When Tomoe thought back to that time, her eyes half-closed, and she glared at Shinichi as though to rebuke him.
“Shinichi, in the end, you kept all these for yourself, huh. They may be criminals, but stealing is still stealing, so this makes you a thief, you know.”
“Now, that’s just rude. I got proper permission from Teacher Frire… A few hours ago.”
“So you got permission after committing the crime… Alright, so what are these supposed to be?”
She was so taken aback by his honest yet unreasonable response that she found herself looking at him with suspicion.
But Shinichi just nodded once and gave a brief explanation.
“I only made it in time because of you, so consider this my thanks. There’s an exoskeleton inside that’s been modified just for you. Use it whenever you need to,” Shinichi said.
“…Huh?”
When he told her just like that what his purpose was and what the contents of the terminal were, Tomoe became confused.
‘What is this guy saying,’ her face seemed to say as she stood there petrified, but after a moment of silence, she asked him with a serious face.
“…A-Are you saying that there’s going to be a situation where I’m going to need this exoskeleton?”
There was no way that someone like her, who wasn’t even at the top of B Class, would normally be given an exoskeleton.
All the more so when it was him who was gifting her the exoskeleton.
Surely, the reason must be something that couldn’t be made public. That’s why she asked him that question, but while Shinichi thought that she read the situation well, he shook his head.
“It was Teacher Frire’s idea. She wants us to improve our ability to defend ourselves even if it’s just the people that know about what really went down that day. Whether we like it or not, the school has already become the center of attention in the hidden side of the world,” Shinichi said.
It could be because of a new incident resulting from the previous incident, or it could be simply because of an investigation of the last incident, but regardless, it wouldn’t be strange for people to appear and try to make contact with the students.
That was just how much those series of events shook the world, though for better or for worse, that held true only for the hidden side of the world.
“Doesn’t sound very persuasive coming from the man responsible for that mess.”
Perhaps she was trying to get back at him for earlier, but she laughed at him for causing that worldwide mess.
But of course, she understood the general situation and didn’t actually blame him for it.
He knew that too, so he just shrugged his shoulders and continued.
“Can’t argue with that, but in any case, we came up with a reason so you can openly own the exoskeleton. I attached it in the manual, so just read it yourself. Don’t misuse it, but get used to it enough to at least be able to use it to get away.”
“Okay, but… What are you personally expecting from this?”
Tomoe didn’t doubt one bit that he had his own agenda.
Shinichi frowned. “You know… Can you not look at me as though I’m 100% plotting something. It’s just for safety’s sake.”
“Hmm…”
“You don’t believe me one bit, do you?”
But the fact of the matter was that he really did mean it for safety’s sake.
Tomoe too didn’t think he was lying, but it was Shinichi after all.
Just a few minutes ago, he was talking about keeping secrets too.
“It’s because you’re so mischievous most of the time. You were also talking just awhile ago about how you don’t want to lie as much as possible but are willing to be sneaky.”
“…Dang, can’t argue with that.”
After all, he didn’t say what exactly he was preparing for.
────Though it wasn’t really something he could explain well either.
“In the first place, this isn’t exactly a good way to thank someone, is it?”
But Tomoe pointed out that there was a more pressing problem.
Since it was Teacher Frire’s idea in the first place, then she would have gotten the equipment either way.
It didn’t matter whether she helped or not.
Tomoe’s head ached at his gall to call this a way of showing his appreciation.
“Ah, you realized… Sorry about that, I didn’t have time to prepare anything else, and the stores are all closed too. It would have been great if the stores were still open, but…”
Tomoe raised her fists again, but when she saw him sincerely apologize and worry about what to give her as thanks, she didn’t know what to do with them anymore.
Especially since she wasn’t really that mad in the first place.
“I-It’s not like I really wanted anything, so… Ugh, seriously, it’s because you’re always like this, so sincere in the weirdest places that you drive me so crazy, sheesh…”
Shinichi would always immediately stop playing around once they broached a subject he took seriously.
He was so sincere in fact that Tomoe actually felt sorry.
Moreover, since she went out of her way to point that out, it sounded like she was asking him to give her a gift.
“I, uh, really don’t need anything, so…”
“Last time… If I recall correctly… Yes, that should do…”
One side was reserved, while the other was committed.
Shinichi muttered a few things to himself, then before she knew it, he’d closed in on her.
His approach was so natural she didn’t feel the slightest bit threatened.
Then his hands moved as though to caress her neck.
“Huh?”
The contact between them lasted for but a moment. It was so delicate a touch she wasn’t even sure if they were touching or not.
Then when his hands left, she found that there was an indistinct ‘weight’ that now hung from her neck.
So innocent were his actions and so unguarded was she around him that she neither blushed nor panicked as she accepted his ministrations.
That fact alone stunned her, but what drew her attention more was the weight that now hung from her neck.
“Is this?”
She looked down and was immediately drawn to the ornament that now adorned her.
She did not remember it wholly, but the golden chain was indeed something she recalled.
It was something she’d seen many times now.
“Isn’t this the pendant you always wore?”
“Consider it a guarantee until I can prepare something proper. Don’t lose it now.”
A soft voice that gently avoided explaining anything, yet one that held full confidence in her.
However, even without any explanation, Tomoe could tell that he had just entrusted her with something truly important.
She felt a twinge of embarrassment at the realization that she’d earned that much of his trust, but nonetheless, she nodded to show her understanding.
────On her chest was a crescent moon pendant twinkling in the moonlight.
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