On The Side Of The Pitch With You

An Arrangement

"So that's why you asked."

"Yeah..." After making sure her door was locked, Kimiko collapsed on her bed, her phone on speakers next to her. "My parents' overprotectiveness got even worse after what I pulled during Holy Road too."

"But do they believe you about the time-traveling thing?"

"It's kind of hard to tell. Masato-nii does, though. He probably heard everything from Shuuya-nii." She sighed. "What about you, Kyou? Did Yuuichi-san believe you?"

"... Yeah..."

She blinked. "That's good then, isn't it? Why do you sound so down?"

"The reason he believed me... It's..."

"It's...?" She repeated.

"... No, forget it. I'll tell you some other time."

Well, if that's what he said he'll do, then... "Okay. Then, what about your parents? Have you told them yet?"

"They're out of town. They'll be back by the end of the month."

"Wha―?!" She immediately sat up. "Doesn't that mean you'll be alone at home the whole time?!"

"Yeah? Why?"

She lowered her voice to a whisper as she disabled the speaker function. "Let me sleepover. Please let me sleepover!"

"And let myself get in trouble with your parents?"

"They won't know! I never told them where you live, and I'll tell them I'm staying with Shuuya-nii!"

"And get Gouenji-san in trouble?"

"I'll work something out with him! Besides, Shuuya-nii owes me one. Kyousuke, please! Teleportation can only get me so far!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It means that I can't sneak in and out from home to school immediately!"

"Then use that ability a block away from home."

"I can't do that! Someone might see me!"

"... Fine. But if anyone finds out and gets mad, I'm throwing you under the bus."

"Deal! Thank you! See you tomorrow!"

~~~~~

The next day, after school, they agreed to split up to find clues on any artifacts they could use. Fei and Wondeba used their own technology in the TM Caravan while Aoi, Shinsuke and Tenma headed for the school library. Shindou, Nishiki and Tsurugi were going to their ex-captain's house to do their own research, and they were joined by Kimiko along the way.

"You're going to be the death of me, you know that?"

The blonde girl smiled at her best friend. "Hey, at least you'll go to heaven."

He rolled his eyes. "How nice."

"What's with all the bags?" Nishiki asked.

"Oh, these are all the souvenirs you guys wanted me to buy. But I won't hand them over until everyone's back."

"And the duffel bag?"

"I'll be staying over at Kyou's place until the day before his parents come home." She explained with a thumbs up. "But uh... Don't breathe a word of this to anyone else, alright? I'm supposed to be staying with Shuuya-nii."

Shindou blinked at her. "And Gouenji-san is alright with this?"

"He did warn me about staying alone with a boy at his house for that long of a time, but then I remind him that I have powers." She shrugged. "The conversation ended there."