Youjin Kinoshita's POV
I made a fresh start in life as I was freed from hellish school and home where I was suffered. Hours of walking and searching for shelter became my daily routine. The paranoia weighed heavily on me as I feared that someone from my past might find me, so I concealed my identity with a hooded jacket and face mask, hoping to remain invisible.
Standing before the aged-looking apartment building, far removed from the torment of my home and high school, I noticed the apartment appeared vacant. I decided to temporarily make it my own.
Entering the apartment, I called out.
"Hello? Hello!"
A middle-aged woman appeared and I nervously asked. "Um… Hi! Are you the owner of this apartment?"
She smiled and nodded. "Would you like to stay here?"
"Yes, please."
Then landlady handed me a clipboard. "Fill this out."
I quickly jotted down the necessary information and returned it to her. The apartment's monthly rent was surprisingly affordable, easing my financial concerns.
"Here is the key." The landlady passed the key to me.
"Thank you."
My new home was located on the second floor, and I eagerly explored its rooms. Besides a living room, it had a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and bathroom. It was a bit messy, so I decided to tidy it up and unpack my belongings, feeling relief that I was no longer bound by my former life's suffocating atmosphere.
Later that night, I heard a knock on the door. I felt something suspicious as I peered through the door's small hole. To my relief, it was none other than the landlady. So I opened the door and let her in.
"Good evening, Ma'am." I greeted her.
"Please, just call me Hayashi, Kinoshita-kun."
Oh, right! I didn't ask her name when I registered. So now I knew the name of the landlady. And to my surprise, she had brought dinner. Was it for me?
"I brought dinner for us."
"Us? Wait a minute, I thought you already had dinner yourself."
She chuckled. "Ah, no. I haven't eaten with anyone for so long. So I thought you could join me for dinner here in your room."
"I see. Thank you, Hayashi-san."
We set up the meal on the table. There were two bowls of rice, two bowls of miso soup and two portions of fried meat.
"Itadakimasu!" We said in unison before starting to eat.
While eating, an awkward silence hung in the air. Well, I hadn't joined the dinner with my family since the incident with my former friend Susami-san. Even Hayashi-san was the landlord in her apartment, I still saw her as a stranger.
Wanting to break the ice, I started a conversation.
"So, uh… Hayashi-san…"
"Yes?"
"Before I was here, were you alone? It seems this apartment is vacant, that's why I don't see more people besides you around."
"Yes. The last person who stayed her was a few months ago."
"I see. But do you feel lonely?"
"Obviously, Kinoshita-kun. So tell me, why did you decide to live here?"
I sighed sadly. "Because I was kicked out by my family."
Her eyes widened. "Kicked out? What happened?"
Now my heart was beating even faster.
"My… my family believed I committed the crime."
"What?!"
She was about to stand up, but I stopped her.
"Please! Hear me out, Hayashi-san. I didn't do anything wrong."
"Then… would you like to explain what happened?"
"Yes, but after dinner."
"It's fine."
After our dinner, we sat down in the living room.
"Kinoshita-kun, tell me what going on."
I hesitated but eventually opened up, recounting my story, including the false accusations and betrayals I had endured.
"…and finally I was kicked out by my parents. They never believed me at all, Hayashi-san."
Tears welled up as I finished, and Hayashi-san consoled me.
"Oh, Kinoshita-kun." She sighed sadly. "I'm so sorry about that."
"Thank you, Hayashi-san." I nodded. "I still don't understand why those girls did that to me. They made me decide not to go to school anymore."
Then Hayashi-san hugged me. "It's fine. I believe you, boy."
"I'm being hated by everyone in school. But to be honest, no offense…" I started to sob. "…those girls made me hate women!"
I admitted my growing distrust of women, a product of my traumatic experiences.
"Calm down, Kinoshita-kun. Please!" She urged, rubbing my back. "I don't blame you for it. But don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."
I felt a measure of peace, thanks to her comforting presence.
"Thank you for comforting me, Hayashi-san." I nodded. "Also thank you for the dinner you made."
"Yeah." She smiled at me. "I promise I won't tell everyone you are here in my apartment."
I simply nodded.
"But remember, don't let the stress build up, Kinoshita-kun." She added.
"Yes, of course."
"So what will do from now on?"
"Well, I just need some space, Hayashi-san."
"What about your money? You can't find job, right?"
"I know. But I still have enough money for food and rent in months. Besides, I already have a plan for myself."
"I see. You can stay here as long as you want."
As she opened the door, she turned and looked at me.
"I almost forgot. Welcome to my apartment, Kinoshita-kun!"
"Thanks again, Hayashi-san."
She nodded while smiling at me before leaving.
As I was alone in my new home now, a lingering suspicion gnawed at me. I couldn't shake the feeling that landlady might report my presence in her apartment to the authorities, especially in high school since I didn't tell everyone that I quit schooling.
Hayashi-san's comforting words could have been a facade, an act to gain my trust. I couldn't afford to be arrested for another false crime I had not committed, especially as I was still a minor. But I hope I wouldn't be reported that I was missing from now.
The next day, after breakfast with the landlady Hayashi-san, I decided to revisit the footage on my laptop, a secret stash of evidence collected since I was in third-year middle school. These recordings held the key to my revenge, a plan I was determined to set in motion.
"I will make those girls pay for what they had done to me!" I vowed.
My biggest secret, a secret even my family and accusers didn't know, was that I had been under constant surveillance, not by some nefarious organization, but by my own small drones.
My drones were equipped with sound and video recorders, each recording my every move with precise time and date stamps on the screen. They also featured GPS coordinates and an artificial intelligence system that could detect my presence, allowing them to follow me silently. No one knew of my drones' existence, as their small size and quiet propellers made them virtually invisible and inaudible to everyone around me.
I had purchased them in secret years ago before I was dating Nonaka-san, and the durability of my drones had proven to be an invaluable asset. Also, my portable drones were basically my diary and silent witnesses.
Anyway, I was watching the videos on my laptop that were captured by my drones. The first video featured my third year of middle school with my former girlfriend Nonaka-san. She confessed to me, asked me out and had a date with me. And the last but not the least, the worst part: The betrayal, where Nonaka-san and my former best friend Kutake-san broke my heart. Of course, Nonaka-san, along with Kutake-san, told everyone the false accusation about me.
"Nonaka-san, I never thought you secretly hated me ever since. I will make you regret!" I glared at the video of her.
The next video depicted an incident with my former friend and the Student Council President Susami-san in the stairs inside the school building where I rejected her confession and she harmed herself. It continued with the video of the principal suspending me and lastly the relentless bullying I endured after my suspension was lifted.
"Susami-san, I'm sorry for rejecting you, but you're the worst!" I scoffed.
The last video I was watching was captured by not one, but by two drones in my previous home. The first drone captured the living room along with the dining room, kitchen, door of the bathroom and the hallway of the second floor including the door of bedrooms.
And the second drone captured inside my dark room where I was sleeping peacefully in hours. My drones had night vision capabilities, ensuring they could record even in the dark.
In the first drone, it captured my step sisters Hana-san and Sakura-san entering the bathroom to take baths. Then they screamed loudly, so my old man rushed to the door of the bathroom. He asked them what was going on, but they told him that they were molested by me.
My old man rushed to the door of my room and started knocking the door loudly. And in the second drone, it captured me waking up after hearing the loud bang on my door. Then I opened the door and suddenly received a punch from him. That video was a stark contrast to the false accusations that had torn my family apart.
"Hana-san, Sakura-san, just like in fairytale! The step sisters bully the main character of the story." I rolled my eyes in disgust.
As I reviewed the videos, I saw the undeniable evidence of my innocence. These recordings could potentially clear my name and expose the lies that had ruined my life. The footage showed the truth about my past relationships, the false accusations made against me, and the unjust punishment I had received.
The timestamps, GPS coordinates, and detailed recordings provided a rock-solid timeline and location for each event, making the evidence even more compelling. It was clear that I was determined to set the record straight and seek justice for the false accusations that had haunted me for so long.
I, Youjin Kinoshita, officially embarked on my plan for revenge. The truth would no longer be hidden, and those girls who had wronged me would have to face the consequences of their actions.