Will you be fine, Auntie? Dont you need me to come with you to the police station?

Right before the front door, I raised a question to the woman seeing me off. Its time for me to leave. Because of what happened, the competition was held off or rather, canceled. It already lost its meaning and there were more urgent things to do.

Auntie has already returned to normal and with a rather determined look on her face, shes going to the police station to file a case.

From the result of the call that she made towards the prime suspect, Iwasaki, the man spectacularly slipped.

Although the phone used was hers, I had them let Mina talk to the man first. And lo and behold, what I suspected turned out to be right. I gave him the benefit of the doubt but man, that Iwasaki was stupid.

As if hes anticipating that call, the man immediately assumed that Auntie Yayoi was kidnapped. Its like hes acting out a script he prepared beforehand.

Through that, I was enlightened why Iwasaki had to hire someone else to forcefully take her out of the house.

With his proposal rejected by Auntie Yayoi, he also reached a conclusion that the reason for the rejection was her daughter, Mina.

The man planned to be the knight in shining armor that would help Mina get her mother back from the kidnappers. By letting himself come out as the hero, Mina would admire him for what he did. And by then, if he proposed again, hes probably thinking that Mina would support him for her mother.

Its quite a simple scheme, really. But he hadnt anticipated that things wouldnt go as planned. Its an outrageously amateur plan.

Mm We cant take more of your time, can we? Im glad youre the man my daughter picked. Auntie Yayoi showed me a reassuring smile. Shes trying to show a strong front when in fact, shes scared. Not for her safety, but for her daughters.

Anyway, I wasnt picked by Mina. I somehow forced my way to be next to her or she eventually got tempted to try and interact with me after seeing Haruko and Himekos change.

Its also a lucky coincidence that this incident happened during my visit. Although I wouldnt undermine Auntie Yayois courage to stand before them, she would never prevail against those three. Worse, even Mina might be implicated if that girl ran out to help her.

That might not be in their plan but accidents could happen anytime.

With that call to Iwasaki also recorded by us, that could be considered an added piece of evidence to file a case. Police investigators werent fools, right? Even though they could see that as allegations, it would be easy for them to connect the dots if they added Auntie Yayois testimony.

But still, being outed like that, that guy might turn desperate to save his hide. Thats why I was a little reluctant to let her go there alone.

Mina wasnt in the house anymore.

After that call to Iwasaki, I immediately called Haruko, or thats what we told her mother. I let her take Mina to have her stay in their house for tonight. We told her about what happened, of course, so in less than an hour, she arrived in a hurry and took her away with her, leaving us alone here.

Well, I chose to be left behind because I promised Mina that I would help her mother. Unfortunately, her mother was also somewhat stubborn.

As she didnt want to trouble me anymore, she told me to just go home and let her explain everything to the police.

But that wouldnt fly, right?

I was the one in the video. For sure, I would also be called by them for my testimony.

Auntie, you and Mina really are a pair of mother and daughter. Both born with some kind of stubbornness. Let me come with you. Im not in a hurry and I Im doing this for your daughter. Besides, Im not uninvolved at all.

I changed my tone and although its somewhat disrespectful, I met her gaze directly. Showing her my determination not to leave her alone.

She could call me meddlesome but my last sentence was the truth. The moment I stepped in and shielded her from them, I already involved myself in this mess.

Auntie Yayoi remained standing in front of me, with nary an answer. I observed her minute reactions but apart from being a little taken aback because of my insistence, she completely went silent.

A minute later, Auntie Yayoi finally reacted. She lowered her head and dared not to meet my gaze again. Her face became somewhat flushed before a heavy sigh escaped her mouth.

No wonder my Mii-chan was all over you. She whispered in a volume thats barely audible. Nonetheless, I caught it clearly.

Whatever that reaction meant, I cast it to the back of my mind and didnt dwell at it longer. What I wanted to hear was her compliance for me to come with her.

If you so insist then wait for me outside. Ill go and get changed.

Looking as if shes trying to escape from me, Auntie Yayoi walked away with hurried steps and into the curtained part of their house after saying that.

Following her words, I left the front door and waited for her to come out.

Five minutes later, Auntie Yayoi showed up in a white floral blouse and a black long skirt which was tightly wrapped around her waist.

Although my eyes somehow got stuck staring at her, Auntie Yayoi called out to me when she got in her car.

The nearest police station was a 10-minute ride, that's why they arrived quickly after Mina called for help. Those guys were just confident enough that they could take Auntie Yayoi and escape within that timeframe.

On the way there, Auntie Yayoi kept on thanking me, which I mostly deflected. In that kind of scenario, what I did was truly reckless of me. If I was any other guy who didnt know any better, it could turn to worse.

Anyway, she also thanked me for contacting Minas friend to keep her safe while the incident hadnt been fully resolved yet.

Like I expected, the police also asked for my testimony for the case that shes going to file.

We were also updated by the real identity of that man in suit and his thugs.

Theyre apparently from a local gang that was already marked by the police. They then advised us to be careful as their reach was quite large.

As for Iwasaki, hes going to be invited to the precinct to be investigated. Those he hired werent caught yet but the police officer that served us was positive that theyre going to catch them. Also, the charges for that man had a high chance to indict him and send him to jail.

No matter what, its a criminal offense even if his intention was only to put him up in Minas eyes as her mothers savior.

In the end, theyd be placing some police lookout for Auntie Yayois safety both in her house and in her salon while the case was underway.

Once we left the police station, Auntie Yayoi finally dropped her brave front as her body powerlessly slumped over the steering wheel. Hey, Onoda-kun. Im unlucky with men, arent I? And here I thought hes a decent man unlike my

With me sitting next to her, I could only offer her comforting words. Im sure youll find a man that can treat you right, Auntie. I mean, youre a wonderful woman in my eyes.