​Epilogue: Primavera

​December 24th, 5:00 PM. Tennai Haruma.

​Passing through a gate large enough for cars, a stone-paved path stretched straight ahead. At the end of it stood a sprawling traditional Japanese mansion.

​"I-Isn't this place a bit too huge…?"

​"It's a pain in the ass 'cause the front door is so far," Calvin replied.

​This was Calvin's house—meaning, the absolute headquarters of the Crane Group.

​Today was Reidou's birthday, and also Christmas Eve.

​We had decided to throw a party to celebrate both events, and Mitaka had suggested hosting it at Calvin's place.

​Me, Reidou, Calvin, Miyagawa, Ashihara, and Mitaka, who had driven us here.

​The six of us walked down the stone path leading to the mansion.

​"Wow~, there's a pond~!" Miyagawa exclaimed in awe at the pond visible in the garden to our right.

​Pine trees grew alongside it, making for quite the picturesque scene. I wouldn't be surprised if there were Nishikigoi swimming in there.

​Just as Calvin said, the walk to the front door was long, but the unusual scenery kept us entertained.

​When we finally arrived at the entrance, the doors slid open on their own. Beyond them, men in tailored suits were lined up on both sides.

​Resting their hands on their knees, the men bowed in unison toward us.

​"Thank you for your hard work!"

​"Yeah."

​Completely unfazed by the intense vocal pressure, Calvin gave a half-hearted reply as he took off his shoes.

​Ashihara blinked, a mix of surprise and sheer novelty on her face.

​"Woah, crazy… It's just like the movies."

​The textbook yakuza greeting felt a little bit like overkill, but… I guess they really still do this kind of stuff even in the Reiwa era.

​Mitaka offered a mischievous smile as she put Calvin's shoes away.

​"The Young Master has never invited friends over before, so they're incredibly fired up. These men were practically crying tears of joy."

​So this wasn't how things normally were. Hearing that, Reidou and Miyagawa both chuckled.

​"He's truly adored, isn't he?"

​"It's kinda cute when you think about it~"

​Whether it was cute or not was debatable, but it was obvious how much they cared for Calvin.

​We took off our shoes and stepped up into the hallway.

​Expensive-looking vases and hanging scrolls decorated the entryway, and the hardwood floors stretched endlessly to the left and right.

​As I looked around, taking everything in, a female electronic voice suddenly echoed from somewhere.

​[Welcome home.]

​"Eh…!?"

​That electronic voice sounded incredibly familiar.

​Turning around, I saw someone dressed in a maid outfit, their long black hair obscuring their eyes.

​…It was Amifune, currently being sheltered by the Crane Group.

​Now targeted by Hakunaga Mikasa, Amifune couldn't possibly return home. We wracked our brains trying to figure out how to protect him, and the solution we ultimately landed on was asking the Crane Group to take him in.

​When I brought the request to Giorgio-san, he agreed without a second thought.

​And that was why Amifune was currently living here, but…

​Why the hell did he come out cross-dressing?

​Just like when he disguised himself as Showatari Tsubasa, he was playing an electronic voice from his smartphone.

​Ashihara tilted her head as she looked at Amifune, who was cross-dressing in a maid outfit.

​"Huh? It's Itaru. What're you doing?"

​"Eh, that's Amifune-kun~!?"

​Miyagawa hadn't realized; she covered her mouth with an open palm in huge surprise.

​Well, yeah, that's the normal reaction. Not noticing was the standard.

​"Ashihara, you can tell…?"

​When I asked, Ashihara answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

​"Well yeah, Itaru dresses up like a girl pretty often."

​Following up, Amifune replied in his real voice instead of using the app.

​"It's a hobby of mine."

​…Ehh… I never knew.

​Apparently, thanks to Ashihara, he had gotten pretty good at doing his own makeup.

​So that was the background behind the disguise being high-quality enough to completely fool me.

​"So, why are you at Calvin-kun's house, Amifune-kun~?"

​"Due to family circumstances, they're letting me crash here for a while. So, I figured I'd repay the favor by becoming a maid."

​Amifune answered Miyagawa's question without skipping a beat. He had probably anticipated it.

​No, wait, hold on a second.

​"You didn't really have to be a maid, you know…"

​"Like I said, it's a hobby."

​Right, okay then...

​I thought Amifune was my friend, but it turned out there was a terrifying amount of things I didn't know about him.

​For some reason, Amifune felt a lot brighter than he used to.

​Flashing a bright smile, he looked back and forth between me and Calvin.

​"Would you two like to try it out too?"

​"Nah, that's way too much for me... But Naiama might actually look good in it."

​Amifune and Calvin both rested a finger on their chins, their eyes sparkling dangerously.

​"To be honest, I've always thought Tennai-kun had the natural talent for it, too."

​"It's a light novel staple for a guy like Naiama to turn out super cute when he cross-dresses, after all."

​Is that actually a trope in light novels?! Something like 'the useless detective is actually a genius'?

​"Come over to this side."

​Amifune shot me a dramatic wink.

​Since he genuinely looked like a cute maid on the outside, it actually suited him far too well.

​"N-No… I'm definitely not doing it, okay!?"

​Maybe it was the backlash of finally being freed from his father's orders, but Amifune's energy was through the roof today.

​Exasperated by our banter, Ashihara pushed Miyagawa and Reidou forward.

​"Ai-chan, Momiji-chan, let's just ignore the three idiots and start the party already."

​"I'm so hungry~. You are too, right, Hiyadou-san~?"

​"Yes, I feel like I might collapse from starvation."

​We—We're being treated like three idiots...

​"Alright, I'll show you to the guest room."

​Mitaka raised her hand, taking the lead.

​"…………"

​Reidou glanced at Amifune with a slightly awkward expression.

​…We learned Amifune's motives the other day, but it still wasn't something you could easily process and move past.

​He acted under Hakunaga Mikasa's orders, and even though it wasn't what he truly wanted... he had still been involved in the murders of Elaine, Mearin, and Tsubaki-san.

​"Well then, have fun."

​Parting ways with Maid Amifune, we made our way down a wide hallway reminiscent of a high-end ryokan, arriving at the guest room.

​Despite the traditional Japanese exterior, not every room was tatami. It was an elegant Western-style room complete with sofas and tables.

​A beautifully decorated tree was set up, perfectly capturing the Christmas spirit. Did the scary-looking guys at the entrance set this up too...?

​"Whew, goooorgeous!"

​Ashihara sat on the sofa, letting out a low whistle as she looked up at the chandelier dangling from the ceiling.

​"Wow~, there's a tiger~!"

​Miyagawa was happily petting a stuffed tiger displayed in the corner of the room. It was so realistic it was actually a little terrifying.

​"Well then, since I believe Reidou-san is at her limit, shall I have the food brought in? We hired a professional chef, so I can guarantee the taste."

​Mitaka pulled out her smartphone, making a call. It seemed to be an internal line; she instructed whoever was on the other end to begin serving the meal.

​Hearing the words "professional chef," Reidou clasped her hands together, her eyes shining brightly.

​"Sora-san… thank you so much…!"

​As I took a seat on the sofa, Calvin sat down next to me.

​"Naiama, you made sure to bring a present, right?"

​"I brought one, but I'm worried it's gonna look pathetic compared to whatever you prepared, Calvin."

​Since today was both Reidou's birthday and a Christmas party, we had all agreed to bring presents for a gift exchange.

​I was honestly curious to see what everyone had picked out—it felt like their personalities would really shine through.

​Suddenly, I noticed Ashihara and Mitaka whispering secretively in the corner of the room. Their voices were just loud enough for me to catch snippets.

​"Mitaka-san, is the thing over there good to go?"

​"If you mean the 'package', preparations are flawless."

​…Were they plotting something?

​"Merry Christmas!"

​Right after we gave our collective cheer, trays piled high with food began flowing into the room.

​Roast turkey, pizzas, thick-cut steaks, and even sushi crafted by a master chef. Everything was top-tier quality and so delicious it felt like it would melt on your tongue.

​It was an overwhelming amount of food for five high schoolers, but with Reidou here, the tables were instantly turned.

​In fact, the food was vanishing faster than they could serve it, leaving Mitaka running around in a panic.

​After a while, when the incredible spread started dwindling down, Ashihara and Miyagawa exchanged a meaningful look and nodded.

​"…?"

​Following that, Ashihara sent a subtle signal to Mitaka.

​Catching the cue, Mitaka gave a thumbs-up and slipped out of the room.

​At this point, I had a pretty good idea of what was coming next. Pointing it out would ruin the mood, though, so I kept my mouth shut.

​"Sorry for the wait! One cake, coming right up!"

​A moment later, Mitaka returned, wheeling in a cart bearing a cake while making a lively announcement.

​A small caricature of Reidou was drawn next to the words 'Happy Birthday' on a chocolate plate. It was incredibly cute.

​Seeing it, Reidou's face lit up with unparalleled joy.

​"Wow…! It looks delicious!"

​"Oh, Dore's birthday cake."

​"Did the chef make this, too?"

​When I asked Mitaka, Ashihara grinned devilishly.

​"Heh heh heh. Actually…"

​Miyagawa threw her hands up and beamed at Reidou.

​"Iyo-chan, Mitaka-san, and I made it together~! I drew Hiyadou-san's face~!"

​It seemed the three of them had secretly gathered at Miyagawa's house earlier in the day to bake it, and Mitaka had brought it over.

​The cake looked so perfect it could have been sold in a bakery.

​"Man, baking a cake is completely out of my wheelhouse. It was rough," Mitaka sighed.

​"Hey, all you did was put the strawberries on top, Mitaka-san!" Ashihara fired off a sharp retort, sending the room into a fit of laughter.

​The surprise was a massive success, filling the room with a warm, gentle atmosphere.

​Reidou murmured softly.

​"This is… the most fun birthday I've ever had in my entire life."

​Staring at the cake, her eyes began to well up with tears.

​"Thank you, everyone."

​Illuminated by the candlelight, the tears streaming down Reidou's cheeks sparkled.

​Knowing they were tears of joy, we all watched over her with soft smiles.

​After that, we exchanged presents, played games, and the fun of the party flew by in a flash.

​Partway through, I excused myself to use the restroom.

​I had asked for directions and headed out alone, but man, this house was huge… Wandering around, I eventually stepped out onto a veranda facing the inner garden.

​A man in a suit sat there, gazing at the moonlit garden with a glass in his hand.

​It was Calvin's father and the head of the Crane Group—Giorgio-san.

​He had been away on a business trip overseas but must have returned recently.

​"Giorgio-san."

​"Oh, Tennai."

​I called out to him and bowed my head.

​"Thank you for sheltering Amifune."

​I had explained our situation to Giorgio-san and asked him to hide Amifune, whose life was currently in danger. He had accepted the request fully knowing what kind of enemy we were dealing with, so I couldn't thank him enough.

​"Don't sweat the cross-dressing kid. Hell, I owe you a billion yen; this ain't nearly enough to repay that debt."

​The cross-dressing kid... He had helped me secure the win during that massive horse race bet, but Giorgio-san had also bailed us out of that mess with the Suruga Group. One good turn deserves another, I suppose.

​Even so… there was still a lingering hesitation inside me.

​"Even so, Giorgio-san, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have burdened you with this..."

​The bitter regret etched into my soul from the hotel incident.

​I was thinking about Yunomiya and Chiyuki-san.

​I had relied on them, asked for their help, and it resulted in an irreversible tragedy.

​But at the same time, I simply wasn't strong enough to protect Amifune on my own.

​When I voiced my regrets and apologies, Giorgio-san's expression didn't change in the slightest.

​"I get regretting the past, but don't lose sight of the moves you have left to play."

​"…………?"

​"Leaving that cross-dressing kid with us was the best possible move you could make."

​Right at that moment, a man's voice echoed from atop the wall surrounding the estate.

​It looked like he had scaled the wall; he leaped down, landing effortlessly in the garden.

​"Craaaaane! Time to meet your maker!"

​The man roaring was tightly gripping a knife.

​…Wait, is this… one of those yakuza raids?

​While I was panicking, Giorgio-san didn't move a single muscle in his face, remaining seated on the veranda.

​However—with a gun he had drawn before I even noticed—he effortlessly shot the raiding man through the shoulder.

​"Gyaaaaaaaaagh!"

​The man screamed as a spray of blood splattered against my cheek.

​Both the attacker and I hadn't even realized he'd been shot until it happened. The reaction speed was unbelievable.

​Giorgio-san holstered his gun and took another swig of his drink.

​"Doesn't matter what comes at me. In a fight to the death, there's no way in hell I'd lose to some random monkey."

​R-Right... That's reassuring...

​The sheer casualness of the sequence completely blew away whatever worries I was having.

​The shot attacker was quickly dragged away by Crane Group members to god knows where.

​"Come to think of it, I said I had something to talk to you about once I got back. Sit down."

​Prompted by Giorgio-san, I sat down on the veranda.

​He offered me a glass filled with alcohol, but being underage, I raised my hand and politely declined.

​"As you can see, I'm an American. There's a reason I'm running a yakuza syndicate in Japan."

​Pausing for a moment, Giorgio-san took a sip of the drink I had turned down.

​"…One of my goals is to hunt down the bastard who's been killing Anomalies in Japan."

​Anomalies. That was a term used for abnormal phenomena.

​Calling ability users Anomalies actually sounded pretty cool...

​"And that cross-dressing kid you brought here. His old man is some Ministry of Defense official involved in killing Anomalies... was that the story?"

​His glass was empty in the blink of an eye, and Giorgio-san poured more of the amber liquid from the bottle.

​"You brought me the exact information I was looking for. Plus, if you want to stop this Anomaly killer, our goals align."

​Giorgio-san held out the freshly poured glass toward me once again.

​"Drink up. Just a sip is practically disinfectant."

​I was still a minor… but he was absolutely insistent on me drinking it.

​It was true that our goals aligned, so maybe accepting the drink here was the right move?

​I figured one sip wouldn't kill me, but... amber liquids like this generally have a notoriously high alcohol content.

​"…Alright."

​I took the glass with both hands and slowly tipped it into my mouth.

​I really only let a single drop touch my tongue, but the liquid vanished instantly, leaving behind a medicinal smell and the sensation that my tongue had just been burned.

​Ugh. No offense, but this tasted awful.

​Seeing my face scrunch up in disgust, Giorgio-san looked satisfied that I had actually drank it.

​…I felt like we had just exchanged some kind of yakuza blood oath.

​My tongue was still burning, so I let the cool breeze hit it. Beside me, Giorgio-san downed his own drink.

​"Now then, about this Hakunaga Mikasa guy from the Ministry… Habamo dropped that name too, didn't she?"

​"!"

​"I was thinking the exact same thing."

​Hamo Ryoko was the current Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. I had met her before at the racetrack.

​At that time, Habamo had mentioned, "Hakunaga didn't show up."

​If things had gone differently, I might have actually run into Hakunaga Mikasa that day.

​Hakunaga Mikasa was a bureaucrat holding the title of Defense Minister's Policy Advisor. A quick internet search brought up his photo.

That's when I realized... Hakunaga Mikasa was the man who had handed documents to the minister and whispered in her ear during the Diet broadcast about the NASA partnership.

​A news article had described him like this.

​"—Hakunaga Mikasa (50), serving as a Policy Advisor in the Ministry of Defense, is drawing domestic and international attention as the central figure driving the framework for technological cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a symbol of the government's strategic shift in the field of space security, he has garnered numerous voices of both praise and criticism from experts and intellectuals alike, making him a figure whose future moves will be closely watched."

​...We managed to identify him, but right now, there's no actual proof tying him to the murders.

​It's just Amifune's word against his.

​In our current situation, we can't even rely on the police to arrest him.

​Considering what happened with Ritsune Mio... with Mio-san, it means Hakunaga Mikasa has people inside the police force following his orders, too.

​Cornering him isn't going to be easy.

​And... right now, there is one man who is a clear and present enemy to us.

​"I heard that Arikata Shinobu... had his crimes exposed by you and Yunomiya-san two years ago," I said.

​Hearing Arikata Shinobu's name, Giorgio-san scoffed.

​"Hah. You're well-informed."

​It was something I heard from Dad. Though why Dad knew something like that was still a mystery...

​"...To think that dumbass is still out there causing trouble."

​Giorgio-san raised his glass, holding it up as if to cover the moon.

​His voice and expression remained cool, but a vein bulged on his forehead.

​I could feel a quiet, crushing pressure of pure anger radiating from him...

​"He laid a hand on Yunomiya... I'm going to crush Arikata Shinobu."

​A crack ran down the glass in Giorgio-san's grip.

​December 24th, 9:00 PM. Tennai Haruma.

​"Haaa, that was so much fun..."

​Reidou was lying on the sofa, clutching her stomach with a perfectly satisfied look on her face.

​This was Reidou's apartment.

​Because our lives were being targeted, we agreed it'd be best not to be alone. So, instead of my apartment, we came back to hers.

​Apparently, Dad would come rushing over in five minutes if anything happened, so we were just spending a normal evening.

​...I have no idea how he plans to rush over here in five minutes. He's as full of mysteries as ever.

​Today was December 24th—Christmas Eve. Reidou had set up a small Christmas tree on the table.

​"Yeah... I'm glad everyone could celebrate with you... Ahh, this hits the spot..."

​Right now, I was pressing the massager I got from the gift exchange against my back.

​It was a thick, rectangular machine with little balls rolling around inside. By the way, this was Miyagawa's present; apparently, she highly recommends it for stiff shoulders.

​"I ended up with Iyo-san's present. Let's open it, shall we?"

​Hmm, a present picked out by the resident gyaru, Ashihara... I couldn't even begin to imagine what it was.

​Reidou carefully peeled back the wrapping paper and opened the cutely decorated box.

​Inside was... a shogi board. The foldable kind.

​Naturally, it came with pieces, and a book of tsumeshogi (shogi puzzles) was included as a set.

​"T-That's pretty old-school..."

​I suppose, in a weirdly roundabout way, this was actually very Ashihara-like...

​"I believe Iyo-san likes shogi, so that must be why."

​I had no idea she was into that. Between her and Amifune, my friends still had a lot of surprises up their sleeves.

​".........Um, hey. Reidou."

​Since we were already opening presents, I figured now was the perfect time, and I pulled a small cubic box out of my bag.

​"This is, well, separate from Christmas... It's a birthday present."

​"Eh...! No way, another present...?"

​"I mean, the one I brought for the exchange went to Calvin. And I'd hate to just not give you anything... so, uh, I'd be happy if you'd accept it."

​Looking a bit hesitant, Reidou timidly accepted the box with both hands.

​"Thank you so much!"

​Holding the box, Reidou's face broke into a radiant smile, like a flower bursting into bloom.

​She asked if she could open it, and when I nodded, she carefully undid the wrapping and opened the box.

​Inside was—

​"Ah... What a cute watch."

​A stainless steel wristwatch with a pink-beige hue that gave off a warm feel.

​The brand was Wicca. It was priced just around the limit of what a high schooler could barely afford.

​"Since you don't even have a smartphone, Reidou, I figured you should at least have a watch."

​Actually, considering everything that's going to happen, she really ought to buy a smartphone.

​Why doesn't she have one, anyway...?

​"I'm so happy. I'll treasure it."

​Reidou clutched the watch tightly. I was just glad she liked it.

​With a faint blush on her cheeks, she looked up at me through her eyelashes.

​"I'll treasure it. This watch, you, Haruma-kun, and everyone else..."

​"Yeah."

​...I felt it from the bottom of my heart: I didn't want Reidou to lose any more precious people in her life.

​The situation we've found ourselves in might be far from peaceful, but we'll fight and we won't lose.

​"……………"

​Reidou set the watch down, shifted her position on the sofa, and closed the distance between us.

​Then, wrapping both her arms around my back, she embraced me... or rather, she practically tackled me into a hug.

​I fell backward, and Reidou ended up straddling me on top.

​Startled by the sudden physical contact, my heart hammered against my ribs as I called her name.

​"R-Reidou?"

​".........Um, I actually have one more favor to ask..."

​"A-Are you hungry?"

​The moment I said that, her affectionate expression vanished, replaced by a sullen glare.

​"No. I am not that much of a glutton."

​Well, the jury's still out on that one...

​Her appetite aside, Reidou looked me straight in the eyes and spoke.

​"I've been thinking about this for a while, but... I'd really like you to call me by my first name."

​"Ugh."

​I let out an involuntary groan, reacting like I'd just been stabbed in the chest.

​"Do you not want to?"

​"It's not that I don't want to... It's just really embarrassing. I've never called a girl by her first name before, so I'm not used to it, seriously."

​It wasn't a lie. I've always called Japanese girls by their last names. I'm pretty sure I've been doing it my entire life.

​However, considering Reidou called me by my first name while I stuck to her surname, that "Ugh" was just the realization of Ah, she finally called me out on it.

​"...Then, since it's my birthday and Christmas, please call me by my first name from now until tomorrow morning."

​Reidou pressed her body even closer against mine, closing the gap until I could feel her breath on my skin.

​"From here on out, it's just the two of us... after all."

​I could feel her heartbeat through our chests.

​My own heart was racing so fast, it felt like they were echoing against each other.

​Our eyes met. Reidou's cheeks were flushed, and she was staring intently at me with a dreamy, enamored expression.

​I couldn't move a single muscle.

​"Just the two of us... right?"

​She repeated her previous words, turning them into a question.

​With such sweet allure hanging in the air, having her say that while surrendering her entire body weight to me...

​I swallowed hard... and steeled my resolve, deciding that since it was her birthday, I had to do it.

​I slowly opened my mouth and, just as she asked, spoke Reidou's... first name.

​"M-Momi..."

​Ding-dong.

​"Eh?"

​Right as the mood between us reached its absolute peak, the sound of the intercom rudely sliced through the air.

​My attempt at saying her name was completely drowned out, leaving Reidou dumbfounded.

​"At this hour...?"

​She muttered in obvious disappointment, getting up to check the intercom camera.

​It was 9:00 PM, reasonably late. Too late for a standard delivery, so what could it be?

​I sat back up on the sofa, agonizing over a single thought: Is there any way we can get that mood back after this...?

​Glancing at the intercom monitor set up in the corner of the living room, Reidou jumped in surprise.

​"Sora-san...?"

​Believe it or not, the person on the screen was Calvin's attendant, Mitaka Sora.

​She had just been enjoying the Christmas party with us a little while ago, but she had changed out of her maid outfit into casual clothes.

​Did she forget something?

​Seeing that it was someone she knew, Reidou decided to answer the door directly instead of talking through the monitor. For whatever reason, I tagged along behind her.

​"Sora-san, is everything alright?"

​"Hey there, sorry for dropping by so late. Just as I thought, Tennai-san is here too."

​Apparently, she had heard from Calvin that since it was Christmas Eve, the two of us were probably spending it alone together.

​I mean, well, it wasn't completely untrue, but the more accurate reason was that we were sticking together for safety due to the whole murder-conspiracy thing...

​Mitaka, dressed in her casual wear, had a massive duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

​"Were you two in the middle of having some fun, perhaps?"

​"W-W-We haven't done anything yet!"

​Teased by Mitaka, Reidou's face flushed bright red.

​Reidou-san, you just said "yet"... It's cute, though.

​"I'm here on orders from the Boss. He said you two might be in danger of being targeted."

​Mitaka said, setting her duffel bag down on the floor.

​"Well, he might not be wrong about that."

​"So, Sora-san, you came here to be our bodyguard?"

​Reidou and I nodded at each other in understanding.

​"Exactly. Therefore..."

​Mitaka sharply raised three fingers, displaying them to us as she made her declaration.

​"Tennai-san, Reidou-san, and me. For the time being, the three of us are going to live together."

​"Eh..."

​...The night of Christmas Eve. Reidou Momiji's birthday.

​""EHHHHHHH!!!""

​Having grasped new truths and new mysteries, we found ourselves suddenly beginning a bizarre three-person cohabitation.