The Promise of Tomorrow

Chapter 26

A military jeep was heading on its way to the battlefield. As Kusakabe drove the vehicle, Haruka, Kaede, and Ryo had been preparing their equipments. While on their way, Ryo then started a conversation. "So, how did you feel about hanging out with us?" he asked which made Kaede turn her head to Ryo. "You're all nice people. I guess I could call it a change of environment to be honest." Kaede answered, and it showed clearly that her environment was very cruel to her at a young age.

"I can see that. To be fair, I have seen your record, especially after I saw the news about the incident ten years ago." Ryo agreed on her statement. However, what intrigued Kaede, as well as everyone else, is why Ryo knows about it. "Wait... Why do you know about the incident?" Kusakabe asked, as she knew that the files were classified information. 

"Before we broke up, one of the core values of our Yakuza group was retribution for the weak. The place was at Nagoya, yes? I was there at the incident when that maniac decided to kill and violate lives. That man,

he was my first kill." 

Ryo confessed about his first murder. However, despite killing such a despicable being- one who killed lives of many and violated the purities of women-, Ryo had never been proud of his act of murder of the said maniac. "I have broken the core rule of our group. As much as we practiced vigilantism, one of our main rules was a no kill rule. We would let the legal system decide on what to do with them in addition to forcing even the most corrupt officials with a threat so that they could make proper and fair trials." Ryo explained his reason why he treated killing as if he made a grave sin.

"My group told me to lie that I acted upon self defense since I was there at the time. However, my conscience at that time made me quite reluctant but I still did it.

So I could make reparations for what I have done, I looked into the records of those who were aggrieved. I saw your family name there, Hirano. That's why I knew you a bit." Ryo confided on what he would perceive as his dirty secret. "I don't see anything wrong with what you did." Haruka concluded as well as Kaede. "Hmph. So would people say. It's such a simple idea, no? However, why do people usually hesitate to kill? 

Remorse? Guilt? Our sense of morals? There are so many things that play part as to why we are so hesitant when we are put in the scene." Ryo stated a vague reply, to which the two couldn't understand very well. 

"When we think or talk about the idea of killing it's so simple, and yet when we are the ones to act upon it, we hesitate. We are not like animals who kill out of instinct or else we would be primitive and wouldn't have developed. However, that being said, there are people whose morals are twisted, conscience desensitized, and are devoid of guilt and they had thought of ways to kill people in the most creative, yet horrifying ways known to man." Kusakabe explained and then added something to Ryo's statement. "Realistically though, some people are better off dead and some people just needs to die." Haruka stated and Ryo nodded in agreement. 

"That's correct, and despite how Kurumi acts, she believes in this morality. I have heard from Shido, all of her targets ranged from criminals to animal abusers and uses their stolen time to power herself up as she enjoys killing them with glee." Ryo described Kurumi's twisted sense of justice. "However, when she has something on her mind, she'll stop at no one and even holding someone innocent hostage." Ryo added before the Kaede and Haruka could decide on what their opinion on Kurumi is.