When We Exorcists Fell in Love at School, the World Went Crazy - The Smoke Signal of Reversal, and the Rooftop Lie

Seven days since Lenalee disappeared. Outside the classroom window, the courtyard greenery had already taken on the colors of summer. The cicadas' cries rang out, almost obnoxiously loud. Allen lay slumped over his desk, motionless. The letter clutched in his hand was crumpled and damp with sweat. He couldn't deliver it. He wanted to deliver it, but she wasn't here. "Hey, hey, you alive in there?" Lavi's voice. A light jab. But it lacked its usual energy. Allen didn't lift his head. "……Hey, Allen." Lavi's hand came to rest on Allen's shoulder. That hand was warm. "Come with me. Library." Not a trace of his usual joking around. The library, "Lecteur." The quiet hush before closing. The smell of old paper. The late afternoon sun slanting through the windows dyed the dust motes gold. Kanda Yuu was in a seat by the window, reading a book about soba. He looked up, and the moment he saw Allen, a murderous glint flashed in his deep blue eyes. "……Beansprout. What a pain." He closed the book. As Kanda moved to stand, Lavi stepped between them. "Sit down, Kanda. We need to talk." "What the hell do you have to say to me?" "It's about Lenalee." Kanda's movement stopped dead. Lavi removed his usual decorative glasses and tucked them into his chest pocket. The gold of his right eye glinted sharply. "Why do you keep picking fights with the Beansprout?" "Isn't it obvious? He made Lenalee cry." "That's a lie." Lavi's voice made the air in the library tremble. "Your irritation isn't because you hate Allen. It's anger at yourself for not being able to protect Lenalee, and jealousy that Allen got ahead of you." "Don't screw with me!!" Kanda grabbed Lavi by the collar, yanking him up. "If you'd shown her even a fraction of that clumsy kindness of yours, she wouldn't have had to suffer like this." Lavi didn't flinch in the slightest. He stared right back into Kanda's eyes. "I love Lenalee too." The strength drained from Kanda's hands. "But seeing her smile… that's way better." Lavi slowly removed the hands that had been gripping him. "So I decided I'd support my best friend's love." Kanda was at a loss for words. His clenched fist fell limply to his side. "……What a pain." That was the closest thing to agreement he could muster. "Let's go. To Lenalee's house." --- After school. In the library, after Lavi and Kanda had left, Allen lay slumped over his desk alone. The letter in his hand was now completely tattered. *Ping.* His phone chimed. *"After school. Rooftop. Wait for me. If you run, I'll spread rumors about Lenalee all over school."* Sender: Road Camelot. Allen's hand trembled. The rooftop. Beyond the fence, the town was dyed in the colors of sunset. Road was smiling cheerfully as always, sucking on a lollipop. "You finally came, Allen. You're late." "……Don't you lay a hand on Lenalee." "Oh my, such a scary face. But that's part of your charm, too." Road spun around once and came to a stop right in front of Allen. "I was bored, you see. So I told a little lie." "……A lie?" "Yes. All that talk about you being my fated person… completely made up." Road laughed, a dry, rattling sound. "I just wanted to confirm whether you're truly a mere human… or if you carry a fragment of the same 'memories' as I do." Her amethyst eyes stared into Allen's left eye. The pentacle in his left eye throbbed. "……How much do you know?" "Who knows? But you are very interesting. The one and only exception in this boring world. You make the perfect toy." Something inside Allen's head snapped. "Don't screw with me!!" Road's eyes went wide, genuinely wide, for the first time. "Lenalee isn't your plaything! She was seriously hurt! I'll protect Lenalee. Don't drag her into your games any more than you already have!!" Allen's shout echoed across the rooftop. Silence. "……I've never seen you look so angry before." Road looked genuinely surprised. And then, like a beast that had found the ultimate prey, a hunter's smile spread across her face. "You just make me like you more and more." She drew close to Allen and whispered in his ear. "I'll make the next game even more fun. So be ready… little white rabbit." The sound of her biting into her candy echoed unnaturally loud. Road turned her back gracefully and left the rooftop. --- In front of Lenalee's room. An old, detached house. A small garden. Kanda and Lavi stood before the gate. "……I can hear a voice from inside." Kanda's ear twitched slightly. A small, stifled sobbing. "Why couldn't I… believe in Allen…?" The voice broke off. A moment later, another sob escaped. Kanda shut his eyes tight. His own jealousy had caused Lenalee this much pain. That fact stabbed into his chest like a blade. "……Lenalee." Kanda placed his hand on the door and pressed his forehead against it. He forced the words out. "All I ever wanted was to protect you. But if that's what's making you suffer… I'll step aside." The crying inside stopped. "Me too." Lavi leaned against the door as well. "I've always thought of you as someone special, too. But seeing you smile is way better. So… we'll support whatever happiness you choose." Silence fell. *Click.* The sound of a lock opening. --- The sun had completely set. The hallways of St. Claire Academy were dark and quiet. Led by Kanda and Lavi, Lenalee made her way toward her classroom. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but she faced forward nonetheless. In front of the classroom. A single piece of paper lay at her feet. It was Allen's handwriting. Shaky, with traces of having been rewritten over and over. *"I want to tell you everything. I'm sorry. Please believe me."* Lenalee picked up the letter and clutched it tightly to her chest. Another tear spilled over. "……I didn't really listen to Allen properly. I'm so sorry." Footsteps echoed from below. Looking utterly exhausted, Allen climbed the stairs. He spotted Lenalee and stopped in his tracks. He just stood there, rooted to the spot, on the verge of tears. With a look of resolve, Lenalee walked up to him. "I didn't really listen to you properly. I'm so sorry." Lenalee took Allen's hand and pressed something into it. The crumpled letter. "Tell me everything. I want to believe in you, Allen." Her face was still wet with tears, but she smiled, clear and bright. The misunderstanding began to melt away, audibly. From the shadow of a pillar, Kanda and Lavi watched over them with complicated smiles. Allen could only nod, speechless. Above their heads, from somewhere, the cloyingly sweet scent of candy drifted faintly on the breeze.

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Episode 6

Name: When We Exorcists Fell in Love at School, the World Went Crazy
Author: Novelia

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