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 27: Visiting Hayami-san

Chapter 27: Visiting Hayami-san

In the residential area at dusk, as the streetlights began to turn on one by one, I stood in front of Hayami-san’s house.

The cake box in my hands trembled slightly.

It was Hayami-san’s favorite, as Reiko had told me: a strawberry shortcake.

The strawberries, carefully arranged by the pastry chef, shone like jewels in the evening sun.

The Hayami residence stood out even in this quiet neighborhood for its unique charm.

Lights were on in every room except one on the second floor.

That must be Hayami-san’s room.

I hesitated many times before reaching for the intercom.

But I had to press it.

To bring back Hayami-san’s smile.

“Yes, this is Hayami.”

A young girl’s voice came through the intercom.

It was probably her younger sister.

“This is Sato. I’m Hayami Ryoko’s classmate…”

“Oh! Are you my sister’s friend?”

Her voice was cheerful, but there was a hint of worry in it.

She must be concerned about her sister’s well-being.

When the door opened, a cute girl who resembled Ryoko stood there.

She had black hair in twin tails.

Unlike her sister, the volleyball ace, she had a somewhat innocent aura.

“Big sister, your friend is here!”

There was a faint sound from the stairs.

Slowly, very carefully, footsteps descended.

There was none of the usual lightness of the volleyball ace in those steps.

“Sato-kun…?”

Hayami-san’s voice lacked its usual brightness.

It wasn’t the voice of the ace who led everyone at school.

It was trembling, almost fearful.

“I brought a cake.”

I held out the box of shortcake.

“Eh…?”

“Strawberry shortcake. I heard it’s your favorite.”

“Reiko… told you?”

I nodded slightly.

For a moment, Hayami-san’s eyes seemed to glisten.

“Hinata, make some tea.”

“Yes!”

I heard her younger sister running to the kitchen.

During that time, Hayami-san kept her eyes on the floor.

“Hayami-san.”

I spoke slowly.

“I have something to talk to you about. Preferably… just the two of us.”

“Eh…”

“It’s important.”

Hinatas returned from the kitchen, looking up at her sister with concern.

She must have noticed something was wrong with her sister these past few days.

“I’ll talk to him in my room.”

“Okay… I understand.”

Her younger sister’s voice was filled with gentle concern.

We headed up the stairs to Hayami-san’s room.

Each step echoed heavily.

What should I say?

Where should I start?

Hayami-san’s room was fitting for a volleyball ace.

The walls were adorned with medals and trophies.

But perhaps they now felt like a burden to her.

“Sit down.”

Hayami-san pointed to the bed.

I sat in the chair she offered.

“Hayami-san… first, I need to apologize.”

“Eh…?”

“I have… a special ability.”

I began to explain slowly.

I told her about my ability to see the past when I touch objects.

I explained how I gained this ability in an accident six months ago.

“You might not believe me. But…”

“Ability…?”

Hayami-san’s voice trembled.

“My ability… it’s hard to believe, right?”

Seeing her anxious expression, I looked around the room.

I used my ability on the bed to learn about her life.

“For example… in this closet.”

“Eh…?”

“On the third shelf, to the right. Under the volleyball uniform, there’s a pink vibrator, right?”

A secret that even her family didn’t know.

A secret that only Hayami-san would know.

Her face turned bright red.

“This morning, you were studying at that desk while… relaxing down there. Sitting on the floor, around 7:15.”

“Wait…”

“Last night, before going to bed, in this bed…”

“Stop! I believe you! I believe you!”

Hayami-san hurriedly stopped me.

Her face was bright red.

“Don’t… be so detailed…”

“Sorry. But this is my ability.”

Hayami-san covered her face with her hands and nodded slightly.

I hoped she would believe me now.

“Please… don’t tell anyone.”

“Of course.”

I would keep the secret of the pink vibrator, just as I would keep all her secrets.

That’s how I build trust.

“Shirogane-san and Sakurai-san were worried… so they asked me to help.”

“No way…”

“I’m sorry. I… I saw Hayami-san’s shoulder bag…”

My words caught in my throat.

Hayami-san’s face paled rapidly.

“You… saw?”

Her voice was small, her lips trembling.

“Everything… that Sagara and the others did?”

I nodded silently.

Large tears fell from Hayami-san’s eyes.

“Please… don’t tell anyone.”

She slumped forward, her shoulders shaking.

“Not even Akita… please, no one…”

“Of course. I haven’t told anyone.”

“Not even Reiko and Misaki?”

“I haven’t told them the details. It’s your privacy, Hayami-san.”

Her shoulders stopped shaking slightly.

“And… Hayami-san…”

“Yes…?”

“I’ve deleted all the data from Sagara and the others.”

“Eh?”

“Including the backups. Everything.”

Hayami-san’s eyes widened.

“How…?”

“Well… I convinced them in ways beyond words.”

“Beyond words…?”

“You might have heard the rumors… I convinced them with physical language.”

Her eyes fell on the scars on my arms and the bruise on my cheek.

She took a small breath.

“Sato-kun… for me…”

“It’s okay. These will heal quickly.”

At my words, Hayami-san covered her face with her hands.

Her shoulders shook, and I heard soft sobs.

“It’s over now. No one will hurt you anymore, Hayami-san.”

“But… they might… again…”

“I’ve also arranged for regular meetings with Sagara and the others.”

I continued calmly.

“Once a month. A rehabilitation program… to keep an eye on them.”

Hayami-san wiped her tears.

“Are you… sure?”

“Yes. They’re genuinely remorseful.”

I paused for a moment before continuing.

“Actually… I used my ability to confirm it. I touched their belongings.”

“Eh…”

“They seem to have truly reformed. In fact… they’re terrified.”

Hayami-san’s eyes met mine.

“Sato-kun… why… to this extent…”

“Because…”

I hesitated.

Why had I gone this far?

It was because I couldn’t ignore Hayami-san’s tears.

But there was something more.

“I wanted to see your smile again, Hayami-san.”

I answered directly.

“You’re the volleyball team’s ace. Everyone admires you. But more than that… you’re you, Hayami-san.”

“And…”

I looked out the window.

The evening sky was painted in orange.

“Because of them, you’ve been skipping practice. Your teammates are worried.”

Hayami-san’s gaze fell on the uniform hanging on the wall.

The number 4, the ace number.

“Can I… go back to volleyball…”

“You can. Everyone’s waiting for you.”

“But…”

“No one will hurt you anymore. I promise.”

From outside the window, I heard the voices of students returning from club activities.

The usual after-school scene.

And soon, Hayami-san’s presence would return to it.

“Sato-kun… thank you.”

These tears were different.

Not from fear, not from sadness.

Tears of liberation and hope.

“Shall we eat the cake?”

Hinatas’ voice came from downstairs.

“Big sister! The tea’s getting cold!”

Hayami-san’s lips curved slightly.

A small but genuine smile.

This was a new beginning.

The day of Hayami-san’s true liberation.

I stood up quietly and headed for the door.

“Satou-kun.”

I turned around.

Hayami-san was smiling gently.

“See you… at school.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

As I left the Hayami residence, bathed in the evening sun,

I made a vow in my heart.

To protect this smile, always.