Not feeling well?" Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow. "Since you haven't met, have you visited the publishing house yourself?
If I went in person, there wouldn't be any rumors speculating that Oboro Asagiri is female.
I don't want too many people to associate me with Oboro Asagiri," Kisaragi Chiyo said with a cold expression as she tore open the envelope. "So, I've left everything to the editor to handle.
Anyway, I believe that communicating through the internet like this will definitely be much more relaxing than sitting down face-to-face.
Kisaragi Chiyo shrugged her shoulders and poured the contents of the envelope out.
A rusty blade and a photograph fell to the ground together.
"Wow." Kisaragi Chiyo lowered her eyes, letting out a surprised exclamation, her tone completely emotionless.
Although the face in the photo had been scratched by something sharp, he could still recognize it; it was a photo of him from his high school days.
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Author's Note: Thank you for the support, my little angels. Mwah! 0330
Chapter 86
Kisaragi Chiyo did not pick up the photo that had drifted to the ground. He looked at the empty envelope, certain that this was likely a threatening letter.
It was truly a waste of effort for the other party to go to such lengths, tracking down his high school photo.
Although Kisaragi Chiyo didn't care about this matter, the faces of the other two people present instantly darkened.
Hara Kenji first let out an ambiguous cold laugh. His eyes lowered, his dark-purple eyes stared fixedly at the photo on the ground, where the head portion had been violently scratched out. His expression was somewhat fierce, much like a dog baring its teeth in a warning.
Matsuda Jinpei leaned down and picked up the photo. He lowered his eyes, staring at the photo for a few seconds before gradually shifting his gaze toward Kisaragi Chiyo's face.
"What do you think?" Matsuda Jinpei looked over, though he didn't use a name, it was unclear whether his question was directed at the person involved or at Hara Kenji, who was standing behind the sofa.
"Me?" Kisaragi Chiyo casually placed the empty envelope on the tea table beside him. As he looked up, he found Matsuda and Hara both staring at him in silence, only then did he realize that Matsuda Jinpei's question had been directed at him.
"Just like that." Kisaragi Chiyo took out two tissues, wrapped the blade that had fallen on the floor, tucked it back into the envelope.
"Or.. would it be better if I used 'nothing special'?" Kisaragi looked at Matsuda, seeking his opinion.
Matsuda Jinpei: ".."
"Alright, alright, my mistake." Seeing Matsuda Jinpei's increasingly forceful gaze, Kisaragi Chiyo surrendered, raising her hands obediently to admit her fault. However, with that expressionless face, it was hard to believe that her words of repentance were sincere.
"I forgive you." Hara Kenji's eyes curved with a smile as he placed a hand on Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulder. His cool fingertips pinched her shoulder with just the right amount of pressure, a force that could not be easily shaken off.
"So now, Chiyo-chan.." In Hara Kenji's smiling tone, he seemed to be suppressing some kind of emotion, yet he still attempted to show Kisaragi Chiyo his gentle and considerate side.
Think quickly, just who could possibly hate you to such an extent?
“An enemy? A rival?” Hara Kenji leaned down and whispered in Kisaragi Chiyo's ear, "Do you have anyone in mind? If you need it, I wouldn't mind.."
Enough!" Kisaragi Chiyo raised her hand and covered Hara Kenji's mouth. "Stop talking. I don't need you to do something like that.
"Fine." A muffled voice escaped from Hara Kenji's mouth as his mouth was covered, from his expression, he seemed somewhat regretful about Kisaragi Chiyo's refusal.
"So, Kisaragi-kun, did anything come to mind?" Matsuda Jinpei placed that photo on the table, his teal eyes fixed on the torn photograph as he attempted to piece together the boy's original appearance in his mind.
"I can only say that the person who sent this photo went to quite a bit of trouble." Kisaragi Chiyo sincerely believed this.
I rarely take photos. Aside from the necessary ones for my student ID and graduation photos.. I basically have no other photos left.
"This clearly isn't a graduation photo, the size doesn't match a portrait for a student ID." Matsuda Jinpei shook his head, prompting Kisaragi Chiyo to think a little harder.
"In that case.. it could only be that one time, right?" Kisaragi Chiyo thought for a moment, finally digging up the relevant memory from the depths of her mind.
"Was that time a club activity photo?" Kisaragi Chiyo answered, not being very certain.
Because most of the members in the club he had participated in at that time were upperclassmen who would be entering their third year next year and would no longer be staying in the club. Furthermore, the number of remaining lowerclassmen was not enough to meet the minimum requirement for maintaining the club.
Therefore, that activity was likely the last one their club would ever have before facing dissolution.
In such a situation, taking photos to commemorate the occasion was only natural.
"Does everyone still have their photos from the event back then?" Matsuda Jinpei asked.
"Of course." Kisaragi Chiyo looked back at the photograph, only now, as she recalled, did she realize that the place where this photo was taken was none other than that famous abandoned school building.
"Then, would the person who sent this letter be a member of the club at that time?" Hara Kenji slowly wrapped his arms around Kisaragi Chiyo's shoulders, resting his chin lightly on top of Kisaragi Chiyo's head with a lazy expression.
Kisaragi Chiyo's expression suddenly changed at this moment.
Hara," Kisaragi Chiyo called out. "You're covered in dust from cleaning; don't get it on me.
"You're truly heartless, Kisaragi-kun." Hara Kenji ignored Kisaragi Chiyo's resistance; as the young man struggled to get up, Hara Kenji instead used both hands to apply pressure, pressing him back down into the sofa.
"I'm working for you!" the Dark-purple-eyed Wraith accused discontentedly, then, in retaliation, he bit Kisaragi Chiyo's ear.
You two.." Matsuda Jinpei felt his temples throbbing. He raised his hand to rub his temples and said in a patient tone, "Stop playing around when we're halfway through a matter.
"Oh my, is Little Jinpei feeling lonely?" Hara Kenji revealed a smile, tilting his head as he looked at Matsuda Jinpei.
If you're feeling lonely, then hurry up and come over here." Kisaragi Chiyo felt she had definitely been influenced by Hara Kenji's personality. She waved at Matsuda Jinpei with a lighthearted voice, "How about I give you some warmth?
“Kisaragi..” Matsuda Jinpei, who had been warmly greeted by the two of them, showed a hint of helplessness on his face. "We are currently discussing the matter regarding the threatening letter you received."
"Sorry," Kisaragi Chiyo said, imitating Hara's tone and drawing out the words, but he quickly returned to his own way of speaking.
I don't think it necessarily has to be people from the club, either.
"Although, my interpersonal relationships at the time were hardly good; if you were to filter by the range of people who disliked me, there would probably be quite a lot." Kisaragi Chiyo's tone was very calm. He didn't feel that being disliked by most of the class during his student days was something that would make one feel bad.
In fact, there were only a few people who actually had a grudge against him, but this country naturally possessed a social atmosphere that rejected anything unconventional. Therefore, even if most people in his class had never even spoken to him, they would still tacitly follow the crowd and distance themselves from him.
Simply put, Kisaragi Chiyo held the widest breathing rights in that classroom.
But at that time, Kisaragi Chiyo really didn't have the time to care about so much. Having not received any campus culture education before, he spent every day struggling through the ocean of knowledge in various subjects—doing the freestyle, the breaststroke, the butterfly.. In short, he just prayed he wouldn't drown and could at least graduate and go to university smoothly.
"When I went back to Yashihara before," Kisaragi Chiyo recalled the high school classmate he had unexpectedly encountered on his way back to the inn, Mari Koike.
"He did provide me with a suspect." Kisaragi Chiyo recounted everything that had happened between him and Mari Koike to the two of them in full.
“Miki?” Hara Kenji let out a soft chuckle, repeating the name.
“In the last class reunion, you were asking around for news about me?” Hara's tone sounded eerie, like a venomous snake flicking its crimson tongue, a precursor to baring its fangs.
Then when was the last gathering that Mari Koike mentioned?
"I don't know." Kisaragi Chiyo answered confidently; after all, he didn't go, so naturally, he wouldn't know when the last class reunion was held.
"Ask again, Kisaragi-kun," Hara Kenji said, affectionately stroking the young man's face.
Maybe that delivery incident was also done by them.
"That only shows that he's far too cowardly." Upon mentioning the matter of the delivery, Kisaragi Chiyo's expression grew a bit colder.
"After obtaining my address, they actually just hid away to do such things instead of coming to find me directly.." Kisaragi Chiyo let out a cold laugh, her words filled with disdain and disgust.
"If it were an ordinary person, this trick of his might have worked." Matsuda Jinpei narrowed his eyes slightly, analyzing the opponent's methods step by step.
Since you received a package containing an animal carcass shortly after moving here, it means that, at the very least, the other party had already begun spying on your every move before you even moved in.
But considering that Kisaragi Chiyo hadn't even registered for any social media, Matsuda Jinpei was inclined to believe that Miki had learned about Kisaragi Chiyo's residence through someone close to her.
"Actually, there's no need to go to all that trouble." Kisaragi Chiyo pulled out her phone and found the contact information for Mari Koike that she had added previously.
Since Mari Koike also attended that class reunion, I just need to ask her for any news regarding Miki.
Kisaragi Chiyo typed a few lines and sent the message.
Alright!" After putting down her phone, Kisaragi Chiyo clapped her hands. "It's done.
"You don't seem worried at all that Miki might make another move, do you?" Matsuda Jinpei raised an eyebrow, his deep, teal-colored eyes gazing intently at Kisaragi Chiyo.
He is the one who should be worried," Kisaragi Chiyo said with a smile. "After all, I have you all by my side, don't I?
“..”
Matsuda Jinpei fell silent for a moment. He rested his chin in one hand, after thinking for a while, he nodded and said in a serious tone, "You're right."
So, does what you just said still hold true?
"What.." Kisaragi Chiyo watched as Matsuda Jinpei stood up and walked toward her step by step, feeling somewhat bewildered.
“Chiyo-chan, you really are forgetful.” Hara Kenji said with a smile, his head lowered, his fingers pinching Kisaragi Chiyo's chin and forcing him to tilt his head up.
The Dark-purple-eyed Wraith looked down at him from above, her long hair falling like a black curtain, obscuring the light.
He was already becoming impatient to act. After all, he had been enduring this for several days, so it was understandable that he would demand more, wasn't it? Long, slender fingers carrying a chill caressed Kisaragi Chiyo's face, pressing against those plump lips to make them part slightly.
His fingers probed inside, constantly pressing against the tongue to squeeze its living space within the warm mouth.
“Kisaragi, you'll have to get used to this depth as soon as possible.” Hara Kenji's face slowly drew closer, his kisses falling upon Kisaragi Chiyo's forehead and eyes.
Long fingers pressed against the root of her tongue, only when her entire mouth felt the ache of exhaustion was she released by the wicked Evil Spirit.
Kisaragi Chiyo had barely had a moment to catch her breath after her mouth was freed, only to feel a shadow descend directly upon her.
Something soft blocked his lips again.
Kisaragi Chiyo felt that kissing in this position was far too difficult, it shouldn't be part of a beginner's lesson like his.
Just as Kisaragi Chiyo was feeling a bit dizzy from the kiss, he suddenly felt another body press close against him.
Matsuda Jinpei sat directly on his lap; although he didn't press down with his full weight, Kisaragi Chiyo still felt a sense of restraint, as if he were being pinned down and unable to move.
"Kisaragi.." Matsuda Jinpei whispered his name, his fingers stroking his neck before finally coming to rest on the buttons of his shirt.
Once the first one was unbuttoned, the rest became much easier.
But Matsuda Jinpei stopped when he reached the third one; to be honest, he preferred seeing Kisaragi Chiyo in a state of half-concealment.
Just like a predator hunting its prey, the best place to strike is always the throat.
"Ngh.." Kisaragi Chiyo raised her hands and gripped Matsuda Jinpei's hand tightly. Her body trembled slightly; enduring both the other's assault and the other's plunder at the same time was still a bit too much for her to handle.
Lips moved down the neck, skillfully leaving marks upon the fair skin.
By the time Kisaragi finally came to his senses from the kiss where Hara Kenji had unilaterally plundered his oxygen, he was already trapped in the middle, with the two of them flanking him from front and back.
“Wait.." Kisaragi Chiyo tried to make one last struggle, "This is the sofa."
He reminded the two of them.
"Didn't you try it on the windowsill before too?" Matsuda Jinpei said, biting the young man's waist without even looking up.