CH 51

Chapter 51 The Witch's Sweet Whisper

TL: Akabane

TL: Well, in this volume, the story focuses on the relationship between mc and his wife. If I could say, there is a big development between them.

***

GW was already just around the corner. The campus was filled with a somewhat buoyant atmosphere. Most students are looking forward to participating in the new camps of their clubs and club activities. Or they go home to their parents' houses, or travel with their girlfriends.... Is that why? Igarashi is not coming to campus. Is she busy preparing for her trip with Hagiri? Or....

"Is it because of me...?"

At that moment, it felt good to have my insinuous desires fulfilled. That's not a lie. Because in the previous world, I couldn't put myself out of my misery after all.

"I'm like elementary school kid. I want to grow up..."

If I had been an adult, I wouldn't have gone back in time. If I was an adult, everything would have been fine. After all, even if I had been able to drown my sorrows with Igarashi at that moment, it wouldn't have prevented her from going on a trip and becoming a couple.

"Will the future be the same... let's prove it."

I'm pretty burned out right now, to say the least. The touch with Kirin-san has helped me heal and regain my composure, but the wounds of my past are still lingering. I have a theory. This world is actually a parallel world that is extremely similar to the past! That's what I'm thinking. I wish that were the case. Then that Igarashi would be a complete stranger to me, a different girl who looked exactly like her. I hope so. If so, I can spend the rest of my life with my new acquaintances in a funny way. I'll just avoid Hagiri, and if he crosses the line, I'll deal with him.... There is no problem.

"I borrowed a lot of money with all of my assets as collateral, and I made a little manipulation on the shares of a major subcontractor of that nice big company......and then...."

The company I borrowed money from is a major subcontractor that distributes parts to world-class automakers. To be honest, this company's stock is considered a cheap stock. The daily price volatility is low and growth is strong. It is a stock to be held as a long-term asset rather than for day trading. That's the place to aim. I turn on the TV. A certain commotion is about to happen...it should. If this world is the past, the incident will happen today. I remember it well. It was a shock to me as a student that there is no such thing as trust in this world.

--- "This is a breaking news! I just heard that the world's leading automaker..."

The announcer reads out the newly arrived manuscript with a surprised look on his face.

--- "It has been discovered that data has been falsified on a part of the steering wheel of a new car that was released just last year! The manufacturer has explained that it is not something that could affect performance and there is no safety issue, but they have decided to recall all cars!"

"Short sale from recall!!!!"

Recalls due to falsified data on some of the parts delivered by subcontractors happened in the world before. I remember that news well. The announcer's face, the transcript of what he was saying, everything was exactly as I remembered it. I looked at the stock chart on my computer. The stock prices were plummeting like a waterfall. Then, I manipulated the screen. Basically, when a stock goes up, you sell it and make a profit from the difference. However, there is a way to make a profit when the price goes down. That is what people call short selling. I executed this short sale with all the money I had earned from my knowledge of the future and the money I borrowed using it as collateral. To be honest, I was desperate. So I was willing to go broke. I did it with that in mind. If the short sale failed, this world would not be the past I knew, but a parallel world. In other words, that Igarashi was a stranger. On the other hand, if it goes well, this world is my own previous world that I know. In other words, that Igarashi is....

"That Igarashi is my past itself..."

I don't know whether to be sad or happy. The screen showed the amount of money I had gained. The amount is a whopping two billion and a little over tens of millions. Even if half of it is taken away by taxes, there will probably be a billion left over. If I were a normal person, this would buy me the best life. But... But my heart is not cleared. That Igarashi... She was supposed to be my wife.

"I can't believe she's go traveling with a flirtatious guy. What the hell is that? Is she going to sleep with me again even though it's in the past? That's impossible! I'm too much of a cuckold, aren't I? Haha, that's hilarious!"

All I could get out was a dry laugh. It was too ridiculous for me to do.

"But that Igarashi is not a stranger...she's a past wife I don't know...then...I have to fulfill my responsibility..."

Now Igarashi is being targeted by someone. Hagiri doesn't know. I'm the only one who knows who did it. The fact that he hasn't thrown away the pills and still has them means he's planning to do more. In the previous world, Hagiri probably beat him lightly. But in this world, I am the only one who knows.

"I have to protect her. I have to fulfill my responsibility. I couldn't get a divorce after all. So this... is my last responsibility as a husband..."

I don't want to repeat that ending, that's why I'm afraid to approach her. The only memory of being loved is in me, and I'm so lonely. But if there is something I can do, I will do it. I go through the closet and fill the trunk with the things I need to sanction the culprit. The day after tomorrow, the new camp begins. I will at least eliminate the danger that looms over her. That's what I've decided.

[Ririse's POV]

Before going on the trip, I went to see my friend in the hospital. I had heard that she was going to have to undergo surgery because of her recent illness, but she seemed to be in better health than I had expected. So I left the hospital room immediately, thinking there was nothing to worry about. I was only there for a short while, but I'm sure she was happy inside because I put on my cheerleading costume and cheered for her. I'm not proud of it, but I'm pretty. Beautiful. Everyone says I'm beautiful. But I hate looking in the mirror. I see the face of the woman I used to be. I see her smiling with a carefree smile on her face. I hate her, and yet she is smiling. I hate my empty self that can only be optimistic. I come to the entrance, which is decorated with a luxurious chandelier with a full-blown taste for luxury. I decide to sit on the sofa and wait for Chusho to come and pick me up. It seems that this is one of the richest hospitals in Tokyo. The hospital rooms look like a luxurious five-star hotel, and the nurses are all cute girls. It might be a good idea to stay here for a long time. It's a perfect place to stay. The days are just easy and comfortable, and you just wait and wait and wait. It must be boring and peaceful. They won't make you cry like I did.

"I told you it was different..."

I told Tokiwa many times that he was wrong, but he wouldn't listen to me. Why wouldn't he listen to me?

"Why did I want to talk to him...it's useless anyway."

The raffle the other night was wonderful. I won the lottery for the first time in my life. So I wanted to do all kinds of firsts with this person. I hold tightly the amulet that contains the 500 yen coin I won that day. That kiss on the cheek was no joke. It was a real kiss. He was showing them that she belongs to him, without worrying about the eyes of the men around them. That somehow shook my heart. Tokiwa and I are strangers anyway. We don't walk together by each other anymore. What is it?

"You're right. I'm lied..."

Does Tokiwa want me? Does he want me? The way he looks at me is different from other guys. I'm used to men looking at me in a naughty way. I'm not a child, so I know that my body is acceptable to men. All girls get used to that kind of look and grow up. It's normal. But Tokiwa's eyes are different. He is usually aloof. He looks kindly at the girls around him. Sometimes he looks kindly at me too. Sometimes he looks at me with very rough eyes. I am perplexed. But something shakes. I can't help but shake and shake. Do I want it? Do I?

"Eh? Are you Hollywood-kun's girls by any chance?"

I heard a woman's sweet voice. I looked up and saw a nurse standing beside me. On her chest was a nameplate that read "Kida Ringo." She was a beautiful adult woman with loose, pretty-looking brown hair. Or rather, I know her. Because this person is....

"Are you the one who was taken home by Tokiwa?"

I think we both looked terribly delicate. Yesterday, this person and I exchanged a few glances. The person who had an apologetic, yet somewhat happy, look on her face and her cheeks were red. I'm sure they had sex after that. Was it fun? Did it feel good? I wonder what it felt like. I wonder what it's like to be a man...no, I wonder what it's like to be Tokiwa...

"Ahaha... Umm...the one who was about to be taken home...ahaha."

"Didn't you do something naughty after that?"

The nurse's loose-fitting sister smiles delicately.

"Oh no. I just wasn't in that kind of mood... haha."

When I heard that, I felt my cheeks relax in wonder.

"He was shy after all, that Tokiwa?"

"Eh? Shy? Hollywood-kun is?"

"He is shy. He's always like that. I'm trying to be nice to him, but he's always pouting."

"I see. That Hollywood-kun, heh..."

The sister looks impressed.

"Hey, umm..."

"My name is Ririse Igarashi."

"Ririse, did you make up with him after that?"

I looked down at her words. I wanted to be friends with him until Golden Week. But there are only cracks between us. I shake my head.

"I see. You know what? I don't think you guys should really keep this to yourselves. Hollywood-kun, he was very concerned about you."

"That's not true... If he cared about me, I don't think he would have kissed you."

"Nah. He kissed me because he cares about you terribly. Because he knows you would be hurt by it."

I think that's terrible. I didn't do anything terrible to him. I did say some things that were tinged with excuses. I couldn't be around Tokiwa enough to do something terrible to him.

"Is that because he don't like me...? If that's the case, there's no point in making up with him..."

"That's not true. The fact that you are hurt means that you care deeply and profoundly about that person. He's a lonely, twisted son of a b*tch. He thinks that's the only way he can get your attention."

The nurse lady patted my head gently.

"You and he are still children, and the only way you can get to know each other is by hurting each other. But you know what? If you have scars, it means that the other person was there for you. If the scars are still tingling, it means that you can't forget them. So it's not too late. ...Hey, why don't you jump in? You should throw away those shoes and run."

The sister looks at my heels. Yesterday I couldn't catch up with Tokiwa because of my heels. And yet I still wear heels.

"Heels make a girl's feet look beautiful, but they are a weight that makes it impossible to catch up with your significant other when it matters. Girls do it all the time. They dress themselves up and become heavy, and because of that, they get lost and left behind by their significant others. Expose yourself. Don't be pretentious. He's naïve, but I'm sure he'll take you in."

Throwing away the glass slipper, Cinderella ran away from the prince. Who did she meet on her way there? The nurse lady took her hand off my head.

"It's not too late for you guys. You can still make it, you just have to try a little bit harder. It may be embarrassing, but I'm sure there will be something sparkling ahead."

The smiling nurse lady was very beautiful. She knows that sparkling thing. I want to see it too.

"...Thank you. I'm going to go for a little run."

"Yeah. Go for it."

I bowed and walked out. I left the hospital before Chusho came to pick me up and called her right away.

"Tomoe? Do you have a minute now? I have a favor to ask you..."

Let's shake off the prince and go see that man.

I was getting ready to go when suddenly Kirin-san called me.

||  "Hollywood-kun. I don't care if you're embarrassed, just make up with that girl properly! Or rather, shame on you!"

"Eh...yeah? But..."

||  "Shut up! I don't care! I don't care what it is! Anything is fine! Anything is okay as long as you're around! That's all I want! I don't care if you're selfish! You should come! Think of their feelings, not their convenience, and hold them close to you! Otherwise, I'll make you a hole brother! See you later! Let's have fun by having sex this time! Chuuu!"

The phone rang with the sound of kissing, and the call was easily disconnected. The other party's convenience. Igarashi's convenience is already set. And yet, thinking about the other party's feelings...?

"But come to think of it, we haven't talked after all..."

I remember her phone number. How could I forget it?

"I wonder what selfishness is. I'm not... being... selfish to Ririse..."

Cough, selfish. That's the only word that has stuck with me for a long time. And Igarashi's feelings. That is something that future knowledge doesn't have. That's why I have to know. About Ririse Igarashi, whom I don't know yet.