The dazzling white light shone from the front, causing several teenagers to reflexively squint.

Nao stood on the rock he had just used to hide, holding a flashlight and looking down condescendingly at three "old friends" who had not been seen for a long time—Sueyoshikawa Kuma, who had short gray hair, Akisei Aragaki with brown inches, and Yuto Matayoshi, who had black hair and black eyes, and was wearing a blue bust with the words "Akamahamatei" printed on it.

"I haven't seen you for a few years, but you can grow up. Nao pulled the corners of his lips with a smile, but his eyes were cold, "In the past, I was just guilty of fighting and intimidating junior students, but now, look at what I heard - the criminal meeting after the attempted murder?"

"Who are you bastards?

Unable to open his eyes under the strong light, the irascible and irritable Mingcheng was the first to roar, except for the Yokiyo Yuren, whose face had not changed as always, Kawakumi was a little angry and self-defeating, with the three big words "It's over" written all over his face.

As for Mingcheng's threats, the girl police officer, whose temper has been much more restrained than in the past but is not kind at all, grinned toothily, but it made people feel even more chilling.

"Kill me, you're very angry! It seems that the lesson I've taught you before is far from enough, green-haired boy! Who allowed you to yell in front of me, huh?"

Scenes of strange lights flashed in front of her eyes, and the girl's trained and habitual way of speaking with honorifics changed in an instant—the ruffian's flicking tongue naturally slipped out of her mouth, and the ferocity in her tone was not much worse than that of Ming Cheng, who had just kept shouting.

Listening to these familiar words, which were probably unforgettable for him, Aragaki Akisei instantly closed his mouth, and barely opened his eyes despite the glare of the flashlight.

"Yes...... Is it the eldest sister?"

"I don't dare to do it. ”

Nao extinguished the flashlight with a click and jumped off the boulder.

The dark woods absorbed all the starlight, and even with the light of the stone lanterns, the few people could only see a pair of golden-green eyes that shimmered like some kind of nocturnal animal.

Nao's eyes swept over the three people standing in front of the torii in turn like blades, and finally stopped on the face of Matakichi Yuto who still had a calm expression.

"From gathering crowds to fight to plotting to hurt people, your way of acting really hasn't changed at all, the second generation of Akanehama Pavilion. ”

"Heh, we're not like you...... Not every delinquent teenager has the opportunity to change his ways. Yuto laughed sarcastically or self-deprecatingly.

"Opportunity?" Hearing the wording that seemed to mean something, Nao was stunned for a moment, and suddenly sank his expression, "This has nothing to do with chance, it's just a personal choice." ”

"Choose, don't laugh at the dead!"

Hearing this, Yuto sneered sarcastically, "When we went to trouble you, you must have tried to call the police, but what was the result? Will anyone take care of the children's fights? Saotome Nao, if there was a 'choice' at that time, would you still be the eldest sister who subdued all the bad boys in the Eastern Ryukyus? What is wrong with us solving the things that the police can't solve and what the law can't punish ourselves?"

"Of course not!"

Nao interrupted him sharply, "A case that the police have not been able to solve must have a reason why it cannot be solved! Insufficient evidence, unclear facts of the crime, lack of conditions for public prosecution, and even shady scenes within the police cannot constitute a reason for your crime! Whether it is revenge or something else, if you kill someone for your own selfish desires, what is the difference between you and those criminals? What will you get after committing a crime? Are you ready to take your life for a criminal after he kills your relatives and friends?! ”

"So what can we do?"

In the face of Nao's menacing questioning, Makiyuto's voice became softer, like a bonfire that had long been burned out, with a little sadness.

"What can we do? He repeated, looking at the two friends beside him who bowed their heads and were silent, "Chuan Xiong and Ming Cheng's father were killed, and my father not only lost his life, but also carried the stigma of a murderer...... Do you think we want to be bad teenagers? When people all over the world point at you and whisper that you are a 'child of a murderer' and an unfilial son who plays with his father's killer, you grow up in the eyes of contempt and shame...... Is there any other way to shut people up than to make them dare to mess with you?"

"Fuck, do you think I'm willing to be a thug who can't even find a girlfriend......"

Yuto's whisper seemed to express all his sadness, and Aragaki Akisei wiped his eyes haphazardly, sat on the steps and muttered in a low voice.

Only Kawakuma stared at the silent Nao with a complicated expression.

Youren and Mingcheng may not understand, but he does. The girl standing in front of them was in no better condition at home than they were - in fact, it was exactly ten years ago, when he was following his relatives to Naha for his father's funeral to inform his father's friends and relatives of his death, that seven-year-old Kawakuma witnessed the drama at the house of his father's teacher, Mr. Saotome.

The little girl, who was three or four years old, shrunk beside her mother in a trembling manner, watched in horror as her drunken uncle made a fuss in the funeral hall, and said to her with a hideous face, "Your father is a murderer." That ugly face with a red rosacea canopy can't even be forgotten by him, let alone the young girl who is just about to be in trouble?

In the years that followed, he forgot the girl's name, but the scene left such a deep impression on him that when he saw the girl with the surname Saotome, her grandfather was a teacher at Higa, and a younger sister, all the memories in his mind were revived.

The same encounter, the same criticism, who is harder between him doesn't know, he only saw the girl's face raised to the two friends with a bright smile, very dazzling.

Why? Why did she laugh so happily, had she forgotten the humiliation of being laughed at at "Kill Daddy, and Mom doesn't want her"? Has she forgotten the fear of that rosacea man? Shouldn't she spend every day like him, tormented and waiting for revenge, with hatred!

This is betrayal!

"Hey, Mingcheng, look at those three people. ”

With a mind that he couldn't say clearly, Kawakuma, who had just graduated from junior high school, stabbed the young man with dyed green hair next to him.

"So arrogant, how about a lesson?"

"Hey, isn't it the famous Ryukyu East trio lately? ”

"But the one with the vicious eyes doesn't seem to be easy to deal with, and the yellow-haired one looks quite capable of fighting. As for the most arrogant little girl......"

Kawakumi narrowed his eyes.

"She seems to have a sister. ”

Outside the dark shrine, time passes minute by minute.

The young police officer, who was less than fourteen years old, did not say a word, and the dim glow of the stone lantern cast a deep shadow on her face.

After a long time, she finally spoke.

“…… That's all?"

Words that can't hear any emotion pierce the cochlea. It was as if someone had punched him from the front, and his breathing suddenly became short. As if completely unaware of this, Nao took a step back and leaned against the stone, letting out a cold snort from his nose.

"That's it...... I still look up to you, and it's just a selfish wretch. ”

"You-say-what-"

Nao's contemptuous attitude made Yuto squint dangerously, and her beautiful facial features became as cold as a blade. In an instant, he seemed to have forgotten who was standing in front of him, and stepped forward at a very fast speed, but was quickly restrained by the Sichuan bear on the side.

"Hey, calm down!"

"Get out of here!!"

Confined by the strong arms of the Sichuan bear, Youren kept struggling, and he took off the calm mask for the first time, his amorous peach blossom eyes became red, and green tendons protruded from his neck.

"This guy took my father's life and our humiliation for something!Is it a joke?!"

Yuto suddenly broke free from Kawakuma's restraints, raised his hand and threw a punch at Nao, his angry attack causing his Haori to make a hunting sound.

Nao calmly stared at the fist that was close at hand, and instantly grabbed his wrist, twisting it as easily as a towel, and the sudden sharp pain made Yuto bend down, and then, a powerful elbow hit his back, causing him to fall to his knees uncontrollably, coughing violently.

Ming Cheng on the side touched his collarbone that he had broken and took a step back.

Looking down at Yuto who was in pain but still struggling, Nao sighed.

"I'm asking you what do you think of your father's life, do you want him to die without turning a blind eye?"

"Ahem, what's the joke, what......"

"Have you ever thought that even if things go according to your plan, you will have revenge...... And after that? What else can you get but the evaluation of 'worthy of being the son of a murderer'? Your father's reputation has not been restored, and the sins of the true murderer have not been judged—he is still a poor 'victim.'" ”

Hearing her words, Yuto's body, trembling with anger and pain, froze.

Nao loosened the grip on Yuto, squatted □ grabbed his hair, looked into his eyes and said word by word: "Do you want your mother to carry this burden of dishonor for the rest of her life?

Yuto looked into Nao's eyes and saw his own face through her reflective lenses - although he was sweaty and unbearable, he could still see the beauty and delicacy inherited from his mother, Mrs. Mieda. In the swaying light of the stone lantern, this face full of pain seemed to change into the appearance of the elegant woman when she cried, which made his heart beat fiercely when he had been dependent on his mother since he was a child.

"No...... Can't ...... like that."

Matsuyo Yuto broke away from Nao's hand, closed his eyes and inhaled fiercely, and when he opened his eyes again, he had completely restrained his anger, except for a little untidy posture, he basically regained his usual appearance.

Nao straightened up and held out a hand to him.

"Calmed down?"

"Ahh ”

Matsukiyuto grabbed the girl's palm, stood up from the ground with her strength, touched the neck that was still aching, and laughed self-deprecatingly, "It's not worth remembering at all to wake up with this feeling." ”

"I'd rather you think about it before you do something stupid. ”

Nao pulled off the disguised glasses, pinched the bridge of her nose, and swept her narrow eyes over the three people in front of her.

"So, let's tell me what you're doing in a different place. ”