Chapter 35: The Truth We Faced (Part 2)

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Translator: Soafp

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Tap… tap…

Sugawara-senpai's father tapped nervously on the table.

The dealer then handed him one more card.

“Damn it!”

His total was 16.

If he drew again, he would almost certainly bust.

But if he stood, he couldn't win either.

In short, he was completely cornered.

Sugawara-senpai's lips trembled as she cried out.

“Dad, what are you doing–…!?”

I quickly covered her mouth with my hand.

We were in the middle of an illegal casino.

Drawing attention here would only make things worse.

“Leave it to me.”

She slowly nodded.

After confirming that she was gripping my arm tightly, I stepped forward toward the table.

I tapped her father on the shoulder as he stared intently at his cards.

He turned around sharply with an irritated expression.

“Who the hell are you!? Can't you see I'm busy!?”

“I'm sorry. It's been a while. I came to greet you.”

“Huh? Who do you think I— …Eh? A-Airi? And Buffett-kun…?”

He couldn't even recognize his own daughter at a glance.

Just how consumed by gambling was he?

“Once you finish this round, could we talk outside for a bit?”

“…”

He frowned and turned back to the dealer.

Then he waved his hand, signaling that he would stand.

The dealer's total was 21.

There was no way he could win.

He stood up and walked outside.

In a corner of the building, silence hung between the three of us.

“Please tell the truth, Hideki-san. You used the money your daughter earned on gambling, didn't you?”

“I-Is that true, Dad…?”

“N-No! Today was just—just by chance! Th-that's right! I came to entertain a business partner! It's not like I wanted to be here!”

“Then you can introduce us to that business partner, right? If it's entertainment, you came together, didn't you?”

“Ggh… You brat, talking back to an adult…!!”

He used to treat me like a future son-in-law, yet now his attitude had completely flipped.

Ignoring him, I began reading aloud the activity records the detective had compiled.

He hadn't just been coming here—he had been frequenting multiple illegal gambling dens, including underground mahjong parlors.

“And you told Airi-senpai the debt was from your business, but that's not true, is it? You deceived acquaintances and borrowed money for gambling. And now those same people are demanding repayment, aren't they?”

“Who the hell are you!? Why did you come all the way here just to get in my way!?”

“I have no intention of interfering with you, Hideki-san. I just—”

I narrowed my eyes and continued.

“I want to save Airi-senpai. That's all.”

To keep her from being dragged into the arson incident.

And to stop her from choosing a future where she would take her own life.

Her father—Hideki Sugawara—shouted, spitting in anger.

“Don't screw with me!! If I win, Airi will be happy too! This is how I make a living!”

“The problem is that you're trying to make money through gambling, not work. Airi-senpai worked herself to the bone. And yet not a single yen of that money went toward repaying your debts—you poured it all into gambling.”

Hearing my words, Sugawara-senpai collapsed to the ground.

Large tears fell one after another onto her crimson dress.

The fruits of her blood, sweat, and sacrifice… had all been turned into casino chips and vanished like bubbles.

“Dad… how could you do this…? I gave up so much for you. So much… And yet…!!”

“Shut up!! I raised you through all kinds of hardship, didn't I!? Then it's only right that a child helps their father when he's struggling!! Getting fooled by some guy and talking to your own parent like that…!!”

“Hideki-san, how pathetic. Are you really trying to leech off your own daughter at your age?”

“Y-you brat…!!”

At last, Hideki grabbed me by the collar.

But his grip—hands that had only held cards and mahjong tiles for years—was weak.

I easily shook him off.

“That was assault, you know. Should I call the police? I doubt you'd get off lightly.”

“Ugh…”

His arms dropped limply.

Sugawara-senpai, through her sobs, pressed him again.

“Dad… is it true? Is it really true!? All the money I earned… you spent it all on gambling!? Say something!!”

He said nothing.

Taking his silence as confirmation, her tears flowed even more.

Seeing the streaks of tears down her face hurt.

But to avoid that “nightmare,” this pain was unavoidable.

I knelt down and offered her a handkerchief.

She took it, but her hand trembled so much she nearly dropped it.

So I quietly wiped her tears for her.

“Hey, you two. What's going on here?”

At that moment, the man with the rough voice from earlier approached us.

I quickly wrapped Sugawara-senpai's arm around my neck and supported her.

“Ah, sorry. We had a bit of a dispute with this Oji-san. We'll be going now.”

I looked at Hideki one last time.

“Have some shame, Oji-san.”

---

Supporting Sugawara-senpai as we walked was reaching its limit.

We got out to the main street and hailed a taxi.

After she stopped crying, she muttered softly.

“…Sorry, Fukagawa-kun. I caused you trouble.”

“It's nothing. If anything, I'm the one who surprised you. I'm sorry.”

“No… Honestly, I'm really shocked. But if you hadn't been there, I would've kept being deceived by my father.”

No—eventually, it would've come to light.

But if things had followed that “nightmare,” the trigger would've been the arson incident.

The only difference was that I showed her the truth intentionally.

And she understood that now.

“Fukagawa-kun… what should I do now?”

She leaned her head against my shoulder.

“It feels like there's a huge hole in my heart. I really am all alone now.”

“Why would you be alone? I'm here, aren't I?”

“Will you… stay by my side…?”

“Of course. I told you, didn't I? I'll keep employing you at least until I graduate from university.”

At first, it was just an excuse to keep her away from danger.

But in reality, she had become genuinely helpful in balancing my investing and schoolwork.

So it wasn't just empty comfort.

“Am I… actually helping you?”

“Yes. If anything, I want to ask even more from you.”

“I see… I'm glad.”

She smiled faintly.

“Can I… trust you now?”

“Yes. Take all the effort you put in for your father and direct it toward me. I'm a ruthless employer, after all—I'll work you hard.”

Of course, it wouldn't be good if she became too dependent on me.

But right now, calming her shock was the priority.

Slowly, over time, I would help her stand on her own again.

“Senpai, what do you want to do tonight? Should we get a hotel?”

Sending her back home like this would be dangerous.

That was the whole point of the plan—to separate her from her father.

“…I want to go to your house.”

“Understood.”

I'd explain things briefly to my mom and let her rest in the spare room next to mine.

Tonight, she was clearly at her limit, both physically and mentally.

We could talk about the future after she got some rest.

We arrived home and got out of the taxi.

She was still unsteady on her feet.

“Hold onto me.”

“…Sorry.”

“I'd prefer ‘thank you' instead of ‘sorry,' if possible.”

“Thank you…”

Supporting her, I opened the front door and we went inside.

Seeing us, my mom widened her eyes in surprise.

“W-What happened?”

“I'll explain later. Mom, could you run a bath? Senpai, how about taking a warm bath first?”

“…Okay. Thank you.”

While she was bathing, I went upstairs and neatly laid out a futon in the room next to mine.

Then I placed an aroma candle on the side table.

I'd heard it helps calm the mind and promote deep sleep.

After that, I waited in my room.

I opened my notebook, wrote down the events of the day like a diary, and reviewed what needed to be done next.

“Fukagawa-kun.”

Soon after, Sugawara-senpai came into my room earlier than expected.

But instead of hesitating, she walked straight up to me and tightly embraced me.

“Please… I don't want to be alone tonight.”

“S-Senpai?”

“While I was in the bath… I was so scared. It felt like I was the only person left in the world…”

Trying to calm herself with a bath had backfired.

Her father's existence had meant far more to her than I had realized.

“You can do anything to me. Just… stay with me.”

“Senpai…”

Her whole body trembled as she continued.

“I don't want to sleep alone… Please… sleep with me.”