Confession

"Looks like someone needs em' manners. We the Kuroi gang! Does it ring any bells?!"

Oh fuck.

|...|

Why is the Kuroi gang here? I didn't see them when I used Nori! It's trivial to ponder about it. Reyna and I need to escape from this situation!

"Oh, ain't you that Miles kid boss been all over 'bout? Finally came to join us, huh?"

"Miles, what is this guy saying? You're on our side, right? You aren't going to betray the police co-"

"Reyna! Be quiet! I'll explain later!"

Fuck me! What am I going to do now?! If I play along with these gang members, Reyna will get the wrong idea. But if I oppose Hitoshi's subordinates, we'll be in a fatal circumstance!

It's a lose-lose situation, so it'd be best to pick the scenario with minimal damage.

Play along with these gang members and just hope Reyna discerns that it's an act sounds risky, but it's the safest choice.

Trying to apprehend three grown men is... improbable even with Reyna's athleticism and enhancement.

Putting on an act is my choice then! Reyna! I hope you get what I'm trying to say, a subliminal message!

"Miles! What's going on!"

"You heard what this man said, right? I'm joining the Kuroi gang! Does that organization RING any BELLS?"

Sir Konstantin said to ring the bell he gave us whenever we encounter a gang member!

"I get it now, Miles!"

She got the message! That was quick! But the sooner, the better! I didn't know you were this sharp, Reyna!

"You're being threatened to join! Don't worry! My parents have trained me in self-defense since birth! I'll beat up these motherfuckers!"

No! You idiot! I guess she's a she-gorilla after all! Ring the bell, damn it! I'm doing this so we won't have to engage with these guys! Ahh! Fuck!

"Beat us up? Hahaha! The fuck you think you are, princess?"

Reyna is in a battle stance! Ah! Shit! What do I do?!

She seems to be getting ready to kick?

"*Thud!"

"Argghh!"

"..."

The guy fell off the roof! That was an insane high kick! She moves as fluid as water but hits as hard as concrete! I've underestimated the physical prowess of this she-gorilla!

It appears that I should drop the act... Reyna already blew it anyway.

"This bitch! How did you kick him off so easily?! He has a physical enhancement!"

"Too bad... I erase enhancements. I'm your worst match!"

I'm not going to lie, but that was badass!

"Who's next?"

"Oi! Bitch... how dare you-"

"No one calls me bitch!"

Her eyes are glowing red again! These guys are dead...

"Don't get cocky, princess! You can fight, but can you dodge a bullet?!"

|...|

He has... a gun!

Never mind! We're dead... Ahh! Like fuck I'd die! I still have a card to play!

"Guys, put away your guns. Let's head to your boss. You can't be wasting your time on a little girl."

"Don't boss us around, ya brat! You ain't part of the gang yet!"

I expected that reply, but know... I'll show you... why Hitoshi wants me in your gang!

"Do as I say, or else..."

"Or else what?! You fucking arroga-"

"I'll jump off the roof."

"..."

"A-Are you insane?!

"Lay one finger on her, and I will jump off. Your orders are to bring me alive, right? Your boss won't be happy if I was a corpse, I suppose."

"That's right!"

"Well then! How about a compromise? If she dies, I die with her, so put away your guns, and let us head to your boss. Not a bad offer, I think?"

"This bitch is the one after us-"

"Mind your language. Please don't call my woman a bitch. I'll calm her down.... now answer my question... do we have a deal?"

"Alright! Make it quick, brat!"

"M-Miles! I know they're threatening you! You don't have to do this!"

"Reyna, the toy store... does it RING any BELLS?"

I can't say it directly. These gang members are listening. What I'm saying may sound suspicious, but these motherfuckers don't know a thing.

"W-Why are yo-"

"I need you to be sharp, Reyna... does it RING any BELLS?"

"..."

"That's enough! You comin' with us now, brat!"

"You don't have to drag me away... I can walk by myself."

"Tch!"

Reyna! Please! There's a hidden message I need you to understand! I'm entrusting everything to you, you she-gorilla!

|...|

"*Ting!"

|...|

What was that sound? Did she... ring the bell?

Reyna got the message! Fuck yeah!

"*Snap!"

"Oh! What do we have here?"

Sir Konstantin is here! That teleport enhancement is life-saving, literally!

But wait... something feels off with Sir Konstantin. His usual cheery aura is...

"And why are you filthy fuckers with my precious subordinates?!"

His usual cheery aura is gone... That atmosphere around him is... psychopathic, I'd say.

"A-A-Are you... t-the clown devil of the western police district?!"

"Oh? You know me? Why aren't you two running away then?"

What the fuck is with that badass nickname?! I knew that Sir Konstantin was infamous, but this is... another level!

"Miles, what did these sack of shits do?"

"Be careful, Sir Konstantin! They have guns!"

"*Bang!"

They shot! Sir Konstantin won't die that easily, right?"

"Uncle!"

"What, Reyna? I told you not to call me that!"

He's alive?! But how?! He was shot... unless he dodged the bullet, but yeah, right!

"How are you alive! I shot you!"

"Oh... you shot me? Didn't notice, sorry! Well, since you've made your attack, it's my turn... Hahaha!"

That psychopathic smile... and that wicked laugh... I'm getting chills down my spine.

This isn't the Sir Konstantin I know. His nickname appears to be accurate. He really is a clown and a devil.

"I'm warning you both! I'm faster than a bullet! I'll give you a ten-second head start."

Sheesh! It might get messy, so I should stand clear!

"Y-You're joking! You can't dodge a bullet!"

"*Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"H-How are we missing!"

"You're not missing. I'm just dodging everything! Well, that technically counts as a miss, but now you should get it... you have... no chance of escaping!"

|...|

"*Bam!"

"Arghh!"

|...|

W-What... the fuck was that? The moment I blinked, those gang members were already taken out... Like something out of a superhero movie.

Hahaha... You're something else, Sir Konsatanin... terrifying too!

|...|

"Ah, I might have gone too far..."

"Uncle! What took you so long!"

"Sorry! I'm getting old, so I'm not as fast as I used to be!"

That wasn't his prime speed?! Sir Konstantin is a monster!

"Anyways! It's almost Ten Pm! And by the way! The shifts start at eight and ends at twelve starting tomorrow until the day before the operation, so today is writing the alphabet compared to tomorrow!"

That's right... the original shift starts at eight! Well, fuck me!

"Good job for today! Just stand by on the roof! I'll be off now!"

"Thank you, Sir Konstantin!"

"You're welcome, Miles."

|...|

Sir Konstantin jumped down the roof! What the fuck?! That guy isn't human!

"Reyna, is Sir Konstantin going to be okay?"

"I know what you're thinking, and yeah."

"Reyna, how is he... not human?"

"Well, uncle is a half-dwarf and half-elf. He has a dwarf's physical prowess and an elf's advanced enhancements."

"So he's genetically gifted, huh?"

"He's more than that, Miles."

"..."

That came out of nowhere. I guess I should ask anymore.

"Miles! You got some explaining to do! Y-You had me w-worried!"

She's mad?! Well, that's understandable given the circumstances. I put her in a life-or-death situation, so I should apologize!

"I sincerely apologize, Reyna!"

"Eh?! Y-You d-don't have to bow down! I just want answers."

"Oh! Ask away then."

"Can you explain what happened earlier?!"

Hmm? Should I tell her everything? I trust Reyna, but it feels like I should keep it to myself.

I should tell her about that conversation with Hitoshi, at least.

"Reyna, Hitoshi is trying to recruit me."

"..."

No reaction?! What the hell?

"Uhh... aren't you going to react?"

"I get it now, so you don't need to explain."

She understood?! But I still have to clarify!

"I was trying to-"

"Use that opportunity to infiltrate the gang and get intel?"

"Y-Yeah, that sums it up."

She read my mind! Reyna is more intelligent than she looks!

"That was dangerous, you know! You said all this stuff about death, and yet you always risk your life! You hard to understand, Miles!"

Woah, she's pissed. But why?! What's wrong with risking your life? Isn't it heroic-

"If you're going to be an idiot and risk your life, then let me be stupid with you! When are you going to realize you're not alone! Not everything is about you, you selfish prick!"

"What do you mean?! I'm relying on people too-"

"That's just excuses, Miles! Using people and relying on them are two separate things!"

"And how do you know that, huh?! Tell me! What am I doing wrong?! Is risking your life for the sake of others a sin?! Tell me, Reyna!"

"I saw everything... your enhancement is 'memories,' right?"

"..."

"How did you-"

"When you used it ten minutes ago! You're from another world, right?! You got transferred here after your parents died! I saw everything... even the way you see me..."

Reyna... stop crying, damn it! Don't cry on my shoulders! It's... killing me!

"I know you saw the note! I know how you feel! You don't have to hide it from me!"

"Reyna... I-"

"I like you... Miles! Ever since you came to the restaurant! You were different from everybody else! Nobody except Ms. Alice and you tried to help me. Everybody thinks I'm capable, but... I need help too! "

"..."

"Go ahead! Reject me! All you think about is Ria and you never look at me! I know that but I... but I... still tried!"

I... can't.

I just can't!

I can't... see her that way!

Emotions cannot be suppressed. It can only be planted, nourished, blossom, or rejected.

Reyna isn't mad at me... what she said a few seconds ago was her way of venting it all out.

Ahh! What an intriguing turn of events... I guess I have to break her heart sooner than expected.

But still... you're amazing... Reyna.

"Reyna... I... can't see you that way, but..."

"But?"

"You're amazing... you don't need a man. You're what a man needs."

"..."

"I don't see you that way, so can we please... forget everything that happened tonight?"

"..."

No reply, huh?

"You don't have to hold back. Let it all out. Crying isn't a crime, right?"

|...|

"Thank you, Miles!"

"Took you long enough! You're back to yourself now!"

"You took ten minutes to recover, and I only needed five!"

"We're already arguing, huh?"

"Well, it's what we've been doing all the time."

"I have a question, Reyna."

"Go ahead."

"How did you see my past?"

"It's weird, but it looked like a hologram being projected from your eyes."

That is weird... I can imagine it in my head, and I don't like it!

I suppose that's another reason to get back Nori... I have a mountain of questions prepared for her. Not only that, but I need her services during the day of the assault.

After this night shift, I'll use every idea conceivable just to bring you back!

Even if I go insane, I still need you, Nori...