Kami-Jutsu: The Yakuza's Son is Aware-Chapter 30: I knew Very well--Mai was Long Dead

Days passed. Weeks came and went.

It had already become a serious problem that Mai was missing. The Witch laid blame upon other clans and syndicates, Father suspected the Shinigami Ō, and Grandfather claimed she had simply run off with some man.

Regardless of their differing opinions, they still searched for her, but their efforts yielded nothing.

"Najimi... I hope all is well?" Ferry muttered when I was returning from the kitchen.

"And what do you mean by that?" I glared at the wolf.

"I mean, I hope Mai is safe," he said firmly, standing his ground. Then, walking up the stairs, he added, "Mai, despite everything, was a good girl who loved you. Even you should know that."

"..."

Idiot.

Of course I know. Why else would my heart ache like this?

I went to my room and shut the door, as I had done every day for the three weeks since Mai’s passing. I opened the closet and took her naked, lifeless body out, like one would handle a human-sized doll. I laid her gently on my bed, then removed my own uniform and lay beside her.

"Today, school was as hectic as always," I murmured into her ear. "Every subject was far too easy, and I felt mocked by the simplicity of it all. I thought the work for the third years would offer a challenge. Hehe... disappointing, don’t you think?"

I turned my face toward hers; dead, lifeless, statuesque. Drops of liquid began to dot her face, falling from above.

All the heaviness I had carried since the day she died came crashing down on me.

"You idiot... isn’t it time to come back to me already?" I spoke aloud, my voice trembling as unwilling tears poured from my eyes.

"I... miss you..."

Deep down, I knew the truth. Even though she had not yet gone completely cold, even though she showed no signs of rot or decay, none at all, I understood that Mai was gone. She hadn’t made it.

’Maybe she completed the evolution halfway,’ I told myself.

’Or maybe she’s still stuck in limbo.’

I had plenty of excuses to keep her body safe and hidden. I told myself a hundred reasons why I couldn’t give her up. But after nearly a month had passed, I could no longer lie to myself.

I knew very well that no one could endure constant, unrelenting pain for three whole weeks. A single second of relief from that burning agony would pull her into the land of the dead forever.

Since I had not sealed this place, her soul would drift away to Gaia for recovery. There, she would have no afterlife—not for a very long time.

The individual known as Mai had been torn from existence... and I knew it was entirely my fault.

That’s why... that’s why...

The tears refused to stop.

I was holding her against me, clinging to her as if my own naked body pressed to hers would somehow rouse her. I knew I was being unreasonable, ridiculous, even, but before I confessed to her murder, I wanted to try every foolish, desperate thing in the book.

Even if, deep in my heart, I knew she was already long... dead.

It hurt.

My chest ached so badly it felt as if something inside me might tear apart. I had killed before, many times:

Father’s troublesome business partners. High school bullies who thought it amusing to pick on Onii-sama. Sloppy assassins foolish enough to sneak past the men standing guard.

Mai and I had even staged situations where it looked as though I was about to be assaulted by thugs, only to turn the tables on them in an instant.

But never had I felt anything like this. Pain that gripped my chest. A sadness so sharp and raw I could not put it into words.

I thought I would only ever feel this way for Onii-sama.

Ah, Onii-sama... I have disappointed him too.

In my overconfidence and blind faith in my own genius, I had ignored Ferry’s advice. And this... this was the result.

"It will blow up in your face, and Ken will be sad," he had told me that day.

Only my soft gasps and sobs could be heard in the room. Mai was still keeping quiet.

By now, my tears had soaked her face. I could not stop trembling, because this was the first time I had ever experienced failure at all—let alone a failure this massive.

And strangely... it didn’t feel like I had lost a personal attendant. It felt like I had lost a true friend. Someone who could endure all my nonsense without complaint.

"Idiot!" I shouted, striking Mai’s chest with my fist. "Everything would be fine if you just opened your eyes! Who’s going to scheme with me now?! Who’s going to help me prank the Witch and steal Onii-sama’s underwear? Tell me, Mai!"

"..." She gave no reply, her dead gaze fixed on the ceiling above.

"Fine!" I yelled again. "Stay dead then! Who needs you anyway?! Jeez! I’ll avenge all those times you attacked my chest—take this!"

NOM! NOM!

"Ahn! Ojou?! My chests are sensitive!"

Mai’s eyes suddenly widened. Her cheeks flushed a vivid red.

Huh...? I don’t... understand.

Her skin color was returning, the gaping wounds on her chest and head were closing, and warmth began to seep back into her body. Then, my tears fell like a broken dam...

I felt it.

Her chest, still and unmoving for three whole weeks, beat once. Twice. And then... it continued.

I looked into her eyes; they were glistening with light and life. She was breathing...

She was breathing, that idiot!!

"Wh... What kept you for so long..." I hid my red face against her chest.

"S-Sorry, I got stuck in some black strings," Mai scratched her head sheepishly. "Then I had to escape this skeleton guy with a scythe. And I couldn’t hear anything since a lot of people were screaming for help."

"Where exactly did you go?!" I was shocked by Mai’s little adventure.

"But the most important thing is that..." She cupped my face. "When I slipped and fell into a giant spider’s web of black strings, your voice gave me strength. I beat up the bad spider and its children, then hurried to where your voice was... Th-then I saw you munching on my ch-chest."

"Forget that immediately! That was a rare moment of emotion!" I snapped.

Jeez, she just came back to life and she’s already making me shout.

"Ojou-sama," Mai smiled...

I hadn’t seen her smile in a long time. "Have I proven that I love you the most in the world? I went to hell and back for you."

"G-Good girl," I glanced away. "I still love Onii-sama, but a little reward for a job well done..."

I brought my face closer to hers.

She closed her eyes, welcoming me, and licked her pink lips.

The moment our lips collided in a fusion of emotions—

BANG!

"Najimi! What’s wrong?!" The Witch barged in. "They said you were... screaming..."

She, Onii-sama, Father, and some of his men stood there, staring in confusion at me and Mai (who was reportedly missing), both of us naked and kissing on my bed, with tears on my face.

Certified: I have no explanation for this.

Now I know how Onii-sama felt when I resurrected.

"Anata," the Witch put a palm to her face, turning to Father, who had gone pale. "Did we make a mistake in their upbringing...? Actually no, Najimi is just a perve—"

*

That was very embarrassing.

Currently, Mai and I were kneeling in the living room, getting an earful from the Witch.

"This is Najimi’s influence, I’m sure!" she scolded.

Ah, I sensed déjà vu.

It made me smile a bit, until—

"And what’s with that stupid grin, Najimi?!" The Witch’s foot stepped on my face.

In the end, to cover the reality that "I put a hole in Mai’s head and chest for a supernatural experiment to win Onii-sama’s favor, but had to hide her dead body for three weeks to avoid unsavory circumstances," I told them a different story.

"Forgive me," I bowed. "I was so aroused that I kidnapped Mai and hid her in my closet, enjoying and wallowing in carnal desire for the days she was gone."

"..."

Everyone was dumbfounded, staring at me in silence.

I continued, "I am still in love with Onii-sama, though, but since I can’t sexually assault him, I needed another alternative. Sorry for the commotion concerning Mai’s disappearan—"

"Mhm. Yes. It’s my daughter, Najimi," the Witch had already begun making a call. "Can you come check up on her? It’s really serious. Like kidnap-the-personal-attendant serious."

When the therapist came, it was hell on earth for me. But it was worth it, since I abated suspicion from myself.

My reputation is in the dust now, though.

But let’s look at the prize: Onii-sama is sure to let me join him now!

Ah, after nearly eleven months, the long game was worth playing.

In Onii-sama’s room, I found myself kneeling once again, with Mai kneeling beside me in a gesture of shared responsibility.

"So... you killed Mai and turned her into a godman, thinking I would be proud of it?" Onii-sama’s voice carried a weight I had never heard before.

For the first time in his life, he stood with his arms folded, gazing down at me with an expression that was neither warm nor amused.

I had thought he would be happy?!

"Please, wait a moment, Ken-sama!" Mai rose to her feet, a firm resolve in her posture and an unmistakable seriousness gleaming in her eyes.