Chapter 74: Tooth and nail.

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Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you're close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it's cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one's older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

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Tsukino’s POV

“I don't know the details, but the ones who abused him weren't even his real parents. He was passed around from place to place, and that's where he ended up.”

“W-what do you mean…?”

“It's a terrible story. Do you know what he ate to survive before he met Sachi-san? Because of active cleaning efforts, there wasn't even leftover food to scavenge, so he ate pond goldfish and weeds.”

Yamakawa-kun and Miki-chan recoiled.

“Without even clothes to wear, wrapped in a filthy, damp blanket… You know the park behind the station? He was curled up inside one of the drainage pipes there, so weak he couldn't even make a sound. If Sachi-san hadn't found him, who knows what would've happened.”

“T-this is Japan, isn't it? How could something like that—”

“I couldn't believe it either. But when I saw him—he didn't even know how to use a spoon or fork. He didn't even have a name. A kid who should've been in kindergarten, completely mute. His tongue was too weak, his body already too exhausted, so he couldn't even cry out for help.”

I felt dizzy. I couldn't stay seated. Biting my lip, I fought to stay composed.

“Even then, the kid… He fought to survive. Tooth and nail… An adult would've given up.”

“…Why would someone like that find value in helping others? If it were me, I'd hate the world and want to get revenge.”

Miki-chan spoke, averting her gaze. But precisely because she said it, her words carried undeniable weight.

“He once said it was because he never got to repay Sachi-san. He was too small to do anything for her. If only she had lived a little longer, he could have been of help to her… That's what he thought. Even though that's not true at all.”

“…That's his lifelong regret?”

How many times had I heard Shinji-kun say those words? He never wanted to have regrets. No matter what, he always sought to bring things to a conclusion. That must have been the root of it all.

“He once told me, ‘Fools learn from experience, wise men learn from history.' Or something like that.”

“That's Bismarck's quote.”

Tsukaji-san gave a small nod.

“He never calls himself wise because he's experienced all the misfortune firsthand. He says he's learned plenty of ways to lose, so all he has to do is do the opposite… Seriously, that's such a Shinji way of thinking.”

That was everything Tsukaji-san knew about Shinji-kun. After saying that, he took a sip of his tea.

“…How did Daisuke-san pass away?”

“Acute alcohol poisoning. He drank too much when Shinji wasn't around, and his heart just stopped.”

“Why wasn't he found until the day of his death?”

“Because the shop wasn't open unless Shinji was there. Daisuke-san only kept the place running because he wanted to see Shinji. Of course, Shinji didn't know that.”

…Their connection was so fragile that I couldn't find a single word to say.

“When Youko-san died, Daisuke-san's life had already ended. He completely gave up, didn't even have the strength to hold a knife anymore. When he went to the racetrack to reminisce, he happened to meet Shinji, who was working there.”

“Then why, after all this time, did he drink himself to death?”

“…I remember him saying something before. ‘Thanks to the kid, I have no regrets anymore.' He must have felt like his purpose had been fulfilled after telling Shinji everything he needed to. And the school trip was the perfect timing.”

That means… Daisuke-san chose to die, didn't he? To treat life so carelessly, even though Shinji-kun was still there… It was such a cruel story.

“Well, I don't think young people like you would understand. But I think Daisuke-san's ending was acceptable.”

“What do you mean?”

“Old men have their own struggles. All your friends from the same generation pass away, and you're the only one left behind. Of course that's lonely. But if you try to get close to someone younger, they see you as a burden. That's miserable, isn't it?”

To me, he was just a gruff, silent, stubborn old man. But maybe Shinji-kun had always understood the meaning behind Daisuke-san's silence.

“That's why he chose death. Daisuke-san set Shinji free. And I don't think young people like you have the right to deny that.”

There was no guarantee it was the right decision. Saying so, Tsukaji-san gave a small smile.

The unshakable trust between them completely overwhelmed me. Could my feelings for Shinji-kun ever reach the depth of what Daisuke-san had for him? Considering how shaken and frantic I was, I didn't think I could even come close.

“…Oh, it's already time. I should get going.”

“W-wait! Just one more question, please.”

If I let Tsukaji-san leave now, I felt like I'd never see Shinji-kun again.

“What is it?”

“Do you know where Shinji-kun used to live?”

At that, Tsukaji-san pulled up a map on his phone, scrolling for a bit before muttering, “Ah, found it,” and showing us a town in the neighboring prefecture.

“It's around here. I don't know the exact spot, but Shinji walked from there all the way to the Machiya district.”

“Got it. Thank you.”

“You know… you kinda remind me of Shinji.”

“…Sometimes, I think that myself.”

And with that, we deeply bowed and left Youko behind. The alley was untouched by the glow of the sunset. The dimly lit corners quietly swallowed the sparse passersby.

“It's far. We probably can't go today.”

“We have school tomorrow too, so we should head back for now—”

“I'm going. I won't come back until I find him.”

I spoke without turning around, and their footsteps stopped. They must have understood—there was no point in trying to stop me.

“Got it. We'll keep looking for more information on our end. If anything happens, call us.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Hey, Michiru.”

Hearing her voice grow distant, I turned around. Miki-chan lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked at me again with a complicated expression.

“…Take care.”

That single phrase held countless meanings. She must have been one of the people Shinji-kun had saved.

“Thanks. I'm going.”

A dull hum sounded as streetlights flickered on, evenly illuminating the cold asphalt. The scent of freshly cooked food filled the shopping district, yet none of it enticed me. Instead, I felt like it was trying to hold me back.

…Why?

Even though it was the same scenery as always, the path before me now seemed unbearably long.

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