Chapter 56: They have such a good relationship.
During the conversation, Morofushi Sora'aki had finished the cream puff in his hand. He patted the crumbs off his hands and looked at Nozaki Umetarou: "Aren't you going to chase after them?"
"Ah… Sakura has already gone." Nozaki Umetarou paused, then added seriously, "And I feel like if I stay, I might see something interesting."
I don't know if it's related to the habits of comic artists, but Nozaki Umetarou is a bit of a gossip who loves to watch the drama unfold (he himself is not aware of this).
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded, then focused his gaze on the Ferris wheel in the background.
According to his conjecture—which has now been largely confirmed—the original course of events was that Matsuda Jinpei should have perished on the Ferris wheel three years later.
At least that's what the news in the neighboring Beastified World says.
Although I feel like it's unlikely to happen, there's something still off about putting that face next to the Ferris wheel.
Morofushi Sora'aki's mind flashed back to the news footage he had seen while searching for news in the next world. The news anchor looked serious, and in one corner of the video, the ID photo of the fallen policeman was projected.
Meanwhile, there were also related news reports in the newspapers, because the matter had become quite a big deal and reporters were paying close attention.
Although this person wasn't his friend, they were from the same class as his older brother. After thinking for a moment, Morofushi Sora'aki decided to offer a reminder.
But thinking back on Jinpei-chan's personality—after all, they're the same person—I feel that saying these things out of the blue might provoke a negative reaction from him.
How should I put it? Morofushi Sora'aki thought about it seriously for two seconds, then glanced at the amulet hanging on his bag and suddenly had an idea.
If this were an animation, a light bulb would have materialized on his head at that moment.
"Matsuda." Morofushi Sora'aki called out.
Matsuda Jinpei didn't seem to mind that the younger brother of his contemporary, called him by his surname instead of adding a respectful title like "Matsuda-san", He clicked his tongue, looking somewhat impatient: "What is it?"
"I had someone do a fortune telling for you. You're not suited for dating; it's best if you stay single for life." Morofushi Sora'aki said with a serious expression.
If I stay single, I probably won't have the chance to come to the Ferris wheel, a romantic spot. As for work... Morofushi Sora'aki thought for a moment and added, "You're incompatible with amusement parks, so it's best if you don't show up here."
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
Matsuda Jinpei: "???"
The curly-haired police officer looked completely bewildered, and finally only uttered a meaningless interjection: "Huh?"
Nozaki Umetarou, however, looked at Morofushi Sora'aki and asked, "Morofushi, when did you become interested in this? Can you tell me the details?"
"Similar to drawing lots at a shrine?" Morofushi Sora'aki replied.
Nozaki Umetarou, holding a notebook he'd somehow retrieved from another dimension, asked like a diligent student, "Could you elaborate? What do you know about this?"
"Nishiya brought tarot cards; you can ask him to do a reading for you next week."
Recently, tarot and other love divination methods have suddenly become popular in the class. Nozaki Umetarou didn't notice this because he wasn't in the classroom during breaks.
As Matsuda Jinpei watched the two high school students, chatting happily, walk away side by side, the question mark above his head turned into an exclamation mark.
At that moment, Hagiwara Kenji walked over: "Is that Sora'aki-chan? What were you talking about just now? I think I heard something about romance—and did you see the suspicious person we reported earlier?"
"He's that brat's classmate." Matsuda Jinpei explained first, then said in a tone of sudden realization, "So he doesn't like me, right? And he doesn't like my face at all."
The topic jumped so fast that Hagiwara Kenji almost didn't react: "What?"
"Do you know what that brat just said?" Matsuda Jinpei twitched his lips, but just as he was about to say it, he realized that if he actually said it, his childhood friend, who loved to join in the fun, would definitely make fun of him about it for two months.
Seeing the sudden interest flash in those purple eyes, Matsuda Jinpei decisively shut up: "Alright, let's go back."
Hagiwara Kenji: "Eh—wasn't it a bit much to leave things unsaid?"
Matsuda Jinpei held his phone with his head down, ignoring him, his nimble fingers tapping on the screen to send a text message.
Upon receiving the second text message from Matsuda Jinpei, Morofushi Hiromitsu looked at the words, "Your brother is really troublesome." and tilted his head in confusion, muttering to himself, "Are Matsuda and Sora'aki that close?"
On the other side, after sending the text message, Matsuda Jinpei asked Hagiwara Kenji on his way back to the Metropolitan Police Department, "What do you think of the chance that brat is jealous of my face?"
"You mean Sora'aki-chan?" Hagiwara Kenji looked at his friend with a surprised expression. "When did you become so narcissistic, Jinpei-chan?"
Matsuda Jinpei rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, making sure no one could see: "Isn't it you who keeps saying it all day long?"
"Haha, I'm just telling the truth." Hagiwara Kenji put his arm around Matsuda Jinpei's shoulder. "So why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
"I just feel like he seems to like my face... but also seems to dislike it?"
"...Listen to what you're saying for yourself." Hagiwara Kenji smiled slightly. "What do you mean by 'like and dislike at the same time'?"
"...It's just that his tone of voice is similar to yours?" Despite the age difference, there was a subtle familiarity between them, like a conversation between close friends.
However, in reality, the total time they spent together was less than an hour.
Moreover, neither Matsuda Jinpei nor Morofushi Sora'aki are naturally outgoing—it would be more like the role would be played by Hagiwara Kenji.
Hagiwara Kenji thought for a moment: "Maybe he likes you a lot?"
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
•••••
Matsuda Jinpei: "Are you serious?"
"I'm serious." said Morofushi Sora'aki. "I hope that Jinpei-chan will never go to amusement parks again, no matter what the reason."
Matsuda Jinpei looked a little confused: "...I don't think I go there that often, do I?"
Morofushi Sora'aki added details to the conditions: "Going to the amusement park is fine, but you can't go to the Ferris wheel."
Hagiwara Kenji took a sip of juice through a straw and mumbled, "I don't mind if Matsuda agrees to this, but why bring this up all of a sudden?"
"Because I have the ability to foresee the future." Morofushi Sora'aki said. "I foresaw that Jinpei-chan would have an accident on the Ferris wheel, so I told you in advance."
Matsuda Jinpei's lips twitched: "Hagi, come and kill this prophet."
"Alright!" Hagiwara Kenji drew an X in the air in front of Morofushi Sora'aki with his hand: "The seer who self-destructs is going to be killed by the werewolves!"
Morofushi Hiromitsu, standing to the side, laughed and said, "Then I am the witch, and I choose to save the prophet."
"So Matsuda and Hagiwara are werewolves, Sora'aki is the seer, Hiro is the witch, and I'm just an ordinary villager. I vote for Matsuda," Furuya Rei chimed in.
"Hey! You just don't like me, don't you!" Matsuda Jinpei instantly bristled.
Then Morofushi Hiromitsu spoke up, saying, "I will also join Matsuda."
Morofushi Sora'aki raised his hand: "Matsuda."
Hagiwara Kenji sighed regretfully, "Alright, Jinpei-chan is out—"
Matsuda Jinpei immediately grabbed Hagiwara Kenji by the neck: "I'll take one with me even if I die!"
Morofushi Sora'aki clasped his hands together: "The werewolf camp killed each other, so the good guys won."
"Then—the loser has to wash the dishes."
Matsuda Jinpei and Hagiwara Kenji's playful banter suddenly stopped: "You didn't say that beforehand, did you?!"
"Sora'aki-chan—you're being unfair!"
"You bunch of scoundrels are in cahoots!"
"Birds of a feather flock together!"
"To go along with the corrupt!"
"Birds of a feather flock together!"
"Good-for-nothing friends!"
"Woof woof woof woof!"
"¥!!" Matsuda Jinpei stared at Hagiwara Kenji in shock: "What are you doing?!"
"Can't think of any words, huh~" Hagiwara Kenji downed his drink in one gulp, just like those overworked office workers drinking ice-cold beer: "But I'm not satisfied! Let's do it again!"
Morofushi Sora'aki did not refuse, nodding and saying, "Raise your hand if you want Jinpei-chan and Hagiwara to wash the dishes."
In an instant, everyone except the two whose names were called raised their hands.
"A vote," Morofushi Hiromitsu's cat-like eyes crinkled, "is a very fair method, isn't it?"
"Yeah, we've already cooperated with you for a fair vote, what more do you want?" Furuya Rei raised his chin and crossed his arms, his face full of arrogant superiority that made the other two grit their teeth.
Morofushi Sora'aki nodded: "That's right."
Hagiwara Kenji and Matsuda Jinpei were speechless. Hagiwara Kenji suddenly remembered their conversation when they first met Morofushi Sora'aki: "So, Sora'aki-chan, you really forgot about us after you got Hiro?"
Seeing Hagiwara Kenji's sudden surge of performance desire, Matsuda Jinpei shuddered with disgust, then decisively chose to leave him behind and go to the kitchen alone.
After the group got to know each other, they would occasionally get together on weekends, but because the schools and residences on both sides were quite far apart, the opportunities were not many.
Morofushi Sora'aki watched Matsuda Jinpei's retreating figure, then stood up and followed him. Matsuda Jinpei's movements as he picked up the bowl were quite practiced. Without even looking behind him, he casually said, "Isn't it me who's washing it? What are you doing following me?"
"I just wanted to tell you again, I wasn't joking just now," said Morofushi Sora'aki, leaning against the side. "Don't go on the Ferris wheel, even if it's for work."
"...What kind of job? Aren't we still high school students?" Matsuda Jinpei was a little speechless, but still replied in a seemingly casual tone, "Okay, I promise you, I won't go, alright?"
"Hmm." Morofushi Sora'aki nodded. "If you break the contract, I won't like you anymore."
"Tsk." Matsuda Jinpei, with his back to Morofushi Sora'aki, looked at the pile of dirty dishes they had created together in front of him. "Who cares if you like them?"
Just moments ago, Hagiwara Kenji was joking around in the living room when he suddenly appeared beside me: "Hmm? Did you two confess behind my back again? You're so sneaky—"
"I also really like Jinpei-chan!" Hagiwara Kenji exclaimed.
Matsuda Jinpei gripped the plate tightly and threw the wet rag at Hagiwara Kenji's face: "Get over here and wash the dishes!"
Hagiwara Kenji pulled the rag off his face: "Ah, you're shy, Jinpei-chan."
Morofushi Sora'aki also repeated, "You're shy, little Jinpei-chan."
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
Matsuda Jinpei: "You two, shut up!"