Red Data Girl - Series 1 & 2

The First Makeup - 19

~*~
Red Data Girl: The First Makeup
By Noriko Ogiwara
Chapter 3: Manatsu
Part 3 (2 of 3)

Ichijo Takayanagi and Nobuyuki Kosaka came walking around the side of the auditorium.

Despite what Matsumi had said, Izumiko was surprised to see them actually appear. She had planned to watch the confrontation discretely from the shadows but in a rush, she realized that she should have already been hiding… She wasn’t.

Izumiko could hardly believe her eyes when she saw how Takayanagi was dressed. He was wearing a white kimono with white hakama. Watching him walk out from the shadows was like seeing a ghost. There was no rule saying students had to wear normal clothes in their dorm rooms but no matter how Izumiko considered the sight before her, it was definitely strange. Kosaka gave off the impression that he was not often in the public gaze. He seemed to dissolve into the night. The only thing making him noticeable at all was his shirt and uniform pants.

When the group caught sight of the two heading towards them through the bits of light coming from the building, Miyuki said, “Takayanagi looks even stranger than his shikigami…” He sounded amazed.

Takayanagi and Kosaka acted as if they hadn’t been summoned at all. In fact, Takayanagi walked as confidently and self-assuredly as if it was expected for him keep Manatsu and the others waiting.

Takayanagi finally stopped when he was two or three meters away. He looked at Manatsu and Matsumi, standing silently in front of him. Then, after a moment his eyes traveled to Miyuki and then moved onto Izumiko. He didn’t seem to notice the difference in numbers between his side and theirs at all.

“Huh. It’s you people,” Takayanagi said, his voice calm. “How boring.”

He didn’t seem particularly impressed, even when he looked at Matsumi. He turned his gaze to Miyuki.

“Even with all the ruckus from this afternoon, it seems like you haven’t realized how dumb you really are, Sagara. No matter if you team up with Mayura or anyone else, you’re never going to be better than me. I already told you that our levels are completely different.”

Miyuki shrugged his shoulders slightly and said, “You’ve forgotten what happened last time you went up against me, but don’t worry. This time there’s an audience.”

“An audience?”

Just then Manatsu spoke up.

“We need to talk about Mayura,”

“Ah, you’re her brother in Class C.”

Takayanagi looked over at Manatsu. It seemed like he hadn’t acknowledged his presence at all until Manatsu had spoken directly to him.

“I too think it’s a shame that Mayura Souda went to the hospital. I suppose I have a few things I want to say to her about that, but feeling badly is such a hassle. Besides, she was the one who took things into her own hands with the website.”

Manatsu looked at his friends as he asked Takayanagi, “Do you think it’s fun to curse people?”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t use such words like ‘curse.’ They’re no longer appropriate in today’s age. Instead, think of it as the influence I have over others.”

Takayanagi straightened himself.

“My influence only guides other people. Besides you, the other students who have visited my site say that it means a lot to them. As for the accident, that was simply Mayura’s murderous intentions bouncing back at her.”

“Murderous intentions? Mayura? Don’t make me laugh,” Manatsu shot back. Everything weird waiting in the shadows of this academy is here because of you, isn’t it? I was going to put up with all the horrible things that are going on, but now that Mayura’s been hurt, I can’t stay quiet anymore.”