Yuuto had a fleeting thought as he screamed at Nao.
"YOU WASTE OF SPERM. SELLING OUT MY MOTHER AND SISTER TO THAT VEINY TURD WHILE ALSO FUCKING HIM BEHIND MY BACK WITHOUT ANY SHAME," Hiroki yelled out loud.
He realized it was still him. There was no 'somebody else' taking over his body and actions. However, since he stopped holding back those emotions, a deep-seated hatred began to resurface, especially towards Nao; it reminded him of the days when he first transmigrated. Despite not being the one who was actually betrayed, he couldn't shake the feeling that the betrayal was personal, that it was happening to him.
In a sense, perhaps Hiroki did, in fact, take over him.
But even Yuuto had his limits...
"AND IF THAT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH, YOU EVEN RECORDED A SEX TAPE WITH MY—"
...And Hiroki just crossed them.
'Okay, NO,' he thought, shutting himself up and breathing deeply, once more placing a barrier on his raging emotions.
"What!? Sex tape...? Hiroki, I never did that!" Nao hurriedly interjected, her eyes wide with alarm.
The female guard nearby whistled quietly to herself as she looked at Hiroki. 'Some play he crafted for himself... Like I'm watching a soap opera,' she mused.
'I get that you're mad, but let's not get things too mixed up. The sex tape thing hasn't happened, in case you forgot, you dumb kid. This situation might be new to you, and I get how you're disoriented, but get your facts straight.'
Yuuto thought as he looked at her, his breathing gradually getting more stable.
'No. More like, I should get my facts straight. We've been in each other's asses ever since I got here. There was never a moment where it was just me or just you. Even this extra guilt about the lives I've taken, a lot of it comes from you, doesn't it?'
'I get that you want to let out your emotions. And that she's your enemy, drugs or not. That's fine. But what have we learned about not planning things, going solely on emotions? You just end up gett@^&%!$($'
$&(%($%!#'BUT I'M ANGRY AT HIM, DAD!!! HE BROKE MY SUPREMEHUMAN HERO MAN ACTION FIGURE!!!'
"What he did was wrong. But what will screaming at him do? Or beating him up? In the end, he will either end up hating you more or never want to talk to you again. Is that what you want?" His father said, lighting up a cigarette.
"YES!!!! I WANT TO HURT HIM! HE'S NO LONGER MY FRIEND, HE'S MY WORST ENEMY!!" Yuuto screamed in defiance, earning a deep sigh from his father as he let down his newspaper.
"Alright," he replied.
"Hurt him, then." His father's tone suddenly shifted, catching the little boy off guard. "But do it when you are COMPLETELY calm. That way, you can inflict the most pain possible, if you want. If you can be RELAXED entirely, without a shred of anger in you; you can deal the most damage."
"If you just go without a plan, relying solely on your anger, you will just end up get&@^%!@%$ing hurt yourself. We don't want that."
'So, being Anti-NTR Man, I'll do what I do best:'
'Help wimps like you get their shit together,'
'So, let's agree to cooperate this one time.'
"Haah..." Yuuto sighed deeply, letting a little bit of anger resurface once more.
"Nao. Why did you call me here?"
'First, we need to discern whether or not she was drugged. Let's look at how she answers to some provocation. If she dragged us out here just to gain our sympathy, we'll dip.'
"I... Wanted... To see how you're doing, that's all."
"Well, you saw it. I'm angry."
"I'm... Sorry you feel that way. No... Sorry for making you feel that way."
'Apologetic. I'm leaning towards her trying to get my favor,' Yuuto deduced.
"Alright, thanks. Just seeing you makes me wanna poke. I wanna hear what you promised Yuuto, about why you think you did that deplorable shit and leave as fast as I can." He spat out, venom lacing his words.
'Use your anger to test her boundaries, Hiroki. See how far she's willing to go to keep up her facade, if she's putting up any.' Yuuto knew the only one who could hear his thoughts was him.
But somehow, addressing Hiroki felt as if he could control his feelings better.
...As if they were really working together.
"...Alright," she replied weakly.
"I was overwhelmed, Hiroki. I've got no other excuse. As nasty a person as he was, he made me feel safe until that day Yuuto defeated him... and made me feel wanted. It felt good, being with him, and being embraced by him. I felt like a woman... more than I ever felt in my life," she explained, Hiroki's palm twitching at her words.
"But...?" He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"No but... I'm... I'm just really sorry I betrayed you. At the very least, I should've come clean. You deserved that much. As for involving your mom and sister, I... I was angry at you... At Yuuto, I mean, for hitting me. That's it," she concluded, looking down.
Yuuto narrowed his eyes, expecting a follow-up explanation or excuse.
But Nao just went silent.
A few seconds later, Yuuto grew restless.
'She dug quite a hole for herself... But we still can't be sure if she's genuine or not. Let's do this, then. Despite how cunning she thinks she is, like back at the school yard, if she wasn't under an influence—then she's emotional as well. Let's give her a curveball.'
"Okay. Thanks for wasting my time, you whore. I've no idea what I'd expected," he sighed as he got up from the chair, turning around and walking towards the exit.
'This ought to usher a response from her if she's ingenuine. If so, then this little confession was about getting a reaction from me so that she could manipulate.'
"Alright... Take care," she replied weakly.
Hiroki opened the door and left the room, slamming it behind him.
The female guard loosened. "Alright, let's go back," she called, her voice prompting Nao to merely nod as she got up from her chair, the door slam still echoing throughout the room.
'... She's silent, Hiroki. Not trying to excuse herself or complain.' He thought as he reopened the door and walked back in, startling the female guard and Nao.
"...Sorry for the hassle, but I need just a few more minutes with her," he asked firmly, looking at the guard who had already opened the door back into the juvie for Nao, ready to escort her.
"You just left," the guard exclaimed, raising her eyebrow in confusion, a tinge of exasperation coloring her eyes.
"I regret leaving," he affirmed, his gaze steady. A small gasp escaped Nao's mouth as she still faced the door on the opposite end.
The female guard stood in silence for a few seconds. She glanced at Nao, seeing a small spark in her eye, somewhat eager to return to the table.
"...Fine," she sighed. "But if you pull one more trick like that, I won't agree to it again."
Hiroki nodded and returned to the table, facing Nao—this time, she faced him squarely, more attentive.
A few seconds went by.
"I lied. It's still me. Yuuto Sakurai, not your Hiroki," he let out.
"What...?" she gasped, her eyes widening as she looked at him. "But... you promised!"
"Well, I bullshitted you. I can't SWITCH to his consciousness. I can only use his emotions, if that makes sense to you. That's why I screamed at you earlier."
"...." She narrowed her eyes, as if waiting for a follow-up explanation.
"I'm honestly more amazed you buy into this so easily. Even his mom and sister are still in denial about that. Yet here you are, not even trying to tell me I'm mentally ill with a split personality disorder." He said, resting his chin on his palm.
After a small stutter, Nao began to reply.
"Well... I... I knew you... No, Hiroki. I knew him my whole life. The way you acted out of nowhere back at school... I thought Hiroki just went insane, maybe. But that's when I saw the way you looked at me, back when you beat the transfer student up out of nowhere when he was stepping on your head."
"Back when I slapped the shit out of you, you mean?"
"Y-yeah..." she murmured, looking down. "It was as if... you saw me for who I am. As if my body or face didn't exist, and there was only my personality left to show," she said.
"Oh?" Yuuto let out.
'I was just about to tell her she was drugged, which is why she was such a traitorous bitch, but what's this now?' Yuuto thought, intrigued.
"Me and Hiroki have known each other since childhood. We were really close. It was then that I fell for him, actually. He was kind, brave, and we had a lot of fun together," she said, her smile solemn as she raised her gaze once more, looking Yuuto in the eyes.
"But when we got older, Hiroki... No..." She corrected herself.
"You..." She said, addressing Yuuto as if he was Hiroki, "started to look at me just like everyone else did. As a woman you wanted to sleep with, not someone you cared about and wanted to hang out with. We started going out for dates that were supposed to 'make us intimate' under the guise of having fun, instead of just hanging out like we used to. And that's when I realized, when I kept seeing you blush around me and shrug off your true intentions, hiding what you truly wanted, I felt... that I lost you as my childhood friend," she said weakly.
Yuu@&$YHiroki bit his lip in frustration as he heard Nao talk.
"You were DRUGGED. That veiny turd drugged you!! That's why you cheated. That's why you're saying these things...!!" Hiroki yelled, his face contorting in confusion and regret. "This isn't you!!"
Nao gasped softly, her gaze distant. "Ah... I was drugged...?"
Nao sighed as she looked up. "I see... He drugged me to get me to agree to his advances?" she said, almost to herself.
"Yeah..! Yes, that's right!" Hiroki urged, slight desperation in his tone.
"Did... he even need to drug me...?" she let out, her voice trailing off as she pondered.
"What...!?" Hiroki whispered in disbelief.
"... That guy..." she started, breathing deeply, "was rough, a brute, and had a disgusting personality that really stood out after Yuuto beat him up. But he was more honest about who he was and what he wanted than anyone else... Much like how you were back then when we were kids."
"It was only after I noticed that about him that I started to feel attracted to him and his body. I think that's why... I liked him so much. That honesty."
Hiroki clenched his fists.
"But he... drugged you... No, you're... You don't mean that..." Hiroki murmured.
"Because that's also why I fell for you in the first place... Until you lost that honesty of yours when we hit puberty. You became... somewhat selfish." She added, Hiroki's fists turning white from the pressure, as if trying to squeeze out a counter-argument.
"As for his brother and why I went with him... I was angry." She said, tensing her eyelids.
"Not that Yuuto hit me. As for that, I lied too. But I was angry that now, when you're finally honest with yourself again, you don't want to be with me, and... that you finally saw me for what I am, rather than just imagining my naked body every time you looked at me." She let out a soft chuckle.
"A cheating whore, you said. When I finally heard you say those words, and then slapped me without hesitation, I felt that the old, honest Hiroki was back in adult form, but not on my side... which got me frustrated."
"...But it was never you since that moment, was it?" she said, her smile solemn.
"That Hiroki's never going to come back, right? Regardless of whether Yuuto stays or goes..."
The two then sat speechless before each other.
Yuuto then took a deep breath. And clapped.
"Bravo," he muttered, clapping slowly and firmly. "The cheating I kind of understand, but I love how you justify trying to ruin Hiroki's life because you were sexually frustrated. Amazing." Yuuto chuckled.
'I guess she was also lonely... Eh, same thing. Sex drive is a powerful emotion.'
"Hiroki's gone, huh? I... wanted to hear his response. You could've waited a few seconds," Nao exclaimed, frustration edging her voice.
"Ahhh, he crumpled up by himself. I can't feel him anymore," Yuuto replied with a sigh. "Good job, though." He leaned back in the chair, facing Nao. "I might just pull my hero-of-the-school card to get you out of this place so you can crush his spirit again when he acts up. I mean that one wholly. He's driving me crazy with his emotional outbursts." He sighed deeply.
"Now, before I leave, just one thing. Why'd you call me here?" Yuuto asked, his tone shifting to curiosity.
"Since we're being transparent, I really did think about you using your hero card to free me ever since I got here. But the more time passed... the more I started to feel bad about what happened... like... really, really bad," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "It was then I just... I just wanted to see him again."
'This confirms it, then. She was under the influence... Then... That means...' Yuuto began to ponder, the faces of Kanoko and Kaede rising in his head. 'That those two were also under the influence...' He recalled how Kaede slept by his side when he was hospitalized and how Kanoko stormed Nao with fists of fury. 'Well, that explains a lot.' Yuuto's eyes widened at the realization.
"Haah... I see. You did cooperate with a criminal, so I can't guarantee you leaving here soon. But I'll ask around," he said casually as he got up from his chair.
"...Don't bother," she replied softly.
"What?"
"My mom and dad... all my friends. No one wanted to come visit me. I'd rather... just wait here for a while."
"...Suit yourself," Yuuto said, turning to face the door.
"I also forgot to ask..." she added, stopping Yuuto in his tracks. "How did this... thing happen to you two?"
"No clue. I was a superhero in my world, but then I woke up in the body of this wimpy bastard," he said casually.
"A superhero?" She chuckled softly. "Really? Who were you?"
"A hero that saves people like Hiroki. That's about it."
"Ah... okay, then," she said with a small sigh. "Speaking of Hiroki... will... will he ever come back?" she inquired hesitantly.
"No clue. Don't get your hopes up, though."
"I see... that's... that's too bad," she murmured, her voice trailing off as she faced Yuuto's back, lowering her gaze to the table.
Once more, Yuuto felt emotions rising up. The chair beckoned him to sit and keep talking with Nao.
'It wasn't even five minutes... Quite resilient, aren't you?' he sighed inwardly.
'Either way... you don't need to make a drama out of every sentence she spits out, dumb kid. But since you want to entertain this pitiful girl so badly, let me give you some advice. Look around; this place she's in, her situation. Do you seriously think your forgiveness is what she wants right now?' A few seconds later, a new feeling began surfacing from deep within him.
"Juvie's..." Hiroki softly called out, his back still turned to her, "...quite a bitch, huh?"
That was empathy.
It was then that Nao broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks as she began to cry out loud.
Yuuto looked down, deep in thought as Nao cried her heart out. Not a word was exchanged between them.
A few minutes went by, and Nao was still bawling her eyes out.
'So, you feel like standing around to give her time to calm down before she has to be escorted back inside...? Well, I applaud you for being sensible to other people for the first time in your adolescence. Even if it's for someone who'd sell your family because she's sexually frustrated... Either way...'
'You've somewhat grown,' Yuuto commended inwardly.
Shortly after, Nao relaxed a little.
"I'll visit," Hiroki started. "But since I'm selfish, I don't know when's a good time, so I'll ju—"
Yuuto then immediately walked out, stopping himself from talking any longer. 'Alright, we get it, we get it, you're aware of your flaws now, and you made friends with the antagonist. Now we will practice the ancient art of "shut the fuck up" and leave. I'm dying from cringe here,' Yuuto thought to himself as he hastily walked out the door.
Yuuto walked out of the juvenile detention center, the door closing with a heavy thud behind him. He spotted Saki waiting patiently outside, her eyes searching his face for any sign of change.
'Well, aside from getting clarity over the situation, I hope you're calmer now,' Yuuto thought to himself.
"Alright, sorry about that. Now, about our date..." Yuuto began, his voice steady, though there was a hint of something lighter in his tone.
Saki looked slightly puzzled. "Oh... I thought we already needed to go home."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. 'Does she seriously consider our train ride the entire date...?' he thought.
"Nah, let's go have some fun," he said, his words carrying a trace of playfulness.
Saki blinked, noticing something different in his eyes—an unusual animation, a spark she hadn't seen before. 'Yuuto... seems somewhat different... more cheerful,' she thought, intrigued.
"Oh... Like, a mixer or a restaurant?" she asked, trying to guess his intentions.
Yuuto's gaze turned towards the horizon. "I was thinking more like... kayaking."
Saki's eyes widened in surprise, a smile tugging at her lips. "Kayaking? Really?"
"Yeah. Kayaking. You can't swim or something?" Yuuto replied, his tone still measured but with an underlying sense of anticipation.
'That was the last thing I'd expect to be invited to... Haha...' She thought, her own shoulders feeling a little lighter.
Saki laughed softly, "Alright then, let's do it. Kayaking it is."
*$^%(*#%(*!@%*&
'Alright... Like Dad said, I didn't meet him for a few days so I could calm down. Now I've invited him to "talk." When he least suspects it, I'll beat him up!' Yuuto thought as the child who broke the action figure came into view.
"Yuuto... I'm... sorry for breaking the doll..." the kid murmured, looking away.
'Yeah, yeah... Prepare to die...' Yuuto thought, tightening his fist momentarily before loosening it.
Yet something was amiss... Yuuto no longer wanted to beat him up, even though he was calm and could inflict maximum pain, like his dad had told him. Frustration built up within him as he grappled with his conflicting emotions.
"I..." Yuuto started, then sighed. "It's an action figure, dumbass. Mispronounce it again, and I'll beat you up," he muttered.
$&^%$@*^#$@#@^%
[Next few chapters are in the final act.]
[Title suggested by @Hankofficial from my discord server]