Chapter 4: The Reconciliation of Childhood Friends

──Endou’s Perspective──

The evening park is quiet, a faint breeze stirring the leaves as I sit on a bench, reviewing the progress of my plan. The soccer club’s teamwork lies in tatters, fractured by the wedge I’ve driven deep. All that remains is to watch it crumble. Mitsuta, Kondou’s closest ally in the club, is now isolated, and soon, word of that incriminating photo will reach Kondou’s ears. When it does, the sting of betrayal from someone he trusted most should unravel him.

If Kondou’s bond with Amada Miyuki falls apart, he’ll be utterly alone.

This is my strategy—to plunge him into the same despair Aono endured. Compared to what Aono Eiji suffered—betrayed by his childhood friend, framed for a crime, and shunned at school—my own pain is trivial. That’s why I’ll strip Kondou of every connection, just as he did to my friend. And when he’s isolated, he’ll likely confront the mastermind behind it all. I’ll unearth the root of this evil and crush them alongside him.

After that, I’ll face any punishment. If it means dragging them into hell, no price is too steep.

“Yo, Endou! We’ve been running into each other a lot lately, huh?”

Imai’s voice jolts me from my thoughts. He stands before me, catching his breath, dressed in loose jogging clothes. Despite the September heat, he looks unfazed—classic Imai, excelling in academics and athletics alike.

“Just taking a walk,” I reply. “You out for a stamina run? Though, isn’t today a day off?”

“Yeah, had some stuff to handle, so I skipped practice.” He flashes a bright smile, but there’s a flicker of something else in it—concern. “Don’t push yourself too hard, Endou. If something’s up, you can always talk to me.”

His words carry a subtle weight. Imai’s sharp, proactive, and running into him today, of all days, feels like a misstep. I set the scheme in motion within the soccer club, and he might’ve caught a whiff of it. But he’s not the type to snitch, and it feels like he’s deliberately looking the other way, respecting my silence.

“What’s that about? It’s just a walk. Aren’t you overthinking it? I’m still recovering, you know.”

I force a laugh, though guilt pricks at me.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He chuckles, but his tone shifts, softer now. “What I’m about to say is just a worrywart rambling, so let it slide, okay?”

His kindness nearly cracks the cold mask I’ve worn as an avenger. I nod, smiling to keep the facade intact.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, Endou. I can tell something’s going on, but it feels like something I shouldn’t pry into. Still, don’t throw yourself away so easily. Whatever you’re aiming for, it seems like it involves sacrificing yourself. Don’t say something sad like self-sacrifice is your way of repaying Aono.”

His words strike deep, my pulse quickening, breath catching. “What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“Right? Just me talking to myself.” He smiles gently. “But as your friend, I want to keep hanging out with you, Endou. I want you to keep smiling. I bet Eiji feels the same. If you get hurt, he’d probably be sad.”

I’m left staring, speechless, at a friend who seems to see through me.

“Do you know? Everything I’m trying to do?”

I ask cautiously. He shakes his head.

“I’ve looked into the bad blood between you and Kondou, who’s at the center of this mess. But I haven’t dug deeper. So, I can only guess.”

If he wanted to, he could likely uncover what happened in middle school. Mentioning Aono’s name suggests he’s pieced together more than he lets on. His warmth, his genuine concern, reminds me of the place I’ve fought to reclaim—a place I now realize is precious.

But I’ve come too far to turn back. I can’t stop until Kondou and the mastermind are brought down.

“Thanks, Imai.”

The words barely escape, and he smiles.

“Sure. Wanna talk about old times for a bit?”

“Old times?”

“Yeah, how I got close with Eiji. You’re curious, right?”

“Yeah. Come to think of it, you never told me.”

“It was back in elementary school.”

“Elementary school? Weren’t you guys already close before that? Childhood friends and all.”

“Sure, we hung out a lot. But I didn’t think of him as a best friend—more like a longtime acquaintance.”

“Huh, there was a time like that? Hard to imagine now.”

My own childhood friends flash through my mind—Eri, who betrayed me, and the other I pushed away, saying cruel things when she tried to help. It’s my fault, inevitable.

“It’s kinda embarrassing,” Imai continues, “but I was pretty good at everything back then, and it made me an outcast. Looking back, it was my fault. During sports festival prep, we had to do a dance. I picked it up fast, but the girl next to me struggled. I get it now—some things people just aren’t good at. You have to take it slow. But back then, I was just a kid.”

I nod, urging him on.

“I said something stupid: ‘Why are you slacking off like that?’ Man, it was awful. She started crying, and I got cold stares from almost the entire class. I was isolated, and Eiji was the only one who’d still talk to me.”

“Aono talked to you, huh?”

“That’s what makes him amazing. He risked being ostracized himself but treated me like nothing had changed. And he didn’t stop there—he subtly guided me back into the class’s circle.”

“Guided?”

“When we got stuck on tough problems, he’d turn to me for help, setting it up so I could support him kindly, even poking fun a little. During homeroom debates, he’d treat me like the voice of reason. He helped me regain the class’s trust. As that happened, I got closer to everyone, and some guys even started teasing me like Eiji did.”

“That’s something. Aono’s really incredible.”

“Yeah, he saved me. And get this—he probably doesn’t even remember it. He did something so big for me, and yet… maybe it’s because he’s so big-hearted. That’s why I should’ve noticed the bullying issue first. But I was too slow, and I ended up hurting him beyond repair. I’m just an ungrateful jerk.”

“That’s not true. It was just bad timing. And now, you’re doing your best for Aono.”

“That’s all I can do. He was like my hope, my sun. I’ll never forgive the people who hurt him.”

I understand. Aono saved me, too.

“What about you, Endou?”

Since I got close to Imai through Aono, I’ve never shared my story. If he’s looked into my past, it’s probably safe to tell him.

“Because of Kondou and his crew, I had to repeat a year. Not many people repeat high school, right? So, even after enrolling, I couldn’t make friends easily. I was prepared for that, thinking being alone was fine. After escaping my shut-in days and passing the entrance exam, my parents were so happy they cried. Wanting more felt greedy.”

Imai listens quietly.

“My situation was unusual, so rumors spread fast, exaggerated. During the first class seating change, I ended up near Aono. I was just reading novels, letting time pass. But out of nowhere, he goes, ‘Endou, I’m a fan of that author too.’”

“That’s so him.”

“I was shocked. He called me by my name like we were already buddies and started talking like we’d been friends forever. We kept chatting about novels. He said we didn’t get enough time, so he dragged me to a fast-food place after school. We shared a large order of fries and talked nonstop. The distance between us just… vanished.”

“That’s hilarious.”

“Thanks to Aono, I started talking to others and made friends like you.”

“Yeah.”

“It sucked when we got split into different classes in our second year because of the arts-sciences split.”

“He still wants to talk to you, you know.”

“That’ll have to wait until this is over. Back in middle school, I ran away without fighting. Because of that, good people like Aono got preyed on by that guy. I couldn’t forgive him. I knew I had to take him down…”

I stop there. Imai understands and doesn’t press further.

We fall silent for a moment.

“Alright, I’m gonna head back. But seriously, if you need me, just say so. You’re an important friend to me too.”

Imai resumes his run, fiddling with his phone, probably listening to music. I should head home too. Gotta get up early tomorrow.

As I leave the park, a girl in another school’s uniform catches my eye. I try to slip past, but—

“Wait, Kazuki, Endou Kazuki, right?”

Her voice, nostalgic and gentle, stops me cold. Not Eri’s, but my other childhood friend—the one who tried to help me even after Eri’s betrayal.

“It’s me, Doumoto Yumi. Remember?”

Time seems to freeze. Why is she here? Imai’s odd behavior earlier—his knowledge of my middle school days—clicks into place. Did he set this up?

She stands before me, smiling, unchanged from back then. I respond as if we’re still those kids from the past.

“Yumi… How could I forget? It’s been a while.”

Her voice, unheard for so long, is calmer now. Her chestnut hair, once long in middle school, is now short. The last time we met was my middle school graduation, after I’d become a shut-in.

“I’m so glad. I hadn’t heard from you, so I thought you’d forgotten me.”

Her smile carries a trace of loneliness, and it stabs at my heart.

“No way I could. I don’t even deserve to.”

Her kindness terrified me back then. After Eri’s betrayal, I couldn’t handle it.

“Deserve? What do you mean? I was still lonely without hearing from you.”

She pouts, just like she used to.

“I rejected you in the worst way, Yumi, even though you were so kind. I couldn’t possibly reach out. I don’t deserve to be happy.”

I’m a coward who fled from her kindness. After that incident, all my middle school friends drifted away—a fitting end for someone like me.

“You’re still so kind.”

“Kind? Me?”

Her words catch me off guard, and I echo them in surprise.

“Yeah. Looking back, I was too insensitive. You were at your lowest, probably wanting to be left alone, and I didn’t consider your feelings. I tried to cross a line I shouldn’t have. I’ve always regretted that. I think you blamed yourself because you’re so kind, but I was at fault too. I’m sorry.”

That day, our middle school graduation. I skipped school, and she brought my graduation anthology and diploma. She was the only one I trusted, so my parents let her into my room.

※

“Hey, Kazuki? How about we go somewhere during spring break, even just for a bit? Staying cooped up in your room will only make you feel worse.”

Her voice was gentle, brimming with the same care she always showed me.

But I was drowning in anxiety—missed exams, a graduation I couldn’t face. That fear twisted inside me, and I lashed out.

“Shut up. Like you could ever understand how I feel. You’ve got it easy, don’t you? A fun high school life waiting for you. Unlike me… I don’t care if it’s pity or some inherited sense of justice—it’s just a nuisance. Leave me alone already.”

The memory of those words stings, sharp and shameful. They were cruel, hurled at someone who’d done nothing but help. Yumi brought me worksheets daily to keep me from falling behind, even delivered the application for the public high school entrance exam. And I repaid her kindness with venom.

Her patience seemed to snap. Tears welled in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t understand how you felt at all, did I? This was just me forcing my help on you, wasn’t it? I’m sorry.”

Regret crashed over me, heavy and suffocating. I was the worst.

Unable to speak, I stood frozen in self-loathing. A few seconds later, she murmured, “I’m sorry, I’m going home,” and left my room. Her final words lingered: “Bye, Kazuki. I held back because you were dating my best friend Eri, but… I think I probably loved you.”

“It’s thanks to you, Yumi. I’m able to go to high school now because of you.”

We sit on the park bench, words flowing slowly, each one drawn from a place deep within. For the first time in years, I speak from the heart.

“Really?” Her smile is soft, warm. “I’m glad you’ve moved forward, even a little. Maybe my meddling helped a bit?”

“It wasn’t meddling.” My voice is quiet but firm. “Back then, I lashed out… but once I calmed down, I realized how grateful I was. They say you don’t know what’s important until it’s gone, right?”

She nods, her gentle smile unwavering.

“Hey, Kazuki. I heard most of it from Imai-kun. He’s really sharp, isn’t he? He noticed you were struggling and did a lot of digging—SNS, mutual friends. He reached out to a bunch of people and eventually found me.”

I knew it. This was Imai’s doing.

“So, let me say this—my own words.” Her gaze steadies, resolute. “Forgive yourself, Kazuki. There’s no way you don’t deserve to be happy. I know that better than anyone. And you know, all our middle school friends are worried about you. Even with exams and job hunting, they jumped in to help when Imai-kun asked. They were thrilled to hear you’re in high school now, that you’ve made good friends like Imai-kun.”

Memories of that warmth—sealed away to fuel my vengeance—flood back, vivid and overwhelming.

“But… I…”

The faces of friends I pushed away flicker in my mind, relentless.

“Be happy, Kazuki. You’re such a kind person.”

She takes my cold hand, her warmth seeping into me, thawing the chill.

“Thank you.”

It’s all I can say, voice barely above a whisper.

“Kazuki, give me your contact info.”

Her words are a lifeline, pulling me toward a world I thought I’d lost. Without hesitation, I grasp her outstretched hand.

※

──Doumoto Yumi’s Perspective──

I’ve finally made up with Kazuki, truly. I even got his new contact info. There’s so much more I want to say, but the words wouldn’t come. Kazuki’s still caught up with Kondou-kun and her—not romantically, but driven by a need to stop their reckless actions.

Imai-kun filled me in on the situation. He was investigating to help his friend Aono-kun and Kazuki, reaching out to old friends until he found me. Others said it too: “It’s such a relief to know Kazuki’s moving forward.”

I feel the same. Kazuki’s steadily forging ahead. That’s why I want him to stop these dangerous plans. He doesn’t need to hurt anymore.

But he left, saying he had unfinished business.

“Hey, Kazuki… when you’re done, will you come back to me? Will you give me the answer from back then?”

I whisper to the empty air, long after he’s gone.

That day, the last time I saw him, I was selfish. I wanted to pull Kazuki out of his isolation, to laugh together like we used to. So I kept visiting, bringing worksheets, exam forms, anything to help. I planned to keep it up even after starting high school.

But his words showed me I was only adding to his anxiety.

So I ran. I was terrified I’d ruined his life.

Even then, I didn’t want him to forget me, so I confessed my feelings.

It’s not that Kazuki didn’t answer—I was too scared to hear it. If he’d said I’d destroyed his life and rejected me, I couldn’t have borne it.

I know those weren’t his true feelings. He was anxious, and I provoked words he didn’t mean. I’m certain of it, but I couldn’t take that step forward.

That’s why I’m so grateful to Imai-kun. Without him, I wouldn’t have found the courage to face Kazuki again.

He called me Yumi again.

For now, that’s enough.

So, please, God… don’t let him suffer anymore. My dear childhood friend is already covered in scars.

Please forgive him.