Life In The Reverse World

Chouko’s lips twisted into a smile that was anything but cheerful. There was no laughter in her face, nor in her heart.

I understand you, but who’s going to understand me?

That thought made her pause—

Harutaki… no, no, that won’t do!

Meeting him at a time like this would only make both of them suffer.

Even if Harutaki was willing to share her burden, she didn’t want to see that lonely expression on his face again. She absolutely didn’t want to see that disappointment and forced composure from that night appear on his handsome face ever again.

“Huu…”

Chouko let out a shallow breath, forcing herself to calm the storm of chaos raging inside her.

She tugged out a strained smile and spoke in as steady a voice as she could manage.

“I’m going back to Kyoto, Onii. Goodbye.”

“G-goodbye…”

No matter how slow he was, Sato—who had grown up running around with Chouko—could still see it. That smile was forced.

Only then did he realize something terrifying: today’s conversation had been led entirely by him. Chouko hadn’t teased him even once. And just like that, their talk had ended quietly, plainly…

No. That’s not right. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.

Clenching his teeth, he followed after her, stopping in front of his childhood friend’s mother.

“Auntie Shouko, may I ask… does Chouko really have to go back to Kyoto?”

“The Shihou family already gave her one chance. But she made a second mistake. The family won’t allow her to run around freely anymore.”

A second… mistake?

Sato looked at Chouko in confusion. Chouko opened her mouth, wanting to stop him from asking further, wanting to stop her mother from explaining—

But no words came out.

Overreacting would only invite more suspicion. In situations like this, she knew, it was better to observe and respond calmly.

“W-what mistake did she make? If she sincerely apologizes and corrects it—”

There was still a sliver of hope in Sato’s heart, even though Chouko’s earlier reaction had already filled him with dread.

“Haah…”

Shouko had lost count of how many times she’d sighed today.

If she still couldn’t see the problem between her daughter and this childhood friend, she might as well stop calling herself a mother.

Faced with a dilemma that had tormented countless lovers before, should she feel relieved—or sorrowful?

Two children who had once been inseparable, each other’s entire world… and yet they’d ended up at such a dead end.

Still, in her heart, this outcome was probably the best possible ending for both Chouko and Sato.

She and her mother—the current head of the Shihou family—had long foreseen it. With Sato’s personality, even if Chouko took the initiative, the two of them likely would never have made it together.

Perhaps this was for the best. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Ending things now, cutting their losses, was better than spiraling into mutual harm later on.

This was the fate Chouko had to bear as the heir of a prestigious family.

If Chouko had been an ordinary girl from an ordinary family, a sincere, earnest boy like Sato might have been a good match. But the world was not built on “if onlys.”

She and the old matriarch had once believed that Chouko, gifted as she was, could climb to heights beyond their reach. Reality, however, was cruel. There were no miracles, no special exceptions.

For women destined from birth to sacrifice themselves for their family, chasing after so-called “love” and “freedom” was nothing more than a foolish fantasy.

As a mother, Shouko naturally wanted her daughter, Chouko, to have the happiest possible future. And now, reality had proven that following the family’s arrangements, walking the predetermined path, was what suited Chouko best.

“Chasing two rabbits leaves you with none.” That old proverb had endured for a reason.

At the very least, by obeying the family, her daughter would no longer face danger or unexpected disasters.

Even if the price was becoming a bird in a cage, forever denied the freedom of the open sky.

…

“Oh? Sato-kun didn’t even know about this? On the night of April 30, Chouko was nearly drugged and assaulted by a piece of human trash. Turns out that scumbag was a repeat offender—his phone was filled with videos of dozens of victims.”

As she spoke, Shouko glanced at her daughter, only looking away once she saw Chouko’s face growing even paler.

Even though Chouko had only vaguely said that “something happened” and refused to explain further, such matters were trivial to the Shihou family.

The criminal was already under the family’s control. With a few methods, that lowlife spilled everything he knew.

Including the “Harutaki” Chouko had tried so hard to hide.

If she ever got the chance, Shouko thought, she’d like to meet him.

“April… 30th…?”

Sato froze.

[Onii, a middle school friend invited me to a karaoke get-together~]

He remembered that message clearly. And his reply—

[I’ve got cram school after Friday classes, and I won’t get a break the whole Golden Week.]

He’d turned her down.

When he heard words like “scumbag,” “drugged,” and “assault,” it felt as though a nuclear bomb had gone off over his head. His vision spun, his legs gave out, and he staggered back before collapsing onto the cold marble floor.

Another memory surfaced—his chat with Chouko when they’d talked about going out together.

[That upperclassman from another school’s soccer club was really handsome~ Tall, strong, and super attentive, giving me snacks and juice!]

…

Scenes played out in his mind like a movie. His imagination vividly filled in the gaps—

Chouko, alone and helpless in a karaoke room, facing that monster.

No… please no…

His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but only a mosquito-like whisper escaped. His throat felt clogged with burning coal, or like stomach acid surging up, the searing pain making him retch violently—as if he were about to vomit out his heart, his feelings for Chouko, even his very soul.

He hadn’t protected the childhood friend he’d sworn to protect.

He hadn’t even upheld the most basic duty or vow of being her brother.

Damn it… damn it all…

He slammed his fist into the floor again and again, not knowing whether he was striking his distorted reflection in the polished marble, or the unbearable illusion haunting his mind.

“Onii… stop… please stop…”

Chouko’s gentle voice drifted down from above, soft and distant like a celestial maiden from the moon.

“Ugh…”

But for Sato, this was the only way he could vent the bitterness choking his heart.

Or maybe he just hoped the pain in his hands could drown out the agony tearing at his soul.

“G-gh… Chou… ko…”

“Heh… honestly, Onii, you’re really a mess right now~”

“Y-you’re… you’re okay… right…? You’re okay…?”

Swallowing hard, Sato forced himself to lift his head and look at her. But the overhead lights dazzled his eyes, making it impossible to see her expression clearly.

“I—”

How ridiculous. How pitiful.

Chouko looked down at him sprawled on the floor. Seeing his thunderstruck reaction, she didn’t know why, but she felt like laughing.

“—pfft… I’m standing right here, aren’t I? Of course I’m fine…”

She wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes, convincing herself that these were tears from laughing—

Tears she couldn’t help shedding after seeing how awkward and absurd Onii looked.

That had to be it.

“Onii really is as dumb as ever~”

“As long as you’re okay… as long as you’re okay…”

Sato murmured weakly, relief washing over his face. When he tried to stand, though, he stumbled several times before finally managing to steady himself.

“Then back then, you—”

The moment the words left his mouth, regret hit him. Why had he asked something that would make Chouko relive such pain?

“I asked Hoshikawa to go with me. Thanks to him, nothing happened to me.”

Thanks to that generous, gentle hero—warm and radiant like the sun.

Remembering how Harutaki had warned her again and again, and thinking of her own childish thoughts and actions back then, guilt and bitterness swelled inside Chouko like an overinflated balloon.

If only I could see him one more time…

The thought made her laugh bitterly.

As if that could happen. Once or twice was one thing, but there was no way Harutaki would appear every time she missed him.

Bzz.

The phone in her hand suddenly vibrated.

She scoffed inwardly. I really am too naïve.

Harutaki doesn’t have superpowers. There’s no way he’d know where I am.

Last time was just a coincidence. Just a coincidence!

Still… getting a message right when she was thinking of him—maybe their hearts really were in sync?

If only Harutaki could understand how sorry she felt.

With that thought, Chouko unlocked her phone, pulled down the notification bar, and tapped into Line—

As expected, it was Harutaki… wait—huh?

She rubbed her eyes hard with the back of her hand. Normally she’d never do something so unhygienic and pointless, but right now—

When she looked again at the message preview in the chat list, her eyes flew wide open like she’d seen a ghost.

[Harutaki: I’m already at Tokyo Station, …]

What comes after that… what does it say!?

She really wanted to open it. She really, really wanted to—

Tap.

“Huh?”

Before she even realized it, her finger had tapped the screen on its own, nails clicking sharply against the glass.

In an instant, like knocking over the first domino, every “Unread” in the chat turned into “Read.”

[Harutaki: I’m at Tokyo Station. Send me your location! [Angry cat with flames]] — Read

A moment later—

Bzz.

Another message came in.

[Harutaki: So you’re done pretending? Last chance, Shihou. Don’t blame me if I use some special methods—then we’ll see who regrets it. [Scheming cat]] — Read

Staring at the blinking cursor in the input box, Chouko couldn’t type a single word.

What should she reply?

Apologize to Harutaki?

Tell him how she really feels?

[Harutaki: 5] — Read

E-eh!?

The sudden countdown made her jump.

W-wait… why did it start counting down already?

[Harutaki: 4] — Read

She hurriedly glanced at her mother. Seeing the puzzled look on her face, Chouko immediately abandoned the idea of sending her location.

If Harutaki came here now, he’d definitely run into her mother—who was already in a bad mood. And Onii too.

An inexplicable sense of guilt washed over her.

If Harutaki found out she’d avoided saying goodbye to him, yet still met Onii one last time… would he be angry?

[Harutaki: 3] — Read

As long as she explained things properly, it should be fine, right?

She didn’t want to meet him because she didn’t want to say goodbye…

[Harutaki: 2] — Read

Anyway…

Anyway… Harutaki was probably just bluffing…

[Harutaki: 1] — Read

He’s always been so kind, so gentle… she thought anxiously. Harutaki probably… probably wouldn’t really use any excessive “special methods,” right?