Tokyo: I can enlighten all obsessions

"Whether the guess is right or wrong, it's always better to be safe than sorry."

Kamiki Tetsu collected his thoughts and lay back down on the somewhat stiff single bed.

With a soft creak from the bed frame, he casually brought the cardboard box he had been holding to his lips, and unconsciously put the straw in his mouth.

"Glug."

A liquid with a sweet, medicinal smell mixed with a distinct metallic odor slid down the esophagus.

That was the "high-potency iron supplement oral liquid" that Saori had just forced on him.

The strange texture, as if licking rusty iron railings, made Toru Kamiki frown, but he didn't stop swallowing.

After all, these are supplies that were purchased with money, and wasting them is shameful.

As the rusty-smelling liquid entered his stomach, his thoughts refocused on the information he had just obtained.

"An apartment building with a blue roof in Nishi-Shinjuku 4-chome..."

The address that thug spat out now seems like a flashing red mission coordinate, constantly popping up in my mind.

Although I pretended to be completely unaware in front of Saori, and even used "traffic accident" as an excuse, as a salaried staff member of the countermeasures office, it was obviously not possible to turn a blind eye to this abnormal situation that was already being confronted directly.

If left unchecked, that kind of "allure" that can cause mass frenzy could potentially escalate into a major disaster capable of engulfing the entire Shinjuku district.

At that point, not only will the KPIs not be met, but that bald section chief might actually hang himself on the torii gate of the shrine in the middle of the night to show him.

"We still have to go check it out..."

Kamiki Tetsu stared at the stark white ceiling and muttered something under his breath.

But the moment he made up his mind, another face involuntarily appeared in his mind.

It was a face as exquisite as a doll's.

"So, Tetsu-kun, you'd better behave yourself... and don't run around, okay?"

Saori's warning, delivered with a chilling smile, seemed to still carry a trace of coldness, which traveled from the empty cardboard box in her hand to her fingertips.

Kamiki Tetsu picked up the empty box that had been squeezed and was slightly deformed, and shook it.

"I'm sorry, Saori-san."

He casually tossed the empty box aside, and as it arced perfectly into the trash can, a glint of cunning flashed in his eyes:

"Although your concern is heavy, it's worth taking this risk when it comes to overtime pay and bonuses."

My after-school schedule has been decided.

The lunch break bell, like a signal of lifting restrictions, instantly spread to every corner of the campus.

Kamiki Tetsu stretched out a big yawn, his bones cracking and popping.

"Alright, even though it's comfortable to sleep here, we can't really stay up until school's over."

Now that the afternoon's action plan has been decided, there's no point in continuing to feign illness.

Just as he was about to throw off the covers, put on his shoes, and make his escape—

"Click"

The frosted glass door to the infirmary was slowly pulled open once again.

It wasn't the school nurse's hurried footsteps; the person who came was so light that it was almost inaudible.

Kamiki Tetsu froze, raising his head in an awkward position with one foot just inside his shoe.

Saori was standing at the door.

She carried a double-layered lunchbox wrapped tightly in a navy blue furoshiki. Her dignified and virtuous appearance made her look like a young wife from the Showa era delivering meals to her husband, radiating the glow of "virtuousness" from head to toe.

"...Saori?"

Kamiki Tetsu's lips twitched slightly.

Did this guy install a GPS device on himself?

Why did she appear as soon as I made a little noise?

Saori did not respond to his call immediately.

She entered the room and gently closed the door behind her, shutting out the noise from the corridor outside.

Then, those clear black and white eyes shifted slightly downwards, precisely locking onto the stainless steel trash can in the corner.

There, the iron supplement box that Kamiki Toru had casually tossed in lay forlornly on the top layer of the waste paper pile.

The bitten straw was still sticking out, proving that the liquid inside had been completely drunk.

"..."

Upon seeing the empty box, a hint of satisfaction slowly appeared on Saori's previously expressionless face.

She nodded slightly.

"Very good."

She looked up, a perfect smile blooming on her face, her voice soft:

"It seems that Che-kun is an obedient and good boy."

As she spoke, she lifted the heavy lunchbox in her hand and walked lightly to the bedside:

"Since you've taken your medicine obediently, then as a reward..."

"I specially bought a pork liver bento box today to help replenish blood."

"Pig liver...?"

Looking at the bento box, which smelled incredibly rich in iron, Toru Kamiki felt a sudden twitch in his stomach.

Although it was to cover up the lie about "anemia" earlier, the price was far too heavy.

"Um, Saori."

He instinctively shrank back, trying to struggle:

"That won't be necessary, will it? It's too much trouble for you. I was just about to go to the convenience store and grab a couple of rice balls to make do..."

However, before he could finish uttering his refusal, it was abruptly cut off in his throat.

A fingertip, cold as if it had no body temperature, reached out without warning.

It was gentle, yet carried an undeniable force, pressing firmly against Kamiki Toru's lips, forcibly silencing the words "rice ball" that were yet to be uttered.

"Shh-"

Saori leaned slightly closer, bringing her delicate face even more intimate.

She maintained that perfect smile, but her clear, bright eyes held a serene calm.

"No, you can't."

The finger gently caressed his lips, as if soothing a disobedient pet, or as if confirming some kind of ownership.

"Foods like rice balls, which have absolutely no nutritional value, are absolutely forbidden for Che-kun right now."

She withdrew her finger and naturally opened the lid of the bento box, instantly releasing a rich aroma of soy sauce.

"If you don't properly replenish your nutrition... it will spoil."

As I felt the touch of my fingertips, a scene flashed through my mind—

Under the dim light, the girl was using her fair hands to brave the heat and carefully shaping the scalding rice into perfect triangles, her eyes so tender they seemed to melt with love.

This sudden "memory attack" caused Kamiki Tetsu's excuse to freeze instantly, and his previously tense resistance inexplicably deflated.

"...Alright then."

He sighed helplessly, and under Saori's gaze that seemed to draw him in, he resignedly took the chopsticks.

He picked up a thick slice of pork liver, covered in sauce, closed his eyes, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The rich, savory aroma exploded on my tongue; the taste... was damn delicious.

After swallowing the last bite of pork liver, Toru Kamiki pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth and, taking the opportunity, delivered the line he had just prepared:

"Thank you for the treat. But since you're already so anemic that you need to eat such highly nutritious food..."

He clutched his stomach, which was still aching from the "iron supplement," and his face conveniently showed a hint of weakness:

"I think I'll skip my afternoon classes. I want to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up and get some proper medication. After all, I can't keep relying on eating pig liver to stay alive."

This excuse is flawless.

It both echoes the previous "patient" persona and allows him to leave early with a clear conscience to investigate Hoshino Ruri's address, killing two birds with one stone.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Saori paused slightly as she packed up the lunchboxes.

She slowly raised her head, her dark eyes narrowing slightly as she scanned Kamiki Tetsu's face inch by inch.

Under that gaze that seemed to see right through his soul, Kamiki Tetsu's heartbeat remained steady, and his facial muscles were under perfect control.

After all, he's a professional when it comes to the skill of "lying".

"..."

The silence lasted for a full three seconds.

Just when Kamiki thought he was about to be exposed, Saori suddenly relaxed her tense lips and resumed her gentle and considerate demeanor.

"That's true."

She neatly fastened the knot of her furoshiki and nodded:

"Your health is the most important thing. I'll ask the homeroom teacher for leave on your behalf."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Kamiki Tetsu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was just about to get up and put on his shoes.

"Hey, Tetsu-kun."

Saori suddenly tilted her head slightly, her long, dark hair sliding down her shoulder.

She still had a smile on her face, but there was no trace of laughter in her eyes, and her voice was so soft it sent chills down your spine:

"You'll go to the hospital obediently... right?"

She took half a step forward, and that subtle sense of oppression enveloped her again:

"You're not using medical treatment as a pretext... to secretly go and see some random people, right?"

"Haha... How could that be?"

Kamiki Tetsu chuckled twice, forcibly suppressing the chill that ran through him from being watched by a ferocious beast, trying his best to make his expression look like that of a helpless patient:

"In this half-dead state, besides doctors in white coats, who do I have the energy to go looking for some random people?"

As he spoke, to hide his guilty conscience, he quickly bent down, put on his leather shoes, and headed out:

"I'll be going now, otherwise I'll have to wait in line."

However, just as his hand touched the doorknob...

"Wait a moment."

I heard the rustling sound of fabric rubbing behind me.

Before Kamiki Tetsu could turn around, a hand had already wrapped around his shoulder and was extended in front of him.

In that fair palm lay several brand-new 10,000 yen banknotes.

"Tetsu-kun works very hard, so you must always be short of money, right?"

Saori stood behind him, her voice gentle as if she were coaxing a child:

"Going to a big hospital for a checkup is very expensive. If I accidentally overspend my living expenses, I'll probably have to eat those expired, low-quality lunchboxes again, right?"

She grabbed Kamiki Tetsu's hand, trying to stuff the few light yet heavy banknotes into his palm:

"Take it. Consider it... a loan from me."

"..."

When Kamiki Toru saw Fukuzawa Yukichi smiling kindly at him, his pupils trembled violently.

That's money.

He is his most loyal friend in the world, and the ultimate goal he strives for.

Normally, if someone dared to offer him money to "humiliate" him, he would definitely grab their leg without hesitation and shout, "Please humiliate me a few more times!"

but--

As he felt the touch of the banknotes on his fingertips, Toru Kamiki's intuition was screaming alarm bells.

This money is too hot to handle.

Once the "medical expenses" are accepted, the nature of the matter changes.

This is not just a loan, it's more like a...

If you don't go to the hospital, you will incur a huge psychological debt, which is called a "contract".

What if you took the money but didn't go to the hospital, and instead went to that woman's apartment...?

"……No."

Faced with immense temptation, Toru Kamiki, with astonishing willpower, forcefully pulled his hand back.

He took a half step back and refused righteously:

"Although I'm poor, I'm not so poor that I can't even afford medical treatment. I appreciate Saori's kindness, but there's one thing... I have my principles."

After saying that, as if afraid of going back on his word, he didn't dare to look at those tempting banknotes again, pulled the doorknob, and rushed out of the infirmary as if fleeing.

"Click".

With a soft click as the door latch snapped back, the hurried footsteps quickly faded into the distance in the corridor until they disappeared completely.

The infirmary fell silent once more.

Saori remained standing in the same position, still in the posture of handing over the money.

The few rejected Fukuzawa Yukichi photos on her fingertips trembled slightly in the breeze seeping in through the window cracks, making a rustling sound.

Slowly, she withdrew her hand.

The mask that was originally filled with "worry" and "virtuousness" peeled off like melting wax at this moment, revealing an extremely indifferent face.

She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the banknote that Kamiki Toru's fingertips had almost touched. Her thumb gently caressed the portrait on it, as if touching some lingering warmth.

"Oh……"

A very soft laugh escaped from between those two pale, thin lips.

"Can you really resist such temptation...?"

Saori turned slightly to the side, her dark eyes fixed on the tightly closed door, as if she could see the figure desperately trying to escape through the wooden planks.

She carefully folded the banknotes neatly and tucked them back into the depths of her wallet, murmuring softly:

"You have even more willpower than I imagined, Tetsu-kun."

"But you're really naughty."

She sighed at the empty room, but her tone was full of anticipation:

"If I accidentally catch you meeting with some random people..."

"So, what methods should we use to correct your bad habit of lying?"