OreShura: Volume 6 Chapter 11

#11: Masuzu's True Self

After she split up with Eita at the playground.

Natsukawa Masuzu harbored a deep anger within her heart as she rushed home.

"That idiot Eita! Fool! Virgin! Stupid! Idiot! Blockhead!"

As she repeatedly shouted these insults, she returned to the apartment where she lived alone and pressed the power button on her beloved laptop.

While she waited for the computer to boot up, Masuzu opened a locked drawer and took out an old-fashioned notebook.

This was the ｢Chuuni Notebook｣ that was stuffed full with Eita's black history.

"Hehehe, hahehehehe, hehehehehehehehehehehe."

Muffled laughter spilled over from her stiff lips. Although it felt so undignified, she couldn't refrain from it.

Starting now, Masuzu planned to scan the images of this notebook and distribute it on the Internet with every method she knew of. She wanted to to take Eita's embarrassing thoughts, miserable past, and boring dreams and release them all over the internet. Once it was out, she wanted to make him suffer an injury so extreme that he'd never be able to walk outside again.

Her heart was brimming with wicked happiness, but somewhere deep in corner of her heart, there was this unsure thought:

—How did it end up like this?

Even during Akishino Himeka's ｢challenge｣, she never felt this kind of feeling.Even if Himeka threatened to tell everyone about the fake relationship, Masuzu figured she'd coax a plan and net Himeka along with Eita all over again. She'd construct a new ｢fake relationship｣.

It was a calm yet brazenly sly.

In the past, she tricked the adults just like this. She survived in a Swedish society where demons and monsters bossed each other around while whirlpools of Machiavellian tactics popped up everywhere? What sort of threat was one chuunibyou high school girl? It wasn't even worth mentioning.

Even if this was the case, because of that one line, all of her plans crumbled.

｢Because President—You actually love Eita, right?｣

"That can't be……"

Her own voice was trembling right now, and Masuzu couldn't admit it. She could only deny her own feelings.

She denied those warm and radiant feelings that were lying dormant within the depths of her heart.

—What? Why Eita? Isn't he just an ordinary guy?

—He's inelegant and uncool. He's also an otaku.

—Even when I talk roughly and grouchily, he always listens politely. He's so useless.

—And he frequently cries out when things are unjust or makes him feel discontent. He's passionate on every aspect of this.

—He's indecisive, and is always hesitating. But when he makes a decision, he's unwavering.

—More importantly, he's a boy who can keep up with my JOJO references.

—Most importantly, he's a person who will scold me.

"Aaahhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Masuzu felt a pain like a knife twisted in her heart.

She wanted to eliminate those warm feelings that were springing up from her heart, but she kept feeling those stabs of pain again and again.

It was enough. Just release it all.

Whatever, just release it all. Like this, it would all be over all in an instant. Eita's high school life would be over and all of her relationships would be over and no longer be fixable. ｢Jien-Otsu｣ would also crumble apart. In an instant, it'd turn into a pile of ashes. It didn't matter. Even if it became like that, none of it would have mattered at all.

Removing several levels of protection, she took out all of the notebook images from its hidden folder.

As she looked at the thumbnails arranged in columns, Masuzu gave a gloomy smile.

She clicked on a few images to examine as she decided which ones she would upload first.

(The Short Essay on Promised Victory)?

Or (This Thoroughly Rotten World)?

Or (Four Beautiful - Dance - Angels who Protect Me) wasn't bad at all. That time, his expression was priceless.

When she sorted the images systematically by date and began searching for the funniest entries, Masuzu's hand stopped.

The date on the notebook entry was that day.

June 15th, clear skies.

Heard my Mom say that Chiwa got injured.

She probably fell over when she was on the way to buy some snacks.

I'll go see her later so I can make fun of her.

June 17th, rainy.

Don't joke around.

What do you mean that she can't walk?

July 1st, cloudy.

Why couldn't I have taken Chiwa's place during the accident?

I'm a person who can walk and run, but I have no use for it.

Chiwa has no way of continuing kendo anymore. Is there really nothing they can do?

July 6th, sunny.

Today my mom and dad got in a fight again over an affair.

During these times, they always mention stuff like love. Loving or hating.

There's no way I can believe it.

What is love, idiots?

July 25th, rainy.

Please god, please cure Chiwa. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god. Please god.

I'll give up all the manga I collected.

I don't want my limited editions.

I don't want my posters.

I don't want my porn, either.

I'll give you anything.

Please restore Chiwa's body to its original state.

I'm begging you.

After this date, the next entry was a month later.

The new handwriting was totally different from before.

With great difficulty, she arrived at the words that were written on the last day of the diary. The handwriting was coarse and ugly.

September 10th, sunny.

I want to become a doctor.

I'll cure Chiwa's body!

That's when Masuzu realized that her cheeks were wet.

The browser already had the upload window open. Here, she could upload multiple images and the paste the links on the appropriate message boards. Then she'd give it all sorts of publicity, and it'd all be out.

However, the finger that hovered over her mouse didn't move for the longest time.

Only tears flowed steadily and dripped nonstop from her eyes.

Her fingers didn't want to move.

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

It was probably some solicitor, so Masuzu ignored it.

The doorbell rang three times before it stopped. After a short pause, the sound of ｢ka-cha｣ echoed through.

That was the sound of a key being turned.

"Huh?"

Masuzu exclaimed in surprise, and stood up.

Could they have broken through the door? No, that was impossible. This apartment had electronic locks, so if they weren’t a resident or an employee from the administrative business office, then the elevator wouldn't even operate.

This person had the key to this room.

"—Mom!"

Masuzu knocked over her chair as she stood up and ran towards to the front door.

S-She's, finally back!

When Masuzu became a stage prop for her father and left the country, her mother vanished without a trace. She figured that if she waited in the room where she grew up when she was little, her mother would come back. Masuzu always believed in this all along, and today was the day. On the day she wanted her to come back the most, her mom came back. She really is my mother. I love you. I love you. I love you—

"Hey, Masuzu."

However, the person standing there was not her mother.

".......Papa……"

The man that Masuzu wanted to see the least on this entire planet was standing there with a smooth smile emerging from his face.

"You look terrible. Were you crying?"

He still had a very youthful appearance and probably looked no older than thirty. He wore a neatly fitted and high-class suit that was clearly specially tailored. He also had a friendly smile.

"I heard from Mana about the approximate circumstances. Didn't I tell you this already? You don't need club activities, boyfriends, or anything like that."

Her father gently stroked his daughter's tear-stricken cheeks as he spoke.

"You just need to stay by my side forever."

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