Jinseigyakuten Uwakisare Enzai wo Kiserareta Orega Gakuenichi no Bisyoujo ni Natsukareru [LN] Bahasa Indonesia

 

Chapter 3: Tak-kun Returns from the Battlefield, Just Wanting to Reunite with His Childhood Friends

1

The crisp, refreshing days of May sunshine had given way to the chilly damp of June’s rainy season.

As the dreary weather dragged on, a joyous event swept away the gloom like a sudden burst of sunlight.

Heh heh heh.

Believe it or not, I got an acceptance letter from Suirenji Private High School, where Nee-san goes!

Woo-hoo! Hell yeah! Thank god!

I figured I’d probably pass, but seeing “Accepted” in black and white? That’s a weight off my shoulders. If I’d flunked, I wouldn’t have been able to face the heroes who told me, “Live the peaceful life we fought for.” So, yeah, really glad I made it.

Man, I haven’t been this nervous in forever… Not since, well, you know, the war. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it’d burst.

For now, I can breathe easy. Cleared the biggest hurdle, and I’m over the moon.

Nothing left but to kick back and enjoy!

Or so I thought, until I went and screwed things up.

It wasn’t like I meant any harm. I didn’t do it on purpose.

I wasn’t even thinking—just acted on impulse, figuring it was no big deal. But my dumb move ended up making Mom cry her eyes out.

I realized it too late. What an idiot I am.

Three years out there, and my sense of “normal” is totally warped. Gotta work harder to act like a kid again. Seriously, lesson learned.

It all started the day after the acceptance letter arrived.

Mom, beaming ear to ear, called me over.

Turns out, she’d been preparing for my return for years. All sorts of stuff.

She’d saved up for tuition, got a smartphone contract ready, even arranged for a uniform shop to whip up my school clothes on the spot.

Everything was set so I could jump straight into school life the moment I came back.

Hearing that? I freaked out.

She’d gone all out, which made me freak out even more.

Get this: she’d saved up nearly thirty million yen for tuition. Said she wanted me to have options, no matter what school I picked.

For the uniform, she’d begged the shop every year to prioritize me for same-day service. Normally, it takes weeks to get one made, but she made sure my transfer wouldn’t get held up.

And the smartphone? She’d prepped the latest model, thinking I’d be thrilled… swapping it out for a new one every year a new model dropped…

…Yeah.

I’m sorry.

I had no idea.

I swear, I didn’t know she was doing all this for me.

Let me explain.

When I saw I’d passed, I got a little too hyped. The dream of high school life was finally real, and I got carried away.

So, uh, I kinda… paid the enrollment and tuition fees out of my own savings. No malice, I swear! I wasn’t trying to brush off Mom’s efforts.

I mean, deciding to transfer to a private school on my own was already a big move. I didn’t want to strain the family budget, so I figured I’d cover the fees myself.

Three years as a conscript, and the UN forces paid me a pretty penny. My sense of money’s all screwed up because of it.

It’s the military’s fault, okay? Not mine! (shaky voice)

And the smartphone? I had no clue she’d bought one for me, so I went and grabbed a random one on my way back from paying the fees…

Yeah, excuses. I’m sorry.

I’m genuinely kicking myself here.

I never imagined Mom would cry over me passing, or that she’d ask to see the paperwork so she could pay the fees herself.

I didn’t expect her to hand me a phone—way better specs than the one I bought—saying, “This is for you, Tak-kun. I got one for Natalie-chan too, so you two can share and have fun!”

And when she smiled, all teary-eyed, saying, “You’ve been through so much, Tak-kun, so from now on, let Mommy spoil you silly, okay?”—man, I felt like the worst son alive.

I’m so sorry.

I didn’t mean to hurt her.

Out there, I had to handle everything myself, so I just… kept doing that. I never meant to make Mom sad.

But regret doesn’t fix anything.

In the end, she found out I’d paid the fees and bought a phone. She bawled her eyes out.

“Rely on me more, Tak-kun! Don’t go doing things on your own!” she said, hugging me so tight I could barely breathe.

Then she and Dad both chewed me out: “We’re earning enough, so don’t waste your money on stuff like this!”

I was supposed to start being a better son, and I’m already screwing it up. What a loser.

From now on, I’ll talk things over with them first. And maybe… let them spoil me a bit.

That’s probably the best way to make them happy.

Watching Mom sob, that’s what hit me.

Oh, speaking of phones, it jogged my memory. Before I came back, I made a little promise with the Commander.

She made me swear to check in regularly once I got a phone.

I was planning to blow it off, but she hit me with, “If you don’t, I’ll drag the military brass to Japan for ‘regular visits’…” Total blackmail. Had to agree.

How clingy can she get? What, is she in love with me or something?

Grumbling to myself, I fire up the phone to make this week’s report.

After a few rings, the call connects to the Commander.

“Hey, Sōkan. You alive out there?”

“M-Moshi moshi! I’m alive, yup! Ehe~ I’m totally alive!”

Her voice comes through, practically bursting with glee.

I can almost see her wagging her tail like an excited puppy. Just a vibe, y’know.

“Alright, report time. Everything’s fine here. If I had to pick something, I guess it’s that I passed the high school transfer exam.”

“Oh, congrats! You actually passed, huh?”

“Heh heh heh. Pretty awesome, right?”

“Super awesome!” Her voice bubbles through the phone, all excited.

Feels like I’m chatting with a cousin or something. This “report” is turning into a casual catch-up.

Never had a check-in this chill before. Guess it makes sense—war’s over, peace is here, so what else would it be?

“How’s your end, Sōkan? Holding up okay?”

“Sōkan’s doing great! B-But, um…”

She hesitates, her words catching.

That pause, that hint of something unsaid—it gives me a bad feeling.

“But…? Something up?”

“N-No, nothing! Really, it’s nothing!”

“C’mon, that reaction screams ‘something.’ Spill it.”

“N-Nothing’s going on! Honest!”

She’s dodging hard, stumbling over her words.

Something happen with the military? Nah, Natalie, our resident troublemaker, is here with me, so it can’t be the usual chaos.

Sherry, the other chaos magnet, went back to her hometown, so… who else? Alice? Catalina? Nah, the Sergeant’s got those two under control. And the Commander can handle guys like Portman no problem.

I’m lost in thought when she pipes up, flustered.

“J-Just a little squabble among some soldiers! It’s handled, so don’t worry!”

“Squabble? Who’s fighting who?”

“W-Well, it’s no big deal… It’s sorted, so…”

“You’re making it sound more suspicious, y’know…”

If she’s clamming up this much, it’s probably not a huge deal.

If it was something she couldn’t handle, she’d come to me for advice.

“A-Anyway! I, uh, had a question for you! Can I ask?”

“A question? Shoot.”

“Um… has Sherry-san… y’know, contacted you or anything?”

She suddenly shifts to Sherry, catching me off guard.

I tilt my head, puzzled.

“Nope, nothing.”

“And you haven’t, like… reached out to her either?”

“Nah. She’s back in her hometown, right? You’re the one who said not to bother her if she’s living happily.”

“A-Aha, right… That’s fine then…”

She’s dropping these cryptic hints left and right.

It’s like a kid who messed up big time and is too scared to fess up to their parents.

My gut’s usually right about these things. Not that it matters much, but…

“Hey, Sōkan. I don’t know what you’re hiding, but you’d better spill before it’s too late. Nip it in the bud, y’know?”

“I-I’m not hiding anything! Nothing at all!”

“Stubborn, huh? Fine, I warned you…”

No point pushing her further.

C’mon, Sōkan, you’re a grown-ass adult. You can wipe your own butt, can’t you?

“By the way, how long you planning to stay Sōkan? Why don’t you just quit and come to Japan? We could hang out.”

“I want to quit, but… I’m a career soldier, y’know? Like it or not, I’m stuck as Sōkan for the long haul. Gotta keep managing the maintenance of those mech-soldiers too.”

“Sounds rough.”

“If you think it’s rough, come back and help me out! I’m begging you!”

“Hahaha, hell no.”

And so, our so-called “regular reports” turned into pointless banter.

With the calm of normal life just around the corner, I shared a few laughs with the Sōkan.

2

“Karin. Sit.”

A week after the Amagawa-kun mess, Mom called me over, and I plopped down on the living room sofa.

Her face was dead serious.

She hadn’t looked like this since Tak-kun came back. What’s going on?

“What’s up? Something heavy?”

“It’s heavy, alright.”

Mom let out a sigh, her gaze drifting away.

N-No way… Did something happen to Tak-kun again…?

I swallowed hard, my heart racing, as Mom shot me a cold stare.

“This morning, I found this in your room.”

She slapped something down on the table.

A familiar piece of cool-colored fabric.

Tak-kun’s underwear. The ones I… borrowed.

“N-No, no, no! It’s a mistake! Gotta be a mistake!”

W-What the hell!? Talk about a sneak attack! I’m so rattled I can barely get the words out!

Mom pressed her temples and let out a deep, exasperated sigh as I fumbled my pathetic excuse.

“I kept quiet because I couldn’t stop Tak-kun’s conscription and I knew it hurt you, but this? This is too far, don’t you think?”

“I-I’m telling you! It just got mixed up in the laundry! Don’t go accusing me of weird stuff! Ugh, c’mon!”

Momentum. That’s the key here. Yell loud, act confident, and I can brush this off!

Mom muttered a skeptical “Hmph…” before continuing, calm as ice.

“So you’re saying this just ‘happened’ to end up in your room by mistake?”

“Exactly! That’s gotta be it!”

“There’s more than one.”

“…Oh.”

She laid out two, three more pairs of Tak-kun’s underwear on the table. I thought I’d hidden them in different spots, but Mom had sniffed them all out.

I froze as she fixed me with a look like I was something vile.

“Anything to say for yourself?”

“That’s dirty… Setting me up like this…”

“The only thing dirty here is your fetish. Do you even realize what you’re doing with your own blood-related brother?”

“It’s not weird… Everyone does this kind of thing…”

I reached for Tak-kun’s underwear to snatch them back, but Mom slapped my hand away.

“H-Hey! C’mon, give those back! You’re the one who dragged me here, so I couldn’t follow Tak-kun and Natalie-chan today. And now you’re taking this too? That’s just cruel!”

Tak-kun and Natalie-chan, fresh off passing the transfer exam, had gone to the shopping district to get their uniforms tailored and pick out some casual clothes.

I was planning to tag along and mess with them like usual, but Mom forced me to stay home. It’s her fault! All her fault!

“Enough! Aren’t you ashamed, getting all worked up over your own brother!?”

“Ashamed? No way! Tak-kun said he loves me!”

“As family! He doesn’t see you as a woman, Karin!”

“La-la-la! Can’t hear you!”

I plugged my ears, pretending not to listen. God, she’s so annoying.

Mom doesn’t get it. Calling my pure feelings dirty? That’s just ridiculous.

“That boy is off-limits. I won’t allow it.”

“I don’t need your approval. This is between me and Tak-kun.”

“Pick someone else. With your looks, you’ve got guys lining up, don’t you?”

“Mom, seriously?”

I shook my head dramatically, letting my shoulders slump in mock disappointment.

“Did you forget my condition? I’m a magnet for bullies. Tak-kun’s the only guy who doesn’t mess with me. Who else am I supposed to pick?”

“There’s gotta be someone else out there—”

“There isn’t! There’s never been anyone else! You know in elementary school, I was the only girl who didn’t wear skirts, right?”

If I wore one, it’d get flipped, my underwear yanked down. In a world full of beasts like that, who the hell am I supposed to choose?

Tak-kun’s the only one for me. Blood ties? Doesn’t matter.

“What about ethics? Morality? What if Tak-kun doesn’t want this?”

“Then let me ask you this: If Tak-kun’s okay with it, would you accept us? I’ll go ask him right now!”

“…Of course not. That boy would probably say yes without thinking it through.”

“Tch.”

Tak-kun would probably just shrug and say, “If Nee-san’s cool with it, sure, why not?”

Mom, ever the realist, saw right through him. Knows her carefree son too well.

We kept bickering, going back and forth, when the intercom buzzed.

Our ugly shouting match paused for a second.

Guess even Mom can’t ignore a guest. She glared at me and snapped.

“You stay right there! This conversation isn’t over!”

“Yeah, yeah, got it. Go deal with the guest already.”

I shooed her off, annoyed.

God, I’m pissed. Why does an outsider get to tear me and Tak-kun apart?

I was mentally prepping counterarguments for when Mom came back when she called out way sooner than expected.

“Karin, you’ve got a visitor.”

“Me?”

That’s rare. After the Amagawa-kun thing, none of my classmates dared come near our house. Who could it be?

I headed to the entrance, and there stood a girl.

Soft, wavy hair parted three-to-seven, looking all serious and proper.

Tak-kun’s childhood friend, Fumika-chan.

“Hey! Long time no see! What’s up?”

I greeted her with a big smile, but she visibly flinched.

Why?

“H-Hi, Karin-nee-chan… You seem… lively.”

She greeted me back, clearly thrown off, looking like I wasn’t what she expected.

“I’m doing great. Even got my appetite back lately.”

I clenched my fist, striking a cheerful pose.

“That’s… good to hear. Um, anyway, did you know Amagawa moved away? He’s not in town anymore!”

Quiet little Fumika-chan was talking with unusual excitement.

“So I was thinking, maybe we could go to school together again… Everyone’s waiting for you, Karin-nee-chan.”

She came all this way to tell me about Amagawa-kun… What a sweet kid.

“Yeah, sounds like he’s gone for good. Let’s head to school together then.”

He really did move out the day after that whole mess. Guess Tak-kun scared him that bad.

And I heard he gave all his family’s wealth to the victims, just like he was told.

“‘For good’…? You already knew?”

Fumika-chan tilted her head, curious, and I realized I’d slipped up.

No way I can tell her Tak-kun intimidated him into leaving. That’d start weird rumors and mess up Tak-kun’s shot at a normal life.

Wait, I haven’t even told Fumika-chan that Tak-kun’s back.

When he got conscripted, she cried just as hard as I did. She’d be thrilled—

“Karin!! What is this!?”

Mom stormed over, face red as a beet, holding a stack of books.

My collection of steamy big-sister-little-brother romance novels.

“W-Wait, what!? Why’re you digging through my stuff!?”

“You said you hated being bullied, but these are all about brothers dominating their sisters! Disgusting! The plots are so vivid!”

“Don’t talk about the plots! Not in front of a guest!”

I screeched, while Fumika-chan looked horrified.

“I-I’ll come back later…” she mumbled with an awkward smile, bowing and scurrying off.

“No, wait, Fumika-chan! I need to tell you—”

“The brothers in these are all named Tadashi, Takeshi, Taishi… Are you serious, Karin!?”

“Stop talking about the plots already!”

Mom gets way too overprotective when it comes to Tak-kun. I get it, but c’mon, give me a break.

In the end, I couldn’t tell Fumika-chan.

That Tak-kun’s back.

3

In the living room, bathed in the red glow of the sunset, Natalie was bouncing around in her freshly tailored uniform, grinning like a kid.

“Isn’t this insane? Like, way too cute, right? Uhehehehe~”

She struck pose after pose in front of me and Nee-san.

She must really love the uniform, beaming like that.

Back in the military, she couldn’t wear anything cute, so seeing her this happy makes me glad I dragged her into this high school thing.

But…

“Nee-san, what do you think of Natalie’s look?”

“She’s adorable! Like a little doll!”

“Right? She’s cute… Too damn cute…”

So it’s not just my eyes playing tricks.

If Nee-san thinks so too, I’ve gotta face facts.

Natalie is cute.

The same Natalie who got nicknamed “Endpoint” on the battlefield, whispered about in fear.

The Natalie who made even the toughest soldiers say you’d need diapers to face her.

The Natalie who, during a ceasefire, won a “Who’s scarier, Natalie or aliens?” poll hands-down, no contest.

That Natalie, just by throwing on a uniform, turned cute.

It’s like some kind of trick. Damn her for pulling this witchy nonsense!

“So, whaddaya think, Takashi~? Cute, right? Falling for me all over again? Say it~”

“You can brag after you see my uniform. Bet I’m way cuter.”

“C’mon, just admit it, Tak-kun…”

As I got all fired up to change into my uniform, Nee-san cut in with a sharp jab.

You owe her one for saving your ass, Natalie.

I’ll let you off easy this time (shaky voice).

“If the military folks saw you now, Natalie, they’d lose their minds…”

I muttered to myself, and Natalie jumped on it like a hawk.

“They all called me a gorilla, mocking me like I’m some beast! You think this cute gorilla exists anywhere else!?”

“Sherry used to get pissed, remember? Like, ‘Gorillas are cuter than Natalie-san! Poor gorillas!’ Totally serious.”

“Uhehehe! Once she sees me like this, she wouldn’t dare say a gorilla’s cuter! I’m sending these pics to Sherry—my ultimate cute uniform look! Pfft, eat your heart out!”

Natalie whipped out the smartphone Mom got her and started snapping selfies.

After a few clicks, she gleefully sent the photos to spark a fight with Sherry.

“Wait, you’ve got Sherry’s contact info?”

“Yup! Got it from Lauran~”

“Lauran? Oh… you mean Catalina. Yeah, figures she’d know.”

That boozehound could probably dig up Sherry’s info without breaking a sweat. Should’ve asked her myself.

“Hey, can you share Sherry’s contact with me?”

“Sure thing~ I’ll send it later~”

“Um, so, this Sherry-chan comes up a lot… Is she another friend from the military?”

Nee-san asked timidly, so I nodded back.

“Yeah, one of our war buddies, like Natalie. She was around our age, so the three of us hung out a lot.”

“Sherry’s just a friend! Super important detail! Just a friend, nothing more~!”

Natalie leaned hard into the “friend” part, clearly trying to stir something up with Nee-san.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just what I said~ Sherry’s a friend, but I’m Takashi’s wife♡”

“Nope. I’m Tak-kun’s wife♡”

“Every time this comes up, Nee-san goes full-on intense…”

Nee-san was a wreck when I first got back, but in just a month, she’s bounced back big time.

She’s even keeping up with Natalie’s dumb jokes.

“Oh, something I’ve been wondering about…”

“Hm?”

Nee-san’s voice softened, back to her usual gentle tone. Guess she’s out of gung-ho mode.

“All your friends are from overseas, right? Soldiers come from all over. How’d you talk? Translators?”

“English was the main language, so we all spoke that. Depending on the situation, we’d switch to Chinese or Spanish.”

“Wait, English? T-Tak-kun, you speak English…?”

“Yup. English, Chinese, Spanish—I can handle ‘em. The enhancements messed with my head, but at least my memory’s stupidly good now.”

“That’s amazing! Four languages!”

“Nah, it’s not.”

“It is! Don’t downplay it…”

“No, really, it’s not a big deal. All the bio-enhanced soldiers had crazy good memories. Natalie? She’d master in three minutes what took me three days. If you think I’m impressive, the military guys would laugh their asses off.”

Even during the transfer exam, while I was grinding through public school material, Natalie was tackling national tech college stuff—in Japanese, which isn’t even her native language.

Getting called impressive next to her? Feels wrong.

Natalie’s a goofball, but her raw specs are way above mine.

Total goofball, though.

Nee-san stared at Natalie, who was bickering with Sherry over the phone, and mumbled, “Natalie-chan’s kinda incredible…”

“Oh! Shoot, I forgot to tell you!”

Nee-san clapped her hands together like she just remembered something.

“Fumika-chan stopped by today!”

“Fumika?”

The name brought back memories of that earnest girl.

“Yup! She said since Amagawa-kun moved away, we could go to school together again. Came all the way to invite me!”

“Together? So Fumika’s at your high school?”

“Yup!”

Nice… So when I transfer, I’ll be at the same school as Fumika.

We go way back to kindergarten—talk about a lifelong bond.

“By the way, Rinko-chan and Renji-kun are there too.”

“Those two as well?”

“Yup!”

All of them at the same school? Feels like fate.

I couldn’t help but grin.

“I was nervous about transferring mid-year, but knowing they’re there makes it easier. Hope we end up in the same class…”

“You were super tight with them, right?”

“Yeah.”

Before the war, we hung out every day.

If someone asked who my best friends were, I’d name those three without hesitation.

Dunno why, but I suddenly really want to see them.

“Since I passed the exam, maybe I’ll go visit them tomorrow.”

“Sounds good! They’ll be thrilled.”

I’ll swing by their places tomorrow to catch up and let them know I’m back.

And introduce Natalie while I’m at it.

Knowing those guys, they’ll hit it off with her in no time.

“Natalie, you free tomorrow? Wanna come meet them?”

“…”

“Natalie?”

She didn’t answer, just stared at her phone with a weird look.

“What’s up? You’re making a face.”

“Nah… Sherry’s saying some weird stuff…”

“Like what?”

“Hmm…”

Natalie frowned, thinking for a second.

Then, “Poof!” she tossed her phone aside.

“Too much hassle. I’m ignoring it!”

What’s that about?

Well, if she’s fine with it, whatever.

Probably just their usual squabble.

I didn’t think much of it and shifted my focus to tomorrow’s plans.

4

The next day was unusually clear for the rainy season.

Natalie and I were walking to Renji’s place.

Nee-san was supposed to come, but Mom pulled her aside at the last minute for some “important talk.” She looked pissed about staying home.

Lately, Nee-san and Mom have been butting heads a lot.

Even when we went shopping for uniforms, Mom held her back. If something’s up, I wish they’d clue me in.

“Hey~… You sure it’s cool for me to tag along? These are your old friends, right~?”

Natalie, decked out in a ridiculously cute dress she bought yesterday, broke my train of thought.

“Totally. I want you to meet them.”

“Is making friends that big a deal~?”

“Starting school in June is weird timing. Better to have Renji and the others as friends than just me to talk to. They’re good people—you’ll click with them fast.”

“I’m grateful you’re worried, but… what if I say something dumb and ruin your reunion~?”

Huh? Natalie acting self-conscious? That’s new.

Is she actually trying to be considerate? Doesn’t suit her.

I gave her head a couple of pats.

“Don’t sweat it. You being clueless is old news.”

“B-But…”

“If you mess up, I’ll cover for you. We’re tight, aren’t we?”

“For real? So I can just be my usual self~?”

“Go for it. Be your wild self.”

“Heh heh heh… Got it~!”

Her face lit up with a mischievous grin, like she’d been waiting for the green light.

How did I not see it?

Looking back, it’s obvious—she was setting me up.

Acting all meek to dodge getting chewed out later.

I should’ve been more suspicious of her sudden humility.

This girl’s not the humble type.

Standing in front of Renji’s house for the first time in forever, a wave of emotion hit me.

Three years ago, I’d come here all the time like it was nothing.

We’d play games, read manga, talk about nothing, and laugh our heads off… Those fun memories came flooding back.

“What’s with the teary-eyed look, Takashi~? Were you and Renji-chan that close~?”

“…Yeah, we were tight. We just clicked, y’know? Didn’t have to put on airs. Kinda like you and me now.”

“H-Huh… You’re that close, huh… So? What’s this guy like?”

“Cool dude. Kind, good at sports, smart as hell. I looked up to him.”

“Sports don’t mean squat on the battlefield~! And I’m way better at studying~! I’m cooler than Renji-chan, right~!”

“Why’re you getting competitive?”

“‘Cause you said you looked up to him~! Say you look up to me too~!”

“Your shameless guts? Love that about you.”

Brushing off Natalie’s antics, I pressed the intercom at Renji’s house.

The cold ding-dong echoed, and after a few minutes of waiting, the front door creaked open.

“Who’s there?”

A tall, athletic guy with a refreshing vibe stepped out.

Renji.

He’s changed since three years ago—his hair’s lighter, and he’s shot up in height.

I thought I’d grown a lot, but Renji’s got me beat by a mile.

He’s got that look that’d make girls swoon… Damn, I’m kinda jealous.

Still half-asleep, rubbing his head with a yawn, he hasn’t clocked me yet.

“Who’re you?”

“Still weak in the mornings, huh? Stay up late again? Go to bed earlier, man.”

“Huh? What’s with the random—”

Renji’s sleepy expression shifted.

His eyes widened, mouth flapping like a fish out of water, like he’d just realized something.

“N-No… Y-You… Could it be…?”

He stumbled toward me, lips trembling in disbelief.

“…Is it… T-Takashi…?”

“Heh heh heh. Back from the dead, buddy.”

As soon as I confirmed it, Renji tackled me in a bear hug.

“T-Taka… Takashi…! U-Ugh… Uwaaahhh!”

And then he started bawling like a kid.

Feeling my best friend’s warmth for the first time in forever, I hugged him back just as tight.

“W-When… When’d you get back to Japan…?”

Renji’s eyes were swollen red from crying his heart out.

Even like this, he’s still better-looking than me. Bastard.

“About a month ago.”

“Y-You… If you were back, you should’ve said something sooner!”

He was genuinely pissed, which caught me off guard. Renji’s usually so chill.

“Man, it was rough… You just stopped showing up at school. I went to your place, freaking out, and your mom told me you got drafted…”

Yeah, I remember. The draft notice came, and a few hours later, officials were at our door.

Didn’t even have time to say goodbye.

“Fumika was screaming and crying, Rinko passed out, and I… I was just a kid, so I broke down and lashed out at your mom, even though she was hurting too…”

“I’m sorry… I really made you guys worry.”

“N-No, wait, I’m not blaming you! I just… I got selfish, thinking you should’ve come to me right away. My bad, man, really!”

No, I’m the one who should be apologizing.

I didn’t realize how much I’d put them through. I should’ve reached out sooner.

Seeing me slump, Renji scrambled to change the subject.

“Oh, uh, who’s the pretty blonde girl? Don’t tell me she’s your girlfriend?”

“She’s—”

Before I could answer, Natalie butted in.

“You’ve got an eye for quality~! ‘Girlfriend’ doesn’t quite pack the punch, but I’ll let you off with a gold star for effort!”

Grinning ear to ear, she slapped Renji’s back hard enough to make him wince.

Talk about overfriendly.

“Uh? What? What’s going on?”

“She’s my war buddy—”

“This guy’s got potential~! Alright, you’re my little bro now! Be honored~!”

“Chill, you idiot!”

I clamped down on Natalie’s head with an iron claw to rein her in.

“So, Renji, you still into pro baseball?”

“Hell yeah. Haven’t missed a single game since the season started.”

Knew he’d say that. I grinned smugly.

My Renji never lets me down.

“What do you think of that new guy, Kato, from the corporate draft?”

“Dude’s a beast. Ten homers in the preseason, and his defense is tight.”

“Right? But the analysts aren’t hyping him up much…”

“Who cares what they think? Results are what matter in baseball.”

Bam, exactly the answer I wanted.

God, talking to this guy is just fun. No one else matches my vibe like Renji, no holding back.

Grinning like an idiot, I kept going, and Renji picked up the thread.

“This year, we might finally hit A-class. We’re killing it in the preseason.”

“Nah, don’t jinx it. We always choke around this time.”

“Don’t say that, man… If it happens like you said, I’m gonna lose it…”

“Yo, now that the war’s over, don’t you think it’s time they brought back the foreign player system? Makes the roster so much deeper—”

“Hey, hold up! Why’re you two getting all hyped up~!? Don’t leave me out~!”

Natalie, fuming, wedged herself between us, clinging to my neck like a needy cat.

“Oh, crap, sorry. Got carried away with baseball talk.”

“You guys are such nerds~… If you love it that much, why don’t you play~?”

“No way. I’m a spectator only.”

“No way, my ass~… Don’t talk like some old geezer~…”

Rude little…

With this body of mine, there’s no way I could play fair. It’d feel like cheating.

As I ruffled Natalie’s hair, she pouted and muttered under her breath.

“Anyway, what’s so fun about baseball~? It’s just hitting a ball and running~.”

“You… Wanna start a fight? You just stepped on one of my few landmines, punk.”

“‘Cause it’s boring~! The games drag on, and it’s all so plain~.”

“Oh, it’s on…”

This idiot… Spouting blasphemy in front of me and Renji.

I’ll make her a baseball fanatic if it’s the last thing I do.

“Listen up… Baseball’s a god-tier game with endless strategy. No matter the score, you can always turn it around. Just thinking about pitch selection and the next throw is a damn thrill…”

“Totally get it. Watching like you’re the manager is the best. Thinking, ‘I’d put in a pinch hitter here’—so much fun.”

“Speaking of, yesterday’s game was wild, right? When they sent in Iwanami as a pinch hitter, I was floored.”

“That was nuts, but using rookie Saito as the closer? I was like, ‘Whoa!’ out loud.”

“What kind of experience do you need to make calls like that? Insane.”

“I said, stop geeking out and ignoring me~!”

After hours of pointless chatter, it was time to move on.

“W-Wait… You’re leaving already…?”

Renji’s voice dropped, his earlier cheer replaced by a sad, almost pleading look.

“I wanna stay, but I’ve gotta let Fumika and Rinko know I’m back. Heading to their places next.”

“Right…”

Renji’s face fell, visibly bummed.

I gave a wry smile.

“Since I’m transferring to your school, we’ll see each other every day. Don’t look so down, man.”

“Y-Yeah…”

He flashed a quick smile but sank back into that sad expression.

Is saying goodbye this hard for him?

“Uh, hey!”

“Yeah?”

As I racked my brain for how to cheer him up, Renji’s face shifted into a bittersweet grin, like he was holding back tears.

“I kept buying your favorite weekly manga mags every single week, so come read ‘em anytime!”

“What?”

“And those pro baseball games you loved? Got every year’s edition! This year’s is kinda trash, though…”

“…”

“Even that horror manga only you read—I bought it all! It’s so boring it hasn’t even been canceled. Hilarious, right…?”

“…”

“So… come back anytime, okay? If it’s you, I’d ditch any plans in a heartbeat…”

“…”

“No holding back, alright? Every day, I don’t care…”

“Thanks, Renji. That means a lot…”

His smile faded, and he looked down, so damn lonely.

Still the same kind guy…

I pulled him into another tight hug.

5

Renji stood there, waving until we were out of sight.

He was genuinely thrilled about our reunion.

That meant the world to me.

“Renji-chan’s way too into you, Takashi~! He’s definitely got those bedroom eyes for you, right~? Uhehe~!”

I’m trying to have a moment here, and this idiot…

I shot Natalie a withering glare as she grinned like a fool.

“You always gotta turn guy friends into some BL fantasy, huh? Go back to your cave.”

“Can’t help it~! When I see something that precious, my brain just goes wild~!”

“Think what you want, but keep it to yourself. That’s why the military guys gave you the side-eye.”

“No way they did~! All the guys in the unit were after your ass, Takashi~! Portman was straight-up ready to pounce~!”

“What? That’s news to me…”

Her unexpected bombshell threw me off balance.

Never thought I was the one being eyed like that.

“Every guy who survived owed their life to you at least once~! Tons of ‘em were legit smitten. During the ceasefire, it was all, ‘How much would you pay for a piece of Takashi’s ass?’~!”

“Don’t go after your savior’s ass, damn it…”

So that’s why everyone clammed up when I changed clothes.

I was putting on a damn show for them. Bastards. Pay me for the view.

“Your strength’s got this charm that transcends gender~!”

“If strength equals charm, everyone’d be head over heels for you. Why’s it gotta be me?”

“Beats me…! This lovely Natalie-chan gets called a gorilla, though…”

Natalie pouted, her back radiating melodrama. I felt a twinge of pity.

Alright, I’ll throw her a bone.

“I’m into gorillas, y’know.”

“Oh? Is that a love confession I hear?”

“Don’t hog all the gorilla love for yourself.”

The sun was high overhead now, and my long-sleeve shirt was starting to feel too warm.

We were getting close to Fumika’s place.

At the front gate, a woman in a straw hat was diligently pulling weeds.

“See that lady over there? That’s Fumika’s mom.”

“Ooh~! So that’s Fumika-chan’s house~?”

“Please, don’t say anything weird… Unlike Renji or Nee-san, Fumika’s super straight-laced and doesn’t get jokes.”

I warned Natalie as we approached Fumika’s mom.

Seeing her calmly weeding, just like three years ago, warmed my heart.

“Long time no see. Is Fumika around?”

She stood up with a gentle smile.

“Hm? One of Fumika’s friends? She’s—”

Her words cut off as our eyes met.

Her movements froze.

The weeding sickle dropped to the ground, and the weeds in her hand fluttered away in the breeze.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, her mouth agape, unable to close.

Blinking rapidly, she scanned me from head to toe, then suddenly panicked.

“W-W-Wait right there! Please! Don’t go anywhere! I’ll be right back!”

She repeated herself, practically begging, before darting into the house.

I heard a mix of shouts and flustered voices.

“F-Fumika! Get down here! Come on, hurry! Hurry!”

“Ugh, I’m busy right now, can it wait~?”

“What are you talking about, Fumika?! Just come down! Hurry!”

“Huh? Why’re you freaking out~?”

“Takashi-kun! Takashi-kun’s back from the war! Get down here now!”

“…”

The house fell silent for a moment.

Then, a chaotic clatter of footsteps thundered down the stairs.

The sound of someone practically tumbling grew closer, and the front door flew open, revealing a small girl.

Fumika, with her signature three-to-seven parted bangs and fluffy bob haircut.

My childhood friend, together since we were born.

Three years later, she’d learned to wear makeup, looking way more grown-up.

“…”

Our eyes locked.

For a few seconds, time seemed to stop as we stared at each other.

Fumika let out a choked gasp, covering her mouth with both hands, her face crumpling.

Silent sobs escaped as she slowly approached, grabbing my clothes tightly.

“…Ugh… T-Taka… Taka-chan…!”

She started crying quietly, so quietly.

Sobbing softly, she forced out the words.

“W-Welcome… back… sniff… I waited… so long…”

She was overjoyed I’d returned.

Her small frame clung to me with surprising strength.

I could feel the depth of her emotions, the weight of her feelings, through my clothes.

“Suu… haa… suu… haa… We gotta celebrate… Celebrate… I’ve got so much to show you… You should stay over… Yeah? That’d be great…”

Fumika locked my right arm in a vice grip, intertwining our fingers, rubbing her cheek against me, muttering nonstop.

Her breath was scorching my arm. It’s getting damp from the heat.

“Just got back. You doing alright, Fumika?”

“…I’ve got everything ready… Just leave it to me, Taka-chan… Okay? It’s fine…”

“Same old Fumika, huh? Feels nostalgic.”

I gave her head a few light chops to snap her back to reality.

Her vacant eyes just grinned creepily, no sign of coming back down to earth.

As I tried to soothe the parasite latched onto my arm, her mom grabbed my shoulder.

“Takashi-kun, I’m so glad you’re safe… Really… Welcome home…”

Tearing up, Fumika’s mom wiped her face with a handkerchief over and over.

“Managed to make it back alive. Sorry for worrying you.”

“You went to war, Takashi-kun…! You don’t have anything to apologize for! Don’t you dare apologize…!”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

She’s got a point. It’s all the military’s fault. They should come apologize.

“Takashi-kun! We’re throwing you a welcome-back party! I’ll whip up something special, so stay! If it gets late, just crash here! Okay?”

Her grip on my shoulder tightened.

I’m touched, but this is a bit sudden.

“Uh, I appreciate it, but I haven’t seen Rinko yet. I’m heading to her place next, so can we do this another time?”

I tried to let her down gently, but her face visibly sank with disappointment.

She grabbed me desperately.

“Th-Then, after you see Rinko-chan, we’ll celebrate! That works, right? Right?”

“Uh, well… I haven’t told Nee-san I’d be staying out, and she’s probably started dinner already… It’s kinda last-minute, so maybe another day?”

“I-I’ll call your sister myself! How’s that? That’ll work, right?”

“Still as pushy as ever, huh…”

No, no, we’re celebrating today, no matter what, she insisted, acting like a stubborn diva.

That in-your-face energy… Man, it’s nostalgic.

I couldn’t help but think back to when Fumika had no friends but me, and her mom cornered me, begging, “Please help her make some girl friends, Takashi-kun!”

“Talk about a predator’s vibe, not letting prey-Takashi escape~! Was she always like this~?”

“She was.”

“You’re so loved, Takashi~!”

Natalie cackled like it was someone else’s drama.

Finally noticing her, Fumika snapped out of her trance.

“Taka-chan… who’s that? Hey… who is she?”

Her question carried a subtle edge.

Fumika’s prim and proper, doesn’t take jokes lightly—teasing her when she’s got that blank, no-nonsense face is a bad move. Especially now.

I was about to introduce Natalie as my war buddy when she leaned in and stole the spotlight.

“Me? I’m Natalie Shibuzaki!”

“Shibuzaki…?”

“Yup, Takashi’s wife!!”

Fumika’s face changed at Natalie’s wild claim.

I could see the anger rising in her prim, upright expression.

Impure relationships are Fumika’s ultimate pet peeve.

I told her not to joke like that, but it’s too late now…

“Natalie-kun… you’ve done it now…”

The whole point was to get her and Fumika to be friends. How’s she gonna fix this?

Catching my scowl, Natalie just grinned wider.

“I told you I might say something tactless~! I apologized in advance, didn’t I~?”

“And I told you her sense of humor’s nonexistent, so don’t even try it!”

Her grin didn’t budge, brushing off my comeback with a cheeky, “Don’t know what you’re talking about~!”

That smug, mocking face… She’s doing this on purpose…

“While I’m right here, you’re flirting with another girl~? That’s on you for turning this into a soap opera~!”

“Flirting…?”

Is she talking about me and Fumika?

What’s this idiot on about?

“Besides, you said you’d cover for me if I messed up~! Be a man and handle it~! I’m counting on you~!”

“You’re gonna pull that card, huh? Trampling all over my kindness…”

“I’m not the bad guy here~! It’s your fault for getting distracted by other girls~!”

“Distracted? By what? Fumika’s—”

“Must be tough being such a ladies’ man~! Hyah hyah hyah!”

“…You started this. Get ready.”

Fine.

I’ll handle it my way.

I’ll talk Fumika down, no holds barred.

“Taka-chan… What’s this about you having a wife…? Care to explain…?”

Fumika closed in, her face blank but her eyes dripping with contempt and disappointment.

Thinking I’m in some scandalous relationship, huh? I put on my most serious face to set her straight.

“No need to explain. Natalie’s telling the truth.”

“What does that mean…?”

If I deny it, things’ll just get messier.

So there’s only one thing to do.

“Me and Natalie are in a serious relationship, headed for marriage.”

“Wha!?”

“Huh?”

Fumika let out a dumbfounded squeak, and Natalie froze, both of them wide-eyed and stunned.

“W-W-Wait, Takashi!? That’s where you’re supposed to deny it! Deny it!”

Natalie, catching on first, scrambled to stop me.

“Don’t make pathetic excuses~! Why’re you doubling down~!?”

“What’re you talking about, Natalie? I’m dead serious about you. I’ve got our future all planned out.”

“Uh… ah… ugh…!”

The idiot’s face turned beet red, her movements jittery and erratic.

Normally, she’d fire back coolly, twisting the conversation to make it worse, picking up on my game.

But not now. She’s got no room to maneuver.

See, for all her brash talk, she’s secretly a total softie!

She acts like a crude old man, but when the tables turn, she crumbles into a flustered, hopeless romantic! A total pushover!

“L-Lies… It’s a lie… T-Taka-chan, it’s a mistake, right?”

As Fumika staggered back, Natalie rushed to her side.

“It’s a mistake, Fumika-chan! I was just messing around, and Takashi’s playing along! It’s all lies! A joke! So don’t worry!”

“It’s no joke~! Me and Natalie are madly in love~!”

“Is Takashi an idiot or what!? How can you go that far with this moronic act!?”

Natalie’s gestures grew wilder, clearly mortified.

This is getting fun.

“Wha? Huh? W-Which one of you is telling the truth…?”

“Me! I’m telling the truth! I started this by joking to mess with Takashi! It’s all fake!”

“We’re living together, though.”

“Living together!?”

“Noooo~!”

Natalie’s face went crimson, her eyes spinning, clearly losing it.

“Not living together! I’m just crashing at his place! A freeloader, that’s all! That’s it!”

“Young guy and girl in their teens… sharing a room for a month… you think nothing happened…?”

“Takashi, you bastard!! Cut it out already!!”

Natalie, freaking out, started tugging at her hair, desperately searching for words. Adorable.

“I-I lost my hometown, so I had nowhere to go! That’s why I’m staying at Takashi’s place! That’s all! Really!”

“Oh… I see…”

“A teenage boy and girl… one room, one month… of course, things got heated…”

“Takashi, enough!! You’re not helping!!”

Finally snapping, Natalie slammed a palm strike into my shoulder.

Lucky I’m me—anyone else, and that hit would’ve dislocated something.

I snorted, smirking, as Natalie glared, eyes bloodshot with frustration.

“Ugh, whatever…” she muttered, crouching down in embarrassment, ears red as apples.

Pick a fight with me half-assed, and that’s what you get. Learn your lesson.

“I don’t get it… but I figured one thing out.”

Fumika spoke up, helping the crouched Natalie to her feet.

“Taka-chan’s been toying with Natalie-chan!”

“Fumika-chan~…”

And just like that, they hugged tightly.

How’d it end up like this?

All I did was confess my love.

“What about the party?”

Fumika’s mom’s confused voice cut through.

After all the chaos, Fumika’s anger fizzled out thanks to her weird misunderstanding that I was messing with Natalie.

And somehow, that sparked enough sympathy for her to warm up to Natalie big time.

Considering the goal was to get them to be friends, this was a pretty solid outcome.

“Takashi, you put me through hell~…”

“How’s this my fault?”

As things settled into ambiguity, we said goodbye to Fumika and headed to Rinko’s place. Natalie shot me a resentful glare.

“All I wanted was some juicy, soap-opera drama~!”

“That kinda drama comes from romantic entanglements, doesn’t it? Me and Fumika aren’t like that.”

She’s got it all wrong.

“Huh~? Doesn’t Fumika-chan have a thing for you~?”

“No idea where you got that, but Fumika’s into Renji.”

“What? That’s gotta be your misunderstanding~! From a girl’s perspective, she was totally making heart-eyes at you~!”

“No way. She told me herself.”

Whoa, this feels like such a normal high school convo.

A love gossip session, huh?

Didn’t think I could still have talks like this. Damn, I’m kinda stoked.

Grinning like an idiot at the fresh feeling, Natalie, still not convinced, kept pushing.

“Then what was that look on Fumika-chan’s face when you reunited~? That was totally a girl in love~!”

“What’s with this ‘girl in love’ crap…? She wasn’t making that face.”

“She was~! Fumika-chan was full-on swooning~!”

“No way I’m buying that~!” Natalie groaned, practically whining.

Talk about crude word choice… My pure feelings are getting trampled here…

I threw a warning at the runaway idiot before she could derail things further.

“Let me make this clear, ‘cause I don’t need you spouting nonsense again. The next person we’re meeting, Rinko? She definitely doesn’t see me as boyfriend material. She’s a model, for crying out loud.”

“Model or not, what’s that got to do with anything~?”

“A top-tier Japanese supermodel falling for some random high school guy? No way. That’s, like, blasphemous to even think about.”

Natalie might not know, but Rinko’s crazy popular.

Your average joe doesn’t even dream of dating a superstar model.

I mussed up Natalie’s hair for her nonstop idiocy.

“Ugh, ugh,” she grumbled, then muttered under her breath.

“Then what about Olivia~? She’s a freaking global pop diva…”

6

Men brandishing violence beyond human strength, laughing like maniacs.

Unjust, vile bastards trying to intimidate me.

Their words—claiming they’d returned from the battlefield—left me speechless.

“We’re the only survivors of the Japanese forces.”

W-What does that mean…?

So… they’re saying… he’s dead?

I can feel my heart breaking.

The one thing holding me together is crumbling.

T-Takashi… in the war… you’re saying he’s dead…?

“Rinko, I’ve got a favor to ask.”

“What’s that…?”

I’m reading in the corner of the classroom when a boy and girl approach, all chummy-like.

A plain-looking kid and a timid girl half-hiding behind him.

It’s been a month since we started second grade. We’re in the same class, but I’ve never once talked to them. So what’s their deal?

“Hey, wanna be friends with me?”

“Huh?”

I do a double-take at the sudden pitch.

Is he messing with me?

I’m two heads taller than everyone else, with sharp features that give off an intimidating vibe. Add the rumors calling me a scary giant, and my personality’s turned sour—I can’t help but snap at people.

Friends? With me? Don’t lie.

Thinking he’s mocking me, I get pissed and shut him down cold.

“No way. Why the hell would I be friends with you? And don’t call me Rinko like we’re buddies. It’s creepy.”

“Being friends with me’s got perks, y’know.”

“Huh? P-Perks? Like what…?”

Even after I shoot him down hard, the kid doesn’t get mad. He just chuckles, all “fufufu” like some cartoon villain.

Then he shoves the girl hiding behind him forward.

“Be my friend now, and you get this adorable Fumika as a bonus! How’s that?!”

“U-Um… uhh… p-please, nice to meet you…!”

Fumika-san’s mouth flaps like a fish, standing stiff as a board.

She’s staring down at me, her face all tense.

Is this kid threatening her? Her eyes are welling up with tears.

“Look, forget about me, but you wanna be friends with this cute Fumika, right?! She’s awesome, I swear!”

“What the hell are you?! Using Fumika-san as bait? Don’t you have any shame as a guy?!”

“I just really wanna be friends with you, Rinko! So shut up and nod already! Or do you not care what happens to her, huh?!”

“U-Uhh… p-please…!”

“Grr…! That’s unforgivable! Taking Fumika-san hostage like that?!”

“C’mon, don’t you feel bad for her? You’re the only one who can save her, Rinko! Heh heh heh! So, what d’ya say—friends?!”

“You… bastard…!”

I glare at the smirking kid with murder in my eyes.

Unforgivable. Using a quiet girl like her as bait?

I didn’t wanna be friends with this idiot, but to save Fumika-san, I grudgingly accept his offer.

That’s how I met Takashi.

First impression? Absolute worst.

A month after that pushy introduction, I realized Takashi and Fumika-san’s relationship wasn’t what I thought.

Fumika-san wasn’t being threatened. Turns out, she and Takashi are super close. The whole thing started because Fumika-san’s mom pushed Takashi to help her make friends.

Then just ask me normally, damn it! I almost said it, but I stopped. If he’d just said, “Let’s be friends,” my stubborn ass probably would’ve said no anyway. So I swallowed my complaints.

If he hadn’t come on so strong, I’d probably still be alone.

So… yeah, I guess I’m grateful.

No clue why he picked me, though.

Fumika-san’s cute and gentle. A bit clingy with Takashi, but kind and earnest. If she didn’t hide her face behind those bangs, she’d be popular in a heartbeat—so adorable.

Takashi, though? He’s a mystery.

Slippery, carefree, like he’s not thinking about anything at all. A total enigma.

I couldn’t figure out why Fumika-san was so attached to him. She’s smart, cute, quietly athletic, and despite her shyness, she’s better at talking to people than my prickly self.

It didn’t make sense that she had no friends besides Takashi.

She could’ve been way more popular with that face and charm.

Back then, their relationship baffled me.

A year after meeting Takashi, I figured out why Fumika-san had no friends.

It’s simple.

She didn’t want any.

Fumika-san wasn’t trying to make friends with anyone but Takashi.

No wonder she was alone.

The reason? Even more shocking—she wanted to spend every possible second with him.

This wasn’t just “a bit” of dependence.

Fumika-san was the real deal.

Back when we first met, I would’ve been creeped out. Maybe even ditched her.

But a year after meeting Takashi, my thought was:

“…I wanna keep Takashi to myself too.”

I got where Fumika-san was coming from.

Because Takashi? He was stupidly kind.

He’s probably the only one who’d put up with my sharp tongue and still smile.

The only one who’d laugh off my embarrassed insults—calling him an idiot or creepy—like they’re compliments.

But when I’m in trouble, he’s always there. When classmates mocked me as a “giant,” Takashi was the first to get mad.

Plus, we just click.

He’s such a good listener, it’s easy to talk to him. I could spend a whole day off just chatting with him—no one else could keep up like that.

Being with him is easy, kind, fun.

He’s the only one besides my parents I can be my real self with.

For a third-grader—a boy with the mental age of a kid—Takashi’s got this insane ability to make you feel safe.

I don’t wanna let him go.

I doubt I’ll ever meet someone I vibe with this much again.

So I don’t wanna share him.

Not even with my best friend, Fumika-san.

He’s… mine.

By the time we hit the upper grades, Fumika-san and I ran into two problems.

First, people started treating us differently.

My height? Just an early growth spurt. By fourth grade, I was back to average, and the intimidating aura faded. Suddenly, people were calling me pretty or cute.

Fumika-san cut her long bangs, letting her adorable face shine, and people started flocking to her too.

Basically, we were getting attention.

Honestly? It was a pain.

I didn’t care about their flip-flopping attitudes, but the worst part was the crowds stealing our time with Takashi.

The second problem? Takashi made friends with Renji-kun.

They hit it off, always hanging out together.

Guess it’s fun for guys to bond—talking about pro baseball or geeking out over games. I’d see them hyped up and get so jealous, like, make that face with me, damn it!

Worst of all, Takashi hanging with Renji-kun meant less time alone with me.

That hit hard.

Really hard.

Pay attention to me, Takashi…

And Takashi’s no saint either.

With a girl this cute right next to him, how dare Takashi run off and hang out with someone else?

He should be obsessed with me. He’s got to be.

All he needs to think about is me… God, Takashi’s such an idiot…

From then on, I started scheming—how do I make him notice me?

I wanted his attention, his focus, so I racked my brain figuring out what to do.

If my charm wasn’t getting through, I’d make it. Better yet, I’d make him fall for me.

A flower on a lofty peak.

That’s how crazy I needed to make him.

I thought and thought and thought, and in the end?

I became a model.

Right around the time I started modeling, the Space Invaders attacked.

A war for survival. Not exactly a laughing matter, but we were optimistic.

The battlefront was far from Japan.

Japan declared it wouldn’t send troops.

Even with the war raging, our daily lives didn’t change one bit. Everyone stayed carefree.

A fire across the shore.

That’s what we thought of the war at first.

It didn’t take long for me to realize just how stunning I could be.

In just six months—six months—I was being called a “charisma,” skyrocketing to fame.

I started out in local magazines, but word of mouth spread like wildfire, and my name went nationwide.

Overnight, I was a star.

I was thrilled.

Not just because I was famous, but because my charm was objectively recognized.

With this much hype, even that dumbass Takashi would have to notice. The girl next to you? She’s a breathtaking beauty everyone’s jealous of.

He might panic.

Might freak out, thinking I’ve shot way out of his reach.

M-Maybe… he’ll even confess, trying to claim me as his own…

If a flustered Takashi corners me… i-if he suddenly steals a kiss, w-what do I do…? And if he pushes me down, all forceful… N-No, stop! No way!

It’s too soon. We’re still in elementary school.

Plus, I’ve been teased enough. Time to make him squirm.

If I just give in to everything, I’ll look like some easy pushover. That won’t do—I need to hold the reins.

B-But… well… a k-kiss or two… I-I guess I could consider it…

My head was a flower garden back then.

My manager kept hyping me up, so I totally bought into it.

Rinko-chan’s a peerless beauty! No boy could resist her!

So I thought Takashi was the same.

I really thought that.

But I was wrong.

Takashi didn’t change.

No matter how famous I got, how popular I became, or how many boys confessed to me, his attitude stayed the same.

Worse, seeing how people around me were flipping their opinions like crazy, he actually felt bad for me.

“No matter how big you get, Rinko, I’ll always be your friend.”

That same old kindness.

It made me happy.

Hearing that from him did make me happy.

But that’s not the answer I wanted.

Change, damn it. Look at me differently, Takashi. Right now. Please.

I dreamed he’d confess at our elementary school graduation… but that jerk just went home like it was nothing.

Our relationship didn’t budge.

How the hell do I make him fall for me?! The frustration was eating me alive.

Should I have just thrown caution to the wind and made a move?

Was playing it subtle the wrong call?

While I was busy with modeling, it felt like Fumika-san and Renji-kun were getting closer to Takashi.

Did I screw up?

By middle school, I was seriously considering just pouncing on him and making it a done deal.

Then Takashi stopped coming to school.

My memories after that are hazy.

All I recall is going to his house and hearing from his parents that he’d been drafted.

The shock knocked me out cold, they said.

It felt like half my soul had been ripped away—a gut-wrenching loss.

Not knowing when he’d come back. Knowing he probably wouldn’t come back alive.

The crushing certainty I’d never see Takashi again.

Just days ago, we were laughing side by side—my favorite person in the world.

The Takashi who’d listen to me for hours, so interested.

The Takashi who gently put up with my selfish whims—he was gone.

For a while, I couldn’t even get out of bed.

While I was at rock bottom, drowning in despair over Takashi’s conscription, Fumika-san reached out.

She was making preparations for when Takashi came back.

Daily messages.

I ignored them at first, but the constant updates started making me anxious.

[“I started studying pro baseball for Taka-chan since he loves it. The rules were easy to pick up, but memorizing players’ quirks is tough. Taka-chan and Renji-kun always knew so much… I’m working hard to join their talks!”]

[“Today, I made gyudon for when Taka-chan comes back. It came out pretty good, but it’s no match for a gyudon shop. Is there a secret ingredient…? I’ll try again tomorrow!”]

[“Today, I forged a marriage certificate for me and Taka-chan. Handwriting, guarantors, seals—all perfect. When Taka-chan comes back, we’re getting married. Score!”]

Fumika-san was looking forward.

She’d been bedridden from shock, just like me, but now she was moving ahead, planning for Takashi’s return.

If Takashi comes back alive, who’s he gonna pick?

Me, moping and crying in bed? Or Fumika-san, believing in his return and working toward a happy future with him?

Probably Fumika-san…

That thought hit me like a brick.

Something clicked in my heart.

I couldn’t lose. I couldn’t keep crying forever.

My love rival was going all out. I couldn’t just sit here as her competition.

If Fumika-san’s the devoted type, I’ll become the ultimate untouchable flower—out of everyone’s reach.

By the time Takashi comes back, I’ll be so famous no one in Japan won’t know my name.

And when he’s back? I’ll pounce, snap a pic, and make him admit we’re a thing!

I’ll announce our engagement on SNS and retire on the spot!

Once the world knows he claimed the ultimate prize, he’ll have no way out. That’s what it’ll take with him.

I won’t let him go anywhere.

I felt strength surge into my fists.

Hope sparked inside me.

I vowed to charge toward a happy future with Takashi.

Three years since that vow.

Polishing myself paid off—my fame’s off the charts. If I got a boyfriend now, it’d probably start a riot.

All that’s left is for Takashi to come back, then I’ll make my move and quit. Perfect plan… hehe… hehehe…

I’m grinning, practically drooling over my fantasies, when my phone pings.

A message from my manager on a call app.

It’s a video file. No text, nothing else.

Weird vibe for a message. What’s this? I think as I open it.

The video shows my agency’s office, with multiple men rampaging through it.

Their movements aren’t human. Freakishly fast, smashing walls and desks like they’re paper.

W-What the hell…?

I’m reeling from the brutal footage when my phone rings—my manager.

“R-Reiko-san?! W-What’s going on?!”

“Ooh… the real deal. The one and only Kyouka Hara Rinko.”

“Wha… huh? W-Who are you?! Where’s Reiko-san?!”

The voice on the line is a grown man’s—not my manager’s.

Fear makes me choke.

“Reiko? That the old lady who owns this phone? Relax, she’s just passed out on the floor somewhere.”

“W-What?! What’d you do to Reiko-san?!”

“Just borrowed her phone, chill. Got no interest in some hag… My interest’s in you.”

“Huh…? W-What?!”

His slimy words send a chill down my spine. This feels bad.

“Been into you forever, y’know. Since I first saw you on TV, I’ve fantasized about you over and over. Wanna mess you up…”

He’s throwing his gross desires at me. First time anyone’s been this blunt.

It’s disgusting.

“So, since I made it back alive, I figured a hero deserves a prize. You’re thrilled, right?”

“What the hell are you babbling about?! That’s creepy! Are you stupid?!”

“Tch. You don’t get a say in this. Refuse, and after I kill these guys, I’m coming to your house. Run, and it’s pointless. I’ll kill your family if you try.”

“W-What…? H-How do you know where I live…?”

I mutter my fear, and the man answers gleefully.

“Found your resume, didn’t I? Hyahha!”

“…”

His mocking laugh.

Panic starts creeping in as I realize the situation I’m in.

“So give up and come here. Oh, and calling the cops? Useless. You saw the video—cops can’t stop us. Plus, we’ve got war amnesty. We can do whatever we want.”

“War…? Amnesty? What’s that supposed to mean…?”

“Huh? You don’t know shit, do you? Living in a blissful bubble, huh?”

A chorus of men’s laughter—gyahaha—blasts through the phone. It’s pure revulsion.

“We’re survivors of the war with the Debris, got it? Got DOD’d on the battlefield, so the country gave us amnesty to do whatever we please. Get it?”

“Debris…? DOD…?”

“Ugh, you’d get it if I said ‘Invaders,’ right?”

Invaders.

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest at those words.

The war Takashi fought in.

“W-Wait! So… the war’s over?!”

“…Huh? You didn’t even know it ended?”

“What about Takashi?! What happened to Takashi?!”

I ignore the man’s words, firing back my question.

If the war’s over, then Takashi—

“Takashi? Who’s that? Don’t know him.”

“…What?”

“The only Japanese soldiers who survived are us. No Takashi here.”

…Not here?

What?

N-Not here… what does that mean…?

What?

Not here… does that mean… he’s dead…?

T-Takashi… in the war… he’s… dead…?

“Whatever, doesn’t matter. Just get your ass here in one hour.”

“…”

“If you’re not here in an hour, I kill everyone in this office and come for you. Like I said, running’s pointless. Run, and I slaughter your family.”

“…”

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. I’ll be waiting.”

The call cuts off.

My thoughts can’t catch up.

When I reach Rinko’s house, she steps outside right on cue.

It’s been forever, but her face is pale, her expression dark.

Something’s off. Is she sick?

“That long-haired girl’s Rinko-chan? She okay? She looks half-dead~,”

“She really does. She’s wobbling,” I add.

I approach Rinko as she stumbles forward and call out, “You okay? Keep staggering like that, and you’ll get into an accident.”

“…Huh? Oh… yeah. I’m fine… Thanks for worrying…”

“Rinko-chan, you haven’t even noticed Takashi~,” Natalie says, pointing at her face.

Sure enough, Rinko’s staring into space with vacant eyes, like her mind’s somewhere else. She’s not even focusing on me.

“Hey, Rinko~! You good~?” I wave a hand in front of her face.

She just stands there, mouth half-open, totally zoned out.

“She’s completely out of it~,” Natalie teases. “No reaction at all—bet I could prank her, and she wouldn’t notice. Maybe steal a kiss~?”

“Hold it, Natalie! No pranks on Rinko—I’m calling dibs on that kiss!” I shoot back.

“Quit saying creepy shit, you idiot Takashi!” Rinko snaps, smacking me on the head.

Man, that feels so nostalgic. Three years ago, I got that treatment all the time.

“Guess you’re fine after all,” I grin.

“No shit! Someone tries to steal my lips, of course I snap out of it! My lips are for Takashi only—!”

She freezes mid-sentence.

Finally notices me, huh?

“…What? T-Takashi…? H-How are you alive…? Weren’t you… dead…?”

“Classic Rinko. Not exactly the warmest greeting for an old friend, huh? Warms my heart,” I quip.

That’s it. That’s my Rinko-chan.

Her sharp tongue makes me grin like an idiot.

Natalie, smirking, pokes fun at me. “Takashi, you’re still into girls who bite, huh~?”

“Love it. Honestly, she could bite harder,” I reply.

“Just a straight-up masochist,” Natalie laughs.

We’re cracking up when Rinko, looking confused, cuts in.

“T-Takashi… is it… really you…? T-Then… what was that call…?”

She’s tearing up, totally lost.

…Yeah, something’s definitely off.

This isn’t the vibe of someone thrilled to reunite or shocked I’m alive.

I rub Rinko’s back to calm her down as she starts to lose it.

“Japanese soldier survivors? They really said that?” I ask.

“Y-Yeah… they definitely did,” she confirms.

After a few minutes of soothing, Rinko calms down enough to explain.

Apparently, some Japanese soldiers who claimed to be back from the war are threatening her. She just got a call from them.

“How many Japanese survivors were there again~?” Natalie asks.

“Three, including me,” I say.

“So one of those guys is threatening Rinko-chan~?” Natalie tilts her head.

“Those two doing something like that? I could see them turning into streakers from the high of coming back, but this?” I muse.

“Yeah~ They’re all idiots, right~?” Natalie agrees.

We’re both scratching our heads. No matter how you slice it, the guy on the phone has to be lying.

“T-Takashi? W-Who’s this pretty girl?” Rinko asks, glancing between me and Natalie, clearly thrown off.

Oh, right. Haven’t introduced them.

“Natalie, say hi,” I prompt.

“Hiii~ I’m Natalie Turquoise Pinkstar~ Met Takashi in the military, and we greet the sunrise together every morning. That’s the kinda bond we got~,” she says with a grin.

“Whaaaat?! W-What kinda bond is that?!” Rinko yelps.

“Let’s hold off on that, Natalie. Gotta deal with Rinko’s problem first,”

First things first, we need to handle whoever’s threatening to kill her.

Rinko can wait for playtime after.

“No need to stress too much, right~? Gotta be a lie about being returnees~,” Natalie says.

“Yeah… maybe we just call the cops…” I add.

If it’s military types, we’d handle it ourselves, but if it’s just civilians acting out, better leave it to the authorities. I’m not exactly good at holding back.

“C-Cops? They said something about amnesty, that going to the police wouldn’t do anything…” Rinko says, uncertain.

“It’s fine~ Those guys are probably just lying about being returnees. With hostages involved, the cops are the safest bet~,” Natalie reassures.

“Y-Yeah… you’re right!” Rinko says, perking up.

Our optimism must be rubbing off, because she starts muttering complaints.

“Something felt off… Saying they can do whatever because of some amnesty! Talking about Debris and DOD, all this weird crap! Sending that creepy video totally threw me off! Idiots!”

Wait.

What did she just say?

“Rinko. Debris and DOD… who’d you hear that from?”

“Huh? The guy on the phone,”

“…”

“…”

“W-What’s wrong? You’re both making scary faces…” Rinko falters.

Debris is the official name for the aliens.

DOD—Debris Overdose—is slang for body modification.

Both are military secrets, not public knowledge.

The guy who called Rinko is likely tied to the military.

Debris is one thing, but DOD? Only modified soldiers use that term.

Which means the “Japanese soldier survivors” claim might actually be legit.

Hard to believe.

“Rinko, what’d the guy on the phone sound like?” I ask.

“Huh? Um… like a grown man, kinda low-pitched.”

Low voice.

Ryuichi-san comes to mind, but he’s got a wife and kid, doesn’t he?

But if you’re asking whether there are other male Japanese soldiers, there just aren’t. Even if there were, the guys I knew were desperate for normal lives. Hard to imagine them pulling this crap.

The only logical conclusion is that these punks are posing as soldiers.

But that DOD comment… ugh…

As I’m mulling it over, Natalie pipes up.

“Maybe there’s some bio-soldiers we don’t know about~?”

“No way. Every dosed-up soldier gets sent straight to the front lines. If they were Japanese, I’d know them,” I reply.

“But, like, nobody in our unit called it ‘DOD,’ right? Maybe they’re from a mainland squad~?” she suggests.

“…Now that you mention it, yeah.”

‘DOD’ is clunky to say, so we’d twist Overdose into “dosed” or “got dosed.” Far as I know, nobody used “DOD.”

“Hey… what’s with you two? What’s this DOD and bio-soldier stuff?” Rinko asks, her face tight with worry.

She’s clenching her fists, picking up on the bad vibes.

Gotta explain. She’s caught up in this mess, after all.

“Long story short, the guys who called you are probably real soldiers. They know about DOD, which is military classified,” I say.

“What’s DOD…?” she presses.

“It’s what they call turning soldiers into weapons.”

“…Weapons? Turning?”

“Like swapping out body parts for machines or dosing us with drugs to fight aliens.”

“…What? No way. That’s insane…” she stammers.

“I know, right? Hard to believe. I know every Japanese survivor, and they’re not the type to do this. But they’re claiming to be soldiers…”

“No, that’s not what I meant by ‘insane’…”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“We’re totally not on the same page~!” Natalie cackles, pointing at us.

This girl’s got zero sense of tension.

“Anyway, let’s hit Rinko’s agency. They’re there now, right?” Natalie says.

No point overthinking. Better to meet them face-to-face and sort this out.

“They called me out, so probably… But, Takashi, you’re seriously going?! What about the cops?!” Rinko says, her face stern as she tries to stop me.

“Figuring it out in person’s faster than sitting here worrying. If the military’s involved, cops won’t do shit. Oh, and you stay behind, Rinko. We’ll handle it.”

“N-No way! You don’t need to go, Takashi! No! Absolutely not!”

Like Nee-san, Rinko’s more worried about others than herself.

People misjudge her because of her looks, but she’s got a heart of gold.

“It’s fine. Leave it to us,” I reassure her.

“I said it’s not fine! No way! Not happening!”

“I’m telling you, it’s cool. We’re modified too.”

“…What?”

My casual bombshell leaves Rinko stunned, her face painted with shock.

8

In the back of the taxi to the agency, I’m tagging along against their wishes, curled up with my head in my hands.

I can’t process this.

It’s all too much.

Some creepy guy threatens me over the phone, tells me Takashi’s dead, and I’m reeling from the shock—then Takashi shows up out of nowhere and drops that he’s been modified.

What the hell is this? What kind of situation is this?

No time to celebrate his return, and the moment for it’s long gone.

What’s this “modified” crap anyway? Is Takashi’s body okay?

I grab his hand, kneading it to check for anything weird.

Feels normal. Just a regular hand.

“Your nails are super cute, Rinko. What’s this? Spring vibes?” Takashi says, eyeing my manicure.

“Huh? W-Well… kinda…” I mumble.

He’s so damn carefree. Why’s he got no sense of urgency?

“Hey… are we really okay going in alone? Shouldn’t we call the cops now—?”

“Look at her nails, Natalie. Ain’t they adorable?” Takashi cuts me off, calling to Natalie in the front seat.

She twists around, leans in, and gawks at my fingertips with a “Whoa~!”

“They’re so cute~! Little cherry blossoms in bloom~!” she squeals.

“Rinko could teach you, Natalie. Summer’s coming—go for some summery colors,” Takashi suggests.

“I’ve never done this stuff before~ Rinko-chan, can you still shower with these on~?” Natalie asks.

“If you prep them right, no problem… Wait! This isn’t the time for this!” I snap, shutting down their carefree banter.

“How are you two so calm?! We might be walking into danger!”

At my outburst, Takashi and Natalie blink at me, totally clueless.

What’s with those faces? Like I’m the one saying weird shit…

Natalie flashes me a grin. “Rinko-chan, no need to worry~ We’re just gonna talk. Nothing dangerous here~”

“How can you say that?! What if they don’t wanna talk?!”

“They will. Guaranteed~”

“But why—”

“Trust me~ If they’re military, they’ll definitely talk~”

Natalie keeps smiling, her doll-like face radiating cuteness, but something sends a chill through me.

What’s this feeling? Like I’m standing before someone huge…

“We’re here. Let’s go,” Takashi says.

Sure enough, the taxi’s stopped in front of the agency.

While I’m still dazed, Takashi pays the fare.

“Driver, can I get a receipt? No name needed,” he says.

“Takashi~ What’s with the receipt~?” Natalie teases.

“Gonna bill the military. They’re screwing us over, so it’s only fair.”

“Ohh, smart~! Not bad for a clumsy Takashi~”

“Right? I’m growing every day.”

These two have zero tension.

Am I the weird one here?

Takashi and Natalie hop out of the taxi and march straight into the agency.

No sense of danger, no hesitation, no strategy, no nothing—just charging in.

I scramble to keep up as Natalie flings open the door to the main hall and mutters, “Found ‘em. They’re here~”

Following her and Takashi inside, I see a group of men glaring at us.

The floor’s littered with empty liquor bottles and unconscious staff. Reiko-san’s slumped in a corner.

Next to the men, my colleague Sumire-san’s pouring drinks, trembling and sobbing in fear.

The horrific scene makes me catch my breath.

“Well, look who it is—Kyouka Hara Rinko~! You’re late! A bit slower, and these folks’d be dead!” one sneers.

“She brought friends, huh… Rinko! You think you can pull this shit?!” another growls.

“Hold up, that blonde chick’s cute. Nice, nice. Let’s make her a toy along with Rinko,” a third chimes in.

“Bringing a guy pisses me off… Let’s kill the brat…” another mutters.

Their threatening voices pile on, spiking my anxiety.

“Takashi~ Recognize ‘em?” Natalie asks.

“Nope… Six of ‘em, huh?” he replies.

“All mech-soldiers, no specials,” she notes.

“So they’re definitely dosed,” Takashi confirms.

They’re muttering to each other, sizing up the men.

Weren’t they supposed to talk? This doesn’t feel like that at all…

“Hey, I’m more into this blonde than Rinko. What’s your name, sweetheart? Heh heh…” a middle-aged guy leers, licking his lips as he approaches Natalie.

His slimy gaze makes my skin crawl.

“You talking to me~?” Natalie asks.

“Yeah, baby~ I’m into you~ Let’s have some fun~” he drawls.

“Really? You’re talking to me…? Pfft… Hahaha!” Natalie bursts out laughing, loud and wild.

The room freezes.

She’s laughing like she’s genuinely having the time of her life.

Even the guy trying to intimidate her looks thrown off.

“Takashi~! You hear that? He’s talking to me~! Pfft!” she giggles.

“…Yeah, I get it,” Takashi sighs, sounding exasperated.

“You guys didn’t even fight in the war, yet you’re acting all high and mighty,” he says, turning to the men.

“Wha—?! How the hell do you know that?!” one shouts.

“Wanna bet? You got drafted, what, two months ago? War ended the next month, so you got modified but never saw combat. Just sent back home, right?”

“How do you know that?!” another demands.

“I’m a returnee too, dumbass. Of course I know,” Takashi shoots back.

What’s going on?

“Takashi, you figured something out? I’m lost…” I say.

He sighs and explains. “These guys were drafted, sure, but they never went to the front lines. Just got sent back.”

“How… how do you know that?” I ask.

“You know Japan’s draft was selective, right?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“There’s six of ‘em. Japan picked six soldiers every two months. The numbers match, and since they know ‘DOD’ but don’t know Natalie, that’s the only explanation.”

I glance over—yep, six guys.

“Drafted in April, modified, then the war ended, so they got sent back. Gotta say, acting like that around Natalie? Ballsy…” Takashi mutters.

“I thought their reactions were kinda fun~”

“They’re total wannabes if they don’t know you,”

So, Takashi and these guys don’t know each other?

Then… no chance of talking this out?

My fears are spot-on as the men start shouting.

“What’s that supposed to mean?! We got DOD’d, asshole! We’ve got the right to do whatever we want!” one roars.

“No, you don’t. I got dosed too. If every punk threw a fit over it, we’d all be screwed. And targeting Rinko? Big mistake,” Takashi retorts, cool as ice.

Takashi’s voice is sharp, colder than I’ve ever heard it. It’s like that time he snapped at a classmate who called me a “giant” back in the day.

“Don’t talk big, you little shit! We went to war for humanity! The peace you’ve got now? That’s because of us! We’re heroes, damn it! Heroes deserve to be served!” one of the men bellows.

“Heroes? You didn’t even fight, and you’ve got the nerve to spew that garbage? Go throw yourself into a war zone and earn it, you dumbass,” Takashi fires back.

His taunt shifts the air. The men’s faces twist, their eyes glinting with a dangerous mix of rage and murderous intent.

Takashi glares right back at them.

“Heroes are the soldiers who died on the battlefield… When you pull this idiotic crap, you drag down the reputation of every soldier. You make the sacrifices of those dead heroes mean nothing!” he roars.

His voice is raw, his face flushed with anger.

I’ve never seen him like this… so furious…

“Who gives a shit, you punk?! Don’t get cocky!” one of the men snarls.

“Cocky? We fought like hell to survive! Of course we’d survive, you bastard!” Takashi snaps.

“Hyah hyah hyah! Takashi~, you’re totally talking past each other~!” Natalie-san’s carefree voice cuts through.

But her face? Not smiling. Not one bit.

“You guys should quit while you’re ahead~,” she says. “One bio-soldier to another, I’m warning you—get on your knees, apologize to Takashi, and turn yourselves in. Or you’ll regret it~”

“No way in hell! You brats think you can talk down to us?! I’ll kill you!” one shouts.

“Fine. Regret it then,” Natalie-san says, her tone shifting.

The air turns ice-cold.

The men stand, their arms making loud clank-clank noises. With mechanical whirs, their limbs morph into black iron.

Their weapons, I guess—proof of their mechanization. Bloodshot eyes locked on us, ready to attack.

“Takashi, you suiting up with film?” Natalie-san asks.

“Nah… not for these losers. You take the three on the right,” he replies.

“Got it. Dead or alive?”

“…Keep ‘em alive. They’re still soldiers, rotten as they are.”

“Softie~ Got it,” she says.

Takashi and Natalie-san brace for a fight.

What happened to talking…?

9

I can’t believe my eyes.

Natalie-san just tossed the nearest middle-aged guy.

Tossed? Is that even the right word…?

Normally, throwing someone means grappling them, like in judo.

But Natalie-san? She grabbed his stomach with one hand, lifted him like he was nothing, and threw him.

And that’s not even the wildest part. The guy didn’t arc through the air—he shot forward at insane speed, straight as an arrow, slamming into the wall so hard he stopped moving.

I-Is he… dead…?

I’m frozen, and the other men are visibly rattled.

Their bravado’s gone. They’re backing away now.

They didn’t expect this… The way they look at Takashi and Natalie-san, there’s fear in their eyes.

“Y-You! Get over here!” one young guy yells, lunging at Sumire-san, who’s been pouring drinks.

“Eek!” she squeaks.

He’s trying to take her hostage, wrapping an arm around her neck and raising his iron limb.

“D-Don’t move, or she—!”

“No chance,” Takashi cuts in.

In a flash, he closes the distance, grabs both of the guy’s wrists, and slowly twists them up, freeing Sumire-san.

“Sorry. Can you step back for a sec?” Takashi says.

“Y-Yes…!” Sumire-san scurries out of his grip.

Takashi makes sure she’s clear, then crushes the guy’s iron arms and unleashes a flurry of slaps so fast they’re a blur.

The sound of impact echoes like explosions. Blood sprays from the guy’s eyes, nose, and ears as he collapses.

His jaw’s dislocated, and a few teeth hit the floor.

That’s no slap I’ve ever seen.

“P-Please, spare me! Spare me!” another man, an older one, wails.

My eyes are glued to Takashi when a scream pulls my attention.

Natalie-san’s dragging the older guy by his leg across the floor.

She hauls him to the wall and starts swinging him like a giant ragdoll.

“S-Stop! Stop! P-Please, help!” he shrieks.

His desperate cries don’t stop there, but they don’t save him either.

Once he’s got enough momentum, Natalie-san starts slamming him into the wall.

Again and again, like a worn-out cloth, his body smashes against it. The white wall turns red.

The sight of him becoming a bloody mess silences everyone in the room.

That’s not human strength… A gorilla? Natalie-san looks like a damn gorilla…

The horrific scene pushes the men over the edge.

“Arghhh! Nooo!” one screams.

“Please, forgive us! We’re sorry! Sorry! SORRY!” another begs, pissing himself.

Their earlier swagger is gone.

They’re groveling, rubbing their heads on the floor.

“Gross~ What’s with the piss~?” Natalie-san grimaces, glaring at them with contempt.

The older guy she slammed into the wall is barely breathing, anyone can see that.

“Please, forgive us! We’re so sorry!” one sobs.

“What’s with the flip~? Where’s all that big talk now~?” Natalie-san mocks.

“Spare us! We’re sorry…!” another wails.

“Don’t cry so much~ Makes me feel guilty~,” she says lightly, grabbing one of the crying men by the hair.

She drags him toward the same bloodied wall she’d used before.

“Not that I’m planning to stop~”

She rolls him over, prepping to slam him next.

“This wall’s still got plenty of white spots~ With you three left, we could paint it a nice red, don’tcha think~? Time for a makeover~”

She flashes an innocent, beaming smile.

Her cheery tone saying such terrifying things makes the men scream.

“Noooo! Help! Forgive us! Please!” one shrieks.

“I’ll turn myself in! I swear! Please!” another begs.

“Waaah… waaah…” another sobs.

Ignoring their cries, Natalie-san scans the wall. “That spot’s still white… Alright, let’s do this~!” she says, hyping herself up.

I can’t help but jump in. “N-Natalie-san! That’s enough, isn’t it? They’re apologizing!”

“Huh? Rinko-chan, doesn’t this wall bug you~? Leaving it half-done like this just looks tacky~,” she replies.

“What…?”

Her goal’s shifted from stopping these guys to… painting the wall with their blood?

With that cute face, how can she say something so unhinged…?

I’m floored, but Takashi steps in too.

“That’s enough, Natalie. They’re done fighting,” he says.

“Wha~? Takashi, this wall doesn’t bother you~?” she asks.

“Nope. This ain’t a horror flick. Nobody wants a blood-soaked wall,” he replies.

“Ugh, but it bugs me~ Don’t you think so too~?” she says, turning to the groveling men.

“It’s tacky, right~? Super tacky~ Say it’s tacky, c’mon, you ignoring me?!” she taunts, looming over them.

The men can’t even nod or answer, just trembling with their heads down.

The bizarre sight of grown men cowering before a single girl drags on.

Later, the military folks Takashi called haul the men away.

Maybe because Natalie-san kept terrorizing them, they didn’t resist—just went quietly.

They’re supposedly headed to spend their lives rebuilding the war zones. Probably never coming back to Japan.

Feels like a harsh punishment, but if Takashi and Natalie-san hadn’t been here, I’d be in a world of hurt right now. No sympathy for those creeps.

That “amnesty” thing was a lie too, apparently.

They sowed the seeds, so they can reap the consequences.

Oh, and all the guys they beat up? Still alive.

They woke up fine afterward, so their recovery must be insane. Kinda relieved they’re not dead.

Though they passed out again when they saw Natalie-san’s face.

“What a day…” Takashi mutters.

“No kidding…” I agree.

Sumire-san and I are free to go, leaving the military folks behind.

Takashi and Natalie-san were supposed to be released too, but some big-shot military guy practically begged them to stay, crying about how letting them go could spark an international incident.

The guy was sobbing so hard, rank clear as day. No way they could say no.

Reiko-san and the other staff are okay, regaining consciousness without major issues.

They’ve got minor injuries from the men, so they’re being sent to the hospital just in case.

Apparently, the government’s covering damages for us victims, including the agency’s repairs.

But we’re sworn to secrecy about this whole thing.

Not like anyone would believe this story anyway, so whatever…

“U-Um… that boy from earlier… you know him, Rinko?” Sumire-san asks.

As I’m dazed, replaying today’s chaos in my head, Sumire-san, walking beside me, speaks up.

She’s my colleague, a year older, usually a chatty pink-haired gal, but now she’s fidgeting like some shy maiden, stumbling over her words.

What’s with this vibe…? I’m getting a bad feeling…

“Takashi? He’s my childhood friend. The blonde girl with him? First time meeting her today,” I say.

“Oh… Takashi-kun, huh… Got it…” Sumire-san murmurs, her cheeks flushing as she lets out a cute little ehe giggle.

My bad feeling’s getting worse.

“Childhood friend, so he’s your age?” she asks.

“…Y-Yeah… So what?” I reply, wary.

“Oh, so he’s younger…” she trails off.

Why’s she asking about his age? It’s got nothing to do with her.

My bad feeling’s turning into certainty.

“Does Takashi-kun have a girlfriend? M-Maybe you could intro—”

“Not introducing him,” I cut her off.

“Duce him—…huh?” she falters.

“I said, I’m not introducing him.”

Her lovestruck expression crumbles into despair.

That sad puppy face won’t work. No means no.

“Why not?! C’mon, introduce me!” she whines.

“No way. Didn’t you always brag about only dating hot, older, rich guys? Why Takashi?” I snap.

“Well… yeah, but… Takashi-kun’s different…” she mumbles.

My new love rival starts fidgeting again, muttering under her breath.

“L-Like, when I was almost taken hostage, Takashi-kun saved me, right… Since then, my heart won’t stop pounding… Looking at him, I just feel all… fluttery…”

“Suspension bridge effect and stress-induced palpitations. Definitely not love,” I shoot back.

“I… I think it’s love… What do I do, Rinko~? My chest hurts~!” she wails.

“I said it’s not love! And I’m not introducing him!” I yell.

“Nooo~ Don’t be mean~!” Sumire-san clings to me, pleading.

No chance in hell. Why would I hand over the guy I’ve been crushing on for nearly a decade?

I steel my heart and shake her off.

10

“Hold it right there! You can’t just show up out of nowhere like this! Gimme a heads-up next time, would ya? I didn’t even get a chance to put on makeup, you jerk!”

The next morning.

I swung by Rinko’s place first thing, and out she came, stomping her feet in a huff. Her over-the-top, almost cartoonish movements were honestly adorable.

Seeing her as lively as ever filled me with genuine relief.

“After everything that went down yesterday, I couldn’t stop worrying about you, Rinko. Sorry for dropping in like this.”

“W-What’re you even saying?! Don’t just spout off nonsense like that!”

“No, seriously… I was really worried, so I came to check on you.”

“Huh… wait, what?”

Yesterday, some military goon had pulled me aside, so I couldn’t be there for Rinko. I only stuck around because he was practically begging me, but I never would’ve guessed those army jerks would just let her go home without so much as a word of support.

Rinko’s the victim here, for crying out loud. The least they could’ve done was make sure she got home safe.

It’s their screw-up, and it pisses me off that they didn’t even think to look out for her.

I really messed up with Rinko.

“After all the shocking stuff that happened yesterday, I was worried you’d be feeling down or something.”

“I-I’m totally fine, okay? But… you came all the way here because you were worried? …Thanks…”

Rinko’s face lit up with a giddy grin, her cheeks practically glowing.

I watched her closely, trying to gauge her mood.

From what I could tell, she seemed okay… I’m no Sherry, but if I had even half of Natalie’s knack for reading people, I’d know for sure.

Maybe she picked up on my anxious staring, because Rinko suddenly perked up, her voice booming with confidence.

“You don’t have to make that face! I’m fine, really! A little scare like that? Pfft, I deal with worse on SNS all the time. I’m not so weak that I’d let it get to me!”

“That’s… not exactly reassuring. Now I’m even more worried.”

“It just means I’m tougher than that! Besides, if it weren’t for you and Natalie-san, who knows where I’d be right now?! I’m nothing but grateful for you two, so quit looking so glum!”

“…Alright.”

“Anyway! This isn’t what we should be talking about right now!”

With that, Rinko flung her arms wide open.

“C’mere, Takashi!”

“…Huh?”

“We’re picking up where we left off with our reunion! So, c’mon, Takashi! D-Dive right into my arms! I-I-I’m gonna hug you so tight!”

Her face was getting redder by the second. She was clearly embarrassed, babbling with pure momentum.

She’s probably trying to make sure I don’t feel awkward or guilty. That’s just like her—always so kind.

Well, if that’s how she’s playing it, there’s only one thing for me to do.

“Rinko! I’m baaaack!” I roared, charging toward her.

“W-Wait a sec! Can’t you, like… set the mood a little?! Geez, you idiot!!”

I launched myself at her, and despite her protests, Rinko wrapped her arms around me, squeezing tight.

Compared to the old days, her frame felt smaller, more delicate.

These past three years flipped our sizes—she used to be the bigger one. Time really changes things.

“I’m back, Rinko. Somehow, I made it.”

“Welcome home, Takashi. I’ve been waiting… forever… always…”

We held each other like that for a while, neither of us saying a word, as if trying to make up for all the time we’d lost.

After that, Rinko hit me with a barrage of questions.

First up: the modifications.

I gave her the same vague rundown I’d given my sister, sticking to what I could safely share.

Honestly, after she saw me and Natalie fighting yesterday, I was a little worried she might be scared of us. But—

“As if I’d be scared of the people who fought for me! Don’t insult me like that, you jerk!”

Her answer was as bold and straightforward as ever.

That’s my Rinko—always keeping it real. Gotta love that about her.

Next, she grilled me about Natalie.

And I mean grilled. She was relentless—asking about how we met, what we talked about, whether there was any “physical contact,” and flat-out declaring she’d never forgive me if we were living together. She dug into every little detail.

In the end, I mentioned that my sister’s been sleeping in the same room as us and reminded her of the casual, no-nonsense vibe between me and Natalie. She still didn’t seem entirely convinced but reluctantly let it slide.

“Fine… whatever. I get that there’s nothing going on with you and Natalie-san, so I’ll let it go. But! You’re making time for me after this, got it?!”

She jabbed a finger at me, all business.

I had no idea why she was coming at me so hard, but if she was cool with it, I wasn’t gonna argue.

She’s starting to sound like Fumika now.

“How long do I gotta hang out for?”

“W-Well… let’s say… two hours. N-No, wait! I need to recharge, so three hours! Yeah, three!”

That’s, like, half the afternoon.

“Three hours doing what?”

“I-I dunno… stuff! Lots of stuff!”

“Gimme a hint, at least. I told Natalie and my Nee-san I’d be back by noon.”

We’d made plans to grab some greasy, artery-clogging tonkotsu ramen for lunch. Rinko could come along if she wanted.

At my words, Rinko let out a frustrated little growl.

“F-Fine… two and a half hours then… No, wait! Four hours! I need four!”

“I’m asking what we’re doing, not how long it’s gonna take! And you just added more time!”

For someone as blunt as Rinko, she was being weirdly cagey.

I’d already made plans with Natalie and my Nee-san, but after yesterday’s mess, ditching Rinko now felt like a low blow.

“Alright, fine. I owe you for yesterday, so I’ll stick with you today.”

“R-Really?! Yes…!”

“So, where are we going?”

“Nowhere! We’re staying right here in my room, doing… stuff!”

Her cute face twisted into a mischievous, almost sticky grin.

Four hours indoors? She mentioned recharging, so… maybe gaming?

“Hold up, let me tell my Nee-san the plans changed.”

“S-Sure, no problem!”

I pulled out my phone and started tapping through my contacts.

As I was searching for my sister’s number, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from her.

“Hey, Tak-kun? You free right now?”

Her gentle voice came through, but in the background, I could hear Natalie arguing with someone whose voice sounded vaguely familiar.

“Yeah, I’m good. What’s up? Sounds noisy back there.”

“Um, well… this person named Ciel showed up at the house, and she’s kinda freaking out, demanding to see you…”

“Ciel?”

Ciel.

Ciel.

…Ciel?

“Wait, Ciel… as in Ciel Iceland?”

“Iceland…? Hold on, let me check.”

Her voice faded as muffled conversation took over in the background.

“She says that’s her.”

That’s Sherry.

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