Chapter 61: Creating Evidence

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Translator: Soafp

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(…Just as I thought, it's all normal photos.)

In the photography club room during summer break, Yuzuki made sure no one was around and tried handling the Leica in question.

But there wasn't a single one of the extreme photos Ren had claimed to see in his “nightmare.”

(That Nagasawa-senpai probably carries around a dedicated SD card.)

The old Yuzuki would have only trusted what was in front of her and dismissed Ren's claims outright.

But now, she believed Ren's words more than the visible facts.

No—she had no choice but to believe them.

(I have to make the most of the chance Mom gave me, no matter what.)

Recalling Ren's notes, Yuzuki swore to herself that she would never fall for someone like Nagasawa.

That “nightmare” was probably the result of underestimating him and blindly trusting the club president's words.

The problem, just as Airi had said, was that proving her resolve through actions to Ren wouldn't be easy.

In the end, Yuzuki confided her worries to her mother—Ayumi.

(If I can just find proof, I'm sure I can leave the rest to Mom.)

Ayumi took her daughter's concerns—more precisely, Ren's foresight—very seriously.

At the same time, she didn't hold back, scolding her harshly for being too careless just because they were childhood friends, despite Ren being such a catch.

Even so, Ayumi gently hugged her and said:

—I'll help you too. If you can bring me convincing evidence, I'll mobilize the PTA, the media—whatever it takes—and take care of that trash.

To Ren, Nagasawa was someone who could leave an irreversible stain on his life.

A humiliation he could never fully erase.

That's why, Ayumi believed, he had cut Yuzuki off—to protect himself from becoming entangled in that risk.

(I'm not going to be some “stain”…!!)

Like a general aiming to defeat the enemy commander—if she could just take down Nagasawa—

Yuzuki began searching every suspicious spot in the clubroom, thinking something might be hidden there.

It didn't take long before the room looked like it had been ransacked by a burglar.

(Maybe normal methods just won't work…)

The day Ren broke up with her, coldly saying, “This is a birthday present,”

Amid the awkward silence, one of the second-year members suggested, “Like Ren said, let's all take a look at the Leica camera.”

Looking back, it was pretty unnatural, but the club president panicked and desperately tried to stop them, saying, “There's no need to check” and “There shouldn't be anything inside.”

But Nagasawa had responded calmly: “If you wanna look, go ahead.”

(…And in the end, it really was just normal photos.)

Most of them were pictures of girls, but nothing more than that.

In fact, everyone was surprised by Nagasawa's unexpectedly good photography skills.

Contrary to Ren's intentions, his ability to beautifully capture girls actually worked in his favor, and some female members even started approaching him on their own.

(I probably got drawn in like that too.)

Despite his rough appearance, there was a gap: kindness in feeding stray cats, and a delicate eye for capturing beauty.

On top of that, his natural, easygoing attitude toward girls and his mature demeanor.

If you overlooked his slightly frivolous side, he was tall, well-built, and physically capable.

A nearly flawless package.

(…And that's how girls end up letting their guard down.)

A man with looks, skill, and experience uses every trick to win over a girl's heart and body, leaving behind unforgettable nights.

And when she realizes there are others like her, it only fuels her competitive spirit.

Before she knows it, she's doing whatever he says—just to become his number one.

That's the trap.

(I'll make sure Ren's “foresight” doesn't come true.)

As long as he doesn't resort to violence, all she needed was a strong will not to be manipulated.

Right now, the only thing Yuzuki needed was Ren.

—Being discarded once was more than enough.

(That's right… if I can't find evidence, I'll create it.)

According to Ren's notes, Nagasawa didn't care about location—indoors or outdoors, anywhere was fair game.

But the school building was still under school jurisdiction.

From a parent's perspective, that would be solid grounds for complaint.

(But it's summer break… that makes things tricky.)

It wouldn't be easy to monitor the entire campus.

Even if she planted hidden cameras, there was a high risk other students would find and remove them.

And unlike during the term, there was no guarantee Nagasawa would even show up to the clubroom.

(…Ah, right. The summer training camp.)

The photos Ren was supposed to see first—the ones from that inn.

It was probably an event where Nagasawa would harvest everything he'd been setting up during the first semester.

(And club camps are still considered an extension of school activities.)

Meaning, if something happened during the camp, the school couldn't completely avoid responsibility.

If she presented evidence and filed a complaint, the school would likely cut Nagasawa off as a rogue individual to protect itself.

There was no reason to defend someone like him—especially with a history of suspension.

(That's right… I'll shut down this photography club entirely if I have to.)

Tradition? Prestige?

None of that mattered to her anymore.

If anything, it felt like the very thing that led to her breakup with Ren.

Yuzuki immediately pulled out her phone and made a call.

“President, sorry for calling so suddenly.”

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“—And that's how I ended up joining this summer camp.”

Yuzuki explained everything from start to finish without hiding anything.

Her determination to leave no room for misunderstanding was clear.

“So basically, your plan is to secretly film Nagasawa-senpai sleeping with girls during the camp?”

“Yeah. Of course, if he has that SD card on him, I'll either take it or copy it.”

Hearing her plan, I couldn't help but widen my eyes.

Either way, it would likely count as a crime—either theft or illegal recording.

“Kitayama-san, that could actually put you at a legal disadvantage.”

“It's fine. For your sake, Ren, I don't care about getting a criminal record.”

She didn't look like she was joking.

If anything, her eyes showed firm resolve.

Did Ayumi-san really understand that her daughter was about to walk a dangerous path—for a completely different reason this time?

“I'll be honest. Even if you go that far, there's no guarantee I'll get back together with you. You might end up losing everything for nothing. So—”

“I know that already.”

Yuzuki cut me off.

“I don't want to end like this—just someone who betrayed you and was useless to you. This is partly for you, but also for myself. So this is something I have to do on my own, no matter what.”

I recognized that look.

Once Yuzuki got like this, nothing anyone said would change her mind.

“…Alright. Then at least promise me this—if things start to get dangerous, contact me immediately. You still have the stun gun I gave you, right?”

“Yeah.”

Smiling, Yuzuki pulled out the stun gun and gently rubbed her cheek against it, as if it were something precious.

“You gave it to me, Ren, so of course I've kept it safe. I'll use this to protect my purity. My body belongs only to you.”

“Purity… I meant your safety in general…”

“Ah, this might be nice too! I could tie him up and keep shocking him with this until he says he'll quit school.”

“Don't. Seriously, don't do that.”

That would be a serious crime.

…Though theft and illegal recording weren't exactly minor either.

“And if things escalate and the police get involved, tell me right away. I'll get you a good lawyer.”

“Okay. Fufu… you really are kind, Ren. Even to someone as awful as me. I guess I really have no choice but to keep loving you.”

What exactly caused this change in Yuzuki?

Was it because she sensed the presence of other girls around me?

Or because I broke up with her?

Either way—or maybe both—

one thought crossed my mind.

(The future might really be changing.)

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After parting with Yuzuki, I started heading back to the inn.

I had planned to take a taxi, but my thoughts were too tangled, so I chose to walk instead.

(…The girls around me really are all unique, in more ways than one.)

Nodoka, Airi, and Yuzuki.

I used to think that falling in love just because you saved someone's life only happened in fiction.

As for Yuzuki, objectively speaking, I was the worse one.

At the love hotel, I made an outrageous demand, and when she refused, I broke up with her over something unreasonable.

She had every right to lose interest in me.

(Still… I need to come to a proper decision by the end of summer at the latest.)

I couldn't keep letting someone like Nagasawa dictate my life.

Whether Yuzuki's plan succeeded or failed, I had to move forward in my own way.

That was the least I owed Airi and Nodoka, who had gathered the courage to confess to me.

My thoughts had mostly settled. Maybe it was time to grab a taxi.

Just as I stepped closer to the road—

“—Mmph!?”

A hand suddenly shot out from behind and roughly covered my mouth.