Chapter 31: I Wonder If Extortion Accept Electronic Payment

I Wonder If Extortion Accept Electronic Payment

"Hey, are you even listening?"

"Um..."

She glared down at me from her tall stature.

With her long, bright red hair and her signature battle uniform she looks like a total delinquent, out of step with the times and clearly standing out from the crowd.

"We're in the same class, after all, and the idea of ​​helping each other is what makes us buddy, right? Right?"

(...That's just unfortunate.)

Sigh, I sigh internally.

Today is Sunday, and school is closed, so I went out to buy a book I've been interested in for a while...  Unfortunately, I bumped into Rindou Kazaha and caught her eye.

Not only is her appearance bad, but her personality is also old-fashioned; to put it bluntly, she's an old-fashioned delinquent.

She's the kind of person who would be found at every school in a shonen manga from the Showa era to the early Heisei era. She often skips school, doesn't mind doing assignments or tests, often intimidates her classmates, and spends her days fighting with delinquents from other schools.

To be honest, if a school allows her to advance to the next grade, Kagari should have no problem advancing as well, but I recently heard rumors within the school that the school's chairman and her parents are relatives, and are working together to prevent her from being expelled or repeating a year, as it would bring shame to the family.

As a result, neither students nor teachers can lay a hand on her, and she walks around freely enjoying the delinquent lifestyle like a king.

In essence, she's a pathetic child who thinks she's rebelling against adults while under their protection.

(Now...)

I look around, wondering what to do.

Currently, I'm being pulled by her into the shadows of a building, and there's no one around to see me.

Rindou and I are the only ones here, and even if I tried to run away, she's clearly superior in both physique and strength. In fact, running away isn't an option for me.

To sum up what she said briefly, it was "give me money," which is basically extortion.

"Hey, don't try anything funny. Huh? What was that sound just now? Did you have something in your pocket?"

That's what it meant.

I don't want any trouble, so I'd like to hand over the money and get this over with, but... 

It's clear that this person is from the Showa or Heisei era, and our cultures don't mesh with mine, the Reiwa era. That's why I can't even give them any money...

"Um, Rindou-san...?"

"Huh? What is it?"

"I don't have any money right now..."

"Huh? You don't have any money... No way."

Rindou-san looked at me suspiciously, wondering what I was talking about. Perhaps thinking I was making fun of her, she raised her glares to the next level, looking upset. 

"If you say you don't have any money, then what's that book you're holding so carefully? Did you steal it?"

"I didn't steal."

"So you do have money after all. Are you making fun of me?"

(Really...)

I said it a little strangely, but if she didn't understand, I began to wonder if she really was living in the same era as me. Maybe she'd really escaped from the world of manga.

But continuing the conversation like this wouldn't get me anywhere. I decided to move the conversation forward and took out my smartphone from my pocket. 

"Huh?"

"I paid for everything with my smartphone, so I don't have any cash on me right now. So even if you ask me for money, I don't have it."

"Oh, that's it? You mean those trendy "eletronic payment" things?"

"Yes, that's it."

In this day and age, some people don't even carry wallets anymore. In a society where a smartphone and ID are enough to get by in the city, there are still many people who don't have cash, which could be a real problem.

Well, Japan is a cash-loving country, so not having cash can be more of a hassle than in other countries. But if you're just going to the local bookstore to buy a book, a smartphone is enough.

"If you're talking about money, I could send you a transfer, but... it looks like you don't have an account either."

That's why I can't give you the money.

I told her that succinctly and waited to see how she reacted. There was nothing else I could say. All I could do was wait for her to decide. 

I'd appreciate it if you could make a wise decision.

"I don't really get it, but... So basically, your smartphone is your wallet these days, right? So give me your phone then."

There's no way someone capable of making such wise decisions would become a delinquent.

"Even if you take my smartphone, you can't make payments."

"What?! That's a pain! So what am I supposed to do?!"

"What do you mean... Maybe I should just go back to my house, get some cash ready, and hand it over?"

"That might just make you stay at home and never come back! Just because I'm not good at studying doesn't mean I'm stupid!"

You're not good at studying, yet you're still able to think things through.

She understood the smartphone payment thing earlier, so it seems she's not stupid.

Well, she has zero manners or education, so it's not exactly praiseworthy.

"So... how about I accompany you and pay for your expenses?"

"Basically, I'll be your payment card," I added, and she grinned nastily.

"Hey, that's a good idea. Just hurry up and follow me, okay?"

And then she grabbed my right arm again, tightly. Just like when she brought me here.

Ah, it looks like my peaceful holiday is over.

Giving up, I tried to follow her where she was heading, but then...

"Eh..."

"You bastard, ugh, ugh...!"

A black shadow had been creeping in from the corner of my eye, entangling itself around Rindou-san, who was walking ahead of me, and she let out a cry of agony.

In the sudden attack, the arm that had been holding me was quickly released, and the pressure disappeared.

But how, why was she here?

Countless questions like these came to mind, and I was unusually confused.

"...Kikka-chan?!"

"Are you okay, Yuri?"

Kikka-chan was choking Rindou from behind, responding with just her voice. Undeterred by Rindou's ferocious struggles, she mercilessly tightened her grip around her neck, refusing to let up.

She was fully displaying her natural talent, her physical monster-like nature, and overwhelming her.

"You're definitely from the same class, right? You're not a child, so it's embarrassing to do something like mugging someone."

"Let go! Let go! Damn it, it's not moving!"

Her opponent was an active delinquent who spent her days fighting, full of energy and undeniable ability, but there was a clear difference between them, like an adult and a child.

"Did you know? People who are forced to pass out can sometimes urinate or defecate. You've heard of incontinence, right?"

"What, what are you trying to do...?!"

"No, I just thought it might be a good idea to put a final nail in the coffin to make sure you never makes such a rash move again. That's all I was thinking. Don't worry, it'll all be over before you know it."

"...Ugh!"

After a moment, she seemed to realize what Kikka was thinking, and she began to resist even more violently.

But sadly, despite her rage, her body was steadily approaching its limits, and her face was already completely blue. It wouldn't be surprising if she collapsed at any moment. Her resistance was fierce, yet somehow weak.

"...I get it! I get it! I won't lay a hand on her again, I promise!"

"...Really?"

"Yeah, it's true! I'm not lying, believe me!"

"...I get it."

After pondering for a moment, Kikka released the strength from her arms.

Rindou quickly escaped from between her arms, breathing heavily, panting heavily, and placing her hands on her knees as she stared at the ground to catch her breath.

After a few dozen seconds, her breathing steadied, and the sound of her escaping air faded away. Having struggled to catch her breath, she raised her head and glared at Kikka again.

It seemed she was planning to break her promise immediately.

"You've attacked me so unexpectedly, I'll never forgive you!"

"...Yeah, I don't think I can forgive you either, so it's fine."

The two of them stood facing each other, less than two meters apart. Their gazes locked on each other, but one was burning with hatred, the other with cold, icy eyes. 

"Hey, I know you. You're the one who was hailed as the basketball team's promising ace, right? It's summer and the tournament is coming up, what would you do if you got injured here? Don't you feel bad for your club members?"

"Sigh, what a cheap provocation."

"Huh?"

She spat out, belittling the underling in front of her. I was certain that Rindou's provocation meant nothing to Kikka.

"You want to threaten me? Well, club activities are important to me. But..."

Kikka paused for a moment, took a breath, and spoke with as strong a tone as she could muster.

"But compared to my childhood friend being safe, those things are nothing. I've had my priorities decided a long time ago. Obviously, one thing is enough."

"...Ha, you....."

"Besides..."

Kikka grinned, a look of contempt and disdain on her face, something she rarely does.

"There's no way someone like you could hurt me, is there?"

"Argh?!"

In an instant, she vanished, and the next thing I knew, the distance between them was zero, and her sharp fist had pierced Rindou's solar plexus, leaving her completely defenseless.

"Come on, let's go, Yuri."

Wow, that's cool... I think I'll fall...

 •

•

•

The next day, the holiday was over and I went to school.

"Hey, Kikka and Yuri!"

Rindou came over to talk to me in a friendly manner.

"What on earth are you up to?"

"I mean, I came over to talk to you! You disappeared while I was knocked out yesterday!"

"Right, so you still haven't learned your lesson?"

Kikka gathered strength in her arms and stood up. 

Seeing her reaction, Rindou shook her hands in a panic.

"No, no! I'm not here to get revenge for yesterday!"

"Then what do you want?"

"I fell in love with Kikka's strength!"

Let's summarize the results.

Rindou Kazaha joined the group.

...Just kidding, but ever since this incident, Rindou hasn't skipped school again. It seems like it's true that she fell in love with Kikka's strength.

"Hey, teach me how to fight like that!"

"How can I teach you? I've never done it before."

Kikka is genuinely annoyed by this exchange every day.

Especially,...

"Get away from Kikka-chan! You thug who attacked Mama!"

"Ahh, who's this skinny brat?"

"Kagari-chan, you shouldn't get close to someone who's so bad for your education. Come on, come over here."

Kagari is extremely angry at the person who attacked both Kikka, who she's close to, and her mother (me), whom she adores, and goes to attack Rindou at every opportunity.

Her bravery is so strong it's hard to believe she was a shut-in just six months ago, and it brings tears to mother's eyes.

By the way, Kagari-chan, that person is a bad influence, so I don't want you to get close to them. I don't want you to go through a rebellious phase or become a delinquent.

Author Note: 

This is the end of Rindou Kazaha story. Like Kagari, she's a monster-like person, regardless of her interactions with the protagonist, so there's not much to discuss.

Next time, I'll jump ahead a little in time to the winter of her second year of high school, where I'll tell the story of the final heroine.