265: The Truth
Under Iroha's gaze, the content on the TV screen slowly progressed.
At first, the images and sounds made her feel a little strange. Most of them were familiar content that she had seen before, just like the section currently playing.
It showed Chisato as a child, returning home from a walk with her dogs. Worried that they might fight at night, she thoughtfully tied them up separately on both sides, preventing them from coming into contact with each other.
This was an extremely considerate move, and there was nothing wrong with it.
Just as Iroha began to feel impatient watching the familiar scenes, the situation on the screen changed.
It displayed a picture she had never seen before.
On the TV screen, late at night, the camera's perspective slowly descended from a height, eventually focusing on the small courtyard of the orphanage.
The two separated dogs whimpered softly, their voices filled with anxiety and grievance.
They kept trying to rush toward each other, but their efforts were in vain due to the ropes around their necks.
This was completely different—a brand new scene that had never been shown before.
What could it mean to deliberately reveal the situation of the two dogs and provide such a long shot out of nowhere?
Iroha's interest piqued, and she concentrated more closely.
As time passed, the camera began to shift slowly.
It moved from the small courtyard of the orphanage to the main body of the residential building, then followed the wall upward until it finally landed on a window.
Accompanied by slightly eerie background music, the camera zoomed in, revealing more details on the screen.
In the bright moonlight, the pattern of the curtains beside the window became clear.
At the gap in the curtain, the camera revealed someone standing there, with the corners of their mouth raised in a way that felt unsettling.
Who is it?
Iroha held her breath unconsciously, as if watching a horror movie.
The camera fully entered the house, unveiling the mystery.
It was childhood Chisato, leaning against the window and peering into the courtyard through the curtain's gap.
His eyes widened in excitement, his chest rising and falling rapidly, and the corners of his mouth were lifted.
Although she didn't want to think about it this way, Chisato's appearance in front of the camera was both charming and morbid, reminiscent of an evil mastermind in some horror films.
What is going on?
Why does this scene suddenly appear?
Why does he have such a strange expression?
What does this extra chapter aim to express?
A very bad premonition arose in Iroha's heart. Her intuition told her it was best not to continue watching, as the unfolding plot might further disrupt her previous understanding.
Yet, her reason urged her on, insisting that she had the right to know the truth.
"... Extra chapter, things she doesn't know."
Iroha looked at the video disc packaging on the coffee table and silently read the words.
She was a smart girl. Although the plot on the screen had not advanced very far, she already sensed that this "she" referred to herself.
Shaking her head, Iroha suppressed her inner unease and allowed herself to continue watching.
The next plot point transitioned directly from Chisato's childhood to his adolescence.
He was adopted by a ramen couple, leaving his life in the orphanage behind, and finally had a home of his own.
However, his life in this new family was not happy and was even quite difficult.
His new parents were not the kind people they appeared to be.
They often asked Chisato to help out late at night and even made him responsible for household chores upon returning home, severely cutting into his daily rest time.
Iroha's expression gradually turned indignant, but soon the plot took an unexpected turn.
Faced with this situation, Chisato chose not to resist or seek help from the outside world; instead, he silently bore it alone.
Several times, the camera showed him alone in his room at night, looking at the calendar and sneering grimly.
The clues provided in this plot were limited.
Scenes of Chisato being mistreated by his new parents and moments of his solitude flashed randomly, making it impossible to draw any conclusions.
However, this disorienting plot did not last long. With a loud crash from an out-of-control car, the couple got the ending they deserved.
At that moment, Iroha felt a wave of fear as she looked at the TV screen.
She saw teenage Chisato rushing to the hospital after learning the news, his expression filled with tears.
From an angle no one else could see, he overflowed with an absolutely joyful and natural feeling, wearing a smile that seemed entirely undeserved.
It was exactly the same smile he had shown in the earlier orphanage scene.
Just looking at that smile sent chills down her spine.
Was that car accident deliberately orchestrated by him?
Iroha couldn't help but entertain that thought.
Under the stark contrast presented by the camera, the gentle filters that once made Iroha feel close to Chisato began to crack.
Although she didn't want to admit it, she sensed a vague understanding quietly shifting within her.
As the plot accelerated, Iroha became familiar with the upcoming scenes. Her kind parents adopted the helpless Chisato after discussions.
For the next few years, everything seemed calm.
The reason she used the word "seemingly" was that Iroha noticed many things she hadn't seen before in the main series.
The most striking detail was the undisguised love and attachment Chisato displayed toward his nominal sister during his teenage years, unnoticed by others.
So far, everything had seemed normal.
Iroha continued to convince herself that the fate of those despicable adoptive parents was entirely their own doing and had nothing to do with Chisato.
After all, her previous thoughts were mere speculations and were not even supported by evidence shown on the TV screen.
Until Chisato met that person—her former sister-in-law, Miri
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