Chapter 4

Why am I here, you might ask...

"Isn't the kidnapper's target me?"

That's what it seems.

It appears the girl is aware that she is in a situation where she could be kidnapped. However, she seems to be questioning why I am here as well.

"I was going to return your student ID that you dropped. Just as I was about to do that, the kidnapper appeared, and I got kidnapped too."

"I see."

The girl seems to understand.

"My student ID?"

"Huh? ...Oh, right, I have it."

I took out the girl's student ID from my pocket.

After receiving it, the girl fiddled with its surface awkwardly. Upon closer inspection, there was an unnatural bulge at the bottom right of the student ID, as if a small button was embedded. The girl pressed the protrusion with her fingernail.

"With this, help should come soon."

She said, letting out a sigh,

"I'm going to sleep."

She sprawled out on the floor next to me.

I've gotten used to this girl's boldness, so I wasn't surprised.

However, she lay there and stared at me intently.

"I'm going to sleep."

"…Just go to sleep, then?"

"Pillow."

I was about to say there's no such thing here, but the girl silently stroked my knee. …She wants me to give her a knee pillow, I guess.

When a beautiful girl like her acts so affectionate, my heart tends to race, but I've built up some resistance because of her previous blunt behavior. I've also been told to take care of the kidnappers, so I sighed and decided to lend her my knee.

"Good height."

The girl murmured, satisfied.

"Lullaby."

"…Sorry, that's not in my repertoire."

"Then tell me an interesting story."

That's a tall order.

But her boldness had a powerful effect, dispelling the dark atmosphere that had settled over the room. In a situation that would normally make one cry, I was able to remain calm thanks to this girl.

"Let me tell you about a time when I was on a train with a friend—"

It's probably not a very interesting story, but the girl listened silently.

A few minutes later, I could hear her quiet breathing from my knee.

She falls asleep easily.

"…You're drooling a lot."

I wiped the drool from her mouth with the hem of my shirt.

"…Mm?"

"Ah, sorry. Did I wake you?"

"It's fine."

She answered while rolling over.

"My hair feels greasy."

"Maybe you should tie it up. Turn around a bit."

"Mm."

I tied her hair up like a ponytail.

"Are you used to doing this?"

"Ah… I used to style my mother's hair a lot."

"Hmm."

My mother worked in a hostess club for a while, and I often helped her with her hair before she went to work. It's a memory I'd rather not recall.

At that moment, one of the kidnappers kicked a piece of wood nearby.

The sudden loud noise made me jump.

The kidnapper, with a phone to his ear, was furious.

"Cut it out! If you keep dragging this out, I'll beat your daughter!!"

The man shouted with bloodshot eyes, his gaze briefly landing on the girl.

"…Don't provoke the kidnappers like you did earlier."

I said to the girl.

She seems to have a strong presence, but it might just be that I haven't seen her true nature.

So I said, almost to myself,

"Don't worry. If it comes to it, I can at least be a shield for you."

Even in my dire situation, I can still help someone.

Feeling a glimmer of hope, I told the girl.

"…Why are you doing this for me?"

"Who knows."

I have no intention of sharing my personal story.

I smiled as kindly as I could at the girl, who looked curious.

"…You're nice."

The girl said.

"You're so comfortable. You smell like a sun-dried futon."

Isn't that the smell of dead mites?

It's not exactly a compliment…

"I have a lot of caretakers… but they're all so stiff."

"…Huh."

"But you're easy to be around, so I can relax. I'm happy."

I was momentarily captivated by the girl's smile.

But I can only be so relaxed because I don't understand her well.

If I had a future, I might be more cautious. But unfortunately, I can't even manage my life from day to day. I'm the kind of person who has nothing to lose, which is becoming a social issue.

"What's your name?"

"…Nishinari Itsuki."

"Right. I'm Kono Hina."

She said succinctly.

"From now on, I—"

Just as the girl was about to say something,

a small can-like object was thrown through the broken window of the abandoned factory.

The can clattered and immediately began to emit white smoke.

"Storming in—!!"

A loud voice came from the first floor of the abandoned factory.

At the same time, countless footsteps could be heard from all directions.

"Shit!? I can't see anything!!"

"These guys, how did they get so close—Gah!?"

Men who looked like police officers quickly neutralized the two kidnappers.

They quickly approached me and the girl—

"Don't move!!"

"…Huh?"

The men clearly saw me as an enemy.

"W-Wait! I'm a victim—"

"Shut up! Be quiet!"

"Gah!?"

My head was pressed down, and I was pushed to the floor.

My hands and feet were bound. Even without this, I couldn't have resisted.

"Silent! The third person has been neutralized!"

"There were supposed to be only two perpetrators… Was the scout team's information incorrect?"

By the time the smoke cleared, a woman with long, unbound black hair down to her waist appeared, wearing a maid outfit with white and black frills.

"Miss, are you alright?"

"Mm."

The maid approached the girl, who was lying on the floor, and removed her handcuffs and leg irons.

Despite the commotion, the girl seemed completely unfazed. She yawned widely, as if just waking up from a nap.

"I apologize for the delay in the rescue. However… As I always say, you must inform us in advance when you go out."

"But it was too much trouble."

"As a result, this happened. …Really."

The maid sighed.

"Silent, this person is not a kidnapper."

"…Is that so?"

The girl pointed at me, and the maid's eyes widened.

My restraints were slowly removed.

"Ouch…"

"I apologize. I assumed you were also a perpetrator."

"Since I was restrained, I obviously couldn't be a kidnapper…"

"In cases where the criminal group has a falling out, it's not uncommon in long-term crimes like kidnapping."

That… is true, I suppose.

I was speechless.

"Alright. We'll leave the cleanup to them. Let's go. You should come with us."

It seems they will guide me out. I nodded silently.

However, the girl remained lying down, looking at me with a calm expression.

"Hey, Silent."

The girl pointed at me.

"I want this person."

"Understood. I will arrange it immediately."

The maid bowed respectfully.

"…Huh?"

What does she mean by "arrange"?

*The smell of a sun-dried futon is not the smell of dead mites, but rather the smell produced when the substances that make up the fibers are broken down by ultraviolet light (there are various theories about this).*