Vol 6 Chapter 5 Part 2 COTE

(Part 6)

There are various commercial facilities at the Keyaki Mall. Most of the stores are used on a daily basis, like the supermarkets. However, there are multiple shops that only see occasional use. For example, there's a service that delivers supermarket ingredients to your dorm room and a specialty store that fixes electric, gas, and water issues. The laundromat is another perfect example of this. A salaryman or another member of the outside community would have a good reason to typically use a laundromat, but it isn't relevant to the students of this school. However, when a blazer or another part of our uniforms gets unusually dirty, the laundromat plays an important role by cleaning what we can't clean on our own.

Even if it isn't something you usually use, the time will come suddenly when it's needed.

It's Thursday night at 8:00 with the exam coming up on the weekend. The shops on campus had already reached closing time, so everyone from Class D gathered at a karaoke room. It's a great place to make arrangements without worrying about anything leaking outside.

Horikita and Hirata acted quickly. The group was the same as from the start of the final examination, with the addition of Keisei.

It's true that it would have been more ideal to do this in someone's room, but one of us didn't want to do that.

"Hey, can I sing?"

"Wait, Karuizawa-san. That's not what we're here for today."

"Even though there's karaoke right here?"

"Since you said that you didn't want to go to the dorms, we came here. Isn't that right?"

You don't know who's watching or listening in a cafe or cafeteria elsewhere on campus.

"That's right, but what should I say? Isn't it kind of stupid to go to karaoke and not sing?"

"Make do with your food and drinks."

Karuizawa had ordered plenty already. Her own personal drink, as well as junk food such as potato fries and drinks for everyone else, sat on the table.

"Then let's sing a duet together after the strategy meeting is over, Yōsuke-kun."

"Yeah. It might be a good idea to take a breather after the meeting is adjourned."

"I'll agree to that. I want to have a proper celebration, but it's also been quite a long time since I've gotten to do karaoke."

Hirata and Kushida searched for a compromise by agreeing with both Horikita and Karuizawa.

"...I'm going to start."

Horikita simply ignored the two of them and began the meeting.

"First up is the results from the study sessions, and to be honest, I think that they're excellent. In the beginning, the behavior of the boys was a mess, and I worried about how it would turn out. Fortunately, they've studied hard and should be able to cope with the final exam to some extent."

"Just so you know, I studied so hard that my mouth is now an English dictionary!"

Sudō appealed that he had studied in his own way, but the way he phrased it made it difficult to understand.

"Sudō-kun has grown significantly compared to where he started from. His concentration has dramatically improved in particular. However, don't forget that your basic academic abilities are still inferior to a first-year middle school student's."

"I've studied so hard and I'm still only at first-year middle school level..."

"The fact that you were at an elementary school level up until now is kind of amazing."

"Ho-Horikita-san, that's going a little too far..."

"He didn't even know that pi existed until recently."

It was a pretty explosive statement. It's unexpected for him to have lived until today without knowing about the existence of pi.

"Eeeh? Isn't that too stupid!?"

Even Karuizawa, who doesn't study very much herself, gives an overreaction.

"Shut up, Karuizawa. You don't even understand it yourself."

"No, no, no. Seriously. Even I knew it was 3.14."

The conversation managed to descend into something trivial. Everyone who had to listen to it might end up with headaches.

"Please stop it. I can roughly see what level your academic ability is. Is he really okay, Horikita?"

"It's pointless to worry about him. Like I said, his basic academic skills are behind. But, he generally understands the content that he needs to for this semester. It's not like he's facing the exam expecting to fail. Have the problems with Hasebe-san and Miyake-kun been resolved on your end, Yukimura-kun?"

"Of course. Ayanokōji was watching closely, so he can verify this, isn't that right?"

"I don't think there was a better way to approach it. I have no concerns about them failing the finals."

"Great! I'd absolutely hate to lose someone from Class D, so let's all overcome this together!"

"...Something like that. Speaking of which, are we really okay?"

After hearing Kushida's thoughts, Karuizawa asked an unsettling question.

"I don't want fewer classmates, but this is a test that someone drops out of every year, right? There is no guarantee that Sudō-kun or I won't fail, right?"

"I can't really guarantee you it, but-"

"Then don't say something like that so rashly in the first place."

The relaxed atmosphere of the room gradually began to tense up.

"Kushida-san, I've always felt like you've been giving me lip service for a while now."

"Is that so... I just want everyone to pass the exam safely..."

"It must be nice to be smart. You don't even know what will happen to me."

"It's okay, Karuizawa-san. You're involved in a reliable study group now."

Even with Hirata backing her up, Karuizawa seemed entirely unconvinced.

"I've wanted to say this for a while now. Kushida-san, aren't you behaving a little bit goody-goody?"

"Eh?... D-Do you really think so..."

"Can you calm down, Karuizawa-san? We are in the middle of having a discussion about the finals right now. Don't waste our time with unrelated matters."

"Horikita-san, shut up a little. Hey, Kushida-san. Are you perhaps mocking my intelligence in your mind or something?"

"I wouldn't do something like that."

"In that case, don't make promises like that. Since it's hard for me every time I take an exam, can you take responsibility if I fail?"

This was too irrational. Faced with such inexplicable anger, it wasn't just Kushida, but the entire study group was confused.

Karuizawa lost it due to Kushida's positivity and kindness.

She then reached out and picked up the grape juice that she had barely touched, and proceeded to pour it out onto Kushida with all her might. The juice and all of it's staining properties, soaked into the chest of her blazer.

"Karuizawa-san!"

In the face of this unbelievable situation, Hirata let out an usually loud voice as he grabbed her hand that was holding the cup.

"You can't do this. I feel like there are things that simply cross the line."

"A-are you saying... this is my fault?"

"I'm sorry, but this situation only puts you in a bad light, Karuizawa-san. Kushida-san hasn't done anything wrong."

This was an action that even Horikita, who was in midst of a Cold War with Kushida, could not defend.

"I'm fine. I don't mind at all, okay? Please don't blame Karuizawa-san."

"That's not happening. No matter how you think of it, it's all Karuizawa's fault."

Keisei spoke his mind and judged the situation objectively. It's entirely natural for everyone present to be hostile towards what had happened. No matter how anyone came to see it, they would think Karuizawa was in the wrong for her self-righteous remarks. Nevertheless, her actions weren't unnatural. Karuizawa has always been this kind of girl.

"Oh, riiight. I'm the only bad guy. Yeah, after all, Kushida-san is the star of the class."

All the people present, except me, had already made their judgments.

Karuizawa turned towards me as if to ask for my help.

"Hey, Ayanokōji-kun, who are you siding with?"

"Who I agree with… Nobody here has said anything incorrect. You're in the wrong."

"Well, that's it. I knew it would be. Everyone is my enemy."

Karuizawa got up and picked up her bag without even apologizing.

"Karuizawa-san. If you leave things in a weird state like this, you'll definitely regret it later. I don't want things to be like that either."

Hirata was adamant about stopping Karuizawa from leaving the karaoke room.

"What? What the hell else am I supposed to do?"

"First of all, apologize to Kushida-san. That's the most important thing."

Karuizawa was persuaded by her boyfriend. She looked frustrated, but she ultimately stepped down.

"I don't think I'm in the wrong, but I have to apologize?"

"You have to say it first."

At this, Karuizawa stood in silence for a moment.

"...Sorry."

After her moment of silence, Karuizawa gave in and apologized after being admonished by Hirata.

"No, it's not a problem at all. I think I should've also been a little more considerate to your feelings."

In this situation, an angry response wouldn't be abnormal, however, Kushida was entirely calm, and forgave Karuizawa.

Hearing this, Karuizawa appeared to feel guilty, and returned to sit down next to Hirata.

"I feel like I had lost my cool a little. Sorry."

Karuizawa apologized once again to Kushida, who responded with a smile as if say to forget about it.

"Thank you..."

Hirata breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the two of them.

However, this doesn't mean everything has been resolved.

"Kushida-san, do you have a spare blazer that you can wear to school tomorrow? All good?"

"Ah, no. My other one had gotten damaged, so this one is the last one I have left..."

The school originally paid for each student to have two blazers. But sometimes unexpected things might happen like a student might outgrow a part of their uniform. At that time, if necessary, there is a shop in Keyaki Mall that specializes in student uniforms. However, it can take some time to tailor the uniforms to fit the students, and it isn't cheap on points as well.

"Isn't there a laundromat? I can bring it with some clothes I've soiled during basketball practice. If I hand it over to them today, you should be able to get it back by early tomorrow morning."

"I've never heard about it since I've never had a reason to use it. If this is the case, then it seems like there's a solution somehow."

Kushida accepted Sudō's great advice and grasped how to solve the problem.

Karuizawa heard his suggestion, and made a proposal herself as if realizing that she could do something more to help.

"Although it doesn't work as an apology, please allow me to pay the cleaning fee."

"It's alright, I don't mind it."

"Should I say that I won't be able to feel at ease... can't I?"

"Is it really okay?"

"Yup! I'm the one at fault here, so please let me do it."

Thus, the situation found a point of compromise due to Karuizawa offering to pay the cleaning fee.

(Part 6 End)

(Part 7)

While I was heading back to the dormitory after the end of the chaotic strategy meeting, I came across a large man standing next to the water fountain.

Katsuragi didn't seem to have any appointments with anyone else, so I attempted to call out to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Ayanokōji. No, I was thinking a little bit about things. It's about the final exam next week."

"About the final exam? In a place like this?"

"I just want to spend my time thinking alone in peace."

This didn't seem like the way of thinking that one would expect from a first-year high school student.

That being said, the final exam? I don't think it's an exam that the academically advanced Class A has to agonize over.

"Do you feel like this final exam is going to go over well?"

Since he asked that way, I decided to respond straightforwardly.

"Who knows, but everyone appears to be studying earnestly."

"Is that so? It would be nice for there to be no dropouts."

I didn't feel any enthusiasm in his worry for others.

"Did something happen?"

After I asked, Katsuragi began to speak in a way that seemed a little heavy.

"...When you were in middle school, did you ever hold the position of class representative or join the student council?"

"No, not at all. I was never interested."

"I've always been a class representative or a member of the student council ever since I was in elementary school. I even served as student council president in both elementary and middle school. But, after coming to this school, I've had to make some large adjustments."

"This reminds me that you haven't entered the student council."

"I wanted to join, but I was unable to get student council president Horikita's recognition."

This topic was entirely unrelated to the topic of the final exams.

"Student council and classroom representatives seem to have no authority at first glance. Most students think that it's not worth it. They only think that it takes a lot of time and effort, so only a few people want to do it."

It's the same feeling that I have about it. Basically, I don't want to be in a management position or anything like that.

"However, these positions are given 'privilege'. In other words, there is a difference that can't be covered between those in these positions and those who aren't. And I have lost that privilege."

"Your evaluation within Class A should be above a certain level."

"If that was the case, I would have never chosen to target Class B for the final exam."

I think so too. Someone like Katsuragi would choose target Class C or Class D.

He would choose the right tactic to both ensure defense and victory.

"Is it alright? To tell me about the internal conditions of Class A."

"You'll understand it even after a minimal amount of analysis."

"You don't need to take on too much responsibility, you know? It appears to me that you're leading Class A, but that's not the whole picture. Anyway, as it is now, Class A is like a fortress. The important thing is for you guys to maintain your current position."

"...That's right. Aah, to be so told by Class D who should be the ones chasing after us."

"Maybe there are things that can only be seen objectively since I'm looking at things from too far away to catch up."

When the two of us returned to the dormitory, there was a crowd of people in the lobby.

"It's really noisy. Did something happen?"

"Uh… Want to ask around?"

Nearby there was a face I knew, The Professor, so I called out to him.

"What happened?"

"It's Ayanokōji, His Highness. It seems that everyone in the first year has received the same letter in their mailboxes."

"The same letter?"

I walked through the crowd and turned the dial key on my mailbox. The mailboxes aren't typically used, but they have occasional use for online shopping, school notifications, and student to student transactions.

The other students seemed interested as well, peering from behind me at my open mailbox.

I unlocked the door after dialing the right combination.

I then took out the four-way folded paper that was inside and returned to Sotomura.

"Is this it?"

"It is, it is."

Katsuragi came back a moment later with the same paper.

 Katsuragi opened the letter at the same time I opened the folded paper.

The words printed inside read:

[First-year student Ichinose Honami of Class B might be collecting points illegally. - Ryūen Kakeru.]

Sotomura opened up his own paper to show us that he had gotten the same thing as well.

Katsuragi finished reading the paper and mumbled:

"What does he mean by neatly writing down his own name? If this is unfounded, there's a chance that he'll face responsibility."

"Does that mean he's doing it because it's more or less true?"

"If that's not the case, then it's a foolish plan. But it's a method I wouldn't put past him. Regardless of whether it's true or not, he should be taking the offensive if there's material that people might think is illegal. Properly speaking, it could be illegal defamation, but that guy wouldn't even care about that at all."

If it's a lie, Ryūen's image is at risk of being badly tarnished, but since Ryūen's reputation is already poor, and from his point of view it wouldn't matter at all.

"Oi, Ryūen's back!"

One of the students discovers Ryūen returning back from school.

Ryūen entered the lobby. I wonder if he knows what had caused the commotion.

"Oi, Ryūen. What are you trying to do!?"

As soon as he entered the lobby, the boys in Class B questioned him while going up and grabbing him.

"Ah, what the hell are you talking about?"

"It's about this letter! You're distributing this crap!"

He said so and thrust the letter in front of him. When Ryūen saw the letter, he simply shrugged and smiled.

"Oh, that? Isn't it interesting?"

"What's funny about it!? There are some things you can do, and there are something that cross the line!"

"Then prove it. That Ichinose hasn't been illegally collecting points."

"That's-"

"How about it, Ichinose?"

Facing Ichinose, who had come after hearing the commotion, Ryūen asked, holding the letter.

"No matter what I say here now, Ryūen-kun probably won't believe it, right?"

"Indeed. That's because it's up to the school to decide whether there was fraud or not."

ILLUSTRATION: https://imgur.com/a/Q828ydZ

"Right. I'm sorry everyone. I seem to be under a strange suspicion. But rest assured, tomorrow I will report it to the teacher and prove that this is Ryūen-kun's misunderstanding."

Ichinose stands up for herself with a dignified appearance.

"How do you intend to prove it to me, Ichinose?"

"I'll explain the details to the school. I'll state how many points I have and how I got them. You'll be satisfied with that, won't you?"

"Report it to the school? Before that, can't you explain it here?"

"So now you're willing to believe me just by saying it here, Ryūen-kun?"

"I won't believe it. It'd be as easy as breathing for you to lie about it."

"Therefore, if the school mediates this, there's no room for injustice."

"Kuku, I see. You have a point as well."

'Are you convinced!?' The nearby Class B students yelled.

"However, humans are dirty, lying creatures. Isn't it possible that you're now thinking of some countermeasures and covering up the evidence?"

Even until the end, Ryūen aggressively lashes out against Ichinose.

"What's this man thinking? Even if Ichinose has a lot of points, she's far from the kind of person who would get them illegally. He has no chance of winning by obstinately accusing her here."

Katsuragi seemed to find it hard to understand, and his expression became more serious.

"Then what do I have to do to make you believe me?"

"Let's start by disclosing how many points you hold here first, and then explain how you got them. Then I'll report the same thing to the school tomorrow. With this, the students who are increasingly distrustful of you here will be convinced."

It's indeed true that it would drastically reduce her chances of later making excuses or lying.

However, I don't think Ichinose will agree easily.

"That's an impossible proposition, Ryūen-kun."

"That is to say, you admit to breaking the rules?"

"It's not like that. Just because I didn't get my points illegally, doesn't mean that I can reveal my hand. How many personal points someone has will greatly influence their strategies in the future."

That is, even if she's temporarily suspected, she has to hide her hand.

"As long as I explain it to the school tomorrow, it should be investigated. Plus if I broke a rule, regardless of whether I try to hide it or not, everything will be made public, right?"

"There's no proof that you'll be reporting to the school tomorrow."

"Then, you can tell them yourself, Ryūen-kun. As it says in this letter."

"Really? Kuku, you seem quite confident."

If Ichinose illegally collected points, she should be feeling quite uneasy about it.

However, she didn't waver at all. She remained dignified as always.

"Then I look forward to tomorrow."

Ichinose watched Ryūen, who got into the elevator and left with a fearless smile.

"Once suspected, the doubt will remain until it's completely dispelled. A like Ichinose is no exception. The greater the doubt, the greater the trust that is instantly lost."

Katsuragi analyzed the situation and gave a correct conjecture. That also applies to the politicians who represent our country. No matter how much support they currently have, one damaging 'lie' can make them lose that support.

Of course, if they know it's just nonsense, their support may be raised higher than before, but for the most part, it's impossible to completely eliminate suspicion.

The next day, what Ichinose said became reality. The school issued a notice that said she hadn't broken any rules. She took the school as a guarantor and safely dispelled all doubts.

By chance, I happened to see before that Ichinose easily had more than a million personal points. She should've accumulated even more by now than she had before.

ENGLISH ILLUSTRATION: https://imgur.com/a/87GssbT

(Chapter 5 End)