Yandere? Menhera? Bring It On, If You're Confident That I'll love You For Who You Are - Chapter 47

An Unending Pure and Devoted Love

The time was midnight. In a space that was empty except for an exit, I looked up at the sky.

From this “hospital rooftop,” the view of the city wasn’t quite as impressive as from the rooftop of Hoshimiya Academy, but the clear black night sky and the stars, ironically shining brightly, were just as magnificent.

Amidst the tantalizing aroma that tickled my nostrils, I reminisced about the events of the past few days.

Since then, Asagami’s mother had confessed to the police the crimes of her daughter, her husband—the crimes of the Asagami Group.

The truth behind the murder of the former uncles, and the actions taken with a huge sum of twenty million to eliminate Rio.

And the fact that her own husband was pulling the strings behind the funding.

Above all, she exposed the grotesque history of the existence known as the Asagami Group, which had started with their grandfather—all of it. Of course, those of us involved in the incident accompanied her.

Due to the effects of fainting while battling me, Asagami’s father, Kawada, and those involved in the incident were apprehended that day, and Kanade, showing no signs of resistance, was taken to the police station where the investigating officer was waiting.

Kanade’s trial was carried out surprisingly quickly.

To speak of the outcome first, Kanade was given—probation. Under the supervision of a probation officer, it was decided she would transfer to another school. This would last for about two years.

If I were to express my feelings at that time, Kanade was the instigator, the original cause of this whole incident. I imagined she would receive a significant punishment, but honestly, her sentence was lighter than I thought.

But now that I think about it, it might be considered appropriate.

Perhaps the decisive factor was that the decision to act on the uncles’ part was not solely her own.

Although coerced, it was Asagami’s father who actually prepared the large sum of twenty million, making the decision through Akutsu, who was blinded by money.

Among the choices given to kill or not kill, the final decision was made by the uncles. It was an undeniable fact.

Indeed, money drives people mad.

Or was it that Kanade anticipated this outcome? If she made choices to reduce her risks even slightly, she was quite the woman.

Another person, Asagami’s father, has yet to receive a verdict.

Given the tremendous repercussions of the Asagami Group’s history in this town, the police are currently isolating Asagami’s father as a witness to investigate and unravel that history.

I don’t know the extent of the crimes he committed, but he will undoubtedly receive his due punishment.

The only one who had no part in the uncle’s affair was Asagami’s mother. She was unaware of the true nature of her husband and daughter, whom she continued to believe stood on the honor of the Asagami Group.

Though it’s not praiseworthy that she kept silent despite knowing the truth about the Asagami Group, it’s understandable if she feared her husband and daughter’s future could be sealed by the crimes of their grandfather. Perhaps the court was considerate, as she was not judged.

Now, living in an apartment in another prefecture with Kanade, who is under probation. It seems there’s still a considerable inheritance, even after deducting severance pay for those who worked for the Asagami Group and compensation to us.

“That state of mind… Well, it must be nothing but guilt.”

The Asagami Group had already collapsed, and those who worked there were dismissed with a hefty severance pay. A considerable amount of compensation was paid to us siblings as well.

It didn’t go as ideally as I hoped, but everything was resolved. And they lived happily ever after—I couldn’t say that no matter how my mouth might split.

I took out the smartphone in my pocket. Swiping it, I moved to the draft emails screen.

Perhaps because I rarely use it, there were only two drafts in the folder, both with the subject line “To Minato.”

They were, as promised at that time, a concrete explanation related to the Asagami Group and her own predictions for the future.

Of course, I had already read them.

Suddenly, my smartphone vibrated. After checking the displayed number, I put it to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, long time no see. You’re the guy… Minato, right?”

“Yeah, you.”

What I heard was a voice of a man who sounded utterly uninterested.

A memory of my childhood locked away in my mind resurfaced. This voice, so indifferent, so disinterested, so seemingly burdened.

There was no doubt that it belonged to the man I should call father, whom I hadn’t heard in five years.

“What do you want?”

“I heard about it. A few days ago, they found Sumire’s body, right?”

—That was the reality imposed upon us with the collapse of the Asagami Group.

“So, yeah, a death certificate? Cremation? Some sort of application form? Seems like it’s needed. I’m busy over here. Sorry, but could you take care of it for me? I’ll give them your number at the office.”

“…Okay, got it.”

“Man, I owe you one. Oh, if you’re gonna do a funeral, pay for it yourself. If you’re gonna send me the bill, don’t bother. Alright, I’m counting on you.”

With those words, the call abruptly ended.

After more than five years, a conversation with the man I should call my real father, albeit over the phone.

It was far too one-sided and self-centered.

“…No interest in his own child, as always.”

I aimlessly directed my gaze to the sky again.

That day. The body of my sister found within the walls surrounding the Asagami Group.

Without a doubt, it was the body of my real sister, whom I had reunited with just a few days before.

In the vast rooftop under the night sky and stars. Silence descended.

How much time had passed?

Just a few seconds, a few minutes, or perhaps tens of minutes.

Just quietly, without conversation. The sound of the wind echoing.

What brought me back to reality was a girl who shouldn’t have been here.

“That pathological calmness. That is indeed your greatest strength, Kurogane-kun. But you knew, didn’t you? Ever since the time her father called you an inferior copy, that your sister was involved with the Asagami Group.”

In the silence, an angelic voice echoed across the rooftop.

“However, your sister, who was once your goal. No matter how much you lied to your heart, in the end, you couldn’t completely discard your affection for the important person. That is your one and only weakness.”

I matched her gaze. There stood an angel with a beaming smile.

“The hole in your heart from losing the sister who had always been by your side since childhood. That’s why you filled that gap with Asagami-senpai, right? But you’re in trouble now. That hole has opened up again.”

The clicking of footsteps echoed across the rooftop.

“At the moment, it’s just a small hole a few centimeters wide. But in time, it will become a bottomless swamp.”

The devil approached.

The angel-faced devil who had killed the sister I loved.

“It is none other than I who will pry open that swamp and ultimately fill it.”

In front of me stood the devil, with eyes devoid of light and a full smile.

“By now, Kurogane-kun, you understand? Only I, ‘the one who defeated the genius,’ can stand beside you. Only I can understand you. Only I can—save you.”

There was a devil in front of me.

Yes, that day.

The devil who visited the Asagami Group with me.

Her hand slowly enveloped my face.

“So, shall we fall together? Minato-kun. There’s no one to interfere anymore. This time, for sure, it’s our world♪”

The devil hugged my body weakly.

Cold. Her body was so chilled that it seemed impossible for it to have human warmth, just like a corpse.

Just like my sister back then.

—Of course, my answer was already decided.

“Try it. If you’re confident that I will love you for it.”

Yes… the story of resistance does not end.

The punishment for a self-inflicted, defeated dog, whose everyday life was irrevocably shattered by a love too pure, too devoted, still continues.