Chapitre 14: Chapter 13: Another False Accusation?
Author's Note: I was supposed to publish this chapter on the first/second week of September, but I didn't write this chapter, because I was so busy at work.
Anyway, I publish this chapter now (September 26), because it's the 1st anniversary of my Web Novel 'Youjin, the Cautious: After all, the Girls are No Longer be Trusted, but…' as it was debut of my web novel on the internet on September 26, 2023 that it was FIRSTLY published on Scribble Hub (before I published it on Wattpad and Web Novel. So... HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY of my first ever web novel 'Youjin, The Cautious'!!!
PS: ENJOY READING THIS NEW CHAPTER!
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Youjin Kinoshita's POV
Ah, summer vacation! I planned to go on a trip alone on the day after the confrontation with my family, friends and the high school principal.
Speaking of which, they were undoubtedly the worst people I had ever known. Family, friends and myself are supposed to trust each other, but I ended up being betrayed by them. And the high school principal is supposed to help the real victim like me, but she chose to believe the liar such as the student council president. Er, rather, the former student council president.
Unlike them, the landlady Hayashi-san is the only person who believes me. I thought she betrayed me by revealing where I lived to everyone, but it turned out that the people I despised, especially my former girlfriend, found where I lived on their own.
At least I was able to permanently ban them from coming back to my new home with the landlady's help and told them not to get involved with me anymore unless I initiated contact. Even then, I won't let my guard down. But it doesn't mean I cut ties with them forever unless they will mess up with me again. And technically, I gave them the second chance. Still, I won't allow them to treat me like before, as if everything is normal.
More importantly, I will never forgive them. I mean, never… at all! There's nothing wrong with refusing to forgive those people who have committed such cruel acts, especially those four girls who falsely accused me. It's not really a sin to not forgive the unforgivable. And an apology is not enough to make me feel better or to serve justice for me.
If I forgave them, they would eventually betray me again. History repeats itself! There is no other way to undo the pain of the past since the worst memories with them are deeply ingrained in my mind. I never forget their harsh actions, as long as not to think of them too much, or else I risk becoming overwhelmed with stress.
Anyway, I'm currently riding a train, heading far from my apartment. I decided to take a one-day vacation by going to the beach alone to clear my mind. The train is packed and I'm standing, wedged between people rather than sitting. Some of them are quietly gazing out of the window, while others are using their gadgets silently.
I glanced up to check out one of my drones, just to ensure it was safe. Even I had done dealing with the people I hated, I still wore a jacket with a hood and face mask to hide my identity when I went outside my aparement. At least my drones could recognize me, even my face was partially hidden, thanks to the AI.
While contemplating my plans for today, I heard a weird sound from somewhere. It sounded like a moan, but filled with fear. I turned my head and spotted a familiar girl who was slightly taller than me, with short black hair. I tilted my gaze, I noticed something unsettling. Someone's hand touched her butt. Narrowing my eyes in frustration, I realized she was being molested by a middle-aged man who looked like a salaryman.
There are many cases of molestation inside the trains, especially when it's crowded. Most girls, especially middle school, high school and college students, are the victims of molestation. And most of the culprits are middle-aged and old men. At least most molesters got caught by the witnesses and were sent to jail.
I thought I should save that girl. But as a cautious guy, I predicted that I would be falsely accused again, especially if I was going to stop that pervert. At least my drone is currently monitoring me and can capture the evidence. Should I get involved with the female victim and that pervert? But I started to feel bad for her.
Reaching my limit for thinking about my decision, I chose to save her.
I slowly walked towards the scene, despite being stuck between passengers who were standing. I noticed that the molester was still rubbing her butt. Then I reached out my hand and was about to grab the culprit's hand when…
"PERVERT!"
My hand was suddenly caught by someone. That voice sounded familiar. I looked up and saw the angry familiar girl who was the victim.
Just as I thought. She accused me of molesting her. That girl, with short black hair and slightly taller than me, was Kurin Onimatsu, a senior just like Nonami-san and the Student Council Vice President at our high school. Oh, wait! She's the president now as Shinohara-sensei told me.
But seriously? This is exactly why I didn't want to get involved in the first place. Thankfully, my drone had been recording, so I had the evidence I needed.
"I saw him, miss." The real culprit chimed in, pretending to support her.
I shot him a sharp glare and tried to pull my hand from Onimatsu-san's grip, but it didn't budge.
"Hey! I was trying to stop him." I told her with a low voice, trying not to draw any more attention from the passengers around us.
"Liar! You rubbed my butt. That's why I got you, *ssh*le!"
Anger surged through me as I narrowed my eyes. But it seemed she still didn't recognize me, probably because of the mask and hooded jacket I was wearing.
"You heard her?" The actual molester added. "I saw you with my own eyes, young man!"
Damn it! This situation was too familiar. Those two reminded me of my former girlfriend Nonaka-san and my former best friend Kutake-san. She made a false accusation and he was the 'witness' who claimed he saw me cheating on her. Now it was happening all over again.
I was about to protest when the train came to a stop. The other passengers exited, leaving just me, Onimatsu-san, and the pervert. I tried to make my exit, but she still wouldn't let go of my wrist.
"You're going to jail, you pervert!" she spat, glaring at me before turning to the man. "Sir, please help me. I'm reporting him to the police."
"Of course, miss." He nodded.
Those two dragged me off the train. As we stepped onto the platform, I saw two policemen standing nearby. Now I regret helping someone like Onimatsu-san who was in trouble. But I'm more in trouble, thanks to her. Although I already had a plan since my drone had captured the entire scene with the three of us inside the train.
If the police didn't believe my side of the story, then I would show the footage immediately, unlike before when I got revenge on the people I hated by revealing the evidence in years and months after getting falsely accused three times.
"Sir!" She called out those policemen. "This guy molested me. Please arrest him."
"Yeah, I saw him. I helped her to stop him." The man told them.
Scum! Their accusations caught everyone's attention, and I could feel the weight of their glares. I heard the murmurs and whispers of people around us.
"Hey! That man is the one who molested her, not me!" I protested.
Of course, no one, not even the policemen, believed me.
"Follow me." One of the officers told us, then turning to his colleague. "You stay here."
"Yes, sir!"
The three of us followed the officer to the police station.
Later, the police chief sat down and began his questioning.
"Did you molest that girl over there?" He pointed at Onimatsu-san who glared at me.
"No, sir!" I shook my head firmly. "That man did!"
The chief sighed, clearly skeptical.
"But he said he saved her."
"That's a lie! She's lying too!"
"No, you're a liar, you pervert!" She shot back.
"That's enough!" The police chief barked as his stern gaze now fixed on me. "Admit the truth, or else I will put you in jail."
"I'm telling you the truth, sir. I tried to stop that man from molesting her, but she suddenly grabbed my arm before I could grab his. That's why she thinks I'm the one who molested her. I swear!"
The chief glanced over at Onimatsu-san, who shook her head in disbelief.
I knew it! I got another false accusation by someone I knew who recently became the Student Council President after my revenge at school. She's just like Susami-san, even if she didn't recognize me at that moment.
"Then I have no choice…" He sighed. "…but to put you in jail."
"Yeah! Arrest that bastard, sir." Onimatsu-san demanded.
The chief narrowed his eyes on her.
"Watch your mouth, miss!" He turned back to me. "Before I take you in, remove your face mask and jacket so we can take your photo."
All right, it's time to activate my weapon.
"Sir, before that. I would like to say something… to her." I turned my head towards Onimatsu-san, who looked confused. "You're just like them, Onimatsu-san."
Mentioning her name flinched her in surprise.
"Wha– How do you know my name? And what do you mean them?"
I smirked and slowly removed my face mask and jacket.
"I mean, you're just like Nonaka-san, Susami-san, Hana-san and Sakura-san, Onimatsu-san."
She gasped in surprise. Her eyes widened as she finally recognized me.
'Surprise, b*tch!' I thought, still smirking.
"K-K-K-Kinoshita-kouhai?"
The police chief turned his head towards me in confusion.
"Wait, she knows you?"
"That's right, sir." I nodded. "We attend the same high school."
I glanced at Onimatsu-san, who had gone pale with fear. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Ignoring her, I turned back to the chief with a serious look.
"Sir, I'm not trying to make you laugh, but believe it or not, I already have proof that I didn't molest her."
He raised his eyebrow in doubt.
"Proof?"
I nodded.
"Look up, sir."
He did what I told him.
"Can you see it? It's one of my drones, sir. It records me the whole time."
I glanced at Onimatsu-san and the actual molester who were trembling with fear.
"You're right. I can barely see it up there. But I never thought a high school student like you could afford drones. Now, show me the proof. And you two, come here."
I smirked as Onimatsu-san and the molester reluctantly approached, visibly shaken.
"Of course. It's already on my phone."
Then I pulled out my phone and controlled my drone to stop recording. Scrolling through the footage, I found the video of the incident inside the train with me, Onimatsu-san and the actual molester.
"I'm not really sure if my drone was recorded properly, but it's the first time I've watched this video. Please observe closely, everyone."
The video showed me in my jacket and face mask, turning around after hearing the noise. I approached the scene and reached out to stop the molester. However, the part where Onimatsu-san grabbed my hand wasn't fully visible due to the crowded train.
"PERVERT!" Onimatsu-san's voice rang out from the recording.
At least that part had been captured.
"See? I didn't do it, everyone." I said, looking at their reactions.
Onimatsu-san and the pervert were visibly shaken. But the police chief still seemed uncertain. The crucial part of her grabbing my hand hadn't been captured properly by my drone. I had no choice, but to activate my secret weapon.
"You all think that's the only proof I have? Well, I've got another, from a different angle."
I removed something small from my chest. A device that is barely noticeable to anyone around. It was a body camera, my secret weapon I put on my clothes, especially in the chest area. I bought it about one month after being kicked out of my old home.
Having a hidden camera on me, especially when travelling, is basically like keeping a video diary, capturing everything from my point of view.
I stopped the recording on my body camera and scrolled through the footage to find the moment of the incident inside the train with Onimatsu-san and the perverted man.
"Take a look at this, sir." I played the footage from my body camera for the police chief.
The video started from my point of view that showed the molestation scene with her and the actual molester. As I approached the scene to stop him, my right hand appeared in shot, not to mention with the ring I wore on my finger.
"See that hand? That's mine with a ring, sir." I told the police chief, showing him my right hand along with my ring as proof.
The chief leaned in, comparing my hand to the one in the video.
"You're right. That's your hand. So you really did try to stop him."
"That's correct, sir." I nodded at him, continuing to play the video. "Look what happens next."
The video showed the moment the man's molestation ended. Onimatsu-san immediately grabbed my hand and called me a 'pervert.' Finally, the footage captured the entire argument that followed, where I confronted both of them.
"See? I told you I didn't molest her at all, sir." I told the chief, letting out a relieved sigh.
Then I glared at Onimatsu-san and the molester who were both trembling in fear.
The police chief looked at me with regret and bowed his head.
"I'm so sorry, young man. I apologize for not believing you earlier."
If I had been thrown into jail before the evidence was revealed, then I would never forgive him.
"It's all right, sir." I nodded.
"Now then…" He turned towards the man next to Onimatsu-san with a stern gaze. "Did you molest her?"
Wait a minute, why was the police chief even asking? There was no doubt that a middle-aged man was the one who molested her.
Onimatsu-san glared at him, who began to sweat profusely. It was clear he was guilty. Instead of answering, the coward suddenly bolted, dashing toward the exit of the police station.
"What the hell?!" I exclaimed.
"Hey, come back here!" The police chief shouted angrily.
"Don't worry, sir. I got this!"
I grabbed my jacket and mask to put them on. Then I sprinted out of the station in pursuit. I scanned the area and spotted the molester who was still running away in the distance.
"There you are!" I muttered, giving chase.
The scene caught everyone's attention. Some onlookers appeared confused, unsure of what was going on. As I closed in on the molester and with a final burst of speed, I lunged forward and tackled him on the ground.
"Ooof!" He grunted as he hit the pavement.
"I've got you now, you bastard." I growled, pinning him and twisting his arms behind his back.
"Get off me, you little sh*t!"
"Shut up, you old man!" I snapped. "I was almost arrested because of you and that b*tch!"
He opened his mouth to argue, but I heard the sound of a whistle. Turning my head, I saw the police chief approaching us quickly.
"Over here, sir!" I called out.
"Thank goodness! You caught him." He smiled at me.
The police chief seemed impressed by what I had done. Not only I had evidence to prove my innocence, but I also captured the actual culprit. Despite nearly losing trust in the authorities, especially the policemen that were involved in this incident, things were looking up.
As the chief was about to handcuff the man, I heard a voice behind us.
"Sir, isn't that boy the one who molested the girl?" a woman asked the police chief, pointing at me with a glare that made me bristle with offense.
"No, actually." The police chief replied calmly. "This boy actually had a body camera, so his camera captured this man who molested that girl."
He didn't mention I had a drone, but oh well! At least he told her the truth.
"I see. I'm so sorry for assuming it was you, boy." The woman said, bowing her head.
I rolled my eyes, brushing off her apology.
"Let's go." The police chief said.
I nodded and we returned to the police station. The real culprit is now handcuffed. Shortly after, the molester was sent to jail and the police chief apologized to me once again. But I told him it was fine.
"You two are free to go." He said to me and Onimatsu-san.
Stepping outside the police station, I took a deep breath.
'It was worth it.' I said in my mind. 'Good thing I had a body camera to get the perfect evidence.'
"Um…"
I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw Onimatsu-san. Her face painted with regret.
Despite her expression, I was still furious about the false accusation she made. Whether she recognized me or not when I tried to save her, it didn't matter. But the fact remained that I was falsely accused once again… for the fourth time in my life.
"Kinoshita-kouhai." She bowed. "Thank you for saving me. And I'm really sorry for accusing you."
"Tch! That b*tch is just like Nonaka-san, Susami-san, Hana-san and Sakura-san.' I thought bitterly.
I still never forgave her.
"But… would you like to grab something to eat with me? It's my treat!" She offered as she tried to make amends.
I turned away without a word, then walking off quietly. I don't need her gratitude, anyway.
"Kouhai, where are you going?"
"Sh*t!" I seethed in frustration, but I kept walking.
"Kouhai, wait!"
She's going to chase me. Damn it! I decided to run away from her as far as I could.
There was no way I was going to accept an apology and accept her offer from another false accuser such as Kurin Onimatsu, the new president of the Student Council in the high school we attended.
After a few minutes, I managed to lose her. The evasion finally succeeded. But my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten snacks.
"I'm hungry." I sighed.
Looking around, I realized I was standing in front of my favorite dessert café. I entered the café and took a seat, letting the comfort of the place ease my stress. Hopefully, I would still have time to make it to the beach for my vacation.
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Author's Note: Well, not only Youjin has drones, but also he has a body camera for collecting evidence! Seriously, one of the tips of avoiding false accusation is to have body camera, especially when you're in travel/situation, just to make sure it was well-hidden, so the accusers and culprits can't see your hidden camera.
Anyway, if you want to support me, you can go to my Ko-fi account. Also, follow me on my social media accounts in the Linktree link on my profile.
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