"Uuuuggggghhhhhh…"

"What? Got in a fight with your girlfriend again?"

"Like I've told you, Marcel-san… It's not a fight; she always gets mad at me for good reasons…"

"To think that that energetic and cheerful girl can get angry. What in the world did you do to make her mad anyway?"

"I can't deny that it's my fault for always being late."

"Yo, better stop cheating on her."

"And better stop making assumptions like that."

Wait… shouldn't it be Marcel-san's fault that I always get scolded for coming home from dangerous places so late at night? That should be the case, right?

…

One thing I have learned about myself is that being with the subject slowly takes away my work ethics. I started to wonder if Yugare-san… or the shorter-tempered Kaminari-san was also affected by me when I was being a real pain in the backside. Anyways, how did Ichika-san even put up with my rudeness?

That aside, I know that things have already changed in just the span of ten years. I know to myself that the high school I attended in the North isn't how it is supposed to be now, at least looks-wise. But attending Blue Ink High is a true experience. I don't know how the principal's mind goes, but this school is simply a nostalgia trip for a 27 year-old who graduated high school above this country. The experience, how it feels, the vending machines, and the rooftops… am I losing my sense of home?

"Say, you really like the red bean soup, don't you, Marcel-san?"

More like, the vending machines actually have them here in the South which per se is surprising already.

"Well, yeah. It's getting cold and all."

And to add, we are going to change to our blazers in the next few days. Winter is indeed approaching here in the next month.

"Oh, right, Marcel-san. Do you usually step out at night?"

"Hmm? Not really. I sometimes make my family's dinner so I don't really go out in the dark."

"I guess that's fine and well. Have you heard about the recent gang fights that happen at night? I wouldn't be surprised if small mafias will get involved, honestly."

"Yeah, yeah. Of course I've heard of those. Just when Cotona finally got peaceful after Teardrop's case, those thugs showed up since no one targets them anymore."

"Oh, you're quite knowledgeable."

"You probably don't know since you're from Japan, but the Capital and Cotona is actually a hotspot of certain substances."

"I heard that nearly two hundred thousand were already imprisoned in President Aquos's term and counting. Is it really that bad?"

"Yeah.

…

You said that you sometimes come home late, right?"

"I did."

"What an idiot. So that's why Mitsumi-san is always mad at you."

"I have a part time job, so it can't be helped…"

▪ ▪ ▪

And about that "part time job", I am once again watching Marcel-san's actions from afar. But while I was monitoring him on my walk, I heard someone.

"Psst."

"Is someone there…?"

"Heeey. I'm here on the electric post above you. Look up, look up."

I wasn't able to distinguish who it was, as he is above the streetlights from my perspective. Not even did I see a silhouette of him because of how much the light is obscuring my vision.

"Wha-?!"

Out of the blue, he effortlessly leaped down from the very top of the post and landed silently in front of me. Finally being illuminated, the man is wearing black from top to bottom. His hair is unkempt yet an invisible hair parting separates most of his hair to sway to his right. And to top everything… he has no face.

"No surprise that there's an Exile again tonight…"

(!)

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere… Were you also guarding at one point?"

"Nope. This is my first time. You know, it will be unnecessary to tell your name if I don't have a name."

"Quite fair. But what's with that getup? You blend in quite well in the dark, though. Are you Batm*n?"

"I'd say that you're also camouflaged well. Anyway, let's hurry back on the tailing. We might lose that guy."

"Oh… right. Are you going to move in stealth like the others?"

"Nah. I'm still not cut out to be a ninja. Oh, do you know that shinobi still exist in this modern day in your country?"

"I don't know if that's a fact, but surely no one would know since we're talking about ninjas. They are pretty much incognito. If this was Edo, I might believe that."

"I guess… We only have thugs holding knives instead of samurais wielding finely crafted swords here in Orio. I'm seriously tired of knife-holding crybabies, to be honest…"

"Please keep quiet, Exile-san. It seems that Marcel-san has stopped."

So for tonight's "excursion…" Marcel-san's destination is an abandoned mansion in Sector Xav. Based from the field research and inquiry from Cotona PD, it seems that this sector is very notorious for petty crimes up to large bank heists at worst. Apparently, most of the organizations that are not affiliated with the underworld dwell here, and some of them actually have formed an alliance.

This abandoned mansion seems to be pretty classic for this kind of things. And lately, in addition to what Marcel-san mentioned as to cover up for himself in our conversation, it does seem that he is very much against the usage and transactions of illegal substances, like any person straight in the head will be. I first saw it when he let a several thousand Laxes worth of a bag mix in dust rubble until homogeneous. Following to that, it looked like it was the regular thing that he does in his encounters, if not every single time. He looks like a vigilante, if those things are considered. But his ways are truly not to be swallowed. It is like forcing a meat of fish with its bones to your throat, so to speak. However, it doesn't seem apparent that he has any intention to dirty his hands; but only to make them silent at most.

…

The mansion of course has a very large area. But the two of us decided to pick a smaller veranda to observe. From this point of view, we can see down until the first floor because of the open ceiling.

"Put your hood on."

"Alrig-" I was sure that I heard his voice, but I didn't see him when I turned around.

Nonetheless, I saw that Marcel-san was walking around the mansion until he was lost in sight. My legs and hands are once again trembling. Not being in sight means that he can be everywhere—maybe even behind me. But then I immediately noticed a flash of light from down below. There is actually still electricity in the lines of the place, but some of the lights are blinking, if not sparking. I saw him come back in the main room, and every step he makes, it was as though droplets of water rhythmically follow his sound as it loudly echoed to the whole room.

I sensed from my back that the Exile is back.

"There is a blind spot in the back of the mansion. I didn't see immediately when we first got here, but there are fresh tracks. There are also two black cars from the same place."

"I'm pretty sure that the Exiles were just to guard me, but here you are scouting the vicinity."

"Sorry to scare you, but Marcel is actually surrounded from every direction."

"My word… Am I still really an Anew employee…?"

"And just so you know, since you're breaking to cold sweat, having irregular heart beating and ringing ears from extreme nervousness, you didn't noticed that an armed man is about to tranquilize you from your back."

"…!" I immediately turned around just to find an unconscious man with… flattened ammunition?

"How did you… I didn't even hear a single thing…!"

"I just used his tranquilizer on him."

"Exile-san. If things get bad, we might need to run."

"I'm a coward, that's why I wear this mask. I'm a coward, and that's why I run fast."

Suddenly, a foreign voice echoed inside while Marcel-san is once again standing in one place, not knowing that he is surrounded.

"You are a man that is very hard to locate."

"Who are you… You are not the person I'm dealing with."

"It doesn't matter since you won't tell your name. But you sure took care of my men at some point. I didn't think you would be so capable while unarmed."

"What are you talking about…"

"You are naive, child. Did you really think that you silence people by breaking a bone or two? What a small, petty child you are. Yet you still dare to challenge my Circle Wreath Family."

"What, so mafia family like yours pick on little people? What a joke."

"You started it first. And you might as well end everything, and quickly at that.

So be it, then. Begone."

Not even a moment's pause, many a nozzle of guns pointed at him. Unfazed, he stood still without moving an inch.

"Even the faintest sound produces a vibration, and it just so happens that this place is extremely sensitive to sound."

With the reverberation of his voice, the droplets I heard earlier became faster.

"LIGHTS ON!!!!!!!"

And so a part of the ceiling fell down, and a waterfall of inundation directed down to the chandelier.

For a moment, everything turned white. There were no stun grenades that were let out. The blindness happened in a blinding speed. They were only talking a few moments ago, and before we knew it, there is already an electrical explosion. And suddenly, a nauseating gas was released throughout the mansion.

I don't know if it is already dark, or I am still partially blind. But the Exile placed me on his shoulder and jumped down while my sight recovers. Things were nearly invisible with the smoke, but I felt that the Exile exerted force, and threw something away from the building.

After that, all I can see is that we are away from the site, fleeing safely.

"Did you manage to find Marcel-san?"

"I sent him away from the mansion, far enough for him to escape. Seems like his leg got grounded with the electricity. He should be able to run after a while. It looks like every one apart from him was unconscious."

"Thank goodness… I hope he gets away fast…"

▪ ▪ ▪

As for the next day…

"Marcel-san?! Why are you limping?!" However, I really didn't expect that his injury from last night will still persist the next morning.

"…

I… I guess it really is a bad idea to go out at night… I got myself injured."

"…!"

I was not caught by surprise because he considered my warning, but instead, it was because he opened up and reflected which he has never done.

"W-What happened… Did you get caught in a fight?"

"It's not just a fight… it was way bigger than that. I really thought that I was going to die… I was terrified…"

He was trembling, and his expression was still struck by fear. It was to the point that he nearly fell down to his knees.

"You really shouldn't have come to school in this condition, Marcel-san. You still need to rest."

"And what if they followed me and got my family hurt?! Among all the places… this is the only place I know that is safe…

I don't want to experience anything like that again. I should have realized earlier how dangerous it was. I swear… I'll never do that again…"

"…"

I see now. Change indeed comes in many ways, and it varies from person to person. But one thing that I feel is similar—is that a push is what makes even a slight change to come to someone. It was the principal that gave me a push to start moving forward, while on Marcel-san's side, it was something physical that is driving him to stop what he is doing.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Then again, a change really can't be forced to someone.

But with Marcel-san's claim, I don't think I can get to thank that Exile any time soon.

▪ ▪ ▪

A few days later.

"Uh, Ryuuya-san! Can I talk to you for a second?" at some point in a vacant time, Ando-san suddenly called out to me.

"What is it about, Ando-san?"

"Ah… Sorry, but I have to borrow Ryuuya-san for a while, Marcel. I have to talk to him alone."

"Just go. Guess I'll go somewhere."

~ ~ ~

Ando-san suddenly brought me to their clubroom, and turned on the soundproofing for the entire room.

"Ryuuya-san, I just want to make this clear—is Marcel really your observation subject?"

"That is… right, Ando-san. Why do you ask, though?"

"You know that he is Marcus's twin brother, right? And I'm pretty sure that you now know that Marcus is behind Akaji's case.

I'm not jumping to conclusions, but… is Marcel doing something similar from Marcus's past actions?"

"…

He did. He's actually the one behind the attacks across the sectors here in Cotona. It seems that he is preventing transactions unbeknownst to the police."

"Is this… information transparent?" somehow, Ando-san did not look so surprised.

"Only Principal Juushiro and the company, through my regular reports, know about this. I was actually going to tell Gin about this soon."

"I was actually following that news for a while now. From what I have observed, it pops out in the news with an interval of a day or two. But there hasn't been any news regarding that for quite some time.

Did you manage to stop him?"

"Not at all, Ando-san. It was all according to his own decisions, thus he stopped it himself. I didn't do anything special to make him reconsider. All I did was observe him, as it is my sole job."

"I see… I hope that things will go well with your work."

~ ~ ~

Meanwhile, on the new building's school rooftop, a quick incident happened.

There was no one on the rooftop aside from Marcel. A stick of cigarette was then lit with the head of a matchstick which made contact with Marcel's lips.

"Phoooo…"

"Huh… Why does it smell like smoke here…?" a faint voice from inside sounded.

"…!"

Immediately, he put out the heat by twisting the stick to the ground and threw it far on an open field. The rooftop door then opened, and Marcel hastily charged on the student silently.

~ ~ ~

"But as what you're saying, Ryuuya-san… Does that mean that you haven't made your move in terms of your intention to introduce him to make changes?"

"I haven't done anything like that, at least for now. But being an observer does not mean that I should be tied with objectivity. Part of my job is to also bring up my emotions in necessary times, and use my own convictions to support the subject.

With that being said, I really consider Marcel-san as my friend."

"That is very reassuring… Especially for Gin."

"What about him…?"

"You see… Gin was extremely upset that Marcus murdered Akaji unreasonably. He didn't show it, but he was angered that at such an age, people already brood over heinous thoughts, especially with making a grave crime.

I really am counting on you for this Ryuuya-san."

Suddenly, Ando-san's words trembled in his lips, as if he was afraid.

"But why, Ando-san?"

"Gin has extremely unstable emotions. If something like that happens again… I don't know how he will respond to it. I know to myself… that Gin is someone we can't stop if he can't control himself anymore. I have never seen him get seriously angered when one's life is unreasonably endangered."

"Th-That's…

I'm very thankful that you told me that, Ando-san. With that, I will make sure to support Marcel-san thoroughly."

"I'm also grateful…"

BANG

And suddenly, a faint sound of a gunshot managed to pierce through the soundproofed walls.

"That was gunfire just now…!"

"What should we do, Ando-san?!"

BANG

"Stay put for a while, Ryuuya-san," he said while turning off the soundproofing.

BANG

"It came from the school grounds. We should be quite far from the gunshots. I think it's safe to step out. But I hope someone will take care of it, whatever it is."

"Maybe we can see what's going on from afar?"

"I think we can."

We immediately ran to a window located on the far side of the hallway, nearest to where the sound was coming from. We saw five people wearing a purple cloth on their right arm, and at that, they are all holding a handgun.

"That armband…!"

Indeed, it was from a gang that Marcel-san confronted awhile back. Thankfully, they are not related to the mafia organization that he encountered.

But things are looking grave downstairs. It is unlikely that the security guard can hold them off. The risk is simply too high. And even if they are right beside the administrative office, I am not sure if anyone can put a stop to them.

"Oi, oi…! I know you're hiding somewhere, wannabe hero! Show yourself or we'll blast off this school of yours!" from the window, the loud voice of the man reached us.

"How did they find this out…?!"

"What, Ryuuya-san?! Do you know something?"

"They are members of a gang that Marcel-san took care of. They saw his face… but how did they know that he is a student here?!"

"Wait, you're telling me that Marcel is their target?!"

"Most likely…"

I heard footsteps coming from the stairs going up. Hurriedly going down the stairs, I saw Marcel-san dashing.

"Marcel-san! Stop…!"

Barely managing to catch up on him, I managed to grab him on his arm until we both fell down on the hallway.

"Don't stop me…! Ryuuya-san…!" he resisted my grip.

"Please calm down, Marcel…!" Ando-san quickly stopped him with me. He then whispered, "You don't need to come to them. Someone will definitely stop those men. Trust me, Marcel… No one will get hurt and you don't have to show yourself outside…"

And just like that, Ando-san managed to calm him down. Lending his shoulder, he stood up together with Marcel-san and trod slowly towards the window.

"For now… just watch what's going to happen."

…

"Oi, what's this…? You don't match the description we got. Get out of here before we rain you."

There was a person on a black hood that stood in front of them. It was hard to notice if one does not look closely, but it seems that the person is a student from this school, seeing that he is wearing a black pants and black leather shoes. But the black hood was rather long, enough to cover his face. However, he does not seem like he has anything with him.

But then a white cloth suddenly floated down towards him which he caught without fail.

"Don't make a mess in this school." said the person.

"Haaaah?! You mocking us brat?! Do you even know who you're talking to?"

"I don't know anyone of you."

"You bastard… So you're picking a fight, hah?!"

Without even a signal to fire, the five pointed and shot at the hooded person almost at the same time. But there weren’t any signs of him trying to evade the bullets, but brought up the white cloth towards them instead. He was… fast enough to see the bullets' trajectory and pull up the cloth towards every bullet, until they just bounced off from the cloth.

There was no way that it could be Marcel-san, as he is being held by Ando-san while his legs still has no strength.

(!)

I had a fleeting thought, however. There was no way that Marcel-san can get a hold of a technology of intricate disguise, as it does not seem like an advance technology like that is already existing. But there was something different from him that my senses tell me, nonetheless.

"Hahahaha… I see now…" out of nowhere, Ando-san let out a weak laugh and muttered.

"So that's you, Ryota…"

I was only lost in thought for a moment, but the five is already down upon looking at the window again.

"What just happened… Ando-san?"

"That hooded guy just immobilized them. It happened so fast…"

We shortly came down and looked out to near the school gate, which everything happened. There was no one in the scene apart from the person on a hood. But Gin abruptly walked towards him and surprisingly, he gave the person a high-five.

"Hey (Ryota), what should I do with these guns?"

"Please destroy them."

With those words spoken, Gin effortlessly stomped on each of the five guns until they were all deformed until unusable.

"G-Gin Sakato…" in a very weak voice, Marcel-san uttered.

…

Not long after everything that happened, the prompt sound telling that there will be a school-wide broadcast echoed in the entirety of the school.

"Attention, students. As per the principal's instruction, classes will hereby be suspended for today due to the sudden and unexpected events that threatened the school. In ten minutes' time, please vacate the school and leave to your respective homes."

"Can you properly stand now, Marcel?"

"Yes… I'll go back in the classroom on my own."

"Isn't it great, Kaizo? The problem thankfully was taken care of quickly. The police are on their way to pick them up," Gin explained while making our way towards Ando-san and I.

"After all of this, I'll arrange for you and Marcel to have a talk. Is that alright with you?"

"Yes, please. I can't let this time to go to waste. I really have to talk to him immediately and seriously."

"It's time to use what you have learned from your job. I have to say, though, you observers are diverse."

~ ~ ~

As what Gin had promised, the school let me use the rooftop of the new building while waiting for Marcel-san to come up. But while I was waiting, I noticed a black ash on the floor, concentrated in one place.

The door opened, and Marcel-san immediately went out.

"Should we have a seat?"

There was a shaded long bench that randomly has a stack of papers underneath the seat. Disregarding that, we sat with a little bit of distance. I realized that this was my first time going up on the rooftop, and that it actually looks like a garden here. I am quite sure that there is no gardening club here. It is amazing that someone is tending to the plants and flowers here.

※ Art Club takes care of them.

Finally sorting out my thoughts, I began to speak while taking out something from my bag.

"Marcel Rodriguez-san, as you may have known, my name is Kaizo Ryuuya."

"…

Y… You're not making any sense."

"Once again, I am Kaizo Ryuuya, a human relations supervisor in Anew Company," I then gave him my contact card. "Our company aims to provide support for people that are having instability in life, whether physically and mentally. In addition to that, our vision is to see results that are satisfactory to one's beneficial change to him or her. Generally, our objective is to help and assist people to achieve a stable life in accordance to how they view the world and reality."

"What kind of joke is this…"

"If you think that this is all a joke, please call the number below my personal contact information, and wait for a response."

Marcel-san did as he was told and placed his phone before his ear as the sound of ringing was heard.

"Hello, this is Anew Support. How may I help you?"

"It is fine to state your name," I whispered to him.

"I am Marcel Rodriguez…"

"Oh, Mr. Rodriguez from the supervision of Mr. Kaizo Ryuuya. Is there anything that we can help you with?"

"Just tell them the truth," I whispered again.

"I was told by Ryuuya-san to call this number as a proof…"

"I understand, Mr. Rodriguez. If you need anything, you can freely contact the human relations supervisor or this number. We wish you a good day, and we hope that we are of help to you."

*beep*

"What is this about… I don't know anything about this…"

"This is only the second year that we are accepting people in your age range, as most of our subjects are adults that are in need of guidance with regards to degrading from the society.

Before this school year began, our company scouted around the town of Ginga to find potential subjects that are in need of assistance and guidance. Unanimously, the human relations department chose you as our observation subject."

"Then all of those… Those times…"

"Marcel-san, those times are not fake. I was being genuine to all of my actions, as in considering you as a real friend here in school. But as being your supervisor, I needed to observe what you are doing outside of school… especially with the actions that you undertake so as to stop the circulation of illegal substances around Cotona."

"So you knew about everything…?"

"Frankly, yes. Also included in that is your last confrontation which you faced a mafia boss in an abandoned mansion. You barely got out of from the peril by using an electrical malfunction as an exploit while releasing nauseating gas."

"Th-Then… do you also know what happened after that…?"

"Our company is also working together with Blue Ink's administration. Thus, the principal knows about this too. But furthermore, the Exiles decided to cooperate and acted as a guard from when I watch over.

And yes, you were apparently thrown away by an Exile from the vicinity of the mansion to make your escape."

"But why… this doesn't make any sense… Why was I chosen… I don't think there's something wrong with how I live. I'm only doing something that follows my beliefs…

What could be wrong with that?!"

"Marcel-san, our department was not the only one that agreed with it.

Even your twin brother, Marcus Rodriguez, had agreed."

"…! Why do you know my brother…"

"Marcus Rodriguez-san was a student of this very school until his fourth year in junior high school. But he was expelled due to a murder case following Akaji Mashido-san's death.

Later then, he was sent to juvenile rehabilitation while Jack Rodriguez-san, your father, was sent to jail because Marcus-san cannot be imprisoned. All of this information is from a primary source, which was your twin brother.

Ever since childhood, you thought of him as an older brother. You admired him for everything he does. Especially, when you learned martial arts. You were amazed by his talents and decided to follow behind him. Marcus-san admitted that his ideas and ideals were twisted—in which it led him to blindly end someone's life while he is fueled by his clouded beliefs and rage."

"I never knew about that…"

"That is because you have never once visited him in juvenile. But when you discovered that he turned to a new leaf, you were disappointed. It was not your ideal brother anymore because he had given up all of his strong conviction towards his twisted sense of justice.

Marcel-san, the main foundation of choosing you as our subject is that you are instilling the old beliefs of your brother to your head. Thus, it resulted to your almost uncontrollable violent drive.

…

Marcel-san… you were smoking earlier, didn't you?"

"…!" all that he responded with was an extremely shocked expression.

"Figured as much. You are not fond of using cologne, and yet I smelled a fragrant scent from your uniform earlier after you tried to go down in haste. There are also remains of a cigarette on the floor here, and now, you are once again reeking of smoke.

From that, I can speculate that someone found out that you are using cigarettes and instinctively took down a student. Since this building is only for senior high school students, you changed your uniform that the student was wearing, and changed back again before the abrupt dismissal. But what you did not take into consideration earlier is that the other uniform has its accent on its left hem."

"…"

"Your brother told me that he felt that you are starting become like him—a murderer, bluntly. He agreed because he doesn't want you to dirty your own hands. He was afraid that your violent drive is now developing, which is. In that desperate destination earlier… I felt that you were going to try and kill those men… so as to maintain the peace of school.

That was what you were thinking, am I correct?"

He silently nodded.

"You sound like you know my brother even before this…"

"Did you forget, Marcel-san? I was studying here two years ago, as a fourth year student. That is… when I was still an Anew subject."

"…! You were…?!"

"Kaizo Ryuuya, a 27 year-old that was once made to work as a slave-like in a certain company in Japan. Because of Anew, I managed to restart my life and changed my despaired and dejected self.

My class was beyond help with their behavior but they all changed… because of loss. They realized that they can turn to what happened to Marcus-san if they continued with their selfish ways. And your brother also realized the mistake that he made. The principal… together with Anew had the ability to give people a new opportunity; I thought in that time while listening to the encouraging words even when we just lost our respected classmate.

I was so ready to give up my life; now I'm thankful that I was once again guided on track."

"27 years… old…? How…?"

"As you are not adult, we will not be disclosing information regarding that.

We don't have all the time here in school… so, can you please flip the card I gave you?"

Flipping the card to the back, it revealed another contact number.

"Please also dial the number and I would appreciate it if you put it in loudspeaker."

The line began ringing, and before the call is answered, I said: "This very contact card is just for you, Marcel-san."

The call was then answered.

"Hello?"

"Yes, who is this?"

I stood with confidence and began walking towards the door.

"You can say whatever you like," I said as my parting words.

"…

H-Hello…? Are you still on the line?"

"Wait, this voice… Marcel? Marcel, is this you?"

…

I have never seen and heard this school with this silence. The only things that I can hear are the sound of my footsteps while going down on the stairs… and the loud cry from above after hearing the voice of Marcus Rodriguez-san.

▪ ▪ ▪

September 20.

It has been so long, and things still aren't looking well for me… No, not about Marcel-san. This is another matter.

But speaking of him, there were no apparent development with regards to Marcel-san. But he does not go out at night to pick fights anymore. Because of the data I presented to the company, it was then passed on to the police, and they are now taking care of Marcel-san's past business. But in school, I can still feel his instinctual drive of baseless and brute actions. But I later discovered that knocking out the student that found him with cigarettes was the first time he harmed a fellow.

And because of bringing cigars in school, he nearly got himself suspended. But at least, he does not reek anymore.

…

But the place where I am at reeks of fragrance. Yes, I am in a flower shop now that school is over for the week. I however coincidentally saw Gin in the same place, in front of the counter. It's somehow weird seeing him in his uniform outside of the school. I don't know why I was trying to hide, but he spotted me nevertheless.

"So you also come to these kinds of shops, Gin…? That's so uncharacteristic…"

"What about you? Also going to buy flowers?"

"That's why I'm here. I don't really see you buying flowers. Is there a something?"

"Well… this day marks my second year with Rin. So yeah… I'm here to find flowers for her as a small gift."

"He is a regular here, actually," the woman behind the counter said.

"Now why do you look embarrassed, Gin?"

"I'm assuming you're here for Mitsumi-san?"

"Uuuuugggggghhhhh…"

"Don't tell me… you two are still not okay?"

"Yeah… That's why I'll go ask her out for dinner later and give her flowers."

"Ohh… Miss, she needs flowers for forgiveness, huh?" Gin unnecessarily asked.

"Yep!"

"But I seriously thought that she would also be easy-going with this kind of things. That was really surprising."

"How about you? Surely you've gotten in a fight with Akanami-san."

"Well, of course! But our quarrel mostly last like three or so days. The worst thought was when we broke up for a week."

"You're the easy-going one here!

But hey, that's because you two are still young. It might get a little hard a few years later."

"What, is work making it hard for you to propose to Mitsumi-san?"

Unbeknownst to these two, the shopkeeper is getting so confused with the conversation which a high school student is thinking of proposing to her girlfriend. They didn't notice in the end.

"Kind of. But I'm still not setting a date for that. I haven't even looked for a ring.

I guess Yugare-san and Kamichi-san will go first."

"Yeah… Yuzuri-san is quite laid back right now.

Well, I have my flowers so I'll have to get going."

"Oh, sure. **Congratulations on your two years of relationship."

"Thank you, really!"