"Kazuma, how are things progressing with Miss Nishikawa?"
I had heard that phrase so many times I was sick of it. I honestly wondered if my dad viewed me as anything more than a tool for his business.
"I’m making my move, but it’s not exactly easy!" I snapped back.
The person my dad called "Miss Nishikawa"—Eri Nishikawa—was the one I had designated as my primary target. She was different from the women I’d dealt with before. She was a genuine high-class lady, completely unimpressed by money or brand-name items. Even my looks didn't seem to faze her in the slightest.
There were two reasons I was pursuing her so relentlessly.
First, there was her father. As the chairman of the massive Nishikawa Group, he was a vital business partner for my dad’s company. "Partner" was a generous term, though. Dad’s company was circling the drain, surviving only on their loans and referrals; we were essentially parasites. Naturally, Dad was desperate for me to win Eri over at any cost to secure our future.
The second reason was simple: I’d actually fallen for her. Compared to Eri, the women I’d known before seemed painfully childish. Whether Dad pressured me or not, I was going to make Eri mine.
"By the way," Dad continued, "have you grown accustomed to your role yet? If you bring your future subordinates under your thumb now, it’ll pay dividends later."
The plan was for me to go to university after high school while simultaneously stepping into a management role. At my dad's direction, I regularly held social gatherings—mixers, really—with the guys destined to become my subordinates. As their superior, I had to dole out rewards, and "getting used to it" referred to managing that dynamic.
The number of participants in these gatherings had increased lately. It was probably time to rotate in some of the stupid women and their hangers-on. I had endured the hassle of dealing with those idiots just in case a situation like this arose, so I intended to make them as useful as possible.
Of course, I didn't care if things turned personal between them after the mixers. I had no desire to be dragged into another mess like the Sagawa Incident.
If you want to subjugate someone quickly, use money and women. If you want to win over a negotiation partner, use money and women. I had watched my dad operate that way my entire life.
In fact, more than a few women had approached me just to get close to my dad. They were likely acting on someone's orders, but watching them desperately suck up to a kid like me was pathetic. It was only natural that I grew to look down on women.
Back in middle school, I was just a kid myself, so I found it entertaining to do whatever I wanted. Every girl who confessed to me was just another person lured in by my money or my face. For women like that, simply playing around with them was more than enough.
None of this was my fault. My environment had made me this way. In a sense, I was a victim, too.
"I get the situation. But based on this RAIN History and the photos alone, it's still going to be difficult to do anything concrete," Hayato pointed out.
He was right. This evidence wasn't enough to sink them. At best, we could only use it to spread rumors among their acquaintances.
"I’d like to hear from Todo-san’s friend as well... what do you think? Of course, if she doesn't want to revisit those memories, I won't push it," I said.
Todo-san shook her head immediately. "Yoko still harbors a deep grudge against Yamasaki and Yuzuha. I don't know if 'Victim Alliance' is the right term, but ever since she met someone else who hates Yamasaki, the two of them have been tracking his movements. She told me that if she could just find some kind of closure, she might be able to laugh and have fun with us again..."
Todo-san’s mournful expression made it clear how much she cared for her friend. Our circumstances were different, but I also had a score to settle with Yamasaki, so I understood her pain. The reason she had been so eager when I mentioned crushing him was likely her desire to see her friend free from that shadow.
"I think Yoko—and the other person, too—would definitely cooperate if it’s you, Takanashi-kun. So, if you're willing, would you meet them?"
With that, I had Todo-san reach out. The reply was instantaneous: they were coming right now. The speed of the response seemed to radiate the depth of their resentment.
"I’ll be going with him, but what about you two and Yokokawa-kun?" Natsumi-senpai asked, looking at Sara and Hayato.
"I have resolved to share whatever burden Kazunari-san carries," Sara replied, her eyes fixed on mine. "I will follow him anywhere."
"Of course I’m going," Natsumi-senpai added. "There's no way I'm backing out now."
"I want in, too," Hayato said. "This might end up involving me eventually, anyway."
Since we were all in, we agreed to meet at the Station Front. We disbanded briefly to change out of our school uniforms before reconvening.
"Let me introduce myself again. I’m Yoko Tachikawa."
Since a Family Restaurant was too public for this kind of conversation, we had moved to a Large Karaoke Room. I didn't frequent such places, but apparently, they were cheap and convenient for long talks if you used the Free Time option. Sara, who was also a stranger to karaoke parlors, was peeking around the room with wide-eyed curiosity. It was adorable.
Once we were settled with drinks from the Drink Bar, we started the introductions. The two girls who joined us were Yoko and another girl who seemed a bit more eccentric.
"Nice to meet you... don't mind me too much. You can just call me Hanako."
It was an obvious pseudonym, but I let it slide for now. Once the greetings were finished, Hanako addressed me with biting intensity.
"So, Yoko told me the deal. You're going to crush Yamasaki, right?"
Her bluntness took me by surprise, but Yoko stepped in with a weary smile to explain.
"Actually, Hanako was at the same middle school as us. This is her first time meeting you in person, Takanashi-kun, but she knew all about the rumors. She has something she wants you to hear."
"Something for me to hear?" I asked.
"While I was digging for dirt on Yamasaki, I managed to record Yuzuha Sasagawa talking to her friends a few times. This is for you," Hanako said. She pulled out her smartphone and hit play on the Recording Data.
『Yamasaki-kun gave me some great advice~』
That was definitely Yuzuha’s voice. She was clearly talking to someone else.
『He told me that for now, I should just make Kazunari the villain. He said once I’ve found my own happiness, I can just apologize to him. He said that if I apologize at the very end, a Childhood Friend will always forgive me. Besides, Kazunari told me before that he'd forgive me for anything, so I should just do what I want.』
...What?
I vaguely recalled saying something similar years ago, but it certainly hadn't meant that. What was going through Yuzuha's head?
"Um... Takanashi-kun, that’s not what you meant by 'forgiveness,' right?" Natsumi-senpai asked, her face a mask of disbelief.
"No, obviously not."
"Don't worry about it," Hanako interjected. "This girl is just intentionally twisting your words. She wants to convince herself that because you said that, she’s allowed to be as cruel as she wants. It's just a way for her to dodge the guilt."
It was a cold, piercing analysis that made perfect sense. I couldn't wrap my head around it now, but back in middle school, she must have been operating under that kind of selfish delusion.
BANG!
The sound of someone slamming the table echoed through the room. Startled, I looked to my side and saw Sara’s hand resting on the table's surface. Everyone froze in shock.
"...I beg your pardon," Sara whispered. She withdrew her hand, her expression one of tightly suppressed rage.
She was clearly furious at Yuzuha's sheer selfishness. I reached out and gently took the hand she had struck the table with, squeezing it softly. Sara flinched slightly but quickly relaxed. She shifted closer, resting her head lightly on my shoulder.
"Uh... why did you two suddenly start being so lovey-dovey?" Hanako asked, sounding genuinely confused.
"Don't worry about it," Natsumi-senpai sighed. "It’s a regular occurrence with them."
Even if the others looked at us with judgment, I couldn't help it. Seeing Sara get so angry on my behalf only made her more precious to me. I wasn't ashamed at all.
"In any case, this confirms Yamasaki's hand in Yuzuha's behavior," I said, trying to regain my composure. "That’s yet another reason to pay Yamasaki back in full."
I tried to sound firm and serious, but with Sara leaning affectionately against me, I probably didn't look nearly as intimidating as I felt.