《The Raven & The Lady – The Strongest Problem Buddy In The World Of Special Abilities》 CH 1 Chapter 1: The ¡°Alien¡± called ¡°Dawn Raven¡± ED : The supernatural powers doesn¡¯t exists in real and just a fantasy and this story is mainly for entertainment. *** Late at night in Tokyo. Looking up at the night sky, the thin crescent moon light shimmering and swaying. I was alone, walking down on an alleyway illuminated only by the flickering streetlights. If the police found me, they would probably arrest me for late-night wandering, but there is no need to worry about that. Because I didn¡¯t intend to stay long in the first place. It would truly be troublesome if I were to doze off in class due to lack of sleep. So I¡¯ll have to finish my work as soon as possible. I walked deeper into the building, feeling the increasing lack of security with the increasing amount of trash and graffiti on the walls. The alley way was filled with quietness and tranquility. The sound of a stray cat meowing and the footsteps of worn-out leather shoes echoed in the air. Reflected in the cloudy glass window is my own dull face. My eyes, which have been described as looking like dead fish, are lightly covered with black bangs, giving me a gloomy look. Only the leather shoes stood out strangely from my rough clothing that is suitable for the slightly chilly early spring weather.. I really think that the white ring on the index finger of my right hand doesn¡¯t suit me. ¡°¡­¡­Haa. It¡¯s my choice, though.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a deep sigh. I would quit this job if I could. But¡­ I have to earn money to support my little sister. I don¡¯t want my sister, who has a good brain, to have a hard time. Do you think I¡¯m a siscon? Yes, I am. What¡¯s wrong with loving my only one family member? ¡°¡­¡­Hmm?¡± As I was thinking about something inconsequential, my phone, tucked in my pant¡¯s pocket, announced an incoming call with a pirorin. The name on the screen was ¡°Arisa Arisugawa.¡± It¡¯s a complicated name, it¡¯s not a stage name, but her real name. In addition, she is my work partner. After the third ring, it finally connects. || ¡°¡ªI routinely tell you to pick up on the first ring, don¡¯t I, Kyosuke Sato?¡± Arisugawa says recklessly in a voice as clear as a bell. She has the appearance of a beautiful young lady, which can be imagined from her voice alone. In fact, she is the daughter of a conglomerate and her looks are quite good, but don¡¯t think that anything is permissible just because she is pretty. Well, in reality, it¡¯s usually forgivable. It¡¯s more than that. ¡°The destination is right out of the gate. I mean, where are you now?¡± || ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m lost.¡± ¡°Huh? You have a convenient civilized device like a smartphone and you¡¯re still lost?¡± || ¡°You know I have DTD, right?¡± [ED: Developmental topographical disorientation (DTD)] ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you if you wanted to go with me to the rendezvous? But you refused, saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear to walk side by side with a man like you!¡±¡± || ¡°It¡¯s the natural order of the world. Just give up and accept it.¡± How can someone provide such an unreasonable excuse this casually? Talking with Arisugawa makes my head hurt. Her brain is so much better than mine, but where did it go wrong? ¡°So, do you want me to pick you up?¡± ¡°Not even close. I was just trying to give you a small pep talk, telling you to work hard on your own.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t skip work all on your own, at least tell me beforehand!¡± || ¡°I¡¯ll give you the whole credit. Just thank me later while sobbing on your knees.¡± ¡°I know the extent of your treatment of me.¡± || ¡°Well, I think of you as a useful servant.¡± When I sighed at Arisugawa¡¯s unmannered treatment of me, what came back was an elegant laugh. || ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a cute joke. I¡¯ll be a little late, but I¡¯m on my way.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± || ¡°By the way¡­ how many times have I asked you to call me Arisa instead of you¡ª-¡± Putsun. Before she can finish, I drop the call and tuck my phone into my pocket. It¡¯s true, the choice is between ¡°you¡± or ¡°Arisugawa¡±. Think about it the other way around. There¡¯s no way that a mob like me could ever call Arisugawa like that (you), right? Just being able to talk to her should be an admirable thing. After a few minutes of walking, I arrived at the end of the alley. In front of me stood a tall but deserted building. There were a few lights on, and I could also see that there were people inside. ¡°Well. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± I muttered in a matter-of-fact manner to myself and kicked the entrance door and welcomed my way in. The door easily crumbled and blew away, crashing into the opposite wall, shards of broken glasses glittered in the air. There was no scream of panic. Instead, what echoed was the sound of several dry gunshots. My hands flashed in front of the rain of killing intent that would easily take a life if it hit a human being. Feeling a slight shock in the palm of my hand, I enter the building with ease and look around at the confused men in suits. I opened my hands and showed them the dozens of brass-colored bullets falling to the floor. The men look stunned as the bullets roll on the floor with a clatter. ¡°That¡¯s quite a rough greeting. But, this small show is not enough to kill me.¡± ¡°¨CYou little sh*t!¡± ¡°What are you doing?!¡¡Shoot him!¡± The men pull the trigger of their pistols, revealing their anger. The sound of gunfire rang out. The faint smell of gunpowder and smoke quickly fill up the room. I ran through the rain of bullets, feeling the overflowing presence of violence(from the raining bullets) against my whole body. With the slow-motion vision, I saw the bullets approaching in a spiral track, and while avoiding them, I flanked the nearest man. I punched the defenseless man in the jaw with the bottom of my palm and the pistol he was holding dropped to the floor, perhaps due to concussion. A kick to the stomach, which contains the full force, sends the body bent over and flying to the side, crashing hard into a wall. ¡°Next.¡± Without even a glance at the man, I instantly close the gap and deal with the men one after another without killing them, leaving their life intact. The men seemed to have realized that they couldn¡¯t fire the gun because it might cause friendly fire amongst them, so he tried to surround me with several men and attack me at once. However, no matter how many ordinary people they have in a group, they are no match for me. Because¡­. ¡°¨CUntouchable.¡± With a snap of my fingers, I released my supernatural power. Then they all collapsed to their knees on the floor and their foreheads attached to the floor, as if kowtowing towards me regardless of their will. They couldn¡¯t even move, let alone stand up. My ability is the Gravity Order. Literally, it is the ability to control the principle of gravity. ¡°Guh ¡­¡­ don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re a ¡°Dawn Raven¡±?!¡± ¡°Gufu!¡± Don¡¯t call me that, please. It¡¯s not funny when an adult calls me by a chuunibyou name with a stiff tone. Let¡¯s just get the job done and go to bed early. All the men soon lost consciousness because they couldn¡¯t stand the force of gravity that had been strengthened. Don¡¯t blame me. I climbed the stairs used for fire escape from the entrance and put the upper floor under control in the same way as the ground. From here, it was a game of speed to prevent the target, who seemed to be on the top floor, from escaping. Without taking any unnecessary trouble, I instantly reap the consciousness of the guards on standby and move on to the next floor. After repeating this process dozens of times, I finally made my way to the top floor. Originally, I was in charge of the diversion, but since Arisugawa wasn¡¯t coming, it seemed I had no choice but to finish the job all on my own. My stomach clutches when I think of what would happen if the target were to escape. I take away the consciousness of the two men standing guard, and use ¡°Anti-Gravity¡± to blow open the grandiose door that leads to the room where the target is located. Now, just as we are about to enter the room¡­ ¡°¨C!¡± A fire surged from inside the room like a muddy torrent. Then, I protected myself by instantly covering my body with a seemingly thin layer of compressed gravitational membrane. Eventually, the flames died down, and a figure stood in the center of the room, where black smoke was drifting in the air. ¡°¨CHey, hey, you¡¯re so sloppy. Those guards got killed by one little kid like this.¡± A coarse male voice rang. The face I saw after the black smoke cleared was the same one as that of the target I had confirmed beforehand. Instead of running away, he was waiting for me. Was I lucky or unlucky? I was safe until now because Arisugawa wasn¡¯t there, but this is a happy miscalculation. However, I have one correction to make. ¡°Pops, I didn¡¯t kill a single person. Please don¡¯t turn people into murderers without permission.¡± ¡°Oh? It is all the same thing once you¡¯re in a pigsty.¡± ¡°Then, by that logic, you old man is going to die, too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fool!¡± The man held out his palm toward me, and shot a red-hot flame out of the void. The air was scorched with a roar, and the overwhelming heat of the heated air burned my skin. That man¡¯s special ability is ¡°Flame Manipulator¡± and the strength of that special ability is level 6 out of 10. It is more than enough to call it a powerful ability. This flame can easily burn a person to death without any difficulty. ¡ª Yes it is, if it weren¡¯t for me. ¡°High Pressure!¡± ¡°¨CGuh¡­¡­¡± The gravity that dominates the room, dozens of times greater than normal gravitational force, literally ¡°weighs¡± the man down. The flames were extinguished, and the man can only moan and groan as he crouches with all four limbs to the floor. I am the only one standing now. ¡°Sorry, old man. You¡¯re going to the pigsty, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That face, the gravity user with the white ring ¨C you¡¯re the ¡®High End¡¯ of the ¡®Different¡¯?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late to realize it now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What is this kind of sh*t¡­! ¡± ¡°¨CSeven cases of arson. The number of casualties is in the triple digits, and the total amount of damage is well over 100 million. You did it all yourself.¡± What I have enumerated are the crimes committed by the man. He is a different kind of criminal who has killed countless people and plunged the world into chaos. That¡¯s why, I ¡­¡­ was ordered to help them catch this guy. Enough chatter. ¡°Old man, you are taken into custody. Don¡¯t even think about escaping.¡¡If I wanted to, I could turn you into a speck on the ground in an instant. I won¡¯t stop you if you want me to do that.¡± The man didn¡¯t react, even though I intentionally gave him a reprieve. He must have instinctively sensed the overwhelming difference in power. No one would charge in knowing that no matter what they did, it would be futile. They put the man in cuffs with a differently insulated handcuff, and the case is closed. Arisugawa didn¡¯t show up until the last minute, but let¡¯s just inform her¡­¡­ I quickly send a message stating that I¡¯ve finished the job and then talk to my boss. That¡¯s the end of my work. I left the rest to the people who were there to pack up the rest of the stuff and I returned home. My main priority is to be a student. No matter what anyone says, even if I have more power than I can handle. That will never, ever change. CH 2 Chapter 2: Beloved Sister ¡°Onii ~tsu!¡± ¡°Tsuu?!¡± I was knocked out of my dream world by a fierce weight I felt on my abdomen. I looked up with sleepy eyes to see the enlarged face of my younger sister, Mio, wearing an apron over her school uniform. Her glossy black hair, tied in two knots, sways with each movement as she straddles on me. Even in a situation that would make any man in the world react with sensitivity to his partner, I am completely unperturbed. In front of the angel that reigns in this world, Mio, all kinds of evil thoughts are vanquished. If I say something like, ¡°You¡¯re the cutest thing in the world today too¡­¡­¡± I¡¯ll get a creepy look on my face, so I¡¯ll just keep it to my heart. If by any chance I heard something like, ¡°I hate my brother!¡± I might the destroy the world in a fit of self-doubt. Nope, I was just kidding. The point is, that I would be shocked to that degree. The dazzling, morning sun shining through the window gradually awakens my consciousness. Last night, I returned home at midnight after work and fell asleep without even taking a shower. Looking at the clock on the wall, I see that it is just before 7:00 a.m. Three hours of sleep is definitely bad for your body. ¡°Brother, are you awake?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m up, I¡¯m up.¡± I responded blankly to Mio¡¯s question. Mio doesn¡¯t seem to have the idea of allowing me to fell asleep for the second time again. I let out a big sigh and sat up, but there was no sign of Mio retreating from my body. She was staring at me with almond-like eyes that were filled with anxiety and worry. It¡¯s always like this the morning after I get home from work. Mio knows what¡¯s going on, and we¡¯ve talked about it many times, and she already approves of me doing that kind of job. But that¡¯s not the same thing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± As usual, I put my hands behind her back and hugged her lightly, and she buried her face in my chest. We shared a quiet breath, a faintly sweet and soothing warmth. A few seconds of silence. It is a ritual for me and Mio to confirm our daily life. This is how we finally feel that we have returned home. After a few moments, Mio pulled away and smiled radiantly, as if the previous possession had fallen from her. It¡¯s the kind of smile that is like the sun, which spreads warmth to those around her. ¡°All right! I¡¯m going to make a breakfast. Go take a shower before I¡¯m done!¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks for coming every morning.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I enjoy taking care of my brother¡¯s mental health. It¡¯s like a diary of a bad person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± With a comfort pat for me, Mio left the room. Well, I too have to get ready for the morning. If Mio¡¯s joke becomes a reality, it will shatter my tiny pride as an older brother. After a quick shower and getting ready for school, I went to the living room, where breakfast was just about ready. ¡°Oh, good place [timing]. Please help me bring these to the table.¡± ¡°Oh, Japanese food today?¡± ¡°Salmon fillets were cheap. And I also have boiled a bowl of spinach and miso soup. By the way, the ingredients are deep-fried tofu and daikon radish, which my brother likes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Mio. You know what your brother likes.¡± ¡°Here, here, eat more so that you can can praise me more, right?¡± While the two siblings were having a manga dialogue, a few piping hot freshly made dishes, prepared for breakfast quickly lined up on the table. We sat down, clasped hands, and said ¡°Itadakimasu!¡± togethes, before putting on our chopsticks first. The salmon was freshly grilled and the saltiness of the fish whetted our appetites, and we began to eat the white rice eagerly. We took a break after eating the boiled vegetables and miso soup as if the taste of the meal was just flowing. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­ it¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°See, I hold my brother¡¯s stomach in my hands.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of frustrating that you¡¯re not wrong.¡± In fact, it is Mio, who take cares of all the household chores. Although she is only in her second year of junior high school, Mio¡¯s skills are probably no less than those of a housewife with a long history. Her cooking, in particular, is outstanding. She is a hardcore who can make Christmas cakes and New Year¡¯s dishes by herself, and they are all super delicious to boot. She is so good that I can hardly believe she is my sister. In addition, she is a lovely girl who is a priceless treasure. I wanted her to share her face deviation with me, who was finally below the average person after rounding up to the nearest hundredth of a percent. We finished eating breakfast while talking about miscellaneous things, and we washed the dishes together. Even though Mio is an all-around housekeeper, it won¡¯t be fair if I were to leave everything to her. This is especially true on weekday mornings when school is in session. I went back to my room to get my backpack, and at the same time, I checked my smartphone to see if there were any messages. I turn it on and a few messages pop up on the screen. Three of them were about news, weather, and other announcements. But the last one was different. The sender was Arisugawa. The content was brief: ¡°Please remember me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too scary.. ¡­¡­¡± The fact that it contains no extraneous information at all is, on the contrary, a foreshadowing of a ticking time-bomb. Arisugawa is calm and quick-witted, but why does she have such a quick temper? ¡­¡­Calm and short-tempered are, infact, contradictory, aren¡¯t they? The word that seems to best describe Arisa Arisugawa is ¡°an ice woman who goes by the rules of unreasonableness¡±. She¡¯s particularly hard-hitting with me, and I don¡¯t understand what just tugs at my heartstrings even though I¡¯ve already known her for a reasonable amount of time. In my mind, she¡¯s categorized in the type of a person as dangerous as a sudden boil. But still¡­.. ¡°Did I do something to offend you?¡± I twisted my brain hard, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything that seemed to be the case. The most recent thing was that I left Arisugawa behind to finish the work on my own. It¡¯s also possible that I messaged her, but she didn¡¯t see them, right? ¡°¡­¡­. I couldn¡¯t see it.¡± I look at the screen of the conversations I had with Arisugawa and realize. The message that I had sent to Arisugawa to let her know that I had finished work, had not been sent and had disappeared into the electronic sea due to an operational error on my part. In other words, Arisugawa spent idle time in the building, where the case has already ended and everything has been packed up. ¡­¡­Yeah, I¡¯m totally at fault for this. I¡¯ll have to apologize properly when I see her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll at least listen to my explanation. Whether she will forgive me or not depends on how Arisugawa¡¯s mood.. ¡°Brother! If you don¡¯t leave soon, you are going tol be late for school!¡± Mio, dressed in her junior high school uniform, stormed into the living room to wait for me. Her straight healthy legs, unsparingly exposed, is probably unique to the spring. As her older brother, I¡¯m concerned about her skirt, which is above her knees, as if she is growing taller because she is old enough. I can see your pants, you know?¡¡Is it okay? ¡°Ah, why do you have to wear the shirt that¡¯s not ironed yet?¡± ¡°Oh ¡­¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too careless. Go change first, I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± Without even waiting for his reply, Mio left the room with a fluttering wave of her hand. Maybe I am indeed distracted. I changed my shirt, put my blazer back on, and checked in the mirror to make sure my tie was tight. If I don¡¯t make a conscious effort to keep my appearance in order, Mio¡¯s efforts won¡¯t come to light. Above all, if I keep my appearance clean, my own poor face looks a little better if compared to our company (my sister¡¯s). When I arrived at the front door, Mio was waiting for me with her shoes on and her hair in a state of readiness. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, Mio led me by the hand and I walked to school feeling a little embarrassed and happy. CH 3 Chapter 3: The Desired Youth Is Gray After parting ways with Mio on the way to school, I dived through the gates of Tendou Gakuin, blending in with the rest of the students going to school. Tendou Gakuin is a middle and high school institution for the training of different abilities, and Mio is in the middle school. Although there are only about 10% of the population who have different abilities, these abilities can easily be used as a weapon to take human lives. Is it a little too twisted to think that a kind of human weapon is housed in a state-run school so that it can be managed all together ¡­¡­? Ostensibly, it is a place to train human resources that will benefit the country in the future. The fact that it is a national school with good facilities and treatment is probably part of the candy. I changed into my slippers at the entrance and arrived at the classroom of the second year class with about five minutes to spare. There are students chatting, students sleeping on their desks, and students diligently preparing for class. No one¡¯s interest was piqued by my arrival. As I sat in the front seat by the window, playing with my phone and killing time as I saw fit, the pre-bell rang in the classroom. A short time later, a woman with dark circles pasted on both eyes, looking like a 9-5 white collar hard working woman, entered the classroom. She is the homeroom teacher of Class 2, Year 2, Otori Shizuka. She is also one of my collaborator at my secret second job. Shizuka-san¡¯s eyes, from my point of view, are devoid of any kind of energy, and the atmosphere she exudes is like that of a ghost, as if she could vanish if a slight breeze brush past her. She was probably up all night doing something. I bite back a sigh of relief as I take my place at the podium. ¡°¡­¡­No absences. Let¡¯s start homeroom.¡± Without any particular greeting, Shizuka passes on the contact information to the students. I didn¡¯t have any relevant information to share, so I just listened in half-heartedly. ¡°¨COh, and ¡­¡­ Kyosuke Sato. Come to the student guidance office when homeroom is over.¡± The sudden mention of my name made everyone in the classroom look at me. From behind, ¡°Again?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not what he looks like, is he?¡± I hear insinuations which doesn¡¯t even have an ounce of intention of hiding it from their subject of talk, which is literally me. If I didn¡¯t know what was going on, I would think so too just like them, so I have got no choice but to sigh deeply in my heart. No, even if there is something matter, please don¡¯t call me to the student guidance office. I am a good student. I am not a criminal or delinquent. Still, if you don¡¯t know the facts, you will have a bias and be labeled as such. That is also the reason why few people try to get close to me. ¡°Homeroom is over. Now get ready for class.¡± I hurriedly follow Shizuka-san as she leaves the classroom after saying this curtly. I walk a little behind her in the hallway, and after a few turns, we arrived at the student guidance office. Shizuka-san sits down roughly on a pipe chair by the window and points for me to sit opposite her. I did as she asked, and Shizuka-san¡¯s mouth moved. ¡°¨CYou, what did you do?¡± A straightforward question. The eyes shoot me a look as if to say, ¡°You brought the trouble.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡­''¡± ¡°¡­¡­Oh, my bad. I left out the subject. I¡¯m talking about what you did to Arisugawa.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°You guys were on the same mission. And yet, I found Arisugawa on her way to the scene of the crime. She was in a really bad mood.¡± That¡¯s quite something to hear from Shizuka-san. Well, it¡¯s all my fault. I seriously don¡¯t want to encounter this¡­¡­ I don¡¯t want to die yet. When I explained the circumstances just in case, Shizuka groaned and rubbed her brow. ¡°Arisugawa, who didn¡¯t want to go to her destination alongside you, got lost. So, she left it behind and went home.¡± ¡°I thought I sent her a message that I was leaving because it was over, but it wasn¡¯t delivered.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hmm.. I also thought that would have been the case.¡± Apparently, Shizuka-san was able to anticipate this to some extent. I, too, had my head in the sand because of Arisugawa¡¯s grumpy endorsement. There are things that me and Shizuka-san can¡¯t help. The first thing that comes up is Arisugawa¡¯s mood. The Arisugawa in a bad mood is, not only limited to digital contact but is also a dangerous thing which is of the first kind that we hesitate to even appear in her sight. Moreover, since there is no significant change in her facial expression, she looks the same as usual to the onlooker. Think of it as a bomb whose fuse you can¡¯t see, if it¡¯s lit or not. ¡­¡­The quality is usually poor. ¡°Kyosuke Sato, please do something about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless. You know I don¡¯t want anything to do with Arisugawa at school.¡± ¡°On one hand, you are an elite with a promising future. But on the other hand, you¡¯re supposed to be the stone on the side of the road ¡­¡­ right?¡± ¡°If a dropout like me talks to Arisugawa, it creates unnecessary animosity. As for me, who wants to live my school life in peace, it¡¯s not a good idea to get involved with Arisugawa.¡± The power relationship between me and Arisugawa at school is about as far apart as the president and a lowly part-timer. Even if the truth is completely different, the students at the school don¡¯t know about that kind of behind-the-scenes stuff. And above all¡­. ¡°Arisugawa is interested in the ¡®Gravity Order¡¯ of the ¡®High End¡¯ and there is definitely not a single soul named Kyosuke Sato! Except you.¡± That¡¯s enough chitchat. I get up from my seat to avoid pursuit, and as I put my hand on the door knob to leave the student guidance room, a voice calls out to me from behind. ¡°Just so you know, Arisugawa did what she did without my permission or direction. I did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that reasonable for an adult¡­..?¡± ¡°Who knows. Just be youthful like a high school student once in a while.¡± ¡°Youth with Arisugawa? Even if it¡¯s a joke, it¡¯s not funny.¡± The youth I wanted was gray. It will never change no matter what, and I don¡¯t want to change it. I¡¯m just so hungry for work that I can¡¯t take any more of the crazy reality. CH 4 Chapter 4: Farewell My Elegant And Peaceful Lunch Time When I returned to the classroom from the student counseling office, classes had already started. After explaining the situation to the teacher in charge, I took my seat, opened my textbook, and focused on the class. (Haa ¡­¡­ so depressing.) I senses the whisperings and eyes looking at me from various corner inside of the classroom. They are probably making meaningless assumptions about what I have done. Since only Shizuka-san and I know the truth, I hope she understands the consequences of her frequent calling to her office as soon as possible. However, my mind is not so feeble as to be disturbed by such a thing. The class went on without any incident, the bell rang to signal the end of the last four periods of the morning, and we greeted each other and took a lunch break. With the students running out of the classroom, eager for bread from the store, I pull out my bag and grab the bento that Mio had made for me. Unwrapping the cute cat-print wrapper and opening the lid, I was greeted with a colorful array of side dishes and rice sprinkled with nori seaweed. ¡°So, it¡¯s a nori bento today, huh?¡± I clasp my hands together as I chew on the happiness of eating my sister¡¯s homemade bento every day. First, I takes a bite-sized octopus wiener, and then continues with the rice. ¡­¡­Yes, it¡¯s delicious and filled with love. It¡¯s a simple yet reassuring taste. Whatever it is, anything made by Mio, it is bound to be delicious! As I continue to eat without giving my chopsticks a break, I suddenly notice that the classroom is buzzing. Well, it¡¯s none of my business. My first priority is to finish the lunch Mio made for me without leaving behind a single grain of rice. I won¡¯t let anyone else interrupt my moment of bliss. ¡°¡ªKyosuke Sato.¡± ¡­¡­I think I heard a familiar female voice that sounded like she was in a bad mood. No, it¡¯s impossible as a practical matter. I don¡¯t believe that there will be a minuscule number of people who wants to talk to me, who happen to be in the middle of having lunch. ¡°Are you listening¡­..?¡¡Kyosuke Sato.¡± My homemade bento suddenly disappears from my desk. As I lifted my head up, my vision was filed up with the glossy and silver-white bundle of hair. The school uniform that she wears without a single wrinkle wraps fittingly around her slender body as if it had been custom-made just for her. Her silhouette was thin, slender, and delicate. Her skin is as white as a porcelain doll, but the cherry color of her cheeks and lips gives her a human-like appearance. Her eyes, which are double-lined, are as blue and clear as the beautiful sea. This is definitely not something that I am expecting at my peaceful lunch time. I tried to hold back the urge to scream, and tried to deal with the situation in a very calm manner. ¡°¡­¡­Well, what does a celebrity like you want from me, Arisa Arisugawa? Also, I want my bento back.¡± ¡°Since you didn¡¯t seem to hear my voice. I am here for you. Can you please listen to me?¡± How can you put up such a polite request when you already have no intention of hearing a ¡®no¡¯ from me in the first place? I really don¡¯t want to get involved with Arisugawa at school. But if I were to got involved right now, I¡¯m pretty sure that I will never be get out of this anymore. The reason why is simple¡­. Because I am a bottom-tier student and Arisugawa is a talented girl at the top of the school caste. It is obvious what will happen if I refuse Arisugawa¡¯s invitation in front of the crowd. I don¡¯t want to cause unnecessary animosity and make my school life even worse than it already is. The only option I can take now is to accept. Farewell, my elegant and peaceful lunchtime. ¡°¡­¡­Oh, okay. And give me back my bento.¡± ¡°Excuse me for this. Shall we go then? You can bring your bento, too. I haven¡¯t had lunch yet either, so let¡¯s talk while we eat.¡± I carefully put the bento box back on the desk, rewrapped it, and followed Arisugawa, who silently appealed, ¡°Follow me.¡± Jealous and hateful stares clung to me as I left the classroom, but I¡¯d also like that to change if I could. Arisugawa speedily pace ahead as if I¡¯m not there. Still, I followed without a single complaint to it and climbed the stairs and unlocked the door leading to the rooftop. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you something that I can¡¯t ¡­¡­ get it, but why do you have the key to the rooftop?¡± ¡°I talked to Shizuka-sensei for a while, and she was very kind to lend it to me.¡± Shizuka-san ¡­¡­. don¡¯t give in to your students. Everyone doesn¡¯t want to get involved with the displeased Arisugawa, but isn¡¯t it terrible that I¡¯m the only one to be sacrificed? The breeze on the quiet rooftop is warm and the fabric of my blazer is fluttering. The view through the safety fence is so good that you might get carried away. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me. Kyosuke Sato, come here.¡± ¡°Oi, oi¡­¡­.¡± Arisugawa sat down on a small step and urged me to sit down, so I moved next to her, leaving a space for two people. I don¡¯t have to worry about people¡¯s eyes once I¡¯m here, and if someone approaches, I¡¯ll be aware of it by the sound of their presence. I respond to her in my usual manner, and spread my bento on my lap. Arisugawa also pulls out a small water bottle and a homemade sandwich from her handbag. It is hard to believe that she prepared ¡­¡­ them by herself. Arisugawa¡¯s morning weakness is well documented, and she says that she does her best to get up and get ready for the day. ¡°So, what¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty. People hates the fast men.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It is not the right thing for a high school girl to say.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important. I¡¯m as broad and generous as the sky, and you have an idea why I¡¯m angry, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I have a lot to say, but ¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I thought I sent you a message that I was leaving first, but I guess I didn¡¯t send it.¡± I turns my body exactly to apologize and waits for Arisugawa¡¯s reply. Tension runs through me. Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, Arisugawa wouldn-t blame a person who is sincerely apologizing to her, right? ¡°¨CI understand. It was an unintentional accident, is that what you mean?¡± ¡°Um, yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you left me alone. It¡¯s disgusting, Kyosuke Sato.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that unlikely with the way things are going right now?¡± My face twitches at the degree of her unreasonableness. Apparently, my understanding of the human being named Arisugawa wasn¡¯t so good in the first place. She said it so lightly as if it were a matter of course, and began to eat her sandwich. Leaving me to wonder if she actually doesn¡¯t care about me. However, I can¡¯t bicker with her right now because who¡¯s in a bad mood. And it can¡¯t be helped that my stomach won¡¯t stop tightenning until she is in a better mood. ¡°What do I have to do to be forgiven¡­..?¡± ¡°Thank you for accepting so quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you with as much common sense as I can muster.¡± ¡°No one expects anything from Kyosuke Sato. Let¡¯s see ¡­¡­ come out with me for a bit this weekend. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have any plans anyway.¡± ¡°You know, some important matters could pop up any time¡± ¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s settled. If you forget this time, I¡¯ll tell Mio-chan all about it.¡± Isn¡¯t this a fine threat? There is no way out left, and her demands are considerably better than expected, except that the content is opaque. I seriously have a problem with abstract demands such as ¡°satisfy me.¡± I¡¯m a weak communicator and interpersonal person, and I am the perfect person to not be asked this wish. ¡°I¡¯m done talking to you, Kyosuke Sato.¡± ¡°Okay. Well then, I¡¯ll go.¡± As I was about to stand up to wrap up my finished bento, thin, cold fingers entwined around my right wrist. Regardless of physical strength, it was unlikely that I would be able to untangle myself from the power here. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not every day you get a chance to enjoy lunch time with a beautiful girl like me, okay?¡¡And since an age like yours = no girlfriend ¡­¡­ no, you will never find a loving companion for the rest of your life, that¡¯s why you should chew on this good fortune.¡± ¡°Do you have something against me?¡¡I mean, do you usually call yourself a beautiful girl? Isn¡¯t your mind rotten?¡± ¡°Can I crush your wrist?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Please don¡¯t be so frightened, it makes me feel like I¡¯m doing something bad.¡± Quickly removing her hand, Arisugawa smiled out of character. A smile that would knock out any of those boys in an instant, but to me it looks like there¡¯s more to it than that. There are only 10 minutes or so left until the afternoon classes begin. We spend the rest of the day in the drowsy spring sunshine, occasionally interspersing casual conversation. CH 5 Chapter 5: Special Division Of Supernatural Crimes I leave the school after my afternoon classes are finished. I then head straight home ¡­¡­ but unusually, I have plans for today. The train from the nearest station takes me to Kasumigaseki, where many government offices are located. The place is usually not a place that a high school student would think of as having a connection to, but I have a situation that I can¡¯t let it get out in the open. In the midst of adults in suits walking around, a high school student in school uniforms inevitably stands out. However, I entered the building and completed the formalities at the reception desk without worrying about anything. The top management has already spoken to me, so I only need to fill up my name, which is a big help for me. We took the elevator for the concerned parties to the 10th floor. There is a floor occupied by a department specializing in fighting against supernatural powers¨C ¡°Special Division Of Supernatural Crimes¡±, commonly known as ¡°Special¡±. I knocked on the door of the room titled ¡°The Office.¡± ¡°This is Kyosuke Sato. I request permission to enter.¡± I greet her as usual, but after waiting a few seconds, she doesn¡¯t reply. Could it be that she is not here? I¡¯m sure she¡¯s here at this time of the day, but I took out my phone ¡­¡­ and tried to contact him. ¡ª rattle rattle rattle. A sound like a bicycle being reared up on a parked bicycle echoed from the other side of the door. When I vigorously opened the door to see what was going on, I found a scene similar to the horrific scene after a major earthquake. An overturned business desk. Scattered papers and knick-knacks left no room to stand, and at this moment, the computers were also dead. In the center of the epicenter, a petite woman was on her knees, her cheeks puffed out, while a muscular man apologetically kept his eyes down. ¡°Mikoto-sama. Please don¡¯t overturn the desk when you are startled by a bug! Are you still a ¡°Supernatural High End¡±?¡± ¡°Kagari, I¡¯m sorry. There was a spider right in front of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so tiny!¡± ¡°Um, are you okay?¡± ¡°Oh, Kyo-chan!¡¡Just in the right place!¡± The petite woman ¨C Kagari Kanae ¨C stands up vigorously as soon as she sees me, and pattily comes over to me. Then she takes my hand and, with a cat-catcher¡¯s voice, looks me up and down. ¡°Hey, can you help me fix that?¡± I was asked to clean up my boss¡¯s mess. Kagari stands tall on her tiptoes because of the height difference between us. The distance between us approaching in a slightly reclined position made me choke with a ugh¡­¡­. The childish gestures and charming smile may look like she is in her early teens, but Kagari is an adult. In other words, a legal loli¨C ¡°¨CAre you thinking of something rude?¡± ¡°No, no. No way.¡± Her cold, empty gaze made me feel bloody, and I shook my head hurriedly like a rattle. I wonder if she¡¯s not being too intuitive? But let¡¯s not think about anything else. Because no matter how many lives I have, it won¡¯t be enough. ¡°I mean, can you please get away from me so I can fix it?¡± ¡°Yeah. I asked you to move things, Kyo-chan.¡± Kagari takes her hand away and steps back out of the way of the mess of things. When everyone is in place, I release my supernatural powers. ¡°¨C¡°Zero Gravity.¡±¡± ¡°Alright. Help me, Takeru-san. Please move things as they were a while ago.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯m sorry Kyosuke.¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m used to it.¡± I laugh and say I don¡¯t mind, and Chigi-san bows his head apologetically again. He is still the head of the ¡°Special¡± office, but I don¡¯t sense any dignity in him at all. Despite his large size, Chigi-san is a small man. ¡°That desk over there!¡¡The computer is wired this way and that way.¡¡That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°Unlike Kagari-san, Chigi-san and I can¡¯t see the past. So, please overlook the slight difference.¡± ¡°Umm ¡­¡­ Well, that¡¯s true. But I¡¯m not sure if I can see too much.¡± Kagari-san said and scratched her cheeks as if troubled. The reason for putting Kagari-san in charge of giving instructions is because of her supernatural ability. The name of her unique ability is ¡°World Observation Laplace¡± and it is a powerful and unmatched ability that allows her to see the past, present, and future. In addition, there is my ¡°Gravity Order¡±. If our combined abilities were used to clean the room ¡­¡­ there would be no more extravagant waste of money. After spending about five minutes repairing the room, the three of us take a break with a cup of instant coffee in hand. ¡°¨CKyosuke. Thanks for your hard work this morning.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my job. I¡¯ve been paid more than enough. It¡¯s much more difficult to get Arisugawa in a good mood.¡± ¡°A-chan is not so honest. She¡¯s a young maiden, so you have to look after her properly, Kyo-chan, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be broken.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell that to her, okay?¡¡I don¡¯t want to put a valuable member of our team in the hospital.¡± ¡°You too, Chigi-san.¡± In front of Arisugawa¡¯s wrath, no one is able to be left unscathed. Young or old, male or female, whoever they may be, are all equal. ¡°That¡¯s more than that. Didn¡¯t Takeru-san say he had something to tell Kyo-chan?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked him to come here in between schoolwork, I can¡¯t waste my time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¨CIt¡¯s about the guy we took into custody this morning. He has ties to the underworld.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very disturbing story. Where does he belong and what¡¯s his purpose?¡± Kagari-san responded to my question. Data collection and analysis are her forte. ¡°Perhaps, the affiliation is ¡°White Rose Society¡±. The purpose is ¡­¡­ so far, there¡¯s not much that clearly rings true. They are securing talented supernatural candidates and collecting funds for operations. It is also possible to reduce the strength of our side.¡± ¡°I see. You still can¡¯t narrow down the target?¡± ¡°As soon as the situation changes, I will contact Kyo-chan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s classified, so I can¡¯t talk about it over the phone. Thanks for the trouble.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. Well then, I¡¯ll go now.¡± I¡¯ve heard what I needed to hear. With that in mind, I gulped down the coffee left in my cup and got up from my seat. Besides, I had to be home by now, since Mio would be waiting for me to cook dinner. As I put my hand on the doorknob, I hear Chigi-san¡¯s voice. ¡°¨CI hear you¡¯re going on a weekend date with Arisugawa. Make sure you escort her properly.¡± ¡°Why is that? I mean, a date? Aren¡¯t you mistaken? I guess I¡¯m a good baggage handler ¡­¡­ or maybe I¡¯m a slave who works like a cart horse.¡± ¡°I guess ¡­¡­ A-chan isn¡¯t happy about it.¡± CH 6 Chapter 6: The White Tiger¡¯s Hunt ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± I called out to Mio as I went through the front door, and soon I heard footsteps approaching. The door blocking the hallway and the living room was opened with a bang, and Mio, dressed in her apron as she had been in the morning, greeted me. ¡°Welcome home!¡¡Dinner will be ready soon!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Today we¡¯re having gingerbread, my brother¡¯s favorite!¡± That¡¯s great. Thank God, I have a sister who understands her brother. I put down my luggage, changed into loungewear, and went to the living room. The appetizing aroma made my stomach growl, which I couldn¡¯t bear, and Mio laughed when she noticed. ¡°Are you that hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be hungry even if you didn¡¯t want to if there were such delicious-looking home-cooked food lined up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy.¡± I¡¯m the one who¡¯s happy. I have a home to come back to, a family to love, and a hot meal to fill my stomach. What more could I ask? Everyday life is built on a miraculous balance. We will never know how precious it is until we lose it. Because, I lost it once. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¡You look ugly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just normal and hurtful, so you¡¯re just going to wrap it up in an obnoxious way?¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Mio teases, sticking out her red tongue. I wonder if it was on my face so much that she could sense it. It¡¯s okay. I have power now, unlike in the past. I will protect her. ¡°Here, let¡¯s eat it before it gets cold, shall we?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Today, peace continues. *** Late at night, when people are asleep. Tokyo Bay, overlooking the rippling sea, a maze of huge containers lined up on reclaimed land. The night breeze blows through the cracks, carrying away the hints of blood and violence that mingle in the seemingly peaceful drifting air. Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot fired in a resounding three-point burst. The sporadic gunshots of the handguns that returned fire in rapid succession played rhythmically. ¡°Hey, over here!¡± ¡°Catch their members! For worse, kill them!¡± The men¡¯s angry shouts split the night, and the muzzle flash flashes again in the darkness. A battle of gun and powder unfolds in Tokyo Bay between two forces: Japanese Special Forces and members of the White Rose. The two forces are almost evenly matched. Both sides have casualties and injuries, but that was the reason why none of them couldn¡¯t retreat. ¡°Damn, no reinforcements yet¡± ¡°I heard that the ¡°Special¡± are on their way now!¡¡Hold out until then!¡± A man in command inspires his men, who shout in response. ¡°¨Caaaaaaaaahhhh¡± ¡°Sakashita?!¡± He felt a hand on his head. A hand grabbed his head, which merged out of the darkness. Fingers cracked and creaked as they dug into the skull, a small but pleasant sound reaching his ears. His companions stare at him in stunned disbelief, seemingly refusing to face reality. He silently pleads for help with bloodshot eyes and a gaping maw, but none of them could possibly reach out to him. The hand crushed his skull with the ease of crushing a snack food. Red brain plasma splatters from the crack and drips down to the ground through the tips of his hair. Then, a large man appears, accompanied by the blowing smoke and stomping on the dead man¡¯s back as if he is cursing death from the darkness. ¡°¡­¡­Damn you, you called me to fight against these mooks. This is fucking boring.¡± The man swears as he sticks his little finger in his earhole and spits on the head of the man he just killed. He spits on the head of the man he just killed as casually as if he had kicked a roadside rock. No sense of guilt or harm could be seen on his face. ¡°¡­¡­ You, ¡°White Tiger¡±¡­!¡± ¡°Oh?¡¡Someone knows who I am?¡± Captain Ishigaya muttered the alias of the man who killed his subordinate. He is a wanted criminal with a special ability who is wanted all over the world, and his own special ability strength is an astonishing level 9. ¡°High End¡±¡­ It is an overwhelmingly superior strength for most of the living creatures. His name is Rindo Taiga ¨C a.k.a. ¡°White Tiger¡± ¨C It was the identity of the man who had attacked them. (Damn ¡­¡­ we are absolutely no match for him. And even against a level 9 opponent, it¡¯s like pitting a baby against a dinosaur¡­¡­.!) Hopelessness filled everyone¡¯s minds. Everyone was convinced that they¡¯re going to die here, putting aside their own roles and duties. Instinctive fear cowered their feet in the face of the known monster, not allowing them to even take a step back. In the first place, one step or even a hundred steps is not much different for the level 9 ¡°White Tiger¡± and is within the range of his kill zone. ¡°What a pain in the ass. I¡¯m talking about just killing everyone, but that doesn¡¯t sound very quaint, does it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to shut up? Then let¡¯s play a game in honor of those of you who have worked so hard to make this happen. The rules are simple: If I catch you, I¡¯ll kill you. Easy to understand, isn¡¯t it?¡± What a joke. Everyone thinks it, but no one can say it. There was no time to move their mouths, as their eyes focused on the few glimmers of light that they had to survive. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 10 seconds. Run around as best you can and entertain me.¡± At the signal of Taiga, who laughed with the corners of his mouth turned up to the max, the troops scattered as one. The strategy was silently exchanged: if we spread out, even if some of us were catched, some of us might be able to escape. The casualties are unavoidable. Even if there is a possibility that one person will be the first to be killed, he will give his life for his comrades to see the tomorrow sunlight. His heart thumped wildly. The sweat on his hands trickled down and there was a burning sensation on his neck. He drew in a deep breath to chase the fear running down his back away, and smiled to himself. If he didn¡¯t do this, he would break down. Ten seconds later. ¡°Well, let¡¯s do it.¡± Take a step forward ferociously. The tiger¡¯s hunt began. CH 7 Chapter 7: Arisa Arisugawa Wants To Be Praised Time flies by quickly and it¡¯s the weekend. Today is the day I made an appointment with Arisugawa. Mio was worried that I was feeling depressed in the morning, but when I told her the reason, she was surprised and helped me get ready in a tense manner. ¡°Even though you¡¯re going out with Arisa-san, as my brother, your taste is truly devastating!¡± I almost cried when Mio made such an emotionally painful comment. Because of this, I coordinated my clothes and hairstyle with what Mio said was the latest fashion trend. The reflection of myself in the mirror looks somewhat better than usual. I don¡¯t look like the dead-eyed high school boy who is being questioned by the police anymore. As I was killing time in front of the station where we were meeting, playing with my phone, I felt a change in the air around me. I put my phone away in my pocket and turned my attention to the silver haired girl walking leisurely towards me, Arisugawa. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Kyosuke Sato.¡± Arisugawa¡¯s beaming smile is a complete change from her usual smug smile on her face, and all eyes around her are on me at once. They must be thinking ¡®Why is such a man together with Arisugawa?¡¯ They probably think I¡¯m out of balance or that they¡¯re better looking than me. I think so too, and if I could, I¡¯d like to live a peaceful life away from Arisugawa. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not waiting for you. It¡¯s not like you came late because you got lost..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get lost on the way to the station. Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°I was worried about you. I was afraid you¡¯d go into a strange alley and get tangled up with some weirdo.¡± There was once an incident in which Arisugawa got lost and got tangled up with a group of bad people. As it turned out, they were all killed by Arisugawa, who claimed her actions as self-defense. Arisugawa, who is as beautiful as a flower on the outside, is as likely to attract bad intentions as goodwill. Today, too, I was bracing myself for the possibility that ¡­¡­ it might happen again, but it seems my fears were unfounded. Arisugawa : ¡°More importantly, is there anything you have to say to me?¡± Kyosuke : ¡°You¡¯re talking about how great it is to come ¡­¡­ without getting lost?¡± Arisugawa : ¡°If you want to die, please say so. It¡¯s not ¡­¡­ that. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing to at least compliment the girl walking next to you on how she looks, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Arisugawa said as she turned away, her cheeks reddening slightly. Today¡¯s attire is naturally not the school uniform, but Arisugawa¡¯s personal clothes. The calm brown shirt has a feminine design with a small ribbon on the chest and loosely puffed cuffs. Her slender black stocking-clad legs peek out from the fabric of her black skirt, which swings above her knees. The heels of her laced-up boots clicked in the wind, and her flowing, lustrous silver hair shimmered in the sunlight. Her style is not only good, but also suits her very well in spite of her simplicity. I¡¯m not afraid to say this to her¡­¡­ But if I said it, she would probably spat out, ¡°It¡¯s disgusting.¡± On the other hand, I still have to fulfill Arisugawa¡¯s unspoken request for ¡°praise¡±. It is too difficult for someone like me who has never had a girlfriend in my life. I turned my head to the fullest for a few tenths of a second. ¡°¡­¡­Well, that¡¯s good.¡± I had to suffer through a lot to come up with something that could not be called a compliment, even if it was very unsympathetic. But think about it and see. ¡®What¡¯s so good? I don¡¯t know how many words a mob like me can say.¡¯ And most importantly, I¡¯m talking to Arisugawa. There was no way I could say anything bad. As I nervously braced myself, Arisugawa¡¯s expression slipped away, then she sighed deeply and rubbed her brow. It seems that the situation where the hand comes out before the mouth was averted. Arisugawa : ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting much, but isn¡¯t this just too much¡­..?¡± Kyosuke : ¡°It¡¯s the result of two or three ideas in my head, taking into account what I do on a daily basis. Just accept it.¡± Arisugawa : ¡°Please don¡¯t use that tone, it¡¯s annoying. I would have dented your nose if we weren¡¯t in public.¡± Kyosuke : ¡°Please use words rather than violence¡­¡­.¡± I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s angry because of my flat tone, but at least Arisugawa does what she says. I saved my life at a busy train station. Arisugawa : ¡°More importantly, I¡¯ll go quickly. Don¡¯t let me waste my precious time.¡± Kyosuke : ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡­¡± Turning on her heels, I walked a little behind her into the station, not knowing where she was going. She got off the train at Harajuku. A popular place for the young ¡­¡­ I¡¯m obviously out of place. Also, there are too many people and I¡¯m going to get drunk. ¡°Arisugawa, don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of you leading the way.¡± ¡°You want me to hold your hand?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put a collar on you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a dog, okay?¡± We walk through the crowd, joking and conversing, and breathe together to the entrance of the station. I was mentally exhausted. If I could, I¡¯d like to sit down and rest somewhere, but it doesn¡¯t look like ¡­¡­ she¡¯s going to let me do that. ¡°There¡¯s no time to rest. We have less than five minutes until the rendezvous.¡± ¡°You should move with more time to spare?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good in the morning.¡± ¡°I know, but rendezvous¡­..?¡¡I didn¡¯t hear anything about that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± Aren¡¯t you treating me too harshly? If I had to choose between working with a half-asleep Arisugawa or attack at the last minute, the latter is certainly better for my mental health. Then, let¡¯s hurry on. ¡°So, where is the place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coffee shop called Paradise Lost. Oh, please give me directions. I don¡¯t want to get lost.¡± ¡°What?! I don¡¯t know where it is!¡± ¡°You¡¯re bothering me. Please be quiet. CH 8 Chapter 8: Instant Coffee Is Delicious After All Entering an alley branching off from the main street, it takes about five minutes to go deeper and deeper. Out of breath, Arisugawa and I found ourselves in front of a deserted, almost abandoned wooden building. On the door, which looked like it was made of wooden planks, the words ¡°Lost Paradise¡± were written in graffiti. ¡°Is this store really open for business?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you are in.¡± Arisugawa pushed on the door, and it opened with a creaking sound. A small bell rings. Following Arisugawa inside, I was greeted by an interior that looks like a fusion of a bar and a coffee shop. The tables and chairs in subdued colors were all made of wood, and it looks like they had been used for many years. The ceiling fan spinning on the ceiling moved awkwardly. The dimly lit, and the eerie interior ¡­¡­ looks like a haunted house. ¡°Is the store owner away by any chance?¡± ¡°No, she can¡¯t be¡­¡± We both look around, but there¡¯s no sign of the said store owner. ¡°Hya?!¡± A high-pitched scream came from Arisugawa¡¯s mouth. Her shoulders jumped and her cheeks stiffened, which was probably evidence that she was surprised from the bottom of her heart. When I followed Arisugawa¡¯s gaze down to see what was going on, I found her ankles entangled with morbidly white fingers. Following the hand, there seems to be a figure groaning as it collapses under the table, ¡°Ugh.¡± The figure crawled out with slow movements and got up unsteadily. The figure then leaned against Arisugawa, who remained frozen in place; it was a shaggy-headed woman wearing a black blanket. Shivering with cold, she lets out a single sigh. ¡°¡­¡­I slept well. What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just after 10 a.m. ¡­¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner of this place, in case you¡¯re wondering. Tomari Mafuyu.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kyosuke Sato.¡± ¡°Yes, I know who you are. A high school student who is a special agent working at the ¡°Special¡±. And you¡¯re also a ¡°High End.¡± There¡¯s no way I don¡¯t know you.¡± The statement made me lift an eyebrow up. Why does she know about me, whose very existence is a secret? While increasing my vigilance against Tomari-san, I look at the situation. If she is an enemy, I have to consider erasing her right here and now¡­¡­. Arisugawa : ¡°I-I¡¯m not surprised at all. It¡¯s just that I choked.¡± Kyosuke : ¡°I don¡¯t need to know who or what you¡¯re making excuses to, so just tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± Arisugawa : ¡°Shut up or I¡¯ll chop you into little pieces.¡± A sharp look stabs me in the eye. It seems I¡¯m not even allowed to ¡­¡­ interrupt. This is the first time I¡¯ve learned that she has no tolerance for horror-like developments, but I wonder if she cares that much? Even though it¡¯s not the first time I can¡¯t understand Arisugawa¡¯s thoughts, I think of my heart that gets cold feet every time I do. ¡°Tomari-san is an official collaborator of the¡±Special ¡°.¡± ¡°You know someone named Kanae, right?¡¡She¡¯s being rubbed the wrong way just because she¡¯s an acquaintance.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go make myself a cup of coffee to wake me up. You two want some?¡± We nodded in agreement to Tomari-san¡¯s invitation, and she went behind the bar counter to start brewing a pot of coffee. Arisugawa and I sit down on round chairs at intervals and wait. The distinctive aroma of the coffee is carried by the steam to our nostrils, and a few moments later, a teacup filled with coffee is placed in front of us, one by one. ¡°Sugar and milk as you see fit, please.¡± Saying this, Tomari-san takes a sip of the coffee in black. I drop a sugar cube from one of the containers on the table into the cup, mix it well with a spoon, and take a sip. To be honest, I don¡¯t think it is much different from instant coffee. ¡°You look like the coffee is not very tasty for a coffee shop, Kyosuke-kun?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s store-bought. I¡¯m sure the coffee tastes better if you were to grind your own beans.¡± Laughing, Tomari-san tilts the cup again. I almost agree with her opinion, but I feel indescribable. Instant coffee is delicious, after all. Arisugawa carefully sips the mildly tinted coffee as it cools. However, she immediately takes her mouth off the coffee and puts the cup down. It probably still felt hot to Arisugawa¡¯s cat tongue. ¡°Make sure it cools down properly.¡± ¡°I know that even if you don¡¯t tell me!¡± Arisugawa¡¯s voice is hoarse with deep dissatisfaction, but her gestures remain graceful. It¡¯s like it¡¯s ingrained in her body. Arisugawa¡¯s family is rich, so I wonder if she has been trained to be mannerful since young Am I the only one who feels that another part needs to be fixed? No, if you care, you will lose. Arisugawa and I only have a business relationship. There is no need to get too deep into it. ¡°Tomari-san. I¡¯m just here because I was told to, other than the case being a roughneck, I wasn¡¯t told anything else.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m sure you have a pretty good idea what it is, but it has to do with your work.¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I was asked to hand over the results of the investigation about ¡°White Rose¡± to you.¡± Tomari-san fishes around in a nearby cupboard, pulls out a thick stack of papers, and puts them on the table. It¡¯s as thick as a textbook. ¡°Uh, are these the results of your survey?¡± ¡°They¡¯re encrypted, though, so you can¡¯t read them normally.¡± A quick glance through them reveals nothing more than a collection of letters and flyers with varying degrees of uniformity, dates, and addresses. Unfortunately, I have no idea what it says, but Kagaru-san would know. She is the brain of a ¡°Special¡± person. I¡¯ll just leave the brain work to her. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you to do it.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± ¡°Oh, and ¡­¡­ be careful with the White Tiger. Especially, Kyosuke-kun.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°He¡¯s sensitive to strength. Even if you hide it, the beast¡¯s senses won¡¯t be fooled. And I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be far behind in strength than him, but you¡¯d better brace yourself.¡± ¡°I see. Thanks for the advice.¡± If I have time, I¡¯ll ask Kagaru-san about it. From the way the story goes, the ¡®White Tiger¡¯ must belong to the ¡°White Rose¡±. Then, we may have to fight sooner or later. I must not let my guard down. We should eliminate even one element of uncertainty. ¡°End of story. I¡¯m going out and closing up the store.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you too carefree?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of being self-employed.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s get out of here. Kyosuke Sato, please hurry up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on my ass, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. And I¡¯m not being laid off.¡± ¡°Who would want to spend the rest of their life with you, even if you were dead? Shame on you.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you saying too much?¡±