Chapter 3 Part 1 – Drowsiness and Iced Tea

Chapter 3: Drowsiness and Iced Tea

The closing ceremony for the first semester had ended.

After school, I hurried out of the classroom, trying to escape the restless, chaotic atmosphere of the other students.

Outside, the sun was merciless, and the heat radiating off the asphalt made me a little dizzy.

Stopping by a department store to recover some stamina, I also dropped off a letter in the mailbox near the entrance.

Then, I arrived at my destination– the hospital.

“Oh, Mizuki-kun! Welcome.”

At the reception desk was Miss Niina, a nurse I’d become well-acquainted with.

“It’s dreadfully hot today, isn’t it?” Ms. Niina said, fanning her face with her hand. We exchanged greetings, and I filled out my personal information on the forms.

Thankfully, the hospital had air conditioning, so the interior was quite cool.

Everyone here looks quite exhausted, though…

“Annnnd here you go! Make sure not to lose your visitor pass.”

“Thank you.”

I gave a small nod to Miss Niina as she waved her hand goodbye, and stepped into the elevator.

I got off on my floor, proceeded down the hallway, and knocked on the door of the room number I knew by heart.

“Ah, big brother!”

As soon as I opened the door, an energetic voice called out towards me from the bed.

With her cheeks flushed pink in excitement, my younger sister waved her hand at me.

“Ooooo, you’re in your uniform? Is school already over?”

“Chiharu, you’re too loud. Today was the last day. Summer vacation starts tomorrow.”

“Wow, really? Well, I think I might’ve seen one of your school’s fliers…”

With a vacant wahh, she flapped over the hems of her blanket. Her long, flowing hair swayed softly with the movement.

“Stop that, you’re kicking up dust.”

“Sorry, sorry. I’m just so glad you came to visit me!”

“When did you become such a sweet talker? You’re just happy because of this, aren’t you?” I said, placing the box of sweets I’d bought at the department store on her bedside table.

“Your eyes have been glued to this ever since I walked in.”

“Ehehe, you caught me… whoa, Club Harie! Yay!”

TLN: Club Harie is a renowned Japanese Western-style confectionery brand, known for their baumkuchen, which is like a circular-shaped cake with a bunch of layers, like the different layers of the tree. It’s also known as ‘tree cake’ because of that.

“I told you, not too much… wait! I’ll cut it out for you…” As I spoke, I took the baumkuchen out of the box and moved two slices each onto the plates.

The fine layers of the cake glistened under the hospital lights. Even the irregular cracks in the surrounding fondant looked beautiful in a way. This moist, smooth baumkuchen didn’t feel heavy or sweet, even in the heat of summer.

“Mmm—! So good! As expected of Club Harie… oh, you’re eating some too.”

Of course I am…

“You really do love sweets. I bet you buy things for yourself when you’re pretending to buy ‘get-well’ gifts for others,” she remarked.

“Well, that’s what happens half the time.”

“Hey, he admitted it!”

Chiharu’s eyes widened in surprise.

I saw no reason to deny it. There are very few things in this world better than high-quality Western confectionery.

“How’s it going lately, big brother?” Chiharu asked, a crumb of baumkuchen still clinging to her lip.

I leaned in, wiping it away with a napkin and patted her head.

“Just the usual. There’s nothing special going on.”

“I see, I see. Do you have friends?”

“Well, not really.”

“Ah, I knew it! You can’t act so prickly all the time. I bet everyone’s scared of you.”

“I’m not being prickly.”

Well, I feel like someone also told me that just recently.

“I’m getting along well enough with people. Don’t worry too much about me.”

“If you say so… oh, what about a girlfriend? Even if you don’t have friends, you’re popular, right, big brother?”

“…I don’t have one, and I’m not popular.”

In the first place, with what I’ve been doing, romance is the last thing I should be worrying about.

“Ehhh? What a waste. And you’re in the prime of your high school years!” Chiharu said, letting out an exaggeratedly theatrical sigh.

For some reason, that sounded exactly like something Kirie would say.

…No, why was I thinking about that person right now?

“What about you? Aren’t you bored?”

“Mm, nope. I’m used to it now. There are plenty of interesting anime and dramas on T.V.”

Chiharu picked up the tablet she kept by her pillow. With so many streaming services available now, the tablet had become an essential for Chiharu, given her long hospitalization. Though, thanks to that, her hobbies had leaned heavily toward the “otaku” side.

“Right now, my favorite drama is called Kimi of the Shimmering Heat.”

“…That sounds like a title that’ll make you sweat.”

“My heart pounds every week! Kocchan is the lead, and the female lawyer she plays is just so cool.”

Looking entranced, Chiharu showed me the tablet screen. It was likely the key visual for the drama. An actress wearing a gold lawyer’s badge looked toward the viewer with a dignified, cold expression.

The “Kocchan” Chiharu mentioned—Kotoha Somei—was a popular rising actress. She had established a brand where anything she appeared in became a hit. Without a doubt, she was in high demand for movies and dramas alike.

She must be incredibly busy every day. She probably receives countless presents and letters.

“She’s soooo smart and beautiful, I really admire her. Maybe I can become like her in the future.”

“I thought you wanted to become a lawyer?”

“Dreams are always changing! But first, I have to become an adult,” Chiharu said in a light, carefree voice.

My heart rate suddenly spiked, and the tips of my fingers and toes went cold.

It was like the sentence triggered something in my body. My vision dimmed. Complicated thoughts began to swirl in a chaotic vortex.

‘First, I’ll become an adult.’

It should’ve been a simple, obvious premise. But, it was one that wasn’t guaranteed for her.

“Chiharu… I’m sorry.”

The words slipped out in a whisper.

I shouldn’t say it. Even if I do, nothing changes.

“Ah, geez! Why are you apologizing! It’s not your fault!” Chiharu puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

‘It’s not your fault.’

Perhaps she was right, but one could also argue that it is.

Chiharu doesn’t know that, though.

“Being sick is sad, but I’m okay right now. And, compared to Mom—”

“…”

“Ah… no. It’s nothing. Anyways, I’m completely fine. I have you and Dad, and I’m happy every single day! So don’t worry.”

“…Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

I forced out a response, putting the last piece of baumkuchen in my mouth. Despite it being my favorite, I couldn’t seem to enjoy its flavor today.

Leaving the hospital room, I returned to the first floor.

When I went to return the visitor’s pass to the reception, Miss Niina asked me a question.

“Did Chiharu-chan seem energetic?”

“Yes. She’s the same as always. “

When I answered, Miss Niina gave me a relieved expression.

“But… it really is quite strange. Chiharu-chan’s condition hasn’t worsened at all…”

I understood what she was implying.

“Ah, no! I mean, it’s a good thing! There was a time where it got really bad…”

“…I see.”

“With what happened to her mother, it was just heartbreaking to watch… I just hope she continues to get better…”

As she spoke, Miss Niina quickly moved her hands to complete the checkout process. I signed the final document, and that was it. I was used to this by now.

“Take care. Please come visit again whenever you can!” After bowing to Miss Niina, I sat down on a bench in the waiting room.

Between the heat and everything else, I didn’t feel like going back outside yet. I closed my eyes and listened to the distant calls of patients and visitors’ names.

“Oh?”

A short exclamation came from beside me.

Even that sound was familiar to me by now.

I didn’t want to open my eyes, knowing I couldn’t escape if I wanted to.

“Hey, Hidaka-kun, are you… sick?”

Sitting in the chair in front of me was Mahina Kirie, still in her school uniform. Just like me, she probably came right after the closing ceremony. With a serious expression, she tilted her head curiously.

I felt the heavy weight in my chest sink even deeper.

“Or is it an injury…?”

“Neither. …I’m visiting family.”

“Oh… I see.”

Kirie looked as if she were debating whether to ask more. But when I remained silent, she gave a small nod and moved to the seat next to me.

“…What about you? What are you doing here?” I asked, solely to divert the conversation away from myself.

Even though it was a distraction, it was also a valid question. She seem look sick or injured.

“I’m visiting too. Family… my mother.”

“…I see.”

Visiting her mother.

Naturally, that topic had never come up until now. I suppose we really are complete strangers after all.

“See ya.”

Forcing myself to move, I stood up. We already had to be together for work, I didn’t want to spend my free time with her as well.

“Ah! Wait a second!”

“…What?”

I looked back to see Kirie still staring at me. To be honest, I was grateful that the atmosphere of the previous conversation had vanished.

“Tomorrow’s meeting… is it the same station as last time?”

“…The Midori-no-Madoguet station. Eleven o’clock.”

After answering her question, I left the hospital.

The sunlight still was viciously hot, and I felt dizzy almost immediately.

I had ‘work’ again tomorrow.

***

“Morning… Hidaka-kun.”

When we met up, Kirie had already bought a drink and was fanning her face with a light-blue folding fan.

Her outfit showed significantly more skin than last time.

“It’s way too hot… do we really have to work on a day like this?”

“Unfortunately, yes. We don’t get to choose our working conditions.”

As I spoke, I reached into my bag and pulled out two electric handheld fans. The white one was mine, and the yellow one was something I’d bought for Chiharu a while back.

“Use this. It’s going to get even hotter as the day goes on.”

“WHA– Hidaka-kun is being kind to me…? Wait, is this… a dream?” She lightly slapped her cheek, seeming almost a little confused.

“If you don’t want it, that’s fine.”

“Wah! Wait! I’ll take it!”

I pressed the handheld fan into her hands and headed for the ticket machine. I operated the terminal, buying two tickets based on the information sent by Love.

“H-Hidaka-kun… um…”

Kirie, who had been peeking at the screen from the side, spoke up hesitantly. I held out the issued tickets, but she didn’t immediately take them.

“…What is it? If the weather is too much for you, then that’s fine as well. I can handle it on my own.”

“Um… well… no, it’s nothing. I’ll take them…” With that, Kirie placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath.

With cautious movements, she gripped the tickets and slowly tucked them into her pocket.

I have no idea what that was about.

But, it wasn’t something I needed to worry about. Leaving the still Kirie behind, I passed through the gates and headed up the stairs to the platform.

“Whoa… a Shinkansen! I’ve only seen them on TV!” As soon as we boarded the car, Kirie let out an excited squeak.

TLN: Shinkansen are bullet trains, able to travel up to 200 miles an hour.

Her actions were so exaggerated…

Honestly, it was a little embarrassing. I was just glad that the station wasn’t that busy today.

We sat down on our reserved seats and waited for departure. Kirie, the one who got on aisle side, immediately opened her ekiben lunch box.

“…Thank you, Hidaka-kun. I’ll enjoy the food!” Kirie said, seemingly a little embarrassed.

“B-but… was it really okay? For you to treat me like this…?”

“You were agonizing over it too much. We almost missed the train.”

Kirie had been staring longingly at the ekiben lined up at the shop inside the gates. I thought she was going to buy one, but she just kept saying “Hmm” or “Maybe this one?” and never made a decision. While she was hesitating, the departure time approached, so I just grabbed one of the boxes and paid for it.

“S-sorry… but I couldn’t help it! My part-time pay isn’t that great, and ekibens are pretty expensive!”

“Then you should have just given up on it.”

“B-but… I wanted to try one! It’s my first time on a Shinkansen…”

Apparently, she really wanted to try one as it was her first time being on a bullet train.

No wonder she was acting so weird.

“Heyyy, did you hear me? I said I had a part-time job! I haven’t told anyone else, y’know?”

“…You’re pretty chatty today.” Apparently, her excitement hadn’t worn off.

Also, I don’t ask about things I’m not interested in.

“It’s at the burger shop near the station! It’s really delicious, so come visit!” In the end, she was satisfied just talking to herself. I just wanted her to be a little quieter, regardless of the topic.

“…”

Suddenly, a stray thought occurred to me.

In our high school, part-time jobs are, in principle, forbidden.

‘In principle…’ which means there are exceptions.

“In cases of special circumstances, employment is permitted upon application.”

I remembered seeing those words in the student handbook.

…

“Hey, Hidaka-kun.”

She called my name unexpectedly, pulling me back to consciousness. The train had already picked up speed, and the scenery was blurring past us.

Discarding my previous thoughts, I closed the window blind.

“By the way, how do you handle the expenses for your ‘retrieval’ work?” As she spoke, Kirie pointed to her ticket.

I glanced over and saw several large pieces of beef lined up in her ekiben.

“It was the same with Yusa-kun, these trips cost quite a bit of money. Do you have a part-time job too, Hidaka-kun?”

“How did you reach that conclusion? This isn’t a game, you know. Besides, my ‘job’ is this.”

“Eh…? You get paid for retrieval work…?”

“Of course. It’s a job. I’m not just doing this out of the goodness of my heart.”

Otherwise, this whole operation would have collapsed long ago.

“Eeeh! I see…! Wait, does that mean… you paid for this with your salary too?” Kirie showed me the ticket for the third time.

Does this girl have no common sense?

“No. As usual, expenses for work are business expenses.”

“B-bu… business expenses…! No way…”

With a look of utter shock, Kirie’s mouth hung open.

We haven’t even started yet, and I’m already exhausted…

“Eh… um, then maybe… this one too…?”

Suddenly, with a sort of flattering look in her eyes, Kirie thrust the ticket toward me again.

“Since you bought them together, I thought I’d have to pay you back later… but maybe…”

I see. So that’s why she was fumbling at the ticket machine.

If worrying about the price of a bento was already a problem, the Shinkansen fare was naturally a much bigger blow. That alone would probably wipe out several days’ worth of part-time wages.

I’d gotten so used to it that I’d completely forgotten.

“Love authorized your company. There’s no way you’d be paying out of pocket. I already requested funds for both this and the previous trip. Although, the bento is on me,” I said.

“H-Hidaka-kun…! I’ll follow you for the rest of my life…!”

Kirie said this with her hands pressed together in prayer, a look of pure happiness on her face.

She was, quite literally, a mercenary.

Also, a month is enough.

“We’ll have to be careful with today’s target. She’s a completely different breed than Yusa.”

I spoke to Kirie in a voice low enough that those around us couldn’t hear, just as we both finished our food.

“Oh, you’re actually going to tell me about the target? You didn’t want to before,” Kirie replied, her mouth hanging open in surprise as she lowered her voice to match mine.

“If I don’t, you might end up being a liability.”

“Wait… does that mean she’s… kind of dangerous…?”

“Depending on the situation…very dangerous. Though, I think we’ll be fine,” I answered. Kirie looked tense and swallowed hard.

That said, ability users are still human. As Love had mentioned before, the risk of committing a crime is the same as for any ordinary person.

I doubted she’d actually cause us any physical harm.

“Yayoi Shinohara. Thirty-four years old, preschool teacher. Several other Collectors have attempted negotiations with her in the past.”

“U… uh-huh.”

“But, they all failed. Shinohara refused to return the Power and sent the Collectors away. Love was a bit troubled, and eventually, the job fell to us.”

“I-I see… so some people really do resist…”

“I told you. Cases like Yusa’s, where things are settled amicably, are actually rare.”

Yusa Kanata had a weak attachment to the ability. His understanding of our side’s explanation was smooth. In truth, I barely had to do anything.

But this job—and humanity in general—isn’t always filled with convenient targets.

“But if you were chosen despite this situation, does that mean you’re exceptionally skilled, Hidaka-kun?”

“…No, it was probably through a process of elimination. If I were the most suited, I would have been chosen from the start.”

“Oh, is that how it is?”

It wasn’t as if I had some special skill to break a deadlock.

However… the target might finally be losing her patience. In that case, I really am the one who should go.

“Through a ‘process of elimination’, huh. Is that why the location is so far away this time?” Kirie asked, pointing toward the ceiling of the Shinkansen.

“No, the distribution of recoveries is basically decided by compatibility with the target, not distance or area. If someone is judged to be the right fit, long-distance trips are common.”

“Haa… it’s surprisingly like a real job. You get a salary and expenses and everything.” Kirie nodded several times, looking oddly impressed.

A job. Yes, a job.

Love was trying to organize the recovery process. Because it was more efficient. Because it was faster.

And the fact that she could actually pull it off was the terrifying part.

“Have you met them? The other Collectors?”

“…Well, a few times.”

“Woah! Really? What are they like? Tell me, tell meeeeeee!”

Kirie leaned in close, brimming with curiosity.

“Nothing special… just ordinary students or adults. They all have their own circumstances, but I haven’t asked about the details.”

“Well, I guess so… it’s not really necessary for you guys to talk,” Kirie said, unexpectedly understanding.

If anything, she looked a bit regretful, her eyebrows drooping slightly.

Perhaps the warning I’d given her previously had actually sunk in. She was as earnest as ever.

“Ah… come to think of it, I forgot to ask.” Kirie’s eyelids flickered as she spoke with a sudden realization.

She reminded me of something I’d forgotten to mention. In fact, this was the most important piece of information.

“What exactly can this Shinohara person do?”

“Well… to put it simply, hypnosis.”

After getting off the Shinkansen, we had to transfer to a local line. That’s where our destination station was.

15 minutes later, we arrived.

It felt even more suburban than the last place, but the area in front of the station was reasonably prosperous.

Before I knew it, it was already past two in the afternoon.

“It really feels like we’ve come a long way…” Kirie said in a drained voice, while we were restocking drinks at a convenience store.

The heat was likely making it even harder on her.

“Unfortunately, the real work starts now.”

“Ugh… you’re right.”

Kirie’s shoulders slumped as she muttered, “Hypnosis…”

I noticed that in her hand, besides the plastic bottle, she was clutching a packet of “Sleep-Buster” caffeine pills.

Those aren’t tax-deductible, you idiot.

“Do we still have to walk?”

“A bit. For now, we’re heading to Yayoi Shinohara’s workplace.”

“I-I see… her workplace, huh.”

Accompanied by a nervous Kirie, I left the convenience store and moved again under the blazing sun.

From here, meeting the target involved a bit of luck. According to the prior information, at this time, she should probably be—

“…Lucky. There she is.”

As I spoke, I pulled Kirie behind the cover of a hedge.

I peered through the gaps in the leaves to observe the scene.

Kirie tried to peek as well, bringing us into a state of near-contact, but that didn’t matter right now.

“…Two of them.”

Yayoi Shinohara was holding hands with a boy who looked to be in the lower grades of elementary school, carrying a shopping bag in her other hand.

Shinohara was a preschool teacher, but a child of that age wouldn’t be from her workplace. In other words, he was her own child.

“W-what do we do…?”

“Call out to her.”

With that, I stepped out from the hedge.

Normally, the theory is to target them when they are alone. It’s more convenient for both parties.

But this time, it should be fine. For various reasons.

“Miss Yayoi Shinohara, I presume.”

Without waiting for Kirie, who was hurriedly following me, I spoke toward Shinohara’s back.

She immediately halted and remained motionless for a moment.

The boy beside her looked at us with curious eyes.

“…Yes?”

Her voice had a slight edge of intimidation.

When Shinohara turned around, she was glaring at us with a look of blatant displeasure.

“We’re here to talk about your ability.”

She was likely someone who didn’t need any fancy tricks.

Hearing my brief statement, Shinohara’s face contorted further, and she let out a heavy sigh.

And then—

“Ah!”

Just before Kirie could cry out.

The boy swayed and collapsed as if he had lost consciousness.

Shinohara immediately caught him in her arms, but he remained limp and motionless.

However, his expression was perfectly peaceful, and a faint, rhythmic sound of breathing could be heard.

He’d fallen asleep… no, she had put him to sleep.

“Help me carry him.”

Shinohara hoisted the boy onto her back and thrust the shopping bag toward me.

As expected of a high-priority target. I appreciated how quickly she got to the point.

We followed Yayoi Shinohara to her home.

It was a room in a perfectly ordinary apartment complex, and no one else was inside.

Shinohara laid the boy on the bed and efficiently put the contents of the bag away in the shelves and refrigerator.

Then, she returned to us waiting at the entrance and put her shoes back on.

“There’s a cafe I’ve wanted to go to, so let’s go there.” With only that, Shinohara left the room.

Kirie and I exchanged a glance and followed her.

After walking for about ten minutes, a modern-looking commercial building appeared along a wide road.

It was an open building with a terrace on the second floor.

“Come inside.”

At Shinohara’s prompt, we silently climbed the stairs to the terrace.

As we passed through the door with the sign hanging from it, a staff member immediately greeted us.

“Table for three.”

“Right this way, please.”

Before we knew it, we were guided to a table in the back.

Shinohara opened the menu with an air of ownership, humming to herself.

Looking at it, everything was reasonably expensive.

The interior and decor were retro, possessing a subdued sense of luxury.

“You’re the ones paying anyway, right?” Shinohara said, looking up slightly.

Apparently, she had a decent grasp of our situation.

“It’d be a waste not to order something expensive.”

Shinohara spun the menu around and slid it toward us.

After confirming that Kirie and I nodded, Shinohara signaled the waiting waiter.

“The afternoon tea set, with Darjeeling. What about you?”

“Ah, um… an iced milk tea,” Kirie ordered in a thin voice, as if intimidated.

For just the two of them, the bill was already nearing four thousand yen. Well, eighty percent of that was due to Shinohara’s order.

“Iced coffee. And a gateau chocolat.”

TLN: Basically chocolate cake.

“Certainly. It’ll be just a minute.”

Having taken our orders, the waiter took the menu and departed with seamless movements.

“Even Hidaka-kun is ordering dessert… and a cute one at that,” Kirie whispered noisily beside me.

In this scenario, Shinohara was right. After all, we weren’t the ones covering these expenses.

Also, stop calling it cute.

“Ahaha. I like you,” Shinohara laughed for the first time today, staring at me.

She had been sullen the whole time, but looking at her now, she had a surprisingly charming face.

“Well, that’s a separate matter from this, though.”

“…”

Shinohara rested her cheek on her hand, looking back and forth between me and Kirie.

I felt as if I were being appraised. Well, she probably was.

“Sending children now… your boss is quite dirty,” Shinohara said abruptly.

It seemed she already understood the purpose of our visit.

“But, I’m afraid it’s useless. I like children, but that doesn’t mean I’m soft on them.” Her tone was directed more toward Love than toward us.

She shouldn’t have known about her, but Shinohara likely knew of the mastermind behind the Collectors.

In other words, she was aware that we were just pawns.

“You want it back, right? The ability.”

“Yes.”

When I answered, Shinohara sighed again and knit her brows tightly.

I could practically hear her whole body screaming that we were a nuisance.

Compared to when we dealt with Yusa, Kirie was visibly awkward.

“I refuse. I haven’t used this ability for anything bad. I’m not troubling anyone. In fact, I’ve even used it to help people.”

“I know. The power to instantly put whoever you touch to sleep. The sleeper doesn’t wake for two hours. With that ability, you once prevented a bus hijacking.”

“…”

“You intentionally provoked the perpetrator and let him grab your arm. The perpetrator fell asleep on the spot, and the situation was resolved by the police who arrived.”

Beside me, Kirie let out a voice of admiration: “Ooh…”

“You’ve done your homework.”

“I was briefed. Along with your history and personal information,” I said. Shinohara’s face clouded over again.

She probably didn’t like it, but it was better for her to accurately understand our position.

“Then, you understand. I’m not giving it back,” Shinohara said sharply after receiving her drink.

“…Originally, it was something that humans should not possess. It isn’t normal to have it.”

“True. And I know that depending on how it’s used, it can be dangerous. Once you put someone to sleep, they can’t do anything. You can boil them or roast them as you please. If you keep them asleep, you can even let them waste away to death.”

Shinohara spoke of these gruesome things with total nonchalance.

“Of course, I have no intention of doing that,” she added, her voice carrying a definite weight.

As Shinohara said, her ability allows one to unilaterally suppress an opponent. Even without direct lethal force, it is an extremely dangerous ability even if the target resists with everything they have.

However.

“That’s irrelevant. No matter how trivial it is, no matter how good a person you are, the ability must be returned. It does not belong to you.”

“I’ve heard that already from the previous kid. But then again, I’ve said it many times already as well. I have no intention of returning it.”

There was still an intimidating quality to Shinohara’s voice.

She was calm. Just as she said, she had likely made this claim many times before.

It was no wonder the “previous kid” had given up.

“Even if it originally belonged to someone else, it is now a part of me. I decide how to use it and how to live with it. Just as I would help someone in trouble on the street. Just as a martial artist doesn’t go around punching people.”

“That’s not the point. To use your analogy, you’ve taken something you found on the street, tucked it into your pocket, and claimed it as your own.”

“I have no memory or intention of ‘picking it up.’ If you want to talk about ‘arbitrarily,’ the ability was the one that arbitrarily took up residence in my room. I’m the victim. Am I wrong?” Shinohara glared at me, refusing to budge an inch.

Like Yusa, this woman also seemed to understand that I was the one in charge.

More so than last time, Kirie was essentially a piece of furniture. It couldn’t be helped, and in a way, it was preferable.

“…We can recover it by force. However, we would prefer to avoid that.”

“Really? You seem to be struggling for it. The fact that you’re here today means the previous kid already gave up, right?”

“You shouldn’t underestimate us… or rather, her.”

“…”

Shinohara fell silent for a while.

Just then, the two desserts arrived.

Compared to my plate of gateau chocolat, Shinohara’s twin-layered tea stand was quite lavish.

Pushing aside a feeling of envy, I ate a piece of cake.

The sweetness and texture were exquisite. As expected of something so expensive.

“You like sweets?”

“…Well, a little bit.”

My preferences weren’t important right now.

“No need to be shy. It’s cute.”

“I agree, Hidaka-kun is quite cute.” Kirie nodded for some odd reason.

You’re being too loud.

“Anyway, who exactly is this ‘boss’ of yours?” Shinohara asked, popping pieces of cake into her mouth.

Her tone was somewhat thorny, half-curious and half-resentful.

“Since you’re so confident, is she some kind of amazing person?”

“Amazing… well yes, I suppose. She’s not normal.” As I spoke, I thought to myself.

She’s not even human.

Apparently, the previous Collector hadn’t told her Love’s true identity. I also agreed with that policy.

“Haa… for someone so ‘amazing,’ you call him ‘that person.'”

“…Their wish is for the ability to be returned amicably and with your consent. Use of force is the final resort. However, I believe that we are approaching that stage.”

“Use of force…”

Shinohara narrowed her eyes displeasurably and shook her head.

It was a natural reaction.

In her mind, she was the one repelling us with force.

However, that was only because we were holding back. If we wanted to, we could recover it at any time.

That is what I was implying.

Again, Shinohara fell silent for a moment. She seemed to be thinking about something, glaring at my hands.

And then, just as I swallowed the last piece of cake.

“Are you finished eating?”

“Uh… yes.”

I answered, unable to gauge her intention.

Glancing beside me, I saw that Kirie looked just as bewildered.

“Well, that’s all for today. Tell ‘that guy’ for me. Tell them that they need to come see me in person.”

It looked as though Shinohara had smiled.

Immediately after, her hand reached across the table, lunging toward me.

It happened so suddenly that I couldn’t react in time

Her hand overlapped mine, just as I had set down my fork.

It was chilly.

That sensation was all that remained in my consciousness as my thoughts rapidly slowed.

This is… I see.

Sleepiness, huh.

“Hidaka-kun!”

At the very end, I thought I heard Kirie’s scream.

“…cust…omer. Customer…”

My body was being shaken.

Within my hazy consciousness, I slowly opened my eyes.

Kirie’s face was right in the center of my vision.

A face I’d been seeing often lately, yet one I could never get used to—strikingly beautiful.

Her cheek was pressed against the table, her eyes half-open just like mine.

The next thing I registered was a voice.

“Excuse me, sir, are you alright?”

A man was standing beside us. Dressed as a waiter, his eyebrows were downturned in a look of concern.

The outlines and colors of the scenery around him gradually returned.

Warm lighting. Retro interior. A well-polished hardwood floor.

Ah, this place is…

“I’m very sorry, but we ask that you refrain from sleeping in the shop. If you’ve finished your meal, I’ll have to ask for the bill.”

His tone was polite, yet firm.

Those words and that expression rapidly cleared my mind.

Right, we’re at a cafe, there’s no one in the seat opposite me… and we…

“…I’m sorry. I just drifted off.”

When I answered, the waiter looked relieved and gave a polite bow.

Once I confirmed he had left, I pressed my condensation-covered glass against the cheek of the still-sleepy Kirie.

“…fueh!”

A goofy sound escaped from her half-open mouth.

Apparently, the drinks had gone completely lukewarm.

“We got played, didn’t we?”

“Yeah… we got played…”

Repeating the words, Kirie curled her lip in frustration.

When we paid, some takeout sweets we had no memory of ordering had been cheekily added to the bill.

The surroundings were already dim, over an hour had passed since my last memory.

Well, considering who the opponent was, this development wasn’t entirely unexpected.

If anything, figuring out Yayoi Shinohara’s intentions was already a win.

After that, we slowly walked back towards the station.

To be precise, I wanted to get back quickly, but Kirie’s pace was incredibly sluggish.

“Sigh… I was really useless this time…”

“Are you still on about that? Just so you know, you weren’t supposed to do anything in the first place.”

It wasn’t as if she had signed up to help me with my work. She was just tagging along.

It was actually better that she didn’t do anything unnecessary.

“But still… I saw Hidaka-kun get put to sleep, and yet I fell for the same trick right after…”

“I wish I could have contributed at least a little… that woman seemed tough…” Kirie spoke in a gloomy voice, clutching her head.

She had a strangely strong sense of responsibility.

“The root cause was that I let my guard down. Besides, the other side only needs to touch their target. No matter how fast you reacted, there was nothing you could do from that distance.”

“Hi… Hidaka-kun…!”

Kirie’s eyes welled up, and she put on a performance of sniffling.

“You’re so kind…”

“I’m not comforting you. Simply put, your regret is misplaced.”

“…Oh, right…but, thanks anyways!”

Thanking me on her own terms, Kirie picked up her pace slightly.

She pulled up alongside me and stretched her arms.

A lukewarm night breeze blew through, carrying the scent of summer.

***

「”I see, so it didn’t work out.”」

After arriving at the station, we decided to go into a random fast-food joint for dinner.

Even when I reported our failure over the phone, Love’s reaction was as curt and nonchalant as usual.

「”Well, it’s only natural if you went in without a plan! Though, there’s not much more we can do anyway~”」

Love’s drawn-out voice was occasionally punctuated by what sounded like cheers.

I wonder where she is…

「”From your perspective, Mizuki-kun, how is she? Does it seem possible?”」

“…Who knows. She was calm and reasonably rational. But because of that, she’s conversely impossible to get a read on.”

「”I see. It’s the same as what the last person reported.”」 Love groaned and fell silent for a moment.

During that silence, the voices of a crowd shouting, “Whoa! Yes!!” leaked through the receiver.

「”Ah, hold on a sec, this is the best part… eh? Was that a strike? It didn’t look like it was in.”」

“…Baseball?”

「”Yep, yep. The concept of an umpire is so irrational, right? Even if it’s a ball, human judgment takes priority. Well, that’s what makes it interesting.”」 Love laughed heartily.

I could understand where she was coming from, but right now, that didn’t matter.

「So, what do you want to do? I want to hear your opinion, Mizuki-kun.”」 Love’s voice suddenly turned serious.

The noise over the call vanished, suggesting she had moved indoors.

“I want one more day.”

I gave the answer I had prepared immediately.

Beside me, Kirie’s head, which had been leaning in to listen, gave a small twitch.

It wasn’t that I had something left undone, nor did I have a new idea.

But, I had only met her once.

Even if the prospects were slim, I wanted to talk to her a little more. I wanted to hear more about her.

I felt like I should do that.