Summer vacation.
A privilege for students. The dream time they'd all been waiting for.
This period where they could make countless memories. Where they could use their time freely and enjoy daily life.
A brief respite for the first-years who were finally getting used to this new living environment.
There had been the special exam, but for ordinary students like us, the memory of stretching our wings on a luxury cruise ship was far more vivid.
Only one week remained of that time.
"…Some insanely accurate fortune-teller, huh."
Having spent most of summer vacation alone and freely, I idly fiddled with my phone as I recalled a piece of information I'd happened to overhear.
I'd picked it up, as usual, while enjoying my movie life—overheard from passersby.
Apparently, a fortune-teller who only appeared at Keyaki Mall during summer vacation had earned a reputation for incredible skill.
I like fortune-telling.
Sure, I'm skeptical to a degree, but at heart I'm the type who believes it.
"I've already seen every summer movie anyway. Might as well check it out."
I'd finished conquering all the summer releases yesterday.
I was bored.
I had about 50,000 private points left—still enough to have some fun.
I got out of bed, got ready, and headed out right away.
It was around ten in the morning. Once again, the sun was relentless.
It was hot and exhausting, but as I walked, I thought about the fortune-telling. According to the rumors, this fortune-teller could even read tenchūsatsu.
Tenchūsatsu. In short, the bad periods in a person's life.
"Is that it?"
After arriving at Keyaki Mall and searching for a few minutes, I spotted a crowd.
I jogged over and saw the word "fortune-telling" on a sign.
Jackpot. I headed to the end of the neatly formed line.
Looking over the queue, I noticed most people were in pairs.
The majority were clearly couples, though there were some same-sex pairs too.
It felt uncomfortable. I'm not good at conversation, so I'm usually alone.
In a place filled with pairs—mostly couples—I couldn't shake the sense of being out of place.
But I'd come all this way, and I wanted my fortune told. I'd just have to endure it for a little while.
"Good morning. Will your companion be arriving later?"
When I reached the end of the line, the woman managing it glanced around before speaking to me.
"…No, I'm alone."
When I answered, she continued with an apologetic look.
"I'm terribly sorry, but the teacher's readings require pairs."
"…Huh? So I can't get one alone?"
The unfairness made my true feelings slip out.
When my real thoughts came out, my tone turned harsh. A bad habit.
But seriously, why couldn't single people get readings?
I'd already guessed it was love-focused from looking at the line earlier, yet my vision was narrowing.
It pissed me off. What the hell was this?
As I grumbled, I felt eyes on me.
I quickly shifted my gaze and locked eyes with another lone person.
"Ah."
A familiar face. I tried to pretend I hadn't seen him and walk away, but I chased after the guy who was doing the same.
He sped up a little.
Irritated by the attitude, I matched his pace.
"Hey."
I grabbed the shoulder of this guy I kind of knew. He turned with an annoyed expression.
"What do you want?"
"You alone too?"
We asked at the exact same time.
Bad timing. I had no intention of yielding, so I waited for him to answer my question.
"…I'm alone. And you look like you are too."
Ayanokouji from D Class. Pretty weird guy, but not a bad one.
He always looks spaced out, you can't tell what he's thinking, but he seems harmless.
His clothes are totally generic summer stuff. Waste on a face that's actually decent.
"Normally fortune-telling is one-on-one, right? This was completely unexpected. Don't you think?"
"Yeah. That's the image I had."
I just said what I thought.
It turned into complaining, but we'd both been rejected from the line.
We were in the same boat, so it was fine.
"So, you planning to come back with Horikita or something?"
I checked whether he had someone.
"Not coming back. Then you're not dragging Ryuuen along either?"
"No way I'm seeing that guy's face on a day off."
"You really hate him."
Obviously. Having to meet Ryuuen outside of exams—what kind of punishment is that?
"I wasn't that interested in fortune-telling to begin with, so I don't have regrets. But Ibuki seems different."
"I'd be lying if I said I had no regrets, but…"
I ran through possible people I could invite.
Ryuuen—out of the question. Ishizaki—out of the question. Albert—communication seems iffy, worrying. Kamukura—awkward.
Four guys came to mind instantly, all impossible.
That left only Hiyori. She'd probably come if I called, but coming back felt like a hassle.
I looked at the Ayanokouji in front of me.
Harmless. No weird rumors would spread. I'm bad at talking, but he's still relatively easy to talk to.
The reasons lined up perfectly.
"Hey. You want to get a reading with me?"
"…I don't mind, but is that okay? This fortune-telling forces pairs. What if they ask about our relationship?"
"Well, we'll deal with it when it happens. Just answer honestly. We're only together for the reading anyway."
"Got it. I wanted to try fortune-telling too, so I appreciate it."
"Mutual benefit."
We both agreed and got in line.
A different staff member from the one who'd spoken to me earlier handed us a numbered ticket.
The number was 6. Six pairs ahead of us.
"Looks like we'll be waiting a while."
I nodded in agreement.
Even at ten minutes per pair, we'd be here about an hour.
Ayanokouji looked like he was thinking about something.
Given the situation, probably how to spend the wait.
"You're wondering what to do about this silence right now, aren't you? Don't worry about it. I'm bad at conversation and used to quiet."
"Well, yeah. …But I can't really believe you're bad at talking."
"You feel it when we talk, right? The prickliness."
"A bit, yeah."
"It's not like I chose to be this way, but because of it conversations never last long. Plus, talking to others makes me nervous."
He gave me a surprised look.
He reacts properly and doesn't look annoyed, so he's easy to talk to.
I'm still a little tense, but I don't have to be on full guard.
That harmless vibe and appearance—I was grateful for that part of Ayanokouji.
"Didn't expect that. You seemed pretty comfortable during the spy thing."
"That's a different issue."
"Because you were acting?"
"Something like that."
When I thought about it, the only person I'd managed to talk to smoothly on first meeting was probably Kamukura.
He has that striking appearance that makes him seem hard to approach.
Yet once you actually talk to him, he's extremely easy to converse with.
Clear voice, good tempo. His reactions to others are faint, but he listens sincerely.
If he put it in his own words, he probably has at least the talent for conversation.
I stopped thinking there.
"…Again."
I muttered to myself.
He and I were currently fighting.
I understood what he'd done during the uninhabited island exam, yet I couldn't accept it, and we couldn't talk like before.
Still, sometimes—almost unconsciously—I'd remember him.
If I just thought time would repair our relationship, it would be fine, but I just couldn't accept it.
"What's wrong?"
Ayanokouji had been looking at me.
He'd apparently heard my mutter.
"Don't mind me. Just personal worries."
"I see. If you want, I can listen."
"This is something I'll ask the fortune-teller, so it's not necessary."
I said that and ended the topic.
Then I realized—again.
I'd brushed off someone's kindness too easily.
I let out a heavy sigh.
"…You really okay?"
Ayanokouji asked again.
We had plenty of time, so I made up my mind. Since we'd be getting a reading in the same room anyway, there was a chance it would come up.
"…You remember Kamukura?"
"I do. That appearance is hard to forget."
True enough. That look is one of a kind. Satisfied, I continued.
"I'm kind of fighting with him right now… anyway, it's super awkward."
"I see. What happened?"
"Can't go into details, but we argued. …He didn't trust me."
When I confessed what was on my mind, Ayanokouji took on a serious expression and thought about it.
Unexpected. I appreciated the attitude.
"…Cheating?"
"That's not it!!"
His completely off-base guess almost made a vein pop. Take back the praise.
"You looked so serious I assumed it was romantic."
"Nobody said anything like that!! We're not even dating!!"
"…Really? You're together a lot, so I thought…"
"If we were dating, I wouldn't be here with you!!"
"Fair point."
Ayanokouji showed he was convinced.
His tone never changed, making me suspect he was doing it on purpose, but seeing that harmless expression, I somehow felt it wasn't the case.
"Besides, Kamukura doesn't seem like the type to believe in fortune-telling."
"I don't know if he believes in it or not, but yeah, he definitely wouldn't come here."
"Why's that?"
I rattled off the rest without hesitation, even though I knew this was exactly what had been bothering me.
"That guy can do fortune-telling himself."
"That's impressive. Does being a fortune-teller require some kind of qualification?"
"Who knows. He just said, 'I possess at least the talent of a fortune-teller,' and explained the basics to me, so I'm not sure."
He'd explained tarot reading to me back then.
Fortune-tellers use applied cold reading—it's supposedly easy. That's what Kamukura said, but there's no way a profession that masters it could actually be simple.
Making someone believe in something as unscientific as gods or Buddhas already requires incredible conversational skill. It's not something just anyone can imitate.
"…Ibuki, you sure you weren't tricked?"
"Hah? What are you on about?"
"Kamukura's definitely amazing, but believing it without seeing it in person isn't good."
A completely sound argument—I couldn't refute it.
Ayanokouji wasn't wrong. But this was probably a difference in recognition... whether you'd been close to him or not.
Everything he does is flawless, so I just assumed he could do it too.
Even I thought like Ayanokouji at first. But at some point, doubting him started to feel ridiculous.
"Well, yeah. You're right."
His version of normal is poisonous to the eyes. Common sense doesn't apply.
"You okay? You're not becoming delusional about Kamukura, are you?"
"What have you been saying this whole time?"
"No, it's just—you sounded like you were bragging about a boyfriend you're crazy about."
"You wanna get punched?"
When I clenched my fist, Ayanokouji raised both hands and stepped back.
His overly scared reaction immediately cooled my anger.
"…So Ibuki's problem is reconciling with Kamukura?"
Ayanokouji brought the conversation back.
"I guess you could put it that way?"
"You're being evasive."
"The end goal is that, but it's a little hard to say. …Never mind, forget this topic. I need to organize my words a bit."
I unilaterally ended the conversation.
I'd consult the fortune-teller about this later. I needed to prepare what to say for the real thing.
After that, we didn't talk until it was our turn.
...
"Next, please."
The voice came from inside the small temporary booth right at midday.
"We waited forever."
Ayanokouji grumbled but followed the guidance forward.
Each pair had taken about fifteen minutes, so we'd been forced to stand for quite a while.
I followed him, passing through the cloth curtain into the room where the fortune-teller waited.
Inside was exactly the kind of scene you'd expect from TV.
A room with no natural light, dim lighting. A book as thick as a dictionary and a crystal ball the size of a bowling ball.
The old fortune-teller wore a hooded robe, hiding her expression.
The atmosphere was perfect. It got me excited.
Two backless round chairs sat in front of her—clearly for us.
We sat down, and the fortune-teller gave a faint smile before moving her right hand.
"First... payment."
She said this and placed a small card reader on the table from under it.
The sudden modern device felt out of place and startled me, but I asked a question before paying.
"What can you read?"
"Studies, career, love—whatever you like."
She laughed with the standard line. The eerie vibe increased my satisfaction a little.
I checked the price list on the table.
There were many plans, but as expected, most were love-related.
So I immediately chose the basic plan.
"Still… expensive."
Ayanokouji muttered.
As someone from D Class, he didn't have many private points.
That was school policy—nothing to be done.
"I'll just do the basic plan. What about you?"
"…Same as Ibuki."
We paid. That should be everything.
"Then let's start with you, young lady. Your name?"
"Ibuki. Mio Ibuki."
I answered shortly and waited.
"My readings look at the face, the hands, and the heart. Sometimes I see things you don't want seen."
"Do whatever."
When I replied, she instructed me to extend both hands, so I did.
Even the wrinkled skin felt authentic.
"First, palm reading. Your life line is long—you'll live a long life. No serious illnesses visible for now…"
Typical lines that sounded convincing yet could feel like a scam, but the atmosphere made me listen seriously.
"No issues with studies. Keep up your current pace. Money luck is fine too. But avoid wasteful spending…"
Generic words continued.
"Love… it seems you have a troublesome friend."
The fortune-teller suddenly hit the core, making me tense.
"Hm. Mostly problems caused by that friend, but you're quite at fault too."
"…What do you mean?"
"Nothing much—just be more honest. Express your feelings, make them acknowledge their wrong, and show the generosity to forgive."
Those words pricked my heart.
He's the one at fault. But the fortune-teller had a point too.
Relationships can heal with time sometimes. But in our case, time alone wouldn't fix it.
One of us needed to take a step forward. But Kamukura's oblivious to this kind of thing.
Genius. Even he, who claims that title freely, has blind spots.
"…Got it."
When I answered honestly, the fortune-teller brought out the crystal ball from behind her.
I almost got excited. Someone actually used one outside of TV or manga?
She placed both hands on it as if channeling power.
"────This!"
Her eyes widened, voice rising.
But she quickly coughed and adjusted.
"…Little girl."
"Little girl…?"
The sudden change in address made me retort instinctively.
But her tone was serious; even through the cloth, she seemed flustered.
"…Soon────you will meet the god of this world."
"…Huh?"
What was this fortune-teller saying?
It suddenly felt suspicious. I glanced at Ayanokouji—he looked skeptical too. I probably wore a similar expression.
But that moment passed quickly. The fortune-teller grabbed both my shoulders.
The sudden movement caught me off guard.
"Pure white hair and crimson eyes… A man. Listen carefully to the revelation."
A fierce expression peeked from under the swaying hood.
I shrank back a little at the intensity.
"…Sorry. I lost composure. That's all."
"Y-yeah… Thank you."
I thanked her politely despite my fluster.
She returned the crystal ball to its place and turned to Ayanokouji.
"You're next, boy."
"…Boy, huh."
Ayanokouji retorted in a flat voice.
Similar exchange to mine.
Then his reading began.
"…You've been through quite a harsh past."
After the exact same process as mine she declared this.
She continued.
Apparently, Ayanokouji had innate tenchūsatsu.
In short, a rare trait held by those who've lived an unlucky life from birth.
But it's not lifelong misfortune—you can still decide your actions despite bad luck.
"Little girl, the revelation might have noise, but listen well."
"Ah… y-yes."
When the reading ended and I stood, she told me this.
I gave a half-hearted reply and left.
"How was it? Your first fortune-telling."
I asked after walking a bit from the booth.
"You?"
"Mostly satisfied… except for that last prophecy."
"…Yeah. Suddenly hearing 'god of this world'—all I could do was be shocked."
"That fortune-teller has a high reputation and accuracy, but that part suddenly felt fake."
"Same here. But it made me take fortune-telling a little more seriously."
"Then it was worth it."
Ayanokouji seemed slightly dissatisfied but overall content with the experience.
"Well, I'll head back here."
"Yeah, thanks today. It was fun."
We exchanged goodbyes and parted in different directions.
I'd complained earlier, but overall I was satisfied with today's fortune-telling.
I felt ready to talk to Kamukura once school started, and I'd gotten good advice.
But some parts were unbelievable.
The serious "god of this world."
I believe in gods, but meeting one suddenly feels fake.
Not like the postwar emperor. It was probably a technique to make it believable through intensity.
I convinced myself of that and returned to my dorm room.
After that day, I didn't talk to anyone and reached the last day of summer vacation.
The fortune-teller's prophecy never came true. It lingered in my head for about a day after, but no god-like man appeared.
So by the morning of the final day, I'd completely forgotten it.
The night before the last day, my phone rang unusually—from Shiina, inviting me to the pool.
Apparently Ryuuen had invited her, but she was hesitating; if I went, she'd go too.
Unusual for the unathletic Shiina, so I casually agreed without worrying about Ryuuen.
Tomorrow would be early. I prepared everything before bed and slept.
...
The morning alarm woke me.
I sat up, still bleary-eyed.
I reached to stop the clock by my bed, but it wasn't there.
Yet somehow the alarm stopped.
Failing my routine made me look around.
Nothing.
No, "nothing" wasn't accurate.
A pure white space with floating long strings of alphanumerics here and there.
With no up, down, left, or right, these strings helped maintain my sense of balance.
But beyond that—nothing.
My familiar room, my usual phone, the bed I'd been sleeping in.
As consciousness sharpened, I finally noticed I was in my uniform.
"…Where?"
My words vanished on their own without echoing.
Too vivid for a dream.
I looked around again—no notable features.
Maybe this was the lucid dream I'd heard rumors about.
"Pretty realistic dream."
"It's a bit different from a dream, though."
A voice came from behind. One very similar to his.
At the unexpected event, I quickly turned toward it.
There stood one man with pure white hair and crimson eyes.
Added to that, the golden aura overflowing from his body and the distinctive antenna-like ahoge.
***
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