Losing my sense of taste for several months was quite painful. There was no physical pain, but I still remember being mentally shaken a lot.
A person's three major desires are known to be sleep, sex, and appetite. I don't know about that from a biological or psychological perspective, but that's what's widely known. And Kenji lost one of them overnight.
No beverage could produce sweetness anymore. The unique bitterness of carbonated water disappeared. Everything he drank was water. Food he chewed was like a sponge, and porridge was merely a thick lump. The feeling of happiness felt when eating something was nowhere to be found, and only the sticky residue of oil in his mouth told him that food had entered his stomach.
He naturally realized it that way.
From now on, forever, I will live having lost my appetite.
After accepting it, it was unexpectedly no big deal. Rather, his body seemed to have become healthier as he only looked for foods that didn't leave a sticky residue. For drinks, unless drinking alcohol to get drunk occasionally, he only drank water.
He also became accustomed to acting, so he could avoid showing that he had lost his sense of taste. In fact, in Arius, hadn't he managed not to let anyone discover his ruined sense of taste? That's why Kenji was confident it would be the same in Schale.
But crises always come.
Now was such a time.
"......"
Kenji looked at Ha-yul and Yuuka, who were staring at him with serious expressions. They had been like that ever since leaving the cafe. Interrogating gazes. The determination to definitely uncover the truth of the matter was conveyed directly.
"I'll ask to confirm."
Ha-yul was the first to break the silence. As if she had left her usual foolishness somewhere, she spoke in an extremely serious voice.
"Kenji, it's true you can't taste, right?"
"......"
"Don't lie. I'm asking you as a favor."
"......Sigh."
Kenji let out a deep sigh, then nodded with a bitter expression.
"Yes, that's right."
"Since when?"
"It's been almost two years."
Before awakening to Fear, while undergoing various experiments with Maestro, he obtained many side effects. The loss of taste and smell was the first, followed by permanent damage to one eye, organs ruined close to necrosis, weakness, creaking joints, etc. From side effects that manifested outwardly to side effects rotting from within. As if declaring he could no longer live a normal life, the experiments thoroughly ruined him.
But he recovered. By spending three years in the mental world and three months in reality, he mastered Fear and completely erased the side effects. However, one thing, the loss of taste he obtained first, did not recover. His sense of smell returned, but his sense of taste remained in its ruined state.
Kenji vaguely explained such facts. Because revealing everything would involve too many things.
Fortunately, Ha-yul didn't probe for details and only nodded quietly. She felt suspicion, but didn't want to dig into the details of a story he seemed to want to hide. He had his circumstances too.
Ha-yul looked at Kenji with pitying eyes and opened her mouth.
"Is it possible to recover?"
"......I don't really know either. Honestly, I'm not even sure if there's really a problem with my tongue."
If taste isn't perceived, it's mostly a problem with the taste center, but is this problem really with his tongue? Perhaps everything has actually recovered, but his sense of taste is ruined due to a psychological issue?
He didn't know. Kenji was neither a surgeon nor a psychiatrist. He couldn't possibly make a self-diagnosis.
So confirmation was needed. He had to find out if his tongue was really ruined, or if it was an illness of the mind.
"I was thinking of visiting Millennium to get a diagnosis when I have some time."
"Millennium?"
Yuuka, who had remained silent until now, asked. Kenji nodded and answered.
"Isn't their science level the highest in Kivotos? So I thought there might be a way to fix ruined senses."
"Hmm... I'm not sure. But it's true that our academy district's hospital has the best facilities in Kivotos. If you want to get checked, Millennium would be the most suitable, right?"
"That's a relief."
Kenji chuckled and shook his head.
Honestly, he didn't think his sense of taste would return perfectly even if he went to Millennium. That was vain hope. As the saying goes, the greater the expectation, the greater the betrayal. If he painted a blindly positive future only to be denied, it would be more than just sad.
'If only this were a fantasy world with holy power or something.'
A meaningless delusion. Kenji smiled bitterly and raised his head. Ha-yul and Yuuka, pondering with serious expressions, came into his view. Seeing others worry for him was quite pleasing, but it was right to end this conversation here. Because it was a question with no answer even if they put their heads together.
"This is my personal problem, so I'll handle it myself. Don't worry too much."
"But... isn't it hard?"
"I've lived like this for two years. If I were blind, it would be hard even now, but it's just my tongue. I can smell things, so it's fine."
He meant it. At first, he was very stressed, but now it didn't matter at all. Yeah, it's just a tongue, right? It's not like he can't move his tongue at all. It's just that he can't taste, so there's no reason to make a fuss.
"More importantly, Yuuka, shouldn't you head back soon? It's already 2 PM."
"Ah, right!"
At Kenji's words, Yuuka flinched and hurriedly took out the claim sheet. The purpose of coming to Schale was for this, but she had completely forgotten while helping the Teacher and eating together.
"Teacher! Please sign this quickly! I have a Seminar meeting in 30 minutes, I can't be late!"
"Uh, yeah! So how do I fill out this claim sheet!"
"Watch carefully! Write the items here, the quantity goes here..."
Kenji watched the two talk urgently, then quietly got up from his seat. He then went up to the building's rooftop and leaned his body against the railing.
The blowing wind was cool. Spring had definitely arrived. The fresh scent of flowers pierced his nasal cavity, and the faint sound of high school girls giggling reached his ears. Kenji left his hair blowing in the wind and took out a cigarette from his pocket. It was his last one.
"......Already finished this too."
He smiled bitterly and put the cigarette in his mouth. Taking out a lighter and igniting it, a flame bloomed at the cigarette's tip. Kenji took a long drag, then exhaled acrid smoke into the air. A peach scent lingered at the tip of his nose. Mika definitely used to have a similar scent, but time was truly cruel. Now he couldn't even properly remember her scent.
Perhaps because they talked about the side effects of the experiments, his mood became pointlessly bitter. He shouldn't be like this. Thinking so, he nevertheless pictured various people in his mind. First came Nagisa, Mika, and Seia, followed by the Squad.
I've met such diverse kids. Kenji smiled slightly and flicked the cigarette ash.
"I wish I could meet them soon if possible."
He wanted to eat the cookies Nagisa made. He wanted to play chess with her. What about getting used to black tea on this occasion? Since preparing green tea every time they had a Tea Party was bothersome, perhaps Nagisa would be pleased?
He wanted to talk about dreams with Seia. He didn't know if she would like it, but she seemed like she would listen to any story with a smile. He wanted to pat her head again after so long, and feel the weight of her on his lap.
He wanted to go to a department store with Mika. Since she liked shopping anyway, she'd probably smile brightly and look around everywhere if he went with her. What about going to the game center on the department store rooftop afterward? It wouldn't be bad to retrace the date course they took before and reminisce.
What about choosing cosmetics together with Saori? Though she looks blunt, Saori is quite interested in grooming herself. Choosing lipstick or eyeliner that suits her and seeing her changed appearance would be a joy in itself. More than that, had the hat he gave her already become tattered? Well, with all the intense training, that might be the case.
Since Azusa unexpectedly likes cute things, going to a cat cafe or a Momo Friends theme cafe together would be good. Honestly, I don't know what's cute about those grotesque-looking things, but a girl's heart is peculiar by nature, isn't it?
Since Hiyori has a good appetite, going around to nice restaurants wouldn't be bad either. It already felt like I could hear her unique crying sound, "Buuueeeeng". Though crying often is a problem, she's still a cute and timid child. She had every right to be happy.
He wanted to watch a movie with Misaki. Though she likes being alone, she's more emotionally receptive and easier to talk to than expected, so sharing reviews after watching the same movie would be nice. Would she cry if she watched a touching movie? I wonder if I'd get hit if I teased her about that.
Since Atsuko likes flowers, what about visiting a flower shop? She seems to know how to care for them but not their meanings, so studying flower meanings together wouldn't be bad. Doing it with Nagisa, the three of them, would also be nice.
"......"
While continuing his thoughts, the cigarette had almost burned up, leaving only the filter. Kenji roughly extinguished the cigarette on the railing, then threw the cigarette pack and butt into a trash can. He exhaled a long breath into the air and looked at the clouds floating in the sky.
There's so much I want to say.
There's so much I want to do.
But, not yet. More time was needed. Time to organize his thoughts, time to understand the General Student Council President's words. So he shouldn't get caught up in happy imaginations already.
Later.
When the time comes.
Thinking so, he smiled bitterly. Leaning against the railing with the blowing wind.
Then, a wire sound came from somewhere. Right next to the railing he was leaning on, a thin but high-strength wire was embedded. Following it, someone suddenly appeared. A girl entirely white from head to toe. She wore a mask like one from a masquerade, and the coat draped over her shoulders swayed in the wind.
"So you were in a place like this."
She said while retracting her wire gun. Kenji chuckled and turned his head towards her.
"Akira."
"Yes. Hello, Cult Leader. I came to report since I finished the task you requested."
"I told you not to call me that."
Kenji's face twisted instantly. The girl called Akira burst out laughing and approached him with elegant steps.
"You don't call me the 'Benevolent Phantom Thief' either, do you? So we're even."
"Do you like being called by that nickname? Isn't the name Akira better?"
The moment he spat that out.
-Click.
A mechanical sound came from somewhere. It was from Akira's pocket. But she didn't seem to hear it, showing no change in expression. Since she acted like that, Kenji could only tilt his head.
Well, it wasn't particularly important. Kenji immediately lost interest and led Akira towards a corner of the rooftop, a fairly wide spread of shade. Akira didn't refuse his guidance.
"Why did you come during the day? You're weak to sunlight."
"I brought a parasol, so it's okay. But I did overdo it a little. I think I'll have a hard time going back."
Akira wiped the sweat on her forehead. Kenji let out a deep sigh and took a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to her.
"Need time to catch your breath?"
"No. I'll get straight to the point and go. I'm tired from just wandering around for days. Because of the request you made."
"......Sorry."
"Huhu, no need to apologize. Since I said I would do it."
When Kenji attacked the Correctional Bureau and helped the Seven Prisoners escape, the only ones he personally encountered were the 'Calamity Fox' and the 'Benevolent Phantom Thief'. That was thanks to both their cells being near Kenji's. He didn't know the faces or aliases of the others. He wasn't particularly interested either.
But he had left a request with all the Seven Prisoners. Let's cause a riot together. However, only Wakamo agreed to that. Moreover, she only agreed because our interests aligned, not out of gratitude for helping her escape.
On the other hand, Akira held a slight goodwill towards Kenji. Partly due to gratitude for helping her escape, but also because he saw her not as a 'prisoner' but as a 'girl'.
For her, it was the first time receiving such a gaze. The only gazes she had received in her life were curious looks as an albino and fearful looks as a phantom thief and prisoner. The attitude Kenji showed was enough to pique her interest.
So they decided to become slightly closer. Instead of causing a riot, she offered to grant one other request for that reason.
Kenji didn't refuse her goodwill. There was no reason to refuse, and no reason to coldly reject when she offered to help. So he asked Akira to find something for him.
"I'm telling you this because you might not know, but phantom thieves are people who steal things, not people who find things. Do you know how much I suffered?"
"......Shall I give you a fee for your troubles?"
"I'll decline."
Akira smiled seductively, huhu, then lightly poked Kenji's chest with her finger.
"I'll stop joking here. You must have many questions."
She removed the mask on her face, revealing her bare face starkly. Her rose-colored eyes fixed on Kenji's face.
"What you were looking for."
"......"
"A passageway leading somewhere that exists in Trinity."
"......Did you find it?"
Kenji asked with a serious expression.
Akira answered, revealing her canine teeth.
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