Returnee from Another World - Chapter 76: Crocodile Tears

Chapter 76: Crocodile Tears

At that moment, I felt a puzzle piece click into place in my mind.

I had no proof, but I was probably on the right path. That tear Kyouka Amasawa shed—I was destined to see it, no matter how hard I fought. My guess that the circumstances leading up to it didn’t matter must be correct. It wasn’t Akuzawa Hitoshi with her, nor did Kyouka eagerly accept another man’s cock in front of me. Considering the whole sequence, that final tear must have been the key.

But even if that’s true, I don’t think just any tear would do. The cause of her tear—her emotional state—likely matters too. If it didn’t, a tear from yawning would suffice, and it can’t be that simple. Still, there’s nothing more I can do now.

It’s still unclear what exactly influences this, and no one’s going to hand me the answers. If this didn’t work, scheming further would be pointless. If it fails, my only option is to quietly eliminate whoever touches Kyouka and reclaim her. Constantly watching her to prevent some unpredictable event is impossible. But just standing by and doing nothing feels wrong too—I’d probably end up intervening anyway. For now, I trust my gut that Kyouka’s issue is resolved. Or maybe I just want to believe it is.

The only thing left is the cleanup. It’s fine if Kyouka isn’t fully convinced. Since I forced this scene, some unnaturalness is unavoidable. As long as she somewhat accepts the script where Higuchi Yukari, as Sabaf, cancels her debt and sets her free, that’s enough.

“So?” I said, turning to Yukari with a defiant tone.

The act continued. We hadn’t scripted every line, but Yukari and I had agreed on the general flow. I couldn’t reveal my secrets to Kyouka, so we had to force a scenario where Sabaf gives up on her.

“What do you mean? Are you saying you won’t give up on Kyouka-san, Kaburaki-kun?” Yukari asked.

“Obviously. Kyouka’s my precious girlfriend. I have zero intention of breaking up,” I said.

“Even though she’s doing this behind your back?” Yukari pressed.

“Even an idiot could see there’s a deeper reason. She didn’t tell me because she didn’t want to burden me. I like to think I understand her pretty well,” I said.

“Shuu-kun…” Kyouka whispered.

Understand her? What a joke. In my memory, I ran away like a coward without hearing her out. I have no right to claim I understand her. Back then, I was just a high schooler with no ties to yakuza, unable to process the surreal reality of that moment. I can’t know what I felt back then, but this isn’t just about my ego. I had to keep deceiving Kyouka for her sake.

“I see. But no matter the reason, she’s still betraying you. Even if it’s with another woman, we’ve been intimate,” Yukari said.

“So what? I’ve got my own secrets from Kyouka, and I’ve slept with other women too. A few lies or secrets? Most people have them,” I said.

“You call this a few lies?” Yukari asked.

“Yeah. If Kyouka didn’t do this willingly, it’s a trivial issue to me. Besides, why should I care what some nobody like you says?” I said.

“Can’t you tell? I’m Kyouka-san’s lover,” Yukari said.

“If you’re forcing her, you’re not her lover,” I said.

I spat out words I didn’t mean. A boyfriend who’s unfazed by jealousy is the opposite of me, but I had to play the part. Showing even a hint of shock would only hurt Kyouka more.

“Why do you assume it’s forced? You don’t know how we ended up like this, do you?” Yukari said.

“I can guess. You called her to a fancy hotel like this—you must be loaded. And since Kyouka couldn’t talk to me, it’s probably about money,” I said.

“How dull. You’re oddly mature, Kaburaki-kun. You love Kyouka-san, don’t you? Yet you seem awfully calm. Or maybe you’re just playing it cool,” Yukari said.

Her words hit a nerve. She was probably just acting, but it’s natural for Sabaf to comment on my lack of reaction to my girlfriend’s betrayal. Still, I know my time in that other world twisted me. Her pointing it out stung.

“Fine. As you guessed, Kyouka-san is burdened with a huge debt,” Yukari said.

“Debt?” I asked.

“Yes. She’s such a foolish girl, taking on her parents’ debt. To pay it off, she’s reluctantly become my mistress,” Yukari said.

That was probably Yukari’s honest opinion. It’s harsh, but even I, who orchestrated this, feel the same. Kyouka’s love for her family is clear, but it’s not a smart choice. She should’ve cut ties with her father, Katsuji Amasawa, back then.

“How much is the debt?” I asked.

“Eight million yen. Though I didn’t pay it myself,” Yukari said.

“Eight million…” I repeated.

“That’s not something a student like you can handle, is it? It’s the same for Kyouka-san, which is why she’s doing this,” Yukari said.

“Can’t you wait a few years for repayment?” I asked.

“Are you planning to take it on yourself? That’s impossible,” Yukari said.

“Then why call me here?” I asked.

“Heh, to have you and Kyouka-san have sex in front of me,” Yukari said.

“What?” I said.

“You want to help with her debt, right? Then perform for me. I’d pay good money for that show,” Yukari said.

Her words genuinely shocked me—they weren’t part of the plan. I’d given Yukari some leeway with the dialogue, but this would only torment Kyouka further. What was she thinking?

“You’re joking,” I said.

“No. Honestly, I hoped you’d run away. But you didn’t, so I changed my mind. If you won’t leave, I’ll watch a lovers’ sex show instead,” Yukari said.

“You’re making us a spectacle?” I asked.

“Just penetration, no need to finish inside. In exchange, I’ll cancel the 8-million-yen debt,” Yukari said.

“Are you serious?” I asked.

“Yes. Don’t you think Kyouka-san’s virginity is worth 8 million yen? What about you, Kyouka-san? You’re fine giving your first time to Kaburaki-kun, right?” Yukari said.

“N-No, Shuu-kun has nothing to do with this…” Kyouka stammered.

Kyouka’s face paled, her eyes wide with shock. [Anxiety]’s purple and [Anguish]’s gray swirled around her. But faintly, traces of [Lust]’s pink and [Expectation]’s yellow appeared too.