[3rd February, Wednesday]
[Kurushima Pov]
"I'm in love with you. Please go out with me, Kurushima-kun."
"Thank you," I said gently, pausing a moment long. "I appreciate your feelings for me. I truly do. But I'm sorry, I don't feel the same way. We can't be together."
"I see... I figured out as much. Still... Thank you for listening to me nonetheless, Kurushima-kun..."
The girl who confessed to me just now to her hearts content nervously, smiled faintly with a pained smile on her face until tears dwelled up on her face till she ran away.
Rejecting someone was never easy, especially, if the person in charge held genuine feelings for you.
From the twelve girls who confessed to me today I could tell that only three of them had genuine affection for me while the rest felt attracted to me but that was it.
As for whether it was due to my appearance or my wealth I could not very much say what it was but it didn't really matter to me.
What's strange in this instance is, the confessions included both second and third-year students as well.
I wasn't used to receive confessions from each year within one single day.
But it seems like a couple of people had a change of mind about me.
Due to the news articles being released the thought of my behavior now might have made sense for some people as it was fairly reasonable given my childhood trauma.
And I guess it's in some way the truth so I have no reason to refute it.
But that my trauma has resurfaced because of the breakup with Hiyori was not the case as some people like to portray.
This is just how I really was.
I didn't even know where they had gotten that idea but it seems like they can't erase the previous self of me from their minds.
It's not like it bothered me much. If nothing happened back then I might have truly developed to a person like that so it's not like I don't understand them.
Perhaps because of how I 'could be' I didn't mind how everyone saw me. I suppose that's it. But even I didn't know the precise reason exactly.
No... I knew it exactly, but to admit it, was something I wasn't going to do.
Well, this didn't matter much anyway. I should head back to my room and then call Aoki.
Now that the last confession was over I had the respective amount of time for that. But I'm also quite hungry...
I barely made it to each confession in time and had no chance to eat my prepared homemade bento so far...
"You're quite heartless, my dear kouhai."
Just as I was immersed in my thoughts I heard a voice from behind disrupting me. I tried to recall from where I have ever heard the voice but nothing popped up in my mind.
So I turned around looking at the female who spoke with an arrogant tone in her voice.
"And you are...?"
I asked the girl, who had long silver hair and reminded me of a certain person for a glimpse of a moment.
But I immediately shrugged all these countless of thoughts I had off and looked at the girl, awaiting for her answer.
"You don't know me? How amusing. Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This is the first time we've spoken, after all."
"That's right. I have no idea who you are. So, why are you here? With what can I help you, Senpai? Don't tell me you are here to confess. If so, I'm afraid I'm not even slightly interested."
"A confession, hm? You flatter yourself, kouhai-kun. Although I must admit, you'd meet my standards quite easily if I entertained such notions. That said, my presence isn't inclined to such reason."
She leaned in closer walking step after step toward me with the same arrogant expression as before.
"I'm here because you've caught my interest, kouhai-kun. I've gotten quite curious about the student who is rumored to be within one of the best already," said the silver haired girl with a grin on her face.
"The task of bringing Class D into Class A within a simple timespan of five months surely is a very impressive feat. It's something no one ever achieved in the school history before, actually," she added.
"And I'm not talking about the rest of your impressive achievements as well."
"Impressive, hm? I'm sure that's how it looks like to others, but it wasn't that difficult. The same goes for the rest as well. Anyway, is that all? I've got things to do."
"You're quite the impatient one, aren't you? I'm surprised that Nagumo keeps you around with that kind of 'problematic' attitude in the student council."
"It's not like he has a particular choice. Do you know how it would look like if he kicked me out? The best student in the first year gets kicked out because of... what exactly? His attitude? How funny."
"Nonetheless, aside from my 'problematic' attitude as some would title I'm doing my tasks without a flaw. In comparison to what I've been used to, the administrative tasks in this school are quite easy. I usually finish a week worth of tasks within a couple of hours."
Because of that, I also appear only once a week in the student council. This is how it is going ever since December passed and New Year has begun.
But I sometimes had secretly hoped that Nagumo-senpai would kick me out, but I guess even he has a reputation to remain, so I might as well quietly tag along with the student council until I decide to leave.
It's good to have another source of income because everyone in my class stopped transferring their respective fraction of the monthly private points.
I could have kept the act but I wasn't feeling like that, and it's just two months the 'class bank' will be missing out.
Well, that topic wasn't important either anyway.
I focused my attention to the silver haired girl in front of me again explaining her another reason why Nagumo-senpai kept me there.
"It's certainly a relief for him not being troubled by that much paperwork. Well, anyway, I ended up talking about unnecessarily things again. I'll be going."
But I didn't mention the most important reason: It was to keep me under his tab, to observe me, and then to later challenge and defeat me.
"Leaving so soon?" she said, with a disappointed face. "I expected you to be more entertaining, considering all the talk about you. In this school you're something akin to a celebrity, after all."
"If you came looking for entertainment, Senpai, you've come to the wrong place. I don't have the intention to entertain anyone."
"Well, if my kouhai isn't interested in talking any further there is nothing to be done about it. That said, I still haven't introduced myself, have I? I should do that much as your senpai at least."
"There's no need. I can already guess who you are."
"Oh? I didn't think you entertained such notions about me."
"Don't overthink it. I heard Vice-President Kiriyama once talking about a girl who doesn't cooperate in his class. 'If I had to compare her with someone in the first-year, she's like Koenji in your class,' he said."
"You're Kiryūin Fuka, from the Kiryūin family, right? I vividly remember now from where I have heard that surname once. Your family was one of those families who had send me a letter eight years ago."
"To be more precise it should be around 8 years and 242 days. Your family was one of the first who wrote a letter to me, actually. For that I should at least express my token of gratitude I suppose."
"Thanks. Your family was less of a drag than the countless of other big families that approached me in the past."
"Less of a drag, you say? My, what high praise from someone like you," she replied, her tone dripping with dry amusement. "Perhaps I should inform my parents and ojii-sama (grandfather) so we can hang it on the family crest."
I raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't take it that far. I'm merely stating the obvious."
"Obvious? Hm, if you say so," she said, folding her arms, a glint of pride in her eyes."Still... I shall accept your... backhanded compliment, for what it's worth."
"I'm not one to compliment others much. If anything, you should consider it a rare acknowledgment," I said, my tone even, but not without a hint of underlying sarcasm.
She tilted her head slightly, her smile widening. "How generous of you. So, you acknowledge my family's place yet still dismiss them as barely tolerable? You must be delightful company at tea parties."
"I avoid them altogether," I replied without hesitation. "Even when I was still a child I had done that."
"Engaging in forced smiles and hollow conversations isn't exactly my forte. Besides, such gatherings tend to waste the time of those who actually have things to accomplish."
"Spoken like a true adult," she remarked, her lips curling into a faint smirk. "Though I wonder if that kind of mindset ever left room for you to be a proper child."
"That's a luxury some children such as me couldn't afford..." I stared deeply at the girl in front of me, my gaze trying to pierce right through her soul.
Unlike mine, her childhood seemed to be full of happy memories. That was how I perceived it.
The burden of having your family's conglomerate on your back at a young age affected me much which changed my entire being drastically.
The severe amount of stress, the anxiety, the fear, the raw emotions of sadness and anger that overwhelmed me for such a long time by the mere thought of failure and not being able to continue their legacy kept me open countless of nights.
It wasn't long after Aoki my guardian had used his authority as the largest shareholder under my name and the situation had gotten over the years better.
But for a long time everything was in a dire, crucial situation.
At that time I had no choice but to act friendly at those trying to use me and keep them in check while doing my best at their numerous requests.
After all the most important thing my parents left to me was at stake: their conglomerate.
I couldn't let it go down, no matter what.
My behavior couldn't jeopardize it.
So I had done what needed to be done.
But it wasn't even soon until I had noticed that my usual smile had faded completely and I put a fake smile on for the sake of others.
Everything back then felt like hell.
My younger years are fragments of memories I'd like to forget. Unfortunately, that isn't possible. I couldn't do that even when I tried my hardest.
That was how it felt like to be cursed with a near perfect working memory.
The permanent reminders of my family, the dwelling frustration of being so powerless, the bitter rage that kept amassing on me with every single day, all of this helped me surpass my limits by far, so my near perfect memory wasn't that bad... I suppose.
Yeah, in order to achieve my ultimate goal I had to be strong enough to be untouchable.
As long as I could do that I didn't mind if I was cursed with my near perfect memory.
To face him, that much was necessarily.
But how on earth could she understand any of that? How it would feel like to experience all this?
My goal, my burden, and my aspirations...
None of that was something the privileged girl in front of me could understand.
"You must have had a... fulfilling childhood," I said this without realizing, my tone neutral, through continuous practice luckily, but every single cell in me screamed envy, and nearly seeped into my voice.
But before I would show any further weakness here, I chose to end this conversation once and for all.
I shouldn't have talked to her to begin with.
"That's enough with the chat. I'm going. I've been far too distracted with our conversation."
I turned around walking away a couple of steps until I heard the female voice from behind speaking again.
This time it wasn't filled with an arrogant tone like before. It seemed more like a tone of worry, instead.
"Just one advice from your Senpai, before you go, Kurushima. Not every person you come across harbors malicious intent. With your childhood, it might seem hard for you to understand that, but that's the truth."
"I'll be the judge of that."
I said that, and finally with this, our long-lasting conversation ended.
When did I become so sentimental to feel the need to explain how I feel?
I'm not sure...
This was such a drag...
I shouldn't get into a conversation next time.
--
"Home sweet home," I quietly murmured, unlocking my room that was next to that bastard's room. I was occupying room number 402, on the fourth floor. I hated living next to him, but I couldn't really change my room, could I?
My luck was certainly not that great. But in hindsight the rooms in the dormitories were fortunately soundproof, so that's something good I suppose.
I would hate it if he heard me since I'm the type of person to speak when I'm alone.
But I couldn't stand the mere sight of looking that bastard in the eyes.
He awfully resembled the image I had ingrained from his father in my mind. It made me feel a passion burning full of anger.
To think back then at the funeral I found his presence pleasant because he didn't approach me unlike the other people there. . .
That made me boil my anger just more.
But at this moment he wasn't the most pressuring issue I had right now. It was Chairman Sakayanagi.
Arisu Sakayanagi, his daughter mentioned today in our conversation that his condition has been improving. . .
If that's truly the case, I won't have much remaining time here, right?
I had these thoughts often in my mind, but the reason Chairman Sakayanagi was able to survive essentially was due Masashima-sensei's suspicion of something happening.
"But to think he appeared this fast there is a surprise."
When I was in the security room it had been less than a minute since I left his office, but Masashima-sensei was at most four or five minutes away from his office.
The poison I had given him would take a bit to digest, perhaps one minute, but the effects certainly kicked in and worked on him leading to a cardiac arrest.
When I was on my way of leaving his room, that was also what had been happening.
The poison itself wasn't that dangerous. It wasn't even deadly poison, to begin with.
It merely stimulated tachycardia—the rapid increase of heart rate—alongside hypertension, an elevated blood pressure that placed undue strain on the cardiovascular system.
Most of the components I had gotten would lead to an arrhythmias (irregular heart rate) including some other conditions, and mixing it with the final component was to ensure that.
If it wasn't for his old age and the huge stain of the stress he suffered that day, it wouldn't have been that successful.
Nonetheless... Back then I didn't think any teacher would be here in this school around Christmas Time...
I had often observed the school entrance, the security measures and most things in the school, and usually the teachers would leave at Friday evening the school and return home.
During the week it was usually expected from them to stay in the campus, as far as I observed, so I didn't rely on that.
It was also why, it was good that it happened on Friday.
There would be not a single teacher that would come into his office, nor was there anyone who would come to help because the security was 'busy' with something I had prepared alongside everybody else.
But... That someone was there, that day, it wasn't something that I had expected.
At first I thought Masashima-sensei was contacted because the school nurse didn't know the chairman's number, but for him to appear, and then run to his office that day, it was unexpected and a extraordinary surprise to me.
If I didn't observe him from the cameras at the security room I would have definitely been surprised.
In hindsight, it was good that I had taken a look at it because I was able to avoid meeting him.
If not he would have seen that I was still in the school that day, and as such, the alibi of me being in my room would not be valid anymore.
Although even without it, my beyond careful attitude instructed me to see if the camera actually froze in case with the deauther method and if not, I had to delete the footage of me, whose face was unrecognizable due to the fact I was walking with IRL LED.
"But that the school has cameras in front of the hallway is a bit too much."
At the end of the hallway on this floor, there was a camera placed above. It recorded us which could be sometimes a drag, especially if you're in a romantic relationship but in the case back then, it also gave me also an alibi.
Because of that I had an alibi if officials ever found out... But Atsuomi Ayanokoji was a different matter.
I couldn't let him know that I was aware of everything.
If that happened... I would be doomed. He would definitely trust Chairman Sakayanagi's word despite the evidence speaking for me.
As for Chairman Sakayanagi's condition... In hindsight, it could be better than I thought.
I never gave it much thought before, given how long he has been in a coma but now I do. If Masashima-sensei arrived after I left within five minutes... or perhaps even four minutes, there shouldn't be much brain damage he suffered in total.
In other words... He probably could remember everything. Every single teacher knows how to do CPR so he definitely didn't suffer that much from it.
Masashima-sensei is fit, athletic, and someone who frequently visits the gym. When I saw him on the camera I would have guessed it should take around five minutes or more, but he could have definitely achieved it within less of the time.
Especially, given how long I conversed with Chairman Sakayanagi.
I talked longer than I should have after I have heard everything.
In the end, it's entirely my fault.
If I didn't talk so much, if I wasn't drawn by his last question, by what I thought to be a dying old man's last wish, I probably wouldn't have too worry this much right now.
And yet...
Despite everything...
I'm not feeling the slightest bit of regret.
I'm actually a bit relieved upon that information...
It's not that I feel relieved because he could tell the information to Atsuomi Ayanokoji, rather, it's because he isn't dead yet...
Why is it... That I feel like this...?!
"Damn it!" I shouted in anger, punching the wall next to me with my right fist.
But my anger didn't subside after that one time and I continued to punch the wall with my fists one after another until blood stains were visible and my knuckles bleed.
I felt pain but the expression on my face remained the same.
What made me continue to hit the wall was not the anger I felt for him or anyone else, but the pure anger I felt for myself being so weak.
I focused all the strength, all the anger I felt to prepare for one more additional strike against the wall in front of me. But a sudden image of a caring girl popped up in my mind and I couldn't bring myself to hit the wall again.
The vividly reminder of how she would react again upon my injury stopped me.
"Kaoru, you're hurt again. You're sometimes really careless."
The simple thought of her bandaging my hand, scolding me for being reckless, looking at me with gentle and caring eyes brought me to kneel down on the floor, my back leaning on the wall that was covered with blood stains.
"Why am I this weak...? That I'm relieved for my enemy, actually..."
That single question consumed my mind for a moment of time. Despite everything, I was still this weak-willed person...
And... I couldn't tell whether it was entirely a bad thing... Especially, when she popped up more frequent than ever today in my thoughts.
I could definitely need her by my side right now.
Even though I know I shouldn't bring her into my chaotic life, in this particular moment where I was in a complete mess I didn't care for any of that.
I just wanted to be with her.
But before too much time passed I had stopped reminding myself of the memories we shared in this school together and stopped these kind of thoughts.
I didn't know how much time passed and truthfully I didn't care about it either way, but I should converse with Aoki better now.
Now that I face the potential consequences of my actions I'm being so melodramatic suddenly, remembering everything what I might come to regret.
Standing up with a bitter expression from the floor I walked over to my desk and took out the old phone I obtained during the time of the Mixed Training Camp.
I dialed the only telephone number available and sat down on my bed. I waited patiently, as the phone was ringing constantly, until I heard the sound of the call getting accepted.
"Aoki, it's me. Are you there?"
"Yes, I'm here, Young Master."
"Aoki, I'm... sorry... to burden you once again, but have you heard something new about Chairman Sakayanagi's condition?"
"I did. There are some new developments. They happened yesterday at noon so I apologize for not being able to inform you any sooner. I'm truly sorry..."
I stayed quiet, not thinking of faulting him for my mistake. Even though I have this phone with me more than two weeks I had been contacting Aoki only around two to three times a week.
It wasn't anywhere near his fault. It was my fault again. I felt guilty, miserable, and I didn't want him to witness any of that.
I wanted to keep him outside my affairs the best as possible. To not trouble him any further than I already do.
"I see. But don't be sorry, it's not your fault. It's mine. Please don't focus on that. By the way do you know how the news look like?"
"Yes... From what I know the chairman has regained his consciousness a moment long."
The words stopped me in my tracks. I gripped the phone tighter, my knuckles that had stopped bleeding sometime ago, starting to bleed slowly again.
"He regained consciousness?" I asked, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the tension on the phone.
"Yes, Young Master," Aoki confirmed, his tone cautious, as though he knew how volatile my emotions could become.
"It was brief. From what I understand, it lasted only a few minutes. The chairman opened his eyes and said a few words—mainly calling for his daughter, Miss Arisu—before falling unconscious again."
"Lucid interval..."
I murmured these simple words as Aoki was describing what happened. It was a medical condition that could happen to comatose patients but I never considered that to be much of a chance given how rare it is.
From Aoki I heard sometimes that his fingers were twitching before today, which made me feel the need to act faster too, but it wasn't something like this kind of information.
Then...
"And his condition now?" I pressed, the urgency in my voice undeniable.
"Stable, for now. His doctors seem optimistic that this is a positive sign, but they're still monitoring him closely."
"And what about their prognosis? Last time the two of us conversed they thought it was an anoxic brain injury. Is the prognosis still the same?"
"As far as I know, it's not entirely. It's a mild anoxic brain injury. They suggest he didn't suffer any significant brain damage. He's far from recovering... but his response shows signs of promising improvement."
I was silent.
My breath hitched. I didn't even know how to react to that information.
Aoki's words reverberated in my mind in that moment.
"They suggest he didn't suffer any significant brain damage."
That phrase echoed in my mind relentlessly like a death knell.
It meant he could remember.
Every word.
Every interaction.
Just everything.
I had feared that kind of moment often and now it finally happened.
To face Atsuomi Ayanokoji now, could I really do it?
I didn't know...
Was I even powerful enough, currently...?
No...
I had some political figures that I could use, but he probably had the support of the entire citizen party, didn't he?
No... Chairman Sakayanagi back then said it was a secret project made from the Naoe faction, so it must have been just the major figures from the Naoe faction.
A secret project like that wasn't getting approved by the remaining factions, likely.
At least that information was good...
The citizen party, the current ruling party, was split under four major factions: Naoe Jinnosuke, the current secretary general of the citizen party, Isomaru, the former vice president, Miyako, the former Prime Minister, and Kijima, the current Prime Minister of Japan.
If I had any intention of succeeding. . . I would need some of the remaining factions to support me.
After all... he was backed up by someone with influence likewise of the vice-president...
. . .
Politics was something I disliked back then as a child... because of how many politicians approached me and tried to use me, but right now, if I had the intention of succeeding and exerting my revenge, this was one of the most important matters.
From what I know, he must have had made many connections. In other words... I needed much more power than I currently possessed.
Either I prepare myself for that... or... that Chairman Sakayanagi never wakes up and I obtain with my older age more power until I can confront him...
Damn it...
Both options are for the current me impossible...
There's no way I can enter a private hospital full of security like that...
And could I even do it again?
That's something I don't know as well...
Nor do I have much political power...
There were some people I could use but they weren't that high-ranked at all...
How was I even supposed to gain support from one of these three factions...?!
That was also impossible at my current age...
All I have is my wealth... To which I don't even have a fragment of access because I'm not of legal age yet.
What should I do...?!
"Young Master? Young Master? Are you there?"
"Yes..."
I replied affirmatively to Aoki's question, but that was all I could do right now. There was nothing else I was able to say.
Because at the same time I felt the increase of my heartbeat. I couldn't stop it even when I tried. My heartbeat was getting irregular through the panic in my mind, every single thought filled with nothing but fear.
The simple thought of not being able to avenge my family and disappoint them was so painful that even my breathing hitched.
I tightened my heart with my left hand, feeling the crutching pain in my heart right now. Breathing itself was hard in this moment. It grew rapid, shallow, and erratic.
I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, my chest tightening as if it were being crushed. My chest felt like it would implode at any moment. The air around me seemed heavier, denser, than ever.
"Hah… hah… hahhh…"
It left me gasping for air.
I couldn't stop it anymore, despite my attempts to do so.
"Young Master, calm down. Please breathe in and out. Slowly..."
But at the most critical time I heard a single voice bringing me back to reality, calming me in this moment albeit a little bit down.
"Follow my voice..."
"In and out..."
I did as he suggested, and followed his voice. Breathing was hard but with his guidance I was slowly able to overcome it.
After a minute or two I felt then considerably better. The panic attack I previously felt in no time disappeared and I was now able to focus again.
Through these sudden thoughts I forgot an important detail that I didn't take into consideration on the verge of my overthinking.
"Aoki... Although I said that you shouldn't investigate Atsuomi Ayanokoji when I first called you, I'm sure you probably did, right?"
There was a moment of silence and I felt Aoki being hesitant, but soon his voice came out from the phone. "Yes... I deeply apologize for it."
"Please don't apologize. I'm not taking you it bad. Right now there's something I need to confirm so I'll ask right away. It deeply affects with how many enemies I'm dealing with."
"Atsuomi Ayanokoji... How are his affairs in politics? How much influence does he have? It's something I need to know."
"Back then I formed a hypothesis with the information I had present after my conversation with you know whom so I would like to confirm whether it is true."
"If I'm right he isn't currently a politician anymore. I focused my attention back then on those who could have done harm and were within the House of Representatives (lower house) where father belonged to, essentially..."
"In the end it was no one from there. I had been deeply reliant upon the diary entries of what father wrote and inferred from that my information..."
"But with the additional information I got back then I suppose around 10 years ago he was cut off, with Kijima-san's election as the next Prime Minister basically secured."
"Although I'm quite critical if that's true, father described Kijima-san as a politician without a flaw, someone to be admired. I'm not sure if it's the truth but that doesn't matter right now."
"If there's any ounce of truth written in there, Kijima stopped him. As a result he got cut off by Naoe, and was forced to quit being a politician. I've thought about it back then often and that seemed to be the most logical outcome."
"That's also why I never encountered his name on the list of the House of Representatives, because he was forced to quit when father just became a politician and entered politics..."
"And that's why I never stumbled upon his name, either."
In January 2005 my father decided to enter politics and participated in the general elections for the House of Representatives on September that same year for one of the 480 seats and succeeded in getting one.
Atsuomi Ayanokoji at the same time was forced to quit by Naoe, and had no support from anyone, so he ended up abandoning his position not renewing his charge as a congressman to continue.
That was the truth and why I never came across his name. I was focused on the names written on the diary, so I never went to know who the 'mysterious' person in the diary was, after my unsuccessful search.
In the end, that alone made me enter this school and confront Chairman Sakayanagi because he was the closest clue I had to that person.
But I'm still in a troubling situation, nonetheless.
"You're right with everything you said, Young Master. That person is no longer a politician. In 2005, he ended his career as a politician not renewing his charge to continue as a congressman further."
"While it seemed abrupt, it is likely as you say. There are no records explaining it, but it seems to be the lack of his factions support behind his back."
"However, while he isn't a politician anymore, his connections seem to be quite strong. In both the business world and the world of politics..."
"I know... Chairman Sakayanagi told me some names. Nagi, Fuji, Ishigami, Sakayanagi, Amasawa, Kanzaki. Those are just a couple of names I know of, but all these people were supporting him and his project."
"But it shouldn't be hard to figure out that information. We just need to trace back time a little and see who else supports him."
"Still, even among there, he has some large backings behind him. Such as that bastard of a President... Amasawa..."
While I'm sure he's unrelated to the murder of my parents he was the epitome of 'human scum' in the view of my eyes.
Back then I thought once someone might have done it for the shares, but I never had gotten that impression from that Amasawa.
The company was basically going downhill after my parents died, and it took about 3 years until most things were resolved and calmed down.
During that time it was a dire, critical situation, and much shares were sold.
But he was the type of guy to 'spontaneously' invest in there and taking that chance on telling me to buy them back in the future from him.
I also had to sell him a percentage of my shares... at low price because the banks didn't buy everything.
Fucking Bastard...
"He knew how much their legacy meant to me... and right now just waits patiently until his investments pays off and I buy back the shares at twice the price back from him."
Arguably, the investment was a risk. But the company wouldn't fall. The government would have provided support in case but I didn't let it fall to that.
It meant much stress, but it's not like I couldn't do it. Checking the room of my mother was always a option and finish her incomplete plans for the future.
In many cases I needed to form ideas and make plans on my own, with huge stress behind my back, but I succeeded.
It was enormously difficult... But I succeeded and that's all that mattered.
Amasawa, that bastard saw my mother as a golden cow, who helped him growing money, so he wouldn't eliminate her or my father. .
For him money and profit were the most important things, so he wouldn't willingly do something this detrimental.
In particular when he owned before their deaths plenty of shares already and the company was still steadily and rapidly growing.
"What are you planning to do with him?"
"I'll get back what belongs to me. He is the second largest shareholder, after all. I might never get the original shares we owned back, but if I'm able to get around 20% of the company shares I'm... fine as well."
"After that, I'm not sure. It's not like I can do anything to him at the moment, probably."
"Besides..."
"He isn't my primarily target. He also won't interfere with me if he knows Atsuomi Ayanokoji is my target. It's only a matter of time when Amasawa will abandon him..."
"Like everyone else, once they know whoever supports him will become naturally my enemy as well."
"I don't care with whom he is connected with. I'll make sure everyone who supports him meets their demise as well."
"For now, I'll get the names of his business supporters. Slowly then, I will gain their company shares and their secrets..."
"Until Bam! All his connections will be gone! Useless!"
"But..."
There was still another pressuring issue I had in mind.
So I decided to ask Aoki on that matter as well.
"Aoki, do you think Naoe Jinnosuke backed him? I wasn't sure back then with my hypothesis so I assumed he backed him, but could I be wrong?"
He also appeared on my father's diary, and was one of the four candidates whose name was written there, so it wasn't like I couldn't imagine it.
"If so, it makes sense, right? How in the world could an ex-politician exert enough control to bend the police according to his will?"
"It wasn't just that, but the car company in which my parents died of 'malfunction' was never properly investigated and I was paid a ... compensation of 100 Billion Yen..."
"It was obviously a corrupt scheme."
"Don't you think as well he shouldn't be able to exert that much influence? The police would be one matter, but the court?"
"There are few people that could do both..."
For some reason I couldn't avoid that kind of thought.
"However... I also always thought there was a specific reason why father explicitly avoided mentioning his name in the diary contents."
"Perhaps, he is far more powerful than I thought?"
"But perhaps even without great influence on his side he was the one whom father deemed to be the most dangerous person he ever met, for his willingness to do anything...?!"
That could be...
However in the end I had no answers for that.
It definitely was still a mystery.
It needed...
"I'll investigate him more thoroughly, Young Master."
"You don't have too—"
"It's nothing. I'm used to tasks like these. Before your father, your grandfather taught me these kind of things. I'm sure he would be proud of you as well."
"Grandfather..." It was a name I was familiar with, yet at the same time completely unfamiliar with as well. "How was he?"
I asked Aoki, wanting to know more about him. I never met him, since he died before my birth, but I had been always curious where Aoki's loyalty comes from.
Even though our conversation was going downhill from what I originally intended, I didn't mind it in this particular moment.
"A good man living in struggling times. When I lost my wife, he reached me his supporting hand. It was at that moment that I decided to become the butler of your family."
"He wasn't easy, but he always had his family's interest before his. When he got to know that your mother was pregnant with you I don't think I saw him ever more happier."
"Unfortunately, he died three months before your birth. I'm sure you would have loved him. He always seemed like the type of person who would spoil his grandchildren."
"You think so? It certainly doesn't seem like that bad of an idea..."
Even though I usually tried to avoid these kind of thoughts it strangely wasn't that bad right now.
The image of having a loving family... felt reassuring a moment long.
And yet, I felt a certain pain in my heart, when I continued these thoughts. I knew that something like that wasn't possible for me and I had to accept it.
In the end, I was destined to be all alone.
That was my fate.
"Thanks... I think this will be all, Aoki."
"Also..."
"We could see each other sooner than you think. Be prepared for a phone call from the school in the next following week."
Before he could say anything, to change my mind, I ended the phone call looking at the ceiling above me.
"A family, huh? I experienced back then all the love a child could get, but look at me now. I have nothing."
"Fate can be quite miserable, can't it?"
"I wish I could be as ordinary as other high schoolers within my age. Be careless, be free of responsibility, enjoy life and spend time with the one I love."
"But that's not possible, is it?"
...
"Enough of these thoughts, Kaoru. You're being strangely sentimental today..."
Getting up from my bed I looked at both of my injured hands.
"It would be bad if I were to give him a letter with blood on it? It doesn't help that both of my hands are injured."
"In order to ensure my plan this was one of the first steps to do."
Even with the newfound information my goal didn't change that much in particular.
My timespan to expel Ayanokoji is before Chairman Sakayanagi wakes up, which should take around up to two weeks.
Lucid Interval is the first proof of a real improvement, alongside what the doctors mentioned, it won't take months until he wakes up.
It's just a matter of weeks until then.
But... by then I will be already finished with expelling Ayanokoji.
Better said, I will be finished with every single affair in this school until next Friday.
Which also means...
That I will drop out next week, on Friday.
"The first step of my plan will begin now..."
"This time you won't be able to avoid it."
--
A/N: And this concludes the chapter.
It was rather long, but I hope you liked it.
There were some things I had needed to address here, and well, how about you write what you are thinking right now?
About Kurushima in general? Or perhaps, something else.
This chapter was also again moving a bit politically, but I hope you didn't mind it.
Things like Chairman Sakayanagi's condition, and the time limit needed to be established.
He suffered from a cardiac arrest, actually, and Kurushima's poison just increased here and there things.
Masashima had done before five minutes passed CPR and brain cells didn't end up suffering. (Reason why Kurushima says it's his fault for conversing too long).
Crucial time is after 5 minutes, and brain cells slowly end up dying because of the lack of oxygen the longer it continues.
I tried to reflect everything here on medical terms mostly accurate, so things like "Lucid Intervals" do exist, actually.
They happen to comatose patients and they can regain for a small period of time their consciousness.
In his case, it wasn't long, and his last memories were about his daughter's safety.
Well anyway, enough talking about that.
I will come to his condition back again in some chapters I think.
Anyway, do you think the title of this chapter is accurate?
Also, what would you say is Kurushima's plan?
Just curious. Nothing more.
Well, I think this will be all.
Author notes were really long this time, but university has been such a strain on me and I really wanted to write with all my might.
How ironic. I'm busier, but I'm currently writing more frequent again.
Okay, this is all. I'm saying goodbye, for now.
If questions arise, don't hesitate to ask.
Have a great Day!