by Torako
I gave envious looks at the people who were heading home with no club activities to do. I’m not jealous of them; please don’t get the wrong impression.
And so, after seeing everyone from class off, I was alone in the classroom. Right, this was our after school studying time. Well, I did agree to do this. I should have some patience. Though I was feeling somewhat gloomy, I was also looking forward to this.
I had originally left together with everyone, but I came back, saying I had some errands I had to do. Then I walked around as I waited to be alone in the classroom with Rikka. Speaking of her, I thought she might come back shortly after classes ended, so I looked for a sign she would return. After all, there would be no one else here in here but me. I waited for her from the bell signaling it was after school…
And it was as if I never left. Even about 15 minutes after everyone else left the classroom, there was no one else in the room but me. I was starting to think she was incredibly slow at meeting someone when I suddenly hear the door open.
I turned my head watched as the super energetic Rikka started to head towards me.
“Sorry I kept you waiting.”
Not shy are we? Rikka, operating under casual working hours, started to head towards my seat.
“You took the whole day off?”
Rikka sat in the chair across from me and turned to face me.
“Yes. After forming this contract with you, my Devilish Truth Stare was completely exhausted. It was the first time I had used its power to make a contract, so I wasn’t able to control it. Thus it was necessary to stay there and rest for a period of time.”
I still think you were shocked and wasn’t able to deal with the results of your test. While I could comment on that and give her a fatality, I’ll pass for now.
“So you were a full-time resident in the nurse’s office today…”
“I was hidden inside the bed and did not leave. The nurse was a little frightening, but he had a handsome face and his voice was soothing. He had the aura of a monster. I was able to evade him and exit while he was cleaning.”
I didn’t get to see him, so I don’t know if he’s exactly handsome, but of course he would be a monster to Rikka…. So all good looking men are monsters in disguise, huh? Or something like that.
“Yuuta should also be cautious of Nikado-sensei. Nikado is certainly a suspicious name indeed. While I was hidden, there were several girls that stopped by. Perhaps he indulged on their blood?”
“Hm…hmmm…” Imagination is quite a scary thing sometimes. Now he’s a vampire.
“Well, let’s leave it at that. Let’s hurry and get to why we’re here. Study time starts now.”
“……That would be a tactical failure.”
“Hmm? What?”
“I will not be able to study at the current moment.”
“Why would you say such an unpleasant thing? Is your stomach burning?”
“I see. That too would be a failure.”
As if finishing a classic joke, Rikka clapped her hands without batting an eye. You’re too simple.
I began thinking about how to teach this zero grader. Let’s start by seeing what level she’s at and then begin from where she doesn’t know something.
“Alright, well, first we’ll start with some easy problems, alright?”
“Problems….is this a test?”
Rikka had a nasty look on her face. She must really hate math. Well, she did get a 0…
“Don’t worry, this is a starter set. Alright, let’s go. You throw three dice simultaneously. What is the probability that the numbers you see equal 8? See, isn’t that simple?”
“This is allowable.”
After she said that, she pulled a cute black cat pencase from her desk. Why a black cat, I have no idea. From there she got a stylish little devil pencil and began writing in her notebook. So particular over these things! But make no mistake; it was this pencil and the lack of studying (or lack of proper atmosphere) which helped her achieve that illusionary 0….
I looked on as Rikka began to draw a dice with her pen. Well, I guess this could be important for solving the problem. The next time I looked, she was writing something. Wait, I’m not sure you need to write how to roll a die. How little imagination do you have? I’m not sure chuunibyou could do anything for this.
As she went on, she began to draw an arm, body, and then a face as she continued sketching a portrait. She’s quite talented. I’m sure if we made a “dice throwing girl” tag on pixiv, it’d certainly be a popular illustration.
Soon ten minutes had elapsed. So now…
“Um, Rikka? I’m sure that’s enough calculation time…”
“I do not know the answer.”
“Huh? Oh, so if you don’t know the answer, you’ll just play around?”
“Different. I think about human feelings and then I draw people as I see them. It is nothing beyond imagination. This person is ‘does not know.’”
I don’t know what you’re thinking. Please, tell me how we ended up at this point.
“Well, I get the gist, but are you just not able to do the problem?”
“…I have not yet begun to show my true power.”
“I get your enthusiasm, but that’s just words.” In the past, I would often say something like that when I didn’t know something. I’d say that rather than admit my true feelings. Usually I’d look for a way to escape the situation afterwards. I better hurry before Rikka thinks of that too.
As I was reminiscing my older days, Rikka suddenly stood up from her chair. Looking down at me, she said loudly,
“Yuuta! Trouble’s arrived! The Dark Organization is…!”
“What?! You know about the Dark Organization too? But though you know about them, I can’t let you leave.”
“A..A...”
“Sit down!” As she was a good girl, Rikka sat down again under my command. She looked just like a dejected dog who was told to wait until they could eat. Wouldn’t some gum help lift her mood? It does for our dog.
“Alright, Rikka! If you do your best and get this next problem right, you’ll get the absolute best gum you’ve ever tasted in your life. If you try to escape, you’ll only have more problems.”
Let’s quickly try the carrot and the stick, or rather gum and additional problems, strategy.
“Allowed. You may continue.”
She suddenly regained enthusiasm for working. Before anyone knew it, her face became ready and she began twisting around her pencil. She was telling me to begin anytime.
“You didn’t know how to solve the previous problem. I want to start by showing you how.”
“Ah, Okay.”
She really didn’t know how to solve it. So I began teaching her the process used to solve that problem. Though she said “I understand” when I was finished, I really didn’t know if she truly understood how to solve it. It’s worrying.
“Completed. I have acquired this process. It is mastered.”
“Alright, then let’s do a problem similar to the earlier one. Let’s see... if I throw two dice simultaneously, what’s the probability they’ll show a total of 3? Alright, give it a shot.”
“Allowable.”
And just like last time, she began to put pencil to paper. Thankfully, this time she wasn’t drawing anything. Did I worry for nothing?
While Rikka was working, I too was solving the problem. It is..... 1 in 18. Though these types of problems aren’t my strong suit, I should be able to teach her how to do them. While I was solving it, Rikka had stopped writing things. As soon as I looked over and noticed it, she said,
“Yuuta, can I look at my cell phone for a second?”
Sounds more like a command than a question.
“Your cell phone? Sure, but don’t do anything extravagant with it..”
Something about this triggered something like a memory. I agreed to it, but I wasn’t letting her off the hook.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a black c
ell phone with all sorts of decorations. Seriously, from the amount of things on there, I felt like mine was behind the times. If that’s a decorated cell phone, then mine has to be retro. Well, a retrone (retro cell phone).
I didn’t see anything like a cute heart, but is that an angel’s wing fluttering around the phone? I couldn’t say whether or not it looked like a high school girl’s cell phone, but it definitely looked like a chuunibyou’s unfortunately.
She continued to stare at the cellphone. Thinking I was a bit too serious over the matter, I looked over at what she was doing. Though it was impolite to look, I noticed that she was using the calculator function.
As soon as she noticed me, she quickly hid the phone from my sight. “I was just replying to a text.”
“Don’t lie!”
“Alright, then my answer is 1 in 18.”
“Do you expect me to say you’re right?!”
Hearing that, Rikka looked up at me. Nononono! That’s unfair and bordering on cheating. It was blatantly done right in front of me! You did that almost immediately after I taught you how to do it without a calculator! If I change the numbers, you don’t pull a calculator out.
Or can’t you solve a math problem without one? That’s something you should’ve learned previously!
“Alright, hand over the gum.”
She stuck her hand out.
Seriously... she really expects to get some?
“Ju-just this time!”
As a last resort I handed a piece over to Rikka, who looked delighted to get a piece. She immediately stuck it in her mouth. Looking at how happy she was, I suppose my face too mirrored hers.
Why do I have this feeling like I’ve lost somehow? Alright, next time you’ll get a difficult problem even for me. I guarantee it.
“It tastes weird.”
Strange, she had the opposite reaction I thought she’d have. It’s not the most refined taste you’ll ever have, but this should be your standard tasty gum. I truly believe in the power of this gum.
“Well, if you let it melt in your mouth instead of chewing it, you should get this amazingly great taste. It’ll melt in your mouth and soul at the same time.”
“Incidentally, Yuuta,” I was ignored. While I thought this gum was worth talking about, she thought it was worth ignoring. Oh well.
“What?”
“I have entered into a contract with Yuuta. Therefore it is of high importance that Yuuta and I exchange electronic communication codes.”
“Even though it appears you just thought of them, I was finally able to understand your complicated phrases! So this, electronic communication code, isn’t that like an e-mail address?”
“It is possible that it would be called that in this world.”
I knew it! Being a sympathizer is truly amazing! So “electronic communication codes” is a term from another world? Likely it’s from a world like Academy City.
“I don’t really have a problem with doing that, but are you sure you know how to do that?” It’s not really a wonderful thing if you don’t think of that first. Well, I knew about it, but Rikka’s face changed immediately to confusion and then perplexion.
“…I expect that electronic equipment will interfere with my powers. Thus, I shall aspire to do whatever I can.”
“I see, I see. Yes, yes. Then instruct me on what to do.”
I pulled out my cell phone from my pocket. It was a bit smaller than Rikka’s, but mine was a slider type. Of course, mine was also black.
“Wait. I shall use my phone abilities now. Cross-communication!”
“Wait, that’s a different function of this phone.”
“I erred. That was infrared communication.”
More difficult words, huh? Or rather, this time it was more English than before… wait, infrared rays?”
“Yes.”
“Well… it’s right…”
I used this function quite a bit while I was in middle school, but I hadn’t used it once since I went to the entrance ceremony in high school. Could I have already forgotten which button I need to press? But it should be easy to transmit information from one phone to another. Looks like the whole concept of exchanging information disappeared on me.
“Oh, this is how you do it. Let’s go!”
“Waiting for reception.”
Finally, the screen I needed popped up and I sent my phone information to her[1]. This should send everything you need. Got it?
“It’s arrived!”
“Looks like that worked out. It’s still amazing to consider, isn’t it?” I was impressed for the countless time about phone technology. It’s really astounding what they’ve done. You can send information without seeing anything and suddenly it’s there. I think she’s got everything she needs.
Rikka had a delightful smile on her face as she pressed buttons. Then, all of a sudden her fingers stopped and she looked at me. I could swear her eyes were shining as she looked to me. It was a gaze of envy.
“I wish to have a code like Yuuta’s.”
“Huh?!”
I froze in place. A code like mine…. A scary feeling passed through me. Nah, don’t think like that man. Regaining my composure, I thawed out.
“Hmm, what do you mean?”
“Yuuta’s electronic communication code is so cool. [email protected],.“
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! It’s still that!!!!!!!!!”
That embarrassing e-mail address I had made before makes me want to die on the spot. That’s right, I made that address in middle school, but I haven’t had a chance to take a look at it since then. I sent it off without thinking about it. I completely screwed up, didn’t I?
Another whiff of my dark history was in the air between us. It led to her wanting to have “another amazing one.”
“Mine is just ordinary. [email protected]. I forgot about it… Thus, change is required!”
She sounds so disappointed at having an ordinary e-mail address. Well, of course she would be upset that it was ordinary. You’ll go through a bad experience later. You’ll forget and then be embarrassed about it. Take it from me.
“Don’t you think an ordinary one would be easier to memorize?”
“Ordinary is no good. I want one like Yuuta’s.” She’s definitely assertive about that.
While she’s happy now, I don’t want her to think back on this and regret it. I’d prefer if she wouldn’t feel this agony I’ve felt lately. But she continued on. “Yuuta will pick out my code.”
“That’s a tall task! I’m not sure I could pick out something appropriate…” This horrible address was something I just cobbled together from random English phrases when I was in middle school. I can’t come up with something just like that.
“Not allowed. It must be like Yuuta’s.”
“Do you want to kill me?!” I can’t mass produce my horrible past! A similar address would reek of it!
“There was a development of errors previously.”
“You’ve already tried to change it?”
“A different option should be successful. It is inevitable.”
“For starters, keeping your name would be a good thing…”
I have a hunch her household percentages and friend percentages will immensely be altered if it could be changed. But it looks like she can’t change her address after all. Well, if Rikka can’t change hers, then I guess I can’t rid myself of my demons.
“Well, if I could change mine, then you could probably use the one I have now…”
“Yuuta is forbidden from altering his electronic communication code.”
“Allow it! Let me change it!”
“It’s already cool!”
This is fatality by enchantment or rather, death by cuteness. The power of praise compels me. With how determined she looks as well as how resolute her words are, I have to accept her commands. I can’t tell if these are tears of joy or sadness.
“Damn it! Thank you!” My words of gratitude ran
g hollow in the empty classroom.
“Now Yuuta, design an electronic communication code.”
“….Curse you. I’ve got no choice, do I?”
And suddenly her determined look turned into a smile.
…Looking at that killer smile, anyone’s mood would improve. “I’m not sure if I could come up with one quickly…”
“Yuuta, I want you to put in some dark characters!”
“Ah, dark huh? Well, if you want dark, how about “black raison d’être’? It means a dark reason for existing. I also substituted an apostrophe instead of a hyphen…”
I couldn’t help blushing as I said that. I’m not really sure of the meaning, but it should be dark reason for existing. If she thinks it’s cool, I’ll have to memorize it. I’m not that great at English, but then again, this isn’t really English.
“C-cool! Super cool!”
And I get super praise. She’s happy…not upset!
“Now as soon as we alter the code, it will be complete!”
“Yeah. I’m happy you’re pleased with it…”
“Changing code immediately.” Rikka began pushing buttons on her phone again. At the same time, my retrone began to make a sound.
“With my power, this world is mine! HAHAHA”
It was a voice I heard before. Wait, that was my voice. My ringtone.
“Umm… this is…what’s wrong….?”
“Yuuta.”
“I know! I know what you’re going to say! ‘Ah, that voice sounds like me. I was a bit surprised! Where did you get that?’”
“On the day of the entrance ceremony. On the rooftop.”
“Were you spying on me?!” That was a surprising fact. I don’t remember hearing any kind of camera. Again, the chances of me dying of embarrassment rose.
“I request permission to eliminate it…. It’s too dangerous. Let me erase it…”
“Denied. It’s valuable.”
“Valuable? Then at least let me alter it. I can pick a phrase or song you like…”
“Allowed. I like Sound Horizon. Use one of their songs.”
“Ah, I like them too. Let me find a lyric I think is cool…. NO! Now, let me change it!”
“But Yuuta’s is the best in the world! You’re a parallel existence to me, thus you can’t change it.”