Yoshihiro Shimoda walked expressionlessly, for he did not know how long, until he stopped at a scene that was both familiar and foreign. Looking at the long-decayed playground equipment beside him, childhood memories flooded his mind.
A chubby little boy, far exceeding the weight of his peers, was chasing a girl a head taller than him, snot running down his face. Seeing the girl pull away, the little boy anxiously cried, "Sister, Sister, wait for me..." Without watching his step, he tripped over a stone, falling heavily to the ground. The pain made him start to whimper.
The girl heard her brother's cries, quickly stopping her running. She turned, saw her brother sprawled on the ground, and quickly ran over, helping her brother sit on the nearby equipment. She bent down, pulled up his pants leg, and seeing the red scrape, with even blood emerging, an expression of self-reproach instantly appeared on her face. She frantically pulled a bandage from her pocket and applied it to the little boy's wound.
"I'm sorry, it's all your sister's fault." The little boy heard his sister's remorseful words, sucked up the snot running to his mouth. It seemed the wound on his leg didn't hurt as much anymore. "No, it's not your fault, Sister. I was just too clumsy." "Hehe, Yoshihiro isn't clumsy at all~ You'll definitely grow up to be a strong man and protect me, Mom, and Dad." "Mhm!" The little boy heavily nodded, his eyes filled with determination.
'Why did things turn out this way?'
'When exactly did all this change...?'
Yoshihiro Shimoda stood in a daze, agonizing inwardly. It seemed all the trouble began when he first felt desire for the opposite sex.
In middle school, looking at the pretty girls in his class, he wanted a girlfriend, but because he was too overweight, no girl would give him the time of day. Yoshihiro Shimoda thought about losing weight, but it was too hard to stick with, so he gave up. Although reality was hopeless, he found some websites online where he could release himself fully. Since the first time he emptied his clip, he became obsessed with the pleasure. During class, his mind was full of naked images. His spirit withered, only concerned with filth, and his body became increasingly frail. He suffered and wanted to change, but it wasn't easy. Eventually, he succumbed, feeling comfortable in his depravity.
The seed of desire was planted in his heart. By chance, he saw a post about "Fairy Water" that could make people uncontrollably lustful. Yoshihiro Shimoda was tired of doing it himself. Driven by curiosity and longing, he found the potion to be real. He forged a love letter, invited the best-looking and best-bodied girl in his class out, intending to use the potion to control her. If he succeeded, he could switch girls to play with and never be exposed, as the miraculous part of the potion was that it made the victim unconditionally love the user.
However, he was caught by her best friend, who was watching from afar, ruining his plan. He ended up in a juvenile reformatory. During the fourteen days he was locked up, his parents never visited him once, leaving him utterly disillusioned. Although his sister, Mao Nakaizumi, visited, her eyes were filled with disappointment. He couldn't understand: Why? It was just a desire to have sex once. It's not a heinous crime!
From the moment Yoshihiro Shimoda allowed Slaver to occupy his mind and indulged without restraint, everything began to spiral toward disaster. A person who has fallen into the abyss can no longer be saved.
Tonight was exceptionally cool. Occasional breezes rustled the leaves, making one forget the scorching summer. Yoshihiro Shimoda's loose clothing billowed, the cold wind blowing through his fat body, attempting to dispel the evil within him. But the cold sensation in his groin awakened Yoshihiro Shimoda from his recollection.
The last trace of clarity in his eyes completely vanished, replaced only by a profound, consuming hatred.
"It's all your fault—!"
"I just wanted to get off! It's not some terrible crime! But every single one of you is going against me!!"
"You all deserve to die! You all deserve to die!!!"
Yoshihiro Shimoda screamed hysterically, his face twisted in a terrifying grimace from the exertion. His eyes were completely dark, devoid of humanity. A dark aura vaguely emanated from his body, rising and dissipating into the dark night.
A moment later.
Yoshihiro Shimoda wiped the drool from his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked up, his dark eyes fixed on an apartment building. He stared at the illuminated window, occasionally seeing silhouettes, indicating the occupants were home and busy with something.
A grim smile played on his lips. Clutching the two tools in his hands, Yoshihiro Shimoda walked toward Mao Nakaizumi's home without a shred of hesitation.
It was now close to seven o'clock.
Inside Mao Nakaizumi's home, one adult and two young women were seated at the dining table, waiting for Ho Fei-yu's arrival. Yui Nakaizumi glanced at the delicious food on the table with eagerness, her small hand carelessly tapping the tabletop. Her eyes lingered on a dish called Ebi Tempura.
Peeled and stretched prawns coated in flour, followed by a batter of tempura flour mixed with egg yolk, fried in hot oil until firm, then crushed into crumbs. The flour-coated prawns were covered with these crumbs and fried again for a few minutes. Finally, served with fried sweet potato and okra, a colorful and delicious Ebi Tempura was ready.
Its golden exterior, dotted with green okra, seemed more like a work of art than a dish, practically making Yui Nakaizumi at the table drool. Most importantly, it was made by Shiori Fuyutsuki herself. In fact, most of the dishes on the table were her creations.
"Grrr~"
"Why isn't Fei-yu here yet~ I'm starving!" Yui Nakaizumi looked at the clock in the living room. It was only a few minutes before seven. The mournful cry from her stomach made her express her anticipation. "Shiori-chan, I'll just have a small—small taste."
Yui Nakaizumi smiled ingratiatingly, reaching for a fried shrimp as she spoke. Just as her fingers were about to grab one, the painful tap of a chopstick on her hand made her instantly withdraw.
"Hmph! Stingy Shiori-chan, you won't even let me have one! You get a boyfriend and forget your best friend! Wuwu~ I'm going to eat two later! No, three!!"
"Alright, alright, stop making a fuss. Yui, you can't even wait a few minutes. Today is to thank Fei-yu for helping Shiori-chan. It's impolite to eat before the guest arrives, you know." Mao Nakaizumi looked at her daughter, who was acting like a little girl, feeling both amused and concerned for her immature daughter, worried that she might not even be able to find her way home after Shiori Fuyutsuki left.
Of course, this was an exaggeration. Although Yui Nakaizumi sometimes seemed innocent and clumsy, she wasn't as foolish as her mother imagined; she just relied heavily on Shiori Fuyutsuki.
"Just wait a little longer. Fei-yu will be here soon." Shiori Fuyutsuki blushed at Yui Nakaizumi's teasing words. She lowered her head and looked at her phone, showing her chat history with Ho Fei-yu.
"Ding dong." The doorbell rang. The three women instantly looked toward the door.
"I'll get it." Mao Nakaizumi stood up. Since she was the one who had invited him, she naturally had to open the door to greet him, maintaining proper etiquette. She walked towards the door, step by step, but a sudden sense of dread inexplicably tightened her heart, as if something bad was about to happen. This made Mao Nakaizumi pause, her hand already on the doorknob.
She instinctively looked through the peephole. What she saw made her heart leap: it wasn't Ho Fei-yu behind the door, but her own brother, Yoshihiro Shimoda.
"Why is he here??" Mao Nakaizumi froze, not knowing what to do. Why was Yoshihiro Shimoda, who should have been in the hospital or jail, at her house? Did he escape?
"Mom, why aren't you opening the door? Is that Fei-yu?" Yui Nakaizumi's voice brought Mao Nakaizumi back to her senses, but her hand remained glued to the doorknob, unsure of what to do.
"Ah!" Just as she was flustered, Yoshihiro Shimoda suddenly widened his eyes behind the door, quickly moving close to the peephole. The completely dead pupils startled Mao Nakaizumi, making her step back several paces.
"Sister, I know you're right behind the door. Open up. I've come to apologize." Mao Nakaizumi hesitated for a moment but still answered Yoshihiro Shimoda.
"You... How did you get out?"
"Hehe, the police officers were moved by my repentance, so they just let me go."
"And I've realized my mistakes. I specifically came here to apologize to Shiori-chan."