Chapter 298 - The birthmark on your left b.u.t.t cheek

"I won't use your name," Kawamoto Ren tells her stubbornly.

"I guess you are dumber than you look." Yamashina Chiyo sighs. "I don't care anymore. You can call me anything you want."

"Can I call you a cold heartless witch?" He glares at her. Whenever he recalls how she insulted Nina, he wants to choke her throat. Her face is always the same. There's no guilt in her eyes. At the same moment, her reddened face pops up in his mind. The way she m.o.a.n.e.d and writhed under him… Ren shakes his head and widens his eyes. What the hell? Brain, don't think about such things. Wipe it! 

"I don't care." She shrugs. It's clear that he doesn't like her. Though she has expected it already, she feels like needles are stabbing her heart. Standing between what she considers right and what he thinks is right, she finds herself surrounded by some bothersome emotions that threaten to sting her eyes with tears. Chiyo gets into the car and closes her eyes. 

Maybe she's anxious over nothing. It's definitely a result of overworking. Should she take a vacation? A hot spring bath will be nice.

Ren grimaces at the car. Did she ignore him? How is he going to his best friend's house if she starts living there? 

Iori already knows. How long will it take before Rie finds out? He's going to be teased to death. Ren exhales. Why did he get drunk and mistake her his waifu? He shouldn't have taken that wine from the Kamiyama house.

He regrets it from the bottom of his heart.

***

"It's not right to stay together before we get married." Iori furrows her brows. "I can live in my family's place."

"My family is also going to be your family." Takeshi tells her, "And we can just get married."

"You want to skip the dating part." 

"We have known each other for a long time." He pauses for a moment. "I even know about the birthmark on your left b.u.t.t cheek."

She's at a loss for the words. Does her left b.u.t.t cheek have a birthmark? She hasn't checked her b.u.t.t out in the mirror -- certainly not n.a.k.e.d. Iori asks him sternly, "How do you know that?"

"We had a bath together when we were five." Takeshi rubs his nose. "Haru was there too."

"Haru also knows that I have a birthmark on my left b.u.t.t cheek…" Iori trails off, turning pale with each word.

"I doubt it. He didn't pay attention."

"..." Iori stares hard at Takeshi. Haru didn't pay attention but he did? Was he always a pervert?

"Remember how you started crying because you didn't have an extra finger between your legs." Takeshi chuckles. "Your mother tried to placate you but you wouldn't stop crying."

She remembers that day. They were playing together at Takeshi's home. Her mother was also there. Haru had spilt something over them and they were wet. They needed to take a bath. "Why do you even remember that?"

"I am curious how that birthmark looks now." Takeshi gives her a wide smile. "I want to see it soon."

Does this guy have a sense of urgency? It seems like he doesn't care about keeping minimal shame. Iori kicks his shin in frustration while her cheeks flame up. "Stop talking nonsense."

"Don't go to your parents' house." Takeshi places his hands on her shoulders and bends down his head. "If you go, it will be awkward for your sister to live with us."

"Fine." Iori doesn't like the idea but then, she realizes that living with the Kamiyama family isn't a bad idea. They are certainly hiding something and she needs to know what is happening. "Did you find out what happened to Senpai?"

Takeshi has been trying to distract her from this, but it seems that it won't work anymore. Iori isn't the type who would forget about her work. "Take a deep breath first."

An ominous feeling grows in her c.h.e.s.t. She has a feeling about what he might say next. However, she hopes that she's wrong. Iori takes a deep breath. "Tell me."

"He was found hanged in his office," Takeshi says to her. "The police are there and investigating the scene. If I find out anything, I will tell you. But I don't think that you should go to your parents' house. Stay with us until we are sure what is happening. Tell me everything that you did with Shusui Sawano."

People are still talking about the fire. A few journalists are taking her and Takeshi's picture. Iori imagines the headlines of tomorrow's newspaper. There will be a mention of the fire -- a short article that will not mention the names of the victims. Then, it's over. News like this is published once in a while. 

Somewhere in the gossip columns, Takeshi's photo will be published along with hers. Maybe they will blur their faces, but it will be obvious. She had done those things once when she was in another city, pressurised by her seniors. That's where she met Sawano Shusui. He had been more than a friend to her -- a mentor, a voice of reason, and someone who supported her even when he knew that it would get dangerous; and it had taken his life. He's gone.

A teardrop rolls down on her left cheek. 

Takeshi doesn't know how close she and Sawano Shusui had been. The raw pain in her eyes stings him. He's slightly envious that she would cry like this for another male, but he pushes the feeling away. The feeling of envy has nothing to do with love. He knows her well: Iori cares deeply for her friends. 

He pulls her in his arms in silence, listening to her soft sobs. A sad sigh escapes his lips. He loves this woman and no one can replace her in his life. She's part of his existence. When she wasn't in his life, he had felt hollow in the past. He doesn't want to feel the same emptiness again. 

His brother has to answer what is going on. Whatever is happening, it is seizing everyone around them into dreadful darkness.