The place was pretty crowded. Most of the customers were groups of two or three, and the place rang with girls' voices raised in laugher or exclamation. Asukai was the only person sitting in a booth alone.
The cell phone in his breast pocket rang.
“Yes?” he said, answering it at once.
“It's Misaki,” a girl's voice said.
“How was it?”
“Just like you said, 'she' wasn't here.”
“Really?”
“Yes. She hasn't been to school for a few days.”
“Did she call in sick? Is she at the hospital?”
“I don't know. Nobody seems to know what's happened to her, including her teachers.”
“And this is not because she's a new student or hasn't got to know anyone yet?”
“No. Everyone knew her, but she didn't talk about herself much. They described her as mysterious and more than a little remote.”
“Hmm...”
“It seems like she didn't have any friends. I asked several people, but none of them could think of any.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“What should I do next?”
“Can you change on the way? Just throw that uniform away, and meet me at the cram school.”
“Okay.”
Asukai hung up.
He looked up, and found the waitress had come to refill his cup.
“Refill?”
“Yes, please.”
The waitress bent over to fill his cup, and put her lips near his ear. “New orders came.”
“...... “ Asukai Jin nodded faintly.
“A girl will arrive soon in his 'stead.' I'm to do as she says.”
“A girl?” Asukai bobbed his head, and took a sip of his coffee.
He knew the waitress well. She'd been a student of his at the cram school the year before. Starting this spring, she'd become a college student, but she had been working at this cafe since she was a ronin.
“There's no medicine in this one, right?” Asukai whispered, smiling.
The waitress grinned back. “You never know. There's always a chance I might slip you something...”
“Scary,” he said, ducking slightly. She went away.
He silently drank his coffee for a few minutes, then looked back at the book in his hands.
The book's title was The Victor s Principle: The Victim s Future, by Kirima Seiichi. It was a thin book, only about 150 pages.
He flipped through the pages one way, then back the other. He read nothing, but kept opening it to one passage, then closing it again.
It read:
“... but all hopes, ultimately, are achieved in the future. Everyone dreams, desires the realization of those dreams, but it is not the dreamer that obtains that realization. It is the following generation. Furthermore, for those that receive the fruits of that success, it is no longer a dream, but established fact. All hopes must therefore become the sacrifice of the victor, but this is how humanity has advanced. Our only road is ahead of us, for people cannot live in the past...”
The grammar was so twisted, it was impossible to tell if the writer was resigned or optimistic.
“.......”
Without reading it, without even displaying interest in it, Asukai flipped back and forth, always returning to that passage.
“Sacrifice, hunh?” he muttered at last, so quietly no one could hear him. “That may be the only way...”
His phone rang again.
“Asukai speaking,” he answered at once. Nodding to himself, he listened to the other speaker, but suddenly his eyes narrowed. “What?! Really?” His voice was tense. “And? You don't know where 'she' is at all? No, don't worry about it. I'd get away from there if I were you. She probably won't come back,”
-- Okay. he said quietly, calmly. But the worry was clear on his face.
At last, he hung up, and for a moment, did not move. The hand holding the book clenched, crushing it.
“Jesus... so that's the 'girl."'
He stood up.
The waitress from before was at the register, and took his check. Asukai whispered in her ear, “When the 'girl' comes in his stead, tell me at once. If you can, take her captive.”
“Okay. How?”
“Up to you. But try to do it so you don't leave any evidence.”
“Got it.”
“Thank you. I'll be at the cram school.”
He left the cafe, and headed straight for work.
(What now... ?)
As he walked, his expression was peaceful. But it was the kind of tense quiet that could snap at any second.
(If I'm going to help her, I'll have to hurry... but... )
From time to time, his teeth ground together.
He reached the school, and entered the building. A girl sitting in the lobby stood up, and glared at him.
For some reason, Asukai was badly shaken.
She was clearly an ordinary girl, but he felt like she had some unfathomable power.
Like a warrior headed for the battle of her life, sword drawn. She stared right through Asukai.
***
The girl introduced herself as Suema Kazuko. A friend of Kinukawa Kotoe's.
“... Kinukawa-san has not been herself recently. Have you heard anything?” she asked, the moment they entered the tiny counseling room.
“Yes... I mean, I just found out a few minutes ago.”
“What do you think?”
“What... what do you mean?”
“Kinukawa-san is in love with you,” Suema announced.
“.......”
“Yeah, I know. She's the one who ought to tell you. But I figured you already knew. Right?”
“Yes, vaguely...”
“I've no intention of asking you what you think of her. That's none of my business. But do you think her transformation has anything to do with you?”
“... I don't know.”
“Kinukawa-san thinks nothing of you, now?”
“So it seems.”
“I think you know.”
“'What?”
“The reason.”
“Why do you think that?”
“It's written all over your face.”
Asukai froze. Was this girl like him? Could she see something in people’s hearts?
But after a moment, she sighed.
“But seriously... it's not that simple. I just got the feeling you did.”
“I'd honestly like to know the reason. But...” This was true. Why did she have to be a target? He didn't know. There should have been no chance for him to get near her.
(If he was after money, there must have been better candidates.)
“Kinukawa-san was worried about you,” Suema said.
Asukai was slightly taken aback. “Worried? Why?”
“I can't tell you. I promised her.”
“.......”
“But now that I've actually met you, I think I understand how Kinukawa-san feels,” Suema said, staring at Asukai. “She has changed, but I suspect you have as well.”
“Possibly... I guess I'm not going to be able to return her feelings,” Asukai said, looking down.
Suema shook her head. “Not that. I don't think you would have been collected enough to be concerned about her. That's part of the reason she liked you. She wanted to help you.”
“.......”
“You were caught up with your own mess.”
“.......”
“She liked it that way,” Suema continued. “She knew that's the kind of person you were -- until you changed. You found something. That gave you time to poke your head up above the surface. And when she realized that...”
Asukai was beginning to shudder. He thought this girl was far more collected than he was.
How much did she know?
Or was she also working for him?
“Are you...” he started, but then he saw something.
Suema's hands were locked together on her lap, but the fingers w
ere trembling.
She was afraid, but was forcing herself to be brave.
“What are you doing, Asukai-sensei?” she asked.
“Why do you want to know?” Asukai replied, trying to wrestle control.
“Because...”
“You said you were friends, but you clearly haven't known her that long. You have nothing in common. In fact, I imagine you would find her rather irritating,” he said, recovering his cool. She was just a girl. Not worth being afraid of.
He'd been looking at it for a while, but this girl had no 'flower.' She was the same type as Kotoe. This type never liked each other.
Suema failed to answer.
Asukai pressed forward. “You're a pretty smart girl. Are you proud of that?”
***
“N-no!” I said, feeling like someone had stuck a knife in my chest.
“I can't believe you would have any respect for a girl like Kotoe-chan. Especially after you found out how much she's changed. You just can't figure things out, right?”
“I... I just...”
“You want an answer.”
“Th-that's probably part of it, but...” The entire conversation had been me on a roll, but the moment I started to lose my footing, I stumbled. Asukai Jin's eyes looked like they could see right into my soul.
“Oh, I understand. ['m not criticizing you for it. But I'm more worried about Kotoe-chan than you are. I'm just grateful it was worthy of your attention.”
I had no idea how to respond to that.
“A-asukai-sensei. . . ?”
“What?”
“Do you really... are you sure you don't have anything to do with her transformation?” Even as I spoke, I realized this wasn't the question I wanted to ask.
“I feel a little guilty. I'm sure it's my fault somehow,” he said, sounding pretty sincere. Like he was really a good guy.
But that's what bugged me.
It was unnatural. And no matter how you looked at it... he was hiding something.
“Then does it have something to do with that painting?” I babbled. Even I wasn't sure what I meant.
“What?” Asukai Jin asked, puzzled. “Which painting?”
“'Snow Falls in April.' That picture is your... how can I put this...” Basically, I just felt like I had to say something. lf I stayed silent, and let him keep talking, I'd completely lose control of the conversation and not able to argue anything at all. “It's a part of you that Kinukawa-san could never touch. Don't you see?”
“……..”
“A-and she felt like there was something about you she couldn't handle.”
“……..” Asukai was expressionless. He didn't react at all.
What was I trying to say?
Was I being the archetypal excitedly stupid high school girl, who speaks without thinking?
But I felt like I was right. That picture said something about this man...
“That picture,” Asukai Jin said.
I snapped out of it. “Wh-what?”
“Do you understand it?” he asked, his voice so quiet and calm. And a little bit like he was making fun of me.
But I snapped, “I don't know everything, but that picture... yeah. I do.” If he was going to make fun of me, I might as well speak my mind.
“Pray tell,” he said. I got the feeling he was pulling a little away, flinching back.
“I hate it,” I snarled, going for the big blow in the hopes of knocking him over.
But he just airily said, “Harsh.”
I was off balance now, but I couldn't pull back. “I'm right, aren't I? Did you actually want to draw a picture like that?”
“I wasn't exactly planning on selling it.”
“But you were trying to capture something external. Right?”
“--------”
“It's an awfully lonely picture.”
“You're the first person who's said that about it.”
“But that's what I think. No matter how you look at that picture, there's no trace of the painter's intentions.” When did I suddenly become a hypocritical art critic? I was so unconvincing.
“... I see,” Asukai Jin nodded anyway.
“What were you thinking when you drew that thing?” I asked, growing uncertain as to why I was sitting here, having this conversation.
“Why are we talking about this?” Asukai Jin asked, clearly thinking the same thing.
I managed to find some words and turn them into an answer. “Because we want to help Kinukawa-san. That's why I want to know more about you.”
“What is it that makes you work so hard for Kotoe-chan?” Asukai Jin had been staring at me this whole time. Unable to hold his gaze any longer, I broke eye contact.
“You. ..already said that.”
“Mm? What do you mean?”
“That I'm not really that close to her. But if I ever want to be closer to her, then I have to help her now.” No sooner had the words left my mouth that I felt a pain in my chest. I had a strong sensation that I was a horribly pathetic life form.
The thought that I needed a reason to simply get closer to another human being just seemed like the saddest thing in the world.
I found myself staring at the floor and shaking.
This had to stop.
I couldn't deal with Asukai Jin. There was no way I could ever understand the secret Kotoe had wanted to know.
Suddenly, Asukai Jin asked, “Do you want to be saved?”
“Hunh--?”
“Do you want to know what I am doing?” He stared directly at me, missing nothing.
I was transfixed. I couldn't move.
“I am trying to change the world,” he said, his eyes completely serious.
“……..”
“I am trying to heal the flaws in human hearts. And I'm doing it the only way I know how... by planting the right type of flower in their souls.”
I remembered something I had thoughtlessly said back when Kotoe was telling me about Asukai Jin. “He goes out every night and comes back covered in other people's blood? That sounds like, I dunno... like a vampire or something.”
And now, I found myself nailed to the wall, trapped in his gaze and totally immobile.
“It's a problem of balance. I've been searching for that. I've got all kinds of people 'cooperating.' And finally I found it. That balance; a gentle, modest 'seed' that can be planted harmlessly in almost everyone.”
“……..”
“It has no shape, and it won't ever help you achieve your desires... but that's what allows it to meet all of the requirements. The perfect 'seed."'
“……..”
“Fortunately, I had already found that balance. I met a 'girl' who had it. Now all I have to do is find her.”
“……..”
“I will take this seed from the 'girl' and propagate it across the world... the 'seed' will lay down roots, and before they know it, everyone in the world will be without flaws. To achieve this, I have to sacrifice the girl, but that is a necessary evil.”
“……..”
“Your heart is flawed as well. You realize that, don't you?”
“……..”
“What if I told you I could fix that. ..?”
“……..”
“What would you say?”
“I... I would...” I could hear my own heart beating furiously. Beating so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of my mouth. “I have already been saved by someone else!” I shouted.
Asukai Jin frowned. “Oh? Who?”
“B-boogiepop!” I said, well aware that I was babbling like a lunatic. The person who had actually saved me had said that name. But did shinigami actually save people?
“Oh, him again?” Asukai chuckled. It sounded like he'd heard the rumors.
I could feel my face turning red. “Not like that!”
“He's a superhero, right?”
“H-he's not that simple...” I tried to argue, but in truth I knew nothing about him. “A-and befor
e you make fun of him... I mean, you just said y-you were going to change the world...” as the words left my mouth, I realized something.
(What-- ?!)
What had he just said?
The true impact of his words sank in.
“……..”
Asukai Jin stared at me silently.
I gulped.
He slowly reached his hand out towards my chest.
I felt like I was frozen to my chair-- I couldn't get away.
Asukai Jin's fingers began to turn, like he was grasping something I couldn't see.
(Wh-what is he...... ?!)
What was happening? I stiffened, and Asukai Jin's fingers clustered like he was holding a pen, then moved, like he was drawing a line in the air.
It was like he was drawing a picture.
My jaw dropped, and he shrugged.
“I'm talking about a picture. I wanted to surprise people with it. The world might be aiming a little high, but every painter has that desire secretly lurking deep within, telling them they're an artist.”
I was stunned.
“The girl is just a model. She's nothing more than that to me, personally, but I wonder if Kotoe-chan didn't mistake her for my girlfriend. That might have caused her to act out like she has. So I plan to find Kotoe, and talk to her, clear things up.”
He smiled softly as he spoke.
“I... see,” I managed to nod.
I felt like a decisive moment has just passed me by.
“I apologize for being so harsh earlier, but, you see, I was embarrassed. I didn't really doubt your friendship with Kotoe-chan,” Asukai Jin said, and bowed his head.
“........” I couldn't answer.
There was nothing left for me to say.
No matter how much I asked, he wasn't going to give me any more than this.
There was nothing else for me to do.
“Thank you,” I said, weakly rising to my feet.
As I was about to leave, I turned back. “Oh, one more thing... what did you mean by 'sacrifice?"' I asked. “You said, 'I have to sacrifice the girl.' That's not exactly a pleasant image.”
“Well, she's a model. She has to remain in the exactly the same position for eight hours, and I always feel a little guilty asking that of people. But what else can I do?” he said, without hesitation.
Boogiepop Returns VS Imaginator Part 2 Page 5
