[Request IV]

After school that day, Nishino got to work, just as he had promised Marquis. 

He left school as soon as he finished homeroom. He took a train to the target's location. The site was a luxury hotel located in Tokyo. The destination had been seen entering and leaving the hotel last night. 

The facility is located in one of the tallest skyscrapers in central Tokyo. 

The building is one of the tallest buildings in the city center, and since a terminal station with many passengers is located nearby, there are many people coming and going in the neighborhood. Among them, students in school uniforms can be seen here and there. Mixed in with this crowd, the Futsumen headed toward the building he was looking for. 

He entered the building from the front. 

There was a guard standing at the entrance, but he was not stopped. First, he went to a private restroom where he took off his school uniform and changed into the casual clothes he had brought from home. Then he returned to the floor again with a nonchalant look on his face. 

In the corner facing the lobby, a café had set up store. The Futsumen headed that way and took a seat where he could see the line of flow to the hotel. With his coffee and textbooks and notebooks lined up on the table, he looks to the casual observer like a diligent student. 

With a pen in hand, he keeps an eye on the people coming in and out of the building. 

The facility contains a number of offices and restaurants as well as a hotel. After dark, the number of people coming in and out of the building has increased as businessmen return home at the same time. The hustle and bustle of people coming and going gradually becomes more lively. 

Nishino sits down in a café and watches the scene in an indifferent way. 

After spending a couple of hours there, he suddenly noticed something that caught his attention. 

As he gazes ahead, he suddenly sees a person who catches his attention. 

He was a tall, slender white man. He was wearing an expensive-looking suit with a long coat over it. On his head he wears a medium hat, and his mouth is covered by the collar of his coat. He wears sunglasses around his eyes even at night. 

The clothes he wears hide about half of his body from the neck up. 

However, his appearance resembles that of the person who was presented to him by Marquis. 

Some of the women passing by on the floor were repeatedly glancing at the man's well-defined face. As if to escape the attention of those around him, the man walked quickly across the floor. 

His feet never stopped once. 

He was headed for the elevators leading to the various facilities of the hotel. 

Having witnessed this, the Futsumen also decided to go check it out. 

He tosses the textbooks and notebooks he had spread out on the table into his bag. He quickly returns the glasses and trays to the return slot and leaves the cafe. Having kept a sufficient distance from the other man, he peeked at the figure standing in the elevator hall from a distance, pretending to be a passerby. 

It was a man alone who had entered the elevator. 

He checked the position display and identified the floor to which he was going. 

The elevator carrying the person in front of him stopped at the front desk of the hotel.

"............"

Once he had figured out that the man was getting off the elevator, Nishino also got on the elevator. 

The elevator arrived at the desired level in a straight line without any stops along the way. 

Once on the floor, the Futsumen quickly looked around. The person he was looking for was standing in front of the front desk, communicating with a receptionist. However, it was only for a short time. He immediately headed for the elevator leading to his room. 

It seemed that he was a guest of the hotel. 

Nishino made this judgment and checked the other party's footsteps as he had done earlier. 

The elevator stopped at one of the guest room floors above the front desk. 

The Futsumen followed it and immediately boarded the elevator. Immediately after he got in, he saw a guest on the floor rushing toward him. It was a middle-aged woman with a large trunk case rattling in the back of her hand. 

Nishino quickly pressed the close button, but just as the door was about to close, the woman pressed the get on button. Just a few centimeters away, the elevator opens the doors to admit passengers again.

"Hey you, you could have waited a little longer."

" ...... I'm sorry. " 

"If that's the case, you can't become a decent adult like that." 

" .......... ”

The woman, looking angry, presses the button for the destination floor from the control panel. 

It was lower than the floor Nishino had already pressed. 

Naturally, the first stop was the floor designated by the person who arrived later. 

After going through this, the Futsumen arrived at the floor he wanted. 

Nishino, who had alighted in the elevator hall, was conscious of the corridors stretching out on either side of him. However, he could not sense any sign of people beyond this point. So, he took his next move, following the floor map and taking a step toward a guest room with a smaller number. 

Shortly thereafter, he heard a high-pitched bang and a high-pitched thud. 

" .........."

The gunfire, which seemed somewhat distant, could not have originated on the same floor. 

Turning to the map, he checked the location of the fire escape and ran out. 

After passing through a steel door in one corner of the corridor, a staircase that appeared to be for employees came into view. The staircase was a stark contrast to the carpeted and wallpapered area, and was of rather rugged construction. The sound of other people's footsteps could not be heard from the staircase, which extended up and down. 

Should I head up or down? 

After giving it some thought, the Futsumen climbed the stairs to the top. 

He is on the floor above when he hears a bustling noise coming from the end of the corridor.

"One person has been shot! We need immediate medical assistance!"

"He took the elevator downstairs. We need backup from the other floors!" 

Nishino turned his feet in the direction from which he had heard the voices to check the situation. 

As he passed one corner of the hallway, he saw three men in suits in the hall in front of the elevator. One of them appeared to have been shot in the thigh, and a large amount of blood stained the carpet bright red. He was lying on the floor, clutching the wound with a look of anguish on his face. 

The remaining two men were communicating with other places with phones in their hands. 

Checking the elevator's ride position indicator, they saw that the elevator had stopped at the front floor.

"It's not safe here, go back to your room and stay calm!" 

One of the two, turns to Nishino and says in a loud voice. 

In response, the Futsumen mutters nonchalantly.

"Oh, you guys were moving too." 

"What are you talking about? Just go back to your room." 

The Futsumen steps in front of the elevator, regardless of the other party's words. 

Then, he pressed the down button. 

Then, apart from stopping at the front floor, the elevator came down.

"Hey, what are you doing! We're the police!" 

"I understand. That's why I can't hide my bewilderment at the chain-of-command conflict. Or is the field acting on its own? I don't know at what level the decision was made, but I'm sure your bosses will be very disappointed later." 

"Hey, what are you talking about, kid? ......!" 

The police officer's head instantly boils at the sight of the Futsumen speaking with a clumsy face. 

In the face of the indignant police, Nishino climbs into the elevator from which he has just descended. 

He then presses the close door button from the inside. 

The appearance of the exasperated brat causes one of the two police officers, who had remained unharmed, to reach for the door. However, his foot slips on the empty space immediately after he takes his first step, and he ends up rolling on the carpet. 

Nishino's wonder power had accurately caught the other's foot. 

The man himself could not help but blink his eyes, wondering how his foot had slipped. 

In front of the man, the door closed and the elevator headed downstairs. 

Fortunately, no one was to be seen inside except the Futsumen. 

This time, the elevator arrives at the desired floor in a single motion, without stopping along the way. 

It was the front desk floor of the hotel that he had just passed through.

"............"

Nishino quickly checks his surroundings. 

Many of the guests on the floor were visibly frightened. Some were hiding behind sofas or pillars. However, the key person, the man who would be his target, could not be seen.

"...... That's a fast way to get away." 

In the midst of nervous guests, he stepped from in front of the elevator to the lobby. 

Then, after only a few steps, he noticed a bag on the floor. 

This is very similar to the one designated by the school Nishino attends. 

There are plenty of similarly designed school bags in the world. It must have fallen out of someone's hands in the wake of the uproar. With this in mind, the Futsumen's attention immediately shifted away from the bag and elsewhere. 

However, his eyes widened when he saw the key ring attached to the handle. His eyes, which are reputed to be thin and narrow, really opened and he stared at the shoes again. Because he recognized the design.

"No way ...... " 

He walks over to the bottom of the bag and picks this up. 

It was made of metal with an inverted cross motif, a very materialistic design. 

The key chain attached to the bag was identical to the one Okuda-san uses.

"Brother, you don't know the girl that was taken away, do you?"

" ............ " 

One of the customers who was there called out to him. 

He was a middle-aged man hiding on a sofa nearby. He was wearing a jacket and chinos with a heavy coat over it. A large travel bag was visible beside him. He seemed to be a guest of the hotel.

"Sorry, do you know who this bag belongs to?" 

"It's a high school girl. A guy with a gun took her out of the building." 

The man pointed with his gaze at the elevator leading to the entrance. 

Nishino could not be at peace in this situation. 

Why was Okuda-san in a place like this? And how did he end up being kidnapped by his own target? The Futsumen has no end of questions. But there was no time to worry about them now. 

With Okuda-san's shoes in his hands, he ran out onto the floor. 

Nishino rushed to the elevator leading to the entrance.

◇ ◆ ◇

After school that day, Okuda-san followed Nishino using a GPS tag. 

As soon as she finished her homeroom, she was stopped by her homeroom teacher and asked to help out in various ways for a while. When she was finally released, she visited Class 2A, but of course, the person she was interested in was not there. 

The map app she checked there, and the icon indicating the location of the tag she had planted in the Futsumen's bag, showed a location far from the shared house that was his home. Nearby is a train station that boasts one of the largest passenger counts in Tokyo. A very busy place in the heart of Tokyo. 

There, she decided to contact the Futsumen, pretending to be a coincidence. 

The plan was to take them on an after-school date, if possible. She then moved on, with a flutter in her heart, thinking that if he and Rose and Gabriella were not lovers, then she might talk to him in private in the near future.

"..........."

But her rising heart, however, faded away as she moved her feet. 

Instead, she is left wondering about. 

Because on the map app she checked, the icon indicating Nishino's location stopped at a high-rise building containing offices and a luxury hotel. It was Okuda-san who had to be pressured when she finally set foot in the facility where the event was to take place. 

Although a number of stores and restaurants can be found in the facility, most of the users are businessmen. It is a rather adult neighborhood for high school students to visit after dark. The only possibility was a hotel operating on the upper floors of the building. 

Even now, adults in suits are busily coming and going in front of the hotel.

"You're doing some pretty high level stuff." 

If it had been Matsuura-san who had been there, Nishino might have muttered something like, Nishino-kun, are you engaging with a sugar mama? However, Okuda-san's brain immediately conjured up images of her classmates doing their school homework in the hotel lobby or lounge. 

The scene was not far off the mark.

"I knew you were the best, Nishino. I guess I'll have to join you now."

So she decided to take this opportunity to experience a luxury hotel. 

Okuda-san was convinced that this would definitely be a good experience. 

She entered the hotel's entrance in the building and took a private elevator to the floor where the front desk was located. The front hall of the building was magnificent, but the hotel lobby was even more luxurious. 

She got off the elevator and proceeded to the lobby, admiring it.

The floor was lined with expensive-looking sofas and furnishings in various places. A large glass window was set up against the wall, offering a panoramic view of Tokyo from several dozen floors above the ground. The night view spread out below was beautiful.

"............"

Okuda-san began to think that maybe she would like to come here once a week. 

Not only the guest rooms on the floor, but also the lobby and lounge are popular among non-guests. Although her uniform was noticeable, Okuda-san was not approached by anyone. Taking advantage of this, she went this way, looking around the hotel. 

After enjoying herself for a while, she remembered her original purpose. 

Standing at a corner of the floor, she picked up her phone from her skirt pocket. She starts up the map app and checks the location of the GPS tag to see if she can locate Nishino. She was not able to see him, at least not within her line of sight. 

This happened at the same time. 

A loud bang rang out on the floor.

" ............!" 

I quickly turned my head and saw a man standing in one corner of the lobby with a handgun in his hand. 

He was a white male of fairly good height. 

He had a handsome face. 

He was facing the side where she was and approaching her. 

All the guests in the bar were paying attention to the man. At first glance, one might have thought it was a movie shoot or something. The fact that firearms are not commonly possessed in this country helped, and everyone stiffened at the first glance.

" Eh ...... " 

Okuda-san felt her eyes meet the other's. 

It was not a mistake. 

The other party came quickly to her as she stiffened from astonishment. 

It was only a matter of seconds. 

As she tried to run away, she was immediately caught by a man who approached at a run. 

He grabbed her arm tightly from behind.

"Be quiet! Or I'll shoot you!" 

"Are you serious? Well, I'm not ready for the real thing yet......" 

Still, Okuda-san made a move as quickly as she could. 

She quickly operated the phone in her hand. She displayed the GPS tag that she had prepared separately from the one she had tossed into Nishino's bag on top of the map application. Then, after disabling the screen lock, she threw it into the school bag she had slung over her shoulder. 

Using her own body as a wall, she did not forget to hide her hand from the other party's gaze. 

Ever since she bought the GPS tag with her allowance, Okuda-san had been playing with it alone, fantasizing about such a situation. She never expected that they would be really useful.

"Don't be a wimp, come quietly!" 

"Ouch! .......... I want you to be a little nicer to me!"

Okuda-san's reply was a strange mixture of pretense and acting. 

The other party did not care about this and pulled her along. 

She followed him obediently, aided by the fear that if she resisted, she might be shot. Instead, she dropped the bag in her hand on the floor. To the uninitiated, it looked as if she had dropped it unintentionally because the man had pulled her arm. 

It landed in a conspicuous place on the floor and gradually moved away from her.

" Nishino, I, I believe in you. ........." 

A mutter that came out of Okuda-san's mouth as quickly as it came out. 

It was the name of a classmate who had recently begun to interest her.

◇ ◆ ◇

After getting into the elevator on the front floor, Nishino headed for the underground parking garage. 

No way is he thinking that he will escape the hotel on foot with a hostage in his arms. He decided that they must have at least one car ready for this kind of situation. In some cases, he thought, his friends might be waiting for him. 

The parking space, surrounded on all sides by concrete, is lined with cars. Most of them were luxury cars made by foreign manufacturers. He rushed through the middle of the line, heading for the outside. However, there is no movement in the parking lot. There was no exhaust sound either. 

Despite walking to the entrance and exit, I couldn't find any car that could be the same as the one I was looking for. 

Was it the wrong choice or bad timing? 

It was impossible to answer the question.

"...... I missed it?" 

Left with no choice, Nishino decides to ask Marquis for help. 

His hand goes to the phone that fits in his pants pocket. 

In the process, his attention suddenly turns to Okuda-san's school bag. 

It is still hanging in his hand. 

He noticed a light leaking from the gaping that had been left open.

"............"

Feeling bad about it, the Futsumen decided to check the contents. 

The light was then emitted from the phone's display. 

It should have turned off immediately, but it showed no sign of going off. 

Also on the screen was a map application. 

There was a pin-shaped icon on the screen, which was moving every second. The area shown on the screen was the area near the hotel where the commotion had occurred. The icon was moving along the road, as if moving away from him.

"...... Okuda-san, you've got it!"

After taking one look at the situation, the Futsumen muttered quietly. 

She is the kind of student who usually has a model gun strapped to her thigh at school. It would not be surprising if she carries a GPS tag or two with her on a daily basis for security purposes. Thinking this way, Nishino decided to trust Okuda-san. 

With phone in hand, he ran through the underground parking lot toward the exit. 

Normally, pedestrians would be prohibited from entering and exiting the parking lot, but he ignored the voices of the security guards who were securing the entrances and exits, and stepped out onto the street. He then ran down the road facing the hotel, heading toward the side indicated by the icon on the map app. 

The Futsumen can fly if he wants to. 

However, there were many people in the vicinity, and he was afraid to use his power in a straightforward manner. 

On the other hand, the speed at which the icon moves is first and foremost that of an automobile. Thanks to his recent break-dancing practice, Nishino is gaining strength and endurance, but it seemed extremely difficult for him to keep up with this on his human legs. 

After a short run, he spotted a motorcycle parked on the side of the road. 

It was a large sport motorcycle made by a Japanese manufacturer. 

The engine was still running. 

The owner got off the seat and was playing with a phone beside him. 

Was he lost, or did he receive an urgent call? Either way, the driver is focused on the phone and not on the motorcycle. He is wearing a full-face helmet and his eyes are on his hand. The keys are still inserted in the body of the vehicle.  

Carrying Okuda-san's school bag, he settles into the seat as if to jump on. The phone displaying the map app was secured in a holder that was placed around the steering wheel. Fortunately, there was no size problem.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" 

The owner of the motorcycle reacted to Nishino's action. 

He extends his arm toward the Futsumen, who grips the handlebars. 

Not caring about this, Nishino took off the side stand and shifted into first gear. 

Then, with a short speech, he turned the throttle.

"I'm sorry, I'm gonna have to borrow it for a minute." 

"Wait ! Whoa , my motorcycle !" 

The motorcycle, engine roaring, sped off, over the owner's plaintive cries. 

With the front wheel lightly floating, the bike swerved into the roadway where cars were flowing. 

A child, who could have been a junior high school student, straddled the bike, which was running out of control with no helmets, and accelerated rapidly. Cars passing around him panicked and began to move to keep their distance. As if to get between the cars, the Futsumen accelerated his motorcycle by shifting up a gear. 

In no time at all, he exceeded the speed limit. 

He ignored the traffic lights. 

He slips between the cars at breakneck speed. 

The horns of the surrounding cars were blaring. 

Meanwhile, the target's destination changed. The target, who had been traveling on the lower road, turned onto the Metropolitan Expressway. The icon on the map was moving away from the Futsumen at a greater speed than ever before. 

Naturally, Nishino followed closely. 

Having crossed the intersection, the flow of passing automobiles quickened. 

He accelerated the accelerator pedal, shifting gears to the upper limit to accelerate the vehicle. A sports car in the passing lane seemed like a car driving at the speed limit down the road. Naturally, this was a speeding violation. 

Repeatedly changing lanes to the right and left, he chased after the yet-unseen kidnappers. 

Some cars and motorcycles, perhaps inspired by him, began to follow him, accelerating rapidly. However, none of them caught the motorcycle driven by the Futsumen, and they pulled away. 

On the map app, the distance between him and the icons was shrinking in the blink of an eye. 

Soon, a sedan came into view ahead of him. 

It was the flagship model of a foreign manufacturer. 

The other vehicle was also traveling on the road at a considerable speed. 

The motorcycle driven by Nishino lined up with it, running alongside on the passenger side. 

Immediately afterward, the front door window lowered to reveal Okuda-san. 

"Ni-Nishino-kun !?" 

"Okuda-san, please do not worry. I will help you soon." 

"Why are you, um, dri, driving a bike? ...... "

Due to the driving winds, it is doubtful if they can hear each other. 

Okuda-san was in for a surprise. 

One of the classmates was riding a very stern motorcycle and chasing after her with great vigor. He was bent forward, gripping the handlebars, and his hair and clothes were shaking violently in the wind. For a moment, for a moment, I doubted my own head, wondering if my imagination and reality had mingled. 

If it had been Takeuchi, I might have accepted that such a thing could happen. However, since the other person's face deviation was so ordinary, it was as if I was looking at an inlaid image, and no sense of reality came to me. 

Immediately afterwards, a bullet was fired over her body from the driver's seat toward Nishino. 

Okuda-san stiffened as she heard the high-pitched bang  sound. 

The bullet had accurately caught Nishino in the head. 

In contrast, Futsumen's mysterious power was activated. The bullet, which could have been caught in the front, was diverted to the rear. The trigger was squeezed in rapid succession, but not a single shot caught him. 

He straddled the motorcycle and worked the gas pedal as if he was trying to avoid bullets. He skillfully moves the vehicle back and forth and takes a trajectory as if to avoid the bullets. The Futsumen bravely engages in a high-speed battle at the Metropolitan Expressway with no hesitation, defying the bullets that are repeatedly fired at him. 

Soon, after several bullets are fired, the passenger window closes.

"N-Nishino- kun ! " 

"Don't worry, Okuda-san you will be saved for sure. Just wait and see." 

Okuda-san frantically operated the switch at hand, but the window quickly closed. 

As if that were not enough, the vehicle ahead pulled wide against the motorcycle Nishino straddled. 

The Futsumen, who had been apprehensive beforehand, avoided this by lowering his body backward. 

If he wanted to, Nishino could lift the other car with his mysterious power and bring it to a standstill. Inside the car, however, Okuda-san is being held hostage. And since the car was running at a very high speed, any attempt to interfere with it could lead to a major accident. 

Moreover, there are many cars passing by at the scene. 

Many of them are probably equipped with drive recorders. There are also many surveillance cameras installed at various locations, and there is no shortage of people watching. I was hesitant to make a big show of force here. 

Nishino considered what to do with the car as he gripped the handlebars. 

As a result, a scene similar to a car chase in an action movie began to unfold.

The other party was trying to somehow get rid of its pursuer, and Nishino was taking the bait. A fierce battle ensued on the Metropolitan Expressway. The two vehicles were repeatedly agitating and being agitated by each other while running through the other vehicles on the road. 

It was unbearable for the other drivers who were there. 

After a while, a sign indicating a parking area came into view.

"A little pushy, but what the hell." 

Confirming this, Nishino saw movement. 

By using his mysterious power, he secured the tires of a moving car toward the entry road to the parking area. The driver at the wheel repeatedly showed a rebuff, but the car veered off the path aside regardless of the manipulation of the driver. 

Inside the car, through the window glass, he could see the driver's panic. 

Once the lane was completely moved,the  Futsumen floated the vehicle a few millimeters to regain control. The tires repeatedly spinning in response to the gas pedal operation. From the driver's point of view, this reaction could only be interpreted as a sudden breakdown of the automobile. 

Eventually, the vehicle is brought to a stop just as it enters a parking area. 

Once the tires were held down, the car would not move at all from then on. 

There was one other commercial van parked in the area. The driver was probably using the restroom, and there was no one else in the van or in the vicinity. The Futsumen decided to take advantage of the situation at the same location. 

He parked the motorcycle beside the car and hurried to the passenger seat where Okuda-san had settled in. 

At the same time, there was movement on the other side. 

A man emerged from the car, taking Okuda-san hostage. 

On the opposite side of the passenger seat from where Nishino was headed. She was dragged out of the driver's seat, and a gun barrel was held to her head.

"A kid? Wait a minute, why is a kid doing this......" 

The driver's eyes widened from astonishment when he saw Nishino in plain clothes. 

He looked like a minor from all angles. 

If anything, he could have been mistaken for a junior high school student. 

He did not think that the person who had been chasing him with driving skills that rivaled those of a professional was a child. He was an overwhelmingly Futsumen. If Takeuchi had been there, he would have probably viewed the scene more or less the same way, but with Nishino as his opponent, he would have felt a sense of discomfort. 

On the other hand, the Futsumen was also surprised to see the person who came out of the car.

"You're very well prepared to have a double." 

His face was slightly different from that of the person identified by Marquis. 

He must be a white male. His height was about the same as described in advance. However, the person who emerged from the car had a somewhat more ordinary face compared to his target in the photograph. The difference was particularly noticeable in his eyes. 

The removal of the sunglasses made this clear.

" ...........!"

The word double was heard, and there was a visible reaction on the other end of the line. 

The man's cheeks tensed up at the sight of the kid who seemed to have some kind of grasp of the situation.

"Don't move. What do you care what happens to this girl?" 

"What can you do with an empty gun?" 

"How do you know? Maybe there's some left." 

Beside a stopped car, the man restrains Okuda-san around the neck with his left arm. 

He is holding a gun with his right arm and holding the muzzle of the gun to its head. 

Facing this through the hood of the automobile is Nishino's current position. He took the other party's words, but still took a step toward them. He even goes out of his way to shove his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"Hey, don't move!" 

The man barked at him and changed the muzzle of his gun, which was pointed at Okuda-san, to Nishino. 

However, the Futsumen showed no sign of caring. 

He took one step and then another, approaching the two of them with a deliberate pace.

"What's the delay? You still have a few bullets left, don't you?" 

"........!"

This was another disgusting sight. 

Nishino, who was speaking with a smug look on his face, almost pulled the trigger out of frustration. While holding back just in time, he looked around him.

Even immediately afterward, his attention was drawn to the motorcycle Nishino had ridden in. 

The key was still stuck in the ignition. 

No obstacles in the direction of the bike. 

Perfect for robbing and escaping. 

As the man was thinking about his future plans, a Futsumen came up to them, bypassing the front of the car. If they had extended their arms to each other, their fingertips would have been close enough to touch. 

Nishino stopped walking there and said smugly to the man holding the gun.

"The P226 is 9mm and has 15 rounds. Am I wrong?" 

The point was made with a grin on his face, and it was very annoying. 

Feeling an unparalleled rage, the man's finger tightened and he pulled the trigger. 

A dry click sounded, very unwillingly. 

As the Futsumen had said, no bullet was fired from the muzzle.

"I didn't even see any signs of you swapping magazines while you were driving." 

"You son of.........." 

An irritation never experienced in the past causes a blue streak to appear on the man's forehead. 

If the Chairwoman were present at the scene, she would have no choice but to propose the Nishino training project again, which was also planned during the school trip. The way Okuda-san looked at him also helped, and the virgin man became even more smug than usual. 

However, from Okuda-san's point of view, there was no better way to stage the event.

" .......... "

Eh, what's this, it's cool. Somehow. 

She turns her sparkling eyes to Nishino while the man is holding her by the neck. 

From her point of view, this is a situation that she herself has always wished to experience at least once. She was surprised to see him explode and even answer her question. Nishino's stock went up in her mind. She forgets even the fear she had been feeling and stares at her classmate. 

The Futsumen with his hands in the pockets of his pants, standing calmly in front of the muzzle of a gun, is cool.

"How can a child do this!" 

In contrast, the man whose hand was revealed immediately moved on to his next move. 

He cannot take hostages on a motorcycle. 

He pushes Okuda-san toward the Futsumen.

"Whoa!" 

She was unexpectedly pushed back and immediately held back by Nishino. 

The voice that escaped from her mouth was Okuda-san's response from the purest of all. 

Nishino's fists were clenched tightly as she faced him with her hands full. 

Even though Nishino's skill in driving a motorcycle is superior, he would never be defeated by a man of strong arms. He shoots his fist straight at his opponent's face to satisfy his own self-esteem. 

He is conscious of the imagined scene that he could have cried out with a bloody nose the next moment. 

However, the blow with all his might did not yield much result. 

With a thud, the man's fist felt the touch of a puffy cheek. 

The person who was hit moved his head only slightly, and his body did not even shake as far as the nosebleed. The eyes, which were already narrow, narrowed even more as he stared at the man from the posture in which he had received the fist. 

The touch of the very good cheek flesh is the result of the tension and luster of a young teenager. 

Nishino, who had caught the momentum with mysterious power, softly landed his fist on the cheek. He was not about to let Okuda-san see his unnatural response, so he thought it over before responding. As a result, a very aggressive scene like a Yankee manga was created.

"Wha... " 

From his opponent's point of view, he was caught straight on the head. 

The man backs away in a panic, letting out a cry of surprise. 

He looks as if he is saying, I thought I was going to be blown away. 

His cheeks, which had not grown even though he complied with the request, twitched. 

This surprised Okuda-san. Still in Nishino's embrace, she looked up to see a cheek that had been beaten into shape. Even so, the body that held her in its embrace did not shake in the slightest. On the contrary, his arms immediately pulled back more vigorously.

"What's wrong? You're not very good at dealing with kids."

"Damn, what the hell is wrong with me!" 

The Futsumen's way of being too creepy. 

Even my knuckles felt dirty. 

The man who retracted his arms quickly turned on his heel from them, as if he had encountered a stranger on the street at night. He seemed to have given up on the motorcycle behind Nishino. Instead, he ran toward a convenience store facility in the parking area to get a new hostage. 

Inside the facility, a man who appears to be the driver of the van can be seen. 

He was watching the interaction between Nishino and the others from a distance. 

Meanwhile, the sirens of emergency vehicles are approaching. 

Several police cars entered from the main line of the highway one after another. 

They stopped to block the way of the man who ran out. Immediately after, police officers jumped out of the cars and deployed to surround the man. It seemed that the appearance of the other party was already well known, and there was no hesitation in the series of movements. 

With a voice telling them to stop and be quiet, more gunshots were fired at the man than could be counted on a single hand. The police officers who rushed to the scene were also quite tense in response to the repeated gunfire on the street.

"Damn, what a poor choice......" 

The man muttered evasively, then stopped and raised his hands above his head. 

It appears that he has given up trying to escape. 

The next moment, he was taken into custody by a police officer who approached him from behind. The gun in his hand was seized, and as soon as the man was pushed to the ground, he was immediately handcuffed. He was held down by several people and was unable to move. 

He was shoved into a police car and taken away without a trace.

◇ ◆ ◇

Nishino and Okuda-san saw off the police car carrying the kidnapper at a parking area. 

Naturally, the police officers came to them as well. 

There was no way they would be let go as they were, and the two were also put in the police car and taken to the police station in their jurisdiction. The Futsumen immediately contacted Francisca, but it took some time for her voice to reach the scene. 

The police officers present were salty about Nishino, who was riding a motorcycle on a public road with no helmet. The car chase was also confirmed by a police helicopter. The person whose motorcycle had been stolen had apparently reported the incident. 

This is how it happened at the police station they visited.

"You know what? What you did was a criminal offence. " 

"I'm well aware of that." 

" Really ? "

"I'm very sorry for what I did." 

The Futsumen was being interviewed by the police in what appeared to be an interrogation room. 

It had been about an hour. 

In the room of about six tatami mats, two chairs are lined up across from each other with a large desk in between. Nishino is sitting on one side, and the police interrogator is on the other. In the corner of the room, cameras and recording equipment can be seen on shelves. 

The man in charge is a middle-aged man in his mid-forties. 

He is a veteran of the police force, having been a police officer for more than 20 years since he was hired upon graduation from high school. He is a man of serious character, and while his rank of sergeant is not yet clear, he is a person who is relied upon by those around him at work.

"We understand how important your friends are to you. But it is we, the police, who should be working in these cases, not children like you. And it's not like we're going after them by breaking the law and causing trouble in the world." 

"Yeah, you guys are probably right." 

"Do you even feel remorse for what you've done?" 

" Of course I am. As I explained earlier, I want to make ample amends to the owner of the motorcycle. If you don't mind, could you provide me with the contact information of the person who filed the report? I'd like to contact him again afterwards."

"Having said that, what can you, a child, do? That's not something a child can buy with his allowance. If you ask your parents to pay for it, it doesn't mean that you have made amends, does it? "

The policeman tries his best to speak gently and in an admonishing tone, appealing to the Futsumen. 

However, the person himself is still cynical . 

"You can rest assured. I've got some money in my pocket."

"Are you making fun of the police?" 

"Of course not. I appreciate your efforts." 

"What do you mean?" 

"But, I think you need to change your complicated chain of command, don't you? " 

".......!" 

Even when dealing with a police officer, he never fails to look down on them. 

Nishino's words and actions were so irritating that the person in charge of the interrogation was growing angrier by the minute with every word exchanged. He honestly wished he had been in charge of the man who was driving the car, not this irritating boy. 

The questions and answers naturally became more and more demanding.

"I don't want to put it this way, but depending on your attitude, the way you are treated in the future may change significantly. You are still young, so you might as well nod your head and do as we say. You don't want to close your future at your age, do you?"

"By the way, have you heard from the top yet? I want you to confirm it." 

"Confirm? What do you want me to check?" 

" It looks like this, but I'm busy with various things. I want you to release me quickly. " 

"............ I don't have time to play with kids either!" 

The person in charge, who had reached the limit of his frustration, slammed the desk with both hands and barked. 

It is not surprising that a young boy of his age would be more or less reluctant to do such a thing. In fact, the person who slammed the desk also felt a tingling sensation in his hands, which made him change his mind. It was a long time ago, but nowadays, it was a problem to come on too strong. 

However, the other party did not seem intimidated in the slightest, and responded in a brisk manner.

"Don't get so worked up. There's no need to be in a hurry to get results right here." 

"We're not getting anywhere. Wait here until your parents get here." 

The officer in charge sat up from his chair as if to throw up. 

It was the Futsumen who had contacted Marquis before them, in accordance with the instructions given by the police officer to contact his guardians when he first visited the police station. Naturally, he in Roppongi would not have made the trip to the police station. 

The fact that he had Okuda-san's eyes on him helped him to make a token effort to make things right. Incidentally, she was in the middle of being interviewed by a female police officer in another room. The real mission was to lay the groundwork by Francisca, who had been contacted during the move. 

The officer in charge got up from his chair and was about to walk out of the room, leaving Nishino behind. 

The intention was to leave him alone for a while to reflect on the situation. 

At the same time, a new person arrived in the interrogation room. 

The man who emerged from the hallway was a year older than the person in charge. He was also wearing a uniform. If we were to look for a difference between him and the other interrogator, it would be the design of the rank insignia on his left chest. 

He stood up from his seat, and when he saw him, he asked in a formal tone of voice.

"Chief, how did you get all the way out here?" 

" Oh, I'm glad you were here. " 

The man in charge, who was called the chief of police by his charge, found Nishino in the room and muttered to himself. 

Confirming his gaze, he was questioned by the man who was interrogating him.

"Excuse me, what's wrong with this kid?" 

"This boy you've been interrogating, please release him immediately. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need you to take him home with the girl who was the victim of this crime. We've been informed that the boy is also in safekeeping here at the precinct."

"Wait a minute. I don't think so, but are you asking me to send him home without doing anything? I don't mean to be rude, but I don't see any signs of remorse in this boy. I can't let him go home like this......." 

The person in charge, who is serious about his duties, desperately bites down for the sake of the world and others. 

He is afraid that if he lets this boy, who is a foolhardy boy in spite of his appearance, go free without any blame, he might cause the same kind of problems again. And when that happens, someone somewhere may suffer, which is no small thing.

"Is that something you should insist on, even if it means giving up your career as a police officer?" 

"......!?" 

However, he was speechless when he heard the continued remarks of his superior. 

Instead, it was the boy who raised his voice who brought up the subject.

"That's a very kind offer, but I don't think I'm interested in having police with me." 

"Are you sure?" 

"If you send the police, there will be a lot of rumors." 

The Futsumen gave a good reason for his visit, but in reality, he was planning to spend some time alone with Okuda-san. As for the transportation, he thinks that taking a cab will not be a problem.

"I would like you to take me to Okuda-san instead." 

"If that's the case, I'll take care of it." 

Nishino stood up from his seat beside the officer in charge, who froze. 

He left the interrogation room as the chief urged him to do.

◇ ◆ ◇

After some effective groundwork via Francisca, Nishino escaped from the police station. 

Okuda-san can be seen right next to him.

They were walking together toward the nearest train station, having declined a repeated offer of a ride home from the police chief. Although it was late at night, the streets were crowded with people, helped by their location near the downtown area. 

The two were walking shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the crowd. 

When Nishino offered to walk her home, Okuda-san agreed to accompany her to the station. The virgin's plan to take this opportunity to have a conversation and get to know each other as well as possible was a brilliant one.

"Nishino, you seem to be a pretty good motorcyclist."

"Is that so?" 

"Do you have a license by any chance ? " 

"Yes, I have my license." 

The fact that he referred to it as a license, was a point of irritation for his classmates in the 2A class. However, for Okuda-san, the phrasing of the conversation sounded rather pleasant. 

"But wasn't that bike a big one?" 

"Does Okuda-san know much about motorcycles?"

"The license plate number had green edges." 

"Some mid-size bikes have green license plates."

"Oh, really? I thought all green ones were large......." 

Okuda-san often reverts back to her bare self when someone makes a false move or points out a mistake. 

Still, unusually for a student on campus, she takes the initiative to pick up on Futsumen's comments. He continues to politely respond to our questions. What is being discussed is a masculine hobby that female students might have difficulty with. 

Nishino was impressed by this fact. 

That is why he had to hide the fact that he was driving without a license. 

The Futsumen continued the conversation.

"In Japan, the number edge on motorcycles with a displacement of 251 or more and requiring a green license plate." 

"I should also consider a motorcycle license for my future work......" 

"If you pass the written test with a medium-sized motorcycle, you will only be required to take practical skills and be exempted from the coursework for regular vehicle training. If you are thinking about purchasing a vehicle before or after graduating from high school, it would be an advantage to make getting a license a little easier!" 

"It's not a bad idea, considering that we'll be using this country as our base for the foreseeable future." 

"However, it is also a dangerous tool. I recommend learning about it beforehand by watching videos of accidents." 

Okuda-san repeatedly said and did things in a consciously pretentious manner. 

In the past, almost all the students exchanged a few words with her, and then they  said something like, Well, Okuda-san, we have other things to do, and moved away. But the Futsumen in front of her continued the conversation without a care in the world.

"By the way, there's something I'd like to confirm."

"What is it?"  

"Why was Okuda-san in that hotel?" 

"Oh, uh... Well, you see........" 

Okuda-san was embarrassed to tell the truth about the location of the GPS tag because she was involved in a police matter and felt that her own actions were the cause of it. However, considering that she had been rescued from a dangerous situation, she was afraid to blurt it out. 

So, as originally planned, she decided to reveal the story right then and there.

"Actually, I planted a GPS tag on you to surprise you." 

"GPS tag ? " 

"Would you mind checking around the bottom of the bag you're carrying?" 

Without further instruction, Nishino checked inside his own bag. 

Then, as she said, a chip-shaped tag came out from under the bottom plate.

".......... When did this happen?" 

Nishino said, staring at the tag in his hand and lowering his voice somewhat. 

He is a Futsumen who is always prepared for harm off campus. However, he never dreamed that he would be set upon by a classmate on campus. Inwardly, he was surprised at the playful mindset of hers, wondering if such a possibility existed.

"I put it in yesterday at lunchtime, while everyone was away from the classroom." 

"I'd like to ask you why you put the tag there." 

"I wanted to know about Nishino's home and, you know, surprise you......" 

" ........"

Nishino instantly compared the dates and times given to Okuda-san with his past activities. 

He had not visited any particularly problematic places. At best, he had been drinking at Marquis' place. He concluded, after recalling the past days, that at least there was no situation where he would be embarrassed to be seen. 

He held out the tag in his hand to Okuda-san.

"I'm sorry, but next time I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know in advance." 

" I-I'm sorry for doing something weird. Nishino-kun ." 

Okuda-san is a genuine mystery girl who, after all this time, has begun to panic that she may have been a little rude. Her opportunities to communicate with others, which had been drastically reduced due to her Chuunibyou, had severely deprived her of her social skills. 

On the other hand, if she understood that the other party had no malice toward her, that was not a bad thing, a Futsumen with a good heart. A female classmate planted a GPS tag on him to identify his home.

Nishino's virgin heart is excited, thinking that this is very adolescent-like.

"It doesn't matter. We've all been there, playfully following in a friend's footsteps, for example." 

" But ... " 

Nishino decided not to worry about what Okuda-san had done. 

Also, her presence was not a bad thing for him in the recent commotion. Thanks to Okuda-san's presence with the person who had fled the scene, Nishino was able to pursue the person ahead of him. Although unfortunate, it was a double, but its capture was meaningful. He owed one debt to the police, who had failed to get ahead of him. 

It was not a small return for him. 

And once he decides to do something like this, Nishino is able to quickly change his mind, no matter what the past circumstances may have been. He repeatedly says to Okuda-san, who has an apologetic expression on her face, as if to comfort her.

"I have an acquaintance from out of town staying at that hotel."

"Acquaintance ? "

"He's leaving tomorrow, so I was just visiting him to see if he was okay." 

"Oh, I see.........." 

From Okuda-san's point of view, Nishino-kun, you are kind, sort of. 

If it were any other classmate, antipathy toward the pretentious mannerisms of the Futsumen would be inevitable. However, Okuda-san, who rather likes it, was definitely okay with it. And just after she was saved from a close call, she had a lot on her mind. 

She stopped walking on the street to look at him who was walking next to her.

"By the way, Nishino, you are very good at what you do. You're not even afraid of bullets."

"I didn't do much. I just got a little lucky." 

Following suit, the Futsumen stopped and turned to face her. 

They turned to face each other at a distance where they could reach out and touch each other.

"...... I'm sorry this is all I have to say, but thank you, Nishino." 

"If you want to thank me, I think I got it before I headed to the police station." 

"When they put me in the car, I really thought I was going to be killed." 

Okuda-san's voice, mumbled in a whisper, still reached the Futsumen's ears. Her tone of voice was shy and embarrassed, a far cry from her previous enthusiastic tone. Her expression was very apologetic as she spoke. 

Nishino, on the other hand, replied in his usual tone.

"The police station confirmed that the man was from another country. Considering the circumstances, he will most certainly be deported. No matter how things turn out, Okuda-san will not be harmed by that man in the future. Please, you can rest assured."

In fact, only Francisca was aware of the destination of the kidnappers. 

And in any case, Nishino told Okuda-san with concern that the culprits would not come out under the sun again. He hoped that when she went to bed around this evening, she would not shudder at the thought of the commotion.

" ...... "

"What's wrong? If you have any other concerns, you can tell me right here, right now." 

As for Okuda-san, this looked cool again. 

His face seemed to sparkle and shine in such a way that, if converted to Chairwoman Eyes, a Futsumen would look like an handsome man. In fact, the darkness of the night made Nishino's face look somewhat more handsome than it did in broad daylight. 

So Okuda-san decided to take a bold step forward.

"It's not exactly anxiety, but may I take this opportunity to ask you something?" 

"Oh, what is it?" 

"Nishino-kun, are you currently dating someone?"

Okuda-san asked the question that led him to his original goal, a trip to a luxury hotel. 

What came back was a straightforward Futsumen reply to all intents and purposes.

"No, I don't have a relationship with anyone like that.." 

"Really?"

"I hope you don't mind that I'm talking with a few of the B group." 

Rose and Gabriella visited Class A today and were buzzing about someone who was on Nishino's mind. Recalling their appearance, the Futsumen put forward a litany of excuses. Okuda-san's face broke into a smile as he said, A virgin who is hopelessly in love with the Chairwoman is truly a man of his age and has never had a girlfriend. 

The words that followed naturally became more energetic.

"If so, Nishino-kun, will you continue to be a good friend to me?"

"Oh, I would like you to do the same for me, Okuda-san."

"...... Oh, really? I am glad to hear you say so!" 

Nishino gazed at the figure in front of him and struck a gut-punch in his heart. It was a friend of the opposite sex who went to school with him, someone he had longed for. And it was someone with the potential to develop into a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. 

In the past, he had done the same thing to Matsuura-san and failed miserably. 

This time, however, he got it exactly right. 

The feeling of youth that he had always hoped for was now right in front of him. 

If Rose had witnessed it, bloodshed would have been inevitable.