Telephone Man Junior ~The Man Searching for a Public Phone~
Kagurazaka Denwa, 24. Unemployed. NEET. Professional freeloader. His life changes when he finds a single telephone card among his late father's belongings—a deep green card belonging to the legendary hero who once protected the Kanto region during the Showa era: the Green Telephone Man.
There's just one problem. To transform, he needs a public phone. In the Reiwa era. When smartphones rule the world and phone booths are vanishing faster than heroes' reputations.
Armed with his father's card, a
Telephone Man Junior ~The Man Searching for a Public Phone~ - Showa sinking in a sea of smartphones and the assassin of sales smiles
Kagurazaka Denwa, twenty-four years old. Unemployed.
Ever since he'd exchanged contact info with a girl named Akane Hikari that night, Denwa's head had been full of nothing but her.
(A girl gave me her contact info... and she's the one who asked...!)
He kept checking his phone screen over and over under the futon covers.
The characters "Akane Hikari."
(She hasn't messaged yet. Well, I guess that makes sense. We only just met yesterday.)
But maybe.
(Maybe today, she'll reach out about something...)
With that hope in his chest, Denwa was wandering the backstreets of Kagurazaka again today.
Stone-paved paths. Old wooden houses. Scattered here and there along the alleys, little remnants of the Showa era.
On his left wrist, a wristband holding his father's keepsake—a green telephone card.
"...Sigh."
His sigh dissolved into the damp air.
(What am I even doing?)
He'd managed to transform. But that hadn't changed anything.
Still unemployed. Still unpopular. Still pathetic.
(But that girl said it. She said she'd help me look for traces of Telephone Man.)
He remembered Hikari's serious face.
"I want to know how your father and my grandmother were connected."
(Dad and that girl's grandmother...)
A side of his father he'd never known.
(Why would my old man have anything to do with a girl like her grandmother...)
The more he thought about it, the less any of it made sense.
It was while he was mulling all this over that he turned a corner.
"Oh, Denwa-kun."
In front of his aunt's house, his aunt stood holding shopping bags.
"Auntie, you went shopping?"
"Yes. There was a big sale at the shopping street today. Oh, that's right—this was in the mailbox."
What she held out was a single flyer.
"What's this?"
Denwa took the flyer.
"It says Hardbank's latest smartphone hands-on event. Apparently it's at Legacy Hall in Minato."
The flyer had "Latest Models Hands-On Fair" printed in huge letters.
Below that, in small print: "A wonderful gift for every visitor."
Denwa's eyes locked onto one particular spot.
"...Free?"
In the corner of the flyer, the word "Free" in tiny letters.
"Free giveaway!?"
Denwa's heart gave a hard thump.
(The latest smartphone, for free!?)
His current phone was an old model with a cracked screen.
(If I take this chance to upgrade to the latest model...)
Delusions spread through his head.
(Me, with the latest smartphone. Cool. Girls saying "Wow, the newest model!" to me. Swapping contact info left and right. Popular! I'd definitely be popular!)
"Auntie, I'm heading out for a bit!"
"Huh? Right now? What about lunch?"
"I'll eat later!"
Denwa ran off, clutching the flyer.
(Just you wait, latest smartphone! Popular future!)
—That was when it happened.
"Oh, Kagurazaka-kun."
From behind him came a voice he recognized.
Denwa stopped running and turned around.
Standing there was Akane Hikari.
Black hair to her shoulders. That hair that looked vermilion in the setting sun. Pale skin, big eyes. Today she wore a pale blue one-piece dress.
"H-Hikari-san!?"
Denwa's voice cracked.
(Why is she here!? Could she be here to see me!?)
"What a coincidence. What are you up to?"
Hikari tilted her head.
"Uh, ah, um... th-this!"
Denwa showed her the flyer.
"A Hardbank hands-on event. Apparently you can get the latest smartphone for free!"
"Free?"
Hikari stared at the flyer.
"...It says 'Hands-On Fair.' I think only the hands-on part is free—not the actual devices."
"What!?"
Denwa squinted at the flyer.
"See, right here. 'Try the latest models for free.'"
"...Oh. You're right."
Denwa's shoulders slumped.
(So it's not a giveaway...)
"But it sounds interesting. A Hardbank event."
Hikari smiled brightly.
"I'd like to go too. I've actually been looking into Hardbank."
"Huh? Into Hardbank?"
"Yes. They're the company trying to erase traces of Telephone Man, right? I want to see for myself what they're up to."
Her eyes took on a serious light.
"...So, wanna go together?"
Denwa took the plunge and asked.
(Yes! Outing with a girl! This is basically a date!)
"Sure, that sounds nice. Let's go."
Hikari nodded without hesitation.
"Awesome!"
Denwa pumped his fist in his mind.
(All right, today's gonna be the best day ever!)
—At the time, he still believed that.
After transferring trains from Kagurazaka, the two arrived at Legacy Hall in Minato.
"...It's huge."
Denwa looked up at the towering building.
"Hardbank's event venue. They really spent some money."
Hikari glanced around.
At the entrance of Legacy Hall stood a massive signboard.
"Hardbank Latest Models Hands-On Fair."
Beneath it, a crowd had gathered.
Young men and women, phones in hand, were happily being drawn into the venue.
"Man, that's a lot of people."
"Everyone's interested in the latest models."
The two slipped into the crowd and entered.
At the reception desk, Denwa worked up the courage to ask.
"Um, is this a free giveaway?"
The receptionist answered cheerfully but firmly.
"No, this is a hands-on fair. We're not distributing devices."
"R-right, of course... sorry..."
Denwa turned bright red and hung his head.
(Figures... So embarrassing...)
Beside him, Hikari was giggling.
"See? Just like I said."
"Shut up..."
Denwa pushed into the venue to escape the awkwardness.
Inside, it was like another world.
Footage of the latest smartphones projected on giant screens. Colorful lights. Upbeat music.
Young people swarmed every booth.
"Whoa! This camera takes amazing night shots!"
"You can pay with facial recognition!? No wallet needed!"
"The AI auto-corrects your photos! Perfect for Insta!"
Denwa was overwhelmed by the energy.
(Everyone looks like they're having a blast...)
The young people were glued to the latest smartphone screens.
No one was looking at Denwa.
No—not just Denwa.
(Nobody even notices the public phone booth.)
In a corner of the venue, an old public phone booth was on display.
A small space labeled "Showa Retro Corner."
But no one was around it.
The young people were absorbed in the world beyond the latest smartphone screens, not sparing a glance for an old phone booth.
Denwa touched the green card tucked in the wristband on his left arm.
(My card, that phone booth—everyone ignores them.)
What his father had protected. What his father had fought for.
Now it had become so small, so distant.
"...The times are over here, man."
Nearby, one of the young men was talking to his friend.
"I've never even used a public phone. A smartphone's all you need."
"Right? Like, what even is a telephone card?"
The young men walked off laughing toward the latest smartphone booth.
Denwa stood frozen in place.
(The times are over here... huh.)
A sharp pain stabbed deep in his chest.
(Me, my old man—we've been left behind.)
Showa relics. Outdated heroes.
The words pressed down on him heavily.
"...Kagurazaka-kun?"
Hikari peered worriedly at his face.
"Ah, no, it's nothing."
Denwa forced a smile.
"Really? You look pale."
"I'm fine. Anyway, let's go check out that booth over there."
Denwa took Hikari's hand and walked into the crowd.
(Don't think about it now. I'm here with Hikari-san, after all.)
But in his head, those words kept spinning around and around.
(The times are over here, huh.)
A man was watching from the corner of the venue.
Hariu.
Early thirties. Slim in a tailored suit, his eyes behind glasses smiling, but only his mouth curved in a thin smile.
An operative of Hardbank's Legacy Oversight Office.
He was staring at the screen of the device in his hand.
On it were Denwa's photo and information on telephone card holders.
"...There he is. So that's the man with the green card."
Hariu put on his sales smile.
"Well then. Time to get to work."
He began walking through the crowd, gliding smoothly.
As Denwa was trying out the latest smartphone's camera, a voice came from behind him.
"How are you enjoying the hands-on?"
He turned to find a man in a suit and glasses standing there with a pleasant smile.
"Huh? Oh, yes. The latest models are amazing."
Denwa answered honestly.
"Aren't they? Hardbank's latest models are a cut above the rest."
Hariu kept his sales smile firmly in place.
"By the way, sir."
"Yes?"
"That wristband on your left arm. Would you mind showing me what's inside it?"
Denwa's body went rigid.
"Wh-why would I?"
"Well, our company has considerable interest in the card you're carrying."
Hariu narrowed his eyes behind his glasses.
"A telephone card. And a green one at that. How rare. These days, almost no one carries such a thing."
Denwa's heart pounded like a drum.
(This guy knows about my card!?)
"Who are you?"
Denwa took a step back.
"My apologies. My name is Hariu. I'm an employee of Hardbank."
Hariu produced a business card.
"Hardbank...!"
Denwa caught his breath.
(So he really is with Hardbank!)
"That card you're carrying—we'd like to collect it."
Hariu extended his hand, sales smile unchanged.
"Collect it!? Why!?"
"It's an outdated relic. The latest smartphone suits a young person like you much better."
Hariu spoke pleasantly.
"Besides, that card has no value anymore. Public phones are being removed, and telephone cards can't be used. Even if you keep it, it's just a piece of paper."
"A piece of paper... you say..."
Denwa's fist trembled.
"If you hand it over, I can offer you the latest model at a special price. How about it? I don't think it's a bad deal."
Hariu's voice was polite to the very end.
But his eyes weren't smiling.
"...I refuse."
Denwa said it flatly.
"This is my father's keepsake. I'm not handing it over to the likes of you."
Hariu's sales smile vanished for an instant.
"...I see. That's a shame."
Hariu quickly operated the device in his hand.
"Then I'll handle this my way."
"What are you—"
In that instant, the air in the venue changed.
The screens of the demo units at every booth erupted into static all at once.
"Huh? What?"
"Signal interference?"
The young people began to murmur.
"I've taken over all the public phone lines around the venue."
Hariu wore a cold smile.
"Now you can't transform. Telephone Man."
A chill ran down Denwa's spine.
(This guy knows I can transform!?)
"Now then. Hand over the card."
Hariu stepped closer.
Denwa backed away.
"R-run!"
Denwa grabbed Hikari's hand and bolted.
"Wait, Kagurazaka-kun!?"
The two pushed through the crowd and burst out of the venue.
Outside, the evening air wrapped around them.
"Hah, hah..."
Denwa, out of breath, looked around.
"Public phone... where's a public phone!?"
"Kagurazaka-kun, calm down. That man said he took over the lines around the venue. The nearby public phones might all be unusable."
Hikari spoke calmly.
"No way...!"
Denwa clutched his head.
(I can't transform!? Then I can't protect the card!)
"...But maybe."
Hikari closed her eyes, as if sensing something.
"This way. There's a working public phone in an alley a little ways off."
"What!? How can you tell!?"
"It's my card's ability. Vermilion excels at sensing and communication. I can vaguely sense the location of public phones around me."
Hikari pulled a vermilion telephone card from her chest.
"That's amazing...!"
Denwa was impressed.
"Let's go!"
The two ran through the alley.
Deep in the alley, in the shadow of an old building, the public phone booth stood.
"There it is!"
Denwa dove into the booth.
He grabbed the receiver.
(Please, be alive!)
He inserted the card.
—Click.
The sound of the card being read.
"Yes! It works!"
Denwa gripped the receiver.
(I'm going to transform. This time, properly.)
In his mind, he pictured his father.
Green suit. Mask. A powerful figure.
(Dad, lend me your strength!)
Denwa took a deep breath.
"Telephone Punch!"
—In that instant, Denwa's body was wrapped in green light.
When the light faded, a hero clad in a green suit stood there.
The Green Telephone Man.
"...I did it. I transformed."
Denwa looked at his own hands.
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.