Chapter 54

5 In the end, Minoru went back to Saitama City without even stopping at SFD Headquarters. There was still some sunlight remaining in the wide-open space. The only reason he was able to get back before sundown despite the long time they’d spent talking in the patisserie was that Yumiko gave him a ride on her Agusta. When she completed the trip that normally took him more than seventy minutes in about half the time, without using her acceleration power or even the emergency vehicle lights in her pannier case, Minoru couldn’t help reconsidering his reluctance to buy a motorcycle of his own. What should I do? he wondered as he took off his helmet. Glancing at him, Yumiko grinned slyly. “I bet you’re starting to want your own motorcycle now, hmm?” “N-no, I don’t…” He began to deny it reflexively, then realized there was no harm in getting a little more information. “…I don’t know, but if I were hypothetically thinking about it, how exactly would I go about acquiring a license and purchasing one and all that?” Immediately, Yumiko put on a very composed expression and started rattling off a response as if she’d been waiting for the chance all along. “You can get the license itself in a matter of days just by requesting it, whether it’s a two-wheel license, oversize vehicle license, or any other kind you might desire. As for the purchasing paperwork, the SFD’s equipment department can take care of that for you, too. Although the name on the inspection sticker will be a fake company.” “Equipment department…” Minoru thought back. If he remembered right, the high-tech baby carrier—its official name was a “back-mounting harness”—that he’d used to carry Suu Komura when they scouted out the enemy base in Minami-Aoyama had also been made by this “equipment department.” But Minoru didn’t know anything else about it. As he frowned in thought, Yumiko once again seemed to know what he was thinking. “Right, I guess you haven’t been to the base yet.” “…I’ve heard people mention it once in a while. So the ‘base’ isn’t the same thing as headquarters?” “No, although it is quite close by. I’ll show you around sometime.” She smiled, but the expression lasted only a moment before she continued in a low, serious voice. “Really, though, you need a certain level of mobility in our line of work. Think of our meeting with Liquidizer tomorrow, for example—if it is a trap, we’ll have to flee, but you and Oli-V can’t drive, so we might end up having to squeeze in together on this baby.” Yumiko patted her large motorcycle, which was still sparkling like new from its recent maintenance. Its rider, too, had changed from her tracksuit into a black leather jumpsuit, which Minoru had to admit was rather appealing. “…If it really does come to that, just leave me and get away with Oli-V, please. We already know for a fact that even she can’t melt my shell.” In response, Yumiko prodded him lightly on the shoulder with her left hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. My Agusta’s got one hundred fifty horsepower, so a skinny little thing like you wouldn’t slow her down at all. If I tell you to get on, you better do it right away.” “…All right.” Minoru had no choice but to agree to his partner’s order. Once he nodded, she removed her hand and whirled around. They were currently in a green strip that ran along the west side of Yonohonmachi Station. The sunset dyed the brick-like tiles at their feet a deep red. It was a rather romantic atmosphere, but the Accelerator looked serious as ever as she whispered to him. “…It doesn’t seem like we’re being watched to me, but be careful just in case. Liquidizer already knows you live in this area somewhere… I can’t imagine it would be that difficult for her to track down your school or home address if she really wanted to.” “Maybe, but Saitama City is pretty big, since it started as three cities that merged together around twenty years ago. I think its population is in the top ten of ordinance-designated cities, too.” “Still, it’s only a fraction of the twenty-three wards of Tokyo, isn’t it?” “Um…about one-seventh, I guess…” “So that means it’s seven times easier to search than Tokyo.” Does it, though? But before Minoru could say that out loud, Yumiko continued, looking pensive. “Honestly, I’d prefer to stay over at your house until this business with Liquidizer is taken care of, but since Komusho is monitoring you there, he might find out and tell HQ about it…” “Huh…? You mean the SFD keeps tabs on members’ private romantic lives, too?” “……Huh?” “……What?” The pair stared at each other for a moment. Yumiko’s pale cheeks seemed to be a tiny bit pink…but by the time Minoru noticed this, she was already grabbing the collar of his Chesterfield coat. “Look, you, when I say I want to stay over, I obviously mean in case of a Ruby attack, not in a…in a scandalous way!” As soon as Yumiko voiced that word, Minoru felt his own ears go red, too, but he had no choice but to argue back. “I—I know that, of course! I just mean that since Komusho doesn’t know what’s going on, it might look that way to him if you suddenly start coming over my place…” “No it wouldn’t!” “What do you think it would look like, then?!” As they argued, they suddenly heard giggling from nearby and whirled around in unison. Three middle school girls passing through the green strip were eyeing Minoru and Yumiko, whispering among themselves. Yumiko pulled her hand away as fast as if she’d received an electric shock, hissing under her breath. “Honestly. They’re laughing at us because of the weird things you said!” “You’re the one who said you wanted to stay over…” “Because of the danger, I told you!” “But how would we explain that to Norie, exactly?” “Well, that’s for you to figure out.” Really… As Minoru raised his eyebrows, Yumiko yanked the spare helmet out of Minoru’s hand. Then she put it away in the pannier case and donned the full-face helmet she’d hung from the motorcycle’s handlebars.