Chapter 18 Head Balloons (11) Yokohama at night...
As night deepened in Yokohama, the glow of the streetlights dispelled some of the darkness, blurring the boundaries of the shadows.
The three walked along the increasingly deserted street. It was already quite late, and most of the residents around were at home, so their footsteps were particularly clear. Ahead was the fork in the road leading to Sato Yota's house.
"So your plan is to put pressure on Sato Yota when the human head balloon appears?" Kunikida Doppo confirmed. He didn't know if this method would work. Although Dazai Osamu's predictions were correct many times, the human head balloon was really unpredictable. It could disappear, and no one could guarantee that it would appear tonight.
He was somewhat skeptical about the feasibility of this approach.
Dazai Osamu walked with a light step, as if he were simply taking an evening stroll: "Don't worry, Kunikida-kun, Ms. Nishimura has already shown us the way, hasn't she?"
When did he not know that Yuko Nishimura's head balloon had shown them the way?
Dazai Osamu's deliberately mysterious demeanor was like a fine needle precisely piercing Kunikida's patience, leaving all the questions he wanted to ask stuck in his throat.
Having worked with this guy for so long, he should have gotten used to being kept in the dark, but he still couldn't help but clench his fists every time.
Zhu Yi silently followed behind the two, his eyes lowered, his long eyelashes casting a light shadow beneath his eyes, concealing the turbulent emotions in his eyes.
Initially, he simply observed the "game" he had set out as a designer, remaining detached and indifferent.
Every step of Dazai Osamu's investigation, every action and conflict, should have been part of a pre-scripted script. But from some point onward, the line between "designer" and "participant" gradually became blurred.
Yuko Nishimura's experiences made his anger and sadness feel real. His anger at the injustice done to the weak was real, as was his sadness at seeing her being repeatedly torn apart by fate. Under the influence of these emotions, he almost forgot his mission and purpose.
He even froze several times when Dazai Osamu asked him questions. If it weren't for the probing look in Dazai's iris-colored eyes, he probably would still be trapped in those terrifyingly real emotions.
When the names on the system panel become crying and in pain, even the designers may feel confused, wondering whether they are controlling the game or have already been drawn into it, becoming an involuntary pawn on the chessboard.
How arrogant!
Zhu Yi mocked himself.
As they approached Yota Sato's house, an ominous premonition enveloped the three of them.
"It stinks." Takeichi covered his nose and frowned as he looked at Yota Sato's house.
The entire floor was almost completely dark except for the light outside Yota Sato's window, which flickered on and off like a computer malfunction.
"Something's not right." Kunikida Doppo was the first to become alert, and he quickened his pace.
Upon seeing this, Dazai Osamu and Takeichi immediately followed the other party.
The closer they got to the apartment, the stronger the stench became. He waved his hand uncomfortably, trying to drive away the smell. As the three of them drew closer to the house, the sounds coming from inside became clearer. It was a hysterical cry, mixed with intermittent pleas for mercy and screams.
"No...don't come any closer! I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The three of them recognized Sato Yota's voice, but it was completely distorted, filled with extreme fear.
The three exchanged a glance and immediately rushed towards Yota Sato's house.
Kunikida Doppo tried turning the doorknob, but the door wasn't locked.
The moment they pushed open the door, the sight before them made all three of them gasp in shock.
Yota Sato huddled in a corner of the living room, trembling all over, tears streaming down his face.
And hovering low in front of him was the balloon depicting Yuko Nishimura's head.
The balloon was only centimeters away from Sato Yota's face. Those black, hole-like eyes stared intently at him, and the pale face was expressionless, yet more terrifying than any ferocious face.
The light bulb above his head flickered on and off. When the light swept across the balloon-shaped human head, it cast an eerie shadow on his cheekbone. Sato Yota's breath caught in his throat, and his outstretched hand froze in mid-air. His pupils reflected the balloon-shaped human head, yet it was as if he was looking through the balloon at something deeper. The blood vessels in his eyes were gradually turning purplish-black.
The three of them saw this strange scene when they entered.
"Help...help me..." Sato Yota's neck turned haltingly. When he saw the person who came, he stretched out his trembling hand, but his gaze was quickly drawn back to the human head balloon, as if he were being controlled by some invisible force.
The balloon with the human head on it also slowly rotated.
The moment the balloon with the human head turned around, a sweet, cloying smell of decay suddenly wafted through the air, and it faced the three of them.
Although they didn't speak, they could all sense a silent plea—a request for them to witness this moment.
Dazai Osamu gently closed the door and made a shushing gesture: "It seems that Miss Nishimura got there first."
Yota Sato suddenly let out an even more piercing scream, clutching his head with both hands: "No! Don't make me see! I won't see!"
Kunikida Doppo frowned: "What did he see?"
“Memory,” Takeichi said softly. “Miss Nishimura is letting him see his own memories, to experience everything he once had.”
Yota Sato's body began to convulse violently, as if he were experiencing great pain: "It hurts... Why did you hit me... Why me... I just wanted to help."
His voice suddenly changed to a girl's, mimicking Yuko Nishimura's tone and intonation: "Please stop, Sato-san. This is wrong."
Yota Sato's expression twisted, laughing while revealing a look of pain. He curled up as if avoiding an invisible attack: "Don't... don't tear up my homework, I stayed up all night to do it."
Sato Yota's voice changed again, becoming mocking: "Staying up all night? Hahahaha—! Then let's stay up all night again! Aren't good students like you the ones who love staying up all night the most?"
Kunikida Doppo clenched his fists tightly; he roughly knew what kind of scene Sato Yota was seeing.
Sato Yota's expression turned fearful and desperate, and his voice returned to Nishimura Yuko's tone: "[Principal Moriyama...please help me, they've been bullying me]!"
Then came his own voice, but this time it was imitating Principal Moriyama's tone. Unlike the kind and friendly tone that Kunikida Doppo and the others had when they met Moriyama Masao, this was a slick and hypocritical one: "Yuko-kun, this kind of thing requires evidence. And why do they only bully you and not the other students? Don't you have a problem yourself? You should reflect on that too."
Dazai Osamu's eyes turned cold: "I see. He not only witnessed it, but he was also a participant."
Yota Sato's confession continues.
He is now recreating that crucial moment—after Yuko Nishimura came out of the office, he deliberately blocked her way.
"Hey, isn't this our champion of justice? What's he doing coming out of the principal's office? Did you succeed in accusing him?" Sato Yota said in his old tone, a look of regret and pain on his face.
Then it changed to Yuko Nishimura's voice: [Why...why even the principal...]
Yota Sato began to kowtow frantically, his forehead hitting the floor with a dull thud: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have kicked you when you were down."
He raised his face, streaked with tears and blood, his eyes wide with terror, staring at a point in the void: "You never came to school again after that day. I never thought... I never thought you would really..."
The balloon depicting a human head slowly approached, almost touching his face. Sato Yota's scream reached its peak; his muscles spasmed, and his back slammed against the wall with a dull thud: "I'll talk! Why is everyone talking! Principal Moriyama did assault her! I saw it! He gave me money to shut up! I didn't just take the money! I also... I even forged the principal's handwriting and wrote a note, stuffing it into her locker! Saying that if she made a fuss again, the whole school would know she seduced the principal!"
The room fell into a deathly silence, broken only by Yota Sato's heavy breathing and sobs.
Kunikida Doppo's voice trembled with anger: "You...do you know what this means?! It's not because you know the secret, but because you are the last straw that broke the camel's back."
Dazai Osamu sighed softly and turned to look at Takeichi: "Did you take pictures of everything?"
Take nodded, holding a camera in his hand. This was something that Dazai Osamu and Take had discussed beforehand, and they had prepared a camera and a recorder just in case.
"So the real reason why Ms. Nishimura Yuko is bothering you is not because you know her secret."
"It's because you witnessed everything she did but turned a blind eye. You knew her secret but wanted to use her in such a despicable way, to use her to threaten Principal Moriyama and to seek benefits for yourself. You are the real last straw that broke her back." Dazai Osamu walked up to Sato Yota and squatted down. His iris-colored eyes, like glass immersed in cold water, stared directly and unabashedly at Sato Yota's face.
Yota Sato's breath hitched. He seemed to see his own pathetic and ugly appearance through those eyes.
Yota Sato suddenly clutched his head and let out a short scream, as if that would block out the scrutinizing gaze.
He was terrified of Dazai Osamu's gaze. It wasn't contempt, anger, or even disgust, but a kind of cruel calm, like a polished mirror that mercilessly laid bare his cowardice, selfishness, and all those dark thoughts hidden in his heart, exposing them to the light of day.
A chaotic heartbeat pounded in his chest, and an absurd thought popped into his head at the most inopportune moment: Would he show even a hint of pity? Even just a fleeting glance, like looking at a stray cat on the street? Would he sigh softly and say, "How pitiful"?
The thought had barely crossed his mind when it was overwhelmed by his own shame.
But he couldn't help it; he cautiously glanced at Dazai Osamu.
Those iris-shaped eyes remained completely still, reflecting the image of herself curled up on the ground, needing courage even to lift her head, her ugliness laid bare.
Yota Sato collapsed to the ground, his mind completely broken: "I just... I just thought it was amazing that I could control such a big secret... I could make a principal listen to me, which is much better than my father who only knew how to use violence... I never thought, I never thought she would die, I really never thought it."
Just then, Yuko Nishimura's head balloon changed. A hint of color began to appear on her pale skin. Her distorted expression gradually became peaceful and serene, finally settling into a sad yet relieved smile.
She slowly rose, passed through the ceiling, and finally, as usual, became transparent and gradually disappeared.
The lights in the room returned to normal, leaving only the sound of Yota Sato poking around on the floor.
Kunikida Doppo took a deep breath and pulled out his phone to call the police. His hands were still trembling slightly, but his voice had regained its usual calm: "This is Kunikida Doppo of the Armed Detective Agency. We have a suspect here who needs to be arrested. He is suspected of involvement in a bullying and extortion case that led to a suicide..."
Dazai Osamu squatted down next to Sato Yota and gently patted his shoulder: "Repentance is a good thing, Sato-kun. But true repentance requires accepting punishment and making amends."
Yota Sato stared blankly into the direction where Yuko Nishimura's head balloon had disappeared, his eyes vacant. He murmured softly, "Did she forgive me?"
“No.” Dazai Osamu shook his head: “She didn’t forgive you, she just did what she wanted to do, and now she can move on.” Dazai Osamu stated this cruel truth: Nishimura Yuko would never forgive him, including everything he had done.
The sound of sirens grew louder as Kunikida Doppo ended the call and looked at Dazai Osamu: "The police will arrive in five minutes. We need to provide testimony."
Dazai Osamu stood up and looked out the window at the Yokohama night view: "Next, it's Principal Moriyama's turn. Miss Nishimura's trial has only just begun."
In the darkness of night, in a corner of Yokohama, a pale balloon is slowly rising, drifting towards its next destination.
A note from the author:
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Does Yota Sato deserve sympathy? The author thought about it for a long time. Although his background is tragic, perhaps he deserves some sympathy, but his actions cannot be forgiven. (Nods)
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