This is machine translated and all copyrights belong to the author. Please note that the translator might take creative liberties for better readability. Thank you for reading.
Tsukimiya Kuuga had a remarkable ability to see through people since childhood.
He could discern the true nature of others, distinguishing between those who could be trusted and those who couldn’t, forming friendships accordingly. He didn’t fully understand how he knew, but if he sensed someone would betray him, he couldn’t be friends with them.
Naturally, wise people gravitated towards Kuuga, and he always found himself at the center of attention in school.
His judgment never failed him, and aside from his parents, who he had no choice in selecting, he was never betrayed.
Blessed with good friends, he led a happy life. Now, he had been elected as the high school student council president, choosing trustworthy officers and earning praise for his work.
“Hey, Tsukimiya, what’s up? Aren’t you going home?”
Kuuga, who had been feeling strangely uneasy since morning, was idly sitting in his chair in the student council room when an officer, preparing to leave, addressed him.
The student council officers, admired by other students, would gather in the council room after school, appearing busy, but honestly, there wasn’t that much to do.
Without being bothered by others, they would chat with friends, hold pseudo-meetings, and casually prepare documents and announcements. It got busy before events, but usually, it was relaxed.
Even now, with no major events coming up, they just gathered to chat and have tea.
His friends, noticing his unusual distraction, had been casting worried glances at him, which he was aware of.
Even as the atmosphere shifted towards leaving, Kuuga, still not standing up, was approached by someone who thought something was amiss.
“Sorry, you guys can go ahead without me.”
“Is there something you need to do?”
“Huh? There’s nothing right now, right?”
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Feeling guilty for worrying his friends but unable to explain his feelings, Kuuga shook his head and urged them to leave. His friends, who rarely saw him troubled, were concerned.
“Just have something I want to think about. I’ll go home before it gets dark, so don’t worry.”
His friends, not used to seeing Kuuga ponder over anything, looked at each other, unsure if it was really okay to leave. Normally, Kuuga hardly ever hesitated, especially in interpersonal relationships. Just by looking at someone, he could understand their type and, after a brief conversation, discern their thoughts and feelings towards him.
His ability was incredibly useful in almost every situation, as most events in life are driven by human intentions.
His friends must have found it strange to see Kuuga lost in thought, trying to hide the details from them.
But this was something he couldn’t explain.
Seeing Kuuga’s apologetic face but unable to do more, his friends gave up probing and left, telling him not to overdo it and to come home early. Kuuga watched them leave, let out a small sigh, and leaned back in his chair.
Staring blankly at the sky, now tinted red by the setting sun through the window, Kuuga refocused on his thoughts.
He had never been betrayed by his friends, and likewise, he had never betrayed them.
“–I might betray them.”
It wasn’t that he wanted to betray anyone. He just had a feeling, an ominous premonition that something unavoidable was going to happen.
Unfortunately, his instincts were usually right. A bad feeling often meant something bad would indeed happen.
He might not be able to come to this place anymore. Somehow, he had that feeling.
He didn’t know what would happen to him specifically, but he felt certain that he wouldn’t be able to see them again.
Carrying this vague sense of unease and unable to think of a solution, Kuuga left the student council room.
From that day onwards, Tsukimiya Kuuga disappeared.
This is machine translated and all copyrights belong to the author. Please note that the translator might take creative liberties for better readability. Thank you for reading.
Edited: December 15, 2023 at 10:33 pm