Chapter Text
"STOP!!"
Shin's voice cut through the air.
The enemy froze in mid-motion.
It lasted less than half a second.
But that was more than enough.
Sakamoto appeared behind the man and knocked him unconscious with a single, clean strike.
...
Once they were certain no one was following them, the three of them stopped on the rooftop of an old apartment building.
The afternoon wind carried the smell of dust and concrete.
Shin dropped heavily onto the ground, clutching his head.
"...My head..."
He winced.
"It feels like someone's hammering nails into my brain..."
Sakamoto leaned silently against the railing, watching him without saying a word.
Nagumo, on the other hand, walked over and crouched down in front of Shin.
"Let me take a look."
Shin looked up.
"...At what?"
"You."
"I'm not injured."
"Yeah."
Nagumo rested his chin on one hand.
"But I'm not so sure about your brain."
"..."
Shin sighed.
"Can you stop saying creepy things like that?"
Nagumo ignored the complaint.
Instead, he lightly flicked Shin's forehead.
Flick.
"Ow!"
"Can you hear my thoughts?"
Shin concentrated.
After several seconds, he slowly shook his head.
"...No."
Nagumo tilted his head.
"What about now?"
"...Still nothing."
"...Really?"
"I'm not lying."
Nagumo stared at him for a few moments.
The usual playful smile gradually faded.
"...Interesting."
"Huh?"
"Normally..." Nagumo began slowly, "...even when you're exhausted, as long as I don't deliberately block you, you can still catch fragments of my thoughts."
"It's practically become instinct for your ability."
"But now..."
He tapped his own temple.
"...There's nothing."
"It's like the door has been completely shut."
Shin lowered his gaze.
"I don't understand it either."
"No."
Nagumo shook his head.
"I think you do."
"You just haven't put the pieces together yet."
Resting his elbows on his knees, he looked at Shin as though studying a particularly fascinating puzzle.
"Do you realize what you actually did back there?"
"...I just shouted."
"No."
Nagumo answered immediately.
"You think you shouted."
"But that isn't what your opponent received."
He traced a straight line through the air with one finger.
"If it had only been your voice..."
"...he would've heard it first."
"...then decided whether to stop."
Nagumo snapped his fingers.
"But that's not what happened."
"His body stopped first."
"His mind reacted afterward."
Shin's eyes widened.
"..."
"Which means..."
Nagumo smiled faintly.
"...your command slipped directly into his thought process."
"It bypassed his ears."
"It bypassed his own will."
"It reached his brain first."
Shin unconsciously clenched his fists.
"...Then..."
"...my ability..."
"Has changed."
Nagumo nodded.
"Until now, your ability only worked in one direction."
"You received."
"You read."
"You observed."
He pointed at Shin.
"But today..."
"...for the first time..."
"...I saw it move in the opposite direction."
"You transmitted."
"You interfered."
"You forced someone else to receive."
Silence settled between them.
Even Sakamoto's expression shifted ever so slightly.
It was rare to see Nagumo analyze someone this thoroughly.
Yet Nagumo still wasn't finished.
He suddenly extended a hand.
"Give me your hand."
"What?"
"Your hand."
"...Why?"
"I want to check something."
Shin looked at him suspiciously.
"...You're not planning to break it, are you?"
Nagumo chuckled.
"If I wanted to, I would've done it while you were distracted."
"..."
"...That doesn't make me feel any better."
Despite himself, Shin held out his hand.
Nagumo gently took hold of his wrist.
There wasn't the slightest bit of force.
Two fingers rested against Shin's pulse.
Then he observed Shin's pupils.
His breathing.
Even the smallest unconscious movements.
After nearly a minute, Nagumo finally let go.
"Pulse is normal."
"Breathing is steady."
"Pupils look fine."
"No signs of neurological overload."
Shin blinked.
"...When did you become a doctor?"
"I didn't."
Nagumo shrugged.
"I've just spent years observing people."
"You keep doing it long enough..."
"...it becomes second nature."
He smiled.
"Especially when they're interesting."
Shin paused.
Nagumo continued.
"Normally..."
"...when I allow it..."
"...you can always read my thoughts."
"...Yeah."
"You've never failed before."
"But now..."
Nagumo looked directly into Shin's eyes.
"I've completely opened my mind."
"And you still can't hear anything."
"That tells me your ability hasn't weakened."
"It's simply focusing in a different direction."
"I can observe you."
"But you..."
"...can't read me anymore."
"...Not even when I deliberately let you."
Shin laughed helplessly.
"You're awfully happy about that."
"I am."
Nagumo answered without hesitation.
"Because..."
"...it's been a long time since something managed to surprise me."
He rested his chin in his palm once again.
"And you..."
"...are the first person in a while who's made me want to keep watching."