Chapter 158 Ai vs. Tachibana

Ai vs. Tachibana

Tachibana’s PoV

My cell phone has been ringing repeatedly since some time ago.

I looked at it but didn’t recognize the number. So, I continued to ignore it, hoping it would stop soon. I thought about setting it to block calls, but my intuition refused to let me do that.

“What should I do?”

If this call was about Kondo-kun and the others I was involved with, ignoring it would be a bad idea.

Maybe it’s the police. Or a traitor in the club. Maybe Eiji-kun? Or Amada Miyuki?

What I do know, is that the person on the other end of this phone call is clearly my enemy. Trembling, I picked up the phone…

[Good evening, Tachibana-san. Sorry for the sudden call…]

I heard a woman’s voice.

Very polite. But I could feel the tension in her voice as if she was suspicious of me.

“Who are you?”

[I cannot tell you my name. But there is something I must tell you…]

“So selfish. I’m hanging up. How did you get my number?”

Even though I took a high-handed attitude, she continued to speak in a cold voice without hesitation.

[Okay, I get it. Before you hang up, let me tell you something; I know everything…]

My heartbeat is increasing. I feel suffocated like time has stopped.

What do you know?

I couldn’t even say those words. I thought about asking with harsh words. But if you’re in a situation where she might record me, you have to be careful.

“What are you saying? I don’t understand what you mean…”

[I see. Then let me monologue. I have proof that you are connected to Kondo. And you are responsible for the bullying of Eiji Aono…]

How does she know that Kondo-kun and I are connected? Does she have any proof? That’s a lie. There is no way. She couldn’t have caught me.

I was about to get angry, but I kept my cool.

“What are you talking about? It’s a false accusation. Why am I the one responsible for bullying the cute junior? It’s true that we were too weak to trust him. But that doesn’t mean we don’t trust him at all. It’s all the fault of the soccer club and Amada Miyuki!”

My voice trembled with fear.

[I see. Then what if I tell you that I know about Endo-san and Ikenobu-san, too?]

The attack came from an unexpected direction.

Why are those names mentioned?

Don’t tell me, did she my classmates in junior high school? No, other than Ikenobu-san, there must be no other female students who went to the same high school. Then who is she? Who is this woman?

“They are my junior high school classmates, but why? Who are you really? Don’t take the liberty of making me the bad guy. That’s a false accusation!!!”

Anyway, I’ll just keep pretending. Deny everything and keep running.

[Why did you do that? Was that jealousy? Was that just for your own fun? Or did you want to feel superior by stepping on people’s genuine goodwill? You tried to ruin the future of a junior student who was supposed to be talented. You know! …]

It was as if the Shinigami (the angel of death) had seen through everything.

“I told you, not me! You made a false accusation!”

[As I thought, you and I don’t understand each other. But I’m glad we don’t understand each other…]

“Yes, I feel the same way. Rude woman. If you think I’m the guilty one, bring me some proof.”

[Okay, I understand. I will condemn you, I promise.]

“Try it. Your efforts will be in vain, b🬀🬀ch!”

I really want to smash the phone on the bed.

[…poor girl. Your talent is far from Aono Eiji…]

Finally, this damn woman left me with the words I least wanted to hear.

After the phone hangs up, blood rushes to my head.

“Shut up! F🬀🬀k!!”

I roughly took out the award certificate from a literary competition, which I thought was a symbol of my talent, and tore it up.

And after I did that, I was left with an irrepressible regret. I felt a sense of hopelessness as if I were on death row.