RP Chapter 42

Chapter 42 – Personal Strength

Volume 3, Resonance 5, Part 9

Novel Title: 共鳴熱情 オメガバース (Resonance Passion: Omegaverse)

Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)

Illustrator：蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: MC- 遠峰一紗 (Toomine Kazusa), Lemur & ML- ゼロ (Zero)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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“Eventually, I realised it. I had placed too many unrealistic expectations on my mother. She, too, probably tried to live up to those expectations out of guilt for abandoning me. In the end, she suffered from the gap between the ideal mother I wanted and the real person she was.”

Zero’s words were calm and well thought out. It was likely something he had reflected on countless times. As he spoke, he drizzled amber-coloured liquid from a small bottle into the cup and stirred it with a spoon.

“I decided to reach out to her and try again. But when I tried to call, the line wouldn’t connect… and that’s when one of my old bandmates told me that she had died. Apparently, after I returned to this country, she had spiralled out of control. One night, she drank a massive amount of alcohol, took a bath, and suffered a heart attack. They found her the next day, having drowned in the tub.”

Zero picked up both cups, walked over to the sofa corner, placed one in front of Kazusa, and sat down in an armchair with the other in hand. He crossed his long legs, fixed his gaze on the empty space in front of him, and spoke in a flat voice.

“I pushed my mother to her death. If we hadn’t reunited, she wouldn’t have died…”

“That’s not true.”

The words slipped out before Kazusa could stop them, catching both him and Zero off guard. Zero looked at him, his face momentarily stunned.

Kazusa knew he had no right to deny Zero’s interpretation. But he couldn’t help but continue.

“First, from a medical standpoint, there’s evidence that if an Omega doesn’t take suppressants and has unprotected intercourse with multiple partners over a long period, the risk of sudden death is higher compared to those who take suppressants or engage only with a bonded mate. In other words, your mother, who lived freely, drank a lot, and refused to take pills, likely died because her time had simply come.”

Zero’s eyes slowly widened.

“And, this is just my personal opinion. But I think your mother was happy you came to see her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have lived with you or asked you to join her band. For your mother, singing was probably her life’s greatest joy. The fact that she shared that important stage with you—that, to me, is proof that she loved you.”

Zero’s widened eyes gradually softened.

“And you, while being caught up in your mother’s whirlwind, also admired her free-spirited way of life, unbound by anyone or anything. I can see her influence in your belief of not forcing the residents of ‘RARE’ to take pills.”

“………”

Kazusa realised that Zero had been staring at him intently, and suddenly felt embarrassed by his presumptuous statement.

(Once again, I overstepped and misunderstood the distance between us.)

“…I’m sorry for speaking as if I understand your situation.”

Kazusa quickly apologised, reflecting on his behaviour. But Zero shook his head.

“I never thought about it that way. But… yeah, I did admire her. Maybe I still do.”

Zero looked at the café table with a complicated expression, as if he were digesting something. Then, he looked back at Kazusa with a direct gaze.

“If what you’re saying is true, that my presence didn’t only cause her pain… that helps, a little. Thank you.”

“Oh, no… it’s nothing…”

Kazusa hadn’t expected to be thanked and felt awkward in response.

Of course, this wouldn’t erase Zero’s guilt or heal the wounds in his heart, but…

“After my mother’s death, I spent my days aimlessly. But when I learned how difficult life was for Stray Omegas, I found a new goal in creating ‘RARE.’ That gave me the drive to move forward again. The residents here say that I saved them, but it’s their existence that saved me.”

Despite being deeply scarred by his mother’s Omega nature, Zero never harboured hatred toward Omegas.

In fact, he chose to stand by them, to live with them.

Kazusa wondered if the part of him that felt glad about that choice meant that. After all, he was an Omega too.

“I’ve talked your ear off with my gloomy story,” Zero said, letting out a soft sigh as if resetting the mood.

“If you’d like, please drink this. It’s herbal tea with a bit of honey. It should warm you up.”

“Thank you.”

Kazusa lifted the cup, and the gentle aroma of fresh herbs wafted up to greet him.

“It’s lightly sweet and delicious.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

Zero smiled.

That smile, combined with the honeyed herbal tea, warmed Kazusa from the inside out, prompting him to voice a question that had come to mind.

“Why did you tell me about your mother?”

It must’ve been a very important story to Zero. Even Serval had said no one knew about his past.

At Kazusa’s question, Zero fell silent, as if deep in thought.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” he eventually muttered, almost to himself.

“I never thought it was a story anyone would want to hear, especially an Omega. It’s not exactly a pleasant topic. But for some reason, I wanted to tell you.”

Hearing that, Kazusa’s heart brightened.

If, by sharing his story, it had lightened Zero’s burden even just a little—

If Kazusa, despite not being a doctor, had been able to help someone—

(I’m happy.)

Zero placed his cup on the café table. Kazusa sensed the shift from a private moment to a more official tone, and he straightened his posture in response.

“No one gets everything right from day one,” Zero said with an air of authority, reminding Kazusa of his original purpose for coming here.

Caught up in Zero’s story, Kazusa had momentarily forgotten. But he had come here intending to ask to be transferred from a cast role to working behind the scenes.

“I watched your interaction with the VIP room customer on the office monitor. I also had Serval explain the details after closing.”

“…I see.”

Zero had understood everything from the start and had been waiting for him.

It meant that all his inner conflicts had been seen through from the very beginning.

“You were right to be concerned about Serval’s injury and to caution him. If I had been there, I would’ve done the same. And Serval was grateful that you stood up for him.”

“But… in the end, I upset an important customer and caused trouble for the club.”

“That level of trouble was within expectations. Thanks to Serval’s handling, we were able to recover, and the customer left satisfied.”

“However…-“

“-By now, you should realise—this isn’t the kind of world where you can deliver perfect results from the start.”

Kazusa felt this deeply.

“None of the cast members became professionals in customer service overnight. Everyone made mistakes, stumbled, got back up, and climbed their way to where they are now.”

“Yes.”

“Imitating others won’t get you anywhere. You have your own personality, your own strengths.”

“My own strengths…?”

At this stage, Kazusa couldn’t think of any particular strengths he had as a cast member.

“For example, when people are in front of you, they feel compelled to reveal their vulnerabilities—like I did earlier.”

Zero’s full lips curved into a slightly self-deprecating smile.

“Your thirty years of experience, your logical mindset as a doctor, your diligent nature that doesn’t cut corners, your sincerity in treating everyone equally… those are your strengths, things the other cast members don’t have.”

The things Kazusa had always seen as weaknesses—his age, his seriousness—were being affirmed, and it filled him with warmth.

“You may not be able to immediately apply those qualities to customer service. But eventually, they’ll become powerful assets.”

Even if these were words meant to encourage a discouraged employee, spoken by the club owner, Kazusa still felt genuinely reassured.

“Until just now, I was thinking of asking to be reassigned to a behind-the-scenes role…”

Kazusa met Zero’s gaze directly and, with a serious expression, made his request.

“Please, let me continue as a trainee cast member for a while longer.”

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Next update: 2025.04.27

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