Shigeru Ikeda pressed the last button.

The phone makes a sound when it is being connected.

At this time, Shigeru Ikeda, who was holding up his murderous intent towards Naoto Ikeda, suddenly remembered that it was not the first time he had experienced such a sense of high-spiritedness.

He remembered that he had been so high-spirited a long, long time ago.

And to the same person.

It was the day before his mother's departure – a time that Shigeru Ikeda remembers very clearly, because it was something that was etched in the deepest part of his memory, deep in his bones.

It should be strange why such an important thing was forgotten before?

On that day, Shigeru Ikeda, who had plucked up his courage, completed his transformation with his beloved transformation belt around his waist, and then took a kitchen knife and went around the back of his father, who was abusive to his mother.

The adrenaline caused Shigeru Ikeda to breathe rapidly, and the hand holding the kitchen knife trembled profusely.

It's not weakness, it's not fear, it's agitation, if anything, it's agitation—adrenaline-induced, purely chemical agitation.

The long-cherished wish is about to come true, and a world where mothers will not be bullied is coming.

Shigeru Ikeda cheered and jumped for joy, walking towards the neighborhood where he was unaware.

Then, what happened next was unexpectedly for the young Shigeru Ikeda.

Mom saw him, through the armpits of his tyrannical father. The expression of the mother, who was crying and begging for mercy, suddenly became calm and brave.

With a precise kick, she knocked down Shigeru Ikeda, who was about to pounce.

At that time, Shigeru Ikeda was not too young, he was very strong since he was a child, and he wanted to be a Kamen Rider, so he specifically asked his mother how to become a man, and his mother said that he should eat more and exercise hard.

And he did.

He was much stronger, bigger, and heavier than children of his age.

It shouldn't be the shape that a suppressed weak woman can kick down.

But he was kicked down, maybe he was too excited at the time, his steps were vain, maybe it was some other coincidence, anyway he fell, and the knife fell far away.

Sensing his presence, his father let go of his mother, dragged the fallen Ikeda Shigeru up, and slapped him a few times: "Little rabbit, what do you want to do?" What do you want to do with a knife? ”

Thinking that he had been betrayed by his mother, Shigeru Ikeda endured the beating without saying a word, stubbornly not letting tears flow.

That night, my mother woke up Shigeru Ikeda while her hangover father was asleep.

She packed a small bag and put it at her feet.

"Shh She whispered to stop Shigeru Ikeda, who was about to speak, and then whispered, "Although your father is a rotten person, he hasn't let me starve with you all these years."

"Listen, Shigeru, maybe you will never understand what I say, maybe you will grow up and think that I am lying to you, I am excusing my actions, but now you listen well.

"Mom, I originally planned to endure it until I raised you. Mom has been secretly saving money, although he has been found out a few times, and I have been beaten because of this, but I have saved a lot.

"I was going to put up with it enough to raise you as an adult, and then give you the money to go to college.

"But today, I know that I have to go, because if I don't go, you will one day be a murderer, and a murderer who will never be forgiven by society.

"Your life will end forever.

"I can stop you today, but you'll keep growing, how strong you are."

The mother gently stroked Shigeru Ikeda's shoulder: "What a strong shoulder, how secure a girl will be in this arm in the future."

"I'm going to be able to stop you soon. So I have to go, Shigeru, and you remember that the bravest people in the world are not those who are extreme, those who are bad, but those who will never give in, no matter how difficult life is.

"It's the people who choose to be good no matter how difficult it is.

"If your mother is still in this family, one day, you will be labeled as a murderer in order to save your mother, and you don't even have the right to choose to be a good person or a bad person.

"Mom will leave for the time being, my ability is too small, and I will definitely not be able to live a good life for either of us if I take you away. When it stabilizes, mom will come back and pick you up! Will definitely be back! ”

Shigeru Ikeda remembered that the reason why he still wanted to get his mother back was because of this agreement.

He still remembered that his younger self had asked, "What if you don't come back to pick me up, Mom?" ”

At that time, her mother was silent for a few seconds, obviously shaken, but in the end she still regained her previous brave and resolute expression: "Shigeru, you remember, as long as your mother lives, she will never give up on you, never." As long as you are alive, you will definitely come back and take you away from this man. ”

Shigeru Ikeda remembered it all.

I have chosen to forget this memory for so many years, it must be because I don't want to face the increasing possibility.

- As long as I am alive, he will come back to pick me up, so on the other hand, if he does not come to pick me up, it means that he is no longer alive.

With each passing year, the likelihood increases.

The sudden memory made Mao stunned in place, and the sweet-voiced operator sister in the receiver of the phone asked repeatedly: "Moses Moses, Moses Moses?" This is the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's police station, do you want to call the police? Moses Moses? ”

Shigeru Ikeda hung up the phone.

He was in turmoil.

After putting down the earpiece, he punched the wall, and the wooden wall was directly dented into it.

A chaotic stream of thoughts rushed into his mind.

Countless thoughts crossed his mind.

"That rotten man is rotten, but he hasn't starved you yet."

"He paid the tuition anyway."

"But he is indeed a rotten man, and it is not a pity to die."

"If I choose to die here and not save him, is it equivalent to me killing him? Will it go against my mother's wishes back then? ”

"What was Mom's wish back then?"

In the confusion, Shigeru ran into the dojo and slammed open the door to the courtyard.

The wind poured into the dojo and ruffled Shigeru's hair.

Because the wind that rises when the door is opened, the wind chimes hanging under the eaves on the edge side of the house clatter.

Although the big cherry tree is no longer in full bloom, its presence is still extremely strong, and on the thick trunk of the cherry tree, there is a sign that Chiyoko made when she joked about it.

The sign reads "There are many fingers under the tree".

Shigeru Ikeda looked at the cherry tree and felt his mind slowly calm down.

"By the way, go ask Master." He suddenly had this thought.

Anyway, there was no time limit for when the other party would pass, and Ikeda Shigeru had plenty of time to ask Master if he should ignore Naoto Ikeda's life and call the police directly.

So Shigeru Ikeda slipped the note with the address in his pocket, ran to the door, got on his bicycle, and stormed the door.

If you go to Koshikawa Girls' High School now, you should be able to meet Kiryu and Ma who are going to pick up Chiyoko on the road.