Kei: Ah......
Even if I try to chase her, my lower body doesn't move.
Kei: Uuu, She's gone......
Sakuya: Don't you worry about that. You can just leave people like her alone.
Kei: "People like her?" That's mean. Uzuki-san saved my life, you know.
Sakuya: Oh, really? What I saw was the exact opposite.
Kei: Uuu......
Sakuya: All the same, I hate her guts, after all.
Yumei: That sounds like something you would say, Sakuya-san.
Sakuya: Oya......
Kei: Yumei-san, you're okay!?
Yumei: I'm fine, Kei-chan. Uzuki-san - wasn't it? - It's because of her that I can
maintain my form like this.
Her willowy white hands reach out, and slowly pet my hair.
Just as it should be, a gentle sensation.
Yumei: Kei-chan, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.
Using her hand as a comb, she helps arrange my tousled hair, the traces of
the past skirmish, as she apologizes.
Kei: No, it wasn't like that at all. If you weren't there, Yumei-san, I'd be a goner.
Sakuya: That aside, to think that ghosts really existed, huh.
As if she can't sit still without using her hands, she takes the hair that Yumei-san so carefully arranged, puts it in a three-threaded braid without even asking, and begins playing with it.
Wah, if you braid it so tightly, you'll wind up training it!
Kei: Sakuya-san!
Yumei: It's alright, Kei-chan. I really am like a ghost, after all...
She smiles as she lightly pats my fully-combed head.
Kei: But, Yumei-san......
Yumei: It's okay. Sakuya-san, please take care of her.
Sakuya: Yep, just leave it to me.
As if her concentration is set on braiding, she gives a half-hearted answer without looking up.
......Mm?
Though it was seemingly an ill-fitting response, Yumei-san looks satisfied, straightening her posture and bowing her head.
And then her form grows thin. Now that I think of it, her words just now sounded like something you'd hear as a last request...
Kei: Yumei-san!? Yumei-san, you mean you aren't really all ri--!?
Yumei: No, I'm merely releasing this shape on my own.
As she gently shakes her head, her transparent black hair shimmers in mid-sway.
Yumei: Maintaining a temporary shape requires a great deal of power. And as I am now, I don't have that allowance.
Sakuya: In other words, "take care to turn off unused lights, and let's give our all for energy conservation!" - oh yeah, well done indeed.
As she pulls on my thinly braided hair, like a dangling light switch.
Sakuya: Ghosts go away, out go the lights~♪
---On top of that, she's singing something strange.
Kei: Sakuya-san!
Sakuya: What're you angry about? Not like it's a lifelong farewell.
Kei: But it's still impolite! Talking about light use or whatever, you're being
rude to Yumei-san!
Yumei: It's all right, Kei-chan. That's the way it is, after all. I stayed this
long on a whim, anyway.
Yumei: Normally I should release my form as soon as possible, and regain my
power.
Kei: But...... Yumei-san!?
As I reach my hand out to touch her, it extends cleanly through.
Yumei: So I can take form again, when you need my help...
In the excess of my motion, I fall to the floor.
Kei: Kyuu......
Sakuya: Uh-oh. Are you outta juice, too?
Continue...