Chapter 3

## Chapter Chronology

**“Noren Mitsuoka”** (蜜岡 (みつおか) ノレン, *Mitsuoka Noren*) is the third chapter of the *Kill Blue* manga series, written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. This also serves as the third chapter of the first volume of the manga series.

## Summary

Juzo dedicated time observing Noren Mitsuoka, the daughter of the founder of Mitsuoka Pharmaceuticals, the company responsible for his dramatic transformation into a younger version of himself. Despite limited progress in her research related to Juzo's situation, he decided to follow Eri's advice and approach her. However, Noren consistently brushed him off, labeling him as creepy and insisting that their interactions should focus solely on school matters. This harsh rejection deeply saddened Juzo, and he even knelt dramatically while walking to his next class with Ryo. Being called a "creep" is particularly disheartening for a middle-aged man.

From Juzo's observations, it appeared that Noren tended to maintain a distant attitude towards people her age and didn't easily fit in with her female peers. She rejected advances from numerous men, despite having commendable qualities like academic excellence and a poised appearance. Given these circumstances, Juzo realized it was best to abandon his efforts to connect with Noren and instead focus on gathering information about the pharmaceutical company owned by her parents. Lost in thought, he ended up on an unfamiliar street and decided to stop at a restaurant for some ramen.

To his surprise, Noren Mitsuoka was working as a waitress at the restaurant. Despite his curiosity about why someone with Noren's background—a middle school student and the daughter of a prominent corporate president—would work at a ramen shop, Juzo decided not to let his thoughts overshadow his meal. He ordered ramen with a seasoned egg and savored the delicious dish once it arrived. However, Noren interrupted his dining experience and requested a conversation in the back area after he finished his meal.

Noren asked about Juzo's presence in the area, and he simply said he lived nearby. As they walked towards their respective homes, Noren revealed that the ramen shop belonged to her uncle, and she helped out without receiving payment. Curiosity led Juzo to ask about her family's wealth, and Noren confirmed that they were indeed affluent. She shared that her mother was from Canada and acknowledged her good fortune in terms of her lifestyle and appearance. However, due to her prestigious background, Noren's parents often introduced potential suitors to her, which she found repulsive, especially since these men treated her as an adult despite her being in elementary school at the time. As she entered middle school, her peers of the same age began to show similar interest, making Juzo understand her aversion towards men.

Noren revealed her aspiration to eventually take over her uncle's ramen shop and create her own path in life. She explained that her uncle, who shared her disdain for high-society living, had started the ramen shop as a result. Whenever Noren had a tough day, her uncle always prepared a comforting bowl of ramen for her. He was the only person who never gave her strange looks, a similarity she found in Juzo, who reminded her of her uncle. Juzo encouraged Noren to pursue her own desires in life, emphasizing that being a child didn't mean she had to conform to her parents' expectations. He also expressed his appreciation for the delicious ramen he had just enjoyed, which made Noren happy as she had helped prepare that very dish, considered one of their finest.

As they parted ways, Noren reminded Juzo not to approach her or engage in conversation at school, and Juzo nodded in agreement. However, to Juzo's astonishment, as Noren began walking her intended route, an unexpected black van abruptly appeared before her. Without warning, the van swiftly captured Noren and sped away, leaving Juzo taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

As Juzo settled down to formulate a plan, he called out to Kotatsu, who was on the other line, and asked about the tracker bullet in his bag. He inquired whether Kotatsu still had it. Kotatsu confirmed that he did, though he expressed reservations about the plan. Despite Kotatsu's doubts, Juzo climbed a nearby tower and located the van responsible for Noren's abduction. Drawing on his extensive firearms experience and expertise gained over the years, he successfully attached the bullet tracker to the van. Subsequently, Juzo leaped onto a passing truck, leaving Kotatsu astonished by his determination to rescue Noren and secure the future of the ramen shop.

## Quick References

### Chapter Notes

* Juzo comes across Noren working as a waitress at a ramen shop, which surprises him. He orders ramen and has a conversation with Noren after finishing his meal.
	+ **Noren's Background:** Noren comes from a wealthy family, and her mother is from Canada. She expresses her aversion towards men, especially those who treated her as an adult when she was in elementary school.
	+ Noren reveals her aspiration to take over her uncle's ramen shop and create her own path in life. Her uncle, who started the ramen shop, shares her disdain for high-society living.

### Characters in Order of Appearance

**Noren Mitsuoka**
**Juzo Ogami**
**Kotatsu Nekota**Other Line
**Eri Wanibuchi**Flashback
**Ryo Shiraishi**
**Baba**3rd Appearance
**Takada**3rd Appearance
**Noren's Uncle**Debut