Chapter 364 - Deprived Eyes
"Is this good enough?"
"Mm♪"
After the hug, Airi finally let go and went to get her own breakfast.
I sat down at the table and took a sip of coffee. She seemed more clingy than usual today, but I didn’t mind.
"Toya-kun, are you going to visit ALICE today?"
"Yeah. I promised I’d help her with something."
"ALICE is so popular now. Everyone at school talks about her."
"She’s a hard worker. It’s not just luck."
Airi nodded, chewing her toast thoughtfully.
Later that morning, I headed to a family restaurant in Shinjuku. The Watanabe couple were already there, sitting with a few other members of our group. A middle-aged man in a suit—their manager, apparently—was also present.
"Toya-kun, thank you for coming," Mrs. Watanabe said, bowing slightly.
"Of course. You said it was urgent."
She glanced at her husband, then leaned in. "We need your help. ALICE... she’s not who she says she is."
"What do you mean?"
"Her real name is Arisu Shimomura. And she’s been lying about her past."
The manager spoke up. "There was an incident a few years ago. A pregnancy fraud case. She pretended to be pregnant by a wealthy man to extort money. It ruined her reputation. She changed her identity and moved to Tokyo."
I stared at him. "Arisu... did that?"
"Yes. The victim’s family pressed charges, but she fled before the trial. Now that she’s famous, the old story is coming back. We need to handle it before it destroys her career."
I was silent for a long moment. Then I said, "I want to talk to her first. Alone."
That afternoon, I met Arisu in her apartment. She looked pale, dark circles under her eyes.
"You know, don’t you?" she whispered.
"Yes. Why didn’t you tell me?"
"Because I was ashamed. I made a terrible mistake. I was young and desperate, and I let greed take over. I’ve regretted it every day since."
"You can’t run forever, Arisu."
"I know." She wiped her eyes. "But what can I do? If the truth comes out, I’ll lose everything."
"Maybe not. You can apologize publicly. Return the money. Start over."
"They’ll never forgive me."
"Some won’t. But some might. And I’ll help you."
She looked at me, surprised. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I believe people can change." I paused. "And because I know what it’s like to carry a dark past."
Arisu’s eyes widened. "You?"
"I used to be a member of the Kurenai-kai. A yakuza gang. I left when I realized I wanted a different life. It took years to build something new."
"Toya-kun..."
"So I’ll stand with you. We’ll find a way forward."
Over the next few weeks, we worked together. Arisu issued a public apology, returned the money she had taken, and did community service. The media backlash was fierce, but slowly, some people began to give her a second chance.
One evening, she called me. "Akiyoshi proposed. We’re getting married."
"That’s great news."
"He knows everything and he still loves me." She was crying happy tears. "And I have another idea. I want to start a talent agency. For people who’ve made mistakes and want to rebuild."
"That sounds perfect. I’ll help you get it off the ground."
The welcoming party for the new agency was held at a small hall in Shibuya. Airi came with me, dressed in a pretty yellow dress. Arisu—now going by her real name, Arisu again—stood at the front, smiling.
"Thank you all for believing in me," she said. "I promise to make this agency a place where second chances are real."
Airi tugged my sleeve. "Toya-kun, you helped her a lot, didn’t you?"
"I just showed her the door. She walked through it herself."
"That’s still amazing." She hugged my arm. "I’m proud of you."
I looked at the crowd, at Arisu laughing with Akiyoshi, at the Watanabe couple chatting with the manager, at Airi’s bright eyes. The past was never easy, but the future was worth fighting for.