Yandere? Menhera? Bring It On, If You're Confident That I'll love You For Who You Are - Chapter 26

Kanade Takes Action

“You really went all out, didn’t you? But I never imagined this guy would lose so easily.”

Kanade’s gaze fell upon Akutsu, who lay defeated on the ground. Though he was barely breathing after being struck with a series of serious blows, he seemed to still be conscious.

Approaching Akutsu, Kanade sat down beside him.

“I’m terribly sorry, my lady. It is my failing that…”

“No, not at all. I’ve already prepared everything needed to bring down Minato. He should be coming to rescue you soon. Just rest easy, okay?”

“My lack of vigilance…”

With those parting words, Akutsu closed his eyes.

Kanade stood up, watching him. The real confrontation was about to begin.

“Heh, I’m surprised. I didn’t expect you to speak such kind words. I almost thought you’d say ‘A bodyguard who can’t fulfill his objective is useless,’ while pointing a stun gun at him.”

“Wow, how rude. I try to be kind to people, you know, even if it doesn’t seem like it.”

Kanade smiled gently in response to my half-joking banter.

Born into the affluent Asagami Group, she never flaunted her privileged background.

Her pure yet bold and proactive personality always made her someone others relied on, and at the same time, she captivated many men.

I, myself, was one of those men.

“But really, I’m shocked. You plan to detain me, huh? What’s the reason?”

“The reason? Hm… maybe to keep Minato away from the eyes of other girls?”

“Ah, I see…”

I could only nod at her straightforward answer.

“Geez, give me a proper response. I was planning to take my time and close the distance between us. But you haven’t changed at all, Minato. Even being slandered as a parent-killer by everyone around, you always keep a cool face. And here I worked so hard to spread those rumors.”

No way, it was you?

“But that would have been fine. Rio’s still clinging to Minato as ever, and she snatched Minato away right in front of me… She stole the lips of Minato, who was supposed to be mine alone. Yeah… just thinking about it makes me so frustrated! So I can’t just sit back and do nothing… haha!”

Her lively words concealed an immeasurable anger towards Hina.

Kanade began to walk slowly, keeping a certain distance from me, then sat down again.

She picked up something from the ground.

“Good, it doesn’t seem to be broken.”

It was the stun gun that Akutsu had thrown at me.

“I understand your objective. But do you really think there’s someone who would just nod and say ‘yes, okay’ after being told they’re about to be confined?”

“Hmm, I don’t think so. If there is, they must be quite the oddball or a serious freak.”

She’s definitely not in any position to talk about others.

“So what now? Surely you don’t think you’re going to take me on by force?”

“No way. I definitely can’t win against someone who beat a bodyguard. Besides, I’m a frail girl, you know?”

Kanade laughed as she waved her hand in front of her face.

While I had half-jokingly spoken, her next words drastically changed the situation.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. How to keep Minato all to myself. It’s frustrating, but Rio’s important to Minato, right? I don’t want to see Minato sad. So, I had to do this.”

The moment she said that, the ever-smiling Kanade’s expression changed.

She then took out her smartphone from her uniform pocket.

“See for yourself?”

As Kanade operated her smartphone, my own phone in my pocket began to vibrate.

No way… As fear took over my thoughts, I took it out to check.

“(This is…)”

As I expected, it was a message from Kanade that had just been sent.

The text itself was blank, but the attached photo shocked me.

A room full in white. My gaze was drawn to the large bed in the center of the room, where a small girl lay as if asleep.

The girl was sprawled out with her arms wide open. Looking closer at her wrists, I saw black leather handcuffs attached. They were connected to the bed by thick chains, and a similar treatment was applied to her ankles.

There was no doubt that the girl was my sister—Kurogane Rio.

“(I see, I’ve been had… Akutsu summoned me here to distract me while Rio was being abducted.)”

I could feel my left hand, unconsciously gripping the phone, filling with strength.

However, it seemed impossible to contain my anger now.

“Come on, don’t look so scared. I just put her to sleep for a bit, and I made sure not to cause any injuries. For now, at least…”

Hearing that, I understood Kanade’s scheme.

At the same time, I also knew what I had to do now…

“Hey, Minato.”

Kanade was slowly approaching me.

Meanwhile, I stood still.

“I—Asagami Kanade—still love you. I understand your feelings, how much you want to protect Rio and your everyday life. But even so, I want to be with you…”

She repeated the words she had said to me on the opening ceremony day.

Gradually, the distance between Kanade and me closed to just a step away.

“So, Minato. Let’s start over, okay?”

She pressed the stun gun she was holding against my neck.

It was turned off, and I was still conscious, but that would soon end.

That’s why I had to leave one last message.

“Ha… just promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“If you’re going to confine me, then release Rio. If you so much as harm her, I will definitely kill you. You, Akutsu, and every single person in the Asagami Group.”

“Yeah, don’t worry. Didn’t I say I don’t want to see Minato sad? As long as I have Minato, I’m no longer ‘interested’ in Rio.”

As I heard Kanade’s consent with my own ears, my consciousness began to fade.

It seems she turned on the stun gun, as I could hear the high voltage crackling.

“(Good grief. Looks like I’m in for more trouble…)”

With that sarcastic final thought, my consciousness was completely lost.