"Yayoi-san's mother is ......"

"Killed 10 years ago and missing."

The girl took a deep breath, and the emotions in her voice did not fluctuate much, as if she was not telling her own experience, but only the story she wrote.

"Before my mother disappeared, although my father had a bad temper and liked to play mahjong, it was only limited to these, and he would not go to the card bank to gamble, nor would he run out to drink every day."

"I remember that at that time, the regular competition of Riichi mahjong had just begun to be held for the first time, and he watched the live broadcast and recording of the game on TV every day, and he went home early after work."

"An earthquake and three days of torrential rain completely destroyed the village and town in muddy floodwaters."

"After being saved, the uncle who rescued us took me to my father, but I didn't find my mother......"

At this point, the girl paused for a moment and looked straight at the glass full of hot water on the table, as if just seeing the clear drinking water in the cup, the flood of the year would resurge in her mind.

“……”

Narumi Yu was duly silent, waiting for her to come to her senses.

A thought that didn't want to become a reality came to my heart, and I hurriedly threw it aside.

[I'm going to find my mom......]

Find someone who has been missing for more than a decade......

……

"The money my father gave me when he left was 500,000 yen."

People who are full of arrears and gambling debts, where can the money come from......

Probably, it was the gambling game where the chips were 50 million yen and the man's life, and those who did the game stuffed the principal to him.

It's hard to imagine how he managed to escape from the banker.

"I knew that the money was coming from an unknown source, so I only dared to carefully stuff the money in my backpack, press it at the bottom with clothes and books, and only take it out every time I used it."

With that, Yayoi Aki stood up early and climbed up to the attic.

After a minute, take down a 10,000 yen bill.

There was still a dark red trail of blood left on it.

"Basically, every money is stained with blood, and every time I take it out, I am afraid that others will not accept it."

She handed the 10,000 yen bill to Narumi and smiled.

"What are you going to do in the future? Even if you are in your third year of high school, you can continue to be the president of the student council, and you will be graduating from Mikagehama High School in two years.

Even if you don't think about your belongings, you can't just move around once a month or two......"

"yes...... What to do? ”

The girl leaned back in her chair, and although she was calm on the surface, her hands hidden under the table were unconsciously clenched together.

“……”

Narumi couldn't figure out how to speak for a while.

When Ichijo Chika asked him to send Yayoi Autumn back early, the girl's hesitation may be struggling with whether to ask him for help in her heart.

She knew that when she walked into this residential area, she would encounter the extreme thugs who came to arrest her.

As long as she is a person with a not too bad heart, when she sees this situation, she will have the idea of wanting to help her.

It's just that

Can he really help Yayoi Akihaya?

In the end, he is just an ordinary high school student who rents a house to go to school, has no connections, no capital, and is as helpless as the girl in front of him.

"Narumi San...... It's okay, don't think about how to help me. ”

The smile on Yayoi Akiza's face was a little reluctant, and he lowered his head slightly.

“……”

……

The small room was quiet again.

Silence, oppression.

Narumi thought of a possible solution in her mind.

The easiest way is to pay back the money directly.

But these gambling debts ......

Cheating money, lending, making games, and giving thousands of ...... The money is said to be owed, but it is no different from the robbery.

If she wants to pay it back, even if the money in Yayoi Akizao's hand now is not enough to pay it off, it is enough for the gangsters of the Toyono Group to stop bothering her.

The girl herself doesn't admit this gambling debt.

And from the legal point of view, the debts owed by Yayoi's father should not be borne by her.

If Yayoi Akiha's father died, the debt should also be paid off and not passed on to her.

The act of entrusting Toyono-gumi to arrest people in the girl's hometown is itself a violation of the law.

When the gang of thugs first ran out, the stick in their hand smashed directly into the girl's head......

That...... Alarm?

Does the alarm really work?

The police department will just stop the Toyono gumi on the spot and give a verbal warning...... At most, everyone present will be arrested and locked up for a few days.

After all, they were the only ones who came to arrest Yayoi Akiha, and the rest of the Toyono group had no reason to be arrested.

Just for a "debt" dispute, it is not enough for the police department to do its best to rid the extremist organization that has coexisted with the government for a long time......

……

Troublesome......

At least with his current ability, he really can't think of any effective way to solve this kind of thing.

If Imadegawa Chisaka can return to normal and is willing to help him, it should be easy to settle down......

The thought of turning around and walking away grew in his heart, and then he pinched it off again, with a wry smile,

"It's selfish...... Humans are creatures. ”

“……”

Narumi looked at the ceiling and thought about Yayoi Aki's way out of trouble.

The girl sitting across from him lowered her head the moment his voice fell.

With his hands around his legs, he curled up in a chair.

"Hmm......" the girl replied sullenly, burying her head a little deeper, "selfish." ”

"yes, selfish."

He didn't notice the change in Yayoi Akiha, but just subconsciously whispered in agreement.

“……”

The girl didn't say anything more.

Another train passed by on the rail bridge next to the house, and the lights hanging from the ceiling swayed along with the wires, making people worry about whether they would suddenly fall.

"Has Yayoi-san found a new place to live?"

“……”

Since you can't solve the whole trouble for the time being, why don't you think more about how to help Yayoi Autumn earlier......

In the house where he lives, there is a Japanese-style room that is unused, so there is no problem with one more person.

Even if Toyono-gumi found him, he would be able to come out and cover the girl - hopefully the light would be dim at night, and those Yakuza wouldn't see what he looked like.

The inch-headed thug who gave him the information...... If their boss was smart enough, he would probably not let him continue to act together.

"If you don't find a suitable place, if you want, you can stay with me first."

“……”

Narumi still didn't get a response, and felt a little strange.

"Yayoi-san?"

“…… Well? ”

He looked back,

The weak girl hugged her knees, raised her head, and looked at him in a daze.

There were tear stains on her white cheeks.

Teardrops couldn't stop falling from the corners of their eyes.

She bit her lip, trying not to make a sound.

"How......?"

"It's nothing......" the girl replied in a trembling voice, "I'm sorry......"

"Don't ...... that"

Narumi Yu realized that he had inadvertently said the wrong thing, and said with a smile,

"If Yayoi-san's father were here, he would have grabbed me and beaten me severely.

After all, I made his daughter, who was desperately trying to protect, cry. ”

"Woo......"

The girl couldn't hold back any longer,

Buried his face completely in his sleeves.