Chapter 23: Nightmare and Retaliation (III)

After finishing our lunch at McDonald's, we finally had time to check our phones, only to be stunned by the sheer number of missed calls—all from our respective girlfriends. I picked up my phone, my face instantly turning pale, my eyes wide open, "Three hundred missed calls?! All from Momoko!"

Kagami looked at his phone and nearly started crying, "I've got 280 missed calls from Miyako… My God, she must be worried sick."

Shigeru sighed helplessly, "I've got 250 missed calls too, all from Kaoru… They must think something happened to us."

The three of us exchanged glances, our faces filled with regret and guilt. Although we took action to protect our girlfriends, we clearly hadn't considered how much worry this would cause them.

I ruffled my hair, looking frustrated, "How are we going to explain this to them? They must be going out of their minds with worry!"

Kagami looked equally exasperated, "Yeah, Miyako must be imagining that something terrible happened to us… We're in big trouble now."

Shigeru, a bit calmer, still sighed, "Looks like we not only have to explain ourselves but also really need to make it up to them. Otherwise, we might be sleeping on the couch tonight."

Caught in a mix of regret and anxiety, we decided to call our girlfriends back immediately, preparing our explanations and apologies. We knew that no matter how successful our revenge was, the most important thing now was to calm our girlfriends' nerves.

I dialed Momoko's number first. After just two rings, she picked up. On the other end, I heard her anxious and slightly angry voice: "Yuzuhiko, where have you been? I called you three hundred times! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

I quickly responded, my tone full of apology, "Momoko, I'm so sorry! I wasn't ignoring your calls on purpose. The guys and I were discussing some things and didn't notice our phones…"

Momoko calmed down a bit, but there was still obvious concern in her voice: "Then what were you discussing? Why did you take the day off from school?"

I knew I couldn't hide the truth, so I decided to be honest: "We… we went to deal with those people from yesterday, to make sure they won't hurt you again."

Momoko was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the line, then she let out a deep sigh: "You really… did it for us. But did you ever think about how scared we were that something might happen to you?"

Her words hit me like a knife, and I quickly tried to comfort her, "I'm sorry, I didn't think it through. I promise I won't make you worry like this again."

Meanwhile, Kagami dialed Miyako's number. As soon as the call connected, he heard Miyako's voice, tinged with a sob: "Kagami, where are you? Why didn't you answer your phone? I was so worried!"

Kagami's heart tightened, and he quickly spoke softly, "Miyako, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to ignore your calls. The guys and I were discussing some things together and completely missed our phones. I'm really sorry for making you worry."

Miyako's voice was filled with anxiety: "What were you guys doing? I kept thinking something might have happened to you…"

Kagami sighed softly and admitted, "We went to find the people who hurt you. Don't worry, we're all safe, and those people won't be bothering you anymore."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then Miyako's voice came, choked with emotion: "Kagami, do you understand how I feel? I don't know whether to feel touched or angry about what you did…"

Feeling deeply guilty, Kagami quickly said, "Miyako, I know you were very worried, but I swear I won't do this again. I'll protect you, but I won't make you worry or be scared anymore."

Shigeru then dialed Kaoru's number. As soon as the call connected, he heard Kaoru's slightly agitated voice: "Shigeru! What's going on? I called you two hundred and fifty times, and you didn't answer even once?!"

Shigeru's heart sank, knowing Kaoru must have been frantic with worry. He quickly explained, "Kaoru, I'm so sorry, it wasn't on purpose. I was with Yuzuhiko and Kagami, discussing something, and our phones were on silent, so we missed your calls."

Kaoru's voice carried a hint of hurt: "What were you discussing? Why did you leave me in the dark?"

Shigeru sighed, deciding not to hide it any longer: "We went to confront that coach. I wasn't going to let him have another chance to hurt you."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, then Kaoru's voice came through, laced with obvious anger: "Shigeru, do you know how worried I was? What you did was too risky! I'd rather have you safe by my side than taking such risks."

Feeling a wave of guilt, Shigeru quickly tried to soothe her, "Kaoru, I know you were worried, but I promise this won't happen again. I just want to protect you and never let you go through such fear again."

Although our intentions were good, we ended up causing our girlfriends even more fear and worry. We decided that in the future, before taking any action, we must first consider our girlfriends' feelings and safety, and never let them face anxiety and fear alone again.

When I opened the front door, carrying bags full of food, I had a slightly sheepish smile on my face. I knew I had really scared Momoko today, so I made a detour and bought all her favorite foods, hoping to cheer her up a bit.

"Momoko, I'm back," I called softly as soon as I stepped inside.

Momoko came out of the living room and, seeing the food in my hands, she looked slightly displeased, but there was a hint of warmth in her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide the worry in her heart.

"So you remembered to come back, huh? What's all this?" Momoko asked, feigning indifference as she looked at the bags, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.

I quickly handed over the bags with a grin, like I was presenting a treasure, and said, "These are your favorite octopus sausages, a strawberry cake from Kintokido, and two premium sushi sets. I know I scared you today; these are to make up for it."

Momoko took the food and glanced at it, her lips curving up slightly, "You're thoughtful enough to buy my favorites. But next time, if you don't pick up the phone, I won't forgive you so easily!"

I nodded immediately, feeling a wave of relief in my heart, and promised, "I won't! I'll answer right away whenever you call!"

We exchanged smiles, and Momoko's mood clearly improved. Seeing her smile, the tension in my heart finally eased. I sat down next to her, and we enjoyed this warm dinner together. Watching her happily eating the octopus sausages, I knew that today's effort was not in vain.

When Kagami returned home, he was carrying two takeout meals. He saw Miyako sitting on the sofa, looking down at her phone, her brow slightly furrowed, obviously waiting for him. Kagami quietly walked over, placed the bags on the table, and softly said, "Miyako, I'm back."

Miyako looked up at him, her tone carrying a bit of reproach, "You really scared me today… What is this?" Although her tone was a bit cold, there was still a hint of concern in her eyes.

Kagami smiled gently and opened the bags, "This is your favorite meatball set meal and mille-feuille cake. I know I worried you today; these are to make up for it."

Looking at her favorite foods, Miyako's eyes softened, but she still pretended to be calm, "Hmph, as long as you know. But no more risky stunts next time."

Kagami sat down next to her, took her hand, and looked into her eyes seriously, "I promise there won't be. You're the most important person in my life, and I won't make you worry again."

Hearing his words, Miyako's resentment faded significantly. She tried to hold back a smile and finally accepted his apology. The two began to enjoy this loving dinner together, and the atmosphere at the table became warm. Kagami carefully cut Miyako's meatballs into small pieces while softly apologizing, gradually warming her heart.

When Shigeru opened the door, he was carrying a special unagi rice bowl and tamagoyaki. He knew Kaoru had been frightened today, so he made sure to get her favorite foods. When he saw Kaoru sitting at the dining table with her hands on her cheeks, clearly waiting for him, a wave of guilt washed over him.

"Kaoru, I'm back," Shigeru said softly, placing the food on the table.

Kaoru looked up at him, a hint of reproach in her eyes, and her tone was slightly displeased, "You really scared me today, not answering your phone… What's this?"

Shigeru quickly handed over the bags and said gently, "This is your favorite special unagi rice bowl and tamagoyaki. I know I worried you today; these are to make up for it."

Looking at the food he brought back, Kaoru's expression softened significantly, but she still pretended to be angry, "Hmph, next time, I won't forgive you so easily."

Shigeru walked over to her, gently took her hand, and promised softly, "I won't let you worry again. Your safety is the most important thing to me."

Hearing this, Kaoru's anxiety gradually eased, and she finally smiled. The two of them began to enjoy this dinner together, and the room filled with a warm atmosphere. Shigeru served Kaoru rice while constantly telling her jokes, trying to lighten her mood. Watching Shigeru's earnest attempts to make amends, Kaoru finally couldn't help but laugh, and the gloom in her heart slowly dissipated.

A few days later, in the afternoon, Momoko went to the café at the Tokyo Skytree observation deck to continue her work, just as she usually did. Although what happened a few days ago still lingered in her mind, she knew life had to go on. She tried to calm herself down and push those unpleasant memories to the back of her mind. However, the moment she stepped into the café, she immediately sensed that the atmosphere inside was different from usual.

The manager, who usually acted high and mighty, was nowhere to be seen. The staff were gathered together, whispering about something. Momoko went into the locker room to change into her work uniform, and out of curiosity, she slowly approached two colleagues who were whispering behind the counter.

"Did you hear? The manager seems to have resigned; he disappeared without notice a few days ago," one colleague whispered, her tone full of disbelief.

The other colleague nodded and continued in a hushed voice, "Yes, I heard the reason for his resignation isn't simple. They say a young man with orange hair came in that day, and then the manager… was hung upside down outside the Tokyo Skytree by that guy!"

Momoko's heart skipped a beat, quickly catching onto the key phrase—"a young man with orange hair." This description immediately made her think of Yuzuhiko. Yuzuhiko had the same vibrant orange hair as her, and his personality was the type that would never let someone who bullied his loved one get away with it.

Trying not to arouse suspicion among her colleagues, Momoko pretended to join the conversation casually, "What are you talking about? Did the manager really resign?"

The two colleagues looked at Momoko, clearly hesitating whether to share more information. Finally, one of the slightly bolder colleagues spoke up, "Well, it's just what we heard. A few days ago, someone saw a young man with orange hair hang the manager upside down outside the window of the Tokyo Skytree. It was quite a scary scene. The manager got so scared that he wet his pants and quit immediately afterward. He never came back."

Hearing this, Momoko already had a rough idea in her mind. She suppressed her shock and complex emotions, pretending to be surprised like everyone else. "Really? That's so scary! No wonder the manager suddenly disappeared."

After chatting briefly with her colleagues, Momoko made an excuse to go do something else and quickly left the counter. She walked to a corner of the café, turned her back to the crowd, took out her phone from her pocket, and her fingers trembled slightly as a mix of emotions churned within her.

Momoko opened her chat app and found my contact. Taking a deep breath, she quickly typed out a message:

Momoko: Yuzuhiko, I just heard from my colleagues that a few days ago, a young man with orange hair hung the manager outside the Tokyo Skytree… Does this have anything to do with you?

After sending the message, Momoko gripped her phone tightly, feeling both nervous and touched. She knew that I might have done something extreme to protect her, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions and could only wait for my response.

A few minutes later, my reply quickly popped up.

Yuzuhiko: Uh… Momoko, yeah, that was me. I really didn't want that manager to have another chance to hurt you, so I decided to scare him a bit. But don't worry, I didn't hurt him or anything. He's already resigned and won't show up in front of you again.

Seeing my admission, Momoko's feelings became complicated. On the one hand, she felt touched and reassured that I would protect her without hesitation, but on the other hand, she felt pained by the extreme measures I had taken. She knew I did it out of love, but she hoped for me to be safe rather than taking such big risks to stand up for her.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions, then replied to me:

Momoko: Yuzuhiko, thank you. I know you did it to protect me, but I also hope that we can face problems together in the future. You don't have to shoulder so much risk by yourself.

I quickly replied:

Yuzuhiko: Okay, I promise we'll face everything together from now on. I won't make you worry anymore.

Momoko put down her phone, her emotions surging like the tide. She knew how much I cherished her and was willing to do anything for her. This made her feel incredibly warm and touched, but at the same time, she realized how much weight she carried in my heart.

When she returned home that evening, Momoko's mood was still a bit heavy. I had been waiting at home for her. Seeing her walk in, I showed a concerned look on my face: "Momoko, how was today? Are you okay?"

Momoko nodded gently, walked up to me, and wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my chest. "Yuzuhiko, thank you… thank you for everything you've done for me."

I was taken aback for a moment, then reached out to hold her as well, gently stroking her back. "You're the most important person to me. I won't let anyone hurt you."

Hearing these words, the complex emotions in Momoko's heart finally released. She said softly, "Yuzuhiko, I know you did it for me, but I really hope you won't take such risks anymore… I don't want to lose you."

Hearing her concern, I felt a rush of warmth and emotion in my heart. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I promise you, from now on, we'll face everything together. I won't make you worry again."

A few days later, in the morning, Miyako returned to Bunka Fashion College to continue her studies. Although the recent events still caused her to feel uneasy, she chose to face them bravely and returned to her familiar classroom. However, as soon as she entered the campus, she immediately sensed that the atmosphere around her was different from usual. Students were gathered in small groups, whispering to each other with expressions of disbelief.

Miyako felt a twinge of unease. She quickly walked over to a few classmates she knew well, hoping to find out what was happening.

"What are you guys talking about?" Miyako tried to stay calm and asked casually.

One of the classmates looked at Miyako, her expression becoming a bit complicated. She lowered her voice and said, "Miyako, did you hear? That professor… the one who was always rude to you, he suddenly disappeared."

Miyako's heart tightened. She tried to hide her inner shock and calmly asked, "Disappeared? You mean…?"

Another classmate nodded and added, "Yes, his office is completely empty now. I heard he resigned. And, there are rumors that something very strange happened in his office a few days before he resigned."

Miyako had a faint feeling that this had something to do with Kagami. Her heart started to race, but she remained calm and asked, "Strange? Can you tell me more?"

The classmates exchanged glances, seemingly hesitating about whether to share more. Finally, one of them lowered her voice and said, "Well… it's said that a few days ago, a gentle-looking blond guy appeared in the professor's office. He said he was there for a Kendo exchange, but strangely, he was carrying a Katana. Then there were rumors that a lot of noise came from the professor's office, like the sound of a sword fight. Later, people saw that blond guy leaving with a faint smile on his face, and the professor's office… was left in shambles."

After hearing this, Miyako's heart raced. A blond guy with a Katana—wasn't that Kagami? She felt a surge of complex emotions, touched by Kagami's actions to stand up for her, but also worried about the potential consequences of his extreme measures.

"Do you know who that guy was?" Miyako continued to ask, her voice betraying a hint of undisguised anxiety.

The classmates shook their heads, "No one knows who he is; they just know he seemed very gentle but also very dangerous. That professor hasn't been seen since that day, and his office has been completely cleared out."

The unease in Miyako's heart grew stronger. She decided to go see the professor's office for herself. She quickly headed toward that familiar office, her heart filled with complex emotions and apprehension. When she reached the door, she found it half-open, with no one inside.

She gently pushed the door open and walked in. The sight before her left her stunned. The walls were covered in deep slash marks, and broken furniture was scattered across the floor; some fragments hadn't even been fully cleaned up yet. It seemed like the air still held the aftermath of the "Kendo exchange," as if the room had been through a violent storm, with no trace of its former orderliness.

Miyako stood in the doorway, unable to move for a long time. She could almost imagine Kagami wielding a Katana, clearing everything out in this room. He had gone to such lengths to solve this threat for her. Such an act made her feel both moved and pained.

She slowly walked into the office, reaching out to gently touch the slash marks on the wall, her heart a mix of emotions. She knew that everything Kagami had done was to protect her, but she also understood the significant risks behind such actions. Kagami's actions, while eliminating her predicament, also filled her with an indescribable sense of worry.

When Miyako returned home, Kagami was already waiting for her in the living room. Seeing her enter, Kagami immediately stood up, walked over to her, and gently took her hand.

"Miyako, how was your day?" Kagami asked softly, his eyes filled with concern and tenderness.

Miyako looked at him, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. She spoke softly, "Kagami, today at school… I heard about what happened with that professor."

Kagami's expression shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and looked at her gently. "You found out?"

Miyako nodded, her tone tinged with a hint of helplessness. "I went to his office and saw that it had been completely destroyed… The walls were covered in slash marks, and the floor was filled with broken furniture. My classmates said there was a blond guy with a Katana who claimed he was there for a Kendo exchange…"

Kagami knew he couldn't hide it any longer, so he sighed softly and admitted, "I did it. I didn't want him to have another chance to get close to you, so I went to 'clean things up.' I know it might seem extreme, but I don't want you to face any more threats."

A warm feeling surged in Miyako's heart. She gently squeezed Kagami's hand, tears welling up in her eyes. "Kagami, thank you. I know you did it for me, but could you please not take such risks next time? I'd rather you be safe than have you take such risks for my sake."

Kagami smiled and nodded, reaching out to pull her into his arms. He whispered softly, "I understand. From now on, we'll face everything together. I won't let you worry anymore. You mean the most to me, and I'll handle everything more cautiously."

A few days later, Kaoru returned to Japan Women's College of Physical Education, ready to continue her training and studies. Although the dangerous experience from a few days ago still lingered in her mind, she knew life couldn't come to a halt because of it. She chose to face it bravely and return to her regular training routine. However, as soon as she stepped onto the campus, she immediately sensed an unusual atmosphere.

At the training grounds, the normally strict coaches seemed distracted, and the students gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves. Kaoru noticed a group of friends she was close to whispering in a corner. Curious, she walked over, trying to find out what was going on.

"What are you talking about?" Kaoru asked casually, trying to keep her tone light and normal.

One of the students looked up and saw Kaoru. A complex expression flashed across her face, as if she were hesitating to tell her the truth. Finally, another student spoke up, her tone filled with disbelief. "Kaoru, did you hear? That foreign coach… the one who almost did something terrible to you that day, he suddenly disappeared."

Kaoru's heart skipped a beat, but she tried to maintain a calm expression. "Disappeared? What happened?"

Another student chimed in, lowering her voice, "Yes, his office has been completely cleared out. I heard he was fired by the school. What's even stranger is that there are rumors that a few days ago, a young man entered his office, and then… something unbelievable happened."

Kaoru suppressed the unease in her heart and continued to ask, "Unbelievable? You mean…?"

The student gestured with her hands, as if mimicking a strong impact. "They say that young man smashed the coach's office to pieces. The walls were shattered, and all the furniture was destroyed… The coach was scared out of his wits and disappeared not long after."

Kaoru's heart began to race. She was almost certain that the "young man" was Shigeru. She had known that Shigeru would go to any lengths to protect her, but she hadn't expected him to take such drastic measures.

"So… what happened after that?" Kaoru tried to keep her voice steady, suppressing her inner anxiety.

The students continued to fill in the details, "No one has seen that coach since then, and the school hasn't given any official explanation. Everyone's guessing that the coach must have crossed someone powerful and was forced to leave."

Kaoru felt a mixture of shock, gratitude, and a tinge of unease after hearing all this. To confirm her suspicions, she decided to go and see the coach's office herself.

She quickly walked toward the familiar office, her heart filled with mixed emotions. When she arrived at the office door, she found it half-open, with no one inside. She gently pushed the door open, and the scene before her left her stunned.

The walls were covered with large cracks, and the floor was strewn with the remnants of shattered furniture. There were even some glass shards that hadn't been cleaned up yet, creating a scene of chaos. The entire room seemed to have gone through a violent storm, and the air still seemed to carry the aftermath of the intense confrontation that had taken place. The sight left Kaoru feeling both shocked and pained; she could almost picture Shigeru clearing everything out here. For her sake, he had used his immense strength to completely eliminate the threat.

When Kaoru returned home, her heart was still restless. She knew that Shigeru must have been the one who took action, but she needed to confirm it directly. She walked into the living room and saw Shigeru sitting on the couch, looking relaxed. But Kaoru knew that behind this, he must have gone through quite a mental struggle.

"Shigeru, I'm back," Kaoru said softly, trying to make her voice sound normal.

Shigeru looked up and saw her, a gentle smile appearing on his face. He stood up to greet her, "Kaoru, how was your day? Was school alright?"

Kaoru sighed, "Shigeru, today at school… I heard about what happened with that coach."

Shigeru's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew he couldn't hide it, so he nodded gently and admitted, "Yes, I went to see him. I didn't want him to have another chance to hurt you, so I dealt with it in my own way."

Tears welled up in Kaoru's eyes. She stepped forward and tightly held Shigeru's hand, her voice filled with gratitude and concern, "Shigeru, you idiot. Thank you for everything you've done for me, but I'd rather you be safe and not take such big risks for me."

Shigeru saw the tears in her eyes and felt a rush of warmth and guilt. He gently pulled her into his arms and said softly, "Kaoru, you're the most important person to me. I can't tolerate anyone hurting you. I know what I did might have been risky, but I won't let you get hurt again. But I promise you, from now on, we'll face everything together, and I won't make you worry anymore."

Kaoru leaned gently against Shigeru's shoulder, feeling the warmth of his embrace, and her unease slowly faded away.

Late at night, Momoko was still lying in bed, looking at Yuzuhiko sleeping beside her. His breathing was steady and gentle, with a serene smile on his face, like a carefree child. Moonlight streamed through the curtains onto his face, soft and warm, revealing nothing of the man who, during the day, had dangled the manager outside the Skytree, scaring him out of his wits.

Momoko sighed softly and reached out to gently touch Yuzuhiko's cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin. It was hard for her to reconcile this sweetly sleeping boy before her with the man who could so unhesitatingly hang someone high in the air.

"Yuzuhiko, would you really go to such lengths for me?" Momoko asked in her heart, feeling a mix of emotions—both touched and distressed. She knew how much Yuzuhiko cherished her, but precisely because of that, she didn't want him to take such risks for her. She placed a soft kiss on Yuzuhiko's forehead and then quietly got up, taking her phone as she left the bedroom.

In the living room, Momoko sat down on the sofa, opened Instagram, and saw that Miyako and Kaoru were also online. She started a group call, feeling an urgent need to share her feelings with them.

Miyako answered the call, her voice carrying a hint of fatigue and helplessness: "Momoko, you can't sleep either? Me neither. Watching Kagami's sleeping face, I still find it hard to believe he could do something like that."

Momoko replied softly, "I feel the same. Yuzuhiko's actions on the Skytree today left me both surprised and a bit lost. He's always so gentle with me, yet he can become so intense for my sake."

Miyako nodded in agreement, "Kagami, too. He's usually so calm, but for me, he dared to bring a Katana into the university and completely transform the professor's office. It makes me feel conflicted—both moved and worried."

Kaoru joined the conversation, her tone filled with complex emotions: "Shigeru too. He's usually so gentle and refined, but in high school, he once fought 50 Yakuza members to save me, taking them all down. Compared to that, what happened today seems like nothing… But even so, the fact that he stepped in for me again still makes me feel both touched and worried."

Momoko took a deep breath, gradually calming down, "We all know they did it to protect us, but I don't want them to take such risks anymore. Yuzuhiko has already done so much for me; I don't want him to get hurt because of it."

Miyako empathized, "Yes, we should do something to keep them from taking these kinds of risks for us."

Kaoru nodded, her tone firm, "We need to let them know we're capable of protecting ourselves and that they don't need to worry so much."

In their late-night conversation, the three girls shared their thoughts and resolved to show their boyfriends that they, too, could be relied upon and face all future challenges together.

The wolves who had once tried to harm Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru finally received their well-deserved punishment. Not long after these incidents, Shigeru, Kagami, and I decided that we would never allow these people to have another chance to threaten our girlfriends. So, we began to use our resources, quietly planning how to make these three individuals completely disappear from the public eye.

First, we started by digging up their backgrounds, uncovering their past misdeeds. Then, we anonymously posted this dirt on various social media platforms and forums, using some of our media contacts to amplify these scandals. As evidence piled up, public opinion quickly snowballed, and netizens' outrage flooded in like a tide. Complaints that had been suppressed and evidence that had been ignored were reevaluated, and even more victims came forward, bravely sharing their experiences.

As the pressure from public opinion continued to mount, the reputations of these three quickly fell to ruins. The manager was forced to resign, and the restaurant's business took a huge hit because of his scandal; the professor faced an investigation by the university and was eventually forced to leave, blacklisted from returning to academia; and as for the coach, the school, under public pressure, finally decided to fire him and announced a thorough investigation into the management of the sports department.

Our goal was never just to get them to resign or simply disappear; we wanted to ensure they had no chance of starting over. So, we took it a step further by contacting the relevant agencies and companies in their fields, presenting all their misdeeds one by one, ensuring that these individuals could never find work again. As their pasts were exposed one by one, these three became complete outcasts, shunned by everyone.

Shigeru, Kagami, and I quietly watched it all unfold, without the slightest bit of guilt. To us, what they got was far from enough punishment for what they had done. But most importantly, they could no longer get close to the ones we loved, and they could no longer harm Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru.

These people left the city in disgrace, unable to show their faces in public under the pressure of public opinion. The glow they once had was completely tarnished. Their misdeeds were brought up countless times, becoming cautionary tales for others, and we three brothers, in this silent battle, won the deserved safety and peace for those we loved.

We decided to keep all of this hidden; there was no need for Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru to know about these processes because we didn't want them to carry any more burdens. For us, the most desired outcome was to give them peace of mind and ensure they were never threatened by these people again.