability. Still, the lingering curiosity prompted her fingers to tap open her phone’s search engine without thinking.
And in that instant, Kurono experienced, for the first time in her life, her own time stopping.
(...What is this?)
Her eyes, wide with innocent confusion, reflected the merciless search results.
There it was—an exhibition of male fantasies, filled with tales of stopped time achieved through stopwatches, wristwatches, hourglasses, and even supernatural powers. R18-rated fantasies, acted out in a world where time had ceased.
(M-My ability... i-is being used for such indecent things…?!)
(W-Wait, do ordinary men really associate my power with such obscene fantasies?!)
The sheer shock and embarrassment were enough to crush her spirit.
As you might have guessed, this was Kurono Shia. Sixteen years old.
A girl who, until recently, had barely known the first thing about love. Pure and innocent to the core.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated with an incoming call.
It was from the International Police Organization—specifically, the covert operations division.
"Good work, Agent Chronosia. Apologies for disturbing you during school hours, but we have an urgent mission. A criminal group in Tokyo has been confirmed to harbor an internationally wanted ability user. Please proceed to arrest them immediately—"
"...Understood. I'll go. Send me the location."
"Um, Agent Chronosia?"
"What is it?"
"You don’t... seem upset, do you?"
"My mood is perfectly normal. As long as you don’t waste my time with idle chatter."
"M-My apologies. Well then, about the target… it seems they’re a powerful ability user. Please proceed with caution. Their power involves manipulating spac—"
Kurono cut the call without waiting for the explanation to finish.
She checked the location coordinates sent afterward and froze time.
"...Good timing."
For her opponent, it would be the worst timing imaginable.
Kurono was very much in the mood to take her frustration out on someone.
Somewhere in Tokyo.
Without wasting a moment after receiving the call, Kurono crashed through the third-floor window of a rundown office building. Glass shards showered the room as she entered.
Inside were several armed men. Among them stood the target—an ability user in a gray suit.
Kurono cracked her knuckles.
The man in the gray suit gave a fearless grin, as though he'd already deduced who she was.
"A high school girl with black hair... So you're the strongest ability agent of the International Police Organization! I've heard all about you. They say you use some underhanded power, but my ability can manipulate spac—"
"Hey."
The absolute chill in her voice cut off his words.
"...Did you just say my ability is indecent, obscene, and R18-rated?"
"Eh, no, that’s not what I—"
Time stopped without mercy.
Kurono stepped forward, her heels echoing coldly through the frozen world, approaching the men who could no longer move.
"Hmph!"
Without hesitation, she drove her knee into the most vulnerable part of their bodies.
Again. And again.
She struck them in their groins, as though punishing the very root of all evil.
For context: when Kurono touches something during stopped time, she can choose whether to apply the effect immediately, delay it, or unleash it after time resumes.
This time, she chose detonation.
“““—GWAaaAAAHHHH?!?!!」”””
The moment time resumed, the full force of her strikes exploded into them.
The impact was instantaneous—bones shattered, organs ruptured, and the men were launched into the air like rockets. They crashed through the ceiling plaster and embedded themselves into the metal framework, unconscious.
Kurono pulled out her phone.
"Hello. It’s done."
"...I-I see. We’ll handle the cleanup. Thank you for your work."
But just then, the ability user, half-conscious and embedded in the ceiling, stirred.
He fell to the ground, bloodied but still alive, and extended a trembling hand toward Kurono.
A force field erupted from his palm, enveloping the black-haired girl.
A few minutes later, Kurono was crouched behind the building, her back leaning against the wall.
She wasn’t injured. Not even close.
She was simply ashamed of herself.
During the mission, she'd let her concentration slip.
Because of that, she’d allowed a weakling like him to get in a counterattack. She had managed to stop time just before it struck her, and then buried him deep into the floor like a fossil, but... it shouldn’t have come to that.
To struggle twice against someone so insignificant—what a disgrace.
"...How pathetic," she muttered, letting out a heavy sigh.
And it was all because—
"Ugh... Kai Kai-kun... watching something that indecent...!"
Why was she even letting this bother her so much?
"...This isn’t good."
Kurono put a hand to her chest and steadied her breathing.
She knew it. She was the strongest, most invincible agent.
So she couldn't leave any openings in his heart. ...Even if she fell in love, she had to make sure she didn't leave any openings in her heart.
But she thought she'd been letting her guard down too much lately.
(She should pull herself together a bit.)
With that decision, Kurono stopped time and returned to school.
4 ─Side Kurono Shia─
Fifth period was world history.
The classroom, fresh off lunch break, was heavy with a sense of lethargy.
“Alright, no falling asleep, everyone. Just because the cultural festival is coming up doesn't mean you can slack off during class.”
“….”
Ignoring the teacher's words, Kurono let her weary gaze drift across the room. Despite her earlier resolve, her eyes kept darting to Kai, seated beside her—more awkwardly than usual.
(Let’s stop this… It’s my fault for invading his privacy in the first place.)
She sighed softly and forced herself to focus on the lesson.
“So, speaking of festivals, they were far more significant in ancient cultures than they are now. Take the Persian Wars we discussed last week. Open your textbooks to page 54.”
Kurono dropped her gaze to the textbook already open on her desk.
“A quick review. The Persian Wars occurred four times between the Achaemenid Persian Empire and the Greek city-states. The Greeks emerged victorious, leading to the establishment of Athenian democracy. The most famous is the third war—the Battle of Thermopylae—where 300 Spartans stood against a Persian army of 200,000. They even made a movie about it.”
“The reason Sparta fought with only 300 men was that it coincided with the ancient Olympic festival, which most eligible men were attending. To the people of ancient Greece, the festival was more important than war. Kind of like how some of you seem more focused on the upcoming cultural festival than your end-of-term exams.”
The teacher chuckled, then added, “I meant that as a joke, but… guess it wasn't funny. My bad.”
Kurono pondered the ancient war.
(…If it were me, I could’ve won alone.)
Had she been there, history might have been rewritten.
(With 200,000 soldiers? Hmm… Since the sea’s nearby, it’d be a bit of a hassle, but I could stop time and toss them in one by one. Or I could just beat up the commanding officers and be done with it.)
Her mind wandered, conjuring up visions of ancient battle.
––The salt-scented wind stirred her long black hair as it swept over the red earth.
She stood alone. Before her, an endless army stretched beyond the horizon—200,000 strong.
Thousands of drawn bows groaned in unison, an ominous sound like the earth itself rumbling. Arrows rained down like a black storm upon the solitary girl.
But Kurono merely smirked, her right eye glowing red as time ground to a halt.
She dashed forward, stepping lightly on the frozen arrows suspended in the air, leaping from one to another above the heads of the enemy.
And then—she landed a flying kick straight into the golden throne of Xerxes, perched atop his war elephant.
––Several twists and turns later, Kurono rescued the captured Kai and returned triumphantly to Sparta. Amid thunderous applause and showers of roses, they held their wedding ceremony.
(Ahh… It’s perfect. Rescuing Kai-kun from enemy captivity, deepening our bond on the journey back home, and then… ehehehe…)
“And now, this question. Kurono.”
“––Tch! Don’t interrupt me!”
She hadn’t been listening to the lesson at all. Not one word.
Time stopped. Kurono quietly approached the teacher’s desk, glanced at the answer sheet, and then released her ability.
“Yes. Pericles used embezzled funds to build the Parthenon.”
“Oh, correct! Glad to see someone’s paying attention.”
Ignoring the teacher’s words, Kurono glanced sideways.
There was the real Kai, chin propped on one hand, calmly taking notes.
The stark contrast to her idealized fantasy struck a painful chord in her chest. But more than that, she reflected on her own behavior.
(I… I wasn’t paying attention again…)
But no matter what, she couldn’t shake her thoughts.
This couldn’t continue. The stress of lingering doubts wasn’t just unhealthy—it was inefficient.
Maybe… she should just confess, in real, non-stopped time.
(But… I can’t. It’s embarrassing. And what if he rejects me?)
Still, she knew she'd have to face this eventually.
Until she resolved this, the haze in her heart would never clear.
5 ─side Kai Rou─
"Sorry for the wait, nya~! Take your time and enjoy, nya!"
As usual, the four of them had gathered at the family restaurant after school.
Officially, it was to share updates and progress, but in reality, it was just casual chatter. This had become their regular routine after club activities.
(We’ve really become regulars here, haven’t we?)
Kai wondered if they would still gather like this even after the cultural festival ended.
There was a good chance they wouldn’t. Marusu’s passion for Kurono, Amakuro’s excitement, and even Kurono’s feelings for Kai—those emotions might eventually fade.
But deep down, Kai hoped that wouldn’t be the case, even as he ate his tandoori chicken set with salsa on the side.
"Hey, Shia-chan, help me out! There’s this viral animal personality test, and guess what? It said I’m a Mongolian Death Worm! What even is that?!"
"I don’t really understand it either, but maybe it’s because it’s true?"
"Even if it is, what the heck is a Death Worm? That’s not an animal—it’s a bug!"
"Insects are classified as invertebrates."
"Oh, really? Wait... does that mean I don’t even qualify as a vertebrate?"
Amakuro was, as usual, snacking on dessert and salad. Whether or not she qualified as a vertebrate, she certainly didn’t seem to be getting much protein.
Kurono, on the other hand, was eating a meat doria. Kai had once asked if she liked doria, and she'd replied that she preferred it because it was a one-dish meal and less likely to splatter sauce, unlike pasta.
"By the way, is everyone free next Sunday?"
Marusu, having already polished off his hamburger set, brought up the topic.
"I’m free. Why?"
Kai responded, and Amakuro immediately chimed in.
"Shia-chan, be careful! If you say you're free, this guy will totally ask you out on a date. The correct answer is to say you're busy even if you’re not!"
"It’s not a date setup, okay?! It’s about preparing for the café! …By the way, Kurono-san, this is just a formality, but are you free on Saturday?"
"I am, but I have no intention of spending it with you."
"Thank you! Your rejection is always so thrilling!"
"Ugh…"
Anyway, the real reason for the gathering was Marusu’s proposal: to hold a trial run of the café menu with just the four of them before the official pre-opening with the full club the day before the festival.
"It’s better to test things out. The upperclassmen did it too, so we should follow their example."
"Sounds fun! I’m in! Are we doing it at school?"
"Yeah. I’ve already gotten permission to use the cooking classroom."
"Ugh, it’s annoying how competent you can be."
"Yeah, yeah. Kai, you’ll be in charge of the cooking."
Later that day, Kai was at home, giving his sister an update.
"Well, well, I’m so glad to hear your social life is going well, dear brother."
Despite the words, Gaidou didn’t look pleased at all, lounging on the sofa and fiddling with her smartphone.
Fresh from the bath, her damp hair clung to her shoulders. She wore her usual camisole and scandalously short lounge shorts that stuck to her slender frame.
Even though it was summer, eating ice cream in such attire seemed like an open invitation for a cold.
"You’ll catch a cold like that."
"I’m fine. I’m summoning in my gacha game right now."
"...And the connection between those two things is?"
"I’m not lucky enough to pull a good result or avoid a cold."
Tossing her phone aside, she sprawled across the sofa like a lazy cat.
Kai, watching her, asked casually, "So, what did you do all day?"
"Bought frozen pizza and cola at the local supermarket and spent the day gaming. Very productive. Oh, and I can see that judgmental look on your face. Can’t be helped, though. I am a member of an evil organization, after all."
"Pretty sure the 'evil' part doesn’t mean 'lazy.' …Well, whatever. I’m used to you being a NEET, but if you’re gonna be home all day, at least help out with some chores."
"The way you say that makes it sound like we’re married."
"Then let’s get divorced. Anyway, I’ll be out all day this Sunday, so make sure you eat properly, do the dishes, and hang up the laundry."
"Yeah, yeah."
"One 'yeah' is enough."
"Geez, you’ve been getting cheeky lately. Do I need to remind you that you're just an experimental subject for our organization?"
A casual yet chilling threat. If they were a married couple, it’d be borderline abuse.
Then, amid their banter, Gaidou spoke softly.
"…Is school fun?"
"Yeah, I guess. It’s pretty fun."
"That’s good."
Kai didn’t know. He didn’t know why this girl—who looked no older than a middle schooler—was part of some evil organization, why she had been living with him for a year, acting so nonchalant.
He didn’t know where her parents were, why she didn’t go to school, or whether she couldn’t.
He’d tried asking before, but she always brushed him off lightly. And every time, her already thin smile seemed to grow even colder, sending a chill down his spine.
That’s why, once again, Kai chose not to press the issue. Instead, he offered an alternative.
"…Why don’t you come to the cultural festival?"
After a pause, Gaidou brightly refused.
"Can’t. I’m actually really delicate. If I go to a festival, I’ll probably die."
And then, without missing a beat, she added,
"Oh, but could you grab me another ice cream from the freezer?"
"…Yeah, yeah."
Then, on Sunday.
As planned, the four of them gathered in the cooking classroom on the first floor of the school’s main building.
During the festival, this would serve as their kitchen, with the café operating in the empty classroom across the hall and the terrace seats set up outdoors.
"It’s ready."
"Already?"
"The soup’s pre-made, so it was just boiling noodles and adding toppings."
Kai efficiently lined up the bowls of ramen on the counter.
There were three basic types: soy sauce, miso, and char siu. The soup and noodles were standard commercial products, but the toppings were handmade, following traditional recipes passed down over time.
Amakuro skillfully scooped up some noodles and soup with a spoon, cooling it before tasting.
"Mmm, it’s delicious! Kai-kun, you’re really good at cooking. I’d totally eat this at a restaurant!"
"Thanks. Well, it is going on the menu."
Kai glanced briefly at Kurono.
"Then, I’ll have some as well."
Kurono tucked her hair behind her ear and lightly dipped her chopsticks into the ramen. Kai couldn’t help but watch her, his gaze fixed as a faint tension tightened his chest.
“It’s delicious,” Kurono said after taking her first bite.
Relief mixed with joy swelled in Kai’s chest, though he kept his expression neutral, pressing his lips together to hide it.
“Did you come up with this menu, Kai-kun?” she asked.
“No, there’s a manual with recipes passed down over the years,” Kai replied. When the senior club members handed it to him, they mentioned he was free to create original dishes if he wanted, but he didn’t feel the need. Starting something entirely new didn’t suit him. He found it easier, even preferable, to stick to the established way. Perhaps that was why he was drawn to archery.
Marusu slurped up his char siu ramen in one go, set his chopsticks down with a snap, and declared, “The taste doesn’t really matter. It’s a festival, after all. Customers aren’t just here for ramen—they’re here for the atmosphere.”
Crossing his arms, Marusu continued with an air of authority.
“What’s important is maximizing profits! We can’t price it like a normal ramen shop since it’s amateur-made. We’ll have to make up for the low price per customer with quick service. So, Kai, how fast can you make one of these?”
“If we’ve got the ingredients ready, about five minutes per bowl—or for the parfaits too,” Kai answered.
“Good. And how many can you make at once?”
“Maybe two per person at the stove. That’s probably the limit.”
“That’s too few. Push it to three... no, four at a time!”
“That’s impossible,” Kai protested. “Besides, Marusu, you sound like—”
“Like the Monopoly guy,” Amafuro interrupted.
“Your capitalist spirit is showing,” Shia added.
Ignoring their deadpan stares, Marusu pressed on.
“Think about it! There’s no better business than a festival food stall. No labor costs, since it’s all students. Utilities are covered by the school. And it’s a festival, so customers are practically guaranteed! If we don’t make a profit here, when will we?”
Amafuro pouted. “I care more about making memories with everyone than chasing after money.”
“Hah! Spoken like a loser in the competition of life.”
“Shia-chan, shut him up.”
“Understood. Be quiet.”
“S-Sorry! But thanks for the cold glare—it thrilled me!”
Once the ramen tasting and reviews wrapped up, Amafuro clapped her hands.
“Okay, Kai-kun! I finished my ramen, so that means...?”
Kai smiled faintly. “Yeah, it’s ready. I chilled it earlier in the fridge.”
“Yay!” she cheered, skipping over to retrieve the dessert.
“What do we have here?” Marusu said, intrigued.
Kurono also tilted her head, interested.
What Amafuro brought out was a parfait—a key item alongside ramen for the kyudo club’s café.
“I’m surprised you managed to make a parfait too, Kai,” Marusu said.
“An alum left a tutorial on YouTube a few years back. I just followed that.”
“Impressive,” Kurono said, clapping her hands with her usual blank expression.
However, Amafuro frowned as she snapped a photo of the parfait with her phone.
“Hmm... it’s okay, but something feels off.”
“What are you doing?” Kurono asked.
“Look, Shia-chan. I took a picture, but no matter the angle, it just doesn’t pop. It’s lacking impact—it doesn’t have that wow factor. Don’t you think?”
“I see no particular issue with it.”
“Same here. It looks like a textbook parfait. I think it’ll be fine.”
“But that’s the thing. ‘Fine’ isn’t good enough!”
Amafuro’s twin-tails swayed as she clenched her fists in frustration.
“We’re going to be the café’s poster girls, right? The desserts we serve should have a matching level of star power—something worthy of becoming a signature item!”
“I get the logic, but... did you really just say that yourself?” Marusu muttered, surprisingly level-headed for once.
“Don’t drag me into this,” Kurono said flatly. “Any parfait is fine with me.”
“Well, how do you want to change it, then?” Kai asked.
“I want it to be something that’ll blow up on social media—something guaranteed to go viral!” Amafuro declared.
To emphasize her point, she posed next to the parfait and snapped a selfie. Then, holding up her phone, she grinned.
“Look, look! The parfait totally loses to my cuteness. I’ve completely crushed it! I need a dessert that can stand its ground against me, a worthy rival to split the spotlight with!
“That’s why, as the café’s marketing manager, I’m making it official! Today, we’re brainstorming ways to upgrade this parfait! No one’s leaving until we have a brilliant idea! Here’s some paper and pens—start writing!”
“You’ve gotta be kidding...”
Kai let out an exasperated sigh, and Marusu groaned in agreement.
“Why not just edit the photos later to make it look better? We should be focusing on cost and efficiency.”
"Shut up, you capitalist musclehead! Repent before my cuteness!"
Amafuro's fists playfully pounded against Marusu's abs.
"Yeah, that doesn’t hurt at all. I’ve been training."
"...Tch."
"Gwaah! That hurts! Hey, stabbing me with a mechanical pencil is cheating!"
With the two of them bickering, Kai decided to leave them to it and stared blankly at the blank sheet of loose-leaf paper he’d been handed. Coming up with ideas wasn’t his strong suit. But judging by Amafuro’s fiery determination, ignoring it wasn’t an option either.
For now, he figured he’d try looking something up online for inspiration.
Just then, Kurono, also holding a sheet of paper, hesitantly approached him.
"Kai-kun... um, what should I do?"
"You’re stuck too, Kurono-san?"
"Yes. Do you have any good ideas?"
Without hesitation, Kurono pulled a chair next to his, sitting close. The faint scent of her hair and the soft, upward glance of her red-tinged eyes made Kai’s heart skip unexpectedly—but he forced himself to stay calm.
"No, I’m completely blank. Want to think it over together?"
"Yes."
Kurono’s expression didn’t change, but her voice was gentle.
And so, the two of them began quietly discussing ideas together.
6 ─side Kurono Shia─
Kurono walked alongside Kai on their way home.
In the end, they hadn't reached a conclusion, and the group had temporarily disbanded. The parfait improvement ideas were now homework to be tackled individually.
"I'll be thinking seriously too, so everyone make sure to come up with something!" Amafuro had said as she left.
"What are we gonna do..." Kai muttered helplessly beside her.
"...I'm sorry. I wasn’t much help," Kurono said softly.
Even after brainstorming together and looking up recipes online, every idea they proposed had been rejected.
Kurono had never been interested in food. To her, it was nothing more than a means of nourishment—something trivial and easy to disregard.
At that moment, Kai's stomach rumbled unexpectedly.
When Kurono turned to look, the silver-haired boy averted his gaze awkwardly.
"It's a natural phenomenon. I don't mind... Are you hungry, Kai-kun?"
"Yeah. I mean, Marusu ate most of the ramen, Amafuro had the parfait, and I was too busy cooking and listening to feedback to eat much myself..." Kai scratched his head in embarrassment. "And I didn’t eat much breakfast either."
"What about you, Kurono-san? Did you have enough?"
"Yes. I’m full. Thank you again for the meal."
"I see," Kai nodded before continuing, "Sorry, but I’m gonna stop by the convenience store. You don’t have to wait for me."
His feet were already pointed toward the store along their route.
Kurono hesitated. Words like "um" or "well then" caught in her throat, but in the end, her response came out clear.
"I'll come with you."
––And so, after shopping, they resumed their walk home.
"Sorry for dragging you along," Kai said, holding a hot snack between his teeth while deftly unwrapping an onigiri with his free hand.
Kurono watched his profile intently as he alternated bites.
(He really looks like he’s enjoying it... He must’ve been starving. It’s... kind of cute.)
"Kai-kun. Here."
Kai pulled a can of coffee from the plastic bag and handed it to her.
"Think of it as a thank-you—or maybe an apology—for making you tag along. You said you weren’t hungry, so I figured it’s the one you always drink in class."
"Ah... thank you."
Kurono felt an unexpected warmth at the fact that he remembered her preference. She accepted the can with both hands.
"I'll enjoy having this," she murmured, opening the can and taking a sip.
It was the usual bitterness. Nothing special, nothing particularly delicious. And yet—
"...It's strange."
"Hm?"
"This... tastes better than usual."
It was the same feeling she'd had during their meals at the family restaurant, and even with the ramen Kai had made today.
Eating together filled her with something beyond taste.
(He said the taste didn’t matter... and maybe that's true.)
Kurono recalled Marusu's words about people "eating the atmosphere" at festivals.
Maybe taste, in the end, didn’t matter.
Maybe what truly mattered was the time spent together. Kurono realized she was starting to think that way, without even noticing.
"...You've changed, Kurono-san."
Kai spoke softly, the orange hues of the Sunday sunset behind him.
"When we first met, you were... well, super cool. I never would've imagined buying you coffee like this."
"Th-that was... I'm sorry about back then."
The words made her recall her cold attitude when they first met. If she could go back in time, she'd want to punch her past self.
"I think you called me a... what was it? A euglena?"
"...It was... a paramecium."
Kai chuckled, a rare playful glint in his eyes.
"Just forget about it already... It was my fault..."
Kurono's voice was barely a whisper.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd admitted fault.
And yet, it seemed even to Kai, her change was noticeable.
(This isn’t good...)
It wasn’t a welcome change—not for an agent like her.
She tried, as always, to suppress the feeling. To stay composed, as she should.
But just then, Kai spoke again, as if slipping past her defenses.
"...I like you better now, Kurono-san."
"────"
Kurono froze.
Not just her steps, but her heart, her entire being, seemed to stop for a moment.
"Ah, no, I don’t mean it like Marusu would, not in a weird way! I just mean... as friends. You're easier to talk to now, that's all—"
But Kurono remained still, unable to tear her eyes from him.
And she realized something.
(This person... can stop my time.)
––Back in her apartment, Kurono leaned heavily against the closed door.
Embarrassment burned through her.
She’d told herself it was hopeless, that she couldn’t face it.
She couldn't possibly confess these feelings.
But... holding it in any longer felt worse.
"…I can’t," she whispered.
And so, she made up her mind.
"...I’ll confess."
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