"—That's how it is. There's nothing but bad memories when it comes to what happened before."
Inside the wooden building, the voice of a tall man could be heard.
The location was a space on the outskirts of Mikado City, a space that included a kitchen and counter, around 20-tatami in size. It was a café where alcohol and snacks were served.
By the entrance, tables and chairs of wood were lined up, but the inner half was merely covered with tatami. From that expanse of tatami, a voice said...
"Alright, let's put that past behind us and have a change of heart. Faced with you, who's become idiotic, we've finally gotten the chance to meet up again, and we went so far as to prepare a place that you're familiar with, yet..."
Akasora, Rindō, Shinoda, and the girl who followed Shinoda surrounded a table in the heart of the building, and with them, Shinoda simultaneously thudded a medium-sized sake bottle drained of its contents against the table as his voice rang out.
"Chishi, you still mess around with your opponent in the middle of combat, just like you used to!?"
"You know, normally, one wouldn't make some girl fight against their great friend upon a reunion, you know? Kanzaki, right? I've seen your name before, but you've really become strong. Seriously, setting someone like that on me, Masafumi, just like that time before; there's something wrong with your brain, huh? If we were playing an RPG, you're the type who acts like you've immediately been cursed with Doom in a battle."
"You're damn noisy. You always do stuff like that, doing things by yourself; that's why you were yelled at by Kido-san so many times before, you know!? That's also why we dumped you—to let you be a teacher! In other words..."
"Hey, hey, Chishi, I won't let you get drunk at noon and loop your story three times. Rather, it's nice being an actual teacher, y'know? When I want to talk with young ones, when I want to talk to other teachers, when I want to line up all the youngsters and pretend that I'm the commander of an elite squadron in my heart while having a morning assembly... How do you think it is to be a high school teacher? Right, Takumi!?"
"Why are you turning to me?"
So he said, and Akasora and Shinoda looked at Rindō in unison...
"—Hey you, your reactions have always really been horrible!"
The girl behind Shinoda, Kanzai, slightly raised her hand.
"Shinoda-san, since before during the triple loop, it feels as if Rindō-san has been oppressed by something; but..."
"Ahh, Kanzaki, don't you remember our rhythm from before? It's been a bit since I've met them; I didn't think it'd return to the same situation as that time if I came this far..."
"Right," Kanzaki nodded. Bowing lightly while remaining seated...
"If it is possible, please introduce yourself again..."
.
For Kanzaki Shizuka, who studies the sword, the top Border fighters, who include these three men, are a special existence.
Currently, because of the frequent influx of applicants sent to Border and the upcoming enlistment day, the number of people who could hold that kind of value have become few. Those who act as leaders for others are put where they are needed, but these men were different. They held strong positions while also maintaining a strong organization.
She had only come along due to Director Shinoda asking her to visit someone with him and Director Rindō. As a newer member of Border herself, she felt like she had no real choice in the matter and simply nodded her head. However, she had not expected to come to this place that was "the place that you're familiar with" near the outskirts of the city. So she had made sure to remain alert.
...Despite that, they are all pretty bold...
The directors of Border's popularity is rather high among the Border members, and even the citizens know about them. Recently, Arashiyama Squad has been making sure to spread the word that they are good people who look out for their workers while maintaining their professionalism.
And there were some who knew about Akasora.
...In essence, the person who was treated as a rival to Director Shinoda.
I had met him before. I had talked to him before. However, these were things that happened in the distant past, and I do not really remember them, so I also did not know the worth or meaning of my opponent's existence. I just assumed that he was simply a good-looking old man.
Therefore, for Kanzaki, only Akasora is excluded from the popularity.
How deep is the acclamation of his worth, abilities, and personality that people speak of?
Now, the person himself was before her eyes, but...
"Ah, I'm Akasora Chishi. I'm seriously way more awesome than Masafumi. Masafumi and I were in a local class, and Takumi, over there, and Seidō, who isn't here, were in the admitted class since a while ago. We go back quite a bit, and they were even at my wedding. They were a hassle, but we've seen all the crazy things we've done in the past, even the weirder parts of each other's lives."
"That's because, at the time, we had nothing else to do since we also had others around. Our mentors were pretty harsh on us whenever your sister or your wife said they were dissatisfied with the way things were. Those were such a time."
That's a good excuse, huh. Anyways, during our time together - as older Border members - we had all gotten along well enough and even made sure that we got each other in trouble whenever we were really bored. Masafumi there, especially."
"Like you were any better, you damned idiot. Even now, I'm an exception, being the General Affairs Director for Border, allowed by the other directors."
"I'm ignoring you, but that's nice. Then, Seidō was our tsukkomi most of the time, and Takumi was just all talk."
"All talk..."
Rindō was drinking barley tea, but upon receiving Kanzaki's gaze, he waved his hand hurriedly...
"Th-that wasn't it at all! I provided just as much as these two fools did! Maybe even more since I'm better at communicating with others!"
"Something like that," Shinoda and Akasora nodded. First, Shinoda said...
"Certainly, you were talented with words, Rindō. During one of the festivals, when you recited a poem to lots of others who wanted to enjoy their time, 'The We of Tomorrow', it was pretty well received...by us only."
"I know, right? Even now, it's a nice memory. Back then, we used to play a lot by throwing a pile of firecrackers from the fourth floor of some buildings, right? A 'Bang!' noise would sound, and when you looked downward from the window, Takumi, who was going home, would be lying flat on his face, smoke rising from his head. Ah, no, I still remember it clearly. The arms of people who've fainted always hang really loosely, huh."
"Ahh," Kanzaki nodded, and she saw that veins had popped out on Rindō's temple as he twisted the side of his mouth, but Kanzaki said nothing. These are the topics of adults, Kanzaki thought. It is best for children to not speak out.
However, the topic coming from the adults had headed towards her.
Akasora, who had picked up a handcrafted clay pitcher of Japanese sake, asked her a question, a smile on his face.
"Kanzaki, you're about the age where you throw off the brainwashing of your athletic-type role model, right? A time of rebellion, right? Won't you come to our school? I rather want people like you, unlike those idiotic students I have. Kimura Kawaguchi is there too, y'know? Do you remember her?"
This man... Kanzaki twisted the edges of her mouth and muttered. However, in the words he had uttered just now, there was a name she was familiar with.
"I have not really met face-to-face with Kimura ever since middle school, but I had heard that she had gone to your school. I also heard that she's the student council vice president now..."
"That's right, that's right, so won't you come? I think that stereo-Zaki would be interesting."
With that, Shinoda, who was between Akasora and Kanzaki, first flipped the medium-sized sake bottle upside down and confirmed that there was nothing inside. That done, he glanced towards Kanzaki, and with a voice that could be heard by Akasora...
"Kanzaki, pay him no mind. Ever since before, he's a pitiful man who's had the misunderstanding, 'I'm loved by everyone else!' In elementary school, he was the type to answer 'Everyone!' without hesitation when asked the question: 'How many friends have you made?' by the graduation anthology teacher. He's the superopposite of Rindō, who wrote 'None'; but there was no helping it, so we became his bulkhead."
After about halfway through what he said, Rindō, on the other side of the table, waved his hand to the left and right with a slight motion.
...It must have been difficult.
Kanzaki thought. However, it was certain that she had been questioned by Akasora just now.
...Come to his school, huh.
There had been a lot of rumors. Because of the students there, a lot of people had started talking about that school.
A teacher from that school, who was in good circumstances, had invited her, so what would follow would be perfect.
However, she could not give an answer immediately. Because...
"—Wait a bit, Chishi."
Shinoda spoke with a clear-cut tone.
He asked the worker in the nearby kitchen for another sake bottle and a dozen chicken skewers.
"Whatever she chooses, right now would not be a good time for anyone to be changing schools. It would be different if this was a year ago, but this year you can't even try to have her go to your school."
Therefore...
"I was hoping that you could find a place for her in Border. Everything has been set for her, but there are still some issues that will be coming up. As such, I was hoping that some of your students would have room on their squads for her. Most of them have three Combatants, right?"
"Ehh? I'm not about to go ask my students about their squads when I'm not even a part of Border anymore. Besides, if she's as good as I think she is, couldn't you just dump her off on Kei or someone like that? I'm sure he would have no problem with her being on his squad."
"I already tried that. The two of them know each other already, so I also thought it would be a good idea. Turns out, as expected in hindsight, the two of them are incompatible as teammates."
"By that, you mean..."
Shinoda answered Akasora's question.
That was something that I had found out myself with Shinoda-san the day before. What I would do with myself from now on...
"—I told her that it would likely be better for her to have options. So, invite her then. If Kanzaki needs a squad or remains solo, she'll decide what she wants to do. That's what it means."
Shinoda spoke.
"From now on, the world will change... I want Border's members to do as they will. That includes this girl."
"That's nice."
...Eh?
Akasora's eyes flicked her way. He raised his eyebrows slightly and, with a smile, said,
"You're the talent that Shinoda Masafumi, the strongest Trigger user...no, Shinoda Masafumi the Border director, called a tiger in Border, has chosen to hep... It must've been interesting after joining Border, right? How much is expected of you? Really."
"...It seems like you're praising me, but you're not interested in anything but Kanzaki, huh?"
"Shouldn't that be obvious? A young child is far more easy to deceive than a geezer who's still serving as a director even though he's decided to not be in the field. However, I can't say that's all too bad. It means I don't have to worry about Border with you two and Kido-san involved. Even with your differences, it should be fine enough to not have to go back."
Akasora took a breath. In response, Kanzaki had her hands full stopping the trembling in her heart.
A former member of Border who rivaled Shinoda-san. To test him, who had drawn a time gap blank, I challenged him, who was in plain clothes, by Rindō-san's orders. Furthermore, I had asked Shinoda-san about the opponent's habits and made preparations for acceleration Triggers.
However, the result was clear.
I was able to reach my hand out, but I could not touch him.
That that kind of opponent has interest in me is something to be thankful for.
In any case, Kanzaki had mostly never left what was expected. Basically, the only ones she had shown her talent to were her father and the instructors at the kendo dojo. Along with the feeling that she had slacked off in her training...
...I am uneasy as to whether or not my power is enough.
Tachikawa-dono has been personally trained by Shinoda-san, while I have only received a slight form of formal training from him. When compared to him, I am sure to be lacking in many aspects and, in many ways, will be unable to catch up.
I had thought that I would eventually catch up, but maybe I have reached my limit as a solo agent.
At that moment, Akasora opened his mouth and looked at the surroundings.
"—In the end, we still don't know where Seidō is, huh? Any word from you guys?"
.
"Seidō is..."
"Seidō's whereabouts are still unknown."
Akasora saw it. He saw the fact that Kanzaki jerked her head upwards at Shinoda's words, which had interrupted Rindō. Her eyes seemed to want to ask, "Who is that?" Then... what Akasora thought was...
"...It isn't like I don't like watching out for my nephew."
"Right," said Shinoda in an instant.
From afar, outside the shop, footsteps rang out. Kanzaki looked at the exit of the shop and at the owner of the footsteps that entered...
"Sawamura-san."
"Hello."
Answering and stopping at the entrance of the tatami room was a slender figure in a suit. Akasora, who looked at the entire image in front of him belonging to this woman, dropped the sake bottle in his hand.
"Geh, Kyōko...!"
"Yes. Oh, how sad. I was thinking about who this might be; was it Akasora-san after all?"
She, Sawamura Kyōko, brought her gaze to Akasora, her eyes half-closed.
"Coming to this place after leaving Border, drinking sake without regard for a young girl in the room who actually has a future... I am able to judge that you are a serious adult. Kanzaki, you can go home now if you want."
"...Chishi, you still have this girl following you around? Seriously?"
"She is my aide. Sawamura-kun has helped me out a lot by doing her job properly, unlike a certain tracksuit-wearing idiot I happen to know and be drinking with..."
.
"Right."
Sawamura dipped her head his way.
"Currently, I am serving as an instructor for the basics for Kanzaki. Kanzaki is still pretty green when it comes to Triggers, but she is getting the hang of everything involving them. I don't doubt that she can reach A-Rank in a good amount of time. I have a lot of praise for her just because she isn't you."
"I see that you're just as harsh as ever. And here I was thinking that you would be happy to see one of the people always suppo-..."
It happened just as Akasora spoke.
Something sharp pierced the air about three centimeters in front of his right eye.
It was a bamboo skewer.
There is a bamboo skewer with barbecued chicken still on it, sitting in the air, aimed towards my right eye.
Oh, that's Kyōko holding her hand out like she just threw something.
"I know he isn't a part of Border anymore, but maybe don't go throwing skewers at Chishi. If he wasn't such a pathetic person he would have countered that by throwing three in return."
"...Masafumi. Does this little girl still do these sorts of things whenever you embarrass her by telling her to finally stand her ground? I guess she can do that much, but only when it comes to people that don't really matter anymore to her."
"I'm pretty good at verbal fights too."
"Chishi, can you please not tease Sawamura-kun? I don't want my aide to be attacking teachers of public schools. She works hard to maintain her image and is generally very helpful at the base, so I would prefer to have her around than you."
"I see our friendship means nothing to you at this point."
"That's about right."
Sawamura nodded.
"I do my best to help Shinoda-san whenever I can, so I don't even have time to deal with someone like you who doesn't think he should shave. ...Even if he looks pathetic with that scruff of hair on his chin."
As she said those words, Shinoda lowered the bamboo skewer to the plate, lining it up next to the others.
Simultaneously, Sawamura bowed and spoke.
"I really do think it's time we sent Kanzaki home now. I'll make sure she is fine."
"Of course." Shinoda stood up, and with a bow, Kanzaki also stood herself up.
"See you later." Shinoda turned his back, but raising his right hand lightly, he spoke these words:
"—Well then, this is it for us. Stay sharp."
.
After that, Akasora and Rndō watched as the two women and one man, all three of them possessing the strength of a warrior, exited the restaurant. After they had vanished from sight, their footsteps had disappeared, and the sound of their conversation could no longer reach Akasora and Rindō's ears...after the only thing that could be heard were the sounds of kitchen knives and flowing water coming from the kitchen, Akasora propped his elbow against the table.
"Takumi...the truth is that... Masafumi ate and ran without paying."
"I only ordered a barley tea."
"Hey, c'mon, I have no money. If I put it on my bill, the payment'll come during our school trip next year, you know?"
"It's not as if I pay..."
"Then it'll be my debt, won't it?"
Akasora's voice echoed softly through the shop, empty if not for them.
"I'll make a debt. That's what I'm talking about. You understand, don't you?"
"What do you mean by 'That's what I'm talking about?' "
"The reason that you and I are still here. That's right, I'll pay your share and Masafumi's share, creating two debts...so in exchange, you'll tell me two things."
The first was...
"About Seidō. Masafumi was avoiding it all along, but you tried to talk about it, didn't you? What's up with Seidō? ...Considering the circumstances of how he left and the fact that his wife and son are here...did something else happen to him?"
And the other was...
"Why is he so insistent on having Kanzaki on a squad? Did something happen with Kei's squad?"
"If I were to say what happened..."
Having spoken up to that point, Rindō shook his head. He tore his gaze from Akasora, standing up slowly...
"Well, shall we head outside? ...After all, it's easier to talk while walking."
By the time the next enlistment day comes around, it will have already been enough time.
A plain boy sighed into the air. Class was already over, and now everyone was just milling around, either going to after-school clubs or thinking about what they would do next.
For the boy, this was a normal occurrence. Even he would usually be doing those same things, but...
I should think about what to do now.
Since coming to Mikado City, he has been wondering what he would do once he was allowed to join that organization. A promise had been made between him and his parents before leaving their old home.
Now what will I do about it?
He let out another sigh and straightened his body. Feeling that his muscles were a bit stiff, he held his hands together and lifted them above his head. Three popping sounds could be heard under the slight moan he gave.
"Pah!"
To finish it off, he held his elbows out and started twisting his upper body from side to side.
"There we go! That feels much better!"
But it doesn't change what I need to think about. Still, it does feel good to loosen up my body a bit.
It was hard for his body to become tense, so when it happened, he liked getting rid of it as soon as he could.
"Now let's think about this properly," he said, nodding to himself.
The people he had come to know as a part of Border were strange. Well, more like the girls are. There were certainly all kinds of people in Border, if he went off of the people he had already met. There had been rumors about some of his upperclassmen as well, but he never thought too hard about rumors.
When narrowing it down, he found that it all depended on who the person was already. That included someone he knew personally.
Miwa-kun and Miura-kun seem fine enough, so that's good. I can talk with them pretty well and ask them any questions I have. Nire-san is a bit much, but Shigenaga is also pretty agro for someone in Border. Izumi-kun and Yoneya-kun are...a mix between those four? They can be a bit much, but they aren't bad people. I could probably ask them for some advice.
There was no real backing out of it at this point. Regardless of what those people were like, he had already accepted that he would be trying to join Border the next time he was able to. That had been decided on after he and a friend had convinced his parents to come to Mikado City.
Then it had been added on by Shigenaga, the rough girl he had met and befriended. With her help, his parents had no last-minute doubts about this choice.
Well, I was promised by Nire-chan that I would be given a small tour of Border's base. It's going to be limited, according to Miwa-kun, but it's still a good way to figure out exactly what I want to do. From what they have all told me, there are positions at Border. Something I need to understand right away is what position I am going to take.
The explanations he had gotten from Nire, Yoneya, and Izumi had been all over the place. There was no doubt that they had been messing with him until they had been put in their place by Shigenaga. After them, Miura gave him a proper explanation of every position. Next to him, Miwa added in some things but otherwise left it to Miura.
All that was left was to decide what would be a good fit for him.
Without any guidance or preparation, it was hard to figure out on his own. There were many things to consider when thinking about which kind of position would fit.
"I'm pretty average when it comes to athletics, so maybe something for distance? Besides, I've only ever held a toy sword before."
The baby pictures of him pretending to be a hero as a child made him go a bit red in the face.
"I don't really trust myself in that department..."
In any case.
"I should get going. If I don't leave now then Nire-san might just end up hunting me down."
That girl was difficult to handle, but he managed once he started figuring out just how she did things. Miwa and Miura had been a big help with that, but even they had some trouble with her from time to time. In most cases, he would move to the back and smile at her.
"Now then," he said to himself. "Let's see what Border's like!"