"?"
Someone beside him was staring, and Haruta turned his head.
"Wha...?!"
Haruta quietly lowered his head and passed the message on to Mika and Nagisa in a low voice.
"Hey, you idiot, Nagisa!!"
"?...What is it?"
"H-hey! Don’t you see that yellow-haired girl over there!?"
"?? Over there...?"
"No! I’m a criminal right now, remember!!!"
"No... I don’t know who that is!!"
"Haah...."
Mika stood up on her own at those words and walked over to Seia.
"Hi☆ I’m Misono Mika! Who are you?"
"I-I’m called Yurizono Seia..."
"Mm☆ Why did you come here to play?"
"Ah... well... in a prophetic dream, I saw you playing here, so I thought I’d come and see..."
"Mm☆ Then let’s play together!"
"A...Ah? Th-that would be nic..."
"Hey! Mika! That girl’s name is Seia! Yurizono Seia! Right?"
"?? That person is...?"
"Ah... ahaha☆ Just a friend who came to hang out with us? Something like that?"
"I... I see...."
"Mm☆ Then let’s go!"
Mika grabbed Seia’s hand and ran back quickly.
"P-please slow down a little!"
Seia ran along with Mika, looking like she might cry at any moment.
"Hmm.... So what’s your name?"
"Huh..? Mine?"
"Indeed. In my prophetic dream, only your face remained vividly in my memory. As for who you are, everyone across Kivotos knows that much..."
"Haah... My real name is Takashi Haruta. Just call me Haruta."
"I’m Kirifuji Nagisa... Well, you can call me by my family name or my given name."
"I’m Misono Mika!"
"I’m called Yurizono Seia. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
"Wait, Seia, do you know who I am?"
"? Wouldn’t it be strange not to know?"
"?? What am I called?"
"The worst criminal in Kivotos history... or so I’ve heard?"
"And the charges are...?"
"Assaulting police officers, attempted murder, theft, bringing in prohibited items, and indiscriminate violence, to name a few."
"If we opened the file, there’d probably be more."
"....No, well, all of that is true."
"I know that too, which is why I became curious. I kept visiting you again and again in prophetic dreams..."
"...But I saw it. Clearly, six 'beasts' were glaring at me.... I still remember it."
"??? Hey! Seia, wait, those 'beasts'! What did they look like!?"
"Tell us exactly, Seia. Please."
"...First, there was a winged human... no, a person with the wings of a demon..."
"Th-then what was next?"
"There was another person too... If rage were given form, it would be him..."
"Haah..... Damn it."
"And then... there was a huge but hideous monster, with all sorts of gold and treasure clutched in its hands..."
"Also, a beast that looked like a giant sea serpent was glaring at me, as if waiting for a chance to bite me to pieces..."
"And... there was a monster wearing a crown, one that looked like a fusion of many living beings... It was staring at me with a sly expression..."
"And.... I remember one more monster that looked bored somehow... yet was radiating an enormous killing intent..."
"??? Wait, was there a giant fly?"
"A fly, you say? I don’t recall anything like that..."
"..."
"I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you more..."
"No, that’s enough. Thank you."
"Ah... and lastly, when I looked up at the sky...."
"? What was in the sky?"
"An angel.... An angel so vast it covered the heavens.... Or perhaps it was closer to a demon..."
"An angel...?"
"Yes, an angel... And that angel was guarding a 'throne'.... On that throne was a being who looked at me as if it knew everything, as though it were a god itself... Yes, I remember clearly..."
"That being was.... 'God'."
"Haah....."
"Haruta? What is this supposed to mean?"
"No, it’s enough to be useful. If I hadn’t known this, I’d probably have died much earlier than I thought."
"Huh???"
"D...Die?"
"Yeah. Well, still, I think I’ve figured out who the source of your power is.... That’s enough."
"No! Haruta, that’s not the important part right now!"
"No, right now I need to focus on that story more than on me dying if I want to see the road ahead."
"...Haruta? Your life is.... more precious than anything else... so... please.... don’t talk about dying..."
Nagisa’s expression slowly turned tearful.
Mika looked like she might cry too.
"....Yeah. Thank you."
"Ahem... Then let’s set aside this heavy talk for a moment and go have some fun."
"Yeah."
"Ah, then for a moment—"
"Oh, don’t tell me it’s swim—"
Mika pulled out the stock of a rifle, and Nagisa, on the verge of tears, pulled out a roll cake.
"....Sorry."
"How can you be so shameless..."
"Mm☆ Haruta? Didn’t I tell you that if you look at another woman, you die?"
"Yes... I’m sorry."
"....What are you talking about?"
"Ahaha☆ It’s nothing!"
"...Then that’s a relief, I suppose..."
"Oh, swim—"
Mika’s hand, gripping the rifle stock, shot high into the air.
Nagisa’s roll cake became two.
"...I’m sorry."
"You think that’s enough with just those words?"
"I’m sorry. I won’t bring up swimsuits again."
"Fufu, that’s better."
"Haruta, please be a little more careful with your words☆"
"Yes, ma’am."
Seia stared at the three of them with a dumbfounded expression.
It was the look of someone who couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Was the person in front of her really the worst criminal in Kivotos?
"That doesn’t seem likely..."
"? Seia? What did you say?"
"Nothing. Let’s go have some fun."
"Yeah, I’ll go change into my swimsuit with the girls and come back."
"Wow, I really think scars look cool."
"...Is that something you say out loud?"
"No, I mean, if you call them honorable scars from surviving, it somehow sounds better, doesn’t it?"
"...Haah.... Do as you please..."
"Yep."
Mika and Nagisa came back out in swimsuits.
"Oh, very nice."
"What do you mean, very nice? If you want roll cake, say so with your mouth."
"Sorry."
At that, Nagisa bristled, and Mika silently reached for the rifle stock.
"Ah, seriously."
Thwack!
"Ah... damn... haaah."
"Please don’t say things like that again. It was just advice..."
"Mm☆ Haruta, from now on, just say that to me☆?"
"Haah... yes, yes, princess..."
"Ahaha☆"
"Anyway, what were you doing for fun?"
"Ah, that is—"
Then the sound of splashing water came over.
"Ah, seriously, why am I the only one—"
Splash!
"Kuh!"
"Fufu, Haruta, you really are the same as ever."
"Fine. Today, it’s you or me."
"....I-Is this really okay?"
"Hey! Seia, you should join us too!"
"...A-alright."
"Now!"
"? What are you going to do?"
Splash!
Drip, drip.
"Hahaha, Nagisa, did you come to the soaking wet show?"
"...There isn’t any..."
"? What was that?"
"I can’t forgive you!!!!!"
"...Sorry, Nagisa."
"Then I’ll stuff thirty roll cakes down your throat!!"
"I said I’m sorry, didn’t I?"
"No way!"
"...I love you?"
For a moment, Nagisa’s face went red as she looked at Haruta.
"...You flirt."
"? What was that?"
"Ahem. Nothing."
"Haruta??? Did I just hear something wrong?"
"...Sorry."
"Haaah....."
Seia silently watched their scolding.
At first, she had only planned to observe for a bit and then hand him over to the police.
But his impossible personality, which was hard to believe belonged to the worst criminal in history, and his playful yet clearly considerate behavior...
Even with such absurd strength, he was still unmistakably adjusting himself to Mika and Nagisa.
"...I think I misjudged him..."
Seia quietly thought about Haruta.
"Ah... hey! Seia!"
"Ah... did you call me? I was spacing out for a moment..."
"Ah... right? You’re from Trinity Middle School?"
"Yes, I am."
"Okay, then let’s hang out again after we go back!"
"Hmm.... Seia? Do you use Momotalk?"
"I do use Momotalk..."
"Ah, then—"
Without a word, Haruta took Seia’s phone and entered his contact information.
"Mm? What is this?"
"Ah, this is a group chat."
"Hmm... well, that’s nice. I rather like you too."
"I can take that as a compliment, right?"
"Take it however you like..."
"Great!"
"Then what are we doing now?"
"We’re going back with Nagisa and Mika to eat dinner."
"You can cook too?"
"Well... I wouldn’t say I’m amazing at it, but... I can make most things, at least."
"...Then I know it’s shameless, but... may I come too?"
"...Well, do as you like?"
"Thank you..."
"Haruta! Why are you so late!"
"Exactly. This isn’t like Haruta at all."
"Well, things happen sometimes in life, don’t they?"
"And the person beside you is...."
"Oh, Seia."
"A pleasure to meet you again. I am Yurizono Seia."
"...Nagi-chan? Are we thinking the same thing?"
"...I believe so..."
The two of them were thinking the same thing inside.
'What a sly fox...'
"? What are you two thinking about?"
"Ah... nothing at all."
"Mm☆ Nothing!"
"Good. Then let’s head back to the lodging."
"Tonight, we’re having budae jjigae!"
Haruta took various ingredients from the ceiling of Nagisa’s house and put them into a large pot.
"Hmm... did I definitely make it like this before?"
He slowly added the ingredients from memory.
"Oh, this turned out better than I expected."
Looking at the finished budae jjigae, he carefully carried it to the table.
"Now... today’s main dish is budae jjigae!"
"...And what kind of food is that?"
"Just a stew that tastes pretty good?"
"...What does that even mean...?"
"No, seriously, just try it. I’m telling you, it’s really good."
"Well, I’ll try it once."
"Mm☆ I know Haruta’s cooking skill very well."
"This... looks a little spicy... can we even eat it?"
"Of course. Do you know how delicious this is?"
Haruta first scooped up a heap of ramen noodles and ham, then mixed them with the rice he had brought.
"Wow... now I’m hungry."
"?? Is that how you eat this dish?"
"Then how else would you eat it?"
"Ah... no. I’ll try it."
Nagisa slowly lifted her spoon and, using the same method Haruta had used, piled on ramen noodles and ham and mixed them with rice.
"...This is supposed to be good, right?"
"Seriously, just trust me once."
Nagisa scooped up ham, rice, and ramen noodles with her spoon and put them in her mouth.
"...Haruta?"
"Yeah?"
"How much does this cost?"
"...Just the ingredients alone were about 20,000 won?"
"...Haruta?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"?"
"?"
"?"
For an instant, a perfectly clear confession of love rang in everyone’s ears.
"No, what is—"
"Ahaha☆ Nagi-chan? What was that you just said?"
"Th... then what exactly does this taste like, Nagisa, to get such a reaction?"
"...Everyone? Please try some..."
Seia and Mika slowly ate the budae jjigae the same way Nagisa had.
"...Well?"
Haruta asked carefully.
Mika was staring blankly at the ceiling, and Seia was just as dazed, her mind gone somewhere far away.
"???"
"Ah... Haruta? You seem to be a natural-born cook..."
"???"
"Haruta!!! Make me more of this!!!"
And so Haruta reportedly spent an hour doing nothing but making budae jjigae.
"Huff... huff..."
"Wow! I had no idea Nagi-chan could eat this much☆"
"I think Mika is the one who ate quite a lot too, though?"
"Haruta? Isn’t this a little ridiculous?"
"...Is it that kind of dish?"
"No, it’s not just the taste. The price is ridiculous too."
"?? This is expensive, though?"
"No, for people like us who have money overflowing out of our ears, money is something we can spend however we want."
"Heh... seriously."
"Anyway, it’s late now, so we should probably sleep soon."
"Ah, is that so. Then I’ll wash up first."
"Ah... then don’t come upstairs."
"? Is something like a ghost going to show up?"
"No, I’m the one who’s going to wash up."
"More frightening than a ghost."
"Mika! Nagisa! I’m going to wash up first, so don’t come upstairs!"
"Since it’s not really a bathroom but more like a hot spring, I don’t think there’s any need to come up anyway! Just think of it as the three of you chatting for a bit!"
"...Couldn’t you just tell us where you’re washing up?"
"Ah-hah."
"Haah...."
Nagisa sighed, Mika laughed, and Seia laughed too.
---------------------------------
"Phew... I’m glad I managed to shower without any incidents today."
Haruta let out a relieved breath, covered his body with a towel, and changed into pajamas.
"Huh....?"
"W-why are you here?"
"No, I ju—"
Seia, wearing nothing but a single towel, slapped Haruta across the cheek.
"Pervert..."
"Guhk!"
"Why are you hitting me!?"
"Is that really what you should be saying right now?"
"No, you saw my body too!"
"?? Is that really something you say out loud?"
"Ah... I know I was wrong too, but..."
"Then don’t do it again next time..."
"Haah.... Fine. Sorry."
Seia’s point of view
"Phew. My hair’s long, so washing really does take a while..."
After washing her body and hair, Seia went to the changing room to get dressed.
"Hmm..."
"Ah....?"
That was when her eyes met Haruta’s.
"W-why are you here?"
At that moment, her heart began pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.
And for some reason, her whole body grew hot.
Seia didn’t know whether this was called love.
----------------------
"Ah, wait, don’t tell me—"
"Indeed. Perhaps the reason there was only one changing room was—"
"Right, there aren’t any boys here...."
"I-I’m sorry."
Nagisa kept apologizing over and over.
Haruta just nodded as if to say it was fine.
"No, thanks to Nagisa, I got a good loo—"
Seia shot Haruta a cold glare.
"I’m sorry."
"At this rate, you really will get reported if it isn’t me."
"I agree."
"Mm☆ Haruta would probably end up imprisoned by the Correction Bureau if he told Nagi-chan everything he’s been teasing us with so far, unless it was me."
"...I have no excuse."
"Just don’t do it again from now on."
"Yes, ma’am."
"Ah, I’m going out for a bit."
"Again with the alcohol?"
"Alcohol? Did I hear that wrong?"
"No, you heard correctly."
"I’m going to drink. Be good."
"Haruta? What you’re holding right now.... is whiskey..."
"? And?"
"That.... haah.... never mind. Just drink it all."
"Yep. I’m going out for a bit. Don’t follow me today."
"Okay~ I won’t follow you."
"??? Is something wrong with you right now?"
"Mm☆ I got caught tailing you yesterday and got scolded."
"...Haah."
Haruta left the lodging and walked down the road.
Then the road darkened for a moment before brightening again.
"You came."
"Heh. I didn’t expect you to call for me first... but well, what does it matter..."
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