Have Mercy, ■■■■, on Me 9

Present day, at a certain riverbed by the city

Hiyori: —And just like that, the bonds between me and Nagisa-kun grew ever stronger!

...But thinking back on it now, I really did some awful things to him at the time, didn’t I?

Hokuto: Yeah, you did. Kicking a kid out is the worst thing you can do when they’re in your care. I feel terrible for Ran-senpai back then.

Hiyori: You don’t have to rub salt in the wound. But back then, I was fed up that Nagisa-kun wasn’t progressing very fast in his education.

It’s good manners as a noble to mask one’s frustrations of the sort, but I was still too young and immature to manage my feelings.

Hokuto: Shouldn’t you be angrier with Tomoe-senpai about what happened, Ran-senpai?

Nagisa: ...Fufu. We were both still just children.

...Besides, it was because that happened that we were able to understand each other.

...For me, the incident is a precious memory.

Hokuto: Can you really call that a precious memory?

Nagisa: ...Honestly, I don’t remember it that well.

...No, that’s not quite accurate to say.

...I do remember what happened, but how I felt about it is unclear.

...When Hiyori-kun sent me away, I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

...I only recall being bothered that he wasn’t smiling like he usually did.

...And so I sang, because I wanted Hiyori-kun to smile.

...I believed that if I sang the song that used to bring a smile to my Father’s face, then it could do the same for Hiyori-kun.

Subaru: Oh, hey, was that song you sang one that my dad taught you?

‘Cause you said my dad was the one who taught you how to sing.

Nagisa: ...Yes, it was. That song your father taught me was the only way I had to communicate at the time.

Hiyori: Fufu. After that day, Nagisa-kun actually started singing even more, you know.

I was able to put together that he sang more when he was happy or when he wanted attention.

It was one thing once he was able to talk, but back when he couldn’t hold a conversation, his songs were helpful!

Subaru: Ahaha, that makes me pretty happy~ My dad’s music played some part in bringing you guys together.

Even though he got struck from the records, it’s like he still gets to live on in some people’s hearts. It makes me really happy... ☆

Most people get kinda sulky and sad when they talk about my dad.

But when it’s with you, Nagisa-san, I can talk about my dad with a smile. And then my emotions get so big they just come pouring out, and I end up almost crying.

It’s weird to cry from being too happy, but yanno.

Nagisa: ...Fufu. I don’t have many people with whom I can speak about my Father, so I am happy, as well.

Hokuto: Hey. Sorry to interrupt your gun conversation, but what was the story with that apple tin, anyway?

You mentioned Pandora’s box and forbidden fruit so mysteriously, but it doesn’t seem like it had anything to do with what you said.

Hiyori: Huh? That tin? I already went over that in my story.

Hokuto: ...You did? I don’t remember you saying anything about the tin, though.

Hiyori: Fufu. This tin, you see, was the one I gave to Nagisa-kun as a reward for studying hard ♪

Nagisa: ...It had a delicious apple pie in it. It’s a nostalgic flavor ♪

Hokuto: Hm. So do you mean there’s still something inside of it?

...Wait, that can’t be right.

Subaru: Wow, that’s a new one! You’re a one-man show with that kinda tsukkomi!^[1]

Hokuto: Hmph. I never neglect my tsukkomi studies.

This tin belonged to you two when you were younger. If there were ever any sweets inside, they’d be rotten by now.

Subaru: Ahaha, You’re as Hokke-ish as ever. The timing for that comeback was way off~ ♪

Hokuto: What do you mean, it was off? I thought that was a perfectly natural comeback.

Hiyori: You’re just someone who always gives absurd retorts to everything, Hokuto-kun.

But you’re not wrong, anyhow. There aren’t any sweets left in the tin.

Actually, the picture of Nagisa-kun when he was younger is what’s inside. The one that has “to Nagisa” on the back.

Hokuto: Oh, I see. It’s that photo...

Subaru: Hmmm? Well it’s one thing to put the picture in the tin, but why’d you go and dump it in a place like this?

Based on the story, that picture must be really important to you two, right?

Hokuto: Now that I’m thinking of it, you mentioned a suspicious person targeting Ran-senpai earlier.

Could it be that the photo is connected to that person?

Hiyori: Probably. The picture is important to me and Nagisa-kun.

But at the same time, it has a complex history and a connection to that suspicious person.

That’s why I hid it in this tin back then, so that no one else could find it.

But I never thought Daikichi-kun would be the one to dig it up.

Subaru: Ahaha, great find, Daikichi!

Oh yeah, how did you resolve the whole thing with the suspicious person, anyway?

Hiyori: Hm? Did I ever say the case was resolved?

Subaru: Uh...?

Nagisa: ......

Hiyori: I told you, didn’t I? This apple tin is Pandora’s box: no one should ever open it.

And that’s because messing around with this tin—or more accurately, the photo inside—comes with the risk of luring the suspicious person out and painting a target on your back.

Unfortunately, since you found this, that means you’re involved in the whole thing now.

So congrats! You’ve joined the life-long club of people being targeted by shady assassins... ♪

Subaru: That wasn’t a good find at all! Why’d you go and find something like that, Daikichiiii?!

Hokuto: Tomoe-senpai! Why would you get us caught up in this?!

Hiyori: Ahaha, because I get to see how you react when I tease you!

If you keep giving me good reactions like that, I just have to keep going.

Subaru: ...Huh? How we react? So you were just joking?

Hiyori: Obviously. The whole thing with the suspicious person is more or less settled by now, so don’t worry.

Hokuto: Then you should have said as much. I almost had a heart attack.

Hiyori: Oopsie-daisy. I’ll explain everything from start to finish, so don’t get so bent out of shape, okay?

I went to a lot of effort to deal with that person, I’ll have you know.

Do you remember, Nagisa-kun? I worked really, really hard back then, didn’t I?

I even went against my nature and threw myself right into danger, all to protect Nagisa-kun—

Nagisa: ...I do remember it well, because at the time I was little more than a helpless baby bird who could only rely on Hiyori-kun for protection.