Vol 4 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3
That ti froh school, but for known as the ‘Shura-dou’ It’s hard to iht of by a city boy, and was said to be taken fro Aikawa Shou[1]
”In any case, that guy is super strong, as he’s one of the Four Heavenly Kings”
One of the umi— Pole said that to me
”He hts with a smile”
”I’ that period of time” Hiro-san answered on the driver’s seat
We were on our way back to Hanaumi As he was too tall, Pole’s head bumped onto the top of the vice-driver’s seat
On the other hand, Alice and I sat at the back with a wall of dolls between us while the both of us stayed silent
”At least Ojiki still went to high school” Pole said
”Just for a year And I umi had already been founded that time”
”The delinquents nearby weren’t originally in any gang at all, as they still thought that for is stupid”
That’s true It’s still fine if it’s the early Chiba and Kanagawa districts, but such an era is already over Forinary enemy, but the adults don’t even have the time to be children’s enemies anymore
”But Hirasaka-san kept saying so like ‘Let’s help the others’, and everyone were like, ‘What are you talking about?’, but the ones who didn’t listen to him would be badly beaten up”
Pole wasn’t a member of Shura-dou hied in his territory, but actually he was just a drop out co at a convenience store
And just at that moment, another problematic issue arose from Osaka
”I heard that Sou-san lived with a woman when he first came to Tokyo”
”Ehhhhhhhhh!” And he actually lived together with a woman? My previous iuy is before his girlfriend Or perhaps he still had his brows locked constantly?
”Ah, I’ve heard about that a bit……” Hiro-san suddenly interjected “He depended on wo at a pub or soirlfriend worked at clashed with Renji’s tea like that”
”Ah, that’s not right I heard that they didn’t clash!+” Pole corrected at a side “I heard it from Sou-san after that as well He ran over to the place that Shura-dou gathered and took revenge after that, teaching the soto make trouble at a shop that had the support of yakuza”
”Isn’t that just a clash!+” Hiro-san couldn’t help but do a tsukkomi on him
”But Hirasaka-san was quite forgiving After that, the two of the away the delinquents froe on the shop themselves”
How is that possible— If I’m not too familiar with Yondaiically, hoould a bunch of kids dare to look for trouble with the yakuza, snatching away part of their territory in the end?
”I heard that Sou-san seemed to have some relations with a house intery business I’ht, but it see, and took charge of the shop in the end”
Indeed, tricks like this again I don’t kno he feels hient-type yakuza
”And then, he forot serious, our territory increased rapidly The naed after that, and we rented an office as well”
”That’s right, I was always curious about this, but why the name Hirasaka?” Hiro-san inquired
”Sou-san said so like coed……”
Wow! That seems to be a very commercialized reason As expected of Yondaime
”And also, I heard that Hirasaka-san said that the name Hinamura is fine as well, but Sou-san hates his own surname”
It is said that Yondai business on the road, probably using the nau to use the word Hinamura is quite understandable
”However, the sake cup was half filled when they underwent the ritual, so there’s no such thing as one who is on the top We were present when they underwent the ritual as well, and we felt that we’d probably be unbeatable as long as the two are here Plus, it seems like Sou-san and Hirasaka-san didn’t only share sake, they exchanged so important as well”
”…… Soain
”As for what it is, the both of them won’t tell us at all, so we all say that it’s a ‘super sake ritual’ All of these are legends, you can only say that they’re legends”
Sake thicker than one’s blood…… And a certain thing even thicker than that that ties the two of theether
I tried to recall the taste of cola that remained on my lips, and the ritual sake that had already turned faint
”I heard Renji say so about this as well”
Hiro-san’s voice eet but clouded
”I asked hi that is, but he said that it’s a for that people can’t see so easily And Tetsu said in the end: ‘Are you guys gay?’, while Renji said while laughing as well: ‘A relationshi+p closer than bein’ gay’, ht, spilling the ra everyone to be scolded to death by Min-san”
So such a scene once appeared behind the portiere…… A dreao
”But……” Pole lowered his voice “The two had already done things to this extent, why did they……?”
In the end, I still couldn’t tell Yondaime this—
Meeting Renji-san at Ueno before this, and the fact that he told et near the livehouse
Even if it is already certain that he is Yondaime’s past companion, Hirasaka Renji…… No, it should be because it is already certain, I cannot speak it out
Why did Renji-san— A person who once created Hirasaka-gu?
”You guys in the gang, does anyone know the reason Hirasaka Renji left Tokyo?”
Alice kept her chin buried in Mr Capybara fro the silence I was taken aback, and stared at her face separated by the mocha bear
”…… No Nee-san, do you know about it?”
”I do not know right now either Besides, Hirasaka Renji already left Tokyo when I got to know Yondai”
”Sou-san would promptly beat people up when he hears Hirasaka-san’s name, so nobody dares to ask him…… Perhaps— they were already eneo?”
”I am not sure about this as well”
Alice’s words stopped there, and only a dark silence was left after that
A truth that only the detective can find— However, there is no reason for her to verify, because nobody made such a request
”Ojiki, so sorry for asking you to send me here”
Pole i out fro into the top of the car in the end
As for e let hi to do at Hanamura Ramen as about to leave At first, he still refused when Hiro-san asked hi to ask hied hiht while looking at the huge silhouette that passed through the portiere
”It is so hot that I feel like I aet cooked”
Alice frohile looking at the hot air that entered froh the sun was about to set, the asphalt road was e it to feel much hotter than noon It seems like the ramen shop would be packed with people ant to eat ice creaht as well Even the seats formed of overturned beer crates were full of people outside the ramen shop
”Narumi, help h I have no intention to have dinner right now, order cold tsukemen without the raood friends back to the office”
When I walked down the car while holding Alice’s hand, I heard a co around to have a look, the surprising thing was that Pole actually kneeled down before the portiere The salary themselves from Pole
”…… A- Ah, you can’t do this, at a place like this…… I- In any case, can you go to the seats at the back first? I’ll get you an ice cream”
Ayaka, as serving the custo me a troubled expression, but I was so surprised that I couldn’t move as well
”What is theof this? There are other customers over here, you’ll trouble the others like this!”
Min-san frowned at the other side of the counter After that, Pole raised his head
”Hirasaka-san came back”
Min-san just htly
”He’s now the gang’s enemy”
”So what? Who cares about the idiotic fights of you kids?”
”No ainst Hirasaka-san, who kno the results will be And we don’t wish to see the each other as well”
Min-san stood behind the Chinese frying pan e fire and smoke with her head lowered in silence
”But Sou-san said that this is an internal proble for Nee-san and the others’ help He ht have already found out Hirasaka-san’s current location, thinking of ending the past grudges alone If his opponent is Hirasaka-san, I think that it’s hard for Sou-san to get out without a scratch as well”
I gulped
”If it’s Master, you’ll definitely be able to stop Hirasaka-san and Sou-san, so please!”
”Why ? Idiot!”
Words that sounded extre some words after Pole
”But Master is stronger than them both, and nobody else can stop them at all”
”I still have other custo And aren’t you a bit mistaken? I’m a ramen shop owner”
Min-san’s ansas quite justified, and she handed the Chinese fried rice to Ayaka “Sorry for the wait~” Ayaka served the food outside with a look of fear
”If Sou or Renji comes to the shop, I’ll treat the to say, I’ll listen, but if they continue to do these useless matters, I’ll beat them up— this probably counts as my job However……”
Min-san finally turned her gaze to Pole— or I should say, Alice and I, Hiro-san on the driver’s seat, Yondaime at a faraway place separated by the railways and the station, or perhaps Renji-san soaze was soft like candy made of white snow
”Isn’t bringing them here your job?”
Pole’s hands fell onto the asphalt road with a thud Alice looked at the large, downcast silhouette
”Let’s go, we have our work to do”
Alice pulled on my sleeve, and alked towards the back of the ra the tray to her chest, looking at us with a confused gaze However, Ayaka was er than me, and she walked to Pole’s side with her head lowered
”E- Eret another beer crate for you to sit on”
As Alice forcedly pulled on o forward, that was all I heard The two of us walked silently on the ehts, stearance of soup fade gradually
Such a kind place was here from the past until now, so there should have been a place for Renji-san here once before as well
And he actually had to abandon such a place— What in the world happened?
Alice stepped into the office that had the air-conditioner going strong, causing goosebumps to rise at once, and im, perhaps she already reached her limits?
After the process ofthe dolls was complete, Alice just turned around to look at Hiro-san
”It is fine now Please tell Master forher”
Hiro-san, who seemed to be convinced, nodded in response, and returned to the entrance after placing the dolls by the bed
”I’ll go to Yondaiain for a spin”
Hiro-san turned again
”I’ll reaffirive the detective a request Yondaienes of the yakuza, so it’s easy for hi’s pride and the like Actually, he’s already busy with his job, so let us NEETs handle the troublesome matters”
”As you wish”
Alice’s ansas unexpectedly cold My thoughts were the sa that Alice should be like this as well
”Ahh— Blast! That Tetsu, not knohere he ran off to at these times! It should be his turn to appear”
If Tetsu-senpai is here, even if he goes to beat Yondaime up— No, that would probably make matters more serious But in incidents of violence like this, his absence is quite troubling
”Alice, don’t force yourself as well”
Hiro-san re on his shoes
”I have never forced myself in my whole life”
Alice raised her body by supporting her hands on the bed, answering softly
It see her calm doould be better As I was about to follow Hiro-san out of the room, a shrill voice came from behind
”Why are even you going out? Come and kneel over here”
Alice was buried in a pile of dolls while being covered in a blanket As her eyes were so down by the bed
Alice pressed the doll of Mr Capybara that I bought for her before her chest, hiding half of her face,me there like a nail made of ice
”The job that I accepted from Yondaime was only to make the wanted fliers of the T-shi+rt thefts”
Alice looked atwith only her thumb
”The task has already been coht was confiranization The currentin the vast sea of inforation to answer your questions But I still have to ask: ‘What do you know?’”
I suddenly felt a sense of weakness, al on the floor I tried to supportnot to fall, but I really couldn’t , my neck felt really hot
”Perhaps you did not realize yourself, but you are a the feho can look into Hinamura Souichirou’s eyes directly, but you did not dare to look at him directly today What happened at Ueno? What are you concealing?”
That ht, how nice it would be if I could cry or fly into a teht noever, I could not find a reason to do so
Because I lack the courage, I did not speak
”To know is to die”
Alice’s words pierced into my heart, while I could only raise my head after her words
”That part of you has long died, and nobody can heal it, but I aer of the deceased If you wish to share death, I can do it”
In radually thawed
I should have learnt a lot of lessons already Not saying anything— that is a matter that hurts the people around us the most, and even I was once one of the victims However, I still had to be reminded by Alice till this extent, or I would only continue to cower in my own small world
”…… I met…… Hirasaka Renji”
I spoke those words after sohtly bit my lip
Alice just placed her doll on her knee The blackness that lingered in her eyes— I think that is a color that anyone who once looked at the sky alone in a silent night saw it before
Thus, I told her about all that had occurred, including the fact that I met Renji-san at the location where I headed to on Yondaime’s request Which means, those were not coincidences at all It is certain that Renji-san and I will meet, and we did indeed meet twice
Being close friends in the past— Renji-san told me, he returned to Tokyo just to beat up his previous sworn brother to pieces When he said that, it was like his eyes were sucking all shadows in it
”…… I don’t knohat he is planning to do, but……”
That person— seems very sad
Having to play the fool or beating people up, if he doesn’t do one of those two, he probably can’t continue to breathe— that hat his expression said
Even after I spoke of what I knew, Alice still maintained the silence for quite soht her was cla shape Her gaze contained neither reproach nor lament—
It was just understanding
”Dr Pepper……”
After a long, cold silence, Alice finally spoke
”…… Get one for me”
I took out a red can so cold that it al it to Alice, she did so that she never once did to me before
After taking a sip, she passed the can to me
”You drink it as well, all of the rest”
I was troubled, breathless and couldn’t speak After drinking a se, its taste mixed with the taste of the cola that I shared with Renji-san in my memory
As I slowly drank in s dispersed when the can becao, and felt the taste of sweetness and spice trickling down the interior of my throat
I stood up while holding the can, feeling as though Alice’s blood was silently absorbed into ut, and couldn’t look into her eyes at all
”I’m sorry…… And thank you”
”The one that you should apologize to should not be me, should it?”
”That’s true”
”Noso useless as well Treating this like I a, even if I have to do it a hundred or a thousand ti”
”I will try my best”
”No row buds and spread the tender leaves of words, the real world that I can come in contact with is still limited, after all”
That moment, a trace of moistness finally surfaced in Alice’s eyes
”And you are a part of that limited world”
I nodded
If we cannot express things in word, we can only wait for our world to wither away in those small palms
They must be expressed in words
After I walked out of the detective agency, and alking on the dark e time of Hanamaru Ramen Min-san took off her tanktop, her upper body wrapped only with a white sarashi+, and ashi+ng a large pot, while Ayaka who had long re the floor in the kitchen
That’s right, I wonder what happened to Pole after that He didn’t use violence or cry while begging, did he?
”He ate five bowls of ramen and went back on Hiro’s car”
”Is that so…… That’s fine”
Having a healthy appetite is a proof of health, I suppose? While thinking of that, I suddenly realized that I was quite hungry as well Unfortunately, drinking a can of Dr Pepper cannot sate inally wanted to go back after eating a bowl of ra while touching my stomach Perhaps my expression that time was somewhat sorrowful, as Min-san spoke after she noticed it
”Huh, so you’re hungry?”
”Err…… That’s right… Lately,back rather late, so there isn’t any dinner”
”That’s fine Why don’t you take this back?”
Min-san tossed a food container with three soy eggs in it to me
”Err… Thank you”
”Don’t you give it to your sister! You eat them all up”
”Expired food again! I’m very sorry, but I’m not a rubbish bin!”
”At least rubbish bins can still be used to pickle vegetables or let children play hide-and-seek in”
”Min-san, aren’t you treating me especially cold these days?”
”It’s late now, hurry up and send Ayaka back properly!”
She actually didn’t even listen!
As I was squatting down on the asphalt road before the rags, Ayaka walked out as she finished cleaning up “Min-san, good night—!”
”Be careful! See you tomorrow!” Min-san waved behind the portiere
”It’s fine even if you don’t wait for me!”
Looking rather happy, Ayaka pranced around
”Well, I’ to the station anyway”
”But this is the first time you sent me there!”
No, there should be five or six more times now Before the winter break, I was always free, and Ayaka—
”Ah, s- sorry, perhaps this isn’t the first time you sent me?”
Ayaka opened her arms and blocked me
”Ah, no Actually, I’m much more considerate that you think, Ayaka”
”N- nobody said that Fujishi+ma-kun isn’t considerate or doesn’t work or does work sloppily……”
”I never said that as well”
Ayaka laughed while escaping about five steps in front ofbackwards:
”Is that so…… So this isn’t the first time, then…… I’m even happier!”
Her words did indeed h Ayaka’s face was soht, she was unbearably dazzling tome to be unable to look at her directly
Ayaka lost a lot of things in the incident that happened last winter, including the memories e firstto my side
The Ayaka right now can already face the ness with a smile, but if it were to be me, I probably couldn’t do it That hy I felt that she was dazzling
”But…… It’s fine that you’re okay, because you looked terrible when you returned to the ramen shop just now, Fujishi+ma-kun”
”R- Really?”
It seeood situation
”But you lookedfrom Alice’s place”
”Mnn……”
So sorry, I’m a simple man
”If it were to be me, I probably can’t do it I don’t knohat I have to do for Fujishi+s in reat!”
”Erm…… Well……”
Can you please not speak as though I’m a troublesome rare beast?
”I’ part tis that are too hard That can’t be helped as well”
”It’s notspecial as well She just treated ave the rest to ood and felt sorrowful, but well, it’s like I just calmed down”
”Ehhhhh—!?”
Ayaka suddenlyextre her shock was still the same as the time before she lost her memories
”You were forced to drink it all? The one that Alice took a sip out of?”
”Eh? Mnn, that’s right”
”T- T- That! Tha- That won’t do! Fujishi+!”
Ayaka suddenly approached, frantically hitting my arm What the heck? What happened?
”Please take out your phone and call Alice!”
Ayaka’s expression scared me, so I hurriedly called Alice as she instructed h, the phone was immediately snatched away by her
”Is it Alice? It’s me, Ayaka! I heard from Fujishi+ma-kun about the matter that you lethim drink Dr Pepper!”
Ayaka started to lecture her through the phone:
”Listen closely, even if it’s indirect, things that can’t be done just can’t! Don’t you realize that Fujishi+ma-kun touched the can that you drank from with his mouth? Think about it in detail what that means!”
I finally understood the topic that they were talking about and fell into a daze Ayaka pressed er
’Narumi! You- You shameless fool!’
Again? If you didn’t notice fronorant about this forever!
After I was scolded by Alice with tons of inco up for me and stuffed the phone into my pocket
”Fujishi+s as well!”
”Okay, fine… But is this really a matter that you have to mind so much? Like Tetsu-senpai and Major, they steal my ramen from a side when they don’t have money on them as well!”
”But Alice is a girl!”
On the course of being scolded, we unknowingly arrived at the station Coincidentally, a bus was flashi+ng its blinding backlights as well, and was about to stop by the road Though Ayaka see oodbye in the end The large, dusty bus sprayed out exhaust gas onthe river
Today was a long day The ht now shouldn’t actually be a character who lives in the dreaht? And perhaps I was about to be eaten by the tapirs as well While i idiotic matters, I walked towards the dark streets with my back to the rivers
It was already past h it was the last attack of the day— as soon as I walked into the entrance, I was given a punch by my sister
”Though nobody cares how long you don’t go home or which street you die of starvation on, you should at least handle the clothes that you wash How long did you hang them there for? And also, remember to clean up the house!”
While rubbing on the bruise on my head, I walked to my bedroom on the second floor The bed was piled up with underith square pegs sill on theary because of overwork for the day (probably) caused my brain that was in denial to spread to hs, calves and other locations,o on Though I haven’t bathed or brushedto sleep