>21< Educating Troubled Children

Chapter 21: Educating Troubled Children

After finishing their activities by the river, Shizuka informed everyone that before the bonfire event that evening, there would be a test of courage event, with the volunteers dressing up as monsters to scare the elementary school students.

"Ugh, what on earth are these incredibly cheap cosplay outfits?" Yumiko complained with a tone of disbelief.

The group nodded in agreement, as the costumes on the table certainly deserved Yumiko's critical description.

"In the heavens above—" Ebina, now dressed in a shrine maiden outfit, was mumbling something mysterious.

"Does a magician count as a monster?" asked Saika with a puzzled expression to Hachiman.

Looking at the adorable Saika, Hachiman widened his eyes, trying to maintain a calm appearance.

"In a broad sense, yes."

"But it's not really that scary."

"Well, it is actually quite scary, trust me," Hachiman replied, breaking into a sweat and muttering internally.

"It really is scary. If this goes on, I'll end up going down the Totsuka route without hesitation, which is truly terrifying."

Zaimokuza also noticed this, showing a mischievous grin as he pulled the dazed Hachiman over and whispered in his ear.

"Hey, are you reacting to Totsuka?"

Hachiman snapped out of his daze and, a bit flustered, looked away after hearing Zaimokuza's words.

"No way, Totsuka is a guy! My sexual orientation is normal."

Zaimokuza patted Hachiman on the shoulder and said, "You know, don't you think that as long as there's love, gender isn't such a big issue?"

"Huh? What kind of nonsensical idea is that?"

"Well, just consider it—up until now, you haven't had much luck with women, right? Instead of waiting around, why not pursue the Totsuka route you're thinking about?"

"What? How did you know what I was thinking?"

"It's written all over your face. Anyway, if you want to make a move, you can come to me for advice. How about that?"

Seeing Zaimokuza's enthusiastic expression, Hachiman couldn't help but twitch his mouth, realizing that his friend's mischievous side had definitely been triggered.

However, this conversation planted a seed in Hachiman's heart, waiting to one day sprout.

"Onii-chan, Zaimokuza-niichan, how do I look?" Komachi called out to them.

She was wearing a cat-ear costume, though the puppet-like outfit wasn't very flattering.

"Not bad, but if you added a maid outfit and cat ears, it'd be perfect," Zaimokuza assessed.

"Really? Maybe I'll wear it for you next time, Zaimokuza-niichan," Komachi said, intrigued.

"Hey, don't hit on someone else's sister," Hachiman glared at Zaimokuza.

"Oh dear, brother-in-law," Zaimokuza pretended to be offended.

Hachiman's face turned dark, while Komachi blushed at this remark.

Yukino suddenly appeared beside Komachi, pinching her cheeks and nodding in approval. "It suits you well, Komachi."

"Really? Thank you, Yukino-nee."

Zaimokuza, looking at Yukino in her kimono, asked,

"What are you dressed as?"

"A snow woman."

"Wow, you really look the part!"

Yukino rolled her eyes and asked, "And what are you going to dress as?"

"Well, I thought of going as a handsome monster, like a vampire." He then rummaged through the prop box for decorations.

"Yay, peace!" Yui was trying on a demon outfit, making different faces in the mirror.

"What are you doing?" Zaimokuza asked, perplexed by her expressions.

Yui turned, blushing. "Ah, nothing, just practicing. How do you like my outfit?"

Zaimokuza looked her up and down, giving a thumbs up. "It suits you well, Yui."

"Ehehe, really? Thanks for the compliment."

"But."

"But?"

"I hope next time you won't wear something so revealing in front of other guys, Yui." Zaimokuza's gentle tone made Yui blush deeply, and she hurried away.

"You're quite the charmer, I see," Megumi Kato said from behind.

"Ah, Megumi, are you cosplaying as any monster?" Zaimokuza quickly changed the subject.

"Are you changing the subject, Zaimokuza-kun? Anyway, I haven't decided yet. Do you have any suggestions?"

"How about cosplaying as Tamamo-no-Mae?"

"The great fox demon, Tamamo-no-Mae?"

"Yes, let me help you find something." He gently took her hand and led her to the props.

Seeing this, Yumiko couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed.

"This guy can't be doing it on purpose, can he? Acting concerned for every girl," Yumiko thought to herself as she observed Zaimokuza.

After some time, everyone had changed into their cosplay costumes, ready for the night's test of courage.

With the previous issues concerning Rumi resolved, the event didn't unfold as tensely as it did in the original story. Instead of breaking up cliques, the event concluded happily, and everyone began dancing around the bonfire.

Watching the elementary kids dance, Yui sighed nostalgically.

"I remember doing this dance when I was in elementary school," she remarked.

"Oh, I remember my Onii-chan telling me he once danced an Oklahoma mixer all by himself, with only the air as his partner," Komachi casually revealed, not hiding her brother's embarrassing history.

"Ha!" Zaimokuza burst out laughing, and others around them couldn't help but snicker.

Hachiman gave his sister a resentful glance and thought, "She's my sister, I can't hit her."

After the series of dances, the elementary school principal gathered everyone and announced, "Before we head to rest, a high school student will give an important lecture on respect. Let's welcome Zaimokuza to explain it to us." Despite their reluctance, the elementary students clapped in response.

Under everyone's gaze, Zaimokuza climbed to the top of the steps, the perfect vantage point to observe all the students' reactions.

"Ahem, I'll cut to the chase and get to today's topic: bullying."

Hearing this, the elementary students began whispering among themselves. Seeing the chaotic scene, Zaimokuza remained unfazed, knowing he needed to make an impact.

"Be quiet and listen," Zaimokuza's cold voice cut through the air, carrying an imposing authority that silenced everyone. The icy look on his face made their skin crawl. "Bullying usually involves unequal power dynamics and exists everywhere, including schools. It can be physical, verbal, social exclusion, or even derogatory remarks about someone's body."

"News about bullied individuals taking their own lives appears frequently. And who is responsible?" Zaimokuza asked the students, making them swallow nervously.

"The perpetrators are often the bullied students' classmates. Journals left behind record violence and insults, yet because the culprits are classmates, they often escape punishment. Schools tend to hush things up, and classmates feign ignorance. This reflects a sickness in Japanese society."

Everyone was taken aback, staring at the tall figure on the steps with newfound respect.

Some teachers present realized that a student had a deeper understanding of bullying than they did themselves.

"So, what is the true nature of bullying? Is it the students who bully? The teachers? The schools? No, these are not the essence. The essence is something far more terrifying, something that exists not just in classrooms, but also in offices, companies, homes, and every corner of the country. We're forced to read the room, to go with the flow. The majority is naturally seen as the right one, and dissenters are excluded. The essence of bullying is the atmosphere. In this nation where everyone moves in unison, the monster called 'atmosphere' wields tremendous power."

Shizuka exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled, "Quite the unique insight, isn't it, Kirisu-sensei?"

Mafuyu nodded, still in a daze, "Indeed, Zaimokuza is quite an exceptional student."

Yukino clenched her fist briefly before relaxing and letting out a sigh, understanding that these were the words she wanted to express back in the day.

Yui and Yumiko, along with others, watched Zaimokuza speak passionately from the platform, a hint of admiration coloring their cheeks.

Rumi's eyes were filled with tears, and Hinata gently patted her to comfort her.

At this moment, some elementary students started expressing their dissatisfaction.

"We didn't do any of that, so why should we listen to you?"

Their words stirred some unrest among the kids.

"Yeah, we didn't do anything at all."

Seeing the chaos reignite, Zaimokuza shook his head and sighed, speaking again in an even colder tone.

"But you tolerated it." His piercing words were like a sharp sword striking every listener's heart.

"Think about how you would feel if you were being bullied and looked around for help, only to find people avoiding your gaze, or worse, recording the event on their phones to post online. You can't stand idly by and think it's none of your business because you could be the next target. So don't consider yourself innocent or claim you did nothing. Silence makes you a part of the problem." Zaimokuza's words left the dissenting students embarrassed and ashamed, prompting them to quietly sit down.

"So students who are being bullied should not simply run away; it's important to seek professional help. Your injuries are not just physical; the emotional trauma is severe and needs timely communication with a psychologist. Don't be cowardly, because cowardice can ultimately lead to worse outcomes. Parents should stand by their children, showing them they aren't alone. The school should instill in students the principle that bullying others is unacceptable. If schools don't take responsibility, it might be too late when something serious happens. That concludes today's speech."

The surrounding area fell silent until applause broke out. Yukino, Megumi, and Shizuka were the first to start clapping, followed by the rest of the audience.

Thus, Zaimokuza's speech concluded on the last night of the summer camp. Hopefully, this lesson would bring about some change in the elementary students. Let's hope for the best.