Vol 3 Chapter 12 (1/2)
Chapter 12
SECT.21 - Applause
19th of April, 2026. Sunday.
With Tokyo's highest atmospheric temperature predicted to exceed 25 degrees Celsius, the day was too hot to just be called warm.
13:07. Parked along the road in front of a certain high-rise condominium in the city was a car. A s.h.i.+ning, high-cla.s.s German SUV.
”Uo, looks expensive! I really want to drive around in one of these!”
”You don't have your licence yet, Miyu.”
”Then I'm fine with the back seat.”
On the wide sidewalk, carrying their jackets on their arms, Miyu and Karen were slightly excited about the car.
Perhaps having liked the look, Miyu was still sporting the same hairstyle and gla.s.ses as when Karen had met her during spring break. As for Karen, there was no change to her appearance ever since she cut her hair.
The two were wearing simple slacks and s.h.i.+rts; their casual outfits were suitable for going out for a stroll, but a small, lovely necklace was s.h.i.+ning on Karen's chest.
”Though, I wonder if M-san's here yet?””
Miyu,
”It's Gous.h.i.+-san. Asougi Gous.h.i.+-san.”
And Karen were restlessly looking around, when,
”Please excuse me. I got stuck in traffic.”
Upon hearing that voice, they once again looked at the car stopped in front of them.
Its driver-side door opened up and inside was an ikemen, dressed smartly in a deep blue suitwith a very orderly hairstyle.
”Uhyo!”
Hearing Miyu's hysteric voice of surprise,
'Aa…… I'm glad he's alive.'
Thought Karen.
15 days ago, on the 4th of April. The day of the SJ2 tournament──
Having been easily killed by some bullets that came from far away, f.u.kaziroh and LLENN were sent back to the standby area.
The moment the two died, SJ2 came to an end, so there was no need to wait 10 minutes in the room.
Like her last time in the dark room, LLENN saw a practically identical string of characters in the air: 『Would you like to return to the bar? Or would you like to log out?』. Beside this was a string that said: 『Runners-up』.
f.u.kaziroh, with her long hair still loose, had 2 MGL-140s dropped in front of her, while LLENN only had her knife and magazines.
Not having the time to lament the death of her second P-chan, LLENN immediately chose the option to return to the bar.
The moment they appeared atop a small stage in the bar, LLENN and f.u.kaziroh were greeted by a loud ovation. The cheers of countless people praising their valiant battle echoed throughout the bar. The girls from s.h.i.+NC were there. And so were the members of MMTM.
LLENN asked but one thing.
'Are those two here? The third-ranked Pitohui and M.'
The spectators in the bar asked amongst their groups and personally searched for them, but── they were not present.
LLENN, 'Sorry I'll be right back', logged out with these words.
Having returned to her room, Karen sent an email to Gous.h.i.+ with her AmuSphere still on──
”I'm begging you!”
The moment she clutched her mobile phone, it vibrated.
The string of characters written on it was very short.
『I'm talking to her right now. About our future from this point on.』
”Gous.h.i.+-san, this is Miyu. s.h.i.+nohara Miyu. She is my bosom friend and VR game
teacher, f.u.kaziroh.”
Introduced to Gous.h.i.+,
”Yo! I still owe you some things! I haven't forgotten about that tape on my mouth, you know?”
Miyu greeted him with a thumbs up. And then,
”Though, you really are a super good-looker. What's up with this manga-like ikemen. I kinda want to get married, do you have time after this?”
Spoked unreservedly, as if still in GGO.
Neither smiling nor flinching, Gous.h.i.+ stared back straight at Miyu's eyes,
”Thank you for your kinds words. However, that is something I cannot do. As I already have my heart set on someone.”
”Achaa!”
Having made an exaggerated X sign with her lips, Miyu,
”Is that… Pitohui-san IRL?”
Asked the obvious.
”Indeed.”
”Welps, watcha gonna do.”
Gous.h.i.+ bowed all of a sudden. Then,
”I have no words to thank you two ladies with. I have caused you quite the trouble. So, I would like to at least atone for that today. Pito IRL would also like to do so; she is looking forward to meeting you two from the bottom of her heart.”
Smiling, Karen answered.
”Likewise!”
The next email from Gous.h.i.+ came──
Over a week after SJ2, on the 13th of April, last Monday.
Karen's new school term at her university had already started. She had been vigorously studying each day and had not logged into GGO even once since SJ2.
As for Miyu, while she did go to a university in Hokkaido, as well as a driving school, she continued enjoying ALO as before once she returned home.
All of f.u.kaziroh's GGO equipment was slumbering in a locker that LLENN had rented. Whether the time for the 2 MGL-140s to once again spout fire from their large muzzles would come── was yet unclear.
The content of Gous.h.i.+'s email was awfully simple.
『Pitohui says she want to meet you, so could we have some of your time next sunday, from noon till the evening?』
Karen, of course, agreed and enquired for more details, such as the location and how to get there.
Gous.h.i.+ then,
『A car will come to pick you up at your condominium at 13:00. Considering the traffic, please have lunch and visit the restroom before waiting for us.』
Gave only such an answer. Any further details were prevented by Pitohui.
Slightly worried, Karen called Miyu for consultation,
”Yep, she's gonna kill you. As revenge for what happened in the game.”
And the first thing she heard were these frightening words,
”So, I'm comin' with you. 〝The cute grenader I fought with says she wants to meet you〟── tell that to M. And add 〝Feel free to cover her expenses for travelling to Tokyo〟as the postscript.”
Followed by this rea.s.suring proposal.
Not thinking much about the travel expenses, she sent an email to Gous.h.i.+ and quickly received an OK response. She also received an email with a number that could be exchanged for a round trip ticket.
Thus, the day before yesterday, on Friday, Miyu landed at Haneda through an evening flight. For lodging, she chose Karen's flat.
Yesterday, on the 18th, Saki and the others, the six girls from the a.s.sociated high school's rhythmic gymnastics club, came to Karen's flat.
As Boss and the others chose to help Karen with her plan to obliterate Pitohui, foregoing the battle they had longed for so much, Karen had to ensure to thank and reward them appropriately. Karen went shopping with Miyu and brought home a surprisingly large quant.i.ty of sweets.
The 20th of April would be Karen's twentieth birthday. Saki and the others had apparently remembered this from a conversation they had,
”Though it's a bit early, we wish you a happy birthday! Karen-san!”
The girls had arranged a present for Karen. What they bought by pooling their pocket money,
”This is sure to look good on you!”
Was a necklace with a small ornament on a small chain.
It was an item that she herself would never have bought, but had always thought 〝I sure want to put on something as lovely as this〟.
”Aww! Thanks……”
With tears in her eyes and after several blunders, Karen put it on. The six members of the rhythmic gymnastics club gave cheers.
”How nice! Now then, here's mine!”
From Miyu, Karen received a whole lot of instant yakisoba that could only be bought in Hokkaido.
And then, on the 19th.
The SUV with Karen and Miyu on the rear seats began slowly moving out, Gous.h.i.+ acting as their driver. With Gous.h.i.+'s civil and safe driving, the car moved through the Sunday Tokyo streets.
”Uhhya, the inside is awesome too! I can barely hear anything from outside; so quiet. The leather seats are neither too soft nor too hard! I wish this was the kind of car we used at driving school!”
While Miyu was merrily captivated by the gorgeousness of the interior of the car, Karen asked the driver a question.
”Gous.h.i.+-san. Where are we going?”
Miyu followed up immediately,
”She's right! That's important! Don't think you'll get a chance to nab us two budding maidens! You're surely planning to take us to a s.h.i.+p at the harbour and sell us off to a foreign country! So, I arranged that if I don't call home by night, the police will be sent after you!”
She said in a tone that sounded as if she were angry, or enjoying herself, or both. This was the first time Karen heard of the calling home thing, but knowing Miyu, she would not hesitate to do so. Karen made a mental note to ensure that her friend would not carelessly forget about the matter.
Gous.h.i.+ answered.
”Oh no, not to worry. We have no plans to board a s.h.i.+p today.”
”'Not to worry' ain't exactly clear! We're still minors ya know! Though Kohi's twentieth birthday is tomorrow!”
”Oh…… I did not know that. Congratulations.”
”Ikr? Have any present for her?”
Just as Miyu said this, the car stopped at the traffic lights, thus Gous.h.i.+ turned around.
”While I have nothing to give from my side, the manager probably will.”
”Hou…… That 〝manager〟 you're talking about is referring to Pito-san IRL?”
Miyu asked, while, 'Correct', Gous.h.i.+ confirmed.
”That solves all the mysteries then! So, what kind of person is she?”
”She told me she would like to talk about that herself, thus I have nothing to offer.”
When the lights turned blue, the car once again started moving.
With Gous.h.i.+ still driving truly civilly, they reached the entrance of the Shuto Expressway from the main street.
The moment they drove up the hill and were about to enter the Shuto Expressway, they found themselves in a big traffic jam. The car joined the line, but he was forced to drive at walking speed.
Gous.h.i.+ switched to auto-pilot and took his hand and feet off the wheel and acceleratorrespectively. The car moved on its own from there.
”That's why I hate Tokyo! Gous.h.i.+-san, are we still on track?”
Miyu asked from the rear seat,
”I have ensured that we had enough time to spare, thus we should be all right.”
”That so! ──So, shall we chat about something! Or do you have anything to say, Gous.h.i.+-san?”
Miyu brought up a subject,
”Let's see──”
While Gous.h.i.+ answered.”
”In that case, how about mine and IRL Pito's… beginning of love?”
”Uho! What's that I hear, count me in!”
Miyu's eyes gleamed,
”Wha……”
While Karen stared in wonder.
”Are you really fine with that……?”
Just as Karen began questioning why he suddenly brought up such a topic,
”Frankly……, IRL Pito told me 〝I hope you tell them〟. 'It would probably be easier than explaining later on and you're gonna have nothing to do during the ride anyway', she said. ──If she had not said that, I would have probably kept it a secret for the rest of my life.”
Gous.h.i.+ gave her the answer.
”I seee.” ”I see……”
Facing the two girls who responded simultaneously,
”Though…… The story is going to be graphic, thus you might possibly feel unwell while listening to it.”
Gous.h.i.+ gave them such a warning.
”As a girl my age who has tasted the bitters and sweets of life, I don't mind at all, what about you, Kohi?”
”I'll hear him out.”
Karen answered immediately.
”Are you sure you'll be fine? You might be unable to sleep at night, ya know?”
”It's a boat I already embarked on. Besides──”
”Besides?”
”Pito-san said all that because she wanted us to hear it… is how I understand it.”
”Hmm……”
Miyu gave an unusually serious look, when,
”Well then, looking forward to it, Gous.h.i.+-san.”
She slapped the real leather driver seat at around the shoulders.
”Understood. In that case, please take a look at this first.”
With these words, Gous.h.i.+'s hands went around his back, giving them his smartphone.
When Karen took it, they saw a picture on the screen, on which,
”Hmmmm?” ”……?”
They saw a single young and chubby man.
It seemed that it was cut out from a group photo as there were other people half inside the photo to the left and right. The scenery in the background looked like a campus, thus it was probably a university group photo.
The young man had gained a lot of weight; there was plenty of fat on both his face and his stomach. His pudding face still looked very childish, but due to his physique, he looked very old.
With his absurdly long hair, a dirty sweats.h.i.+rt and loose jeans that were truly unfas.h.i.+onable; to put it in a word,
”Yeah, he's so tasteless.”
It would be as Miyu brazenly said.
”So, who is this person? Don't tell me this is a marriage meeting photo. Unfortunately, there is no way I'm marrying that guy. Kohi, what about you?”
Miyu made a wild conjecture.
While Karen thought, 'Though this isn't a 〝marriage meeting photo〟, who exactly is this person and why is Gous.h.i.+ going out of his way to show it to us',
”Don't tell me……”
Once again, she stared at the smartphone's screen. She magnified it with her fingers, making the man's face bigger.
Since the photo was cropped from a group photo, the image quickly became distorted as it was magnified. Although details like the outlines of the man's eyes became unclear, Karen nonetheless,
”Could this, perhaps, be you, Gous.h.i.+-san……?”
Asked about what she had concluded.
”Wha, no way!”
Miyu's voice from the right,
”Yes, indeed.”
Overlapped with Gous.h.i.+'s voice from the front.
”Buhi!”
”It is me. Around when I first met Pito.”
”You kizzing?”
As Miyu's strange shouts of shock continued, she s.n.a.t.c.hed the smartphone from Karen's hands and gazed at it closely,
”Now that I look at it again, he has quite the nice face. If he lost weight, he'd look good! If that were the case, I wouldn't mind marrying him.”
Being able to say things so brazenly was Miyu's Miyu-like way of doing things. Karen forced a smile, while Gous.h.i.+ laughed cheerfully.
Having been given back the smartphone by Miyu, Karen took a look at it once more and returned it to the man in the seat in front of her.
Having taken the phone, Gous.h.i.+ also glanced at the picture, before turning the screen off and putting the phone back in his pocket. The car continued driving automatically, but it was illegal for a driver to gaze at his mobile phone.
”For as long as I remember, I have always been plump and lived my life without even a thought that I could be as thin as an average person. I also hated taking pictures, so this is probably the only one of me from that time.”
Gous.h.i.+ continued speaking disinterestedly.
Karen considered remaining silent and listening on── but then Gous.h.i.+ would find it hard to continue speaking, she thought. Also, he was technically still driving, thus he had to look ahead.
However, as Karen worried how she should interject,
”People have their dark pasts, huh. And so?”
Miyu came to her rescue.
'I'm truly glad she came along……'
With this thought, Karen listened to Gous.h.i.+'s story in silence.
”I had never had confidence in myself. As I continued leading a life without a ray of hope in sight, one day, I met a woman.”
”Hyaa!”
A high-pitched cheer came from Miyu. The story suddenly took a turn towards romanticness.
”I became a stalker of that woman.”
”Hya?”
A strange sound came from Miyu. The story suddenly took a turn towards criminal offense.
It did, but──
'Well, it's those two we're talking about.'
Karen was surprised how unaffected she was. Having been playing GGO and spending time with those two, she felt like she had become prepared for just about anything.
”Despite this being a deplorable and awkward story, please listen on. ──A university student at the time, my job hunting was not going well and each day I felt like someone sc.r.a.ping my heart with sandpaper.”
”But you didn't lose weight?”
”Stress made me eat, thus……”
”Then how did you lose weight── wait no, continue with the story.”
”All right, one such evening, I got really hungry on my way home── but since there were no other stores in sight, I went to a stylish cafe that I would never have visited normally. And then, I saw the waitress that brought me some water, and felt like a .45 calibre went into my scalp.”
Having sensitive ears, Karen could not overlook how a shred of happiness appeared in his indifferent tone.
Miyu asked.
”That was── Pito-san… IRL?”
”Yes. A woman who looked like a G.o.ddess. Throughout my life thus far, I have never laid eyes on such a beautiful woman.”
”Hey hold on now, how's about looking behind you?”
”You two ladies are very lovely indeed, but not as much as IRL Pito. At the very least, in my eyes.”
”I'll sue you for defamation! ──So, continue please.”
”From her conversations with the store manager, I learnt that she was following her dream while working there each day. She attended evening courses on business administration and was studying extra hard.”
”Hmm, so, what's that about bein' a stalker? If all you did was frequent the shop, wouldn't that make you just a 〝good customer〟?”
”Yes. I ended up being captivated by her beauty and──”
”You confessed?”
”No, I trailed her.”
”Mister officer, it's this guy.”
”Truly, there was something wrong with me at the time…… I believe it would not have been strange for me to have been arrested at that point. Almost every day, I trailed her on her way back from the cafe to her school and apartment a suitable distance away.”
”And you didn't get caught? In Tokyo, you don't get caught?”
”I took great care not to get caught. Figuring that following her all the time would make me stand out too much, I memorised her routes, and thoroughly researched the timing for entering another alleyway and when to leave it to naturally appear behind her. Before I knew it, I was able to flawlessly recall the map in my head.”
”Uwa, creepy!”
”Truly, what I have said is loathsome.”
Listening to the conversation,
'I see, so that's how he has such an excellent geographical sense……'
One mystery Karen had about M was resolved.
”But, such days eventually came to an end……”
Gous.h.i.+ said painfully, while Miyu asked in a worried tone.
”Are you sure…… that this story is alright for minors? Kohi is still nineteen, ya know?”
”Miyu, your birthday is way further!”
As could be expected, even Karen could not refrain from retorting.
”Well, don'cha worry. So, Gous.h.i.+-san, continue.”
”Okay. One evening. While following her, admiring her beautiful figure from behind and enjoying my fantasies that I was walking next to her──”
”Creepy! So?”
”I noticed that there was a man following her.”
”Hah? Did you look in a mirror or something?”
”No. It was obviously a different man, a man whom I had seen visiting the cafe several times. He was an ikemen salaryman wearing a suit.”
”Then?”
”I changed my route as always and came out behind her each time, but there was no doubt about it. He was, no, 〝he too〟 was a stalker.”
”Then?”
Miyu's interjections shortened to the bare minimum. Karen felt the same as she waited for Gous.h.i.+'s following words.
”Then, the moment she went beside the least popular natural park on her route back── that salaryman bound her arms from behind, covered her mouth, and brought her into the park. I was taken aback for a moment, but the next moment, a vehement murderous impulse welled up in me and I rushed in the direction she had disappeared to; till this point, I remember everything clearly.”
”W-what happened?”
”When I came to, I found myself lying on the ground in the park, nursed by the girl.”
”Oooh!”
”I saw her beautiful face right next to me, 『Are you all right?』, her sweet voice calling out to me…… I thought I had died. That I had come to heaven. But, that was not the case. According to her, I had leapt out while while shouting in a strange voice and brawled with the salaryman── is what I cannot even call what had happened - it was more like a childish scuffle; in the end, when I collapsed, the salaryman gave me a kick before running away, apparently. Although my body hurt all over, I had no exceptionally big injuries and she somehow helped me up.”
”How nice! Wait, not nice! ──So what then?”
”She told me. 『You are a relatively frequent visitor of our store, right? My flat is right nearby, so please come with me. I'll treat your injuries』.”
”Wha! Then?”
”My brain was no longer capable of functioning properly, as I followed her with the thought 〝I must be dreaming〟. We went up to the girl's lovely and tidy flat; I could smell a nice scent and thought I would not mind dying at that point.”
”How romantic. So that's how you got to know each other……”
Miyu said entranced,
”What happened next felt like a nightmare.”
Gous.h.i.+ continued on in the same indifferent tone as before.
”When I came to, I found my hands and feet tied up. My memories are fuzzy, so I do not remember how and what happened. My memories from then feel like a movie I had seen a long time in the past.”
”…………” ”…………”
”Afterwards, I was utterly scolded, verbally abused, and beaten up by her. 『Why you a.s.shole stalker!』, 『I knew all along!』, 『You should have died along with that ‘laryman!』”
”…………” ”…………”
”I discovered that she was not a graceful angel, but a fearsome demon, concealing vehement violence and destructive impulses in her heart. Unable to do a thing, I spent the time till morning in a stream of tears. When I was finally released, 『If you tell the police about what happened this night, I'll expose everything about your stalking』, she threatened me, and took some embarra.s.sing photos as well.”
”…………” ”…………”
”Henceforth, I became her 〝lover〟. Whenever she called, I had to go to her no matter how busy I was, without exception. I became unable to hunt for a job, nor attend university properly. And so, I began to think of my days as being wonderful. If I could be with a beautiful woman, to be useful to her, I could not imagine how a guy could be happier.”
”Hold on, is the movie for that already in the works? If you'd like, I can be the director.”
Admiring Miyu's strength to joke around no matter what the context was,
'Ah, so this is how Pito-san and M-san were born. I see, so the M didn't come from 〝map〟.'
Karen gave an expression of a great detective who resolved all the mysteries.
”Though, that is love, huh!”
Miyu said cheerfully.
”That is love. At the very least, there was love in my relations.h.i.+p with her. And even now.”
”Uhya. So, Gous.h.i.+-san, you became so thin for her as well?”
”No, I did not do anything in particular about that…… Just something that happened while I was doing my best working as 〝the demon's underling〟. Whenever she called, I ran to her and kept her company till morning without having had any meal. After losing some weight, I began paying attention to my appearance so that I would not embarra.s.s her while walking next to her in town.”
”Let's write a book 『The Diet that It Takes to be a Servant』! It'll surely sell!”
”Someday. ──Thus, I lived with her in happiness, albeit distorted. She steadily advanced towards fulfilling her dream, while I supported her. Those were truly fine days.The 3 years and a bit before that… until that day.”
For the first time in a long while, Karen interrupted the conversation.
”The 6th of November, 2022──”
”Yes.”
Miyu came close to Karen's face.
”Mm, what is that day again?”
Karen answered.