Vol 2 Chapter 9- A Moment of Rest  (【Just Trying to Be Kind】Arc)

A few days had passed since I had enjoyed Arisu’s homemade bento.

The weekly executive meetings, which had been happening every day for the past week, had finally settled down, so I was relaxing at home.

This was practically what you’d call a day off.

Come to think of it, recently, I hadn’t had any real time off. Every day, someone from the executives would contact me, and I’d end up going to the hideout. It felt like the concept of rest had disappeared entirely.

But seriously, what does it say about an organization when its leader is essentially a corporate slave?

It could even be some sort of prank by the executives… but, well, I’ll ignore that for now.

Today, surprisingly, no one has contacted me.

In other words, I could finally relax at home for the first time in a while.

With that thought in mind, I lay on my bed, casually scrolling through my phone.

It was at that moment that a random thought crossed my mind.

Now that I think about it… things have been oddly peaceful around me lately.

No incidents, no chaotic reports from the executives, and none of their usual crime-related chatter.

—It’s probably thanks to the “Potential Allies List.”

Since that executive meeting, not once has there been a report of them engaging in any criminal activities.

I have to admit, I’m impressed by the executives’ newfound ability to restrain themselves.

However, there was one problem.

It was about what would happen once we had established friendly relations with everyone listed in the “Potential Allies List.”

When the dam of their self-restraint bursts, there’s no telling what they might do.

I need to act before that happens.

Well, it’ll take some time to track down all the people on the list, so I guess it’s fine for now.

—Lost in such thoughts, I glanced at the time displayed on my phone.

It was just past 3 PM.

Even so… I’m bored.

Despite having a rare day off, it felt like I’d end up wasting the entire day just being lazy.

Well, I suppose that’s its own kind of happiness.

“…I’m hungry.”

I got up from my bed and headed toward the kitchen.

I opened the fridge, but there was nothing inside. …Ah, right, I ate everything yesterday.

“Guess I’ll go to ‘that place’ for the first time in a while.”

Once the idea popped into my head, I acted immediately. I changed clothes and left the house.

Outside, the August sun was blazing, and the heat seemed to sear my skin.

For someone like me, who usually only travels by car, walking in this heat was pure torture.

Just imagining walking around in my usual suit and mask in this blazing summer sun… it’s terrifying.

With that thought in mind, I kept walking.

“Ugh, it’s hot…”

I muttered aloud.

The thought of going out in this weather made me want to turn back, but now that I’d stepped outside, not going to “that place” was no longer an option.

With that resolve, I headed toward my “destination.”

————————  

About ten minutes had passed since I started walking.

I had reached the bustling streets near the station.

This town was lively, with all sorts of people coming and going, exuding vibrant energy.

My destination was nearby.

It was a small café with a somewhat vintage yet stylish exterior.

Eager to escape the heat, I quickly stepped inside.

A bell chimed, announcing the arrival of a new customer.

The interior was a tranquil space with an antique-style décor, evoking a sense of nostalgia.

There didn’t seem to be any other customers around.

And then—

“—Welcome. It’s been a while, Sakata-san.”

The voice came from the owner of the café.

The man, appearing to be in his late fifties, had slicked-back white hair and wore his usual gentle smile.

“Long time no see, Master.”

I raised a hand in a casual greeting and sat down at the counter.

“It really has been a while. What brings you here today?”

“Well… I finally got a day off and had nothing else to do, so I thought I’d stop by.”

“You’re always so straightforward, Sakata-san. I find it amusing.”

The Master chuckled at my words.

That chuckle was contagious, and I found myself smiling as well.

The Master spoke to me again.

“What would you like to order?”

“Hmm… I’ll have an iced coffee and peperoncino.”

“Understood.”

After placing my order, I glanced around the café.

“Now that I think about it, I rarely see other customers here. Do you have any regulars besides me?”

“—Oh, yes, I do.”

“Really? What kind of person?”

The Master paused thoughtfully for a moment before replying.

“A woman, actually. She’s in a similar situation to you, Sakata-san.”

“Is that so? Someone with a similar background, huh… I’d like to meet her.”

“She only drops by occasionally, like you. It’d be difficult to run into her… Besides, even if you share a similar background, there’s no guarantee you’d get along.”

“Fair point.”

A fellow regular with a similar background.

Hearing that reminded me of the time I first stumbled upon this café.

————————  

Several years ago.

At the time, the Empress had fully transitioned into a criminal organization, and I was both physically and mentally drained. The executives had given me some time off, so I wandered aimlessly through the streets.

It was around 10 PM, and I noticed a light shining from a certain café.

“At this hour…?”

Drawn by curiosity, I pushed open the door displaying an “OPEN” sign.

“Welcome,” came a voice from behind the counter.

A man, presumably the Master, looked up from grinding coffee beans.

“It’s rare for a coffee shop to be open at this hour.”

“Indeed. It might be unusual, but…”

The man stopped grinding coffee beans, raised his eyes to meet mine, and said:

“This café is open for people like you—lost souls in need of solace.”

For a moment, his words left me frozen.

I had wandered in here purely by chance. And yet, he spoke as if I were someone seeking advice for my troubles.

I scoffed slightly and replied:

“What’s that supposed to mean? Some kind of new-age religion?”

“No, no. I’m neither a god nor a cult leader—just an ordinary old man.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Calling yourself an old man, huh?”

“I’m self-aware.”

As he spoke, the man resumed grinding coffee beans. I decided to keep the conversation going.

“You’re kind of an interesting guy, Master.”

“Thank you. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Now that you mention it, I didn’t say, did I?”

I took a seat at the counter before answering:

“Just call me ‘Sakata.’ What about you, Master?”

“‘Master’ will do just fine.”

“Got it. Nice to meet you.”

That was the first time we met.

Even though it was our first encounter, I found the relaxed, easygoing vibe between us comforting. Without even realizing it, I started coming to the café whenever I had free time.

————————  

“Thanks for waiting—here’s your peperoncino.”

The dish I had ordered was placed in front of me, its aroma teasing my hunger.

I picked up my fork and immediately took a bite. Delicious. The pasta at this café was as fantastic as ever.

I continued eating.

The noodles were firm and satisfying, the garlic and chili peppers perfectly stoking my appetite.

The spicy red chili flakes added just the right amount of kick. Truly, a masterpiece of a dish.

————————  

“Thanks for the meal. I’ll come by again.”

Having polished off the peperoncino, I expressed my gratitude and got up to leave.

“Thank you very much. We look forward to seeing you again.”

As I pushed open the door, I noticed the sky outside had turned to evening. Thinking about how late it had gotten, I began heading home.

————————  

Several minutes after I left the café, a new customer entered.

The woman took a seat at the counter and spoke to the Master.

“Master, the usual, please.”

“Right away.”

She appeared to be in her late twenties.

Her slender figure and elegant, well-defined features made her stand out.

But her most striking characteristic was her eyes—mesmerizing amber, almost as if they could draw you in.

Her gaze exuded a gentle, serene aura.

Her long golden hair was tied back in a simple yet graceful style.

————————  

“Here you go. Please take your time.”

The Master handed her the coffee she had ordered. She took a sip and muttered:

“Delicious… This café really does make the best coffee.”

She smiled contentedly and took another sip. Then, she remarked:

“Master, you seem to be in a good mood today.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah. You probably didn’t notice, but… you were humming earlier.”

“How embarrassing… Actually, I was speaking with someone just before you arrived.”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity at his words.

“Oh? What kind of person could brighten your mood like that?”

“Well…”

The Master paused, resting his chin in his hand as if deep in thought, before slowly replying:

“A man, someone with a ‘similar background’ to yours… Himena-san.”

————————  

Back home after leaving the café, I flopped onto my bed. The clock showed 5 PM.

Perhaps it was because I’d eaten, but I was overcome with a sudden drowsiness.

“If I sleep now, I’ll probably wake up tomorrow morning…”

As I lay there pondering, my phone suddenly rang.

The screen displayed the name “Hirata.”

“….”

I didn’t want to answer.

But if I didn’t, she’d probably kill me.

Still, I couldn’t shake the sense of impending doom.

This was what I’d come to recognize as a “death call.”

Yet, ignoring it wasn’t an option.

“Hello…”

I answered the phone hesitantly.

“Hello. Is this the boss?”

The voice on the other end was, of course, Hirata.

“Yes. What’s going on?”

“I have a favor to ask…”

Hirata’s voice sounded unusually apologetic.

Hearing that tone, I knew—something was about to happen. Cold sweat ran down my back.

I asked cautiously:

“A favor? I’ll help if I can…”

“Thank you.”

Her tone returned to normal, and then—

“Would you like to go to Hokkaido with me?”

“…What?”

————————  

1 AM.

The sky was completely clear.

Under such a starry night, a young girl stood alone by the sea.

The sea breeze gently caressed her cheeks. Letting herself drift with the wind, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the waves. It was calming.

“This place really is the most peaceful.”

As she murmured this and opened her eyes, a sky full of stars stretched before her.

Just gazing at the stars seemed to make her worries feel smaller.

After a while, she snapped back to reality, turned away from the sea, and began walking.

The sound of something being dragged accompanied the breeze.

The noise grew louder and louder.

Something heavy was being dragged.

Each step she took caused water to splash.

Eventually, she reached her destination—a cave by the shore.

At that moment, what she was dragging caught the moonlight.

It was—

A human corpse.

No, not quite.

More accurately, pieces of a human body.

A headless male torso lay there, though it barely resembled a human anymore.

The mangled remains showed no trace of the person they once were, reduced to nothing but chunks of flesh.

The girl stared at the remains with an emotionless expression, as if devoid of any feeling.

Suddenly, she thrust the sword she carried into the corpse.

A sickening squelch echoed as the blade sank in.

Again. And again. And again.

With each motion of her hand, the body was further mutilated.

Yet she didn’t stop.

Finally, she grabbed one of the corpse’s hands, inspecting it closely, before lifting its legs.

Then, without hesitation, she tossed it into an old well standing alone inside the cave.

“…”

Gazing down at the lifeless remains, she muttered softly:

“Judgment complete.”

With those words, she walked away from the cave.

The dragging marks in the sand were erased by the waves.