Chapter 113: The Harsh Reality for Mobs in the Real World Drained My Energy, So Could Someone Explain This Tragic Situation?

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“Alright, enough about that. Let’s focus on the immediate danger here.”

…Although if the hostage is Senpai Napoli, this might just be a false alarm. Still, it’s not confirmed yet.

After that awkward moment, I made my way to the suspected hostage situation without talking to Airi-chan. There was a crowd gathered around, but the committee office, which had turned into a makeshift green room, was impossible to see inside. The guards were trying to keep people back, but with little success.

“Onii-chan! …Eek!”

Ange spotted me and ran over, but froze when she saw Airi-chan nearby. Poor thing, like a scared fawn. I tried to reassure her by patting her shoulder gently, but Ange just got paler. This wasn’t going to work.

So, I stepped away from Airi-chan and whispered to Ange.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, I'm not sure, but someone barged into the dressing room, threatened a girl who was changing with a knife, and took her hostage.”

“Why was a girl changing in the dressing room?”

“Apparently, she was a contestant in the upcoming pageant.”

“That’s not a little girl, then.”

Ange, you need to think before you speak. A real little girl in a pageant? Unlikely. Given what I heard earlier, it’s likely the hostage is Senpai Napoli. The perpetrator probably thought they had picked the weakest target. Big mistake.

“The only smart move was catching her while she was changing.”

“So, what does the perpetrator look like?”

“Well…”

“It was Okutsu-kun!!”

“Huh? Kurebayashi-san?”

“He was wearing a ski mask, but I’d recognize those eyes anywhere! He waited until after Asuka-neesan's concert when security was lax, pulled out a 9-cm knife, and barged into the dressing room!”

“Why is he so fixated on that 9-cm knife?”

Never one to disappoint, Okutsu. If Kurebayashi-san, who knows him best, says it’s him, then it must be him.

“How do you know it was a 9-cm knife?”

“Well, my fingers are exactly 9 cm apart.”

“Uh-huh.”

I glanced at the width she showed with her thumb and pinky. Clearly, she measured during… activities. Lovely.

Anyway, this isn't a joke. Okutsu pulled a knife; this is serious. But what does he want, going to such lengths?

“Bring me KYOKO! No, bring me Asuka Kenzaki! You toyed with my feelings!”

Just then, the perpetrator emerged from the dressing room, bringing a bringing a knife to the hostage's throat and yelling. The crowd parted, and we ended up facing each other.

So, KYOKO is the target. It's definitely Okutsu.

Though his outburst makes no sense, How did he just now realize Asuka was playing him? Someone must have egged him on.

Anyway, safety first. Okutsu might not be great with a knife, but even Napoli Senpai can't move recklessly with a blade so close. Her expression is completely calm, though. There was not a trace of fear.

Also, now that he’s in front of us, I realize his eyes look drugged. I've seen eyes like that before, recently.

I barely noticed Napoli Senpai’s strange outfit, like something a kindergartener would wear, because Okutsu's drugged look was so striking.

Seeing no sign of Yuki-chan reassured Airi-chan, but I couldn't relax.

“Oh my, what a dangerous situation… Wait, that girl…”

My mom suddenly appeared beside me, looking puzzled.

“Mom?”

“Why is she here…?”

“Wait, Mom, do you know Naporitan-senpai?!”

“She's the daughter of the couple who run ‘Cozza-Gane,’ right?”

Bingo. Mom wasn’t there when I reunited with Senpai earlier.

“Yeah, but how do you know her?”

“Well, the couple are like my benefactors. They helped me a lot when I worked nights.”

“Small world.”

Perhaps it’s just a small world for this author.

“So, since she's Master Yumie's daughter, she can probably handle herself if we create a distraction.”

“Wait, you even know her skills?”

“Master Yumie is legendary in that area. Physically, I mean.”

Wow. I'd heard rumors about Senpai's mom being a martial arts master, but this confirms it.

With Okutsu in front of us, it was just me, Mom, and Ange. Kurebayashi-san had slipped away to avoid being seen.

“How do we create a distraction?”

“He seems sex-driven. Maybe showing some skin would distract him.”

I had no idea how to create a distraction, so I threw out a suggestion. Bad move.

“Good idea. Sorry, Ange.”

“Wh-what?”

Mom lifted Ange's skirt, revealing her bloomers.

“Hey! What the hell!?”

Even I, her brother, glanced over. Okutsu, too, was fixated on Ange's bloomers.

Then, with a groan, Okutsu collapsed, clutching his groin, freed from Senpai's grasp.

“Way to go, Senpai? Problem solved…”

But then, Senpai dragged Okutsu back into the room and shut the door.

I heard disturbing noises and screams.

Please, just don't kill him.