That night, Shinjuku's Kabukichō district was still buzzing with music and laughter. Neon lights cast their ambiguous glow across the faces of pedestrians, while patrons of the red-light district stumbled in and out of clubs — some flushed with pleasure, others pale and drained.
Mao Shengzhen had recently changed jobs. Though still working in Shinjuku, this manga shop's night shift was far more peaceful than her last gig — fewer customers, more quiet hours. She stood behind the counter, idly tapping at the register's buttons.
Still, wasn't it kind of strange to have a manga shop in Kabukichō of all places?
She thought about it for a moment but didn't dwell on it. In the end, the paycheck was what really mattered.
She sighed softly and moved to restock the shelves, sliding a few volumes of Kadokawa's "Basilisk" neatly into place. The shelves nearby still had scattered volumes of "The Kindaichi Case Files" and "Yu☆Gi☆Oh!", so she took note and picked up her pace.
Returning to the counter, she switched the radio to a local news station. The announcer's exaggerated tone filled the shop with a dark sort of humor, reporting on a "Shinjuku nightclub bombing" as if it were a comedy sketch. Shengzhen suspected the host had a background in manzai or rakugo — the kind of person a production team would hire just for this ironic delivery.
The news made it clear: Tokyo's peace was crumbling. Every day brought another "serious incident" — nightclub fires, yakuza brawls, bar shootings — each more violent than the last. It was starting to feel like wartime again.
Fortunately, these incidents always seemed to happen in shady areas. As a self-proclaimed "good student," Shengzhen kept well away from such places.
And yet… none of these felt as terrifying as the infamous "Shinjuku Incident."
Her mind drifted to the memory of a red-haired man who had saved her that night. She had tried to find him afterward, but without his name or a photo, it was hopeless.
She had asked friends, even a few shop owners she knew. Only one game store owner mentioned that a red-haired man had bought a Nintendo DS recently. Shengzhen didn't even know what an NDS was — just that it was "for games." It wasn't exactly a unique clue.
Eventually, she gave up. After all, she was just a first-year high school student with limited contacts. Finding someone with only a hair color to go on was absurd.
"Even if I did find out more, I probably wouldn't have the right to approach him," she muttered to herself. Maybe he was some secret agent, a super-soldier beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Lost in these idle fantasies, she finished her restocking and returned to the counter. The little bell over the door suddenly rang, and when she looked up… she froze. The man from her memories was standing right there. Was she dreaming?
———
"Yo, working late, huh?" Shirou stepped in alongside Eiri. Tonight's mission: a big entertainment goods shopping spree. Their other teammates wouldn't arrive in Tokyo until tomorrow, and Charlotte was still hiding who-knows-where. Eiri, however, had suddenly become unusually lively and had dragged Shirou out.
"Oh, looks like you've got mostly ongoing manga here. Do you have any completed editions?"
Eiri's eyes lit up the moment she saw the shelves. She quickly pulled out a volume of "Basilisk" and scribbled on her notebook for Shirou to read. He understood at once and asked the shop clerk.
The "completed editions" she meant were the post-serialization, fully compiled and revised volumes of a manga.
"Yes, we do! They're in the complete edition section. Any specific genre you're looking for?"
Shengzhen hurried over, pointing them in the right direction — but her eyes were locked on Shirou, scanning him as if to confirm something.
Shirou noticed her unusually focused gaze. He glanced at his clothes — just his normal outfit. Nothing strange about that. Weird.
"Let's take this 'Basilisk' for now, and we'll check the rest later," he said, brushing aside the feeling and waving for her to go back to the counter.
But Shengzhen didn't take the hint. She followed them, eyes glued to him. While Eiri browsed, Shengzhen even pulled over a chair for Shirou, brought him tea, and offered snacks.
"Thanks, but that's really too much…" Shirou declined for the third time. In his mind, he wondered if they had met before — but nothing came to him.
"It's fine! The tea and snacks are free!" she insisted.
"…Huh?"
Free tea and snacks in a manga store? He half-joked to himself: if that were true, he could just move in.
Eventually, Eiri finished choosing a whole basket of manga. As they headed to the counter, Shengzhen's anxious expression became obvious. She seemed on the verge of speaking.
"…You've been wanting to say something, haven't you?" Shirou asked.
"Yes!" she blurted.
"I just wanted to say… thank you for last time! I've been trying to find you, but had no way to contact you. Today, when you came in, I thought you looked familiar… and it really was you!" Her voice trailed off, almost to a whisper.
Shirou frowned in thought. "Last time…? I don't recall."
Eiri, however, wrote in her notebook: "Mistaken for the hero who saved her?" Shengzhen nodded quickly. "My name is Mao Shengzhen. Could you… leave your name and number?"
To her surprise, Eiri just gave her a thumbs-up. After they paid, Shengzhen stood dazed at the counter, watching them disappear into the night. Only after a long while did her blush fade.
She looked at the copy of "Basilisk" Shirou had handed her — complete with his name and phone number inside. "Wow… he really is a good person."
Still, she thought bitterly, she had nothing to offer him in return. Just a normal high school girl, average in studies, skilled only at part-time jobs… Maybe she could work for him forever?
She laughed at the thought, closed the shop, and started home. But as she turned a familiar corner, she froze.
The smooth sidewalk had become cracked stone covered in moss. Metal street signs were replaced by rotting wooden boards with strange writing. Shadowy figures swayed in the distance, drawing closer. Her heart pounded. She turned and ran — only to find the street behind her had changed as well.
Why was this happening to her again?!
She stumbled along the uneven stones, clutching her manga, until she noticed a strange red mark on the back of her hand.
She barely had time to process it before the shadows closed in, cold and oppressive. Just as panic overtook her, a small figure leapt from her own shadow — a short blade flashing through the air, cleaving the blackened creature in two.
"Assassin Paraiso, reporting in. I pledge my loyalty to my new Master."
(End of Chapter)
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