[21] That's a harsh word (II)

As Kaoru continued to ponder, Yukikaze could not contain her emotions. With a voice full of hope, she called out, "Mom! Do you remember me!? It's your little girl, Yukikaze!"

Her words were laden with longing and anxiety. For Yukikaze, nothing was more terrifying than being forgotten by the one she loved and trusted most. Yet Shiranui's expression remained vacant. She merely tilted her head slightly, as if trying to comprehend the increasingly tense situation.

"I'm sorry," Shiranui replied in a soft yet cold voice, "but I don't remember having a child."

The response was like a poisoned arrow piercing Yukikaze's heart. The helpless smile on Shiranui's face deepened her pain. It was as though all of Yukikaze's hopes had been shattered, splintered before her mother who could not remember her.

"Mom!" Yukikaze cried out, her voice nearly breaking.

But before the situation could worsen, Kaoru intervened with a calm yet firm tone, "Sorry to interrupt your reunion, but I hope you don't force her to remember now."

"What do you mean!?" Yukikaze retorted, her eyes blazing with emotion.

Kaoru remained calm, meeting Yukikaze's gaze with an understanding look. "If you push her further, she might lose her own sense of identity," Kaoru explained gently but with determination. "It could damage her brain function, as you can see now. She is sometimes disoriented or unable to sense the situation. Her emotions are unstable at the moment, so please understand."

Kaoru's words hung in the air, adding weight to the already tense situation. Yukikaze fell silent, still enveloped in feelings of disappointment and helplessness. But deep down, she knew Kaoru was right. Forcing Shiranui to remember something that seemed to have vanished from her memory would only exacerbate the situation.

Rinko, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke up, "Kaoru is right, Yukikaze. We need to give her time. We will find a way to help her remember, but not through coercion."

Yukikaze bit her lip, holding back tears that were on the verge of falling. "I just want my mother back," she murmured, her voice sounding so fragile.

Shiranui, though still appearing confused, tried to gently touch Yukikaze's shoulder, as if attempting to offer comfort even though she did not fully understand the situation. "I'm sorry," she said softly, with a look of utter bewilderment.

Yukikaze could only nod faintly, trying to muster the remaining courage in her confused heart. In her mind, she vowed to do whatever it took to make her mother remember—though it meant restraining her strongest desire at the moment, which was to embrace her mother and restore all the lost memories.

Asuka, who had been standing nearby, also struggled with the tense atmosphere. Usually cheerful and spirited, she now had to work hard to comfort Yukikaze, even though they were not close. With a gentle yet firm voice, Asuka spoke, "For now, I suggest Shiranui stays with Kaoru for a while. He is the only one who understands the current situation and can take good care of your mother. After all, the one who destroyed the research facility where your mother was held and lost her memory… was Kaoru himself. He is the one who rescued her."

Asuka's words hung in the air like a sudden flash of lightning. Yukikaze listened with eyes brimming with tears, a mixture of confusion, hope, and uncertainty. However, one thing was clear to her: Kaoru might be the only one who could help her mother now.

"But...!" Yukikaze tried to speak, her voice trembling, filled with deep fear and concern. "Mom has been missing for two weeks. Dad is worried and has been searching everywhere… Even now, he has also gone missing!"

The atmosphere in the room grew more ominous. Everyone felt the heavy burden hanging over their heads. Kaoru frowned, trying to understand the increasingly complicated situation. "Your father is also missing?" Kaoru repeated seriously, attempting to piece together any information that might help.

Yukikaze nodded, tears beginning to stream down her face. "Yes… Dad has been searching for Mom everywhere after hearing the news about the last known location where she disappeared. I... I really don't know what to do anymore."

Rinko, who had been standing quietly, finally stepped forward. She placed a gentle hand on Yukikaze's shoulder, offering the support the young girl needed. "We will also search for your father, Yukikaze. We will not give up. In fact, we have already obtained a location that is believed to be where your father was last seen," Rinko said in a voice that was soft yet full of conviction.

Kaoru, who had been listening intently, felt the mounting anxiety weighing on his heart. The situation seemed to be worsening for the Mizuki family. His mind kept turning, trying to find the connection between all these events. Suddenly, something clicked in his mind, a fragment of information from his own experience.

"Does Rinko-san mean the incubus hideout? Isn't it located in the red-light district, in the lawless part of the city?" Kaoru asked, his voice full of caution. He remembered clearly when he first learned about that place, an area rife with crime, where the law held no sway. A place that radiated a dark and dangerous aura, even just hearing its name.

Kaoru vividly recalled checking a digital map on his phone and discovering that lawless district in the midst of what seemed like a peaceful city. Initially shocked to find such a place, he began to realize that the incubus hideout was not just a rumor—they were hiding behind the façade of a brothel operating in that red-light district.

Rinko nodded slowly, confirming Kaoru's suspicion. However, before she could say more, Kaoru turned to Asuka, who was standing not far from him. His gaze was sharp, as if considering something important.

"Asuka, are you free tonight?" he asked, his voice firm yet still gentle.

Asuka was slightly taken aback by the question but replied casually, "Well~… Aside from my homework, I'm free after that."

Kaoru nodded again, then continued in a more serious tone. "In that case, do your homework at my place. And in the meantime, keep an eye on Shiranui. For now, she needs supervision."

"Huh? Where are you going!?" Asuka asked, her eyes widening with curiosity.

"Of course, I can't let these two girls scout the enemy hideout alone. Especially with a strong suspicion that the Incubus King is behind all this. Do you think I would allow them to become prey to those creatures?" Kaoru explained with a cold yet responsible tone.

Rinko immediately protested, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "There is no need, Kaoru-san. We are trained Taimanin, among the strongest of our generation. You need not worry about us," she replied firmly, though there was a faint concern in her eyes.

Yukikaze, already too exhausted and burdened by the situation, could only nod helplessly. But behind that nod was clear helplessness in facing all of this.

Kaoru, now increasingly resolute in his decision, looked at them with a caring but firm gaze. "No… Have you forgotten what happened to Shiranui? It's fortunate she wasn't abused or forced into prostitution there!"

Kaoru's sharp words shook the atmosphere. Yukikaze flinched, her body stiff as though struck by an invisible force. Rinko was also silent, wanting to retort Kaoru's remarks, but the words were true, and it rendered her speechless.

"Enough! Take back what you just said!" Yukikaze suddenly erupted in anger. Her voice quivered with mixed emotions, her sadness and fury rising in every word she spoke. How could someone speak like that about her mother? Even though she knew Kaoru did not mean any harm, those words were too painful.

Kaoru, with his unwavering stance, looked at Yukikaze unflinchingly. "Well, was what I said wrong?"

"Take back your words!" Yukikaze shouted, her voice echoing with unrestrained anger.

Kaoru remained steadfast. "No," he replied curtly, but with an undeniable firmness.

Feeling trapped and with no other recourse, Yukikaze sulked. She looked at Kaoru with tear-filled eyes before turning and walking heavily towards the door. "Then you don't need to help us with the reconnaissance. Come on, Rinko-nee," she said coldly, dragging Rinko along with her.

Rinko hesitated for a moment but eventually followed Yukikaze out. Their steps were heavy, laden with unexpressed frustration and anger. As they reached the doorway, Yukikaze glanced back at Kaoru with a lingering, sidelong look before exiting the apartment.

The room suddenly felt empty, leaving only Kaoru, Asuka, and the confused Shiranui, who was trying to make sense of the recent events.

Kaoru sighed deeply, feeling a slight relief despite his heavy heart. He turned to Asuka, hoping for some support from her. "I was right, wasn't I?" he asked, trying to reassure himself about what he had said.

However, Asuka merely sulked, her expression turning cross. "Idiot," she muttered softly before quickly turning on her heel and leaving the room, her long brown hair trailing behind her as she departed, leaving Kaoru alone.

Kaoru stood there, feeling the isolation growing more intense. Shiranui, still bewildered by everything that had transpired, attempted to comfort Kaoru in a simple way. She moved closer, offering a small but faint smile.

"Thank you," Kaoru said quietly, though he knew the situation was far from resolved.