"The Dark Flame Master, death? If that's true, why are you helping this fake Mori Summer? Ugh—you really are a lapdog of the Time Management Bureau, death!"
"Let go of Dekomori! Dekomori will fight you to the death—death~!"
She struggled in Hayashi Maki's grasp—then the air suddenly turned hot.
Dekomori Sanae instinctively looked toward the source of the heat, and her eyes went wide.
"Th-this… what is it?"
A mass of pitch-black flame had appeared out of thin air in the man's hand, quietly scorching the air.
"Well, Dekomori-kouhai—do you believe me now?"
Hayashi Maki asked with a smile.
Dekomori froze, then nodded hard.
"I believe you! You really are the companion of my lord, the Tyrant's Eye—the Dark Flame Master, death~!"
Even as she spoke with joy, her heart was in turmoil. Who says all chūnibyō are idiots? They're just people bruised by reality who imagine their own extraordinariness to find the will to keep going in the crowd. But now she'd actually seen a real Dark Flame Master. Even Dekomori was shaken.
Still, shock didn't stop her from going after the "fake" Mori Summer.
"Heh-heh-heh! Dark Flame Master, let's take down this fake Mori Summer together, death!"
Nibutani Shinka's face went dark.
"Maki-kun—whose side are you on?"
Hayashi Maki chuckled, set Dekomori down on her feet, and said, "Yours, of course, Shinka."
He ruffled Dekomori's hair and went on, "Dekomori-kouhai, the one before you is Mori Summer—she's been hiding her identity to fight the Time Management Bureau. Ordinary people can't know this or it'll ruin everything. That's why she's denying it so hard."
"Eh? Really? But she said she hates the Dark Holy Text and wants to destroy it, death!"
Hayashi Maki shot Shinka a look that said really? The girl wore a mortified expression.
"A-hem, Dekomori-kouhai, Dark Flame Master is right. I only denied it to conceal my identity. You exposing me in public will get me targeted by the Time Management Bureau!"
No helping it—if she wanted to hoodwink the chūnibyō kouhai, she had to play along.
"Is that so? Did Dekomori really misunderstand you, death?" The petite, blonde twin-tails sniffled, big eyes welling.
Hayashi Maki patted her head—then Shinka's. "Get along, okay?"
Shinka flushed and glared at him, half shy, half annoyed.
"Why am I getting the same treatment as this little shrimp?"
"Don't sweat the details," Hayashi Maki said breezily.
Shinka looked exasperated, but inside she was fuming. How can I not care? I'm the one getting head-pats!
…
With Hayashi Maki's smooth-talking, Dekomori trotted off, cheerful again—though she declared that fake Mori Summer had not yet passed her tests. For the Dark Flame Master's sake, she would spare Nibutani Shinka for now. Shinka ground her teeth.
"It should be me sparing you, you little brat!"
Hayashi Maki caught Shinka's hand and tugged her to a quiet spot—then kabedon (wall-pin).
"Eek! Y-you're going to bully me again?"
Shinka's cheeks flared as she instinctively pushed his chest—and, as expected, couldn't budge him.
"How is this bullying? This is friendly communication."
He leaned in, breathing in the faint scent at her neck, arm snug around her waist.
"So, how did Mori-sama end up knowing that chūnibyō kouhai? And why were you chasing her without a care for your image?"
Shinka scowled. "Who knows where she came from? She suddenly started calling me Mori Summer; when I denied it, she quoted lines from that black-history book I wrote. I almost died of embarrassment on the spot! And ever since, she's been on my case—so annoying!"
Hayashi Maki couldn't help laughing at her indignation.
"That's chūnibyō. They only see the world through their own lens. So why deny being Mori Summer? Mori Summer could become a real mage, couldn't she? Don't be so quick to deny your past self—that was the most innocent Shinka."
His reassurance warmed her. Become a real mage? Wouldn't that mean… with him…? Her face went scarlet at the thought.
She ducked her head. "Th-the bell's about to ring. We should go back, right?"
Hayashi Maki nodded. "Exactly—so let's not waste time."
He dipped and kissed her. Shinka's eyes flew wide—knew it—this rascal. Drag her somewhere quiet and of course he'd make a move. Mortified, she nonetheless slid her arms around his neck and kissed back.
It wasn't the first time; she might as well let him. And she had to admit—she was a little excited. If she truly gained power, she'd immediately go teach that pint-sized Dekomori a lesson.
A few minutes later, Hayashi Maki let her go—flushed and breathless. He stroked her hair.
"Still not used to it? Looks like Mori-sama needs more coaching. This is the prelude to a contract—called mana exchange. It's good for you."
"Mm." Shinka nodded shyly—accepting his explanation.
"Alright, let's head back before we're late. As for that Dark Holy Text in Dekomori's hands, I'd drop the 'destroy' plan. She probably has countless backups on her computer. Even if you burn the copy she's holding, she'll just print a dozen more—what's the point?"
Shinka froze—then groaned.
"Aaaaah! Why did I ever write something so mortifying?"
"That's why I told you—don't be so quick to deny yourself. I think that book is great. Lots of lines in there helped me—filled gaps in my chūnibyō vocabulary."
"R-really?" Being recognized, she realized maybe her old self wasn't so unacceptable after all.
"Of course. At the very least, I thought the old Shinka was cool. And the current one is very cute."
~~~
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