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During the lunch break at Miyamasuzaka Girls' Academy.
Tenma Tsukasa stood waiting in front of the school building, trying his hardest to maintain the dignified aura of a future world star, despite feeling slightly stiff from being the center of attention among the passing female students.
He had used his lunch break at Kamiyama High School to travel all the way here.
In his hand was a small paper bag containing a document folder that Saki had forgotten this morning. He had just texted his younger sister that he had arrived and was waiting as quietly and politely as someone like him possibly could.
However... peace and quiet rarely stayed with him for long.
"Are? It's Tsukasa-kun!!"
"Tsu-kaaa-saaaa-kuuuun!!"
A familiar, cheerful voice pierced through the air from afar before the petite figure of Otori Emu enthusiastically hopped over, her eyes sparkling like stars.
"Wonderhoyyy! What are you doing here, Tsukasa-kun!? Or is there some super fun surprise waiting to happen!?" Emu asked rapidly with brimming excitement, a wide smile plastered across her face.
"Uwahh!?"
Tsukasa flinched slightly before letting out a soft, fond sigh and smiling. "Perfect timing, Emu. Have you seen Sa—"
"Hey... that boy over there is from another school! What are you doing here?"
The stern voice of the teacher on duty suddenly interrupted.
"Hello. I am the older brother of Tenma Saki from Class 2-B. My sister forgot her—"
Tsukasa turned toward the voice, shifting his posture and opening his mouth to explain clearly and politely.
However... he didn't notice that the little girl in front of him had suddenly frozen stiff.
Oh no! Tsukasa-kun is a student from another school! If the teacher catches him, he'll be in big trouble!
Just like when I went to Kamikou!
Last time, Tsukasa-kun got into a huge mess because of me... I can't let that happen again!
The teacher took a step closer, narrowing their eyes as if preparing to question Tsukasa more directly.
Emu's eyes widened. She whipped around and grabbed Tsukasa's wrist!
"Eh!?...Emu?" Tsukasa blinked in confusion.
"This is bad! Tsukasa-kun, we need to run, quick!"
"HAH!? Run? Why should I run? I'm just here to—Uwaaaahhhh!"
Before he could even finish his sentence, an immense strength that completely defied Emu's tiny stature yanked him forward. She dragged him into a full sprint, leaving the teacher standing in the distance, completely bewildered.
As for the future star, who was a perfectly legal visitor, all he could do was scream at the top of his lungs down the hallway.
"W-WAIT, EMU! LISTEN TO ME FIRSTTTTT!"
"Shh! Don't worry, I'll protect you, Tsukasa-kun!!"
The hallway of Miyajo turned into a blurry streak. Tsukasa felt as though his feet weren't even touching the ground before...
BANG!!
The rooftop door swung open violently. Emu's petite figure burst through, dragging a heavily panting Tsukasa right behind her.
The sight before them was Momoi Airi and Hinomori Shizuku, two members from MORE MORE JUMP!, peacefully eating their bento lunches. Both girls paused with their chopsticks mid-air, staring at the intruders in sheer confusion.
"Wait... what exactly is going on here?" Airi furrowed her brows, looking at the boy from another school who looked as if he had just run for his life.
Tsukasa desperately tried to suck air into his lungs, raising a hand to signal for a timeout. "Hah... hold on... I'm just... trying to give... this to Saki..."
But Shizuku's eyes widened. She brought a hand to her chest, looking utterly shocked as if she had just uncovered the greatest mystery of the universe.
"Could it be... did Tsukasa-kun get lost and wander all the way here!?"
"HAH!?" Tsukasa's face contorted in disbelief, momentarily forgetting his exhaustion.
"Shizuku, how on earth did you jump to that conclusion!?" Airi instantly snapped back at her best friend.
"Well, just today I almost walked into the wrong building because I thought it was my classroom too," Shizuku replied with an innocently gentle smile.
"That doesn't prove anything! You're the only one who gets lost like that!" Airi pinched the bridge of her nose.
"W-Wait! Let me explain! I'm NOT lost!" Tsukasa tried to salvage his situation and his pride. "I'm just here to drop something—"
"It's completely fine, Tsukasa-kun," Shizuku didn't listen to a single word. She offered him an incredibly gentle, goddess-like smile of consolation.
"There's no need to be embarrassed if you really got lost. Everyone gets lost sometimes."
"I! SAID! I'M! NOT! LOST!!"
"Saki forgot her stuff!"
Tsukasa practically tore at his blonde hair. His last remaining shred of sanity was being heavily bombarded by the idol's absolute airheadedness.
"Ara... I see. So you weren't lost after all," Shizuku said softly, finally understanding.
"Saki-chan might be with Shii-chan, don't you think?" Shizuku added thoughtfully, as if offering a genuine solution.
"Exactly!" Tsukasa sighed in relief. "Thank you for finally getting it, Shizuku."
"Fufu, I'm sorry, Tsukasa-kun. I misunderstood."
Tsukasa let out a long, exhausted breath. Even after finally being understood, he still couldn't believe how quickly the situation had escalated.
Meanwhile, Emu, who had just peeked down the stairwell to check the perimeter, whipped her head back with high alert.
"This is bad! We need to keep moving! The teacher might find us here!" Emu announced brightly before latching onto Tsukasa's wrist once more.
"HAH!? WHY AM I RUNNING FROM THE TEACHER!? AND WHERE ARE YOU DRAGGING ME NOWWW—!?"
Tsukasa planted his feet firmly on the ground, trying to stop her.
Like a pink tornado, the two figures vanished back down the fire escape, leaving the rooftop in total silence once again... accompanied by Airi blinking tiredly at the empty doorway.
"Seriously though... why did Emu-chan just drag him away like that?"
"Maybe she was just trying to help," Shizuku said softly.
Airi paused. Then sighed. "...Yeah. That sounds like her."
"Fufu... how kind of Tsukasa-kun to deliver something all the way here," Shizuku murmured with a smile, happily popping a piece of rolled omelet into her mouth.
The connecting corridor, bustling with female students during lunch break, had now become a site of miniature chaos.
"Whoaaaaaa!!! " Emu continued her relentless sprint with boundless energy, parting the crowd of students like the Red Sea as gasps and whispers echoed down the hall.
"Kyaa! Is that a guy from another school!?"
"Who is Otori-san dragging!?"
"Where is the teacher on duty!?"
However, the center of attention—Tsukasa—had absolutely zero energy left to maintain his star persona. His legs were shaking, his face was pale, and he was gasping for air as if he had just finished a full marathon.
"W-Wait... Emu... let's... take a break... everyone's staring..."
"Ah! Emu-chan! Don't run in the hallway like that, it's dangerou—"
A well-meaning warning rang out from the corner of the corridor. Mochizuki Honami and Hoshino Ichika, who had just stepped out of the stairwell, stopped in their tracks when they saw their tiny friend sprinting toward them. But what shocked them even more was the familiar boy being dragged along, surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers.
"Eh!?... Tsukasa-san!!?" Both Ichika and Honami gasped simultaneously.
"I-Ichika! Honami!" Tsukasa hit the brakes so hard his shoes squeaked against the floor. He looked at his sister's best friends with eyes full of hope, as if he had just found his saviors.
Ichika blinked. Her eyes darted to the paper bag and document folder he was clutching tightly to his chest.
"Tsukasa-san..."
"Did Saki forget her stuff again?"
OH!! HEAVENS!! Tsukasa almost cried tears of joy. Finally, someone with normal logic who he could actually talk to!
"Y-Yes! Exactly, Ichika! I'm just... trying to... give her this—Mmph!?"
Before he could finish validating his own existence, Emu's small hands slapped over his mouth, sealing it tight. She shushed him with the most serious expression imaginable.
"Shhhh! Tsukasa-kun! You can't be so loud!" Emu looked left and right cautiously, ignoring the rising whispers of the crowd around them. "If we stop and talk here... the teacher will definitely spot us!"
"Mmph-mmph! (WHY AM I HIDING!)" Tsukasa muffled his protests, trying to pry Emu's hands off his face.
"Don't worry, Honami-chan, Ichika-chan! I'll take Tsukasa-kun somewhere super safe! Wonderhoyyy, hiyaaa!"
Tsukasa tried to pull his wrist back, but—
"AGHHHHH! ICHIKAAAA! HONAMIIII! SAVE MEE—!!"
The star's agonizing wail was cut short as his body was swept away around the corner at lightning speed, leaving the group of students completely dumbfounded.
Honami and Ichika stood frozen in place, glancing at each other in sheer confusion.
"I think... we should probably call Saki, right?"
"Ehehe..." Honami let out a dry, awkward laugh.
Behind the gymnasium—a quiet, deserted blind spot.
"Phew! Alright! We should be safe here!"
Emu finally stopped running and let go of his hand. She looked around like a secret agent who had just successfully completed a top-secret mission. Meanwhile, the boy who had been dragged all the way here collapsed, resting his hands on his knees, panting heavily. The brilliant star was completely out of commission.
"Hah... hah... E-Explain... right now, Emu..." Tsukasa forced the words out of his parched throat.
"W-Why... did you suddenly drag me running for my life like that!?"
Emu turned to the blonde upperclassman, her large eyes widening as if she genuinely didn't understand the question.
"Huh? Because if the teacher saw you, you'd get scolded, Tsukasa-kun!"
"HAH!? Scolded? ME? I'm just here to give Saki her—"
"Just like when I went to Kamikou!" Emu interrupted. Her cheerful voice held no trace of playfulness this time; it was completely serious.
"That time, I sneaked in to see you guys, and the teacher chased me around until you got into big trouble, Tsukasa-kun!!"
Tsukasa froze. The chaotic memory of the time this hyperactive powerhouse invaded his school flashed in his mind.
"So I thought... if the teacher saw you, Tsukasa-kun, you'd definitely get scolded..."
Emu's voice softened. She clasped her small hands tightly against her chest, her eyes trembling with poorly concealed worry. "I just... didn't want Tsukasa-kun to get scolded..."
The young man slowly straightened his posture, his heavy breathing finally returning to normal. He gazed at the surprisingly crestfallen face of the girl in front of him.
Only then did Tsukasa fully understand.
Everything Emu had just done... was purely out of concern for him.
...
Silence draped over the space behind the gymnasium.
...
There was no more yelling, no more sound of running footsteps, only the gentle whisper of the breeze. He didn't speak immediately, letting his gaze linger on the small girl who was still nervously clasping her hands for just a moment longer...
"But wait..."
"Emu."
"What happened back then wasn't exactly a normal situation, you know."
"Eh?" Emu blinked, tilting her head in confusion.
Tsukasa tried to explain, his voice much calmer than before.
"The reason I'm here... I already contacted Saki beforehand, and I'm just dropping off some documents. I didn't hop the fence to cause chaos like when you came to Kamikou. So, no, the teacher wouldn't chase me down like a criminal."
"O-Oh... really? Ehehe..." Emu slowly unclasped her hands, looking a bit fidgety now that she realized her massive misunderstanding. She looked down and muttered softly.
"But still... I just didn't want Tsukasa-kun to get yelled at by the teacher..."
Tsukasa remained silent for a moment.
He looked at her honest eyes, filled with nothing but pure, well-meaning intentions—even if it had come with a disaster-level amount of chaos. A faint, incredibly gentle smile graced the star's face.
"You really are something else..." he said, his tone tinged with exasperation but laced heavily with fondness.
"Next time, if you want to help me, you could at least ask first."
He paused for a beat. His orange eyes looked at her meaningfully.
"But..."
"..."
"Thank you, Emu."
Just as the atmosphere began to relax, a familiar, bright voice pierced through the air from behind the building.
"Onii-chan!!"
"UWAAH!!"
The sudden shout made Tsukasa jump out of his skin!
Tenma Saki ran over, panting, before stopping to place her hands on her hips, puffing her cheeks at her older brother. Right behind her was the very same teacher on duty.
"I've been looking everywhere for you! I thought you said you'd wait in front of the building!"
"S-Saki! You scared me..." Tsukasa let out a massive sigh before quickly handing the document folder to his sister. "I'm sorry. A little... chaos happened along the way."
The teacher caught up, looking at Tsukasa's disheveled state, and chuckled softly. "Well, I'm glad you found him. Saki told me you were here, but it seems you managed to get yourself lost, huh?"
Emu, who had been listening nearby, widened her eyes and blinked. She looked back and forth between Tsukasa and the teacher as realization hit her like a truck.
"Eh... So that means Tsukasa-kun really wasn't sneaking in..."
"I already told you that, you knucklehead!!!"
Meanwhile, Saki, who had just taken the folder, began to notice something very off. She looked Tsukasa up and down.
"But Onii-chan..." Saki tilted her head suspiciously.
"Why do you look like you just ran for your life?"
"Ugh..."
Tsukasa choked on his words, going completely silent. He had absolutely no idea how to explain the sheer disaster he had just experienced.
Emu, standing beside him, timidly raised her hand.
"Umm..." Emu confessed guiltily.
"I thought Tsukasa-kun was going to get scolded by the teacher..."
Saki blinked rapidly, processing the information before a soft, amused giggle escaped her lips.
"Haha..." Saki smiled warmly.
"That is so like you, Emu-chan."
"Eh!?"
"Acting to help someone before even asking questions, just like always."
Hearing her best friend call her out, Emu immediately puffed her cheeks defensively. "But I was worried!"
Saki looked at Emu's endearing pout, then turned her gaze to her older brother.
"Onii-chan."
"Emu-chan really hasn't changed at all, has she?"
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
Saki gave him a knowing smile.
"She still loves helping people without thinking twice about the consequences."
"Even if it causes a bit of a mess sometimes."
"But..."
She paused, glancing at Tsukasa with the perceptive eyes of a little sister who knew her brother better than anyone else.
"You don't look angry at all, Onii-chan."
"In fact... you look like you're having fun."
"N-No I don't!" Tsukasa flinched, quickly turning his head away to hide the red tint creeping up his face.
"I just... realized Emu only did it because she meant well, that's all!"
Emu's eyes widened at his answer before she broke into a huge, eye-crinkling smile.
"Eh!? Really really, Tsukasa-kun!?"
The small girl leaned in eagerly, her excitement bubbling over so much that Tsukasa had to aggressively clear his throat to cover up his embarrassment.
"A-Ahem! Well..." Tsukasa averted his eyes.
"Only because I saw how worried you were."
RIIIIIIIIIING!
The lunch break bell of Miyamasuzaka Girls' Academy echoed loudly across the campus.
Saki jumped, hugging the document folder tightly.
"Ah! Afternoon classes are starting! I need to get back! Thank you so much, Onii-chan! Love you the most!"
"You too, Emu-chan!!"
"Mhm! I'm heading back right now!"
Watching her best friend run off to class, Emu turned around and flashed the star a beaming smile.
"Tsukasa-kuuun!" Emu clasped her hands behind her back and leaned in close, her large eyes sparkling brighter than ever.
"Next time... you'll come visit me again, right? Pleeease?"
Tsukasa took a deep breath, trying to summon whatever sliver of sanity he had left. He narrowed his eyes at the culprit who had just forced him to run a marathon around the school.
"Only if next time... you don't forcefully drag me across the entire school like this."
That answer made Emu's eyes widen in absolute, unadulterated joy.
"Yay! Does that mean you'll come!!"
"I DID NOT SAY THAT!"
"Wait a minute...!?"
Tsukasa's yelling abruptly stopped. He looked down at his wristwatch, then listened to the sound of the female students filing into their classrooms until the hallway grew eerily quiet.
It suddenly dawned on him.
If the bell at Miyajo had already rung... that meant Kamikou's bell had also...
"A-AGHHHHHH!! AFTERNOON CLASSES ALREADY STARTED!! I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT BACK IN TIME!!"
"See you next time, Tsukasa-kun!!"
Emu stood waving cheerfully, watching the back of the future star as he desperately sprinted away at top speed. Even though she still didn't quite understand why Tsukasa-kun had suddenly screamed and bolted for his life... for Emu, today was another incredibly fun day!
Hmm... if Tsukasa-kun comes to visit again next time... what should we do?