NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14
“…Alright, there are many things I could say, but I get that this isn’t going to escalate to a police matter. I’ll put down my sword for now.”
“Really?! Then can I stop sitting in seiza now?!”
“Kaho. Sorry, but could you bring me and Ran’s guitar cases? I’m going to put them on her lap with everything inside.”
“That’s torture from the Edo period!!”
“Don’t you need my bass?”
“Kaho-san?!”
Since Ran didn’t seem at all remorseful, I decided to add some punishment without mercy. I said I’d put down my sword, but no one ever said I wasn’t angry. This is just me pausing my questioning for a while.
“W-wait, this is no joke! You can’t stack three full cases on my numb legs! And, I mean, the balance is just—!”
“You know what’ll happen if you drop those, right? You’ll have to clean all the instruments as extra punishment.”
“You want me to handle someone else’s instruments?! You’d definitely be mad if I did something that messed with their feel!”
“Then don’t drop them. Hug them tight, and curse your slip of the tongue.”
“Meg, you’re super mad, aren’t you?!”
“Of course I am.”
After everything we’ve heard, what reason would there be to *not* get mad? Everyone except Ran is furious, even if we’re not showing it outright. Otherwise, Kaho wouldn’t have suggested the extra weight.
“You know, do you have any idea how freaked out we were listening to all of this? Because of you, everything we’ve worked for could’ve been ruined! Do you get that?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“I’m not just asking for an apology here. I mean, yeah, you definitely need to apologize, but this isn’t something that ends with just ‘sorry.’ Understand?”
I leaned in, peering into Ran’s face as she sat there in the seiza position, struggling to hold the three guitar cases.
She trembled, fear plastered on her face. But I still pressed on. Show us you’re genuinely sorry.
“I-I’ll pay for whatever you guys want at your favorite shops to make up for the trouble…”
“Talk about your memories with the clerk in detail.”
“…What?”
“Don’t think you can solve this with money. If you run out of cash, it’s us who hang out with you all the time who’ll end up paying for it. So, skip the treat. Instead, pay with your emotions. Feel the shame and reflect on it.”
Ran might be a total airhead, but I know she’s got a shy side, too. We’ve known each other long enough for me to understand that much.
I can see how her feelings spiraled from being unable to approach the person she liked, which eventually led to her stalking him… But even admitting what made her fall for him seems embarrassing for her.
Which is exactly why I’m targeting that. Being broke is a temporary thing, but being forced to recount her cringey memories will sting much more.
“Uh, um, M-Meg? You know, I’d really be fine with paying tens of thousands of yen at some shop, so c-could you please let me off just this once…?”
“Oh no, cash won’t cut it. Clearly, a rich girl like you wouldn’t feel the pain. So instead, it’s time for you to spill those sweet, embarrassing memories.”
“Please!! Anything but that!! I’ll skip the whole treat thing and just give you cash upfront! I’ll even grovel and lick your shoes if that’s what it takes! Just, please, have mercy!!”
“How’re you gonna grovel when you’re still holding those cases?”
“Wait, am I seriously going to be kept in this torture pose while I spill everything!?”
Of course. The punishment stays because this is meant to make you reflect. You’ll stay that way until the end.
“Kaho! Fuyuka! Help me out—Meg’s being more ruthless than I thought!”
“You can’t, Ran. You need to talk properly.”
“It’s more fun this way, so I’ll pass.”
“Damn it!! They’re a love-junkie and a deadpan sadist! There’s no escape!!”
“Don’t try to run from your punishment. It’s for your own good.”
“But this is totally an illegal trial!”
“Oh?”
“I’m so sorry!!”
Good. Since she apologized right away, I’ll spare her from adding more weight.
“So, time to get her to confess. You two have any requests?”
“So, where exactly are you two at right now? Did you, you know, do it?”
“STOP!! Fuyuka, you’re jumping way too far ahead! And why would you even ask that?!”
“Well, let’s be real. No one accepts a stalker unless there’s some physical interest, right? At the very least, you’d have to be a casual fling or something close to that.”
“Couldn’t you at least assume we’re *dating*?! And for the record, Haruto-kun isn’t that kind of person!”
“But you’re a stalker. No one just up and dates a stalker. Even a fling seems like a stretch.”
“Damn it, she’s making solid points…! And besides, even if I was involved with Haruto-kun like that, who asks their friends about their love life?! That’s way too awkward!”
“It’s not like I actually care. This is just part of your punishment to embarrass you. That’s the only reason I’m asking.”
“You’re still as sadistic as ever!”
Well, that’s just how Fuyuka is… And yeah, even I’m being pretty ruthless here.
But based on Ran’s reaction, it’s clear things haven’t gone that far between them.
It seems like we can trust the clerk not to be involved in anything shady. And as for Ran, well, she’s still oddly innocent in a lot of ways.
“Well, Fuyuka, I think you jumped the gun a bit. Let’s start with something lighter, like how their usual conversations go?”
“Um, K-Kaho-san? The way you said that makes it sound like we’re gradually building up to something else, doesn’t it? You’re not really helping here…”
“Ran. Stop dodging. Just answer the question.”
“It’s not really fine!!”
She’s just yapping away… Time to bite the bullet. Spill it all and make this a lesson.
“…”
“Hey, I haven’t given you the right to remain silent.”
“…T-totally…”
“What was that? I didn’t catch that.”
“So far! I haven’t had a single proper conversation with Haruto-kun in private!!”
“…Huh?”
Hold on a second. If that’s the case, this whole thing just got a lot more confusing.