❝ The Offer.❞
┏━━━━━━━━┓
Chapter 16
┗━━━━━━━━┛
In reality, everything that seemed true is actually made up of a bunch of lies. No matter how devastating the truth can be, lies are the worst option to take in any scenario. One can give, one can receive, and one can witness it all while acting as if there were no problems.
Even if lying can result in a positive outcome, it is still not recomended because it is a sin. For instance, if someone doesn't want to hurt others' feelings, they may tell a lie to avoid an argument and ensure that both sides will get along.
But what if their deception puts others at danger? What if you tell someone they have a good voice when they don't? If they sang on a larger stage and were embarrassed by the results, they may develop social anxiety disorders or something even worse.
Lying is already human nature and, according to studies, 60% of adults can't make it through a simple 10-minute conversation without telling at least one lie.
You have lied, been lied to, and been a witness to lies.
Why did you act as if everything was okay when you knew they were lying? Oh, because you already knew it, when you confront them, especially her, everything will be a complete mess.
"Wh-Where a-am I?"
A new pair of eyes looked wide-eyed at the windowsill outside the mall, as if she was staring at herself in the mirror.
She was trembling with fear; it was odd for her to see herself, who was just washing her hair in the sink in her own bathroom, go and open the door and see herself in the very front entry of the unknown store.
Many people are staring at her, wondering if she is crazy, insane, or okay; some are judging her, while others are concerned for her well-being.
It was the sight of a wet duck on the roadway surrounded by wild birds.
It's absolutely fascinating and humorous from my perspective; you see, when you're in the same situation as she is, no one else looks at you like you're some kind of fly.
One drew her attention when she was immersed in herself; she saw a giant screen on the opposite building that showed a sport she was unfamiliar with, and she saw someone she wanted to disappear along with her prior lie.
It was you.
"....Kamui," said by none other than Haruna Ayaka herself.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
During the middle of the day, a certain gentleman was spotted standing in the sun's heat.
It was very hot, yet for Fudou it was nothing that he couldn't handle.
Fudou placed the grocery bags on the cement floor, which had been caressed by the dust and the fallen leaves. His hand moved to his nape and cocked his head to the left and right, producing a "crack" sound.
"That should do it." He mumbled under his breath while brushing his black slacks and adjusting his sleeves.
A droplet of perspiration trickled down to his chin and fell to the ground, leaving an imprint."Thank you, young man," an elderly lady said as she smiled and thanked the child who helped her carry her shopping bag.
He nodded and told the lady, "No problem," in a hush tone before walking away.
It appeared to be a normal day, but for those who think like philosophers, seeing Fudou help someone was odd. That is, the anime didn't show a lot of things since they only created the exciting and vital portion of the anime, thus the other "small" significant in the anime didn't display, resulting in a gap in the plot.
Their daily lives, when their attention was diverted away from soccer. Is it possible, for example, that your top priority is sports? Of course not.
Everyone was pleased with the outcome of the anime; it is highly amusing; nevertheless, as the most observant, you were among those who were inquisitive about what was going on behind those lives; their lives.
Of course, his life was far from regular when he heard a noise coming from the left side of the road.
He furrowed his brow at the sight of someone he knew and someone he didn't know arguing about something.
From everyone's point of view, including his own, he could tell that there was harassment or violence going on. Because a man forcibly holding and injuring a girl does not appear to be having a joyous moment, does it? Instead, it appears to be a terrible moment.
"Get your hands off her."
He blurted out unconsciously, his deep tone and malicious aura making the man shiver even though he was still not turning around to face Fudou yet.
He gripped the man's shoulders with his hand.
The stranger attempted to remove his hand but failed miserably since Fudou was ensuring that he wouldn't escape. He suddenly glances up and notices Fudou's eyes staring at his inner soul; if glare can kill, the man in his own body could be dead right now.
He spat fiercely, "Get lost."
Instead of feeling scared, the intruder releases go of the girl and fearlessly punches Fudou hard in the face.
Fudou smirked as he felt a sting on his cheek, "That's what you want, huh?"
The thick atmosphere is unsettling for everyone; it was quiet, and only stillness could be heard; disregard the fact that you were breathing rapidly.
Fudou, along with Haizaki and Atsuya, was the least patient person anyone had ever met. So, over the last few days you've spent with him, and he hasn't shown any signs of being impatient, you've been quite interested as to why he's like that; perhaps it's because you're new to him?
Yes, you annoyed him, but that doesn't mean he already directs his rage at you, does it?
He could have at least talked it out with the stranger, but his impatient ego refused to cooperate. Why would he wait for the man to talk it out if he had already planned to punch him?
Fudou, the gentleman to Nozomi, did not hesitate to blow a fist back at the man who had harmed him in the face.
"Leave or else."
The man on the ground who had been covering his nose stood up and ran away.
He wasn't thinking clearly when he punched Fudou. He knew he was wrong, but he couldn't deal with what you did.
Shin was a typical high school student who adored his father. They live like everyone else, but they are deemed poor because his father is the only one who supports them financially because her mother already has another family. He didn't detest his mother all that much; he couldn't care because he already had a supportive father.
But he had no idea his father was making money illegally, so when he found out, he hid them and pretended not to know.
He was humming as he walked to the street when he noticed a news item on one of the windowsills; it was his father being dragged to the ground; he saw your face that day, therefore the only thing he could do was blame you.
And that day, he knew to himself that everything would be so wrong.
After that whole incident, Fudou left a few pants, carefully making his way to you.
He can see you shielding your ears as he did what he knew was the right thing to do.
You, on the other hand, felt a cold sensation caressing the back of your hand that was covering your ears. It was nice and pleasant if you may ask and so you gently let go of your hands near your head.
You hesitantly fluttered your eyelids open only to be met by Fudou's visage. His face was inches from yours while he held the backs of your hands.
The empty orbs of yours were staring at his eyes that were full of life, "Are you alright?" He told you with a concerned stare. Not going to lie, he seemed out of character right now, yet let's be honest that this guy right now may be anyone that was worried about someone.
You nodded, did not speak any words, simply nodded.
"What happened for her to act like this?" He thought, referring to how you were quiet today and not retorting with your blunt reply like, "Do I look okay?" Or "yes."
You unintentionally avoided his gaze, and your gaze was drawn to the floor. Yes, the floor is composed of a variety of materials that you were unaware of.
That quickly changed when you freaked out when you noticed a massive bruise on Fudou's face just a second ago, and you knew to yourself that some violence occurred without you knowing because you weren't looking.
You raise your head again and march very close to his face; because he was a little taller than you, you didn't have to tiptoe simply to touch his delicate yet red cheek.
"...is it painful?"
"No." He mumbled, a little taken aback by how freely you were touching his bare skin, a bashful kind you guessed.
You lightly tap it and see him grimace; you blinked owlishly, knowing he was lying and noticing to yourself that he wasn't adept at lying.
You return to your position, this time far away from his face, you weren't wooing him or anything, you were simply checking him out-I mean checking his bruise, but of course, as a person who observes them, you also appreciated his feature from up close.
"Only if you say so." You said it one more time before poking his cheek with force.
"Ah-"
"Aha, still not hurt?" sarcastically remarking to him.
"..." He mentally groaned and questioned whether or not he regretted being here.
You patted his back while whispering, "Let's go."
He is not a pet to be so obedient to you and to follow you about as if you were the master. He is, after all, an independent individual who earned the moniker "lone rebel." Then why would he listen to a woman?
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
"Why..."
"WHY AM I HERE?"
The fragrance and aroma of a sweet liquid were extremely comforting, and there was just solitude and peace.
A calmness settled over you as the coffee's warmth soothed your throat, as you laid the cup down on your lap, holding it tenderly with your fingers.
"Let me rephrase that. Why are we here?"
Your eyes were glued on the man seated on the opposite side of the chair. You can tell that the coach of Inakuni Raimon or Zhao Jinyun was very serious about something, as he practically forced you to follow him. The good news is that Fudou was present, as we have no idea if you are being kidnapped or not.
"Young lady, are you interested in soccer?"
"Would you like to play?"
The inquiry caused Fudou to turn his head toward you and listen closely to what you have to say. In spite of the fact that he already considered you as a friend and worked in the soccer industry, his interest in your views on soccer was clear.
Oh, for the first time in a while, he formed and considered a friend, but he won't say it out loud, despite the fact that it's a one-sided friendship, due to your continuous belief that creating friends is pointless: "It's worthless."
"I don't know." You said.with a straight face, making Zhao Jinyun fall comically, though he regained his composure as soon as you resumed your words, "Truth be told, I was inquisitive about soccer but never been interested in playing one since I don't know how to play."
You blinked, Zhao Jinyun blinked, Fudou blinked, they blinked, all of you blinked, blackpink.
"You didn't know how to play?"
You nodded as they stared at you in disbelief.
Zhao Jinyun thinks to himself, as he brushes his mustache and nods mentally, "This child has a great deal of potential and the fact that she didn't know how to play made me want her to join even more."
"Seriously?!"
"What? Why are you so surprised?"
"Why? A girl who does not know how to play soccer merely played the role of goalkeeper with excellent control and prevented a ball from striking her in the face." He deadpanned at you, who was so dense that he wanted to smack you in the head to make you realize it.
"Wait, is it because of what happened at the match between Inakuni and Zeus?" you pumped your hand to your left palm and made an "Ohh," sound.
"Huh?" Fudou's head was filled with a giant question mark, "Did you just read my mind?!?"
"Fudou-san, you do realize I can't read thoughts, don't you?" You mentioned grasping something Fudou couldn't see.
He was taken aback by how quickly you appeared in front of him, as if you had teleported there.
He was seated with his arms crossed, attempting not to blush out of embarrassment, while you stood there and bent down to treat him. Grabbing a cotton ball, you lightly tap his cheek so as not to witness him in pain.
It was quiet, not until someone had to ruin the moment.
"I'm still here," Zhao Jinyun sobbed like an anime character in the background, biting a handkerchief.
"Oh sorry, I thought you were gone."
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Details
-Shin paid a visit to his father, and everything went fine. His father was aware of the consequences and regretted himself; his father had only spent a few years in prison. Shin's financial need were now being provided by his birth mother.
-Zhao Jinyun low-key kidnapped an enigmatic girl and a lone rebel.
Do you wish to continue?
-Yes
-No