Crossing the Line

Kimika froze, her mind desperately trying to piece together all the fragments of this unexpected situation. In front of her stood two people who, through their actions, had destroyed her life. And now, as they were tied up, their figures seemed so small, so powerless, as if all their influence and strength had evaporated along with the ropes that held them in place. 

Toga stepped closer, her voice soft, almost tender, but there was a hint of something anxious in it: 

"Kimi, so... how do you like my little gift from the bottom of my heart?" — her smile was wide, but there was unrest in her eyes. "You know, when I was catching them… I could barely hold myself back from killing them on the spot."

She took another step toward her scared and trembling friend, not holding back her smile. For a moment, it seemed to her that she had rushed into the decision, especially by unloading so much information, but there was no turning back now. 

"Maybe you think I'm crazy. Or that this is some kind of joke. But no, Kimi. This is reality." 

Kimika stood as if rooted to the spot, her legs seemingly glued to the floor, and her heart desperately fought against the wave of shock that had engulfed her. Her breathing was uneven, thoughts tangled. Toga slowly moved closer, her steps barely audible, and, carefully wrapping her arm around her friend's shoulders, leaned toward her ear and whispered in a soft and gentle voice: 

"Kimi? Are you still afraid? Not sure? You still think this is just a joke, right?"

At these words, Kimika involuntarily flinched, as if touched by a cold wind. Her hands trembled slightly, and she tried to gather all her strength to respond. Her voice sounded shaky, barely audible, almost a whisper: "No… no… I… I won't do this..." 

To this, Toga simply chuckled quietly, her laughter carefree and playful, as if telling a joke. 

"Oh, Kimi… how naive and kind you are. How sweet. But… but you need to hear everything." Her smile widened, and the look that flickered seemed too intense, as if she were studying Kimika's reaction down to the smallest detail.

"The principal. After your father started the investigation into the school, he killed everyone who knew about his dark deeds — the teachers, the staff, even innocent witnesses, and just ran away. But do you know where he was? Do you think he was hiding somewhere, paranoid that he'd be caught at any moment?" — Toga smiled ominously, savoring the pause. "No. He was relaxing. Swimming at the beach, living in luxury. He didn't deny himself anything. The best girls, expensive alcohol, drugs, beaches, fancy hotels, parties... and not a drop of conscience." 

Kimika remained silent, swallowing words that felt bitter. But Toga didn't stop.

"Do you remember how awful it was at your school? How everyone ignored the bullying? How everyone turned a blind eye when they tormented your first friend, Izuku? Do you remember?" — Toga paused, her confident gaze sliding across her friend's face. "And did you know that he knew all of it? That it was happening to you, and to dozens of other kids? He was the one who ordered it to continue, even though with just one word from him, it all would have stopped." 

Kimika felt everything inside her tighten, her heart raced faster, and her fingers began to tremble with anger.

"That's not all," — Toga continued, her voice sounding merciless and increasingly mocking. "He was the one who ordered that criminal who nearly killed your father. But even that's not the worst part. He was selling information about the students. Their addresses, quirks, families... And then — bam! Someone disappears, and the next day, it's like that child was never even there... not a trace. Some were luckier — they just got robbed. Some were killed. And that's just a small part of all his dealings." 

Kimika looked back at the tied-up people. The principal, whom they were talking about, tried to say something, but the gag in his mouth muffled his words, and his eyes were filled with fear and tears. This made her heart pound faster and faster.

Toga watched carefully as each of her words weighed heavily on Kimika's heart, as her friend couldn't escape this burdensome load. Each merciless fact that she unloaded onto her grew heavier, and this caused Toga a strange sense of euphoria, making it impossible for her to stop. 

She felt a thrill as everything began to fall into place just the way she wanted. So, with relentless cruelty, she continued to pile more information onto her friend.

"Next... The criminal who attempted to kill your father, that's him," — Toga said, pointing a finger at the criminal. "Detective Tsukauchi, who's been actively trying to catch us, caught him and threw him in Tartarus. But do you know what happened? He just escaped the very same day. And after that, do you think he reflected on his life? Began to feel remorse? No... He killed two more people. And he would have killed many more if I hadn't caught him." 

Toga hugged Kimika tighter, and her words grew colder and harsher. 

"One of them was a good father of small children who loved them with all his heart, just like your parents love you, and now... they're left without a father, alone... on the shoulders of a mother who works from morning to night, unable to be with her children, unable to give them her love and spend time with them, but still loving them deeply. Just like your mother, Kimi... The second person — a little girl, who didn't even have the chance to do anything wrong or even just live… and... she dreamed of becoming a hero. Just like you... once. And he killed them both without a shred of remorse."

Kimika felt her body begin to tremble. Something unknown grew inside her, a mixture of pain, anger, and despair. She saw that these murders were almost identical to her own life. Every word Toga spoke, every fact she revealed, resonated in her heart. But even before she could dive deeper into these thoughts, Toga, who had been watching all of this, continued: 

"And this isn't the end. He has dozens, if not hundreds, of murders on his hands. And you say you can't? That you won't do this? Look at him, Kimi. Look him in the eyes and say it." 

Kimika did as she was told. She looked into the cold, merciless eyes of the criminal, who even now remained calm, without a trace of worry. He was no longer a man, but a monster, and it was clear even in the way he sat.

Hearing that the words were about him, that his fate was being decided right now, he didn't react at all. His expression remained unchanged — still cold and self-assured, as if everything happening now was just a game, and he was certain he would walk out of here. He calmly watched as Kimika struggled, unable to act. 

And yet, despite all the words, all the facts, the expression on his face, and her rage, she couldn't move or do what she knew she had to. Her inner conscience continued to battle with her desire to act. Her body trembled, and her voice, when she tried to speak, was barely audible.

"We... we're not judges... We... Toga... we... can't decide..." — her voice trembled, the words not sounding as firm as she had hoped. Even she could feel that these words sounded weak, almost unconvincing. In her eyes, there was an undefined wavering, as she continued to fight against the doubts that consumed her, that part of herself that still couldn't accept the harsh decision. 

Seeing these doubts, Toga smiled, showing no signs of anger or frustration. She was as calm and smiling as ever, and even in this crucial moment, she felt that everything was going just as she had wanted. 

Stepping away from Kimika, and without changing her mood, she began to approach the tied-up principal and the criminal. Her voice became even calmer, almost ironic. 

"So... you're saying you'll just walk away? Let them go? Even knowing that these two will escape? That they'll go back to their business, become those monsters again, the ones no one will stop?" — her voice was calm, but each word cut sharply and coldly, like the blade of a knife.

"I won't do anything to them, Kimi… I'll just follow you. But what will happen to them? One will kill innocent people again... children, parents, destroying happy families. And the other? He'll keep enjoying his life without a shred of conscience. Or maybe... maybe he'll get bored of all this, and he'll become the principal again? Although... I think he's already tired of being the principal, and he'll find a new job to continue his dark deeds... But before all that happens, they'll tell everything about us. They'll expose us. And we'll end up in Tartarus, while they won't. We have no connections, we have nothing! And we'll be there for the rest of our lives... without even being able to see each other..." — she paused briefly, clapping her hands to grab the attention of her terrified friend.

"And your mother will be left alone… And you said you doubted whether it was right to become a criminal, just believing she would find a way to earn money, right? But why... why does she keep working from morning to night? Why does she keep drinking wine to calm herself? Why... doesn't she spend time with you, her daughter? Why does she spend it on work? Do you know why? Because she has no way to make the money for those surgeries! Kimi! She's just like you, she's afraid! She, just like you, wants to save him!" 

Suddenly, she fell silent, stopping in front of the prisoners and turned to Kimika. She saw the anger, despair, fear in her eyes, and a small, very small drop of doubt that still remained, holding her back like a chain.

Raising her hand and pointing at herself, Toga addressed the tied-up individuals, ensuring they could clearly hear her words. 

"I, Himiko Toga, or Tsukima," — she said, her voice clear and carefree. Then, pointing at Kimika, she continued: "And she, Kimika Tanaki, carries the criminal name Tokima." 

Without turning to look at Kimika, Toga quietly added, "Now they know everything about us. And from this basement, only two can leave: either them, or us... And... certainly not all four of us, Kimi."

Toga glanced at her friend and noticed how the anger in Kimika's eyes was growing, like clouds that were covering the sun of doubt. There was almost no room left for uncertainty on Kimika's face. 

But suddenly, Toga realized how many times she had crossed the line, not just once, but several times. A sense of unease stirred in her heart: maybe this had gone too far. Because of what she had said, Kimika would likely hate her, and even she herself started to hate herself for everything that had happened in this basement.

But... even understanding all of this, she couldn't just walk up and apologize. To admit she was wrong would mean destroying everything she had worked so hard for. All the boundaries she had crossed, all her words — they had an irreversible impact on Kimika's heart, and Toga couldn't turn back. She promised herself: 'This was the last time, and it won't happen again. I promise, Kimi.' 

Kimika's emotions, which had once been hidden behind a mask of uncertainty and doubt, now poured out. The desperate battle with her moral principles, with herself, with who she had been and who she had become. 

In her heart, anger melted — not just at those two, not just at Toga, but at herself. She hated herself for ending up here, for her helplessness, for coming here at all, and for what she was about to do. 

Toga smiled weakly at everything that was unfolding because of her. Step by step, as she approached Kimika, her smile grew more bitter. And doubts about whether she should have continued all of this began to fill her heart. She knew she could just take her friend and run, not allowing her to do what she had been leading her toward all this time. But in the end, she decided to finish what she had started. 

"You have no choice, Kimi," — her voice was soft, tinged with sadness and bitterness. "Either them... or us... This is my gift to you." 

Toga silently extended the knife towards Kimika's hands, her gaze warm, but with a barely noticeable sadness in her eyes. She did not avert her eyes from her friend, and her words felt as though this was the final decision. 

"You'll do it," she said quietly but firmly. "You'll kill them. However you want: slow, fast, painfully, or not... You can use your imagination to release all your anger." 

"And after that..." — Toga continued, her voice softer, almost a whisper. "After that, everything will be okay, Kimi. Let your inner beast out. Let all your rage out... You'll feel better... and then you won't have to hurt anyone anymore. You won't have to think about it, you won't worry. You won't use your quirk for crime anymore. After this, it will just be the two of us, without crime and suffering. You'll be able to return to those happy moments, with your family, those carefree and good times, laughter, delicious food, peace. You won't have to fear or live in paranoia every moment, suffering from guilt. We'll forget everything that was. Heroes, detectives — they'll all forget us quickly. And we'll live like we never have before."

With these words, Toga turned around, without looking back, and began to walk toward the exit of the basement. Each of her steps echoed in the darkness, but she did not stop and did not hesitate for a moment. As she climbed the stairs, her voice sounded once again, quietly but clearly: "I will always be there, always, Kimi... always." 

And with these words, the basement door closed, leaving two bound criminals, and one, ready for the final choice, Kimika, who already knew what she had to do.

Toga stood at the top of the stairs, distancing herself from the events that had taken place in the basement. She was intently scrolling through their shared photos on her phone, waiting for Kimika's choice. Her face was calm, emotionless, but there was curiosity and impatience in her eyes. 

She was ready to wait an eternity, knowing that in that basement, Kimika was now going through a difficult and important moment. 

When about an hour had passed, Kimika finally emerged from the basement. She walked slowly, her gaze empty and tear-streaked, and a nervous smile was on her face, from which occasionally came a laugh — a disturbing, nervous laugh.

Her hands were trembling and clenched: one was gripping so tightly that blood dripped from her palm, as her nails had pierced the skin, while in the other she was clutching a knife with all her strength. She was covered in blood, but in this state, she paid no attention to it. 

Toga, without asking unnecessary questions, understood which choice Kimika had made, even if it wasn't fully conscious. She quickly approached Kimika and carefully took the knife from her hands. 

As Toga did this, she had to shift Kimika's gaze onto herself. She saw her tear-streaked, empty face, with eyes that sometimes aimlessly wandered around, stopping on her blood-covered hands as if she still didn't realize what had happened. Only after their eyes met did she silently release the knife.

Toga gently took the tissues and began wiping the blood and tears from her friend's face. Kimika offered no resistance, as if she didn't even notice what was happening. 

"Kimi... everything will be fine, in time, everything will pass..." Toga quietly said as she finished wiping away the tears and blood. There was no response, but Toga didn't insist. She only carefully took Kimika's hand and, silently, led her home, seeing that her friend, like a lifeless doll, unquestioningly followed her.

Walking beside her, Toga understood that Kimika wouldn't hear her — at least not now. And although she remained silent, her heart tightened from what she had done. She knew that her desire to lighten her friend's burden, to release the anger, rage, and pain that had built up inside her, had only led to an unimaginable worsening of the situation. 

Now, with her friend so exhausted and empty, Toga felt that she had no right to do it. She realized that her attempt to help had ended in disaster, and now nothing could be fixed.

After bringing Kimika home, Toga wanted to go inside with her to offer support during this difficult time. She knew that now, more than ever, Kimika needed someone close by. Toga wanted to be there, to help her through this horrible period, and to give her what she lacked the most — love and support. 

But when Kimika quietly, barely audibly, said, "I want to be alone..." Toga understood that these words were not just a request. She didn't need an explanation because she saw something in her friend's eyes, something more than just a desire to be alone. It was like an order, an inner conviction that in this state, Kimika sought distance to figure herself out.

Toga silently nodded, and despite her heart breaking with the desire to stay and be helpful, she couldn't ignore her friend's wish. 

At the same time, inside, she hoped that Kimika's mother would be at work as usual, so her friend could be alone, without any outside eyes, and nothing would interfere with her sorting out her thoughts. 

But if her mother was home, Toga prayed that she would be able to support Kimika better than she herself could. She knew that Kimika's mother was the one who could provide her with the warmth and understanding that she so desperately needed in this moment.

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Oh my god... What did I write? Please don't hit me with sticks :( 

By the way, what do you think — will her mother be home? And will she be alone there? After all, she found the money... And Kimika became a criminal precisely to find this money. Ugh, what's waiting for us next, this is going to be crazy. 

Share your emotions about the chapter — did the author manage to evoke emotions in you, or is the only person who almost cried the author himself?

Want to see the continuation even faster than the next day? Or perhaps you want even more chapters? Head over to my Patreon — it's all there! But don't worry, sooner or later, it will be here too! patreon.com/Zoi4erom

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