Chapter Twenty-Four: Stay by My Side

Stay by My Side (側にいて, Soba ni Ite) is the twenty-fourth chapter of Dengeki Daisy. It is the last chapter published in volume five of the series.

Synopsis
Kurosaki and Riko are going over recent events involving the imposter DAISY and the infirmary teacher Mori-sensei. However, Kurosaki is remembering Soichiro's last words to him; Riko had attempted to defend Kurosaki, who had been extorted into committing a terrible crime, but Soichiro was relentless and told Kurosaki never to forget the mistakes he made as DAISY or the agony he is going to feel in the future. Both Kurosaki and Riko think that Teru believes she is responsible for Mori's injuries that Kurosaki would understand her best right now given his own sense of guilt towards his past crimes. Their conversation turns to Mori, who Riko has dismissed as an airheaded person.

In gym class, Teru learns from her friend Kako about Mori-sensei's recent injury and tells her friends she's fine when they become concerned about how she feels. When she goes to the infirmary to see Mori-sensei's condition, Mori remarks that Teru must be feeling worse for not helping her before she was attacked. Overwhelmed by guilt, Teru nearly succumbs to Mori's suggestion to give her information on DAISY to catch the culprit. Kurosaki arrives before Teru can say anything, subtly warning Mori not to approach Teru without his permission, and then takes Teru to see Riko.

They quickly see through her eagerness to find the culprit behind the attack is because she wants to be forgiven and Kurosaki tells Teru that following through with what she is doing now will only make her feel even worse. He leaves her to Riko, who decides to tell Teru about two men close to her. On the school roof, Mori tries to seduce Kurosaki, who seems to respond to her. When he comments on her painted nails, he quickly exposes that her arm isn't really injured at all. Kurosaki warns her not to hurt Teru, otherwise he won't hesitate to pay her back in kind.

Teru waits for Kurosaki at his apartment and remembers Riko's story. One man had done everything in his power to save his subordinate after the subordinate was blackmailed into committing a terrible crime, though the superior's last words to subordinate were never to forget the pain or the mistakes he made. While Riko wouldn't confirm to Teru who the men were in her story, Riko believes the subordinate is still suffering so much that he doesn't believe he deserves happiness. Riko asked Teru to keep the story in mind if she still thinks she is to blame for Mori's injuries.

When Kurosaki returns home, Teru thanks him for stopping her from saying anything to Mori. Teru admits that when Mori was begging for DAISY's contact information, she felt contempt for Mori's sense of entitlement and thought Mori was better off dead. When Mori was stabbed, Teru thought she was a terrible person and she can't go back to being the person DAISY would be proud of. As she starts to cry, Kurosaki comforts her and promises not to leave her side.