[[~Shu-chan Whimsical Divination Shop]]

  It was written in big letters in a paper that was placed at the entrance of his room; with a bitter smile I stand in front of that door.

  [It’s the piggy duke… Did he come here for some fortune telling?] [Is that really the piggy duke? Is he slimmer?] [If he came for a divination, then I have to hear that Shuya’s weird voice again…]

  This is thanks to exercising and the great weight reducing medicine! You can ask me anything regarding things about dieting, you know!? But there shouldn’t be any side effects, right? This weight reducing medicine’s effect is so great, that I’m kinda worried about it… Well, let’s put this medicine talk aside for now.

  I will use Shuya’s divination to reveal that mercenary’s whereabouts.

  The bell that hangs on the door rings when I knock.

  I think it should be okay because it’s still early to go to sleep.

  […Okaaay. I’m opening the door now. Is it for a divination?]

  From inside, I can hear his voice getting closer to the door. Then when he opens it, I saw Shuya in his simple pajamas.

  […Geh]

  When he meets my eyes, he closes the door forcefully.

  HAH!? After I realized it was closed I knock, no, I bang the door!

  In the anime it was spoken that he was [Too honest], [He trust people easily], [The crystal san’s puppet], and you know what? I don’t hate that hot blooded Shuya. But now, his actions did hurt me a little! Oi Shuya! Come out you little! I won’t be mad at you, if you open it right now!

  [Ah…]

  The door opens only a little, just enough for Shuya to peek. All the boys that witness this on the corridor starts wondering what happened. Stop looking! I’m not a circus show! This is for the sake of protecting everyone! Now off you go! Buhi!

  […De, Dening? What do you want to do in my room?]

  I can somehow understand Shuya’s feelings, when I heard his troubled voice and the unnatural way in which he speaks to me. He is somewhat nervous when I am around.

  [I want a divination]

  […Eh? Divination?]

  It seems Shuya is taken aback after hearing me say that.

  [I brought some money]

  [COME, COME, COME AND I’LL GIVE YOU A DIVINATION… Please, come in. Please sit here]

  The power of money is strong.

  [De, Deening san. Wh-what do you want me to see?] (it’s not typo)

  Shuya takes out a low table from the corner and arrange three zabutons (square cushion). We sit facing each other while he places a crystal ball in the middle of the room in the table right between us. When he turns off the lamp, a faint light came out from the crystal ball making its presence stronger. A strong wind came from the window, circulating around the room and rocking the crystal ball. Even though we were sitting on zabutons, the atmosphere right now feels really good.

  But somehow I got interested in how Shuya addressed me before.

  Deening san, who the hell is that?

  […Piggy duke is fine, it’s easier to call me that isn’t it? I don’t mind]

  Inside that serious atmosphere , Shuya just haaaaah (strongly sigh) like he was just holding his breath up till now.

  […Fu, fuu! Yea- yeah! You are a piggy duke after all! Your image before was truly strong, Deening san, who the heck is he!? De, piggy duke! What do you want me to see?]

  It seems he was feeling pressured until just now, his usual vigor is back and now he talks to me with so much passion.

  So, what kind of thing should I ask to the crystal ball? Who has the mercenary changed into? Nah, I can’t ask it like that. Shuya won’t hold himself, and would take some action if he knew that some dangerous mercenary is lurking inside the academy right now.

  Because he is the protagonist, sometimes he does some outrageous things.

  …Okay, let’s use that.

  […Please look for someone who is playing hide and seek, right now inside the academy]

  Shuya looks at me with a blank stare.

  […What the heck is that? Well as long as you pay me…]

  And then inside that dark room, Shuya holds the crystal ball with both hands.

  …Ah, I know, I have seen before how Shuya’s acts prior to a divination. I try to hide my excited heart while I remember a few things from the past. In the anime whenever he does a divination he always shows that kind of expression that even gets him to be called [Please stop that voice now], [The voice actor is serious now], [He is already reaching that point]

  Shuya takes a breath now, and suddenly starts screaming hysterically.

  […U,waaaaaAAAAAA!! AaAaaaaAAA!!! He has come!!! The God has coOOOOOoome!! MgyaaaaaaaAAaaaAA!!]

  [Oi! You are being too loud!!!! Don’t let out such a strange voice!!! Look they are already banging on the wall!!!]

  [AAAAAaaaaaAAaa! AAAAaaaaAAAA! I CAN SEE IIIIIIIIIT!!!!! aaaAAAAAaa!!]

  […!!]

  Bufuu. That was dangerous, seeing him like this makes me want to laugh a little.

  The person next door is already banging on the wall like crazy.

  I already know the reason for that meaningless performance he showed me just now. He has practiced that act for a long time, so he can make a lot of money from his entire customer base.

  […I know, I know, I know. …It’s your old self, the crystal told me… Ah! It’s not like it was me the one who was talking! I was only telling you what the crystal told me!]

  …


  I know that already. You were just merely telling me what you heard from that crystal.

  [Don’t worry about it. It’s the truth that I disguise myself as a pig]

  […]

  Hearing that, he can’t help himself but to ask me about myself.

  […Hey! This is not related to the divination you requested, but… Why did you change? You were more… Different! You were easily irritated by others! You were someone who would pick a fight with random people, and you even easily pranked the teachers! You were a bad boy since first year, and even made the seniors to become afraid of you! To the point that whenever those seniors tried to extort us of our money, as long as we lied about being your friends, they will leave us alone immediately!! That is how dangerous your existence became in this academy!]

  He really threw those feeling about me in only a breath away.

  Even those little pranks I did to the teachers came out. Well, I was like that in the past… What a trash.

  [Lately everybody has been talking about the new piggy duke, who is succeeding in his diet; I too also think it’s a success! E-eh!? Aren’t you the one who casted heal on me after the eating competition!? Thanks a lot! You really saved me that time!]

  It seems he knows about every event up till now that is connected to me.

  [Hey tell me already piggy! What happened to you, what made you change your mind!? Everyone is only spouting nonsense rumors about you! The most amazing rumor circulating right now is that you are preparing your second form! It’s said that you will turn into something more bizarre, even thinking about it sends shiver to everybody’s spine!]

  It’s so funny when I realize what the others think about me. What the hell am I? A monster?

  Right now Shuya is moving his face really close to me even though there is a table between us. The gaze he shows now, looks like the eyes of someone who has already found something precious. That glimmer in his eye looks really bright even though this room doesn’t have any source of light; somehow he looks worried about me right now.

  [You are right…]

  I have come to understand him a bit.

  He is such an honest guy; he was even worried about me from the bottom of his heart. That’s the reason why he is the protagonist.

  That quality you have there is the one thing that makes me recognize you as the protagonist.

  [One day I saw a really long dream Shuya, a really long dream… That dream I saw that night, made me crave for a lot of things in my life. It helped me realize I want to have someone who will be besides me for the rest of my life… I also want a friend who can talk to me about anything and everything without reserve… And to be recognized by countless people… That is the thing that made me want to change. Hey Shuya… As a man, there is a time when we have to change for the sake of those important to us right?]

  Mysteriously only my voice can be heard clearly inside that room.

  After hearing my words he folds his arms trying to think about it in his mind. It seems he is thinking hard he looks like groaning. After a while he looks like he understood something and he gazes at me with stars on his eyes.

  […Aah. …Aaah, You are right!! Yeah, you are right! I know! I can understand that piggy! I completely understand your feelings!! That is how I think too!! We have a moment when we want to change for the better after all!!]

  Shuya is nodding his head like he is agreeing with me. Then he is laughing happily when he reminiscence with me the times when I harassed him again and again in the past.

  Even though he was getting treated badly again and again in the anime, he never hated everyone because of it. And I think that is the same reason why at the end of the anime he was trying to help the piggy duke behind the scenes.

  [I always thought it was strange piggy! Why were you only picking on me!? If you think about it you picked on me five times more than the others!]

  He talks like a broken dam now that he thinks of me as a friend!

  Weren’t you so afraid of me just now that you shut your door the moment you saw me!? But I’m so sorry it was all my fault! Buhii! I’m sorry!

  [It was because I was really jealous of you]

  [Eeh~! Was I really that special in your eyes!?]

  When I nod my head his face beams with a smile.

  [Ah right piggy. Aren’t you Alicia’s former fiancé?! Please do something about how she treats me! I know it’s my fault for breaking her vase, but I am already reaching my limit!]

  I guess he already forgot about my divination because right now he is pouring his dissatisfaction about how Alicia treats him up till now.

  Well, it seems there is no way to continue the divination.

  But when I felt sleepy and want to get up, Shuya stops me.

  [Ah, piggy. Wait a sec, it seems the crystal wants to tell you something_____]