Chapter 16 : The Final Decision and Test

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Lucy : What is your plan? What do you want?
Ryushiferu : ...
Lucy : Is it purely entertainment that you want from them?
Ryushiferu : Omoshire~... 
Lucy : Ryushiferu...
Ryushiferu : (smiles)
Lucy : ... You know the rules...
Ryushiferu : ... (silence... his smile fades) Nani?
Lucy : ... Whether you like it or not...
Ryushiferu : Fuh. You're totally boring, Lucy. (walks away) I don't have rules...
Lucy : (sighs)
Ryushiferu : Don't get in my way.
Lucy : I'm not.
Ryushiferu : Oh... I want you to do something for me.
Lucy : huh? I thought you don't want me to interfere.
Ryushiferu : (chuckles) Turn of events, my dear. That's all.

(Back at Koutani and Kei)

(They are fighting each other)

Koutani : Kuso!!! (grabs Kei) Omae wa sai'aku!  (You are the lowest!)
Keisuke : Are you talking to yourself? (hits him)
Koutani : (falls to the ground) Ugh!
Keisuke : (panting) You made me believe you were a friend! And this is what you're doing behind my back!? And you call yourself an icon to the people?!
Koutani : Shut up, bastard! You're pathetic! And you'll remain pathetic! (charges him)
Keisuke : At least I'm not that desperate! (charge)
(They continue fighting)
Koutani : Uhg! (feels really weak and leans on the wall)
Keisuke : I'm... I'm never giving up...
Koutani : You think I would? (tries to get up)

(Suddenly, a voice echoes)

Voice : Gentlemen... calm down, will you?
Koutani : (looks around) H-huh?
Keisuke : That voice...
Both : Ryushiferu...?
Ryushiferu : (appears)
Keisuke : Omae--!
Koutani : (looks at Keisuke and wonders)
Ryushiferu : Hisashiburi da na.
Keisuke : What do you want this time? Can't you see...--
Koutani : Dou iu koto? (What's the meaning of this?)
Keisuke : (freezes and looks at Koutani)
Ryushiferu : (chuckles)
Koutani : (looks both at Ryushiferu and Keisuke) You know him?
Keisuke : You...?
Koutani : (looks at Ryushiferu) You know this guy?
Ryushiferu : (doesn't answer and continues chuckling)
Keisuke : Koutani... you... and Ryushiferu?
Koutani : You...
Ryushiferu : Enough with this. (looks at Koutani) Kou-chan... (smiles and looks at Keisuke) Kei-chan... You two are both confused... we won't have any progress at this point. So let me clear things up... it's this simple ne... we all know each other... Keisuke, Koutani, you two know each other... You two know me... I know both of you... what you two don't know is that each of you also know me. (laughs) Do you get me? Or am I getting you even more confused?
(Keisuke and Koutani looks at each other)
Ryushiferu : This is so interesting.
Keisuke : It's not at all. (glares at Ryushiferu) You planned this didn't you? You were behind all of this.
Ryushiferu : How can you say so? I'm simply just watching you.
Keisuke : Fuzaikenda yo!
Ryushiferu : A-ah!
Keisuke : I told you to leave me alone!
Ryushiferu : And I told you to give me an answer...
Koutani : What answer? (looks at Ryushiferu)
Ryushiferu : (chuckles) Should I tell him?
Keisuke : My answer is for you to leave me alone!
Ryushiferu : No... that is not your real answer.
Keisuke : Nani o iutenda?
Ryushiferu : Remember... "What you say... isn't always what's in your mind."
Keisuke : ...
Koutani : Ryushiferu-sama... why didn't you say anything that you knew Keisuke?
Ryushiferu : Did you ask?
Koutani : ... Demo...
Ryushiferu : Demo?
Koutani : I thought... you... you just wanted to help me...
Ryushiferu : Help you? (chuckles) Help you in what?
Koutani : ...
Ryushiferu : Aren't you forgetting something, Kou-chan...?
Koutani : Huh?
Ryushiferu : Ore wa Ryushiferu.(smiles) Helping is not in my vocabulary.
Keisuke : Stop toying with us!
Koutani : (shocked)
Keisuke : Yamete kudasai! Mou... mou ii yo! (Enough already!)
Ryushiferu : You never changed, Kei-chan... such a weak guy.
Keisuke : ...
Ryushiferu : (turns to Koutani) As for you... I appreciate the effort and dedication that you have in order to get what you desire.
Koutani : ...
Ryushiferu : And that is why I'm going to hold back my excitement a little...
Koutani : What do you mean?
Ryushiferu : Kei-chan... This is your final chance to give me your real answer... and Kou-chan... your final test before I give you my decision as well... (turns around) Tonight... at midnight... go to the top of Tokyo Tower and we'll have the final talk there. I expect you two to be fully prepared in your decisions... I don't want disappointments... wakatta? (then he disappears)

(after that, Keisuke and Koutani goes to talk in Koutani's room)

Koutani : ...
Keisuke : ...
Koutani : (takes a deep breath) About... Ryushiferu...
Keisuke : He's using you...
Koutani : Wh-what?
Keisuke : ... (turns to him) To get to me...
Koutani : What the...? The nerve you say... are you trying to say that--!
Keisuke : When did you meet him?
Koutani : Huh?
Keisuke : When? When's the first time he appeared to you?
Koutani : ... (thinks) At Azuki-san's studio... Chotto... why are you asking huh?
Keisuke : I met him before you did.
Koutani : (shocked)
Keisuke : (thinks) There is indeed a possibility that Ryushiferu is using you so I would agree in his offer...
Koutani : What are you talking about? Offer? What offer?
Keisuke : ... a better life. (looks out the window) A life that I've always dreamed of.
Koutani : ...
Keisuke : You're right... I am a pathetic guy. I always fail at doing things... I'm a no good in the eyes of many people... and they always step on me... So Ryushiferu must've thought I 'll be the perfect target... he thought I'd easily throw my life and dignity just to make my life better.
Koutani : ...
Keisuke : But things didn't go his way. Instead of agreeing... I told him to stop and leave me alone...
Koutani : ... You answered... no?
Keisuke : ... (thinks) ... No... I didn't give an answer... (thinks and recalls)

>flashback<

Ryushiferu : What's so hard about deciding? You just either say yes or no. If you don't want my offer, then tell it to me and I'll be off to find someone else.

(Back to present)

Koutani : It's your fault then... if you said you didn't give an answer... then there's no reason why he's still coming after you.
Keisuke : Probably.
Koutani : ... then just say 'yes'.
Keisuke : Huh?
Koutani : He's offering you to change your life. What more could you ask for?
Keisuke : Are you serious about what you're telling me? I can't do that!
Koutani : Why not?
Keisuke : Even if my life totally sucks... I can't agree to him just to make my life better... it's so wrong.
Koutani : ...
Keisuke : I want to make my life better, yes... demo, I want to do it on my own... not to agree to some offer of the demon lord...
Koutani : (thinks)
Keisuke : I think it would be unfair for others... it's not only me having a difficulties... it's not only me who feels disappointed about life...so why must it be so easy for me to just let him change it... it's not right...
Koutani : ...
Keisuke : (notices Koutani's silence) ... Tamaki-san...
Koutani : ?
Keisuke : I was just wondering... how did you come to meet Ryushiferu?
Koutani : ... (thinks then looks away) It's a long story...
Keisuke : Does he want something from you too? Did he offer you anything in exchange for your loyalty?
Koutani : (chuckles) Me? Why would he offer me something... when I've got almost all the things I want... I'm not like you who's so miserable. (arrogant tone again) People would want a life like mine, ne... don't you know that?
Keisuke : ... I was just asking...But then... why would Ryushiferu approach you...?
Koutani : ... Beats me... why? Do you know why he approached you?
Keisuke : (nods unsurely) He mentioned that he wanted to have fun... Something like being bored... so he thought of coming here because humans were interesting...
Koutani : (shocked) (becomes silent)
Keisuke : (looks at the wall clock) 10 PM... I should get going to Tokyo Tower...
Koutani : Chotto. I'm coming too.
Keisuke : Huh?
Koutani : Ryushiferu said that at by 12... he's going to give you your final chance to answer him... and that he'll give me my final test...
Keisuke : Test?
Koutani : Iya... betsuni nandemonai... but I'm going. I want to know something too.
Keisuke : Sou... ii yo... ah chotto matte kudasai ne... (I see. Alright... but wait for a moment...)
Koutani : Nande?
Keisuke : (gets his mobile phone) I'll call someone first. Sumimasen. (goes to the side to make a call)
Koutani : ... Kei... 
Keisuke : (half listening) What?
Koutani : ... Aren't you afraid that Ryushiferu might be plotting something bad against you...?
Keisuke : ... not really.
Koutani : Really...?
Keisuke : If he wants an answer... then I'll give it to him... if he won't accept it and kill me, he can do so...
Koutani : If you're expecting it to happen... why still refuse?
Keisuke : ... I don't want to have regrets.
Koutani : ...
Keisuke : My life is to be decided by me... that's what I believe.
Koutani : ......sou.
Keisuke : Hmm... she's not picking up... maybe she's asleep.
Koutani : Minami?
Keisuke : ... un.
Koutani : Sou ka... why are you calling her? To tell you that you're meeting death later?
Keisuke : (chuckles) Iie. I don't know... I just wanted to hear her voice before I go... she gives me the strength.
Koutani : ...
Keisuke : So... should we go?
Koutani : (nods)

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