TOXIC × NEIGHBOR - Epilogue

(This place is too quiet.)

(Quiet enough that the things that I once tried to suppress and destroy are starting to come back to me.)

……

Ooh~, so that’s how it is.

What are you on about?

(It didn’t seem like he was angry or anything, more like his mind was somewhere else.)

I see, so that’s what you meant by “nostalgic”~

Do you not feel something as silly as “nostalgia”, Ten?

Nope. I get rid of things when I’m done with them.

So, I’m kind of jealous. It’s like you can come to a quiet place while you’re travelling and reminisce on all the things you’ve put aside in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Oh, could this be the real charm of travelling? Maybe I can put it in my report.

From a man with no sense of nostalgia? Sounds like it would be quite the superficial report.

Weeell~, if I think hard enough about it, there might have been some time or another where I made a promise with an ex-girlfriend.

Ha. I don’t hate your scummy nature. At least you’re self aware, which makes you a lot more benign than him.

What exactly is benign scum? And by “him”, do you mean Raito-san?

(…If it weren’t for him being here, I would have just stood here staring and obsessively remembering the past for the rest of the trip.)

(He’s someone to talk to, but just enough so that I’m not left getting lost in unnecessary thoughts.)

……

(It’s nice that he doesn’t try to get closer. I don’t want to be involved, and I don’t want to get involved.)

(It seems like we see eye-to-eye…)

(And that’s fine for now.)

…According to the AI robot that guided us, there aren’t many visitors today.

Wanna stay like this a little longer?

Yeah.

……

Huh, Renga-kun?

Why exactly are you hiding yourself like a spy?

Shhh!

…Over there.

……

……

Ten and Kuguri looked like they were having fun… I mean, it looked like they were having a good time drinking, so I thought maybe I shouldn’t interrupt them.

It seems they’re closer now than they were before leaving for their study trip.

Yeah. Not only that, it sounded like they both enjoyed Estonia from what I read in their report.

They wrote something like “we were helped by people everywhere we went”. It sounds like they were able to make connections with the locals!

…And the Gyoza marzipan that Ten brought back was really cute too…

Not to mention the parakeet marzipan that Kuguri painted.

The liquor they both brought as a souvenir was well received by everyone as well.

This training trip was a big success… right, Chief?

It sure was! I wonder who the next pair will be, and where they’ll go…

…So? How long do you plan on ignoring him? I’m sure he’ll come running over with a wagging tail the second you call for him.

Ah, I’ll have him “stay” tonight while we show off. Aren’t you also in the mood for a chill drink, Kuguri-san?

Ufufu… It seems like people who belong in hell really do get along well.

You flatter me~