Chapter 48: Storming the Gang’s Hideout

“Why did you kidnap us!”

When I answered the phone, it began with Char’s voice like that. She was probably hiding that she was on a call with me. I could hear engine sounds as if they were in a car.

“Both of you looked like women the boss would like! Heh heh heh!”

“Don’t worry, if you don’t match the boss’s taste, we’ll let you go right away.”

I also heard voices that sounded like underlings. Apparently, the girls had been captured by some people. For Char to make such a blunder… But if she was with Ami, I guessed it couldn’t be helped. I couldn’t imagine Char abandoning Ami and escaping alone, after all.

“Char-chan, calm down. For now, let’s just quietly follow along.”

“…If you lay a hand on Ami-san, I’ll kill you.”

“Ooh, scary, scary. Heh heh heh. Don’t worry, we ‘Baby Play’ gangsters are gentlemen.”

Hearing the name ‘Baby Play’ through the phone, I questioned Dojima and the others.

“Hey, Char and my sister were kidnapped by ‘Baby Play’!”

“Ah, the boss often orders his subordinates to bring women to him.”

“But most women get returned as is.”

“Seems like there’s some kind of ‘standard’. We don’t really understand it though.”

Tch, for now I should listen to what was happening on the phone. If what these guys said was true, the two should return safely. Eventually, I heard the sound of a car arriving. When I checked the transmitter Char was wearing, it was at a port warehouse. Apparently, this place was their hideout.

“Boss! We brought along some new women!”

When I heard the underling’s voice, immediately after I heard Ami and Char’s screams.

“Kyaa! What is this pervert?!”

“Hey, don’t come any closer to us!”

I instantly understood that the boss of ‘Baby Play,’ Akabou Ogiya, had appeared.

“…Perfect.”

“Huh?”

“Wh-what…”

Akabou muttered something.

“Perfect!”

“Ooh! Boss!”

“Did you finally find her?!”

I then heard the voices of the ‘Baby Play’ gang members rejoicing about something.

“A high school student who could be mistaken for an elementary student with such innocence! Small chest! Soft-looking butt, and an intellectual demeanor that seems nurturing! This is it! This is exactly…”

Akabou’s incomprehensible joyful voice continued. These characteristics he listed were definitely referring to Char.

“You are my Mama!”

“…I’m not, though.”

Char cut him down decisively. She then denied it once more.

“I’m not your mama.”

“Shut up! You’re going to become my mama!”

“Hey, what are you planning to do to Char-chan?!”

“Ah, you can go home, but if you call the police or anything, I’ll kill both this girl and you.”

Tch! I didn’t know what was going on, but apparently Char couldn’t go home. I had no choice but to go rescue her.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I’ll take Char-chan’s place, so let Char-chan go!”

“What a wonderful friendship… but unfortunately, you’re not mama material.”

“I’m not either!”

I knew the location. I needed Char to somehow buy time while I rushed over and rescued the both of them.

“I heard it, a voice calling for help…”

Suddenly, after muttering that, Samejima bounced up and stood as if jumping.

“There’s a girl being bullied, and another girl trying to protect her.”

(This guy… what kind of crazy hearing does he have…)

He had apparently really heard the voices through the phone from this distance. No, more than that, had this guy already recovered…?

“Wait for me, girls! I’ll help you as soon as I return the manhole!”

Saying that, he grabbed the manhole cover and ran off energetically.

“Is that guy a monster…”

In terms of pure physical ability, he was among the best. However, being directionally challenged and not knowing the location, he’d never reach the hideout…

“Can’t be helped, I’ll hurry up and go rescue them too.”

I started running toward the port warehouse that was Baby Play’s hideout.

Chapter 49: 5 Seconds Before The Comeuppance

The abandoned port warehouse where Char and Ami had been taken to.

In that place, Char and Ami were bound with rope behind their backs. Their smartphones had been taken by Akabou, and Ami was clinging to Char with a frightened look on her face. Char raised her voice in anger.

“Hey! I’m one thing, but Ami-san should be fine now, right!? Release her!”

“Char-chan, calm down… if you anger them, there’s no telling what they might do…”

Akabou puffed on his pacifier-shaped cigar and grinned.

“I was thinking of doing that… but it looks like this Ami-chan of yours is a caring friend. If I let her go like this, she might report to the police.”

When Akabou raised one hand, his subordinates surrounded the two girls and showed vulgar smiles.

“I thought I’d have my boys give her a little education so that she won’t go to the cops.”

Char stepped forward to protect Ami and spoke defiantly.

“Ami-san is smart so she doesn’t need education. Rather, isn’t it you who needs education? If you’d like, I’ll tell you about a perfect school for you. The mental clinic in front of the station.”

When Char said this while putting on a brave front, one of the subordinates burst out laughing. He then hurriedly covered his mouth in panic as Akabou slowly walked toward him.

“Hey, what are you holding back for? Laugh. It was funny, right?”

The subordinate trembled all over while shaking his head.

“N-no… I’m sorry! Please, forgive me!”

“…Hey, bring me a steel pipe. Like a stewardess serving caviar and wine to first-class passengers.”

Taking the steel pipe that was politely handed to him, Akabou made light practice swings in front of the subordinate.

“P-please stop… please…”

The subordinate trembled and begged for forgiveness while prostrating himself. Seeing this, Ami cried out.

“Wh-what are you planning to do!? Stop it! He didn’t go against you!”

Akabou thoughtfully put his hand to his chin.

“You’re right, the one I’m supposed to educate is you.”

“R-right! So please forgive that person!”

When Ami said this while trembling, the subordinate thanked her through tears. However, Akabou swung the steel pipe into the subordinate’s face without any hesitation.

“Kyaaaah!”

Ami screamed. Char immediately pulled Ami’s face to her chest and covered her eyes and ears. The subordinate who was hit with the steel pipe collapsed to the floor, and Akabo continued to mercilessly beat him repeatedly with the steel pipe.

“Phew… this way I can educate both my subordinate and the young lady, just like two birds with one stone. Hey, if you don’t want to end up like this, just stay quiet and tremble.”

Akabou wiped the blood splatter on his cheek and laughed.

“Ami-san, don’t look.”

“Aah… Char-chan, I’m scared.”

“It’s okay. Jinta will come to help us soon.”

“J-Jinta coming won’t help with something like this…”

“No. Jinta will beat these guys up.”

“It’s impossible. Jinta is a coward… he gets beaten up, but he’s never fought anyone.”

“…That may have been true until now, but today is different.”

Saying this, Char gently patted Ami’s head.

“Because he’s going to fight to protect you.”

◇◇◇

Outside the warehouse, a male student had arrived, slightly out of breath.