I Was Falsely Confessed to and Exposed in Front of Everyone, so I Jumped off the Roof - Chapter 6

I was relieved that Amaha didn’t die. That alone made me feel a little better. But at the same time, I couldn’t stop shaking from how terrifying my own actions had been. The school seemed desperate to cover up the incident, so all of us from the group were ordered to stay home on suspension.

“Is that really all they’re going to do?”

The lawyer apparently hired by Watajima’s family was strong, arguing about children’s rights and protecting us. My parents said that Amaha’s side hadn’t responded at all. It seemed like they were just going to let things fade away. Still, the lawyer said we would probably have to transfer schools.

“There’s no way this is okay.”

Curled up on my bed, I could only groan helplessly. I wanted to do something or anything. So when my parents left for work, I snuck out of the house and went to the hospital where Amaha was staying.

“Can’t I see him?”

“Visits are only allowed for family members. Please leave.”

They turned me away at the entrance. So I sat down in the hospital lobby and waited. After a while, a man walked in.

“I’m Amaha Taichirou. I’d like to visit my nephew.”

He said the name Amaha. Maybe he was Amaha’s father. I gathered my courage and called out to him.

“Um! Are you Amaha-kun’s father?”

The man tilted his head, then suddenly looked like he remembered something.

“You’re from Jose’s school, aren’t you?”

I nodded. His expression twisted with disgust.

“I’m not Jose’s father. I’m his uncle. So, why are you here?”

“I just wanted to know how he’s doing.”

“After everything that happened?”

He glared at me sharply. But I didn’t look away.

“It’s my fault. That’s why.”

“I see. So you’re one of the reasons this happened. In that case, there’s even less reason for you to see him.”

His voice was cold, and it was filled with clear rejection.

“I can’t let someone who drove Jose to try to kill himself see him. Think about what’s right.”

“I never wanted that to happen!”

“But it did!”

He shouted at me, his voice echoing through the hall. But I couldn’t back down.

“I want to see him! I need to see him!”

I ran. I sprinted down the hospital hallway toward Amaha’s room. Somehow, before they caught up, I found him and burst inside.

“Amaha!!”

He was sitting up in bed, his whole body wrapped in bandages. He was staring blankly out the window. I stood in front of him.

“Hey, Amaha. I’m so sorry. But I—”

“Stay away from Jose!”

His uncle appeared behind me with a security guard, and they grabbed me from behind.

“Amaha! Say something! Amaha!”

He just kept staring out the window with empty eyes, like he couldn’t even see me. Even with all the noise, he didn’t react at all.

“Take her out of here!”

The guards and his uncle dragged me toward the exit.

“Did you see what just happened?”

“Amaha didn’t answer me… Why? Why wouldn’t he—”

“Stop thinking only about yourself! You’re the one who broke his heart!”

Those words made my body shake. It was true I had hurt him. But not that much.

“He watched his parents get killed right in front of him in Brazil! And now this mess! Of course, his heart can’t take it!”

I gasped. When I had gone to his house that time, his parents hadn’t just gone out. They were already gone from this world.

“Not just his body. His heart is torn to pieces, too. He doesn’t react to my daughter, my sons, or me. His feelings are dulled. He can’t do anything. It’s pitiful. This isn’t right.”

His uncle was crying.

“I want to do something for those who drove Jose like this. But if he can’t do anything… there’s nothing I can do. I can’t even get revenge.”

I had done something that could never be fixed. I had broken someone. I had broken Amaha. I started to cry without meaning to.

“You have no right to cry!”

His uncle slapped my cheek.

“Get out of here right now! Never show your face in front of Jose again!”

After that, I don’t remember much. I went straight home. The next day, I handed in my letter to leave school. At least I wanted to give something up if it meant I could get closer to Amaha.