A Brother's Sacrifice

Every student in the class was analysing the situation that Ryusaki, Miyake and Kinoshita was in. The unfazed Kinoshita, who was being grabbed by the collar, was still looking at Miyake and thought something.

"Are you ignoring me!?"

Interrupting his thoughts, Ryusaki was getting more hostile towards Kinoshita. Kinoshita finally looked at his aggressor coldly9. Looking at Ryusaki, Kinoshita murmured,

"What did you find in this guy that I don't have? What made you love him, Miyake?"

"Did you say something to me? Talk to me loudly so that I can hear your apology clearly!"

Kinoshita put his hands on both Ryusaki's wrists and turned them around, which was very painful for Ryusaki. He let go of Kinoshita's collar and backed away to where Miyake was.

"Don't you ever dare put your filthy hands on me again."

Ryusaki, who was overwhelmed by Kinoshita, started to sweat a little bit. Miyake got closer to Ryusaki to check on him. The scene of Miyake helping Ryusaki was helping Kinoshita's heart to be filled with dark feelings.

It was an inevitable thing. Sooner or later, Kinoshita would've found out about their true feelings for each other.

"You've really changed Kinoshita. What have Kaburagi done to you!"

I felt a chill down ran down my spine when all gazes fell upon me. Miyake was blaming me for the cause of the change in Kinoshita's behaviour. I didn't say anything to Miyake, instead, it was Kinoshita who replied to her.

"We are friends, true friends. It's obvious that he helped me in my difficult times."

"That's not 'helping', that's 'manipulating'! You are being manipulated Kinoshita! Don't you understand!?"

"Aren't you misunderstanding something here Miyake?"

"No I'm not! You are the one who is misunderstanding something here! You're being blinded by Kaburagi's and Fujimoto's shadow! You are being used!"

Miyake's desperate voice was echoing throughout the class. Kinoshita backed away a little when hearing that angry, yet saddening voice.

"Let me say it one more. Did you really faked those moments when you consoled me? Was this friendship all an act from the start?"

Kinoshita was pondering on Miyake's question. He was wavering and thinking about why was he doing all of this. He was mentally confused about this uncertainty that has been created in his head by Miyake.

Now that Kinoshita thought about it, he really wanted to be friends with Miyake and perhaps, she was his first love. It was due to me that this is all happening.

The next thing Kinoshita felt was a hand grabbing his shoulder lightly. A small voice that only Kinoshita could hear, was flowing into his ears.

"Don't get swayed by this girl's tantrums. Your goal is to become strong. For whom? I don't need to say it, right?"

Kinoshita felt like that was the devil's whisper. It was an order but for Kinoshita, it was the guidance that would let him reach his goal for his family's sake.

His confusion was cleared and he returned to his calm state. He answered Miyake's question, which was an attempt to save Kinoshita from me.

"No matter what you say, my heart will not falter from your silly tries to make me stop on my path of becoming strong."

Kinoshita turned his backs towards Ryusaki and Miyake. Facing us, he said his final words to Miyake.

"It's pointless Miyake. I've already changed and, I won't change my mind that easily."

He approached me and glanced at me. I saw his face which was trying to hide his true feelings. He was trying to act as if he wasn't concerned at all in this matter.

He still has little feelings for Miyake, which he is trying to hide from me. I can see through Kinoshita so easily like glass. Nevertheless, that little feeling that he has will soon fade away from his heart.

Ryusaki and Miyake were hostile to Kinoshita now. They would be more alerted and careful when Kinoshita is near them. Ryusaki will be more conscious of Kinoshita so as to protect Miyake from him. But little does he know that this was my intention from the very start.

When Ryusaki is concentrated on only Kinoshita for dangers, he may be stabbed from the back by someone else that he didn't expect.

"Listen to me Miyake. From now on, don't go near that arrogant piece of shit. Alright?"

"But you should also be aware of those two."

"Don't worry about them, just be careful around Kinoshita. Do as I say and you won't be hurt. Trust me."

"...Okay."

Just as I expected. They both were trapped nicely like two butterflies stuck in a spider web. Then, I will proceed to devour those two butterflies.

...

After that last push, it was finally time to bring those two together, by making each other know their true feelings.

But before we could take any action, we have to first inform Hitomi Ayame about it. That's why me, Aki and Kinoshita were heading to the rooftop. It was the place where I and Hitomi decided to talk about this issue.

We were just waiting for her when suddenly, as always, she came to us like a superior being. We three seemed like we were just her henchmen.

"We are already near the end of fulfilling the request you asked. Now as we agreed on, can we have our token of gratitude?"

"Didn't I tell you that you would get it after the job is done?"

"Well, you can consider it done already."

"Hoo..., are you that confident in yourself? If you are, then you don't mind if we make a small bet."

She was trying to tease me with her little games. Maybe because she hates delinquents that she is doing this bet.

"May I ask what is the bet?"

"So you do have good manners. I would not have expected that from sc.u.ms."

"...It's because I once was...a good person before becoming a sc.u.m."

"What?"

Hitomi Ayame was stunned a bit. But I ignored her and continued to listen to her bet.

"Anyway, what's the bet?"

"W-Well, if you succeed in the job I'll give you an extra 20,000¥. But if you fail, you have to return the 30,000¥ that I will give you. Not only that, you'll owe me another 10,000¥. How about it?"

Aki intervened when she heard about the bet.

"Hold on a second! We know that 10,000¥ is just a small amount for you, but for us, it's different. Where would we get that kind of amount!?"

"That's not my problem. You could refuse the deal if you want. But it all depends on Kaburagi's shoulder."

Wait a second! In the end, I'm the one who will decide this? 10,000¥ is certainly a huge amount but, I want to show this girl that I'm not afraid of her taunts.

"Deal. Now give us the 30,000¥."

"Wait Tenma. You shouldn't be hasty."

"I know what I'm doing. Besides, I want to show this lady here that I have the skills to do any work given to me quickly."

"Then you'll be the only one who will give her the 10,000¥ if we fail. I didn't want to get involved in your little bet and I still won't."

Kinoshita stood beside me and said.

"Me too Kaburagi. You're the one who agreed and you yourself will compensate. We didn't agree on this bet so it's all you."

My two precious pawns abandoned me without hesitation. Well, I won't blame them for that and I also don't want them to lose trust in me when I fail.

But I can't go back on my words. I will definitely finish this job without fault since I'm a man who would won't go back on his words.

"Oh I forgot, Kinoshita, can you do one last thing for me for today?"