Chapter 50: Conclusion

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Translator: Soafp

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As I stepped into the dark alleyway, the damp air hit my nose.

The streetlights barely reached this far, and faded posters clung carelessly to the walls, their colors long since washed out. Trash bags were scattered around, and a foul odor hung in the air. When I glanced down, shards of broken glass littered the ground, and somewhere nearby, a cat let out a low meow.

Holding my breath in the tense atmosphere, I moved forward cautiously, step by step.

Soon, I spotted the karaoke bar scribbled on the note, and the same name appeared on the sign ahead.

In the dimly flickering neon lights, the glow seemed weak, as if the place had lost all its life.

A dry tension gripped my throat, and I instinctively swallowed hard.

The moment I was certain this was the right place, I saw the shadow of a man climbing the stairs.

I reflexively crouched down and quickly hid behind the sign at the entrance.

The man sniffed carelessly as he walked past.

Once he was gone, I stepped forward into the store.

Descending the stairs into the basement, the damp air grew even thicker.

Mold-like stains spread across the walls, and the garbage strewn on the ground rustled underfoot.

Pushing through the automatic door, I found a worn-out counter.

The air was dusty, and beyond the empty counter, an old barstool lay toppled over, left abandoned.

There were no other signs of people, and the only sound came from the speakers playing the latest hits.

I found a hallway leading further in and cautiously moved forward.

The walls were covered in countless graffiti, and the dim lights flickered ominously.

Could they be somewhere in here?

My chest tightened with anxiety. I peeked through the small window in one of the doors.

Inside the rundown karaoke room were a worn-out sofa and scattered bottles of liquor.

I checked one room after another, but there was no sign of Miyabi.

I pressed on further, eventually reaching the door at the very end of the hallway.

Then it happened.

A muffled scream echoed from the room to the right.

The blood drained from my face, and my heart skipped a beat.

For a moment, my body froze. But I quickly gasped and rushed to the small window.

Peering through the thick glass, a nightmare unfolded before me.

Godai and Takamatsu were pinning down Miyabi and Aoi.

My mind went blank. My ears rang, and I felt all the strength drain from my body.

I grabbed the door handle and twisted it. But the cold metal wouldn't budge. It was locked. There was no time to search for a key. Anxiety squeezed my chest, and my hands trembled.

“Open it… open the door!!”

Frustration and anger clashed inside me, and my throat burned with dryness.

I took a few steps back and threw my body against the door.

A dull shock ran through my shoulder, sending searing pain through my bones.

I could hear muffled laughter from behind the door. Godai and the others had noticed the sudden impact and slowly approached the door.

“Oh, he's here. Look how desperate he is!”

Ignoring the irritating voice beyond the door, I took a few steps back to catch my breath. Then, summoning all my strength, I slammed into the door again.

The impact hit my shoulder, and pain shot through my entire body.

My breathing became erratic, and my vision blurred. But I stood firm, gathering my strength once more.

Godai and Takamatsu exchanged glances, grinning as they slowly approached the door.

Undeterred, I took a few more steps back, gathered momentum, and crashed into the door with all my might. But all that followed was a dull thud, and the door remained unmoving.

Inside, Godai and Takamatsu were laughing at me, pointing in amusement. I could faintly hear their mocking laughter echoing in my ears.

I glared at them as I charged at the door again. Blood began to seep lightly from my shoulder.

But I didn't stop. I kept slamming into the door.

Godai roughly grabbed Miyabi’s hair as she lay collapsed, dragging her toward the door.

Her body, perhaps trying to resist, trembled faintly but soon crumpled as though it had no strength left. Her shoulders quivered, and her fingers twitched slightly. Yet she was forcibly pulled upright, barely able to stand.

“All you can do is watch from there. Watch as what you care about gets destroyed,” he spat, deliberately slow, his words cutting into me.

My heartbeat grew erratic. My head burned, and my vision wavered.

Miyabi’s eyes met mine. Despite the fear and pain, they seemed filled with regret.

Her trembling lips moved, forming words I could barely make out.

—I’m sorry.

My mind went completely blank, and a surge of heat rushed through me. Any shred of rationality I had left was obliterated, and my body moved on its own.

In that instant, I pounded my fist against the door.

Each strike sent a dull shock through my bones. My skin split, and red streaks stained the door. The pain was real, yet it felt distant, like it was happening to someone else. All I could do was keep hitting the door, over and over.

Tears blurred my vision, but I continued to glare at the door, raising my fist once more. At that moment—

A warm hand gently wrapped around my bruised fist.

“You did well, little brother…”

A familiar voice spoke from behind me.

Mixed with surprise and relief, my strength gave way, and my fist began to tremble.

I snapped back to reality.

And in that moment, the sound of something cutting through the air pierced my ears.

Something darted past the edge of my vision. And then— a thunderous crash.

The impact shook the entire room, and the thick door groaned before shattering, exploding outward. Splinters and fragments flew everywhere, sharp pieces striking Godai and Takamatsu’s shoulders and arms. The two recoiled instinctively, staggering back and letting out pained groans.

Miyabi and Aoi shrank back in shock, their gazes fixed on the figure standing tall amidst the dust.

Frozen in a powerful kicking stance, not moving an inch, that figure was…

—Kyoko-nee.

As the smoke cleared, she smiled softly.

“I told you, didn't I? You had nothing to worry about.”

With a smirk, she casually brushed the debris off her feet.

“Wh-why… are you here?” I asked, my voice trembling with shock.

Kyoko-nee shrugged lightly at the question, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“For my cute little brother, it’s only natural to put a GPS tracker on your belongings.”

Her words made me feel a mix of exasperation and relief all at once.

My racing heartbeat began to calm, and the tension in my chest loosened.

“…What the heck…”

I muttered, letting out a weak laugh.

Without a word, Kyoko-nee reached out and patted my head with a gentle but slightly rough touch, just like when we were kids.

That simple gesture was enough to make everything I had been holding in crumble.

My vision gradually blurred, and consciousness began to sink into a deep darkness.

The last thing I saw was Miyabi and Aoi running toward me, tears streaming down their faces.