My youth story cannot be a knight war

[Even though I already had a vague idea of ​​the answer in my heart.]

[Kousaka Kyosuke raised his bandaged hand in front of his eyes, slowly clenching his fingers into a fist.]

【Click.】

[A red electric current flows through the palm of the hand, illuminating the black pupil for a moment.]

……

【Zaimokuza closed the door but did not leave. Instead, he stood at the door.】

【“…”】

[He raised his right hand, his eyes lowered.]

The hand in front of me has fair skin, slender fingers, and distinct joints. It looks like an artist's hand.

【But at a certain moment, the hand in Zaimokuza's eyes suddenly changed, becoming another form.】

[This palm is covered in crimson blood.]

[After lowering his hand, a figure with a bloody face collapsed before him.]

Even though the figure and the blood on his hands disappeared in the next second, Zaimokuza was very clear about what the illusion just now was.

Even though so many years have passed, Zaimokuza still cannot forget that bloody memory... It was the first time he chose to use his fists to unleash violence simply to hurt others.

[Time has passed, and the feeling I had back then has clearly been buried deep in the depths of time.]

[——But now, he seemed to feel again the hatred and resentment that once filled his chest, burning like a raging fire.]

[Crackling, crackling—]

[Hands dropped to the sides, fingers clenched into fists, making the crisp sound of bones rubbing against each other.]

Zaimokuza's head drooped slightly, his scattered white bangs covering his eyes, but in a trance, a blazing light like flames lit up between the gaps in his hair.

[A door separates the inside and the outside. Two different people raise their hands at this moment for the same reason.]

15. Questions from the Soul (9K)

【"don't want!"】

【Clang! 】

The girl's cries echoed throughout the ward, and the thrown white tray hit the ward door with a crisp sound.

[“Please calm down! We have no ill intentions, this is just a sedative to help you sleep! We just want to help you uh——”]

A balding doctor in a white coat was explaining, sweat pouring down his forehead as he held a needle in one hand. A flying pillow sank directly into his face, and he instinctively stepped back, accidentally hitting his heel on the leg of the bed behind him and nearly falling. Fortunately, the nurse next to him quickly reached out and held him up, preventing this from happening.

"No! I don't want the injection! I don't want to fall asleep like this!"

Still in her school uniform, Hirasawa Yui stood in a corner holding a kettle filled with hot water. Her eyes were red as she glared at the gathered medical staff and shouted at the top of her lungs. As soon as she saw someone approaching, she swung the kettle, causing the scalding water to splash out. The medical staff, fearing burns, had to quickly step back.

"If I fall asleep like this! I'll be like Kazukazu! I'll forget everything when I wake up!!!"

Hirasawa Yui, holding a water bottle, tears streaming down her face, her voice choking with sobs. She looked like a wounded hedgehog with its barbs spread out. One wanted to comfort her, but was afraid of being pricked by the needles. One could only helplessly stand at a distance and offer words of advice, but to little avail.

"Wei, calm down!"

"That's right! Calm down. No one here is going to hurt you. Go back to your normal self!"

"Xiao Wei, don't do this..."

The other three girls from the light music club stood among the medical staff, frantically trying to comfort her, but Hirasawa Yui, completely overcome with emotion, was completely oblivious to anything being said, even by her inseparable friends.

“I don’t want to! It’s the same with He He. She also feels like she just had a dream after sleeping, and nothing happened when she woke up! But, but—”

At this point, the sobbing in Hirasawa Yui's voice became so thick she could no longer hold it back. She suddenly burst into tears, her eyes already red and dry from the seemingly endless tears, just as hoarse and desperate as her voice.

“—She’s dead! It’s the same thing! He He slept like this too, and then she died! Killed by that monster! Right in front of me!”

The girl now no longer had any trace of the carefree Hirasawa Yui she usually was. Her best friend, who she had grown up with, had been brutally taken away before her eyes, yet she was powerless to do anything. She herself had also nearly been killed by the demon. These events, which had occurred in less than a day, had completely crushed her spirit.

On the way to the hospital, she remained as silent as she had been in the villa, until the doctor tried to administer a sedative to calm their exhausted bodies and minds. Seeing the doctor approach with a syringe filled with medicine, Hirasawa Yui was reminded of the deceased Manabe Kazue and the details of her death she had described to herself before her death.

Then, Hirasawa Yui exploded without warning. Rather than saying it was without warning, it was more like the nerves that had been strained since her best friend's death finally snapped at that moment, and the trigger for that snap was the doctor's well-intentioned action.

"Don't come near me! Don't come near me! I don't want to sleep! I don't want to forget!"

The girl's emotions showed no sign of calming down. Instead, they grew increasingly agitated, and she swung the spray with increasing force. The splattering water carved streaks on the floor, forcing people to retreat. The ever-widening area seemed to symbolize the ever-increasing and solidifying barrier that Hirasawa Yui built against the outside world, until fear and despair completely sealed her heart, until she could no longer open it.

【"ah!"】

Akiyama Mio hurriedly dodged a stream of boiling water. Suddenly, she felt someone reach out from behind to support her. She subconsciously turned her head to look.

["Cai, Mr. Caimuzhao..."]

[“…Mio, please step aside first.”]

The person who came was Zaimokuza. He looked at Hirasawa Yui, who was huddled in the corner, hugging the kettle. He gently pushed Akiyama Mio behind him, reached out to separate the medical staff in front of him, and walked towards the tearful girl.

[“Xiao Wei——”]

"Don't come over here!"

Hirasawa Yui didn't seem to calm down at all just because Zaimokuza was the one coming. She looked at the person who had separated from the others and was walking towards her, raising the kettle in her hand with an excited expression.

"Don't come near me! I don't want to hear anything. I don't want to fall asleep!"

【“…”】

[Looking at her like this, Zaimokuza realized that words alone would be useless from now on.]

For those whose emotions are out of control, their brains will enter a quasi-manic state due to the increased blood flow. In this state, not only will their thinking ability be significantly reduced, but they will also become more reliant on their instincts. Their receptiveness to external communication will be minimized, and their rebelliousness will be greatly intensified.

Therefore, the more you try to persuade them at this point, the more likely it is to have the exact opposite effect of your original intention. This is why police negotiators, when trying to persuade an emotionally agitated criminal, will initially back off and not mention anything about trying to get them to surrender. This is because they need to calm the person down enough to hear what they are about to say next. Otherwise, the provoked person might do something unexpected.

In order to avoid irritating Hirasawa Yui and causing her to do something that might hurt herself, Zaimokuza obediently stopped and even took a few steps back, giving her the illusion that he had obeyed her words and soothing Hirasawa Yui's spirit.

As expected, seeing Zaimokuza stop just as he said, Hirasawa Yui's expression calmed down a bit, and she began to lower the kettle she had held high.

Just as she put down the kettle, Zaimokuza's retreating steps suddenly paused, and he quickly rushed towards Hirasawa Yui, who was trying to stand up. His speed was so fast that his figure left only a blurry afterimage in the eyes of others!

Before Hirasawa Yui could react, Zaimokuza snatched the kettle from her tightly grasped hand, then held her shoulders, flipped her over, and hugged her.

[Crack! 】

The kettle fell to the ground with a crisp cracking sound, and the glass fragments and hot water inside spread out in all directions, waking up the people around.

They had no idea what was happening. It felt like a drunken movie. Zaimokuza, who had just been standing a few meters away, suddenly hugged Hirasawa Yui, and the kettle had already shattered.

This included Hirasawa Yui. After Zaimokuza snatched her 'weapon' and embraced her, she froze for a few seconds. Then, realizing what was about to happen, she felt a surge of fear surge from within, impacting her soul.

Zaimokuza's actions at this moment finally broke his already shaky mental defenses, and Hirasawa Yui opened his mouth and let out a terrified scream.

“No—Ugh!!!”

She had barely opened her mouth when Zaimokuza, in order to prevent Hirasawa Yui from going berserk and biting him, quickly stuffed his right wrist into her open mouth, turning the girl's scream into a muffled whimper.

With her mouth gagged, Hirasawa Yui began to frantically wave her arms and struggle. Losing her mind, she clutched at Zaimokuza's gag arm, trying to move it away. Unable to do so, she clenched her jaws tightly and bit down with her teeth, simultaneously kicking with her legs, pushing aside the surrounding tables and beds.

["Yui! Mr. Zaimokuza!"]

"Don't come over here!"

Several girls were horrified by this, and the remaining medical staff, upon seeing Zaimokuza subdue Hirasawa Yui, rushed over to help hold her down, but the force contained in Zaimokuza's low shout stopped them in their tracks, and they could only stare at the scene in dismay.

Zaimokuza's other hand held Hirasawa Yui's twisting body tightly, and he carried her away from the glass fragments and water stains on the floor, then he slowly sat down on the ground.

The girl struggled constantly, her teeth tightening around his wrist as she bit him with increasing force. Her well-maintained, white teeth were like a pair of pliers closing in force, threatening to sever his wrist.

Despite this, Zaimokuza didn't even frown. He just sat on the ground, silently holding the frantic Hirasawa Yui, letting her bite his wrist to vent her anger. He also held her body in place to prevent her from escaping, using this method of confinement to allow her to vent her uncontrolled emotions.

"Zaimokuza-san! Your hand!?"

[Red blood began to flow from Hirasawa Yui's mouth, where she had bitten Zaimokuza, down along her wrist. The others around her cried out in shock, and the girls in the light music club turned their heads away in dismay.]

The medical staff tried to stop Hirasawa Yui from harming Zaimokuza, but he shook his head and refused. He continued to hold the girl, feeling her fear turn into violence and vent it on him.

Perhaps due to a lack of strength, after an unknown amount of time, Zaimokuza felt Hirasawa Yui's initially fierce struggles gradually weaken as time passed. In the end, she clung to the arm that had been blocking her mouth, curling up in Zaimokuza's arms and twitching. A faint sobbing sound could be heard coming from the girl's lowered face.

[“…It’s okay, Xiao Wei.”]

After confirming that Hirasawa Yui's pent-up emotions had been released through this near-emotional shock, Zaimokuza released his grip on her waist and reached out to touch her short, unwashed brown hair, which was a bit messy. He spoke softly.

"You'll be fine. As long as I'm here, you'll be safe."

[“Woo woo woo…”]

As her hair was being stroked, Hirasawa Yui no longer reacted to Zaimokuza's words. Instead, she hugged his arm and sobbed. Her petite body, curled up in his arms, trembled slightly with her sobs. Zaimokuza could clearly feel the touch of cold water dripping onto the skin of his embraced arm, mixing with his own blood and falling to the ground.

[“Xiao Wei, believe me…”]

Zaimokuza gently embraced the crying girl, leaning over like a brother embracing his sister and whispering softly in her ear. Every word was gentle and soft, like a mother's lullaby echoing beside a baby's crib, bringing an involuntary sense of comfort.

"You, and everyone in the light music club, will not die. You don't need to feel any fear, because that will never become a reality."

"I promised, I'll always be watching over you...Xiang Xiaohe."

【“……!”】

[Hearing the name of her deceased best friend suddenly ring in her ears, Hirasawa Yui's body couldn't help but pause, and her red eyes, hidden by her hair, widened several inches.]

"Remember? The day of the school festival?"

[Before she could come to her senses, Zaimokuza continued.]

[“That day, Xiaohe asked me for a favor—”]

……

[“…Hey, Zaimokuza-san.”]

Manabe Kazu suddenly spoke as they stood in the audience with Zaimokuza and Kousaka Kyosuke, watching the light music section perform. She kept her eyes on the stage as she spoke, and her pair of plain glasses perched on the bridge of her nose reflected the brown-haired girl who was singing in the center.

[“Hmm? What’s wrong?”]

Although Manabe Kazu's voice was very soft, Zaimokuza, who was standing next to her, heard it and looked at the girl beside him curiously.

"Can I ask you for a favor?"

Manabe looked at Zaimokuza awkwardly, his gaze evasive as he spoke, his fair cheeks turning slightly red from his gaze.

"Of course it's no problem! Please tell me. As long as it's within my ability, I can help you. Even if you want me to tear down the school and rebuild it with my bare hands, that's fine!"

【“!?”】

Zaimokuza laughed heartily and patted his chest. His words drew a dangerous stare from Kousaka Kyousuke behind him, and also made Manabe burst out laughing.

"Mo~ You're quite humorous, but I don't want the students to be unable to attend classes after summer vacation, so let's forget about this tempting offer."

"I just hope... you can look after Wei and her friends in the club for me."

Manabe Kazu watched Hirasawa Yui singing with all her heart, a gentle smile blooming on his face.

Although Manabe is a beauty even without her glasses, her appearance gives people a very ordinary impression at first glance. It is the kind of beauty that can only be discovered after spending time with her.

[But the smile on Manabe's face at this moment infuriated Zaimokuza, who was used to seeing all kinds of beauties. With a smile on her lips, she looked like a clear river, untouched by a single magazine, or like a night-blooming cereus blooming at dawn. She possessed a gentle and reserved beauty, yet easily caught everyone's attention.]

"She's been a stubborn child since she was little. Once she sets her sights on a goal, she won't turn back until she hits a wall. As a result, she easily gets hurt, and it makes people worry."

"While I don't deny that this is one of her strengths, being too stubborn can easily become a weakness. She needs constant supervision to prevent her from straying from the right path. Therefore, I hope someone will always be there for her on her journey, until she achieves her dreams."

“Before, I was always by her side, so I felt at ease. But sometimes I still can’t help but wonder…”

Manabe placed his right hand gently on his chest, his eyes looking somewhat sad for some reason.

[“…If one day I’m no longer by her side, will she still be able to move forward into the future alone?”]

“Whenever I think about this, I feel uneasy, so I hope there will be someone who can stay by her side when I’m not around and continue to protect her on my behalf.”

"Zaimokuza-san, can you promise me?"

Manabe Kazu turned his gaze from Hirasawa Yui in front of him to Zaimokuza and said with hope in his eyes.

[Patter. 】

【"it hurts!"】

Manabe's response was a sharp thud. As she clutched her forehead and cried out softly in pain, Zaimokuza withdrew his fingers and spoke in a sullen tone.

"Idiot, aren't you right next to Xiao Wei right now? Why are you suddenly saying this to me? Xiao Wei will probably think you don't want her anymore. Believe it or not, if it were her, she would cry right now in front of you."