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V7 Story III – Part 01

Yusuke cooked food today.

He made curry.

He admitted there was too much water, and the ingredients were tough, but it still tasted good. According to Yusuke, real curry tastes even better, but I couldn’t understand what he meant. If the food’s name is the same, how could it taste different?

Yusuke always treats me well and takes great care of me.

I understand the true meaning of “precious”—it’s the opposite of “killing.”

But there are things that Yusuke doesn’t know, just as there are things I’ve forgotten.

And that makes me both sad and scared, because I know that a person cannot be anything other than what they’re predestined to be. Even if they try to change, it won’t be genuine.

You can try to be something else, but it will never be.

But what if I could remember everything I’ve forgotten? What if I could understand why I became the person I am today? Would it be possible for me to become someone else? I know that the answer is no, because I can’t recall those lost memories.

But still, if I could remember and be the person I want to be, then maybe I could become Yusuke’s Hirugao.

The fox remained in its cage, while the dog chose to be in chains.

Negotiations between Maihime and Mayuzumi were not going well, but they had no major impact on my daily life.

The peace that should have been destroyed by the fox’s awakening persisted. Maihime’s actions could very well lead to his freedom, but there was no point in being terrified.

The fox had no intention of going outside, and Mayuzumi opposed the idea. I just had to trust in them for now.

Although I had no intention of killing the fox, I always carried the key with me, which now rested in the breast pocket of my jacket, serving as a reminder of the fox’s presence.

The fox woke up, but nothing had changed. The sweet feeling of relief made me forget.

That peace could end easily. That it could be shattered without warning.

I poured curry soup into heat-resistant cups. I made sure to evenly distribute the star-shaped slices of carrots.

Yusuke had brought over leftover curry that he cooked yesterday, pot and all. I just added more ingredients to it. Although he considered it a failure, it didn’t taste bad at all. I made some modifications and sprinkled cheese on top before baking it in the oven.

A savory aroma filled the office kitchen, disturbing the sweet smell of chocolate.

After arranging the soup cups on a tray, I headed to Mayuzumi’s bedroom. Mayuzumi was in the living room, but I ignored her. The moment I opened the door to her room, a doll almost hit me in the face.

“Don’t throw it like that,” Yusuke scolded. “You’re gonna break it.”

“I don’t want it. I hate dolls!” Hirugao yelled. “Hmm? Odagiri!” She looked up at me.

I smiled and raised the tray. “It’s done.”

Yusuke and Hirugao gasped in amazement. Hirugao’s eyes, in particular, were gleaming.

I sat down and arranged the cups. Hirugao grasped her spoon tightly. Like an excited mouse, she dug into the cheese, but Yusuke grabbed the scruff of her neck.

“Take it easy now,” he said. “You’ll burn yourself. Got it?”

“Hmm… I got it! I will take it easy!” Hirugao nodded several times.

Yusuke let go of her hand, and she carefully picked up the cup. She tore through the cheese, letting the hot steam escape. A pale yellow color stuck to the spoon. She blew on it a number of times before taking a mouthful. Still it wasn’t cold enough; she gasped repeatedly as she flailed her legs about.

“I warned you. Come on, open your mouth and take a breath. That’s it.” Yusuke turned to me. “Sorry for bothering you, Odagiri-san. You just changed it a bit, and it tastes so good.”

“It was already delicious as is,” I replied. “The vegetables were a bit tough, but the flavor itself was good. I didn’t know you could make curry soup.”

Yusuke had claimed before that he could make curry. Although this was a slightly different type, he was apparently not lying.

But Yusuke shook his head. “Uh, this was actually supposed to be just plain curry. Not soup,” he said, stirring the contents of his cup.

I peered into the cup. The watery liquid shook. Nothing stuck to the spoon except for the cheese and vegetables.

“Well, there is such a thing as curry soup,” I managed.

“And I didn’t intend to make soup. So much for saying I could make curry. It just turned watery for some reason. I used store-bought roux. How did this happen?”

“You technically failed, but it’s a mystery how it’s not bland.”

Hirugao resumed eating the soup. She finished the cheese first and wasn’t sure what to do with the carrots. The atmosphere in the room was very relaxed.

But just outside the door, the air was filled with tension.

There was a reason why we were hiding in Mayuzumi’s bedroom.

I opened the door a little to check the living room. Mayuzumi was still sitting cross-legged, biting on a piece of chocolate with a grumpy expression.

Two familiar faces were sitting across from her. I saw a different kind of white from Maihime.

Neat black hair hung down her back, atop her kimono. The clear contrast of white and black brought to mind a paper and a brush. Beside her was a hunched boy who kept looking left and right nervously, occasionally jumping up in fear.

Shirayuki and Yukihito. They were back at the office again.

Although I normally wouldn’t need to hide from Shirayuki and Yukihito, the situation was different this time. Shirayuki was visiting Mayuzumi as the head of the Minase clan, and my presence had the potential to disrupt their meeting. Mayuzumi told me to stay in her room as much as possible along with Yusuke and Hirugao, who happened to come by.

Shirayuki and Yukihito were requesting a meeting with the fox.

Mayuzumi denied their request with a stern face. “I understand why you want to see him. He once held you captive, so you want to ask him about his intention of not going outside ever again. But I suggest you give up on the idea.” Her voice was dispassionate.

Mayuzumi picked up a piece of chocolate from a paper box. Shaped in a kanji character, it disappeared into her mouth. It seemed like she was eating words from paper.

I heard a folding fan closing and opening. I couldn’t see what Shirayuki wrote from where I was, but Mayuzumi’s reaction gave me the answer.

Mayuzumi sighed and shook her head. “Leading someone from the Minase clan deep into the Mayuzumi household is a difficult task. And even if you and the fox were to meet, I doubt you would get a satisfactory answer. You two don’t get along, and you would only end up confused. I’ll say it again: just drop it.”

Shirayuki wrote something on her fan and directed it to Yukihito, not Mayuzumi. He appeared puzzled. Shirayuki nodded, and he quickly got up and sprinted towards me at full speed, his eyes brimming with tears.

Shirayuki raised her fan and gave a small bow. “Please look after him.”

Yukihito slipped into the bedroom, his shoulders quivering. He couldn’t take the tense atmosphere. Yusuke and Hirugao lifted their heads, bemused.

“Oh, if it isn’t Yukihito,” Yusuke said. “’Sup? Is the discussion over?”

“Who is he?” Hirugao asked.

Yukihito shook his head. Mayuzumi and Shirayuki were not done talking. But his presence was deemed meaningless, so Shirayuki asked me to look after him for now.

Yukihito plopped down onto the floor. Yusuke poked his head, while Hirugao touched him curiously. Yukihito’s eyes widened a little. He stared at Hirugao’s innocent smile, then shifted his gaze to Yusuke.

“K-Kidnap…”

“What did you say?!” Yusuke grabbed Yukihito’s neck, strangling him. I smacked Yusuke on the head, then surveyed the room.

There was nothing left to do here. The snacks were gone, and there was nothing to play with. Three acquaintances were in the room.

There was only one solution.

“This is a good opportunity. Why don’t we go out somewhere?”

The three froze in place. They looked at me, blinking. Moments later, they erupted in cheers.

Watching their smiles, I nodded. They were still kids, all right.

I gathered the empty cups and placed them on the tray.

I needed to wash the dishes first.