Back on the chaotic D.U. Central Station platform, Problem Solver 68 stands in the middle of the commuter stream, a small island of stunned, dysfunctional chaos.

Aru is staring at the spot where you vanished into the crowd, her entire body rigid, her face a shade of bright, blotchy crimson. Her datapad is clutched in her hand, displaying the selfie you sent her.

"He... he... he sent it," she whispers, her voice a tiny, broken sound. "He... he's... he's nice."

The admission hangs in the air, an idea so toxic to her "villainous" persona that it seems to cause her physical pain.

"Kufufu~!" Mutsuki is leaning against a pillar, idly looking at the photo on her own datapad. "I look cute! Hehe... 'Lasagna.' Aru-sama, I think he likes us."

"A-A-Aru-sama!" Haruka wails, frantically tugging on her boss's sleeve. "It's a trick! It must be! The lasagna... it's... it's a metaphor! For... for... a bomb! I'm so sorry, I should have studied culinary-based explosives!"

"This mission," Kayoko says, her voice a flat, deadpan monotone as she tucks her datapad away, "is a complete disaster." She pulls her earbuds out, rubbing the bridge of her nose, her "composed" nature pushed to its absolute limit. "Our covert surveillance op... ended with us exchanging Momotalk contacts and scheduling a dinner party. With the target. Who is actively picking a fight with Kaiser Corporation."

The blunt, factual summary finally reboots Aru's brain. Her panicked, humiliated expression snaps back into a shaky, "villainous" facade.

"A... A DISASTER?! N-Nonsense, Kayoko!" she sputters, striking a wobbly pose. "This... this was exactly as I planned! It... it was a... a brilliant social-infiltration gambit! My gambit!"

Mutsuki's eyebrows shoot up. "Oh? So you wanted him to take a picture of you while you were panicking?"

"I... I WASN'T PANICKING!" Aru shrieks, her face flushing. "I was... I was luring him! Into a false sense of security! We have gathered... vital intelligence!" She ticks points off on her trembling fingers. "One: He is... a fool who trusts strangers! Two: He... he can cook! And three: He is also fighting Kaiser! Our client... will be very interested to hear that we are now rivals with a mega-corporation!"

The last point hangs in the air. Aru's own words seem to catch up with her, and her face goes pale. "...Kaiser... Corporation..."

She visibly wilts. "We're... we're going to be vaporized, aren't we?"

Kayoko sighs. "We're leaving. We're not following him to Kronos. He knows he's being watched. We go back to the office, we analyze the song he played... and we figure out what we're going to tell the client."

"E-Exactly!" Aru snaps, seizing the lifeline. "A... a strategic retreat! To analyze the data! This... this was a flawless victory! Problem Solver 68... move out!"

She spins on her high-heel and marches off toward the outbound tram, her movements stiff and jerky. Mutsuki giggles and skips along behind her. Haruka follows, still bowing and apologizing to the empty air.

Kayoko, left alone for a moment, looks back in the direction you had walked. She shakes her head, her expression one of profound, weary exhaustion, and puts her earbuds back in.

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Pub: 21 Oct 2025 14:06 UTC

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