Chapter 20

Monday 09/14 7:10 AM

-Good Morning. (Souta)

-Oh Souta, good morning. Did something happen at school? (Akemi)

-Actually, the principal said that we would take this week off. (Souta)

-Thanks, I thought Ryu did something again. (Akemi)

-This time I don't think he did it. What is all this paperwork on your desk? (Souta)

-It's a problem I'm trying to solve. The truth is that a bank was robbed two months ago and they couldn't find the culprit, so three weeks ago they passed the case on to me. Looks like the thief got away with ten thousand reais in cash from there. (Akemi)

-10 thousand? Wow, that's a lot of money. (Souta)

-But I can't find any traces of the suspect, he literally fled the bank with an unmarked car painted in black and the only footage we have of his car was him following the northern highway. (Akemi)

-Hmmmm, I think this case is very difficult. We don't have any clear clues to steer us in the right direction, and we don't even know which part of the city to look for. (Souta)

-Yes, that's why I'm having so much trouble. Speaking of which, where is Ryu? (Akemi)

-I have no idea. That bastard is just missing from college using the certificate as an excuse saying he had to take care of some cases. (Souta)

-Actually I don't see him much around here either. (Akemi)

-I knew it. That shit must be having fun right now. (Souta)

-IT´S SHOW TIME!! (Ryusaki)

-Ryu! (Akemi)

-Dude, where have you been? And why are you wearing a beach outfit? (Souta)

-Ice cream? (Ryusaki)

-Not worth. (Souta)

-Actually I've been collecting some information about the bank robbery case this week. (Ryusaki)

-About the guy who stole 10 thousand reais? What did you discover? (Akemi)

-I managed to find out where he is. (Ryusaki)

-So... where should we go? (Souta)

-Hum hum hum. We go to the beach! (Ryusaki)

In front of them was an immensity of sand and a sea full of people.

-You actually just came here for fun, didn't you? (Souta)

Well, but leaving that aside.

Souta starts looking at Akemi, she was wearing a black bikini which highlighted her skin. But what caught Souta's attention most was that they were really huge.

-You were very beautiful in that Akemi bikini. (Souta)

-Oh thanks. (Akemi)

-This is the most magnificent sight I've seen in my entire life. (Ryusaki)

-SERIOUSLY!!! (Akemi)

When she looks at Ryusaki he isn't even looking at her.

-Look Souta! A crab fighting a seagull. Hahahahahaahah. I bet no one but us has seen such a thing. (Ryusaki)

Akemi was completely depressed to find out that Ryusaki was not talking about her.

Don't worry Akemi, it's just that this idiot doesn't have eyes for really good things.

Ryusaki runs to the sea and jumps into the water.

-IIIEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY! (Ryusaki)

-Seriously, how old are you? (Souta)

-Why did we come looking for the suspect in the robbery here on the beach? Here is about 50 km from the robbed bank. (Akemi)

-I honestly don't think we came here really to look for clues. It's just another stupid idea from Ryu to pass the time. Well anyway since we came to the beach why not enjoy it? (Souta)

-Yes, it would be a waste not to enjoy it after buying this bikini just for today. (Akemi)

-Did you buy it just to come here? (Souta)

-Well... my friends said that it's important to do these things if you want to draw some attention.

Ryu I hate you.

Ryusaki starts building a sand castle with Souta, while Akemi starts to enter the water.

-Hey! Look at that woman over there. (person 1)

-Dude, she's really hot. (person 2)

-Why don't you try to get to her. (person 1)

-Get out! Beautiful like that, she must have already dated. (person 2)

-I've never seen such a beautiful person... (person 4)

-What did you say love? (person 5)

-After you of course little flower. Hahahahahahah. (person 4)

After playing a lot on the beach, they go to a hut to eat some dango.

-Is this really a Ryu restaurant? (Akemi)

-Cant you read? It's written on the board. (Ryusaki)

-I wonder if this place is always this empty. (Souta)

-Good afternoon. (Mr)

-Hey grandpa! We would like to eat some dangos. (Ryusaki)

-OK. One minute, it will be out. (Mr)

They sit at a table when a boy a little older than Souta and Ryusaki comes to meet them.

-Have you been attended to? (boy)

-We've just been attended to by grandpa. (Ryusaki)

- His name is Wanabe. (boy)

-Grandpa-nabe! (Ryusaki)

-Tsk, my name is Saitoma. If you need anything just call me.

-Wait Saitoma, I'll want some water in addition to the dangos. (Souta)

As he took orders Ryu noticed some black spray cans outside.

-Hmmmmm, do you like graffiti? That's kind of cool, but try not to show your cans so much, people might think you're some kind of vandal. (Ryusaki)

-I'll stay tuned. (Saitoma)

He leaves them alone after taking Souta's order.

-He really is bad faced. (Souta)

-Yes, it seems that he doesn't like very much contact with other people. (Ryusaki)

-So Ryu! Did we really come here to look for the bad guy? (Akemi)

-Yes. Here are the evidence I brought with me. First the person in the video wore a mask when he went to rob, so I didn't get anything here. However, the footage from the car was enough. (Ryusaki)

-But how was it enough? He didn't even have a license plate and the cameras barely caught him. (Souta)

-The video before the last filming made me manage to eliminate several routes, if he wanted to go to one place, another route would be more efficient, however, he took this one, so I was eliminating until I had a radius of possible places he could have gone. So, I went to some of this region to talk to the people at the police station, I looked at the footage, to simplify the work I took the filming schedule that he probably would have gone through until I found him. I did this process several times until I got here. (Ryusaki)

-So it means that we only have to look for the culprit here in this region? (Souta)

-That won't be necessary either, because I've found him too. (Ryusaki)

-WHICH?! AND WHERE IS HE?! (Souta)

-On here! (Ryusaki)

-Then what I suspected happened. (Wanabe)

-AHHHHHHHH! How long have you been here? (Souta)

- Enough to be able to see the whole situation. (Watanabe)

-So you mean it was... you... (Souta)

-It wasn't him Souta, it was his grandson. (Ryusaki)

-The attendant? (Souta)

-You could come in so we can talk.

They then entered the old man's house.

-Can you take them to them? (Watanabe)

-No problem. (Ryusaki)

Ryusaki takes the tray with the drinks and takes it to Souta and Akemi.

-Coffee or tea? (Ryusaki)

-Tea. (Souta)

-Wrong is coffee. (Ryusaki)

-Very well, can we continue the story then? (Akemi)

-I think I better start talking. When I was looking at some documents from this beach, I saw that this restaurant was about to close for not being able to pay the tax for several months, when suddenly after two weeks of the robbery, the amount was paid. (Ryusaki)

-Yes, my grandson brought a large amount of money. I asked where he got it from and he told me it was with some outside work, but I knew I couldn't get that much money like that. (Watanabe)

-I see, so he was really the one who stole the money. (Akemi)

-Please forgive my grandson, he had no bad intentions. He only did it to help me because I didn't get enough money to pay the rent. If you want to arrest someone please arrest me. (Watanabe)

-Hmmmmm? (Souta)

-So this is where you were! (Saitoma)

-Leaves! (Watanabe)

-Don't listen to this old man! I did it because I wanted to, so if they're going to arrest someone serie me! (Saitoma)

-And now Ryu what are we going to do? (Souta)

-Do not worry. From the beginning, it was never my intention to come here to arrest the thief. (Ryusaki)

-AHHHHHNNNNNNNN?!! (all to Ryusaki)

-But... they robbed a bank. How do you expect to tell the cops that you left the culprits behind? (Souta)

-I know it's kind of hard Ryu, but we can't do anything. We will have to take him to be reprimanded. (Akemi)

-Actually, there is another solution we can take for this problem. (Ryusaki)

-And what would this solution be? (Souta)

-Earn the same amount of money that was stolen. (Ryusaki)

-Impossible! Our business even improved again, but adding R$10 thousand is still something above our level. (Saitoma)

-Don't worry, I know that. (Ryusaki)

-So what do you plan to do? (Saitoma)

Ryusaki takes a sheet from his pocket and places it on the table.

-A competition of who eats the most Takoyaki? (Souta)

-I understand. She's pretty famous here. In fact, competitors from all over the world come to participate in this competition. (Watanabe)

-Competitors from all over the world? This competition must be really famous. (Akemi)

-Hmmm, of course she is. Everyone here in this region knows this, so much so that the tourism business continues to function only because of it. (Saitoma)

-In any case, if competitors from all over the world come to compete, we don't have a chance of winning. (Akemi)

-Hahahahahahahaha! Don't worry about it, I will participate. (Ryusaki)

-Can you eat enough Mr Ryu? (Watanabe)

-Eating is his last name. This bastard destroys the food supply in my house every time he passes by. (Souta)

-I see... well if you want I can make Takoyakis for you to train. (Watanabe)

-Serious?! It would be great. (Ryusaki)

-Wait a minute there. Will we also participate? (Souta)

-What do you mean you still have doubts about it? Of course you will also compete. (Ryusaki)

-Ryu I didn't want to be a party pooper, but I can't even eat enough to enter. (Akemi)

-Don't worry, everything will be fine. A certain grandpa can start making the Takoyakis. (Ryusaki)

The old man started to deliver the Takoyakis to the table where they were sitting and they started to eat as many as they could stand, until they passed out from eating so much.

-Ufff, I can't take it anymore. (Souta)

-My belly will explode. (Ryusaki)

-I never want to eat Takoyaki again in my life. (Akemi)

-Impressive, I didn't think they could eat that many. (Saitoma)

-You mean we have a chance?! (Souta)

-Impossible! (Saitoma) -Which?! Oh my belly. (Souta)

-How many Takoyakis do we have to eat to have a chance? (Akemi)

- Just to give you an idea, Miss Akemi managed to eat 23, Souta managed to eat 43 and Mr Ryusaki got an impressive mark of 86 Takoyakis. (Watanabe)

-Uooohhhhhhh! That's awesome Ryu! How I wait on your empty stomach. (Souta)

-Hahahaahahahaahah. (Ryusaki)

-However, last year's winner reached a mark of 155. (Watanabe)

-WHICH?! WHAT KIND OF MONSTER IS THIS THAT THEY MISSED FOR A PERSON? There's no way someone can eat that much without dying soon after. (Souta)

-Besides, this person is going to compete again this year and he said that he's been training and has already improved to the point that this old result is a joke for him now. (Saitoma)

-Then we don't have a chance. (Souta)

-That was expected. So if they want to arrest me and take me to the police station, I won't resist as long as they let my grandfather out... (Saitoma)

-What are you talking about. We still have a chance. (Ryusaki)

-Huh?! (Souta and Saitoma)

-Did you not hear anything he said? (Souta)

-Yes, I told you, you don't have a chance. (Saitoma)

-You don't need to worry about that. Hahahahahahaha. (Ryusaki) 

-Ahhhh damn it. (Souta) 

-Why is he laughing? (Saitoma) 

-Looks like it's going to be another one of your plans. (Akemi) 

-Yes. (Souta) 

-Is this that bad? (Saitoma) 

-First of all I will introduce the person in charge who will help us evolve, Mr Muscle. (Ryusaki) 

-Ohhhhh. Bunch of worms. (Mr. Muscle) 

-Ahhhhhhhh! It's just you! (Saitoma) 

-He just put on a mustache. (Souta) 

-First, if you want to be winners, you have to suffer. I hope you understand that to gain something you have to lose something. This is the law of life, the system of equivalent exchange. (Mr. Muscle) 

-What's he talking about? (Saitoma) 

-You just ignore it and pretend you're listening. (Souta) 

-That's why you had to go through a hard training, so that you can win that competition you will have to suffer. (Mr. Muscle) 

In the middle of the beach, three young people run across the sand carrying weights on their backs. 

-Heyyy... Ryu... are you sure this will work? (Souta) 

-I don't know, I didn't do the training, ask Mr. Muscle. (Ryusaki) 

-AND WHERE IS HE?! (Souta) 

-Called me? (Mr. Muscle) 

-Ahhhhhhh! You are annoying! (Souta) 

After running along the beach, they stopped at a sand volleyball court. 

-Very well, now that you've run a lot, it's time to train your reflexes. (Mr. Muscle) 

-Hey! Is this training really going to help with anything? (Saitoma) 

-Obviously not, he's just having fun at our expense. (Souta) 

-Hey grandpa! Can you be our judge? (Ryusaki) 

-But of course. (Watanabe) 

-Stop calling my grandfather Grandpa!! (Saitoma)

-Very well. The match between Souta and Saitoma against Ryusaki and Akemi starts now! (Watanabe)

-You start drawing. (Souta)

-OK. (Saitoma)

Saitoma serves straight to Akemi who catches it from the headline and raises the ball close to the net so Ryusaki can cut it.

-Ryu! (Akemi)

-I got it. (Ryusaki)

-Don't worry, Ryu is terrible with physical activities. He shouldn't even be able to cut that ball. (Souta)

Ryusaki jumps up to cut.

-Hahahahahahah... DIEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! (Ryusaki)

The ball scrapes past Souta's head with extremely high speed, causing Souta and Saitoma to freeze in their fearful spots after the ball has already fallen to the ground.

-IEEEEEEYYYYYYYYY! SCORE! (Ryusaki)

-YOU S*** YOU JUST SCREAMED "DIE!" WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?! (Souta)

-Ahhh, it was just to give the game excitement. (Ryusaki)

-EMOTION! YOU ALMOST KILLED YOUR FRIEND! (Saitoma)

-Well, well, don't be like that. Let's continue the game now... my serve! (Ryusaki)

-Hiighhhhh. (Souta and Saitoma)

They continued playing until dark. Souta and Saitoma were exhausted.

-Hey... are you still alive? (Saitoma)

-Somehow. (Souta)

-Why did I have to participate in this ridiculous training? I won't even compete. (Saitoma)

-Very well, I think it's time to finish training for today. Why don't we take advantage of the place and light a fire. (Watanabe)

-Like in the movies?! And then we roast marshmellows and tell each other horror stories? (Ryusaki)

-Could be... (Watanabe)

In fact, it was just to have lighting right here. (Watanabe)

After lighting the fire, Akemi, Ryusaki and Souta sit together to talk while they wait for the marshmellow to roast. On the other side of the fire were Saitoma and her grandfather.

-Looks like today was a pretty exhausting day, right? (Watanabe)

-Do not tell me that. (Saitoma)

-But it looks like you had fun. (Watanabe)

-Impossible. (Saitoma)

-And even. Hahhahahahah, (Watanabe)

-I'll tell you this guy, he's just doing these things to pass the time, I bet he doesn't care if this will help him win the competition or not. (Saitoma)

-Do you think that? I think he really wants to help us. (Watanabe)

-You're wrong. (Saitoma)

-Huohuohuohuohuo. I'm not wrong, I just have a different view of the situation. (Watanabe)

-Again with your crap, grandpa? (Saitoma)

-Look at those two. How do you think they see their friend sitting in the middle? (Watanabe)

Saitoma looks at them and as Ryusaki spoke Souta's vision of him was of a child talking loudly with various annoying things laughing around him. Meanwhile, Akemi looked at Ryusaki as if he were the most beautiful person in the world, the moonlight shone on his skin still a little wet, in addition to his face, his hair, his strong hands and every inch of his body made her get more and more enchanted.

-I think the girl over there has a slightly altered view of Ryusaki. (Saitoma)

-Hoohuohuohuo. As I said before, everyone can see the same thing, however, not everyone sees the same thing. (Watanabe)

-I think you've reached that age for me to admit you to the hospital. (Saitoma)

-Huohuohuohuohuo. (Watanabe)

The next day, they woke up early and repeated the training again, until lunchtime came. Once again they would try to eat as much Takoyaki as they could.

-This is amazing. You really do get better. However, you only ate 4 more than last time. (Saitoma)

-Damn, it means that even if we keep training we wouldn't be able to get even close to the winner. (Souta)

-Even if Ryu's plan was successful, it is still insufficient for us to win the competition. (Akemi)

-I think it's better to give up, you'll never be able to reach the winner. In the end it was a complete waste of time. (Saitoma)

-Do not worry about this. I have another plan! (Ryusaki)

-Like I said, it won't do any good... (Saitoma)

Ryusaki smiles at Saitoma, that made him a little uncomfortable, but at the same time it made him restore some of his hopes.

-OK. Let's try again then. (Saitoma)

It was already getting late. Ryusaki, Souta and Akemi are taken by boat to an isolated island by Saitoma and her grandfather who was very tired, so he was sleeping. While they didn't arrive, they enjoyed the view of the sea and the sunset that was reflected in it.

-Hey! Can I ask you something? (Ryusaki)

-What's it? (Saitoma)

-Why did you decide to rob the bank? (Ryusaki)

-And where else would I get so much money? (Saitoma)

-It's not that. Why did you take so much risk? (Ryusaki)

-Hunnnffff, you mean if I don't answer you won't help us anymore? (Saitoma)

-No, in fact, if you don't want to talk, you don't have to. (Ryusaki)

Souta and Akemi look at Saitoma, just watching him and staring.

-Okay, it's not like it was the end of the world if I told that story. It started when I was a child, I lived with my parents and we decided to take a car trip, I was very excited, after all we were going to another region that I had never been, it was the first trip I would take abroad. However, a truck ended up hitting our car head-on, I suffered serious injuries to the stomach, but somehow I survived, but my parents weren't as lucky as me, they died right away. I started crying that day, it's the only thing I can remember, curled up in the corner of the hospital room, crying to myself. So it was decided that I would live with my grandfather, but I was still sad about my parents' death, so I didn't smile for a moment, but for my old man that must have been something he couldn't let happen, he started to do several things to try to cheer me up, every day he would organize something for me, prepare some flashy dish, he would try so hard just to see me smile. I was wondering why he was doing all that? He lost them too, it was his son who died in the accident and he still smiled at me waiting for me to smile back. One night when I woke up after hours I went to the kitchen when I saw my grandfather leaning over the picture of my father, he was crying and it looked like he was suffering and dying a lot. It was then that I understood that no matter how much he was suffering, to him mine I was more important. Since then he and I did a lot of things together, I started smiling again and started helping him in the restaurant. Those days were very peaceful and bright days, even today I remember them, we were always smiling all the time. But that didn't last forever, as the years went by, more competitors emerged, until we could barely support ourselves with just the restaurant's money. Our debt was growing more and more and my grandfather was suffering because of it. That's why I decided, just as he put me above himself in the past, I would put him above me now, I robbed the bank and paid the restaurant debt. I didn't care if I got arrested and spent the rest of my life in jail. I just wanted to see my grandfather happy until the end. (Saitoma)

Souta and Akemi looked devastated and moved by the story of Saitoma and her grandfather.

-Ahhnnn? That's it? I thought he was the boss of some mafia and he gave up everything to raise you. (Ryusaki)

-Hmmff, I'm sorry I let you down... EIII!! YOU HAVE BEEN POKING YOUR NOSE ALL THIS TIME WHILE I OPENED MY HEART AND SOUL HERE!! (Saitoma)

-Do what? The story was tedious, it didn't have any light saber fights or an impossible platonic love affair. (Ryusaki)

-IF YOU WANT TO BE ENTERTAINED, YOU WILL WATCH A MOVIE!! Damn... I don't even know why I bothered to tell all this. (Saitoma)

-I'm sorry for his behavior. (Souta)

-Don't apologize, you must suffer a lot because of him. (Saitoma)

-Hahaha... (Souta)

Souta and Akemi start looking at the ground without any hope.

-Hey... is that so much?! (Saitoma)

-Don't worry about us. Just pretend you're not seeing us right now. (Akemi)

-Speaking of which Ryu. Why are we going to an island?

-I also asked myself that, is there something in her alone that can help us? (Akemi)

-It's nothing we need to get, it's just that we need to be in it to put my plan into action. (Ryusaki)

-And what is this plan? (Souta)

-Hhahahahahha. You look pretty worried, did one of my plans ever go wrong? (Ryusaki)

After finally arriving on the island.

-Are you sure about that? (Saitoma)

- All the certainty in the world. (Ryusaki)

-OF COURSE NOT!! GET US OUT OF HERE!! (Souta)

The three were tied with ropes to three different trees so they couldn't escape at all unless someone pulled them away.

-Don't worry, my plan is perfect. In the four days left before the competition starts, we will be staying here without eating anything for this entire time. That way, when competition day comes, we'll be on our best form. (Ryusaki)

-WE WILL DIE BEFORE THAT DAY ARRIVES!! Please, if you have any love in your hearts, don't let me die beside this asshole. (Souta)

Saitoma starts the boat and leaves the island without hearing what Souta was saying.

-HEY!! WAIT A SECOND!! It's over... I lived for so little time. Is this how my life will end? (Souta)

-Hahahahahahahah. Don't worry Souta will be all right. (Ryusaki)

-YOUR MER**!! IF I HAD MY HANDS FREE I WOULD HANG YOU. (Souta)

On the boat heading back to shore.

-I wonder if that was a good idea. That island is pretty dangerous. (Saitoma)

-Huehuehuehue. Don't worry my grandson. At times like this, all we can do is trust them. (Watanabe)

On the island the three were trapped.

-Damn it! I'm already starving. (Souta)

-Me either. (Akemi)

-Ahhhh... (Ryusaki)

-What is it now?! (Souta)

-I just remembered that I need to go to the bathroom. (Ryusaki)

-YOUR S***!! PERFECT PLAN A ROE. IT HASN'T EVEN IN YOUR HEAD THAT WE WOULD NEED TO USE THE BATHROOM AFTER WE HAVE EATEN SO MUCH?! (Souta)

-And now, what are we going to do? (Akemi)

-AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! (wolves)

-What was this?! (Souta)

-I'm sorry... it's just that I'm hungry. (Ryusaki)

-No, no, no, no... that certainly wasn't your belly! (Souta)

-I wonder if there are wolves on this island?... (Akemi)

-HELP!!! SOMEBODY!! (Souta and Akemi)