Ares no Tenbin: Ever-Changing Child

Chapter 7: Miyano Akane

The location was Inazuma General Hospital.

"Wow. The Emperor of Tactics, Nosaka Yuuma, actually gives flower to his girlfriend today. Scandal."

"Shigure. Speaking in that monotone voice and emotionless face don't make it persuasive at all."

"Huh? I'm smiling?"

"Ah...I shall take back what I said. That's who you are after all."

Seeing how his friend tilted his head with a deadpan face, Nosaka just replied with distant look in his eyes.

If this 'partner in crime' really made a sarcastic remarks then he would have no problem with doing the same thing in return. Unfortunately, that reaction already proved that the answer was 'No'.

"As usual, you two really get along with each other very well."   

In that room, there was another person who was giggling at their mismatching conversation.

"If possible, I wish he doesn't have anything to do with my life, but unfortunately, it somehow becomes a inseparable relationship. Right, Shigure?"

"I do agree on that part. So please don't say we're getting along, --

.

.

.

--Akane-san."

However, despite hearing the objection from both sides, the giggling sound never ceased.

===
After the match ended with Seishou Academy's victory, the trio left the stadium and went back to Outei Tsukinomiya's dorm, except for one person who said that he had a 'certain' business to do.

Shigure already knew where he went to, but he decided to go back to the dorm with Nishikage first so the latter would not suspect anything.

Anyway, Nosaka Yuuma and flowers did seem right together, but that only applied to his outer appearance. Behind that cool face was simply a cunning and sadistic teenager. Shigure really sympathized innocent young girls who were fooled by him.

"Shigure, did you think of something rude?" Nosaka asked with a little annoyance in his voice since he could feel it even if he could not read the expression.

Shigure nodded with a deadpan face. "It's the truth."

If possible, Nosaka wanted to punch and break that composed expression.

"If Yuuma-kun's fangirls witness this, they'll faint for sure. It'll be a scandal."

Miyano Akane, a victim of Ares no Tenbin system whose mind was broken after she got admitted to an elementary school that used Ares no Tenbin education system.

The system caused her to suffer severe brain damage and became unresponsive to her surroundings for many years. She was in a persistent vegetative state until recently, because she finally regained her conscious through rehabilitation.

Why was this girl still staying in this hospital room even though she had regained her conscious? It was obviously the deeds of a certain reckless Emperor.

"I'm still quite impressed that you manage to keep the fact you recovered under wraps until now." Shigure stated with shrug. "Although Yuuma-kun told you to pretend, but you have to force yourself to be unresponsive to others."

"It'll be a lie if I don't feel guilty, but I really appreciate how Nosaka-kun and Amaya-kun go through trouble to visit me"

Akane still continued to behave like a disabled person in front of people who visited her, regardless whether they were her families or friends. The only time that she could drop that mask would be either in front of Nosaka or Shigure.

For Akane, it was not an easy thing to deceive everyone. Despite that, she still decided to go along with Nosaka's plan and continued this act.

And, Shigure also continued to come here and talked to her casually as if he did not know anything.

"Amaya-kun, you're not going to ask anything."

"I'll not ask anything. No, there's no need to."

After all, Nosaka would have to reveal his secrets soon anyway.

"Somehow, I feel that Yuuma-kun is hiding something else from me."

While it was true that this hospital had information that could be used to prove the corruption of Ares no Tenbin, it could not become a decisive blow.

If gathering evidence from victims was enough to prove it then Ares no Tenbin would have been eliminated long time ago already.

After all, Akane's mind was broken because of the system and yet, the truth remained in the dark. It meant that the truth was buried to prevent society from knowing it.

Even if they could gather past records of those victims, there was no doubt same thing would happen again. They needed a different evidence that would be more definite and specific.

And there was no doubt Nosaka was trying to find that evidence. That could be the reason why he kept visiting this hospital frequently.

Nosaka Yuuma is not a good-natured person who would frequently come here just for a hospital visit.

"If Yuuma-kun decides to not tell me then, I'll just leave him be. When he finally admits the the truth, I'll listen carefully."

"You believe in Nosaka-kun..."

"Forcing him to speak is way too troublesome for me anyway. Anyway, I'll see what kind of stunt he's going to pull out next."

Nothing could stay hidden forever. If the truth would be revealed soon, then he would wait for that time to come.

Though, even if I don't throw a fit, Nishikage-kun will when he learns the truth...

While looking at the vice-captain who was in a deep thought, the girl remembered a certain conversation she had with the captain.

"Akane-chan, if Shigure actually asked you about 'that', you could tell him. Though, I bet that he won't ask you anything."

"Does that mean Amaya-kun already found out?"

"He might have already suspected, but I think he still decided to remain silent and observe."

"Why do you think so?"

"His intuition is really so it's useless to lie to him. Based on what I know, he'll just wait until I reveal it to him. "

"...You really trust him, Nosaka-kun."

"Trust? Well, as annoying as it is, we've known each other quite long. If possible, I wanted to see him lose his composure and gets surprised though."

Just like how Shigure knew Nosaka was hiding something, Nosaka also knew Shigure decided to watch over him despite knowing everything.

"I'm a little jealous of both of you."

At that time, the first thing that appeared in her mind was that clumsy yet kind-hearted childhood friend who was fighting for her sake.