Chapter 21 – Determined to Help
Resonance 2, Part 7
Novel Title: 共鳴劣情 オメガバース (Resonance Lust: Omegaverse)
Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)
Illustrator: 蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 本浄天音 (Honjou Amane) & 苅谷煌騎 (Kariya Kouki) / 首藤煌騎 (Shutou Kouki)
*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Once emotions overflow, they’re not easily stopped. It seemed Kouki had decided it was better to let her cry freely. He allowed her to cling to him and gently rubbed her back, her sobs growing even more intense.
“······”
Amane averted his gaze from the scene—Kouki softly stroking Mizuki’s back while she wept like a child, allowing herself to be vulnerable.
Unbeknownst to him, a restless feeling stirred within his chest. His heart was unsettled and he felt uneasy.
It wasn’t exactly anxiety… Maybe it was annoyance? Perhaps suffocating?
(What the hell… is this?)
He furrowed his eyebrows, grappling with an unpleasant sensation he couldn’t quite articulate. It felt as if damp cotton was being forcefully stuffed down his throat, making it hard to breathe.
They had once dated. Mizuki, as a top actress, probably had to keep her guard up in public, leaving her with few people she could truly trust. Kouki, as her ex-boyfriend, was one of the few who could see her true self and allow her to lean on him. Since Kouki also knew Aya, they had that shared sadness to connect over.
That was all there was to it.
Though he understood this in his mind, he couldn’t control the turmoil of his emotions. Feeling even more irritated by this, he noticed Mizuki pull away from Kouki’s chest. She pressed the handkerchief against her eyes, trying to wipe away her tears. As she apologised with a shaky voice, Kouki looked at her with concern, saying, “No, it’s fine… Are you okay?”
“I’m okay now. Thank you.”
Mizuki handed the handkerchief back to Kouki and picked up Anzu, who was sniffing at her feet. After she settled back into her chair with her beloved dog in her lap, Amane took a breath and, striving to maintain a calm tone, encouraged her to continue the interrupted conversation.
“Aya gave up on making the incident public after being opposed by her manager—yet, the morning-after pill didn’t work, and she discovered she was pregnant a few months later. You know?”
“Yeah… And to make matters worse, by that time, her manager, Shimokawa, had already left the agency and she couldn’t reach him. Aya desperately tried to recall the events of that night to find the three men. However, it was difficult for her to track them down without knowing their names or having any connections. She even tried to go to the club from that night. But she couldn’t even make it to the venue… Eventually, morning sickness set in, and she became unable to move. She could no longer take on gravure work, which reduced her exposure and income… I think she must have been incredibly anxious. But when I spoke to her, she said, ‘I’m filled with anxiety when I think about it, but I still want to have this child.’ Even though she didn’t know whose child it was… Even though it was a child conceived through rape… She still wanted to give birth. Aya lost her parents at a young age and had no relatives. So… she was happy about the prospect of having a new family member.”
Once again, Mizuki’s voice began to tremble. However, this time she fought back tears and continued speaking.
“That’s why I can’t believe Aya would commit suicide… I just can’t believe it.”
Repeating the words as if to herself, she hugged her beloved dog tightly.
“Huu…uun…”
Lifting her previously downturned face, Mizuki looked directly at Amane.
“Detective, I know you’re already busy with your own work… and I understand this is a difficult request. But for Aya, whose future as an actress has been taken away, and for the baby that was supposed to be born, I absolutely need to know the truth.”
“Understood.” Amane replied succinctly.
“Kariya and I will do everything we can.”
Mizuki’s expression shifted to one of disbelief. Kouki also widened his eyes in surprise.
“…Is that okay?”
“We can’t just let the perpetrator of the rape drugs go free. If we leave it like this, there’s a possibility of a second or third victim. In fact, there may already be one.”
Kouki nodded with a serious expression, likely sharing the same sentiment.
Beside him, Mizuki stood up from the wing chair while still holding Anzu. She bent her body in half and deeply bowed her head.
“Please… I ask for your help.”
***
“I’m really sorry for dragging you into this, Honjou-san…”
Once they took the elevator down to the underground parking garage of Mizuki’s apartment and got into the parked car, Kouki offered his apology.
“You don’t need to apologise. If anything, we’re the ones who came to get involved,” he said.
As he spoke, Amane pulled a cigarette from a package tossed on the dashboard and placed it between his lips.
“…Are you really okay with this?” Kouki asked.
“You’re being persistent.”
“Leaving me aside, Honjou-san had no prior acquaintance with Mizuki or Aya… Why are you involved?”
“I told you, right? I’m just killing time.”
“……”
Kouki’s dissatisfaction was palpable. But Amane ignored it, lighting the end of the cigarette with his favoured oil lighter.
There’s no way this top-tier Alpha would understand his empathy for the unfortunate Omega.
It could have easily been him instead of Aya. This isn’t just someone else’s problem.
He’d rather not share the past that led him to that thought only to be pitied.
He lowered the window on the passenger side and exhaled smoke outside.
“What do you think about Aya’s case?”
“Whether it was suicide or murder, right?” Hearing Amane switch into work mode, Kouki seemed to refocus. He pulled out his notebook from his jacket’s inner pocket.
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*Translator’s Note: Honjou-san must be thinking about his late mom… -K
Illustration 3:
Next update: 2025.01.22
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