Amagi Brilliant Park's
V2 - Chapter 1 Part 3
Ambulances and police cars arrived, leaving the office in chaos for some time.
An Amagi Police Department detective continues to interrogate them; they display unbelievable innocence, and when things have calmed down, it is already around 8:00 p.m. The park was closed for the day.
“How can this happen?” Seiya asked as he mopped the darkening bloodstains that Bando Biino left on the floor.
“We should have interviewed the part-time workers today. Instead, we got one former AV— actress who made a pretty big impact, herself— followed by a girl who almost got us accused of a criminal offense! It's silly.”
“That's right, fumo. We are the victims here,” whispered Moffle. He was also busy rubbing blood stains on the wall. “The police are trying to make me confess my killing intent, fumo. I repeatedly said it was self defense!”
“I can understand why he assumes excessive self-defense, considering you broke the man's jaw. I guess he will actually drink through a straw for a while.”.
“Hm. Well, maybe I can hold back a little more, fumo.”
“You are very strong,” Seiya accuses. “Show a little mercy.”
“Moffu..”.
According to the detectives, the man in his underwear was actually Biino's older brother. Seiya had no idea what kind of mental disorder he had, but it seemed that he severely restricted Biino's lifestyle, among other things. It has caused many incidents in the past, with this being the last intensification. It's not worth laughing at that, but at the same time, what can you do but laugh?
“Now, that Biino girl. What do you think will happen to him, fumo?”
“How could I know?” Seiya countered. “I hope I never heard of it.”
“He really has passion, after all.”
“What, you mean you want to hire him?”
“Well, I didn't say that, fumo.” Pretending to be plain, Moffle continues the cleanup.
“.....Sento, what do you think?” Seiya asked Isuzu, who had just returned with a bucket of water.
“You mean, about whether we should hire him or not?” He reduced doing things “Hmmmgh!” that was now, but there was still vigilance in his tone. He kept his hands close to his mouth at all times.
“Hmmmgh!” what Isuzu keeps repeating during the questioning with the police causes a complicated problem, although they manage to eliminate it with ‘he becomes panicked when he sees blood.’
“Ya,” Seiya confirms. “You're the one doing the filtering, right? I want to hear your opinion.”
“I understand..” Isuzu thought for a moment. “...Public policy is that he cannot be hired. On the other hand, he can be an asset about handling issues on stage.
However, despite being stabbed, he was able to maintain his smile and sense of responsibility. With proper training, his passion can make it a strong positive force for our garden.”
“Hmm...” Finally, thought Seiya, she makes sense. Isuzu's personal analysis and character assessment are always appropriate at times like these.
“Again, after such an unpleasant incident, I'm sure you won't be interested in padan—hmmmgh!”
Oh my goodness, not anymore. Seiya exchanged glances and shrugged with Moffle.
“...It looks like I still suffer from the side effects of that bean,” Isuzu confessed. “You probably shouldn't make me talk..”.
“Nuts?” Seiya asked for information.
Moffle clapped his animal hand and nodded. “Ah... I understand now, fumo. They gave you the nuts of truth, right? And that's why you tried to kill Macaron and Tiramii this afternoon, fumo?”
“Ya.” says Isuzu.
“Well, it was just an innocent joke. Try to forgive them, fumo.”
“No,” he does not agree, “it is a nasty joke. I will not forgive them.”
Seiya wasn't entirely sure, but it seemed Isuzu's strange behavior today was caused by this ‘nut’ that Moffle mentioned.
“What are you guys talking about? Does that make you interrupt yourself and shout ‘Hmmmgh!’ in the middle of the sentence?” tanyakanya.
But Moffle and Isuzu simply looked away, as if unsure how to explain it.
“Erm... It is not my job to say it, fumo.”
“It's like successfully spiked alcohol on someone's drink,” said Isuzu. “You don't need to worry about this.”
They don't seem to want to explain it. So, deciding that it would be a waste of time if it demanded further, Seiya returned to the original topic: “Well, okay, whatever. …I understand what you're saying about Bando Biino. What about our first subject, Adachi Eiko-san? What do you think of him?”
“Why do you call her Eiko-san?” Isuzu.
“Geh...” Seiya coughed.
“Yah, however. I do not think there is any risk of its history damaging the image of the park,” Isuzu allows. “There are not many crosses between the types of people who will know about him and our customer base. And.the girl with a history like her should be able to face every guest with a smile. He can also be a strong positive force in the garden.”
“Hmm... all points are good.” said Seiya.
“Namun,” Isuzu memperingatkannya, “keduanya juga adalah sumber masalah yang berpotensi. Wanita dengan riwatyat Adachi Eiko bisa menyebabkan perselisihan di tempat kerja. Dan Bando Biino tampaknya tidak memiliki kehidupan rumah yang amat stabil, jadi bahkan kalau insiden hari ini dikurangi, ada kemungkinan dia akan membawa masalah ke taman di masa depan.”
After listening to him, Seiya and Moffle muttered in amazement.
“What are you mumbling?” asked Isuzu suspiciously.
“Yah... I was just surprised because you said something so reasonable.” said Seiya.
“Moffu,” Moffle approve. “How can someone who is very good at judging people can be so bad at communicating that he has to express himself with a shotgun, fumo?”
“It was also not consistent with the time you recruited me,” Seiya noted. “What is some kind of psychological disorder?”
Their insensitive comments triggered a dangerous gaze from Isuzu, and as usual, she started reaching down to pull out her musket from the mysterious space under her skirt. “If it's a mockery, I'll make you regret it...”.
“See? See it? That's what I mean!”
“People hate rough women now, fumoke?!”
Seiya and Moffle protest while hiding behind mops and tables respectively.
“Ghh...” Isuzu's reaction showed that the use of the rifle was reflexive, and he moved his hand without pulling it.
“...Jeez. Today made me very tired, fumo,” Moffle sighed. “I'll check in at my Sweet Home, then go home. As soon as you decide on the schedule for tomorrow's interview, email me, fumo.”
All the commotion around Biino-san forced them to cancel the remaining interview. The rest of the applicants will be seen tomorrow, and so on. After Moffle left, Seiya and Isuzu stayed behind, finishing the cleanup in silence.
About two minutes later, someone peered into the conference room.
“Pe-Excuse me..”
“...?” Both looking.
“What is this place where the interview takes place?” ask the stranger. She was a girl of SD age with her hair in two and her eyes round and big. Her clothes were quite fashionable, but she would also not look awkward if she wore a randoseru-style backpack.
“Who are you?” Seiya wanted to know.
“Chujo Shiina's. I applied for a part-time job, but I was late for my interview.” said the girl stammered.
“We had an incident; the interview was postponed until tomorrow. Anyway, we can't hire you.”
“A-What?! Why not?”
“Law of child labor,” details. “You're too young.”
“T-But I..”.
“Exit to there. Thank you for stopping by.” Seiya stated recklessly. Chujo Shiina left, her shoulders slumped.
“My dream came true again. What the fuck is going on here?” Isuzu muttered to himself.
“What are you talking about?” ask Seiya. “...And why did a child come for an interview? You're the one who filters out the suitors, right?”
“Why didn't I realize it before? I dreamed about it because I've checked everyone's resume. That memory worked in my subconscious, and that's why I dreamed of the i—hmmmgh thing!”
“‘Hmmmgh!’ that again, huh?” his comment. “It's enough..”
“Hahh... hahh... forgive me..” says Isuzu, his shoulders are up and down.
“But that is not a mistake in filtering. She is a High School student. He looks like a kid, but he went to Amagi High School, just like us. She is a first year student.”
“What? Uhh...” Seiya stuck her head out into the hallway, but she was already gone.
“Why didn't you say it before?!”
“I want to.. but I'm afraid I'll talk too much more.”.
“Yeah... we have to email him an apology later.” Seiya grumbled.
“I doubt he'll propose again after the way you treated him.”
“Ya, but it's a worthy thing to do.”
Isuzu was stunned by how sincere he sounded. “...Once.”
They finished clearing the conference room not long after that. They kept the cleaning equipment, then headed for their office, which was located in the same building, to prepare to go home.
They were about to leave with the bag in their hands when suddenly Isuzu spoke up. “Kanie-kun.”
“Hmm?”
“You were right about what you said.”
It just appeared so that Seiya did not know what he was talking about. “What did I say about what?”
“What you and Moffle said before.. that I have good eyesight towards people, but also have problems communicating.” Isuzu admitted stiffly.
“Ahh..”.
He kept talking as they walked down the empty hallway. “I myself do not fully understand. When I work for someone, analyzing others, I can stay calm. But when I'm in charge, I lose my objectivity. That's why I made so many mistakes. I'm really on the verge of doing permanent damage.”.
Seiya recalled that, before his arrival, he was the managing manager here. Isuzu seems to be working quite hard, but none of his efforts have come to fruition. As a result, the park became pushed towards the brink of closure. At the end of last year, they found themselves in an impossible position to get 100,000 visitors to the park in two weeks. It was then that he asked Seiya, and he achieved his miracle (the cheat). The current managing manager has made extraordinary things happen, while the former managing manager has done nothing: and now, he has to serve as his secretary. I can't imagine how frustrating that would be for him.
Too bad he can't use his magic to read his mind. “Valuing people and interacting with them is a completely different talent,” he told her. “You don't need to worry too much about it.” The statement is not very important; it is like telling a baseball player, ‘ throwing and hitting is a completely different talent.’
But he was speechless, with widened eyes. It was an expression he had never seen from her before—as if he was going to cry out of gratitude. “Kanie-kun's chat. You are really cruel,” he said. “It would be much easier if you just envy and hate you, but you won't let me do it. I've been trying to tell myself that the skill difference between us is a gift, but that's not what I really feel: I envy you so much. I just can't accept that feeling because I—hmmmgh!”
What the fuck? thought Seiya with annoyance. Back to “hmmmgh”?
“Hey... Never mind, control yourself.” Seiya watched, dumbfounded, as Isuzu banged his head against the window of the passageway. “I think the bean is still working..”
Just when it seemed that he was speaking from the heart for the first time, this happened. There was no way he could take it seriously. But one thing he knows is that Sento Isuzu has a lot of internal conflicts.
Of course, it is understandable if a mediocre person would fight in the presence of a Renaissance man like him today.. “Well, it is only natural that you would be envious of my talent,” said it was disrespectful. “It happens all the time, so don't let it bother you; it doesn't bother me in the least.”
“Kanie-kun. attitude ‘look down on you from my great position’ it is quite cruel..” Isuzu mumbled mullingly.
“How can I not look down on you?” he wants to know. “I really am above you.”
“Goddess Libra, bring misery to this man.” Isuzu sighs, then returns her bag to her shoulder.
They had a brief discussion about their upcoming schedule, then parted ways in the underground hallway of the park.
...----------------...
Isuzu headed towards Maple Castle, at the center of the park, while Seiya headed for the staff entrance. Seiya still had quite a lot of work to do, but most of it was emailing, so he decided he would do it after arriving home.
He passed through the entrance to the bicycle parking lot. He rides his bike to work these days, due to the fact that he tends to work late at night making chasing the bus uncomfortable. Fortunately, his residence was close by, so despite walking leisurely, it didn't take more than 30 minutes.
“Ah, Kanie-san. Good work today.” A cast member, was heading to the bus stop, greeting him.
Seiya replied with a “hei,” and nothing more, then started riding his bike. It was night time in April, so it was still cold outside, and he closed his jacket zipper with one hand while pedaling his bike.
He left the narrow path used by the employees towards the main road, and cut through the green hills towards the center of Amagi City.
“Fixed, it really looked like..” Seiya whispered, his voice was soft enough to be swallowed by the wind.
He's not stupid. He also didn't really forget. It has a faint picture of what ‘kang’ did to Isuzu. He heard what he said each time before he restrained himself, and he remembered. And the pattern of things he avoids to say shows—
He can't be sure, but—
It's just a hypothesis, but—
Is he interested in me?
He wished it was just his obsession with himself that was ordinary, but.. A strange kind of bean forced Sento Isuzu—who usually never expressed himself in any way other than anger—to speak from the heart, and he's trying to control himself. That's why he's acting like that. If for no other reason, it was almost certain that she harbored some sort of feeling for him.
The bigger problem was that by the time he realized this, he found his own heart beating a little faster. He hopes he can stay to say “ya gosh, what a troublesome change of events” and remain someone cool and above all as usual. But he can't. He's excited. He even kind of liked that thought.
Still, he could not imagine some problems:
Problem one: He and I (each) are still bosses and employees.
It is not good for a boss to date an employee, he said in his heart. It was like a club chairman dating a team representative: Emotions cloud judgment, and team confidence is shattered. A manager (who acts) experiencing sexual tension with his secretary is really hard to believe.
Problem two: What about Latifah?
Well, it's not that she and I are in love or anything, she said inwardly in guilt. She did kiss me because of that ‘ramalan’ of hers, and honestly, of all the women in my life so far, she was probably the most attractive woman to me. Of course, he forgot all about it, but that doesn't mean my interest in him is wiped out.
Problem three: What if I just imagined it?
I don't think so, but what if a small but fatal error in judgment led me to the wrong hypothesis? he's pensive. How about if my tongue tucked makes it sound like I'm interested, and Isuzu says, “It looks like you misunderstood” or “Sorry, I feel you're not pulling” very much? I can never go back. My pride will be destroyed forever. He had to drop himself from Maple Castle and die—and he didn't want to die.
“Hmm..”
The road's down from here. A truck passed beside him, shaking off the cold wind.
In front is a four-way intersection. When the light turns yellow, it brakes and stops. A moment later, a large tanker truck tore through his vision, shaking the ground beneath. The truck was running pretty fast. If he did not stop at the yellow light, something bad could have happened to him.
Is this some kind of sign? Seiya wondered, gripping the brake lever tightly.
Okay, he decided. It was a yellow light. Yellows. Yellow means be careful.
Just pretend you are unaware of what happened today, he said in his heart. I was just a rude and unconscious man. I don't know what those weird beans are doing. I will not think deeply about Isuzu's words. That should delay everything for a while.
He made a decision, he felt much better. Usually he wants to talk to someone and calm his mind, but he has no one he can pour his heart into: Kanie Seiya is a reclusive man.
At that moment, he felt the smartphone stored away in his back pocket vibrate. He just received an email.
“……!”
It might have been spam, but regardless, he pulled out his phone and checked it. It is from Sento Isuzu. Seiya gasped, though not quite panicked—more like tension.
He opened the email. “....Yes, as expected.”
As he thought, it was only about the job: the interview schedule for tomorrow, and so on; his recourse to deal with Chujo Shiina, the person he had turned his face away from before; additional information about Adachi Eiko and Bando Biino. He explained it all simply and without any additions.
《I understand. See you again》He typed briefly.
The light turned green. He was speeding down the two-lane one-way street when his phone shook again. He stopped his bike and checked his email: it was from Isuzu.
《Thank you for everything. I'm sorry about today.》A short message. How should he interpret it? Seiya spent the rest of the night thinking about it, but he could not reach a conclusion.
...----------------...