[Sawari Shirakawa Arc 1] What are we gonna do about that?

—Early afternoon, Shinjuku.

On the second floor of a nondescript multi-tenant building,

tucked away in a shuttered shopping arcade,

a faded sign reading “Siempre” still barely clung to life.

Once a spot for quiet relaxation, the air inside now carried only the faint aroma of coffee.

“Hey, Kaname. …What are we gonna do about that?”

Rena Henmi, sitting at the counter, narrowed her eyes toward the back of the café.

By the window, at the most secluded table—

sat a peculiar figure.

Their small frame was wrapped in an oversized black knit sweater that completely swallowed their body.

Gloved hands rested on the table.

And on their head—

—a pigeon mask.

Realistically crafted, the mask gave off a bizarre, oppressive aura.

“No idea.”

Kosuke Kaname replied lazily, resting his chin on his hand.

“You can’t just ‘no idea’ that! Why are you acting like this is normal!?”

Rena snapped, exasperated.

At the counter, Masato Kai was happily grinding coffee beans, completely unbothered.

“…When Hayata gets here, he’s gonna freak out, you know…”

Just as she said it, the door swung open.

“Made it! Got here with no issues, Kaname-san!”

Fresh off an early morning shift, Hayata poked his head in—

—and immediately froze.

“—Whaaaa?! THERE’S A PIGEON!!!”

“Told you…”

Rena rushed over, practically radiating “SHUT UP” energy.

“Rena-san! There’s a pigeon! A real one!!”

“Zip it already! Get over here!”

She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back toward the counter.

Meanwhile, Kaname spoke up casually.

“Well, apparently the café was still technically running until last week.

Just barely.

From what I heard, there was only one customer—kept coming in regularly.”

Rena raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t tell me… that one customer was…”

“…Do you think it can see us?”

Hayata whispered, dead serious.

At the same time, Kai had begun preparing iced coffee behind the counter.

He gently placed a glass with a straw on a tray and walked over to the pigeon-masked figure.

“…If you’d like, here you go.”

The pigeon didn’t move.

“They’re gonna drink it? Wait, are they actually gonna drink it?”

Hayata’s voice pitched up with rising tension.

“They might take off the mask to drink—maybe we’ll see their face…”

Rena whispered with anticipation.

And then—

The pigeon tilted its head ever so slightly.

Through a hole in the mask’s beady eye—

it smoothly inserted the straw.

Sllrrp.

It began drinking with perfect efficiency.

Silence.

Hayata: “It drank…”

Rena: “It actually drank…”

Kai, for some reason looking satisfied, returned to the counter.

“Coffee’s served.”

He announced it like nothing unusual had happened.

Kaname sighed and reached for his cup—when suddenly:

“KAI-SAAAN! How’ve you been!?”

The café door slammed open.

Through the barely wide enough entrance,

a massive safe was being dragged inside with an earsplitting screech.

Behind it—

six young men in flashy suits, oozing bad energy.

And at the center of the chaos—

A tall man with slicked-back blond hair,

radiating manic energy, stood with arms crossed in full-on power stance.