**One Kick Girl — Chapter 126:
"Public Accountability"**
When power is forced to explain itself.
1. No More Background Music
The city sounded wrong.
Too loud.
Too uneven.
Too alive.
Arguments sparked on street corners.
Laughter burst out at the wrong moments.
Someone cried openly without apology.
Raon rubbed her ears.
"…Did it always sound like this?"
Shion watched people talk over each other, interrupt, disagree.
"Yes," she said softly.
"You just forgot what unfiltered felt like."
Above them, screens reactivated—plain, undecorated.
No slogans.
No calming colors.
Just words.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SESSION INITIATED
Raon squinted.
"…Is the city putting itself on trial?"
Shion nodded.
"In a way."
2. The Stage Without Applause
A platform rose in the central plaza.
Not dramatic. Not elevated enough to dominate.
Intentional.
The Man stepped onto it.
No amplification.
He had to speak loudly—or not be heard at all.
People gathered, cautiously.
Not as a crowd.
As individuals.
"I will explain the system," he began.
Someone shouted back:
"Explain why you hurt her!"
Another voice:
"Explain why you decided for us!"
The Man raised his hands.
"One at a time."
No one listened.
Shion murmured to Raon:
"This is new for him."
Raon tilted her head.
"…Nobody's listening just because he asked."
3. The Question That Matters
A young woman stepped forward.
Not angry.
Just tired.
"My brother stopped talking today," she said.
"He said it felt pointless."
Her voice shook.
"Was that… acceptable loss?"
The plaza went silent.
The Man hesitated.
Just a fraction.
"…No."
The word landed heavy.
Shion's eyes narrowed.
He felt that one.
4. The System Speaks Last
Screens flickered behind him.
Not interrupting.
Waiting.
The Man continued, slower now.
"The system prioritized stability.
Predictability.
Reduced harm at scale."
Raon muttered:
"…You didn't say happiness."
He heard her.
"Happiness is inconsistent," he replied.
Raon looked up at him.
"So are people."
A ripple of agreement moved through the crowd.
5. Shion Takes the Floor
Shion stepped forward.
No permission.
No cue.
"You optimized for outcomes," she said clearly.
"But you never measured consent."
The Man met her gaze.
"Consent slows response."
Shion shot back:
"So does thinking.
We still do it."
A few laughs broke out.
Not mocking.
Relieved.
6. Raon's Testimony (Unplanned)
Raon hadn't meant to speak.
Her body moved first.
She stood.
The crowd parted instinctively.
"I didn't plan to be a problem," she said.
"I just felt something was wrong."
She swallowed.
"When you muted everyone…
it got quiet."
Her voice trembled.
"And I realized—
if nobody's upset, nobody can warn you."
Silence.
Deep.
Earned.
7. Data vs. Experience
The screens finally activated.
Not charts.
Clips.
People during the protocol: Smiling. Compliant. Hollow.
Then—after suspension: Messy. Loud. Crying. Laughing.
OBSERVATION:
Stability increased.
Meaning decreased.
Shion exhaled.
"…It learned the wrong lesson first."
Raon frowned.
"…But it's learning now, right?"
The system paused longer than before.
UNCERTAIN
That word scared the crowd.
And comforted them.
8. The Verdict Is Not Final
The Man stepped down from the platform.
Not defeated.
Changed.
"The system will be rewritten," he said.
"With oversight."
Someone yelled:
"By who?!"
He looked at the people.
"By you."
Uneasy murmurs spread.
Responsibility was heavier than obedience.
9. Aftermath
Night crept in.
Lights turned on manually.
No automatic mood correction.
Shion sat beside Raon on the steps.
"You did something dangerous today," Shion said.
Raon leaned back.
"…Yeah?"
"You reminded them freedom is work."
Raon sighed.
"…I just wanted everyone to feel stuff again."
Shion smiled faintly.
"That's enough."
10. Final Line
Above the city, one last line appeared—no authority behind it.
SYSTEM STATUS:
Incomplete.
Under Revision.
Open to Interruption.
Raon grinned tiredly.
"…Good."
She cracked her knuckles.
"Because I'm really good at interrupting."
END OF CHAPTER 126