(Ahmed closed the apartment door quietly...)
But the calm he entered with... was not the calm of relief. It was the silence of a man returning with a disappointment too heavy to be spoken immediately.
Misaki raised her head first. She was sitting near Honoka and Yoshika in the living room. As soon as her eyes met his... she understood. He didn't need to speak.
As for Honoka... she felt a sharp tightening in her chest. She stood up slowly, her eyes fixed on his face.
Honoka (in a faint voice):
"They didn't... agree?"
Ahmed paused for a moment. He took off his jacket slowly. Then he said:
"They refused."
A single word... but it fell into the room like a heavy stone. Honoka lowered her gaze immediately. It was as if the last thread of hope she was clinging to... had snapped. Yoshika quickly moved closer to her, grabbing the edge of her small shirt.
But Misaki... remained silent. Watching Ahmed. Waiting for what came after that word. Because she knew him. She knew that when his eyes burned with that specific calm... it meant one thing.
He wasn't finished yet.
The Bold Move
(Ahmed approached the table...)
He placed his phone on it, then raised his gaze toward them. There was clear exhaustion in his eyes... but behind it was something else. Clarity.
Ahmed:
"I tried to make them understand."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"I explained everything."
The bullying. The fall. The fear. The pain. Everything. He tightened his fist slightly.
"But they saw nothing but numbers."
Silence prevailed. The words were simple... but their impact was harsh.
(Misaki raised her eyes toward him)
Misaki:
"So... what will we do?"
Ahmed looked directly at her. For the first time since he entered, a clear spark appeared in his features. He said calmly:
"If they won't hear the truth when it's told to them in private..."
He paused, then continued, his voice becoming firmer:
"Then they will hear it when everyone hears it."
Honoka's eyes widened. She raised her head slowly. She didn't fully understand, but something in his tone... made her heart beat faster.
The Message to the World
(Ahmed approached the computer)
He sat down. Opened the screen. Started typing rapidly. Misaki moved closer to him, looking at what he was doing. Then she whispered in surprise:
"NHK Channel?"
Ahmed nodded without raising his eyes.
Ahmed:
"Our battle isn't just with the video."
He stopped typing for a moment, then looked at Honoka. A steady, clear look.
"It's with everything that brought you to this."
Honoka's breath hitched. She felt something warm... and painful at the same time. As if someone had finally... decided to tell the whole world: What happened to her was not her fault.
The Breakthrough
(Minutes passed...)
Until the sound of the "Sent" notification rang out. Ahmed closed the laptop slowly, then turned toward them. A faint smile appeared on his face, but it wasn't a smile of relief. It was the beginning of a challenge.
Ahmed:
"Now... we wait."
(Less than an hour later...)
The phone rang. Everyone looked at it. Misaki took a step forward. Honoka held her breath. Yoshika gripped her sister's hand tightly.
Ahmed picked up the phone. He read the message. Then—his eyes widened slightly.
Misaki (anxiously):
"What is it?"
He raised his gaze toward them. And slowly... a real smile formed on his lips.
Ahmed:
"They agreed."
A short silence followed. Then—Honoka gasped, placing her hand over her mouth. Misaki stared at him, unable to believe it. Yoshika jumped with excitement:
"Really?!"
Ahmed nodded. Then he said in a low voice... but full of resolve:
"Tomorrow..."
He looked at each one of them.
"The world will know the truth."
(And on the following morning...)
The bright lights of the news studio were shining. The cameras were getting ready. And four hearts... were about to face the world.