Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
AN: Some of the structuring in the beginning of the chapter might feel a bit off. Honestly, I had a tough time trying to make the first two scenes flow well since they're both flashbacks but don't correlate. I actually had a tough time with this whole chapter in general. So yeah, that's my bad. My amateurish writing strikes again.
That said, I hope you can enjoy.
Chapter 29:
Let's be honest with ourselves
Akira Hiroki never knew how he was supposed to feel every time he came to this place. He felt some amount of sadness for sure, or perhaps it was more along the lines of regret?
Yes, regret would definitely make more sense under the circumstances. Or lack there of.
After all, how was one supposed to feel when standing in front of the grave of their supposed mother? Hiroki used "supposed" because he never got to know the woman. She died shortly after giving birth to him.
He was told of this tragedy when he was around six, maybe seven years old. Just old enough to understand death. Truth be told, the first time Hiroki heard this, he had definitely felt sadness. Realizing that he would never get to know the woman who was meant to be his mother would bring anyone down, especially when he was at that young age.
Hiroki hadn't cried, though. He still didn't. Even though he came to her grave every year, to "mourn"during the anniversary of her death, he still didn't cry. He just felt that emptiness and regret.
'I wish I got to know you.'
He meant that sincerely. If what he heard about her was true, then Hiroki knew she would have been the only family member he might still love and care about.
She had been a very poor woman during her youth, much like how his father had started out. But unlike his father, she hadn't let all the wealth get to her head. She had remained true to her roots, so to speak. She had been grateful for the luxury she had been provided with, but she would have been just as happy without it.
That's what Hayama always told him anyway. Even if the man wasn't being entirely honest, Hiroki liked to think he was. For his own sake. So that he could believe that he didn't have the blood of a money-hungry fool coursing through his veins.
Or well, not fully. He could take comfort in the fact that at least half his genes came from a decent person.
Wait a second. He wasn't meant to be thinking such dark thoughts, right? That wasn't his purpose for his visit here, but it always ended up like this. He needed to work on that. He was meant to be more positive, to tell his mother all the great things happening in his life.
Right?
There really wasn't much "greatness" going on, though. Not yet. But in a few months, that would change. Unless his father tried to get in the way again.
'No, he can't do that anymore.'
Legally, Hiroki was now his own person. He didn't have to live under his father's thumb anymore. That's why he moved as far away as he could when he entered college.
There was finally light in this once dark tunnel.
'I guess I can be happy about that, huh?'
Would his mother be proud? To see him distancing himself from the rest of the family….would that really be what she wanted?
'You would want me to chase my dreams….right?'
Hiroki didn't have an honest answer, but again he wanted to imagine that his mother would be proud of him.
With that hope in his heart, Hiroki lit the incense candles that he had brought with him. It was the same every year. He always made sure to light a pair in honor of his mother. Sometimes he brought flowers too, but not today.
'Sorry about that. I didn't have time, you see. My schedule has gotten hectic ever since I enlisted…'
It was a lame excuse really, and it made him feel bad. Hiroki liked to imagine his mother standing over him with a look of exasperation, but a playful type of exasperation. "What am I going to do with you?" She would say something like that while fondly stroking his cheek.
That would be ideal, wouldn't it?
Hiroki had seen pictures of her before. She had been quite beautiful. Uzumi and Yozuru really looked like her, although she had kept her hair long like Yozuru's.
On a side note, Hiroki had her eyes while Hasashi was practically a carbon copy of their father.
But while his sisters had inherited their mother's looks, he couldn't say the same about their personalities. That's what really made them shine less in his eyes.
Or maybe he was just being overly harsh on them? Despite their personal differences, they were still his sisters, so thinking ill of them definitely didn't make him feel good. He didn't regret it either, though.
It's not like it mattered anyhow. Hiroki wasn't close to either of them, Hasashi less so. As mentioned earlier, it was partly intentional on Hiroki's part, but Hasashi and Uzumi always seemed to carry this certain distaste for him. Hiroki didn't understand it, and he's never tried to. It would be pointless to.
Yozuru just didn't care for anyone, period. Calling her a "free-spirit" would be putting it too kindly. She was just…..unattached. Uncaring. Always acting on a whim. You would never guess that from talking to her, though. She hid it well, after all. To the people she befriended she was this beautiful angel that was always there for you when you needed her. But in reality she couldn't give a damn about you. To her, friends were expendable. Only there to alleviate her boredom for a short time.
To Hiroki, she was even more scary than Hasashi and Uzumi.
Ah, he was doing it again. Always with these sour thoughts.
Every time he came here, Hiroki's mind always drifted off, consumed by negative emotions. All the resentment he kept bottled up just rose to the surface, and he could never stop it.
It's why he didn't react to Yozuru's presence until she was right behind him.
"I knew you would be here!"
Hiroki was surprised, and it showed. He must have looked like a total idiot when he turned to face his sister, if Yozuru's giggling was anything to go by.
"What's with that look? Did you see a ghost or something?"
Probably. After all, this was the first time he was seeing her here. She, Hasashi, and Uzumi never came to visit their mother's grave as far as he was aware. And he had been coming here for over a decade now.
"What are you-"
"Ah, one moment." His sister sidestepped him as she faced the grave. She didn't kneel. The dress she was wearing was probably the reason for it. Too expensive or something. The total opposite of Hiroki's simple shorts and hoodie. She did clasp her hands together while muttering a silent prayer, however. Hiroki didn't catch what it was, but he still felt thankful for the gesture.
"I was afraid you weren't going to be here." Yozuru started to smile as she finished with her prayer. "Trying to track you down would have been a pain."
Track him down?
"What are you talking about?" So she didn't just come here to pay her respects?
"Don't look so guarded, brother. I'm only trying to start a conversation. You never answer your phone these days."
Like they ever called him.
Hiroki kept his face neutral. "So you ambushed me here instead. How noble of you."
"Ambush you?" Yozuru giggled. "I'm not a stranger, you know. And she was also my mother. Is it wrong for me to visit her?"
"If only you bothered to care in the past…"
How snarky of him. But Hiroki didn't care.
Yozuru didn't seem to mind. "I don't care for the past. I think it only slows you down. I prefer to keep my eyes forward."
Was she being serious?
"Is that the same excuse Hasashi and Uzumi use?"
"Hmm…probably not. I think it's the opposite for them."
Opposite?
Yozuru's eyes went to the headstone. "If you ask me, I think they care too much. They did know mother better than us, after all."
What?
Hiroki wasn't going to buy that for a second, and Yozuru knew this. It made her giggle again.
"You're a funny one. You take things at face value, don't you?"
What was she getting at now?
"People can express their grief in many ways, brother. Just because you wear your emotions on your sleeve doesn't mean the rest of us like to."
Oh yeah?
"And that's why I can never get along with you guys." Hiroki looked away and tried to keep his composure. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing him irritated. "You're always hiding something. You can never be honest."
"Ah, you're so funny." Hiroki stiffened when Yozuru placed a hand on his cheek. When she did get so close to him? "I really don't understand how you can look at the world the way you do. Even though we have the same eyes."
"Are you trying to be dramatic or something?" Hiroki nearly slapped her hand away. But he was able to remain relaxed and calmly pulled away from her."I simply like to be honest with myself. Is that so wrong?"
"You'd be surprised," she murmured. "This world can be a dangerous one. Especially when you're at the top. It can attract a lot of vultures."
"I know you're trying to tell me something, so why don't you come out and say it?"
"Now who's being dramatic?" Yozuru crossed her arms and shook her head. "I'm just trying to give you some advice. For the future. That's why I wanted to see you."
That's why she came here?
Hiroki couldn't stop himself. He scowled. "Why?"
"Because I care."
She said that so nonchalantly that it made Hiroki's blood boil. She cared? Bullshit. She never cared about anything. It was just another excuse she was using to hide her true intentions.
"I don't need any advice from you."
Yozuru looked disappointed. No, there was something else in her eyes. Something deeper than the disappointment. Was it…fear?
What?
"You need to understand the world you're in, little brother. Before it's too late." Yozuru's voice turned weaker. To Hiroki, it was almost like he was hearing someone else speak. It was the complete opposite of the Yozuru he had come to know.
Was this really his sister?
"Father doesn't get it at all. He's stubborn. No matter what any of us tells him, he's still going to pick you as his successor. You know that."
The successor. Hiroki had been hearing about this for about a year now. It was something he didn't like to think about.
The time was quickly approaching for their father to retire. Hiroki always assumed Hasashi was going to be the one to take over, but in an unexpected twist Hayama had told them that he was actually thinking of choosing him to take over the family as the main successor.
Hiroki didn't want it. He didn't care for the money or the supposed fame of the Akira family. But Hayama was adamant in his decision. Hiroki didn't know why. He didn't have an eye for business. Heck, even Uzumi was infinitely more qualified than him!
Yozuru did know the reason, however. Or so she claimed. Hasashi and Uzumi were completely against it, but that was no surprise. The two had been fighting for the position the most as they tried to garner favor with their father. It hadn't worked apparently. Which was kind of a shame. While Uzumi was probably more preoccupied with the glamor of the position, Hiroki knew that Hasashi definitely cared about the family name. It had always been Hasashi's dream to follow in their father's footsteps, to continue the Akira legacy.
It didn't change anything for Hiroki, though. In the end, it was just more nonsense in his eyes.
"You don't have to worry about a thing, sister." Yozuru hid her flinch from hearing how sarcastic Hiroki sounded when he called her 'sister.' "I'm going to decline father's stupid offer. I didn't wait this long to get away from the family just to be sucked back into it. Especially if it means getting in between your petty squabbling."
Yozuru's gaze went to the ground as Hiroki turned away from her. He wasn't going to listen to a thing she said.
"So in the end, I can't do anything."
Her words were but a whisper, but Hiroki still heard her loud and clear. A part of him wondered what she meant by that, but he didn't bother to think about it all that much. It was probably more nonsense again.
It was depressing and unfortunate, but that would be the final time Yozuru would speak to her little brother in this world. She had tried to reach out to him, but it had been in vain. She was already too late. She was already far too weak. She could have done more if only she had the resolve, but she had been too scared.
And that guilt would stay with her for the rest of her life.
"The culprit is Hasashi."
Even as the noise of the boat hitting the water rang in his ears, Naruto was still able to hear Kyoko just fine. It was a big bombshell, but Kyoko kept her face cool just as she always did.
"He's the one behind all of this!?"
Naruto wasn't as composed as Kyoko. Heck, his injuries didn't stop him from almost standing up in outrage.
"Not exactly."
Kyoko's simple response didn't help Naruto calm down.
"What the heck does that mean?"
"It means that he isn't the true mastermind, Uzumaki-sama."
Naruto's eyes went to Kirumi. The young maid was the one driving the boat so that they could return to the island. She was a maid of many skills, after all. She was doing this under Kyoko's instruction. Considering the nature of their discussion, Kyoko hadn't wanted an extra set of ears listening in. At this point, it was explicitly clear to her that they couldn't trust any of the employees who were working here, with Kirumi being the sole exception.
The blond was still confused, though, which prompted Kyoko to speak up. "I suppose I should start from the beginning."
That would be helpful, yes.
"When I said that Hasashi was the culprit, I was referring to the one who hired that man you fought."
Ah, the second assassin. Good, Naruto was getting some answers now.
"That's what you found back at the warehouse, right?"
"Yes." Kyoko placed a hand under her chin, her face pensive. "However, there are many holes here that prevent me from conclusively saying that Hasashi is the true mastermind."
"Holes?" Naruto held back a wince when he leaned back in his seat. His right arm was still very sensitive from all the burns it sustained, and the seats on the boat weren't all that comfortable. "What holes?"
"You weren't able to see it, but there was a corpse in the office of that warehouse. It belonged to the arms dealer that operated in this area. More than likely he's the one who supplied that man with the weapons he needed."
That's what led Kyoko to the warehouse in the first place.
Naruto nodded. "Okay, I got that. But how does that fit in here?"
"I wasn't able to get a closer look, but I'm certain he'd already been dead for several days," Kyoko informed him. "This would correlate with the information the police gave to me, about the arm dealer's sudden disappearance several days ago. After what happened, there is little doubt that the hired assassin was using the warehouse as his base of operations. You get where I'm going with this, right?"
Maybe?
Naruto's face scrunched up. "Well, I can at least say that this arms dealer or whatever was probably killed by the guy I fought, right?"
"Indeed."
Alright! One point for him!
Naruto then frowned. "But why does that matter?"
He still didn't see how it all fit together.
Kyoko was patient enough to explain it to him. "What did I say before? About the arms dealer having already been dead for several days?" At Naruto's nod, she continued. "Think about it. We've only been in the area for two days at the most. This means the second assassin arrived before we did."
Naruto's eyes widened in understanding. "But why? There was still that other guy with the knives! The one who went after you last night! Why would there be two different assassins at the same time?"
"My first guess was a contingency plan," Kyoko replied, her mind racing through all the different theories she had conjured up. "In case the first assassin failed, a second one was already standing by, ready to finish me off. It's possible that the two weren't even aware of one another, but we can't confirm that."
Okay, so this was starting to make a little more sense. But Naruto still had other questions.
"If that's the case, then it just means that Hasashi hired both of them, right? So why can't you say he's the mastermind?"
"She said it was her first guess, Uzumaki-sama," Kirumi reminded him from the driver's seat. "To be honest, it's what I assumed as well, after seeing Hasashi's bank account on file."
Just "Hasashi," huh? Looks like Kirumi didn't have any respect for the man. Not anymore.
"However, there was another name on record. One that neither of us recognized," Kirumi added.
Naruto's eyebrow rose. Another name?
"To be precise, the man you fought was paid twice." Kyoko held up her gloved fingers. "The second payment was made from Hasashi's personal account. That's how we know he's involved in this. But the first payment…the account listed does not belong to anyone from the Akira family. It only had a name attached to it."
Kyoko paused here. She hadn't told Kirumi about it, but she recognized the name. No, perhaps "recognized" was too strong of a word. More like a feeling of recognition. She was sure she had come across that name elsewhere before, but she just couldn't remember where.
Naruto was feeling lost again. "Okay, back up. Why did two different people pay this guy? And why did he have that information lying around?"
"The second question is easy, Uzumaki-sama. He kept it for insurance. In case he needed it for blackmail later on. Even if the information wasn't given voluntarily, what matters is that he had it."
Blackmail, huh. Naruto could understand that. In these types of dealings, a double-cross wasn't out of the realm of possibility. In fact, it probably happened more often than not. The guy had just wanted to make sure he wasn't put in an unfavorable position. Planning ahead, as it were. Thinking back, he all but confirmed that, openly proclaiming that he was only loyal to himself.
So troublesome.
"As for the former…"
Kirumi went silent here, as she was still struggling with that part of the mystery.
Kyoko was the one who answered it. "I believe that this other person, the one who made the first payment, is the true mastermind. But why they didn't have Hasashi make both payments I do not understand. That's another hole that I can't fill yet. Just like we can't say for sure if Hasashi was the one who hired the first assassin."
But the man was definitely involved in this somehow. There was no doubt about it.
Naruto's eyes hardened. "We just have to get him to talk, right?"
Put simply….yes.
"You don't have to worry about something like that, Uzumaki-sama." Naruto couldn't see it, but Kirumi's face was stone cold. "I'll be the one to get him to confess."
"What?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Don't you understand how dangerous that is? He probably got his brother killed! Someone like that won't hesitate to kill you!"
"Probably." Kirumi wasn't fazed, though. "But I want to do this. Kirigiri-sama and I already discussed this." She then turned her head back to look at him for a brief moment. "Besides, you are injured, Uzumaki-sama. We can't leave it all up to you."
"That doesn't mean you can put yourself in danger like that!"
"You've done it for us plenty of times already," Kirumi fired back. "Or are you the only one who can risk himself for his friends?"
Naruto's words died in his mouth. He had no good comeback for something like that. He knew he was being hypocritical, but he wasn't going to apologize for it.
But alright then. If she was so insistent on going, then he wouldn't stop her. But it was clear he still wasn't on board with this.
"We've already come up with a plan." It was here that Kyoko jumped back into the conversation. "Like it or not, we need to confront Hasashi. I can only trust Tojo-san with this."
After all, Kyoko had her own lead to chase.
'That name…'
If she could only match it with a face….she was sure it could piece everything together.
But then there was that other issue. About the main Akira bank account being used. This was something Kyoko could not ignore.
Naruto grumbled. "Alright, fine. Just give me all the details about this plan of yours. I think I should know too, right?"
'It's like watching a child pout.'
Kyoko felt her lips twitch at the thought, but she pushed it down.
"I don't mind telling you what I have in mind. However, there is one question I would like for you to answer first, Tojo-san."
Kirumi was more than willing to answer it.
As for Naruto, he was left looking at the island that drew ever closer with every second that went by.
They were finally going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.
When the gunshots rang out in the first floor of the mansion, Naruto was half-convinced he was going to see the man from the warehouse again. It was just the pattern he had grown used to over the years. Most of his opponents were stubborn bastards like that. Never dying when they were supposed to.
But that wasn't the case here. It wasn't just one man for one thing. It was an entire group. It was the security team to be precise. They were more heavily armed than the last time Naruto saw them, though.
It was pretty clear what was happening here.
'They've been bought off.'
Hayama's fear had come true. Reducing the size of the security to prevent any leaks hadn't worked.
No demands were made from the men. No orders to get down or anything. The first shots they fired seemed to be only to make the crowd of guests scatter. Naruto could tell they were looking for someone specifically.
His first guess was Hayama. But the man stood his ground, along with that Togami guy. They didn't move, even as the other guests panicked and started to run to different rooms or even up the stairs to the other floors. But the armed men ignored them completely, almost as if they weren't even there.
It was only when one of the men started to raise his gun in Naruto's direction did the blond realize who the target was.
It was not him. It was Yozuru. The woman didn't move, though. She just stared straight at the man who was aiming at her. It was only for a brief second, but Naruto was able to gleam one very important fact at that moment.
Yozuru had been expecting this.
The "security guard" fired right at her. Because of his arm, Naruto's response was a bit slower than normal. Even so, his movements were still too fast for everyone else in the room. He could not be followed. That's why, when Yozuru suddenly found herself on the staircase leading to the second floor, she was completely befuddled. She had just been sitting down, hadn't she?
It took her a few seconds to realize where she was, and that Naruto was now carrying her bridal style.
It took even more seconds for her to realize that her dress was stained with blood.
Naruto noticed it too as some of it dripped to the floor, and he almost cursed. He had been too slow. A bullet had still managed to hit her.
Yozuru didn't know if it she was in shock or what, but she didn't feel any pain. She just looked at her blood with an almost empty stare, like she was watching a movie.
This couldn't be reality, right?
"Yozuru!" Hayama's shout snapped Naruto back to focus. And just in time too as the rest of the security team began to fire on their position.
It was still no use. With his adrenaline pumping, Naruto pushed the pain from his right arm away and dashed back down the stairs. The bullets were too slow to hit him, even as the men sprayed the immediate area with them.
"Shit." The head of security looked annoyed as Naruto escaped through one of the doors, still carrying Yozuru with him. If he remembered correctly, that door led out back to the kitchen. "Just who the hell is that kid? How's he moving so fast?"
None of his men had an answer, but he wasn't expecting one. He was about to bark at them to go after the blond, but he was cut off by Hayama who suddenly lunged at him.
"What the-!?"
"Boss!"
The armed guards looked on as their leader was tackled by Hayama to the floor, the two wrestling for the gun.
"If you think I'm going to let you do as you please-!" Hayama growled as he tried to kick the man back. But it was a futile effort. His body was too weak, and now that he lost the element of surprise the head of security regained his bearing and delivered a powerful punch to Hayama's jaw. One of his teeth went flying, and Hayama could taste blood in his mouth.
"Why you-!" It was the head of the Togami who was stepping forward now, but the other guards were quick to put a stop to that. They quickly surrounded him and pushed the Togami down to the floor, overpowering him rather easily. They had the guns, after all.
Even so, the Togami didn't back down. He glared up at the men who surrounded him. It was as if he didn't fear death.
"You are going to regret this."
They ignored him.
The head of security got back to his feet while glaring down at the bleeding Hayama.
"You old coot. We got orders to not kill you, but don't push your luck. I might get trigger happy, if you know what I mean."
As with the Togami, there was no fear in Hayama. His eyes were defiant, just daring his attacker to do something.
"Just try it."
Was it genuine? Or was was Hayama just putting on a brave face? The head of security didn't know, but he didn't get to find out as out of the blue he was struck by several shuriken. None hit his vital spots, but his arms and legs were still hit. He fell back to the floor again, only he was the one bleeding this time.
It wasn't just him. Before Hayama could even so much as blink, all the armed men were suddenly cut down before they could fire their weapons again. Not by shuriken, though, but by Naruto who now stood in the center of the room with his specialized blade in hand. The blade was coated in blood, but Naruto paid that no mind. Nor did he flinch from all the cries of pain coming from the downed men.
Hayama was amazed. It was the first time he was seeing something like this.
'So this is an Ultimate.'
No wonder he went to Hope's Peak Academy. He was something else.
"I now understand why Hayama keeps you around." The Togami patriarch fixed his suit as he stood back up. He eyed the fallen men with some disdain. They were bloodied and some were unconscious, but he could tell none of them were dead. "Although I can't say I agree with your restraint."
They should be killed for their transgression.
Naruto ignored him. He marched over to where the leader was, still on the floor with the shuriken embedded in him. Unlike some of his men, he was still conscious, just as Naruto had wanted it.
"I don't think I need to tell you what happens next, do I?" Naruto stood over the man, his grip on his blade tight. The message was clear.
The man looked up in fear. "Y-You can't kill me! Please!"
A total one-eighty from his previous demeanor. But he knew when he was beaten.
"Forget about him!" Hayama cut in, his eyes darting back to the door Naruto had escaped through earlier. "What about Yozuru!? Where is she-!"
"You don't have to worry about her, gramps." Naruto kept his eyes on the fidgeting man before him. "She'll be fine."
To prove his point, Yozuru emerged through the door. Her dress was still covered in blood and she was holding the side of her stomach, but she was still alive.
She shot Naruto a playful glare. "If you call getting grazed by a bullet fine, then I don't want to know where you've been."
Yeah, she really didn't.
Hayama almost collapsed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Thank goodness. The thought of losing you-"
"Please. I'm not that easy to kill," she teased, but it was only a front.
Naruto saw right through that. He had many questions for her, but his attention was focused elsewhere for now.
The now former head of security froze when Naruto knelt next to him.
"You and me need to have a little talk."
"Y-You want to know who hired me, right?"
"That would be a good place to start, yes."
Was it Hasashi? Did he somehow figure out that Kyoko was on to him? That's what Naruto was expecting to hear anyway, but he yet again he learned firsthand that nothing in this world was ever that simple.
'Those were definitely gunshots. What is happening?'
While Kyoko was stuck in the office, her mind was elsewhere. You couldn't blame her, though. It wasn't the first time she had been threatened with a knife before. The life of a detective was hectic like that. This wasn't to say that Kyoko was ignoring Uzumi. Far from it. She had already analyzed the woman, and everything she had said so far.
'Someone else is pulling the strings.'
What she had feared most was proving to be true.
Kyoko left her thoughts there as Uzumi charged at her, knife raised and ready to stab her. While she hadn't been able to best Naruto in combat before, Kyoko liked her chances here more. Even if it was dark. Uzumi wasn't a fighter. Even with a knife in the woman's possession, Kyoko didn't automatically think to run. She couldn't.
Not yet.
As the enraged Uzumi got closer, Kyoko stepped back and let the first strike from Uzumi hit nothing but the air. It was a wild and uncoordinated swing. It was obvious that Uzumi had never done anything like this before.
This only further pushed Uzumi over the edge.
"It was going to be perfect! All of it! But you-! YOU!"
Uzumi struck again. Kyoko easily avoided it. The girl went a step further this time and rolled over to the desk. All the files she had been rummaging through were still there, but Kyoko only cared about one thing.
The employee list. It contained what Kyoko was looking for.
When Uzumi turned to her for the third strike, Kyoko was already pushing herself to the other side of the desk with the employee list in hand. Now, there was a barrier between the two of them. The desk.
Uzumi didn't care. "You think this is going to stop me!?"
Kyoko didn't. But it would still give her the cover she needed to make her escape.
Realizing she wasn't fast enough to get around the desk and catch Kyoko, Uzumi acted quickly and threw the knife at the girl.
Kyoko saw it coming, though, and ducked just as the knife flew past her. It hit one of the bookshelves instead.
With the knife out of the way, Kyoko took off running out of the office. She had what she needed. There was no more reason to stick around.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Screaming like a woman possessed, Uzumi tried to chase Kyoko out into the hall. It was no use, though. She was just not able to catch up to the girl.
She had failed.
But she couldn't have! She just couldn't!
'This was supposed to be when I make things right! Where everything is supposed to have a happy ending!'
Where she had her happy ending! Hers! Not Hasashi's, or Hiroki's! But hers! Uzumi's!
Right!?
But she had failed. She had failed. She had failed.
'I failed…'
Sobbing, Uzumi fell to her knees. With her anger no longer able to cloud her mind, all the pent-up guilt she had buried within her came out like a raging storm.
What was she going to do now?
Hayama wanted to think he was strong. He really did. With all of his might he wanted to see justice come to fruition. For those who had murdered his son.
But yet, he was faltering again.
And Yozuru laughed at him. She laughed at his pained face without any sign of remorse.
"Ahahaha! Are you feeling sorry for me, father? Do you feel anger towards me? For what I've done?"
Even as Naruto tied her up with his wire, she still laughed.
The group had retreated to the kitchen. After getting everything he needed from the former head of security, Naruto had knocked the man out before switching his attention to Yozuru. He hadn't said anything, but he knew right away that Yozuru was expecting him to turn on her.
And boy, was she correct! Hayama had instantly objected, asking Naruto why he was suddenly tying up his daughter. She wasn't the one who had paid his former security team to do this!
Naruto had simply told him the truth. That somehow, Yozuru knew more than she let on. He was sure of it.
The interesting part was that Yozuru didn't even try to deny it. She simply laughed, as she was doing now. She just couldn't help it. Her father, showing concern for her? Hilarious!
"Stop talking." Hayama was just barely able to speak. "No one said you were guilty of anything."
He was never going to believe it.
The head of the Togami just stood back as he watched this turn of events in silence. Some of the staff had taken refuge within the kitchen and were present as well, but they were huddled up together. They looked unsure, not knowing what to make of what they were seeing.
"Oh, but butler-kun here has already figured it all out!" Yozuru gave Naruto a wink. "My, you're quite the detective, aren't you? All this time, we thought it was the Kirigiri girl who was going to figure it out. But look at you. Are you a double agent or something? Like in the movies? Did father hire you for that purpose? And here I was going to share a drink with you! You're so sly."
Naruto wasn't amused. "I'm not a detective, and I haven't figured anything out." The answer from before still rang in his mind. Just what did all of this mean? He couldn't be sure, but he knew that confronting Yozuru now was the best thing for him to do. "I just know that you're involved in this somehow. Just like your brother."
Hayama's eyes widened at this while Yozuru couldn't help but laugh again.
"You really are good, butler-kun! I can't wait to her what Hasashi has to say about that! But do you have any proof of these dreadful accusations?"
"I don't. But Kyoko does."
Naruto was certain she was going to figure something out.
Yozuru didn't laugh this time. She just looked at him in silence. The mask she was putting on was slipping.
Hayama forced himself to keep standing. "What….what is all of this? What are you even saying? Hasashi is….he is what? And Yozuru-"
"It just goes to show you how little you know about your own children, huh?" Hearing Hayama speak again gave Yozuru the energy she needed to keep up her charade. "I guess Hiroki was smart enough to keep his distance from you. From us. You never gave a damn until it was already too late."
It was unbelievable. This was the first time Hayama was hearing Yozuru speak like this. It was the polar opposite of her usual outspoken and carefree self. Now, she was mocking and condescending. And so full of resentment. Nothing like the "little girl" he thought he knew.
"Y-Yozuru. You're not making any sense!"
She laughed again. "That says more about you than it does about me, father!" She gestured to Naruto. "Even he was able to tell something was up. A total stranger! Is that how blind you are? Or do you not care?"
Hayama went silent. Was it out of guilt?
Naruto couldn't tell, but he couldn't worry about such details right now.
"That's enough. Just tell the truth."
"Oh, but I think I am." Yozuru smiled widely. "I finally get to speak my mind. The circumstances are different, but at this point I'll take what I can get."
She was already supposed to be dead, after all.
Naruto shook his head. "I'm not talking about that." Her thoughts on her father were genuine. Naruto didn't doubt that for a second.
"Oh? Then what are you trying to say, butler-kun?"
For the first time since this ordeal began, Naruto's eyes softened.
"You cared about your little brother, right?"
Yozuru didn't answer right away. She couldn't look at the blond, and so she turned her head away. After a moment, she responded.
"What does that matter? You think I'm guilty of something, right? Probably of killing him. Well, I did. That's my confession. You can tell that Kirigiri girl that I said that. I'm happy to tell her myself if it means ending all of this."
Hayama just looked at her with regret, but he did not speak.
"If you're able to accept your guilt, then that does make me happy." Naruto shook his head again. "But you know that's not the whole truth. What you told me earlier, about the different ways people can grief. I finally realized what you were saying. You were using this party to try and fill that hole in your heart. To escape the guilt. That's why you were also ready to die earlier, right? To make amends?"
Out of the three, Yozuru had been the most cheerful, the one most eager to jump into the festivities. At first glance, this made her seem the most insensitive. As if she didn't care about the death of her little brother. But in reality, it was the total opposite.
She cared the most. She was just trying to use the party as a means to escape from her sorrow.
Yozuru couldn't help but bite her lower lip. She almost drew blood.
"Don't talk like you know everything. It pisses me off."
So blunt.
"Like I already said, I don't know much. I'm just speaking my mind. Or what? Am I right on the money?"
"No. You're way off. I simply killed him. I did it. I did everything."
Naruto didn't believe that. And Yozuru was sure she couldn't convince him. Why?
Because she couldn't even convince herself.
"I hate people who lie to themselves the most."
Yozuru was able to smile at this. Like she was laughing at an inside joke. "Then I'm probably your most hated person on this planet, butler-kun."
"Maybe." Naruto tilted his head. "But it doesn't have to be that way."
"Are you trying to be comforting now?" Despite her willpower, Yozuru's eyes teared up. "Even if I didn't kill him myself, even if I didn't order it, I could have stopped it. I could have warned him. I could have said something. But I couldn't. I was only worried about myself. I was afraid of what would happen to me. In that sense, it's no different than if I did the crime myself."
Naruto didn't argue this, and Yozuru was sure he was going to condemn her. Not like she didn't deserve it. She was sure the deepest part of hell was waiting for her. But even that wouldn't be enough to answer for her crimes. She had betrayed her own little brother. Someone she should have protected and been there for.
She was below trash.
That's why, when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, Yozuru was sure she looked more surprised than an adopted kid meeting their biological parents for the first time. Quite fitting too, as it was Hayama who placed his hand on her shoulder. And to Yozuru, it was almost like she was seeing her father for the first time ever.
"I'm sorry." There was much strength behind those simple words, so much so that Yozuru couldn't laugh at him this time. "I'm so sorry. I've failed as a father. I tried to give you everything, things I didn't have when I was growing up. And in doing so, I forgot to give you what I did have. I forgot to teach you the more important things in this world."
His wife would have been ashamed of him, wouldn't she?
"I've done so many wrongs in my life." Hayama pulled her closer to him. It took Yozuru a moment or two to realize that her father was hugging her. "I should have been the ones to pay for them. Not you. Not Hiroki. No one else."
Because of his mistakes, his children were paying the price.
Yozuru shut her eyes. "If only you realized how right you were."
Nodding, Hayama pulled back to give her some distance. He knew he wasn't going to be able to mend their relationship in one night.
"I suppose Hiroki was right, after all. He was smart enough to get away from all of this. But because of me, he still ended up suffering."
Yozuru couldn't agree more. "You were too stubborn. You never listened. And the only one with hope, Hiroki was-!"
Her anger was rising again. Trying to argue with her in this state would lead nowhere, but as always Naruto didn't care and spoke his mind.
"I can't agree with that."
Father and daughter turned to the blond, both with varying degrees of surprise. But while Hayama was left somewhat dumbfounded, Yozuru was quick to fire back her retort.
"What are you trying to get at now!? You didn't even know my brother! Don't try to disrespect him! I won't stand for it!"
While he was happy to see Yozuru stand up for her brother, Naruto didn't back down.
"Running away from your problems isn't the same as having hope. Whether he knew it or not, he had already given up. He gave up on his family. Gave up on you. That's the exact opposite of hope. Don't you think?"
Yozuru's anger was extinguished with those words. True, she hadn't thought about it from that perspective. She didn't know if Hiroki had either.
'Hope isn't about running away. And Hiroki was running away as well….'
It wasn't the same as her betrayal, but he too had abandoned them. It still didn't make her feel better in any way.
Naruto then turned a bit bashful and scratched his cheek.
"Well, I'm not really one to talk either."
He had run away from his problems before too. Just like when he had failed to give Nagato an answer. He had been deceiving himself, trying to sound optimistic and cover things up with "hope." Naruto had paid for that later on when he had struggled to balance things out between Kumo and Konoha. It was definitely a fine line to walk by.
'Obito understood that too.'
Hayama had to laugh. It wasn't from joy or anything of the sort. In fact, it was the opposite. He was heartbroken. Still, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Ahahaha! I guess we all have the same problem in this life."
Human nature was filled with such irrationality.
"H'mph." Out of nowhere, the pompous Togami made his presence known again as he smirked. "You shouldn't be speaking for all of us, Hayama. The Togami know no such weaknesses."
At this, Hayama looked amused.
"Of course. What was I thinking."
Naruto really wanted to slap the man, but he kept his mind focused on the important stuff.
"Now. Yozuru." The woman looked up at the blond. "I need you to tell me everything you know."
And then, like she wanted, this tragedy would finally come to an end.
A lot of things happened in a really short time for Kirumi. First, the whole room went dark. A power outage perhaps? Also confused, Hasashi was probably thinking the same as her. Whatever the reason, there was no time to dwell on it as gunshots went off out of nowhere. They were coming from downstairs, so Kirumi knew she wasn't in any immediate danger. That didn't stop her from worrying, though.
Naruto. And Hayama. The two were probably on the first floor. Did they get caught up in another betrayal? Just what was happening downstairs?
Many possibilities ran in Kirumi's mind, but she couldn't check for herself as there was one final turn of events.
The door to the dining hall was pushed open. It was pretty dark, but Kirumi could still make out some details. There was a figure by the doorway. It was definitely female. Kyoko, perhaps?
Hasashi took a step toward the figure. He seemed to recognize whoever it was.
"What are you doing here? I thought-"
He never got to finish whatever it was he wanted to say, as the moment he was close enough the figure rushed forward. From where she stood, Kirumi couldn't make out all the details. She only saw how Hasashi froze in his tracks.
For a second after that, everything was still. There was no sound, save for Kirumi's breathing. Only when Hasashi faced toward her did Kirumi finally see the knife now lodged in the man's chest.
Her eyes widened. "What?"
What the hell was happening!?
No one was more surprised than Hasashi, if the look on his face was anything to go by. He appeared to be trying to say something, struggling to stay standing. But it was a futile effort. His body gave in, and he soon collapsed, now in a pool of his own blood.
Kirumi never would have expected something like this to happen. Wasn't Hasashi the guilty one here!?
"What a bore." The figure took a few steps toward Hasashi's bleeding body. The voice was definitely female, and Kirumi knew she recognized it. "I've been dying to do that for so long. It's only a shame your father wasn't here to see it. But I guess I can still look forward to killing Uzumi in front of him."
Kirumi tried to process what she just heard. It sounded too bizarre to be true.
The figure was seemingly ignoring Kirumi for now, as she instead kicked Hasashi's body over so she could get the knife.
"But I guess it's fitting. A worthless death for a worthless person."
Hasashi wasn't unconscious just yet, though. His eyes still had life in them, however weak they might be.
"Oh? Are you fighting to keep that life of yours?" The figure cooed. "What does it matter? A greedy pig like you deserves nothing less, don't you think? I'm sure your brother would think the same. After you betrayed him the way you did. Fighting to stay alive is only an insult to him at this point."
Of course, Hasashi couldn't say anything to even try to defend himself. Not that the figure was expecting anything different. It only amused her, if her soft laughter was any indication.
Kirumi didn't know what to do. Defending Hasashi was one of the last things she wanted to do, but given what she was seeing she didn't think she had much of a choice.
The figure was already one step ahead, however. She quickly pulled out the knife from Hasashi's chest without any care or attention. The extra pain this caused Hasashi only delighted her further, probably.
"I wouldn't move if I were you. I have no intention of killing you, but if you try to get in my way that can quickly change."
Kirumi wasn't scared, though. "I see. So what Kirigiri-sama was worried about. The "holes" she couldn't figure out. It's you."
The figured sighed dramatically. "If only that detective had kept her nose out of this. She had no reason to meddle. She should have already been dead, but I guess speeding things up isn't too bad either. As long as I get to see that fool suffer, it makes no difference to me."
That fool. There was only one person she could be talking about. This led Kirumi to understand the motive as well.
"I see. So that's what this is all about. Revenge."
"Hmm. You're quick on the uptake, aren't you? I can see why you're so admired in the agency. You have a bright future ahead of you, Tojo Kirumi. That's why I suggest you don't make any foolish decisions tonight. It could cost you your life."
That sealed it. The familiar voice, referencing her maid agency. The fact that Kirumi's eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness only gave more credence to her suspicions.
"Then you're the mastermind, after all. Sae-sama…."
The head maid of the mansion. Kirumi's senior, the one going by Sae.
She was the true culprit behind this case.
And she took great pleasure in all of this.
It was kind of a long story. "Sae's" story, that is. Ah, you could probably guess by now that that wasn't her real name. Or well, not her original name. That trick was probably the only reason she was able to stay out of that Kirigiri girl's notice for so long.
For all intents and purposes, Sae was the new name she was living under. Kind of fitting, as her old name was tied to her past life. A life which she no longer had. A life that was taken away from her by a certain Akira Hayama.
What was it again? It was hard for her to remember it sometimes. It had been some years since she had chosen a new name for herself. Let's see….ah! That's right. Amari Haruna. She had been quite fond of that name, Haruna. It meant spring. Symbolically the same as "new beginnings." Her father had been melodramatic that way, but it also came from a good place. He saw her as the new beginnings for their family, for their business. For the future. To take their name to new heights! That was the duty imposed on her from birth.
The Amari conglomerate had been quite the powerhouse back in the day. It had been around since shortly after the Second World War. The Amari family had taken advantage of the economic boom that took hold of Japan after the war in order to secure a place for themselves in the market. Those had been the glorious days.
But then the Akira happened. As sweet as Hayama pretended to be, Sae knew the truth. He was a ruthless businessman. He had pushed the Amari family out of the business, quite literally absorbing their company into his. To this day, Sae wasn't sure what tricks the old man had pulled to get this done. The Amari family had made so many connections during its reign, had the trust of their associates. It had meant nothing in the end. That was the harsh reality of the business world. Only profits mattered.
It was still quite painful to think about. Although not as painful as what came next.
Sae's father had been driven to suicide. He couldn't handle the shame that came from having the Amari legacy come to an end during his time. Her mother had gone into shock from the suicide. To this day, Sae was certain her mother was rotting away at some hospital, practically a vegetable. She might as well be dead.
Only Sae had endured. Somehow. Probably because of the powerful drive the thought of revenge gave her. Yes, that was the only thing that kept her moving all this time.
It had been a long plan in the making, and it hadn't been easy. Establishing herself as a prominent maid had been a big hassle. She had been a certified rich girl, after all. She had never once done any chores, any physical labor. She had struggled to adapt, but she had overcome it. It had all been worth it when Hayama hired her. In that moment, Sae had been more elated than ever before.
Her plan could finally come to fruition!
The next step was more delicate. She had to observe. She had to understand the dynamics within the Akira family. It hadn't been too hard. From the very beginning Sae saw how neglectful Hayama was toward his children. He was a man focused in his work first and foremost. This drove his eldest, Hasashi, to try and match that level of dedication, so that Hayama could one day finally praise and accept him.
It was even more difficult for Uzumi. She tried to hide it, but she suffered from the same neglect as Hasashi. Only she knew she had less of a chance to take the spotlight as Hasashi was the eldest. If there was anyone who was going to inherit the family business, it was Hasashi. Which meant that she would never be recognized by her father.
This neglect only hit them harder after their mother passed away. Or so Sae discerned after several conversations with Yozuru.
She couldn't forget about Yozuru in all of this. Her position had been far more….complicated than the other two. Did she want her father's love? Of course. But Sae also saw a certain detachment from her that wasn't present in either Hasashi or Uzumi. That was her shield. She partied harder than Uzumi, doing her best to run away from her feelings deep in her heart. That said, she wasn't trying to chase after Hayama's approval. She had grown complacent, accepting that she would never have what she wanted most.
Hiroki had been like that too, only he took it a step further. He abandoned his family entirely. Sae had to commend him for that. He had seen the monster his father was. Too bad he had to die.
That had been the hardest part in all of this. Quietly manipulating both Hasashi and Uzumi to take action, all the while making it think it was their idea. Did they hesitate? But of course! They didn't show it, but they loved their little brother dearly. But after Hayama announced Hiroki as his main successor, Sae's job became so much easier.
Jealousy took over. Hasashi and Uzumi worked together to hire an assassin from The Holy Salvation Society, a cult that secretly trained children to become assassins. Of course, they were only able to learn of the cult because Sae told them about it, but that wasn't here nor there. She had also been the one to officially make the payment, but that was just another minor detail in all of this. That boy had done his job well, though, killing Hiroki without leaving any evidence behind. That cult was no joke. Really scary, if Sae was being honest.
Still, Sae wasn't going to take any chances. That's why she made sure to hire a second hitman in case anything went awry. She had come this far. She had to make sure everything was perfect.
That annoying man had charged triple the amount that the cult had, but he had a solid reputation of always getting the job done. Annoyingly enough, Sae had to pay him the first time. Luckily she still had some money left to her name, a relic from when her family still had power.
Convincing Hasashi to make the second payment to "officially" bring the mercenary in had been a handful. The man had suddenly grown a brain and questioned why they had to go behind Uzumi's back. It had been earlier than intended, but Sae had quickly spun it around, telling Hasashi exactly what he wanted to hear. That he was the one who needed to take over the business. That he needed to do so alone and not to rely on Uzumi, or else he was only showing weakness for the future.
The fool had eaten it up.
Tricking Uzumi had been just as easy. Sae had told her about the second assassin, only that it was Hasashi's idea and that he was already planning on turning on her. It wasn't long before Uzumi came to the conclusion that she needed to take Hasashi out as well, for her father's approval. Sae had played the part of a devoted servant for the two of them, while simultaneously pitting them together.
It had been glorious.
Yozuru had been the only annoyance in all of this. She had no strong desire that Sae could take advantage of, so what role did she play?
The bystander of course!
Hasashi and Uzumi had been foolish enough to tell her about their plans, believing that their sister would wholeheartedly support them.
They had been wrong.
Yozuru made it specifically clear that she wanted no part in this. It was the one factor that Sae feared the most. It only became more troublesome when she found out Sae's true motives, and her true identity.
How did she manage this? By snooping around. It was Sae's fault really. She never should have left any evidence behind, even in her room. Yozuru was able to discover the secret bank account under Sae's old name. It didn't take long for the rest of the puzzle to come together.
Sae had believed that was the end of the line. That if she wanted to keep going, she was going to have to personally get her hands dirty and kill Yozuru. But surprisingly, Yozuru had only laughed and told her that it didn't change anything for her. If her family was going to tear itself apart over this, then so be it. It wasn't her concern.
Sae didn't believe it, but she didn't have many options. Performing a murder out of the blue could lead to too many complications. Heck, Hasashi and Uzumi might even suspect her! So Sae took a gamble, and it paid off. But it was a loose end she always intended to rectify when the chance came up. Hiring the security team to take Yozuru out was that perfect chance. Neither Hasashi nor Uzumi would know of her connection, so Sae was sure she could get away with it.
The only problem here was Kirigiri Kyoko. That brat just wouldn't stop. Days turned to weeks, and weeks into months. She was the sole reason Sae thought of her contingency plan when she did. Sae needed to make sure she was out of the picture. She needed Hasashi to take power in order to further kill the Akira business from the inside, all the while Hayama's children killed each other off
in the background. Seeing the man lose his family one by one was the ultimate satisfaction Sae was looking for. Losing the business he spent his whole life working for was the cheery on top of this revenge cake.
It was perfect!
Until it wasn't. Somehow, the Kirigiri brat was still alive. There was another factor in all of this, one Sae couldn't account for. That's why things had to change. Hasashi had to die, here and now. Uzumi would be next, after she took care of the Kirigiri brat. She was sure Yozuru was already dead downstairs. Having Hayama lose all of his children at the same time was still a cake worth eating. Having him be miserable for the upcoming future was also a nice reward. She could see all of it firsthand! Maybe he would commit suicide as well!? A just punishment for what happened to her father.
Sae couldn't wait!
"So that's how it is."
Sae was not happy when she heard Kyoko's voice coming from behind her. It was one of the last things she needed right now.
Clicking her teeth in annoyance, the "maid" turned to face the teenage detective, her face full of disdain.
"Even in the darkness your face annoys me so."
Kyoko didn't rise to the insult. "When I saw your face again, it all clicked for me. The two halves, becoming whole."
Just the face hadn't been enough, and neither had been the name. But put together, and Kyoko was able to put it all together.
Sae glared at her. "So you know of me?"
"I always suspected something like this, from the very beginning," Kyoko replied. "I made sure to look into the history of the Akira family. Your family's bout with them was one of the more prominent ones. It shook the business world for many years. But you had all but dropped from the face of the earth. Presumed dead, just like your father. Yet, here you are. Alive and well and causing so much pain."
"A pain that was a long time coming!" Sae raised the knife. "Don't even try to lecture me. You couldn't possibly understand what I've gone through. What I had to endure in order to get to this point."
"At the cost of innocent people!" Kirumi shouted, her face flushed with anger. "That is the opposite of what you were meant to do!"
Sae sneered at this. "Don't bother. Do you honest believe I'm a real maid? It was only a cover. I don't care about such duties. I don't serve anyone. Others serve me. That's how it's meant to be. That's my destiny."
The darkness masked some of Kirumi's face, but even so some of it came across just fine. And the girl was seething.
"You…"
"There's no need to try and reason with a killer, Tojo-san." Kyoko was more calculated with her response. "At this point, it doesn't matter what your motives were. Be it as it may, you are under arrest for the conspiracy of murder and murder of Akira Hiroki. As well as the attempted murder of Akira Hasashi, and of a detective."
Kyoko wasn't going to let any injustice go unanswered here.
Sae was almost tempted to laugh at her.
"Do you really think that's going to work? I have the knife here! You can't-!"
Without warning, Sae found herself being tackled by none other than Kirumi. Since she was caught off guard, she lost her grip on the knife. The darkness had been able to mask Kirumi just enough to blindside her. Cutting the power off to the whole mansion was suddenly not looking so favorable right about now.
Still, Sae wasn't going to let herself get beaten so easily. As she and Kirumi rolled on the floor, the two began to wrestle against the other. As much as Kirumi hated to admit it, when it came to physical strength the two were evenly matched.
As for Kyoko, she was already looking to grab the knife and help Kirumi put Sae down. But as she made to move, a second figure started rushing at her from the hallway. This figure also had a knife, and it was pointed right at Kyoko's heart.
Kyoko was caught by surprise just as Sae had been. It was only by a miracle that she was able to take a quick step to the side in order to dodge the knife. It still grazed part of her jacket. And in a rookie mistake, Kyoko dropped the employee list she had brought with her.
Oh well, she no longer needed it.
As for this other newcomer, it was no mystery as to who it could be.
Uzumi. And she was crying. From the look on her face, Kyoko knew right away that the woman wasn't in a proper state of mind.
"I knew you would come here." Uzumi seemingly ignored Hasashi's bloodied body on the floor. Or that Kirumi and Sae were wrestling on the floor. No, her focus was solely on Kyoko. "As always, you can't just keep your nose out of my business!"
As unlikely as it was, Kyoko still tried to reason with her.
"This isn't your business. You were only used. You were part of someone else's revenge. Nothing more."
It probably wasn't the best way to phrase it, but Kyoko was nothing if not factual.
"LIAR!" And predictably, this only drove Uzumi into a bigger fit. "ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS FAMILY!"
"Killing your own brother….you really think that's for the future, my daughter?"
In an instant, Uzumi froze. Even Kirumi and Sae had to stop as Hayama entered the dining hall. Yozuru and Naruto were with him, as was the Togami head.
When Sae saw Yozuru, she couldn't believe it. How was she still alive dammit!?
No one paid her any mind for the moment, though, as Hayama was focused on Uzumi. The man also saw Hasashi on the floor, wounded and barely conscious. It only further proved to him just how big of a mess he had caused. And how averting his eyes from the truth that was right in front of him had only made everything worse.
Uzumi forced herself to turn to her father, her hands trembling.
"Y-You can't be here….t-this isn't how things were meant to go!"
No one should have known about any of this! It was supposed to have a happy ending!
Yozuru offered her sister a weak smile. "Give it up. It's all over. We all need to pay for our mistakes."
Mistakes!?
"I-I haven't done anything wrong!" Uzumi shouted. She was putting all the strength she had left into her words. "I just…I just did this for us! So that we could be happy together! I had to do this!"
"No, you didn't." Hayama's voice was softer but not any less firm. "I drove you to do this. All of you. I was too stupid to see what I was turning you into. I've never been a proper father. That's what caused all of this. And for that, you have my deepest apologies."
An apology? A damn apology, at this stage!?
"T-That doesn't change a thing!" Uzumi wasn't having it. "If I stop now, then what was the point of it!? For what reason did Hiroki have to die!? I can't….I can't make his death be in vain! I can't let his sacrifice be for nothing!"
She couldn't stop. She just couldn't. How could she? That would only add to her crimes, wouldn't it?
"We can't change our mistakes." And Hayama knew he was the one carrying most of them. "But this won't be doing anything for your brother. Right now, we need to make sure our family doesn't lose another member."
Uzumi knew what Hayama was getting at. Not just in regards to her, but Hasashi as well. The more they spent arguing, the less of a chance they had to save him. Uzumi had already been resolved to see her brother dead, just as with Hiroki.
But the purpose behind that resolve was weak now. It almost seemed pointless. All of it. It only looked worse with Hasashi's body on the floor behind her. And that truly broke Uzumi.
Just what had she been fighting for this whole time? Seeing her family like this…this was her purpose?
'Hiroki…I'm so sorry.'
Uzumi would repeat these words in her mind so many times she would lose count. It did give Hayama the perfect opportunity to take the knife from her. There would be no more senseless killing here.
Or so he wanted to believe. But Sae's resolve hadn't wavered. Far from it. Things had gone completely out of order, but there was no helping that anymore.
'I can still do it…!'
While Kirumi was focused on Hayama and Uzumi, Sae used that opening to push the maid off her. By the time Kirumi was able to react, she was already too late. Sae scurried for the knife still on the floor. She couldn't watch Hayama suffer anymore, but at least she could kill him now!
No one else seemed to be expecting this, save for Kyoko. However, she was too slow to do anything about it.
For a moment, Sae was certain she would still have a small victory here. The knife was in her possession. Hayama was right in front of her, just waiting to be stabbed.
But then that factor she couldn't have accounted for stepped in again. The factor that had hung back as he watched Hayama and his family resolve the situation on their own. The factor that had still been observing Sae to see what she would do. The factor that had thrown a ratchet in Sae's plans for the last two days.
And that factor now suddenly appeared before her, grabbing her wrist and locking her in place. Sae couldn't move and she found herself staring at a pair of blue eyes that were studying her intently. It was a last moment revelation, but Sae understood now.
"So you're the one who's been getting in my way!"
She should have known. Hayama must have hired him to stop her! The old bastard had known about her this whole time! It wasn't just Kyoko she should have looked out for!
Naruto could tell she was getting the wrong idea about many things, but that didn't matter.
"There is no reason for you to keep this up. You've lost. You can't fulfill your revenge."
He said that, but after having met Sasuke Naruto knew it wouldn't be so simple.
"You have no idea what I've had to do up till now!" Sae gritted her teeth as she struggled against Naruto's grip, but the blond wasn't budging. "You really think I'm going to stop now!? Uzumi may be weak, but I'm not like these people! I will prevail! Or die trying!"
"And for that you thought of revenge?"
"If your whole family was taken from you by these bastards, then you would do the same."
"My family had nothing to do with this!" Hayama screamed, his own anger flaring. "If you wanted your revenge, you should have come after me instead!"
"Just like how you spared my family!?" Sae matched Hayama's anger. "You think you've suffered!? That you know anything about pain!? You know nothing!"
Naruto had to admit, he never would have expected Sae's true personality to be like this. He hadn't seen her often or even talked to her, but she had always seemed so dignified. All of that was a front, though. Just a mask. That was the common link here. Everyone was hiding their true feelings behind a facade.
No, that was probably just true overall. There were many reasons for it. To protect something. To achieve a goal. So on. Regardless of the reason, people were always lying to themselves. It was just another form of an escape, something Naruto was very familiar with unfortunately.
"There is no changing the past." Naruto repeated those words, catching everyone's attention. "Whatever happens now, we can't change what we've already done. Those scars will probably remain with us for the rest of our lives. But there's no reason to let them keep hurting you. At one point, you have to move on."
His words only angered Sae. "Just who are you to say that? Speaking of forgiveness like it were mere dirt on the side of the road."
"Forgiveness isn't easy." To this day, a part of Naruto still hated Nagato. Still felt that anger toward Obito as well. "But compromise and understanding are possible. If you can't do that, then there is no future."
"What compromise!?" Sae almost spat on Naruto's face. "Just what is there to understand here!? What he did to my family-!"
"It was terrible." Naruto had the fortune of knowing about that, thanks to Yozuru. He understood Sae's motive pretty well. "No one should have to suffered through the pain of losing their family like that. But even so, what you're doing isn't helping. You're not putting your family to rest. You're only continuing the cycle that hurt you. Hurting others just to get even, does that sound like a solution to you?"
"It's the only solution!"
"It doesn't have to be that way."
"Then what else do you suggest!?" Sae was finally able to pry her wrist away from Naruto. For a moment, Kirumi was ready to jump in to try and defend Naruto in case Sae tried to stab him. But Sae didn't make such attempts. "Stop trying to be the hero. You're only an outsider who knows nothing. If I don't do this, then my heart will never be put to rest! I will never forgive him!"
The anger was too much. Much more than Uzumi, Sae had been waiting for this for so long that she couldn't contain herself. She wasn't looking to talk things out. She didn't want to. This was for all the pain her family had endured. For all the loss. How could she just give all that up now!? It was ludicrous!
And so, while she might not have attacked before, now Sae did make her move. If that meant cutting through Naruto, then so be it.
"Uzumaki-sama!" Kirumi was prepared to stop the woman, but there was no need.
With one swift move, Naruto knocked the knife out from Sae's hand and delivered a powerful blow to her gut. Naruto had held back, but it was more than enough to knock the woman out. It was a quick and painless victory, all things considered. Kyoko would certainly accept it as a victory anyway.
But the sadness in Naruto's eyes told her a different story. This was a loss for him, and he knew that better than anyone else.
It was almost anticlimactic, how things came to an end on that island. The authorities were called, and it didn't take long for the paramedics to arrive. The rest of the guests were secured and accounted for. Thankfully none of them suffered any injuries.
Hasashi was the only one who had to be evacuated immediately. Thankfully, while his wound was definitely deep and possibly life threatening if left untreated, he was going to be fine. Going to prison, but still alive.
Yozuru was in a similar situation. Her wound was looked at, but other than a few stitches she was going to be just fine. That said, she and Uzumi were both going to be joining their brother in prison. How many years they were going to receive was still unclear, but they wouldn't be getting out for some years at least.
Yozuru still accepted it with a smile.
"I guess that's how things end up, huh."
She was cuffed and ready to be transported out of the island along with her sister who had cried herself to sleep. However, before she left, Yozuru and Naruto traded a few parting words.
"I'm still proud of you," Naruto told her. He didn't know if that accounted for much, but it was the truth.
Yozuru giggled at this. "Imagine that, a boy younger than me talking to me like I was five years old. You're kind of like Hiroki in that regard."
Ah.
"I wish I could have met him."
"Even though you said he was running away from his problems?" she teased.
"Yeah."
Again, he had done the same before.
"You may think you have failed, but I think you did the right thing." It was Yozuru's turn to try and cheer him up, much to Naruto's surprise. "She'll probably resent you for a while, but I think she'll eventually see that you were only trying to help her."
She was of course referring to Sae, who like Yozuru was already in handcuffs and ready to be taken back to the mainland. She had regained consciousness but hadn't said a word to anyone. Even when she was formally charged again by Kyoko, she remained silent.
Naruto looked down. "I appreciate that, but I still failed to persuade her. I know some people are set in their ways, but…"
He wanted to think that everyone could be saved. He really did. Failing to reach a compromise with Sae only made him feel like a failure.
"Ah, you're so cute, butler-kun." Yozuru sighed. "This isn't the end, you know? Give her time. If nothing else, she can still reflect on her actions."
"And if it doesn't go that way?"
"Then her loss." Yozuru placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Naruto looked at her with a raised eyebrow, not expecting that either. "You'll have to accept that some people won't want to be saved and move on. Can't always focus on the past, right?"
The blond chuckled at this, although it lacked any true joy. "Yeah, I've been told that a lot lately."
"Still, I like the way you do things." She gave him one final wink before she was taken away. "Make sure to visit me, alright? Wouldn't want me to lose my way again, right?"
Even at the end, she was still joking. Naruto would be lying if he said he didn't like that side of her.
But while Yozuru was still able to make jokes, Hayama was not. He watched his children be taken away with great restraint. If he was a weaker man, he would have fought the police with nothing but his fists in order to make sure his children stayed with him. He was no longer going to run away, though. He had to accept the reality of things. His children had made mistakes, and they needed to answer for them. Not that they had to be alone anymore. Hayama wasn't sure what the future held for his children, but he was going to be there for them this time around. It was the least he could do.
It was a small reassurance, but a reassurance nonetheless. Hayama could accept it.
"At least now I will be able to make sure you get the proper rest you need, Uzumaki-sama."
Kirumi's frosty voice broke both Naruto and Hayama out of their respective moods.
"E-Eh?" The blond slowly turned to the maid. He didn't know why, but he was sure the girl was displeased about something. "What are you saying, Kirumi? I don't need any rest."
"That arm of yours." Oh no. "You haven't forgotten, correct? I was only able to administer first aid to you because of the situation we were in. Now, I will make sure you recover properly."
Naruto paled a little. She was sounding a bit too much like Mikan when she wanted to give him shots.
"You're serious about this, aren't you?"
"I rarely make jokes, Uzumaki-sama."
Yeah, that's what he was afraid of.
And it was through this that Hayama was able to crack a smile. It was involuntary, but it was still here.
"Consider yourself welcomed here, Uzumaki-kun. I believe it's the least I can offer you for what you've done."
The blond had not only completed his mission but helped Hayama realize his biggest mistake. He had definitely earned a friend in Hayama.
Definitely not a happy ending, but not a tragic one either. It was more like somewhere in the middle, with the future being the one to decide where this story would end for Hayama and his family.
'Hmm, I guess Kyoko already left, huh?'
Naruto smiled to himself. He wouldn't expect anything else from the girl. Hopefully he saw her again, one day.
'Ah, she's going to Hope's Peak Academy. I guess I can look forward to that.'
In the future.
The week that followed was nothing like the first two days. Thanks to Hayama, Naruto was able to experience some of the "high life," as it were. Having a dedicated maid like Kirumi only enchanted the experience. It still made him uncomfortable sometimes, but Kirumi seemed to enjoy serving him so Naruto couldn't complain too much.
His right arm wasn't fully healed, even after a week. It only reminded Naruto that he didn't have his speedy recovery anymore like before. Though, according to Kirumi and the doctors he was taken to, he was still recovering faster than the average person.
That internal chakra was still doing something it seems.
But all good things had to come to an end. With his arm in a cast, Naruto found himself back at the airport again. Hayama's private jet was waiting to take him back. He had a place he needed to return to, after all.
Only Hayama and Kirumi were there to see him off. It was unfortunate, but he wasn't able to see Kyoko again. Oh well, he would have to save their reunion for the future.
"Must you really leave so quickly, Uzumaki-sama?" If there was someone who wasn't happy to see him go it was Kirumi. She even looked troubled. "Your arm still hasn't healed. Maybe I can-!"
"Sorry, Kirumi, but I really can't stay here any longer," Naruto said softly. "There are people waiting for me to get back to them. I've already done what I had to do here. I'm sure you can handle the rest."
"I would appreciate it if you didn't count me out, Uzumaki-kun." Hayama piped in, his usual cane in hand. "I don't think I'll be kicking the bucket too soon."
Naruto chuckled as he turned to the jet. "Just look after yourself, gramps. You still have plenty of things you want to do, right?"
Hayama smiled. "I suppose I do. But don't think this is the last you've heard of me, boy. My debt to you hasn't been paid in full."
"I already told you I didn't want more money."
"Mhmm, yes. You've made that clear. You'll always have a sponsor in me, though. Your headmaster already knows this."
Sponsor? Naruto didn't know what that meant, and the man didn't offer an explanation as he was already walking back to his car, leaving Naruto with a twitching eyebrow.
'Why are old people always so cryptic?'
Was that a thing he was going to do too? Hopefully not.
This only left Naruto and Kirumi, with the girl still looking unsure. It made Naruto feel bad, but he really couldn't keep lazing around, as fun as that was.
But then, Kirumi's face changed. She looked….determined?
"I suppose I understand. You have duties to fulfill."
Hmm. Something like that, yeah. The others were counting on him to come back, especially Hiyoko. He couldn't miss her show, no matter what.
Bowing, Kirumi said, "I may still be unworthy to serve at your side, but I will make sure to be an even better maid the next time we meet."
Yeaaaaaaahhhh, it was this kind of stuff that made Naruto feel uncomfortable.
"You know you don't have to do that for me, right?" With a sweatdrop, Naruto scratched his cheek. "You can choose to be anything you want! With your skills, the sky's the limit!"
He used that phrase correctly...right?
"No, I am choosing." Smiling, Kirumi folded her arms in front of her. "I feel more sure of myself now than ever before. I can see a bright future in you, Uzumaki-sama. Your goal is a worthy one, and I wish to aid you in it."
Oh. Well, damn. Naruto didn't know how to respond to that.
'If that's what she wants…'
He wasn't going to say no to her assistance. The more the merrier!
"And if this were the old me, I never would have accepted my feelings as an individual. I may have even tried to run away, but I understand now that it's acceptable. I am human before I am a maid, correct?"
Wait, what?
Confused, Naruto didn't know what she meant until Kirumi closed the distance between them and tiptoed in order to plant a quick chaste kiss on his lips. If Yozuru had surprised him, then Kirumi took it to a whole new level. He was practically a statue.
Did a younger girl just steal a kiss from him?
His bafflement helped Kirumi too, as she quickly pulled away and ran to catch up to Hayama. She was probably too embarrassed to look at Naruto in the eye, but she was still able to give the frozen Naruto one final bow and smile.
"Until we meet again, Uzumaki-sama."
She was terrible, wasn't she? Kyoko wasn't going to deny it. Still, she allowed herself to smile as she watched the jet Naruto was in take off from outside the airport.
'And there he goes.'
She wasn't good with goodbyes. They made her feel awkward, especially when it was with someone she cared about. She was going to have to apologize for that next time.
"Disappearing for a whole week like this isn't a professional thing to do. I feared the worst."
Someone sneaking up on her? How bold.
Kyoko's smile disappeared. "There was no need for the concern, grandfather. I'm sure you must have heard the news by now. The case was a success."
Yes, it was Fuhito who stood behind her. The man had come down here to check up on her himself. It wasn't something he did often, but after she failed to check in with him he naturally got worried.
Fuhito wasn't happy. He grunted. "Yes, I've heard. But that no longer matters. You already have your next case waiting for you. Let's go."
So in the end, it was always about the job.
Kyoko wasn't angry or anything. It was just the way her grandfather was. Whatever his faults, she still loved him dearly. That said, she wasn't afraid to disappoint him. Not anymore.
"Grandfather. I'll be attending Hope's Peak Academy next year."
Fuhito stopped. To an outsider it might look like he was caught off-guard, but Kyoko knew better. She had made her work as a detective known for a reason. She knew there was no way a man as smart as her grandfather wouldn't pick up on it.
She still had to wonder. Now that she was being honest with him, what would he say?
"H'mph." Fuhito kept his gaze forward. "Do as you please."
Well, well. It was the closest thing she would get to his blessing.
Again, Kyoko smiled.
'Let's meet again, Uzumaki Naruto.'
Man, was this the longest chapter ever or what. Straight off the bat, I can say I'm not happy with this one at all. I've struggled with it for over a month. I'm pretty sure I've rewritten it over ten times. Severe case of writer's block, let me tell you. I knew what the end destination was, but I didn't know how to get there. In the end, this is what I got. It's extra long, so hopefully that makes up for it. Oh, and the Kirumi scene.
I hope the grammar is passable.
I had more I could have added to the Akira family, but I guess this will have to be it. I definitely took a liking to Yozuru, not gonna lie.
Well, that aside, the next chapter (and arc, if you will) has me excited. We return to Hope's Peak, and to our favorite characters. It'll be a treat.
This is it from me. Hope everyone is staying safe. Your reviews are very much appreciated!
Till next time.
