18 Intruder

"Jin, do you have an older brother?"

"Yeah. My older brother's cool, man!"

"Hmm."

On a certain afternoon after school.

The two had just finished an evenly matched game of dodgeball and were walking home together.

"Wait, if you have an older brother... then you're a younger sister?"

"No, I'm a guy. I'm his younger brother... I'm not a girl."

Mio shook her head slowly, as if she didn't understand, while receiving a look that said, "What are you even talking about?"

"Otou-san said people with older brothers are sisters."

"...You're smart, but sometimes you're seriously dumb..."

That's definitely because you weren't listening properly, or your dad didn't finish what he was saying, Jake warned.

"So, Jin, you're definitely not a younger sister?"

"Definitely not. Why are you so fixated on me being a sister?"

"Because sisters are enemies."

"…You do have a younger sister, right?"

"No, I don’t."

"Why are you全方位ly hostile toward someone who doesn’t even exist?"

Shu abandoned understanding. The meaning was incomprehensible.

The prediction that this was surely a trivial misinterpretation came easily.

"Whatever. See you tomorrow, Higashi. I’ll settle this tomorrow for sure!"

"We drew today. That’s impossible."

"That’s the spirit!"

At the crossroads, Mio was alone.

She walked, a faint loneliness in her steps, heading home.

She sometimes went to the training academy for dinner, but today was a straight return.

Behind her, a figure—obviously suspicious—followed.

A summer coat hiding their form.

A hat, sunglasses, and a mask—three pieces.

A textbook example of a suspicious figure, straight out of city police training manuals.

A person seeing this would unquestionably report them as suspicious—this figure moving through blind spots as if avoiding cameras.

To pinpoint camera positions with such precision was professional-grade.

"Shōgō Mio-chan?"

The suspicious figure closed the distance to Mio.

Mio turned at the sound of her name.

Though she thought it an odd posture, she did not dwell on it.

"Who are you?"

"I’ve come to pick you up."

"Father said not to follow strangers."

Slightly cautious, Mio recalled her earlier conversation with May.

You won’t know someone just because you hear their name.

Yet the figure before her seemed incapable of such reasoning.

As if hesitating after speaking first.

The body swayed.

The suspicious figure collapsed, struck by something.

"What are you—"

Something like a sack was pulled over her head, blocking her vision. Something wrapped around her feet as well.

"Ku— this—"

Footsteps receding in the distance, while she was still hesitating.

She gritted her teeth, tearing at the thing binding her.

"Jump rope?"

◆ ◆ ◆

"What are you even doing now?!"

"Tohaya-kun, what happened?"

"It's not 'what happened'! You were told to run if you see a suspicious person!"

As Mio ran, pulled by Shu, the words struck her like a revelation.

"That was the suspicious person…?"

"What else could it be?"

She slowed her pace while still moving.

"Hey, is your place close?"

"Yeah, just over there."

"Can I come with you? That guy might still be around…"

At that moment, Mio noticed Shu’s hand trembling.

"Why are you shaking?"

"I'm not shaking. I wasn't afraid of that guy."

Still unsure, Mio continued.

"Why did you help me?"

"？ Why do you need a reason to help a friend?"

"…I guess so."

Without hesitation, Shu spoke, having rushed over upon seeing Mio in danger.

Mio felt her heart flutter, though she couldn't explain why, and returned home with Shu.

"Call your father," she was told. Mio reached out to Jin.

"Wait. I'm coming back soon. Don't let anyone in, no matter what."

"Got it."

Nodding, Mio ended the call.

"Your father?"

"He said he'd be back soon."

"What does your father do?"

"He said 'teacher,' like he mentioned before."

"Ah. So the teacher's finished schoolwork and has nothing else to do now?"

Jin, Mio, and Jake were shouting in despair as the assignments piled up at an overwhelming pace, forcing the lecture to end early.

Unaware that the three were now in despair, the two continued chatting casually.

"Your room has a lot of stuffed animals..."

"Mine’s a penguin—peep peep!"

"Does it have a name?"

As she introduced each one, Mio spoke with a faint sadness.

"They’re all together when I’m away."

That reminded Jin.

He often heard Mio talk about her father, but never about her mother.

Six years old, he felt a quiet hesitation—perhaps it was better not to ask.

"What’s this? Raven?"

Shin tilted his head at the exaggerated proportions of Raven, one of the stuffed animal collection.

"Recommended by my dad."

"Got a weird taste, huh."

"Taoyakun, you know Raven?"

"Uh, yeah, he's cool."

The unit that fights to protect the convoy from relentless invaders is, in a sense, a living hero.

There's no way he wouldn't know.

"I've got a doll at home too."

"Oh, we're pals then."

The gap between plush toys and action figures was real, but it was undeniably the same hobby connecting Mio and Shu.

That's when Mio thinks of it.

She'll show him the real thing—her thanks for being rescued (supposedly) today.

"Hey, hey. Mio just had an idea..."

Before she can voice the thought.

"Mio, are you alright!"

Jin came running back, literally.

He returned without even changing clothes. Still clad in the slightly intimidating uniform, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Dad, you're home."

"Ah, I'm intruding."

With a slightly tense greeting to Mio’s guardian, Jun whispered into Mio’s ear.

“You weren’t the teacher, were you?”

“Tōyakun, that tickles. Teacher, right?”

Mio mimicked him, leaning close to Jin and whispering into his ear.

“Um… you’re…?”

“Tōyakun! Mio’s Number One Follower!”

“Not a follower! Um… Tōtani Jun. Nice to meet you.”

They were in the middle of a serious match to settle their current relationship.

Yet from this exchange, Jin realized he was the one he’d only heard rumors about.

“You’re the one… always playing with Mio. Thank you, Tōtani.”

The words carried an odd weight. From what Mio had said, Jin could tell the boy had been thoroughly entangled.

“Hey, what kind of rumors are you spreading?”

“Played together.”

Mio’s reply was painfully simple. Jun’s response—already mid-sentence, already annoyed—was clear.

Jin felt the two were closer than he had heard.

This was definitely Mio manipulating him. He was certain.

“Why is Tōya-kun here, then?”

“Tooya-kun grabbed Mio’s hand and went ‘gaa’ and then ‘guu’!”

“Um, Tōyō-kun was approached by someone strange, so we ran away together.”

“I see.”

Having heard the entire account, Jin knelt and looked into Shu’s face.

“Thank you for protecting your daughter. Brave of you, Tōya-kun.”

People who act so spontaneously are rare.

Jin praised Shu for showing courage at six. Not something anyone could imitate.

“Tooya-kun was cool.”

“Hm.”

Hearing Mio’s words, Jin tightened his expression slightly.

"By the way, Tooya-kun. I’d like you to remember this in about ten years… I don’t intend to leave Mio in the hands of someone weaker than myself. Make sure you keep that in mind."

"Huh?"

"Wait… what?"

The two looked confused, but whether they’d laugh when they understood or pale instead remained uncertain.

"By the way, Tooya-kun. What did that suspicious person look like? Height, anything?"

The complaint—why ask Mio?—was ignored. She wouldn’t give a coherent answer anyway.

"Um… probably around 160 centimeters. Wearing a coat, hat on their head."

"And it was a woman’s voice!"

Hearing those details, Jin nodded slowly.

It clicked.

"Got it. I’ll go deal with it. Stay here, Tooya-kun. Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon."

"Ah, yes. Be careful!"

"Goodbye!"

Jin moved forward, searching for the suspicious individual, buoyed by the two voices behind him.

It was not difficult.

The house came into view—hidden from surveillance cameras. That was all he needed.

As expected, she was there.

“Hello.”

Approaching from behind, he spoke, and a backhand punch flew at him.

He blocked it, the weight unexpected. The confirmation that her identity matched his prediction brought only a dark feeling.

“That disguise. It serves no purpose in the Third Fleet. Better to drop it. You’re only drawing attention.”

In the Third Fleet, where every movement is monitored by a multitude of sensors, even heavy clothing offers no concealment. Gait, balance—these details alone can identify a person. A managed society.

Common knowledge to someone raised in the Third Fleet. Unfamiliar to one raised in the Second.

“Two years since we last met face to face. Chi.”

Don’t call me by name so familiarly, Jin…!

She rips away the veil hiding her face, exposing a gaze brimming with hatred.

The face—so like that of Kusunoki Rei, yet unmistakably different.

Her name is Kusunoki Chi.

The younger sister of Kusunoki Rei, the girl who was supposed to become Jin’s adoptive sister.