Chapter 1 - Bears hunt their prey during spring, when they are most active.

As the breeze of spring swayed her long frilly skirt upwards, I come face to face with the same piece of undergarment that I had ferociously stripped back then. It was the same color, same pattern and same bear on the middle. I am actually the lowest of lows to do that to a girl wearing bear panties, very befitting of the name kuro (black) huh. What in the world was I thinking back then? Who in their right minds would rape a girl in the first place? With bear panties even. Thank god I was knocked out before I had put it in.

As I was digging up memories that have long been buried, She had turned beet red, realizing that she had flashed her one and only bear panties to a complete stranger.

“Y-You saw them didn’t you?! Y-Y-You saw the bear didn’t you??

As I frantically try to refute her allegations which were true, I had found myself confused on why would she specifically point out the bear. Is she embarrassed or something? Oi oi there’s nothing embarrassing with having bears on your underwear, I actually have them in mine too, specifically grizzlies.

“More importantly, why did you come back here? Go to the hospital so that you can meet up with your mom, she must be worrying about you.”

“Worry about yourself first you knucklehead, look at all that vomit you just puked out you’re going to anger the fishes, are you okay?”

“I’m fine I’m fine just go to the hospital already”

As I hurriedly tried to shove her away from me, I felt a warm touch gently patting my back and rubbing my shoulders. I could feel her long silky hair touching my nape as I smell the sweet and comforting aroma enveloping me.

“This isn’t right”

I had accidentally said out loud with a calm yet depressing voice. As I prop myself up and stand again, I held my hand out in order to help her up. As I feel her soft short hands that had reminded me of my little sister, I felt the urge to vomit again. I should not be here with this girl anymore. This is bad for my heart. She might not remember all the things that I have done but I remember them vividly, how could I forget them.

“Well I should get going, there’s actually something I need to do too. You should get going too, your mom must be worried sick.”

“That’s weird coming from a guy who was about to jump off a bridge, go fix yourself up. There’s more than one thing in this life worth living for and you shouldn’t be fixated on your own mistakes and shortcomings. Your life weighs more than your mistakes.”

As I hear those words from the one whose life I have ruined, It had hit me like a truck crashing into an isekai protagonist. I had realized that the things I had done to this girl is all in the past. I cannot do anything but to regret it and fill myself up with guilt and self- hatred. I had realized that all this time, I have been fixated on myself, my mistakes and my own sense of justice that I had placed upon me, which had resulted in pain, self-hatred and suicidal thoughts. I tried to end everything by killing myself and not achieving anything in my life but I had now realized that that is nothing short of running away and abandoning everything. Those words saved me from myself, and I had felt this odd yet unyielding feeling of wanting to atone for the sins that I have done. I think I knew that that was the only thing that I could do for her, but who am I to help her when I was the one that made her suffer? It was like a bear that had bitten into a piece of salmon but after eating it's head off it tried to return the salmon into the river, hoping that it will swim once more.

"Well I'll get going then, i don't want to miss my appointment with the doctor. See you later then!"

As i try to fix the mess that is called my emotions, I had zoned out and didn't hear her farewell. I had just realized her silhouette was getting further and further away from me but by the time that she was at the other end of the bridge I found myself yelling from the bottom of my heart.

"Wait Haruno! I'll take you to the hospital!"

As i accidentally shout out her name she faced me with an utter surprised and puzzled look, as if i had discovered her darkest secrets.

"How'd you know my name? I haven't had a chance to introduce myself yet. Don't tell me you're an esper or something."

"I just saw your name on the map you showed me earlier. Espers don't exist."

"Alright alright lead the way then ........(silent pause)"

"It's Kurosaki, Kurosaki Kuro"

"I’m Haruno, Haruno Yuko. Alright, lead the way then Kurosaki-san!"

As i steel myself up and yield my resolve, I had prepared myself to face my past and do such a selfish thing such as atoning for a sin. A sin that she doesn't even remember. A sin that is mine to hold and mine to atone for the rest of my life. I am a bear that threw its salmon back to the water hoping that it will swim again. And as I realize that my salmon is right here beside me, smiling from the bottom of her heart, It stirred my emotions in a way that I didn’t even knew was possible. From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to make this girl happy. I want this salmon to face the bear that had hunted her in the past and be able to swim again. This bear is going to have a rough time but hey, bears are most active during spring you know?