Our sincerest apologies We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this construction.
You're alone?
So, how much do you want?
All of it.
I want everything you have.
Huh?
Can you afford that?
No.
What?!
I don't have any money...
But I'm telling you to give me all of the drugs that you have.
Who the hell do you think you are?!
Hey!
Why, you—
You think you can get away?!
Uh...
I would suggest you reconsider.
Who the hell are you?!
My name is Boogiepop... That's just how it is.
Great job, Masaki.
This outfit is so stuffy.
But that's how they're dressed, according to the rumors.
It's rough trying to fight in this outfit, honestly.
You're a hero, Masaki.
Thanks to you,
we saved at least a hundred people from ever coming in contact with these drugs.
It's quite noble.
Noble, huh?
Oh... Your hand.
Huh? My hand?
It's not a big deal.
I'm sorry.
It's all my fault.
Boogiepop and Others
Before I knew it, about two weeks had passed since we started
Dengeki Bunko
this charade of me acting as Boogiepop.
School's going to start soon. What should we do?
I mean, we can't keep doing this forever...
Right?
Y-You're asking me to wear that?
You'll wear it when you appear.
Does this work?
You think I went too hard on this groper?
You really are amazing, Masaki.
I don't really like using you as bait, though.
I still have no idea why she wants me to do this.
I'm actually relieved that today was a dud.
It'd be scary if we got attacked all the time.
What should we do? Should we keep doing this?
Masaki.
What's up?
Isn't there anything you want me to do for you?
I'll do anything you say. I'll do anything you want, Masaki.
I know that's not enough... But...
I'll do everything you desire.
In that case... Why don't we continue this Boogiepop thing a little longer?
Are you sure?
Yeah. I'm actually starting to have some fun with it, too.
You're such an idiot, Masaki.
Yeah...
Well, see you later.
Hey, Masaki. Do you—
Did you say something?
No, it's nothing.
Well, goodnight.
Goodnight.
Hello, this is Orihata.
Camille?
Yes.
The bastard hasn't fallen for the trap yet?
Not as of yet.
Guess they're not gonna fall for something as dumb as having a fake waltzing around.
Whatever.
We're going to have Taniguchi Masaki do something else for us.
Cut ties with him for now.
If it comes down to it, I'm thinking about sterilizing this whole area.
I'll send you further instructions later.
That's all.
Hello, this is Sasahara.
I put the drugs in a coin locker.
Add them to the drinks you serve at the fast food place you work at.
Understood. Carrying out command.
What?
Periodic report.
Yeah?
70% of the spiked cream has been sold.
However, there are no visible changes to the customers who have purchased it.
All right. Begin stage two on the customers who purchased the spiked cream,
regardless of the results.
Understood.
Urgent report.
Did you find something out?!
Apparently, they appear near the expressway overpass sometimes.
That's the fake that I have walking around!
Anything else?
There's a rumor that a shadowy figure like them was spotted on the roof of Twin City.
I know that already! Look into this stuff before calling me, damn it!
Curse you, Boogiepop...
If it comes down to it, I'll level this whole place just to get rid of you!
I can't seem to stop thinking about what they said, though.
I'm currently trying to find the Imaginator that's reemerged...
If I can figure out who the hell this Imaginator is, I might be able to...
No Trespassing
When I get really depressed, I always come here, to my secret place.
Listen.
Try not to go near him until I figure out what's going on.
I first met Jin-niisan when I was five.
You finally have the nerve to show your face, and this is what you do?
Stop it, Nii-san.
It was your decision to leave the family. I have no money to lend you.
Uncle's right, Father.
There's no way he'd let you borrow money so carelessly.
Let's go home.
Yeah, you're right...
He was my first love, but I had no idea what to say to him.
I thought I'd never see him again.
But then, when I was nine,
we would end up meeting again in a way I couldn't have imagined.
You don't need any money?
Yeah, I'm sorry about back then.
I don't need money anymore, though.
Then what do you want?
Koji, do you have any interest in paintings?
Paintings?
Absolute masterpieces.
My current line of work deals with them.
You're selling paintings? But that line of work
requires you to have a really careful eye or you'll mess up someday.
I have nothing to worry about. I'm letting him handle all of that.
You're leaving it to Jin?
He's a genius. He's already gotten countless awards for his art.
I see... Are you planning on becoming an artist in the future, Jin?
It's my dream.
Then, that night...
What were you doing?
Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.
I was just hoping it would snow.
Snow?
Yeah... I could've sworn it looked like it might.
Do you like snow?
Yeah. I know it seems a bit childish, but...
Shortly afterward, my uncle passed away,
and Jin-niisan was all alone.
The cause of his death is still unclear.
There were no signs of poisoning, so the cause of death was left undetermined.
He's such a good boy. They should just adopt him.
But he declined the offer, didn't he?
But I was somewhat relieved that we could continue as cousins,
rather than as brother and sister.
And yet...
Jin-niisan...
Ah, so that's the name of your man?
Identification Card No. **** This card proves that this individual is a student at this school. Grade: Year 2 Name: Kinukawa Kotoe Date of Birth: ****/**/** Shinyou Academy High School
Her name's Kinukawa Kotoe, and she's seventeen years old...
Kinukawa?
The Ladder Ferris Wheel Bathrooms & Rest Areas
Kinukawa Enterprises
So that's why she has the master key.
Perfect. I'll use this to find out more about this Imaginator.
There's something I want to ask you.
Huh?
Have you ever heard of the Imaginator?
Hey, where did you hear that name?
Where the hell is that bastard?
Ah, so it's one person?
I'm asking the questions here!
Listen up. I know guys who got all screwed up
thanks to that Imaginator bastard!
Screwed up? Could you elaborate a bit more on that?
I'll definitely pay you for the intel.
Who the hell are you?
Well, I'm definitely not a friend of the Imaginator.
I haven't seen 'em personally.
I just know a guy who happened to coincidentally see this freak in action.
You're making it sound like they saw some supernatural phenomenon.
Well, he did.
He doesn't know how, but he said this freak managed to send a bunch of guys flying.
Flying?
Yeah. But he didn't punch or kick 'em.
And the ones who got sent flying...
turned on the others.
You make it sound like they're some kind of monster.
Yeah... I don't know what's going on, either.
What happened to the guys who got sent flying?
What happened to 'em?
You mentioned they were all messed up.
Right.
I happened to run into a guy named Tsuyoshi just once after that.
We were never close, but when I called out to him...
The bastard looked over at me and smiled.
And what's so weird about that?
He's just not the type to do that.
I didn't know about the Imaginator back then.
It was just like he was a totally different person.
I see...
So what I've gathered is that the Imaginator does something to these people
and draws them to their side.
Something like that.
So what did their voice sound like?
Voice?
Your friend heard them announce themselves.
That's how you found out their name, right?
Yeah, he said it sounded really clear.
They apparently sounded all high and mighty.
He didn't see their face, though?
Nope.
Come to think of it...
What?
He did mention something about the color white... like, he saw a figure in white.
What's your problem? Did that ring a bell?
Damn it! I can't access it!
Hey...
Never mind. It's nothing.
Hey, who the hell are you?
What are you gonna do with all this info?
You don't want to get revenge for your friends?
And how am I supposed to do that?
Use this cash to gather up some people.
Then we're going to hunt the Imaginator down.
H-How the hell'd you get all this money?
This is nothing... At least, to me.
Hey, Masaki.
What's up?
You've been going out a lot lately.
You think so?
And you've been coming home late. What've you been up to?
It's not a big deal.
What are these calluses?
I've just been practicing karate.
I'd been out of practice since I got to Japan.
Didn't Sakakibara-sensei tell you that you'd get clobbered if you got too cocky?
I know. I promise I'm not being cocky.
There's just some stuff I'm thinking about.
I hope you actually understand...
Café Tristan
Oh? So that's your boyfriend?
He's pretty hot.
Masaki, I...
Is she a friend of yours?
She's... my senpai at school.
The name's Kinukawa Kotoe. Nice to meet you.
Likewise.
Wow, you must be used to girls if you didn't even
hesitate to take another girl's hand.
Seriously, who are you?
I'm Orihata-san's friend, just like you...
Right, Boogiepop-san?
Kinukawa-san knows about us...
Yes, and I'd love to help out.
And why do you want to help?
Do I really need a reason to do the right thing?
You should totally keep at it, Taniguchi-kun.
She came to talk to me about it.
You actually don't want to do it anymore, do you?
Orihata, come with me for a sec.
Oh, don't mind me. I won't get in your way.
I'll pay your tab. Please take your time.
Masaki, I...
What did she do to you?
Nothing...
Who the hell does she think she is?
Does she have something on you?
It's nothing like that. Really.
Then what the hell is going on?
She definitely didn't seem like a friend.
If you're in some kind of trouble, I can—
She saw the outfit.
Outfit?
Yes. She's the daughter of the landlord in my apartment building, so...
Kinukawa? Like Kinukawa Enterprises?
Yes.
But why would she...
Well...
It's convenient that you just happened to be living in Kinukawa Kotoe's territory.
I'm going to make this my base for hunting down this Imaginator.
Imaginator?
I've got plenty of people ready to hunt them down.
You're going to take care of those men.
B-But then, Masaki will...
I told you. We're done with that brat.
What?
Don't tell me you still don't want that brat to hate you.
But the Towa Organization told me that I shouldn't let anyone hate me...
So...
What?!
You think you've got any right to get picky about men now?
Just so you know, I'm not some terminal.
I'm a copy.
How many guys have you taken since you left the facility?
I...
All because they wanted to see if synthetic humans
could crossbreed with normal ones...
But you didn't get knocked up even once.
Right...
I've actually succeeded, and I don't even have anything down there!
So why the hell does a failure like you get to have all the fun?!
God damn it!
Listen carefully, Camille.
Before we cut that brat loose, see if you can crossbreed with him.
Then Masaki will be freed from all of this, right?
Huh? Yeah, sure.
Thank goodness.
Masaki won't have to be Boogiepop anymore.
Masaki... I must save Masaki.
I'm sorry. I...
You can't tell me?
It's all my fault.
Let's stop this Boogiepop thing for a while.
Okay.
Yes.
This doesn't concern you anymore. I'll keep doing it on my own.
Huh?
What do you mean, Masaki?
As I said... I'm going to keep going on my own.
But why? You didn't want to do it in the first place.
In that case... You didn't want to do it either, did you?
You should've just been honest about it!
I...
I didn't want to keep putting you in danger as the bait, either.
But I thought this was what you wanted, so I...
Why... Why are you...
I'm going. Bye.
Masaki!
Wait.
Please, let me go!
Excellent work, Camille.
Change of orders.
Apparently, he's going to continue being Boogiepop on his own.
You said you wanted it to stop,
so I came to convince you to reconsider...
I dunno what's going on, but apparently he's a moron.
What do you mean?
Sooner or later, they're going to find Boogiepop's corpse in some alley.
So by "cutting him loose"...
Yeah. Then everyone will find out that the true identity behind
the legendary Boogiepop is just some pathetic, heartbroken idiot!
No! You can't!
I'll report back to the Towa Organization regarding Boogiepop...
Do you actually think you still work for the Towa Organization?
The Towa Organization... Axis has already abandoned you!
Listen up. You're nothing but a tool for me, Spooky E!
M-Masaki...
I'm such an idiot!
Contrary to her demeanor, I'm pretty sure she's not as calm as she seems.
I never thought too deeply about why Orihata would want to do any of this.
Are your parents strict, or what?
I don't have any.
There had to be more to this...
But I was having so much fun, I didn't even think about it.
Walk your bicycle through
So until I figure that out, I'm going to continue this.
Sorry, Nagi-neesan. I won't be able to come home for a while.