Chapter 14: Apology from father and sister

“I’m really sorry ……for what I’ve done so far.”

“…………”

When I returned home, my father came to the door and bowed to me. It was sincere, as if he was making an apology.

Why isn’t it my mother who greets me? But I guess it can’t be helped, I told her that I had someplace to go out with Mai’s mom today.

She said she’ll be back by dinner time,……, but it’s still hard to be in this house without my mom.

The man who was once trusted as a father continues to talk with a mysterious look on his face.

“Anything I can do to help …… make up for all the wrongs I’ve done ……?”

“………….”

It is far more heartbreaking to watch scripted apology conferences on TV given by celebrities and actors that I have zero interest in.

My father’s words of apology seemed to me to be anything but flimsy.

“You’ll do anything, huh~? Then will you quit the company?”

“I-I can’t do that. ……!”

“Eh? Why not? I thought you would do anything if you could. Quitting the company is easy, right?”

“No,…… but quitting suddenly is,……”

“It doesn’t have to be right now. You could take some time to take over.”

“…… but that’s not a good way to make a living.”

Wha? After all, it’s a bit shallow, no?

He’s a wonderful father.

The sincerity he shows his son is wonderful.

His flip-flopping is wonderful.

The way we live our lives is wonderful.

[Let me think about it for a minute.]

At least this is what I wanted to hear from him.

I can understand that you can’t quit your job easily ……, so I wanted you to think about it, even if only for a little bit.

And don’t apologize so easily to anyone.

“Right, …… Why don’t you take over your dad’s company?!”

“……………Ah?”

“That way I can let go of the company too! I know I’m a year late, but I’ll teach you my company’s know-how again, and you can take over our company! And when Ryosuke becomes a full-fledged president, I’ll disappear from the company!”

“…………………”

“You said you wouldn’t mind if I took some time to take over! I want time to take over from you! I won’t even take that long! By the time you’re twenty-five, you’ll be your own!”

“……………………… “

“Of course I won’t interfere in any way! I’m sure Ryosuke has always wanted to be the president! That’s why I’m giving up the president’s chair to Ryosuke —- this is the best apology I can make to you!”

This must have been a sincere apology to him.

For Kazuhiko Yamamoto, who had planned to remain president until retirement, the company was a treasure. He was going to give it up, so he thought that Ryosuke would forgive him a little.

[Even Ryosuke would have loved to be president!?]

Such a line is misguided.

It is definitely not the right thing to say coming from the father who, after the false accusation, took away all the documents he gave to Ryosuke about the company and burned them.

“……………… I see.”

But Kazuhiko’s words certainly brought about a change in Ryosuke’s mind. The father’s resolve as a father is firmly conveyed to his son.

………

………

However, his reputation as a father has fallen even further into the negative. He thought he had fallen to the limit, but he still goes through the bottom.

Thinking that he was related to his father by blood, Ryosuke was so frustrated that he couldn’t stand it.

There was certainly a time when he followed his father’s back and admired him for growing the company so large single-handedly.

But that was a long time ago. Ryosuke was no longer interested in his father or the company. Kazuhiko could not understand such a simple thing.

“I understand, father.”

“…………..You understand it?!”

His father tends to take words at face value, just as he did when he talked to Rinka in the car.

That was ridiculous to Ryosuke.

“Yes, III, IIIIII understand it very well”

I was ready for this.

I was going to have my revenge on this guy, but I was going to keep it within the confines of my home.

My mom would get mad at me if I went too far, and that’s about all I was willing to put up with. …… I’m not going to say such nice things anymore.

I’m going to make him socially hell.

I will apologize to my mother if she gets angry with me.

But in order to do that, I need to be strong enough to support my mother and survive.

……Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of power right now.

I have to save up now. …… I will take more time to take revenge against my father, and I will make him feel hopeless.

The thing …… that his father values so much …… is not his family, but his own company which he has made so big in his generation.

He is the man who shut down his son’s words to protect the company and maintained his position in the company by abandoning me.

What he hates most is losing the company.

If that’s the case, his response is obvious.

“I’m taking over the company.”

“Oh …… Ry-Ryosuke …… Thank you so much …… I will never make a mistake anymore… …! Thank you for giving me another chance……!”

He repeats his words of gratitude while crying.

No doubt a sincere repentance – – however, it doesn’t resonate with Ryosuke’s mind at all.

But he thought he could use his guilt to his advantage.

He is convinced that no matter what happens in the future, his father will never disobey him.

“Ryosuke…… I’m so sorry!”

“…………”

This time, my sister bowed her head.

……Really, every one of them bowed down first thing when I opened the door.

It is true that there are many people who want to apologize first.

But in my case, it has the opposite effect, and it’s not something that can be solved by apologizing in the first place.

So the moment they apologize, it’s over. The moment they do that, I lose the desire to forgive them —- well, I don’t forgive them even if they don’t apologize.

When an apology is made, the 100% hatred is amplified to 150%.

In that light, was the student body president any better?

The hatred never went away, but it didn’t swell to more than that.

She’s a woman who does it well. …… I’m kind of pissed off when I think about it, so I’ll raise my hatred for the student body president to 120%.

“Ryosuke,……, say something,…….”

“…… Aah.”

I forgot she existed.

But I can’t help it. …… I thought she was someone who didn’t exist.

I looked at my sister’s face again.

“…… Ryosuke.”

Is there anything I can do about that clinging look in her eyes?

It’s beyond disgusting.

I couldn’t say anything back to her.

I’ve heard that people stiffen up when something unexpected happens, and it seems to be true. It seems that my heart could not bear the excessive attacks from my father and sister.

She took advantage of my silence to continue speaking, but the content of her words was far beyond what I could have imagined.

“I said a lot of terrible things,…… and it’s also true that I couldn’t stop Nagisa or Ruiko.”

“…… hmm? Why are their names mentioned?”

“When they were about to say terrible things to you, …… I couldn’t stop them.”

The clouds were getting thicker.

What the hell is she trying to say?

No way. ……, right?

At any rate, let’s ask her. …… something is not right.

“…… Are you trying to say that those two are bad?”

“Oh,…… Nagisa was easily influenced in some ways, but not Ruiko. She took the initiative to undermine you,…… and it was bad enough for me to go along with that……. but I can’t go against Ruiko, the student body president.”

Seriously, this guy.

Trying to put all the blame on the student body president. And even named my younger sister’s name.

At first glance, it sounds like she’s protecting herself, but by mentioning Nagisa’s name, she’s trying to distract me from my hatred for her.

No, she’s already dirty as a human being.

You’re the one who manipulated the student body president. Didn’t you cooperate with her and kick me out of the student council?

I don’t care if that story is true or not, and I don’t like the student body president either, so I’m not going to defend her.

But not only me, but now you’re betraying the student body president, who you’re such good friends with. ……?

“Everything I did was a whip of love for you! I’m not like Ruiko! I want you to understand that!”

What I saw in front of me was a fearless monster.

I had been her brother for more than ten years without knowing that she was this kind of person.

“I love you more than anyone, I really do! I will never run away from this feeling again! I’ll do whatever you say, …… so please forgive me!”

Saying this, she clung to my feet.

I tried to shake it off as hard as I could, but it wrapped itself around me with tremendous force and wouldn’t let go.

I don’t know why she would go this far, but there is something wrong with her today,……, something that is driving her.

“I’m going to trust you no matter what happens in the future! I’ve decided I won’t even be jealous of other women! All I want is for you to be by my side! So please, please! Give me one last chance! I can’t live without you anymore!”

I glare at the fearless object at my feet, but when our eyes meet, she smiles at me happily.

I didn’t think she was a sane person a year ago, but was she this much of a psycho ……?

No, it’s not.

I think she instinctively knows that …… she can’t get me to forgive her with half-hearted words. This sister is unusually smart in that area.

How come she didn’t notice my false accusation then ……?

The answer is simple.

I’ve just said it myself.

She fantasized about the scene where I attacked a woman whom I did not know, and she was jealous because of it – in other words, she made me a criminal because of her fantasy and jealousy.

Only women like that don’t understand other people’s feelings.

If she knew how I felt, she would have anticipated my thoughts about not wanting an apology in the first place.

This woman can’t understand other people’s feelings.

How pathetic it is. …… I was unaware that she was this kind of person in the past, and the people around her, who are still being deceived.

“…… you really will listen to anything I have to say?”

“Aah! Believe me!”

“Then break your own right pinky finger right now. …… can you do that?”

“Of course …… that would hurt.”

After saying that, Kaede stepped on her right hand on the ground without hesitation,…… and pulled hard on his little finger with her left hand—!!

—Snap

A dry sound echoes through the corridor.

Immediately after, Kaede sheds tears while moaning.

“Ahhh…… it really hurts oooh…… ugh…… it hurts so bad…… it hurts so bad…… Ryousuke! ……It hurts to death……….”

“………….”

─ ─ Of course, Ryosuke did not really mean it. He thought she would refuse, just like his father. And yet, without any hesitation, she sacrificed her pinky finger.

Seeing this bizarre sight makes Ryosuke tense, if only slightly.

His sister had a different quality from his father’s.

“It hurts……, b-but I’m glad it’s for Ryosuke’s …… sake.”

I couldn’t have predicted that she would be this crazy.

If you’re happy with the pain you’re going through, I will have a hard time getting revenge.

If I don’t make an effort, I will probably end up spinning my wheels.

“……guh…… hey Ryosuke, C-can I go to the hospital ……?”

“Do whatever you want?”

—My sister is still a tough one.

I have to admit that.

I guess I can’t win by half measures, after all.

I may have been a bit naive.

I shouldn’t have told her to break her bones, even if I was joking. My sister looked a little relieved that I had given the order.

It seemed that I had given her an opening.

If I’m not careful with my words, I’ll give her the satisfaction.

—-So what should I do to get revenge on this guy?

Ignoring her probably won’t work.

If I keep quiet, she’ll get carried away and keep talking …… sadly, but we are brother and sister, I know that.

Let’s not resort to violence.

It pleases her like now. …… She’s a weirdo who delights in things given to her by …… me, even if it’s ‘pain’.

Hmmm……

If that’s the case………

Of course~…………

………

………

Ah, I just thought of a good one!

“…… sister …… you’re really sorry, right?”

“Oh, of course!”

She nodded her head, tears streaming down her face from the pain of her broken bones, snot and drool dripping down her nose. Ryosuke had never seen Kaede like this before, but he chuckled inwardly at the ugliness of the situation.

“…… So I should trust Sister then?”

“Eh,……, you’ll forgive me for breaking my pinky?!”

“Yes, because it looks so painful and I’m glad you went that far for me.”

“……Ryosuke! ……Thank you so much! I’m so happy! Let’s be together again like we’ve always been!”

She tries to hug me, but I stop her with my hand. My sister looked frustrated, but I ignored her and went on with the conversation.

“But I have a favor to ask.”

“Say whatever you want! What’s next, the middle finger?”

“No, …….”

“Then the thumb?”

“No, it’s not. It’s not about bones, okay?”

I really want to kill her.

“What is it then?”

“Wouldn’t people think it was weird if we suddenly made up?”

“I don’t care?”

Was she this stupid?

But let’s be patient. This is the time to endure.

“I care…… So I want you to talk to me like we used to, but only when we’re alone.”

“…..W-We’d just made up.”

“And if you don’t like it, you can’t be forgiven.”

“B-But…”

“Oh, God, you’re such a pain in the *ss! Do as I say! You want to be friends like we used to be! Then you’ll have to endure until I say so!”

“……… Oh, I-I understand.”

Kaede heard the yelling and nodded hurriedly. She sensed that it was not a good idea to anger him further.

Seeing his obedient sister, Ryosuke nodded his head and said, ‘Yeah, yeah.’

“Well, I’ll leave it at that.”

“Aah! I love you, Ryosuke! I can talk to you when it’s really just the two of us, right?

“……yes.”

Ryosuke nodded with a smile.

(I see,…… it was that easy,…… it’s cheap if I can get him to forgive me with just one little finger,…….)

At any rate, she was ‘forgiven’,…… Kaede was jumping up and down with joy.

It was a long way off, but she had succeeded in outwitting her stepsister and Ruiko and the others as she had originally planned,…… forgetting even the pain of the broken bones.

(This sister is really ugly.)

There is no sister there that Ryosuke once admired.

Her guilt for hunting down the innocent Ryosuke, her disappointment in her sister, her anger at Mai, and her distrust of her mother for not taking her side, were beginning to break her down. But it was Ryosuke’s “eyes” that put the final nail in her coffin.

Ryosuke’s cold eyes, filled with a determination to never forgive, completely shattered Kaede’s heart.

This is the reason why she clings to Ryosuke so much.

“Ryosuke,……, I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“……I guess so.”

The revenge against this person was decided.

I’m going to make her think I’ve completely opened up to her, make her depend on me as much as possible, and then dump her …… miserably at the end of the day.

But in order to do that, we have to get along.

That’s really hard, but I will get used to it.

My father who said he would let me take over the company, and my sister who repeatedly said and did things that made me sick……I’ll make my revenge on these two people more grandiose than anything else……That’s why…….

—I hope we can be a close family for a little while, okay?

[Revenge.]

It is easy to put into words, but difficult to put into kanji.

But what is more difficult than anything else is to do it …… and to be trapped in your mind before you even think about doing it.

There is a senior who pisses him off.

Frustrated because parents are mad.

The waiter has a bad attitude.

Got into a fight with a friend.

People don’t even think of taking revenge for such trivial things. Even if you hate them at the time, you will forget about it after some time passes. It would be even worse if it was against a family member.

But Ryosuke is going to do it to his family.

It is not an ordinary decision,……, and he has probably experienced immeasurable despair.

He is deeply and quietly in the shadows …… in his resentment.

Kaede is not the only one who is broken in any way. Ryosuke is more than broken enough when he thinks of revenge against his family.

Yet, the only reason he is able to maintain his self-will is because he has people who believe in him.

“………”

Back in his room, Ryosuke opened the contact list on his phone and kept looking at the names of his loved ones.