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Chapter 4 – Reunion With an Old Friend\nVolume 1\n<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\n“…… advice?”\n\n
I’m not sure what he means by that.\n
“You got out of line once, didn’t you?”\n
That was the moment I understood.\n
It was that time. Last week, after stopping by the game center, I got tangled up with some delinquents. I knocked them down to get rid of them.\n
“……”\n
When I remained silent, Yamazaki seemed to take it as an affirmation.\n
“So that’s it. If that’s the case, you’ve failed.”\n
“Eh?”\n
My advice, Yamazaki said earlier. I wondered if something had happened with those delinquents.\n
At the same time, a question arose in my mind.\n
“How do you know about it?”\n
No one was supposed to know about it. The delinquent said that he suddenly had a stomachache. I heard it was treated as something other than a fight.\n
“It’s no big deal. It’s just that he and I go to the same school.”\n
As usual, I thought he was going to a crappy place.\n
“They have a bad reputation in my school, and they do whatever they want to the weakest people in the school. On the other hand, they’re cowards who won’t touch people like me. I don’t know much about them either, but I happened to overhear them talking about you.”\n
“….. how did you know it was me?”\n
“I recognized you because you had the same features. And that’s not all. They looked up your name, and they knew it. The name Naoya Ookusu came out of their mouths.”\n
“Wait, how did they know my name was ……?”\n
Of course, I didn’t say my name. They might have recognized my school name from my uniform, but that was it.\n
“I don’t know much about it either, but from the way they talk, it sounds like they want to get back at you.”\n
“…… Really?”\n
I was impatient. “You failed”, Yamazaki’s words echoed in my mind. \n
I don’t know what’s going on. But I think he resents the fact that I beat him up. And he wants to find out more about me and get revenge on me.\n
And what’s worse is that ……\n\n
” You said earlier that they like to bully the weak and won’t set up a fight with someone as strong as you.”\n
“Yeah.”\n
“If that’s the case, then …… their target of revenge is…”\n
“You know what I mean. It’s your sister.”\n\n
I finally understood why he had asked so much about my sister earlier.\n
“I don’t know what exactly they’re planning. But they are planning to do something terrible. That’s why I’m here today.?\n
“……”\n\n
I was speechless.\n
I couldn’t help but curse myself.\n
Why did I do that so thoughtlessly? Was I trying to hurt them so that they wouldn’t mess with Saito and Shindo? No. It wasn’t just that. At that time, I felt my body twitching with a sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time. I just wanted to beat him up, so I did.\n
No matter what excuse I used, it was meaningless. I’ve made the wrong choice.\n
“That’s all I can say to you. Be careful.”\n\n
Yamazaki stood up.\n
I was in a desperate mood. My vision was getting narrower. I thought I was doing well. Ever since I quit being a delinquent, I’ve never had a problem.\n
And yet, now I’m trapped like this.\n
Until Yamazaki, who I didn’t want to see, told me, I was completely unaware of the danger that was about to befall Sayaka. What would have happened if I hadn’t known anything at all? What would I have done if Sayaka had gone through something terrible without me knowing about it?\n
It was me who was the idiot. I’ve always been like that.\n
I had doubted Yamazaki too. He was helping me, but I doubted him.\n\n
(The reason I identified the house was that I followed your sister.)\n
Maybe, I thought. Maybe he was protecting Sayaka?\n
To be able to help her immediately if something happened. It was never just about meeting me.\n\n
Leaving me with my head in my hands, Yamazaki quickly walked away.\n
No, I thought. I can’t let Yamazaki leave like this.\n
This is no time to be depressed. I have things I need to do. So, I have to get up on my feet and move forward.\n
I ran after him and grabbed Yamazaki’s arm. Yamazaki looked back at me.\n
I said,\n
“Tell me about those guys. Where are they usually around?”\n\n
Yamazaki was staring at me. I stared back into his eyes.\n
I was determined. That’s why I’ve been living until now.\n
“I haven’t forgotten what you said that day. Really, I haven’t forgotten.”\n
I remembered.\n\n
–The day after everything fell apart. I called Yamazaki and we met alone.\n
My eyes must have been sunken in with tears. Yamazaki seemed to have guessed something when he saw my face.\n
I said.\n
(Never again–.)\n
I struggled to speak through the pain.\n
Those words have always been rooted in my mind. I must never forget it. It was a vow that I had to keep, no matter how painful or difficult it was.\n\n\n
Yamazaki is looking at me with the same kind of gaze he had that day.\n
“……you and I are different.”\n
Yamazaki said.\n
“I don’t think you and I should have gotten involved. You are back where you belong, and I am still where I belong.”\n
“Ah.”\n
Separate paths, separate thoughts, which will probably never mix again.\n
But I have a responsibility.\n
I have a responsibility to carry out what I tried to protect, by cutting off contact with Yamazaki.\n
“Thank you, Yamazaki.”\n
Those words came out of my mouth honestly. Yamazaki replied,\n
“Don’t worry about it.”\n
So, I don’t care what happens to me.\n\n
I’m just going to do what I have to do.\n\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\nTN: There was a time for talk, and now it’s the time for action.. (SPD music plays)\n\n