DECEPTION (Female Reader) [SAKAMOTO DAYS]

38: "Scum Of The World"

As I strolled back into town, I didn’t expect to bump into someone so soon. "Oh? Why hello there, Mr. Yotsumura!" I called out, waving nonchalantly like we were old friends. Of course, we weren’t. "What a coincidence! Who would’ve thought the hospital where Kindaka is would be so close to my destination? Don’t worry, though—I’m not about to tag along. I know how much you despise me."

Yotsumura glanced at me, his expression hard to read. "So your hunch about me making a deal with that creep really did come true. I’m starting to wonder if you have the same ability as that fortuneteller from the JAA."

I tilted my head, grinning mischievously. "Oh? So I was right about Nagumo threatening to kill your kid if you didn’t play along?" My tone dripped with faux curiosity, savoring the sharpness in his glare.

His eyes narrowed. "Don’t you have something to do? Looks like you just came back from town after getting yourself into some danger…"

"And don’t you have an investigation to get back to? Can’t you see how desperate Nagumo is to dig into his dear friend’s death?" I shot back, arms crossed.

Yotsumura’s glare deepened, as if trying to see through me. "Your eyes say you know something. But you’re too stubborn to admit it, aren’t you?"

'Ouch.'

He's right, but I wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction. "Aww, poor Yotsumura~" I mocked, my voice dripping with false pity. "You know, if you’re planning a deep dive investigation, you might need a few pointers." I leaned in slightly, smirking. "But of course, I’m not about to hand it to you on a silver platter. Riddles are so much more fun, don’t you think?"

I began to give him cryptic suggestions, tossing out riddles to guide him on how to gain access to the JAA database. I wasn’t just going to hand him everything—he needed to work for it, the same way I always did.

After a few minutes of back-and-forth, our conversation wound down. I couldn’t resist one last jab. "Go on, Yotsumura! Go save Amane like the hero dad you are!" I teased with a wink.

The glare he gave me was cold enough to freeze fire. I didn’t mind. I enjoyed getting under his skin. With that, we parted ways, him heading off to chase his demons and me… well, I had my own.

I didn’t expect to see him today, but it didn’t matter. I had bigger things to handle. Turning my gaze toward the horizon, my eyes locked onto that wretched building—the one where the capsule had trapped me for six long years. Even from a distance, it made my blood boil.

I hated that place. I swore I’d never set foot there again. And yet, here I was, marching straight toward it. There was something I’d overlooked, something buried in the shadows of that cursed facility.

Something I needed to know. About that mysterious place of no names.

--

The air was thick and damp as I wandered through the building's decrepit halls. Every creak and groan of the aged structure felt like a whisper from the past, beckoning me to uncover the truths buried here. I searched relentlessly, fingers grazing cracked walls and scuffed floors until—finally—I found it. A barely visible seam in the wall, obscured by layers of grime and dust.

A hidden passage.

My grin widened as I pushed it open, revealing a staircase spiraling downward into darkness. "How cliché..." I muttered, though the thrill in my voice betrayed me. The descent felt endless, the air growing colder and heavier with each step. Minutes turned into a half-hour before my feet finally touched solid ground.

The chamber before me was vast—massive, yet not as grand as the 'Nameless' in Shibuya. It was smaller but far more sinister. The eerie silence pressed against my ears, broken only by the faint echo of my own breath. My eyes were immediately drawn to the center of the room where a rectangular object sat under a thick, dusty sheet.