CH 29

Arc-2 Chapter-11: What is Yui's Endgame?

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A few days later, Yui and Akari decided to carry out their revenge plan.

"Akari, don't be scared. If we miss this, we won't have another chance."

Yui is staking out the area near the office she used to work at. On her phone talking to Akari.

"I know what I'm doing. And I'm not scared by any means. I'm prepared for this."

"I hope so."

After ending the call, Yui checked her email. She received a reply from the manager saying, "I understand." She had informed the manager that she would be taking a day off because she was feeling sick.

"Hurry up, Yoshikawa, Takamine-san...!"

Yui directed her attention to her hand. There was a beaker filled with sulfuric acid. It was something she had procured from a customer who said he taught science at a junior high school.

Yui's plan was to pour it over Yukiho's face. It would leave an permanent scar on her face.

If that happens, it will cause Daikichi the greatest amount of despair. He would regret till the day he died that he had hurt Yukiho by his own foolishness.

That's why she went after Yukiho. Yui is the type of person who doesn't directly attack someone she doesn't like. She knows that it hurts them more to break their precious things.

The success rate of the sulfuric acid attack is 50-50. No, the probability of failure is probably higher.

But she didn't care. Because Akari is standing by as the second arrow.

Rather, it is Akari who is the real deal.

"We know you're coming to the office..."

Yui's agency always required her to show up at the office once a month. This one time has a fixed date and time depending on the talent, and is rarely changed.

Yui had the same date as Daikichi and Yukiho. In addition, she knew about their work.

So she had no doubt that they would show up.

"There they are!"

As planned, Daikichi appeared. He took a cab and is alone.

Shortly after, Yukiho arrived in the manager's car. Thankfully, she was standing in front of the office talking with Daikichi.

"I got you!"

Yui quickly tried to jump out. But at that moment, someone grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Let's leave it at that."

When she turned around, she saw a black suit belonging to the office. It was the president, Kirishima, in the black suit who spoke up.

"Don't do anything that would diminish your value."

"How dare you, the one who brought my value down to rock bottom, say...that!"

Yui glared at Kirishima. The sulfuric acid was confiscated.

After exhaling heavily, Yui smiled.

"President, how did you know what I was thinking?"

"We've known each other since you were in elementary school. I know your personality. Of course, I knew that you've been fooling around with men."

"Then why did you sacrifice me?"

"Because it would have made Daikichi more valuable. Besides, if we didn't deal with it like that, it could have turned into a big deal sooner or later."

"Big deal?"

"You may not have a problem with it, but Daikichi could have gone under from guilt over Yukiho. That's something we absolutely had to avoid."

"What is the reason why the president is so devoted to Yoshikawa? He's just a bonus for Takamine-san after all. Whether it's the uninhabited island program or any other program, it's only because of Takamine-san's presence that we are able to get the viewership numbers. Isn't that right?"

"You don't know anything, do you? Daikichi is not the kind of person who can settle for that. He's the only man who made Takamine Yukiho want to quit her job to be with him, even though she never showed interest in any man and was always the ideal idol. Because of him, Yukiho is able to rise to the top. It's true that Daikichi is just a bonus in every show. But it's Daikichi who makes Yukiho perform so well. If Daikichi goes down, so will Yukiho."

❄All I see is red lines informing me of typos...❄

"Indeed....."

"Do you understand what I'm saying so far? If I can save Daikichi by sacrificing you, I'll gladly abandon you. I like you, but I don't put my personal feelings into my work. The entertainment industry is a world of the weak and the strong, and I can't let a crack show."

"That's....."

Yui exhaled heavily again and changed the subject.

"You asked the manager to inform you when I am absent, didn't you?"

"That's what I'm talking about."

"The president really is a sharp guy."

After saying that, Yui gave a horrified smile.

"But this time I surpassed you!"

"What? What does that mean?"

Yui shouted as she looked up to the heavens.

"Do it, Akari! We've got the obstacle under control! No one can stop us now!"

Yui had foreseen Kirishima's move. She thought that this man would be able to anticipate her actions and stop her.

However, it is impossible to stop Akari. Her existence is irregular and unpredictable. That's why she left the finishing blow to Akari.

"Burn it all to the ground! Akari!"

Akari's task is arson. She spreads the gasoline around the office and sets it on fire.

Then Daikichi, Yukiho, and everyone else would die. Perhaps even Akari would get involved and die, but it didn't matter. In fact, I envy her for being able to kill herself in addition to getting rid of her grudge.

If Akari succeeds in her mission, I'll die too, Yui thought. That was her resolve.

"........................"

However, nothing happened.

"Akari! What are you doing! Hurry up!"

Yui shouts. The men in black hurriedly ran to the door. However, Akari does not come out of the place where she is supposed to be lying down.

"Akariiiiiii!"

No matter how much Yui shouted, Akari did not come out.

--Akari had escaped. At the last minute, she became afraid of dying. She became even more scared when she saw that Yui had been captured by the guys in black.

There were other reasons for her escape.

In the first place, she didn't want Daikichi to die. She thought that if she could get rid of Yukiho, Daikichi would come back to her. If she killed him, she would not be able to get back together with Daikichi. But if she set fire to the office, Daikichi would be dead.

That was the crucial difference between Akari and Yui. All Shuri wants is to get rid of Yukiho, and she wants Daikichi to be safe. Yui, on the other hand, didn't mind if both of them disappeared. The interests that had been aligned turned into disagreements as the plan was made to be extreme.

As a result, Akari fled.

"You coward! You're a scaredy-cat! Shame on you! B❄tch!"

Yui screamed. No onlookers gathered, probably because of the location. Due to the distance, Daikichi and Yukiho didn't even notice.

"I guess it's over."

Kirishima's cold words echoed.

The man in black returned.

Yui remembered the story of the suicide bomber.

--The first ones to die were the ones who were prepared.

Compared to herself, Akari wasn't prepared enough.

"'Damn it! I knew I should have done it myself!"

At first, Yui had planned to carry out the Akari's task herself. However, when she volunteered, Yui changed her mind. She thought that she would have a high failure rate because her face was so well known. That thought was exactly the wrong one.

"Ngu..."

A handkerchief was placed over Yui's mouth. A chemical had been applied to the handkerchief.

"Still... I... is..." ❄「まだ……わたし……は……」❄

Yui's consciousness was cut off.

Kirishima called another man in black and arranged for a black van. He threw Yui into it and ordered the driver, a young man in black, to take her to a mental institution.

"Take her to the Mondainai Mental Institution. I'll make sure everything is ready."

"Yes, sir."

The van quietly left the scene.

❄

--A few months later. In a private patient room at Mondainai Mental institution.

"Banjo Yui-san, is everything alright today?"

The director of the hospital, Dr.Mondainai, came to make his rounds.

"Uh, doctor, no problem today."

Yui said as she looked out the window with empty eyes. There was no spirit in her words or expression.

"Really, no problem?"

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it, doctor?"

Dr. Mondainai left the room.

"It's a really nice day. It's so nice and warm and sunny. I'd love to be out on location on a day like this. I can't wait for the next shoot to start."

Yui smiles as she says this.

The hospital room is in the basement and outside the window is a stone wall, yet...

She was blinded to reality by deep despair and dubious psychiatric drugs.