章 5: Prelude V
Prelude V — Living Singularity.
It's been a week since then, I guess.
Since that day, I've only grown more overprotective.
It started with simple things—apps to track their devices.
You'd be amazed at what modern technology can do.
I didn't care about the cost and went straight for the premium version.
If it could help me monitor their whereabouts, then it was worth every penny.
Of course.
It was just as I thought.
During school hours, Kurumi's location would occasionally change without explanation.
And as per what Sawa said:
She'd just randomly say she isn't feeling well and would just go AWOL for some time.
After she's back, she'd only make some random excuses…which both me and Sawa never really believed.
And now…
"Say. Ikari-san…"
Sawa's voice broke my thoughts. She sat across from me at the café, her head lowered slightly.
Why are we here?
Well, a certain little sister of mine claimed she had some "business" to attend to, leaving me with her friend—who, for all intents and purposes, I was now effectively on a date with.
Crazy, right?
I know….
"Hm?"
I took a side glance at Sawa after taking a slow sip of the coffee in front of me.
"Kurumi-san… she's been acting weird lately."
So, she noticed too…
"She's probably going through her phase again."
With closed eyes, I had attempted to steer the topic, but I was only met with silence.
"?"
I slightly opened my eyes and looked at her, only to be surprised.
Her usual sunny expression was nowhere to be found. Instead, she seemed genuinely troubled.
"I can't help but feel… something bad would happen."
"I don't know… I just feel it."
.... Is this… a ripple effect caused by my existence.
"You worry too much, Sawa."
With a smile, I had said that, hoping she wouldn't dwell on it.
She stared at me for a moment, then lowered her gaze before looking up again—this time, with a faint smile.
"If you say so. Ikari-san."
Trusting. Too trusting, this girl.
It was ironic. How both of them had changed after Mio happened.
Kurumi's great sense of Justice had changed into something twisted.
And the kind Sawa, who had become White Queen….. hated Kurumi.
—Mio at some point had handed the Camael Sephira Crystal over to Sawa to refine.
Perhaps that was probably why she lost to Kotori…
And that's why I'm here.
I can't tell where or when it'd happen.
Afterall, the moment it happens is when things begin to change.
Sawa who had been killed and reduced to a soul encountered a Kurumi Clone who the original had used <Het> the Eight Bullet on moments before Kurumi inverse.
Then, Sawa who had been reduced to a soul possessed the soulless clone of the inverted Kurumi.
That was how White Queen came to be…..
"Now that we're done here, is there anywhere else you'd like to go?" I asked.
"Hm…"
Sawa lowered her head as a red tint spread across her face. Seeing this, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Eh? Are you still shy around me?"
I said so, amused, raising my head up as she stuttered. "No-no, aigh—"
Ah. She bit her tongue.
"I bih ma ton."
She said so, as I stifled a laugh.
"Please don't laugh at me."
She said so, closing her eyes with her palms, probably embarrassed.
"There's no need to feel embarrassed, Sawa."
I said that before pausing, staring into space for a moment, then—
"No, I guess you should be, because you look cute when embarrassed."
With a sly grin on my face I said those words as I watched her completely go red.
Ah. She's embarrassed…. 'Perhaps, I shouldn't have said that.'
"Let's see." I started, shifting the topic. "If no place comes to mind, how about we look around.."
I had suggested that, watching as she finally comes back to.
"Y-yeah."
I extended a hand and she took it, then we both exited dhe café we were both at.
The café itself was part of a high-end mall, a place filled with shops, lights, and noise.
Thanks to my black card—a combination of my savings and a generous allowance from the "OG" himself, Father—I could buy whatever I, Kurumi, or Sawa wanted without a second thought.
"Ikari-san! Over there."
"Hey, Sawa slow down, don't rush."
Part of me enjoyed this moment—the normalcy of spending time with her. But another part of me was restless.
While my sister was likely battling otherworldly entities, I was here, on a "date" with her best friend.
Yet. It only even made me more determined than—
"Hm?"
Sawa had grabbed my hand taking me towards a claw machine when I suddenly paused.
"Ikari-san, what's wrong?"
That feeling… it's back again.
That feeling that something's about to happen. 'No. I feel eyes on me.'
I frowned, turning slightly to scan the crowd, but it was no use.
There were too many people.
Lately, there have been eyes on me lately, and it's whenever I'm with Sawa and Kurumi.... Is it Mio?
... After taking a small pause.
"Sorry, Sawa, it's nothing."
I said as I would then turn towards her.
"I see."
But as expected… I can't deceive them…
—(She knows something's up but no one's explaining it to her. Both her friend, she knows they're hiding something)
A look of worry flashed across her face for a brief moment but masks it well in the next.
"Well then, let's go!"
I know she's just acting like I am now, masking her worries.
We arrived in front of the claw machine. She took a step towards it, but then, I stopped her just at that moment.
"Let me."
She blinked in surprise but quickly relaxed.
"Sure."
She said that prompting me to walk towards the claw machine.
I'd inserted a coin and moved the claw toward the prize—an odd looking plushie that looked more like that one Sukuna's plushie.
However—
"Ahh–"
Such mutter escaped Sawa's lips with a small gasp as I felt her eyes on me.
I had failed. '...' I can't believe I failed.
"Ikari-san?"
Sawa called my name gently, but her voice faded into the background as I focused on the machine.
I fiddled with the controls, my fingers brushing over the buttons as I tried to understand the mechanics.
I had to redeem myself.
Of course I'm embarrassed.
But after a few seconds of fiddling with the buttons.
"Ah. I understand it now."
I had let out that mutter, which probably only made Sawa confused, but she didn't say anything this time.
"This time, I'll get it."
Cracking my knuckles as if preparing for a big fight. I slid another coin into the machine, I carefully manoeuvred the claw.
Blamp!
The machine made a small noise, as the plushie she'd been eyeing fell out as I grabbed it with a 'I won' expression.
"You got it…"
"Ikari-san, you got it!"
By the time I'd get it out and taken the weirdly-shaped-Sukuna-looking plushy, she jumped on me giving me a hug.
"Easy there."
Though I said so, I had wrapped my hands around her slender body.
There was that brief silence, realizing what she'd done, she quickly pulled away, her face bright red.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"
"It's okay. I don't mind."
She had that flustered face but my words turned them into a blush.
I handed over the the plushie to her when—
RING!!!
"Hm? Wait, hold up."
I said to Sawa as I pulled my phone from my pocket. I didn't even need to check the caller ID to know who it was.
…. As expected.
The caller was her.
"Hey—"
"My, my, Brother. You seem to be having fun without your adorable sister around."
Her voice carried that dangerous undertone, the kind that could make anyone flinch.
Sawa, standing beside me, visibly stiffened.
But I have the perfect counter:
"Says the Little Sister who doesn't have time for her brother."
"That's—"
"Don't worry," I interrupted smoothly. "On Saturday, I'll take you on a proper date. Just you and me."
(A smooth criminal!)
"R-really?"
Her tone shifted instantly, becoming almost sweet.
"Ufufufu, then I don't mind~ Greet Sawa-san for me. I'm heading home—I'm so tired… and I'll see you later~~"
She said that with a sing-song tone. And with that, the call ended.
Glancing towards Sawa—
'She's Jealous….'
I noted as I saw that cute pout on her face.
Though she was trying to look annoyed, but it only made her more endearing.
"Pftt—"
"Ah, Ikari-san!"
"Hahaha! Sorry! Sorry! I couldn't help it."
I said between laughs.
"Don't worry. If you aren't satisfied, I'll take you out again. Just the two of us."
I said those words with a smile.
She beamed up, and this time, paused for a moment.
In the next, she had run up to me and hugged me tightly, only to pull away just as quickly, her cheeks flushed.
"Hehehe. It's a promise."
I nodded with a smile, not answering back…. No, I couldn't answer back. 'Ah—'
As I watched her skip ahead, my smile faded.
Deep down, I knew…
The dates I'd promised Kurumi and Sawa would never come to pass.
It was a gut feeling really…
Making such promises hurt more than I wanted to admit.
But then—
As we passed in front of a clothing store, for a brief moment, my gaze would then catch that figure….
'Ah-h——'
⸻
"......."
"Found you..... Living Singularity."
クリエイターの想い 
LastOrder1
LastOrder1 Rejoice... for I shall grant you the permission for deciding the next chapter. Tell me what scene you want to see:
1. Childhood MC and Kurumi to expand lore.
Or.
2. Fuck Lore and write some spicy scene (Not seggs tho) (Content will be rated D for Degenerate, and heads up.... I kinda suck at writing scene's like that.)
Or even.
3. A degenerate threescore with Sawa included.
Or-
4. Drop your ideas in the comment below.
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