April 22nd (Sat) [AM 10:48]
After chatting for a while over tea, the two decided it was time to leave and rose from their seats.
"Ah, I'll get this."
"No, I'll pay. I'm the one who invited you today."
The two bickered at the counter over who would pay for the coffee, but in the end, Sakamoto won out.
As he took back his card and the receipt, Tojo hesitantly said she would treat him next time.
Sakamoto told her it was really fine and left the cafe with her.
Kishimoto, who was hiding and watching with me, muttered.
"He's surprisingly well-mannered, isn't he?"
"Well, he's not a bad guy."
He was just a bit clueless and dense because he was a rom-com protagonist, but as a person, he was a good guy.
After all, this whole situation was practically forced by Tojo, yet he hadn't shown a single sign of displeasure.
Anyway, since they had left the cafe, there was no reason for us to stay either, so we decided to move.
"Should we go Dutch on this?"
"Sounds good."
Unlike Tojo and Sakamoto, we didn't argue at the counter; we just paid for our own orders separately.
*Cling-clang-*
As we opened the door and stepped outside, we could see the backs of the two heading toward the subway station in the distance.
We quietly began to follow them.
***
April 22nd (Sat) [AM 11:10]
We might get caught if we boarded the same car as Tojo, so we got on the one right next to it, where we could still keep an eye on them.
Perhaps because it was a Saturday morning, the train was practically packed.
The train made a stop, and another wave of people flooded in.
We, who had been standing in a corner of the car, were instantly pushed into it, unable to move an inch.
"You okay?"
"Huh? Y-Yeah."
Kishimoto, who had somehow ended up trapped in my arms, replied with a delayed nod.
Her face was slightly flushed, maybe because the temperature inside the train was rising rapidly as it grew more crowded.
"It might be uncomfortable, but just hang in there a little longer. We'll be there soon."
"Okay."
The train, having departed from Shibuya Station, passed through a few more stops before halting at Ikebukuro Station.
Amidst the crowd pouring out like an ebbing tide, we held hands so we wouldn't lose each other as we got off the train.
The trip from Shibuya to Ikebukuro took about fifteen minutes.
The time was now just past eleven.
We made our way out of the subway platform, which was even more crowded with passersby due to the weekend morning, and headed up to ground level.
"Phew~!"
After breathing the stuffy air for so long, the fresh air outside was incredibly refreshing.
"Um, when are you going to let go of my hand?"
"Ah, sorry."
Belatedly realizing we were still holding hands, I finally let go of Kishimoto's.
Kishimoto then fidgeted with her right hand, the one I had been holding, and said.
"Next time, be a little gentler."
"Right."
An awkward atmosphere settled between us due to the unintentional physical contact, but then I remembered we didn't have time for this.
I spotted Tojo and Sakamoto crossing the crosswalk in front of the station and urged Kishimoto on.
"Let's go!"
As if just then recalling we were tailing someone, Kishimoto started running with me.
But perhaps because we'd gotten off the train a little late, we were forced to stop at the crosswalk as the light changed.
The backs of the two figures disappeared into the distance.
Having missed them by a hair's breadth, Kishimoto stomped her feet in frustration, but there was nothing we could do.
The only silver lining, I suppose, was that we knew their destination.
This path led toward Sunshine City.
Just as Kishimoto and I had discussed yesterday, it seemed Tojo had successfully steered the date toward the Sunshine City Aquarium.
As we stood at the crosswalk, patiently waiting for the light to turn green again, a group of familiar-looking older men came running breathlessly from the subway exit.
"Huff, huff... Damn, why are there so many people?"
"I told you we should've driven."
"Who knew it'd be this crowded on a weekend morning!"
The tough-looking men, who appeared to be well over forty on average, were busy catching their breath, each muttering a complaint.
They were the same faces from the cafe, but Kishimoto didn't recognize them since she had her back to them the entire time.
I glanced at them out of the corner of my eye and pulled the hood of my hoodie down a little further.
Maybe it was a stroke of luck that these guys lost our targets.
Following them would probably just ruin Tojo's date anyway.
Finally, the crosswalk light changed.
We blended into the crowd and started walking toward Sunshine City.
***
April 22nd (Sat) [AM 11:20]
Tojo Naoto had always been confident in his keen eye.
Perhaps that was why, the moment he saw the large man in the hoodie, he knew instinctively.
"Hey, Sento. Doesn't that guy look familiar?"
Sento, who was combing his disheveled hair back into place, turned his head with a "Huh?" and let out a soft gasp when he saw the person Naoto was pointing at.
"It's the young lady's friend, student Kim Yu-seong."
"Right? I thought I'd seen him somewhere."
Naoto said, rubbing his chin, then made a decision.
"We'll follow that kid."
"Sir? Weren't we tailing the young lady?"
"Why else would that kid be here, at this time, in this place? He's obviously worried about his friend's date and decided to follow them secretly. Now that I look, the girl in the trench coat next to him looks like that student Rika from the photos yesterday."
Only then did Sento Osamu, the organization's brain, understand what the chairman was saying.
"Indeed, that makes sense. Since we've already lost the young lady, it wouldn't be a bad idea to follow him."
"Good. Then it's settled. Let's hurry and follow them."
"Yes, sir!"
With Naoto, the chairman of the Toseikai, at the center, the eight men lined up and crossed the street.
They had tried to disguise themselves, but their appearance was perfect for attracting attention.
With their matching black sunglasses and gold chains, anyone could see they were yakuza.
Perhaps for that reason, a police car, likely responding to calls from residents, was circling the area around Ikebukuro Station.
***
April 22nd (Sat) [AM 11:34]
Sunshine City is a comprehensive cultural center located inside the Sunshine 60 building, a symbol and landmark of Ikebukuro.
It's packed with various cultural facilities, food courts, offices of famous corporations, and restaurants, allowing one to take care of most errands without ever leaving the building.
In that sense, Sunshine City was one of the top ten date spots for young couples.
As soon as we entered Sunshine City, we headed for the indoor aquarium.
The place was largely divided into two floors. The first floor featured marine life, while the second floor housed creatures from rivers and streams.
After buying tickets and heading inside, we were met with a dimly lit interior.
Ocean sunfish, hammerhead sharks, king crabs, tropical fish—marine creatures one wouldn't normally see—were swimming freely inside the tanks.
It was my first time at an aquarium, so the sight was quite fascinating, but we didn't have time to leisurely look around.
We first had to find Tojo and Sakamoto, whom we'd lost while tailing them earlier.
Kishimoto and I began to slowly make our way through the crowd of visitors.
The dim lighting made it difficult to identify faces in the corners, but thankfully, my eyesight was good, and I quickly spotted the two of them.
'There they are.'
I pointed and spoke in a low voice. Kishimoto, who had been captivated by the dolphins, turned her head with a "Huh? Huh?" and was startled to see the two enjoying the aquarium together, looking quite friendly.
It was the first time I had ever seen Tojo make such an expression.
As if she had returned to her childhood, she was pressed right up against the glass, watching the marine life swim inside.
Sakamoto stood with his arms crossed, watching her with a pleased expression.
Seeing them like this, they actually looked like a pretty good couple.
Despite it being their first date, seeing Tojo doing so well made me feel proud.
It would be great if she succeeded in her confession, but knowing the ending of *Scramble Love*, I couldn't help but feel a little bitter.
In the end, there was a high probability that the protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji, would not accept her feelings.
We followed the signs and walked slowly. Before long, it seemed they had finished with the first floor. We spotted them taking the elevator up, so we followed them to the second floor via the emergency stairs.