Volume 1 - Top-Tier Character Ayanokōji-kun [DISCONTINUED] [READ THE REVISION]

Chapter 23 - Unknowing Utility

Innocence.

Quite endearing, no?

Of all moral conditions, innocence seems easily the best and most desirable, for it means the complete absence of error and regret and all the anxieties that go with these, anxieties about avoiding guilt and making amends for instance.

Against the background of guilt and traffic with wrong, innocence is indisputably better, just as something clean is better than something soiled, something fresh better than something stale.

In its most general sense, innocence refers to the state of a being without sin.

Of course, it can also possess a more restricted meaning—in the legal sphere, where people who are found to be not guilty of a particular crime are described as innocent.

Innocence also plays a role in religious concepts. In many religious teachings, all direct killing of innocent—people who are not harmful, "non-aggressors", so to say—is strictly forbidden.

But all of the above belong to "societal" innocence.

"Interpersonal" innocence exists as well.

 Someone who is very shy, very reserved and doesn't speak with confidence is often looked at with innocent eyes.

They have to be protected because their weaknesses overbear.

And through their weakness, their being may be abused by a demon.

In other words, their innocence is sharpened until it can be called a weapon.

Slowly but surely—

they unknowingly invite doom upon others.

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Saturday—the day I was supposed to watch an Andie movie together with Kikuchi. I ended up arriving at our meeting spot, which was the Hachiko statue in Shibuya, pretty early.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is what the "Hachiko statue" actually looks like.]

Looking around, I saw no sign of Kikuchi, but lots of other people. As expected, Shibuya was quite a busy place. I hope Kikuchi didn't get lost on the way.

...

As I waited, I suddenly saw silver-white hair among the crowds of mostly young people. Even from afar, I could make her out—her hair really was unique. I squinted my eyes, and sure enough, it was Kikuchi.