How about Blue Justice?
「Uh, shit, shit…」
I was crying.
I was crying in the futon.
It’s not because I’m worried about the future. It’s also not because I lost a friend. A brat younger than me made me cry. That shitty wheelchair brat, her stare was unbelievable. Her expression was unbelievable. I told her about the defect in the flyer out of my little kindness and curiosity, and yet,
『… Haa?』
That.
Haa? She said. No, why?! I can’t take it anymore. I feel sick somehow. I decided not to take even one step away from home tomorrow. Anyway, it’s still too early to resign. I will restore my energy now and beat up heroes to a corner next time. I will avenge you, Kuwazome!
The next morning, the landlord came to collect the rent so escaped through the window.
Still, I left without any plans so I don’t know what to do with my free time. Then I noticed. I do not have anything that can be called a hobby. What pastime? I do at least watch TV shows and listen to music. But nothing more than that. I wonder how I’ve been spending my time during day offs until now.
Before I knew it, I was walking to the station. There were few people, but unlike yesterday, families going out together stand out. There were housewives pushing a stroller and brats hanging around. It was really peaceful. Nobody would expect that an evil organization combatant like me is mixed among them. … No, even if they expected it, they would ignore it. Even if my identity is revealed here or a kaijin appeared in this place, those people will go through the ticket gates, ride the train, and go to the shopping center with a face that says it is none of their concern.
It seems ridiculous. I thought I should go home, but I inadvertently caught something with my eye. Today as well, that wheelchair girl was handing out flyers. I was in a hurry and did not look yesterday morning, and did not see properly because it was dark last night, but her face is not quite bad. Or more precisely, it’s nice. Her looks are also fine and cute. Rather than calling it brown, her chestnut-colored wavy hair looked soft like cotton candy. Is it because she is in a wheelchair? She looks very small. No, she’s at least 15 or 16 years old, right? Pink dress with frills and the white bag placed on top of her lap. White knee socks and white low heeled pumps. … Somehow, she looks sweet. It feels like she is made out of sugar. She seems so weak that I want to protect her.
Well, there’s no doubt that her personality is bad. Her stare is also bad and unfriendly. Even if somebody takes a flyer from her, she will not say any thanks. As if to say that it’s just natural. I got somewhat angry. How great are you? Will you be forgiven with whatever you do if you’re cute? Stop kidding me, I’m not a lolicon. Even if everyone forgives you, I’m the only one who will not.
Words telling me to vent out my anger floated inside my head, but my legs did not stop. Why is it just me who was stared at with such cruel eyes? What am I doing?
「Hey.」
When I stopped in front of the wheelchair girl, she raised her small hand. She is handing out a flyer. I took it by snatching it away from her.
「How dare you do that to me yesterday.」, I am used to this way of speaking.
The girl raised her small face. She stares at my face and knit her brows out of curiosity, or rather, suspicion.
「You’re getting in my way.」
I almost faltered. But I’m different from yesterday. Yesterday is that. Various emotions came so I was in a sentimental and melancholic state.
「You, you don’t remember?」
「I said you’re getting in my way, right?」
Her face suddenly distorted. I don’t need her to apologize, but this bastard is looking down on me. I’m a combatant for six years.
「Although I spoke kindly, how could you say something like that?」
「Kindly?」
「The telephone number, wasn’t there nothing written?」, saying that, I show the flyer.
「It’s written. More importantly, what was that just now? Are you calling the police? Will you scream over there until a hero comes?」
「Ha?」
When I turned over the flyer, the telephone number, some address, and salary were written right there. So messy. She wrote it in.
「Hey, I don’t have other intentions like that, I just only…」
「You’re interrupting my work so can you go somewhere else? Or rather, I will be really angry if you don’t.」
The gazes from the surroundings pierce me. If I calmly think about it, it’s a scene of a man with a large build like me picking a fight with a frail girl. It won’t be strange if I’m reported. Aside from the police, if a hero even shows up, it’s the end of my life.
The wheelchair girl suddenly laughed with scorn. She’s acting to look down on others, but it really suits her well.
「Or do you want to be a hero?」
For a moment, my voice didn’t come out.
「Your figure is good. Hee, do you train? A student? Are you doing some club activities?」
「I’m not a student.」
「Oh my, that’s disappointing. In that case, you’re already working somewhere?」
「N, no…」
For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say the truth.
When I was hesitating, she turned her face towards me. She was glaring at my body with a look that seems to be scrutinizing and appraising me.
「You’re an indecisive person.」
A hero? What are you saying to a guy like me other than that?
「If you don’t have any business, can you leave? You’re an eyesore.」
I scan the flyer. A hero deployment agency? Yeah. The salary is, frankly speaking, bad. It’s new without even a track record, and yet you’re looking down on me. In this town, there are tens, hundreds of companies and workers in the same business. When the pay is not good, that means nobody is interested.
「Can I have two jobs at the same time?」
「Ha?」
「Well, I’m also working somewhere else. I think I should say something like this first.」
With her small eyes wide open, the girl looked back and forth between me and the flyer.
「Are you serious? You’re not joking, right?」
「For now, let me hear even just the details. Ah, that’s right. Is there an interview for this? Should I have something like a resume?」
Since I was hired by a scout in the place I am working right now, I have never been particularly in an interview. Thinking about it over again, I became unsure if I am really an employee there.
「Ho, hold on. Are you really serious? I’m not boasting, but our working conditions are not good.」
「I just have to be ready.」
「We can’t even pay you that much.」
Hey hey. Is it normal to say something like that? Persuade me even if you’re tricking me.
「Since I will be working on two jobs, well, I don’t mind that.」
It doesn’t mean that I’m lured in by the word hero. I only want money. As long as you have money, you will be fine. Because you can buy happiness with that. However, there is no decent place of employment for a guy working in an evil organization. They will provoke resentment in work. Although they can work while hiding their identity with suit and mask, it’s a bad impression for a workplace where faces are in full view. Therefore, isn’t a hero the most suitable for them? They can hide their identity and also wear a suit, and if they have some strength and stamina, there would be no need for qualifications or work experience. A temporary employee is fine too. Actually, it’s not different from my current workplace. It’s not different from what I do either. It’s basically just running around and fighting. If there’s anything different, it would be my stand. Justice or evil? That’s the only difference, I’m sure.
「… R, resume is not needed. For now, can you come to us?」
There’s no need to hesitate. I don’t believe in fate or destiny. Probably, because the road that a garbage like me can choose is only this.
I was brought along by her, after walking quite some distance away from the station, to a dirty multi-tenant building. (I would have arrived faster If it was just me walking.) It’s a four-story building, but there are no tenants. Rather, there’s no sign that there are people. I’m not being tricked, right?
「It’s on the topmost, so take the stairs.」
「Ha? What, hey!」
She said only that and got into the elevator. It seems she’s going ahead, but can’t we ride it together? Ah, no, maybe she’s being cautious? That’s how it is, normally. Somehow, It came to the point that I want to go home. I don’t have experience with something like this.
In the end, I came. I arrived. In front of the elevator, the girl was waiting with an irritated look.
「If you want to be a hero, please go up in under five seconds.」
Are you seriously saying that? If I want to become a hero, it’s enough if I complete the legal procedures in the government office and wear a suit.
「Ah, just now, was it a test? Can it be that I failed?」
「… Isn’t that stupid?」
Saying that, she takes out a key from her bag. She nimbly moved forward in the hallway and stopped in front of the furthest door. Oh, is this place what’s called a hero’s den? … This is bad, I’ve gotten incredibly nervous. What should I do if I’m exposed? Th, there’s no way I will be exposed, right? Given that I was disguised anonymously while doing various things.
「Go ahead.」
「Oh, okay.」, pressed on, I went through the door.
Unexpectedly, it is a neat room. The building is a mess so I imagined that it will be dirtier, but there’s not one dust on the vinyl floor. A black leather couch and a glass table. A bookshelf filled with books. Ah, there’s a desk in here. It’s a laptop. I want it. Wow, this television is huge! Eh, why are there a lot of newspapers? Wow, wow! Deep down, I was looking down on them, but it’s what one would expect of a company that dispatches heroes. I can’t smell the stink of someone living in here at all. I want our organization to learn from them. Improve the working conditions even more.
「Sit. You can relax.」
Without getting out of the wheelchair, the girl went towards the window. In there, there’s a wooden executive desk. Although her way of talking is detestable, it looks expensive and presidential. It might be a seat reserved for her, I’m sure. … Hmm?
「What’s the matter?」
Making sure that I’m facing the girl, I sat on the sofa. Ouch, ooh, woah. My hips sink.
「W, well. … You see…」
I have a bad feeling, or perhaps I should say I’m worried.
「What about the other people? I mean, are you the one who will interview me?」
「Is there even something wrong with that?」
「After all, your job is handing out flyers, right?」
When I said that, she raised an eyebrow. Did I say something strange?
「You’re slow. I don’t know who are you looking for, but the president in here is me.」
…… You’re joking, right? N, no, but, you don’t have an impression of someone like that somehow.
「You didn’t notice? It’s fine, I’ll forget about the numerous rudeness and disrespect until now.」
She showed an ill-natured smile on her face.
「Welcome to the hero deployment agency, 『Colors』.」 I’m Shiratori Reiko. I am the greatest human being.」
There’s no self-introduction that’s easier to understand more than this.
「Your name, can you tell me?」
「Aoi Masayoshi. The color blue (青) and well (井) from the water well. Then…」
「If I’m not mistaken, it’s righteous (正) justice (義), am I right? Fufuh, great. Just right for a hero, isn’t that nice name? I’m pleased with you.」
If it’s my workplace, I would be made fun of though. Surely, there’s no doubt that my name is funny. But I don’t feel bad about it. I’m being praised by someone younger than me.
「I’m employing you. You should think of it as an honor. Aoi, you’re our first hero after all.」
Ha?
「I think there’s no point in telling you about the minor details. Simply put, we accept a request then dispatch a hero we deemed suitable for that job, and we’ll do a system where I split the hourly pay in half with the dispatched person. You don’t really need to be here when there’s no job. Because I’ll get in touch with you if there’s work. If I make you go to the workplace directly, there would be no need to meet in here once, right?」
All of it, all of her talk didn’t enter my head. I raised and hand, waited, and interrupted her.
「… Please stop with the casual talk. So, what is it?」
There are a lot of things I want to ask. But wait a minute. Hold on.
「Me, alone? You’re joking, right? The hero is only me?」
She, Shiratori, slightly nodded.
「So far, yes. But the recruitment is ongoing.」
I should have noticed. Getting involved more than this is really terrible, isn’t it? This, a place like this, will I really earn money? No, in the first place, will there be any jobs? After all, it’s a company that where the president herself is handing out flyers.
「The application? Actually, other than me, no one will come, right?」
「I wonder.」, hey.
For numbers, the more, the better. It’s also possible to have backups and the options will increase. If I’m alone, it will be difficult as expected. For instance, if I retire because of injury or sickness, who else will do it?
「The members? Other than the president, who will… No way, something like doing it alone is….」
「Ridiculous. There’s someone who decided to join.」
She spoke nervously, but it seems like the worst case is avoided somehow.
「There’s one driver.」
「Are you kidding me?!」
It’s a driver? Although that’s better than nothing, although that’s better than nothing…!
「Oh well, how about Blue Justice for your name?」
「Ooh? Did you not listen to what I said? You’re unbelievably hopeless. At any rate, you will go out of business soon.」
「Wha…? Are you sane? Are you planning to become a company slave?」
「I’m not! Or rather, a company president doesn’t say something like that!」
The barely remaining motivation was completely lost. Really, it’s impossible. This place will be crushed, including me. I have that sort of feeling.
「I’m sorry, but this conversation didn’t happen.」
I stand up and head to the door at full speed.
「Please, w, wait!」
「I will pray for your good health and business in the future.」
「Don’t pray! I got it, I understand. Compromise, let’s compromise.」
My legs stopped. But I didn’t turn around.
「For the time being, please join us. Also, I will not force you. If I receive a job, I will contact you. If the content is not to your liking, you can even decline.」
Isn’t that normal?
「You’re too soft. Seriously, are you determined to do this?」
To tell the truth, this city is a battleground. The evil organization is running all over the place and the heroes are crawling like worms. It’s a world of catching a weasel asleep. I’m sure.
「You, how old are you?」
「I’m sixteen. Is there a problem?」
So young. Are you serious? You can’t be a president if you’re sixteen, right? Well, if it’s a company like this…
「I think it’s something a kid like you can’t do. Honestly, I don’t recommend it. Or rather, I recommend that you close, okay?」
She doesn’t know that much about the world. At least, that’s what I think, so this kid is in danger.
「I doesn’t matter.」
However.
「To destroy evil, to protect justice, age doesn’t matter.」
She declared. The first thing she said is not about money. This girl declared to destroy evil and protect justice.
What is a hero?
A question comes to mind. I work my brain at a tremendous speed. I was desperate to restrain the emotions about to explode.
「… How long are you going to call me a brat?」
There are no heroes any longer.
Right and wrong, I don’t understand anything.
But there’s no doubt that I’m a bad guy. As an organization combatant, I’m actually only have been doing pointless things. What remained in this hand is already equal to nothing. It’s dirty all over, I haven’t looked at it properly these days.
Why are you so straightforward?
Why do you look so pure?
Why am I…
Why am Iーーーー?
「It’s fine if you want to call me a brat. But stop contradicting me.」
In the end, I could not give up.
「… Stop using the name Blue Justice for me.」
Was I affected by her? Or was I tired? Or did I lose my mind?
「I’m asking you for a better name. President.」
No, there’s no doubt, I wanted to be a hero. That’s for sure.