DMC: Being a demon hunter in Japan is not easy

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental condition that arises after experiencing a traumatic event, such as accidents, abuse, or extreme violence. It manifests through intrusive memories, nightmares, and flashbacks that force the person to relive the trauma intensely. Additionally, they may experience sudden mood swings, a constant sense of fear, and a state of heightened alertness, as if the danger were still present.

When the disorder is caused by extreme violence inflicted by another person, the victim's reaction upon seeing or remembering the aggressor can be intense and uncontrollable. They may feel panic, become paralyzed, enter an emotional crisis, or react aggressively as a defense mechanism. In many cases, the fear is so overwhelming that even the mere memory of the aggressor can trigger severe anxiety, leading the victim to avoid places, people, or situations associated with the trauma.

For this reason, when the trauma stems from an attack by a specific individual, it is crucial to maintain distance between the victim and the aggressor—not only for safety but also to prevent them from constantly reliving the harm they suffered.

Such was the case for Nakano Yotsuba.

...

On the day Yotsuba arrived at the hospital, her injuries were severe, but the medical staff managed to stabilize her after a successful operation.

Although she remained unconscious after surgery, since her life was no longer at risk, she was allowed to rest until she woke up. After that, she would continue her recovery process until she gradually returned to normal.

That same day, Nino, Itsuki, Ichika, and Miku went to visit Yotsuba.

The first thing they were told was that Yotsuba had been in an accident, as there was no way to tell them that they had nearly killed their own sister.

It was a vague explanation, but their father assured them that he would provide more details in a few days. Since Miku supported their father's decision, the rest of the sisters accepted it as well.

Of the four, the only one feeling guilt and remorse at that moment was Miku. Unlike her sisters, she remembered everything that had happened. Because of this, while the others returned home, Miku stayed at the hospital to be with Yotsuba.

As Miku reminisced about their childhood, trying to bring back old memories, Yotsuba slowly opened her eyes.

"Eh… where am I?" She asked, still dazed.

"Yotsuba, you're awake!" Miku couldn't help but smile upon seeing her sister regain consciousness.

A heartfelt reunion between sisters?

"Stay away from me! Someone, please help me! AHHHHHH!!" Yotsuba screamed in terror, desperately trying to get away from Miku.

"Yotsuba, calm down! It's me, Miku..."

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!" Yotsuba's face was filled with pure fear, as if she were staring at the person who had nearly ended her life.

Unable to understand Yotsuba's rejection, Miku rushed out of the room to find her father.

Mr. Nakano quickly arrived and spoke with Yotsuba, while Miku remained outside. He already had a suspicion about what was happening to his daughter.

After several minutes of uncertainty, her father finally stepped out of the room, his expression a mix of confusion and concern.

"Miku, how much do you remember about what happened yesterday?" He asked in a serious tone.

Mr. Nakano had intended to wait until Desmon arrived to get a full explanation of what happened after Uesugi rescued Yotsuba, but if Miku remembered everything, he wanted to hear it from her directly.

"I… I remember everything…"

"I see…" He sighed and sat down on one of the couches in the waiting area. "I already asked Uesugi-kun to come to the hospital. Yotsuba wants to see him. After that, I want the three of us to talk."

"Alright…" She nodded.

Silence filled the room. Miku didn't know what to say, while her father seemed lost in thought.

After several minutes, Uesugi arrived at the hospital, exchanged a few words with Mr. Nakano, and went in to see Yotsuba. After a while, he came out, looking calm. Seeing his girlfriend awake had reassured him.

"Did you notice anything different about her, Uesugi-kun?" Mr. Nakano asked.

"She seems like her usual self, but… she doesn't remember how she got to the hospital or why she's even here…"

"It was the same when I spoke with her..." Mr. Nakano said, glancing at Miku. "Just to be sure, I'll have a specialist friend run the necessary medical tests. I just hope it's not what I think it is."

Uesugi nodded and took a seat on the couch. Judging by Mr. Nakano's expression, there was more to be said.

"Miku, can you tell us everything you remember? Especially what happened to Yotsuba."

"Miku, you remember!?" Uesugi asked in shock. Until now, it was believed that the other sisters had no recollection of the events.

"...I don't think so..." Miku's weak, uncertain voice filled the room.

It wasn't just the brutal beating Yotsuba suffered—it was also the fact that the girls had killed their neighbors in the other apartments, making them, technically, murderers. Saying something like that wasn't easy.

"Please, we need to know exactly what happened if we want to help Yotsuba."

At any other time, Mr. Nakano would never pressure his daughter to speak about such things, but in this situation, it was necessary to ensure Yotsuba received the right treatment.

"I'm asking you too, Miku," Uesugi said, lowering his head.

"...Alright." Miku hesitated for a moment before finally beginning to recount everything that had happened.

As she spoke, fear, shock, and concern flashed across both their faces. Hearing what Yotsuba had gone through—and what the sisters had done under the demon's control—was horrifying.

After several minutes, Miku finally finished. There were moments when she hesitated, struggling to say out loud how they had tortured their own sister and innocent people. But in the end, she managed to get it all out.

"So that's how it is..." Mr. Nakano sighed, looking up at the ceiling with a complicated expression. "Miku, don't tell your sisters what happened with Yotsuba today. Just say she's still asleep. And for now, they can't visit her. Only Uesugi-kun will be allowed to."

Miku remained silent and simply nodded.

"Uesugi-kun, you should head home for now. You have a lot to think about."

After hearing everything Yotsuba endured—the pain, the trauma—it was too much to process all at once.

"Yeah… I'll go now. See you later, Nakano-san." With a vacant expression, Uesugi left the room, never once looking in Miku's direction.

No matter what anyone said, he couldn't shake the guilt of letting all this happen.

With Uesugi out of the room, Mr. Nakano was left alone with his daughter.

"None of this is your fault, Miku. Don't look for someone to blame. What matters is that you're all safe."

Even if they had been controlled, the law would never accept that as a defense. To the world, the girls would be seen as murderers. But by sheer luck, the explosion had incinerated the victims' bodies, and authorities had classified them as casualties of the blast. That was the report Mr. Nakano had received earlier that afternoon.

In any other case, it would be easy to blame everything on a demon—erratic creatures that could appear anywhere and kill indiscriminately. But as Trish had explained that day, Kiyohime wasn't a demon that simply appeared out of nowhere. There had to be a catalyst—a moment and a host for her to manifest.

Was it the girls' fault for still loving the boy who didn't choose them?

Or was it the boy's fault for not choosing any of them?

Should Uesugi be judged as the sole culprit?

Or were the Nakano sisters to blame for lacking the maturity to move on from rejection?

No matter how one looked at it, everyone bore some responsibility for what had happened. There was no point in searching for a single scapegoat.

"Even so…"

"That's enough for now. Go home and get some rest." Mr. Nakano said as he stood up, pulling out his phone to make some calls. "If you can, start telling your sisters bits and pieces of what happened. They'll have to learn the truth eventually."

Prolonging a lie would only make things worse—especially between people so close.

"I don't think they'll believe it." Miku said, her expression uncertain.

If she were in their place, she wouldn't believe such nonsense about demons and possession either.

"I know." Mr. Nakano replied. "That's why, for now, I want to wait for Yotsuba's test results before deciding on our next steps."

With that, he stepped out of the room to take a call.

"Alright…"

Still unsure of what was truly wrong with her sister, Miku stayed in the room for a moment longer before finally heading home to her sisters.

…

"Post-traumatic stress?" The Nakano sisters said in unison upon hearing it from their father.

"That's right. And Yotsuba's situation is far more severe than it could have been."

Silence filled the room once again. The girls had just learned that their sister was nearly killed, and now, because of that attack, Yotsuba was left with lasting mental scars.

"I don't think I'm the right person to handle something like this. I mean, I'm not a therapist." Desmon shrugged.

He could solve a lot of things, but he was definitely not a medical specialist for this kind of situation.

"I know that very well. What I want is to hear your thoughts after you talk to Yotsuba."

"I guess I can do that."

If it was just a simple conversation, Desmon was the right person for the job.

"Why is he going in first!? Isn't he just a stranger!?"

For Nino, who still couldn't fully believe what she had been told, Desmon's presence—along with how formally her father treated him—felt infuriatingly out of place.

"I mean, I didn't try to kill my sister, you know?" With a mocking smile, Desmon stepped into Yotsuba's room, leaving an outraged Nino speechless.

The room was as luxurious as expected, and at its center lay a large bed, where a short-haired girl in light blue pajamas sat.

Since Yotsuba was no longer in critical condition and a few days had passed since her surgery, she was finally able to wear more casual clothes instead of the typical hospital gown.

"Are you a friend of Uesugi-san?" She tilted her head curiously upon noticing the unfamiliar guy, though her father had mentioned that one of Uesugi's friends would be visiting. "I'm Nakano Yotsuba!" Following basic etiquette, she introduced herself.

"Mmm… maybe? Honestly, I have no idea. Let's just say we're acquaintances." He sat down beside her. "Name's Desmon. Just call me that—I'm not a fan of formalities."

"I see, Desmon..." Yotsuba smiled. "Are you embarrassed to admit Uesugi-san is your friend? Don't worry, I know him—he probably wouldn't admit it either." She chuckled lightheartedly.

-Is this girl really psychologically unwell?

First impressions were important, and to Desmon, Yotsuba seemed like a perfectly normal and cheerful girl.

"Let's just say yeah." To keep things simple, he decided to play along and act as he normally would.

"It's good that Uesugi-san has more friends." She nodded proudly.

"He doesn't seem like the type to socialize much, but he's reliable when it matters."

Despite the tough situation Uesugi had faced, he managed to keep his cool and take his girlfriend to the hospital. Not many people would have been able to do that under those circumstances.

"Exactly! Uesugi-san is amazing. You can always count on him."

"You really trust your boyfriend, huh?"

"Eh...!" Yotsuba's face turned red. "Y-yeah... I trust him a lot." She admitted shyly, caught off guard by Desmon's bluntness.

"Haha, you remind me of another girl I know. She's just as energetic… and just as clueless."

"Did you just call me clueless? For your information, my grades are pretty decent!" She nodded confidently, taking the teasing in stride.

-Whoever diagnosed this girl needs to go back to med school…

"Anyway, changing the subject—what exactly do you remember about your accident?"

"Hmmm." She tilted her head, deep in thought. "The last thing I remember is heading home… and then everything gets really blurry."

"Do you recall anything from that blurry moment?"

Desmon wasn't a doctor, much less a psychologist, but he had been interrogated by professionals before during his visit to Manhattan, New York. All he had to do was imitate some of the techniques they used. Not that he was about to start threatening Yotsuba into telling the truth like they did when they accused him of kidnapping and murder.

Who in their right mind would try to lock up Desmon when he could walk in and out of prison like it was his own home? First, they'd have to gather enough personnel to catch him. And more importantly, they'd better pray the demon hunter was in a good mood and willing to humor them in their game of cops and robbers.

"I don't remember much, but I feel like I had a strange dream!"

"That sounds interesting. Care to share?"

Like her sisters, Yotsuba believed what she experienced was nothing more than a bad dream.

"You really want to hear it? You're not gonna call me childish, are you?"

"I don't have much to do right now, and besides, children's stories have their own charm." He said with a lighthearted tone.

"It's not that interesting, you know? It's still pretty confusing for me, but you still want to hear it!?" Yotsuba looked excited.

"I'm fine with that."

"Yay!" She cleared her throat, trying to sound serious, imitating TV presenters.

Both her father and her boyfriend seemed way too serious, but Desmon looked completely unfazed, making it easier for Yotsuba to talk to him.

"In my dream, there were four blurry figures trying to get close to me, as if they wanted to hurt me."

"Like ghosts?" Desmon raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm, I guess so. Their shapes were strange and dark, so I couldn't see them clearly."

"And then? What happened when those ghosts got closer?"

"Everything went dark. I couldn't see anything, like everything was fading away." Even though what she was describing could be interpreted as standing at death's door, she remained calm as she spoke. "Even if it was just a dream, it felt so real."

"You seem pretty calm for someone who had that kind of dream."

"A dream is just a dream. Besides, my dream isn't over yet..."

"Let me guess. Just when the darkness was about to swallow you, a prince appeared to rescue you."

"Yes! That's exactly what happened!" Yotsuba said, thrilled.

"And then the prince took care of those ghosts, carried you in his arms, and rode off into the horizon on his noble steed?"

"How did you know!? Can you read my mind? Quick, guess what I'm thinking!" She said, surprised and excited.

It was easy to piece together reality and Yotsuba's dream to figure out what happened next.

"It'd be amazing if I could read minds. It would come in handy at casinos. But unfortunately, I don't have that ability... or at least, I don't think I do."

You never know what's possible when you're a demon. But for Desmon's misfortune, neither telepathy nor invisibility were part of his abilities.

"You're right! If you could read minds, that'd be straight out of a movie!"

"So that was your whole dream? You woke up here after that?" He asked again to make sure he hadn't missed any details.

"Hmm... yeah. My dad told me I had an accident, but it wasn't too serious, so I should recover quickly. Besides, I feel fine." Yotsuba raised her arm, showing off her usual energetic spirit.

"Glad to hear that. I bet you're already eager to leave the hospital."

With how full of energy Yotsuba was, it was easy to understand her—unlike her sisters.

"Yes! I want to go back to school and make up for lost time!"

-Well, this was a waste of time. If this girl is out of her mind, then I must be insane…

They had been talking for a while, yet Yotsuba never showed any change in her attitude. She remained cheerful and calm, like any normal girl.

"I guess that's all." Desmon sighed, exhausted. "Maybe your dad was overreacting. Well, I'll go tell your sisters that you're fine so they don't make a fuss—especially the one who seems to hate me."

Desmon stood up to leave, but just then, Yotsuba started laughing.

"You're funny!"

"I don't recall saying anything funny. Though, I do have a talent for making people laugh."

"It's just that you're mistaken." Yotsuba looked him in the eyes. "I don't have any sisters. I'm an only child!" The way she said it left no room for doubt, as if it were an undeniable truth.

"I'm pretty sure there are four girls outside who look a lot like you."

"Now that's scary! Four girls who look like me… but that's impossible." She waved her hand dismissively. "After all, I don't have any sisters. Though, I wish I did… maybe then I wouldn't have been so lonely as a kid."

Even if there were a lie detector next to Yotsuba, the machine would say she was telling the truth—her truth.

-Well, this definitely seems like a problem... Why do I have the feeling things are only going to get more annoying from here?