"He wouldn't be," I replied with a confident smirk. "If he is, we'll take care of it."
I glanced at Dove, who was basking in the attention of her fans, a radiant smile on her face.
So this is what she does for fun. She seems to be enjoying it.
I thought to myself, a wave of amusement washing over me.
The three of us stood at a distance, watching Dove interact with her fans.
"So, what are we doing now?" IM asked, a hint of boredom in his voice.
"Walk around, I guess?" I suggested.
"Sure, I want to see what this place is all about," Irune chimed in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
We spent the rest of the day wandering around the festival, taking in the sights and sounds. We saw countless cosplayers dressed as characters from anime, manga, and video games. We watched live performances, browsed through stalls selling merchandise, and even tried some of the unique food offerings. It was a fun and eye-opening experience, but also a bit overwhelming for someone like me who wasn't used to large crowds.
As the day wore on, I grew increasingly bored. I had seen everything I wanted to see, and the constant noise and activity were starting to grate on my nerves.
By 8:25 PM, we found ourselves waiting outside the women's restroom for Dove to finish changing.
"She's taking forever," Irune complained, tapping her foot impatiently.
Just then, the restroom door opened, and Dove emerged, a tired smile on her face. She was still wearing her regular clothes, the Red Hood costume safely tucked away in her bag.
"Geez, I'm exhausted," she sighed, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.
"Dove-sama!" Irune squealed, rushing forward to embrace her.
"Ah, Irune, careful!" Dove chuckled, patting her on the back.
IM and I approached them, and I couldn't help but notice how tired Dove looked.
"You do this every time?" I asked, concerned.
"Not really," Dove replied, yawning. "This was a special event. I got an endorsement to be here."
"Well, I'm glad it's over," I said, stretching my arms and feeling the satisfying ache of a long day. "I'm exhausted."
"Me too," Dove agreed. "But it was fun, wasn't it?"
"Definitely," Irune chimed in. "I got to meet so many of my fans and make new friends."
"Shall we head home?" IM suggested, a hint of tiredness in his voice.
"Yes, let's go," Dove agreed, leading the way out of the bustling convention center.
As we made our way towards the parking lot, a familiar sense of unease crept over me. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. I glanced over my shoulder, but didn't see anyone suspicious.
Maybe it's just my imagination, I thought, trying to dismiss the feeling.
Suddenly, IM nudged my elbow, a silent alarm in his eyes. I followed his gaze and saw a figure lurking in the shadows, their movements furtive and their intentions unclear.
I nodded in understanding. "You guys go to the car," I instructed Dove and Irune. "IM and I need to check something out."
Dove and Irune, clearly exhausted, didn't question my request. They continued towards the parking lot, their footsteps echoing in the empty garage.
IM and I quickly ducked behind a nearby car, concealing ourselves from view. I closed my eyes, focusing my energy.
Imagine... I can sense people around me, I thought, my mind reaching out into the darkness.
A moment later, I could feel it—a presence, lurking just beyond our hiding spot. It was faint, but unmistakable. Someone was watching us.
"It's the same guy who was watching Dove at the convention," I whispered to IM, a chill running down my spine.
IM scoffed. "Told you he was a creep. A stalker, just like you."
"I'm not a stalker!" I retorted, a hint of indignation in my voice.
IM simply raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.
"He's getting closer," I warned, my senses picking up the
"When he gonna past this carm we gonna take him okay?" IM said
I nodded.
The guy finally walked past the car.
Immediately, IM and I grabbed the man.
"Hey, where are you going?" I said, holding his hoodie.
"You've been following us, huh?" IM leaned closer to the guy and took off his mask.
The man's face was revealed under the dim garage lights.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, my voice filled with anger and disgust.
The stalker, clearly caught off guard, stammered, "I... uh... I was just... I mean..."
IM cut him off, his grip on the man's arm tightening. "You've been following us, haven't you? From the convention center, and now here?"
"Umm... I..."
Just then, I saw his hand go to his hoodie pocket, where a knife was concealed.
Swush! The knife went through IM's stomach.
"Get that! I don't want Dove-sama to have a boyfriend like you!" the stalker yelled.
But IM didn't bleed or react in pain. The knife had gone through his body, but the stalker didn't know IM could phase through anything.
"A boyfriend?" IM questioned.
The stalker was confused. The knife hadn't connected with skin or bone; it felt like he hadn't hit anything.
I grabbed the stalker's hand and took the knife. "IM, are you okay?" I panicked.
"Don't worry, it didn'teven hurt me. It makes my body unable to get hurt," IM reassured me.
Swooosh! Thud! IM suddenly raised his leg and elbow, smashing them into the stalker's chest.
"Keugh!?"
"Listen, kiddo, I don't have any emotions to fall in love with, and I'm no one's boyfriend," IM said, holding the stalker's hair.
I just watched. "Also, I'm Dove's cousin, not her boyfriend. You're just jealous."
The stalker's eyes widened; he was clearly scared.
"So," IM continued, his voice low and menacing, "why don't you tell us why you've been following her?"
The stalker trembled, his voice barely a whisper. "I... I'm a fan..."
IM scoffed. "A fan? Is that what you call stalking someone?"
"N-no, I didn't mean it like that. I just admire her so much. I wanted to be close to her," the stalker stammered, his eyes darting nervously between IM and me.
"Close to her? By lurking in the shadows and following her around?" I interjected, my disgust evident in my voice.
The stalker remained silent, his head bowed in shame.
"You know this isn't normal, right?" IM continued. "You need help."
< Chapter 099 > Fin.