Mash-up Anime World: Creating the SCP Foundation to Contain Anomalies Chapter 113: Suzume, I’ll Leave Her to You!

Listening to Haruto's story, Suzu and Mitsuha were deeply imrsed. Haruto also found it enjoyable to sort through his past life's mories.

In his previous life, Haruto was not born into a wealthy family.

Although he wasn't born in the mountains, he was still a typical small-town student.

He studied hard, got into a big city, and by chance, found opportunities to develop himself.

As they listened to Haruto's story, the two girls' impressions of him changed once again.

Before, they felt admiration and a sense of distance from him. Life in the big city and the people there felt so far away from them. But now, that sense of unfamiliar distance was quietly shattered.

It turned out Haruto had once been just like them.

Admiration gradually turned into understanding.

Their relationship unknowingly grew closer.

Just as the two girls were engrossed in the story, Haruto suddenly reached out and tapped Suzu on the head.

"You and Mitsuha, it's too late now. Ti to sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow."

Hearing this, Suzu reluctantly shook her head.

"Just a little longer! It's still early, isn't it?"

Mitsuha mumbled softly.

Haruto picked up Suzu's phone and turned on the screen.

"Still early? See for yourself what ti it is!"

Mitsuha glanced at the screen and was shocked to find that it was already past midnight. Normally, she would have been asleep by now.

As a student, Mitsuha never stayed up past ten at night.

Only during New Year's Eve would she stay up until midnight.

(T/N: Sotis I miss the feeling of sleeping before midnight.

Haaah, how good might it felt.)

But today, listening to Haruto's story, she had unknowingly lost track of ti.

Suzu, though unable to hear Mitsuha's words, could roughly guess what they were talking about.

She covered her mouth and chuckled.

However, at that mont, Haruto's brows furrowed slightly.

Suzu's phone had multiple missed calls and a flood of ssages.

They were from soone saved as "Aunt."

Suzu hadn't replied to any of them.

Glancing at the girl who was still chuckling, Haruto's expression beca serious.

"Suzu, why haven't you responded to your family's ssages?"

Hearing this, Suzu imdiately stopped laughing.

"Well..."

She hesitated.

Seeing this, Haruto sighed.

This... is just like a rebellious kid.

"Aunt always makes decisions for , and my existence is a burden to her..." Suzu muttered softly.

Iwato Tamaki was Suzu's mother's younger sister, her aunt.

Suzu's mother had passed away in a disaster ten years ago. Since then, Tamaki had raised young Suzu. For years, Tamaki treated Suzu as her own daughter, giving her all she had.

Despite her young age, she carried the deanor of a married woman and never even considered finding a boyfriend.

Suzu had complicated feelings toward this aunt.

Her love for Tamaki was unquestionable.

But at the sa ti, she felt like she was a burden to her.

Additionally, Tamaki cared for Suzu so much that she completely neglected her own life, dedicating herself entirely to raising Suzu.

This made Suzu feel even more guilty.

As a teenager going through a rebellious phase, her guilt made it difficult for her to express her emotions properly, so she acted out in frustration.

Haruto was montarily silent, unsure how to console the girl.

At that mont, Suzu's phone lit up with an incoming call.

It was from Aunt Tamaki.

Suzu instinctively prepared to decline the call.

But Haruto reached out and pressed his hand against her forehead.

"Answer it. Explain things properly to your family. At the very least, communicate. Family is important, don't do sothing you'll regret later."

Suzu lowered her head. After a long pause, she finally took the phone and pressed the answer button.

The mont the call connected, an anxious woman's voice erupted from the speaker,

"Suzu! You went to Chiba!? You ran away from ho? Can you explain why you ran away!?"

Suzu forced a bitter smile.

Her phone had GPS tracking, so Aunt Tamaki had found out where she was.

But... how should she explain?

That she was out saving the world?

"Uh... I'm saving the world?"

"Huh? What kind of nonsense is that?" Tamaki's tone was still angry. "Do you even have a place to stay? Co back ho first! Or should I co pick you up right now?"

Suzu imdiately said, "No! I'm not going back!"

Then, she moved to hang up the call.

Haruto was quick and snatched the phone before she could.

"Rebellious phase? Or did so guy trick you?"

Towa's tone softened slightly, showing her genuine concern for Suzu's safety.

Haruto glanced at Suzu, who was sulking.

Clearly, she didn't know how to respond to her aunt, who didn't understand her. So, Haruto took over the conversation.

"Aunt, I'm Suzu's classmate. We are currently staying at an inn in Chiba, so there's no need to worry about accommodation."

There was silence on the other end, then a small, doubtful mumble,

"A girl? Suzu... isn't having problems with her orientation, is she?"

Haruto: "?"

This aunt... is she a little too open-minded?

"Aunt?" Haruto tested.

"Ah, you must be Mitsuha. Suzu always talks about you. But you two girls being out alone is too dangerous."

Tamaki's tone was noticeably softer when speaking to soone other than Suzu.

Perhaps it was just her personality. Both she and Suzu were strong-willed, so whenever they talked, they unintentionally clashed.

But with Haruto acting as a middleman, the tension eased.

"Aunt, please don't worry. I'll make sure Suzu returns safely to Itomori Town. But for now, she can't go back just yet."

Haruto paused before continuing.

"Suzu has been keeping a lot of things bottled up, especially about you and her mother. This trip might help her sort out her thoughts."

Suzu imdiately grew anxious and tried to snatch the phone.

She had never told her aunt about this.

She didn't want to burden her any further.

She was already enough of a burden, she didn't want Tamaki to worry even more.

On the other end of the call, there was a brief silence before Towa let out a long sigh.

"I see... I always felt like Suzu was keeping sothing inside. But... I didn't know how to talk to her. When her mother passed... I... I was powerless. The only thing I could do was raise Suzu. If going on a trip can help her, then let her go. If you need anything, call ."

Suzu froze.

She hadn't expected her aunt to say sothing like that.

Haruto leaned in and whispered in her ear:

"See? She never thought of you as a burden. She just loves you with all her heart. So now, say goodbye properly. And when you go back, have an honest talk with her."

Suzu nodded firmly, tears glistening in her eyes.

Haruto handed the phone back to her and turned away.

Mitsuha, watching all of this, muttered to herself,

"I... I never realized Suzu felt this way... I should've noticed."

Haruto shook his head.

(Side note from the author: To be honest, when I watched the movie, I didn't understand why Suzu fought with her aunt. I just felt so bad for Tamaki —she raised Suzu for ten years without complaint!)

"It's not your fault. She keeps everything to herself. If it weren't for a coincidence, I wouldn't have noticed either."

A mont later, Suzu walked over and handed the phone back to Haruto.

Judging by her expression, it seed like she had been crying. But she didn't look sad, it was more of a mix of gratitude and relief.

Haruto took the phone, feeling a bit puzzled.

Hadn't they already finished talking? Why was she calling him again?

"Hello, Auntie?"

On the other end of the line, Tamaki's voice ca through imdiately:

"Mitsuha, you're a good child. From now on, I'll be entrusting Suzu to you. Even if you're both girls, it's totally fine!"

Haruto: !?

Suzu: !!!

Suzu had just heard from her aunt that she had sothing else to say to "Mitsuha," so she handed the phone over.

But she never expected her aunt to say sothing like that!

"Auntie Tamaki, what are you talking about?!"

Suzu shouted and quickly hung up the phone.

...

Haruto was montarily at a loss, caught between laughter and exasperation.

It seed he had gained another unexpected approval and trust.

After hanging up, Suzu avoided looking at Haruto. Haruto, on the other hand, simply patted her head lightly.

"Alright, it's getting late. Get so rest."

With that, he prepared to get up and head to the sofa to sleep.

However, Suzu grabbed the edge of his sleeve.

"I... I'm afraid of the dark! Can you stay with ...? After all, it's Mitsuha's body."

Haruto was briefly taken aback and found himself at a loss for words.

Mitsuha imdiately protested.

"Don't use my body for weird things!"

In the end, the two of them slept together.

Of course, it was a pure sleep.

(T/N: I'm watching you....)

Not that there were any conditions for anything else anyway.

As the lights were turned off, in the darkness of the room, Suzu tentatively reached out and held the hand beside her.

Their fingers gradually intertwined.

A sense of security filled Suzu's heart.

Ever since that disaster ten years ago, she hadn't felt this kind of peace.

The night passed without incident.

The Next Morning.

Sunlight stread into the room, casting a golden glow.

Daijin stretched, let out a lazy yawn, then leaped onto the bed, pressing its paw pads against "Mitsuha's" cheeks.

A familiar sense of morning drowsiness washed over Haruto.

It had been a while since he felt this way.

He half-opened his eyes.

Shielding his face from the light with his hand, Haruto looked at Daijin with mild irritation.

"Didn't you bristle with hostility at just yesterday? Why are you waking up? Go wake Suzu instead."

Daijin swished its two pure white tails.

"You. Good person."

Haruto couldn't help but chuckle wryly.

Getting a "good person card" from a cat? Seriously?

Sitting up, he glanced at the girl beside him.

Suzu's clothes were slightly disheveled, but her sleeping posture wasn't too bad.

What stood out was her relaxed expression, the corners of her lips subtly curled into a smile, she must have had a good dream.

Seeing this, Haruto instinctively reached for his phone to take a picture.

But his hand grasped at nothing.

Only then did he rember, this was Mitsuha's body.

No choice.

Instead, Haruto reached out and poked Suzu's cheek, trying to wake her up.

It was ti to begin today's journey.