Then Show Me You Can ○!

It is words.

His words, every single one he uttered, caused Karuizawa Kei's mind to separate from her physical senses.

His body felt like it was being... no, being toyed with, but his mind was separated, as if he were on an operating table, being cut apart piece by piece.

Anatomy.

Repeat.

Everything is clearly visible.

Therefore, the body will instinctively enjoy it, while the mind will tremble and shrink back, wanting to cover its ears.

But it's not just that, it's not just like that.

The body will react sensitively and withdraw, because this is the first time, the first time it has really been done to you.

The mind will gently lift the hand covering the ears a little, letting the sound quietly flow in.

Perhaps, she really wants to find someone, to meet someone who can understand her thoughts.

I am a despicable parasite.

No one will understand me, no one will truly like me, but that doesn't matter. I just need to survive as a parasite, as long as I can protect myself.

This is the idea that Karuizawa Kei has always held.

Feelings of inferiority, self-deprecation, and self-loathing.

What is formed from this is the strongest desire and obsession to protect oneself.

No matter how you are treated, just keep telling yourself in your heart, 'The important thing is to protect yourself.'

She seems to be able to accept everything.

Then you can do anything.

But...

If even this innermost thought were to be exposed.

What should we do then?

Chapter 256 Then show me your...!

Karuizawa Kei is a parasite.

I'll do anything to protect myself.

Weak creatures unable to survive alone.

She had always used this method to convince and hypnotize herself, repeatedly reciting and silently repeating it to solidify her choice and steadfastly walk on the path she believed to be right.

Asakusa Toru didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

It's simply one way of life.

If he has no feelings for Karuizawa Kei, then he will simply comply and ignore her. As long as she doesn't affect him, he won't have any thoughts about it.

But at the same time, as he was turning his attention in both directions Karuizawa Kei was also eyeing Karuizawa Kei.

This kind of thinking is a bit jarring.

"I can do anything" is such an excessive statement.

Therefore, Asakusa Toru needs to revise her understanding.

He has such a possessive nature.

Otherwise, he could simply follow Karuizawa Kei's lead, devour the sweet coating she offered, become her protector, and accept her parasitism.

No extra steps are needed.

But that's not what he wanted.

Whisper, speak, not just with your body.

Karuizawa Kei.

What I want is also your soul.

For Karuizawa Kei, any bullying was just something she had experienced, something that would pass if she simply closed her eyes.

The simple physical contact was something she had rehearsed countless times in her mind, even though her reaction was strange and her feelings were novel.

But that's all there is to it.

None of them are things that can be touched on deeply.

For Karuizawa Kei, what truly influenced her, what truly touched her, and what truly kept her soul and body connected were the things that truly made her feel at peace.

There is only one place.

Asakusa Toru's right hand gripped the hem of the girl's uniform.

Karuizawa Kei: "!"

He's going to tear this place down.

"No—" Subconsciously, the strength in her body was awakened, her soul returned to her body, and the instinctive resistance made her raise her hand to his chest, seemingly trying to push Asakusa Toru away.

Unfortunately, a delicate young girl's strength could never match that of a man.

Not only did she not budge an inch, but even her hands, which were pressed firmly against someone's chest, were soft as if she were being coquettish.

Asakusa Toru's hand moved without any hindrance, lifting the uniform and exposing the scar below the girl's abdomen to the air.

"--Ugh!" Suddenly, Karuizawa Kei closed her eyes.

Although it was a bit like burying her head in the sand, she didn't dare to look.

She wasn't looking at her own scar—she'd seen that scar countless times—but rather at Asakusa Toru 'Asakusa Toru face, and at the possible reaction he might have when he saw it.

... To be honest, Karuizawa Kei had already anticipated this when Asakusa Toru spoke words that seemed to read her mind.

Since he could hear it, since he knew it, he should be clear that what he least wanted to show, least wanted others to accept, and most resisted letting others see was this mark.

So she stopped resisting, letting the jumbled thoughts fill her mind, simply feeling, simply listening, praying that doing so would prevent him from hearing the words of fear in her heart.

That's why she trembled violently when that large hand reached in, and then her body stiffened.

Don't touch it, don't touch it, don't touch it.

While silently reciting these words, my whole being was focused on the area where my palms were moving.

As long as it doesn't touch that area, she can accept anything—anything that's grasped or kneaded.

They've already pleaded so much, they've already made such concessions.

But he still showed no mercy and lifted it up.

What kind of reaction will he show?

A furrowed brow? A look of disgust? A grimace of revulsion? A mocking laugh? A sneer? A look of contempt?

It's completely unimaginable, completely unpredictable.

If you want to confirm...

I can only open my eyes.

He pressed his palm down.

He placed his thumb on the scar, gently rubbing and massaging it.

"Ugh, ooh, ugh..."

Clenching my teeth, twisting my shoulders up and down, I felt very uncomfortable...

Karuizawa Kei opened her eyes.

Closing your eyes won't solve the problem; it's just escaping reality.

If you were to ask, all I could say is that she actually wanted to open her eyes and see.

Let's see what kind of expression he makes.

"No..." A soft moan escaped her lips. The moment she opened her eyes, Karuizawa Kei abruptly closed them again, her eyes trembling as she spoke, leaving only a tiny slit. "Don't touch me anymore..."

"It's... ugly..."

She said.

She looked.

His pupils contracted sharply, and in a mere instant, his gaze swiftly captured all the information he desperately wanted to perceive.

The man's face, so close, seemed to leave a clear outline in the eye sockets for the first time.

The arch of her eyebrows, the lines of her face, her beautiful eyes, the slightly upturned ends of her hair, her nose, her lips...

Everything was reduced to a single, definite expression.

Laugh.

More accurately, it should be a laugh (laughs).

This was unexpected.

Without any sense of disgust or negative emotion, it was as if the expression was perfectly conveyed through a screen, capturing the kind of parenthetical smiley face that I had seen in chat messages on a terminal before.

Huh?

What kind of expression is that?

Even though she already had a clear description of that expression in her mind, Karuizawa Kei still couldn't help but ask herself that question.

What kind of expression is that?

What is his opinion of my scar?

Make it even clearer! Make your attitude more explicit! If you hate something, just say so!

She couldn't help but shout this in her heart, as if complaining.

But as soon as she yelled, she regretted it.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

I didn't mean to, can you hear me? You can hear me, right?

The girl still believed that Asakusa Toru could read minds.

"Are you serious?" Having seen the scar with his own eyes, Asakusa Toru finally couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

Hehe.

He could only laugh.

Yes, that's right, it is indeed a scar, a scar that doesn't match the fair skin, torn open by a sharp weapon, even penetrating to some extent, and vaguely revealing a life-threatening wound.

If we imagine it from this perspective, we can surely guess what kind of ordeal she went through when she was bullied.

The bully, holding a small knife, revealed a chilling, terrifying smile, as if joking, and plunged the blade in.

They bully others and disregard life.

However, if we only focus on this scar...

All that can be seen is something 'nothing special'.

There was no twisting, no obvious suture lines, and no centipede-like crawling marks. It was clear that the doctor responsible for suturing had done his best.

Although it's unclear whether the stitches were left under the skin or had already been removed, now that Karuizawa Kei is in high school, the scar has clearly lost its former grotesque appearance.

Yes, that's right, the somber tone still lingers, which is indeed incongruous with her delicate skin.

The slightly rough texture also makes the difference noticeable.

The size of the mark itself is enough to clearly indicate what kind of blade made the cut.

But what does that mean?