Chapter 393: Approaching darkness
Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Any person that had listened to a high-pitched singer before would know that a well-sung high-pitch would have a strong piercing ability.
Kaede's high-pitched singing displayed such a piercing ability as well, making Seiji and the others feel like their ears were being pierced through.
'Amazing, nee-san.'
Seiji was inwardly exclaiming at her performance.
After her part was finished, it was his turn again.
He instantly regained his senses and continued singing conversationally.
Meanwhile, the Amami siblings were still all in a daze. It took several seconds more for them to recover.
Hoshi had an impressed expression of "that was amazing," while Rion and Kotomi exchanged awkward glances with each other.
After a few lines of Seiji's conversational singing, the joyous music reached a climax, and it was the female singer's turn again.
Kaede began with a soft and gentle voice, and gradually increased her pitch in the next line. Then, in the next line after that, her piercing high pitch reappeared!
The audience received yet another impact.
This time, including even Rion and Kotomi, everyone had an expression of "wow, this is just too strong."
'Nee-san, we surrender! We kneel to you!!'
Kaede's voice was far too incomparable to an ordinary person's. There was a clear difference in level.
The song continued.
After the third female high-pitched section, the fourth, and the fifth… Kaede's singing could be termed as perfect since she did an excellent job each time without having her voice break pitch or singing off tune even a single time.
If this was on an idol discovery show, not only would all the judges turn to look at her, they would probably all be rushing to sign her!
As for Seiji, he received a double impact—not only from her excellent high pitch, but also from the flirtatious expressions she was tossing in his direction.
The blonde teacher's cannon fire was quite fierce as well!
Sergeant Haruta did his best to persist. Under continuous heavy cannon fire, even though he almost fell, he succeeded in maintaining his willpower to the very end.
After the song ended, everyone applauded.
They all applauded energetically, truly giving their appreciation to the professional female high-pitched singer… whoops, the health teacher.
Kaede smiled and accepted the applause.
The twin sisters looked at her with complex expressions that contained both impressment and something else.
"I used a little too much energy just now, someone else have a turn." The blonde teacher put down the microphone.
'Just a 'little' too much?' Seiji thought to himself. 'Was that not even her full potential? Could that really be…?'
He couldn't help but suggest, "Sensei, why don't you consider changing your job? I think you'll have quite an excellent future as a singer."
"I'm not very fond of singing. It's fine to sing from time to time, but I think it'll be too difficult for me to do it professionally," Kaede responded as she drank her refreshment. "But, if Harano-kun is willing to take responsibility, I'll happily become a singer." She smiled while looking directly at him.
This smile was quite a powerful attack, causing Seiji to take an unexpected arrow to the knee.
"Take… what type of responsibility?"
"Responsibility for the rest of my life, of course." The blonde beauty had a seductive expression.
Seiji took yet another impact in succession and his face reddened as he couldn't help but avert his gaze.
Hoshi felt like he was watching a lovers' scene, and said "Wow" in a tiny voice.
Rion and Kotomi's expressions became even more complex.
"Cough… Sensei is such a jokester… Let's continue singing. I'll sing a solo song next!" Seiji forcibly ignored his own feelings of awkwardness.
Kaede smiled as she looked towards the twin sisters.
They exchanged glances, and nonverbally communicated as girls would.
But as for what the content of their nonverbal communication was, only they would know.
And so, a fun time for all passed just like this.
After everyone was done singing, before they left the karaoke place, Seiji showed the twin sisters the rough character design and scenes that he had finished drawing.
Rion and Kotomi both said that he drew a great character and completely agreed to use her.
"As for whether or not to use these drawings in the end, I still need to talk to the artist… Romance of Ice and Fire, before I make my decision," Seiji told them.
"I never knew that Senpai knew how to draw as well. You're so amazing at drawing, it's incredible," Hoshi exclaimed sincerely as he observed. "You're a writer as well as an artist. Doesn't that mean that you can actually draw your own manga?"
"In the future, I may do so, but I have no intention to do so currently."
"I'll be waiting for your future work!"
"I also really want to read one of Harano-kun's mangas," Kaede said.
"We do as well," Rion and Kotomi added.
"Thank you all… but please don't get your hopes up." Seiji smiled.
Afterwards, they all left the karaoke place and returned to their homes.
The snow was still falling. As Seiji walked home, he watched the falling snow with calmness in his heart.
Tomorrow would be the final day of this year.
When thinking of this, he went over everything he had experienced after reincarnation.
Not much time had actually passed, only a few months, yet he experienced so many things… All in all, he definitely had lots of fun times.
He truly hoped that next year would be this much fun as well.
However, while hopes were hopes, there would always be darkness as well, such as…
Seiji's cell phone suddenly rang.
He checked the caller ID to see that the caller was Shika.
"Hey, Shika-chan, I'm on my way home right now. Is something up?"
"Brother… someone's looking for you," Shika told him. "A male Yin-Yang Master and a female Spirit-branded Retainer."
A male Yin-Yang Master? Seiji suddenly had an ominous premonition.
"He said that his name is Akatsuki Mitarai."
Seiji paused in his footsteps for a moment.
Then, he immediately quickened his pace!
"Have they entered our apartment?"
"No… I had them wait outside the door because I felt like these two people… aren't very good." Shika said in a low voice.
"You did the right thing. Don't let them in and wait for my return!" Seiji began running at a high speed.
Akatsuki Mitarai actually came looking for him at his home! What did he want!? Revenge? Or to threaten him?
Akatsuki was a dangerous individual. Just thinking about how Akatsuki was currently in front of his apartment, Seiji was quite tense.
No, he needed to calm down.
Although he was quite worried about Shika and Reo, especially because it was such a situation, it was important not to panic.
"Are they enemies?" Shika asked after hearing what her adopted brother said.
"Yes! Be on guard," Seiji told her. "Just let them wait outside and try to avoid talking to them… If they attack, take Reo and escape!"
"…Got it," Shika answered in a serious tone.
'Akatsuki together with a Spirit-branded Retainer isn't someone that Shika-chan can deal with, and even if I'm there as well…'
Although he successfully made Akatsuki lose multiple times during the Winter Snow Festival duels, Seiji knew clearly that it was still going to be incredibly difficult for just him and Shika to deal with that bastard.
Just because he won twice in a game-like duel against Akatsuki's Spirit-branded Retainer didn't mean that he would be able to win in an actual battle, because a duel like that game with rules like someone who went out of bounds would be declared a loser was completely different from an actual battle!
If Akatsuki and his Spirit-branded Retainer were serious this time… Everything else aside, the Uehara Apartments would probably be reduced to rubble!
Perhaps Seiji would be able to find a way to win using his ability to save and load, but rather than facing off against him right now and causing the destruction of property, he felt that it was better to avoid a direct confrontation for the time being.
In order to truly counter Akatsuki Mitarai, he had to find an equal-level existence—Natsuya.
"I'm hanging up now. Be extra cautious."
"Okay…"
After hanging up, Seiji immediately called the student council president.
However, he received a busy signal.
He called her again, but her line was still busy.
Perhaps she was currently talking to someone else.
After calling Natsuya several times but failing each time, Seiji sent Natsuya a text message instead, hoping that she would respond as soon as possible after reading his text.
Then, he called Shika again, so that he could know what was currently going on…
Akatsuki Mitarai was currently waiting.
Since he had visited unannounced, he knew that it was perfectly normal that Seiji might not be home.
He was confident that Seiji would rush home as soon as possible, so he didn't mind waiting for a little while. Besides, waiting was also a method for him to display his sincerity.
While it was slightly impolite to visit unannounced like this, for a Yin-Yang Master like him to personally visit someone who had been exiled was a huge display of his sincerity in his opinion. Besides, he was waiting outside in the snow in front of Seiji's doorstep, which seemed like a great display of sincerity that even the Haruta Family wouldn't find fault with.
In Akatsuki Mitarai's opinion, Seiji Haruta was insignificant. He was only at the level of "worthy of paying attention to."
The true problem with Seiji Haruta was that the "Haruta" family behind him was one of the seven major Yin-Yang Master families.
Or, more specifically, Seiji's older sister...
"Qilin Girl," Yui Haruta!