I, Who Acquired the Ability to Read Memories, Am Being Swallowed by Darkness - While I Should Be Protecting Beautiful Girls, I Am Being Drawn into Darkness Each Time I Use My Power, Yet for Some Reason, My Harem of Beautiful Girls Keeps Growing - Chapter 16: The Secret Relationship Deepens

Chapter 16: The Secret Relationship Deepens

The next day, after school, in the back of the library.

Our secret meeting place.

“I broke up with Shirota-sensei…”

Shirogane’s voice was surprisingly calm.

“Really!?”

Sakurai-san was about to raise her voice, but she quickly suppressed it.

“Yeah. As I expected, he tried to threaten me with the data he had been storing.”

“With the data?”

“Yes… but it seems there was no such data.”

A small smile of victory appeared on Shirogane’s lips.

“By now, Sensei… must be in a state of panic.”

I listened silently to their exchange.

What was happening in Shirota’s study was not hard to imagine.

The data was gone, and there was no backup to be found, so he must be in a state of panic.

But that data was a double-edged sword.

It could certainly punish Shirota.

But at the same time, it would expose the wounds of the victims.

The HDD in my possession.

This must never be shown to anyone.

Not to the police, not to the media.

Above all… to protect Shirogane.

“But how…”

Sakurai-san looked at me.

“Sato-kun, why didn’t you tell me?”

A hint of sadness floated in her eyes.

“It was dangerous. You’ve already done enough, Sakurai-san. I don’t want you to push yourself any further.”

“But…”

“Also, if it didn’t go well… it might have been even worse than last time, and…”

I continued, choosing my words carefully.

“I was afraid that an irreparable crack would form in your friendship with Shirogane.”

“Sato-kun…”

“There’s something else I want to report.”

Shirogane, with a slightly tense expression, spoke up.

“I… I’m dating Ryuuji-kun now.”

“Eh?”

Sakurai-san’s voice rose.

“But, me and…”

“You’re dating both Hayashi-kun and me, right?”

Sakurai-san took a breath at my words.

“It’s the same. If anyone tried to monopolize someone, everyone would be unhappy.”

“But, Shirogane-san… is that okay?”

Sakurai-san’s voice was heavily tinged with concern for her best friend.

“Yeah.”

Shirogane nodded quietly.

“I think only Ryuuji-kun can accept me as I am.”

Sakurai-san seemed to understand the meaning behind those words.

The relationship with Shirota.

The existence of the data.

And the emotional scars.

“I understand.”

“This is a secret from everyone.”

I added.

“For all of us to have a more enjoyable school life.”

Shirogane and Sakurai-san nodded.

“Shirogane-san… there’s something I want to tell you about this whole thing.”

“Eh?”

“The truth about this incident and… my ability.”

I began to tell everything.

“I have… the ability to see the past when I touch something.”

Shirogane’s eyes widened.

“Since the car accident six months ago. Suddenly, this power emerged…”

The memory of the flute.

Shirota’s notebook.

Misae’s notebook.

I explained the truth of the mystery one by one.

“That’s why… I was able to get Misae-san’s cooperation.”

“Shirota-sensei’s… wife?”

“Yes. She also has a lot of secrets…”

I also talked about my negotiations with Misae.

However, I kept the current relationship a secret.

That was my own secret.

“It was also thanks to Misae that we were able to delete the data.”

“Really… such…”

Shirogane’s expression was complex.

“I wanted to tell you everything, Shirogane-san. I didn’t want to create any secrets as we went forward.”

“Ryuuji-kun…”

“So, I also told you about my ability. This power will surely be useful to protect you.”

“But, my appearance like that…”

“Memories can’t be erased. But new memories can overwrite them.”

I gently touched Shirogane’s hand.

It was warm.

There was a sense of being alive.

“I… I want to know more about Ryuuji-kun.”

“Yeah. I also want to know more about you.”

“Call me Reiko…”

“Then, Reiko…”

In that moment of changing names, a new relationship began.

Sakurai-san watched that with a slightly complex expression.

But she must also understand that this was the best situation.

Thus, our secret relationship,

Grew deeper and stronger.

We may not have been able to avenge Jota.

But at least we were able to protect the important people.

That was enough.

Surely, many things would happen from now on.

But I had this mysterious ability,

And above all, I had friends who could keep secrets together.

That was my new daily life.

Twisted, but certain happiness.

In the library where the sun was setting,

We were taking a new step forward.