Chapter 27 How should we explain III

They called an Uber, preparing for what they referred to in their hearts as a "collective interrogation of love."

On the ride, Kaoru leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. "Momoko, Miyako, how do you plan to go about it? Go in hard?"

Momoko furrowed her brow and shook her head. "If we go in too hard, they'll just deflect again, talking about some 'archaeological treasure' nonsense. We all know these guys are clever. Forcing them won't work."

Miyako nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Yuzuhiko and Shigeru are especially good at talking their way out of things, and Kagami always acts innocent. If we want the truth, we'll need a different strategy."

Momoko thought for a moment, her eyes lighting up as she smiled. "If going in hard won't work, then we'll go soft." "

Soft?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. Momoko smiled, explaining her plan. "We'll use a 'gentle approach.' Make them think we're not angry anymore. Once their guard is down, we'll slowly coax the truth out of them."

Miyako's eyes lit up with understanding, and she smiled. "I get it. We make them think we've forgiven them, so they let their guard down and tell us everything."

Momoko nodded. "Exactly. They may all have different personalities, but they all care deeply about us. If we act gentle and a little playful, they'll eventually give in."

Kaoru chuckled, clearly pleased with the plan. "Momoko, I love your clever idea. Alright, tonight, we'll follow your lead. We'll start by testing the waters and see how they react." The three of them shared a knowing smile.

For their boyfriends, who both loved and adored them, this "gentle strategy" was likely the most effective weapon. The boys could never resist their emotional charm, especially when they already had something to hide. A little pressure would probably make them spill everything.

As the car drove through the streets of Tokyo, the night deepened, and neon lights shimmered outside the window. With every passing moment, the plan in the girls' hearts became clearer. Tonight's "interrogation of love" had to be successful.

They had to uncover the boys' lies and find out the truth about what they had been hiding. Once back at the apartment, the three girls went to their rooms to change out of their glamorous evening gowns into something more casual, ready to confront the boys in a natural setting.

Momoko put on her loose-fitting home clothes and brushed her hair. Looking at herself in the mirror, she silently vowed, "Tonight, Yuzuhiko, I'll make you confess." When the three girls regrouped in the living room, they had warm, soft smiles on their faces as if nothing had happened. Kaoru even placed coffee and tea on the table, making it seem like a cozy little family gathering.

"Alright, girls, are we ready?" Momoko asked with a smile. Miyako and Kaoru nodded, with Miyako teasingly saying, "Of course. Let's see how long these boys can hold out." The three girls shared a light laugh, fully prepared for their "gentle approach."

Tonight, they were going to uncover the secrets the boys had been hiding, one way or another. That night, when the girls began their "gentle approach," we boys thought it was just casual small talk.

However, as the conversation deepened, their strategy became increasingly apparent. We sat in the living room, holding our cups of coffee, trying to fend off their questions, but inside, anxiety began to build.

Just when I thought I could brush off another vague question, Momoko suddenly shifted her demeanor. She placed her pink Hermès Birkin bag with floral elements firmly on the table, her voice low and serious. "Yuzuhiko, we need a clearer explanation. The value of these things isn't as simple as you made it seem.

What exactly did you do, and where did you go?" Her gaze felt like it was pinning me down with a powerful force.

Next to her, Miyako also began her "attack." She looked at Kagami, her voice still calm but filled with concern. "Kagami, I know you wouldn't just ask your family for money. You wouldn't use your family's wealth to buy these luxury items. So where did this money come from?" I could feel the tension in the air thickening, and Kagami's expression grew noticeably stiff.

Miyako's knowledge of him left him with no room to lie. He glanced helplessly at Shigeru and me before muttering, "Miyako, we… didn't ask for family money. That's not where it came from."

But Kaoru wasn't going to let Shigeru off the hook, either. Her gaze was sharp, like a knife cutting straight through his defenses. "Shigeru, tell the truth. Did you really get all this legally? You're not the kind of guy who spends money so recklessly."

By now, cold sweat was forming on my forehead. I knew the girls' "gentle approach" wasn't just casual conversation—it was a carefully planned interrogation.

Just when we were cornered and had no way to dodge their questions, the girls suddenly changed their method of "attack." Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru simultaneously placed their feet gently on a certain important part of our groins. The sensation was a strange mix—painful, yet impossible to ignore. Their movements seemed gentle, but they were perfectly executed to make us feel the looming sense of danger.

With their piercing gazes bearing down on us, the pressure was almost unbearable. Just as I tried to make one last attempt to deflect, Momoko's voice, sweet but with an unmistakable edge of threat, cut through the tension. "Yuzuhiko, it's easy for us to stop this. All you have to do is tell the truth." Panic shot through me as I felt the pressure increase, a pain I knew could only get worse.

Trembling, I pleaded, "Momoko, wait! Please stop! I'll tell you the truth!" Next to me, Kagami and Shigeru were in the same predicament. Miyako's voice was soft, but the force in her words was undeniable. "Kagami, do you want to tell the truth, or should I apply more pressure?" Her tone was sweet, but the danger lurking within was clear. Kaoru narrowed her eyes at Shigeru, her foot gently pressing, making him break out in cold sweat. "Shigeru, I know you're tough, but do you really want to test this?" The three of us panicked in unison, raising our hands in surrender.

"We'll talk! We'll tell you everything!" I practically shouted, my voice laced with desperation. All I wanted was for them to stop. Momoko smiled slightly, easing up but not fully letting go. "Good. Now start from the beginning. No more lies, no more 'archaeology work' nonsense." Kagami and Shigeru were just as frozen, clearly unwilling to delay any longer. We were completely disarmed by their "gentle attack," and with no other choice, we began to spill everything.

"Alright, alright!" I had no choice but to raise my hands in surrender. "Since you're all insisting, I'll come clean. But you have to promise me you won't get mad or too worried."

Momoko raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and said coldly, "Whether we get mad or not depends on what you say."

I gave a wry smile and started, "Back in high school, when we were the Rowdyruff Boys and fought alongside you, the Powerpuff Girls Z, we often ran out of pocket money. So Professor Utonium, the Mayor, and Ms. Bellum recommended us to the higher-ups in the Japanese government..."

Miyako's gaze suddenly sharpened. "And then?"

I cleared my throat lightly and continued, "We were briefly recruited as part of the Cabinet's 'Oniwaban.' In other words, secret agents. Officially, we were helping maintain Tokyo's peace with you girls, but secretly… we occasionally handled tasks that the government couldn't deal with publicly."

As soon as I finished, the reactions from the girls were immediate. Momoko's eyes widened in shock, her face a mix of surprise and worry. "You're saying… you were secret agents for the government?!" Her voice wavered, unsure if it was from shock or concern.

Miyako furrowed her brows, looking at Kagami with evident worry and unease. "Kagami, you... you've done dangerous things like this and never told me?"

Kaoru, on the other hand, remained a bit calmer, though her eyes still flickered with confusion and disbelief. "So all this money… you made it from being secret agents?"

I quickly shook my head, clarifying, "It's not that simple. While we did make some money as agents, we didn't really spend much otherwise, so the savings just piled up. Plus, we had other sources of income."

Before I could finish explaining, Shigeru jumped in, betraying me immediately. "That's right, like Yuzuhiko here! He's a gambling god! Loves studying horse racing and pachinko—his skills are so good, it's scary. His win rate is 99.999%—as accurate as Odin's Gungnir!"

Hearing that, Momoko's eyes widened even more as she stared at me. "Yuzuhiko! You've been gambling?! Is that where all this money came from?"

I hurriedly waved my hands, trying to calm her. "It's not like that, Momoko! I only gamble when I'm sure I'll win. It's really just for fun, just to make a bit of extra money!"

Kagami, always quick to add fuel to the fire, chimed in, "Just for fun? Enough fun to bankrupt several casinos?"

Miyako was visibly surprised but quickly turned her attention back to Kagami. "And what about you, Kagami? Where did your money come from this time?"

At that moment, Kagami looked slightly embarrassed but answered honestly, "Well... I have a talent you don't know about. Aside from kendo, I also forge katanas... national treasure-level katanas. The real Japanese katanas I make are highly sought after by collectors. One katana can sell for 50 million yen."

At this, not only Miyako but even Shigeru and I were stunned. "Kagami, how did you manage that?!" Shigeru was so shocked he almost jumped out of his seat. "You're incredible, man! There's really a fine line between genius and idiot!"

Kagami offered a sheepish smile. "It's just a hobby. I never expected it to make this much money."

Miyako was left speechless after hearing about Kagami's katana-forging talent. She always knew Kagami was a kendo prodigy, but she never imagined he had this kind of skill. All these years, he had kept this secret from her.

Instinctively, she grabbed Kagami's hand and examined it closely. Sure enough, there were several noticeable burn scars and calluses on his palms and forearms. The marks were deep, clearly left from years of katana forging. Miyako's heart suddenly ached, as if pricked by a needle.

"Kagami, what are these scars?" Her voice grew serious, her eyes filled with concern.

Kagami awkwardly laughed, trying to brush it off. "These are just burns from forging katanas. It's nothing serious—I'm used to it."

"How can you say that?!" Miyako's eyes turned red, her tone full of reproach. "Why didn't you ever tell me about these? How could you say these burns are no big deal?"

Seeing Miyako on the verge of tears, Kagami panicked. He hadn't meant to worry her, but he hadn't expected her to get this upset. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and softly said, "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to make you worry… But I'll be more careful from now on. I promise you won't see these scars again, okay?"

Miyako held onto Kagami's hand, gently stroking the rough scars, her heart aching. "You're too foolish for doing this. Next time, let me know. Don't endure it all by yourself."

Kagami nodded, his eyes filled with apology and tenderness. He knew Miyako was right, and he didn't want her to worry anymore. As he held her close, he could feel her deep care and endless love.

Momoko, too, had a look of surprise mixed with concern and worry. She sighed softly, then turned to me. "Yuzuhiko, I know you like making money, but if you push yourself too far, I'll worry. Can you not be so extreme?"

I nodded sincerely, replying, "I understand, Momoko. I'll quit gambling. I promise!"

Kaoru, meanwhile, gave Shigeru a hard slap on the shoulder, though her eyes were filled with a hint of affection despite her scolding. "You guys are always pulling these crazy stunts. I really don't want to hear one day that something's happened to you."

Rubbing his sore shoulder, Shigeru gave a helpless smile. "I get it, Kaoru. We'll be more careful. No more crazy stunts."

Finally, after our full confessions and promises, the girls' emotions began to calm down. Slowly, they lifted their feet off of us, giving us some much-needed relief. As the pressure gradually lessened, we could finally breathe, knowing that this "gentle interrogation" had come to an end. The girls, too, seemed to let go of their doubts and suspicions, at least for now.

When the three of us finally explained everything in detail, the girls' reactions were even more complicated than before. Their eyes were filled with surprise, unease, and concern, along with emotions I had never seen before. As expected, they began to press us about why we became agents.

Momoko stared at me intently, her eyes a mix of confusion and subtle dissatisfaction. "Why did you become secret agents? Why do those dangerous, shadowy things?"

Miyako also looked at Kagami, her expression more angry but mostly filled with confusion. "Kagami, you didn't need to take such risks. Why did you do it?"

Kaoru's gaze was even more direct, her brows furrowed as she looked at Shigeru. "Shigeru, same with you. Why did the three of you choose to do this?"

We exchanged glances, knowing that we couldn't avoid this any longer. I took a deep breath, looking at Momoko and the other girls, and said in a serious tone, "You girls are in the spotlight, you're the light, and we're the shadow. You are the heroines, and we are the nameless ones who silently maintain the peace in the darkness behind you."

Kagami nodded and added, "We know that you're the idols in everyone's eyes, the heroines who protect this city. But the world isn't all light; someone has to handle the things that can't be seen in the light. You protect everyone's hope, and we work in the background to make sure that the darkness doesn't touch your world."

Shigeru looked at Kaoru and said, "Exactly. We didn't want to be heroes or bask in glory. We just wanted to do what needed to be done in the places you can't see, so you can keep being the light for everyone."

Hearing this, the girls' expressions grew even more complex. Their surprise turned into a kind of indescribable emotion, a mix of being touched, but also a bit helpless and pained.

Momoko's eyes reddened slightly, and she bit her lip before speaking in a low voice. "So all this time, you've been helping us silently, doing things no one else could see? You idiots…" Her voice carried both anger and a deep sense of care.

I smiled gently at her. "Momoko, we never thought we were doing anything great. We just believe that someone as precious as you should always be protected in the light."

Miyako's eyes were filled with conflicting emotions as she looked at Kagami, tears beginning to well up. "Kagami, why did you do this? Why didn't you tell me so I could help you?"

Kagami shook his head, speaking softly. "Miyako, we did this because we didn't want you to get involved. You are the light, and we are the shadow. Light and shadow can't coexist. Our job was to keep the darkness away from you."

Kaoru took a deep breath, her gaze locked on Shigeru as she struggled with her emotions. "So, you're telling us this to make us understand? To make us accept that you did these things in the shadows? You idiots! We can handle these things with you!"

Shigeru smiled wryly, speaking in a quiet voice. "Kaoru, we just didn't want you to bear that kind of danger. Your responsibility is to protect the light in this city, and we are willing to be the darkness that supports it."

There was a glimmer of emotion in the girls' eyes, a sign that our sincerity had touched them. Although they couldn't fully accept the choices we had made, they began to understand our intentions.

Momoko's eyes were red, and in a soft voice, she said, "Alright, I understand… but from now on, no matter what happens, you have to tell us. We'll face it together. Heroes aren't supposed to be alone, and neither should the nameless ones carry the burden alone."

I nodded, smiling at her. "We promise. From now on, we won't hide anything from you."

Even though this "interrogation" left us boys completely exhausted, it also deepened and strengthened our relationships. The girls finally understood our intentions, and we were determined not to hide anything from them in the future. Whether light or dark, we would face it together.

That night, after we boys collapsed into sleep from sheer exhaustion, the girls were unable to sleep. Their emotions rippled like waves, difficult to calm. Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru found themselves on the balcony, letting the cool night breeze brush their faces as the moonlight bathed them, gently soothing their chaotic thoughts.

Momoko broke the silence, speaking in a low voice. "Do you remember the first time we met them?" There was a hint of nostalgia and a bitter smile in her tone.

Miyako nodded slightly, a small smile playing on her lips as she recalled. "Of course. Those little brats… they were a headache. The first time we met them, they were still kids, flipping our skirts, picking their noses, and later, they even stole our uniforms, causing chaos all over Tokyo."

Kaoru couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yeah, and remember how we chased them down? We ended up knocking them all the way into space."

The three of them laughed together, those memories both funny and frustrating. They never would've imagined that those mischievous boys would one day become irreplaceable parts of their lives.

Momoko continued, "The second time we fought them, they were just as hopeless, and we beat them easily with a single kiss. Who would have thought that after we reunited, they would not only gain new powers but, through a twist of fate, become our allies, friends, and eventually… our lovers."

Miyako gazed out at the city lights in the distance, her expression tinged with worry. "But we never truly understood how much they were carrying behind the scenes. We were always worshiped as heroines, the symbols of Powerpuff Girls Z, while they were like hidden ninjas, silently bearing the pressure of anonymity, knowing they could be discarded by the government at any moment…"

Her voice trembled slightly, unable to hide her heartache for the boys. To her, these boys, who had always seemed rough and reckless, had in fact been shouldering immense pressure, protecting them in silence.

Kaoru gripped the balcony railing, her gaze firm. "They always think of us as the light, so let's become their light."

Momoko's expression softened, and she nodded with a gentle smile. "That's right. They chose to support us from the shadows, but we need to show them that no matter how deep the darkness, we'll bring them light. Heroes shouldn't walk alone."

Miyako nodded deeply, a determined smile on her face. "We know now that everything the boys did, they did because they love us and want to protect us. No matter what, we'll become the light in their hearts, bringing them warmth and reassurance."

At that moment, the girls' thoughts returned to that unforgettable moment—when they were disfigured in the underworld of Yomi, losing their beauty and their hope for the future. Yet the boys had stood by them without hesitation, never retreating or showing disgust.

Their eyes had held no fear, only steadfast love, as if to say that appearances were not the entirety of love. The boys had even been willing to give up their chance to return to the human world, choosing instead to stay with the girls forever.

Those vivid memories played again in the minds of the three girls, solidifying their resolve. Momoko, Miyako, and Kaoru silently vowed that no matter what challenges the future might bring, they would face them together with the boys, never again letting them fight alone or carry the burdens of darkness by themselves.

As they stood on the balcony, the night breeze gently brushing against them, the girls reached a deep and unprecedented understanding. Although past misunderstandings and conflicts had once left them uncertain, all of that now seemed insignificant.

In their hearts, they had made a firm decision: no matter what the boys carried, they would become the light that shines for them, walking by their side through every darkness, hand in hand, forever.