Chapter 3
Yuichi wondered what Allen wanted to show him after being told that. Fully curious, he followed Allen to a steep road that led to higher ground until they reached the destination.
The destination was a park where the cityscape of Tokyo can be seen.
Yuichi, who was a first-timer at the park, could not help but get mesmerized by the incredible view from the altitude. Allen rested his back and arms at the handrail and joined the cityscape viewing.
"Pretty as a picture, isn't?" Allen sought confirmation of the view's beauty from Yuichi.
"You're right."
Yuichi then asked Allen, "Why did you bring me to this spot?"
"No reason, really. I just felt like doing it. Besides, who hates this kind of view?"
Yuichi smiled at the view. That was when Allen began talking about the place.
"A few years ago… before I took a trip to Osaka for that mission, I wanted to roam around the city. Just to see how much my hometown has changed since I left for America. And a lot has changed, all right. Then I decided to look at the picture of the city so I followed a random steep road and I stumbled across this park.
You know, I never wish to come back here in Japan because I didn't leave enough good memories. But the second I faced the scenery, I was captivated by it… and that was when I thought, 'It would be nice to live here again,' leaving my past behind."
It was as if nostalgia came to Allen. That was Yuichi's evaluation after listening to every word.
Before he realized, he was already looking away from the view just to hear the story.
"You…"
Allen removed himself from the handrail and stretched his arms upward. He began walking away and informed Yuichi, "We should head back. Hey, let's eat together at Ino-san's restaurant!"
Yuichi continued his stare at the man. He chuckled and followed Allen back to Sekino Restaurant.
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Since their reunion, things have been going steady for the freelancers. Yuichi has been improving his photography skills by accepting jobs from clients while his passion remains lit.
As for Allen, his one-man AonOdd Jobs has been getting income that is enough for him to pay rent and anything else and he's become a trusted errand man in some areas of Tokyo.
However, he sometimes gets in trouble with the Tokyo Police in exchange for completing errands like designing toys that turned out to be disguised explosives, fighting thugs for a peaceful neighborhood where he was suspected as one of them, searching for a lost child when he was thought to be doing something inappropriate…
And the one that's happening right now.
'For a puppy, he runs too fast.'
"Come back here! You must be tired from wandering around!"
Allen loudly calls on the runaway dog while crossing a road with the green light still on. And because of that, cars are swerving around causing commotion at the crossroad.
The dog is still on the loose and Allen hears a police siren approaching his direction.
"The police again? Gimme a break!"
He knows he's about to get in trouble with the police again.
The police car letting out the siren noise nears the running Allen inch by inch. The policeman at the passenger seat gets his upper body out of the window and warns Allen.
"Allen Aono! You're in trouble again!" Police Superintendent Yoshi Otake of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department yells with a megaphone.
Allen remains on the run and shouts back at Otake, "I've got no time for you! Can't you see I'm doing an errand?!"
While running, Allen notices something.
Every time he gets in trouble with Otake, Sergeant Takashi Takahashi assists the superintendent by bringing out a minigun and shooting rounds of it.
With that fact, he feels a sense of relief.
"You just caused a ruckus at the junction!"
"Why the hell are you blaming me?! Blame the dog!"
The dog sees an alley at the left and runs to it with a sudden turn. Allen hits the brakes and turns around while saying goodbye to the police, "(salutes) See ya later, Chief!"
Allen gets away from Otake's sight and the chief screams, "COME BACK HERE!!! AND I'M A CHIEF!!!"
Some time later, Yuichi is still at the wedding event that had its ceremony ended, removing his camera from the tripod he brought and is about to take a picture of the event couple and attendees with his arms outside a church.
Everyone is ready to properly pose for the landscape picture and Yuichi has the green light to take one shot. He is about to press the shutter button when a man screaming from a distance is heard and is heading their way.
"Get back here, you little doge!!!"
Alas, it is Allen chasing the little creature all day. He and the puppy unintentionally take the path where there is space between Yuichi and the subjects.
It happens so fast that no one, including the photographer, notices.
Yuichi presses the button and the flash instantly lights up the area.
The shot catches Allen and the doge—I mean puppy.
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Yuichi looks through the photos he took from the wedding and he sees the one with Allen and the puppy as photo bombers as they are walking together.
Yuichi sighs and reacts, "You've done it now."
"What are you muttering about? At least you got to retake a shot," says Allen who successfully captures the puppy and is holding it right now.
He holds the puppy up and gently scolds him, "You are troublesome, little guy. Don't run again on your own, okay?"
The puppy looks with smiling eyes at his captor and barks adorably.
"Arf!"
Allen puts the puppy back on his arms and asks Yuichi, "So, how was the job?"
"Great, until you came," Yuichi nonchalantly replies.
"Why only mention me, not this little guy right here?"
Yuichi looks at his camera again to see the photo-bombed picture. He goes to the option of deleting it and a dialog box pops up.
[Are you sure you want to delete this photo?]
He has the option to press [Yes] or [No]. But after a few seconds, he just smiles and presses the second option, prompting the box to close.
While caressing the puppy, Allen speaks, "This little guy right here may be adorable, but not this job. Honestly…"
Yuichi argues, "You should be used to that kind of job, I know it's not your first time."
Allen sighs heavily and asks Yuichi to come with him to return the puppy to its owner, which the latter accepts.
They do that and finally come home to the Sekino House.
"Home sweet home," Allen expressed.
They begin to head upstairs with Allen slouching and holding on the handrail, tired from running around the city.
He and Yuichi reach the corridor of the apartment when they see a good-looking woman standing in front of Room 1.
That good-looking woman has fair skin, purple eyes, silky black hair, and wears an off-shoulder dress.
The woman notices both men and nicely asks them, "Is this the AonOdd Jobs?"
They are completely distracted by her stunning beauty in the midst of an orange dusk.
To get away from distraction, Allen speaks, "If this were to be adapted into an anime, can we get on with the theme song now?"