4 Chapter 3 Even so, I have to do it
INTRODUCTION
The last time I saw Kushida-san was last weekend at the special exam. For the next week, I did
not see her once until after school on Friday.
That's not all. Neither Wang-san nor Hasebe-san are attending school. It's been five days
already from Monday to Friday.
Things will not wait in the meantime as the time went by.
Be it meetings and initial research for the sports festival, student council work, usual studying.
Sometimes my knees shake and I feel like falling backwards. But I can't let myself fall down
here right now.
I have no right to complain about it when I have declared that I will definitely bring her back and
have not achieved anything.
I had multiple occasions where I wanted to contact Ayanokoji-kun, but I had to stop myself.
If I ask for help, chances are he will respond and it could lead me to the answer I am looking for.
But at least this time it's something that I have to solve for myself.
"That concludes the homeroom."
As soon as Chabashira-sensei finished her last homeroom of the day and left the room, I quickly
followed her.
"Sensei, may I have a word with you?"
"I don't mind, but... yes. Let's walk and talk."
The hallways are conspicuous because many students leave their seats to use the restroom at
this time. Perhaps she understood my intentions, so she decided to talk to me as we walked.
"It's been five days since Kushida-san, Wang-san, and Hasebe-san have been absent from
school."
"Ah, yes. Apparently, Hasebe and Wang informed that they are sick, but they haven't been seen
at the hospital as they should. As for Kushida, she's just saying she'll be absent and hasn't
given us any details."
They weren't gone for cheery reasons by any means and the refusal to attend school felt like a
punishment for me.
"Are we in a state where we'll start receiving severe penalties?'
I know she won't be able to give me a specific answer, even so I will ask her once.
"Don't worry so much, The rules are designed to give longer grace periods, especially for honor
students like Wang and Kushida. As for Hasebe, she is not a problem child, so it is not such a
big deal now. Unless, of course, the students don't have a good record or have bad behavior."
"Does it also depend on the daily activities of the individual?"
"That's the way it is. Besides, there are students who successfully exploit the rules, and there
are others who clumsily take off the week. It's hard to tell. So the only way to judge them is to
look at their attitude and performance in school so far."
I feel my heart lighten just by being told about it.
"Besides, the school isn't evil either. They don't want to force you students into class while
something is already troubling you. Anyway, the three students who are currently absent have
never been late and have been diligent in their classes. They are fully qualified to be given an
exemption."
In a soothing tone, Chabashira-sensei tells me this.
She appeared to be really different from her typical self, and I'm wondering whether there's a
reason for it. It's possible she'd changed since the special exam, something the class frequently
speculates about.
"Most importantly, they understand that the school will be administering a difficult special exam
soon."
So, the fact that rest is needed and that the students are already mentally strained means
they've been given more freedom to skip school.
Chabashira-sensei pauses to make sure no one is nearby before continuing.
"But the time limit is almost up. If they continue to be absent next week, you'll start losing the
100 points you've worked so hard for."
The secret message from Sensei was to do something this weekend. But would I really be able
to respond to that message? I wanted to ask Sensei how I would go about my current situation,
but my weakness was already starting to show little by little.That was something I didn't want to
happen
"Thank you very much. You've been very helpful."
"Wait, Horikita. Don't you still have something to say?
"No, I don't wish to trouble you anymore, Sensei."
"You won't know if it's troublesome until you ask me. We still have a little time left, wouldn't it be
a little easier if you tried talking to someone?"
Chabashira-sensei must be able to see right through my state of mind. I'd be lying if I said I
wasn't nervous, but I chose to be brave about it and share my feelings.
"We got class points by expelling Sakura-san. Was that the right thing
to do?"
"Do you regret your decision?"
"I thought it was the right decision at the time. Even so... I can honestly say that I'm anxious
now."
"I wish I could give you an answer, but I can't."
"I understand. As a teacher, you can't give me an answer, can you?"
"No, that's not it. It's just that at this point, I can't tell myself whether you were right or not. It's
true that your decision was a bit dictatorial and self-serving, and some students may have seen
it that way. As a result you're suffering from their judgment and you're beginning to feel that you
gave the wrong answer."
That hurts to hear, and I don't know what to say.
"But does it actually make a difference? No one is perfect from the beginning. We make
mistakes even in simple additions and multiplications, we learn, and then we move on. I'm
walking through a life full of mistakes too."
"You too… mistakes?"
"That's correct, back when I took the same special exam. I couldn't answer the question before
time ran out. In that respect, you gave an answer. I think you're doing well. There is no one who
can get 100 points without experience. At the time of the special exam, you were recognized as
a leader and given authority. And you were ready to cut someone down to protect Kushida. Now
it's up to you to prove that it was the right decision."
Sensei had just said something what a normal teacher would say.
I was a little confused, as I have rarely seen her like this before.
"At this point, you don't have to aim to achieve a hundred points; you can either reduce the
OAA's bottom line in a reasonable way or prioritise your commitments. There are two options,
and you must endure the hardship of one of them."
"Yes, that's right…"
I know she's right, and yet I'm still confused.
"But... I also think that I may have been blind to my surroundings. I think that if I had listened
more, I might have grasped a better, more correct answer."
"It's possible to lose sight of your surroundings. And later, when the heat settles down, you may
wonder if you made the right decision."
I've never had that experience. I was so frustrated that I unconsciously clenched my fists.
"You've always made decisions that were simple at best, or simple at worst, haven't you? Of
course, that's normal. It's just that we each have traits and this is the first time you're forced to
search for a new option."
"Yes…"
Even with the strong advice, I still hadn't found the right response.
Despite the fact that I must have appeared pitiful, Chabashira-sensei treated me with kindness.
"Didn't you fight within the school's rules?"
"Yes, but I broke my promise not to expel anyone except traitors."
"Did you decide from the start to protect the traitor and lie about it in order to get a yes vote?"
"No! I was really ready to do that at that time… I swear."
"In that case, there's nothing wrong with it. It's important to keep your promises. However, even
adults sometimes make mistakes in their promises. I know you changed your mind because you
realized that leaving Kushida wasn't the right thing to do. You are free to despise or ignore those
who think poorly of you now. Some will follow you, some won't, and uniting a class of nearly
forty students is no easy task, even for Ryuen, Ichinose, or Sakayanagi. The other students may
be loyal and devoted on the surface, but you never know what they're thinking on the inside."
Chabashira-sensei said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Don't be afraid to fail. I'm not an adult who won't admit or forgive a child's mistakes."
"I haven't failed yet."
"That's right. I'm willing to see the choices you make through to the end."
After giving me a slightly troubled look, Sensei looked me in the eye again. Her polite, stern yet
loving words almost make me choke up a little.
"You've changed, Chabashira-sensei."
I didn't mean to say that, but it just came out. I suppose it's what I honestly felt.
"Is it that strange for me to act like a teacher now? Have I been treating you that coldly?"
"I'm a little surprised, but no, it's not strange."
"Well, that's good."
Chabashira-sensei probably thought she had talked too much, so she cleared her throat and
changed the subject.
"What did Ayanokoji say in regards to Kushida?"
"Ayanokoji-kun...? Nothing specific about her. If I had to say, I think he's observing me to see
what I do."
"I see. So he thinks it's something you should solve on your own?"
"It may be that he just can't deal with my selfishness."
"I wonder. But Ayanokoji was the one who took a drastic step with Kushida's case. Even if you
don't trust him, I don't think he's the one to leave you alone."
"You're buying into Ayanokoji-kun quite a bit, aren't you? I remember you saying that
Ayanokoji-kun was the most defective piece in our class."
"How can you remember such an old statement?"
"I am certain he is better than what his OAA shows."
"I see that your evaluation of him has increased considerably."
"There are some difficulties with his personality, but those aren't limited to just Ayanokoji-kun. I
still don't understand what you meant by him being defective."
He is unquestionably superior, far more calm and composed than I am. I don't see any reason
for him to be labelled as a defective student.
"You don't have to take every single thing I say seriously. You've spent more time with him than I
have, right?"
"Still, I'd like to hear your reason."
"In that case, my assessment hasn't changed since. No, I believe that the credibility of that
assessment has increased."
Chabashira-sensei still believes that Ayanokoji-kun is defective, even after everything he's done
and shown us.
"But don't dwell too much on it now because you have other problems that you need to solve
quickly."
"Yes that's right…"
It was true that I was curious about it, but it could certainly be done later. I have to make sure
that Kushida-san, Wang-san, and Hasebe-san come back to school.
"Is it tough with Kushida?"
"So far she's been a pushover. No matter how much I visit or wait, she never opens the door."
"That's tough."
She has countless opportunities to leave her dorm to get supplies when I'm in school, and hide
out during the weekend.
It's pointless to try to confront her in such a way by ambushing her. I even tried to contact her on
her cell phone, but she never picked it up.
"She most likely understands that I'm on the other side of the door, pacing left and right, and
she's okay with that."
"I suppose you have a point. That said, if you don't make a move, things won't progress and
they'll slowly get worse."
"Yes, That's right…"
"When you can't do anything on your own, it's a good idea to ask for help from another person."
"But the only classmate who would be willing to help persuade Kushida is Hirata, But… He
probably doesn't have time for that right now."
Hirata-kun is currently occupied with Wang-san and Shinohara-san.
"Sure, Hirata would be able to make a large impact. Although I'm not sure if he'll have much
effect on Kushida. I don't think it would be easy to open the doors if you took someone like that
with you. A righteous, sensible, good person."
Somehow, I think I understand what Sensei is trying to say. Hirata-kun would lie to make
Kushida-san feel better, and she knows that.
"I'm afraid I can't think of anyone suitable at the moment, but it might not be a bad idea to look
at someone other than your classmates."
"When I try to confront Kushida-san, I'm confronting her true feelings which relate to what
happened in class. It's quite a disadvantage to tell that to an outsider."
"I suppose you'll have to work on balancing the advantages and disadvantages. Even so, that
doesn't necessarily mean you're not allowed to tell them. Some of us teachers, for example,
know about Kushida's past, and some of us would probably let others know if we chose to. I
believe that there are no such things as secrets."
There is no such thing as a secret...? Maybe... there is someone who can move Kushida-san's
heart. No, even if they can't move her heart, if there's someone who can make abreakthrough, I
think I need to visit her.
"It's time to go. I don't know if it's too much to ask, but I just want to say one last thing. The most
important thing is what you want to do with Kushida. You must think about it carefully."
What do I want to change within Kushida-san?
"Thank you very much, Sensei. Thanks to you, I feel more prepared."
I still didn't have an answer, but I had the energy to try again.
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure it's only natural for a teacher to do this much."
With that, Chabashira-sensei walked back to the staff room. I continued to watch her from the
stairs until I could no longer see her back.
PART 1
When I returned to my dorm after shopping at Keyaki Mall, I found Ibuki staring at the entrance
next to the elevator. I ignored her and pressed the elevator button, and she seemed to be
extremely angry.
"Don't ignore me!"
She yelled at me with such force that she spit her saliva out onto my face.
I was ready to enter a long battle with Ibuki-san, but what the hell was going on?
It seems like she's going to follow me even into the elevator. I had no choice but to stop and
watch as the elevator doors opened for her.
"Ignore you? What do you want from me?"
"This! What did you mean by this sentence? Tell me the answer."
She thrusts the screen of her cell phone in front of me, glaring at me. A blinding light illuminates
my eyes and all i can see is white light.
"Are you stupid? It's too close for me to see, can you move away?"
"Damn it! Here!"
She took a step back, and I was able to read what it stated just by looking through some of it.
"That is an impressive and well-written piece of writing. I'm convinced it was written by a
knowledgeable individual."
"Don't pat yourself on the back! I mean, what's so intelligent about this?"
"Maybe if you read it out loud, you'd understand."
"Huh? 'If you drop out of school when I have nothing to do with it, then of course you've lost to
me.' Don't be such a dumbass. Where's the intelligence in that? No, that's enough, just tell me
what it means!"
"You read it and didn't get it?"
"Not at all. I've been thinking about it all week and I didn't get it. So what?"
She sniffed and crossed her arms.
I wasn't expecting her not to understand my simple advice. No, I'd rather thought it could be
potentially effective.
"It's not something that makes sense to ask about now. You didn't seem to have a problem with
what I said, seeing as I got no response."
"What? Explain it to me in a clearer way."
She has no idea what's going on. I'm curious whether her athleticism and fighting instincts are
all she has.
"I wanted to encourage you to avoid being expelled. You aren't well liked by your classmates
and could have been in trouble if the question during the exam had anything to do with your
expulsion. To get back at me, wouldn't you try to stay in school even if you didn't want to?"
"Don't tell me you're worried about... me?"
She backed away, not surprised but with a disgusted look on her face.
"Don't take this the wrong way. It's just that there's a lot left for you to do here. Even if you were
dismissed from the last special exam, Ryuen-kun's class would gain 100 points, alongside
abandoning you. If you're going to leave anyway, it's more profitable to have you disappear in
the exam with a penalty attached to the class."
When I tried to explain it to her, she didn't seem convinced in the least.
"I think it's time for me to leave."
With her silently and angrily making way for me, I pressed the elevator button again. Then as I
got inside, I noticed that Ibuki was not following me.
"You're not coming?"
"I don't want to get in the elevator with you."
"Don't be silly, we've been inside together a few times by accident."
"I don't feel like going with you right now."
"Right. Then do what you want."
Pressing the close button, I head for the floor where Kushida-san lives.
From here, I'll have to keep trying until she finally lets me in. I wondered if I'd be able to make a
breakthrough as the elevator started ascending. It will not change unless I try something new. If
that's the case, everything I'm going to do will be a complete waste of time. I arrived at my
destination floor and the door opened.
But I can't take the first step to get out, and I'm stuck there. I don't know what to do, how to
communicate with Kushida-san. What has changed that will help me to talk to her?
Time passed and the elevator closed. Before I could press the button, the elevator started
moving and began to move downstairs.
"Ugh…"
Don't think you can persuade Kushida-san to come face to face with you with your current
thoughts.
I think back to the words from Chabashira-sensei.
The elevator came straight back to the first floor. When the doors opened, Ibuki-san, who was
looking down at her cell phone, took a step forward without noticing me. She looked up when
she felt the presence of someone in the elevator, saw me, and let out a slight groan.
"Why are you here?"
I can't say I expected any other reaction.
"You're not getting in?"
"I told you I'm not getting in! Are you harassing me?"
Shaking my head, I reached out to press the close button again. Then I saw Ibuki-san averting
her gaze and felt something tugging in my mind. Just before I touched the close button, I
pressed the open button and stared at her.
She looks at me, suspicious that the elevator isn't closing.
A breakthrough may be lying in an unexpected place.
Maybe it's time to put Chabashira-sensei's advice to use…
"What the hell?"
"I thought I'd ask you to help me with something."
"Huh?"
It's a significant risk, but it might well be the key to breaking the deadlock. There will be an
unseen breakthrough, and it may be a surprise ambush that will break us out of the current
impasse. I realise it's risky, but for the time being, I'll have to do whatever it takes.
"Get in."
"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not getting in?"
"Just get in."
"What the hell?"
I pushed the close button, checking on Ibuki, who got in, despite her irritation.
"There's something I need your advice on."
"No, no, no, I would not get on it and I am not helping you."
"You are already in the elevator."
"You're the one who told me to get in!"
"Then why don't you give me advice?"
"No, it doesn't make sense!"
"At least hear me out... Maybe it'll benefit you."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. Just because you're asking me about it, I know it's bad news."
While we were talking, the elevator reached the floor where Kushida-san's room was located. I
stepped out first and looked back at Ibuki-san, who was still in the elevator.
"Get off. We don't know who's listening, so stay close."
"I'm going home. I don't know what you mean."
She presses the close button and tries to leave, but the elevator doors do not close.
"It looks like the elevator wants you to get off too."
"That's because you're blocking it from the outside by pushing the button!"
"Do you have any favourite things? Like, things that are important to you?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question."
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"No, uh, I don't know... I can't think of anything at all, but maybe strawberries?"
"That's surprisingly cute for you, Ibuki-san. Anyway, just forget about what I just said."
"Then why the hell did you ask?"
As Ibuki-san grew unsurprisingly unhappy, I decided to cut to the chase. I realized that it would
be better for her if I quickly shared my story and moved on to the next part of the plan.
"I'm going to go see Kushida-san now."
"So? Why don't you go see her on your own?"
She hit the close button repeatedly, but of course it didn't work.
"It doesn't work that way. She hasn't shown up once this entire week. I've been to her dormitory
and she hasn't shown any sign of coming out. I need you to get her out of her room. Do you
understand?"
"What? Wait, why do I have to do that?"
"It's another way of helping people."
"If I don't even help my class, why would I help your class?"
I already knew that Ibuki-san is unlikely to accept my offer. But It's a different matter if there's a
benefit. The warning buzzer begins because the elevator is left open the entire time.
"Fine. After that, I'll compensate you then."
"I don't want it. If you think I'll do it for money, you're wrong."
"I'm sure you aren't. But I'm sure my reward will be something you strongly desire."
"I don't think there's anything like that."
It's difficult to change Ibuki's mentality. However, if you confront her with particular things, her
mentality will totally shift.
"You can pre-register for up to five events of your choice for the sports festival. You are free to
choose which events and which groups you want to participate in. The main purpose of this
system is to be used to clear the required events, or to avoid strong opponents. On the other
hand, it is also a system that allows you to fight against targeted opponents."
When I had explained that much, Ibuki-san's eyes, which had been unmotivated, lit up.
"I'm sure you're waiting for the right moment to fight me, aren't you? But Unfortunately for you,
I'm not going to make a decision until the last minute. Depending on the situation, there's a high
chance that I will apply for the last slot in the events. So even if you wait, you'll never get the
chance to fight."
"So you're saying that if I cooperate, you'll fight me?"
"Yes. I'll fight you in one of the competitions of your choice. Of course, I won't go easy on you
because of your class, so you won't be able to pick up any points. That is, if you're okay with it."
"Ha. That's interesting. But I'm not satisfied with just one. I'll help you if you give me at least
three competitions, so we will have a best-of-three."
"Three? That's greedy…"
I make a pretense of thinking as the warning beep goes off again.
"It's non-negotiable."
She has a point, I agree that it's not clear who would be better out of one competition. On the
other hand, if we play two or four rounds, there is always the possibility of a draw.
It was expected from the beginning that the game would be decided by three rounds, but if I
presented a three match setup at the beginning, she might have been asking for five rounds.
If she's willing to accept three rounds, then we're right on schedule.
"Fine, I'll face you for three rounds and join the competition. Is that okay with you?"
"Deal. No changing your mind later."
With that, she stepped off the elevator. I took my hand off the button and the elevator began to
slowly close its doors.
"Of course. However... you're going to have to help me out this time until we get this matter
resolved."
"Just tell me clearly what the goal is."
"Kushida-san coming to school on Monday. That's it."
"How hard can that be? I mean, what's the point if Kushida is absent? Everyone gets sick at
least once in a while."
Chabashira-sensei said that secrets shouldn't matter when it comes to resolving Kushida-san's
issue. Also Kushida-san's secret isn't exactly a secret anymore. The important thing is who I'm
telling the secrets to.
I chose to take her advice and share the entire story. If it were to spread then it would be my
fault for not realising that Ibuki is the type of student who would blow this up and tell everyone
around her. Now is the time to find a method to break the ice, even if it means pushing myself
even more.
I told Ibuki-san everything about Kushida-san, with nothing left. Ibuki-san only knows what kind
of life she's been leading through some encounters. But I explained to her Kushida-san's true
nature, her way of thinking, and every detail of her current situation. While I was talking to her,
Ibuki-san was listening to me with a disinterested look on her face, looking in
some random direction.
Normally, I would have been displeased with such behaviour, but oddly enough, her manner of
listening rescued me. Ibuki-san let out an exasperated sigh as I finished giving her the truth
about why she was currently missing from school.
"Whatever."
Without showing any strong interest in her true nature, she nonchalantly commented on the fact.
"You don't seem surprised. Did you know anything about it?"
"Nah, I just don't believe in straight-up good guys. The same goes for Hirata and Ichinose. It's a
rule that people who pretend to be good people are always dark behind the scenes."
"That's an interesting way of thinking."
She might have a surprisingly good point.
"So, in your mind, is Ryuen-kun quite highly regarded? He's not a good person on the surface
but he's not a good person behind the scenes either."
"That's why I hate him more. I also dislike guys who seem harmless like Ayanokoji these days.
People like that piss me off."
When she goes that far, I wonder if there exists anyone that Ibuki-san finds likable...
"Well, I don't hate the idea of exposing a person like that. I'd enjoy asking her how it feels to be
exposed as a bad person."
If she goes too far, I'll have to stop her, but that kind of forcefulness is something I need to learn
from.
"You want me to drag Kushida out of her hiding place, right?"
"Yes."
Seeming quite confident, Ibuki-san walked lightly to the front of Kushida-san's room.
"Are you going to do this all by yourself?"
"Just shut up and watch."
Very well Ibuki-san, let's see what you do.
When she walked to the front of Kushida-san's room, Ibuki-san suddenly held her stomach and
kneeled down onto the floor.
"Oh shit! Ouch ouch ouch!"
She then let out a scream that echoed down the hallway.
I couldn't understand what she was doing for a moment, and stared at the scene in amazement.
"This stomach-ache... I can't! No way I can't make it back in time…"
A stomachache? Please don't tell me this is the best she can do... Aside from the cliched
concept, it's a disaster in terms of acting.
To begin with, this is not the floor of Ibuki's room. Even if the floors were the same, it would
definitely be faster to run to your own room.
"Uh, excuse me?! Can I use your toilet real quick?"
She rapidly hit the bell on Kushida-san's door and continued to do so for about ten seconds, but
there was no sign of Kushida-san opening up from inside.
It seems that asking Ibuki-san for help was an obvious mistake, I was ready to lose my head
from all the pointless noise she was making. She continued to keep acting for a few dozen
seconds until she got up and turned to face me with a straight face.
"Maybe she's not at home?"
"First of all, I'm pretty sure she's in her room."
"Really? If she doesn't get caught by that act, she's quite a tough one, isn't she?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
I said, motioning Ibuki-san to follow me. I instruct her to follow me quietly and open the box with
the built-in electric meter attached to Kushida-san's room.
"You see a disk here, right? If the speed of this disk is slow, she's probably not home. But if
she's at home and using the TV or computer, the rotation speed will increase."
The disk was spinning slightly faster than normal.
"Now you know it's more likely that she's at home, right?"
"I didn't know you knew about being a thief?"
"I learned a lot about it last weekend while I was waiting for her. Don't abuse it."
"Of course I won't!"
She answers while giving me a cold look.
"Can you think of any other way? If you don't, then I suppose we should give up now…"
"We're doing it wrong."
"What?"
"It's one way or another, but it's okay, right? I'll forcefully pull Kushida out."
I feel like I should inquire further, but I see her spirit and decide to leave it to her once more. I
keep my distance, and then she steps to the door again.
"Hey, Kushida. I've heard a lot about you. I heard that you've been wearing a mask up until now,
and it was exposed in the exam?"
When I wondered what she was going to do, she started babbling nonsense.
For a moment, my brain thought Ishould stop her, but there was no point in doing so. Even if I
stopped Ibuki-san here, it would have already been heard by Kushida-san.
"That's gotta hurt... How does it feel to go from being the most popular person in the world to
falling down so low? Oh, Ichinose is the most popular in the school. How does it feel to fall from
second place?"
The approach of inducing agitation is far superior to her previous dreadful acting. Furthermore,
because she is being told by an outsider, Ibuki-san, Kushida-san may become quite enraged.
But there was no response. I guess rough treatment wasn't enough…
Ibuki-san didn't change her expression, nor did she try to stop her words.
"Show me your disgusting face."
She slams her right toe against the door extremely hard.
"I'm so stressed out because of Horikita right now, I just want to get rid of it all."
Honestly, that was Ibuki-san's true intention, she didn't want to save Kushida-san in the
slightest. I'm sure she's on the other side of the door listening...
"Kicking in the door of someone's room might not be such a bad idea. I can understand Ryuen's
feelings a little."
After a few such kicks, I heard a sound from inside the room. Despite this, as she was about to
unleash more kicks, the door to the room suddenly unlocked.
"It's annoying, so can you please stop, Ibuki-san?"
Kushida-san, in her casuals, finally showed herself.
I honestly didn't expect Ibuki-san's violent strategy to work... I'm a little shocked, wondering what all my efforts were for during the past week.
"There she is. See? I knew she was that type of person."
Maybe there were parts of Kushida-san's personality that Ibuki-san could relate to...
"Whatever you're trying to do is pissing me off, can you stop?"
"Aren't you more likable when you put on your mask or something?"
"I've never actually liked you, you know. I can see Horikita-san over there, that was probably the
reason you're even here."
Her mental state seems to be calm, judging by the fact that she used "san".
Since there was no point in hiding, I walked without hesitation to the front of Kushida-san's
room.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to come inside your room. I'm getting a little tired of waiting around all
the time."
"Well, it's no use trying to close it."
She can't close the door because Ibuki-san has one foot firmly inserted in the gap between the
doors. Kushida-san looked down at the foot for a few seconds before suddenly, without warning,
stomping on it.
"Ah!"
She continues to stomp forcefully, but Ibuki-san doesn't pull her foot back either.
"Yeah... it's not closing."
Kushida-san sighs.
"That's enough...!"
I try to force the door open and step in, but she only retreats and greets us with a straight face.
"Come on in, then. This may be the last time I'll do this, so take your time."
She says it with an implied tone, but I guess she's been prepared to do something like that for a
while. It was no small feat for Kushida-san to annoy the class by maintaining the situation
indefinitely. She must have invited us in because she's made up her mind about something. This
is our last chance, I guess.
I could tell at a glance that Kushida-san's room was being used in a clean and neat manner.
In terms of her love of cleanliness, I get the idea she's even more steady than I am.
"Well, well, it's pretty tidy."
Ibuki-san says, looking around the room with a hint of admiration and surprise.
Kushida-san saw this attitude and made a strange face.
"Ibuki-san's room looks like a mess, with her undressed clothes scattered all over the place."
"Wh-what? How do you know if you haven't even seen it?"
It's clear from Ibuki-san's reaction that it's true.
"Sit down. I'm not going to offer you anything to drink or snack on, but that's okay, right?"
"Yeah, no thanks."
We looked at each other for a moment and then sat down. Kushida-san sat across from us,
making it a two-on-one situation across the table.
"You've been making noise in front of my room for so long, what do you want?"
"You know what I want, don't you? You've been absent out of school for the past week."
"Yes…"
With an absent-minded reply, Kusida-san continued.
"Do you really think I'm going to go to school after what happened? I'm not really surprised, but
you told her about me, didn't you? Is that another way to get back at me?"
"No, it isn't. She wouldn't carelessly tell anyone else."
"Do you trust her?"
"No, I don't. It's just that she doesn't have anyone to talk to."
"Hey!"
Ibuki-san slammed her fist on the table and glared at me, but I ignored her. It is true after all...
"Even if that's the case, you're not thinking about my feelings, are you? I'm hurt."
"Do you really have the right to say that?"
"Even if I don't, there's no reason why you shouldn't think about how I feel, Horikita-san."
The sharp exchange of words quickly brought up new tension.
"Let's move the conversation forward. I know I have been inadequate in some respects. But you
were the one who initiated the hostility in the first place. Isn't that right?"
We were just classmates, but she had always seen me as someone who should be expelled.
"I won't deny that point. But I can't help it, I couldn't stand you…"
"I don't know what I should have done. I look back on it now and I can't get a clear answer."
"I know, I know. I've thought about the same thing a few times. And I've come to one conclusion.
Maybe you should have voluntarily withdrawn from school for me, because I couldn't stand your
presence."
"Don't be absurd. That's not a solution, it's just your angry feelings."
"It's complicated. But it's the only argument I have."
Although she answered my questions, it was not a friendly way.
I suppose these were just her true feelings.
At first, I was trying to listen to her, but then she started to slowly stop talking and the lifeless
look in her eyes returned.
"I wonder if you'd be willing to help me and put all of this behind you."
"I knew that's what you were getting at, but come on, don't make me laugh."
"You're good enough and worth it."
"I know."
She answers immediately, not even showing any signs of modesty.
"Super self-conscious…"
To Ibuki-san's muttered response, Kushida-san simply turns and stares at her.
"Did you think so? Well it's not very true. However, I wouldn't expect someone with your
competence to realize that."
"Do you think you're all great? Why don't we go at it here or something?"
Ibuki-san said and clenched her fists.
"You're even more of an idiot than I thought, Ibuki-san. That's not what competence means,
okay? Why don't you take a look at OAA? My ability in this school is my good grades, right? I
think the difference between me and Ibuki-san is more than physical aspects, don't you think?"
Ibuki-san took out her phone and checked the OAA. She then compared it to her own overall
strength, paled, and silently closed her phone.
"I want you to use your high ability for the good of the class. If you continue to be absent from
school without permission, you will eventually lose your place."
"It's already gone. As for you, you were prepared for the backlash and opposed my leaving the
school, right? So the one who would be troubled if I'm useless is you. I can understand why you
would want to desperately try to persuade me to come back."
The situation in the class must have been very obvious to Kushida.
"I've lost. There's no reason to stay anymore. But the reason why I stayed quiet at the end of
that unanimous special exam was to damage you as much as possible. If I continue to be
absent from school, the school will punish the class with non attendance, right? And the blame
for that punishment will go to you."
Indeed, if Kushida-san continues to be absent, the class will be continuously damaged like a
continuing poisoning. It was possible that the non-participation strategy would eventually get
stopped with special exams, but Kushida-san would be able to accomplish her revenge
successfully.
"There's no gain in it for you, why keep this up?"
"It's too late, I have nothing to lose at this point. Isn't it normal to give you a little hurdle?"
"How is it normal? Don't get carried away just because your OAA numbers are above average."
Ibuki-san muttered sitting next to me.
"I invited you in just for the fun of it, but I guess I was right. You're funny, Ibuki-san. If it was just
me and Horikita-san, it would have been a boring conversation. I guess I was wrong when I said
it was normal. What is normal to me must be abnormal to you."
"So you admit that you have loose screws?"
"Not in my eyes. To me, I do everything right and you do everything wrong. I can't tolerate
anything that doesn't suit me."
"That's disgusting."
"Whether it's disgusting or not is irrelevant, I can't just change my way of thinking... I was born
that way."
Kushida-san was acting more strange than usual, trying to keep a calm image as she let her
dark thoughts spill. No... maybe she found it amusing.
She was much more formidable at the moment rather than when she was screaming and
revealing her weakness.
"I'll continue to be an issue until the school does something to force me to change my ways."
Kushida-san declares that she will continue to hinder our class with determination. She
preaches to me in a matter-of-fact tone, so I know she's not lying.
"What are you going to do?"
"What am I going to do? Nothing, I have no choice but to have a talk with you like this."
"You're inconsiderate, aren't you? You're very different from Ayanokoji-kun."
At the mention of Ayanokoji-kun's name, Ibuki-san lifts her head up.
"I thought I was taking advantage of him, but it seemed I was very wrong. On the contrary, he
was planning to use it against me the entire time. I think he was someone I shouldn't have made
enemies with."
"Ayanokoji-kun is very different. It's clear that he can see things deep into the future. It's only
recently that I've been made aware of this."
"Then I suppose we're in the same boat."
"I suppose so."
A bit of silence.
"You're mostly an idiot too, Horikita-san. It would have been so much easier if you had just cut
me out."
"Maybe I am an idiot. Unfounded intuition, unfounded confidence. That's what you might take
me for. However, there is no doubt that you are undeniably an excellent student. Although I can
understand how my knowledge about past events and your desire to remove Ayanokoji-kun
have caused troubles, at least the reputation you have continued to contribute to the class for a
year and a half remains unchanged."
Kushida-san has done well and she shouldn't be ashamed of it.
"If annoying the class is really your top priority, you might be able to succeed in your revenge if
you just keep taking time off. But, is that what you want?"
"What's your point?"
"I'm asking if that's enough to satisfy you."
"I can be satisfied. I don't want anything more than that right now. No matter how many words
you try to convince me, it's useless, I won't ever agree with you."
I'd never be able to persuade her. I felt as if I couldn't say anything after hearing such
statements. I certainly want Kushida-san to attend school because it would benefit everyone,
and I also want to demonstrate that my decision was not a mistake.
Kushida-san, who is right in front of me, knows that better than anything else. In the end, it's still
for my sake. It's hard to say that it's the best choice for Kushida-san to come back.
"Maybe I was wrong about you."
"What do you mean?"
"I thought I was here to 'persuade' you, but I was wrong. It was for myself and the class. I wasn't
able to take your feelings into account."
"What? Now you're going to pity me?"
"I just realized that taking you out of a school that you don't want to go to is over-ambitious."
"Then I guess we're done talking. If I drag my feet, Horikita-san will automatically fall too. I'll be
happy if you suffer through school without me for a long time."
"That's fine with me. But at the same time, it means you'll suffer too."
"I'll suffer? Why's that?"
"Because you still have a place to go back to and you're going to lose it."
"You've become so selfish. There is no place to go back to."
The more I think about her, the more one emotion comes to mind.
"You keep driving me insane, don't you Kushida-san…"
"What are you on about...?"
"I try to lean on you, but you can never support me because you're like a child. The point is,
you've just made the wrong choice at every turn. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't
tried to get rid of me, especially since I don't tell secrets and don't actually know anything of the
past. The same goes forAyanokoji-kun."
"Even then, I just can't stand you."
"That's what kids do. They can't stand it, so they lash out. You are like a child."
Ibuki-san, who was the first to be hit by my words, bursts into laughter. This upset Kushida-san,
who glared angrily at Ibuki-san.
"You are already a high school student, you know. All you have to do is walk to class, and you
can't even do that. Don't just lie in bed all the time, get up and walk by yourself."
"That's not very nice of you, Horikita. But I'm a poor girl who is hurting. If I go to school now, my
classmates will ignore me, and things won't be the same as before. It's cruel of you to try to take
me to such a painful place. when you're not even close to me?"
"I'm not in a position to speak for others, but you're not looking very good right now either.'
Kushida-san was at a loss for words.
"The class already knows who I am. I can't mend my ways any more. I can't fix it anymore.
That's what you think right now, right? When you cried and screamed in class, you looked like a
child. No, a toddler. I still feel like I'm dealing with that toddler right now."
"Don't be stupid!"
She raises her hand and tries to slap my cheek before I calmly grabbed her hand and restrained
her.
"You want to make fun of me, don't you? You're nothing more than a toddler, annoying me,
annoying your classmates, and making it your top priority just for your own pleasure."
"So I'm supposed to be the only one who has to suffer, put up with, and help you and the rest of
the class?"
"Don't take this the wrong way. You've got solid power. Then use it for 'your own good'. It
doesn't matter what's around you. If you act for yourself, and rise to Class A for yourself, that's
unquestionably your "achievement". And you can use the privilege of Class A to do whatever
you want. If you want to do the same thing, this time go someplace where no one knows about
your past."
Kushida-san glared at me but she didn't say anything.
"You only have a year and a half of school left. It shouldn't be that hard, should it? For the past
year and a half, you've only been putting on a good front for your classmates. It's easier than
that. Or is that not even possible with your abilities?"
I could feel Kushida-san's hands trembling with anger as I clenched them.
But I've come to another conclusion.
"This is the only time I will be visiting here. The rest is for you to think about. If you're still going
to be my enemy after all I've told you, then I have no more treatment for you. You'll remain a
child for the rest of your life."
"That means that while I'm standing still, Horikita-san will continue to move forward…"
Even if I didn't explain everything to her, Kushida-san could see where things stood now.
"You're going to be expelled. I'll be graduating from Class A and fulfilling my own dreams. It's a
big difference."
Kushida-san contemplates a future in which I've won, and it's something I know she despises.
School life is only a small percentage of a long life.
"Do you really think that from here, I have a chance to go back to school?"
"That's up to you. You can decide whether you want to fight with your chin up high or sit around
in sadness and anger."
Although I could still feel the strength in her arm, it was slowly fading away.
"I'll at least listen to you. Tell me what strategy you have in mind, Horikita-san."
We finally reached a point when Kushida-san was willing to listen after a lot of talking.
But I can't try to fix things to make her feel better. I have to convince her with a plan for her
survival. I have several tentative answers, and I'll reconstruct them here to arrive at the ideal
answer.
"I'm not going to spend my school life carrying you, Kushida-san."
"No, I wouldn't want that. But then, it's impossible, right? My classmates saw my true nature,
and that fact can't be changed no matter what, right?"
"That's true. But in other words, there is a possibility that you can recover yourself for those who
haven't seen your true nature, right?"
Kushida-san showed a slight gesture of consideration, but muttered,
"I don't know."
"Up until now, there were only a few people who knew the real me, like Horikita-san and
Ayanokoji-kun. That's why I didn't hesitate to mend my ways yet, but now we've got more
people in our class, right? Not only are there smart people, but there are also a lot of stupid and
shitty students mixed in among them."
Kushida-san had a point. But before I could react, Ibuki-san reacted.
"You're one to talk!"
Ibuki-san overreacted when Kushida-san brought in other students.
"I'm not talking about you, so why does it matter?"
"If you can't keep your mouth shut, Ibuki-san, you can leave, okay?"
"Oh, yeah. Then I'll leave. It's okay if you keep your promise, right?"
As she tries to stand up, I told her what she needed to hear.
"No, you can't. If you leave now, it'll be considered abandonment and I'll have the contract
voided."
"Huh? What the heck... Oh my god, then I'll shut up and you can get on with it."
"Contract? What does that mean?"
"I'm only promising to fight her during the sports festival if she'll help me get you to school."
I quickly explained the reason for Ibuki-san being willing to help.
"So that's what it was about, huh? I was wondering why it was Ibuki-san, but that explains it…"
"At least thanks to her, I was able to visit your room, so I need to thank her."
Ibuki-san had a great deal of things to say, I could see it on her face.
Even so, she stayed quiet as instructed.
I admire her spirit, she's willing to be patient in order to fight with me.
"Back to the topic at hand, can I take that to mean that it's painful to continue to play the role
while your true nature is known?"
"Yes, it is. You can do your best when you're acting in a meaningful way, but you can't do your
best when you're acting in a meaningless way, can you?"
Up until now, if she expelled me or Ayanokoji-kun, the meaning of continuing to act would live
on. However, it was nearly impossible to expel the entire class.
In junior high school, when Kushida-san was in a similar situation, she brought the class down
and ended it all.
She tried to do the same here, but it didn't work out.
"If you don't want that, then you don't have to hang out with your classmates like you used to."
"Huh?"
That seemed to be a surprising response not only to the Kushida-san in front of me, but also to
Ibuki-san, and both of them reacted similarly.
"Even if you keep your mouth shut to some extent, there is no absolute guarantee. If that's the
case, it's inevitable that the rest of the class will stand around with the assumption that
Kushida-san is a two-faced and troubled student."
Kushida-san would then lose half of her effectiveness.
She can study well and play sports, but she's not top notch at either of them. Just another honor
student. Even if she is superior to Sakura-san in her natural l abilities, she lacks charm in other
areas.
"I'm not trusted by anyone. I don't think everyone would be satisfied with me anymore. Don't
you?"
"It certainly wouldn't be the same as it has been. But can I really say that I've completely lost
faith in you? What do you think? Ibuki-san."
I looked over to Ibuki-san, who was staring at the wall not even letting me know that she
acknowledged my statement.
"..."
"Ibuki-san, answer me."
"You told me to shut up, didn't you?"
"I'll allow you to speak."
"What the hell, first shut up, then speak, I'm not your student or anything."
"You don't want to compete? Then just tell me so…"
"Oh, my God!"
While scratching her head, Ibuki-san replied.
"You've just been playing the good girl too long, that's all. I don't believe in the perfect good
person, and I think you acted worse before. If I had to choose who to believe, the old you or the
new you, I'd say the new you is more honest."
She said what she thought quickly. I guess it sounded straightforward to Kushida-san because
she didn't have any tricks or wisdom.
"Hahaha, that's an interesting answer. I mean, you have an unusual way of thinking, don't you?
But not everyone is as unusual as Ibuki-san. If anything, normal people would hate her."
"Well, she's certainly not normal, that's for sure."
"Hey!"
"But everyone has two sides to them, big or small. Ibuki-san appreciated the part of your true
heart that acts for yourself above all else. That's why you'll never change your true intentions."
This talk of making her change her true intentions was wrong to begin with.
"And if you don't change the way you speak and your tone of voice to the outside world like you
have been doing, it will be difficult for those who haven't seen your true nature to imagine what
you really are. No matter how many words are used to explain it, a person cannot understand it
until they experience it firsthand."
"What do you mean?"
"For example, Ichinose-san. She's someone you could say is certainly more of a good person
than Kushida-san. But the truth is that she's really a violent, foul-mouthed person who likes
other people's failures more than anything else. Would you believe that right away if someone
told you that?"
"That might be difficult. She seems like a really good person."
"You'd have your doubts, though."
"It's not about Ichinose-san, it's about the existence of good people, right?"
"Well, you'd certainly have to see it in person to know for sure. I couldn't know for sure just by
hearing about it from Horikita-san."
"Isn't that right? At least for the past year and a half, Ichinose-san has been a good person.
Even if someone were to make such a revelation, they wouldn't believe it. Nevertheless, if all of
her classmates were to say out loud that Ichinose-san is that kind of person, we would naturally
be suspicious. But I guess the image is still not completely clear, is it?"
No matter who says that Ichinose-san is ruthless and violent, you couldn't believe it. Even if you
were told repeatedly, you couldn't believe it unless you saw it for yourself.
"It's true that you can't understand something until you experience it. In martial arts, there are
times when you are warned that a technique is dangerous, but you don't feel like it is at all.
Then when you're actually hit, you understand how amazing it is."
"That's exactly like it, Ibuki-san."
But as long as there are still doubts, they won't trust you completely.
"That's where your skills come in. You have to do the best you can with the way you're going.
It's a fact that your fallout control and communication skills are better than others."
Whether or not she would be able to gain their trust beyond that was unknown at this point.
"Even if that's fine for the other classes, what about our other classmates? Shinohara-san,
Wang-san, Hasebe-san, would probably all resent me. I don't know if I can unite with them.."
"Maybe not with all of them. But you can produce results if you use your abilities to the best."
Even if they just kept getting higher than average results, students who only got grades below
Kushida wouldn't be able to complain easily.
"If the untrustworthy side of you comes out, I'll help you."
"Do you think I would honestly believe such sweet words? I'm afraid you'll betray me."
"Being doubtful is fine. I'll accept your bitterness, but I've accepted you even after you betrayed
me."
For Kushida-san, there is nothing to be afraid of, as she has already done it once before.
It was all up to her to decide whether to stand up again or not. After staying quiet for a while,
Kushida-san closed her eyes.
Then she began mumbling something that I couldn't understand. She finally opened her eyes,
as if she'd reached a conclusion.
"All right. I'll fight for a year and a half just for me, and contribute to the class. I won't fight for
Horikita-san or for my classmates. That's fine with you, right?"
"I'm not complaining at all. I just want you to respond with results."
Standing up, Kushida-san holds out her left hand instead of her fist.
"Wasn't it the other way around last time?"
Kushida-san didn't respond to my right hand I offered all that time ago.
"A left-handed handshake means hostility."
"Is that so? Which hand did I offer you before?"
"Left hand."
It seems that she remembered clearly, as Kushida-san answered immediately. This time, it was
her own left hand that was extended. I stood up and offered my left hand in response and we
shook hands.
"It's like commemoration, isn't it?"
"Don't you think that's more like us?"
"I suppose it might be."
She squeezed my hand back forcefully, and I squeezed it back.
"Yes. There's one thing I've been wanting to do to you, Horikita-san, if you don't mind…"
"Please go on. What is it?"
"It's…"
She smiled and slowly extended her arms towards me.
Her hands came close to my face. And as soon as she touched both cheeks, I felt a sharp pain
surge through me.
It was immediately after that that I realized that the pain was caused by being pinched on the
cheek as hard as she could.
"W-what are you doing...?"
"I really hate you, Horikita-san."
She said and pinched my cheek even harder.
"I've been on edge since we met today, and I'm still on edge now that we're cooperating. I just
thought it would be bad stress to think that this would go on all the way from Monday. I need to
let it dissipate like this for a bit."
The force she put into it gained even more momentum and showed no signs of stopping.
"Is that enough?"
"No, no, no. It's not enough."
I was willing to accept a little bit of this, but Kushida-san was getting carried away and wouldn't
stop pulling on my cheeks.
If she's not going to loosen up at all, I have no choice but to retaliate.
I reached out with both arms and pinched her cheeks in the same way.
"What —?"
"I wonder if you'll let me go now?"
I assumed that she would stop once she felt the pain.
"Come on Kushida-san, time to wipe that frown off your face."
Without hesitating, I put all the strength I could into my fingertips and gripped back with the
determination to tear her cheeks off.
When it comes to such a thing, it's a war of will and determination.
"You guys can keep going until you're both shreds, I'm leaving."
Ibuki-san, who was the only one that was still calm, said that and walked out of the room first.
It continued for two or three minutes, when the pain started to paralyze us.
We both realized that we were making each other look incredibly stupid, and we both let go of
each other's face without a second thought.
When I saw Kushida-san's face turn bright red, I realized that I must be the same.
"Come to school on Monday."
"You're so persistent. Can you please just leave?"
Half-heartedly pushed out of the way, I walked out of her room and into the hallway.
"Ouch…"
Stroking my aching cheek, I looked towards the elevator and saw Ibuki-san getting in.
"Were you waiting for me by any chance?"
I said and walked to her, Ibuki-san stuck out her tongue and pressed the button for the elevator.
"Maybe you have a talent for making people angry."
Even so, it was thanks to her that I got to meet Kushida-san today. I'll have to give her my all at
the sports festival, just as she wanted.
PART 2
I rolled out of bed after raising my heavy head. I didn't have a fever, but I did have a minor
headache that had been bothering me for quite some time.
The reason was obvious. I had skipped five days of school with a feeling of guilt. I've never
missed a day of school before, except when I was sick.
I attempted to think about something else to distract myself from the guilt, but I can't get it out of
my mind.
If I could just get rid of it by trying to forget about it, I wouldn't have taken five days off.
I'll have to do something for a change.
I grabbed my cell phone and tapped on the gallery, leaving several messages unread, and I
accessed the earliest records I had taken. Scrolling through the photos, I looked at them nostalgically.
The first photo that made me stop was one taken just after I entered school, when I didn't have
anyone I could call friends yet.
It was the first and only two-shot I took with Hirata-kun, who was smiling gently beside me while
I was still unable to smile.
I'm still not very good at smiling, but I think I've improved a lot since then.
"I miss this…"
I didn't knew my way around school life in Japan.
Hirata-kun was the first person who helped me relax when I was surrounded by tension.
At that time, I was still unaware of my feelings of love. All I could think of was that he was
good-looking, kind, and a nice person.
I didn't realize it because I didn't have the time to fall in love in China, where competition was so
strong and the level of study so high.
I don't know when I realized that I was in love, but from the day I became aware of it, I knew I
would never put it into words.
Hirata-kun is very popular and not someone I can reach.
If I conveyed my feelings to him by mistake, it would only embarrass him. As a result, I kept my
thoughts to myself and was satisfied to simply be by his side.
"And yet…"
I was so embarrassed and scared just thinking about it again, tears welled up in my eyes.
"How can I…"
Everyone in my class knew that I liked Hirata-kun. When I changed my seat, I'm sure they
noticed that I was trying to be near him, right? I don't know what I should act like when I go to
school... After I came to this conclusion, I was struck by another guilty feeling. Sakura-san, who
had shown both kindness and strictness to Hasebe-san, left the school. Her feelings must have
been immeasurably painful. And yet, I was so full of myself that I pushed the button in favor of
expulsion, just wishing that those exams would end.
"It's the worst…"
I hated myself for being that, and I was in so much pain. I'm such a burden… I was about to
turn off the screen of my cell phone because I didn't want to look at myself smiling awkwardly
when I remembered the email I had received from Ayanokoji-kun on Monday night.
I wonder how he is feeling right now. Is he still able to go to school after having his precious
friend expelled by his own hands?
If he is.. how is he doing it?
I'd like to meet him and talk to him in person, so I read through the email that he sent me.
I want to talk to you in person.
"Oh…"
Ayanokoji-kun's message was linked to mine, as if my feelings had become text. A phone
number and room number are attached, just in case.
Is he going to give me advice?
There are a few people besides Ayanokoji-kun who are worried about me.
Are you okay?
Do you want me to listen to you?
Don't force yourself, okay?
While I was grateful for such kind words, I didn't feel confident that any of them would lead to a
solution.
However, Ayanokoji-kun can be different…
I want you to listen to me. I want to hear what you have to say.
"Maybe I should go."
It was still 5:30 p.m.. It's early for dinner but… I think it's rude to visit him out of the blue. I paced
back and forth in my room for a while, thinking, and time just went by.
I made up my mind and resolved to visit Ayanokoji-kun. I pick up the phone nervously. Five
times, six times... I hear the tenth ring, and I'm wondering if I should hang up.
Ayanokoji-kun answered the call, and I panicked and shouted.
"Oh, um… it's Wang! Is this Ayanokoji-kun?"
"You called me."
Ayanokoji-kun's slightly echoed voice and the sound of the shower running faintly reached my
ears.
"Yes. I've been having trouble leaving my room for a long time. I feel like I can get out now, so I
was wondering if I could talk to Ayanokoji-kun for a minute…"
"Now?"
"Is this a bad time...? I'm sorry for calling so suddenly. I'm no good at this…"
It's just a bad time and I can't do anything about it.
"It's not that, but can you give some time? I'll be ready in half an hour, no, twenty minutes."
"Oh, thank you very much! I'll be there in 20 minutes! Excuse me!"
I was strangely nervous and hung up the phone immediately, unable to withstand it.
"Fuuu... I was so nervous."
Maybe the fact that I hadn't talked to someone in a week had an effect on me. I made myself
presentable as I waited, and after about 20 minutes, I got ready and left the room. When I
unlocked the front door, which had become much heavier….
"Oh, it's there again."
There was a plastic bag placed by my door.
"They came by again today."
Jellies, tea, and sandwiches are among the items inside.
I first noticed it on Monday night when I quietly left my room to go to the convenience store.
At first I thought that someone had just put it there by mistake, but the plastic bag contained a
small piece of paper with my room number written on it. It didn't have the sender's name on it,
so I didn't know who it was.
"Oh, there's also a salad in there today but it's not exactly my favourite…"
A chicken salad with a lot of protein.
Still, it's kind of nice to see that the selection changes a bit every day.
"I wonder who is doing this."
There's nothing else in the plastic bag that could be a clue, and no receipt. Thanking them, I
leave it at the door for now and take the stairs to the fourth floor where Ayanokoji's room is
located.
I feel strangely nervous on the floors where the boys' room is located. With this in mind, I
opened the door and entered the hallway, just as the door to a room opened. It looks exactly like
Ayanokoji-kun's room. But the person who came out from inside...
For a moment I wondered who it was, but it was Karuizawa-san. She didn't have her usual nice
ponytail, but her hair was smooth and straight.
And she was dressed roughly.
Could it be that they were on a date in their room?
If that's the case, I must've made a particularly irritating phone call... I was on the verge of
becoming depressed again, but I couldn't return home. Not after coming this far.
My eyes met with Karuizawa-san's, who immediately took action to look around, as if other
people were watching.
"Oh you were talking to her? She's here. See you later Kiyotaka."
Nervously, I took a deep breath, and Karuizawa-san also took two deep breaths. She might say
something about Hirata-kun.
"Ba, bye bye!"
"Wh—, what?"
I brace myself, but she just says goodbye and walks past me without making eye contact.
I stopped her as she leaves in a hurry.
"Um, Karuizawa-san!"
"What?"
"I'm sorry... for suddenly calling Ayanokoji-kun, I'm sorry for disturbing you…"
"That's not true, not at all. Really."
"But…"
"Didn't you want to ask him for some advice? Are you sure you're not going to call him right
now? It's good to put your newfound bravery to good use."
It seemed that my feelings had been conveyed over the phone after all.
Karuizawa-san stopped and came back a bit and smiled gently at me.
"Don't hesitate to ask him for advice, I guess. That guy seems to have a lot to say, but he's not
very good at talking. Even then, I think he can give you an answer."
"Yes."
I've come this far. I have to put everything I'm thinking into it. I feel that Karuizawa-san has
helped me to create that kind of feeling.
"Well then, I'll be waiting for you next Monday."
She gave me an encouraging pep talk and she went straight to tapping the elevator's button.
But when she realized that the elevator wouldn't be coming soon, she left by the emergency exit
stairs.
"Thank you, Karuizawa-san."
At least it didn't look like she was unhappy with me.
I always had a strong impression that she was scary when she got angry, but today
Karuizawa-san seemed soft and kind… And now I don't have time to think about anything else,
so I hurried to Ayanokoji-kun's room.
I pressed the bell and the door opened in about 30 seconds.
Ayanokoji-kun was silent as he welcomed me in, so I immediately started to get impatient.
"Oh, um, I got message from you… and... well, I just wanted to talk to you!"
