Chapter 149 Who's The Fool Now?
The bitterness clawed at Kota's throat. How dare Haruto justify his actions with something as intangible as a future that never came to be?
"Do you even hear yourself, Haruto? You've destroyed me over something that never even happened. I'm innocent!"
Kota turned around sharply, his laughter a harsh contrast to the tears streaming down his face.
Despite his wide grin, his eyes betrayed him—they were bloodshot, filled with anguish as tears flowed uncontrollably.
"You're not a god, Haruto!" Kota's voice cracked as he glared, his eyes red and bulging as though they might burst from their sockets.
"You don't deserve to punish me for things I never did!"
Haruto met Kota's glare with a cold smirk. "Of course I'm not and because of that I can crush all of your hopes and dreams, not like a God that would forgive you easily," he replied, his tone icy.
"But remember, Kota, you're not the sinner you think I made you out to be. I prevented it."
Kota's eyes widened, his laughter subsiding into a weak chuckle. "Maybe you did. Maybe you didn't. But you can't see the future, can you? So tell me, Haruto... what kind of sins did I commit to deserve all this?"
"You made my life miserable—" Haruto began, but Kota cut him off.
"The way you've made me suffer now?"
Kota's voice turned cold, his tears stopping abruptly. His expression hardened, and he took a step forward, locking eyes with Haruto.
"And how do you know? How can you be so sure I would've done those things? You think you've saved the world from a monster, but all you've done is become one.""
Haruto froze, the words striking him like a blade. 'He's right.'
At this moment, Haruto couldn't deny the truth. He was worse. He'd made himself worse. But Jun's words echoed in his mind: 'To exact perfect revenge, you must be crueler than your enemies.'
A flicker of resolve reignited in Haruto's eyes. "I don't claim to be a saint, Kota," he said firmly.
"The difference between you and me is simple—I embrace being worse than you."
Kota sighed, his gaze lowering to the ground. "This was a waste of time," he muttered. His voice grew faint, almost to himself.
"You're delusional. Taking revenge for things that never happened…"
He looked back up at Haruto, his face a mix of pity and disgust. "I never saw you as my enemy, Haruto."
"Sure, I looked down on you—who wouldn't? But never, not once, did I think of doing something so cruel to you. At least... not me standing here now."
Kota's tone grew sharp, laced with sarcasm. "But I guess I'm different from the me you see in your 'future,' huh?"
"You're right," Haruto replied, smirking. There wasn't a shred of regret in his voice.
"You have some common sense now. But if I hadn't changed things, if I'd stayed quiet and let you run wild, I know exactly where we'd both end up. You would've ruined everything."
Haruto's expression darkened. "Everything changed because I changed it. I won't regret that—not for a second."
Kota stared at him silently for a moment before a bitter smile spread across his face. "Then this is my revenge on you."
Haruto's eyes narrowed, his body tensing as he prepared for an attack. But nothing happened. Kota simply stretched his arms wide, looking up at the autumn sky.
"I hope in the next life, I'll be loved," Kota whispered softly, his voice carrying in the breeze.
He closed his eyes, feeling the chill wind brush against his skin as he stepped backward off the edge of the rooftop.
Time seemed to slow as Haruto stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what had just happened.
A scream pierced the air, snapping him out of his daze.
He rushed to the railing, peering over to see Kota's broken body sprawled on the ground, surrounded by horrified students. Blood pooled beneath him, stark against the concrete.
Haruto's breath caught in his throat. 'He actually did it…'
Then his phone buzzed in his pocket, the vibration jolting him. He pulled it out, his heart sinking as he read the messages flooding every school group chat:n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
[Kota Inoue: I'm Kota Inoue, the one who fell from the rooftop—the one you all called a pervert and a bastard for stalking my crush. I didn't die because I killed myself. I died because my best friend, Haruto, betrayed me…]
Attached to the message was a link. Haruto's face paled as he clicked it. His face appeared in the video, alongside Asuka's that wasn't blurred anymore.
'The video I sent to Ren…'
"Fuck…" Haruto muttered, his voice trembling as he stared at the screen.
***
Mari stared at her phone, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her hands trembled as she watched the video, the damning evidence of Haruto with Asuka, and the horrific announcement that Kota jumped from the rooftop.
Her voice came out in a whisper, barely audible over her pounding heart.
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"No way... Kota is dead?"
Meanwhile, Daiki sat back with a satisfied grin, savoring the chaos that unfolded like a well-written play.
In stark contrast, Ren paced back and forth, a storm of panic swirling in his mind. His face twisted with frustration as he clutched his phone tightly.
"Damn it! What are we supposed to do now?" Ren hissed, his voice filled with alarm.
"The price for Haruto's video is going to tank now that everyone knows who's behind those videos!"
Daiki chuckled, leaning back with a smug expression. "Relax, Ren. Don't ruin the moment. Just sit back and enjoy the drama." His smirk deepened, a predator reveling in his prey's suffering.
In the quiet sanctuary of the library, Ayaka sat with her phone in hand, an enigmatic smile curling her lips. She murmured softly to herself, her words carrying a chilling calmness.
"Poor Haruto… I wonder if he'll be able to clear his name now."
She set her phone down and gazed out the window, her attention drawn to the ginkgo tree outside.
Golden leaves fell gently to the ground, a stark contrast to the gruesome scene of Kota's lifeless body amidst a bed of the same leaves.
"Still," Ayaka mused, tilting her head as her smile grew brighter, "I have to admit, I'm impressed. All of this… just for revenge. Quite the masterpiece."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, almost reverent. "Maraia would be pleased with this."
Without a hint of remorse, she continued to watch the leaves dance in the wind, as if the tragedy that had just unfolded was nothing more than a fleeting moment in a grander, more intricate game.