Chapter 24: Is there really no reason of that sort?

Going out with Tomie is always a troublesome affair. Even when she makes a conscious effort not to influence the will of others, her flawless appearance inevitably draws countless gazes and, all too often, complications.

"Yo, little brother! Is this your girlfriend? She’s quite a beauty. Why don't we all hang out together?"

The Yakuza—a group that Japanese law tries to constrain but can never fully contain. They are individuals who attempt to whitewash their reputations through charitable acts and front companies, yet in reality, they remain entirely indifferent to morality and the law.

At this moment, Tomie and Udagawa encountered just such a group. They wouldn't directly assault a girl, as that would be a criminal offense. However, the law cannot stop such people from choosing to walk down the same street as you, or from "accidentally" loitering in front of your home time and time again.

In the past, this brand of clingy harassment had always been effective; after all, most Japanese citizens are terrified of trouble. Today, however, they had kicked a steel plate—especially since Tomie, who had gone to great lengths to dress up for this rare outing with Udagawa, was having her wonderful mood interrupted.

In an instant, Tomie’s expression turned terrifying.

"Jump off the bridge. Now. Immediately. At once!"

"Tomie, wait..."

Before Udagawa could finish his attempt to stop her, the group of thugs stared blankly ahead, then nimbly climbed over the railing and dove straight off the bridge.

Fortunately, the bridge wasn't high. Watching the men dog-paddling in the water and confirming they wouldn't drown, Udagawa turned his gaze toward Tomie.

"Don't look at me like that. It’s a rare date, and my mood was ruined. It’s a mercy I didn't make them jump off a skyscraper..."

Defensive as she was, seeing Udagawa’s helpless expression made Tomie feel a twinge of guilt, and she turned her face away, unable to meet his eyes. Back in high school, Tomie had caused trouble with her powers whenever she was bored, and after Udagawa found out, he had lectured her for nearly half a month. If pushed too far, he would actually smack her.

Watching her act both defiant and cowardly, Udagawa let out a soft laugh and reached out to take her hand, pulling her forward. Tomie looked down at their clasped hands, a smile blooming on her lips. Even a blockhead has his moments of clarity.

It was a rare day out, and Tomie was in high spirits. Watching her flit about the snack street like a sprite, peering here and there, Udagawa decided it was finally time to buy a camera. Come to think of it, if Tomie worked as a fashion model, the results would likely be spectacular.

"What are you thinking about?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a rice cake held right in front of his face. He opened his mouth and took a bite.

"I was thinking that with your qualities, you could make quite an impression as a model."

"Mmhmm~"

Tomie thoroughly enjoyed feeding Udagawa. Seeing him finish the treat in a few bites, she quickly picked up another and held it to his lips.

"That’s why I told you not to worry about money in the future. I can definitely support you; I have plenty of ways to do it."

"And support a few gigolos on the side?"

*Smack!*

"What nonsense are you spouting? Why would I ever keep a tool?"

Tomie, having slapped him, rolled her eyes and retorted. To her, men were merely tools, trophies, medals, or sources of glory—but they certainly didn't count as human beings.

"Well... except for you!"

Watching Tomie lean in, her expression a mix of playfulness and allure, Udagawa paused for a moment before quickly planting a light kiss on her red lips. The sudden attack left Tomie stunned for a second, but then she straightened up, letting out a proud, hummed laugh.

"I thought you were a saint."

"Why do you say that?"

Tomie pulled money from her wallet, ordered a serving of takoyaki, and then leaned against Udagawa, standing on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. She whispered into his ear, her tone sultry.

"I spent all of last night rubbing against you, and you were like a piece of wood... Look, there’s a hotel right there, and the mood is just right... Don't you want to go check it out?"

Udagawa jolted, quickly grabbing her waist to put some distance between them.

"What kind of ghost are you thinking of..."

Seeing Udagawa’s speechless expression, Tomie hummed to herself in triumph for a while. Not long after, her takoyaki was ready. Watching her eat one piece after another without a care for her image, Udagawa suddenly remembered the scenes in the manga where she would berate others for not providing high-end delicacies like abalone.

"I thought you preferred more expensive food."

Walking ahead, Tomie turned her head at his words. The sudden comment made her pause for a moment, and after a brief thought, she walked back to his side.

"You’re referring to that period when I was killing each other, right?"

"Er..." Udagawa hadn't expected her to arrive at that conclusion so quickly. "I didn't mean to bring up your..."

Tomie gave his waist a firm poke. "If you want to ask, just ask openly. Being timid like that isn't manly at all! I’ve practically laid myself out for you..."

"..."

After that sharp-tongued remark, Tomie walked along and explained softly.

"I didn't actually like eating those things back then. I just felt that eating them made my taste seem more sophisticated."

As she spoke, she tossed some trash onto the ground. A nearby patrol officer immediately stepped forward, intending to issue a fine.

"Littering is prohibited, you are being fined—!"

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just picked it up and put it in the trash can for me?"

Using her powers to casually make the officer walk away, Tomie continued, "I think it started after my first death. I realized my personality was becoming increasingly unstable."

Her first death—the image of Tomie being dismembered by her classmates and teachers flashed through Udagawa’s mind.

"Does it have to do with the child in your womb?"

"Ha?! What kind of nonsense are you babbling? Where would I get a child?"

Seeing Udagawa’s confused expression, Tomie pondered for a moment. "In your world, I have a child?!"

"Uh... I suppose so. It seems to have been that Takagi fellow’s."

"Ha...?"

"So, is that part of the reason you’ve always been unwilling to let me touch you?"

"..."

Udagawa rolled his eyes, unwilling to answer that question.

"Tell me, is it?!"

Grabbing his collar, Tomie stared at him with a fierce gaze, determined not to let it go until she got an answer. Udagawa sighed and explained.

"What are you thinking? How could I possibly reject you for that reason... It’s just... I discovered that after implanting your cells, whenever I get close to you, deep, intense urges to inflict pain well up from the bottom of my heart..."

"Is there really no other reason?"

"There really isn't..."

Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Tomie breathed a sigh of relief and slowly released his collar.

"I don't know how your world found out that Takagi and I were once together. But the truth is, Takagi and I were just in a partnership. What you call a 'romantic relationship' was nothing more than a smokescreen. We were just two psychos who happened to cross paths."

"You have quite the self-awareness..."

Seeing Udagawa hesitate, Tomie irritably grabbed his arm and led him to a park bench to sit down.

"Ever since my father called my mother to help him try to defile me—which failed—and she died accidentally falling during my struggle, and then my mother tried to kill me, only to be forced into suicide by her own hands under the influence of my powers... my mind was already broken."

Udagawa froze at her account; he had never expected such a past. Looking at the expressionless girl before him, a wave of pity rose in his heart, and he reached out to take her hand.

Tomie clasped his palm in return, her voice sounding distant. "Don't feel sad. It’s all in the past. It’s just that sometimes, when I think of it, I feel a bit sentimental."

"Back to Takagi—unlike me, he was a pure, antisocial lunatic. That so-called romance was just a cover-up for our collaboration. So, I never had any physical relationship with him. Besides, that all happened shortly after the incident with my parents; I was too disgusted by such things even to think about it."

Mentioning Takagi made Tomie frown.

"During our partnership, he used my cells for many experiments. It helped me understand my own powers, but it also brought a lot of trouble."

"Trouble?"

"Yes. Later, he used my cells to conduct an experiment in a village. At that time..."

She glanced at Udagawa beside her. She wasn't sure if he would hate her if she told him what she had been thinking back then. But ultimately, she voiced her truest thoughts. If Udagawa really ended up hating her for this, it would only prove that his "specialness" wasn't all that special after all.