Perhaps it was just her imagination. The person beside her was clearly Natsume-san, while Kuroko was still in the hospital under observation.
No sooner had she spoken than Misaka-senpai's face showed a hint of hesitation, wondering if she had been too tense and sensitive lately.
So much had happened recently; her nerves were indeed stretched taut.
What used to be perfectly ordinary days now felt particularly precious.
"So, what's the plan for today?"
Natsume Sonoko's thoughtful voice drifted by as she earnestly responded to the question.
For a good while, she couldn't come up with anything to do, as she really had no plans.
If she weren't keeping an eye on Misaka-senpai, she'd usually be holed up in her dorm or out searching for something interesting.
Ah, that's right—maybe she could visit Shirai-san again, even though that girl was being discharged tomorrow.
'My plan for today is to stick with Misaka-senpai.'
Natsume-san put her mind to work, considered the situation, and finally arrived at a reasonable conclusion—though it probably wasn't the best thing to say out loud.
"Actually, I'm pretty free today."
Despite all the thoughts running through her head, her reply was simple and to the point. Natsume Sonoko was a woman of few words.
Before she knew it, they had already walked over two hundred meters from the School Garden's entrance, yet fully armed security personnel and guard robots were still visible everywhere.
The School Garden's security upgrades were among the most extensive in all of Academy City. Aside from relevant students and personnel, hardly anyone else could be seen in the vicinity.
"Natsume-san, we meet again."
In the quiet atmosphere, hearing her own name suddenly made Natsume-san pause in surprise.
Even before her eyes registered the speaker, an image formed in her mind: a peculiar silhouette composed of dissipating heat.
"Eh? It's Meigo-senpai."
Natsume-san turned around, her expression showing a fair bit of surprise.
The first-year singer-senpai was struggling to carry a large instrument case, still wearing her Academy uniform, though she had thrown a white jacket over it.
Her hand slipped slightly, and the case nearly tumbled to the ground.
For an active singer to be hauling such a large case alone was quite a concerning sight.
"Let me help you."
Ever the helpful citizen, Railgun lived up to her reputation, quickly stepping forward to steady the instrument case.
Her strength far surpassed that of an average person; she held the electronic keyboard and its case—weighing over fifteen kilograms—firmly in her hands.
"Thank you. Lately, delivery workers aren't taking jobs near the School Garden. I thought I could manage carrying the case alone, but I was a bit too optimistic."
Her smile was brimming with youthful energy, bright and adorable. The girl named Arisa easily struck up a conversation with Misaka-senpai.
"That does seem to be the case."
Natsume-san nodded lightly, shifting her attention to the girl who had suddenly appeared.
Though she was still on guard against sudden attacks from the dark side organizations and their masterminds, a certain preconceived notion about the girl's round bun hairstyle immediately ruled her out as a suspect.
"Meigo-senpai, are you heading out for a street performance now?"
Misaka Mikoto smoothly took the instrument case from her and asked with curiosity.
Misaka-senpai wasn't particularly into celebrities or anything; she just had a habit of meddling in others' affairs. Plus, it seemed Natsume-san already knew her.
"Yeah, I originally planned to perform at Aomori Park, but I had to change the location to somewhere near the School Garden."
She sounded a bit regretful, a trace of melancholy crossing her face. All her carefully laid plans had been thrown into disarray.
The foot traffic around the School Garden couldn't compare to that of the larger activity parks in District 7, especially since it was currently club activity time for most schools.
"In that case, there's a supermarket near Queen's Avenue having a sale today. It should be pretty crowded, and it's not too far from here."
As if struck by a sudden idea, Natsume-san immediately made the suggestion, clearly showing her helpful nature.
After crossing the nearby overpass, the foot traffic gradually increased, and more students began to appear.
Not everyone diligently participated in club activities; there were plenty of laid-back clubs like a certain round-bun-haired girl's, and some students simply gave up on the credits offered for club participation.
They helped set the instrument case down in a clearing in front of the supermarket, where several tall trees provided shade.
Meigo-senpai began setting up the keyboard stand under the shade of the trees.
Compared to the last time she'd seen it, the contents of the instrument case seemed sparse, appearing rather bare and shabby.
"I couldn't bring a lot of my equipment, so I have to make do with a simple setup."
Tiny beads of sweat dotted her temples as she finally got everything ready. Meigo Arisa adjusted the tuning while she spoke.
There was no need to plug it in—the electronic keyboard had a built-in battery. The moment she switched it on, it emitted a crisp, resonant sound that turned heads.
"Thank you both so much for your help."
"You know, even though you're both Level 5 espers, you're not quite what I imagined."
A charming smile graced her lips, her eyes curving into slight crescents as Meigo Arisa leaned gently against a nearby tree.
"What you imagined?"
Natsume Sonoko murmured softly, looking somewhat puzzled but curious.
"Yeah, both Misaka-senpai and Natsume-san are famous espers, so I've always paid attention to you."
Meigo-senpai seemed a bit embarrassed, her expression growing slightly awkward.
"Actually, it's because of some urban legends that I misunderstood you both. But now I see those are just rumors—you're both really nice people."
Her expression turned more serious as she spoke, a hint of apology in her tone.
In response, Natsume-san and Misaka-senpai exchanged glances, seemingly not quite following her meaning.
"It's from a chat forum online where they discuss topics related to espers," Meigo-senpai explained.
[Live on the Scene: The Third-Ranked Esper Zaps Delinquents in Creative Ways, Victims Share Their Tearful Accounts]
[The Fierce Tyrant of Judgment and Her Complicated Relationship with the Third-Ranked Esper]
[The New Eighth-Ranked Esper: An Even More Tyrannical Person Than the Fierce Number One (Inside Scoop from the Anti-Skill)]
[Revenge Gone Wild? Middle School Third-Year Thrown into a Dumpster—The Mastermind Revealed]
[...]
The list went on, each entry more shocking than the last, enough to move anyone to sympathy—or tears.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.