nhp | (Sutamai) Character Main Story

CHAPTER INDEX

5.1.

-Party Venue-

Rei: (The necklace—!!)

The necklace was ruthlessly wrenched away by the hands assaulting me, and then stomped on.

Man: What, don’t tell me the HMD hasn’t hit you yet? AHAHAH!! Count me down for that!

Woman: C’mon, take it~! Let’s sooo get hiiiiigh together!!

A number of men and women were cackling with laughter as they tried to take off my dress.

Rei: (D-Don’t panic—! J-Just keep calm!!)

I managed to somehow struggle my way out from the centre of the horde gone crazy.

As I avoided being undressed, I wracked my brain into thinking.

Rei: (These people said that I was a “special guest” earlier.)

I didn’t want to consider it, but the chances of my cover being blown were high.

Rei: (At any rate, I need to make a run for it pronto!)

But how was I meant to break out of this situation where I was completely surrounded?

??? (Kujo): —this way.

Rei: Wha—

A large and cold hand strongly yanked on my arm.

Man: HuuUH!?

Woman: HEY, WAIT! THEY SAID WE COULD PLAY WITH HER!!

The hand that had forcefully cut through the mob and came to my aid.

Together with its owner, I dashed with the aim of escaping from the madness.

* * *

-Party Venue: Hallway-

I focused only on moving my legs as I followed the back running in front of me, and whose hand remained gripping mine.

Rei: U-Um!

??? (Kujo): Let’s take cover in that room.

Rei: N-No, I, I’ll be leav—

??? (Kujo): Consider yourself having nowhere to flee to if you get caught by those standing nearby the main doorway.

Rei: !

??? (Kujo): Come. Before our pursuers arrive.

While my eyes were on his hand clutching the doorknob, I touched my ear with my other hand that he wasn’t holding.

I let the intercom be my anchor as I kept my sanity—

And made my way inside through the door that the masked man had opened up.

* * *

-Party Venue: Chamber-

Rei: (Wow… what’s with this room.)

At first glance, it was an elegant room to be expected of a European fashioned building.

But if closely examined, all the glass windows were mirrors.

This dimly lit room, along with myself wearing a mask, and the man wearing a mask…

They were being reflected in the mirrors, and eerily gleaming.

??? (Kujo): ……

Rei: (Wait, this isn’t the time to be inspecting the room…)

The hand that had guided me here had let go the moment we entered the room. The man was standing in place at a respectable distance, and his gaze was fixed on me.

Rei: (Actually, isn’t this person…)

??? (Kujo): … Are you hurt?

After seeing him speak, my suspicions deepened even further.

They were alike.

That voice, that hand.

Similar to the owner of the handkerchief who had carried my unconscious self to the hospital.

Rei: (But there’s no way he’d be here of all places… he shouldn't be.)

(Besides, this person is…)

If the information I memorised was correct, then beneath that mask was the man I hoped to make contact with the most today.

Kujo Soma.

Rei: … No, I’m fine.

??? (Kujo): I see.

The sound of shoes clicking against the floor echoed.

Rei: (Oh…)

He had closed the distance between us, enough so that if we reached out with our hand, we’d be able to touch each other.

??? (Kujo): ……

There was an element of unknown in the eyes peering at me through the slit in the mask, and I gulped.

When I was stuck frozen from having my guard up, all of a sudden, a magnificent and sweet-sounding tune could be heard coming from somewhere.

I remembered the live orchestra in masks that I saw at the venue.

??? (Kujo): … I came to this party today so that I could meet you.

Rei: What…

He faced my way and held out his hand with a refinement that seemed to not disturb the air around him with its movement.

??? (Kujo): May I have this dance?

5.2.

-Party Venue: Chamber-

Rei: (However you think about it… it’s not the time to be dancing…)

Um, what do you mean so that you could meet me?

??? (Kujo): ……

Rei: (Is he suggesting that unless I accept this dance, he’s not going to talk?)

In short, this masked man was in all likelihood trying to strip me of my ability to think as much as possible.

He’s already calculated that the options I have on me are few right now when I was being baited with information.

??? (Kujo): I should hope to receive an answer before the piece is over.

Rei: (He’s got me. At some point, this person overwhelmingly had me under their control.)

He was surely Kujo Soma. There was pretty much no mistaking it.

The reason why he had come to meet me.

The mishap that occurred at the venue.

Whether there was something in this world that the NCD wasn’t seeing right now in time.

In order to learn that—

Rei: … I will have this dance with you.

I modestly placed my hand on top of his, such that our fingers gently grazed against one another.

In a heartbeat, he tightly grasped my hand, and our connection became a very real and firm one.

??? (Kujo): The lady does me honour.

Rei: N-Ngh…

The tip of his cold fingers that had stroked my cheek moved to part the hair around my ears as if combing it, before softly running over the intercom—and seizing it.

Rei: (!!)

??? (Kujo): This way now.

He pulled on my stiffened hand, and escorted me to the centre of the room.

??? (Kujo): Do you have experience in dancing?

Rei: N-No…

??? (Kujo): Then, you need only follow my lead.

We stood facing each other in a position where we were no longer touching.

He then placed one hand on his chest, and effortlessly raised his other arm and gave a bow.

For a second time, he held out his hand to me, who could only stand there rigidly.

An arm wound itself around my waist, and our bodies slowly began swaying.

Rei: (Wow… what... is this feeling…)

Where to put my feet, where to face or look, what to do with my shoulders and waist so that I would fall into familiar steps with the dance—

It came to me naturally.

??? (Kujo): … Yes, just like that. You’re doing excellent.

I let my body move along to the music as I chased after his retreating presence slipping by my fingertips—with each time that we came closer, we would draw away just slightly.

Rei: (I’m dancing like normal.)

A graceful dance.

A dance seeped in expectations and doubts.

This etiquette where two became one, rocking back and forth, was abruptly shattered by his lips closing in on my ear.

??? (Kujo): There are at least five people inside the venue who know of your identity.

Rei: !!

??? (Kujo): They’re all bad people.

A frosty chill ran down my spine.

With his skillful lead, my body was thrusted outwards, and I did a twirl.

The countless reflections of us dancing inside the mirrors mimicking windows, shot into my view one after the next.

??? (Kujo): ……

He caught the finish of my turn with his arms, and our eyes locked onto each other at close-range.

Rei: (What’s with this person…)

(It’s almost like you can’t read what he’s feeling.)

I swallowed my fear, and responded.

Rei: Are you… a bad person?

??? (Kujo): What do you see?

I couldn’t see anything.

Even if he took off the mask, I was sure of it. That was the sense I got.

Whatever he thought of my silence, his lips curved into a smirk.

??? (Kujo): Someday, when I’ve fallen to Hell… how do you reckon the real me will be reflected upon standing before the Mirror of Judgement?

Rei: I-Is it already decided that you’ll be going to Hell?

He simply snorted. The music came to a halt.

He stopped dancing and cast his face downwards as he went to touch his mask, slowly removing it.

The face that was brought back up again—

Rei: (… I knew it.)

Kujo: I would like to make you a deal.

The words coming from the person standing in front of me—Kujo Soma.

Kujo: So that I don’t kill any more people.

(Sutamai) Character Main Story - Kujo Soma, Vol 0 Ch 5