part2 · 086-ep86

Episode 86: A Reunion After Ten Years

"...Mizuki?"

The name slipped from Ren's mouth.

"...Ren?"

For a while, neither of them said anything.

Ten years. It had been such a long time.

The man before her certainly resembled the Ren she knew.

But—

he looked nothing like the boy of ten years ago.

Slowly, Mizuki drew closer to Ren.

"...Ren."

"...Yeah."

"...Can I ask you one thing?"

"...Sure."

Mizuki looked Ren in the eye.

"When we were kids... our first secret base. Do you remember it?"

"......"

Ren thought for a moment.

"...Behind the house. Between the trees."

"...Yeah."

Mizuki's eyes wavered.

"And there... what did we promise each other?"

"......"

Ren stayed quiet for a while.

And then—

"...That when we grew up, the two of us would go watch the stars."

"......"

"Somewhere with no city lights."

Tears spilled from Mizuki's eyes.

"...You remembered."

"...Yeah."

It was—

a promise that only the two of them knew.

The first secret base they ever built. A place they'd told no one about. The promise for the future the two of them alone had made there.

That place. What they'd talked about there. What the promise was.

The only one who knew—

was the Ren standing before her.

"...Ren."

Mizuki looked at the man in front of her.

A face covered in beard. Uneven hair. Unfamiliar black combat gear.

Nothing like the boy of fifteen.

Even so—

"...There's no doubt."

Mizuki wiped away her tears.

"...It's Ren."

Ten years. She had searched the whole time. There had even been times she thought she'd never see him again.

Even so, she hadn't given up.

"...You really came home."

"...Yeah."

Ren nodded, quietly.

Just then, voices rose from the crowd around them.

"...Huh?"

"Isn't that Kanzaki Mizuki?"

"The former model...?"

"She's the leader of 《Astra》, the A-rank party, right?"

"It's really her..."

Mizuki looked around. Several people already had their smartphones out.

"......"

This was bad.

A crowd would gather if this went on. And—Ren would get dragged into the commotion too.

The officer sensed it too — the look on Mizuki's face.

"...Kanzaki-san."

"Yes?"

"This looks like it might cause a bit of a scene."

The officer glanced around.

"If you don't mind, perhaps we could talk over by the patrol car?"

"...Please."

Guiding them along while calling out to the people around, the officer led the two of them toward the patrol car.

"This way, please."

Mizuki looked at Ren.

"Ren, let's go."

"...Yeah."

The two of them followed the officer to the patrol car.

The back door was opened for them.

"After you."

Mizuki climbed in first, and Ren followed. The door shut. The noise of the crowd grew just a little more distant.

The officer looked at Ren.

"What's your name?"

"...Kurose Ren."

Then he looked at Mizuki.

"Forgive me for asking, but do you know this person?"

"Yes. We're childhood friends."

"I see."

The officer nodded, looking somewhat relieved.

"The truth is, we had a report earlier of a suspicious person in this area."

"...I see. So that was it."

"Yes. So we asked him what he was doing here, and..."

The officer looked out the window at the empty lot.

"He told us he had 'come back.'"

"......"

"This being an empty lot, we couldn't tell what he meant. We were at a bit of a loss, honestly."

Mizuki looked at Ren.

"...I had no idea."

The officer recalled the exchange the two of them had shared earlier.

The secret base. The promise only the two of them knew. The talk of going to watch the stars.

It was a strange story, in a way.

But—

between two people reunited after ten years, it was not a story a police officer could wedge himself into.

So he asked nothing.

Mizuki looked at Ren.

"...It's okay."

Then she turned back to the officer.

"I'll stay with him."

"I see."

The officer looked at Ren.

"He hasn't caused any trouble, and if you're with him, Kanzaki-san, I think we're fine."

"Yes."

"Well then — do take care today."

"Understood."

The officer gave a small bow. Then he let the two of them out of the patrol car.

Mizuki looked at Ren.

"...Let's go."

"...Where?"

"My place."

"......"

"You don't have anywhere to go back to, right?"

"...Yeah."

"Then come to my place."

Ren was quiet a moment.

"...Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Mizuki smiled.

"You just came home after ten years, after all."

Ren gave a small nod.

"...Okay."

Side by side, the two of them began to walk.

A reunion after ten years.

And—

Ren's new everyday life began here.