Faced with Nibutani Shinka's invite, Kato Megumi's eyes lit up and she nodded right away.
"No problem. Let's check with Shiina-san then."
"Great, it's a plan!"
Walking with a spring in their step, the two young women turned into a side alley.
All of a sudden, Megumi seemed to sense something and glanced back on reflex.
"What's wrong, Kato-san?" Shinka asked, puzzled.
Megumi shook her head. "Nothing—must've been my imagination."
That's what she said, but her heart wasn't calm. She'd seen the toe of a shoe sticking out from the corner—so she hadn't been mistaken. Someone was tailing her and Shinka.
Thinking of the recent news reports about an at-large serial killer targeting women, Megumi slipped out her phone and messaged Hayashi Maki:
"Maki-kun, can you come to me and Nibutani? I think someone's following us."
Hayashi Maki replied instantly: "On my way. Stay alert. Also—quick question—Nibutani wearing the necklace?"
Megumi: "She is. Why?"
Hayashi Maki: "Good. Just keep acting like you haven't noticed and head somewhere crowded. I'm almost there."
Relieved by the reply—though still unsure why he'd asked about the necklace—Megumi took Shinka's hand, kept up the pretense, and led them out of the alley toward the market.
"Nibutani, I'm kinda hungry—want to grab a bite? My treat."
"Heh, now that you mention it, I am a little hungry. Let's go!"
As they passed another alley mouth and were about to step into a busier street, the hooded, masked man behind them lost patience.
He hadn't found a good target in days; this was a rare chance he wasn't going to miss.
He snatched up a brick and hurled it at the more eye-catching of the two.
"Hey! You two—stop right there!"
The brick whooshed past—about to slam into the back of Shinka's head—when the necklace at her throat flashed.
It was as if the brick hit an invisible wall; it clattered harmlessly to the ground.
Sensing something was off, the women turned. A hooded, masked man with a vicious look was charging at them with a knife.
"Ah! A criminal!"
In a dim alley, dressed like that and brandishing a blade—what else could he be?
Thinking of the recent news, Shinka's legs began to shake. "Kato, run!"
"Stop! Don't move!" the man—Matsushita—bellowed behind them.
Shinka yanked Megumi and sprinted. "Only an idiot wouldn't run!"
No way would a guy looking like that mean them well. Scared or not, the only answer was to run harder.
Megumi had already turned on location sharing and now ran with Shinka toward the market.
Suddenly, a stone whistled past their ears. The criminal had stooped to hurl more rocks in frustration—hard enough that a hit would drop them where they stood.
And panicked people make mistakes.
Startled by the near miss, Shinka's foot slipped; she tumbled and took Megumi down with her.
Grinning, the man blocked the alley mouth with a stone in one hand and the knife in the other.
"Keh-heh… go on, run! Keep running!"
Eyes brimming, Shinka shot Megumi an apologetic look. Her clumsiness had gotten them caught.
Megumi gripped her phone, gave Shinka a steadying glance, and—though her body trembled—faced the man with a calm expression. "Sir, if it's money you want, we'll give it to you. Please don't hurt us."
"Sir?" The word only set him off.
"So because I'm some 'middle-aged guy' you look down on me, huh? And that woman too—saying I can't make money… damn her. Damn them all. You two deserve it too!"
Eyes bloodshot, Matsushita ranted, scaring them both badly. The two women clung to each other and shrank into the corner, shivering.
"What do you want? We can pay you!" Shinka forced out, teeth chattering.
"Money? What good is money?" He yanked down his mask to show a stubbled face, licked his lips, and crept closer. "You two college girls, right? Tch… pretty faces. Skin so soft…"
"Don't come any closer! We called the police!" Shinka stepped in front of Megumi, glaring at the pervert.
"Heh. Call the cops? You dare?" Matsushita sneered—and suddenly slashed the knife toward Shinka's cheek.
"Ah!"
Shinka flinched and squeezed her eyes shut—but the blade never touched her.
Megumi clearly saw the necklace at Shinka's throat flare, stopping the knife. The light thickened into a purple barrier that wrapped both women. Matsushita was flung back, smacking into the wall with a howl.
"W-what is this? Damn it—who's stopping me?!"
Shinka cracked an eye and stared: her necklace was glowing, a dreamlike shield shimmering around them. Her heart lurched as she remembered what Hayashi Maki had said when he'd kissed her and given her the necklace.
He hadn't been joking?
The necklace really turned into a barrier when she was in danger?
Was this for real? Not just chuunibyou babble? Am I dreaming?
While she reeled, Matsushita scrambled up again. He didn't care what this strange thing was—he hacked at the barrier like a madman.
His life was already ruined; he'd drag others down with him.
So what if it was "mysterious"? It had to run out of energy eventually. Once it dropped, he could do whatever he wanted to them.
Shinka realized it too. Swallowing her fear, she hauled Megumi up and—still under the shield—turned and ran. "Kato, go!"
Right then, the barrier sputtered. The purple sheen flickered twice and vanished.
Matsushita cackled, blocking the alley mouth again. "Run, go on—run… oof!"
A brick smashed into the back of his head.
His eyes rolled white and he collapsed.
Panting, Hayashi Maki appeared before the two women, phone in hand, their location pulsing on the screen. Seeing they were okay, he exhaled. "Looks like I made it in time. You're safe, that's what matters—mmph!"
Shinka couldn't hold back any longer. She threw herself into his arms, wrapped him tight, and burst into tears.
"U-uhh… so scary… Maki-kun… that man… he tried to hurt us…"
However strong she was, Nibutani Shinka was still a gentle young woman. Faced with a serial-killer type who'd slash a woman's face without a word, terror was inevitable. With her support finally here—and the creep down—her bottled-up fear overflowed.
Hayashi Maki stroked her hair, soothing her. Then, catching Megumi's eye, he guided them both a couple steps and tucked Megumi into the hug as well. "Easy. It's over. He won't hurt you. I'm here."
Breathing in his scent, Megumi's eyes misted too. She buried her face against his chest, shoulders trembling, and quietly sobbed. Truth be told, she was frightened as well.
While he comforted them, Hayashi Maki felt a surge of relief. Thank goodness he'd had the foresight to give Shinka that protective necklace—he'd never forgive himself otherwise.
Once they'd calmed, Hayashi Maki walked over and delivered a decisive kick to the thug's groin—taking care of his "tools of the trade."
Megumi had already called the police in secret. For the sake of his image in front of the two women, Hayashi Maki didn't incinerate the guy on the spot. But he did brand him with a trace of the Hellfire. After the officers and the courts were done, the man would pay—completely.
Sirens wailed a moment later.
The lead cop had a tough, intimidating face that made Hayashi Maki do a double-take. His name was Kousaka Daisuke. If Hayashi Maki had it right, that would be the father of the heroine Kousaka Kirino—from Oreimo.
And, well, he did have a soft spot for tsunderes. Maybe this was a good chance to get on Kousaka Daisuke's radar.
~~~
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