Romantic Troubles of Duanmu-kun

Episode 51: Epilogue – An Afternoon That Belonged to Him and Her

On a warm, sunny afternoon.

Ogiwara Yayoi… no, now she should have been called Niwa Yayoi, was sitting properly in front of him, calmly drinking black tea.

Her reason for coming was to pay Miyagi-san for the information. Although Aki hadn’t mentioned it, the novelist didn’t think it would be free.

As for his share… well, it seemed like it would take ten years of work to repay.

Afterward, she exchanged a few words with Miyagi Aki, then forcefully dragged him out.

The two were seated in a café beside a busy shopping street. Next to their table was a transparent glass wall, through which they could see people hurriedly walking past. Several black sedans were parked by the roadside, with men in black suits watching this direction with hawk-like gazes.

…Even though he had seen this scene many times, it was still something he couldn’t quite get used to. But for the current Yayoi, these people were indispensable.

“There’s something I want to ask of you.”

Mm, he knew it. Otherwise she wouldn’t have rushed over so hurriedly.

“I want to live together with you.”

“Okay… Eh?!”

“Not in any strange way, just ‘living under the same roof.’ I mean, starting today, I’ll be moving into that building… it’s called Amazu Manor, right?”

The novelist’s mouth fell open.

What’s this about…?

It’s not like I have some tragic background like “failing the Tokyo University entrance exam three times in a row” or anything!

“Um, are you serious? That place is habitable and the environment is fairly clean, but it’s far from comfortable, and the security measures are practically zero. Especially that last point, it’s not suitable for you…”

Yayoi furrowed her brow.

“If I prioritized such things, should I be sleeping in a tank every night?”

The novelist was speechless.

She tapped the table.

“As long as Lin-san and her security team are there, isn’t anywhere the same?”

“Hayashi-san” was the woman who had helped them during those seven days when he and Yayoi were being hunted. Now she had been hired by Yayoi as the leader of the new Niwa family security team, an expert in combat matters.

“I see… well, you’re right.”

Having personally witnessed the abilities of specialists in handling special matters, he couldn’t deny this.

“But why my place?”

Yayoi’s finger stopped.

“…Living in that place might make me feel a bit more at ease.”

She let out a small sigh.

“I think I can somewhat understand Niwa Daizo’s thoughts now. Precisely because it’s power and wealth usurped through conspiracy, I can neither trust the people around me nor rely on anyone… Perhaps one day, I’ll become like him too? Hm, that’s not even a funny joke.”

“…”

Come to think of it, until the very end, the novelist had never asked her reason for seeking revenge against Niwa Daizo.

However, there was no doubt that the Ogiwara family was one of the victims forced into bankruptcy by Niwa Daizo’s despicable methods. And Yayoi’s parents had passed away from illness in the following year.

Also, on that night when they were confined in the annex, she had said something like this to the novelist.

— “My parents were very good to me. Since I was little, I was envied by friends around me, and relatives would always say things like ‘aren’t those two spoiling you too much!'”

— “But I still disliked them. Because they restricted me too much. I was already grown up, I didn’t need parents managing me.”

At that time, he naturally knew nothing about Yayoi’s experiences. What was the girl thinking as she spoke about her parents with that gentle expression?

And now, what kind of feelings drove Yayoi to say things like “I might become someone like Niwa Daizo”…?

When he thought carefully about it, his head would always start to hurt. Maybe it was because of being hit too much.

“Isn’t there that saying? ‘People eventually become what they hate,’ ‘when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you,’ that sort of thing. I’ve been prepared for that, so you don’t need to worry about me too much.”

…How could he not worry?

Friends, relatives, family, lovers.

Anyone could betray you. So you need no one.

For the past Niwa Daizo, and the current Niwa Yayoi, this was the “reality” they had to face.

The novelist thought.

The young girl still held onto “illusions.” He certainly had thoughts about what he wanted to do. But what could someone like him, who wasn’t a “friend,” wasn’t a “relative,” wasn’t “family,” and wasn’t a “lover,” actually do?

…

…Perhaps there was something.

“Yayoi, want to go shopping?”

After thinking for a while, the novelist spoke softly.

“…?”

“…Well, you see.”

The novelist’s gaze was wandering around. He looked quite guilty.

“Actually, for a long time now, I’ve always wanted to squeeze the vacuum-sealed snack packages in the supermarket. I’ve wanted to do it so badly. Recently… it seems I’m finding it harder and harder to suppress this perverted desire.”

…What was he talking about?

Yayoi stared at the novelist in confusion.

“You know, when you see those puffy vacuum-sealed bags on the shelves, don’t you get the urge to squeeze out all the air inside? Don’t you want to make the packaging deflate, or hear that ‘pshhh’ sound of air leaking? To do such troublesome things secretly where store clerks and customers can’t notice… isn’t there a kind of thrill in going against morals and common sense?”

He was saying stupid things with such a serious face.

“So, Liang wants to…”

Just as she was about to ask directly—

—”Will you help me?”

The novelist reached out his hand to her.

His expression seemed somewhat nervous as he scratched his cheek sheepishly.

“Although it’s nothing impressive… would you be willing to become my ‘accomplice’?”

…

‘Don’t worry, it won’t be anything bad.’

Yayoi slowly widened her eyes.

As if realizing something, she suppressed the laughter welling up from within and nodded.

“…Okay.”

Really now, if you get arrested by the police for doing something this stupid, I’ll be so embarrassed… Thinking words she wouldn’t say aloud, she gently placed her hand in the boy’s palm.

*

That was something that happened one afternoon.

Just recently, the girl who had overthrown a certain family and international consortium, and the inconspicuous follower boy, headed toward the mall with high spirits under the surveillance of a group of men in black suits, ready to carry out their new “evil plan.”

The grand prank presented by the ill-natured and twisted young conspirator and the self-proclaimed ordinary high school novelist—two accomplices working together for those blessed by fortune—was only just beginning to unfold.