NOVEL NEXT 4-110: And So the Songstress’ Banquet Came to an End
Even as the encore ended, and the Songstress left the stage, the fervor of the crowd showed no signs of abating. It wasn’t until one hour after the performers left and the conclusion of the concert was announced that the crowd finally calmed down.
But even then, most of the crowd spoke enthusiastically among themselves instead of going home right away,
while others looked lifeless as though their souls had been sucked out.
Odds were she too was among such people.
“────? Hey, are you listening!?”
“…Yes!?”
When her shoulders were shaken, and a voice called out to her from right up close, the high school girl finally regained her wits. She was dressed in casual clothes that prioritized ease of movement and had her long black hair tied. Given the place, the situation, the brand, and the hair clip, the woman that called out to her quickly realized that she did had not dressed without regard to fashion and was somewhat impressed.
“Uh, umm, what is it?”
Meanwhile, the girl in question was just surprised to see a woman with a deep cap and the staff jacket approach her, so she responded to her courteously.
“At this hour? …Ah!”
When the girl took out her foster and checked the time, she was shocked.
It was already way past the time the concert ended. Certainly, an hour that would prove problematic for an underaged girl to walk around by herself.
There were still some other fans here and there, but it was a stark difference from the crowd she remembered just a moment ago.
Moreover, she was the only one her age left.
No wonder the staff called out to her.
“I’m so sorry!
It was my first time at Monica’s concert, and I had heard it was amazing. The theme of each song seeped into my ears, and my heart was constantly in a frenzy. Even though I was surrounded by strangers, I ended up joining in on the excitement. Before I knew it, it was over, yet my ears were still so happy, so I ended up basking in it— Ah, I’m so sorry!
I got too excited again! Just what am I telling a staff member?”
The girl ended up saying that, but there was no doubt that that was how she felt about the concert, her genuine opinion.
It was a carelessness much unlike the serious disposition her appearance suggested, leading the female staff’s eyes to twinkle and burst out laughing.
“…Pu, ku, fu fu fu!”
“Uu… Please don’t laugh at me.”
Although it was a place illuminated by artificial lights, it was by no means bright, yet the girl’s face was so red that she stuck out like a sore thumb.
The woman found that adorable but still apologized.
At the same time, however, she thought of a prank.
“Sorry, sorry, but I wasn’t laughing at you. It was just that you said something that made me so happy, so consider this as service.”
“Huh?”
The girl looked at the woman curiously, while the woman made a ‘be quiet’ gesture with her fingers,
then in the next moment, she removed her cap.
Pink hair, dark brown skin, and a pair of emerald eyes.
Yes, without a doubt, that was none other than the Songstress that had mesmerized her this whole night
“Moni—!”
For a moment, she almost yelled out her name, but she quickly caught herself and covered her lips.
Although the fans were already few in number, there were still some around.
Were she to call out her name, it was sure to turn into a huge commotion.
“That’s a good girl.”
As Monica said that, she patted the girl on the head, and the girl froze.
Her face went beet red for a completely different reason than earlier, and though this gesture made her feel ticklish, it was a rare opportunity, so she couldn’t say no.
Monica found her adorable and continued to pat her for a while.
“U-Umm, why?”
When she finally let go, the girl asked her that question.
It was evident that that ‘why’ was loaded with all sorts of questions.
Why was Monica here? Why was she pretending to be a staff member?
Why did she call out to her?
“I do it from time to time. Sometimes, I want to see the reaction of the crowd in person after a concert. Although I called out to you because we really can’t leave you be on your own.”
“Ha, ha ha… I see.”
Should she be happy that she was able to meet her idol thanks to that?
Should she lament that she ended up showing such a foolish side because of that?
Such worries couldn’t be clearer on her face.
“Fu fu, I see you’re as honest as a certain someone.”
“Huh?”
“It’s nothing. But, right. We’re here already, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
“E-Eh!?”
Of course, whether she would answer or not depended on the question. The girl’s eyes went wide as saucers.
She panicked at the abruptness of the situation and immediately started pondering on what to ask, then with a serious expression asked her question. Monica had been wondering what sort of question she would ask, and when the question finally came, her eyes twinkled.
“Was what you said during the encore true?”
“…Are you sure you’re alright with that?
I’m not saying you only get one question, but is that what you’re most curious about?”
The girl strongly nodded without the slightest hint that she was holding herself back.
Her question was regarding the last song of the encore, or rather, that thing she said right before singing her last song.
『──I have a favor I’d like to ask of you!
The truth is this concert has been plagued with all sorts of problems, and we almost couldn’t make it until just before the event started. It’s only thanks to some people working hard and supporting us in the background that we were able to make this concert possible.
Even now they’re doing their best some place we can’t see. So, I want to sing this last song for them, a song of thanks for them who continues to support us. ──』
Of course, not one among the audience complained, and the last song of her concert became a gentle thank you song.
Later, that song would become a legend among fans alongside the unannounced solo she sang. It would be a song that would make others want to thank someone around them, but that’s a story for another time. Monica just carefully chose her words as she answered the question of the girl.
“I couldn’t give the specific details, as it’s not something that could be publicized, but I wanted everyone there to know at least that it was only thanks to a group of people that the concert today was possible.”
“I see…”
The girl looked troubled for a moment, then she made up her mind and said.
“Actually, I shouldn’t have been here today. I went to great lengths to finally secure a ticket, but then something urgent came up, and I had no choice but to give up on it. To move on, I ended up giving the ticket to an acquaintance who’s also a fan.”
“Oh?”
“However, it turned out that the destination for that urgent matter was coincidentally in Hokkaido, and to be honest, I was feeling a bit conflicted. But luckily, a canceled ticket became available at the last minute, and my brother helped me sneak away for just one night, so I was able to come today… That’s why…”
The girl took a deep breath and as she met Monica’s eyes said.
“This isn’t really a question or anything, but could you please let those people know that I’m really thankful and that I had an amazing time?”
“…”
The girl said seriously with twinkling eyes.
There were no pretense or lies behind those words, only genuine feelings.
Monica’s eyes twinkled again at the unexpected request, and as she came to understand something, she nodded, and her cheeks loosened.
“I see… Sure, I can do that.”
“Thank you so much!”
The girl bowed deeply, and Monica smiled.
“It is a bit embarrassing though that you’d think about something else when I’m in front of you.”
“Ah.”
Monica smiled mischievously and pointed that out as though to tease her, and the girl immediately froze with a face flushed red.
“…T-That’s not what I meant!”
5 seconds later, the girl rebooted, and started flailing her arms as she desperately tried to explain herself.
Monica laughed.
“Fu fu fu, you’re really cute. Don’t worry. I was just joking.”
“Hauu.”
Upon realizing that Monica had been teasing her,
or maybe it was because the person she admired called her cute,
but regardless, her face went beet red and she shrunk.
Monica loved how rich her expressions were.
“Hey, can you tell me your name?”
“Huh?”
“Ah, right, normally the person asking is supposed to give theirs first, right?
It’s a bad habit of mine to forget to do that since most people already know,
but let me start. I’m Monica Chantal. This isn’t a pseudonym but my real name.”
“Ah, yes, I know!
I’m Senba Youko. Senba, with the characters for thousand feathers, and Youko, with the characters for sun child!”
Youko, slightly nervous, responded by explaining her own name.
This form of greeting has become common as a result of the widespread use of convenient translation devices, which allowed for closer interaction with foreigners, including the people of Garesto.
It was a kind of etiquette, used by those with names written in kanji, to show that they desired a good relationship with someone from a place without kanji culture, as if to say, ‘I want you to know me that well. It’s public knowledge that Monica is a half raised on Earth, though her origin remains a secret, so while the girl’s response had been off the mark, it was actually the right course of action.
—As a side note, this introduction etiquette becoming widespread has led to a common modern-day joke where even Japanese people often don’t know or mistakenly assume the kanji for each other’s names—
“Youko-chan then? You’re as lively as your name suggests.
Then let’s take a picture to celebrate the occasion!”
Perhaps because Monica was genuinely happy, she gave her another service, though it was also partly a prank.
“Huh, ah.”
Monica took Youko’s foster with one hand, and with the other hand embraced her by the shoulder. A small scream resounded from the girl as the sound of a shutter resounded while the girl’s face was lined up right next to Monica’s.
“Here.”
“T-Thank you very much!”
“Don’t sweat it. I ended up talking too much and keeping you too.”
“Not at all! It’s an honor!”
Monica returned her foster with a light apology, but the girl’s eyes just sparkled, causing Monica to wryly smile. They were similar.
“…Your eyes are exactly the same.”
“Huh?”
“…It’s nothing.
By the way, do you have anything else you’d like to ask?”
She’d clearly changed the topic crudely, but Youko didn’t notice and just folded her arms as she became thoughtful, but in the end, she said this with a sorry face.
“Umm, I’m so sorry! I’m sure you took the time out of your busy schdule to meet me, but suddenly meeting you and that right after that live performance too… I’m just so overwhelmed right now that I can’t think of anything to say.”
Monica, seeing her apologize and look so dejected over the missed opportunity, struggled to hold back a laugh and forced a smile, maintaining the demeanor of the Songstress
“Thank you. When you put it that way, it feels my chest with pride.”
But of course, that wasn’t a lie either. It was rare to find someone who expresses their gratitude so straightforwardly through their words, expressions, and demeanor.
Monica found the girl’s genuine nature especially endearing, and she gazed at her with warmth.
“I could so easily see myself in the future regretting not asking some question, though.”
“In that case, I’ll give you another chance.
If we meet again, I’ll let you ask me again. Or rather, let’s talk again if there’s a chance.
This isn’t just lip service, okay?”
“Ah, yes!”
“That’s a good response. Alright, you take care and go home now.
I’m glad that you enjoyed our time talking, but I don’t want to hear you getting caught up in an accident on the way home, okay?”
“Yes, I’ll be careful! Excuse me!”
Youko, having said that and bowed deeply, turned her back to her once. However, before taking a step forward, she seemed to realize something and turned around again, and after a moment’s hesitation, she said.
“Umm, thank you very much!
It was only thanks to your songs that I’ve been able to keep going these past 8 years.
I look forward to being able to listen to your songs!”
As though she wanted to say those words to her,
she smiled at her, then as though embarrassed, she ran away. For a moment, Monica was stupefied, but that expression quickly changed into that of a smile as she thought to herself, ‘that’s my line’.
It was an expression that, while cool and refreshing, conveyed a warmth that warmed the heart. Just like a certain someone.
“Hmm?”
As Monica watched the girl run off, she turned around halfway and waved back at her energetically.
“Good night! Until next time!”
“Fu fu, you bet! Good night!”
With a gait that seemed to say she was happy to have received a response, the girl finally set off on her way home. Monica watched her until she disappeared from sight, then glanced around briefly. Noticing the unnatural lack of reaction from those around her, she gave a wry smile and turned on her heel.
Then, entering through a door marked with ‘No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel’ in multiple languages, she frowned deeply at the person inside and said this.
“Happy, now? Mr. Corpse?”
A figure lying in the corridor connecting the outside and inside of the venue was a young man with a face so pale it almost looked like a corpse. However, his expression was quite expressive, and he still had a disgruntled frown on his brow.
“Who are you calling a corpse? I’m perfectly alive!”
“…Don’t say that with a face like that.”
Shinichi glared at her as though to say that’s not funny, but he looked so weak that he failed to be the slightest bit persuasive. Had he kept silent, he might’ve passed for a horror scene, but his energetic retort unfortunately made everything B-rate.
“Personally, I think Icchi’s brain has gotten wonky.”
Sitting nearby was a girl with fox ears. Though she was all smiles, her words were full of thorns.
“That’s congenital. I’ve long given up on it.”
“…”
“…”
He sounded like he was joking, but he said it in such a serious tone that the two women found themselves looking at each other. Apparently, the person in question also thought there was a problem with his brain, and he had even tried to fix it. It was doubtful whether he had accurately recognized what part exactly was ‘bad,’ but with just a glance, the two women, feeling somewhat exasperated, let out a sigh.
“Sigh, after saying all that, in the end, you’re still like this.”
“Sigh, good grief! Who told you to push yourself to the point that you ended up like this? Are you stupid?”
Monica sat like Myuhi and galred at Shinichi with open anger as she repeatedly hit him on the forehead.
“Ah, hey, stop it! I kept our promise!”
“You think anything is fine as long as you do that much!?”
“Huh? …Ah.”
For a moment, a mysterious expression surfaced on Shinichi, but then a moment later, he realized what she was getting at.
Apparently, even in this regard, he was a natural airhead.
Veins seemed about to pop on Monica’s forehead.
“That part of you pisses me off so much!”
“O-Ow!”
She pinched his cheek with all of her strength and glared at him.
From her perspective, Shinichi, who had seemed to have no problems at all, returned only to collapse with a face so pale it was almost that of a corpse.
It was so shocking a sight that for a moment she seriously thought her heart was going to stop.
But in the next moment, he calmly spoke to her, and a different emotion began to blaze within her.
When she thought about it that way, this much of a vengeance was nothing to speak of.
“It hurtsh… I’m schorry!”
It was curious if the pain was too much, or because she’d pointed it out, but regardless, Shinichi apologized, and Monica finally let him off.
“Uu… My cheeks are stretched out now… My legs! Look, I get it already, stop, Hina!”
“Ahaha, whatever could you be talking about, nyaa?”
Myuhi played dumb with a face full of smile.
But behind that, her tail mercilessly whipped Shinichi’s shins.
Shinichi protested, but it fell on deaf ears.
“………”
“………”
If anything, the girls just quietly nodded in acknowledgment to each other. Myuhi and Monica were strangely in sync when it came to their treatment of the boy.
Though Shinichi understandably made a bitter face in response.
“Let’s get back to the topic.”
“Are you going to ignore her tail that’s hitting me?”
“That Youko kid was plenty adorable.”
As soon as she mentioned that name, Shinichi’s expression became firm. His eyes swam for a moment, but they quickly settled down to meet Monica straight.
“…Thanks. I didn’t think she’d be so intoxicated by your song that she’d stay behind.”
Shinichi thanked her from the bottom of his heart.
The glint in his eyes now was exactly the same as the girl from earlier. But Monica didn’t pursue it and just shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s nothing much. You did ask for extra compensation, so it’s the least I could do. I used to talk to some of the crowd like that too anyway.”
“And here I was wondering why you’d bother to go back while in this state, and it turns out it’s all because Yoppi was still here. Just who exactly is the overprotective one?”
“…Shut it.”
Truly, a dishonest man, the two women smiled.
“Fu fu, well, I understand how you feel. Kids that are that honest and warm are rare these days. She’s a good girl.”
“…Yeah.”
When she said that, Shinichi immediately showed a pleased expression, just like that of a brother that valued his family. Apparently, he too was plenty expressive, and Monica found herself smiling at him. A man who could smile like that. She didn’t hate it at all.
“Isn’t that great, Icchi? She’s grateful to you.”
“…It’s not like she meant it for me, you know.”
“You’re still all smiles, though.”
“Right?”
“You girls…”
As though the two girls had had a prior agreement, they grinned at Shinichi.
Their faces were close his, but above all, it was the unpleasantness of their smile that made Shinichi frown.
But of course, the fact that he didn’t deny anything was precisely why he is said to be an awkward yet honest person.
“Dammit, enough already! You girls just go and take care of the cleanup or go to the after-party or whatever! I’m going to sleep!”
“Oh, the catering for the after-party that you arranged has been well-received. Aren’t you going?”
“…As you can see, I can’t move.”
“What a pity when you must be starving, nyaa.”
“Indeed.”
“Unu?”
The girls smiled, while the boy chilled.
The two pink-haired girls just glanced at each other, but they immediately understood,
and at exactly the same time, they grabbed the boy by his legs.
“What are you two planning!?”
Then they walked away, dragging Shinichi along the floor.
“Don’t tell me you plan on dragging me like this!?”
“That’s right. After all, you’re the person who worked the hardest for tonight’s concert.
We need to get everyone to thank you as the biggest contributor!”
“Right, right! Besides, you must be starving, right?
Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to pick out the high calorie food items and feed them to you!”
The girls smiled, while the boy chilled.
The smiles they wore said everything. It was more fun this way, they seemed to say.
“The two of you have been strangely in sync since earlier, hey!
You were so distant just yesterday too!”
Shinichi, who had determined that the matter was unrelated and that neither side would act based on personal feelings, had noticed this but chose not to intervene. However, seeing them work together so harmoniously here would understandably make anyone want to scream. But of course…
“Ha ha, how did that saying go? Yesterday’s enemy is tomorrow’s friend?”
“The enemy of my enemy is my enemy too.”
With both of them being allies for the time being, there was nothing that Shinichi could do, his arms falling into a v shape as they dragged him along.
“Wait! My clothes are going to get dirty! I don’t have a lot of clothes!”
“I’ll pick you out new clothes later for as much as you want.”
“Consider the eyes of the people around us too!
What will they think if the biggest contributor is your escort and a man no less!”
“Nyahaha, is that something you should be saying? It’s too late!”
“In the first place, you’re working as a guard, so there’s no way you can leave me.”
“…Damn it.”
Despite his resistance, Shinichi realized that the two of them, who both possessed similarly colored eyes, were openly displaying their anger. Although they said a lot, Shinichi could tell that that was the main reason for their actions. So, with a sigh, Shinichi just gave up. It was his fault for making them worry anyway.
After the concert ended and the staff rested, an unusual event occurred: Monica and her female bodyguard had dragged a boy over.
Everyone looked at the queer spectacle, wondering what was up. A boy that was completely immobile was being fed food one after another. Already, it seemed like some sort of torture, and all the staff that didn’t know the story were speechless.
To make matters worse, the boy complained yet seemed to accept his situation. When Teressa, Monica’s manager, and the other related personnel saw that, however, they nearly fainted.
“What a terrible situation I’ve found myself in.”
Shinichi complained as he bit into a chunk of meat.
A happy voice called out to him with a smile from the side.
“Oh, but however could this be terrible?
Two beautiful women are taking care of you, after all.”
“…Is that so? But for some reason i feel like I’ve been turned into a goose.”
“Well, in your case, no matter how much we feed you, your stomach won’t bulge.”
“In a sense, you’re truly an enemy of women.”
“True, true!”
On both sides of the boy were sat a woman each. Although they were at different distances, the girls sat in a position that seemed to sandwich him in, casually eating while laughing.
They were sat at the corner of the venue.
After some time had passed and Shinichi was able to consume a large amount of calories, Shinichi managed to get moving again by making some basic adjustments to his soul. He then took hold of a considerable amount of food and claimed this spot.
He positioned himself in a spot that allowed him to keep an eye on the entire scene, while maintaining a distance from the staff who were taking a break with the catering and those preparing for the thorough cleanup the next day. It was an excellent spot that also made it easy for them to escape if necessary.
However, he had chosen this spot only after noticing that Monica was intending to follow him as though it were a matter of fact.
──So serious!
──Shut it.
That conversation may or may not have happened between the two guards.
However, from the perspective of the protected individual, it seemed to be due to entirely different reasons. Nonetheless, as Monica looked around and took in the scene, she remarked with admiration.
“It’s a spot where you’re away from everyone and don’t get in anyone’s way, isn’t it? People like you are really good at finding such places. It’s like you have a broad perspective or a keen eye… Before I know it, you’re occupying such a good spot. It’s a kind of talent, really.”
“Not really, I’m just bad at crowded places.
…I get exhausted when there are too many unnecessary things.”
However, it’s also true that this observation wasn’t entirely off the mark. After all, he initially distanced himself from the group for that very reason.
“How could you say that after singing and dancing that much in front of such a huge crowd?”
Although she said that, she wasn’t genuinely doubting him. However, his attitude of claiming to be bad at something after performing so well in front of such a huge crowd seemed a bit odd, so she teased him about it. Yet, the one who reacted most strongly to this was the other Myuhi.
“He sang and dance? This guy? Icchi?”
Myuhi seemed completely in disbelief, and Monica nodded.
“Oh, right, you weren’t at the venue then.
During the concert, this bad boy suddenly appeared looking like me and performed a pseudo-duet with me until the encore.”
“I decided it was the most appropriate action to take.”
“That smug look on your face is really annoying!”
Monica roughly nudged Shinichi’s shoulder, irritated by his smug grin, which seemed either genuine or part of an act.
However, Shinichi showed no signs of being bothered and merely continued to smirk.
Monica couldn’t help but contort her face in annoyance, partly because she couldn’t deny that Shinichi’s actions were necessary, but also because she found it infuriating to react exactly as he seemed to be provoking her to.
In a tit-for-tat, she glared sharply at Shinichi.
“Huh? Come to think of it, how did you handle the height difference?”
Suddenly, a question arose about their relative positions. She pointed to the top of their heads.
Even while seated, there was a difference of more than 10 centimeters in their heights.
Standing, the difference would be close to a head’s worth.
Yet, from Monica’s perspective, there was no obvious height difference between her and the person she had danced with.
“I didn’t do anything special.”
When Shinichi stood up, Monica noticed something unusual. His head was positioned higher than expected compared to where she and Myuhi knew it ought to have been.
The immediate response to her confused expression was Shinichi pointing to his feet.
Following his gesture, she saw that his feet weren’t touching the ground.
“Hohe?”
Without a moment to be surprised or to hear an explanation, Shinichi began stepping in place. It was a perfect imitation of Monica’s dance from earlier that night on stage.
Myuhi, seeing this for the first time, and Monica, witnessing it from Shinichi himself, both stared in stunned silence.
Not only was the imitation impressively skillful, but the fact that his feet remained completely off the ground throughout only added to the astonishment.
“────Just like that. See?”
“What the heck is that!?”
After finishing the dance, Shinichi gave a straightforward remark that caused the Songstress to bark out in surprise. The fox girl, meanwhile, could only smile wryly, clearly both exasperated and amused by the situation.
“You need to explain more, Icchi. Mo-chan, take a closer look at his feet. Something is swirling there, see?”
When she focused her eyes as instructed, she saw small specks of dust and debris swirling around. The movement of these particles made her realize that there was something else, invisible to the naked eye, stirring in the area as if it were causing a convection-like flow.
And the true nature of that unseen force was…
“Is that the wind? Don’t tell me you literally created an air shoes?”
“Given its intended use, it seems like a technique that would come with a ‘secret’ on its name attached. But it’s amazing how you managed those movements with this. It’s like having a cushion under your feet, isn’t it?”
“It’s cause I’m used to it. It’s not uncommon for me to borrow another person’s appearance, but then there would usually be a difference in build, and if there isn’t enough height, it can be tricky to maintain balance when carrying someone.”
As he canceled the air shoes, the fox girl looked at him meaningfully.
By the time he realized that he might’ve messed up somewhere, it was already too late.
She was no longer smiling despite the smile she wore.
“Oh? So, in other words, you’re used to holding someone while compromising for the height difference?”
“Hey, don’t put it like that! You’re not wrong, but the way you put it sounds really malicious!”
Shinichi yelled.
“Cruel, so cruel. You embraced me so powerfully, and yet! To think you were just playing around!”
“And don’t you go joining too!”
Monica followed suit and cried, though she stopped right away and apologized as soon as Shinichi howled. Though the taste of a ‘man’ that Shinichi had given her during the concert still put a touch of rouge on her cheeks.
The fox girl did not miss that.
“Oh? You’ve already embraced Mo-chan? You sure work fast.”
“Like I said, stop wording it so maliciously.”
Myuhi smiled cheerfully, but the aura about her couldn’t be darker.
But of course, Shinichi wasn’t the sort to flinch from just that, though he still found himself coming up with a headache.
“Hmm, is that meant to be an attack toward me too? For the record, all he did was hug me, okay? Hug.”
“I know, I know, but seriously, be careful. Icchi might not seem like it, but he’s an enemy of women in the truest sense, you know? Well, I’m sure you do.”
Monica felt somewhat deceived by the smiling response, but she seemed to have something on her mind regarding the statement. Her expression turned contemplative as she reflected on everything that had happened since he had been brought into the church.
“…Well, he certainly reeks of experience.”
“What kind of smell is that exactly?”
“Who knows? But your answer from awhile ago has been unusually slippery, you know? Dodging the accussations just by a hair’s breadth, never outright admitting or rejecting anything.”
“…”
Although she didn’t specify exactly what was on her mind, Monica clearly sensed that he was intentionally avoiding a direct statement. In his case, the very act of withholding information subtly revealed the answer.
That he was in fact ‘experienced’.
“Icchi is always hiding something. He’s a man who’ll spit out lies or poison if necessary, but on the other hand, he’s also awkward at talking when he doesn’t have a specific goal. Being bad at lying and hiding things, as expected from an awkwardly honest person!”
“Shut it.”
“…The fact that you don’t deny it is a testament to how fitting that title is.”
“Uu…”
Shinichi’s silence and grumbling in response to the comment was the final blow. The two women exchanged glances and began to giggle.
Amidst the lighthearted, relaxed atmosphere that seemed far removed from the person that had been targeted by a criminal organization and the one who had been fighting for her life just moments before, Shinichi, initially wearing a sour expression, couldn’t help but slacken into a smile.
“To think she could laugh like this even after that conversation.”
As Shinichi glanced at Monica and muttered those words to himself, he clenched his fist in acknowledgment of her trust.