The Usual Suspects (Rin, Kenji, Itsuro, Kentaro)
Rin tapped her foot against wet pavement as she waited underneath the frayed awning. Rain poured down in thick sheets, the patter of heavy drops sounding like drums against the thin material above her. The street in front of the building she stood beside glowed with a faint light, reflecting the glow of the neon sign that hung above. 'SINGING MOONLIGHT~!' was an establishment that Rin would never willingly visit on her own. A dilapidated karaoke bar that sat between a noodle shop and a soapland, it somehow managed to look even less impressive than Morinaga Videos. The neon sign above the store proudly displayed the name of the shop in hiragana (perhaps in an attempt to remain readable to foreigners and drunkards?), though several letters had burnt out and the mascot's microphone was badly damaged from vandals. Broken beer bottles littered the street and alley near the entrance, and the musty, acrid stench of cigarette smoke and mold was so strong it could even be smelled outside. The distant sounds of pop music clashed with the otherwise somber scene, and for a moment, Rin wished she had brought some earbuds and a Discman. Or, at the very least, didn't show up to such a seedy location earlier than the others...
'Why the hell was Kurosawa-kun so insistent on coming here...' Rin thought, absentmindedly tapping her umbrella against the side of the building. Water sprayed with the contact, and she could feel her annoyance grow as some got into her socks. She didn't mind places like this - the dark, the forgotten space that people rarely entered. No, she just disliked when these spaces had others. Delinquents, criminals, the scum that loved to crawl around in the shadows that should have belonged to the meek and the cautious.
"Kept you waiting, huh, girlie?" A crude voice called out from the darkness, and Rin had to force herself not to shudder. She turned to see an imposing figure standing in the middle of the street, seemingly unbothered by the torrent of rain. He was, thankfully, smart enough to swap out his school uniform for a white t-shirt, a leather jacket, and black trousers. He moved in a confident stride, the harsh neon light illuminating him as he approached.
Tachibana Kentaro. Of course he was the first to show up. This guy was a creep, and that was saying something considering Rin's other 'allies' were a movie-obsessed autist and a murderous psycho. He was crude, aggressive, and constantly looking to start a fight. But he was an Awakened that was willing to stand against the Student Council, and those were seemingly in very short supply...
"Shit weather we're having. How 'bout I get you some beer as an apology? That should warm you up after standing in this cold rain~." Kentaro flashed a smirk, revealing yellowed teeth that looked far sharper than they should have been. When a musclebound delinquent was standing in front of you in a darkened street, completely alone, it was hard to avoid being intimidated.
"I-I can get my own booze." Rin managed, her voice tighter than she intended. "Besides, I doubt you'd have anything better than some cheap shit like Asahi."
Kentaro's smirk didn't waver, though his eyebrows raised a fraction in surprise.
"Heh. Got some fire in you after all. Not into Super Dry? Fine, fine. Well, if you're ever selling let me know - I can always use a hookup~."
The man moved to clap a hand on her shoulder, but Rin sidestepped the gesture, his hand moving through open air. The smirk fell from his face as he clicked his tongue in annoyance, but he didn't press the issue. He simply leaned against the wall, pulling a comb from his pocket and running it through his wet hair, studying his reflection in the grimy window. Rin retreated to the far side of the awning, the two of them settling into a tense silence as they waited for the rest of the group to arrive.
She didn't have a watch. No pager either. She'd sold off anything like that months ago, and Alyona's 'resupply' didn't come yet. Might not ever come, given how the Census club current condition. Nothing to tell her how long she'd been standing in the rain with a delinquent who kept shooting her looks.
The minutes crawled by. The rain didn't let up. Kentaro went through three cigarettes, their dull glow joining the neon lights.
The other half of their quartet arrived after what felt like an hour, but likely wasn't more than ten minutes. Itsuro was in the lead with an umbrella, dressed far too formally for an area like this - khakis, a pressed grey dress shirt, a cardigan, burgundy jacket, and a red tie. He looked more like a new age missionary than the person she had grown accustomed to the last few weeks. He moved with the same confident stride Kentaro had, though his was shorter and more controlled, both due to the difference in size and to give his companion opportunity to keep pace.
Kenji stood out even more than Itsuro, to the point where the shadows and pouring rain did little to conceal his presence. He wore a bright yellow raincoat and matching boots, like you would see on an elementary schooler in this weather. His approach was different from the others too - a staggered pace as he jumped in puddles, recorded the splash and nearby buildings with his ever-present camera, followed by a light jog to catch up with Itsuro. The camera's red recording light blinked steadily. A third eye that never closed.
When they got within view, Kenji raised his hand in a frantic wave and moved ahead, nearly tripping as he passed Itsuro and hit his foot against the steps leading to Singing Moonlight.
"W-wawah- I'm okay! All good!"
"The fuck took you two so long? Me and the chick were freezing our asses off out here."
Rin narrowed her eyes and gave Kentaro a harsh look, but eventually relented. Even if she'd been waiting longer than him, he was still earlier than the one who'd picked this place to meet.
"My apologies," Itsuro said smoothly, shaking water from his umbrella with practiced efficiency. "We encountered a slight delay. Kurosawa-kun insisted on filming a cat."
"It was doing this thing with a puddle!" Kenji protested, still fiddling with his camera as he spoke. "The composition was perfect - the reflection, the rain, the way it just sat there like it was contemplating existence! Very atmospheric. Very Ozu. The kind of shot you'd see in Tokyo Story, except with more—"
"It was a stray cat sitting in the rain," Itsuro interrupted, his tone remaining pleasant despite the correction. "We lost seven minutes."
Thankfully, Kentaro's annoyance quickly disappeared as he barked out a laugh, slapping his thigh. "Spielberg here made you wait for a fucking cat? That's rich."
"It's not just a cat, it's about capturing authentic moments! Real cinema vérité doesn't wait for convenient scheduling-"
"Can we please just go inside?" Rin cut in, her voice tight with irritation. Water had started seeping through her shoes, and the last thing she wanted was to stand in the rain while Kenji went on another one of his rants.
Itsuro nodded, gesturing toward the door. "Of course. Shall we?"
The four of them filed into Singing Moonlight, greeted by a wave of stale air, cigarette smoke, and the muffled sound of someone murdering "I Will Always Love You" in a nearby room. The interior was somehow worse than the exterior - peeling wallpaper, stained carpet, and a front desk that looked like it had survived a small war. Behind it sat a middle-aged man who barely glanced up from his magazine as they approached.
"Room for four," Itsuro said. "One hour, please."
The man grunted, not looking up. "3000 yen."
Kenji pulled a few bills from his pocket and counted out coins, before looking expectantly at the others. A few seconds passed before Kentaro's hand clamped down on his shoulder with enough force to make Kenji wince.
"Hold the fuck up, film boy." Kentaro looked between the three of them, eyebrows raised. "You invited us here, right? So you're paying."
"I-" Kenji blinked, looking genuinely confused. "I thought we'd go splitsies? You know, four ways? That's only 750 yen each-"
"You invited us," Rin repeated, her voice cold. "That means you pay. That's how this works."
"H-hey wait, I was just-" Kenji protested, his camera clutched to his chest like a shield. "Itsuro-san said we needed a soundproof location for the meeting. I was just scouting! Like a location manager! You know, the guy who finds the perfect spot for the shoot, but he doesn't have to pay for the whole production-"
"Which makes it your idea," Kentaro interrupted, his grin widening. "So quit your bitching and pony up, director."
Kenji's face fell, and for a moment he looked genuinely distressed. His hand moved to his wallet again, but Itsuro smoothly stepped forward, placing a neat stack of bills on the counter before Kenji could even open it.
"I'll handle it," Itsuro said simply, his smile never wavering. It was nothing for someone like him, and he was always looking to ingratiate himself with the group. Or, at least, that's how Rin saw it.
The clerk finally looked up, counted the money with practiced efficiency, and slid a key across the counter. "Room 7. Down the hall, third door on the left."
As Itsuro pocketed the key and turned to lead the way, Kentaro called after the clerk.
"Oi, and bring us some drinks too. Beer, whatever you've got cold."
The clerk's eyes narrowed. "ID."
Kentaro reached into his jacket and slapped what was very obviously a fake ID onto the counter - the photo looked nothing like him, and the birthdate would make him nearly 25. The clerk stared at it for a long moment, then up at Kentaro's face, then back down at the ID. Kentaro leaned forward, resting his considerable bulk against the counter. The wood creaked ominously. He didn't say anything, just held the man's gaze with a smile that showed too many teeth.
The clerk's adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "...How many?"
"Six. And don't give me any watered-down piss." Kentaro straightened up, pocketing the fake ID. "We'll be in room 7. "
They made their way down the dimly lit hallway, passing door after door of varying quality. Some had light seeping through the cracks, others were silent and dark. The carpet beneath their feet squelched unpleasantly with each step, and Rin tried very hard not to think about what might have caused the stains...
Itsuro unlocked room 7 and pushed the door open, revealing a space that was somehow both exactly what Rin expected and worse. The room was small, barely large enough for the torn leather couch, small table, and the karaoke machine that dominated one wall. The walls were covered in soundproofing foam that had seen better days, though seemed like the only part of the space that had any real maintenance done. A disco ball hung from the ceiling, currently dark, and the single fluorescent light above them flickered intermittently.
"Wow," Kenji said, his camera already up and recording. "This is actually perfect. The lighting, the grime, the authentic wear - it's like a set piece from Taxi Driver. Or maybe more like one of those seedy rooms from a Takeshi Kitano film. Very neo-noir. If I ever need to shoot a scene with morally compromised characters meeting in secret-"
"It's a shithole," Rin muttered, stepping inside and immediately regretting it. The floor was sticky...
"Shithole's got character though," Kentaro corrected, throwing himself onto the couch with enough force to make it groan. He seemed to fit right at home in the space. "Realism and all that crap. Right, Spielberg?"
"Texture is essential for establishing mise-en-scène," Kenji agreed seriously, apparently missing the mockery in Kentaro's tone entirely. "You can't capture the authentic lived experience without showing the dirt and decay. Like in Bicycle Thieves, or any of the Italian neorealist movement - the environment tells as much of the story as the characters. This room? It's screaming broken dreams and bad decisions. Perfect thematic resonance for-"
A sharp knock interrupted him, and the door opened to reveal the clerk with a crate of beer. He set it down just inside the door without a word and left, pulling the door shut behind him with more force than necessary. He clearly knew better than to ask questions.
Kentaro was on the crate immediately, cracking open a can with a hiss of pressurized air. "Now we're fucking talking."
Itsuro closed the door fully, turning the lock with a decisive click. The sound of the rain outside faded to a distant murmur, and the muffled karaoke from neighboring rooms was nearly imperceptible. He turned to face the group, his expression shifting subtly - the pleasant mask slipping just enough to reveal the calculating mind beneath.
"Before we begin," he said, "we should establish-"
But Kenji had already moved to the karaoke machine, his camera set carefully on the table as he browsed through the song list with the intensity of a general planning a military campaign. One hand fiddled with his earbuds, connecting them to his camera while the other hand searched for a song. His fingers flew across the buttons, and within moments the opening notes of "Eye of the Tiger" began to blast through the speakers.
Rin winced at the volume. Itsuro's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
Kenji grabbed the microphone, plugging his headphones into his camera with his free hand in a practiced motion. Then he started to sing.
"Rising up, back on the street-"
Rin had to admit - begrudgingly, very begrudgingly - that Kenji could actually sing. His voice was clear and powerful, hitting the notes with surprising accuracy. But there was something off about his delivery. He would pause at strange moments, his eyes unfocused, as if listening to something only he could hear.
"Did my time-" A pause, barely a beat. "-took my chances-"
"Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet-" Another pause, longer this time. "-just a man and his will to survive-"
Kentaro had already finished his first beer and was working on his second, watching Kenji's performance with the detached interest of someone watching a busker on a street corner. Rin stood awkwardly near the wall, arms crossed, trying to figure out how long this was going to last.
Itsuro, for his part, looked like a man whose patience was being tested. He settled onto the far end of the couch, as far from Kentaro as the small space would allow, and waited. His fingers drummed once against his thigh - a rare tell of annoyance - before stilling.
The song continued, and Kenji's pauses became more noticeable. Anyone watching would think he was just bad at memorizing lyrics, but Rin was starting to suspect something else. The way his eyes would flick to the camera, the small smile that crossed his face during those gaps...
"It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight-"
When the song finally ended, Kenji lowered the microphone with a satisfied grin, completely oblivious to the varying degrees of annoyance on his companions' faces.
"That was great!" he said, already scrolling through the song list again. "The acoustics in here are actually not bad - there's this natural reverb from the soundproofing that adds depth without muddying the vocals. And did you hear how the bass resonated? Reminds me of the sound design in-"
"Kurosawa-kun." Itsuro's voice was perfectly polite, but there was an edge to it that made even Kentaro glance over. "We didn't come here to sing."
"I know, but-" Kenji's enthusiasm dimmed slightly, his grip tightening on the microphone. "I don't really get to come to places like this. Usually it's just me an-" He cut himself off. "Just me. Solo. Like Travis Bickle. So I thought, you know, since we're already here and paying for the time..."
The room fell silent, save for the muffled bass from a neighboring room. Rin found herself studying Kenji more closely, noticing the way he held that camera like a lifeline, the way his whole demeanor shifted when he talked about being alone.
She almost felt bad for him.
Almost.
"We're here to discuss business," Itsuro continued, his tone gentler now but no less firm. "Specifically, how we're going to identify the other Awakened at Higan Academy. That is, after all, the entire point of this soundproofed room."
Kenji deflated slightly, setting the microphone down on the table next to his camera. "Right. Yeah. Back to the plot."
"Finally," Rin muttered, moving to sit on the couch. She made sure to leave a considerable gap between herself and Kentaro, who was already finishing his second beer.
Itsuro straightened, and suddenly the grimy karaoke room felt like a war council. "Let's start with what we know for certain. The Student Council - we can safely assume most, if not all of them, are Awakened."
"The President definitely is," Kentaro said, crushing his empty can and tossing it toward a corner. It bounced off the wall and rolled under the table. "Lucky fucking bastard..."
"Madoka Onguuchi, the vice president, survived that incident in the Census Club," Itsuro continued. "As did Ran Nejima, their... enforcer, I don't really know his position. And Meliaya Mihama was definitely there as well."
"What about that weird treasurer chick?" Kentaro asked. "The one with the glasses? Always scribbling in that notebook?"
"Kaoru Nagamine," Itsuro supplied. "That's where our certainty ends."
"She survived Rin's portal thing," Kentaro argued, cracking open beer number three with practiced ease. "Doesn't that mean-"
"She's clever," Itsuro interrupted. "And the Student Council clearly protects their own. It's possible she simply got lucky, or that the others evacuated her quickly alongside the other un-Awakened." He turned to Rin. "What do you think?"
Rin felt three pairs of eyes turn to her and immediately regretted every decision that had led to this moment. She pulled her knees up slightly, trying to make herself smaller.
"I... think she probably is," Rin said quietly. "I don't buy the Student Council having an un-Awakened in their ranks... Not when they're so important, you know?" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "I might be wrong, but I think she's playing up the 'NPC' routine. Trying to stay under the radar for some reason. Background character who's actually... not."
Kentaro looked like he was about to make a snide comment when Rin said 'NPC', but a pointed look from her made him reconsider with a sip of his beer. Itsuro nodded slowly, considering this. "Then we'll proceed under the assumption that she is Awakened, but remain open to being wrong. The Student Council is our known enemy, but they're not our immediate concern for this exercise."
"Because we already know they're against us," Kenji chimed in from where he'd been quietly fiddling with his camera. He didn't look up as he spoke. "This is a casting call, right? Classic ensemble piece. The question isn't about the known antagonists - we've already established them in Act One. This is about expanding the cast. Who else is out there? Who might be secret allies, who might be hidden enemies, who's just an extra that doesn't even know they're in the movie yet."
"Exactly." Itsuro pulled out a small notebook from his inner jacket pocket - of course he had come prepared - and clicked his pen. "So let's discuss the student body. Who do we suspect?"
Kentaro slammed his beer down with enough force to make the table jump. "The principal, Okomoto! And that new teacher aide, the Vietnamese guy. Nguyễn or whatever the fuck his name is."
The room went silent. Rin and Itsuro exchanged glances, and even Kenji looked up from his camera.
"The... principal," Itsuro repeated slowly, in the tone of someone trying very hard to remain patient.
"Yeah! Think about it-" Kentaro gestured broadly, nearly hitting Rin with his elbow. She flinched away. "All this supernatural shit is happening at the school, right? Bleeding Zones, students with magic punch ghosts, and the principal doesn't notice? Bullshit. She's gotta be in on it."
"Or," Kenji said, attention already returned to his camera, "she's just a normal person. Because adults can't keep Idolons past 22."
Kentaro paused mid-reach for another beer. "...What?"
"Idolons require maintaining your 'inner child' or whatever," Kenji continued, his tone distracted as he adjusted his camera's white balance. "I looked into it pretty extensively. Once you hit a certain point, around 22, you lose the ability to sustain one. Something about losing your whimsy, your sense of wonder. No Peter Pan effect. It's why all the Awakened are teenagers and young adults." He finally looked up. "So unless the principal is secretly 21 and has a Hollywood makeup artist on the payroll, she's not a threat."
Rin's eyes narrowed as she studied Kentaro's face. "Ngiem-sensei reported you for smoking, didn't he? And the principal gave you detention for the rest of the month."
Kentaro's jaw clenched. "So what if they did? That doesn't mean-"
"It means you're letting personal grudges cloud your judgment," Itsuro said smoothly, making a note in his notebook. "Neither the principal nor Ngiem-sensei are viable candidates. Let's focus on people who could actually be threats."
Kentaro scowled but didn't argue further, instead turning his attention to beer number five. He mumbled under his breath. "Then the fuckin' Census Club..."
Itsuro nodded at that, relaxing somewhat. "Yes - at least Rodionvova-san, Cho-san, and Florence-san. They survived the Garganta, and were at the center of the Census Club Confrontation. The chances of them being un-Awakened are minimal at best, and even if they somehow are, they're likely aware of the Idea World and can still be useful tools." His pen tapped against the notebook - once, twice. "They're quite good at manipulating their surroundings and people, after all."
For a moment, it felt like Itsuro's eyes lingered on Rin. She felt her pulse quicken, heart thundering in her chest. Did he know her connection to the Census Club? How? She never spoke about them in front of the others, and only talked with Alyona outside of school-
If Itsuro did know, he didn't press the issue. He turned back to the book in his hands and continued speaking.
"My primary suspects," Itsuro began, flipping to a new page, "are the Fujiwara Senki. Momofuku Chikata, Itsuki Kusanagi, Belladonna Sola, and Fumiko Furukawa."
"All of them were ensnared by Satou-san's Garganta and managed to survive - and they were all present during the Census Club Confrontation. That's our first major tell." Itsuro's pen moved across the page in neat, controlled strokes. "We'll have to review the footage Kurosawa-san obtained from the surveillance room, but it's unlikely all of them were rescued un-Awakened - maybe two at most." He paused, considering. "Momofuku-san is the most likely - she's the leader after all, and there are reports of her engaging in unusual activities in the Fujiwara Ward. Itsuki is also probable. Constant fighting, associates with less reputable students, and he was a former Student Council member before his incident."
"...Incident?" Kentaro asked around a mouthful of beer.
"I don't know specifics. Someone close to him was likely injured or killed." Itsuro said flatly, as if discussing the weather. "Whatever the case, he fell out with the Student Council, became violent, and left. Since then he's been spotted fighting in the forbidden zones. The pattern fits."
Rin felt a chill run down her spine at how casually Itsuro could discuss something like this. Then again, he was seriously trying to convince her and Kenji to commit murder a few days ago, so she shouldn't have been surprised. That was just who he was, wasn't it? Everyone else was a piece to be catalogued and used. Kenji saw them all as actors in his silly little films, only useful if they follow a script. And Kentaro...
Well, he was just an asshole.
"As for the other two," Itsuro continued, "Sola has a reputation - always in places she shouldn't be, always seems to know more than she should. She likely fills the same role Kurosawa-san plays in our group, but she's probably the least likely to be Awakened out of the four." Another note, another line in his meticulous records. "And Furukawa-san..." He paused, consulting his notes. "Extreme stunt work. Motorcycle. Associates with the Senki. All circumstantial, but worth investigating. Really all we have to go off of was her presence during the Census Club Confrontation."
"Don't You Forget About Me" started playing through the speakers. Kenji had apparently made his selection and was now back to singing. His voice was a bit more controlled now, more focused.
"Don't, don't, don't, don't-"
"Don't you forget about me-"
He moved through the verses with the same strange pausing pattern as before, his eyes occasionally glancing toward his camera where something only he could hear played through his earbuds.
"Will you stand above me-" Pause. "-look my way, never love me-"
"Furukawa's a good choice," Kentaro said, leaning back and propping his feet up on the table, seemingly engaged now that they were discussing people he might get to fight. "Seen her doing some crazy shit on that bike of hers. Not normal. Girl's got moves."
"Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling-" Kenji's voice wavered slightly. "Down, down, down-"
"If they're all Awakened," Rin said slowly, "then we need to be careful. Momofuku alone is dangerous enough, but if they're working as a group-"
"Will you call my name-" A longer pause this time, more noticeable. "As you walk on by-"
"That's why we're doing this," Itsuro said. "We need to know who we're dealing with. Know our enemies, know ourselves. Sun Tzu, though I suppose that's become cliché." He clicked his pen closed and open again, a small tell of satisfaction. "Speaking of which, Satou-san, you mentioned you had your own suspects?"
Rin nodded, grateful for something to focus on besides Kenji's increasingly distracting performance. "Jinguuji Kanae and Ai Suishi."
"The shrine bitch and the stalker?" Kentaro's eyebrows rose. "Interesting picks. Stalker's hot too, once you get past the stink-"
"Focus," Itsuro cut in sharply before Kentaro could continue that train of thought.
"Kanae-san is just... obvious. I mean, look at how she dresses outside of school. Plus she shows up in the restricted shrine areas constantly," Rin explained, her voice gaining a bit of confidence as she discussed her observations. "Places normal students shouldn't even know about, let alone have access to. She's always carrying those ceremonial tools, and I've heard her muttering prayers in old Japanese. It's not some weird act like-" She caught herself before directly insulting Kenji, glancing at him briefly. "It's legit Shinto stuff. The real deal, not movie props."
"When you walk on by-" Kenji didn't seem to notice the jab. "-will you call my name-"
Rin continued. "As for Suishi-san... she's too strange not to be involved in something. The way she watches people, the way she moves. How defensive she is over Shu-kun... It's predatory. Even if she isn't involved with the Idea World, the kind of negative energy she's got around her has to have attracted some demons..."
"Definitely attracted my demon," Kentaro added with a grin, taking a long sip from his beer.
The room went silent. Rin stared at him with barely concealed disgust. Itsuro's pen stopped moving. Even Kenji stopped singing, the instrumental playing awkwardly in the background.
"What?" Kentaro spread his hands defensively. "I'm just saying, if we can get her to take baths more often and fix that greasy hair, she'd be a great addition to the group. Nice curves, probably useful powers - might even be fun to-"
"Can we please focus," Itsuro cut in sharply, his pleasant mask slipping for just a moment. "Satou-san's observations about Ai Suishi are valid. Her behavior suggests someone familiar with stalking, which implies familiarity with going unnoticed - a useful skill for our strategy with the Council, as well as for navigating Bleeding Zones."
"Don't you-" Kenji had resumed singing, but his heart clearly wasn't in it anymore. "-forget about me-"
The song wound down, and Kenji set the microphone aside, moving to sit on the floor near his camera. He didn't look at any of them, instead focusing on adjusting settings on the device that clearly didn't need adjusting. His fingers moved over the buttons with the kind of obsessive precision that always hung in the air him.
"Right," Itsuro said, taking control of the conversation once more. "So our primary targets are: the Fujiwara Senki as a group, Jinguuji Kanae, and Ai Suishi. That's at minimum six people we need to investigate."
"Eight." Kenji said from his position on the floor. It took a few seconds of pause before he looked up from his camera and noticed the others looking at him.
"Oh, uh- we're still doing suggestions, right? I mean, we skipped over some obvious character designs. Warumachi-san has a giant tooth necklace and, uh... no arms. Kind of big visual storytelling choices for someone who's supposed to be background, right? And his whole deal feels very 'mysterious warrior with a tragic past' - classic shonen protagonist beats. That's gotta be significant."
Rin narrowed her eyes at 'background character', but Kentaro rolling his hand in a 'go on' motion before she could comment.
"And Ayaka-san. The idol girl with the weird torture club? That whole setup screams 'antagonist with a dark secret.' Plus she's got connections - probably to the Census Club somehow, I don't know how else her BDSM club got approved. And she's been skipping classes with Kusanagi-san, which means she's either Awakened and helping him out with something, or he moved on. And I know it's not the latter."
Rin thought the reasoning for both was flimsy at best - but apparently Itsuro thought differently. Or just wanted to humor Kenji for actually participating in the conversation.
"Alright - eight targets minimum."
"How are we going to do this?" Rin asked. "We can't just follow them around. Someone will notice."
"We'll split into teams," Itsuro said, already writing in his notebook. "Two pairs, each taking different targets. Kurosawa-kun and Tachibana-kun will work together."
Kentaro groaned. "Seriously? I gotta babysit the film nerd?"
"...Babysit?" Kenji protested, though he didn't seem particularly thrilled about the pairing either.
"You two are... distinctly unsubtle," Itsuro continued, with a diplomatic tone that somehow made it sound like an insult. "Which makes you perfect for observing the more overt targets. Momofuku and her gang operate openly. They won't be suspicious of attention from people like you."
"People like us..." Kentaro repeated flatly.
"A delinquent and an eccentric film student," Itsuro clarified. "You fit the aesthetic of the Fujiwara Ward. Kurosawa-kun, I'm sure you have dozens of films you could lend to Sola-san or Furukawa-san as conversation starters. Use that. Meanwhile, Satou-san and I will investigate the others. They require... more delicacy."
Rin felt her stomach drop. An extended period of time alone with Itsuro sounded only marginally better than being stuck with Kentaro, and that was a very low bar. With Kenji she could at least wear earplugs and tune out most of his cinema rants.
"...We're dealing with the gang, so do we at least get to scrap if they notice?" Kentaro asked, perking up.
"Absolutely not," Itsuro said firmly. "Observation only. We need information, not a bloodbath."
Kentaro pouted but didn't argue, instead moving to grab yet another beer. His movements were starting to get slightly uncoordinated - not quite drunk yet, but getting there. Rin doubted the man would actually obey Itsuro - he was here for the violence and to get his kicks, not out of some 'higher calling' like the rest of the group.
"Satou-san and I will observe the others," Itsuro continued. "We'll maintain a distance, note their patterns, see if we can catch them entering Bleeding Zones or displaying any abilities."
"So we've got our targets," Kentaro said, now definitely slurring slightly as he opened beer number six. "When do we start?"
"Tomorrow," Itsuro said. "After classes. We'll observe for a few days, maybe a week. Then report back with our findings and reconvene to determine our next steps. Everyone clear?"
A round of nods, with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
"Good. Now, one more thing." Itsuro closed his notebook, his expression darkening slightly. "Satou-san, I was considering whether we could expedite this process. If you were to establish a Bleeding Zone with your Garganta, Kurosawa-kun's Idolon could potentially scout for all Awakened at once. His abilities seem well-suited for that kind of wide-range detection."
Rin immediately shook her head, her hands clenching into fists on her lap. "No. I can't."
"Can't, or won't?" Kentaro challenged, his words definitely slurring now.
"Can't," Rin repeated firmly, meeting his gaze despite her discomfort. "Opening that Garganta during the Census Club Confrontation took most of what I had saved up. The school has defenses - mystical ones. Barriers, wards, probably set up decades ago. I had to use..." She hesitated, glancing at Kenji's camera briefly before continuing. "Items with strong symbolic power. Things saturated with elemental energy, Yin and Yang alignments, objects used in onmyōdō rituals. Stuff I've been collecting for months. I don't have access to those things anymore. I'd need at least a few weeks to gather similar materials, and even then..."
"Even then it might not work," Itsuro finished, and Rin was surprised to hear understanding in his voice rather than frustration. "And if it failed, we'd be exposing ourselves to the Student Council for nothing."
"Exactly."
"Too much to hope for, I suppose. We should be happy we managed to avoid revealing ourselves during the confrontation." Itsuro made another note, his pen moving in sharp, efficient strokes. "We'll handle this the old-fashioned way," he said, looking up. "Observation, patience, and careful planning. No shortcuts."
"Boooring," Kentaro sing-songed, fumbling with the cap of his next beer. When had he opened that one? How many was that now? Seven? Did he get another case?
Kenji, apparently taking Kentaro's comment as permission, had returned to the karaoke machine. Within moments, the opening synth notes of "Danger Zone" started playing through the speakers.
"Oh hell yeah!" Kentaro lurched to his feet, nearly tripping over the beer cans he'd left scattered on the floor. "I fucking love this song!"
"Revvin' up your engine-" Kenji started, and suddenly Kentaro was there beside him, grabbing the second microphone that Rin hadn't even noticed existed.
"Listen to her howlin' roar!" they sang together, Kenji's voice clear and practiced, Kentaro's slurred and enthusiastic.
Rin and Itsuro exchanged a long, tired look.
"Metal under tension-"
"Beggin' you to touch and go!"
Kentaro threw his arm around Kenji's shoulders, nearly causing both of them to topple over. Kenji, to his credit, barely seemed to notice, his attention split between the screen and his camera on the table. Even mid-duet, he kept glancing at it, as if making sure it was still recording, still there.
"Highway to the danger zone!"
"Gonna take you right into the danger zone!"
"We're going to be here for a while, aren't we?" Rin muttered.
"At least another 30 minutes," Itsuro confirmed, checking his watch. "We paid for the time, and I doubt either of them will be ready to leave before it's up."
True to form, Kentaro was now attempting some sort of air guitar solo while Kenji faithfully sang through the verses, their "duet" becoming increasingly chaotic as Kentaro's blood alcohol content climbed higher.
"Headin' into twilight-"
"Spreadin' out her wings tonight!"
"Someone's going to have to get Tachibana-kun home," Itsuro observed, his tone carefully neutral.
Rin immediately shook her head. "Not it."
"I wasn't suggesting you," Itsuro assured her. "That responsibility falls to Kurosawa-kun."
"What? Why me?" Kenji asked during an instrumental break, actually pulling his attention away from the song for a moment.
"Because you're the one who suggested this location," Itsuro said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "And because Satou-san and I have actual schoolwork to complete tonight. You, I suspect, have nothing pressing planned besides editing your latest film."
"I was going to rewatch Alien—" Kenji stopped abruptly, glancing at his camera. "I mean, I was going to work on the color correction for Christ in Camo, and maybe review my footage from today, and I really should organize my tape library because it's getting out of hand, but-"
"Then it won't be a problem," Itsuro interrupted smoothly. "You can watch your film tomorrow. Tonight, you're making sure Tachibana-kun gets home safely."
"DANGER ZONE!" Kentaro belted out, oblivious to the conversation happening around him. He'd moved on from air guitar to air drums, nearly knocking over the remaining beer cans.
"Excellent." Itsuro stood, not bothering to wait for Kenjis response as he brushed imaginary dust from his khakis. "Then I believe Satou-san and I will take our leave. We have our assignments, we have our timeline, and we have our strategy."
"WATCH OUT FER TEAM KEN, BITCHES!" Kentaro yelled as he threw an arm around Kenji's neck, pulling him back into the song. The declaration was so slurred and enthusiastic that it took Rin a moment to parse what he'd actually said. Team Ken? Really? For some reason, Rin had thought he would be a violent drunk instead of a happy one...
Rin scrambled to her feet, more than ready to escape the increasingly humid karaoke room. The combination of beer, sweat, and Kentaro's cologne was becoming overwhelming.
"We'll meet back here in one week," Itsuro continued, moving toward the door. "Same time, same place. Come prepared with your observations, and we'll determine our next course of action."
"One week," Rin confirmed, already halfway out the door.
"Oi, where are you two going?" Kentaro slurred, lowering his microphone. "Song's not over! We're just getting to the good part!"
"We have responsibilities," Itsuro called back, his tone pleasant but final. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, gentlemen."
And with that, he and Rin stepped out into the hallway, closing the door on the continued sounds of "Danger Zone" and Kentaro's off-key enthusiasm.
The hallway felt impossibly quiet in comparison, even with the muffled sounds of karaoke seeping through the various doors. Rin took a deep breath, grateful for the slightly fresher air. Slightly being the operative word - it still smelled like cigarettes and regret, but at least it was breathable.
"Well," Itsuro said, pulling out his umbrella as they made their way toward the exit. "That was productive."
"Was it?" Rin asked, genuinely uncertain.
"We have a plan. We have targets. We have assignments." Itsuro's smile was sharp in the dim light. "And most importantly, we have a week to gather information while the Student Council remains oblivious to our movements. I'd call that very productive."
They emerged into the rain, which had lessened to a light drizzle. The neon sign of Singing Moonlight flickered above them, and somewhere behind them, Kenji and Kentaro were starting another song. The sound carried through the rain, muffled and tinny.
"Do you really think Kurosawa-kun can handle getting Tachibana-kun home?" Rin asked.
"No," Itsuro admitted without hesitation. "But it's not my problem. And more importantly, it gives Kurosawa-kun something to focus on besides his camera for a few hours."
Rin glanced back at the karaoke bar, then up at the rain. "This is really happening, isn't it? We're really doing this."
"We've been doing this," Itsuro corrected. "This is just the next step. One week of observation, and then we'll know who our allies might be. And more importantly, who our enemies are."
Rin pulled her jacket tighter around herself. "And what if we're wrong? What if we approach someone and they turn us in to the Student Council?"
"Then we adapt." Itsuro's smile didn't waver. "But I don't think we'll be wrong about most of these choices. People like us - people who've seen the Idea World, who've tasted real power - we're drawn to each other. Whether we want to be or not."
The rain picked up again, and Rin had to raise her voice slightly to be heard. "Idolon users attract other Idolon users..."
"...Sure, we can go with that." Rin pulled her jacket tighter, embaressed that Itsuro didn't seem to pick up on the reference.
They parted ways at the corner, Itsuro heading toward the nicer part of town where his family lived, and Rin making her way back toward her small apartment. The rain continued to fall, washing away their footprints. The sound faded as she walked, replaced by the ambient noise of the city at night. Distant traffic. The hum of vending machines. The occasional laugh from a late-night izakaya. Normal sounds for a normal city.
But Kageoka wasn't normal anymore. Maybe it never had been.
One week, she thought. One week to figure out who else was like them. One week to identify the threats.
Back in Room 7, Kenji set down the microphone after their third song - or was it their fourth? - and looked at Kentaro, who was now sprawled across the couch, beer can balanced precariously on his chest.
"We should probably get you home," Kenji said, his camera already back in his hands, the familiar weight grounding him.
"M'fine," Kentaro slurred, waving a hand dismissively. "One more song. One more - hey, you know what we should do? We should do Bohemian Rhapsody. The whole thing. Like fuckin Wayne's Place or whatever."
"Wayne's World. And that's six minutes long... And you can barely stand."
"Your point?"
Kenji sighed, looking down at his camera. Through the viewfinder, he could see Tokiwa-chan's reflection in the screen, her outline barely visible. She was smiling - or at least, her emoticon face indicated amusement.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he muttered to the camera. "My responsibility now."
He moved to help Kentaro up, slinging one of the larger man's arms over his shoulders. It was like trying to move a building.
"You're heavy," Kenji grunted.
"You're weak," Kentaro countered, but he was laughing. "Like that tripod you carry around sometimes, but even shrimpier."
"That's... actually accurate."
They stumbled toward the door, Kentaro singing fragments of songs under his breath, Kenji trying to remember the route to the delinquent's apartment that Itsuro had somehow obtained and written down for him. The camera hung around his neck, recording everything, because of course it was.
Some scenes, he thought, didn't need to be good to be real.
And in the end wasn't that what mattered?
The rain had fully stopped by the time Rin reached her apartment. She stood outside for a moment, looking up at the dark windows, before finally going inside.
Her hands were shaking slightly as she unlocked the door.
One week.
One week until they knew who else was playing this game.
One week until the board was set.
And one week until she'd have to decide - really decide - how far she was willing to go.
She stepped inside, closed the door, and locked it behind her.
In the darkness, Hollow Dusk stirred at the edges of her consciousness, patient and waiting.
Always waiting.