Chapter 508: Parting and the Future

Night fell, yet the Benkei Hot Spring Inn remained unusually quiet.

It was simply because they had been thoroughly worn out by a fortune-telling session; all afternoon, Mao Li had sought each of them out for heart-to-heart talks.

"Kogoro is truly quite enthusiastic."

Yukie Horikoshi felt slightly troubled at this moment.

"That guy has always been like this; you should know that."

Kazushi Nakamichi laughed openly beside them; at this moment, his smile carried relief, along with a touch of bitterness.

"I truly never expected you to have such serious psychological problems."

"Likewise. I also never expected you to harbor thoughts of a permanent solution regarding me."

Yukie Horikoshi retorted without any courtesy.

However, she was not so angry at this moment; rather, she had actually had thoughts of ending her own life many times in the past. Perhaps her emotional instability, unconsciously leading her to harm others, was simply her instinctive desire for self-destruction.

With certain things exposed and certain words forced into the open, her mood had actually relaxed quite a bit.

"My thoughts were inevitably a bit extreme. After all, I had only just changed the direction of my life, and my fiancée had only just been agreed upon. Besides, do not claim you are without fault; I have not yet counted the six months of harassment."

Kazushi Nakamichi, struck at his sore spot, felt somewhat embarrassed; after all, he had truly harbored such thoughts, yet the person who prompted him to have them was still Yukie.

"Six months... I myself was also in a daze."

"Who would say otherwise?"

For both sides, these six months had been far too chaotic, placing their spirits in a state of extreme tension, which led them to make wrong choices.

Regarding the past, neither of them wished to speak any more.

Yukie Horikoshi looked up at the darkness, where starlight could still be seen as scattered points; this was like a glimmer of hope in her dark life, and her vexed emotions were slightly alleviated.

Thus, she began to reflect on herself over the past six months.

She hoped her other half would be someone she loved, and she hoped that person she loved could be sufficiently tolerant toward her, accepting her unpalatable side; yet she feared that revealing her past experiences would lead to disgust.

On the other hand, the incident from those years likely made her harbor great wariness toward the opposite sex.

It was precisely because of this wariness that she could never agree to Kazushi's proposal. This situation became increasingly obvious as Kazushi's desire to marry grew stronger, yet with Kazushi's complete departure, her nerves finally snapped.

Manic and violent thoughts completely took hold of her; the thought that if she could not have it, she would completely destroy it sprouted from the depths of her heart.

Now, imagining it calmly, it is truly terrifying.

I should go see a doctor properly.

Whether such thoughts existed in the past, Yukie Horikoshi could no longer recall; yet she understood that beneath that manic mindset, she would continue to act impulsively according to her past thoughts.

However, strangely, in that situation today, she felt not a shred of mania; instead, she felt her soul was extremely peaceful.

Although she did not know how this situation arose, this feeling of complete inner tranquility made Yukie Horikoshi feel a rare sense of relaxation.

It was precisely because of this inner relaxation that Yukie Horikoshi was able to think calmly and realized her mental state was somewhat unstable, requiring systematic treatment.

"Let us end the topic here; it would not be good for Kogoro to discover we have been gone too long."

Turning around, Yukie Horikoshi had already made the decision to part ways with her past self.

"This should be our last meeting; in the future, let us not disturb each other's lives."

Upon learning of Kazushi Nakamichi's murderous intent toward her, Yukie Horikoshi understood that her mental state had affected many people.

However, regardless of whether her mental state caused this impact on others, once Kazushi Nakamichi harbored such thoughts, their best outcome was separation, with no further meetings in the future.

"Mm."

Kazushi Nakamichi did not utter any words of persuasion; eighteen years of love, and only now did he learn of the dark experiences Yukie had once endured, and moreover, from the mouth of Kogoro's daughter's friend.

Perhaps he should have noticed it a bit earlier.

Alas, this real world does not exist with so-called "perhaps."

As Yukie Horikoshi had just turned the corner, she bumped head-on into someone.

"You..."

Yukie Horikoshi looked at the person she had bumped into, Jun Omura, who was considered the most honest and simplest person in their Judo club.

Yet at this moment, his face bore a trace of sorrow. Yukie Horikoshi immediately realized that Omura had overheard her conversation with Kazushi Nakamichi.

Yukie Horikoshi let out a laugh.

"Omura, I am not dead; there is no need to wear a mournful face for me. With you looking like this, wouldn't Kogoro guess immediately?"

"Yukie, your mental illness..."

0 flowers requested

Jun Omura continued to look at Yukie with an expression of worry.

"As for that, I think there is not a single method for treatment. After this class reunion ends, I plan to find a psychiatrist to cooperate with treatment; it is just that I might have to live a life taking medication in the future."

Yukie Horikoshi did not feel there was anything wrong with that.

Mental illnesses still need to be examined; having experienced this state of peace and calmness now, she could no longer accept her uncontrollable self; even if controlled by medication, she did not wish to forever remain a madman swayed by emotions.

Mental illnesses also have methods for resolution; it is just that the adjustment should take somewhat longer.

As for how long that time would be, Yukie Horikoshi did not know.

For the past eighteen years, she never felt her spirit had a problem; delaying for such a long time, who knows how long recovery would take?

"Yukie, do you... want to try dating me?"

"..."

The sudden confession caught Yukie Horikoshi somewhat off guard; turning back, looking at Jun Omura who was anxious for having said such words, she could not help but laugh.

"Omura, I am a bad woman. I am not as simple as you see on the surface; for eighteen years, I have been playing with someone's feelings."

"... I know."

"???"

"I knew about your relationship with Kazushi during university."

Omura Jun said something that made Yumi Horikoshi even more surprised, and she fell silent for a moment.

"Omura... are you serious?"

"Yes. From the very first time we met, I... had feelings for you."

Yumi Horikoshi truly never expected this; she really did not know that Omura, this man of few words, held such feelings for her.

"Knowing clearly what happened to me, you still say such things to me?"

"I... do not want to see you come to harm. I did not know before, but now I do not want Yumi to become like that again."

These words were absolutely the truth. Yumi Horikoshi could hear the sincerity within them.

"My mental illness might not get better for who knows how long."

"It doesn't matter. I want to stay by your side."

"..."

Yumi Horikoshi sighed and turned away.

"Then stay with me for a while. If you get tired of it, leave as soon as possible; I am not a good woman."

PS: New book launched, requesting data.