Chapter 39: Volume 1 - CH 7.3

The Angel’s Wrath 

Translated by 64990022

Chapter 7: The Angel’s Wrath 

Minato Interlude

My first emotion was desolation. The rumor about me was spread across the school in the matter of days. It was so absurd I couldn’t believe the person in question was really me. What have I done to deserve this? Who? Who did this? I had my doubts and anger.

Every day would be a trial from now on… I noted absently. There was no getting around this, nothing to stop this terrible rumor.

At least, let me steer my best friend Shiho and Io, who saved me, clear from this mess. I could never let these two get involved. I limited my contact with them to bare minimum. I was left alone, but that was for the best.

If I sat at my desk, doing nothing, maybe they would even lose interest in me. Until then, I just have to endure this until then.

This was nothing, I can get through this—

“–Yuzuki-san, that whole affair was wild”

“Wild. Who would have confessed to a boy and then dumped him right away?”

“I heard that it was less than a month! And she came up with another man just as fast. Isn’t that what bitches do?”

It was true. Whatever my moties, it was the truth.

But why?

Why am I grieving so much even though it was the truth? Why did everyone look so chipper? Why am I being targeted like this?

What have I done to deserve this?!

Before I knew it, I was guilty for something I didn’t remember doing.

“I heard she also have an affair”

“Bleh, how could anyone two-time like that?”

“What a waste of Top Three. I feel betrayed, who chose her? Shouldn’t they consider personality too?”

How did the Top Three have anything to do with this? When have I ever betrayed you?

But that was what rumors are.

I had no right to say. No one listened. They believe what they want to, propagate what they find interesting, disregard me all they want.

I heard gossiping voices everywhere at school. It might seem normal to other people, but it hurted my ear. I wanted to cover down, close my ears, but to what end? They won’t stop.

Every time I heard them, it was like small needles picking at my skin, cold, cruel. Tears welled up, every time I managed to stop them was a miracle.

I thought of things to take my mind off the rumor.

The rest of my highschool life couldn’t be much fun now, let’s look back on happy memories…

There weren’t many. It hadn’t been three minutes.

Okay then, about Shiho. She was different from me. She could get along with anyone, yet she still chooses to be there for me, always. When I heard from Io, I had cleared up with her. She got angry, sulked, and cried in relief for me. This time too, she listened and kept her distance.

This time, it went on longer. But it still ended.

Io… 

The next thing I knew, I was thinking about him. How couldn’t I?

Kind, so kind. Maybe too kind. Even after the loss of the girl he loves, he didn’t give up–couldn’t give up. How hard must it be for him to be standing like this. How much strength does it take to help others like me, even if he himself was in pain like that? 

I had lied to him. And yet, he helped me earnestly. He can’t change the past, Ayaha won’t be back no matter how hard he wept, he had said. My past was unchangeable. I was already raised this way, what I did in middle school was already done. The fact that I had dated several boys will never go away.

Change how you face it. It will take time, but that’s okay, he told me. I was happy back then, even though nothing was solved, but it did help. He was right, it’d be okay, everything would turn out fine, in due’s time. 

Still, I’m sorry, Io.

“Yuzukii–”

I don’t think anything will turn out fine anymore.

“Can I borrow you for a minute?” Yamabuki called me out at the school gate.

Oh, it’s her again.

There was a small shrine next to Kuze High, we went to the playground there. It was surrounded by hedges the height of a grown person. A quick look around told me no one would interrupt.  I didn’t think I was in any physical danger, even Yamabuki wouldn’t do anything rash, probably.

A part of me didn’t care. What’s worse than this rumor? Perhaps by being beaten by Yamabuki might get me some sympathy, might make the rumor stop. A part of me hoped it would happen. There was no end to this, at the very least, I should get used to it.

Alas,  her voice lacked her usual arrogance, she seemed subdued, even. “You now understand? Now hand me the Top Three.”

“Huh??”

What?!

“It kinda got out of hand. The point is, you see, step down, and I’ll be fine with it. Hm.”

“What are you talking about…” No guilt, no remorse… this person doesn’t believe she was wrong…

I would be surprised if it wasn’t her, at this point. But what I couldn’t accept was her reason behind it.

“I say there’s no hope for you now. I was waiting for you to fall down naturally, but it seemed that it’d be a hassle that way. See? If you step down, nice and clean, people might forget you, I’ll take that attention from you. Win-win?”

What do you mean by “no hope for you”?

What’s nice and clean?

What’s win-win?

What is this person trying to break a deal with me?

“You did all that… Just for this?”

“I said it got out of hand, didn’t I? I get it, I get it, I went a little overboard, but it’s a mutual thing, half my fault, half yours.”

Wait. Mutual?

“Why?” The audacity! “Just for this?! I…!! Screw you!!!” I screamed until my throat hurt. A wave of dizziness hit me. I can’t take more of this, it was nauseating, driving me insane.

All for such a trivial thing.

Because of this person, my past…

“I hate this…”

What should I do? How? What…?

Aah, Io. Io. 

“Help me…”

“Yaa, can you hear me? People of Kuze High.”

A shadow against the hedge, moving towards her. A voice I had come to get used, pitched lower than usual in an over-the-top manner. The voice of the person I wanted to hear the most, the person I wished he would come.

“Ah…” 

Fixing the little microphone on his lapel, he entered the playground.

“You again?” Yamabuki scowled.

Io quickly put his hand over the microphone. 

Tch, tch, he clicked his tongue. “Be careful, okay? We’re in the middle of a live stream, okay? Let’s not mention each other’s name. Well, you can’t possibly know my name though.”

Yamabuki paused, trying to figure out what he meant. Me too, sagged against something, but I couldn’t care. I might have caught up to what Io was up to in normal circumstances, but now I could only be a mere spectator. 

He took his hand off the mic and spread his arms as if giving a speech.

“Nice to meet you, club people of Kuze High, I suppose the go-home club will have to catch up to this later. No, no, not ‘nice to meet you’– It’s been a while since I have seen some of you. This is the Angel of Kuze High speaking. Hm, thinking back, this is my first time speaking in public, so maybe ‘Nice to meet you’ was proper.”

I looked at the school building peeking from the trees. A moment later, an echo of his speech reached her ears. 

“Either ‘The Angel was real’, or ‘Someone’s faking’, think about this however you want, but let me say my piece. Let me borrow the broadcast room for a moment. Sorry for using a voice changer, but it’s my policy. Also, I am not inside the broadcast room, so there’s no point in going there. Think of this as listening to a radio and resume your club activities.”

He covered the mic again and took a deep breath, once, twice. Sweat beaded his forehead and neck, his knee and fingertips were trembling. He was just as scared.

But if that’s so, why was he doing this?

“Sorry, Minato. I’m late.” He gave me a faint smile.

I should be worrying about him getting caught in this mess too, yet… Yet, maybe if he was here, then everything might turn out fine.

“And on another record, sorry. I should have asked for your permission, but it’s now or never. Get mad at me all you want when this is all over.”

He eyed me apologetically before uncovering the mic.

“To the remaining teachers, I apologize. I know it’s your duty to stop this unauthorized broadcast, but I can’t stop. You might come across Fujimiya Shiho standing guard, she was there on my order, so please refrain from harsh punishments.”

Shiho? Even her…? And standing guard?

“Now, let me tell you a story.” It was, by all means, dramatic indeed. He glanced at me once. “There is a rumor going around Kuze High right now. Yuzuki Minato, a student in the seventh class of the second year, was a bitch who switched men in middle school, and to lay low, she came to Kuse High. I am sure you all have heard that.”

Click. His earlier apology now made sense.

“By my honor as the Angel of Kuze High, I declare the rumor falsehood.”

Yamabuki shifted uncomfortably, but like her, she was lost for words. Interrupting during this broadcast could have never gone well for her, she bit back her retort and watched grudgingly.

“No, the truth was according to the rumor, but the context was completely different. This is what happened: I received a plea from Yuzuki Minato, a special case. It wasn’t a normal love consultation but about how she…liked too many people, and had trouble being single-minded.” Through gritted teeth, he went on, “Of course, it was absurd. ‘Kuze’s Top Three have such problems?’, I wondered. However, she was truly troubled. That was why she tried having relationships with men, to find a way of being single-minded. That was what happened.”

He continued speaking, and with it, more of my secrets came to light. But I found that I didn’t care. This was way better than this twisted rumor. This was the only way. And I knew that he did this because he cared for me.

“But there was no cure for Yuzuki’s Falling-in-love Peculiarity, so she decided to remain single. She decided that as long as she still liked several people at once, she would never date anyone. That’s the truth behind the rumor.”

It was as if I had been freed from a chain I never knew existed. Why did I even keep it a secret? What’s wrong with telling people. Like that, I felt… free.

“She had repented for her past. She regretted what she had done, she had called herself ‘the worst’ and ‘selfish JK’. Well, I thought so too.”

[TN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JK_business ]

…

Shut up, Io. There’s no need for that.

“But she also said that she will get it fixed. She will do anything, anything, to become normal.”

I said that…

And you said you would do anything in your power to help me too.

“Wuzuki and I tried everything. We met up and thought about it over and over. In the end, we got no clue. She even cried when we concluded that there’s no way.”

Ah, he cooked that part up. Bad guy. Hm, although I did cry.

“In the end, she’s still a ‘selfish JK’. However, she won’t answer to any confession and won’t date anyone until she gets rid of her condition. Please understand that she never had the intention to play with anyone’s emotions. To Yuzuki fans out there, confess to her all you want, but you stand no chance.” A smile touched his lips as he loosened himself. A bit.

Idiot, that was unnecessary.

“By the way,” his relaxed posture disappeared as fast as it had come. He eyed Yamabuki dangerously.

“You guys have quite enjoyed that rumor, huh. Have you ever considered her feelings? I know,” he then said softly, “I knew people love rumors. All the more if it was in a bad way. How was it? The unseen face of the school beauty? Hilarious, wasn’t it? Amusing, no? Let’s add some spice, let’s assume, why not? It was the person in question’s fault, you’re delivering justice?”

The earlier whisper rose into a crescendo. His cold rage was overwhelming. How would the students react, I wondered. Even I got goosebumps listening to him.

“I heard it from someone else, if it’s false then it’s not my fault. If it’s true then all the more reason to spread the rumor. She can’t resist, so let’s get a peek. She deserved this, so let her hear when she walked past. It’s fun, isn’t it? Everyone’s doing this. What a pity, but that’s her problem, I don’t care!”

I had been holding back all along, yet…

I thought I had come to terms with this, yet…

“You have fun? After listening to me, is it still fun? You still dare call her a bitch? If you still then I won’t say anything, have fun with your club activities. Do anything you want, I don’t want to waste my time on creatures like you. But if you have any feeling of guilt befitting a proper human being, listen…”

When I saw his face. When I heard his indignant cries…

[TN: Pardon the language.]

“Fuck off!!!!!!!!!!”

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Tears got the better of me. One… two… then a stream of tears.

“She had struggled, had been tormented!! She had been blaming herself for who knows how long!!!! She had suffered more than she deserved to, and when she was about to move on!!!! What was done was done!! There’s a punishment, but it’s not your fucking role!!!! It should be between her and those men she dated, not you!!!! Face the truth!! Live with it!! Never say you didn’t know!! I’ll never let you trample on her feelings ever again!!!!!!!!”

I gasped and blinked repeatedly. 

Against my will, I started whimpering. I can’t stop…

“The past was hers and hers alone!!!! No matter what kind of love it was, it’s not your plaything!!!! Listen with your damn ears, those shits who started this rumor-!!!!” 

Aah, Io…

You’re… You’re truly…

“Don’t sully people’s past and their love with your filthy hands—!!!!”

I wanted to take a good look at you, yet…

Yet the tears blurred your face…

Io! I wanted to scream.

I wanted to cry out.

I wanted to say thank you.

But I just sat there dazedly.

Not yet, the rational part of me said. The mic was still on. Yamabuki was still there.

Io cleared his throat once. “Apologize, I went off track. One last thing,” he inserted quickly, “ if you really wanted a rumor material, then feel free to use me. The Angel is not an urban legend. I am real, and I have always been looking over your love. When you’re troubling with your romances, please expect my helping hand. However, I am not quite good with special cases like Yuzuki this time, so please be gentle with me. And if possible, I would appreciate it if you don’t search for my true identity, that should be the best for both of us.”

Silence. Silence of resignation and determination. It couldn’t be easy for him to come to light like that, but for my sake…

“And those of you I have met in the past, please take care of the remaining Yuzuki rumors. With that, I’ll consider what you owe me even. Please, do me a favor. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

He unceremoniously took off the microphone and shoved it into his pocket.

“Now, Yamabuki,” he said.

She winced. “Heih?!”

“I won’t forgive you, remember that. This isn’t me letting you go–”

“What?! What’s with that cringe speech! Do you even have any proof that I did?!”

Didn’t you just admit earlier? 

She was probab;y rattled by Io, I sighed inwardly.

“Proof? Is there any proof needed? Do you, when you spread this rumor? I have no intention of listening to your excuses, so shut up.” He took a step closer. “Apologize to her. Grovel to her feet. If you ever dare do this again, and I’ll call the mob on you. Wanna headline? ‘Yamabuki, bitch who would do anything for the limelight’? I’ll show you a hell you can’t even imagine, and it won’t end. I’ll personally make sure that the label sticks with you until the day you die.”

Hell…die… I knew it, he’s the devil.

“W-who do you think you are? Whatever with the Angel, but I already know who you are? I’ll make sure the whole school knows!”

“Ahh, that’s badd, pleasee, don’t!” he burst out laughing.

That’s a waste of time, Yamabuki. I tried that once, didn’t work. Not at all.

He clutched his sides and laughed as if it was the most hilarious joke he had ever heard. “Ahaha, you can’t even comprehend how much trouble you’re in if you do that! What an idiot!” Another fit of laughter. He then continued between wheezes, “Hey, idiot, I don’t care, just apologize, will you?” There was a cold menace in his words, it was even more disturbing than plain threats.

“Ugh”

She stared back definitely like a cornered dog, but finally gave in to Io’s pressuring glare. Yamabuki gritted her teeth audibly before she slowly bowed.

“Sorry.”

“Do you think I’d forgive you?”

“Sorry… I overdid it, maybe. I won’t do it again.”

I wiped my cheeks, dabbled the corner of my eyes with the blazer’s sleeve. I leaned closer to yamabuki.

“Da───mn you!!!!”

It seemed that I was another idiot here. But, I see, it felt good, as if a weight was lifted from my shoulders.

Yamabuki stepped back in surprise and her mouth was half open. She looked a bit like an idiot, as Io would say.

Io sniffled approvingly and joined, “Well, I have one more bad news for you.” He sucked in a breath. “Even Minato fell from Kuze’s Top Three, it won’t be you who got promoted! Please, know your place!! You probably ranked last in Plus Four!!”

“Ngh!!”

Yamabuki’s mouth worked silently, stunned. Her shoulders shook and her cheeks turned bright red. Her lips parted and she cried out, “T-tch! I-I am not! You two…!! You’re the idiot here—!!” Tears and makeup smudged her face. Seemingly unable to think of a better retort, Yamabuki ran away.

“Remember the headline! Don’t try anything silly!!” Io shouted after her.

“Io…”

“Finally over, I suppose.” he gave me a tired grin.

Seeing his lopsided smile, my heart skipped a beat. When was the last time I met him? Days? A week? It seemed like ages.

“Otsukare, you did great.”

Yeah, that’s right. I had been holding back ever since then. I…!!

“Waaaaaaaaaaahhhh───── !!!!!!”

Sorry. Thank you, Io. Io. Io. Io!

“Ow! Minato! You’re strangling me! Don’t bury your face in my chest! Ahh…!!”

“Why did you come here! Why?! Why risk your identity! Why did you use all the favors for me! Why is Shiho even there! Why?! Why did you go to such length… for me…!”

“Oi, oi, don’t ask me all at once. Today was a test run, just checking the broadcasting. Saw you going somewhere with Yamabuki, so I moved up the schedule. I don’t have the manpower, so I asked Fujimiya.”

“O-oh…”

“Sorry, I told your secret to the entire school. But that’s the only way to counter the rumors. You weren’t responding to my calls, so I got the ok from Fujimiya… not that it excuses my actions. You can get angry all you want now, I’m sorry.”

“I know… but what you did. I can’t blame you. And your secret…?”

“I’m fine. I’ve taken precautions. Even if it manages to slip, then I’ll just hole up in my house,” he assured, “I have everything planned out.”

“But! You don’t need to…”

“Didn’t I say I’d help you? I’m fine.”

My heart squeezed. Somehow, my arms decided to hold on to him tighter.

“Besides, I need something with as much impact as Kuze’s Top Three. A speech from Angel was my only card strong enough to counter it. Like it or not, you’re damn popular.” Ahaha, he laughed smugly. “Actually, the favor my consultants owe me, I can’t find a better way of using them anyway. I told you, right? There’s a lot who owed it to me out there,” he said amusedly. 

His secrets, the favors he saved up until now… all for me.

He really is an idiot, huh? And–

“Anyway, this should settle things down. So… cheer up.”

“Yeah… Yep.”

Maybe I might not be able to cheer up now, but at least I felt relieved. I can’t be sure if anyone would actually listen to him, but as long as he is here, maybe everything will turn out just fine.

This person–Io, would surely see me to the end.

“Andd… When will you be letting me go?”

“…”

“Hey!”

“I-I’m still crying.” 

“I have a handkerchief” 

“I don’t want you to see me crying”

“What a pity. I wanted to see a beauty’s crying face again.”

“Idiot.”

“I think both of us overused that word today.”

“Io?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you, really.”

“Yeah.”

He put a hand on my back and began patting. With his motions, more tears came. I buried deeper into his chest and continued sobbing.

How embarrassing it would have been, if someone saw us like this, I wondered.

Not that I’d pull away from him. Can I stay like this forever?

“Also, Minato.”

“What?”

“I sent you a message sometime before.”

“The day before the rumor?”

“I’ll talk about it, just listen.”

“Is this really the time?”

“It should be good news to you. I’ve been waiting to tell you.”

“With us still hugging?”

“You’re the one clinging to me,” he sighed exasperatedly.

His hot breath fell on my head, my shoulders jumped. 

Since a while ago, my body’s been acting weird.

“I talked with Yukito. He said that there’s another way of fixing the Peculiarity of yours.”

“???” What?

“Uhh… You just have to be…” An awkward pause, “madly in love… with someone.” 

“Mad in love?”

“Yeah… Someone you really, really like, so much that others seem insignificant.”

Really, really like…

“Hmph.”

“Just a speculation. Just so you know there might be an alternative. I get it, being mad in love isn’t something you can do just by thinking. It might be a while until you find the guy, but… let’s keep trying until then.”

“Hahh…” A sigh escaped my lips.

What is this emotion? Why do I feel so happy yet annoyed…

“Hehh, you don’t look so happy. We got a new theory though?”

“That’s not going to work.”

“But, why? The theory itself makes sense, it’s probability is also high too, despite the time it might take.”

“It won’t! We’re done with this theory!”

I could sense his quizzical look even without looking up. “Eh… Okay?”

But, sigh, I’m tired.

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