Chapter 360 - Sunlight Filtering Through the Leaves of Love
(1)
"Toya-kun, good morning. It’s time for breakfast?"
"Good morning, Airi."
A night had passed since Makoto returned.
Makoto bowed his head to his parents, and with our help and Chii-chan’s intercession, and by returning the money, it was resolved.
Makoto seemed to have left the dorm and gone home that day.
An awkward atmosphere still lingered, but the two of them would probably be okay.
The next thing was what to do about the group that had been shaken.
Now that Emi-san’s investigation had started, they wouldn’t let it slide.
I had done what I could for Makoto.
The rest were problems for Makoto and Kanna to solve.
What I had to do now was keep Airi company.
"Toya-kun, your food will get cold!"
"Yeah, I’m coming."
I went to the dining room with Airi and ate.
After eating, I prepared and returned to the room with coffee.
I drank coffee side by side with Airi.
Airi had been wearing a knit dress since yesterday.
Seeing Airi sitting cross-legged in that outfit, holding a café au lait with both hands, made me want to adore her.
With only her fingers poking out of the sleeves, holding the mug with both hands.
And Airi’s thighs visible from the miniskirt.
I wanted to be praised for not feeling lustful.
But still, Airi was cute.
I embraced such Airi’s shoulders.
"You’re a troublesome husband. Being so clingy since morning."
"It can’t be helped because Airi is so cute."
"...Ehehe~"
Airi smiled happily.
"Are Makoto-kun and the others okay?"
"They reconciled last night, so they should be fine?"
"I hope so..."
"Is there something worrying you?"
"Hmm, I wonder if Toya-kun would understand~"
"?"
"Don’t you feel uneasy that Makoto-kun might have feelings for that person named Shimomura?"
"There’s no way he’d fall for someone he doesn’t even want to see, right?"
"But she’s someone he once said he’d raise a child with?"
Airi seemed worried that Makoto might have changed his heart.
On the other hand, she had been worried whether Makoto, who once said goodbye, could get back together with Kanna.
"That’s not the case, so it’s fine."
I said.
"Why can you say that?"
Airi asked.
"You said it yourself, Airi. That if you lose something important, and you’re battered both physically and mentally, but still have a feeling you can never throw away, then no matter what anyone says, that is Makoto’s only truth."
"Mm."
"That betting his entire life on Kanna and completing the rest of his life is his atonement."
"Mm."
"It reached Makoto’s heart. Firmly."
"Is that so?"
I smiled and nodded.
Airi seemed satisfied with the answer.
"If Toya-kun says so, then it’s okay."
"Yeah, should we get ready soon? It’s time."
"Okay~"
Airi left the room with her mug. I also changed clothes.
When Airi returned, she changed and started putting on makeup.
I watched TV while looking at Airi.
A faint scent wafted from Airi...
Ah, she’s already using the perfume I gave her.
I waited until she finished her makeup, then hugged her from behind.
"Ah, no~ I just finished my makeup~"
"Thank you, the perfume suits you."
"Ehehe~"
I released Airi, then left the house with her.
And we headed to school.
(2)
When I woke up in the morning, Makoto wasn’t there.
Had he run away from home again!?
When I left the bedroom, Makoto was standing in the kitchen.
He was silently making breakfast.
Makoto noticed me and said, "Good morning."
"Good morning. What are you doing?"
"Making breakfast."
I could see that.
Why was he doing that?
"It’s just done now. Sit down."
Makoto’s expression was dark.
The ring was back on the ring finger of his left hand.
The divorce papers had gone through the shredder.
We ate breakfast.
There was no conversation. An awkward atmosphere flowed.
I had to do something. I turned on the TV. A standard morning show was playing.
Makoto remained silent.
Even when I spoke to him, he only answered with "Mm" or "Yeah."
After breakfast, Makoto started washing the dishes.
"Kanna, shouldn’t you get ready for school?"
"Ah, right."
I prepared.
When Makoto finished washing the dishes, he returned to the bedroom and started getting ready.
He was still silent.
I didn’t know what he was thinking.
Was he still brooding?
What was tormenting you so much?
Reflecting isn’t bad, but dragging it on forever isn’t reflection.
When he finished preparing, Makoto said, "Well, I have morning practice," and left the house.
I held such Makoto back.
But Makoto said,
"I’m not in the mood right now... I feel so sorry for Kanna, I’m full of thoughts about how I can atone to Kanna."
"Then Airi gave you the answer last night, didn’t she?"
"It’s about giving all the rest of my life to Kanna, right? I know, that’s why I’m—"
"You don’t understand at all, you idiot!"
I yelled at Makoto.
Were my words not reaching him?
"I know you’re sorry about me. I still can’t fully forgive you either. But I didn’t say that just to continue this kind of life."
"Then what should I do?"
"I know your feelings are genuine. But your method is wrong. Your way is just running away from me. I want you to look at me more."
I wanted him to notice my feelings. I was appealing.
"There won’t be a next time. Thinking that makes me scared. I’m scared of losing Kanna."
"...I cried when I found out you were innocent. I cried because it was okay to believe in you. I believe in you, Makoto. Don’t you believe in me?"
Always, at any time, even when it seemed like everything was over—what was it? Who was it?
Even so, the reason I could think ‘let’s try once more’ and move forward was because I believed in Makoto, because Makoto believed in me.
For just one person, Makoto, I felt I could do anything.
Even now, I’m not that confident. There are things I can’t step forward for. There are times I think, what if I’m wrong or it repeats?
If I just don’t choose, there’s no anxiety. But nothing will change either.
Let’s change together, Makoto. Let’s walk again together, the two of us.
Just having you there, Makoto, who can smile and say ‘see you tomorrow,’ makes me happy.
Even if you doubt yourself, the moon and the sun wouldn’t shine.
Because beyond the light at the end of that outstretched hand is the future you wish for.
I can hear it even now. I can feel it. The Makoto who’s still crying is conveyed to me.
It’s reaching me, it’s resonating, so I’ll hold your remorse as it is.
So don’t blame yourself so much. Be the Makoto you truly are.
I poured all my feelings into Makoto.
"Don’t blame yourself so much. Your feelings have been conveyed enough. That’s enough. You’re here. That’s enough."
"I’m going now..."
"Makoto!"
Wasn’t it getting through? Couldn’t my cheap words reach Makoto?
"I’ll be late. We’ll continue when I get back, okay? You take care too, Kanna. Watch out for accidents."
Saying that, Makoto left.
But at the end, Makoto smiled for me.
That alone was a relief for me.
(3)
Ten days had passed since then.
At lunchtime, everyone gathered in the cafeteria.
Emi-san spread photos on the table.
They were all photos of people being extorted for money.
"I can show you videos too if you need them?"
Emi-san said that and prepared a tablet.
"We don’t need to go that far. You’re already ready to catch them in the act, right?"
When I asked, Emi-san answered.
"You see through everything, Katagiri-kun. Yes, it’s fine. It seems it will happen today at 3 p.m. behind the second gymnasium of the private university."
It was a bit far.
"It’ll be me, Sakura, Ai, Makoto-kun, and Kanna. Okay?"
"I’m going too!"
Airi said.
"I can’t forgive people like that! I absolutely won’t forgive them!"
Airi seemed quite angry.
If so, I needed to go too...
"Mika-san said she can’t because of work."
When Emi-san said that, Watanabe-kun also said apologetically,
"I have a part-time job too. Sorry. Toya, can you go?"
"Understood."
"Anyone else want to go? Let’s all go and give them a group beating."
"I wanted to go too, but I have a part-time job."
Saki-san said.
"Well, a sudden invitation like today is impossible."
Emi-san said.
"With this many people, it should be enough."
I said.
"I won’t forgive them. Those bastards who made Makoto go through that, I’ll give them a thorough thank-you."
Kanna said that while sending a message to Makoto.
Well, she was the victim too.
"How is Makoto-kun doing after that?"
Airi asked.
"Normal. It was a bit awkward at first, but he’s become nicer than before, I think. He also does housework now."
"That’s good~"
"I’m grateful to Toya. I was really saved this time."
Kanna said. Had I made him owe me one?
Well then, let’s all go after class ends.
After class, we headed for the private university.
We parked the car and entered the university.
It was my first time entering an unfamiliar university.
"Toya."
Makoto came.
"Sakura-san and Eita are keeping watch. The transaction has already started."
Makoto said.
"Everyone, let’s hurry."
When Emi-san said that, we were led by Makoto to the transaction place.
Sakura-san and Kiritani-kun were hiding in the shadows keeping watch.
"That’s Shimomura-san."
Makoto said.
She had long black hair, was blowing a bubble with gum, wearing denim pants. She had a cardigan draped over her.
And gal-style women who seemed to be her cronies were surrounding a man.
Was he this time’s victim?
"What’s this pittance! It’s not enough at all!"
"I’ll pay the rest in installments! I’ll work a part-time job and pay, so please let me off with just this today."
"Ask your parents, they can afford it! Your family is rich, right?"
"If Mom finds out, she’ll get mad!"
"Arisu doesn’t have time either. It’ll be too late once you can’t have an abortion!"
"If that happens, I’ll raise the child together."
"I’m saying I don’t want to be with someone like you. Get it through your head! At least that much!"
"Then what should I—"
"If you can’t let your parents know, there’s only one thing to do, right?"
"What’s that?"
"Go borrow from a loan shark! They’ll lend you about two million right away."
"Isn’t the amount higher than before?"
"Interest accrued!"
"That’s..."
During that, Shimomura-san said nothing. She just chewed her gum.
Later, Miyuki-san came.
"Is the hospital okay?"
"I took a little break. I have something to say too."
With that, Miyuki-san also watched the situation.
"Then go borrow it right now!"
"I’ll find you a well-paying part-time job!"
"What kind of job?"
"Debt collection."
"I can’t do that."
"Do you think saying ‘I can’t’ to everything works here, huh?!"
"Eek!"
It sounded almost like a gangster’s line.
They came shuffling over towards us.
We stood in front of them, blocking their way.
"Who the hell are you!?"
A gal-style woman said.
"Ah, Tada-senpai!"
Shimomura-san seemed to notice.
"Tada? Oh, did you bring money?"
The gal-style woman said.
"There’s no way I’d bring something that doesn’t need to be prepared!"
Kanna said.
"You caught someone else’s husband and had your fun, didn’t you... Are you ready for what’s coming?"
"Are you Tada’s wife? Did you spill the beans? This Arisu—"
"You drugged him and took him to a hotel, didn’t you? The goods are up!"
"Where’s the evidence for that?"
"That’s my line. Do you have evidence that you’re pregnant?"
Emi-san said.
"What did you say!?"
"I told you the goods are up! You’ve conceived the children of fifteen men in at least twenty days. Quite the feat, huh?"
Kanna said.
"Using the position of women as the weaker sex to threaten... As a fellow woman, I can’t forgive this!"
Airi said.
"That’s quite a terrible story~. Because of people like you, women who have to suffer in silence exist."
Sakura-san said.
"You were unlucky to cross us. Get ready for it."
Ai-san said.
But the other side seemed confident.
Well then, show your hand.
They pulled out a photo.
It was a photo of Makoto and Shimomura-san sleeping naked.
"If we spread this to the tabloids, it’d be a scandal, right? Even your wife must be really pissed, isn’t she?"
Makoto looked down.
Was he regretting what he had done?
Kanna was trembling with anger.
Was that their goal from the start?
"I thought something like that would happen."
I said.
Everyone’s attention gathered on me.
"I told you, didn’t I? That the goods are up. Emi-san."
When I said that, Emi-san started operating the tablet.
On it was clearly an image of her putting something into the beer Makoto was drinking.
Makoto, being directly involved, wasn’t calm.
So I asked Kosei.
I’ll say it again, Makoto’s consciousness was clear.
Until he was drugged.
So we didn’t even need to identify the store.
Needless to say the rest.
"Want me to send this video? Violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, assault, causing injury, indecent assault. I’ll gift you the set with a noshi attached."
"That’s not evidence."
"Whether it becomes evidence or not is for the police to decide, right?"
"Just so you know, my daddy is a police officer."
Airi said.
"And that photo means nothing. Looking at it, it’s taken by someone. That means there was a third person besides the sleeping Makoto and Shimomura-san."
"By the way~ we recorded every exchange just now~. We’ll wrap up an extortion charge as a bonus too."
Sakura-san said.
"If that’s still not enough, I’ll drag you to the hospital right now and have you examined. What you’re doing is nothing less than an act of insult that demeans the position of women. As a fellow woman, I can’t overlook this."
"Let me tell you, this doesn’t damage Makoto as much as you think. Like I said, it’s obvious there was a third person. Anyone can see he was set up."
"What!?"
"We’ve gotten Makoto’s testimony. Can you give testimony? That after drugging him, Makoto raped you."
"We can test if the photo is ineffective. Are you prepared for that?"
Shimomura-san opened her mouth.
Makoto kept his mouth shut.
Looking at such Makoto, she chuckled.
"You guys really are stupid. Do you want to go to prison that badly? What you’re doing is extortion. And fabricating false evidence."
"This is pointless. I’ll send this photo to the tabloids."
"Go ahead. Even if I concede a hundred steps, that alone won’t let you claim damages. It’s obviously consensual intercourse. Rape doesn’t hold... Besides—"
"Besides?"
"If we play our card, the facts of that photo will flip 180 degrees! Want to hear the voices of other victims too?"
"You’re getting cocky, aren’t you!"
The woman tried to grab at me, but Airi and Kanna grabbed her shoulders.
"Do you want to be arrested in the act of assault? That’s also a hassle. I’m in a really bad mood right now. I’ll beat you to a pulp."
"I agree with Kanna. I won’t let you touch even a finger of Toya-kun. I’m seething right now too!"
Kanna and Airi seemed ready to fight.
Shimomura-san spit out her gum.
Several women gathered.
"These guys have studied martial arts."
Shimomura-san’s tone changed.
I maintained a relaxed smile.
"Kiritani-kun, stay back."
The women attacked.
But they miscalculated.
There was no way that the level of martial arts they had dabbled in would work against Airi and the others, who had handled men with guns.
And today’s women were all in bad moods.
They ended up just creating a pile of injured people.
Everyone fell, leaving only Shimomura-san.
"Because you’re women, we spared your stomachs and faces~. Be grateful."
Sakura-san said.
"Now then... We can’t let this woman Shimomura off with just this."
Kanna said.
"I agree with Kanna... I won’t feel satisfied unless she’s ready to have a bone or two broken."
Ai-san said.
"Damn it!"
Shimomura-san slammed her smartphone onto the ground.
I picked it up and checked the contents.
There were photos. So she had taken them with her phone.
I deleted all of them.
Then I handed the smartphone to Makoto.
"From here, it’s Makoto’s turn."
"?"
Makoto seemed not to understand.
"It’s your specialty, right?"
"Ah, I see."
Makoto immediately connected his notebook PC to the smartphone and started operating it.
We still had things to do.
"That said, why don’t you come out from hiding? I can read even your grimy presence."
The men came shuffling out.
Some had cameras, some had metal bats, various types.
In other words, they were only small fry.
The man gave a signal. They all attacked.
As expected, small fry.
A pile of fallen men formed.
I recovered the man’s camera.
There were images there too. This was probably the main one.
I deleted it without hesitation.
The composed Shimomura-san was gone, and only a cowering, frightened woman remained.
"Checkmate."
I declared, looking down at the woman.
"I was doing so well..."
"You’re an amateur. I’ll let you off this time. You shouldn’t do anything this stupid again."
"What are you saying, Toya!?"
"Letting her off!? Absolutely not!"
"Toya-kun, what are you thinking!?"
Kanna, Ai-san, and Airi said.
"You’re cute."
Pat
"Toya-kun, flirting again in front of your wife!?"
"N-no, that’s not it... She’s cute, so she was being threatened, right?"
Shimomura-san silently nodded.
It seemed she had originally been a quiet person, and also cute. They must have noticed that.
They tricked her, pulled her into their group, gave her quotas... She must have deceived many men.
Makoto was one of those men too.
She had been gradually dragged in and couldn’t wash her hands of it.
By the time she had told everything, everyone had fallen silent.
"Toya, capture complete. I took over the whole server. I deleted all the data!"
"Good work, Makoto."
"So, what do we do with her?"
"She’ll decide that."
Shimomura-san stood up.
"Toya-kun, what should we do? She seems like a victim too."
"I... shouldn’t have listened."
"I’ll leave it to Toya. Watanabe said to leave it to you too."
"...What will you do, Shimomura-san?"
"...Leave me alone!"
Shimomura-san shouted that.
Then she started walking.
"People like you, who meddle and are all buddy-buddy, piss me off the most! It’s disgusting!"
"What did you say!?"
Kanna said.
I held Kanna back.
Then I said.
"Think whatever you want about us. You have your own values. But if you become our enemy again, I won’t go easy on you next time."
"...Just enjoy your buddy-buddy life!... I can never go back."
Saying that, she left.
"Was that okay, Toya-kun?"
"Who knows... But it would be bad to just impose our way of thinking, right? She has to find her own solution."
I said that.
"Well, shall we go back to Blue Bird? I’m hungry too."
When I said that, everyone left separately.
"I have club activities."
"I have a part-time job."
"We have part-time jobs too."
"Nozomi should be coming home around now. I have to go home too."
"I have to prepare dinner for Haruki!"
Only me and Airi remained.
"Since we’re here, let’s have dinner and then go home?"
"Yeah!"
And so we set off on the way home.
(4)
When I came back from club activities, I ate and then went to my part-time job.
When I got home, a good smell filled the air.
"Welcome back, Makoto."
Kanna said that.
"What’s wrong, Makoto?"
I was crying.
So I still had a place to return to.
I hugged Kanna.
"I told you to stop when I’m cooking, you idiot."
"Just let me lean on you for now..."
Kanna put her hand on my back.
"Jeez, what a troublesome husband. Don’t do it again."
"I know."
That day’s dinner was a bit of a feast.
"I thought of a way to cheer you up, so I splurged a bit."
"Thank you."
"Don’t eat with such a gloomy face. You can’t have alcohol, so put up with juice, okay?"
"I’ll stop drinking from now on."
"Eh?"
"When I drink, nothing good happens."
"If you say that, then I’m the same. I complain and nag... It’s not really just the alcohol’s fault, is it?"
"Kanna?"
"You just want to let out what you’re really thinking using alcohol as an excuse, right? Ishihara said it, didn’t he? If you’re going to drink, have a happy drink."
That’s right...
After the meal, I helped clean up.
Then I changed and went to my part-time job.
"Well, I’m off."
"Come straight home. I’ll give you a little service tonight."
"Whoa! Really!?"
"...You haven’t changed a bit, have you."
"Ah, sorry."
"It’s fine because I love you just like that."
"...I’m off."
Kanna saw me off all the way.
(5)
After we finished eating, we went home, took a bath, and were relaxing in the room.
Airi was drying her hair with a hairdryer.
When she finished drying, she headed to the kitchen.
What a busy girl.
While I waited, she brought back one can of chu-hai each.
Airi was smiling, but she was probably still brooding over Shimomura-san.
I embraced Airi’s shoulder.
"Still bothered?"
"Well, it bothers me. I started to feel sorry for her."
Airi said, "Don’t you think she really wanted to come back?"
"Probably."
"Then why didn’t you invite her?"
"Because she didn’t have the will for it."
"Ugh... You’re saying something I don’t understand again."
"Everyone has their own sense of justice. Conflict is inevitable. Our sense of justice might be hurting her."
"Are you saying we’re wrong?"
"It means everyone has different values. There might be some reason of her own."
"I see~"
Airi said that while keeping the household accounts.
It was Shimomura-san’s will to decide her own path.
And we had no right to meddle.
We would just stick to our own values.
Even if it meant hurting someone else’s values in the process.
Of course, not hurting them is best.
But if they try to hurt us, if they become our enemies.
I have no intention of showing any mercy.
Though maybe I actually am showing some mercy.
If my hesitation in judgment were to destroy this group, I would become ruthless.
I looked at my own hands.
These hands were already dirty.
But that was fine.
Watanabe-kun was the leader. My role was to get my hands dirty in his place.
Airi seemed to have finished the household accounting and was laughing at the TV.
It must be because her favorite celebrity was on.
I sat next to Airi.
"Hey, hey, Toya-kun, look, this is funny~"
I enjoyed the show with Airi.
While pulling each other’s shoulders close.
It was just like sunlight filtering through the leaves of a tree of love.