Shiro Sakamaki returned to his apartment, sent a quick message to Megumi Kato, reassuring her that he had arrived safely and suggesting she rest early. After chatting for a while with the Nakano sisters, he rinsed off, then lay down to rest.
The following morning, his phone rang. It was Shizuka Hiratsuka, her tone sharp and laced with irritation, clearly the result of an overtime shift.
"You brat, did you do that thing last night?" she demanded.
Shiro rubbed his eyes and took a sip of milk. "Mrs. Hiratsuka, you have great sources."
"Nonsense! There are cameras on that part of the road! Do you know how late it was when you dealt with the scene?"
Shiro leaned back, unfazed. "You can't blame me. I was just defending myself. If I hadn't fought back, I'd have been dead, right?"
Hiratsuka's frown deepened. She knew he'd been in the area, but the specifics were still unclear.
"Tell me more about the situation. What happened?"
Shiro's voice remained calm, almost casual. "The guy's name is Tomoya Aki. I met him a few days ago. He was just an ordinary high school student until he had a car accident. I could tell he was in a critical condition, probably wouldn't walk again, and yet, when I visited him at the hospital yesterday with a girl, he'd fully recovered. One of his eyes was completely blood-red."
He paused, taking another sip of milk. "I think he's been through something during his recovery. I suggest you look into that hospital. It could be worth your time."
There was silence on the other end of the phone. Hiratsuka took a moment to process the information. "Alright, I'll check into it. What about his combat capability?"
"Middle-tier in terms of strength, I'd say. Definitely not above the Tier 9 level peak."
"I'll handle it," she replied curtly. "Keep that girl quiet, though. No one must know about this."
Shiro nodded. "I've already warned her. She won't say a word."
Hiratsuka's voice softened with a sigh. "Next time, clean up your mess properly. I'm tired of cleaning up after you."
The line went dead before Shiro could respond. He sighed, then turned his attention to the TV. The morning news was already reporting on the previous night's events, with Tomoya Aki as the unfortunate subject.
The report described Aki as a private high school student, suspected of encountering a violent altercation on his way home after work-study. He had been brutally stabbed over 200 times. The police were still investigating, but there were no witnesses. The scene was described as too gruesome to show on TV.
Shiro raised an eyebrow, frowning. That's an awfully convenient story. Who would stab someone over 200 times in the middle of a fight? It was far too messy for any professional.
---
Later that morning, Shiro met Megumi Kato at a café in Akihabara. She stirred her coffee absently, but her eyes kept drifting toward him. The silence stretched on uncomfortably.
After a long pause, Shiro let out a sigh, his usual smirk fading. "Alright, Little Kato, if you've got questions, ask away."
Megumi's eyes glinted mischievously. "Well, Shiro Sakamaki-kun asked me to ask you something. So, how many people like you are there in the world?"
Shiro chuckled at her playful tone. "How many people like me? It's not too many, but there are a few. It's a mix of Specialists and people with extraordinary abilities. There are certainly more than you think, though the numbers are relatively small when you consider the entire population."
He paused before continuing. "Most people with abilities are auxiliaries—support types or life-enhancing abilities. Combat-focused ones like me? Not as many."
Megumi nodded thoughtfully, processing the information. "So, that means there are more like you than I imagined, right?"
Shiro gave a wry smile. "In terms of numbers, yes, but people like me are still in the minority. The guy from last night, though—there are quite a few at his level."
Megumi's expression shifted slightly. "In other words, Tomoya Aki wasn't much of a threat to you, was he?"
Shiro nodded without missing a beat. "No, not really. I've had more than enough training to deal with someone like him. He's wild—no proper technique. I could've taken him down easily if I wanted."
Megumi's eyes narrowed slightly, but there was a hint of amusement in them. "So, you weren't really in any danger then. Does that mean you were just standing there, protecting me?"
Shiro froze for a second, his face momentarily stiffening. He recalled the moment from the previous night when he had held her. His fingers instinctively twitched as the memory resurfaced.
Megumi caught the shift in his posture and smirked. Her cheeks tinged pink, but she took a sip of her coffee, trying to mask the growing tension between them.
Shiro quickly cleared his throat, trying to regain his usual demeanor. "Well, I wasn't about to let anything happen to you, was I?"
Megumi tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, you were protecting me, huh?"
Shiro's smirk faltered, and his tone lightened in response to her teasing. "I suppose you could say that. But I wasn't the one in danger, was I?"
Megumi raised an eyebrow, her face softening. "I get it now. Shiro Sakamaki-kun, always stepping in to save the day." She leaned in slightly, voice teasing. "But just so you know, you're not the only one with secrets."
Shiro laughed, relaxing a bit. "Little Kato, you've learned to tease me. That's dangerous."
Megumi's smile grew a little wider, but she said nothing more. The moment lingered, neither of them willing to break the newfound silence.
---
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