In truth, she had always harbored constant doubts about what she was doing. Even after receiving Ash's "encouragement" in the end, she still did not dare turn back and face it, because she feared that if she did, her heart would be the first to collapse beneath such a price.
But she had to believe in herself.
That's right. As long as it was for this goal, even if I had to hurt others... even if I had to be the bad guy—I didn't care!
"Could it be that Aida Mana was not the right mother...? Then this time, I'll choose Hoshizora Miyuki. If that still doesn't work, then Aino Megumi, Haruno Haruka, even Hanasaki Rei—anyone will do! No matter who it is, there's always a chance, there has to be a chance—"
Starting from this house, the entire world began to shrink and dissolve along with her obsession, rewinding as though time and space had been reversed. And upon that ground where time was flowing backward, Ash walked behind the girl who was muttering madly to herself—then, for the first time, grabbed her by the collar with the same roughness as before and yanked her up from the ground.
"What the—"
Homi, who had instinctively struggled without understanding what had happened, looked up and saw the same furious expression on his face.
"How dare you casually insult your own mother like that—clench your teeth!"
"Slap!"
The loud smack of the slap exploded alongside the pain. The surrounding world, which had been rewinding, also seemed to hit pause and fall into a faded stillness. When the girl, her ears ringing, covered her burning cheek in disbelief and turned back to face him again, she still seemed unable to process what had just happened.
"Y-you actually hit me." The tears she