*
After the principal hurried away, Amakusa Reiji smiled faintly in the chairman’s office and said,
“He’s quite sharp. Ordinarily, no one would notice my presence.”
“There must be a reason he rose to the position of principal.”
“An interesting perspective. It may be results-oriented, but I find myself agreeing to some extent. That General Naeba was quite capable, after all.”
The man mentioned with a low laugh the South African dictator he had led to his death.
“Well, aside from him, they were all failures. How poorly must he have raised his children for his son to ask for his own father’s death?”
Amakusa Reiji.
Unlike Amakusa Kazuki of the S-class production world, he was a designer of infamous covert crimes in the shadows.
The world’s foremost assassin smiled as if truly amused.
At that, Han Roun narrowed his eyes.
“Thanks to that, my workload decreased.”
Because Han Roun had also tried to kill General Naeba, who had taken children from his own country and conducted experiments on them.
“Hmm, it all concludes as inevitability, then.”
“Inevitability…”
Meeting Reiji because of General Naeba and being able to recruit him into Gnosis. Looking back now, perhaps all of that had truly been inevitable.
Han Roun fell into thought, then directed his gaze to the door and asked,
“Are you concerned about the principal?”
“Not at all. If he’s sharp, it’s actually more fun.”
“Let me say this again, Amakusa-san, please don’t torment our principal. More importantly, have you dropped the commission you accepted? I thought you would be quite busy because of the production world rookie who appeared like a comet.”
“Hmm, I should have been, but instead I’m quite free.”
“That’s unexpected.”
“It’s strange. In a world overflowing with information like this, it’s difficult to find information on a public figure. It’s as if someone deliberately erased it. I’ve thrown in the towel.”
Reiji raised both hands as if admitting defeat and cracked a joke.
Amakusa Reiji was considered a representative figure even among the heavyweights of the underworld.
For him to express himself in this manner was truly a sign of respect.
And Han Roun had a guess as to who had made him throw in the towel.
“Then it must be Jurim’s doing.”
He smiled as if proud, and dimples formed prettily on both cheeks.
“Hmph.”
Reiji rested his chin on his hand and looked him over with an expression of interest.
Whenever Han Roun spoke of On Jurim, he always showed a tender sentiment, and Reiji found it quite amusing.
“If Onjjang went so far as to step in, the production world rookie must be quite remarkable. Onjjang isn’t someone who takes an interest in others like that, after all.”
“Hmm, well. That’s true, I suppose. So what do you plan to do?”
“I’m planning to visit someone who might know. Fortunately, she happens to be in Korea as well, so this is truly a relief.”
“Ahh…”
Han Roun nodded as though he knew who “she” referred to.
Reiji smiled enigmatically, lifted his teacup, and savored the tea.
“The tea aroma is excellent. It should be fine to move at leisure after enjoying the tea, shouldn’t it?”
“As long as you don’t interfere too much, by all means.”
“Indeed, indeed.”
Amakusa Reiji smiled faintly and tapped the teacup with his finger, as if to say he would simply enjoy the tea.
*
The athletic meet season at Justitia International School had begun.
It was a sports festival no different from other schools, but if there was one peculiarity, it was that due to the school’s nature as an elite institution with a small student body, all students participated.
From kindergarten through high school, all students were divided into Blue Team and Red Team, and the winner would be decided by the combined total score.
The prize for victory was Asian Games VIP tickets and the latest tablet PCs, awarded to the entire team.
In the kindergarten Chick Class, having finished all explanations about this sports festival…
“There are many events at the sports festival that you do with a partner, so you’ll need to choose a partner and stick together. You have to make a partner and tell your teacher. Understood?”
“Yes!”
The children, filled with anticipation, all answered in loud voices.
But for some reason, Uju was dejected.
Therefore, the question Geuru had thought would be obvious was—
“Uju, you’ll be my partner, right?”
“Huh?”
The answer that came back was ambiguous.
“Hm? Why?! You don’t want to?!”
“Well…”
As Uju hesitated to answer, Geuru’s face gradually turned deathly pale.
Geuru clutched Uju’s hand tightly with both hands and asked with a tearful face.
“Don’t tell me… you’re going to pair up with another friend instead of Geuru?!”
Uju turned his head to the side with a troubled expression.
At that sight, Geuru received a shock, mouth agape.
Ba-dum!
To think Uju had another best friend besides Geuru.
It felt as if dark clouds had gathered heavily over his heart.
“Geuru, my head is spinning…”
As Geuru’s pupils shook violently, Uju hastily said no and calmed him down.
“No! No! That’s not it! Uh! I… I have a filming schedule, so I don’t think I can do it together.”
“…Filming?”
Geuru, who had been staggering, brightened and raised his head.
“Yeah, yeah. I have filming. So I can’t.”
“Aw, is that all? It’s fine then. Geuru will do my best! Uju can just come over after filming.”
“That’s! …I don’t want to.”
“Huh?”
“Geuru, you’re an Awakener. It would be better for you to do it with another friend.”
“But Geuru is F-rank…”
Geuru looked around with wide eyes.
Sensing he was being careful lest the other children overhear, Uju played along.
“Yeah, even though you’re F-rank… still, there will be kids lined up who want to be with you.”
“…”
*Uju, what’s wrong? Something’s strange.*
Geuru hesitated, not knowing how to persuade him further, when Uju lowered his gaze and fiddled with his phone.
“…I have to go take a call from Dad!”
“Huh? O-okay…”
Soon, Uju quickly got up and exited the classroom.
“Hmph.”
Geuru stared intently at Uju’s back as he went out to take the call.
*
Uju went to a secluded spot in the kindergarten building and leaned his back against the wall.
Beyond the phone screen, his father’s face was visible.
“Uju, why didn’t you tell me they were having a sports festival!”
“How did Dad know about that?!”
“Kindergarten apps are really well-made these days. All the notifications come to Dad, you know?”
“Ah…”
He recalled that not long ago, he had installed the KidsNote app for his dad because he had been curious about it.
He shouldn’t have done it.
As Uju sighed, he heard the question he hadn’t wanted to hear.
“What time should Dad get to the sports festival?”
*…I knew this would happen. This is why I didn’t want him to know.*
“You don’t need to come.”
“C’mon, not this again. Dad said you can say whatever you want.”
“I’m serious. I hate sports festivals, so I’m going to go out and play with a friend. If I get hurt, it’ll interfere with filming…”
“You’re worrying about filming again… But which friend? Geuru?”
“No. I have another friend.”
“Which other friend?”
“A friend Dad doesn’t know! I have to get to class now. Hanging up.”
“No, Uju! Then let’s talk again later. Okay?”
“Okay… Are you coming home today?”
“Of course. I have to hurry home so I can see my son’s face.”
“Yeah… Hang up.”
Uju put his phone in his pocket and let out a deep sigh.
Dad seemed disappointed to be told not to come to the sports festival.
*Geuru too…*
Uju thought of Geuru, who had been hesitating, and ruffled his hair.
For some reason, everything seemed to have become a mess.
Meanwhile, Geuru, who had secretly overheard Uju’s phone call, clasped his hands tightly together and squatted down on the floor.
He was so disappointed that his chest stung and his lips pouted.
*Does Uju hate Geuru now?*
Because he made a new friend?
“Heeing…”
Soft wings approached the sulking child and gently patted his head in comfort.
Geuru hugged Mephi and pressed their plump cheeks together.
“Mephi…”
If only Mephisto were a person.
“Pii…”
Mephisto cried sorrowfully for some reason.
At that moment, the bag began to squirm.