Chapter 159 - Grat.i.tude from Our Strange Connection

Hearing the words the dumbfounded Kusunoki-san muttered, I also became surprised as if time had stopped.

[How did you know that name, Kusunoki-san]

[..]

Kusunoki-san doesnt say anything. She just froze with her eyes wide open, and after a moment tears appeared in her eyes.

I was surprised by those tears, but I was even more astonished by the words she said next.

[Im Hibis]

[Eh? Eeehhhh!?]

K- Kusunoki-san is Hibis-kun!? That is N- No, she certainly had the same age as him.

To be honest, Ive always a.s.sumed that he was a boy since he told me that he was a boy right from the start but There are many people who play online games with false genders, such as Nekamas and Nenabes.

(T/N: Nekamas is a boy pretending to be a girl, well this one should be quite well known, there are lots of them in MMOs. Nenabes is the opposite, a girl pretending to be a boy.)

[Kusunoki-san is Hibis-kun?]

[Yes.]

Kusunoki-san nodded at my words, holding back her tears as I asked her, still quite dubious if shes telling the truth.

The world really is quite a small place, and even though we are in a different world now, coincidences really happen in places you least expect it. I never expected to see Hibis-kun again here right at this moment.

No, to begin with, shes a girl who is four years younger than me If I hadnt been summoned to another world, theres no way we would have even talked with each other like this.

Just accidentally getting caught up in a hero summoning, and among the people that were also caught up was a girl younger than me, who just so happened to be someone I met in an MMO with tens of thousands of people playing, and that girl remembers me I think thats already enough to be called a miracle.

[Ciel-san!?]

[Wha!? Wait, K- Kusunoki-san!?]

[Ciel-san As I thought Youre Ciel-san]

[Unnn. Errr Its been a while, I guess?]

[ ! ? ]

Kusunoki-san, who jumped in to cling to my chest, was slightly trembling.

And with her voice blurred with tears She called the character name I used to use in that MMO many times. Yeah, how should I say this Being called with that name in real life feels kind of embarra.s.sing

[Why.. Why did you leave]

[Eh?]

[I Im always always feeling lonely]

[Kusunoki-san.]

Its no exaggeration to say that me and Hibis-kun Well, Kusunoki-san were always together in that MMO.

I just happened to be the one who approached her when she was a newbie, but Kusunoki-san was always attached to me so much that she always spends the majority of her short log-in time with me.

When I told her that I was retiring three years ago, unlike usual, she connected with me for hours and said goodbye to me.

Honestly, I felt like I had a little brother at that time too, and thats why he was my biggest reason as to why I regret retiring.

[Im sorry, I was just taking exams at that time I lost my parents back then, and my relatives were the ones taking care of me at that time I cant trouble them by becoming a ronin]

(T/N: A middle schooler/high schooler that has graduated but has failed to enter a school at the next level.)

[Its okay. Im sorry Im the one who was being childish.]

The main reason I retired from online gaming was to take college exams.

I thought that I would cause trouble for my aunt and uncle if I became a ronin, so I stepped away from online games to concentrate on my studies.

Once I left the game, I didnt have much of a chance to get back to playing and in the end, I never went back to that game until now.

Kusunoki-san said that shes still playing that game.

I may just be being conceited but perhaps, Kusunoki-san was waiting for me to come back for a long time.

[I see, Kusunoki-san is Hibis-kun huh.]

[Yes.]

[Well, its not like Ive seen you before, and Ive always thought you were a boy But youve grown up huh. Im glad we met again.]

[Ciel-san I I]

Putting my hand on Kusunoki-sans trembling head, I stroked it as gently as I can.

Kusunoki-san looked like she really was overcome with emotion, and in the end, with large drops of tears streaming down her eyes, she tightly clung on my body.

Although being hugged by a lovely high school girl is a great situation to be in Theres an important problem here.

The place where were in isnt exactly my room where we have some sort of privacy, but were in the main street Yep, in the middle of the main street.

A man and a woman hugging each other in the middle of such a busy street, and the woman is crying while holding onto a man Even if Im the pa.s.serby, I would also stop and watch.

[K- Kusunoki-san!? For now, lets change places!?]

[Eh? Ahh]

Hurriedly grabbing Kusunoki-sans hand, we quickly left the place at a fast pace as I was exposed to strange stares from all directions.

Kusunoki-san looked a little surprised, but she didnt resist and followed me looking embarra.s.sed, her head held down to cover her face.

Reaching a small, spa.r.s.ely populated plaza and sitting down next to each other on the wooden benches provided in the area We were just fine earlier, but I wonder why? It feels very awkward right now.

Kusunoki-san, still with her head lowered down, with her small hands clasped in front of her chest, seems to be fidgeting for some reason.

She looks very cute like that, but the silence feels heavy because shes not saying anything.

[E- Errr, Kusunoki-san?]

[!? Y- Y- Y- Yes!?]

[Are you alright?]

[I- I- I- Im alright!]

When I called out to her, Kusunoki-san turned to me with a very fl.u.s.tered look on her face But when her eyes met mine, she turned bright red and looked away.

[You said As I thought earlier Did you realize earlier that I was Ciel?]

[No, I wasnt quite confident with my guess. However, when I thought about when you retired from online gaming and the age difference between you and me, I thought that maybe]

[Is that so. Sorry, I didnt notice it at all on my end]

[No, I wasnt sure either. Since your name is Kaito, I thought that you got it from the Kai in your name which means Sh.e.l.l, which had the same p.r.o.nunciation as Ciel, but I thought it was too simple]

[Im sorry Im too simple.]

[Eh? Ah, no, y- youre mistaken! Its not like Im trying to make fun of Miyama-san!]

Just as Kusunoki-san said, the origin of my character name was very straightforward.

My real name is Kaito, so taking the Sh.e.l.l from Kai, I just used a word that sounds the as that and used it as my character name Yep. Its very embarra.s.sing. I feel like one of my black history is being exposed.

[I also got my character name from my own name Hibis was taken from Hibiscus, which is a Mallow Flower (Aoika no Hana). Ive always said that my online self is different from my real self]

[I see No, but then again, this is quite the coincidence, isnt it? I never thought we would meet again in this way.

[Yes, Im also surprised but more than that, Im glad.]

[Glad?]

Kusunoki-san once again looks down in embarra.s.sment, and with a small voice, she muttered.

As I tilted my head at her words, she turned her gaze to me, her cheeks dyed red, and gave me a bashful smile.

[I thought it would be greatif Ciel-san was Miyama-san]

[ ! ? ]

I could say without hesitation that Kusunoki-san has the appearance that would define her as a beautiful girl.

Her long black hair is smooth and s.h.i.+ny, and as if it was well-practiced, her posture and back muscles were straightened, making the term Yamato Nades.h.i.+ko fit her really well.

The sight of Kusunoki-san being shy and embarra.s.sed is very cute, and I cant help but feel the heat rise up on my face without even noticing it.

[Ah, errrr, Kusunoki-sa- [ Aoi. ] -Eh?]

[Please. Please just call me Aoi by my name. If its possible, could you also please dont use -san]

[E- Errr, then Aoi-chan?]

[Yes!]

When I called her that, Kusunoki-san Aoi-chan let out a very happy smile.

Seeing that smile, which shows her straightforward trust for me, I realized once again that Aoi-chan is Hibis-kun.

Feeling a bit embarra.s.sed, I fl.u.s.teredly called out to Aoi-chan.

[Im sure Bell is getting bored, so how about we continue our walk?]

[Yes.]

Following me as I stand up from the bench, Aoi-chan also stands up.

And, just as I was about to walk over to Bell who was waiting a few distance away from us I felt a slight tug on my clothes.

Its not a very strong tug, but a gentle, but a reserved one as if it was gently touched but it made me stop walking, turning my head to Aoi-chan.

[Ummm.]

[Unnn?]

[Could we go for a stroll together like this again?]

[U- Unnn. Of course, I dont mind.]

[Thank you very much. Once again, I will be in your care. Kaito-san!]

Seeing Aoi-chan with a big smile on her face, as if her doubts had been cleared, a smile also appeared on my face.

Dear Mom, Dad Aoi-chan was actually the child who was quite attached to me in an MMO I used to play a long time ago. While I was surprised at the amazing coincidence, what bubbled up in my heart was grat.i.tude for our strange connection.

I think Aoi-chan is actually quite a legitimate heroine.

Shes got long black hair, his kouhai, and shes in high school

T/N: 33/209