Chapter 72: Does Supporting the Poor Even Matter?

In my experience, this park doesn’t usually have many visitors. But today, it’s packed to the brim. There are joggers who’ve stopped running, people lingering at the entrance—yep, it’s like a freak show. Within a ten-meter radius of me, it’s completely empty. It’s just like that awkward moment on a crowded train when a weird person gets on.

“You know the type, right? The ones who scream about betrayal at every turn. Most of them are just forcing their ideals onto others, expecting too much, and then getting upset when people don’t live up to those expectations. I think it’s fine to live for others, but expecting others to live for you is presumptuous. That’s why I make a point of not expecting anything from anyone.

But… then a man appeared who shattered my shallow beliefs in an instant. Yeah, I had been bottling up all my repressed desires, and suddenly I started expecting something. Day after day, I fantasized about Sakamoto-san ravaging every single hole in my body—vagina, anus, navel, nose, ears, mouth. I even bottled my love juices, scribbling down every detail of each scenario on the labels. My shelves are lined with these bottles, like a wine cellar filled with my essence.

Sigh… I fully understand that Sakamoto-san never intended to betray me. But still, I can’t help feeling betrayed. I’m sorry… for expecting something from you. And I’m sorry… for forcing you to violate me—even if it was only in my imagination.”

This is terrifying… This person is terrifying…

Sure, there might be perverts out there who collect other people’s body parts, but has anyone ever collected their own bodily fluids? This girl is on another level of messed up.

She’s staggering off somewhere, but where the hell is she going?

And with that big mess all over her, it’s obvious exactly where she’s been. I always thought the word “trail” was meant for something more poetic than this.

Ugh… this looks just like one of those color-filling games that have been popular for the past ten years. If I had to describe it in the worst way possible, it’s like the sauce on a French dish—you know, the kind you drizzle in a pattern on the plate.

Wait—wait, wait! She’s walking into the fountain?!

Even though she’s covered in filth, must she bathe so disgracefully?

“Sakamoto-san! I sincerely apologize for my rude behavior!”

With an apology that no one asked for, she falls into full prostration.

W-Why, of all places, in the middle of a fountain…? The water’s deep enough that she probably can’t breathe…

Wait… is she trying to drown herself?! In a fountain?!

“D-don’t rush things!”

I don’t want to get too close, but this is a life-or-death situation, so I had to start a rescue. If she dies like this, it’ll end up in one of those mysterious death compilation videos. Worst-case scenario, I’ll even be mentioned as an important person of interest.

“Lift your head! I don’t know if you can hear me, but—!”

Her ears are completely submerged. Forget hygiene and the stares of onlookers—just stop! You’re seriously going to die.

“I’m not mad! I never wanted you to grovel! Just lift your face already!”

Even though I’m getting soaked, I forcefully try to pull her head up. Damn, she’s ridiculously strong. I’ve heard stories of drowning children summoning extraordinary strength to pull adults into the water, but I never imagined the reverse was possible. Apparently, there’s even a scenario where someone gathers all their strength just to drown themselves.

Damn it, none of these bystanders are helping at all! Well, if I were in their shoes, I’d probably ignore it too.

“You’re really going to die!”

“Gah…! Cough, cough!”

With my shoes in jeopardy, I step into the fountain and pull her out with all my might. This reminds me of that old children’s book—what was it? Something about everyone pulling on a giant turnip.

My shoes and socks are ruined, soaked in filthy fountain water. But hey, I saved a life, so I guess it’s alright. No, it’s not alright—I was on a date, and now I’ve got this mess to deal with.

“S-Sakamoto-san?! Why… why would you save someone like me…?”

Well, in this situation, no one would just stand by. Even if you’re just a passerby, when it comes to your own life, you help. Of course, I do regret it a little now.

“Just get out quickly. You must not go into the fountain.”

“…Right, isn’t it? Even if my life ends here, it’s a trivial matter—but a public facility, built with taxpayers’ hard-earned money, turning into a ‘haunted’ place is simply unacceptable. I’m sorry… Next time, I’ll take responsibility in my own room…”

That word “responsibility”—wasn’t it given the furigana “jiketsu” (suicide)?

“No, no! A fountain is nothing compared to your life! Please, just stop trying to die!”

Seeing the fountain—with part of its water discolored—made me feel guilty, but all I want is to get away. I need to take this person and leave immediately. I absolutely do NOT want any police involvement.

I don’t even know which laws we’d be breaking or how severe the charges might be. All I care about is escaping. In that desperate moment, as I reached for the hand of this unknown girl, she forcefully shook my hand away.

“P-please, stop that!”

“Wha—what?! What’s with that? Don’t give me the impression that I’m forcefully hitting on you. No one would hit on a filthy, dripping mess like you.”

“Please, don’t be so kind to me any further…”

“Are you kidding me! It’s just self-preservation! Sure, if I could run away by myself, I would—but if you get caught, it’ll drag me down too! Though, even if I run, there’s undeniable evidence of you being a walking mess of filth, and with all these witnesses, I’m pretty sure we’re already screwed.”

“Um, I’m gonna catch a cold, so I need to change clothes quickly…”

“Stop it! Don’t toy with my heart any further! And please, stop acting like you’re my prince! For you it’s nothing like betrayal, but just by being kind, I end up expecting something from Sakamoto-san… Yes, to you it’s merely pity, like giving food to someone on the brink of starvation—pure, unadulterated mercy. You know there’s no ill intent in that… I know, I really do! And yet, I can’t help but expect more! I just can’t believe that people can act solely on goodwill. In this ruthless, zero-sum society, hardly any man helps a woman without ulterior motives! And so… because of that… I end up misunderstanding your kindness as if you desire me as a woman! Even an unattractive woman dreams sometimes! Maybe it’s worse if you let yourself dream on your own, but you’ve got some blame for flaunting it too! You can’t just say, ‘I never meant it that way’ after making a woman think otherwise! Surely, even you, Sakamoto-san, already know: in this country, when a man misinterprets things, he’s ridiculed as ‘It’s your fault for misunderstanding. You’re disgusting. Men always get it wrong,’ but when a woman misinterprets, she’s pitied—‘Poor thing. The state should rescue women like her. Men deserve severe punishment.’ Such is the absurdity of this nation! Now, I’m already cast as the victim… No matter what we think, to the outside world we’re all either perpetrators or victims! Before the law intervenes, get away from me! Don’t make me a victim any further! …Saying all this is useless, isn’t it? You just can’t help but lend a hand to the downtrodden… You simply can’t choose to abandon someone. Even though you know the other person doesn’t want it, you still reach out… No, that’s not it. You understand that beneath these words I’m secretly yearning for kindness, right? …But even then… you won’t guarantee my well-being after helping me, will you? After lending a hand, you let me stand on my own, don’t you? Yes, you’re absolutely right—beyond any doubt. Giving a starving person fish won’t help; what they truly need is to learn how to fish. Supporting impoverished nations or those struggling to survive only prolongs life without truly empowering them. If you don’t help them to the point where they can walk on their own, then there’s no meaning in your assistance. That’s why you’re right… But come on! Someone who relies on others’ support to survive doesn’t even have the strength to walk in the first place! They need help because they can’t walk! They’re ingrained with dependency right down to their bones! And yet, without the resolve to give everything, you help them so carelessly! The more a person is fed by others, the more they become dependent, spoiled, and eventually degenerate… until they end up feeling betrayed for no reason… Once a wild animal, once protected by humans, goes back to the wild, it isn’t as simple as that. Once you pick someone up, you have to take care of them for life. What you’re doing is nothing more than picking up a weak, abandoned dog and, once it recovers, returning it to where it came from. Why… why did you even pick it up?! That isn’t what a good person does… A good person is someone who wants to feel like they’re good… Someone who watches tearjerker movies, sheds tears, and then believes they’ve become warm-hearted. That’s all there is to it. You, too, are just as absurd as I am. Do you really think that merely wearing someone else’s skin makes you human? Even if you wear another’s skin or get your heart pumping, that alone doesn’t make you human. Here! For a person to live as a human, there must be something hot right here!”

Her argument jumps all over the place, making it hard to follow—but just let me comment on the very last part.

I mean, when she says “here,” it would normally refer to the “heart”—I picture someone thumping their chest while saying it. So why on earth is she thumping her nether regions instead? The meaning of “something hot” completely changes. How does a story about human kindness turn into one about base desires? Sure, it might be profound in its own way, but it ultimately comes down to, “Let’s get together!” After all that rambling, the landing spot is just crude.

…Looks like a lot of people are gathering. Am I screwed already…?