Chapter 111: Chicken Game

Reading Settings

“…”

“…”

“…”

Hey, what's with the silent treatment? I asked you to tell me what’s going on, but you're just standing there. Are you not going to say anything?

… Or maybe there's just too much to talk about and you don't know where to start. I guess I'll give it a bit more time.

…

…

…

Uh, it’s already been fifteen minutes. From the sounds of the crowd coming from the courtyard, it seems KYOKO’s stage performance is over. But we're still standing here in silence. I’d like to hear something concrete from you, but rushing you won't help.

Standing around like this is getting boring and tiring. I start tapping my foot out of impatience. It’s getting harder to be patient with Airi-chan’s pace.

Noticing my frustration, or maybe having her own thoughts, my mom speaks gently to Airi-chan.

“If you don't know what to say, think about what's most important to you.”

Seeing my mom act so saintly is rare.

Rare…? Ah, that's right. My mom…

“I… I used to like you, Yuuta-kun.”

“!?”

Whoa, that was out of nowhere. It made me jump.

But honestly, hearing her confess while looking down doesn't do much for me. And it’s in the past tense.

So she's saying we need to start from here, huh?

What's the right way to respond to this? Should I say, ‘I liked you too’?

I glance at my mom, who just shakes her head slightly. Alright, I’ll keep quiet.

Seeing that I'm not saying anything, Airi-chan continues reluctantly.

“I left that important feeling behind back then.”

Despite her royal b***h status, as evidenced by her actions, Airi-chan looks like a normal girl filled with regret, clutching her skirt tightly.

“Now, all I have is regret.”

But Airi-chan keeps looking down, trembling. Tears drip onto the ground, and it's heartbreaking.

Honestly, there's a part of me that wants to lash out at her, considering her attitude towards sweet Yuki-chan.

But raising a child as a minor isn't just a simple matter. If I were to insult her here, I'd just be a jerk.

And I don't want to see Airi-chan suffer more. I understand that the BSSR (Broken Social Structure Responsibility) isn't just her fault. I can't bear to see Yuki-chan and the Kimura family in misery either.

So, I ask what needs to be asked.

“Do you hate Yuki-chan that much?”

Airi-chan's breath catches for a moment.

My mom asked her what was most important. If her feelings for me are part of that, it's not entirely unwelcome. But should that come at the cost of neglecting Yuki-chan, her own daughter?

“I hate her.”

The answer comes after a brief pause.

“Why?”

“Because she reminds me of my stupidity.”

“…”

“I found out my family was fake when I entered middle school and that I had no real family. I fell into despair, acted out, lost what was important, and ended up with an unwanted pregnancy, leading to even more despair. Yet… Yet!!”

“…”

“Despite wanting to forget my mistake and have an abortion, people who weren't even my family kept saying life was precious and forced me to give birth! And now, I can't love a child who constantly reminds me of my stupidity. How could I?”

I'm at a loss for words.

There's no simple, nice thing to say. I'm an outsider, after all.

“I tried to change! KYOKO's words about living independently inspired me. I studied hard, got into university, and tried to change! But nothing changes as long as that child is there. Nothing will change. Nothing…”

Airi-chan collapses in tears, and while I feel sorry for her, my mind remains clear.

I see now why she idolizes KYOKO so much. It makes sense. She worked hard to get into a decent university, so her efforts were genuine. She's trying to change.

But the one unchanging thing is her family reminding her of past mistakes.

Wait, is she still in love with me? That's creepy.

While I'm pondering whether to address this, the quiet around the North Gate suddenly gets chaotic. People are rushing around.

Just then, my phone rings. It's Ange.

I picked up immediately.

“Hello? What's going on?”

“It's terrible! Someone with a weapon has taken a hostage and barricaded themselves! Where are you?”

“What? A hostage situation?”

“Yeah, the suspect is demanding KYOKO's presence. He seems to be a male student.”

“So KYOKO isn't the hostage?”

This might be related to that threat. Maybe the suspect couldn't get to KYOKO due to tight security, so they took someone else. What an idiot! If it's really Okutsu, he's beyond saving.

“Yeah, he's holding a young girl hostage in KYOKO's dressing room.”

“What?! A young girl?!”

I shout, and my mom comes over, worried.

“Yuuta, what happened?”

“Some idiot with a weapon took a young girl hostage in KYOKO's dressing room.”

The hostage situation is dire, but Yuki-chan should be asleep in my apartment, so she can't be the hostage.

But a young girl…

“No way.”

Perhaps misunderstanding my words, Airi-chan suddenly runs toward the courtyard, where KYOKO's dressing room is located.