Chapter 104: What I Can Do for You

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Translator: Soafp

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In the room of a high-end tower apartment, soft winter sunlight streamed in.

Outside the window, a clear blue sky stretched endlessly, and in the distance, the neatly arranged buildings stood quietly.

Kagura's room was spacious, with tastefully arranged furniture in calming colors. It was a sophisticated space that looked like it belonged in a magazine.

We were quietly sitting around the living room table.

Kagura, Marin, Ranko, Aoi — they were all brought together by Miyabi. And only Kyoko-nee was someone I called here.

She said she had something she wanted to tell me, so it seemed like a good time.

“Thank you all for gathering,” I quietly spoke. I had been thinking about this since yesterday, and finally, I had the courage to speak. It was too heavy for me to carry alone.

“Hajime, are you alright? You look pale,” Kagura said, looking at me with concern. Her gentle voice gave me a little courage.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for calling everyone out so suddenly, but today, there's something I really need to talk to you all about…”

I took a deep breath and slowly started to speak.

“I had a childhood friend named ‘Suz-chan'…”

I quietly began. I slowly glanced around at everyone's faces: Kagura, Marin, Miyabi, Aoi, Ranko, and Kyoko-nee. The six pairs of eyes were all fixed on me, and the air in the room suddenly grew tense.

“Suz Suzumura, a friend I've known since kindergarten, even before Miyabi and Aoi.”

Memories of those days began to flood back: playing together in the park, sharing ice cream, going to catch bugs by the river. Just thinking about it made my chest feel warm.

“She was very bright and kind. Always smiling, she cared deeply about even the smallest lives.”

The smile I had while talking slowly began to fade.

“But one day, she suddenly disappeared from our lives.”

I could hear Miyabi and Aoi gasp. It must have been a painful memory for them as well.

“One day, when I was playing in the park with Miyabi and Aoi, Suz-chan suddenly appeared. She was covered in mud, her hair was messy…”

The scene from that day was still vivid in my mind.

“We were shocked when we saw her, and… then, I said to her—”

And the words I had said.

“I… said, ‘How sad.'”

I faltered as I reflected on my mistake.

“The moment I said that, Suz-chan's expression changed. It was as if her soul had left her, and then she ran off.”

“That was the last time I saw her. After that, she moved away, and we never saw her again.”

A silence fell as I slowly continued.

“Since then, I always thought Suz-chan hated me. I thought my words hurt her…”

“But the truth is different.”

I began to tell the story I had heard from Konatsu-chan yesterday. How Konatsu-chan and the girl Sanae Koda were threatened by a boy with a knife in the park, and how Suz-chan showed up to protect them, only to be assaulted by the boy.

“And then Suz-chan came to them for help, but I didn't know any of this, and I said that thing to her…”

My voice trembled. It felt like my heart was being squeezed in pain.

“Suz-chan's family moved quickly to hide her injuries.”

“But that wasn't all.”

I took a deep breath and slowly continued. After Suz-chan moved away—she had gotten pregnant.

The air in the room felt like it froze.

“Suz-chan… on the surface, it was said that she became depressed after getting pregnant and jumped from a hospital, dying. The child's father was never identified…”

The moment I said those words, I felt a searing pain in my heart, as though it was being torn apart.

“But I don't think she was the kind of person to take her own life. Konatsu-chan agreed with that idea too.”

“Konatsu-chan, you mean that little girl?” Kagura asked, her voice confused.

“Yeah, Sasahara Konatsu… she's… Suz-chan's younger sister.”

Everyone's faces lit up in surprise.

“Yesterday, I went with Konatsu-chan to the abandoned hospital where Suz-chan died. That's where I heard everything.”

“And I found out who the boy was who attacked Suz-chan and pushed her to her death—”

My clenched fist involuntarily dug into my palm.

“Who was that boy?” Ranko asked calmly.

“He was a boy back then, but…”

I hesitated for a moment and looked toward Miyabi. It was difficult to say, but I couldn't hide it anymore.

“He was someone related to Miyabi… a man named Amano Mizuki, Miyabi's cousin.”

The room fell into a deep silence. I could see the color drain from Miyabi's face.

“I'm sorry, Miyabi. I didn't want to say this… but I can't hide it anymore.”

Miyabi was speechless, her eyes wide open in shock.

“Just as I thought, it was him…”

The one to break the heavy silence was Kyoko-nee. Her voice, though quiet, carried a certain certainty.

“I've always thought… he was watching you, Hajime. It wasn't just a curious look from a cousin towards Miyabi's childhood friend. There was something off about it.”

I listened quietly.

“I've always felt uneasy about that Mizuki guy… So, I started investigating on my own. When Hajime was hospitalized, I happened to see him at the hospital, and I followed him. It took time to get confirmation.”

“Kyoko-nee…” I didn't know she'd been doing something like that all along.

“I'm on your side, Hajime. I couldn't just watch and do nothing.”

Her eyes held unwavering determination.

Before I knew it, Kagura and Marin had gone silent. Kagura bit her lip, her eyes welling up with tears. Marin was quietly sobbing as she stared at me.

“Hajime, you are not at fault… you didn't know anything…”

Kagura's voice trembled.

“But…”

I whispered softly.

“I didn't know, but… I might have realized. If I hadn't lied to myself back then… maybe I could have faced Suz-chan properly.”

Marin looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Your feelings…?” she asked softly.

Looking back into her eyes, I opened my mouth with heavy words.

“…Suz-chan was my first love.”

The room went completely still.

“But I kept denying that feeling. After Suz-chan disappeared, I… I thought it was my fault. It was too painful to remember, so I buried it deep inside me.”

I forced myself to continue, holding back my trembling voice.

“But during that time, it was Miyabi and Aoi who were there for me. Thanks to them, I was able to get back on my feet. And because of them, I gradually came to love them as well.”

The moment I said those words, it felt like something heavy in my chest had started to move.

I had been running away. From Suz-chan's death, from my feelings. I was too scared to face it, so I closed my eyes to it, pretending not to see. But deep down, I knew. Running away wouldn't change anything.

It was Miyabi who broke the silence.

“…Hajime, I kind of figured it out. Not just with Suz-chan, but I thought maybe you had some special feelings too.”

“I knew too,” Aoi nodded quietly. “After Suz-chan moved away, Hajime seemed so down… I was worried. So, we naturally started cherishing the time we spent together, the three of us.”

Miyabi and Aoi's words tightened my chest.

“…Thank you.”

When I whispered that, Ranko, who had been quietly sitting beside me, spoke up.

“It's a complicated situation, huh? But well, we were all kids back then, so I guess it can't be helped, right?”

Kagura snapped back at the light tone.

“Do you not understand?! Hajime is still suffering because of this!”

“Well, I suppose it’s sad,” Ranko said, shrugging, though her gaze remained steady. “But what’s important is what Sensei plans to do about it, not what happened in the past. The future matters more, doesn’t it?”

“But Hajime…”

Just as Marlin was about to retort, I quietly raised my hand.

“That’s okay, Marin. Ranko is right.”

I continued, speaking gently.

“The past can’t be erased. But we can face it… What I can do now is think about what I can do for Suz-chan, and not shy away from it.”

It was then that—

“Hajime!”

Kyoko-nee suddenly threw herself at me.

“You’ve become so manly… I'm so moved, little brother…!”

As my sister happily hugged me, over her back, Kagura, Marin, Miyabi, and Aoi all wore displeased expressions simultaneously.

Only Ranko was chuckling to herself in amusement.

At that moment, Kyoko-nee suddenly grimaced.

“…Ugh.”

“Kyoko-nee… Don’t tell me—”

“Just a bit… the injury from the fight with Akutsu… it… it flared up a little…”

“Geez, it still hasn’t healed…”

I spoke with exasperation, but couldn’t help but let worry seep into my voice. My sister, though reckless, cared for me more than anyone else. That fact struck me deeply, more than ever.

Her arms loosened a little, and I was finally able to escape her embrace.

At that moment, Ranko spoke up.

“So, what exactly are you planning to do, Sensei?”

As expected of Ranko—she had noticed that I had already started moving in some way. Her eyes weren’t just curious but were sharp with practical insight.

“…You noticed, huh?”

I quietly smiled and nodded.

“Actually, Konatsu-chan asked Ranko to help. We've been using the networks of streamers to look into Mizuki-san's background. So, for now, I want to analyze that information with Ranko.”

Ranko nodded slightly and replied nonchalantly, “Well, I'm doing what I can.”

Just then,

“…Hey, if that's the case, there's something I need to tell you too.”

Miyabi spoke up, suddenly serious.

“My father told me. Mizuki-nii… The year Suz-chan died, he caused trouble with a girl.”

The atmosphere froze.

“Back then, he was a minor, and the incident wasn't a big deal, but outwardly, they said he was going to participate in an ‘overseas medical program’… but in reality, it was actually a study abroad for him to attend a rehabilitation program after causing the trouble.”

I was lost for words. That Mizuki had such a past—no, it wasn't entirely impossible for someone like him.

“Originally, Mizuki-nii was supposed to take over our hospital. My father was even considering a marriage contract with me. But after hearing about this, everything was canceled. That's the decision my father made.”

Everyone's gaze turned to Miyabi.

“…That guy is totally messed up…”

Kagura muttered in disbelief, and no one disagreed.

“To think someone like that was so close to us… I can't believe it…”

Marlin's voice trembled.

Next to her, Aoi gently placed her hand over Miyabi's.

“Miyabi, are you okay…?”

“Yeah, I'm fine.”

Miyabi quietly smiled and squeezed Aoi’s hand in return.

“My father handled it properly. I've decided to face it properly too.”

Those words seemed to ease Aoi, who smiled in relief.

“I'm glad…”

Aoi said nothing more and quietly held Miyabi's hand.

That quiet gesture warmed my heart unexpectedly.

I lowered my gaze slightly and, for some reason, thought of the Amane family.

A prestigious medical family, a lineage passed down through generations. There must be many constraints and things going on. Thinking about how cornered Mizuki must be right now, a doubt flickered in my mind.

“Miyabi… has anything changed with Mizuki because of that incident?”

In response to my question, Miyabi's expression darkened just a little.

“…It's still too soon to know for sure, just one day after everything happened, but…”

She chose her words carefully and continued slowly.

“Mizuki-nii's father is a renowned professor at the medical university. He's always been strict… If this matter gets out, Mizuki will surely face serious consequences.”

I nodded silently. Yes, this was—

“…It might be a chance.”

I accidentally spoke out loud.

“A chance?”

Aoi tilted her head, puzzled.

“Yeah.”

I looked around at everyone's faces as I continued.

“I've been avoiding it all along. Suz-chan, my feelings… everything. But… I'm done hiding from it. I want to do what I can for her now. I want to protect her this time.”

I clenched my fist.

“I'm powerless. I can’t do anything on my own. All I have is the ability to write novels. But still… I want your help.”

At that moment, the air seemed to tremble. The silence was broken by Marin.

“Hajime-kun, you're not powerless.”

She smiled, even as her eyes glistened with tears.

“You've always been there for us. In your words and actions, there's always kindness. That's why I want to stay by your side.”

“Me too,” Kagura added. “You always try to take a step forward, even when it's tough. When you saved our agency, even knowing it could hurt you. Not many people are willing to extend a hand like that.”

“When it was Godai and Takamatsu…” Miyabi lowered her gaze, smiling. “If you hadn't come, I don't know what would have happened to us. I'll never forget the courage you showed that time.”

“Even Ranko, right?” Aoi smiled gently. “She told me that if you hadn't spoken to her, she wouldn't have regained her pride in her work. She was so happy when she talked about it.”

Everyone's gaze gathered, and Ranko slightly looked away, embarrassed, before quietly saying.

“…Well, I suppose… if it weren’t for you, I might still be stuck… So, what's the matter?”

Her words made me smile without realizing it.

My chest was full, and my throat felt tight.

I couldn’t speak, I just kept looking at everyone's faces.

Before I knew it, my vision was blurred.

But I couldn't cry here.

I took a deep breath and held back my emotions.

I will never forget this feeling.

This time—it’s time to act.