When I Was Presumed Dead, They Became Unhinged Unknowingly - Chapter 15

“Speaking of which… do you know what Sakura, Misuzu, and Mika are doing these days?”

“…Don’t mention the other woman’s name. It’s just me and Satoru right now, right?”

“I’m sorry. But I’m worried. So could you please tell me?”

“……it can’t be helped. But when you’re done listening, kiss me as an apology. Of course, I’d appreciate it if you could do more than that.”

Back to Kyoka’s mansion.

After that, Satoru managed to calm the two of them down and promised Kyoka that he would live here in her house. 

And when I begged her to let me be alone with Shouko today, she said “Tomorrow I’m taking the day off school and we’ll be together the whole day. I’ll never leave alone. And definitely don’t have sex. And if you do, I won’t forgive you,” with a glare. 

“But since I didn’t want anything to do with those women, I don’t know much about them.”

“That’s fine. Just tell me what you know.”

“Alright.”

The words that were spit out of Sachiko’s mouth were a betrayal to Satoru’s expectations.

“It seems that the student council president is no longer the student council president that everyone could rely on. It’s said she goes to school every day with a dead look on her face. 

Mika never even came to school in the first place. Rumor has it that she might be dead. 

That voice actress hardly comes to school and works all the time, and rumor has it that she has collapsed and is hospitalized. 

Karen is…….I don’t know? Maybe she still believes that Saotru is alive. She follows me around all the time. But I’ve heard from people that she cries in empty classrooms after school.” 

Satoru looked up to the heavens and somehow managed to swallow the words coming out of Shouko’s mouth. I didn’t expect it to be that bad.

I regretted my naive assumptions. The girls, who looked okay on the outside, were actually in a pretty bad state of mind just because I couldn’t see it.

I can’t believe the girls are like that without me..

….What should I do? A sense of responsibility to go see these girls right now comes to me, but I don’t think I can do that when I think of Kyoka.

But I have to ask somehow. For sure. I don’t want to see any more people die in front of me, Satoru decided.

But now, it has gotten very late into the night. I stroked Shouko’s head and kissed her apologetically, thinking that the only way to tell Kyoka would be tomorrow.

“Shouko. …..what if you hadn’t known that I was alive, what would you have done?” 

“…….it’s painful to even think about, but maybe I would have become like them. No, probably even worse than that? I would have wanted to die.”

“……I’m sorry.” 

Shouko made eye contact with Satoru, kissed him lightly, and said

“Don’t do anything like this anymore. Don’t suddenly disappear from my life. Don’t abandon me.” 

“…….sorry.” 

“If Satoru is sorry, then it’s alright, I forgive you. But from now on, I won’t let you go. It was also my fault for not monitoring Satoru properly.”

Shouko’s eyes looked serious, glistening and somehow darkening, so much so that it seemed as if she might follow me around for the rest of my life.

Satoru was troubled, thinking about what the other 3 were doing, hearing what Shouko said, however, since I had sown the seeds, I have to take responsibility and do something about it. 

“It’s about time for me to go to bed. It’s getting late.”

“……not yet. Until I’m satisfied we’ll kiss, and then while hugging sleep.” 

After that, Satoru was kissed for about an hour, and after washing his sticky body, he went to bed, but he was kissed again while sleeping, so he didn’t go to sleep until 3 in the morning. 

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

The next morning, after having breakfast, Shouko lingered for a long time before leaving Satoru and Kyoka’s mansion.

“Now then, my sweet time with Satoru was stolen by that vixen, so I’ll have to make up for that time.” 

“Please be gentle with me.”

From then on, Kyoka clung to Satoru as if to say she would never let go, occasionally kissing him while looking at him passionately.

Satoru was half thinking about Kyoka and half about the girls.

“…….Satoru, weren’t you thinking about someone else besides me just now?”

“Ah ha ha”

Kyoka looked at Satoru with a stern gaze and said so.

“Girls immediately know what you’re thinking when you say that, you know? …….in the first place, why are you even thinking about them? And yesterday,  from the sound of it,  there are more than just her, right?”

“……..correct. I guess there are 4 more than Shouko.” 

“…Satoru is a real womanizer. You’ll get stabbed one day for sure. But, of course I won’t let that happen.” 

“Ah ha ha, I do my best to try to avoid that.” 

Satoru, unable to deny it, had no choice but to laugh in return.

“Kyoka, I uh”

“……No. Never” 

“But I haven’t said anything yet” 

Satoru chuckled uncontrollably, but he couldn’t give in, so he finished what he started to say.

“In any way, you want to go to those girls right?”

“…..yes. I’m worried about them. Helplessly.” 

“Satoru… are you still dragging your past along with you? You have already worked hard enough. You saved me, and saved other women. The rest is up to each of us, isn’t it? Though these words are from a parasite on you.”

“Even so. Forgive me. I’ll probably have to live with the past for a long time to come.”

Kyoka sighed heavily at Satoru’s serious face.

“….I guess, it can’t be helped. Honestly, I’d rather die than let Satoru out of this house, but fine. Things like this may happen in the future.”

“…Thank you.”

“But, promise me this. To come home every day, no matter how late. You must reply to my texts. After that, to hug me everyday. Also to kiss me, and….”

Satoru succeeded in obtaining permission to leave the house, although many conditions were attached.