Haruto didn't respond to Frenda's question.
Instead, it was Frenda who shifted her gaze toward the window. She looked at the Star Sea Academy that was still under construction.
Suddenly, Frenda understood.
"You're someone from outside Academy City."
Haruto nodded in approval.
As expected of a clever girl.
Although, Haruto's origin wasn't exactly difficult to guess. Anyone who could effortlessly sweep through the top of Academy City's hierarchy...
Such power most likely didn't come from within.
Otherwise, Academy City would have changed hands long ago. The only reasonable assumption was that he was an outsider—a dragon crossing into foreign waters.
And the Star Sea Academy was like a declaration. A sign that Academy City was about to change.
This change wouldn't affect the normal citizens living under the sun. But it would bring earth-shattering transformation to those living in the shadows.
Frenda stared at the Star Sea Academy outside, falling into deep thought.
If the Dark Side was disbanded... then where would she go?
"Nowhere to go?"
Haruto asked casually.
Frenda turned her head and blinked.
Somehow, this process felt familiar. It reminded her of how she joined the Dark Side back then. But there were subtle differences now.
Just as Frenda was thinking this over, a business card was slid across the table.
Frenda picked it up.
It was an entirely black card, the coating unlike anything she had ever seen—it seemed to absorb all visible light.
On the front of the card, in an area untouched by the coating, was a semi-symbolic emblem:
Three arrows pointing inward, surrounded by a circle that extended outward.
Below the emblem was a label: 'SCP Foundation'
On the back of the card, there was only a single line of small text:
We Secure, We Contain, We Protect.
"If you're interested, feel free to contact us. The salary, benefits, and treatment are all excellent. And once you join us, you can proudly say—you're fighting for all that is good in this world."
Upon hearing this, Frenda shot a suspicious glance at Haruto.
"Somehow, saying something like 'fighting for good' just screams a bumpy road ahead."
Haruto chuckled softly and placed his hand on her pink beret, giving it a gentle rub.
Then he turned and left.
Frenda held the card, flipping it over a few more times.
"In the end, all I got was this card. Even if I'm interested, how am I supposed to contact them!"
Grumbling, Frenda pulled out her phone, intending to use her personal network to dig up some information.
However, the moment her phone got close to the black card—
A series of phone numbers suddenly popped up, constantly changing in real-time. A dialog box also appeared on her screen.
'Welcome to Contact'
Frenda flipped the card over again and again.
It was obviously too thin to contain any technological components—not even space for an embedded chip.
Yet it could so easily invade her phone.
What kind of black-tech is this?!
If Frenda weren't sure there were no esper users around, she would've thought Haruto had sent some hacker-type esper to mess with her.
She carefully stashed the card away.
"In the end, it's just switching bosses. Alright, let's say it's for the sake of staying alive. After all, my life is pretty valuable. Guess it's worth the trouble."
Saying this, Frenda began sending messages to her "friends."
Her phone contained over a thousand contacts. Each one was someone she could hold a proper conversation with.
You could say that Frenda's network practically covered all of Academy City, spanning across every domain within it. These were resources she had painstakingly cultivated over the years.
So if anyone in Academy City could get in touch with the most talent—
It would undoubtedly be Frenda.
And now, to repay the favor that saved her life, Frenda was using her entire network to connect people.
Doing her best to guide talents she knew toward the SCP Foundation.
Meanwhile, after leaving the restaurant, Haruto prepared to leave.
As for Frenda's choice—
Haruto didn't really care. It was just something he did on a whim.
Though he probably didn't expect that this casual act would cause the Foundation's HR department to become busier than they had in a long time.
The matter of Academy City was wrapped up.
Misaki chose to remain in Academy City, and had officially reported to Tokiwadai yesterday.
That girl had originally tried to drag Haruto along with her but he slipped away.
What kind of man would waltz into a girls' school?
The Dark Side had been dealt with. The Star Sea Academy was now steadily progressing in construction.
It was time for Haruto to leave Academy City.
Upon returning to Japan, Haruto happened to run into an old acquaintance on the streets of Chiba.
"Miss 'Return to Nature.'"
Haruto greeted with a smile.
Upon hearing that, Ikuyo Kita looked visibly shaken.
What kind of nickname is 'Miss Return to Nature'?!
Although... her name 'Ikuyo' did sound quite similar to the phrase 'return to nature' in Japanese.
She turned around dazedly, and when she saw Haruto—
She involuntarily shuddered.
A bit of PTSD kicking in.
"You! Why did you suddenly show up again?!"
As a member of a four-girl band—
After their Tokyo Dome performance, Miss Return to Nature had gone looking for Haruto.
Wanting to settle the score for the trick he pulled on them.
However, Haruto had long expected that after tricking the four girls into going to Tokyo Dome...
They'd come looking for payback after the show.
So he avoided them for a while.
Speaking of the "Kessoku Band" girls—
This band had hit their peak from the moment they debuted.
After their Tokyo Dome performance, they were flooded with commercial performance offers. But from what Haruto knew, they hadn't accepted a single one.
Even though the offers came with very tempting paychecks.
Just like how they didn't immediately join the 'Umbrella' talent agency—
The four of them unanimously decided to decline all those commercial gigs and went quiet.
Occasionally, they'd perform at the small venue in Shimokitazawa, run by Nijika Ijichi's older sister.
To the Japanese entertainment industry, their actions were baffling—but also seen as a breath of fresh air.
"Well, I've been busy lately. How about you all—still playing rock?"
Haruto smiled and changed the subject.
Hearing that, Ikuyo Kita defensively hugged herself.
The trauma of being tricked into performing at Tokyo Dome was still fresh. Who goes straight from a tiny venue to the biggest stage in the country?!
Back then, Ikuyo and the others were terrified of messing up.
A single misstep on that stage, and it would've been career-ending. Though it ended well, Ikuyo sincerely never wanted to go through that again.
To Haruto's question, she really wanted to say they weren't playing anymore—
Not even a little!
But... she had her guitar slung over her back and Ikuyo wasn't the type to lie.
"Yeah, we're still performing together."
She answered.
"Are you happy?"
Haruto's second question caught Ikuyo off guard but she didn't hesitate to answer.
"Mhm. Very happy."
Even though she'd joined the band in a haze and been thrown into Tokyo Dome by surprise—
Playing in the band with everyone was truly fun.
"That's good. Are you heading to a gig? Are there still tickets available?"
Haruto asked with a smile.
Ikuyo blinked.
She thought that upon meeting again, Haruto would try to get them to join a company or push them into another commercial performance or something.
But after everything they'd been through, this guy simply asked—
"Are you happy?"
What a weirdo...
She pulled a ticket from her pocket and handed it to Haruto. He tried to pay her but Ikuyo waved it off.
"Consider it my treat. After all, we're friends, aren't we?"
Hearing that, Haruto smiled and nodded, accepting the ticket.
The two of them walked together toward the Shimokitazawa live house.
By the time they arrived, they saw that the previously quiet area was now buzzing with people.
A long line had formed outside the underground venue.
Something that had never happened before.
Seeing this, Haruto smiled.
The last time he came, it was pouring rain, and almost no one showed up. The ones holding "their" band's tickets were few and far between.
But now, things were completely different.