It was the rabbit. It was that damned rabbit mascot.
Yoriko let out a little gasp.
Yukiko’s eyes widened as big as they could.
The rabbit’s mouth grinned even wider. It let out an eerie laugh that could have easily come from a witch or some ghostly monster.
One of its eyes had sagged from its socket. Small patches of fur were burned away here and there along its arms.
Yoriko thought, This is it. This is the monster Yukiko was talking about—real, not imagined. This is Yukiko’s tormentor.
Yoriko shouted, “Someone, anyone, come here!”
As Yukiko heard her manager shout for help, she felt her consciousness slipping away.
With a bitter shake of his head, Kanda grumbled, “I spoke with an acquaintance of mine on the police force. Like I feared, the detective said it just wasn’t enough for them to do anything.”
Her temper flaring, Yoriko said, “But look at how she’s been hurt. Is causing mental anguish not a crime?”
The agency’s president shook his head again. “It’s not. I think you’re right—mental and emotional pain is every bit as serious as physical pain. But unless that rabbit bastard inflicts tangible, physical harm, the police won’t act. That’s just the way it is. Frightening someone isn’t even a misdemeanor.”
“Then what can we do? If we wait until something has already happened, it’ll be too late. Shouldn’t the police be interested in preventing crime from happening in the first place? If they won’t do anything, we have to think of what we can do—otherwise Yukiko won’t be able to feel safe anywhere.”
The image of that rabbit’s menacing face on the studio feed would likely remain with her forever. Only when she saw it did she understand Yukiko’s terror. It was no wonder the singer had been so out of sorts lately.
That rabbit had waltzed right into the TV station and disappeared without a trace. The same had happened at the department store. Only minutes after Yukiko saw the rabbit, he had vanished.
After arriving in response to Yoriko’s shouts for help, a group of the TV station’s employees searched all around the studio. But they found neither hide nor grimy hair of the rabbit. This wasn’t just someone in an animal suit. He was capable of misdirection and deception to an almost supernatural degree.
Yoriko said, “What we need to do—the only thing we can and must do—is form our own protective squad.”
“Don’t you think that’s going a little too far?” Kanda asked. He hadn’t seen the rabbit with his own eyes. He didn’t even begin to try to understand Yoriko and Yukiko’s fear. As far as he was concerned, they were being a bit hysterical.
“No, it’s not going too far,” Yoriko said, “and I’m doing it with or without your approval. In fact, I’ve already decided who will form the squad.”
“You have?” Kanda asked.
“That’s right. And I expected you might not be on board with my plan, so I took the liberty of getting started on my own.” She turned to the door and said, “Yuji-kun, you can come in now.”
The door slowly opened, and a boy hesitantly walked in. With his long hair and sharp-eyed expression, he tried to make himself look like an adult, but more likely than not he was just barely high school age.
He bowed his head to Kanda.
“You probably know him already,” Yoriko said to Kanda. “This is Oe Yuji, the president of Yukiko’s fan club—the Snow Children.”
Kanda hadn’t recognized the boy at first, but the introduction jolted his memory. They had met once before, right after Yukiko’s debut when the nascent fan club’s president came to this office.
Yoriko continued, saying, “I’m sure you’re aware of how much he’s done for us. He arranges for the club members to come to Yukiko’s events as a group, helps promote her campaigns, and much more.”
“Certainly, I am,” Kanda said. “And I’m very grateful for it.”
He glanced at Yuji, who bashfully lowered his head to look away.
Yoriko said, “I know it’s asking a lot of the club, but I know they want to help, and I think we should let them. Isn’t that right, Yuji-kun?”
The boy stood at attention, puffed out his chest, and said, “Leave it to us, Yoriko-san. We’re ready to give our lives to protect Yukiko-san.”
Kanda was taken a little aback by the kid’s militaristic eagerness to serve, but he also recognized that it was the perfect attitude for an ad hoc bodyguard.
“All right,” Kanda said, “we’ll do it Yoriko-kun’s way.” He looked to the kid and said, “We’ll be counting on you.”
Yuji bobbed his head deeply. “Thank you, sir. I will see to Yukiko-san’s absolute safety. I’ll convey the orders to my subordinates immediately.”
Shimizu Kunio walked down the poorly-lit street, savoring a certain sense of fulfillment.
A chic apartment building was visible in the gaps between the branches of the carefully maintained row of bushes alongside the street. When Kunio thought of how Tsukioka Yukiko was somewhere in that building, he felt pleasure spring up from deep in his chest. The sensation was powerful enough to make him tremble.
I’m so glad I joined the fan club, Kunio thought fervently. His passionate support for Yukiko had been rewarded.
If he hadn’t joined her fan club and been active in the inner circle, he would have never ended up here, standing outside her apartment, let alone with the honor of being her protector.
Kunio glanced at his wristwatch. It was two in the morning. Yukiko was probably asleep by now.
Kunio imagined the idol wearing pajamas with some cute pattern on them, breathing softly and adorably in her sleep. He remained vigilant to ensure that she could remain slumbering peacefully until daylight came.
Kunio had joined Yukiko’s fan club almost half a year ago, and he always cheered loudly for her at her events. His passionate support caught the attention of the fan club’s management (specifically, the head of the inner circle, Oe Yuji), who invited him into the elite group of Yukiko’s most ardent fans.
Being in the inner circle was not easy, and the privilege came with rigid rules and severe expectations. They had to clear their lives to match Tsukioka Yukiko’s schedule. The moment he was in, he was no longer his own person.
Yuji had told him, “Tsukioka Yukiko-san is a treasure—one that we must protect even if it means risking our own lives. We must do everything within our power to support Yukiko-san so that she can become an even bigger star. You must understand that when you join us, you lose your personal freedom.”