I Was Blackmailed Into Accepting Bullying Using My Childhood Friend as Leverage, But When I Found Out My Friend and Bully Were Together, I Abandoned All Compassion and Swore to Take Revenge with Everything I Had - Chapter 49: Junka Fudo - Extra Edition: Awakened Talent and Those Touched by Hatred (Part 1/2)

Chapter 49: Junka Fudo – Extra Edition: Awakened Talent and Those Touched by Hatred (Part 1/2)

I received a sudden call from the hospital, informing me that my sister had collapsed. I rushed over in a taxi.

“Nee-san! What happened to you!?”

When I hurried into the hospital room, I found my sister lying in bed, with my nephew Kenichi by her side.

“Ah, Junka… I’m sorry. I know you just started your new job and things must be hectic for you…”

“Don’t worry about work! What happened to you, Nee-san? You were so full of energy before…”

“…”

While my sister slept under the influence of medication, I turned to ask my nephew.

“Hey, where’s your dad? Hasn’t he come yet?”

“No… he’s on a business trip to Tohoku, and he said he can’t come back right away…”

“I see… And what about you, Kenichi? Your mom’s in the hospital now, but what’s the plan? I heard your dad’s parents passed away, so there’s no one there.”

“Yeah… for now, we’ll figure things out once Dad gets here. There’s a childhood friend in the neighborhood, and her parents are really kind, so even though it’s a bit of a burden, I think they’ll help us out.”

“I see… well, if you ever need anything, just let Aunt Junka know, okay?”

“Yeah, thanks, Auntie…”

“Kenichi? Auntie? Did you just call me ‘Auntie’?” I teased, tugging on both of his cheeks playfully.

“O-ow, ow… s-sorry, sorry, Junka-san!”

“That’s right, call me Junka-san! I won’t allow you to call me ‘Auntie.'”

We both chuckled softly, and after a bit, since visiting hours were over, I took Kenichi home in a taxi before heading back myself.

The next day, I went to work and immediately went to apologize to my boss, Chief Editor Kanamori, for leaving so suddenly the previous day.

“Chief, I apologize for leaving early yesterday without notice…”

“Oh, it’s about your sister, right? How is she doing?”

“She still needs more tests to know for sure… It looks like she’ll be in the hospital for a while. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

This baldy… Every time I bow, he’s just staring at my chest. I see you, you perverted old geezer!

I really don’t like this boss, Kanamori. In fact, I hate him. Ever since I transferred here, he’s been constantly touching me and persistently inviting me out for meals.

“I need to cook dinner for my family.” “I have to pick up my kid from tennis.” “My husband’s picking me up today.”

No matter what excuses I come up with to refuse, he always comes back with more invitations after a while. This was the company I had admired for so long, and I finally made it into the editorial department, so quitting isn’t an option.

Even when I ran into my sister that time in town, Kanamori was being overly persistent, inviting me to “take a break.” I was so grateful she showed up then.

And now, here I am at the hospital.

The doctor handed me my sister’s diagnosis—Drug Dependence—and as I watched her sleep under the effects of the medication, I couldn’t stop thinking…

“Nee-san… drug dependence? Why… Why would my serious, responsible sister get involved with drugs…”

My mind went blank that day, and I didn’t even realize I had left my bag in her hospital room. By the time I got home, it was already past visiting hours, so I couldn’t go back to get it. The next morning, before going to work, I asked the nurse to retrieve it for me.

That day at work, Kanamori was more annoying than ever. “Fudo-san, you must be stressed with everything going on with your sister. How about I treat you to lunch?” “Why not take a break and go out for drinks sometime?”

This guy! Does he not understand this is the last thing I need right now?! “I’m sorry, I’m really busy at the moment. Excuse me!”

I felt hesitant to ask my sister about the drug dependence while she was suffering, but I steeled myself and brought up the diagnosis.

“Nee-san… the diagnosis… Drug Dependence, Organ Damage from Drug Side Effects… What does ‘drug dependence’ mean?”

My sister averted her gaze from me.

“…I’m sorry,” she muttered quietly.

“Apologizing to me doesn’t help. How are we going to explain this to Taichi-san and Kenichi?”

Surprised by my words, she grabbed my sleeve in a panic, pleading silently.

“!? Junka! Please… don’t tell my husband or Kenichi… I’m begging you…”

“Nee-san… I can keep it from Kenichi, but we have to tell Taichi-san. We need the diagnosis for the insurance claims and hospital paperwork…”

“…Well… I don’t think my husband will ask about it… Could you handle the paperwork, Junka?”

“Sis, are you sure that’s…” “…”

“Alright… but if Taichi-san asks, I’ll have to tell him the truth. I’ll hold onto the diagnosis until then, and I’ll take care of the paperwork. If the insurance agent is still the same, I know who to contact.”

“Thank you… And please, take care of Kenichi…”

“No way, Nee-san! You can’t just give up like that! You have to get better!”

“Yes… you’re right… I’ll do my best…”

Not long after, my sister lost the ability to speak, and she passed away peacefully in her sleep. Just as she predicted, her husband never asked about her condition, not even once.

When it came time to deal with the insurance and other matters, I made sure to handle everything without presenting the diagnosis, as revealing her drug dependence could have tarnished her reputation.

“Alright, dear, Sumie, I’m heading out.”

“Okay, I’ll come pick you up later, so give me a call… ” “Bye, Mom! Say hi to Aunt Youka for me…”

In truth, my husband and Sumie were both planning to attend the funeral and had taken time off for bereavement leave. However, my brother-in-law refused their attendance, so I had no choice but to ask them to stay home.

The funeral was simple, with no flowers around my sister’s picture. The service ended quickly, and Kenichi and I were driven to the crematorium in a car provided by the ceremony hall. My brother-in-law drove there in his own car.

At the crematorium, a staff woman double-checked the items in the coffin and handed anything that couldn’t be cremated to Kenichi. I silently gazed at my sister’s peaceful face as she lay there.

(Why… Why would someone as serious and honest as Nee-san get involved with drugs…)

With a loud clunk, my brother-in-law pushed the button, and the red light came on, signaling the start of the cremation.

As Kenichi sobbed and trembled, I held him close. Memories of my sister from our childhood, her tearful message at her wedding, and her many gentle smiles came flooding back, and I couldn’t stop my own tears from falling.

I sat down on a sofa in the waiting room and must have drifted off to sleep.

“Junka-san… Junka-san… wake up…” Someone gently shook me awake.

“They said… M-Mom will be ready soon…”

Together with Kenichi, we followed the staff and were guided to the area where we would gather the ashes.

“Kenichi? Where’s your father?” 

“He said he had something to do and left… but he said he’d be back by the time it finishes. I think he’ll be back soon.”

And then, in front of us, my sister’s bones, now reduced to fragments, were carefully scattered on a tray.

“Um, I’m terribly sorry, but we have other families waiting, so…”

I called my brother-in-law. “Taichi-san, where are you? We’re running out of time.”

“Oh, sorry Junka-san, I won’t be able to make it back in time. Could you and Kenichi finish it up for me?”

“What?! You’re not even coming to pick up your wife’s remains? Are you serious? I want nothing to do with someone as heartless as you ever again!”

I angrily hung up the phone and gave a small, apologetic smile to the staff and Kenichi before continuing with the task of collecting my sister’s remains. I explained to Kenichi that I would take some of her ashes as keepsakes, and he agreed.

In the end, my brother-in-law never returned.

“Kenichi… My husband is here to pick me up. Should I take you home?”

Kenichi, holding his mother’s remains tightly, stared at them and quietly replied.

“No, thank you, Junka-san… I’ll wait here for my dad.”

I couldn’t say anything more. “Kenichi, you must be tired… Rest well when you get home, okay?”

With that, I carefully wrapped my sister’s ashes and held them close to my chest as I walked toward the car where my husband and Sumie were waiting.

“Was it okay to leave Kenichi there?”

“Yeah…”

“I see… let’s go then.”

Sumie pressed her face against the car window, watching Kenichi intently.

“Sumie? What’s wrong?” 

“Kenichi-kun… I… I just…” She muttered something, but from where I was sitting, I couldn’t see her face.

Looking back, I realize that even at that moment, Sumie was already beginning to feel something for Kenichi…