Daily Life of a Chunibyo

Chapter 5: Unexpected Mystery

As I munched away on the onigiri, the room fell in silence. Emiko-senpai wrung the hem of her school uniform skirt nervously as she knelt on the tatami. Beside her, Miyamoto seemed to be ranting away about something. Pieces of rice spewed out of his mouth as Tsubaki-chan watched in disgust.

"Hey, can't you eat normally?" She rebuked. "Or, at least not like someone who have ill table manners."

However, Miyamoto continued to eat loudly, as if he was trying to tick off Tsubaki-chan. To my expectation, it had worked extra well. Soon the two were bickering as I held my forehead. Though Kuroka-kun just sat beside me quietly savoring his onigiri. It seems to me that I'm only the one who had noticed the difference in Emiko-senpai's persona.

Setting down my half-finished onigiri, I sat up straighter. I cleared my throat. "If my deduction is right, this whole welcome party thing isn't all that you have in mind, right, Emiko-senpai?"

The room fell silent. Tsubaki-chan had her hand on Miyamoto's onigiri as the latter tried to hold it out of her reach. Everyone's eyes were on me as Emiko-senpai gave an unnoticeable jolt.

"Ah-" she smiled awkwardly, the hands fidgeting with her skirt held the material tighter. I could see her knuckles turning white from where I was. "Yeah, that's right. I have a favor to ask of Seika-chan. "

I raised an eyebrow. What could be bothering her so much to the point where she seemed troubled?

"You see..... My father is acting very strangely lately." Emiko-senpai begin. "He had not been returning home on time lately and he seemed to be in avoidance of me as well. Hearing you finding out the culprit who stole everyone's personal thing really convinced me that you could be exactly the person I'm looking for to help."

She paused. "And.... Well, the Emiko family is very well-known and I don't want to hire a personal detective and attract the unwanted attention of the media. Please, help me. He's the only family member I have left in this world..... Ever since mother's death..... "

To my shock, the head of the student council, the most popular girl in the academy, bowed her head to me. I can't see the expression on her face, but it was still shocking that someone like her would be willing to hang her head low just to get a mystery solved. Feeling stressed, I stood up in a hurry and flew to her side to help her sit up again.

"Emiko-senpai, you didn't have to do this-" I panicked. My hand went under her arm as I tried to pull her up. She refused to budge and continued to press her face to the tatami. "If you don't agree to help me, I will sit like this until you do." She pleaded, her voice muffled from vibrating against the tatami. I looked to the others for help, but they were just as stunned. With a sigh, I agreed to the deal.

Immediately, Emiko-senpai straightened herself. I had noticed a few dried tear streaks marked her delicate face. "Thank you, oh thank you so much Seika-chan. I know I could count on you."

Her soft hands grasped mine in gratefulness. I gave her a wry smile. I didn't expect my place in school to be a detective. I just wanted a normal high school student life! But I had no other choice but to handle the matter. I can't turn down a person's request if they're in trouble.

Voices once again filled the dead silent room. Tsubaki-chan went back to fighting with Miyamoto. However, Kuroka-kun stared at me. I gave him a question look, he just shook his head and went back to quietness.

The unusualness in Kuroka-kun troubled me. He was not himself ever since we had agreed to hang out with Emiko-senpai. But that's something I'll have to worry about later as the time was late. After saying goodbye to the others, I went back to the direction of school as I've left my bike there. I felt the presence of someone following me. I whipped around to see Kuroka-kun with his arms behind his head.

"You need something, Kuroka-kun?" I asked, curious.

"Nah, just thought I'd go with you." He shrugged. "It's getting darker already and I don't want to see you walking back alone. It's better we walk together. "

I nodded and waited for him to catch up before falling in steps with him.

" So, how come you're so quiet the whole time we were at Emiko-senpai's? " I asked him.

" Well, " came his lazy tone of voice. "I may have felt better, but it doesn't mean that in the presence of a previous crush that I'd act like nothing happened. "

I nodded. That explains his awkwardness back at the Emiko residence.

" Speaking of which, now that we're alone, can you tell me who you like now? "

He had stopped. His cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"N-none of your business! " He snapped. I put my hands up. "Okay, okay. No need to be so agressive, sheesh..... "

He looked away, hands in his pocket.

The whole walk back school was awkward and in silence. I couldn't find anything to talk about to get him to ease up, and he seemed like he doesn't want to say anything either. When I saw the white outline of my bike, I breathe a sigh of relieve, glad that the awkward walk had ended.

"Well, this is it." I declared. "Thanks for walking me all the way back here. Are you going to be alright? "

He only shrugged. "Yeah. You take care though. Be careful."

"Yeah, sure. See you on Monday? " I asked as I jumped on the bike. He was already leaving and only gave me a good bye wave as an indication that he had heard of my question. I watched him, until he completely disappeared at the corner of the school before I pedaled away home.