Enta finally managed to blurt, “So, um, did you do something? Something bad?”
“Is that what it looks like?”
“Uhh, well…”
Chikai burst into laughter. “Bwa ha ha, I figured as much.”
“Uh-huh…”
It was impossible to respond to the man seriously. Enta knew someone else like that—someone who lived with him, in fact.
“Hey, four-eyes,” Chikai called teasingly. “How old are you?”
“Uh, I’m fourteen.”
“You sure are short for bein’ fourteen.”
“Oh, lay off!” Enta fumed.
Amused, Chikai just put more distance between the two of them. “Ha ha, my bad. I just have a brother the same age as you, that’s all.”
“…I know.”
“Not very cute, either. Tries to act all mature, maybe ’cause I’ve neglected him for so long.”
Enta could imagine Toi trying to act tough in front of his brother, standing tall with his chest puffed out.
“I’m gonna take him with me and blow this city. Can’t let the cops catch me now.”
“Um…” Enta’s lips moved before he could consider what he was saying. “If you’d like, I can help you out…!”
“Hm?” Chikai blinked back at him.
“Enough! Just grow up already. If you apologize first, it’ll be easier for Jinnai to say he’s sorry, too.”
“No! Why do I have to apologize to Enta?!”
He really is stubborn, thought Toi. Not that I didn’t already know that.
The two were in the Kappa Plaza, where Toi was making a concerted effort to persuade Kazuki. It was working about as well as he predicted, and he sighed in frustration.
“Doesn’t it piss you off too, Toi? If he hadn’t sabotaged us, we’d have already granted your wish by now!”
“Well, I mean…uhh…”
Kazuki slammed a fist against the ground, making it clear that his anger was genuine. “Enta, you jerk, I totally misjudged you! I can’t believe you lied to us and betrayed us like that!”
Although he did think the other boy was a pain, somewhere deep inside, Toi felt relieved. Kazuki was (correctly) directing his anger at Enta. If he’d still been as oblivious and detached as before, he might have asked if it were some kind of joke (as with the kiss), and the two would’ve never even fought. The fact that they were clashing like this was proof that they were growing. Granted, if the secret leaking never occurred, then none of this would have ever happened.
“He’s got his reasons,” said Toi. “Listen to what he has to say.”
“What ‘reasons’?”
“Uh, it’s not really my place to say.” Toi wasn’t so unprincipled that he’d divulge someone’s romantic feelings. But even the best of intentions could backfire.
“What the heck? Are you guys keeping secrets from me? Why are you taking his side anyway?!”
“All I’m trying to say is—” Toi started to explain.
“Enough! I’ll find the plates myself!” Kazuki slung those words at him, and then dashed out of the plaza.
Don’t just snap at me and take off before our conversation’s over! It was just like Kazuki to do that, too. Toi was exasperated. “I’m no good at this kinda thing.”
Regardless, if there was something he could do, no matter how impossible, he wanted to try.
The weight of his backpack suddenly felt heavier.
Toi tried visiting Enta’s house, but no one was home. Now that he stopped to think about it, he realized there was a pattern to the way they’d met up so far. Kazuki would always drag Toi into trouble, and Enta would always chase after the two of them.
As he passed before the Kaminarimon, a familiar face appeared on the Jumbotron. “Time for our next piece of news, dish! ✩ A warrant has been issued for the leader of the despicable group of conmen, SHIKOTAMA. Police believe the suspect, twenty-five-year-old Kuji Chikai, may be hiding out in Asakusa. They will therefore be conducting an emergency deployment of officers around the area. Arrest him, arrest him! ✩”
A picture (taken god-knew-when) of Chikai’s disinterested face peered back at Toi through the screen.
“Tch. We’re out of time…” Toi took off running.
Behind him, an eerie voice could be heard shrieking in laughter. “Kwaaaah!”
Scene 3
FOR THE FIRST TIME in Jinnai Enta’s life, he was participating in something criminal. Granted, he had no way of knowing that helping a criminal escape was legally classified as “aiding and abetting.”
The wanted man and his accomplice were currently in Asakusa’s Sixth Ward, at a hundred-yen store. A bizarre, airy song was playing on repeat inside the store, where variety goods and candy were stacked high on the shelves.
“Hey, kid, you want some candy?” Chikai asked. “Potato chips or chocolate, you can get whatever.”
“No, this is what we need!”
“The heck is that?” Chikai said. But, with a shrug, he went ahead and tossed the plastic package Enta shoved at him into their shopping basket.
“It’s a kappa!”
“A kappa mask!”
Enta stood in the middle of Asakusa’s Sixth Ward’s five-way intersection. A heartwarming scene was playing out before him.
“Okay, which of you kappa want a cucumber? Raise your hand!”
“Me! Me!” The children surged in like a wave. The man at their center was the same person whose picture and name were all over the news right now, though he was currently wearing a kappa mask. It was a pretty good idea to disguise him and take him somewhere safe.
But why, of all things, did I pick a kappa costume?
Enta never imagined Keppi’s bad influence would manifest here. Fortunately, it was summer break. There were numerous children’s events underway in the Sixth Ward. There were other adults passing out pickled cucumbers on sticks to people. The moment Chikai spotted them, he immediately joined the crowd and blended in. His expression was impossible to read behind the mask, but his hands were gentle as he handed out cucumber treats and patted the tops of children’s heads. Even when one of the more mischievous of the bunch slammed a kick into the back of his knees, Chikai just laughed it off. “Ouch, that hurts. I’ll run you through, you brat!”
“Is he even serious about running away?” Enta wondered aloud. He chewed on a pickled cucumber as he watched, somehow uncomfortable with the thought of trying to stop Chikai.
The sign read “Entry today is limited to brothers and sisters! ✩ Strengthen your bonds in our bee ninja bonanza! Brothers and sisters only!”
Enta and Chikai decided to take advantage of another event to stay hidden, this time at Hanayashiki. Understandably, they turned down the option to dress as bee ninja. The staff was much less insistent this time, thanks to Chikai’s intimidating presence.
“Been a long time since I’ve been to Hanayashiki,” said Chikai.
“I’m just glad the staff believed us when we said we were brothers.” Under his breath, Enta murmured, “Even though we don’t look anything alike…” while licking at his ice cream cone.
Chikai seemed to be in a generous mood, treating Enta to something at every opportunity. It didn’t seem financially sound, given that the man’s latest job fell through (according to Toi), but Enta couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He was smart enough to know not to ask, so he just gratefully accepted Chikai’s charity.
The man in question was currently sipping on a Hanayashiki limited-run Marijuana Drink. A ridiculous name for any product. “The last time I was here, my brother kept calling after me, chasing me. He sure has changed a lot without my even realizing it.”
They were seated on a bench in the rooftop garden, overlooking Bee Tower with its candy houses floating in the air. There was a four-person family in one, with two parents and two boys.
“He’s hesitating right now over whether he should choose his buddies or me. He’s never really gotten along with anyone before.”
“B-buddies…?” Enta was a little taken aback. It was the first time he ever heard anyone else objectively discuss the three of them.
Chikai continued, “Well, it’s my own fault. I’m the one who made him abandon what was most important to him…”
Evening light illuminated the Azuma Bridge as a brown paper bag flew over the edge of the rail and into the river below. Plunk! There was a loud splash as it broke the surface of the water, but soon it sank out of view.
“Now it’s over,” said Chikai. “Forget about the gun. Got it?”
The gun they received from Yuri Kamome—the one Toi had used to kill him—was at the bottom of the river.
“…Got it. You go on ahead, Brother,” Toi mumbled in a hollow voice.
“’Kay.”
With the evidence destroyed, there was no reason for them to linger. Chikai hummed to himself as he walked away, but moments later, he heard another quiet splash. He turned around to see that his little brother had dumped the soccer ball he’d been carrying into the river.
“You sacrificed everything for me,” Toi said. “So I’m also going to throw away what matters most to me!”
That was Chikai’s first glimpse at the strength of his younger brother’s resolve.
Chikai still had a folder on his smartphone with old pictures of Toi. He pulled up one of his little brother striking a pose, back when he was part of the neighborhood soccer team. Back then, Toi didn’t have an edge to his voice like he did now.
He showed the photo to Enta. “He used to talk about how he wanted to be a soccer player in the future, but he abandoned the game entirely.”
“Wait… No… It can’t be… This friendship bracelet…” Enta casually glanced at the photo, only to freeze when he noticed the blue friendship bracelet tied around Toi’s right ankle. There was a pitiful, wet plop as his ice cream splattered across the ground.
“Hm? Ah, yeah, I guess he gave it away. Kid, you dropped your cone.”
“Who?! Who did he give it to?!” Enta dropped all pretense and demanded answers.
Chikai just stared back blankly. “I don’t have a clue. I bet he just wanted someone to remember him—remember how much he loved soccer.” He slipped his phone into his breast pocket and glanced up at the sky. “That kid’s pretty serious at heart. Too serious. He’ll do anything for me without batting an eyelash, even if it’s dangerous or underhanded. Not like I ever asked him to, though.”
“I’ve done the same. I’ve done whatever I could for Kazuki, but…!”
“Hm?”