Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  After they finished drinking, Seiji carried Chiaki back to her bed in her apartment room, and had her sleep there.

  When he returned home, his cell phone suddenly rang.

  He checked the caller ID and saw that it was from an unfamiliar number. He accepted the call anyways.

  “Hey, Haruta Bro,” a happy-sounding voice spoke in the phone.

  It was Itsuki Kamitani!

  Seiji frowned slightly as he recalled the figure of the silver-haired boy who liked to wear black clothing.

  “What business do you have with me, Kamitani-san?”


  As Seiji talked on the phone, he swiftly went towards his study.

  “Please don’t be so hasty. I only wanted to offer you some fun. I don’t want others to get involved.” Kamitani’s voice sounded like it had an implied meaning.

  Seiji stopped in his footsteps.

  But, he quickly went to his study and sat down in front of his computer.

  “What type of game did you want to play with me?”


  “Don’t have such a cold tone. Aren’t you quite bored these days? Soul Society has already gathered enough participants for the second major battle in the Realm of Cherry Blossoms. But, you weren’t invited.”


  “I’m not bored at all.”


  “Haha, don’t deny it. Your older sister and others are about to have a major battle, while you’re left on the sidelines with nobody paying attention to you. How pitiful.”


  “Stop saying such useless things. What do you want?”


  “Don’t be so tense. I really am trying to offer you some fun so that you can have a more exciting life. I’m not trying to be enemies with you.”


  “I’d be quite happy if you stopped bothering me, Kamitani-san.”


  “No need to use honorifics with me. That makes us sound so distant. You can just call me Kamitani, or even address me by my name, Itsuki.”


  “Thank you for being so friendly, Kamitani.”


  “No need to be so reserved. That sounds much better. Now, if only you would stop being so on guard against me.”


  “I apologize, it’s impossible not to be on guard against you.”


  “That really hurts. I’m clearly so proactive and friendly.”


  “I believe that we may have different understandings of what the word ‘friendly’ means.”


  “Don’t retort so seriously… Eh? I think that you retorted like this before?” Kamitani pretended to be forgetful. “Forget it. Let us discuss the topic of ‘heroes.'” Kamitani then changed the topic. “My bro Haruta, what type of image do you think of when you hear the word ‘hero?'”


  Seiji remained silent.

  “For me, my first mental image would be a male wearing cool clothing and wearing a mask, with a gigantic monster right before him.” Kamitani continued speaking without waiting for Seiji’s reply. “Cool and powerful individuals that fight giant monsters! That’s what my concept of a ‘hero’ is. Yet, there are many people that fit that definition, but I don’t feel that they are ‘heroes.’ Why is that? After careful consideration, I discovered the reason, which is… they weren’t on the big screen!”


  Kamitani said this with great conviction.

  “Screen?” Seiji didn’t quite follow.

  “That’s right, the big screen!” Kamitani spoke quite seriously. “Because they weren’t on the big screen, not many people saw them, so they didn’t feel like ‘heroes!'”


  Seiji was rendered speechless.

  He wanted to retort, but didn’t know how.

  “Cool appearance, powerful abilities, and fighting giant monsters. And, being on the big screen so that many people can see them. That’s what a ‘hero’ is!” Kamitani concluded. “I want to see real ‘heroes,’ not fictional ones. And you are a perfect candidate to be a ‘hero,’ my bro Haruta!”


  So this was what Kamitani wanted. Seiji narrowed his eyes.

  “I’ll create the monster, and also arrange the filming. You just have to play the part of the ‘hero!’ Doesn’t that sound wonderful!” Kamitani spoke passionately. He sounded exactly as if he was talking to a friend about a “fun game that you should come and play as well.”


  “What purpose do you have with all this?”


  “Of course, because it’s fun.”


  “Don’t joke around. Creating chaos at such a time might have severe consequences. Are you certain that you can handle them?” Seiji questioned.

  “Thank you for your concern, but there’s no problem,” Kamitani replied happily.

  “I’m not concerned about you at all! Since you call yourself ‘friendly,’ how about telling the truth?”


  “Everything I’ve told you was the truth.”


  “I would never believe that. I’m hanging up now.”


  “Wait a moment! Actually, this matter is related to the ‘Ecstasy’ mystical drug… You should know what that is.”


  Ecstasy! Something flashed in Seiji’s eyes.

  “I only know that it’s a strange drug created by your Messengers organization. Just what exactly is it used for?”


  “To conquer the world!”


  “…”


  “You shouldn’t ask questions that you know you obviously won’t receive the answer to, my bro Haruta.” Kamitani chuckled. “But what I can tell you is that after the Realm of Cherry Blossoms Inner World #1 is unsealed, it’s highly likely that Ecstasy users will mutate and transform into monsters. We of the Messengers organization want to recover them, but we lack personnel due to the issue with the Realm of Cherry Blossoms.”


  “An evil organization that lacks personnel… Haha, very funny. So, you want me to act as your janitor…” Seiji spoke in a heavy tone.

  “You could say that. Filming this whole process is to leave behind a record. Of course, the most important reason is because I think it would be fun,” Kamitani stated casually.

  “Why? As in, why should I do this for you?”


  “I contacted you of my own volition. Like I said, it’s because I wanted to offer you some fun… and, I protected you and your women from the Messengers organization. You should at least owe me this favor.”


  Seiji fell silent for a moment before speaking. “I don’t know if you’re telling the truth or not here. But if so, thank you,” Seiji spoke in a calm tone. “Now, I want to ask, the fact that you’re paying so much attention and ‘taking care’ of me, it’s actually all because of my older sister, is that correct?”


  Kamitani chuckled on the other end of the phone.

  “She is indeed an important reason. But, as I said, you are an interesting existence, Seiji Haruta,” Kamitani spoke in a meaningful tone. “I want to see what you’ll become in the future. I believe that your older sister is of the same opinion as me here. I hope that you’ll keep my interest in you.”


  “I shall do my best not to disappoint my sister. But, I don’t care if I disappoint you, Kamitani-kun.”


  “That’s a nice way of addressing me as well. My bro Haruta, become a ‘hero!'”


  “I’m not a hero. I don’t want to work for free.”


  “Do you want money or a new woman?”


  “I’m not interested in either.”


  “Then how about an importance piece of information? This is regarding one of your women.”


  “…Who?” A sharp glint appeared in Seiji’s eyes.

  “I’ll only tell you if you agree to act as a ‘hero.’ This is a valuable piece of information…”


  “I agree.”


  “Aren’t you agreeing too easily!”


  “Hurry and tell me.”


  “It’s not a good thing to value your women so much, my bro Haruta.”


  “Shut up.”


  “…I’ll tell you first which woman this information is about. As for the information itself, I’ll tell you after you complete your task for me so that you don’t have any distractions.”


  Kamitani then told him a name.

  ***

  After the phone call ended, Seiji immediately called Yui.

  However, he was unable to get through to Yui’s cell phone. So, he immediately called Natsuya instead, and told her about what’d just happened.

  “Do you believe what he says?” Natsuya asked after hearing the situation.

  “Of course I’m suspicious… I want to tell Yui about it, and hear what she has to say. But, I can’t get in contact with her right now.” Seiji sighed.

  Natsuya fell silent for a moment. “You absolutely have to be careful,” she warned him.

  “I will be.”