Chapter 33: Preparation

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Translator: Soafp

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[Kenji PoV]

After I left my mother alone at the café, I send a message to Nao that I was done.

[Sorry Kenji-kun. I forgot I needed to do something. I will contact you once I am done.]

I put my phone in my pocket and started walking. I want to go home but instead, I found myself drawn to the crossroad where my father had been hit by the car.

I stood there, the scene replaying in my mind over and over again. I could see myself walking across the road, unaware of the speeding car, then my father rushing towards me, pushing me out of the way.

The memory was vivid, and the impact of that day hit me all over again. I could almost feel his hands on my shoulders, shoving me to safety, and then the sickening thud as the car struck him. The sounds, the screams, the chaos—it all came flooding back, overwhelming me.

Eventually, I forced myself to walk away from the spot, not wanting to think about it anymore. The pain was too intense, the memories too raw. I needed to get away, to find some semblance of normalcy, even if just for a moment. I turned and began to make my way toward my home where I can rethink about what happened.

As I walked, my thoughts swirled in a storm of confusion and despair. My life felt as broken as Ryota’s family. Everything I had known was a lie. Born from my mother’s affair, my biological father was my best friend’s father, and the man who had raised me and loved me was lying in a hospital bed because of me. The weight of it all was crushing, making it hard to breathe.

But I knew I had to keep going, to see this through to the end. Even with all the pain inside me, I had to push myself forward. One step at a time, I told myself. Just keep moving. Each step felt like a monumental effort, but I managed to make it home, exhausted and worn out.

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One week had slipped by since I last met with my mother, and now I found myself seated in the cafe with Nao. The passage of time had done little to ease the weight of the revelations that had shaken my world to its core.

I couldn’t help but wonder why it had taken a whole week before Nao and I could speak again. But I knew better than to pry into her reasons.

She must have had her own concerns and struggles to contend with, just like I did. So, I chose to focus on the present moment.

“What did you say?!”

I had just finished telling Nao everything that had happened over the past few days. From my dad being hit by a car to finding out that I wasn’t his biological son to Ryota being awake. It was a rollercoaster of emotions.

As I recounted the story, I watched Nao’s face shift through a range of emotions: shock, disbelief, and finally, anger. She was speechless for a moment, trying to process everything I had just told her.

“I knew my story would be wild but your story is something. But discovering it was with your mother was something I never expected.”

“Neither did I and here we are…”

“But wait, if you are my step-dad biological’s son. That means you are Onii-chan’s half brother. But what are you to me? This is getting complicated…”

“There is no need to change in our relationship. Beside, I don’t see him as my real father. He is just a scumbag who ruined everyone’s life.”

“Right…He needs to be held accountable for what he has done. So what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know…my head is in a mess right now. But we have to continue and end this once and for all”

“Yeah…”

For the last couple of days, we were both exhausted. Chasing after my biological father’s secret.

“Let’s do this, I’ll contact the detective I spoke to before about Ryota’s framing and tell him what we’ve found. Hopefully, he will reopen the case and look into it, which could lead to his arrest.”

Nao nodded her head.

“We can finally end this once and for all.”

What a journey it had been. The last few months were nothing but pain and turmoil for me. Almost losing my half-brother Ryota because Yuto framed him, leading to his desperate jump off a building. My father getting hit by a car and lying in the hospital which revealed I am not his biological son. Meeting my mother only to have her reveal my real father was my best friend’s dad. It felt like I had lived a fake life, a lie that had unraveled so painfully.

I wonder what I will do once this ends. Will everything be back to normal? What about the house? I think I have to get a part time job to sustain myself…

There are too many questions but I will deal with that later. I have to finish this first.

“I am going to the police station now. Can you give me the notebook?”

“I don’t have the original but I have made some copies. It that also fine?”

“Yeah, it will do.”

She handed me some papers. I tucked it in my bag and stood up.

“I will message you once I have spoken to the detective.”

“Okay, I will be waiting.”

I returned her nod before turning to leave. But before I stepped away, I glanced back over my shoulder.

“Let’s visit Ryota together after this is over”

“Yes!”

With our plans set and our determination firm, I left the café, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

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[Nao PoV]

As I watched Kenji-kun leave the café, I knew I had my own preparations to make for when the time came. The family was on the brink of destruction, and there was no stopping it now.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number I had saved earlier. After a few seconds, the line connected, and a familiar voice answered.

“Everything has been set. I’ll let you know when it’s time to retrieve your… ‘goods.'”

I informed them, keeping my tone cold.

“Hahaha, that is some good news. I will tell this to my boss.”

“Don’t forget about deal.”

“Yeah yeah, trust is what keeps our business alive.”

“Good, well then.”

After I hung up the call, a sense of cold determination settled over me. Unlike what I had done to my Nii-san, this was different. What my step-father had done was far worse, and he deserved every consequence that would come his way.

My heart had turned to ice when it came to my father. I felt nothing but a deep-seated resolve to see what was about to come. All my emotions had been killed, buried beneath the weight of betrayal and deceit.

But I knew I couldn’t show this side of myself to Kenji-kun. He would never agree to my plan, and he would undoubtedly try to go to the police and reopen the case.

That’s why I had taken precautions. I had left out some crucial evidence from the copied notebook, ensuring that the police wouldn’t be able to reopen the case. It was a risky move, but it was necessary to keep them from getting involved in this matter.

“I am sorry Kenji-kun…”

As I wrestled with my conflicting emotions, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that I was betraying my own principles. The person I had once been—the one who had always strived to do what was right, to uphold justice and integrity—seemed like a distant memory now.

But in the face of such profound betrayal, I felt a sense of desperation gnawing at me. The injustice of it all weighed heavily on my conscience, driving me to take drastic action. I knew that I couldn’t stand idly by and let my stepfather get away with his crimes.

Yet, as I contemplated the path I had chosen, doubts and uncertainties plagued my mind. Was I truly justified in taking matters into my own hands? What would become of me if my actions led to further harm or suffering? And what about the consequences of my choices—both for myself and for those around me?

In the end, though, I knew that I couldn’t afford to dwell on these questions. With a heavy heart and a determined spirit, I resolved to see my plan through to the end, no matter the personal cost.

And so, with each step forward, I pushed aside my doubts and fears, steeling myself for the challenges that lay ahead. For better or for worse, I had chosen my path, and now I would have to live with the consequences of my actions.

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[Kenji PoV]

Three days have passed since I visited the police station to request a meeting with the detective regarding the case involving Kaito Yamamoto.

After explaining everything to the detective and providing him with the information from the notebook, he assured me that he would look into the matter and get back to me as soon as possible.

I was sitting in my room doing my homework, I received the call I had been anxiously waiting for. The detective informed me that, unfortunately, he couldn’t reopen the case due to insufficient evidence. Disappointed but resigned, I thanked the detective for his time and hung up the phone.

Feeling disheartened by the outcome, I knew I had to share the news with Nao.

[I just received a call from the detective and they couldn’t re-open the case]

[Really? Then we have to do this on our own]

[You have any idea?]

[How about we tell them directly and let our emotions out. We can do it in my house.]

[…Well, I could blow of some steam. Do you want to do it today?]

[Sure, let me see if they have time and I will contact you]

[Okay]

One hour passed.

[Can you come in around 30 minutes?]

[No problem]

[Alright, see you soon]

I set my phone aside and rose from my chair, feeling a mix of anticipation and apprehension. With thirty minutes until our meeting, I decided to take a moment to collect my thoughts and emotions.

I stood up and made my way to my bed and lay down, the familiar comfort of the mattress offering a brief respite from the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. Closing my eyes, I focused on regulating my breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly in an effort to calm my racing heart.

As I lay there, I couldn’t help but replay the upcoming conversation with my biological father in my mind. I needed to approach the situation with a clear head and an open heart, ready to confront the truth and accept whatever outcome awaited me.

I knew that I needed to be prepared for any reaction, whether it be acceptance or rejection. I needed to brace myself for the possibility of disappointment and steel my resolve to face whatever lay ahead.

With twenty minutes having passed, I knew it was time to head to Nao’s place. Rising from my bed, I retrieved my jacket and made my way downstairs.

“I’m off.”

I called out instinctively, but the silence that greeted me served as a stark reminder that I was alone in the house.

A surge of loneliness washed over me, the weight of solitude settling heavily upon my shoulders. It was a feeling I had grown all too familiar with in the past few days, as I grappled with the upheaval and uncertainty that had engulfed my life.

Closing the door behind me, I stepped out into the cool evening air, the solitude of the empty house lingering in my mind as I made my way to Nao’s place.

As I walked I thought the bonds that had once tethered me to my family, now strained and frayed by the revelations of betrayal and deceit. It was a stark reminder of the fragility of trust and the profound impact of betrayal on the human spirit.

Lost in thought, I finally reached Nao’s house and rang the doorbell, the sound echoing through the quiet street.