The Gun!

At the west entrance of an alley beside an abandoned building at Advanced Nurturing High School, the towering building blocked out the sun, leaving the area gloomy. Blackish-brown mud had collected in the cracks between the bricks.

It was the kind of place even school bullies would avoid. Yet at that moment, someone was there.

"About time."

Leaning against the wall, U Amakusa began to stretch, just like he was warming up for exercise.

"Since you're here, come on out."

But after a long while, there wasn't the slightest movement in the direction U Amakusa was watching. It was as if he were putting on a one-man show.

"Not coming out?" U Amakusa said mildly. "Kenichi Masano, male, thirty-six years old, formerly..."

"How do you know that?!"

A furious roar came from behind the wall U Amakusa was facing, and a man slowly emerged.

U Amakusa knew the man very well. He was the clerk from that morning.

"Hah. What's it to you where I found out?"

With that, U Amakusa elegantly took a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on without a hint of panic.

He also pulled all kinds of photos from his pocket. They were pictures of Sakura posing as a gravure idol, all taken from the internet.

"Don't touch her! Don't touch my Shizuku! Shizuku is mine! She's supposed to be mine! I love Shizuku so much! This is all your fault! If I kill you, it'll all be over! You're right, I don't care how you found out. You're going to die soon anyway!"

After threatening him, he pulled a fruit knife from behind his back and held it up with a trembling hand, his eyes brimming with excitement.

If I kill him, it'll all be over! Shizuku is mine! No one can take her away! No one is allowed to take her away!

"Still don't understand the situation? You think I invited you here in person without making any preparations?"

"You..."

Kenichi Masano realized something was wrong, but so what? He only had to kill him, and it would all be over.

U Amakusa continued.

"At 7:13 a.m. on April 16, you took a photo of Sakura behind a tree along her usual route to school. At 3:47 p.m. on April 19, you pretended to be a security guard and took another photo at the school gate.

"And there was 5:31 p.m. on April 22, 4:11 p.m. on April 23, and plenty more. Want me to list them all, Mr. Stalker?"

"You... who the hell are you?!"

Kenichi Masano was starting to panic. What was wrong with this guy?! Even he couldn't remember those times. How did he know?

Was this guy human or a ghost?!

How was he an even worse stalker than Kenichi himself? Could he be his own stalker?

Seeing Kenichi Masano, who had been slowly approaching, stop in his tracks, U Amakusa felt a rush of satisfaction. Then he took a step toward him.

"Don't be afraid. I'm human, not a ghost."

"Remember that link you clicked in the comments section under Sakura's post? The one called 'Shizuku Photo Collection'?"

At U Amakusa's words, Kenichi Masano remembered the time he'd been tricked. When he clicked the link, all he'd seen were two big characters:

Idiot.

"Remember not to click random links next time. The moment you clicked that one, I got all your information: your name, age, work history, address, even your browsing history."

U Amakusa's voice circled in Kenichi Masano's ears like a devil whispering. This guy wasn't ordinary!

Sorry, I know a little about hacking.

"I've known for a long time that Sakura is a gravure idol. I've also been keeping an eye on your every move. The stuff on your computer will be evidence of your crimes. You stalked a high school girl all the way to her school. You really are a bona fide pervert."

"Shut up! What do you know? You're just a little brat who hasn't even grown hair yet! You don't know anything!"

Kenichi Masano grew more and more agitated as he spoke, looking like he might charge forward and hack U Amakusa to death at any moment.

"Besides, no matter how tough you are, you're still human! I just have to kill you, and it'll all be over! Kill you..."

But U Amakusa remained calm. He slowly lifted his shirt and pulled a dark, gun-shaped object from his waistband.

"Do you think I'd face you without being prepared?"

At the sight of the dark, barrel-like object, Kenichi Masano swallowed. He took a fearful step backward.

"How is that possible?! Who are you?! It's fake, right? Haha! It's definitely fake! Guns are banned in Japan, aren't they? That has to be fake!"

That's right. What U Amakusa had pulled out was a gun.

Honestly, even U Amakusa had been startled when he first arrived in this world. The backpack that came with him had a gun in it—and a firearm license!

"So, want to find out?"

"With your life."

He could tell himself it was fake, but if it was real, Kenichi Masano would be the one to lose his life.

So no matter how unlikely it seemed, Kenichi Masano didn't dare take the chance.

He began to understand why U Amakusa had put on gloves before, along with everything else. U Amakusa had come here specifically for him!

That explained everything. There was a very good chance the thing in U Amakusa's hand was real.

Kenichi Masano decided it was best to play it safe. The worst he could get for what he'd done was a few years in prison.

The anger drained away when U Amakusa pulled out the Equalizer, as if someone had doused a fire with cold water.

But would that really help?

"You... you've already put on gloves. Y-you're not planning to... kill me here, are you?"

Kenichi Masano unconsciously backed away several steps. Looking at the gun barrel, he felt it was becoming more and more likely.

U Amakusa merely smiled and pulled another object from his pocket: a tube.

Then, under Kenichi Masano's horrified gaze, he attached the tube to the barrel.

It was a silencer!

This guy really is planning to kill me here! He's insane!

Of course, U Amakusa wasn't going to kill Kenichi Masano now. He had no such intention. He just wanted to scare him.

After all, if he killed him, U Amakasa couldn't get away clean.

Even if Kenichi Masano lost his mind and rushed in to get himself killed, U Amakusa had no intention of using that as an excuse to claim self-defense.

"Kenichi Masano."

"W-what... what do you want?! Don't come any closer!"

Kenichi Masano waved the knife wildly in front of himself, retreating step by step. Sweat had soaked through his back.

He thought through every possibility. If he charged, the gun would be faster and he'd die. If he ran, he couldn't outrun a bullet, and he'd still die. Whatever he did, he was dead.

"Don't be scared, don't be scared. I can give you two choices." U Amakusa smiled, narrowing his eyes as he held up two fingers.

"What...?"

"You know I have your computer. The stuff on it is all evidence. On top of that, I have photos of you secretly taking pictures. All of it could send you to prison. But I'm giving you a chance."

With that, U Amakusa pulled a USB drive from his pocket.

"I put all that stuff on here. And there aren't any cameras around to record you trying to attack me today.

"So, here's your choice... Did you bring your phone?"