The dusty air of the skate shop "Demi-glace" made the laziness of a Saturday afternoon feel heavier than usual. Even as he gazed at the decks and wheels lining the walls, Ranga's mind was completely occupied by the events of the previous night. His childhood self, dressed in a snowman costume, displayed on the screen of Vortex. Ever since then, mocking comments had been streaming in endlessly. His follower count had gone up, but only because everyone was laughing at him. (Why does everyone laugh? I actually really liked that photo.) Ranga idly scratched at the grip tape of the skateboard in his hands with his fingertip. Reki, who should have been next to him, hadn't shown up yet today. The image of Reki's face, somehow distant since yesterday, floated into his mind, making his chest feel hazy again. That's when it happened. *Clink.* The entrance doorbell chimed. As Ranga looked up, straight black hair swayed gently into his field of vision. Waist-length, straight black hair. Her narrow, sharp eyes carried a cool, composed air that felt strangely out of place in the cluttered interior of the shop. As always, earphones hung from her neck, and a small crescent-moon-shaped scar was visible on her left temple. "[gentle]I knew you'd be here, Ranga." It was his childhood friend, Kiriko. She paused briefly at the entrance, then fixed her gaze intently on Ranga. The intensity of her stare made Ranga unconsciously straighten his back a little. "[surprised]Kiriko! What's up, finding you in a place like this?" "[serious]I saw Vortex. That photo." Kiriko walked straight over to Ranga's side and placed one hand on the workbench where he was sitting. Her black eyes wavered with worry. Ranga gave a wry smile and scratched the back of his head. "[gentle]Ahh... you saw it, huh. Man, people are really tearing it apart. I actually liked that costume, though." "[serious]...This isn't a laughing matter. That was the work of someone who deliberately tried to trap you." Kiriko's voice grew a little stronger. Her cheeks were faintly flushed—whether from anger or something else entirely, Ranga couldn't quite tell. "[surprised]Huh? But everyone's just having fun with it, right? It's not like someone's trying to cause trouble for me..." "[cold]No. This is clear, deliberate malice." Kiriko paused her words there, then looked straight up at Ranga as if she had made up her mind. At 162 centimeters, she had to crane her neck to meet the eyes of the 178-centimeter Ranga. Slowly, she spoke the words she had rehearsed over and over in her head for this very moment. "[serious]I will catch the culprit who leaked that photo. You don't need to worry about anything." Ranga looked down at Kiriko with a blank expression. (She's really fired up. Is she that angry for my sake?) "[sad]But how? We don't even know who did it." Kiriko lowered her eyes briefly, then lifted her face again with renewed resolve. Her heart was already starting to pound loudly. "[gentle]We'll conduct a sting operation. If the culprit has a strong fixation on you, then any change in your personal life should unsettle them and force them to make a move." "[excited]A sting operation! What's that? That's seriously clever!" Ranga directed a look of pure admiration at her, and Kiriko's shoulders twitched sharply. The inside of her mouth went suddenly dry. "[whispers]S-So... specifically, we'll make it look like you've gotten a girlfriend. That way, the culprit who's obsessed with you will get impatient and will definitely leave evidence behind." "[surprised]Pretend to have a girlfriend! But is there anyone who'd take on something like that?" "[gentle]...She's right here, you know." Kiriko gently placed a hand on her own chest. Her ears were visibly turning red. (I'll be the one to do it. This is all for the sting operation. It's absolutely not because I have ulterior motives.) Her mind was spinning with excuses like that. Ranga stared at Kiriko's face for a long moment, as if boring holes through her, then broke into a delighted grin. "[laughing]Oh, right! You do S too, so that makes things quick! Plus, you've always been smart—if you can catch the culprit, that'd be a huge help!" Ranga's innocent smile made Kiriko's heart clench tight. The true objective of this operation was the "Love Body Touch." But that was something this naturally dense lady-killer wouldn't figure out in a hundred years. "[serious]As the first phase of the operation, I'll start by coaching you in skateboarding. To pretend to be your girlfriend, we need a natural reason to be together. If we practice together, that's how it'll look to everyone else, right?" Kiriko explained this in a voice she forced to stay calm. The reasoning that S-level skateboarding skills were essential was a plausible enough excuse. In her head, she was already listing several abandoned practice spots where they could be alone together. "[excited]You're gonna coach me! That's reassuring. Where are we doing this?" "[gentle]The abandoned hangar at the old Camp Falcon site. It's called Hangar 7. Hardly anyone comes there, and the flat floor is perfect for practice." As if she had been waiting for this, Kiriko smoothly recited the information she had researched in advance. Ranga nodded repeatedly, impressed. And so, their secret training sessions for just the two of them began. --- The abandoned hangar "Hangar 7" at the old Camp Falcon site was a massive space where military aircraft had once been serviced. Now, rubble lay scattered about, and the steel framework of the ceiling was exposed. Through broken windows high above, the afternoon sunlight streamed in, creating thin bands of light. "[surprised]This place is amazing! The ceiling's so high!" When Ranga shouted, his voice echoed through the empty space. Behind him, Kiriko placed her board on the ground and lightly brushed back her hair, which was tied in a ponytail. (Alright... now we're alone. I absolutely cannot let my guard down.) "[gentle]First, we'll start with shifting your center of gravity. It's basic, but if your balance on flat ground is poor, you can't compete on those irregular courses." Saying this, Kiriko positioned herself directly behind Ranga as he stood on his board. She placed her feet slightly wider than his shoulder width. She was terrified that the pounding of her heart might be audible to him. "[whispers]...I'll support you from behind. Slowly get a feel for putting your weight on your back foot." Summoning her courage, she gently wrapped her hands around Ranga's waist. The warmth of his body, transmitted through his hoodie, seared almost painfully into her palms. (Aaah, his waist is so firm...) While Kiriko was desperately writhing internally, Ranga let out a baffled voice. "[surprised]Kiriko, you're super warm! You're not coming down with a cold, are you? Your face looks kinda red too." In her mind, Kiriko did a comical faceplant. (He completely thinks my high body temperature means I'm sick! This pure, oblivious idiot!) "[angry]I-It's not that! This is just, um, my body temperature rising from motivation!" "[gentle]Yeah? Well, don't push yourself. Ever since we were kids, you've always been quick to cling to me—such a lonely kid. All the more reason to take it easy if you're not feeling well." Ranga turned just his head to look back at her, his innocent, light-blue eyes fixed on Kiriko. Having her childhood memories casually exposed like that made Kiriko turn bright red all the way to her ears. "[embarrassed]I-I am NOT a lonely kid!!" She denied it almost in a shriek, but Ranga just chuckled softly, as if to say "yeah, yeah." Kiriko's excessive physical contact was completely backfiring. Realizing this acutely, she pressed her forehead against Ranga's back and let out a small groan, unable to pull her hands away for a while. (My feelings aren't getting through to him at all...) --- Some time later, while Kiriko was instructing him in a close-contact stance, it happened. A faint noise echoed through the empty hangar. *Click.* It was a sound like distant rubble crumbling, or someone's footstep—in any case, not a natural sound. Kiriko's body stiffened instantly, and she grabbed tightly onto Ranga's arm. Her expression shifted into that of a cool S skater. "[whispers]...Someone's there." At her whisper, Ranga also stopped his feet. In the shadows of the enormous hangar, the gaps between the steel beams and scrap materials suddenly seemed ominous. Someone was peering at them. There was definitely a small presence, like the sound of stepping on wet grass. (They came... Could it be the real culprit behind the photo?) Feeling her hands tremble with tension, Kiriko stepped forward, trying to shield Ranga behind her back. But then, the next moment. "[excited]Heyyy! Anybody there?! If you're hungry, I've got cup noodles! Don't be shy!" Using both hands as a megaphone, Ranga called out in a carefree, booming voice. His voice reverberated loudly through the abandoned hangar, utterly shattering the tension. "[scared]W-Wait, Ranga!! What are you doing?!" Panicking, Kiriko hastily covered Ranga's mouth with both hands. Carried by momentum, she ended up practically throwing herself over him, and her heart leaped so hard it felt like it might explode. Their faces were now just centimeters apart. Ranga's light-blue eyes looked at her in surprise. (T-Too close, too close, too close!!) As Kiriko froze up, the sound of footsteps scrambling away could be heard from a distant hiding spot. The observer had apparently been startled by Ranga's loud voice and fled. Kiriko slowly pulled her body away from Ranga and slumped her shoulders in dejection. "[sad]...I missed my chance." "[surprised]Huh? You mean the culprit got away? Damn, and I even called out to 'em." Ranga sounded frustrated. Both of them spoke aloud, but the points they were lamenting were completely different. Kiriko's "chance" was a golden opportunity for a romantic close encounter, while Ranga's was a clue to solving the case. (*Sigh...* I really am no match for Ranga.) Kiriko looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh. But the slight softening at the corners of her mouth was because his usual demeanor had put her at ease. --- A moisture-laden evening breeze swept through the promenade of Moon Beach Park. In the distance, the sound of waves repeated rhythmically—*swish, swish*. The two of them sat on a bench overlooking the sea, recovering from the exhaustion of the earlier commotion. Kiriko clasped her hands tightly on her lap. Having been inside the ruins until just a moment ago, the scent of the tide felt incredibly fresh. "[gentle]Next time, I absolutely won't let them get away. Will you... still let me coach you?" Nervously, she gazed at Ranga's profile. She was nearly crushed by the anxiety of what she would do if he said, "That's enough." Ranga stared out at the distant horizon for a while, then slowly turned toward Kiriko. His light-blue eyes shimmered and flickered, illuminated by the setting sun. "[gentle]Of course. For you to be this desperate about it... you really are angry about that photo thing, huh. Thanks, Kiriko." Ranga's words of gratitude were far too pure. He still had absolutely no idea about the real reason Kiriko was so fixated on this sting operation. But there was no lie in his warm gaze. "[sad]...Yeah. You're welcome." Kiriko murmured this quietly, then let out a small sigh toward the sunset, making sure Ranga didn't see. (My feelings really aren't getting through to him at all.) His unconscious lady-killer magnetism and bottomless, natural denseness only tangled and accelerated her one-sided crush further. Even so, Ranga was smiling right next to her. Kiriko stole a quick glance at that smile, then made a tiny, discreet fist pump on her lap. (Well, whatever. This is just how Ranga is. My fight has only just begun.) The sunset