Asaka and Retto were visiting Kabukicho at night, disguised as ordinary people. Asaka is in a pantsuit, followed by Retto, who had been forced to wear a new suit since short sleeves and shorts are too conspicuous. The two of them looked like a career woman and a new employee being overworked.

No one on the street would’ve guessed that they are the Chief of Staff and Acting Director of the Hero Headquarters. However, as their titles indicate, they received information on all kinds of mysterious being incidents that occured in Tokyo.

In most cases, the response is to dispatch a hero from the area. Regarding this particular case, it was none other than Retto who insisted to Asaka that they should go there themselves.

「It would be nice to find Saya-chan, Asaka-san!」

「I’m not too worried about that. I just decided it was good to be out there in the field sometimes.」

The two received the news in the early afternoon that day. A few days ago, a fortune teller with an incredible accuracy rate had appeared in Kabukicho, Shinjuku.　

Had that been all, it would not have been a crime, but when hosts throughout Kabukicho were attacked one after another by mysterious black tights and had their hair cut off, Hero Headquarters had no choice but to investigate.

It was clear that the fortune teller in question is at the very least involved in the “Kabukicho Host Shaved Head Incident.” As evidence of this, a video secretly filmed by a customer who visited the fortune teller has already been spread on social media.

『Fukahirepicchi…… Samepicchi…… All the hosts in Kabukicho will become Marugari-kun, ssu……. But this grateful vase will protect the hair roots of charasuke, ssuyo.』

『Seriously?! I’ll buy, buy, buy! Anyway, who’s Charasuke? So funny~』

『Thank you, ssu. Charasuke, continue to be a good Charasuke, ssu.』

In the video, a girl wearing a deep sea-colored veil sells an expensive vase to the host. The host was able to escape danger by buying the vase, but the real focus is on the fortune teller who appeared in the video, “Vongole Bianco Samejima”.

「No matter how you look at it, this is Saya-chan, right?」

「Kurenai-san, inconsistency in the name will cause confusion on the scene. Please call her “Fanged Shark Mysterious being Samegaro” from now on.」

「Geez, Stop saying stuff like that! What happened Asaka-san? Even though you were so keen to see Saya-chan!」

「I don’t want to see her. As a member of the Hero Headquarters, I am only following the law and putting a stop to localized human disasters.」

Asaka shook off Retto, who kept insisting on asking her questions, and quickly headed to the alley where the fortune teller in question had her shop.

The tent where the fortune teller was staying was surprisingly easy to find. With such a prominent sign, it would have been impossible not to find it.

「Asaka-san, look, this is amazing! It says special S-grade British Spiritual Master certification!」

「There is no such certification in the UK.」

「Ehh!?」

「……The inside is empty. But it seems someone was there just a moment ago.」

Asaka stepped into the tent without hesitation and picked up the sea-colored veil that appeared to have been recently discarded. Judging from the fact that it was still slightly warm, she had probably sensed their arrival and escaped out the back door.

Pulling a communicator from the pocket of her suit, Asaka called out to the heroes standing by surrounding Kabukicho.

「The subject has not gone very far yet. Please reinforce checkpoints throughout Kabukicho. Refrain from firing shots, as it may cause passersby to become entangled.」

「Aren’t you a bit hasty, Asaka-san? After all, it’s about Saya-chan…」

「Saya has nothing to do with this. Please focus on your mission, Kurenai-san. If they fled in a hurry, they might have left some traces behind.」

Asaka adjusted her glasses, put on her white inspection gloves, and began searching the tent. Rather than blindly chasing an escaped mysterious being, sometimes this kind of steady investigation bore fruit.

「Eei!」

Retto took the glass ball from Asaka’s hand, who was silently searching for a clue. Asaka looked clearly displeased and gave Retto a cold look through her glasses.

「Kurenai-san, that is an important piece of evidence. We will be taking fingerprints on it, so please do not touch it with your bare hands.」

「I don’t care about that, Asaka-san! I’m just worried about Asaka-san! Hey, tell me, did something happen with Saya-chan?」

「There is nothing. Please do not interfere with meaningless questions.」

「Don’t hide it, Asaka-san! Even I can tell, Asaka-san is really bad at lying!」

Asaka’s eyebrows twitched, perhaps because he had hit right on the mark. It was in the Samejima family’s bloodline that emotions would easily show on their face, even when they tried to hide them.

Even someone as hopelessly incapable of reading the mood as Retto would notice her habits if they were to see each other every day, night and day.

「Even if it is, it is none of your business. Please return the evidence.」

「I don’t want to!　Even if it doesn’t matter to me, it matters to Asaka-san, which is why we’re talking like this now!」

「This is an overstep of authority. Please refrain from mixing business with personal matters.」

「I will mix business and personal matters! It’s about family, after all! Don’t be so stubborn!」

「I’m not being stubborn. I’ve always been like this.」

Asaka and Retto got into a scuffle over the glass ball inside the small tent. Their arms became entangled and their legs became tangled, and they collapsed onto the carpet on the ground. By some chance, Retto ended up pushing Asaka down.

「! Sorry, Asaka-san! Are you hurt!?」

Retto immediately sat up and put his arms around Asaka’s back to pick her up.

「Asaka-san…… Umm, I……」

「Please don’t bother me more than this.」

Asaka said this coldly and refused Retto’s arm, as if to say that she didn’t want him to get involved in this matter any more.

However.

As if it didn’t matter, Retto hugged Asaka even tighter.

「Please let go, Kurenai-san, it hurts.」

「I won’t let go! I want to be there to support Asaka-san who looks sad!」

「I am not sad. That is just your assumption.」

「Then, I’ll assume! And I’ll give you my support, unilaterally! Because I like Asaka-san!」

The hand that held Retto’s shoulder tightened.

Inside the dimly lit tent. His fiery gaze stared straight into those icy eyes. Would a good-natured person who couldn’t read the mood really make a face like that?

The thick ice that had locked Asaka’s heart away cracked noiselessly. From inside her body, a heat that she had somehow forgotten about surged up.

「Kurenai-san……」

Asaka called out Retto’s name in a voice so quiet it was almost impossible to hear. As if in response, Retto smiled warmly.

「I also like Morikuni-san! And Johnny, Kioumaru, and Momoshima too! And also Chili Shrimp!」

「Yes, you are that kind of person. Please let go, it really hurts.」

「Waa! I’m sorry! Hey, Asaka-san, are you angry this time?」

「I’m not angry.」

Asaka was about to dust herself off and stand up when she sensed someone coming from the tent entrance.

「……!? Kurenai-san, what about the cordon tape??」

「I didn’t put it up! I forgot!」

Normally, the public would be prohibited from entering to preserve the site. However, if such measures were not taken, it is only natural that people would enter.

If this were just a customer, there would be no problem.

But in case the fleeing mysterious beings had returned, they should avoid an encounter in this confined space.

Asaka quickly looked around the tent. Under the table, at least one person might be able to hide.

「Kurenai-san, please hide here.」

「What about Asaka-san!?」

「I have an idea.」

With that, Asaka pushed Retto under the table, picked up the glass ball and pulled the sea-colored veil over her head. Asaka sat down on a chair and a girl who looked like a cabaret girl peeked out from the entrance at about the same time.

「Umm…… Is this the place for 100% accurate fortune telling……？」

Wearing a veil, Asaka put her hands on the glass ball and spoke to the guests in a mysterious voice.

「I knew you would come. Welcome to Vongole Bianco Samejima House.」

---

<201: Vongole Bianco Samejima
203: Samejima-sensei’s 100% Accurate Love Fortune Telling>