[Masato Kai Arc 6] This scent isn’t good

—Back area of the gym, near the equipment storage.

A quiet spot, with hardly any foot traffic.

Kosuke Kaname and Masato Kai stood side by side.

After confirming that no one else was around, Kaname silently took out his police ID and showed it to Kai.

His voice was low and calm.

“—I’ve got a favor to ask.”

Kai tilted his head slightly.

“Hm?”

Kaname reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ziplock bag, handing it over discreetly.

Inside was a cotton swab, stained with something.

“This was found in an empty bag left behind by a suspected drug dealer.

We believe it was laced with an illegal substance.

Can you… see if anyone here has the same scent?”

Kai gave a slow nod and brought the bag close to his face.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled softly.

A few seconds passed in silence.

Then, Kai opened his eyes, made a fist with one hand and lightly tapped it against the palm of the other—

a gesture that said, “Got it.”

Kaname, seeing this, allowed himself a faint smile.

“…You can tell?”

Kai responded with a gentle, calm smile.

“Yes—

I can.”

That smile held a quiet certainty—

the confidence of someone who had found something.

Kai began walking slowly toward the back of the gym.

Rena Henmi and Hayata watched him go, puzzled by his sudden shift in focus.

—

For just a moment,

memories returned to Kai.

Exhaust fumes, garbage piles, the smell of animals.

Even the most mundane odors of life used to feel painful.

Crowded trains, stale office air, perfume, fabric softener—

To Kai, every smell had once been a source of suffering.

Even the scent of food made him nauseous.

There were days he couldn’t eat, nights he couldn’t sleep because of the smell of bedding or walls.

(…There was a time I didn’t think I could live a normal life.)

But now, things were different.

He’d met a doctor he could trust.

Gotten fitted with specialized filter gear.

Even the gym’s regulars refrained from wearing perfume for his sake.

Thanks to the people around him—

he could live.

“To think… this nose would ever be useful for something like this.”

Kai muttered with a smile, gently brushing a finger across his nose,

then resumed his steady walk.

—

“Hey there. How’s the training going today?”

Kai stopped next to a young man lifting weights.

The man twitched slightly at the sudden attention.

“Uh—ah, y-yeah… I’m good.”

“Glad to hear it. You’re sweating nicely today.

But…”

Kai sniffed lightly.

“…This scent isn’t good.”

The man’s shoulders stiffened.

“I’ve noticed it for a while now…

It’s sad to think that someone who comes to our gym might be involved in something bad.”

Kai’s voice was as warm as ever—

but his eyes had taken on a quiet sharpness.

The man forced a laugh and started inching backward.

But when Kai stepped forward, the man froze in place.

At that moment, Kaname, along with Rena and Hayata, entered the scene.

“Mind if we take a look through your bag, sir?”

The man’s face went pale.

“…Well, I think we’ve got our answer.”

Kaname raised a hand playfully.

The man collapsed to his knees in resignation.

“—Alright then, let’s wrap this up.”

Kaname’s light tone echoed gently through the gym.

—

A few minutes later.

As the suspect was led away by uniformed officers,

Kai let out a quiet breath of relief.

Rena approached him and looked at his profile intently.

“…You really recognized it—that smell.”

“Well…

you never forget the bad ones.”

Kai replied with an embarrassed chuckle.

Looking up at him, Hayata murmured,

“…That was… kinda amazing, honestly.”

Kai just laughed.

“Ha-ha-ha!”

—

What was once a burden,

a “sensitivity” that made life unbearable—

had become a power that could help others.

And to think he could laugh about it like this now—

that was something he had never dared to imagine.