Chapter 18: Contracts Are Made to Be Broken

The day of the operation had arrived.

The plan went into motion right after the lunch break ended, as everyone was being returned to their cells. Mine, disguised as a guard, took Shie out alone under the pretext of showing her a video. Meanwhile, my role was to make sure Saori—who was on guard duty—didn’t interfere and ruin Mine’s part of the job.

Mine’s disguise was so perfect that I hadn’t even noticed until she removed her hat. And really, it wasn’t unusual for a guard to call Shie out like that. Most likely, she was being asked to prepare some of her signature pastries. That meant the chances of Saori noticing anything off were practically zero. Honestly, there was a possibility I wouldn’t even have to take action.

If that happened, well… that would be a pleasant miscalculation. I wouldn’t have to exchange gunfire with Saori, and I wouldn’t have to shoulder the guilt of being the one to trigger the trauma Mine was about to implant in Shie. I was genuinely hoping that outcome would come true.

Even then, I’d still get paid. That’s how contracts work. Sure, since the broker herself was participating, the fee might be a little lower than usual… but the original amount was huge, and it would go a long way toward settling the debt I’d taken this job for.

Yes… this is fine.

All I had to do was nothing.
Don’t stop Shie.
Don’t warn Saori.
Just wait silently while Mine implants the trauma. Doing nothing was the safest choice. That way, I wouldn’t feel guilt, I wouldn’t hurt Saori, and I’d get the money.

This is fine. This is truly fine.

"What's wrong? Not eating?"

"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-what!? I’m not doing anything!"

"If you don’t want it, I’ll take Mr. Wiener!"

"Ah, hey!?"

"...Seems okay."

I hesitated for a moment, but honestly, I started thinking that maybe this brat needed a little lesson.

"Meal time is over! Everyone, return to your cells!"

Riiing! The obnoxiously loud and all-too-familiar bell signaled the end of lunch. Every prisoner in the cafeteria cleared their trays and began heading back. We stood and moved with the crowd—when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guard approaching.

Probably… no, definitely Mine.

Now then, Fuyuhi Kou. What will you do? If you’re going to back out, this is your last chance. If you let sentimentality sway you and betray Hibana and the Helmet Gang… the way out is simple. Call out to Shie and tell her to fake an illness and follow you. Or warn Saori. Just one word. One word. With a single word from someone who knows everything, anything could happen.

Step by step, Mine approached, almost in slow motion. The surrounding noise felt deafening, yet none of it reached me.

Are you sure? Are you really okay with this?

Then I felt Shie holding my hand, laughing cheerfully despite being in prison. Her face, her presence… it reminded me of Saori and the others from before. Even in harsh circumstances, she stood tall. And that smile—the one she’d finally shown me that day—overlapped with old memories. Children’s smiles are precious. They should never be stolen. I understood that. It was common sense. So why was I pretending not to know?

And I didn’t want to hand her over as her friend. Not for money.

Saori, Shie… and Hiyori and Misaki, even though they weren’t here now. There was no doubt they were precious to me. They were people who mattered in my everyday life.

But that was the past—and temporary.

I couldn’t betray Hibana and the Helmet Gang, who supported the peace I had now and would have in the future.

"…."

Just as Mine’s figure was about to disappear, our eyes met. That look silently said, Do your job.

If—hypothetically—I sided with Saori, the plan would collapse. Shie would be safe, Saori’s mission would succeed, and mine would fail. I’d never get the money to pay off my debt. Mine, a well-known broker and information agent, would lose credibility—an instant death sentence in the black market. And betraying her would make life harder for the Helmet Gang… and for me.

The past can’t simply be carried forward forever.
But… I also couldn’t throw away the happiness I had now.

"Hey! What are you two doing!?"

"...Sayuri, what’s wrong? We have to go quickly."

"..."

It didn’t matter if they hated me. Or resented me. Or looked down on me. I’d done things deserving of that.

So please… please just—

"Sayuri?"

"...Kou, wait a little."

──I wish you hadn’t noticed.

My face contorted. I must look awful right now. I couldn’t manage the friendly smile I usually wore.

Because if you noticed… if you realized…

"...You can’t, Sayuri."

"Forgive me. I’ll cause you trouble, but—"

"You can’t."

"Kou…?"

Because then I’d have to point a gun at you.

"…What are you—"

"Sorry, but I won’t let you go. I can’t let you."

Last night, Mine called me over and handed me a pistol. A bit unreliable, but small enough to hide—good enough to stall someone.

I pointed that gun at Saori.

"Sayuri. You’re going to pretend you saw Shie off and then return to your cell like nothing happened. Any uneasiness you felt, this gun—everything—was just your imagination. Nothing happened. You go back to your cell, and Shie comes back safely. That only happens if you don’t go."

"…"

…Don’t look at me like that.
Why? Why won’t you glare at me?
Like the first time we met—stab me with those sharp eyes.

Why do you look like that instead…?

"...Kou."

"—"

"You… really…"

Stop.
Don’t look at me with kind eyes.
Eyes you’d give to family… as if I were still part of that family.
Don’t look at me like that.

Because if you do—

"...Are you sure you won’t regret this?"

It felt like she was telling me I still had a way back.

My hands shook. The gun wavered. Even so, at this distance, I couldn’t miss. All I had to do was pull the trigger. That was it. That was all it would take to seal my decision.

And yet my finger refused to move.

──Make the choice you won’t regret.

Suddenly, the words of that suspicious old man I’d once met resurfaced.

A choice without regret. It would be easy to say such a thing didn’t exist. Whether I shot Saori or didn’t shoot, I would regret it.

But… if I let Saori go now, maybe—just maybe—I could find work through someone other than Mine and pay off my debt. Maybe I could repair things with Saori and the others. Maybe I could regain my old peace while keeping my current peace.

Maybe. Perhaps. If.
It was all hypothetical.

But one thing was absolutely certain.

"—!!"

"Kh…!"

If I shot Saori right here, right now, I would regret it. Absolutely.

A sharp bang tore through the air, a jolt running up my arm. White smoke rose from the muzzle—
and a guard collapsed to the ground.

"Aaaaahhh!! I messed up! I messed uuuup!!!"

"Move, Kou! Run!"

"Wha—!? Huh!? Wait! You two there! Stop! Catch them! They’re escaping!"

I really did it I really did it I really did it!

Holding my head in regret, I sprinted down the hallway after Saori as bullets ripped past us.

No turning back now!
Will I… will I not regret this choice!?

Panic crushed me.
Would Hibana and the others beat me half to death? Would they abandon me?

"...Heh. You really haven’t changed."

But all that fear melted away at Saori’s smile as she ran beside me.

Ah… if only for this moment… let me savor this happiness.

…By the way, what do you mean I haven’t changed??
In front of all of you, I was always the reliable older-sister type, wasn’t I??
I’m sure I acted like a competent adult!
I don’t remember ever showing this level of uselessness!
Wait—huh?????