We're The Culprits

As they rounded another corner...

A small public park came into view.

Children occupied the swings.

Several elderly men quietly played shogi beneath a pavilion.

A gentle fountain splashed near the center of the park, its peaceful sound blending with birdsong from the surrounding trees.

Kara suddenly slowed down.

"Let's sit down for a bit."

Rurouni looked toward the shaded benches.

"Hmm."

"Nice choice."

Kara proudly praised himself.

"By the way, my legs are completely fine."

Rurouni looked at him with confusion.

Is he a gorilla or something?

"But mine aren't, dude."

"That's because you're a nerdy boy."

"No, that's a lie."

"It's the reality."

"No, it isn't."

"I only read fantasy novels."

Kara started mocking him with extra drama.

"You're so obsessed with them that you walked up one flight of stairs yesterday and nearly died."

Hey, at least pretend to lie.

I was absent yesterday.

Do you honestly think I can forget that after not being absent from school for so many months?

"You don't remember the girl who was the prettiest and richest?"

"Who knows?"

"Maybe all these nightmares are happening because you read too many of those novels."

Rurouni immediately shook his head.

"No."

"I don't do other things like you do because I was just saving my precious energy."

Kara blinked.

"For what?"

Rurouni answered with complete seriousness.

"For existing and surviving my absolute dark future, of course."

"Well..."

"That's an extremely difficult job."

"Exactly."

Katon nodded while observing a man on the bench.

"Understandable."

Kara immediately whispered him.

"Don't motivate him, leader. His situation might get even worse."

Rurouni  proudly smiled.

"It's too late now, Watever Single buddy."

The three settled onto an empty wooden bench beneath a broadcast tree.

Its branches stretched high overhead, filtering the sunlight into shifting patches of gold.

For a while...

No one spoke.

The peaceful atmosphere settled around them.

Kara leaned back comfortably.

Rurouni rested both elbows on his knees.

Katon watched a shy rabit observing them behind the tree.

It was...

Calm.

Almost enough to make yesterday feel unreal.

Kara reached into his battered bag and pulled out a cold bottle of water.

Without warning...

He tossed it toward Rurouni.

"Catch."

Rurouni looked up just in time.

"Whoa!"

He caught the bottle with both hands.

"Thanks."

Kara shrugged, evil smile in his inside.

"I think you need it."

Rurouni looked at him, no idea what he meant.

"Okay."

"But why?"

"Because you haven't talked much today."

"Have I really been that quiet?"

"Let's see..."

Kara pretended to count on his fingers.

Of course, he was completely making it up.

"You spoke..."

"Five complete sentences."

"And one sigh."

Rurouni rolled his eyes.

"You're counting the entire time?"

"Of course."

"I was so worried about you."

He paused, suddenly got happy for some reason.

"And my mom told me to take care of the friends I make."

"Otherwise..."

Kara shuddered dramatically.

"...She'll beat me to a pulp."

Rurouni became curious.

"Does your mom really beat you to a pulp?"

Kara immediately realized it would be better not to explain the truth.

"Not really."

"She just says she likes beating me up a little."

Rurouni sighed in relief.

"Oh, that's good."

Since he hadn't counted either, he believed him.

"I hate to say it..."

"But you're probably right."

Kara proudly puffed out his chest.

"See?"

"I am awesome, aren't I?"

Yup, you're an awesome idiot.

Rurouni twisted the cap loose.

The crisp sound echoed softly beneath the tree.

He lifted the bottle to his lips.

Cold water flowed down his throat.

The refreshing chill eased the dryness that had lingered since morning.

He closed his eyes for a second.

"Ah."

"That really hit the spot."

Kara glanced sideways at Katon.

Their eyes met for less than a second.

Neither said anything.

Then Kara looked back toward Rurouni as though nothing had happened.

"Looks like they still have no idea we're the culprits."

PFFFFFT!!

Water erupted from Rurouni's mouth.

He lurched forward so suddenly that he nearly fell off the bench.

"...COUGH!"

"...Cough... cough!"

"...W-What?!"

D-Does that mean my dream somehow became reality?

N-No, it's impossible, isn't it?

He stared at Kara in absolute horror.

"W-What do you mean?"

"Culprits?!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Why would you say that?!"

For one terrifying second...

Rurouni's mind raced through a hundred impossible explanations.

Did someone find out?

Did Akin really approve my request in reality?

Did he really take them as his helpers?

Did Kara accidentally confess?

Were the police listening?

Kara stared at him, completely straight-faced.

One second.

Two seconds.

Then—

He completely lost it.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

He doubled over, laughing uncontrollably.

"Your face!"

"I can't!"

"HAHAHA!"

Rurouni sat frozen, still trying to process what just happened.

"..."

"...You."

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Kara wiped tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Of course I did!"

"That reaction was worth everything!"

Rurouni pointed the water bottle at him.

"Just who says something like that while someone's drinking?!"

Kara grinned proudly.

"An expert."

"A psychopath!"

"Who cares?"

"They're basically the same."

"No!"

"They are polar opposites! You idiot!"

Rurouni buried his face in one hand.

"...I genuinely thought..."

Huff...

I was worried for nothing.

But I might have actually had a heart attack if that went on.

He stopped himself, then groaned.

"Forget it."

"You're the worst."

"Thank you."

"THAT WASN'T A COMPLIMENT!"

"It was for me, since this is what I wanted to hear."

Beside them...

Katon quietly turned his face away.

A very tiny smile appeared on his lips.

Not because the prank itself had been particularly clever...

But because Rurouni's reaction had been so unexpectedly dramatic.

Rurouni noticed him and became curious.

"What?"

"Even you're smiling?!"

Katon looked back at him with complete composure.

"Your pathetic reaction exceeded my prediction."

Rurouni narrowed his eyes.

"You two planned this."

"Didn't you?"

Kara proudly crossed his arms.

"Absolutely."

"We are professionals, after all."

Rurouni became annoyed by that word.

"More like professional terrorists."

Kara's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Hey..."

"That one sounds even cooler."

"Let's make it official."

"We're professional terrorists."

Rurouni sighed so deeply that it almost sounded painful.

So they're natural-born terrorists to begin with.

And here I am, thinking they don't like doing that stuff.

"..."

"...I can't believe I owe this amazing holiday to you idiots."

Kara immediately corrected him.

"Vice Leader Idiot."

Then pointed toward Katon.

"Leader Idiot."

Katon considered the statement a little.

"Reasonable."

Rurouni stared at both of them.

Then...

Despite everything...

He started laughing, a genuine laugh.

Katon watched him quietly.

Rurouni wasn't forcing it.

He was simply having fun.

After the laughter settled down...

Katon reached into his pocket.

He pulled out a folded sheet of paper.

"Don't you want to see what made the principal close the entire school?"

Rurouni and Kara immediately became curious.

Katon unfolded the paper.

The familiar handwriting stared back at them.

I like what I like.

I hate what I hate.

Tomorrow...

I hate people going to school.

If you do one thing I hate...

I'll do ten things you'll hate.

Think carefully.

Silence followed.

Rurouni stared at the paper.

His expression slowly became confused.

"..."

"...Our principal..."

He looked at Kara, then Katon.

"...The principal I respected so much..."

"...Was fooled this easily?"

Kara grinned and tapped Katon's back.

"Even after reading it twice, I must say, those were some amazing lines you wrote."

Katon didn't respond immediately.

A faint smile appeared inside his mind.

Our principal may have been fooled this easily.

But Monika Kagenou is a completely different case.

His gaze slowly shifted toward the sky.

I wonder what her abilities and goals are.

But he kept those thoughts to himself.

He didn't want Rurouni or Kara involved in something that wasn't their concern.

For now...

The three simply sat beneath the tree.

Kara laughed quietly.

Rurouni joined him.

Even Katon allowed himself a  very faint smile.

The one who enjoyed the moment the most...

Was the boy who wasn't even smiling?