Chapter Eighteen: Communication, Letter Writing, and Telepathy

On the rooftop, Kira hugged her knees, muttering, “Pervert…”

The way she sat only made an already conspicuous part of her body stand out even more. Gongsun Ce, resolutely refusing to accept this unflattering title, decided to close his eyes and chat idly, pretending he was simply training his hearing.

“A true lecher would pretend nothing is amiss and gradually inch closer to you. In this era, even if I can’t call myself a gentleman, I’m at least a well-behaved person.”

“To me, anyone willing to help me—like you, Gongsun Ce—is a good person!”

By your standard, there can’t be many bad people left in the world.

“Miss Kira, do you think anyone who’s willing to treat you to food and drinks is a good person?”

Kira replied earnestly, “I think anyone willing to talk with me is a good person!”

That’s an even stranger standard.

Do you take words as sustenance? Are you some new kind of book-eating demon?

Gongsun Ce was about to make a sarcastic remark when he suddenly remembered their first conversation.

—“I want to understand you, Gongsun Ce! Tell me about your life!”
—“I want to know how ordinary people spend their daily lives!”

Could it be that the act of connecting with others, this process of understanding, was crucial to Kira at this moment?

It wasn’t impossible. The girl had always emphasized that point. At their very first meeting, the amnesiac Kira insisted this would help her escape her predicament.

But later, when they questioned her closely, all she could say was, “I just think it works!”—and she couldn’t explain any further.

Probing deeper in that direction would likely yield no clues, so the silver-haired young man decided to try a different approach.

Kira hugged her knees on the rooftop, muttering, “Pervert…”

Her sitting posture only accentuated an already prominent feature. Unwilling to accept such a slanderous label, Gongsun Ce resolved to close his eyes and chat as a way of exercising his listening skills.

“A real pervert would pretend nothing happened and slowly approach you bit by bit. In this day and age, even if I’m not a gentleman, at least I’m a decent guy.”

“You’re a good person just for being willing to help me, Gongsun Ce!”

By your measure, there can’t be many villains in this world.

“Miss Kira, do you think anyone who invites you out to eat and drink is a good person?”

Kira replied with complete seriousness, “I think anyone willing to talk with me is a good person!”

That’s an even stranger standard.

Do you treat words as food? A new-age book-eating specter?

Gongsun Ce was about to retort when he remembered their first meeting.

—“I want to understand you, Gongsun Ce! Tell me about your life!”
—“I want to know how ordinary people spend their daily lives!”

Was this exchange—this process of understanding others—truly important to Kira right now?

It might well be. She had always insisted on that. When they first met, the amnesiac Kira was adamant that this would help her out of her predicament.

Yet even after careful questioning, all the girl could say was, “I just think it’ll work!” She could give no concrete reason.

If he pressed further about it, it was unlikely he’d get any real clues. The silver-haired youth decided to change tack.