There might never be a second time――.
I quickly reached into my uniform pocket and took out my smartphone.
The screen had already changed to an app for summoning Hino-san.
While climbing the stairs, I forced myself to switch to this screen by taking advantage of my hands shaking to some extent.
If I managed to press the button here, Hino-san would definitely come to my rescue.
“It’s no use.”
I felt a strong impact on my right hand when I heard Kadokura’s voice.
My smartphone’s screen got shattered and flew in the air.
I felt a sharp pain right on the back of my hand after that.
The pain was at a higher level than anything I’d ever experienced till now, as I unconsciously crouched down on the spot, trying to subside the pain.
“Goo… Ah…”
I wasn’t even able to scream.
Kadokura laughed at me, who was giving out an anguished voice of pain.
“Ahahahahaha! Even if it didn’t break, did it at least crack? This is ridiculous! I know very well about the app for summoning bodyguards. After all, I was involved in the development of that. When I contacted you last time, I remember that, unconsciously or not, you were reaching out to your right pocket. Even an idiot will be wary of smartphones, you know.”
Kadokura approached the flipped smartphone and carefully destroyed it with a bat.
I didn’t think that it would be of any use now.
And as long as this severe pain continues, I wouldn’t be able to move.
“Now then, I thought I would show you some mercy if you could remain passive, but now that’s also a no-go. I won’t do anything like kill you, but I’ll hurt you to the extent that the aftereffects remain engraved in your body.”
“Haa… haa… haha.”
“… Is there something strange?”
“Nope, not really—.”
I laughed.
Perhaps, because of the pain, I had already been driven insane.
I really can’t believe it. To think it felt so good when things turned out the way you wanted them to get…
“―As expected, you’re not at all someone special.”
“Eh…?”
I showed him the screen of the smartphone that was in my left hand.
Kadokura seemed at a loss for words when he saw the screen after he had already sent the notification to Hino-san on the app.
Even I remember trying to reach for my smartphone with my right hand when I first met him.
The only thing I was afraid of was having my belongings searched before having me enter here.
If the men waiting in front of the building were to rummage through my belongings, the newest smartphone I got forced to prepare after encountering him would have been exposed.
But Kadokura, who underestimated me through and through, neglected to do so.
He assumed that I had only one communication device, the one he asked me to use for the video call, and didn’t even think I could have another one.
Of course, I can’t believe he didn’t think about the possibility of me having a weapon, but I guess he believed that even if I did, he would be able to deal with it.
His thought was not at all mistaken.
Honestly, even if I had a knife with me, I don’t think I would have been able to beat Kadokura.
That’s why I had no choice but to use this app that Fuyuki gave me.
I’m sure there must have been a wiser way of going about it.
If I had been able to press the app while on my way here while knowing all the risks it carries, a smarter solution might have been waiting for me right now.
But it was far too late for all this now.
This was the limit of what I could do at this moment.
“You…!”
Did you think poor people wouldn’t have the money to have two smartphones?
Or did you think I’d not do something like try to extort her to buy me another smartphone?
Unfortunately, it seems I was also quite brazen at the end of the day.
“Give up, Kadokura Kosuke…! Hino san will be here soon.”
“… What are you trying to say with that triumphant look on your face? There’s still time until that woman comes here, you know? Do you think you’ll be safe until then?”
Ah, that I wasn’t thinking about at all.
All I could do now was to buy time while protecting Yakumo.
In the end, it was just a matter of not letting go of my consciousness no matter how many times I got hit from hereon.
“Maybe you misunderstand something. I still have a hostage with me. If you don’t want her face to get dishevelled through and through, obediently allow yourself to get tied down by m—.”
“Senpai!”
“Wha!?”
Yakumo suddenly stood up from her chair and pushed Kadokura in front of her.
It’s no wonder he couldn’t react.
Since Yakumo was tied tightly with a rope and there was no way she could move. Or so he thought…
And if you were to ask me why she was able to move, the answer wasn’t difficult to come to.
When I was hit on the head and fell down, I hid some of the scattered glass pieces in the palms of my hand.
And when I untied Yakumo’s gag, I handed it over to her from behind.
With that, my plan had, at last, come to fruition.
All I had left now was to buy more time.
“Yakumo…!”
“Ah!”
I couldn’t say something like it hurt heavily right now.
I let go of my smartphone and used my free hand to pull Yakumo’s hand toward the entrance.
Now that Yakumo’s surprise attack was successful, there would never be another chance like this.
Thinking that I would be able to escape somehow― With such a faint hope, I ran with all my strength towards the entrance.
“Don’t be silly! YOU ORDINARY PEOPLE!”
“Gah…”
A sudden shock ran straight to my back.
I could hear Yakumo screaming next to me, who had fallen down in agony.
The bat that Kadokura had been using until just a moment ago rolled down in front of my line of sight as I fell down in pain.
It was probably thrown while aiming for my back.
“Yakumo…! Go ahead!”
“But—”
“QUICK!”
Yakumo had a crestfallen expression on her face.
I’ve already let go of her hand, so she should have been able to go out on her own.
But she didn’t move an inch.
Well, I guess even she couldn’t help it. If I were in Yakumo’s position, I don’t think I would be able to switch so easily and leave her behind.
Then all that’s left―.
I tried to reach out to the bat that rolled over.
As long as we have a weapon, we may be able to buy some time, no matter what.
Thinking on such lines, I started to put my actions to play, but it all came to naught when Kadokura stepped on my hand right before I was about to get hold of the bat.
“Arh…!”
“I just now rejudged you for a moment there. Well, you really did outwit me there. Even though the biggest factor was probably my own carelessness, I’ll praise you for taking advantage of that carelessness on my part. As expected of the next person chosen as my successor by her.”
As he moved his foot grinding, I felt a sharp pain run through my hand from being trampled recklessly.
I felt just too stupid.
Because of suddenly reached out with my injured hand in the process, the pain increased several times over.
Sweat burst out all at once, and the pain made me nauseous.
“Senpa—”
“Your turn comes later.”
“Ahh⁉”
Kadokura pushed Yakumo, and she fell on her buttocks.
I immediately tried to protect her, but that guy stepped on my hand harder, making it harder to move.
“I think I’ll have you put to sleep now so that you won’t resist anymore. I might end up killing you, but I’ve already decided to get over it. Worst case scenario, I’ll have to get rid of that guard dog and negotiate with her to be the next one.”
“…!”
Kadokura raised the bat, taking it from the ground.
His aim was right on my head.
“That’s it then, goodbye.”
He swung the bat down.
I involuntarily closed my eyes in order to endure the incoming pain.
That instant felt like it took seconds, tens of them.
However, no matter how much time passed, the pain that was to come did not somehow.
“W—Why…”
Kadokura had a bewildered voice.
I opened my eyes timidly and fearfully.
Before I was a woman holding that bat with one hand, stopping it from being swung down.
“Hi… Hino-san.”
“I apologize for being late, Inamori-sama. Please leave the rest to me.”
I really started wondering how Hino-san had arrived so soon.
It hadn’t even been two minutes since I sent her a notification through the app.
It should have been impossible for her to reach here in any possible way so soon.
“―That’s so sweet of you, Haruyuki-kun. As someone who loves you from the bottom of her heart, I can’t fall prey to someone like him so easily, you know?”
“Ah…”
A girl with a calm demeanour appeared at the entrance.
Tojo Fuyuki.
Her usual gentle gaze seemed to have been away somewhere as she had a really sharp, piercing gaze directed toward Kadokura.
“It’s been a while, Kadokura.”
“Fu, Fuyuki-sama…!”
In this situation, I at least knew that Yakumo and I got saved.
There might never be a second time――.
I quickly reached into my uniform pocket and took out my smartphone.
The screen had already changed to an app for summoning Hino-san.
While climbing the stairs, I forced myself to switch to this screen by taking advantage of my hands shaking to some extent.
If I managed to press the button here, Hino-san would definitely come to my rescue.
“It’s no use.”
I felt a strong impact on my right hand when I heard Kadokura’s voice.
My smartphone’s screen got shattered and flew in the air.
I felt a sharp pain right on the back of my hand after that.
The pain was at a higher level than anything I’d ever experienced till now, as I unconsciously crouched down on the spot, trying to subside the pain.
“Goo… Ah…”
I wasn’t even able to scream.
Kadokura laughed at me, who was giving out an anguished voice of pain.
“Ahahahahaha! Even if it didn’t break, did it at least crack? This is ridiculous! I know very well about the app for summoning bodyguards. After all, I was involved in the development of that. When I contacted you last time, I remember that, unconsciously or not, you were reaching out to your right pocket. Even an idiot will be wary of smartphones, you know.”
Kadokura approached the flipped smartphone and carefully destroyed it with a bat.
I didn’t think that it would be of any use now.
And as long as this severe pain continues, I wouldn’t be able to move.
“Now then, I thought I would show you some mercy if you could remain passive, but now that’s also a no-go. I won’t do anything like kill you, but I’ll hurt you to the extent that the aftereffects remain engraved in your body.”
“Haa… haa… haha.”
“… Is there something strange?”
“Nope, not really—.”
I laughed.
Perhaps, because of the pain, I had already been driven insane.
I really can’t believe it. To think it felt so good when things turned out the way you wanted them to get…
“―As expected, you’re not at all someone special.”
“Eh…?”
I showed him the screen of the smartphone that was in my left hand.
Kadokura seemed at a loss for words when he saw the screen after he had already sent the notification to Hino-san on the app.
Even I remember trying to reach for my smartphone with my right hand when I first met him.
The only thing I was afraid of was having my belongings searched before having me enter here.
If the men waiting in front of the building were to rummage through my belongings, the newest smartphone I got forced to prepare after encountering him would have been exposed.
But Kadokura, who underestimated me through and through, neglected to do so.
He assumed that I had only one communication device, the one he asked me to use for the video call, and didn’t even think I could have another one.
Of course, I can’t believe he didn’t think about the possibility of me having a weapon, but I guess he believed that even if I did, he would be able to deal with it.
His thought was not at all mistaken.
Honestly, even if I had a knife with me, I don’t think I would have been able to beat Kadokura.
That’s why I had no choice but to use this app that Fuyuki gave me.
I’m sure there must have been a wiser way of going about it.
If I had been able to press the app while on my way here while knowing all the risks it carries, a smarter solution might have been waiting for me right now.
But it was far too late for all this now.
This was the limit of what I could do at this moment.
“You…!”
Did you think poor people wouldn’t have the money to have two smartphones?
Or did you think I’d not do something like try to extort her to buy me another smartphone?
Unfortunately, it seems I was also quite brazen at the end of the day.
“Give up, Kadokura Kosuke…! Hino san will be here soon.”
“… What are you trying to say with that triumphant look on your face? There’s still time until that woman comes here, you know? Do you think you’ll be safe until then?”
Ah, that I wasn’t thinking about at all.
All I could do now was to buy time while protecting Yakumo.
In the end, it was just a matter of not letting go of my consciousness no matter how many times I got hit from hereon.
“Maybe you misunderstand something. I still have a hostage with me. If you don’t want her face to get dishevelled through and through, obediently allow yourself to get tied down by m—.”
“Senpai!”
“Wha!?”
Yakumo suddenly stood up from her chair and pushed Kadokura in front of her.
It’s no wonder he couldn’t react.
Since Yakumo was tied tightly with a rope and there was no way she could move. Or so he thought…
And if you were to ask me why she was able to move, the answer wasn’t difficult to come to.
When I was hit on the head and fell down, I hid some of the scattered glass pieces in the palms of my hand.
And when I untied Yakumo’s gag, I handed it over to her from behind.
With that, my plan had, at last, come to fruition.
All I had left now was to buy more time.
“Yakumo…!”
“Ah!”
I couldn’t say something like it hurt heavily right now.
I let go of my smartphone and used my free hand to pull Yakumo’s hand toward the entrance.
Now that Yakumo’s surprise attack was successful, there would never be another chance like this.
Thinking that I would be able to escape somehow― With such a faint hope, I ran with all my strength towards the entrance.
“Don’t be silly! YOU ORDINARY PEOPLE!”
“Gah…”
A sudden shock ran straight to my back.
I could hear Yakumo screaming next to me, who had fallen down in agony.
The bat that Kadokura had been using until just a moment ago rolled down in front of my line of sight as I fell down in pain.
It was probably thrown while aiming for my back.
“Yakumo…! Go ahead!”
“But—”
“QUICK!”
Yakumo had a crestfallen expression on her face.
I’ve already let go of her hand, so she should have been able to go out on her own.
But she didn’t move an inch.
Well, I guess even she couldn’t help it. If I were in Yakumo’s position, I don’t think I would be able to switch so easily and leave her behind.
Then all that’s left―.
I tried to reach out to the bat that rolled over.
As long as we have a weapon, we may be able to buy some time, no matter what.
Thinking on such lines, I started to put my actions to play, but it all came to naught when Kadokura stepped on my hand right before I was about to get hold of the bat.
“Arh…!”
“I just now rejudged you for a moment there. Well, you really did outwit me there. Even though the biggest factor was probably my own carelessness, I’ll praise you for taking advantage of that carelessness on my part. As expected of the next person chosen as my successor by her.”
As he moved his foot grinding, I felt a sharp pain run through my hand from being trampled recklessly.
I felt just too stupid.
Because of suddenly reached out with my injured hand in the process, the pain increased several times over.
Sweat burst out all at once, and the pain made me nauseous.
“Senpa—”
“Your turn comes later.”
“Ahh⁉”
Kadokura pushed Yakumo, and she fell on her buttocks.
I immediately tried to protect her, but that guy stepped on my hand harder, making it harder to move.
“I think I’ll have you put to sleep now so that you won’t resist anymore. I might end up killing you, but I’ve already decided to get over it. Worst case scenario, I’ll have to get rid of that guard dog and negotiate with her to be the next one.”
“…!”
Kadokura raised the bat, taking it from the ground.
His aim was right on my head.
“That’s it then, goodbye.”
He swung the bat down.
I involuntarily closed my eyes in order to endure the incoming pain.
That instant felt like it took seconds, tens of them.
However, no matter how much time passed, the pain that was to come did not somehow.
“W—Why…”
Kadokura had a bewildered voice.
I opened my eyes timidly and fearfully.
Before I was a woman holding that bat with one hand, stopping it from being swung down.
“Hi… Hino-san.”
“I apologize for being late, Inamori-sama. Please leave the rest to me.”
I really started wondering how Hino-san had arrived so soon.
It hadn’t even been two minutes since I sent her a notification through the app.
It should have been impossible for her to reach here in any possible way so soon.
“―That’s so sweet of you, Haruyuki-kun. As someone who loves you from the bottom of her heart, I can’t fall prey to someone like him so easily, you know?”
“Ah…”
A girl with a calm demeanour appeared at the entrance.
Tojo Fuyuki.
Her usual gentle gaze seemed to have been away somewhere as she had a really sharp, piercing gaze directed toward Kadokura.
“It’s been a while, Kadokura.”
“Fu, Fuyuki-sama…!”
In this situation, I at least knew that Yakumo and I got saved.
