Chapter 153: The Final Night of the Stay-over Trip – Part 4000
Several elementary school students ran back crying, huddled around Hayama Hayato who they saw as the most reliable among them in a panicky manner.
Even Tsurumi Rina came to sit worriedly beside Hachiman Hikigaya.
She disliked Hayama Hayato and knew Hachiman had been previously close with Yukinoshita Yukino. Instinctively, she believed him to be more dependable than Hayama Hayato.
“What happened?” Hayama Hayato asked while still feeling puzzled, but he tried to calm the students down by offering a gentle smile and tone, “Don’t panic, just take your time to say it.”
“There are monsters in the forest… with four eyes and four hands!”
“It’s too scary!”
“We were almost eaten! The four-handed four-eyed monster almost got us!”
“The monster stood there staring blankly; that’s how we managed to escape!”
The young students cried and chattered in a jumbled-up fashion, but their words left Hayama Hayato bewildered: “Four-eyed, four-handed monsters? Is this some kind of joke?”
Hikigaya Hachiman, standing not far away, could only sigh at their cries.
He knew they referred to Lin Qi, though the four-handed part surprised him. But it had to be Lin Qi!
“Everything they said is true!” Tsurumi Rina clung tightly to Hachiman Hikigaya’s clothes, her eyes brimming with tears as she stated firmly.
“Ah, I know,” Hachiman Hikigaya looked down briefly then quickly up again, continuing to look at the comforting Hayato.
“They’re telling the truth, that monster… Wait, what?”
Tsurumi Rina, attempting to convince Hachiman Hikigaya of the truth, paused and then questioned in disbelief, “Do you believe me?”
“Yes, but it’s not a monster, it’s our teacher playing a costume prank.”
Hikigaya Hachiman explained, despite finding his explanation rather weak.
“You’re lying!” Tsurumi Rina frowned slightly, saying confidently, “The costumes of those older siblings for the courage test were so cheap, why would one now suddenly appear looking so realistic?”
‘This kid really isn’t cute…’ thought Hikigaya Hachiman, sweating slightly.
“Therefore, it’s mainly through make-up. The monster you saw did have four eyes, but were all the other parts, like the black markings on the face, part of it?” deadpan teen tried to convince her.
“You—how do you know?” Tsurumi Rina looked astonished.
“You’ll know when our teacher returns,” replied Hachiman Hikigaya with a shrug, and added “Plus, he did it secretly. Only Yukinoshita and I know about it.”
“Really?” The little girl looked dubious.
As Hachiman continued to try to soothe the frightened girls, a bonfire party had commenced elsewhere, and other students began joyfully dancing around giant campfires accompanied by lively music from staff-supplied speakers.
Tsurumi sat with Hikigaya Hachiman on nearby stairs as the other girls’ excitement had calmed somewhat yet they remained disheartened after their scare and had no inclination to join the dancing.
“Hmm?”
While boredly observing, Hachiman noticed four of the kids who had initially ostracized Rina earlier were now frequently looking over here.
I remember—Yuka?
What could have happened?
Just then, two figures approached the trial course entrance, and noticing Lin Qi and Yukinoshita Yukino returning, Hachiman pointed towards them, telling Tsurumi Rina, “See, isn’t the monster supposed to be him?”
The dark-haired girl had been exchanging looks with Yuka before, but turned to follow Hachiman’s pointing finger.
In that instant, her dark eyes contracted sharply, her face filled with fright, as if faced with a demon once again.
“Ah… Ah!”
“Wait!” Hikigaya covered her mouth just as she was about to scream, realizing if this little girl let out a sudden yell someone might misinterpret him…
Thinking through this scenario beforehand,
Deadpan teen complained inwardly before adding, “You should observe carefully Lin Qi’s appearance.”
Covered his mouth with a big hand, warmth spreading across her cheek, Tsurumi Rina calmed slightly and scrutinized Lin Qi.
Realizing that during summer camp, Lin Qi and that handsome dark-haired man had been together with Yukinoshita, she hadn’t realized then how young he’d grown up to be.
Regarding the four-eyed, four-handed monster she encountered under moonlight, though obscured, she remembered its height and imposing presence making her feel dwarfed.
Yet, Lin Qi was tall too, though she found he didn’t appear as tall as that monster did.
“…Is it truly him?”
Her brows furrowed as she strived to think back, seeking the image of that monster.
Every thought brought only the image of those red, glowing eyes.
“Oi, what’s the matter?”
Lin Qi and Yukinoshita approached, and the former lowered her head to connect gazes with Tsurumi.
Her eyes, resembling glittering rubies, overlapped with memories in Tsurumi Rina’s mind.
“Mmmph!” The girl trembled slightly, extending her tiny finger towards Lin Qi, “It’s really you?”
“Sorry, sorry—I scared you,” Lin Qi smiled apologetically, reaching to caress her head.
Despite his deep and soothing voice, and the warmth from large hands, the girl felt an inexplicable reassurance, believing safety rested under his protection.
“Ah! It’s the forest’s monster!”
Spotting Lin Qi, Yuka exclaimed, pointing directly at him.
Different from Yuka standing opposite, the girls saw clearly in the moonlight; it matched Lin Qi’s appearance exactly, aside from the absence of frightening dark markings and additional limbs.
“…It really is—no black markings or extra arms.”
“I don’t see four eyes either.”
“It was makeup.”
The girls concluded, “So it was a disguised monster!”
With quick-changing emotions common in childhood, they soon gathered confidence around Lin Qi after dismissing fears.
“Brother, was the four-eye, four-handed monster really you?” a brave girl asked, testing the water.
“Yes, but it wasn’t as an elder brother, but a teacher,” Lin Qi responded gently, unfazed by their bold questioning.
“And those black lines and extra eye—are they makeup?”
“Yes, they’ve been removed.”
“And the extra arms?”
“It was a secret prop, hidden away.”
“How young does the teacher appear; how old is he and does he have a girlfriend?”
Gaining a sense of security near this kindly teacher, the children’s curiosity grew, asking ever stranger questions.
Lin Qi chuckled, tapping lightly on forehead of the final inquirer, “Brat, go play.”
“Okay!”
Their interest satisfied, they cheerfully returned to the bonfire festivities.
Moments later, Yuka turned back, hesitantly, dragging Tsurumi along, “Would you like to join us in dancing?”
“Me? Why, thank you,” surprised and unsure, Tsurumi followed.
Joining the group, Yuka relayed a message, leading Tsurumi back to the trio, all bowing humbly in apology.
Taken aback, Tsurumi gave a stiff nod, a smile blooming across her face.
Hachiman observed, amazed, “Looks like peace has returned.”
“What happened during the courage test?” he inquired, intrigued.
“Lin Qi disguised himself as a second form, and startled them when he appeared; Tsurumi froze, only Yuka’s clever use of pebbles drew his attention and enabled Tsurumi to escape,” explained Yukinoshita Yukino.
“Such things happen?”
Wide-eyed in shock, he imagined people confronting fear often losing control and showing their ugly side.
The bravery of these children in facing Lin Qi, even throwing stones at his second form, deeply impressed him.
When he first encountered Lin Qi’s aura in the service club, it paralyzed him so badly he fell right out of his chair.
How could he be less courageous than these girls?
Deadpan teen self-doubted deeply.
But, with controlled behavior in the forest, those children viewed him simply as a frightening figure, rather than something truly menacing.
Otherwise, passing out from fear seemed almost preferable.
“In the end, resolution is key.” Lin Qi mused, smiling at the celebratory crowd before the fire.
“It is, though Lin Qi nearly scared them senseless,” Yukinoshita Yukino commented with subtle bitterness. Lin Qi’s grin froze and shifted into an embarrassed one. “Always consider carefully before acting, Lin Qi.”
“As you say,” Lin Qi agreed respectfully.
A rare victory for this black-haired girl who smirked unconsciously, lifting her chin slightly to reveal an elongated, elegant neck, proud but endearing in her demeanor.
Chatting idly, the footsteps of a cheerful voice interrupted, “They seem to have patched up their differences.”
They turned to see Hachiman Hayato wave, nodding toward Lin Qi, the formalities impeccable.
“Snow之下 Yukinoshita Yukino truly is exceptional, bringing reconciliation like this,” he remarked.
Perhaps because it was a joyous moment, Yukinoshita Yukino didn’t express displeasure at his unsolicited remarks.
She turned to watch Tsurumi dancing with Yuka, stating calmly, “I did nothing; Tsurumi acted of her own accord.”
“Ahhh, but without your help, Tsurumi might not have changed.”
Hayato’s joyful demeanor remained unchanged, genuinely glad to see Tsurumi freed from isolation.
“If only I could be like you…” He gazed at the fire, yet spoke softly, like a quiet breeze.
“Everyone has limitations. Don’t fret over past events; it only clouds judgment, for I myself have moved forward,” Yukinoshita Yukino spoke in a composed, detached tone.
“Move ahead, Hayato-kun,” she advised.
Hayato walked away, seeming troubled.
“Indeed, Hayato’s behavior in class has altered,” Hachiman commented after a pause.
“In what way?”
“Dire, but seems he is honest now?” Hachiman struggled to articulate his observations about changes in the classroom.
“Previously, Hayato aimed for unity, creating false peace; now, he seems less invested in this ideal, oscillating awkwardly between engagement and retreat. It disgusts me.”
His dislike of Hayato evident, he sensed an inherent clash of will.
“Change doesn’t come easily,” Yukinoshita observed, staring at the rising flames and thinking aloud.
Under the bonfire, the faces of boys and girls turned crimson under the light, laughter blending with insect chirps of a summer night.
…
I need to find a way to get the protagonist to make a new friend somehow.
After school, then becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer.
