5 Chapter 3 Continuation

PART 3

Almost exactly at the scheduled time, Mi-chan came to visit me in my room.

I really wanted to send Kei back to her room a little earlier, but this was still quite a rush.

I wanted to have a few more minutes to get ready, but I had to be careful not to change

Mii-chan's mind.

"Don't hesitate to come in."

"Sorry to bother you...!"

Mii-chan couldn't hide her nervousness, but there was no sign of turning back.

From the little I saw of her, I could tell that she was trying very hard to get up on her own. Unlike

Haruka and Kushida, she didn't want to stay where she was.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."

She politely declined, and sat down on the carpet in a reserved manner.

I also sat down across from her and prepared to talk.

"The reason you're here has something to do with the leaking of Kushida's secrets regarding

Yosuke, right?"

Mii-chan's shoulders jolted at the mention of his name, then she nodded quietly.

"Also, I'd like to know what's going on in class. Shinohara-san, Matsushita-san, Hasebe-san...

At least the ones who are hurting much more than I am. And also about Ayanokoji-kun."

I didn't expect my name to be mentioned here, I suppose it isn't surprising. From her

perspective, it looks like I've cut off one of my friend groups with my harsh decision.

"Aren't you getting a lot of calls?"

"Thankfully, there are a lot of people who are worried about me. But I just can't see them. If I do,

I'll have to reply to them."

She sees the messages and calls, but never checks them. Otherwise she have to reply to them.

So the best thing is to not see them.

"Well then, I guess you're right. It doesn't have to be in order, but if you have any questions for

me, feel free to ask."

It's not often that two people talk to each other alone like this.

We don't need to talk smoothly, but we can't solve things if we are reserved. It's better to find a

way to get to know each other a little better.

"Well, you know, I'd like to talk about the matter with Kushida-san… Ah, but before that... just to

confirm, was it Ayanokoji-kun who bought and placed various things in front of my room?"

When i didn't understand Mii-chan explained to me. So, there was a person who delivered food

to her once a day after she started taking a break from school. There was a piece of paper with

only Mii-chan's room number written on it, but nothing to identify the sender.

For a moment, Yosuke came to mind, but there was no mention of him in the vicinity of Kushida

and Haruka. Yosuke treats his classmates equally, but if he were to offer it to Mii-chan, he would

have done the same for the other students, and he would have told me about it in the several

times we had met.

"I'm sorry, but that's not me, and I don't think I have any idea what you're talking about."

"I see. That person also helped me a lot and... I wish I could thank them."

"Well, whoever it is, it means that there are students who care that Mii-chan is absent."

Some of them message her, some of them call her, some of them bring her gifts. Or even if they

don't contact her, there will be plenty of students around her who are worried about her.

After nodding a bit happily, Mii-chan asked a question.

"Ayanokoji-kun is still going to school, right?"

If she's not in contact with the outside world, it's not surprising that she doesn't even know for

sure that I'm attending. Of course, you wouldn't expect someone who claims to consult with you

to be depressed themselves.

"I went to school, this week was no different."

"Wasn't it hard? No, of course it was hard, but you didn't think you'd hate going to school?"

"That's a difficult question to answer isn't it? I've never been one to lead my classmates on

before, and I'm sure everyone was surprised by my actions in pushing my friend out of school."

"Yes. It was different from the Ayanokoji-kun I knew. It was a bit... scary."

She is straightforward and honest, and states what she felt.

There is no point in talking about the superiority or inferiority of friends and classmates here, or

their priorities. Such things were explained in the special exam, and it's not something to dig up

now.

"It was just cover myself up and It's just that I was never good at letting my emotions out, and no

one noticed that. I think the only reason I can go to school now without missing a day is

because I didn't want everyone to think that I was hurt as it would've been awkward."

"I've thought about that a bit too. I don't like the idea that by taking a day off I'm illustrating what

Kushida-san said, that I'm hurting, and that people will know that. On Monday morning, I

changed into my uniform and went to the door. But I couldn't take the next step, and after taking

a day off, the door became more and more distant and heavy. It's all my fault…"

Then, as if remembering, Mii-chan bowed her head.

"I'm sorry I missed a week because of this."

"You don't need to say these things to me. It must have taken a reasonable amount of courage

for you to come here. Besides, you haven't completely given up on going to school, have you?"

"Of course I haven't! I really want to go to school right away. But still... I'm so embarrassed and

ashamed…"

Secrets. I'm not sure how many students were aware of it, but it's understandable that she

would be deeply hurt.

"I can't say that I can understand the position you're in, or that I can help you. But at least our

classmates are worried about you."

"Yes…"

"And it's also true that you're causing trouble for the class right now."

She gasped, stiffening as if I had pointed a gun to her head.

It's easy to put up words that are pleasing to the ear, but they only have the effect of postponing

the conclusion. The side may seem like a rough treatment from the outside, but it works to touch

the heart.

"But fortunately, right now, Kushida and Haruka haven't surfaced. But next week, we won't

know. What will happen if those two come to school and only you remains absent? Do you

understand?"

Imagining your own situation is something even elementary school students can do.

Her arms trembled slightly as she bowed her head, like though fear was mounting in her. She

wouldn't take it easy if the stimulus was too great, but there was no sign of danger. Her core

was relatively solid and would not be easily broken, despite her small size and timidity.

"You can just come to school with an unsuspecting face. You don't even have to tell Yosuke

anything special."

"But... I'm in the seat in front of Hirata-kun, and I'm... close to him."

"Oh, by the way, when we were changing seats, you were the first one to grab the unpopular

middle seat. Was that because you thought that Yosuke would take the seat behind you?"

"Fuu..!"

Because of her blatant attitude, I knew the answer without her having it directly put into words.

"That's important. You've observed and understand Yosuke very well."

"Ugh, this is embarrassing…"

She hugged her knees and shook her face sideways. Apparently, shame is a stronger issue.

"Well, did Hirata-kun say anything about me… Do you think he cares?"

She steps into the part that must have been bothering her all along. But her face was hidden

behind her knees so that I couldn't peek at her.

"Of course, he cares about you. A lot more than he cares about Kushida and Haruka."

"That's because he still feels annoyed... right?"

As the party in question, it was natural that Yosuke would be more concerned than about the

other issues.

"It's different from annoyance. He feels sorry for the opposite reason, that he caused you to stop

going to school."

"Oh no... Hirata-kun didn't do anything wrong!"

"I know. It's just that you should know very well that he's that kind of guy."

Yosuke can be happy for someone else's happiness as if it were his own. On the other hand,

when someone is unhappy, he feels unhappy as if it were his own. That's the kind of personality

he has. Yosuke is also suffering because of Mii-chan's own seclusion.

Understanding this is the most effective and important thing to do in order to overcome the

current situation.

She looked up slowly and her eyes were a little red, but she didn't show any tears as she

lowered her knees.

"It's not that I didn't think about it. It's just that I didn't think that Hirata-kun might be suffering

because of me. But I put myself first and tried not to see it…"

Apparently, I didn't have to teach her from scratch, but just giving her a chance to reflect was

enough. When looking at her as a sophomore in high school, it was safe to say that the student

named Mii-chan was almost complete.

"Your expression is different from earlier."

"Thank you. I feel so much better after talking about everything. It's thanks to you,

Ayanokoji-kun."

"I didn't do much. It's just that I happened to be there when you were recovering."

"That's not true. I thought that if it was Ayanokoji-kun, he might be able to solve the problem if I

met him."

She told me firmly and bowed deeply.

"I-I'll definitely go to school on Monday, without fail."

"I know. But when you really have a cold, you should honestly take a day off."

"No, I'll go to school on Monday, even if I have to crawl."

I feel like she's trying a little too much, but if she's enthusiastic, that's good enough for me.

"Also, I'm worried about the person who's been supplying me with food, because I've made

them do a lot of shopping over the past five days, and I think the total amount is close to 10,000

points."

If it's just one person's action, that could be a pretty hefty sum indeed. As she was leaving, she

kept thanking me repeatedly, so I escorted her to leave quickly.

"I guess it's the result of my parents' teachings. I understand if it's a little too much."

She's too polite even for her classmates. Although, that can be considered one of Mii-chan's

strengths. Now that I've solved one problem, I'd better finish what I left in my room. The number

of students visiting my room has been increasing lately, so I can't afford to be distracted, as I'm

sure that Horikita, Yosuke or any other student could come and visit me at any time. Just as I

had resumed my quick cleanup, the doorbell rang again.

I quickly looked at my cell phone, but there was no notification of any contact from Kei or any of

her friends.

An unannounced visitor. That's extremely bothersome timing.

I'll try to stay silent for a while. In some cases, I could have used the answering machine. But

about 30 seconds later, the doorbell rang once again. It was dusk, and after turning off the lights

in the room, I decided to slide the lid of the hole and look through the hole into the hallway,

killing any sign of my presence.

The person I least wanted to see was standing there, a first year student named Amasawa

Ichika.

Thinking back, this had happened to me sometime ago. I remember that day, too, the timing of

her was bad, and I didn't want her to come inside. Seeing that she was wearing her school

uniform even though it was Saturday, I wondered if she was visiting school.

Should I view her visit as a mere appearance or as a deliberate act?

Considering what happened last time, I couldn't help but wonder if it was intentional this time as

well. She obviously knew I was in the room and came to visit me.

In the meantime, the doorbell rang for the third time.

"Hi, Senpai~ I've come to visit you!"

As I was still looking for a response, Amasawa called out to me in a sweet voice.

"I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of something. Could you come by tomorrow?"

"That's not going to happen. I've heard that my senpai is doing something bad with the girls, so

I've come to investigate. If you don't open the door, we'll have a problem!"

A voice echoed through the hallway, trying to force the door open.

The neighbours would ultimately hear the uproar if I allowed her speeches go like this. I had no

choice but to face Amasawa and open the door.

"Where did you hear that I was bringing girls in?"

"I'm the source of that information."

"That's a totally unreliable source."

"That's not true. You brought in Karuizawa-senpai and Wang-senpai today."

It wasn't just a hunch. She didn't hesitate to mention the names of both of them. Even if she

could have guessed Kei at random, that would not be the case with Mii-chan. She clearly knows

about it

"Oh, I'd like to reassure you that I didn't plant any listening devices in your room, okay? The

school seems to be doing a thorough inspection."

It's true that you can't buy those kinds of nosy things through mail order. However, there is a

way to obtain them, but only for Amasawa.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you had one or two in your possession from when you were

connected to Tsukishiro."

She simply continued to smile at me, even after I pointed that fact out.

"Can I come in for now? I'm sorry to disturb you."

Before I could give her permission, Amasawa walked into the room with the momentum of

taking off her shoes. She then began scurrying around the room without reservation.

"What are you doing here?"

"Huh? Ohhh, I'm just checking the room."

I would like an answer as to why she needs to check the room.

Amasawa, who continues to rummage without hesitation, approaches the bed with her gaze.

"You're probably wondering how I was able to guess about Wang-senpai, right? Did I happen to

see her come and go, or do I know her in some way?"

"Do you go into other people's rooms and brag about your own information network all the

time?"

Quickly affirming without denying, Amasawa touched the bed with her hand. While fixing the

wrinkles in the sheet, she was searching for something with her fingertips in every corner.

I sat down on the carpet and observed Amasawa, who would investigate until she was satisfied.

"Senpai's girlfriend has long hair, doesn't she? That means you like girls with long hair, right?

That's why I'm growing mine out little by little."

She continued to move her hands and eyes while talking about her hair, which I hadn't even

asked her about. I couldn't force her to stop, so I had no choice but to watch her, when she

suddenly stopped moving.

Then she picks up something from near the pillow of the bed with her index finger and thumb

and lifts it up.

"What's this?"

As if it were the head of a demon, she raises a strand of long, golden hair.

"It must be Kei's. She comes to visit often these days."

"I'm sure she does, but why is it near the pillow?"

"I'm sure there are many possible cases, but do I have to list them one by one?"

"No, no. There's no need for that~"

Then she got down on her knees on the floor and started looking at the floor like a

detective, searching for something.

I don't know what she's looking for, but I doubt she'll be satisfied.

"Did they teach your generation how to explore people's rooms in the White Room?"

When I posed a question about the White Room, Amasawa stopped dead in her tracks.

"Don't you have any doubts, senpai? Those, who were sent to this school in order to get you

expelled, could still be blending into everyday life without being noticed by my senpai?"

"At least you seem to have been branded as disqualified and unwanted by the White Room."

"I won't deny that, but then what do you think about other potential candidates?"

"I'm not interested."

"Well, you're right. If you're still wary, you won't act carelessly."

"I'd recommend that you leave me and yourself out of it and just enjoy your school life."

"I agree with that. I think you should do the same…"

After a short pause, Amasawa continued her search. With her back to me and her butt sticking

out, her underwear was slightly visible through the short length of her uniform skirt.

It's not like she didn't notice, but she continued to crawl while pretending to act as if she didn't

care.

As she crawled under the bed, her underwear became even more exposed.

"You're glued to my underwear, you're so naughty, senpai."

"I'm sorry, but I'm more wary of what you'll do to me if I take my eyes off you than if I'm looking

at your underwear."

As I keep my eyes on Amasawa, she pulls her face out of the bed and looks back at me, looking

far too mature to be a first year, and crawls straight up to me.

"I think you're getting out of control, don't you? I think you're confusing the means with the end.

That person is more concerned with getting you expelled than he is with getting himself back

into the White Room."

A murmur at close range, only a few centimeters between our lips.

A sweet smell reaches my nostrils.

"They seem like quite the nuisance, don't they?"

"For a senpai, yes it is. So I've been thinking about it lately. I've been thinking that it would be

better if I told my senpai, who it is, and ask him to take me away~"

"Or maybe I'll be the one to be taken away."

"Fufufu~ that's hilarious."

I didn't seem to find the topic of my kidnapping back to the White Room all that amusing.

"What shall we do? Do you want to hear the name perhaps...?"

As she got even closer, about an inch, Amasawa waited for my response.

"I appreciate the suggestion. But I'll refrain from asking."

"Is it because you're not confident that you can win when you hear their name?"

"If their identity leaks out from an unexpected source, you'll be the first one to be suspected.

What will be the result of that?"

"They, of course, might point the finger at me."

"There's no need to make your school life uncomfortable just to find out what I am."

I wouldn't show any mercy if she stood in my way as an enemy, but Amasawa doesn't seem to

be doing that at the moment.

"You're very kind, senpai."

Besides, trusting her too much in a bad way is also a problem. If she was acting with some

strategy, I couldn't deny the possibility that this statement of Amasawa's was also a trap.

"Now that you've rejected me, I'm going home."

"Did you come all the way to my room just to tell me that? Or did you mainly come to look for

trash?"

"Hmmm I wonder…"

Laughing devilishly, Amasawa quickly turned her attention to the garbage bag that didn't

contain much in the kitchen as she tried to head for the door.

"I've visited your room a few times, but today you take out very little garbage, don't you? I

thought you were the type to fill the bag to the brim with garbage like this and then throw it

away."

"It's just that there's so much food waste from vegetables and fish that I'm not comfortable

leaving it until next week."

"In that case, would you like me to take out the trash on my way home?"

"I'm sorry, but it's forbidden to take out the trash after eight o'clock at night."

"I see you're following the law."

I hadn't expected Amasawa's visit, but I had finally been tipped off as to her true motive for

coming here.

"I see a little of the purpose for which you came here today. You've come to visit me to make

your current proposal. The reason you were searching every inch of the room was because you

were wary that someone else might be listening in."

The fact that she pretended to ransack and find something private about me personally was all

because she was on the lookout. Amasawa was wary that the White Room students had

already done what she feared.

"I'm sure senpai will be fine, but still, if I'm expelled from school, please consider that

something unexpected is going to happen to you as well."

On her way out, Amasawa left the room with those words.

I checked my phone to see if there was anything unusual, and found that I had received a chat

from Akito.

'Haruka will be coming to school next Monday.'

That was good news for a start. As a member of the group, he might have succeeded in

convincing Haruka to come to school. The problem is that the message was not sent in the

group chat of the Ayanokōji Group. After staring at the screen for a while, a new text was sent to

me.

The text itself was plain and simple:

'Please keep a *quiet eye* on Haruka for a while.'

The text itself is plain, but the "quiet" part is emphasized.

She'll go to school, but she might not want to talk to me. If I talk to her carelessly, she might not

go to school again. I guess that's the reason. I have no objection at all if she comes back to

school.

'All right. I'll be very careful.

Thank you. I hope things will be the same again.'

After a little while and after a few encouraging texts from Akito, I ended the chat.

"Another problem solved…"

However, this does not fix the true solution. It's better to think of it as just a temporary revival of

Haruka.

The dizzying few hours were over, and I was feeling a greater fatigue than usual.

"I think I'll go to bed early today."

I'll just have to make sure I remember to take out the trash.

PART 4

Monday came around again. Saturday was a big day, with Mii-chan directly consulting me, and

Akito indirectly informing me of Haruka's intention to go to school.

Still, there was no assurance that she would attend class, and it was up to her to determine

whether or not she wanted to. As for Kushida, I haven't received a single call from Horikita until

this morning. Even if she did show up at school, no one could predict how she and her

classmates would respond.

I arrived at school at the same time as usual, and sat down to wait for the three of them to

arrive. After about a quarter of the class had arrived at school, I saw the surprised smiles of

some of the girls.

Mii-chan walked into the classroom in a reserved manner.

"Oh, good morning…"

Mii-chan, who had come to school prepared to be tormented, looked up fearfully. But her worries

vanished into thin air, as the girls immediately welcomed her without mentioning the subject in

any way.

"Good morning, Mii-chan."

"Oh, good morning, Hirata-kun."

And he also welcomes Mii-chan back with a smile that hasn't changed one bit. At this point, I

don't know if there is a way forward for Mii-chan's love life. However, even if it hasn't started, it

certainly hasn't ended. It is conceivable that there will be a major turning point in their school life

in the future.

The girls never left Mii-chan after that, who was still tense, and they began giggling about what

had happened at school the week before. Haruka arrived at the door after the majority of her

students had arrived. Akitoaccompanied her to her seat, following her to prevent her from

running away, as if she might do so at any moment.

Keisei was a little hesitant, but he made up his mind and walked over to Haruka and called out

to her. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be glad I wasn't around those three people when

we switched seats.

Haruka looked at me for a moment, but then quickly looked away and down at her cell phone.

Mii-chan and Haruka both came to school. They have friends who support them when they are

in pain. For Mii-chan, it was many of the girls. For Haruka, it was Akito and Keisei. Even though

they aren't that many, they can be called best friends.

For the moment, it seems that the class has avoided the negative impact we were all fearing.

But what about Kushida?

Horikita arrived at school alone with less than three minutes to go before morning homeroom.

She took her own seat and glanced straight at the blackboard after a quick glimpse towards

Kushida's seat.

She was not in the lobby this morning, so I was hoping that she would be there, but I guess she

was not. Shinohara and some of the other students must have thought the same thing when

they saw Horikita. Eventually, the bell rang and it was time for homeroom.

Chabashira-sensei appeared in the classroom, with all the seats filled except Kushida's.

"I see you two are feeling better. It looks like it was a long cold, but you'll have to take better

care of yourselves in the future."

She scolded them lightly, but confirmed their attendance without strong censure.

"So today's absence is Kushida? I don't think I've heard from her, so…"

At that moment, I heard the sound of the classroom door being opened.

She was slightly out of breath, but quickly adjusted herself.

"I'm sorry, I'm late."

With a calm voice, Kushida made her way into the classroom.

"This is your first time being late, Kushida. You've been absent for a long time, but is your body

okay now?"

"Yes. I'll be more careful next time."

She responded calmly and without flinching. Kushida say down in her seat. She didn't say

anything to anyone and kept her focus fixed forward.

The classroom became tense at once, but since there was no room for private conversation,

silence followed.

"I know a lot has happened, but it's been a week since we've all been together."

Chabashira-sensei nodded in satisfaction, though she could still sense the unstable situation of

the class.

"It's getting close to the start of the sports festival. I expect you to make significant progress and

perform well."

After that, homeroom was over and the classroom was suddenly in an uproar. Needless to say,

it was due to Kushida's arrival at school.

The students stared at her as if she were a ghost or something. Will she remain silent, or will

she put on her usual smile? Or will she bare her fangs again? I quietly pulled out my chair and

walked out of the classroom to head down the hallway.

Then I opened the door to the hallway. I didn't want to accidentally expose it to the rest of the

class.

I thought so, but...

'I'm watching you, don't worry.'

I received such a message on my cell phone. In the corridor, where I only showed my face,

Chabashira-sensei spotted me and answered with a single nod. After confirming this, I decided

to close the door without being noticed. As a teacher, she will do everything she can. I'm sure

that's what Chabashira-sensei is following up on.

No one was able to make a move in a situation where anything could have happened.

When Horikita was about to pull out her chair, Kushida stood up to overtake her. With that one

action, she seemed to be threatening to do something unnecessary.

The first thing she did was to go in front of Mii-chan, who was also sitting near her. When

Mii-chan finally came back to class, she stiffened like a frog being stared at by a snake.

"I heard from Horikita-san that you were absent because of me."

"Oh, yeah, um…"

"Do you hate me now?"

"No, no, it's not like that…"

"There's no need for you to like me, Wang-san. I can't change the fact that I revealed your

secret in front of everyone, and I don't intend to get along with you either. I guess I don't have to

tell you this."

"I don't intend to get along with you."

The tone of voice was soft, but the strong words made Mii-chan stiffen even more. The eyes of

many of the students looking at them showed dissatisfaction, anxiety, and doubt.

Normally that would be painful enough, but it didn't affect Kushida in the slightest.

"I'm not going to ask you to understand how I felt at that time, but I had to do that. I'll apologize

for making you one of the targets."

She said and bowed deeply. It seems more clerical than a sincere apology, but at least I don't

sense any malice.

"I'm sorry for causing trouble to Shinohara-san, Matsushita-san, and the others. It looks like

you've made up for it."

If you ask me, Shinohara, Matsushita and the rest of the group are very close. Maybe Yosuke,

Sudo and the others had been working during this weekend to make things right.

"Do you think you can just apologize?"

Shinohara's words were a little harsh, but she was trying to restrain herself.

"I'm sorry, but if I don't apologize, we can't move on, can we?"

"What kind of apology is that?"

"I don't know. But this is the real me."

This isn't the false mask that she's been wearing. That fact alone must have made the whole

class nervous.

"In the days to come, I intend to maintain some semblance of appearance as I have in the past,

so I can gather information from other classes as the occasion demands. But if anyone in the

class wants to interfere with that, that's fine with me."

No matter how much Kushida tries to arrange things on the outside, if someone on the inside

gets in the way of that, the relationship can't be built.

"I'll leave it up to you all to decide if you want to use the weapons I've built or not."

If Kushida was someone who valued her friends and feared being alone, isolating her would be

a way to get back at her. But Kushida was not passive, she was on the offensive.

"And I have no mercy for anyone who turns against me. It's really only a small part of what I

exposed in the special exam. I'm sure there are plenty of others who have facts they want to

hide, right?"

She muttered nonchalantly, as if threatening the entire class rather than someone in particular.

"But I'll promise you one thing. I won't reveal any secrets you have unless you're trying to trick

me. This isn't for the good of the class, this is for my own good, to graduate from Class A. It's my

last line of defense so that I don't lose my value as a person."

As long as my classmates resent her, complain about her, and distrust her, depending on the

situation, she could be the one to be cut down. So, in order to not let that happen, she will not

reveal any more secrets. However, if you stab her in the back, you will not be tolerated. She

promised to contribute to the class as soon as she learned how to protect herself.

Kikyou Kushida's abilities are among the top in our class. At least in academic and physical

challenges, she would not be a drag.

"Hey, Hasebe-san, are you okay too?"

She directed her words at Haruka, who hadn't moved from her seat or even looked at her.

Haruka didn't respond and let her gaze drift out the window.

PART 5

My daily life has begun to change drastically in the last week or so. Not once did the Ayanokoji

Group get together, and that didn't change, or even return, when Haruka came to school.

The way she spent her time at school had changed since the gathering that had been the

normal had vanished..

I was generally alone or talking with Kei during the ten-minute break. I'd have a quick chat with

students like Sudo or Matsushita now and then, but my chances of chatting with Akito or Keisei

had significantly decreased.

My life was strange at first, but little by little my body began to accept and adapt to it. Lunch

break is a similar cycle, but when Kei goes out to eat with her friends, I go to the library. It's the

same as before, my own personal repose time.

It's a shame that Hiyori hasn't been coming to the library lately and we haven't been able to talk

about books.

Even after school, the sequence of events stays the same. I didn't have any special

arrangements today because Kei had told me ahead of time that she was going home to hang

out with her friends.

I decided to go back to the dormitory as soon as possible, as staying behind would be a mental

burden for Haruka. However, something unexpected occurred.

"Kiyopon, do you have some time now?"

Haruka, who I thought would never come into contact with me, approached me as I went out

into the hallway to leave.

Her voice was filled with a sense of urgency.

Perhaps the purpose of her coming to school after a week was to make contact here.

Without looking back to check her expression, I answered that I did.

"I see. I can make some time if I have to."

I tried to give off the vibe that I had plans, so I could find her true reason for asking.

"Then make time. Okay?"

She didn't seem to shy away from asking me forcibly.

"I've already talked to Horikita-san. I'll wait for you at the cafe in the Keyaki Mall first."

That's all she said, and Haruka left the classroom.

Shortly after, Akito followed Haruka and came towards me.

"So she came to school to talk to me?"

"I don't know... I've never heard of it either from here. So I don't know what we're going to talk

about. But I don't think I can take your side in this situation."

Akito apologized, but he would rather not take my side.

"That's fine."

After a brief conversation, Akito and then Keisei also left the classroom. It seems that she

gathered all the members of Ayanokoji Group, and even called Horikita there as well.

Of course, it had to be about Airi's expulsion.

Horikita came up to me as the three of them left.

"I tried to make sure it was just me she called out, but she wouldn't listen to me saying that you

definitely need to be there."

She seemed concerned and tried to solve the problem alone, but this time, circumstances were

what they were.

The two of us left the classroom together and headed to the cafe.

I decided to confirm what I had been wondering about before we got into the heavy stuff.

"It looks like you succeeded in bringing Kushida back to school. I'm honestly impressed."

"Well, she's officially back. But there are still many uncertainties. It's not going to be the same as

before."

"Still, you can't ask for much more than that right now."

Although Kushida's tone of voice had changed drastically, she came back with an answer that

was close to the best for the class. I'm sure that Horikita's advice helped her to come to that

conclusion.

Fortunately, there have been few leaks to the other classes. Even if it is eventually discovered, it

is likely that time will have passed and the severity of the situation will have diminished.

"How did you convince her? I don't think you've been straightforward with just a good

suggestion."

Even if the final landing point is today's statement, there must have been many twists and turns

to get there. I was more interested in that than the current situation, but Horikita's expression

was complicated.

"I'm too mature to do something so childish as to bribe her or something. But I've done more

than I'd like to say."

From the way she avoided talking about specifics, she must have done something she really

didn't want to talk about. She didn't seem likely to answer if I pursued it too deeply, so I had no

choice but to give up.

"But considering the person I'm talking to, I might have made the right choice."

She replied, lightly stroking her cheek with her left hand, as if remembering the details.

"Anyway, it took a week, but we managed to get the whole class together."

"Come to think of it, the girls' troubles have calmed down as well."

I had told Yosuke to rely on Horikita, so she was definitely involved.

"Shinohara and the others' case was initiated by Hirata-kun, and we gathered at Keyaki Mall on

Sunday."

"You were also present?"

"I was. On top of that, we agreed to let the matter pass by regarding the exposed secrets.

Shinohara-san was protesting strongly for a while, but Ike-kun calmed her, and that was a big

thing."

She replied with a straight face, like it didn't mean much.

The way Horikita was talking, it was clear that Ike had played the role of boyfriend.

"So many different students are growing up without even knowing it."

"You don't seem happy about that."

"I'm happy for them, you know. It's just that it makes me look relatively pathetic. I get... anxious

about whether I'm growing or not."

It is easy to evaluate others, but difficult to grade oneself. If you want to be lenient, you can be

as lenient as you want, and if you want to be strict, you can be strict.

"I'm sure a third party will eventually give you an answer."

"Sure."

She needs to focus on getting the class back on track first. Her own reputation will follow on its

own after that.

"I heard that you were the one who helped Wang-san, she was the one I couldn't reach. Thank

you."

"I was just giving her some advice. Even if I hadn't done anything, someone would have

rescued her eventually."

"You helped me get back on my feet as soon as possible. I feel like I've been confronted with

the fact that I can't do anything on my own."

She speaks in a rather light tone, even though she would normally be depressed.

"Oh, that's right. I'd like to give you a message from the student council president, Nagumo."

"A message? You seem to be acting like a messenger these days. What is it?"

"He said that he's open to suggestions, otherwise to accept the offer.."

"Accept the offer…?"

"I don't know, Ayanokoji-kun. I was just instructed to tell you."

"Fine. I'll go to the student council room later, and I'll figure things out."

This sports festival. I still haven't decided if I want to participate or not.

But now that the deadline is a week away, I guess I'll just have to say yes.

I'm sure Nagumo would mind if I don't compete with him in some way sooner or later.

"Now it's just a matter of Hasebe-san. I honestly can't read too much into what she's going to

say."

"Judging from the way she's been acting all day, I wouldn't be surprised if some rude words

came out of her mouth."

"Just don't be caught off guard."

Mii-chan and Kushida came to school after overcoming their assignments. But the waves would

be different for Haruka.

It is highly likely that she will now stand in the way as an obstacle.

"While I was waiting to meet Kushida-san, I also briefly checked in with Miyake-kun and

Yukimura-kun a few times."

I didn't realize that she was paying attention not only to Shinohara and the others, but to the

Ayanokoji Group as well.

"Hasebe-san was the one who had the hardest time with the special exam. Following her is

inevitable."

Still, the expression on Horikita's face as she walked beside me didn't clear up, probably

because she hadn't achieved much at all.

"The only time I've talked to her was when she showed up at my door, but she didn't tell me

anything. Miyake-kun told me to leave her alone, so I decided to give her a week."

So that's what happened today. I guess Horikita didn't expect Haruka to come to school.

"Either way, Akito-kun was able to bring her to school today so I suppose something should

work out."

"I hope that's the case, but... that might not be true."

Since the two of us were summoned in this way, it is normal to think that something is going on.

It's not like she's going to be working hard again from now on.

"I'm the one who nominated Airi for expulsion at that moment, and I'm the one who pushed her

into it. All you have to do is listen to what I have to say."

"That's not how it works. I was of the same opinion, so I'm equally responsible. No, it's all

because I made a promise that I failed to keep. I have to take it all in."

She seems to have more room in her heart now than she did then, but I'd be worried about her

getting too worked up.

"It's important to take care of Haruka, but you also need to shift your mind towards the sports

festival."

We've already spent a week trying to resolve our class issues. In the meantime, as long as

we're starting to focus on Class A and our efforts to win, we can't afford to miss the boat on this

one either.

"Right. Of course, we're thinking hard about how we're going to compete in the sports festival. I

think we've got some ideas of what we're going to do."

While backing up Kushida, Shinohara, and the others, she seems to be on top of that as well.

"Then let's hear it. What's the goal for the sports festival?"

I asked Horikita about her goals in order to succeed.

"I'll go for first places, naturally. No, I will definitely take first place, I have to."

Confidence peeked out from Horikita's profile as she stared ahead.

"There's nothing wrong with setting high goals. We've got some strong students in our class,

and we're not going to lose to anyone else. So, do you have a strategy in mind? It includes a

battle of all the grades, but the focus will basically be on fighting for overall points in the same

grade. Sakayanagi and Ryuen can come up with strategies that you wouldn't expect."

"The rule is that if you finish with less than five events, you forfeit all your points. If it's

Ryuen-kun, he could feign an accident during the competition and try to injure you and get you

to leave the competition."

It's not surprising that Ryuen would try to use such a method, as he did last year when Horikita

was targeted. If it was Sakayanagi, she would look at the participants of the competition and

guide her classmates to the best possible outcome.

"Against all odds, what moves are you going to use?"

"Basically a straightforward one. Have Sudo-kun and Onodera-san ramp up the scoring, and

then use students like Kushida-san and myself to score points. We'll just do what we need to do

to win."

"If we can win with that, though, we won't have any trouble. There's also the handicap of having

thirty-eight people in the class."

Horikita nodded immediately. She had expected that response from the start.

"That's why I've decided to take one risk. I'm preparing for it now."

"Risk?"

"I was wondering if you could join me tomorrow after school to talk about the specifics."

"You mean you need my help?"

"No, I don't. Just stay with me and listen to what I have to say. And finally, I just want you to give

me an objective answer as to whether or not it's worth the risk."

"Are you sure that's all you want?"

"I don't need you to keep giving me solutions, it's fine."

She doesn't need suggestions or guidance because she already knows what she wants. If that's

the case, I'll merely wait to hear Horikita's thoughts on her sports festival plan.

"Alright. I'll let you know tomorrow after school."

When we eventually arrived at the cafe, the three members of Ayanokoji Group were seated

and waiting for us.

There was no sign of chit-chat, and three drinks were placed on the table.

As long as you're using a restaurant, it's common courtesy to at least order one drink.

"Sit down."

As soon as we arrived, Haruka said and urged us to sit on the two empty seats. We individually

chose our drinks at random and then started to take our seats.

"It seems like you wanted to talk to me a few times while I was resting, so I thought I'd ask you

about it."

Haruka cut to the chase nonchalantly without looking at either Horikita or myself.

It seems like it was both of us who she asked the question to, but right now it is definitely

Horikita who is the subject.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"The problem has been solved in a way, it was because you've been absent from school for

several days."

"You mean you were worried that I would start bringing down the class for being absent for too

long."

"Of course it's not just that. You have had good reason to be absent for a week. Right?"

"I'm not feeling well. That's what I told the school, so there shouldn't be a problem, right?

Miyake told me that there might be a penalty if I miss another week, so that's why I came to

school today."

What's wrong with that? Without showing any joy, anger, or sorrow, Haruka answers calmly.

"Indeed. But the reason you were absent wasn't because you were just sick, right?"

"How can you be so sure it was? It could have just been purely physical."

Without denying it, Haruka took a sip from her cup.

Whether the absence was due to health problems or not, that was just the first stage of the

problem.

No matter how Horikita answered, Haruka would never be satisfied.

"I know you're doubting me, but it's true that I've been sick. It wasn't sickness. I just had a hard

time mentally, I couldn't sleep, and because I was so stressed and tired I just couldn't find the

strength to come to school."

Akito and Keisei seemed to be listening calmly, but that was not the case. They understand that

although they are suffering as well, their suffering is far from Haruka's.

So they can only listen in silence.

"Why don't you stop playing with lame words and say what you want to say?"

Rather than taking a backhanded approach, Horikita takes a strong stance.

That attitude usually has the opposite effect, but Haruka is unfazed.

It's as if she has kept his emotions bottled up deep inside.

That's the impression I get from her.

By her side, Horikita felt the same thing, which is probably why she used excessive expressions.

"Are you satisfied with the fact that you got more class points from the special exam?"

Haruka coldly asked Horikita.

"I'm not satisfied, no. There's still over five hundred points separating us from Class A. Besides,

if possible, it would have been ideal to aim for Class A without missing anyone, which was the

goal. But there's no point in talking about it now, is there?"

No one wants to see anyone drop out of school.

But there is no point in talking about it now.

That fact has already been stated.

"My best friend was a victim of your selfish decision. Are you aware of that?"

For the first time today, the words that Haruka wanted to say come spilling out.

"Yes."

It's been more than a week since the special exam ended, and Horikita has been fighting

against her own judgment.

You don't have to ask her that directly, but you can tell by watching her every day.

But such things have nothing to do with Haruka.

She won't forgive her because she is working hard or if she gets results.

"You're a great leader. You don't care what it takes to get your class to win."

"I'm not there yet."

"You know I am being sarcastic. Right?"

"Of course, I know."

"Where's your promise to cut off the students who were the traitors?"

"I'm afraid I didn't look far enough ahead on that one. But since we can't pretend that the special

exam the other day didn't happen, we'll just have to make use of it next time."

"There are some mistakes that can't be forgiven."

"I won't deny that either. You're right."

"Kiyopon... do you think it was the right decision to leave Kushida-san in the school?"

"I decided it was the right thing to do, so I left her, ready to face the backlash. I guess I am

repeating myself."

"Ah, yes."

Horikita didn't show any change in her composure, and her speech intensified slightly.

"I'm not going to make a lame apology. No matter how much you argue with me, the fact is that I

changed my mind and decided that Kushida-san should stay. It's natural for you to hold a

grudge, and I may suffer a painful reprisal someday. But I decided that the person who could be

a more valuable asset to the class was Kushida-san. I'm slowly becoming more and more

convinced of that."

"Even if Kushida-san was brilliant, there were others who were incompetent. It didn't have to

be... her."

There were other people to choose from.

With Horikita in front of her, who couldn't come to such a conclusion, Haruka continued.

"I don't approve. No matter how many people recognize Horikita-san in the future, I will never

recognize her."

Saving her emotions as much as she can, Haruka shows no signs of trying to forgive.

"I guess I'll just have to try harder to get you to admit it."

"I told you I won't approve."

"I'm responsible for Sakura-san's expulsion. I can't deny it and I won't deny it. But that doesn't

mean I should go about reprimanding it to everyone who's affected. Are you now asking me to

expel from school or something to make you feel better?"

It's not like that would bring Airi back. The 100 class points she had sacrificed for the class

would be wiped out by that act.

"Or do you want me to get down on my knees? Would that make you feel better?"

A brave spirit. That's what it looks like, but it's not. Horikita is suffering, but she's facing Haruka

with an air of insolence.

As I sat next to her, I was able to peek into the true meaning of her wavering eyes.

"Give me back Airi."

"I can't meet your demands if you ask me to do something I can't... do."

"That's all I want. I don't care about class, I really don't care."

She grabbed a few strands of her own hair and tore them out as hard as she could.

"I made the wrong decision back then."

"If you were unhappy, maybe you should have fought."

Immediately after those almost provocative words were released, Horikita followed up with

more.

"But it's useless. Even if you had fought, there would have been nothing you could have done to

resist."

"That's true. You're right, there's nothing I could have done. Kiyopon used Airi's feelings to push

her into a corner without mercy. No normal person could have done something like that."

This was the first time she looked at me with contempt.

But she didn't seem to want to talk to me, so she turned her attention back to Horikita.

"Is Kushida-san really going to act for the class's sake? She could betray us."

"I'm sure I'll regret it if Kushida-san drags the class down in the future."

Indeed, Kushida wasn't necessarily guaranteed to be useful to the class.

If Horikita made a mistake in steering the ship in the future, there might come a day when she

would regret her choice to cut Airi.

"But even if I were to go back in time with my current memories, I'm sure what I would do would

not change much. I'd repeat my decision to bail out Kushida-san and choose Sakura-san as the

student. The only difference is that I won't make anymore wild promises."

She repeats that she will not change her conclusion.

"Why not. what did Airi ever do to you...?"

Horikita would have answered even if I hadn't said anything, but here I decided to speak my

mind.

"It's a matter of perspective. This incident has been a strong stimulus for the students whose

names are in the lower ranks of the OAA. If they continue to stay low, they might be the next

one to be expelled. I think it's a plus just because they now have a strong sense of such

danger."

Because that was also my role in naming Airi.

"This sounds just like Ryuuen's class. If you're not good enough, you'll be cut down?"

"Yes. I don't know what kind of policy Ryuuen is following now, but it's almost like fear and work.

Until now, the class policy has been too vague and loose."

"It kind of reminds me of when I first started school. It's just like when we were selfish and had

no cohesion whatsoever."

She may believe it's simialr but it's not the same thing.

"The situation is different from that time. Preventing damage that doesn't need to be released is

a necessity, but minimizing the damage that needs to be released is what we did this time."

"But...!"

Here, for the first time, Haruka raised her voice.

"Horikita came to that conclusion because she saw the possibility that the effect of having

Kushida on her side would be far greater than that of Airi. And because I could see that future, I

respected Horikita's opinion and decided to help her."

Basically, there is no such thing as a definite future. We can only imagine and act to grasp the

future we see. People are not all-powerful.

"Airi is gone, but I've noticed the class is back to its usual routine."

"I understand your frustration, but did you feel the same way about Yamauchi-kun?"

"That guy got what he deserved. This is a different case."

"It's the same. You're just angry at your friends sacrifice."

"What's wrong with that?"

There was no clear goal to this discussion.

Strictly speaking, there is no solution other than for Haruka to snap.

"I can't accept such a reality. I just can't."

And if Haruka doesn't break, then there's a big problem waiting for her.

"Kushida-san may indeed have been a threat. Maybe she's reformed now and is going to act for

the good of the class from now on. But do you think I'm going to take that seriously and

cooperate?"

"Yeah... when you took a week off, I felt it was going to be a longer lasting problem than anyone

else."

Horikita said that while Kushida needed to be dealt with quickly, she was prepared for the long

drag with Haruka.

Having lost Airi in the exam, Haruka was not afraid now.

"But you came to school. If you just wanted to talk to us, you can do it even if you're still not

going to school. Isn't that right?"

I was grateful for the faint hope that Haruka had submitted herself to come to school.

However, the world is not so naive.

"I just came here because I don't have an answer yet."

"Answer?"

"I came to school to look for the answer that I couldn't see when I was locked in my room."

Akito and Keisei heard those words, and their eyes fell down.

"I'm looking for the answer to how I can get back at Horikita and Kiyopon."

Haruka said coldly, the coldest she had ever said.

The words that escaped from her slightly dry lips were different in nature from any kind of threat

or bluff.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

Horikita was also reminded of the weight of those words.

"Because that's what I wanted to tell you today. I'm going to make sure you regret expelling

Airi."

Without even touching her own drink, Haruka left her seat.

Akito followed behind her.

It was not only Horikita who looked away in dismay, but also Keisei.

"I don't think Horikita or Haruka are wrong. It's a sly way to put it, but that's what I really feel. At

the end of the day, I'm fundamentally of the mindset that as long as I can save myself, that's all

that matters."

Keisei comes to reveal the truth without covering it, as though he is embarrassed of himself.

"It's the same for everyone. It's not strange that you want to save yourself."

"That's why I can't understand what Haruka is feeling right now. But that doesn't mean I think I

have the right to tell her to stop. Even if it's to prevent trouble for the class."

He tapped the table with his fist forcefully, and Keisei also left his seat.

"The group is already half destroyed. Still, I'll be useful to the class as I am. As long as I can't

play an active role in the sports festival, I'll study harder and contribute to the class. If I don't do

that, there's a... virtually no chance that I'll be expelled."

Even though he is good at studying, Keisei is lagging behind in terms of athleticism and social

contribution.

It's evident that he's at a disadvantage when it comes to the quantity of friends he has.