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Misaka continued to run, glancing back to make sure Accelerator was following. The loud alarm from the vending machine echoed through the park.
Misaka: "Hurry! They'll notice!" she called out, quickening her pace.
Accelerator reluctantly jogged behind her, still holding the can of juice he didn't like. "What the hell? All this just for kicking a machine?" he grumbled.
Suddenly, a familiar and enthusiastic voice rang out.
Kuroko: "Onee-sama!"
Shirai Kuroko teleported into view, right in front of Misaka. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, embracing Misaka tightly.
Kuroko: "Onee-sama, I was so worried! There were reports of ..." Kuroko stopped abruptly as her eyes landed on the white-haired boy standing not far from Misaka. Her cheerful expression instantly shifted to one of suspicion, then to clear shock and fear. Kuroko's eyes widened in realization. Her face paled.
Kuroko: (in a terrified whisper) "...A-Accelerator...?"
Her grip on Misaka loosened slightly. She stared at Accelerator with a mixture of jealousy at his proximity to Misaka and overwhelming fear, remembering the strongest esper's reputation.
Misaka: "Ah, Kuroko! This is... a bit of a complicated situation."
Accelerator merely observed their interaction with a blank, slightly bored expression. He still held his can of juice.
Kuroko: (giving Accelerator a mock glare) "Onee-sama, be careful with this guy! Who knows, he might be a serial killer in disguise!" Kuroko said, lightly pulling on Misaka's arm, trying to steer her away with a tone that was half-joking, half-serious.
Misaka huffed, amused. "Don't be weird, Kuroko. He just... helped out earlier."Accelerator scoffed at Kuroko's remark. He gave the black-haired girl a flat look.
Accelerator: "A killer?" He said without any real interest.
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However, the word "killer" struck Accelerator with unexpected force. The casual accusation slammed into the wall of his repressed memories. Suddenly, vivid images flooded his mind: endless sterile white corridors, the sickening scent of blood and ozone, and the vacant, identical eyes of thousands of Misaka clones as they fell lifelessly before him. The weight of his past actions crashed down on him.
A wave of nausea washed over Accelerator. His face paled rapidly, and he abruptly turned away, clutching his mouth. He doubled over, and a moment later, he vomited violently onto the nearby pavement.
Misaka and Kuroko stared at him in stunned silence. Misaka's amusement vanished, replaced by shock and a dawning sense that there was something far darker beneath Accelerator's detached exterior. Kuroko looked bewildered and slightly frightened by the sudden, intense reaction.
Misaka: "A-Accelerator! Are you alright?!" she exclaimed, taking a step towards him, concern etched on her face.
Accelerator straightened up slowly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn't meet Misaka's concerned gaze or Kuroko's bewildered stare. His usual detached demeanor seemed to have returned, masking whatever had just overwhelmed him.
Accelerator: "Tch. None of your business." He repeated his usual dismissive phrase, his voice still a little rough. Without another word, or even a glance at either of them, he turned and walked away quickly, disappearing into the crowd.
Misaka watched him go, her brow furrowed with confusion and a growing unease. His violent reaction to Kuroko's casual word had been unsettling. She exchanged a worried look with Kuroko.
Misaka: "What was that all about?" she murmured, more to herself than to Kuroko.
Kuroko looked equally perplexed. "I... I don't know. I was just joking..." She trailed off, her playful mood completely gone. The intensity of Accelerator's reaction had clearly shaken her.
Misaka's mind raced. His words from their first encounter – "I'm already tired of killing you over and over" – echoed in her memory, now tinged with a disturbing new context.
Misaka: (to herself) "Killing me... what did he really mean by that?"
The carefree atmosphere of the park had been shattered, replaced by a lingering sense of mystery and a dark undercurrent surrounding the strongest esper.
