Kanjuro held Imari Kurumi close as they walked unhurriedly down the street where the evening lights were just beginning to glow. He appeared to listen intently to Imari's quiet chatter about trivial club matters, a gentle smile playing on his lips, but deep within his profound eyes, he was like the most precise radar, having long since captured the figure that had been trailing them intermittently since the school gate—Minase Aoi.
(She really followed us... she just won't give up.)
Kanjuro sneered inwardly, yet remained outwardly calm. He even deliberately slowed his pace and became even more intimate with Imari, as if silently provoking the stalker.
He walked Imari to her apartment building, their shadows stretched long by the warm yellow streetlights. Imari Kurumi stopped but didn't immediately turn to go upstairs. She lowered her head slightly, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes flickered with a hint of longing as she looked at Kanjuro.
"Mr. Kanjuro..." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's, filled with obvious hints and bashfulness. "Today... do you want to... come up for a bit? My mother... is working the night shift tonight..."
This almost blunt invitation caused the pupils of Minase Aoi, who was hiding in the shadows of the trees in the distance, to contract sharply! She could hardly believe her eyes! The Kurumi in her memory was simple but had always known her boundaries; how could she so proactively invite a boy over when no one was home?! And the target was this Kanjuro she hadn't known for long?!
However, what surprised her even more was yet to come.
Looking at Imari's stirred and shy appearance, a flash of imperceptible mockery crossed Kanjuro's eyes, but his face showed a slightly apologetic and "restrained" smile. He reached out and gently caressed Imari's cheek, his movements as tender as if he were handling a fragile treasure.
"I'm sorry, Imari," his voice was low and magnetic, carrying a reassuring sense of "reason." "Not today. I still have some... important matters regarding the Research Society and the Ritual to prepare. Besides, you've been very tired lately and need to get some good rest."
He refused. Not crudely, but with a reason that seemed to be for her sake and prioritized "official business." This made his image even taller and more reliable in Imari's heart, and it also caused even greater confusion for Minase Aoi in the dark—what kind of game was this Kanjuro playing?
A flash of obvious disappointment appeared in Imari's eyes, but she still nodded obediently. "Mhm... I understand. Then... Mr. Kanjuro, you should also make sure to rest."
"Don't worry." Kanjuro smiled, and then he made a move that caused Minase Aoi's breath to stop—
He leaned down slightly, one hand gently cupping Imari's face, and kissed her lips deeply and irresistibly!
It wasn't a light farewell peck, but a long, deep kiss full of possessiveness and desire. Under the ambiguous glow of the streetlights, their tightly embraced figures seemed to merge into one. Imari was slightly stiff at first, but then she seemed to melt into Kanjuro's arms, responding unskilfully yet passionately.
(!!!)
Minase Aoi covered her mouth tightly to keep from crying out. Her eyes widened, watching this scene in disbelief, her heart feeling as if it were being gripped by an icy hand!
(They... they actually...!)
(Kurumi! How could you?! How long has Taki been missing?! How could you throw yourself into another man's arms so quickly and... be so intimate?!)
Anger, disgust, and immense heartache for her brother instantly overwhelmed her. Previously, she only suspected that Imari might know something, but now, this vivid and sensual scene before her caused an even darker, more terrifying thought to jump uncontrollably into her mind—
Could it be... that Imari and Kanjuro conspired to kill Taki?!
This thought was like a venomous snake, instantly coiling around her heart!
That's it! Only this would make sense!
Taki liked Kurumi so much; if he discovered that Kurumi and Kanjuro were having an affair, with Taki's sensitive and impulsive personality, he would likely confront Kanjuro, and a conflict might even break out!
And Kanjuro... this boy who seemed perfect yet always felt unfathomable, was entirely capable of doing something terrible! To be with Kanjuro, Imari might have become an accomplice, or at least someone with inside knowledge, which is why she appeared so calm and even indifferent toward Taki's disappearance!
Minase Aoi watched the two as they finally ended their long kiss and parted reluctantly. She watched Kanjuro gently tidy Imari's hair and saw Imari go upstairs with a flushed face and dazed eyes... She only felt a chill rush from her spine to the top of her head.
She was no longer just grieving for her brother's disappearance; a raging fire of fury and determination had been ignited.
(Kanjuro... Imari Kurumi...)
(If Taki's disappearance really has something to do with you, I swear, no matter the cost, I will uncover your true faces and get justice for Taki!)
She stared fixedly at Kanjuro's back as he walked away alone. In those eyes that were originally full of sadness, there was now only cold hatred and an unyielding resolve. She knew she might be facing an extremely dangerous opponent, but for her brother, she was now fearless.
The dark vortex began to ripple with even more ominous waves due to the intervention of this persistent sister.
Minase Aoi held her breath, using the night and the cover of vehicles along the street to closely follow Kanjuro's back. Her heart was filled with anger and resolution; she had to find out the truth about her brother's disappearance. However, just as she was fully focused on tailing him, Kanjuro, not far ahead, suddenly stopped his pace without any warning.
He just stood there quietly at the edge of the streetlight's glow, his back to her.
Minase Aoi's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively shrank behind a utility pole.
"Aren't you tired after following me for so long?" Kanjuro's clear voice rang out in the silent street, carrying a faint hint of playfulness. He didn't look back, yet he seemed to have seen through everything already. "Come out, I know you're there."
Minase Aoi knew she was exposed. She gritted her teeth and stepped out from the shadows, standing before Kanjuro. Her eyes burned with the flames of anger as she glared directly at him.
"Kanjuro!" she growled, almost through gritted teeth. "I already know! It's you! And Imari Kurumi! You two conspired to harm my brother Taki, didn't you?!"
She clenched her fists tightly, her body trembling slightly from agitation as she waited for Kanjuro's panic or denial.
However, Kanjuro's reaction was completely beyond her expectations.
He was first slightly stunned, then, as if he had heard something utterly absurd, he burst out laughing. That laughter contained helplessness and a hint of... pity? He shook his head and sighed softly, the moonlight spilling over his handsome face and outlining a heart-stirringly melancholy silhouette.
"You must be... Minase-kun's older sister, right?" His gaze fell upon Minase Aoi, and he began to inconspicuously size her up. It had to be said that Minase Aoi had inherited the good genes of her family; though she looked slightly haggard from anxiety and grief, her beautiful features were still hard to hide. She had a tall and well-proportioned figure, her simple clothing tracing her graceful curves—especially that proud fullness at her chest, which rose and fell slightly with her hurried breathing. In Kanjuro's eyes, she was truly... a feast for the eyes.
Kanjuro subconsciously swallowed, a glint of a hunter's light flashing deep in his eyes, but his face quickly switched back to a heavy expression.
"It seems... you have completely misunderstood." His voice lowered, carrying a heavy sincerity, "Regarding Minase-kun... I also feel extremely regretful and apologetic."
"What do you mean?" Minase Aoi was stunned by his sudden 'apology' and his focused, 'gentle' gaze. The anger in her heart felt like it had been doused with cold water, and her guard involuntarily loosened slightly against the backdrop of his handsome features and seemingly candid attitude.
Kanjuro appropriately displayed an expression interwoven with pain and helplessness, and began his performance:
"Things are not at all as you imagine. That night... Minase-kun, I don't know what happened to him, but he suddenly went mad, holding a knife, trying to kill Imari!" His tone grew heavier as he described the perilous scene, "I happened to be passing by and saw this. How could I stand by and watch someone die? I rushed up to stop him, and during the struggle... accidentally, truly accidentally... I..."
He paused at the right moment, his face full of 'remorse' and 'reluctance': "I accidentally... injured him. I really never intended for it to be like this... It was entirely an accident!"
"You... what kind of joke is this!" Minase Aoi was completely dumbfounded, her mind blank. She shook her head in disbelief, "You mean... my younger brother... Taki... has already been... killed by you?!"
"It was manslaughter!" Kanjuro emphasized, his tone urgent and'sincere'. He stepped forward, attempting to close the distance between them, the clean, pleasant scent from his body faintly drifting toward Minase Aoi, "It was all a misunderstanding! A tragedy that neither of us wanted to see! I have also been living with guilt ever since!"
"I won't believe your nonsense!" Minase Aoi snapped back to her senses, startled by his closeness, and stepped back. Anger reignited in her eyes as she cursed, "You murderer! Scum! Do you think weaving such a story can fool me?!"
Facing her tirade, Kanjuro did not get angry. Instead, he displayed an even more 'helpless' and even slightly 'aggrieved' expression. He looked deeply at Minase Aoi; those deep eyes seemed to possess a kind of magic capable of sinking a person's spirit.
"I know it's hard to believe with just my words," he sighed, as if having made some kind of resolution, "Since you don't believe me... then I'll take you to see."
"Go where?" Minase Aoi asked warily.
"To... the 'scene of the incident' from that night." Kanjuro's voice carried a strange suggestive quality, "I'll take you to see it with your own eyes. Perhaps some traces still remain there, which can prove what I said... at least, prove that I was forced to fight him in order to save someone. After seeing it, you can then judge whether I am lying, how about that?"
--- He extended his hand, making an inviting gesture, his eyes 'candid' and'sorrowful'.
This proposal was incredibly impactful, yet fraught with risk. Minase Aoi struggled intensely within. She didn't believe Kanjuro, but the phrase 'scene of the incident' held a fatal attraction for her. That was the closest place to the truth of her brother's disappearance! Moreover, Kanjuro looked so'sincere'... What if he was telling the truth? What if Taki really... Amidst immense grief, doubt, and the bewitchment of Kanjuro's extremely deceptive appearance and words, Minase Aoi's rationality was gradually being devoured.
She looked into Kanjuro's eyes, which seemed capable of sucking away souls, and nodded as if compelled by a spirit.
"...Fine! I'll go with you to see! If you dare try anything tricky..."
"I won't," Kanjuro interrupted her, displaying a smile that was both relieved and sad, "I only hope... to clear up the misunderstanding and let you know the truth."
He turned and led the way, heading in the direction of the small woods that had once swallowed Minase Taki's life. Minase Aoi, the sister solely seeking justice for her brother, was step by step following the steps of a demon toward a darker trap already set by him. The night was thick as ink.
Kanjuro brought Minase Aoi deep into the secluded small woods behind the school. The woods at night were colder than outside. The wind whistled through the bare branches, sounding like a mournful cry, stirring up fallen leaves on the ground with a bone-chilling coldness. The moonlight was cut into fragmented pieces by the dense canopy, casting flickering, ghost-like patches of light on the ground... Minase Aoi clutched her thin coat tighter, her body trembling slightly from the cold and a sense of foreboding. She watched Kanjuro walking ahead; his tall figure appeared unhurried and composed in the dim light, even possessing a graceful, leisurely elegance. His profile, outlined by the moonlight, was beautiful to the point of being illusory.
(Why... why would someone with such a face be connected to my brother's death?)
(Did he really... kill him?)
(No, he said it was manslaughter... Perhaps... perhaps there was a hidden reason?)
Along the way, Kanjuro occasionally looked back and offered her a gentle, apologetic smile. That smile was extremely deceptive, causing the fear and suspicion in Minase Aoi's heart to waver intermittently. She had to admit that this man possessed a magic that made people want to trust him involuntarily.
Finally, Kanjuro stopped in an open area that looked no different from the rest. The soil was somewhat soft, covered by a thin layer of fallen leaves.
"It's here," Kanjuro's voice sounded exceptionally clear in the silent woods, tinged with a trace of solemnity.
He took out a folding entrenching shovel and began digging silently. Earth was turned over shovel by shovel, making a rustling sound. Minase Aoi's heart tightened along with this sound, and her breathing grew rapid.
As the pit grew deeper, an indescribable, putrid stench gradually spread, becoming stronger and stronger. Minase Aoi couldn't help but cover her mouth and nose, feeling a wave of nausea.
Finally, the shovel hit something that was a mixture of soft and hard. Kanjuro paused his movements, then more carefully cleared away the loose soil above.
A highly decomposed and unrecognizable corpse was exposed under the moonlight! The clothes were tattered, stuck to the blackened, swollen flesh, but the style of the school uniform Minase Taki was wearing on the day he disappeared could still be vaguely discerned. Although the face was almost unrecognizable, the body shape, the few remaining characteristics, and a sister's intuition struck Minase Aoi's heart like a heavy hammer!
"Taki—!!!"
A piercing, off-key scream shattered the deathly silence of the woods. Minase Aoi's legs gave out, and with a thud, she collapsed onto the cold mud, feeling as if all strength had been drained from her body. She stared at the mangled corpse in the pit, and the overwhelming grief and unbelievable shock caused her to instantly break down.
All previous doubts and lingering hopes were utterly crushed by the cruel reality in this moment!
She suddenly looked up, tears streaming down her face, her eyes bloodshot and filled with surging hatred. She stared fixedly at Kanjuro, who stood silently beside her, and screamed with all her might:
"Why?! Kanjuro! Why did you do this?! This wasn't accidental killing! You buried him here! This is murder! Plain and simple murder!!"
Her voice trembled violently from extreme pain and anger, her fingernails digging deeply into the mud beneath her.
"You lied to me! You've been lying to me the whole time! What about him going crazy and trying to kill Imari? What about accidental killing? It's all a lie! You killed him! You devil, you killed my brother!!"
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