Trigger Warning:

- mention of alcohol abuse

- mention of alcohol poisoning


As February nears to an end, a meeting is necessary.

One between Ahearn-san, Sasaki-san, Shouto, and myself.

At my age, the only kind of meetings that should be happening are classes, extracurriculars, and group projects.

But no. I am not lucky enough to have that kind of life. Here we are gathered to discuss our strategy for arresting Hanada-sama. Or, at the very least, to expose his misdeeds to the world. The drug Daruma-san gave me worked almost instantaneously. I hear from the butler often that Hanada-sama has multiple emetic episodes, periods of drowsiness, skin flushes, and feverish temperatures every day. The alcohol poisoning has taken place. Just yesterday, Hanada-sama had to be admitted to the critical care unit of the hospital because he had a seizure. The doctors told him to regulate the alcohol consumption, but of course, Hanada-sama did not listen. The deaths of his sons killed his desire to live. Maybe if I had a bigger heart, I may feel a milligram of pity for him. Yet I do not.

If anything, I anticipate his demise. The people I care about are working so hard to incriminate him, and I do not want their efforts to go to waste. After his death, I want to release the information. Make it public. As the Bone Crusher Killer, I submitted concrete evidence to English news companies. The reports caused quite the stir in the country. Investigations were launched; the families of those killed were questioned, charged, and arrested; elite members of society were caught red-handed trying to hide their involvement; and most interestingly, the valiant masks hiding criminal activities of heroes were removed.

After Hanada-sama's crimes are revealed, I imagine the same thing will happen in Japan. Public pressure will force the government to thoroughly investigate him and the other names mentioned. Eyes will fall on me, too. However, because I used to be the fourth child who was suddenly thrown into a position of immense responsibility, scrutiny on me will be a little lenient. Furthermore, since it will also be made known that I had a critical role in garnering this evidence, people will be kinder. Hanada-sama's own daughter divulged her father's secrets, is what they will say. If anything, the public will see me as a saint of sorts. That I did the right thing in spite of Hanada-sama being my only family. And other nonsense like that.

All of it works in my favor, ultimately. Clause 3 of Hanada-sama's will be nullified, meaning that I will no longer have to seek his approval to conduct my affairs. No more threats to my reign. I can secure a stable future for myself. Sure, the path will be a little tumultuous. Without Hanada-sama to guide me to managing the empire, I will have to learn partly by myself and partly from tutors who will seek to use me for their own gain. But that is a sacrifice I am willing to make for my own good.

What helps is that I have orchestrated a partnership between Daruma-san, Yotsubashi-san, and Hanada-sama. After so many calls of two different conversations, Daruma-san has made a barista out of me and Yotsubashi-san has added to my inventory of bad jokes. Due to time constraints, I made both of them talk to Hanada-sama on the same day. Definitely was not easy keeping Hanada-sama sober for that long. But he has invited them to the head office in three days time to work out the technicalities of their deals. Overall, a success.

All that remains is arranging a meeting between Aunt Ahearn and him and pretending to work on the hero alliance with Shouto. In fact, that is the excuse Shouto provides Sasaki-san with when he asks what our cover-up will be.

Not a moment later, I get a call from Hanada-sama.

"Excuse me," I say as I get up from my seat. After finding a corner where he cannot overhear the discussion over video, I answer the call.

"There is an invoice for over two hundred thousand yen in my credit card statement," he greets.

I sigh, "All for a useful cause. You wanted me to stabilize a collaboration between Endeavor-san's son and me. For that, I made a reservation at an expensive restaurant."

"Which restaurant charges two hundred thousand for two customers?" he growls.

Utterly unaffected, I reply, "A restaurant that offers private booths for its customers. I very well could not discuss things with Todoroki-kun amongst others, could I?"

My nonchalance grates at him. "You could not have had this discussion in your own rooms at school?"

Really? Of all people, you're the one asking that? I make no effort to hide the disdain from my voice. I remind him that there is a time and place for everything, and a conference about something so serious at a place where there are eavesdroppers abundant is stupidity. "Only high-profile guests ever come to this restaurant," I mutter. "The staff here knows better than to leak information."

He grumbles something unintelligible. Does not matter, when he understands that I have won this argument. And perhaps because of a sadistic desire to rub salt in the wound, I finish the call with, "I'll be sure to pack some food for you."

Without waiting for a response from Hanada-sama, I press the end button and return to the booth. Shouto and I created a code to alert the other of one's presence. Two knocks, followed by a pause, then six raps in rapid succession. The gesture may seem a little paranoid, given that we are in a restaurant that respects confidentiality. However, that is precisely the reason we have a secret knock in the first place. The subject of discussion is precarious, and it would be good to switch conversation to lighter topics before a waiter comes to take our order or a curious guest enters the wrong room.

I open the door and enter. Shouto looks up from his computer, silently asking me if everything is all right. I close my eyes and lift a hand, easing his worries. As I occupy my seat beside him, I open the menu.

If Hanada-sama was making a fuss over two hundred thousand, then the prices listed for these items will make him want to hold a gun to his temple. In that case, might as well give him a little nudge …

No sooner have I made my choices that a waiter knocks to announce his presence. He steps inside and gives a deep bow. From our positions, Shouto and I nod conspicuously. He comes by our table, pen and notepad in hand.

"For appetizers, I would like shumai and yakitori," Shouto says.

I snicker. When he looks at me, I raise an eyebrow and smirk. "Good taste, but you are allowed to order more expensive items on the menu. It was my invitation, after all." With that, I wait. Will he take me up on my offer or refuse it? To my pleasant surprise, he takes it up.

"In that case, please add shrimp tempura to my order."

It is not the most costly dish, but it is visibly more high-priced than his first two choices. After marking his requests down, the waiter turns to me. I tell him, "I will have one serving of kaki-fry, two platters of egg rolls, and five korokke. We will let you know when we are ready for dinner. Thank you very much."

The waiter takes our menus and bows politely before exiting.

From the laptop, I hear Sasaki-san translating everything we said in English. He even mentions how exorbitant the prices of some of these dishes are, having been a previous customer. Aunt Ahearn frowns at that. She scolds, "With whose money are you going to be paying all that, young lady? You don't even have a job."

I grin, "Is not Hanada-sama's money my own? Besides, all the work I am doing qualifies as a job. A job sans pay." My cheer fades. "I really should get paid. Shouto should get paid. Honestly, all of us should get a salary for the amount of work we are putting into this."

My morose mood concerns Shouto, who mouths if I am all right. Truth is, I am not.

Regardless, we have things to discuss.

Sasaki-san begins the discussion by describing what the court trial will look like. Since Shouto, Aunt Ahearn, and I have forwarded whatever evidence we have garnered to Sasaki-san, who has contacts in the police and justice departments. "I can submit the proof to a trusted officer, who will appeal to a judge to request a warrant," he informs us.

"Who is the officer you're thinking of? And is the judge trustworthy?" Shouto asks.

For the first question, Sasaki-san tells us he is thinking of reaching out to Tsukauchi-san. The name sounds familiar to me. Where have I heard it? Oh, yes. He is the detective in charge of investigating the Hanada murders. There is not much left to search in that investigation. The culprits are known, motives are almost verified, and locations of everyone involved are confirmed. Tsukauchi-san would be well on his way to arrest the perpetrators if they were anyone other than the Paranormal Liberation Army. My mistake, the League of Villains. The public does not know of the new development.

I note Tsukauchi-san's involvement and the risks with introducing him to our plot. "He is already responsible for examining the deaths of Hanada-sama's sons. And now you want him to examine Hanada-sama's financial crimes. Seems contradictory. Because this will mean that he has been assisting a criminal to investigate a criminal case. From the few times I have spoken with him, he appears to be a man with a strong conscience. Do you think this knowledge will sit right with him?"

Shouto hums in comprehension. "Selene has a point. I met him at the funeral. He was already busy with the threat posed by the League of Villains," he adds.

Aunt Ahearn remains astutely quiet. Then again, she has the benefit of not knowing who Tsukauchi-san is, so she cannot really say anything on the matter. Or perhaps the same situation applies to her and she realizes it. She is helping a murderer convict a criminal. I'm willing to bet Hanada-sama's Swiss bank account that it is the latter. I hide my expression of irony with a long sip of water.

"On the contrary, it might motivate him further," Sasaki-san counters. "Mind you, I have worked with Tsukauchi-san more times than both of you combined. His conscience will not let him sit in peace while knowing there is a lawbreaker he is capable of apprehending. Precisely, the knowledge will grate at him. It will push him to seek justice."

Sure, he can react for the better or the worse. There are two sides to a coin, after all. But I am still hesitant about bringing him into this. What if his involvement urges him to reexamine the murders with a fresh perspective? I hate to imagine it, but what if his research leads him to the bribery of the doctors. If he learns of my miscarriages …

Funny how innovative the universe can be when it wants you to accomplish one thing. Almost like a will of God. Almost.

The waiter arrives with our orders. The steam of the dishes wafts toward my nose, hinting at the combinations of spices and flavors masterfully designed.

With the chopsticks, I lift one of the korokke to my mouth and blow before taking a bite. Mmm! Delicious! The mashed potato melts in my mouth. Usually, the meat element of this dish is beef, but I was craving seafood today. It is easier to chew onto fish than white or red meat. And this salmon is perfect. Not too much to overpower the dish, but enough to taste buttery and smooth. Its aroma is positively delightful. Combined with the tonkatsu sauce … ah, heaven.

I must not be making an effort to hide my joy because I hear three giggles from my side.

I turn to look at them, with a half-eaten korokke stuck out of my mouth. Is there a problem? I ask with narrowed eyes.

"Just keep eating, Selene," Aunt Ahearn smiles slyly. "Don't mind us." You do realize that has the opposite effect?

Sasaki-san is no less subtle, either. He comments behind a covered mouth, "That potato croquette must be scrumptious." It is …

Shouto is the most blatant. He bites his inner lip and wraps an arm around his stomach. Oh, out with it already! I shove him lightly, and that is all it takes for him to lose the last remnants of control. He chuckles and speaks between breaths. "You are the only person I have ever seen look that happy eating a meal. You look like you're in absolute euphoria."

My defensiveness creeps up instinctively. Finishing the korokke with an ostentatious display of indifference, I return coldly, "It would be a waste of money if I did not enjoy the dish, no? My joy only goes to show how talented the chef is."

"Whatever you say, Selene," he chortles again. "Let me take a picture."

"Absolutely not!" I gasp.

Aunt Ahearn pipes in. "Too late! I took a video of you soaring amongst clouds of culinary perfection."

My eyes widen in shock at the same moment Shouto exclaims, "Send it to me! It's too good of an opportunity to pass. I get to tease you again, Selene."

"Please don't," I grumble, knowing that this is already an argument I have lost. But my display of annoyance quickly morphs into amusement. Shouto is having a good time. That's all that matters. It hadn't escaped my notice that, for the past few weeks, his exhaustion was accumulating. Barely visible dark circles, slight slump of the shoulders, and more frequent steepling of the hands. Initially, I had wondered if there was some family trouble going on at home, but when he told me that was not it, I figured it must have to do with the investigation. I could relate; I've been tired, too. He was kind not to voice the actual concern, but sooner or later, we would have to talk about this. Later, though. He's happy right now. He deserves to be happy.

In response to my mirth, he pops a tempura in his mouth. Mimicking the same sounds and facial expressions I made, he praises, "If the taste had not matched the price, I would be having words with the management."

Sly fox!

I give him another playful shove.

After we regain some modicum of public decency, we resume the conversation with Aunt Ahearn and Sasaki-san. Aunt Ahearn tells us she will reach out to the media instead of her superiors to bring this issue into the spotlight. From her time hunting down the Bone Crusher Killer, she interviewed plenty of news reporters and journalists. CEOs of some companies even reached out to her, promising to do her a favor in return for capturing the Killer. Although, that is not the background she gives to Shouto and Sasaki-san.

A knowing glance passes between us as she broadly explains how she has amassed contacts during her tenure as a police officer.

"Most reports do not get international coverage unless they are sensational," she says. "If we are going to build political pressure to get a verdict on this case, we will have to generate sensation. That shouldn't be too hard, given that Asahi Hanada conducted his business operations from England for a long time."

That makes sense. A single spark can create a wildfire. If even one news company agrees to leak the evidence of Hanada-sama's trial, the general public will do the rest. With the power of social media, the news will spread rapidly, pushing the higher-ups in government to do something.

Shouto seems to reach the same conclusion as I do because he asks her what our roles will be.

Aunt Ahearn replies, "I'm sure that in Japan, the two of you will be criticized for your involvement." When she calls to Sasaki-san for confirmation, he nods. "Be prepared for the same thing to happen here. Maybe the fact that both of you are underage will work in your favor, maybe not. In any case, follow through with what we have planned. You guys remember the testimony you will give, right?"

We respond with a determined yes.

The rest of the conversation passes by similarly. Next steps, risks, benefits, and the necessity to exercise caution. Shouto informs them of the new threat posed by Miyamoto Akutenshi, and they suggest that I carry a recording device on my persona. Try to escape if possible; otherwise, collect as much evidence as I can to incarcerate him. I wish my circumstances were such where I could assassinate him so the threat would be eliminated for good. What a shame.

Our appetizers have long since entered our stomach once the video call ends.

I ring a buzzer on the wall next to our seats. The waiter returns shortly. Shouto and I place our orders for dinner.

In between bites of soba, Shouto inquires, "You're going to the Hanada mansion this week, too, right?"

I consider the question. "Yes, but I will be spending more time at the head office. Learning the ropes of the business and all that."

Then he points at a bit of food stuck on my face. I use a napkin to brush it off. He shakes his head. I try the other side. Still, he says I missed it.

"May I?" he asks.

I nod.

He reaches forward and wipes the morsel with a swipe of his thumb.

It was just past the corner of my lips.

I expect him to shift back.

He does not.

He cups my cheek with his other hand.

A romantic touch, if only the gesture was not marked with sad smiles and teary eyes.

No words are needed.

I lean into his touch and kiss the inside of his wrist.