The terrorist attack on Nishino's school.
The large-scale gun battle that erupted within the school grounds.
Though the incident ended without casualties beyond the perpetrator, it was far too spectacular an event to simply sweep under the rug. While public scrutiny was deflected by Francisca's power, public attention was inevitable.
This forced them to relocate.
Both Rose and Gabriela were transferring schools.
Francisca efficiently arranged the new residence and their new schools. All that remained was for them to move their belongings. With the movers' arrival imminent, Nishino and the others were packing up at the share house.
But they wouldn't make it in time.
Because Gabriela had neglected to tidy her own room, even after the movers arrived, they still hadn't packed everything. The Futsumen and Rose tried negotiating, but the movers refused to transport their belongings, citing other scheduled jobs.
"A week until the next one, huh?"
Nishino watched the empty truck drive away from the house and muttered.
It was the next moving date secured at the last minute.
Rose and Gabriela could also be seen beside him.
"It's all your fault my plans are in shambles."
"I do feel sorry about it. But resisting the appeal of those manga tumbling out of the closet was an incredibly difficult feat. I suppose the moment I picked up that first volume, this outcome was already inevitable."
"Why are you talking like you're so high and mighty?"
"There's no point regretting what's already happened. Even factoring in a week's delay, we still have plenty of time before the first day of the new school. Let's finish packing properly today so we can be fully prepared for our new school."
"[Normal] really is something. That's a good point."
In any other household, this incident would likely leave lingering resentment. But the residents of the shared house, all light on their feet, quickly shifted their focus to future plans. At worst, Nishino and the others could move with just the clothes they carried.
"So I guess I'll be living in hotels for the time being?"
"Ah, I'd rather not unpack my bags just to make a living and end up repeating the same mistakes."
Nishino and Rose's gazes turned toward Gabriela.
Having lived together in the share house for some time now, they understood her lazy attitude toward life. They were already worried that if left to her own, she might blow off the next scheduled day too.
Meanwhile, she herself seemed completely unconcerned as she spoke up.
"Sister, if that's the case, I have a suggestion."
"What is it?"
"Since we have the chance, why not go on a trip?"
"A trip?"
"It's a rare opportunity to take a break. Why not relax and unwind? Come to think of it, since we visited Guam, we haven't really gone anywhere. I want to go somewhere."
"But wasn't this day meant for settling into our new home and preparing for our new life?"
"Is there somewhere you'd like to go?"
"Nothing specific comes to mind, but if I had to choose, I'd love to indulge in some delicious meals."
Gabriela spills out her desires one after another.
Next, Nishino's consciousness turns toward Rose.
"Is there anything you want?"
"Me? Well, it's winter, so I'd be happy to go see some snow."
"Snow, that's not bad."
Even for a Futsumen, it wasn't a bad proposal.
Just the other day, he confessed to her and they became a couple. Now, he could go on a date with her in the most natural way possible. Thinking about it that way, Gabriela's proposal was nothing short of a godsend.
The corny lines just slipped out naturally.
"Your lovely figure will look absolutely stunning against the snow country's fantastical scenery."
"Oh my, Nishino-kun, you say such delightful things."
"As soon they see an opening, they start getting all lovey-dovey. Can't you control it?"
Gabu-chan spat out the words with a look of utter disgust.
Her feelings seemed to reach the heavens.
As if interrupting their conversation, a buzzing sound emanated from Nishino's pocket. It didn't stop ringing even after a while. It seemed to be an incoming call. Reluctantly picking up the phone, the Futsumen stared at the display and muttered under his breath.
"Marquis?"
"Can you take the call?"
"Excuse me a minute."
He presses the call button and holds the phone to his ear.
Then, his first words to Marquis on the other end are.
"It's me"
The Futsumen spun on his heel right there. Hands shoved in his pants pockets, he switched to conversation mode.
"Sorry for the sudden call. Is now a good time?"
"If you're that concerned about it, don't keep asking for me all the time."
"I have an urgent task I need you to handle."
"........I'll at least hear you out."
With Rose and Gabriella waiting nearby, he made a call.
The person on the other end continued to state the business nonchalantly.
"The request is for a package handover. We need you to go to the designated location and handle the exchange with the other party. The other party is already on-site, so head over as soon as you're ready."
"Running errands for your mom? You're arranging some pretty low-level work for me, aren't you?"
"Considering the value of the goods and our relationship with the other party, we decided to approach you. There's a possibility combat might break out on-site. If that happens, cancel the transaction and retrieve the goods."
"Ah, I see."
"I already have the tickets and local accommodations arranged."
The word “work” slipped from Futsumen's mouth.
Hearing this, Rose reacted.
"Could it be that work came up?"
"Hold on a moment, Nishino Gokyou. Isn't it rather rude to take on work in this situation? We were discussing travel plans before the call even came in. There's no need to think about which should take priority."
"He's making a lot of noise in the background"
"Oh, she's eavesdropping now."
"Is this what it's like to be a wife eagerly awaiting her husband's return?"
"You've barely been confessed to, and you're already acting like you're married?"
Beside Nishino on the phone, Rose and Gabriela banter back and forth.
Unfazed, the Futsumen ask Marquis.
"Where are they located?"
"Hokkaido?"
"Niseko. Apparently it's a resort."
The Futsumen murmured the name of a place.
Hearing it, Rose and Gabriela reacted.
"How about enjoying some skiing every once in a while?"
"Hokkaido has so many delicious things to eat, doesn't it?"
That casual mutter seemed to reach Marquis through the smartphone's microphone.
"Are your roommates interested in Hokkaido?"
"We were talking about a trip until you contacted me."
"Then it's fine to make it a side trip. If you like, I can even cover their travel expenses and local accommodation costs. I've booked rooms of decent quality. I think it's a pretty good deal, what do you say?"
An unexpected proposal from Marquis.
It seemed he really wanted him to take the job.
Thinking this, Nishino asked the two.
"Hey, you guys, about the travel destination. Would Niseko be okay? Apparently, a generous sponsor is covering the travel expenses. If we're to believe what they said, they've even booked a pretty decent hotel."
"Oh, how thoughtful of him."
"I'm afraid I can't resist that offer."
Rose and Gabriella readily agreed.
The travel destination was decided almost immediately.
"Got it. Send me the details by email."
"Ah, understood. What about the tickets?"
"I'll pick them up today as soon as I finish packing up."
The call with Marquis ended there.
Nishino lowered his phone from his ear and turned to look at Rose and Gabriela.
Between them, a discussion about their departure was already underway.
"You're keeping this from Francisca, right? If you tell her, she'll absolutely insist on coming along."
"In that case, we'd have to leave Nora Dagu behind too."
"There are only so many tickets for the trip. Don't you think it would be crueler to explain the situation to her when you can't take her? If you want to give her your ticket, I won't stop you."
"All right. Let's say the three of us are going this time."
It seems the discussion wrapped up rather quickly.
After exchanging nods of agreement, they returned to the shared house.
◇ ◆ ◇
The next day, Nishino and the others departed from Tokyo.
The one-way flight from Haneda Airport to New Chitose Airport took an hour and a half. True to his big talk, the tickets arranged by Marquis were all business class for the three of them. The journey passed without any particular issues.
A private hire car had been arranged from New Chitose Airport to Niseko.
After boarding the car and spending another two and a half hours or so, they arrived at their destination.
"As you'd expect from a place promoted as a resort, the snow and scenery around here are truly beautiful."
"That said, there sure are a lot of tourists. I bet the ski slopes are packed too."
"This is just the kind of place it is. If you want to avoid the crowds, you should probably head to Shinshu instead."
Stepping out of the car, a vast snowy landscape spread out before the hotel's front entrance.
According to the tourist map Nishino had picked up at the airport, they had arrived at one of the four ski resorts built on Mount Annupuri in Niseko. It was Hanazono Resort, located furthest north.
Their lodging was a luxury brand hotel belonging to a foreign-owned hotel group, notably the priciest among them. As the limousine pulled up before the entrance, a doorman promptly approached and escorted Nishino and his companions to the front desk.
"Just a couple of decades ago, this place was barely even a ski resort just rows of prefab shacks and barns. But once foreign capital got its hands on it, look how beautifully it transformed. Money really is a formidable force."
"Especially Hong Kong capital they sure know how to go big."
Rose's manner of speaking was as if she'd seen the past.
Nishino commented on each remark in a way that seemed like he was trying to look cool.
After checking in at the front desk, a young female staff attended to them. She looked at the youthful guests with a question in her eyes. Were their guardians with them? Moreover, two beautiful girls were attentively accompanying this Futsumen who talked big.
The staff disliked Nishino at first sight.
"This is your room."
Even so, she was a professional bell staff. She solemnly escorted the guest to their room. Then, the Futsumen started rummaging around in his pants pocket. What he pulled out was a worn-out, cheap, no name wallet. Plucking a single bill from it, Nishino handed it to the bell staff and said with a smug look.
"Tip!"
"............."
Belstaff was furious.
That casual tone was infuriating. She couldn't stand his smug expression despite being just a Futsumen. The way he handed over the bill with that pretentious attitude was infuriating. The fact it was a ten-thousand-yen bill felt like he was showing off, making her want to punch him.
And what was with those odd eyes?
Colored contacts? They must be colored contacts, right?
If it had been a thousand yen, she might have ignored it.
Even five thousand yen would have seemed suspicious.
But ten thousand yen.
In her entire Bellstaff career, she'd never received a tip this maddening.
".............."
"..........What's the matter?"
Even if it were the same kind of exchange, had it come from an older, handsome guy, she would have gladly accepted it. But the guy in question was, of all people, a younger Futsumen. Not even a high schooler he looked like a middle schooler, a total nerd.
According to her internal human caste system, he was an overwhelmingly inferior life form.
Inside her, rage and contempt battled.
A showdown between her pride and her financial situation.
"...........Thank you very much."
After much internal struggle, she accepted the tip.
She quickly left the scene.
Unaware of the staff's conflict, Nishino and the others focused their attention on their lodgings. They barged into the guest room and surveyed the amenities. The first things that caught their eye were the living space and the view of the slopes visible through the window.
Beyond that, the majestic Mount Yōtei loomed.
It was the ultimate winter landscape of Hokkaido, stretching out before them.
"Not a bad view at all. I suppose you've achieved your goal of seeing the snow."
"This is the top-floor Signature Suite, isn't it? How did you manage to get a reservation?"
"I am a bit concerned about the job coming after all this preparation, though."
"There's no point worrying about that. You two should just relax and enjoy yourselves."
In the midst of peak ski season, it was a suite demanding nearly a million yen per night. Had you opened the booking site online, you would have confirmed it was fully reserved through the month after next.
The layout featured a living space, dining area, kitchen, bathroom, and even a rooftop balcony with a semi-open-air bath. However, there was only one bedroom. Two large king-size mattresses are placed side by side, each with its own set of pillows.
"There's only one bed. Looks like my sister and I are in for a battle."
"Since I'll be sleeping with Nishino-kun, I suppose you'll be on the living room sofa.
"I know I'm the one suggesting this, but don't you think it's a terribly sad sight? Fortunately, we're both small, so if we try hard, I think we can all sleep together in a row like a river and get along just fine."
"I'll sleep on the sofa. You two can do whatever you like with the bed."
After taking a look around the guest room, Nishino and the others returned their steps back to the living room.
"By the way, Nishino, how's the work schedule looking?"
"I'll take care of that over here. Why don't you two just enjoy skiing?"
"By the way, Nishino, how's the work schedule looking?
I'll take care of that over here. Why don't you two just enjoy skiing?
Well, since we've been provided with such a splendid room, we can't just be playing around. Couldn't we help out a little? Well, if you say we're in the way. Then so be it."
Gabriela's stomach growled loudly, interrupting their conversation.
It was an adorable sound.
She looked down at her own belly and asked without any sign of embarrassment.
"Well then, shall we eat first? My stomach is growling."
"You really are free-spirited, aren't you..."
"With an empty stomach, you can't fight. Let's try that famous, pricey Inbound Bowl."
"Ah, that sounds good."
Having left home without eating, Nishino and Rose were also feeling hungry. At Gabriela's urging, they decided to have a late lunch at the restaurant operating in the hotel lobby.
After eating, they changed into their ski gear and headed out to the slopes.
The three of them enjoyed skiing together.
To accommodate Gabriela, who had little skiing experience, they used beginner and intermediate slopes. Rose ended up looking after her, while the Futsumen watched from the sidelines.
Before they knew it, the sun was setting.
Nightfall arrived.
Nishino and the others left their hotel room.
They set off for work to fulfill the original purpose of their visit to Niseko.
The location was the parking lot of their lodging.
The email Futsumen received from Marquis listed the car model and license plate number.
The lot, capable of holding over a hundred vehicles, was spacious. Though the facility operated 24 hours, it was nearly deserted at this late hour after sunset.
"The three of us are handling this job, so there's absolutely no room for failure."
"We shouldn't let our guard down. That kind of complacency leads to mistakes in our work."
"Nishino-kun is right. I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from doing anything that might hold us back."
The peak season meant the parking lot was packed with cars, no empty spots in sight. Given the luxury resort setting, there were many high-end vehicles you wouldn't normally see. Glancing at the line of such cars, they walked deeper into the parking lot.
"They're staying at the same hotel and enjoying the resort too, right?"
"It seems they were the ones who suggested the meeting spot."
"So it's possible we might have crossed paths somewhere, right?"
They eventually reached a secluded spot.
Nishino and the others spotted the vehicle they were looking for.
"That's the car over there."
"Looks like they noticed us too."
"What's this? They're getting out."
As Rose and Gabriella pointed out, it seems the other side has also caught up with Nishino and the others.
People began getting out of the car and lining up in front of the vehicle.
There were three of them.
All were well-built men dressed in suits.
Their faces were covered with plastic masks, making their features impossible to discern. One of them was holding an attaché case. Its simple aluminum design was the kind sold anywhere.
"Marquis sent me to make a deal."
"...............You really are just a child."
"Is that a problem?"
They stood facing each other in front of the car.
A distance of about two or three meters.
One of the men muttered under his breath as he looked over Nishino's group. His gaze shifted not only between Futsumen but also between Rose and Gabriela standing on either side of him. Though his expression was hidden by his mask, a slight unease could be detected in his tone.
"I'd like to check the items first."
"Oh, I've got them ready."
When questioned by the other party, Nishino rummaged through his pants pocket. What he pulled out was a USB flash drive. It was transaction material entrusted to him by Marquis for the job. He himself was unaware of its contents.
Upon confirming the flash drive in Futsumen's hand, the other party showed a reaction. One of the men took a tablet out from an attaché case. He placed it gently one step ahead on the floor, directly in front of Nishino.
"Insert the flash drive into the tablet, use the numbers on the lock screen as the passkey to access the data. Then display the data shown in the folder on the screen and show it to us. If you enter the key incorrectly three times, the data will be erased. Be careful."
"Ah, got it."
Nishino nodded slightly and picked up the tablet.
He entered the passkey as instructed and displayed the folder.
What appeared was a row of unidentifiable files.
Nishino held up the tablet with a deliberately dramatic air.
The other party confirmed this and gave a small nod.
"The data does appear to be correct."
"Then I'd like to inspect your goods."
Meanwhile, Rose and Gabriela said nothing, silently watching events unfold. The Futsumen had earned their absolute trust when it came to work. They both shared the belief that leaving things to him would be no problem.
However, even his reputation couldn't save him when faced with the real deal.
The reason was simple: his utterly average looks.
Even after hearing the Futsumen's words, a slight change appeared in the other party's attitude.
"By the way, are you really【Normal】?"
"...........What do you mean?"
"It's hard to believe【Normal】is such a kid.
"You can think whatever you want. But what's the point of verifying it here? We've demonstrated the legitimacy of the bargaining chip. That should be proof enough."
Nishino answered calmly.
As usual.
He was just a Futsumen who got looked down on for everything.
Then the man's hand reached into his pocket.
"Many worship your name. But are those achievements real?"
The object he pulled out was a handgun.
The muzzle was aimed at Futsumen's forehead.
Immediately after, though he hadn't done anything, the magazine fell out from under the grip. The polymer magazine hit the asphalt with a clang. In this deserted neighborhood, the faint sound echoed distinctly.
Without a moment's pause, the slide came off next. The takedown lever spun on its own, sliding out smoothly without being touched. Simultaneously, the recoil spring bounced up with a plop, falling to the ground along with the slide.
Throughout this, the man hadn't moved at all.
It was Nishino's uncanny magic.
"The gun's maintenance is sloppy. At this rate, you can guess how competent the owner is."
"Wha....."
Gripping the disassembled pistol's grip, the man stiffened his entire body.
His eyes, wide with shock, darted back and forth between his own hands and Nishino.
"This is your final warning. Do you intend to conclude this transaction amicably?"
Nishino stares intently at the other person as he speaks.
His famously narrow eyes narrowed even further, making his eye area look like thin lines. He was clearly striking a pose, thinking this was his moment to look cool, but to anyone watching, it just looked like he was staring at something dazzling.
However, what happened at the end of his gaze was astonishing.
The man dropped the pistol at his feet, immediately raised both hands above his head, and shouted.
"I... I surrender. Please spare me."
".......You switch gears pretty quickly, don't you?"
The stern tone he'd been maintaining softened into a weak voice.
This left Nishino feeling deflated.
Then, almost immediately, another man standing nearby chimed in.
"I'm terribly sorry. This guy just wouldn't listen, insisting he absolutely had to check. It's not that I doubt you at all. I'm just too curious about the famously rumored [Normal]......."
The two remaining men ripped the mask off the one who had been chatting.
Gazing at the face revealed beneath, Nishino muttered under his breath.
"You look like someone I've seen before."
"Did you recognize me?"
Hearing the Futsumen's words, relief washed over the men's faces.
Meanwhile, Rose wore a look of suspicion.
"A friend of Nishino's?"
"No, I'm Marquis' subordinate."
"......What does that mean?"
"You should ask him yourself."
Back when he used to drink at Marquis' bar, he'd caught glimpses of this Futsumen coming and going. They never really exchanged words, but the man's face had stuck in the back of his mind.
Caught by Nishino and the others, the man revealed his face and frantically continued his speech.
"This job is fake. It's a surprise from the boss to【Normal】"
"............Surprise?"
The boss must be referring to Marquis.
The Futsumen couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion.
"He said it was because he'd been so grateful for all the help he'd received recently. But he figured if he just handed over the ticket normally, you wouldn't take it, so he went to all this trouble. I'm sorry we had to resort to such trickery."
"Ah, so that's what it was."
It was all a clever ploy by his business partner.
Nishino had been completely duped.
He instantly adopted a pretentious air, complaining as if to say, Oh, for heaven's sake.
"No wonder they booked such a nice room."
"I hope we can enjoy a leisurely vacation for the next week or so."
"At check-in, the front desk said it was only for one night."
"These foreign-owned hotels are very flexible, so long as you pay the money."
"They sure go out of their way to do things."
The tension in the room eased once the joke was revealed.
Rose and Gabriela also relaxed their tense expressions.
"By the way, was that exchange just now also on that man's orders?"
"No, no, that was my own judgment..."
"Then you'd better be careful. That man instructed us to prioritize retrieving the goods if the deal failed. If you'd surrendered even a moment later, you wouldn't be chatting away like this now."
"............"
A Futsumen trying to act like a senior toward a clueless junior. He speaks like a middle schooler suffering from chuunibyou. If Inchou heard that, she'd get goosebumps on her upper arms. But seeing the pistol disassembled in an instant left Marquis's subordinate speechless.
There's no show-off more infuriating than this.
"By the way, do I need to take this memory stick home?"
"It is encrypted, but the file contents are empty."
"They really went all out, even preparing props like this.
"The boss seemed to be having a lot of fun, though."
"Huh?"
"Ah, please keep what I just said confidential."
You've got a surprisingly cute side to you, was the one-sided compliment bestowed upon Marquis by Futsumen. On the way home, he mused to himself, recalling that intimidating appearance, wondering if he should pick up a souvenir or two.
"Well then, we'll be taking our leave now."
"Please give my regards to that man."
"Yes, understood."
The three men bowed deeply in unison.
Accompanied by their farewells, Nishino and the others returned to their lodgings at the hotel.
◇ ◆ ◇
After that, Nishino and the others had initially planned to check out the next day, but upon confirming the details at the front desk, they were informed that their stay had been extended by a week. The staff member said, “Please take your time and enjoy your stay.”
Nishino couldn't help but feel like the Marquis had played them for fools. However, watching Rose and Gabriela gleefully discuss their plans for the coming days, he reconsidered. Maybe this kind of thing wasn't so bad after all.
And then, the next day.
Just as they returned to their room after breakfast, visitors arrived.
The first visitor to arrive on that second day was someone Nishino and the others recognized.
"Rose-chan, your guardian came to check on you."
Francisca was dressed to the nines in her best traveling attire.
Beside her stood Nora, equally neatly dressed.
Just yesterday, they had been seen in the city. To arrive in Niseko at this time meant they must have begun preparing for the journey last night.
This visit seemed odd no matter how you looked at it, and Rose frowned as she questioned them.
"How did you find this place?"
"Well, obviously. I'm the one who arranged the hotel here."
"Oh, so this was your work....."
"It was quite a challenge. The place was fully booked during peak season."
Nishino murmured softly, as if he finally understood.
To this, Francisca answered with her chest puffed out.
"That's so mean, isn't it? Leaving us behind just so they could go on their own ski trip."
"Since we'd been told beforehand it was work, wasn't that the natural thing to do?"
Francisca and Rose bickering back and forth.
Beside them, Gabriela speaks to Nora.
"I'm terribly sorry for what I did to Nora Dagu."
"You care about me?"
"Forget about that old lady over there. I was concerned about you. Since we'll be living in the same house and going to the same school from now on, wouldn't it be nice to get along? I don't think it's good to be left out."
"Gabriela, you're so kind."
"Yes, I am very kind. And so, I have a proposal for you."
".........A proposal?"
"To stop sister from monopolizing Nishino Gogo, let's swear an alliance right here. Don't you think her recent behavior flirting at every opportunity, acting like she owns the place is enough to make you want to cover your eyes."
"Indeed, it is. Opportunities to speak with Nishino have decreased."
"Now, you two, what are you saying such alarming things about without permission!"
The moment Francisca and the others joined them, the room instantly grew noisier.
Glancing sideways at the boisterous housemates, Nishino's footsteps carried him toward the entrance hall.
"Well, it's a rare chance I'll go ski a bit during the quiet morning hours."
"Ah, wait, Nishino-kun. I'm coming with you!"
"Well then, shall we head to the slopes too, Nora Dagu?"
".........I've never skied before."
"I'm in a similar boat. Let's learn together."
"Yeah, sure."
"In that case, I suppose I'll join you on the【Normal】slope."
"You can just drink in your room, Francisa."
"Hey, don't you need a coach? I'm actually pretty skilled, you know."
"Ugh, possessive women are the worst."
"Nishino-kun said he loves me, flaws and all, didn't he?"
"You old lady, don't give her any openings. My sister's lovey-dovey mode will activate."
Nishino had been living through dizzying days since the autumn equinox.
Finally, his daily life began to show signs of settling down.
Yet no one present knew how long that calm would last.
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