Ch.301If Side Story. Tokyo Slayers: Final Chapter (39)

“Brother, brother… Oppa, please.”

That was the first thing Souta heard when he opened his eyes.

Light entered through his narrowly opened eyes, and a severe cough rose from deep within his lungs. Unable to suppress it, his throat felt like it was being torn apart.

There was a smell in his mouth as if he had been holding iron-infused water. It was probably the smell and taste of blood from Souta’s body.

“Brother!”

When Souta tried to sit up, Shii hesitated as she was about to embrace him.

She seemed to think that hugging Souta too tightly in this situation would put too much strain on his body.

“You’re awake.”

“What about Kurosawa?”

Souta immediately asked this question to Yuka’s grandfather who had spoken to him.

Then he realized his mistake. Yuka’s grandfather didn’t look to be in great shape either. His face was wrapped in bandages, and one arm seemed to be broken as it was in a splint.

Yuka’s grandfather shook his head.

“…She left us behind.”

“…”

“Why she did that, I don’t know either.”

Souta recalled the last words Kurosawa had said.

Because that would be more fun.

What did that mean? Was it literally what she said? If so, why did that woman who resembled Kurosawa’s mother summon such a being…

“I’m sorry. It seems we weren’t much help.”

I know.

Though his vision had been blurry, he remembered that final moment. Kurosawa tearing off all the talismans plastered on the door, opening it, and confronting the people inside.

And then—

Looking around, he realized they were in the living room. There were cuts everywhere, and not a single piece of furniture in the house was intact. These were traces of yesterday’s battle.

“Yuka, what about Yuka…”

“Brother.”

When Souta tried to get up, Shii gently pushed him back down with a stern face.

“You can’t. You need to rest now…”

“Shii.”

Souta looked directly at her.

“Yuka is fine. At least better than you, I would say.”

“But we need to leave right away, don’t we?”

Souta asked in return.

Yuka’s grandfather hesitated briefly before nodding.

“Yes. Otherwise, many people will likely die.”

“…What’s happening?”

Shii looked up at Souta with trembling eyes, but Souta wanted to hear the story somehow.

“Whatever happens, it’s not your fault. If anything, it’s our fault.”

“Does that mean it’s Yuka’s fault too?”

“…No.”

Yuka’s grandfather shook his head.

“It would be more correct to say it’s my fault. We… were complacent. We knew the Kurosawa family was dangerous, but we merely kept our distance. We thought what they were researching was just nonsense.”

“…”

“Now, something seems to be happening near the Kurosawa household. The person we failed to protect was apparently very necessary to them.”

“What exactly—”

Yuka’s grandfather exhaled lightly.

Shii’s hand gripping Souta’s arm unconsciously tightened. Souta’s wound hurt a little, but he endured it.

Yuka’s grandfather looked at Souta and Shii for a moment, then sighed lightly and explained the situation.

*

Yuka bowed her head when she saw Souta.

“…I’m sorry.”

She bowed so deeply she almost touched the ground, and Souta quickly caught her.

“Yuka.”

“I… I couldn’t protect anything. I said I would protect your sister too, bringing you all the way here, but in the end, like this…”

“No.”

Souta said.

He had a similar experience.

When Shii was in danger, there was nothing Souta could do. The most he could do was not abandon her and shield her with his body as much as possible.

Even then, they would both have ended up being eaten alive. If Yuka hadn’t been nearby at that moment, Souta surely wouldn’t be here now.

“It was just that the situation wasn’t favorable.”

“Still.”

“…Yuka.”

Souta called out to her.

“You’re going there, aren’t you?”

“…”

“Take me with you.”

“Brother!”

Shii shouted.

“Souta.”

Nanami was the same. She had been organizing Souta’s clothes, as she put down a basket containing blood-stained clothes and quickly approached him.

“Souta, this isn’t your job.”

At Nanami’s words, Souta briefly lowered his head without saying anything, then collected his thoughts and raised his gaze to look directly at Yuka.

“No.”

Souta spoke with force in his voice.

“I have to do it. I… had something only I could do there.”

He doesn’t know exactly what that ability is. Yuka probably doesn’t know either, nor would anyone in Yuka’s family.

Whether it’s really because of Souta’s ‘ability,’ or because of some affinity that Kotone Kurosawa felt toward Souta, he doesn’t know.

But in that moment, Souta could see that child.

Not visibly in front of him. He just felt it.

Deep inside that place blazing with fire, in the deepest part, a tiny remnant of Kotone Kurosawa was curled up as if terrified.

“I’m not someone who has specifically studied exorcism. I’m certainly not from that kind of family. But at that moment, I thought I could save Kurosawa… save the child named Kotone Kurosawa.”

Souta turned to Nanami.

“Can you tell me to give up on that child?”

“…”

Nanami’s lips moved as if she was about to answer, but in the end, she couldn’t form it into words.

They hadn’t known each other for that long.

But that didn’t mean she was a child who could just be left in distress, Souta thought.

In Souta’s memory, she was a child who suffered.

But despite that suffering, she didn’t give up. Though at a glance she seemed to have given up on everything, showing no reaction to her surroundings, she was actually a child who wanted to continue living.

She knew how to enjoy fun things, how to appreciate delicious food. She knew what flavors she liked, and was slowly learning what was enjoyable about spending time with friends.

If only he didn’t know.

If they had just met today for the first time.

Souta might have listened to Shii or Nanami and stayed behind. But—

“…Yes.”

Shii said.

Her voice was trembling.

“You… you have to give up.”

“Shii?”

Souta turned around in surprise that Shii would say such a thing.

Shii was glaring at Souta.

It wasn’t a frightening face. Rather, with tears welling in her eyes and her body trembling so severely, she looked fragile enough to crumble at the slightest touch.

“What if you die, brother? What happens to me?”

“…”

“I can endure going back to that house. I can endure if those people torment me. I’ve done it before. I think it’s fortunate that I’ve been able to live such a happy life because you saved me, but I’m not stupid enough to give up on life because of people like them.”

Shii spoke with a trembling voice.

“But losing you… you’re the only family I have left.”

Tears finally fell from Shii’s eyes.

“Yes, as you’ve said several times, I was able to make friends. They’re precious friends. I know everyone here is a good person. But so what? They can’t become you. The only person in this world who truly thinks of me as family is you…”

Shii raised her arm and roughly wiped near her eyes.

“But, but… why… why do you do this? Every time, like this, destroying your body, risking your life…”

A sob.

After taking a moment to steady her breathing, Shii finally spoke.

“I’m sorry for saying such terrible things. But… but I absolutely cannot… approve…”

Souta couldn’t respond for a moment.

“It’s okay, Shii.”

Yuka, who had been listening to the conversation, said.

“I’ll try to handle it somehow.”

From Souta’s perspective, Yuka’s body was also in terrible shape. Probably all of Yuka’s family would want to go. They needed to resolve the situation somehow.

“…Yuka.”

“Shii is right.”

Yuka said.

“You’re not someone who should be in that position originally. I… I’ve involved you too deeply.”

“…”

A suffocating silence hung in the air for a while.

Souta stood there contemplating for a long time before finally opening his mouth.

“…Shii.”

“…Brother, after all.”

Souta embraced Shii as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, Shii. To me, you’re also my only family in the world. The most precious in the world. But…”

“Yes, I know. I’ve known from the beginning. You’ll surely say something about how human life is the most important thing in the world. And that if we don’t resolve this situation, I’ll be in danger too.”

Struck at the core, Souta couldn’t say anything for a while.

“Anyway, I know you’re not the kind of person who would stay just because I try to stop you. Still…”

Shii gripped Souta’s clothes tightly.

“My words weren’t just to hold you back; they were sincere.”

“…I’ll definitely come back.”

“…”

Shii’s breathing trembled again.

Only after taking a moment to steady her breath did Shii open her mouth.

“You absolutely must. If you don’t come back, I’ll come looking for you. No matter where that place is.”