kscans

Chapter 183 - Epilogue

"Well now… I never would have expected it from those two…"

During our lunch break, the president and I were eating at a chain udon restaurant. It was the kind of place where you add your own toppings and sides, self service style. He told me he had a sudden craving for it but said it would be lonely to go alone, so he asked me to come with him. I hadn’t brought lunch that day either and was planning to eat at the cafeteria or a shop near the company anyway, so I decided to join him.

"Hm? Who do you mean by ‘those two’?"

"I’m talking about Saijou-kun and Higashi-kun."

My eyes widened at his words. No way.

"Can you believe it? They came to see me first thing this morning. They said they wanted to apologize for lying."

"Ah…"

So they came out to the president too. Yesterday’s concert was also meant to be their graduation exam, a test to see if they could leave my support behind, but I never intended to push them that far. I just thought it would be nice if they could reach a point where they could enjoy themselves without feeling guilty around their wives or others, even if I wasn’t there. But what a surprise. Lucifer went and gave a speech that hit them right where it counted.

‘I feel as if the scales have fallen from my eyes. I’ll tell my wife the moment I get home,’ one had said.

‘Me too. Lucifer-chan is wonderful. For someone so young, she is far wiser than we are,’ the other added.

They had a full-blown awakening. They completely flew past the landing spot I had envisioned for them. By the way, Higashi-san, that Lucifer-chan is actually older than you are.

‘Satou-kun, I apologize as well. We have been a bother to you for quite some time,’ they had told me.

‘N, no… I was having fun too…’

‘It is also thanks to you that we were able to gain new insight. We will never forget this debt for the rest of our lives.’

That’s how we parted ways, but… to think they went to the president too… That trivial lie they told during their physical must have really been weighing on their minds.

"And you, Satou-kun. You could have told me, you know."

"Come on, if they wanted to keep it a secret, I couldn't just go and tell you, could I?"

I did tell Suzuki, but he has no reason to interact with those two. The president, on the other hand, sees them every day, so it’s a different story.

"I suppose that’s true… Still, I don’t think having an idol hobby is anything to be ashamed of."

"That’s because you think like I do, President."

It’s a high hurdle for two old guys who are serious to a fault.

"They’re so flexible in their thinking when it comes to work, though. I can’t tell if they’re skillful or just clumsy."

"Should we call it maintaining a strict separation between their public and private lives, or should we just say they’re unbalanced?"

"But for them to come and confess to me so openly… was the concert really that good?"

"You didn’t ask for details?"

I’m sure they would have been thrilled to tell him all about it if he had asked.

"Well, I was a little taken aback by how bright their faces and how clear their eyes were."

"Ah, right. In that case, I guess it couldn’t be helped."

Zururu, I slurped my udon. After a short pause, I gave him a brief rundown of what happened yesterday.

"They became friends with a college girl? Seriously?"

"That’s what you focus on?"

"Just kidding. But hmmm… I knew of Love-Pan by name, and I’ve heard their song in the commercials…"

The president nodded in admiration, perhaps thinking it was because they were young, or maybe precisely because they were young. Well, he wasn’t wrong. She said some good things. But from the perspective of someone who knows what they really are, my only thought was, "Who are you to be saying that?" They might be working as idols now, but their real job is to corrupt humans and steal their souls. There are countless people whose lives have been ruined by them.

It was thanks to them this time, but…

The reason I still see them through such a harsh lens is probably because I was once an indirect victim. I never dealt with them directly, and it’s not like they ever tried to do anything to me, but they were certainly a remote cause.

"It might not be a bad idea for the four of us to go to a concert sometime."

"What, you’re coming too, President?"

"Why are you so cold about it? Let me join! Let me be part of your group too!"

"But I mean, there are three of them in the group, you know?"

I’m a Lucifer fan, Saijou-san is for Lucifuge, and Higashi-san is for Beelzebub.

"That leaves one person left over, see."

"That hurts! Your utterly heartless words have deeply wounded my heart, you!"

"An old guy’s heart is full of scars anyway. What’s one or two more at this point? It’s within the margin of error."

"That kind of thoughtless attitude is what encourages bullying, you know! I’m going to fight! For the good of society!"

"Alright, alright, I was just kidding, so calm down. Whoa there, whoa."

"Am I a cow?"

This kind of laid-back banter with the president really is relaxing. There’s a comfort to it that’s different from when I’m with Takahashi or Suzuki. I was casual when I was with Saijou-san and Higashi-san too, but not completely. With the president, though, it’s just easy. The words come out on pure reflex.

It has to be because of his magnanimity, since he doesn’t even care if you throw his wig.

We were friendly even before that incident. We were, but I feel like I still kept a certain distance. In that sense, maybe Inoue-kun’s move was a fine play. Thanks to him, I gained another friend I can be myself with.

"The concert is a fine idea, but how about we go to karaoke sometime soon?"

"That sounds great. I’m curious to hear them sing pop songs."

"Right? Saijou-san and Higashi-san both have such good voices, it’s a waste not to."

"I was thinking the same thing. It really is a shame."

That said, I knew they weren’t comfortable with it, so I had never invited them before. But now that they’re into Love-Pan, I think they’d be happy to come along.

"I bet they’ll be really into it and sing their hearts out."

"I’m sure they will. Listening to your favorite artist’s songs is great, of course, but…"

"It makes you want to sing them. They’re probably itching to do it right now."

You find yourself humming your favorite songs without even thinking about it. That’s just how people are. I’m sure it’s the same for them. Especially since before this, they were the type who didn’t have much interest in the culture of music itself, let alone idols. Getting hooked on Love-Pan must have awakened a desire in them to belt out a song.

"By the way, Halloween is coming up, isn’t it?"

After we had our fill of talking about the Saijou and Higashi duo, the president brought up the topic of Halloween.

"That it is. Were you interested, President?"

"Not me so much… but my daughter. Apparently, she’s going to participate in that parade, or whatever it is, in Shibuya."

"Ah, right, right. So you’re a worried dad."

"Exactly! I don’t know much about it, but you’re an expert on these kinds of events, aren’t you? What’s it really like?"

"It’s not like the things you’re worried about never happen. But as long as she knows where to draw the line and stays away from the sketchy areas, she should be fine."

"Could you… make me a list?"

"I’ll write down the reasons why she should stay away, too."

"Sorry to ask."

"Don’t worry about it."

I took a bite of my onigiri and washed it down with udon broth. I really love this stuff.

"And what about you? Do you have any plans for Halloween?"

"I do."

They were supposed to be small plans, but… well.