Target's Confession

 “I do not appreciate the method that you used to try to kill Hachiko. And that method failed too. Don’t. Ever. Use. My. Son. As. A. Bait,” a respectable-looking man wearing a black suit with a black necktie reclines in a chair.

And the person he is sternly speaking to seats at the opposite end of a desk suited for business, “I apologize. I won’t ever do that again.”

“Glad you understand. Now it shall be an uphill battle. Worry not, I will support you every step of the way. You will have the necessary funds and resources.”

“Thank you, sir,” the person slightly bows.

“Ah, here,” the man brings out a black, wooden, rectangular box, “it’s a gift for you. It will help you with your assassination.” The man pushes it on the table toward them.

The person takes it into their hands and inspects the wooden box. The box has a carving into it. And that carving was a detailed drawing of a butterfly.

“Open it,” the man says.

The person finds that the cover slides off from the body. They lift the wooden lid causing the bottom half of the box to fall gently onto the table. The box’s contents are revealed, and the person looks in shock, “T—this is…”

“A knife. A custom-made knife made just for you. This will give away no traces when you pierce him with this. It has an anti-liquid film and fingerprint-resistant handle.”

“B—but, why does it look this way?”

The man takes the knife and swings it open, “That’s how you open it.” He swings it one more time to close it. And the knife makes a satisfying snap. “Now try it.”

The person mimics what the man did with the knife but fails. The knife falls to the floor.“Be careful. It’s very sharp,” the man warns.

“W—what kind of knife is this?” they ask as they pick it up.

“Save the questions for the internet. And I shall give you a codename,” the man takes the lid with the embedded drawing on it, “hence, you shall be named, ‘Butterfly.’”

Meanwhile, Denji is in his room racing up and down the length of it, “If I leave, Juusaki might be safe, but I have something to tell Nana first.”

The door to his room opens, and Nana enters, “What did you call me for?”

“Tomorrow, after class, meet me at the backside garden.”

“W—what? Why? Can’t you tell me now?”

“No, not now. I’m not ready,” Denji fidgets.

“Is something the matter?”

“Not really, but…” Denji sighs as he loses the words he was supposed to say, “just come to the garden after class, okay?”

“As you wish, master.”

The next day, at lunchtime, the circle of Denji’s friends stays seated at their usual lunch table. And Juusaki hasn’t arrived yet.

“Midterm exams are coming next week, guys. How are you guys holding up?” Akio asks.“Doing just fine!” Daichi states.

“Don’t trust him. He’s lying,” Hibiki blurts.

“Eh? What makes you say that?”

“Just yesterday, I saw you playing games and lazing around in your room.”

“W—what? Of course not! You’ve seen wrong! I was holding a book!”

“But you weren’t reading it?”

“No—no! I was reading it!”

“Then, what subject was it?”

“Uh, well…” Daichi fails to answer such a simple question.

Hibiki sighs, “At this rate, you will repeat a grade.”

“Oh, cut me some slack. It’s just midterms! I’ll make it up in the final exams or something!”

“Yeah, right. You are just above the eighty passing grade on all of your exams.”

“H—how did you see that!?”

“I’m literally sitting right next to you in class, man. I bet your mind is full of games right now.”

“N—no!”

Juusaki finally arrives from the elevator and makes his way to the table where the group resides.

Denji, at the moment of seeing Juusaki, quickly stands up, “I’m sorry, guys. I have a council meeting to attend to.”

“Eh? Why didn’t you go straight there before?” Akio asks.

“Ah,” Denji nervously laughs before he answers, “I forgot that we are having one today. I have to go now.”

“You? Forget? You are acting very weirdly, Denji,” Daichi remarks.

Juusaki arrives at the table before Denji leaves, “Good afternoon, Denji-san.”

“Uh, yeah. Good…” Denji avoids eye contact and briskly leaves the area as if he is running away from danger.

“Denji-san, wait,” but Juusaki’s calls did not arrive in Denji’s ears.

“Ah, don’t worry about him. He said he was leaving for a council meeting. He won’t be eating with us today,” Hibiki states and beckons Juusaki to seat, “come, come, sit.”

But Denji did not go to any meeting. Not even his office at all. He went back to his classroom. The classroom is very quiet since it is very empty. It isn’t forbidden to go to the classroom during lunch, but it is forbidden to eat there. He goes to his desk and sits there while staring blankly into space. Then, one of the classroom doors opens, but Denji doesn’t bother to look who came in at this time.

“Kurosaki-kun?” Misaki calls out, but he doesn’t respond. “What are you doing here? Are you fine? Is something troubling you? But her barrage of questions goes ignored. Misaki decides to take a chair and sit in front of his desk and stares into his face with concern.

Moments pass like this, neither of them moving, or gesturing to each other to leave. Denji continues staring into space while Misaki stares at him.

“You know…” Misaki finally moves an inch, “there is something I have to tell you, but in exchange, tell me what’s on your mind.” She doesn’t receive an answer, and so she pushes on, “I will help you with it.”

Suddenly Denji’s eyes twitch and lock onto Misaki’s, “H—help?” His head suddenly shakes uncontrollably.

“Are you fine? You are shaking… and pale. What’s the matter, Kurosaki-kun?”

“N—no, d—don’t help me…” Denji stutters.

“Don’t help you? What are you talking about?”

“I—I—I don’t want to cause trouble for anyone…” Denji covers his face with his hands, “I—I am a horrible person.”

Misaki turns her face away as she mutters something, but she switches gear and faces him with a kind and concerned look on her face, “You are not a horrible person. You made great friends, and they stuck with you. That includes me too. You haven’t caused any trouble—”“I almost killed Juusaki so many times!” Tears flow from his hands as he bangs his head on the desk.

“Stop! Don’t hurt yourself! That accomplishes nothing! And you didn’t kill Juusaki! You protected him. You did protect him!”

“I—I did…? I—I don’t remember… doing that…”

“You did, but if you don’t remember, then try protecting him again.”

Denji slowly uncovers his hands and wipes the tears from his eyes, “M—me… protect him? Can I…?”

“You can! This is what friends do, don’t they?” Misaki says in a cheerful tone.

“Pro…tect… him…” Denji takes a few deep breathes and looks straight at Misaki’s eyes with his face back to its cheerful and confident look, “Thank you. I now know what to do,” Denji quickly stands up and leaves the classroom while Misaki looks on.

“You sure struck his heart, Juusaki.”

Later that day, it’s the end of the classes. The two meet as agreed.

“So, what are you going to tell me?” Nana asks quite impatiently without focusing on Denji.Denji takes a deep breath before he answers, “There is an important thing I have to tell you, but first, I have to tell you something first.”

“Did you just say essentially the same thing twice?”

“No, this is less important, but I have to tell you this first before the main topic.”

“Make it short. We don’t have enough leeway, and we still have to escort you back on schedule.”

Denji nods, “Please, Kawamoto-san, don’t hate me after this.”

Nana gasps as Denji oddly calls her by her last name.

“But I don’t want you to forget what I’m going to tell you either,” Denji looks around his surroundings and faces Nana with a face of resolution. A decisive face. “There is no turning back now,” he mutters.

“Please go out with me!” Denji sharply bows at a right angle toward Nana as she finally focuses on Denji with her eyes wide in shock, “Because I like you, that’s why I ask you this!” he says in a loud voice with his face blushing while his eyes try to hold back the tears.

“D—denji-sama?” Nana has no other reactions to muster, and Denji turns his head upward to see her face.

“It’s been a long time since she called me that,” Denji thinks to himself.

“D—denji,” Nana averts her eyes, but her face isn’t red, and her mouth agape, “I—I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Denji slowly stands upright and looks up to the sky, “W—why not?”

“It’s because you are my master…”

“But… that can’t be the reason, is it? I can easily—”

“You can always easily! Of course!” Nana locks eyes with Denji, “but it isn’t easy for me. You are my employer, and I’m your employee. How would your family respond when they know about this?”

“I—! I…” Denji turns his face to the ground and mumbles, “I can…”

“I’m sorry, master. Please excuse me,” Nana hastily starts to walk and pass Denji’s side, but his hand catches her arm and stops her.

“Wait! I’m not yet done.”

“Give it up!” Nana shakes her arm violently, “I told you, it’s not possible.”

“It’s not about that. It’s about Juusaki,” Denji faces Nana and Nana does the same as he has caught her attention with his words.

“What about Juusaki?”

“Thanks to you, I have firmly made my decision,” Denji’s tear uncontrollably flows on his face, “I—I… I have an order to make!” Denji tries so hard to change his tone of voice to a cheerful one, but it cracks under the pressure of the overflow of his emotions. “It hurts! It hurts!” are his thoughts. “I order you to be the bodyguard of Juusaki Hachiko. Protect him with your life! Don’t let him out of your sight!” his voice cracks once more.

“Master, what’s the meaning of this? What are you going to do?”

“Save your unnecessary questions. I won’t answer them.”

“A—are you doing this because I rejected you?”

“Perish the thought! I guarantee you, I’m not that petty,” Denji falls to his knees and starts laughing, “I—I—I am absolutely not petty! Aha! Ahaha! Ahahahaha!”

“Master, stand up! Please calm down!” Nana reaches out for him, but Denji gently moves her hands away.

“No need for that, slave,” Denji slowly stands up and regains his composure, “I am capable of that myself.”

“What is the meaning of this? Me acting as a bodyguard for Hachiko?”

“I told you to save the unnecessary questions,” Denji starts to walk away, but Nana, this time, holds his arm to stop him.

“This is an important question! I am asking if you are doing this because you are hurt!”

Denji shakes her hand away from his arm, “I told you to—!” Denji suddenly screams on the top of his lungs, “Why!? Why can’t you understand!? If you want the answer so bad, I’ll shove it to your face,” he faces her, “I’ve placed Juusaki on too many life or death situations! How many times will I put his life at risk!? I’m tired of it! Ever since he came, he has been this bright sun for me. I had a certain affinity for him, but my stupid, stupid, status troubles him of the dangers! It separates me from him! And he even endangers his life for me! He protects me, keeps me safe… why can’t I do the same!? I feel like I’ve grown to take advantage of his kindness… why!? Why am I the rich kid!? I didn’t want this life! I want to throw it away! Screw being rich when I get my friends at risk!!” Denji slams the ground with both of his fists, and they start bleeding because of the intense impact. “Screw it all. Do away with me.”

“You didn’t cause trouble for him—”

“Yeah! Right! I know that he is being targeted now because he protected me! Stop hiding that from me! I know what you are trying to do! I know the truth! Someone is out to kill him because of me! I don’t deserve this! He doesn’t too! He doesn’t too!!”

“Denji…” Nana reaches out with her hand, but she doesn’t reach him. He seems so close, yet so far. “Is this the Denji I knew?” are her thoughts.

“I’m leaving. I’m going to leave this school. This wretched city. These are hypocritical people. In this way, I will protect Juusaki, even if it’s for my life.”

“But is leaving the correct option? Is it!? Won’t you just be exposing Juusaki to die all the more!?” Nana grabs Denji by his coat, but his expression has gone cold, and blank.

“I’m resolute on this decision. I’ve determined that this will be the best, for Juusaki. I’ll return, and this time, I’ll protect him,” Denji pushes Nana away from him and faces away from her intending to leave. “Protect Juusaki, at least for me… please?” Then he walks away.

Nana stands motionless and stares at the ground as she processes her thoughts and his actions. Tears start to form in her eyes and she holds her head in her hands but does not utter a word.

In the distance, behind the bushes of the garden, spied Juusaki. Seeing his opportunity to talk with Nana, he approaches her. He comes up to Nana and starts to talk, “Kawamoto-san—”But Nana raises a hand to Juusaki, “Sorry, Hachiko-kun, not now,” she leaves the garden.And Juusaki stands motionless in confusion as he looks around the well-maintained garden. The colorful garden is filled with all kinds of colorful flowers, roses, dandelions, all sorts. But Juusaki cares not for the flowers.

Misaki emerges from one of the bushes and comes up beside Juusaki, “Oh, fancy seeing you here!”

“Do you know what occurred recently?” Juusaki asks.

“What occurred?”

“Didn’t you see them? Kawamoto and Denji together?”

“Ah, that…” Misaki rubs the back of her head, “Yeah, I saw that. What about it?”

“Do you have an idea of what just happened? One time, Denji is sobbing, and then the next, Kawamoto is yelling at him. I am very confused.”

“Ah, well… you don’t have to understand it.”

“Itou-san, let me ask you something,” Juusaki faces her and promptly bows, “please go out with me,” he says nonchalantly.

Misaki’s face slowly turns red as she stammers, “Wh—wha—what are you—!?”

“Because I like you, I asked you this,” he interrupts her without enthusiasm in his voice.

“Are you an idiot!?” Bowing her head, Misaki squeals as she lightly pounds Juusaki’s chest.

“Why do you ask such a question?”

Misaki slightly lifts her head, “That’s not a question to ask when you are not serious about it!”

“I’m serious about it.”

“Wha—what!? Do you know what you are asking me!?”

“I believe I’m asking you to go out with me to a convenience store or something.”

“Are you stupid!!?”

“I’m not stupid. Could it be that you misinterpreted my words?”

“A—anyone would misinterpret that!? No! You are misinterpreting this question!!”

“I’m pretty sure Denji asked Kawamoto to come with him to the store because he likes her as a friend—”

“Shut up! Shut up! No more of your foolishness!!”

“I’m not foolish. I based my correct interpretation on the dictionary. Dictionaries are rarely wrong.”

“Have you read an urban dictionary?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Well, this question, it means there, is asking someone out—”

“I told you. I am perfectly correct.”

“Stop talking! I haven’t finished. This question means to ask somebody as their girlfriend or boyfriend!”

“G—girlfriend!? Wha—what!? And boyfriend!? But Kawamoto is a girl! Wait, what!?”

A few moments of Misaki explaining to Juusaki the meaning of the question passes.

“Oh, I understand it now,” Juusaki bobs his head in a newfound understanding of knowledge.

“Yeah? Now I told you that you should be asking that question in full seriousness!”

“But, then, if I did ask you seriously, would you accept?”

“Wha—what? Uh… well…” Misaki averts her eyes and slightly blushes, “…if it’s you… no! No! I’d reject! I’ll have Denji first before you— I mean, I’m loyal only to Denji!”

“Ah, I understand. You can only say it once. This is the meaning of ‘losing your virginity—’”

“Stop!” she raises both of her hands, “That’s not what it means!”

“Then, what does it mean?”

“I won’t tell you that, you idiot!”

“Please pardon me,” Juusaki slightly bows his head, “I realize how ignorant I am. I’m sorry.”

Misaki sighs, “At least you finally understand that much, but don’t you dare research more into it!”

“Why is that?”

“J—just, don’t! Okay?” she warns sternly.

“Understood,” Juusaki checks his watch for the time, “oh, I have to go now. Thank you very much for the lesson.”

“No, no. It’s no probl—” Misaki coughs before she continues, “—em at all! Just ask me if something like this comes up, anytime!”

“Will do,” Juusaki slightly bows, “I’ll be taking my leave.” Then he exits the school’s garden.

Misaki sighs as she looks up toward the sky, “Such a pain…” she giggles, but suddenly gets alerted when she hears movements behind the bushes. She locks her focus onto where the bush has quivered. “Who is there?” Misaki calls out, but doesn’t receive the response, nor does anything come out to reveal themselves from the bushes. “If you don’t come out now, I won’t hesitate to kill you.” Still, no response. She decides to slowly approach the suspicious bush. Once she gets to a close distance, she clears the bush to reveal only the wall surrounding the school. “No one here? It can’t be my imagination,” she looks around with a rather grim expression on her face.