Chapter 7: Outside
Translator: Soafp
Three days had passed since my arrest.
During that time, I endured endless questioning about the switchblade and the fight.
Despite their relentless inquiries, I stuck to my story—I had no knowledge of the weapon, nor any involvement in the fight.
But each interrogation felt like a relentless assault on my innocence, wearing me down with each passing hour.
The weight of their suspicion bore down on me, threatening to crush my resolve.
And amidst the chaos of my predicament, I couldn’t shake the lingering guilt of missing my date with Hana.
I never had the chance to tell her about my situation, to explain why I couldn’t make it.
Not only had I missed the date with Hana, but I also hadn’t informed Kenji about my situation.
As for school, I dreaded the possibility of rumors spreading about me.
The thought of facing my classmates’ judgment and speculation added another layer of anxiety to my already turbulent emotions.
I found myself consumed by worry, wondering how my absence was being perceived by those around me.
Would they assume the worst? Would they gossip about me behind my back?
The thought of her disappointment weighed heavily on my heart, filling me with a profound sense of regret.
As the days dragged on, the sense of isolation and despair grew more profound.
Each passing day felt like an eternity, marked by the relentless routine of interrogation sessions and solitary confinement.
But through it all, I clung to the hope that freedom was just around the corner.
And finally, the day of my release arrived.
The officer’s voice broke through the silence of my cell, jolting me from my thoughts.
“Come on, get out. Your father is waiting for you.”
With a mixture of relief and trepidation, I rose to my feet, my legs feeling unsteady after days spent confined to the cramped space.
As I followed the officer out of the cell, my heart raced with anticipation, knowing that I was about to be reunited with my family after what felt like an eternity apart.
But as I stepped out into the harsh glare of the hallway lights, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me.
What would await me on the other side of those prison walls? And how would my family react to my return?
With a deep breath, I pushed aside my doubts and fears, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead.
For better or for worse, my journey was far from over.
As the last door swung open, revealing the familiar figure of my father seated on a chair, a flood of conflicting emotions washed over me.
Relief surged through my veins at the sight of him, but it was tempered by a lingering sense of apprehension. How would he greet me after the events of the past week?
Would his disappointment still linger, or had time softened his stance?
With hesitant steps, I approached him, uncertainty gnawing at my insides.
“Dad…”
He turned to me, his weary eyes reflecting a storm of emotions.
Lines of exhaustion etched deep into his face, and his usual stoic demeanor was replaced by a palpable sense of disappointment.
“Ryota…”
His voice was heavy with the weight of unspoken words, his disappointment casting a shadow over our reunion.
I flinched at the sight of him, knowing that I had let him down in ways I could never fully comprehend.
As he gazed at me, his disappointment palpable in the air between us.
“I’m sorry, Dad… I never meant for any of this to happen.”
But my words fell flat, drowned out by the deafening silence that stretched between us.
In that moment, I knew that my father’s disappointment would haunt me long after the echoes of my mistakes had faded away.
“Let’s talk when we are home.”
“…Yes.”
Is all I could say in this situation.
With a heavy heart, I followed my father out of the police station, each step weighed down by the burden of my mistakes.
The journey home was silent, the air thick with unspoken tension as we navigated the familiar streets in strained silence.
As we entered our home, he closed the door behind us, the heavy thud echoing through the hallway. Then, without warning,
SLAP.
His hand lashed out, delivering a stinging slap across my cheek.
The shock of the blow reverberated through me, leaving my ears ringing and my cheek throbbing with pain. I staggered back, clutching my face in disbelief as tears welled up in my eyes.
His expression was a mask of anger and disappointment, his eyes ablaze with a fire I had never seen before.
“Have you any idea how much shame you have brought upon our family?”
I could only hang my head in silent remorse, the weight of his words crushing my spirit.
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I struggled to find the words to express the depth of my regret.
But no words came.
My father’s voice broke through the heavy silence, his words laced with a mixture of disappointment and frustration as he recounted the events of the past seven days.
“Have you any idea how hard it was for me to walk on the street? To face the judgmental stares and whispered accusations of our neighbors?”
He paused, his breath hitching in his throat as he struggled to compose himself.
“Every step felt like a battle. I could feel the weight of their eyes upon me, their silent condemnation echoing in my ears”
He continued.
“And at work…I couldn’t concentrate. Every phone call, every meeting, it all blurred together in a haze of worry and anxiety.”
At that moment the door opened and Yuto came inside.
“I am home.”
“Welcome back, Yuto.”
My father said to him.
“I see you guys are busy so I will be upstairs.”
As he walked past me, his shoulder collided with mine in a deliberate bump
“Ah, my mistake.”
…’Ah, my mistake’. Those words had haunted me since my imprisonment, and now, standing face to face with Yuto, the truth was finally revealed.
“IT WAS YOU!!!!! YOU ARE THE ONE PUT THE SWITCH BLADE IN MY POCKET!”
My shout hung in the air, thick with anger and betrayal. But before Yuto could respond, my father’s voice cut through the tension like a knife.
“THAT IS ENOUGH, RYOTA! Not only did you commit a crime, but now you’re also accusing your own brother of your wrongdoing?”
My father’s voice thundered through the room, his expression twisted with annoyance and frustration.
“I’ve had enough of this. I know you and your brother are always arguing, but blaming him for your crime is the last straw.”
He seized me by the collar, his grip firm and unyielding, and marched me towards the front door. With a forceful shove, he propelled me out into the cool night air, the door slamming shut behind me with a resounding finality.
“Since you enjoy the outdoors so much, maybe you should make it your home. Fight all you want out there.”
His words echoed in my ears as I stumbled backwards, the impact of his rejection hitting me like a physical blow.
“WAIT, PLEASE. PLEASE. OPEN THE DOOR. I BEG YOU!”
I pleaded desperately, pounding on the door with all the strength I could muster. But my cries fell on deaf ears as the door remained steadfastly closed.
And then, just when I dared to hope for a change of heart, my father reappeared, his expression dark and menacing.
Without a word, he grabbed me by the head and slammed me onto the ground, my body crashing against the unforgiving earth with a sickening thud.
“Was I not clear? Let me repeat it for you one more time. Live the life of an outsider.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with finality, as he turned and disappeared back into the house, leaving me sprawled on the ground, battered and broken, with nothing but the cold night to bear witness to my pain.
Yuto stood there with a smug smile playing on his lips, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
“Ah, I almost forgot to say this to you from Koboyashi-san.”
“Hana?”
Yuto’s smile widened as he delivered the crushing blow.
“Yes, she said she is breaking up with you because she doesn’t want to date with a criminal.”
With that, Yuto closed the door, leaving me standing alone in the darkness of the night.
My own family had turned against me, casting me out into the cold abyss of isolation and despair.
All I could feel was an overwhelming sense of sadness, intertwined with a burning hatred that seared through my veins.
My love, once vibrant and resilient, now fought desperately for survival, grasping at the fading embers of warmth and affection that remained within me.
It was as though my mother’s love, a radiant beacon in the darkness, had shielded it from harm for so long. But now, even that protective barrier seemed to waver under the weight of betrayal.
The memory of my mother’s unwavering love filled me with a profound sense of longing and regret. She had been my rock, my guiding light in the darkest of times.
Yet now, even her love felt like a distant echo, drowned out by the overwhelming sense of betrayal that engulfed me.
The betrayal of my family and Hana, those whom I held closest to my heart, had delivered a devastating blow to the fragile flame of love flickering within me.
Their actions shattered the trust I had placed in them, leaving me vulnerable and exposed in a world seemingly bent on tearing me apart.
“If these emotions are only here to hurt me, maybe I should just cast away these feelings.”
It was a painful decision, but one I deemed necessary to shield myself from further anguish and betrayal.
Never again would I let my emotions dictate my fate. In that moment, I cast aside my feelings, burying them deep within me where they could no longer hurt me.
Love and trust would be discarded, buried deep within me where they could no longer be tarnished by the cruelty of others.
However, something within me refused to release its grasp on trust. It clung to me stubbornly, much like the love I held for my mother. There was a lingering tether, holding me back.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. As long as the majority is gone.”
With a heavy heart and weary footsteps, I turned away from the front door, the echoes of my father’s words still ringing in my ears.
Each step felt like a burden, dragging me further into the depths of despair as I wandered aimlessly through the darkened streets.
I had no destination in mind, no plan for where to go or what to do next. All I knew was that I couldn’t stay here, surrounded by the suffocating weight of betrayal and rejection.
The night air was cold against my skin, a bitter reminder of the harsh reality of my situation.
I pulled my jacket tighter around me, seeking solace in its thin fabric as I trudged forward, my thoughts consumed by the pain of loss and abandonment.
Witler
April 1, 2024 at 12:36 amIs there going to be a new girl introduced? Considering the yandere tag, I really hope that Hana girl doesn’t get forgiven, she literally believed everything without even trying to listen to the MC to explain, let’s hope he gets his revenge or something better.
Porleve
April 1, 2024 at 6:07 amNo, the yandere tag is for the male friend the protagonist has.
Ptolemy
April 1, 2024 at 8:31 amI like that Achilles pfp
Hawhaw
April 1, 2024 at 8:35 pmOh, is that true?
Riki
April 1, 2024 at 1:24 pmSo far there is only 11 chapter in raw. But it’s okay. The latest chapter is the start of yuto downfall. The male friend got a solid evidence that ryota is innocent and called the police.