Aoharu Devil [Vol 1 Prologue]
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BIRTHDAY CANDLES ON THE ROOF
(This is a collaboration project between Pas-TL and Saekano-TL)
I forgot my phone at school and thought about how careless I had been.
If I had noticed it during the day, I could have gone back to get it, but it was late at night by the time I realized. And so, the room was empty and I could retrieve it in the morning. I wouldn't die without my phone, after all.
But then I remembered that I still hadn't claimed the daily login reward of the game. If I didn't do it today, my streak of consecutive logins would be broken. The truth is that I'm not very deep into the game and sometimes I even get careless, but still I think it would be a shame to miss it. I think anyone would try to avoid unnecessary losses.
It was precisely this level of reasonableness that prompted me to go to the institute at night.
Come to think of it, it was a totally wrong decision, and wrong actions often lead to negative consequences.
Feeling a sense of guilt that I had done something wrong, I hopped on my bike and headed for the high school. The headlights, coupled with the spinning of the front wheels, cast unfamiliar shadows across the familiar landscape.
Although it was still early summer, the air was already slightly warm. The smell of wind and dust invaded my body. The feeling of tranquility and hustle and bustle, silently infiltrated my skin.
I arrived at the sand and steel parking lot. As I parked the bike in a corner, I felt a strange sensation. The familiar roof of the school. There seemed to be a light flickering there.
The blue light became backlit, highlighting the edges of the high school building in the darkness, making it particularly noticeable.
"...What is that?"
My spine shivered and my body trembled. However, I had already come this far and didn't want to leave empty-handed, so I decided to sneak into the institute as I had planned.
The school alarm system is like a landmine. As long as you know where it is and don't step on it, no problem. I climbed over the fence behind the school and opened the broken window of the classroom that serves the geography course.
I heard a rumor that there is a route into the school at night. I couldn't imagine that I would confirm that this was true.
I gently place my shoes on the floor and walk down the hallway in my socks.
The school is silent late at night, and the streetlight shining through the window tints everything a shade of blue. Unlike normal indoor shoes, socks don't make noise. I hold my breath as I walk toward the classroom. While startled by the excessive noise of the door opening, I slip into the classroom and rummage through my desk.
After feeling the icy block-shaped touch, I let out a sigh of relief. Just in case, I touch the screen and it flickers with light. I squint my eyes in response. All right, the goal is accomplished, no need to stay here for long.
But...
Curiously, I wonder what that is on the rooftop.
"What the hell is that?"
The sound of my thoughts echoes in the empty classroom. I wonder if I'm seeing something. Thinking rationally, walking away is the best option. Regardless, I don't know why, but that light draws me in helplessly.
Silently, I run down the hallway and up the stairs as soon as I put my phone in my pocket. The non-slip blocks on the edge of the steps pricked my feet. The rooftop was locked - although that's what I said, it was just for show. Most students know that the door handle is unlocked by tilting and loosening it.
I opened the door as quietly as possible.
What was there was the stretched darkness that stretched into the night.
This is how it should have been.
But there she was.
How beautiful, I thought to myself.
Her slender figure stands like the tail of a comet. The light, dark blue dress that outlines her figure dances in the night sky. Her long hair flutters in the wind and the towering heels on her feet pierce the floor. The star-shaped accessory in her bangs shimmers in the starlight.
A perfect figure like that of a doll
What's more, her body is on fire.
The orange flames blend with the dark blue of the night sky as they burn.
The hot light went up her shoulders, up her neck, up her hair and spread from the top of her head to the sky. It's almost like a candle on a birthday cake.
A falling leaf touches the flame. The dry, crunchy leaves are immediately dyed bright red and are consumed, turning to ashes. For some reason, the flame does not ignite his body, his hair or his clothes. Then, I saw it. Something crawls from its exposed chest. The little black being moves its hands and feet, drags it's tail and climbs gently up its neck.
It's posture, strangely devoid of any sense due to the distance, was almost like a shadow. However, it's outline was clearly visible.
"....A lizard?"
I followed closely with my gaze. At my gaze, its eyes went blank, as if waiting. The pupils were as straight as lasers. Suddenly, her pupils flickered. Her thin lips seemed to open and close softly. I saw this scene. Then, I ran down the stairs.
"Uh...what should I do!"
I ran and thought at the same time.
What is that thing? What the hell is that?! A ghost?! No! I can see the body! But it's burning! It's definitely burning! It's a girl! I have to do something! Pull the fire alarm? No, that would cause a big incident. So, use a bucket to fetch water? There should be a bucket in the cleaning supply closet. But fetching water takes too long, doesn't it? I can't do it quietly now.
Just then, a red thing came into my field of vision and I quickly slowed down. My socks slipped on the slippery walkway and I frantically used my hands to brace myself on the floor. In front of me was a fire extinguisher.
"That's it!"
I grabbed at the black handle and lifted it. The bottle, densely printed with cautionary notes, was heavy. But there was no time to waste. I ran down the hallway and up the stairs while remembering the instructions for use. I had to save her.
I climbed to the top of the stairs, kicked open the partially covered panel of the door. However, there was no one there.
"Eh... What?"
The flame, the girl, and any trace of her had completely disappeared. As I looked around, something caught my eye on the ground.
A white object the size of the palm of my hand.
I put down the fire extinguisher and bent down to pick it up. The blue label had white letters written on it that told me what the product was: Mints.
Could it be her missing item? When I shook it, the contents made a crackling sound. It was similar to the sound of a heartbeat.
At that moment, I knew nothing. I didn't know that her body and heart burned with a painful desire. I didn't know that this desire would burn my peaceful daily life. I looked up at the night sky and saw the stars twinkling.
The glow was superimposed on the light of the flame she emitted. And then I realized, I realized everything.
That day, I was wrong in every choice I made and, thanks to that mistake, I met her. Or rather, it wouldn't be correct to say that this encounter was a good thing.
The encounter itself was uncertain. It was provoked by desire, distorting the gravity of the heavens. Under this starry sky, my youth and the flame were born together. A shooting star shone in the night sky, extinguishing in an instant.
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TL: Diego
Raw : Saekano-TL
Need proofreader, contact me at diegosky#5650