Chapter 09, Psychopath 101.

Tokyo, Takashi’s Penthouse.

Takashi got up at down, making something to eat for himself and his freeloaders.

Ping-Ping. A new message from Reika.

- Hello Taka-kun, hope you slept well (and didn’t spent all your night on games or it will make me sad SMILEY TRISTE).

- Hi, no, I didn’t stay up all night.

- Hm, I don’t believe you, show me your face I will check.

- Don’t you just want to see me?

- Hm, I take the fifth. (Laughing Smiley.)

- Video-call ?

- OK.

As Takashi launched the video-call, he could see that Reika was still under her sheets, with her bed-hair.

“Hi, Taka-kun”.

“Hi, what are you plans for today?”

“I’ve some singing’s lessons this morning, lunch then dance’s lessons this afternoon.”

“Don’t wana get out of your bed?”

“Hm, no, I so want to sleep again”.

“I so want to be next to you now”.

“… Takashi-kun, YOU ECHI”. Said Reika, blushing furiously before she hung up the call.

As time went, Takashi wasn’t as shy as when they started to date. He was now assertive enough to tease her a little. It was still innocent between them. It was still only limited to Reika.

Done with the food preparations, he took some for himself and let the rest under a net in the kitchen. He then took his food to his computer room, as he wanted to start with Kishimoto identity. Even if she took some time to choose her new name. Passing next to the gym room he made, he heard some noises. Kaze. Seam like he already went training, guess last night’s events had an effect on him.

Starting to tape, Takashi rapidly established a realistic backstory for Kishimoto. He didn’t change the major things.

Same date and place of birth to keep things simple, dead parents? Hm, not sure for that, could look like she lost her family twice after what happened yesterday. Let’s make her enroll at our school, it will keep her close to her crush, her stalker and me. I can transfer some money in a trust and establish a monthly allowance for her fees. Let’s make it a scholarship so she don’t have taxes to pay.

Someone knocking on the door of his computer room made Takashi turn around. Sei was looking at him, her look asking what he was doing.

“I was right thinking dad gave you a key to check on me then. You can come looking if you want, I need your insight designing Kishimoto new identity.”

“Actually, it was your mother. She also told me to check under your bed, in your socks drawer and to lookup your internet search history if I could”. She said mischievously, making Takashi cough on his orange-mango juice.

“For god’s sake, mom...”

“Well, she does love you, you know? Even if she can’t always show it with the way your father acts.”

“They know about Reika then?”

“Yep, your mother said to take precautions even if she’s a nice girl. And to plan carefully before the two of you make your choices. She also add she would love three grand-kids.”

“Grand-kids? We only dated for three weeks! What is she doing now, planing our wedding?”

“...”

“So, she’s really planning it…” added Takashi, defeated.

“That’s your mother for you.”

“I have to warn Reika, she will definitely reach to her.”

Launching a video-call, Takashi waited for his girlfriend to answer it.

“Takashi?” answered Reika.

“Hi, Reika-chan, I need to warn you about my mother.”

“Who’s the woman behind you?”

“Erh, that’s Sei, she work for my father as a courier, and checking on me occasionally. Which mean on us now...”

“Do you regret it? Are you ashamed of me?”

“NO! Never. It’s just that my mom can be a little special usually.”

“Special?”

“She’s planning our wedding and the number of child we should have”.

The effect of this bomb made Reika flush a deep red.

“...”

Silence went on for some times.

“Reika-chan?”

“...”

“I think you broke your girlfriend, Taka-kun”. Said Sei, giggling.

Meanwhile, Kato and Kurono were standing in front of the building, with Kurono brooding in front of Takashi’s wealth. Having buzzed the doorbell and waited for the tenant to open the door for them, they were told to reach the top floor. Which didn’t help Kurono’s current mood.

There they saw the rest of the group waiting for them around the big kitchen table. Takashi having brought a tablet he was using to communicate with someone.

“So, you already know Sei, this are KAZE Daizemon my fighting-coach who live here for the moment, KEI Kurono and MAZARU Kato two schoolmates, the girl is Kishimoto a friend of Kato who’s freeloading due to family issues.” Said Takashi, listing all persons present for Reika.

“Why can’t Kishimoto stay at my place?” asked Kurono, jalous.

“Cause your’s is tiny and you wouldn’t stop ogling her.” Snapped Sei, tired of the teenager attitude, making him blush in front of his crush.

“I have to prepare for school now, I will call you back tonight”.

Reika’s answer was inaudible for the rest of the group like her previous ones, as Takashi used an earpiece, he didn’t want them talking to her. Especially Kurono, that guy was a leach.

“Are you really going to school? You’re the absentee record holder champion”. Try to argue Kurono, not liking Sei retort against him.

“Gantz’ missions are the most important thing right now, including staying under the radar. I want all of you to maintain your current life as much as possible, especially during the day. You can come back here after school or work, I will show you how to train with gantz’ gear. As for your earlier attitude, I don’t care. You already saw I’ve a girlfriend and don’t hold any interest in Kishimoto. The missions we have to do can get us killed. It can make us known to the authorities and others groups who could try to coerce us. I keep my priorities straight unlike you.”

“I can focus on any mission you could throw at me anytime”.

Takashi was looking at him intensely. Still masking his anger.

I need him for the group, I can’t get him kicked out.

“Ok, lets see if you can deliver. I want you to approach one of your classmates and maintain a relationship for a time. You will have to keep track of everything this classmate say, do and everyone having an interaction with him or her.”

“Deal”.

Takashi pretended to ponder a moment, then said.

“KOJIMA Tae.”

With that Kurono’s lust should be taken care of, letting me have time to get rid of Kato’s leech’s feelings for him.

Plus it will piss-off Kurono...

Later that day, as they all went separately, Takashi was sitting on a bench, looking at the gantz’ website again, he was using a phone he boosted a little with gantz' technology, when someone sat next to him.

“Strange website you’re looking at”.

“Not so strange if you’re looking at it yourself” responded Takashi, pointing to the stranger’s phone screen.

“Well, you can’t say the stuff they tell about are not strange. Aliens, weird technology the world never heard of, saving the world?”

“Listening to you, you look like you would want to be one of them” said Takashi, as he kept his gaze up, surveying his surrounding.”

“Well, it’s true I would like to. I always had this weird feeling waking up. Like I was one of them and suddenly forgot about it.”

Takashi head snapped in the stranger’s direction. Staring at him for a long time.

As silence kept going between them, Takashi was the first to break the tension. Putting a prepaid phone on the bench, he finally answered.

“Keep it and answer when we contact you.”

“Thanks.” said the stranger greening.

“It doesn’t mean we will welcome you back immediately. We will have you tested first”.

“I can ace any test you throw my way WATANABE-san” said Izumi.