The Phantom Thief Request Channel was a small but wildly popular anonymous website that had been operating for about two years.
It collected countless urban legends and stories from around Japan, all revolving around one mysterious figure—a phantom thief who walked the underworld, righting the wrongs that the law couldn't reach.
This thief didn't steal money or valuables.He stole the hearts of the wicked.
He made criminals turn themselves in, or forced them to sincerely apologize to their victims.
From hit-and-run drivers to violent gang break-ins, from student bullying to cases of political corruption—there were whispers that the phantom thief's shadow had appeared behind all of them.
It was the kind of outrageous urban legend most people dismissed as fantasy.
After all, these incidents couldn't realistically be tied to some masked avenger.
And yet, as the site's popularity grew, more and more people began leaving comments like "I was once helped by the phantom thief" or "I don't know if it was really him, but I was definitely saved."
Bit by bit, the myth began to feel real.
Even the site's operator seemed to be a skilled hacker. In two years, despite numerous cyberattacks, the website had never gone down once—a legend in its own right.
"..."
Ryo didn't meet Kasumi Yoshizawa's earnest gaze. He just quietly chewed his bacon.
But she wasn't giving up that easily.
"Ryo-ni, shouldn't you go help them?"
"I've already retired," Ryo said flatly.
"And besides, if I responded to every message that popped up, I'd never sleep again. A Phantom Thief isn't some god you pray to. You can't expect him to answer every single wish, can you?"
"Well… that's true."
Kasumi pouted, unconvinced, puffing her cheeks like a sulking cat.
Both she and her twin sister Sumire already knew Ryo's secret identity.
After all, when he had saved them, he'd used his supernatural power—taking them into the Cognitive World to steal a person's corrupted desires firsthand.
They had seen the truth with their own eyes—how Ryo Jin, the so-called "Phantom Thief," could invade hearts and change people. There was no hiding it.
Their admiration for him wasn't just about gratitude.Part of it came from that thrill of stepping outside ordinary life—of touching something incredible.
Ryo only hoped they would eventually adapt and let go of that excitement.
Still… the website did bother him.
He stole a glance at Kasumi's phone.
That site wasn't one he had built himself. Probably a fan-made creation.
The problem was—he couldn't remember ever revealing his identity to anyone.
The site listed several cases he'd actually handled through his heart-stealing ability, yet it somehow avoided exposing any personal details about him. Whoever ran it knew what they were doing.
Which left Ryo wondering: did the creator actually know who he was, or was it all coincidence?
Either way, back before his "retirement," he'd occasionally taken requests from posts there. Some cooperation had existed—though unspoken.
But now that he'd chosen to quit, he no longer cared.
That the legend had survived two years already was miracle enough. It would fade in time.
At least, that's what Ryo Jin believed.
The Yoshizawa twins, however, didn't see it that way.
"..."
Sitting on his other side, Sumire Yoshizawa looked back and forth between her sister and Ryo. Seeing Kasumi's pleading expression, she sighed softly and decided to back her up.
"Harassing students is a really serious problem," she said in a light tone. "Good thing our coach is a beautiful woman, or we might've been in danger too… If we'd had a male coach, who knows—we might never have taken up gymnastics in the first place~!"
"That's right, that's right!" Kasumi immediately chimed in.
"This is fate at work! Seeing such a pitiful plea for help, I can't help but feel for them. Just imagining if that happened to us makes me want to die… ugh~! (.>?<.)"
While Kasumi rambled dramatically, Ryo lightly flicked her on the head.
She covered her head in mock pain as he sighed.
"That's not called 'fate at work.' You meant 'a hair's breadth away,' didn't you? Seriously, Kasumi—even if you're a sports scholarship student, your academics can't be that bad. How many subjects did you fail on your entrance exam again?"
"Eh? You mean there are different kinds of failing grades?"
Covering her head, Kasumi blinked up at him with wide, innocent eyes untouched by the burden of knowledge.
Ryo and Sumire could only groan in unison, clutching their foreheads. This airheaded older sister was truly hopeless.
Despite being identical in appearance, the twins were completely different on the inside.
Unlike Kasumi, whose grades were a disaster, Sumire managed to balance both athletic excellence and solid academics. She was a model student through and through—graceful, capable, and quietly competitive.
Unfortunately, Ryo's attempt to steer the topic away had failed.
The sisters dropped the talk about exams and simply looked at him with their bright, ruby-colored eyes—both sets fixed on him with unspoken pressure.
Ryo suddenly felt as if he'd done something wrong.
"…We're not trying to pressure you, Ryo-ni," Kasumi finally said softly.
Her small, delicate hand rested lightly on his thigh—a gesture a little too intimate, the kind that could easily be misinterpreted.
But in Ryo's case, it wasn't a misunderstanding.
Leaning gently against his shoulder, her voice came out warm and sincere.
"To me and Sumire, you'll always be our hero. We don't know why you retired, but whenever you're ready to tell us, we'll listen."
Sumire nodded vigorously and gripped his arm tightly, her voice firmer than her sister's.
"If Ryo-senpai hadn't saved me, I wouldn't even be alive right now. No matter what you decide to do, my sister and I will always support you! …And if possible, we want to be the place you come home to."
Kasumi: "Ah~ Sumire's face is turning so red—it's like a tomato! (?＞?＜)☆"
Instantly switching to teasing mode, Kasumi bolted from her seat, giggling, as Sumire chased her around the counter.
Their laughter filled the small, shabby room with warmth.
Ryo couldn't help smiling as he watched them. Moments like this made everything feel worth it.
"…But even if I went back to being a Phantom Thief," he murmured under his breath, "would that really make the world any better?"
He glanced at his phone. New messages were constantly popping up on the Phantom Thief Request Channel, filled with excited posts from young people who still believed in the legend.
He sighed, letting his thoughts drift as he took a bite of his fried egg.
The half-cooked yolk broke, spilling across his tongue with a richness that carried the faint sweetness of the girls' affection.