I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

Once again, only Misaka Mikoto and Kurumi were left in the room. Silence enveloped them once more.

Perhaps it was the unfamiliar environment, or perhaps something else, but Misaka looked visibly uneasy. Her head lowered further and further, the tips of her brown hair brushing against her cheeks.

"Are you tired?" Kurumi glanced at the time. "Misaka, take a bath and get some rest."

"Okay..."

...

There was no sudden door opening, no classic trope of bathing together or any such antics.

In the small bathroom, the faint mist softened the outlines of everything, enveloping the space in a hazy blur.

Misaka wasn't particularly self-conscious about her figure. While she couldn't compare to the voluptuousness of Shokuhou Misaki, she was far from flat or lacking.

At most... she might be described as "modestly built."

Letting the warm water cascade over her, Misaka wiped away the condensation on the mirror. Staring back at her were tea-colored eyes half-hidden by damp bangs.

The girl reflected in the mirror was charming yet carried a hint of confusion.

She seemed to be asking herself what exactly was wrong.

Patting her cheeks lightly, Misaka collected herself.

Kurumi-senpai seemed to have a mysterious allure, a magnetic pull that made it hard not to want to get closer.

Turning off the shower, Misaka grabbed the towel Kurumi had thoughtfully prepared. It carried a faint, enticing fragrance.

Since she hadn't planned on staying out overnight, Misaka hadn't packed a spare change of clothes.

Wearing the same undergarments again wasn't a big issue... but it still felt a bit strange.

And as she looked at her childish tank top and panties...

She'll definitely laugh at me! She'll definitely laugh at me!

Knock knock knock.

A soft tapping sound came from the door.

Misaka tensed up immediately. "Kurumi-senpai?!"

"Misaka, I brought you some clothes," Kurumi's gentle voice called from beyond the frosted glass.

"Thanks, Kurumi-senpai," Misaka replied. Hastily, she hid her childish undergarments under her sweater.

The striking figure of a girl emerged from the bathroom, brightening the room instantly.

Misaka wore an oversized shirt that, on her petite frame, resembled a mini dress barely reaching her thighs. It gave off a charmingly relaxed yet subtly provocative vibe.

Her straight, slender legs were pressed together shyly, as though she wasn't quite accustomed to the outfit.

"Kurumi-senpai, why... are there no pants?" Misaka asked, biting her lip. Naturally self-conscious, she tugged slightly at the shirt's hem with her right hand, pulling it downward.

However, the act of tugging only emphasized her graceful, elegant figure.

The shirt's cut, unlike that of a traditional dress, wasn't designed for full coverage. The simple fabric at the bottom failed to completely conceal Misaka's hips and waist.

A sliver of smooth skin peeked through, hinting at something more, deepening the unspoken allure.

Her tea-colored hair fell over her shoulders, water droplets soaking into the fabric and leaving faint traces.

Her expression held a touch of distress.

"Well... I don't have pants that would fit you," Kurumi said with a soft laugh, her smile taking on a sly, playful edge.

"Besides... doesn't Misaka look quite lovely like this~?"

The beds in Nagatenjouki Academy's dorms weren't particularly spacious. While it was fine for one person to toss and turn, with two, the space became cramped.

There wasn't even enough room to place a pillow between them as a barrier.

Half of Misaka Mikoto's body was precariously hanging off the bed.

The two girls lay there, each playing on their phones, with only the faint glow of the screens illuminating the small room.

Misaka cautiously glanced in Kurumi's direction, only to find a crimson eye gleaming with a playful smile staring back at her.

!!!

"Misaka... do you dislike me?" Kurumi asked with a tone of mock sorrow, though the faint upturn of her lips betrayed her amusement.

"No! Not at all!" Misaka quickly responded.

"Then... why are you doing this?" Kurumi asked, her hand slipping under the blanket, lightly resting on Misaka's waist before sliding down to steady the side that was dangling off the bed.

Her delicate and soft face seemed to show a hint of dissatisfaction.

"No, I just... I just didn't want to crowd you," Misaka stammered, startled by Kurumi's sudden movement. She tried to explain herself.

As if to prove her words, Misaka shifted slightly closer to the middle of the bed.

The two were now so close that Misaka could almost feel the softness of Kurumi's body against her own. Her knees brushed against smooth, bare skin.

She was panicking.

Misaka had no idea whether this kind of closeness between girls was normal. She had seen friends so close that they clung to each other, seemingly inseparable.

But when she looked into Kurumi's rose-like crimson eye, there was no greed or seduction—only gentle warmth and an endless smile.

The soft exhale of Kurumi's breath added an inexplicable sense of intimacy to the air.

Misaka curled up, her body tense as the two drew even closer.

The phones were eventually set aside, leaving only the pale, flawless moonlight spilling from the sky above, its glow like flowing water.

Kurumi wrapped her arms around Misaka, resting her chin on Misaka's head.

"Sleep now," Kurumi whispered soothingly.

Yet, with most of her body now leaning against Kurumi, Misaka found herself dazed.

The exposed white skin spilling from Kurumi's collar brushed against Misaka's cheek, soft and warm. Misaka barely dared to breathe, worried about making Kurumi uncomfortable.

Tonight was destined to be a night of beauty and sleeplessness.

Seventh District

A "Kurumi" yawned softly as she looked at a girl slouched unceremoniously on a bench by the street.

Shoulder-length tea-colored hair, strikingly beautiful features, a white short-sleeved blouse paired with a summer sweater, and a gray pleated skirt.

If she hadn't already brought the real Misaka Mikoto home, and if she weren't already aware of the dark plans lurking behind this city, Kurumi might genuinely have mistaken this girl for the "Railgun."

But no... judging by the unmistakable blue-and-white striped panties, it was almost certainly one of the Sisters.

"Well, it's late. Shouldn't you be heading back?" Kurumi asked.

"Beep. Misaka expresses her surprise at being startled by an unrelated party and requests an apology," the Sister replied in a monotone, turning to Kurumi with emotionless, lifeless eyes.

"However—Misaka will answer the question regardless."

"Misaka is here to handle the post-battle cleanup caused by the fight between her elder sister and an unrelated party," the Sister explained flatly.

"And because the unrelated party has taken her elder sister out of the Seventh District, command has instructed Misaka to be ready to impersonate her sister at any time," she added, almost in complaint.

Kurumi chuckled. She understood the implications well enough.

The "unrelated party" was her—well, technically her original self.

"Cleanup duty, huh... well, at least it's just that."

Before the stunned Sister could react, Kurumi reached out and tousled her hair.

...

The scorching white sunlight of late June burned ever brighter.

A girl lay sprawled on the ground like a lifeless fish, her vacant eyes staring at the ceiling. Dressed in loose, lightweight loungewear, her overly delicate skin gleamed faintly golden under the sunlight.

"Ugh, I'm so bored… I wish I could be—"

Bang!

A pink fist came crashing down, making the lounging girl roll over in a panic. Her loose chiffon blouse slipped, revealing a large swath of her delicate shoulder.

"Ah! W-what are you trying to do? Murder me?" she yelped, clutching her chest and glaring at her main body in accusation.

"Apologies~ What were you just saying? I think I missed it," Kurumi casually said, tossing a controller aside and slowly raising her fist again. Her hands interlocked as she stretched forward, flexing her neck.

Even the former "me" would need to be properly disciplined for saying such careless things.

"Never mind, forget I said anything," the lazy doppelgänger muttered, flopping back onto the ground and silently complaining about how unruly her main body was becoming.

We were supposed to play games together! Why do you get to cheat? Just because I can't use Zafkiel...

"But..." the doppelgänger mumbled as she rolled over and nestled next to Kurumi, wrapping her arms around her bare leg.

"Hmm?" Kurumi raised an eyebrow.

"If it's you..." the doppelgänger tilted her head upward, her voice playfully dragging. "Then it's totally fine~~~"

Recalling this troublemaker's earlier absurd remarks, Kurumi's lips twitched. She narrowed her eyes slightly before reaching out to grab the doppelgänger's face.

"You... What kind of nonsense is running through that head of yours?!"

Even though they were essentially the same person, slight environmental differences had led to vastly different personalities.

As Kurumi's very first doppelgänger, this one perfectly embodied her quirks: a little lazy, a little rebellious, and completely unpredictable.

"Today! We rise up in rebellion! Let's overthrow the tyrannical main body! Put cat ears on her! Stick a tail on her!"

With a roar, the doppelgänger pounced on Kurumi, pinning her to the floor. Kurumi blinked in surprise, then her lips curled into a teasing smirk.

"Oh? You're rebelling now, are you?"

From the living room, the sound of playful laughter echoed. Meanwhile, another Kurumi, having just finished tidying her clothes and preparing to leave, sighed softly. Silently, she rooted for the doppelgänger in her heart.

"Today... is another peaceful day."

After nearly two weeks of carefree lounging, a message finally arrived from the research institute, requesting Kurumi to visit whenever she had time.

When would I be free?

Kurumi, who had never attended a single class, figured she was always free. When she'd go, however, depended entirely on her mood.

Staring at the sender's name at the bottom of the message, Kurumi sighed heavily. She could already foresee the unpleasantness ahead.

—Amata Kihara.

A member of the infamous "Kihara Family," which dominated the Dark Side of Academy City. He was directly under Aleister Crowley, the board chairman, and the leader of the Hound Dog organization.

He was also the researcher behind Accelerator's power development and one of the primary planners of the Level 6 Shift Project.

The research institute wasn't in District 18 but in District 7.

This made sense, as District 7 was the core of Academy City, home to most of the facilities related to esper development.

Unlike Misaka Mikoto, who disliked slow and expensive buses, Kurumi found them oddly enjoyable.

The orderly streets and futuristic architecture of this steel-clad metropolis offered a unique charm to her journey.

Of course, part of the reason was that Kurumi had absolutely no concept of money.

At the indicated station, Kurumi disembarked and checked the research facility's location provided in the email. However, seeing the small words "Sakugawa Middle School" on the map, she hesitated.

Should I visit Uiharu Kazari? She did come to see me once, though I wasn't there.

A twin-tailed, brown-haired girl stood at a street intersection, looking troubled.

Dressed in Tokiwadai Middle School's standard uniform with a Judgment armband on her sleeve, her pleated skirt swayed lightly in the breeze, revealing faint glimmers of two belts underneath that reflected a cold metallic sheen.

This was none other than Shirai Kuroko—read as Kuroko but synonymous with pervert.

Shirai Kuroko had been distressed lately.

After much coaxing and begging, she had finally "persuaded" Tsunoda Yukiji-senpai to move out, achieving her dream of moving into the dormitory of her beloved "Onee-sama," Misaka Mikoto.

But barely two days into her joy, she made a horrifying discovery.

Onee-sama has someone in her heart!!!

This wasn't some misunderstanding or baseless rumor. It was information so explosive it could cause a riot at Tokiwadai, meticulously uncovered by Kuroko.

Misaka Mikoto herself may not have realized it, but whether eating, bathing, or talking about outings, she kept mentioning that senpai, causing an unbearable weight to settle on Kuroko's heart.

That... that girl...

Across the street corner, a girl with ink-black hair dressed in a gothic black dress strolled by.

Kuroko pulled out her phone and compared the figure to the photo she had secretly saved from Misaka's phone.

It was an exact match.

Through her earpiece, Uiharu Kazari's startled voice rang out, but Kuroko vanished in an instant.

Dressed in her Tokiwadai uniform, the petite girl leapt across rooftops, appearing suddenly in one spot before disappearing and reappearing at another.

As one of the strongest spatial manipulators in Academy City—and a prime candidate for stepping into Level 5—Kuroko's tracking methods were both efficient and difficult to detect.

The senpai moved through the streets, seemingly searching for something, taking increasingly convoluted and remote paths.

Tap—

Kuroko landed on the rooftop of a building flanking a deep alley. She frowned. It was a dead end.

Did she notice me?

Kuroko was puzzled. It shouldn't be possible—she had been moving exclusively across rooftops.

Could this be her destination?

Standing near a large solar panel array, Kuroko watched as Kurumi slowly turned around, raising her gaze to meet Kuroko's. A smile curled at her lips.

She noticed me!!!

Alarms rang in Kuroko's mind. Instinctively, she prepared to activate her ability and leave, but a suffocating presence flooded her senses, cutting off her connection to the eleventh dimension.

A graceful hand reached out from the shadows below and grasped her ankle.

"Now, where do you think you're going?"

In Kuroko's horrified gaze, a layer of black and red shadows crept up the wall beside her. From within them, a poised Kurumi emerged, clad in her elegant dress.

At the end of her field of vision, another Kurumi smiled and stepped out of the alley.

Is this... a dream?

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