CHAPTER 34: CROCODILE TEARS

«M-Miori...?» Aoshi stammers, his voice trembling with fear and disbelief.

Miori stands on the doorstep, breathtaking as ever. She’s wearing a long, elegant dress the color of pink frosting that flows down to her ankles, and her hair—usually tied in a ponytail—is now loose, held back by a jeweled headband. Like this, she looks just like a fairy-tale princess.

«Good evening, Aoshi,» she begins, her voice sweet as honey—a stark contrast to the last words she’d spoken to him, leaving him visibly unsettled.

«G-Good evening, Miori...» he mutters, unable to meet her eyes.

What the hell does she want from me now? Did she come to mock me for what Renji did? He already wrecked me physically, and now she’s here to finish me off emotionally? Knowing her, that wouldn’t surprise me in the least. And to think I actually had feelings for her once — God, how pathetic.

«If you came here just to make fun of me, then say whatever you need to say and get out,» Aoshi hisses through clenched teeth.

«You mean... what that idiot Renji did to you?» Miori murmurs, stepping closer.

«I don’t recall giving you permission to come in,» Aoshi says sharply, but she ignores him and keeps walking toward him.

«I only came to tell you that... um, Renji and I broke up. Actually, I’m the one who dumped him.»

«I don’t see how that has anything to do with me — or why I should care.»

«I broke up with him after he told me what he’d done,» Miori says firmly, taking another step toward him. «The moment he called me, bragging that he’d ambushed you in the old industrial district while you were heading home from university, I just... snapped. I was so furious I made the hard choice to end things with him for good.»

«I see...» Aoshi mutters, doing his best to sound indifferent, even though deep down he can’t help feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction.

That bastard Renji got what he deserved! Looks like Miori isn’t a total bitch after all... she’s got at least a bit of a heart.

«If that’s all you came to say, now you can leave now,» Aoshi cuts her off, impatient to see her gone as soon as possible. Despite her reassuring words, having her inside his house feels suffocating. The anger and frustration he once bottled up over being betrayed and humiliated begin to bubble up again from deep within — scars from that short but intense one-sided love that never fully healed.

«There’s something else I need to tell you — the reason Renji beat you up. It’s connected to what I did to you that afternoon, over a month ago.»

Hearing that, Aoshi’s ears perk up. Noticing his reaction, Miori quietly closes the front door behind her.

«Aoshi... I know you won’t believe what I’m about to say, but... I really did love you.»

«That’s enough! I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth!» Aoshi snaps, his irritation boiling over. «Get out of here. Right now!»

«Please, just let me explain! I’ve been carrying this weight inside me since that afternoon, and I’ll lose my mind if I don’t tell you!» Miori pleads, her voice breaking — but it’s no use.

«I’m not listening to a single one of your bullshit excuses! You’ve got three seconds to get out of my house before I call the cops!» Aoshi yells furiously. «One, two—»

«Renji knew! He knew I still loved you, that I never stopped—not even after I left you! That’s why he went after you!» Miori cuts him off, raising her voice over his. «I... I never wanted to leave you! He forced me to — he threatened me, blackmailed me, and... it hurts just thinking about it...» she sobs, her sapphire eyes wet and shimmering with a painful glow, on the verge of tears.

She lifts the long hem of her pink dress slightly, revealing her legs up to mid-thigh.

Aoshi’s eyes widen in shock as his mouth falls open. He can’t believe what Miori is showing him — long, well-shaped, athletic legs... covered in countless bruises, some fresh, others fading — all from years and years of intense combat training.

«Y-You can’t mean...?» Aoshi stammers, utterly shaken.

«And this is nothing compared to what that violent bastard did to the rest of my body... Now do you understand why I always wear long clothes, or why, even when I put on a skirt, my legs are always covered by stockings? I tried to resist him—to get away from him—I really did, and for a month I even managed to... but in the end, I gave in. He forced me to go back to him and say those awful things to you. If I hadn’t broken up with you, he would’ve really hurt me... but more than that, he would’ve hurt you. I did it to protect you, Aoshi, but apparently that still wasn’t enough to calm his cruelty and selfishness...»

Miori’s eyes squeeze shut as she finally breaks down, tears spilling freely down her flushed cheeks. Her voice trembles into soft sobs, and her legs visibly shake beneath the long dress that hides them to her ankles.

«I only came here to tell you that. That’s all. I just wanted you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that I had nothing to do with what that monster did to you—and, above all, to apologize in person for what happened. I know my words mean nothing to you, and they certainly won’t heal your wounds, but it was a burden I had to lift off my chest no matter what.»

Aoshi can’t utter a single word. He’s completely stunned by her confession, utterly unable to form a coherent thought in such a heavy, serious moment — in what he now believes to be a story of abuse and violence Miori suffered at Renji’s hands. Nothing could be further from the truth. But Miori’s tears — fake yet heartbreakingly convincing — and her words, so full of apparent pain and sincerity, leave Aoshi with no doubt that she’s telling the truth.

I never would’ve imagined Miori was forced into all this... poor girl. From the outside, they really did look like the perfect couple, and during that month they were together, I never once suspected anything like this. But I guess, considering how serious the situation was, she must’ve done everything she could to hide it. After all, I’m sure for a woman, suffering that kind of abuse must be the most humiliating, degrading thing imaginable — something you’d be too ashamed to even talk about...

Miori... so strong and confident on the surface, yet so fragile inside... Now I understand — now it all makes sense. That’s why, when we were together, I was convinced she truly loved me — because she did. Her leaving me so suddenly, so coldly and cruelly, without the slightest hint of what she was planning... and then Renji’s mindless violence, the words of absurd jealousy he spat at me while beating me — he’s nothing but a violent bastard, and she’s the victim trapped in his cruelty. Forced to appear strong and perfect, probably just so no one would suspect what was really happening behind closed doors... It’s not fair... it’s not fair at all! If only I could do something to help her...

«I’m sorry for showing up at your house like this,» Miori says between sobs, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her dress, «but this is the only time I can talk to you. Renji keeps me under control every hour of the day, except late at night when he goes out to fool around with who knows who behind my back... while I’m not even allowed to go to the gym alone, because he thinks I might flirt with someone... Isn’t that ridiculous?»

She lets out a weak, bitter laugh. «No, actually, I’m the ridiculous one — weak and pathetic... If only I’d been a little stronger, a little braver, I wouldn’t have let myself get trapped in this hell with no way out. And who knows, maybe you and I would still be together. But the past is the past. The only comfort I have in all this is knowing that at least now you have a beautiful, kind girl by your side — someone who’s surely managed to erase all the pain I caused you... I don’t expect you to forgive me — that’s not what I’m here for, and I know it would be impossible for you anyway. I just wanted you to know the truth. That’s all. Please, Aoshi, take care of yourself and get some rest. I’m sorry... and good night.»

With that, Miori turns sharply, her back now to Aoshi. She reaches for the doorknob, but—

«W-Wait...» Aoshi murmurs softly, his voice low with melancholy.

A sinister smirk creeps across Miori’s face, but she instantly slips back into her melodramatic act.

«I’ve already been out for too long, and Renji could show up at my place any minute now. It’d be a real mess if he didn’t find me home, and I don’t want to make him angry...»

Miori’s fingers close around the doorknob, turning it sharply with the urgency of someone in a hurry — but once again, Aoshi’s voice stops her in her tracks.

«T-Tomorrow night...» he murmurs timidly, his eyes shifting away from her.

She says nothing. She stays perfectly still, waiting for him to finish, and that smirk on her lips widens ever so slightly.

«F-For a while, around this hour, I’ll be home alone... Eliss would probably be really mad if she found out you were here — naturally, since you’re my ex — but after hearing everything you told me, I... I just can’t abandon you and pretend you never said any of it. Knowing what Renji’s putting you through every day... just... if you ever need someone to talk to, someone to share that pain with... well, you know where I live,» Aoshi says, his face flushing red. As much as he refuses to admit it, Miori’s earlier words — If only I’d been a little stronger, maybe you and I would still be together — still echo far too clearly in his mind.

Miori turns toward him — this time with a sweet, gentle smile painted across her face, full of warmth and gratitude. Or at least, that’s how Aoshi perceives it.

«Thank you so much, Aoshi. You really are a boy with a heart of gold.»