“Ugh, I’m bored…”
I was lying on the top bunk in my room. The ceiling was a lot closer than it used to be, but I could survey the whole room from up here. Since I liked high places, it wasn’t all that bad.
Kei was typing away on the laptop on his desk, which we’d carried into the room.
Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptap…
He was typing so fast, I could barely follow his fingers with my eyes. I’m surprised he doesn’t get cramps.
When he slipped out the previous day, I didn’t know what to do, but he came back last night acting totally normal. I guess that means he wasn’t mad? I don’t get him.
“Hey, Kei? Have you heard anything from our dads?”
“…About what?”
“About Phantom Thief Red, obviously. We’re taking up the mantle now, right? But we haven’t stolen anything or made any plans or even done any training!”
“Our dads will probably give us an assignment soon.”
He didn’t sound very interested, and his fingers didn’t even slow down once. Wonder what it’s like inside his head.
“You’re really having fun with that computer, huh?” I asked, taking a sudden interest.
He’d been on his computer until late last night, too. Guess they’re more interesting than I thought.
“Computers aren’t fun or not fun. They’re just tools. It all depends on how you use them.”
That was a very long answer for him. Maybe computers are one of the few things he actually will talk about a little.
“You can play games on them, right?”
“If you have the right software installed.”
“Huh.”
I nodded, but I had no idea what he meant. “Install”? What, like a horse? Oh well, whatever. I can figure it out if I ever need to.
“Geez, I’m so bored. Maybe I’ll go talk to Dad.”
I sat up—carefully, so I wouldn’t bang my head on the ceiling—and jumped down from the bed. I landed noiselessly on the tatami mat.
“…What are you, a cat?” Kei muttered, and his typing actually stopped.
“That was nothing. Anyway, come with me.”
“Why?”
He didn’t let it show, but I knew he didn’t want to. The way he said it made it seem like I was dragging him somewhere…which I guess I was.
“Just stand up, okay?”
I put my hands under his armpits and pulled up… Whoa, he sure was light! Maybe even lighter than me! I’m like four inches taller than him, but geez…
“You gonna put me down anytime soon?” He glared at me, suspended from my hands.
“Sorry!” I hurriedly dropped him.
Once he was back on his own feet, he rolled his neck.
“Sore shoulders? You look like an old man!” I commented.
“Shoulders can hurt at any age.”
Uh…that’s not the point.
“Anyway…let’s go,” he said.
Dad was in his room. He was lying on the tatami, staring at the ceiling. Like a lion in its pen at the zoo. Since the restaurant was closed for the day, he’d probably lay there all day if I let him.
“Hey, Dad, could you sit up? It’s embarrassing.”
I decided not to tell him I’d just left my own bed about five minutes earlier.
“Oh, hi, Asuka. And Kei. What’s up?”
Still flat on his back, he tilted his head to look at me upside down. Would we be standing on our heads to him, then?
“You know what’s up,” I replied. “I’m so bored! Isn’t there something we can steal?”
“Hey now, don’t say that. If you go around swiping random people’s stuff, you’re just a regular old thief.”
“But we are thieves.”
“Oh, no, Phantom Thief Red is no common criminal. Red is the friend of the weak and the enemy of evil. And Red always returns stolen goods to their rightful owner.”
I think he was trying to give a swashbuckling speech, but when the swashbuckler is lying on his back like a wet rag…
“Uncle Tsuba, I want to talk about something,” Kei said, suddenly standing next to me instead of behind my back.
“Sure, what?”
“I did a little research on Red.”
He wasn’t mumbling like usual. So he could talk normally! He should try that more often.
“You did, eh? And did you learn anything?”