Chapter 3: I have no choice but to do it

The last time I saw Kushida was at a special exam last weekend.

For a week after that, I didn't see her again until after school on Friday.

That's not all.

Neither Wang nor Hasebe attended school.

For five days, from Monday to Friday. That's five more days.

In the meantime, things were passing by without waiting for me.

Careful planning and preparation for the athletic festival. Student council work. Regular study.

My knees shake and I feel like I'm going to fall backwards as I continue to face the incoming waves head-on.

But I can't let myself fall right here and now. I have no right to grieve when I haven't achieved anything after declaring that I will definitely bring her back.

I tried to contact Ayanokouji several times, but I had to stop myself. There is a possibility that if I ask for help, he will respond.

There is always a chance that he will give you the answer you are looking for.

But at least in this case, it is something that I have to solve on my own.

"This concludes homeroom."

As soon as Chabashira-sensei finished her last homeroom for the day and left the room, I immediately followed her.

"Sensei, may I have a word with you?"

"I don't mind, but ... you're right. Let's talk while we walk."

Chabashira seemed to understand my intentions and decided to talk to me while we walked.

"It's been five days since Kushida, Wang and Hasebe were absent from school."

"On the surface, two of them are still calling in sick, but they haven't been to the hospital where they should show up. As for Hasebe, she's just saying she'll be absent and hasn't given us any details."

This violent truancy felt like a punishment to me.

"Do you feel like you're being severely penalized?"

I didn't know if I can give her a specific answer, but I tried.

"There's nothing to worry about. The rules are made so that honor students, especially Wang and Kushida, are given a longer reprieve. As for Hasebe, she's not a trouble maker, so she's not a big deal right now. It would be different if it was someone with no track record or bad behavior."

"I guess it's because of your good deeds, isn't it?"

"That's what I mean. Besides, some students are good at cheating and taking time off, while others are clumsy, hurt, and depressed for a week. It's hard to tell the difference, so we have to judge them by their attitude and grades."

Just being able to learn about that made me feel more comfortable.

"The people at this school aren't demons and they don't want to poison the

minds of children by forcing them to attend school. Anyway, the three students who are currently absent have never been tardy and have been very diligent in class. They are well qualified to be granted a reprieve."

In a soft tone of voice, Chabashira-sensei told me that.

She seemed so different from her usual self that I wondered if there was something behind it.

My classmates have been talking about it, but I think it might be true that she changed after the special exam.

"Most importantly, the school understands that we have had a tough special exam."

It's not surprising that the only thing that happens is that you take a break.

"But the time limit is almost up. If they continue to be absent next week, the 100 points you've worked so hard to earn will be lost without mercy."

It was a hidden message from my teacher, telling me to do something during this weekend.

But would I really be able to respond to that message?

I was only going to ask about my current situation, but my weakness started to show itself little by little.

"Thank you very much. Thank you for your help."

"Wait, Horikita. Wait, Horikita. Don't you still have something to say?

"... No. I don't want to cause you any more trouble."

"We won't know if something bothers you or not until we ask you. There's still some time left, wouldn't it help if you could just talk to someone?"

I'm sure Chabashira-sensei can see through my shallow state of mind.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some hesitation, but I decided to be brave and talk about it.

"I got class points by expelling Sakura. Was that the right thing to do?" "Do you regret your decision?"

"I thought I made the right decision at the time. But if I'm honest, I'm a little shaky right 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 prove that you were right. It is true that your decision was somewhat autocratic and self-serving, and some students may have seen it that way. You're struggling with their judgment, and you're beginning to feel that you've got the wrong answer.

These words were painful to hear. I can't say anything back.

"But is it really that important? No human being is perfect from the start. We make mistakes in simple addition and multiplication, we learn, and we move on. I'm walking through a life full of mistakes."

"Are you also ...?"

"The same thing happened to me when I took the special exam. I couldn't even get an answer in time before it was right or wrong. You gave me one answer for that. I think you're doing well. There is no one who can get a 100 without experience. At that stage of the exam, you were recognized as a leader and given the authority. And you were willing to cut someone down to protect the rice field. It's up to you now to make sure it was the right decision."

She says something like what a regular teacher would say.

I was a little puzzled, because I had never seen anything like that from her before.

"I was a little confused because I had never heard such a thing before. We had to choose between rationally cutting the OAA to the lowest level and accepting the inconvenience of prioritizing our commitments."

"Yes, that's right. ..."

I know, but I still have doubts.

"But I also think that I may have lost sight of what was going on around me. You wonder if you could have gotten a better answer if you had listened more closely."

"Sometimes we lose sight of our surroundings, and later, when the heat is off, we wonder if we made the right decision."

But I've never had that experience. I was so frustrated that I unconsciously clenched my fist.

"I'm sure you've been making decisions that are simplistic at best, and simplistic at worst. Of course, that's normal. It's just that the uniqueness of this school has forced you to explore new options for the first time."

"Yes, ...."

Despite the strong advice, I still hadn't found the right answer.

I probably looked pathetic, but Chabashira-sensei softened my face without any dismay.

"You fought within the rules provided by the school, didn't you?" "But I broke my promise not to expel anyone except traitors."

"Did you decide from the start to protect the traitor then lie about it in order to get a yes vote?"

"No! I was really ready to do that at that time. ... I swear."

"If so, there is nothing wrong with that. It is important to keep promises, but

even adults sometimes make mistakes. I know that the reason you changed your mind was because you realized that leaving the traitor was the right thing to do. You are free to despise or ignore those who make fun of you now. Some will follow you, and some will not. Bringing a class of nearly 40 students together is not something that even Ryuusen, Sakayanagi, or Ichinose can do easily. The other students may be saying yes on the surface, but you never know what they're thinking on the inside."

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

"Don't be afraid of failure. I don't want to be the adult who can't accept or forgive a child's mistakes.

"But, I haven't failed yet."

"... You're right, you have not failed yet. I just want to see the choice you chose at the end"

After giving me a slightly annoyed look, the teacher looked me in the eye again.

She was so polite, so stern, yet so loving, that I almost choked on my words.

"You've changed, Chabashira-sensei."

I hadn't planned to say it, but it came out.

I didn't mean to say it, but it came out, because it was my honest feelings.

"Is it strange for me to be a teacher now, when I've always treated you coldly?"

"I'm a little surprised, but no, it's not strange. "Well, that's good."

She may have thought she had said too much, but she cleared her throat and changed the subject.

"What did Ayanokoji say about Kushida?"

"Ayanokoji-kun, is it ...? No, he didn't say anything. If I had to say, I'd say he's observing me to see what I will do."

"I see. He thinks it's something you should solve, doesn't he? " "Maybe he just can't deal with my selfishness."

"I don't know, but Ayanokouji took a drastic action with the Kushida incident. If you don't trust him, I don't think he'll leave you alone."

"You're buying into Ayanokoji-kun quite a bit, aren't you? I remember you saying that Ayanokouji-kun is the most defective product."

"How can you remember such an old statement?

"He's even better than what the OAA shows about him."

"I see his confidence and reputation have grown considerably."

"It's not only his personality that's a bit of a problem, but what did he mean by ... Or was it just a mistake on your part?"

He is unmistakably superior, more calm and collected than I could ever be. I don't see any reason to make label him as a defective product.

"You don't have to take every single thing your teacher says seriously. You've spent more time with him than I have with you, haven't you?"

"I'd still like to hear it."

".... You're right. My stance hasn't changed. No, I think it's become more credible."

He is a defective product she says. That doesn't change the fact that the words aren't true.

"But don't dwell on it now, because there are other problems you must solve quickly."

"Yes, I agree"

It's true that I'm curious about it, but it can certainly wait.

I have to make sure that Kushida, Wang and Hasebe can go to school.

"How is Kushida holding up?"

"So far, she's been a bit of a drag. No matter how many times I visit, no matter how long I wait, she never opens the door."

"That's tough."

On weekends, but not on weekdays, she can buy whatever she needs at the

convenience store while I go to school.

There's no point in trying to bombard her with food.

I tried to contact her on her cell phone, but it was not turned on.

"I think she just senses that I'm pacing left and right behind the door, and she's fine."

"I'm not so sure that's the case. But if you don't make a move, things won't progress, they'll just get worse."

"Yeah...."

"When you can't do something on your own, it helps to have another person to help you out."

"But the only classmate who would be willing to help persuade Kushida is Hirata, .... He probably doesn't have time for that right now."

He already has his hands full helping out Wang and Shinohara.

"I'm sure Hirata will be able to help. ... No, I don't think it's limited to Kushida. I don't think it's going to be easy to open up a closed gate by bringing in someone who is righteous, decent, and good."

"I think I understand what you are trying to say. She's not very honest."

"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.

"But trying to persuade Kushida means confronting her true feelings. It would be a great disadvantage to tell it to an outsider."

"You will have to weigh the pros and cons. However, it is not always permissible to tell. For example, some of us teachers know about Kushida's past, and some other teachers may choose to keep it to themselves. I believe that there are no such things as secrets."

If there is someone who can inspire her, please visit ....

No, it doesn't have to be someone who inspires her, but someone who can make a breakthrough. ...

"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 do with Kushida....?

"Thank you very much, Sensei. Thanks to you, I am now prepared."

I still don't have an answer, but I have the energy to fight 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.

1

When I returned to the dormitory after shopping at the Keyaki mall, I found Ibuki standing next to the elevator staring at the entrance.

When I ignored her and pushed the elevator button, she became extremely angry.

"Don't ignore me!"

She came at me with such force that I could feel her saliva flying into my face.

I wondered what she was thinking, as we were about to embark on a long and determined battle.

She looked as if he would follow me even if I got into the elevator like this.

I had no choice but to stop and watch as the elevator doors opened to welcome her.

"Ignore you? What do you want from me?"

"YOU! What did you mean by this sentence? Tell me now!"

She glared at me and shoved the screen of her cell phone in front of me.

A blinding light illuminates my eyeballs and all I see is white light.

"Are you stupid? It's too close for me to see, can you move it a little further?"

"Fuck! Here!"

I was only able to see a small amount of space, but I was able to read through some of it and immediately understand what it said.

"I was impressed by the quality of the writing. It must have been written by an intelligent person."

"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."

"What? - If you get expelled for something that doesn't concern me, of course you're going to lose to me. Don't be such an idiot.- ..... Where's the intelligence? No, that's enough. Tell me what it means!"

"Didn't you understand what I said?"

"Not at all. I've been thinking about it all week and I just don't get it. What's with you?"

She sniffed and crossed her arms.

It was unexpected that simple advice was not taken as advice. ... No, I'd

rather think that it was potentially effective.

"There's no point in asking now. It didn't seem to be a problem."

"What? What is it? You have to explain it to me in a way I can understand."

"She really doesn't understand simple things either. I think she's letting her athleticism and fighting sense get the best of her..."

"I gave you a secret to keep you from being expelled. You were not well- liked by your classmates and could have been in danger if the assignment involved expulsion. Wouldn't you be more inclined to stay in school if you had a shot at me like this?"

"Don't tell me you're worried about me, ...?"

She looked at me not with surprise, but with a look of deep disgust.

"Don't take this the wrong way. It's just that you still have a lot of work to do. We don't want to be short-staffed, and besides, if you get kicked out of the last special exam, Ryuuen-kun's class will only get 100 points and you won't be missing out on any damage. If you're going to be expelled, it's better to be expelled on a test with a penalty."

I explained this to her, but she didn't look convinced for a second. "I think it's time for me to go home."

As she silently and angrily made way for me, I pressed the elevator button again.

As I stepped into the elevator, I noticed that Ibuki was not following me. "You're not hopping on?"

"I don't want to be in the elevator with you."

"You're a child. You've done it a few times by accident."

"I don't feel like riding with you right now."

"Okay. Then do what you want."

I pressed the close button and headed for the stairs where Kushida lived.

From here, I would have to persist until she opened the door.

As the elevator ascended, I wondered if I could really make a breakthrough.

If I don't do something different, will it ever change? If that is the case, then what I am about to do is nothing more than a waste of time.

I arrive at my destination floor and the door opens.

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 ...

Time passes and the elevator closes.

Before I could press the open button, the elevator started to move and I began to go downstairs.

"It's no good."

I'm sorry that I wasted the warm words of Chabashira-sensei.

The elevator came straight back to the first floor.

When the doors opened, Ibuki-san, who had her eyes on her cell phone, took a step forward without noticing me.

She felt a presence in the elevator, looked up, saw me, and let out a slight squeak.

"Why are you here!?"

It's not surprising that she was surprised by this.

"You're not getting on?"

"I told you I'm not getting on! Are you harassing me!?"

Shaking my head, I reached for the close button again.

Then I looked at Ibuki, who looked away, and I felt something tugging at my heart.

Just before I touched the close button, I slid it to the open button and stared at her.

She looks at me, wondering why the elevator is not closing. The breakthrough may lie in an unexpected place.

I think it's time to put Chabashira-sensei's advice into practice... "What is it?"

"... I was hoping you could help me out anyway."

"What?"

It's a big gamble, but it could be the key to breaking the stalemate.

There's a breakthrough that we can't see, and it might be an unexpected ambush that breaks it.

We have to try everything now, even if we think this is reckless. "Get in."

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not getting in?" "Just get in."

"..."

After seeing Ibuki get in, I pressed the close button.

"I have something I need you to help me with."

"Help you? No no no no, I'm definitely not getting in then."

"You've already taken the elevator."

"You're the one who told me to take it."

"Wouldn't it be nice if you could give me some advice?"

"No, it doesn't make any sense for what reason?"

"It's not a bad story for you either. So, I'll tell you what it is."

"Don't get carried away. Just because you're asking me for advice doesn't make it not a bad thing, okay?"

While we were having this exchange, we reached the floor where Kushida's room was located.

I got off first and looked back at Ibuki who was still in the elevator.

"Get out. Do you not know where your eyes and ears are at?"

"I don't know what you mean, but I'm going home."

She pressed the close button to leave, but the elevator doors did 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!

"By the way, do you have any favorite things in particular? Things you cherish?"

"... What does that have to do with anything?" "Just answer the question."

"Nope."

"No?"

"No, uh, ... I don't know. I have no idea, but strawberries maybe."

"You've got a surprisingly cute point there, .... But just forget about it."

"You asked me a question and now you're telling me that! Just take your hands off the buttons."

As Ibuki became increasingly unhappy, I decided to cut to the chase.

I realized that it would be better for her if we shared the conversation quickly and moved on.

"I'm going to see Kushida now."

"So? Why don't you just go and see her on your own?"

I hit the close button repeatedly, but of course she didn't understand.

"It doesn't work that way. She hasn't shown up for school in a week, and there's no sign of her coming out of her dorm. I need you to get her out of her room. Do you understand?"

"What? Wait, why would I do that?"

"It's called helping people."

"I don't even work with my own class, so why would I help your class?" I knew there was no way Ibuki would take me up on this offer.

But if there is a benefit to this, that's another story.

The elevator had been open for a long time, and the warning beep started. "Okay. Then I'll give you a reward for your success."

"I don't want it. If you think I'm motivated by money, you're wrong."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. But I'm sure my reward will be something you'll want very much.

"... I don't think there is such a thing."

Ibuki-san's mind cannot be easily moved. But if you confront her with something, she will change her mind 180 degrees.

"You can register in advance for up to five events at the festival. You are free to choose which events and which teams you want to participate in. It's mainly used as a measure to complete required events or to avoid strong opponents, but it's also a system that allows you to fight against targeted opponents."

After I had explained that much, the eyes of the unmotivated Ibuki-san lit up.

"I'm sure you're waiting for the right moment to fight me, aren't you? But I'm not going to make a decision until the last minute. There is a high possibility that I will make a move for the last slot, depending on the situation. So even if you wait, you'll never get the chance to fight."

"... So, if I help you, you'll fight me?"

"Yes. I'll fight you in one of your favorite games. Of course, I won't go easy on you because you're not in my class, so you won't be able to pick up any points. If you're okay with that."

"Haha. It's interesting. But I'm not satisfied with one. At least three. If you can make it two wins and one loss, I'll cooperate."

"Three? That's greedy....."

I pretended to think about it as the warning beep sounded.

"It's non-negotiable."

She's in the right. I agree that it doesn't make sense to decide who wins in just

one competition.

But if you have two or four fights, there is always the possibility of a draw.

I was expecting three rounds from the beginning, but if you make the first move, they will demand five rounds.

If she's willing to accept three rounds, that'll be fine.

"... Okay. I'll join the competition with you for three rounds. Is that okay with you? "

"It's settled. No changing it later. "

"With that, she stepped out of the elevator."

As I removed my hand from the button, the elevator began to slowly close its doors.

"Of course. But you're going to have to help me with this one until we figure it out."

"Just tell me exactly what the goal is."

"The goal is for Kushida to come to school on Monday. That's all."

"It sounds simple, but it's not. I mean, it's because you're absent. Everyone gets sick at some point, don't they?"

Chabashira sensei said that the secret about Kushida was practically nonexistent.

But the important thing is that it is not something that should be divulged unnecessarily. I took her advice and decided to tell her everything.

If Ibuki really is the kind of student who blabs to everyone around her, then I'm not a good judge of characters

I need a way out of this now, even if it means pushing myself even harder.

I'm going to talk about Kushida of course, I won't try to hide anything. I'm sure Ibuki knows what kind of life she has been living.

But I need explain every detail of her nature, her way of thinking, and her current situation.

While we were talking, Ibuki was listening with a disinterested look in her eyes, looking in some random direction.

Normally, I would have been dissatisfied with such an attitude, but I was strangely comforted by her attitude.

When I finished telling her the truth about why she was absent from school, she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Nonsense."

Without showing any strong interest in her true nature, she simply commented on the fact.

"You don't seem surprised. What did you know?"

"Nothing. It's just that I don't believe in legitimate good people. Kushida, Hirata, and Ichinose are the same. There's a rule that people who say they're good people are darker than they really are."

"That's an interesting thought." I think she may have a point.

"So, does Ryuuen have a very high opinion of you? He's ostensibly ... No, he's not a good person, inside or out."

"I don't like him much more, and by the way, I don't like guys like Ayanouji who seem harmless enough these days. It's so annoying."

If you go that far, do you think there's anyone you can find likable, Ibuki?

"Well, I don't mind bringing her out. In fact, I wanted to ask her how it feels to have been exposed as a good person until now."

If she goes too far, I'll have to stop her, but I think I need to learn how to be that forceful.

"We just have to drag out the shut-in Kushida, don't we?" "Yes."

Ibuki-san seemed quite confident and walked lightly to the front of Kushida's room.

"Are you planning to do it alone?"

"Just shut up and watch."

Then let's see what you can do.

As she walked to Kushida's room, Ibuki suddenly held her stomach and crouched down on the spot.

"... Ah, ouch, ouch, ouch!"

Then she screamed, echoing down the hallway.

I couldn't understand what she was doing for a moment, and stared at the scene in dismay.

"Kyu, I suddenly have a stomachache. ... No, I can't make it to my room in time. ...!

What ... stomachache?

No way, that's what you came up with?

You want her to open the door so you can use the bathroom? Regardless of the clichéd idea, the acting is devastatingly bad...

The floor of Ibuki's room is not here on this floor the first place.

Even if the floor is the same, it's definitely faster to run to your own room.

"Toilet, toilet, get me the toilet!"

I quickly hit the doorbell of Kushida's room to call her.

I continued to do this for about 10 seconds, but there was no sign of Kushida coming out of her room.

It was a problem before I had anything to do with it. ... I was almost overwhelmed by the obvious mistake.

I continued my performance for a few seconds.

"You're not home, are you?"

"I'm pretty sure she's in her room."

"Are you sure? If she doesn't get caught up in that act, she's a bad guy."

"Yeah, right."

I think it's best not to get into this, since she seem to be serious.

I instructed her to follow me quietly, and opened the box with the built-in electric meter in Kushida's room.

"You can see the disk here, right? If it's slowing down, there's a good chance he's not home. But if you're home and using a TV or computer, it will speed up."

Now, the disk is spinning a little faster.

"Now you know it's more likely that she's at home, don't you?" "... You know what it's like to be a thief, don't you?"

"I learned a lot last weekend while I was waiting for her. Don't abuse it." She looked at me coldly.

"Do you have any other ideas? If you don't, I'm afraid I'm going to have to declare you incompetent."

"I did it wrong."

"What?"

"It's one or the other, right? I'll force Kushida out."

I feel like I need a rationale, but then I see her spirit and I decide to give her another shot.

I keep my distance, and as she walks to the door again, she says,

"Hey, Kushida. I've heard a lot about you. I heard that you've been putting on a mask up until now, and they found out about it in the exam."

When I wondered what she was going to do, she started cursing her.

For a moment, my brain thought I should stop her, but there was no point in doing so because even if I stop her now, she'll have already heard it.

"It's not a bad idea. How does it feel to go from being the most popular person in the world to falling down? Oh, I guess Ichinose is higher in the good person ranking now. How does it feel to fall from number two?"

This technique of aggravation is much better than that horrible act she put up.

But sound from the room didn't come back. I guess rough treatment was not enough...

Ibuki-san at the door did not change her expression, nor did she stop speaking.

"Show me your disgusting face."

She slammed her right toe against the door with some force.

"I've been under a lot of stress because of Horikita, and I just want to get rid of it."

Ibuki's true intentions were not to save Kushida.

I think kicking the door of someone's room might not be so bad to relieve stress. I kind of understand how Ryuuen feels.

Her repeated kicking seemed to be for her own good.

After the first few kicks, I heard a sound from inside the room.

After several kicks, I heard a sound from inside the room, but as she was about to kick again, the door suddenly unlocked.

"This is annoying, so can you please stop, Ibuki?"

Kushida showed up in her casual clothes.

I didn't expect Kushida to react in such a violent way to her.....

I was a little shocked, wondering what all my efforts had been for the past week.

"There you go. That's who you are, after all."

Knowing Kushida's character, perhaps there was a part of him that Ibuki could understand.

"Can you please stop that misunderstanding? It's starting to piss me off." "Huh? Is that how it is? You're much more likeable than your true self." "I've never had a good feeling about you. I'm like Horikita over there." I'm sure you're in a calm state of mind.

Since there was no point in hiding, I went to Kushida's room without hesitation.

"If you don't mind, can I come up to your room? I've waited too long and I'm tired.

"Well, there's no point in trying to close it, though."

She couldn't close the door because Ibuki has one foot firmly inserted in the gap.

Kushida, who had been looking down at the inserted foot, stomped on it as hard as he could.

"Ah!!"

But Ibuki would not back off.

She kept on stepping harder and harder, but Ibuki wouldn't back off.

"We got it! It won't close!"

"That's enough!!"

When we try to force the door open, she immediately backs off and welcomes us with a straight face.

"Come in. This may be the first and last time I do this, so please take your time."

It's an implied statement, but I think he's prepared for it.

It's no small thing for Kushida to try and continue to maintain the status quo forever and cause trouble for the class.

She must have invited us here because he has decided to do something. This is our first and last chance, isn't it?

I can tell at a glance that Kushida's room is clean and well used.

I get the impression that she likes to keep her room clean even more than I do.

"Heh, heh. It's so tidy."

Ms. Ibuki said, looking around the room with admiration and surprise.

Kushida saw her attitude.

"Ibuki-san's room looks like a mess, with her undressed clothes scattered all over the place.

"Geh..., how do you know if you haven't even seen it?" No matter how you look at it, it's obvious that I was right.

"Sit down. I'm not going to offer you anything to drink or eat, but that's okay, right?

"Yes, I'm fine."

When we were asked to sit down, we looked at each other for a moment and then sat down, keeping our distance.

Kushida sat across from us, and we were now in a two-on-one situation across the table.

"So you've been standing in front of my room making noise, for what purpose?"

"You know what we're her for. You've been absent from school for a week. It's about that."

"Yes."

She gave an absent-minded reply and continued.

"Do you really think I can go to school after what happened to me? I'm not surprised, but you told her about me, didn't you? That's one of your guesses, isn't it?"

"No she didn't. She doesn't talk about me to other people carelessly." "Really? Can I trust you?

"It's not that I wanted to. I just don't have a lot of people to talk to." "Hey."

She slams her fist on the table and stares at me, but I ignore her. It's a fact.

"Even if that's the case, you're not thinking about the other person's feelings. It hurts my feelings."

"Do you have the right to say that?"

"Even if I don't have the right to say that, it's not a reason for you not to think about my feelings, is it?"

The exchange of sharp words is quickly repeated.

"Let's move on. I know I have my faults. But you were the one who initiated the hostility in the first place. Isn't that right?"

Kushida was just a classmate.

But she always saw me as someone who should be expelled from school.

"I don't deny that, but it can't be helped, because I couldn't stand it."

"I wonder what I should have done. Looking back, I can't get a clear answer."

"I know what you mean. I've thought about the same thing a few times. I've come to a conclusion. For the sake of me, who cannot stand your presence,

shouldn't you have voluntarily expelled me from school?"

"Can you please stop being absurd? That's not a conclusion, that's just a theory."

"That's a tirade. But that's all it is, a tirade."

Although she answered our questions, it was not exactly in a friendly way.

But I think it is true that this is Kushida's true intention.

Ibuki who was at first were willing to listen more or less, gradually started to get impatient.

"I wonder if you can help me put this all behind us."

"I knew that was what you were going to say, but don't make me laugh."

"You're good at what you do and you're still worth being here."

"I know."

She doesn't even show any signs of modesty, but answers immediately.

"Super self-conscious. ..."

When Ibuki muttered something, Kushida responded to it.

"Is that so? I don't think so."

"I don't think so either. I don't think your ability is great. If you want, you can try it here."

She clenched her fists.

"You're even more stupid than I imagined, Ibuki-san.That's not what competence means. Why don't you take a look at the OAA app? Your ability in this school is your goodgrades. I think the difference between me and you is more than you think."

A pissed off Ibuki took out her cell phone and checked the OAA.

She then compared it to her overall performance, paled, and silently closed

the 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 seat."

"That's gone, though, isn't it? Horikita, you opposed my withdrawal from school out of spite, didn't you? That's why you are the one who will be troubled if I become useless. I can understand why you're desperately trying to persuade me like this."

The situation in the class must have been very clear to Kushida.

"I'm defeated. There is no place for me anymore. But the only reason I stayed quiet at the end of that special unanimous exam was to do you some damage. If I continue to be absent from school, the school will punish the class that created the truant, right? And the blame for that punishment will go to you."

It is true that if Kushida continues to be absent, the class will continue to take damage as if it were being poisoned.

It's possible that the truancy strategy will eventually get bogged down in special exams, but Kushida will get her revenge in spades.

"There's no profit in it for you."

"It's too late now. I got nothing to lose, so isn't it normal to want to take her along down with me"

"What? It's not normal. Don't get carried away just because OAA's stats are good."

"I invited you in just for the fun of it, but I guess I was right. You're funny, Ibuki. If it was just me and Horikita, it would have been a boring conversation. It's true that I may have used the word "normal" incorrectly. What is normal to me must be abnormal to others, right?"

"So you admit that you're a freak?"

"I have to be first. I can't tolerate anything that's not good for me."

"You're one disgusting person."

"You can't help it. You can't change your mind. You were born that way."

I don't care if you call it spiteful or resentful.

Kushida's calm, enlightened state of mind was even more eerie than usual.

She was much tougher than when she was raising her voice and revealing her weakness.

"Until the school forces me to do something, I will continue to be a nuisance."

She declared that she would continue her disobedience until the school did something about it.

"What are you going to do?"

"There's nothing I can do about it, I can only keep talking to you like this." "You're clueless, aren't you? You're very different from Ayanokoji-kun." At the mention of Ayakoji-kun's name, Ibuki'sears perked up.

"I thought I had the advantage, but I wasn't in any hurry. On the contrary, he was planning against me the entire time. I don't think I should have let him become my enemy."

"I think that person has the ability to see things in the future. It's only recently that I've come to realize that."

"So you're like me."

"Yes."

A short silence followed.

"You're pretty stupid too, Horikita. It would have been easier if you had just cut me off."

"I don't know, maybe I'm stupid. Baseless intuition. I can't help it. I can't blame you for thinking that. However, there is no doubt that you are undoubtedly an excellent student. Although your impulses toward me and Ayanokoji, who you knew your past, have been detrimental to you in some ways, they do not change the fact that you have been contributing to the class for at least a year and a half."

I'm not ashamed to admit that she's been doing well.

"If embarrassing the class is really your top priority, you might be able to get your revenge just by continuing to be absent. I mean, is that what you want?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm asking if that's really enough to satisfy you."

"I am satisfied. I don't want anything more than that right now. You can't persuade me with any number of words, I won't shake my head."

Persuasion.

Hearing those words, I felt as if a small bone was stuck in my throat. It was true that I wanted Kushida to come to school.

I wanted her to come to school because I want to prove to her that my choice was not a mistake.

Kushida, right in front of me, knows this better than anyone.

But that's for my own sake. It is difficult to say that it is the best answer for Kushida.

"I may have been mistaken." "What do you mean?"

"I thought I was here to 'convince' you. But it's not. In the end, it was for me, for the class. I didn't take your feelings into account."

"What? Now you're trying to make me feel sorry for you?"

"I just realized that it was a mistake to take you to a school you didn't want to go to."

"Then we're done talking. If I drag my feet, Horikita-san, you will fall with me. I hope you suffer for a long time without me at school."

"Don't worry about me. But at the same time, you will also suffer."

"I'll suffer too? What was that?"

"Because you still have a place to go, and you're going to lose it."

"You've become quite selfish, haven't you? I don't have a place to go back to anymore."

The more I thought about her, the more emotions welled up in me. "You're driving me crazy."

"Huh ...?"

"You can't help it because you're a child. The point is, you've made all the wrong choices. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't tried to get rid of me, a person who doesn't tell secrets and didn't know much about your past. It's the same with Ayanokoji-kun."

"I'm telling you. I can't stand it."

"That's what a child is. If you can't stand it, you lash out. ..."

The first person the words hit was Ibuki, who was listening in silence. She bursted out laughing.

Perhaps this upset her because Kushida became irritated.

"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 on 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 shun 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. You're not there for me at all."

"I don't mean to speak for anyone else, but you're in the worst shape of your life right now."

"......"

"The class knows who you are and you can't fix it anymore. So I'm going to make trouble for you. When you cried in class, you looked like a child, but you are a child. No, a toddler actually. I feel like I'm dealing with a toddler."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

She raised her hand and waved it relentlessly at my cheek. I calmly grab her arm and forcefully restrain her.

"I know you want to make fun of me. You must feel like an infant to make such a priority of annoying me, annoying your classmates, just for your own pleasure."

"Am I supposed to be the only one who has to suffer and endure and cooperate with you and the rest of the class?"

"Don't take this the wrong way. Okay? You have solid power, so use it for your own good. It doesn't matter what's going on around you. If you do things for yourself, if you move up to Class A for yourself, that's your achievement.

If you want to do the same thing, you can go somewhere where no one knows about your past this time."

"The rest of your school life is only a year and a half. It's not that difficult, is it? For the past year and a half, you've only been putting on a good front for your classmates. It will be a lot easier on you now. Or is that too much for you to handle?"

I could feel Kushida's hands trembling with anger as I squeezed them. But I came to another conclusion.

"This is the only time I'm going to be here. The rest is for you to think about. If you're still my enemy after all this talk, I don't have any more medicine for you. You'll remain a child for the rest of your life."

"While I'm standing still, Horikita keeps moving forward. ..."

Even if I didn't tell her everything, I'm sure Kushida could see what was going on.

"You are expelled from school. I'm going to graduate with A class and make my dream come true. It's a big difference, isn't it?"

The prideful Kushida meditates on my future, whichs he hates.

School life is only a small percentage of a long life.

"Do you really think ... I have a chance to go back to school from here?"

"That's up to you. You have to decide if you want to put your fist down or not."

My arms were still full of strength, but over time, they gradually relaxed.

"I will at least listen to what you have to say. Let me hear what strategy you have in mind."

After many twists and turns, we reached a situation where Kushida was willing to listen.

However, we must not try to fix things just to make her feel good. I had to convince her of my plan for her survival.

There are several hypothetical answers, and I will reconstruct them here to arrive at the ideal answer.

"I don't think I'm going to spend the rest of my life in school as my fake self."

"No, I can't. I mean, it's impossible, right? My classmates have seen my true nature, and nothing can change that, can it?"

"Yes. But in other words, if someone hasn't seen your true nature, there's a chance you can re-cast yourself as your fake self to them, right?"

She showed a slight gesture of consideration, but then muttered, "I don't know."

"In the past, there were only a few people who knew the real me, such as you Horikita-san and Ayanokoji-kun. That's why I didn't have any hesitation in trying to fix things, but now there are more people that know in my class, right? Not only are there smart people, but there are also a lot of stupid, shitty students in the mix."

Kushida has a point. But before I could react, Ibuki spoke up first. "You're so mean!"

"Ibuki reacted hypersensitively to the part where she said "stupid" and "shit"."

"I'm not talking about you, so it doesn't matter, does it?"

"If you can't keep your mouth shut, Ibuki-san, you can leave." "Oh, yes. Then I'll leave. You'll keep your promise, won't you?" As she tries to stand up, I tell her what she needs to know.

"No, you can't. If you leave now, I'll consider it as abandonment and void the contract."

"What? Idiot..., I'll shut up then, so just get it over with." "Contract? What's all this about?"

"It's just a promise to fight her at the gym if she helped me get you to school."

I finished explaining why Ibuki was here.

"That's what it's all about, isn't it? I was wondering why Ibuki-san was there, but now I know."

"Thanks to her, I was able to visit your room, so it was worth it."

Ibuki-san made a face looking like she had many things to say, but she held back.

I respect her spirit to compete with me going as far to endure.

"Back to the topic at hand, would you agree that it's painful to continue to perform while people know who you really are?"

"Yes, it is. You can work hard at meaningful acting, but you can't work hard at meaningless acting, can you?"

So far, if you expelled me and Ayanokoji-kun, there was no reason to continue acting.

But expelling the whole class was next to impossible.

In junior high school, when Kushida was in a similar situation, she ended it all by disrupting the entire class.

So she did the same thing this time as well.

"If you don't want that, you don't have to hang out with your classmates like

before." "Really?"

It was an unexpected response not only to Kushida, but also to Ibuki, and both of them reacted in a similar way.

"Even if I keep my mouth shut to some extent, there is no guarantee. If that's the case, we can't avoid to the rest of the class from keeping their mouths shut about me."

But that would mean that Kushida's weapon would lose half of its effectiveness.

She can study and play sports, but she's not top-notch at both. She is only an honor student.

Even if she is superior to Sakura in terms of natural ability, she would lack charm in other areas.

"I am not trusted by anyone. I don't think everyone will be convinced by me anymore. Isn't that right?"

"It's true that it's not going to be the same as before. I don't know if I can really say that I have completely lost my trust. What do you think? Ibuki- san."

"......"

"Ibuki-san, please answer."

"You told me to keep my mouth shut, didn't you?" "I'll allowed you to speak."

"I don't want to telling me whether I'm allowed to talk or not. It's not like I'm your student."

"You still want to compete with me don't you?" "Ugh fine!"

Scratching her head, Ibuki answered.

"I don't believe in perfect person, and in fact, I think you were more shady before. If I had to choose between the old you and the new you, I'd say the new you is more honest."

She speaks her mind quickly.

I think Kushida heard it straight from her heart because she didn't have to resort to any tricks or wits.

"That's an interesting answer. You have an unusual way of thinking, don't you? But not everyone is as unusual as Ibuki-san. In fact, normal people would hate her."

"She's definitely not normal." "Hey!"

"But everyone has two sides to them, big or small. Ibuki appreciated the fact that you act for yourself above all else because your true feelings will never change."

It's wrong to talk about changing your true feelings in the first place.

"And if you don't change the way you speak and your tone of voice to the outside world, it's hard for people who haven't seen your true nature to truly imagine what you are like. No matter how much you explain in words, people will never understand until they experience it firsthand."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, let's see. Honami Ichinose. She's even more of a good person than you isn't she? But do you believe her right away when she tells you that she is actually a violent, foul-mouthed person who loves to see others fail?"

"... It's hard to say. She seems like a really good person."

"I have my doubts, though."

"It's not about Ichinose, it's about the very existence of good people, isn't it?"

"Well, It's true that you can't understand something until you see it firsthand. I didn't get a real sense of Kushida's true nature from hearing about it from Horikita."

"Isn't that right? At least for the past year and a half, Ichinose has been a good person. Even if someone were to make such a revelation, I wouldn't believe it. However, if all of her classmates were to say that Ichinose is such a person, we would naturally be suspicious. But then again, the image is not entirely clear, is it?"

Trying to imagine that Ichinose is a violent and abusive person. No matter who says so, you can't believe it.

Even if you're wary, you can't believe it unless you truly see it for yourself.

"You can't understand something until you experience it. In martial arts, even if the techniques are explained to you verbally and you are warned that it is dangerous, you may not understand it at all. But when you actually do it, you understand how amazing it is."

"It's typical of you to compare it to martial arts, isn't it, Ibuki-san?"

"But as long as there are doubts, I can't be trusted completely."

"That's where your skills come in. It's up to you to do it well in the future. At the very least, it is a fact that your distance control and communication skills are better than others."

At this stage, it is unknown whether she will be able to gain their trust or not.

"It's fine for the other classes, but what about my classmates? Shinohara-san, Wang-san, and especially Hasebe-san may have a grudge against me. I don't know if we'll be able to unite now."

"Maybe not all of them. You may not be able to get everyone, but you can make a difference if you just use your abilities."

Even if you continue to perform above average, students who perform below Kushida will not be able to complain easily.

"I'll help you when your untrustworthy side comes out."

"... Do you really think they're going to believe those sweet words? Don't they think I will betray you?"

"It's okay to be suspicious. I'll hear the bitterness when you betray me." For Kushida, there is nothing to be afraid of at this point in her life. It's all up to you to decide whether you want to stand up again.

After the longest silence of the day, Kushida closed her eyes.

She started to mumble something, but I couldn't hear her. Eventually, she came to a conclusion and opened her eyes.

"Okay. I will fight for a year and a half just for me, and contribute to the class. I will not fight for you Horikita or my classmates. Is that okay with you?"

"I am not complaining at all. I'm only satisfied with the results."

Kushida stood up, but this time he held out her left hand instead of her fist. "It should be the other way around shouldn't it?"

When I held out my right hand, Kushida did not respond.

"It seems that a left-handed handshake means hostility."

"... Is that so? Which hand did I offer to you before?"

"Your left hand."

It seems that she remembered clearly, and she answered immediately.

This means that she understood and still wanted to shake me with her left hand.

I also stood up and offered my left hand in response to her hand, and we shook hands.

"Don't you think that's more like us?"

"I guess so."

She squeezed my hand back, and I squeezed herhand back.

"That's right. There's something I'd like to ask you, Horikita-san, if you don't mind."

"What is it?"

She smiled and slowly extended her arms toward me.

Her hands went above my body and came close to my face.

Then she gently touched both cheeks, and ... I felt a jolt of electricity simultaneously on both sides.

"What are you doing ...!?"

"I really hate you, Horikita-san."

Then she pinched my cheek even harder.

"I was frustrated from the moment we met today, and I'm still frustrated now that we're in a cooperative relationship. I think I'm going to be under a lot of stress if I have to do this from Monday on. I need to vent like this for a while."

The force that was put into it gained even more momentum and didn't seem to stop.

"Isn't that enough?"

"No, no, no. It's not enough."

I was willing to give her a little acceptance, but she was so excited that she wouldn't stop pulling on my cheek.

If you're not going to relax at all, then I have an idea as well.

I stretched out his arms and pinched Kushida's cheeks in the same way. "What!?"

"Will you let go of me now?"

I'm sure she'll stop when she feels the same pain, but ....

"Ahh, can you get rid of that ugly face?"

I grabbed her back with my fingertips with the determination to tear her apart.

But Kushida didn't take a step back, she squeezed with more force than she could muster.

It's a battle of who has the stronger will.

"... Why don't you both just do it until you're cut to pieces? This stinks, so I'm leaving."

Ibuki, the calm one, said this and went out the door first.

The battle of wills went on for two or three minutes, and the pain was starting to wear off.

We both realized that we were making fools of ourselves, so we both let go of each other's hands.

When I saw Kushida's face turn red, I knew I was in the same boat. "... Come to school on Monday."

"You're too persistent. Can you just go home?"

She pushed me away and I walked out of her room into the hallway. "Good grief..."

I stroked my aching cheek as I looked toward the elevator, where Ibuki-san was stepping into it.

"Are you waiting for me, by any chance?"

As she walked away, Ibuki stuck out her tongue and pressed the elevator button.

"You may have a talent for making people angry..."

But it's true that I was able to meet Kushida thanks to her. I'll have to give her my best performance at the gym, just like she wanted.

2

Pulling my heavy head out of bed, I rolled out of the room.

I didn't have a fever, but I had a mild dull ache that lasted for a long time.

The cause was obvious: I had skipped five days of school because I felt guilty.

I've never missed a day of school unless I was sick.

I felt so guilty that I tried to think of something else to get rid of the guilt, but I failed to get it out of my head.

If I could get rid of it by trying, I wouldn't have taken five days off..... It's time for a change of pace. So, I grabbed my cell phone.

I tapped on the photo folder, leaving the messages unread, and I accessed my earliest records.

Scrolling through the photos, I looked at them fondly.

The first photo that caught my attention was one from just after I started school, when I didn't have any friends to call my own.

It was the first and only two-shot of me with Hirata-kun smiling kindly beside me, who still could not smile well.

I'm not good at smiling even now, but I think I've improved a lot compared to this time.

"I miss this....."

I didn't know my way around school in Japan.

The first person who helped me to relax was Hirata-kun. At that time, I was

still unaware of how I felt about him.

I only thought that he was good-looking, kind, and a nice person.

In China, where competition is strong and the level of study is high, there is no time to fall in love, so I didn't realize it.

I don't know when I realized that I was in love, but from the day I realized it, I knew I wouldn't have to say anything about it.

Hirata-kun is very popular, and he's not someone I can reach. If I expressed my feelings to him by mistake, I would only embarrass him.

So I kept it to myself and was content just to be around him. "And yet..."

Just thinking about it again made me feel ashamed and scared, and tears welled up in my eyes.

"What should I do...?"

Everyone in my class knew that I liked Hirata-kun.

I'm sure they knew that I was trying to be near Hirata-kun during the seat change, right?

I don't know what I should look like when I go to school. ...

After I came to that conclusion, I was struck by another feeling of guilt.

Sakura showed both her kindness and harshness to Hasebe and left the school.

I'm sure her feelings were more painful than I could possibly imagine. But I was so focused on myself that I pushed the button in favor of her leaving school, hoping that the exam would be over soon.

"It's the worst ...."

I hate myself so much.

It's my own little problem...

I was about to turn off my cell phone screen because I didn't want to see myself smiling so awkwardly, when I remembered the text message I had received from Ayanokoji-kun on Monday night.

I wonder how Ayanokoji-kun is feeling right now. I wonder if he is still able to go to school after having his precious friend expelled by his own hands.

I'd like to see and talk to him in person at some point.

With that in mind, read through the text message that was sent to me by him.

- I want to talk to you in person.-

"Oh..."

Ayanokoji-kun's message was linked to mine, as if my feelings were written in text.

There was a phone number and room number attached.

Will he be able to help me?

There are several people besides Ayakoji-kun who are worried about me.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to listen to you? There's no need to push yourself, okay?"

I was grateful for such kind words, but I did not feel confident that I could solve the problem no matter how I responded.

However, Ayakoji-kun is available at ....

I want to listen to you. I want to hear what you have to say. Let's go to ....

It's still 5:30 in the evening. The time is still 5:30 p.m. It's early for dinner and it's ....

I think it's rude to just drop in.

I pondered back and forth in the room for a while, but time just flew by.

I made up my mind and decided to pay a visit to Mr. Ayanokoji.

I picked up the phone and rang it nervously.

Five times, six times .... When the tenth rang came, I was wondering if I should hang up.

Ayanokoji-kun picked up the call, and I hurried to speak up.

"Oh, it's me, Wang! Is that you, Ayanokoji-kun?"

-"You called me, didn't you?"-

Ayanokoji-kun's slightly echoing voice and the sound of the shower running reached my ears faintly.

"... Yes. I've been having trouble getting out of my room for a long time. ... I feel like I can get out now. ... So I was wondering if you could listen to me for a while..."

-"Now?"-

"Is this a bad time for you to visit ...? I'm sorry to call you so suddenly..."

It's a bad time, and I don't know if I can do anything about it.

-"It's not that. Can you wait a little though? I'll be ready in 30, no, 20 minutes."-

"Oh, thank you very much! I'll be there in 20 minutes! Excuse me!"

I was so strangely nervous that I couldn't take it anymore and hung up the

phone immediately.

"I was so nervous..."

The fact that I hadn't talked to anyone in a week may have had an effect...

While I waited, I cleaned myself up and after almost 20 minutes, I got ready and left the room.

When I opened the front door, it felt heavier than usual. "Oh, it's here ... again."

By my door, there was a plastic bag.

"They came by again today."

The bag contained jelly, tea, sandwiches and other items.

It all started on a Monday night when I quietly left my room to go to the convenience store.

At first, I thought someone had just left it there by mistake, but there was a small piece of paper in the plastic bag with my room number on it.

But there was no name on it, so I didn't know who it was.

"Oh, there's a salad in there today, too. ... But ... it's not exactly my favorite. ..."

It's a chicken salad with lots of protein.

Even so, the fact that the lineup changes a little bit every day is also a sign of kindness.

"I wonder who it is."

There was nothing else in the plastic bag that could give us any clues, not even a receipt. Thanking Mr. Nameless, I leave it at the front door for now

and take the stairs to the fourth floor where Ayanokoji-kun's room is located. I feel strangely nervous on the floor where the boys' room is located. ...

With that in mind, I opened the door and entered the hallway, just as I arrived, the door to the room opened.

I wondered for a moment who it was that came out of the room, but it was Karuizawa-san.

She didn't have her usual nice ponytail, but her hair was straight and smooth.

I wondered if it was a date in the room.

If that's the case, I must have made an incredibly annoying phone call.....

I was about to feel depressed again, but I couldn't run away after coming this far.

My eyes locked with Karuizawa's as she took immediate action to look around.

"Oh, she's the person you were talking to. See you later, Kiyotaka!"

I took a deep breath, which made me nervous, Karuizawa took two deep breaths as well.

She might say something about Hirata-kun. "Bye, bye!"

"Wha- what?"

I braced myself, but she just said goodbye and walked past me without making eye contact.

I stopped him as her quickly walked away.

"Um, Karuizawa-san!

"What is it?"

"... I'm sorry for calling Ayanokoji-kun so suddenly. ... I'm sorry for disturbing you. ..."

"It's not like that, not at all. Really."

"But ..."

"But, you wanted to consult with him, right? That's what Kiyotaka said. He said that if you came now, you'd have new courage to get out of your room again."

It seems that my feelings were conveyed to him on the other end of the phone.

Karuizawa stopped and came back a little and smiled kindly at me.

"I think it's good to ask him for advice without hesitation. He seems to talk a lot, but he's not very good at talking, but I think he can give you an answer."

"Y-yeah."

I've come this far. I have to tell him everything I'm thinking about. Thanks to Mr. Karuizawa, I was able to create that kind of feeling. "Well then, I'll be waiting for you next Monday."

She gave me an encouraging pep talk, and I continued to tap the elevator's elevator button.

But when she realized that the elevator would not be coming soon, she took the emergency exit stairs and left.

"Thank you, Karuizawa."

At least it didn't look like she was unhappy with me.

I've always had a strong impression that she's scary when she's angry, but today, Karuizawa-san seemed softer and gentler...

But I can't afford to think about anything else right now, so I should hurry to Ayankoji-kun's room.

I pressed the doorbell, and the door opened in about 30 seconds.

When Ayanokoji-kun, who welcomed me, was silent, I immediately became nervous.

"Oh, um, I got a text from ... ... I just wanted to talk to you. ...!"

3

I really wanted to send Kei back to her room a little earlier, but I was in a hurry.

I thought I should have given her a few more minutes, but I had to make sure she wouldn't change her mind, and I had no choice.

"Don't hesitate to come in."

"I'm sorry to bother you. ...!"

Mii-chan couldn't hide her nervousness, but there was no sign that she wanted

to turn back.

I only saw her for a short while, but I could tell that she was trying hard to get up on her own.

She didn't want to stay holed up in her room, unlike Kushida and Haruka. "Do you want something to drink?"

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

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

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

"The reason you're here is because of Kushida exposing your secret about Yosuke, right?"

Her shoulders slumped at the mention of his name, and then Mii-chan nodded quietly.

"I want to know how the class is doing. Shinohara-san, Matsushita-san, and Hasebe-san. At the very least, I want to know about the people who are hurting much more than me. And also about you, Ayanokoji-kun."

I didn't expect her to mention my name here, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

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

"Thankfully, there are a lot of people who care about me. But I just can't see them. If I see them, I have to reply to them."

She only read the messages but didn't reply.

"You're right, then. There's no need to make an order, but if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask."

It's not often that the two of us talk to each other.

It's not often that two people talk to each other in this way.

We don't need to talk smoothly, but we can't solve our problems if we hold back.

It's better to find a way to get to know each other.

"Thank you. Oh, but before that, ..., just to confirm, was it you Ayanokoji- kun who bought and placed the various items in front of my room?"

When I didn't understand what was going on, Mii-chan explaind it to me.

There was a person who delivered food to her once a day after she took a break from school.

There was a piece of paper with only Mii-chan's room number on it, but nothing to identify the sender.

For a moment, I thought of Yosuke, but I hadn't heard anything about him doing anything similar for Kushida or Haruka.

If Yosuke, who treats all of his classmates equally, were to give the food 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 met.

"I'm sorry, but it's not me, and I don't have any idea."

"I see. .... They helped me a lot, and I wish I could thank them.."

"Even if you're absent, there will always be students who care about you."

Some send her messages, some call her, some bring her gifts.

Even if they don't call her, there are probably many students around her who are worried about her.

She nodded her head for a moment and then asked me a question. "Ayanokoji-kun, you're still attending school... right?"

If you're not in contact with the outside world, it's not surprising that she doesn't know exactly what I'm doing.

Of course, you wouldn't think that someone who's trying to counsel someone would be in depressed state, would you?

"I went to school this week just like normal without any changes."

"... Isn't it hard on you? No, of course it's hard, but you didn't think you'd hate going to school?"

"You're asking me that in general, aren't you? I've never been one to take initiative over my classmates, and I'm sure everyone was surprised that I pushed Kushida over the edge and got my friend expelled."

"... Yes. you were like different from the Ayanokoji-kun I knew. It was a little scary."

She is honest and straightforward, and expresses what she feels frankly. There is no point in talking about the superiority or priority of friends or classmates here.

We've already covered that in the special exam, so it's not something we need to go into now.

"I was just trying to cover up my own cowardice by intimidating you. I've never been good at expressing my emotions, so no one noticed. I think the reason I can go to school without missing a day is because I didn't want people to know I was in pain after what happened."

"I didn't want people to know that I was hurting because of what Kushida said by taking time off. On Monday morning, I changed into my uniform and walked to the door. But I couldn't take the next step. Because I took a day off, the door became more and more distant and heavy. ... It's all my fault, though..."

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

"I'm sorry I had to take a week off for something like this."

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. It must have taken a certain amount of courage for you to come here. And you haven't completely given up on going to school, have you?"

"Of course not! I really want to go to school right away. I know I can't do it. But I feel ashamed and embarrassed right now ...."

Secret thoughts. Regardless of how many students were aware of it, it is understandable that they would be deeply hurt if their secrets was exposed in such a public place.

"I can't say that I understand where you are coming from, or that I can do anything to help you. But at least your classmates are worried about you."

"Yes.."

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

Suddenly a blade is held to her throat, and she gasps for air.

Don't worry about it. I'll wait forever. It's easy to say things that sound good, but they only serve to postpone the conclusion.

Saying this may seem like harsh therapy to the untrained eye, but it helps get inside the mind.

"Fortunately, it hasn't come to light yet, because both Kushida and Haruka are absent as well. But next week, I won't know. What would happen if they came to school and only you didn't come to school? Do you understand?"

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

She nodded her head, her arms trembling slightly as fear rose in her.

I thought that if the stimulus was too strong for her, I would have to reduce it, but surprisingly, there was no sign of danger.

She was small and timid, but her core was relatively strong, and I judged that she would not break easily.

"Just come to school without a care in the world. There's no need to tell Yosuke anything special."

"But ... I'm seated in front of Hirata-kun, so ... I'm close to him."

"Oh, by the way, during the seat change, Mii-chan you held the unpopular middle seat before anyone else. Was that because you thought Yosuke would take the seat behind you?"

"...!"

Their reaction was so blatant that I knew the correct answer without being told directly.

"That's what I'm talking about. You've observed and understood Yosuke very well."

"Ugh, I'm so embarrassed. ..."

She hugged his knees and shook her face sideways.

It seems that embarrassment is the stronger problem.

"Did Hirata-kun say anything about ... me?

She stepped into the part that must have been bothering her for a long time. But her face was hidden behind her knees, so I couldn't see her.

"Of course because he cares about you too."

"..., That's because he was feeling annoyed at me, isn't it?"

Since she was the one concerned, it was natural for her to be more concerned about Yosuke than about other issues.

"It's different from annoyance. He feels sorry that he was the cause of your absence."

"There's nothing wrong with ... Hirata-kun, but ...!"

"I'm sure you know that he's that kind of guy. You've known for a long time, even longer than me."

We are able to enjoy someone else's joy as if it were our own.

On the other hand, when someone is unhappy, you feel unhappy as if it were your own unhappiness.

That's the kind of personality Yosuke has.

Yosuke is also suffering because of Mii-chan's own withdrawal.

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

She slowly raised her head and her eyes were a little red, but she didn't show any tears and lowered her knees.

"It's not that I didn't think about it, it's just that I thought that Hirata-kun might be suffering because of me. But I tried not to look at myself first..."

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

As a second year in high school, Mii-chan is almost a complete student. "Your expression is seems better than before."

"Thank you very much. I feel much better after talking with you. Thanks to you, Ayanokoji-kun."

"It's nothing serious. It's just that I happened to be there when you were recovering."

"That's not true. I thought that if I could see you Ayanokoji-kun, you might've been able to solve my problem."

She told me firmly in words and bowed deeply.

"I will definitely go to school on Monday."

"I know, but if you're still not feeling well you can take it easy."]

"I'm fine. I'll even crawl to school on Monday if I have to."

It feel like I'm spinning her wheels a little too much, but if she's that enthusiastic, it's enough.

"The other thing that worries me is the person who has been bringing me gifts. I've given them a lot of shopping to do over the past five days, and I think the total amount of money they've spent on ... must be close to 10,000 points."

If it's just one person, that would be quite expensive.

In the event that you've got a lot of money to spend, they could've spend it on a lot of other things.

"I guess it's the result of what my parents taught me. It's a little too much, though."

She was too polite even to her classmates. That's one of Mii-chan's strengths, though.

Now that we've solved one problem, let's finish what we haven't been able to do in my room.

Recently, more and more students have been coming to my room, so I can't afford to take my time.

I can't wait to see what Horikita, Yosuke, and the rest of the students have in store for us.

No sooner after I had resumed my quick cleanup than the doorbell rang again.

I quickly look at my cell phone, but there's no notification that I've been contacted by Kei or any of her friends.

A visitor without an appointment, or .... I don't like the timing.

I'll try to stay silent for a while. There is also the option of using the answering machine ....

But after about 30 seconds, the doorbell rang once again.

It's dusk, and I've turned off all the lights in the room, so I slide the peephole lid back on and looked down the hallway.

In a sense, the last person I want to see is standing there.

It was the first year student, Ichika Amasawa.

Looking back, I remembered that this had happened to me sometime before.

I remember that day, too, when I had a visitor at a bad time, when I didn't want them to come.

The fact that she was wearing her school uniform even though it was a Saturday made me wonder if visited school or something.

I wondered if the visit should be seen as a mere public appearance or if it was intentional.

Considering what happened last time, I can't help but suspect that it was intentional.

It's obvious that they knew I was in the room and came to visit. While I was doing this, the doorbell rang for the third time. "Thanks a lot. I've come to play with you."

While she was waiting for my response, Ichika tells me in a sweet voice. "I'm sorry, but I'm busy right now. Can't you do this tomorrow?"

"I can't do that. I overheard that the older man was doing something bad with the girl, so I came to investigate. If you don't open the door, we have a problem!"

The voice echoed through the hallway, forcing me to open the door.

If I let her speech go unchallenged, the neighbors would eventually hear the commotion.

I had no choice but to open the door and face Ichika.

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

"I'm the source of the information. "

"That's a completely unreliable source of information."

"That's not true. You brought Karuizawa and Wang in today, didn't you?" It's not just a hunch. She didn't hesitate to mention both names.

She could have guessed Kei's name, but not Mii-chan. It's obvious that she knows what I was doing.

"I'd like to say that I didn't plant any listening devices your room, okay? The school seems to be doing thorough inspections."

It's true that you can't buy those kinds of disturbing things by mail order. However, there is a way to get it only for Ichika.

"I'm not surprised if you have one or two if you've been connected with Tsukishiro before."

She continued to look at me with a smile on her face, even when I pointed it

out to her.

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

Before I could give my permission, Ichika walked into the room with the momentum of taking off her shoes.

Then, without hesitation, she began to scurry around the room. "What are you doing?"

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

I'd like you to answer why you need to check my room...

She continued to look around without hesitation and approached my bed with her eyes.

"Are you wondering how I was able to find out about Wang? Did I just happen to see her come and go, or did I know some other way?"

"Did you really come into someone else's room to brag about your information network?"

She doesn't deny it, but immediately affirms it, touching the bed with her hand.

As she fixes the wrinkles in the sheets, she searches for something in every corner with her fingertips.

I sat down on the carpet and observed Ichika, who seemed to be investigating something until she was satisfied.

"Your girlfriend has long hair, doesn't she? That means you like girls with long hair, right? That's why I'm trying to grow it out little by little."

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

I couldn't force her to stop, so I had no choice but to watch her, and then she suddenly stopped moving.

She grabbed something from the pillow of the bed with her index finger and thumb and lifted it up.

"What's this?"

She held up a long, golden hair as if he were holding the head of a demon.

"It's probably Kei's. She often comes to visit me these days."

"Yes, but what does it mean that it is near the pillow?"

"I'm sure there are a lot of possible scenarios, but do we have to list them one by one?"

"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 police forensic scientist, searching for something.

I don't know what she's looking for, but I don't think she's going to find what she's looking for.

"Did they teach you how to ransack people's rooms in the white room?" When I posed a question about the white room, Ichika stopped right there.

"Don't you have any doubts? I was sent to this school in order to get you expelled, but even in the second semester, we're still blending into the daily life without touching our seniors."

"At least you've been branded as disqualified and unwanted by the White Room."

"I'm not denying that, but what do you think of the other girls?" "Not interested."

"Well, that's true, isn't it? If you're still alert, you won't act carelessly."

"I recommend that you enjoy your time at school and don't worry about me." "I agree with you. I think you should do the same..."

After a short pause, Ichika continued his check out my room. As she turned her back to me and stuck her butt out, the short skirt of her uniform revealed a little bit of her underwear.

It's not like she doesn't notice, but she continues to crawl without letting me know that I can see it.

When she puts her face under the bed, her underwear is even more exposed. "You're so naughty when you're glued to my underwear, senpai."

"It's not so much that I'm looking at your underwear, but I'm more so afraid of what you might do to me if I takes my eyes off you."

As I kept my eyes on her, she pulled his face out of the bed and looked back at me.

Ichika, who had an air of maturity about her that I couldn't believe someone like a first year would have, crawled straight up to me.

"I think I'm starting to get out of control. I think he's confusing the means with the end. He's more concerned about getting youexpelled than he is about getting back into the white room."

She muttered at close range, with only a few centimeters between our lips. The sweet smell reaches my nostrils.

"What an annoying story."

"It is for you, isn't it? I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I've been thinking that maybe I should just tell you who the other person is and let him lead me away."

"I might end up being the one to be led away."

"Hahaha, that's funny."

It's not funny at all.

"What do you want me to do? Do you want to hear their name?" After getting about an inch closer, Ichika waited for my reply. "I appreciate your suggestion. But I'll pass."

"Is it because you don't have confidence in your ability to win even after hearing their name?"

"If their true identity is leaked from an unexpected source, the one they will suspect first is you Ichika. What will be the result?"

"Of course, the blame might fall on me."

"I don't need to make your school life uncomfortable just to find out who the other White Room student is."

I will not tolerate her if she stands in my way as an enemy, but Ichika does not seem to be doing so at the moment.

"You're very kind, senpai."

And it's also a problem if I trust her too much.

If she's acting with some strategy, I can't deny the possibility that Ichika's statement is a trap.

"I'll go home now that I've been rejected."

"Did you come all the way to my room to tell me that, or did you mainly come to look around?"

"Well, which is it?"

Laughing devilishly, Ichika immediately turned to the kitchen to look at the burnable trash bag, which did not contain much.

"I've visited your room several times, but today you took out very little trash, didn't you? I thought you were the type of person who fills the bag to the brim and then throws it away."

"I just have a lot of raw vegetable and fish waste that I don't want to leave until next week."

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

"I'm sorry, but it's forbidden to take out the garbage after 8:00 p.m." "I see you're following the rules."

I was not expecting Ichika's visit, but that was one thing that solved my mystery.

"I could see why you came here today. You came here to make a suggestion. The reason you were searching every inch of the room was because you wanted to make sure no one else was listening in."

The fact that she pretended to find something private about me was all a sign of caution.

Ichika knew that the white room student had already set up a trap.

"Senpai. I'm sure you'll be fine, but if I'm expelled, please consider that something unexpected has happened to you."

On the way home, Ichika left the room with these words.

When I checked my cell phone to see if there was anything unusual, I received a chat from Akito.

-Haruka will be coming to school next Monday.-

This is good news for now. As a member of the group, he must have succeeded in persuading Haruka.

The problem is that this is not something that was sent in the chat room of everyone connected to the Ayanokoji group. After staring at the screen for a while, a new text was sent to me.

-Please keep a quiet eye on Haruka for a while.-

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

She's go to school, but she might not want to talk to me.

That's why, if I talk to her carelessly, they may stop attending school again.

I guess that's the reason. It's an easy reason to understand. If she comes back to school, I have no objections at all.

- I understand. I'll be very careful.-

-Thank you for your help. I hope things will be the same again.-

For the next few moments, I received several encouraging messages from Akito, and when the time was right, I ended the chat.

"One problem solved?"

But this "solution" is not a true solution.

It's better to think of it as a tentative revival of Haruka.

After a fast-paced few hours, I was feeling more tired than usual.

I think I'll go to bed early today.

However, I must remember to take out the garbage first.

(tl notes: Hmm I wonder why he has to take out the garbage? hehehehehehe)

4

Monday came around again.

Saturday was a very active day, with Mii-chan directly confronting me, and Akito indirectly informing us of Haruka's intention to attend school.

Even so, there is no guarantee that she will attend school, and it is up to her to decide whether or not she wants to.

In the case of Kushida, Horikita had not contacted me even once until this morning.

Even if she does come to school, it is impossible to predict how she and her classmates will react.

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

About a quarter of the class arrived at school, and I was greeted by the girls' surprise and smiles. Mii-chan walked into the classroom with a reserved look on her face.

"Oh, good morning. ... Thank you."

Mii-chan, who had come to school prepared to be made fun of, looked up at me with trepidation.

The girls welcomed her without even mentioning the topic.

"Good morning, Mii-chan."

"Oh, good morning, Hirata-kun."

This man also welcomed Mii-chan back with a smile that never changed.

At this point, I don't know if Mii-chan's love life will take off or not. However, even if it hasn't started, it certainly hasn't ended.

It is possible that there will be a major turning point for both of us in the course of our school lives.

After that, the girls never let go of Mii-chan, who was still somewhat tense, and they started laughing about what happened at school last week.

After most of the classmates had arrived at school, Haruka showed up at the door.

Akito accompanies her, and as if he doesn't know when she will run away, he follows her to her seat to stop her. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it.

I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be glad that I wasn't around those three people when we switched seats.

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

After watching the scene, Akito and Keisei said a few words and returned to their seats.

Mii-chan and Haruka arrived at school today.

Both of them have friends who can support them when they are in pain.

For Mi-chan, it was many girls. For Haruka, it's Akito and Keisei. Even though there are a few of them, they can be called their best friends.

For the time being, the fear of receiving a big negative impact from the school has been avoided.

But what about the remaining person that is missing?

Less than three minutes before morning homeroom, a stiff-faced Horikita came to school alone.

She glanced at Kushida's seat, then took her own seat and stared straight at the blackboard.

I was hoping to see her since she wasn't in the lobby this morning, but I guess she didn't make it.

Shinohara and some of the other students must have thought the same thing when they saw Horikita's back.

Eventually, the chime rang and it was time for homeroom.

Chabashira-sensei showed up in the classroom with all the seats occupied except for Kushida's.

"Both of you are feeling better now. It's been a long summer cold, but you'll have to take better care of yourselves from now on."

"She lightly nudged them, but without blaming them, she confirmed their attendance."

"Are you absent today, Kushida? I don't think I've heard from her yet, so..." At that time, I heard the sound of the classroom door opening behind me. She was slightly out of breath, but quickly adjusted herself.

"Sorry, I'm late."

With a calm voice, Kushida walked into the classroom.

"That's the first time you've been late to class. You've been absent for a long time, but are you feeling better?"

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

"She replied without any panic and sat down in his seat."

She didn't exchange a word with anyone, and her gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.

The classroom is filled with a sense of tension, but there is no room for private conversations, so silence ensues.

"I know you guys have been through a lot, but this is the first time we've all been together in a week."

Even though the situation in the class was still unstable, the teacher nodded her head in satisfaction.

"It's almost time for the sports festival. I expect you to make great strides and perform well."

After that, homeroom was over and the classroom was in an uproar.

Of course, I don't need to tell you that this was due to the fact that Kushida had come to school.

The students stared at her as if she were a tumor.

Will you remain silent, or will you smile as usual?

Or will she bare her fangs again?

I pull out my chair to leave the classroom and head down the hallway.

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

That's what I thought, but then I received a message on my cell phone that said, "I'm watching you, don't worry."

In the corridor where I only showed my face, Chabashira-sensei found me and answered with a nod.

After confirming this, I decided to close the door so that they wouldn't notice.

I'll do everything I can as a teacher. I guess that's what Chabashira-sensei is trying to do for us now.

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

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

With that one action, she seemed to be threatening them not to do anything else.

The first thing she did was to go in front of Mii-chan, whose seat was also close to hers.

Just 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." "Ah, well, let's see, ...."

"Do you hate me now?"

"No, not at all.."

"You don't have to like me, Mii-chan. I can't change the fact that I revealed your secret in front of everyone, and I don't intend to be friends with you. I guess I don't need to tell you that."

I'm not going to get along with you.

The tone of voice was softer, but the strong words made Mii-chan even stronger.

The eyes of many of the students looking at situation were filled with dissatisfaction, anxiety, and doubt.

Normally, this would be painful enough, but it had no effect on Kushida.

"I don't want to say that I want you to understand how you felt at that time, but I had no choice but to do what I did at that time. I apologize for making Mii-chan one of my targets."

She then bowed her head deeply. She seemed more clerical than sincere in his apology, but at least she didn't seem malicious.

"I'm sorry to have caused trouble to Shinohara-san and Matsushita-san, but it looks like we've made up."

If you ask me, the distance between Shinohara and Matsushita's groups has closed in again.

It may be that Yosuke and Sudo were working to reconcile them during the weekend.

"Do you really think an apology will be enough?"

Without pausing, Shinohara checked her with rather harsh words.

"I'm sorry, but if I don't apologize, where else do I start then?"

"That's ..., but your attitude when apologizing..."

"That's the real me."

The fake mask that she's been wearing all these years. The angelic face she had before no longer exists.

This fact alone must have made the whole class nervous.

"In the future, 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 someone in the class wants to interfere with that, I think that's fine."

It doesn't matter how much you try to make yourself look good on the outside, you can't build a relationship with someone on the inside if they interfere with it.

"I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not to use the weapons I've built." If Kushida was a person who valued her friends and feared being alone,

isolating her would be a way to get back at her. But instead of being passive, she was on the offensive.

"And I will not tolerate anyone who tries to antagonize me. I've only revealed a few things in the special exam. I'm sure there are plenty of other people out there who have something to hide, right?"

She mumbles as if threatening the whole class, not just a specific person.

"But I promise you one thing. As long as you don't try to trick me, I won't reveal any of my secrets. This is not for the sake of the class, but for my own sake. I'm doing this so I can graduate with in 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 harbor resentment, dissatisfaction, and distrust of her, depending on the situation, shge may even find herself on the side of being cut off.

So, in order to prevent that from happening, she will not reveal any more secrets.

However, if she decides to stab us in the back, she will not be forgiven.

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

Kushida's overall status is one of the best in the school. At least academically and physically.

At least in terms of academic and physical challenges, she would not be held back.

"Hasebe. You're okay with that too, right?"

I said something to Haruka, who had not moved from her seat and was not even looking at the class but she did not respond and just sat there letting her gaze drift out the window.