"Hey, Uiharu, what do you think would happen if we actually used [Level Upper]? Do you think our Levels would really increase? If I had an ability... do you think my daily life would change?" Saten Ruiko asked suddenly, her eyes full of longing.
"Who knows? But, Saten—cheating isn't right, you know," Uiharu said gently.
"Heh... what can I even say? Uiharu, don't you think I'm kind of useless? A Level 0, a powerless nobody."
"Huh?! Saten, why would you think that? Please don't say things like that..." Uiharu was caught completely off guard by Saten's sudden self-deprecation.
Ignoring Uiharu's concern, Saten continued softly, her voice filled with quiet resignation. "You and Shirai are both working so hard as Judgment members..."
"...Selene-senpai and Misaka-senpai are at the very top of Academy City—both Level 5s, and even Tokiwadai ladies. Compared to them, I feel completely useless... like I don't matter at all."
"Saten..." The air turned heavy. Uiharu could relate somewhat—Saten was a Level 0, while she herself was only a Level 1. Neither of them were particularly strong.
"Ah, sorry, it's not that serious. Don't worry, I'm not actually planning to do something stupid," Saten said quickly, waving her hands with a small laugh to break the tension.
"And hey, being a low-Level esper isn't that bad, right? I'm a Level 0, after all. So you should have more confidence, Uiharu." She made an OK sign with her right hand and placed it over her right eye, hiding the faint sorrow flickering there.
"You really don't need to dwell on it, Uiharu. As long as you're happy every day, that's all that matters," Saten said, closing her right eye and pulling a playful expression. Her left eye sparkled with warmth and encouragement.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot! Our teacher assigned me some homework at school today, and I was wondering how to deal with it... could you help me out a bit?"
Saten's so kind, Uiharu thought. Even when she's hurting inside, she still puts on a smile to cheer me up.
"S-sure..." Uiharu agreed softly. Though Saten's smile was bright, she could still sense the sadness beneath it.
...
That evening, Selene, Misaka Mikoto, and Shirai Kuroko stood in front of a restaurant.
"This should be the place, right?" Misaka asked, raising an eyebrow at the sign that read [jonaGardeN].
"Perfect timing. I'm starving anyway—let's grab dinner while we're here," Selene said, eyeing the building. Since she hadn't gotten to eat at Uiharu's earlier, a restaurant meal didn't sound bad at all.
"Oh, come on, we're here for an investigation, not a food trip," Misaka sighed, giving Selene an exasperated look. "You really are a foodie."
She gave Selene another glance and couldn't help clicking her tongue. "Tch, how do you even do it? You eat the most out of all of us, but you never gain any weight!"
Selene smirked. "Ah? What can I say, it's a gift. Everything I eat just ends up going to the right places. You jealous?"
"Ha? Jealous of what? You're just a black-stockinged fatty who probably weighs over a hundred!"
"Heh, haven't you heard the saying, 'Under a hundred pounds means you're either flat or short'? You short, flat-chested shrimp!"
"What... you wanna repeat that?!"
"Who started it first? I'm not backing down!"
"Onee-sama... Selene-senpai..." Kuroko's face went pale as she watched the two Level 5s start bickering again. Sweat poured down her face. How am I supposed to stop this?!
After a long struggle, Kuroko finally managed to separate them, wiping the sweat from her brow. With a forced smile, she said, "Let's please focus on the mission..."
"Hmph, fine. Watch closely, I'll show you how to get intel properly!" Misaka huffed, turning her head sharply before striding toward the entrance.
"Onee-sama, not again!" Kuroko pouted in frustration. "This is supposed to be Judgment's job!"
"Exactly why I'm going, Kuroko. If you show up, they'll recognize you immediately," Misaka said smugly. Then she shot Selene a taunting grin. "What about you, Selene? Dare to come with me?"
"Tch. If it means doing things your way, I'd rather starve—or jump off this building," Selene replied flatly.
Selene rolled her eyes. With her ability, there was no need for Misaka Mikoto to act all cute to get information. You brought this upon yourself, she thought. Even if she had memory-reading powers, she wouldn't need them for this—she might as well just sit back and enjoy the show.
"Heh, coward," Misaka scoffed, handing her bag to Shirai Kuroko. "Fine, I'll go by myself! You two just sit at a table far from me and watch the master at work!" With that, she strutted confidently into [jonaGardeN].
Kuroko frowned. Something about her Onee-sama's bravado didn't feel right. Just how was she planning to get intel this time? Based on Misaka's track record, would she really try to use force again? "Why do I feel so uneasy about this..." Kuroko muttered.
"You've got your camcorder with you, right?" Selene asked with a sly grin. "You're going to want this on film—it's going to be good." Seeing Kuroko's puzzled look, she took out her own small camera. "Come on, let's go."
"O-oh, right!" Kuroko followed her in.
Inside the family restaurant, it didn't take long to spot a group of delinquents sitting together. Selene chose a table at a decent distance and, without hesitation, started browsing the menu. "Oh, this place is quite the mix—they've got dishes from all over the world."
"Wait, Selene-senpai, are you seriously ordering food right now?"
"Let's see... crispy pork, beef Wellington, mapo tofu... huh?" Selene glanced up at her. "What else would I do? You don't just sit in a restaurant without ordering. It's the perfect cover—and besides, aren't you hungry?"
"...Well, when you put it that way, I guess you're not wrong," Kuroko said awkwardly, though she still looked uneasy. Eating behind Onee-sama's back didn't sit well with her conscience.
"Her choice, not ours. My treat. So, what'll you have?" Selene said, passing her the menu.
"Hmm... I'll take the classic oden set."
...
Not far away, Misaka Mikoto clenched her fists as she watched Selene and Kuroko happily ordering food without her. "Those two...!" Her eye twitched in frustration, but she forced herself to stay calm—she was already close to the target.
After taking a deep breath, she approached the group of delinquents and put on her best innocent act. "Hey there, big brothers~ Do you guys know anything about [Level Upper]?"
"Level Upper?" The boy wearing a deep green bell-shaped hat—clearly the leader—looked up, frowning in confusion.
"Uh-huh~ I saw your posts online by chance. Could you tell me more about it? Please~" Misaka clasped her hands together, tilting her head and speaking in an overly sweet tone. "Pretty please?"
Selene and Kuroko both twitched at the sound of that voice. They exchanged stunned looks, barely able to keep straight faces.
The show's begun. Selene quickly raised her camera, zooming in on the scene.
"Don't know what you're talking about, kid. Go home," the delinquent said bluntly. Though clearly intrigued by her looks, he wasn't dumb enough to let his guard down.
"Aww, don't be like that~" Misaka persisted, piling on the sweetness.
"You're annoying. Shouldn't little girls like you be in bed by now?" The boy's tone turned impatient.
"Oh, come on~ I'm not that childish!" Misaka said, flashing an innocent smile.
Pffft! At their table, Kuroko nearly lost it, spraying juice all over. This was a side of her Onee-sama she had never seen before.
"Stay calm," Selene murmured, sipping her tea with satisfaction as she angled her camera. "Tsk tsk... what a rare sight. Kuroko, this is premium footage—cherish it."
"You're seriously recording this?!" Kuroko's expression wavered between horror and fascination—until determination hardened her face. "No! I have to! A video of Onee-sama being cute is priceless!" she declared, pulling out her own mini camera.
Selene blinked, caught off guard by her enthusiasm. "...You really are hopeless."
Then, an idea crossed Selene's mind, and she smirked. "Tell you what—when we're done, I'll give you a copy of my footage too. Interested?"
"Deal! You promise! No backing out!!" Kuroko shouted, gripping Selene's hands with both of hers, eyes blazing with intensity.
"Uh..." Selene barely had time to react. Yep, she's definitely insane.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Misaka found herself in a new kind of trouble.
One of the delinquents leaned in close, giving her a leering look and a sleazy grin. "Heh... yeah, you're definitely not a kid. You're actually kinda cute. I like you."
The air froze for a second.
Kuroko's eyes went bloodshot. Her breathing turned ragged as she prepared to leap up—but before she could, Selene grabbed her by the collar, restraining her effortlessly.
"Mmmph! Mmmph!! (Onee-sama!!)" Kuroko struggled furiously, muffled by Selene's grip.
Selene sighed. This is going to end in a thunderstorm.