Natsuki: THEY'RE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS! THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HURT AND ABANDONED KANEKI!
With Shino's, Yuuka's and Miku's identities as Shiita-chan, Miyu-chan and Miha-chan now revealed to Natsuki.
She gave Atsuo and Aiya a revelation.
Aiya: What? Abandoned?
Atsuo: What... What are you talking about?
Both Aiya and most of Atsuo was surprised by Natsuki's sudden outburst.
Sachi: Natsu-
Atsuo: Sachi. Be. Quiet.
Sachi: !!!
With a cold emotionless expression, Atsuo ordered for Sachi to be quiet. This resulted in Sachi being frozen in fear.
Chikao's thoughts*
(Scary... Is this the scary side of Atsuo-san, Kaneki talked about?)
Both Sachi and Chikao looked at him with nothing but fear in their eyes, it was as if they were looking directly onto an enraged Dragon.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...
While Shino, Yuuka and Miku couldn't do anything but hold their tears as Natsuki told Atsuo everything she knew and without looking directly at the already infuriated Atsuo.
Natsuki: Kaneki... The day after the entrance ceremony was cancelled midway due to a certain "someone" I saw Kaneki he looked confused, scared and most of all... Lonely.
Atsuo: I can understand why he's lonely... But it was his idea to not interact with them at school to protect them from bully.
Atsuo still believed in the lie Kaneki told him months prior about protecting Shino, Yuuka and Miku from bullying by him not being near them.
Natsuki: Atsuo-san... Ever since Kaneki had entered High School has he ever interacted or hang out with these three at home? Or outside?
Now that Natsuki mentioned it.
Atsuo: ARGH!
Atsuo's memories of the times he saw how cold and distant Kaneki was to Miku, Shino and Yuuka returning.
Flashback*
Miku: Onii-chan! Let's watch some Knight Rider!
Kaneki: ...
Miku: Oh... I see..
Kaneki stopped watching Knight Rider with Miku, but I only thought it was because he grew out of it.
Shino: H-Hey wanna play some games?
Kaneki: No thanks... Not interested.
Shino: Kaneki...
He always rejected Shino's invites to play games even though he used to play any game with her all the time... I thought he was just focusing more on his studies...
Yuuka: Kaneki I have a lead to a new relic...
Kaneki: I don't fell like... Searching for one right now.
Yuuka: Kaneki...
Even Yuuka, his best friend who he helped so many times with finding relics with no hesitation. He stopped helping her, I thought he was just now feeling it and was just confused with he knew looks but...
Flashback end*
Atsuo: No way...
Looking back at these memories, one thing stuck out the most:
Atsuo's thoughts*
(Shino, Yuuka, Miku all three of them had a pained expression every time Kaneki rejected them.)
And alongside their pained expressions.
(And Kaneki... He look sad every time he looked at them)
Kaneki's own sadder expression every time he looked at them.
Atsuo: Kotori.
Atsuo then faced his oldest daughter with the same cold and scary eyes.
Kotori: Yes? Papa...
Atsuo: You've been watching over Kaneki and his friends all the time right? Even during school hours?
Kotori was very afraid of her father, she knew lying would not only be pointless but would also make him more angrier than he already is.
Kotori: That's right...
Sachi: Ai-chan...
Kotori: I'm sorry...
Kotori didn't want to but she had no choice but to tell the truth so she apologized before she was faced with her father's next questions.
Atsuo: Has Kaneki been avoiding Shino, Yuuka and Miku ever since the entrance ceremony?
Kotori: That's right...
Atsuo: ARGH!
After receiving the answer from Kotori, Atsuo felt another stinging pain in his head another memory returned.
Flashback*
Atsuo: Oh Kaneki! We heard some commotion happened at Mato High and- Kaneki? Son?
When Kaneki came home after the commotion that happened at Mato High I saw him completely shaken.
Atsuo: Are you okay?
Kaneki: Yeah... I-I'm okay...
And strangely Miku not even Shino or Yuuka didn't come home with him.
Kaneki: I was just surprised with everything that happened, it'll be alright. Shake~
But when Miku came home.
Miku: Haha! That was so much fun!
Unlike Kaneki she was energetic for some reason.
Wait... Why was Miku like that?
No... When they actually attended school the next day.
Miku: I'm off~!
Atsuo & Aiya: Stay safe~
Atsuo: Wait aren't you going to wait for your bro-
Slam!
Miku unusually left home early and without Kaneki as well, even though they always walked to school together.
Kaneki: Bye... Bye...
And Kaneki went to school on his own, and when he got home...
Kaneki: I'm home.
Kaneki started being distant with Miku and the other two.
Flashback end*
(Something definitely happened! But what?)
Atsuo bit his lips as he was piecing everything together, and there was no way of stopping him.
Everyone: !!!
Shake~
The air in the room became heavy silent with the only sound coming from the shaking of Kaneki and his bed.
Sachi & Chikao's thoughts*
(This rate Uncle will not let them near Kaneki again!)
Sachi and Chikao were worried for Shino, Yuuka and Miku thinking of the possible worst case scenario.
Aiya's thoughts*
(There's no way... Why would Miku hurt and abandon Kaneki? The one who became stepped up as her brother and the boy she truly loved? Shino and Yuuka too...)
Aiya was in a state of confusion due to her memories all crashing back, she refused to believe that it was possible-
For Shino, Yuuka and Miku who loves Kaneki so much, to hurt and abandon him such a thing is unbelievable to her.
Kotori's thoughts*
(Shino-chan... Yuuka-chan... Miku-chan... I'm sorry.)
Kotori felt guilty for revealing the things she had seen while watching them to her father.
And as for Natsuki.
Natsuki: ...
She had nothing in her mind at all, only staring blankly at Kaneki's father in front of her.
Atsuo's thoughts*
(What? What could have happened?)
Atsuo asked himself over and over again "what could have happened?" But just then he remembered.
(Wait...)
Flashback*
Aiya: Oh it looks like the kids will be returning earlier than expected.
Atsuo: Why? Did Kaneki cause any trouble?
Aiya: Surprisingly not, apparently a scholarship student came on stage and many students liked him and caused quite a ruckus.
Flashback end*
Remembering how Kaneki had started being distant towards Shino, Yuuka and Miku since the entrance ceremony.
And the fact that it was cancelled due to some chaos.
(It most likely happened during the entrance ceremony.)
Atsuo instantly deduced Kaneki's strange behavior and avoidance towards Shino, Yuuka and Miku all started during the entrance ceremony.
(Wait... Could it be that "scholarship student" be involved?)
Atsuo's face turned more tense as the thought of Shino, Yuuka and Miku outright abandoning Kaneki for some guy they don't even know creeped into his mind.
He then faced Natsuki and hesitantly asked.
Atsuo: Hey Natsuki-san... Has Miku, Shino and Yuuka ever hang out around with any other boy in school since the entrance ceremony?
Shino, Yuuka, Miku, Sachi & Chikao: !!!
Most of the Higanbana girl's faces went tense after hearing Atsuo's question.
Aiya: ...
Aiya stared at Shino, Yuuka and Miku in disbelief. Refusing to believe that they would cling to another boy that isn't Kaneki.
Kotori: ...
While Kotori was still silent.
Natsuki: ...
Natsuki's thoughts*
(Why are you being hesitant Natsuki?)
Natsuki felt unexpectedly hesitant, but when she looked at Shino, Yuuka and Miku who were all now looking at her with saddened faces.
(Why are you all looking at me with those faces? Why do you look so hurt when you're the ones who've hurt Kaneki for so long.)
It infuriated her.
Natsuki: That's right, they have.
And she began answering Atsuo's questions, one after another.
Aiya: No way!
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...
Shino's, Yuuka's, & Miku's thoughts*
(It's over...)
Atsuo: Was this boy... A scholarship student?
Natsuki: Yes, and it was the same scholarship student who caused the entrance ceremony to be cancelled midway.
(Everything is about to be revealed...)
Shino, Yuuka and Miku sweated profusely as everything they were hiding from Kaneki's parents was about to be revealed.
Atsuo: ... What was the name of this scholarship student?
Natsuki didn't hesitate and told him the name of the boy that those three clinged to ever since the entrance ceremony.
Natsuki: His name was... Itadori Ryueki.
Atsuo & Aiya: !!!
Both Atsuo and Aiya could never forget that name, after all it was the same boy who made many girls attack Kaneki and his friends and drove him to the point of killing himself.
Atsuo: Are you sure?
Atsuo asked with a raging fire in his eyes, he was reaching his breaking point.
Natsuki: Yes, the same boy who had isolated me and who made many girls attack Kaneki nearly driving him to kill himself.
Hearing Natsuki confirm everything, Atsuo's anger reached its breaking point.
Swoosh!
He turned his face towards them and angrily questioned them.
Atsuo: WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU GIRLS ABANDON KANEKI FOR SOMEONE YOU BARELY EVEN KNOW?!
S-Shino: We don't know...
Atsuo: WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?! HOW CAN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH SOME KID FOR NO REASON?! WAS IT HIS LOOKS?! HIS MONEY?!
Thud!
Aiya: Haa~! Haa~! Haa~!
Atsuo & Miku: Dear!/Mom!
Miku went to her mother, Aiya after she started hyperventilating when she heared this revelation, and she remembered.
Aiya: That boy... He looked like Hinata....
Miku: !!!
Knowing that Ryueki's face was nearly identical to her deceased son, Hinata, with a horrified look she asked Miku.
Aiya: Miku... Did you fell in love with him because he looked like him? No... Did you consider him as your brother?
Miku: !!!
Miku couldn't answer after seeing such a pained expression from her mother.
But Natsuki didn't care and answered for her.
Natsuki: She was in fact in love with him because he looked like her brother, she admitted it just a month ago. What's more... She even called him "Ryueki-Onii-chan" since our first day in highschool.
Miku: Natsuki!
Natsuki: ...
Miku was in the verge of tears, but Natsuki only showed indifference.
Aiya: Dear God... Miku why?
Aiya was completely devastated, she couldn't believe her own daughter who was supposed to have moved on from her love for her biological brother, would fall in love with a boy who looked almost identical to him.
And worst of all abandoning her bond with Kaneki, the one who she loved not just as a brother but someone really special.
Natsuki: Aside from Miku, I don't know why these two were in love with him.
Atsuo: OI! ANSWER ME!
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: !!!
Atsuo aggressively told them to answer him, but facing his wrath the three of them were frozen in fear.
Sachi: Uncle!
But just then Sachi chimed in.
Sachi: They were trying to apologize with Kaneki after they learned of their mistake!
She came to defend them.
Atsuo & Natsuki: What?
Sachi: They did learn of their mistakes and tried to fix their relationship with him.
Chikao: That's right! They were trying so hard for months to try and get close to Kaneki and apologize to him! They were no longer in love with Itadori when they figured out how much they've hurt him!
Even Chikao joined in.
Atsuo: What do you two know about any of this?
Sachi: When I moved back here Ku-kun, Yanma, Mo-chan and Heike talked with Miracle and told her everything that happened between Kaneki and these three, then she told me everything!
Sachi revealed everything she knew.
Sachi: Yes, I was angry at them for hurting Kaneki at first. But they were trying to fix their relationship with him this whole time!
Atsuo: !!!
Chikao: That's right! Though they were idiots in their approaches and Kaneki always avoided them, he started opening up to them about two months ago!
Natsuki: Two months ago... That's when-
After hearing when Kaneki started opening up to Shino, Yuuka & Miku.
Natsuki realized something, it was around the same time Yuuka first approached her wanting to become her friend.
Natsuki: Wait... Is it possible? Tch!
Natsuki got more frustrated after learning-
Atsuo: What's wrong? Is it something Chikao said?
Natsuki: Yes. I just realized something. That was when me and Kaneki started being friends with each other.
Atsuo: What?!
Both Atsuo and Natsuki came to the same horrible conclusion.
Atsuo: WERE YOU THREE USING HER TO GET CLOSE TO KANEKI?!
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: !!!
Seeing that they were figured out they couldn't hide anything anymore.
Miku: Yes... We did use you to get close to Onii-chan again...
Hearing Miku, her best friend confess that she was using her to get close to Kaneki hurt Natsuki the most.
Natsuki: Why... I thought we were friends...
Shino: You are our friend! When Kaneki was avoiding me during our camping trip, you were the one who encouraged me!
Yuuka: Yeah! Even when I've hurt Kaneki you were the one who helped us bo-
Natsuki: But you all still used me...
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: W-What?
Natsuki: The only reason why I allowed you two to "become friends" with Kaneki was because I thought he would move on from "Shiita-chan, Miyu-chan and Miha-chan" the girls who had hurt and abandoned him. Little did I know those girls were in front of me this whole time.
Shino: But we were trying to apologize to him, we had a whole plan on doing so!
Miku: We do feel guilty for deceiving you Natsuki, we really do!
Yuuka: That's right! We were going to tell you the truth and make amends with you after we apologized to Kaneki!
The three tried explaining themselves, but Natsuki refused to believe them and bursted out in anger once more.
Natsuki: EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE HURT HIM SO MUCH?! IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO APOLOGIZE THEN WHY DID YOU STILL CLING TO THAT GUY AND IGNORED HIM AT SCHOOL FOR SO LONG?!
Aiya: What? What do you mean?
Natsuki: These three were always near "him" and ignored Kaneki, the only times that I remember seeing them actually trying to talk with Kaneki is when they're paired up in school activities.
Hearing this Atsuo got more angrier at the thought of Kaneki seeing his friends, his heroes clinging to some other boy and completely ignoring him.
He knew it knew how painful it would have been for Kaneki to be abandoned all alone.
Atsuo: Is that true?
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...
The silence from them alone was an answer.
Atsuo: How could you... HOW COULD ANY OF YOU DO THAT TO KANEKI?! FIRST YOU ABANDONED HIM FOR SOME BOY YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW, NEXT YOU TRY TO FIX YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM? WHILE STILL CLINGING ONTO THAT SAME BOY?!
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...sniffle~
Shino, Yuuka and Miku are nearly going to break down crying when suddenly.
Natsuki gave them the final blow.
Natsuki: Could it be that you girls never actually loved Kaneki?
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: !!!
Natsuki's question shook not just Shino, Yuuka and Miku but also
Sachi and Chikao.
Sachi: Natsuki?!
Chikao: H-How can you say that?
Natsuki: If they truly loved him, then they would have never fallen for "him" in the first place. And if they truly wanted to mend their relationship they should have put in actual effort instead of using me.
Natsuki was fully convinced that Shino, Yuuka and Miku were never truly in love with him and we're just faking it.
Chikao: I understand what you're saying Natsuki but, don't say they weren't putting in any effo-
Chikao tried to defend them, but Natsuki immediately turned her attention to Chikao and cut her off with some harsh words.
Natsuki: What do you know? You didn't confront them when they ignored Kaneki. Matter of fact you were the same.
Chikao: W-What?
Atsuo: No way... Don't tell me even Chi-chan abandoned him.
Natsuki: it's more or less, Yuri-san didn't fell in love with "him" but like I said, she didn't confront these three about what they did to Kaneki, and she never comforted Kaneki or even approached him.
Chikao: Natsuki... I...
Chikao couldn't speak because of how hurt she was from Natsuki calling her by her surname instead of he nickname.
But what hurt more was that was she said was mostly true, she didn't do anything to confront Shino, Yuuka or Miku.
Or even comfort Kaneki when he needed that the most when all of his long time friends were gone.
Sachi: Natsuki, calm do-
Natsuki: Glare!
Natsuki cut off Sachi with a glare, and began talking about her.
Natsuki: And you Sachi, you said you knew about everything from Ku-kun and the others? Then why didn't you urged Kaneki or them to talk about it directly?
Sachi: T-Thats... That's because I wanted them to apologize themselves, so I helped them on their plan...
Natsuki: And look what happened.
Natsuki pointed at Kaneki and said.
Natsuki: Kaneki is in critical condition.
Sachi: W-Well...
Natsuki: Do you not get it? They are responsible for this Sachi. That's the truth.
Sachi: They don't even know what happened!
Chikao: That's right! Anything could have happened!
Natsuki: ...
Natsuki didn't tried to argue but instead looked at Kotori.
Natsuki: Kotori-san.
Kotori: Y-Yes?
Natsuki: You can copy Kaneki's abilities right? Does he have an ability to pry into one's mind and look into their memories?
Sachi: Wait what are you going to make Ai-chan do?
Natsuki: If they don't know then it's probably because they are repressing their memories of what happened. So for us to know whether they're guilty or not, Kotori-san should pry into their minds.
Sachi: Wait that's too much!
Chikao: Yeah! Why should you fo-
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: Let her do it.
While Sachi and Chikao were against it because they don't know if the process was dangerous or not.
Shino, Yuuka and Miku accepted it with their faces filled with despair.
Sachi & Chikao: What?!
Shino: We want to know what happened too...
Yuuka: Yes... We want to know what happened to Kaneki.
Miku: And... We want to know if we really did do something to him..
Kotori: You guys...
Seeing that they are willing to let her pry into their minds and memories.
Kotori: Alright then.
Wriggle~
Drip~
Four slimy tentacles grew out of her back.
Kotori: Just a moment.
Splash!
She then used darkness travel and pulled out a screen from the puddle and attached one of the tentacles onto it.
Latch!
Kotori: Everything I'll be seeing will be displayed on this screen, well then...
With the preparations now ready, Kotori hesitantly aimed the remaining tentacles at their heads and then.
Kotori: Here I go.
Latch!
She latched her tentacles onto their heads and linked their minds together.
"Alright their minds our linked, just wait a moment I'll be finding their memories"
The screen immediately started displaying everything Kotori was seeing in their linked minds.
"I guess I'm in the memory now?"
She looked around until walked into what seemed to be a memory and found a familiar building.
Atsuo: Mato High?
Mato Highschool.
"If I'm guessing, the memory will be on the rooftop?"
Everyone: ...
Everyone watched as Kotori walked through the building of Mato High in the memory until she reached a door.
"This is it..."
Natsuki: That's the memory, Kotori-san.
"I know, I know..."
She hesitantly grabbed onto doorknob...
And gently opened the door, and watched everything unfold.
Shino: Did you really think we really wanted to apologize?
Kaneki: W-What?
Yuuka: Yeah, did you really think we wanted to be your friends again? Haha! That's so pathetic!
Everyone watched with their eyes completely widened as the memory showed Shino, Yuuka and Miku insulting and making fun of Kaneki.
Miku: Yeah you really thought we love you "Onii-chan" it was so hilarious playing with your feelings!
All 3: Watching you fall for us was so hilarious!
Kaneki: W-Wha-
All 3: Here's the truth. We really really~ hate you~
Burst!
Though it was quick, they all witnessed what happened in the rooftop.
Kotori: Haaa~!
Witnessing her brother erupt in flames after being insulted and made fun of by Shino Yuuka and Miku.
Kotori undid her connection and came back to the real world.
Shino: No way...
Yuuka: That's not us...
Miku: W-We would never say that to Onii-chan.
Shino, Yuuka and Miku were dumfou after seeing themselves seemingly to be the ones who was responsible for what happened to Kaneki.
Natsuki: But you did...
Natsuki angrily stared at them with tears in her eyes and walked to the door and opening it.
Natsuki: Don't ever show your faces to me ever again...
Slam!
She left the room.
Sachi: No way... That can't be true right?!
Shino: Sachi?
Sachi: How could you?!
Chikao: ...
Miku & Yuuka: Chi-chan!
Chikao: I think I can't look at you guys anymore...
Sachi and Chikao were very hurt after seeing their friends, their comrades in love do something unforgivable.
They both left the room with tears in their eyes.
Miku: Wait-
Atsuo: Get out.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: Huh?
Atsuo: I SAID GET OUT!
Aiya: Dear?!
After seeing his son suffer because of them, Atsuo ordered them to leave.
But Aiya in the other hand was still completely shaken.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ... Okay...
With how angry Atsuo has gotten, the three of them had no choice... But to obey...
Creak~
The three left Kaneki's room, devastated.
Aiya: Dear cal-
Atsuo: Aiya... Please leave.
Aiya: Why?! I'm Kaneki's mother as we-
Atsuo: Please... I'm begging you just leave me alone with Kaneki...
Atsuo's attitude had changed, he started tearing up until.
Thud!
He went on his knees and he started blaming himself.
Atsuo: I can't believe those girls would do such a thing to Kaneki... I thought they loved him... Was it because we forced them???
Aiya: Dear...
Hug*
Aiya: I'm not leaving, Kaneki needs us right now...
Meanwhile*
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...
After getting out of the room. Shino, Yuuka and Miku started walking slowly outside the building.
All three of them still in disbelief because of what they saw.
A few minutes later~
They were silent until they got out of the building, after exiting it began to rain heavily.
Drizzle~
All 3: Ah... AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!
They screamed out in anguish and with the loud rain covering their screams, no one could hear them.
Shino's thoughts*
(Why?! Why did I say such horrible things to Kaneki?!)
Miku's thoughts*
(Onii-chan... Why did I do such a horrible thing?)
Yuuka's thoughts*
(We were supposed to love Kaneki... Yet... We...)
Filled with so much guilt and despair the three fallen to their knees.
Shino: It's our fault...
Miku: It's our fault...
Yuuka: It's our fault...
And they began blaming themselves.
Meanwhile*
While they were blaming themselves in the rain.
Sachi: Sob~ Hic!
Chikao: There, there Sachi...
Chikao was comforting Sachi who couldn't stop crying after being betrayed by her closest friends.
Chikao's thoughts*
(I can't believe it... They actually said that to Kaneki? Unbelievable... And now even Sachi is suffering...)
Chikao: I'll stay with you okay? Don't worry I won't let you be lonely...
Sachi: Sob~
Chikao: ...
Meanwhile~
As for Natsuki, she was walking home with a straight face, her eyes filled with anger and resentment towards those three.
Natsuki: I hate you... Stay away from Kaneki!
And with that, the bond that the Higanbana girls shared... Was broken...
Meanwhile~
Kotori: That's... Not right...