koimonogatari chapter 29
Jan. 10th, 2013 04:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eldridgeBlack and white.
I sensed that mixture. No, it was not that I had at a mere glance discerned her inner self to that extent; it might have been a simple impression regarding the fact that her hair was jet black streaked with white.
Naturally, I in no way knew the girl, who wore a coarse duffle coat, earmuffs, and winter boots.
However, I had a hunch that this dignified girl with her air of not trying to hide anything might have been yesterday's "tail," as well as the one who had sneakily left a note in my room. I could intuit that.
No — I was made to intuit it.
"Good afternoon, Kaiki Deishuu-san. We haven't met; I'm Hanekawa Tsubasa, a classmate of Senjougahara and Araragi's."
So saying, she — Hanekawa Tsubasa — bowed deeply to me, the swindler. Of course, she took her eyes off me when she bowed her head, so at that moment I was in a position to make a dash for it and escape.
I have a reasonable amount of confidence in my running speed.
However, there was the fact of the regrettably snow-covered road, as well as the fact that, for whatever reason, I was not inclined to run away from her in such a fashion.
As much as the feelings are unusual for me — or, perhaps, as incapable as I am of experiencing them — before this girl, I could not even think of wanting to exhibit a behavior so cowardly as escaping.
Although I had not even once hitherto thought of escape as being cowardly.
"......And I," I said, presently, "am Kaiki Deishuu — or some such self-introduction, though it appears that's going further than necessary. After all, you've heard about me from Senjougahara and Araragi, have you not?"
"I have," said Hanekawa, raising her head.
She had an earnest expression. And there was something overwhelming in her refined features. She possessed a force disproportionate to her age, something she had in common with Senjougahara.
Birds of a feather, I suppose?
However, she went on —
"In all honesty, though, I knew of you before I heard it from the two of them. I assisted with the Fire Sisters' investigation into —"
"...Don't make it sound as though you respectfully obeyed those children," I interrupted. "I hope at any rate that you do have something to say to me? I'm listening. Let me hear it. As for me, I have nothing to say to you."
"............"
Hanekawa brushed her hair back with one hand. "That's true. We shouldn't just stand around chatting," she said. Her tone was very polite, so it couldn't be said that she dropped the formality, but her attitude was somewhat softer as she nodded to me.
"However, I'd like to know something beforehand: Are Senjougahara and Araragi aware of the fact that you came to meet me like this?"
"No, certainly not."
"I see."
Every last one of them.
I had the impression that a new character was popping up in this Gift of the Magi, but in that case, the introduction of someone intruding on the loving couple seemed somewhat clownish.
Of course, by that reasoning, I too had sneaked into my current position, so I couldn't say anything about Hanekawa.
Two jesters on a snowy roadside.
It seemed that, contrary to expectation, she and I were similar.
"Well, that's all right. It doesn't matter. It's not my intention to tattle, so relax. I don't have a plan to blackmail you over that secret."
"...Even without that specific comment, I wasn't worried," Hanekawa said, with a wry smile. A smile so lenient, so ample, with such a magnanimity to it.
It's a pity, but with her coat on, I was unable to gauge the ampleness of the large bosom Senjougahara had mentioned.
"Besides, strictly speaking, I'm not really trying to keep my meeting with you a secret."
"Oh. Is that right."
With that fact, I could feel my potential earnings diminishing.
I started walking down the snow-covered road.
"However, within this town, I'm a shady person who must remain hidden. I think it's best that I not be seen, particularly not in your company. I was thinking of taking a taxi from here; is that all right?"
"Yes, that's fine."
Hanekawa nodded readily.
Standing in front of him with forthright confidence is one thing, but I thought riding in a car beside a swindler would have exceeded the limit of her pluck.
Thus, my understanding was exceeded.
On the other hand, I myself would rather have avoided this, but as I was the one who had suggested it, I was unable to withdraw.
Once off the mountain, Hanekawa and I hailed a taxi and sped directly off toward the station downtown. This might have been undue caution or it may not have been undue cation, but due to the conspicuous shape of this young lady known as Hanekawa Tsubasa, it was probably not undue caution.
If I had been paying truly thorough attention to security, I ought to have split up with Hanekawa and arranged to meet at a different location after a few hours passed.
However, she was unlike Sengoku Nadeko in that, for good or bad, Hanekawa Tsubasa seemed not to be particularly self-aware regarding the fact of her cuteness, or perhaps her loveliness.
"Yes, I certainly am conspicuous, with this hair. I'm sorry; when I'm in school, I dye it all black every morning, but what with winter vacation, I got careless and forgot."
She said that.
Shyly.
"............"
Furthermore, while talking of other matters or while making conversation or idle chitchat in the car, something occurred to me.
It occurred to me that she had probably grown up very unloved. With parents who were too strict, or perhaps too hands-off.
I had no particularly deep reason to draw that conclusion, but her strangely unchildlike manner gave me that impression of her past.
"I heard from Senjougahara that you were overseas right now... what was that? Did she lie to prevent us from making contact?"
"Oh, no. She wasn't lying."
Although she had wanted to ask questions of me, for now, Hanekawa was answering mine.
"That is, Senjougahara-san didn't think what she said was a lie. She and Araragi-kun both think I'm overseas right now."
"Hmm..."
I wondered what on earth this girl was selling, in exchange for what gift. In any case, if she had no need to keep it secret that she met with me, there must have been no need to keep it a secret that she had returned to Japan.
"Ah... No, this is a near-useless collaboration, by which I mean it's a somewhat friendlier alternative to a wasted effort. Having made that sort of feint might be a breakthrough, I think..."
"...A breakthrough."
"Yes... well, even though I somehow don't think Oshino-san is overseas, I still feel as though I may as well give it a try. More than that, though, my temporarily leaving the country might work as a smokescreen. It might let me go unnoticed."
"'Go unnoticed,' you say, but by whom? Sengoku Nadeko?"
"There's that too, but if I had to say, it's probably Gaen-san."
As though she'd suddenly realized something after saying this, Hanekawa — "Oh, I'm so sorry, Kaiki-san. I spoke carelessly" — apologized to me.
"Even though Gaen-san is your senior, I spoke discourteously of her. I beg your pardon."
"Our senior–junior connection is a thing of the past. My relationship with Gaen-senpai has been severed." It was somewhat comedic that I said this while obstinately displaying the customary respect for a senior. Of course, I put less than the full degree of respect into the word 'senpai.' "So never mind that. ...That's right, I hear you were admonished by Gaen-senpai firsthand. How to put it... what bad luck."
In an instant, I ended up impulsively apologizing to Hanekawa, but upon consideration, there was no reason for me to apologize.
For some reason, Hanekawa laughed, eheheh.
"It's something like, I wanted her to think I was making an inept move against her... so I've come back to the country just for a a moment, but tomorrow morning I'll be flying out again."
"Coming back for a moment... Is there some significance to using that precious time to meet up with me?"
"Yes. There is."
Hanekawa nodded vigorously.
It was strange, but having it thus asserted by her made it seem as though this meeting in Japan did have major significance.
"To Gaen-san, who knows everything, something like this would not seem to hold much significance, but because I went overseas, it gave Senjougahara-san more freedom of movement, and she got in touch with you — I think that was excellent. A happy accident, or maybe a happy calculation. Kaiki-san..." said Hanekawa, staring into my eyes.
Until now, I had never seen a human being look so directly into anyone's eyes.
"Please save Senjougahara-san."
I sensed that mixture. No, it was not that I had at a mere glance discerned her inner self to that extent; it might have been a simple impression regarding the fact that her hair was jet black streaked with white.
Naturally, I in no way knew the girl, who wore a coarse duffle coat, earmuffs, and winter boots.
However, I had a hunch that this dignified girl with her air of not trying to hide anything might have been yesterday's "tail," as well as the one who had sneakily left a note in my room. I could intuit that.
No — I was made to intuit it.
"Good afternoon, Kaiki Deishuu-san. We haven't met; I'm Hanekawa Tsubasa, a classmate of Senjougahara and Araragi's."
So saying, she — Hanekawa Tsubasa — bowed deeply to me, the swindler. Of course, she took her eyes off me when she bowed her head, so at that moment I was in a position to make a dash for it and escape.
I have a reasonable amount of confidence in my running speed.
However, there was the fact of the regrettably snow-covered road, as well as the fact that, for whatever reason, I was not inclined to run away from her in such a fashion.
As much as the feelings are unusual for me — or, perhaps, as incapable as I am of experiencing them — before this girl, I could not even think of wanting to exhibit a behavior so cowardly as escaping.
Although I had not even once hitherto thought of escape as being cowardly.
"......And I," I said, presently, "am Kaiki Deishuu — or some such self-introduction, though it appears that's going further than necessary. After all, you've heard about me from Senjougahara and Araragi, have you not?"
"I have," said Hanekawa, raising her head.
She had an earnest expression. And there was something overwhelming in her refined features. She possessed a force disproportionate to her age, something she had in common with Senjougahara.
Birds of a feather, I suppose?
However, she went on —
"In all honesty, though, I knew of you before I heard it from the two of them. I assisted with the Fire Sisters' investigation into —"
"...Don't make it sound as though you respectfully obeyed those children," I interrupted. "I hope at any rate that you do have something to say to me? I'm listening. Let me hear it. As for me, I have nothing to say to you."
"............"
Hanekawa brushed her hair back with one hand. "That's true. We shouldn't just stand around chatting," she said. Her tone was very polite, so it couldn't be said that she dropped the formality, but her attitude was somewhat softer as she nodded to me.
"However, I'd like to know something beforehand: Are Senjougahara and Araragi aware of the fact that you came to meet me like this?"
"No, certainly not."
"I see."
Every last one of them.
I had the impression that a new character was popping up in this Gift of the Magi, but in that case, the introduction of someone intruding on the loving couple seemed somewhat clownish.
Of course, by that reasoning, I too had sneaked into my current position, so I couldn't say anything about Hanekawa.
Two jesters on a snowy roadside.
It seemed that, contrary to expectation, she and I were similar.
"Well, that's all right. It doesn't matter. It's not my intention to tattle, so relax. I don't have a plan to blackmail you over that secret."
"...Even without that specific comment, I wasn't worried," Hanekawa said, with a wry smile. A smile so lenient, so ample, with such a magnanimity to it.
It's a pity, but with her coat on, I was unable to gauge the ampleness of the large bosom Senjougahara had mentioned.
"Besides, strictly speaking, I'm not really trying to keep my meeting with you a secret."
"Oh. Is that right."
With that fact, I could feel my potential earnings diminishing.
I started walking down the snow-covered road.
"However, within this town, I'm a shady person who must remain hidden. I think it's best that I not be seen, particularly not in your company. I was thinking of taking a taxi from here; is that all right?"
"Yes, that's fine."
Hanekawa nodded readily.
Standing in front of him with forthright confidence is one thing, but I thought riding in a car beside a swindler would have exceeded the limit of her pluck.
Thus, my understanding was exceeded.
On the other hand, I myself would rather have avoided this, but as I was the one who had suggested it, I was unable to withdraw.
Once off the mountain, Hanekawa and I hailed a taxi and sped directly off toward the station downtown. This might have been undue caution or it may not have been undue cation, but due to the conspicuous shape of this young lady known as Hanekawa Tsubasa, it was probably not undue caution.
If I had been paying truly thorough attention to security, I ought to have split up with Hanekawa and arranged to meet at a different location after a few hours passed.
However, she was unlike Sengoku Nadeko in that, for good or bad, Hanekawa Tsubasa seemed not to be particularly self-aware regarding the fact of her cuteness, or perhaps her loveliness.
"Yes, I certainly am conspicuous, with this hair. I'm sorry; when I'm in school, I dye it all black every morning, but what with winter vacation, I got careless and forgot."
She said that.
Shyly.
"............"
Furthermore, while talking of other matters or while making conversation or idle chitchat in the car, something occurred to me.
It occurred to me that she had probably grown up very unloved. With parents who were too strict, or perhaps too hands-off.
I had no particularly deep reason to draw that conclusion, but her strangely unchildlike manner gave me that impression of her past.
"I heard from Senjougahara that you were overseas right now... what was that? Did she lie to prevent us from making contact?"
"Oh, no. She wasn't lying."
Although she had wanted to ask questions of me, for now, Hanekawa was answering mine.
"That is, Senjougahara-san didn't think what she said was a lie. She and Araragi-kun both think I'm overseas right now."
"Hmm..."
I wondered what on earth this girl was selling, in exchange for what gift. In any case, if she had no need to keep it secret that she met with me, there must have been no need to keep it a secret that she had returned to Japan.
"Ah... No, this is a near-useless collaboration, by which I mean it's a somewhat friendlier alternative to a wasted effort. Having made that sort of feint might be a breakthrough, I think..."
"...A breakthrough."
"Yes... well, even though I somehow don't think Oshino-san is overseas, I still feel as though I may as well give it a try. More than that, though, my temporarily leaving the country might work as a smokescreen. It might let me go unnoticed."
"'Go unnoticed,' you say, but by whom? Sengoku Nadeko?"
"There's that too, but if I had to say, it's probably Gaen-san."
As though she'd suddenly realized something after saying this, Hanekawa — "Oh, I'm so sorry, Kaiki-san. I spoke carelessly" — apologized to me.
"Even though Gaen-san is your senior, I spoke discourteously of her. I beg your pardon."
"Our senior–junior connection is a thing of the past. My relationship with Gaen-senpai has been severed." It was somewhat comedic that I said this while obstinately displaying the customary respect for a senior. Of course, I put less than the full degree of respect into the word 'senpai.' "So never mind that. ...That's right, I hear you were admonished by Gaen-senpai firsthand. How to put it... what bad luck."
In an instant, I ended up impulsively apologizing to Hanekawa, but upon consideration, there was no reason for me to apologize.
For some reason, Hanekawa laughed, eheheh.
"It's something like, I wanted her to think I was making an inept move against her... so I've come back to the country just for a a moment, but tomorrow morning I'll be flying out again."
"Coming back for a moment... Is there some significance to using that precious time to meet up with me?"
"Yes. There is."
Hanekawa nodded vigorously.
It was strange, but having it thus asserted by her made it seem as though this meeting in Japan did have major significance.
"To Gaen-san, who knows everything, something like this would not seem to hold much significance, but because I went overseas, it gave Senjougahara-san more freedom of movement, and she got in touch with you — I think that was excellent. A happy accident, or maybe a happy calculation. Kaiki-san..." said Hanekawa, staring into my eyes.
Until now, I had never seen a human being look so directly into anyone's eyes.
"Please save Senjougahara-san."
