The Origin Of Joichiro Hyakuzawa: Part 19

*Joichiro Hyakuzawa's POV*

//October 13, 2036//Monday//

*PLOP* *PLOP* *PLOP*

"Oh, it started to rain. I must hurry."

A few minutes after Rui left the house, I realized that she didn't bring her umbrella, and I saw that it started to rain outside.

I looked at the time, and Rui was still probably walking to school. I am worried that she doesn't have an umbrella to use in this rainy weather, and she might catch a cold.

But should I really go to school again?

I don't have my phone anymore to contact her, and I was hesitating if I should just let Rui deal with her problem because of this rain, but at the same time, I am also worried.

"Fuck it."

I learned about the false rumors from Yamazaki, and the others. I was nervous if people that I know from before sees me. But I realized, why do I need to mind what the others think about me if Rui needs help?

Rui was treated like the little sister of a rapist after I left school, and she endured that without even telling me at all, and it is all my fault that Rui is getting treated that way.

I remembered that she has an official Kendo match with another school on Friday, and I don't want her to catch a cold.

I just need to catch up with Rui and give this to her.

I left the house, and brought a spare umbrella for Rui. I covered myself with an umbrella and then started running.

It was freezing outside, and the rain was pouring non-stop. I could imagine that Rui is drenched with water right now.

I must hurry.

"Joichiro?"

While I was dashing my way to school. Someone who I knew called me.

"Is that you?" He asked.

"Hiroshi?"

The student who called me was my classmate from before, and his name is Hiroshi Yamaguchi. This guy was always keeping a low profile at school, and he doesn't talk much back then.

"H-How have you been?"

Hiroshi's face looks pale or somewhat bothered. But I don't have time for this.

"I'm fine. Well then, I'm off." I said.

"Wait a minute!"

As soon as I started walking again, Hiroshi grabbed my hand and called me out.

"WHAT?!"

I was getting pissed because I was worried about Rui, and I must hurry while she still hasn't entered the school yet.

I'm almost at school, and I am tired of running. As much as possible, I don't want to cause a scene and enter the school just to give Rui the umbrella that I am carrying. While it's still early, I must give this to her.

"I'M SORRY, JOICHIRO!!! I'M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!"

Suddenly, Hiroshi dropped his umbrella, got over on his knees, and begged in front of me.

"Oi, what are you doing?!"

The rain quickly drenched his uniform, and I immediately shared my umbrella to cover his body from the rain.

I am confused. Why is he apologizing to me?

"It was all my fault, Joichiro. I shouldn't have done that from the very beginning."

"What are you talking about?"

Without hesitation, Hiroshi said something to me that made me furious.

"I was the one who made those videos about you."

My mind was processing what he just said, but I remembered what Hiroshi is good at. Hiroshi Yamaguchi is an exceptional video editor for the school's film club.

"Do you know about the interview of you belittling your friends, right? Do you remember the sex video of Asami, and-."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!"

I grabbed his collar and slammed his body to the ground. I was starting to get blinded by my own anger, and I lifted my fist up in the air to punch him.

"I'M SORRY!!! I'M SORRY!!! BUT KEN!!! KEN SAID THAT HE WILL GIVE ME MONEY!!!"

But I couldn't.

"I NEED MONEY FOR MY MOTHER'S TREATMENT, AND I AM DESPERATE! FOR SOME REASON! KEN KNEW ABOUT IT, AND OFFERED ME A LOT OF MONEY! I KNOW IT'S WRONG! I'M SORRY! I REALLY AM! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

It was because of one person. The only person who was responsible for ruining my life.

It was because of Ken.

But I can't understand it…

As I think about why people would follow everything that someone who has power tells them to do even if it can ruin someone else, my breathing started to become heavy, and I was starting to get a lot more furious.

"DOES THAT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO RUIN MY FUCKING LIFE, YOU BASTARD!!!"

I was about to punch Hiroshi in the face, but I suddenly remembered the smile of my little sister.

*SLAM*

"Aha… Aha…"

Instead of punching Hiroshi in the face, I struck my fist straight to the ground near his head.

I stood up and looked at the pathetic state Hiroshi was in. He was covering his face, and his whole body was twitching. He peed his pants because of what I almost did to him, and he kept on apologizing.

As time passes by, and because of the things I learned from the people I trust back then. I realized how rotten they really are.

"You were aware that what you did ruin me, and you didn't even stand up for yourself to refuse Ken's offer. Do you people really just follow those who are better than you? Live on with that guilt inside of you."

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

I left Hiroshi who was lying down on the ground by himself while the rain was pouring down on his body.

*BANG*

As soon as I started running again, I heard gunfire at where the school is. At that moment, I started to get worried, and I was hoping that nothing bad happened to Rui.

When I arrived here at school, a huge crowd was watching something from the middle. It must be because of the gunfire that happened earlier, and that is why a lot of students are here. Out of curiosity, I looked at what was going on.

And at that moment…

*CRACK*

My broken heart that was holding its form from all the things that I have endured for several months couldn't handle it anymore…

"Rui?"

I walked swiftly towards my little sister that was shot near her chest and was lying down on the ground, then kneeled down. I lifted her upper body up and rested my little sister on my lap.

"O-OI!!! RUI!!!"

It feels like my whole body is getting crushed, and tears started falling in my eyes.

I started to doubt if this was reality or just a nightmare.

But that feeling of uncertainty quickly turned into realization.

As I feel the body of my little sister getting colder.

"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!!!"

I don't have a phone since it was broken after I got beaten up by Ken, and the others. I yelled and cried out of desperation for someone to help us. Just one person, I need one person to help us. Just one person! Please! Help us!

But no one did…

Instead of lending us a hand, they didn't do anything at all.

"Isn't that Joichiro Hyakuzawa? The one who raped Asami?"

All I could hear from the people who are witnessing this was gossip about me, about the incident that Ken made up.

"PLEASE SOMEONE!!! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CALL THEM THEN LET ME!!! PLEASE!!! MY SISTER IS DYING!!!"

I looked at everyone who watched me cry out for help. But no one… No one even has the courage to step up.

Some were just looking at what is happening like they are watching an act. Some were looking away just to show that they don't want to get involved after witnessing someone getting shot.

I focused my attention on the people who treated me like shit. Daisuke, Souta, Asami, and even Ken who was holding the gun were terrified to speak at this point.

All of the people here…

It's like all of them are building a wall between us, and them.

We didn't even do anything wrong…

"Please…"

Please… Just once… Someone help us…

"That's right Rui has her phone."

As I start opening Rui's bag to get her phone, she held my wrists and looked at me.

"B-Big… Bro…"

Her voice was faint, and there is blood coming from her mouth.

"Stop talking, Rui! I'll call for help! I promise! I'll call for help! So hang on! Please!"

"It's fine, Big Bro… I'll still die even before the ambulance comes here."

"DON'T SAY THAT!!!"

My hands were shaking after what Rui told me. What does she want me to do? To leave her to die in this place? To do nothing even though she is on the verge of death? No…

NO! NO! NO! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

"Hey… Since I think this is my last time to talk with you… Can we at least have one more conversation as siblings for the last time..?"

She held my hands, and it felt cold. She was losing a lot of blood, and her skin is starting to get pale.

"Rui… Don't say that…"

"Please?"

She looked at me with a smile on her face. I couldn't do anything. I gritted my teeth, and my head started to hurt.

But… I nodded... I listened to her request… And I asked weakly...

"What do you want to talk about, Rui..?"

******** TO BE CONTINUED ********