NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11 - Tsundere Girl and Movie Watching
The day after I visited Mio’s house.
Mikoyuki got a rare day off. He thought, “Why today?” but Mari had said this might be his last chance.
Even with Mikoyuki’s monster-like stamina, it was hard to keep fighting continuously. Rest was indeed necessary, but—
“Why on a weekday…?”
At 11:30 AM, Mikoyuki was in Shinjuku. There was no particular reason to be here, just that Ikebukuro was too close to headquarters, which made it hard to relax.
Shinjuku was the only place close to home and still within the city. However, it was a weekday, so the people on the streets were mostly office workers or students skipping school. He spent some time at a game center, but it only left him feeling empty.
“I should’ve invited Genkō or someone.”
An unexpected holiday appeared. He wanted to use his time meaningfully.
He thought about inviting Genkō or Sōichi, but Sōichi was busy with a manuscript due next month, and Genkō was visiting his hospitalized childhood friend. It wasn’t a good time to ask them.
‘Currently, there are three cities in this country—’
A voice echoed from a large window screen in front of the station.
Looking up, it seemed like breaking news was being broadcast, and a chubby man appeared on the screen.
‘From the first city to the third, there are cities in this country inhabited only by those with abilities. This is very rare in the world, but is it not segregation—’
Was this about the current issue with ability users?
The man on the screen was passionately discussing the treatment of those with abilities.
‘This was Prime Minister Asato’s statement, and from now on, whenever an ability user is found, each city will—’
As the announcer explained, news apps displayed the topic as breaking news. Apparently, the standard of living support in each city was going to be raised.
“That sly old man…”
To know the details, one would have to open the app, but Mikoyuki turned off the notifications and continued walking through the city.
While looking for a place to have lunch with his phone in hand, he noticed something.
“Is that… Alicia?”
There was Alicia, wearing a white sailor uniform that seemed like a school uniform. She was with several other girls in the same uniform, chatting cheerfully.
“See you later, Alicia!”
“Yes, see you.”
Alicia parted ways with her friends and began walking alone.
“Alicia—”
“M-Mikoyuki!? What are you doing here!?”
When he called out to her back, Alicia turned around with a startled expression.
People around them turned to look at them.
With a small sigh, Mikoyuki explained.
“I have the day off… huh? Movie tickets?”
Alicia held two movie tickets in her hand. On closer look, it was for a popular action movie.
“Uh, well… these are…”
“Are you going with your boyfriend?”
“No! I’m going alone! Is that a problem!?”
“Not really… but didn’t you have anyone to go with…?”
Alicia stammered as she explained. Apparently, she had won the tickets in a lottery, but her friends didn’t like action movies, and the expiration date was approaching.
“Say, aren’t you free?”
“No, I’m not free. I was just looking for something to do with my spare time—”
“Don’t lie to me.”
Alicia grabbed Mikoyuki’s hand and pulled him along.
They arrived at a movie theater. At this point, he had no choice but to watch it. Besides, he was bored too. Watching a movie once in a while wouldn’t hurt.
They headed to the popcorn stand inside the theater.
“Damn, I’m out of small change.”
Movies mean popcorn and drinks. Mikoyuki wanted to pay for Alicia’s share too, but he was out of small change. He had bills, but they were in large denominations, and it felt awkward to use them for something under a thousand yen. Meanwhile, the line behind them was growing.
“Excuse me, do you offer a couple discount?”
Alicia asked the cashier.
“Yes, we do…”
The female cashier looked at Mikoyuki and Alicia as if to confirm. Before Mikoyuki could say anything, Alicia clung to his arm and declared,
“W-We are a couple.”
…
A short while later.
“Hey.”
“Shut up.”
“Was that really okay?”
“It was the worst! Ugh, so annoying.”
As they headed to their assigned screen, Mikoyuki carried Alicia’s food. Alicia, not looking back, kept walking briskly.
“You make a cute couple,” the cashier had said, but was that just a compliment?
Alicia had called it the worst, but she seemed happy, smiling slightly as she murmured, “A cute couple… hehe.”
…
“The story was good, but the action scenes were lacking,” Alicia said.
Having finished the movie, Alicia and Mikoyuki walked along the street. It was past 5 PM, but with summer approaching, there was no sign of dusk yet.
The movie was entertaining, but indeed, the action scenes were a bit disappointing.
“You act like a critic, but I saw you blushing and peeking through your fingers during the final kiss scene.”
“Wha—!”
“And you weren’t even fully covering your face; I could see you peeking through your fingers.”
At Mikoyuki’s teasing, Alicia punched his shoulder with her fist. While enduring this, Mikoyuki noticed some high school boys passing by.
Since school was out, there were couples and boys in uniforms around.
“School… huh?”
Alicia reacted to Mikoyuki’s muttering.
“Hey, don’t you go to school?”
“I—well, I don’t know. I’ve been preoccupied with the Special Ability Division.”
He had been asked a similar question before and had been negative about it. That hadn’t changed, but—
“Studying with someone and hanging out afterward isn’t so bad.”
“—”
The students in their various uniforms all looked so lively, and it made him a bit envious.
“Actually, now that I think about it… maybe action movies aren’t exciting because our lives are already like one. We’ve jumped from building to building so many times.”
“Now that you mention it… we’ve experienced most action scenes in real life.”
For others, their daily lives might seem extraordinary. Action movies were thrilling because they depicted the extraordinary. For Alicia, who lived a life similar to an action movie, the genre might not be a good fit.
“Next time, let’s watch an anime. I’ve heard that recent animation has evolved a lot.”
Alicia changed the topic as if to shift the mood.
“Are you saying you’ll go with me again?”
Mikoyuki teased, and Alicia tilted her head, asking, “Is that a problem?”
“No… it’s not. I guess I wouldn’t mind watching another one.”
“Really? Hehe, you want to go with me, huh?”
“Hey, wait, I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t have many friends, do you?”
Alicia, looking happy, laughed and walked ahead of Mikoyuki. He scratched his head and followed her.
“Where should we go next—”
Alicia looked around the buildings, suggesting places.
—Then, Alicia saw it.
A little far away at the scramble crossing.
The giant figure was so large it could be noticed from a distance.
His muscular body seemed like a weapon in itself.
But what caught Alicia’s eye was the man’s gaze.
Eyes filled with madness, ready to rampage at any moment.
Alicia knew those eyes well. She always dealt with criminals with that look. At that moment—the man’s gaze locked onto Alicia.
“Found you—”
Nearby, a young man’s body flew into the air.
Everyone thought the man had struck him when his body hit the ground.
“Ahhhh!!”
Someone’s scream echoed.