Kaori was predominantly concerned for her adoptive brother.

Having lived together since he was eleven, the girl was all too familiar with Hajime; it was easy for her to discern when something weighed heavily on his spirit.

Initially, when Aina and Goto married, young Kaori grappled with the news of acquiring a stepbrother (despite having gotten along splendidly with Hajime from the very first day they met) and a stepmother in her life, as she could only remember her father being the sole family member she had.

The first few months were somewhat rocky; for a nine-year-old, the change was quite shocking. However, as the months elapsed, the girl grew closer to Hajime and their mother, reaching a point where she regarded them as her true brother and mother in blood.

There was a time when the four family members were genuinely happy, until Goto began to reveal his true nature.

Much like a child, the leader of the [Black Corps] soon displayed the devaluation that Aina had suffered in his eyes, now that she belonged to him.

Before long, his feelings of passion for his wife were supplanted by nothing but negativity. Then the violence began—both physical and psychological.

After growing weary of her, Goto wished to rid himself of the woman and her son, disregarding the fact that he was the friend of her father and the ex-husband of both.

But how could he accomplish such a thing? Kaori had genuinely grown fond of them; he knew that if they both perished, his daughter would never overcome the shock.

Thus, the head of the [Black Corps] resolved to maintain the façade of a perfect marriage (despite his incessant thoughts of needing to eliminate at least Hajime), while mistreating his stepson and wife in every possible manner, but never crossing a line too far.

If either of them were to take their own life due to his actions, he would shed not a single tear; in fact, he would find joy in having rid himself of a nuisance. Unfortunately, his daughter would not share that perspective.

What the man did not realize was that his little "Kaori-chan" was aware of the ill will that flowed between him and Hajime.

The girl, after all, was a prodigy, equally as remarkable as her stepbrother. Ultimately, it was only natural for someone as intelligent as her to notice the glances of hatred cast between the two.

Yet, Goto's daughter chose to remain silent and feign ignorance.

A part of her hoped that one day the two would reconcile their differences, while another was fearful of ever having to choose sides; after all, she cared deeply for all her family members.

When Hajime turned sixteen and Kaori fourteen, Aina fell into a depression due to the abuse she was enduring.

The poor woman tormented herself for having been deceived by a monster. Her little stepdaughter, ignorant of the violence occurring within their home, was shocked by the state of the woman she considered her mother.

Things worsened when the girl learned her brother had ended up in the hospital after getting into a brawl.

She found all this inconceivable; Hajime was kind, calm, and sociable; he would never suddenly become violent. The girl futilely attempted to persuade her father to identify the culprits behind such an act and prevent her brother's expulsion from their shared school.

From that point onward, the family's situation deteriorated; Goto and his stepson kept their distance or exchanged glances filled with hatred (Hajime) and superiority (Goto) when they thought Kaori was not paying attention, and Aina seemed increasingly despondent and drained of energy.

Her family was falling apart, and she felt utterly helpless.

Kaori was jolted from her thoughts by the sound of someone knocking at her door.

"Come in."

"Hey, Kaori-chan."

"Hello, onii-chan, is something wrong?"

"No, everything is fine; I just wanted to ask if you're free today. It's been quite a while since we went out together."

Kaori beamed brightly at Hajime's invitation. Recently they had drifted apart, and the girl was uncertain how to interact with her stepbrother, especially after sensing something weighing on his spirit.

The fact that he was taking the initiative filled her with joy; she certainly did not want to lose the bond they shared, for reasons she could not comprehend.

"Yes, I’m free; just give me a moment to get ready!"

The silver-haired boy smiled as he watched his sister twirl about the room in search of the perfect outfit to wear.

"Take your time; I'll wait for you downstairs."

Today was their day off, and without school, they could revel in an entire day of enjoyment together.

"(Maybe I should invite Mom too?)"

Aina avoided leaving the house; each time she did, she remained out for as little time as possible. For her, witnessing happy families and couples only served as a painful reminder of the loss of her first husband and the grave mistake she made by marrying Goto.

Moreover, the prevailing attitude of the entire island towards the leader of the [Black Corps] was something the woman felt nothing but aversion for.

To everyone else, that man was a hero, someone to be emulated, a person deserving of respect. But to Hajime and her, he was merely a monster disguised as a saint.

Seeing her tormentor revered was an indignity she could not bear.

As she made her way to her room, Goto's stepson could only hope to find his mother in better condition than on other days. When his knocking was met with silence, Hajime realized it would not be the case.

"Mom, is everything alright?"

As always, the sight of his mother's current condition ignited a surge of indignation within the boy.

Aina had once been a beautiful woman, but now everything was different. The years of sleepless nights and torment had left her with deep dark circles beneath her eyes. The physique that many of her peers had envied was now gone, replaced by a much frailer and more ill-looking body.

The vibrant energy that the woman once possessed had vanished, leaving in its wake a pronounced and perpetual aura of exhaustion and lack of vitality, stemming from her mental state.

"I’m fine, dear."

Her voice was feverish and lifeless in comparison to the past. Hajime clenched his fist tightly, consumed by thoughts of the cause of her condition, or rather, the individual responsible.

"I-I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me and Kaori-chan today."

"I-I.........I believe I will stay home today..........."

"I understand; see you tonight then."

"Have a good day."

The silver-haired teenager would have been surprised if his mother had said yes; after all, her response was predictable to him—so much time had passed since they had all gone out together. Since the days when they were truly happy.

"(I promise that once I rid us of that bastard, I will help you, Mom.)"

"Onii-chan, I'm ready! Shall we go?"

"Yes, let’s go, Kaori-chan."

******

As they walked through the park, Hajime could not help but reflect on the recent events that had transpired in his life.

Part of him yearned to confide in his little sister; the burden of keeping secrets weighed heavily on him: lying, telling half-truths, and concealing his actions from Kaori filled him with shame.

But the boy was not foolish; Goto had eyes and ears everywhere. Even now, while the two siblings strolled and enjoyed each other's company, the silver-haired adolescent knew they were being watched.

After all, they were members of the family of the leader of the [Black Corps].

Although critical and personal information regarding all high-ranking officials in the principal organizations on the island was censored and shielded from the public eye, security was never excessive; it was always better to prevent than to cure.

Thus, the prospect of speaking candidly with his sister, without being spied upon, was impossible. Not to mention that Hajime personally felt very conflicted about revealing the truth to Kaori.

After all, he could insult Goto as much as he wanted, but even in his infinite rage, he could not deny that the man was a good father to his daughter.

Was it truly best to tell the girl how monstrous the man she loved with all her heart was? Did Hajime possess the strength to shatter the false image of the person he loathed, even at the cost of hurting one of the two individuals he cherished more than life itself? And worst of all, what would he do if Kaori chose her father over her stepmother and him? The more he contemplated, the more the answers eluded him.

"Onii-chan! If you wanted to go out together, why are you standing there like an idiot?"

"H-huh?"

"You’ve been staring at nothing for a good five minutes."

"Oops, sorry. How about I buy you an ice cream to make it up to you?"

"Who do you think I am!? I’m not a child anymore!"

"Then you don’t want it?"

"I didn’t say that!"

The silver-haired adolescent chuckled slightly at his little sister's antics, knowing well she merely performed them to uplift his spirits.

"(I’ll think about all this tomorrow. For now, I might as well enjoy today.)"